Good morning, Merry Christmas, happy holidays, and welcome to our weekly digest of automotive news from around the globe, starting with…
Tesla Selling 2021 Model 3 Demo Cars With Degraded Four Year Old Battery Packs
You might hope that your 2021 Tesla has an equally-new battery, but according to a recent discovery, some cars are being sold with battery packs from as far back as 2017. The vehicles come with a small disclaimer at the bottom of the web page saying, “Range figures may be up to 12% lower [than rated by the EPA] due to battery age.” We’re not quite sure why such a combination is being offered (Tesla doesn’t have a PR department to clarify things with), nor do we know how the warranty specifics will work out. Kind of an odd choice, though…
Subaru Previews Fully Electric STI E-RA And Three More STI Performance Concepts For Tokyo Auto Salon
A new concept will be coming to the Tokyo Auto Salon. Dubbed the STI E-RA, it will be a concept car that will give us a glimpse of Subaru’s take on their electric performance cars. Expect new design elements that could make their way to existing models, but a production version may still be far into the future. In addition, Subaru will also display three new STI performance concepts of the WRX S4, Levorg, and BRZ at the same show.
See Anything Wrong With This Pre-Delivery Jeep Wagoneer’s Badge?
The Jeep Wagoneer sports a long and spaced-out text on its tailgate. But an image posted on Twitter seems to give rise to some quality control concerns. It features a Wagoneer with a badge that is so askew, it’s almost comical. Jeep acknowledged the issue and said it was rectified before the SUVs were delivered to customers.
NIO Debuts New ET5 Electric Sedan Rival To Tesla Model 3 With Up To 1,000 km Range
Tesla’s Model 3 will have a new competitor in the form of the NIO ET5. Billed as a compact sedan (but sporting a liftback), it’ll be a smaller brother to the ET7, with which it shares a lot of visual similarities. There will be three variants of the new car from NIO. You’ll be able to travel 550km (342 miles) with the 75 kWh Standard Range Battery, over 700 km (435 miles) with the 100 kWh Long Range Battery, and in excess of 1,000 km (621 miles) with the 150 kWh Ultralong Range Battery. The car is powered by twin electric motors rated at 150kW at the front and 210kW at the rear producing a combined 360kW (483 hp) and 700Nm (516 lb-ft) of torque, which is good for a 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) time of 4.3 seconds.
CarMax Reportedly Offers Ford Bronco Owner Nearly $17,000 Over Sticker To Sell; Would You Do It?
The Ford Bronco is in high demand right now and oftentimes commands sizeable premiums. So much so, that a man has been offered nearly $17,000 over the sticker price by a dealer to sell his SUV. It’s a compelling offer, and sure he could buy a new replacement with change to spare, but with waiting lists stretching far into the future, one has to ask themselves: is it worth it?
2023 Ford Ranger Raptor: Everything We Know About The Dune-Blazing Mid-Size Pickup
This independent illustration for CarScoops gives us a good idea of how we expect the next Ford Ranger Raptor to look like. It’ll come with the usual off-road tricks, included beefier shocks, long-travel suspension, and better break-over angles. There’s no word on power just yet, but expect Ford’s EcoBoost V6 to make an appearance, with electrification of some kind on the table too.
Custom Shop Is Transforming The C8 Corvette Into A V12-Powered Cadillac Supercar
A U.S. tuning company by the name of Competition Carbon that appears to specialize in Corvettes and Lamborghinis plans to turn the current Corvette Stingray into the mid-engined Cadillac supercar that we never had. To be unveiled at SEMA 2022, the car is dubbed C120R in celebration of Cadillac’s 120th anniversary next year. If that wasn’t enough, they’re also working on a V12 roadster version for 2023!
What Else Is Making The News
Elon Musk Says He’s Sold Enough Stock
In addition to slamming California for “over-taxation,” Elon Musk claims he has now sold enough Tesla stock, as he aimed to sell 10 percent of his shares. “I sold enough stock to get to around 10% plus the option exercise stuff, and I tried to be extremely literal here,” he said in the interview with satirical website Babylon Bee. Still, right after TIME Magazine’s person of the year gave this interview, Tesla share prices jumped by six percent.
Some Anti-5G Necklaces Are Actually Radioactive
The public has been cautioned by the Dutch authority against 10 products for nuclear safety and radiation protection (ANVS). More specifically, it’s after necklaces and accessories claiming to “protect” people from 5G mobile networks have been found to be radioactive, reports the BBC.