Good morning and welcome to The Downshift, or TDS for short.
Light, tight, and right, TDS gathers the latest automotive news bubbling around the globe and places it in one place. Stories are summarized in a single (sometimes long) sentence with an accompanying link for those seeking more information.
The first cup of coffee is gone and I’m ready for a second, so let’s get into it.
🚘 What I’m driving: A 2026 Ram 1500 Big Horn arrived in my driveway yesterday and it has a new engine, or rather, returning engine, in the form of the Hemi V8, which is paired with a “GT exhaust” to make it extra loud and proud, I guess?
🪦 A report said Jeep dealers are whispering that the Wagoneer nameplate is dead and being rolled into the Grand Wagoneer lineup for the refreshed 2026 model year, but the model structure itself is also being revised from the current Series I, II, III to more traditional Jeep trims like Summit.
🚗 The next-gen Audi A4, which is said to arrive in three years, feature Audi’s “Radical Next” design philosophy debuted on the Concept C Car in September.
🏎️ Ferrari opened a new test track named E-Vortex located next to the automaker’s Fiorano track and it was built in just four months.
🏭 Jaguar Land Rover said it plans to restart production tomorrow after its devastating cyberattack.
📈 Lucid reported a 47% rise in sales for Q3 thanks to the tax-credit rush and production ramp of the Gravity SUV, but the startup automaker still failed to meet investor expectations.
‼️ Nearly 43,000 second-generation Nissan Leaf EVs have now been recalled due to a potential issue that could lead to a battery fire while fast charging.
🔋 A new company proposed a complete rethink of how batteries are made in which nearly all packaging that isn’t containing the energy itself is removed to maximize energy storage resulting in more energy-dense packs for possibly up to 1,000 miles of range per charge.
‼️ Toyota recalled 393,838 U.S. vehicles for a rearview camera issue that could reduce visibility and increase the risk of a crash.
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