When the latest Mustang Dark Horse rolled out, it wasn’t just another flashy trim level with a dramatic name. It was introduced as the most track-capable, street-legal version of the iconic pony car to date. Even now, it holds a place as a halo car for die-hard enthusiasts, offering serious performance without the eye-watering price tag of the GTD that sits above it in the Mustang hierarchy.

But for one owner in New Jersey, the Dark Horse story took a turn that was anything but triumphant.

Read: A Karma Dealer Allegedly Sold Exotics Twice For Millions Then Vanished

They willingly paid over MSRP for the privilege of early ownership, only to watch their Dark Horse go up in flames less than four months later. Now, nearly a year after that fiery breakdown and months of silence from Ford itself, they just received something in the mail: a Dark Horse welcome kit.

The Fire, the Silence, and the Fallout

“Since the incident, I have not been contacted by anybody from Ford,” the owner wrote in a now-viral post last year. “Only heard voicemails, and emails that were not responded with… Now I can’t even insure a new car under my name.”

All of this comes after a short but harrowing drive with the car, where the owner lost clutch pressure and their car caught fire and burned to the ground. While we don’t have forensic confirmation, the issue could be tied to a Dark Horse recall involving a clutch line that could burn through and cause a fire.

After accepting the insurance payout, the owner attempted to go after Ford in court but says he only managed an $800 payout. He didn’t expect Ford to break its silence, but it happened anyway.

A Welcome Kit, a Year Too Late

“Well, it’s been almost a year since my car burnt down, and to my surprise today I had a strange package come from FedEx,” they wrote. “Sure enough, it’s this from Ford. This feels like they’re rubbing it in my face.”

Inside the package was the official Dark Horse welcome kit, which included a development booklet, marketing brochure, two posters, a chassis-numbered badge, paperweight, shift knob cover, and a USB drive loaded with nearly 230 images.

“Would be a whole lot cooler if I still had the car,” said the owner. Well, he may not have the car anymore, but he sure does have a sense of (dark) humor…

We’ve reached out to Ford again about the situation and are waiting to hear back. It’s worth noting that this alleged silence seems strange given its record. In June of last year, another Dark Horse burned up, and Ford went above and beyond to care for that owner. Seems strange that they let this one slip – could it all be some misunderstanding on their part?

Either way, a welcome kit sent a year too late probably isn’t the closure this owner was hoping for.

Credit: Dominick Tullo

There’s no shortage of oversized crossovers clogging up city streets, but what the world really needs is more small cars that are actually fun to drive without breaking the bank. Thankfully for enthusiasts, there’s word that two Japanese automakers are gearing up to deliver exactly that: a pair of subcompact, affordable hot hatchbacks focused squarely on driver enjoyment, possibly landing in 2026.

More: Toyota GR Corolla Eyes European Launch In 2026

The cars reportedly in development are the long-rumored Toyota GR Starlet and what could be a next-generation Suzuki Swift Sport. While Toyota and Suzuki have worked closely on several rebadged models in recent years, these two are expected to go their own way mechanically. Based on what’s being reported, they may end up competing head-to-head.

Two Takes on the Lightweight Hot Hatch

At this stage, neither Toyota nor Suzuki has officially confirmed the cars, though Toyota hasn’t exactly been subtle about its intentions to expand the GR brand in just about every direction.

Still, according to Best Car, both models are reportedly in the final stages of development. The Japanese outlet claims the next-gen Swift Sport could debut in spring 2026, with the GR Starlet arriving a few months later in the fall. Both are expected to feature front-wheel drive, turbocharged engines, and chassis tuning aimed squarely at driver engagement.

The Return Of The Starlet

Starting with Toyota’s rumored entry, the new GR Starlet may effectively replace the Toyota Passo, which shares its bones with the Daihatsu Boon. That would make it completely separate from the South African-market Starlet, a rebadged Suzuki Baleno with little to do here.

