Audi has been throwing a lot of vehicles at the Nürburgring-Nordschleife for late. Last month saw the RS 3 having achieved the fastest lap among the stock compact class. Days later, the automaker made another announcement that the RS Q8 Performance had achieved the same for SUVs.

ZF is a massive company, and while you might know it best for building transmissions, the corporation houses several businesses. ZF Lifetec, a part of the company responsible for passive safety products, has developed a steering wheel airbag system that accommodates display screens, which may become more of a thing as autonomous vehicles start hitting the streets.

Toyota will be abandoning the 2.0-liter GR Supra from the 2025 model year, making the 382-hp turbocharged 3.0-liter six-cylinder the default powertrain. That’ll be a disappointment to some drivers hoping to save some money. But the assumption is that most customers would have rather stepped up to the 3.0.

It appears at least one brand is recognizing the importance of a well-informed owner, with Nissan choosing to offer a so-called Second Delivery for its all-electric Ariya. Interestingly, a dig into the program reveals that dealers can farm the duties out to a third party called Doppler Automotive.

With Chinese automakers making headway on numerous markets, there’s a lot of speculation regarding what the industry might look like in a few years. Financial advisory and consulting firm AlixPartners has released a study exploring this, suggesting that China may represent one-third of the world’s vehicle production by 2030.

I own a 2024 Toyota GR Corolla Premium, and the turbocharged three-cylinder makes it one of the most enjoyable cars I’ve ever driven. Evasive Motorsports is taking that powertrain and slapping it into a Toyota GR86 for the 2024 SEMA show, giving it the GR Corolla’s AWD system and transmission to boot.

The Genesis Electrified G80 brings a gas-free powertrain to one of the more compelling values among large luxury sedans, and it’s getting improvements for the 2026 model year. The automaker recently revealed a newly updated version of the car that offers a longer wheelbase, a larger battery, and an improved range estimate.

While one would hope their brand-new vehicle would have a measure of quality right out of the box, analytics company J.D. Power nevertheless continues to issue awards for vehicles which manage to not fall apart in the first three months of ownership.

The action off the track in Formula 1 is often more dramatic than anything that happens on race day, but the 2024 season has taken things to a new level. F1 superstar Lewis Hamilton will move to Ferrari at the end of the year, and other drivers are moving between teams at a furious pace. Reigning World Champion Max Verstappen was rumored to be leaving his longtime home at Red Bull for greener pastures at Mercedes, but the Dutch driver recently put those whispers to bed.

Hyundai believes it has cracked the code of the affordable EV. The South Korean automaker recently announced that it would sell the new Inster subcompact electric SUV with a starting price of under $27,000.

The BMW M5 has a long and storied history as one of the best sports sedans on the market, but the car we have today is nothing like the one seen in earlier model years. BMW is gearing up for the release of an all-new M5 in 2025, and the car will arrive with a plug-in hybrid powertrain for the first time. Oh, and it’s also 1,000 pounds heavier than the last iteration.

Anyone excited to get behind the wheel of the Volvo EX30 they preordered must wait an extra spell. In an email to stakeholders, the brand said they’re shifting the target date to 2025 – and it has much to do with Biden’s new import tariffs on EVs built in China.

Several automakers have promised affordable EVs, but so far, none have truly delivered. Tesla’s $25,000 EV appears to have been canceled, and others have struggled with the profitability of more expensive models. Kia’s now jumping into the fray with the EV4, a small electric car it promises will land with a reasonable price and widespread availability.

One of the things that seems to divide Jeep owners more than other issues is the little rubber ducks seen on dashboards at trails across the country. While they seem to be everywhere now, “ducking” Jeeps is a relatively new phenomenon, having only started during the pandemic. Sadly, though, the person behind the cheerful movement recently passed away.

Rivian started life with significant investments from Ford, Amazon, and others, but the automaker has struggled with profitability in recent times. However, while it has delayed investments in new production facilities and conducted layoffs to cut costs, Rivian is still burning through its cash reserves. Volkswagen could be the one to save the day, as it recently announced a joint venture with the automaker that will inject $1 billion into its operations to start.

