Category Archives: NEW CARS

NEW CARS

Subaru STI Is Back – and It’s Bringing Both Fire and Lightning

You can almost hear the turbo spool again. After years of silence, Subaru’s iconic STI badge is clawing its way out of hibernation – and it’s coming back swinging. Not with one concept car, but two. One’s powered by electrons, the other by good old-fashioned fossil fury. Tokyo Motor Show, brace yourself.

The teaser image Subaru dropped is pure fan-service: two squat little hot hatches crouched under spotlights, one sleek and electric, the other bristling with mechanical menace. For the faithful, it’s like seeing a long-lost friend step into the pub wearing a racing jacket and gold wheels again.

The Twin Revival

Let’s start with the EV. Subaru’s calling it the “spearhead” for its next generation of cars — a sharp-edged, future-ready machine wearing the brand’s bold new design language. Expect illuminated logos, distinctive light signatures, and a roofline rakish enough to make a Cayman nervous. It’s the STI that hums rather than growls, but it promises to be just as rabid.

Then there’s the combustion-powered sibling — more old-school, more familiar. Think Impreza hatchback gone rogue, fitted with a boxer engine and Subaru’s trademark symmetrical all-wheel drive. It’s not officially called a WRX, but the family resemblance is undeniable. Underneath the concept-car showmanship, this one’s the heartstring-tugger: the STI for those who still know what a clutch pedal does.

From Rally Glory to Quiet Retreat

It’s been a rough few years for Subaru’s performance arm. The last proper WRX STI bowed out in 2021, and UK fans lost access even earlier, casualties of emissions laws and the WRC’s shifting rulebook. Subaru UK tried to move on — trading rally stages for camping trips, and Imprezas for Outbacks. By 2021, the lineup was all SUVs and soft edges.

Back then, Subaru’s managing director even declared the WRX STI had “nothing really to do with the Subaru brand as it is today.” Ouch. Tell that to the millions who plastered STI stickers on their laptops — and maybe even their lawnmowers.

A Change of Heart

But tides are turning in Gunma. Subaru’s new leadership seems to realise what fans have been shouting for years: you can’t separate Subaru from STI. Europe boss David Dello Stritto admitted it himself earlier this year:

“Ask the average person what Subaru means and they’ll say STI. You can’t disassociate this from Subaru.”

Lorraine Bishton, Subaru’s UK boss, went one further, calling the brand’s retreat from performance “a little bit of a missed opportunity.” And that’s corporate-speak for: “We might’ve made a massive mistake.”

Blue Paint, Gold Wheels, and a Glimmer of Hope

So here we are. Two concept cars — one roaring, one silent — both wearing the STI halo. Whether the production versions ever make it to dealers is anyone’s guess. But make no mistake: this is Subaru rediscovering its swagger.

The thought of a future electric WRX STI, perhaps painted in World Rally Blue with bronze wheels and torque-vectoring witchcraft, feels almost too good to be true. But then, Subaru’s never really done “sensible,” has it?

The STI brand is back on the horizon. The engines (and motors) are warming up. And for the first time in years, it feels like Subaru’s heart is beating faster again.

Source: Subaru

NEW CARS

Maserati Grecale Tributo Il Bruciato — The Taste of Speed, Bottled in Bolgheri

You know that moment when you swirl a glass of good Tuscan red and the light catches it just so—deep ruby, flickers of copper, that hypnotic shimmer that whispers Italy? Maserati has somehow taken that moment, bottled it, and bolted four wheels to it. The result: the Maserati Grecale Tributo Il Bruciato, a limited-edition SUV that pairs the soul of Modena with the spirit of Bolgheri’s finest vineyards.

Yes, Maserati has teamed up with Marchesi Antinori—the same family that’s been making wine since the Black Death was still trending—to create a machine that celebrates Italian craftsmanship in both metal and Merlot. It’s not a gimmick. It’s a love letter to the country that gave us V6 engines, Chianti, and the idea that life’s too short to drive something beige.

From vineyard to V6

At first glance, the Grecale Tributo Il Bruciato looks like it just rolled out of a sunset. The paint alone deserves its own sommelier. Maserati calls it Alchimia Scarlatta, a colour so rich it might as well be poured rather than sprayed. It’s been blended with Chromaflair pigment—a witch’s brew of burgundy, gold, and dark raspberry that shifts hue depending on the light. One moment it’s crimson velvet; the next, a metallic rosso inferno. It’s the automotive equivalent of a Brunello swirling in crystal glass.

