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We’ve got some live track testing going on at Darana Motorsports Park where PDRA’s top teams are on hand to see what kind of improvements they can make as they get ready for this weekend’s PDRA East Coast Nationals at Darana Motorsports Park. Check out all the testing action live right here, plus eliminations rounds that didn’t get finished up at the season opening PDRA Carolina Nationals last weekend. You’ll see them finish off this race today, before starting up East Coast Nationals action tomorrow and Saturday. The post FREE DRAG RACING LIVESTREAM: Check Out The PDRA Testing and Carolina Nationals Eliminations from Darana Motorsports Park in Benson NC appeared first on BangShift.com. View the full article

We’ve got live drag racing coming to you from Division 7! It’s Lucas Oil Drag Racing at it’s finest and every pair that goes down the race track is right here live. If you like Sportsman Drag Racing, where wheels-up action is the norm, then this is the racing for you. We’re talking Stock, Super Stock, Comp, Alcohol classes, and more right here from The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Check it out and let us know what you think! Video Description: Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Division 7 From Las Vegas Motor Speedway starting Thursday on YouTube. https://www.nhra.com/schedule/2026 The post FREE LIVE DRAG RACING: NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Division 7 Regional From The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway – Thursday appeared first on BangShift.com. View the full article

In recent weeks, Ryan Blaney has grown increasingly frustrated with mistakes on pit road and slow stops from the No. 12 Team Penske Ford crew. Crew chief Jonathan Hassler has been fairly open about the problems as well, and the need to improve. Despite winning at Phoenix, he had to overcome multiple issues on pit road during that race, and it was a similar story en route to a runner-up finish ...Keep readingView the full article

Good news! The C9 Audi RS 6, expected to debut later this year for the 2027 model year, will be available as both Avant (station wagon) and sedan for the first time in 15 years, as confirmed by new spy shots. For the record, the last time the RS 6 had a trunk was with the C6 generation, a super sedan with a 571-horsepower 5.0-liter twin-turbocharged V10 distantly related to the naturally aspirated singer of an engine in the R8 and the Lamborghini Gallardo supercars. With the march of time, such monstrous engines are no longer feasible, and even back then, the twin-turbo ten-cylinder was only available for a single generation. That's as far down memory lane as we ought to go, as there's lots to talk about with the impending M5 rival. 2027 Audi RS 6 Sedan: Twin-Turbo Hybrid Power, But How Many Cylinders? SH Proshots/Autoblog View the 2 images of this gallery on the original article Our spies say the new RS 6 will likely get a twin-turbocharged V6 hybrid powertrain with around 730 hp, which would be a similar setup to the new RS 5, where it develops 630 ponies, but we disagree with them on this one. Last year, Autocar also reported a figure of 730 hp to make the C9 the most powerful RS 6 yet, but said it would come from a V8, specifically an updated version of the 4.0-liter twin-turbo engine developed by Porsche. This engine is also in use in the Lamborghini Urus SE and several Bentley products, and after Mercedes learned the hard way that AMG customers don't like downsizing, we doubt Audi would make a similar mistake as it tries to draw BMW customers out of their 717-hp sedans and wagons. Related: Audi’s Only U.S. Sales Winners Are Sedans as Sales Drop 30% On the other hand, Audi went to great lengths to extract 503 hp from its 2.9-liter twin-turbo V6 as part of the RS 5's powertrain development, and it would no doubt want to use that engine in more products than just one. Either way, with more power than an M5 and a reveal expected before the end of the year, it won't be long before the C9 RS 6 is grabbing headlines. C9 Audi RS 6 Sedan Looks Awesome From Every Angle SH Proshots/Autoblog View the 3 images of this gallery on the original article While this is still a pre-production development mule and therefore subject to change, the bodywork beneath the full vinyl camouflage appears complete. At the front, we see Audi's fancy animated LED running lights either side of an imposing central grille with diamond-shaped mesh. This will undoubtedly be black to help hide the radar and other sensors in the lower section of the grille and to make the license plate holder less obvious. Below each headlight, we see large vertical intakes, which will help direct air to both cooling systems and the front brakes. Moving further backward, swollen arches house gigantic multi-spoke wheels and drilled and slotted brake rotors. As with the RS 5, the front fenders are vented, and the pumped-up rear arches flow from the rear door panels, exacerbating the effect of width and making this super sedan imposing from any angle. SH Proshots/Autoblog View the 2 images of this gallery on the original article At the back, new taillights will be connected by a vanity strip of some sort, likely an illuminated bar, and below each cluster, we see what appear to be fake vents as part of the lighting structure. There's a subtle but noticeable spoiler atop the trunk, and like the RS 5 once more, the tailpipes are simply massive and housed near the center of a large diffuser panel. Finally, yellow decals on each windshield confirm hybrid power. In a nutshell, the new RS 6 will command attention from any angle, and with this test mule being spied around the Nürburgring, it won't be long before more information starts to hit our inbox. View the full article

