It’s about time we start discussing Lotus’s new-age electric cars without dwelling too much on its rich heritage. Lotus Technology is essentially one of the many Chinese electric car companies with a range of high-tech SUVs and saloons that are set to be launched globally in the coming years. The only difference is that it has the privilege of operating under a name that we recognize, similar to SAIC’s MG Motor.
Once we acknowledge this distinction, it becomes easier to accept the company’s ambitious plan to achieve massive sales figures with a lineup of luxurious and spacious electric vehicles. Furthermore, when we consider how attractive the styling and specifications of these EVs are, accepting this becomes even easier.
The new Lotus Emeya saloon surpasses its toughest competitors in terms of performance, range, and technology. If it’s as enjoyable and capable to drive as the Lotus Eletre SUV, then it has a strong chance of being the best in its class.
It may not be a traditional Lotus, but it’s highly likely to earn the same level of respect and recognition as the brand’s iconic two-seaters that it’s always been known for.
If you want to connect your Amazon Fire Stick to a wired ethernet connection, you will need to get a wired ethernet adapter for your Fire Stick. Unfortunately, none of the Amazon Fire Stick models have an ethernet port built into the device, so you will always need an adapter.
Once you have the adapter, you will need to do the following to connect your Fire Stick to the wired ethernet:
Plug the ethernet cable into the adapter.
Connect the adapter to your Amazon Fire Stick.
Connect your Fire Stick to your display.
To set up your new wired connection, follow these steps:
Turn on your TV and start the Fire Stick.
Go to Settings and select Network.
Choose the new wired connection.
If your home network has advanced security settings, you might need to manually configure the internet settings. To do this, press the Select button on the Fire Stick remote and enter your home network details manually.
So you are considering buying a motorcycle. Fantastic! But the next question you must ask yourself is if it would be better for you to purchase a pre-owned motorcycle, or a new one? New motorcycles are fresh and shiny from the factory, and are irresistible with all of their fancy new gadgets and paint jobs. But as tempting as they are, does buying a new bike really make a lot of sense to you? Because the biggest benefit to going with a pre-owned bike over a new one is also the most obvious… they are cheaper! A motorcycle is a toy that you get to enjoy throughout your life, and you don’t need to break the bank in order to do so. A used bike has seen road time, so you don’t need to ease it through its baby steps before you can really take time to enjoy it. Once you visit a dealer and sign the paperwork on a used bike, you are off to the races! So why go through all the trouble (and extra fees) with a new motorcycle when there are plenty of perfectly good pre-owned bikes to choose from! As the saying goes, “variety is the spice of life”, and you’ve got a lot of spicy options to choose from.
The biggest reason why anyone would intentionally choose to buy a pre-owned motorcycle over a new one is because you won’t be paying nearly as much for almost the same thing. Every year, motorcycle brands have gradually raised the starting MSRP on new models. One example would be the 2020 Harley-Davidson Street Bob, which had a starting ticket price of $14,599. Fast-forward to today, and the 2023 Harley-Davidson Street Bob’s MSRP has increased by two grand with its new asking price of $16,599. It is one of those times when your heart tells you to go with the new bike, but your brain tells you to go with the pre-owned Street Bob that is just a few years older and a couple of thousand miles on it. You are essentially getting the same thing, but the pre-owned bike only costs a few grand less. Buying a motorcycle can be an emotional experience, but allow logic to take the reins in your purchasing decision.
2Depreciation Works In Your Favor
Harley-Davidson Price Tag
Just like cars, watches, smartphones, and computers, the value of a motorcycle plummets the second it leaves the dealership. But what is awesome about whether a bike’s odometer as two miles, or two-thousand miles on it, it can only be officially sold as a used bike. That means is, if you are lucky, you can stumble upon a motorcycle that has only been ridden two or three times in its lifetime. Technically, any new motorcycle that leaves the dealership is by definition, a used bike, regardless of how many miles are on it. So if the pre-owned motorcycle you are looking at only has 100 miles on it and still looks good as new, you are basically buying a new bike without having to pay the price of one. So if you decide to inquire about a year-old motorcycle that was barely ridden, you may find yourself buying a 99% new bike at a used bike’s price.
