Autoblog News

Spy shots of the VW ID.2 GTI reveal compact size, hatchback functionality

According to VW's top boss, Thomas Schaeffer, the upcoming, high-performance electric hot hatch–the VW ID.2 GTI–is "a monster" that will blow away all of our expectations. With a predicted unveiling later this year or in early 2026, the VW ID.2 GTI will give the world a first glimpse at how Volkswagen plans to translate its legendary hot hatch recipe into a fully-electric vehicle. For now, though, thanks to our friend Stephen Hancock of SHProshots, we've gained access to incredible spy shots of the VW ID.2...

Ferrari came dangerously close to losing the rights to one of its most iconic names. But now, the courts have ruled in its favor. After several years of legal wrangling with a German toy company, the legendary badge remains in Maranello’s hands. While Ferrari’s business model may rub some enthusiasts the wrong way, it’s hard not to be glad they won this round.

The Battle Over the Testarossa Name

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In Italian, Testarossa translates to "red head". In the autosphere, Testarossa is synonymous with Ferrari, referring to one of the...

A new Toyota engine lineup is causing competitors to double-take for more than one reason

Many of today’s powertrain developments are in the electric vehicle (EV) realm, but Toyota is expanding the limits of gas-powered engines. The automaker’s next-gen engine lineup includes 1.5-liter and 2.0-liter sizes, which are entirely different from its previous internal combustion engines (ICE), leveraging more lightweight and compact designs. Toyota’s new 1.5-liter achieves a 10% weight and volume reduction compared to the company’s current 1.5-liter, while the new 2.0-liter offers similar gains to the existing 2.4-liter. In turn, Toyota is able to...

“Roll up to a tailgate in 2025 and your five-year-old EV still reads 280 miles on the dash — no spring in your step lost”. Today’s mainstream packs fade only 1.8% — about a 9% total drop in five years — thanks to liquid cooling, smarter BMS balancing and tougher cell chemistries. How is your battery range after 5 years? Find your car below.

The Great Leveling

Not everyone has kept up in this great levelling, though. Let's talk about the winners and losers.

Back in EV’s early days, five-year retention ranged from under 70% for early Leafs to over 90% on rare liquid...

Urban Automotive, the British luxury car modifier best known for its carbon-fiber styling kits and “OEM+” design philosophy, has officially launched operations in the United States. As of July 2, 2025, the company has opened a dedicated North and South America division, anchored by a newly established warehouse and distribution facility in Phoenix, Arizona.

This marks a significant step in Urban’s global expansion strategy, moving away from its former U.S. distribution setup — which was previously handled through a partnership with Milltek Corp in Tennessee — toward a more hands-on, directly managed presence. The move is being supported by Urban’s parent...

The Real Story Behind America’s Most Resilient Trucks

Your five-year-old Tacoma, a veteran workhorse, still commands 60.2 percent of its sticker price on the used-lot—well above the 54.4 percent industry average and miles ahead of a BMW 3 Series, which limps in at 48.6 percent retention. That gap translates into thousands more in your pocket when you trade in or sell. It’s not random luck: Toyota’s rust-proof reliability, fleet-tested durability and no-nonsense mechanics keep Tacomas in demand. Toss in contractor fleets swapping low-mile examples, easy-to-service parts, go-anywhere towing chops and die-hard brand loyalty, and you get resale resilien...

Tesla outperforms analysts' worst Q2 predictions, but sees steep year-over-year decline 

Tesla has reported that it delivered 384,122 vehicles during Q2, 2025, a 59,834-unit year-over-year decline. However, the company’s stock jumped over 4% by afternoon, likely due to the slightly better-than-expected results. As previously reported, reputable analysts like Troy Teslike anticipated that Tesla would report 355,000 Q2 deliveries. FactSet provided one of the most accurate sales predictions at 387,000 units.

Tesla produced over 410,000 vehicles during Q2, 396,835 of which were its Model Y and Model 3, with the remaining 13,409 units representing “other models.” The automaker delivered 373,728 Model Ys and Model 3s, as well...

