News Roundup: The new VW ID.4, a very expensive Rolls-Royce 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: The new VW ID.4, a very expensive Rolls-Royce and more Back to video

Behind the wheel of the Volkswagen ID.4

Is this the start of Volkswagen’s electric revolution? It may not have the swagger of some of the electric Porsches, Teslas, Audis and even Fords already on roads, but the 2021 VW ID.4 may fill a hole in the market left open by the more everyday commuter. The EV arrives in one guise, a base, $44,500 model with a 82 KwH battery good for a 400 km range (a figure that stood up to our various tests) and 201 horsepower. That will be followed up in a few months by an AWD model with a 302-horsepower setup. For a more in-depth look at the new electric VW, read David Booth’s  review . 

Caught on camera: Careless weaver causes highway rollover

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A semi truck travelling on the 401 North of Toronto captured a harrowing accident on its dashcam . Somehow nobody was seriously injured in the incident, which was caused by a black sedan that attempted a speedy and too-close pass. The car ended up swerving and hitting the rear end of a pickup truck in the adjacent lane, causing it to turn sideways and begin flipping down the highway. “Your day can go from ordinary to extraordinary in an instant,” the OPP tweet reads. The driver was charged with careless driving.

This bespoke Rolls-Royce Boat Tail may be the most expensive new car

Rolls-Royce has introduced a new Coachbuild division and its first product to go with it, which may be the world’s most expensive new car. The new wing will build three Boat Tails, each unique to the customer but inspired by the boat-tailed R-Rs of the 1930s and featuring a wooden deck that opens up to reveal a “hosting suite,” or yacht-side picnic parlour for the super rich. Rolls-Royce hasn’t divulged how much the three-off will cost, but a blogger who was granted a tour claims the commission ran around £20 million ($34.2 million). It may be the first uber-pricey car from Rolls-Royce Coachbuild, but it likely won’t be the last. 

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Everything we DON’T know about the Ford F-150 Lightning

Ford has seemingly designed an electric pickup truck for the masses, and in doing so, volunteered to be the guinea pig for the segment. What we do know about the Lightning suggests it’s up to the task, but it’s what we don’t know that concerns Motor Mouth’s David Booth. The man has questions! Like, what sort of batteries will it have? Because we know what they’ll do in range, power output, and even special capabilities like powering an entire home, but their size or operating voltage remain unknown. What does this obvious omission of details mean? Click here to learn about Booth’s theory as to why Ford has kept mum on the battery front.   

Vincentric releases Best Value Award list

Value isn’t measured with the information on a price tag alone. Vincentric’s annual list of new Canadian vehicles with top value is determined by weighing eight factors including depreciation, fees and taxes, fuel, insurance, maintenance, and repairs. By averaging these costs, the brand is able to put various vehicle trims at various mileage intervals on a “value” scale that provides insight into the true cost of ownership. Check it out if you’re on the market! Shoppers can use the guide to view graphs and see how vehicles stack up against the competition in various categories.