Good morning and welcome to our daily digest of automotive news from around the globe, starting with…
It’s a seller’s market when it comes to used cars, spelling bad news for those looking to pick up a second-hand bargain. According to a study, used car prices increased by 52 percent between August 2019 and August 2022, while new car prices rose by almost 29 percent. This means that in three years’ time, used car affordability dropped by 26.7 percent, and the same metric for new cars dropped by 13.3 percent.
Here’s All You Wanted To Know About The All-New 2023 Lexus RX
Having spent some time behind the wheel of the 2023 Lexus RX, there were a few questions you wanted answered. Things like how effective is the lane-centering assist system, how good is the four-cylinder engine, and why it has such skinny tires. Read on to find out the answers, to these questions, and more.
Zeekr’s 009 Electric Minivan Is All About Luxury And Comfort
Images from the Chinese manufacturer Zeekr have surfaced online showcasing their luxury electric van, the 009. The van could be named the ‘Extreme Krypton 009,’ when it hits the market and features some rather radical styling befitting such a title. The new images reveal that the 009 will be sold as standard with six seats, all of which are clad in plush full-grain leather, a 15.6-inch fold-down screen, and an intriguing Smart Bar integrated into the doors to control the air conditioning and heating, windows, and the sun shades.
Ferrari Returns To Endurance Racing With 499P, Heading To Le Mans Next Year
Ferrari is returning to the top level of endurance racing for the first time in 50 years with this, the new Ferrari 499P, set to compete in next year’s FIA World Endurance Championship in the Le Mans Hypercar class. The car will make its competitive debut at the 1000 Miles of Sebring in March 2023, powered by a reworked 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged V6 that shares its architecture with that of the 296 GT3.
Would You Let An Autonomous Lotus Drive You Around The Nürburgring?
One of the most exhilarating things to do with your personal car is to take it around a lap of the “Green Hell” Nürburgring Nordschleife in anger. If you’re not that confident in your own abilities, then perhaps you’d instead take one of the famous Ring Taxis around the circuit instead. But soon, there could be a third option. Lotus says that it’s busy working on a way to enable its future cars to drive owners around the Nurburgring autonomously. The question remains, though, would you?
The Alfa Romeo Alfetta’s Fugly Dashboard Was Strangely Prophetic
Although the earlier Giulia may be considered by many to be the prettier car, we’ve still got a lot of love for the Alfetta which replaced it. But there’s one aspect of this Italian car that could have proved to be quite prophetic indeed: the gauge cluster. Only the rev counter is placed directly in front of the driver, while the speedo and fuel gauge are placed in a separate binnacle in the center — much like how modern cars house their infotainment systems.
What Else Is Making The News
Twitter Employees Reportedly Planning Paid-For Verification Or Be Fired
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Twitter employees have been instructed to work on a Musk-led directive to change the way Twitter Blue — the social media site’s $4.99 subscription option — works, reports The Verge. The plan is to charge $19.99 for the new Twitter Blue subscription (which will also verify users) by November 7th. If employees miss the deadline to introduce the feature, it’s reported that they will be fired.
Max Verstappen Breaks Record With 2022 Mexican GP Win
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Red Bull’s Max Verstappen has broken the record for most wins in an F1 season that was previously jointly held by Michael Schumacher and Sebastien Vettel. With 14 wins, Verstappen pulls ahead with two races remaining in 2022.