Bugatti’s quality testing is on another level

Quality control is an important part of the car production process, ensuring that new vehicles arrive in the possession of customers with as close to zero defects as possible. Despite this, many drivers still struggle with quality issues in the first few months of vehicle ownership. While mass-market brands can get by with a few issues - or more than a few, if you're Ford - the standards are much higher for exotic brands like Bugatti. To underline that point, the French automaker has shared the meticulous quality control me...

Buying a car is hard these days

If you get the impression that buying a car is supposed to be fun from all the constant advertising on TV and on YouTube, you’d be disappointed the minute you step into a dealership. Suddenly, you’re dodging pushy salespeople, sitting through endless back-and-forth over pricing, and trying to make sense of the confusing finance terms. 

It’s stressful and time-consuming, and for many people, the dealership experience feels more frustrating than exciting. With rising costs and tighter credit, the pressure’s even worse, and buyers are starting...

In a world dominated by hybrid hypercars built by billion-dollar conglomerates, the Oil Stain Lab HF‑11 is a welcome oddity. It’s the creation of two Ukrainian-American brothers, Nikita and Iliya Bridan — ex-Honda, Cadillac and Genesis designers — who decided the only way to scratch their creative itch was to build a 12,000 rpm, dual-drivetrain, 2,000-pound hypercar out of sheer obsession.

Only 25 will be made. Each one costs at least $1.85 million, or $2.3 million if you want both powertrains.

Twin Madness: Flat‑Six Or EV, Or Both

The HF‑11 is...

The Glorious BMW V10 That's Built to Sing

The BMW S85B50 5.0-liter V10, found in the E60 M5 and E63 M6, remains one of the boldest engines ever fitted to a production sedan. A naturally aspirated marvel, void of any connection to other production power plants, it revs up to 8,250 rpm and produces over 500 horsepower in stock form. It was the German marque's love letter to its BMW Sauber Formula One endeavors. The sound alone, an orchestral scream of ten cylinders, cemented its status as one of the best engines ever made by BMW.

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Turns out the XM isn’t just hard to look at; it’s hard to sell, too.

You’d no doubt recognize the XM if you happened to see one (of the apparently few) on the street. A front-end design like no other, complete with attention-grabbing, glowing grilles, makes the SUV almost impossible to ignore. This was probably, at least partially, the point when BMW launched the Halo M product back at the end of 2022. But sales figures show that BMW may have totally missed the mark with the XM — a rare coincidence with what most brand enthusia...

The world of radio-controlled (RC) vehicles is driven by passion, and it's gained serious traction over the past few years among hobbyists. YouTube creator JohnnyQ90 stands out in this space, with nearly two million subscribers and a knack for building shockingly realistic, fully functional microscopic machines. In one of his latest videos, he showcases a working RC Chevy truck powered by a tiny 44cc V8 engine.

Small Truck, Serious Engineering

To most people, an RC car is just a small toy with a minuscule electric motor, barely fast enough to outrun a walking person. Johnny’s...

In 2025, you can buy a Toyota Prius, skip the gas station for days, and still complain about the ride quality on potholes. That’s the hybrid life: part monk, part commuter ninja. And with gas prices moonwalking toward $4 again, it’s a lifestyle many Americans are still buying into—over 1.2 million hybrid sales last year alone.

But the EV crowd is yelling louder every year: “Just go all electric!” So let’s settle it — does the hybrid still make financial sense? Or is it a stepping stone past its prime?

We did the math. Real numbers. Real...

Any day Ferrari introduces a new grand tourer is a good day

This is the new Ferrari Amalfi, a GT that replaces the stunning Roma. The Amalfi's first job, then, is to look the part - like most Ferraris, its seductive lines do not disappoint. A powerful twin-turbocharged V8 and a sporty dual-cockpit layout inside are other appealing ingredients that form part of the new coupe. Let's take a closer look at the new Amalfi.

Related: New Ferrari Amalfi Improves the Roma in All the Right Ways

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Ferrari

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How SUVs Flattened the Sedan Dream

In 2025, for every sedan sold in the U.S., nearly four SUVs rolled off the lot. That’s not a marketing blip—it’s a cultural shift that’s been two decades in the making. Sedans once ruled the American cul-de-sac. Now they sit lonely in rental lots, gathering pollen and existential despair.

