Gathering classic supercars together is a challenge, but so worth it, says Meaden.

There was a time when organising magazine tests was a case of phoning a bunch of press offices and making bookings on a selection of rival press fleet test cars. That’s still true to an extent, but as evo has always reflected industry and enthusiast agendas, so our emphasis has shifted towards featuring modern and not-so-modern classics. In turn, as the variety and abundance…

Central to this is the car enthusiast community of which we are all part. It never ceases to amaze me how generous and trusting people can be with eye-wateringly precious cars. Of course, I’d like to think that evo has a good reputation and that people might like the idea of their car being featured in its pages, but still my mouth goes a bit dry when I’m calling someone I’ve…

The most surreal example of a loaned car was the fortnight I had a Ferrari F50 in my garage. It was for the 288 GTO, F40, F50 and Enzo story we put together back in 2004 when the Enzo was new. That test remains one of the biggest challenges to put together as all the cars were supplied by private individuals.

Why It Matters

Conducted over four days, covering meaningful mileage on challenging roads, it’s a test that I’m proud to say only evo can do.

CarMotion Daily’s Take

If Ferrari delivers, this is the kind of EV move competitors will have to answer.

TopGear reports that 2.9-tonne, 885bhp Zeekr 9X Super Hybrid is coming to Europe… - topgear.com — here’s the gist of what’s worth knowing.

This is the Zeekr 9X Super Hybrid. It is not a large, premium SUV that rivals other large, premium SUVs. It is a ginormous premium SUV that’s as long as a long wheelbase Range Rover and as heavy as a small moon.

It’s been on sale in China since 2025 and today, Zeekr has revealed this 9X Super Hybrid is heading to Europe. And as befits a luxury Chinese car, there’s a lot stuffed into those vast, chunky flanks.

Like a complex powertrain that’s… a little diluted compared to the tri-motor rocket they get in China. Europe will only be treated to a twin electric motor setup – one motor on the front, one on the back – along with a 55.1kWh battery, 900V architecture and a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine.

Sounds like it’ll be an e-focused hybrid, with that engine pulled into service to act as a generator or to assist the electricity if you’re doing proper distance. Zeekr quotes a measly electric-only range of 111 miles (!), but a combined range of 458 miles, and the ability to charge the thing up from 10-80 per cent in 9.5 minutes (depending on the charger).

Why It Matters

Zeekr claims the 9X gets a “47in head-up display projecting navigation, speed, blind spot camera feed and information directly into the driver’s line of sight”.

CarMotion Daily’s Take

Europe will only be treated to a twin electric motor setup – one motor on the front, one on the back – along with a 55.1kWh battery, 900V architecture and a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine. Watch this space over the coming weeks.

The small Mercedes SUV is larger and offers both gas-electric and full-electric powertrains, as well as oodles of technology.

Mercedes’ entry SUV grows up with available EV power, AI tech, and a hybrid for gas-engine buyers. Small but mighty, the 2028 Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class is the latest nameplate on the new Mercedes Modular Architecture (MMA) engineered for small and entry-level vehicles. First to market was the Mercedes-Benz CLA sedan, followed by the GLB, and finally the GLA crossover. Together…

The GLA might not be as popular as Mercedes’ large SUVs in the U.S., but it can serve as a door to making someone a Mercedes customer for life. Globally, it is a high-volume model, and offering it as a pure electric SUV for the first time will resonate well in markets like Europe and China that have embraced EVs. For more reluctant markets like North America, it will also be…

Mercedes wanted little differentiation between models regardless of powertrain, and it picked the spots where they wanted them to be distinct—notably their faces. The 2028 GLA EV will be recognizable by its optional illuminated bars, 608 lights in smoked glass mesh covered in 150 tiny hot-stamped stars, a chrome frame, and a large, illuminated Mercedes star front and center.…

The next-generation Mercedes-Benz GLA, with its upright front end and sloped roofline, is longer overall and packs an extra 2.4 inches of wheelbase, as well as being wider and 0.8-inch lower in height. Wheel sizes range from 18 to 20 inches. Mercedes calls it a compact crossover, but it’s considered subcompact in North America, going up against such competitors as the BMW X1…

The 2028 GLA will be offered in four trims: Style, Progressive, AMG Line, and the new AMG Line Plus with Night package that adds a new front fascia with notable air intakes, a lot of glossy black trim, sport seats, and 20-inch AMG wheels. The Night Edition gets distinct 20-inch wheels, Cosmos Black Magno paint, and unique upholstery.

Why It Matters

Mercedes wanted little differentiation between models regardless of powertrain, and it picked the spots where they wanted them to be distinct—notably their faces.

CarMotion Daily’s Take

The next-generation Mercedes-Benz GLA, with its upright front end and sloped roofline, is longer overall and packs an extra 2.4 inches of wheelbase, as well as being wider and 0.8-inch lower in height. Watch this space over the coming weeks.

