+++ This is the FERRARI F76 , a purely digital car created to show what the brand’s future could look like; both in terms of design and technology. The F76 is an NFT and if you’re not sure what that is then I’ll explain. An NFT or ‘non-fungible token’ is a digital asset that can’t be copied and as such they’ve become a source of investment for some (though most have no monetary value whatsoever). Ferrari hasn’t said how much the F76 NFT is or if you can even trade it. Designed over a period of 3 years (a time period which begins to explain why Ferrari have now dabbled in seemingly unfashionable NFTs), the F76 NFT is only available to members of Ferrari’s Hyperclub, which support the firm’s Le Mans Hypercar programme. Under a ‘new design manifesto’ led by Flavio Manzoni, Ferrari’s Chief Design Officer, the F76 ‘aims to prefigure the shapes of Ferraris of the future’, according to Ferrari. Besides the incredibly low-slung proportions of the F76 there are some interesting details too. There are two individual cockpits or ‘fuselages’, wheel arches that somehow blend into the windshield, a set of very thin LED lights front and rear – horizontally positioned to accentuate width. The front lights are retractable too. Strangely, there are 2 steering wheels as well, though they look more like aeroplane-style yokes. Using drive-by-wire technology, the steering wheel and even the brake pedals are synchronised, “allowing both occupants to experience and share sensations in real time”. Ferrari hasn’t said if the F76 is an EV or a petrol-powered car, though we suspect that despite the futuristic styling, those two triangular openings in front of that decked rear spoiler are actually exhaust shrouds. The F76 name pays tribute to Ferrari’s first triumph at Le Mans, achieved by Luigi Chinetti with Lord Selsdon at the wheel of the 166 MM Barchetta in 1949; 76 years ago. With such an illustrious history to play with, if interest was high for the F76 we’d expect more NFTs in Ferrari’s future. +++
+++ GENERAL MOTORS said Tuesday it was ending production of an electric vehicle at a plant in Canada, a further blow to the country’s auto sector tied to President Donald Trump’s opposition to EVs. Canada’s auto industry has been battered by Trump’s global tariffs on foreign-made vehicles, but GM’s decision to stop production of an EV van in Ingersoll (about 160 kilometers west of Toronto) was not directly linked to the trade war. GM made a specialized zero-emission delivery van at the Ingersoll plant, used by companies like FedEx for urban deliveries, but the company said demand for the vehicles “developed much slower than expected”. “The elimination of tax credits in the United States (for EVs) has made the business even more challenging”, GM said. Trump has slashed support for EVs, ending a tax credit of up to $7,500 for vehicle purchases. That has forced a pivot by automakers like GM, which had aggressively invested in EV capacity throughout the presidency of Trump’s predecessor, Joe Biden. Canadian autoworker union Unifor said GM’s announcement will impact more than 1.000 jobs. “After billions of dollars in public support to build an EV future, Canada cannot allow companies to simply walk away the moment there is pressure from Washington or turbulence in the market”, said Unifor national president Lana Payne. Canada has hoped to become a major player in the auto industry’s shift to EVs, given its substantial deposits of the critical minerals essential for EV batteries. The country has pitched itself as an ideal location for end-to-end EV production, where the minerals could be extracted, processed, and then brought to plants for battery-making. But that bet appears to have been badly timed. Experts from Western University said last month that 8 EV manufacturing plants in Ontario had received a combined Canadian $43.6 billion ($31 billion) in government subsidies. 5 have already been forced to suspend or delay their activities amid a softening in EV demand. +++
+++ HONDA has temporarily stopped taking orders for its new Prelude coupe at some dealerships, the automaker announced Tuesday, as orders reached 2.400 units, about 8 times its monthly sales plan. The company said it would handle the situation and is considering increasing production. The Prelude has been a popular model since its debut in 1978. Honda did not develop a successor after sales were completed for its fifth-generation model in 2001. However, in September, it reintroduced the new model after a 24-year hiatus. The starting price is ¥6.17 million including tax. The model has attracted particular attention from those in their 50s and 60s, with many ordering the vehicle as a second car, the company said. +++
+++ Italian race car manufacturer JAS MOTORSPORT is turning its attention to road-going machinery, starting with a new Honda NSX restomod styled by Pininfarina. Teaser images released by JAS show that the new look remains faithful to the 1990 original, retaining its pop-up headlights and small rear spoiler while gaining a more aggressive stance.
