+++ FORD ’s BlueCruise autonomous driving technology has reached the Kuga, allowing for “hands-off” driving in certain environments. “Hands off” autonomous driving technology hasn’t quite reached the masses here in the Netherlands with most cars limited to ‘Level 2’ autonomy, which requires hands to be kept on the wheel and eyes on the road. I tested Ford’s BlueCruise system way back in 2023 when it was introduced on the all-electric Mustang Mach-E. While the likes of Tesla and BMW have developed and offered autonomous “hands-off” technology in its cars for other markets, Ford’s BlueCruise is still the only system that has been given regulatory approval for Dutch roads. Like the Mustang Mach-E and the Puma, which gained BlueCruise technology in 2025, the Kuga’s system builds on a combination of radars, cameras and the adaptive cruise control by managing steering, acceleration, braking and lane positioning. It’s designed to maintain a safe distance from other vehicles on the motorway as well as slow moving traffic. BlueCruise only works when the driver is attentive to the road with a “hands-off, eyes-on” approach according to Ford. To enforce this, there’s a camera monitoring the driver, detecting their gaze and deciding if enough attention is being paid to the road. The autonomous technology will be available on the Ranger PHEV soon. Like on the Puma and all-electric Puma Gen-E, the BlueCruise in the Kuga is subject to a monthly or annual subscription and will be available to order on new Kugas from April. +++
+++ There are only 3 certainties in life: death, taxes, and MAZDA ’s rotary engine aspirations. Although the MX-30 crossover with a rotary range-extending engine failed to catch on, the RX dream is still alive. A new sports car positioned above the MX-5 has been an on-again, off-again affair ever since the Iconic SP broke cover in October 2023. The gorgeous concept hasn’t been green-lighted for production, but a company higher-up isn’t completely shutting the door. In an interview, Mazda Europe’s project manager and supervisor for Product Planning kept the flame alive for an RX revival. Moritz Oswald said there’s an “insane” number of enthusiasts within the company who want a flagship sports car. The Zoom-Zoom brand is actively exploring a spiritual successor to the RX-7 or RX-8, but the decision ultimately hinges on financial feasibility. “The amount of car enthusiasts in this company is insane. Everybody loves cars, so of course there is a deep desire to keep on launching emotional products. So, are we looking into that? Yes, of course. But again, we are also a company that has to bring in revenues”. Should the RX return one day, Mazda would do things differently compared to the Iconic SP. In both the concept and the unloved MX-30 R-EV, the rotary engine acts as a generator to charge a battery, which then powers electric motors for propulsion. A production RX, however, would have the rotary engine send power directly to the wheels. Last year’s Vision X-Coupe also featured a rotary setup, this time in a plug-in hybrid configuration with a two-rotor engine. Mazda insists these concepts are more than mere teases, as the company is using them to gauge interest in a possible rotary comeback: “We want to see how it is resonating, what’s the feedback, to try and find out how big the opportunity is that we have there”. Although Mazda has a dedicated team actively working on rotary engines and broad internal support for a new RX, Chief Technology Officer Ryuichi Umeshita recently pointed out the elephant in the room: “the only outstanding issue is financial”. If it does happen, it won’t come at the expense of the beloved MX-5. This roadster will continue regardless of whether a larger, more expensive performance model joins the line-up. Given that an RX revival hasn’t been approved yet, it’s unrealistic to expect a rotary sports car to go on sale before the end of the decade, if it happens at all. The dream is still alive, but for now, it remains just that: a dream. +++
+++ MERCEDES is listening to customers, dropping the widely derided 4-cylinder hybrid setup and installing a revised 6-cylinder engine in the new GLC 53, an engine that will make its way to other models very soon. The automaker isn’t done making enthusiasts happy, though, with current Mercedes-AMG CEO Michael Schiebe confirming that its famed Black Series badge will return, despite the recent introduction of similarly low-volume Mythos creations, one of which will be based on the CLE coupe. In fact, AMG sees the continuation of the Black Series as an “obligation”, indicating that Mythos models will cater to a different type of clientele. Ahead of Schiebe making way for incoming CEO Stefan Weckbach in July, the current AMG boss said of Black Series models, “We have been very successful with it. This is such a strong brand, it’s an obligation. If you want to develop a Black Series, then it really has to convince in terms of performance. It needs to be radical. But we want to carry that into the future”. In essence, Schiebe is telling us that, in order for a Black Series model to be worthy of the badge, it needs to be a hardcore performance vehicle capable of competing with the very best, and that’s not something it takes lightly. The yet-to-be-revealed Concept AMG GT Track Sport that Mercedes teased last year seems to fit the mold, but whether this will revive the Black Series name is not yet confirmed. The last Black Series model, introduced in 2021, was also based on the AMG GT, but this badge has also been applied to the SLS supercar, the C 63 compact coupe, the SL 65 luxury sports car and the tiny SLK 55, the first car to launch the