This new GR-badged Starlet is tipped to get more than just a nameplate. Reports suggest it could feature a full GR-specific treatment, including unique bodywork, suspension, steering calibration, and a dedicated powertrain. Under the hood, a 1.3-liter turbocharged three-cylinder is said to be in the mix, producing around 150 horsepower and paired exclusively with a six-speed manual gearbox.

That setup would position the GR Starlet as the most accessible model in Toyota’s Gazoo Racing lineup, offering a cheaper alternative to the all-wheel-drive GR Yaris. There’s also talk of a rally-spec version built for the Rally4 class, pointing to motorsport ambitions beyond the showroom.

Suzuki’s Answer

On Suzuki’s end, the current Swift Sport is preparing for its exit, with production scheduled to end in November 2025 with the ZC33S Final Edition. This naturally sparked speculation about what’s next, particularly given the debut of a new Swift generation in late 2023.

More: Suzuki Swift Sport Ends Its Run With The ZC33S Final Edition

According to reports, the new Swift Sport could break cover as early as the Japan Mobility Show in October 2025, ahead of its expected market launch in Japan the following year. Under the hood, it’s likely to feature an updated version of the current turbocharged 1.4-liter four-cylinder engine, now paired with a 48V mild-hybrid system.

The outgoing hot hatch delivered 138 hp (103 kW / 140 PS) in its standard form for Japan, while the mildly electrified version sold in Europe and the UK was slightly detuned to 127 hp (95 kW / 129 PS

In recent years, Suzuki has teased performance-oriented concepts like the Swift Cool Yellow Rev and Swift Champions editions. Both offered visual flair like custom liveries, showy wheels, and subtle aero tweaks, but stopped short of real performance upgrades.

If a new Swift Sport is indeed under development, expect an even more aggressive exterior design. This would allow it to be distinguished from lesser, value-for-money oriented versions, following the example of its predecessor.

A potential revival of the Suzuki Swift GTi and Toyota Starlet GT Turbo names from the ’90s sounds like good news for driving enthusiasts still holding out for fun, affordable, ICE-powered cars. If the rumors pan out, here’s hoping these two hot hatches make it beyond Japan and into global showrooms.

Tata Motors might not be the first name that springs to mind when talking about global carmakers, but maybe it should. Despite flying under the radar for many, even car enthusiasts, the Mumbai-based company is keeping Jaguar and Land Rover alive in today’s turbulent automotive landscape shaped by tariffs, shifting regulations, and economic unpredictability.

Beyond its stewardship of British luxury brands, Tata builds a wide range of vehicles under its own badge. These include value-driven hatchbacks, compact SUVs, and increasingly, electric cars. Tata has been investing heavily in electrified mobility, offering affordable EVs starting at an impressively low $11,600.

Future Cars: Toyota’s Next Venza Could Be A Sexier RAV4 Coupe-SUV

Now, it has its sights set on taking on the compact SUV segment with a new offering designed to rival the popular Kia Seltos that’s expected to be available in both internal combustion and electric versions. Let’s take a closer look at what’s coming.

A Boxy Stance

Previewed in concept form at the 2023 Delhi Auto Expo, and more recently at this year’s Bharat Mobility Show, the final design largely mirrors the Sierra show car. Its boxy aesthetic sports notable Land Rover influences such as cue a floating roof design, flush door handles and upright stance. Why, you could almost call it a baby Defender and you wouldn’t be wide off the mark.

A gloss black fascia incorporates neatly hidden front headlamps with DRLs that span the width of the front, while lower down, a trapezoidal intake handles cooling duties. Sheetmetal surfacing eschews unnecessary design flourishes and squarish wheel arches combined with chunky cladding cement its all-purpose intent.

Out back, the rear quarter windows wrap around the lower D-pillars before seamlessly intersecting the tailgate glass. Its clamshell hatch design sports a thin, full-width LED taillamp cluster with alloy-effect lower bumper inserts.

Tech-Forward Interior

Step inside, and the focus shifts to connectivity and comfort. The Sierra is expected to be a five-seater and come loaded with digital features including a full instrument cluster, large touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a panoramic sunroof to brighten things up.