The 21-inch Pegaso Forgiati or Crio Fuoriserie wheels keep things muscular, and even the brake calipers are dressed in black-tie elegance. The finishing touch? A discreet Fuoriserie badge on the front fender—a quiet nod to Maserati’s bespoke division, where money meets imagination and the options list is more like a wine pairing menu than a spec sheet.

Inside: a tasting flight for your senses

Slip inside and you’re greeted by a blend of tan and dark red leather, stitched with the kind of care usually reserved for a hand-rolled Cuban cigar. The seats feature ribbed “cannelloni” patterns—yes, Maserati has made pasta an upholstery style—and the headrests are embossed with the Trident logo in deep red.

The cabin doesn’t just smell of leather; it feels curated. A 14-speaker Sonus faber sound system bathes you in symphonic richness, while the panoramic sunroof opens the experience like uncorking a vintage bottle on a Tuscan terrace. Maserati calls it “a sensory journey.” We call it the best pairing of grape and growl this side of Florence.

The philosophy: drive, sip, repeat

“Driving the essence of Italian living,” reads Maserati’s tagline for this car, and for once, the marketing department earns its paycheck. The Grecale Tributo Il Bruciato isn’t just an SUV—it’s a manifesto. It’s about finding pleasure in the everyday: a morning drive that feels like a Sunday in Tuscany, a commute that hums with V6 confidence instead of caffeine.

Giovanni Perosino, Maserati’s Chief Marketing and Communication Officer, calls it “a tribute to Italian know-how.” Translation: this isn’t a badge job or a PR stunt. It’s a meeting of two disciplines—motoring and winemaking—that share the same DNA: obsession, heritage, and a dash of irrational beauty.

Renzo Cotarella, CEO of Marchesi Antinori, puts it perfectly: “What matters is not only technical perfection, but the ability to make the everyday exceptional.” And that’s exactly what this car does. It makes ordinary moments—backroads, sunsets, traffic lights—feel cinematic.

Performance: power with pedigree

Under the bonnet, the Grecale Tributo Il Bruciato comes with Maserati’s familiar four-cylinder mild-hybrid or, if you’re lucky enough, the V6 Nettuno engine—a 3.0-litre masterpiece derived from F1 tech, delivering Italian opera through twin turbos. It’s not just about speed; it’s about sensation. The surge of torque, the precision of the steering, the way the chassis whispers ancora! through every corner—it’s intoxicating.

And while the collaboration sings of vineyards and velvet, make no mistake: this is still a Maserati. That means it will claw at asphalt, serenade tunnels, and turn every head from Bolgheri to Bond Street.

A celebration of craft

Like the Il Bruciato wine it’s named after—born in 2002 after a stormy vintage and refined into something timeless—the Grecale Tributo is about turning challenge into art. Both car and wine share a terroir of ambition: crafted by hands that believe tradition isn’t something to preserve, but something to evolve.

The Fuoriserie programme, Maserati’s bespoke atelier, continues that lineage of Italian artisanship. Here, customers can play alchemist—blending colours, materials, and moods until their car becomes as personal as a signature vintage.

Final pour

The Maserati Grecale Tributo Il Bruciato isn’t for everyone—and that’s the point. It’s a car for those who appreciate that luxury isn’t loud; it lingers. It’s for people who know the difference between horsepower and heritage, between speed and style, between owning a car and experiencing one.

In a world drunk on excess, Maserati and Marchesi Antinori have created something far more refined: a car that tastes like Italy itself—complex, passionate, and impossible to forget.

The Grecale Tributo Il Bruciato is not a crossover. It’s a conversation—between road and vineyard, between tradition and technology, between the heart and the palate. And like any great Italian creation, it’s best enjoyed with the windows down and a little Sinatra on the stereo.

Source: Maserati

NEW CARS

2026 Alfa Romeo Tonale – When Passion Meets Precision

There are few things in life more gloriously Italian than a red Alfa Romeo shimmering under Tuscan sunlight. So when the brand decided to launch its refreshed Tonale in Pisa — home of tilting towers, art, and artificial intelligence — it wasn’t just a location choice. It was a statement. Because this isn’t merely a mid-life facelift; it’s Alfa Romeo’s manifesto on how to make technology feel alive.

The New Tonale isn’t shouting for attention with wild wings or outrageous horsepower. Instead, it whispers — beautifully, seductively — that it’s been refined, retuned, and repainted to capture everything Alfa stands for: emotion, balance, and that impossible-to-define quality Italians call “anima” — soul.

