Feds’ MPG Rollback Will Make Cars Cheaper, So You Can Spend All the Money Saved on Gas Instead: TDS

Good morning and welcome to The Downshift, a daily sweep of today’s top headlines from the auto industry and car culture, curated by The Drive’s editorial team. Each story gets a short summary and a link to the original source if you want to dive deeper.

Here’s what’s cooking on Monday, September 28, 2026:

⛽ The Department of Transportation is expected to introduce drastically less stringent Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards today. While the Biden administration required mile-per-gallon increases of 8% in 2024 and 2025, 10% for 2026, and 2% annually through 2031, back in December, Trump’s DOT proposed lowering the bar to 2022’s level, then only asking automakers for increases ranging from 0.25% to 0.5% every year through 2031. Altogether, that would translate to a fleetwide average of 34.5 mpg in 2031, when Biden’s DOT would’ve had the market at 50.4 mpg. Thirstier cars are cheaper to produce—the government estimates this move will save new-car buyers $930 on average—but with gas prices being what they are and the typical car-owning American projected to spend anywhere from an additional $500 to over $800 on fuel in 2026 alone, according to some experts, it won’t be quite the boost it’s billed as. [Reuters]

🔩 Volkswagen Group will recall 4 million cars around the world for a rust-prone bolt within the steering system that could lead to predictable problems if it shears. VW, Audi, Seat, and Skoda models are all impacted. [Automotive News]

🏭 Ford reportedly suspended F-150 production at its Dearborn Truck Plant on Thursday and the stoppage is expected to last through Tuesday. The reason for the pause is currently unclear. [Reuters]

📱 Another day, another malfunctioning center display/rearview camera recall. This one is hitting about 11,400 Ford Ranger pickups, specifically built between April and September of this year. Ford will notify owners when a fix is ready. [Autoblog]

👪 Despite the total decline in automotive sales in the U.S. through 2026, sales of minivans in particular are up 8% through August compared to the same eight-month period last year. [Bloomberg]

⛐ Lamborghini product line director Paolo Racchetti said in an interview, “Definitely, there could be a car such as the Sterrato,” referring to a future potential off-road-skewed version of the Temerario supercar, like the company did for the Huracán. [CarExpert]

Ⓜ️ There is exactly one W10-powered BMW M5 in the world, built for former Volkswagen chairman Ferdinand Piëch. It’s heading to auction in Belgium next month, and projected to sell for up to $400,000. Honestly, I’m surprised that estimate isn’t higher. [BMW Blog]

🏁 Weekend race winners:

• Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix: George Russell for Mercedes
• NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series at Kansas: Kaden Honeycutt for Tricon Garage
• World Endurance Championship 6 Hours of Fuji: Ryo Hirakawa, Brendon Hartley, and Sébastien Buemi for Toyota
• British Touring Car Championship at Silverstone: Aiden Moffat (Race 1), Ash Sutton (Race 2), Tom Ingram (Race 3)
• NASCAR Cup Series at Kansas: Kyle Larson for Hendrick Motorsports
• NHRA Drag Racing Rockingham Finals: Matt Hagan (Funny Car), Shawn Langdon (Top Fuel), Greg Stanfield (Pro Stock)

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