迈耶斯马恩岛语Dune Buggy Revived, New Toyota Overtrail Off-Roader, Porsche 911 GT3 RS Crazy Aeros: Cold Start

Aug. 09, 2022 6:42 AM ET byRoger Biermann Cold Start /Comments

Off-road, on-road, and on-track, these are yesterday's most important news stories for you to catch up on.

The alarms have rung, and the coffee's percolating, so it's time to start your day off the right way withCold Start, your one-stop recap of the most important news from the last day. It was a slow Monday for most, with highlights coming from Ford's aid of Kentucky flood victims and 7,500 new jobs from the newest automaker to hit America, VinFast. We found out that driving on a race track is healthier for you than hitting the gym, too.

Speaking of the track, Porsche's 911 GT3 RS track tool will be revealed soon with even more active aero than we'd imagined. BMW has flipped a giant middle finger to the world and announced subscription features aren't going anywhere, making us yearn for simpler times… like when the Meyers Manx dune buggy was around… Turns out that's happening again as the Manx has been revived as an electric off-roader. Toyota could be eyeing a special off-roader as well called the Overtrail, but what it will be remains anyone's guess.

Toyota Overtail Incoming, But What Could It Be?

Discovered byCarBuzz, Toyota has filed a trademark for the "Overtrail" name with the USPTO. Filed for vehicles, it could be anything from a new model to simply a new trim. Some of us believe Overtrail would be the perfect nomenclature for a new off-road focused specification of upcoming vehicles like the new Tacoma and 4Runner, but others think the possibility exists of a new model line altogether, one that could tackle the territory currently possessed by the Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz - small trucks. There are more possibilities, too, but what's for certain is that Toyota is going to lean heavily on its proven off-road credentials as it looks to steal customers away from off-road brands like Jeep and Ford.

Click here to read about our Toyota Overtrail theories

BMW Won’t Back Out Of Subscription Services

BMW is sticking to its guns. Not only will obscenely large grilles be sticking around - even on EVs - but so too will subscription features. What's a subscription feature? Simply, BMW builds your car fully loaded at the factory, but you have to pay a monthly fee to use the features. Stop paying, and BMW will deactivate things like heated seats, surround-view cameras, and more. Feeling cold? Sign up to heated seats for a month and then forget about it as BMW slowly siphons your bank account. The German automaker has faced serious online backlash over the new strategy, but a spokesperson has confirmed the brand isn't backing down, saying that the customers will get used to it. We did so with content streaming, and gaming, but only time will tell if we truly accept the same of our cars.

See what BMW had to say about its commitment to content subscription here

Porsche 911 GT3 RS Getting Crazier Active Aero Than We Thought

Have you looked at the nearly-naked prototypes of the new Porsche 911 GT3 RS and thought, "You know, that wing isn't big enough; it needs more aero!"? No? Neither have we. But Porsche's engineers clearly did, asCarBuzzhas discovered patent documentation for even more active aero that's likely to be hitting the new RS model. The design premise is simple, active flaps in the rear bumper to help channel airflow from within vents and off the sides of the bodywork to be more efficient. The flaps would smooth airflow down the car's sides and create more downforce and stability for the vehicle at speed. This fits in with the intentions of Porsche's GT division, as GT boss Andreas Preuninger has already explained the new GT3 RS won't focus on power so much as it will on aerodynamics and the chassis itself.

Click here to get the full details on Porsche's genius new aero system

迈耶斯马恩岛语Dune Buggy Revived As Electric Off-Roader

The Meyers Manx is an icon of automotive history - a dune buggy designed by Bruce Meyers off the bones of the original VW Beetle. But as times change, so too do icons. Meyers Manx has now been rebooted with a new model, dubbed the Electric 2.0. In true Manx fashion, it's a dune buggy, but as its name suggests, this one is all-electric. It gets classic buggy styling and will play host to two powertrain options. Battery capacities of 20 kWh and 40 kWh will be available, providing 150- and 300 miles of range, respectively. With the former, power figures remain a mystery, but the latter range-topper will pump out 202 horsepower and 240 lb-ft of torque from a twin-motor setup. Weighing around 1,650 lbs, 0-60 mph is predicted to take just 4.5 seconds.

Read all about the new Meyers Manx Electric 2.0 right here