The automobile factory of the future will not look like the one that built your grandfather’s car. In fact, BMW’s Spartanburg, South Carolina, plant is becoming a rolling experiment in what that future might look like.
Hybrids
First Look: 2027 Hyundai Elantra Adopts a Radical New Design
Hyundai rolled out an all-new version of the compact Elantra sedan and it grows longer while adopting a more radical design language, inside and out. It will also offer a new hybrid among drivetrain options. When will it come to the U.S.? More from Headlight.News.
Jaguar’s Make-it-or-Break it EV to Debut in October
Jaguar confirmed plans to reveal its new Type 01 grand touring vehicle during a launch event in New York in October. The $150,000 all-electric model is more than just the most important Jaguar in decades. It could determine whether the brand has any future, reports...
A Week With: 2026 Mazda CX-50 Turbo Meridian Edition
Mazda knows a good thing when it makes it. When the brand introduced the CX-50 in late 2021, it created a massive buzz. It supercharged Mazda’s transition to a crossover-dominated lineup. Four years later, nothing’s changed and it’s nearly the brand’s top-selling vehicle. More important, Mazda keeps making it better, as evidenced by the all-new 2026 Mazda CX-50 Turbo Meridian Edition. Find out why in our review at Headlight.News.
Gas Prices Fall Below $4 – but Could Take Quite a While to Dip Back to Pre-War Levels
Gas prices have dipped below $4 a gallon – but are still well above what the average American motorist paid prior to the Iran War. And they could stay elevated for some time, reports Headlight.News.
A Week With: 2026 Toyota Tacoma Limited Hybrid
For two decades, the Toyota Tacoma has been the best-selling midsize pickup in America. After a week in the Tacoma Limited, I’m not sure what could happen to change that. Toyota builds a Tacoma for everybody. That said, Headlight.News did find a small flaw in the Limited model … most people would call that “a needle in a haystack.” Check out our review of the country’s top midsize pickup.
Audi Hopes Nuvolari Puts Charge into Lagging Sales — But is it U.S.-Bound?
Things have been quiet at German automaker Audi — until now with the reveal of the Nuvolari, which will be the brand’s fastest and most powerful model ever when it hits the road. However, the big question is: Will American’s get a chance to own one? Headlight.News has insights.
A Festival — Of Mud: Retired Journo Puts SUVs to the Test
At this year’s Mudfest by the NorthWest Automotive Press Association, a retired automotive journalist drives an absurd range of SUVs and one pickup truck to see which one he likes best. Find out which one wins and check out other shenanigans in the story at Headlight.News.
Hybrids – and Even EVs – Are Propping Up the U.S. Auto Market
Sales of new vehicles remained steady in May. But despite conventional wisdom that the battery-electric market is dying, buyers showed renewed interest in electrified models, including EVs and hybrids. Headlight.News has more.
First Drive: 2026 Lexus ES sedans
Lexus arrived on the scene in 1989 with two new vehicles ready to compete in the luxury world: the LS and the ES. Flash forward nearly four decades and the ES not only survives, it thrives and the brand is making sure it continues to do so with the new model for 2026. Headlight.News got some time behind the wheel and can confirm it’s still among the best offerings in the segment in our First Drive.
Iran War Oil Crisis May be Adding $700 or More to Your Annual Fuel Bill
Three months after the U.S. and Israel launched air strikes on Iran, fuel prices are hovering in the mid-$4.00-a-gallon range. And that’s hitting the average American motorist hard in the pocketbook. Tthose driving gas-powered vehicles can expect to pay an extra $706 a year for fuel should the war drag on and gas prices hold at current levels. Headlight.News has more.
Headlight News Podcast for the Week of 5-26-26
This week on the podcast, we cover news from Stellantis, Volkswagen’s revival of the ID. Buzz, Ferrari finally building an EV, the Luce, and we review the 2026 Toyota Camry SE Nightshade. Check it out.