3Pre-Owned Motorcycles Have Been Reviewed
Harley-Davidson
Every pre-owned motorcycle up for sale has been ridden, tested, and reviewed by experienced riders on every continent. While it is important to do your own independent research on models that you feel are right for you, the word of an experienced rider can carry a lot of weight. It may work out in your favor to consider the opinions and experiences of individuals that have ridden the motorcycle you are leaning towards because their insight could provide important information on how certain motorcycles perform under different conditions, how comfortable they are, how powerful they are, and if they align with your particular riding habits. New motorcycles are updated every year, so no two year models are ever alike, and you may not necessarily want the newer version. With pre-owned motorcycles, you can read some online reviews, and consult some riders that are familiar with the bike you are looming over. Then will you be able to make a more informed decision.
When placing a motorcycle on an insurance policy, its coverage is determined by the model, your age, your driving record, location, and the model year of the bike. More often than not, the cost of coverage on a pre-owned motorcycle will be much lower than that of a new one. For example, the cost to insure a 2010 Kawasaki Ninja 650R will be dramatically lower than that of a brand-new 2023 Harley-Davidson Fat Boy 114. Insurance companies generally don’t require you to pay an arm and a leg for coverage when the cost to repair a motorcycle is more than its actual value. Plus, older bikes are seen as lower-risk, resulting in lower liability cost. Once again, by purchasing a used motorcycle, your wallet will thank you in advance. Also, you can receive a discount on your monthly cost if you can prove you’ve taken a motorcycle safety riding class.
5You Can Skip The Break-In Period
Anthony Capobianco
While a new motorcycle is a very shiny and exciting purchase, a catch that comes with it is the break-in period. This is when the owner needs to ride it a certain amount of miles before they have access to the full rev range. The break-in period is a lot like the bike metaphorically stretching its legs. You cannot go over a certain number of RPMs, and you can’t ride it as aggressively as you may have hoped. You have to be gentle and careful with the first few hundred miles before you can really unlock its potential. Then, once the break-in period is reached, you need to bring it back in to the dealership for a full service. Kind of a buzzkill. With a pre-owned motorcycle, you don’t have to deal with any of this. Nearly every used bike has already been broken in by the time of purchase, so you can just saddle-up and ride!
6Wider Selection Of Models To Choose From
Anthony Capobianco
Every motorcycle brand makes changes to their new lineups every few years. Some models receive upgrades to their factory design. But some models are either temporarily pulled from production, or discontinued altogether. This means that those looking to purchase a new motorcycle have a limited menu of items to choose from. But when shopping around for a pre-owned motorcycle, you have a much wider selection of models up for grabs. Did you ever see yourself on a KTM RC8, Harley-Davidson Sport Glide, or a Yamaha R6, but you couldn’t afford it at the time? Well, good news! Now that you’re ready, you have a second chance at getting your hands on that dream motorcycle you always wanted. Not to mention that it will be priced lower than it was before.
7Free Upgrades
Anthony Capobianco
A big perk to buying a new motorcycle is that it is 100% completely stock. That means for the more creative types, it is a blank slate for customization to suit your personal riding needs and style. However, the downside to this is when you find yourself changing out parts like the handlebars, exhaust, seat, lights, brakes, and doing engine upgrades, the cost of customization can get really high, really fast. Not to mention the cost of having service departments install them if you don’t do the work yourself. Whereas with a pre-owned motorcycle, a significant number of them will have extra parts already installed. If you are lucky, you could find the exact model of motorcycle you were looking for with all the upgrades you had in mind already installed. All of that, with no cost to you!
Nearly everyone that has owned more than one motorcycle before likely purchased their first one as used. Just like when you got your first car, the whole point of your first motorcycle is to make all the mistakes on it. There will be times when you don’t know what you are doing. You will feel nervous about pulling into a 4-way intersection. And yes, you will fall. Sometimes more than once. But the entire purpose of a pre-owned motorcycle is to build your confidence. Something that is cheap and easy to learn on, as well as not feel bad when you make a mistake here and there. So when you feel that you are ready (both in experience and in finances) for a new motorcycle, you won’t feel as nervous about pulling the trigger.
