Wrecked Toyota Supra Lives on for 1 Informative Reason

by Gabrielle DeSantis

For the most part, seeing a crashed Toyota Supra is never a good sign. However, in this case, everyone inside this Supra managed to walk away from a fairly serious crash. Eventually, this car ended up where most totaled cars do, at an outdoor lot, likely awaiting to get auctioned off. However, with this sports car wasting away, a great idea appeared to repurpose it.

According to Toyota UK Magazine, Paul Collins, Body and Paint Project and Reporting Manager of Toyota Great Britain came up with the idea to salvage this car. The goal was to take it apart and utilize its frame to help train technicians on how to fix this sports car.

How did this Toyota Supra crash?

Toyota Supra | Toyota UK Magazine

For the most part, we don’t know exactly how this Toyota Supra ended up in such terrible shape. However, from the one photo provided by Toyota UK Magazine, we can see plenty of details. For starters, the single image shows that most of the damage occurred on the car’s right side. This appears to be the case because nothing seems to be sticking out on the car’s left side.

A closer look at this Toyota Supra’s passenger door reveals that it has almost been ripped from its hinges. Additionally, we can clearly see some serious gashes all over it. Unfortunately, we don’t get a good enough view to see if the rear quarter panel houses any serious damage.

Regardless of the initial cause, there is no denying that this sports car is completely totaled. However, that doesn’t matter in this case.

Here’s why this sports car wasn’t scrapped

An image of the frame out of a Toyota Supra in a workshop.
Toyota Supra | Toyota UK Magazine

RELATED: Recall Alert: Your 2020 Toyota Supra Could Catch Fire

According to Toyota UK Magazine, Collins’ idea involves stripping this car completely. This way, its frame would be left completely exposed. The goal here is to help train technicians that are part of the Toyota Approved Repairer network. The reason why the Supra is a tricky car to fix in the first place is that it utilizes several different materials throughout.

According to Toyota UK Magazine, this sports car features an aluminum front end to help reduce weight. Aside from showing technicians how to work with these materials, this frame allows them to study exactly how the Toyota Supra goes together. This is a rare look since technicians rarely get to look at a disassembled car until they’re actually performing some serious fix.

Is the Toyota Supra a safe car?

If you’re looking for safety ratings to see if the Toyota Supra is a safe car, you’ll be quite disappointed. This is because neither the NHTSA nor the IIHS has released official ratings for this model. Not even Euro NCAP has official safety ratings for the Supra. However, there is a safety rating for the BMW Z4. While these cars share vastly different exteriors, they share the same structural components. As a result, they should perform comparatively in the case of an accident.

According to Euro NCAP, the Z4 received a perfect five-star rating for the 2019 model. Since these cars haven’t had any significant changes, that excellent rating should still apply to both the BMW and the Toyota.

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This Is the Cheapest SUV You Can Buy With the Most Safety Features

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Maybe you want a safe SUV, but you don’t want to spend a lot of money. Perhaps you know that advanced safety systems can enhance the safety of your SUV, but you’re not sure which are important. Consumer Reports lists the SUVs with the most safety features, and the 2021 Nissan Rogue Sport is the cheapest. Let’s look at what the 2021 Nissan Rogue Sport has to offer.

2021 Nissan Rogue Sport | Nissan

What safety features does the 2021 Nissan Rogue Sport offer?

The rear of a blue 2021 Nissan Rogue Sport.
2021 Nissan Rogue Sport | Nissan

All of them. Okay, so that doesn’t explain a lot, but the Rogue Sport has every piece of advanced safety systems that Consumer Reports recommends. These include forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking for the city and highway, pedestrian detection, lane keeping assistance and lane departure warning. Additional safety features recommended which the 2021 Lexus NX has are blind spot warning, rear cross traffic warning, rear view camera, anti lock brakes, traction control, stability control, and daytime running lights. 

