Good morning and welcome to our daily digest of automotive news from around the globe, starting with…
President Biden Says Elon Musk’s Relationships With Other Countries “Worthy Of Being Looked At”
US president Joe Biden has weighed in on the increasing scrutiny of the world’s richest man: Elon Musk. Biden was asked whether the tech billionaire posed a threat to national security. After initially laughing, the president said that “Elon Musk’s cooperation and/or technical relationships with other countries is worthy of being looked at.” He went on to say he’s not suggesting Musk is doing anything inappropriate, simply that it’s “worth being looked at”.
2023 Honda Accord Debuts With New Looks And Techy Interior, But Drops 2.0 Turbo
Sedan lovers rejoice: The Honda Accord remains for another generation. The 11th iteration of the long-running family car gets a cleaner design, with a longer hood and streamlined bodywork. Full details will be released closer to the car’s launch, but one aspect that was revealed is that the 252 hp 2.0-liter turbo engine is no more. In its place is an all-new 2.0-liter Atkinson cycle four-cylinder engine with a pair of electric motors with less combined horsepower (212 hp), making the new Accord a hybrid-only affair.
Mercedes-AMG ONE Is Now The Fastest Production Car Around The Nürburgring At 6:35.183
Despite suboptimal conditions, the new Mercedes-AMG One has smashed the production car record at the Nurburgring, setting a lap time of 6:35.183 around the 20.832 km track. That’s a full 8.43 seconds faster than the Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series, and 3.65 seconds faster than Manthey-Racing’s tuned Porsche 911 GT2 RS, the previous record holder for road-legal vehicles. Even more impressive is that the time was set with areas of the track still damp and partly dirty.
2024 Subaru Impreza Teased Again Prior To Next Week’s Debut
Next week will bring with it a new Subaru Impreza, as it’s set to debut at the 2022 Los Angeles auto show. A previous teaser showed us the car’s silhouette, which appeared to show that the Impreza will share a great deal with the 2024 Crosstrek. The latest teaser shows us headlights which also look like what’s found on the Crosstrek, but with a different grille design and less cladding.
Michael Schumacher’s Victorious Ferrari F2003-GA Sold For Nearly $15 Million
We all know it pays to win as an F1 driver, and unsurprisingly the machinery that contributes to that success gets to share in a hefty premium too. That has been evidenced by Michael Schumacher’s championship-winning Ferrari F2003-GA, which just set the record for the most expensive single-seater ever. It fetched an incredible $14,630,000 at auction — almost double the previous record (which was also for a Schumacher-driven Ferrari),
Watch This Driver Deliberately Blocking Ambulance
We’ve all seen some stupid and selfish driving on the internet, but this one is right up there. Albert Butler, who was driving a Suzuki Vitara, was apparently enraged when an ambulance overtook him and went to great lengths to hinder the emergency vehicle, which was responding to a call. Butler brake checked the ambulance and refused to let it pass. The driver has been banned from driving for three years, was handed a suspended eight-month prison sentence, and must complete 200 hours of unpaid work.
What Else Is Making The News
Fake Accounts Explode On Twitter After Verification Dropped
Twitter is reported to have been flooded with fake accounts as the social media network scrapped the site’s verification policies. Impersonators include fake profiles for former United States President George W Bush and NBA star LeBron James, and even Tesla, as the blue tick can now be paid for.
Chris Rock To Host Netflix’s First Live Show
Netflix will experiment with steaming live shows in early 2023. The streaming giant has been on the back foot this year after reporting its first drop in spectators since it came online. Comedian Chris Rock will host the first live show that will be available as it happens in real-time, reports BBC News.