Of course you do. Who could forget that pint-sized bruiser? The Honda Fit was the king of squeezing big practicality into a tiny package, all while sipping fuel like it was rationed. It was easy to love – until America collectively fell in love with crossovers and forgot about hatchbacks.

But here’s something surprising: outside the US, the Fit is called the Jazz. And if that sounds unusual, the Jazz name was once used for something completely different – a diesel-powered SUV built for off-roading.

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Let us explain. The Fit and Jazz hatchbacks became known for their smart design, small size, and everyday practicality. But the Jazz name actually goes back further. Before the hatchback, Honda used it for a sturdy little 4WD that seemed more at home on a muddy trail than in a grocery store parking lot.

Flashback to October 16, 1993: Honda needed something to plug a gap in its lineup. But this wasn’t just a hatchback with some chunky tires bolted on. Nope, this Jazz was basically an Isuzu in Honda clothing.

The Honda Fit and Jazz Connection

The Honda Fit arrived in 2001 and quickly became known as a small car that could do a lot. In most countries outside the US, it was called the Jazz. So, depending on where you lived, you drove either a Fit or a Jazz, but they were the same smart hatchback.

What made it special was its practical interior, fuel-efficient engines, and small size that made parking easy. It was a smart alternative to larger family cars, without making you sacrifice space for your belongings or friends – and fun to drive, too. We just wish Honda finds it in their hearts to bring back the nameplate.

But here’s the twist: the Jazz name had already been used on a totally different Honda, long before the first Fit ever rolled off the line. That original Jazz was on a mission that had nothing to do with sipping fuel or city driving.

The Honda Jazz Was Actually an Isuzu Mu

Back in the early ’90s, Japan was wild about recreational vehicles. The Mitsubishi Pajero and Toyota Hilux Surf were flying off lots, but Honda? They didn’t have a true off-roader to throw into the mix.

So Honda did what any resourceful carmaker would do: it borrowed from its friends. Rover helped out with the Crossroad, and Isuzu stepped in with the Mu.

So in October 1993, the Honda Jazz hit the scene – a rebadged Isuzu Mu, right down to its compact SUV shape and part-time 4WD. The changes? Mostly skin-deep: a new grille, some different wheels, Honda badges, fresh paint, and a few tweaks inside.

Under the hood, you got a 3.1-liter turbo-diesel four-cylinder with 118 horsepower and 200 lb-ft of torque. Buyers could pick between a five-speed manual or a four-speed auto – take your pick.

The Isuzu Mu first showed up in 1989 as a compact two-seater, but it soon got more body styles. Thanks to its ladder-frame chassis and tough bones, it was a real-deal off-roader – not just a crossover playing dress-up.

Honda’s badge-engineering phase didn’t last long. Soon enough, they rolled out their own hits: Odyssey, CR-V, Step Wagon – the works. These homegrown models let Honda ride the SUV wave without leaning on anyone else’s hardware.

So next time you see a Honda Jazz zipping around town, remember: that name once belonged to a diesel-chugging, four-wheel-drive SUV. Talk about a split personality.

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Kia’s Canadian Lineup

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According to Kia Canada COO Elias El-Achhab, speaking to Automotive News, the move was “just a bonus” when Ottawa cut its tariff on Chinese-built EVs from 100 percent to 6.1 percent, capped at 49,000 vehicles in the first year. His plan is to be “the first affordable EV brand in the country,” winning on what he calls a “value equation” that pairs a low price with the features buyers want.

Kia launched the EV3 in August at CAD $39,744, about $27,800 at recent exchange rates, and called it the lowest-priced EV on the market. That claim is already under pressure, because a Shanghai-built Tesla Model 3 now starts at approximately CAD $40,000. Kia also sells the EV4 from CAD $38,995 (about $27,300) and the EV5 midsize SUV from CAD $43,495 (about $30,500). El-Achhab says about 90 percent of EV buyers stay with EVs and that EV3 and EV5 orders are already backed up.

The American Version

U.S. shoppers have a thinner menu. Kia has delayed the EV4 for the United States indefinitely and has no plans to sell the EV5 here. The 2027 EV3 starts at $29,890, and the range runs from 221 miles in the base trim to up to 321 miles with the larger 81.4-kWh battery. It also has a built-in NACS port for Tesla Superchargers. That makes it one of the cheapest EVs on sale in America, but it faces none of the Chinese rivals heading to Canada, and Americans still can’t buy those cars.

What We Don’t Know

We aren’t yet sure about exactly which Chinese models will come to Canada or what they will cost. BYD has started compliance work for two passenger cars and plans six dealerships, per reports. Until prices land, Kia’s confidence is a bet that buyers will pay for brand and support, not just the lowest number on the sticker.

When the next-gen Tesla Roadster finally debuted, it completely shattered conventional automotive reveals. Instead of simply rolling onto a stage, the prototype climbed a wall, executed a ramp-less flying kickflip, and boasted a zero-to-60 mph sprint in under a single second. It felt more like a sci-fi movie than a car launch.

To pull off the wall-climbing stunt, the vehicle essentially operates as a massive vacuum on wheels. By utilizing four 20-kilowatt fans to suck air from beneath a sealed aerodynamic skirt, the car generates an 11.5% vacuum. This creates roughly 10,360 pounds of artificial downforce, more than enough suction to comfortably keep a 4,400-pound vehicle glued to the ceiling without breaking a sweat.

Yes, It IS Rocket Science

While the stunts seemed like pure marketing magic, the underlying math actually checks out. According to the deep dive by Engineering Explained in the video above, the Roadster’s flying capabilities are firmly rooted in real-world physics. The kickflip relies on composite storage tanks holding 550 pounds of highly compressed nitrogen at a staggering 10,000 psi. By routing this cold gas through ten strategically placed thrusters, the system generates a massive 18,000 pounds of thrust, giving the car enough lift to physically hover for several seconds.

The acceleration math is equally staggering. The flagship “Rocket” trim utilizes a massive 158-gallon nitrogen capacity to generate up to 5.5 Gs of acceleration, yielding a theoretical 0-to-60 mph time of just 0.55 seconds. When combined with reports that the Roadster targets 330 mph for the production car speed record, it makes total sense why even the Ferrari CEO gave the reveal a perfect 10 out of 10.

The math confirms the car has enough onboard nitrogen to sustain a hover for about 6.7 seconds. Given that the kickflip stunt only lasted around four seconds, the flight capability is absolutely legit. It’s an incredible display of cross-pollinated tech, leading many to wonder if the flying Roadster reveal was actually a SpaceX ad cleverly disguised as a car launch.

It Was Quite the Show

The engineering equations unequivocally validate Tesla’s jaw-dropping stunts, but proving a concept on stage is vastly different from delivering a reliable mass-market vehicle. For instance, the fans and aerodynamic skirts required for extreme downforce will be substantial wear items, constantly dragging on the asphalt and ingesting fine road debris. Owners would regularly need to replace these complex components to maintain the car’s gravity-defying parlor tricks.

Tesla has a notoriously spotty track record of delivering on initial promises, from the Cybertruck’s missing seating configurations to long-delayed battery extenders. The physics behind the air thrusters and sub-second sprint times are mathematically sound, proving the engineering team certainly did their homework. Until this rocket-equipped supercar actually lands in a customer’s driveway with all its advertised features intact, maintaining a healthy dose of skepticism is the most logical approach.

Moe, owner of the Tech Moe channel, recently bought a new Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport. He then took delivery of the vehicle and started his two-hour journey home from the dealer. Moe was excited to drive home, but about a mile away from the dealership, the car lost all electrical power, refused to restart, and trapped him inside.

What should have been an exciting ride home turned into the setup for a thriller film. Moe eventually found the mechanical door latch and got out. After he stepped out and tried to figure out what was wrong with the car, the door closed on him, leaving him locked out on the side of the highway.

Eventually, two policemen helped him; one had a Corvette at home and helped Moe find the mechanical keyhole and regain access to the interior. The second officer drove down to the dealership, but it was closed by the time he got there.

The Issue

Moe then contacted OnStar to confirm that the car that he just bought wasn’t stolen. After that, the car started without a problem, and Moe drove it home. When asked by his fans why he couldn’t film the ordeal, he said he is a tech reviewer, not a vlogger, so his first response was to get it sorted out, not film it.

To figure out what went wrong, Moe contacted the dealership near his home to replicate the problem. The thing is, the Corvette Grand Sport worked normally, and technicians couldn’t replicate the issue. With help from OnStar representatives, they determined that the car’s computer network failed to register the key fob during the remote start sequence.

This then caused errors in the anti-theft system’s code, which then caused the Corvette to go completely limp. The errors occurred because the remote start sequence was done with another key fob inside the trunk. As a result, the system glitched out and became totally unresponsive.

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Nothing To Fix Here

So I guess it’s exactly like one of those situations where you just need a hard reset, like your phone or your WiFi. It’s kind of worrying that a small software glitch can cause a ton of headaches, and even more worrying that it was a completely brand-new car that ended up with this error.

You’d think companies would have figured these things out by now, but anyway, at least it’s sorted. Since the incident, Moe was able to get his car well protected with paint protection film, a ceramic coating on the wheels, and even a Uniden R8 radar detector.

Fiat has lately been tapping into micromobility with models like the Topolino, a two-seater microcar with limited road access. If this venture becomes more commercially successful, it could carve a different path for Fiat, which may be especially crucial in the U.S., where the brand sold just 54 passenger vehicles in Q3 2026.

The Topolino certainly has its target demographic, but expanding the micromobility lineup with a model that offers more seating could broaden its appeal. That’s exactly what the new Multiplina Concept is hinting at. Riding on an extended version of the Topolino’s electric platform, the Multiplina Concept, inspired by the 1956 600 Multipla, can seat up to four while retaining compact proportions. While the vehicle could be a go-to option for short trips like grocery runs, bringing the concept to production comes with challenges.

Not Without Headwinds

The press release didn’t touch on production plans. But according to Autocar, which spoke to Fiat’s head of design, François Leboine, the Multiplina Concept – which measures 3.04 meters (10 feet) long, 1.4 meters (4.6 feet) wide, and 1.53 meters (5 feet) high – is now “close to production.” The problem is that the Multiplina is being developed for Europe’s L7e classification, which covers lightweight four-wheel vehicles subject to different regulations than conventional passenger cars.

Under the L7e classification, passenger quadricycles must not weigh more than 450 kg (992 lbs) in running order, just 25 kg (55 lbs) more than the L6e limit that applies to the Topolino. But because the Multiplina essentially adopts the Topolino’s platform while adding more seating and a larger battery, Leboine said the production version must shed weight to meet the L7e limit.

In the U.S., safety regulations for tiny vehicles are different. A comparable category is called low-speed vehicles (LSVs), which are limited to a top speed of 25 mph. The L7e classification under which the Multiplina is being developed allows speeds of up to 56 mph, so if Fiat develops the vehicle to approach that limit, it would exceed U.S. LSV regulations. The Italian marque would then have to either limit its speed or meet the more stringent federal safety standards that apply to conventional passenger cars.

Filling the Small Gap

If the Multiplina Concept goes into production, it would slot between the Topolino and 500e. For reference, the Topolino is already available in the U.S. with a starting price of $13,995, excluding destination charges, while the 500e starts at $35,700.

Given Fiat’s underwhelming U.S. sales, the brand’s growing micromobility lineup could provide a breath of fresh air. If the Multiplina reaches American shores, it would compete with offerings from companies like Waev and Chip Motors. Moreover, with much of Stellantis’ attention in North America focused on Ram and Jeep, Fiat carving out a niche of its own could present a much-needed opportunity.

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High Tariffs? Build Here Instead

Ever since the Trump administration increased tariffs on foreign automakers, the automotive landscape hasn’t been the same. Most brands competing in the major U.S. market have been trying to find ways to survive and stay competitive. One reason why the current government increased the tariffs was to convince more of these car makers to build their cars in the U.S. instead.

One major car brand has just called the administration’s bluff, with a major announcement concerning local American production.

Audi to Build In America

Audi just announced that it’s set to build a $4 billion assembly and manufacturing plant in Georgia. This new facility is set to produce 200,000 SUVs annually and will also generate more vital American jobs. Moreover, the brand says that this new investment is part of a long-term strategy for profitable growth as well as showing its focus on customers’ needs.

This will mark a major milestone for the Audi brand, as it will be its first assembly facility in the U.S. According to Audi Chairman of the Board Gernot Doellner, “We have much greater ambitions for Audi in America. The United States is one of the world’s most important premium markets, and we have not yet realized our full potential. We are determined to change that — with premium products, a stronger brand and a competitive local production base. This is about building a stronger Audi business in America — not only about building a factory.”

Audi says the plant will create 4,500 new jobs, with construction set to begin next year and production expected to start in the early 2030s. A U.S. official said that the new Georgia plant will produce the Q7, Q8, and Q9 SUVs. Furthermore, Audi also has plans to build 25,000 cars per year in South Carolina. The South Carolina facility is for the Scout brand, another Volkswagen subsidiary, and will cost $2 billion.

The Cost Of Tariffs

Just last year, Trump’s tariffs cost Audi $1.4 billion because it brings most of its vehicles to the U.S. market from Mexico or Europe. Sales also haven’t been so good in the past two years; in the first half of this year, sales slipped 7%, and 2026 sales are already down 16%. US Senator Bernie Moreno, an Ohio Republican, said that Audi’s major investment in Georgia would never have happened without tariffs or without eliminating California’s ability to regulate fuel economy standards.

Partnerships between major carmakers are becoming the norm, with an ever-evolving industry and never-ending competition. This has forced the established automakers to rethink their business models and strategies, leading them not away but into each other’s arms.

BMW and Rimac are two very successful companies in their own right; this year, they decided to band together, and it seems more cars forged from this partnership are on their way.

The More The Merrier

The partnership between the two brands is set to expand beyond the already announced 2027 BMW i7. Rimac founder Mate Rimac told Automotive News that two more models are in the partnership.

“There are two more cars in the pipeline that we are doing, but I can’t provide additional details yet,” Rimac told the publication.

The i7 is the first car to feature Rimac technology, and it shows the Croatian automaker’s ability to meet BMW’s strict standards for cost, quality, production capacity, and performance. At this point, we can only speculate that BMW’s Neue Klasse cars are the prime candidates for Rimac’s EV technology.

Multi-Year Audition

Rimac, being the outspoken person he is, admitted that it took time to win over the BMW partnership. He said it took them 3 years of development work, and as with anything in the automotive industry, many suppliers, along with Rimac, were bidding for the spot. To stand out, Rimac made a bold move before securing the contract from BMW.

