Check out the video: https://youtu.be/9B1QouuYUUQ Project Nightingale Project Nightingale is Rolls-Royce’s next step in turning bespoke into a bigger profit engine, building on the success of ultra-low-volume coachbuilt cars like Boat Tail and Droptail and backed by a $407 million Goodwood expansion to grow “Bespoke and Coachbuild” capacity. Due around 2028, the enormous two-seat convertible (Phantom-sized) will be the brand’s first electric coachbuilt model, leveraging Spect

Check out the video: https://youtu.be/pkgnrqxbMds Welcome to Ioniq Universe The Hyundai Venus is a wedge-shaped sedan concept that previews the future of Hyundai’s Ioniq sub-brand in China, debuting alongside the broader “Ioniq Universe” at the Beijing Motor Show. More angular than the Ioniq 6 and visually reminiscent of Honda’s 0 Series Saloon, Venus features a lightweight, frame-structured roof, a transparent rear spoiler, and a highly driver-focused interior. Inside, a wra

When I first saw the new Outback at last year’s New York auto show, I was not impressed. You may recall the original Outback was technically the Legacy Outback--a beefed up wagon variant of the mainstream Legacy sedan. As the years progressed, it lost the “Legacy” tag and slowly became more proficient offroad. With the latest variant, it appears Subaru has thrown out the baby with the bathwater. Q1 sales are down a staggering 31% --and this is for a new “SUV” in an SUV-crazy

IMAGE: HYUNDAI It seems to be almost impossible to keep a secret these days, but that's just what Hyundai did with the cleverly-named Boulder concept unveiled at the  New York International Auto Show . With a midsize body-on-frame pickup confirmed "by 2030", my hunch is that they brought the Bronco-esque SUV to New York to gauge customer reaction.  You may recall that the Santa Cruz was described by Hyundai as "one of the most researched concepts we have ever done." Unfortuna

This year’s  JD Power  Automotive Forum, which preceded the  New York International Auto Show  last week, was once again an opportunity to catch up on the retail side of the business (which is always educational for me) as well as emerging industry trends. The up-front global economic outlook and U.S. automotive outlook set the stage, with the expected array of less-than-encouraging numbers: labor market challenges, the retail sales shift from discretionary to essential goods

In lieu of a traditional news roundup this week, let me take you on a video walk-through of this year’s NYIAS to check out the significant newcomers on display, including… Infiniti QX65 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport Chevrolet Bolt Porsche Cayenne Electric VW Atlas Subaru Getaway Kia PV5 Taxi Kia EV3 Kia Seltos Chrysler Pacifica Ram Promaster City Genesis G90 Wingback Genesis GV60 Magma Hyundai Boulder #electricvehicle #automotive #autoperspectives #infiniti #qx65 #chevrolet

Check out the video: https://youtu.be/f7FTjwMgkUc?si=YKvp7RcK4uGgRMKU AMG Gets an SUV Mercedes‑AMG is preparing its first standalone SUV, expanding the GT family beyond the SL and GT coupes with a fully electric performance flagship aimed squarely at the Porsche Cayenne Electric and BMW’s upcoming iX5. Riding on the new AMG.EA platform rather than a repurposed Mercedes architecture, the GT SUV is expected to use Yasa axial‑flux motors in a high‑output multi‑motor configuratio

Check out the video ! Rivian’s R2 Gets Real The Rivian R2, first previewed as a prototype two years ago , has now been formally detailed as a compact electric SUV launching initially in higher‑priced trims, with standard, premium, and performance models ranging from about $49,000 to $58,000, while the originally promised $45,000 version is delayed until later in 2027. In dual‑motor form it delivers a striking 656 horsepower, outperforming luxury rivals like the Mercedes GLC E

I don't understand why BMW is tying itself into Gordian knots trying to explain their new steering wheel. According to BMWBlog , BMW design chief Adrian van Hooydonk talked about the new design in a briefing ahead of the i3’s world premiere. The discussion addressed the twin vertical spokes and the ‘elimination’ of the horizontal spokes. “We began to make the steering wheel smaller and flat on the top and on the bottom. In order to see that display, we needed to open up the s

source: Mercedes Mercedes is already connected with Chinese automaker Geely in a joint venture  for the rebooted Smart brand, as well as purchasing  mild hybrid powertrains from Horse (the Renault-Geely joint venture). Now, if the reports  from the Chinese media are true, Mercedes will leverage Geely expertise to develop a new compact EV platform, codenamed Phoenix. Such a move raises some questions about Mercedes’ future low-end strategy. You may recall that, back in 2022, M