Let’s put it into drive: In 2005, sedans outsold SUVs by more than 2 to 1. In 2025, the inverse is true. The station wagon died in the ‘90s. The sedan? That funeral's happening now—in slow motion, with a premium soun...

Whether you'll admit it or not, everyone’s broken the speed limit at least once. Maybe it was an accident. Maybe, like Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno, you just wanted to show off. A few days ago, The Florida Trident posted a video showing Sheriff Marceno hammering the throttle in a black Lamborghini Huracan Spyder, racing a friend in a Corvette.

Caught Red-Handed

This footage was taken on South Tamiami Trail in Estero, Florida, by Ken Romano, a jeweler from Bonita Springs and apparently a former friend of Marceno’s. The sheriff was behind the whee...

Some of the world’s most prestigious racing does not take place on the road

The pinnacle of all car-based motorsport, Formula One, is thought by many to be the most glamorous and cutthroat racing event in the entire world. Every year, billions of dollars are spent among ten unique teams for 20 of the most elite drivers to duke it out for glory on race tracks and street circuits all over the world.

However, beyond the trappings of tarmac is another prestigious racing sport steeped in strict rules and tradition, where technology, guts, and grit go...

A Party Trick That Didn't Even Reach Production

When Rivian first burst onto the EV scene with the R1S SUV and R1T pickup in 2019, few features grabbed more attention than "Tank Turn" – a party trick that allows the EV to spin in place like an off-road ballerina. The system, also found in the electric G-Class, rotates the wheels on either side in opposite directions to pivot the car 360 degrees.

The tank turn quickly became a sensation, but before Rivian could make it to production, CEO RJ Scaringe nixed the feature, citing concerns over tr...

A few years ago, if you wanted a comfortable and quick daily-driver truck, your choices were pretty limited. Maybe a Ram TRX or a Ford F-150 Raptor if you wanted power with some plushness. But what if you had a nearly unlimited budget, wanted uncompromising luxury, and still needed a bed big enough to haul more than golf bags? Believe it or not, Bentley's in-house coachbuilder, Mulliner, could be your answer.

Mulliner Does More Than Just Fancy Trim Levels

Bentley

On its website, Bentley says, "With Mulliner, the possibilities are endless." Mulliner was...

Something Should Succeed The Skytop

Cast your mind back a decade to 2015, when the F82 M4 GTS was but a Pebble Beach concept. At that point, cars that cost seven figures were scarce, and Bimmers that cost six and didn't have a 7 on the back were non-existent. But nowadays, after selling every example of the - ahem - $750,000BMW 3.0 CSL, getting several requests about the Concept Touring Coupe, and then finding resounding success with the Skytop and Speedtop, the Bavarians are poised to build on that momentum with something new, reports BMW Blog. What exactly remains to...

From smartphones to EVs: Xiaomi’s rapid rise

Xiaomi, a Chinese technology company expanding its presence beyond products like smartphones into electric vehicles, has revealed that it’s considering overseas sales as early as 2027. Lei Jun, Xiaomi’s CEO, shared the news Wednesday following the automotive division receiving 200,000 orders in three minutes at the end of June for its upcoming YU7 SUV, directly competing with Tesla’s Model Y.

Tesla has been struggling to gain momentum in China, posting a 6.8% year-over-year decline during Q2 and having eight consecutive months of year-over-year sales declines before snapping the cold...

Quirky looks and a legendary engine vie for attention in the M Coupe

BMW recently revealed the Concept Speedtop, a while after the Concept Touring Coupe of 2023. Both have been thought of as modern interpretations of the M Coupe. That’s because their two-door designs and stretched roofs mirror the profile of the original clown shoe.

Unfortunately, the Touring Coupe isn't going into production and only 70 examples of the Speedtop will be produced; the latter is expected to cost around $500,000. If you don’t have that much cash lying around, the alternative is to buy an o...

Keanu Reeves is back in the fast lane. The Hollywood legend and quietly obsessive motorsport fan is set to narrate and executive produce a brand-new documentary series charting the rise of Cadillac’s all-new Formula 1 team — a project that might just be the biggest shake-up to hit F1’s paddock since Drive to Survive made Netflix shareholders very happy.

