V8s making shock comeback as luxury base chase emotion

EV aversion and softening legislation have put big, booming engines back on the agendaThe V8 is making a shock comeback, thanks to a green light from US regulators and foot-dragging among high-end car buyers.
Stellantis, Lotus and Mercedes-Benz are among those reinstalling V8s into their line-up, and new Chinese car makers are working on their first-ever versions.
Meanwhile, the likes of BMW, Ford and General Motors are reaffirming their support for the engine, investing in new developments in r

The whole point of a recall is that the fix fixes it. GM's remedy for its troubled L87 6.2-liter V8 didn't get that memo. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened an Engineering Analysis into hundreds of engine failures that happened after dealers performed the recall work.How we got hereThe saga began with GM recalling nearly 600,000 L87 V8 engines after 28,000 of them suffered crankshaft, connecting rod, or engine bearing failures. This is the big V8 that powers some of GM

The Trump administration spent last week trumpeting a wave of automaker commitments it says amount to "rebuilding the American auto industry." New plants, new jobs, retooled facilities. One of the headline items, however, has nothing to do with cars at all. A White House news release dated Aug. 19 credits Rolls-Royce with nearly $100 million in U.S. investment. The figures break down to $75 million to expand engine production in South Carolina and a recently completed $24 million expansion in M

The Genesis G70 has spent years as one of the more genuinely fun small sports sedans on sale, and a big part of that appeal has been the option to skip the four-cylinder and step up to a twin-turbo V6 with real firepower. That option, however, looks to be going away.Genesis hasn't released official 2027 model year details for the G70, but the U.S. EPA appears to have done the job for them. FuelEconomy.gov recently added efficiency figures for the 2027 Genesis lineup, and a search for the 2027 G7

New updates bring a small bump in power and torque for the 1.5 MX-5, plus extra kit from the 2.0The 1.5-litre Mazda MX-5 will receive a small bump in power and new kit, the brand has confirmed after it pulled the range-topping 2.0-litre from the UK market.
The MX-5 will now put out 134bhp and 114b ft in 1.5-litre form, a mild increase of 4bhp and 3lb ft. Nonetheless, it remains far off the performance potential of the now-axed 2.0-litre, which put out 181bhp and 151lb ft. 
Mazda is kee

Big rollout will include a Europe-specific small SUV, a new i20 and much moreHyundai Motor including its premium Genesis division has promised to launch 41 new or refreshed models in Europe by 2030 as it commits to a region that other Asian brands have begun to deprioritise in the face of Chinese competition.
New models will include a region-specific small electric SUV, a mid-sized electric SUV and commercial vehicles, Hyundai executives told analysts at the firm’s annual investo

By 1993, the third-generation Ford Mustang—affectionately known as the "Fox-body"—was long in the tooth.Introduced in 1979, its squared-off, lightweight architecture had democratized rear-wheel-drive V8 performance for over a decade. But as the platform neared retirement, Ford's newly formed Special Vehicle Team (SVT) was tasked with giving the iconic generation a proper send-off. The result was the 1993 Ford Mustang SVT Cobra. It wasn't just a GT with a wild body kit; it was a refi

EX60, EX90 and ES90 upload hazard data to the cloud, pinging other connected cars close byA new software update has given the Volvo EX60, EX90 and ES90 the ability to alert drivers of other such Volvos to animals by the roadside.
It uses the car’s sensors and cameras to detect larger animals, such as deer or sheep, in order to warn drivers before they may have spotted such hazards themselves. The car then uploads the positional data of the hazard to the cloud, which pings other EX60s, EX90

Aggressive sales targets were meant to give the UK a head start on EVs, but that hasn't panned outWhat is the future for volume car manufacturing in the UK? Toyota, BMW (via Mini) and Nissan are in a tricky situation right now.
As in Germany, build costs are high compared with eastern Europe or China, meaning margins are tight. For BMW and Toyota the decision now is whether or not to spend big to adapt the factories to EVs, as Nissan has already done in Sunderland and JLR has in Halewood and Sol

It's the ultimate EV test: two weeks of autoroute-bashing with the kids and the dog. How did we do?Electric cars are ideal for short commutes, but the prospect of endless charging stops made me nervous of the trek to south-western France for a family holiday – particularly with a long-suffering dog aboard. However, the BMW iX3's claims of more than 400 miles made it far more realistic, and I decided to mitigate my mileage by taking an overnight ferry to St Malo.
The plan was to blast down

