Good morning and welcome to our daily digest of automotive news from around the globe, starting with…
VW CEO Hints At Electric Pickup Truck And Sedans During Reddit AMA
VW Group CEO Herbert Diess’ may have been in hot water last year, but it seems he’s determined to start 2022 on a positive note by hosting an Ask Me Anything (AMA) event on Reddit. Diess left the door open to an electric pickup truck for USA and didn’t dismiss the idea of an electric VW Beetle revival. The executive also confirmed versions of the ID.Vizzion concepts are coming and seemingly left the door open to North American availability. The executive also confirmed diesels are “definitely not” coming back to the United States and that there are no plans for the Skoda brand to be introduced stateside either.
2023 Porsche Macan T Promises A Sharper Driving Experience For The Four-Cylinder Model
Porsche’s best-selling model, the Macan, has gained a “T” variant. The T, which stands for Touring, is more synonymous with the 911 T of 1968, which prioritized nimble handling over outright power. Similarly, the Macan T retains the 261 hp four-cylinder engine but borrows some of the suspension wizardries from the high-powered models. This new trim also gets stiffer anti-roll bars, a reprogrammed rear-biased traction management system, and Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus software with newly programmed adaptations specific to the Macan T.
The New BMW 8 X JEFF KOONS Limited Edition Is A Unique Way To Spend $350,000
BMW has teamed up with American artist Jeff Koons to create the 8 X JEFF KOONS. While it may not be an official BMW Art Car, it evokes memories of the classics, as well as Koon’s own take on the M3 GT2 Art Car. While that car was raced, the 8 X JEFF KOONS will be available for sale, priced at $350,000 plus $995 destination and handling. That’s a hefty price bump of over $250,000 for the limited-to-99 batch of cars based on the M850i xDrive Gran Coupe.
Over 80% Of New Car Buyers Paid Over MSRP Last Month
Dealer markups are becoming so commonplace that a shocking amount of new car buyers paid over MSRP in January 2022. With 82.2 percent of consumers paying over the odds, what makes it even more astounding is that only 2.8 percent paid over sticker just 12 months earlier. Transaction prices were compared with MSRPs and it was found that most dealers charged on average $728 over MSRP.
Veloqx Fangio Is A Coachbuilt Ferrari F12 With Serious Anger Issues
Coahbuilt cars are a rarity these days — and what’s more improbable is someone chopping up a Ferrari F12 to do so. But the Veloqx Fangio is precisely that. Sporting radically different bodywork from the car it once was, it’s the creation of Sam Lim with Veloqx. Veloqx is the UK-based team that claimed victory at the 12 Hours of Sebring and placed second at Le Mans, with an Audi R8 endurance car back in 2004. Details are thin on the ground, but the team has mentioned that it intends to return to racing in 2025 powered by a V12 Ferrari.
U.S. Finally Allowing Adaptive Headlights, Eight Years After Toyota’s Petition
Good news for those of us who like to see better while driving at night: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) issued its final ruling that will allow automakers to install adaptive driving beam headlights on new vehicles sold in the US. It’s eight years after Toyota first petitioned the agency to allow it. Adaptive beams use technology that illuminates more of the road without dazzling oncoming drivers, using sensors to not shine a light on parts of the road that would blind oncoming drivers.
What Else Is Making The News
George Russel Changes Helmet Color As Mark Of Respect To Schumacher
Mercedes F1’s newest driver, George Russel, will replace Valteri Bottas starting this season. The British driver has opted to redesign his helmet as a mark of respect to Michael Schumacher, who, from 2013, sported a red helmet on his return to the Formula One with the Mercedes team.
Android To Adopt iPhone-Like Security Policies
Google has announced changes to the way apps can track user behavior. Apple made a similar move in April 2021, which was attributed to Facebook losing billions of dollars. The privacy changes to Android, like Apple, “will limit sharing of user data with third parties and operate without cross-app identifiers,” said Android product management VP Anthony Chavez.