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We all saw the 8 jillion wheelstands that Finnegan pulled on Drag Week this year, but did you hear about the carnage? I’ve seen a few cars that were totaled from landing a big wheelstand, and I’ve seen far less damage that was still expensive it fix. So what was the result from Finnegan’s landings after a couple hundred feet on two wheels? Check out the video below to find out. Video Description: EPISODE 376 of Finnegan’s Garage is full of carnage and redemption. We fix all the stuff we broke during Hot Rod Drag Week 2025 and then run a personal best pass in Blasphemi at the track the day before Sick Smokies 2025 event begins. The post THE AFTERMATH OF A HUGE WHEELIE RESULTS IN A NEW PERSONAL BEST AT THE TRACK IN BLASPHEMI! appeared first on BangShift.com. View the full article

Toyota’s global production grew for the fifth consecutive month in October, rising 4% year-over-year to 926,987 vehicles, fueled largely by surging hybrid demand in the United States. Global sales climbed 2% to 922,087, marking the automaker’s tenth straight month of sales growth, according to Toyota's latest data. The results show the company’s increasingly hybrid-heavy strategy, including major new investments. While hybrid demand continues to soar abroad, Toyota is also refining its approach in markets like China, where the brand is now leaning on emerging partnerships and localized EV tech to regain momentum. The October numbers show exactly why the company is doubling down. Toyota U.S. Production Surges 26% as Hybrid Demand Stays Red-HotThe United States, Toyota’s most important market, was the strongest performer. Production jumped 26% in October, the fifth-straight month of double-digit growth. The rebound was helped not only by rising hybrid demand but also by recovered output following last year’s production stoppage of two U.S.-built models. Hybrids remain a core strength for the brand in the U.S., and models like the Prius continue to help drive Toyota’s volume. The company even rolled out lease incentives recently, with competitive offers for the Prius. Copyright 2015 Brandon Turkus / AOL Japan and China Lag as Subsidies Fade and Demand SoftensIn Japan, Toyota’s home market, production actually increased 7%, but sales dropped 4%. The automaker did not specify why domestic sales slipped, though the overall market in Japan has been uneven in recent months. China was weaker. Production dipped 6%, and sales fell 7%, pressured by the expiration of regional EV and hybrid subsidies. Toyota has been responding by integrating more Chinese-developed EV and software technology into its lineup, part of a broader strategy to stay competitive amid intense price pressure. Why It MattersToyota’s October results show several clear trends shaping its global direction. Hybrids continue to anchor the business, accounting for 42 percent of the 8.7 million vehicles sold so far this year and reinforcing the strength of the company’s long-running strategy. BEV's still represent less than 2 percent of total volume, highlighting Toyota’s cautious posture toward full electrification as rivals push deeper into the space. Regional performance is also pulling apart, with the United States driving most of the growth while Japan and China soften. Even with the slowdown in Asia, Toyota’s hybrid-heavy approach is delivering dependable volume and solid profits, and after ten months of rising global sales, the company is moving into the end of the year with noticeable momentum. View the full article

The builder: 2LOUD Custom. The client: Yellow黃宣. The brief: A Sportster Chopper with a faux fur seat.Ma 'Max' Yicheng is known for building custom motorcycles that shine in their subtlety—making his workshop's name, 2LOUD Custom, a playful misnomer. But when he was asked to build a chopper for the m... View the full article

A Truck That Exists Only in TheoryGenesis has admitted it flirted with an early design and feasibility work on a pickup, but the brand’s leadership says the timing simply isn’t right. Speaking to Australia's Drive, Chief Creative Officer Luc Donckerwolke has openly described the project as something that was explored and then shelved, noting that a truck doesn’t fit comfortably within Genesis’ current luxury-first identity. The brand remains focused on shoring up its sedan and SUV line-up, plus performance-leaning Magma variants, rather than stretching into a segment defined by utility and workhorse expectations. Still, Genesis refuses to call it a permanent “no.” Executives regularly add a soft qualifier: “Maybe — why not?” That phrasing matters. It signals that while the brand isn’t actively developing a truck, the concept lives in a holding pattern, ready to be revisited if market conditions or brand direction shift. In a world where luxury pickups continue to grow in popularity, leaving the door cracked open is a strategic move. Cole Attisha Brand Image vs. Segment RealityThe biggest roadblock is philosophical, not technical. Genesis has spent its young life carefully crafting a premium aesthetic around refinement, electrification, and performance, not ruggedness. A pickup, even a luxurious one, risks diluting that identity, especially in markets where the brand is still building recognition. This tension explains why Genesis is cautious: a truck would need to feel authentic to its “Athletic Elegance” design language, not like a badge-engineered diversion. Yet the competitive landscape keeps evolving. With luxury brands experimenting more boldly in traditionally utilitarian spaces, Genesis cannot ignore the possibility that high-end trucks may eventually become a core profit driver. Kia The Kia Tasman Factor and an Unusual AdvantageIf Genesis someday gives the green light, it won’t be starting from scratch. Its corporate siblings already offer two viable foundations: the body-on-frame Kia Tasman, designed for the mainstream dual-cab truck market, and the monocoque Hyundai Santa Cruz, a lifestyle-oriented pickup sharing architecture with crossovers. This combination gives Genesis rare flexibility. This infrastructure also dramatically lowers development costs. Instead of engineering an all-new pickup platform, Genesis could simply adapt an existing ladder-frame or unibody blueprint, applying its own design, materials, and cabin technology. In other words, the hardware exists, the styling talent exists, and the market interest exists. They could pursue either a rugged, tow-capable luxury truck or a more urban, comfort-centric premium product, much like the Tesla Cybertruck Tesla Outlook: Slim, but Never ZeroToday, the probability of a Genesis truck remains low. The brand’s priorities lie elsewhere, and the leadership seems genuinely cautious about stretching too far too soon. But unlike most luxury newcomers, Genesis sits within a group that already has all the tools it needs. If future market pressure nudges the brand toward more adventurous segments, a Genesis pickup could move from “not now” to “we’re ready.” Hyundai View the full article

The seventh-generation (W223) Mercedes-Benz S-Class is getting a little long in the tooth, having been introduced all the way back in 2020, but it's still good enough to get away with "just" a facelift next year. That's because the biggest changes to the 2027 S-Class won't be to the chassis or fundamental structure but to the technological architecture of the flagship luxury limo. According to recent reports, the S-Class will gain a high-performance chip for Level 2+ and Level 2++ driver assistance systems, courtesy of NVIDIA, and thanks to the recent launch of the entry-level CLA sedan, we know to expect the MB.OS system that provides AI from both Google and Microsoft. Naturally, the increased tech focus will also be represented by fresh illumination on the body, so let's take a closer look at these spy photos. The S In S-Class Stands For Superstar SH Proshots/Autoblog View the 3 images of this gallery on the original article We grow tired of repeating these words in spy shot articles, but here we go again: Mercedes is putting star-shaped daytime running lights in the headlights of its facelifted car, and it's doing the same thing in the taillights, too. We can expect similar treatment for the front grille, which will now be illuminated. This prototype appears to be wearing all its production bodywork, and the shape of the lower intake grilles appears to be mostly unchanged from the current S-Class range-topper. Flush-fitting door handles may be a potential safety hazard, but if anybody can ensure that these work even after a crash, it's Mercedes. Like the bodywork, the double 10-spoke wheels fitted to this model reveal that we're looking at a Myback variant, which will get the same tech and visual updates as regular S-Class models, albeit with a touch more flair and bling. Finally, the attention-grabbing gold wrap on this prototype indicates that Mercedes isn't hiding much anymore and will be revealing the finished product soon - reportedly in February 2026. Praise Be! Buttons Are Returning To The Steering Wheel SH Proshots/Autoblog View the 3 images of this gallery on the original article Earlier spy photos captured during winter testing have been included here, revealing part of the cabin. In the center of the dash, we see a bit of the Superscreen infotainment display, but fortunately, these images also reveal the return of some physical controls to the steering wheel. There's still plenty of gloss black on both the wheel and the center console, which is a magnet for fingerprints, scratches, and dust, but luxury automakers seem to consider this a non-negotiable part of the interior styling regimen. We can also see a diamond-shaped quilt on the leather seating, and this is never unwelcome. As for performance, we expect the same range of engines, from a 3.0-liter turbocharged straight-six PHEV to a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8. We'll get more information as we edge nearer to that February reveal date, so stay tuned. SH Proshots/Autoblog View the 3 images of this gallery on the original article View the full article

