As one of the most astounding racing cars in the world, the electric Volkswagen ID R seems to be gunning for the Nurburgring Lap Record. Sources close to the company reported that Volkswagen actually booked the track for May next year. We suspect it will try to send the slightly retuned electric ID R to that very track in order to slash the electric car record and take the scalp off the Nio EP9. That one managed to lap the Green Hell in 6 minutes 45.9 seconds. It is, obviously, a really fast car. Yet, considering the blistering Volkswagen ID R hill climb run at Pikes Peak where it smashed the previous record by 15 seconds and managed to finish the course in 7min 57.148 seconds, I can only imagine it will do the same at Nurburgring.

I started my research on this topic by entering three words in the google search bar - “Two Door SUVs” - and the first result that came out is a story authored by Doug DeMuro titled “Every Single Two-Door SUV Has Failed.” I feel that the guy is right. Like 100 percent right. Especially after reading a freaking list of two-door SUVs that actually existed and that still exist in this world of ours. While DeMuro really did provide an extensive list mentioning 29 different two-door SUVs, I managed to find a few more of them, that, of course, failed. Now, I will not list all of them, but I will mention five interesting two-door SUVs that we may have forgotten about. I am writing about them only to show you that modern two-door SUV interpretations are probably doomed and destined to fail.

Mercedes showed up to the 2018 Los Angeles Auto Show with quite the surprise – the AMG GT R Pro. It’s essentially a more aggressive version of the GT R with some serious track equipment to push it right to the next level. Not that the standard AMG GT Rcouldn’t deliver track performance, but this is for the serious track guys. Extras include a spoiler lip, longer front splitter, new bumper flics (For downforce, obviously), revised steering wheel and AMG’s Track Pace app. Unfortunately, it doesn’t come along with any extra power, but it still has 577 horsepower and 520 pound-feet of torque on tap, so it’s not like it was lacking in that department. It is the quickest Mercedes on the Nurburgring and can even hit 60 mph in 3.5 seconds. Thanks to the updated suspension and ceramic-composite brakes it can handle well and can be tamed if needed. And, since most of the upgrades can be seen on the outside, we’ve decided to make the AMG GT R Pro our wallpaper of the day. Grab yours now and lighten up the mood on your desktop!

Volkswagen might be working hard to broaden its cutting-edge electric offerings as of late, but it isn’t forgetting where it came from, digging deep into its catalogue of classic hits to mate the new with the old. Now, the latest VW icon to get EV’d could be the ever-lovable Beach Buggy.

Having the engine in the middle or as close to the center of the car as possible is deemed ideal in order to have even weight distribution between the two axles. But over the years, the configuration has mostly been reserved for expensive exotics unattainable by only the wealthiest enthusiasts. That’s why cheaper cars that have adopted the configuration have always stood out and usually attract some manner of cult following.

It’s not yet been 20 years since Y2K, and we’re already reaching for the rose-colored glasses when talking about the 2000s. It was a decade of rapid technological advancements, one where flip phones turned into smartphones and laptops were finally making some gains on desktop computers. It was, arguably, the decade of the Fast And Furious franchise, for the movie-going car guys, that went from glamorizing the tuner culture to being just another action franchise that happened to feature some exotics.

All the recent news about the Aston Martin Vanquish tooling and design being sold has spawned new interest in sports car here at Top Speed. As the replacement for the Mirage that went out of style in 2001, the Vanquish has had a good long run, but it, as we know it, might not be around much longer. This pains us deeply, but at the same time we have so much to look back at, and that’s why we’re going to honor it as our wallpaper of the day. As a reminder, this baby delivers 568 horsepower and 465 pound-feet of torque from an all-alloy V-12. It can run to 60 mph in 3.6 seconds and will top out at 201 mph if you really push it. It’s a blast to drive, unbelievably comfortable and handles like a dream. If you ever get the chance to drive one, don’t turn down the opportunity. Until that happens, go ahead and download our favorite wallpaper or run through our gallery below for more choices. Download one or all, the choice is yours.

By his own admission, the start of 2018 wasn’t a good time for Santa Claus. He had just finished his 2017 holiday delivery schedule and found himself more exhausted than he usually was. His back was screaming, his knees hurt, and he was, in his own words, growing a “bowl of jelly” in his stomach. Six months passed and Santa was still stuck in a rut. He knew he needed to work out. He just wasn’t inspired to do it. Then, in one fateful night in June, Santa visited his favorite auto website — we think it’s Topspeed — and saw the Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye. The very next day, Santa called up his local Dodge dealer in the North Pole and asked to test drive the 797-horsepower monster.

