+++ Some folks prefer more personal touches to their vehicles and touchscreens have all the potential to be a canvas for car owners. I’m not just talking about what colors they would like displayed, but something more. For instance, Honda offers uploadable wallpapers, while Hyundai lets you do a Pokémon theme on the digital displays. Meanwhile, AUDI opened a digital store for owners to download infotainment themes. It’s been up since December 2023, and it looks like a moderately successful venture for the automaker. As it turns out, people are willing to pay to change wallpapers in their Audis, and as a bonus, those with the advanced lighting package can sync it with the purchased theme. Audi Themes is available in the MyAudi app and there are loads of curated themes to choose from. From less than 50 when it started nearly 3 years ago, there are now well over 340, per Audi, and it’ll keep growing as more content is added throughout the year. It’s been updated this year. Beyond the additional themes and special offer, Audi has added a new feature to Themes. It now allows owners to upload their own photos for even greater personalization. It’s a first for the brand, and the brand reckons it’ll add an even more personal touch. Owners can create Personal themes via the myAudi app, with on-screen prompts providing instructions. For those worried their creations will reach the entire database, Audi says the Personal Theme will remain tied to the app account and will be removed from the vehicle if the account is disconnected from the vehicle or if the owner no longer wants a Themes account. Up to 3 Personal Themes can be stored at a time and if you would like to create a new one, you can do so by deleting an existing theme. Note that this feature is only available for 2023 model year and up models with the software to support it. With that, we might just see some pets displayed on an Audi infotainment screen a few weeks from now. +++
+++ CHRYSLER ’s future seemed to be in doubt over the last year or so, but the brand will soldier on under Stellantis and it’ll become a completely different brand from the luxury-focused one it once was. Chrysler’s upcoming Arrow and Arrow Cross crossovers will start around $25.000. Previously, Tim Kuniskis, Stellantis Head of American Brands (among other responsibilities), had promised that the reskinned Fiat Grizzly crossovers, the latter of which has a fastback-like coupe design, would start under $30,000, but now, it seems the price will be even more palatable. The Airflow, which Kuniskis said will start under $40,000, is now expected to be priced around $35,000. If these targets are met, Chrysler will easily become the most affordable American brand in the Stellantis portfolio. Chrysler has been hanging on as a MPV-only brand since 2023 when the 300 sedan was discontinued and its only product, the Pacifica/Voyager, hasn’t exactly kept up with the times, though a recent refresh was a big step in the right direction. The updated van has a much more modern look, and the incoming Arrow crossovers and mid-size Airflow will likely share certain front-end details, but the MPV itself may yet evolve further. Chrysler clearly wants to drum up hype and appeal to a broader demographic. Speaking of broadened horizons, the 300 may be gone with its like never to be seen again, but that doesn’t mean we won’t see a sedan with a Chrysler badge again or at least a sedan-like vehicle. According to Scott Krugger, Stellantis Head of North America Design, vehicles will start to blend segments as buyers seek unique vehicles that offer the space and security of a crossover-like vehicle with the low aerodynamic drag and other efficiency benefits of lower, more sedan-like shapes. While he stopped short of confirming a new sedan, it seems that Chrysler is open to exploring all options, and if the cheap Ford Mustang sedan proves popular, perhaps Stellantis will green-light something similar. +++
