StreetNewsReporter

Working with the UK's Liam Doran, Travis Pastrana just took possession of a Suzuki Hayabusa-powered mini truck and it does drift wheelies, which are awesome. View the full article

If you are driving I-70 this weekend, today is not the day to start. The National Weather Service has a Winter Weather Advisory active right now for Colorado's mountain passes and a Freeze Warning covering the entire Front Range urban corridor and northeast plains tonight through Saturday morning. The storm clears Saturday, but the damage to roads and vegetation will already be done. What makes this one worth paying attention to is not the snow totals in the mountains. It is the freeze behind it. Denver was in the upper 70s yesterday. Tonight, lows across the Front Range will fall to 18 to 24 degrees. That is more than 50 degrees in under 36 hours, and anyone who has already turned on their sprinkler system is about to find out the hard way. The StormThe cold front that hit Wyoming this week crossed the Colorado border overnight. NWS Boulder confirmed it in their Area Forecast Discussion issued at 5:27 AM today: a spring storm moving in with snow showers and a much colder air mass, with a hard freeze expected across the plains Friday night. Snow is already developing in the mountains this morning and spreading to lower elevations through the day. Denver's forecast high today is in the low 40s with an 80 percent chance of snow showers. The city has not seen measurable snow since March 15. The snow at lower elevations will be light and mostly wet, but the main concern is what happens to wet roads when temperatures crash into the teens tonight. Saturday clears along the Front Range. Denver gets back to the upper 50s under sunshine, and the low 70s by Sunday. The AFD calls for a warming trend with mostly dry conditions through Tuesday, though the mountains may see low-end rain or snow chances Monday and Tuesday at higher elevations. NWS The HighwaysThe Eisenhower-Johnson Memorial Tunnel on I-70 at 11,158 feet is taking the worst of it today: 2 to 4 inches of snow with heavy bursts and gusts to 34 mph through 5 PM. The AFD notes snow accumulations of 2 to 9 inches above 9,000 feet and 2 to 6 inches in the foothills, with hazardous driving conditions possible along I-70 and mountain passes late this morning through early Friday afternoon. Berthoud Pass on US-40, the two-lane alternative when I-70 closes, is in the same advisory zone. Conditions are set to improve on Saturday as warmer, drier air moves in, but today's travel window through the mountains is narrow. CDOT's Traction Law is in effect through May 31 between Dotsero and Morrison. The Front Range along I-25 will not see much snow, but do not let that fool you. The Freeze Warning means every bridge deck and overpass from Fort Collins through Denver to Colorado Springs will ice over tonight. Lows of 18 to 24 degrees on wet pavement is black ice, not snow, and that is harder to see and harder to recover from. Colorado Springs faces a second round: NWS Pueblo has issued a Freeze Watch for Saturday night into Sunday morning as well. When To DriveToday is not a mountain day. The advisory is active through 5 PM at the higher passes, snow is falling, and roads above 10,000 feet are getting slick. If you absolutely must cross I-70 today, go now, early morning, before conditions build through the afternoon. Tonight is the worst window on the Front Range as a result of ice. The Freeze Warning activates at 8 PM as everything that melts during the day refreezes. It is expected that every bridge on I-25 and I-76 will have ice on it by midnight. Saturday the Front Range recovers. Denver is sunny and near 60. Mountain passes should be clearing, though residual ice is possible on shaded sections. Sunday and Monday warm further, with highs reaching the 70s in Denver. The AFD expects mostly dry conditions through Tuesday. US NWS The FreezeThis is the part that will affect the most people, with Denver in the upper 70s one day, and hard freeze the next. The NWS Freeze Warning issued at 1:07 AM today is specific about the damage: above-ground irrigation lines will likely fail if they are not drained or protected, and a hard freeze will kill sensitive vegetation and damage fruit trees. This winter was warm enough that many homeowners turned on their systems weeks ago. February brought spring flowers out across the metro area. Colorado's statewide snowpack was sitting at 17 percent of the median peak as of April 13, the worst in four decades. The mountains will take whatever moisture this system delivers. The Front Range just gets the cold. Before You DriveYour tires matter more than your drivetrain this weekend. Colorado law requires 3/16-inch tread depth. Cold drops tire pressure 1 to 2 PSI per 10-degree change, and most people do not check until they are already sliding. AWD helps you go but does not help you stop on ice, which is what the Front Range will have after tonight. If you are crossing the passes today, throw chains or traction devices in the vehicle along with a blanket, water, phone charger, and a flashlight. Road ConditionsMake sure to visit COtrip.org for real-time I-70 conditions, live cameras, and active traction law status. For updated mountain weather and winter forecasts, use the Colorado 511 mobile app, dial 511 from any phone in Colorado, or go to NWS Boulder. View the full article