The front light reflectors are replaced with LED daytime running lights and there’s a large duct on the bonnet reminiscent of that fitted to the second-generation NSX-R. At the rear, it appears to wear an aggressive diffuser also evoking that fitted to the later NSX-R. The NSX’s original bodywork (which made it the world’s first road-going car made entirely from aluminium) will be replaced with a carbonfibre shell, and it will be available in both left- and right-hand-drive forms. As with the original, power will come from a naturally aspirated V6 mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox. JAS said the powerplant will be “NSX-inspired”, so it’s possible that it’s developing an all-new powerplant or a reworked version of the NSX’s original 3.0-litre Honda engine. The new car will be revealed in full early next year. JAS’s take on the NSX signals a new interest in modern-classic Japanese cars as candidates for restomods. Historically, European and American models such as the Porsche 911 and Ford Mustang have dominated the scene, with interest in Japanese machinery largely limited to the Datsun 240Z.But the NSX has in recent years earned classic status, with prices of well-preserved examples with manual gearboxes surging north of 120.000 . +++
+++ This is our first official look at the new KIA EV4 GT ; an all-wheel drive hot hatch that’s set to arrive next year and pack quite a punch, making it a rival to the mighty Volkswagen Golf R. With the reveal of the electric hot hatch still a way off, Kia has covered it in a ‘GT Wrap’ to conceal some of the styling details from us. But there’s no hiding the car’s neon green brake calibers or unique 20-inch rims, plus what look to be new front and rear bumpers.
The standard EV4 uses a single 204 hp electric motor to drive the front wheels. With an extra e-motor mounted on the rear axle, not only will the EV4 GT get all-wheel drive, I expect it’ll produce between 300 hp to 400 hp. For context, the latest Golf R has 333 hp on tap, while the Audi RS 3 spits out 400 hp. Considering a top-of-the-line Kia EV4 costs nearly €50.000 in The Netherlands, I assume the EV4 GT will be over €55.000. I suspect the EV4 GT will inherit the Virtual Gear Shift system (VGS) from the EV6 GT and new EV9 GT. It’s designed to mimic the sound of a petrol car with a V6 engine and an 8-speed transmission. This should help deliver a more engaging driving experience than electric hot hatches such as the Volkswagen ID.3 GTX and MG4 XPower. But as well as software tweaks and trickery, we have been informed there will be some mechanical changes for the EV4 GT. Hopefully that includes the electronic limited-slip differential the EV9 GT features, plus its adaptive dampers. A bigger set of brakes and retuned steering also seems likely. Kia’s marketing director for Europe, David Hilbert, said the EV4 GT is “about showing what we’re capable of in terms of delivering a great vehicle that you can use every day, but also have that kind of fun factor”. I recently learned that in the coming years Hyundai will be launching its own electric hot hatch, the Ioniq 3 N, which will be based on the same underpinnings as the EV4 GT. So naturally I asked Hilbert what will differentiate these 2 cars? “When we brought out the Stinger GT, or even before that, the ProCeed GT, it wasn’t all about straight-line speed,” he said, “I remember, in fact, that Peter Schreyer, who was our designer at the time, said it was all about the thrill of the journey. “You know, it’s not about being the fastest to the destination, it’s about having a great driving experience. So our GT philosophy is much more about that kind of driving pleasure, having great times. “It’s not just purely about adrenaline or straight-line speed. I guess N is much more that kind of extreme, racing focus, whereas ours is more about everyday driving, but with a bit of, you know, edginess”. +++
