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NEW CARS

Lepas L8 Targets RAV4 and CX-5 with Cut-Price PHEV Punch in UK Debut

When a new brand lands on British shores promising premium feel for mainstream money, skepticism is part of the job description. But that’s exactly the pitch from Lepas, which has confirmed that its L8 SUV will be the first model it sells in the United Kingdom.

If the name sounds unfamiliar, the backstory shouldn’t. Lepas is owned by Chinese heavyweight Chery and sits alongside sibling brands Omoda and Jaecoo. The name itself is a carefully engineered mash-up of “leopard,” “leap,” and “passion”—marketing poetry that signals ambition, if not subtlety.

A Flagship with Familiar Targets

The L8 arrives as a five-seat, mid-size SUV aimed squarely at Europe’s family-car sweet spot. Think of the territory currently occupied by the Mazda CX-5 and Toyota RAV4—only with a price tag expected to undercut both. That means going head-to-head with established players from Mazda and Toyota while dangling the promise of extra kit for less cash.

Under the skin, the L8 rides on Chery’s modular T1X platform, shared with its Omoda and Jaecoo cousins. That’s not necessarily a drawback; economies of scale are the not-so-secret weapon of every rising brand with global ambitions.

Plug-In Power, with EV to Follow

Although full UK specs remain under wraps, clues come from markets where the L8 is already on sale. In Indonesia, it’s offered exclusively as a plug-in hybrid, pairing a 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with an electric motor and an 18.3-kWh battery. The combined output stands at 204 horsepower, and the electric-only range is quoted at 56 miles—enough to cover most weekday commutes without waking the petrol engine.

Given that the UK-market Jaecoo 7 uses the same setup, expect the L8 to follow suit. An all-electric version is also likely waiting in the wings, especially since the T1X architecture already supports full EV applications in related models. In other words, Lepas appears to be hedging its bets—PHEV now, EV soon.

Clean Cabin, Big Screens

Inside, the L8 leans heavily into the minimalist playbook. A portrait-oriented 13.2-inch infotainment touchscreen dominates the center stack, while a 10.2-inch digital instrument cluster handles driver duties. Refreshingly, Lepas hasn’t gone full touchscreen purist: physical climate buttons and a proper volume dial remain. There’s also a wireless phone charger, because of course there is.

The brand promises “next-generation driving assistance,” though details remain vague. Expect the usual suite of lane-keeping aids, adaptive cruise control, and collision mitigation tech, but we’ll reserve judgment until the spec sheet drops.

More to Come

Full UK-market details are due in the coming weeks ahead of a summer launch. And the L8 won’t be alone for long. According to Autocar, Lepas also plans to bring its L4 and L6 crossovers to Britain, offering a mix of pure internal-combustion, plug-in hybrid, and fully electric powertrains.

For now, the L8 represents the opening salvo: a family SUV with premium aspirations and a value-driven pitch. If Lepas can deliver on price without cutting too many corners, the established order in Britain’s hyper-competitive SUV class may have reason to glance nervously in its rearview mirror.

Source: Autocar

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Order Books Reopen: Alfa’s 520-HP Quadrifoglios Are Back

Alfa Romeo isn’t ready to let its loudest, angriest sedans and SUVs slip quietly into the night. Instead, it’s doubling down.

After hinting at the move during the 2026 Brussels Motor Show, Alfa has officially reopened European orders for the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio and Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio starting in early March. More than a stopgap, this is part of a broader strategy to extend production of the current Giulia and Stelvio lineup through 2027—an olive branch to enthusiasts who weren’t ready to say goodbye to one of the last great internal-combustion Alfas.

The Cloverleaf That Refuses to Wilt

The Quadrifoglio badge isn’t marketing fluff; it’s a talisman. The four-leaf clover first appeared in 1923 when Ugo Sivocci painted it on his Alfa Romeo RL before winning the Targa Florio. A century later, it still signifies the sharpest edge of Alfa’s performance ambitions.

In modern form, that means a 520-hp twin-turbocharged 2.9-liter V-6 under the hood of both cars. It’s an engine that feels delightfully anachronistic in today’s hybrid-happy world—snappy throttle response, a midrange punch that borders on violent, and a redline that begs to be chased. In the Giulia, it drives the rear wheels in proper sport-sedan tradition. In the Stelvio, it pairs with Alfa’s Q4 all-wheel-drive system to make a 500-plus-horsepower SUV feel improbably eager.

The numbers matter. But the texture matters more.

Engineering with an Italian Accent

Both Quadrifoglios were engineered with the kind of obsessive weight-saving that would make a track-day regular nod approvingly. Aluminum for the engine. Carbon fiber for the driveshaft, hood, side skirts, spoiler, interior trim panels—even the dashboard. The goal is simple: keep the structure stiff, the mass low, and the weight distribution near ideal.

The Giulia’s active carbon-fiber front splitter adjusts airflow under the car to increase stability at speed. It’s not just aero theater; it’s functional, the kind of detail you feel through the steering wheel at triple-digit autobahn velocities.

And then there’s the exhaust. The available Akrapovič system doesn’t just make noise—it broadcasts intent. Deep at idle, metallic under load, and feral at full throttle, it’s a reminder that performance cars are meant to be heard as much as driven.

Backing up all that muscle is a mechanical limited-slip differential. In an era where brake-based torque vectoring often masquerades as sophistication, Alfa’s hardware-first approach is refreshingly analog. Power delivery is clean, traction feels natural, and corner exits are dispatched with a precision that makes you wonder why more manufacturers abandoned this formula.

