Automotive 360°

Ian Wright joined CarBuzz as an automotive journalist and photographer in 2018. His career started with specialist publications, covering everything from Harley-Davidson to Ferrari. Before writing for a long list of specialist automotive publications, he was a mechanic and driving instructor, along with more creative outlets, including writing and media production.

You’ve probably seen public service announcements or roadside dot matrix signs imploring you to slow down in work zones. First responders don’t usually get that, although one would think the flashing lights on their vehicles would serve as a clue to slow down. The Colorado Department of Transportation has a better solution: big Ford trucks. According to a local news report, CDOT is now deploying “crash protection trucks” on highways in the Denver metro area to protect first responders at roadside emergency sites and reduce secondary crashes from drivers hitting vehicles stopped on the side of the road. Sporting neon liveries that are the vehicular equivalent of a high-visibility vest, the Ford Super Duty trucks have rear-facing illuminated arrows signaling drivers to move over, something that’s already used in work zones around the country.

Brabus's Newest Monster Is A 900-HP AMG... Pickup Truck? Ian Wright joined CarBuzz as an automotive journalist and photographer in 2018. His career started with specialist publications, covering everything from Harley-Davidson to Ferrari.

I thought living in Detroit would be relatively safe in the coming climate crisis thanks to our fresh water and temperate climate. No real natural disasters routinely threaten this pleasant peninsula besides the slow-moving one of the freeze-thaw cycle every winter. Then, the night before I drove a 2027 Ford Maverick Lobo 300 miles on a mini-road trip to retrieve oil wrestling supplies in Ohio, my hometown was hit with its first tornado in 29 years. Suddenly, I was huddled with my three dogs in my basement, watching the lights flicker. I thought of Gary, Indiana. I thought of Flint. I thought of the U. S.'s de-funding of FEMA and rollback of regulations and rejection of anything that might save us, and then I thought, absolutely nothing is stopping me from using that Maverick Lobo to pick up 16 gallons of mineral oil and 300 pounds of bentonite now. Pickup ownership always seemed like a drag to me. They aren't particularly fun to drive, and if you're the average truck owner your bed remains empty most of the time until, inevitably, your days off start getting booked up by friends moving house. And I will admit to seeing one too many selfish truck drivers in my time.

Vik is the Co-Founder and former Editor at MotorAuthority, a leading U. S. website covering performance and luxury cars. Since 2025, he has contributed to CarBuzz, blending his engineering background and almost 20 years of automotive journalism experience to deliver cutting-edge news and analysis. Rugged pickup trucks aimed more at lifestyle buyers than commercial fleets have surged in popularity over the past decade, largely driven by the Ford F-150 Raptor and its blend of performance and off-road capability. But years before the first Raptor arrived, Nissan offered a Frontier with raised suspension, four-wheel drive, and a supercharged V6 from an engine family that also spawned power plants for the 300ZX and IMSA GTP race winners.

What if your car could actively prevent its own theft? A newly published Ford patent has ideas to do just that. A patent submitted to the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) imagines a vehicle that could autonomously relocate based on nearby suspicious activity. The system could also choose to park against a wall to block cargo access or make wheel theft more difficult. It’s usually not a good sign when you park your car and then return to that spot to find it’s not where you left it. An idea in a recently published Ford patent application would turn that into a positive, though, as it would mean the vehicle sensed trouble and autonomously re-parked itself somewhere it deemed safer. The patent also describes ways to park and safeguard specific pieces of vehicle equipment—such as the wheels—and what you’re carrying inside or in a pickup’s bed. USPTOActive Anti-Theft Parking A Ford patent application submitted to the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) explains that a vehicle would detect “suspicious activity” and relocate itself somewhere less sketchy.

Window louvers used to be a big deal on muscle cars for a reason that was actually two reasons: the cool factor. They made the car aesthetically cooler on the outside, and they also made it literally cooler on the inside, blocking some of the sun from coming in from those sweeping rear windows during a time when air conditioning was less universal. Those little side quarter louvers over the rear windows count, too, by the way. On top of the visual factor, they were good at decreasing the amount of sun hitting the rear passengers in exchange for increasing blind spots. But we're not here to try and convince anyone of the practical benefits of window louvers. Every car we're talking about today has been out of production for decades, and you're not here for the finer points of louver functionality. You're here for classic coupes that look awesome and are really hard to see out the back of. From muscle car royalty like the Plymouth 'Cuda through poster cars like the Datsun 280Z and multiple generations of Mustangs, we've got the goods. Here are eight cars that best wore those sick horizontal slats.