When brand representatives visited the Rimac campus, he showed them where their production line would be. He bet on building the facility to meet BMW’s production requirements even before securing the contract, showing his and the brand’s commitment to the partnership. As a fun fact, this partnership marks a full-circle moment for Rimac, whose first EV project was converting an old E30 into a full EV.

Under the current partnership, Rimac helped BMW integrate cylindrical battery cells into the i7 for the mid-cycle facelift. This achievement pairs the Gen6 technology with a Gen5 module design, delivering a 20% increase in battery energy density. In effect, the reworked technology with Rimac gives the updated i7 an additional 75 miles for a new total of over 452 miles. As a fun fact, this partnership marks a full-circle moment for Rimac.

It has been about six years since the Chevrolet Corvette switched to a mid-engine layout with the C8 generation. The shift suggests that the automaker is willing to rewrite some of the iconic nameplate’s signature elements to push the envelope. This raises the question of what changes could arrive with the C9.

Thanks to The Drive, which interviewed Corvette chief engineer Tony Roma, there’s now a better idea of what’s to come. Despite adopting a mid-engine layout, the next-gen Corvette won’t try to compete against Ferrari and Lamborghini on pricing. This means the nameplate should retain a relatively affordable price point, even as the entry-level Stingray now starts at $71,300, before destination, for the 2027 model year.

How Much Is Too Much?

That’s a $13,800 increase, including destination charges, compared to when the C8 generation debuted in 2020. Roma was likely referring to the base models, considering that the lineup has already expanded with unprecedented variants that push pricing to levels never seen in previous generations. Chief among these is the Corvette ZR1X, which starts at around $227,700, approaching the price range of the Porsche 911 GT3.

With Chevrolet considering an all-electric version, pricing could also increase due to the development costs of an electric architecture, along with EV hardware such as electric motors and a high-voltage battery.

This cost-conscious approach will remain a priority even as the development team looks to improve the C9’s performance over the current model. That likely means sticking with a dual-clutch transmission instead of developing a manual gearbox, which the C8 has never offered from the factory. Tremec has developed an aftermarket manual gearbox, but Roma is skeptical of the solution, saying that making a gearbox fit is one thing, while validating it for production and meeting emissions requirements is another.

The Road to C9

Only time will tell what the final pricing of the Corvette C9 will be. But that information likely won’t emerge anytime soon, as the current model was recently updated for the 2027 model year. The update brought two new variants – the Grand Sport and Grand Sport X (which replaces the E-Ray) – along with a new engine from General Motors’ sixth-generation small-block V8 family. The entire range also received a $300 price hike earlier this month.

If Chevy retains a relatively affordable price tag for the next-gen Corvette, buyers could still cross-shop it with performance rivals in a similar price range, including the Ford Mustang Dark Horse and BMW M2.

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AMG has been responsible for Mercedes-Benz’s factory high-performance cars for over 30 years now. The two companies signed a co-op agreement in 1990, with the first jointly-developed model being the W202 C36 AMG being presented in 1993. From there, the partnership became a majority stake, and eventually, a full merger.

But before all of that happened, AMG was an independent shop building fast Benzes much like how Alpina was with BMWs. Even before the co-op and merger, the company had built legendary cars such as the 560 SEC AMG Widebody, 190E 3.2 AMG, the 300 SEL 6.8 AMG race car, and the car simply known as The Hammer.

Meanwhile, at HWA

HWA has long been associated with Mercedes-Benz and AMG. Indeed, one of its co-founders is none other than Hans Werner Aufrecht, the A in AMG. It was created as a spin-off racing division of the brand, and one can say it’s close to being a works operation in several racing categories.

Established in 1998, HWA is more than a race team. It also does high-performance motorsport engineering, race car development, and low-volume sports cars. Its most recent creation is the HWA Evo, a fully reimagined and modernized version of the 190E 2.5-16 Evo II that ruled DTM and several other racing leagues.

The HWA Evo recently embarked on the 24 Hours of Nurburgring, taking second and third in class with all three entries going the distance. If anything, it proves that HWA is no mere restomodder, as the cars can talk the talk and walk the walk.

…And For its Next Trick

The company has proven that it can build truly reliable (and robust) bespoke cars with the Evo. However, HWA’s exploits in building highly specialized road cars won’t be a one-and-done deal, as shown by its most recent teaser.

HWA isn’t revealing much right now, and it won’t even give a peep of its name. That said, if anyone’s familiar with classic Benzes, the outline of the car shown in the teaser might look familiar. In our eyes at least, the silhouette resembles that of a W124, the midsize model that would eventually be called the E-Class.

But this is HWA we’re talking about here. Given that it turned the 190E into a modern track weapon that can be driven on the streets, we’re inclined to believe that it will soon build a modern-day interpretation of the AMG Hammer. Of course, it’s not official yet, and we’ll have to wait for the reveal to confirm it.

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High Expectations

If it’s the AMG Hammer reimagined, we have pretty high expectations. Besides, HWA set the bar pretty high with the Evo. The original Hammer dropped in 1986, and it was a Series 124 Mercedes that had a highly tuned 5.6-liter V8 from the 560 SEL. The result of that was 355 hp and 388 lb-ft of torque, figures previously unheard of in a midsize German car.

AMG then upped the ante in 1988 by upsizing the engine to 6.0 liters. The larger displacement meant 385 hp and 420 lb-ft, effectively setting the blueprint for future E-Class-based AMG models. Sure, those numbers don’t sound like much in today’s realm of performance sedans, but they were groundbreaking at the time and more than enough to shock supercars from the same era.

With that, we’re expecting supercar performance from the supposed modern-day Hammer by HWA. But instead of scaring Countaches and Testarossas, it should be able to chase Revueltos and 849 Testarossas.

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Very rarely do we see certain individuals work well past age 60 these days; the goal of retirement is all too present on every worker’s mind. That fact is even more evident for blue-collar workers who expend physical energy daily, which sure wears down their bodies faster over time.

Some individuals, though, make work their lives and dedicate most of their time to toiling away. Ford just highlighted one such individual: a man who has dedicated himself to his work and isn’t slowing down just yet.

60 Years at Ford

Ford in Dagenham, U.K., is celebrating one of its most dedicated (almost lifelong) employees. Eddie O’Brien first joined the Ford workforce in Dagenham in 1966, and his incredible career with Ford has outlasted 13 different Prime Ministers. He started in 1966 as an apprentice, but eventually moved to the Heavy Equipment Repair department in 1973.

O’Brien recalled that his career started at Ford, beginning with him attending the Ford Trade School. He says his first role was at the River Plant, then he moved to the Central Repair shop. He eventually became a Mechanical Maintenance Craftsman and has been in the same role ever since. He recalls one standout moment when he was asked to help with the Ford GT40 project at the Heritage Center, and they thanked him by giving him a plaque with a part from a blown GT40 engine.

The machine shop is affectionately known as “Eddie’s Shop,” and there’s even a joke that some of the tools in his shop are much older than his current workmates. Eddie says one thing he remembers well from his first day at work was that new employees in his department were tasked with building and buying their own toolboxes. He explains that back then he made $26 a week (converted) but had to spend nearly half of it building his toolbox.

Past, Present, Future

Eddie says one of the major workplace changes over the years has been improved safety. He also mentions that he’s always been a fan of the Ford brand, having had multiple models throughout his remarkable career. When asked how he stayed at it for so long, O’Brien said physical health is important, and he’s stayed fit by cycling and keeping his body moving. Sadly, he acknowledges that his time with Ford is coming to an end, stating he isn’t as flexible as he used to be, and the physicality of the job is taking its toll.

The initial wave of mass-market electric vehicles has officially reached its senior years. Early pioneers like the first-generation Nissan Leaf and Renault Zoe are aging out of their factory warranties, forcing owners to confront the reality of long-term battery degradation. While some outliers have proven these packs can last incredibly long, most early adopters are now looking for viable, cost-effective replacement options to keep their daily commuters on the road.

For years, skeptics pointed to massive out-of-pocket battery costs as the ultimate downfall of the electric transition. However, industry data suggests that a massive replacement bill might not be the financial death sentence critics originally predicted. Instead of sending these aging cars straight to the scrapyard, the influx of retiring packs is actively birthing an entirely new secondary industry. What was once a highly niche, experimental repair space is rapidly morphing into a massive global aftermarket business.

The Billion-Dollar Aftermarket

According to a recent report from Automotive News, the electric vehicle battery aftermarket is finally moving from the shadows to the mainstream. Felix Wagner, CEO of the German clean-tech company Circunomics, projects that this secondary space could account for 10 to 20 percent of the total EV battery market within the next five years. Research indicates the global EV aftermarket will explode to between $100 billion and $216 billion by the mid-2030s, with battery packs as the largest and fastest-growing segment of that pie.

This shift is going to drastically alter how independent repair shops operate. Currently, complex service wait times can be agonizing because of a fragmented parts supply. Wagner points out that independent mechanics will face a wildly heterogeneous supply chain, tearing down a Tesla module in the morning and a Renault pack in the afternoon. Because these random, mixed-brand batteries cannot be easily bundled for large-scale grid storage projects, they will flow directly into the local independent aftermarket to keep older vehicles running.

Dealing With the Surplus

Beyond just aging vehicles, automakers themselves are inadvertently feeding this emerging aftermarket through massive inventory miscalculations. Many legacy manufacturers severely overestimated consumer demand and bought far more battery packs than they could realistically put into production. Now, they are sitting on stockpiles of idle, degrading batteries inside massive warehouses. This oversupply is costing the industry hundreds of millions of euros, heavily contributing to the sales floor pushback as automakers scramble to clear out stagnant electric inventory.

These batteries will find three distinct second lives. Wagner estimates that about half of the reusable supply will be diverted into stationary grid energy storage, assuming the modules are uniform enough. Roughly 30 percent will head straight to the recycling shredder. The remainder will filter directly down to independent mechanics for consumer vehicle use. While general maintenance costs for electrics remain complex, this massive influx of cheap, second-hand battery modules from both aging cars and overzealous automakers could finally make long-term EV ownership financially sustainable.

Ford’s latest promotional campaign, “The Raptor Origin Story,” takes enthusiasts back to the mid-2000s to highlight how a crazy engineering idea became a massive automotive movement. According to the automaker’s recent retrospective, a small group of Ford Racing engineers decided to abandon the traditional street-performance playbook. Instead of just slapping larger tires on a standard 4×4, they asked if they could legitimately build a desert race truck that carried a full factory warranty. They turned to the unforgiving Baja desert for inspiration, deliberately breaking test mules and twisting steel driveshafts to expose structural weaknesses.

That grueling development cycle birthed the first-generation F-150 Raptor in 2008, cementing a legacy that continues to influence the modern truck market. The development team partnered with Fox to bring internal-bypass shock technology to production. The campaign includes a short video starring Jon Bernthal, who fittingly portrayed former Ford executive Lee Iacocca in the film Ford v Ferrari. Directed by Ben Affleck, the film celebrates those early engineers who pushed through skepticism to deliver a truck that could legitimately tackle dunes right off the showroom floor.

Evolving the Off-Road Lineup

Since those early Baja test runs, the appetite for high-speed desert runners has only grown. The movement that started with a single half-ton truck has rapidly expanded across the corporate portfolio. Executives have heavily hinted that new Raptor models are continuously in the pipeline, ensuring buyers across different vehicle segments can access this specific brand of factory capability. The engineering philosophy remains the same: overbuild the suspension and give buyers the confidence to push their vehicles hard in the dirt.

That expansion includes significant powertrain upgrades for the midsize segment. Recent order guides indicate that the upcoming Ranger gets bigger engine options, swapping the standard 2.7-liter for a more potent 3.0-liter EcoBoost V6. For buyers with deeper pockets and an insatiable need for power, the flagship Shelby American version of the F-150 Raptor R pushes the platform to its absolute supercharged limits, proving that the original Baja spirit is still thriving.

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Capability Comes at a Cost

Owning one of these purpose-built desert runners comes with an undeniable lifestyle appeal. At events like the recent Raptor Rally in Arizona, hundreds of owners gather to share trail stories and push their trucks through harsh terrain. The community aspect is a massive draw, creating a shared bond among drivers who appreciate the sheer mechanical excess of a vehicle designed to survive the Baja 1000. It is incredibly easy to watch Bernthal sliding through the dirt in the campaign video and immediately conclude that you need one of these trucks in your driveway right now.

However, that extreme capability carries a massive financial burden at the pump. While the suspension handles deep ruts with ease, the fuel economy is notoriously brutal for daily commuting. As one frustrated EV convert recently noted, the annual charging costs for a Lightning equal just a single month of fueling a gas-guzzling Raptor. Still, for enthusiasts completely captivated by the roar of a V8 and the thrill of high-speed desert running, that painful fuel bill is just the necessary cost of admission.

The study and scrutiny of self-driving cars remain a hot topic in the automotive industry. We’ve reached a point where it is an accepted aspect of modern motoring, but it still has flaws that give skeptics fuel to oppose the idea. In terms of mandates, the global automotive regulators have, in their own way, tried to define self-driving vehicles in their own terms, making rules stricter in the name of safety for all road users.

In the U.S., autonomous driving vehicles are more widely accepted than anywhere else in the world, but that hasn’t stopped people from crying foul over the technology’s shortcomings. Rules continue to be proposed, here and there, with a new one coming from the NHTSA that might make sense in the long run.

Distinguisable

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) just announced a proposal to “modernize lighting equipment requirements for vehicles designed to be driven exclusively by automated driving systems (ADS) and standardize performance criteria for identifying marker lamps on ADS-equipped vehicles.” Basically, the agency wants to make it easier to distinguish vehicles that have and use automated driving systems.

Here are the proposed new rules by the agency:

• ADS-Equipped Vehicle Flexibility: Modernizes manual turn signal, hazard warning, and beam-switching control requirements for vehicles operated only by ADS.
• Standardized ADS Marker Lamps: Establishes equipment specifications—including color (cyan), mounting locations, activation, and visibility—for optional ADS marker lamps to clearly and consistently signal to law enforcement and other road users when an automated driving system is operating the vehicle.
• Headlamp Testing Modernization: Modernizes the rigid 12.8-volt test requirement for integral beam headlamps, allowing manufacturers to certify performance at design voltages tailored to long-lasting LED and advanced lighting systems.
• Design Flexibility for Vertical Headlamps: Removes outdated requirements dictating the vertical ordering of lower and upper headlamp beams, giving manufacturers greater freedom in front-end design without impacting vehicle safety or illumination standards.