We jump to the present day, and Santa’s a completely different man. His “bowl of jelly” is gone, replaced by muscles that sat on top of muscles. He credits his physical makeover to the test-drive he had back in June, saying that it transformed his outlook in life. That same test drive also inspired him to transform his old ride to match his new “shredded bod.” And so, the Dodge Redeye Express was born.

Like most automakers, Mercedes is gearing up for the holidays in its own way. Christmas, after all, is a few weeks away, and if you’re in a time crunch to buy gifts for your loved ones, the German automaker can hook you up with a catalog Mercedes-branded items. Fancy something classy? There’s a "his and hers" watch that you can buy for your significant other. Running out of gift ideas for your child? A balance bike should put a smile on his or her face. Mercedes’ Christmas catalog runs long, and it runs deep. There’s a gift in there for everyone, including yourself, that is if you happen to be into something like golf.

If you’ve ever found having to reach all the way back into the cargo area of your SUV way too hard and a bit of a stretch, Ford may provide alleviation with a new system it’s just patented. The patent drawings show and detail electrically-operated conveyor belts in the floor of the trunk itself that you can move via some conveniently placed switches.

The crossover craze continues unabated, and rumor has it Ford is getting in on the action with a new electrified model that could carry some DNA over from the Mustang, including a name derived from the iconic Mach 1. However, diehards will be pleased to know the fresh utility vehicle most likely will receive a new nameplate all its own - “Mach-E.”

We’ve been talking endlessly about the upcoming Chevrolet Corvette C8 and, also, the race-going C8.R. Fans of old are lamenting about how it’s not really a Corvette if the engine isn’t in front of the driver, but this might not be the only problem the old guard will have with the new car. As we can hear in this new video captured at Sebring Raceway, the C8.R tries to sound like a Ferrari 488 GTE which suggests the push-rod V-8 might be a thing of the past, at least on the race car.

Chevy’s been busy testing the C8, that will be the first production mid-engine Corvette ever made, for over a year. At the same time, the guys at Pratt & Miller are racking up the test miles of the C8.R mules that should taste competition for the first time at the 2020 Daytona 24 Hours race.

The Toyota RAV4 just marked its fifth generation for the 2019 model year, and now comes with a fresh Adventure grade designed specifically for light off-roading duty. The question is - how does it fare against established competitors like the Jeep Cherokee and Subaru Forester?

It’s probably not the best time to promote it, but LEGO is doing it, anyway. The line for the 2019 Lego Speed Champions set has been unveiled, and there’s a lot to get excited about if you’re a fan of brick cars and their real-life counterparts. The lineup includes one of the fiercest supercars in the market today, a handful of muscle cars that can throw down against any car on the road, and what is arguably the most iconic Ferrari of all time outside the 250 GTO. The 2019 Lego Speed Champions sets will be available to order in January, or a month after Christmas. Those who are looking to buy one for the holidays will have to hold out for a month, but if patience is a virtue, the wait should be worth it.

The official debut of the new 2020 Chevy Silverado HD is expected in February 2019 - probably at the Chicago Auto Show. Chevy, however, grew some balls and actually revealed first photos of the 2020 Silverado HD. Bask in the greatness of the new 2020 Silverado HD. Or don’t! The design turned out to be one of the most astoundingly courageous styling experiments in the industry. The front end looks so much “out there” that, from the looks of things, it seems that Chevy has done too much. GM designers are probably reliving the nightmare that they had with the introduction of the latest Camaro. Remember, that one received an “overnight” update after some massive hate from the whole freaking world.

The new Silverado HD, however, had to be as mad as it is.

"We set out to make a statement with the 2020 Silverado HD and wanted to visually capture the power and capability of the truck," Brian Izard, the pickup’s lead exterior designer, said. "The result is a truck that looks like a piece of heavy machinery with modern, chiseled finishes and customer-focused details."

Well, it certainly looks like a piece of machinery, but that is only one of its traits (to some alluring, to many incomprehensive). While information on the new 2020 Chevrolet Silverado is still largely hidden, I managed to find some cool facts that will make the new 2020 Silverado HD closer to you.

