Nissan celebrates the end of the line for the R35 GT-R and its legacy as the final example rolled off the production line at the Tochigi factory in Japan. During this bittersweet moment, the brand’s CEO said that this isn’t goodbye to GT-R as the nameplate will “one day make a return”.

An Incredibly Long Run

The Japanese automaker produced approximately 48,000 units of the R35 GT-R over the past 18 years. A team of nine master craftsmen, known as Takumi, assembled all GT-R engines by hand at the Yokohama factory. Each one’s name can be found on a special plaque attached to the respective powertrain.

More: Nissan’s New CEO Pledges Four Or More Sports Cars To Reignite Enthusiast Passion

The last example of the R35 is a GT-R Premium Edition T-Spec finished in the signature Midnight purple shade. It is destined for a customer in Japan, which is the final sales region for the model. Nissan stopped accepting orders in its home market last February, which gave them enough time to clear the backlog.

The Legacy Of The Godzilla

The R35 GT-R was introduced at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show and immediately earned the reputation of a “supercar killer”. Nissan says that the model was designed as the ultimate Grand Tourer, combining performance with “a comfortable ride, high levels of refinement, and benchmark fit and finish”. The GT-R received numerous updates over its 18-year-old lifecycle, including facelifts in 2010, 2016, and 2023.

Nissan

All variants of the R35 GT-R were powered by the non-electrified VR38DETT 3.8-liter twin-turbo V6 mated to the advanced Attesa ET-S all-wheel-drive system. The engine gradually evolved from producing 473 hp (353 kW / 480 PS) in the initial model to generating 562 hp (419 kW / 570 PS) after the latest update, and up to 600 hp (447 kW / 608 PS) in the hardcore Nismo.

Over the years, the lap record of the GT-R at the Nurburgring was slashed from 7:38 (2007) to 7:08.679 (2013). Nissan’s supercar killer also appeared in motorsports, achieving victories at the GT500 and GT300 classes of Japan’s Super GT Championship, the Blancpain GT Series Pro-Am class, the 12-hours of Bathurst, and the Super Taikyu endurance racing series.

Goodbye R35, Hello R36 (sort of)

Ivan Espinosa, President and CEO of Nissan, issued the following statement:

“After 18 remarkable years, the R35 GT-R has left an enduring mark on automotive history. Its legacy is a testament to the passion of our team and the loyalty of our customers around the globe. Thank you for being part of this extraordinary journey.”

Nissan’s boss didn’t stop there, as he gave a few hints about the future of the nameplate:

“To the many fans of the GT-R worldwide, I would like to tell you this isn’t a goodbye to the GT-R forever. It’s our goal for the GT-R nameplate to one day make a return. We understand the expectations are high, the GT-R badge is not something that can be applied to just any vehicle. It is reserved for something truly special and the R35 set the bar high. So all I can ask is for your patience. While we don’t have a precise plan finalized today, the GT-R will evolve and reemerge in the future.”

At a time of financial uncertainty, it is clear that Nissan is not ready to commit to a release date for the successor of the GT-R. This probably means that development, while underway, still has some way to go and strategic decisions need to be made before things proceed as they should.

As hinted at by the 2023 Nissan Hyper Force concept, the R36 was expected with a high-performance electric powertrain and solid state batteries. However, recent comments by the R35 product planner – Hiroshi Tamura – suggest that the EV future is not fixed. Instead, it may as well adopt a hybrid setup, if this is what customers really want.

More: The Next GT-R Might Not Be What You Expect

According to the official announcement, “learnings from the R35 will be integral to the next-generation GT-R, ensuring its legacy evolves while raising the performance benchmark”.

In any case, it is good that the Japanese automaker hasn’t abandoned plans for a performance flagship that will eventually continue the legacy of the previous GT-R generations. Let’s hope we’ll lay eyes on it before the end of the decade.

Mercedes-AMG is no stranger to chasing records, yet it might have just outdone even itself. The Concept AMG GT XX just circled the globe virtually in just over a week. In the process of setting that record, it smashed 24 others as well. There’s no doubt about it. The AMG.EA platform just proved that it’s not just good for short bursts. It’s capable of long-haul dominance.

At the heart of the GT XX is a trio of axial-flux motors paired with a directly cooled high-performance battery. This is the same kind of tech that AMG says will underpin production cars starting next year. The concept delivers more than 1,360 hp (1,000 kW) and can sustain triple-digit speeds for days. That’s not hyperbole – it’s a certified fact now.

More: Only Two Of These Ferraris Exist And One Just Shattered Records

Essentially, this car circled Germany’s Nardo circuit for 7.5 straight days, only stopping to charge back up. Mercedes brought two GT XX prototypes, and the pair racked up 3,177 laps of the 7.87-mile (12.68 km) track during the record attempt. In the process, they set records for the furthest distance traveled by an EV over 12-168 hours and the fastest EV to go 2,000-40,075 km.

Key EV Distance Records

Inspired by Jules Verne’s “Around the World in Eight Days,” Mercedes actually beat that figure. 40,075 km is the distance around the globe at the equator. The AMG GT XX went that far in just 7 days, 13 hours, and 24 minutes. That means that on average, during that time, it was going 137 mph, including when it was stopped to charge.

Of course, that was only possible because of the engineering on tap here. Charging at 850 kW is something only concept cars can do right now, but it enabled the AMG GT XX to add 249 miles (400 km) of range in five minutes.