Perfect Timing for Holiday TravelAmericans heading out for Thanksgiving celebrations found a welcome surprise at the pump this year. The national average price for regular gasoline dropped to just over $3 per gallon as the holiday weekend began, matching prices from this time last year. According to AAA, more than 73 million people are expected to drive at least 50 miles from home during the holiday period. The convergence of several factors created this favorable pricing environment. Refineries finished seasonal maintenance just as demand traditionally weakens heading into winter. Crude oil prices fell throughout the year, dropping below $60 per barrel. The winter blend of gasoline, which is cheaper to produce than summer formulations, contributed further. Brandon Bell/Getty Images Regional Variations Tell a Surprising StoryTwenty-eight states, mostly in the Midwest and Gulf Coast, saw average prices fall below $3 per gallon. Oklahoma emerged as the cheapest state for fuel, with average prices reaching $2.43 per gallon, the lowest level since February 2021. Four stations in Oklahoma even offered regular unleaded at $1.99 per gallon without requiring membership discounts or promotional gimmicks. These represented the first sustainable sub-$2 prices since 2021, with analysts expecting more stations in Texas, Mississippi, and other Gulf region states to follow suit. The price drops resulted from lower seasonal demand, falling crude oil costs, and increased OPEC output. Energy analysts noted that healthy refinery production combined with weakening consumption created ideal conditions for price relief. Getty Images Breaking the Political NarrativeThe current price environment challenges common political talking points about presidential control over fuel costs. The current low prices represent an anomaly driven by global oversupply. Fuel prices respond far more to supply dynamics and seasonal consumption patterns than to White House directives. View the full article

In early May, former DI contributor Craig Cook sat down four of the original Street Outlaws cast members for a roundtable interview at Mo-Kan Dragway’s inaugural 405 Shootout. Cook spoke with James “Doc” Love, Joe “Dominator” Woods, Sean “Farmtruck” Whitley, Jeff “AZN” Bonnett to discuss the early days of the show, how it evolved over time, and what the future holds after 15 seasons of the original show and numerous spinoffs. At the time, many of the drivers were at a crossroads: with no television deal in place and fewer contracts being offered, they had to decide how to proceed moving forward. Since then, Speed Promotions Racing, which took over the No Prep Kings framework, canceled the final races of its 2025 season, effectively ending the Street Outlaws era. This excerpt of the roundtable, which appeared in DI #196, the State of Drag Issue, in September/October 2025, features Jeff “AZN” Bonnett. Looking back on when the original 405 show first started, did you ever believe it would blow up and become as popular as it did? I think Farmtruck says it all. Farmtruck, he was just a friend. I had all but sold my car. I was helping my buddy get his truck down the road, talk crap, and getting races. But the moment the film crew came and legitimately started filming the show, we knew our lives were going to change. We just didn’t know what direction, for good or bad. But we said yes, we committed, and I think every guy or gal on the show in the very beginning was committed. We were all ready to do the job, and that’s the big coincidence in it. All eight to 10 of us were ready to say yes and commit to the entire filming. You all have done this for quite a while now. Looking back on the show, what’s either a favorite memory or accomplishment that each of you had over the course of Street Outlaws? That’s a tough one. I guess for us, as hard as it is, it was the places this took us. It took us to Canada, it took us to Australia, it took us to South Africa. For us to be able to look at how other car cultures and countries do this gave us the gratitude to be able to look at how good we have it here in America. Yeah, we filmed a lot. We had a lot of races, we won a lot, we lost a lot, but it was the perspective we were given that we have it pretty good here. Yeah, nothing’s perfect. Other countries do a few things cool and a little bit different, but at the end of the day, this is the greatest car culture on planet Earth. Everyone should go experience something different to gain the gratitude that we should all have here. That’s what keeps us motivated, that’s what keeps us going – because we know how good we actually have it. As things progressed, it wasn’t just the 405 show anymore. With nearly 20 spin-off shows, you were basically filming year-round. With a cast made up primarily of regular, blue-collar workers, how did you balance your regular jobs and filming full-time? I think what you saw was an expedited evolution of car guys. We start out racing go-karts, and then we get a little street rod, then big tire, big blocks, and now we’ve got fiberglass bodies. In a 12-year period, you had an influx of sponsors and investors, you had people that wanted to be involved at any cost. And I tell people, these cars were the fastest on the planet because every single manufacturer was waiting to give these parts away. Tires couldn’t get any better, there were no bigger superchargers, nitrous was what it was, and they were just throwing parts at it. And now, these other events, they’re trying to emulate the culture that this show created to go backwards. You’re seeing all these Top Fuel guys, these characterized athletic type of divisions go backwards a little bit to recapture what Street Outlaws may have created, but at the end of the day, that 12 years was a fast-track on the launch pad to the evolution of a normal car guy. One of the most popular spin-off shows was No Prep Kings. How did you all balance the idea of being street racers that are now competing at the track, but also giving fans of the show the opportunity to come out and experience what you’re doing? I’ll be short with my answer. I think Farmtruck and I, at that point, that was maybe the seven- to eight-year mark, we saw the show evolving too fast and we saw the ship growing and we saw it getting out of control. Farmtruck and I took it upon ourselves to say, “OK, I don’t know if the other guys are into this, but we’re going to at least try to throttle it down. We’re going to try to throttle-stop this. We need to start going backwards, guys. We need to start capturing the audience that was paying attention, because they’re not catching up with us. They don’t understand how fast this is going and they can’t relate.” So we tried to bring relatability back, first with Daily Driver and then Locals Only. It didn’t work a hundred percent, but Farmtruck and I at least gave a valiant effort to reel back the evolution a little bit. With the evolution you talked about – the never-ending desire to continue going faster combined with big-money teams jumping in – do you believe it eventually went too far from what made it popular to begin with? I have to look at it from a business perspective, so it has gone beyond fun. It has gone beyond recreational weekend activities. It’s now a business, and so the question is can you maintain a level of redneck loyalty with a business? That’s to say have monster trucks gone too far and should return back to being trucks? Hell no. They can’t have boring caricatures. They can’t turn into NHRA where it’s like, “I’m Scott and I’m sponsored by A&A Attorney Company. It’s been a good run this year.” You got to lose this monotone; you got to reinvent the wheel a little bit. The cars have got to be fast, they’ve got to be safe, but they’ve got to be relatable in some regard. They’ve got to find a lane outside of what NHRA is. Don’t be NHRA; be something different. Looking ahead, with Speed Promotions Racing taking over what was formerly No Prep Kings, and no television show currently in place, what are your plans moving forward? Will you continue with SPR, or focus more on match races and paid appearances? Farmtruck and I, we’re the zebras in the horse pen. We don’t know exactly where we fit into that program. I have no doubt that Speed Promotions would open the gate and treat us well, but at the end of the day, we just don’t know where we fit into that, and I don’t know if they do. I’m sure they’d reserve us a pit area, let us meet the fans, and sell the merch. We found that in the past few seasons of being involved, the Farmtruck can’t compete, so we’re out there doing exhibition races. It’s just tough for us, and we really rally for those guys to do well and we want that series to do well, but until we find our own lane in that series, we’re just going to keep setting up garage sales across the nation and selling our wares, so we’re cool with that. And if it don’t work out, we’re going to start an OnlyFans. The post DI Interview: Jeff ‘AZN’ Bonnett Reflects on Global Car Culture, ‘Street Outlaws’ Evolution & What Comes Next first appeared on Drag Illustrated. View the full article