NHTSA Administrator Jonathan Morrisson said that the newly proposed mandates will address “unnecessary regulatory burdens for vehicles built without traditional manual controls while establishing clear performance standards for automated vehicle marker lamps.”

NHTSA’s Been Busy

Beyond the latest proposal, NHTSA has already been busy updating what it deems outdated mandates. Most recently, it has been working to modernize Federal Motor Vehicle Standards and improve exemption programs for research and development. We also covered NHTSA’s newly proposed mandates to improve vehicle lighting standards.

These new models seem to be a big success so far as Volkswagen Group has received almost 150,000 orders for its Electric Urban Car Family, which also includes the Cupra Raval and Skoda Epiq, all of which are based on the MEB+ platform.

VW’s $22,500 EV May Be Named ID. Up

But there’s still room below these models—the ID. Polo starts at €25,000 ($28,000) and the ID. Cross starts at €28,000 ($31,400)—and Volkswagen knows it. That’s why a more affordable model is in the works, and it’s coming in a few months in Europe.

We’re talking about the production version of the ID. Every1 concept city car, which is expected to have a base price of €20,000 (the equivalent of around $22,500 at the current exchange rate).

The new EV was initially expected to adopt the ID.1 badge, but it looks like Volkswagen has had a change of heart and will go for the ID.Up name instead. According to Electrifying, Volkswagen brand boss Thomas Schäfer has confirmed that the production version of the ID. Every1 concept “will not be called the VW ID.1 or VW ID. Every1.”

While he stopped short of confirming the car’s actual name, he would neither confirm nor deny when Electrifying suggested that it might be called the VW ID. Up. Naming the electric city car like this would be consistent with Volkswagen’s recent electric models that received names derived from established ICE models, such as the ID. Polo and ID. Tiguan. The ID. Up name would also establish it as a successor to the e-Up! electric city car.

ID. Up to Bridge the Gap Between the Old e-Up! and New ID. Polo

Schäfer recently said the ID. Every1 coming next year is “the last piece of the puzzle” as the automaker will then offer broad model lineup in the volume segment.

The new ID. Up will help Volkswagen fend off fierce competition from Chinese automakers, which have taken the European market by storm, achieving almost 15% market share in September. It will also enable VW to compete with electric city cars like the Renault Twingo, the new Dacia Spring, and the new BYD Dolphin Surf.

At 153 inches (3,880 mm) long, the ID. Up will bridge the gap between the former e-Up! (142 in) and the new ID. Polo (160 in). Despite its tiny footprint, Volkswagen said the ID. Up would offer space for four passengers and 10.8 cubic feet (305 liters) of cargo space.

A 37-kWh LFP Battery and Rivian Infotainment Software

While the automaker has not revealed any battery details yet, the ID. Up is expected to use the same 37-kilowatt-hour LFP pack as the base ID. Polo and ID. Cross. In the ID. Polo, this battery enables a driving range of up to 207 miles (334 km). For the ID. Up, VW has promised at least 155 miles (250 km) of range and a new 70 kW (94 hp) electric motor expected to enable a top speed of 80 mph (130 km/h).

The new ID. Up will also be the first Volkswagen to feature Rivian software. Schäfer told Electrifying that the infotainment system’s functionality “has been developed with the consumer, to find out what they like, what they need in life, and from that it’s translated into functions. It starts with the customer, and so it makes the whole system easier to use.”

The system is said to have a simplified setup that uses fewer ECUs and less wiring to achieve the same job, saving money and weight while also allowing for better over-the-air software updates.

The new ID. Up will be built in Portugal, at the Palmela plant near Setubal. The site, which is also known as Autoeuropa, currently builds the T-Roc crossover. As with the ID. Polo and ID. Cross, the ID. Up won’t make it to the United States either.

Part of turning over a car to a repair shop can involve a test drive, allowing mechanics to evaluate whether problems have been fixed. But apparently, some test drives don’t go according to plan, as seen in an incident involving a Mercedes-Benz C300 earlier this year, where a technician brought the car to a bar as part of a so-called “extended test drive.”

Now, a similar incident has occurred in Los Angeles, this time involving an Audi Q5 that’s reportedly 13 years old, making it a late first-gen model. According to Fox 11, the owner, Alicia Good, brought her Q5 to A&E German Car Service in Santa Monica on September 3 for a basic fluid check. Two days later, she called to pick up the vehicle, but the shop told her it would get back to her. A few hours later, she was told the car had been in a crash after a mechanic reportedly took it home.

A Legal Speed Bump

The situation got more complicated after police told Good that it might not count as a criminal matter because she herself had handed the keys over to the shop.

The shop declined to comment to the news outlet, saying only that its insurance company was handling the incident. If the vehicle is declared a total loss and the claim is covered, insurers generally compensate owners based on the vehicle’s pre-crash market value. Since this is reportedly a 13-year-old vehicle, it likely won’t be worth nearly as much as a new Audi Q5, which starts at $53,300 in the U.S.

Still, the incident caused inconvenience, especially for Good, who brought her Q5 in for simple maintenance. The shop did provide her with a rental vehicle in the meantime, though the extent of any compensation has yet to be disclosed.

Keep an Eye on the Miles

Given the uncertainties, Good advised car owners to take photos of their vehicles’ odometers before leaving them at repair shops. This can provide evidence of how far mechanics have driven them during procedures such as test drives. A similar precaution proved useful in a separate incident involving a Honda Odyssey earlier this year, when the minivan’s dashcam captured a mechanic taking it for a joyride. Police also reportedly clocked the vehicle traveling at 87 mph.

Choosing a third-party repair shop over a dealership doesn’t guarantee that mechanics won’t take vehicles on unauthorized drives. This makes finding a trusted mechanic all the more important, especially considering how incidents like this Audi Q5 crash can turn a simple maintenance visit into a costly ordeal.

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Mitsubishi is almost ready to launch its newest and quickest model to date, the ASX VR-e, an all-electric crossover that will be the quickest-accelerating vehicle in the Japanese brand’s stable in Australia.

The pre-launch details show that Mitsubishi’s planned top-spec GSR trim level for the ASX VR-e will be capable of accelerating from 0 to 62 miles per hour in just 3.9 seconds, making it the fastest-accelerating car in the brand’s modern lineup. It achieves this with a set pair of motors, one in the front and one in the back, effectively making the ASX VR-e all-wheel-drive and giving Mitsubishi license to bring up the (still dead) Evolution heritage.

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No, this is not an Evo Crossover

Fortunately or unfortunately, the Evo hasn’t made a comeback yet, but Mitsubishi knows the company and its fans haven’t forgotten the legendary performance line after all these years. Mitsubishi Motors Australia’s Chief Executive, Shunichi Kihara, said the company will keep its Evo heritage “in some shape or form,” he told Australian automotive media, including Drive.

That “shape or form” will be the ASX VR-e, and Mitsubishi is pulling a few bits of heritage from the past. Before we write this off as Mitsubishi ruining a nostalgic name, this is not a successor to the Lancer Evolution. Instead, the brand is taking a few bits and pieces from its rally-racing archives, plus a few key acronyms and names from its historic nomenclature, to build a story around what will become the highest-performing vehicle in the modern Mitsubishi lineup.

Take, for instance, the “VR-e” in the name. Sounds familiar? Remember the Mitsubishi Galant VR-4? Before the Lancer, Mitsubishi had the Galant, and it was also a rally legend in its own right up until a smaller body was needed. Digging a little deeper reveals a trim level called the “GSR,” which will be the high-performance variant in the lineup. This calls back to the Lancer Evolution GSR variants present throughout several Evo generations.

Furthermore, the brand has noted that the ASX VR-e GSR’s torque split changes in sport mode. From 50:50 under normal mode to 30:70 in sport mode. The intent here is to make things fun and exciting, as noted by Tim Clarke, Mitsubishi Australia’s product manager. Clarke also pointed out the connection between the ASX VR-e’s name and the Galant VR-4.

Also of note, more affordable ASX VR-e models will be sold, and the lower variants will have a single electric motor and produce 229 horsepower and 258 ft-lbs of torque. Meanwhile, the GSR trim will make 458 horsepower and 516 ft-lbs of torque. The battery pack will be 57.7 kWh and can DC fast charge at a peak rate of 134 kW.

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EV-olution?

If the ASX VR-e proves successful and demand for a performance version emerges, Mitsubishi is not against reviving the Evo badge. Tim Clarke also mentioned that “at the moment, we’re focused on the core model range. This is a new space for us, a new product, quite different.”

Clarke continued, saying that “we need to make sure we get the fundamentals right for that product, and if it is a success, then we obviously look to build on that and expand it.” Mitsubishi Australia’s CEO, Kihara, also said the company has noticed demand for a performance revival. Japanese Mitsubishi fans are also commenting on that matter.

Back in Japan, in June 2026, Mitsubishi’s current president and COO, Keisuke Kishiura, said the company wants to build another great car, following the formula that made the Lancer Evolution great, and called the Evo and Galant “treasures.”

Before that can happen, Mitsubishi will continue to focus on SUVs in the meantime. It might take a while before we see the next model that will take up the Evolution mantle. Until then, the brand will keep feeding its fans bits and pieces.

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It all kicked off with the Toyota GR Yaris M Concept, which first showed up at last year’s Tokyo Auto Salon. Since then, sightings and credible anecdotes have kept the Celica name buzzing among fans who are desperate for Toyota to bring back another proper sports coupe.

Now, the prototype has popped up again – this time at Japan’s Super Taikyu Championship. And it’s not just a repeat performance: the car’s been seriously reworked, ditching its old look for a coupe body that finally starts to resemble what a modern Celica could be.

Familiar Face, Completely Different Body

At first glance, you’ll spot the familiar GR Yaris face – same headlights up front, similar taillights out back. It even has the Yaris badge at the back. But look closer, and it’s clear: almost everything else has been thrown out and replaced.

According to Best Car, the prototype now sits a whopping 7.9 inches lower and stretches its wheelbase by almost 4 inches. It’s riding on a one-off chassis, too, so the proportions are a world away from your average GR Yaris.

The end result? A coupe that hugs the ground, rocks a wide stance, flared fenders, aggressive aero bits, and a rear wing that looks ready to launch the car into orbit. Up front, there are gaping vents and extra ducting everywhere, all in the name of keeping things cool under pressure.

But it’s not just for show. The first GR Yaris M Concept apparently had a tough time keeping its cool – literally – thanks to its shape. Now, with better airflow, the engine, intercooler, and brakes can finally breathe easy.

There’s an even bigger twist under the skin. Forget the regular GR Yaris’s front-mounted engine – the M Concept shoves its powerplant behind the front seats. The whole point? To see just how much a mid-engine setup can spice up handling and lap times.

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A 400-HP Turbo Engine and More Questions

Under the hood – or rather, behind the seats – you’ll find Toyota’s G20E 2.0-liter turbo four, mounted sideways in the middle. Best Car says it’s still pumping out about 400 horsepower, but now it can actually keep up the pace without overheating.

The engineers have been busy dialing in the handling, too. With torque split roughly 20:80 front to rear, this thing is all about tail-happy antics and carving up corners. Even Toyota boss Akio Toyoda has taken the updated car for a spin. He’s hinted there’s still work to do, so don’t expect a showroom-ready version just yet.

Will this actually turn into the next Celica? Or maybe the MR2? That’s still up in the air. Rumors keep swirling about a rally-bred Toyota coupe with all-wheel drive and a turbo engine, plus talk of both a six-speed manual and an eight-speed GR-DAT auto. But for now, Toyota’s keeping its cards close to the chest.

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With the unprecedented all-electric BMW M3, codenamed ZA0, just around the corner, BMW has been spotted testing the EV on multiple occasions around the Nürburgring in Germany. A recent spy video via PrototypeHunters shows the new M3 driving on public roads, giving a better idea of its proportions and what it would look like in everyday conditions.

When spotted near an Audi SUV, the electric M3 appears to have a wide, muscular stance, with pronounced rear haunches. The camouflage is still on, so design details are hard to pinpoint, though the Neue Klasse design language is undeniable. It looks similar to the concept car, except for the rear end, which looks a bit tamer. But that’s to be expected, given that automakers tend to exaggerate concept car designs to make a stronger visual impression.

A Heavyweight Contender

One of the most noticeable details in the spy video is the gold brake calipers. Although not confirmed yet, this could mean the electric M3 will offer carbon-ceramic brakes, which would help slow a vehicle carrying heavy EV components, such as the confirmed battery pack exceeding 100 kWh. That’s larger than the 84-kWh battery in the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N, another high-performance EV.

The spy video also caught the camouflaged prototype at a BMW facility making what sounded like cooling fan noises. Cooling will be crucial, given its confirmed quad-motor powertrain. What’s not yet disclosed is the horsepower, though reports suggest that the EV could make around 800 to 900 hp. If so, the ZA0 would become the most powerful production M car, beating the 738-hp output of the XM Label.

In addition, the dashboard was briefly captured, showing what appears to be BMW Panoramic Vision, which stretches across the base of the windshield. It’s designed to reduce the need for drivers to look down at the dashboard for essential driving information.

The Best of Both Worlds

The all-electric BMW M3 is expected to debut in 2027. It will sit above the i3, which is scheduled to arrive in the U.S. in the first quarter of 2027, starting at $61,500 before destination charges. The M counterpart should command a higher price.

But the Bavarian automaker isn’t completely shifting the M3 to electric power. The nameplate, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, will later get a gasoline-powered version, potentially with mild-hybrid assistance, while retaining the inline-six engine.

Earlier this month, Volkswagen rolled out a recall for the ID.4 over a potential battery fire risk. Now, Audi is recalling certain Q4 e-tron electric SUVs over a similar concern involving their high-voltage batteries.

According to paperwork filed with the NHTSA last week, Volkswagen Group of America is yanking back 9,048 Audi vehicles in the US. Both the regular Q4 e-tron and the swoopier Sportback are on the list.

The recall is precautionary, with Audi investigating the underlying issue and developing a permanent remedy.

More Than 9,000 Q4 e-tron SUVs Are Affected

The recall covers 7,040 units of the 2024-2025 Audi Q4 e-tron and 2,008 units of the 2024-2025 Q4 Sportback e-tron. The affected vehicles contain high-voltage battery cells from a potentially problematic production batch.

Audi says certain batteries may not meet required quality standards, possibly due to manufacturing deviations. The root cause remains under investigation, and the battery modules were supplied by SK Battery Manufacturing in Hungary.

Here’s where the problem lies: if you charge these batteries past 80%, there’s a chance heat could start hopping from cell to cell, which could end with your SUV going up in smoke.

