by Gabrielle DeSantis

There are many auto awards. It’s hard to keep track of what’s out there. While all bring prestige to the vehicle that wins, some awards hold more sway over consumer decisions than others. The AutoPacific Vehicle Satisfaction Award is one of them. This year the 2021 Infiniti Q50 was chosen as the winner.

What is the AutoPacific Vehicle Satisfaction Award?

2021 Infiniti Q50 | Infiniti USA

Earning the AutoPacific Vehicle Satisfaction Award is no small feat. The main concern is that owners feel satisfied with their purchases. That means no buyers regret a month after driving the vehicle. 

The problem is that it can mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people. The AutoPacific considers this by looking at 36 different areas, including interior design, usability, driving performance, and other various features.

Rather than having one or two people take the vehicle for a test drive or even keep it for a year, the AutoPacific VSA sends out a survey to over 89,000 owners and tallies the responses. It gives a comprehensive view of how people feel about the vehicle, determining which vehicle earns the reward.

The Infiniti Q50 lands the award

Infiniti has won many awards over the years. This is the first time the Q50 has won this particular award. There have been other Infinitis to win it. There was the QX50, QX60, and QX80. Each won in several different categories, and there’s no doubt it was well-earned. Infiniti was especially excited about this one, however.

According to USA Infiniti News, “Successfully blending sportiness and luxury with a powerful twin-turbo V6, the Q50 earns praise for its acceleration, braking, exterior styling, front-seat comfort, power, and an array of safety features. Owners also highly rated key attributes like the Q50’s driver’s seat durability, handling, movement, quality, reliability, ride, safety ratings, and visibility.”

It’s interesting because many owners on Consumer Reports weren’t that impressed with the 2021 Infiniti Q50. The major complaint revolved around the interior, which they didn’t think was all that comfortable. Despite this, the 2021 Infiniti Q50 won enough votes to win the AutoPacific Vehicle Satisfaction Award.

What makes the 2021 Infiniti Q50 so great?

With a starting price of $37,625, the Q50 is just expensive enough to be a true luxury vehicle. It also comes with enough goodies to entice those who can afford it.

The exterior has the slick looks expected of a luxury sports sedan. It’s perfect for a business person who wants to look professional or someone who wants to drive a good-looking vehicle.

Thanks to the twin-turbocharged and inter-cooled DOHC 24-valve V6, the 2021 Q50 can go from zero to 60 in 5.0 seconds. That’s not exactly top speeds, but for this price range, it’s more than respectable. The 7-speed automatic with manual transmission is a delight for anyone who likes driving a stick. 

The ride is smooth and makes an excellent vehicle to drive the highway in. It fits in well on city streets as well. The dual-screen infotainment system gives a fun feel to the Q50. What’s really cool is the use of various apps, Android Auto, and Apple CarPlay compatibility.

The best part of the 2021 Q50 is the new safety features. In the past, the Infiniti Q50 failed to impress due to its lack of common safety features and its cost. Infiniti took the criticism and decided to fix this. 

Now the Q50 gets lane departure warning, intelligent cruise control, automatic high beams, and rear collision warning as standard. The 360-degree camera has also been updated, as well as the blind-spot monitors. Some might wonder if this is enough to draw in sales, but the fact that the Q50 won the AutoPacific Vehicle Satisfaction Award proves it can.

RELATED: Is the Infiniti Q50 Worth Buying?

The post The Infiniti Q50 Achieved 2021 AutoPacific Vehicle Satisfaction Award for Best ‘Standard Luxury Car’ appeared first on MotorBiscuit.

by Gabrielle DeSantis

The Lamborghini Countach is all over the news right now as it rises from the dead. But can you imagine being the guy that curbed the wheels of the brand new Lamborghini Countach as it rolls into a supercar event? Actually, don’t imagine that.

The new Lamborghini Countach had a busy weekend

Someone curbed the new Lamborghini Countach wheels already | Lamborghini

The 2022 Lamborghini Countach was the VIP new car at the Monterey Car Week over the weekend. The Lamborghini Lounge Monterey essentially turned an Italian villa into a whole experience for the weekend. As the information about the Countach was just coming out, this was likely the event to be at all weekend.

Someone curbed the back left wheel as the company first rolled out the new Lamborghini Countach LPI 800-4. The Drive showed an Instagram story from Sebastian Azcarate that clearly showed the wheel with curb rash.