Produced alongside Brawn collaborators Neil Duncanson and Simon Hammerson, the yet-unnamed docuseries will follow Cadillac and Andretti Global’s rollercoaster bid to enter Formula 1, from their original 2022 application (rejected), to finally securing a grid slot for 2026 (approved, just barely). It wil...

Could America also be in line for a more efficient mid-size pickup?

Hybrid pickups have become increasingly popular in recent years, with Ford and Toyota leading the way in the U.S. However, these have been conventional hybrids that can’t be plugged in. It seems that plug-in hybrid systems - which add a lot more weight and complexity - are not yet considered a good fit for pickups. That could be set to change over at Toyota, with a report from Japanese magazine Best Car indicating that a PHEV version of the Hilux pickup could be so...

Polestar Will Continue To Rely On Volvo, As It Grows Lineup

Polestar has evolved from Volvo's in-house tuner into a separate brand with its own lineup of electric vehicles, but it's still sticking close to its parent brand. The Polestar 7, a smaller electric SUV due to arrive in 2028, will be built at a Volvo plant in Kosice, Slovakia, the two brands confirmed Thursday.

The Polestar 7 will be the second model assembled at the newly-constructed Kosice plant, following a yet-to-be-announced Volvo. The plant itself has been under construction since 2023, and targets annual production capacity of 250,000 vehicles...

2026 Chevrolet Trax Faces $1,100 Price Hike

When it comes to affordable new cars, the options continue to dwindle, but the Chevrolet Trax has managed to hover around the $20,000 mark for some time. Sadly, that time has come to an end, as new order guide data obtained by CarsDirect reveals that the diminutive crossover will be hit with a 5.37% increase in base form, adding $1,100 to its sticker. Other trims are less severely impacted, but they've all gone up by between 1.76% and 3.27%. Let's see what those figures mean in dollars for the cheapest new Chevrolet currently on sale.

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Would you take this Cybertruck trade-in deal? 

A Foundation Series Cybertruck owner is seeking answers after Tesla deducted trade-in value from his electric vehicle (EV), citing physical damage, as first reported by Torque News. The Cybertruck driver, Ace, posted on the model’s online forum: “If you wouldn’t mind sharing, how much was your trade value? Was there physical damage they deducted for? What was your mileage[?]” Ace added: “Mine has a little over 9k miles, and they offered me $66,900 and said they had identified 'physical damage' in my photos. I’m guessing this means the wrap? Just tr...

2027 BMW M5 Will Move The Game Forward

Our spies on the Old Continent have caught the facelift of the G90 BMW M5, and they tell us to expect plenty of changes, and not just on the surface. The current super sedan and its wagon sibling were only introduced a year ago, but BMW is not one to withhold new technology or even new design cues for future generations. Instead, the M5's mid-cycle update, or Life Cycle Impulse, as BMW calls it, will bring with it a look inspired by the Vision Neue Klasse concept and an...

Dodgy transmission still causing headaches for Dart owners

While Japanese and even Korean brands have been able to weather the crossover storm and continue seeing demand for small sedans, American automakers have not. Models like the Ford Focus and Dodge Dart have vanished from local showrooms without replacements, but one of these is getting attention again. Discontinued in 2016, the Dodge Dart is the subject of an investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for a potentially dangerous transmission issue. Even worse, this problem was supposed to be remedied by Dodge years ago, but a fresh...

Audi, BMW and Tesla Better Watch Out

Cadillac's push into the electric era started with the Lyriq, but it's the smaller Optiq that's shaping up to be the brand's most approachable EV. Positioned as the most compact and affordable electric vehicle in the Cadillac lineup, the Optiq already offers a sharp design, solid range, and a more premium feel than most compact electric crossovers.

For 2026, the Optiq receives a host of updates, including more powerful powertrains and increased charging access, but the biggest headline is a surprising one: it's getting cheaper. According to dealer order...

The First Koenigsegg EV, Albeit Unofficially

Koenigsegg is synonymous with extremes. From the early CC8S to the Jesko Attack, to the recently revealed and weirdly named Sadair's Spear, every machine from the Swedish marque is a technical monument – hand-built, obsessively engineered, and unapologetically fast.

Yet for all its carbon-fiber wizardry and record-breaking audacity, the brand has tiptoed around one major frontier: pure EVs.