The axial motors also provide more power density, and Mercedes used F1-inspired direct battery cooling to ensure nothing got too hot. That’s key because Mercedes reports track conditions of 35°C (95°F) at times. While we don’t expect to see EVs keeping up with ICE cars in endurance races anytime soon, this is a big step in that direction.

Time-Based Records – Distance Covered

Few could have predicted just how quickly Chinese automakers would come to dominate the affordable EV market. In less than a decade, brands from the People’s Republic have gone from underdogs to leaders, reshaping global competition so dramatically that legacy carmakers have largely stepped back from the lower-cost segment, according to a new UK report.

Read: China’s Most British Roadster Freshens Up For 2026

The study, published by the FIA Foundation, highlights how the rise of small, budget-friendly EVs from China is pushing European and British manufacturers to concentrate on larger and more premium models instead.

China’s Growing Edge

“China, which now accounts for 27pc of global passenger car sales, has secured a competitive edge in manufacturing smaller EVs, with strengths across key aspects of EV production, including battery supply chains, manufacturing efficiency and software,” the report says. “It means China has evolved from a net importer of passenger cars before 2020 to the world’s largest net exporter.”

According to the report, this has led to European and British brands to cede the affordable car market. Of course, whether or not the car manufacturers themselves would admit this remains to be seen.

While EVs from China have been kept out of the US, they are becoming an increasingly common sight in the UK. Of all the new cars sold in the UK in June, roughly 19,000 of them were made by Chinese brands like MG, BYD, Omoda, and Jaecoo. Currently, there are more than 130 EV models available in the country and of these, 33 are priced under £30,000 ($40,200).

Small Cars, Big Potential

The surge in Chinese EVs could help to combat the swelling size of new vehicles. As noted by the chief executive of the RAC Foundation, Steve Gooding, “Our love affair with Fiesta-sized cars might swiftly be rekindled if more small, keenly priced EV models start coming to market,” he told Yahoo!.

Incentives from the nation’s Department of Transport could help to increase the number of small EVs on local roads. Discounts of up to £3,750 ($5,025) are available for new electric cars and more than 100,000 addition public charging locations are in the works.

A new piece of research has sparked lively debate about how best to treat an EV battery, especially for those hoping to maximize its lifespan. With replacement costs still high, it’s no surprise that owners want clear answers on whether gentle driving or spirited use is better for long-term health.

Also: Breakthrough EV Battery Patent Could Charge In Minutes And Cross A Continent

EV batteries are still hugely expensive to replace, even if prices have fallen, so it’s only natural that anyone in for the ownership long-haul would want to look after theirs by driving and charging carefully. But a recent study published in the scientific journal Nature led some to believe that getting stuck into the right pedal on a regular basis and enjoying an EV’s performance could extend battery life.

The study, ‘Dynamic cycling enhances battery lifetime,’ compared the kind of discharge profiles achieved by a constant-current cycle in lab conditions with dynamic charging and discharging profiles from real-world EV use. It found that batteries subjected to the supposedly more gentle constant-current tests aged more rapidly than the more realistic ones.

Interpreting the Science

But before you head off to absolutely beast your EV down the highway, feeling like you’ve just been told a daily diet of Big Macs and beer will ensure you live to 120, it’s worth hearing what the battery diagnostic specialists from Aviloo have to say on the matter.

Aviloo’s own field tests of 402 identical EVs found that driving enthusiastically was a sure-fire way to shorten a battery’s lifespan, Auto Motor und Sport reports. The reason is that driving hard increases energy consumption and that means more charging cycles, more battery stresses and accelerated aging.

“If you drive efficiently, you save around ten percent of energy in the life cycle,” Aviloo’s Nikolaus Mayerhofer told AMS. “This means that 100,000 km (62,000 miles) with economical driving roughly corresponds to the battery load of 110,000 km (68,000 miles) with an aggressive driving style.”

Practical Advice for Owners

Aviloo isn’t suggesting the authors of the dynamic charging study got it wrong, only that other people misinterpreted their results. Its advice for anyone looking to maximize their EV’s battery life is unchanged: drive efficiently, and unless really necessary don’t fast-charge, charge over 80 percent or leave a car with a ton of juice in it for long periods.

But if that all sounds like too much work or just plain boring, all is not lost. In a recent German study a VW ID.3 lost only 8 miles (13 km) of range after four years and 107,000 miles (172,000 km), despite almost always being charged to full and often being left parked up fully charged.

In a bid to protect its car industry, as well as hit back at Chinese carmakers for receiving unfair subsidies from their government, the European Union has been imposing hefty tariffs on imported EVs from the People’s Republic since October 2024. However, Chinese brands are already looking to circumvent the tariffs as much as possible by setting up local production facilities and, at least for the time being, increasing their focus on hybrids.

Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way

Hybrids sit in a relatively safe zone, since they’re only partially covered by the EU’s tariff system. Combined with the fact that they remain popular with European buyers, it’s no surprise that Chinese automakers are boosting hybrid imports at record levels.

Read: Toyota Finally Blinks As Europe’s EV Market Closes In

A recent report from Dataforce reveals that BYD registered 20,000 plug-in hybrids in the EU through the first half of the year, more than three times the number of PHEVs it imported during the whole of 2024. In addition, MG has imported more PHEVs across January-June than it did in all of 2024. Lynk & Co is also importing more PHEVs to Europe than ever.

