Citroën 2CV returns, Tesla FSD (finally) renamed, $5K BMW i3 woes
PLUS: Alpine A310 revived, $145K Alfa prank, 1,000-HP Avatr
Releases & Reviews
The Citroën 2CV Is Back, and It’s Full of Adorable, Whimsical Details
Citroën plans to build the electric 2CV from 2028 at a target price of about 15,000 euros (about $17K). At 148 inches long, it is about four inches shorter than the original. Neither it nor the Fourgonnette van version shown alongside it is planned for the US.
Has Toyota forgotten how to build cars? New RAV4 Review
Carwow tests the UK-market plug-in hybrid, a 272-horsepower front-drive version that reached 60 mph in 7.1 seconds. Complaints include a wobbly center console and hard, scratchy plastics for the price. The reviewer still recommends shortlisting it for its quiet, composed drive.
Technology, Market Data & Analysis
Tesla Finally Forced to Rename Full Self-Driving as ‘Assisted Driving’—in Europe
The change follows pressure from Germany's transport ministry, which called the old name "somewhat misleading" for a driver-assistance system. In the US, Tesla still sells it as Full Self-Driving (Supervised). George Mason University professor Missy Cummings told CNBC the rename ignores past and ongoing NHTSA investigations.
Car Buyers Have Chosen Hybrids. Some Automakers Weren’t Ready.
Hybrid sales rose nearly 25% in the first nine months of 2026, according to Cox Automotive. GM, which sells no hybrids beyond low-volume Corvettes, says some could arrive as early as 2027. In the third quarter, Kia's hybrid sales rose over 150% and Hyundai's nearly 40%.
Car Culture
Travis Barker’s 1959 Impala Looks Stock Until You Floor It | Jay Leno's Garage
On Jay Leno's Garage, Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker shows the black-on-black Texas convertible on 14-inch Dayton wire wheels. An LS3, which Barker estimates makes 495 horsepower, replaces the original 348 V8. The factory steering wheel gave way to a smaller one that Barker's wife can turn.
This WRX 22B Is the Holy Grail of Subarus
Subaru built 400 of the 1998 coupes for Japan to celebrate three straight WRC constructors' titles. The first one auctioned in the US sold for over $300,000. Owner Charles Wong, who has owned Nissan GT-Rs, says the 22B is better than those cars in factory form.
Miscellaneous
Here’s Everything Wrong With My $5000 BMW i3
David Tracy bought the 120,000-mile 2014 i3 after selling a newer i3S for $34,000. Faults include bubbling resin on the carbon-fiber roof, a drooping headliner and rodent-chewed wiring. The battery still shows over 90% health, and Tracy expects to fix the rest for a couple thousand dollars.
Red Fire Trucks Have A Surprising History Most People Don’t Know
One theory credits rivalries among 1800s volunteer brigades, which prized red as a prestigious color. A 1995 study in the Journal of Safety Research found lime-yellow-and-white pumpers less likely than red ones to have visibility-related crashes. Some departments now use yellow or fluorescent lime-green trucks instead.
Quick Links
Alpine A310 Vision Concept Revealed with Pop-Down Headlights
The electric concept rides on the 500-plus-horsepower platform from the Renault 5 Turbo 3E, and design chief Antony Villain told Autocar it could reach production as a special project.
I Secretly Bought Thomas' Dream Car...For Myself
Throttle House's James Engelsman won a 1968 Alfa Romeo GTA 1300 Junior at auction for $145,500 and surprises co-host Thomas Holland, who has long coveted the lightweight racing model.
I’m Irrationally Excited About The New Smart #2 City Car And Its Surprising Lack Of Gimmicks
The electric two-seater is only about two inches longer than the last Fortwo, keeps a split tailgate, adds a bench seat and starts at about 20,000 euros (about $22K) in Europe.
The Bizarre Sales Success That Is The Discontinued Ford F-150 Lightning EV
Used Lightnings now sell in about 20 days, against 44 for the average used vehicle, after Ford ended production following a fire at its aluminum supplier.
Avatr T09 Debuts With Six Seats And 1,000-HP Hybrid System
Avatr's Paris concept previews an export version of a Chinese-market SUV that pairs a turbocharged engine with three electric motors and is expected to cost about 500,000 yuan (about $71K).
So That’s Why Jeep Didn’t Put a V8 in the Two-Door Wrangler
The Drive notes that aftermarket Hemi and Hellcat swaps fit the two-door and suspects wheelies are the concern, since the short wheelbase lets V8 torque lift the front end at walking speed.
Mattel Brick Shop Gets into the Vintage Nissan Game with the Original Skyline GT-R
Mattel Brick Shop's first Nissan set has 833 pieces, builds in road or race trim, includes a matching Hot Wheels die-cast and goes on sale in January 2027 for about $60.