4 weird Olympic special edition cars (and how automakers could repeat the magic today)

From the minibuses at the 1980 Moscow Olympics to the 1996 Buick Regal, these four weird Olympic special edition cars show how automakers used to take risks.

Chinese EVs could crush Detroit, but American drivers may love their prices

Chinese EVs could put intense pressure on U.S. automakers if trade barriers are relaxed, investor Jason Calacanis warned. His comments followed Sen. Elissa Slotkin’s claim that she had heard rumors President Donald Trump could allow…

Defender Dakar heading to Australia: What the rally-bred V8 4x4 really costs to own

Land Rover has spent two years telling anyone who'd listen that the Defender Octa was the hardest thing it could build on the D7x platform. That was apparently a warm-up act. The Defender Dakar is coming, Australians can already put their hand up for one, and it is a substantially different proposition to the halo Defender currently sitting at the top of the local price list. The short version, from Defender's own announcement: the brand is...

BMW M cars: Why the slower manual still wins for enthusiasts

Does the fan-favorite manual shifter make for a better or worse driving experience in a modern M car?

America's most powerful production car uses a dual cam V8 and hybrid AWD

This 1,250-hp powerhouse combines brute-force turbocharged V8 muscle with instant electric torque and four-wheel traction.

Volkswagen resurrects the spirit of the XL1 hypermiler with new 'near production' EV concept

The Mission Efficiency has already broken the records for aerodynamic and powertrain efficiency set by the similar Mercedes-Benz EQXX.

$350,000 worth of trucks for $39,000 - then they found out why nobody wanted them

A risky auction gamble puts roughly $350,000 worth of trucks and equipment in their hands for just $39,000. Some purchases appear too good to be true, including vehicles sold as non-runners, but a few surprisingly simple fixes and quick flips turn the risky buy into a profitable score.

Testing of a mysterious future Toyota EV sparked a recall of the new C-HR

The electric crossover has a software issue, which can result in a loss of drive power

Why this 4-year-old hybrid beats most brand-new cars in reliability

Discover why this 4-year-old hybrid is a standout in reliability, outperforming most new cars with its proven durability and exceptional performance.

This 300-HP used SUV costs less than a new family SUV—and that’s not even the best part

A used 2022 Volvo XC90 is priced at $39,200, 41.2% lower than its original price, raising important buyer considerations.

Japan built a sleeper sedan before BMW—and it's crazy cheap

The early '80s Nissan Maxima borrowed its engine and suspension from the 240Z and 280Z, making it a true four-door sports car on a budget.

Corvette-driving teen caught doing 123 mph in a 55 zone, cops say, so police called his parent

We assume a very awkward conversation followed.

Auto & transport roundup: Market talk

Find insight on Volkswagen, Renault and more in the latest Market Talks covering Auto and Transport.

The 315-HP Volkswagen wagon with more torque than the Golf R hatch America gets

The Golf R Wagon makes 310 lb-ft and 58 cu ft of cargo space, outgunning the US Golf R hatch — and VW has confirmed it won't come to America.

Toyota's hydrogen truck math: 1,500 rigs, 30 stations, one break-even number

Toyota's most interesting hydrogen project right now has nothing to do with a Mirai sitting unsold on a lot. It's the trucks that haul stampings and seat frames between suppliers, and the reason it suddenly has momentum isn't carbon. It's the Strait of Hormuz. Start with what happened to Japan's fuel supply this year. METI announced on 24 March that tankers had been unable to move through Hormuz for a prolonged period and that Middle East crude...

The 300-HP V8 Buick sleeper buried under chrome and portholes

The 2008 Buick LaCrosse Super packed a 300-hp LS4 V8 into a front-drive sedan — and a mismatched transmission killed it in two years.

Toyota GR GT and GR GT3 Laguna Seca laps: What the specs reveal

Toyota's GR GT And Its Race Car Twin Traded Places At Laguna Seca, And The Spec Sheet Explains Why A phone clip has been circulating over the past week showing Toyota's GR GT and GR GT3 prototypes working their way around WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in matching paint, swapping running order mid-lap. Photographer Mike Garrett, who posts as Japanifornia, shot the footage, and GAZOO Racing's own U.S. accounts have been pushing similar angles....

Carmakers have a new idea to boost EV range: Add a gas engine

Hyundai, Ford and Stellantis are planning to introduce larger EVs with gas generators to solve range anxiety.

10 obscure supercars that disappeared before production

Developing concept cars is an expensive and time consuming process for any automaker, so it's no surprise that they don't all make it to the finish line.