Black Series lineage. But if Black Series cars are coming, where does the Mythos line fit in? In 2022, Mercedes announced the Mythos line as a new breed of “ultra-exclusive collector cars” that would only be available to “the most dedicated enthusiasts and collectors of Mercedes-Benz”. Its first creation was the attention-grabbing, windshield-free PureSpeed roadster, of which only 250 examples are planned for production, and while extreme, this vehicle is more of a showpiece than a truly performance-focused machine. Think of it this way: while Ferrari is producing the F80 as its most aggressive and focused hypercar, the Icona series, including cars like the Monza SP1 and Daytona SP3, is more automotive art than outright exhilaration. Black Series and Mythos cars will both be expensive and both be capable of remarkable speeds, but while the former’s buyers might occasionally find their way to a track, the latter’s will be more comfortable putting their cars in a climate-controlled garage that doubles as an automotive museum, or on the lawns of Pebble Beach. +++
+++ Off-roading and overlanding are all the rage these days. More automakers are leaning into that rugged aesthetic, be it with heavily cladded iterations of their unibody crossovers or entirely new SUVs designed to go off the beaten path. MINI probably isn’t the first name you think of when you hear “off-roading”. Historically, the British brand has been all about urban mobility. And yet, the company’s newest head of design aims to play more in the outdoor space with the Countryman. Holger Hampf admits he has big plans for the Countryman. The design boss says there may be a major opportunity to push the compact SUV further into the outdoor lifestyle space than ever before. “One thing that I can point out is the trend of outdoor activity and independence; freedom that the car has always given us”, Hampf notes. “That is something I would like to explore more with Mini”. “You will certainly see some of that in the next couple of years”, Hampf continued. “The Countryman hasn’t played all of its cards yet, and I’m very eager to explore where else Mini can play”. +++
+++ The third generation of the PORSCHE Panamera was first unveiled toward the end of 2023, so the 976 chassis is still relatively new, yet Stuttgart is already preparing some improvements. Our spy photographers have captured some of these updates on prototype development mules undergoing cold-weather testing ahead of the 2028 model year’s launch, which is expected later this year or early in 2027, but the most significant changes will be invisible to the naked eye. While America may be loosening emissions rules, the Panamera is a global product, and to conform to Europe’s more stringent legislation, the luxury sedan’s various powertrain options are being refined ahead of the implementation of new Euro 7 emissions standards. Still, this update will benefit U.S. buyers, with refined styling and additional safety tech, not to mention improved gas mileage. The new Panamera will boast more capable driver assistance technologies than before, with a radar unit now evident in the windshield space above the rea rview mirror. This is similar to the Macan Electric, which offers a system that can find parking spaces and guide the vehicle into them, even if parallel parking is required. Over time, the system learns about frequently used parking spots, like a home garage, and can offer to park the vehicle automatically. The same system includes a reversing assistance feature that can reverse the vehicle up to 50 meter along the same path it just drove forward on, which makes backing out of tight areas much less stressful for the driver and reduces the risk of damage to the bumpers, which will be revised for the Panamera facelift. As a facelift, Porsche will not be heavily updating the lighting systems, with the headlights and taillights retaining the shapes seen on the current Panamera. However, the headlights will be subtly tweaked in terms of daytime running light graphics, with the Porsche logo moving from the center of the led signature to the innermost corner of the cluster. Changes are also expected at the rear, where the prototype development mules are hiding the center of the taillight bar. In the current model, a Porsche script resides here, and while we expect this to remain, the depth and texture of this led signature are likely to change. The most significant visual changes will be coming to the bumpers, with the rear gaining a revised diffuser panel and exhaust cut-outs, and the front lower side intakes adopting a less squared appearance, thanks to diagonal bars below the led driving lights. More information will follow as the year progresses. +++
+++ JLR is working on an electric RANGE ROVER and it appears the model will be joined by a facelifted version of the regular SUV. A prototype was recently spied near the Arctic Circle and it should help to keep the fifth-generation Range Rover fresh for years to come. Dressed in black and white camouflage, the model is instantly recognizable but will apparently adopt a revised grille and new headlights. The lower intake will also be revamped, but this appears to be more evolution than revolution. There doesn’t appear to be any other changes at this point, but the production model could have updated taillights and a revised rear bumper. I wouldn’t be surprised to see some other minor tweaks such as updated wheels and revamped front door garnish. Spy photographers didn’t get a good look inside, but said the cabin was completely camouflaged. This suggests updates are inbound, although their extent remains to be seen. However, at the very least, we can expect an updated infotainment system and improved driver assistance technology. Powertrain updates are possible, although there’s no word on specifics at this point. That being said, the current model offers an assortment of engines including a turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-6 with 400 hp and 550 Nm. Customers can also get a twin-turbo 4.4-liter V8 pumping out 530 hp and 750 Nm. There’s also a plug-in hybrid with 550 hp as well as an electric-only range of 80 km. These will be joined by the aforementioned Range Rover Electric, which has a 117 kWh battery pack as well as a dual-motor all-wheel drive system that reportedly produces a combined output of 550 hp and 850 Nm of torque. +++
