Street News

Pickup Beds Should Work Smarter A pickup is only as good as its bed. You’re trading away the security and convenience of a closed trunk for hauling power, so the bed has to earn its keep. That’s exactly what Nissan seems to be targeting with a new tailgate patent aimed at making the bed of the Frontier (or a future truck?) more versatile. Filed at the US Patent and Trademark Office in October 2024 and published in April 2026 (patent no. 20260109410), the application details a tailgate with a sec

If you needed yet another example of what “China speed” means in the automotive industry, here it is. The new Freelander brand, which is the fruit of a joint venture between China's Chery Auto and Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), has already unveiled its first production model, less than a month after revealing its first concept vehicle. So say hello to the Freelander 8, a luxury all-terrain SUV that combines British Land Rover design with Chinese tech into a compelling package. Freelander released the

Electric vehicles tend to perform very well in crash-safety tests, due to how their bodies are structured. Heavy batteries help create a lower center of gravity, while the absence of an engine allows designers more space to create effective crumple zones. The Tesla Cybertruck and Rivian R1T pickups are two of the biggest EVs around, so their sheer size can also improve crash safety. But how do they compare to each other? And how do they perform when it comes to crash prevention? To answer those

Chinese manufacturing giant BYD, through its Fang Cheng Bao luxury brand, unveiled the Formula SL at the 2026 Beijing Auto Show—a 1,000-horsepower electric sedan engineered to disrupt the market currently dominated by the likes of the Tesla Model S Plaid and Porsche Taycan. Seriously Quick and Curiously Contemporary Historically, the Fang Cheng Bao sub-brand built its reputation entirely on rugged, boxy off-roaders. The introduction of the 'Formula' sub-brand marks an aggressive, targeted pivot

From fossil fuels to future mobility, Shell is encouraging EVs. Its upcoming concept car, built around the Triple 10 Challenge, is set to debut in June. Rather than chasing extreme performance figures, this project focuses on making electric vehicles even more efficient and easier to live with day to day. The Triple 10 Challenge Shell Shell’s Triple 10 Challenge sets out three cle

Fuel Prices are Doing the Selling Rising fuel prices – driven by trouble in the Middle East – are putting EVs back in the spotlight. As oil prices rise, it’s easier to show buyers why EVs make sense. Lower running costs, fewer trips to the pump, and less stress about sudden price hikes turn EVs from a trend into a smart, everyday choice. This isn’t just a US story. Europe, the UK, Brazil, and plenty of developing markets are all seeing more people switch to EVs. Chinese brands like BYD are ready

What if you could live inside a Mercedes-Benz? Not a status-symbol sedan or a lavish SUV, but a commercial van. Based in California, Vanspeed has reimagined the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter into what it calls the Album. Sitting much higher than the more lifestyle-focused Mercedes-Benz VLE in the lineup, the Sprinter is the brand’s big, utilitarian workhorse. While plenty of builders have turned Sprinters into camper vans, few come close to what Vanspeed has done here. Flexible Design That Actually Wor

The Legend of the 429 The Ford Mustang Boss 429 is widely regarded as one of the most extreme first-generation models, alongside the Shelby GT500. Part of that comes from its motorsports roots, with its 429-cubic-inch (7.0-liter) V8 designed to homologate Ford’s NASCAR engine and take on Chrysler’s 426 Hemi. That racing pedigree, combined with a limited production run of just over 1,350 units, makes the Mustang Boss 429 a highly appealing collector car. One of the 499 examples built for the 1970

A National Tech Pivot AI, like agriculture and electricity, belongs among the human inventions that have reshaped the world, and China is moving to capitalize on it. Reuters reports that the country’s latest five-year plan includes a blueprint for “AI Plus,” which seeks to integrate AI systems into nearly every sector, including automotive. One notable goal is to reduce dependence on high-end semiconductors, a trade chokepoint described as dominated by the U.S. It essentially means China is rein

New Market Luxury Chinese automakers have been expanding and developing rapidly. The industry's scale and the sheer amount of support their automotive industry receives allow them to continue producing cars. In a relatively short time, the quality and capabilities of Chinese-made cars have improved, and they're expanding into new areas. These companies tout new energy-focused products, whether EVs or PHEVs, but some brands are now positioning luxury as a selling point. Infamous custom builder Ma

Over the last six months, BMW has revealed some very important cars: the iX3 crossover, the i3 sedan, and most recently, the 7 Series luxury limo. The latter was a major overhaul of the existing vehicle rather than an all-new car, and the subject of today's spy shots from the Nürburgring, the M5 Touring, is even less of a change from what came before. Or is it? Not only is the styling being updated for the M5's Life Cycle Impulse, or facelift, but things are moving forward inside, too. BMW is no

The Art Of Teasing Lately, Subaru has been the biggest automotive tease in the industry. Enthusiasts and brand loyalists have, from time to time, hoped for the return of truly iconic nameplates like the STi and other performance-focused models the brand is known for. Instead, what began as teasers and cryptic posts on official brand social media pages has become just another special edition of an already existing car. One of their latest teasers has just become a reality, although not a road car

Early Promise, Familiar Concerns GM rolled out the 3.0-liter Duramax LM2 as its answer for folks who wanted diesel power in a half-ton truck or SUV, but didn’t want to go full heavy-duty. You’ll find it in models like the GMC Sierra 1500. With 277 horsepower and 460 lb-ft of torque, it promised plenty of muscle for towing, plus better fuel economy than the big V8 diesels. Owners liked how smooth and efficient this engine felt on the highway. For a while, it was the diesel sweet spot in GM’s line