source: SAIC-VW Almost six years ago, the CEO of Volkswagen China said extended-range EVs (EREVs) were environmentally unfriendly, while their head of R&D called them “outdated technology.” So, when Volkswagen proudly announced the first EA211 four-cylinder range extender — to be used in the upcoming ID.Era 9X fullsize SUV — had just rolled off the line, at least one Chinese automaker was ready. Said newcomer Li Auto (who launched their first EREV in 2018): ‘Congratulations

source: Scout That was the big takeaway from an  Automotive Press Association  briefing with  Scout Motors Inc.  CEO Scott Keogh. With numerous rumors circulating over the past several weeks, Keogh told the audience that early prototypes will begin rolling off the line this year, with production vehicles launching in 2027 and in owners’ hands in 2028. Those early prototypes—which Scout could have had constructed at a 3rd party supplier – will help get workers familiar with th

As relative newcomer VinFast struggles in the US and European markets and shifts its focus to India, Indonesia, and the Philippines, you’d think their leadership would be focused on this significant pivot to try and stabilize the ship. Instead, they have also announced an expansion of their “ultra luxury” Lac Hong brand, initially launched last year with an armored variant of the VF9 three-row SUV. Lac Hong 900LX (source: VinFast) There are few specifics available on the 900

Check out the video ... Alpine’s Next EV Alpine’s reborn A110 represents the French brand’s shift into an electric performance future, following its 2017 lightweight mid‑engine coupe revival and a broader reboot as an EV‑focused brand in 2021. After canceling a planned Lotus partnership in 2023, Alpine has moved ahead independently, already launching the A290 hot hatch and A390 compact SUV, while revealing early details of a next‑generation A110 due in 2027. The new model is

Image: Microsoft CoPilot Could Detroit bring affordable sedans back to America? I had a fascinating chat with the Wall Street Journal's Chris Otts about this (see his article here ), and thought it sounded like a good time to look into how GM, Ford, and Stellantis might go about getting back into the car market... GM actually still sells both compact and midsize sedans in China. The compact Chevy Monza is based on a low-cost variant of GM's D2 platform, so they might be able

Well, as both Tesla and Rivian demonstrated, it can be a lot more financially beneficial to buy an existing plant than build one from the ground up. Now, the Nissan-Mercedes jointly-run plant in Mexico is up for sale , with three bidders. You’ll recall BYD (who sold about 80,000 vehicles in Mexico last year, or about 5.3% of the market) began talking about building a plant in Mexico back in 2024. Then they said they’d wait until the election, and then the Financial Times

Check out the video: https://youtu.be/rGmkUVkeo4g Nissan’s Body-on-Frame Play Nissan has confirmed that its upcoming body‑on‑frame strategy will extend beyond the revived Xterra to include a next‑generation Frontier, an Infiniti off‑road variant, and new versions of the Pathfinder and QX60, signaling a broad investment in rugged architectures. AutoPerspectives is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscri

Check out the video: https://youtu.be/mwNTrwGEk90 The Best Gets Better Often described as “the best car in the world,” the latest Mercedes S‑Class arrives with a major under‑the‑skin overhaul despite its familiar look, with roughly half of its 5,400‑plus parts newly developed or revised. Styling updates focus on a larger optional illuminated grille, abundant gloss‑black trim, and distinctive illuminated star details, while customization is taken to extremes through MANUFAKTUR

Check out the video: https://youtu.be/__voxIzxGiA Volvo’s Next-Gen EV The Volvo EX60 debuts on Volvo’s new SPA3 platform, featuring advanced 800V architecture, cell-to-body construction for improved energy density and efficiency, and megacasting for reduced material waste and cost. It boasts a strong environmental focus with 27% recycled content and a 37% lower CO2 footprint. Performance highlights include a 400-mile EV range for the AWD model, rapid charging capabilities (up

Although Volvo has backed away from an all-electric portfolio by 2030, that hasn’t slowed down its EV product development — and the new EX60 doesn’t show any signs of cutting corners. It’s the debut product on the new Volvo-developed SPA3 architecture and ticks all the boxes you expect on a state-of-the-art SUV: 800V architecture, cell-to-body construction, zonal electrical architecture, in-house developed motors, and megacasting. The numbers are impressive: a 400-mile range