Future Cars: Mazda’s New CX-20 Is Coming To Replace The CX-3

Other highlights likely to make the list include ventilated seats and a suite of Level 2 driver assistance systems, giving it a leg up in a segment where such features are starting to become standard.

Powertrains and Platform

Reports from abroad suggest the Sierra will be offered with two separate platforms: the ‘Atlas‘ for petrol and diesel models, and the ‘Acti.EV’ for the electric variant. However, current indications suggest Tata may focus on the Atlas platform, which supports a range of powertrain configurations and simplifies production.

As for what’s under the hood, we’re still waiting on final specs. Some sources suggest the EV version will offer a range of up to 310 miles (500 km), which would be impressive for a vehicle in this price bracket.

Internal combustion models will sport a petrol 168-hp 1.5-litre turbo four and a 2.0-litre diesel, with power sent to the pavement via a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission. A seven-speed DCT is said to be in the works as well.

Rivals and Reveal

The Sierra won’t be heading overseas, at least not anytime soon. It’s designed to compete in the Indian market against well-established rivals like the Kia Seltos, Hyundai Creta, Maruti (Suzuki) Grand Vitara, Hyundai Alcaza, MG Astor, and Honda Elevate.

Future Cars: Nissan’s Next Juke Is So Different, You Might Not Recognize It

The production model is expected to make its official debut later this year, with sales to follow shortly after. Pricing and full specifications are likely to be announced closer to launch.

Would Tata find success if it brought the Sierra or something like it to markets outside of India? It’s a question worth asking since there are compact SUV buyers looking for a stylish, yet affordable, option, something the segment is not exactly rife with.

Illustrations Josh Byrnes / Carscoops

It’s all fun and games until your muscle car ends up in an orchard. The Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Camaro are longtime rivals. They’ve battled it out on drag strips, road circuits, and ovals for decades. In less legal spaces, owners have pitted them against each other countless times. A few nights ago, in such a competition, both lost, and their owners won a second chance after learning a lesson the hard way.

According to the California Highway Police in Modesto, a Camaro driver was racing a Mustang on Stoddard Road. Officers say they observed the race and the near-tragic finale. Evidently, the two cars approached Pirrone Road and attempted to turn onto it. “The driver of the Camaro could not negotiate the turn at Pirrone Road, causing them to crash into a nearby orchard,” CHP said.

More: Clout Chaser’s Reckless Crash Wreaks Havoc In Boston Tunnel

Officers arrested the drivers and didn’t mention any injuries, so hopefully they are perfectly fine. Both the Chevy and the Ford are officially impounded for 30 days, though. What’s notable is that officers found that the Camaro had a license plate hiding device. That’s a huge issue for California and other states, as we’ve reported in the past. Authorities seized it and its remote control as evidence in the case.

It’s unclear exactly what changes each driver is facing but the impound fees alone will be significant. Not only will it cost the drivers just to get the cars out of the lot, but they rack up additional daily charges for each day they sit there.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by CHP Modesto (@chp_modesto)

Perhaps the wildest part of this whole thing is that the scene has seen tragedy before. Near the light pole at the intersection, it’s easy to see a memorial cross. Placed there for Pedro Melo, a man who died behind the wheel in 2014, it’s a stark reminder of the dangers present on the road. These two drivers might be facing serious charges and a loss of their ride for a month, but they can at least take comfort in the fact that it could’ve been much, much worse.

Credit: CHP Modesto

Every so often, the web delivers a custom build so strange, so wonderfully offbeat, you can’t help but stop scrolling. The Tesla Cybertruck has sparked plenty of imitation and parody since it first rolled onto the scene, but one Utah man might’ve created the most attention-grabbing tribute yet.

The “Cybercop” (yes, really) is a heavily modified Toyota Prius that looks like it wandered off the set of a RoboCop reboot and got lost somewhere in the Utah desert.

More: Meet The Toyota Supra Desperate To Be A Lamborghini Reventon

The creator is Johnny Lange, who runs a specialty vehicle transportation business. His goal? To mock the Cybertruck’s over-the-top styling without spending Tesla-level money. The starting point was a humble 2004 Toyota Prius with over 200,000 miles, still running strong enough to carry the weight of its future metal costume.