Wolfsburg has reached into its bag of tricks and pulled out one powerful rabbit. When it goes on sale, the next VW Golf R will pack 328 horsepower, thirteen more than the old model, and should scamper to 60 mph in about 4.5 seconds.

Ford Motor Co. is recalling 552,188 F-Series trucks sold in the United States over a transmission issue that can force the vehicle to downshift into first gear unexpectedly. Based on documentation from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the issue only pertains to vehicles from the 2014 model year F-150 pickups and mimics and earlier recall impacting 1.5 million trucks.

Genesis has launched the “Genesis Track Taxi Nordschleife” program in Germany, offering rides around the Nürburgring. Members of the public who partake will ride shotgun while a professional driver takes a lap around the “The Green Hell” in a G70 3.3T.

At first blush, the South Korean automaker appears to be making some odd marketing decisions. But then you remember the company is overtly targeting German luxury brands.

Earlier this year, the National Highway Traffic Highway Safety Administration updated its rules on automatic emergency braking, opting to require that almost all new cars and trucks carry the feature by 2029. Now, a group representing most major automakers is pushing back, saying that the requirements are “practically impossible with available technology.”

The Tesla Cybertruck has been in the wild for less than a year, but there is no shortage of people taking to the internet to showcase their new vehicle’s imperfections. Many have reported loose or detaching trim pieces, and some have complained that the truck’s massive single windshield wiper doesn’t work properly. Those issues have become significant enough for Tesla to issue two recalls for a bed-related trim piece and wiper motor.

At this point, it’s no secret that connected cars collect an alarming amount of data on the people who own and drive them, but a recent survey found that almost nobody is happy about it. Insurance app company Jerry surveyed 1,300 drivers and found that 78 percent are either uncomfortable or extremely uncomfortable with their car’s maker collecting their data.

The 2025 Volkswagen Jetta and Jetta GLI are refreshed, getting slightly updated styling, new available colors, and a lower pre-fees MSRP.

As far as saving the manuals goes, VW is taking one stick-shift away and leaving one available.

With the HALT Act having passed in 2021, the United States is less than two years away from making driver-monitoring technologies standard equipment. While this issue has been downplayed by the legacy media for years, the main reason was because the Department of Transportation hadn’t yet decided what form the equipment would take.

At the same time, consumer advocacy groups and a smattering of automotive enthusiasts have been sounding alarm bells relating to user privacy. With the government suggesting that these systems not only be ubiquitous in all new vehicles by 2026, but likewise communicate with law enforcement and even remotely deactivate a vehicle, there are some serious concerns about how they may serve as a giant violation of our collective rights.

Tesla has introduced a long list of weird, questionably useful features over the years, but Dog Mode is one that other automakers could take a lesson from. The tech uses EV batteries to control the interior temperature while the owner is away, keeping dogs and pets comfortable in hot weather. Unfortunately, a recent software update has led some owners to report that Dog Mode no longer works in their cars, with two people taking to social media to complain.

It turns out the Ford Performance F-150 Lightning SuperTruck was so bloody quick at Pikes Peak that it won the 102nd running of the hill climb despite coming to a dead stop along the route.

That’s the equivalent of being so far ahead in a race that you’ve enough time to pull into the pits and wash the car in preparation for victory lane (legend says that happened ages ago at the 24 Hours of Daytona, by the way).

Electric bikes seem to elicit mixed responses from the public, but the reaction to using them on bike paths and off-road trails almost always tilts toward the negative end of the spectrum. That said, they can be fun and useful in some situations, though a new Arizona law could make it illegal for kids to enjoy e-bikes.

Hyundai could be facing a strike in South Korea, as its workers there have demanded pay increases and a change in the retirement age. The company has not seen a strike in the country for several years, which could cause production and delivery headaches for the vehicles produced there.

While it might seem like some car dealers’ technology situations are complete messes, there are some pretty robust processes happening on the backside of their websites and “contact us” forms. CDK Global is a major provider of Dealer Management System (DMS) software, and the company recently experienced significant cyberattacks that will leave its software out of service for several days.