Increasing their focus on hybrids greatly benefits Chinese firms. Every EV that BYD sells in Germany is hit with a base 10 percent duty and then a 17 percent additional duty, bringing the tariff up to 27 percent. For the best-selling Atto 3, these tariffs add about €10,000 ($11,600) to the electric SUV. By comparison, the plug-in hybrid BYD Seal U only has to deal with 10 percent duties, or the equivalent of €3,999 ($4,600) based on its €39,999 ($46,600) starting price.

The impact is even more significant for SAIC, which sells MG models. It has to deal with the highest EU tariffs of 45.3 percent for its imported EVs. So, through the first six months of this year, it has sold 60 percent fewer EVs across the continent, but has increased registrations for the hybrid MG HS, MG ZS, and MG 3.

Changing Tactics to Circumvent Obstacles

“It was only a matter of time before the Chinese manufacturers changed their strategy after the introduction of the special tariffs in order to increase their profitability in Europe,” the director of the Center Automotive Research in Germany, Beatrix Keim told Handelsblatt.

It’s understood the European Commission is aware of the loophole being exploited by Chinese brands, but it does not appear to be concerned. Instead, it remains hopeful it’ll be able to work things out by having talks with China’s aggressively expanding automakers.

Electric muscle cars were supposed to mark a bold new chapter, but the reality has been less than thrilling. Dodge may not want to admit it, but the Charger Daytona has not ushered in an exciting era for all-electric muscle cars as the brand would have hoped.

In the first quarter of the year, just 2,115 were sold in the US and Canada, prompting Dodge to kill off the entry-level R/T model. And for at least one buyer, it seems to be riddled with issues.

Read: A V8 Dodge Charger Could Be Closer Than You Think

This particular Charger R/T Daytona, which we must say looks excellent painted in Peel Out Orange, is currently being leased by a man named Nicholas Sharrett. He collected it in May from Wetzel Dodge in Richmond, Indiana, and says it has been nothing but trouble. In fact, he now describes the car as “practically useless.”

The Trunk That Won’t Open

Sharrett’s biggest frustration is with the trunk. It doesn’t open, and it hasn’t worked from the day he picked it up. Curiously, Dodge has not added a trunk opener to the keyfob, nor is there a button or a latch in the cabin.

Instead, the only way to open it is to press a tiny rubber button on the taillight. That button doesn’t work, so the only way to load things into the trunk is to open the door, lower the back seats, and throw items to the rear.

Doors Out of Line

The problems don’t end with the trunk. Sharrett says the driver’s door is so badly misaligned that it rubs against the body in three different spots, even wearing away the paint at one point. Wetzel Dodge, located more than 100 miles from his home, tried to correct the alignment but told him Stellantis refused to repaint the exposed metal.

Additionally, there’s a fault with the passenger door, and it only works roughly half the time. So, if Sharrett needs to open the passenger door, he has to do so from inside the Daytona. He also says he receives error messages on the Uconnect infotainment system almost every single time he starts up the car.

The driver’s seat comes with an especially frustrating flaw. When someone in the back pulls the strap to move it forward, the seat slides as expected. But once it reaches the end of its track, it won’t stay in place and immediately begins sliding back on its own. This glitch once trapped Sharrett’s seven-year-old daughter as she was trying to climb out of the rear seat.

Sharrett’s experience might be just one case, but it leaves room for a bigger conversation. If you own a Charger Daytona, have you faced similar issues, or has your car lived up to expectations? Share your experience in the comments below.

Advanced solid-state batteries have long been regarded as the holy grail for electric vehicles and Subaru has joined fellow Japanese brands Toyota and Nissan by working to implement these advanced new packs. However, rather than using them in any of its EVs, Subaru is instead utilizing solid-state batteries in robots which build engines and transmissions.

Read: Subaru Is Having Second Thoughts On EVs

The batteries in question come from Japanese electronics firm Maxell Ltd and have been primarily used as backup batteries in industrial equipment, designed to protect against computer memory loss. These solid state cells, like those set to be used by future EVs, have a ceramic-like electrolyte rather than a liquid one. This makes them more energy-dense and allow them to support fast charging than traditional lithium-ion cells.

Why Robots Come First

Maxell’s batteries are less than 1 kWh in capacity, and therefore far too small to use in a vehicle. However, they have been adapted for use with Subaru’s factory robots which usually need battery changes every one or two years. These new batteries can last for up to 10 years.

According to Auto News, Subaru has already introduced the batteries into nine robots at its Oizumi engine and transmission plant north of Tokyo.

“By installing all-solid-state batteries in the industrial robots used at our factory, Subaru aims to reduce both industrial waste and maintenance work for industrial robots by utilizing the long battery life,” the company said in a statement.

Subaru’s EV Balancing Act

A few short months ago, Subaru acknowledged that it was “re-evaluating” its electrification strategy, becoming just the latest in a slew of car manufacturers that have become increasingly concerned with the slowing growth of EV sales in certain markets. However, it recently revealed its second EV for North America, named the Uncharted.

This is the brand’s take on the new electric Toyota C-HR but has a slightly more rugged design. The flagship model has a pair of electric motors that combine to deliver 338 hp and enable it to hit 60 mph (96 km/h) in 5 seconds.

