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911 GT3 S/C Drop Top, 900HP Cadillac, Ford Shakeup

PLUS: Nissan Sports Cars Return, Lambo Spied, C-Class EV

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2026-04-17

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Releases & Reviews

Priced at $275,350, the first-ever GT3 convertible pairs the naturally aspirated 4.0-liter flat-six making 502 hp (374 kW) and 331 lb-ft (449 Nm) with a manual-only gearbox and S/T lightweight components. Standard Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes and magnesium wheels help justify the premium over the standard GT3.

Ford's newly formed Product Creation and Industrialization division will oversee the next F-Series trucks alongside a new mid-size EV pickup built on the Universal Electric Vehicle platform. The automaker plans to electrify 90% of its global lineup by 2030, with the F-150 Lightning returning as a range-extender hybrid.

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Technology, Market Data & Analysis

JD Power data shows the average monthly new-car payment hit $806 in March, with nearly one in five buyers now paying over $1,000. Negative equity on trade-ins has climbed to 31.2%, and 84-month loans now account for 13% of all new-car sales.

Ford has merged product development, engineering, purchasing, and manufacturing into a single unit led by COO Kumar Galhotra, while Tesla and Apple veteran Doug Field departs after four years. The restructuring targets refreshing 80% of Ford's North American lineup by 2029, starting with a mid-size EV pickup boasting what Ford calls the "world's cheapest electric motors."

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Car Culture

Doug DeMuro explores the M100-generation Elan, Lotus's controversial front-wheel-drive sports car built during GM ownership with a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder making 162 hp (121 kW). It remains one of the brand's most polarizing and unexpected creations from a fascinating era.

Jay Leno's Garage features a Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing modified to produce 900 hp (671 kW) while still paired with a six-speed manual transmission. As the last factory manual V8 sedan in production, this car represents a dying breed worth celebrating.

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Miscellaneous

With 44% of America's Group III base oil supply disrupted by the Persian Gulf conflict, the API has granted emergency licenses allowing manufacturers to substitute lesser-refined alternatives. GM's Dexos program, however, is refusing to offer the same flexibility, requiring full evaluations of new formulations even as suppliers face dwindling inventory.

The five-year partnership will leverage Microsoft's AI capabilities to improve digital services, strengthen cybersecurity, and enhance engineering across Stellantis's 14 brands, from Alfa Romeo to Ram. The deal reflects the growing reality that software and connected services are now central to the automotive business.

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The electric sedan's cabin features the optional dashboard-spanning Hyperscreen, a star-studded glass roof, Burmester 4D haptic audio, and vegan upholstery options ahead of its full April 20 reveal.

Nissan's product strategy chief confirmed the automaker is "deeply looking at the sports car lineup again," including potentially reviving the Silvia nameplate alongside the Z and forthcoming Skyline.

Geely's new i-HEV hybrid system achieved a Guinness-verified 48.4% thermal efficiency โ€” approaching F1 levels โ€” with a combined fuel economy of 105 mpg (2 L/100km).

Chris Harris on Cars gets behind the wheel of Porsche's new GT3 S/C drop-top for an exclusive first drive of the manual-only, naturally aspirated convertible.

From the $1.9M Bentley R-Type Continental losing 41% to the Ferrari California slipping below $90,000, Hagerty's latest price guide reveals which collector cars are softening this quarter.

Spy shots from the Nรผrburgring reveal the 907 hp (677 kW) Temerario Spyder with what appears to be a removable hard top rather than a fabric roof.

Stellantis Design Studio partnered with aircraft seat maker Geven to redesign business-class seating, bringing automotive-inspired tighter panel gaps and cleaner surfaces to the skies.

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