+++ At ALFA ROMEO , the final stage of the journey towards profitability is a new compact hatchback that will bring back the spirit of the 147 and Giulietta, with a big dose of ultra-modern STLA-One tech and a striking look. New information about its clever platform reveals just how ambitious it could be. Alfa Romeo isn’t a company normally associated with ultra-modern cutting-edge tech, but STLA-One will be capable of supporting multiple significant technological breakthroughs, such as steer-by-wire, the next-generation STLA-Brain and clever virtual cockpits that can vary more widely between different brands within the Stellantis family. The bits we can’t see will have their own innovations, such as cell-to-body construction that will mount the battery cells directly into the body, reducing complexity and the extra parts associated with normal electric cars. However, while STLA-One is capable of accepting hybrid powertrains in certain applications, we suspect this model’s relatively small footprint will keep it electric. Curiously, Alfa specifically referenced the 147 in announcing the newcomer, which is a car that I think will drive this new hatch’s design language. Like the C-segment SUV, this model will come with a more organic, classically pretty shape. This is in stark contrast to the similarly sized Junior, which uses aggressive 2-tone body colours and blocky shapes. There could even be a GTA version on the horizon, since the hatch is linked to the next Peugeot e-208, which we know will be offered in a high-performance GTi specification. +++
+++ Forget the ASTON MARTIN Works division based in Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire, it’s Newport Beach in the US that’s making the headlines thanks to the new ‘Heritage Edition’ collection. Created by the Newport Beach Aston Martin dealership and the official bespoke personalisation service, ‘Q by Aston Martin’, these five cars “celebrate the marque’s most memorable paint colours from the 1960s and 1970s”, according to Aston Martin. Timed almost to perfection given that the lavish Monterey Car Week takes place along the California coast from Newport Beach this week, the Heritage Edition cars are only available via Aston Martin Newport Beach and consist of a DB12 Volante, DB12 coupe, Vanquish coupe, Vantage coupe and Vantage Roadster. The DB12 Volante is finished in Pale Primrose, a colour used for the car on the cover of the 1958 DB4 sales brochure then Corgi for its Aston Martin toy model. The DB12 coupe is painted in a slightly less bold Pacific Blue, though again inspiration comes from a colour originally on the DB4 before being used on the DB5 and DB6 as well. Both DB12s retain their twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 with its 680 hp sent to the rear wheels. The Vanquish coupe, meanwhile, comes in Tudor Green and like the two DB12s, it features Open Pore Dark Walnut Wood throughout the interior. In coupe form the Vantage is painted Winchester Blue, which was popular on the V8 Vantage of the 1970s and was inspired by the Hampshire city of Winchester. The fifth and final model is the Vantage Roadster in Mink Silver, a colour found on more than 100 units of the DB6 in the 1960s. It also comes with silver wheels (like the rest of the collection) and features a ‘one of five’ Heritage Edition sill plate. All five have Q’s perforated, fluted seats, marking the first time they’ve been offered on the Vantages and the Vanquish. Jeff West, General Manager, Aston Martin Newport Beach, said the new collection “bridges Aston Martin’s extraordinary heritage with its uncompromising future”. +++
+++ Romania’s electricity shortage has moved from warning to industrial consequence, with DACIA and FORD suspending production and the government asking large consumers to cut demand. Romania’s power crisis has reached the factory floor. Dacia and Ford have suspended vehicle production until 19th August to reduce electricity consumption, turning a national supply problem into a measurable industrial shock for one of the EU’s important automotive manufacturing bases. Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan said the shutdowns had cut demand by about 200 megawatts on the morning of 3rd August, according to Reuters reporting on the production halt. The government has asked large industrial users to reduce consumption as the country faces electricity-supply pressure. The cause of the shortage should not be overstated without further official detail. The immediate consequence is clearer: Romania’s 2 main carmakers have stopped output, with implications for workers, suppliers and export schedules. Energy shortages often remain abstract until they affect industrial production. The Dacia and Ford suspensions change the nature of the story. This is no longer only about electricity-market balances, grid stress or government appeals. It is about car plants that are not producing vehicles. Dacia is one of Romania’s flagship industrial employers and exporters. Ford Otosan’s Romanian operations form part of a wider regional supply chain. When both are forced to halt production, the effect extends beyond assembly lines. Component suppliers, logistics companies, shift workers and dealerships can all be affected if stoppages persist or recur. For the government, the figure of 200 megawatts is politically useful because it shows immediate demand relief. It also shows the scale of the burden being shifted onto industry. Cutting consumption through factory shutdowns may stabilise the grid, but it does so by reducing economic activity. EU Today has previously examined how energy pressure can feed into European industrial weakness, especially