HICHEM

The original Volkswagen Type 2 Microbus is a cultural icon, and that's helped fuel interest in the modern interpretation, which was finally revealed to the world back in March 2022. Called the ID.Buzz, the fully electric van is already on sale in other markets, but the version that's coming to the U.S. has yet to make its debut. VW today released a teaser image of the 2025 ID.Buzz's shrouded front end, with the American model scheduled to be revealed via livestream on Friday, June 2. Normally teaser photos are an attempt to build anticipation of a newly designed vehicle, but in this case, most of the buzz around the ID.Buzz's looks has subsided since pictures of its retro-styled exterior and spacious, versatile interior have been visible online for over a year. Still, today's tease is another reminder that the Microbus's successor is that much closer to hitting U.S. roads. While the teaser doesn't tell us anything new about the American ID.Buzz, here's what we know so far. It will have a stretched wheelbase and three rows of flexible seating for seven. Its EPA-estimated driving range is currently unknown, but the van is expected to travel around 260 miles per charge. Customers will have the option to choose between a single-motor, rear-drive powertrain or a more powerful dual-motor, all-wheel-drive setup. Since the ID.Buzz rides on the same Modular Electric Drive (MEB) platform as the VW ID.4 SUV, its likely the van will also share electric motors, meaning the rear-drive model could have 201 horsepower and the all-wheel-drive variant could have 295 horses. Pricing for the U.S. is another question mark, but we think the ID.Buzz will start somewhere in the neighborhood of $40K. https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a44016943/vw-id-buzz-microbus-us-debut-june-2/

Turks vote on Sunday in a momentous presidential run-off to decide whether or not Recep Tayyip Erdogan should remain in power after 20 years. His challenger Kemal Kilicdaroglu, backed by a broad opposition alliance, has billed the vote as a referendum on Turkey's future direction. The president, who is favourite to win, promises a new era uniting the country around a "Turkish century". But the more pressing issue is rampant inflation and a cost-of-living crisis. Polling stations open at 08:00 (05:00 GMT) and close at 17:00 (14:00 GMT). The big vote from expats, carried out around the world, has already finished. Turnout in the first round was an impressive 88.8%, and Mr Erdogan's lead was 2.5 million votes. That is why both candidates have their eye on the eight million who did not vote - but could this time. Ahead of the run-off Mr Kilicdaroglu accused his rival of foul play, by blocking his text messages to voters while the president's messages went through. Opposition parties are deploying an army of volunteers in a bid to ensure no vote-rigging takes place. International observers spoke of an uneven playing field after the first round. But there was no suggestion that any irregularities in voting would have changed the result. Mr Kilicdaroglu promised a very different style of presidency on his final day of campaigning: "I have no interest in living in palaces. I will live like you, modestly... and solve your problems." It was a swipe at Mr Erdogan's enormous palatial complex on the edge of Ankara which he moved to when he switched from prime minister to president in 2014. After surviving a failed coup in 2016 he took on extensive powers, detained tens of thousands of people and took control of the media. So it was laden with symbolism when he paid a campaign visit on Saturday to the mausoleum of a prime minister executed by the military after a coup in 1960. One of President Erdogan's final acts before the vote was to lay carnations at a mausoleum "The era of coups and juntas is over," he declared, linking Turkey's current stability to his own authoritarian rule. Turkey, however, is deeply polarised, with the president reliant on a support base of religious conservatives and nationalists, while his opposite number's supporters are mainly secular - but many of them are nationalist too. For days the two men traded insults. Mr Kilicdaroglu accused the president of cowardice and hiding from a fair election; Mr Erdogan said his rival was on the side of "terrorists", referring to Kurdish militants. But after days of inflammatory rhetoric about sending millions of Syrian refugees home, the opposition candidate returned to Turkey's number-one issue - the economic crisis, and in particular its effect on poorer households. A 59-year-old woman and her grandson joined him on stage to explain how her monthly salary of 5,000 lira (£200; $250) was now impossible to live on as her rent had shot up to 4,000 lira (£160; $200). A boy takes a picture of his grandmother, 59, with Kemal Kilicdaroglu It may have been staged, but this is the story across Turkey, with inflation at almost 44% and salaries and state help failing to keep pace. Economists say the Erdogan policy of cutting interest rates rather than raising them has only made matters worse. The Turkish lira has hit record lows, demand for foreign currency has surged and the central bank's net foreign currency reserves are in negative territory for the first time since 2002. East of Ankara, gleaming tower blocks have been springing up in Kirikkale. It looks like boom-time for this city, run by the president's party. But many people here are struggling. Fatma has run a hairdresser's for 13 years but for the past two, work has dried up, and the cost of rent and hair products has soared. She voted for an ultranationalist candidate who came third, and does not trust the two men left in the race. A few doors up the street, Binnaz is working a sewing machine at a shop for mending clothes. People cannot afford new dresses so she is earning much more, even if her monthly rent has trebled to to 4,000 lira. Despite Turkey's stricken economy, she is putting her faith in the president. Outside a supermarket, Emrah Turgut says he is also sticking with Mr Erdogan because he has no faith in the other option, and believes the president's unfounded allegations that the biggest opposition party co-operates with terrorists. Turkey's second-biggest opposition party, the HDP, denies any link to the militant PKK, but President Erdogan has used their backing for the rival candidate to suggest a link to terrorists. Whoever wins on Sunday, Turkey's parliament is already firmly in the grip of Mr Erdogan's Islamist-rooted AK Party and its far-right nationalist ally, the MHP. The AKP also has the youngest MP, who arrived in parliament on the eve of the presidential vote. Zehranur Aydemir, 24, believes if he wins then he will lay the foundations for a century in which Turkey will become a global power: "Now Turkey has a bigger vision it can dream bigger." It is another grandiose Erdogan project, but Turkey's economy is likely to prove a more pressing task, whoever wins the run-off. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-65732194

