Spy photographers believe this prototype is the upcoming iX5 M.
Crossover sports a unique front end and a beefy braking system.
iX5 60 is expected to have 569 hp, so expect even more from the M.
Spy photographers have snapped the upcoming BMW X5 and iX5 on multiple occasions, but now they’re claiming to have caught the iX5 M. While it’s hard to be certain, the model is certainly more aggressive than previous prototypes.
As you can see, the crossover embraces a Neue Klasse design and appears to have a similar grille and headlight treatment as mainstream models. However, it adopts a far more aggressive lower intake that sports larger openings and angular lines. We can also see what appears to be a mid-mounted intake covered by a mesh panel.
Sporty features can also be found further back as the prototype rides on lightweight five-spoke wheels. They’re wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport tires and are backed up by a beefy braking system, which features cross-drilled discs and massive front calipers.
The rear end is pretty tame by comparison, but we can see slender taillights and a pronounced spoiler. The model also sports an angular rear window and a recessed license plate.
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Little is known about the crossover at this point, but EPA documents suggested the iX5 60 will have a massive 147.8 kWh battery pack as well as a dual motor all-wheel drive system producing a combined output of 569 hp (424 kW / 576 PS) and 594 lb-ft (805 Nm) of torque. We can also expect an 800-volt electrical architecture and fast DC charging.
That leaves plenty of questions about how powerful an iX5 M could be, but we’ve already heard rumors about an iX7 M70 with more than 800 hp (597 kW / 811 PS). Of course, we’ll likely get a better idea once the regular model debuts.
Work continues on Audi’s highly anticipated TT successor.
New Porsche-based mule has been spied undergoing testing.
Upcoming model will go into production next year in Germany.
Audi introduced the Concept C at last year’s Munich Motor Show and the model continues its slow march to production. Spy photographers snapped the first mules over a year ago and hardly anything has changed since then.
As you can see in the latest images, Audi is still testing mules based on the upcoming Porsche 718 Boxster EV. However, the car has been equipped with extended fender flares that hint at a wider track than on its corporate cousin.
That’s not much to go on, but it’s a little surprising we’re still seeing mules rather than proper prototypes. In April, Audi announced their electric sports car would go into production in 2027 and be built at their Böllinger Höfe site, which specializes in small-series assembly.
This doesn’t leave much time, but production likely won’t begin until late next year. Even then, the company has less than 600 days to get everything finalized.
SHProshots
Of course, it’s not like Audi is starting from scratch. Quite the opposite, as the roadster will be based on Porsche’s new 718, which has been undergoing testing for roughly four years. While that model will now be offered with electric and internal combustion engines, Audi is expected to go the EV-only route.
Powertrain details are scarce, but we wouldn’t be surprised if the model is offered with detuned versions of the 718’s motors. The car could also have an 800-volt architecture as well as a relatively speedy fast charging capability.
While the TT successor will have a lot in common with its Porsche counterparts, the model will have a unique design that could embrace a fancy retractable hardtop like the Concept C. We can also expect a minimalist interior, which isn’t focused entirely on screens.
Maextro’s upcoming SUV takes aim at ultra-luxury rivals like the Cullinan.
Flashy styling pairs with celestial-themed lighting inside and out.
Buyers will choose between fully electric and plug-in hybrid powertrains.
Maextro has spent its first year proving a point. The Huawei-backed luxury brand sold more than 17,000 S800 sedans by charging a fraction of what Rolls-Royce and Maybach ask and burying buyers in technology. Now patent images out of China show it aiming the same playbook at the SUV class, with the Cullinan and every other luxury rival in its sights.
Images show that it’s largely based on the successful Rolls-Royce Ghost-rivaling Maextro S800 sedan. This aligns with the automaker’s plans to further broaden its range, with six new models on the radar, including an MPV and the SUV illustrated here, unnamed for now but rumored to carry the X800 badge.
If you want your McMansion neighbors to sit up and take notice, then Maextro will certainly do the trick with its bold 5.5-metre-long (over 216 inches) profile, rose gold highlights, and two-tone paintwork. The grille-less front is dominated by ‘C-clamp’ headlamps and dual-layer crystal DRLs, while the main lighting units feature dual-million-pixel ‘Galaxy’ elements that illuminate in a celestial manner.
Lower down, the front fascia features a rose gold mesh intake, and the hood has a central decorative spindle spanning between the badge and windscreen. Jarringly, a LiDAR unit juts out of the roof like a London Taxi, while the profile is highlighted by large polished alloys, flush door handles and thick rear pillars that accentuate its extra length.
From behind, the surfacing and details are restrained. A slim, full-width LED tail lamp cluster with multilayer projection is intersected by a rose gold applique and horizontal cutouts at the base of the bumper.
A Cabin Built Around Screens
The SUV’s cabin will likely borrow heavily from the S800 sedan pictured above.
Perhaps not as downright opulent as a Rolls-Royce, the SUV should do a pretty good job of blending luxury and tech-laden goodies. Like its S800 sedan sibling, it’s expected to feature three displays running Huawei’s HarmonyOS (driver, infotainment, and passenger) within a single panel. A large augmented reality head-up display should also be standard.
The celestial headlamp theme is likely to carry inside, with a panoramic roof scattering a constellation of lights. Expect surfaces trimmed in leather, chrome, or crystal, a long list of color combinations, and ambient lighting throughout. Count on at least 43 speakers, zero-gravity rear seats, and an entertainment system with a fold-down TV screen.
Both plug-in hybrid and fully electric powertrains are expected. The PHEV should use a 1.5-litre four-cylinder gasoline engine purely as a generator, with the dual-motor setup said to produce 523 horsepower. A tri-motor version will push that to an enormous 852 horsepower. Capacity-wise, the PHEV battery will be good for at least 65 kWh.
