Automotive

Once upon a time, screens in cars were a luxury. Then everything got ’em, and now, owners are looking for relief. So, the new luxury is digital detox. Don’t believe us? Porsche’s new Mission S concept—previewing its future flagship mid-engine supercar—doesn’t have a built-in infotainment display. It doesn’t even have a fully digital rev counter; instead, it uses a physical needle over a circular screen. If you’re looking for such an instrument cluster in any of Porsche’s current models, you won’t find it. This is all new, and it follows a trend started by the uber-luxe Bugatti Tourbillon, with its timepiece-inspired gauges, and the controversial Ferrari Luce.

Like many of us, Toyota wants Europe to leave room in new car dealerships for internal-combustion engines, and it has a fairly bold suggestion for how to do it: cars running exclusively on qualifying renewable fuels, the company announced Friday, should count as zero-emission vehicles. Yes, even with an engine burning fuel under the hood. Toyota calls this a request for "partnership and pragmatism. " Specifically, it wants European regulators to accept the idea under a common definition aligned with the EU’s Renewable Energy Directive. The important word here is “exclusively.” This isn’t a request to give every gasoline car a green badge because its owner occasionally buys a different kind of gas; it's asking if cars that only ever run on eligible fuels could get that zero-emission tag. The timing is key, because Europe is already reconsidering its combustion-engine endgame. Current rules call for a 100-percent reduction in fleet CO2 emissions for new cars and vans from 2035 onward, but the European Commission has alternatively proposed a 90-percent reduction, with the remaining emissions compensated through qualifying fuels or European low-carbon steel.

Two California Highway Patrol officers are recovering from serious injuries after a Tesla drove into their patrol car at a crash scene on Interstate 80 in Fairfield. The 22-year-old driver told investigators he was asleep with Tesla’s “Full Self-Driving” engaged. CHP released dashcam video of the impact on Thursday. It’s the latest Tesla to plow into an emergency scene, a failure federal regulators started investigating five years ago.

When you’ve been in this business long enough, you can sniff out the difference between a concept car that’s simply for show and one that teases an upcoming production model. The new Tesla Roadster prototype is the latter. This isn’t to say the entirety of this ambitious electric sports car, which identifies as a two-seat coupe that Tesla CEO Elon Musk claims will “crush every track record that has ever existed,” is production-bound. However, there’s enough evidence to support Musk’s assertion that the Roadster will enter production “in 2028” (give or take a few years). Parts such as exterior rearview mirrors will need to find their way into the finished product, and the prototype's SpaceX-supplied cold-gas thrusters and downforce-enhancing suction system may ultimately end up on the cutting-room floor—at least in any planned street-legal variants. Still, the basic bones of this battery-powered sports car look close to production-ready.

Volkswagen is set to recall “several thousand” electric vehicles, including the ID.4 and ID. Buzz. The company is urging owners to limit charging to 80% until a fix is available. Which EVs are included in the Volkswagen recall?

Muscle cars have always invited modification. That’s because it’s in an automotive enthusiast’s nature to be power-hungry and to tinker. So if we’re provided with a go-fast template, we’ll inevitably start asking: What happens if we turn it up a little? The new Dodge Charger Scat Pack lets tuners answer that question in novel ways. Because under its long hood sits not a typical V-8 but the SIXPACK, a potent 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged inline-six. Though this engine offers up to 550 hp and 531 lb-ft of torque in High Output (HO) trim, and 420 hp/468 lb-ft in an “entry level” (SO) trim, for optimizers like us those are merely opening bids. This motor’s clean-sheet design, combined with its mechanical robustness, invites fresh thinking on how to increase output. Beyond this, the new gas-powered Charger’s widebody proportions, independent suspension, and rear-drive (and/or all-wheel-drive) architecture create a highly advanced starting point for your personal build. The SIXPACK is thus perfectly poised to become Dodge’s new tuner playground. Six Cylinders, Serious IntentionsThe SIXPACK comes stock with impressive dyno sheet specs.

