NEW CARS

Ford Ranger and Everest Refresh: Subtle Updates, Big Power Plays

Ford isn’t letting the new-gen Toyota Hilux or Nissan Navara steal any thunder in Australia. Just as its fiercest rivals roll out fresh metal, Ford has quietly but confidently unveiled updated versions of the Ranger and Everest—Australia’s top-selling truck and its SUV sibling. The changes aren’t dramatic, but they’re strategically targeted and, in some cases, overdue. Most notably, the long-running 2.0-liter bi-turbo diesel is heading out to pasture.

Ranger: Familiar Skin, Sharper Details

Don’t expect new bodywork—the Ranger’s sheetmetal is unchanged—but Ford massaged the trims with new gloss and matte-black accents, updated wheel designs, and expanded color choices. It’s a light-touch refresh meant to polish an already dominant product.

Wolftrak Returns With More Bite

Leading the headlines is the Ranger Wolftrak, back with a tougher look and a new hero hue called Traction Green. Shadow Black and Command Grey remain, but they’re now paired with bright Zest accents, a “long-legged” sports bar, and 17-inch Asphalt Black alloys. It’s aimed straight at buyers who want rugged style without paying Raptor money.

Upgrades for the Working-Class Trims

Ford has been stingy with base-model tech in the past, but not anymore. The XL, even in single cab-chassis form, now comes standard with a 12-inch touchscreen, dual-zone climate, and the full Driver Assist Technology suite.

The XLT gets a beefier Heavy-Duty suspension, and the XLS picks up practical perks like side steps, carpet floor mats, and 17-inch all-terrain alloys.

Sport Out, Black Edition In

The Sport trim is gone, but Ford’s keeping the Black Edition after its successful limited run. Meanwhile, the off-road-focused Tremor also returns temporarily, though Australia still misses out on the sporty, Europe-only Ranger MS-RT.

At the top end, the Wildtrak scores new 18-inch alloys, Matrix LED headlights, and a 10-speaker B&O audio system, all now standard. The premium Platinum trim adds a fresh Acacia Green paint option. The Raptor remains untouched—apparently because you don’t fix what’s already ridiculous in all the right ways.

Goodbye Bi-Turbo, Hello Refined Diesels

The biggest mechanical shift is the elimination of the 2.0-liter bi-turbo diesel. Stricter emissions targets likely sealed its fate.

Replacing it is a revised single-turbo 2.0-liter, now with a new timing chain and upgraded fuel injection. Output sits at 168 hp and 405 Nm, modest but efficient.

Buyers craving muscle can still opt for the 3.0-liter V6 turbodiesel, churning out 247 hp and 600 Nm. It’s optional on the mid-tier trims and standard on the more premium ones, including Wildtrak and Platinum.

Both diesels pair with Ford’s smooth 10-speed automatic, offering RWD or 4WD depending on spec.

The Raptor sticks with its fire-breathing 392-hp twin-turbo V6, unchanged. And while Ford didn’t mention it, the plug-in hybrid with its 2.3-liter EcoBoost and electric motor is expected to continue.

Everest: Same Story, SUV Edition

The Everest follows the Ranger in ditching the bi-turbo diesel for the upgraded single-turbo unit. The optional 3.0-liter V6 returns for the Active and Sport trims and remains standard on the Tremor and Platinum.

New Entry-Level Trim: Everest Active

Replacing both the Ambiente and Trend, the new Everest Active becomes the lineup’s entry point. It arrives well-equipped with:

  • 18-inch alloys
  • Leather upholstery
  • 12-inch infotainment screen
  • LED headlights
  • Privacy glass
  • Tire pressure monitoring

Above it, the Sport, Tremor, and Platinum stay largely the same, though the 2026 Tremor gets a premium seat pack with heated, ventilated, and power-adjustable front seats. Sport and Tremor also add a 360-degree camera as standard.

Color choices get a mild shake-up, with Acacia Green and Alabaster White joining the mix, while Equinox Bronze bows out.

Pricing and Availability

The 2026.5 Ford Ranger lands at AU$37,130–90,690 before options and before Ford reveals pricing for the incoming Super Duty–inspired variant.

The Everest starts at AU$58,990 and stretches to AU$83,490.

Ford will open order books in December 2025, with first customer deliveries slated for mid-2026.

Ford didn’t reinvent the Ranger or Everest—and it didn’t need to. With lean, targeted updates and a simplified (but still robust) engine lineup, the brand is keeping its Australian workhorses competitive without chasing trends. The bi-turbo’s exit may sting for some fans, but the refreshed trims and feature boosts should soften the blow.

After all, when you already dominate the segment, sometimes a tidy tune-up is all it takes to stay ahead.

Source: Ford

News

Tesla Jumps the Gun on European FSD Approval—RDW Says “Not So Fast”

Tesla’s latest attempt to fast-track its Full Self-Driving (Supervised) system in Europe hit a pothole this weekend. After the company took to X to announce that Dutch safety regulator RDW had committed to approving FSD by February 2026, the agency stepped in to clarify: no such commitment exists.

A Premature Victory Lap

The now-deleted Tesla Europe & Middle East post claimed that “RDW has committed to granting Netherlands National approval in February 2026,” even urging fans to contact the regulator to express excitement and gratitude. The implication was clear—FSD was finally on the cusp of securing a gateway to European roads.

But regulators don’t exactly love being voluntold what they’ve decided.

Within hours, the RDW responded with a politely firm “pump the brakes.” In a statement on its website, the agency confirmed Tesla is expected to demonstrate FSD next February, but emphasized it had made no promise about an approval date.

“Whether this timeline will be met is yet to be determined,” the agency wrote, adding that it won’t discuss ongoing applications due to commercial sensitivity.