Going for the all-electric will see power mirror the 523 hp (390 kW) PHEV variant, yet it will pack a larger 95 kWh battery good for a CLTC range of up to 435 miles (700 km). DC fast charging should be good for 10-80% charges within 12 minutes.
For now it stays an eastern affair, so do not expect one in a US driveway anytime soon. JAC Motors handles production, and an official reveal is penciled in for the coming months.
Pricing is still guesswork, but expect it to sit above the S800, which runs from ¥708,000 (around $104,000) to roughly ¥1,180,000 ($173,000) fully loaded. Either way it undercuts the ¥5,030,000 ($738,600) the Rolls-Royce Ghost commands in China, a figure nearly double the car’s $370,750 US price. That gap is the whole story behind the S800’s success at home, where it has been the best-selling luxury model above ¥700,000 ($103,000), beating every European rival, Maybach, the Mercedes S-Class, and the Porsche Panamera among them.
Patent images of the Maextro SUV
If those numbers hold, even a $120,000 starting point would land below a BMW iX (¥746,900), let alone the X7 (¥928,000), and a world below the Cullinan, which opens around ¥7.5 million, over $1 million in China once the heavy luxury and import taxes are added.
So which way would you go, the genuine article from Goodwood or the Huawei-backed upstart that promises to do most of the same things for a fraction of the outlay?
Honda is developing a new platform that can adapt to EV and hybrid powertrains.
Despite recent U-turn, Honda still expects EVs to be more important after 2030.
New architecture additional to hybrid one revealed this month, Auto News reports.
Honda may have bonfired its original North American EV strategy, but it hasn’t stopped believing electric cars matter. Instead, the company’s preparing a different kind of future that gives it a bit more wriggle room if things don’t go to plan.
Fresh from writing off $15.7 billion in EV investment over the scrapped 0 Series North American EV program, the Japanese automaker is developing a next-generation electric vehicle platform. But this one will be capable of supporting both hybrid and fully electric powertrains, Automotive News reports.
That flexibility is a key attribute, and signals a major shift in how Honda views the industry’s transition toward electrification. Rather than locking itself into a single solution, Honda wants options. After changing market conditions, weakening policy support from the US government, and mounting political uncertainty, the company now appears far more cautious about committing exclusively to fully-electric vehicles.
That doesn’t mean Honda thinks EVs are dead. Far from it, actually. Company president Toshihiro Mibe reportedly said Honda still expects electric adoption to accelerate after 2030, even if hybrid demand remains stronger than previously predicted throughout the remainder of this decade.
“The market could change depending on the Trump administration over the next two and a half years and the outcome of the November midterm elections,” Mibe said, according to Auto News. “We are studying systems and next-generation EV concepts that would work no matter which way things evolve.”
Series 0 Too Inflexible
That philosophy explains why Honda’s future platform needs to handle multiple powertrain types, rather than just fully electric, as the Series 0 sedan and SUV (above) would have done. The company reportedly believes the balance between hybrids and EVs could continue shifting depending on regulations, incentives, charging infrastructure, and trade policies. A flexible architecture would allow Honda to react far quicker than manufacturers tied to expensive EV-only platforms.
In the short term, Honda’s strategy focuses on hybrids, and not EVs at all. The automaker recently revealed plans to launch 15 hybrid models by 2029 on a platform that’s different from the combined EV/hybrid one revealed this week. And it has mapped slightly different courses for Honda and Acura. The premium brand will push hybrids to its customers, while Honda will offer ICE and hybrid options to attract more cost-conscious buyers.
The report also says Honda will wait to learn the outcome of trade negotiations between the US, Canada, and Mexico before deciding whether to reactivate its plans for an EV production hub in Canada, which it put on hold earlier in May.
Cupra’s aggressive-looking Tindaya concept is officially heading for production, the automaker’s boss says, meaning Europe’s premium SUV crowd is about to get a new headache. The dramatic electric crossover will sit above the Tavascan and Terramar in Cupra’s lineup and target established players like the new BMW iX3, Volvo EX60, and Mercedes-Benz GLC EV.
And with a design we described last fall as looking like it was whipped up by Lamborghini on a wild night out, we can imagine it grabbing sales from drivers who think those other premium SUVs are just too dull.
The concept first appeared at last year’s Munich motor show looking more like a sci-fi prop than a realistic production model. At the time, Cupra played it mostly as a design and technology statement. Now, though, Seat-Cupra boss Markus Haupt has confirmed the company is deadly serious about bringing it to showrooms.
“It looks fantastic. Why should we not build the Tindaya?” Haupt told Autocar in a recent interview. “We are indeed looking at our plans for when we could build the Tindaya, but it’s something I can promise. This car will see the streets in some years.”
Premium-Sized, Premium-Priced
At 4,720 mm (185.8 inches) long, the Tindaya is sized right for Europe’s lucrative premium SUV segment. That’s a crowded neighborhood packed with familiar badges from Germany, plus challengers from brands like Genesis, Lexus and Volvo. Cupra clearly believes buyers want something less conservative than another neatly tailored executive crossover.
Pricing is expected to start around £60,000, making it much more expensive than the cars in Cupra’s current lineup, but again, right for the segment. While neither Haubt or Autocar said as much, we suspect the Tindaya is the bigger of the two models that would have led Cupra’s plan to expand to North America. That expansion is no longer happening due to tariffs and weak US demand for EVs.
Electric Or Range Extender
The Tindaya will ride on Volkswagen Group’s upcoming SSP electric platform, which is set to replace today’s MEB architecture across multiple brands, the magazine says. But the report claims Cupra still hasn’t locked down the final powertrain setup. The original concept used a 489 hp (496 PS / 365 kW) range-extender arrangement combining electric power with combustion support, but Haupt suggested everything remains on the table while the company watches market trends evolve.
