JULY 17, 2024

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 

(Cadillac images)

GM can drone on and on about its EVs that are here - and coming - but who's kidding whom? This is where the action is, folks, as in ka-ching: Cadillac has revealed the 2025 Escalade, with a refreshed interior and exterior and assorted other tweaks to solidify its role as the best-selling luxury full-size SUV. The 2025 Escalade incorporates advanced lighting technology that moves from a horizontal to vertical arrangement, reinforcing the strong Cadillac identity — both during the day and at night. The even bolder front-end includes a standard illuminated front crest and, on the V-Series (shown in Red, below) and Premium Luxury Platinum trims, an illuminated grille surround. New for the 2025 Escalade are available 24-inch wheels, the largest ever offered on an Escalade, and three new exterior colors: Aegean Stone (shown); Deep Sea Metallic and Latte Metallic. Power open-and-close doors are also available.

The interior of the 2025 Escalade is heavily influenced by the ESCALADE IQ’s interior design, balancing technology and luxury for an immersive experience for drivers and passengers. An Executive Second Row package is available featuring stowable tray tables, 12.6-inch-diagonal personal screens, a rear command center, dual wireless phone charging pads, massaging seats and headrest speakers.

Two new interior palette options are available for the 2025 Escalade. Renaissance Red features a leather interior, adorned with a faceted quilt and perforated seats, and a dark open pore wood veneer with a high contrast pore filler to complete the look. Jet Black and Sheer Gray features a contrasting leather and heathered grey fabric, faceted quilted and perforated seats, and high gloss wood veneer utilizing a linear marquetry technique to create a layering effect of tones and textures. Customers can personalize their interior lighting, choosing from 126 color ambient lighting options in two zones. Additionally, the 2025 Escalade-V receives a new authentic carbon-fiber performance-focused interior, surrounded by a deep Jet Black leather interior and uniquely quilted and perforated seats exclusive to V-Series. 

Other stuff on the 2025 Cadillac Escalade:

• Curved pillar-to-pillar 55-inch total diagonal display for an immersive and personalized infotainment experience with voice control, navigation, an app store, and more. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are also available
• Seating available for up to eight total passengers, with a power folding third row that folds flat for more storage
• AKG Studio 19-speaker audio system standard, with available AKG Studio Reference 36-speaker system, which increases to 40 speakers with available Executive Second Row package
• Standard Super Cruise driver assistance technology on all trims (3 years OnStar Super Cruise plan) (Editor's Note: Yet NOT standard on the $300,000+ Celestiq! Go figure. -WG)
• Available 5G Wi-Fi® hotspot capability connected by OnStar, along with a comprehensive suite of OnStar safety and connected services. 
• Ample passenger entertainment options, including HD streaming and browser compatibility, so customers can log into any streaming app and watch
• Available Night Vision (standard on V-Series & Platinum trims)
• Full-color Head-Up Display (standard for Premium Luxury, Sport, Premium Luxury Platinum, Sport Platinum and V-Series trims)
• Available power open-and-close exterior door entry system (standard on Platinum and V-Series trims). All four doors power open and close at the touch of a button on the door handle or from the command center, and if activated, the driver’s door will automatically open as the driver approaches with the key fob
• Magnetic Ride Control 4.0 (standard for Premium Luxury, Sport, Premium Luxury Platinum, Sport Platinum and V-Series trims) and Air Ride Adaptive Suspension
• Independent front and rear suspension
• Available V-Series features a 6.2L Supercharged V8 with 682HP
• A suite of standard active safety and driver assistance features

The 2025 Escalade will be offered in six trims – Luxury, Premium Luxury, Sport, Premium Luxury Platinum, Sport Platinum and V-Series. Production will start in late 2024 in North America, with availability in other regions to follow. It is manufactured at GM’s Arlington Assembly plant in Texas. Arlington Assembly - celebrating its 70th anniversary in 2024 - is the exclusive assembly site for the gas-powered Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV and Escalade-V. Additional details and pricing will be announced in the future. Visit www.cadillac.com for more information.

