Tag Archives: received

News

First drive: Inverted Range Rover Classic

August 16, 2023 David

The Inverted Range Rover Classic has undergone several upgrades. The rear springs have been made stiffer to handle the battery’s weight, and adjustable dampers from Fox (known from the Ford Raptor) have been installed. While the rear brakes are standard, the front brakes now feature four-pot calipers and discs from Alcon.

Many components are sourced either from a donor Tesla (such as the brake booster) or from aftermarket suppliers (like the battery management system).

Despite being Inverted’s first project, the Inverted Range Rover Classic feels comfortable to drive, especially once you select the appropriate setting. The standard mode has a lot of dead travel at the top of the throttle pedal and no regenerative braking. However, if you switch to Off-Road mode, it functions similar to a Tesla: the dead spot is replaced by regenerative braking, although the brake pedal still only affects the friction brakes. Inverted offers customization options for the amount of regen based on customer preferences.

Unlike a Tesla, power delivery is not instant. You need to keep your foot on the pedal for a while as the power gradually increases. While this may sound inconvenient, the vehicle always has enough power, adding a sense of engagement. Just imagine the thrill of unleashing 450bhp on a 1970s off-roader. Sport mode provides a more direct response but is still gradual enough for a smooth driving experience.

Inverted claims that the motor has the potential to deliver 600bhp, although 200bhp would suffice. It is important to note that this is not a vehicle designed for high-speed driving. The grip levels are modest, there is significant body roll, and the steering is both slow and humorously vague, lacking self-centering.

Technology

Discovering the Secrets of the USS Zumwalt, the Largest Destroyer Ever Built

August 7, 2023 David

The USS Zumwalt, the flagship of the advanced Zumwalt class of destroyers, has received a new designation, breaking away from the previous naming conventions. The previous class of destroyers, known as the Arleigh Burke class, ended with DDG 139. However, the USS Zumwalt brings a significant advancement in naval capabilities, with improvements in its designation, mission capabilities, and equipment.

The Zumwalt class, including the DDG-1000 and other vessels, is designed as versatile ships capable of carrying out various missions. Unlike its predecessor, the Arleigh Burke class, the Zumwalt class is significantly larger and equipped with enhanced armaments. However, these advancements also come with a higher price tag. Building a new and untested combat ship involves pioneering new components and designs, which can lead to higher initial expenses. However, as shipyards like Bath Iron Works adapt and streamline their processes, future iterations are expected to become more cost-effective.

Originally, more Zumwalt class ships were planned, but due to budget constraints, only three were ordered, and the rest were canceled. The USS Zumwalt represents a promising step towards the future of naval warfare, boasting unparalleled capabilities. However, thorough testing and refinement are needed to ensure its operational effectiveness.

News, Technology

Reddit’s Latest Major Outage Impacted Desktop and Mobile Users

August 3, 2023 David

Primakov/Shutterstock

If you tried logging into Reddit today and received an error message instead, you aren’t alone. On Wednesday, the controversial social network updated its Status website to indicate it was experiencing “elevated error rates,” which it labeled as a major outage without any additional details. Unlike some recent issues, this particular incident impacted both the desktop version of Reddit and its official mobile apps — and any third-party apps that may remain following its recent API change, though there aren’t many left.

Assuming you could access the website, many features still worked as expected, including voting, commenting, and playing videos. However, complaints from impacted users indicated that when applicable, users were unable to open the website and get content to load in the mobile apps, instead seeing an error page or being faced with endless attempts at loading. The issue appeared widespread, with reports surfacing from users located around the world.

The reason for this outage remains unclear

rafapress/Shutterstock

At this time, Reddit hasn’t revealed what caused this particular outage, and it is possible that issues may continue to linger for some users throughout the day. The company updated the official Reddit Status website to list the outage as “resolved” at 3:15 p.m. ET / 5:15 p.m. ET on Tuesday, and if history is anything to go by, that’ll likely mark the end of this particular incident.

This is the first major outage to occur on Reddit since the network was the subject of a user-base-wide protest this past June. Thousands of subreddits had gone private, or “blacked out,” in protest of rules that would require users to pay for the usage of application programming interface (API) software. However, due to the protests subsiding in recent weeks, it is unlikely that any remaining protests among subreddits are responsible for this particular outage.

Opinion

Matt Prior: Defending the Festival of Speed

July 30, 2023 David

Recently, my local pub received a two-star review from a disappointed customer who arrived to find it closed. The customer had relied on outdated information from the pub’s previous owner, who had created a website but never maintained it properly. Without verifying the information or contacting the pub, the customer left a negative review. This unfair criticism affected the current landlord, who is working hard to make the pub successful. Despite hundreds of satisfied customers, even if five more visitors were to leave five-star ratings, the average rating would only increase to 4.5. This situation reminds me of the saying, “no good deed goes unpunished.”

Now, let’s talk about the Goodwood Festival of Speed. This event is one of the most significant and successful gatherings in the motoring world. It’s essentially the British motor show and is enjoyed by all participants. However, The Sun newspaper recently managed to find a few individuals in Chichester who are unhappy with the festival due to the temporary traffic congestion it causes. The oldest complainant, who is 66 years old, was born several years after the motor circuit held its first race. Even during times when competitive racing wasn’t taking place, there were always regular motorsport activities at Goodwood. I personally have attended track days and experienced a Formula Ford event at Goodwood back in the early 1990s.

One of the complainants mentioned that they are “not into cars,” which is like living in Wembley (known for football) and complaining about football. Goodwood has been hosting motor racing since 1948 and has been attracting crowds since horse racing began there in 1802. In fact, the largest one-day crowd at Goodwood was recorded in 1955, with 55,000 attendees. I understand that traffic can be challenging during the festival, especially on the A27, which is already busy. However, it’s only a few days a year. Additionally, suggesting major road construction on the south coast would undoubtedly cause even more disruption.

Another complaint was that the festival should take place elsewhere. This argument is often made by people who live near busy roads, which I can sympathize with. Personally, I believe that public roads are best enjoyed when they are less crowded. Recently, I read Steve Cropley’s column in which he mentioned discovering new roads near his home that he didn’t know existed. I had a similar experience when I test rode some Ducati motorcycles a few miles from my house. I was directed to roads that I didn’t even realize were there, and I believe it’s better to keep their location undisclosed for my own enjoyment.

Motorsport

New BMW X3 Coming in 2024 with Plug-in Hybrid Powertrain

July 1, 2023 Prafful Singh

The current generation of the BMW X3 (G01) has been on the market since 2017, receiving a facelift in 2021 and refreshed M variants the same year. However, BMW has now confirmed that a more significant update for its best-selling SUV is on the way for next year.

In a recent press release, BMW announced that the next-generation BMW X3 will be produced in South Africa as a plug-in hybrid for global export starting in 2024. The Rosslyn plant, which has been producing vehicles since 1968 and has built 1.6 million cars so far, will receive a substantial investment of $218 million (€200 million) towards electrification.

Although BMW did not reveal specific details about the new X3, spy photos of prototypes have been circulating since last year. The images suggest a larger but similar shape to the current model, with a more defined fascia, a screen-focused interior, and the inclusion of hotter M variants. There is even footage of prototypes being tested around the Nurburgring.

Automoto Hub