Browsing: Automobiles

BMW is issuing a new U.S. safety recall for a small batch of early F-chassis cars—specifically certain 2014 model-year 3 Series sedans (F30), 4 Series coupes (F32), and 2014–2015 2 Series coupes (F22)—because a head airbag inflator may crack at a weld joint and either leak gas or rupture.According to the recall filing, the issue involves the head (side curtain) airbag inflator, which “may fail at the weld joint,” potentially allowing the stored gas to escape or—worst case—causing the inflator to rupture.  The safety implications go in two directions, and neither is good: a rupture can send sharp metal fragments…

The average new-vehicle transaction price hit $50,326 in December of 2025. Dealer MSRP’s also hit a record high of $52,627. High-end luxury sales and pickup truck sales were strong as the year closed out. In the continuining sage of “Everything is Too Expensive” news, the average new-car transaction price hit a record high in December of 2025. According to Cox Automotive, car buyers paid an average price of $50,326 to get their new ride off the dealer lot. That figure represents a 1.1 percent jump from November and a 0.8 percent year-over-year rise. The average MSRP also climbed to a…

Ford Mustang shows off its new Mustang Dark Horse SC just before its official debut. The new version was previewed by four-time Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen via a video that is 24 minutes long posted on Red Bull’s official YouTube channel. In the video, the new performance car, which is likely to be of the 2026 model year, is alongside other racing cars and a classic Mustang. The car hosts lots of features, with a unique end and front, a sizable vent seen on the hood, custom carbon fiber wheels, a properly fitted wing at its rear with…

Subaru Australia has launched a new special-edition BRZ coupe, bringing a striking yellow exterior colour alongside a spate of minor enhancements – but you’ll have to be quick if you want one.Building on the top-spec BRZ tS, just 95 examples of the new Subaru BRZ tS Kiiro will be available in Australia as part of an ultra-limited production run of just 350 units.Available to order now, the BRZ tS Kiiro is priced at $53,590 before on-road costs, $800 more than the standard tS which costs $52,790 before on-roads.Among the most notable additions to the flagship tS – a variant lightly tuned…

The BMW XM is arguably the brand’s most polarizing offering. That doesn’t change for its newest model year, which adds some new cosmetic options, a simplified lineup (at least in the States), and a slightly more sensible price tag. New Style 1096 wheels, painted black, join the option list, and the XM Label (the only version available in the U.S. for 2026) is now available in Brooklyn Grey metallic. Inside you can choose from some new color choices, too. Night Blue/Coffee and Black/Coffee are new additions, while Fiona Red Merino leather exits the option roster. BMW also claims the new…

Ligier officially set the slowest Nürburgring lap ever. Two journalists drove the Ligier JS50 around the circuit. It completed a lap in 28 minutes and 25.8 seconds. Automakers love to brag about how fast their cars can lap the dreaded Nürburgring. But what about how slow they can go around the famed circuit? That’s exactly what French automaker Ligier wanted to find out. French automotive journalists Nicolas Meunier and Martin Coulomb took a diesel-powered Ligier JS50 quadricycle for an official lap of the Nürburgring. Technically in the same class as something like the Citroën Ami, the JS50 produces a mighty 8 horsepower…

Want a V8-powered SUV that’s equally at home in the bush as it is on the blacktop? They’re hard to find in 2026.Also want space for the whole family, including a third row of seats? The contenders can be counted on one hand, and none of them are cheap.Indeed, the likes of the Y62-generation Nissan Patrol are a dying breed. It’s not for a lack of demand though – Patrol sales topped 6000 last year, making it one of the more popular large SUVs in Australia.Rather, decarbonisation and more specifically emissions standards are set to spell the end of thunderous…

The next-generation BMW M3, internally coded ZA0, will arrive in 2027 with perhaps the most radical drivetrain BMW M has ever produced. During a technical workshop back in November 2025, BMW engineers revealed that the electric M3—part of the broader M Neue Klasse lineup—will feature four independent electric motors, one per wheel, with no mechanical differentials whatsoever. It’s an approach that represents both enormous potential and a new engineering approach for a nameplate that has defined the sport sedan segment for four decades.The Foundation: Understanding the Standard iX3 DrivetrainBefore diving into the M3, it’s important to understand the baseline Gen6…

Bosch believes gas-powered cars will account for 70 percent of the North American market in 2035.   Combustion engines will likely function as hybrids or range extenders.    Automakers are embracing hybrids as interest and subsidies for electric vehicles wane.   Gas-powered cars aren’t going anywhere—but they won’t be alone in propelling tomorrow’s vehicles. Bosch believes that 70 percent of cars in North America through 2035 will still come with internal combustion engines, but they might be used in hybrids or as range extenders.  “We’ve been very balanced on our approach to electrification, to hybrids and to, let’s call it ‘natural propulsion’…

The Kia K4 Sportswagon has been revealed for Europe and the UK, adding a third body style option for the Korean brand’s new global small car.Measuring 4695mm in length, the K4 Sportswagon is a smidgen shorter than 4710mm-long K4 Sedan on sale in Australia, but 255mm longer than the K4 Hatch that just launched Down Under.It rides on the same 2720mm wheelbase as its siblings, while boasting a healthy 604 litres of cargo capacity in European specification – nearly 170L more than the hatch, and just under 100L more than the sedan – and is exclusively available with a power…