All posts by Francis Mitterrand

News

Volvo’s AI-Powered EX60 Can Read the Road Like a Human

For years, automakers have promised cars that could “understand” the world around them. Mostly, that has meant lane-keeping systems that ping-pong between road markings or parking sensors that scream at trash cans. But Volvo and Google may have just shown a glimpse of something genuinely different—and, for once, it doesn’t sound like marketing fluff.

At Google I/O, Volvo used its upcoming EX60 electric SUV as the stage for what the company calls a world-first integration between Google Gemini and a vehicle’s external cameras. In plain English: Volvo is teaching its cars to actually see.

Not just detect. Understand.

That distinction matters.

With the driver’s permission, Gemini can interpret the world from the car’s point of view in real time. Parking signs, lane markings, landmarks, restaurants—suddenly the car isn’t simply recognizing objects, it’s contextualizing them. Think less “advanced cruise control” and more “rolling AI co-pilot.”

And honestly? Parking might be the killer app.

Anyone who has circled a downtown block trying to decipher a parking sign that looks like a legal contract written in hieroglyphics will immediately understand the appeal. Volvo says the system can read and interpret restrictions, permit rules, charging regulations, and time limits as you approach a space. Instead of gambling on whether your car will still be there after lunch, the EX60 could simply tell you whether the spot is valid.

That sounds mundane until you realize how useful it could become.

The bigger story, though, is what this says about where in-car tech is headed. Volvo’s latest demonstration suggests the next frontier won’t be screens, horsepower, or even autonomy—it’ll be contextual awareness. Cars that understand what’s happening around them and respond naturally.

Volvo says the technology relies on Gemini’s multimodal AI capabilities paired with the EX60’s neural-processing hardware and software-defined architecture. Translation: the EX60 has enough computing muscle to process visual data in real time without feeling like a science-fair experiment bolted onto the dashboard.

And Volvo isn’t stopping there.

The Swedish automaker also announced that Google Maps’ new Immersive Navigation system is headed first to the EX60, along with the larger EX90 and ES90 EVs. The feature overlays a more detailed 3D visualization of the road ahead, complete with rendered buildings, tunnels, intersections, and overpasses designed to make dense urban driving less confusing.

If you’ve ever missed a turn because your navigation screen looked like a 2009 smartphone app dropped into a sea of skyscrapers, you’ll understand why this matters.

The system also upgrades voice guidance to sound more human and less robotic GPS relic. Instead of “Turn left in 500 feet,” the car might say, “Go past this light and take the next left after the library.” It’s a small change, but one that aligns navigation with how humans actually give directions.

Of course, the automotive industry has a habit of overpromising futuristic AI experiences that end up feeling half-baked. But Volvo and Google have something many rivals don’t: a long-standing software partnership that already underpins some of the best infotainment systems in the business.

That gives this announcement more credibility than the usual CES vaporware.

The EX60 itself is shaping up to be one of Volvo’s most important vehicles yet—a midsize electric SUV that will likely sit at the heart of the brand’s lineup. Now it also appears poised to become a rolling laboratory for the next generation of AI-assisted driving.

Not self-driving. Not autonomous. Just smarter.

And for once, that may be exactly what drivers actually want.

Source: Volvo

NEW CARS

Ferrari HC25 One-Off

At Ferrari, the phrase “special project” usually means something expensive, dramatic, and just a little bit unhinged. But the new Ferrari HC25 might be one of the most significant One-Off creations the company has ever signed off on—not because of outrageous horsepower or hybrid wizardry, but because it quietly marks the end of an era.

Unveiled during Ferrari Racing Days at Circuit of the Americas, the HC25 is a bespoke creation from Ferrari’s ultra-exclusive Special Projects program, designed for a single client with enough influence—and presumably enough money—to ask Maranello for something entirely unique. Underneath, it’s based on the Ferrari F8 Spider, inheriting that car’s mid-engine layout, aluminum chassis, and thunderous twin-turbocharged 3.9-liter V-8. But visually, philosophically, and emotionally, the HC25 is aiming somewhere far beyond a rebodied F8.

This is Ferrari closing the book on the non-hybrid mid-engine V-8 spider.

And it’s doing so with a flourish.

Penned by the Ferrari Design Studio under chief design officer Flavio Manzoni, the HC25 looks less like a derivative special edition and more like a concept car that somehow escaped onto the road. Ferrari describes it as a bridge between the company’s past and future, linking the iconic V-8 berlinettas of old with the sharper, more theatrical design language now seen on the Ferrari F80 and Ferrari 12Cilindri.