Still a Driver’s Car—Yes, Even the SUV

The Giulia Quadrifoglio remains one of the most communicative sports sedans of its generation. The steering is quick and alive. The chassis feels balanced and alert. Every input—throttle, brake, steering—returns immediate feedback. It’s a car that seems to shrink around you the harder you push it.

The Stelvio Quadrifoglio, meanwhile, continues to defy physics with impressive conviction. At 520 horsepower, it has the straight-line speed to embarrass dedicated sports cars, yet it manages to corner with composure that belies its ride height. The Q4 system apportions torque with subtlety, preserving much of the rear-drive feel enthusiasts crave.

Inside, both cars lean into their motorsport heritage. Available “Racing Sparco” seats combine leather and Alcantara with exposed carbon-fiber shells, gripping you tightly without crossing into punishment. Burnished five-hole wheels—19 inches on the Giulia, 21 on the Stelvio—frame anodized gray brake calipers. Paint choices like Rosso Etna, Verde Montreal, and Blu Misano remind you that subtlety was never the point.

A Stay of Execution

Reopening orders isn’t just a business decision; it’s a cultural one. As the industry pivots toward electrification, the Quadrifoglio twins stand as unapologetic reminders of Alfa Romeo’s combustion-fueled DNA. They represent a philosophy centered on balance, mechanical purity, and emotional engagement.

Extending production to 2027 gives enthusiasts a few more years to experience that formula the old-fashioned way: six cylinders, two turbos, rear-biased dynamics, and a four-leaf clover on the fender.

In a market increasingly defined by silent acceleration and digital interfaces, the Giulia and Stelvio Quadrifoglio still speak fluent gasoline. And for now, at least, Alfa Romeo is letting them keep talking.

Source: Alfa Romeo

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When Your Toyota Talks to Your Insurance Company

You know your car has cupholders, a reversing camera, enough driver-assist chimes to soundtrack a low-budget sci-fi flick, and at least one fossilized French fry wedged permanently between the seat and center console. What you might not realize is that it also has a second job—one that doesn’t show up on the Monroney sticker. Your car may be moonlighting as a data broker.

Welcome to the era of the rolling server rack.

Industry estimates suggest that roughly 90 percent of new vehicles vacuum up detailed driving data: speed, throttle inputs, braking force, cornering loads. In other words, all the fun stuff. Automakers say this telemetry helps improve safety systems, diagnose mechanical issues, and refine performance. And to be fair, modern cars are astonishingly capable computers on wheels. Over-the-air updates fix bugs. Crash-avoidance systems get smarter. Engines squeeze more efficiency from every drop of fuel.

But somewhere between your spirited on-ramp merge and your panic stop at a stale yellow, that same data may be heading somewhere else—like your insurance company.

One driver discovered this the hard way. After braking hard the day before shopping for a new policy, he was stunned when an insurer referenced that exact event during the quote process. The source, he was told, was his own car’s built-in telemetry system.

Philip Siefke told CNN that the insurer in question was Progressive. When he pressed for answers, he says he was told the data came from his Toyota’s connected services. His reaction was less “wow, cutting-edge tech!” and more “how exactly did you get that?” According to his account, he hadn’t knowingly enrolled in any monitoring program. The explanation he received: most customers effectively consent through the paperwork signed at purchase.

And there’s the rub.

Modern car-buying already feels like signing a mortgage in a wind tunnel. Between financing documents, extended warranty pitches, and the standard stack of contracts, buried clauses about data sharing are easy to miss. Technically, the permission may be there. Practically, few buyers are parsing legal language about third-party data partners while negotiating APR.

Some manufacturers share or sell anonymized—or not-so-anonymized—driving data to third parties, including insurers. The pitch is that usage-based insurance can reward safe driving. In theory, smoother inputs mean lower premiums. In reality, one heavy-footed afternoon can follow you around like a permanent demerit badge.

Regulators have started paying attention. In 2024, the Federal Trade Commission warned consumers that connected cars can collect sensitive personal data and that its use and disclosure could threaten privacy and financial well-being. Not long after, the FTC resolved a case involving General Motors and its OnStar connected services, barring the company from selling driving data to third parties for five years without clear notice and affirmative consent. There was no fine attached, but the message was unmistakable: clean up the consent process.

GM said it had already stopped the practice earlier in response to customer feedback and maintained that the original goal was to encourage safer driving. Still, the action highlighted just how opaque these data ecosystems can be.

Meanwhile, the real-world consequences show up in the one place drivers always feel it—the wallet. The Toyota driver who discovered his braking event in an insurer’s database reportedly saw his premium jump sharply at renewal despite a long clean record. What began as a sub-$300 monthly policy climbed north of $400 six months later. His lawsuit against the automaker, insurer, and a data provider is now headed to arbitration—another clause tucked neatly into that original stack of purchase documents.

Toyota has said it only shares driving data with third parties when customers provide consent and direct the company to do so. Insurers, for their part, often promote usage-based models as voluntary and beneficial. Industry groups insist connected cars aren’t spying—they’re optimizing.

But from the driver’s seat, it can feel less like optimization and more like surveillance with a deductible.

We’ve spent decades obsessing over horsepower, lateral grip, and 0–60 times. Now there’s a new performance metric to consider: how smoothly you brake in front of an algorithm. Press the start button, and you’re not just firing up fuel injection and infotainment—you may be launching a quiet livestream of your right foot’s greatest hits.

The connected car revolution promised convenience, safety, and smarter machines. It delivered all of that. It also delivered a new reality: every apex clipped and every panic stop might be logged, scored, and priced.

So the next time you mash the brake pedal to avoid a shopping cart in the Costco lot, remember—your ABS isn’t the only thing paying attention.

Source: CNN