We’re days away from the world premiere of the all-new electric Mercedes-Benz C-Class, but the company has given us a taste of what’s to come with a first look at the sedan’s interior. This car will compete directly with the well-received BMW i3, so it has to do well, and that includes how comfortable and upscale the cabin feels. Described as a personal retreat by the automaker, the new C-Class continues Merc’s run of designing the flashiest interiors in the luxury segment—but you better be a fan of screens. Wide MBUX Superscreen and Glitzy Lighting Mercedes-Benz The interior of the electric C-Class is dominated by the MBUX Hyperscreen or Superscreen, which stretches all the way across the dashboard. Whereas the screen in the larger, recently refreshed EQS has large bezels separating the three displays, the C-Class has one continuous display that looks gorgeous at night. It’s a completely different look to the new BMW i3, which has a separate center touchscreen and a smaller driver’s display at the base of the windshield. The two brands have always had unique design philosophies, but this is as different as it gets—BMW now divides displays into two levels, whereas Mercedes puts everything lower down and closer to the driver in one larger display. For reference, the i3's more restrained interior is pictured below. BMW Extravagant lighting has been a feature of modern Mercs, and the C-Class can also be had with a Sky Control panoramic roof with 162 illuminated stars. The overall layout is very similar to that of the electric GLC, but the driving position will be lower and sportier in the sedan. Physical switches are used sparingly, such as for the cruise control and volume on the new steering wheel. A Burmester 3D surround-sound system is available with a new speaker grille design. For anyone finding it a bit too disco-like, there are independently adjustable brightness zones to tone things down if that’s what you prefer. Other tech highlights include Energizing Comfort programs (including seat massaging) and a new climate control system that heats up twice as fast as equivalent systems in a combustion-powered model. Upscale, Sustainable Materials Mercedes-Benz The C-Class interior can be customized with a wide range of colors and materials. There’s a new Twisted Diamond design for the sports seats in Nappa leather. Deep Black, Warm Beech Brown, and Ivory Beige are the standard shades, but many more are expected to be optional. Trim elements can be had in finishes like natural fiber honeycomb, open-pore wood in various shades, and AMG carbon fiber. There’s also an available Vegan Package, which makes the C-Class cabin fully vegan-certified. This option adds soft-touch materials to the seats, headliner, pillars, door panels, and carpeting. Mercedes has also paid great attention to noise isolation, which is crucial in an EV. This starts with a rigid bodyshell and extends to aspects like laminated safety glass and a new, quieter air-conditioning unit. “With the all-new electric C‑Class, we’ve raised everything customers love about this model to the next level,” said Ola Källenius, Chairman of the Board of Management, Mercedes-Benz Group AG. “The result is a new benchmark for quality, craftsmanship and comfort. It is the most spacious and most intelligent C-Class ever.” Final Thoughts Mercedes-Benz The electric C-Class has a lot going for it. Teased last month, early European impressions (from the passenger seat only, mind you) suggest a big step up in refinement and comfort. Final performance specifications remain unknown, but comfort appears to have been prioritized over explosive performance, at least in the early non-AMG models. The new interior is a complete departure from the one in the current gas-powered C-Class. Tech lovers will drool over it, but we’ll have to assess usability when we get behind the wheel. That will only happen a while after the world premiere on April 20, but we look forward to a heated tussle between this and the BMW i3. View the full article

The season opening NHRA Gatornationals in Florida was a huge event again in 2026, and the action was hot and heavy. Starting off the 75th anniversary season for NHRA, this race always hits hard and had sold out crowds throughout the weekend. Florida racing fans show up in force, and this year was no different. With every team wanting to hit the ground running, and aiming for as many points as possible this early in the season, the ramifications from this event are huge. Yeah it’s the first race of the season and that means there is still a lot of racing left, but getting off on the right food can be a real game changer for some of these teams. Here’s the full replay of NHRA’s broadcast. The post 2026 AMALIE Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals Full Broadcast Replay. Watch All The Racing Action From Start To Finish! appeared first on BangShift.com. View the full article

A hardcore new take on the Aston Martin Vantage has been spied on and around the Nürburgring in Germany, and it's the wildest version of the automaker's smallest offering so far, with as many exhaust pipes as it has cylinders: eight. The only other car in recent times to have so many outlets is the Bugatti Tourbillon with the Équipe Pur Sang option, and that's a multi-million dollar hypercar with a V16 engine. So what is Aston Martin up to? Well, our spies say this may be a new Vantage RS or Vantage AMR, potentially with upgrades developed in racing. Let's take a closer look. Hardcore Aston Martin Vantage Prototype Has a Long Way to Go SH Proshots/Autoblog This is our first sighting of this hardcore Vantage, and the matte black development mule looks far from finished. The outer exhaust tips are seemingly unchanged from those on the regular Vantage, and those in the center of the diffuser don't have the same finishers. Higher up, the large wing on the rear decklid is too crude for a production car. While we see carbon fiber here, the bolts on this wing are simply ugly. In addition, the shape of the wing is very similar to that of the previous-generation Vantage GT4, being far less sculptural than Gaydon's current race car. All of these factors indicate that this Vantage is at the early stages of on-road development, and we expect prettier looks for its final form. SH Proshots/Autoblog View the 3 images of this gallery on the original article As for the rest of the vehicle, the only other clue to suggest this is not a standard Vantage is the front splitter, which is deeper and slightly more aggressive. As our first sighting, we don't yet have any rumors to share, but we suspect that Aston Martin won't be going quite this wild for the final production model. Sure, a new splitter and rear wing will feature, but we highly doubt the automaker will offer a car with eight tips. Instead, we suspect that Aston Martin is either working on a new central exhaust system for the hardcore Vantage, making the outer tips redundant, or it's added the center tips just to generate a buzz. The former option seems more viable. New Aston Martin Vantage V12? It's Not Impossible SH Proshots/Autoblog View the 3 images of this gallery on the original article Last year, CarBuzz spoke with Aston Martin about its future Vantage plans, and while the British automaker was not willing to share in-depth details, it did say that not only would more hardcore variants be coming, but also that the twin-turbocharged V12 used in the Vanquish could theoretically fit in the Vantage's engine bay. Our spies would have said something if they heard the note of anything but a V8, so this prototype is doubtless the former, a more extreme Vantage with a tweaked engine, and a V12 variant would likely only follow nearer the end of this Vantage's life cycle. We'll report back once we know more. SH Proshots/Autoblog SH Proshots/Autoblog SH Proshots/Autoblog SH Proshots/Autoblog SH Proshots/Autoblog SH Proshots/Autoblog View the full article

