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- New Pacifica, Stellantis' Huge Loss, CLK Black Series
New Pacifica, Stellantis' Huge Loss, CLK Black Series
PLUS: ZR1 Unlocks 1200 HP, Porsche V8, Ford's $495 Frunk
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2026-02-27
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Releases & Reviews
After a decade on the same platform, Chrysler's only remaining model gets a bold new face that's already dividing opinions, while the rest of the body carries over largely unchanged. The refreshed Pacifica adds a standard Hurricane turbo-four making 310 hp (231 kW) and 310 lb-ft (420 Nm), replacing the aging Pentastar V-6 and promising better fuel economy across the lineup.
The revived Italian marque's naturally aspirated 7.0-liter V-12, developed with ItalTecnica, produces 900 hp (671 kW) and revs to a screaming 10,200-rpm redline — no turbos, no hybrid assist. It's destined for the track-only P900, a hypercar that bucks every modern trend by relying purely on displacement and engineering artistry for its staggering output.
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Technology, Market Data & Analysis
The automaker posted a staggering $26.2 billion net loss for 2025, including $23.8 billion in the second half alone, eliminating profit sharing for its unionized U.S. workforce. New CEO Antonio Filosa is charting a recovery around the revived Jeep Cherokee, Hemi-powered Ram trucks, and a renewed focus on the North American market that bled $2.2 billion last year.
Researchers at UC Santa Cruz demonstrated that visual-language AI models used in autonomous vehicles can be tricked into dangerous behavior by simply holding up a carefully crafted sign. The study highlights a growing concern as automakers increasingly rely on sophisticated multimodal AI systems that reason through edge cases in ways their creators can't fully predict or audit.
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Car Culture
In this Hagerty deep dive, Jason Cammisa traces the lineage of Mercedes' most extreme road cars, from the DTM-inspired CLK to the ferocious Black Series models that followed. The episode explores how Mercedes-AMG's motorsport DNA translated into limited-production street machines that have become some of the most collectible modern German cars.
One of just 44 ever built, this NISMO 400R — packing a hand-built 400 hp (298 kW) RB26 engine — could become only the second Japanese car to cross the million-dollar auction threshold after the Toyota 2000GT. The car represents the pinnacle of '90s JDM performance and a Gran Turismo legend finally getting its due in the collector market.
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Miscellaneous
Despite Elon Musk repeatedly promising a California robotaxi launch within months, previously unreported DMV records reveal Tesla logged zero autonomous test miles in the state for the sixth consecutive year. The company has made no progress through California's multi-step permit process — the same one Waymo successfully navigated to launch its driverless service.
The recall covers nearly 4.4 million vehicles including the F-150, F-250, Expedition, Maverick, Ranger, and Transit models from 2021–2026 over a trailer brake controller software issue. Ford has already issued 10 recalls in 2026 and leads NHTSA's chart this year, following a record-setting 152 safety recalls affecting over 13 million vehicles in 2025.
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Quick Links
HP Tuners cracked the twin-turbo LT7's engine control module, and a tuned ZR1 put down a claimed 1,180 hp (880 kW) to the wheels — all for about $2,000.
The upcoming K1 SUV, originally planned as electric-only, will now offer V6 and V8 powertrain options as Porsche pulls back from its all-EV ambitions amid cooling demand.
A new Cox Automotive study finds over a third of Americans would cross-shop Chinese car brands if available, with Gen Z showing nearly identical interest at 39%.
Stellantis' bestseller gets the new Hurricane turbo-four and a more luxurious interior, signaling a brand reset aimed at better value and refinement.
The second edition of the Oberoi Concours d'Elegance in Udaipur, India drew global collectors and historians, reaffirming the subcontinent's growing status in the classic car world.
With every subcompact now dead in America, this pristine final-generation Fit just sold on Bring a Trailer for barely less than its original sticker price.
Doug DeMuro makes the case that the fourth-generation 300ZX remains one of the most underappreciated Japanese sports cars of the 1990s.
The new hybrid powertrain pairs a turbo 2.5-liter four-cylinder with two electric motors for up to 35 mpg (6.7 L/100km) combined, starting at $48,035.
Hagerty's valuation experts round up collectible cars delivering 300 hp (224 kW) without the six-figure price tags typically attached to high-performance classics.
The 2026 Mustang Mach-E's front trunk is now a $495 option — making Ford the first automaker to charge extra for what most EVs include standard.
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