+++ The lightest, most focused versions of BMW ’s current M car range wear the CS badge, and although its application may be somewhat disingenuous with the 2.200 kg M3 CS Touring, common sense has prevailed in that BMW M won’t be adding those 2 letters to its SUVs*. But that doesn’t mean that the M division won’t venture further into the SUV realm. BMW M CEO Frank van Meel revealed that an M-branded flagship off-roader could make a certain amount of sense because the Dakar Rally is a racing event, and BMW M was born in the world of motorsport. This isn’t the first time that such a potential product has made headlines, either, but first, let’s see how van Meel would justify its existence. “I could imagine M on off-road products”, said Van Meel, “because if you come from racing, there’s not only the WEC and IMSA categories, but the Paris-Dakar off-road rally”. The BMW M boss’s comments came in response to being questioned about whether an off-road-specific M car would make sense, and although he went on to note that the X5 is already fairly capable off the beaten path, highlighting BMW’s X5 driving experiences in the deserts of Namibia, he added that he is not averse to an alternative approach. “We do have an X5 M as well, but I don’t think that is where your question was heading”, said van Meel. “I don’t think an off-road M model is a contradiction because, in Paris-Dakar, if you look at the race cars, they’re quite performance-driven cars as well. So, if there would be a segment like that, I wouldn’t say no”. In other words, if it is a high-performance product, BMW M would not be selling out by creating a vehicle more suited to tackling rugged terrain than toppling lap time leaderboards. In fact, it may already be in development. Last year, news came that BMW was working on a rugged off-road SUV to rival the iconic Mercedes-Benz G-Class, and that this would replace the unpopular XM. Instead of trying to rival the likes of the Bentley Bentayga and Aston Martin DBX, BMW seems to be preparing to take a piece of the G-Wagen and Defender Octa pie with something reportedly internally codenamed G74. This is said to be underpinned by the next-generation G65 X5’s bones and is expected to arrive in 2029, shortly after the underwhelming XM ends production in November 2028. An electrified V8 powertrain and all-wheel drive are all but inevitable when the new SUV arrives, with production expected to take place at the automaker’s Plant Spartanburg facility in South Carolina. Interestingly, Bentley recently unveiled an off-road-focused Bentayga X Concept of its own, indicating that there must be signs of significant demand for a six-figure luxury SUV that can decimate dunes and bash boulders. +++
+++ BMW’s latest research suggests people aren’t turning their backs on ELECTRIC CARS just yet. With sales slowing in several major markets, and the brand preparing to roll out its new i3, BMW commissioned Dutch research firm Kien Onderzoek to determine whether hesitation is also creeping into the company-car world. The findings show a surprising growing adoption, but with clear expectations. Of the 655 company car drivers surveyed, 60% of them would choose an electric model to replace their current lease car, but at least 400 km per charge is what they require. To most people, not just those who took part in the study, electric range sticks out as the single biggest hurdle for hesitant drivers. Nearly all respondents said their next electric lease car would need to cover at least 400 km, while a sizeable group wanted more than 500 km. A few years back, expectations like these were unrealistic, but now popular SUVs from the BMW Group, the Mini Countryman SE and the BMW iX3, smash those targets. Business drivers have to be able to drive long distances without having to stop and recharge, so having anything less than 400 km would be more of a compromise than progress. Surprisingly, the study notes that “environmental considerations play hardly any role in their choice”. In fact, less than 10% of drivers care about having a positive impact on the environment. That said, employers require more than a third of employees to drive electric company cars. Therefore, drivers prioritize lease costs, comfort, space for family needs, and charging convenience far above environmental impact. Across the pond, the US isn’t as open to accepting fully-elecrtic car either, with EV registrations slipping for the first time in the US over a decade, with expired tax incentives playing a major role. Even high-profile automakers like Tesla have feeling the heat, with US sales falling four months in a row. Where the study becomes most encouraging for EV adoption is in driver loyalty. Around 70% of respondents who said their next company car would be electric already drive one today. Experience appears to be the strongest conversion tool, with range anxiety fading and charging routines becoming second nature over time, it seems. Overall, the research shows company car drivers are not rejecting electric cars (at least in Europe), but setting firm conditions for adoption. +++