The golden bowtie is out, and a new monochromatic one is in at Chevrolet. The automaker's updated global logo has appeared for the first time on a teaser of the 2027 Chevy Sonic RS, which will debut in Brazil next month, but it will be applied to other new Chevys soon, starting with the 2027 model year. Why fix what isn't broken? Does Chevy feel left behind in a world where Ford has a new Blue Oval, German automaker BMW has updated its roundel, and Mazda has flattened its wings? Maybe, but the official answer is that it makes sense given how the design of new cars is evolving. Chevy Explains Why It Has a New Logo, But the Changes Are Subtle General Motors Alexandre Ameri, Head of Design at GM South America, says that the sixth generation of the bowtie logo has appeared, not because of some connection to EVs, but because of how front fascias are changing, saying, "The change follows the trend of slimmer headlight and grilles due to the evolution of lighting, propulsion, and even manufacturing resources. All of this is connected to the brand's new global identity." If you can't immediately identify the changes beyond color, we don't blame you, but look closer and compare the previous and new logos side by side, and you'll see that the bowtie is a little more horizontal, creating a sleeker, more modern look. Not only will this change allow Chevy to jump on the illuminated logo bandwagon, but it will also make the logo look more homogenous with cars painted in any color. Sure, a monochromatic look may make the logo less obvious from a distance, but the illumination will help with that, and since other automakers are doing similar things, it feels like a necessary change, particularly for nighttime brand presence. Sonic RS Is the First Chevy of a New Era Adam Lynton/Autoblog The new logo will appear on the 2027 Sonic crossover's upper front grille, tailgate, 17-inch wheel center caps, and, of course, the middle of the steering wheel. While North America won't get this affordable machine, we expect the logo to appear on things like the 2027 Silverado, the next-generation Camaro, and the affordable EV GM is working on, and we've already seen black bowties on some North American vehicles like the Stars & Steel Silverado. What remains to be seen is if this change will also affect the 2027 Corvette because, just as a Mustang doesn't outwardly display Ford logos, only pony logos, so 'Vettes only show the bowtie within the Corvette logo to reinforce the idea that it's a separate, performance-focused brand. Time will tell, but for now, let us know how you feel about the new look in the comments below. View the full article

Texas resident Joshua Brown was behind the wheel of his Tesla with FSD engaged when he pulled up to a level crossing. The gates were already down when, without warning, his Tesla reportedly accelerated forward on its own. It happened fast. The lowered crossing gate slammed into his driver's side window, and Brown had a split second to react. He told Storyful, along with onboard video from his Tesla, ”Years of racing have drilled the old adage into me: when in doubt, throttle out." So instead of braking, he floored it, bursting through to the other side of the tracks, mere seconds away from collision with the train. Moments later, after he had come to a stop, a notification pops up on the screen informing him that FSD had disengaged. The incident, once again, highlights why Tesla’s FSD is being investigated by the NHTSA and why drivers must not mistake the technology as being fully autonomous at this point in time. Storyful View the 2 images of this gallery on the original article Latest In A Growing Pattern of Close CallsThis is not the first time Tesla's FSD has found itself in trouble near railroad infrastructure. There have been multiple documented incidents across the United States where the system has struggled with level crossings, unexpected acceleration, and failures to respond correctly to physical barriers. Regulators and safety advocates have long pointed to these near-misses as evidence that the technology is being rolled out faster than it can be validated. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened several investigations into Tesla's driver assistance systems in recent years, and the broader conversation around autonomous driving has grown increasingly cautious. Brown himself had logged over 40,000 miles using FSD without a serious incident before this day, which makes the failure all the more striking. Tesla View the 2 images of this gallery on the original article The Update That Came the Day AfterOne day after Brown's incident, Tesla released a new version of FSD Supervised. It promises 20 percent faster reaction times and a range of other safety improvements. Whether that update was directly connected to the Texas incident is unknown. The timing, though, is hard to ignore. Tesla has consistently maintained that FSD Supervised is far safer than human driving, citing internal data showing one major crash every 5.3 million miles compared to one per 660,000 miles for average drivers. Tesla But Elon Musk himself acknowledged in January that truly reliable full autonomy is still several years away. Despite its name, Full Self-Driving does not mean fully autonomous. Tesla instructs drivers to remain alert and keep their hands on the wheel, and it’s a good thing this driver’s instincts took over where FSD failed. View the full article

There are programs that spend years grinding toward their first win light. They write checks, burn nitro, shake the car down, and work through the learning curve one weekend at a time. And then there’s what Richard Freeman and Tony Stewart just did at the NHRA Winternationals in Pomona. Three races were all it took. Three races from the moment Elite Motorsports fielded the R&L Carriers Top Fuel dragster with Stewart behind the wheel to the moment they pulled into the Pomona winner’s circle. From the announcement of the partnership in September 2025 to a national event trophy in hand? Roughly six months. In the world of NHRA nitro drag racing, where teams with unlimited budgets go years without winning, that timeline is almost incomprehensible. Freeman was characteristically direct when asked whether he saw it coming. “Did I expect to win in the first three races? No. But it doesn’t surprise me,” he said. “Those guys are fantastic. Listen, my biggest fear of owning a nitro team was making sure that I surrounded myself with the right people, and this weekend cemented that. Absolutely, one hundred percent – every decision that was made was the right decision to make.” For Freeman, a man who built one of the most dominant Pro Stock programs in NHRA history before ever dreaming of running Top Fuel, the speed of this success traces back to the same principle he’s always operated by. People. Not parts, not cars, but the individuals who make it happen. “The same thing I said a while ago,” he said flatly when asked what his Pro Stock team-building years taught him. “People. It’s 100% about people.” Stewart arrived at this program with 47 years of racing experience and an eye for what a winning culture looks like before it produces results. He says he saw it on the very first day of testing at Gainesville, even when things didn’t go right. “The first day of testing was a total shit show,” Stewart admitted with a laugh. But he knew. He pulled Freeman aside on Friday at Pomona and delivered a verdict: “I’m telling you, bud. It’s here. All the ingredients are here to be successful. You have the right parts, the right cars, and most of all, the right people.” Neither man manufactured that confidence. It was built through personnel decisions: veteran crew chief Mike Green, Joe Barlam alongside him, crew guys like Dustin Davis who bring both knowledge and leadership, and a collection of young talent learning to trust each other at race speed. Stewart described watching it come together like a snowball cresting a hill: “It just keeps getting bigger and bigger and gaining momentum.” The sponsor side of this equation matters too. R+L Carriers has been a visible, invested presence from the jump, and Stewart made a point of acknowledging it. “I’ve met people that have been working for R+L for 6 months and I’ve met some of them that have been working for years,” said Stewart. “And just to see how excited they are about this program and see the success that we’re having this early, that’s the icing on the cake for us.” Sunday evening at Pomona, with the sun going down and a winner’s trophy in hand, that icing was very much on the cake. For Freeman, Stewart, and everyone who bet on this program from day one, it wasn’t just a win. It was confirmation. The right people pointed the right direction can make something great happen in a hurry, and fans just watched it happen in real time. The post From Announcement to Winner’s Circle in Six Months: Elite Motorsports’ Top Fuel Program Is Already the Real Deal first appeared on Drag Illustrated. View the full article

