Cars

Tesla had a phenomenal week. It was not just the Cybertruck that stole the limelight. The Model 3 is impressing the hell out of everyone all across the glob, and it even received a performance upgrade. The company is also making major strides in terms of expanding its global footprint. What’s more, Tesla reported profits in the third quarter, and there’s big news out of SpaceX. Could things be any better for Elon Musk right now? Let’s take a look at all the news from this week!

The Volvo S90 is scheduled to receive a mid-cycle revamp that’s expected to debut in 2020 for the 2021 model year. Once Volvo finally applies the finishing touches on the facelifted model, the S90 will feature mainly visual changes on the outside, but the Swedish firm might also tweak the sedan’s infotainment system to keep up with its rivals, and it may even introduce the mild-hybrid powertrain brought by the freshly-revised XC90.

A big question mark for now is how (and if) the S90’s interior will change. Volvo’s prowess for nicely laid out cabins that are also comfortable and high-quality suggests the carmaker won’t fiddle too much with an already perfect recipe.

After years of speculation, Ford’s highly anticipated, Mustang-inspired electric crossover will officially be called the Mustang Mach-E. The model is scheduled to be unveiled on Sunday, November 17, ushering in a new era, not only for Ford but, more importantly, for the Mustang nameplate. Pre-orders for the Mustang Mach-E will begin immediately after the live reveal with a $500 refundable deposit, and early birds will have the opportunity to score one of the limited-run Mustang Mach-E First Edition models. Ford didn’t mention how many of these special edition variants will be available, though if the opportunity presents itself, we expect them to sell out in short order.

The Mach 1 name has always been associated with performance, but up until now, it was associated with a higher-performance version of the Mustang Coupe. The name first came to be back in 1969 when the Mach 1 Mustang was born. It was used again in the early 2000s as a send-off for the fourth-gen Mustang. All of this happened before the SUV and crossover craze, however, and now – thanks to the overwhelming demand for SUVs and crossovers – Ford is resurrecting the Mach name yet again, but this time it will be a high-riding standalone performance model. It will at least be based on the Mustang, though, but will be all-electric. We’ve seen a short teaser of the Mach 1 performance crossover, but details are excessively scant for now. So, we took a little bit of creative freedom, threw it in a blender, and are now showcasing a rendering that depicts what we think the Mach-E crossover will look like. Keep reading to learn more about it.

Update 11/15/2019: We’ve updated this review with the previously released teaser, range estimates, leaked specifications, debut date, a new teaser video, and a quick look at the Mach-E prototype caught in the wild. Check it all out at the top of our review below.

The Hyundai Santa Cruz pickup concept was unveiled in 2015 at the North American International Auto Show and, despite being well received, Hyundai has been on the fence about it - until now. After over four years, Hyundai has finally announced that it will be manufacturing the truck at its U.S. factory. Is it too late to the party, though?

The BMW M3 has been around for a while now, first entering production in 1985 as a high-powered go-faster variant of the ever-popular BMW 3 Series. The latest F80 generation dropped in 2014, essentially setting the benchmark for all other fast four-doors to match, and now, there’s a new generation in the making. Dubbed internally as the G80, the next M3 is shaping up to be quite the ultimate driving machine, so we gathered up all the rumors we could find and put ‘em right here in the following speculative review.

Update 11/14/2019: The BMW M3 was caught out on a fall drive with new headlights and a revised decklid.

Kia glided through the design process of its latest coupe SUV concept, the Futuron, drawing inspiration from outer space. With Level 4 autonomy, this SUV with a "360-degree core" represents a look at the future of Kia design with its novel approach to the tiger nose front grille and the eye-catching Star Cloud headlights and taillights. In fact, the concept features light sources all over the luscious bodywork that suggests this EV’s got some grunt. Expect to see at least some cues inside and out on future models of the Korean automaker.

South Korea has quickly risen, in the span of about two decades, from the doldrums of the auto industry to the very top and concepts such as Kia’s Futuron (in itself a pun on the words "future" and "on") signals to the world that Kia plans to stay at the top in the foreseeable future by incorporating the latest EV technology coupled with autonomous systems, all draped in a futuristic body with clean surfaces but also aggressive ridges and angles. We like it if it’s a sign that the two-door SUV is bound to make a comeback.