+++ You might think we have enough new brands and their models emerging from China, but this trend has made it easier for defunct companies to come back from their graves. The latest example is GALLOPER , a Spanish brand known for selling a Mitsubishi-based off-roader in the ’90s, and is now doing the same with a pair of rebadged Nissans. Some automotive enthusiasts could probably remember the Hyundai Galloper. The Korean ladder-frame SUV was a rebadged version of the Mitsubishi Montero / Pajero, with 2 generations debuting in 1991 and 1997 respectively, before being discontinued in 2004. In Spain, the off-roader was imported by Galloper Espana and distributed via the Mitsubishi dealer network with Mitsubishi emblems. A Mitsubishi SUV reworked by the Koreans and then imported by a small company in Spain to be sold with Mitsubishi badges. Stranger things must have happened. Fast forward to 2026, a newly established entity by the name of Galloper Iberica is relaunching the defunct importer with a midsize truck and a ladder-frame SUV. Staying true to the badge-swapping heritage of the original Galloper, their new models are based on Chinese-built Nissans with Mitsubishi powertrains. The Galloper Ayanet is essentially a Nissan Navara D23, while the Galloper Gredos is the pre-facelift version of the Nissan Terra. Exterior changes are limited to Galloper lettering on the nose and tailgate, as well as a new emblem with 3 horizontal lines that subtly looks like a Seat badge. The exterior was largely left alone and unchanged, but the new Galloper models come with modern interiors, featuring large infotainment displays covering the entire center console. These are actually shared with the Dongfeng/Oting Paladin sold in China and Eastern Europe. As mentioned earlier, both models ditched the Nissan powertrains for a turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder gasoline engine sourced from Mitsubishi. The mill is good for 221 hp and 360 Nm of torque, sending power to all 4 wheels via a ZF 8-speed automatic and a BorgWarner 4WD system with a low-range transfer case and a locking rear differential. Galloper Iberica said that the Mitsubishi engine complies with current Euro 6 emission regulations and plans to introduce mild-hybrid and LPG options for the upcoming stricter Euro 7 rules. +++
+++ For decades, “buy a HONDA ” was the default advice for anyone who wanted a vehicle that would outlive its own warranty. That reputation is now taking hits from multiple directions at once, with engine problems affecting Honda’s cars. The pattern is starting to look less like bad luck and more like a trend. Honda recently extended the head gasket warranty on a long list of Civic and CR-V models to 10 years; a big jump from the usual 5-year coverage. The cause is premature head gasket failure in the 1.5-liter turbo and 2.0-liter hybrid engines, the sort of thing that shows up as an overheating gauge and a repair bill that can climb past €7.000. That’s not pocket change for a car that was supposed to be the sensible choice. But Honda isn’t dealing with one bad engine anymore. It’s dealing with several high-profile reliability problems across different parts of its business. Honda’s reliability reputation wasn’t built because its engines never had problems. It was built because those problems were supposed to be the exception. The more exceptions Honda has to explain, the harder that halo becomes to maintain. +++
+++ For the better part of my career, I’ve heard MCLAREN saying no to anything other than supercars. However, management and ownership have changed recently and Woking has a new vision. While the British automaker remains tight-lipped about what’s coming, dealers say they have seen the future: a wide variety of models to tap into uncharted territory. Dealers have apparently been given a closer look at what’s coming next. The plan calls for McLaren to launch at least one new model per year through 2028, with the line-up growing considerably in both size and scope. The biggest shocker, unsurprisingly, is the long-rumoured SUV. So far, McLaren has resisted the temptation to jump on the high-riding bandwagon. Meanwhile, rivals such as Ferrari, Lamborghini, Aston Martin, Bentley and Porsche have all cashed in on the appetite for ultra-expensive performance SUVs. Well, that resistance appears to be ending. Known internally as the P47, the SUV is expected to arrive in 2028 and will reportedly have 4 doors and 5 seats. Dealers who saw a clay model described it as larger than a Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT, with a similarly sporty silhouette. It allegedly wears massive 24-inch wheels and has a muscular, heavily sculpted body designed to stand out in the increasingly crowded exotic SUV segment. But the SUV isn’t the only major departure from McLaren’s modus operandi. Rumors point to a ‘front-engine sedan-like gran tourer’, and while details remain under wraps, it’s likely to be the everyday McLaren for those who don’t want to sit up high as they would