A Playful Return, With Something We All MissedThe new Juke EV doesn’t stray far from what made the original stand out. It’s still a bit polarizing, still quirky, and definitely not built to chase mainstream approval. You see it right away in the design. The yellow-green paint, the sharp lines and creases, and the wildly styled LED graphics give it more of an origami vibe than a typical crossover. It leans so far into the concept-car look that you might wonder if it’s actually headed for production. Nissan But it is. Look closer, and you’ll spot things like parking sensors – small clues that this isn’t just a design exercise. It’s a real preview of what’s coming. However, hidden in all that visual noise is a detail most people missed. Nissan slipped in something deliberate – the Juke EV is, quite literally, sending a message. Dots, Dashes, and a Charging PortApparently, Nissan worked Morse code into the Juke EV’s presentation, but not in a way that jumps out at you. The first clue appears at the very start of the reveal video (see above). It’s just a sequence of flashing signals – easy to miss unless you’re looking for it. But the pattern matches Morse code, with short and long pulses forming letters. The second clue is built into the car itself. On the charging port cover, you’ll find small indentations arranged in the same dot-and-dash sequence. It looks like a design flourish, but it’s actually the same coded message. Both details feel intentional, not just decorative. It’s not styling for its own sake – it’s Nissan doubling down on the Juke’s habit of doing things differently. Nissan “I Am Me,” Still AppliesOnce decoded, the message reads: “I am me, Juke.” The code on the charging port reads “Juke,” too. It’s a simple message, but it fits. The Juke has always been about standing out, for better or worse. This just puts that idea in plain sight. What’s interesting is how that theme carries over as the Juke goes electric. Under the bold design, it’s expected to use the same CMF-EV platform as Nissan’s other electric models. So while it looks unconventional, the basics are familiar. For now, Nissan’s focus is on Europe, with production set to be in the UK. There’s no word yet on a wider rollout, and markets like the US are still up in the air, especially since the more conventional second-generation Kicks is already out. Nissan View the 3 images of this gallery on the original article View the full article

Driving the No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota co-owned by NBA legend Michael Jordan and future NASCAR Hall of Famer Denny Hamlin, NASCAR Cup Series star Tyler Reddick has had a dream start to the 2026 season. He won the season-opening Daytona 500 with a dramatic last-lap pass and went on to win the opening three races of the season -- something no other driver in NASCAR Cup history had previously ...Keep readingView the full article

Ineos isn't a household name, but the body-on-frame pickup and SUVs have an iconic shape borrowed from Land Rover, and could be the perfect powersport accessory, as they're designed to tow, haul, and get you further. View the full article

Escalade-V Disappears Mid-Transit, Lawsuit FiledA Nevada dealership has filed suit after a 2024 Cadillac Escalade-V valued at $131,877 vanished during transport to Florida. According to a report from Automotive News, BMW of Henderson arranged shipment through Acertus, which connected the job to McCollister’s Global Services. The carrier reportedly had difficulty securing transport before Orlandi’s Towing picked up the SUV with a valid bill of lading and standard documentation. The situation unraveled after the Escalade-V was delivered not to a transfer hub but to a residential address in North Las Vegas. According to the complaint, the drop-off followed text instructions from someone posing as a McCollister’s representative. The vehicle was then removed by unknown parties and never reached AutoNation Cadillac West Palm Beach. The dealership is now seeking damages under multiple claims, including negligence and violation of the Carmack Amendment, a law that dictates who pays when goods are lost or damaged during interstate transport. Cadillac Not an Isolated Case in a Vulnerable SystemThis is not the first high-profile disappearance tied to vehicle transport. A similar case involved a missing Mercedes-Benz G-Class reportedly worth around $600,000, which also vanished during delivery. These incidents point to a pattern where breakdowns in verification protocols create opportunities for fraud within the logistics chain. Despite recent reports that overall auto theft is declining, certain models remain frequent targets. The Cadillac Escalade has consistently appeared on lists of theft-prone vehicles and was also linked to prior litigation over vulnerabilities in keyless entry systems. That context adds another layer to this case, where both physical transport risk and digital security concerns intersect in a high-value segment. Cadillac Chain of Custody Is the Real Weak PointThe failure here is not just a missing vehicle. It is a failure of process discipline across multiple parties. A residential drop-off based on text instructions should have triggered escalation protocols. In high-value transport, verification cannot rely on informal communication channels or assumed authority. This case should force logistics providers and dealerships to tighten controls. Multi-factor verification, secure dispatch platforms, and stricter custody checkpoints are no longer optional. If the industry continues to treat six-figure vehicles as routine cargo, these losses will continue. The technology exists to prevent this. The gap is in execution. Cadillac/Dave Burnett, Puppyknuckles View the full article

Can-Am's parent company, BRP, found two separate front brake caliper support failures in testing, and further investigation resulted in this recall.View the full article

