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NEW CARS

The Nissan Z Gets a Mid-Cycle Tune-Up—and Loses the Big Grille

The Nissan Z isn’t old enough to be nostalgic, but it’s already mature enough to know when less is more. Just three years into its lifecycle, the retro-modern sports car is getting a light refresh, and instead of chasing shock value, Nissan has opted for restraint. The updated Z—still called Fairlady Z in Japan—debuted at the Tokyo Auto Salon with a cleaner face, a classy new color, and a handful of mechanical tweaks that matter more than flashy gimmicks.

Let’s start with the nose. If you ever found the original Z’s gaping grille a little too eager to please, you’ll appreciate the revision. Nissan has ditched the oversized opening in favor of a slimmer, two-piece setup. Thin horizontal elements up top sit above a more open lower grille, with a body-colored divider in between. The result is simpler, more confident, and closer to the classic Z proportions enthusiasts actually remember fondly.

The new paint helps, too. Called Unryu Green, it’s a contemporary riff on Nissan’s old-school Grand Prix Green, and it looks right at home on a long-hood, short-deck coupe like this. Paired with fresh 10-spoke, 19-inch wheels, the Z gains a sharper, more premium presence without losing its throwback charm.

Inside, the changes are minimal—almost stubbornly so. A light tan leather option joins the palette, but otherwise the cabin carries on as before. That’s not a complaint. The Z’s interior was never about reinventing the wheel, and Nissan seems content to leave well enough alone. The bigger talking point is the Nismo model, which finally adds a manual transmission to the mix. Some early photos suggest paddle shifters are still present, likely tied to rev-matching duties, but either way, three pedals in a Z-badged Nismo feels like a long-overdue correction.

Under the skin, Nissan has done the kind of homework that rarely shows up in press photos. The refreshed Z gets retuned shocks with larger pistons, a change aimed at improving both body control and responsiveness. Bigger brakes—especially on the Nismo—promise more confidence when driving hard, which is, of course, the whole reason this car exists.

Japan will get first dibs, with the updated Fairlady Z expected to arrive by summer 2026. Nissan hasn’t officially confirmed U.S. availability, but if history is any guide, we’d be surprised if this subtly improved Z didn’t make its way stateside shortly thereafter, likely as a 2027 model.

It’s not a reinvention, and it doesn’t need to be. The Nissan Z was already on the right track. This refresh just sands down the rough edges—and sometimes, that’s the smartest move a sports car can make.

Source: Nissan

NEW CARS

FIAT QUBO L: The Family Hauler That Thinks It’s a Swiss Army Knife

FIAT has never been shy about building small cars with big ideas, and the new QUBO L doubles down on that philosophy—literally. Bigger, more flexible, and far more ambitious than its name suggests, the QUBO L is FIAT’s latest attempt to prove that family transportation doesn’t have to be dull, clumsy, or single-purpose.

Think of it as a box on wheels with a brain.

The QUBO L arrives in two sizes: a 4.40-meter five-seater and a stretched 4.75-meter seven-seater that’s clearly aimed at families who measure life in backpacks, sports bags, and weekend projects. The longer version gets three individually adjustable seats in the second row and two rail-mounted, extractable seats in the third. FIAT proudly claims 144 possible seating configurations, which sounds excessive until you realize that modern family life basically demands it.

Need cargo space? Fold the front passenger seat and you’re looking at up to three meters of loading length. Need places to stash everyone’s stuff? There are 27 storage compartments scattered throughout the cabin, because loose items are the real enemy of long road trips.

Powertrain options are equally broad, bordering on buffet-style. Diesel remains a core offering, with 100-hp and 130-hp manuals, plus a 130-hp automatic for those who prefer their torque served effortlessly. FIAT also promises up to 900 kilometers of range on a full tank, which makes the QUBO L a legitimate long-distance cruiser despite its city-friendly footprint.

Gasoline fans aren’t left out, thanks to a 110-hp petrol option, and for the electrically inclined, there’s a 136-hp EV version—available in the five-seat configuration—aimed squarely at urban duty. In other words, FIAT wants this thing to fit your lifestyle, not force you into one.

Design-wise, the QUBO L leans more clever than flashy, but it has its tricks. The “Magic Windows” glass roof isn’t just there to let light flood the cabin; it allows access to stored items from the rear without opening the tailgate. It’s the kind of detail that sounds odd on paper and brilliant in a supermarket parking lot during a rainstorm.

