Good morning and welcome to our daily digest of automotive news from around the globe, starting with…
New BMW 3.0 CSL Is A Re-Bodied M4 With 553 HP And A Manual Gearbox
Big news for BMW fans as the 3.0 CSL returns in the form of a limited production coupe, concluding BMW M‘s 50th-anniversary celebrations. The M4-based model features a fully redesigned bodywork inspired by the original 3.0 CSL from the ’70s and comes fitted with the Bavarian automaker’s most powerful inline-six engine yet. The CSL’s twin-turbo 3.0-liter engine produces 553 hp (412 kW / 560 PS) and is exclusively mated to a six-speed manual gearbox. The BMW 3.0 CSL is also lighter than the M3/M4, tipping the scales at 1,624 kg (3,580lbs).
263 MPH Zenvo TSR-GT Loses Wonky Wing, Gains 183 HP For A Total Of 1,360 HP
Zenvo will launch an all-new V12-powered hybrid hypercar in 2023, but before that happens the current TS series gets a proper send-off. The new Zenvo TSR-GT is fitted with a more powerful twin-supercharged 5.8-liter V8 rated at 1,360 hp (1,14 kW / 1,379 PS) while featuring reworked aerodynamics that ditch the active rear wing of the track-focused TSR-R. The increased power output alongside the updated gearbox mapping and the lower drag, help the TSR-GT reach a top speed of 263 mph (424 km/h) which is the highest ever from a Zenvo model. Only three units of the Zenvo TSR-GT will be produced and predictably they are already sold out.
Tesla’s ‘Full Self-Driving’ Beta Is Now Available To Everyone In North America
Elon Musk announced that the full self-driving (FSD) beta software is now available to all owners of compatible Tesla models in North America. The FSD can be ordered from the infotainment system, but only if the owner has already paid for it. The feature was previously limited to 160,000 Tesla drivers in US and Canada. Europe won’t be getting the FSD any time soon as local regulations do not permit its use on public roads.
Ferrari Purosangue Is $165,000 More Expensive Than A Lambo Urus In The UK
The Ferrari Purosangue wants to be seen as the king of ICE-powered SUVs and besides the admittedly impressive performance figures, this also applies to its pricing. The first high-riding model from Maranello starts at £313,120 ($379,658) in the UK, which is significantly more than the £177,000 ($215,000) starting price of the Lamborghini Urus. Despite the steep price, Ferrari has already received a large number of pre-orders for the limited-production Purosangue, which means that time is ticking for prospective buyers. The SUV comes fitted with a V12 engine producing 715 hp (533 kW / 725 PS), transmitted to all four wheels through an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission.
Abarth Planning More Powerful Variants Of The 500e
Abarth has just launched its take on the new 500e but the Scorpion brand is already working on more powerful variants of the electric hot hatch. This was confirmed by Fiat CEO, Olivier Francois, sparking the interest of Abarth fans who were not so excited about the 153 hp (113,7 kW / 155 PS) of the standard EV. It has also been confirmed that the Abarth range will grow with additional performance EVs in the future, although not all Fiat models will get the sting of the Scorpion.
First-Gen Cayennes Get Resto-Mod Makeover To Celebrate 20 Years Of Porsche SUVs
Porsche Centres in Dubai and in Abu Dhabi created a series of eight specially tuned first-generation Cayennes, celebrating the 20th anniversary of the model in the Middle East. The SUVs received an off-road treatment, with lifted suspensions, grippy tires, underbody protection, roof racks, roof tents, and spare wheel carriers on the menu. The entire eight-member collection of Porsche Cayennes will be exhibited at the Porsche Festival in Dubai, before being sold.
What Else Is Making The News
Twitter will begin manually authenticating Blue, Grey, and Gold accounts as soon as next week
After the shipwreck of the “Twitter Blue” paid verification scheme, the social network’s updated “Verified” program will launch next Friday (Dec 2). As confirmed by Elon Musk, companies will have gold checks, governments will have grey checks, and verified accounts of individuals will retain the blue checks. All of them will have to go through a manual authentication process in order to activate the checks. Additionally, individuals will have the option to add a second logo if they belong to an organization. What is not clear at this point is whether all verified accounts will have to pay the controversial monthly fee of $8.
Sorry for the delay, we’re tentatively launching Verified on Friday next week.
Gold check for companies, grey check for government, blue for individuals (celebrity or not) and all verified accounts will be manually authenticated before check activates.
Painful, but necessary.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 25, 2022