The current state of fueling your diesel pickup in America is positively abysmal. With the national average holding steady at over six dollars for a gallon, and some places on the West Coast seeing pricing above eight dollars, it's never been more expensive to simply drive around. Even my relatively light, aerodynamic, and efficient Porsche Cayenne Diesel is suffering under the weight of $200 fill-ups at the moment. An absurd ongoing war with Iran is holding all of us hostage at the fuel pumps, and there's no amount of importing oil from Russia, selling "red diesel" for road use, or short-term fuel tax holidays that can ease the pain. There are plenty of reasons for buying a diesel truck or SUV, but these reasons tend to get less convincing as the cost of driving rises exponentially. I bought my Cayenne because I thought I would be towing a whole lot more than I actually am, but fuel costs (along with the inflationary response of the market) are pricing me out of the motorcycle track days I promised myself in the spring that I would be doing all summer. My recent trip to Alaska was budgeted for about half what I ended up spending on fuel, to the tune of hundreds of dollars.

Charlen holds a BA Languages & Culture degree and has over a decade of experience in automotive journalism. His work experience includes stints at CAR Mag and News24 Motoring. Charlen didn't grow up in a 'car family' like other journalists, but the vehicles that treaded his family home's driveway ignited a deep appreciation for it. The spark that ignited a thousand flames began when he started his grandfather's 1970s Chevrolet El Camino - revving the straight-six 4.1-litre engine and feeling things a 9-year-old probably should not feel (just yet). Years later, while studying BA Languages & Culture at the University of Stellenbosch, he interned at CAR Magazine - South Africa's oldest motor publication - during the holidays, followed by a year-long internship at Wheels24 in 2016. He joined News24 Motoring permanently in 2020, followed by a move to News24 Sport where he was the motorsport editor. In 2024, he rejoined CAR as its Used-Car Editor. However, a restructuring at CAR left him in a freelance position - one he still holds - contributing content to the title's print and digital platforms. If you haven’t been paying attention, there’s been a shift in the global automotive

Classic gems, tasteful customs, legendary supercars - for Silvian, they're all fair game. He's been in love with cars and motorcycles for as long as he can remember, so it made perfect sense to eventually turn that passion into a full-time writing career. Around six years and more than 3,000 articles later, he is still going strong and doesn't plan on hitting the brakes anytime soon. Without a manufacturing site in America, Audi was left particularly exposed when Trump’s import tariffs came into effect. So, whereas BMW and Mercedes-Benz were able to mitigate the fallout thanks to their local factories, the Ingolstadt-based automaker bore the brunt of these sweeping changes in US trade policy. Sales are dropping precipitously, also affected by slashed EV incentives and the complete absence of hybrids from Audi’s American lineup.

Is your motor oil rated to handle all the conditions your car will experience? You don't need an engineering degree to drive a car, but sometimes it can feel like you need one to buy engine oil for it. Either that or proficiency in some language you don't yet understand. Because engine oil doesn't just come in one type. There are dozens of them, all created for different engine types and use purposes. What they all have in common is the letter "W" in the code, sandwiched between some numbers. But what does it mean?

After Germany was divided by the U. S. and Russia at the end of World War II, both the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany) and the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) faced massive industrial rebuilding projects. Both sides needed to get their populations on the move, and both went about it the same way: state-controlled automakers. Volkswagen (which is currently looking at an $18.6 billion restructuring plan) was in the hands of the German state of Lower Saxony, representing West Germany. Meanwhile, the GDR-owned VEB Sachsenring Automobilewerke Zwickau produced Trabant cars. Trabants wouldn't become quite as popular as VW's rivaling Beetles, but they were successful on their own terms. Despite facing a much smaller market, more than 3 million Trabant vehicles were produced between their launch in 1957 and eventual demise in 1991. They would also get a turn in the cultural spotlight in 1992, when U2 put one on the cover of its album "Achtung, Baby. " More recently — and more disturbingly — artist David Černý put a Trabant on legs for his haunting sculpture "Quo Vadis. "

