Rise and shine, and welcome to Cold Start. Since this time yesterday morning, Ferruccio Lamborghini has been inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame, an honor that was long overdue. We've also seen new special editions of the Toyota GR86/Subaru BRZ twins, a special watch for the Honda Civic Type R, and a truly insane hypercar that claims up to 5,221 horsepower and a top speed of 363 mph. But more important developments have come to light.
For a start, we've learned that the Lexus LFA's long-awaited successor will get twin-turbo V8 power, Chevrolet has announced that it will reward Corvette Z06 buyers who don't flip their cars, and Cadillac has unveiled hardcore Track Edition variants of the CT4-V Blackwing.
Rumor: Lexus LFA Successor To Get Motorsport-Derived Twin-Turbo V8
We've been hearing many rumors over the past year about the LFA's successor eschewing a high-strung naturally aspirated V10 in favor of a twin-turbo V8, and as sad as this news is to our ears, it makes sense. But where will this engine come from? According to Japanese publication Mag-X, LFA V2 will be powered by the engine in the Lexus LC endurance racer. This car was first announced in 2020 with an all-new engine, and now it's said to be forming the basis of the Lexus supercar's powertrain. Will there be hybrid assistance further supplementing its performance? Time will tell.
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Chevrolet Incentivizes Corvette Z06 Buyers Against Flipping Their New Car
For those of us who do not have an income that can compete with inflation, it seems that the dream of owning a new sports car fresh from the factory will forever be out of reach. For those of us who could afford such an indulgence, there are the issues of dealer markups and obscene secondhand pricing. Fortunately, Chevrolet is working on trying to prevent such behavior and has announced that it will offer Z06 buyers $5,000 in rewards points if they don't sell for a year. We're not sure if that will be enough to stop someone from doubling their investment by flipping their car to the myriad interested parties who can't wait, but it's a start.
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Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing Gets Limited New Track Edition
If the regular Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing is somehow too dull for you, perhaps the Track Edition will satisfy your soul. Specifically, the Track Edition will be available as a Sebring IMSA Edition, Watkins Glen IMSA Edition, or a Road Atlanta IMSA Edition. Each gets unique cosmetic touches and various carbon fiber upgrades, but there are no performance enhancements to speak of. Disappointing, but at least each owner will know that they are part of an exclusive club - just 99 of each Track Edition variant will be made (297 in total). What will each cost? We don't know yet, and we don't know when orders open, but we expect more info will become available soon.
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NHTSA Has Issues With Cadillac Lyriq NDA
When buyers got hold of their new Cadillac Lyriq, General Motors offered certain customers a $5,500 rebate. The catch? These buyers would be asked to share data with Cadillac to help the automaker better understand customer behavior, as well as to obtain vehicle information, likely to understand how the car and its battery hold up with daily use. That sounds all good and well, but Cadillac got these buyers to sign a non-disclosure agreement preventing them from discussing the Lyriq with third parties. That means that these buyers could be in trouble for reporting a safety defect, and the NHTSA is not impressed. The agency is "in communication with GM."
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Porsche Boss To Head Up Volkswagen
Amid controversy and reports of internal conflict and politicking, the news recently arrived that Volkswagen's boss Herbert Diess is about to be kicked out of the company. He is set to be replaced on September 1 2022, and his successor will be none other than Porsche's Oliver Blume.
Blume will continue to helm Porsche too, so his plate will be very full. It's a pity that Diess lost his job after so much brilliance at Volkswagen, but at least the man taking his place is a multi-decade company man who has worked in many VW-owned automakers. We only pray that Porsche's future doesn't suffer from his soon-to-be-split focus.
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