Our friend NC Promoder was on hand for testing at the PDRA East Coast Nationals yesterday and caught all the semi final and final round racing action from the postponed Carolina Nationals eliminations held during Thursday’s test session for PDRA. Because of wheather, they had to delay the final two rounds of competition, but the weather at Darana Motorsports Park was clear and warm compared to Darlington just one week before. This year has already been something when it comes to weather, so were’ glad they got this one in even if it took a few extra days to get it done. Here’s all the racing action if you missed the livestream. The post Semi-Final and Final Round Racing From The Postponed PDRA Carolina Nationals 2026 At Darlington Dragway! appeared first on BangShift.com. View the full article

The lads over at BUM made an electric LEGO go-kart, but I'd argue it's more car than kart. Watch the video to see if it can survive a time trial.View the full article

Hyundai has put a price on the hottest version of its Elantra N entry-level performance car, the limited-edition 2026 Elantra N TCR Edition. Built to celebrate the six-consecutive Hyundai TCR Manufacturers’ Championships in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge, the TCR Edition starts at $39,250 for the manual transmission model and $40,750 for the eight-speed wet dual-clutch transmission (DCT) version; the prices exclude a $1,245 destination charge. Compared to the regular Elantra N, the TCR Edition commands a $4,150 premium regardless of the transmission choice. Racing-Inspired Upgrades Make It Stand Out From the Standard Elantra N Hyundai Motor America Developed by Hyundai N’s wizards, the TCR Edition is the real deal and not just a fancy name. It brings unique racing-inspired performance features and styling, including a model-specific N Performance brake system, adjustable swan-neck carbon-fiber rear wing, lightweight 19-inch N TCR forged alloy wheels, and Alcantara cabin touchpoints. On the outside, the Elantra N TCR Edition rides on TCR-design lightweight 19-inch forged alloy wheels in a gloss black finish. The rims are designed specifically to accommodate the four-piston monobloc front brake calipers with two-piece rotors that are developed specifically for the TCR Edition. Hyundai Motor America Customers will only be able to have the Elantra N TCR Edition in Hyundai N’s signature Performance Blue exterior finish. Other exterior tweaks include the TCR Edition rear deck badging and TCR-specific door puddle lamp. Inside, the Elantra N TCR looks more focused than the base Elantra N thanks to a series of Alcantara touchpoints including the steering wheel with Performance Blue top-center mark, shift knob/boot, handbrake lever, and center console armrest. The motorsport-inspired ambience is rounded off by the Performance Blue driver and passenger front seatbelts and N Performance aluminum door sill plate. The 2.0L Engine Carries Over from the Elantra N Hyundai Motor America The engine is the same one that powers the Elantra N—a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder rated at 276 hp and 289 lb-ft of torque. Models equipped with the DCT get the N Grin Shift (NGS) overboost feature that increases power to 286 hp for short bursts. On the Elantra N, the engine enables a 0 to 60 mph acceleration in 4.8 seconds with the DCT and a top speed of 155 mph. “Our new motorsports-derived Elantra N TCR Edition builds on the Elantra N’s winning formula with additional performance parts and unmistakable motorsports visuals,” said Olabisi Boyle, senior vice president, product planning and mobility strategy, Hyundai Motor North America. “This limited-production model is sure to excite driving enthusiasts, motorsports fans, and collectors alike.” Hyundai did not say how many units of the Elantra N TCR Edition will be available in the United States, but Canada will reportedly be allocated only 100 units. That means the US market should get a significantly larger allocation—fingers crossed for that. View the full article

After debuting a massive infotainment screen, along with both heated and cooled seats, Polaris is at it again when it comes to making your side-by-side all the more comfortable. How does a heated steering wheel sound?View the full article