+++ VOLVO ’s new SPA3 platform for electric cars could pave the way for the firm to return to traditional, low-riding saloon and estate models like the V60 and V90. 5 of the Swedish firm’s 6 current model lines are SUVs and even the 6th, the liftback-shaped ES90, sits as high off the ground as the average crossover. Bosses have previously said that the focus on bigger-selling SUVs means there is little room for traditional saloons and estates in its planned 8-car line-up, following the retirement of the petrol-powered S60, S90, V60 and V90. But Volvo has long been clear that the new SPA3 platform, which is first being used on the new EX60, has been developed for dramatically enhanced engineering flexibility, allowing EVs to sit much closer to the ground and giving it flexibility if demand changes in future. One crucial development, with regard to the SPA3’s suitability for different types of car, is that it has been engineered so the battery capacity does not dictate the height of the vehicle. Volvo chief technology officer Anders Bell explained that because it has been created for EVs (rather than being adapted from an ICE platform, as was the case with the EX90 and ES90’s SPA2 platform), there is much more freedom in the packaging to move components and structures to suit different designs. “My job in engineering is to provide options for the company”, he told. “We can make cars high. We can make them low. It’s all in scalability and this is unlocked by removing the combustion engine, the exhaust, fuel tanks and everything from the equation, and finding new ways to build up the bone structure and the scalability of the platform”. Bell said one reason cars are getting wider in general is because the packaging constraints in adapted ICE platforms means that to increase capacity, battery packs have to be extended widthways. But the SPA3 opens up new possibilities in this regard that will allow next-generation Volvo EVs to be closer in width, height and silhouette to traditional ICE cars. Chiefly, because the front crash structure has not been shaped to accommodate an engine, there is more flexibility to spread the battery cells across the floor pan and ahead of the scuttle. The battery therefore needn’t be contained exclusively within the wheelbase. The SPA3 moves the meeting point between the battery and the front crash structure forward, so “we can put 7 kWh (probably more) of the pack further forward, while still doing all the crazy Volvo crash stuff”, said Bell. Positioning cells ahead of the windscreen makes space for ‘foot garages’ (as used by the likes of the low-slung Porsche Taycan and Audi E-tron GT) that allow the rear seating position to be essentially the same as in an ICE car, which ultimately means the window and rooflines can be kept at the same height. Bell said: “In a lower car, you can depopulate cells in the rear footwell, because this is actually what sets the lowest height of a car: the rear-seat passenger”. The reason the ES90 saloon rides high is because it is based on the SPA2, so all the seats and footwells have to be on top of the battery, effectively raising the car by around 200mm. Bell said: “If you have an evenly flat pack throughout the whole length of the vehicle, you get this penalty. It’s why so many of the BEVs based on ICE platforms look like baby SUVs, even if they try to be low”. The battery terminals in the SPA3 have also been flipped so that they now face down, rather than up as has usually been the case. As a result, the current collector can be positioned uniformly across the pack without needing to be arranged around the footwell incursions. Bell said this new-found flexibility (enhanced by a scuttle point that can be raised or lowered as needed) means that electric Volvos needn’t sit high any more and suggested it could pave the way for a return to traditional low-slung saloons and estates: “We can do low. We can do sleek. We can do high. We can do MPVs. It’s all in the cookbook. What we choose to do, however, is a different story”. The developments, in theory, mean that Volvo could relatively easily develop a saloon sibling to the EX60 as an electric successor to the old S60, but bosses kept their cards close to their chest on specific details of any future models. Such a model, though, could play an important role in Volvo’s plan to emerge as a frontrunner in the premium electric car market, giving the firm a rival to the likes of the upcoming BMW i3, Mercedes C-Class EQ and Audi A4 e-Tron. Bell did not hint at any plans for an ‘ES60’, but clarified that SPA3 enables cars that are “very low, like proper low…”, suggesting the potential for a return to ground-hugging saloons and estates like the S60 and V90 – if commercial demand is there.
“You can achieve this fantastic bandwidth so we can make super-sleek cars,” Bell said, “like there’s no battery pack that affects the height of the roof.”
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