Despite an exodous by other makes, Volkswagen is sticking with the compact sedan segment – at least for the foreseeable future. Iterations of the 2025 Jetta and Jetta GLI will be unveiled early next week.

Toyota’s largest and newest SUVs have only been on sale for a little while now, but the automaker has issued a stop-sale and recall on the Grand Highlander and Lexus TX for an issue that could cause the driver’s side curtain airbag to deploy incorrectly.

BMW’s latest electric models offer plenty of compelling features and tech, but they’re far from affordable. To attract younger buyers who couldn’t otherwise afford one of its EVs, the automaker is developing a 1 Series electric model at the entry point of its lineup.

Stellantis is looking to cut costs, and its next moves could have a significant impact on its Detroit-area workforce. Company CEO Carlos Tavares vowed to implement measures to reduce the automaker’s expenditures, which could come with job cuts.

Chevy is set to expand the Corvette catalog again, this time with its most potent variant yet. The Corvette ZR1 will get an official reveal in July, according to the automaker, landing with what will almost certainly be an insanely powerful V8 and wild bodywork.

Electric vehicles don’t require the same routine maintenance that gas models do, but they’re not completely repair-free. Tesla has made getting repairs a real headache for some owners, as the automaker hasn’t allowed them to get work done at third-party shops. That policy has led owners to seek class-action status against the company, and a California judge recently gave the group the green light to move forward with a suit.

Nissan has announced the 2024 Nissan Z Heritage Edition which “celebrates a legacy of sports car excitement.”

Likely aware that true sports cars are becoming tragically rare and sentimentality sells, Nissan has launched a few special edition models recently. The GT-R is getting a couple of limited variants designed to play heavily into its heritage as a tuner car and the Frontier is being issued a “Hardbody” appearance package designed to create a sense of nostalgia for the original pickup.

Years ago, Chevy had its “Heartbeat of America” ad campaign, which highlighted the brand’s impact on the country and its workers. Now, however, General Motors isn’t even in the top ten of the most American-made brands, as the list has been taken over by Tesla and Japanese automakers with domestic production lines.

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are two of the most widespread and popular tech features in new cars today, and buyers aren’t shy about speaking their minds on the tech. A recent McKinsey & Co. survey found that around a third of buyers would not purchase a car without the smartphone mirroring features.

We’ve been hearing about Fisker’s downfall for months, but it finally appears that the automaker has reached the end of the road. Last night, the company officially filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy in Delaware, writing a post on its website confirming the development.

Another sedan is about to meet its demise on our market. At the end of the month, Volvo plans on ending production of the S60 in South Carolina and there has been confirmation that the model will not be imported.

On June 9th, Saudi Arabia decided against renewing a deal with the United States to continue trading oil in U.S. dollars. As this represents a major shift in international trade, many independent and foreign outlets claimed the nation dumping the “petrodollar” would fundamentally change the global market. However, we’re now seeing U.S. media running stories claiming that was all phony baloney reporting. Let’s take a quick look at what happened in the hopes we might wrangle some truth from the situation.

Some spell ago, we brought you news about the shadowy teasers Ford was showing of their planned SuperTruck for Pikes Peak. Now, the Blue Oval has gone and released details about the whole enchilada – and it makes over 1,400 horsepower.

Tesla recently released the updated Model 3 sedan, but the refreshed model lost eligibility for federal tax credits in all but the top Performance trim. A handful of Reddit users are claiming that the situation has changed, however, stating that the Tesla app reflects the $7,500 credit for the Long Range All-Wheel Drive configuration.

Toyota deserves credit for its line of sports cars and manual-transmission offerings, but the Japanese auto giant isn’t planning to keep those efforts afloat by itself. Toyota Gazoo Racing (GR) president Tomoya Takahashi recently told reporters in Australia that the company would look to collaborations with other brands to continue making sports cars going forward.

The Nissan GT-R has been around for so long that it’d be easy to assume it would always be on sale, but that’s not the case. Nissan recently confirmed that the 2024 model year would be the car’s last, and to celebrate its sendoff, the automaker is releasing two limited-edition models.