Honda has spent years marketing itself as the sensible choice, and nowhere is that more true than in its safety record. The Civic, Accord, and CR-V aren't just three of Honda's most popular models. They're three of the most commonly purchased vehicles in America. Parents buy them. New drivers inherit them. Fleets lease them by the dozen. So when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) puts them through their paces, people pay attention. All three are capable of earning the institute's Top Safety Pick+ designation, but the fine print tells the full story. Crashworthiness: Honda's floor is very highThe good news, if you're shopping any of these three: Honda's structural engineering is genuinely excellent. In IIHS crashworthiness evaluations covering small overlap front (driver and passenger sides), moderate overlap front, and side impact, all three models earn Good ratings across the board in their respective 2025 tests. That's not a given in the industry. Honda's High-Strength Steel frame architecture, refined over multiple generations, holds up well when cars hit things, which is, after all, the whole point. Small overlap front (driver) Good Good Good Small overlap front (passenger) Good Good Good Moderate overlap front Good Good Good Side Good Good Good If you're mostly worried about surviving a crash, all three models put you in roughly the same position: a good one. The Accord's larger footprint and heavier curb weight (roughly 3,300 lbs vs. the Civic's ~2,900 lbs) give it a marginal structural advantage in multi-vehicle collisions, basic physics that no amount of clever engineering fully erases, but the IIHS ratings don't reflect a meaningful gap between them. The CR-V, sitting at around 3,400 lbs and riding higher off the ground, benefits from its mass in side impacts but introduces rollover geometry that sedans don't have to think about. Crash prevention: Where the real differences emergeThis is where the spreadsheet gets interesting. The IIHS evaluates crash prevention across three dimensions: headlight effectiveness, front crash prevention between two vehicles, and front crash prevention involving pedestrians. All three Hondas come standard with Honda Sensing, the brand's suite of driver assistance tech that includes automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, and adaptive cruise control. The platform is consistent across the lineup. The execution, however, is not. Headlights Acceptable to Good (trim-dependent) Acceptable to Good (trim-dependent) Acceptable to Good (trim-dependent) Front crash prevention (vehicle-to-vehicle) Good Good Good Front crash prevention (pedestrian) Good Good Good The vehicle-to-vehicle and pedestrian crash prevention systems perform consistently well across all three. Honda Sensing earns its reputation here, with strong results in the IIHS's daytime and nighttime pedestrian tests. The gap, and it's a meaningful one, comes down to headlights. Headlight ratings in the IIHS system aren't just about brightness. They measure whether the beam pattern actually illuminates the road where you're about to go, particularly on curves. All three Honda models receive Acceptable ratings on base trims, which sounds fine until you realize that Acceptable headlights are often the single reason a vehicle fails to qualify for Top Safety Pick+. To earn the top award, a vehicle must have at least one trim with Good-rated headlights, standard. The Civic, Accord, and CR-V all have higher trims with better-performing headlights, but buyers who stick to base or mid-level configurations may be unknowingly opting out of the award's protective umbrella. The CR-V deserves a specific note here: its elevated ride height means its headlights sit higher than a sedan's, which changes beam geometry. Higher isn't automatically better. In some IIHS tests, it creates glare for oncoming drivers while still leaving gaps in the driver's own field of vision. Choose your CR-V trim carefully. Final verdict: The Accord edges aheadIf the goal is a clean sweep, Good crashworthiness, strong crash prevention, and headlights that actually qualify for Top Safety Pick+ without hunting for a specific build sheet, the 2025 Accord is the most consistently safe of the three. Its size works in its favor structurally, its Honda Sensing implementation is mature, and the headlight situation is more reliably sorted across mid-level trims than it is in the smaller Civic or the CR-V. The Civic is no slouch. It's the right answer if you want the same IIHS crash prevention performance in a smaller, lighter package. Just be deliberate about trim selection. The CR-V is an excellent vehicle that earns its safety reputation, but SUV geometry and headlight variability mean you need to do more homework before signing the paperwork. Honda builds safe cars. All three of these will protect you well. But "equally safe" oversimplifies it, and in a category where the difference between Good and Acceptable can mean your car doesn't stop in time for a child crossing at night, that nuance is worth the extra five minutes on IIHS.org before you buy. View the full article

