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The 5 Series in BMW’s lineup has been the logical middle ground between the compact 3 Series and the posh 7 Series for generations. With this latest generation, the sedan tends to lean more towards luxury rather than sportiness, but it still has multiple powertrains and trims on offer to meet most expectations. With the 530i, BMW offers an entry-level model with a four-cylinder and plenty of standard technology. So, is it worth spending more to upgrade to the higher models? Or does the entry level package justify its price with all its features? Here is a comprehensive look at…

A federal judge has dismissed a pair of antitrust lawsuits filed by Chegg and Rolling Stone parent company Penske Media Corporation, which accused Google of driving away web traffic with its AI-powered search features, as reported earlier by Reuters. US District Judge Amit Mehta takes Google’s side in a ruling on Wednesday, writing that PMC and Chegg’s claims don’t stand up to antitrust law.In lawsuits filed last year, Chegg and PMC accused Google of abusing its monopoly power by coercing publishers into supplying content for AI Overviews for free, or risk disappearing from search results. The publishers alleged Google’s practices…

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. Ten years (and about a half-dozen daily drivers) ago, I purchased a brand-new Ford Fiesta ST. Back then, when you bought one of Ford’s fun cars, the company threw in a complimentary day of driver “education” at what we colloquially call Utah Motorsports Park. If you bought a either the Focus or Fiesta ST, that program took the form of ST Octane Academy. The Academy was a day-long school that mixed time on track…

GWM Monthly Sales 2024-2026 Month 2024 2025 2026 January 104,030 80,933 90,312 February 71,027 77,883 72,594 March 100,276 97,991 106,198 April 94,796 100,061 106,312 May 91,460 102,231 100,399 June 98,080 110,690 108,080 July 91,285 104,372 108,067 August 94,461 115,558 113,396 September 108,398 133,639 114,944 October 116,799 143,078 November 127,394 133,216 December 135,286 124,020 GWM monthly sales 2024 2025 …

As it stands, Pandora offers two paid subscription tiers. The first, Pandora Plus, now costs $5.99 per month, or $65.89 per year. Complete with ad-free personalized music, unlimited skips, offline listening, and ad-supported search features, the music genome project subscription is the same price as Spotify’s and Apple’s discounted student options.  The streamer’s music-on-demand tier, Pandora Premium, is more expensive. Now costing $11.99 per month or $131.89 per year, Pandora Premium is more in line with its competitors’ prices. The Ad-free service, with unlimited skips, offline listening, shared playlists, and search and play features, is much closer to the service offered by top…

Automotive The 2027 Honda Civic Type R is getting a round of thoughtful updates that make an already excellent hot hatch even more appealing without changing the formula that enthusiasts love. Honda has focused on the details this time around, improving cooling, aerodynamics, chassis behavior, and interior comfort while leaving the Type R’s core personality intact. The biggest everyday upgrade might also be the simplest one, as heated front seats are finally standard equipment, a feature that previously gave the more expensive Acura Integra Type S an advantage in colder climates. Most of the performance changes are subtle…

BMW joins the growing list of luxury brands planning to introduce an entry-level electric vehicle. The new model will be the most affordable Neue Klasse EV. BMW prepares a new entry-level EV for 2028 It’s finally official. BMW confirmed during its Capital Markets Day on Wednesday plans to launch a new entry-level Neue Klasse EV. BMW said it will “strengthen its presence in the high-volume entry segment with another fully-electric model from the Neue Klasse.” The new entry-level EV will arrive in 2028, “with a focus on Europe,” BMW said, using technologies introduced in other Neue Klasse models, such as…

As evidence of the original Chevrolet Corvette’s universal appeal, a Beijing-based startup has developed its own take on the iconic C1, and, judging by its marketing, the company is targeting a much younger audience than the traditional Corvette buyer. Much younger. The company is Fullgood Motor (Fugu in its home market), the same brains behind a retro van inspired by the original Volkswagen Microbus, which we reported on a year ago. Fullgood says it plans to make its US debut next month during AutoMobility LA, the official media and industry day for the LA Auto Show, and will be bringing…

Kigen has received GSMA eUICC Security Assurance (eSA) certification for its automotive eSIM, becoming the first company to offer an eSA-certified eSIM supporting GSMA’s SGP.32 v1.3 IoT eSIM specification. The company said the certification combines its eSIM operating system with Infineon’s TEGRION SLI22 automotive security controller, providing automakers and Tier 1 suppliers with a platform designed for connected vehicles with long service lives. According to Kigen, the certification supports new SGP.32 v1.3 features including emergency profile support, digital activation codes and profile download options intended for connected vehicle applications. The company said the platform is designed to support telematics, infotainment…

Ford CEO Jim Farley is focused on quality at the brand, but making better trucks and SUVs isn’t his only priority. The brand’s redemption shot at electric vehicles, the Fathom, is due very soon. And Farley does not sound entirely confident. This comes even after learning big lessons from its Chinese competition. Low-Buck Fathom Is A Very Big Deal Ford Fathom prototypeFord The Ford Fathom electric pickup isn’t quite a moonshot, but the automaker’s aims are nearly as high. The upcoming Universal Electric Vehicle platform and the $30,000 Fathom built on it are Ford’s stars-and-stripes response to cheap EVs from…