0-60 mph, Medically Speaking

This week we’re getting into the less-talked-about aspects of the instantaneous torque and brutal acceleration that high-end EVs are capable of. Sure it’s cool to have all that power under your foot, but there are consequences too.

Next, impressions from our drive test with the G90 BMW M5. Spoiler: it’s the best performance family sedan in the world.

Lots of german cars in this week’s spyshots round-up, but we feel the 2026 Corvette Zora takes the cake from all the BMWs, Mercs and Volkswagens.

Back in EV land, after being announced as a “2 years max” deal in 2016, the time has finally come for the Tesla Robotaxi: tests are supposed to start June 22nd in Austin, Texas.

Earlier this year we were at the 992.2 Carrera launch in San Diego and, sure enough, we’ve got thoughts and a video about how all of that went.

Finally, we take a look at the significantly updated Apple Carplay experience coming soon as part of iOS 26.

Table of Contents

• Editorial: The Hidden Dangers of Ultra-Fast EV Acc …

• Driven: 2025 BMW M5 Sedan

• Robotaxi service launch in Austin is the make-it-o …

• Spy photos & videos of the week

• Apple Carplay’s massive overhaul in iOS 26

• I Drove the 2025 Porsche 911 Carrera S and Now I N …

• The finish line

Editorial: The Hidden Dangers of Ultra-Fast EV Acceleration

By: Sergiu Tudose (editor-in-chief)

With flagship EVs nowadays capable of hitting 60 mph in under 2 seconds, we need to start asking some serious questions. Never mind whether or not we should be driving cars that fast because of the simple danger of getting into a high-speed accident – that's certainly one of the major risks. But no. What I’m interested in exploring here is whether it’s safe to drive a family sedan that can out-sprint an F1 car to 60 mph.

It’s shocking how there’s almost no data about this on the Internet. Try researching anything resembling this issue on Google and you’ll be bombarded with articles about the top 10 or 15 electric vehicles you can buy that are super-fast, or various other rankings that focus simply on selling you the most impressive product in terms of acceleration.

When did we all suddenly become Max Verstappen? I'm sure everyone here realizes how hard F1 drivers train their bodies to handle sustained G-forces for longer periods of time. Yet, some of those same G-forces attack our bodies every time we get behind the wheel of a Model S Plaid or a Taycan Turbo – just anything with superhuman acceleration.

Are there actual long-term health risks? Yes. Forget the speed. Worry about the force. A car that hits 60 mph in under 2 seconds will generate about 1.3 to 1.5 Gs, which is basically on par with some of the world’s fastest roller coasters. However, unlike the latter, EV launches are relentless, with no pause or delays for gear shifts.

With an ICE vehicle, acceleration is staggered due to the transmission needing to go through all the gears, creating brief moments of relief. This makes high-speed launches in internal combustion engine cars easier to endure.

Now, while the occasional high-G launch won’t cause serious harm, frequent exposure just might, and it all starts with potential strain on the cervical spine. Applying these sudden forces on our bodies means our heads get jerked backwards, compressing the vertebrae and increasing the risk of disc degeneration. Over time, this can lead to chronic neck pain or stiffness, like whiplash injuries.

Furthermore, Repeated head jerking from dozens (if not hundreds) of 0-60 launches can result in you experiencing motion sickness, dizziness, and even mild concussions. Why do you think race car drivers wear helmets and neck guards?

Then there’s the impact on your vision. At around 1.5 Gs, blood distribution in the body shifts, with rapid acceleration potentially causing temporary vision dimming. Over time, repeatedly launching your EV could impact eye focus and tracking ability. It’s like what fighter jet pilots experience during G-LOC.

What about a safer yet still quick 0-60 time? According to the numbers, everything under 3 seconds (1.0 G) is already on the edge of what’s considered comfortable. Meanwhile, a 3.5 to 4.0-second 0-60 (0.8 G) time, though still fast, is much easier on the body.

Let’s go back to internal combustion power for a second. ICE cars with traditional transmissions tend to be easier on the body, because gear shifts provide those brief moments of relief I was talking about earlier. What this means is that in an ICE car, a 3.0 - 3.5 sec 0-60 time might feel fine for frequent use because of those micro-breaks in acceleration. Not so much in an EV.

But what if we wanted to know with absolute certainty that we’re completely safe and there’s no risk of long-term chronic issues? The numbers tell a compelling story.

If we’re talking maximum comfort and long-term health, you should make sure your electric car can’t hit 60 mph quicker than 4.5 seconds. At that point, acceleration forces should be about 0.6 to 0.7 G, which is mild and well within what the human body experiences naturally (like in sharp turns, under braking, amusement park rides etc). It’s still quick, but it won’t cause strain, dizziness, or discomfort over time.

However, I would personally look to play it even more conservatively, meaning looking for a 5 to 6 second 0-60 mph sweet spot. It’s still fun, but completely effortless on the body.

Now, say you wanted a Tesla Model 3 – just go for the entry-level Long Range RWD variant, which can hit 60 mph in 4.9 seconds. It’s more than quick enough and you’ll be absolutely fine long-term, even if you do launch it to 60 mph way more than you should. Meanwhile, the Model S is way too quick in any specification.

Myself? I would probably look for a BMW i5 xDrive40, which has 389 horsepower and will get you to 60 mph in 5.2 seconds. Perfectly reasonable, safe and more than quick enough.

