News Roundup: Mazda’s first EV, an electric crate motor from Ford, and more

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Welcome to our round-up of the biggest breaking stories on Driving.ca from this past week. Get caught up and ready to get on with the weekend, because it’s hard keeping pace in a digital traffic jam.

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News Roundup: Mazda’s first EV, an electric crate motor from Ford, and more Back to video

Mazda MX-30 EV arrives this fall, starting at $42,150

Mazda has released official details, pricing, and rough arrival dates for its first all-electric vehicle, the MX-30 EV, which is based on the gas MX-30. The entry-level GS trim will be available for $42,150 when it goes on sale this fall beginning in Quebec and B.C., followed by the GT trim that starts at $47,150. With its 35.5 kWh batteries fully charged — an act that takes 36 minutes on a fast charger — the compact crossover has an estimated range of 161 km. Like the relatively tight range, the vehicle’s design is targeted directly at the urban dweller. Take a look at our coverage of the debut here for a better idea of what that means . 

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Man gifted new Corvette after dealership’s technician is busted on joyride

The Chevrolet Corvette’s onboard Performance Data Recorder wasn’t designed as a way to police those who drive the car too fast in unsafe environs, but it works pretty well for that purpose. A Corvette owner who brought his C8 into the dealer shop to fix a subtle ticking noise was shocked to see the footage of his car being driven at speeds of up to 238 km/h. At one point, the car even appears to engage in a street race against a Dodge Charger. But the sad story has a happy ending, because after the video went viral, the dealership owner reached out to the man with a trade he couldn’t refuse: a brand new C8 Corvette  (traded for his one-year-old C8) , completely free of charge, fees, or taxes. 

Ford’s EV crate motor is on the way

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It’s called the “Eluminator” and it’s here to make your classic EV restomod dreams come true. Ford is teasing a new EV crate motor that would hypothetically plunk into most any old Ford engine bay. According to some part-number sleuthing by an enthusiast, the Eluminator electric crate engine is rated for 81 hp and 317 lb-ft of torque, weighing 93 kg (205 lbs), and priced at US$3,900. Ford plans to debut the unit at the SEMA show scheduled for November. 

Stolen James Bond Aston Martin allegedly spotted in Middle East

There is a $30M stolen treasure allegedly driving around a private property somewhere in the Middle East. It’s not the most precise treasure map as the country isn’t even named, let alone the location, but according to The Telegraph, somebody spotted the Aston Martin DB5 used in the James Bond film franchise . They even confirmed the serial numbers match. Art recovery authorities say they believe the car is likely in the possession of a collector who may not know it was stolen in 1997 — they are optimistic the piece of movie history and arguably Q’s finest work ever will be returned voluntarily. 

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Red Bull loses its wings following drifting accident

Energy drink brand Red Bull is being accused of damaging a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Ukraine following an unsanctioned stunt involving two branded drift cars. The pair of rubber-burners performed a synchronized drifting show in front of the Saint Sofia Cathedral in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv, laying a figure-8 of black rubber on the pavement. This, after the brand was allegedly denied permission by the city. The brand apologized and sent a crew to clean up after itself while the city’s mayor took to Facebook to bash it , saying the stunt endangered lives and “could have been without exaggeration tragic.”