All posts by Francis Mitterrand

News

Mercedes Plans a Product Tsunami, and It’s Bigger Than the EV Push

If you thought the freshly updated S-Class was Mercedes-Benz’s big swing for 2026, think again. That was just the opening act. According to internal planning documents first surfaced by Motor1, the three-pointed star is about to unleash a full-scale product blitz: seven new or heavily updated models in the next three months alone, at least 16 by the end of the year, and nearly that many again lined up for 2027. This isn’t a refresh cycle—it’s a market invasion.

And here’s the twist: despite all the corporate talk about electrification, most of these new Mercs will still burn gasoline.

S-Class, Maybachs, and the Return of Opulence

At the top of the pyramid, Mercedes is doubling down on what it does best—rolling luxury. The recently revealed facelifted S-Class will quickly be followed by a refreshed Maybach S-Class, because if there’s one thing wealth still demands, it’s more chrome, more leather, and more ways to shut out the outside world.

The GLS is next in line for a refresh, and, naturally, a Maybach GLS will trail behind it like a private-jet lounge on wheels. And don’t be surprised if Mercedes uses this moment to drop one more halo model with an internal-combustion heartbeat—possibly the long-rumored G-Class Cabriolet or a fire-breathing AMG CLE packing a V-8.

Yes, a V-8. In 2026. From Mercedes. Let that sink in.

Electric Flagships, Minus the Weird Styling

On the EV side, the EQS sedan and EQS SUV are due for updates, and Mercedes may also be ready to unleash a fully electric AMG super-sedan to effectively replace the GT 4-Door Coupe. That suggests a future where AMG’s idea of performance no longer requires exhaust pipes—but it still needs eye-watering acceleration.

More importantly, Mercedes is finally killing off the “egg-shaped” EQ look. The next wave of EVs will be visually aligned with their gas-powered siblings, which means your electric C-Class won’t look like it escaped from a wind-tunnel experiment.

The Real Money: C-Class and GLC

In Mercedes-speak, the “Core” segment is where the profits live—and where the updates are coming fast. The C-Class sedan and wagon are both set for redesigns, and the GLC and GLC Coupe with combustion engines will get freshened up to match their already-revealed electric counterparts.

But the big news lands in 2026: the first C-Class without an engine at all. A fully electric C-Class could be the model that finally convinces European buyers that EVs can replace their beloved diesel sedans without feeling like a downgrade.

Interestingly, the EQE and EQE SUV are expected to bow out entirely, suggesting Mercedes is pruning the early-generation EVs that never quite found their footing.

Entry-Level Gets Serious

Mercedes knows it can’t survive on six-figure S-Classes alone. A new-generation GLA arrives later this year, followed closely by a fully electric version wearing the “EQ Technology” badge. This is where volume—and profits—are won and lost.

Then, in 2027, the A-Class as we know it is gone. Its replacement won’t be a traditional compact hatchback but something closer to a small MPV-SUV mashup, aimed squarely at buyers who want practicality, tech, and a premium badge without stepping up to a GLC.

Also coming: a smaller G-Class (because everything cool eventually gets shrunk) and a dedicated electric AMG SUV designed to take on BMW’s M and Neue Klasse EVs head-on.

Mercedes Is Quietly Walking Back the EV Hype

Perhaps the most telling part of all this isn’t what Mercedes is launching—it’s why. The company has openly acknowledged that the real-world transition to electric cars is happening more slowly than the boardroom projections suggested. So instead of killing off internal combustion, Mercedes is embracing it.

That’s why models like the GLC 53 with a six-cylinder exist—and why a C 53 is on the way. Mercedes has realized that buyers still want engines with character, not just kilowatts.

The Strategy in One Sentence

Mercedes is no longer betting everything on batteries. It’s building a lineup where electric and gasoline models coexist, look the same, and compete on equal footing—while using high-performance AMGs and luxury Maybachs to keep the brand aspirational.

For BMW, this means a brutal fight in the entry-level and midsize segments. For drivers, especially in Europe, it means something even better: more choice, more engines, and more reasons to keep loving cars in an era that keeps trying to make them appliances.

And if Mercedes really does deliver a V-8 CLE, an electric AMG super-sedan, and a fully electric C-Class all in the same product cycle, it might just pull off the rarest trick in modern auto history—being relevant to everyone at once.

