A second-hand 2021 Haval H6 2.0T Premium purchased for R359,000 in cash has spent 162 days in repair workshops, according to owner Mario Angrisano, after a cascading series of electrical and mechanical failures culminated in a total engine collapse. The Brackenfell resident, 54, bought the luxury SUV from Kia Tyger Valley on December 29, 2023, … Read more
Skoda UK has released a promotional film featuring the electric Elroq RS drag racing three 1980s-era supercars at Dunsfold Aerodrome. The stunt highlights the Elroq RS’s status as the fastest-accelerating production vehicle in the brand’s history, though the 250kW dual-motor variant remains absent from the current New Zealand market lineup. Performance Metrics: EV vs. Classic … Read more
Volkswagen Group is implementing an immediate, sweeping restructuring plan to reduce its global model portfolio by up to 50 percent and slash optional equipment configurations by 75 percent. The conglomerate, which oversees brands including Audi, Porsche, and Volkswagen, is also capping annual production capacity at nine million vehicles to prioritize high-margin, high-value products in response … Read more
U.S. electric vehicle adoption is slowing significantly as federal policy shifts and regulatory support wanes. BloombergNEF’s 2026 Electric Vehicle Outlook, published in June, projects that EVs and plug-in hybrids will capture only 17% of the U.S. market by 2030, down from a 2024 projection of 47.5%. This decline follows the removal of federal tax credits … Read more
Volkswagen is aggressively restructuring its global lineup to reclaim market share from emerging competitors, pivoting back toward physical controls in its vehicle interiors while expanding its electric vehicle (EV) offerings. According to company announcements, the automaker is launching a series of new models—including the ID. Polo and ID. Cross—while phasing out aging platforms like the … Read more
A 29-year-old man was hospitalized on June 18 after driving his SUV into a swimming pool at Chulalongkorn University in Thailand. According to the Pathumwan police station, the incident followed a domestic dispute over a 27,000 baht (S$1,000) monthly condominium rental payment. Security personnel attempted to intervene before the vehicle breached a barrier and submerged. … Read more
When Nature Moves In: The Rising Trend of Engine-Bay Infestations We’ve all heard the horror stories of “check engine” lights appearing at the worst possible moments. But for Alisa Devivo, a viral TikTok sensation, the culprit wasn’t a faulty sensor or a transmission failure. When her husband’s Jeep refused to turn over, the mechanic didn’t … Read more
Stellantis Bets $69 Billion on a High-Stakes Automotive Renaissance The automotive landscape is shifting beneath our feet, and Stellantis is making its most aggressive move yet. With the unveiling of its “FaSTLAne 2030” strategy, the multinational giant—home to iconic marques like Jeep, Dodge, and Ram—has committed a massive 60 billion euros (approximately $69.7 billion) to … Read more
The Death of the “Voice Command”: Entering the Era of Agentic Automotive AI For years, “voice control” in cars has been a frustrating exercise in memorizing specific phrases. If you didn’t say “Temperature 72 degrees” exactly right, the system would simply fail. But the recent rollout of the Rivian Assistant signals a fundamental shift in … Read more
The Death of the Glossy Dashboard: Why Luxury Interiors Are Going Matte For years, “piano black” trim was the gold standard for modern luxury. It looked sleek in brochures and shimmered under showroom lights. But for those of us who actually spend time behind the wheel, the reality was far less glamorous. The industry is … Read more