The Redesigned Toyota 86 and Subaru BRZ Still Look the Same

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Both the Toyota 86 and Subaru BRZ share the same basic platform — this isn’t really news to anyone. However, for 2022, each model is due for a much-needed redesign, giving each manufacturer the opportunity to give these affordable sports cars more individuality to set them apart. However, even the redesigned models of the Toyota 86 and Subaru BRZ still manages to look almost exactly the same, so much so that from a distance, you might not even be able to tell them apart.

Toyota badge | Fiona Hanson, PA Images via Getty Images

The 2022 Toyota 86

The 2022 Toyota 86 redesign makes the affordable, 2-door coupe look less aggressive and more approachable, with modern headlights and smoother body lines. Along with the styling choices, it comes with a more powerful motor that gives it an edgier driving experience while still maintaining its nimble handling, and it matches the upgrades made the Subaru BRZ — meaning they weren’t both just upgraded to look better. Official pricing for the Toyota 86 hasn’t been released quite yet, but we can expect that it will remain the affordable sports car we’ve known it for and stay in the same price range and the BRZ — for obvious reasons.

The 2022 Subaru BRZ

The 2022 Subaru BRZ has a starting price of $28,995 and finally comes with all of the performance upgrades drivers have been waiting for — though it still doesn’t come with the option for a turbocharger. If you flip back and forth between the pictures of each newly updated car, you’ll be hard-pressed to tell the difference without looking at the badges. From the inside, however, the materials and styling set each vehicle apart, and while they have yet to be released to dealerships to truly know which interior is better in person, from pictures, alone buyers can get a decent idea of which car they prefer — because, from the outside, it’s hard to pick. Of course, when it comes down to it, there is some brand loyalty behind preference between these two competing twins.

Which is better — the Toyota 86 or the Subaru BRZ?

Because these cars are designed to be so similar, neither is necessarily ‘better’ than the other. Performance-wise they go toe-to-toe, and from the outside, their appearances are almost completely identical. At the core, it’s the small nuances of the Toyota 86 and Subaru BRZ that set them apart from each other, but both are set up to be affordable, easily modifiable, and customizable platforms as they have been in the past.

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The New Jeep Wrangler Just Got a New Color and Fans Are Tickled Pink

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Few vehicles today have made an impression like the Jeep Wrangler. With its specialized off-road handling and military roots, the Wrangler has garnered a passionate fan base and considerable industry recognition over the years. Industry insiders and fans pay close attention to new announcements from the brand, and every so often, Jeep delivers buzzworthy news. While many prefer their Wrangler to come in a rugged color like black or grey, others prefer some of the company’s flashier color options, like Hydro Blue or Crush Orange. However, even for customers who prefer a splash of color, it’s hard to imagine they might buy a pink Wrangler. Yet, Tuscadero Pink is just what the next color offering for the 2021 Jeep Wrangler is.

The rugged history of the Jeep Wrangler

The Jeep Wrangler Rubicon | JEFF HAYNES/AFP via Getty Images

While the modern-day Wrangler is not quite a modern version of the military jeeps commonly used during World War II, it’s understandably pretty close. This is understandable because Jeep is owned by Chrysler (later FCA and now Stellantis), which purchased the AMC Corporation in the late Eighties. The AMC Corporation itself purchased Kaiser-Jeep in the Seventies, resulting from a merger between Kaiser Motors and Willys-Overland. These two companies manufactured the Jeep CJ (Civilian Jeeps) after directly manufacturing combat jeeps for the U.S. military during the Second World War.

From those Jeep CJ models of the 1940s to the Willys Motors Jeep line of the 1950s and 1960s to the Jeepsters of the 1970s, the commercial Jeep underwent some significant changes over the years. The Jeep CJ series was discontinued in 1986, the same year the Wrangler was announced. The Wrangler’s first model year was 1987, and this YJ series sported an open body like its immediate predecessors and the same wheelbase and axle configuration. However, the Wrangler YJ also featured less ground clearance, a wider track, and more amenities designed to ensure comfort.

The Wrangler was redesigned in 1996. This TJ series was distinguished with round headlamps and coil-spring suspension (rather than the YJ’s leaf-spring suspension). Another redesign followed in 2007 with the JK series, which sported a longer wheelbase, four-door models, and navigation, among other features. The latest Wrangler (the JL series models) has a newly designed automatic transmission, more powerful engine options, a backup camera, a modernized interior, and blind-spot monitoring. The JL series also recently debuted a plug-in hybrid model as well.