Square Tubes, Sheet Metal, and Some Humor

After removing the bumpers, hood, and a few other pieces from the second-gen Prius, Johnny got to work building an angular exoskeleton out of square steel tubing to mimic the Cybertruck’s silhouette. Once the frame was in place, he attached flat aluminum panels using a mix of double-sided tape and rivets, a fastening strategy that lands somewhere between DIY necessity and mad scientist genius.

Now that the build is finished, Toyota’s hybrid is nearly unrecognizable. Aside from the mirrors and glass, very little remains of the original exterior. Slim LED light strips took the place of standard headlamps and taillights, and the build rolls on black aftermarket alloys that make it look just edgy enough for a dystopian patrol route.

eBay

For the finishing touches, the Cybercop was dressed in a brushed metal wrap and outfitted with roof-mounted strobes, extra LEDs, fake weaponry, and a comically small push bar to complete its police-inspired costume. The livery leans into the joke, with “Space Patrol” decals along the sides and “Not A Cop Car” plastered on both ends, just enough to keep nervous glances at bay while still turning heads.

More: Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR Replica Is A Lot More Than A Chopped E-Class

Despite its futuristic costume, the interior hasn’t been touched. Open the door and you’re met with a completely stock Prius cabin. Onlyh the headrests have been modified with alien-style masks, so there’s at least some commitment to the theme (no aliens at Robocop, but we’ll let it slide – ed). At the back, a split tailgate offers access to the cargo area, while the rear doors are blocked. Mechanically, nothing has changed, apart from a set of spacers that widen the stance just a bit.

ebay

The Cybercop is currently up for auction on eBay with no reserve, and all proceeds will go to Utah’s 10-33 Foundation, a nonprofit that supports families of fallen officers. According to the listing, Johnny spent four months bringing the project to life, turning what could’ve been a simple parody into something unexpectedly meaningful.

Lange, who goes by @utahjohnnyl on Instagram, has an eclectic garage that includes a Pontiac Trans Am, a custom GMC A-Team van, a Ferrari F430, a Lexus LC 500, a Toyota Land Cruiser, a Toyota Tacoma, a Chevy Silverado, and an E31 BMW 8-Series. In other words, this isn’t his first custom car rodeo.

You can check out a video montage of the Cybercop’s build process and see it in action below.

Flat tires are a major inconvenience and, since Murphy’s law applies to them too, tend to happen when you are in a hurry to get somewhere. In any case, whether it happens in your driveway or on the side of a highway at night, a flat is one of those problems that feels like it shouldn’t exist in 2025 – yet here we are.

More: How Do You Handle Pedestrians Saving Parking Spots For Other Drivers?

One Tesla driver who shared his frustrating experience on Reddit eventually run out of patience. After dealing with multiple flats in a few months and realizing his tire repair kit was basically a one-hit wonder, he made a change. Now, he’s added a real spare tire to his trunk.

Sure, it eats up some volume, but it’s a solution that works for him. So now the question is: would you sacrifice some space to gain the peace of mind that comes with carrying a proper spare?

A Trend Toward Less Tire, More Guesswork

This Tesla owner isn’t alone. Automakers across the world are phasing out real spare tires in favor of emergency kits. They usually come with some sort of liquid sealant, an inflator, and not much else.

Unlike a real spare, these kits can only do so much. If the hole in your tire is too big, they have no effect – the sealant simply runs through it. The same is true if the hole is in the sidewall. If the tire is unseated from the wheel bead, they’re pointless. And, if like the driver who inspired this post, you’ve used the kit recently, there might not be enough sealant in the can to do any good.

In his case, not having a real spare meant going from a situation where he one reasonably be back on the road in a matter of minutes (if they do know how to change a tire, that is) to waiting for as long as it takes for a tow truck to make its way to them.