It's Really HappeningFor the longest time, Nissan kept mentioning the return of the Xterra. Since then, many renders of the SUV have been made, including from us, and we've been waiting for the day the company shows us at least a snippet or two. It finally happened during the global launch of the all-new Rogue and Juke. On screen was a small section of its front end, giving us the glimpse we've all been waiting for. Safe to say we haven't been this excited about a Nissan product for so long, and it's a simple, honest-to-goodness body-on-frame SUV. Nissan/Youtube But Wait, There's MoreAt the time of the announcement, Nissan showed just one part of the upcoming SUV. There were even more bits of the future Skyline/Q50 shown during the presentation that gave us a better idea of what the sport sedan might look like. Still, that one photo was more than enough to get everyone's attention. But for those wanting a few more views of the Xterra, we have Nissan Americas Chairman Christian Meunier to thank. Meunier posted a different teaser photo of the SUV on his LinkedIn profile, one that wasn't shown during the event and not yet posted on any of the company's press sites or social networking sites. The executive called it a "badass," and finally, we know its shape. Nissan Look Out, Bronco and 4Runner?Now, we tried to enhance the photo to see if we can pry more details out of it. Perhaps Nissan figured that many would try to do the same, and blacked out significant details of the revived Xterra. Oh well. Still, we see a boxy profile with straight and honest lines. It looks like it has good approach and departure angles, too, a must for off-roaders. Fingers crossed that's a chunky roof rack up there, and we're hoping the 'kick-up' roof makes a return here. Interestingly, the spare tire is mounted on the tailgate, which wasn't present in previous models. Christian Meunier/LinkedIn First of ManyNissan has committed to expanding its SUV/pickup range with a new ladder frame platform that will underpin more models. The Xterra will be the first of four models that will ride on this new chassis. The next-generation Frontier will ride on this frame, as well as the reportedly more off-road-oriented version of the future Pathfinder. There will also be an Infiniti version. For powertrains, it has been confirmed that Nissan won't take the downsized turbo-four route with the Xterra. Instead, it'll be a V6 that'll reside under its hood, though its displacement remains unknown. Of course, Nissan is aware that there are some folks out there who'd like an electrified version; hence, a V6 hybrid has also been touted. Nissan calls the Xterra "A Heartbeat model for the U.S, offering an adventurous spirit, body-on-frame strength and purpose-driven design." Given all the buzz and hype surrounding it, we're inclined to agree. As for the debut, it'll likely be sometime in 2027, and the SUV will be for the 2028 model year. Nissan View the full article

A new 1/8-mile no-prep dragstrip is set to open outside Denver at Colorado National Speedway. It's designed to simulate street racing. View the full article

If you commute Victor to Jackson, haul freight through Togwotee, or planned a late-season ski trip to Grand Targhee this weekend, the next 48 hours are the problem. Everyone else has less to worry about than the warning text suggests. The National Weather Service in Riverton issued its Winter Storm Warning on April 15 for the Absaroka Mountains, the Teton and Gros Ventre Mountains and Yellowstone National Park, in effect from 6 PM Wednesday to 6 AM MDT Friday. NWS Billings has a parallel warning on Montana's Absaroka/Beartooth and Crazy Mountains from noon Wednesday through the same Friday cutoff. Snow totals above 8,000 feet could reach 20 inches across the Wyoming ranges, with 12 to 24 inches above 9,000 feet in the Absaroka/Beartooth. Gusts hit 30 to 50 mph, ridges touch 55. Three corridors matter: US-26/287 over Togwotee Pass, WY-22 over Teton Pass, and I-90 through western Montana. Chain law level 1 is close to guaranteed on the Wyoming passes by Wednesday night. Whether WYDOT escalates to level 2 depends on how hard the wind hits Thursday afternoon, and that call often comes with less than an hour's notice. The Stormthe Northern Rockies. It is the same system currently burying the Oregon and Washington Cascades under a Winter Storm Warning of their own, with NWS Portland forecasting up to 22 inches above 2,500 feet through Thursday morning. By Wednesday evening the system reaches Wyoming and Montana, and it slows as it climbs the spine of the Rockies. Snow keeps falling for roughly 36 hours. Snow levels stay above 6,500 feet through most of the event, so valley floors in Jackson, Dubois, Cody and Bozeman mostly see rain or light wet snow. The damage is concentrated at pass level, between 7,500 and 10,000 feet, where ridge-top winds push snow horizontally across exposed highway segments. The heaviest period runs from late Wednesday night through Thursday afternoon. Zone ForecastsThe headline numbers come from two NWS offices. NWS Riverton has 9 to 18 inches across the Absaroka, Teton/Gros Ventre and Yellowstone zones with up to 20 inches at the highest elevations, gusts 30 to 50 mph, and travel impacts specifically called out for Teton Pass and Togwotee Pass. NWS Billings is the heavier side: 12 to 24 inches in the Absaroka/Beartooth with the heaviest totals above 9,000 feet, the same range in the Crazy Mountains, and an explicit note about increased avalanche danger on both. I-90 sits outside the Warning zone but not outside the storm. NWS Missoula has a Winter Weather Advisory covering the interstate from Lookout Pass to Haugan with 6 to 12 inches forecast, and a separate advisory on Bozeman Pass with 2 to 6. Winter Storm Watches extend across the Gallatin and Madison County Mountains with 10 to 15 inches in higher terrain. NWS View the 2 images of this gallery on the original article The HighwaysUS-26 and US-287 over Togwotee Pass (9,655 feet). The primary link between Dubois and the Jackson Hole valley, and the most direct route to Grand Teton National Park from eastern Wyoming. With 9 to 18 inches forecast at pass elevation and ridge winds to 55 mph, chain law level 1 should be considered a baseline. Togwotee has a long history of multi-day closures during blizzards. Expect chain requirements Wednesday night with possible closure Thursday. Check status at wyoroad.info. WY-22 over Teton Pass (8,431 feet). Some of the steepest grades of any highway in the continental US, between Wilson and the Idaho state line. The pass reopened on its permanent rebuilt alignment in late June 2025 after the June 2024 Big Fill landslide, and WYDOT has remained aggressive about closures during heavy snow events. The permanent road used lightweight foamed-glass aggregate fill designed to reduce the risk of recurrence, but the pass's steep grades and heavy storm exposure mean it shuts down readily when visibility drops. Expect chain law level 1 starting Wednesday evening and treat the pass as high risk through Friday morning. I-90 through western Montana, including Lookout Pass and Bozeman Pass. The interstate itself is not under a Winter Storm Warning, but advisories are in effect for the Lookout Pass segment (6 to 12 inches forecast) and for the Bozeman Pass area (2 to 6 inches). I-90 has a history of closures between Bozeman and Park City during mountain storms of this intensity, and MDT will likely impose chain requirements and single-lane operations in the worst stretches on Thursday. Live conditions at 511mt.net. I-90 and US-191 approaches to the Absaroka/Beartooth. Routes climbing south from I-90 into the warning zone, including access toward Red Lodge, Cooke City and the north entrance of Yellowstone, run straight into the heaviest accumulation area. Expect significant slowdowns and potential short closures on mountain approach segments. US-212 Beartooth Highway (10,947 feet). Seasonally closed and not a travel option this week. NWS Billings forecasts up to 24 inches of fresh snow at those elevations, which would make it impassable regardless of classification. When to DriveWednesday afternoon is the last clean window — snow levels are still above pass level through late afternoon, and anyone with business on the far side should move now. The storm hits at pass elevations Wednesday evening, and chain law level 1 likely starts on both Wyoming passes by late that night. Thursday is the worst of it: wind gusts peak on exposed ridges, visibility drops toward zero in bursts, and this is when WYDOT closures are most likely on WY-22 and US-26/287. MDT may close I-90 segments between Bozeman and Livingston during the Thursday afternoon peak. Snow eases Thursday night into Friday morning as the system pulls east, but lingering chain requirements and single-lane operations are likely through sunrise. Both warnings expire at 6 AM MDT Friday. Photo by groveb on Getty Images Why This Storm Lands Harder Than the Numbers Suggest A 24-inch spring dump across the Northern Rockies is not itself unusual. What makes this one different is the timing, and the timing is the story. Montana snowpack hit record-low levels across a third of long-standing monitoring sites this month, with some lower-elevation stations completely melted out by April 1. Bridger Bowl closed three weeks ahead of schedule after a mid-March warm spell. Livingston is running its warmest year-to-date since records began in 1948. That is the context this storm drops into: dry soil, early-melting snowpack, a ski season already closed out in several places. 24 inches of fresh snow above 9,000 feet will not reverse that pattern — it reshuffles where the problems land, not whether there are problems. Avalanche risk climbs sharply in terrain that had settled into late-season conditions, and snow dropping onto saturated soil at lower elevations after Friday's warm-up is the kind of combination that produced the Teton Pass Big Fill landslide in June 2024. The second thing worth flagging is the parallel event in the Pacific Northwest. The same Gulf of Alaska trough feeding 10 to 22 inches onto the Oregon and Washington Cascades is what drives this storm. Both regions are under simultaneous Winter Storm Warnings, which is not coincidence — it is the same continental-scale moisture plume clipping both mountain systems. View the full article