Audi started poking around after hearing about battery thermal incidents in other Volkswagen Group rides, like the VW ID.4, last month. Digging deeper, they found a batch of Q4 e-trons with the same battery DNA. The good news? No Audi fires, crashes, injuries, or worse – at least not yet.

Audi Is Developing a Fix, but Owners May Need to Limit Charging

Audi hasn’t cracked the code on a permanent fix just yet. If your SUV’s battery checks out, you’re in the clear for now. But if your car’s data is missing or needs a closer look, Audi will tell you to keep charging below 80%. Those rides will also get some extra battery TLC at the dealership. Depending on what turns up, there could be more hoops to jump through. The 80% cap stays until Audi cooks up a real solution or gives the all-clear.

Audi will start sending out heads-up letters to owners by December. VIN lookups went live a few days ago through the NHTSA recall system. For now, punch in your VIN and do whatever Audi or your dealer recommends. Not every recalled SUV needs the 80% cap, so double-check before you start stressing.

Where The Heaviest Snow Is Falling

Sunday brings up to 20 inches of snow to the south slopes of the Western Brooks Range and the Noatak Valley, according to the winter storm warning from NWS Fairbanks. The higher terrain, including Red Dog Mine, is set for 10 to 20 inches, Noatak for 3 to 6 inches, and gusts across the zone reach 55 mph.

The same warning extends to the Upper Kobuk Valley around Kobuk, Shungnak and Ambler, with 4 to 8 inches and gusts to 50 mph. Snow there has already turned to rain or a rain and snow mix on the valley floor, though accumulation continues in the hills north of the Kobuk River.

Red Dog Mine Haul Road

Red Dog, where the forecast puts the deepest snow, sits at one end of a working industrial road. The mine connects to its port on the Chukchi Sea by the DeLong Mountain Transportation System, a 52-mile, 30-foot-wide gravel haul road, according to the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority, which owns it. Teck operates the mine and the road, and a state permitting document describes fuel trucks running continuously between port and mine to keep the site’s diesel engines supplied. The road is closed to the public, and the mine end faces up to 20 inches of snow and gusts to 55 mph through Sunday evening.

Dalton Highway Warning Through Monday

The longer warning covers the south slopes of the Central Brooks Range, including Coldfoot, Wiseman, Chandalar DOT Camp, and the Dalton Highway from Mile Post 165 to Mile Post 232. NWS Fairbanks forecasts 8 to 16 inches in total with gusts to 35 mph, and the warning remains in effect until 2 a.m. ET Tuesday.

Forecasters split the snow into two waves. The first brings 4 to 8 inches into Sunday morning local time, lighter snow follows through Sunday afternoon and night, and the heavier band returns Monday morning with another 4 to 8 inches into the evening. The warning’s own guidance is written for drivers who go anyway: an extra flashlight, food and water in the vehicle, and a check of road conditions through 511 Alaska, online or by dialing 511, before setting out. The state’s winter driving guidance adds keeping the fuel tank above half full, since gas stations may not be open in winter.

Bettles and Allakaket in the Upper Koyukuk Valley run on the same timeline, with 8 to 12 inches and a glaze of ice. Monday plays out differently there, as warmer air is expected to turn afternoon snow to rain that freezes on any surface below freezing, leaving slick conditions early in the week.

Stranded Vehicle Guidance

Both western zones carry the same instruction from NWS Fairbanks: if you get stranded, stay with your vehicle. Alaska’s winter driving guidance, published through the state’s 511 service, sets the threshold for leaving at help that is visible within 100 yards, and warns that a person can become disoriented and lost in blowing and drifting snow.

The state advises running the engine for about 10 minutes each hour, with the heater and dome light on. The exhaust pipe has to stay clear of snow, and a window opened slightly on the downwind side guards against carbon monoxide. For a distress signal, the state recommends a brightly colored cloth tied to the antenna and advises against raising the hood, since a strong gust can snap it and break the windshield, a live risk with gusts forecast at 50 to 55 mph. Shoveling and pushing the car are on the list to avoid as well, because the exertion strains the heart.

The state recommends keeping an emergency kit in the back seat, with flashlights and spare batteries, blankets, a wool cap, sand, a small shovel, booster cables, and tire chains or traction mats.

The Ferrari 12Cilindri is going to be Novitec’s next big reveal. The aftermarket company that loves to tinker and toy with Ferraris, Porsches, Lambos, and other high-end supercars and exotics has just teased the “next chapter of N-Largo.”

What you’re looking at right now is the silhouette of what’s going to be another wild and wide Novitec creation. As one of the premier brands right now in the high-end aftermarket space, this is one launch you’re gonna want to watch if you thought that your Ferrari 12Cilindri was a bit lacking in the width department.

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Coming Soon

Breaking down the teasers, we can pick out a few details from the photos, such as the silhouette of the 12Cilindri. We can see that there is a vague outline of a fender vent over the front wheel arch. Then, out back, we see that Novitec has extended the rear spoiler just enough for us to notice, plus we also see that the brand has highlighted the iconic rear fender of the 12Cilindri, which may make you wonder if the brand did something to change things up in this area.

The next few photos may also give us clues on what Novitec plans to offer for the 12Cilindri, such as engine modifications, a rear diffuser, and aero bits. At this point, we can get a general idea based on what the company also offers for other Ferraris, Lamborghinis, and more.

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A Double Wide Surprise?

The N-Largo name has always been used to denote the exclusive widebody versions of exotics. The Ferrari 812 comes to mind here, as well as the F8 Tributo. Both of these cars received the Novitec N-Largo treatment, and we can expect the N-Largo 12Cilindri to have the same wow factor plus more oomph under the hood.

Doubling back to the teasers, we can see that there are carbon fiber parts in some of the images, particularly the one that showcases the rear diffuser. I expect whatever Novitec does to the 12Cilindri to be done in quality carbon fiber, fitting for a Ferrari.

On top of that, we also expect the V12 engine to be tuned. In its stock configuration, it sings a tune that screams up to 819 horsepower and 500 ft-lbs of torque. At this juncture, I wonder if it will be physically possible for Novitec to tune it to 1,000 horsepower, naturally aspirated. I doubt it, but that would make for a great headline if they did. Though, as seen with its previous V12 escapades, closer to 900 with a full free-flowing exhaust setup and tune is what can be achieved with these modern Ferrari V12s without the aid of a turbo or supercharger.

Where The Heavy Snow Risk Sits

The Days 8 to 14 Hazards Outlook, made October 24 and covering November 1 to 7, outlines two areas with a slight risk of heavy snow. The longer one follows the Cascades from the Canadian border through Washington and Oregon and continues south into California’s Sierra Nevada. The second covers the Colorado Rockies, reaching east to the Front Range around Denver. Compared with the version made two days earlier, the risk in the Rockies has shifted south out of western Wyoming and now centers on Colorado. That fits the pattern private forecasters expect from El Niño this season, with AccuWeather senior meteorologist Chad Merrill noting in the company’s winter forecast that “the primary storm track, particularly in the first part of winter, will be across the southern U.S.”

Farther south, the map shows a moderate risk of heavy precipitation in Arizona and western New Mexico, with lighter risks across the rest of the Southwest, near the Southern California coast and from Texas into the Lower Mississippi Valley. Most of that falls as rain at lower elevations.

The Rest Of The Month Leans Warm

The November outlook, issued October 15 by forecaster Johnna Infanti, expects El Niño to be “the dominant climate driver” through the month. It favors above normal temperatures across the northern two thirds of the Lower 48, with the highest odds in Washington, the interior Northwest, the Northern Plains, the Upper Mississippi Valley and the Great Lakes, and it leans dry from the northern Intermountain West into the Northern Plains and across parts of the Great Lakes. The outlook favors wetter conditions across the southern U.S. and along the East Coast, mostly in the form of rain.

Infanti also calls November “a transition month for ENSO impacts for some regions,” and Montana and North Dakota carry a weaker warm tilt because “diving troughs may introduce cooler spells.” The Climate Prediction Center updates the November outlook on October 31.

Traction Laws On The Main Mountain Routes

Both risk areas sit over some of the busiest mountain crossings in the West, including Interstate 90 over Snoqualmie Pass in Washington, Interstate 80 over Donner Summit and U.S. 50 over Echo Summit in the Sierra, and the Interstate 70 corridor through the Colorado Rockies. In Colorado and California, all wheel drive alone does not guarantee an exemption from winter traction requirements.

Colorado’s Traction Law is in effect every year from September 1 through May 31 on the I-70 Mountain Corridor between Dotsero and Morrison, and the Colorado Department of Transportation activates it during winter storms. Under the requirements CDOT updated last November, the law “applies to all 4WD and AWD vehicles,” which need at least 3/16 of an inch of tread on winter tires with the mountain snowflake symbol, all weather rated tires or mud and snow (M+S) tires. A vehicle that falls short needs chains or an approved alternative traction device on two or more drive tires, and noncompliance carries a $50 fine plus a $17 surcharge.

California’s chain controls work in three levels. At R1, chains are required on everything except passenger vehicles with snow tires on the drive wheels. At R2, the level Sierra drivers meet most often, only four wheel and all wheel drive vehicles with snow tread tires on all four wheels are exempt, and Caltrans still requires them to carry traction devices. At R3, every vehicle needs chains, with no exceptions.

Tesla is known for ambitious timelines it doesn’t meet, including the next-gen Roadster, whose original concept debuted in 2017 but whose redesigned version only debuted this month. The Cybercab, however, appears to be on track after Lars Moravy, Tesla’s vice president of vehicle engineering, said during a Q3 2026 earnings call that the company is trying to deliver the two-seater EV to customers later this year.

That would meet the original timeline announced when the Cybercab was unveiled at the “We, Robot” event in California in 2024. The key word there is “trying,” so it’s not a guarantee yet. Still, the outlook appears promising for the company, especially as it shifts its focus from selling personal EVs toward autonomous ride-hailing and AI-driven products, with production of the Model S and Model X even ending earlier this year. However, challenges remain.

A Green Light Still Pending

One of these is regulatory compliance, particularly because the Cybercab operates without a steering wheel, pedals, or side mirrors. Tesla removed these components because the Cybercab is primarily intended for robotaxi operations. Doing so could also help the company lower production costs and streamline manufacturing.

Zoox showed that a regulatory pathway is possible after receiving an exemption from NHTSA for its carriage-style robotaxi, allowing the Amazon-owned company to commercially deploy up to 2,500 robotaxis annually over the next two years. Meanwhile, the safety agency is investigating Tesla’s certification of the Cybercab’s compliance with federal safety standards. A negative regulatory outcome could jeopardize Tesla’s planned expansion and complicate customer deliveries.

Tesla also said that unsupervised Full Self-Driving isn’t expected to become available to some existing customer-owned vehicles until the second quarter of 2027. This raises questions about where privately owned Cybercabs could operate if deliveries begin before the end of the year.

The Next Chapter Has No Driver

Another detail Tesla needs to confirm is the price. During the 2024 launch event, Tesla said the Cybercab would cost less than $30,000. Meeting that target would be welcome news after the company faced scrutiny over the Cybertruck’s pricing, which was originally advertised at under $40,000 in 2019 but launched with a starting price of around $61,000 in 2023.

As Tesla expands its Cybercab operations, it will play catch-up with established competitors like Waymo, which primarily uses Jaguar I-Pace EVs equipped with Level 4 autonomous driving technology. Tesla plans to retain ownership of most Cybercabs and operate them as a transportation service, while selling a smaller number to customers. Production is already underway at Gigafactory Texas.

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Manual shifters for EVs – which, by the way, don’t actually have or need conventional gearboxes – are becoming a thing. Hyundai helped popularize the concept with the simulated gear changes in its Ioniq 5 N, but other automakers have been exploring their own approaches to making electric cars more engaging.

Toyota has flirted with the concept of an actual stick shift for EVs, complete with a clutch pedal and even the possibility of stalling if the driver gets things wrong. Porsche has also been working on a shifter that can simulate manual and automatic transmission behavior.

Now, the German marque appears to be doubling down on its idea. A newly published patent describes a hand-operated actuator designed to make an electronic shifter feel more realistic. Its clever addition is a system that can anticipate when the driver is about to shift, potentially preparing the mechanism to deliver the appropriate resistance.

Sensors and Stored Energy Make the Difference

The patent, published by the German Patent and Trade Mark Office this week and first spotted by CarMoses, describes an electronic lever that uses sensors to monitor its position, the force applied by the driver, and potentially its acceleration. These measurements allow a controller to adjust how much resistance the driver feels while moving the lever.

The system can use an electrically controlled actuator, including a magnetic-based mechanism, to make the lever harder to move at certain points. Springs help provide a resting position, while the actuator can simulate the resistance encountered when a conventional gear lever reaches the end of its travel.

But here’s where it gets interesting: the system can actually sense when you’re about to make a move. It might use a sensor in the gear knob or even a camera watching your hand. If there’s a clutch pedal involved, another sensor can spot that too.

When it thinks a shift is coming, the system charges up a capacitor – basically storing a quick jolt of electricity. That way, it can unleash a burst of power to the actuator, making the shifter push back harder right when you need it.

Compared with a system that simply adjusts shifter resistance during movement, this approach could help the mechanism respond more quickly when a particular sensation is required.

Could This Make It Into a Future Porsche EV?

In real-world use, this tech could make an electronic shifter feel a lot less like flicking a plastic toggle and a lot more like wrestling with a real gearbox. You’d get firmer resistance, proper end stops, and those satisfying fake gear changes – all without needing an actual manual transmission.

That could be useful in an electric sports car designed to offer more driver involvement. Still, Porsche hasn’t confirmed plans to put the system into production, and the patent doesn’t identify a specific model that could get it. It could be for a future Taycan, but we’ll see.

However, like other patent filings, this patent only shows what the automaker is exploring, not what’s coming to showrooms. For now, the technology remains a proposed concept, and whether it eventually makes its way into a production Porsche remains to be seen.

The beauty of collaborations is that they bring together people from different backgrounds who might not otherwise cross paths. Case in point, Acura collaborated with Vans to create a one-of-one ADX with BMX-themed modifications.

Both the Acura ADX and Vans appeal to younger, lifestyle-oriented consumers. They also worked with BMX superstar Coco Zurita on this project, bringing Zurita’s total vehicle collaborations with the Japanese luxury marque to three. This one-off, called the “CZ-77 Concept,” comes at a time when the ADX is seeing strong sales growth, selling 25,211 units in the first nine months of 2026, a 114.5% increase year-over-year. Although the model only went on sale in March 2025, the collaboration could still be seen as a way to capitalize on its momentum.

