Episode 109

Welcome to the automotive podcast that is not going to talk about Tiger Woods…  But is going to talk about EV’s???  Does that make any sense!!!!  

On this episode of Throwin’ Wrenches…  

1. Farely, speaks… We listen…  For a minute
2. Toyota revives a nameplate!  Could it be?!?!
3. And a Race /  Daily  / Kill

All of that and more on this episode of Throwin’ Wrenches 

Thanks for listening.  To join in on the fun of the show, just email us at info@throwinwrenches.com or post a review on itunes to be heard worldwide!

Sponsors

• Fort’s Toyota of Pekin

 

PATREON – Thanks to our Patreon supporters. 

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Projects:

Eric

• The Votes are in…  Or are they?
• Its a LC
• Tractor work.
• Italy—  again
• 2 rivers jeep club = original sin

Daryl:

• Fury 318 is on a stand
• Tool organization in full effect
• Heater control valve install in the ‘55 Plymouth

RACE DAILY KILL –

Help your local dealer edition.  These cars are listed as having the lowest rates in the US.  According to Iseecars.com they range between 312 to 471 days on the lot after the delivery truck dropped them off.

The IdBuzz4 was on the list with more days… but its a pure ev.  Dont care.

The 2024 Dodge Hornet is a compact utility vehicle (CUV) available in two main powertrains: the gas-powered GT (2.0L turbo, 268 hp) and the plug-in hybrid R/T (1.3L turbo + electric motor, 288 hp). It features standard AWD, a 10.25-inch touchscreen, and a 0–60 mph time of 5.6 seconds for the R/T. 

Key 2024 Dodge Hornet Stats:

• Models: GT (Gas), R/T (Plug-in Hybrid/PHEV).

• Powertrains:

• GT: 2.0L Hurricane4 Turbo 4-cylinder, 268 horsepower, 295 lb-ft of torque.

• R/T: 1.3L Turbo 4-cylinder PHEV, 288 horsepower (with PowerShot), 383 lb-ft of torque.

• Performance (0–60 mph): R/T in 5.6 seconds; GT in 6.5 seconds.

• Top Speed: 140 mph (GT), 128 mph (R/T).

Key Features:

• PowerShot: R/T exclusive feature providing an extra 30 horsepower for 15 seconds.

• PRICE 30700-32995

The 2025-2026 Jaguar F-PACE is a luxury performance SUV offering three main engines: a 246-hp 2.0L turbocharged 4-cylinder (P250), a 395-hp 3.0L turbocharged inline-6 mild hybrid (P400), and a 567-hp 5.0L supercharged V8 (SVR). It features standard all-wheel drive and 8-speed automatic transmission across all trims, with 0–60 mph times ranging from 3.8 to 6.9 seconds. 

Key Performance Specs

• P250 (2.0L Turbo I4): 246 hp, 269 lb-ft torque, 0-60 mph in 6.9 seconds.

• P400 (3.0L Turbo I6 MHEV): 395 hp, 0-60 mph in 5.1 seconds.

• SVR 575 Edition (5.0L Supercharged V8):
  567 hp, 516 lb-ft torque, 0-60 mph in 3.8 seconds.

• Fuel Economy: Approx. 22/27/24 (City/Highway/Combined) MPG for base models.

• Top Speed: Up to 178 MPH (SVR). 

The 2025/2026 Jaguar F-PACE is a luxury performance SUV with a starting MSRP around $57,000–$58,375 for the P250 R-Dynamic S and rising to over $93,000 for the top-tier SVR 575 Edition

The 2025 Audi A4 marks the final iteration of this generation, featuring a 2.0L turbocharged 4-cylinder engine with, standard Quattro all-wheel drive, and a 7-speed automatic transmission. It offers two power levels: 201 hp (40 TFSI) and 261 hp (45 TFSI). A new S Line Plus package is available, and starting MSRP is approx. $42,000. 

• Engine: 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with a 12-volt mild-hybrid system.

• Horsepower/Torque:

• 40 TFSI: 201 hp and 236 lb-ft of torque.

• 45 TFSI: 261 hp and 273 lb-ft of torque.

• Acceleration (45 TFSI): 0–60 mph in 5.2 seconds.

• Drivetrain: Quattro all-wheel drive standard. 

