Get the free daily email with summaries of the most important news and content in the auto industry.
Today’s Issue MONDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2026
The 2027 RAV4 starts at about $34,000 for the front-drive LE, a $400 increase, and the plug-in lineup opens at about $44K. Woodland trims gain new springs and shocks for 9.1 inches of ground clearance. Every plug-in model gets a NACS port and an 11-kW onboard charger.
The second-generation Atlas moves to the MQB Evo platform with a 282-horsepower 2.0-liter turbo-four, an eight-speed automatic and a 5,000-pound tow rating. No hybrid is offered at launch. The Drive praises the sliding second row and adult-sized third row, and calls the seatbelt chimes and touchscreen lockouts intrusive.
Elon Musk says Gigafactory Texas will wind down Cybertruck production around the middle of 2027, making that the final model year. Tesla sold about 20,000 Cybertrucks in 2025, far below the 250,000 a year Musk once projected, and sales have kept falling this year.
Virginia's devices block acceleration past the posted limit, allowing a 5-mph override for 30 seconds twice per key cycle. About 100 drivers have them so far, and some report GPS drift that places a highway car on a slower side road. Five more states and New York City are following.
TREMEC's new TR-9060 six-speed transaxle handles 1,000 lb-ft of torque and 8,600 rpm, adapting the differential from the C8's dual-clutch unit. The transaxle alone is expected to cost about $20,000, and Peitz Performance quotes just under $75K for the full conversion. Production transaxles are due next summer.
Five cars reach the 25-year import threshold in 2027: the Smart Roadster, Audi RS 6 Avant, Ford Falcon XR6T, Opel Zafira OPC and MG TF. The twin-turbo V8 RS 6 wagon runs about $25,000 in Europe, while a turbocharged Zafira OPC van can be had for under $5,000.
The BYD sub-brand's hypercar hit the mark on a closed public road in Abu Dhabi, beating its own 308-mph record set in Germany last year. Four motors produce nearly 3,000 horsepower on a 1,200-volt architecture. Autoweek notes the one-way run does not meet the Petersen Museum's two-direction standard.
Mechatronik's M SEC is a W126-generation coupe rebuilt around the naturally aspirated 6.3-liter AMG V8 with 500 horsepower and about 465 lb-ft, Öhlins dampers and carbon-fiber bumpers. Top Gear calls the GT version effortless and says it would daily drive one. Only 30 will be built.
Five minutes. 100% free. Try a week - unsubscribe anytime.