Back to our subject, pickups and BOF SUVs face existential challenges-    For a start, affordability- And even if you decontent a BOF pickup/SUV down to the barebones they were decades ago, they're still gonna cost more to build than a unit body FWD sedan/hatch.   And for the customers that still buy 'em, where ya gonna park 'em? Even in the suburbs garages are shrinking and vehicles have to share them with lawnmowers, snowblowers, etc.. And in the cities? You're lucky to get a driveway.

Agreed on the death of motorcycling- I've got nine motorcycles and nine heirs, and only one can ride a motorcycle and he's the oldest!

The first motorized segment to go will be motorcycles. Kids today don't even want to drive cars, let alone motorcycles.

I agree with you and that would’ve sounded much better than the way she put it. 

I had a friend that was rear ended in his 2018 Ford Escape. He was pushed into the vehicle in front of him.    BUT, his shoulder harness didn't latch causing him to impact the steering wheel, plus the steering wheel airbag didn't deploy.  The lower leg airbag did deploy.    SOUNDS like a major problem here!    Any TSB noticed about this?     

In other news, affordability and higher prices slow new truck sales….   As can be seen by Ford’s recent employee pricing campaign, there are plenty of buyers if the price is right.

Exactly, Aviator was a good effort but Ford tends to sit on its laurels and let vehicles age too much and then wonder why people paying Lincoln premium prices don’t want a modest refresh….     Yes exactly, one large C2 plant set up similar to Valencia that could up to six or more vehicles would probably cover most of Ford’s small to mid sized vehicle needs without being overly expensive.   I’m a little concerned thatFord gets the blinkers on with plans like using Louisville for new CE1 BEVs and the long lead lock ins that happen with new vehicles, be they BEV or the C2s.   Agree completely that much of the above is in limbo until current politics get resolved, hoping they just go back to honouring  USMC agreement and Ford just gets on with it.

That is no doubt a beautiful car.  Interesting enough though, supercars are not particularly aerodynamic when it comes to energy efficiency.  By that I mean having a low coefficient of drag.  Supercars look sleek, but their shape is most often optimized to create down force, not to cheat the wind.  The Ford GT for example is listed at Cd of 0.35, which compared to many BEVs would be awful at maximizing driving range from a given battery pack.  Looks can be deceiving.   Perhaps designers can figure out how to make aerodynamically efficient cars look really cool.  For my taste, there are already many sedans with Cd in 0.20 to 0.22 range which look very nice or at least good enough.  Designers can also make frontal area smaller which is just as important as low Cd.  I think people’s taste change over time with exposure, so vehicles that looked too aero now look more normal.  That should help sales by reducing resistance to aesthetics.

https://electrek.co/2025/04/23/vw-id-unyx-06-gets-next-gen-software-lfp-batteries-and-20560-price-tag/   VW ID.UNYX 06 gets next-gen software, LFP batteries, and $20,560 price tag Avatar for Jo Borrás Jo Borrás  | Apr 23 2025 - 5:55 am PT 23 Comments Volkswagen launches ID.UNYX 06 SUV starting from 20,560 USD If you thought Tesla was having a bad time in China before, it just got worse. Volkswagen has released an updated version of its ID.UNYX 06 electric crossover in China with a freshened interior, upgraded software, and a starting price equivalent to just $20,560 that’s bound to steal even more sales from Tesla’s slow-selling Model Y.     Built by Volkswagen (Anhui) Automotive Company Limited (formerly JAC-VW), CarNewsChina is reporting that the freshened VW is being positioned as a facelift of the original ID.UNYX which made its debut in 2024, bringing comprehensive upgrades that are, “focused on intelligence, entertainment, and personalization features.”   The ID.UNIYX 06 also gets a fresh “Twilight Blue” metallic exterior color along with a golden badge trim typical of JAC VWs. Inside, the 06 debuts Volkswagen’s latest ID.S 5.4 infotainment system, which features a significantly updated user interface, in-car gaming, and (allegedly) Metaverse social media features.   The entry-level ID.UNYX 06 Pure is equipped with a 53.6 kWh Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) battery good for up to 426 km (264 miles) of CLTC-rated range. That seems to be powered by the same 210 kW (281 hp) electric drive motor on the rear axle as last year’s base UNYX, which was powered by a 77 kWh battery and offers up to 621 km (385 miles) CLTC. There is also an all-wheel-drive version with two electric drive motors and an output of 250 kW (335 hp).

Because this is a consumer survey.