Good morning and welcome to our daily digest of automotive news from around the globe, starting with…
Class-Action Lawsuit Claims Chevrolet And GMC Trucks And SUVs Were Made With Defective Paint
A class-action lawsuit has been filed against General Motors for allegedly building some trucks and SUVs with defective paint. The suit applies to Chevrolet’s 2015-2019 Chevrolet Tahoe, Suburban, and Silverado, and the GMC Yukon, Yukon XL, and Sierra from the same model years. The claims are that the clear coat delaminates, flakes, bubbles, or blisters. Even if a recall is ordered, the complainants allege that the value of their cars will be negatively impacted, as a respray would be applied by a human and not a robot.
New Audi A6 e-tron Avant Concept Is The Wagon Of Our Electric Dreams
Audi has unveiled a “production-oriented” concept in the form of the A6 Avant e-tron concept. It’s based on the A6 Sportback e-tron concept shown last year but adds the brand’s famed Avant estate flair to the design. Details surrounding the interior or load capacities weren’t shared, but with a range of 700 km (435 miles) and a battery that can be recharged to 80 percent in less than half an hour, it’s certainly a statement of intent. Whether we’ll get them stateside remains to be seen, but production looks like it could happen from 2024.
Maserati Shows GranTurismo Folgore EV As It Prepares To Go Electric-Only From 2030
The Maserati GranTurismo Folgore has been teased with some dark images, which we promptly plugged into Photoshop and turned up the brightness. The results are a handsome silhouette with a low hood and raised fenders. Maserati has previously said its “2022 EV” will be the “most powerful Maserati ever” with 650+ hp (659 PS) and a 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) time of 2.5 seconds, while there will also be combustion variants produced up until 2030.
2023 BMW i7 Shows Its Massive Grille, Debuts In April With 305-Mile Electric EPA Range
BMW has announced that the i7 will debut next month and in the meantime, has shared some teaser images with us. There’s an illuminated grille that is predictably massive, thin crystal glass LEDs, and a second pair of lights below. Inside, we see BMW’s “Theater Screen” — an ultra-wide 31-inch display for rear-seat passengers, which will also find its way onto other premium offerings from the brand. According to Autocar, the premiere of the i7 and the 7-Series will take place on April 20.
What On Earth Happened To All The Affordable Coupes?
While sedans and wagons have been the apparent casualty of the crossover assault the world over, the affordable two-door coupe market has similarly evaporated too. Acura offered the Integra, Honda had the Prelude and CR-X, Mazda the MX-3 and MX-6, and Volkwagen the Scirocco, to name a few. We’ve rounded up a selection of some others you may have forgotten.
Godzilla Is Dead In Europe As Nissan Is Axing GT-R Over Noise Regulations
The end is neigh for the GT-R, at least if you’re in Europe. With the GT-R’s demise, it leaves the Euro Nissan lineup without any sports cars (see above story), with the Z not heading to the Old Continent either. The final nail in the coffin? Stricter noise regulations are being introduced to the EU and UK, ending what was a 13-year run for the Japanese supercar.
RWD 2023 Mazda6 Rendered With Cues From Recently Unveiled CX-60
An independent illustration from Sugar Design has created a rendering of the next-generation, rear-wheel-drive Mazda 6. To create this concept, Sugar Design on Instagram has grafted the front fascia of the CX-60 onto a four-door design, meaning the car has the same headlights, front grille, and air intakes as the CX-60. The same creases running along the body have also been carried through to the Mazda6, ensuring that it stands out from the current model and makes a very bold statement.
Aston Martin Gives The V12 Vantage A 690 HP, 200 MPH Send Off
The end of the Aston Martin V12 is imminent, but at least it’s getting a great send-off with the fastest and most powerful Vantage ever created. The 5.2 liter twin-turbo V12 is good for 690 hp and 555 lb-ft (753 Nm) of torque. That translates into a 0-60 mph (0-96 km/h) of 3.4 seconds before hitting a top speed of 200 mph (322 km/h). There are carbon fiber and composite body panels all over to increase the power-to-weight ratio by 20 percent, now standing at 385 hp (287 kW / 390 PS) per ton. There are stiffer springs, a recalibrated automatic gearbox and steering system, and some exterior improvements too.
McLaren F1 GTR Gets A Tank Of Diesel In Worst Ever Misfuel Mishap
In what could be the worse misfueling mistake of all time, entrepreneur and part-time racer Francois Perrodo managed to put diesel into a McLaren F1 GTR. While it may seem like a rookie mistake, it’s a very common occurrence. In the UK and Europe, diesel is sold alongside petrol at the same pumps. And while the diesel nozzle wouldn’t usually fit a modern petrol car, the competition-based Mclaren has no such fail-safe.
What Else Is Making The News
Ferry Company Sacks 800 Staff On The Spot
P&O Ferries services are unable to run for the next few days. We are advising travellers of alternative arrangements. We will update this feed every 3 hours with the operational situation.,'
— P&O Ferries Updates (@POferriesupdate) March 18, 2022
Eight hundred staff working for P&O Ferries have been fired on the spot, with the company planning to replace them with cheaper agency workers. The move has sparked anger, with the British government calling the worker’s treatment “wholly unacceptable.”
Max Verstappen Fastest On Friday, Mercs Look To Struggle
Defending World Champion Max Verstappen set the fastest time in Friday’s final free practice for the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix. The Red Bull was followed by the Ferraris of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz. Making his debut for Mercedes, George Russell set the fourth-fastest time, but his teammate and seven-time World Champion, Lewis Hamilton, seemed to struggle with the car, only placing ninth.
Keyword: EV Audi Avant Concept, BMW i7 Teaser, And Maserati GranTurismo Folgore Previewed: Your Weekly Brief