Say Goodbye to the Ford F-150 Diesel

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Ford has announced it will be dropping the diesel powertrain option from the F-150 lineup. The 3.0-L V6 diesel Power Stroke will no longer be offered in favor of the brand’s electric and hybrid offerings. This change is just the beginning as more and more ICE engines will be eliminated as automakers continue to transition to an electric future. 

The 3.0-L Power Stroke’s Short Career

2019 Ford F-150 | Smith Collection/Gado via Getty Images

Ford Australia began using the 3.0-L V6 Power Stroke in 2005. The engine added the Land Rover Discovery to its resume in 2017. That same year, Ford announced it would power the 2018 F-150 diesel option.

The diesel engine had best-in-class horsepower at 250 ponies and best-in-class torque at 440 lb-ft. An impressive 25 mpg combined impressed buyers interested in fuel efficiency. The truck outperformed rivals with a maximum towing capacity of 11,400 pounds.

The engine may have had a short run in the F-150, but the change in direction isn’t unexpected. The industry is quickly shifting toward an all-electric future. Automakers will continue to drop ICE engine options to make room for these cleaner alternatives. The 3.0-L Power Stroke is among the first victims of the electric revolution.

Ford cuts the diesel engine from the F-150 lineup

Ford confirmed to Car and Driver that the F-150 is losing a powertrain option. The world’s best-selling pickup currently has six engines to choose from, soon to be seven, with the release of the all-electric Lightning. The automaker will be focusing its efforts on its hybrid and electric options. 

An exact timeline has yet to be announced. It’s unclear if the engine will be phased out slowly or dropped before the next model year. The F-250 and F-350 will still offer a 6.7-L turbo diesel powertrain for buyers who need more power. 

The decision to cut the 3.0-L Power Stroke isn’t based on sales or popularity. Diesel pickup sales went up 28% in 2020. The more is all business. The F-150 lineup is at risk of feeling bloated, and the brand is likely to announce more green-energy options moving forward.

The future of the F-150 is electric

A silver Ford F-150 lightning electric pickup truck
Ford F-150 Lightning | Jeff Kowalsky/AFP via Getty Images

Now that the F-150 will no longer have a diesel option, the automaker focuses on its electric and hybrid offerings. The Power Boost F-150 outperforms the outgoing Power Stroke just enough to take the sting out of losing the diesel option. 

The hybrid F-150 gets one mile more per gallon in fuel economy than the 3.0-L Power Stroke. It gets an impressive 20% more fuel economy than its gas counterparts. The twin-turbo 3.5-L V6 paired with a 47 hp electric motor is the highest output powertrain in the F-150 lineup. 

The hybrid Power Boost puts out 430 hp and 570 lb-ft of torque. That’s up from the EcoBoost 400 hp and 500 lb-ft. The upcoming Lightning delivers significantly more power. 

Accelerating from zero to 60 in 4.4 seconds makes the Ford Lightning quicker than the S550 Mustang GT. The 2022 Ford Lightning is the fastest accelerating truck under $70,000. Its towing capacity tops out at 10,000, its least impressive trait.

The diesel F-150 is moving over for some exciting pickup trucks. The brand is synonymous with pickups and is eager to adapt its best-selling model to a more sustainable future. The end of the diesel pickup truck is creeping up as brands evolve. 

RELATED: Pre-Orders for the Ford F-150 Lightning and Ford Maverick Are Off to an Amazing Start

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The Sun Sets on the Rolls-Royce Dawn in the U.S.

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Rolls-Royce recently announced the discontinuation of its two-door models. The Rolls-Royce Dawn and Wraith will no longer be sold on the U.S. market, and the European market will follow suit soon. The excitement for what could replace these models is electric.

The Rolls Royce Dawn 

Rolls-Royce Dawn | Horacio Villalobos/Corbis via Getty Images

Rolls-Royce is the ultimate symbol of luxury and quality. The bespoke automaker hand-crafts every vehicle it sells. It takes a team of more than 60 people 400 hours to build a Rolls-Royce, and the effort is worth it. 

This incredible attention to detail produces some of the most sought-after cars on earth. Rolls-Royce announced the Dawn in 2015 at the Frankfurt Motor Show. The convertible is the latest in a more than 110-year history of Rolls-Royce convertibles.

The six-layer top provides a quiet ride that rivals hardtops. It’s tempting to think of the Dawn as a convertible version of its coupe sibling, the Wraith. While the two share a platform, 80% of the cars’ body panels are different.