“All this discussion is changing by the day, very fast,” he said. “Which powertrains will we have in the end? It’s a decision we have not taken now.”
That flexibility is one advantage of belonging to the sprawling Volkswagen empire. SSP reportedly supports everything from pure EVs to electrified combustion-assisted setups, depending on regional demand.
Citroen revives historic 2CV nameplate with affordable electric city car.
Retro-inspired styling channels original while targeting practical buyers.
Electric hatch promises low pricing, emotional appeal, and practicality.
Citroen is bringing back one of Europe’s most recognizable economy cars, and this time it will only look like a snail, and not accelerate like one. The legendary 2CV, or tin snail as it was affectionately nicknamed due to its 30-second zero-to 62 mph (100 kmh) time, is officially returning as a tiny electric hatch designed to put affordable mobility back on the menu for cash-strapped European buyers.
The confirmation came during Stellantis’ investor presentation in Michigan, where Citroen boss Xavier Chardon finally acknowledged what rumors have suggested for months. The famous nameplate is making a comeback, complete with styling inspired by the original car’s unmistakable curved silhouette.
According to previews shown during the presentation, the new model keeps the cheerful, rounded profile that made the original instantly recognizable. It won’t be an exact retro copy, though. Instead, Citroen appears to be blending classic proportions with design cues borrowed from newer concepts and modern EVs.
The revived 2CV debuts in concept form at this fall’s Paris Motor Show, then goes on sale in 2028 for less than €15,000 – around $17,000/£13,000 at current exchange rates. That would make the C1 replacement one of Europe’s cheapest electric cars, even undercutting the Dacia Spring, Renault Twingo and BYD’s Dolphin Surf.
Simplicity A Priority
Citroen says the project follows the same philosophy that shaped the original postwar 2CV, which famously prioritized practicality, simplicity, and low running costs over luxury or performance. Speaking during the event, Chardon said the new model would be “a true people’s car designed for real life,” and is one of seven new Citroen’s launching by 2030.
That theme fits neatly into Stellantis’ new strategy to produce smaller, less expensive electric cars in Europe. The automaker plans to build the new 2CV in Italy alongside a similarly nostalgic Fiat city car inspired by the original Panda.
Regulations Favor Affordable Cars
This isn’t just about Citroen being benevolent to drivers struggling with affordability. European regulators are considering incentives favoring smaller EVs built locally, giving automakers fresh motivation to chase the entry-level segment many brands abandoned years ago.
Renault’s recent success with retro-flavored electric models like the Renault 5 likely helped prove there’s still strong demand for nostalgic small cars with modern mechanicals. If Citroen can actually deliver a genuinely affordable, practical EV with real personality, the humble little 2CV might once again become transportation for the masses.
Audi’s reborn A2 EV is set for a fall debut ahead of production starting in Ingolstadt.
New SUV uses older platform from Q4 e-tron, not FWD one from VW’s new ID. Polo.
Winter testing footage suggests Audi’s smallest EV could be entertaining to drive.
Audi’s long-dead A2 is officially coming back this fall, and unlike the original aluminum oddball, this one’s aiming squarely at the mainstream crowd and is fully electric. But despite its sensible mission, Audi’s latest teaser footage hints the compact crossover SUV might still know how to have some fun sideways.
The company confirmed the A2 e-tron will debut later this year as a new entry-level EV family built at Audi’s Ingolstadt headquarters in Germany. It’ll effectively replace both the combustion-powered A1 hatchback and Q2 crossover while opening the door to cheaper electric Audis for younger buyers.
Audi’s announcement doesn’t reveal much beyond production details and testing locations, but the accompanying video tells a more interesting story. Footage shows the camouflaged A2 happily oversteering around snowy Scandinavian test routes, suggesting engineers haven’t forgotten driving enjoyment while chasing efficiency and aerodynamic bragging rights.
That playful balance probably comes down partly to the platform underneath. Unlike Volkswagen Group’s latest small EVs, such as the ID. Polo and Skoda Epiq, which are based on the newest front-wheel-drive MEB architecture, the A2 sticks with the older rear-drive-capable MEB setup already underpinning cars like the VW ID.4 and Audi Q4 e-tron.
RWD Standard, AWD Optional
That means entry-level models should remain rear-wheel drive, while dual-motor all-wheel-drive versions will likely follow later. It also means the A2 won’t benefit from the faster-charging 800-volt systems arriving elsewhere in the Volkswagen Group empire, since this platform still relies on 400-volt electrical architecture.
Still, Audi clearly believes the package makes sense for buyers who care more about practicality, design, and price than ultra-fast charging times. The company says the A2’s sloping roofline delivers impressive aerodynamic efficiency, something engineers continue refining inside Audi’s Ingolstadt wind tunnel at speeds reaching 186 mph (300 kmh).
The slippery shape deliberately references the original 1999 A2, one of Audi’s weirdest and most fascinating production cars. That pioneering hatch combined futuristic styling with lightweight aluminum construction and astonishing fuel economy, but it was expensive for its size, and buyers never really embraced it.
This reboot feels far less risky. Compact electric crossovers are exactly what Europe wants right now, and Audi’s hoping familiar retro-inspired styling combined with attainable pricing could finally make the A2 badge a commercial success instead of merely a cult favorite.
The all-electric Luce makes its official debut on May 25.
iPhone designer Jony Ive has penned the EV’s exterior and cabin.
Fresh spy shots suggest the model will use rear suicide doors.
A handful of days now separate the world from the all-electric Ferrari Luce, the car set to drag Maranello into a part of the industry it has spent decades watching from a distance. Ferrari intends to keep the shape under wraps until the last possible moment, which is why prototypes this close to launch still look like the one pictured here.
