Drive Wire: November 18, 2015
The truck of the year, a new Beemer motorcycle, Kia’s ecofriendly lineup, a customizable mug, and volcano skiing.
Hey guys, it’s Christina Thompson and this is Drive Wire for Wednesday, November 18.
It’s award time in the world of cars, or trucks in this case, and the Chevy Colorado has taken its second consecutive Motor Trend Truck of the Year Award. Chevy’s small truck upset the all-aluminum Ford F-150 in 2015, and this year, it returned with a smooth new 2.8 liter 4-cylinder diesel that’ll tow 7,700 pounds and still gets 25 miles per gallon on the combined cycle. Our congratulations on the repeat to everyone at Chevy Trucks.
BMW has revealed the next model in its roadster lineup, the R9T Scrambler, at the Italian EICMA motorcycle show. It’s a handsome piece of kit, with an upright riding position, and power from the company’s lovely 110-horsepower boxer twin. As good-looking as it is out of the box, BMW looks to aim the R9T as a factory boutique bike, with a full catalog of upgrades available. Which is cool, but we’re liking the matte silver and stock leather saddle just fine.
If green is your style, Kia might have the magic number for you – 11. In the coming years, the Korean automaker plans to offer 11 eco-friendly cars. The expanded lineup includes hybrids, electric vehicles, and even a possible hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle with a range of almost 500 miles. For now, Kia is starting with a new lithium-polymer battery equipped Optima and the Niro CUV, due out next year.
If you’re looking for hot technology right now, rejoice: you can now have your favorite beverage at the exact temperature you want. The Ember Mug will keep your drink of choice at whatever temperature you set for hours, all via smartphone app. It even uses an induction charger on a dedicated coaster to eliminate cords and unsightly drink rings. If you like it hot, head over to Indiegogo to learn more.
In today’s ridiculous video – no way to say this except it’s a guy skiing down a freakin’ volcano, courtesy of the team at Great Big Story. This is Claudio Lanzafame on Mt. Etna, the largest active volcano in Europe, and while it’s not actually erupting, it is actually awesome. Although we had a blast watching, we’ll stick to a more traditional ski surface.
That’s it for today’s edition of Drive Wire. For more, be sure to come back to thedrive.com, and follow us @thedrive on all your favorite social media platforms.