Gerhard started his career in automotive journalism in 2010, after finishing degrees in Communication, English, and Politics, and diplomas in Film and Art Appreciation and Graphic Design. He's currently a senior editor with experience in local and global coverage, and more than 1,000 test cars driven. He started his career at CarBuzz in January 2021. Before the Corvette Z06 and CT5-V Blackwing became the benchmarks of American performance, General Motors was in a far stranger place. During the 2000s, GM was throwing performance hardware at nearly everything in its lineup — pickup trucks, crossovers, retro wagons, even badge-engineered Subarus — in a sprawling experiment that spanned Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Pontiac, and Saturn. The results were often bizarre, occasionally brilliant, and almost entirely forgotten. Then came the 2009 bankruptcy, and most of these oddball projects vanished overnight.

Matt Nelson is an automotive journalist with nearly a decade of experience in all things cars.  He's spent years working at dealerships in sales, finance, and service. He's since traded in his pens and wrenches for a keyboard, and leveraged the expertise gained from his work experience into a writing career. When it comes to cars, facts, and the truth, Matt’s equal love for all three meant automotive journalism was the only path forward. Ever since the age of six, when he’d spend his time helping his father fix his family’s old Buick, Matt has had a keen interest in anything and everything with four wheels. Naturally, once Matt started working, he ensconced himself in the automotive industry and held positions spanning from car detailer, mechanic, to automotive sales and finance. Because he’s seen it all, driven most, and heard a lot, auto journalism came naturally to him. With a passion for cars like Matt’s, it’s safe to say every article will showcase his penchant for truth, accuracy, and overarching desire to make sense of the modern, complex automotive world. This means every one of his readers can be at the forefront of the most important automotive news.

Michal studies Automotive Journalism at Coventry University in the UK, and has been writing for CarBuzz since March 2025. He was nominated for student culture piece of the year recently and has been the Vavel.com F1 Editor. He studied Journalism at university to combine his love of writing and cars. Michal's love for cars started when he couldn't sleep as a baby. His father would watch the only thing on TV to help them relax - Formula 1. Since then, he's felt like he's had a V10 ringing in his mind.

Every year, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) gives Top Safety Pick and Top Safety Pick+ designations to the new cars that it deems the safest. These selections are determined via crash test results, headlight ratings, pedestrian and vehicle front crash prevention capabilities, seatbelt reminders, ease of child seat lower anchor and tether installation, and whiplash prevention ratings. A Top Safety Pick+ must receive Good ratings in its small and moderate overlap front crash tests, as well as its side tests. Top Safety Pick+ winners also have Acceptable to Good standard headlights, Good standard pedestrian front crash prevention tech, and Acceptable to Good standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention tech. The organization's website lets you see all its best picks at a glance, and while some segments produce more TSP+ worthy products than others, one that produced a surprisingly small pool was the Large SUV class. Filtering for the biggest of sport utility vehicles that met the IIHS' most stringent requirements, just two made the cut for 2026: the Rivian R1S and the Volvo EX90. They're both electric and are classified as luxury vehicles.

Justin Pritchard is a seasoned Sudbury, Ontario-based automotive journalist, producer, and technical writer. With a passion for cars and a talent for storytelling, he's established himself as a prominent figure in the Canadian automotive scene. His work, which encompasses automotive reviews, insightful analyses, and stunning photography, is featured across multiple Canadian television programs, print publications, and online platforms. Justin's dedication to his craft has earned him numerous awards and accolades, solidifying his reputation as a trusted voice in the automotive industry. This is the weird, sad sort of story of two of America’s very best cars: the Lincoln Continental and Cadillac CT6. Each was developed to be the modern-day flagship sedan of its respective brand, offering nothing less than the luxury market's latest must-haves of the day. Each launched to challenge segment dominators, but both were scrapped before doing much challenging at all.