Carmakers typically run wild-looking test cars in the early stages of development, often piecing them together with random panels borrowed from existing models. Ferrari did exactly that with the Luce back in 2024, hiding it under the skin of a Maserati Levante. The difference here is what should happen next. Most prototypes shed their fake parts and camouflage as they edge toward launch. The Luce hasn’t.
This tester, which looks more like an oversized shoebox than a car, was recently caught by our spy photographers in Maranello. We’ve seen a similar prototype before, but that doesn’t make this one any less bizarre to look at.
Suicide Doors?
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With the possible exception of the wing mirrors, every part of the Luce’s exterior has been hidden from view. However, as we recently noted, it appears the EV could use suicide rear doors much like the Purosangue. The horizontal daytime running lights up front are also peeking through.
While Ferrari is shielding the exterior from the world until the very last moment, it’s also showcased much of the EV’s interior. Taking inspiration from Ferraris of yesteryear, it will feature beautiful aluminum toggles and switches for a retro feel, while still offering digital gauges and a central infotainment display.
Adding a dose of theater to the cabin is an aircraft-inspired toggle on the headliner for launch control, sitting near the headlight and demister controls. Jony Ive and his firm LoveFrom designed the interior, and the exterior too, so the same blend of old and new should carry through to the bodywork once it finally appears.
Then there’s the all-important powertrain. The Luce will be driven by a large 122 kWh battery pack that supports charging up to 350 kW, giving the EV a driving range of up to 329 miles (530 km). This pack will provide juice for four electric motors, combining to deliver 986 hp.
Subaru is delaying its first real in-house EVs as American demand cools.
Up to four self-developed electric models have lost their 2028 launch window.
A new Oizumi plant built for EVs will open, building gas and hybrids instead.
Subaru’s electric future just got a lot less electric. The Japanese brand has confirmed it’s delaying the launch of its next wave of in-house EVs after demand for battery-powered vehicles cooled sharply in the US, its biggest market.
The automaker had planned to roll out up to four independently developed electric vehicles and build them at a new factory in Japan in 2028. Now, the Oizumi plant will start life producing gasoline and hybrid models instead, with EV production pushed further down the road.
Subaru hasn’t said exactly when those delayed EVs might finally arrive. According to comments made by Subaru CEO Atsushi Osaki and reported by industry media, the company wants to keep watching market conditions before locking in new launch timing.
“In the US, our key market, the pace of BEV adoption has slowed due in part to the easing of environmental policies,” Osaki admitted in comments published by Automotive News.
“Given this, the timing of our BEV market introduction will be pushed back. We want to begin a comprehensive reevaluation of the entire strategy, including which models to bring to market.”
That’s a major shift for a company that previously aimed for EVs to account for half its global sales by 2030. Subaru’s planned battery factory project with Panasonic could also face delays as the company reassesses how much money it really wants to pour into EV development.
Current EVs Are Selling, But There’s An Asterisk
For now, Subaru’s electric lineup still relies heavily on its tie-up with Toyota. The MY26 Solterra (above) shares its bones with Toyota’s bZ, while newer models like the Uncharted (below) and Trailseeker were also developed through the partnership.
Ironically, Subaru’s EV sales aren’t exactly collapsing in the US, despite America getting the blame for this latest U-turn. Registrations for the Solterra climbed in North America earlier this year. The bigger issue seems to be profitability. Subaru’s been relying on hefty incentives to move EV inventory, something the brand usually avoids.
At the same time, weakening EV demand and changing US policies have many automakers rethinking aggressive electrification plans. Subaru now joins a growing list of brands, including Honda, GM, and Stellantis, that are dialing back ambitious EV schedules in favor of hybrids and combustion-powered models buyers actually want to purchase.
A lightly disguised Type 01 prototype is now being tested in public.
Key features include the lack of a traditional grille and a radical interior.
Jaguar hopes to steal sales away from Bentley and Rolls with this model.
Few places telegraph a target buyer quite like Monte Carlo in race week. That is presumably the calculation behind Jaguar parking a fresh Type 01 prototype in the Principality just before this weekend’s Formula E Monaco E-Prix, giving onlookers another preview of the all-electric flagship before its global reveal in September. The crowd that summers in Monaco is the crowd Jaguar wants.
The development of Jaguar’s new electric sedan has been hugely controversial, and many car enthusiasts still can’t forgive the brand for its infamous 2024 marketing campaign and rebrand. However, if you set the marketing aside, the new EV has the potential to carve out a small but important niche in the industry, targeting those who would normally buy a Bentley or a Rolls-Royce.
This camouflaged prototype is finished in red, white, and beige and features the car’s official name, Type 01, on the roof. The skin-tight wrap doesn’t really provide us with any design details that we haven’t already seen, but there’s no denying this thing is a head-turner, and not just because of the color.
The One And Only Jaguar
Just like the Type 00 concept that inspired it, the Jaguar Type 01 will lack a traditional grille and feature slim daytime running lights and LED headlights. Despite being an EV, it features a long hood, which will hopefully accommodate a generous frunk. It also uses pop-out door handles. There’s also no visible rear window, and a small trunk opening.
The brutish exterior aesthetic will continue into the cabin. Recent images have shown that the Type 01 will include a steering wheel with thick horizontal spokes housing a slew of important controls and buttons. It will also include a large wraparound infotainment screen and a digital instrument cluster.
In terms of power, the electric Type 01 is expected to use a 120 kWh battery pack. This battery will drive three electric motors that together produce over 1,000 hp and 959 lb-ft (1,300 Nm) of torque.
Mazda delays first dedicated EV until 2029 while prioritizing hybrid development instead.
Unlike rivals, Mazda’s cautious strategy avoided billions wasted on abandoned EV plans.
