Good morning and welcome to The Downshift, or TDS for short.
Quick, dense, and lacking fluff, 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.
I’m in Montana and am already two cups of coffee into the day. Let’s get into it.
🚘 What I’m driving: Left the Toyota 4Runner TRD Off-Road Premium at the airport yesterday but plan to go sideways, hopefully, in the snow today in something fun. We’ll see.
💸 Stellantis reported its first annual net loss since its founding with a $26 billion hit attributed to its EV strategy that’s now being walked back; the automaker said it targets profitability this year hinging on gas-powered models with Hemi V8s, turbo-sixes, and hybrids in the form of trucks, SUVs, and muscle cars, though the Pacifica refresh is imminent.
🔋 Stellantis is also reportedly considering tapping China for low-cost EV technology for its European brands.
⛽️ Porsche’s three-row SUV, known by the codename K1, was supposed to be all electric but will now be gas powered with a V6 or V8 and arrive as a sportier twin to the upcoming Audi Q9.
🚙 Nissan reportedly is planning to take a page out of Toyota’s playbook with two different variants of the Pathfinder; it’s said that the current unibody model will live on with a fresh alongside the upcoming body-on-frame off-road model, which will be pitched as a more expensive, capable, and premium offering to the family-oriented crossover variant.
🔌 The 2027 Volvo EX30 is getting a few mild updates including vehicle-to-load (V2L) capability to power devices via an adapter using the car’s high-voltage battery pack.
⛽️ Reportedly 96% of NYC gas stations failed inspections between 2023 and 2025 due to having the wrong octane numbers posted on pumps leading to a host of issues.
🚕 Tesla CEO Elon Musk has been touting driverless Robotaxis for California but new documents reveal the automaker’s done nothing in terms of securing permits or logging miles of autonomous test driving for the self-driving cars in the Sunshine State.
🏷️ A Cadillac Celestiq surfaced for sale for $499,950.
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