Forward collision warning and pedestrian detection will alert a driver if there is something in the path of the car which may cause a collision. Automatic emergency braking can apply brakes automatically if the driver doesn’t react to the object in time. 

Similarly, camera and sensors can monitor the surroundings of an SUV to make sure there is nothing in a blind spot. Some blind spot warning systems will alert the driver if the driver signals to turn or change lanes in front of the vehicle in the blind spot. 

Lane keeping assistance and lane departure warning also use cameras and sensors to make sure that a car doesn’t wander into other lanes of traffic. Some SUVs will gently correct the steering if the driver doesn’t, to maintain position. 

All new SUVs must have a backup camera, but the Rogue Sport also comes standard with rear cross traffic warning. This means that if something crosses behind the SUV, a warning will alert the driver. This is especially important considering that most rear moving accidents involve children. 

Anti lock brakes, traction and stability control, and daytime running lights are more safety features which make the Rogue Sport a safer SUV. And at just $24,060, it’s the cheapest SUV with the most safety features.

The 2021 Nissan Rogue Sport did well in Consumer Reports crash testing

A green 2021 Nissan Rogue Sport is parked on a city curb.
2021 NIssan Rogue Sport | Nissan

The Rogue Sport scored good in all of the IIHS crash testing shared by Consumer Reports. The rear crash and roof crush test were not included in these tests. 

Additionally, the Rogue Sport scored five stars in all NHTSA crash tests except for the overall frontal, overall frontal-crash driver, and both the 2WD and 4WD roll over tests. It scored four stars in each of these categories.  

It didn’t do as well in predicted reliability and predicted owner satisfaction

Both of these categories use a combination of Consumer Reports’ technical knowledge and survey data. The predicted reliability for the 2021 Nissan Rogue Sport is a two out of five. Predicted owner satisfaction is the same. 

Overall, the 2021 Nissan Rogue Sport is the cheapest SUV with the most advanced safety features that you can buy. Of course, these safety features shouldn’t replace driver attention, but having them is a great addition to safety. So if you’re shopping for a safe SUV, consider the Rogue Sport.

RELATED: 5 of the Safest 2021 Midsize Luxury SUVs, According to the IIHS

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Lawn Mower Maintenance Tips to Avoid Breakdowns

by Gabrielle DeSantis

It’s that time of year when homeowners everywhere dust off their trusty lawn mowers for another season of yard care. Whether your lawn is small or several acres, you need your mower to be in tip-top shape to keep up with the growing grass. The best way to ensure your mower won’t have problems is to perform regular maintenance. Follow these easy maintenance tips will help you avoid breakdowns during the busiest season.

Know your lawn mower’s needs

A walking mower and a riding lawn mower are very different machines. So you’ll have different maintenance requirements depending upon your model. However, keeping the mower deck clean after each use, for example, is a good idea for both types. But how you go about cleaning a walking mower and a riding mower will be vastly different.

Other features that also need maintenance are self-propel mechanisms and bagging functions, Popular Mechanics notes. And different brands have varied equipment. For example, Honda mowers come with a hydrostatic drive for a super-smooth ride and precision cutting. The Snapper offers a rear-drive version with a hi-vac mower, ideal for bagging. Knowing your mower’s features will help you determine your maintenance to-do list to keep it running.

In addition to caring for your mower’s various features, you should also perform the following general maintenance.

Change the oil in your lawn mower

Regardless of your lawn mower’s brand, perform regular oil changes. Old oil can contain debris and will break down over time. Draining and replacing your mower’s oil will improve its performance, extend the life of the engine, and reduce your risk of facing expensive repairs.

Generally, change a walking mower’s oil annually or every 50 hours, Home Depot suggests. You should also change a riding lawn mower’s oil yearly, but it can run for 100 hours between drainings.

Clean or replace the air filter

The air filter in your lawn mower is its first line of defense, The Spruce reports. When your mower’s air filter is in good shape, it catches dirt and debris, keeping particles from affecting the carburetor and engine. An old or worn air filter will allow these contaminants to flow freely, potentially causing issues when starting your mower or, worse, shortening the engine’s lifespan. 