Less than two weeks after news broke that Genesis had dropped the Electrified G80 from its US line-up, production of the all-electric GV70 has also been put on hold. The company maintains the pause is only temporary, though the timing raises questions about the SUV’s future. For now, the situation doesn’t reflect particularly well on the brand’s electric strategy.

Read: Americans Ignored Genesis’ Electric Sedan So Hard It’s Already Dead

News of the production pause surfaced earlier this week through Business Korea, which reported that Hyundai Motor’s Alabama plant stopped building the Electrified GV70 back in June. The outlet went further, suggesting the move was not just a pause but the permanent removal of the electric SUV from the assembly line.

Troubled Start For Local Production

Genesis has been building the Electrified GV70 in Alabama since February 2023, and it remains the only EV that it produces in the United States. Sales, however, have been underwhelming. Between January and July this year, just 1,367 units were assembled, a decline of 18.3 percent compared with the same period last year. March was especially weak, with only 93 vehicles completed.

The automaker has confirmed that production of the Electrified GV70 has indeed been halted in Alabama, but it insists it is only a temporary measure and that manufacturing will resume soon.

Official Response

“Genesis has temporarily paused assembly of the Electrified GV70 at Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama (HMMA) as we optimize our production plans,” a Genesis spokesperson told Carscoops. “Electrified GV70 production is planned to resume for the US market, with details to be announced at a later date. The Electrified GV70 remains available at US retailers at this time without disruption. Along with the GV60 SUV, Genesis will continue to offer an EV lineup that meets the needs of US consumers.”

While Genesis says the electric SUV isn’t going anywhere, it clearly faces pressure to spark more interest among buyers. Toward the end of November, the model was refreshed for the 2026 model year, gaining a larger 84 kWh battery pack to replace the previous 77.4 kWh unit. The upgrade suggests Genesis isn’t ready to walk away from the electric SUV, even if sales have yet to match expectations.

The MIT Sailing Pavilion hosted an altogether different marine vessel recently: a prototype of a solar electric boat developed by James Worden ’89, the founder of the MIT Solar Electric Vehicle Team (SEVT). Worden visited the pavilion on a sizzling, sunny day in late July to offer students from the SEVT, the MIT Edgerton Center, MIT Sea Grant, and the broader community an inside look at the Anita, named for his late wife.

Worden’s fascination with solar power began at age 10, when he picked up a solar chip at a “hippy-like” conference in his hometown of Arlington, Massachusetts. “My eyes just lit up,” he says. He built his first solar electric vehicle in high school, fashioned out of cardboard and wood (taking first place at the 1984 Massachusetts Science Fair), and continued his journey at MIT, founding SEVT in 1986. It was through SEVT that he met his wife and lifelong business partner, Anita Rajan Worden ’90. Together, they founded two companies in the solar electric and hybrid vehicles space, and in 2022 launched a solar electric boat company.

On the Charles River, Worden took visitors for short rides on Anita, including a group of current SEVT students who peppered him with questions. The 20-foot pontoon boat, just 12 feet wide and 7 feet tall, is made of carbon fiber composites, single crystalline solar photovoltaic cells, and lithium iron phosphate battery cells. Ultimately, Worden envisions the prototype could have applications as mini-ferry boats and water taxis.

With warmth and humor, he drew parallels between the boat’s components and mechanics and those of the solar cars the students are building. “It’s fun! If you think about all the stuff you guys are doing, it’s all the same stuff,” he told them, “optimizing all the different systems and making them work.” He also explained the design considerations unique to boating applications, like refining the hull shape for efficiency and maneuverability in variable water and wind conditions, and the critical importance of protecting wiring and controls from open water and condensate.

“Seeing Anita in all its glory was super cool,” says Nicole Lin, vice captain of SEVT. “When I first saw it, I could immediately map the different parts of the solar car to its marine counterparts, which was astonishing to see how far I’ve come as an engineer with SEVT. James also explained the boat using solar car terms, as he drew on his experience with solar cars for his solar boats. It blew my mind to see the engineering we learned with SEVT in action.”

Over the years, the Wordens have been avid supporters of SEVT and the Edgerton Center, so the visit was, in part, a way to pay it forward to MIT. “There’s a lot of connections,” he says. He’s still awed by the fact that Harold “Doc” Edgerton, upon learning about his interest in building solar cars, carved out a lab space for him to use in Building 20 — as a first-year student. And a few years ago, as Worden became interested in marine vessels, he tapped Sea Grant Education Administrator Drew Bennett for a 90-minute whiteboard lecture, “MIT fire-hose style,” on hydrodynamics. “It was awesome!” he says.

© Photo: Sarah Foote

Rugged trucks are big business and Ford offers an assortment of off-road focused models including the F-150 Tremor and F-150 Raptor. Besides dedicated trims, customers can get an FX4 off-road package.

Despite the popularity of these models, Ford hasn’t seen it fit to offer a rugged F-150 Lightning. It’s a strange oversight considering General Motors offers the Chevrolet Silverado EV Trail Boss, the GMC Sierra EV AT4, and GMC Hummer EV Pickup.

More: Ford Delays Second-Gen F-150 Lightning And E-Transit To 2028

Ford is now gearing up to respond, but fans shouldn’t get too excited as it looks like the company is raiding the parts bin to cobble together a soft-roader. The changes are so small they’re easy to overlook, but the prototype appears to be riding on black 18-inch wheels sourced from the old F-150 Rattler. They’re wrapped in Goodyear Wrangler Territory all-terrain tires, which are a tad meatier than the all-season rubber typically found on higher-end versions of the truck.