in the SUV. Logic suggests it’ll replace the GTS, but with one major change: sources say it’ll adopt a more practical 2+2 layout. Look at what rivals are doing: Lamborghini is working on a gran tourer of its own, as previewed by the Lanzador concept. Ferrari has the Luce in the same segment, though Maranello’s heavily criticized prancing horse is exclusively electric. Aston Martin has decades of GT experience, and the DB12 is its latest and greatest grand tourer. Don’t worry, supercars won’t be neglected, either. Having recently retired the 720S/765LT/750S series, with the 788HS serving as an epilogue, McLaren is putting the finishing touches on what comes next. The P34 is claimed to be a mid-engined performance car with a twin-turbo V6 that forms part of a hybrid powertrain with a combined output of 810 hp. The company is said to have developed the gas engine and gearbox in-house, and one dealer claims the electrified setup will deliver around 1.085 Nm of torque. Longer than the Artura, it may feature a McLaren F1-inspired look, with a plush leather interior and a tempered-glass engine cover atop the V6. The new supercar is reportedly scheduled to go on sale in 2027, and McLaren wants to sell 1,000 units in the model’s first year. There’s no timing yet for the SUV and GT, but they’re likely not far behind. +++
+++ MERCEDES-AMG has transplanted a V8 into the CLE to create one of its most extreme cars yet in a return to its hot-rodding roots. Called the CLE 646 Spezialanfertigung (special order) it has been conceived as the most driver-focused version of Mercedes’ premium coupe. The model starts out as a CLE 53 before being extensively modified to become the 646, mirroring the production of historic AMG models before the brand became integrated into Mercedes-Benz. Described by AMG as an engineering-led project, it was originally a test mule produced behind closed doors. It swaps the 3.0-litre straight-6 found in the only current AMG derivative of the CLE, the 53, for Mercedes new M177 Evo V8 powerplant. The 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8, which made its debut in the facelifted S-Class, is boosted to 646 hp (hence the name) – and 627lb ft. It is fitted with a bespoke Akrapovic titanium exhaust, which is said to maximise the “emotional focus” of the powerplant. The V8-powered CLE also ditches 4-wheel drive for rear-drive to maximise its performance on track, while shedding weight. The 646 brings several other lightweighting measures traditionally reserved for track-focused machines, including carbonfibre bodywork, polycarbonate windows and even a different 12V battery. Meanwhile, the body has been reinforced to improve its rigidity, and a roll-cage has been integrated into its structure. The revisions mean the 646 weighs 1.895 kg; 30 kg lighter than the CLE 53, despite packing a larger and significantly heavier engine. According to AMG, 170 kg was stripped from the car in total. It is capable of hitting 100 kph from rest in 3.9 seconds, which is 0.1 second quicker than a CLE 53 fitted with the optional Pro Performance package. The 646 sits lower and 60 mm wider than the CLE 53, riding on steel coil over suspension developed with specialist firm KW. The low- and high-speed bump and rebound settings can be adjusted as desired, giving owners the potential to set it up for specific circuits or use cases. Braking, meanwhile, is via carbon-ceramic discs with six-piston calipers up front and single-pots at the rear. Completing the exterior makeover are forged 20in alloy wheels and a wide-body kit with a large rear wing, reminiscent of the Ford Mustang’s conversion into the racing-derived GTD. Inside, the weight reduction effort extends to the removal of the rear seats and sound deadening, while the CLE 53’s front seats are swapped for a pair of skeletal buckets. Six-point racing harnesses are available as an option. The sound system has also been simplified to save weight and several redundant comfort and driver-assistance features have been dropped. The CLE 646 will be offered as the second car in Mercedes’ Mythos programme, which previously created the Formula-1-inspired SL PureSpeed. But the new V8 CLE will be vastly more exclusive, with just 30 samples due to be produced. Mercedes has yet to disclose pricing, but it is almost certain to run well north of 300.000 euro in The Netherlands. Although that will ultimately limit the impact of the 646, the model is notable for proving that Mercedes-AMG’s V8 fits into