Porsche fakes EV shifts, Ram BackCountry, no-pedal cars
PLUS: $78K electric Jeep, BMW wants new M1, million Impalas
Releases & Reviews
2026 Ram 1500 BackCountry First Drive: Statistically, Your Next Truck
Slotting between the Big Horn and Rebel, the BackCountry bundles off-road gear—a 1 inch (2.5 cm) lift, skidplates, a locking rear differential, and Falken Wildpeak all-terrains—for about $5,400 less than a Rebel. With 9.5 inches (24 cm) of clearance, it's a value-focused trail rig.
We Drive Porsche's Fake-Shifting 2027 Taycan
Porsche's new $1,030 E-Shift option fakes an eight speed PDK, complete with paddles and a 7,400 rpm digital tach, on the now 97 kWh, $114,250 Taycan. The verdict after a first drive: thoughtfully executed but ultimately a gimmick—novelty that fades fast, and not what the EV needed.
Technology, Market Data & Analysis
Feds Want to Drop Requirement for Autonomous Cars to Have a Brake Pedal
NHTSA has begun rulemaking that would let vehicles designed solely for autonomous driving—like Tesla's pedal-free Cybercab—skip the long-required physical brake pedal. Stopping-distance standards stay, but mirrors, wipers, and defrosters could also go. Public comments are open until July 27.
Most American-Made Cars Aren't Actually From American Brands
The 2026 Cars.com American-Made Index ranks vehicles by assembly site, parts sourcing, and workforce. Teslas still top it and Jeep takes third and fourth, but Japanese-owned models—Honda, Lexus, Acura—claim six of the top 10 and 12 of the top 20.
Car Culture
Everyone Forgets About The Other Ford In Starsky & Hutch
Starsky's striped red Gran Torino is the icon, but Hutch's beat-up beige 1973 Galaxie 500 was the better car—David Soul said it would've won a drag race. The crew sledgehammered it to look worn, and Soul permanently injured his tailbone jumping onto its roof for the opening credits.
In The 1980s, Mazda Made The Only Rotary Turbo Sedans In The World
Mazda's 1981–1990 Luce and Cosmo remain the only production rotary turbo four door sedans ever built. The 160 horsepower (119 kW) Cosmo Rotary Turbo was briefly Japan's fastest car, and the HB Cosmo offered a wild palette of three inline fours, three rotaries, and a diesel.
Miscellaneous
Hilarious Gas Can-Shaped Party Speaker Is Cheap Enough to Impulse-Buy During Amazon Prime Day
This 300 watt Bluetooth party speaker is shaped exactly like a jerry can, and it's 44% off at $149.99 during Prime Day. Sound quality is reportedly mediocre, but as a tailgate or trailside conversation starter, it's cheap and absurd enough to be an easy impulse-buy.
Apple and Audi alumni have made a luxe EV based on the moon buggy
Lisbon startup Amble—staffed by Audi, Ford, and ex-Apple-car alumni—just revealed the $25,000 Amble One, a doorless electric buggy. It promises 60-plus miles (97 km) of range, a 40 mph (64 km/h) top speed, and a sub 992 pound (450 kg) curb weight to clear Europe's L7e rules.
Quick Links
2026 Tesla Model Y vs. 2026 Toyota bZ Comparison Test: Two Bestsellers, One Winner
Both affordable electric SUVs impress, but the rear drive Model Y's superior 321 mile (517 km) range, quicker acceleration, and class leading Full Self-Driving edge out the cheaper, more familiar Toyota bZ for the win.
BMW Says It Would 'Love' A New M1
M division boss Frank van Meel says he'd love to revive the mid-engined supercar, but after BMW shelved the nearly finished, 600 horsepower (448 kW) Vision M Next for the XM SUV, a new M1 looks unlikely soon.
Jeep's Most Expensive Electric Off-Roader Costs Over $78,000
Jeep's open-top Recon EV launches in a single Trail Rated Moab trim starting at $68,990, but its modest 222 mile (357 km) EPA range could make the roughly $77,000 loaded price a tough sell.
Porsche, Ford Lead J.D. Power Initial Quality Study
Porsche and Ford topped the rankings with the fewest early problems as industry-wide quality improved sharply, though buggy infotainment and phone-mirroring systems remain the biggest source of new-car complaints.
1972 Chevrolet Impala: One Million Strong
A nostalgic look back at the year Chevrolet sold over a million full-size cars—offered in everything from convertibles to wagons with engines up to a 270 horsepower (201 kW) 454 V8—versus today's sedan-free lineup.
The Story of the Small Truck: Past, Present and Future
A sweeping history of the compact pickup, from 1970s Japanese imports like the Chevy LUV to today's revival led by Slate's $24,950 EV, Ford's coming $30,000 truck, and upstart REO.
2026 Kia Sportage PHEV First Test: A Well-Rounded Hybrid SUV
The plug-in Sportage impresses as a right-sized, surprisingly fun RAV4 PHEV rival with usable electric range from its 13.8 kWh battery, though a frustrating combined climate and media control bar mars the cabin.