Rolls-Royce built this 6.6-L 563-hp V-12 engine for cruising. Other luxury touring convertibles are faster. This shouldn’t suggest that the Dawn is sluggish. It accelerates from zero to 60 mph in 4.3 seconds.

The end of an era

A white Rolls-Royce Wraith coupe driving down a tree-lined road
The Rolls-Royce Wraith | Martyn Lucy via Getty Images

Rolls-Royce confirmed to Road and Track that it would no longer sell the two-door convertible Dawn on the U.S. market. European buyers have until 2023 to buy the luxury soft-top. The iconic Wraith coupe will also be discontinued for the same reason. 

Neither car is particularly unpopular. The decision to discontinue them wasn’t based on poor sales. Instead, Rolls-Royce will no longer produce the two vehicles because they are built on a shared F01 platformed owned by its parent company BMW.

The brand will focus its efforts on models built on its dedicated platform. Neither the Dawn nor Wraith were never meant to transition to the in-house Architecture of Luxury.

What will the next two-door Rolls-Royce offer?

The Rolls-Royce lineup will have a conspicuous two-door shaped hole after the last Dawn and Wraith are produced. The brand will likely announce a new coupe or convertible shortly. Speculation on what that could look like has already begun. 

In 2020, BMW filed a German patent for the name Silent Shadow. This is to be the brand’s first dedicated all-electric model. Electric Rolls-Royce concept art hinted at a two-door model. With Porsche testing a hybrid 911, luxury brands are finally embracing electric cars. 

The brand seems optimistic about the Silent Shadow. Its name is a reference to the Silver Shadow, the brand’s best-selling model of all time. In 2011 the brand built a one-off electric version of the Phantom called the 102EX.

The 102EX has a range of 124 miles per full battery charge. Its electric motors put out 389 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque. The Silent Shadow will likely take notes from this experimental prototype.

Brand enthusiasts may mourn the loss of the Rolls-Royce Dawn and Wraith, but the change makes room for exciting innovations. The first dedicated all-electric Rolls-Royce could be the next two-door model offered by the luxury brand. No matter how many doors it has, the upcoming Silent Shadow is an exciting move for the brand. 

RELATED: Rolls-Royce Is Ready to Go Off-Road With Ultra-Luxury SUV

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Consumer Reports Top Rated Large Three-Row SUV Is No Surprise

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Three-row SUVs are super functional. They have plenty of space for passengers and cargo. Their size makes them safer in a crash with a smaller vehicle. How do you decide between them? Consumer Reports ranked the best three-row SUVs. The 2021 Ford Expedition is the best large three-row SUV.

2021 Ford Expedition | Ford

What criteria does Consumer Reports use to rate cars?

When Consumer Reports rated three-row SUVs, they focused on vehicles with a good, usable third row. They realized that a spacious third row where passengers can actually sit is important. So many three-row SUVs have only a cursory third-row, and not something that you’d actually want to put passengers in. 

Consumer Reports only chose vehicles that have the Consumer Reports recommended badge. This means that they scored well in the road test, and also have a good reliability rating. Consumer Reports is big on safety features, so the best three-row SUV has to have the most important safety features. The best three-row SUV must also have good crash test ratings.

The 2021 Ford Expedition is the best large three-row SUV because of its ratings and safety

The 2021 Ford Expedition gets a four out of five for its acceleration. It can go 0 to 60 in 7.3 seconds. Its transmission also gets a four out of five. 

Both the routine and emergency handling in the 2021 Ford Expedition aren’t great, at only a two out of five. Routine handling is measured by how agile Consumer Reports finds the SUV to be. Emergency handling is rated by several factors, including its max avoidance speed. 

Braking is a little better, getting a three out of five. The 2021 Ford Expedition can stop from 60 mph on dry pavement in 143 feet and on wet pavement in 157 feet. 

One of the best things about the 2021 Ford Expedition is the number of advanced safety systems it comes with. The Expedition comes with forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking at city and highway speeds, and pedestrian detection. 

The 2021 Expedition also comes with lane keeping assist and lane departure warning, as well as blind spot warning. It also comes with reat cross traffic warning, rear view camera, anti lock breaks, and traction and stability control. The only safety feature that Consumer Reports recommends that doesn’t come standard in the 2021 Ford Expedition is daytime running lights. You’d have to pay extra for those. 