Hybrids now dominate Mazda’s US strategy as electric demand slows across core markets.
Mazda has officially joined the growing list of automakers backing away from aggressive EV plans. The difference is that while rivals like Ford, GM, and Stellantis are swallowing enormous losses after changing course, Mazda claims its own retreat won’t cost the company anything at all. Mostly because it barely started.
The Japanese automaker confirmed this week that its first dedicated electric vehicle has been delayed from 2027 until at least 2029. Instead, Mazda says it’ll shift focus toward hybrids and combustion-powered models while continuing to watch global EV demand carefully.
That cautious approach, which could have made Mazda look like it was miles behind the curve, suddenly looks pretty well timed. EV growth has slowed noticeably in key markets, including the United States, where hybrids are currently enjoying a surge in popularity. Mazda says hybrid versions of its CX-50 (seen below) already account for roughly 35 to 40 percent of sales, giving the company more reason to prioritize gasoline-electric models instead of fully electric ones.
“We made the decision before we started,” Moro said during an earnings presentation of the decision to delay, according to Automotive News. “For battery EVs we were always careful.”
Bigger, rival brands must be wishing they’d been equally circumspect. Over the past two years, several major automakers have delayed or canceled EV projects after investing billions into factories, battery plants, and production tooling based on overly optimistic demand forecasts. Ford, GM, Honda, Stellantis, and others have also adjusted plans as market conditions changed, and it’s cost them billions.
Mazda, meanwhile, essentially kept its wallet closed. The company now plans to cut planned electrification spending through 2030 almost in half, dropping from roughly $12.5 billion to around $7.5 billion. Moro said there were no write-downs or impairment costs because Mazda hadn’t yet committed major assets to production.
Focusing On Hybrids
Instead, the company will focus heavily on hybrids powered by its upcoming Skyactiv-Z engine family. Several new hybrid models are planned before the decade ends, including a redesigned CX-5 hybrid using Mazda’s own in-house system rather than Toyota technology.
Mazda isn’t abandoning EVs completely, though. The automaker will continue selling electric models like the 6e and CX-6e (seen below), developed alongside Chinese partner Changan in overseas markets, including Europe and Australia.
AMG has given us our first taste of the GT 4-Door Coupe’s electric powertrain in action.
In-car video footage reveals a synthesized V8 soundtrack as it runs through fake gears.
The new Porsche Taycan rival uses lightweight axial flux motors from Benz-owned Yasa.
Mercedes-AMG has already shown us the inside of the upcoming 4-Door Coupe, but this week, we got a much better idea of what it’ll be like to really get behind the wheel. Why? Because today we heard the EV powertrain do its best V8 impression, fake gears and all.
The reveal takes place inside one of those cheesy promo videos Mercedes trots out every time it’s about ready to debut a new car. CEO Ola Källenius goes for a spin in a camouflaged prototype, and together with a co-host runs through some supposed “challenges” that don’t really prove anything at all.
But there’s usually something interesting hidden in the fluff, and this GT video is no different. Most importantly, we get to hear the synthesized V8 noises the car makes when Mercedes-AMG F1 development driver Doriane Pin engages Sport+ mode and guns the four-door coupe hard from a dead stop.
Obviously, it’s hard to know from just watching a video how realistic those noises sound when you’re in the car, but they sound pretty good from here. Better than a Dodge Charger Daytona, that’s for sure.
Transmission Tips From Ioniq 5 N
And because AMG has worked in some fake shift points, we get to hear it barrp, barrp, barrp its way up to a pretend redline as it runs through some imaginary gears, just like a real combustion-powered GT 4 would. Skip to 4:30 on the video to jump straight to the key moment.
You might reasonably argue that if you want an AMG that sounds like a V8 so bad, then you should just get one, but that’s ignoring the fact that there are some massive tax advantages in some countries for going the EV route. And if you have to have an EV, you might as well have one with a sense of fun.
Slimline Motors
Besides, this new GT is much smarter than your average EV because it’s fitted with incredibly light axial flux motors from Yasa, the company that supplies electrical tech to the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 team, and which Mercedes bought in 2021.
We don’t yet know exactly what kind of power the GT’s tri-motor setup produces, but the GT XX concept that previewed it made 1,341 hp (1,000 kW / 1,360 PS). Porsche’s top Taycan is already pushing out 1,034 hp (1,048 PS / 770 kW), and Xiaomi’s SU7 Ultra generates 1,526 hp (1,548 PS / 1,138 kW), so the AMG is going to need to summon as many horses as it can when it debuts, probably this summer.
The video also shows the GT pulling off some donuts, proving that the first car to use the AMG.EA electric platform can send its power exclusively to the rear tires if the driver wants, much like a V8 GT.
BMW’s upcoming iX4 electric coupe SUV has been spied testing.
Neue Klasse crossover shares platform, powertrains with new iX3.
iX4 50 xDrive should offer same 463 hp as iX3, cost around $67k.
BMW’s Neue Klasse offensive is picking up pace, and having this week been impressed by the price and EPA range of the iX3, we’re now getting a closer, though unofficial look at its coupe brother, which could stretch a full charge even further.
Like its boxier sibling, the iX4 adopts BMW’s new visor-style face that’s becoming a defining Neue Klasse trait. The same design language is also heading to the upcoming electric i3 sedan, helping tie the next generation of BMW cars together visually.
But beyond the nose, the iX4 starts doing its own thing. The roofline drops lower and flows into a fastback rear end, giving the crossover a sleeker silhouette than the standard iX3. It definitely looks sportier, though very tall rear passengers might not be celebrating the compromised headroom or smaller trunk.
The latest spy shots also reveal colored brake calipers hiding behind the wheels, strongly hinting this prototype wears M Sport trim, or is an M Performance variant. The basic M Sport package of interior and exterior trim is $2,500 on the new iX3 that arrives in US showrooms this fall, but upping the spend to $4,000 gets you the Professional version that adds colored M brakes and the Iconic Glow illuminated grille.