A Yamafest test day at Sydney Motorsport Park was meant to be all about Yamaha’s new R9, but it was the XSR900 GP that kept drawing Wayne back in. Retro looks, CP3 punch and a planted chassis make for a very compelling package. The post Yamaha XSR900 GP Review | The retro Yamaha that stole the show at Yamafest appeared first on MCNews. View the full article

The post Rieju Aventura Rally 307 – Coming Soon 💥 appeared first on MCNews. View the full article

MV Agusta has unveiled the 2026 Rush Titanio, a 300-unit limited-edition hyper-naked that combines Euro 5+ engine updates, extensive titanium detailing, the latest Öhlins Smart EC 3.0 suspension and an Australian ride-away price of $87,895. The post 2026 MV Agusta Rush Titanio revealed for Australia | 300-unit hyper-naked priced from $87,895 appeared first on MCNews. View the full article

Crème de la crème It's not often that some of the most exclusive and beautiful cars ever made are in the same place. Even rarer is when all of them are on display in that same venue, where enthusiasts and aficionados congregate to admire them. Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este is often considered the most exclusive and prestigious gathering of cars in the world. Starting in 1929 as a showcase for coachbuilt cars, it ended in 1949 and returned in 1995. For 2026, the list of cars is sure to include the very best from the automotive classic car catalog, but it also includes some modern classics, such as this: the Pagani Zonda 760 Unica Roadster Broad Arrow Hagerty View the 2 images of this gallery on the original article One-Off PaganiHeadlining this year's list of cars slated for the auction part of the show is a 2018 Pagani Zonda 760 Unica Roadster. Zondas are already rare cars, but an Unica model coming from the brand's in-house bespoke Unico division is even rarer. This particular Zonda is a one-off commission and is based on the 760 series, which represents the ultimate evolution of the Zonda model. It was made for the founder of Top Car Design Spain, and was driven by Horacio Pagani himself. The 760 Unica Roadster features the engine and aerodynamics of the Zonda R. It produces 760 hp from the legendary 7.3-liter AMG-derived V12 and is mated to a 6-speed manual transmission. Pagani is known for its use of carbon fiber, and this car is finished in a special blue with gold accents. Something this rare isn't often driven, so the 1,626-mile odometer reading is no surprise. No estimates for the auction price are available, but something this rare will definitely be expensive; it might even break sales records for Zondas sold at auction. Broad Arrow Hagerty View the 2 images of this gallery on the original article The OthersAn event as big as this doesn't limit its auction choices, and the curated list for the 2026 edition is quite the lineup. Also joining the Zonda on the auction block are a 2023 Ferrari 812 Competizione, a 2022 Ferrari SF90, a 2022 Lamborghini Countach, and a Lamborghini Murciélago LP640-4 Coupe. That list alone (apart from the SF90) could sell for upwards of $1 million. The auction is set to take place on May 16-17 at Villa Erba. This year's event will be co-presented by BMW, which is celebrating unique milestones: 90 years of the 328, 60 years of the 02 model, 50 years of the 6 series, and 40 years of the M3. Broad Arrow Hagerty View the 4 images of this gallery on the original article View the full article

