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2025-05-09

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Releases & Reviews

The 2025 Lotus Emira 2.0T Is A Superlative Driver's Car With A Stonking Motor From AMG (25 minute watch)

Lotus swaps its aging Toyota V6 for AMG’s M139 2.0-liter turbo four, delivering 400 horsepower (298 kW) and 354 lb-ft (480 Nm) through an 8-speed dual-clutch to the rear wheels. At 3.6 s to 60 mph and 182 mph (293 km/h) flat-out, the 3,200-lb (1,451 kg) Emira now has performance worthy of its exotic looks.

2026 Toyota Corolla Cross Gets a New Face and More Screen (2 minute read)

Toyota’s entry crossover gets reshaped bumpers—body-color on the 196-hp (146 kW) hybrid, more rugged on the 169-hp (126 kW) gas model—plus a 10.5-inch infotainment screen, up to a 12.3-inch cluster, reorganized console and new Cavalry Blue paint. Powertrains, CVT and trims carry over ahead of late-2025 U.S. launch.

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Technology, Market Data & Analysis

Used Car Prices Are Spiking Again And Ford’s Raising Maverick Prices. Welcome To The Suck (9 minute read)

April’s Manheim Used Vehicle Value Index jumped 4.9 percent year-on-year as buyers rushed to beat incoming tariffs, and Ford piled on by adding up to $2,000 to Mexican-built Mavericks, Bronco Sports and Mach-Es produced after 2 May. Analysts warn the ‘spring bounce’ could prolong tight inventories and stall hoped-for depreciation.

USPTO refuses Tesla Robotaxi trademark as “merely descriptive” (2 minute read)

USPTO rejected Tesla’s bid to trademark the terms “Robotaxi” and “Cybercab,” ruling they merely describe autonomous ride-hailing vehicles already referenced by Zoox and others. Unless Tesla proves distinctiveness with marketing evidence, the company must rebrand the sub-$30,000 driverless two-seater hyped by Elon Musk at last year’s AI Day.

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Car Culture

The DeTomaso Pantera Is a Gorgeous Car That Deserves More Love (24 minute watch)

Doug DeMuro revisits the 1971 DeTomaso Pantera, praising Tom Tjaarda’s wedge styling and the mid-mounted 5.8-liter Ford Cleveland V8’s 330 horsepower (246 kW) mated to a dog-leg gated 5-speed. At about 3,100 lb (1,406 kg) the Italo-American exotic feels lighter and more engaging than pricier ’70s Ferraris while remaining parts-bin-easy to maintain.

Remembering Jochen Mass: Motorsports Legend Had Stories for Days (10 minute read)

MotorTrend’s tribute recalls Jochen Mass’s lone 1975 F1 win and heroic 1989 Le Mans victory, but focuses on his irrepressible humor, storytelling and mentorship of journalists and fans. From podiums with Mercedes to late-night tales about James Hunt, friends remember a gentleman racer who made every paddock laugh.

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Miscellaneous

Holy heck, the Koenigsegg Absolut just did 223.5mph in a standing half-mile (2 minute read)

Koenigsegg’s low-drag Jesko Absolut rocketed from rest to 223.5 mph (360 km/h) in a standing half-mile, clocking 0-62 mph (0–100 km/h) in 2.79 s and the quarter-mile in 8.88 s. The 1,600-hp (1,193 kW) twin-turbo V8 and nine-speed LST gearbox bolster Christian von Koenigsegg’s faith in a 300 mph (483 km/h) top-speed run.

No One Knows Where This Tire Came From But It Ripped Through A Mercedes Roof Anyway (2 minute read)

A runaway tire—likely from a trailer—bounded across Atlanta’s I-285, punched through a Mercedes crossover’s roof and vanished, leaving a gaping hole but only minor cuts to the driver. Police found no matching wheel; the crumpled SUV is probably totaled despite the 150-lb (68 kg) projectile missing the windshield.

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Quick Links

Toyota sees 21% full-year profit decline as tariffs take a bite (3 minute read)

Facing weaker dollar headwinds, Toyota projects ¥3.8 trillion (~$26 billion) operating income for FY 2025, warning Trump’s new tariffs and ¥745 billion forex hit could widen North America losses after Indiana’s production stoppage.

This Is Where Waymo Will Build Robotaxis in the US (4 minute read)

Waymo and Magna's new 239,000-square-foot Mesa, Arizona plant will retrofit up to tens of thousands of vehicles—starting with 2,000 remaining Jaguar I-Paces—into sixth-generation SAE Level 4 robotaxis capable of passenger service 30 minutes post-build.

Here's Your First Look at the 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee (2 minute read)

Teaser images reveal eyebrow-style DRLs, a cleaner climate panel and dual-knob touchscreen inside the lightly refreshed 2026 Grand Cherokee, which retains two- and three-row plus 4xe PHEV options and may gain the Hurricane turbo-six.

The Devel Sixteen May Have Been Vaporware, But Its 5,000-HP V16 Was Legit (3 minute read)

Michigan’s Steve Morris Engines proved the Dubai hypercar’s quad-turbo V16—essentially two LS3 blocks—by dynoing 5,007 hp (3,736 kW) and 3,700 lb-ft (5,018 Nm) at 7,000 rpm after synchronizing twin ECUs and custom firing orders.

The Secret Service Is Testing the Chevy Corvette and Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing (4 minute read)

To prep agents for overseas contingencies, GM loaned the Secret Service manual-equipped Cadillac CT5-V and CT4-V Blackwings—plus Corvettes, SUVs and a Colorado ZR2—to Laurel’s Rowley Training Center, where stick-shift lessons complement high-speed protective-driving drills.

2026 Mercedes-Benz CLA EV Won't Be Able to Use 400V Fast-Chargers (3 minute read)

Because its new 800-volt architecture charges at up to 320 kW, the 2026 CLA EV will ignore ubiquitous 400-volt DC stations—including Tesla Superchargers—leaving owners hunting the scarce 800-volt CCS sites or slow AC home outlets.

Porsche Is Still Testing the Electric Cayman and Boxster (3 minute read)

Nürburgring spy video shows Porsche’s dedicated-platform electric Boxster and Cayman prototypes, slated for 2026 launch, chasing 3,306 lb (1,500 kg) Mission R performance amid reported battery-development delays and rising 718 sales that complicate ICE retirement.

Someone call Weight Watchers: BMW is doubling down on lardy SUVs (2 minute read)

BMW’s latest financial report confirms Neue Klasse R&D is funding next-generation X5 and X7 successors, signaling Munich’s commitment to ever-heavier luxury SUVs even as electrification and digitalization budgets climb across the lineup.

Ferrari Confirms Yearly Forecast Despite Tariff Uncertainty, Schedules First EV Deliveries (3 minute read)

Defying industry caution, Ferrari kept its 2025 €2.68 billion (~$3.03 billion) EBITDA target after a 15 % Q1 profit gain and 3,593 shipments, while pledging October 2026 deliveries of the home-built Elettrica EV despite potential 50-basis-point tariff drag.