Browsing: Automobiles

Herbert Schnitzer, the last surviving member of the four Schnitzer brothers, died on June 5, 2026 — his 85th birthday — at home in Freilassing, surrounded by his family. The obituary came from Uwe Mahla, a former BMW press officer who knew Herbert for more than fifty years.Inside the team Herbert was called “the Patron.” His other nickname was the man with the “golden bladder”, earned by sitting on the pit wall with a lap chart for hours without moving. Gerhard Berger called him the soul of the operation. Dieter Quester called him a hard-nosed businessman who wasn’t too proud…

Toyota has filed a new patent for a system that simulates an engine stall of a conventional, manual-equipped car in an electric vehicle.   The system will also measure driver skills and activate safety systems as needed.   Toyota has been testing a fake manual gearbox for electric vehicles for over three years. Toyota has filed a new patent that will turn an electric vehicle into a tool for assessing a driver’s skills. The patent is for a system that simulates an engine stall in a manual-equipped, combustion-powered car in an electric vehicle.   Toyota filed the patent in January,…

The BMW iX1 has been named Australia’s best small electric SUV in the 2026 CarExpert Choice Awards, marking the second year in a row it’s won this award.It beat out two finalists: the Kia EV3 and the MG S5 EV.Not only that, but its combustion-powered X1 sibling also took out the award for best small luxury SUV for the second year in a row.Owing to its luxury nameplate, the iX1 isn’t the most affordable small electric SUV in Australia and even its entry-level variant is more expensive than the flagships of the Kia EV3 and MG S5 EV lineups.Looking for…

The argument over which E36 M3 is the one to own has been going on for thirty years. Americans who got the Lightweight will tell you their stripped-out, Alpine White track special is the definitive answer. Europeans who know about the M3 GT tend not to argue back. They don’t need to. The E36 M3 GT is the right answer. It is not the most spartan, not the fastest in a straight line, and it is absolutely not the easiest to find. But it is the one BMW Motorsport actually sat down and built with purpose — a homologation special…

The Nuvolari and Concept C lead the way for Audi’s new design direction. Audi design boss Massimo Frascella wants cars to ‘exude extreme solidity and absolute simplicity.’ The simplified exterior will be paired with a minimalistic cabin. Audi surprised us all last September when it took the wraps off the Concept C, previewing a completely new design language. It did it again last week when it unveiled the Nuvolari as the first production model to embrace the fresh aesthetic. The supercar subsequently made its dynamic debut over the weekend, with Nico Hülkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto taking turns behind the wheel ahead of…

General Motors says the Cadillac Lyriq-V is still coming to Australia, even though we’re almost halfway through 2026 and the high-performance electric SUV has yet to arrive, while an updated version of the regular Lyriq is also bound for Down Under.The Lyriq debuted the American luxury brand in Australia, with customer deliveries commencing early in 2025. Prior to this, in October 2024, General Motors Australia and New Zealand (GM ANZ) confirmed the hot Lyriq-V would arrive here in 2026.When asked at the local launch of the Optiq and Vistiq exactly when the Lyriq-V will arrive here, GM ANZ managing director…

Article SummaryThe E46’s S54 engine is one of the great naturally aspirated inline-sixes ever made — the American E36 M3 never got anything close.The E36 still has the best steering feel of any 3 Series, but that advantage doesn’t outweigh 35 years of age and a dated interior.Every E46 from 1999 to 2006 has the rear subframe cracking issue — inspect the mounting points before buying any example.I’ve had this argument recently in a podcast with other fellow BMW enthusiasts, and once again, it never ends clean because people are so invested in their favorite 3 Series generation. So let…

A rare Koenigsegg One:1 Megacar heads to auction on July 4, 2026. Pre-auction estimates peg the value between $9 and $12 million. The Koenigsegg One:1 is the world’s first Megacar, delivering a megawatt of power. Some cars become legendary for performance; others go down in history for changing how engineering is approached. The Koenigsegg One:1 fits both categories. More than a decade after its debut, one of the extremely rare examples built by the Swedish automaker is set to return to the spotlight at RM Sotheby’s Tegernsee on July 4, 2026. The car could bring an estimated €8 million to…

The Chery Tiggo 4 has been named Australia’s best affordable small SUV in the 2026 CarExpert Choice Awards, the second consecutive year it has won the award.It beat out two finalists: the Hyundai Kona and Renault Duster.The Tiggo 4 represents excellent value for money, particularly in base guise where it costs just $23,990 drive-away. That makes it one of Australia’s cheapest new vehicles.Looking for your next car? We’ll help you research and compare so you choose with confidence.For that minimal outlay, you get a punchy turbocharged engine when some rivals have more sluggish naturally aspirated engines.Further boosting its value for money score is Chery’s…

Article SummaryThe B58-powered xDrive40i and sDrive40i are the most reliable X5 variants ever built, with a massive parts base and no major inherited failure modes.The N63 V8 in the pre-LCI M50i is the best version of that engine, but it still demands strict service intervals — skip one and costs add up fast.The G05 is the first X5 generation where engines, chassis, and technology all improved at once, making it the clear pick on the used market.Pick any BMW X5 generation and you’ll find something to like. The E53 was pure, the E70 was the first to feel properly premium,…