Latest news with #Pony
Car and Driver
a day ago
- Automotive
- Car and Driver
2026 Hyundai Elantra N TCR Takes Aim at the Honda Civic Type R
Hyundai is bringing out a special-edition Elantra N in Canada to celebrate the company's TCR series wins. The Elantra N TCR Edition features a big wing and upgraded brakes, and it's only available by special order. There's not much stopping the Elantra N TCR Edition from coming to the United States too. In 1983, Hyundai began its first sales in North America with the humble Pony—a 70-hp, four-door hatchback. This was not a new strategy, as Honda had also used Canada as a test market with the S600 in the 1960s, long before the N600 arrived in the United States, and Mazda had done likewise with the rotary-powered R100. While the U.S. and Canada have very similar automotive markets, sometimes the latter sees automakers dipping their toes in the water before diving in on a larger scale, and if Hyundai Canada's latest offering is anything to go by, an enthusiast-focused special could be in the future for south of the border. It's called the Elantra N TCR Edition, and it's basically the 911 GT3 of Hyundais. Starting out with the already excellent Elantra N, Hyundai has added forged wheels and upgraded front brakes via four-piston monoblock calipers. There's also a truly massive swan-neck adjustable rear wing as a calling card. Hyundai Inside, the TCR is swathed with Alcantara touch points, periwinkle blue seatbelts, and a host of other cosmetic upgrades. Though it is available in limited quantities and must be specially ordered, Hyundai Canada will still allow you to pick between a six-speed manual or a dual-clutch automatic transmission, as well as four exterior colors (two fewer than the standard Elantra N). Speaking of which, the TCR Edition doesn't get any more power than the regular Elantra N, so that's 286 horsepower in overboost mode from a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder. That's plenty, and Hyundai's N products are all about offering chassis capability that allows drivers to extract every bit of speed that a turbo four can provide. Adding upgraded brakes and a bit more aero should mean that this version of the Elantra is capable of setting faster lap times. Hyundai Last month, Hyundai claimed its fifth straight TCR class victory at the Nurburgring 24-Hour race, finishing first and second on the podium. The effort included Canadian racing driver Robert Wickens, a former DTM and IndyCar driver who survived a life-altering crash at Pocono Raceway in 2018, yet has returned to top-level motorsports despite being paraplegic. The original Hyundai Pony was not a great car, and it actually became the butt of jokes north of the border, much like the Yugo did in America. Despite the shaky start, Hyundai has grown to become a world-class brand in both markets, and the launch of the TCR Edition Elantra in Canada just shows how confident the company is these days. Hyundai Priced about $3500 more than the standard Elantra N, the TCR Edition seems like a bit of a bargain for some genuinely motorsports-infused performance. There's no reason Hyundai's U.S. operations couldn't put a similar program into place, especially as the cars are special order only, and you wouldn't have to convince dealers to stock them. You can bet Hyundai USA will be watching how the TCR Edition sells in hoser-land. Here's hoping the U.S. gets it too. And if not, well, sorry, eh? Brendan McAleer Contributing Editor Brendan McAleer is a freelance writer and photographer based in North Vancouver, B.C., Canada. He grew up splitting his knuckles on British automobiles, came of age in the golden era of Japanese sport-compact performance, and began writing about cars and people in 2008. His particular interest is the intersection between humanity and machinery, whether it is the racing career of Walter Cronkite or Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki's half-century obsession with the Citroën 2CV. He has taught both of his young daughters how to shift a manual transmission and is grateful for the excuse they provide to be perpetually buying Hot Wheels. Read full bio
The Star
a day ago
- Automotive
- The Star
Pony.ai steps up mass production of robotaxis, targets overseas expansion
Chinese autonomous driving technology firm is gearing up to mass produce driverless cabs to make its robotaxis widely available and more affordable, as technological advancement helps shorten its path to commercialisation. The Guangzhou-based company – the only firm with approval to operate robotaxi services on the mainland's four most developed cities – is banking on an accelerated pace of commercialisation at home and abroad to achieve cost efficiency, according to Lou Tiancheng, co-founder and chief technology officer. 'We are anticipating a pickup in production [of robotaxis],' he said in an interview on the weekend. 'Over the past few years, we have solidified our tie-ups with carmakers to attest to the feasibility of building a large volume of driverless cabs.' would partner with local carmakers GAC and BAIC, and Toyota of Japan in production, and target a fleet of 1,000 robotaxis by the end of this year, he added. Nasdaq-listed received a permit to run its robotaxis in Shanghai's Pudong New Area last week. The permit allows the company to charge fares, pioneering the move in the nation's major commercial and financial hub. will initially operate its fleet in the Jinqiao and Huamu areas totalling a combined 40 sq km. That will be gradually expanded to other parts of Pudong, China's 1,400 sq km pioneer zone to showcase progress in building a modern socialist system. 