Good morning and welcome to our daily digest of automotive news from around the globe, starting with…
BMW Will Build A $200 Million Press Shop At Its Spartanburg, South Carolina Plant
BMW is injecting $200 million into its South Carolina plant as it creates a press shop. The shop will take raw coils of steel, cut them, and stamp them into sheet metal parts for doors, fenders, and exterior body sides. It’ll be a valuable addition to the Spartanburg plant, which is currently BMW’s largest manufacturing operation in the world.
Wuling MINI EV GameBoy Edition Adds Extra Fun, Power And Range To China’s Best-Selling EV
Going on sale soon is a special edition of China’s best-selling EV: the Wuling MINI EV GameBoy Edition. The car will be available in four distinct, game-inspired versions, although it doesn’t appear to be a collaboration with Nintendo. Some significant revisions to the GameBoy edition include a larger 26 kWh battery pack for around 186 miles (300 km) over the standard 62 miles (100 km). It also has a beefier electric motor, with 41 hp over the 27 hp of the original.
Haas Drops Russian Driver Nikita Mazepin And Sponsor Ahead Of 2022 F1 Season Over Ukraine Invasion
The writing may have been on the wall for some time, but over the weekend, American F1 team Haas confirmed that they would be dropping their driver, Nikita Mazepin, from the 2022 line-up. In addition, the team has severed ties with the team’s title sponsor Uralkali. Mazepin’s father is deputy chairman of Uralkali and is known to have links to Russian President Vladimir Putin. An announcement of a replacement driver and sponsor is expected in the coming days.
VW Will Focus On Software First To Shorten Vehicle Development Times By A Quarter
Volkswagen wants to cut lead times on new car development, and to do so will be realigning its largest engineering unit, the Technical Development division. The aim will be to make vehicles that seamlessly fit into an owner’s ecosystem, creating an umbrella for design, conceptualization, UX, product strategy, model series, technical project management, and more.
I Live In An Apartment Without A Parking Spot. Here’s My Range Anxiety Experience With An Electric Car
Our very own Thanos Pappas had custody of a Honda e and soon found out that range anxiety is still a very real problem. Living in an apartment with no overnight charging facilities meant the hunt for a decent charger was a very real one. And with outlets not working and a home-plug far too slow, it wasn’t long until Thanos was almost down to zero percent charge, with limited options available.
What’s The Most Overrated Car Ever?
The world of automobiles is littered with hype, leaving some of us wondering why such examples receive the attention they do. So we’ve asked our readers what exactly is the most overrated car ever — not just in the last decade, but throughout history. The DeLorean DMC-12 is a prime example — a car that has achieved cult status, but isn’t actually the best to own or drive.
A 2022 Ferrari SF 90 Stradale Was Destroyed After Just 189 Miles
A low-mileage Ferrari SF 90 Stradale would normally be a hot commodity on the secondhand supercar market, but we’re guessing this particular example might need a bit of work. The front end of the hybrid supercar has had quite an impact, with some obvious mechanical damage. Still, it could be just the ticket for someone wanting to swap in a 4.0-liter Ferrari V8 into a mad project.
What Else Is Making The News
More Western Tech Companies Cut Ties With Russia
Netflix suspends service in Russia -report https://t.co/ek9BGemksq pic.twitter.com/XqXnkuViJB
— Reuters (@Reuters) March 6, 2022
Netflix has joined others, including Microsoft, Visa, MasterCard, and PwC, by pulling out of Russia in response to the Ukraine invasion. Meanwhile, TikTok has suspended live streaming functionality as Russia enforces a new “fake news” law.
Elon Musk Calls On US To Produce More Oil And Gas
Obviously, this would negatively affect Tesla, but sustainable energy solutions simply cannot react instantaneously to make up for Russian oil & gas exports.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 5, 2022
Elon Musk has conceded that oil and gas output needs to be increased, with many governments sanctioning Russia and its exports. While Musk is known to troll, he has previously claimed not to want to demonize the oil and gas industry.
Keyword: Wuling MINI EV Special Edition, We Experience Range Anxiety First Hand, And A Wrecked SF90 Stradale: Your Morning Brief