That future-facing ambition is obvious the moment you see the car. The HC25 abandons the softer elegance of the F8 Spider in favor of something more architectural and aggressive. Its body is organized around a dramatic dual-volume structure, visually splitting the front and rear sections with a glossy black central ribbon that wraps through the entire car. Ferrari says the element serves functional cooling duties, channeling air to radiators and extracting heat from the powertrain, but visually it’s the defining gesture of the design.

The effect is striking. From the side, the black band slices forward from the rear haunches, rises vertically over the doors, then loops back toward the rear glass in one uninterrupted movement. It gives the HC25 an almost cab-forward stance despite the engine sitting squarely behind the seats. Even the door handles are hidden inside a sculpted aluminum blade that bridges the bodywork like an aerodynamic spine.

Ferrari’s designers also worked hard to reduce the visual weight of the cabin. The glazing is minimized, the shoulder line lowered, and the surfaces are cleaner than what we’ve seen on recent road-going Ferraris. There’s still plenty of sensuality in the sheetmetal—the muscular rear fenders remain unmistakably Ferrari—but the overall execution feels tighter, sharper, and more futuristic.

Then there are the lights.

The HC25 receives completely bespoke headlamp units using hardware never before seen on a Ferrari road car. Up front, ultra-thin lenses incorporate vertically arranged daytime running lights shaped like boomerangs along the leading edges of the front fenders. Around back, split taillights mirror the same graphic theme, giving the car an unusually cohesive visual identity. It’s the kind of detail you’d normally expect to see disappear during production engineering, except this is production engineering—just for one customer.

The paintwork follows the same philosophy. Ferrari finished the body in a matte Moonlight Grey while the central ribbon remains gloss black, creating a contrast that exaggerates the car’s layered surfacing. Yellow accents on the badges and brake calipers inject just enough classic Ferrari theater without overwhelming the otherwise restrained palette.

Inside, the same grey-and-yellow theme continues with technical fabrics and geometric graphics echoing the shapes of the exterior lighting. The wheels deserve their own paragraph: five-spoke units with diamond-finished outer rims and recessed channels designed to visually enlarge their diameter. It sounds like the sort of design detail only Italians would obsess over, and naturally, it works beautifully.

Mechanically, Ferrari wisely resisted the temptation to reinvent anything. The HC25 retains the F8 Spider’s magnificent twin-turbo V-8, producing 720 horsepower and 568 pound-feet of torque through a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. Peak power arrives at 7000 rpm, torque hits at 3250 rpm, and the engine still spins to 8000 rpm—numbers that already feel nostalgic in an increasingly electrified supercar landscape.

Performance remains predictably absurd: 0–62 mph in 2.9 seconds, 0–124 mph in 8.2, and a top speed of 211 mph. Those figures no longer dominate the hypercar conversation, but that misses the point entirely. The HC25 isn’t about chasing numbers. It’s about preserving a feeling.

Because while Ferrari’s future undoubtedly belongs to hybridization, electrification, and increasingly complex performance systems, the HC25 reminds us what made the company’s mid-engine V-8 cars so intoxicating in the first place. Compact dimensions. Dramatic proportions. Turbocharged violence. And a sense that the entire car exists purely to celebrate the engine sitting inches behind your spine.

As one-off Ferraris go, the HC25 isn’t merely an indulgent vanity project. It feels more like a rolling epilogue—a final love letter to the pure internal-combustion V-8 spider before Maranello moves on to whatever comes next.

Source: Ferrari

News

Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupé Available for Orders

The future of AMG was always going to be loud—even after the V-8s went quiet. Now, with the arrival of the new Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupé, Mercedes-AMG has officially entered the electric hyper-sedan era with all the subtlety of a Nürburgring qualifying lap.

This isn’t just another fast EV wearing an AMG badge. The new GT 4-Door Coupé is a technological flex, a rolling engineering showcase that combines 1169 horsepower, fighter-jet acceleration, and enough active aero trickery to make a Le Mans prototype nervous. More importantly, AMG claims it still delivers the emotional mayhem buyers expect from Affalterbach—even if there’s no twin-turbo V-8 under the hood.

