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- GR GT V-8 Supercar, BMW iX3 First Drive, VW's $186B Gamble
GR GT V-8 Supercar, BMW iX3 First Drive, VW's $186B Gamble
PLUS: Lexus LFA EV Returns, $25K Sports Car Deals, Americans Sick of High Prices
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Releases & Reviews
The GR GT debuts as a full-production Gazoo Racing supercar for the Gran Turismo generation, pairing an all-new 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8 hybrid with 641 horsepower (478 kW). Radical aero and a race-inspired cockpit underline that this is a track-day weapon first, street car second.
BMW’s redesigned iX3 leans hard into its ‘software-defined’ promise, with a four-brain centralized computing architecture that directly links sensors to actuators for quicker responses. On the road, that translates into smoother ride control, sharper driver-assistance behavior, and frequent over-the-air feature upgrades.
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Technology, Market Data & Analysis
The piece argues that ever-more-stressed modern engines are failing sooner, citing sweeping recalls of more than 100,000 Toyota twin-turbo V-6s, 250,000 Honda 3.5-liter V-6s, and some 3 million Hyundai-Kia units. Tight emissions targets, downsizing, and cost-cutting all appear to be pushing piston durability to a breaking point.
After owners complained about Stellantis in-car pop-up ads that require calling a support line to disable, the author asked major automakers if they plan similar tactics. Most brands publicly distance themselves from intrusive ads, yet connected-car data and subscription models make the business temptation hard to ignore.
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Car Culture
Competition Ridge Race Ranch hides in the Arizona desert, nearly 30 miles (48 km) from the nearest paved road and marked only by fences and No Trespassing signs. A recent DZAdventures visit shows a complete but abandoned country-club circuit, a haunting monument to overambitious track dreams.
Hagerty’s long-form film follows Larry Chen inside Czinger’s Los Angeles facility, detailing how 3D-printed chassis nodes and AI-optimized structures come together around a hybrid powertrain making over 1,200 horsepower (895 kW). Extended road and track sessions showcase how this radical manufacturing approach reshapes what a hypercar can be.
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Miscellaneous
Volkswagen Group will invest 160 billion euros (~$186 billion) through 2030, trimming its rolling five-year budget as profits sag in China and the United States. The plan prioritizes core models and software while slowing some EV expansion, particularly at Porsche, which has been hit hardest by tariffs and weak demand.
Subaru is canvassing enthusiasts before green-lighting a new STI, using reactions to its Performance-E STI and Performance-B STI concepts as a reality check. The company is openly weighing a cutting-edge electric setup against the brand-defining turbo boxer engine and manual gearbox that built the STI legend.
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Quick Links
Lexus’s new LFA Concept shares core hardware with Toyota’s GR GT racers, keeping dramatic triangular surfacing while promising a lightweight, track-focused, fully electric flagship designed to recapture the original LFA’s howling-supercar aura.
Kia’s Vision Meta Turismo concept uses a torpedo-shaped body, fin-mounted cameras, a panoramic glass roof, and an augmented-reality head-up display to preview a low-slung electric grand tourer focused on immersive, high-speed long-distance driving.
This used-market roundup highlights three late-model sports cars under $25,000 that blend sharp handling, everyday usability, and modern safety tech, arguing they deliver far more driving joy than similarly priced new crossovers or economy sedans.
The piece argues that, despite Donald Trump’s enthusiasm after visiting Japan, kei cars clash with U.S. tastes for larger, faster, more protective-feeling vehicles and run up against regulations that make these charming city runabouts hard to import profitably.
This auction listing follows Paul Walker’s stripeless red 2005 Ford GT on Bring a Trailer, recalling its nearly $500,000 result in 2021 and noting bids already past $560,000 as celebrity provenance stokes collector frenzy.
The 2026 Mazda CX-5 adds Google Built-In with Gemini AI voice controls, expanded touchscreen functions, and new capacitive switches so drivers can adjust navigation, climate, and media with fewer glances away from the road.
This edition of The Downshift notes U.S. shoppers facing average new-vehicle prices around $50,000 are increasingly walking from deals, stretching loan terms, or turning to used cars rather than accept today’s sky-high monthly payments.
On carwow, Mat Watson tests a lavish new Bentley limousine, weighing its near-silent ride, ornate cabin craftsmanship, blistering straight-line performance, and surprising practicality to decide whether it truly deserves the title of his best-reviewed car.
The refreshed Honda Passport has racked up 50,530 U.S. sales through November, including a record 4,363-unit November, surging more than 70 percent year over year as buyers embrace its upgraded mid-size SUV formula.
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