Tag Archives: vehicles

NEW CARS

The Next BMW 5-Series Refresh Won’t Go Full Neue Klasse

BMW is already deep into development of a mid-cycle refresh for the current G60-generation 5-Series, but if the latest camouflaged prototypes are telling the truth, anyone expecting a full Neue Klasse makeover might want to temper their expectations. Instead of a radical reinvention, the 2027 5-Series appears to be heading for something far more conservative—a design tweak rather than a design reset.

That’s not necessarily a bad thing. The current 5-Series is only a couple of years old, and while its styling didn’t exactly light the internet on fire, it hasn’t aged poorly either. What BMW seems to be planning is a light visual refresh designed to keep the car competitive without stepping on the toes of the all-new Neue Klasse models that will follow later in the decade.

Until BMW starts pulling camouflage off its test mules, we’re left reading tea leaves. But digital artists have already filled in the blanks. And the results range from cautious to borderline sci-fi.

One of the more realistic takes comes from Nikita Chuyko, whose rendering imagines a refreshed M5 Touring that doesn’t stray far from today’s shape—but sharpens it up in key areas. The biggest change is up front, where the current split-headlamp arrangement is replaced by narrower, simpler LED units. They’re cleaner and more modern, though arguably a bit less expressive than the existing setup.

The kidney grilles also get toned down. They’re still unmistakably BMW, but smaller and less dominant, trading shock value for something closer to elegance. For fans who still haven’t warmed up to BMW’s recent grille phase, that alone might count as a win.

There’s also a redesigned front bumper, revised side intakes, and lightly reshaped front fenders—enough to make the facelift obvious to enthusiasts without forcing BMW to reinvent the sheet metal.

Chuyko also explored a more aggressive direction for Kolesa, previewing what an M5 could look like if BMW leans harder into its Neue Klasse design language. Inspired by the 2023 Vision Neue Klasse sedan concept, one version features a full-width horizontal panel stretching across the nose, with the headlights integrated into either end. It’s a modernized callback to classic BMWs like the E30 3-Series and E24 6-Series—and, frankly, one of the more tasteful faces BMW has previewed in years.

Another version keeps the Neue Klasse headlamps but reintroduces a compact double-kidney grille, blending the future with BMW’s traditional front-end layout. It’s the kind of compromise we wouldn’t be surprised to see BMW adopt in the real world.

Inside, things are murkier. BMW’s new Panoramic iDrive system, which debuts on the iX3, is almost certainly coming to future models—but given how restrained the exterior refresh looks, a full interior overhaul seems unlikely for this mid-cycle update. Expect software updates and subtle interface changes rather than a dashboard revolution.

Under the hood, though, the stakes are much higher.

The current M5 uses BMW’s S68 twin-turbo 4.4-liter V8 paired with an electric motor and an eight-speed automatic, forming a plug-in hybrid system that delivers a formidable 717 horsepower. But Europe’s looming Euro 7 emissions rules forced BMW to cut the V8’s output from 577 hp to 537 hp on EU-spec cars. BMW made up the difference by boosting the electric motor, keeping the system total the same—but the V8 itself took a hit.

The facelift could give BMW an opportunity to claw that power back. If the company restores the V8’s original output while keeping the revised electric motor, the M5’s total system power could climb even higher. Given the ongoing horsepower war in this segment, don’t be surprised if BMW takes that route.

Timing-wise, the refreshed 5-Series is expected to debut later this year, hitting showrooms as a 2027 model. The M5 sedan and M5 Touring should follow not long after, likely arriving for the 2028 model year.

In other words, don’t expect a design revolution—but do expect BMW to quietly sharpen its most important luxury sedan, making sure the 5-Series stays fresh while the brand’s Neue Klasse future waits in the wings.

Source: Kelsonik

NEW CARS

Bugatti’s W-16 Lives On in the 1600-HP F.K.P. Hommage

By now, Bugatti has made a habit of reminding the automotive world that it doesn’t merely build fast cars—it builds monuments. At Rétromobile 2026 in Paris, the marque unveiled its latest: the F.K.P. Hommage, a one-of-one hypercar that looks backward to the Veyron while pushing forward with 1600 horsepower and the full force of modern Bugatti engineering.