+++ JD Power has released the results of its 2026 American ELECTRIC VEHICLE EXPERIENCE (EVX) Ownership Study, an assessment of electric car and plug-in hybrid owner satisfaction. Focused on the first year of ownership, the study considers not only the car itself, but also factors like public charging availability. The good news is that EV owner satisfaction has reached its best level since the study’s inception 6 years ago, despite EV market share cooling off in recent months. Tesla put in a strong showing, while electric cars from Audi did not. Conducted in collaboration with PlugShare, a research firm, the study was based on 5.741 owners of 2025/2026 model-year electric cars and plug-in hybrid vehicles. The study evaluates 10 factors of new EV ownership, including the following: accuracy of battery range; public charging availability; interior/exterior styling; safety and technology features; cost of ownership; home-charging convenience; servicing experience; and vehicle quality/reliability. Impressively, 96% of new electric car owners say they’d lease or purchase another one. Overall premium electric car satisfaction reached 786 on a 1.000-point scale, up from 756 last year. For mass-market electric cars, this year’s score was 727, up from 725. “Electric car market share has declined sharply following the discontinuation of the federal tax credit program in the United States in September, but that dip belies steadily growing customer satisfaction among owners of a new electric car”, said Brent Gruber, executive director at JD Power. “Improvements in battery technology, charging infrastructure and overall vehicle performance have driven customer satisfaction to its highest level ever”. The Tesla Model 3 was the highest-ranked overall model, including in the premium segment. This is likely linked to the availability of a cheaper base model and Tesla’s recent improvements to the electric sedan. It was followed by the Tesla Model Y, BMW i4 and BMW iX. In the mass-market segment, the Ford Mustang Mach-E came out on top, followed by the Hyundai Ioniq 6, Kia EV9, Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6. The Audi Q6 e-Tron (690) had a score of under 700 total points. Although JD Power didn’t disclose the specific areas where this low-performing electric vehicle fell short, it’s a disappointing result for a premium brand like Audi, especially given how well close rival BMW performed. Electric Vehicle sales may have suffered after the American tax credit ended last year, but consumers who have chosen to purchase an electric vehicle are happier with them than they’ve ever been. Many models can now cover 500 km or more on a full charge, while public charger access has improved significantly, removing 2 of the major pain points for electric car ownership. While plug-in hybrid satisfaction levels have also improved, these remain more complex powertrains, so overall satisfaction isn’t as high as for electric cars. Other recent studies point to PHEVs being far less reliable than traditional petrol cars. Electric car makers have now had several years to refine their offerings, and that’s starting to show in this study. If owner satisfaction keeps improving at this rate, the recent slowdown in demand for electric vehicles may be temporary rather than lasting. +++
+++ The FERRARI LUCE will be “big” in its proportions and sport an exterior design that’s just as radical as its interior, designer Jony Ive has said. but the man famous for penning the iPhone admitted that he is “anxious” about showing the new EV to the world. Ferrari’s first electric car will be fully revealed in Maranello in May, sporting an exterior penned by the LoveFrom design house founded by former Apple design boss Ive and Australian designer Marc Newson. Details on the Luce’s 1.000 hp four-motor powertrain and the radical look of its interior, which has also been designed by Ive and LoveFrom, have already been revealed. And while it is known that Maranello’s first electric car will be a 4-door, 4-seat GT and hold a similar ride height to the Purosangue, little else has been revealed about the car’s exterior design. Test mules have been seen, but they have been heavily clad in camouflage. Ive remains tight-lipped about the final look, but he did confirm that “there’s no disconnection” between the exterior and interior. Newson added that both the cabin and the body shell were penned “simultaneously… everything at once”, something Ive said makes the car’s complete package “cohesive and singular”. This suggests an exterior design that is just as radical and retro-inspired as the cabin could adorn Ferrari’s first electric car and, to further mark it out, something that is different from the other models in the car maker’s stable. Discussing further the car’s overall look during the unveiling of the interior in San Francisco earlier this month, Ive said: “It’s difficult because we’re only talking about part of the solution, and it’ll be easier to be talking about the whole thing. That’s going to be interesting, you know, your opinions; I think we’ve solved, hopefully, so many problems here (regarding overuse of touch controls within the interior) and I think when you see the whole thing, one thing that is hopefully compelling is that it’s singular: you can see there’s a perspective, there’s a