Volkswagen fans will be pleased to learn the German brand’s lineup for the 2025 model year will apparently be the freshest array of machines it’s had on sale in some spell.

If you’d like to earn $56 billion, a good place to start is to buy your way into an upstart EV manufacturer and then make as much noise as possible. Tesla CEO Elon Musk recently got an even bigger chunk of the company as shareholders approved his controversial pay package, which will make him one of the highest-paid corporate leaders in history.

Tesla has been reticent to allow owners to transfer Full Self-Driving (FSD) tech to a new vehicle, but that stance appears to be softening. CEO Elon Musk recently confirmed that the automaker would allow owners to transfer FSD to a new purchase for “one more quarter.”

We recently reported on the Jeep brand’s 23rd consecutive win as the nation’s most patriotic car brand. While that’s a big honor for any American automaker, Stellantis wants to capitalize on that equity by leaning on the Jeep brand to boost revenues. The company said it expects Jeep sales to grow by 50 percent globally over the next three years, aiming for 1.5 million units by 2027.

While new-vehicle inventories have been on the rise this year, we’re still below the average supply levels witnessed prior to 2020. But we're getting closer.

One thing you really want to work well in a powerful sports car is your seatbelt, but some Corvette owners might find theirs unusable. Chevy is recalling 13,464 of the cars for an issue that could cause the seatbelt to become locked in a stowed position.

Ford wants to sell more EVs, but its Model e dealer program hasn’t been the success it hoped for. The automaker is now taking a step back from the requirements it created for the program, enabling all Ford dealers to sell electric models.

Regardless of how you feel about EVs and the tax credits offered by the federal government, the truth is that people are using the incentives. Since January 1, EV buyers have seen more than $1 billion in savings on their purchases, with around 150,000 new and used vehicle sales so far this year.

President Biden made news earlier this year when he announced heavy tariffs on Chinese EVs, but the Americans won’t be the only ones imposing tariffs on vehicles from the country. The European Union plans to add as much as 38.1 percent on EVs shipped from China this summer, though individual duties on automakers will vary.

With corporate media finally aware of the perils of connected vehicles, we’ve seen a rash of articles exploring how insurance rates have spiked due to automakers sharing user data. But they’re not the only ones: Phone apps are also a major vector for obtaining and shifting profitable driving data without their owners even being aware it’s happening. It’s another contributing factor to why the average insurance rate has risen between 25 and 40 percent in 2024.

Though Memorial Day marks the start of summer for many Americans, July 4th is the official holiday of summer. The annual ranking of the most patriotic brands has landed as we approach the holiday, and Jeep has again taken the top spot.

A recall has been issued for just about every Karma Revero EV sold inside the United States over an intermittent issue with the turn signals that place the model out of compliance with the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS). While the defect isn’t dangerous in itself, the fact that turn signals could fail can exacerbate the likelihood of a crash.

If you’re unfamiliar with the Revero, don’t feel bad. Most people have never seen one.

Despite its legitimately impressive performance, the BMW XM hasn’t been a blockbuster hit. Its price and, um, controversial styling are the most likely culprits, but BMW’s new offer (somewhat) takes care of half of those challenges. The SUV is available with a $17,500 lease discount and a $15k purchase incentive.

UAW president Shawn Fain had a blockbuster 2023, winning a significant victory in the union’s battle for better pay and benefits from Detroit’s big three automakers. Despite another win organizing VW’s Tennessee plant, Fain’s 2024 isn’t shaping up to be as meteoric as last year. The leader is facing an independent investigation over claims that he retaliated against other union officials.

In a rare Uno Reverse moment, the crew at Mazda has reduced the price of entry for the generally excellent Mazda3.

If you pursued the news over the weekend, you undoubtedly saw articles claiming that the Biden administration both relaxed and tightened U.S. vehicle emissions standards. While often framed as complex, the reality is that the White House has repeatedly stressed its desire to push Americans toward electric vehicles and has instituted regulatory goals to that aim. However, it has softened on earlier proposals that would have set the standards even higher.

Let’s dig into what happened and the possible implications of the updated standards.