the CLE platform and that the brand has the will to do so. It remains to be seen whether a V8 will return to the performance arm’s mainstream cars, such as the C-Class and E-Class, following a poorly received move to small-displacement plug-in hybrids. But the existence of the CLE 646 signals that the V8 remains at the heart of Mercedes-AMG and that the performance division will find solutions to offer such engines to customers, even if only for a select few. “The Mercedes-AMG CLE 646 Spezialanfertigung represents the very essence of AMG”, said Stefan Weckbach, chairman of Mercedes-AMG. “This vehicle came to life because highly rational engineers dreamed of a highly irrational car”. +++
+++ RANGE ROVER isn’t worried about selling fewer SUVs than some of the Chinese brands increasingly borrowing from its design playbook. In fact, the British luxury marque (yes, it’s its own brand now) says it isn’t chasing outright sales volume. Instead, Range Rover wants something arguably more valuable: wealthier customers willing to spend more money on increasingly exclusive vehicles. That’s the message coming from the brand’s global product and services marketing director, Ryan Miller, who told that the brand’s priority isn’t volume. The objective is to go after higher-margin products without making volume the end goal. Essentially, Range Rover is taking a page out of Rolls-Royce’s playbook. “Our job really is not to sell lots and lots of cars. Our job is to grow the brand and develop the value within the brand. You don’t just do that by selling lots and having high turnover, do you?” It’s a revealing statement at a time when Chinese automakers are rapidly expanding into markets traditionally dominated by established European luxury brands. Global managing director Martin Limpert told that Range Rover wants to lure in more “ultra-high-net-worth individuals” and sell them “one-to-one bespoke configurations”. Again, this sounds an awful lot like what Rolls-Royce has been doing for years. However, not everything is being pushed further upmarket, as the Evoque is staying in the line-up as the base model. For now, Chinese SUVs aren’t keeping Range Rover awake, as Miller said they aren’t eating into its customer base. However, the company is keeping an eye on what the newcomers are doing. And even though some are copying the styling, he is confident that they can’t deliver the same level of luxury. People buying Range Rovers want the “best of the best” and are willing to pay the price for something that other automakers cannot deliver at a lower price point. The Evoque brings Range Rover’s design language and badge to a much broader audience, while the larger and fancier models can chase customers with dramatically higher spending power. It’s a bit like having one foot in the premium market and the other in ultra-luxury. +++
+++ SKODA will next year unveil a second generation of its popular Karoq, which could adopt a plug-in hybrid powertrain for the first time. The original arrived in 2017 but, because of its electrification plans, the Czech firm hadn’t initially planned to directly replace it. Instead its spot in the line-up was to be filled by the similarly sized Elroq EV. But Skoda boss Klaus Zellmer has since given the green light to a new Karoq, which will sit on the same Volkswagen Group MQB platform as its predecessors and will “launch in 2027 or 2028”. He added that “it will be a significant change to the current Elroq, but we’re trying to hit the same price segment so you get more value for your money”. The current Karoq is only offered with pure petrol and mild-hybrid engines, but Zellmer hinted the Mk2 will come as a plug-in hybrid. That would set it apart from the new version of the closely related Volkswagen T-Roc. Zellmer said the drivetrains for the new Karoq “will be very comparable to what we have in the Kodiaq”, Skoda’s hugely popular 7-seat SUV, adding: “Our plug-in hybrids are in great demand. If you look at an electric range of more than 100 km, that is perfect for a successor to the Karoq”. While a new Karoq wasn’t originally in Skoda’s plans, Zellmer noted that the firm also hadn’t originally planned to launch the Elroq. He added: “We came with that car because we saw there was massive potential, and thank God we did: it’s the second best-selling electric car in Europe. “We would like to see the Elroq totally replace that kind of market for us, but it doesn’t, so we see great potential for the Karoq and its successor”. +++