Acura NSX Gets the Axe: What Does That Mean for Prices?

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Acura has recently announced the end of production for their throwback supercar, the Acura NSX, but not before the release of one final version, the Type S. The NSX was part of a group of cars brought back from a generation of enthusiasts cars, along with the Toyota Supra, and the cars themselves came with many upgrades inside and out. But, if you’ve been waiting for the perfect chance to buy one of the late-model Acura NSXs, you may find that the need for production will likely only cause prices to increase from here.

How much does the 2021 Acura NSX cost?

Acura NSX | Raymond Boyd, Getty Images

As a supercar, we don’t expect the 2021 Acura NSX to be affordable, and the starting MSRP isn’t exactly surprising. If you’re looking to buy a new 2021 model, you can expect to see sticker prices starting at around $157,500. Because the vehicle itself hasn’t changed much since its release back onto the market, buying a used one or a slightly older model will only mean saving a bit of money, which is a stark contrast to what you expect from the average luxury consumer car, which depreciates heavily in the first few years.

The Acura NSX will become a collectible supercar

Although you could argue that the Acura NSX is already a collectible supercar, nothing makes something more exclusive and exciting as knowing that no more will ever be produced. When it comes to other supercars that have been discontinued, like the Dodge Viper, we have seen that prices stay pretty high, and for pristine condition vehicles, they can go for a premium. Something interesting about supercars, however, is that even though many lose value over time, they never depreciate to the extent that regular cars do. We can anticipate that the value of the Acura NSX will remain relatively high for some time to come, and, as time passes, they may even become more expensive. Though, if you are still interested in buying one, the longer you wait, the higher the chances are that you will find one of these supercars wrecked and ready to be rebuilt.

The supercar price plateau

If supercars don’t increase in price after they have been discontinued, they will only depreciate so much — so, unfortunately, you aren’t likely to see the Acura NSX priced at $10,000 like you might an old Audi or BMW that had a similar new car MSRP. This price ‘plateau’ that older supercars hit after a certain amount of time have passed isn’t an exact science, but it is a pattern we have seen for many vehicles. Some versions of the car may eventually reach a lower plateau, but it is also possible that these cars will increase in price over time as they become rarer, and parts for maintenance and repair become more scarce and expensive.

The current prices of the Acura NSX are not expected to change, though the MSRP of the Type S may be higher as it will be the final, special edition of the vehicle. As time passes, the value of the car may vary, but as a lower-production supercar, it is reasonable to stay that prices will stay high for quite some time and may even go higher in certain conditions.

RELATED: NSX Type S Revealed as Final Version of Acura’s Hybrid Supercar

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Formula 1: Should the Guilty Team Have to Pay for Repairs After a Crash?

by Gabrielle DeSantis

With the new budget cap in place for this F1 season, there has been a scramble to find balance. With each significant crash that takes place on the track, that repair money has to come from the overall budget. Since there have been some major crashes involving the Mercedes-AMG Petronas, Red Bull, and Ferrari Formula 1 teams, should the guilty party pay for the repairs?

Finding fault during a Formula 1 race

The crash at the Formula 1 Grand Prix involved multiple teams and multiple cars | Bryn Lennon/Getty Images

Autosport reported that the Ferrari team felt Mercedes should be responsible for repairs to the vehicle after the crash at the Hungarian Grand Prix. During the first corner of the first lap, Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas triggered a significant crash. Bottas hit Red Bull driver Sergio Perez. Then Lance Stroll took out Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.

At the Formula 1 British Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen collided and caused around $1.8 million in damage to the Red Bull car. While the common denominator here is the Mercedes team, is it right to have the team pay for the damage? The budget cap means teams have less cash to pay for major repairs in the middle of the season.

“But I think that what we may consider is that if a driver is faulty, the team of the driver should pay at least to the other teams for the damages and repairs. That will make the drivers more responsible.”

Mattia Binotto, Ferrari team principal | Autosport

As simple as that sounds, the idea is about as complicated as one could be. Where do exemptions come in? There isn’t always a clear-cut answer to who is guilty in a crash.

