AUGUST 20, 2025

The original - and still our favorite - Autoextremist logo. 

The AE Quote of the Century: Everybody loves The High-Octane Truth. Until they don't. -WG 

SPECIAL EDITOR'S NOTE: We'd like to remind you that Peter's first work of fiction, "St. Michael of Birmingham" is out now. Make no mistake, it doesn't resemble anything you've read from him before. In fact, it is quite a dramatic departure. It is mystical. It is sexy. It is funny. It's moving. And it is a flat-out wild ride unlike anything you've experienced. Having said that, it is definitely not for everyone, but then, it is from PMD, so that probably shouldn't come as a surprise! Check it out on Amazon Kindle here. -WG

(GM Design images)

Chevrolet gave car enthusiasts and racing fans a glimpse of the high-performance future with two Corvette concept cars: the Corvette CX and CX.R Vision Gran Turismo, which debuted at The Quail, a Motorsports Gathering last weekend. While not intended for production, the pair will serve as inspiration to inform Corvette design language for years to come. Drawing on more than 70 years of performance innovation, these Corvette concepts honor the heritage of America’s sports car – and propel it into the future. The CX and CX.R Vision Gran Turismo are the latest and last of several Corvette concepts to be revealed this year, as part of a GM design exercise that involved multiple GM studios globally. The CX concepts were designed and fabricated at the Chevrolet Performance Studio in Warren, MI. “While the shape of a Corvette has always been expressive and forward-looking, each crease and line has its roots in the generations that came before it. It is aspirational, it is cultural, it is the reason people want to come and work at Chevrolet,” said Phil Zak, executive design director for Chevrolet. “The CX and CX.R Vision Gran Turismo demonstrate our design teams stepping away from the constraints of production vehicles and unleashing their creativity. Through this exercise, we’ve added to Corvette and defined the design direction for Corvette moving forward.” Watch the presentation video here. Editor-in-Chief's Note: The best part of the video? The appearance of the original 1959 Sting Ray racer. -PMD

 

(GM Design images)

Cadillac introduced the Elevated Velocity concept, an all-electric, high-performance crossover, in California last week. According to Cadillac PR minions, the Elevated Velocity concept "channels the essence of Cadillac’s V-Series into a bold 2+2 crossover designed to exhilarate on-road and off-grid alike, while foreshadowing potential future Cadillac design cues." (Alrighty then! - WG) The Elevated Velocity concept "features a potent blend of extreme performance, cutting-edge advanced technologies and signature bespoke luxury craftsmanship. It showcases dual experiences with stunning looks and a refined interior that elevates the state-of-being for occupants (thus, Elevated), yet its lifted platform is calibrated for daring off-road performance in the most extreme desert locales (ergo, Velocity)." (Wow, that's a lot of verbiage, even for the PR minions -WG). Infused with technology that enables owners to roam without bounds, Elevated Velocity explores the artful integration of technology and design. This is exemplified by the various selectable user experience modes presented in the concept. Elevated Velocity embodies Cadillac’s V-Series performance and “Art of Exhilaration” design philosophy. It was designed with selectable driving modes that enable peak EV performance on any terrain "and the maximum thrill of a Hypercar," according to the minions. Its lifted yet elegant design, riding on 24-inch wheels, enables occupants to chart the most challenging terrains, while providing a refined and luxurious on-road driving experience. Elevated Velocity’s selectable drive modes unlock the ability for drivers to experience precision on-road and power off-road, while a dual-mode drive adapts instantly to terrain and intent:

• e-Velocity Mode is ideal for intense on-road driving. It’s an evolution of Cadillac’s V-Mode found in V-Series vehicles today.
• Terra Mode enables peak off-road performance, activating air suspension.
• Sand Vision is a feature similar to Cadillac’s existing Night Vision technology, which enables the driver to achieve better visibility in a sandstorm.
• Elements Defy is a practical feature that keeps the exterior of Elevated Velocity clean of external elements and debris such as dust, sand, and dirt via a dust-phobic vibration, ensuring the vehicle arrives in pristine condition. Editor-in-Chief's Note: Really? Uh, you have to be fucking kidding me. -PMD

The Elevated Velocity concept was displayed at The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering in Carmel, California, on August 15, 2025. Watch the intro video here.

