For years, the possibility of a hybridized Porsche 911 has been the topic of much discussion among enthusiasts. Some said the move would spoil the recipe, suggesting the brand create an entirely new model for electrification like it did with the Taycan. Others believed the potential performance gains associated with hybridization were too lofty to ignore, often citing the legendary Porsche 918 as proof. Regardless of which camp you happen to occupy, Porsche is indeed building a hybrid 911 and has even confirmed its official debut for this summer.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has cooked up a new ratings program to encourage automakers to implement even more electronic nannies, including the kind that watch your every move behind the wheel, because the current batch have been deemed inadequate.

“We evaluated partial automation systems from BMW, Ford, General Motors, Genesis, Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Tesla and Volvo,” IIHS President David Harkey said. “Most of them don’t include adequate measures to prevent misuse and keep drivers from losing focus on what’s happening on the road.”

Rumors of Jaguar’s death may be greatly exaggerated, or are they? Recent posts on social media claim to feature a letter from a Jaguar dealer that tells an owner of the brand’s demise. While we don’t tend to fall for shaky internet rumors, there’s enough smoke around Jaguar to warrant a closer look for fire.

Security researchers have found numerous vulnerabilities in some of today’s most popular vehicles, including finding ways to access owner data, take control of vehicle systems, and more. Tesla’s vehicles aren’t immune, and a team of researchers recently showed how easy accessing one of the advanced EVs with a simple electronic device can be.

European-market cars are a great way to see what some of America’s favorite luxury brands have in store for the New Continent, but the Euro updates don’t always make their way here. One we’re hoping skips North America is Audi’s new subscription scheme, recently introduced with the new A3 in Europe. We’ll see the new car in 2025, but let’s keep our fingers crossed this change stays out of North America.

The steady stream of teasers for the 2025 Infiniti QX80 continues apace, and it appears your author has drawn the straw to act as yer guide in this matter until the thing actually drops later this month.

During last week's State of the Union address, President Joe Biden made a claim that seemed to suggest that his administration, along with the UAW, helped Stellantis resurrect a plant in Belvidere, Illinois. Did it actually happen that way?

The answer is unclear.

BMW has aggressive electrification plans, but the automaker isn’t taking its eye off the internal combustion ball. A new report from BMW Blog states that BMW is planning a next-generation M3 between 2027 and 2028 that will land with gas and electric configurations.

The automotive world is going electric while many companies are focused on keeping the lights on. Both are true for Nissan, so it’s not surprising to see that 2025 might be the last for its R35 GT-R sports car. The car hasn’t changed much in its 17 years on sale, but it’s hard not to mourn the death of another iconic gas vehicle.

For a long time, Tesla’s Superchargers only supported its vehicles, but the automaker has recently opened the network to outside brands. While some challenges, such as delays and crowded locations, were expected, there have been a few issues relating to the fact that some automakers don’t install their vehicles’ charging ports in places where they can be reached by a Supercharger cable. To remedy that issue, Tesla is working on an extension cable that would allow non-Tesla EVs to charge without hassle.

Volkswagen has sold tons of ID.4s, but the EV is getting an update heading into the 2024 model year to keep it current. Changes include more tech, new advanced driver assistance features, but they’re limited to higher, more expensive trim levels.

The annual Easter Jeep Safari in Moab will kick off later this month, meaning we’re in for a deluge of teaser shots for whatever the mad scientists have cooked up in the Jeep labs ahead of this year’s gathering.

Homeland Security was reportedly involved in stopping a street takeover in Conroe, Texas, after a prior event became violent when the police arrived. The takeover occurred in the wake of the Lone Star Throwdown, a truck-focused automotive meetup, with organizers complaining about the trend in the aftermath.

A recent study published in the Journal of Transport Geography has alleged that “car harm” cannot be undone by the world pivoting to all-electric vehicles. 

However, the paper doesn’t favor everyone running out to buy the largest diesel pickup they can afford. Instead, it adopts the same anti-driving nonsense we’ve seen from the Vision Zero Network and government regulators that have been caught up in its activism web. The issue, as framed in the study, isn’t that EVs still pose a problem. The complaint is that all vehicles are problematic and the paper recommends sweeping policy changes pertaining to how roads are managed to deal with the matter. 

In a California two-fer, electric vehicle manufacturer Rivian rolled out a pair of new EVs today, both of which have deep familial resemblances and a host of appeal to overlanders.

Dodge is in the news this week with its new Charger, which will be offered with gas and electric powertrains. While the automaker’s parent company is moving toward electrification, it remains dedicated to internal combustion, announcing that it would invest billions in a new engine that runs on ethanol. The automaker said its investments in South America, specifically Brazil, show its confidence in the continent and a desire to reduce emissions with bio-hybrid technologies.

