7 Series beats S-Class, GM's $50B quarter, Mirror Veyron
PLUS: Acura off-roader, Rolls' secret, Studebaker revived
Releases & Reviews
BMW’s NEW 7 Series just DESTROYED the Mercedes S-Class…
BMW calls this its biggest facelift ever. The rear-drive 740 now makes 400 horsepower from its straight-six and reaches 60 mph in 4.7 seconds. Carwow rates the cabin quality above the S-Class and calls the 7 Series the pick for buyers who want the ultimate luxury limousine.
The Updated 2027 Lexus NX Goes Hybrid-Only
The NX 350h hybrid now makes 244 horsepower, and the plug-in NX 450h+ makes 324 with up to 45 miles of electric range. Plug-in models add a factory NACS charging port. Pricing is still to come, and the 2026 hybrid starts at about $47,000.
Technology, Market Data & Analysis
GM Posts Record $50 Billion Quarter as EV Strategy Evolves
Earnings before interest and taxes rose to $4.1 billion on Silverado and Sierra pickup sales plus 60% growth in Super Cruise revenue. GM says it is on track to cut EV losses by up to $1.5 billion this year. Its sales are down about 10% through three quarters.
VW Will Remotely Cap ID 4 Charging at 80% Amid Battery Fire Recall
The over-the-air update covers 2023–2026 models in the recall population. VW says the root cause is still unknown, and its recall report links the fire risk to certain charging profiles above an 80% state of charge. Owners can opt out of the cap through the VW app.
Car Culture
I Can’t Believe This Very Famous VW Beetle From An Old ’60s Ad Is Not Only Still Around, But My Friend Bought It
The mid-1960s ad showed Michael Kennedy's Beetle, a 1947 body on a 1955 chassis with parts from at least eight model years. Kennedy, now 84, still had it in running order. Autopian contributor Tory Alanzo has bought it and plans to restore its ad-era red paint.
This Refurbished One-Off Bugatti Veyron Is a Mirror on Wheels
Chassis 8.100 was reportedly the most expensive Veyron ever built when Bugatti finished it in 2014. The factory's La Maison Pur Sang program removed aftermarket personalization and restored its original spec. Car and Driver notes that social media videos show Fernando Alonso driving it in Monaco.
Miscellaneous
Avis Seems To Think Driver Capable Of Averaging 112 MPH Over 24 Hours For Seven Days, Bills Accordingly
Toronto renter Yuehao Huang was billed nearly $6,000 for almost 18,000 miles on a weeklong trip that his phone logged at about 870 miles. Avis and American Express upheld the charge at first. After CityNews covered the case, Avis blamed a data-entry error and is issuing a refund.
Old-School Box Speakers Are Back—and Pioneer’s New ‘Cassette Deck’ Car Stereo Is Finally Coming to America
The single-DIN head unit hides its USB ports behind a faux cassette door and adds Bluetooth and HD Radio. Pioneer sells it for about $500, with matching box speakers at $300 a pair, and U.S. shipping starts by November 2. The Drive calls the price reasonable for name-brand gear.
Quick Links
Acura’s Future Includes More Models in Popular Segments
An Automotive News report says an off-road "Acura Passport" based on the Honda Passport TrailSport arrives in mid-2028, followed by a three-row SUV about six inches longer than the MDX around early 2030.
BMW’s New iX5 Can Charge at a Blistering 460 kW
BMW quotes a 10-to-80% charge in about 22 minutes for the iX5's new cylindrical-cell battery, and Autoweek notes that no commercial U.S. charger reaches 460 kW yet.
Honda Wants to Charge EVs While They’re Driving
Honda and construction partners Taisei Corporation and Taisei Rotec plan to test the in-road wireless system on a Japanese expressway starting in spring 2027, with commercial fleets as the main target.
Every Rolls-Royce Has A Hidden Feature Most People Don't Know About
The feature is a full-size umbrella in a dedicated door compartment, which releases it at a button press on the Phantom and drains water so it can go back in wet.
The Strange Reason The Golf GTI Had A Golf Ball Shifter
Interior specialist Gunhild Liljequist proposed the dimpled knob for the 1976 Mk1 GTI as a nod to the car's name, which is usually traced to the German word for the Gulf Stream.
Brooks Stevens’ 1965 Studebaker GT Hawk Proposal Comes to Life
Brooks Stevens Design plans to build a dozen cars from the late designer's unbuilt sketches, using donor GT Hawks with their original VINs plus GM LS V8 engines and Wilwood brakes.
Dixie Chopper, Maker of the World’s Fastest Lawn Mower, Is Going Out of Business
Owner Alamo Group plans to wind down the Indiana brand by April 1, 2027, ending a 47-year run that included a 150-horsepower helicopter-engined mower driven on Home Improvement.