Good morning and welcome to our daily digest of automotive news from around the globe, starting with…
Ford CEO Hints At “Family of Maverick Variants” Including An EV
The new $20k unibody Maverick and all-electric F-150 Lightning have gone down a storm, and now it looks Ford might blend those themes. Jim Farley told The New York Times, he could envision a family of Mavericks, “including an electric model.”
2022 VW T7 Multivan: Forget Flower Power, It’s All About Hybrid Power
VW has moved its passenger-focused people carrier to the MQB platform used on countless VW Group cars. Meanwhile, the bare-bones nine-seat Shuttle used for airport runs, and the panel vans will stick with the old T6 architecture for a couple more years.
Texas Sheriff Using “Ghost” Chevy Camaros To Catch Speeders
Keeping a clean license wasn’t too tricky in the old days when police all used Crown Vics. Today’s Explorers are trickier to spot, but nowhere near as invisible as the fleet of white Camaros unveiled by the Harris County Sherriff’s Office in Texas.
Ferrari Appoints Tech-Industry Veteran Benedetto Vigna As New CEO
In a move that underlines just how much the car industry is changing, Ferrari has appointed a new CEO who has never built a supercar. But he was part of a team that pioneered the three-axis gyroscope that makes your phone screen switch orientation as you tilt it.
A double dose of good news for Audi fans: the A3 and sporty S3 will both be in US showrooms this fall, exclusively with sedan bodywork, and they’ll be joined next year by the freshly-teased five-cylinder RS3.
Tesla Jacks Up Price Of Model S Plaid Ahead Of First Deliveries Tonight
Possibly emboldened by the fact that Kia’s EV6 First Edition sold out within hours, Telsa jacked up the price of the Model S Plaid by $10k ahead of reservations opening. The new $129,900 price is still $20k under the price quoted for the Plaid+ Tesla unexpectedly cancelled earlier this week.
Geely Unveils Stylish Vision Starburst, Previews Company’s New Design Direction
Is it just us, or is there a bit of a Cadillac vibe going on with Geely’s stunning new Starburst? The concept features dihedral doors and uses ambient lighting on the console and inside the wheel arches that change color depending whether the car is parked, charging, or in motion.
Nissan Will Unveil the All-New Z On August 17 In New York
The much-leaked successor to Nissan’s 370Z will be unveiled in a little over two months, the company says. A productionised version of 2020’s Proto Z, it will feature a twin-turbo V6 engine and be available with a six-speed manual transmission.
What Else Is Making The News
How Did This Rolls-Royce Come To Be Owned By Both The Queen’s Sister And Burt Reynolds?
Burt Reynolds may have been Hollywood royalty, but he – or at least the image he projected – was about as far removed from actual royalty as is possible to get. Yet this Silver Shadow’s history file lists both the cigar-chomping Bandit and HRH Princess Margaret as former owners. Silodrome picks up the story.
F1 Sprint Races: What Are They And How Will They Work?
Formula 1 will hold its first-ever sprint race at the British Grand Prix later this year in July. But exactly how short are these new races, and how are championship points awarded? Motorsport explains.