TopGear reports that gargantuan new Audi Q9 is officially too large for London - topgear.com — here’s the gist of what’s worth knowing.

Pray silence please for the new Audi Q9, or as it’s described in the press release and as such will henceforth be known as “the largest Audi of all time”. And yes, it really is chuffing massive. At 5.31m long, 2.21m wide and 1.81m tall, THE LARGEST AUDI OF ALL TIME is 50cm longer than a standard UK parking space and too wide to fit through even the larger 7ft (2.13m) width…

Speaking of the rear, it’s actually quite boxy back there, and of course you’ve got a full width lightbar and an illuminated Audi logo. We’re also promised ‘curved digital OLED rear lights’ that can project a second indicator signal onto the road beneath them. Y’know, just in case you hadn’t spotted THE LARGEST AUDI OF ALL TIME.

The alloy wheel options range from 20 to 23-inchers, while adaptive air suspension is standard fit with a ride height that can be adjusted by up to 90mm. There’s also rear-wheel steering to improve the manoeuvrability of THE LARGEST AUDI OF ALL TIME.

Why It Matters

Then again, THE LARGEST AUDI OF ALL TIME doesn’t want to be defined by its powertrain.

CarMotion Daily’s Take

Pray silence please for the new Audi Q9, or as it’s described in the press release and as such will henceforth be known as “the largest Audi of all time”. Watch this space over the coming weeks.

This classic Land Rover Defender EV restomod has something the zillion other defender EV swaps don’t: over 350 miles of range.

It’d certainly be awkward to run out of battery in your brand-new EV before a 30-year-old converted Land Rover taps out. And yet, that’s exactly what will happen when some base-model Tesla drivers try to match one of these electric restomods by The Landrovers. The boutique Dutch manufacturer has created what it calls the Panterra, and it’s a classic Defender that’s been…

The battery pack itself is impressive, at a whopping 200 kWh. The only cars on sale with batteries that big are GM’s Ultium trucks, like the Hummer and Cadillac Escalade EV. But this Panterra isn’t as heavy as those 9,000-pound behemoths, tipping the scales at around 6,400 pounds. With a claimed range of 375 miles WLTP, it can go further on one charge a Tesla Model Y base RWD…

Speaking of handling, this likely won’t feel like a classic, wallowing Land Rover. With fully independent suspension at both axles, and entirely revised subframes, the Panterra should be more buttoned down and a normal Defender. It comes with a choice of coil springs or air suspension, but the latter seems like the better choice given the weight. It has a unique electric power…

With a starting price of around $570,000, it better be lovely. However, you can see where the money goes. EV-swapped Land Rovers are commonplace, but this one is unique. It’s the result of almost a decade of development, from people know classic Land Rovers better than most, and it has the battery and range to compete with mainstream automakers. The Panterra comes with luxury,…

Why It Matters

With a claimed range of 375 miles WLTP, it can go further on one charge a Tesla Model Y base RWD (314 miles), Model Y Performance (360 miles), Model 3 base RWD (332 miles), or a Model 3 Performance (354 miles).

CarMotion Daily’s Take

And yet, that’s exactly what will happen when some base-model Tesla drivers try to match one of these electric restomods by The Landrovers. Watch this space over the coming weeks.

New rules could force automakers to make emergency door releases obvious and easy to find.

New rules could force automakers to make emergency door releases obvious and easy to find. Back in February, China announced it would crack down on hidden exterior door handles like those found on many new electric vehicles, and we noted that federal legislation was being crafted to establish door-handle and emergency-egress requirements in the United States. Now, the National…

The move followed a petition from Tesla Model 3 owner Kevin Clouse, who argued that his 2022 Model 3 failed to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 206 after he struggled to escape the car following a head-on collision.

Clouse detailed his traumatic experience after his Model 3 was involved in the collision that resulted in power loss. Teslas, like many of the latest vehicles, have electronic door-opening mechanisms that can become inoperable if a vehicle loses power. There are almost always backup mechanical releases, but in many cars these are poorly labeled (or not at all), difficult to…

To that point, although Clouse eventually escaped the all-electric sedan, he also couldn’t locate the mechanical emergency release for the front door. Ultimately, Clouse climbed over the front seats and escaped through the rear passenger door window. The 2022 Model 3, the year and model Clouse was driving, does not have readily accessible mechanical emergency releases for…

Why It Matters

New rules could force automakers to make emergency door releases obvious and easy to find.

CarMotion Daily’s Take

Industry watchers will be following the follow-through, not just the headline.

We drive a prototype of Ferrari’s first EV, the 1,035-hp Luce, to see if its wild design and electric power still deliver true Maranello feel.

