Tag Archives: Anniversary

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Morgan and BMW: A Quarter Century of an Unlikely but Enduring Alliance

In an era increasingly defined by electrification, mass production, and digital interfaces, Morgan remains a rare constant—hand-built, tradition-led, and unapologetically mechanical. This year, the legendary British marque is celebrating one of the most significant chapters in its modern history: 25 years of engine collaboration with BMW. To mark the milestone, Morgan curated a special exhibition featuring 14 BMW-powered models that tell the story of an alliance few could have predicted, yet one that has proven remarkably durable.

Founded in 1910 by Henry Frederick Stanley Morgan, the Malvern-based manufacturer has always operated outside conventional automotive norms. That spirit of independence, however, did not prevent Morgan from seeking a technically sophisticated partner at the turn of the millennium. In 2000, the British company unveiled what was then its most radical creation—the Aero 8—at the Geneva Motor Show. Beneath its aluminum chassis sat BMW’s 4.4-liter naturally aspirated V8 (M62), marking the beginning of a partnership that would redefine Morgan’s performance credentials.

The Aero 8 would go on to become the cornerstone of this collaboration. Produced across five distinct series until 2019, the model later adopted 4.6- and 4.8-liter evolutions of the BMW V8. The 4.6-liter version was notable not only for its output but also for its pedigree, having powered several models from renowned German tuner Alpina. BMW’s V8 muscle also extended into motorsport-inspired territory, forming the heart of the striking Aero Supersports GT3.

Among the exhibition’s highlights was one of just nine examples of the Plus 8 GTR—a rare, aggressive interpretation of the classic Morgan formula, directly inspired by the GT3 race car. It stands as a testament to how far the traditionally styled manufacturer was willing to push its boundaries with BMW power under the bonnet.

As the partnership evolved, so did the engines. BMW later supplied Morgan with its three-liter inline-six, followed by a two-liter four-cylinder unit. A major turning point arrived in 2019 with the debut of the Plus Six, the first Morgan to feature a turbocharged engine—the BMW B58 six-cylinder. One year later, the Plus Four adopted BMW’s B48 four-cylinder engine, combining modern efficiency with Morgan’s unmistakable design language.

Over the past 25 years, BMW has delivered nearly 5,000 engines to Morgan. For the British manufacturer, which employs just 220 people, the numbers underline the scale and importance of the relationship. For BMW, Morgan represents its longest-standing engine supply partnership—an unusual but mutually beneficial alliance built on trust, engineering excellence, and shared respect for driving purity.

As both brands look ahead, the continuation of this cooperation suggests that even in a rapidly changing automotive world, there is still room for partnerships rooted in character, craftsmanship, and mechanical authenticity. For Morgan and BMW, 25 years on, the formula still works.

Source: BMW

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Chevrolet’s Stars & Steel Collection Turns the Volume Up on Patriotic Performance

Chevrolet has never been shy about wrapping itself in the American flag, but for 2026 the brand is leaning all the way in. To mark the upcoming 250th anniversary of the United States, Chevy is rolling out the Stars & Steel Collection, a limited-run lineup of special editions that spans everything from America’s sports car to its hardest-working pickups—and even its flagship electric truck. If the mission is to fuse heritage, hardware, and horsepower into one red-white-and-blue statement, Chevrolet clearly got the memo.

At its core, Stars & Steel is about symbolism with substance. Every vehicle in the collection is assembled in the United States, a point Chevy makes repeatedly—and pointedly—while dressing its most recognizable nameplates in flag-inspired graphics, curated color palettes, and premium hardware. The collection also carries a philanthropic angle: for every Stars & Steel vehicle sold, Chevrolet will donate $250 to organizations supporting veterans and military families.

Five Vehicles, One Theme, Very Different Personalities

The Stars & Steel Collection stretches across five models for 2026: Corvette, Silverado EV, Silverado 1500, Silverado HD, and Colorado. That breadth matters. This isn’t a one-off show car or a decal package slapped on a single trim. It’s a coordinated effort that touches Chevy’s entire identity—from performance icon to blue-collar backbone.

Chevrolet will publicly debut the collection at the 2025 Army–Navy Game, a fitting venue given the military tie-ins and charitable commitments. And for those who prefer their patriotism with a side of spectacle, a one-of-one Corvette ZR1X Stars & Steel will cross the block at the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale auction in January 2026, with 100 percent of proceeds going to the Tunnel to Towers Foundation.