The BMX Treatment

Debuting at Vans HQ in Costa Mesa, California, on October 24, the CZ-77 Concept aims to represent the world of tuners and BMX culture with modifications such as 19-inch Rotiform wheels with aero discs, a custom carbon-fiber aero body kit, and custom fender flares. There’s also a rear BMX structure designed to hold and showcase a BMX bike.

Vans North America supplied approximately 90% of the fabric used in the custom build. The cabin features a sporty finish with Sparco bucket seats and steering wheel, an NRG harness bar, CZ-77 design elements, and even a rear-seat delete, an uncommon modification for a luxury crossover. But perhaps that complements Vans’ core pillars, including self-expression and individuality.

Acura didn’t mention any powertrain changes, so the 1.5-liter turbocharged inline-four – which belongs to the same engine family as the one in the Honda Civic Si – is likely retained. If so, the engine should still make 190 horsepower and 179 lb-ft of torque. It comes with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) from the factory, paired with either FWD or AWD.

Far From Factory Fresh

The CZ-77 Concept builds on two earlier collaborations with Coco Zurita, who has earned several podium finishes at the X Games. The first project was a custom 2023 Integra, followed by a custom 2024 TLX Type S, which was unveiled at the 2024 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach.

“Working with Acura and Vans gave me a chance to pour my passions for BMX, design and community into a unique ADX build that has a strong attitude and a lot of personality,” Zurita said.

The press release didn’t say whether the CZ-77 Concept will be preserved or auctioned off. Given the extensive modifications, this custom ADX would likely command a premium over the regular model if it were ever offered for sale. The standard ADX starts at $35,000 before destination charges and competes in the U.S. market against the likes of the BMW X1 and Lexus UX.

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One automaker hit hard in 2025, and 2026 is Porsche, with sales slowing over the past 2 years after record numbers in the years prior to the slump. Much has been written about why the famed German sports car maker has struggled recently, but it has also detailed how it plans to regroup and return to profitability.

Since Porsche remains a highly valuable company that produces some of the most sought-after cars, one future plan is to harness the enduring desirability of owning a very special Porsche.

Limited and Expensive

Automotive News reports that Porsche plans to pad margins by selling fewer models at much higher prices. Porsche Marketing and Sales Boss Matthias Becker said that focusing on more individual models through the brand’s exclusive bespoke departments, Exclusive Manufaktur and Sonderwunsch, enables Porsche to create additional revenue by selling cars at higher prices. During a press conference with the media this month, Becker said, “By expanding our core range of options and unlocking the full potential of Paint to Sample, we aim to increase option turnover per vehicle by around 20 percent in the midterm.”

For example, special Paint to Sample colors for a 2027 Porsche 911 Carrera cost an additional $15,050. If you want the full bespoke experience through Sonderwunsch, a paint job from their samples will cost you $32,940 for a 911. Becker also highlighted that Exclusive Manufaktur and Sonderwunsch give them 2 powerful, complementary growth paths. According to data, Porsche’s top 10,000 vehicles sold globally have an average price of around $304,000. Becker wants to increase that to nearly $400,000.

Above Sticker Sales

According to Ivan Drury, Edmunds’ director of insights, “Porsche does a lot of business by selling above starting [sticker price] in terms of higher trim levels, a la carte options and packages.” More data supports that idea, with average prices of configured or individualized Porsches at $128,663 in 2025, which is 31% up from 2019. Porsche has already begun this premium automotive drive with the introduction of the recommission program that recently finished rebuilding a Porsche Carrera GT to “back-to-zero” quality. That service alone cost the customer potentially around $500,000 to almost $800,000.

Spotify is a standalone music streaming service and is arguably the biggest service provider in the world. Its relevance to the automotive industry is also massive, letting drivers stream their own curated playlists while driving. Being able to use and control Spotify through your car’s infotainment screen has become an essential part of the modern commute.

Audi’s In-Car Spotify

Recognizing this, Spotify has moved from a third-party app on your phone to a fully built-out in-car app you can now use directly in your car. Audi just announced that it’s the first carmaker to launch Spotify’s fully native in-car app. This integration uses Android Automotive OS to put the Spotify app and interface directly into the car’s system, so all you need to do is log into your car’s Spotify app instead of opening it on your phone.

This in-car app was developed by Spotify and includes features like music videos, real-time lyrics, and Spotify Jam. These features automatically adjust by detecting whether the car is moving or parked. To avoid distracting the driver, when the car is moving, the real-time music video and lyrics appear only on the front passenger display; once the car is parked, they appear on the main center display.

The new Spotify app is now available in the Audi app store for models built on the brand’s PPE and PPC platforms, including the Audi A6 e-tron, Q6 e-tron, A5, Q5, and A6 from the 2026 model year onward. Downloading the app is free, but you need a paid Spotify account to use it in full.

Wasn’t Tesla First?

Audi’s claim to be the first to launch an in-car Spotify app can be challenged by the fact that Tesla (and other automakers) already did so. However, according to Audi’s statement there’s a big difference: “The new native Spotify app features an interface specifically for in-vehicle use rather than relying on the standardized templates used in previous versions. Customers will find familiar Spotify menus and navigation, along with the full range of Spotify functions.”

Also, Tesla designed its version rather than having Spotify’s developers build it, a key difference from the version Audi just launched.

Toyota’s legendary reputation for mechanical longevity is deeply ingrained in the automotive world, but recent technological shifts have left many dedicated owners scratching their heads. With the automaker facing recent transmission lawsuits over jerky shifting, it’s crucial to understand how these complex modern gearboxes actually work in the real world.

The Car Care Nut YouTube channel recently highlighted a costly design flaw and is now back to demystify two heavily misunderstood software features in modern Toyota automatics. This is not just about standard fluid changes; it is about the complicated algorithms silently dictating how your vehicle performs on the road.

Memory Resets And Imaginary Sensors

First, there is the adaptive memory. Your car learns your specific driving style and sets optimal clutch engagement pressures for every gear. Toyota engineers even design software to cache future shift logic to continuously optimize on-road performance. However, internet forums wrongly claim you should clear this learned memory with every routine fluid change. The truth is that a full memory reset is a repair function reserved for major internal rebuilds.

If you foolishly wipe the transmission memory without reason, you must immediately complete a highly specific twenty-minute test drive to recalibrate the baseline pressures. Skipping this strict procedural drive will cause erratic, harsh shifting that actively burns up the internal clutches. This warning applies only to traditional stepped automatics, as the brand’s alternative CVT reliability metrics and overall maintenance requirements operate under entirely different mechanical principles.

The second feature is the automatic transmission fluid thermal degradation meter. It sounds like a sophisticated quality sensor, but it is purely a mathematical algorithm generating a random number between zero and 65,000. It tries to guess your fluid’s breakdown based on idling hours and operating conditions, but it fails to provide a clear, actionable threshold for when the fluid actually needs professional replacement.

Stick To Old-School Maintenance

Relying on an invisible, vaguely calculated degradation number is an absolute fool’s errand for any car enthusiast. If the transmission software were truly intelligent, it would automatically reset itself the moment fresh fluid was introduced to the system. Instead, this hidden metric feels more like a convenient dealership loophole for denying warranty claims on lightly driven cars than a genuine maintenance tool for owners.

Skip the endless forum debates and ignore the ambiguous diagnostic metrics hidden inside your dashboard. The most effective way to protect your heavy automotive investment is remarkably old-school. Simply drain and fill your transmission fluid every 60,000 miles or six years, and skip the unnecessary computer memory resets entirely. In an era dominated by overcomplicated vehicle software, basic preventative maintenance remains your best defense against a staggering dealership repair bill.

While General Motors leads the full-size pickup truck market in the U.S., Ford tops the segment in terms of a single nameplate. It’s the same old story in the third quarter of this year, when GM sold 233,229 trucks, a 0.69% increase compared to the same period last year, to beat Ford. But looking at the numbers, the Blue Oval brand is gaining ground.

Ford sold 204,007 F-Series trucks in Q3 2026, 29,222 fewer than GM. That’s quite a drop compared to GM’s 44,524-unit lead in Q1 2026, which remained steady in the following quarter at 44,503. But perhaps the biggest contributor to this narrowing gap was the GMC Sierra, which sold 86,590 units in Q3 2026, 8,557 fewer (down 9%) than the previous quarter.

Detroit’s Heavyweight Showdown

These figures include the trucks’ all-electric variants, which also experienced declining sales. That doesn’t come as a surprise, considering that the $7,500 federal EV tax credit expired at the end of the third quarter last year, prompting buyers to rush their EV purchases before the deadline. The now-discontinued Ford F-150 Lightning likewise recorded a massive sales decline, but that was offset by stronger sales of conventional F-Series pickups.

As for the Chevrolet Silverado, the nameplate remained relatively steady after selling 144,984 units, a 4.4% increase year over year. Including the Silverado EV, which posted a 58% decline, sales increased 2.7% to 146,639 units.

Outside the sales numbers, some possible reasons why Ford may be closing the gap include its production recovery and higher Super Duty output. The former follows a fire at Novelis’ aluminum plant in New York that disrupted supplies for F-Series production last year. Meanwhile, Super Duty production reached 110,275 units in Q3 2026, its highest quarterly level in 19 years.

Next Power Play

On the GM front, some buyers may be holding off on placing orders, as the next-generation Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra are set to arrive at U.S. dealerships before the end of the year. They will come with boxier, more rugged styling, as well as new engines from GM’s sixth-generation small-block V8 family that deliver more power.

With that being said, it will be interesting to see whether Ford can further close the gap with GM in America’s lucrative full-size pickup segment. Ford will continue to compete with a refreshed version of the F-150 for the 2027 model year, meaning a major overhaul isn’t expected anytime soon.

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Meet the Lexus LBX, the tiniest SUV in the luxury brand’s stable – though you won’t find it on US roads. Launched in December 2023, this pint-sized hybrid crossover aims to pack all the Lexus plushness into a much smaller package.

Three years later, Lexus is giving the LBX a partial redesign, taking inspiration from the brand’s broader focus on driving refinement. Rather than introduce a major redesign, Lexus is focusing on chassis tuning, equipment, and additional exterior color choices.

Exterior and Interior Changes Keep Things Familiar

The biggest change in the exterior is a  new paint shade called Sou, with blue highlights that add a bit of depth and intrigue. Lexus is also mixing up the color palette: Relax and Elegant trims stick to single-tone looks, while Cool and Active grades get to play with two-tone combos and Black Mica.

Other than that, the LBX keeps its usual look and compact size, with only a few small changes. Inside, the updates are about convenience. All versions now come with a color head-up display, steering-wheel controls, and a drive recorder as standard. These features make daily use easier without forcing buyers to pick a pricier model.

Chassis Improvements Inspired by the RX

The more significant changes are underneath. Lexus has revised the thickness of the center crossmember to increase body rigidity and adjusted the shock absorbers’ valve characteristics to improve body control over rough roads.

The electric power steering gets a retune too, now offering lighter, more predictable feedback. Lexus even took the LBX to the Nürburgring for some serious testing, chasing that sweet spot between sharp road feel and cushy comfort.

The approach is similar to the refinement-focused work Lexus has applied to larger SUVs such as the RX, although the LBX’s mechanical revisions are specific to its own chassis.

Its hybrid powertrain remains unchanged, pairing a 1.5-liter three-cylinder engine with electric motors and an electronically controlled continuously variable transmission. Front-wheel drive is standard, with E-Four all-wheel drive available on selected grades.

No word yet on whether the LBX will make it stateside, and with Americans still loving their big SUVs, it might stay overseas for now. For now, the UX holds the small-SUV fort in the US, though its future is anyone’s guess at this point.

The U.S. is one of the very few regions in the world where trucks are the predominantly preferred vehicle class. For decades, trucks have been among the top-selling models, and most automakers that want to compete seriously need one in their lineup.

However, new regulations appear to be coming that will define what counts as a “truck” based on its actual capabilities and use.

People Mover? or Workhorse?

A new document has been published called the Safer Affordable Fuel-Efficient (SAFE) Vehicles Rule III for Model Years 2022 to 2031 Passenger Cars and Light Trucks. Basically, NHTSA wants to change the definition of light trucks from 2030 onward to cars because they primarily act as passenger vehicles, not workhorses.

According to regulators, although 68% of light-duty trucks technically meet what the government considers a light truck, most are built as passenger vehicles with added features to meet regulatory definitions, resulting in little added functionality.

The agency expects that by the time the new mandates kick in, the difference between real trucks and light trucks will be much more defined. Light-duty non-passenger trucks are expected to show real non-passenger capabilities but also display relevant “off-highway vehicle attributes such as approach angle and running clearance, or include design features that provide higher payload and towing abilities for transporting cargo.”

The agency is basically saying that any light-duty truck must show that it can actually function as intended. Under the new rules, the agency expects the current fleet mix of 70 percent light trucks and 30 percent passenger cars to be classified as 70 percent cars and 30 percent trucks.

Production Impact

These new classification rules could also affect production. If a truck built today has lower fuel economy standards than a car, then it won’t have to change to meet the newly mandated lower standards. However, if the next administration reimposes a higher standard, these trucks will need significant work to meet it, which is costly and time-consuming.

One way automakers can bypass this rule is to import cars from other markets, because imports don’t need to meet the CAFE standards, unlike domestic vehicles. This could prompt brands to move production out of the U.S. if needed.

There’s an old, tired cliché: “There’s no replacement for displacement.” What if you put four small-displacement engines into one car? That’s exactly what automotive fabricators at the YouTube channel Garage 54 have engineered. They tested out an experimental all-wheel-drive prototype utilizing four independent combustion engines. Rather than relying on a centralized powerplant, the mechanics mounted a dedicated motor for each individual wheel.

While modern gas engines generally feature highly integrated digital management, this specific project utilizes four identical 150cc single-cylinder units. Each compact motor produces about 10 horsepower and includes a continuously variable transmission, a differential, and a reverse gear. Electric starters let the operator start all four powerplants simultaneously from the main cabin. This configuration creates an incredibly unconventional drive layout that completely bypasses traditional transfer cases and centralized driveshafts.

Suspension and Fabrication Hurdles

Adapting a standard passenger chassis to accommodate four separate motors required extensive structural modifications. Utilizing a Lexus sedan as the primary testbed, the mechanics determined the factory suspension could not clear the necessary CV joints and custom axle shafts. The crew removed the front subframe entirely, welding in reinforced components from a Lada Niva to create viable mounting points.

Positioning the front engines within the bay consumed over a week of continuous fabrication. Similar to other complex custom builds, strict packaging constraints dictated the final engineering solutions. Because the factory steering hardware blocked a direct axle path to the hubs, the team implemented a custom chain drive system to transfer power to the front wheels.