We can also see side steps, covered badging, and some light camouflage. The latter could potentially be hiding a hood graphic as well as bedside decals.

Baldauf

Additional changes are limited, but we can see a brand-new grille with a prominent blue line. This echoes the F-150 Tremor, which has an orange grille accent. Spy photographers also noted the bright blue exterior appears to be new to the F-150 Lightning lineup.

Spy photographers didn’t get a good look inside, but the seats were covered. This could indicate they’ll have special embroidery, but that remains to be seen.

We’ll learn full details soon enough, but the current truck offers 98, 123, and 131 kWh battery packs. They’re paired to dual-motor all-wheel drive systems developing between 452 hp (337 kW / 458 PS) and 580 hp (433 kW / 588 PS).

Baldauf

Aston Martin has been steadily laying the groundwork for its electric future. In mid-2023, the company entered a long-term strategic partnership with Lucid, securing access to the American brand’s advanced electric motors and battery packs.

While its first EV is still a few years away, Aston Martin is already considering how to make it feel distinctly its own, even exploring systems similar to those in the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N to capture that signature driving character.

Read: Aston Martin Slashes US Exports, Hikes Prices Over Tariffs

Currently, Aston Martin is focused on the launch of its first-ever plug-in hybrid, the limited-run, mid-engined Valhalla. It promises to rival new hypercars like the McLaren W1 and Ferrari F80, but at a fraction of the cost. It’ll likely also serve as Aston Martin’s final all-new model before it adds an EV to its range, promising to do so at some stage this decade.

Exploring EV Character

During Monterey Car Week, Aston Martin’s chief creative officer Marek Reichman discussed the company’s electric vision in a conversation with CarBuzz. When asked about features such as simulated gear changes and sound profiles reminiscent of internal combustion engines, Reichman did not dismiss the idea.

“If it is a benefit to the driving performance capability of our cars, and therefore it is authentic and real, and we can use a system that allows the driver to have more emotion about driving, then yes,” he said. Importantly, Reichman said such systems need to feel authentic and must add to the driving experience.

“If it is something that is purely artificial, then no,” he said. “Because an Aston Martin is true; it’s authentic. There are only a few companies in the world of Formula One that sell road cars. We have a massive advantage. Imagine the knowledge, the data we’re gathering and how we can use it to make a road car more exciting. Whether it’s gears or some way of using torque vectoring to generate engagement, we are fully embedded to an exciting driving experience.”

As Aston Martin’s first EV is still quite far out, it’s impossible to know what form it could take. The British brand may decide to position it as a direct rival against the Ferrari Elettrica, which is shaping up to be a crossover. Alternatively, Aston Martin may decide to build an all-electric sports car or supercar.

When Tesla launched the Foundation Series version of the Cybertruck, it promised that it would come with a special roof-mounted LED off-road light bar. However, a newly filed lawsuit in the US contends that many owners did not receive these light bars, and says that some wouldn’t have purchased their trucks had they known the light bar wouldn’t be included.

The lawsuit was filed by plaintiff Eric Schwartz in California. He alleges that he purchased a Tesla Cybertruck Cyberbeast in December 2023 and paid an extra $20,000 for the Foundation Series version. These vehicles were supposed to be equipped with several upgrades, including the light bar positioned just above the windshield.

Read: Tesla’s Big Promise On Self-Driving Just Opened The Door To Lawsuits

However, according to Schwartz, his Cybertruck was delivered without the LED light bar, and while he has repeatedly contacted the automaker, it has apparently refused to give it to him.

The lawsuit contends that the plaintiff suffered an ‘injury in fact’ because Tesla took his money but did not provide the products it had promised. Through the class action, Schwartz aims to represent all Cybertruck purchasers in California who bought a model that was supposed to include the off-road light bar, but was not delivered with one.

The class action also claims that buyers may not have purchased their Cybertrucks had they known Tesla was advertising the light bars without the intention of delivering them with the vehicles.

Just Another Lawsuit

This isn’t the only recent lawsuit to be filed against Tesla in California. Earlier this week, U.S. District Judge Rita Lin said the automaker must answer to a certified class action that alleges the automaker misled drivers about the self-driving abilities of its vehicles. The lawsuit claims that Tesla failed to live up to the promises made by the company on its website, in blog posts, on social media, and in comments made by boss Elon Musk.

Although electric vehicle sales continue to grow, they haven’t surged quite like some industry experts and automakers had expected. As such, a growing number of brands are turning their attention to hybrids, viewing them as an important stopgap between traditional ICEs and EVs. Acura is the latest carmaker to follow this trend.

While parent company Honda has several hybrid models in its family, Acura has long remained committed to ICEs and EVs, largely disregarding hybrid powertrains. Now, American Honda chief executive Kazuhiro Takizawa has acknowledged that due to “customer demand, it’s not realistic” to only focus on EVs moving forward.

Read: Honda’s Future Is Packed With New Models And It Isn’t All Electric

“We will max production of ICE and hybrid models to meet the needs of our customers in North America,” he told The Drive while speaking at Monterey Car Week. “This means extending key ICE models and adding hybrid products. Our strategy to invest in flexible production in our EV hub in Ohio is proving very smart. This will enable us to make ICE, hybrid, and EV models on the same production lines, and adjust production fluidly based on customer demands.”

