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Today’s Issue WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2026 Permalink →
The gas C-Class gets an S-Class-style face, illuminated grille, and an AI assistant built on ChatGPT, Bing, and Gemini. The 48-volt turbo four stays at 255 hp (190 kW) and 295 lb-ft (400 Nm) but gains a 27-hp (20-kW) overboost function; U.S. deliveries begin in the first half of 2027.
Cosmetic changes are minor; the news is off-road hardware. The TRD Pro gains switchable three-stage Fox shocks, while the new SR5-based Trailhunter adds Old Man Emu suspension, a locking diff, and underbody armor. On a dirt course the TRD Pro jumped capably but never hid its weight over rough sections.
Tesla reportedly plans a public Cybercab launch in Austin this month, after training first responders and adding Starlink to the pedal-free two-seater. Skeptics note the FSD-based system remains under NHTSA investigation and that Tesla's unsupervised fleet has logged just 380,000 miles (611,000 km) versus Waymo's 220 million (354 million km).
Porsche North America CEO Timo Resch says his team marshaled customer and dealer feedback to convince Stuttgart a manual 473-hp (353-kW) Carrera S was worth building; it's a North America exclusive. U.S. take rates are outsized: roughly 80 percent of GT3 Tourings and half of GT3s get the third pedal.
Jay Leno's Garage hosts David Lee's short-wheelbase 250 GT California Spyder, one of 37 in this spec, its 3.0-liter V12 making about 170 hp (127 kW) through a four-speed manual. Leno finds it nimble and torquey, and both marvel that a Boston dealer once took one in trade for $5,200.
Volvo's 244 D6 borrowed a six-cylinder diesel from VW's LT van to become the world's first six-cylinder diesel car, with 82 hp (61 kW). A 1980 one-off 244 Diesel Turbo Special made 177 hp (132 kW) and 221 lb-ft (300 Nm), beating a Saab Turbo to 62 mph (100 km/h).
The next-gen Cherokee moves from STLA Large to the STLA One platform, which cuts costs 30 percent and supports gas, hybrid, and 800-volt EV powertrains. Stellantis is spending $800 million to reopen its Belvidere, Illinois, plant, with pilot production in 2028 and saleable units in the second half of 2029.
Medical courier Shane Somers, who put 110,000 miles (177,000 km) on a new Land Cruiser last year, reports his Prius LE is running great and still looks mint. The tally: 10 oil changes, 13 tire rotations, one set of tires (five flats on the factory rubber), and zero unscheduled repairs.
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