Good morning and welcome to The Downshift, or TDS for short, The Drive‘s news roundup that gathers the biggest automotive headlines from around the globe.
The Downshift summarizes stories into a couple of sentences and provides a link for those seeking more information. Here’s your bulletin for Wednesday, July 29, 2026.
🔊 The latest episode of The Drivecast, The Drive’s weekly podcast, will go live later today on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts.
🚙 The long-rumored off-road BMW SUV intended to take the fight to Mercedes’ G-Wagen is not a sure thing, per a new report citing anonymous sources familiar with the program. The project seemingly changed architectures at one point, progressing from fully electric to the same platform as the new X5, adding the option of a plug-in hybrid powertrain. However, all of this reportedly has yet to clear final approval, and the automaker has never publicly acknowledged the vehicle. In other words, if it doesn’t come to fruition within the next two years, it’ll likely have slipped away with no fanfare. [BMW Blog]
🪪 In other BMW news, the company intends to cut several thousand jobs in Germany by the end of 2027 through a voluntary buyout program, for the same reason that other German makes have planned reductions in headcounts—headwinds in China and a desperation to cut costs amid geopolitical and supply challenges. [Reuters]
💺 Ford is recalling just under 80,000 examples of the Explorer and Lincoln Aviator for front seat backs that may recline excessively, seemingly due to a seat memory glitch, potentially trapping second-row occupants who are already in the vehicle. [Autoblog]
🔋 65% of the cars Toyota sold in Canada over the first half of 2026 were electrified in some fashion, be it full EVs, plug-ins, or traditional hybrids. That’s 14% better than during the same period last year. [Automotive News]
📉 Lamborghini attributed U.S. tariffs and unfavorable exchange rates for an 8% drop on its operating profit for the first half of the year. [Reuters]
🧑🏭 About 6,000 employees at Audi’s Neckarsulm protested the plant’s potential closure on Wednesday, as Volkswagen Group has indicated that it’s one of four factories in the country that the company could shutter by 2030. [Reuters]
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