Source: Motor1

Motorcycles

Honda’s Two-Wheel Comeback

If you’ve ever wondered what Honda would build if it were allowed to indulge every kind of rider at once, the answer just arrived in one tidy press release. American Honda is bringing back eight of its most beloved motorcycles and scooters for the 2026 and 2027 model years, and the lineup reads like a greatest-hits album of two-wheel culture: big-bore adventure bikes, tiny retro playthings, city-smart scooters, and even competition-bred trials machines.

This isn’t a tentative refresh—it’s a full-scale reminder of why Honda still sits at the center of the motorcycling universe. From globe-trotting adventurers to first-time riders commuting across town, there’s something here for nearly every two-wheel identity.

The Africa Twin Still Rules the Map

At the top of the food chain is the 2026 Africa Twin, a machine that’s become shorthand for “ride to the end of the earth and back.” Honda continues to offer it in four configurations: standard or Adventure Sports ES, each available with either a traditional manual gearbox or Honda’s trick DCT dual-clutch automatic.

This is the bike for riders who don’t just want to leave town—they want to leave the pavement, the schedule, and maybe even the continent. With MSRPs starting at $15,199 and topping out at $18,599, the Africa Twin remains one of the more attainable entries into the serious adventure-touring club, especially given Honda’s legendary reputation for durability.

In other words, it’s still the motorcycle equivalent of a well-sorted overland rig—quietly confident, ruthlessly capable, and always ready to go farther than you probably should.

MiniMOTO: Small Bikes, Big Personality

On the opposite end of the displacement spectrum, Honda continues to double down on fun.

The Trail125, Dax 125, and Monkey are the brand’s love letter to its 1960s and ’70s golden age, when small bikes made big cultural waves. But these aren’t museum pieces—they’re fuel-injected, ABS-equipped, modern machines that just happen to look like something your coolest uncle rode back in the day.

  • The Trail125 ($4,199) is the two-wheeled equivalent of a hiking boot: simple, rugged, and endlessly charming.
  • The Dax 125 ($4,199) leans into playful retro style with its T-shaped frame and friendly ergonomics.
  • The Monkey ($4,399) is still the class clown of the lineup, blending chrome, plush suspension, and surprising real-world usability.

These bikes aren’t about speed—they’re about smiles per mile, and Honda knows it.

Navi and PCX: Urban Mobility, Honda Style

Then there’s the Navi, which has quietly become one of the best-selling motorcycles in America by doing one simple thing incredibly well: being easy. With a scooter-like automatic transmission, a 109cc engine, and pricing that starts at just $2,199, it’s the gateway drug to motorcycling.

The PCX ($4,349) plays a more refined role. With traction control, LED lighting, under-seat storage, and a USB-C port, it’s basically a two-wheeled commuter pod—efficient, stylish, and far more engaging than sitting in traffic inside a car.

If your daily grind involves crowded streets and tight parking, these two make a compelling case for ditching four wheels.

The ADV160: A Scooter With a Passport

For riders who want their practicality with a side of adventure, the 2027 ADV160 might be the most intriguing machine here. Think of it as a ruggedized PCX: longer-travel suspension, more ground clearance, and styling that looks ready to escape the city.

At $4,499, it’s a relatively affordable way to get a scooter that won’t panic when the pavement ends.

Montesa Cota: Trials Royalty

Finally, Honda hasn’t forgotten the hardcore crowd. The Montesa Cota 4RT 260R ($9,849) and 301RR ($12,949) are purpose-built trials machines, developed with input from multi-time world champion Toni Bou. These bikes exist for one reason: to conquer terrain so technical most riders wouldn’t even try to walk across it.

They’re niche, sure—but they also reinforce Honda’s claim to being serious about every corner of motorcycling.

A Lineup That Actually Makes Sense

What’s striking about Honda’s 2026–2027 lineup isn’t just the breadth—it’s the coherence. Every bike here serves a distinct purpose, yet all of them reflect the same philosophy: make riding accessible, reliable, and genuinely fun.

From the globe-spanning Africa Twin to the pocket-sized Monkey, Honda isn’t just selling machines. It’s selling ways to ride—and reasons to keep riding.

