Good morning and welcome to The Downshift, or TDS for short.
Short, tight, and a quick read, TDS gathers the latest automotive headlines from around the globe and places them in one spot. Stories are summarized in a single sentence accompanied by a link for those seeking more information.
Just finished the second cup of coffee, it’s going to somehow be 50 degrees here in Minneapolis today, and there’s basically no snow. Let’s get into it.
🚘 What I’m driving: Spending the week with the 2026 Volkswagen GTI and already am frustrated with the touch-based climate control and volume sliders.
👨💼 Nissan’s new CEO, Ivan Espinosa, isn’t being coy about the automaker’s situation noting it’s dire with a projected annual net loss of $4.2 billion for 2026 after a $4.5 billion loss the previous year; Espinosa said, “it’s becoming increasingly difficult for companies of our size to remain relevant in this environment. You need to remain open and flexible” and when asked if one day the company could be sold he said, “anything can happen in this crazy world.”
📸 The Mitsubishi prototype of a rebadged Nissan Leaf was spotted testing on public roads.
⛽️ Audi’s CEO said the automaker will keep gas-powered cars well into the 2030s due to shifting market demand in various regions.
🛻 The new 2027 Chevrolet Silverado lineup will continue to offer a single-cab configuration as prototypes were seen testing on the road.
🔌 The 2026 Toyota RAV4 PHEV lineup received a price cut by $3,315 with a starting price of $42,950.
🧑⚖️ Iowa is suing General Motors and OnStar for selling Iowans’ data without consent.
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