Potential EV owners shouldn't be put off because they don't have a driveway. Here are the solutionsWhen it comes to EVs, almost every day brings fresh innovation that boosts both usability and desirability. From performance through to range, efficiency and pricing, the best all-electric cars no longer have to make excuses. Even dyed-in-wool internal combustion advocates are making the switch.
However, while the cars themselves get ever better, the process of charging still remains a stumbling bl

Sailing-themed super-saloon is a 10-off collector special from Alfa's new special projects armWhat to do with Alfa Romeo? It’s a storied and beloved brand, but due to various factors – not least the notable absence of any convincing new products – it’s not doing the numbers. Clearly it needs some good new cars, but for the time being there is also a more entertaining option: lean into making ‘few-off’ models.
That’s the idea behind Bottega Fuoriserie, wh

Whether we’re talking about the U.S. chicken tax, modern tariffs, or the last several decades of emissions rules, the pickup segment is beset on all sides by government influence. Some would even go so far as to call it overregulated — something which was arguably done to protect domestic automakers at the expense of the free market.Opinions vary on whether this was a wise decision. One certainly wants to root for the home team whenever possible and pickup sales don’t appear to

The tentative trade deal between the United States and Canada is dead, and the auto industry gets to sort out the wreckage. Negotiators hit an impasse over a series of last-minute demands from the Trump administration, with tariffs on Canadian-built trucks sitting near the center of the collapse.For a North American supply chain that treats the border as a formality, that's a problem."Asked Too Much and Offered Too Little"Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Friday that the United States "as

The list of electric vehicles that can double as grid batteries in California just got longer, and Pacific Gas & Electric wants owners to plug in and cash out.
The West Coast's largest utility said Monday it is expanding its vehicle-to-everything (V2X) bidirectional charging program to cover EVs from Nissan, Volvo, Polestar and Kia, plus a wider slate of General Motors models. According to PG&E, owners who qualify can send stored energy back to the grid during peak hours and get paid for

From time to time, the auto industry gets on a retro kick. Whether it’s the exterior design of the mid-2000’s Ford Mustang or even closer to the past with vehicles like the Plymouth Prowler or Chevy HHR, everything comes back. Well, the latest form of “what was once old is new again,” is coming in the form of vehicles that retains a core group of fans when the automaker canceled its production. Think Nissan’s recent move to bring back the Xterra. After a small

Drop-top will remain on sale with a 1.5-litre engine, but you'll have to move quickly to get the 2.0The range-topping 2.0-litre version of the Mazda MX-5 has been axed in the UK, Autocar can reveal.
This means the MX-5 will be available with only the 130bhp 1.5-litre once existing stocks of the 181bhp 2.0-litre model have been sold. The 1.5-litre's set-up also forgoes a limited-slip differential, a feature that adds to the MX-5's appeal as a driver’s car.
A spokesperson for Mazda

The Ford Excursion has been dead for two decades, but a used-market cult following and a fresh product report suggest the Blue Oval's biggest SUV might be resurrected. According to the latest Automotive News future product report, Ford has a new large SUV with an extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) powertrain slated for production at the brand-new Tennessee-based BlueOval Plant truck plant in 2029. That same report notes the model will be larger than the current Ford Expedition, which today

Aero tweaks, LFP battery chemistry and fresh options for retro electric supermini's second birthdayThe Renault 5 has received a range boost and a choice of new colours as part of a light update aimed at boosting its competitive edge against new rivals.
After two years on sale, the retro electric supermini has been made more efficient by slicker new mirrors and lower body trim, which means both versions now crack slightly more miles per charge.
The entry-level Urban Range variant, with a 40kWh ba

The Czech firm has been present in the UK for more than a century, and finally wants you to know how to pronounce its name. But why?My mum was watching television the other day when an advert for a car firm caught her eye and prompted her to contact me with a question: ‘Are Skoda really trying to tell me how I should pronounce Skoda?’
Well, yes, mum, it turns out they are, and I think you’ll find you should actually be calling them Shhhkoda. Once I’d convinced Professor A