point of view. Ive confirmed that the EV is “still clearly a Ferrari”, but he added: “It’s a different manifestation based on some of the beliefs around simplicity and the inherent beauty of something”. He said this was “not a design by committee”, adding that “there is very often a huge disconnection, with different departments working on different aspects”, which can make the final design of a car feel disconnected from one part to another. With the Luce, however, he said the goal was to achieve a singular design, adding: “Piero Ferrari, son of Enzo and Ferrari shareholder, was very supportive of the purity and the simplicity that we explored”. Regardless of Piero’s backing, Ive admitted to he is “anxious” about showing the design to the world, primarily due to the weight the badge holds and the number of eyes that will be on it, and the wide-range of opinions that will be offered on it. Speaking about being tasked with designing Ferrari’s first electric car (a topic that has sparked much debate and opinion across the automotive sphere) Newson admitted it has presented “unique challenges” but with it much “freedom”. He said: ”One of the great and serendipitous sort of things is that this is an electric vehicle, the first electric Ferrari, right? So that afforded us a degree of freedom that perhaps we would otherwise have not had: literal physical freedom or creative freedom… on many levels here”. Newson echoed Ive’s comments on the importance of making the car’s design singular, saying: “There are obviously many problems to solve from the interior to the exterior, but there’s a consistency and a singularity that enables you to get to the end goal. Sadly, we can’t talk about a lot of it [regarding the exterior], but I think if we could, you’d see that level of underlying thread that links everything together”. +++
+++ The KIA EV5 is not an old car, especially if you live in Europe, where the mid-sized electric crossover is only just beginning to arrive in showrooms. However, in China, where the car first launched, it’ll be celebrating its third birthday this year, and the pace at which the modern car industry moves means a facelift isn’t too far around the corner. The facelifted EV5 looks set to get some chunkier, more rugged-looking bumpers front and rear, most likely inspired by the overland-themed EV5 Weekender concept unveiled at last year’s Guangzhou Auto Show. It remains to be seen whether this is something the model as a whole will be treated to, or if it hints at a new, off-road inspired trim level. The headlights are to move to a setup featuring several small but intense lighting elements, similar to the one already seen on models like the K4. The bigger change looks to be coming on the interior, which currently shares a setup with most other electric models from Kia: a single, wide glass panel incorporating 12.3-inch instrument and infotainment screens and separated by a dedicated climate control panel. The large widescreen setup will span from the center to the passenger side of the dash. It is also suggests that the updated EV5’s infotainment setup could be one of the first to run on the upcoming next-gen Pleos software system. The facelift is likely to bring more than just visual and software changes. One of the EV5’s biggest weaknesses among some rivals is that it runs on a 400V electrical system, significantly slowing down charging speeds. This could be upgraded to a more efficient, faster 800V system, something already featured on Kia’s EV6 and EV9. +++
+++ Next year, a completely new LEXUS IS will arrive. It could drop combustion engines altogether and go fully electric. According to Japanese publication Best Car (as always, this kind of early reporting should be taken with a grain of salt) the next Lexus IS is being developed as a BEV-only sedan aimed at pushing Lexus into a more futuristic space. According to the report, the new IS will borrow design cues from the LF-ZC concept, just like the ES, moving toward a sleeker, futuristic profile. The dimensions keep it in true sports sedan territory, but with a lower, sharper stance. The report also added that the next IS will have a single-motor, rear-drive base model and a dual-motor, all-wheel-drive flagship with about 500 horsepower. The boldest claim is a 1.000 km range target on a single charge. If Lexus pulls that off, it would put the IS at the front of the EV pack. The report also points to next-generation Lexus tech: Gigacast manufacturing, over-the-air updates via Arene OS and Direct4 all-wheel-drive control. Launch is said to be happening as early as next year. Making the IS an electric car would be a big shift, but it makes sense given where the market is headed. The IS has always been the driver’s Lexus: a compact, rear-drive sedan that sticks closer to classic sports sedan values than the softer ES. Removing the combustion engine could change how loyal fans view the car. Still, it wouldn’t be out of character. Lexus is pushing hard into electrification and the ES already offers both hybrid and battery-electric versions. That kind of flexibility makes an all-electric IS easier to picture, even if it’s a break from tradition. The best-case scenario? Offer both. Let the EV version lead on tech, but keep a combustion or hybrid option for drivers who want that classic sports sedan experience. The ES shows Lexus can handle more than one powertrain, so there’s reason to hope the IS could follow suit. +++