Stark Future says it has delivered its strongest financial result yet, with Q1 2026 revenue up 212 per cent year-on-year, its first EBITDA-profitable quarter, and continued momentum from the VARG platform. The post Stark Future says Q1 revenue surged as VARG range drives growth appeared first on MCNews. View the full article

Ferrari’s first-ever electric production model, the Luce, will have a "tactile-first" interior that is the work of former Apple designer Jony Ive and the LoveFrom design collective he co-founded with Mark Newson, another Apple alumni. After releasing the first interior teasers in February, Ferrari has now dropped a new interior walkthrough video for the Luce, offering the best look yet at the cabin and a taste of the experience the driver will have interacting with the vehicle controls. Right off the bat, the difference between the Luce’s dashboard and existing EV interiors is crystal clear. The new cabin features many tactile controls instead of the massive displays that have become ubiquitous on electric vehicles in recent years. A Ferrari Unlike Any Other That Came Before ItWhile the Luce does have a central display, it’s square-shaped with a thick metallic edge and curved corners like an older iPhone. It’s also restrained in size and features typography that reminds of older iOS-era Apple design language, according to some auto outlets. The video shows that the main screen also tilts toward the driver or the passenger, according to preferences. The screen integrates physical switches at the bottom for the climate control system, a volume knob and three shortcut buttons. Additionally, on the top right corner there are two buttons that appear to toggle between a clock, a compass, and a stopwatch displayed in the integrated round display. The video doesn't show a single function that is enabled by touching the screen; everything is done via buttons and switches. Ferrari There’s a second display behind the steering wheel that houses the instrument cluster grouped into three main round areas that imitate a classic instrument panel but are highly configurable. The largest one in the middle displays the speedometer, battery charge level and range, the one of the left shows how much energy the vehicle uses or receives at any given time from the regenerative braking system, while the one on the right is a G force meter. The cool thing about the digital cluster is it’s connected to the steering column so it moves along as you adjust the wheel to provide the driver with a clear view of the instruments. Ferrari Speaking of the steering wheel, it features an old-school look with three aluminum spokes but it’s also modern, using physical control pods along with Ferrari’s hallmark Manettino rotary dial, which has been repurposed for an electric powertrain, acting as a power-flow selector. The steering wheel also includes buttons for the turn signals, wipers, and a dial for the drive mode selector—the Luce features three modes: Range, Tour and Perfo. We also get to see the startup sequence that is triggered by inserting the glass-and-leather key into a dedicated slot in the center console. The key’s e-ink display changes appearance once docked into its place, with the instrument panel lighting up after that. Performance Worthy of the Prancing Horse Badge SH Proshots/Autoblog The exterior design of the Ferrari Luce remains a mystery for now, although we do know that it’s a four-door, four-seat electric super-GT. As you would expect from a car sporting the Prancing Horse badge, the performance will be spectacular. Ferrari has so far said that the Luce features a 122-kWh battery pack running on 880 volts and offering a range of around 330 miles under European testing. The fact that it gets a big battery is reflected in the Luce’s curb weight of just under 5,100 pounds. That makes it the heaviest production Ferrari ever made, putting it on par with the Porsche Taycan Turbo GT. Still, the weight won’t be a problem as far as performance is concerned. SH Proshots/Autoblog The battery feeds a four-motor powertrain expected to deliver over 1,100 horsepower for breathtaking performance; the video shows how a launch is seen from the interior, with the 0 to 62 mph sprint taking 2.5 seconds. Interestingly, simulated gear shifts will also be on the menu for added driver feedback. The top speed is 193 mph, which is impressive for an EV. The front e-axle delivers a total output of 282 horsepower (141 hp for each motor), while the rear e-axle produces 832 hp (416 hp for each motor), bringing the total peak power to 1,114 hp, according to Ferrari. A disconnect system shifts into rear-wheel drive to maximize efficiency—and allow the driver to slide the rear end should they feel brave enough. The world premiere of the Ferrari Luce is scheduled for May 25 in Maranello, Italy, with production expected to start in late 2026, followed by deliveries in early 2027. View the full article