Brett T. Evans has more than a decade of experience driving, writing about, and evaluating automobiles. His early career comprised writing about pre- and post-war classic cars, as well as late-model performance diesel trucks. These varied experiences allowed him the chance to gain expertise in every corner of the auto world. Today, he spends much of his time on modern car culture and mass-market news. Upon its debut at the Paris Motor Show earlier this month, the Alfa Romeo Cuorerosso stunned onlookers with its slinky design and superb proportions – to say nothing of the exciting Giulia Quadrifoglio running gear under the surface. But while some of its styling details may not make it to a future Italian sports sedan, it sounds like the minimalist interior has a fighting chance. That's because Head of Alfa Romeo Design Alejandro Mesonero-Romano thinks that large infotainment screens are on their way out.

Kyle has written professionally across the motorsport and motoring world since graduating from Plymouth University in 2018, and has acted as the MotoGP editor for Motorsport Week and as a Features Writer for HotCars early in his career. He joined CarBuzz as a Features Correspondent in 2023. His future in the automotive world has been guaranteed since he was a kid, as he remembers rattling off the names of car brands as one of his earliest memories.

If you’re shopping for a Plug‑In Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) now that prices and wait times have normalized, the Toyota RAV4 PHEV, which is no longer called the RAV4 Prime, is probably making a big blip on your radar. Many agree you can’t go wrong with a RAV4, which makes it a go‑to choice for loyal Toyota fans and first‑time hybrid shoppers alike. But could you do better for the money? Maybe. Turns out, the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV is a smart alternative, especially for those finding the RAV4 PHEV's pricing steep for its size, or anyone encountering dealer markups currently reported to be pushing prices up by thousands in certain areas. For 2026, a fresh update means the Outlander PHEV brings a fresh value pitch and several key spec‑sheet wins to the table, making it worth a closer look.

Gilbert Smith is an automotive journalist with over five years of specialized research and writing experience. Before joining CarBuzz in 2024, he produced in-depth buyer’s guides and feature articles for Vehicle History, focusing on practical insights and detailed automotive analysis. If you're looking to grab an electric pickup, you've got about a week left to claim a Rivian R1 at 1.99% APR as dealers make room for incoming units of the R2. You'll have to act quickly, though, because this offer expires next month.

Classic gems, tasteful customs, legendary supercars - for Silvian, they're all fair game. He's been in love with cars and motorcycles for as long as he can remember, so it made perfect sense to eventually turn that passion into a full-time writing career. Around six years and more than 3,000 articles later, he is still going strong and doesn't plan on hitting the brakes anytime soon. You only have to take a quick look at the numbers to understand the sheer scale of Chinese automakers’ expansion in Europe. And one of the clearest recent examples is Geely in the United Kingdom, a market it first entered in October 2025. Sales have since gone to the moon, and the Chinese brand is scaling up its nationwide dealer network at lightning speed.

Electric scooters have carried just about everything at this point, from commuters and tourists to groceries and probably more than a few ill-advised passengers. But two riders in Charlotte, North Carolina, may have just raised the bar after police stopped them cruising down the street on an actual couch apparently powered by a pair of Lime electric scooters. Officers with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department encountered the unusual contraption traveling down South Tryon Street, according to a recent post shared by the department.

Michal studies Automotive Journalism at Coventry University in the UK, and has been writing for CarBuzz since March 2025. He was nominated for student culture piece of the year recently and has been the Vavel.com F1 Editor. He studied Journalism at university to combine his love of writing and cars. Michal's love for cars started when he couldn't sleep as a baby. His father would watch the only thing on TV to help them relax - Formula 1. Since then, he's felt like he's had a V10 ringing in his mind.

We've looked at five features that make police cars different from their civilian counterparts, and concluded they don't really get better engines. Yet as the Michigan State Police found out this fall, those motors can still be impressively effective. Their testing was part of an annual program that dates back to 1975 and over the years has become an industry benchmark. This time around, 13 cars — and five motorcycles — were put through their paces on two separate courses. Chelsea Proving Ground, located in Chelsea, MI., and owned by Stellantis, was used to evaluate the vehicles' top speed, acceleration, and braking. Vehicle dynamics were tested at Grattan Raceway in Belding, MI. Incidentally, the historic Grattan track was for sale when this article was written, with a listing price of a cool $15 million.