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A daily hot lap of headlines from the auto industry and car culture, curated by The Drive’s editors.
Good morning, and welcome to The Downshift, which is a lap of today’s top stories from around the auto industry and car culture, curated by The Drive‘s editorial team. Each story gets summarized into a sentence or two accompanied by a link to the source for those seeking more information. Senior Editor Adam Ismail is out on assignment and I’ll be stepping in as your driver today.
Here’s what firing on Tuesday, September 29, 2026:
🎨 Ford must have gotten sick of watching dealers create throwback two-tone liveries because now the automaker’s getting back into the two-tone paint business. The option makes a comeback on the 2027 F-150 on XLT and Lariat trims in superCrew form through Ford Custom Garage with Oxford White, Carbonized Gray, and Agate Black accent colors on the availability list, for now. [Car and Driver]
🐎 Speaking of Ford, we drove the 2026 Ford Mustang Dark Horse SC and realized the perfect Mustang doesn’t need a manual transmission. The early verdict? This thing kicks ass, full stop. [The Drive]
💨 Tesla delayed the new Roadster’s debut by two weeks claiming the date change was due to weather and the car’s reveal having to take place outside. [Techcrunch]
🔋 The 2027 Lexus TZ received an official starting price of $64,050, but it also comes with almost 100 less power than originally advertised with 308 horsepower. Range clocks in at 253 or 315 miles depending on the battery pack size. [InsideEVs]
💛 The 2027 Subaru BRZ and WRX arrive with special birthday editions. The WRX is celebrating its 25th anniversary in the U.S. and does so with a big wing and those gorgeous gold wheels. The BRZ? It’s somehow been here for 15 years. Time flies. [Car and Driver]
🔌 The 2027 Mercedes-Benz G580 EV arrives with a Tesla-like NACS charging port, more range, and faster charging. In fact, the boxy EV now has two charging ports like the smaller CLA EV with the NACS port setup for DC fast charging and a J1772 port for Level 2 AC charging. Range now clocks in at 249 miles. [InsideEVs]
🚔 Remember the Chevy Camaro? The iconic pony car that died three years ago? Somehow the California Highway Patrol just added one to its fleet, though the CHP isn’t revealing where the car is headed specifically. [Road & Track]
🆔 Volkswagen finally confirmed the thoroughly revised ID.4 will be rebranded the ID. Tiguan as the automaker continues to shift its product plans. It’s unclear when the ID. Tiguan will arrive in the United States, but VW said it will come eventually. [Car and Driver]
🇨🇳 Nissan’s Chairman, Christian Meunier, issued a stark warning: the Chinese are coming. Meunier said Chinese automakers will start building vehicles in Mexico within three years and unleash cutthroat pricing. [Automotive News]
⚡️ General Motors will reportedly build 75% fewer Chevy Bolts than originally planned with the low-priced EV on pace for a production run of about 35,000 units before the line is shut down in the first quarter of 2027. Originally the plant had been on track to make about 150,000 Bolts before production ceased. [Reuters]
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As Director of Content and Product, Joel draws on over 15 years of newsroom experience and inability to actually stop working to help ensure The Drive shapes the future of automotive media. He’s also a World Car Award juror.