The Case for Ditching the Spare

Of course, there are benefits to a spareless setup. It saves weight and space, and in the event of a flat that can be fixed via sealant, the new method is often quicker than having to fully remove a wheel and fit in the spare. Adding a real spare also complicates storage beyond just keeping it in the car. Where will it sit? How will you secure it? In the case of the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 Bison we recently drove, where it obstructed the driver’s rear visibility, it was obvious that spare placement is key.

So we’re asking you: would you be willing to give up some trunk space and efficiency to carry a real spare, or are you comfortable relying on modern repair kits and/or towing services? Let us know where you land and feel free to share your experience if you’ve ever been burned by not having a real spare in the back. 

EVs are quieter, smoother and more refined than gas cars and, provided they’re showing plenty of available range miles, far more relaxing for the person behind the wheel. But it can be a different story for anyone riding shotgun or in the back, as evidenced by multiple social media posts from passengers asking if it’s normal to feel more carsick in the back of an electric car.

Related: Honda Engineers Fight EV Nausea With Clever Acceleration Mapping

According to scientists who spoke to The Guardian, those green-faced EV riders aren’t imagining it. Humans could very well find themselves experiencing motion sickness in an electric vehicle even when its full performance is not being deployed, despite having spent decades traveling in a combustion-powered car without an issue.

EVs Change How People Experience Motion

There are a few potential reasons for this, some of which are related to the way the driver interacts with the EVs controls, and others due to how our brains process the signals we’re receiving while being transported.

Let’s take the driver first. If you’ve ever driven an EV, you’ll know that, unlike ICE cars, they produce all of their torque instantly and that characteristic is what gives them so much energy off the line and at low speeds.

Some early EVs had horribly jumpy throttle tip-in as a result, and while most automakers have now worked out how calibrate the right pedal response to make getting on the gas smoother, a driver who has only recently switched from a gas car might still be struggling to apply the throttle smoothly. Their best bet is to engage the Eco mode, which always has a soggier throttle.

Regenerative Braking Is a Hidden Culprit

It’s a similar story with slowing down due to an EV’s regenerative braking, especially if the driver has the regen level set high or is using a one-pedal mode. As soon as they lift off the gas, the car begins to slow down noticeably, meaning they have to be very measured with their foot movements to prevent passengers feeling sick.

And even then, the sustained deceleration – which is very different to the brief, but more aggressive deceleration we’re used to in ICE cars – can still make us nauseous.

Part of the problem is also that our brains are used to picking up signals from the sound, vibrations and movements delivered by cars with petrol engines. It’s something we’ve spent years subconsciously learning. But EVs don’t give out those same signals.

Our Brains Weren’t Built for Silent Speed

“Greater sickness in EVs can be attributed to a lack of previous experience, as both a driver and as a passenger, where the brain lacks accuracy in estimating the motion forces because it relies on previous experience in other types of cars,” William Emond, a PhD student researching car sickness told The Guardian.

“When discovering a new motion environment, the brain needs to habituate because there is no knowledge of previous experience in such a context. This is, for example, why almost everyone becomes sick in zero-gravity environments,” he explained.

Some experts have suggested that carmakers could help cut down on passenger sickness by incorporating visual signals inside the cabin such as changes to ambient lighting to help tell our brains what’s about to happen.

Do EVs make you feel carsick, or are you just sick to death of them in general? Either way, we want to hear from you. Let us know in the comments: is it motion sickness or EV fatigue?

As examples of the Corvette ZR1 begin trickling into dealerships, eye-watering markups are starting to show up alongside them. Over the weekend, it appeared that one dealer was bold enough to ask a cool half million for its example.

Whether or not that’s true isn’t clear, but what we uncovered in the midst of our search was surprising. Markups are happening, but it might be brokers driving prices up as much as dealers are.

More: Dodge Demon 170 Owner Walks Away From $160K Offer And Regrets It

The post that lit this story off featured a yellow ZR1 listed for sale in Miramar, Florida. The asking price was $206,280 plus a dealer markup of $293,720. Yes, some 120 percent above MSRP and a total price of $500,000. Understandably, people on Facebook, Reddit, and other social media platforms were outraged.