where companies already face higher input costs and uncertain demand. Romania now offers a sharper example: electricity scarcity is not only a household problem or a budget issue. It can stop production in a sector tied directly to jobs and exports. The crisis comes at an awkward moment for Bucharest. Romania is already under scrutiny over fiscal reform, EU recovery-fund delivery and sovereign-rating stability. A visible power shortage adds another layer of concern about administrative capacity and infrastructure resilience. EU Today recently analysed how Romania’s political and fiscal risks could affect EU funds and market confidence. The power shutdowns are a separate issue, but they point in the same direction: Romania’s ability to execute policy is increasingly important to investors and Brussels alike. Automotive production is especially sensitive because it depends on predictable operating conditions. A plant can manage a short planned shutdown. Repeated emergency curbs are harder. They disrupt shifts, supply deliveries, maintenance schedules and contractual commitments. The immediate question is whether employees remain on paid leave, whether suppliers have also been asked to pause work, and whether production can resume on 19 August as planned. Those details will determine whether the stoppage remains a temporary grid measure or becomes a wider industrial episode. The Romanian case also illustrates a broader EU contradiction. Brussels wants to maintain manufacturing capacity, reshore strategic production and accelerate electrification. Those ambitions require abundant and reliable power. When electricity supply becomes uncertain, industrial policy becomes vulnerable. Carmakers already face pressure from weak demand, regulatory transition costs and competition from China. A domestic power squeeze adds a more basic problem: whether plants can operate when needed. Bolojan’s government may argue that temporary industrial curbs are necessary to protect the wider system. That may be true. But if large users are repeatedly asked to absorb supply stress, Romania risks turning energy management into an industrial competitiveness issue. For now, the factual line is narrow. Dacia and Ford have stopped production until 19th August, and the prime minister says the measure has reduced demand by about 200 megawatts. The larger question is whether Romania can restore confidence that its energy system can support the industrial base it wants to keep. +++
+++ This is the all-new HENNESSEY BLACKBIRD , the American marque’s third bespoke hypercar, and one that aims to appeal via traditional driving engagement rather than stratospheric output figures. Ready to be shown to the public at this year’s Monterey Car Week in California in a few days’ time, the Blackbird will cost from 2,2 million dollar and be limited to 71 units. While Hennessey is largely known for its wild tuning kits on American muscle cars, it has also been building a name for itself with record-breaking hypercars such as the Venom GT. The Blackbird, though, is a different sort of hypercar that’s built from the ground up to be more involving to drive. Its carbon fibre chassis houses a naturally aspirated 6.2-litre V8 engine, 6-speed manual transmission and rear-wheel drive. Despite the familiar capacity, this is no off-the-shelf GM engine. Instead, it’s a fully bespoke unit developed by engineering expert Ilmor.
Most figures are still to be confirmed, but Hennessey says the V8 will be able to rev to up to 9.000 rpm and produce in the vicinity of 800 to 850 hp. This is all without any hybrid tech or complex turbocharging, and in tandem with other weight-saving measures helps keep the car’s mass down to around 1,.360 kg. Performance figures are also provisional at this stage, but Hennessey is expecting a 0-100 kph time of 2.5 seconds and a top speed in excess of 350 kph. However, while this car might seem relatively simple, that doesn’t mean it’s unsophisticated, as the Blackbird has taken direct inspiration from its namesake, the SR-71 Blackbird spy plane, in terms of its aerodynamics. On each side are vertical stabilisers that vary their angle at speeds over 110 kph to keep the car stable. These work with the Blackbird’s complex aerodynamics and aero-optimised wheels.
Hennessey has also been working hard to make the Blackbird a more accommodating car to drive, with a larger cockpit, decent storage space and four cup-holders. Complementing the old-school ethos of the powertrain, there are no interior displays or digital interfaces, aside from a discreet way to house and charge your phone. While the Blackbird will be built in the United States, Hennessey says it will be homologated for global sales and commence production in 2028 once manufacturing of its current flagship hypercar, the Venom F5, has ceased. +++
+++ LAMBORGHINI has revealed a new special edition of its Revuelto supercar that marks 60 years since the brand’s first mid-engined supercar and borrows a few of that car’s iconic colour combinations. The Revuelto Miura 60 Homage is limited to 99 units and comes painted in 1 of 9 specific colours available on the original Miura alongside some subtle livery options. This limited series will be built in collaboration with Lamborghini’s Ad Personam personalisation program, with the key distinction being its dual-colour livery. These mimic the gold or grey painted lower sills that were seen on many Miuras, matched with wheels finished in a similar hue. Distinct Miura 60 badging also sits proudly alongside black Revuelto badging, and the exhausts and brake calipers are finished in a non-contrast black in another nod to the originals.
