Good morning and welcome to The Downshift, or TDS for short.
TDS is about getting you up to speed on all the critical automotive headlines of the morning, and it’s designed to pair well with a cup of coffee. Really brings out those citrus notes, in my opinion. Stories are summed up in a sentence or two with links to follow deeper, if you wish. Happy Friday, let’s head into the weekend strong.
⚡ Yesterday’s death of the Honda 0 Series SUV isn’t expected to be filled by a second-generation Honda Prologue, per AutoForecast Solutions. The Prologue, which is built by General Motors, is still reportedly planned to wind down production in December, despite the fact that it’s been one of the more successful EV nameplates in the U.S. as of late.
🍁 While we’re on the subject, Honda says no immediate changes have been made to the $15 billion investment in Canadian manufacturing that it placed on hold since last May, despite its cancellation of three EV models on Thursday, Automotive News reports.
📉 In a story we’ll continue to tell through most of 2026, new electric vehicle registrations were down 41% year-over-year in January, per S&P Global Mobility via Auto News. It’s the natural result of the death of federal incentives.
🫘 BMW has teased a refresh of the 7 Series, per BMW Blog, and rather than a shift to Neue Klasse styling, it seems the executive sedan will retain its large, dominating kidney grille.
🏆 Volkswagen reclaimed the title of China’s biggest automaker through the first two months of 2026, according to Reuters. The company’s two joint ventures with FAW and SAIC helped it outshine Geely and BYD in sales.
⛐ That new GR Yaris Toyota was teasing? It’s called the Type 26, and it turns out all that’s different about it is a new steering wheel design and better tires.
🤑 Bugatti’s “La Maison Pur Sang” program has restored a pre-series production Veyron Super Sport for an owner. The pictures are nice; try to focus on them instead of the idea that a 2010 Veyron is old enough to qualify for restoration. Time keeps on slipping!
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