The pickup man: Inside the 400-vehicle Redwood County truck & car collection auction

There's a reason so many country songs are written about pickup trucks: for generations they've been more than transportation. They're farm tools, teenage freedom machines, tailgate hangouts, and for a lot of Midwest kids, a rite of passage. That love of trucks is exactly what built one of the largest privately assembled collections in the country, and it's about to head to auction in Redwood Falls, Minnesota. The collection belongs to Tim...

Why the Mazda 3 sedan is more than just Mazda's cheapest model

Drivers on a budget may think a new car is out of reach, but while Mazda's most affordable car isn't as fresh as rivals, that's all part of its charm.

California is changing its license plates for the first time in 46 years—what LA drivers should know

Look closely at the car in front of you on the 405. If its California license plate looks a little wrong, you’re not imagining things. California is rolling out a new standard license plate sequence for the first time in 46 years, and the new format has already started appearing on cars around Los Angeles. But for once in California, the change isn...

Much less power, and basic doors: The 10 biggest differences between the old and new Toyota FJ Cruiser

Here are 10 of the biggest differences between the old and new FJ. And some (really) bad news.

8 cars that put the speedometer in the center and forced drivers to relearn one glance

Today at The Auto Wire: Full recap (September 14, 2026)

Here is everything The Auto Wire published on Monday, September 14, 2026 — two recalls that together cover more than 425,000 trucks and SUVs, a new-car average that crossed $50,000 for the first time this year, six California pumps that ran out of digits, and the 1899 taxicab crash that made a New York real estate broker the first person in America killed by a car. Ford’s $1 Billion Paint Shop Isn’t the China Comeback Story Everyone Wants It to...

Tesla Cybercab bars kids under 13 as scrutiny grows

Tesla's Cybercab launched in Austin with no steering wheel or pedals, but hidden details about age limits and missing safety features may shock riders.

China's EV export surge eclipses 2025 record as domestic sales crash

Industry data show China's passenger car exports surpassed last year's total in the first eight months of this year

Mysterious future Toyota helped uncover major flaw with current model

One of Toyota's latest EVs has a serious flaw, but fortunately the automaker appears to have caught it early.

Toyota's $2,500 GR kart is small enough to fit in a minivan

Toyota's Gazoo Racing division just launched its most affordable product ever — not a car, but a 183-pound go-kart designed to fold whole into a Toyota Noah or Voxy minivan.

Cars that looked fast and never were

By the early 1980s, the Trans Am had inherited a legendary badge but lost most of the muscle that earned it.

What does the GTO on Pontiac's classic muscle car stand for?

Along with ushering in a new era in American car culture, the Pontiac GTO moniker left a lasting impression. Here's how the iconic name came to be.

Toyota reveals $2,500 entry-level kart that families can fit in their minivans

Designed to fit inside JDM minivans like the Noah and the Voxy, the GR Kart weighs just 183 pounds and can be stored upright in your garage at home.

Inside Isuzu's driverless truck plan: Real freight, real deadline, one big catch

Isuzu is now running second-generation autonomous heavy trucks on a real commercial freight route in Japan, and the freight in the trailer is Isuzu's own. That last detail is the most revealing thing about the whole program. Before getting to why, let's clear up a date that's been floating around in two contradictory forms. The fiscal year problem You'll see Isuzu's Level 4 launch target written as fiscal 2027 in some places and fiscal 2028 in...

The new Lotus Esprit will be a 1,000-hp hybrid supercar. Here's everything we know

Lotus is taking the legendary name in a new direction, with a hybrid V8 and more than 1,000 horsepower. Here's what we know.

US auto market predictions for 2030: More hybrids, no Chinese entrants

Despite growing speculation that it won't be long until Chinese autos are sold in the U.S., John Murphy doesn't expect that to happen by 2030.

Unveiling The Electric Skoda Elroq vRS High Performance SUV

A detailed look at the new Skoda Elroq vRS introduces this high-performance electric SUV as the latest addition to a daily driver lineup. Finished in eye-catching Timmyo Green with the Max and winter packages, this compact EV delivers 340 horsepower, 545 Nm of torque, and an estimated zero-to-sixty acceleration of around five seconds. The impressive 84 kWh battery pack offers a driving range of up to 339 miles, complemented by a feature-packed interior with massaging heated seats, a head-up display, an upgraded sound system, and striking 21-inch wheels for comfortable daily travel.