The First Drag Race presented by Robbin’s Repairables set at Shadyside Dragway ignited the 2026 ten-race championship season for the Southeast Gassers Association. From the creek side to the top of the North Carolina hills, the small vale of Shadyside roared with life, echoing the glory days of the 1960s gasser and drag racing. The racers of SEGA launched with parts straining revolutions, slammed all four gears by hand with no electronic aid, and streaked over the finish stripe to the delight of young and old alike, remembering or experiencing anew the no rival premier gasser drag racing that is the Southeast Gassers Association. Being the quickest and fastest wasn’t the only eye-focusing point for the A/Gas category in SEGA competition. The category at Shadyside had the return of competitors such as Barry Adler in the Iron Eagle and Leslie Horne in the Chick Magnet, who had on-track incidents in 2025. New combinations debuted, such as Alan Pittman’s Gravedigger II and the 2025 B/Gas champion Ken Rainwater moving to A/Gas with a new gasser dubbed the Instigator. Even the reigning A/Gas champion Chase Howard began his title defense in his USA-1 Chevelle gasser with black primed, refreshed elements. A familiar top performer in A/Gas, Gabriel Burrell in his Southern Flyer, a two-time champion, earned the top qualifier honors on a warm Spring North Carolina day with a 5.26 elapsed time. With an odd number of competitors – seventeen in total – Burrell’s qualifying effort proved advantageous going into eliminations. First in round one with a bye run, and then again in the semifinals. To enter the final round, the Southern Flyer with Burrell wheeling the Ford Model A had defeated Dean Jonas and, new to A/Gas, the 2025 B/Gas champion, Ken Rainwater. The eighth-place qualifier, Todd Blackwell, in the Sling Shot Chevy II gasser, raced in a limited manner in 2025 but showcased in race one that he was undoubtedly able to get up to speed quickly (5.39 ET to qualify 8th). In round one, Blackwell put Barry Lynn out of competition and then scored a massive win-light in round two, defeating the reigning champion, Chase Howard. After a bye run in the third round, he would have to face Alan Pittman in a freshly debuted Gravedigger II Chevy that has certainly got the attention of everyone in A/Gas. In that match-up, Pittman raced to a 5.40, being second to the stripe as Blackwell won with a 5.36. The final would be a classic Ford versus Chevy battle between the number one and eight qualifiers. Blackwell launched noticeably first, but out and up towards the centerline, causing him to correct under full power to bring his Chevy back into the groove. By half-track, it was a fender-to-fender race. At the stripe it was Burrell flying on to a victory during the golden hour in the gold Southern Fyler with a 5.34 to Blackwell’s 5.43. “It ran good yesterday [during testing], so we knew we had a little bit of hope,” said Burrell. “Tickled to be here. Didn’t really expect it. John Kaase horsepower put us up front.” With no defending champion competing in B/Gas, the category is seemingly up for grabs. Though new entries were seen and more are expected in 2026, it was the competitors that finished near the top in 2025 performing at the top again in The First Drag Race. Ted Mckee, the second-place points finisher in 2025, set the top pace as the number one qualifier with a 5.60 elapsed time. The rest of the field continued searching for more performance, as the second, third, and fourth place qualifiers each posted elapsed times of 5.69 seconds. Eliminations would see the top two qualifiers compete to turn on the final win-light of a four-round contest for the B/Gas contingent. Ted McKee in the Rocky Top Missile earned the bye in round one with his number one qualifying effort. Once competitors were in the other lane for McKee, they wouldn’t be those of the second-tier variety to make the final round. The quarter-final round for McKee had him paired with 2024 B/Gas champion Daniel Haynes in The Patriot Falcon gasser. For his semi-final match, it was true young gun in the Young Gun gasser, Brilee Stott, who was the fourth-placed qualifier. In the final, McKee would face another young SEGA star, Michael Oden, in the Double Down Chevy II. Oden’s path as the number two qualifier to the final is one of consistency over his opponents. He could have put a dial-in on his hot rod running .69s and one .70 up to the final. The performance advantage was clearly with McKee, who had run nothing slower than a 5.64 through eliminations. Oden needed to double down and get his best light of the day, along with his best performance of the day, to overcome the faded orange missile of McKee. At the stripe, Oden did pedal out one of his best passes of the day. He needed that to win, but he also needed to be first off the line to be first at the stripe, and Oden missed his mark on the starting lights. McKee illuminated the win-light in the Laris Motorsports Insurance Left Lane with a better reaction time and a 5.62. McKee closed out Shadyside competition in B/Gas with the win and low e.t. of the meet in the category, running a 5.602 during eliminations. As one crew member remarked with the new FMG Racing Engines powerplant in the Tennessee-branded gasser, “We’ve got a rocket ship now!” In C/Gas, competition went much as it did in qualifying. Multi-time SEGA champion Todd Oden passed down historic Shadyside Dragway with a 6.03 for the pole in the category. On his heels was the reigning and defending champion of the class Jerren Purdue, with a 6.03. In eliminations, these two competitors followed nearly identical paths through the rounds, ultimately meeting in the final. Other gasser racers ended their own days against them, knowing they needed every tick of time, leaving early, and turning on the red light of disqualification. No one else mustered the performance that these two competitors had en route to the C/Gas final. Oden’s best e.t. of the day during eliminations had been a 6.04, while Purdue’s best had been a 6.03. The best cars all weekend were against each other to determine the event champion before the enthusiastic North Carolina crowd. Both launched with wheels in the air. Oden sent his Double XX 1958 Chevy gasser first off the line, and it was enough to defeat the low e.t. of the category pass by Perdue (5.99). “Beats the heck out of last year at this time [Todd was recovering from heart issues], I can tell you that. I’m so excited to be up here and get back to the winner’s circle – it makes me feel wonderful,” stated Oden on his twenty-fifth SEGA victory. The last championship class contested at the SEGA season opener was Super Stock. The story in Super Stock has been and remains a matter of the rest of the competition defeating the reigning and defending champion, Jerry Dean. By the end of qualifying and eliminations, no other competitor presented an answer for The Last Rebel II Super Stocker. Dean continued his dominance in the class, defeating Rob Walden in the final. Dean, in typical Jerry fashion, reminisced over the day with the thought of, “We tried. Didn’t have a perfect day, but it was a good day.” It had been six months since the SEGA Championship Finals at Shadyside Dragway in 2025. The long-awaited ignition of the premier gasser drag racing series roared to the delight of fans and competitors alike. Nostalgia done the SEGA way, brought to life, drag racing yearned for by those that want to see drag racing in a pure sense. The First Drag Race presented by Robbins Repairables at Shadyside Dragway closed, opening the 2026 season that is expected to be the best yet for the Southeast Gassers Association. This story was originally published on April 15, 2026. The post Southeast Gassers Association Ignite 2026 Season at Historic Shadyside Dragway first appeared on Drag Illustrated. View the full article

