Good morning and welcome to our weekly digest of automotive news from around the globe, starting with…
Multimillion-Dollar Catalytic Converter Theft Operation Thwarted By US Law Enforcement
The Department of Justice has collectively confiscated assets worth millions of dollars related to a nationwide catalytic converter theft ring. Catalytic converter thefts have become increasingly commonplace as the prices of the metals contained within them skyrocket. According to court papers, the metal from these stolen catalytic converters was sold for more than $545 million.
Honda Type R At 30: Driving The Icons And The Oddities
With Honda’s renowned Type-R brand turning 30 years old this year, we decided to take a quick trip down memory lane, highlighting some of the best performance cars to come out of Japan. From the NSX-R to the JDM-only FD2R, we’ve rounded their stories up and explained what makes each as special as the other.
Could Dodge’s Seventh Final Call Car Be A Challenger Six-Pack?
The delayed final “Last Call” edition of the Dodge Challenger is expected to be the most powerful factory V8 Chrysler muscle car ever produced, with the team behind its creation already responsible for grenading seven of the tuned Hellcat engines. The question remains, though, which iconic muscle car from the past will the final Last Call pay tribute to? Could we be about to see a return for the legendary Six-Pack name?
2023 Peugeot 208: Here’s What We Expect From The Updated Small Hatch
These speculative renderings from Jean Francois Hubert/SB-Medien for CarScoops give us an idea of what the updated Peugeot 208 will look like. The mid-cycle facelift is expected to arrive in the summer of 2023, with the most obvious visual feature being the adoption of Peugeot’s new lion shield. We could also see the “three-claw” lighting signature expanded with additional fangs, while electrified engines are set to come into play too.
Honda Dealership’s Payment Plan And Markup On Civic Type R Would End Up Costing $90k
While the new Honda Civic Type R is undoubtedly going to be a sought-after model once it lands in showrooms, we suspect most people won’t be willing to shell out more than $90,000 on a car that has an MSRP of around $43,000. But that’s what you’d end up paying if you selected one payment plan from Ocean Honda of Port Richey.
BMW Says It Wants Design Controversy As It Drives Up Sales
Those hoping that BMW would scale back on its controversial designs may be disappointed, with BMW chairman Oliver Zipse saying that he wants their vehicles to get people talking. “If you want to change design, any step into the future that is perceived as new will be controversial automatically. There’s no such thing as a future-oriented design without controversy,” said Zipse speaking to Car Sales.
What’s The Ugliest New Car On Sale Today?
We’re not just talking about boring or uninspired designs with this one. We’re highlighting outright unattractiveness — or perhaps, as described in the story above, “controversial” designs. Judging by the comments, a few of you are talking about the BMW XM, i7, and iX. Funny that.
What Else Is Making The News
IKEA Shuts Down Indie Horror Game
IKEA has sent a cease and desist letter to this game developer. The game is called The Store Is Closed. https://t.co/mZrz2SdSjs pic.twitter.com/bWMixwOV0D
— IGN (@IGN) October 31, 2022
An independent video game maker behind The Store Is Closed has been sent a cease and desist letter from Swedish furniture giant IKEA. It’s due to the visual similarities of the game’s setting: a Scandanavian-named, blue-box building with employees that wear similar attire.
Francesco Bagnaia Wins 2022 Moto GP Championship
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Francesco Bagnaia has been crowned the new MotoGP world champion after finishing ninth at the Valencia Grand Prix. He is Ducati’s second-ever MotoGP champion after Casey Stoner in 2007, and the first Italian to win since Valentino Rossi.