'We believe this milestone demonstrates Pony's technological and operational readiness in the robotaxi business,' BofA Securities said in a report on Monday, reiterating its buy recommendation. 'We believe that Pony will scale up its robotaxi fleet size and see improving profitability, given better economies of scale.' Meanwhile, has expanded its operations in Beijing, Guangzhou and Shenzhen, offering its services 'at any time'. It previously operated only between 7am and 11pm. The company is also looking to create new revenue sources by offering value-added in-car infotainment services to customers or supplying autonomous driving control systems to carmakers, Lou said. It was looking at Hong Kong, South Korea, the Middle East and Europe as potential markets to widen its reach, he added. Baidu's autonomous driving unit Apollo, and robotaxi start-up WeRide are deemed by analysts and industry officials as China's answer to US-based Waymo, the global leader in self-driving taxi service. Driverless cabs could account for 6 per cent of China's taxi market, aided by advanced digital infrastructure and public acceptance, HSBC said in a report earlier this month. China's robotaxi market could eventually be worth about US$40 billion a year, the bank said, without giving a time frame. reported a 4.3 per cent increase in revenue to US$75 million last year, while its net loss more than doubled to US$275 million. Shanghai authorities also granted licences to Baidu's Apollo, WeRide, Jinjiang Taxi, Dazhong Transportation and SAIC Motor to operate robotaxis in Pudong, on the sidelines of the three-day World Artificial Intelligence Conference in the city. The issuance of these licences – on a pilot basis – demonstrates Shanghai's efforts in advancing the development of driverless technology.
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Pony AI shorted at Grizzly Research; concerns raised over operations
-- Pony Ai Inc (NASDAQ:PONY) stock fell 1%, then rose by over 1%, after Grizzly Research published a critical report questioning the robotaxi company's operations and technology capabilities. The research firm alleged that Pony AI, which went public in November 2024, has "very little to offer" and described it as a "smoke and mirrors show." Among the most serious accusations, Grizzly claimed there are allegations from an apparent insider that the company falsified data for its self-driving software algorithm, with management allegedly aware of and covering up the issue. Grizzly Research conducted on-the-ground testing of Pony's robotaxi service in China, reporting that the company appeared to have "the least pick-up spots, longest waiting time, and overall worse customer experience" compared to competitors like Baidu (NASDAQ:BIDU) Apollo and WeRide. The report also highlighted regulatory challenges, noting that Pony's permit to conduct driverless autonomous vehicle testing in California was previously revoked following a crash. A similar incident reportedly occurred in China in May 2025, resulting in temporary service suspension in that district. Additionally, Grizzly raised concerns about Pony AI's financial situation, claiming its financials have worsened since its IPO and that a significant portion of its revenue comes from an entity "directly related to the Chinese military." The research firm also noted that U.S. Senators have called for Pony's delisting from U.S. exchanges due to its alleged close ties with the Chinese government. The report comes as Pony AI has recently attracted investor attention due to rumors about former Uber Technologies Inc (NYSE:UBER) CEO Travis Kalanick's potential interest in the company's U.S. business. Related articles Pony AI shorted at Grizzly Research; concerns raised over operations KeyBanc upgrades Roku on turnaround in ad strategy and cost control Goldman strategists favor these 3 U.S. sectors Sign in to access your portfolio
Scottish Sun
05-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Parents spark fury as they take their baby to a tattoo salon – but it's the kid's name that's got everyone talking
The parents explained the name had a 'sentimental' meaning, as they danced to a song with the same name TATT'S WILD Parents spark fury as they take their baby to a tattoo salon – but it's the kid's name that's got everyone talking A COUPLE have come under fire after taking their baby to a tattoo salon - however, it's the little boy's name that's got everyone talking. Mum and TikToker Morgan Presley, who welcomed the baby in May, explained that she simply didn't ''trust people'' enough to get a babysitter. 