Welcome to our round-up of the biggest breaking stories on Driving.ca from this past week. Get caught up and ready to get on with the weekend, because it’s hard keeping pace in a digital traffic jam.
Here’s what you missed while you were away.
First look at 2023 Honda HR-V shows sleeker exterior design
Honda HR-V 2023 Photo by Honda Canada
Honda shared a trio of images of its new North America-only 2023 HR-V this week. Based on the 11th-generation Civic, the new subcompact SUV has a longer and wider stance than the outgoing model, and a generally flattened appearance, which is a visual upgrade as far as we can tell. Other notable changes include the grille, which is now larger and more oval, and the rear door handles, which have been moved from their window-adjacent positioning and put back in their traditional spot. Honda hasn’t mentioned engine details other than the “HR-V will feature a more responsive engine and a new independent rear suspension, giving the compact SUV a more confident, refined and fun-to-drive personality.”
B.C. cyclist gets ICBC bill after being struck by vehicle
Ben Bolliger holds his broken bicycle on Wednesday at Willow Street and West 7th Avenue in Vancouver, where he was hit by a young driver behind the wheel of a Mercedes last July. Photo by Jason Payne /Postmedia
A B.C. cyclist who was struck and badly injured by a vehicle last summer says he was shocked to receive a letter from provincial insurer ICBC claiming he would be on the hook for $3,752.01 in vehicle repairs. Ben Bollinger says a driver ran a stop sign in downtown Vancouver last summer and struck him while he was on his bicycle, causing him to miss months of work. ICBC’s position — likely due to a recently implemented no-fault insurance policy — is that Bollinger was “driving an uninsured vehicle at the time of the loss…mean[ing] you do not have insurance coverage for this loss and must repay the cost of our insured’s claim.” In light of recent media coverage, however, it seems ICBC might be changing its tune.
U.K. owner bangs up brand new Ferrari 488 after driving it only 3 km
Derby. 1st April. Driver bought a Ferrari this morning and crashed it after driving it less than 2 miles. No injuries. #DriveToArrive pic.twitter.com/X4IMuflPa5
— Derbyshire Roads Policing Unit (@DerbyshireRPU) April 1, 2022
Big mistakes don’t take long. In fact, it likely took a good deal more time to sort out the purchase details of this Ferrari 488 than it did for the new owner to completely ruin its front end. And on April 1st no less, the official day for Fools! According to the Derbyshire Roads Policing Unit, the driver “bought a Ferrari this morning and crashed it after driving it less than 2 miles (3.2 km),” but didn’t sustain any injuries. What do you make of the damage? Read the full coverage for Driving contributor Jay Kana’s theory on what went down.
Rumours of Ram eyeing unibody pickup truck to compete with Ford Maverick
Ram 1200 Photo by Ram
Truck fans this week grabbed hold of a rumour published by South American publication Auto Segredos regarding a potential small Ram pickup. Yeah, that’s a rumour we’re happy to propagate! Allegedly, a Stellantis suit name dropped a “Ram 1200” in the works that could feature an electrified hybrid powertrain. Is this the “new midsize truck” Stellantis teased at its EV Day in 2021, something different, or nothing at all? Should it arrive in North America, the baby Ram would compete directly against the Blue Oval’s well-received unibody Maverick.
DeLorean Motor Company teases EV ahead of Pebble Beach reveal
2023 DeLorean EVolved teaser Photo by DeLorean Motor Company
Texas-based DeLorean parts and restoration company DeLorean Motor Company is planning to debut its first EV at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance this August. The brand hasn’t revealed a lot about the upcoming vehicle, but did share a teaser image of its rear end, which clearly has more curves than its more linear inspiration, the DMC-12 of Back to the Future fame. The project, dubbed DeLorean EVolved and slated to enter production in 2023, ponders the question: “What if it were made today?” Fingers crossed for gullwing doors.
Keyword: News Roundup: Honda’s new HR-V, baby Ram rumours, and more