Trial, Error, and Mechanical Failure

Slapping the engine onto the car was the easy part, but getting it to work in unison was another beast altogether. Synchronizing four independent engine throttles to a single accelerator pedal required meticulous cable routing. During the initial shakedown run, the severe mechanical stress instantly exposed the experimental prototype’s structural weak points. Unlike a highly polished V8-swapped roadster, this quad-engine rig struggled to maintain basic drive tension under load.

The custom drive chains repeatedly slipped off their sprockets during acceleration. The vehicle initiated the test utilizing all four engines but systematically lost drive to three wheels as the custom mounts and chain tensioners failed. The car ultimately returned to the garage running on a single 150cc engine, confirming the basic concept is remotely viable but needs substantial engineering revisions before we see it on the road.

For now, the chaotic shakedown serves as a harsh mechanical reminder of why we see just 1 engine inside most, if not all, cars. You do have to smirk and admire the creativity, no matter how unhinged.

While Hyundai continues to enjoy growing sales in the U.S., particularly with its hybrid lineup, it has been keeping its recall count in check. The Korean marque has issued 22 recalls so far this year, ranking fifth among major automakers, with Ford topping the list by a mile at 81 recalls.

Two of Hyundai’s latest recalls, 26V692 and 26V693, involve loose nuts, though on different assemblies. Recall 26V692 targets loose fasteners on suspension assemblies, while 26V693 addresses a similar issue involving the wheels. Both safety campaigns affect 2026 model-year Hyundai vehicles imported from South Korea, and the affected fasteners come from the same supplier, Samjin Nut. However, in both instances, Hyundai points to manufacturing lapses rather than defective parts.

A Loose Fit

Recall 26V692 covers 24 Hyundai vehicles, including 20 Elantras and four Tucson Hybrids. Their front strut assemblies may not have been properly secured to the front steering knuckles due to insufficiently tightened fasteners. This could lead to separation of the adjoining suspension components, increasing the risk of a crash. Hyundai is aware of one incident involving this issue, but there have been no crashes, fires, or injuries.

Meanwhile, 26V693 covers 17 vehicles, including eight Venues, four Elantras, four Elantra Hybrids, and one Elantra N. Their wheels may have insufficiently tightened lug nuts, which could loosen and potentially allow a wheel to detach, creating a road hazard and increasing the risk of a crash. Fortunately, the automaker isn’t aware of any incidents related to this problem.

All the potentially affected vehicles were produced at Hyundai’s Ulsan plant in South Korea, where U.S.-bound Genesis models like the GV80 are also built.

Back to the Torque Wrench

As part of the remedies, Hyundai dealers will inspect and retighten the affected fasteners and lug nuts. If necessary, dealers will replace associated hardware and perform a wheel alignment or replace the hub bearing assembly, depending on the issue. These fixes will come at no cost to owners. The company plans to begin notifying owners of both recalls on December 19, 2026.

These safety campaigns are similar to recall 26V314, which concerns insufficiently tightened rear suspension fasteners in 172 examples of the 2025 Ioniq 5 and 2026 Ioniq 9. Those EVs, however, were built at Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America in Georgia.

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Apart from the cracking rear subframes, there are also other recalls that plague the current generation of Range Rovers. Last month, we reported on the subframe issue, which was apparently a problem with one of Land Rover’s suppliers.

Now, we’re looking at a new recall, this time a fault in the drainage system that literally drowns the rearview camera until it can’t see clearly anymore or just completely stops working. Model years 2022 to 2026 of the Land Rover Range Rover are affected, with specific production dates between July 8, 2021, and June 4, 2026 indicated. The affected units all come from the Solihull Vehicle Assembly Plant.

Drowning Rearview Camera

The rearview camera is becoming a common feature in modern cars, whether premium or mainstream. Let’s face it, pillars are getting bigger as cars get heavier, and less and less glass is being used to be able to pass rollover tests. Plus, you might’ve noticed how long and wide cars have been getting lately, so a rearview camera is kind of a must.

Anyway, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has officially published a Safety Recall Report to address the issue. What happens is that the rear tailgate drainage system of the 2022 to 2026 Range Rovers has a fault in the pipes, which causes water from the roof to pool around the rearview camera.

Over time, this “can cause damage to the camera.” This water ingress can cause a distorted image, or no image at all, to be displayed on the touchscreen,” the report states. The NHTSA also adds that “a blurred image or lack of display of the rearview camera image may result in the driver being unaware of objects or pedestrians, increasing the risk of an injury or a crash.”

In Hindsight…

According to the recall, the Product Safety and Compliance Committee (PSCC) opened an investigation due to the “anomalous rear camera replacement rates on Range Rover vehicles.” The findings of the research indicate that there is an “unexplained elevated camera replacement rate in U.S. and Canada compared to other markets and PSCC directed a dedicated engineering team to investigate this anomaly and report findings into the forum,” the NHTSA noted in its report on July 31, 2026.

On August 8, 2026, further investigations were conducted to ruile out whether it was genuine camera failures that were occuring, or whether it was something else. Further analysis after the fact revealed that the cameras that failed did so because of water ingress, this was determined on October 6, 2026.

Following that, on October 8, 2026, “the matter was referred to PSCC Decision Forum which instructed a recall be launched to remedy the affected vehicles in U.S. and Canada where the field evidence showed an elevated rate of failure.” Between August 3, 2022 to September 28, 2026, Jaguar-Land Rover has received 2,295 claims and field reports in the United States involving the rearview camera. It’s also noteworthy that units introduced after June 4, 2026 have a revised tailgate trim that’s sealed better.

The Remedy

For the affected models, dealers are instructed to remedy the situation by drilling additional drain holes in the underside of the tailgate trim that contains the camera. The functionality of the camera will be determined first and if it is required, it will be replaced under the recall.

Owners who will need a camera replacement won’t need to bust out their wallets on this one, as the NHTSA reports that “there will be no charge to the owners for this permanent repair.” Dealers are to be notified by October 29, 2026, and owner notification letters are expected to roll out on or before December 11, 2026.

There are many ways to skin a classic Porsche 911. You can keep it stock, restore it, do an extreme restomod, and everything in between. You have companies like Singer that enhance the classic cues and combine them with modern powertrains, and you also have RWB that would take a hacksaw to the car and make purists wince.

Then you have Gunther Werks, a firm that specializes in 993-generation 911s and turns these into absolute weapons. The company is no stranger to building extreme 993s, and has rolled out many over the years. We’ve covered several of its builds, the most recent being the Turbo Commission.

Meet the Brundle Edition

If you follow Formula 1 or motorsports in general, the name Martin Brundle should sound familiar. He was wheel-to-wheel with Ayrton Senna, posted strong results in F1, and found greater success in touring car and sports car racing. In other words, the man can steer a car very well. He’s better known by the younger generation as a pundit in F1, which has been his day job for nearly 30 years.

Still, his driving accolades are worth mentioning. With that, Gunther Werks has paid tribute to the man with a very special kind of 993. Dubbed the Gunther Werks Brundle Edition, the touching part is that Martin’s daughter, Charlie, designed it. We know it’s been months since Father’s Day, but we’ll count this as a pretty awesome present.

One of Five

Brundle approved the project, and it’s hard to say no. It’s rather ironic that Brundle never raced in Porsches professionally and quite famously beat the German automaker in the 1990 24 Hours of Le Mans in a Jaguar. Still, he did own several 911s, so there’s still a bit of a connection there.

Charlie paid tribute to her father by designing a livery inspired by her dad’s crash helmet. It’s then complemented by one-off forged magnesium wheels inspired by the Brabham Formula 1 car he drove. Unique Brundle wordmarks also appear inside and out, and other neat details appear in the cabin. Our favorite has to be one of Brundle’s famous sayings immortalized on the dashboard: “The most important bit of the car is the nut holding the steering wheel.” Only five will be built.

Not Just Fancy Paint

But this is a Gunther Werks car, so the 993 gets a healthy amount of upgrades. Starting with the chassis, it has a wider front track, thicker anti-roll bars, and bespoke suspension arms. It even has DGR computer-controlled active coilovers tuned specifically for the Brundle Edition.

As for the engine, it’s a 4.0-liter twin-turbo flat-six built by Rothsport Racing for Gunther Werks, revving up to 7,500 rpm. That tuning delivers 860 hp and 600 lb-ft of torque, all sent to the rear wheels. The best part? It has an honest-to-goodness six-speed manual.

Brundle might not have raced for Porsche, but Guther Werks’ tribute would do the man proud.

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Crash Safety: BMW Outperforms Audi

The first portion of safety tests involves crash safety across three tests. These tests are the small overlap front, a 40-mph test involving 25% of the vehicle’s width; the moderate overlap front, involving a 40-mph test with 40% of the vehicle’s width; and the side-impact test. Every test receives a rating of Good, Acceptable, Marginal, or Poor.

Both vehicles performed brilliantly in the small overlap front and side tests, but the Q3 stumbled in the moderate overlap front test. For a fairly new design, the Audi’s Poor rating is disappointing. In this test, the Audi was marked down for a heightened risk of rear-passenger chest injuries. The rear passenger restraints and dummy kinetics were also marked down. Interestingly, the X1 also wasn’t perfect in chest-injury measures and rear passenger restraints, but its restraint system performed better than the Audi’s.

Due to the Audi’s moderate front overlap rating, it did not qualify for an IIHS safety award. The BMW had no such problems and earned the authority’s best Top Safety Pick+ award.

Related: Audi Is Now the Safest Luxury Car Brand, Beating BMW and Mercedes in New Safety Rankings

Crash Prevention: A Win For Audi

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The IIHS also tests for a vehicle’s ability to avoid an accident in the first place, be it preventing a crash with a pedestrian or another car. The effectiveness of each model’s headlights is also tested.

The Q3 clawed back some points in this category, as its vehicle-to-vehicle crash-prevention system was judged to be better than the BMW’s. In this test, the X1 failed to avoid hitting a motorcycle target at 31 mph; it could only reduce its speed to 16 mph. The Q3 avoided the collision entirely in the same test. Both cars avoided a collision with a passenger car in all six tests.

Despite the BMW not being perfect for crash prevention, it still performed well enough to secure a safety award.

Final Thoughts

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The Audi Q3’s performance in the moderate overlap front test is the only factor preventing it from securing a safety award. Since the IIHS updated this specific test in 2022 to include rear passenger safety, many models have struggled to achieve a top rating. Still, Audi would have expected to do so, given the fact that the Q3 is a new design. Many smaller, cheaper crossovers excelled in the same test, including the Mazda CX-30 and Nissan Kicks. For buyers who will often be transporting passengers in the back seat, the BMW X1 stands out as the more secure SUV for now.

Related: The IIHS Tested Seven New Cars, But Only Two Earned Safety Awards

Over the decades, Japan has kept some of the best stuff for itself. Whether it’s high-performance wagons, special editions of rally homologations, or even its clever kei cars and minivans, there’s a lot of forbidden fruit over there that the rest of the world wants. That said, the grass isn’t always greener on the other side.

Take the Subaru WRX, for instance. It’s been around a couple of years now, and it may surprise some folks that the current generation in its home market isn’t even offered with a manual. Suddenly, that base WRX with a stick sitting on the dealer lot right now has become a wee bit more desirable.

Finally, a Manual

It took a while, but Subaru finally offered three pedals in the JDM WRX as a special edition model. The car was labeled an STI Sport# (sharp, not hashtag), and it was essentially a WRX with a manual and STI goodies. Reception was strong, mainly because it was something Japanese customers hadn’t had in a long time.

The STI Sport# was a limited-edition model, with production capped at just 500 units. To get one, you had to enter a lottery and hope you were lucky enough to be chosen. It sold out quickly, proving that a sport sedan with a stick shift will appeal to anyone, no matter the language.

Another New Model

With all 500 STI Sport# cars spoken for, it was back to the CVT-only model for most Japanese customers. But perhaps spurned by the success of the limited-run model, Subaru has announced it will sell regular WRX models with a manual in Japan.

Sales of the manual WRX in Japan will begin sometime in November, and Creative 311 has reported that it might be called the WRX STI Sport R. You can bet people will line up for one, especially those who missed out on the STI Sport#. In Subaru’s words, it will be a ‘mass-produced manual transmission model,’ so it will be a regular fixture in the brand’s home-market lineup. No more lottery system, and no more production caps in the hundreds.

What’s the Big Deal?

But there’s one detail that will set the JDM WRX apart from the rest of the world. No, it’s not more power, as the 2.4-liter boxer turbo will still make 271 hp and 258 lb-ft. Instead, it will use a different transmission. The WRX’s six-speed manual is called the TY75, but the Japanese version will come with the TY85. For those familiar with Subarus, it’s pretty special; for the rest of us, it means the JDM WRX will have the old STI transmission built to withstand higher outputs.

Subaru actually restarted production of the TY85 transmission for this specific WRX version. Not even the limited-run STI Sport# came with that transmission, as it was equipped with the TY75 instead. That should help tuners in Japan pump out bigger numbers from the engine with less worry that the transmission won’t be able to handle it. The more robust transmission should help unlock a greater tuning potential that was limited by the CVT.

With that, we’re glad that the Japanese market can finally get its hands on a manual WRX. The folks over there deserve it, especially since the only choice for nearly five years was a CVT. It’s not only back in its home market, but it also has the stronger, more robust transmission. That said, we’re curious whether it will eventually be fitted to models worldwide, but there’s no news on that yet.

Related: 2026 Toyota RAV4 Misses IIHS Safety Award Over One Crash Test

Jetta and Corolla Leave Room For Improvement

To qualify for an IIHS Top Safety Pick or Top Safety Pick+ award, a vehicle needs to achieve a certain standard across six different tests:

• Small overlap front
• Moderate overlap front
• Side
• Headlights
• Front crash prevention (vehicle-to-vehicle)
• Front crash prevention (pedestrian)

Each test result is rated as Good, Acceptable, Marginal, or Poor. Nothing less than a Good rating in every crash test will do if a vehicle is to qualify for a safety award, and crash-prevention systems require at least an Acceptable rating. Here’s a look at how these three sedans fared.

The Jetta and Corolla did not earn a safety award. For the Jetta, its side-impact and pedestrian crash-prevention results ruled it out, while the Corolla’s score in the moderate overlap front test disqualified it. The Mazda 3 had the best overall results, with no score below an Acceptable rating and the best scores across all three crash tests. It was awarded the Top Safety Pick+ award.

