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Rivian R2 Driven, EPA Guts Emissions Rules, V12 Aston Deal
PLUS: AMG Black Series Returns, Audi S6 Dead, Toyota V12
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2026-02-13
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Releases & Reviews
Priced at roughly $45,000, the Dual Motor AWD launch model delivers over 300 miles (483 km) of range and impressed on both highways and National Forest trails near Irvine, California. The R2 retains Rivian's adventurous DNA despite significant cost-cutting, making it the brand's most critical vehicle yet.
German precision-component supplier Capricorn has partnered with legendary Italian coachbuilder Zagato to create a radically lightweight hypercar with 900 hp (671 kW) and a gated manual transmission. Drawing on experience building F1 cars for Lotus and Le Mans chassis for Porsche, the driver-first machine rejects excess tech in favor of pure mechanical connection.
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Technology, Market Data & Analysis
In what the EPA calls the "single largest deregulatory action in US history," the agency has eliminated rules encouraging fuel-saving technologies like auto stop/start and is rolling back major climate protections established under President Obama. The sweeping changes go far beyond the much-despised feature, potentially reshaping emissions standards for years to come.
The average new car transaction price hit $49,191 in January, down 2.2% from December's all-time record but still nearly 2% higher year-over-year. Analysts say the sub-$20,000 car is effectively gone, with every automaker having ended production of vehicles at that price point.
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Car Culture
This archived test from Car and Driver's March 1996 issue captures the moment Ford's best-selling truck — already America's top-selling vehicle for 14 straight years — pivoted toward carlike refinement. The all-new-for-1997 F-150 surprised testers with its brougham-like ride quality and unexpectedly sporty handling characteristics.
The DB11, which marked Aston Martin's historic shift from naturally aspirated to twin-turbocharged V12 power in 2017, has depreciated so heavily that used examples now undercut new Corvette pricing. It's a striking opportunity to own a grand tourer with a 600 hp (448 kW) V12 for a fraction of its original cost.
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Miscellaneous
Waymo's sixth-generation autonomous driving system is finally ready for passenger trips, rolling out first to employees and their friends in San Francisco and Los Angeles before opening to the public. More significantly, the company says it's now prepared for high-volume vehicle production as it seeks to cement its lead in the robotaxi race.
NHTSA estimates that 67 million defective Takata airbags were installed across tens of millions of vehicles in the U.S., and after prolonged heat and humidity exposure, they can explode during deployment causing serious injury or death. Several specific vehicles have now received the most urgent "Do Not Drive" designation, meaning they should be immediately taken in for repair.
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Quick Links
The fifth variant in Porsche's electric Macan lineup adds GTS-signature black accents and a sportier tune, making it arguably the sweetest-driving electric compact SUV in the range.
Nissan's third-generation Leaf finally adds liquid-cooled batteries and a dedicated EV platform, delivering better interior space and range than the hatchback it replaces in a smaller footprint.
Squeezed between the RAV4 and Grand Highlander, Toyota's three-row SUV fights back for 2027 with radical new styling and an all-electric powertrain option.
Mercedes-AMG interim boss Michael Schiebe confirmed to Car and Driver that the brand's most extreme, track-focused performance line will make a comeback.
Jay Leno's Garage explores a stripped-down 1991 Dodge diesel with a manual transmission, celebrating the era of pure mechanical simplicity before electronics took over trucks.
StopTech, alongside Raybestos and Centric, is ceasing all operations as parent company First Brands Group files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy with $6 billion in debt.
Audi confirmed the high-performance S6 sedan won't return, though the electric S6 e-tron with 543 hp (405 kW) and a new A6 Sport Plus package aim to fill the gap.
Ford posted an $11.1 billion fourth-quarter loss and $8.2 billion total for the year, driven by massive EV write-downs, tariff headaches, and supplier fires.
On DRIVETRIBE, Hammond finally unleashes his 630 hp (470 kW) Grand Tour Buick after five years of waiting, pushing the question of whether he's gone too far.
A Japanese report claims Toyota's stunning Century Coupe concept will be powered by an electrically assisted, twin-turbocharged 6.0-liter V12 producing 800 hp (597 kW).
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