Good morning and welcome to our daily digest of automotive news from around the globe, starting with…
GM Recognizes California’s Right To Set Emissions Rules Making It Eligible For Gov Fleet Purchases
General Motors has sent a letter to California Governor, Gavin Newsom, saying they are “committed to complying with California’s regulations.” The announcement will make GM eligible for Californian state fleet purchases. It comes after a ban was in place as three years ago, GM supported then-President Trump’s efforts to restrict the state from setting its own emissions regulations.
2022 Jeep Renegade Facelift Breaks Cover In Brazil Showing Updated Design
The facelifted 2022 Renegade has been previewed by Jeep Brazil, ahead of a full reveal in the coming months. It features a shorter fascia, a reworked grille, new DRLs, modified taillights, and a different rear bumper. Brazil also gets a 1.3-liter T270 turbo-flex engine. The cosmetic changes are expected to appear in other markets, including North America, at some point in 2022.
Rolls-Royce Just Recorded Its Best Sales Year In Its 117-Year Long History
Covid may have had a negative impact on sales of some brands through 2021, but for Rolls-Royce, things seem to have improved. 2021 saw the British marque post the best sales in its 117-year history, with a staggering 49 percent improvement on figures since 2020. The most popular models were the Cullinan and the new-generation Ghost, while orders for new vehicles already extends into the third quarter of 2022.
Porsche is paying Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles €100 million ($113 million) as compensation for backing out of a production deal. It’s because Porsche believes its customers are less interested in automation than they are in performance, which means they will no longer use the tech offered by Audi’s Artemis project. “Since Porsche will use a different platform in its model planning, production in Stöcken offers hardly any meaningful synergies,” wrote Porsche Holding in a statement in December. “Building two new production lines with different platforms would unnecessarily increase complexity.”
DriveTribe Website And App To Close Down This Month After Losing Millions
DriveTribe is shutting down, with a challenging business environment cited as one of the reasons as the pandemic of the past few years led to reduced ad revenue. However, a silver lining is that the DriveTribe social media channels will continue to function, with Richard Hammond now at the helm and appearances from James May and Jeremy Clarkson promised.
Chrysler CEO Says Lineup Will Expand, Hints At An Electric 300 Successor
With not much in the way of new metal, Chrysler’s sales have slumped. But hope is on the horizon, as Chrysler CEO Christine Feuell says the brand is “on its way back,” and will offer a “brand-new portfolio of products over the next few years.” He wants Chrysler to be viewed as a “startup brand,” bought by the same kind of people who buy Teslas.
LAPD Officers Pull Pilot From Downed Plane Seconds Before Train Smashes Through It
https://twitter.com/LAPDHQ/status/1480363436311670784?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1480363436311670784%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.carscoops.com%2F2022%2F01%2Flapd-officers-pull-pilot-from-downed-plane-seconds-before-train-crashes-into-it%2F
A video posted on Twitter shows LAPD officers risking their lives to save a pilot after a plane crash-landed on an active railroad track. The officers are seen pulling the man out of the downed Cessna 172 just moments before it was hit by a commuter train. The pilot was the only person aboard the plane and despite the cuts and blood that can be seen in the video above, no injuries beyond that have been reported.
What Else Is Making The News
Goldfish Trained To Drive On Dry Land
A team of researchers in Israel have claimed to have trained a Goldfish to drive. The team has developed a so-called FOV (Fish Operated Vehicle) that has been fitted with LIDAR. The computer, cameras, and electric motors let the fish drive, as it navigates around its environment.
Clarkson Refused Permission For Restaurant
A restaurant that was planned to open on Jeremy Clarkson’s farm has been deniable planning permission by a West Oxfordshire District Council sub-committee. The proposed restaurant was deemed to be out of keeping with the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, reports the BBC.