The new Formula 1 budget cap complicates things

After Hungary, both the Red Bull Racing cars were left severely damaged by Bottas. In this situation, Mercedes would have to pay to fix both of the vehicles. That would eat up a lot of cash from one incident. Christian Horner, the Red Bull Racing team principal, finds the situation unfair. His team is now responsible for rebuilding two cars when the Mercedes car was the catalyst to the damage. Horner says the team is already almost at the $145 million budget cap.

“It’s brutal under the cost cap. I think it re-affirms that when you have an incident, that isn’t your fault, that we’re paying a significant price for that, and that’s something that isn’t budgeted for,” Horner said.

When it comes down to it, the money for these repairs has to come from somewhere. Horner commented that it is sometimes spare parts and spare engines that the Formula 1 team will not have.

It is a nice idea in theory, but impossible to put into play

On paper, making the guilty Formula 1 party pay for damage seems like an easy solution. It also sounds like it could cause a lot of extra time while the marshalls and the FIA decide who is guilty and who is not guilty. Sometimes, it isn’t clear who is at fault. Will it come down to a percentage? Mercedes has to pay 75% of the repair bill due to being primarily at fault?

Perhaps the idea could be that damage that takes place during an official race is not counted toward the budget cap? But at that point, what is the benefit of having a budget cap in place at all? The bigger Formula 1 teams like Mercedes, Red Bull, McLaren, and Ferrari have more money than the rest. These teams wouldn’t have any issue paying for repairs. However, the smaller teams don’t necessarily have the cash to pay for repairs, budget cap, or not.

The point of the budget cap was to make the playing field more even for all of the teams. This mainly meant that the larger teams didn’t have a neverending budget to make the cars faster and more powerful. If a budget cap means each team pays for repairs on the two team cars only, is there a more fair way to do it?

Making a smaller team pay for repairs on one of the larger team’s repairs is an excellent way to bankrupt a team entirely. It seems that allowing Formula 1 teams to repair vehicles with non-self-inflicted-damage without impacting the budget cap is a solid idea. Still, again, it is not a perfect solution.

RELATED: The McLaren Formula 1 Car Is Making Improvements to Take on Mercedes

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Tesla Will Make Superchargers Adapters for Non-Tesla Electric Cars

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Tesla developed the largest DC fast-charging network in the world, enabling their electric cars to make shorter stops. But until now, that valuable grid has only been useful for Teslas. However, Elon Musk proposed a simple solution so that all electric cars, regardless of brand affiliation, could charge at Tesla Superchargers. This gives current electric car owners more available charging stations while incentivizing others to buy make the transition to EVs.

Tesla Supercharger | Tesla

Why can’t non-Teslas charge at Superchargers?

For starters, it’d literally be like putting a square peg in a round hole. Tesla Superchargers have their own type of fast charging connector that can only go into Telsa’s cars. In order to solve this problem, they’d develop a small piece of hardware that could connect to other types of DC fast charging outlets. Pod Point explains that the two open standards are CHAdeMO and Combined Charging System, with the latter being the more popular option.

If Tesla goes through with opening chargers up to all-electric cars, it’ll double the amount of DC fast chargers available nationwide for electric cars. According to PopSci, there are currently over 18,000 DC fast chargers available to all-electric cars. In comparison, Tesla has built over 25,000 Superchargers, meaning that the combined amount of chargers would skyrocket to over 43,000.

With the number of universal charging stations doubled across the nation, there’s no doubt interest in electric cars would increase as well. And Elon plans to keep it simple for everybody.

How will Tesla’s charger adapters work?

A black Tesla electric car charging at a Supercharger.
A Tesla parked at a Supercharger | Paul Hennessy/NurPhoto via Getty Images

As mentioned, the adapter would be a small piece of hardware that you could buy from Tesla. But in a shareholder meeting, Elon explained that “we’re currently thinking it’s a real simple thing where you just download the Tesla app and you go to Supercharger, and you just indicate which stall you’re in. So you plug in your car, even if it’s not Tesla.”