Sure, the four-seat Gemera broke ground with its plug-in hybrid configuration and outrageous Dark Matter electric motor, but Koenigsegg has never committed to a fully electric production car. That ch...

This is how a black edition should be done

Land Rover revealed the ultimate version of its current Defender last year, known as the Defender Octa. At the heart of this towering SUV is a 626-horsepower V8, which adds breathtaking on-road pace to the Defender’s famous off-roading capabilities. Now, the manufacturer has taken the covers off the Defender Octa Black, which is murdered out to an extent that you might not see it at all in a dark alley. It follows the recent reveal of the Range Rover SV Black. Here’s what’s new for this h...

Land Cruiser may be synonymous with luxury for those of us in the States, but it isn’t that way everywhere

Toyota’s Land Cruiser model has always been a bit of an “if you know, you know” thing in the United States. Those who do know recognize it as among the most luxurious cars to wear a Toyota or Lexus badge. But overseas, the Land Cruiser nameplate offers a much wider variety. From modern two-door models to diesel powertrains, there’s a Land Cruiser model with your name on it, no matter how you like to get down...

Cadillac's All-Electric Seller Gets a Price Bump

Cadillac's electric ambitions got a serious jolt in 2024, with the all-electric Lyriq turning into a breakout star for the brand. Sales surged an astonishing 210%, with Cadillac delivering over 28,000 units of the midsize premium SUV, making it the brand's second-best-selling model after the Escalade. That kind of momentum has put Cadillac firmly in the conversation among luxury EV contenders.

In 2025, however, the first half of the year exhibited a slowdown in the demand for the Lyriq, with sales dropping 28.8% compared to last year. A fresh model year is just...

BMW’s flagship Sports Activity Vehicle has four incredible lease options for July

The BMW X5 is a fan favorite and beloved by auto pundits everywhere. The large SUV, or “Sports Activity Vehicle” in BMW’s terms, is seen by many as the perfect blend of a nimble sports vehicle and family-friendly SUV. It’s also luxurious and quite a step up from the popular X3 in BMW’s Sports Activity Vehicle lineup.

For July, BMW is offering four attractive lease offers for the 2025 X5, encompassing all trim levels. An X5 sDrive40i lease is $939 per month, w...

Ready to trade in your Model Y? Here’s how much you can expect to get for it

The Tesla brand has taken quite a hit lately. Though it still makes quality EVs, many people are eschewing Tesla, and some of those who have already purchased a Tesla are looking to trade it in to avoid side-eye glares.

Some are ready for an EV with more bells and whistles, while others may be ready to ditch electrification altogether. Whatever the case, if you’re a Tesla Model Y owner and are looking to trade yours in...

BMW sales for 2025 are up, but EV sales declined in a big way

BMW sales for Q2 are in, and the automaker has some good news. In the first half of 2025, overall sales for North America are up 1.6 percent compared to the same timeframe last year. BMW also states that its overall sales are “on par” with those of 2024 for Q2. The problems start with BMW’s electrified offerings, where sales are in steep decline.

In the second quarter of 2025, sales of electrified BMWs decreased by a whopping 21.2 percent compared to Q2 2024. This drop isn’t unexpe...

Trucker Allegedly Performed PIT Maneuver

There are few things scarier than losing control of your car unexpectedly, and when it happens in a car that is notoriously tricky to drive, on a busy highway, it's downright terrifying. It's an ordeal that well-known (but anonymous) Utah-based car collector @supercar_ron reportedly underwent on Saturday, June 28, at around 9:58 PM, while driving his Ferrari F40 LM. In a post on Instagram (embedded at the bottom of this article), he claims that a dark-colored semi-truck pulling a large tanker "essentially performed a PIT maneuver" on him. "I was focused on controlling...

Bentley V8s Get A Growl

When Bentley dropped the W12 engine, it robbed the world of one of the most incredible sounds in the automotive sphere. Emissions regulations have made such oversized engines all but impossible, but Bentley has a solution, of sorts. Thanks to a collaboration with Akrapovič, all V8 High Peformance Hybrid and Ultra Performance Hybrid models - Continental GT, Continental GT Convertible, and Flying Spur - now have the option of a titanium exhaust system that adds aural drama and subtracts weight. The newly launched Bentayga Speed already has an option like this, w...