Corvette: Limited, Loud, and Loaded

The headline act is the Corvette Stars & Steel Limited Edition, capped at exactly 250 units—one for each year of American independence. Unlike the truck variants, this is a true limited production run, available across the Corvette range from Stingray to the ferocious ZR1X, in coupe or convertible form, but only in top-tier 3LT and 3LZ trims.

Buyers choose between Arctic White with Santorini Blue or Black with Adrenaline Red, both combinations designed to lean into the theme without drifting into costume territory. Full-length satin stripes, “250” flag graphics, and subtle red accents inside and out set the tone. Unique sill plates and an interior plaque mark each car’s build sequence, while wheel options range from gloss black to exposed carbon fiber, depending on model.

It’s patriotic, yes—but also unmistakably premium. This isn’t about nostalgia alone; it’s about reminding everyone that America still builds supercars that can run with the world’s best.

Silverado EV: Electric Muscle, American Accent

The Silverado EV Stars & Steel Special Edition proves that Chevrolet’s idea of patriotism isn’t stuck in the past. Based on the RST Crew Cab, the electric Silverado wears the Stars & Steel look in either Summit White or Black, paired with a Sky Cool Gray interior.

The standout here isn’t just the graphics or the massive 24-inch high-gloss black wheels, but the hardware. Chevy fits an all-new Brembo heavy-duty brake system with red six-piston front calipers and larger 15.7-inch rotors—serious stopping power for a truck that weighs as much as it does and moves as quickly as it can.

It’s a reminder that electrification doesn’t have to dilute identity. In this case, it amplifies it.

Silverado 1500 and HD: Work Boots with Dress Uniforms

For traditionalists, the internal-combustion Silverado 1500 Stars & Steel delivers exactly what you’d expect: a 6.2-liter V-8, four-wheel drive, and a long list of performance and appearance upgrades. Available on the RST Crew Cab Short Box, it adds Brembo brakes, black exhaust tips, performance intake, blacked-out badging, and a full suite of convenience and protection packages. It’s equal parts show truck and tow rig.

Step up to the Silverado HD Stars & Steel, and the tone shifts from aggressive to authoritative. Built on an LTZ Crew Cab Trail Boss with the 6.6-liter Duramax diesel, this version piles on off-road gear, trailering tech, luxury packages, and high-gloss black wheels. It looks ready to pull a fifth-wheel across three states—and then park front and center when it gets there.

Colorado: Compact, Capable, and Themed to the Hilt

Rounding out the lineup is the Colorado Stars & Steel Special Edition, based on the Trail Boss Crew Cab with four-wheel drive. It’s smaller than the Silverados but no less intentional, stacking nearly every desirable option into one package: skid plates, technology and convenience packages, black wheels, red tow hooks, rocker protection, and a midnight-themed exterior complete with sport bar and light bar.

For buyers who want the look without committing to a full special edition, Chevrolet will also offer Stars & Steel appearance packages across the truck lineup, delivering the same striping and “250” graphics with more flexibility.

More Than a Paint Job

It would be easy to dismiss Stars & Steel as a graphics exercise, but the execution suggests otherwise. Chevrolet has tied the visuals to meaningful equipment upgrades, limited production where it counts, and real financial support for veteran-focused charities.

In true Car and Driver fashion, we’ll say this: subtlety isn’t the point. The Stars & Steel Collection is bold by design. And in an era when automakers often struggle to define what they stand for, Chevrolet is making its position unmistakably clear—loud, proud, and built at home.

Source: Chevrolet

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Mercedes-Benz Turns the Calendar Back—and the Volume Up—For a Milestone-Heavy 2026

By any reasonable definition, Mercedes-Benz has lived several lifetimes. In 2026, the brand isn’t just celebrating another birthday or two—it’s effectively hosting a year-long retrospective on how the automobile itself came to be, evolved, raced, broke records, learned to protect its occupants, and eventually became a cultural object. Mercedes-Benz Classic’s anniversary roster for 2026 reads less like a press schedule and more like a condensed history of mobility.

This is the year where dots connect across 140 years of engineering ambition—from the first patented automobile to modern all-wheel drive systems, from motorsport signaling boards to Formula 1 safety cars, from early trucks and vans to luxury sedans that defined entire segments.