The highly-anticipated 2020 Audi S8, the range-topping trim of the full-size sedan, debuted today with sporty styling and more power than expected. Based on the fourth-generation A8 that debuted in 2018, the 2020 S8 is a slightly sportier version of the standard model design-wise. However, the "S" badge comes with notable changes under the hood, where a twin-turbo V-8 engine spins to the tune of 571 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque. Is it better than its predecessor? Let’s find out!

The 2020 Audi S8 has arrived, and it is a monster. There are no two ways about it. We all know what the S8 brings to the table as far as luxury credentials are concerned. But the not-so-little secret about the S8 is that it’s also fast and powerful. Audi claims that the S8’s 571-horsepower 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8 engine can sprint from 0 to 62 mph in 3.8 seconds. That’s an impressive number, but a test run conducted by Auditography revealed Audi’s claimed acceleration time may not be that accurate. In other words, either Audi’s being a bit cheeky or the S8 is actually faster than the company that made it expected it to be.

The internet has been buzzing with rumours about a racy Porsche Panamera “Lion” that packs between 760 and 800+ horsepower taking the Nurburgring by storm. It has been reported that the test prototype packed a boosted version of the S-E Hybrid powertrain found in the regular Panamera, while some said it relied on an ICE-only powertrain. All this chatter was immediately followed by rumors about a hotter Porsche Cayenne Turbo S-E Hybrid said to wear the “RS” badge; in fact, some outlets out there are forwarding the “GT” lettering instead, but that’s not the most relevant aspect for the moment.

What got us really interested has to do with the set of pictures sent in by our spy photographers. The photos show a camouflage-free Porsche Cayenne Coupe test prototype of sorts that wears a flashy body colour and contrasting brake calipers. What made us interest pique even more is the rear bumper/exhaust setup configuration, which sports a dual-pipe arrangement in the center unseen so far on a road-going Cayenne. Oh, and those rectangular side-positioned exhausts? They’re fake.

The war of electric pickup trucks is hot right now and, while there are multiple players in the segment like Fisker, Atlis, and Bollinger, all eyes are on Rivian and Tesla. The former has already announced most of the features and specs for its R1T pickup, but there’s not much we know about the Tesla pickup. We’ve yet to even see the actual truck, and despite this, there are a lot of reasons to believe that the Tesla pickup truck, called the Cybertruck for now, will be better than the R1T.

Ferrari’s run of new model releases in 2019 now includes the Roma, a two-seater supercar that pays tribute to the Italian automaker’s roots while also showcasing a new interior layout that could lay the foundation on what future Ferraris could look like — at least as far as interiors go — in the future.

The Roma joins the F8 Tributo, F8 Tributo Spider, 812 GTS, and SF90 Stradale as all-new Ferraris that the Italian automaker unveiled this year. It is fitting that what could be the last of this new model assault is the one that bridges the past with the future. Ferrari hasn’t revealed the price and availability of its new supercar, but expect more details to arrive soon.

The Tesla Roadster is one of the most anticipated vehicles for 2020. Not because the American firm is reviving the nameplate, but because the Roadster 2.0 promises outstanding performance, like more than 7,000 pound-feet of torque, a 0-to-60 mph sprint of 1.9 seconds, and a top speed of more than 250 mph. But all these spectacular figures will come at a cost - an estimated $250,000. Obviously not many will be able to afford the Roadster 2.0, but now you can buy a scale model for just 0.1-percent of the price.

Land Rover Range Rovers are highly touted for their off-road prowess as much as their upscale and luxurious reputations. But every so often, even Superman needs some help. That proved to be the case in this video when a Range Rover, as capable as it is, got stuck in soft sand. Helpless in their predicament, the owners of the Range Rover called upon, of all things, a Jeep, arguably the only off-roader that’s as capable as the British SUV. To be fair, the Jeep is a recovery vehicle so it’s set up specifically for that purpose. Still, it is amusing to see a Jeep pulling a Range Rover out of its perilous predicament. It just goes to show that even one of the best luxury off-road SUVs sometimes still needs a little help.

The Aston Martin DBS Superleggera is the beneficiary of a significant aftermarket program from noted tuner Wheelsandmore. The tuner’s latest enterprise comprises two separate software updates to the DBS Superleggera’s 5.2-liter V-12 engine. The more significant of these two updates elevates the V-12’s output to levels you didn’t expect from the already potent DBS Superleggera. Aston’s resident thrill seeker is already a handful on its own, but with Wheelsandmore’s new software upgrades, there’s a case to be made that you should hold on for dear life when you’re riding shotgun in this supercar.