Internal Combustion Cars: News & Models

The latest special edition in Jeep's Twelve 4 Twelve programme brings back a Wrangler trim name last used in 1995. Built on the off-road Willys base with a 1-inch lift, 35-inch tyres, and Southwest-inspired graphics, the Laredo starts at $53,240 for the two-door and $55,620 for the four-door.

Kia is recalling 462,869 Telluride SUVs from the 2020-2024 model years in the United States. A damaged or displaced front-seat adjuster switch can leave the seat's motor running and overheating, with 18 cases of localized fire or melting recorded since October 2024. It is the second recall over the same defect. Dealers will install a free electronic fuse; owner notifications start August 13, 2026.

A tiny Italian coachbuilder in Piedmont hand-builds around 30 cars a year - a two-seat retro sports car with a naturally aspirated, Ford-sourced 5.0-liter V8 tuned to about 500 hp, a six-speed manual, and no touchscreens. The open Barchetta has been reaching customers since 2025 from $290,000; a fixed-roof Coupe was previewed at Goodwood in July 2026, with the first example due in 2027.

Ram and Roush Performance built the Ram 1500 Direct Connection by Roush, an off-road package around the naturally aspirated 5.7-liter HEMI V8 rather than the turbocharged Hurricane inline-six used in the Ram RHO.

British tuner Urban Automotive debuted the Widetrack Avontur at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, converting a Land Rover Defender 110 Hard Top into a pickup with a hand-built carbon-fiber cargo bed, over 36 custom exterior parts and 23-inch wheels. It remains a prototype; Urban Automotive is taking orders but has not disclosed a price.

McLaren revealed the 788HS, the third and final HS-badged special of the 720S/750S generation. The 4.0L twin-turbo V8 makes 788 hp and 800 Nm, dry weight is down to 1,265 kg, and 0-100 km/h takes 2.8 seconds. Just 200 will be built - 100 Coupe, 100 Spider - before McLaren moves to a new supercar platform.

Volkswagen Group wants to cut its roughly 150 model lines by up to 50% and trim configuration options by up to 75%, while lowering annual production capacity to 9 million cars from a pre-pandemic target of 12 million. The Touareg, Touran, and T-Roc Cabriolet are among the models already leaving.

Nissan's new Tekton is a Duster-based compact crossover for India and other emerging markets, produced in Chennai with Nissan Patrol-inspired styling. Two turbo petrol engines are offered, 100 hp and 163 hp, priced from about $11,000 to $19,490 in India.

GWM opened Chinese pre-orders for the updated Tank 300, adding an elongated Tank 300L variant and a new Hi4-Z twin-motor plug-in hybrid rated at 761 hp and 1,195 Nm. The base 2.0-litre turbo now makes 245 hp; the diesel and Hi4-T PHEV carry over. Chinese sales open July 19, from about $38,320.

Ford started sales of the updated China-market Explorer, a gasoline SUV built by the Changan Ford joint venture, with a new front end, revised interior, and a starting price cut to ¥309,800 (about $45,650).

General Motors is investing $275 million in its Spring Hill, Tennessee plant, with $150 million earmarked for a new gasoline-powered Cadillac, the clearest sign yet that the brand has stepped back from an all-electric future.

The recall covers the Ford F-150 (2021), Explorer (2020-2021) and Expedition (2018-2021), plus the Lincoln Aviator (2020-2021) and Navigator (2018-2021). A transmission fault can let the parking mechanism fail after the vehicle is shifted into P, allowing it to roll. Dealers will apply a free software update and replace damaged parts as needed.

Bugatti's Sur Mesure division and Berlin's KPM porcelain manufacturer have built the W16 Mistral Blanc Éternel, a single, porcelain-trimmed reinterpretation of the 2011 Veyron L'Or Blanc. It carries the 1,600 hp quad-turbo W16, one of the last cars built around the engine before Bugatti moves fully to the Tourbillon's V16.

Ford's new Sinister package brings blacked-out ST badges, amber daytime running lights, and 21-inch gloss-black wheels to the 2027 Explorer ST for $1,695. It ships with any standard exterior color, not just black, and leaves the 3.0-liter EcoBoost V6's 385 horsepower untouched.

Shown as the Avante at the Busan Motor Show, the new Elantra grows in every dimension and gains a sharply creased look. It keeps petrol and hybrid power - a 149 hp 2.0-litre and a 157 hp 1.6 hybrid, both front-wheel drive - with no EV version. Korean prices land in Q3 2026, preliminarily from about $15,000.

Chevrolet has revealed the fifth-generation Silverado, a seven-trim lineup topped by the off-road ZR2 and luxury High Country. Engines carry over the 3.0L Duramax diesel and 2.7L TurboMax four, plus new 5.7 and 6.6-litre V8s. US sales start by the end of 2026; prices come later.

Maserati facelifted the Grecale crossover alongside the GranTurismo and GranCabrio. The Giorgio-platform SUV grows 9 mm on a new bumper, gains the MCPURA shark-nose front, and adds a 390 hp Nettuno V6 to a range that spans a 48V mild-hybrid four-cylinder, the 530 hp Trofeo, and the 557 hp Folgore EV. Italian prices start at €83,200 ($89,900); a next-generation Grecale arrives in 2027.

Genesis has given its first look inside the Magma GT, the concept that previews a future flagship supercar for Hyundai Motor Group, and unveiled a separate GT3 racing concept. The reveal came at the 2026 24 Hours of Le Mans, where Genesis made its Hypercar-class debut. A petrol V8 is confirmed; road versions are expected in about two years.