2 The parents sparked fury after taking their son to a tattoo salon at just few months old Credit: 2 However, it was the baby's name that got everyone talking Credit: As the two parents were desperate to have their facial piercings changed, they decided to take their baby son to the tattoo salon with them. In the now-viral video, Morgan explained that her son had reached the ''grabby'' stage and was constantly pulling her eyebrow piercings. ''My luck, he would rip them out,'' she said. Knowing she would face backlash, the mum-of-one also said: ''To the people who will say, 'Just get a babysitter' - I don't trust people.'' While the couple were getting their piercings changed to more fitting ones, their son was chilling and peacefully sleeping in the background. However, while the pair were chuffed with their new facial piercings, Morgan and her partner came under fire for taking the little one along to the tattoo salon. One person wondered: ''not hating at all, but in the uk tattoo and piercing shops are 18+, surprised they let your baby in there, is that normal in all parts of usa?'' Another was baffled, writing: ''You don't trust people but you post him online?'' A third critic chimed in: ''Once again people proving they shouldn't be parents.'' But it's not just the day-out at the tattoo salon that sparked a fierce debate - Morgan and her husband were also slammed for naming their baby ''Pony''. Parents warned 3 common summer foods are dangerous to toddlers - and eating a specific fruit can cause nasty sunburn The parents revealed the son's name earlier this year in a video that's since gone viral, admitting that finding a boy that ''excited'' them was ''so hard''. ''Instead of going to baby name lists, we went to our record collection trying to look for a record that kind of spoke to us the most, that had sentimental meaning. ''And that's how we ended up landing on Pony Ramone Presley.'' In the clip, Morgan added that Presley was not his last name - and was intended for ''safety'' reasons. ''On our first date, we danced to this record by Orville Peck which is called Pony.'' Meanwhile, the middle name was inspired by The Ramones - a band the two were ''heavily, heavily listening to'' during the pregnancy journey. 'We are naming future adults not just babies' The boy's name, as adorable as it may be, has not proven to be a major hit amongst concerned social media users, who slammed the parents. One said: ''Giving him a fake last name from his safety doesn't feel very useful lmao. How many Pony Ramones are there?'' Another wrote: ''I've said it once I've said it again we are naming future adults not just babies.'' A third critic chimed in: ''People choose names for their children as if they were choosing a name for a pet.'' ''I'm so happy to live in Germany, where you're not allowed to give your children names that could harm them!'' a viewer from Europe commented.
The Irish Sun
05-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Parents spark fury as they take their baby to a tattoo salon – but it's the kid's name that's got everyone talking
A COUPLE have come under fire after taking their baby to a tattoo salon - however, it's the little boy's name that's got everyone talking. Mum and TikToker Morgan Presley, who welcomed the baby in May, explained that she simply didn't ''trust people'' enough to get a 2 The parents sparked fury after taking their son to a tattoo salon at just few months old Credit: 2 However, it was the baby's name that got everyone talking Credit: As the two parents were desperate to have their In ''My luck, he would rip them out,'' she said. Knowing she would face backlash, the mum-of-one also said: ''To the people who will say, 'Just get a read more on parenting While the couple were getting their piercings changed to more fitting ones, their son was chilling and peacefully However, while the pair were chuffed with their new facial piercings, Morgan and her partner came under fire for taking the little one along to the tattoo salon. One person wondered: ''not hating at all, but in the uk tattoo and piercing shops are 18+, surprised they let your baby in there, is that normal in all parts of usa?'' Another was baffled, writing: ''You don't trust people but you post him online?'' Most read in Fabulous A third critic chimed in: ''Once again people proving they shouldn't be parents.'' But it's not just the day-out at the tattoo salon that sparked a fierce debate - Morgan and her husband were also slammed for naming their baby ''Pony''. Parents warned 3 common summer foods are dangerous to toddlers - and eating a specific fruit can cause nasty sunburn The parents revealed the son's name earlier this year in a video that's since gone viral, admitting that finding a boy that ''excited'' them was ''so hard''. ''Instead of going to ''And that's how we ended up landing on Pony Ramone Presley.'' In ''On our first date, we danced to this record by Orville Peck which is called Pony.'' Meanwhile, the middle name was inspired by The Ramones - a band the two were ''heavily, heavily listening to'' during the pregnancy journey. 'We are naming future adults not just babies' The boy's name, as adorable as it may be, has not proven to be a major hit amongst concerned social media users, who slammed the parents. One said: ''Giving him a fake last name from his safety doesn't feel very useful lmao. How many Pony Ramones are there?'' Another wrote: ''I've said it once I've said it again we are naming future adults not just babies.'' A third critic chimed in: ''People choose names for their children as if they were choosing a name for a pet.'' ''I'm so happy to live in Germany, where you're not allowed to give your children names that could harm them!'' a viewer from
