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

Rivan Backtracks On Price Hike In Face Of Customer Outrage, But New Buyers Will Still Pay More

In the face of a tidal wave of outcry from upset reservation holders, Rivian has announced that the R1T and R1S price hikes won’t apply to those who made an order before March 1st. It was also confirmed that anyone who canceled their order in response to their price increases could reinstate it and pay the original amount.

Aito M5 PHEV SUV Launched In China With Huawei Tech And Range-Extender ICE

There’s a new M5 on the block, but it has nothing to do with the high-performance sedan from BMW. Instead, it’s an EV SUV from Aito, a Chinese brand backed by Huawei. It features a tech-heavy interior, with a central 15.6 screen, a 10.4-inch digital instrument cluster, a panoramic sunroof, 128-color ambient lighting, Nappa leather upholstery, a 3-tank fragrance system, a Huawei-sourced 1,000-Watt 19-speaker sound system, a private headrest for the driver with integrated speakers, and Level 2+ ADAS.

Shelby American And Classic Restorations Are Creating $1.2 Million Carbon Fiber Cobra With 800 HP

A carbon-fiber-bodied Cobra may sound like the stuff of legend, but that’s exactly what Shelby American and Classic Restorations are partnering to create. With just ten cars scheduled for production, it’s known as the ‘Diamond Edition’ and is being built to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Shelby American. Each car will be powered by a Ford Coyote V8 with a VMP supercharger for no less than 800 hp.

Ukraine Says Citizens Don’t Have To Declare Captured Russian Tanks On Their Taxes

Ukrainian authorities have confirmed that any tanks captured by civilians don’t need to be declared as income on taxes. Ukraine’s National Agency for the Prevention of Corruption (NAPC) joked “Have you captured a Russian tank or armored personnel carrier and are worried about how to declare it? Keep calm and continue to defend the Motherland!”

Ford F-150 Lightning Tackles Icy Alaska Ahead Of Its Launch This Spring

https://youtu.be/kwM8rzTu5xA

With not long to go until the market launch of the Ford F-150 Lightning, the Blue Oval, fresh from announcing their splitting of ICE and EV divisions, has released new footage of the truck undergoing cold-weather testing in Alaska. It’s all to ensure that the new truck stays surefooted, even in icy conditions, with the dual-motor powertrain able to sense wheel slip and adjust power delivery in seconds.

Subaru Celebrates Super GT Champion With Levorg’ Takuty’ Special Edition

Subaru has unveiled a new variant of the Levorg designed to commemorate the brand’s 2021 Super GT champion in the GT300 class. Champion Takuto Iguchi won the series in a modified Subaru BRZ. The special edition Levorg will be available in just 30 units, offered in either a 1.8-liter or 2.4-liter guise.

Tesla Driver Dies After His Model 3 Stops On Highway, Gets Hit By Two Other Vehicles

A man has been killed in Independence, Missouri after his Tesla Model 3 was struck by two other vehicles. The Model 3 is said to have come to a complete stop in the middle of the highway. The Missouri Police Department originally said that “the initial investigation indicates that Terry and his passenger were in a Tesla when a mechanical issue caused the vehicle to lose power and stop in the roadway.” Recently, the NHTSA launched an investigation into reports of “phantom braking” happening to numerous Tesla models. According to some owners, their cars are randomly slamming on the brakes without reason.

What Else Is Making The News

Mistaken Identity Leads To “Craziest Two Minutes On TV”

https://twitter.com/skbozphd/status/1499298691156705282?s=20&t=v73hqdJREFS_t46aVrk-ZQ

A debate on the Indian TV channel Times Now led to immense ridicule through the guise of mistaken identity. Discussing the Ukraine war, TV Host Shivshankar’s guests included executive director of the Ron Paul Institute, Daniel McAdams, and chief editor of Kyiv Post, Bohdan Nahaylo. Unfortunately, the host mistook the two guests for each other, leading to an outburst from McAdams.

Mark Zuckerberg Claims He Trains To Surf 15-Foot Waves 

In a recent interview, Mark Zuckerberg has claimed that he “trains hard” to surf 15-foot waves. This led to instant trolling by the surfing community, with one commenter saying “everything is bigger in the metaverse.”