Why did Jeep pick Tuscadero Pink?

While many consumers count pink as their favorite color, it does seem to undercut the historically rugged image of the Wrangler. So why did Jeep’s marketing department opt for it?

Well, some enthusiasts believe that the color is, in fact, a homage to the classic sitcom Happy Days. Tuscadero likely refers to the Happy Days character “Pinky” Tuscadero, who could be calm one minute and fiery the next. She was the girlfriend of the Fonz, and older fans of the show might recognize the reference right off the bat.

Interestingly enough, though, the color “Tuscadero Pink” is not pink at all. It’s actually Furious Fuschia, a commemorative color Dodge offered a decade ago to celebrate 40 years of the Charger. Furthermore, Jeep itself has described the color as a “chromatic magenta,” as per Autoblog. Still, to the untrained eye, pictures of the Tuscadero Pink-outfitted Wrangler look quite pink. For those looking for a pink (or pinkish) Jeep, you can order it now through November.

The many shades of the Jeep Wrangler

As with the Tuscadero Pink color option, Jeep is known for releasing new Wrangler models in many colorful shades, often with even more colorful names. In addition to the aforementioned Hydro Blue and Crush Orange, recent colors have included Xtreme Purple Pearl, Flame Red, Gecko Pearl, and Cosmos Blue. However, many of these colorfully named colors are available for a limited time. Standard colors include gray, white, black, red, orange, yellow, and dark green.

Some Jeep drivers prefer basic or natural colors. If you do, you can buy one, such as the Anvil option, a mix of navy and gray. For a different version of gray that stands out, Granite Crystal Metallic is also available. Or you can get one in Gobi, which is a nice shade of beige.

If you’re looking for one of the more flashy offerings that aren’t currently available, being patient may pay off. Jeep releases new colors each year. So you may find next year’s model has the paint offering you want if you’re not up for an aftermarket paint job. However, this year, Wrangler enthusiasts can order their next Wrangler in Tuscadero Pink for an extra $395.

RELATED: You Can Customize Your New Jeep Wrangler From the Factory

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Was the 2021 Sturgis Rally a Delta COVID Super-Spreader Event?

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Slowly, in-person events like the Chicago Auto Show are starting to make a return. And not just car shows, but motorcycle ones, too. However, just because the events are back doesn’t mean the pandemic is over. That’s what made the news that the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally would continue for 2021 rather worrying. But now that the dust has settled, were the super-spreader fears realized?

The 2021 Sturgis Rally saw even more COVID-19 infections than last year’s super-spreader rally, Forbes says

Riders attend the 81st Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in August 2021 | Scott Olson/Getty Images

Last year, the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally event organizers counted 460,000 vehicles attending the 10-day event. And in the weeks that followed, one study claimed that 250,000 coronavirus cases could be traced back to the South Dakota bike rally.

Admittedly, the results of a smaller-scope, Minnesota-focused CDC study suggest that 250,000-case estimate was rather high, RevZilla muses. Nevertheless, the CDC ultimately linked 649 COVID-19 cases to the 2020 Sturgis Rally, Forbes reports. Still, that was last year. What about 2021?

In short, things are even worse. Between August 4th and September 1st, a New York Times-run tracker recorded a 685% increase in South Dakota’s coronavirus cases, Forbes says. In comparison, last year saw a 246% case increase in the same timeframe. Also, the 2021 Sturgis Rally saw 200 COVID-19 hospitalizations by August 31st, while the 2020 event ‘only’ had 85 patients.

As of this writing, the 2021 Sturgis Rally hasn’t officially been declared a super-spreader event. But to quote the Associated Press, “the aftermath of this year’s rally looks eerily similar to last year.”

Why did the 2021 Sturgis Rally lead to so many COVID-19 cases?

To be fair, more people attended the 2021 Sturgis Rally than the 2020 one. South Dakota estimated that roughly 365,000 people went to Sturgis last year, while this year drew in about 700,000 individuals, Forbes reports. But even so, proportionally, there were still more cases and hospitalizations in 2021 than in 2020. So, what happened?

Basically, the delta variant. It’s even more contagious than the ‘regular’ COVID-19 strain, especially amongst the unvaccinated. Indeed, unvaccinated individuals were responsible for 97% of South Dakota’s cases following the Sturgis Rally, Forbes says. They were also responsible for 93% of hospitalizations and accounted for 95% of the deaths. Plus, only 49% of South Dakota residents are vaccinated.