The Ferrari F50 has suddenly become one of the brand's most valuable and desirable cars for collectors, so much so that an ultra-low-mileage example is expected to sell for more than $20 million at an October 31 auction. If achieved, this would be a record price for the F50 and roughly quadruple the going rate of pristine examples just three years ago. What makes this particular example so special is that it's likely one of the lowest-mileage F50s in existence, having been driven just 106 miles. Ferrari built just 349 examples of the F50 from 1995 through 1997, and this final-year F50 is build no. 334 and chassis no. 107165. It was delivered new in the U. K. and has been parked for almost 30 years. While it's a shame the original owner didn't drive it, it represents a rare opportunity for an uber-wealthy collector to get behind the wheel of a near-new F50.

For decades, Toyota has sold a car that’s more premium and distinguished than even the nicest Lexus sedan. The Century has long represented the pinnacle of Toyota luxury, comfort, and status. It even housed Toyota’s only passenger-car V12 engine. Yet, America was never good enough to have them until they were 25 years old. Reportedly, Toyota is finally changing that, as America is about to officially experience Japan’s Rolls-Royce. Toyota has spent the past several years nurturing the Century into something even bigger than it already was. By 2023, the Century was no longer just a single flagship car, but its lineup had a Century-branded SUV to go with the sedan. Then, Toyota spun the whole thing off as its own independent brand, one that Toyota said was “global” and meant to challenge Bentley and Rolls-Royce.

Hyundai issued a recall and a “Park Outside” warning for 94,622 vehicles that could catch fire, documents filed with NHTSA show. According to the documents, the recall covers some 2015–2016 Hyundai Genesis sedans and some 2017–2020 Genesis G80 sedans. The recall issue stems from a power seat control that can get stuck and overheat, potentially leading to a fire. Hyundai is recalling certain 2015–2016 Hyundai Genesis sedans and 2017–2020 Genesis G80 sedans, documents filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) show. The recall, which covers a total of 94,622 cars, is accompanied by a “Park Outside” warning, as the impacted cars pose a fire risk. Fortunately, only 1 percent of the recalled population is estimated to pose a danger. Michael Simari|Car and DriverAccording to the NHTSA documents, the recall issue stems from a power seat control, which could overheat. Specifically, the seat slider and height adjustment lever on non-memory powered front seats can become dislodged or damaged when hit with an external force. It’s possible that the damaged control can become locked in the engaged position, causing it to operate continuously.

After a nine-year wait, Tesla finally took the covers off its second-generation Roadster on Thursday. The reveal showed off a dramatically different car from the concept first shown in 2017, but the bigger news was what the company says that the car can do. In four different demos, the new Roadster was seen holding up its weight upside down, flipping in the air, and even completing a 0-60 mile-per-hour sprint in 0.81 seconds. And in case you missed them last night, here are those stunts, all neatly packaged via Tesla’s YouTube account. The reveal started with a stunt that Tesla calls “the ramp,” opening with the car using its fan-supplied downforce to drive up a ramp, stop, and hold itself nearly upside down in a demo similar to what McMurtry did with its Speirling track car last year. Tesla’s clipped video picks up right after that, showing a second run where the Roadster continued driving off the edge of the ramp, then used its cold gas booster propulsion system to complete a barrel roll and land level with the ground. While the flipping is completely unnecessary for anything a car is actually intended to do, the fan system that allows the car to climb the wall is substantial.

Jump to:How Does It Drive? What’s It Like to Live With? Should I Buy One? Highlights and Lowlights:Rolls-Royce got the jump on the rest of the car market with the launch of the Spectre in 2023. The British ultraluxury maker was the first to build a two-door, four-seat EV coupe, and nearly four years later it still exists in a segment of one. For 2027, the Spectre is being given a modest set of revisions and a Series II suffix, meaning Rolls has managed to facelift its pioneering electric coupe before competitors have managed to even get off the line. Buying a Spectre is both simple and hugely complex. The range is split between the regular Spectre and the more powerful Black Badge version. Beyond that, the vast range of options and bespoke trim and material possibilities makes for choices that are close to limitless. The Lowdown:The two variants share powertrain hardware, but the Black Badge gets a more dynamic tune for its adaptive suspension and a boost in performance for the dual-motor, all-wheel-drive powertrain.

A blaze in Fort Worth, Texas, earlier this week destroyed six all-electric SUVs, all of which appear to be the $127,000+ Cadillac Escalade IQ. The blaze, which broke out at Frank Kent Cadillac, took almost 18 hours to control, and it highlights how difficult is to contain and extinguish an EV fire. Stellantis recently filed a patent showing a way to quickly separate a damaged battery from the vehicle. Jaw-dropping images captured at the scene show several of the Cadillac EVs involved in the fire. The Fort Worth Fire Department hasn't said how the inferno started, but it described how challenging it was to control and eventually extinguish the fire. Although an incident like this may make you worry about owning an EV, remember that EV fires occur far less often than those involving combustion-powered cars.

