Jalopnik - Obsessed with the culture of cars

If Everyone Followed The 80% Rule For Towing, We'd All Feel A Lot Safer

staff@jalopnik.com (Brad Brownell) — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 23:25:00 +0000

It isn't written in stone, but if you're using your truck or SUV to tow this summer, the 80% rule will make your towing experience a lot better.

Track-Prepped E46 BMW M3, Factory Five 818, Buckeye Dream Machine: The Dopest Cars I Found For Sale Online

staff@jalopnik.com (Amber DaSilva) — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 20:45:00 +0000

Today we're taking a trip to the famed Twin Cities of Minnesota, an area I'm told "exists" and "has people who live there."

Forget Violent Crime, Americans Feel Far More Threatened By Risk Of Car Crashes

staff@jalopnik.com (Collin Woodard) — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 19:25:00 +0000

Americans fear car crashes more than people do in any other country, but fear of crashes is the top concern globally, too.

SpaceX Junk Is Set To Slam Into Moon At 5,400 MPH

staff@jalopnik.com (Ryan Erik King) — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 18:54:36 +0000

NASA is planning to take before-and-after shots of the 90-foot-wide impact crater with its Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter.

Californians Are Shunning EVs For Hybrids

staff@jalopnik.com (Andy Kalmowitz) — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 18:49:10 +0000

Hybrid vehicles made up just about 25% of California's new-vehicle registrations in the second quarter, while pure EVs accounted for 16%.

Shaq's Custom Lucid Air Coupe Is Up For Auction At A Copart Salvage Yard

staff@jalopnik.com (Justin Hughes) — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 18:25:00 +0000

The Lucid Air was transformed into a one-off coupe for 7-foot-1 Shaq by West Coast Customs, but now it's gathering dust, and it'll soon hit the auction block.

Oil And Gas Companies Make Billions Thanks To Iran War That's Costing Us A Fortune

staff@jalopnik.com (Collin Woodard) — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 18:20:45 +0000

The U.S.'s top two oil companies reported a combined profit of almost $27 billion.

Elon Musk Reportedly Wants A Tesla-SpaceX Merger, And Selling Tesla China Could Be The First Step Toward Making That Happen

staff@jalopnik.com (Collin Woodard) — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 16:15:52 +0000

It doesn't sound like Musk and his yes men have settled on a specific plan for Tesla China, but it shouldn't be long before we learn more.

These Are The Signature Design Elements You'd Hate To See Go Away

staff@jalopnik.com (Logan K. Carter) — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 14:25:00 +0000

The automotive world is full of little traits that the average joe may not pick up on, but us car nerds know them when we see them.

Ford CEO Says Chinese Cars Will Be Sold Stateside Within 10 Years As It Readies Its Own Cheap EVs

staff@jalopnik.com (Andy Kalmowitz) — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 14:21:47 +0000

Plus, the Rivian R2 is proving to be a saving grace, Amazon's Zoox wins first U.S. approval for paid robotaxis without human controls and more.

I Test-Rode Rivian's New Also E-Bike, And It Blew My Jaded Mind

staff@jalopnik.com (Michael Frank) — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 14:00:00 +0000

The Also TM-B bikes are a blast, and the two-wheeled world needs as much innovation as the automotive realm.

What's The Worst Two-Car Garage You've Ever Seen?

staff@jalopnik.com (Ryan Erik King) — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 13:25:00 +0000

Either out of necessity or a love for cars, the two-car garage is as ubiquitous in American culture as baseball and apple pie.

At $55,000, Is This Six-Door 2006 Ford F-350 A One-Of-A-Kind Deal?

staff@jalopnik.com (Rob Emslie) — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 12:25:00 +0000

The Ford F-350 was already a generously sized pickup truck, but this owner has gone double-XL by adding a six-inch lift and a few extra doors.

OPEC Owes Its Existence To The Texas Railroad Commission

staff@jalopnik.com (Collin Woodard) — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 09:45:00 +0000

OPEC countries nationalized oil industries and coordinated production with longterm goals and stability in mind, without pressure from private shareholders.

How Ferrari's F1 Engineers Built The Closest Thing We've Got To An All-Carbon-Fiber Bicycle

staff@jalopnik.com (Brad Brownell) — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 09:25:00 +0000

You can't really have an all-carbon-fiber bicycle - there are some things that material doesn't work for. But Ferrari was in on creating the next best things.

Blue Origin Blew Up Its Launch Pad, So NASA Will Invite Its Rockets Over For Testing

staff@jalopnik.com (Nicholas Werner) — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 23:39:24 +0000

If America is to continue its role as a leader outside our home, it will need to find whole-of-society methods to navigate setbacks. This is a good start.

America's Last Production Inline-8s Were Relics When They Bowed Out In 1954

staff@jalopnik.com (Chloe Clougher) — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 23:25:00 +0000

Massive yet balanced and refined, inline-8 engines were already heavily outdated before the '50s, but two American brands fought to keep them until 1954.

F1 Won't Air Live Battery Levels Anymore Because Fans Don't Care

staff@jalopnik.com (Ryan Erik King) — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 20:47:53 +0000

Without energy levels for context, it can create an anticlimactic viewing experience where it's assumed that every pass is temporary.

Universal Studios' Fast & Furious Roller Coaster Is Too Much Fun, Nearby Residents Complain

staff@jalopnik.com (Logan K. Carter) — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 20:00:00 +0000

Folks who live in the town of Toluca Lake say the screams from riders have been exceedingly disruptive.

Ram 1500 Rumble Bees Start Under $63,000, But The One You Really Want Is Nearly $100,000

staff@jalopnik.com (Andy Kalmowitz) — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 19:29:26 +0000

These prices aren't exactly outrageous to start, at least.