9They Are Favored By Experienced Riders
Anthony Capobianco
Many bikers that have been riding for decades understand the pros and cons that come with purchasing a new and pre-owned motorcycle. They have acquired all the knowledge and confidence to handle any bike, and they know all the tricks in the book. So it shouldn’t come as a surprise when the newest lineup of motorcycles to hit the sales floor just doesn’t impress them as much as it used to. If anything, veteran riders will often lean towards a pre-owned motorcycle because they already know how to properly ride and maintain it. The last thing they want is to have to deal with the hassle of additional expenses that often come with newer bikes. They don’t want to have to go through the break-in period every time they buy a bike. With a pre-owned bike, they can just get on it and go. That’s it.
10Dealerships Have Them Serviced For You
Anthony Capobianco
Most reputable dealerships make it their policy to give every motorcycle in its pre-owned inventory a full-service before it makes it to the sales floor. Whenever a pre-owned bike is taken in, it could need a wide range of services done to it before selling it. So the dealership will make sure the bike is in 100-percent working order by the time you ride off into the sunset, and you can add a warranty on top of that, regardless of the year. That means if a pre-owned bike was in need of an oil change, new lights, new brakes, etc., the dealership will take care of those repairs for prospective customers before they sign on the dotted light. You can always try purchasing a used bike from a regular guy off of Facebook Marketplace, but you’re rolling the dice because you’ll be buying the bike as-is, and there isn’t as much accountability associated with that.
Car manufacturers like Bentley face the challenge of deciding how and when to commit to the electrification of their cars. With premium brands releasing new plug-in hybrid SUVs with impressive electric ranges, Bentley cannot afford to ignore the growing market. Although buyers of the new Bentley Bentayga S Hybrid may not be concerned about benefit-in-kind tax bills, they will start to question why their Bentayga can only manage 30 miles between charges while their colleagues’ Range Rover can do 70 miles. As a result, Bentley has revisited its big SUV and made some improvements to the hybrid model.
The Bentley Bentayga Hybrid was introduced in 2019 as the brand’s first electrified car. Following the success of the Flying Spur Hybrid, Bentley has now expanded the Bentayga Hybrid model line to include the comfort-oriented ‘Azure’ and sporty ‘S’ derivatives. However, one disappointment is that Bentley did not replace the 3.0-litre V6 petrol engine with the more powerful 2.9-litre twin-turbocharged engine found in the Flying Spur Hybrid. Despite this, the Bentayga S Hybrid offers slightly more power and torque than its predecessor, along with a longer electric range. It also features a sporty exhaust and a sound generating resonator to compensate for the less audible combustion engine. On the outside, the car boasts sporty seats, bumpers, and carbon fibre body trim options. However, the driving experience falls short of transformational.
A judge has ruled that the proposed expansion of the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) in London can go ahead on 29 August. To be eligible for certain benefits, residents must scrap a car that does not meet the new emissions limits. Those claiming the higher £5000 allowance must scrap a wheelchair-accessible vehicle.
The mayor’s office has stated that the ULEZ expansion will help remove 200,000 highly polluting vehicles from the city’s roads. However, the AA disputes this figure and claims that up to 400,000 cars will be affected. The AA spokesperson, Luke Bosdet, expressed concern that the scrappage allowance only applies to people on benefits, excluding those with low incomes who hold multiple jobs and those in the care sector who require cars for patient visits.
The RAC has raised questions about the timing of the ULEZ extension. Nicholas Lyes, the head of roads policy, voices concerns that expansion is happening while drivers already struggle with high fuel costs. The RAC suggests either expanding the scrappage scheme to benefit more households or providing residents with a sunset period until August 2024 to allow them more time to upgrade their vehicles.
Experts in vehicle valuation have also questioned the value of the £2000 scrappage allowance. Dylan Setterfield, the head of forecast strategy and operations at Cap HPI, believes this amount is unlikely to cover the cost of purchasing a car that meets the current requirements to avoid the ULEZ charge. Darren Rodwell, leader of the Labour-controlled Barking and Dagenham council, shares this sentiment, stating that the £110 million scrappage budget will not adequately compensate those forced to change their cars.