While passenger EVs are powered by lithium-ion batteries, a commercial vehicle that needs to transport heavy goods faces a different reality. The weight and volume of the battery packs, as well as charging time delays, create havoc for the logistics industry. Hydrogen fuel cells offer an incredibly attractive value proposition, with the rapid refueling and energy density of traditional diesel, while still effectively running on electricity, just without using lithium-ion batteries, ridding fleet owners of traditional EV struggles. Toyota, a pioneer that brought us the Mirai, has long been the standard-bearer for hydrogen. However, their tech needed a high-volume commercial vehicle partner to achieve the scale required to bring costs down. EnterIsuzu, after having just announced delays to their heavy-duty Hydrogen truck, a brand synonymous with reliable commercial vehicles. The partnership aims to leverage Toyota’s fuel cell expertise and Isuzu’s dominance in the light-truck market to create a standardized, mass-produced hydrogen-powered truck, on the Isuzu Elf platform. Toyota Breaking Down the PartnershipThe partnership focuses on three core points: Modular Design: By creating a modular fuel cell system, the platform will be designed to fit into any commercial-class vehicle. Scale Benefits: Mass production is the only way to make hydrogen competitive with diesel and electric. As economies of scale teach us, by pooling resources and mass producing the technology, Toyota and Isuzu can lower the costs currently associated with hydrogen fuel cell technologies. Infrastructure Creation: Having faced legal trouble for a lack of hydrogen infrastructure, Toyota realizes now that a vehicle is only as good as its nearest fuel station. This partnership signals to energy providers that the demand for hydrogen hubs is officially here, and Toyota and Isuzu will play their part in promoting this infrastructure transition. Toyota The TimingThe timing of this announcement is interesting. Isuzu announces delays to its heavy-duty hydrogen truck while immediately following that announcement with news about its partnership with Toyota for a hydrogen light-truck. This is likely because the light-truck segment is a more rational market-entry point. Having larger volumes, and being that they are used for regional logistics rather than long-haul, the initial infrastructure solutions would be region-focused - growing certain hyperlocal implementations of the infrastructure until perfected before expanding across broader regions. The race is officially on in the electric trucking space, the race to decarbonize freight is no longer a fringe experiment—it’s a multi-billion dollar sprint. Logistics and freight businesses that couldn’t adopt traditional BEVs due to the charging downtime are looking at this Toyota-Isuzu deal with renewed interest. Hydrogen fuel-cell electric vehicles have a refueling time of 10-15 minutes, a minimal weight penalty as they weigh considerably less than multi-ton battery packs, and provide significantly less range degradation in severe cold conditions than lithium-ion BEVs. Maybe BEVs have to concede the commercial vehicle space to the newer, more promising tech. View the full article

Not the Warmest of ReceptionsIt wasn't that long ago when Volkswagen's current CEO, Thomas Schäfer, called the ID.3 and ID.4 "not true Volkswagens." While it's something shocking to hear from a CEO, he was blunt and honest about those two models. Neither had the familiar feel of the company's products, and this was compounded by user experience issues and lukewarm reviews. The ID.4 is ending U.S production soon, and that name will likely be dropped as well. However, VW gave the ID.3 a chance to survive instead of axing it outright. About a month ago, the company revealed a few sketches of its heavily updated version. From our understanding, so much had changed that it needed a new name, in this case, ID.3 Neo. Volkswagen More Than a RebootTo make things clear, this is not a second-generation ID.3. It's more of a heavy facelift and update than an all-new model. While the looks are still somewhat unchanged, there's an overhauled interior, more tech, and more importantly, more range from its batteries. Think of this then as a course correction for the compact EV. After it was heavily criticized by the press and lagged behind the competition, the company hopes that this will be the car's redemption arc. Volkswagen What's Changed?From the outside, there are new bumpers, a redesigned faux grille, and new wheels. Of course, it now says ID.3 Neo on the tailgate, signifying that this is a new chapter for the car. It's easy to dismiss it as a mild facelift and a name change, but the real changes are on the inside and under the skin. The company now describes the cabin as '100% Volkswagen,' and we can see why. After VW waged war on buttons and lost, it's refreshing to see a whole load of buttons in there. Gone are the capacitive touch panels everywhere; in their place are honest-to-goodness physical controls. The steering wheel now looks, well, normal and easy to use, and joy of joys, the climate control panel is a row of switches. Volkswagen is, indeed, healing. Volkswagen Improved PowertrainsMajor enhancements were made to the electric drive systems of the ID.3, resulting in improved energy consumption and performance. From launch, there are three powertrain options and three available battery sizes. The smallest battery is 50 kWh and is the standard size for all trims. Optional is the 58 kWh pack, which provides more range; the biggest battery one can get in the ID.3 Neo is a 79 kWh unit. VW claims a range of up to 392 miles under the WLTP cycle. The charging system now comes with higher capacities as well: the 50 and 58 kWh models support DC charging up to 105 kW, while the 79 kWh version can accept up to 182 kW. Power output is also up significantly for the ID.3 Neo. The previous ID.3 had figures of 143 hp, 148 hp, and 201 hp. Now, the base motor produces 168 hp, while the middle version makes 188 hp. As for the top motor, it now puts out 228 hp. Volkswagen Other HighlightsThe infotainment system had been given a massive update with new graphics, an easier-to-use interface, and greater functionality. VW calls it Innovision, and expects it to reach more models down the line. The digital driver's display also offers far greater personalization, including a configuration that replicates the MK.1 Golf's (Rabbit in the U.S.) instrument cluster. Of course, there are stacks of advanced driver-assist systems on board, but there's also the enhanced Connected Travel Assist, which gives it greater semi-autonomous driving capabilities. VW also said it improved its one-pedal driving mode for a smoother and more linear experience. A significant option for the ID.3 Neo is Vehicle-to-Load capability, which allows the car to power certain household items outdoors or during emergencies. With more power, greater range, improved energy efficiency, and much-needed interior improvements, it now looks like the ID.3 Neo is the car VW wanted it to be in the first place. Should the company keep this up, it might be able to win back the customers it lost a few years ago, and hopefully, help the company turn things around. Volkswagen Volkswagen View the 7 images of this gallery on the original article View the full article