If you just bought a Tesla Model Y, you may want to sit down for this. In Germany’s new TÜV Report 2026, Tesla’s best-seller finishes dead last for reliability among two- to three-year-old cars. Not “below average.” Not “needs work.” Last place, with a serious defect rate of 17.3 % in its first inspection. Tesla In case you don’t know, TÜV is Germany’s independent vehicle inspection authority – the people who do the state-mandated safety checks on every car – so their defect numbers of the more than 9.5 million cars tested are as real as it gets. Think of TÜV as a mix between your state vehicle inspection stations and an ultra-strict version of Consumer Reports’ test lab, all rolled into one and backed by law. That TUV-tested age band we are talking about is where cars are basically still new. Across all brands, only about 6.5 % of cars that young fail their first check for major faults. The Mazda2? Just 2.9 %. The facts show that the 3 worst cars to buy (data only available in German) were the Tesla Model 3 (13.1%), Ford Mondeo (14.3%), and the Tesla Model Y (17.3%). The Tesla Model Y is running at almost three times the average, and more than five times the little Mazda’s rate, according to German coverage of the report. Figure 1: This chart shows how often almost-new cars fail their first TÜV inspection. The Tesla Model Y tower of orange is the worst by far; the others are what “normal” looks like. Germany's TÜV Report Delivers Brutal News for Tesla OwnersFor the latest report, inspectors looked at around 9.5 million cars and counted only serious faults: brakes, suspension, lighting, structural problems. If you fail, you do not just get a warning; the car needs fixing before it goes back on the road, as outlined in the official summary. These are only serious, often life-endangering, faults. Breaking down the data, the TÜV Hauptuntersuchung (the inspection type that the report is based on) is about roadworthiness, not how smart the computers are: They check brakes, suspension, steering, lighting, tires, body, emissions, leaks, rust, seatbelts, airbags, etc.On newer cars they’ll also check the on-board diagnostics (OBD) system and warning lights: if there’s an ABS, airbag or general fault light on, that’s a fail until it’s fixed.They do not “test” FSD or Autopilot behavior – no judging lane changes, turning logic, phantom braking, any of that.In that world, Tesla sets a record nobody wants. The Model Y has the highest defect rate of any two- to three-year-old car TÜV has seen in a decade. The Model 3 is not far behind at 13.1 %. Meanwhile, cars like the Fiat 500e, Mini Cooper SE, VW T-Roc and Mercedes B-Class sit at the tidy end of the chart, with defect rates around 3-4 %. Figure 2: This timeline marks the worst car for defects in each TÜV report year. The line ends with the Tesla Model Y, which earns the highest “worst of the year” defect rate in a decade. Brakes, Suspension, Lights: Where the Model Y Falls ApartHere is the important part for you as a buyer: this is not about batteries or motors blowing up. TÜV and TÜV SÜD’s EV briefing both point at the same weak spots on the Model Y and Model 3. Axle suspension parts wear out early. Brake discs are worn or corroded. Lights are mis-aimed or faulty. These are basic safety items. Yes, these Teslas pile on miles. TÜV notes that both models average well over 50,000 kilometers in just two to three years, which means a lot of highway time for a heavy electric SUV with strong regen instead of traditional fuel economy concerns. But plenty of hard-working crossovers rack up miles and do not hit a 17.3-% failure rate. Figure 3: This table shows where each EV has trouble: brakes, suspension, lights, or body. The red boxes on the Tesla rows mean more serious problems, while the green boxes on rivals mean fewer headaches. How the Model Y Compares to Other EVsEV sales are booming, and when people shop for an electric SUV, they care about range, performance and tech. You look at how hard it pulls next to a turbocharged compact, how the handling feels, how good the ride comfort is on broken pavement. Reliability often ends up as a line on a spec sheet. The TÜV data drags it to the front of the stage. One in six almost-new Model Ys in this massive sample fails a serious safety inspection. At the same time, independent write-ups make it clear that most battery-electric cars perform just as well as gas cars. The stand-out problem is Tesla Model Y reliability, not electric vehicles as a whole. The Bottom Line for Your Wallet and SafetyIf you are about to write a big check, treat this like a flashing warning light on the dash. The Model Y still gives you speed and space, but the best data we have says it also gives you the worst early-life failure rate of any new car in Germany in ten years. Especially if brakes, suspension, and axles matter to you. You deserve something that thrills you on a back road and survives its first inspection without drama. Right now, that likely means looking past the Y - and the 3 - and toward rivals that actually stay tight and solid as they age. View the full article

2026 Fiat 500 Hybrid: A RecapAs you might recall, Fiat revealed full specs of its chic new Fiat 500 Hybrid a few months ago. The little hatchback oozes with charm and personality, which is what anyone expects from any European microcar. It's just started production in Turin, and there's a lot to like about it. Aside from the design, the 500 Hybrid promises great fuel economy. European test cycles claim about 46 mpg, so we're expecting something in the high-30s if we follow EPA testing. It also has a manual transmission option, and it's not lacking in the features department, either. If Fiat wants to sell it to the US, there is one huge problem. Fiat Slow By Any StandardAcceleration times, like speed, are relative. What can be considered slow in some markets would be reasonably brisk elsewhere. For instance, 7 seconds to 60 mph is still considered fast outside America, but slow here. The thing is, even those who still think 9 seconds is brisk enough will be welding their foot to the floor with the 500 Hybrid. The official manufacturer-estimated time of the little hybrid is a shocking 16.2 seconds to 62 mph, making it so slow that it probably couldn't catch a cold. Oh, and that's with a manual transmission, by the way. But let's not be too mean about it. After all, it only has a 1.0-liter engine to work with here. It musters just 64 horsepower and 68 lb-ft of torque. At least it's light at just under 2,500 lbs, so you can maximize all the momentum you gained and fling it around some corners. Towing is not recommended, in case that needed to be emphasized. Fiat Abarth to the RescueAbarth has made some zingy hot hatchbacks over the years, although business hasn't been great since the 500 went electric-only. As reported by Autocar, Gaetano Thorel, the head of Fiat/Abarth in Europe, said "the Abarth club are not very happy with us," since the switch on the basis that the owners can't really modify them. Thankfully, there's a glimmer of hope with the introduction of the hybrid version, so it gives them something to tinker with again. Abarth reckons they can make the 500 Hybrid less slow (not that the bar was set high), but it will be a bit of an uphill challenge. Thorel noted that adding power is indeed possible, but starting with a naturally aspirated 1.0-liter "cannot do it," said the executive. Making the engine larger is a sound idea, but the 500's packaging makes that task difficult. Developing a new engine will also pose a challenge, as that would mean Abarth will make a niche model out of a niche model. A cool idea, but not really financially viable. Abarth ConsolationStill, Thorel said "we are trying" when asked about the matter, so at least there's that. It might take a while for a gas-powered Abarth to return, but it's good to know the company is working on it somehow. As for the standard 500 Hybrid, it can sleep peacefully at night knowing it's still faster than the original 500 from the late '50s. That one only had 13 hp, so you needed to be going downhill to even get to 60. Fiat View the full article

(Photos by David Whealon) Here’s our final gallery of photos from David Whealon’s most recent IHRA Outlaw Nitro Drag Racing Series event and a link to the others we’ve already posted too! Check them all out below and let us know what you think. If you live under a rock and haven’t realized how huge of a splash the IHRA Outlaw Nitro Series has made in 2025, then are you in for a treat! With amazing events, huge purses, icons of the sport and new stars alike, this is a racing series that is really doing some awesome things in 2025 and beyond. We’re excited for the 2026 season already and hope you are too. Thanks to BANGshifter extraordinaire David Whealon, we’ve got great photos from Darana Dragway GALOT. Check out the first gallery below, and we’ll have more coming as well! We’ve got Nitro Funny Cars, Top Fuel Dragsters, Fuel Altereds, Pro Mods, Mountain Motor Pro Stock, Super Stock, Stock, and so much more. CLICK HERE TO SEE THE REST OF OUR IHRA Outlaw Nitro COVERAGE The post Here Is Our Final Gallery Of IHRA Outlaw Nitro Professional And Pro Am Drag Racing Photos From Darana Motorsports Park GALOT! appeared first on BangShift.com. View the full article

