News

Gone is the 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 previously found in the Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupe. In fact, gone is everything you might have previously associated with the fast, sleek, sloping sedan, as the AMG GT 4-Door is now an EV with a monstrous 1,153 horsepower (during launch control) and 1,475 lb-ft of torque from a Formula One-derived 800-volt battery featuring directly cooled cylindrical cells that promise repeatable and sustained power delivery. The platform also allows for 600+ kW charging, e

In a major disappointment for budget-conscious American buyers, Volvo has officially pulled the plug on the highly anticipated EX30 in the US. Volvo says, however, that an affordable alternative to the EX30 for the American market is already in the works, promising it will be specifically designed to cater to American tastes. What Happened? Why did a car with so much promise disappear so fast? It comes down to basic math and bad timing. Stiff new tariffs on Chinese-built EVs inflated that appeal

IHRA Names Dustin Farthing President of the International Hot Rod Association FAIRFIELD, OHIO — The International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) is proud to announce the appointment of Dustin Farthing as the new President of the organization, marking a major step forward in the company’s continued expansion across multiple motorsports disciplines. Farthing brings decades of experience as both a world champion racer and successful business leader. Widely recognized as one of the most accompli

Coming Soon: The Next-Gen BMW X5 As it is, the current X5 is already approaching its seventh year in production. For those familiar with BMW's life cycles, that means the next-generation model is just around the corner. The crossover had been spied before, and an alleged leaked photo of it is currently floating around the web. The 2027 range was also leaked a few months ago, and the redesigned X5 appears to be part of it. Further hinting that its world premiere is drawing closer is the fact that

Heated & Ventilated Cloth Cloth seats are exceedingly rare in luxury vehicles, but in a bid to be environmentally friendly and kind to animals, Volvo started offering wool interiors in its cars a few years ago. Americans generally prefer leather in their luxury vehicles, and there's one big problem with cloth seats as they pertain to feature content: you can't have heating and ventilation (typically). Plenty of new vehicles are available with heated cloth seats, but hardly any have ever been

More Americans than ever say they want an electric vehicle. A recent JD Power survey found that 26 percent of car shoppers were "very likely" to consider buying one, a three-point jump from the month before. And yet EV sales in the US have plateaued. People want EVs, especially in the wake of rising gas prices, but they aren't buying them. The gap between intent and action comes down to three things sitting in the buyer's head: cost, charging, and range. At least two of those three are largely b

You might think of Nissan as a well-established brand in America, one that is perhaps as big as it can be, but if last year's financial results are any indication, Nissan is still growing, and fast. The automaker has announced that it finished its 2025 fiscal year (April 1-March 31) as "the fastest-growing mainstream automotive brand in the U.S. over the past 12 months, thanks to 12 consecutive months of sales growth." It's attracted a 19.6 percent year-on-year increase in retail market share, w

The Nürburgring Nordschleife has a new SUV king, and it comes from Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi. The Xiaomi YU7 GT has beaten the Audi RS Q8 by a significant margin to take the title of the world’s quickest production SUV round the Nürburgring with a lap time of 7 minutes 34.931 seconds. That’s nearly two seconds quicker than the Audi RS Q8’s previous record of 7:36:69 set in 2024. Interestingly, there’s still room for improvement, as Xiaomi Auto noted that the YU7 GT previously set a lap tim

At the recent Samson International Smart Mobility Summit in Tel Aviv, Tesla CEO Elon Musk delivered a familiar statement: unsupervised "Full Self-Driving" (FSD) will be "widespread in the US by the end of this year." However, a closer look at the company's current footprint and historical track record suggests this ambitious timeline is on a collision course with reality. The Gap Between Rhetoric and Reality Despite the promise of a nationwide rollout within seven months, Tesla currently operate

When a seasoned mechanic tells you the best Toyota you can buy right now is also one of the simplest, it's worth paying attention. The Car Care Nut, an experienced mechanic on YouTube, recently laid out his case for the 2026 Corolla Hybrid. His reasoning cuts through the noise of modern automotive marketing and lands somewhere surprisingly refreshing. In a market obsessed with turbos, direct injection, and screens that do everything except drive the car, the Corolla Hybrid quietly does the oppos

The New Cost of Going Green The days of receiving giant government checks just for buying a battery-powered vehicle are officially over. After abolishing federal EV tax credits last year, lawmakers are now aggressively shifting from promotion to taxation. According to Reuters, a new bipartisan proposal in the U.S. House, introduced by House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chair and Republican, Sam Graves, and Democrat Rick Larsen, aims to levy a flat $130 annual fee on electric vehi

The Niagara Following a concept unveiling in 2023, Renault is moving forward with a new nameplate for its lineup. Dubbed the Niagara, it's part of the French automaker's futureREady strategic plan, which also involves launching 14 more new models outside of Europe by 2030. With the Niagara name, Renault seeks to convey strength, resilience, and an ability to withstand the elements. It also serves as an invitation to explore the great outdoors, says the brand. Sylvia dos Santos, Head of Naming S