Crash test ratings are generally good. The IIHS hasn’t tested the 2021 Ford Expedition, but the NHTSA has. It gave it five stars for everything except for rollover. The 2WD rating is only three out of five stars. The 4WD rating is a little better, at three out of five stars. 

The reliability and owner satisfaction contribute to the 2021 Ford Expedition being one of the best large three-row SUVs

Consumer Reports sends surveys to people who have bought previous versions of the Ford Expedition. They combine this data with what they know about the current model. This helps them predict how reliable a vehicle will be. 

The reliability score for the 2021 Ford Expedition is a three out of five. There’s no reliability score for the 2020, but most of the 2019 scores are good. The standout exception is the transmission minor, which has the worst rating. 

The overall owner satisfaction score for the 2021 Ford Expedition is a four out of five. Consumer Reports collects data from owners to determine how happy they are with the vehicle. Expedition owners are especially happy with the driving experience, giving it an 89 out of 100. Comfort gets a 90 out of 100, and styling gets an 83. However, the value was a surprisingly low 40 out of 100. Still, more people would buy the 2021 Ford Expedition again than any other large three-row SUV. 

Overall, the 2021 Ford Expedition is a fantastic choice for a large family or anyone who needs a little extra space. It combines good ratings, safety equipment and crash test ratings to be a solid three-row SUV. It’s no surprise that the 2021 Ford Expedition is the number one large three-row SUV out there. 

RELATED: Ford’s Best-Selling SUV Is Going Electric

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I Promise It’s Easy to Daily Drive a Sports Car

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Turns out, you can daily drive a sports car. Well, at least you can daily drive a Carbon Schwartz Metallic 2004 BMW M3. Now, I’m here to report that daily sports car life is a possibility, and may not require the litany of sacrifices it once did, with some exceptions. Moreover, you used to have to be a total masochist to drive anything remotely sporty daily. Now, advances in modern tech and suspension have made it more than possible to daily drive a sports car. I promise.

Sacrifices are still (somewhat) necessary to daily drive a sports car

2002 BMW M3 Coupe | National Motor Museum via Getty Images

However, dear reader, I’m not going to sit here and tell you that it’s all sunshine and roses. Sports cars can often be unreliable. My new-to-me M3 will certainly require more attention than a new Honda Civic. Of course, this is to say nothing of practicality. For ages, the middle ground in the sporty vs. practical argument has been sports sedans or hot hatches. Argaubly, this is still true.

For example, I was able to fit my mountain bike, two backpacks, and a litany of spare parts in my old VW GTI. It would be pointless to try the same thing in my BMW. The fact of the matter is, it’s just way smaller than my GTI, to say nothing of ground clearance. Now, I have to take both wheels off my bike. Despite this, I can carry 99% of the same things 99% of the time in my M3. Size of my GTI was really only useful when moving a truly massive amount of stuff. So, if that’s your life, maybe reconsider your desire to daily drive a sports car.

It’s all about the lifestyle

Black and blue Carbon Schwartz Metallic paint on a BMW M3, with the badge pictured on the hood
Carbon Schwartz Metallic paint on my M3 | Chase Bierenkoven

Your own personal needs are paramount if you’re sitting in the position I was a few months back. Maybe you work from home like I do, and don’t need to rely on a vehicle to get to work. If that’s the case, let ‘er rip. I’m more than fortunate enough to enjoy a lifestyle where I can make having an M3 as a daily driver work for me. Ultimately, that’s what it comes down to: does the sports car lifesyle fit into your lifestyle?

Menial cargo sacrifices and ride height aside, I’m happy to report a mid-size sports car is perfectly feasible to drive daily. Friends (albiet the ones under 6’3″) fit in the back, and so do all the things I take with me on a day out. Factory suspension in the E46 M3 can be a little harsh, but mine has modern suspension that dramatically improves ride and handling.

Can it be right for you?

The front 3/4 angle of a 2002 M3 coupe
2002 BMW M3 Coupe | National Motor Museum via Getty Images

So, what have we learned? There’s some ifs, ands, and buts, but it can be done. You really can daily drive a sports car if you want to. And that’s what it comes down to in the end. You’ve got to want it. Real bad. More importantly, you’ve got to understand what you’re getting out of the deal, and if you want that. If a fun, good-looking car is what you think of when you go to bed at night, then make those small sacrifices. As the old saying goes: Life is too short to drive boring cars.

RELATED: These Are Two of the Best Sports Cars Under $25,000

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