Importantly, shoppers shouldn’t expect to see hybrids from Acura for quite some time. When asked why Acura doesn’t simply borrow the hybrid powertrain of the Civic for a car like the Integra, Takizawa-san noted it usually takes several years to overhaul a vehicle to this extent.

More Than An Engine Swap

“When you change the powertrain, with crash tests and all those things we have to start from scratch,” he said. “[Our engineers] say it’s quite difficult. But of course, it’s not impossible, and we have that technology, so it’s just a matter of lead time and development of the models. To have a new vehicle, we usually need four years or more. [With] this lead time, we need to wait. Once we made our decision, it still takes several years. So it’s just a matter of time.”

During a separate interview with Auto News, Acura senior managing director and chief officer of automotive operations at Honda Motor Co, Katsushi Inoue, said the hybrids have “always been an option, but now we are taking this option very seriously.”

He did not specify which Acura models could get hybrid power, but he indicated the automaker is looking at adding hybrids to existing models, as well as exploring potential all-new hybrid models.

A hot new version of the Genesis GV60 is just around the corner, thanks to the company’s new Magma division. While it’ll share a lot of its components with the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N and Kia EV6 GT, Genesis insists that the spicy EV will have a character all to its own, thanks in part to some trick software.

The new GV60 Magma has been developed in Korea, but moving forward, all other Magma cars will be developed and tuned by the Hyundai Motor Europe Technical Center near Frankfurt, Germany. Tyrone Johnson is heading up this facility, and given that he played a pivotal role in the creation of the last Ford Focus RS, he’s the perfect man for the job.

Read: Genesis Says Its New Hybrids Will Surprise You

While recently speaking with Top Gear, Johnson noted that Magma models developed in Germany will start to hit the market in 2027, including versions based on the GV80 and G80. He also acknowledged that Magma’s electric models will be designed as more sophisticated and luxurious than the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N.

“N is ‘corner rascal,’” he said. “A Magma isn’t about the track, although it will be track capable. It’s a more sophisticated, luxurious driving machine. It has to be about power, and changes to motors and engines are important. But it doesn’t have to be the most powerful [in its class]. It needs sufficient power. Weight is always important. It’s independent of luxury. You have to have weight in focus, partly because range is important and you get diminishing returns with a larger, heavier battery.”

The Software Revolution

Johnson added that throughout most of his 40-year career in the automotive industry, separating one car from another “was all mechanical engineering.” Now he said, “it’s all software,” adding that it is now possible to “fundamentally change a car with software.” Presumably, this means the GV60 Magma, as well as other Magma products, will have different software to vehicles from Hyundai’s N division, giving them unique driving characteristics.

In all likelihood, the GV60 Magma will feature the same dual electric motors and 84 kWh battery pack as the Ioniq 5 N. As such, it should pump out more than 600 hp, and be capable of hitting 62 mph (100 km/h) in the low-3-second range.

Elon Musk finally addressed what so many have been asking for. The Model YL, an elongated version of the Model Y, was launched in China recently, but until now, we haven’t heard about whether or not it would actually come to America. The long and the short of it is, very likely next year.

The Model Y is Tesla’s best-selling car. In fact, it’s one of the best-selling cars worldwide across all brands. It’s not surprising then that fans would want the new six-seater version wherever they can get it. That kind of automatic demand made bringing the car to the U.S. seem like a no-brainer, and it still is, unless Musk finally accomplishes what he’s been promising for several years.

More: Tesla’s Model Y L Gets Bigger And Pricier With New Six-Seat Layout

That promise is full-scale Level 5 autonomy to the point that it would negate the need for the Model YL. If that sounds a bit far-fetched, don’t feel bad. Musk has notoriously over-promised and under-delivered. Still, he finally addressed US production of the Model YL and brought up autonomy again.

In response to another person asking about the car on X he said “This variant of the Model Y doesn’t start production in the US until the end of next year. Might not ever, given the advent of self-driving in America.” No doubt, Tesla’s Robotaxi program is rolling out relatively fast, and faster than some cities say it legally can, but it’s far from a polished Level 5 system.

This variant of the Model Y doesn’t start production in the US until the end of next year.

Might not ever, given the advent of self-driving in America.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 20, 2025

Every Robotaxi shuttling passengers around has an actual Tesla employee inside acting as a safety officer. On top of that, it begs the question that Musk didn’t respond to in his comment section. “Wouldn’t people with a lot of kids still want a 3-row SUV even with self-driving?” That didn’t come from some Tesla hater, either, but from the person the richest man in the world responded to in the first place.

Nevertheless, Musk isn’t saying exactly how larger families are supposed to get around, even if Robotaxi takes off. For now, expect Model YL production to begin in the USA late in 2026, or maybe even in early 2027.

Credit: Tesla

The Ford Bronco Raptor is one of the coolest off-roaders on the market and it’s powered by a twin-turbo 3.0-liter EcoBoost V6 with 418 hp (312 kW / 424 PS) and 440 lb-ft (596 Nm) of torque. While those are respectable numbers, they pale in comparison to the Jeep Wrangler 392, which has a 6.4-liter Hemi V8 pumping out 470 hp (350 kW / 476 PS) and 470 lb-ft (637 Nm).