Keeping the Legacy IntactTesla fan or not, it is hard to deny that the Model S and Model X helped shape today’s EV landscape. Now, Tesla is giving them a proper send-off with a limited-run Signature Edition and is trying to make sure they stay in the hands of enthusiasts through a “No Resale Agreement” clause. Shared by Not A Tesla App, the agreement enforces several serious penalties for those who might consider reselling their Signature Edition unit within the first year of ownership, including a fine of $50,000 or the value received from the sale or transfer, whichever is greater. It could even lead to the automaker refusing to sell violators any of its future vehicles. Tesla The Final TouchesFor context, Tesla is producing just 350 Signature Edition examples, 250 of which are based on the Model S, with the remaining 100 based on the Model X. The exclusive features are limited to cosmetics, most notably Garnet Red paint and gold accents on the logo and badges, as well as on the Model S brake calipers. They are built on the Plaid versions, which are equipped with three electric motors producing 1,020 horsepower. Tesla allows owners to resell their allocation, though they must prove the reason for the sale is valid. It can be sold back to the automaker or to a third party, but “only after receiving written consent from Tesla.” It is also worth noting that the Signature Edition models – start at around $159,000 – come with the Luxe Package, which includes certain non-transferable perks, including lifetime Full Self-Driving (Supervised), free Supercharging, and Premium Connectivity. Sawyer Merritt/X Clearing the Way ForwardReports say deliveries of the final limited-edition Model S and Model X examples will begin in May 2026. The two nameplates are being discontinued to free up space at the automaker’s Fremont plant in California, which will then be used to produce its Optimus humanoid robots. Given that the Model 3 and Model Y sell far better than the outgoing models, their retirement is not expected to significantly affect the company’s EV sales. But before that happens, Tesla is planning a formal celebration in May to mark the end of Model S and Model X production, spanning 14 years for the former and 11 for the latter – dating back to a time when most mainstream EVs today, like the Ford Mustang Mach-E, had not even been planned. Sawyer Merritt/X View the 4 images of this gallery on the original article View the full article

A Key Model in BMW’s EV PushSince its introduction, the i4 has been doing a lot of heavy lifting for the BMW EV portfolio. Alongside the iX1, the i4 has been contributing greatly to the company’s electric sales, not just in the U.S but around the world. In Germany, nearly half of the 4 Series models sold there are battery-powered, and it’s the best-selling BMW EV in the U.S. In many ways, the i4 is a crucial model for BMW, and it’s one that deserves a successor down the line. In M50 and M60 forms, it even became the world’s best-selling M product until the arrival of the X3 M50. With that, the G26 is soon headed for retirement after four production years as the new wave of Neue Klasse models comes in. Winding Down ProductionAccording to BMW Blog, production of the G26 i4 will be winding down by either late 2026 or early 2027. It’s mainly to make way for the new and upcoming EV models that BMW will produce, and as the current model doesn’t have any of the Neue Klasse attributes, it won’t be long for this world. In the meantime, it’s the i3 that will inherit the i4’s role as BMW’s electric sport sedan. The range-topping M50 had already been revealed, but we’re also expecting a ‘40’ model down the line to make the range more accessible. It’ll likely follow the same playbook that BMW had applied to the i4, one that proved hugely successful for the brand. BMW/Fabian Kirchbauer Photography Fear Not, There Will Be a New 4 SeriesInevitably, some will prefer the sleeker profile of the 4 Series to the more formal 3 Series. Rest assured, an all-new generation will be released soon, as BMW has said the model will always have a place in its lineup. That said, we haven’t seen any spy shots of the car just yet, so it’s possible that it’ll still be a few years away. Given the success of the 4 Series and i4, it sounds obvious and inevitable. But do note that BMW recently said that some of its halo models are taking a back seat to prioritize its core models. There was also mention of rationalization, meaning some models won’t see successors. Still, we can say with a degree of certainty that both fuel-fed and electric versions of the 4 Series are safe from getting permanently axed. Fabian Kirchbauer Photography A Landmark Model4 to 5 years is a short run in terms of BMW model life cycles. The company typically takes 7 years to roll out an all-new generation. Still, the i4’s run has made a significant impact on the brand, and it’s worth looking back at its capabilities. Having tested it in the past, this writer can say that the i4 was (and still is) a hugely competent and capable sporty EV. While it doesn’t have astronomical range, it still feels like a BMW behind the wheel and pleasingly normal, too. Dare we say it’s a car that deserves to be mentioned as one of the brand’s greatest hits as it proved that BMW can incorporate its DNA in EV models. BMW View the full article