Tesla released a new Model 3 for 2024, but keen eyes immediately noticed that the automaker had only refreshed two of the car’s three previous configurations. The standard range rear-drive model remained, along with the Model 3 Long Range, but the Performance was nowhere to be found. That could be changing, though, in typical Tesla fashion, there are no official confirmations.

The Nissan Leaf was already the most affordable EV on sale, but recent changes have made it even cheaper. The automaker announced that the car has regained eligibility for federal tax credits, though for only half of the maximum $7,500.

With the 2024 Dodge Charger having finally been previewed, driving enthusiasts have been arguing about whether the all-new model is an improvement from the original or a grotesque misstep. While it looks similar to its predecessor, Stellantis opted to abandon V8 powertrains for a turbocharged I6 or 400-volt electric architecture. The car has also fully embraced all-wheel drive at the expense of rear-drive variants. Considering the above, it should be no shocker that the brand likewise snubbed manual transmissions — with Dodge having just confirmed the decision.

If you’ve rented a car in recent years, there’s a great chance you were offered a Nissan of some sort. Whether it’s the Altima or Rogue, Nissan has long relied heavily on fleet sales, and the company’s most recent sales numbers show that the habit hasn’t died yet. A whopping 44 percent of its February 2024 sales, or around 40,000 vehicles, went to fleets, so get ready to be a temporary Nissan driver the next time you rent a car.

Upstart automaker Rivian has had its ups and downs, but buyers have pretty consistently rated it highly for satisfaction. Though the company’s first two vehicles, the R1T pickup and R1S SUV, are expensive, high-end EVs, Rivian has announced smaller models riding on a new R2 platform. The first, a lower-cost electric SUV, is expected to be revealed on March 7, but we’re getting a sneak peek at the specs and pricing thanks to the internet sleuths on X/Twitter.

Honda leaned on General Motors to help get its EV program off the ground here in the U.S., and it appears that the partnership is paying off in other ways. The automaker recently announced that its upcoming Prologue EV would be eligible for federal tax credits of $7,500, meaning buyers can get around 15 percent off the SUV’s purchase price at the point of sale.

A thesis will surely be written in the future about the yo-yo behavior of EV prices which are seeming to coincide with early adopters getting their fill while everyone else needs to be talked into the things. The latest? A round of cuts at Nissan on the tongue-twisting Ariya.

Tesla might not be the most dominant EV maker in the world, but it’s on top of the market here in the United States. Legacy automakers like Ford and General Motors are in the hunt, but so far, no one has been able to topple Tesla’s top spot. BMW is hoping to take some of the shine off of Tesla’s crown with a new incentive that gives buyers a $1,000 discount to buy one of its new EVs.

Pour another one out for the eight-cylinder engine. With the configuration departing from machines like the Ram half-ton pickup truck, Dodge Charger, and comprising only a relatively slim percentage of F-150 sales, it should be no surprise it is vanishing at some other brands as well.

A whistleblower has accused FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem of abusing his authority to influence the results of the 2023 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. The alleged action was attributed toward influencing the results of the Formula 1 event.

Updated European safety certifications may discourage global automakers from leaning so heavily upon touch controls in the future. While not a formal government regulator, the European New Car Assessment Programme (NCAP) is extremely influential in a manner similar to the United States’ Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). These are the entities testing the crash worthiness of modern automobiles, or bench-marking industry safety standards, and Euro NCAP has elected to make distracted driving a major issue moving forward. By 2026, any vehicles sold within the European market will need to include physical controls to be deemed truly safe.

Toyota may be pushing hard toward more diverse propulsion options instead of solely focusing on EVs, but that doesn’t mean it’s not looking for ways to make headway on electrification. The Japanese auto giant recently announced its acquisition of Primearth EV Energy from Panasonic, which it said would give it a significant boost toward EV battery mass production.

We’ve heard of automakers shuttering factories for production issues and parts shortages over the last few years, but Tesla’s recent shutdown is a new one. The automaker said it shut down production at its Gigafactory Berlin due to a potential sabotage attack, which left the facility without power.

Muscle cars are going electric.

Well, maybe not across the board. The internal-combustion engine Mustang seems safe, at least in the short term. That said, there will be at least one muscle-car EV on the market soon: The 2024 Dodge Charger.

Car companies have been building vehicle trims specifically for the Texan market for some spell, pandering to celebrating the Lone Star State with these special editions.

