Good morning and welcome to our daily digest of automotive news from around the globe, starting with…
GM Ends Its Lawsuit Against Ford For The ‘BlueCruise’ Name
General Motors has stopped pursuing a lawsuit against Ford over the term ‘BlueCruise’ for their hands-free driving assistance system. The case started in July, with GM unhappy with the alleged similarity to their own “SuperCruise” semi-autonomous system. Speaking with the Detroit Free Press, GM spokesman Darryll Harrison confirmed that GM and Ford have resolved the case, without providing additional details.
Driven: The 2022 Ford Maverick Is Proof Big Things Come In Small Packages
With a starting price of $19,995, the Maverick is shockingly good value, no matter what way you look at it. But, as put by our own Michael Gauthier, the price is only the tip of the iceberg. It also features a well-designed cabin, impressive driving dynamics, and an economical yet powerful EcoBoost engine.
New Bentley Bentayga Black Edition Spied As A Blackout Model For The Jet Set
It looks as if another black-trimmed version of the Bentley Bentayga is making a comeback. The “Black Edition” hasn’t been offered since the model underwent a mild facelift in 2020. The latest version caught testing features a black grille, black headlight surrounds, black fender vents, black window trim, and a black exhaust system.
When it comes to hosting summits, the cars that transport dignitaries are often put under scrutiny — Especially when said cars are a fleet of 40 Maseratis, imported without a dealership to represent the brand. Now the 38 remaining cars are being put up for sale, with the government admitting that the choice of car was a mistake.
Electric Porsche 718 Cayman And Boxster Successor Will Have A Mid-Mounted Battery Pack
Although the next generation of Boxster and Cayman will become EVs, there’s some hope for the enthusiasts among us: they’ll remain as close to mid-engined as possible thanks to a mid-mounted battery pack. By positioning the battery there rather than in the floor like most other EVs, Porsche will be able to make the rest of the bodywork very low to reduce drag. In addition, the seating position will be much lower than most EVs.
VW Enters Rebelle Rally For The First Time With Modified ID.4 AWD EV
Hot on the heels of Nissan, VW will be taking a very different approach to the off-road competition by entering an ID.4. The ID.4 AWD Pro is modified by Rhys Millen Racing and Tanner Foust Racing. The EV will be piloted by Mercedes Lilienthal, a freelance journalist who writes for outlets like The New York Times, Forbes Wheels, and Crankshaft Culture, and will be navigated by Emily Winslow, who finished on the podium in 2018.
John DeLorean’s Alleged Son In Legal Row Over Over DMC Three-Wheeler
A British man claiming to be the son of the late, disgraced automobile tycoon, John DeLorean is in hot water with a Texas company over a gullwing-door, three-wheel car carrying his family name. The DMC name is legally owned by a Texas company (www.delorean.com) that sells parts for, and restores original DMC-12s. While exhibiting his $25,000 (£20,000) car at the recent British Motor Show, Ty DeLorean was served with legal papers from the real DMC in Texas over trademark infringement.
What Else Is Making The News
Facebook Outage Wipes Billions Off Zuckerberg
It was a bad day for Facebook, as shortly after a whistleblower made damning claims about how the company operates, the entire platform went down. The service issue took with it other Facebook-owned services as well, including Whatsapp and Instagram. Bloomberg reports that Mark Zuckerberg’s personal wealth has fallen by more than $6 billion in a few hours, putting him as fifth on the world’s richest list (shock horror).
William Shatner To Go Into Space
William Shatner, who played Captain James T. Kirk in "Star Trek," will launch to the edge of space this month on New Shepard, a tourist rocket built by Blue Origin, the company owned by Jeff Bezos. Shatner, 90, would be the oldest person to fly to space. https://t.co/TUbxI4zdfz
— The New York Times (@nytimes) October 4, 2021
William Shatner, who famously played Star Trek’s Captain Kirk, will voyage into space aboard Jeff Bezo’s New Shepard tourist rocket. At 90 years old, he’ll be the oldest person to fly into space.