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Welcome to The Downshift, or TDS for short, The Drive’s morning automotive news roundup, bringing you the biggest headlines from around the globe.
The Downshift sums up stories in short blurbs with links to the source for the full report. Here’s the news worth catching up on for Wednesday, August 19, 2026.
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🛻 Ford is reportedly planning a Bronco-based pickup truck that would presumably battle the Jeep Gladiator, with an eye toward a debut nearer to the end of the decade. [Automotive News]
📏 Hyundai just previewed the upcoming Tucson over in South Korea, as it tends to with all its new cars before we see them debut Stateside. The design sheds the current generation’s swoopier and more angular aesthetic for a blocky motif and front and rear LED strips. [Car and Driver]
🌎 Significantly increased U.S. tariffs on Canada have been delayed for three days as the two countries continue to negotiate new terms. “Substantial progress has been made, although there is important work still to be done,” Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said, while U.S. President Donald Trump posted that the nations “subject to the finalization of documents, have a DEAL!” There’s currently no word on a prospective arrangement regarding auto imports. [Bloomberg]
⛓️💥 BMW is recalling 28,000 vehicles in the U.S. across 5, 7, and 8 Series model lines, for defective couplings between the driveshaft and rear differential, which could lead to premature wear and elevate the risk of power loss or rolling away while parked. [Autoblog]
🐭 Turns out that the golf course-roving set has some interest in the Fiat Topolino, which is finally making its way to the U.S. now. The standard version of the microcar sold in the U.S. tops out at 19 mph and is not street-legal, but an optional kit raises the top speed to 25 mph and will allow owners to take it into traffic. [Bloomberg]
6️⃣ Toyota is bringing a super-rare Corolla to the U.S., and it has nothing to do with Gazoo Racing. The 60th Anniversary model will be limited to 2,500 units and celebrates the compact’s Japanese debut in 1976. It will feature custom badging and machined 18-inch wheels. [Toyota]
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Backed by a decade of covering cars and consumer tech, Adam Ismail is a Senior Editor at The Drive, focused on curating and producing the site’s slate of daily stories.