For drivers who occasionally venture off the smooth stuff, Extended Grip Control tweaks engine response and traction settings to better handle mud, snow, or gravel. This isn’t a crossover pretending to be rugged, but it is refreshingly honest about being useful when the road gets less than perfect.

A massive tailgate rounds out the practicality checklist, making it easy to load everything from camping gear to the inevitable mountain of family luggage. This is a vehicle designed by people who understand that real life rarely travels light.

The QUBO L will be offered in three trims—POP, ICON, and LA PRIMA—and comes in a refreshingly FIAT color palette that includes Gelato White, Cinema Black, (RED), Foresta Green, and Riviera Blue. Orders open in January 2026, with showroom arrivals planned for early 2026.

The FIAT QUBO L isn’t trying to be exciting in the traditional sense. Instead, it aims to be indispensable. And for families who value flexibility as much as horsepower, that might be the most compelling performance metric of all.

Source: Stellantis

NEW CARS

Maserati Grecale Cristallo: When an Alpine Peak Becomes a Paint Code

Maserati has never been shy about romance. This is a company that names cars after winds, builds engines that sound like opera, and insists—sometimes against all logic—that emotion is a measurable performance metric. With the new Grecale Cristallo Special Edition, the Trident leans fully into that worldview, distilling an Alpine mountain into a midsize luxury SUV and daring you not to feel something about it.

Cristallo takes its name from Monte Cristallo, one of the most striking peaks in the Dolomites—a place defined by light, purity, and the kind of sharp, sculptural beauty that makes architects and poets equally jealous. Maserati calls it a “conceptual matrix,” which sounds like marketing-speak until you see the car in person. Then it clicks. This isn’t just another appearance package. It’s an exercise in restraint, balance, and Italian confidence.

The headline act is the color. Azzurro Aureo is a new Fuoriserie-exclusive paint, and Maserati is proud enough of it to certify the shade with a dedicated badge on the fender. The color starts with traditional Maserati blue, then gradually cools and lightens, mimicking the way sunlight plays across snow-covered rock faces at altitude. Embedded in that blue is a fine golden mica—subtle, almost coy—that references achievement and prestige without tipping into flashiness. Think gold medal, not gold chain.

It’s the kind of color that rewards close inspection. From a distance, it reads clean and icy. Up close, it glows. In motion, it changes. That alone tells you who this car is for: someone who notices details and expects others to do the same.

The exterior enhancements stay smartly in the background. The 21-inch diamond-cut aluminum CRIO wheels bring a crisp, technical edge, while the body-color grille inserts clean up the Grecale’s face without muting its aggression. Nothing here shouts. Everything speaks fluently.

Inside, Maserati doubles down on the alpine theme. Premium Leather Ghiaccio—essentially a refined, glacier-inspired light tone—dominates the cabin, amplifying the sense of brightness and airiness. It’s a bold choice in an era obsessed with black interiors, and it works precisely because Maserati commits to it. The effect is modern, elegant, and unmistakably Italian, more Milanese atelier than ski lodge cliché.

There’s also a curated set of Maserati Original Accessories bundled into the Cristallo package. Self-leveling logo hubcaps (yes, the Trident stays upright at all times), branded valve caps, a customized courtesy light, and bespoke front floor mats might sound minor individually, but together they reinforce the idea that this edition is about coherence. Every touchpoint is considered. Every detail is intentional.

Crucially, Cristallo isn’t tied to a single powertrain. Buyers can spec the special edition across the Grecale Modena, Trofeo, and even the all-electric Folgore, meaning you don’t have to give up twin-turbo theatrics—or embrace electrons—to get the look. That flexibility feels very on-brand for a company trying to bridge tradition and future without alienating either camp.

The timing of the car’s debut adds another layer of symbolism. Maserati unveiled the Grecale Cristallo at its historic Modena plant on Viale Ciro Menotti, during stage 32 of the Olympic Torch Relay as it traveled through Italy. It’s a neat bit of narrative symmetry: a car inspired by a mountain introduced alongside a symbol of human excellence, endurance, and shared heritage, all at the birthplace of the Trident.

Is the Grecale Cristallo faster, louder, or more aggressive than the standard car? No—and that’s the point. This is a statement edition, not a spec-sheet flex. It’s Maserati reminding us that luxury doesn’t always need to shout, that beauty can be quiet, and that inspiration can come from places far above the Autobahn.

In an SUV market obsessed with size, screens, and horsepower numbers, the Grecale Cristallo stands apart by focusing on atmosphere. It’s about light. About texture. About the way a color can tell a story. And in true Maserati fashion, it dares you to care—not because you have to, but because you might want to.

Source: Maserati