In addition, while Sturgis officials’ tried to improve viral security, not all attendees took those efforts seriously. Organizers offered free coronavirus tests, masks, and hand sanitizer; plus, attendees could freely carry alcoholic beverages outside. That last measure was supposed to limit the number of people indoors, where most transmissions took place in 2020, NBC explains. But while officials supposedly enforced mask-wearing and social distancing, not everyone abided by those rules, AP points out. Based on interviews The Washington Post conducted, it seems that not every Sturgis Rally rider takes the coronavirus seriously.

What does this mean about large-scale motoring events going forward?

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That being said, the 2021 Sturgis Rally can help guide future car and motorcycle events, TWP muses.

For one, the vast majority of cases and hospitalizations involved unvaccinated individuals. Don’t want to catch COVID-19, or at least, not die from it? The data says to get the shot. Especially if you live with individuals who can’t get vaccinated.

Secondly, TWP suggests that transmission most commonly occurs between nearby unmasked individuals indoors. The results of that Minnesota-focused CDC study support this, NBC says. Wearing a mask, maintaining social distancing, and staying in well-ventilated areas—or, even better, outdoors—cuts down on transmission. That’s why the International Motorcycle Show went outdoors for 2021, for example.

Nevertheless, what’s happening right now post-Sturgis Rally also highlights another important lesson. If you don’t feel comfortable going to an event, motoring or otherwise, don’t go. No number of custom motorcycles or supercars is worth your or your loved ones’ health and safety. You don’t have to ride fast—just ride safe.

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RELATED: Are Gas Prices Affected by the COVID-19 Delta Variant?

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When Can You Buy the New BMW i4 Luxury Electric Vehicle?

by Gabrielle DeSantis

The BMW i4 is the yet-to-be-officially-released all-electric sedan from the brand that has EV fans eagerly awaiting to order and traditional M-car fans feeling a bit uncomfortable. While the car itself has been displayed for viewing in its final production styling, you can’t yet find them on the dealership lots. Not to worry, though, as BMW, like several other manufacturers, is working to sell pre-orders, allowing customers to spec their new BMW i4 exactly as they’d like it before it’s even produced.

You can pre-order a BMW i4 today with a deposit

A BMW i4 electric car | Lintao Zhang, Getty Images

If you scroll over to the BMW website, you have the option to order a BMW i4 to your personal liking of specs, options, and features, and put down a deposit as soon as, well, right now. This isn’t new or uncommon, as manufacturers such as Lotus are building their vehicles, like the Emira, to spec for customers to order beforehand, rather than making an arbitrary number with certain features and options. Later in this year, your local dealership, who you placed your order and submitted the deposit, is supposed to reach out to you to finalize all of the details of your car before BMW is set to actually put the vehicles into production. So, you can technically put a deposit down on a BMW i4 down as soon as today. But that doesn’t technically mean you’ve purchased one yet.

When will the BMW i4 come to dealerships?

The BMW i4 will be built to the specifications of customers who have pre-ordered and placed deposits, but, because these aren’t rare hypercars like the Ferrari LaFerrari, full payment isn’t taken until the vehicle is ready for official purchase and delivery. According to the German manufacturer, delivery of the BMW i4 should begin as early as Spring of 2022, meaning we still have a chunk of time remaining before we will see these vehicles at the dealership for pickup. If you’re wondering about the big, glaring elephant in your wallet, yes, you can finance the BMW i4 even if you choose to preorder it, but you still must place a deposit on the car beforehand to do so. For most dealerships, financing options are available closer to scheduled delivery.

The first electric BMW M car

Because buyers are able to purchase the car to their personal liking, that means they have the choice of paint color, interior color, packages, options, features, add-ons, and, more importantly to some: drivetrains. The BMW i4 will be the brand’s first official electric car that will proudly display the M badge. The BMW i4 M50 is the next generation of high-performance models that bring the brand into the modern age of electric drivetrains, and, as we’ve seen with brands like Audi, we can expect that, like Audi, we may be seeing less and less gasoline-powered cars over the next few years as luxury car brands begin to usher at the beginning of an all-electric model lineup.

And, if you don’t want to wait to own your new EV, you can check out these already available luxury electric SUVs: The Best Electric SUVs According to Edmunds

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