Author: kirklandc008@gmail.com

Modern performance engineering has reached a point where tiny engines can produce outputs once reserved for much larger powerplants. But impressive numbers alone do not guarantee that buyers will embrace the technology behind them – look, for example, at the Mercedes-AMG C63 E Performance with its four-cylinder engine. The hypercar market makes this especially clear. Its customers can afford the most radical engineering available, yet they are not necessarily willing to give up the characteristics that have traditionally made exotic cars desirable. That creates an intriguing contradiction: An engine can be extraordinarily sophisticated, efficient and powerful, yet still lose out…

Automotive BMW is bringing back the spirit of the X4, only this time without a gasoline engine. The new 2027 BMW iX4 joins the automaker’s rapidly expanding Neue Klasse lineup as a fully electric SUV coupe, blending the familiar sloping-roof formula with BMW’s latest EV hardware, digital technology, and next-generation design language. It is essentially the sleeker sibling to the iX3, and like the old X4, it is likely to appeal to buyers who are willing to trade a little practicality for a more dramatic profile. The iX4 will launch in the U.S. as the iX4 50 xDrive,…

The agency is doubling down on direct-to-device service. Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images The US Federal Communications Commission laid out a trio of proposals for several rule changes around wireless connectivity. The plans will be put to a vote later this month and largely center on direct-to-device communications. First, the agency suggested overhauling its rules for direct-to-device, or D2D, service. The stated goal is to “promote more flexible terrestrial, satellite, and hybrid business arrangements.” Related, the second proposal is to auction 25 megahertz of mid-band spectrum. Bids would be targeting use cases such as “flexible-use terrestrial networks, innovative…

The Drive 🤝 your inbox. Every weekday The Daily Brief wraps up the biggest stories and our exclusive reporting on the auto industry and car culture. If you’re convinced that cars stopped getting better years ago and instead have simply become larger and less interesting, we’re about to throw you some supporting evidence for your next bar-stool (or, let’s face it, social media) argument: Despite 17 years of progress, GM’s most efficient gasoline-powered, full-size SUVs get the exact same fuel economy they did for the 2010 model year: 17 mpg. That figure applies to all three of GM’s full-size triplets…

Portsmouth International Port has taken a huge step towards reducing the air pollution caused by idling marine engines with the launch of the UK’s first high-voltage, multi-berth shore power system that allows docked ships to connect to grid power and shut off their on-board generators. In theory, shore power reduces emissions and slashes fuel costs. The reality is somewhat different. Like the Port of Long Beach, the Port of New York and New Jersey, and JFK’s Terminal One project, Portsmouth International Port’s ambition is to become a true net-zero facility that improves local air quality while, at the same time,…

About two years ago, it became clear that Nissan was in seriously dire straits as a business, so much so that it was exploring a merger with rival Honda. That didn’t go through, but the company replaced its then-CEO with Ivan Espinosa, who has been leading an ambitious turnaround plan. A couple of years in, and the results are mixed. News earlier this year revealed the company had made a decent profit. This week, though, Nissan revealed its global sales numbers, and they look grim. 2026 Nissan Sentra SR from the front three-quarter angleJoel Stocksdale / CarBuzz / Valnet Sales…

Porsche will be getting serious about internal combustion performance in the near future, and one element of its plan is a new flagship supercar that will sit above the 911 in its product lineup. Now, we have an idea of when to expect such a thing, as the automaker put a countdown clock on a microsite for the so-called Mission S, a mid-engined “tribute to the sports car.” And as we learned earlier today, the Mission S will almost certainly be a pure-combustion offering, ditching the plug-in hybrid power of its 918 Spyder predecessor (as well as the distantly related…

While much of the automotive world sits dumbfounded as China gobbles up all its customers, BMW continues to roll out extremely well-crafted, technologically advanced electric vehicles that impress in both drive quality and price. The latest is the BMW iX4, a coupe-shaped SUV that puts a sportier spin on the automaker’s iX3.The iX4 is the third vehicle to be released on BMW’s next-generation Neue Klasse platform, following the iX3 and i3 models. The iX4 50 xDrive will come first in March 2027, followed by an even more high-performance M60 xDrive version later in the year. The automaker is positioning this…

The Drive 🤝 your inbox. Every weekday The Daily Brief wraps up the biggest stories and our exclusive reporting on the auto industry and car culture. Like a lot of websites, The Drive has a handy-dandy tips line so people can send cool stuff our way. Occasionally, some gems land in our inbox. This land speed lawnmower is one example, as it is very likely the world’s fastest, with a proven 152.8-mile-per-hour run. And better yet, it still cuts grass. It’s the work of Elliott Loe and his friends. They run the Ziptied YouTube channel, building neat stuff like a…

A car crash in Idaho can leave an injured driver dealing with uncertainty long after the vehicles are moved from the scene. Questions about insurance, medical care, vehicle damage, and what an insurer may request can quickly become difficult to manage, especially when the extent of an injury is still developing. Understanding what to expect during the insurance process can help a driver approach those early conversations carefully and avoid making decisions without a clear picture of the claim. For people dealing with an insurance claim after a collision, consulting a car accident lawyer in Idaho can clarify…