However, Lamborghini has also paid lots of attention to the interior by reinterpreting the iconic ‘Cannelloni’ leather pattern on the seats, with extended leather trim wrapped around the centre console, rear bulkhead and door cards. This is in stark contrast to the more contemporary interiors commonly found in many Revueltos, which feature complex embroidery and Alcantara inserts. There’s also scope to have the interior finished in a leather colour that matches any heritage models built. This is designed to appeal to any discerning Miura owners keen to have a matching Revuelto, although it’s not a prerequisite for prospective customers. There’s also some unique embroidery placed between the 2 seats and a carbon-fibre dedication plate with each individual car’s number.
There are no other mechanical changes, however all models will feature the larger 20 and 21-inch wheel option as standard. This means the existing naturally aspirated V12 engine is untouched, coming with the same hybrid system that’s mounted to the gearbox and front axle. +++
+++ MAZDA today announced its first quarter financial and sales results, reporting global sales of 304.000 vehicles during the period 1 April to 30 June 2026, up 1% year-on-year. In Europe, sales in the first quarter increased 12 percent year-on-year to 43.000 vehicles, driven by strong sales of the all-new CX-5, Mazda’s most popular model in the region, as well as the 6e. The arrival of the all-new CX-6e later this year will further strengthen Mazda’s electrified SUV offering in Europe. Mazda’s North America sales volume was up 5 percent to 154.000 units. China, Mazda’s biggest market in Asia, registered sales of 18.000 units, same as last year. In Mazda’s home market, Japan, sales reached 33.000 units; up 3 percent. For the first quarter of the fiscal year, Mazda reported net sales of €6.95 billion and an operating income of €177.3 million, which is a remarkable year-on-year improvement of €426 million. Net income was €160.0 million. While continuously monitoring the current market movements, Mazda’s forecast for global sales and consolidated wholesale volumes remains unchanged. Global sales are projected to reach 1.324.000 units, with growth focused primarily on Europe and North America. Mazda estimates net sales of €31 billion, an operating income of €833 million and a net income of €500.0 million for the fiscal year ending on 31 March 2027. Mazda will continue to monitor the economic environment, trends in automotive demand in our different markets and the future development of issues affecting the business. We aim to make steady progress in electrification and value creation for the future. +++
+++ For the first fiscal quarter ended June 30, 2026, MITSUBISHI MOTORS reported an operating profit of $618 million; nearly double the $316 million recorded in the same period a year earlier. Global revenue for the quarter totalled $3.8 billion; up 2% year-over-year, while global sales volume declined by 8% year-over-year to 179.000 units. The sales decline was primarily attributed to the Middle East conflict, which the company said reduced operating profit by $124 million during the quarter. Apart from Japan, where sales rose 4% year-over-year to 29.000 units, all other major markets saw declines: North American sales fell 1% to 41.000 units, in Europe sales plunged 40% to 6.000 units and markets in the Middle East, Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand also showed weak performance. Despite intensifying competition in Southeast Asia and tariff pressures in the United States, Mitsubishi Motors has maintained its full-year outlook unchanged. The company forecasts operating profit of $5.56 billion for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2027, with net profit expected to reach $1.55 billion; more than double the previous fiscal year’s figure. Global sales volume is projected to increase by 8% year-over-year to 857.000 units, including a 31% rise in European sales to 55.000 units, while North American sales are expected to decline by 5% to 157.000 units due to tariff impacts. Additionally, Mitsubishi Motors recently announced plans to enter the robotics business as part of its strategy to diversify operations. +++
+++ NISSAN released its financial results for the first quarter of fiscal year 2026 (April–June) on August 3. Net sales for the quarter totaled ¥2.96 trillion, below market expectations of ¥3.05 trillion. Operating profit surged to ¥77.89 billion, significantly surpassing the market forecast of ¥6.01 billion. Net profit stood at ¥3.76 billion, marking a return to profitability compared with market expectations of a ¥8.85 billion loss. The company had posted massive net losses in the previous two fiscal years: a ¥670.9 billion net loss in FY2024 and a ¥533 billion net loss in FY2025, amounting to combined losses exceeding ¥1.2 trillion. To reverse its fortunes, Nissan launched the “Re:Nissan” revival plan in May 2025, targeting global workforce reductions of 20,000 employees by FY2027, cutting vehicle assembly