Fuel Economy

• 40 TFSI: EPA-estimated 26 mpg city / 36 mpg highway.

• 45 TFSI: EPA-estimated 23 mpg city / 32 mpg highway. 

NEWS:

World:

Toyota Is Reviving the Celica and It Surely Won’t Be Boring: 2.0 Liter Engine Considered

Toyota is working on developing the right powertrain for the revival of the Celica sports coupe, expected to see the light of day sometime next year

Published: 28 Mar 2026, 13:11 UTC • By: Elena Luchian

Toyota pulled the plug on the Celica after the 2005 model year and put an end to production in April 2006 after the car had been on the market for seven generations. The story started back in 1970, when the automaker launched the affordable and sporty two-door coupe.

Throughout its 30-year-plus run, the Celica made the rules in the sporty subcompact segment. In America, it basically brought muscle car vibes in the form of a car that was smaller and more fuel-efficient than the gas-guzzling Ford Mustang, Chevy Camaro, Dodge Charger, and Dodge Challenger.

Toyota confirmed the Celica would be making a comeback at the 2024 Rally Japan, when the then-vice president of the automaker, Yuki Nakajima, revealed: “We’re making the Celica!”

 

Toyota boasts battery with 745-mile range and 10-minute charging time — here’s how it may impact all EVs –Leo Collis yahoo autos

Mon, January 26, 2026 at 6:00 AM CST

Toyota is gaining confidence in bringing new battery technology to the electric vehicle market that could shake up the whole sector.

The Japanese manufacturer has been working on delivering solid-state EV batteries in future models, which could increase driving range and decrease charging times.

According to Toyota, as Yahoo Finance reported, these batteries could deliver 745 miles on a single charge, while recharging would only take around 10 minutes.

The company has estimated that vehicles boasting solid-state batteries could be available starting in 2027 or 2028.

Such technology could make a real difference in consumer choices, with many unconvinced about switching from dirty-fuel-powered cars to cleaner electric ones because of concerns about driving range.

According to a poll by the Washington Post and the University of Maryland, 74% of 1,404 respondents believed that gas-powered cars are the better choice when making trips of over 250 miles.

Meanwhile, only 10% of respondents thought that fully electric vehicles offer convenience when it comes to recharging.

China Just Got Another Cheap EV America Would Love to Have

Mileta Kadovic

Sun, March 29, 2026 at 12:30 PM CDT

Three years after SAIC GM Wuling launched the original Bingo electric hatchback, and roughly six months after the larger Bingo S joined the lineup, the Chinese joint venture is now preparing another member of the family. The new model is called the Bingo Pro, and Wuling is already describing it as the next generation of the standard Bingo rather than just another trim or minor update. Official and filing-based reports show that the car is meant to slot neatly between the smaller Bingo and the larger Bingo S, giving Wuling a broader spread in China’s low-cost EV market.

Visually, the Bingo Pro stays close to the familiar family formula. It keeps the rounded front end, circular lighting theme, smooth surfaces, and semi-hidden door handles that helped make the original car recognizable. It also adds a floating roof effect and 16-inch alloy wheels, while launch materials point to four exterior colors: silver, light beige, pale pink, and emerald green. In other words, Wuling is not throwing away the style that made the Bingo line popular. It is refining it and stretching it into a slightly more mature product.

Wuling has not announced an official launch date or final pricing yet, but the family’s current structure offers a strong clue. In China, the standard Bingo starts at about $8,250 and runs to roughly $12,300, while the Bingo S is priced from about $9,400 to $11,300. Chinese market reports now expect the Bingo Pro to start at around $8,700, which would place it exactly where it needs to be to attract buyers moving up from the base Bingo without making the Bingo S feel redundant.

National:

CLEVELAND – U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy toured auto manufacturing plants in Cleveland and Toledo, Ohio, to celebrate the work the Trump Administration is doing to make cars more affordable for American families, revive the beating heart of American manufacturing, and empower consumers with more choices.