Inside, expect the same tech-heavy minimalist cabin already previewed by the iX3 and since rolled out to the facelifted 7-Series. That means a big 17.9-inch infotainment display, BMW’s pillar-to-pillar Panoramic iDrive setup, a futuristic four-spoke steering wheel, and an updated head-up display system.
40 And 50 Powertrains Planned
Underneath, the iX4 should mirror the iX3 lineup almost exactly. Earlier leaks tied to BMW’s accidentally published US product plans suggested America will get both 40 and 50 variants of the iX3 in rear and all-wheel drive configurations. It’d make little sense for BMW not to offer matching iX4 versions, though it looks like BMW will restrict the electric coupe to all-wheel drive.
That means entry-level models could use the European-spec iX3 40 setup featuring an 82.6 kWh battery and a 316 hp (235 kW / 320 PS) motor. Higher-end 50 xDrive versions should pack dual motors producing 463 hp (345 kW / 469 PS). Both versions will be capable of charging at 400 kW.
BMW recently confirmed the iX3 50 xDrive for America with a surprisingly low $62,850 starting price (including $1,350 destination) and an impressive EPA-rated 434 miles (699 km) of range. Since the iX4 slices through the air more cleanly, it could potentially travel even farther between charges, though expect pricing to climb past the $65,000 mark.
Bentley’s second SUV will sit below the Bentayga and skip combustion entirely.
The rumored Barnato name would pay tribute to one of the original Bentley Boys.
Crewe’s newest electric SUV shares its bones with the Porsche Cayenne Electric.
Bentley’s customers cannot seem to get enough of the Bentayga, so the company in Crewe is expanding its SUV lineup with a second model. Expected to wear the Barnato name, in tribute to Woolf Barnato of Bentley Boys fame, the new model will slot in below the Bentayga and ditch combustion entirely.
While it remains to be seen how much demand Bentley will see for the new model in markets like the US, where EV sales have stagnated, it will certainly appeal to those seeking the most serene and comfortable driving experience. The use of electric power will also help Bentley lower its overall fleet emissions. Bentley is expected to reveal the new EV later this year, with customer deliveries reportedly beginning in 2027.
Spied here doing the rounds at the Nurburgring, this prototype is wearing the same camouflage we’ve seen on others. As such, key areas of the vehicle’s design remain hidden, though we can see the blacked-out lower grille.
Concept Looks
SHProshots
Earlier test cars used lighting designed to resemble the twin-headlamp setup of the Flying Spur and Bentayga, but this prototype is closer in style to the single-unit design of the Bentley Batur. The clusters also feature four separate LEDs, similar to the arrangement found on the Porsche Macan and Cayenne Electric.
It’s hard to say exactly what the grille will look like, though we expect it to be body-colored and used largely for visual effect rather than cooling duties. The design could take inspiration from last year’s EXP 15 concept. Cooling is instead handled by functional air intakes in the lower front bumper, while a radar sensor sits at the center of the fascia.
Porsche Power
We know the Barnato uses the Premium Platform Electric (PPE) architecture, as do other VW Group models, including the Cayenne Electric. Carscoops understands it’ll come equipped with a sizeable 113 kWh battery pack that supports DC fast charging, adding 100 miles (160 km) of range in under seven minutes.
Bentley is also expected to lean on the Porsche parts bin for its electric motors, with the Cayenne Electric the most likely donor. Output in the Porsche ranges from 402 hp at the entry point to 1,156 hp at the top, and the Crewe interpretation is tipped to offer more than 1,100 horsepower in its flagship forms.
The similarities to the Cayenne Electric will continue with the in-car technology. While these spy shots captured only a small portion of the interior, previous prototypes have shown that several tech components will be shared with Porsche, including a curved OLED central display running Android Automotive OS. Bentley is expected to give the cabin its own identity through more extensive use of leather, wood, and metal trim throughout.
The new Bentley will share its EV platform with the Porsche Cayenne Electric.
While key design elements remain hidden, the SUV will look similar to the EXP 15.
Driving the Barnato is expected to be a sizeable 113 kWh battery pack.
It seems luxury car buyers can’t get enough of the Bentley Bentayga, so the British brand is working on a second SUV for its range. Tipped to be dubbed the Barnato, the new model will be smaller than its older sibling but, more importantly, all-electric.
While it remains to be seen how much demand Bentley will see for the new model in markets like the US, where EV sales have stagnated, it will certainly appeal to those seeking the most serene and comfortable driving experience. The use of electric power will also help Bentley lower its overall fleet emissions.
Spied here doing the rounds at the Nurburgring for the very first time, this prototype is adorned with all of the same camouflage that we’ve seen on others. As such, key areas of the vehicle’s design remain hidden, though we can see the blacked-out lower grille.
Concept Looks
SHProshots
The headlights look to be temporary, although the upper LED strip is expected to be retained for the production model. It’s hard to say what the grille will look like, but we expect it to be body-colored and mostly used for decorative purposes, not for actually cooling the SUV. The grille could resemble that of last year’s EXP 15 concept.
Other important elements visible in this prototype include a large panoramic glass roof and a roofline sitting noticeably lower than the Bentayga.
Porsche Power
We know the Barnato uses the Premium Platform Electric (PPE) architecture, as do other VW Group models, including the Cayenne Electric. Carscoops understands it’ll come equipped with a sizeable 113 kWh battery pack that supports DC fast charging, adding 100 miles (160 km) of range in under seven minutes.
It’s likely Bentley’s electric motors will also be borrowed from the Cayenne Electric. Power in the Porsche ranges from 402 hp to 1,156 hp, and the British alternative may offer similar figures.