plants from 17 to 10, reducing annual production capacity from 3.5 million to 2.5 million units, and achieving approximately ¥500 billion in cost savings. Additionally, the company has already sold its Yokohama headquarters building for ¥97 billion. The latest earnings report indicates that cost-cutting measures are already yielding results. Full-year operating profit for FY2025 was ¥58 billion, whereas operating profit in just the first quarter of FY2026 reached ¥77.89 billion; already exceeding the entire prior fiscal year’s figure. Nissan reaffirmed its full-year FY2026 guidance of ¥200 billion in operating profit and ¥20 billion in net profit, both notably higher than market expectations of ¥152.24 billion and ¥31.98 billion, respectively. If achieved, this would mark Nissan’s first annual profit since FY2023. +++
+++ Chinese manufacturing giant XIAOMI is entering new territory with the launch of a pair of family SUVs called the Skynomad N70 and N90. The brand is already well known for its Porsche Taycan-aping SU7 saloon and Ferrari Purosangue-aping YU7 crossover, but the new models seem designed to appeal to buyers of the all-conquering Range Rover. Xiaomi Auto is yet to sell cars in Europe, but the brand does have ambitions to move into this market in the next couple of years, meaning the Skynomad pair could be battling it out in the luxury SUV class here before we know it. The N70 and N90 are, in effect, the same 2 cars offered in different lengths and with 2 different seating arrangements. The N70 sits at just under 5 metres long and offers 2 rows of seats, and the N90 comes in at around 300 mm longer with 3 rows. These sizes are similar to those of the current Range Rover, and that’s not by chance.
The exterior design takes more inspiration from Europe’s flagship SUVs, with a boxy and imperious stance not dissimilar to that of the Rolls-Royce Cullinan, although there’s a simpler and cleaner face with a clear connection to other Xiaomi models thanks to the horizontal running lamps in the middle of the headlights. However, this car is more about the interior, as it’s designed to appeal specifically to Chinese families who buy luxury SUVs in big numbers. The N90’s 3 rows of seating come in a 2-2-3 configuration, while the smaller N70 has only 2 rows, but both layouts are very flexible, with the ability to rotate any of the individual chairs 180 degrees and the option of interior tables and other modular ‘furniture’. The N70’s second row can be moved back into the luggage space, mimicking the layout of a London taxi and unlocking huge amounts of rear legroom; with obvious compromises when it comes to boot capacity. The cabin design is surprisingly simple, however, moving away from the dash-wide screens and opulent materials that are becoming increasingly common. Instead, there’s a simple 8.8-inch driver’s display, a 16.1-inch main screen and that’s about it up front. There’s also a comprehensive 20-inch head-up display, which Xiaomi says is designed to act as the main display for driver information, and passengers in the second row have their own 21-inch fold-down screen, too. Xiaomi has veered away from offering a large static centre console as many of its rivals do, and has instead fitted a movable unit mounted between the seats with a large gap in front, which isn’t dissimilar to the new Volvo EX60. It is also worth noting that while the Skynomads look similar to the likes of the Zeekr 9X or Li Auto L9, they are cheaper and aim to be a better fit for a wider spread of customers, with the Chinese car buying market continuing to be squeezed by a slowing economy. The other major change for this model compared to its range-mates is the hybrid powertrain, which is the first from Xiaomi. There are 2 main systems available, with single and dual-motor options both aided by a small and efficient 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine. The precise numbers vary by model, but the twin-motor is capable of producing 422 hp, completing 0-100 kph in 5.5 seconds. This is conservative compared to many rivals, but Xiaomi says this car is more about range and efficiency than performance, and on this the N70 and N90 deliver. With a 76 kWh battery pack (a smaller 58 kWh unit will also be available), the N70 is capable of running on BEV power alone for up to 400 km on the WLTP cycle. With the batteries depleted, the petrol engine will then wake up and act as a generator. Xiaomi still has no specific timeframe for its intended launch into Europe, but insists it’s aiming to be selling cars here by 2028 at the latest. Both of its existing models have proven to be popular in China, with long waiting lists and lots of online interest. But the Skynomads enter a much tougher segment, where established brands such as Li Auto and Aito already have substantial market share. In Europe, however, the Skynomad could certainly have appeal as a cut-price rival to cars such as the Audi Q7, Volvo XC90 or even fellow Chinese competitors, the Chery Tiggo 9 and forthcoming seven-seat Jaecoo 9. +++