The Entire Hyundai Group is Affected Ever heard of an ICCU? Well, now you'll know because apparently, Hyundai is getting sued for it. Otherwise known as the integrated charging control units, the South Korean brand looks like it's going to court over that and a bunch of fuses. Vehicles affected in this case are from 2024, Car Complaints reports. The ICCU manages the high-voltage battery's power distribution and converts the battery's power to 12-volt power that is used by the accessories. It als

The Next Phase Is Underway Tesla has officially begun production of the Cybercab at Giga Texas, marking a significant shift in its positioning as more than just an electric vehicle maker. However, there’s a major catch, as unsupervised driving without traditional controls has yet to be approved. The Cybercab units rolling off the production line appear to lack a steering wheel and side mirrors, and likely pedals as well. Without approval for unsupervised autonomous driving, the two-seater robota

You Can Never Be Too Sure The automotive industry is complex; it has many facets that need constant oversight and proper handling. One major aspect is, of course, the production of the cars themselves, which entails many moving parts and people. We're so used to hearing that building cars today is state-of-the-art technology. Big factories with robots and humans working in harmony to build cars at a rapid rate to meet growing global demands. However, no matter how hard we try to ensure that each

More for Less Here we are again with the Porsche packages and their ridiculous options. You can pick up the full story of the new Porsche Cayenne Coupe Electric here, and I do recommend you look at that first before coming back to this article to get the full context. Don't worry, I can wait. Anyway, have you read it? Okay, now that you're back, you will know that Porsche launched a beast of an electric SUV with over 1,000 horsepower in launch control mode and a new roofline that is inspired b

Nissan’s Next Nismo Is Electric Nissan has been quietly pushing the Nismo badge into more segments, and the next model in line isn’t what most would expect. After confirming last year that Nismo would reach beyond just sports cars, Nissan is now showing how that plan takes shape. The Z Nismo with a manual transmission just arrived, but Nissan’s next Nismo offering is set to take a different path. This time, it looks like the focus is on electric power. Reports from Creative Trend, a Japanese sit

Mazda Sweetens the Deal Buying plug-in hybrids is more compelling than ever, thanks to expanded electrification infrastructure and automakers like Toyota doubling down on hybrids instead of fully electric vehicles. Against this backdrop, Mazda is stepping in with a limited-time $5,000 discount on its CX-70 and CX-90 PHEV models. CarsDirect reports, citing dealer incentive bulletins, that the CX-70 PHEV now starts at $40,780, down from $45,780, including destination fees. That makes it cheaper on

There's a new Mitsubishi Outlander on the block that's a sub-$30k mild-hybrid, but if you've got one of the older Outlanders, in gas-only or plug-in hybrid form, you may have a weapon of mass concussion. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has announced a recall for the crossover because the gas springs holding up the tailgate may lose pressure. Such a thing may cause the liftgate to fall slowly, but in some cases, the gas spring cylinder may rupture, causing the body panel to fal

The BMW iX Flow took the 2022 Consumer Electronics Show by storm. This was BMW's interestingly styled electric SUV (that has somehow not been a roaring sales success—go figure), wrapped in E Ink, with a film containing millions of color capsules that would respond to electrical signals to create either negatively charged white or positively charged black pigments. The shifting hues could create various patterns or shapes, but the tech looked fairly rudimentary in its execution, wild as it was at

For all the promises of a zero-emission future, the reality of electric vehicle manufacturing remains a dirty business. In South Texas, the consequences are flowing directly into local waterways. Tesla’s billion-dollar lithium refinery outside Corpus Christi—marketed by CEO Elon Musk as a clean, acid-free operation—is now at the center of an environmental crisis. Independent lab tests have detected carcinogenic heavy metals and elevated lithium levels in the 231,000 gallons of wastewater the fac

Pocket Rocket Kimera Automobili's going four-wheel drive for its EVO38 Collezione Martini. That and 640 horsepower in a car that weighs less than 2,500 lbs. The new EVO38 is an evolution of Kimera's 38, which was introduced in 2024. It's also a successor to the EVO37, and picks up where that car left off. To be precise, we're looking at a curb weight of 2,425 lbs (1,100 kg), paired with a motor that drives all four wheels and delivers 640 horsepower. The Martini Kimera was a hit, and it's resul

Trump Policies Push Ford’s U.S. Production to New Highs An exclusive report from the Washington Reporter claims that trade and tariff policies under Donald Trump are reshaping the auto industry’s manufacturing footprint. The data, sourced from S&P Global Mobility, shows that Ford Motor Company imported just 378,123 vehicles into the United States in 2025. That figure places Ford among the least import-reliant major automakers, trailing only Tesla and BMW. Ford built roughly six vehicles in t

2025 on the Black Stellantis has been working to get back on track after a tough run, despite 2025 showing slightly positive signs, especially in the US. Jeep, Ram, and Dodge have been doing the heavy lifting, driving up shipments and building momentum after months of inventory headaches, pricing problems, and slow EV sales. Ram and Jeep are still the main profit engines in North America, while Peugeot and Fiat hold things down in Europe and Latin America. So this latest report isn’t really a sh

Engineered Scarcity The Lamborghini Temerario is supposed to be the brand's "entry-level" option, slotting below the flagship Revuelto. It effectively replaces the Huracan, which was a bestseller for Lamborghini during its long run as the entry model. It made its official debut in 2024, and here we are two years later with the brand employing an interesting production and sales tactic. Engineered scarcity is a new term and internal process used by most luxury brands. It simply means that they a

Reshaping Tesla’s Roadmap Elon Musk used Tesla’s April 22 earnings call to outline a future that leans heavily into autonomy. The headline claim? The upcoming second-generation Tesla Roadster will be the only model in the lineup designed for full human control. Everything else is expected to transition toward self-driving capability through software and hardware evolution. He also framed the Tesla Cybercab as the brand’s de facto compact car. It is a two-seat vehicle that prioritizes space effic