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2025-10-22

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Releases & Reviews

Toyota Just Unveiled Its New Baby Land Cruiser (3 minute read)

Toyota’s new Land Cruiser FJ is about 11 inches shorter than LC 250 and rides on the Hilux Champ platform. At 180.1 inches long on a 101.6-inch wheelbase, it uses a 2.7‑liter four with 161 hp (120 kW) and 181 lb‑ft (245 Nm); modular bumper pieces ease repairs.

2026 Tesla Model S Plaid Tested: Running in Place (7 minute read)

The latest instrumented test finds the 2026 Plaid essentially unchanged since 2021. The tri‑motor, carbon‑sleeved setup still delivers an estimated 1006 hp (750 kW); testers again chose 21‑inch summer tires over the standard 19s, clamping 15.0‑/14.4‑inch rotors, with performance impressive but progress minimal.

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Technology, Market Data & Analysis

GM Killing One Chevrolet EV, Doubling Gas Chevrolet Equinox Production (5 minute read)

GM will end production of the Chevrolet BrightDrop electric commercial van as fleet demand lags and incentives shift, CEO Mary Barra told investors. The Canadian plant will be retooled for another product, while GM doubles gasoline Equinox output; the company’s retail lineup otherwise remains unchanged.

Porsche Just Patented An 18-Cylinder Engine. It Looks Wild (3 minute read)

Porsche filed a patent for a compact, space‑optimized W‑configuration engine scalable to 9, 15, or 18 cylinders—three banks sharing a short block. The drawings show a true W layout rather than paired V engines, hinting at flexible packaging for future high‑performance applications without committing to a specific model.

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Car Culture

Is the Ferrari SC40 a Better Tribute Than the New Countach? (3 minute read)

Built on the 296 GTB, the SC40 pairs a twin‑turbo hybrid V6 with an eight‑speed dual‑clutch while lifting clear F40 cues. Editors debate whether its surfacing and aero bridges honor the icon more convincingly than Lamborghini’s revived Countach, and how modern underpinnings inevitably change the driving character.

Richard Hammond Reveals His ENTIRE Bike Collection (22 minute watch)

On DRIVETRIBE, Hammond walks through a warehouse of motorcycles spanning barn‑find classics to modern icons, sprinkling restoration notes and backstories for each. The tour highlights his daily riders versus museum pieces, how he chooses what to keep or sell, and the emotional attachments forged by crashes and rebuilds.

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Miscellaneous

Why Our Subaru Forester Is (and Isn’t) a Good Road-Trip SUV (10 minute read)

A long weekend to Truckee, California served to reacquaint the team with its long‑term 2025 Forester Sport after an 11,000‑mile (17,699 km) stint mostly in other cars. The piece weighs road‑trip strengths and weaknesses—from comfort and cargo to highway manners—versus recent experiences that set a high bar.

Mitsubishi May Bring Back FWD Outlander Sport to Lower the Price (3 minute read)

Mitsubishi may reintroduce a front‑drive Outlander Sport to offset the demise of the sub‑$20K Mirage range. With the 2026 Outlander Sport starting at $26,955, a FWD variant could trim around $1,500, though true budget shoppers may still gravitate to Nissan’s $18,385 Versa.

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Quick Links

6m 59s: the Yangwang U9 Xtreme is the fastest (production) electric sportscar around the Nürburgring (2 minute read)

Yangwang’s 308 mph (496 km/h) U9 Xtreme logged a 6:59.157 around the 13 mile (21 km) Nordschleife after months of data gathering, staking a provisional EV-sports-car claim as Xiaomi’s SU7 threatens to strike back.

The 2026 Macan GTS Electric Might Be Porsche’s Most Versatile EV Yet (4 minute read)

Slotting between 4S and Turbo, Macan GTS Electric delivers 563 hp (420 kW) and 704 lb-ft (955 Nm) on overboost, with 509 hp (380 kW) everyday from a 900 amp silicon‑carbide inverter and dual‑motor AWD tuning.

The 2025 Mercedes-AMG GT63 S E Performance Is the Quickest AMG We’ve Tested (5 minute read)

In instrumented testing, the plug‑in GT63 S E Performance hit 0–60 mph in 2.7 seconds, delivering repeatable launches and playful balance, though its heft and small cargo space still leave it behind a 911 Turbo S.

The 10 Cheapest Off-Roaders You Can Buy in 2025 (8 minute read)

From bare‑bones Bronco to iconic Jeep, this buyer’s list spotlights budget 4x4s with essentials like low‑range and skid plates, timely as the average new car tops $50,000 amid resilient off‑road enthusiasm.

Why Do Some New Car Audio Systems Just Plain Suck? (12 minute read)

Veteran tuner Ken Ward explains how cost‑cut DACs, poor digital signal processing (DSP) calibration, and rushed integration decisions hobble mainstream factory stereos, contrasting them with premium setups and outlining fixes dealers use to restore clarity and dynamic range.

2025 Bentley Continental GT Speed | Jay Leno's Garage (34 minute watch)

Jay Leno's Garage tours the new Continental GT Speed, covering its hybridized V8 powertrain, chassis refinements, and craftsmanship, then samples its quiet high‑speed composure and brake performance during an extended road drive.

The MOST FUN "Affordable" New Car to Buy (11 minute watch)

TheStraightPipes weighs steering feel, power‑to‑weight, manual fun, and daily livability across budget contenders, then crowns a pick while flagging tradeoffs like tire roar, cabin materials, and driver‑assist behavior.

What Would You Put This New 5.3-Liter Air-Cooled Flat-Eight In? (2 minute read)

Runge Cars’ Hetzer flat‑eight—designed for a Porsche 911—packs 5.3 liters (325 cubic inches), four cams, 32 valves, and a 9,000 rpm redline, with horsepower and torque figures to be announced closer to launch.