Fisker is Kaput, Couldn't Cut ItThe Peter Principle tells us that is you are very good at your job, you will be promoted until you reach a level where you are incompetent. Henrik Fisker is an automobile designer who rose through the ranks at BMW, Ford, and AstonMartin. He also designed cars for Tesla and Artega Automobile. Fisker was lauded as a designer and a leader of design teams, but he apparently isn't cut out for running an entire automotive company. Fisker founded several of his own companies, each falling by the wayside under financial strain and the inability to deliver any substantial number of vehicles. ​Fisker Inc. is his latest automotive venture, founded by Fisker and his wife in 2016. The only car it produced was the Fisker Ocean SUV, which tended to break down and received scathing reviews. Now Fisker, under the crush of debt and unhappy investors, has filed for bankruptcy. Henrik should have been happy as a designer. Read the story of the car company that couldn't at Ars Technica.PS: Fisker, Inc. is not related to the company that makes scissors. (Image credit: Alexander-93) 
 
The Tactical Ford Ranger That Runs on Jet FuelFord sells a lot of Rangers as regular SUVs, but for special customers, they have a special version sold through their Global Fleet Sales department. The Ford FG-P is for security and military forces, and its has some wild upgrades. Yes, it runs on jet fuel, as its 2.0-liter Panther turbodiesel engine can run on diesel or compatible fuels. It has a stealth mode, which turns off all the lights, even the tiny indicator lights. It has a second, electric drive system that can be used when a motor is just too loud. The suspension can support up to 7,700 pounds. Perfect for when you need to sneak up on someone while carrying a lot of tactical gear.But this vehicle isn't for showing off. It doesn't stand out among the gajillion other SUVs on the road, so there's no use in trying to get your hands on one for everyday use. The Ford FG-P is built to specific performance standards for specific jobs, and those job aren't yours. Read about the tactical Ford Ranger and its amazing invisible super powers at The Autopian. 
 
The Crash Test Dummies That Fall Apart But Never DieYou may not know the company Magna, as it doesn't market to consumers. They provide all kinds of products and service to the auto industry, and one of the things they do is conduct car safety testing, involving Anthropomorphic Test Devices, which is the official term for crash test dummies. They conduct around 800 tests a year, which cause around 3,200 "injury events" for the dummies. Those dummies cost up to a million dollars each, depending on their purpose, and Magna throws them around like toys. The dummies come in male, female, and child sizes, and are loaded with sensors that give feedback on injuries. Some dummies are just body parts, like an artificial leg that is used as a pedestrian. Andrew P. Collins took a deluxe tour of the Magna research and development facility in Sailauf, Germany, to meet the dummies, witness the crash testing, and see how it all comes together to make cars safer on the roads. He explains the state of the research and the torture that crash test dummies go through for us at The Drive.(Image credit: Magna)
 
The Coming Cybertruck Police CruisersYou may not have ever seen a Tesla Cybertruck in the wild at this point, depending on where you live. In fact, there's a game in which you only win if you have never seen a Cybertruck on the road. But that may be changing, thanks to your local police department. Elon Musk has long fantasized about police driving Teslas, and even promoted the Cybertruck as the kind of futuristic vehicle perfect for patrolling. Tesla has been working with various vendors to upgrade Cybertrucks for police use. One company, Unplugged Performance, has its subsidiary UP.FIT already advertising upgrade packages for making Cybertrucks into police vehicles. The upgrade package offer lights, sirens, shotgun mounts, and other equipment up to SWAT and military operations gear.
 
The Minibago--A Tiny, Functional Camper​Core 77 introduces us to the Minibago, a tiny motorhome designed to look just like a vintage Winnebago. It's made by Travis Moore and his colleagues at Toy Factory Fabrication, a custom vehicle building shop in the State of Washington.
 
Behold the 1958 Firebird IIIGeneral Motors rolled out the Firebird III at the 1959 Motorama. Designed by Harley Earl, it was a concept car aimed to show off futuristic concepts, and indeed lent various features to future GM models. The look was intended to resemble the latest military jet fighters. Instead of a steering wheel, the car was controlled by a joystick! Some of the features you couldn't see were ahead of their time, too, like a guidance system designed to avoid accidents. Of course, when you and I see it, we think of the Batmobile. The vehicle used in the 1966-68 TV series Batman was a customized Lincoln Futura, another futuristic concept car, from 1955. That show was the only place most of us ever saw a car with such huge fins and a double-bubble cockpit. Concept cars were relegated to car shows, and that futuristic style of the 1950s was already old by the time Batman premiered. Read about the innovations of the Firebird III and see plenty of pictures at Rare Historical Photos. -via Damn Interesting​(Image credit: Karrmann) 
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