Ferrari unveils Roma Spider
Ferrari has unveiled a convertible version of its Roma.
The Roma Spider has a fabric top, the brand’s first soft roof in 54 years. It can be opened in just 13.5 seconds at speeds up to 60kmh. The roof is compact when folded and hence does not compromise boot space significantly.
A motorised wind deflector integrated into the rear seat backrest minimises turbulence during open-top driving. The car is powered by the same 620hp twin-turbo V8 engine found in the Roma.
The Roma Spider will arrive in May and is estimated to cost a little over $1.2 million before the certificate of entitlement.
VW plans sub-€20,000 EV
Volkswagen plans to have an even cheaper electric model than the Polo-size ID2all it unveiled last week, reported Bloomberg.
The planned model, which could be called the ID1, will sell for less than €20,000 (S$28,800 before taxes), and could arrive as early as 2026.
If it comes to fruition, the electric VW would be on a par with a number of equivalent Chinese electric cars. It is not known yet whether the vehicle can be built in Europe for the targeted price or if it will have to be built in a cheaper location.
Merc GLA, GLB refreshed
Mercedes-Benz has tweaked its GLA compact crossover and GLB compact multi-seat crossover. The cars’ front and rear have been redesigned and their equipment level enhanced.
The facelifted GLA and GLB will have standard-issue LED headlamps and tail lamps, a leather-clad steering wheel and more driving aids. The cars’ petrol engines will get a 48-volt mild hybrid system.
The GLB’s radiator grille will have four horizontal louvres, while the GLA’s will have vertical louvres, along with power domes on its bonnet. Both cars come with 17-inch wheels, but can be fitted with wheels up to 20 inches.
Motor insurers write off EVs with battery damage
Over the last century, motor insurers have known exactly what to do with a vehicle with a damaged internal combustion engine or broken gearbox, and how to get it back on the road.
Not so with electric vehicles (EVs), according to Reuters. Insurers complain that many carmakers do not make EV battery packs easy to repair or provide them with third-party access to cell data to figure out what is wrong in the first place.
Batteries are also too expensive to replace, so insurers end up junking the whole car, making the EV a disposable item instead of a long-lasting, zero-emission solution.
Reuters found a large number of barely driven Teslas, as well as models from Nissan, Hyundai, the Stellantis group, BMW, Renault and others, in a search of EV salvage sales in Europe and the United States.
Meanwhile, unwanted battery packs are piling up in scrapyards, blasting a hole in what is supposed to be a “circular economy”.