And in an industry increasingly obsessed with chasing trends, that kind of clarity feels refreshingly old-school. Just like a Honda should.

Source: Honda

News

BMW’s Secret Weapon in the EV Era Is Still an Engine Plant in England

In an industry racing headlong toward batteries, silicon, and kilowatts, BMW is quietly doing something radical: perfecting the internal-combustion engine.

While headlines fixate on EV sales charts, BMW Group’s Hams Hall engine plant near Birmingham has just crossed a milestone that matters far more to driving enthusiasts—25 years of building engines that still make cars feel alive. Since 2001, more than 7.6 million engines have left this unassuming factory, powering everything from humble MINIs to the kind of Rolls-Royces that glide rather than drive.

And no, these aren’t museum pieces. They’re modern, turbocharged, emissions-scrubbed, hybrid-ready combustion engines that prove ICE tech still has meaningful evolution left in it.

The Beating Heart of BMW’s “Technology-Open” Strategy

BMW likes to talk about being “technology-open,” which in plain English means:
We’ll build EVs—but we’re not throwing away engines that still outperform them in the real world.

Hams Hall is the backbone of that strategy.

This single UK plant builds:

  • Three- and four-cylinder turbo petrol engines for BMW and MINI
  • V8s for BMW’s high-performance lineup
  • And the last production V12 on Earth, built exclusively for Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

Yes—the V12 still lives, and it’s hand-assembled by specialist technicians before being shipped to Goodwood, where Rolls-Royce installs it into cars that cost more than a house. That alone makes Hams Hall a kind of mechanical sanctuary in a disposable digital age.

Old-School Power, New-School Intelligence

What makes Hams Hall special isn’t nostalgia—it’s how modern it is.

BMW has transformed the entire factory into a fully connected digital twin. Every machine, robot, and production cell is mirrored in software. Every vibration, temperature spike, and torque setting is logged in real time. Engineers don’t guess—they simulate, predict, and optimize before problems ever occur.

And then there’s SpOTTO.

Yes, that’s a robot dog.

Developed by Boston Dynamics (as “Spot”), SpOTTO patrols the plant using cameras, microphones, and thermal sensors, scanning machines for faults, leaks, and wear. It feeds all that data into BMW’s digital systems, turning Hams Hall into something closer to a living organism than a factory.

The name isn’t random either. SpOTTO honors Gustav Otto—the man whose father invented the four-stroke engine. That’s about as poetic as industrial automation gets.

A Factory That Got Greener Without Getting Slower

Here’s the part no one expects from an engine plant: it’s one of BMW’s cleanest.

Since full production began, Hams Hall has reduced its energy use per engine by 61%. Despite building far more engines today than it did 20 years ago, the site uses roughly the same total energy. All externally sourced electricity now comes from renewables, and natural-gas consumption has been steadily cut.

In other words, BMW didn’t wait for EVs to go green—it cleaned up combustion itself.

That matters, because for the next decade at least, most BMWs will still be powered by engines. Making those engines cleaner and more efficient is just as important as selling EVs.

From i8 Three-Cylinders to Twin-Turbo V12s

Hams Hall’s résumé reads like a BMW highlight reel:

  • In 2001, it launched series production using Valvetronic, BMW’s throttle-less variable-lift valve system
  • In 2006, it began building engines for MINI
  • In 2013, it became the exclusive producer of the three-cylinder engine for the BMW i8, one of the most technically advanced sports cars of its era
  • In 2022, it took over V8 and V12 production, cementing its status as BMW’s combustion crown jewel

Few factories on Earth can go from eco-hybrid triple-cylinders to twelve-cylinder luxury engines under the same roof. Hams Hall does it daily.

Why This Matters in 2026

BMW could have walked away from combustion. Many brands are trying to.

Instead, it doubled down.

By investing in places like Hams Hall—alongside massive EV facilities in Austria, Germany, and China—BMW has positioned itself to win no matter which way the market swings. If EV adoption stalls? BMW has world-class engines. If hybrids dominate? Hams Hall supplies them. If luxury buyers demand V12s? BMW still builds them.

That’s not hedging. That’s engineering confidence.

And as long as places like Hams Hall exist, the idea that the internal-combustion engine is “obsolete” remains what it’s always been:

A misunderstanding of just how good these machines have become.

Source: BMW