Good morning and welcome to The Downshift, or TDS for short.
Light, tight, and right, TDS is a short, quick-hit rundown of all the automotive news bubbling around the globe in one place. Grab a cup of coffee and a Pop-Tart.
Feedback on TDS content, features, and formatting is both welcome and encouraged as changes have been implemented along the way based on comments provided both below and via email (tips@thedrive.com).
The first two cups of coffee are gone here, so let’s get into it.
🚘 What I’m driving: The 2025 Chevrolet Blazer EV SS has left the driveway and been replaced with a massive three-row SUV, but more on that tomorrow.
🚕 Ex-Waymo CEO John Krafcik told Business Insider, “please let me know when Tesla launches a robotaxi –– I’m still waiting,” going on to note, “it’s (rather obviously) not a robotaxi if there’s an employee inside the car” and said “if they were striving to re-create today’s Bay Area Uber experience … looks like they’ve absolutely nailed it.”
🔋 Genesis has rethought its initial promise to be an all-electric brand by 2030 and will push its transition beyond the original timeline with hybrids inbound.
🛻 The 2026 Nissan Frontier debuted with a base price of $33,845 including a $1,695 destination fee, a new PRO-4X R trim with a 2.0-inch lift kit and Öhlins shocks, and a new line of Roush Performance parts will be available as bolt-on upgrades, though a supercharger isn’t on the list.
🚗 The Chrysler 300 will reportedly return in 2029 as an elegant sedan, though what will power the icon is unclear.
🌾 Tesla knows it messed up and is now offering optional turn signal stalks on the Model 3 in China for about $350, and these can be retrofitted to older models, though no word on when or if this will happen in the U.S. market.
🔌 An extended-wheelbase Tesla Model Y debuted for the Chinese market with seating for six including second-row captain’s chairs all for about $3,500 more than a standard Y.
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