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

Detroit Switched To Unleaded Fuel 50 Years Ago, Here’s How Horsepower Took A Hit

It’s easy to forget, but car manufacturers have been trying to tackle the impact they have on climate change long before electrification was a thing. At a time when American Muscle and big engines were trending, Detroit decided to reduce the compression ratios of almost all of its 1971 cars to accommodate the lower octane levels in unleaded fuel, and this meant that cars could no longer offer the same power levels. While regular cars with inline-six and small V8s didn’t suffer much, the big boys suffered, with many cars being denied their full potential, with some cars being stripped away off as much as 50hp.

Quick Spin: 2022 Lexus IS 500 F Sport Performance Says F All Your Preconceived Notions

While Lexus has cemented their status as a premium maker of Japanese luxury vehicles, the company has ventured into making some serious performance cars too, releasing their most powerful vehicles under the F model line that began in 2007. Now, Lexus has decided to synchronize their strengths, creating the perfect harmony of performance and luxury under a sub-brand titled F Sports Performance, and what better way to do so than with the debut of the IS 500 F Sport Performance. While not exactly a full F model, the IS 500 still receives its share of sporty and aggressive design upgrades, and if that doesn’t cut it, the IS 500’s naturally aspirated 5.0L V8 producing 473hp might change one’s mind says CarScoops’ Michael Gauthier when he got behind the wheel.

Toyota Adds New Colors, Nightshade Edition To 2022 Camry

Toyota’s 2022 Camry line-up will start at $25,295 (plus a $1,025 destination fee) along with a variety of new color options, as well as a special ‘Nightshade’ edition trim. the new Camry will come in a total of 18 different trims — three V6 grades, five 4-cylinder FWD grades, five 4-cylinder AWD grades as well as five hybrid grades of which one is the special Nightshade trim. Customers can now opt for the previously TRD-exclusive Ice Edge color across the entire range, while the XSE grade will be available in two-tone color options that include Red, Wind Chill Pearl, or Celestial Silver complete with a Midnight Black Metallic roof and spoiler.

Kia’s 11-Member EV Range To Include Sedans, SUVs, Hatchbacks And Shuttles

Kia has been more than enthusiastic about its transition to becoming an EV-only manufacturer. The company plans to be an EV-only manufacturer in Europe by as early as 2035, with other markets set to follow suit by 2040. During their ‘Investor Day’ in February, Kia’s CEO Ho Sung Song announced that his team plan to debut 10 EVs between 2021 and 2026. Kia has been teasing media with blacked-out images that reveal nothing more than a silhouette of the entire EV product line, but from the looks of it, we are to expect a range of SUVs, sedans, hatchbacks, and even an RV or bus of some sort, so we’ve broken down exactly what to expect.

Mitsubishi Outlander EVO High-Performance SUV Render Suggests The Inevitable

Even since the retirement of their legendary Evolution nameplate in 2016, most of us have come to accept that Mitsubishi will probably never return the performance sedan that we love. However, recent reports from Japanese media suggest that the EVO nameplate might just resume its legacy, this time as a high-performance variant of the Outlander PHEV. Admittedly, no teasers or official reports regarding such a project have been released, but the Japanese carmaker did announce the return of Ralliart along with an Outlander with a special livery. The independent illustration above made by Nikita Chuiko for Kolesa.ru lets us see what might be.

Kandi K32 Looks Like A Pickup But It Is An Electric UTV With 28 Hp Limited To Off-Road Use

At a glance, the new Kandi K32 looks like a compact pickup truck, but the truth is far from that. The K32 released by Kandi America is a non-street legal electric UTV. It possesses all the exterior bits of a truck, in fact, with a total length of 214 inches, it’s even longer than a Ford Ranger, although its dual electric motors allow for no more than 28hp. The vehicle will be offered in either a 20.7kWh battery with a range of 60 miles (97km) or in long-range, giving you a 50kWh battery, resulting in a total range of 150 miles (241km).

The U.S to Miss out on Level 3 Autonomy in Upcoming 7-Series

Camo’d examples of the 2023 BMW 7-series have been spotted testing on numerous occasions and a concept of the vehicle will be previewed in the coming months. Now, BMWs director of development Frank Weber, while speaking with Forbes, has confirmed that the 2023 7-series will come with level 3 autonomy. The technology will allow the vehicle to drive itself in limited conditions and will be available to customers in Europe, but U.S buyers will miss out as per the U.S legislation.

What Else Is Making The News

Lewis Hamilton wins Brazilian GP 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CWRLmWtIhze/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Mercedes driver and seven-time world champion drove against the odds to win the Brazilian GP after disqualification from Qualifying left him last for the Saturday sprint race and a further five-place engine penalty for the start of Sunday’s race. Championship leader Max Verstappen finished second.

Shell Looking To Relocate To UK

Shell will be moving its headquarters to the UK according to a report. The oil giant will ask shareholders to vote on shifting its tax residence from the Netherlands to the UK, while its CEO will also relocate.