The BMW 8 Series returned in 2018 after almost 20 years. Developed to replace the 6 Series, the 8 Series is sportier, more modern, and enables BMW to compete against the Mercedes-Benz S-Class Coupe. For the first time ever, the 8 Series will be upgraded to M8 specifications by the company’s high-performance division. The M8 will brake cover sometime in 2019.

When BMW introduced the 8 Series back in 1989, it reshaped the full-size luxury segment with a car that was gorgeous, unique, and loaded with innovative features. Discontinued in 1999, the 8 Series returned almost two decades later in 2018. The M8’s arrival will mark a premiere for the nameplate, which didn’t receive the M treatment in the 1990s. Although BMW did make a prototype, it eventually decided that there’s no market for the M8 and the project was scrapped. Times have obviously changed now, and with Mercedes already offering AMG versions of the S-Class Coupe and with Bentley producing the Continental GT Speed for quite a few years now, BMW needs the M8 to keep up with the competition. Find out what we already know about this grand tourer in my speculative review below.

Update 12-7-2018: We’ve updated this speculative review with new leaked images and new information. Check out the Exterior section below for all the new M8 goodness!

The fourth-generation Mazda3 made its global debut at the 2018 Los Angeles Auto Show. The hatchback replaces a six-year-old third-gen model that has been highly successful and established the nameplate as a strong competitor in the compact market. The new Mazda3 is heavily based on the Kai concept on the outside and features a more upscale interior plus an innovative engine.

Part of Mazda’s Sustainable Zoom-Zoom 2030 long-term strategy, the new Mazda3 debuts the company’s most recent interpretation of the Kodo design language. It also pushed the hatchback higher on the premium ladder and a five-engine lineup. On top of the usual gasoline and diesel SkyActiv units, the Mazda3 debuts the new SkyActiv-X, the first commercial gasoline engine with Spark Controlled Compression Ignition technology. The hatchback also features an all-wheel-drive system for the first time.

Toyota just introduced a brand-new generation for the Corolla this year, with both a head-turning hatchback and a smart sedan making the body style lineup. Now, Toyota is adding yet another model with a new hybrid variant, ushering in an even-greener option for the compact four-door segment. Standout features for the 2020 Toyota Corolla hybrid include a comfortable ride, loads of technology and features, and as an added bonus, upwards of 52 mpg combined thanks to the drivetrain that’s borrowed from the Toyota Prius.

Back in 2015, EuroNCAP rated the 2014 Fiat Panda Cross with three-star safety rating. Four years before, the same organization - the European New Car Assessment Program (EuroNCAP), tested the car and granted it a rather high four-star rating. Fast forward to 2018, and a recent safety evaluation tallied the Fiat Panda up as erringly bad. It received zero stars after EuroNCAP safety test performed in Brussels.

Is this now a worse car than it was before? How did it devolve? How can anyone buy it?

Well, let me tell you right away, the 2018 Fiat Panda is still the same car that it was in 2011. It did not change - at all. However, the EuroNCAP testing procedure is not the same. It is dramatically stricter, now requiring far more in terms of active safety gear. It also uses different dummies for testing (with a system that recognizes potential injuries better than before), and it tests the car for speed assistance, lane support, seat-belt reminders, and automatic emergency braking. None of this was required back in the day.

To answer the question from the title of this article I have to tell you that the latest 2018 Fiat Panda is not actually a death trap. It is just a simple city car that actually “meets or exceeds federal safety requirements in every market in which it is sold.”

Lego’s Speed Champions collection comprises some of the world’s most exotic machinery such as the Le Mans-winning Porsche 919, the Bugatti Chiron or the Ferrari LaFerrari. Now, a new hypercar is poised to join the lineup of the construction toy manufacturer’s collection. It’s McLaren’s ludicrous Senna, and it won’t be released until after Christmas, but McLaren already released the first teaser video.

You know how most manufacturers let some darkened images slip through the cracks showcasing whatever new model they plan on launching at an upcoming moment in time. McLaren has taken the idea to the world of Lego toys and dully made a fun video showing the soon-to-be-released McLaren Senna in Lego guise. It’s proving the point that, if you want, you can build hype for just about anything.

Faraday Future is being ripped apart piece by piece as it dies a slow, agonizing death. After running short on funds in October this year, Faraday’s downfall began as it announced a number of layoffs and financial setbacks. After living under the rock for a month, when it was assumed that Faraday may come back with some sort of positivity, the company decided to play the blame-game and lay-off more employees.