Freedom Means Affordable Cars

“Under President Trump’s leadership, the Department of Transportation put in place rules and regulations that save Americans money because FREEDOM MEANS AFFORDABLE CARS.” (Watch)

“We’ve already seen car prices come down and Ford has had its best year in 6 years!” (Watch)

“What this CAFE Standards rollback is going to mean is at least $1,000 in a price cut for those who are buying vehicles in America.” (Watch)

“For far too long, prices and the cost of living have risen as a result of the Biden Administration’s failed policies. It’s time to make life more affordable for American families, and the vehicles they drive are a key piece of that. I look forward to continuing to work with the administration to advance policies that will lower car prices, unleash American auto manufacturing, and expand consumer choice.” – Congressman Bob Latta (OH-05)

“Secretary Duffy’s leadership in making sure there was an important reset on CAFE standards is key progress for our country, and helps to accomplish that mandate the American people voted for.” – Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Less Zeldin (Watch)

“This is President Trump’s Auto Dream Team. Thanks to their efforts—in just ONE YEAR—we’ve gone from 50% to 60% of cars sold in America being made in America! And we aren’t going to stop until that number gets to 70%!” – Ohio Senator Bernie Moreno (Watch)

“President Trump has done great work to bring down the price of energy…he knows if he can bring down the price of a gallon of gas, your paycheck goes further… it makes America more competitive.”

Jeff Bezos-backed EV startup to open $7.8M facility in Louisville

Olivia EvansLouisville Courier Journal = Updated March 26, 2026, 4:40 p.m. ET

A new auto manufacturer is setting up shop in Louisville.

Slate Auto, the Jeff Bezos-backed electric vehicle startup plans to put its roughly $7.8 million vinyl wrap kit manufacturing fulfillment facility in Jefferson County at 5500 Shepherdsville Road.

The auto startup will produce low cost, modular, fully customizable EV two-door, two-passenger pickup trucks with hopes to start producing and selling the vehicles in 2026.

https://www.caranddriver.com/features/a70394562/interview-jim-farley-ceo-ford-motor-company/

Jim Farley of Ford on Making a U-Turn on EVs and Flooring It with Off-Roaders

Five years into driving Ford, CEO Jim Farley talks to C/D about the tough road ahead of him and how he’s navigating competition from China.

I found this part of the interview interesting…

Despite a Ford lineup that is very truck-forward, you’ve spoken out on the need for Americans to get used to driving smaller, lighter cars.

I feel like we could probably do a better job in America at having more diverse sizes. Americans once appreciated different kinds of cars more than they do today.

I don’t want to just let the Corolla and the Civic and the Hyundai and Kia products dominate the middle of the market. But I believe the best chance for us to do that is to apply our innovation to the future segments like EVs, because I believe that would give us the best chance to improve our fitness to compete, when everyone is going through the same learning curve. We have great hybrid technology. Our domestic competitors don’t. We could come out with a great Civic competitor. But then when I look at that strategically, I’m like, is that going to help me beat the Chinese OEMs or even match them?

Waymo is paying DoorDash gig workers to close its robotaxi doors

Published Thu, Feb 12 20269:10 PM EST Jennifer Elias@in/jennifer-elias-845b1130/

Waymo’s cars are driven without humans. But when a departing passenger leaves a door open, the car won’t move until a person closes it.

For that task, Waymo is turning to gig workers from companies like DoorDash

The self-driving car company confirmed on Thursday that it’s running a pilot in Atlanta to compensate delivery drivers for closing Waymo doors that are left ajar. DoorDash drivers are notified when a Waymo in the area has an open door so the vehicles can quickly get back on the road, the company said.

That acknowledgement came after a Reddit post showed a DoorDash driver in Atlanta was offered $11.25 to close the door of a nearby Waymo.

Waymo and DoorDash said in a joint statement to CNBC that they are always looking for new and flexible ways for DoorDash deliverers to earn money, adding that future Waymo vehicles will have automated door closures. Waymo didn’t say when that capability will arrive.

Waymo’s reliance on people for simple tasks underscores how even the most advanced autonomous technologies still require costly human intervention for some basic operations. Valued at $126 billion in a recent financing round, Waymo is central to Alphabet’s Other Bets, which are targeted at “using technology to try to solve big problems that affect a wide variety of industries, including transportation and health technology,” according to the company’s financial filings.

 

Local:

Illinois to Ditch Paper Vehicle Titles for Digital System
Source: MyStateLine.com

This year, the Illinois Secretary of State’s office will switch to an Electronic Lein and Titling program designed to eliminate paper vehicle titles and in-person DMV visits.