+++ If one thing changed over the past few years since the pandemic, more people have become interested in outdoor life. As this lifestyle gains more popularity, people are also now more inclined than ever to go for taller and rugged vehicles to support their overlanding dreams. The market is saturated with nameplates and models that cater to this outdoor segment; for some manufacturers, this segment could be lucrative. MINI isn’t a brand known for going off the beaten path, apart from some rallying accolades, but it seems the company wants a piece of that pie based on this recent interview. Mini’s head of design, Holger Hampf, is candid, saying he has ambitious plans for the Countryman line. Hampf believes there is a significant opportunity to position the Countryman in the outdoor lifestyle segment. He added that it has always given people independence and freedom, as evidenced by outdoor activities. He believes Mini can continue to explore this. He added that this trend will continue over the next couple of years, and he is curious to see “where else Mini can play”. His claims and aspirations make sense: the Countryman has always been Mini’s SUV offering, with raised ride height and AWD powertrains. Even the top-of-the-line electric version comes with an AWD system. The current-generation Countryman is also quite sizeable, measuring 13 centimeters longer and 6 centimeters taller than the previous generation. To those who don’t know, Mini has a very successful rally racing history. In the ’60s, the original Mini won notable rallies, including the Rally of Monaco. In recent years, the brand returned to off-road racing with the gruelling Dakar. They used a Countryman as the platform to win 4 straight Dakars from 2012 to 2015. Currently, a Countryman is competing in the American Rally Association for 2026. Looking at the market right now, we’re seeing brands offer variant-specific models for these customers, such as Subaru’s Wilderness models and Mini’s potential similar offering. We’re even seeing brands offer off-road versions of sports cars like the Porsche 911 Dakar and the Lamborghini Sterrato. The pedigree for ruggedness is there; all that needs doing is an out-and-out variant for those who want a Mini for the outdoors. +++
+++ SCOUT MOTORS has responded to a report from German newspaper Der Spiegel suggesting that the brand’s launch has been pushed back to 2028 due to technical hurdles and financial challenges. Scout’s Jamie Vondruska said some German publications “love their headlines and ‘sources say’ articles” to entice readers to click, indicating he dismissed the report’s claims. The claim made it sound as though the returning brand was in troubled waters, especially given the setbacks it has reportedly already faced. Vondruska said that while delays are always possible, the revival project is moving “full steam ahead”. Here’s his full statement via Scout’s online forum. “We are still moving full steam ahead, bringing Scout back to market. Everything is moving forward and making good progress. Much like the guy who is balancing spinning plates on sticks and running back and forth to keep them spinning to prevent them from falling, we are juggling a lot at once. New factory. New suppliers. Two completely new vehicles. Could there be potential delays? Of course. But I will let you all know as quickly as I can if there are any official changes or major announcements”. The rumoured delay follows earlier reports that Scout’s South Carolina assembly plant has gone over budget. The project was initially estimated at around $2 billion, but costs have reportedly climbed by roughly $1 billion. Part of that increase includes developing a supplier park, which alone is estimated to cost about $300 million. The facility has been considered a potential U.S. production base for Audi vehicles, though no official plans have been confirmed. Scout is also facing legal challenges related to its direct-to-consumer sales model. While some brands such as Tesla have been allowed to bypass traditional franchised dealerships in certain states, Scout’s decision to offer range-extender electric vehicles (EREVs), rather than sticking to a strictly electric-only line-up, has complicated matters. Dealer groups argue that, as a Volkswagen-backed brand, Scout cannot legally bypass franchise laws that prohibit manufacturers from competing directly with their own dealers. In short, even before delivering a single vehicle, Scout Motors is already facing significant financial, operational and legal headwinds, so another setback, such as the rumoured delay, could prove costly to the brand’s momentum. So far, Scout has unveiled 2 models: the Traveler and the Terra. The Traveler is an SUV built on a body-on-frame chassis, positioning it to compete with models like the Jeep Recon and the Rivian R1S. Meanwhile, the Terra serves as the Traveler’s pickup truck counterpart, aiming to capture a share of the massive U.S. pickup market. +++