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Good morning and welcome to The Downshift, or TDS for short.
Short, quick, and dense, TDS gathers the latest automotive headlines from around the globe and places them in one spot. Stories are summarized in a single sentence accompanied by a link for those seeking more information.
The first cup of coffee is gone and itтАЩs definitely time for a second, so letтАЩs get into it.
ЁЯЪШ What IтАЩm driving:┬аThereтАЩs a 2026 Dodge Durango Hellcat in my garage right now and it puts a smile on my face each and every time the supercharged 6.2-liter V8 fires to life. ItтАЩs been a minute since IтАЩve been in a Durango Hellcat, and I almost forgot how amazingly well the ancient Durango and supercharged V8 work as a package.
ЁРД╖ Mazda General Manager of Global Sales and Marketing Manabu Osuga said, тАЬWhile I canтАЩt share with you┬аexactly┬аwhen the new MX-5 will arrive, I can tell you that we are working on it,тАЭ and that тАЬI can tell you that we are sticking with (the design for) a car that will be under one tonne of weight тАж employing our тАШgram strategyтАЩ as we did with the current series;тАЭ Osuga noted, тАЬI am not going to say there isnтАЩt any possibility (that we will look at electrification in the future). But right now, that technology is very heavy, and if we apply that to the MX-5, we will not satisfy our fans,тАЭ and тАЬeventually, in the future, if the technology is there, then we will think about it. But at this moment, the internal combustion engine is the way (forward).тАЭ
ЁЯзСтАНЁЯзСтАНЁЯзТтАНЁЯзТ Lamborghini CEO Stephan Winkelmann has no interest in a sedan or small SUV, but said the automaker is missing a 2+2 in its lineup.
ЁЯЦд Mercedes-Benz AMG confirmed the Black SeriesтАЩ return with a new GT3 road car arriving alongside the upcoming GT3 race car with both cars being part of a joint development program.
ЁЯФЛ Photos said to be of the upcoming electric BMW M3 were leaked on Bimmerpost.
ЁЯдЭ Porsche and Audi CEOs Michael Leiters and Gernot D├╢llner are planning to deepen ties between the two sibling brands to reduce cost and complexity of product development and production with platform and parts sharing for the next gas-powered Macan and upcoming Porsche three-row SUV.
ЁЯФЛ Subaru teased a 420-horsepower electric SUV, which will debut next week at the 2026 New York auto show.
ЁЯдЦ General Motors is now testing its eyes-off hands-off driver-assistance technology on public roads as the automaker prepares to launch the tech in 2028.
ЁЯПн Toyota is spending roughly $1 billion on its assembly plants in Kentucky and Indiana to boost output of its three-row gas-powered Grand Highlander and three new electric SUVs.
ЁЯСА Subaru teased a lifted BRZ that might be all-wheel drive and turbocharged.
ЁЯХ╡я╕ПтАНтЩАя╕П The SEC dropped its four-year investigation into Faraday Future despite recommended enforcement action last year.
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As Director of Content and Product, Joel draws on over 15 years of newsroom experience and inability to actually stop working to help ensure The Drive shapes the future of automotive media. HeтАЩs also a World Car Award juror.