The similarities to the Cayenne Electric will continue in the cabin. While these spy shots only captured a small part of the SUV’s cabin, previous ones have shown that many parts will be lifted from the Porsche, including the curved OLED central display running Android Automotive OS.
VW’s ID. Polo GTI Clubsport could fake shifts for extra fun.
The hotter EV hatch may jump from 223 hp to nearly 282 hp.
Mini and Stellantis rivals already push as much as 276 hp..
Volkswagen hasn’t even officially launched the electric ID. Polo GTI yet, and already there’s talk of an even hotter Clubsport version lurking in development. Better still, it might come with fake gearshifts and simulated combustion-style power delivery and sounds designed to make EV hot hatch feel less, well, EV-ish.
According to Autocar, VW engineers are exploring a more extreme ID. Polo GTI Clubsport packing roughly 282 hp (286 PS / 210 kW), up substantially from the regular car’s expected 223 hp (226 PS / 166 kW) output. That would immediately put it closer to the upper end of the growing electric hot hatch class.
While the standard ID. Polo GTI should comfortably match the 215 hp (218 hp / 160 kW) Alpine A290 GTS and its mechanically related 223 hp Cupra Raval sibling, several rivals already bring considerably more firepower. The electric Mini JCW produces 255 hp (259 PS / 190 kW), while Stellantis has gone properly aggressive with the 276 hp (280 PS / 206 kW) Peugeot e-208 GTI and Opel Corsa GSE.
The Opel, unveiled this week, sets a serious benchmark, sprinting to 62 mph in just 5.5 seconds. Current expectations suggest the regular VW GTI might need around a second longer than that, though the Clubsport should give the Opel a real fight.
Performance upgrades reportedly won’t stop at extra power. Autocar says VW’s also considering replacing the current electronically controlled BorgWarner limited-slip differential with a fully mechanical setup for sharper front axle behavior.
Hyundai N-Style Shifts
But arguably the most interesting part is the fake shifting system, something that appeared on the GTI concept back in 2023, but which VW then said would not appear on a production GTI. Of course nobody asked about a GTI Clubsport.
VW dynamics boss Florian Umbach said the company is working on “a similar kind of paddleshift power delivery that the [electric] Hyundai N cars have.” Like the Ioniq 5 N, the setup would use software-controlled power delivery to imitate a combustion engine and transmission.
“It’s all about motor control and an audio soundtrack to match,” Umbach told the magazine, suggesting fake sounds – also featured on the 2023 VW GTI concept – will also be part of the Clubsport package.
Purists will absolutely argue about whether fake shifts belong in a GTI, but the reality is many drivers miss the interaction traditional hot hatches delivered and VW clearly knows engagement matters just as much as raw acceleration numbers.
The Skoda Epiq has been spied inside and out, ahead of its debut.
Model arrives later this month with three different powertrains.
Pricing is expected to start around €26,000 ($30,490).
Skoda is gearing up to introduce the all-new Epiq on May 19 and they’re rushing to cross all the t’s and dot all the i’s. As a result, spy photographers recently caught two prototypes undergoing last minute testing on the Nürburgring.
They were intrigued by the one seen below as they believed it could be a Sportline or RS variant, because it has steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters. However, these are common on Skoda EVs as they’re used for regenerative braking. That being said, we wouldn’t necessarily rule out a Sportline version as we can see a sporty steering wheel with a dimpled rim.
The interior image doesn’t reveal much else, but it gives us our first proper glimpse at the crossover’s 13-inch infotainment system. It will be joined by a 5.3-inch digital instrument cluster, slender air vents, and a wireless smartphone charger. Buyers will also find ambient lighting, sustainable materials, and a cargo compartment that can hold up to 47.5 cubic feet (1,344 liters) of gear.
SH Proshots
The front fascia and rear bumper are disguised, making it hard to determine if this is indeed a sporty variant. However, testers might have given us a subtle hint in the form of front fender vent stickers. Of course, we probably shouldn’t read too much into that.
Regardless of what the prototype is hiding, Skoda has already announced three different variants known as the Epiq 35, 45, and 55. The first combines a 38.5 kWh battery pack with a front-mounted motor producing 114 hp (85 kW / 116 PS) and 197 lb-ft (267 Nm) of torque. This enables the crossover to run from 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) in 11 seconds and have a range of 196 miles (315 km).
SH Proshots
The mid-level model pares the aforementioned battery with a beefier 133 hp (99 kW / 135 PS) motor. This lowers the 0-62 mph (100 km/h) time to 9.8 seconds without having an impact on range.
The range-topper sports a larger 55 kWh battery as well as a motor developing 208 hp (155 kW / 211 PS) and 214 lb-ft (290 Nm) of torque. This is the most interesting of the group as it accelerates from 0-62 mph (100 km/h) in 7.4 seconds and has a range of up to 267 miles.
While we’re skeptical this is a performance variant, it’s not hard to imagine one on the horizon as Volkswagen has already confirmed plans for an ID. Polo GTI with 223 hp (166 kW / 226 PS) in 2027.
Honda has put a hold on plans to develop a new EV plant in Ontario.
Plans were announced in 2024, but then delayed by two years in 2025.
Honda recently scrapped three new EVs due to launch in North America.
Honda’s electric future in North America just took its second major hit in as many months. The company is now hitting pause on plans for a massive EV and battery plant in Canada, and it might not restart anytime soon.
The project, originally announced in 2024, was going to be huge, with $15 billion CAD ($11 bn USD) earmarked for a new factory in Alliston, Ontario. But Honda has decided to shelve the plan indefinitely while it reassesses the market, Nikkei Asia reports.