The new supercar wheels stick with the hexagonal theme, which is visible in photos. According to the press release, the specifics of the wheels are as follows. “The Countach LPI 800-4 20” (front) and 21” (rear) wheels are created in the ‘telephone’ style of the 1980s, fitted with carbon-ceramic brake discs, and Pirelli P Zero Corsa tires.” Since Lamborghini painted the wheels a gloss black, the curb rash was pretty obvious.

Who curbed the Lamborghini Countach wheels?

The new Countach wheel had pretty significant damage for likely being rolled into place at the event. According to videos taken during day one of Monterey Car Week, there was no damage on the wheel. So sometime between day one and day two, someone curbed the supercar wheel along the way.

The Countach LPI 800-4 was unveiled on the first day and had a lot of attention surrounding it, but there did not appear to be any damage by the end of the day. According to the specs from Lamborghini, the Countach is 83 inches wide. That’s five inches wider than a Kia Telluride.

Imagine being a random employee trying to relocate a $3 million supercar and curbing the wheels? Some speculation noted that the vehicle was driving off the outdoor display stage and some kind of kerfuffle happened on the way down.

The price of these supercar wheels could be upwards of $40,000

Lamborghini will on produce around 110 of the Countach total. According to a connection The Drive has at the supercar brand, the wheels on an Aventador SVJ Roadster cost $5,410 each so that a complete set would be $21,640. For the Centenario, the rear wheels cost $9,880 each. If you needed four at that price, that’s almost $40,000 just for wheels. That’s a base model Kia Telluride out the door.

Not that many of us are driving around in supercars like a new Countach, but it’s a good idea to make sure your car insurance is up to date. Never underestimate the power of a new driver in a tight parking spot. Or, a new employee moving a Lamborghini Countach on debut weekend. The horror!

RELATED: Are These Leaked Lamborghini Countach Photos Legit?

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by Gabrielle DeSantis

What do Jeff Bezos, Bill Gates, and Michael Bloomberg all have in common? Yes, they’re all rich. They also all have invested millions of dollars into finding metals that are used in electric vehicle production. Many consumers have been resistant to the coming EV revolution. This major move by American billionaires proves that electric vehicles are a safe bet as the future of the automotive industry.

Why are some of the richest men in the world investing in EV materials?

Jeff Bezos speaks after receiving the 2019 International Astronautical Federation | MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images

According to Business Insider, billionaires Jeff Bezos, Bill Gates, and Michael Bloomberg are all investors in KoBold Metals, a company that is searching for electric vehicle metals and materials in Greenland. Why are some of the richest men in the world investing in EV metals? Electric vehicle battery materials such as cobalt are a hot commodity because of scarcity.

Most battery electric vehicles (BEVs) rely on metals like cobalt. As a result, cobalt is in demand now more than ever as the automotive industry progresses toward an electric future. The United States will rapidly continue to produce and sell electric vehicles until the majority of vehicles driven in America are EVs.

Electric vehicle batteries are one of the most expensive components of EVs. Since electric vehicle battery recycling is such a new concept, electric vehicle battery packs are extremely rare. Electric vehicle battery materials come from a complex deep-sea mining process. Billionaires are now investing millions into deep-sea mining to secure metals like cobalt for electric vehicle battery pack production as EVs become more popular.

How long do electric car batteries last?

A battery from a Nissan Leaf electric vehicle is on show in the foyer of the Envision battery manufacturing plant at Nissan's plant in Sunderland, north east England on July 1, 2021.
Electric car battery | OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images

EV batteries are the most essential part of EVs for several reasons. Electric vehicle battery packs power the motor, which makes the drivetrain move the vehicle’s wheels. EV batteries will be in high demand because the charging and discharging process drains their total capacity and life, thus many older EVs may require more than one battery pack.

Some electric vehicle battery packs have warranties for five to eight years or 100,000 miles. Electric vehicles can last just as long as well-maintained gas-powered vehicles. Similar to a gas-powered vehicle’s transmission, EV battery packs will need to be replaced after EVs reach high mileage.