However, Ford could use the nuclear option and create an ungodly $300,000 off-road beast that draws inspiration from Dakar Rally racers. While the idea sounds crazy, the Mustang GTD appears to be a success and the automaker could replicate that idea in different ways.

More: Ford Boss Hints At New Raptor Supercar

Ford CEO Jim Farley disclosed the idea to Bloomberg’s Hot Pursuit! podcast as he said there’s “no Porsche of off-road and I’m shocked people don’t think about that.” While Porsche and their 911 Dakar may beg to differ, the executive said he’s very interested in that idea.

Farley went on to claim no one’s done an off-road supercar, despite the existence of the Lamborghini Huracan Sterrato. However, he dismissed it as saying the car wouldn’t last on the Baja 500.

The executive went on to mention a 1,000 hp (746 kW / 1,014 PS) supercar that would be partially electric. Farley suggested the model would be fully adjustable and this would apply to suspension travel, damping, and ride height. He went on to specify it’s “not a pickup truck” and would be able to race off-road.

The Blue Oval boss went on to suggest it would be a high-speed supercar for gravel, sand, and dirt but not rock crawling. Farley said he’s talking to his team about such a vehicle and isn’t sure if it should be a two- or four-seater.

While nothing has been decided, the executive said he’s “thinking really deeply about it” and “that usually turns into something.” He went on to suggest there’s too much sameness with modern supercars and this could be a way to shake things up.

Not A Brand For Posers

Besides talking about a possible off-road supercar, Farley said Ford’s a “weird brand” as they have no problem selling affordable vehicles as well as 5,000 F-150 Raptor R’s at $120,000. In the case of the ultra-expensive Mustang GTD, he suggested the brand can do this because they have “motorsports history” and that gives them permission to do things other automakers can’t.

Speaking of the GTD, the executive said they “don’t want posers” or people who will just keep it in their car collection. More refreshingly, he said ‘Let’s not screw the people that bought these expensive cars’ by building too many or allowing flippers to take over the market. As he explained, if people love the car and don’t end up losing money on it, they’ll likely be willing to buy the next special vehicle from Ford. We’ve already seen this play out as there have been repeat Ford GT buyers as well as GT buyers who have purchased a Mustang GTD.

Porsche has its Experience Centers, and now Chinese juggernaut BYD has opened a massive, all-terrain driving experience center in Zhengzhou that’s basically a dream theme park for any automotive enthusiast. Many of the brand’s most impressive models are available to test at the site, including the all-electric Yangwang U9.

Perhaps the highlight of the facility is a 1-mile (1.7-km) race track with nine corners and a 1,804-foot (550 m) straight, long enough to let BYD’s flagship models hit up to 136 mph (220 km/h). Situated near the track is a 15,300 square-meter ‘dynamic paddock’ where cars can complete slalom and moose tests, and showcase their automated parking functions.

Read: This YangWang Comes With Three Times The Power Of A Bugatti Veyron

BYD has also built a large low-friction area with 30,000 smooth basalt bricks that gets covered in water, aiming to replicate driving on snow and ice. It’s even gone ahead and built a huge 70-meter-long pool. The latter isn’t for swimming in, but has been designed to showcase the YangWang U8’s ability to float and move slowly across water thanks to its advanced electric powertrain. Yes, despite the brand’s status and painstaking attention to detail, this isn’t something you’ll find at a Porsche Experience Center.

You also won’t find anything like BYD’s Sand Incline at a Porsche facility either. This massive sand dune has been certified by Guinness World Records as the highest and largest dune climbing facility for car testing, constructed from 6,200 tons of sand mimicking the sand found in the Alxa Desert. It also serves as a proving ground for the U8. The facility also includes a separate off-roading area as well as a large camping and relaxation area for visitors.

Four different tickets are available for those who’d like to experience all that BYD has to offer. The cheapest ticket, priced at 899 yuan or $83, includes a passenger ride in the YangWang U9 as well as experiences in one vehicle from BYD’s Dynasty or Ocean series. A pricier 999 yuan ($139) ticket is also offered, adding experiences with two Denza and Fang Cheng Bao models, including a track drive of the Z9 GT.

Two other ticket options are available. The first costs 1,999 yuan or $280 and includes experiences in both the YangWang U8 and U9, as well as the Dynasty/Ocean series models and cars from Denza and Fang Cheng Bao. A VIP ticket is also available, costing 6,666 yuan or $927. It includes access to all models and areas of the facility, as well as a one-night stay in a nearby five-star hotel.

According to the latest American Customer Satisfaction Index Automobile Study, Americans are becoming less satisfied with their vehicles. The overall satisfaction index dropped one point this year to 79.

Mainstream brands held steady at 79, while luxury brands slipped a point as they fell to 80. The biggest drop came from smaller brands, which are grouped into an “others” category, as they plunged 9% to 74.

More: New Car Owners Overwhelmed By Modern Technology

Jumping into specifics, Subaru was deemed the most satisfying brand with a score of 85. It was followed by Mazda and Toyota in second with 82, while Buick, GMC, and Honda tied for third at 81.

Stellantis had a dismal showing as Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram all fell. In fact, all four brands found themselves at the bottom of the list with Chrysler and Ram tied for dead last at 69.