1 destroyed car saved this entire brand!

After his Ferrari 360 gearbox failed at a traffic light and left him pushing the car across the road, one collector decided to trade away his Ferraris and take a chance on something completely different. He bought an early Spyker C8 prototype for about €80,000 after the company had gone bankrupt, even though the car was damaged, poorly painted, missing major parts, and barely functional. Restoring it proved incredibly difficult because many original parts were unavailable, forcing him to recreate components himself and reconnect with former Spyker suppliers who had stopped working with the company after going unpaid. What began with a steering wheel eventually grew into a worldwide network for reproducing and repairing rare Spyker components. He says he has now worked on roughly 90% of the surviving cars, all beginning with that one heavily damaged engineering prototype.

Toyota has a $13.6 billion battery bet nobody wants to talk about

Toyota may have moved slowly into battery-electric cars, but it is now making a massive bet on the next generation of batteries. The company showed a working prototype using solid-state technology, which promises more than 300 miles of range, charging in around 10 minutes and roughly 240,000 miles of useful battery life under the figures discussed in the video. Toyota is also investing $13.6 billion into battery technology and targeting 200 GWh of capacity by the end of the decade. If the technology can be produced affordably at scale, it could give Toyota a serious chance to leapfrog rivals that beat it to the first EV wave.

Turning 60 in 2026: 11 automotive icons that debuted the same year as the Toyota Corolla

These legendary cars debuted in 1966 alongside the Toyota Corolla. Sixty years later, their performance, innovation and influence remain remarkable.

Land Rover eyes US-built Defender pickup with Stellantis

US-built Defender: JLR and Stellantis are working on plans for a Defender pickup truck to be manufactured in America, targeting the lucrative US market. Tariff workaround: Local production would help JLR avoid steep import tariffs on EU- and UK-built vehicles, improving competitiveness in the US. Luxury truck gamble: The model could merge off-road capability with premium features, entering a segment dominated by high-end trims from US brands.

AMG GT Black Series Looks Like It’s Smashed The Ring Record Before It’s Even Hit The Track

Hardcore V8 coupe has some crazy aero tricks including active vents on the front fender tops

Stellantis plans for a big performance offensive and more affordable models

Stellantis is investing $25 billion to bring 11 new models to the North American market in the coming years. The product offensive is part of a global, $70-billion investment announced earlier in 2026, and it will spawn numerous enthusiast-focused models from Jeep, Dodge, and Ram. Chrysler is also set to get new cars, according to […]

This Porsche 550 Spyder J is a delightful 80%-scale electric-powered replica of a legend

Porsche Motorsport is marking 75 years of the 550 Spyder with a limited-edition collector's piece.

2015 Skoda Octavia Combi 1.4 TSI (150 HP) test drive

2015 Skoda Octavia Combi 1.4 tsi 110 kW / 150 hp Exterior Interior Driving / pov Acceleration 0-210 km/h Top Speed German Autobahn Top Speed +215 km/h 6-Speed Manual

Ford is shutting down production - and dealers are desperate to make deals

Ford is temporarily halting some production as the automaker deals with a shortage of rare-earth magnets, roughly 90% of which the video says come from China. Nissan is facing even deeper problems after thousands of job cuts, additional plant closures and another 2,000 to 3,000 workers potentially losing their jobs. The video also points to Stellantis, where expensive vehicles such as a $120,000 half-ton truck are used as an example of how far prices have moved away from what many buyers want. With sales dropping and several brands relying heavily on incentives, the presenter says shoppers may now have a stronger opportunity to negotiate a deal. He recommends comparing multiple dealers because discounts and incentives may not always be openly advertised.

Tesla recalls nearly 3M vehicles as China launches its biggest automotive recall ever

Mercedes-AMG’s sold-out CLE 646 Spezialanfertigung packs 637 HP and a 193-mph top speed

AMG turned the CLE coupe into a track-focused monster with big power, huge tires, and no rear seats.

McLaren's new era includes an 810-HP hybrid supercar, a 2+2 GT, and an SUV

McLaren is evolving with the times.

About 10,000 Toyota C-HR EVs can suddenly lose power, Toyota says

North American Toyota C-HR EV owners face a software-related regen braking recall affecting about 10,000 2026 vehicles with potential power loss.

Tesla Semi gets boost from $6 diesel; Morgan Stanley says earnings potential 'underappreciated'

The new Tesla Semi truck is an "underappreciated driver of earnings growth" over the next 15 years, according to Morgan Stanley.