The Birth of the Automobile—and the Brand

The big numbers come first. In January 1886, Carl Benz filed the patent for his three-wheeled vehicle with a gas-engine drive. That document, now 140 years old in 2026, is widely accepted as the automobile’s birth certificate. Just weeks later, in March of that same year, Gottlieb Daimler ordered a carriage that would become the foundation for the first four-wheeled automobile powered by a high-speed combustion engine. Two parallel paths, one destination: the modern car.

Fast-forward to June 1926, and those paths officially merged. Benz & Cie. and Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft became Daimler-Benz AG, giving birth to the Mercedes-Benz brand exactly 100 years before 2026. It’s hard to think of another centennial that carries as much mechanical and cultural weight.

Engineering That Changed the Rules

Some anniversaries mark ideas that reshaped how cars are built. In January 1951, engineer Béla Barényi applied for the patent that introduced the safety body—separating crumple zones from a rigid passenger cell. It would reach production in the late 1950s, quietly becoming one of the most influential safety concepts in automotive history.

In February 1986, Mercedes-Benz showcased systems that now feel inseparable from modern driving: ASR traction control, ASD differential lock, and the 4MATIC all-wheel-drive system. At the time, these were technological flexes demonstrated under extreme Finnish winter conditions. Today, they’re part of everyday automotive vocabulary.

Cars That Defined Segments

Some anniversaries revolve around metal rather than milestones. The Mercedes-Benz 300 (W 186) and 220 (W 187), unveiled at the 1951 IAA, laid the groundwork for what would eventually become the S-Class ethos: prestige, presence, and engineering authority. That same year, the 300 S (W 188) debuted in Paris as a coupe, cabriolet, and roadster—and wore the crown as the fastest German production car of its era.

January 1976 marked the arrival of the W123, a car so robust and well-balanced it became the global benchmark for executive sedans. Estates and coupes followed, cementing the model line’s reputation for durability that still echoes today.

Then there’s the SLK. When the R170 debuted at the 1996 Turin Motor Show, its steel vario-roof didn’t just look clever—it effectively created a new roadster segment. Thirty years later, its influence is obvious every time a hardtop convertible disappears into its own trunk.

Motorsport: Records, Returns, and Reinvention

Mercedes-Benz history isn’t complete without racing. In March 1901, the Mercedes 35 PS dominated the Nice Week, prompting an official to declare, “We have entered the Mercedes era.” That sentence still feels prophetic.

In June 1976, the experimental C 111-II D shattered expectations at Nardò, setting three world records and 16 class records. Nearly five decades later, that test track would again host history, when the Concept AMG GT XX became a world record holder in 2025—a neat historical rhyme heading into 2026.

The brand’s modern motorsport renaissance began in August 1986, when the Sauber-Mercedes C8 secured its first Group C victory at the Nürburgring. That win didn’t just fill a trophy case—it signaled Mercedes-Benz’s serious return to top-level racing.

And in Formula 1, Mercedes-Benz’s presence has been uninterrupted since 1996, when a C 36 AMG became the sport’s first official Safety Car. It’s one of those quiet roles that rarely gets headlines but defines the rhythm of every Grand Prix weekend.

Innovation Beyond the Racetrack

Not all anniversaries involve speed. In October 1946, testing began on the Unimog prototype—a “Universal Motorized Device for Agriculture” developed by former Daimler-Benz engineers. What followed was one of the most versatile vehicles ever built, equally at home on farms, battlefields, and mountain trails.

Even earlier, in 1896, Daimler presented the world’s first motorized truck, while Benz & Cie. supplied what is widely regarded as the first van. Long before lifestyle pickups and delivery fleets, Mercedes-Benz was already engineering mobility for work, not just pleasure.

A Living Archive of Automotive History

To support this anniversary-heavy year, Mercedes-Benz Classic will release ongoing press material and newsletters throughout 2026. For enthusiasts and researchers, the real treasure lies in the Classic M@RS multimedia archive, which opens the door to the brand’s entire documented history—from patents to prototypes to production legends.

More Than Nostalgia

What makes Mercedes-Benz’s 2026 anniversaries compelling isn’t nostalgia for nostalgia’s sake. It’s the realization that many of the things we now take for granted—safety structures, traction control, luxury flagships, endurance racing credibility, even the concept of a car itself—can be traced back to moments on this calendar.

In 2026, Mercedes-Benz isn’t just celebrating its past. It’s reminding the industry who wrote many of the opening chapters—and why those pages still matter.

Source: Mercedes-Benz