This is the future. All we wanted to know for now is if it still feels like a proper Ferrari. “Is it a true Ferrari?. We’ll find out when we drive it.” That’s how we signed off our First Look review of the polarizing 2027 Ferrari Luce EV, the most radical and opinion-splitting car ever to carry the fabled prancing horse logo. And now here we are at the Stellantis Proving…

“Nobody told us we had to do an electric Ferrari,” Ferrari development test driver Raffaele de Simone said as he showed us around the heavily camo’d Luce prototype. But for Ferrari chairman John Elkann, the new Luce is a loud statement of intent; it’s a car that readies Ferrari for any eventuality in a rapidly evolving automotive landscape where the battle lines between…

There’s no question the Luce’s polarizing exterior design, the work of LoveFrom, the San Francisco–based company founded by former Apple design boss Jony Ive and well-known industrial designer Marc Newson, stands in stark contrast to the rest of Ferrari’s lineup, let alone a back catalog that includes cars like the Dino and Daytona, the F40 and 550 Maranello, and 458 Italia.…

The Luce exists, according to Ferrari product development chief Gianmaria Fulgenzi, because the company’s research determined an electric-powered sports car or grand tourer could offer no performance advantage, particularly in terms of driving dynamics, over a comparable internal combustion engine or hybrid powertrain vehicle. “But compared with the Purosangue [SUV], there is…

The numbers back him up. Ferrari claims the Luce will sprint to 60 mph in less than 2.5 seconds and to 124 mph in 6.8 seconds on the way to its 193-mph top speed. It’s eight-tenths of a second quicker to 60 mph and a staggering 3.8 seconds quicker to 124 mph than Ferrari’s pseudo-SUV and has the same top speed. In terms of outright performance, the Luce is closer to an 849…

Why It Matters

All we wanted to know for now is if it still feels like a proper Ferrari.

CarMotion Daily’s Take

… The Ferrari Luce is us choosing to shape what comes next.”. Watch this space over the coming weeks.

Images of the Small Sports Car Company SC01.

BMW toyed with the idea of an E46 M3 Touring, making just one prototype. A UK company has picked up where it left off30 Jul 202630 Jul 2026I put budget tyres to the test in the wet, and the results were terrifyingOpinionI put budget tyres to the test in the wet, and the results were terrifying.

Why It Matters

A UK company has picked up where it left off30 Jul 202630 Jul 2026I put budget tyres to the test in the wet, and the results were terrifyingOpinionI put budget tyres to the test in the wet, and the results were terrifying.

CarMotion Daily’s Take

If the execution delivers, this is the kind of EV move competitors will have to answer.

TopGear reports that gargantuan new Audi Q9 is officially too large for London - Top Gear — here’s the gist of what’s worth knowing.

Pray silence please for the new Audi Q9, or as it’s described in the press release and as such will henceforth be known as “the largest Audi of all time”. And yes, it really is chuffing massive. At 5.31m long, 2.21m wide and 1.81m tall, THE LARGEST AUDI OF ALL TIME is 50cm longer than a standard UK parking space and too wide to fit through even the larger 7ft (2.13m) width…

Speaking of the rear, it’s actually quite boxy back there, and of course you’ve got a full width lightbar and an illuminated Audi logo. We’re also promised ‘curved digital OLED rear lights’ that can project a second indicator signal onto the road beneath them. Y’know, just in case you hadn’t spotted THE LARGEST AUDI OF ALL TIME.

The alloy wheel options range from 20 to 23-inchers, while adaptive air suspension is standard fit with a ride height that can be adjusted by up to 90mm. There’s also rear-wheel steering to improve the manoeuvrability of THE LARGEST AUDI OF ALL TIME.

Why It Matters

Then again, THE LARGEST AUDI OF ALL TIME doesn’t want to be defined by its powertrain.

CarMotion Daily’s Take

Pray silence please for the new Audi Q9, or as it’s described in the press release and as such will henceforth be known as “the largest Audi of all time”. Watch this space over the coming weeks.

We get the final details on Audi’s big new flagship SUV, including the price.

Welcome to what is supposed to be our First Look at the Audi Q9. But between our sneak peek at the new Q9’s interior and our first look at the closely related Q7 and SQ7, you may know most of what we’re about to tell you. We do, however, have new details regarding exterior styling, pricing, and a few luxury-oriented items of note—including a new hands-free driving system…

Rounding out the visual changes is the tailgate, which places the rear license plate on the bumper rather than on the tailgate itself as it is on the Q7. Like the Q7, the Q9 has OLED taillights that can display various patterns, but on the Q9 the panel is curved, the first use of this technology in an Audi. It’s a rather cool effect, but U.S. Lighting regulations mean they…

Why It Matters

Like the Q7, the Q9 has OLED taillights that can display various patterns, but on the Q9 the panel is curved, the first use of this technology in an Audi.

CarMotion Daily’s Take

Welcome to what is supposed to be our First Look at the Audi Q9. — the story from MotorTrend bears tracking.