(motorsportcollector.com)

Editor-in-Chief's Note: I wanted to take this opportunity to mention George Levy's fantastic new book, Texas Legend - Jim Hall and his Chaparrals. This Official Biography of Jim Hall is simply one of the finest biographies I have ever read, and it stands as the definitive work chronicling the life and achievements of Jim Hall. Full disclosure, Jim Hall is and has been one of my all-time favorites, and Levy's book does Jim justice like no book before it. It is filled with details and anecdotes never revealed until now. I highly recommend this book for enthusiasts and non-enthusiasts alike. It is a superb effort and well worth the read. -PMD 

(Mercedes-Benz images)

Mercedes-AMG unveiled the newest addition to the AMG GT lineup at the Goodwood Festival of Speed – the new Mercedes-AMG GT 63 PRO 4MATIC+. Increased power, aerodynamic fine tuning and enhanced cooling contribute to coupe's driving dynamics and faster lap times. Responding to customer feedback for improved daily usability compared to the previous model series, the second-generation AMG GT offers a spacious interior with available 2+2 seating. Advanced technology such as AMG ACTIVE RIDE CONTROL suspension with active roll stabilization, active rear axle steering, active aerodynamics and AMG Performance 4MATIC+ fully variable all-wheel drive is part of the package. The handcrafted AMG 4.0L V8 biturbo delivers 26 more horsepower than in the AMG GT 63, producing a total of 603HP. The engineers in Affalterbach also boosted torque to 627 lb-ft – an increase of 37 lb-ft. The AMG GT 63 PRO sprints from 0 to 124 mph in 10.9 seconds. The top speed is 197 mph. The 2025 AMG GT 63 PRO 4MATIC+ will arrive at U.S. dealerships sometime next year. No pricing information was released.

(Audi images)

Audi PR minions say that the new, limited-edition Audi RS 6 Avant GT2 "represents the pinnacle of its model series." The limited-edition model features exclusive exterior and interior details that pay homage to the legendary Audi 90 quattro IMSA GTO racing car from 1989. That memorable racing machine inspired this special edition, which will be limited to 660 cars. The RS 6 Avant GT2 will be available in Nardo Grey and Arkona White. Pricing information and availability were not given, but since the 2024 RS 6 Avant Performance stickers for $126,000, we can only imagine how much the premium will be on this limited-production Audi.

  

(Maeving images)

Maeving is the British electric motorcycle manufacturer that became known for those looking for beautiful bikes geared toward urban riding, with its first model – the RM1 – quickly becoming the best-selling electric motorcycle in the UK, and one of the best-reviewed worldwide. The company's newest model - the all-electric Maeving RM1S - is now available in the US market. Costing $8,995 and initially launched in California with additional states to follow, the British-built machine (designed by a team of former Triumph engineers) blends classic motorcycle design with the performance and ease of a modern EV. The Maeving RM1S has a top speed of 70 mph, a range of 80 miles and is powered by a rear hub-mounted motor providing 7.0 kW continuous power (10.5kW peak) and torque of 184 ft-lbs. All this is delivered at a curb weight of 293 lbs. and a seat height of 785 mm to provide confidence-inspiring maneuverability at both low and high speeds. To suit the needs of all riders, the power pack from the RM1S can either be charged in situ or easily removed to a home or place of work and charged at a standard socket. Powered by two batteries (containing LG 21700 cells) that sit in a redesigned case in the place of a conventional petrol engine, these can be charged from 20 to 100% in just three hours from a wall socket. With a significant packaging change over the RM1, this now allows the “tank” in front of the rider to provide 2.6 gallons of lockable storage space for even further usability. Classic styling cues, inspired by the board tracker bikes of the 1920’s and the café racer era, come in the way of the twin shocks, analog speedometer and a beautiful crafted diamond-stitched solo seat. These are juxtaposed with powerful LED lighting and the safety of responsive calipers biting on single discs front and back with linked braking. And while the Dunlop K70 tires sitting under the stunningly crafted carbon fiber fenders/mudguards may look old, they provide contemporary performance, which, along with three switchable riding modes, allows riders to get the most from the RM1S in all conditions.