The Jetta was unable to avoid a collision with a pedestrian in certain tests, while rear-seat passengers in the Corolla were found to be vulnerable to chest injuries in the moderate front overlap test, which involves a collision at 40 mph covering 40% of the vehicle’s width.

All these sedans have been around for some time, but only the Mazda continues to meet the strictest IIHS safety standards.

Mazda’s Safety Record Is Outstanding

The Mazda 3 has been on sale since 2019 and has never received a major facelift, making its safety scores that much more impressive. It adds to Mazda’s growing reputation as a safety leader. Other Mazda models to have achieved the Top Safety Pick+ award include the following:

• Mazda 3 Hatchback
• Mazda CX-30
• Mazda CX-5
• Mazda CX-50
• Mazda CX-70
• Mazda CX-90

The only current Mazda that hasn’t achieved this distinction is the Miata, but that’s only because it has not been tested by the IIHS. Very few automakers have achieved such consistently strong safety scores.

Earlier in 2026, Mazda was also named the top brand in the Consumer Reports Safety Verdict. This assessment also takes into account additional factors like distraction-free controls, emergency handling, braking performance, and which safety features are equipped as standard. It’s evidence that Mazda’s approach to safety goes well beyond how secure a car is in a crash.

Why It Matters

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Car safety is everyone’s concern, whether it’s a $25,000 budget sedan or a $150,000 SUV. As the IIHS constantly optimizes its testing procedures, customers who prioritize safety can make more informed decisions when purchasing a new car.

These results do not mean that buyers should cross the Corolla or Jetta off their lists, though. Both cars still provide a strong level of protection, but as they’ve aged, they’ve fallen behind the best. For anyone searching for a safe small sedan with zero compromises, the Mazda 3 is currently one of the smartest buys.

Related: The IIHS Tested Seven New Cars, But Only Two Earned Safety Awards

Normally, when a new model year rolls around, you can count on prices creeping up thanks to inflation and all the usual excuses. But Subaru is bucking the trend with the 2027 Outback, slashing prices across most trims and even rolling out a fresh entry-level version.

The Subaru Outback now kicks off at $32,995 before you factor in destination and delivery, which is a cool $2,000 less than last year’s base price. You can thank the return of a base model that actually packs in more standard gear than the old entry-level trims.

And it’s not just the base model getting the discount treatment. Subaru claims most trims are now about $1,000 cheaper on average, with some versions dropping by nearly two grand.

It’s a bold move, and one that could make the Outback a lot more tempting for buyers who don’t want to give up on features just to save a buck. Subaru has pulled this trick before with the WRX, and it paid off with a nice bump in sales. Whether the Outback sees the same boost is anyone’s guess, but it’s definitely one to watch.

What’s New for the 2027 Subaru Outback?

The biggest addition is the base model, which makes the Outback more accessible without stripping away essential technology. It comes with a 12.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, EyeSight driver-assistance technology, DriverFocus distraction mitigation, heated front seats, and a power rear gate.

Under the hood, you’ll find a 2.5-liter Subaru Boxer four-cylinder with 180 horsepower, paired with a CVT and the brand’s signature Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive. Even the base model sits high with 8.7 inches of ground clearance, gets X-MODE with Hill Descent Control, and comes with roof rails that can handle an 800-pound static load.

As for the higher trims, the Limited XT now throws in Highway Hands-Free Assist as standard, plus Emergency Stop Assist with Safe Lane Selection and a bunch of new highway-driving aids. The Wilderness trim lets you add these features through an optional package if you want to go all-in on tech.

Subaru’s also spicing things up with three new exterior colors: Sand Dune Pearl, Daybreak Blue Pearl, and the all-new Snowfall White Silica. Because who doesn’t love a fresh paint option?

Why the Price Cuts Matter

Subaru isn’t blaming the price cuts on any secret cost-saving magic. Instead, it’s talking up affordability and value, especially for families and first-time buyers. Judging by the base model’s feature list, it’s clear Subaru wants to make the Outback easier to get into without making it feel like a rental special.

The 2027 Outback is assembled in Gunma, Japan, and is scheduled to arrive at Subaru retailers across the US later this year. All prices listed here are manufacturer’s suggested retail prices, excluding destination and delivery charges.

For what it’s worth, the new base trim is the real headline here. It makes the Outback way more attainable, and you still get a slick infotainment system, digital gauges, and all-wheel drive as standard. The price drops on the Limited, Touring, Wilderness, and turbo models just sweeten the deal. With more gear and less sticker shock, Subaru is giving everyone a solid reason to give the Outback another shot.

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Since the ’90s, AMG has been shoving V8 engines in its C-Class, with the original C43 being the reason why we’ve always expected eight cylinders in the most potent Cs. Sure, there was the C32 AMG Kompressor, but Mercedes quickly rectified that with the C55 AMG.

Then came the W204 C-Class, and with it, the 6.2-liter V8 in the C63. The W205 had a downsized engine, but it still packed a 4.0-liter V8 with a pair of turbochargers. Then the W206 halved its displacement and cylinder count, replacing it with a plug-in hybrid system.

Yes, it made more power than the V8s, and yes, it was also faster. However, the soundtrack was clearly part of the C63’s appeal, not just outright speed. Simply put, people voted with their wallets and went to Audi and BMW instead. There’s no denying the electrified C63 stayed anchored in dealer lots, and it was put out to pasture earlier this year.

Course Correction

Mercedes-AMG has since admitted that it made a (massive) misstep turning the C63 into a four-cylinder plug-in hybrid. It has since promised to double down on V8s for the top performance models, and the new flat-plane crank motor is making amends for that. That engine debuted in the heavily updated S-Class, and it’s now in the GLE 63 and GLS 63, packing more power.

We can expect this engine to appear in the upcoming S63 as well. Also, Mercedes-AMG just unleashed the CLE Spezialanfertigung, effectively a CLE 63 with a proper V8 under the hood. It’ll be a limited-run model, though, but it marks the return of V8 power in a compact(ish) AMG.

Meanwhile, the C-Class has no V8 AMG on offer, but at least the brand is atoning for the lack of engines bigger than a four-cylinder. The C53 is coming soon, and it will use a turbo inline-six from the GLC 53, with an expected 443 hp and 443 lb-ft.

Comeback Confirmed

Mercedes-Benz chief technical officer Jorg Burzer recently spoke to Australian automotive media, and Drive noted that AMG is, indeed, working on a new C63 model. An electric C63 is already expected, but Burzer confirmed a combustion-powered version will also arrive.

That said, don’t get too excited just yet. It will be for the next-generation combustion-powered C-Class and not the current model. Still, the fact that it’s happening should be to the delight of AMG fans, but only if it will have the right engine, of course. More interestingly, the next C63 will adapt the same route as the BMW M3 with either pure electric or pure combustion versions, rather than following Audi with a middle-ground solution with the RS 5 plug-in hybrid.

Will the V8 Come Back?

Now that the C63 comeback is confirmed, it’s only natural to ask whether it will have a V8. Burzer was pressed by Australian media to answer, but the executive tried his best not to budge. He said, “I don’t want to talk about the future plans here, but there is [an] exciting future ahead of us.”

Still, the press were persistent, and when asked whether the flat-plane crank V8 will fit in the next-gen C-Class chassis, he jokingly replied, “I don’t know,” followed by, “I don’t know what these guys are doing at AMG.” It wasn’t long ago that AMG dashed hopes for an immediate return of V8 power in the C63, but recent banter between the media and the manufacturer is making us hopeful. If not the V8, a hotter version of the inline-six is possible. Anything but the plug-in hybrid four, perhaps.

That said, the new-generation C-Class is still a couple of years away, since the current model just got a facelift. Given that Mercedes model cycles last seven years, we might see what will presumably be called the W207 by 2029 at the earliest. It’s also worth pointing out that Mercedes invested heavily in making the new V8 Euro 7 compliant, so it probably won’t do any harm to offer it in more vehicles. It might even get a better return on investment after C63 fans were denied V8 power for the last couple of years.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk is predicting significant corporate growth, setting an aggressive target to reach 5 million vehicles annually by 2030. Musk stated during a recent earnings call that this surge will be driven almost entirely by the company’s Full Self-Driving software, confidently claiming there is currently no true competitor. Tesla sales peaked at 1.8 million in 2023 before dropping to roughly 1.6 million last year, leaving a massive volume gap to cover.

Legacy automakers are actively developing competing technology to challenge that software dominance. Companies like BMW and Mercedes are aggressively advancing their own autonomous systems for mainstream consumers. Tesla currently boasts a global production capacity of just over 2.5 million units across its facilities in California, Texas, China, and Germany, making a 5-million-unit output target a major logistical hurdle without announcing new vehicle assembly plants.

Robotaxi Fleet Expansion

Tesla executives claim to have more than 1.7 million paying FSD customers worldwide. In North America, the company reports that roughly 75% of buyers opt for the $99 monthly software subscription upon delivery, though executives notably declined to share actual retention rates. While this is happening, a frustrated class of early adopters is actively demanding substantial refunds for unfulfilled autonomous features they purchased years ago.

The automaker expects the recently launched Cybercab to become its volume leader. Tesla began testing robotaxis in Austin and currently operates the autonomous service in six cities across Texas and Florida. With imminent plans to launch in Las Vegas and Phoenix, Musk insists these robotaxis and the Optimus humanoid robot will eventually drive the vast majority of Tesla’s future corporate value.

This pivot toward automation occurs alongside shifting consumer habits in the broader automotive landscape. As used EV bargains become increasingly scarce, mainstream shoppers are prioritizing affordable and practical electric models over expensive driving software packages, forcing EV manufacturers to adapt their sales strategies.

Aiming For the Stars Again

While Tesla reported a massive vehicle order backlog in the third quarter, corporate net income plummeted by 43% to $787 million. Flat revenue and dropping profits highlight the immense financial strain of funding experimental robotics programs. Rivals are actively stealing market share, and Hyundai sales jumped significantly as traditional brands rolled out compelling new electric lineups to meet shifting consumer demands.

Tesla is effectively transitioning from a traditional car manufacturer into an artificial intelligence robotics firm, but it still relies on selling consumer vehicles to survive. Betting a massive growth strategy on software subscriptions and geofenced robotaxis is a significant financial risk. The company must prove these autonomous fleets can generate sustainable profit to validate its ambitious long-term production forecasts.

The New Numbers

Each increase is $50, or roughly 3 to 4 percent. CarsDirect breaks down these fees and finds that higher fuel costs are among the explanations automakers use to justify these increases.

The average U.S. destination fee has climbed from $952 in 2015 to $1,592 in 2026, a 67 percent jump, according to reports. Analysts say that fees let automakers protect margins without drawing attention to the MSRP. The charge must appear on the window sticker, but it doesn’t have to appear in the headline price.

Subaru Is Still The Cheaper Option

Subaru’s SUV fees are lower than most rivals’, per the source’s comparison: Toyota and Honda charge $1,595, Mazda $1,645, Chevrolet $1,995 and Ford $2,045. Subaru’s $1,545 matches Nissan. Full-size trucks are the real outliers, with Ford and GM going up to $2,895 on their biggest models. So this isn’t a case of Subaru gouging anyone. It’s a case of what the whole market is doing.

What To Do About It

Automakers set the destination charge, and it is the same no matter how far you live from the factory, so the real leverage is the price of the car itself. Shop on the out-the-door price, not the MSRP, and compare cars with their destination fees included. Two cars with close sticker prices can end up hundreds of dollars apart once different fees are added, and a gap that small is easy to miss.

The Crown Signia hasn’t been a top seller for Toyota. In the first nine months of this year, 17,983 units were sold, which is up from 16,277 last year, but it still trails behind Toyota’s most popular SUVs.

Despite the modest sales, Toyota is raising the Crown Signia’s price for 2027. Most updates are in the Limited trim’s standard features, so there aren’t any major changes to its appearance or mechanics.

More Standard Features, but Little Else Is New

So, why the price hike on the Limited? Toyota is tossing in the once-optional Advanced Technology Package as standard kit for 2027. That means you get a bunch of driver-assist and parking tricks – think Panoramic View Monitor, Lane Change Assist, Traffic Jam Assist, Front Cross-Traffic Alert, and parking sensors with automatic braking. Even the mirrors get in on the action with puddle lights and a reverse tilt-down party trick.

All this makes the Limited trim a bit more loaded right out of the gate, but don’t mistake it for a full-blown overhaul. Heads up: Traffic Jam Assist still needs an Active Drive Connect trial or subscription, and it only works if you’ve got a 4G signal.

The other notable change is the introduction of Inked, a new exterior paint color that replaces black in the lineup. The Limited still offers optional two-tone finishes, pairing a black roof with selected exterior colors.

Under the skin, it’s the same story: the Crown Signia sticks with its 2.5-liter four-cylinder hybrid setup, good for a combined 238 horsepower. Electronic On-Demand All-Wheel Drive is still standard, and Toyota claims you’ll see 38 mpg combined.

Our Take

Toyota expects the 2027 Crown Signia to arrive at dealerships later this year. The XLE now starts at $44,890, and the Limited goes up to $51,155, moving this crossover further into premium SUV territory. The price increase for the Limited is understandable because it now includes more features as standard. The XLE’s $400 increase is smaller, but it adds no major upgrades.

If you’re already a Crown Signia fan, the added features in the Limited trim could make the 2027 model more appealing. However, if price is your main concern, the higher starting cost might be hard to accept.

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What Is It, Exactly?

Underneath, it’s still a real Jaguar. The donor is a pre-facelift F-Type roadster with the supercharged 3.0-liter V6, rated at 380 horsepower and 339 lb-ft, and the rear-drive mechanicals are unchanged. What’s new is the body. Callum’s kit uses flax-based composite panels, a redesigned front bumper with aero flaps, wider fenders and bronze five-spoke wheels, all in a Tonga Green finish, giving the “Flax Type” a distinct look and proposing the feasibility of flax-based composite as an automotive raw material.

The Farm Part

The materials come from Clarkson’s 1,000-acre farm in Oxfordshire, England. The cabin has tan leather from his livestock, carpets made from farm-reared sheep’s wool and tweed inserts. Clarkson showed it at the Villa La Massa Excellence event in Tuscany, where he appears to have won a trophy. No direct quotes from him about the project were available, and the cost hasn’t been disclosed.

The Reaction

Most people like the spec, but whether the flax panels can ever be more than a one-off is unknown. Clarkson hasn’t said, and neither has Jaguar. But the fact that the “Flax Type” exists proves that it may deserve some looking into as a sustainable alternative to the materials used on modern cars.

The timing is interesting. Jaguar is in the middle of a very public reinvention, and a plant-based body kit on a gasoline V6 is about as far from its electric Type 01 direction as you can get. For now, it’s a one-off that grew in a field.

