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All 31 stories, newest first.

  1. Volvo’s seat belt was perfected by an ejection-seat engineer, then given awayHistory Nils Bohlin got the three-point belt right at Volvo in 1959. Volvo let every carmaker use it, and estimates it has saved more than a million lives.
  2. Toyota changed nothing on the 2027 Camry, and that is the whole pitchNews A carryover year on purpose. $29,700 to start, hybrid only, 225 or 232 hp, and a 51 mpg estimate on the LE.
  3. Jeep’s last Twelve 4 Twelve Wrangler is built by swapping doors and hoodsNews Gloss Black and Sting-Gray Wranglers swap parts on the line, with Gecko green accents. Two-door $66,695, four-door $69,995.
  4. AMG finally built its own SUV, and it brought 1,153 hp and a recorded V8News Three motors, 1,153 hp, 10 to 80 percent in 12 minutes, and a V8 soundtrack recorded from real AMG engines. US pricing is not out yet.
  5. Street HEMI: the 426 Chrysler sold because NASCAR made itHistory In 1965 NASCAR barred engines you could not buy. In 1966 you could buy a 426 HEMI in a Belvedere, Coronet or Charger.
  6. 2027 Lexus NX: three hybrid parts become one e-AxleEngineering One e-Axle instead of three parts, silicon-carbide chips in the inverter, and no gas-only NX for 2027.
  7. The 911 will never be electric, Porsche says. The Boxster and Cayman will be.News The next 718 Boxster and Cayman go all-electric, with 2028 their first full year of production. The 911 gets a pinky promise.
  8. The Smithsonian’s 1986 Dodge CaravanHistory One sliding door for a dozen model years, a flat floor from front-wheel drive, and a Michigan family’s softball shuttle.
  9. 2027 Kia Sorento: is the turbo worth $3,200?Reviews LX from $32,590, EX turbo from $38,690. 274 hp and 3,500 lb towing, for 3 fewer mpg.
  10. BMW’s new iX4 is an iX3 with the roof sloped, and up to 428 miles of rangeNews Two motors, 463 hp, up to 428 miles by BMW’s own estimate and a fast-charge stop that adds 184 miles in 10 minutes. $66,200 plus destination.
  11. Toyota’s new Grand Highlander Woodland comes with a six-can coolerNews All-terrain tires, a half-inch lift, standard AWD and a cooler that holds six cans. $51,780 before destination.
  12. Jaguar’s comeback car has 1,015 horsepower and no rear windowNews Three motors, up to 1,015 hp, a 400-mile EPA range and no glass in the tailgate. Orders open in early 2027.
  13. CSX 2000: the first Shelby CobraHistory A British roadster, an American V8, one car repainted again and again so the world would think production was already rolling.
  14. Chevy small-block: the V8 that would not dieHistory What 350 means, why the Camaro got it before the Corvette, and why GM just brought it back for 2027 pickups.
  15. Under the skin: BRZ ZC15 stays simple on purposeEngineering Same 228-hp 2.4-liter boxer, rear-wheel drive, manual only. The anniversary money went into a flexible V-bar, gold Brembos and bronze wheels, not horsepower.
  16. 2027 Subaru BRZ ZC15: 300 cars, Ceramic White, manual onlyNews 300 cars, Ceramic White only, matte bronze wheels, rear-wheel drive and a six-speed manual with no alternative. Pricing comes later.
  17. Boss 302: the Mustang Ford built to go racingHistory A former Chevy boss, a former Corvette designer, a 5.0-liter rulebook and a red Coca-Cola race car that won 101 of 151 starts.
  18. Under the skin: what Subaru bolted onto the WRX GD25Engineering Same 271-hp turbo boxer as every WRX. The money went into springs, dampers, a strut bar, uprated Brembos, Potenza S007 tires and a rally car’s wing.
  19. The 2027 Subaru WRX GD25 is 350 blue sedans with gold wheels and a rally car’s wingNews 350 cars, World Rally Blue only, gold 19-inch wheels, a 271-hp turbo boxer, a manual only and a carbon wing with rally credentials. Pricing comes later.
  20. Ford Flathead V8: the cheap V8 that changed the streetHistory Engine No. 1 at The Henry Ford: 221 cubic inches, 65 hp, cast as one piece, and cheap enough to start under $500.
  21. 2027 Kia K4: which trim is worth the moneyReviews Sedan from $22,390, hatch from $25,090, destination $1,245. LX for value, Turbo if you want the powertrain step.
  22. The 2027 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk is a hybrid that wades through two feet of waterEngineering A 2.92 low range, a locking rear axle, 24 inches of water fording and an estimated 31 mpg combined. From $44,625 delivered.
  23. Buddy Baker, the Dodge Charger Daytona and the first official 200-mph lapHistory A pointed nose, a very tall wing, a 426 Hemi and 200.447 mph. The Charger Daytona’s record lap, March 24, 1970.
  24. 2027 Nissan Z buyer’s breakdown: which one to buy, now that the NISMO has three pedalsReviews The NISMO gets a manual, the manual costs nothing extra, and the middle trim makes a very good case. Our trim-by-trim breakdown, from $44,480.
  25. The BMW M2 gets all-wheel drive, and it still wants to be rear-wheel driveEngineering Rear-drive until the rear tires give up, 473 hp, 0-60 mph in 3.6 seconds and a 2WD mode for the purists. From $73,600.
  26. Mazda 787B: four rotors, one last chance and the only rotary win at Le MansHistory Four rotors, 700 hp, 362 laps and a rule change that made 1991 the final exam. Still the only rotary to win Le Mans.
  27. The Nissan Rogue Hybrid’s engine never drives the wheels, and that is the whole ideaEngineering A turbo three-cylinder that only makes electricity, two motors that do the driving and no gearbox. Nissan targets 38 mpg combined, from $35,490.
  28. The 2027 Hyundai Tucson gets bigger, squarer and much better at towingNews A 233-hp hybrid targeting up to 42 mpg, 1,000 more pounds of towing and an off-road trim that grades how stuck you are. Pricing comes later.
  29. 2026 Toyota RAV4: the spreadsheet loves it, your right knee might notReviews Every RAV4 is now a hybrid, from $31,900. The fuel economy is excellent. The cabin is the catch, at knee height.
  30. The 2027 Subaru Impreza costs $2,000 less and gets 28 more horsepower, against all known laws of car pricingNews A new base trim drops the entry price to $24,595 and gives the whole lineup the 2.5-liter boxer. Accountants and enthusiasts, briefly united.
  31. The electric BMW 3 Series costs $4,400 less than the M350, and the inline-six has notesNews The first electric 3 Series costs less than the gas M350, and BMW estimates up to 468 miles of range. The inline-six would like a word.