(Lexus)

Lexus debuted the Lexus Sport Concept on Friday at The Quail, in Carmel, California. The "progressively styled, future-focused yet truly authentic sportscar signals the way forward for Lexus design," according to Lexus PR minions. The concept car features a wide, low-profile two-door form that blends dynamic and emotional elements into a vision for a next-generation sports car from Lexus.

(Singer Vehicle Design images)

This is the first Porsche 911 Carrera Coupe Reimagined by Singer to be seen in North America. It was introduced at The Quail last week. Singer’s latest offering incorporate a state-of-the-art, 420HP, naturally-aspirated flat six, restored and developed by Singer with engineering assistance from Cosworth. This latest project from Singer was inspired by the rare wide-body variant of the 911 Carrera from the 1980s, and is focused on captivating, high-performance sports driving on road and track. Powered by a flat six based on the Type 964’s engine, with 4.0L capacity, 4-valves per cylinder, variable valve timing, water-cooled cylinder heads, air-cooled cylinders and electrically powered fan. The structure is restored around the original Type 964 monocoque, with chassis strengthening developed in consultation with Red Bull Advanced Technologies. The machine features the latest generation ABS, traction control, and electronic stability control, developed with Bosch, combined with selectable drive modes, a manual six-speed gearbox and rear-wheel drive. You also get four-way, remotely adjustable dampers with electronic damping control for precise handling. Singer PR minions describe their latest offering as "a big-hearted, naturally-aspirated sports car, restored, reimagined and reborn at the request of each owner, with a focus on beauty, craftsmanship and innovation." The Porsche 911 Carrera Coupe Reimagined by Singer will be limited to just 100 commissions, and since current cars for sale are all ready exceeding $2 million, good luck getting one.

The AE Song of the Week:

Thinkin' 'bout the times you drove in my car

Thinkin' that I might have drove you too far
And I'm thinkin' 'bout the love that you laid on my table

I told you not to wander 'round in the dark
I told you 'bout the swans that they live in the park
Then I told you 'bout our kid, now he's married to Mabel

Yes, I told you that the light goes up and down
Don't you notice how the wheel goes 'round?
And you'd better pick yourself up from the ground
Before they bring the curtain down
Yes, before they bring the curtain down, woo-ooh

Get up, get up, get up
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah

Talkin' 'bout a girl that looks quite like you
She didn't have the time to wait in the queue

She cried away her life since she fell off the cradle

"Badge" by Cream, from the album "Goodbye" (1969).* Written by George Harrison and Eric Clapton. Watch Clapton perform it live in 2019 here.

*"Badge" was written by Eric Clapton and George Harrison. Harrison, who is listed on the album as "L'Angelo Misterioso," also played rhythm guitar on this track, since Cream had only one guitarist: Clapton. The title has nothing to do with the song. Clapton saw Harrison's notes for this, and misread "Bridge" as "Badge." He thought this is what Harrison named the song, so they used it for the title. The lyrics are not intended to make sense. Many of them were taken from drunken conversations Harrison had with Ringo Starr. Cream recorded this shortly before their final shows: two sold-out performances at Royal Albert Hall in England. It was one of three studio recordings on their last album; the rest of it was filled with live cuts. Cream had broken up by the time this song was released. Clapton was already working with his new group, Blind Faith. This is one of the shortest Cream songs. They were known for their long, improvised jams. The Wheels Of Fire live album, for example, contains only four songs. This is one of the few Cream songs that Eric Clapton sang lead on, as Jack Bruce usually handled vocals. Also, this is the only Cream song to include five people: in addition to Clapton, Bruce, Baker and Harrison, Felix Pappalardi played the piano and Mellotron. Pappalardi was the producer of three of Cream's four albums (Disreali Gears, Wheels Of Fire, and Goodbye) and contributed by playing a wide variety of instruments on those albums. Clapton ran his guitar through a Leslie speaker cabinet to create a swirling sound. The Leslie Cabinet contained a rotating paddle and was designed for organs, but many musicians tried it with guitars. Jimmy Page, for instance, used the technique on "Good Times, Bad Times." The song titles were written on tombstones inside the album, leaving little doubt that it was their last. Clapton had played on Harrison's album Wonderwall the previous year, and on The Beatles' "While My Guitar Gently Sleeps," which was released the same month as this. (Knowledge courtesy of Songfacts.com)

Editor's Note: You can access previous issues of AE by clicking on "Next 1 Entries" below. - WG