Good morning and welcome to our daily digest of automotive news from around the globe, starting with…

Thieves Are Now Using Apple AirTags To Track And Steal High-End Vehicles

You may have heard of the devices used to steal high-end cars before, usually involving intercepting the signal sent from wireless keys. But now, it would seem that another innocuous tech device is being used for crime: Apple’s AirTags. Thieves are now placing these trackers, which presumably include others from Samsung and Tile, on high-end cars and are using them to track the vehicle back to homes, to be stolen later.

2022 Hyundai Tucson XRT Gets Rugged Looks But No Mechanical Updates

The XRT trim level is a new rugged-looking version of the Hyundai Tucson, with new front and rear fascias featuring a particularly striking matte black finish. There’s also new wheel arch cladding and additional cladding on the rocker panels, along with a pair of black monotone wing mirrors and black 19-inch alloy wheels. There are other updates inside and out, but nothing has been done under the skin. It’ll retail in the U.S. for $32,625 in front-wheel drive and $34,125 for the all-wheel-drive model.

2022 Mazda2 Hybrid Is A Rebadged Toyota Yaris For Europe

While the 2016–2020 U.S. Toyota Yaris was essentially a rebadged Toyota 2, the tables have been turned for Europe, as the 2022 Mazda2 Hybrid is a badge-engineered Yaris. Non-hybrid versions of the Mazda2 will continue to be sold and are based on Mazda’s own design.

QOTD: What Outdated Cars Are Still Cool Despite Their Age?

While the new car market is full of brand new designs, there are a few models that seem to be sticking around for well beyond their best-before date. Cars like the Chrysler 300C and Toyota 4Runner string to mind, but they’re not alone. What are your favorite ‘new old cars’?

Acura To Shift “Very Rapidly” To EVs, Could Represent More Than 50% Of Sales By 2030

In yet more confirmation that manufacturers consider an EV future, Acura says that more than half of their sales could come from EVs by 2030. It isn’t wholly surprising, though, as Honda had already announced plans to go fully electric in North America by 2040. What might be surprising is that Acura will “bypass hybrids altogether” and instead rapidly move towards EVs.

2022 Jeep Wrangler Updated In Europe, Sold Exclusively As 4xe Plug-In Hybrid

Pure-ICE diehards, hold your breath — because Jeep’s updated 2022 Wrangler for the European market will be exclusively available with a 4xe plug-in hybrid powertrain. There are other improvements for the Wrangler’s 2022 model year, which include more safety tech, additional paint options, a Gorilla Glass windshield, and Mopar’s Sunrider Flip Top.

Cristiano Ronaldo May Be Prevented From Driving Supercar Collection By Man Utd’s New Manager

Ralf Rangnick, the newly-arrived interim manager at Manchester United, may have a bone to pick with his players. The 63-year-old manager has previously taken extreme measures to get the best out of his team, including ordering his players to park their personal cars for less flashy company cars. That could mean that Ronaldo, who owns two Lamborghini Aventadors, a Rolls Royce Cullinan, a Chevrolet Camaro SS, a Ferrari F12 TDF, a McLaren Senna, and possibly a highly limited Bugatti Centodieci, is unable to sample his exotic machinery for some time to come.

What Else Is Making The News

Unicorn CEO Fires 900 People During A Zoom Call

https://youtu.be/gpjqbvLkPUw

When your employer says they come to you with “not great news,” you might be worried. But when you’re on a Zoom call with nearly 900 fellow employees, surely it can’t be all that bad, right? Wrong. Better.com CEO Vishal Garg fired 15 percent of his workforce over a video call. “The last time I did it, I cried. This time I hope to be stronger.” He added, “If you’re on this call, you are part of the unlucky group being laid off. Your employment here is terminated effective immediately.” Ouch.

Canada Taps Into Emergency Maple Syrup Reserves 

Booming demand and a shortened harvest have necessitated the Quebec Maple Syrup Producers (QMSP) (the so-called OPEC for Maple, reports the BBC) to release just under half of its emergency stockpile.