13-rotor Miata, Celica returns, Fathom caps at $40K
PLUS: Evoque, Velar axed, R2 beats Model Y, worst V-8s ever
Releases & Reviews
The Toyota Celica Is Back!
Toyota will race a GR Celica Rally1 alongside the GR Yaris in the 2027 World Rally Championship, with reigning champion Elfyn Evans driving the Celica. Toyota says the two cars share mechanicals and aerodynamic performance and differ only in body. A road-going Celica is not yet confirmed.
2026 Porsche Cayenne Electric First Test: Stunning Tech, Blazing Charging, Surprisingly Soft Dynamics
The base dual-motor model makes 435 horsepower and 615 lb-ft and weighs nearly 5,800 pounds. MotorTrend ran it to 60 mph in 4.1 seconds and praises its class-leading charging and curved display. The outlet calls the chassis tuning more anodyne than it expects from Porsche.
Technology, Market Data & Analysis
Ford Says Even the Fathom EV’s Fanciest Trims Will Stay Under $40K
Ford Model e president Andrew Frick told the Detroit Free Press that every Fathom trim will stay below $40,000, with the base pickup starting at about $30,000. Pre-orders open in early 2027 and sales begin late that year. CEO Jim Farley calls the prototype a “breakthrough product” after driving it.
October Winners And Losers: Mazda Surges As Mustang Sales Slide
Mazda sold about 31,400 vehicles in October, up 25% on last year and its second-best October ever, led by a Mazda3 that more than doubled. Mustang sales fell nearly 20% to about 3,100. Hyundai, Kia and Honda all posted record months.
Car Culture
Bugatti’s CEO Had His Chiron Stolen Because He Leaves The Keys In It But He Chased It Down In A 911
Rimac left the keys in his nearly $3M Chiron at Bugatti’s Zagreb facility, and a man who had asked about a job drove off toward Austria. Rimac tracked the car by GPS and followed in his Porsche 911 until police stopped the thief in Slovenia. Rimac is not pressing charges.
Someone Stuffed A 13-Rotor Engine Into A Miata. And Yes, It Actually Runs
YouTuber Rob Dahm built the car for Haltech’s SEMA booth. A turbocharged single-rotor engine actually drives the first-generation MX-5, while the 12-rotor above it, claimed at 4,500 horsepower, is plumbed for show but not connected to the drivetrain. The car moves under its own power.
Miscellaneous
Aston Martin Valhalla: $1 Million Crazy Hypercar From Aston?!
The Valhalla pairs a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 with three electric motors for 1,064 horsepower, with production capped at 999 cars. Aston Martin quotes 0 to 62 mph in 2.5 seconds and a 217-mph top speed. Doug DeMuro tours the quirks and features of Aston’s first mid-engine production car.
Jeep Wrangler Scrambler SRT Concept First Look: A V-8-Powered Desert-Slaying Truck
The concept starts with a Wrangler chassis and recalls the CJ-8 Scrambler sold from 1981 through 1986, with longer doors, an integrated bed, a roll cage and a lifted suspension on BFGoodrich mud-terrain tires. Stellantis’s Tim Kuniskis describes it as an open-air desert weapon. The top and doors come off.
Quick Links
Range Rover Evoque, Velar Production Ending
JLR will end Evoque and Velar production in mid-2027 with no direct replacements, as its Halewood plant shifts to the electric Range Rover GT and a new Defender-family model.
2026 Tesla Model Y Performance vs. 2027 Rivian R2 Performance Comparison Test
Car and Driver picks the Rivian R2 Performance over the Tesla Model Y Performance on ride, cabin space and ergonomics, with the two SUVs within two tenths of a second of each other to 60 mph.
These Are the Coolest and Craziest Cars We Saw at SEMA 2026
Car and Driver’s early favorites include a pair of Suzuki kei cars dressed as R32 and R34 GT-Rs, a Grand Theft Auto VI Cybertruck and a Lexus-faced Tacoma pickup.
Toyota Drops Details on Overlanding-Focused, 2027 Sequoia Trailhunter
The Trailhunter package rides on the SR5 trim with the 437-horsepower i-Force Max hybrid V-6, a 14-inch screen now standard across the lineup and a tow rating of about 9,500 pounds.
Some Automakers Want Chinese Cars Banned From America For Good
The Alliance for Automotive Innovation, which represents GM, Toyota and Volkswagen, is urging Congress to make restrictions on Chinese vehicles permanent, citing security risks and over a million Chinese cars sold in Europe this year.
Some Lunatics Are Making A Kit To Swap A Dirt-Cheap Flat-Six Into A Subaru BRZ
Chase Bays is developing a kit to fit the Subaru EZ30R or EZ36 flat-six from Legacy, Outback and Tribeca models into first-generation BRZ, FR-S and 86 coupes, replacing the 200-horsepower flat-four.
The 7 Worst V-8 Engines Ever Produced and Why They Failed
MotorTrend’s list is led by Cadillac’s 1981 V8-6-4, a cylinder-deactivation engine whose computer could not switch modes smoothly and was dropped after a single model year.