First adopted in 2024, the ELT program will become mandatory at all Illinois Driver’s Services Facilities and replace paper titles with a secure digital system, Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias announced Wednesday.

“Moving to mandatory Electronic Lien and Titling is the next step in bringing Illinois’ vehicle services fully into the digital age,” Giannoulias said. “This secure, paperless system cuts red tape for lenders and dealers, speeds up lien releases, accelerates the transfer process and better protects consumers. What once took weeks or months can  occur within hours.”

Lein and title records will be transmitted electronically and approved by service providers until the lien or loan is paid off, at which point banks, credit unions, and dealers can release the title instantaneously.

Consumers will no longer need to fill out paperwork or make in-person visits, and Giannoulias said the program will enable sales, trade-ins, or refinancing to occur.

According to officials, the system reduces operational risk and data entry errors, lowers administrative and mailing expenses, eliminates the need for physical title storage, and gives lenders immediate access to lien and title status information.

 

Rivian Unlocks $1 Billion from Volkswagen After Joint Venture Hits Major Milestone

https://riviantrackr.com/news/rivian-unlocks-1-billion-from-volkswagen-after-joint-venture-hits-major-milestone/

• Jose Castillo  03/27/2026

Rivian Tracker new??

The Rivian-Volkswagen joint venture, RV Tech, has wrapped up winter testing of its zonal electrical architecture, and the results are good. The system performed reliably across both extreme cold in Arjeplog, Sweden and the heat of Phoenix, Arizona, covering hundreds of tests across all-wheel drive, traction control, and over-the-air update functionality.

The first vehicle to actually use this architecture is the VW ID.EVERY1, and completing this milestone isn’t just a technical checkbox. It unlocks another $1 billion investment from Volkswagen Group into Rivian. About $750 million comes as a straight equity investment, with the remaining $250 million landing as either equity or convertible debt depending on which prototypes VW provided for testing.

On the engineering side, the testing program ran in two phases. Arizona came first, where teams from Volkswagen, Audi, Scout, and RV Tech finalized software functions and prepped the reference vehicles. Then those same vehicles headed to Sweden for stress testing in snow and ice, with development leadership signing off on approval drives before calling it done.

Eric:  2024 Fiat 500e – For sale locally in El Paso Illinois.  

Red with a black interior and only 1900 miles.  Its 100% that only gets about 1 mile per battery percentage… But its cheap!!!

It has Carplay!

Why not???  Has warranty!!!

The Fiat 500e generally comes with a 4-year/50,000-mile basic limited warranty and an 8-year/100,000-mile high-voltage battery and electric powertrain warranty. This coverage includes bumper-to-bumper protection, roadside assistance, and specific coverage for electric drive components, often spanning 2013–2024+ models. 

Key Warranty Coverage (New and Recently Used Models):

• Basic Limited Warranty: 4 years/50,000 miles.
• Electric Powertrain Warranty: 8 years/100,000 miles.
• High-Voltage Battery Warranty: 8 years/100,000 miles.
• Roadside Assistance: 4 years/unlimited miles.
• Corrosion Warranty: 3 years/unlimited miles (all panels), 5 years/unlimited miles (outer panels). 

 

Daryl: 1987 Chevrolet Camaro IROC-Z – $16,900

Source: Facebook Marketplace

I bought this 1987 IROC Z28 Camaro July 4, 2024 with 73,950 miles and I am the fourth owner. Engine is 305 with automatic transmission. It starts, runs, and drives great.

Exterior red paint is original along with clear-coat and in good condition for being 39 years old. All lights, other bulbs, and power mirrors work as they should. 

Left front quarter panel was repainted because second owner scraped it when parking in his garage and you will see the imperfection paint job in the video.

August 2024 I put on four new tires, front struts, rear shocks, and of course, front wheel alignment. July 2025 put on new air conditioning compressor system, condenser, belt, and A/C pressure switch.

It comes with the original owners manual and copy of the original window sticker that I purchased from General Motors and had re-printed. Also comes with black soft cover made by Car Cover.

Serious buyer inquiries only. No negative comments.

 

At the time of this posting…  The IROC was sold… The Fiat was not!  

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