Nissan updated the Frontier for 2027 with a new Sport Edition package on the SV trim - black wheels, Hankook Dynapro all-terrain tires, and a skid plate for $990 over the base SV price. Pro-X and Pro-4X gain a sunroof option and wireless charging. Powertrain unchanged.

Stellantis has brought the off-road Trailhawk and luxury Overland trims back to the Grand Cherokee lineup, now with a petrol engine only and no hybrid option. Both use a 329 hp 2.0-litre Hurricane turbo four. The Trailhawk gets 290 mm of ground clearance and serious off-road hardware; the Overland keeps the same drivetrain in a plusher package. Deliveries are due by the end of 2026.

Hyundai has revealed a new generation of the i20 hatchback, choosing Brazil as its launch market - a country where the car had not been sold before. It moves to the K3 platform shared with the Kona and Kia Seltos, adopts a rugged crossover look, and offers 1.0-litre petrol and turbo engines. Prices in Brazil run from 99,990 to 139,990 reais (about $18,000 to $25,200).

Dodge has opened pre-orders for the new Charger in Europe, in two body styles and two powertrains. The all-electric Daytona offers 544 or 680 hp from a 100.5 kWh battery; the petrol Sixpack uses a 3.0-litre twin-turbo inline-six with 426 or 558 hp. The range starts at 66,000 euros ($71,000), with first deliveries in September 2026.

Volkswagen has opened European orders for the facelifted Caddy. The fourth-generation van keeps its MQB platform and petrol, diesel and 150 PS eHybrid engines; the work went into a redesigned cabin with physical steering-wheel buttons and a 12.9-inch screen. German prices start at 31,511 euros ($33,900).

Audi has unveiled the new Q7 on the MLB Evo platform, built in Bratislava. Europe gets a 3.0 V6 turbodiesel with 48V mild hybrid (245 or 299 hp) and quattro; the US gets a 435 hp 2.9 twin-turbo petrol, plus a 600 hp V8 SQ7. Five to seven seats, three displays. Pre-orders from June, from €87,900.

Ford has built a special Bronco with Seattle outfitter Filson, fitting the Bronco Raptor's 418 hp twin-turbo V6, the Sasquatch off-road package as standard, and Filson-trimmed leather. Orders open in fall 2026, deliveries in early 2027.

Toyota Gazoo Racing has revealed the GRMN Corolla, the sharpest GR Corolla yet. A 1.6-litre turbo three making 304 hp / 415 Nm, six-speed manual only, GR-FOUR AWD, a carbon aero kit and around 30 kg less weight. Orders open autumn 2026, deliveries in 2027, in a limited run.

BMW now offers the M2 with M xDrive, a first for the smallest M coupe. The S58 engine is updated for Euro 7 and makes 480 hp, the 0-100 km/h time drops to 3.7 seconds, and the front axle can be switched off for rear-drive drifts. From €81,300.

Fiat has revealed the Grizzly: a conventional SUV and the coupe-styled Grizzly Fastback, both on the Stellantis Smart Car platform shared with the Citroën C3 Aircross. Combustion, hybrid, and electric versions are planned, with sales starting in H2 2026.

The last BMW Z4 rolled off the line at Magna's plant in Graz, Austria. BMW has no Z-series roadster in its product plan. The Z lineage ran from 1991 to 2026.

Rezvani has built its first pickup. The Fortress starts as a Ford F-150 Raptor, keeps only the platform, and adds up to 862 hp and military-grade armor packages. Prices run from $285,000 to $582,685.

From the 2027 model year, Volkswagen will no longer sell any car with a manual gearbox in the United States. The Jetta GLI was the last holdout. It joins the Golf GTI and Golf R, both of which lost their manuals in recent years.

Nissan has revealed the updated 2027 Z for the US. The big news: the Nismo finally gets a manual gearbox. With the Toyota Supra and BMW Z4 leaving the market this year, the Z becomes one of the few affordable sports coupes left.

BMW created a version of the M3 CS that shouldn't exist on paper - manual gearbox, rear-wheel drive only, no AWD option. Power is down 70 hp from the standard CS to make the combination work. 26 kg lighter than a standard manual M3, full CSL suspension, deliveries autumn 2026. Price: $107,100.

Nissan has updated the Versa for 2026 with new exterior styling. The powertrain is unchanged - 1.6-litre naturally aspirated, 120 hp - but the equipment list gains a 12.3-inch screen, Bose audio, and a Safety Shield 360 package.

To mark its debut Formula 1 season, Cadillac built 26 examples of the most powerful Blackwing ever made. A new GM Motorsports supercharger raises output to 685 hp. Six-speed manual only. The Precision Package (normally $18,000) is standard. No pricing announced; expected to exceed $150,000.

Chevrolet launches the Sonic crossover in Brazil. GM GEM platform, 1.0T 115 hp, 6-speed automatic, FWD. 392-litre boot. Two trims: Premier from R$129,990 (~$25,000), RS from R$135,990.

The Land Cruiser FJ debuted in Thailand in October 2025 and went on sale there in March 2026. Japan now gets it in a single VX trim - 163 hp 2.7L naturally aspirated four-cylinder, six-speed automatic, part-time 4WD, 4,575 mm body on an IMV ladder frame. ¥4,500,100 in Japan.

Kia announced a second facelift for the XCeed cross-hatch - more extensive than the 2022 update. New front and rear design, dual 12.3" screens. Powertrain details not yet published. Launch before end of 2026.

The 2027 F-250/F-350 Super Duty gets a Carhartt collaboration package - announced in January, now revealed in full. Dark grille, body-coloured bumpers, unique 20" wheels inspired by the Detroit manhole cover outside Carhartt's flagship store, Carhartt fabric throughout the interior. Orders open now.