CarBuzz

By late 1989, the American automotive engine hierarchy was shattered not by a rumbling V8, but by a technologically obsessive Japanese import with six cylinders and forced induction. While Detroit was busy suffocating cast-iron blocks to meet emissions, Yokohama-based Nissan unleashed an incredibly complex masterclass in thermodynamic efficiency. This was a brutal wakeup call wrapped in sleek sheet metal, and it forever changed the trajectory of performance cars in America.

Believe it or not, it's still possible to buy a brand-new car for less than $20,000 in 2026. But it won't be possible for much longer, and it's also going to depend on how you define less than $20,000. But if you can find a Nissan Versa S languishing at a dealer showroom, you might be able to make that soon-to-be mythical deal happen.

Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera turns 100 this year, and it has quite the history. The Italian coachbuilder has created limited-run models for private owners, as well as concepts and production cars for famous automakers such as the Aston Martin DB5 and Lamborghini's first-ever car, the 350 GT. Most recently, Touring Superleggera has been creating unique takes on various late-model sports and luxury cars, and its latest is an ambitious piece of design based on the Ferrari 550 Maranello.

It's common for automakers to snap up loads of trademarks for different names. Some might be ones they're planning to build, others are ones they're considering, and some are just renewals or corrections to make sure that they don't lose the merchandising rights for cars from the past. One automaker has just filed for trademarks for two very familiar names, Viper and EVO, and for once you really won't believe who it was.

Hyundai's just-revealed new Elantra sedan is a big departure from any sedan the company has designed before. But the massive flared fenders of the car that was on display in South Korea last week could get even wilder when Hyundai's N department gets its hands on it. The company has confirmed that there is a new Elantra N coming, and now the company's Executive VP and head of design is already dropping hints about the new car.

Ford has just pulled off what might be the biggest surprise of the year. No, it's not another record for recalls, though to be honest, the jury is still out on that. This time around, it's actually the exact opposite. The Blue Oval has climbed the chart on the JD Power Initial Quality Survey (IQS) for 2026, going from below average to nearly the very top.

Everybody "knows" that you shouldn't buy a first model year vehicle because the factory is still working out the bugs, but how long should you wait before they're all worked out? Yes, we know that's just an old tale at this point, but is five years enough? Ten? Is 30 years enough to ensure you're assembling a car properly? This recall from Chevrolet and GMC hints that maybe it isn't.

The next Mazda Miata is coming, eventually. And it will still have a combustion engine driving the rear wheels. What happens after that, though? Nothing is set in stone, but a Mazda executive high-up in the chain of command had some interesting words about the future of the iconic sports car. There's every possibility that the next-generation Miata will be the last with an engine.

The Koenigsegg Gemera originally debuted in 2020 and promised to be the world's first four-seat supercar, with a goal of being the fastest four-passenger automobile on earth. At the unveiling, company founder Christian von Koenigsegg said: "The Gemera is a completely new category of car where extreme megacar meets spacious interior and ultimate environmental consciousness. We call it a Mega-GT."

For Ferrari, combustion power is more than just a want. The very existence of the company could depend on pistons firing in cylinders, sometimes approaching 10,000 times in a single minute. So it's no surprise that the company is working on a multitude of different ways to make zero-emissions or low-emissions combustion possible.

Few things are as frustrating about car ownership as insurance. You have to have it by law, but rates can vary because of so many seemingly arbitrary factors that it gets super-expensive in a hurry. If you move to a different state, those factors could change again. And we're not even talking about how rates can vary wildly depending on the car.

Ahead of the 2026 24 Hours of Le Mans, Amalgam Collection is announcing a 1:4 scale model of the Ferrari 499P race car's V6 Engine and Gearbox. The scale model is created in collaboration with Ferrari and, if you have the money, pairs well with Amalgam Collection's 1:8 scale model of a Ferrari 499P race car.

One of the main differences between an extended-range EV and a plug-in hybrid is the ability to have the engine drive the tires. EREVs can't do it; PHEVs can. CarBuzz has just found a patent from Porsche that blurs the line completely, and we mean completely.

It's a bad time to work at Volkswagen. The company is cutting production capacity, has already signed a deal to slash wage expenses, and now a new report says the expected job cuts are coming. And there are a lot of them... thousands upon thousands, all coming by the end of this year. And even more will happen by 2030. Here's what to expect.

While we're not quite halfway through 2026, we're more than halfway through Jeep's 85th anniversary program in which the brand releases one new special edition every month. More specifically, Jeep revealed the eighth in the series, and it's called the Sarge. It also looks an awful lot like the Willys '41 trim level that's been available for a while. However, the Sarge offers more trim and bodystyle options, and can even be had for less than the '41 model.

Genesis has just revealed one of the coolest concept vehicles we've seen this year. It's called the Box Buggy concept, and it's little more than four electric motors, seats, and a steering wheel. But the wild styling and off-pavement capability aren't the strangest parts of this new creation.

We all get nostalgic from time to time, reflecting on the past, often focusing on the good rather than the bad. Nissan is looking back, while also looking forward as it rolls out tweaks to the seventh-generation Z car, which traces its iconic lineage back to late 1969, when the first Datsun 240Z arrived in the US as a 1970 model.

Toyota has a strong manufacturing footprint in the US, and one of those places is celebrating a birthday. Venture south – way south – and you'll find a place solely dedicated to engines. It's been that way for 25 years, and Toyota shows no signs of letting up. In fact, the investments are ongoing.

Kosmera is a new premium-vehicle company owned by the Chinese consumer-products business Dreame. The fledgling automaker aims to introduce a three-vehicle range of EVs in the coming years, including an SUV, a four-door grand touring car, and a hypercar. Kosmera already has offices across the world and intends to have its first products available by 2029.

Yesterday, as part of Ford's announcement of the new blacked-out Explorer ST Sinister Package, the ST team did a Facebook ask-me-anything (AMA) on the Ford Explorer ST Facebook group. So the group members proceeded to, indeed, ask them anything. But a whole bunch of them ultimately asked the same thing: Make this six an eight.