Finding New Life in ChinaThe Mercedes EQE has been hovering over the chopping block for months. Reports out of Europe describe it as one of the casualties of Mercedes' reevaluation of its electric strategy. Demand for EVs has cooled, and the EQ family, with its rounded, futuristic styling, never quite clicked with traditional Mercedes buyers. Sales of the EQE reflect that disconnect. Even so, the nameplate isn't fading out everywhere. In China – by far the world's biggest auto market – Mercedes has launched a slightly updated 2026 EQE, keeping the model alive in a region where electric luxury cars still have room to grow. Mercedes-Benz What's New in the 2026 EQE for PRCChina's 2026 EQE isn't a full redesign. The exterior, interior, and powertrain carry over, making this more of a configuration and tech refresh. Multi-zone intelligent climate control is now available across the lineup, and Mercedes has opened rear-wheel steering to lower and mid-range trims. The familiar "Night Array" closed grille, digital headlights, retractable handles, and 3D spiral taillights remain, paired with a sleek body that maintains a 0.22 drag coefficient. Inside, the EQE continues its lounge-like theme with wood trim, ambient lighting, and a 12.8-inch MBUX touchscreen featuring a zero-layer interface and built-in 5G connectivity. Navigation runs on Gaode Maps with AR enhancements, and the Burmester audio system and HEPA filtration return unchanged. Power also stays the same: dual 300 kW motors, 4MATIC all-wheel drive, a 0-62 mph time of 4.9 seconds, and 10–80% charging in 37 minutes. The rear-wheel steering system allows a tight 10.7-meter turning diameter, which suits crowded Chinese cities. Mercedes-Benz Why the EQE Is Being Phased Out ElsewhereThe global story is far less optimistic. The EQE sedan and SUV are heading toward discontinuation as Mercedes trims overlap in its lineup and transitions to the new 800V MB.EA platforms. The EQE's planned facelift has been shelved, and sales have dropped sharply, especially compared with the more conventional-looking E-Class and its successful BMW rival, the i5. Mercedes is also preparing to unify its naming strategy, eventually aligning ICE and EV models under a single badge. For now, Mercedes still lists the 2026 EQE sedan in the US, starting at around $65,000. Whether it will stay on for the 2027 model year remains a question, though Mercedes has something planned for it in the next few years based on its plan to beat BMW in America and road sightings of the next-generation E-Class. SH Proshots/Autoblog View the 4 images of this gallery on the original article View the full article

There has never been more available aftermarket parts for your favorite hot rod or muscle car than there are today. It has never been easier to acquire parts to create the look you want for your project. But what if the parts available aren’t exactly what you want? Can you afford to have custom parts machined? Or are you going to have to modify what you can buy to make it what you really want? Sometimes that is the answer, and the solution isn’t that difficult if you know some tips and tricks. In the video below the gang at Martin Brothers Customs is going to show you just how to do this at home. Video Description: Today we’re taking a Foxbody Mustang door handle and filling a void the owner doesnt want to see on the finished part, so we TIG weld the aluminum, fill the recess completely, and then metal finish the handle from start to finish until the repair is 100% invisible and ready for prime and paint. In this episode you’ll see the entire process — no shortcuts, no magic edits, just real fabrication work: What we’re doing today: Prepping the part for TIG welding Filling the recess with controlled heat and the right filler rod Reshaping the welded area to match the original contour Filing, sanding, and blocking the surface Removing heat distortion and blending everything smooth Final metal finishing to make the repair disappear completely Modifying the door handle to the clients specification. If you’ve ever wondered how to TIG weld aluminum without warping the part, or how to metal finish a repair until you can’t even tell it ever existed — this is it. This is the real process that TV never shows. The post Metal Finishing Made Easy With Martin Brothers. Try These Simple Techniques To Get The Parts You Want For Your Ride appeared first on BangShift.com. View the full article

Getting What You Paid ForOne of the biggest investments an individual will ever make is the purchase of their own vehicle. Knowing this, any car buyer would want to get their money's worth with every purchase, especially after paying for the entire car. In today's world, cars are incorporating more and more features, especially technological ones, and it seems some brands are having a hard time keeping track of whether all have been applied to the final product, as evidenced by lawsuits – this time against Ford. Ford 2024 Ford F-150 Lightning Missing FeatureCar Complaints reports that a class-action suit has been filed against Ford. The suit alleges that there are 2024 Ford F-150 Lightning models that lack the Forward Sensing System, despite the window sticker claiming that the model comes with it. This is quite concerning given that that particular feature has something to do with safety. Ford's Forward Sensing System alerts the driver of hazards or objects in front of the vehicle through a series of 'beeps' that increase in frequency if the vehicle nears the obstacle. Furthermore, the lawsuit contends that Ford is aware of the missing feature and offered a $100 refund to affected customers. However, the plaintiffs argue that the refund amount is insufficient because it's much less than the cost to install an aftermarket forward sensing system. Ford DeadlockedThe listed Plaintiff in the lawsuit is Mr. Ibrahim Lunawadawala, who bought the vehicle on the assumption that it had the said feature because it was printed on the Monroney sticker. In April of this year, the plaintiff received a letter from Ford regarding the missing feature and the refund due to the sticker not being updated. An excerpt from the lawsuit says, "Plaintiff Lunawadawala has suffered an ascertainable loss because of Ford’s misrepresentations, including but not limited to, diminished value of his vehicle and other consequential damages." Despite Ford admitting that it misrepresented the sale of the 2024 F-150 Lightning, the suit says that the automaker has been unwilling to pay any damages to the "aggrieved customers." The brand has only gone so far as to say the sticker was a "misprint" and to offer a $100 refund. Josh Lefkowitz/Getty Images View the full article

Dulcich and Freiburger are putting the band back together for this one, although the reality is that these two have been doing this together long before anyone pointed a video camera at them. I’m still glad they are doing it though, and appreciate this project especially. I’m a Chevrolet guy to the core, but this Duster right here really does it for me. The stance, the wheel and tire combo, all of it. What do you think? Is this one better since Dulcich and Freiburger got a hold of it? Video Description: The Crop Duster from the Roadkill and Roadkill Garage TV Shows is the 1970 Plymouth Duster that saw the biggest transformation from garbage to glory of any vehicle I’ve ever had. In this video, Steve Dulcich and I will tell all the stories of the car buildup while detailing all the horsepower and performance along the way! ALSO, I am giving away my 1990 Chevy Suburban 4×4 and $5,000! You’ve seen this truck in three episodes on my channel, and I hope the winner uses the money for a great road trip. Enter before December 7, 2025* HERE’S THE LINK TO FREIBURGER’S SUBURBAN GIVEAWAY: https://shop.davidfreiburger.com/page… The post Mopar Muscle Greatness: TRANSFORMING the ROADKILL CROP DUSTER With Dulcich & Freiburger appeared first on BangShift.com. View the full article