Design: Necessary Beauty, Not Optional Drama

You can spot an Alfa Romeo even in silhouette — and this one’s no different. The face is now sharper, with a three-dimensional concave badge inspired by the divine 33 Stradale and a reimagined Trilobo grille that gives it a planted, purposeful stance. The front track is wider, the overhangs shorter, and the whole car sits like it’s flexing before a sprint start.

New 19- and 20-inch wheels — light, sculpted, and unmistakably Alfa — complete the look, while the new Rosso Brera, Verde Monza, and Giallo Ocra paints are pure operatic exuberance. You can even spec a black roof, which makes it look like the world’s most elegant wasp.

The black-and-white Alfa emblems and rear “Tonale” script in stealthy black ink are subtle nods to the brand’s current obsession with minimalism. The result? A C-SUV that looks less like it wants to take the kids to school and more like it wants to overtake the school bus. Twice.

Interior: Espresso Meets Engineering

Slide inside and you’ll instantly understand why Alfa Romeo calls this “necessary beauty.” Everything you touch — from the ribbed red leather cannelloni seats to the Alcantara-wrapped dashboard — feels like it was crafted by people who care about how you feel behind the wheel.

The paddles are still carved from billet aluminum (because of course they are), and now there’s a redesigned rotary gear selector in the center console that feels more Maserati than mainstream. Even the ambient lighting glows in a gradient inspired by the Biscione, the brand’s legendary serpent emblem. Because who else would think to put a mythical snake on the dashboard?

Veloce and Sport Speciale trims add heated everything, a Harman Kardon symphony of 14 speakers, and semi-automatic parking for those who’d rather save their skills for mountain passes than supermarket bays.

Under the Skin: DNA Still Intact

If you’re worried Alfa has gone soft with all this tech and touchscreen talk, fear not. Underneath, the Tonale still plays by Alfa’s old rules: perfect 50:50 balance, lightning-quick steering (13.6:1, the sharpest in class), and suspension that walks the tightrope between comfort and corner-carving.

There’s a choice of three hearts beating under that sculpted bonnet. The 175-horsepower 1.5-liter hybrid is the everyday charmer; the 130-horsepower diesel is for marathon drivers; and the range-topping 270-horsepower Q4 Plug-in Hybrid is the proper enthusiast’s pick. That last one marries electric serenity with all-wheel-drive traction and the kind of mid-corner stability that would make a Stelvio proud.

Every system — from the Dual Stage Valve suspension to the brake-by-wire setup borrowed from the Giulia — is tuned not for spec-sheet heroics, but for that spine-tingling moment when machine and driver stop being separate entities. This is where Alfa still rules.

Tech and Safety: Because Passion Deserves Protection

Alfa’s engineers haven’t forgotten that this century demands silicon alongside soul. A 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, a 10.25-inch infotainment system with wireless mirroring, and a swarm of Level 2 driver assists keep things smart and safe.

It’s loaded with radar eyes, drone-view cameras, lane-keeping logic, and adaptive everything. But it never feels intrusive — the car assists, it doesn’t insist. Even the over-the-air updates are there to evolve the car without robbing it of personality.

Trim Tiers: Espresso Shots of Personality

The new Tonale line-up follows the Italian espresso principle: same core blend, different intensity.

  • Tonale: The entry point — elegant, well-specced, and far from basic.
  • Sprint: Adds dark bodywork, 18-inch wheels, and a sportier swagger.
  • Ti: The sophisticated one — red or black leather, heated everything, and that quintessential Italian grand-touring feel.
  • Veloce: The true driver’s choice, complete with DSV adaptive suspension and red Brembos.
  • Sport Speciale: The collector’s launch edition — Alcantara, ambient serpent lighting, and enough exclusivity to make you feel like you own the prototype.

Verdict: The Soul of Alfa, Digitally Remastered

The New Tonale isn’t about reinvention; it’s about refinement. It takes the DNA of the 2022 model — the first Alfa Romeo C-SUV — and fine-tunes it into something more cohesive, more stylish, and, crucially, more Alfa.

It’s faster where it counts, smarter when you need it, and prettier everywhere else. It’s a car that proves technology doesn’t have to kill emotion — it can amplify it.

As CEO Santo Ficili put it: “Technology enhances passion.” And behind the wheel of the New Tonale, that doesn’t sound like marketing. It sounds like the truth.

Finally, an SUV that remembers cars are supposed to make you feel something. Beautiful, balanced, and brimming with Italian soul — the New Tonale is proof that passion can still drive progress.

Source: Stellantis