+++ NISSAN said on Wednesday that it will showcase a prototype electric minivehicle that can be charged using an onboard solar power generation system, at the Japan Mobility Show, which opens later this month in Tokyo. The prototype, based on the Japanese automaker’s Sakura electric minivehicle, has a roof-mounted solar panel. When parked, an additional panel extends forward from storage, boosting power generation capacity by more than 60%. If the system generates enough electricity to provide an annual driving range of up to 3.000 kilometers, the vehicle can eliminate the need for grid-based charging if it is used mainly for short-distance driving including for commuting or shopping, Nissan said. “We want to make a car that needs neither gasoline nor (grid-based) charging”, said Junichi Inoue, who leads the project. While most research on solar-powered electric vehicles focuses on enhancing the power-generation efficiency of compact panels, Inoue said “such an approach raises (vehicle) prices”. Nissan’s prototype instead increases the total panel area to keep the price down while maintaining sufficient output. The Japan Mobility Show will be open to the public from October 31 to November 9 at the Tokyo Big Sight convention center, where the prototype will be on display in a section featuring future mobility concepts. +++
+++ OPEL seems to be entering a pivotal period that could dictate the long-term future of the German (though not German-owned) brand one way or the other. The well documented rise of Chinese entrants to the new-car market is squeezing the mainstream in particular, although Opel is so-far seemingly more resilient than some. While the market is down 3 percent over the first 9 months of this year, Opel is op 20 percent, with . Others, such as Toyota and Nissan, are feeling more of a squeeze. But the kicker for anyone who remembers how Opel and Volkswagen used to tussle for top spot in the sales charts, is that while Volkswagen is third in the table (behind Kia and Toyota), you have to keep scrolling down beyond the top 10 to find Opel in 14th. A boost from the new Frontera alone could propel Opel well into the top 10, but it’s a brand that just feels like it’s missing a bit of excitement. The Frontera is a fine example. It’s sensible, well priced and has good rear passenger and boot space (all things that owners will really appreciate once they’ve made the buying decision) but it feels a bit cheap inside and is missing that buzz to grab people’s attention in the first place. It’s an ever-more crowded marketplace and not all the brands will survive. A car geek’s question on a TV quiz show could surround the 53 manufacturers that have registered cars in the Netherlands this year. This is an unprecedented number that will inevitably swell further. Opel’s plan for 2026 is to double-down on its heritage, the one strength its Dutch boss told me last week that the Chinese car brands can’t play on. For the first time in 3 decades, you will some sportier action with the GSE performance brand. That starts with the 280 hp Mokka GSE but will also spread through trim levels, acting as a halo and, hopefully, giving a bit of extra appeal across the line-up. Because Opel needs to be more than worthy and sensible to thrive in 2025. +++
+++ TOYOTA maintained record global sales during the first half of the fiscal year, as growth in the U.S. helped counter a lukewarm showing in Japan and China. Global sales (including subsidiaries Daihatsu and Hino) increased 5% in the April-September period from a year before to 5.643.042 units, a record for that 6-month period. Sales rose almost 3% in September from a year earlier to 949.153 units, the company said Monday. Production grew 9% to 1.036.106. The world’s biggest carmaker has managed to achieve overall growth, despite volatility in China and trade tensions brought about by U.S. president Donald Trump’s tariffs on cars and parts imported to the U.S. It produced and sold a record number of vehicles for 7 straight months this year, though its streak lost steam in August. While Toyota and Lexus brand sales fell slightly in China and Japan in September, they rose more than 14% in the U.S. Legacy brands have been losing ground in China, where domestic manufacturers led by BYD have grown to dominate the world’s largest car market. Toyota has regained a modicum of stability there, due in part to the popularity of its fully electric BZ3X and its petrol-electric hybrid models. But a shrinking market back home poses a long-term challenge. Toyota’s sales in September fell 1% in China, after more regions ended subsidies, and 5% in Japan due to a drop in production following a sizable recall of the Prius. +++