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Ford GT 'Ring Record, Tanking Prius, Peak Acura

PLUS: Montero Returns!, Bronco Goes Hybrid, Kia K4

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2026-04-03

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Releases & Reviews

Driven by factory driver FrΓ©dΓ©ric Vervisch, the track-only GT Mk IV ripped the 12.9-mile (20.8 km) Nordschleife in 6:15.977, making it the fastest gas-powered car and fastest American car to ever lap the circuit. Only the Porsche 919 Evo and Mercedes-AMG One have gone quicker.

Built around a quad-turbo 6.6-liter V12 that produces up to 1,250 hp (933 kW) on its own, the Danish hypercar's hybrid system pushes total output even higher. Zenvo claims this is the most powerful V12 setup ever installed in a production road car.

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Technology, Market Data & Analysis

Deliveries rose a modest 6% year over year, but that's measured against a dismal Q1 2025 when sales had cratered 13%. The rebound barely puts a dent in deeper trends, with the company still struggling to move inventory despite refreshed models.

Toyota moved just 9,737 units in Q1 2026, a stunning 41.5% drop from last year's 16,653. Toyota says it's not a demand problem but a production allocation shift β€” the company is prioritizing other hybrids that are selling in higher volumes.

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Car Culture

A chance encounter with Hagerty insurance after a Mini Cooper accident led the author down an unexpected path to classic car ownership β€” culminating in a Craigslist gamble on a Mustang that turned out to be the real deal.

Doug DeMuro examines why this third-generation sedan represented the brand at its best, with its rev-happy V6, available six-speed manual, and a design that still holds up two decades later.

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Miscellaneous

The refreshed EQS will offer an optional steer-by-wire system paired with an aviation-inspired yoke, and early impressions from a hands-on test in Portugal suggest Mercedes has solved the usability problems that plagued Tesla's version.

The Black Eyed Peas frontman unveiled the Trinity at CES 2026 β€” a three-wheeled electric vehicle with hubless wheels and AI-powered navigation, designed as an urban mobility solution. It joins a long line of Will.I.Am automotive passion projects, including a V8-swapped Beetle and a restyled DeLorean.

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Farley revealed on Spike's Car Radio podcast that every model in Ford's lineup will get a hybrid option, with the hugely popular Bronco among them.

The body-on-frame SUV, which shares its platform with the Nissan Armada, is set for a global debut in Q3 of this year.

The BMW iX3 swept World Car of the Year and World EV honors at the New York Auto Show, while the Ioniq 6 N won World Performance Car.

Older buyers who lusted after the Z in their youth but couldn't afford it are now snapping up the performance version as trophy and retirement cars.

The Korean automaker unveiled the Boulder concept at the New York Auto Show, signaling a full line of rugged body-on-frame vehicles starting with a midsize truck.

Despite America's SUV obsession, Kia made the hatchback work Stateside by offering it alongside the sedan rather than instead of it.

Harry's garage examines the upheaval gripping the auto industry as manufacturers write off billions in EV investments and scramble to bring back combustion engines.

This bone-stock seventh-generation pickup on the Hagerty Marketplace embodies the unpretentious, charm-filled simplicity that modern trucks have abandoned.

The Chinese automaker could become the first from China to manufacture vehicles in North America, using Stellantis's idled Brampton, Ontario plant.

Savagegeese takes a thorough look at how the Escalade's 6.2-liter V8 character and massive 55-inch curved display define the American luxury experience.

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