Home » What Does It Say That Elon Musk Finds It Easier To Build A Flying Car Than A Cheap EV? Last night, two major automakers revealed two maybe important cars. Porsche showed off a preview of its above-911 supercar, and Tesla showed a flying Roadster that, curiously, wasn’t a roadster at all. What’s notable here is that neither of these cars are going to be affordable to the vast majority of people reading this.

Imagine putting down a deposit of up to $250,000 to secure a reservation for your dinner date, only for said date to be delayed by about nine years. To cap it off, the person you were so excited to meet nearly a decade ago just walked into the restaurant looking completely different than their profile pic. Understandably, you might feel like you’ve been catfished. After seeing the new Tesla Roadster, we’d imagine it’s the same feeling for some people who spent between $50,000 and $250,000 on Tesla’s original Roadster 2.0 concept that was shown all the way back in 2017 (pictured below on the left). TeslaBy now, you’ve likely seen the videos circulating of the new Tesla Roadster’s impressive thruster-based antics. If you haven’t, check them out here. Aside from the shocking displays of engineering, we were quite taken aback by the Roadster’s new looks. Given the huge gap between the Roadster’s 2017 concept and the new car’s reveal, it’s no surprise that Tesla updated the design. What is surprising, though, is just how drastic those changes have been. The 2017 Roadster concept had a sharp front end, reminiscent of the modern Acura NSX.

Muscle cars have always invited modification. That’s because it’s in an automotive enthusiast’s nature to be power-hungry and to tinker. So if we’re provided with a go-fast template, we’ll inevitably start asking: What happens if we turn it up a little? The new Dodge Charger Scat Pack lets tuners answer that question in novel ways. Because under its long hood sits not a typical V-8 but the SIXPACK, a potent 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged inline-six. Though this engine offers up to 550 hp and 531 lb-ft of torque in High Output (HO) trim, and 420 hp/468 lb-ft in an “entry level” (SO) trim, for optimizers like us those are merely opening bids. This motor’s clean-sheet design, combined with its mechanical robustness, invites fresh thinking on how to increase output. Beyond this, the new gas-powered Charger’s widebody proportions, independent suspension, and rear-drive (and/or all-wheel-drive) architecture create a highly advanced starting point for your personal build. The SIXPACK is thus perfectly poised to become Dodge’s new tuner playground. Six Cylinders, Serious IntentionsThe SIXPACK comes stock with impressive dyno sheet specs.

There's a certain sense of pride that comes with bringing your teenage son into the family business. Teaching him the ropes, passing down knowledge, and preparing him to carry on the family legacy are all part of the dream. Of course ... that dream gets a little messy when the family business allegedly involves stealing millions of dollars worth of Lamborghinis, Rolls-Royces, and Bentleys. According to Houston news outlet KPRC 2, a mother, father, and their teenage son are among five people charged in an elaborate luxury vehicle theft ring involving approximately $3 million worth of high-end cars. The Houston Police Department allege that this crime ring stole 15 vehicles in just three months. And these were not your ordinary Hyundais and Hondas either: “They targeted a lot of Mercedes, a lot of Cadillacs—Cadillac Escalades—Range Rovers, Lamborghinis, Rolls-Royces, Bentleys, pretty much anything that had a very high price point, well over $100,000,” said Sargent Ben LeBlanc of the Houston Police Department’s Auto Theft Division. The sophisticated theft ring didn’t rely on old-fashioned Slim Jims or high-tech key-cloning scanners to gain access to the vehicles.

Kia launched a first-of-its-kind remote car-sharing program in Korea using the PV5 electric van. Kia is using the PV5 EV van for remote car-sharing

Two Massachusetts cranberry bogs that had stopped making financial sense to farm are growing berries again – with solar panels overhead helping pay the bills. The Black Cat project in Plymouth and the Ring Road project in Kingston combine cranberry farming, community solar, and battery storage. Distributed Energy Infrastructure (DEI), which built the projects, says income from leasing the land for solar has made it viable to cultivate the long-idle bogs again.