Volvo Says the EX60 Won’t Repeat Past Mistakes The Volvo EX60 is finally making its presence felt in the US, and the starting price is aggressive – lower than the BMW iX3 and not far off a regular gas XC60. However, after the software issues with the EX30 and EX90, we won’t be surprised if you’re wary. Volvo insists things will be different this time. Speaking to Drive, Volvo executives openly admitted the company struggled during the rollout of its earlier electric models. Lorina Gewargis, Prod

The Driver Data Business Automakers have long sold driver data to third parties for profit, though the practice has only recently come under greater scrutiny through lawsuits involving brands such as Toyota and General Motors. But it appears the approach may not continue, not only because of regulatory hurdles and growing backlash, but also since automakers are barely making meaningful profits from it anyway. For those hearing this for the first time, automakers argue that subscribing to their c

The Final Evo It was a sad day for enthusiasts when Mitsubishi discontinued the Lancer Evolution, and it was even sadder when the automaker announced it would focus only on crossovers and more practical pursuits. The dream may still be alive, but the Japanese automaker hasn't been making any announcements, at least not yet. It's been more than a decade since the last Lancer Evolution rolled off American showrooms, and prices for the rally-bred sedan have noticeably increased. Chalk it up to nos

Stricter = Failure The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) is one of the most respected and trustworthy independent safety rating agencies in the world. In America, any IIHS rating can usually make or break a car in terms of sales, with more Americans taking their safety on the road more seriously. 2026 saw the IIHS update some of its grading and scoring criteria, which has divided the industry. Some brands and models have shown just how safety-oriented they are, while others have dro

If you've used an OBDII device to make your car or truck more powerful by circumventing its emissions devices, you may soon be in big trouble. The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) has subpoenaed Apple and Google, ordering them to provide information on at least 100,000 users of the EZ Lynk Auto Agent app, reports Forbes. While this is intended as a means of ensuring there are consequences for those who break the law, albeit now only a civil violation rather than a criminal one, the DOJ'

A regional severe-weather outbreak that the Storm Prediction Center flagged at Moderate Risk verified hard across the central Plains and mid-Missouri Valley Monday, leaving 39 NWS tornado warnings, downed timber on feeder routes into I-70 and I-29, and a flash flood threat that carried into today, Tuesday May 19, 2026. Damage surveys are now underway in Nebraska, Kansas, and Missouri as the storm engine shifts east toward the Ohio Valley. Peak Driving Danger Window The worst window for highway t

Pole Position, Literally Auction events are a big moment for many car owners, as all their hard work preparing their lots for sale finally comes to market. Unfortunately, one Ford Mustang Mach 1 owner saw that highly anticipated moment turn into a nightmare after the front end of their pony car was damaged. In a TikTok post by user mopar_keith, who was at Mecum Indy 2026 at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis, a red 1970 Mustang Mach 1 slammed into a pole with a crowd surrounding the v

No Excuses For Safety Sometimes, car buyers are willing to put up with some compromises when it comes to the car of their choice. From time to time, we can overlook certain things, such as a lack of features, a slightly higher price, or even some quality concerns, as long as they fit our criteria. Safety is never worth the compromise; in this day and age, there is no excuse for a car not built to be able to keep occupants safe. This is even more important for models targeted for families, and it

Hyundai’s Fake EV Gearbox Hyundai’s simulated gear shift system has quietly become one of the more influential ideas in the EV space. What started as a quirky feature in the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N turned out to be surprisingly convincing, adding fake shifts, simulated revs, and even drivetrain jolts that gave the electric hot hatch a more traditional performance-car feel. The idea worked so well that other brands started taking notes. Hyundai is also looking to bring this tech to more than just its N

It has taken me several days to be able to post something like this on BANGshift. Posting it the day we found out about the loss of our great friend would have been the smart thing for page views and likes and all the crap we unfortunately are measured on, but it just didn’t feel right. Hell, this weekend I spoke about Kyle at Holley’s LSFest Texas and couldn’t do it without getting choked up. Yesterday I spoke with Matt Frost and our conversation about Kyle featured several cracks of my voice a

Last week, the covers came off the Vision BMW Alpina, an 8 Series-like concept that previews the design direction and Bentley-esque luxury of the Alpina brand, and now we have official confirmation that the first real Alpina product under BMW's stewardship will be based on the 7 Series, filling the small gap between that luxury sedan and the Rolls-Royce Ghost with a new B7, though it's unclear if that name will survive. Speaking with Top Gear, BMW Alpina boss Oliver Viellechner said Alpina is al

A class action lawsuit has been filed against Audi for defective water pumps in a range of Audi models. All implicated Audi models make use of a V6 from the EA839 engine family, including both 2.9-liter and 3.0-liter units. The plaintiffs claim they’ve been hit with exorbitant repair bills for failing water pumps and related components when the cars were out of warranty, even though Audi allegedly knew about the defect since November 2018. Many problems related to cooling systems can incur high

Rally Roots Rebooted Ford has announced that is planning to introduce five new passenger models in Europe by 2029, all of which are said to draw inspiration from the brand’s rally heritage. That appears to be a deliberate nostalgia play referencing classics tied to Ford’s strong motorsport history, though enthusiasts could also see it as a sign that the brand is not fully abandoning driver-focused cars for EVs. Ford may be known as a truck brand in the U.S., thanks to models like the F-150, but