Good morning and welcome to our daily digest of automotive news from around the globe, starting with…
Stellantis has announced it will reveal 21 new plug-in hybrid and battery-electric models over the next two years. Headlines include Alfa Romeo transitioning to all-electric by 2027, and Chrysler not getting any love until at least 2023.
BMW M8 Coupe And Convertible Return To America After A Short Hiatus
US fans of super fast GTs can rejoice: the BMW M8 Coupe and Convertible are returning to the market. Dropped for 2021, their departure left only the M8 Gran Coupe. But it was understood at the time this was a temporary measure. Now, the company has revealed the 2022 M8 Competition Coupe will start at $130,000, with the Convertible starting at $139,500. Both models are significantly cheaper than their 2020 counterparts — to the tune of $16,000 off the previous Competition-spec cars.
Cadillac Lyriq Reservations Open September 18th, Model Starts At $58,795
Reservations for Cadillac’s electric Lyriq SUV will begin on September 18th, at 4 pm EDT. Prices will start from $58,795. Production will commence in 2022, while the first cars will be delivered within the first half of next year. Cadillac is yet to reveal all equipment details, but the rear-wheel-drive-only crossover will produce an estimated 340 hp (255 kW / 345 PS) and 325 lb-ft (440 Nm) of torque from a single motor. It features a 100 kWh battery pack that should enable it to travel more than 300 miles (483 km).
New York Auto Show Cancelled Due to Covid – Again, For The Fourth Time In A Row
The future of motor shows was in doubt even before the pandemic. And with the initial detection of Covid leading to the canceling and rescheduling of many public events, it was no surprise that 2020’s New York International Motorshow was called off. Having been rescheduled three times previously, we were hopeful that the event that was to take place this month would finally get off the ground. But alas, with the rise of the Covid-19 Delta variant, the show has been pushed back yet again to April 2022.
Euro-Spec Ford Ranger Spied Could Have A Plug-In Hybrid Powertrain
These UK-plated, highly-camouflaged prototypes are our first look at a Euro-spec Ford Ranger. Although they’re not all too different from other prototypes we’ve seen, our eagle-eyed spies did notice a crucial clue to what may lie ahead. Each truck had a yellow sticker — the kind that is normally reserved for plug-in hybrids. Should we expect a Ranger PHEV?
Brabham BT63 GT2 Concept Introduced With 600 HP, Will Compete In GT2 European Series
Brabham has unveiled their BT63 GT2 Concept which will compete in the invitational class of the 2022 GT2 European Series. Although yet to be finalized, the car is expected to produce 600 hp (447 kW / 608 PS). Price of entry starts at €400,000 ($473,540).
GMC Sierra HD Sinks In A Lake During Live News Broadcast
There are bad days, and there are bad days. We’re going to go right ahead and assume this is the latter for whoever owned this GMC Sierra HD. While not much can compound upon watching $35,000 worth of truck sinking away, having it caught on a live broadcast for thousands watching (and many more later on YouTube) can’t have helped matters.
What Else Is Making The News?
Biden Wants More Than 40% Of U.S Auto Sales To Be EV By 2030
U.S. President Joe Biden is set to announce new targets for electric vehicle sales, reports CNBC. Although there will be no mandatory sales goals, the document will encourage both the industry and government to hasten the adoption of electric vehicles.
Google Introduces Tensor Chip For Pixel Phones
Here's a sneak peek at the newest Google Phones powered by Google Tensor – the brand new chip designed by Google, custom-made for Pixel.
Both are coming later this year.
We’ll tell you a little about them in this 🧵 👇
(1/13) pic.twitter.com/SRhzvRA7WC
— Made by Google (@madebygoogle) August 2, 2021
Google’s Pixel phones haven’t really been a hit in key markets such as the U.S. It’s not just iPhones that sell better, but phones such as fellow Andriod runners from Samsung and Xiaomi continue to dominate. Hoping to address some of the issues they’ve faced, Google is introducing a new chip focused on boosting AI surrounding photos, videos, search, text-to-speech, and much more, reports The Verge.