What 'B' Means On Your Shifter, Spiky Semi Wheels And The Vegas Loop Still Sucks In This Week's Car Culture Roundup

Toyota may not have the most exciting electric car in the world, but it’s done an incredible job of helping the hybrid go mainstream. And while it certainly has more competition in the market than it did when the Prius was first introduced, it’s still one of the automakers that appears most committed to offering hybrids throughout its lineup. While you’ll probably love the great gas mileage, if you’ve recently bought a Toyota hybrid, you may notice a few things are different from your old car, including a B on the shift knob. What’s the deal with that? - Collin Woodard Read More

If you’re a Jeep Wrangler or Ford Bronco owner who just wants to maximize your freedom and cruise around with your doors off, here’s how to do so without breaking any laws in your state. That way you can rid yourself of any worry next time a cop suddenly appears in your rearview mirror, with mirror being a very important word. We all know what it’s like to get a sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach when you see a police cruiser pull up behind you in traffic even if you aren’t doing anything wrong. Nobody wants that when you’re trying to enjoy door-off motoring. - Logan Carter Read More

Next time you’re on the highway, check out your surroundings. Take a long look at those semis, tractor-trailers, and 18-wheelers in the adjacent lanes, and see if you spot any spikes sticking out of their wheels. Have you ever wondered what those do? Well, the answer may be less interesting than you expect. - Amber DaSilva Read More

While attending CES in the affront to nature that is Las Vegas last week, I got to ride its shiniest transit system: The Vegas Loop, a dumb tunnel full of non-autonomous Teslas and AliExpress LED strips. I knew it would be bad, but I didn’t know quite how bad — or how short. See, the Vegas Loop serves a whopping two buildings that are across the street from one another, making it not much of a transit system at all. It’s a glorified crosswalk. - Amber DaSilva Read More

I’d be sleeping on the couch if I ever bought a fake Louis Vuitton bag for my significant other. If I tried passing off a Toyota Crown Sport as a V12-powered Ferrari Purosangue, I’d be killed. Japan’s Aero Over, for its part, did an admirable job producing a bodykit to elevate the crossover into a facsimile of a $393,350 Ferrari SUV. However, the end product is still only as Italian as a chicken parmesan sandwich. - Ryan Erik King Read More

New York City is full of yellow cabs. So full of them, in fact, that you might begin to wonder what it takes to drive one. With that many drivers, how strict can the licensing criteria really be? As it turns out, it’s strict enough that I didn’t pass, and I’m willing to bet you don’t either. - Amber DaSilva Read More

Wildfires have devastated swaths of Los Angeles County, and while it’s still far too early to know the true toll of these fires, we’re able to see some glimmers of hope and resilience. Maybe that’s too much to put on a now slightly melted Toyota Tacoma, but here we are. Anyway, one thing that showed true resilience in the face of these fires was one man’s 2013 Tacoma. - Andy Kalmowitz Read More

The modern steering wheel might be an engineering marvel with all its safety features and extra controls, but I think steering wheel design really peaked in the 1940s with the creation of what Chevrolet called the Spinner Wheel. - Owen Bellwood Read More

On January 16 David Lynch died at age 78 after a lengthy illness. To many, including myself, he was one of the best directors and creative minds Hollywood has ever seen. I could go on for hours about his projects like Twin Peaks, “Mulholland Drive,” “Eraserhead” and “Blue Velvet.” But this is a car blog, and that’s not really what you’re here for. - Andy Kalmowitz Read More

Good morning! It’s Monday, January 13, 2025, and this is The Morning Shift, your daily roundup of the top automotive headlines from around the world, in one place. Here are the important stories you need to know. - Owen Bellwood Read More