183-MPH $18K Lincoln, Bugatti Bolide, EPA frees diesels
PLUS: Polestar fallout, Mazda safety win, cop magnets
Releases & Reviews
Bugatti's Last W16-Powered Track Car Is Now Street Legal
British firm Lanzante is making the track-only Bolide road-legal, debuting it at Goodwood with new X-shaped LED headlights and softened suspension. The 8.0 liter quad-turbo W16 stays put, producing just under 1,600 horsepower (1,194 kW) in a car under 3,200 pounds (1,450 kg). Only 40 exist.
Slate Knows That Gray Is Boring, So It’s Launching With Legit Crayola Wraps
The startup's answer to Slate's default gray panels: five Crayola-branded wrap "starter packs"—Cerulean, Fern, Jersey Tomato, Dandelion, and Razzmatazz—at $1,549.99 each, versus $500 for basic wraps. The $24,950 EV pickup offers 205 miles (330 km) of range and 181 horsepower (135 kW), deliveries due Q4.
Technology, Market Data & Analysis
EV Sales Rise in Q2, but America Is Going Hybrid
Americans bought 2.2% fewer new cars in the first half of 2026 but 9% more hybrids, per Kelley Blue Book, as models like the RAV4, Camry, and Jeep Cherokee went hybrid-only. EVs rose 14.7% quarter over quarter yet still made up just 5.8% of sales.
The U.S. Proposes Deleting Limp Mode Entirely For Running A Diesel Truck With A Broken DEF System
The EPA has proposed scrapping the power derates and limp modes that diesel trucks enter when their DEF systems fail or run dry, replacing them with audible and visual alerts. Administrator Lee Zeldin pegs the savings at $12 billion, or up to $6,000 per vehicle, for 2027 models onward.
Car Culture
Acura's Integra 40 Racer Is a Celebration of Japanese-American Motorsport History
To mark 40 years in North America, Acura built a race-prepped tribute to its first competition car, the 1987 Integra. Fully analog—manual steering, cable throttle, no ABS—it wears period-correct Mugen wheels, TEIN suspension, and a Torsen diff, tipping the scales at a featherweight 2,152 pounds (975 kg).
183-MPH Land Speed Lincoln Mark VIII Is A Sub-$20K Dream Come True
This unassuming mocha coupe is a Ford skunkworks prototype that ran 182.694 mph (294 km/h) at Bonneville in 1992, setting a class record. Blueprinted by engineer Jerry Wroblewski—who later founded tuner SCT—its 290 horsepower (216 kW) modular V-8 just sold online for $18,323.
Miscellaneous
Kia’s Telluride Recall Fix Didn’t Hold, 460,000 SUVs Need to Park Outside
A prior fix for the 2020–2024 Telluride's power-seat switch didn't hold, so Kia and NHTSA are telling owners of the 462,869 affected SUVs to park outside. A damaged switch can run the seat motor continuously and overheat, risking a fire even when parked; the new repair adds an electronic fuse.
Rivian and Nike ACG Teamed Up to Build a Custom R1T Mobile Hydration and Snack Station
For a 100 mile (161 km) ultramarathon, Rivian's Special Projects team turned an R1T Quad into the "Recharge Truck," a mobile aid station. Powered by its 140 kWh battery, it runs tailgate slushie machines, frunk ice coolers, a pull-out snack rack, and 360-degree cooling sail shades.
Quick Links
This New Italian Supercar Packs A Naturally Aspirated V8 And A Manual Transmission
Italian boutique automaker Automobili Mignatta previewed its 2027 Rina Coupe at Goodwood, packing a carbon-fiber monocoque, six-speed manual, and a naturally aspirated 5.0 liter V8 making around 493 horsepower (368 kW).
Polestar owners left ‘holding the bag’ after EV brand pulls out of the US
After a federal rule on Chinese-made connected-car software forced Polestar out of the US, thousands of owners and dealers are scrambling over service, warranty coverage, and collapsing resale values—though the brand says warranties will be honored.
Taxi! The History of NYC’s Iconic Yellow Cabs
This history traces NYC's taxis from the electric Hansom cabs of 1897 through the iconic Checker Marathon and Ford Crown Victoria to today's minivans—and a possible electric future via Kia's PV5 van.
Smashing Success! 2026 Mazda CX-5 Earns IIHS Top Safety Pick+
The 2026 CX-5 becomes the ninth Mazda to earn the IIHS's tougher Top Safety Pick+ award for 2026, the most of any automaker and cementing Mazda's spot atop the safety rankings.
The EU (Still) Wants to Control Your Speed Via Satellite
The European Commission is reportedly reviving plans for satellite-based systems that would physically cap a car's speed at the limit, going beyond today's warning-only Intelligent Speed Assist—tech that studies show misreads limits up to 25% of the time.
What Car Is Absolutely Getting You Pulled Over?
A tongue-in-cheek reader debate over which cars are natural cop magnets—from rough-looking beaters to attention-grabbing sports cars like the Corvette, Subaru WRX, and Mustang GT.
A Classic Hyundai Truck Stars in a Hugely Popular Retro-Style Game
The hit indie game Dave the Diver added a 1976 Hyundai Pony pickup in its jungle expansion—a fitting nod to South Korea's first mass-produced car, now a cult classic at home.