The Cadillac Escalade-V is a luxurious SUV with a price tag to match. For 2027, it starts at $169,300, before taxes, destination charges, and the options its wealthy buyers might want in their posh land yacht.

But if you want something more exotic and singular, Cadillac has revealed the 2027 Escalade-V 125th Anniversary Collector Series. Created to celebrate the brand’s 125th anniversary, this limited-run model adds exclusive styling details and collector-focused touches to the already expensive performance SUV.

Unveiled ahead of the United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas, the special edition is also the first Escalade to receive Cadillac’s Collector Series treatment. The program has previously celebrated the automaker’s performance heritage through limited editions tied to significant milestones and racing achievements.

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Exclusive Colors, Carbon Fiber, and Blue Accents

The Escalade-V 125th Anniversary Collector Series will be available in two exterior finishes: Midnight Stone Frost and Vibrant White Tricoat. Both are intended to emphasize the SUV’s size and styling, while commemorative details make the special edition easier to distinguish.

The exterior package includes unique forged 24-inch wheels, a carbon-fiber grille surround, carbon-fiber lower rear fascia, carbon-fiber mirror caps, and a carbon-fiber engine cover. Blue brake calipers and dark-finish badges add contrast, while heritage V-8 puddle lamps provide another nod to Cadillac’s performance history.

The cabin receives its own set of exclusive details. Its black and Sheer Gray two-tone treatment is paired with Santorini Blue stitching, blue seat belts, and special interior badging. Illuminated sill plates, premium floor mats designed for the Collector Series, and an exclusive blue key fob round out the package.

Santorini Blue is particularly meaningful because Cadillac associates the color with the evolution of its V-Series design, including its connection to the V-Series emblem and the Cadillac V-Series.R race car. It’s a small detail, but one that gives the anniversary edition a clearer link to the brand’s motorsport identity.

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252 Units, With Buyers Choosing Their VIN

Cadillac has not announced a new powertrain configuration for the anniversary edition. Instead, the special model retains the Escalade-V’s performance-focused identity, with its appeal centered on exclusive equipment, limited availability, and personalization.

The most unusual feature is that buyers will have the opportunity to select their vehicle identification number (VIN) and serial number. Each exterior color will also feature vehicles labeled with the years 1902–2027, commemorating Cadillac’s history.

The 2027 Escalade-V 125th Anniversary Collector Series is available to order in the US and Canada, with pricing starting at approximately $239,000, including destination freight charges but excluding taxes, title, and dealer fees. That puts it roughly $69,700 above the regular 2027 Escalade-V’s starting price, before accounting for differences in destination charges and equipment.

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The fifth-generation Hyundai Tucson has hit the market with staggering momentum, recording 15,045 pre-orders on its first day of availability. This volume easily surpasses the 10,842 first-day contracts logged by the outgoing fourth-generation model during its 2020 debut. Entering a highly competitive compact SUV segment, the overhauled vehicle is successfully attracting a broad range of buyers. Early reception is largely driven by a comprehensive redesign, expanded cabin proportions, and major advances in digital integration.

We have earlier noted that the crossover’s striking new design will be paying immediate dividends on the sales floor. The updated architecture provides a stronger foundation for the brand to introduce its latest connected services and active driver-assist functions, ensuring the vehicle remains highly competitive throughout its lifecycle.

There’s a Tucson for All Tastes

According to a recent report from the Korean Car Blog, early order data reveals a sharp polarization in customer preferences. Buyers are aggressively gravitating toward both ends of the pricing spectrum. The flagship Inspiration trim captured a dominant 44% share of initial orders, climbing significantly from a 29% take rate on the previous generation. This top-tier specification comes standard with Highway Driving Assist 2, dual wireless chargers, and a 17-inch display running Pleos Connect software. Despite this expanding digital ecosystem, the interior smartly balances modern tech by keeping traditional physical controls for essential cabin functions.

The entry-level H-Pick grade secured a massive share of the pie with an impressive 33% of all bookings. This validates the corporate strategy of abandoning bare-bones base models. Complementing the crossover’s recently updated exterior, loading the entry trim with core safety features and over-the-air update capability makes it an incredibly attractive value. It proves that generous standard equipment is crucial for securing budget-conscious shoppers without sacrificing brand prestige. The mid-tier Exclusive trim accounted for 22% of orders, while the rugged XRT appearance package rounded out the remainder.

Banking on Hybrid Tech

Pre-order data also underscores a clear consumer shift toward electrified propulsion. The next-generation hybrid variant established itself as the preferred choice, accounting for 55% of all day-one contracts. This represents a solid increase from the 48% hybrid take rate seen in the outgoing generation. The automaker’s upgraded hybrid system promises noticeable improvements in total output alongside significantly reduced fuel consumption.

For traditional internal combustion buyers, the revised gasoline turbo engine remains available. It features an enlarged turbocharger that increases peak output by 13 horsepower, mated to a refined eight-speed automatic transmission. All models across the lineup benefit from advanced factory-standard safety technology, including a dual-redundancy door unlock power supply, unintended acceleration mitigation, and navigation-based smart cruise control.

If there’s one Jeep that needs no introduction, it’s the Jeep Wrangler. Boxy, rugged, and instantly recognizable, it’s the SUV that refuses to blend in with the crossover crowd. For the next model year, Jeep isn’t messing with the winning formula – just adding a few more toys and tweaking the sticker price.

You can now build your 2027 Wrangler on Jeep’s US website, but expect to pay a bit more. The base Sport starts at $39,985, up $945 from last year. Sport S and Willys see the same increase, while the Rubicon goes up by $795. If you want a higher-end or special-edition model, prices vary even more. Keep in mind, these prices don’t include destination fees, taxes, or other extras.

What’s New for 2027

The most notable changes focus on standard equipment, with several trims gaining features that make the Wrangler more convenient for daily use. Five Twelve 4 Twelve special editions also carry over into the next model year: Moab 392, Willys 392, Whitecap, Rewind, and Rockslide.

Sport, Sport S, and Willys now get a 7-inch color screen in the gauge cluster as standard. Sport S and Willys also score passive entry, so you can leave the key fob in your pocket and just hop in.

The four-door Sahara gets the biggest haul of new goodies: McKinley-trimmed seats, side steps, a nine-speaker Alpine sound system, built-in navigation, rear park assist, blind-spot monitoring, cross-path detection, an auto-dimming mirror, automatic high beams, a universal garage opener, and even a front-facing TrailCam for off-road adventures.

Rubicon buyers now get toasty front seats, a heated steering wheel, and built-in navigation as standard. Over on the two-door Willys, there’s now a vented power dome hood to match its four-door sibling.

Jeep’s also shaking up the color palette. New shades like Ghost and the limited-run Gum 31 are in, with Fathom Blue joining the party too. Gobi, Sting Gray, and Hella Yella are on the list, but you’ll have to wait a bit longer for those.

Familiar Engines and Off-Road Capability Remain

Under the hood, the same trio of gas engines. The 2.0-liter turbo-four puts out 270 horsepower and 295 lb-ft, paired with an eight-speed auto.

The 3.6-liter V6 is good for 285 hp and 260 lb-ft, and you can still get it with a six-speed manual if you’re one of the few who still wants to row your own gears off-road.

At the top, there’s the 6.4-liter V8 with a thumping 470 hp and 470 lb-ft. It’s reserved for the four-door Willys 392 and Moab 392, which still wear the biggest price tags: $70,995 and $79,995.

Of course, off-road chops are still front and center. Depending on trim, you get Command-Trac, Rock-Trac, or Selec-Trac 4WD. Jeep claims a 100:1 crawl ratio, up to 12.9 inches of ground clearance, 5,000 pounds of towing (if you spec it right), and the ability to wade through 34 inches of water.

The Wrangler still offers removable doors, a foldable windshield, and the optional Sky One-Touch powertop. These features keep it popular with buyers who want an SUV that works for both daily driving and outdoor adventures.

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Ferrari Luce: Pricing Is All But Irrelevant

Despite the controversial styling, the much-berated all-electric powertrain, and the obscene cost, throngs of speculative flippers, Icona Series hopefuls, longtime aficionados, and new customers are all sending money to Maranello to reserve a Luce; Ferrari says the EV hit its sales target in just two months, with China leading many of the orders. As the first all-electric Ferrari, the first vehicle designed by LoveFrom (through industrial designer Marc Newson and ex-Apple designer Sir Jony Ive), and the first Prancing Horse with five seats, the Luce is unique in many ways, and those revolutionary attributes contribute to the Luce’s appeal, even if a former CEO, purists, and hardcore enthusiasts renounce the car. In fact, Ferrari execs seem pleased with how much negative talk has surrounded the Luce. As they say, there’s no such thing as bad publicity.

Related: Ferrari Luce Leads The Most Controversial Car Reveals In Recent Memory

For your $560,800, the Luce offers a quartet of synchronous permanent-magnet electric motors, with output bias favoring the rear axle. Altogether, the Luce delivers up to 1,035 horsepower, which seems mildly excessive until you remember that EVs are heavy, and this one is no exception at 4,982 pounds, despite an all-aluminum body. 0-62 mph takes 2.5 seconds and 0-124 mph takes 6.8 seconds, though Ferrari could have made the EV even quicker. It chose against doing so and worked alongside NASA to help occupants retain their lunch under acceleration.

Autoblog’s Take

It’s remarkable that the U.S.-spec Luce is cheaper than the European one despite aggressive tariffs, but it’s still priced obscenely enough to make your accountant swoon. With more powerful, more expensive, and more advanced vehicles appearing at a frequency that sometimes feels impossible to keep up with, hearing that an all-electric Ferrari exists is no surprise. Hearing that it produces more power than a Bugatti Veyron barely raises an eyebrow. And hearing that it costs more than any other series-production Ferrari on sale today doesn’t even make you flinch. Whether it’s worth the money or not seems inconsequential – it’s a Ferrari, and no matter what it’s powered by or how it’s priced, that storied yellow shield seems incapable of dissuading monied buyers.

Subaru is apparently bringing back a high-performance trim for its latest crossover lineup, but buyers should prepare their wallets. A Japanese automotive publication prematurely leaked pricing for the upcoming 2027 Subaru Forester STI Sport. The now-deleted report confirms that the highly anticipated model is returning as a non-hybrid D-type variant.

While practical STI fans have been begging for a proper performance SUV, this returning trim carries a massive premium. The leak suggests the automaker is continuing its trend of offering premium domestic market options, similar to other strange Forester packages sold overseas. Buyers are eager to see if this iteration genuinely delivers on its legendary badging.

Leaked Specifications and Price Hikes

According to leaked data from MOTA (and reported by Japanese outlet Creative Trend), the 2027 Forester STI Sport will start at around $30,000 (4,466,000 yen). This figure represents a staggering $5,500 price hike compared to the previous generation’s sticker price. The vehicle will reportedly utilize a 1.8-liter horizontally opposed four-cylinder direct-injection turbocharged engine rather than a hybrid powertrain.

Interestingly, the leaked specifications indicate the STI Sport trim will omit the next-generation EyeSight X driver assistance system. While Subaru has not published the exact 2027 equipment list, the previous model featured STI-tuned Hitachi Astemo front dampers, Nappa leather seating, and exclusive black exterior accents. We expect a similar suite of handling and cosmetic enhancements to justify the new cost.

Subaru has been making aggressive moves to appease its performance base lately. Beyond new vehicle trims, the brand recently expanded parts programs that let owners factory-upgrade WRX models. A turbocharged Forester fits this hardware strategy perfectly, offering a high-riding alternative for enthusiasts who want utility without sacrificing driving dynamics.

Balancing Price With Enthusiast Expectations

The return of the Forester STI Sport is undeniably exciting. The brand recently established a dedicated fun car team, proving Subaru still understands its core demographic. A 1.8-liter turbocharged engine paired with dedicated suspension tuning is exactly what the crossover segment desperately needs. However, launching a flagship performance trim without the brand’s latest EyeSight X safety technology feels like a strange compromise for a premium family vehicle.

The massive price hike also places extreme pressure on the STI Sport to deliver an uncompromising driving experience. If Subaru wants to justify that steep premium, they must ensure this crossover offers genuine performance upgrades rather than just red stitching and aggressive badging. Getting the mechanics right will secure the Forester’s legacy, but falling short could easily alienate the loyalists they are trying to attract.

Wyoming Has The Highest Totals

NWS Riverton’s probabilistic snowfall forecast map, issued at 5:21 a.m. ET Friday and valid through 8 p.m. ET Sunday, expects 7 inches on Gannett Peak in the Wind River Range. On the high end map, which shows totals with a 1 in 10 chance of being exceeded, a narrow band along the crest of the range reaches 18 to 24 inches, and Gannett Peak itself could see 17. Wind River Peak is forecast at 4 inches and could reach 13, and the Grand Teton could pick up 5 to 10 inches. In the high country of southern Yellowstone, Moose Basin Divide and the Pitchstone Plateau are each forecast at 4 to 5 inches, with a high end of 11.

Utah, Idaho And Colorado

NWS Salt Lake City expects 5 inches on Kings Peak in the Uintas, with a high end of 10, while Snowbird is forecast at an inch with a chance of up to 8. In central Idaho, NWS Pocatello gives Hyndman Peak 4 inches and a high end of 12, and 4th of July Peak 3 inches with a high end of 10. Colorado’s San Juan Mountains see the most in that state, though NWS Grand Junction now expects only 3 inches on Red Mountain Pass, down sharply from Thursday’s outlook, and a 1 in 10 chance of 8.

Montana Advisories Through Friday Night

NWS Great Falls expects less than 2 inches in most towns through Saturday morning, with 1.9 inches at Geyser and 1.5 at Lewistown, and Winter Weather Advisories cover several mountain ranges from Friday afternoon into early Saturday. NWS Missoula’s advisory for MacDonald Pass on US-12, Homestake Pass on I-90 and Georgetown Lake calls for a trace to 3 inches and warns of slippery roads for the Friday evening commute.

What It Means On Mountain Passes

Most of the roads that drivers will actually use will stay at the low end of the forecast. NWS Riverton expects 2 inches on Sylvan Pass, the road through Yellowstone’s East Entrance, and an inch each on Togwotee Pass and Teton Pass. In Colorado, Wolf Creek Pass on US-160 is forecast at an inch, and Galena Summit on Idaho’s Highway 75 could see a trace to 4 inches.

Even an inch on a pass after dark can leave a lane slick, especially on bridges and shaded curves where fresh snow lingers. Our winter tire guide covers what to check before a mountain trip.