It’s not hard to see why the plans collapsed. EV demand in the US isn’t where Honda expected it to be, and that’s forcing a rethink. Instead of going all in on electric, the company is doubling down on hybrids, which are selling strongly right now.
Policy changes haven’t helped either. The removal of federal EV incentives in the US has made electric cars more expensive overnight, while relaxed efficiency rules have reduced the urgency for automakers to push EVs hard. There’s also the issue of tariffs and trade uncertainty between the US and Canada, which adds another layer of risk to any long-term investment.
“American tariffs and changes to US domestic policies are creating real pressures for automakers, prompting some to delay or scale back investments in electric vehicle and battery projects,” Industry Minister Melanie Joly told Canada’s CTV News.
Already Delayed
Honda had already delayed the Alliston EV project once, pushing the timeline for the car plant and related battery plant back by two years in May of 2025, despite having already acquired the land and locked in financial help from Canada. Now it’s taking things further by putting everything on ice while it watches how the market evolves, though it will still build the Civic and CR-V at its existing Alliston plant that was opened in 1986.
Multiple Future EVs Scrapped
The shift in powertrain philosophy is already showing up in Honda’s new EV product plans. The company is winding down the Prologue EV, which it co-developed with GM, and earlier this year scrapped three exciting new Honda and Acura electric cars and SUVs destined for North American roads, even though they were in the final stages of development. Not long after that, Honda and Sony confirmed they were abandoning their plans to launch EVs under the Afeela brand.
Instead of EVs, Honda will focus on hybrids in North America, which are gaining popularity with buyers, and extend the life of existing models to save cash. That doesn’t mean Honda is abandoning EVs completely. It still has flexible production lines in Ohio that can build gas, hybrid, or electric models depending on demand, having spent $1 billion to upgrade the site. But for a while at least, fully electric models won’t be part of Honda’s future in the US or Canada.
BMW plans EV and ICE M3 pricing parity despite massive performance gap.
Electric version could hit 800-1,000 hp, gas model will make less than 600.
Manual gearbox and RWD options may disappear from combustion M3.
BMW is about to do something unusual with its most famous sports sedan. When the next-generation M3 arrives, buyers will get two very different machines wearing essentially the same badge and, crucially, roughly the same price.
According to a new report, BMW intends to sell the electric and combustion M3 side by side in the same price bracket. That might sound straightforward, but it gets interesting once you look at what each version actually delivers.
The electric M3 could deliver close to 1,000 hp (1,014 PS) from its quad-motor setup, though base models are likely to deliver 700-800 hp (710-811 PS) at launch. Meanwhile, the combustion model will stick with an evolved twin-turbo straight-six boosted by mild hybrid tech to somewhere around 552 hp (560 PS).
Visually, the two cars won’t stray far from each other either. BMW wants them to feel like siblings, not alternatives from different worlds. Expect shared design cues inspired by the Neue Klasse look, even though they’re based on entirely different platforms, the combustion car sticking with an updated version of today’s M3’s CLAR platform.
Panoramic iDrive
Inside, both should follow the same minimalist, screen-heavy direction. That means fewer physical buttons and a more digital-first cabin, incorporating BMW’s Panoramic iDrive tech, which may divide opinion just as much as the powertrain choices.
Combustion M3
Sylvia Neubauer, BMW M’s sales boss, is adamant that both cars will deliver what buyers expect. “It’s not only about acceleration and power, it’s about drivability, manoeuvrability and that level of trust and connection between the driver, car and road,” she told Autocar.
She also made it clear BMW knows not everyone will jump ship to electric overnight. “Obviously we will not convince 100 percent out of the petrolhead target group to buy an all electric BMW M3,” she admitted. “But out of 100 people that try it, we will be able to convince some.”
That explains why the combustion version isn’t going anywhere just yet, though some elements of it might be. Reports suggest the manual gearbox option, currently only available on the non-Competition version of the M3, might be retired. If that happens, even the petrol M3 edges further away from its analog roots.
Spy shots reveal upcoming changes to the Scenic E-Tech’s lights front and rear.
Tweaks to the electric SUV’s grille and front fascia also appear to be on the list.
Buyers currently get a choice of 60 kWh or 87 kWh battery packs in the lineup.
It’s only been a little over two years since Renault pulled the wraps off the all-electric Scenic E-Tech, and already an update is on the way. The model, positioned a rung above the Megane in Renault’s expanding EVs lineup, is in line for some modest visual tweaks ahead of going on sale next year.
This camouflage-clad prototype was recently spotted on the streets of Europe, looking very similar to the refreshed Megane E-Tech we also saw recently. While most of the front fascia is shielded from view, we understand Renault’s designers have tweaked the Scenic E-Tech headlights, although we are rather fond of the current model’s lights.
It appears that Renault has also adjusted the design of the SUV’s LED daytime running lights, which are stacked vertically below the headlights. The bumper looks slightly different too, though both it and the grille keep much of their current shape and proportion.
No obvious changes have been made to the sides of the SUV, which still sport flush door handles and sharp silver C-pillars. At the rear, there will be new LED taillights, although their final design remains hidden.
What Else Will Change?
Baldauf
The current Renault Scenic E-Tech is based on the firm’s AmpR Medium architecture, also underpinning the Nissan Ariya and Nissan Leaf. Powering the base model is a 168 hp electric motor and a 60 kWh battery, giving it a range of over 260 miles (418 km). A punchier version is also offered, delivering 215 hp and 221 lb-ft (300 Nm) of torque, and using a larger 87 kWh battery, boosting range to over 379 miles (610 km).
Given that these figures remain relatively competitive, particularly for the 87 kWh version, we don’t expect to see any significant changes made. With that being said, recent reports suggest the Megane E-Tech will switch from LG-sourced batteries to AESC ones. If this is the case, then it’s possible the Scenic E-Tech could make the same shift.
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