You can replace the air filter or clean it using soap and water once every season. You should also check the condition of your air filter every 300 hours to ensure it’s in good working order. But not cleaning it will lead to maintenance complications down the road.

Keep your lawn mower’s fuel fresh

Don’t forget to check the fuel in your lawn mower. Gasoline can grow stale within a month. Even storing it in a fuel-approved container during the winter can lead to mower engine complications. Make sure your maintenance schedule includes a fluid stabilizer or treatment to ensure the gas stays fresh. Conveniently, most tune-up kits that are popular with DIYers include these gas treatments with air filters and spark plugs.

Expired fuel can do all kinds of damage to your lawn mower. Old gas puts internal carburetor components in jeopardy and can deteriorate fuel lines. Usually, the first side effect of bad fuel is a problem starting and running the mower. Avoid these complications by incorporating a fuel maintenance step in your seasonal servicing.

By following these few maintenance steps, you can keep your lawn mower running all summer. Whether you do it yourself or outsource maintenance to a professional, it’s a must-do to keep your mower in good working order.

RELATED: A John Deere Isn’t the Most Expensive Lawn Mower on This Consumer Reports List

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200 Flying Taxi Orders Means They’re Coming to US and UK

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Flying taxis are coming, and sooner than you think. Especially in urban jungles like LA and Manhattan, the only way to get above the congestion is to get above it. But now Halo, the UK helicopter provider, has just placed an order for 200 vertical takeoff and landing vehicles. So, flying cars are here.

Eve will run zero-emissions urban air services out of both New York and London

It is planning to start a zero-emissions urban air service out of both New York and London. The eVTOLs ordered are electric-powered. They are manufactured by Eve, a subsidiary of Embraer, the Brazilian aircraft manufacturer. 

Eve has been working with the UK government to iron out airspace management to make flying cars possible. Obviously, there are legislative and operational decisions that must be made to allow eVTOLs to fly above packed cities. Also, the layout of the eVTOLs had to be determined from a number of proposals. 

Halo will operate 100 flying taxis in New York and 100 more for the UK

A prototype of NEC Corp.’s flying car sits on display during a demonstration at a testing site | Kiyoshi Ota/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Now Halo will need to work with both the UK Civil Aviation Authority and US regulators to establish protocols and parameters for mobility services. Halo will operate 100 of these flying taxis in the US and 100 in the UK. Deliveries of the fleet of taxis will happen by 2026. 

The big hurdles are not the crafts themselves, but the air traffic management. Since this has never been done before Halo is working mostly from scratch. If regulatory issues can be reasonably resolved it is estimated that it could be a $500 billion market annually. 

While air management would seem to be the biggest hurdle, it is actually ground infrastructure that will prove to be the most complicated issue. Vertiports will see a multitude of restrictions with the most pressing being finding spaces large enough for multiple landing operations. They will need to be located as close to central business districts, shopping centers, and train/subways as possible. 

Ground infrastructure may pose the biggest headaches

Flying Taxi in the air
Turkeyâs first domestically produced flying car, the Cezeri, produced by aerial platform developer Baykar, is seen during its first successful test flight | BAYKAR / HANDOUT/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Flying taxis will also have to work in harmony with air delivery which will also boom once regulations are determined. Other factors include having fast charging areas to recharge electric batteries, security checkpoints, and holding areas for passengers and their ground transportation. Smaller Vertistations with only one or two landing areas will be needed for more rural destinations. So the need for ground space won’t be just for large Vertiports. 

Finally, there will need to be backup sites in case of the need for an emergency landing. And food courts, lounge areas, and operation centers are all part of the ground necessities. Overall, it is an exciting time and also a wide-open field for employment.

RELATED: Forget Taycan: Porsche Is Building A Flying Sports Car

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