Ford confirmed the power figures for the 2021 F-150 Raptor this past week, and it's fair to say they came as a surprise. Since the first generation of the performance truck back in 2010, the Raptor badge has meant Ford's most potent version of the pickup. Problem is, even before it hits dealer forecourts, the new Raptor finds itself in an electric shadow.
If you were wondering how much it would cost to hitch a ride into space alongside Amazon's Jeff Bezos, Blue Origin has the answer. Bidding for the first passenger seat on the inaugural crewed flight of New Shepard has closed, and it turns out there are some space enthusiasts with very deep pockets.
The new 2022 Lexus NX looks slick, gets a welcome plug-in hybrid option, and an uptick in power, but it's the dashboard tech that I'm most excited by. It's fair to say that Lexus' infotainment systems haven't exactly been the most popular over the past 5-10 years, and while there have been multiple reasons for that, a lot of the blame can be placed squarely on the touchpad or joystick.
American Airlines and Virgin Atlantic are looking to much shorter flights to expand their future services, each inking deals that could see them piloting electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft in the US and UK, respectively. The airlines have partnered with startup Vertical Aerospace, which is working on the eVTOL VA-X4 aircraft that can leap vertically into the air and fly for over 100 miles on a single charge.
Look, I have already sung the praises of wagons. I have waxed about their practicality; shook my fist at the sky and howled about their aesthetic superiority. I have made it abundantly clear that I am on Team Wagon, and so the fact that the 2021 Mercedes-AMG E 63 S Wagon has an early advantage with me should come as little surprise.
Maserati is going electric, and while the automaker may not be quite ready to show off the GranTurismo EV, that hasn't stopped it from teasing the first prototype. It'll be the first all-electric car from Maserati, rebooting the existing GranTurismo nameplate which was retired in 2019.
EV-maker Polestar has inked an agreement with South Korea tech firm SK Inc, with the two companies exploring co-development of performance electric vehicles and new battery systems. Polestar, a collaboration between Volvo and Geely, currently has one all-electric model on sale, though the Polestar 2 will be followed by an electric crossover, the Polestar 3.
China's space agency has released new images taken by its Mars rover, including a panorama of the landing site where Zhurong first touched down on the red planet. The images include a selfie of the rover, which the China National Space Administration (CNSA) took using a special, detachable camera.
EA Games' huge game theft, which saw source code for FIFA 21 and other key titles stolen, hinged on a $10 cookie and some disturbingly simple social engineering, according to the hackers responsible. Electronic Arts confirmed it had been the victim of the cybercrime earlier this week, with around 780GB of data - including game code and more - yanked from its servers.
Ford has confirmed performance figures for the new 2021 F-150 Raptor, and there's a horsepower surprise in store for those waiting for the next-generation of the performance pickup. Announced earlier this year, the revamped Raptor sticks with Ford's familiar recipe for truck triumph, with a beefy body kit, huge wheels, and no shortage of attitude. However it's what's under the hood which may lead some to scratch their heads.
El Salvador plans to use volcanic power to mine Bitcoin, the latest unexpected twist as the country makes the cryptocurrency a parallel legal tender. While El Salvador will continue to use the US dollar, as it has since 2001, it will also accept Bitcoin at the same time, a move which had frustrated environmentalists concerned about the energy requirements to mine the virtual coins.
It's a big week for Tesla, and for Elon Musk. The company held its promised Model S Plaid delivery event in Fremont, CA, last night, handing over the first 25 examples of the super-fast EV, and it was an opportunity for the outspoken CEO to make the pitch not only for Tesla, but for electric vehicles in general.