TODAY·IN·CARS
Issue · FRIDAY, JULY 17, 2026

810-HP Super Snake, Ferrari Testarossa, $34K WRX

PLUS: 641-HP Hyundai deal, Aston's V-12 SUV, VW buttons

Releases & Reviews

The Ferrari 849 Testarossa Earns Its Name

Ferrari's new flagship pairs an 830 horsepower (619 kW) twin-turbo V8 with three electric motors for a combined 1,050 horsepower (783 kW), making it the most powerful production Ferrari ever. Priced around $540,000, the plug-in hybrid dazzles less with straight-line speed than with startlingly sharp, torque-vectored turn-in.

Driven: 2026 Subaru WRX Base 6MT Offers Good Fun for a Good Value

The reintroduced Base trim starts at $33,690—$1,500 under the Premium—rolling back tariff-inflated prices that had gutted sales. It keeps the 271 horsepower (202 kW), 258 pound-foot (350 Nm) turbo flat-four and standard six-speed manual; reviewers found it a cheap, easy track toy, though the brakes fade after hard lapping.

Technology, Market Data & Analysis

Lucid's bankruptcy rumor is a bad sign for the EV future

A report that restructuring advisers floated Chapter 11 sent Lucid's stock plunging up to 50 percent; the company called it "completely false" and issued a cease-and-desist. But with a $1 billion first-quarter loss and two 2026 layoff rounds, the panic spread to Rivian and Polestar, spotlighting EV-only makers' fragility.

Report: Chevy's 5-Year Plan Includes New Sedan and Gas Models

Per an Automotive News report, Chevy plans a new gas-powered sporty sedan around 2028—possibly reviving the Camaro name—sharing a platform with Buick and Cadillac. With the $7,500 EV tax credit gone, the brand is leaning back on refreshed gas models and face-lifts rather than abandoning its truck-heavy lineup's EVs.

Car Culture

Tested: 2001 Lexus IS300 Is an Alternate Take on the BMW 3-Series

This resurfaced October 2000 test pits the IS300's torquey 215 horsepower (160 kW) 3.0-liter straight-six against the BMW 3-Series. With chronograph-style gauges and an automatic-only launch, it hit 60 mph in 7.6 seconds. Testers loved its style and value but still gave the nod to the more refined Bimmer.

Miscellaneous

The Nissan Altima, Once Inescapable, Is Finally Dead

Nissan confirmed the midsize sedan's end after eight years without a redesign, with 2026 sales down 32 percent. Planned EV replacements for the Altima and Maxima have slipped to 2029–2030 amid soft demand, so Nissan will refocus on the "grown up" Sentra. The badge-engineered Rogue PHEV is also gone.

Shelby's New F-150 Super Snake Spits Venom At The Ram Rumble Bee

Shelby stuffs a stage-2 supercharger onto the F-150's 5.0-liter V8 to make 810 horsepower (604 kW)—doubling the stock 400 (298 kW) and topping Ram's 777 horsepower (580 kW) Rumble Bee SRT. Just 600 serialized trucks will be built, with King coilovers and Baer brakes, starting at $140,795.

Quick Links

Ford Now Offers a Remote Killswitch on Almost Every New Model

The FordPass app's remote engine-start inhibitor, once limited to F-Series trucks, now covers the 2026 Expedition, Bronco Sport, and Mustang Mach-E, letting owners block a thief from starting the car even with the key inside.

5 Old Favorites Losing Value in a Cooling Market

With Hagerty's market rating at its lowest since 2011, five long-appreciating classics slid last quarter—the Jeep CJ-7 (-22%), Buick GS (-18%), VW Type 2 bus (-16%), C3 Corvette LT1 (-15%), and first-gen Ford Bronco (-12%).

Volkswagen’s ID. Cross Brings Back Real Buttons

The battery-electric T-Cross sibling starts at €27,995 (about $33,000) in Germany and, best of all, ditches touch-only controls to bring back real physical buttons and knobs for climate and volume—though it likely won't reach the US.

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