They immediately began bashing the ad. “Over double MSRP is insane,” said one. Others began searching for the dealer in question so that they could take them to task for this kind of greedy price gouging. Lots of folks on Reddit were convinced that the dealer in question here was Stingray Chevrolet – probably because it does have a very similar bright yellow ZR1 featured in recent posts.

The Internet Points Fingers

As the online pitchforks came out, so did the memes and accusations: “Scam dealership, major L”, “Shame this dealer is such trash they add a 120% markup” – you get the gist . Just your average, measured discourse.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Stingray Chevrolet (@stingraychevrolet)

var adpushup = window.adpushup = window.adpushup || {que:[]};
adpushup.que.push(function() {
if (adpushup.config.platform !== “DESKTOP”){
adpushup.triggerAd(“bb7964e9-07de-4b06-a83e-ead35079d53c”);
} else {
adpushup.triggerAd(“9b1169d9-7a89-4971-a77f-1397f7588751”);
}
});

In response, Stingray Chevrolet maintained that it wasn’t them. “That’s not us. We aren’t selling the particular vehicle, but we have a long list of ZR1s on their way that were ordered for customers at MSRP,” the dealership stated. To double-check, we reached out.

Dealer Responds

Their response to Carscoops was clear: “We have not ever sold a new Chevrolet over MSRP, and have no plans to change that. Plus, we have no dealer fee, but our waitlist is closed.” Kudos to them not just for responding, but for taking such a stance against markups in an industry rife with them.

So, if Stingray Chevy didn’t sell the car, where did the rumor start? Online posts apparently traced the listing back to a social media account under the name K. Parrish on Facebook and Instagram. Based on available evidence, this could be the same individual who originally shared the Corvette post.

They also appear to have a white ZR1 listed as of this writing with a $100,000 markup. Notably, they redacted the dealership info on the window sticker and obscured most other identifiable markings on the car and dealership space on both posts. They missed one key thing, though: the stock number, D90658.

Found On The Wrong Coast

A Google search leads us to a VIN: 1G1YJ2D77S5800022. Combine the VIN with the stock number, and we get another hit, and it’s on the coast, just a very different one then expected.

Instead of seeing this ZR1 pop up in Florida, it shows up in San Leandro, California, at F.H. Dailey Chevrolet. A quick online search of the dealer itself shows that yes, they have a bright yellow Corvette for sale. The base price is identical to the $206,280 from the original window sticker in the post.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Jasmine Salinas | Just a girl in the car business. (@soldbysalinas)

In fact, further research shows us a salesperson at the dealer showing it off, and it looks like it’s in the same exact space as the post put up by Mr. Parrish. A ‘Golden State Warriors’ banner sits in the same lobby along with two other Corvettes behind the ZR1 in red and gray. We reached out to the salesperson, Jasmine Salinas, but also haven’t heard back about the situation.

Where Does This Leave Us?

Well, here’s the situation in a nutshell. The most powerful ‘Vette ever is going to end up marked up to high heaven in some places. Shady characters do lurk online and try to get their own piece of the markup pie wherever they can. However, we cannot independently confirm whether F.H. Dailey is asking $500,000 for its ZR1 at this time.

We did leave a message for the general manager there, but as of this writing, they haven’t returned our call. As for Mr. Parish, we can’t point any fingers since he didn’t respond to our request for comment – and ethics dictates that we must hear both sides.

He could’ve heard about the ZR1 and simply posted it for sale in Florida, knowing that there are potential buyers there, too. If anything, the lesson here is not to jump too quickly to conclusions just because the details sound so wild.

Yes, we’re very likely going to see a dealer mark the ZR1 up to $500,000. Dealers did similar things with the Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170, for instance, and the ZR1 is arguably a far more impressive car. At the same time, let’s save the vitriol for dealers that deserve it – not the ones that go on record as selling at MSRP only.

Lead image: K. Parrish / Facebook

High-performance EVs aren’t just for flagship models and six-figure price tags. AMG’s next move brings some of that top-shelf energy to something a little smaller and a bit more within reach.

