Weekly car news, one email.
BMW is recalling an additional 318,495 vehicles in the United States over a Valeo-built starter motor prone to excess wear, a campaign that also reaches the 2023-2024 Toyota Supra, which shares BMW-sourced drivetrain hardware. Metal dust from the wear can prevent the engine from starting or, rarely, spark a fire. BMW estimates fewer than 0.1% of covered vehicles carry the defect; owner notifications begin August 28.
Ford is recalling 565,691 Bronco SUVs in the United States, model years 2021-2026, including the Bronco Raptor, after chafed wiring harness insulation raised the risk of a short circuit and fire in the engine bay. Ford knows of 15 fires tied to the defect; dealers will add protective sheathing and abrasion-resistant tape at no cost. Owner notifications go out August 24-28.
Porsche is preparing another round of restructuring as Chinese sales fall, US tariffs bite and EV demand slows, with Reuters reporting plans to raise total job cuts to about 9,000 positions by 2035 while the company refocuses on the 911 and premium SUVs and works more closely with Audi to cut costs.
Ford's Universal EV Platform will use Apple Maps as its built-in navigation system, with range-aware routing and charging-stop planning. The first model, a mid-size electric pickup around $30,000, arrives in 2027. Apple Maps data will also feed Ford's next-generation BlueCruise.
Acura is reportedly developing a three-row flagship crossover positioned above the MDX, expected around 2029 as the largest SUV in the brand's history. It carries the internal working name "Acura XL" and would be built at Honda's Alabama plant with a new hybrid powertrain aimed at large vehicles.
The Haval H10 is Great Wall Motor's new flagship SUV, a 5,060 mm six-seater sold only with the plug-in-hybrid Hi4 system. A 1.5-liter turbo engine and two electric motors combine for 458 hp and all-wheel drive, with up to 200 km of CLTC electric range and over 1,300 km of combined range. Chinese prices run from 299,800 to 359,800 yuan (about $44,200 to $53,100).
The China-only long-wheelbase electric CLA registered zero new sales in June, capping a slide from 358 units in March. A German trade outlet reported a production pause at the Beijing Benz plant; Mercedes denies it, calling the rumor a routine summer maintenance rotation.
Toyota has released early images of the facelifted Crown Crossover for Japan, showing a reworked rear end and a reversed two-tone paint split ahead of a mid-September 2026 launch, with powertrain and pricing details still to be confirmed.
In the ACSI 2026 automobile study, mass-market and luxury brands finished level at 78 points out of 100, and Toyota led the whole industry with 83. Mercedes-Benz was the best luxury brand at 81, while Cadillac fell 15% to last place on 69 and Lexus dropped 10% to 78.
The iCAUR V25 is a boxy, off-road-styled mid-size SUV from Chery's iCAUR brand (sold as iCar in China), using a range-extender (EREV) powertrain with a 33.68 kWh battery for up to 150 km of WLTC electric-only range and a roof-mounted LiDAR option.
The Mercedes-Maybach GLS 680 replaces the GLS 600 with an electrified 4.0-litre V8 rated at 603 hp, an illuminated Maybach grille and bonnet star, and a reworked MBUX Superscreen cabin. US and European order books open in late July 2026.
The fifth member of the Range Rover family and the first fully electric one, previewed in prototype form in July 2026. Built on JLR's new EMA platform with a coupe-like grand-tourer silhouette; a hybrid version is planned for later in its life. Full reveal, specs, and pricing are due later in 2026.
The smart #2 is a compact two-seat city EV and the spiritual successor to the original ForTwo, built on Geely's new ECA (Electric Compact Architecture) platform. At 2.79 meters long it keeps the ForTwo's 6.95-meter turning circle, with a 35.7 kWh battery good for up to 300 km WLTP and 10-80 percent DC charging in under 20 minutes. European pricing is expected to start below 22,500 euros (about $24,300).
The Volkswagen ID. Cross is a compact electric crossover for Europe, an EV alternative to the T-Cross built on the MEB+ platform it shares with the ID. Polo. European sales open in autumn 2026, priced from around €28,000 in Germany.
The DS N°7 is DS Automobiles' new premium SUV, succeeding the DS 7 on Stellantis's STLA Medium platform. It comes as a 48V mild hybrid or in three all-electric E-TENSE tiers, with up to 740 km WLTP range and European prices from EUR 43,900 (about $47,600).
The Explorer Van EV is a commercial conversion of Ford's European electric Explorer SUV, built by Ford Pro's Dagenham Conversion Centre with a permanent bulkhead replacing the rear seats. It offers up to 373 miles of WLTP range, 1,460 litres of load space, and a 650 kg payload.
The BMW i3 revives a familiar nameplate for an all-new Neue Klasse electric sedan built on BMW's second EV-specific platform. The i3 50 xDrive makes 463 hp with an 800V architecture, up to 912 km of WLTP range, and 400 kW DC charging. Order books opened in Germany from EUR 65,900; deliveries start in fall 2026, with a stretched-wheelbase version for China following later.
America's car industry comes down to a few big names, and not all of the 'Big Three' are American-owned. Here is who owns what: GM, Ford, the Europe-based Stellantis behind Jeep and Ram, Tesla and the EV newcomers, and the familiar names that are now owned abroad.
Most European badges trace back to about five mega-groups - Volkswagen, Stellantis, BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Renault. But several beloved European brands are now owned abroad, in China, India and the UAE, and a few Chinese and joint-venture names now sell under European flags. Here is who owns what in 2026.
Japan's carmakers stay overwhelmingly Japanese-controlled, but the ownership lines are still tangled - Toyota holds minority stakes in three of its own rivals, and Nissan, Mitsubishi and Renault are locked into a 25-year cross-shareholding pact that a 2025 Honda-Nissan merger attempt failed to simplify.
Battery-electric cars reached 20.7% of new EU car sales in H1 2026, up from 15.6% a year earlier, while combined petrol and diesel share fell below 30% for the first time. France, Germany and Denmark led BEV growth; hybrids remain the single largest powertrain at 37.3%.
Spain's new-car market grew 7.8% in June, and the Dacia Sandero kept its lead among models - but the bigger story was the BYD Atto 2, which reached Spain's top 10 for the first time as the brand's overall sales more than doubled.
Italy's new-car market grew 10.6% in June, but the real mover was the BYD Atto 2 - the first BYD model to reach third place among every car sold in the country, driven almost entirely by its plug-in hybrid version.