2025 American Customer Satisfaction Index For Mainstream Brands

ACSI

Interestingly, satisfaction with most vehicle related components and experiences was largely unchanged. However, there were drops related to technology and safety. The latest study also introduced two new categories – expected future resale or trade-in value and driving distance on a full charge or full tank of gas – and consumers weren’t exactly thrilled with either, especially for EVs.

On the luxury side of the equation, Lexus was top dog with a score of 87. They were followed by Mercedes (82) as well as Cadillac and Tesla, which tied for third at 81. BMW finished last with a score of 75 and they dropped four points from 2024.

2025 American Customer Satisfaction Index For Luxury Brands

ACSI

Luxury buyers were less satisfied with a number of things including driving performance, exteriors, interiors, and technology. There were also drops in safety and dependability.

Aside from the mainstream versus luxury divide, people were less satisfied with hybrids and EVs. Hybrids fell two points to 80, while electric vehicles dropped four points to fall to 73. This stands in contrast to gas-powered models, which held steady with a satisfaction index of 80.

The American Customer Satisfaction Index noted that with 22% of borrowers opting for 84-month loans, there will likely be an increased emphasis on reliability and dependability as consumers are holding onto their vehicles for longer. Ram spotted this shift awhile ago and they recently launched a new 10-year/100,000-mile limited powertrain warranty.

ACSI

If you’re in the market for a luxury all-electric SUV like the Lucid Gravity, now might be the best time to get behind the wheel of one. The Trump administration is abolishing the $7,500 federal EV tax credit at the end of September, which will make eligible EVs much more expensive. Fortunately, Lucid is stepping in and will continue to offer a $7,500 credit through to the end of the year.

Lucid has announced that qualifying lessees who place an order for a new Lucid Gravity and finalize a lease between October 1 and December 31 will be eligible to receive the Lucid Advantage Credit, worth a cool $7,500. Qualifying existing customers will get the same benefit.

Read: Lucid’s Gravity X Looks Like It Might Survive A Dirt Road If It Has Enough Warning

In a press release for the incentive, Erwin Raphael, Lucid’s vice president of revenue, noted he has seen “firsthand how [the federal EV tax credit] has played a meaningful role in encouraging people to make the switch to an electric vehicle.”

Tax Credit Pain

The removal of the tax credit comes at a bad time for Lucid. It has been developing the Gravity SUV for several years now, and to fund its own credit, will now have to take an additional $7,500 hit on every Gravity that is leased. That’s bad news for a company that remains unprofitable and wants to become a serious mass-market EV player.

Lucid started production of the Gravity in late 2024 and has been slowly ramping up volume. Recent drone footage from YouTuber LucidFlys shows there are currently hundreds of Lucid Gravity models parked across staging lots at its factory in Casa Grande, Arizona. According to the YouTuber, Lucid has been dealing with some supplier constraints impacting Gravity production, in particular relating to shortages of head-up displays and power outlets.

The Lucid Gravity is currently only available in Grand Touring guise in the United States, starting at $94,900, but later this year, the order books will open for the Touring version, set to start at $79,900. All models are underpinned by a 926-volt electrical architecture, allowing the EV to charge at up to 400 kW, meaning 200 miles (320 km) of range can be added in less than 12 minutes.

Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (Supervised) system, along with its ambitious claims, has repeatedly drawn the company into controversy, and it now faces yet another round. The company is once again facing legal trouble, this time after a U.S. District Judge in California ruled that Tesla must answer a certified class action alleging it misled drivers about the self-driving abilities of its vehicles. Tesla had argued the case should be dismissed, but the court disagreed.

Read: Musk’s Robotaxi Pitch Just Backfired And Shareholders Are Suing

The automaker has consistently promoted the idea that all vehicles it built since 2016 came equipped with hardware capable of full self-driving, albeit under supervision. These assurances were made across Tesla’s website, blog posts, social media channels, and directly by chief executive Elon Musk.

In practice, though, the cars have not lived up to those promises. Tesla also asserted that vehicles with its Full Self-Driving package would eventually deliver Level 4 and Level 5 autonomy, but neither has materialized.

Judge’s Assessment

U.S. District Judge Rita Lin noted that claims about Tesla vehicles lacking the necessary hardware for autonomous driving, combined with the company’s failure to “demonstrate a long-distance autonomous drive with any of its vehicles,” provide grounds for lawsuits brought by two groups of drivers.

Tesla does not engage in typical mass advertising, and the Judge noted that ordinarily, the channels it used to promote its self-driving hardware and software may not be “enough to establish a class-wide exposure for a traditional car manufacturer.”

However, she said it’s reasonable to infer that class members went to Tesla’s website for information on its Full Self-Driving (Supervised) technology. She added that thousands of people likely saw a claim on Tesla’s website from October 2016 to August 2024 that said its vehicles contained the hardware necessary for fully autonomous driving.

Tesla’s Defense

Tesla countered that it is unreasonable to assume all class members saw those statements. The automaker also argued there is no unified proof showing the claims were significant enough to influence purchasing decisions, according to Reuters.

The class actions in California include drivers who purchased the Full Self-Driving Package from May 19, 2017, to July 31, 2024, and who opted out of Tesla’s arbitration agreement, as well as drivers who purchased the package from October 20, 2016, to May 19, 2017.

In the US, Tesla’s arbitration clause requires all disputes to be resolved through arbitration rather than in court, unless a purchaser or lessee opts out of the clause within 30 days of buying or leasing a Tesla vehicle.