It’d require a massive software overhaul to be able to connect the Tesla app to non-Tesla cars, but now more than ever an expanded infrastructure is crucial. The demand for electric cars continues to increase. And if fast charging solutions don’t expand with it, electric cars could struggle with the same issues hydrogen fuel cell cars are dealing with: lack of infrastructure.

When can electric car buyers be able to buy these adapters?

Tesla Superchargers in Charging Station
Tesla Superchargers | Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images

While there isn’t a specific date, Elon hopes to roll out the adapters by the end of 2021. But there are a few concerns from Tesla owners that expanding the network to non-Teslas will only increase congestion. During the holiday seasons especially, there just aren’t enough charging stations to go around. And while most Tesla fast-charging stations have 10 fast chargers available per station, it still doesn’t meet the demand.

So expanding now, as we near the most travel-heavy part of the year, could clog up the charging stations even more. Though maybe expanding is just Elon’s Christmas gift to electric cars everywhere, opening up his grid to the masses.

RELATED: 5 Biggest Problems With Electric Vehicle Charging

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The 2021 Nissan Rogue Has More Value Than the Toyota RAV4

by Gabrielle DeSantis

In the mid-size SUV world, the 2021 Toyota RAV4 is the unrivaled champion. But a new contender, the updated 2021 Nissan Rogue, just entered the ring. The Toyota RAV4 might be a little worried because the Nissan Rogue provides a value-packed punch. 

The 2021 Nissan Rogue vs. the 2021 Toyota RAV4 

2021 Nissan Rogue | Nissan

According to Motor Trend, you should choose the 2021 Nissan Rogue over the 2021 Toyota RAV4. To put things simply, the Nissan Rogue includes more value and is a better well-rounded option for the price. 

You can get started in a Nissan Rogue for about $25,850, and the Toyota RAV4 begins at around $26,350. But the Motor Trend team has the Rogue SL AWD for $36,705 and the RAV4 Limited AWD for $40,351. The Rogue provides a lot more value despite being about $4,000 cheaper. 

Does the Rogue or RAV4 have a better interior? 

Despite making its debut in 2019, the Toyota RAV4 still has a modern and elegant interior. Toyota provided tons of attention to detail to deliver convenience and an upscale feel with soft-touch materials and chrome accents. 

But the 2021 Toyota RAV4 feels rugged, and this may not be a positive feature for everyone. There is rubbery, grippy material on the doors and center-stack knobs. This could provide a lower sense of quality. 

The 2021 Nissan Rogue kicks things up a notch with a blend of convenience and luxury. The soft-touch materials and plush supportive seats are incredibly comfortable. The wide-opening rear doors make entry, exiting, and installing car seats easy. 

With the Rogue, you’ll find a flexible cargo area with build-in dividers and a two-level cargo floor for organizing your gears. Plus, there are controls in the rear to automatically fold the seats down. 

Does the RAV4 or Rogue provide more features? 

A red 2021 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid Limited SUV
2021 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid Limited | Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.

The 2021 Toyota RAV4 Limited AWD comes with tons of goodies such as LED headlights, a power liftgate, a panoramic glass roof, wireless phone charging, an 11-speaker upgraded sound system, 360-degree camera, and heated and ventilated seats. But the power passenger seat is missing. 

With the 2021 Nissan Rogue SL AWD, you get a panoramic moonroof, a 360-degrees camera, and that power passenger seat. You also get rear-seat climate controls and a 9-inch infotainment system. The RAV4 comes with an 8-inch unit. 

For an extra $1,000, you can gain the Rogue Platinum trim. It’s still less than the RAV4 and includes quilted leather seats, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, and a few more convenience features. 

The RAV4 may have a noisier interior, but the Rogue may provide a firmer ride. Both SUVs are incredibly similar in terms of space, acceleration, and fuel economy. Also, the RAV4 has safer crash test ratings across the board. 

We recommend test-driving both options to see which SUV better suits your personal needs. The Toyota RAV4 is currently the class-leading option, but the Nissan Rogue serves as an underdog that offers a little more customer convenience. The RAV4 should be watching its back as the competition catches up.

RELATED: How Many Miles Will a Nissan Rogue Last?

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