The setting mattered. Bugatti chose the debut of the Ultimate Supercar Garage—a new, ultra-exclusive enclave within Rétromobile—to reveal the second creation from its Programme Solitaire bespoke division. If the original Solitaire car, the Brouillard, was Bugatti’s proof of concept, the F.K.P. Hommage is its mission statement.

Built for the Man Who Invented the Hypercar

The name is no coincidence. F.K.P. stands for Ferdinand Karl Piëch, the former Volkswagen Group chairman whose stubborn vision forced the original Veyron into existence two decades ago. The Veyron didn’t just break records; it created the idea of the modern hypercar—four-figure horsepower wrapped in leather and refinement instead of stripped-out race-car brutality.

Bugatti CEO Mate Rimac opened the unveiling by framing the Hommage as a tribute not just to a man, but to a philosophy: performance without compromise. That mindset lives on in the car’s mechanical core, which uses the latest evolution of Bugatti’s legendary quad-turbo W-16, now producing 1600 horsepower—a figure that would have sounded absurd when the Veyron debuted in 2005.

A Veyron, Reimagined

Visually, the F.K.P. Hommage doesn’t try to reinvent Bugatti’s DNA. Instead, it sharpens it.

The familiar Veyron silhouette remains: the leaning-back stance, the flowing beltline, the unmistakable mid-engine proportions. But every surface has been tightened and modernized. The air intakes are larger and more aggressive, feeding the uprated W-16, while a three-dimensional horseshoe grille machined from solid aluminum replaces the flat grille of earlier cars, giving the front end both physical depth and visual authority.

The paint is equally dramatic. Bugatti calls it Rouge Jubilé, an evolved version of the Veyron’s original Absolute Red. Under show lighting, it reveals multiple layers of color and reflection, set against black-tinted exposed carbon fiber that keeps the car from slipping into retro pastiche.

Old-School Craft, New-School Excess

Inside, the Hommage breaks even more decisively from modern Bugatti interiors. Where the Chiron and Mistral lean toward digital minimalism, this car returns to something more mechanical and architectural.

The circular steering wheel, solid-aluminum center console, and machined tunnel cover are clear nods to the Veyron’s cockpit, but executed with today’s CNC precision. The upholstery uses a custom Ettore Grand fabric in a warm Havana tone, blending old-world luxury with modern tailoring.

Then there’s the centerpiece: a 41-mm Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Tourbillon built directly into the dashboard. Set into an engine-turned metal “island,” it’s a reminder that for Bugatti’s clientele, timepieces are as important as horsepower—and that mechanical beauty is still king.

Programme Solitaire: Bugatti Goes Full Coachbuilder

The F.K.P. Hommage exists because of Programme Solitaire, Bugatti’s new ultra-low-volume division dedicated to true coachbuilding. Only two cars per year will be produced, each one fully bespoke. Customers aren’t choosing colors from a configurator; they’re commissioning rolling works of art.

That’s a major shift for Bugatti. While cars like the Chiron already offer extensive customization, Solitaire goes further, letting clients shape not just the trim but the very identity of their car—while still sitting on Bugatti’s 1600-hp W-16 platform.

The Veyron Still Casts a Long Shadow

Parked next to the F.K.P. Hommage at Rétromobile was the original Veyron 16.4, a quiet but powerful reminder of what started all this. Bugatti also displayed four certified Veyron variants—a 16.4, Grand Sport, Super Sport, and Vitesse—through its La Maison Pur Sang heritage program, underscoring how the once-unthinkable hypercar has become a blue-chip collectible.

Bugatti President Christophe Piochon, who worked on the original Veyron program, summed it up perfectly: the standards set 20 years ago still define what a Bugatti must be today.