Rewriting The ScriptThe 2025 Guangzhou Auto Show underscored a dramatic reversal in China’s automotive hierarchy. According to a report from Sina, the long-standing joint-venture model, where global brands like Toyota and Nissan dictated technology while Chinese partners handled scale, has effectively collapsed. With domestic EV makers surging and software-driven features now central to consumer choice, foreign OEMs have been losing ground fast. Imported-vehicle sales have slumped this year, while more than half of new-energy vehicle (NEV) debuts came from Chinese brands. That assumption no longer holds. Japanese automakers, rather than resisting China’s rise, are now learning from it and leveraging it. By embedding Chinese suppliers deep into their value chains, expanding local R&D, and merging homegrown innovation with Japan’s engineering rigor, they are re-engineering their China playbook. The result? A new breed of foreign brand that is faster, smarter, and more connected, using China’s strengths to stay competitive without surrendering identity. Toyota Toyota–Huawei Alliance Signals a Strategic BreakthroughToyota’s bZ7 electric SUV, developed by GAC-Toyota, headlines this transformation. The model arrives equipped with Huawei’s full technological suite, from the HarmonyOS cockpit UI to the DriveONE software. It’s the first Toyota to integrate an entire Chinese digital ecosystem, combining flagship-level design with advanced driver-assistance sensors, face recognition, and long-range battery options. This isn’t Japanese engineering tailored for China; it’s a fusion of both. The move marks a profound philosophical shift. In a market where connectivity and software ecosystems define purchase decisions, Toyota is betting that experience trumps mechanical conservatism. Through Huawei’s platform, Toyota instantly plugs into a trusted, widely used interface, accelerating relevance and slashing R&D costs. Instead of rebuilding its own digital stack, the company is co-opting China’s best-in-class tech to win back momentum. Nissan Extends the Model Even to Gasoline CarsNissan is taking the same approach further, bringing Chinese tech into its internal-combustion lineup. The latest Teana has become the world’s first gasoline sedan equipped with a HarmonyOS cockpit, a symbolic crossover of the old and new. The message is unmistakable: the Chinese-style digital experience is now the default expectation, regardless of powertrain. This shift also exposes the collapse of the old joint-venture logic. Once, Japanese firms supplied the technology while Chinese partners handled production. Now, Nissan is letting local software define the user experience while maintaining its signature mechanical tuning. Recognizing the futility of competing head-on with China’s cockpit systems. Japanese brands are partnering instead, and reaping the rewards. Nissan As China’s Auto Sector Faces Strain, Timing Favors JapanIronically, this integration push comes just as China’s corporate landscape is showing cracks. According to Nikkei Asia, nearly a quarter of listed Chinese firms reported losses from January to September 2025, the highest since the 2008 financial crisis. Overcapacity, slowing demand, and bruising price wars have squeezed margins across the EV sector. Even as domestic suppliers remain technologically advanced, many automakers themselves are under financial stress. That imbalance creates an opening for Japan’s global players. With diversified revenues and stronger balance sheets, Toyota and Nissan can access Chinese innovation without sharing its financial vulnerabilities. They gain the upside of local tech leadership, minus the downside of overextension that now dogs many Chinese peers. LEROY MARION A Hybrid Formula Could Reshape the MarketJust a month ago, Ford CEO Jim Farley warned that Chinese EV specialists could “Put us all out of business.” The Guangzhou show suggests the opposite. Rather than retreating, the strongest Japanese brands are adapting, blending world-class engineering discipline with Chinese software, battery, and connectivity systems. The result: products that meet Chinese expectations on tech and price, but with global-brand reliability baked in. This hybrid strategy may ultimately redefine what “competitive” means in China’s auto market. With domestic players under pressure and foreign OEMs learning to play by local rules, the balance of power is shifting again. Nissan View the full article

It's not something we talk about enough, but every time Toyota prepares to launch a new model, the whole automotive world sits up and takes notice. That feeling is only compounded with something sporty, and what Toyota's Gazoo Racing division is cooking up now certainly fits that bill. In a new ad shown on Japanese television, the automaker has given us our clearest look yet at the production design of its new supercar, which is being hailed as an effective successor to the inimitable Lexus LFA. Along with our first proper look at the rear-end design, the license plate of the upcoming supercar confirms the name of the car: GR GT. The car was shown alongside its spiritual successors, the aforementioned LFA and the Toyota 2000GT, just like the teaser of the GR GT we got last month. Racecar Concept Styling Refined For The Road Toyota The GR GT3 concept seen in 2022 lends much of its looks to the road car (pedigree too; Toyota aims to develop race cars first, then road cars, promising better dynamics and fewer compromises), with a long nose and a pert rear end. But unlike that car, which has hollowed-out headlights and an almost completely straight full-width light bar, the roadgoing GR GT wears somewhat traditional headlight clusters that have a shape not dissimilar from the headlights on the current GR86, albeit sharper, and the taillight bar has a C-chaped kink at each end that is alsmost Mazda-esque. Sorry, Toyota, we call it as we see it. This won't be mistaken for a CX-90, though. The glasshouse tapers into the tail like a GR Supra, and triangular outlets below the main taillight clusters call to mind the LFA. Like that car, we see triangular vents on the hood and angular, high-mounted vents on the shoulders. Aggressive fenders with creases that lead from the wheel arches to the bases of the A-pillars give the car a particularly aggressive look, and a double-bubble roof promises enough room for occupants to wear helmets if they venture onto the track. Coming Next Month Goodwood Festival of Speed/YouTube The GR GT will make its world premiere on December 5, and we're so excited for it that the reveal story is already being formed in our minds. In the meantime, spy shots of the GR GT have confirmed an integrated ducktail spoiler and a large diffuser with four exhaust tips, and at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in July this year, a look inside a prototype showed a lavish red interior festooned with leather and carbon fiber, along with aluminum accents and an Alcantara dash and headliner. Under the hood, we're expecting a hybridized twin-turbocharged V8 with up to 900 horsepower. We'll know more in exactly one week, when we expect confirmation that the supercar will be offered in North America. Stay tuned. View the full article

Mike Martyn spent seven years building a stunning showpiece, his LDR-legal 1965 Ford Mustang fastback, that wins on track and at car shows.View the full article

