News

The Gulf has long been one of the most important markets in the luxury automotive world. It accounts for less than 10 per cent of total sales volumes at most high-end brands, but generates profits far disproportionate to that share, because buyers there consistently opt for the most customized and, consequently, most expensive versions of every model on offer. Bentley CEO Frank-Steffen Walliser captured the sentiment perfectly just weeks before conflict broke out. "It's the best market in the wo

In Japan, it’s common for cars to be driven to well over 300,000 miles. It isn’t uncommon for some to reach even higher mileage, either. These aren’t anomalies; they’re just ordinary vehicles used by ordinary drivers who have treated them with the right attitude. On the other hand, the average American motorist will trade his vehicle long before reaching such mileage totals. There’s a YouTube video going around that's an unpleasant reality check on something that many American motorists never gi

Reversing The JDM Process Three letters: JDM, it used to mean something special. It represented the holy grail for car enthusiasts around the world who couldn’t get their hands on them. Some of the most iconic cars immortalized in pop culture were reserved purely for the Japanese Domestic Market. For years, everything from supercar-beaters like the Honda NSX to quirky kei cars like the Honda S660 left everyone counting the days till these cars were legal to import into America. Over the years, H

Yes, Jensen is Still Around Say Jensen to any Brit, and they'll likely picture the Interceptor grand tourer built from the mid-'60s to the mid-'70s. Of course, Jensen's history goes far beyond that, as it was founded in 1922. They built cars on a fairly regular basis until 1976, paused for nearly 25 years, and tried to produce cars again in 2001 with the Jensen S-V8. That said, the S-V8 wasn't exactly a huge hit, and the original company was eventually dissolved in 2011. However, the name is sti

New-Generation Seltos Goes on Sale in Korea The second-generation Kia Seltos made its global debut last month, and it’s a noticeable upgrade for one of the brand’s key models. The SUV now looks tougher, borrowing sharper lines from the Telluride, and the new X-Line trim gives it a bit more attitude. But the real headline is the arrival of a hybrid version – a first for the nameplate and probably the version fans have been waiting for. When the Seltos made its global debut, Kia barely talked abou

All-New for 2026 One of America's favorite midsize crossovers got a massive overhaul this year. The Kia Telluride has been given a comprehensive redesign this year, and it's safe to say that it'll likely become one of the hottest cars out there once it reaches showrooms. Like the Palisade, it seems that the Telluride also drew inspiration from a particular British luxury SUV. Not that it's a bad thing, though, as the crossover does have a good bit of presence.

When the second-generation Kia Telluride was revealed last year, one of the main talking points was Kia replacing the V6 with a turbocharged four-cylinder engine. The change also distances the Telluride from the new Hyundai Palisade, which has continued with a standard V6. But Kia’s case for using a four-cylinder instead of a V6 is a strong one. Sang Lee, Product Planning National Manager at Kia America, has explained this key powertrain strategy in a new interview, and his statements suggest th

The OG Supercar? It's hard to truly nail down what the first supercar is, but it's safe to say that the Lamborghini Miura was a pioneer of that genre. Perhaps it's okay to say that it laid down the formula for supercars in the coming years. To oversimplify it, create a mid-mounted chassis, stick in a powerful motor, and drape it in an exquisite body. The Miura ticked all those boxes, and its world premiere created a lot of buzz 60 years ago. The thing is, it wasn't presented in its final form wh

A Fourth Recall Arrives for Lamborghini’s New Flagship The Lamborghini Revuelto hasn’t been on the road long, but it’s already racked up a handful of recalls. This is the car that replaced the Aventador, introducing a V12 with electric motors and marking a significant shift for the brand. By mid-2025, the Revuelto had already seen three recalls – one even involved those iconic scissor doors. Now there’s a fourth, this time focused on the rear backup camera. None of these recalls has resulted i

The Land Rover Freelander—or LR2 as it was called in the US—is back, only not as you remember it. For starters, it’s no longer a Land Rover as it has evolved into its own brand called Freelander as part of a joint venture between China’s Chery Auto and Jaguar Land Rover; it will have its own product roadmap, distribution network, and management. But don’t worry; it won't be a China-only model. While it will launch in China first, it will become available globally later, including in Europe. Sadl

Hip to be Square When Kia launched the Soul in 2008, it was amid a craze in which automakers were selling boxy subcompact cars left and right. It took a while for it to land in America, but when it arrived stateside for the 2010 model year, it was a smash hit. Perhaps it was the hamsters, but the Soul struck a chord with American buyers. Through the years, the competitors that spurned Kia to build the Soul in the first place have dropped out of the race. There was the Scion xB, axed in 2015, alo

If you’re on a tight budget but determined to buy something new you might get lucky and still find a Nissan Versa on your local dealer lot. The last new vehicle available in the U.S. for less than $20,000, the Japanese automaker decided to pull Versa from production late last year, pointing the finger at the Trump administration’s tariffs on imported autos which would have driven the price out of reach of most buyers. At a time when average transaction prices – factoring in MSRP, options and dis

A Quiet Goodbye for the Executive Sedan The Lexus ES was never the flashiest sedan in the luxury segment, but it’s been a substantial seller for the luxury marque in America. Since 2015, it’s been a mainstay for Lexus in North America, consistently delivering what buyers wanted. With the last US-built ES, that chapter comes to a close. Toyota North America confirmed on LinkedIn that the last US-built Lexus ES has left the Georgetown, Kentucky plant. In total, 438,133 units were produced there, b