In a new recall, some members of the Grand Cherokee family will require a dealership visit to sort out a problem with upper control arm pinch bolts which may have been damaged during vehicle assembly.

Things looked promising for Fisker at first, and the automaker actually delivered on its promise to design and manufacture a new EV. Even so, the automotive market is brutal and unforgiving, and Fisker’s fortunes have turned as it has had an uphill battle getting its new Ocean SUV out the door. The company recently announced a layoff of 15 percent of its workforce and said it would pause investments until it could find a new partner.

It now appears that help could come from Nissan, who, according to Reuters, might be close to investing $400 million into the struggling EV maker.

The Honda Pilot has always been a family-friendly SUV with plenty of room, but the automaker has been pushing it toward more rugged styling and an adventurous personality in recent years. Honda recently introduced the TrailSport variant with all-terrain tires and an off-road look, and for 2025, the SUV is getting a new Black Edition that brings 20-inch wheels and dark exterior trim for an aggressive look.

Big shocker here: Inefficiency is inefficiency, and it doesn’t matter if it comes from a gas or electric powertrain. Big, heavy EVs have proven to be just as wasteful as many of their internal combustion engine counterparts, though they aren’t producing any tailpipe emissions in the process. The GMC Hummer EV SUV ranked high on the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy’s (ACEEE) list of “meanest” vehicles for the environment, placing only slightly better than the gas-powered Mercedes-Benz G 550 SUV.

Volvo is introducing a new feature that alerts drivers of accidents reported on the road ahead. With similar services available for free on select phone apps, many of which can be integrated with your vehicle’s infotainment display, Volvo’s offering doesn’t sound incredibly novel on its face. But it’s leveraging real-time data from government-operated traffic management centers via the automobile’s proprietary user interface, technically making the feature the first of its kind within the automotive industry.

On Thursday, the Biden administration announced plans to investigate the potential national security risks being confronted by American automakers and any threats posed by connected vehicle technologies controlled by foreign adversaries — including China.

Chinese automaker BYD has been seeking to build an automotive plant in Mexico, with the company’s regional chief executive confirming the plan on Wednesday. CEO Stella Li has stated that BYD has yet to decide upon a final location. But that plan is for the site to boast a production capacity of 150,000 vehicles annually, with none being slated for export to the United States.

The Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon bring a lot to like in a more maneuverable package than full-size trucks can offer. Tens of thousands of them might also bring unexpected automatic emergency braking, leading to a recall.

Ford was the first company to announce a move to Tesla’s North American Charging Standard (NACS), and the automaker is now the first to offer access to the Supercharger network. The Blue Oval announced that its customers can now get a free Fast Charging Adapter that lets their vehicles access Tesla’s chargers.

This week, Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) is introducing legislation to increase tariffs on imported Chinese vehicles this week with the stated goal of dealing with the “existential threat posed by China.”

The bill seeks to raise the base tariff rate from 2.5 percent to 100 percent, including vehicles owned by Chinese-based automakers that are assembled in places like Mexico. With Chinese exports already under a 27.5 percent tariff, the changes would effectively make those products prohibitively expensive.

Tesla has this awesome habit of announcing a vehicle and then waiting several years to start selling it. The Cybertruck just went on sale in late 2023, four years after its reveal, but it’s not the worst offender on Tesla’s “Is it really coming?” list. That honor goes to the Tesla Roadster.

Announced in late 2017, the car was initially scheduled for release in 2020, but CEO Elon Musk pushed the date back, citing the need to focus on developing other models. Musk first set the date in 2023, but in a post on X this morning, he moved the goalpost again, this time to 2025.

The hackneyed old joke of a ‘loose nut behind the wheel’ causing a crash may be even more worn out than your author’s favorite Cole Haan loafers, but a manufacturing issue involving potential loose nuts on the axles of certain Toyota Tacoma pickup trucks is a very real problem which has led to a large recall.

Mercedes-Benz will reportedly be offering the all-electric EQS with a traditional grille lifted from the S-Class sedan. The brand’s all-electric flagship has failed to unseat the true king and the company has taken steps to try and incorporate some of the older model’s charms into the EV. Moving forward, the EQS will have a more traditional exterior as an option — perhaps signaling that the entire EQ line will soon be abandoning its overtly electric design language.

Automotive designs and engineering are rapidly evolving, and new cars today look and perform differently than models from just a few years ago. That’s especially true for heavier, much quicker electric vehicles. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety updates its crash-testing criteria to account for the changes, which can often result in poorer scores in some categories.

Hyundai Motor Group bucked that trend in early testing this year, earning six Top Safety Pick + designations, the IIHS’ highest award, making it the most awarded automaker so far.

Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles offer a unique EV experience, and their ability to completely refuel in just a few minutes makes them more convenient than their battery-powered counterparts. That said, they’re only sold in California, and there are only two models available. Honda was a player in the hydrogen game but stopped selling the Clarity in 2022. That’s about to change, however, as the automaker recently announced the CR-V e:FCEV, the first plug-in hydrogen vehicle in the United States.

What would the automotive world be without an endless set of teasers for upcoming vehicles (and the attendant websites which report on them *looks around and shuffles feet*)? This time, Infiniti is keen on offering a few creative angles of a new variant of their upcoming jumbo SUV, the QX80.

Vehicle inventories are now approaching the highest levels seen since the summer of 2020. This is according to a report from Cox Automotive, which stated that the month of February opened with the industry seeing an average new vehicle supply of 80 days. However, the figure still doesn’t match the supply averages seen at the start of 2020.

Billed as the next steps in Fiat’s product lineup, the brand has hauled the (digital) sheets off an array of new models which are all said to share a common global platform.

Toyota is in the middle of a sizable recall relating to the 10-speed automatic transmission from Aisin used on several of its larger models. The campaign encompasses roughly 280,000 vehicles split between the 2022-2024 Toyota Tundra (including the hybrid variant), 2023-2024 Sequoia, and 2022-2024 Lexus LX 600. Concerns revolve around the possibility of the gearbox not disengaging properly when placed into neutral.

Toyota has taken an all-around beating for its decision to focus on a diverse array of alternative fuels and electrification options instead of going all-in on EVs, but that approach has started to look more prudent as other companies struggle with slower-than-expected growth. The Japanese auto giant has developed hydrogen powertrains and been a staunch supporter of hybrid technologies, and now it is testing a new engine that can remove carbon from the air.

Ford has stopped shipments of the 2024 F-150 Lightning, but not because there isn’t demand for the electric truck. The automaker said it stopped deliveries on February 9 to conduct quality inspections, but production is still rolling at the automaker’s Rouge Electric Vehicle Center.

Pursuant to federal law (we’ve always wanted to start a post in that manner), BMW is recalling approximately 80,000 machines from the 2023 and 2024 model years for vexing problems with braking systems.

The Ineos Fusilier is on its way, bringing two electrified powertrains, a skateboard chassis, and the brand’s signature old-school styling. Company chairman Sir Jim Ratcliffe said the vehicle offers Ineos’ robust off-road capabilities, noting that the range extender makes a fully electric vehicle more practical for many buyers.

Love them or hate them, there are quite a few use cases in which an EV is the ideal vehicle. Public transportation, route deliveries, and school buses are great examples of vehicle types that would benefit from electrification, and New Jersey is putting money behind that thought to send electric school buses to 18 school districts.

The United States Department of Energy has confirmed plans to loan $544 million to South Korean tech conglomerate SK Group under the conditions it be used to expand semiconductor production in the Midwest. Finances have been earmarked for a facility operated by subsidiary SK Siltron CSS to expand a plant located in Bay City, Michigan, which had previously expressed plans to build more chips.

The Fiat 500e is coming to America and is expected to arrive soon, and the automaker has announced that its first round of allocated vehicles has sold out. Despite parent company Stellantis’ significant U.S. manufacturing footprint and the need to produce EVs locally to meet evolving federal tax credit rules, the 500e will roll off the line at Fiat’s factory near Turin, Italy, and production for American-spec cars has begun.

Rivian customers love their vehicles and the brand, helping it achieve a top spot among premium brand owner satisfaction, but that hasn’t saved the automaker from an overall EV market that has grown less enthusiastically than hoped. The company recently announced that it would lay off 10 percent of its workforce, citing slower-than-expected sales and rising interest rates as being significant headwinds.

When Dodge previewed its Fratzonic Chambered Exhaust for the all-electric Charger Daytona SRT concept (pictured), enthusiasts were divided. Some thought the idea of a faux exhaust system, designed to help EVs mimic the howl of a V8, was a cringe-worthy gimmick. But others felt it broke new ground in terms of vehicular sound design and would ensure electric cars could retain some of the magic of combustion vehicles. Regardless of which camp you happen to staked your tent, parent company Stellantis has continued on with the premise and has likewise patented a system that creates fake engine vibrations to further the illusion of combustion-derived propulsion.

Mazda recently revealed the CX-70, a new two-row SUV closely related to the three-row CX-90 that debuted for the 2024 model year. Like its larger counterpart, the CX-70 is available with electrified powertrains, including a plug-in hybrid option. The automaker has just released pricing for the new SUV, which starts at just over $40,000.