Tesla Fans Flood the RDW—Regulator Not Amused

After Tesla’s call-to-action, the RDW says its customer service was hit with a wave of messages from enthusiastic Musk supporters. The agency asked them—nicely, but pointedly—to stop.

“It takes up unnecessary time,” the statement read, adding that fan pressure “will have no impact whatsoever” on the decision or the timeline.

This comes just weeks after Elon Musk publicly encouraged European customers to “push the regulators” on FSD approval. In Europe, where type-approval authorities guard their independence closely, that suggestion alone raised eyebrows.

A Different Playing Field Than the U.S.

Tesla has been selling FSD in the U.S. for several years, though the system still requires constant driver supervision. But in Europe, the regulatory framework is more conservative and more centralized, and Tesla has yet to secure the exemptions it needs for a full rollout.

The company claims it has already demonstrated FSD to regulators “in almost every EU country,” but believes RDW—which handles approvals for vehicles built at Gigafactory Berlin—is the most direct path forward.

Getting the green light isn’t simple. Automated-driving approvals in Europe involve rigorous safety validation, scenario testing, and often months of back-and-forth.

Experts Weigh In: Pressure Doesn’t Speed Up Safety

Siddartha Khastgir, head of safe autonomy at the University of Warwick, told Bloomberg that Tesla’s public push is highly unusual.

“An approval process of an automated driving system is a deeply technical one to ensure the safety of the public,” he said. “The sanctity of any such approvals is ensured by its independence and rigor, not force.”

Translation: Regulators don’t like being nudged—especially not in front of millions of people.

Where Things Stand Now

For the moment, FSD remains on the outside looking in when it comes to European roads. Tesla will get its chance to demonstrate the system to RDW early next year, but the February 2026 date Musk’s team floated appears more aspiration than commitment.

The RDW’s message is simple: a decision will come when the data supports it—not when Twitter posts demand it.

Whether Tesla’s strategy of rallying public pressure moves the needle or backfires is yet to be seen, but one thing is certain: Europe’s regulators aren’t taking their hands off the wheel anytime soon.

Source: Tesla

News

Bugatti Broward: Florida’s Hypercar Hotspot That’s Redefining the Bugatti Experience

If Bugatti is a brand built on impossible standards—artistry at triple-digit speeds, engineering that feels closer to haute couture than metalwork—then Bugatti Broward has become one of the marque’s most important stages. Tucked into the brightness of South Florida, the dealership has quietly grown into one of the most influential Bugatti hubs in North America, and, increasingly, the world.

At a brand where excellence is the baseline, Broward has managed to stand out. It’s not just a showroom—it’s a gathering point for a community of collectors, engineers, dreamers, and designers obsessed with the extremes of mechanical beauty. That commitment hasn’t gone unnoticed. In 2023, the dealership earned the title of Regional Best Performing Bugatti Service Partner in North America. And in 2024, Abraham Cohen—the face of Bugatti Broward’s client relations—was named Best Performing Brand Manager worldwide, a rare accolade in Bugatti’s tight-knit global network.

A Miami Morning With a Fleet of Legends

Bugatti doesn’t do ordinary, and neither do its customers. So when a longtime Broward client wanted to create a celebration worthy of the marque’s heritage, he didn’t plan a typical meet-and-greet. Instead, he invited Bugatti leadership—including CEO Mate Rimac—to Miami Beach Harbor for a spectacle that blurred the lines between land and sea.

Anchored in the harbor was the client’s bespoke 50-foot “Gameboat”—a one-of-one, carbon-monocoque performance vessel that looks like it was pulled straight from Bugatti’s design studio. Its proportions, its surface tension, even its stance on the water echo Bugatti’s design language with uncanny precision.

On the MacArthur Causeway beside it, a parade of hypercars:

  • A Veyron Vitesse, the icon that redefined top-speed records.
  • A Chiron, still one of the most formidable road-going machines ever built.
  • The W16 Mistral, Bugatti’s final and most dramatic salute to the legendary quad-turbo W16 engine.
  • And the future itself—the Tourbillon, Bugatti’s all-new V16 hybrid masterpiece.

With Rimac behind the wheel and the Gameboat gliding along nearby, the showcase felt like a synchronized ballet of engineering ambition: carbon meeting carbon, horsepower racing kilowatts, tradition shaking hands with the future.

A Celebration of the Bugatti Way of Life

As the sun climbed, guests gathered for an intimate reception that felt more like a private chapter in Bugatti’s ongoing story than a dealership event. Owners traded tales of cross-country journeys in Chirons, first impressions of the Tourbillon—whether in Molsheim or its U.S. debut—and memories from Monterey Car Week and Concours at Wynn Las Vegas. Bugatti’s global leadership listened, laughed, and added stories of their own.

But Bugatti is more than cars. It’s a culture of craftsmanship. On display were pieces from the Bugatti Eyewear Collection, horological works from Jacob & Co., and even a three-quarter-scale Baby Bugatti II, painted to match the Tourbillon positioned at the heart of the event. All of it underscored the brand’s belief that luxury isn’t an object—it’s an ecosystem.

The Heart of Bugatti in North America

In a brand statement, Hendrik Malinowski, Managing Director of Bugatti Automobiles, summed up Broward’s rise perfectly. The dealership, he said, has become an essential pillar in an essential market—North America—through passion, precision, and a willingness to treat every Bugatti client like a curator of history rather than a customer.

Their shared mission with Bugatti is simple:
Deliver experiences as bespoke as the hypercars themselves.

And if the Miami harbor event is any indication, Bugatti Broward’s momentum isn’t slowing anytime soon. The Sunshine State has become one of the brightest points on Bugatti’s global map—and for a brand always looking forward, that might be the most powerful signal of all.

Source: Bugatti

Cars and catalogues