The Meyers Manx is the OG fiberglass dune buggy and inspired legions of copycats and competitors. This well-presented example is based on a shortened '55 Volkswagen chassis. The Bring a Trailer auction runs through May 30. If there were an official car of the Endless Summer, it would be the Meyers Manx dune buggy. Not just any dune buggy, but a Meyers Manx, the very vehicle king-of-cool bookends Steve McQueen and Elvis chose for on-screen and personal duty. If you’ve ever wanted to get in on that mojo, now’s your chance with this green metalflake Meyers Manx, up for auction on Bring a Trailer, which like Car and Driver is part of Hearst Autos. Though the current BaT headline eschews a specific model year, this Manx was labeled a 1968 model in a previous auction held elsewhere in March of 2021. Its omission here is largely irrelevant, as the Manx, much like the California Dream it embodies, is timeless. It exists in a different realm entirely, one where it’s always 72 degrees and sunny, and the occupants are perpetually young. It is, however, accompanied by a certificate of authenticity signed by Bruce Meyers validating the serial number—the serial plate appears to be original—and its registry ID number, granting it an unassailable pedigree. That said, the seller indicates the fiberglass Manx tub rides on a shortened 1955 Volkswagen pan and is registered accordingly. The green metalflake paint and fiberglass body appear to be in excellent condition, free of spiderweb cracks and damage. Although these cars are often subjected to dubious customizations, this Manx takes the high road with a classic chrome rollbar, the politely titled “nudge” bar, a chromed windshield support, and chrome headlamp buckets. Turn indicators ride discretely atop the front suspension mounting points below the front fenders. The chrome Cragar S/S wheels were arguably the most po[CENSORED]r aftermarket wheel in the late '60s and look right at home here, though we wouldn’t argue with a set of deep-dish steelies with purpose-built tires for serious beach duty. Likewise, we might ditch the black “Manx” lettering on the side panels. Interior upholstery is basic black vinyl, so we’d recommend keeping a few light-colored beach towels on hand lest you torch your buns, back, and thighs after leaving this dune buggy parked in the sun. The black floormats and interior tub finish add to the solar gain. The Wolfsburg-branded lap belts and front disc brakes add a welcome measure of safety. Power is supplied by a 1.6-liter flat-four Volkswagen air-cooled engine with the appropriate mods, including dual Solex H40/44EIS carburetors and a Scintilla magneto. (Though the original carbs are no longer manufactured by the former French Solex company, a large, international aftermarket, licensing, and enthusiast support network ensures their viability for decades.) A Hurst “trigger” shifter selects from four gears, and a roller accelerator pedal provides for smooth throttle inputs. A degree pulley makes for improved visibility when dialing tuning. (Don’t forget to adjust your valves regularly, and keep an eye on that pesky #3 exhaust valve.) Chrome engine tins and pulleys add to the shine, as does a ceramic-coated Tri-Mil dual exhaust system. Though the metal-bodied EMPI Sportster buggy was incubating around the same time, and several other long-forgotten pioneers were on the same track, it’s the Meyers Manx that typically comes to mind with the phrase “dune buggy.” (EMPI would later make a fiberglass Manx clone called the IMP.) Meyers helped cement its title as the modern dune buggy of record with his “Old Red” prototype that he and Ted Mangels piloted to a record-setting run in the 1967 Baja 1000. The “production” Manx—Meyer sold them primarily in kit form for a number of reasons—like the one in this auction, benefitted from a certain level of, um, “refinement,” without diluting the core vision. That type of single-minded purpose is a rarity, more so when an idea comes to fruition in an actual physical product that reflects the mood of a generation. And that guarantees it a spot in the annals of pop culture for eternity. The car is listed by a private owner, is located in Danville, California, and is accompanied by a copy of Manx Mania magazine in which we assume it appears, and a clean California title in the seller’s name, listing it as a 1955 Volkswagen. https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a44007257/meyers-manx-dune-buggy-bring-a-trailer-auction/

