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Incessant car bloat is an enemy that every new car battles and typically loses to, with additional safety equipment and the advent of electrification adding hundreds or even thousands of pounds to the curb weight with each new generation—just look at the new Audi RS 5, which now tips the scales at almost 5,200 pounds in sedan form, compared to under 4,100 lbs for its B9 Sportback non-hybrid predecessor. A notable exception to this trend is the Mazda MX-5 Miata, which is lighter in current ND for

A Familiar Future, With a Twist We’ve known for a while that Nissan is working on the next GT-R, even as earlier plans hinted at an all-electric future for the badge. That idea hasn’t completely disappeared, but it’s clearly not the full story anymore. Now, there’s a bit more clarity thanks to comments from Ponz Pandikuthira, Senior Vice President and Chief Planning Officer for Nissan North America. The update paints a picture that feels both reassuring and slightly complicated, depending on wha

A Worthy Successor Say what you will about Nissan being in a precarious spot, but an injection of excitement might be just what the doctor ordered to get the brand back on track. Obsessed with its heritage and with a desire to relive its glory days, the Silvia is the only car that's left from the golden era of Japanese performance that got stuck in time. News of the next-generation Silvia has been going around, and it appears that Nissan's current President, Ivan Espinosa, can't stop talking a

The writing has been on the wall for the naturally aspirated engine that makes the Porsche 911 GT3 so exciting for some time now. When the 992.2 facelift appeared, Porsche had to take extreme measures, such as two particulate filters and four catalytic converters, just to maintain the same horsepower output without falling afoul of emissions regulations, and the 4.0-liter boxer lost torque on the way. For the next generation, however, Zuffenhausen's finest may not be able to maintain the pure ch

The Bigger Picture  The Chief Design Officer for Stellantis, Ralph Gilles, shared a moment with Car Design News, sharing how automobiles are getting commoditized – think about how there is a section of the automotive industry that’s getting turned into appliances, or as he put it, “point A to point B.”  As the head design honcho at Stellantis, he and his team deliver compelling work to brands like Alfa Romeo, Maserati, Jeep, and Dodge, among many others. Fourteen brands are under him, and I can

The Timeline Takes Shape With the next-generation Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 reportedly arriving for the 2027 model year, production is also nearing. A report from GM Authority claims that, citing sources familiar with the matter, the two new full-size pickup trucks are expected to enter production in October 2026. This claim could prove useful for shoppers looking for a fresh truck on the market. However, despite production reportedly starting in about six months, not much is

Aging Gracefully But Ready for a Change Even as it approaches the end of its lifecycle, the current Tucson is still one of Hyundai’s most popular SUVs. Its sharp, parametric looks still stand out in traffic, its hybrid options stay competitive, and its cabin continues to punch above its class. But with newer rivals adopting tougher, more outdoorsy styling, the Tucson’s sleek, tech-focused design is beginning to feel a bit long in the tooth. That is why we're excited for the next-generation model

An Iffy Image To say that the Nissan Altima doesn't have a stellar image is an understatement, especially for the fourth and fifth-generation models. Admittedly, it's not entirely the car's fault, as certain, er, people with a particular driving style haven't done the Altima's reputation any favors. Reliability hasn't been great, though it's hard to tell whether it's mainly due to a lack of maintenance or the cars were genuinely faulty. Outside of America, however, Nissan's midsize sedan has a f

Nissan Rebuilds Its SUV Identity Nissan is making a bold push into the U.S. body-on-frame SUV market with the Xterra, which is set to compete against staple nameplates like the Ford Bronco and Jeep Wrangler. In an interview with Automotive News, Nissan CEO Ivan Espinosa said that the V6 hybrid expected in the Xterra will feature a parallel hybrid setup. Espinosa claims a parallel hybrid system will be “very competitive,” citing improved towing capability and more consistent power delivery under

The unfortunate and tragic death of Greg Biffle made news worldwide but for Garrett Mitchell, aka Cleetus McFarland, the news hit home much harder. Biffle and his family were on their way to Florida for some birthday and racing fun with Garrett and his family and friends when they had issues and were forced to turn back to the North Carolina airport they had just taken off from. Their crash landing has been discussed thoroughly over the last few days, but the video below is a fitting tribute to

Skids, All Day Long This new business venture in Sacramento is looking real good for California residents, specifically enthusiasts. We’re talking skid pads here, ladies and gentlemen, a dedicated facility located on Jackson Highway for legally burning rubber. CBS News Let’s get some things straight—we do enjoy slides, but not on public roads. However, not everyone shares the same

BMW did something unorthodox with the E90 (sedan), E92 (coupe), and E93 (convertible) M3s back in the 2000s. After years of relying on an inline six-cylinder engine for the M3, the brand switched to a high-revving 4.0-liter V8, known as the S65. It transformed the driving experience and character of the M3, while dramatically elevating its straight-line speed.  Besides its towering performance, this was the last time an M3 badge adorned a convertible or coupe, once the M4 replaced it. It was als

The only factory white Ferrari 250 GTO ever built is heading to auction, and it might be the next car to flirt with a 70 million dollar price tag. Chassis 3729GT, a 1962 250 GTO finished in Bianco with blue interior, is one of just 36 GTOs and one of only a handful in right hand drive. It will cross the block at Mecum’s 2026 Kissimmee sale, which runs from January 6-18, as one of the most historically loaded GTOs to come to market in years.