If you’re the proud owner of a Nissan or Infiniti powered by a VQ-series V6 engine and want to show it off at the May 9 Supercar Saturday event in Omaha, Nebraska, tough luck—you’re banned. Yes, you read that right, the organizers of the car show have decided that people who drive Nissan 350Z and 370Z sports cars, as well as Infiniti G35, G37, and Q60 coupes, are banned from attending the show. You can’t even turn up in a VQ-powered Infiniti G25, Q40 or Q50 either, as these sedans are also on the list of undesirables. No Nissan VQ Power AllowedNow, this may sound arbitrary and discriminatory, but organizers say they made the difficult decision for safety reasons. “This was not an easy decision. However, due to the number of complaints and incidents that have occurred at previous shows, we believe this step is necessary to help maintain a safe and enjoyable environment for everyone,” organizers said in a post on Facebook. Jamal Rahmanzai, the host and organizer of Supercar Saturday, told Road & Track that many younger folks who own these cars refuse to abide by the rules, constantly doing burnouts, revving their engines and acting reckless. For example, four years ago, a 16-year-old Nissan 350Z driver crashed the car into a fire hydrant, nearly hitting some spectators (see video below). Rahmanzai said that had he not put the VQ ban in place, he would've had to cancel the show all together. While the ban will last for the entire 2026 season, it may be reevaluated after that, he added. The organizer added that he sees the same VQ cars driving with a “street takeover” mentality at other shows in the area, and if this continues, the Supercar Saturday ban is likely to remain in place. The Ban Also Affects Responsible Drivers of VQ-Powered Nissans and Infinitis Copyright 2013 Brandon Turkus / AOL The organizer is aware that the ban also punishes responsible owners of VQ-powered vehicles, but he said that enforcing it on a case-by-case basis is not practical, which is why all VQ cars will be turned away at the gate; local police will help enforce the rules. While owners of VQ-powered cars are not allowed to drive their cars to Supercar Saturday this year, they will be able to attend the show as spectators, Rahmanzai said. Unfortunately, this is where we are now after years of dangerous street takeover events that have been plaguing many cities across the country. Some drivers can’t tell the difference between an illegal gathering where they perform reckless driving stunts and a legit car show—and it seems that in Omaha, many of them are driving VQ-powered cars. Organizers of sanctioned events like Supercar Saturday must now enforce discriminatory bans to make sure that they won’t end up with lawsuits from victims of accidents caused by reckless drivers at their events. It’s a sad reality, but this is where we are at the moment. View the full article

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