However, there is a silver lining for drivers and residents in the affected zone. Non-compliant older cars have seen a recent increase in value of approximately 3%, according to Cap HPI. In comparison, values for three-year-old vehicles have remained stable. This increase in value may help ease the cost of transitioning from a non-compliant car to a Euro 4 petrol or Euro 6 diesel.
It’s the Fourth of July weekend, so it must be RedBud! The 2023 National MX season resumed after a short break. Some new faces joined the show with Chase Sexton and Jason Anderson back in action. “I’ve been wearing myself out the last few weeks to be as ready as I can be,” said Anderson. “I have about 7 or 8 days on the bike.”
“I would say I’m closer to 100 percent than I was a Pala,” said Sexton. Unfortunately the program lost Cooper Webb, who was injured in a practice crash. And, of course, Ken Roczen was in the U.K. competing in the opening round of WSX.
Once the 450 racing was underway, none of the additional competition seemed to bother Jett Lawrence. it was business as usual, with the Honda rider pulling both holeshots and establishing a solid lead. In moto one, Ty Masterpool did an amazing job of holding down second until Chase Sexton overtook him. Then he tangled with Adam Ciaciarulo and both riders went down. In the second moto, Masterpool was up front briefly, but a train of factory riders overtook him. Dylan Ferrandis seemed to be stronger in the end of that race and made second place his own.
The 250 race stated off looking like it might be Hunter Lawrence’s best race yet. He pulled the first holeshot and was never challenged, while Haiden Deegan was second. In the second race, however, Hunter went down in the first turn and and just like that, the Lawrence win streak was broken. Levi Kitchen won the race while second place was a battle between Deegan and Tom Vialle. Vaille eventually passed Deegan for the runner-up spot, but it was Deegan’s first overall victory with a 2-3 score. Hunter Lawrence reportedly has no serious injuries and maintains the series point lead.
The updated Hyundai Tucson is creating a lot of buzz as the company keeps it heavily camouflaged during this test session. The prototype of the refreshed South Korean model was recently spotted in the Austrian Alps, towing a small trailer.
Due to the thick disguise, it’s hard to make out any changes to the exterior. However, a sneak peek of a new grille can be seen at the front. While the overall shape remains the same, there seems to be a new grille pattern. As for the headlights, it’s difficult to confirm if any tweaks have been made.
The highest federal court in Germany has determined that car manufacturers must provide compensation to owners of diesel cars equipped with illegal emission manipulation devices.
This decision comes after a lengthy class-action lawsuit filed against Audi, Mercedes-Benz, and Volkswagen by diesel car owners in Germany.
The federal court’s ruling overturns previous dismissals by state courts, which had referred the claims of diesel car owners to lower courts of appeal.
In its ruling, Germany’s federal court stated that the car manufacturers bear the burden of proving that their diesel emission manipulation devices are not illegal.
As a result of the ruling, owners can now claim between 5% and 15% of the purchase price of their diesel cars that are fitted with illegal emission manipulation devices. This judgment has direct implications for similar lawsuits against other car manufacturers in Germany.
Owners had argued that the value of their diesel cars had been negatively affected due to the use of illegal diesel emission manipulation devices.
The judge referred to several diesel emission manipulation devices, including the so-called “thermal window software programs” allegedly used by Audi, Volkswagen, and Mercedes-Benz.
“Thermal window software program” refers to a device that reduces or disables the nitrous oxide filtering effect of the selective catalytic reduction system within a specific temperature range in a diesel exhaust system.
When diesel cars are started under cold conditions, there is a risk of condensation buildup in their selective catalytic reduction filter systems.
The car manufacturers have argued that the use of thermal window software programs, which reduce or disable the filtering effect, helps prevent condensation and the risk of rust buildup, thereby protecting the engine.
However, this practice results in significantly higher nitrous oxide and particulate emissions than claimed by the manufacturers.
Volkswagen, when questioned about the ruling, stated that its diesel emission systems are not illegal and expects the court to continue rejecting any compensation claims.
Mercedes-Benz argued that European regulatory authorities considered thermal window software programs permissible until July 2022. Therefore, they believe the use of such programs cannot be seen as negligence.
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