More Than Just Another One-Off

In a world where every luxury brand seems to be chasing one-off commissions and personalization programs, the F.K.P. Hommage feels different. It isn’t just a styling exercise or a billionaire’s toy—it’s a rolling manifesto that ties Bugatti’s future to the man who made its modern rebirth possible.

And with 1600 horsepower, a W-16 heart, and craftsmanship that borders on obsessive, it’s also a reminder that Bugatti still plays a game no one else quite knows how to win.

Source: Bugatti

NEW CARS

Next-Gen Acura RDX Will Be the Brand’s First Hybrid SUV

Acura just pulled back the curtain—barely—on the next-generation RDX, and for a brand that’s often played it safe, what’s hiding behind that teaser is surprisingly bold. The fourth-generation RDX will become the first Acura ever to use a two-motor hybrid system, a move that signals more than just better fuel economy. It marks a philosophical shift for a company that built its reputation on clever engineering and performance-first thinking.

The new RDX is still a couple of years away from showrooms, but Acura is already laying the groundwork. Production of the current model will be paused later this year as the brand retools for what comes next. When it returns, the RDX will re-enter the compact luxury SUV fight with a new powertrain strategy—and much higher expectations.

Why a Hybrid RDX Matters

Let’s be clear: this isn’t Acura slapping a battery onto a gas engine just to satisfy regulators. The brand is using a two-motor hybrid-electric system, the same fundamental layout Honda has been perfecting for years. One motor primarily drives the wheels, the other manages energy and assists under load, allowing the gas engine to operate in its most efficient range. In real-world driving, that usually means smoother acceleration, better response, and far less time spent guzzling fuel in traffic.

That’s especially important for the RDX. In a segment packed with turbo fours and increasingly refined plug-in hybrids, Acura’s current powertrain has started to feel merely adequate. A two-motor hybrid could restore the RDX’s original mission: to be the enthusiast’s choice in a practical, compact luxury SUV.

Acura is framing this move as part of a broader strategy that includes gas-powered models, hybrids, and full EVs. Translation: the company knows not everyone is ready to go all-electric, but nobody wants to keep paying at the pump either.

Still Built in Ohio, Still an Acura

The next RDX will continue to be built at Acura’s East Liberty Auto Plant in Ohio, alongside the MDX. That matters, not just politically but mechanically. The plant already produces some of Acura’s most complex vehicles, which suggests the hybrid RDX won’t be a half-hearted experiment—it’ll be fully integrated into Acura’s manufacturing and engineering pipeline.

Mike Langel, Acura’s assistant VP of national sales, called it fitting that the RDX would be the first Acura to get this new hybrid system. And he’s not wrong. Few nameplates in Acura’s lineup better represent the brand’s balance of performance, tech, and everyday usability.

Twenty Years of RDX, in Fast-Forward

The RDX didn’t just stumble into this role—it earned it.

The first-generation RDX, launched for 2007, was a breakout hit. It was Acura’s first compact luxury SUV and one of the first in its class to use a turbocharged engine. Paired with Acura’s torque-vectoring SH-AWD system, it drove like nothing else in the segment.

The second generation arrived in 2013 with a smoother V6, more space, and a clear focus on refinement. It was less edgy, but more mainstream—exactly what the market wanted at the time.

Then the third-generation RDX brought back the attitude in 2019. Turbo power returned, SH-AWD got sharper, and Acura loaded the cabin with modern tech and advanced safety systems. It was once again a driver’s compact luxury SUV.

Now comes the fourth generation—and with it, a hybrid system that could finally fuse all those past identities into one.

The RDX’s Next Chapter

With nearly 850,000 units sold in North America, the RDX is one of Acura’s most important vehicles. Going hybrid isn’t just about efficiency—it’s about relevance. Buyers want SUVs that feel quick, smooth, and technologically advanced. A two-motor hybrid could deliver all three.

If Acura gets this right, the next RDX won’t just be another compact luxury SUV. It could be the one that reminds everyone why Acura used to be the clever engineer in the room.

And for a brand celebrating its 40th anniversary, that kind of comeback couldn’t be better timed.

Source: Acura