We’re back with more Impact testing to find out how Snap-On compares to the Milwaukee M18, along with offerings from Bosch and Hopeful. It’s 3/4″ impact testing, but the results will be telling even if you aren’t in the market for a big boy impact like this. We love the Torque Test Channel as they do some great testing, have a live lifetime rankings spreadsheet that is available, and more. They put real tools to the test and aren’t afraid to get creative when the need arises either. So let’s se

Safety Sells If there's one truth about automotive sales these days, it is that, apart from sustainability and value-for-money, safety is a top priority for car buyers. In comparison, it may not seem like the most interesting topic about cars, safety tests, and the results are – and should be – significant considerations for anybody looking to buy a brand-new vehicle. Subaru is one of the brands that uses safety to further its brand, pioneering the use of its award-winning Eyesight technology an

The Original Lexus LS Was a Landmark Moment You've heard this so many times already, but the Lexus LS was a huge turning point in the luxury market. It certainly ruffled the feathers of the German establishment to a point where Lexus was accused of dumping in the US because the LS undercut its rivals by a significant margin. But it was really because of the favorable exchange rates at the time. It also helped that its competition, namely the BMW 7 Series, Mercedes-Benz S-Class, and Jaguar XJ, we

Not Your Usual “Reverse Import” Toyota has already begun bringing some of its American-built models back to Japan. The Tundra and Highlander are now confirmed for the domestic market, and the Camry is likely next. It’s a slightly odd flow of products, called “reverse importing,” thanks to the trade pressures tied to US President Donald Trump. That approach might not be limited to Toyota models. There are signs that the Lexus TX is also headed for Japan, but not as a direct copy of the US version

Well, it’s that time of year where the LIWA Hillclimbs are happening. This is some really fun stuff, where folks come from all over to race up an epic dune in Dubai. Located not far from the Liwa Oasis, this is a hot spot for dune racing. In fact, every Friday evening huge crowds show up to have fun, eat, race, and enjoy the sand. They show up in everything from build 2JZ combos to twin turbo LS engines, and even Pro Mod combos. Yep, there are some serious players here, and when you see these pu

A Bond-Era Icon, Revisited The Lotus Esprit is at a very specific corner of car culture. It's the sharp-edged poster car of the late '70s, the submarine-driving star of James Bond films, and a long-time favorite among eccentric collectors. Values have been increasing for years, and the V8 cars from the late 1990s are already considered the ones to have. If your idea of the perfect Esprit includes carbon fiber bodywork, a thoroughly rebuilt V8, and zero need to make excuses for build quality, Enc

The biggest myth about the Corvette has always been that you shouldn't drive it in bad weather because it can be a handful. Harlan Charles kills that notion head-on. A GM veteran of 37 years, with the last 24 spent as Corvette Product Manager, Harlan has racked up 27,000 miles in the first year of ownership of his own personal Stingray, come rain, shine or Michigan winters. In a recent video from YouTuber CGarnerSpeed252, he stands in front of all four C8 variants and does something rare for a f

A Quiet Exit, Finally Confirmed After months of silence, JaguarLand Rover has finally confirmed what many suspected. Gerry McGovern, the company’s longtime design chief, will step down at the end of March, Automotive News reports. His two-decade run helped define the look and feel of both Jaguar and Land Rover. Late last year, rumors already circulated that McGovern was out, but JLR kept quiet. Now, the company says he’s leaving on his own terms and will be starting his own creative consultancy.

The Call That Changed Hypercar History When Loris Bicocchi received a phone call in 2001 asking if he was available to test a new Bugatti project, the automotive world was already buzzing with rumors. Sixteen cylinders. 1,001 horsepower. More than 400 km/h (249 mph). On paper, it sounded impossible. In reality, it would become the Bugatti Veyron, an entirely new kind of car that didn’t just break records, but created the hypercar segment itself. For Bicocchi, an experienced high-speed test drive

The Mangled Mercury project from Iron Trap Garage has been a really fun project to watch come together. Starting out as what seemed like a simple chop top Mercury build, it has gone into full custom territory and has some great looking metal work. In the final video in the build, the Mangled Mercury build is completed in just 30 minutes. If you want to see how this all came together, check it out below. We introduced the Mangled Mercury Project several months ago and shared the first cuts, plan

Japan's Flagship Sedans Before Japanese automaker decided to make luxury divisions, they already had a slew of flagship luxury sedans in their lineup. There's the Toyota Crown, the Nissan Cedric/Gloria, and the Honda Legend. Smaller players had them too, such as the Mitsubishi Sigma and, later, the Diamante, and Mazda also had skin in the game with its Luce. The Luce is a particularly interesting car, even if it was never a particularly huge seller in its home market. Its name might not be famil

Elite Territory Mazda announced that the CX-5 has reached the five-million production and sales milestone. Introduced in 2011, the CX-5 is the third model in the company’s history to reach that figure, following the Mazda 323 in 1986 and Mazda3 in 2016. The timeline reflects broader market trends, as consumers have increasingly gravitated toward crossovers and SUVs—illustrated by automakers such as Ford discontinuing most of their sedan offerings in the U.S. The CX-5 has been sold in more than 1