The Kherkatta reservoir in Chhattisgarh, India By Mattea Bubalo BBC News A government official in India has been suspended after he ordered a reservoir to be drained to retrieve his phone. It took three days to pump millions of litres of water out of the dam, after Rajesh Vishwas dropped the device while taking a selfie. By the time it was found, the phone was too water-logged to work. Mr Vishwas claimed it contained sensitive government data and needed retrieving, but he has been accused of misusing his position. The food inspector dropped his Samsung phone, worth about $1,200 (100,000 rupees), into Kherkatta Dam, in the central Indian state of Chhattisgarh, on Sunday. After local divers failed to find it, he paid for a diesel pump to be brought in, Mr Vishwas said in a video statement quoted in Indian media. He said he had verbal permission from an official to drain "some water into a nearby canal", adding that the official said it "would in fact benefit the farmers who would have more water". The pump ran for several days, emptying out some two million litres (440,000 gallons) of water - reportedly enough to irrigate 6 sq km (600 hectares) of farmland. His mission was stopped when another official, from the water resource department, arrived following a complaint. "He has been suspended until an inquiry. Water is an essential resource and it cannot be wasted like this," Priyanka Shukla, a Kanker district official, told The National newspaper. Mr Vishwas has denied misusing his position, and said that the water he drained was from the overflow section of the dam and "not in usable condition". But his actions have drawn criticism from politicians, with the state's opposition BJP party's national Vice-President tweeting, "When people are depending upon tankers for water facility in in scorching summers, the officer has drained 41 lakh litres which could have been used for irrigation purpose for 1,500 acres of land." https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-65726193

With IRCTC launching an online booking facility for dog-cat tickets, exploring the great outdoors with your furry family just got easier. Travelling with your four-legged friends can be one of the most heartwarming experiences. The Ministry of Railways recently announced that they are planning to pitch an online booking facility for dogs and cats, which will help pet parents plan trips with their pets easily. With such initiatives, pet parents are more inclined to swap their flight ticket for a bunk bed to indulge in the bliss of sustainable, slow journeys. A pawsome guide for jet-setting with your furry sidekicks A pawsome guide for jet-setting with your furry sidekicks “I’ve been travelling with Toby, my one-year-old Golden Retriever, for the past six months and have undertaken most journeys by train,” says Kavi Raghav, a Delhi-based chemical engineer. “One of our first trips was the Golden Triangle (Delhi–Agra–Jaipur), on which we stayed in rentals that provide facilities for pet owners,” she adds. For a shorter distance, pet parents prefer road trips to discover new destinations close to home. “Being in Mumbai, we got a lot of opportunities to explore places near and far with our three-year-old dog Leela. From treks and waterfalls around Mumbai to places such as Mulshi, Kamshet, Pune and Khopoli. We often take her on hikes,” says Dhvani Solani, media professional who loves day trips. “Leela and I have visited Goa about six times in three years, exploring North Goa (Morjim and around), Central Goa (Salvador do Mundo/Divar/Chorao and around), and South Goa (Galgibaga, Talpona and around),” she adds. For longer journeys pet parents recommend planning well in advance and choosing places where pets don’t feel captive in the cityscapes. “Our adopted Beagle, Bruce, has been travelling with us since he was one and a half years old. We have travelled to more than 16 states across the country with him. One of our longest journeys was during the pandemic when we drove from Delhi to Mumbai and then to Kerala,” says Lakshmi Balachandran, a digital marketer who, along with her husband Gautam Govind, a solution architect, runs the Instagram account The Knot Story. https://www.hindustantimes.com/lifestyle/travel/discovering-india-with-your-furry-friends-the-joy-of-train-travel-and-road-trips-with-pets-101684950034126.html