“Are you kidding me?” Del Worsham asks himself, as the reality begins to set in. “Is this really happening?” He’s all of two races into his brand-new gig as the driver of the second Al-Anabi Racing Top Fuel Dragster and it suddenly seems to be going better than anything in his entire 21-year racing career had. His extremely unfortunate first-ever final-round opponent in Top Fuel, Tony Schumacher, won’t make this easy, and there’s a chance, albeit a slight one, that Worsham’s not quite ready for this moment. The intensity escalates as the Nitro Funny Cars ahead of him fire and pull towards the water. In a few moments Worsham will find himself in yet another do-or-die moment as a drag racer, though this one will more than likely set the tone for this second chapter of his career—one he hopes to be defined by champion status. His internal monologue reminds him of the situation’s gravity: “My job is to drive the car—nothing else. The pressure is on me—nobody else.” Editor’s Note: This story originally appeared in Drag Illustrated Issue No. 58 in October of 2011. Professional race car drivers, for the most part, relish this role; they naturally embrace the challenge and lust for the opportunity to prove their ability. Worsham is no different, but the tables seem to have turned. Without question, he’s strapped into the fastest car on the property, the one personally tuned by Alan Johnson, who just so happens to have the most impressive credentials in the history of Top Fuel racing—a man responsible for seven of the last eight NHRA world championships. It’s a stark contrast from the position of perennial underdog that Worsham had been cast for the first two decades of his racing career—a mindset that is difficult to shake. It’s not entirely unjust for him to feel that way, either. He’s in a new class, facing new competitors, and as he would readily admit, an entirely new atmosphere. For the first time in a long time, he’s genuinely expected to win. In that first final round against Schumacher in March at the 42nd annual NHRA Gatornationals, there was undoubtedly a moment where Worsham fully accepts the new challenge—when he takes his rightful place amongst the elite drivers of the sport and as a full-fledged member of the Top Fuel fraternity. Leaving within four-thousandths of a second of Schumacher, Worsham and his Al-Anabi dragster chase the Army car down by the 330-foot marker and pull ahead for the win by less than two feet. It was a relief, and the look on Worsham’s face as he climbs out of the car shows it. As his wife, Connie, plants a kiss on him and an official hands him his trophy, all doubt vanishes – the guy can drive. “At least at that point, I had the feeling that I could compete, that I could drive with these guys,” says Worsham, who also acknowledges a little bit of shock following that first Top Fuel win, his 26th overall. “You just don’t know until you get out there. I mean, I knew I had the best car, I have Alan Johnson in my corner, so 99 percent of the time, I’m going to have the fastest car, so I knew it was going to come down to whether or not I could do my job. Honestly, it felt like I was 21-years old again, back in Atlanta again, when I won the Southern Nationals. Seriously? I just beat Tony Schumacher; the guy has won almost every freaking championship for a decade! It was incredible.” This year, while all the talk in the off season surrounded what was sure to be another battle for supremacy between Larry Dixon and Tony Schumacher, Worsham has kept his head down, kept his focus. As Schumacher and Dixon enter the final race of the NHRA’s regular season with a sole victory between them, Worsham will show up in Indianapolis with six wins to his credit in 2011, five No. 1 qualifying efforts, and a category-best 37-9 (80-percent) round win/loss record. With the guidance of Johnson, the detail-oriented approach of [crew chief] Brian Husen, and the funding of Sheikh Khalid Al-Thani, for the first time in his life Worsham is the odds-on favorite to win the championship, and on any given Sunday for that matter, to win the race. He’s also in a different place now. His team wants for nothing. When they find something better or something needs to be done differently, there is no question whatsoever about doing it; if a situation arises where they need to risk blowing an engine to win, they do it. Worsham spends every second of his time at the track thinking about driving a race car. Having this particular job was never a dream for Worsham. His only real goal in life—literally—was to go racing with his dad and drive a Nitro Funny Car. He made it happen at age 20, won his first NHRA national event at 21 in his first season on the tour, and remained a constant contender for the next 20 years before joining Sheikh Khalid’s Al-Anabi Racing group led by Johnson. In many ways, he’s back where he started—a fresh face amongst a highly competitive field of veterans and champions. But if anything, being a hired driver is even more suited to Worsham’s abilities and temperament than he may want to admit. “He doesn’t need any help,” says Husen, who serves as crew chief on the “gold” Al-Anabi dragster. “It took Del one run to figure out you can’t overdrive one of these things. He keeps the car in the middle of the groove and drives as well as anyone I’ve ever seen.” Alan Johnson isn’t surprised by Worsham’s quick transition from Funny Car to Top Fuel, either. “Everyone knows Del is fast. You don’t win 25 races in your career and give John Force a run for his money on multiple occasions without talent.” Worsham’s role now is solely, specifically, to drive the race car. As a kid, he spent his weekends at places like Orange County International Raceway and Ontario Motor Speedway, hoping and praying that this day would someday come. Now, it could be said that he has one of the most coveted jobs in all of drag racing. “I grew up racing; racing with my dad,” he says. “My dad had never driven a Funny Car, but he owned one, and he wrenched on one. A lot of kids have big dreams, but I seriously didn’t know anything else. All I can remember ever wanting to do was drive a Funny Car. I mean, we had Funny Cars, and that’s what I wanted to do. “I really think I would have been a great Funny Car driver in the ‘70s; back when the driver was more involved, it was more of a partnership between the crew chief and the driver, there weren’t computers; you had to come back and make decisions based off what you felt and what your crew chief saw. Not that I’d have had more success, but I think I would have enjoyed it a lot, and would have been good at it.” At 41, Worsham certainly wouldn’t trade his current position, especially when you consider the extenuating circumstances—primarily the economy—but that’s not to say he’s living his dream. “Don’t get me wrong; for the time, the situation, this deal couldn’t be any better,” says Worsham. “It’s a little bittersweet, ya’ know? When I was younger the dream was to go racing with my dad, to have my own team, help tune it, and drive it. We had our time, and we did well. We accomplished a lot; probably more than we ever set out to in the beginning, but things change, times change, the economy changed, and now I just feel thankful to have this job. I can guarantee this is the second-best situation I could ever ask for.” If a good-paying gig as the driver—nothing more, nothing less—of a championship-caliber Top Fuel Dragster is second best, then Worsham was simply born a little bit too late. His stance is almost certainly one that racers like Don Prudhomme, Don Garlits and Raymond Beadle would appreciate, but is lost on a great majority of today’s professional drivers, not only in drag racing, but all of motorsports. That he is more comfortable being hands-on involved with his racing endeavors is telling of his personality and skill set; his new role, while different, still manages to consume all of his effort. [dropcap]T[/dropcap]he pressure to do well, at least the pressure I put on myself to do well, driving for someone else, not for my own team, I feel that a little bit,” says Worsham. “I’d be lying if I said I didn’t. I go out there now with higher expectations, and, I guess, maybe I shouldn’t, but I do. I don’t want to let anyone down.” Sitting in his lounge inside one of the multiple massive Al-Anabi Racing transporters lined up in the pits at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis, Del Worsham sits, coffee in hand, waiting as the team of master mechanics outside ready his Top Fueler for a test lap during the pro test session a week prior to the NHRA U.S. Nationals. “This has been a new experience for me. We’ve run well in the past, we’ve had some good teams, but I’ve never been in this position, leading the points, this late in the season,” explains Worsham, speaking of his 12-year run as team owner with his father, Chuck, and as driver of the Checker, Schuck’s, Kragen Nitro Funny Car. “Honestly, we were never really that close to winning a championship. We did pretty well, but it seemed like anytime we were having a pretty good year, John Force was having an unreal year. It’s a new deal 21 years later, and it’s hard to compare—impossible, really.” The differences are immense, but come primarily in the form of a much-lightened workload. “It’s so far removed from how I used to race,” he continues. “When I was doing our deal, besides driving, we owned it all and the day-to-day operations were my responsibility, along with helping tune the car. There was a job involved in every single aspect of the team. I have to say, it’s been nice to sign the back of a paycheck instead of the front.” Embedded in the blueprint of Worsham’s being is an unusual ability to find comfort in great responsibility. He’s a family man, a father of twin daughters and a devoted husband, so the ownership he takes in everything he does is natural, instinctive. It’s also rare in this day and age, especially for a professional athlete, or driver in this case, to be so ready and willing to bear the burden that comes with heavy responsibility and high expectations, let alone succeed in doing so. Far less complex is the path of surprise victor or perennial underdog, two characters Worsham played repeatedly over the years. As Parkinson’s Law dictates, Worsham’s work expanded so as to fill the time available for its completion. While an underfunded, multi-tasking team owner and driver, he managed to get it all done, and even achieved a considerable level of success doing so. Now, the task of being the devoted driver, alone, of arguably the baddest race car on Earth requires all of his ability, and all of his energy. “I work hard at this,” says Worsham. “I’ve gotten a lot better in the Top Fuel car since the start of the year; you literally learn every time you make a pass. This is not the easiest car in the world to drive, either. Tony Schumacher and Larry [Dixon, teammate] are the only guys who appreciate what I’m talking about because they’ve driven for Alan. It’s nothing like when I ran Top Fuel back in the mid-‘90s; there’s no comparison. I mean, this thing is fast—really fast. It’s violent. I’m still not used to it.” Like he says, it’s not like he’s “playing patty-cake between rounds or whatever,” just because he isn’t tuning the car, trying to fix a broken generator, or re-stripping a supercharger before every run. In fact, it wasn’t that long ago that Worsham hardly had time to change shirts at the track while simultaneously trying to maintain his relationship with his sponsors, handle his obligations as a driver, review computer data, talk with the crew as they serviced the car, and make the final decisions on the car’s setup with his dad. As a result, his driving suffered. He admits he often wondered what it would be like not to have so much to worry about and be able to focus on the driving aspect of racing. Now he knows. Twelve months ago, Alan Johnson and the Al-Anabi Racing camp went public with their plans to terminate their Funny Car operation and add a second Top Fuel Dragster, which Worsham would drive. “At first I didn’t know what to think. I was a little up in the air about it,” he says. “Sheikh Khalid had called me with the idea, and, ya’ know, it made a lot of sense; we’d be doubling our chances of winning on Sunday.” In February of 2011, Worsham earned his Top Fuel license, and had fully embraced the change in eliminators. “Eventually I got excited about it. I’d been racing the same people for 20 years, I was looking forward to starting a new chapter in my career and I knew there was a lot of potential with the move.” The door to the lounge opens and a crewmember leans in, beckoning Worsham outside; they’re ready to warm up the car and need their driver. “This team is unbelievable,” he says. “People think the money makes all the difference, but it’s not just money, it’s the effort. When I was racing with my dad, I always thought I was detail oriented and really paid attention to everything, but now I see that I wasn’t. I’d have probably won a lot more races if I had been.” Worsham dons his gas mask and hops into the cockpit of the black-and-gold dragster as Husen and company prepare to fire the engine. Nitro methane fumes fill the pits with an off-green haze while the crew observes the 8,000-horsepower power plant at idle. After a few moments, Husen gives Worsham the signal to kill the engine, and he climbs back out of the car. “I’ve been doing this for a long time,” he says. “Trust me, nobody else goes to the lengths this team does to make sure this car is the exact same from run to run.” Four years back, Worsham found himself in one of those situations that he thought he’d prepared well enough to avoid. Sitting in the grandstands and taking in a session of Top Fuel qualifying as he always enjoyed doing, he was struggling to come to terms with the fact that his role in drag racing might have to change. He was at a crossroads; his sponsorship was ending with CSK Auto, Inc. after the company’s acquisition by O’Reilly Auto Parts, and continuing to operate his team wouldn’t be feasible without their support. “There aren’t a lot of driving jobs out there, so I thought possibly I might have to go work on a car, or go to another team and help them out,” he says. “I really wasn’t sure.” Grumblings of Alan Johnson’s impending departure from Don Schumacher Racing to form his own team along with Sheikh Khalid had been running rampant that particular Labor Day weekend. When the rumor was made official, Worsham made it priority number-one to interview for the job driving his Nitro Funny Car. “I hadn’t really spent much time with Alan over the last 10 years, so I asked Jerry Toliver, a mutual friend, if he could get me an interview. The next day, I had gone to Jim Head and we were sitting his lounge talking about it, and he told me that of all the people they had talked about, my name hadn’t come up because no one knew I didn’t have a deal anymore. “Right then, unbelievably, Alan Johnson walked in,” Worsham continues. “He asked what we were up to, and I said, ‘Well, matter of fact, I was just talking about you.’ He was surprised, and I told him that I’d like to interview for the position driving his Funny Car.” From there it happened fast, a handshake that day and a five-minute phone conversation a few days later, and it was a done deal. “When he was that quick to say, ‘OK, let’s do this,’ I knew that I was making the right decision.” [dropcap]F[/dropcap]or all that Worsham has accomplished over the course of the past 20 years in the sport, he’s not exactly the boisterous, cocksure wheelman that would generally be attached to such a resume. After spending a Sunday with his wife and kids, when he walks into his Chino Hills, California, home—a mere 15-minute drive from the legendary Auto Club Raceway at Pomona—it’s amazing how little he’s changed from the happy-to-be-here kid that he was in 1990 when he made his pro-debut just down the road at the NHRA Finals. Sure, he’s aged a little with time, no longer quite fitting “The Kid” moniker he was given early in his career, but his quick-draw smile and genuine sincerity are no worse for wear. If there ever was reason for Worsham to cop an attitude, it’s been his performance during the summer of 2011, as he has all but dominated NHRA Top Fuel, beating up on the best the class to offer in Schumacher, Antron Brown, Spencer Massey, Doug Kalitta, and even his own teammate, Dixon. He found his way to the winner’s circle before joining the Al-Anabi Racing superpower, though, and it started in his first full season on the tour when he became the youngest driver to ever win a Funny Car race in 1991 at just 21-years old. The victory helped him earn NHRA Rookie of the Year honors, and cemented his status as a legit drag racing star-in-the-making. As part of a 1999 promotional campaign straight out of John Force’s dreams, eight-million miniatures of Worsham’s CSK Funny Car were distributed in McDonald’s Happy Meals. Starting in 2001, Worsham began demonstrating his prowess behind the wheel by stacking up victories; four wins in both ’02 and ’03, and five in ’04. In 2005, in what could easily be considered a career-defining moment, Worsham swept the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals, besting Frank Pedregon in the final round, a day after winning the Skoal Showdown. The performance netted him a cool $225,000 and a place in drag racing history as just the sixth double-up winner at the “Big Go.” Longtime drag racing announcer and historian Bob Frey readily admits it was a genuine motorsports moment that fateful Monday in Brownsburg, Indiana. “There had to be a consensus of opinion on the best showing by a Funny Car driver for one event and it went to Del Worsham for his Indy sweep,” he says. “Del still hasn’t lost the smile from his face after that one, but then, Del’s almost always smiling, isn’t he?” It’s true. But the years following the monumental triumph in Indianapolis provided some trying times for the ever-upbeat Worsham and his family-operated race team. “It’s just how the sport works,” he says, recalling the days that tested his ability to see the upside, and most assuredly his desire to smile. “These races are won and lost by inches, by thousandths-of-a-second, and sometimes you’re going to be on the wrong end of it. We won a lot of close races, but sometimes they go the other way.” Worsham scored his final win with his family-run team in Houston, Texas, in the spring of 2008, and they needed it. They hadn’t lost faith necessarily, but they were struggling to retain it after rebuilding their team from the ground-up with new personnel, fighting severe parts attrition and, at times, struggling just to qualify. “As bad as things seemed at the time, I knew the day would come again,” Worsham says. “We were just coming up a little short.” All the while, a merger of CSK Auto and O’Reilly Auto Parts was being orchestrated, and Worsham’s 12-year run as the owner and driver of the Checker, Schuck’s, Kragen Nitro Funny Car was about to end. He wasn’t near ready to hang up his helmet and driving gloves, though. “Throughout my career, I’ve always said that life is about timing,” he says. “We lost our sponsorship, and I was really worried about it; knowing that I might not be able to do this anymore. When I signed on to drive for Alan [Johnson] and Sheikh Khalid, I had been running our family team for so many years, and had been a big part of the operation of the team, that I was looking forward to seeing what I could accomplish as a driver—without worrying about everything else.” [dropcap]I[/dropcap]t’s hard not to like Del Worsham—which, for the duration of his career, has served him well. Friendly and approachable, he’s a fan favorite, friend to his fellow racers, and a sponsor’s dream. Without question, the way he arrived at his current post—the hard way—is something people from all walks of life can appreciate. He earned it, and he appreciates it. “It makes all those years there in the ‘90s, when people had sponsors, and I was sleeping on the floor of J. Ed Horton’s shop over there trying to build chassis worth it,” he says. “It shows that hard work is rewarded, it does pay off, and while I do feel lucky just to be here, I’ve paid a lot of dues. I just want to make the most of it at this point.” Those long days in the shop and at the track, the nights spent sleeping on the floor, more than anything else, have kept Worsham grounded. Though some of those experiences were long, uncomfortable, and definitely unpaid, they paved the road to the most coveted driver’s seat in drag racing, and molded the person he is today. But Worsham didn’t earn his stripes as a driver in Super Stock, Super Comp, Jr. Dragsters (non-existent at the time), or even fast street cars. He was a permanent fixture at his father’s side, literally growing up at the drag strip, working on the Funny Car his father owned as soon as he was old enough to hold tools, and, one day, simply asked for the job. “Back in 1990, when this whole thing went down, things just weren’t really flowing for my dad and his partners on the ‘Tinker Toy’ Funny Car, Ron Todoran and Art Hendy,” he explains. “It wasn’t going the way any of them wanted it to go, so Art went out on his own, and my dad and Ron, well, that left a vacant seat with their Funny Car. Ever since I was five-years old, all I wanted to do was drive one of these things, and I’d said that. Basically, they made the decision to give me a chance. Their crew guy at the time, Dennis Thompson, he really pushed it the hardest, probably, of anybody.” If he really wanted to do it, Worsham was told to meet them in Dallas, Texas, the coming weekend, and to bring a fire suit. “Hey, I was young, I worked on the car, and I had no responsibilities whatsoever, so they didn’t have to pay me,” he says. “They just said, ‘Let’s just sit you in the seat, fire this thing up, and see where it goes.’ And that sounded good to me.” Truth is, Worsham had never before been 100 miles an hour in his life. Yet, here he was, preparing to make his first-ever trip down the quarter-mile in an ill-mannered Nitro Funny Car. “The first three or four runs, we tried to detune it, thinking it’d be easier to drive, or whatever,” he says. “It wasn’t that way. It’d do wheelies, I mean, it wasn’t drivable. I finally told my dad, after about the fourth run, ‘Look, I know I’m no expert here, but we’re talking nothing, I’m turning the wheel, it’s not doing anything. I think we should put it back where it was at Indy and just see what happens.’” That’s exactly what they did, too, and however unbelievable it might be, right down the track he went, shutting the car off just past the eighth-mile and coasting through to a 5.70. “Wow,” he thought. “That’s what it’s supposed to be like.” The NHRA licensing process required two weekends at that point in time, though, and if Worsham wanted to leave the Lonestar State with one he would have to get two already licensed drivers on the property to sign off on it. “My dad and Ron went home, but Dennis and I stayed on the road, serviced the car, and I tried to figure out who I could get to come down there and watch me. I had heard Kenny Bernstein and Don Prudhomme wanted to come test in Dallas, and I knew them a little bit, just from running around the race track, living in Orange County, where we’re all from; so I called them up. I just said, ‘Hey, ya’ know, I’m going try and drive this thing, and I need two drivers here, so if you guys want to come test, feel free, and I’d really appreciate it if you would watch me drive this Funny Car to try and get licensed.’” In 1990, between Bernstein and Prudhomme, you’re essentially talking about the two most significant drivers in drag racing. The two took him up on his invitation, towed out to Dallas, and after watching Worsham handle himself like a pro behind the wheel, happily signed their names to that most important slip of paper. “They didn’t know how many runs I’d made, which was like five,” he recalls. “The car went out there and ran great; it was unbelievable. They thought I’d been doing this forever. I ended up going like 5.45, 5.50 and 5.49, around 270 (mph), and they were like, ‘Well, looks good to us.’” It wasn’t entirely picture-perfect, but, luckily, neither Prudhomme nor Bernstein was around to see it. Having made a couple of solid passes, it was hard for the still-wet-behind-the-ears driver not to be a little overconfident. “I got out there about half-track, and the thing moved out of the groove, this thing actually kicked up and swapped lanes on me, and I crossed the centerline,” says Worsham. “I actually scared myself pretty bad. I had to sit down and talk to my dad. If there was a car in the other lane, I probably would’ve crashed. “I ended up talking to Don [Prudhomme] about it, he’d actually come over after about every run to speak with me about what happened, what I thought, etc. It was really helpful. He told me that I should try going out there and just shutting it off early, who cares if it kills your ET, just get it shut down, get the ‘chutes out on time, and you’ll be fine. And that’s what I did.” [dropcap]E[/dropcap]ven without a car to prepare, parts to order, or people to oversee, when the doors swing open at the family race shop in Orange, California, where Worsham spent nearly every waking moment of the past 20 years thrashing on a Nitro Funny Car, he shows up for work. His dad, along with lifelong friend and noted chassis builder, Grant Downing, remain busy, building Funny Cars and doing repairs. The somewhat harsh reality that they’re no longer out racing together, as a family, has weighed heavily on the entire Worsham clan, but they’re still excited about the future. Worsham, who has made enough high-speed passes down the drag strip that the thrill of simply going fast has assuredly faded, ponders for a moment what makes him want to keep doing this, especially in such a different capacity. “I love to win, man. When you cross the finish line in a final round and you see that win light come on, or even in the old days and you didn’t know. You’re making the turn and you’re trying to look around and see which way the cameras are facing, and to get out, and to be the winner, it’s exhilarating. That’s what it’s about. You really feel alive, like you’ve truly accomplished something.” The next day, while following Johnson up the steps onto a plane back to Indy for the U.S. Nationals, Worsham can still hardly believe the situation he finds himself in. Once again, he has to remind himself that this is really happening. Thinking about his commanding 136-point lead going into the final race of the 2011 Full Throttle NHRA Drag Racing Series regular season, he asks himself again, “Are you kidding me?” The post DI Classic: A Day In The Life With Del Worsham first appeared on Drag Illustrated. View the full article

