Good morning and welcome to The Downshift, or TDS for short.
Tight, light, and right, TDS gathers the latest automotive news bubbling around the globe and puts it in one place. Stories are summarized in a single sentence accompanied by a link for those seeking more information.
It’s real early in Leipzig, Germany and the first cup of coffee is gone, so let’s get into it.
🚘 What I’m driving: I rode in a Porsche Cayenne Electric prototype yesterday and am headed home to the 2025 Mercedes-Benz E 450 4Matic All-Terrain.
💨 Tesla urged the Trump administration to not roll back emissions regulations after most major automakers made the request for the EPA to ease looming rules. The request stems from the fact that Tesla will stand to lose billions from selling regulatory credits to other automakers in the coming years; Republican Senator Bernie Moreno of Ohio said in July that it’s “outrageous” what it costs automakers to pay Tesla to be in compliance with regulations.
📉 The parent company of Fram filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
🤖 Tesla’s Robotaxis are still requiring a human driver to sit behind the wheel, while Google-owned Waymo’s self-driving taxis are operating without the need for a driver.
🐎 The 2026 Mustang RTR Spec 5 debuted with more horsepower than a GTD for less money.
🔋 The Vanderhall Brawley GTS debuted as a four-motor electric off-road dune buggy with 404 horsepower.
💵 The upgraded 2026 Subaru Solterra was priced at $38,495, which is the same as the 2025 model.
🔌 The latest Rivian software update aims to help owners save money while charging, and also introduces enhanced hands-free driving capabilities.
‼️ Genesis recalled nearly 8,000 GV60 electric cars due to trim detaching while driving.
🚙 An executive at Audi said the new Q7 and larger Q9 will debut next year.
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