This week’s big AMG news is the Concept GT XX that’ll morph into the all-new 2027 GT, a slippery production EV targeting the Porsche Taycan. But when that lands, the GT won’t be the only fast four-door electric coupe with AMG badges. It’ll be joined by the smaller, slightly more affordable CLA 45 with EQ Technology.

Related: Mercedes Will Fix New CLA EV’s Charging Crisis From Next Year

Though not as exotic as its big brother, the CLA 45 EQ will still have some similar performance tricks up its sleeve, including an active rear spoiler, which our spy photographers snapped in detail for the first time during a recent Nurburgring test.

Hidden Aero Tricks Come Into View

The disguise on earlier prototypes made it look like the cars were fitted with a fixed, ducktail rear wing to help keep their rear tires pressed into the pavement. But now we have confirmation that what they’ll actually have is an electrically or hydraulically operated rear wing that moves up into the airflow automatically at speed or can be manually operated by a button on the dashboard.

Personally, I preferred the ducktail idea, though being able to retract the spoiler so it fits flush when not needed is vital to cut drag and maximize efficiency. Some reports have also suggested the wing might function as a mini air brake, an idea AMG has used before on cars like the SLR.

SHProshots

Another bit of tech the CLA 45 EQ will inherit from the AMG GT and the upcoming GT SUV is axial flux motors developed by Mercedes-owned British brand Yasa. These motors are much lighter and more compact than the conventional units used in the regular CLA unveiled this year, and Autocar’s sources say there’ll be three of them onboard the baby AMG to give true torque vectoring capability.

The same reports suggest a power figure upwards of 500 hp (507 PS), which doesn’t sound like much by modern EV standards, but does represent a healthy improvement on the 349 hp (354 PS) of the CLA 350 4MATIC with EQ Technology. However, Yasa’s motors generate lots of torque and don’t weigh much, meaning AMG might have come to the conclusion it doesn’t need to match the circa-641 hp (650 PS) of Hyundai’s upcoming Ioniq 6 N to beat it on the road.

Charging Woes, Soon to Be Solved

Non-AMG CLAs feature fast-charging 800-volt electrics but are currently unable to use 400-volt charging stations. Even so, Mercedes should have fixed that ludicrous situation by next year, so CLA 45 EQ buyers will have more charging choices. Not that it will have to plug in very often. A range of at least 400 miles (644 km) seems plausible based on the 479-mile (771 km) legs of the dual-motor CLA 350.

That kind of practicality, plus organ-pulverizing straight-line speed, a drift mode, and a V8 soundalike digital backing track could make AMG’s baby sedan one of the best enthusiast EVs around when it goes on sale next year.

SHProshots

Jaguar has largely gone radio silent since unveiling the Type 00 concept in December. It marked the beginning of a new era for the brand, which had struggled trying to chase Audi, BMW, and Mercedes.

However, a lot is happening behind the scenes as the British automaker continues testing their “electric four door GT.” It’s slated to debut late this year and will be built in the United Kingdom.

More: Radical Jaguar Type 00 Concept Previews Make-Or-Break Electric Sedan

A prototype was recently spied undergoing testing near the Nürburgring and it appears to remain pretty faithful to the concept. While a number of details are hidden by camouflage and padding, we can see the production model will have an upright front fascia and slender headlights. They’re joined by a sporty lower intake that is broken up into three different sections.

Bigger changes occur further back as the production model has four doors and a larger greenhouse. Designers also gave the car flush-mounted door handles and a massive charging port cover. Elsewhere, there are sizable wheels and a sporty roofline that echoes the concept.

Baldauf

The rear end is heavily disguised, but could be far more harmonious than the appliance-like rear end seen on the Type 00. Details are hard to make out, but it appears the model will have a slender, split taillight bar. We can also get a glimpse of what appears to be a more curvaceous bumper and fascia.

We can expect to learn more later this year, but the company has already confirmed the car will ride on the all-new Jaguar Electrical Architecture. It’s also slated to have a range of up to 430 miles (692 km) as well as a fast charging capability that can deliver 200 miles (322 km) of range in as little as 15 minutes.

Baldauf