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

2024 Subaru Impreza Drops Sedan And Manual, Goes Hatch Only, Adds 182 HP 2.5 RS

Subaru today took the wraps off the new, sixth-generation Impreza at the LA Auto Show. Coming for the 2024 model year, the automaker is killing the sedan version as well as the manual gearbox option. However, there is also good news as Subaru brings back the 2.5 RS model in the Impreza lineup, for the first time since 2005. Predictably, the new Impreza shares much in common with its stablemate, the recently revealed Crosstrek, adopting hatchback looks with the omission of the adventurous bits.

EVs Swing The Majority As 2023 NACTOY Finalists Announced – Who Do You Think Will Win?

The stage is set for the final round of the North American Car, Truck, & Utility Vehicle Of The Year awards for 2023. From 26 finalists across three categories, the selection has been whittled down to just nine, with the top three of each category set to battle it out for final honors. Contesting for North American Car of the Year are the Acura Integra, the Genesis G80 EV, and the Nissan Z. The North American Truck of the Year title will go to either the Chevrolet Silverado ZR2, the Ford F-150 Lightning, or the Lordstown Endurance. Finally, contesting for North American Utility Vehicle of the Year are the Cadillac Lyriq, the Genesis GV60, And the Kia EV6.

Drako Dragon Hyper-SUV Breaks Cover With 2,000 Hp And 0-60 In 1.9 Seconds

California-based startup Drako unveiled its second production model, calling it “the most powerful, quickest, and fastest production hyper-luxury SUV in history”. The Drako Dragon is based on a carbon-fiber structure, with quad electric motors producing as much as 2,000 hp and two massive gullwing doors providing access to the five-seater cabin. The hyper-SUV claims a 0-60 mph (0-97 km/h) in 1.9 seconds and a quarter mile time of 9 seconds. The Dragon will hit the roads in 2026 with a price of $290,000, which sounds like a bargain compared to the $1.25 million price of the Fisker Karma-based Drako GTE.

New Models From Buick, Cadillac, and smart Leaked In China

Leaked photos and documents from China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology revealed several new and interesting models, stealing some of the glory of the LA Auto Show. Among the leaked models was the fully electric Buick Electra E5 crossover based on GM’s Ultium platform. We also saw two Cadillacs reserved for the Chinese market – the second-generation of the CT6 sedan, and the all-new GT4 crossover – both fitted with a turbocharged 2.0-liter engine built by SAIC-GM. Another interesting find is the smart #3, a slightly bigger model than the “hashtag 1” crossover, that will be offered in China and Europe but not in the US since the automaker withdrew from North America a few years ago.

2024 Kia Seltos Combines Classier Looks With Updated Interior And 195 HP Turbo Engine

Following its debut in Korea last July, the facelifted Kia Seltos has been revealed in North American spec, prior to its market launch in the first half of 2023. The SUV gains modern styling cues, a digital cockpit with dual 10.25-inch screens, and more safety features. Engine options include a carry-over 2.0-liter with 147 hp (110 kW / 149 PS) that is mated to the intelligent Variable Transmission with optional AWD, and a more powerful turbocharged 1.6-liter producing 195 hp (146 kW / 198 PS) that is paired to a new eight-speed auto.

VW Golf And GTI Will Live On As EVs, Next-Gen Model Might Be Called The ID. Golf

Following reports about the possible discontinuation of the VW Golf, CEO, Thomas Schäfer, confirmed that the iconic nameplate will live on. Predictably, the ninth generation of the compact hatchback will go EV-only. Schäfer suggested it might be called the ID.Golf, slotting below the ID.3 in VW’s future range. Before this happens, the current eight-gen VW Golf is expected to get a mid-lifecycle update, extending its time in the market for five or six more years. Thankfully, the GTI and R hot hatch variants of the Golf will most likely find their way into the new generation, albeit in fully electric form.

What Else Is Making The News

Twitter ‘closes offices’ after Elon Musk’s loyalty oath sparks wave of resignations

Elon Musk’s ultimatum to the remaining Twitter employees for an “extremely hardcore” Twitter 2.0 didn’t end well, accentuating the crisis in the social media company. As reported by The Guardian, hundreds of employees rejected their new boss’ ultimatum, opting to leave the company. Twitter announced it has temporarily closed its office buildings to staff, while many users of the platform started saying goodbyes under the #RIPTwitter hashtag. Elon Musk tried to put out the fires by trolling the situation with memes and talking about all-time-high Twitter usage.

Amazon layoffs to extend into 2023

The bad news for Amazon employees is not over, since the company admitted there will be more layoffs next year. In a letter to employees, Andy Jassy, Amazon CEO, said “Those decisions will be shared with impacted employees and organizations early in 2023” adding that the company is in the middle of an “annual operating planning review”. As reported by Reuters citing sources from inside Amazon, the company targets around 10,000 job cuts in its retail division and human resources.