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

Prices For Used Fuel-Efficient Cars Rise By As Much As 60% As Fuel Prices Soar

According to a new study by used-car search engine iSeeCars, the prices of cheap, small, and fuel-efficient used cars are heading skywards. The average price for a used Hyundai Sonata Hybrid is now $9,457 or 61.2 percent higher than it was last year, while the Chevrolet Spark’s price was up 54.5 percent. Second-hand hybrids are the cars that have appreciated the most, with used average values in America rising by 46.9 percent.

New Audi A6 e-tron Avant Concept Is The Wagon Of Our Electric Dreams

The new A6 Avant e-tron is an all-electric take to the much-loved Audi station wagons. The concept is described as being production-oriented, with a range of 700 km (435 miles). But it’s the stunning design that impresses, with last year’s A6 Sportback e-tron being transformed into a gorgeous estate. It can be recharged to 80 percent in less than half an hour and could go into production as soon as 2024.

Aston Martin Gives The V12 Vantage A 690 HP, 200 MPH Send Off

Aston Martin is giving the V12 Vantage the mother of all send-offs with an all-new limited production model. It’ll be the fastest and most potent Vantage ever created, with a 5.2 liter twin-turbo V12 good for 690 hp and 555 lb-ft (753 Nm) of torque. That translates into a 0-60 mph (0-96 km/h) of 3.4 seconds before hitting a top speed of 200 mph (322 km/h). Extreme weight-saving measures have been employed throughout the car, including a carbon fiber hood, front bumper, front fenders, and side sills. The rear bumper and deck lid are composite, and there’s a lightweight battery and stainless steel exhaust system. Other improvements include a stiffer chassis, new LSD, recalibrated steering, and upgraded brakes.

Tesla Fires Employee Who Posted YouTube Video Of Minor Collision On FSD Beta

Days before Tesla CEO, Elon Musk, took to Twitter to say that Starlink would not block Russian news sources, referring to himself as a “free speech absolutist,” the car manufacturer fired employee, John Bernal, after he posted videos of the FSD Beta system used in the real world. In the first week of February, Bernal posted a video of his Tesla vehicle driving around San Jose, California, and knocking over a bollard when FSD Beta was engaged. In addition to being fired, Bernal’s ability to use FSD Beta was revoked.

Prodrive Hunter Is Your $1.6-Million Go-Anywhere Dakar Rally-Inspired Hypercar

The Prodrive Hunter is a street-legal off-road supercar, based on the Bahrain Raid Xtreme competition car driven by multiple WRC champ Sebastian Loeb in the Dakar Rally. The Hunter is built around a high-tensile space frame chassis and offers 15.8-in (400 mm) of wheel travel. Power is actually greater than the competition cars as it doesn’t have to stick to class regulations. That means the Hunter’s 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 delivers 600 hp (608 PS) and 516 lb-ft (700 Nm) of torque. That’ll be good enough for 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) in less than four seconds. and a top speed of 186 mph (300 km/h).

Ukrainians Modify A BMW 6 Series With A Machine Gun Turret And Give It To The Police

A BMW 6-Series with heavy artillery is a highly unlikely aftermarket accessory combination. But in Ukraine, it exists, with the luxury convertible sporting a trunk-mounted machine gun similar to the ones used on Russian T-72 Tanks. According to various reports, including from the Independent, the modified E64-generation BMW 6-Series Convertible was donated to the police in the city of Mykolaiv, where half of the 500,000 residents have fled in less than a week due to Russian bombardment.

What Else Is Making The News

Sebastian Vettel Tests Positive For Covid-19 Before F1 Season Opener

Aston Martin F1 team driver Sebastian Vettel will miss out on the 2022 Formula One season opener this weekend, after testing positive for Covid-19. Taking his place will be Nico Hulkenberg, the team’s reserve driver.

Amazon Gets EU Approval To Buy MGM

EU officials have approved Amazon’s bid to buy TV and film studio MGM. The $8.45 billion bid has been deemed OK by antitrust regulators, who say that the limited overlap between the companies wouldn’t severely reduce competition in the theatrical film and audio-visual content markets. Amazon will now have to wait for approval from U.S. regulators.