The AE Song of the Week:

Moving forwards, using all my breath
Making love to you was never second best
I saw the world thrashing all around your face
Never really knowing it was always mesh and lace

I'll stop the world and melt with you
You've seen the difference and it's getting better all the time
There's nothing you and I won't do
I'll stop the world and melt with you

(You should know better)
Dream of better lives the kind which never hate
(You should see why)
Trapped in the state of imaginary grace
(You should know better)
I made a pilgrimage to save this humans race
(You should see why)
Never comprehending the race had long gone by

I'll stop the world and melt with you
(Let's stop the world)
You've seen the difference and it's getting better all the time
(Let's stop the world)
There's nothing you and I won't do
(Let's stop the world)
I'll stop the world and melt with you

The future's open wide

(Let's stop the world)
I'll stop the world and melt with you
(Let's stop the world)
I've seen some changes but it's getting better all the time
(Let's stop the world)
There's nothing you and I won't do
(Let's stop the world)
I'll stop the world and melt with you

The future's open wide
Hmmm hmmm hmmm
Hmmm hmmm hmmm hmmm
Hmmm hmmm hmmm
Hmmm hmmm hmmm hmmm

I'll stop the world and melt with you
(Let's stop the world)
You've seen the difference and it's getting better all the time
(Let's stop the world)
There's nothing you and I won't do
(Let's stop the world)
I'll stop the world and melt with you
(Let's stop the world)
I'll stop the world and melt with you
(Let's stop the world)
I'll stop the world and melt with you
(Let's stop the world)
I'll stop the world and melt with you

"I Melt With You" by Modern English from the album "After The Snow" (1982).* Written by Gary Frances McDowell, Michael Frances Conroy, Richard Ian Brown, Robert James Grey and Stephen James Walker. Publisher: COHEN AND COHEN, Word Collections Publishing. Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind. Watch the Original Music Video here. 

*This sounds like an upbeat love song, but it's more apocalyptic than you might expect. With lyrics about "the world crashing all around your face" and "a pilgrimage to save this human's race," it really does take place with the world about to end, and the melting is quite literal. Modern English lead singer Robbie Grey, who wrote the song with his four bandmates, explained: "I don't think many people realized it was about a couple making love as the bomb dropped. As they made love, they become one and melt together." While the song was never a big chart success, it has stood the test of time and is considered a new wave classic. The song gained some traction when MTV gave the video plenty of airplay. It was also featured in the 1983 movie Valley Girl. The line, "Never really knowing it was always mesh and lace" is a reference to Modern English's first album, Mesh & Lace. This was the only hit for Modern English, but it wasn't typical of their sound. They were a punk band, and most of their songs were a lot more raw than this one. "We'd normally been more of a punk rock band, more edgy, so this was one of our first forays into verse, chorus, verse, chorus," Robbie Grey said. "We didn't really understand that songwriting thing." According to Robbie Grey, he wrote the lyrics stream-of-consciousness style in just minutes while he was sitting on the floor of a London flat in 1982. So even he isn't sure what some of it means. Said Grey: "I like that line, 'Trapped in a state of imaginary grace.' Who knows what I was on at that point." Grey took a different approach to his vocals on this track, which gave it more pop appeal. Speaking with Boom 97.3 in Toronto, he said: "I'd always been shouting on songs before, I'd never really sung on a song. And there's not really any singing on this either, it's more spoken, but Hugh Jones the producer said, 'Don't shout into the microphone, just talk into it.' I'd never done that before - I was a punk rocker. And so, I did. I just kind of stood back and mouthed the words. And I think that's a lot of the attraction of the verses on 'I Melt With You' is that almost spoken quality." There is some famous humming in this song, which takes place after the bridge around the 3-minute mark. This was producer Hugh Jones' idea. The song has been used in numerous television commercials, usually for food. Most famously, it featured in 1990 Burger King ads, but it was also used in commercials for Ritz crackers, M&M's and Taco Bell. (Knowledge courtesy of Songfacts.com)

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