Good morning, and welcome to your Hump Day edition of Cold Start, where we catch you up on five of the biggest automotive news stories from the last 24 hours. Since yesterday's report, Carvana has found itself in more trouble, Lamborghini has announced an investment in synthetic fuels, and VinFast has announced that it will give you $7,500 to buy its EVs even if the government won't.

But in today's roundup, we're focusing on the reveal of the all-new Dodge Hornet before discussing the gas guzzler tax that will hit the Chevrolet Corvette Z06. Then, we take a look at a new invention from BMW that can prevent money shifts before checking out Polestar's next piece of electric automotive art. Finally, we give you an overview of the all-new 2023 Chevy Silverado and its new ZR2 Bison trim.

2023 Dodge Hornet Arrives As Most Powerful Sub-$30k SUV

That's right. The all-new 2023 Dodge Hornet is the fastest, quickest, and most powerful compact crossover that you can buy in America for under $30,000. It's also the first electrified performance vehicle Dodge has ever offered, but how much power are we talking about here? In base GT trim, you get 268 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque from a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-banger called the Hurricane4. But if you opt for the R/T trim, a 1.3-liter turbo plug-in hybrid that uses electricity for performance rather than economy (like the freaking McLaren P1 hypercar!) for a total of 288 hp and 383 lb-ft. AWD is standard, and there's even a 30-mile range if you want to act like a Prius. Oh, and did we mention Dodge is using the Hornet to bring back the 'Goes Like Hell' nomenclature of the old Dodge Omni GLH?

Click here to get the full lowdown

2023 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 Buyers Will Have To Pay Gas Guzzler Tax

Nobody is surprised at the news that the upcoming Corvette Z06 will be hit with the gas guzzler tax. After all, the regular C8 Corvette is subject to it. But isn't the Z06 powered by a smaller, 5.5-liter engine rather than the 6.2-liter LT found in the standard 'Vette? Yes, but it's still a race-derived engine, and you don't produce 670 hp sans forced induction or hybrid assistance without burning a considerable amount of fuel. In base form, it's expected that the Z06 will manage between 17.5-18.5 mpg, far below the 22 mpg threshold for the tax. This will translate to a tax of $2,600, but if you choose optional extras that impact aerodynamic efficiency, the car will drink more fuel and could be slapped with a gas guzzler tax of $3,000.

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BMW Invents Money Shift-Preventing Manual Gearbox

For the uninitiated, "money shifting" is the term given to the act of accidentally going down a gear rather than up one. It's called that because if you downshift while your engine is near redline, it's going to cost you a fortune. Laugh all you want, but in racing scenarios, this kind of thing can happen to the most skilled and accomplished drivers, as well as the amateurs. To get around the potential for over-spinning your crank or sending your gearbox to the junkyard in the sky, BMW is developing a lock-out system for a gearbox where all gears that could cause damage to your powertrain through over-revving are simply inaccessible. It's actually a genius idea, and we're confident that it will reach production someday soon.

Find out about this transmission-saving invention here

Polestar Is Putting The Gorgeous O2 Concept Into Production

Polestar has an excellent track record when it comes to making production cars as spectacular as the concepts they are based on, and now the Swedish automaker is getting ready to pull the same trick once more. According to CEO Thomas Ingenlath, the stunning O₂ Concept will be making its way to the production line as the Polestar 6. But don't get too excited, as that will only happen in 2026. If you can't contain yourself, reservations have already opened as of yesterday, and the new car will launch with a special edition called the Polestar 6 LA Concept, limited to 500 units and dressed in sleek Sky blue paint.

Click here to read the full article

2023 Chevrolet Silverado Touches Down With New ZR2 Bison Trim

We close with truck news, specifically the reveal of the 2023 Chevy Silverado. For the first time ever, a ZR2 Bison trim is available (not to be confused with the tepid Silverado ZR2 revealed earlier this year). Produced in collaboration with American Expedition Vehicles, the new truck comes with stamped steel bumpers, underbody protection, off-road-focused suspension, and locking differentials at each axle. 33-inch Goodyear Wrangler Territory MT tires are wrapped around 18-inch gloss black wheels from AEV as standard. Under the hood, the ZR2's 6.2-liter V8 returns with 420 hp and 460 lb-ft of torque and a 10-speed automatic. All of this costs $78,490, including delivery charges, but a new Duramax diesel option is coming to the Silverado too if you need more torque but less power (305 hp and 495 lb-ft).

Click here to read the full reveal