Free Aston, but there’s a catch; Alfa teases Zagato, the tale of Tesla trucks large and small

Aston Martin Vulcan is the ultimate penthouse pet

Intake: Aston Martin is giving away one of 24 Vulcans, but there’s a high-price, high-rise catch. The 820-hp V-12 hypercar is being offered as an incentive to the buyer of the $59 million, three-story penthouse that sits atop the Aston Martin Residences tower in Miami. The 816-foot skyscraper is claimed to be the tallest residential building south of New York City and its 391 apartments are almost sold out. Topping the tower is the 7300 square-foot residence which overlooks an infinity pool on the 55th floor. Alongside Aston Martin’s last remaining Vulcan the buyer will receive a one-off leather-bound art book about the penthouse, and its own musical soundtrack recorded by a ten-piece orchestra.

Exhaust: Luxury auto-themed apartments are all the rage in Florida, with developments by Porsche, Pininfarina and Bentley, but this flagship apartment at the Aston Martin Residences is the only one to come with a $2m hypercar as part of the deal. It’s quite the one-percenter two-for-one. –Nik Berg

Alfa Romeo Giulia SWB Zagato design details emerge

Intake: Zagato’s hype machine is firing on all six cylinders as the Italian coachbuilder builds up to the launch of its limited-edition short-wheelbase Alfa Romeo Giulia coupe. Having previously tempted us with a sneak peek at the car’s rear lights and Kamm back, a post on the company’s Instagram page now reveals marvelous metallic Montreal Green paintwork, and a fleeting glimpse of a carbon fiber front splitter, vented hood and Tonale-style headlamps (which in turn were influenced by the SZ). Side vents are reminiscent of the 8C Competizione, suggesting the new SWB Giulia Zagato will be a greatest hits compilation. Looking inside we get to see race-style carbon bucket seats and what looks like a roll cage to add rigidity. Alfisti will also be delighted that the footage confirms the presence of the twin turbo V-6 as featured in the Giulia GTA.

Exhaust: It certainly looks like 2023 will be a happy new year for Alfa fans. With the rate that the teasers are coming we won’t have to wait long to see the full reveal. –NB

Space Campers lets you live in your Cybertruck

Intake: A California company called Space Campers has already come up with a 470-pound camper that fits in the back of Elon Musk’s Cybertruck – or at least they think it does, as Tesla is still way behind the promised production date of the angular, stainless-steel pickup truck, and Space Campers is only guessing at the precise dimensions of the pickup bed. That said, it’s an intriguing design that pops up from the bed, compared to the far more expensive CyberLandr, which is more of a stackable design. Space Camper’s design has a double bed that can be folded down from the roof, and folded back when it isn’t in use, making room for a sink and a bench, an oven, a water heater, a refrigerator and freezer and a desk where the Cybertruck owner can work on his or her laptop. Price is $24,000, not bad considering Musk has taken orders for the Cybertruck for a low, low price of $39,990 (cough). One source said in 2021 that Tesla may have as many as 3 million of the $100 deposits for the Cybertruck, meaning if that can crank out 500,000 a year, it would only take six years for everybody to get their pickups.

Exhaust: Make fun of it if you want–and we do–but the aftermarket for the Cybertruck, once it finally sees daylight, will be enormous. –Steven Cole Smith

Speaking of Elon Musk and Tesla trucks …

Intake: … according to Reuters, Pepsi will roll out the first 100 of Musk’s electric-powered Tesla semis, carrying drinks and its Frito-Lay products to stores including Walmart and Kroger, and to distribution houses in California. All 100 trucks will be deployed in 2023, starting with deliveries made from terminals in Modesto and Sacramento, where charging stations are being built, Pepsi vice-president Mike O’Connell said in an interview. “It’s a great starting point to electrify,” said O’Connell, who oversees the company’s fleet of vehicles. Food delivery company Sysco and United Parcel Service have also ordered the trucks, which supposedly have a 500-mile range with a full load. Price and specifications of the truck still haven’t been released.

Exhaust: We aren’t making fun of this truck, at least until our shipment of Diet Pepsi doesn’t show up. –SCS

Toyoda and Toyota double down on hybrid advocacy

Intake: In a speech in Thailand, Toyota President Akio Toyoda doubled down on earlier statements that suggested hybrids, and not necessarily pure electric cars, are a more sensible pathway to the future. The Wall Street Journal quotes Toyoda as saying the “silent majority” just isn’t ready for a complete switch to battery-only. “Because the right answer is still unclear, we shouldn’t limit ourselves to just one option,” said Toyoda. His lieutenants are echoing the statements: According to Drive, an Australian website, during a press introduction there: “In a rare outburst, the sales and marketing boss of Toyota Australia has slammed electric-car extremism – the view that battery-powered cars are the only way forward – and said no motorists should be left behind on the road to reducing motor vehicle emissions.” Pro-electric-only proponents have criticized Toyoda for his stance.

Exhaust: There’s no reason to think hybrids aren’t a legitimate pathway for pure electric-ism; some people are legitimately hesitant about moving directly from ICE to batteries. Toyoda has taken it on the chin, but isn’t backing down. –SCS

IMSA caps Rolex 24 field at 60

Intake: We told you earlier that there was such interest in the 2023 Rolex 24 at Daytona endurance race that some entries might be turned away: We know that for sure now. Sixty cars will start the race – 61 started last year, but the new GTP prototype cars are slightly larger than the DPi models they replace, meaning they need a longer pit stall, and 60 is all they have at Daytona. There are more than 70 entries, so at least 10  cars are being turned away.

Exhaust: We don’t envy IMSA having to say no to paying entries, but we expect we may see that happen in other races this year, too. –SCS