From Niche to Best-Seller Over 30 years ago, the idea of a car-based SUV was a novelty. For the most part, SUVs had ladder-frame chassis, and the few unibody examples were built as SUVs from the get-go. But then that all changed with the Toyota RAV Four concept, which eventually became the RAV4. Eventually, all Japanese carmakers followed suit, with Honda being the first to respond to Toyota. The first-generation CR-V made its world premiere in Japan in late 1995 and eventually reached America f

BMW has added a fully electric luxury SUV to the Vatican fleet, handing a new iX xDrive60 with M Sport package to Pope Leo XIV. The handover took place at the Vatican with BMW CEO Oliver Zipse and BMW Italy president Massimiliano Di Silvestre in attendance, and is being framed as a showpiece for both the brand’s electrification push and the pope’s public support for climate action. In Italian-market spec, the donated iX is roughly a six-figure vehicle, but unlike a bespoke popemobile it remain

For decades, the Porsche 996 was the 911 that purists had all but disowned. Being the first water-cooled 911, it was an affront to the air-cooled aficionados who ran the local Porsche clubs. From its “fried-egg” headlights to its at-the-time bulky design, the 996 assumed its role as the ugly-duckling 911. Little did we know, everything about the 996 that was then scoffed at, is exactly what would make it the ultimate attainable enthusiast car in the 2020s.

Not Your Ordinary Escalade When Cadillac first released the Escalade in 1998, little did GM know that it would become one of its biggest hits. Turns out, many people wanted a Cadillac SUV, and its popularity exploded when the second-generation model came about in 2004. In some way, it's the modern interpretation of the company's land yachts from the '60s and '70s. Today, Escalades are pretty much everywhere, even in markets where these aren't officially sold. It's huge and hugely desirable, and

New Subaru Solterra EV  The recently revealed 2026 Subaru Solterra electric SUV is a marked improvement over the outgoing car. The new Solterra, while still equipped with the dual-motor all-wheel-drive system, now boasts a new 74.7 kWh battery that pushes its EPA-estimated range up to 288 miles from the 227 miles of the outgoing model. It also gets Tesla Supercharger compatibility with a new NACS charging port, and Subaru hasn’t even raised prices, with the 2026 car still starting at $38,495. Th

The Swagger Wagon Who can remember the Swagger Wagon commercial for the third-generation Toyota Sienna? It was first shown in May 2010, and it could be said that it's one of the earliest viral commercials out there. Remember, YouTube was just five years old when that commercial was first uploaded to the site. Gen-Xers would certainly recall it. After all, most were at that age where something more sensible and practical was needed — especially parents. The Sienna was already a hot seller by then

If you drove a Ford F-150 to the gas station in Michigan this week, your fill-up almost certainly crossed $100. That's the reality for hundreds of thousands of truck owners in the state right now, and the number has climbed fast. Michigan's average gas price hit $3.92 per gallon this week, according to AAA, up 33 cents in just seven days and more than a dollar higher than this same time last month. It's the highest the state has seen since August 2023. In Metro Detroit, drivers are paying $3.93

More Engine Choices for the Land Cruiser It's no secret that America is missing out on the 300 Series Land Cruiser. The only way to get it stateside is to visit your nearest Lexus dealer and choose the LX. Well, not enough people bought the 200 Series in the U.S, hence the decision to repurpose the smaller Prado version stateside instead. The realLand Cruiser is stacked with several engine options. There's the familiar 3.4-liter twin-turbo V6, a 3.5-liter twin-turbo diesel, and more recently, a

When our friend Brandon from Lower Class Fab posted this video yesterday we knew it was going to cause a stir. The subject of tying down cars to trailers is always one that gets debated and can get pretty heated. Crossing straps, angled straps, straight straps, wheel nets, you name it, people will argue about it when it comes to cars and trucks on trailers. And no matter what kind of scientific testing is done, there will always be an argument. Hell, sometimes I think there are more opinions abo

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has announced the latest round of models to attain its Top Safety Pick+ accolade, the agency’s highest rating for vehicle safety. The safety body recently introduced tougher safety rules for crash avoidance systems and rear-seat safety, but despite this, an impressive 45 vehicles earned a Top Safety Pick+ award. At a time when new cars are unaffordable for many Americans, it’s particularly promising to see that many award winners fall into the su

The Lawsuit Nobody Saw Coming Dealers are suing Scout Motors in numerous states, arguing the company is violating traditional franchising laws by selling directly to customers. Many U.S. states have carved out exceptions in their traditional auto franchise laws that let manufacturers with no existing dealer network — typically EV-only brands — sell vehicles directly to consumers without independent dealerships, a model pioneered by Tesla and increasingly sought by newcomers like Rivian and Lucid

The Secret to Engine Longevity Is… You’ve heard a lot about how today's modern engines are too delicate to achieve high mileage, thanks in part to the thinning out of engine oils. While this is true, the fact remains that modern vehicles are designed to operate within very narrow parameters for optimal fuel efficiency. They simply require the proper care to achieve the type of mileage numbers older cars were able to attain with less frequent and less expensive maintenance. To see the type of hig