Climate change and poor maintenance cited as real culprits for the UK's pockmarked roadsSUVs and EVs are being unfairly blamed for being a major cause of road damage, experts say, as the state of Tarmac across the UK continues to deteriorate.
Over the past nine years, the mean average kerb weight of new cars has increased by almost 400kg, from 1553kg to 1947kg.
Last year, the average weight of cars road tested by Autocar was 2024kg. Of the 73 cars tested, the most common body type by far was SUV

Flock's automatic license-plate readers have managed something Washington almost never does. They've united the right and the left, both of which have decided they don't much care for having their movements logged without a warrant.Conservatives object to the cameras as exactly the kind of "big government" overreach they usually rail against, while the left raises mass-surveillance concerns of its own — particularly whether vehicle tracking could deter undocumented immigrants from driving

Flock's automatic license-plate readers have managed something Washington almost never does. They've united the right and the left, both of which have decided they don't much care for having their movements logged without a warrant.Conservatives object to the cameras as exactly the kind of "big government" overreach they usually rail against, while the left raises mass-surveillance concerns of its own — particularly whether vehicle tracking could deter undocumented immigrants from driving

The Pacific Northwest Buzz-In is back and bigger than ever! We braved the Bellingham rain with Mitch and Mitch to explore a massive gathering of 45 Volkswagen ID. Buzz vans — more than double last year's turnout.  We dive deep into some incredible MEB platform fabrication work and custom utility setups. You will get a closer look at a Peace Vans kitchen box set-up that conquered seven states and the Wyoming desert, a lowered rig featuring the only custom ID. Buzz frunk, and plenty of

Ford Credit and Lincoln Automotive Financial Services are once again reaching for the payment-relief playbook, this time for customers hammered by Tropical Storm Arthur in Mississippi and severe weather in West Virginia. The pitch, according to Ford Authority: defer your auto payments for up to 60 days while you dig out.The relief covers a specific list of counties, and Ford is leaning on FEMA to draw the boundaries. Eligible customers must live in an area FEMA has flagged under its Individuals

We wrap up a few small but important details on our supercharged 2001 Lexus GS430 before uploading a custom All4Swap tune to the factory ECU so we can experience for the first time what this Range Rover TVS1900 supercharger can really do on the stock 3UZ V8 engine. Speed Academy is a website and YouTube channel based on making things go fast and enjoying cars. Peter Tarach and Dave Pratte are the forces behind Speed Academy.The TTAC Creators Series tells stories and amplifies cre

Boxy kei car will rival the Renault Twingo and Honda Super-N as the brand's entry-level EVSuzuki has taken the wraps off its e-Sky, a new electric city car that is coming to the UK next year as a rival for the Renault Twingo and Honda Super-N.
It is Suzuki’s first electric kei car, meaning it has been developed according to the Japanese class’s strict limits on size. This has resulted in a boxy upright shape, which is designed to maximise occupant space in a minimal fo

Would you buy a compact pickup with rear-wheel drive, manual transmission, crank windows, two doors, tiny jump seats behind the buckets and a curb weight well below 3,000 pounds … if you could get it for about $25,000? The early-1990s version of that is what we have here, spotted a couple of years back in a Nevada car graveyard.This is one of the last Mazda-built B-Series pickups sold in the United States. Oh, sure, the B-Series was still available here after 1993, but it was a rebadged F

Volvo set to expand line-up of PHEVs as EV adoption slows, warning that the ZEV mandate needs a “reality check”Volvo will double down on long-range plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) in the UK over the coming years, in response to slower than expected demand for pure-electric models. 
Speaking to Autocar, Volvo UK boss Nicole Melillo Shaw said PHEVs will continue to serve as a “stepping stone” for buyers who aren’t yet ready to take the leap into an electric car.&nbs

Autocar rendering shows how the new MR2, influenced by the FT-SE, could look on the road
Mid-engined model primed with 2.0-litre engine that could offer as much as 600bhpToyota is poised to relaunch the MR2 and Celica as part of its transformation of the GR sporting arm into a full stand-alone performance brand.
The GR division is effectively Toyota's equivalent of BMW M or Mercedes-AMG and has its roots in the Gazoo Racing motorsport outfit that created Toyota's most recent crop of sports cars: