296 GTB

Make
Ferrari
Segment
Coupe

Top of the morning to you, and welcome to another edition of Cold Start, your roundup of all the biggest, most recent automotive news. Since our last recap on Friday, we've heard rumors of a twin-turbo V6 supercar from Alfa Romeo, Singer has stopped taking orders for its Classic 964 reimagining to start producing the Turbo cars, and Porsche has agreed to pay $80 million to make an emissions scandal go away.

But today's recap will focus on the new Ferrari 296 GT3 contender and Porsche's latest 911 GT3 R, as well as a new bill that could help create jobs in America while alleviating supply chain troubles. We also talk about a new idea from Lotus, the safest infotainment system on the market, and the 12 electric vehicles that qualify for the new tax credits recently announced by the White House.

Porsche 911 GT3 R And Ferrari 296 GT3 Revealed

On Friday, Porsche took the covers off its new 911 GT3 R racer. The engine capacity has been increased to 4.2 liters, there's 557 horsepower on tap, the car is better to drive and easier to set up than ever, and it's a more efficient machine in terms of wear and tear. At a cost of $567,210 before any options, this is a racer for the rich.

Over at Ferrari, the 296 GTB has now spawned a GT3 variant for the track. Naturally, it has less power than the road car, but 600 hp is still plenty. Like the Porsche, this new racer promises numerous improvements over the 488 GT3. Exact pricing has not been revealed, but it will be a little higher than the $615,000 commanded by the 488 GT3. Ouch.

Click here to read the Porsche 911 GT3 R reveal

Click here to read the Ferrari 296 GT3 reveal

Government Bill Aims To Resolve Semiconductor Chip Crisis

A prevailing theme of the automotive industry right now (and for some time now) has been that of supply and demand. A lot of the supply issues being faced by automakers stem from the shortage of semiconductor chips, and the world's reliance on very few suppliers has not made things any easier. But now the government is stepping in, with a $280 billion bipartisan deal recently passed that will include $52.7 billion in subsidies for companies to manufacture chips here on home soil. What's more, companies that build semiconductor manufacturing plants will receive 25% investment tax credit, worth $24 billion.

Click here to read the full article

Lotus Patents Innovative New Sun Visor

Back in 2020, Bosch revealed a "Virtual Visor" that can selectively block solar glare based on the movements of your eyes, and now Lotus has come up with something similar, as discovered by CarBuzz via the World Intellectual Property Office. While the Bosch invention can track your eye, the Lotus idea is a little simpler, with you as the driver responsible for setting the level of shade for the entire visor. That being said, Lotus has also indicated that a tinted portion of the visor could move as you change direction in the car to ensure that you're not hit with glare mid-corner. It all seems very fascinating but also very expensive and complex. However, Lotus claims reduced complexity and lower costs.

Click here to read the full scoop

Mazda Makes The Safest Infotainment System

According to a new study conducted by Germany's ADAC and the Augsburg University of Applied Sciences, the Mazda 3 has the safest infotainment system of compact cars sold in the European country. The study noted that the Mazda 3's system deactivates the touchscreen while driving, can be operated by feel rather than sight thanks to a rotary controller and various physical buttons, and segregates the air conditioning controls to a physical control panel below the dash. All of these factors make adjustments safe and easy, allowing you to keep your eyes on the road. In addition, the study says that Mazda's head-up display is ideally placed too.

Click here to read the full article

Only 12 EVs Will Be Eligible For The New Tax Credit

We close with some disheartening news for those looking to get into a new EV. After a new bill was recently proposed in the US Senate, we learned that tax credits for new EVs built in the US would return, and a new credit for used EVs would be added. However, sedans, hatches, and wagons only qualify if they cost no more than $55,000. Trucks, SUVs, and vans only qualify if their cost does not exceed $80,000. Sadly, this means that only 12 new EVs qualify. These include the Chevrolet Bolt and Bolt EUV, the Ford F-150 Lightning, and the Volkswagen ID.4.

Click here to see all the qualifying EVs