At launch, the lineup consists of two models: the GT 63 4-Door Coupé and the GT 55 4-Door Coupé. Both use a radically advanced three-motor setup featuring axial-flux electric motors—two mounted at the rear axle and one at the front. Unlike the bulkier radial-flux motors found in most EVs, these compact units deliver massive power density and razor-sharp response. Combined output reaches an astonishing 860 kW, or 1169 horsepower, placing the AMG squarely in hypercar territory.

The performance figures border on absurd. AMG says the GT rockets from 0 to 100 km/h in just 2.1 seconds and blasts to 200 km/h in only 6.4 seconds. Add the optional AMG Driver’s Package and top speed climbs to 300 km/h, because apparently 250 km/h simply isn’t enough anymore.

Unlike many high-performance EVs that fade after repeated launches, AMG insists this car was engineered for sustained punishment. The new high-performance battery pack focuses heavily on thermal stability and continuous power delivery, allowing the GT to repeat those brutal acceleration runs without wilting halfway through a track session.

Then there’s the charging. In a world where 350-kW charging still sounds impressive, AMG arrives claiming a staggering 600-kW charging capability. Connected to a suitably powerful charger, the GT can reportedly recover more than 460 kilometers of range in just 10 minutes. A typical 10-to-80-percent charging stop takes a claimed 11 minutes.

But AMG knows speed alone isn’t enough. Enthusiasts don’t just buy AMGs because they’re quick—they buy them because they feel alive. Which explains why the company engineered the new GT to simulate the experience of driving a roaring AMG V-8. Activate AMGFORCE S+ mode and the cabin fills with a signature AMG soundtrack, complete with simulated gear changes, traction interruptions, and haptic feedback designed to recreate the sensation of combustion-powered violence.

It sounds ridiculous on paper. It also sounds exactly like something AMG customers will absolutely love.

The engineering underneath the bodywork is equally serious. AMG RACE ENGINEER software allows drivers to fine-tune traction, response, and cornering behavior with obsessive precision, while active aerodynamics constantly adapt depending on whether the car needs maximum downforce or maximum efficiency. Depending on specification, the GT can be equipped with active Venturi underbody plates or an adaptive rear diffuser that adjusts in real time.

Naturally, AMG’s options catalog reads like a performance enthusiast’s dream—and a financial advisor’s nightmare.

The AMG DYNAMIC PLUS Package costs €5,295.50 and bundles the AMG ACTIVE RIDE CONTROL suspension with active roll stabilization, AMG RACE ENGINEER Control Unit, the “Race” driving program, and AMG TRACK PACE telemetry software.

The AMG Driver’s Package, priced at €5,250.00, unlocks the full 300-km/h top speed while adding an upgraded AMG Performance cooling system and carbon-ceramic composite brakes.

For buyers chasing maximum aerodynamic grip, the AEROKINETICS Venturi Flow package costs €5,176.50 and adds active underbody aerodynamic technology designed to optimize roadholding during aggressive driving.

The AMG Aerodynamics Package Plus comes in at €4,522.00 and includes the active rear diffuser along with aerodynamically optimized 20-inch AMG wheels aimed at improving efficiency and stability.

AMG’s Performance Seat Package is available in two versions: the Advanced package at €3,439.10 and the High-End package at €6,116.60, both designed to deliver maximum lateral support during spirited driving.

Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupé Available for Orders

Meanwhile, the AMG Performance Charging Package costs €2,380.00 and enables the car’s eye-watering 600-kW charging capability while adding extra cooling hardware for the powertrain.

Even the luxury options sound dramatic. The SKY CONTROL panoramic roof with illuminated AMG graphics costs €2,975.00 and features variable transparency across nine separate segments. A lightweight carbon-fiber roof is available for €4,760.00, while the Burmester High-End 4D Surround Sound System demands €4,879.00 for its 30-speaker Dolby Atmos setup.

For buyers who prefer their AMG looking sinister, the AMG Night Package I costs €1,130.50, while Night Package II adds further dark chrome and gloss-black accents for €654.50. AMG Carbon interior trim adds another €3,510.50 to the bill.

The fascinating thing about the new AMG GT isn’t just the performance. It’s the refusal to abandon AMG’s identity in the electric transition. Rather than building a clinically efficient EV, Mercedes-AMG seems determined to preserve the chaos, theater, and emotional aggression that made its V-8 monsters legendary in the first place.

And honestly? A 1169-hp electric four-door that pretends to be a snarling AMG V-8 sounds exactly as gloriously unhinged as it should.

Source: Mercedes-Benz