A possible, sudden loss of engine power could make riders have a very bad day, indeed. This November 2025 recall includes all ZX-6Rs included in a previous similar recall as well.View the full article

A new 550-mile ride along California's Lost Coast is the latest ADV loop ride from the Backcountry Discovery Routes.View the full article

2026 BMW F 450 GS Gallery See the full run down on the new model here: BMW unveils learner-legal F 450 GS with optional centrifugal clutch 2026 BMW F 450 GS Specifications Specifications Engine Water-cooled, two-cylinder, four-stroke Timing DOHC, 135-degree crankshaft journal offset Displacement 420 cc Compression 13:1 Bore x Stroke 72 x 51.6 mm […] The post BMW F 450 GS feature pictorial as new images released appeared first on MCNews. View the full article

Bitubo Australia’s Black Friday Suspension Sale To celebrate its outstanding 2025 season, Bitubo Australia is launching a Black Friday Sale featuring significant discounts across key suspension products, including shocks, fork cartridges, steering dampers and more. The sale will be available through the official Bitubo Australia website and provides riders with an ideal opportunity to upgrade […] The post Big savings with Bitubo Australia’s Black Friday Suspension Sale appeared first on MCNews. View the full article

WorldSBK Jerez Test November 26-27, 2025 Most of the 2026 WorldSBK contingent were on track for two days of testing at Jerez this week, but absent from this outing were the likes of Ducati riders Nicolo Bulega and Iker Lecuona. While the GYTR squad were in attendance with Stefano Manzi, they were without Remy Gardner, […] The post Recapping this week’s two-day WorldSBK Test at Jerez appeared first on MCNews. View the full article

The post Royal Enfield | Introducing Mana Black appeared first on MCNews. View the full article

In 2023, as part of a push to minimize the expensive exercise of filling every possible niche, Mercedes-Benz combined the E-Class and C-Class coupes, creating the CLE. As we come to the end of 2025, the CLE is now reaching the middle of its lifecycle, and in 2026, a facelift will be necessary to keep its styling and capability in line with that of other, newer Benzes, like the all-new CLA. That means stars in its eyes (headlights), and some tech updates. Our spies have spotted a prototype of the new two-door testing on public roads, and although the changes are minor, at least at this stage, they're worth a quick look. An Unchanged Rear End? SH Proshots/Autoblog View the 2 images of this gallery on the original article The early test mule caught by our spies has a fully camouflaged front end with no obscurity for the rest of the design, but that may not be indicative of the final product. Mercedes may yet swap out the taillights for ones with star-shaped daytime running lights, or it may decide that the existing look is still good enough, but we'd put our money on the former. Moving to what we know will change, the new front fascia will get an enlarged grille with revised mesh that will likely mirror that of the aforementioned CLA. Related: Mercedes Tells Dealers How It Plans to Beat BMW in America In addition, the headlights, which appear to be more recessed, with a sort of brow above them, will get those star-shaped LED details, and lower down, we expect some minor revisions to the shape of the lower side intakes. Some black tape over the mirrors might suggest a mildly redesigned turn signal indicator setup, too. CLE To Gain AI-Focused Tech Inside SH Proshots/Autoblog View the 2 images of this gallery on the original article Customers don't want to just look like they're in a brand-new car; they want to feel it, too, and the 2026 CLE will aim to satisfy with more CLA influence. Our spies haven't yet caught a look at the cabin, but the latest, fourth-generation MBUX infotainment setup with voice control will find its way there, which features a new MB.OS operating system; this is the "first in-car infotainment system ever to integrate AI from both Microsoft and Google," Mercedes proudly proclaims. Buyers can expect dealership salespersons to push them toward the optional Superscreen, which combines a 10.25-inch driver display with a 14-inch central touchscreen and a 14-inch passenger display. As for what they'll find under the hood, we expect the 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder of the current CLE 300 (255 horsepower) and the 3.0-liter turbocharged straight-six of the CLE 450 (375 hp) to carry over, potentially with mild bumps in output. We'll know more as further prototypes hit the road. SH Proshots/Autoblog View the full article