Good morning and welcome to The Downshift, or TDS for short.
Light, tight, and lacking filler, TDS gathers the latest automotive headlines from around the globe and puts them in one place. Stories are summarized in a single sentence accompanied by a link for those seeking more information.
🚨 Episode 3 of The Drivecast, The Drive‘s new podcast, was released yesterday and features Sir Jony Ive as we discuss the interior of Ferrari’s upcoming EV, what it means for the automotive industry, and whether it’s a revolution. You can listen on The Drive, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify for free.
The first cup of coffee is gone and I’m definitely ready for a second, so let’s get into it.
🚘 What I’m driving: Still spending the week with the 2026 Lexus NX 350h AWD and while it might not be exciting to drive, it is efficient as it’s currently averaging just over 33 mpg in mixed suburban driving.
💸 Nissan said it’s projecting a $4.2 billion net loss as the automaker’s fiscal year looms next month; deep cuts are coming with seven factories set to close resulting in 20,000 job losses.
👨💼 Honda America tapped its CFO, Eiji Fujimura, to shift into the CEO chair as the automaker grapples with affordability pressures, tariff costs, and slumping EV sales.
🤝 Ford is partnering with Renault in Europe in an attempt to slash costs on EVs.
🎥 A sequel to the F1 movie is now in the works as confirmed by producer Jerry Bruckheimer.
💸 Mercedes-Benz’s earnings were more halved thanks to tariff costs and slumping sales in China.
🆕 BMW Alpina revealed a new logo ahead of the automaker’s relaunch.
🔨 The RENNtech SEC V12 Sledgehammer debuted as an homage to a Mercedes legend and only 12 examples will be built.
🔋 Ferrari’s CEO said the automaker’s launching an EV because the iconic automaker has to “worry about the next generation.”
🇨🇳🇲🇽 Chinese automakers BYD and Geely are looking to buy a Mercedes-Benz factory in Mexico in a bid to get a stronger foothold in North America.
⚙️ Chevrolet and Honda are reportedly set to continue their IndyCar engine partnership beyond 2026.
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