Electric vehicles are here to stay

A white Nissan Leaf.
The Nissan Leaf | Nissan

Electric vehicles aren’t going anywhere. Despite a small percentage of consumers being discontent with their EV purchases and switching back to gas-powered vehicles, electric vehicles are taking over the automotive industry. In 2021 EVs account for a larger percentage of the total new-vehicle market share than ever before.

Billionaires recognize that cobalt will soon become one of the most valued metals in existence because of its role in EV battery pack production. The race to find as much cobalt as possible through deep-sea mining is on. Will KoBold ascend as one of the most important companies in the world as EVs become more common in the next decade?

RELATED: Amazon’s Jeff Bezos Beat Tesla’s Elon Musk to Space, but What’s Next?

The post Jeff Bezos, Bill Gates, and Michael Bloomberg Bet Big on EVs appeared first on MotorBiscuit.

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Celebrities are known for outrageous purchases, both for themselves and other people. Billionaire Mark Cuban currently holds a Guinness World Record for purchasing a $40 million private jet online in 1999. And recording artist Soulja Boy received a McLaren GT, priced at over $200,000, as a birthday gift this year. However, Kanye West is known for giving some pretty incredible gifts to Kim Kardashian West during their relationship. One of the more interesting gifts was a neon green Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon, which she famously called “the truck of my dreams.”

Kim Kardashian got some pretty outrageous gifts from soon-to-be ex-husband Kanye West

Kim Kardashian West and Kanye West | Getty Images

According to Page Six, over the course of their nine-year relationship, which included six years of marriage, Kanye West gave Kim Kardashian West some pretty amazing and outrageous gifts. In addition to two custom Hermes bags, one designed by artist George Condo and one designed by their daughter, North West, Kardashian received a $1 million check plus a contract to be an owner of Yeezy, West’s clothing line.

Kenny G also serenaded Kardashian for Valentine’s Day in 2019. And for her 40th birthday, West presented her with a hologram of her late father, Robert Kardashian, complete with a message, probably written by West, from beyond the grave.

West did give Kardashian a few more traditional gifts, including flowers and jewelry. For Mother’s Day in 2014, he gave her a wall of flowers. On two different Valentine’s Days, he sent her thousands of roses. As for jewelry, he has given her several Cartier panther bracelets, as well as a bevy of other Cartier bracelets and a diamond choker worth approximately $1 million.

Her engagement ring was a 15-carat ring worth approximately $2 million. And she received an upgraded 20-carat engagement ring worth approximately $4.5 million a few years later. In 2020, he gave her a vintage gold Cartier necklace engraved with a text message he had sent her previously.

In 2018, she got a neon green Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon

Page Six reported that in 2018, West and Kardashian attended the nuptials for 2 Chainz and Kesha Ward in Miami. Kardashian was photographed wearing a form-fitting neon green dress, and they were both photographed getting into a Mercedes-Benz G550 4×4 SUV.

A week later, West gave her a neon green, presumably to match the dress, Mercedes-Benz G550, which she declared “the truck of my dreams.” Her reason for why it was her dream truck was “’cause I was so excited in Miami.”

Unfortunately, their marriage is ending—Kardashian filed for divorce in February 2021. Like most celebrity couples, they have a prenuptial agreement, which details who gets what. So, who is getting that Mercedes? According to Evening Standard, Kardashian is going to get to keep her dream truck. As well as every other gift West ever got her.  

Overview of the 2018 Mercedes-Benz G550 4×4 SUV

The 2018 Mercedes-Benz G550 has a 4.0-liter V8 that puts out 416 hp and 450 lb-ft of torque, with four-wheel drive and a seven-speed automatic transmission. It is over seven feet tall, with a ground clearance of an incredible 18 inches. As one would expect from Mercedes-Benz, the interior is fairly luxurious, but the fuel economy is terrible at an estimated 11 combined mpg. According to CarBuzz, about 300 units were produced for distribution in the United States, so it is a pretty rare vehicle. 

Even though Kardashian gets to keep the G550 in the divorce, will she actually hold on to it? West also gave her five Mercedes-Maybach SUVs, which she gets to keep as well. So, even if she decides to part with her dream truck, she definitely will not be left without anything to drive. 

RELATED: Kanye West Loves to Drive Around Wyoming in These Russian Vehicles

The post Remembering the Time When Kanye Gave Kim Kardashian West That Neon Green ‘Truck of My Dreams’ appeared first on MotorBiscuit.