Driven: 2025 BMW M5 Sedan

By: Sergiu Tudose

Even though the recipe for what makes the BMW M5 such an icon has changed over the years, car enthusiasts and BMW purists needn’t worry about this all-new model being too heavy or too different from a design standpoint.

Note: this is an abridged version, check out the full article and photo gallery on our site.

Yes, it is all those things, but if you step back and take an overview, you might just realize you’re looking at the best performance family sedan in the world, and it’s not even close.

This car is so fast, you literally need a Tesla Model S Plaid to temporarily outrun it once you get both of them up to highway speeds. More on that later though. Let’s talk about its appearance first.

The G90 M5 is the first-ever M5 you cannot impersonate with a run-of-the-mill 5 Series. Before, all you needed was the M Sport package, a few fake M badges and some authentic wheels and you could make a 530i look just like an M5 from a visual standpoint.

That’s not the case anymore, because this all-new model also comes with a factory-standard wide body kit, which makes the front and rear fenders noticeably broader – this is also done to accommodate the wider tires. The new M5 also comes with a hyper-aggressive front bumper featuring a larger air intakes, an M-specific hood, new side skirts, a thick rear diffuser for enhanced aerodynamics, carbon fiber accents, plus all the extra bits you’d expect like the M5-specific badging.

I also believe that in time, people will look back at the G90 M5 and admire its bold aesthetic. I called it fat and beautiful in the title, and in a way, it is both those things. It’s not beautiful in a conventional way, like a Ferrari Roma or an Aston Martin Vantage, but it’s still non-apologetically good-looking. Kind of like the first-generation X6. You can’t help but stare.

With regards to our test car, it’s rocking a stunning shade of green dubbed Isle of Man Green, which you can get at no extra cost on your M5 in the U.S. It also happens to be an extremely popular colorway and for good reason. It looks vibrant under direct sunlight and stylish in the shade.

In terms of practicality, there’s plenty of space in the front and rear of the new M5. Also, because they packaged the plug-in hybrid system under the floor as opposed to underneath the trunk, you’ve got more luggage space in this car (466 liters / 16.4 cu.ft) than you do in most PHEV sedans on the market today. For example, a plug-in hybrid E-Class has just 370 liters (13.0 cu.ft) of trunk volume.

In a straight line, the 2025 M5 can accelerate from zero to 60 mph (97 kph) in 3.4 seconds, before maxing out at 190 mph (305 kph) with the optional M Driver’s Pack. It doesn’t feel any faster to 60 mph than its predecessor, or countless other performance cars or EVs. In fact, because of its weight, it will often lose out over short distances off the line to something more lightweight.

I couldn’t be more impressed with this plug-in hybrid system, which you’ll likely use mostly either in full Electric mode, or just Dynamic and Dynamic Plus.

Speaking of Electric mode, here’s yet another way in which the new M5 absolutely destroys the competition. You’ve got that powerful electric motor and an 18.6 kWh battery, combining for an electric-only range of about 40 miles (66 km). What’s absolutely incredible is that you can drive this car on electric power alone at speeds of up to 87 mph (140 kph). If you want to use it as an EV all the time, and I mean literally all the time, you can – and nor would it ever feel painfully slow, both in-town as well as on the highway.

Perhaps the most shocking aspect of all, when it comes to the M5, is that you can set it up in so many ways to the point where it can literally be all things to all people. Brutal and relentlessly fast? Check. Silent and swift? Check. Comfortable over long distances? Check. This is a car that is extremely easy to live with, and you wouldn’t be making any compromise.

As for how much it would cost you to purchase a 2025 BMW M5 for yourself, well, it has a starting MSRP of $119,500. I’ll be honest, if that’s not excellent value for money I don’t know what is. Literally the only car you’ll ever need (family sedan with supercar-like performance, the latest tech, EV drive and so on), for just under $120k is a steal in today’s day and age, especially with inflation being what it is.

Not convinced? Take a look at the new Porsche Panamera 4 E-Hybrid. It too costs upwards of $119,800, and it only comes with 463 horsepower, not SEVEN HUNDRED and SEVENTEEN. Something "closer" to the new M5 would be the Panamera Turbo E-Hybrid, with 670 horsepower. That one costs $195,700.

The all-new 2025 BMW M5 is the ultimate family sedan. Yes, you could make the case for it not being the “ultimate M5” from a BMW purist’s standpoint; but that doesn’t matter, because what it ends up being is something more than just the sum of its parts. One might build a so-called “ultimate M5” and it could end up not being as good as some of its rivals for a variety of reasons.

In other words, I believe the ultimate performance family sedan will always outweigh the ultimate M5, pun intended.

Robotaxi service launch in Austin is the make-it-or-break-it moment for Tesla

By: Cristian Agatie

Elon Musk has promised that Tesla EVs will drive themselves for longer than I can remember. He even included this prediction in Tesla's Master Plan Part Deux, published in 2016. Back then, Musk implied this was a done deal and that regulatory approval was the only obstacle left for self-driving. Most of his statements related to autonomous driving indicated that this would be imminent, bound to happen "in two years," or even "by the end of the year."

Musk admitted during the Q4 2024 earnings call in January that he cried "wolf" so many times that many stopped listening to his empty promises. However, he insisted, "There's a damn wolf this time," and Tesla will demonstrate it with the launch of the paid Robotaxi service in June. That will also be when Tesla EV sales will no longer matter. Tesla's self-driving capabilities would add trillions to the company's valuation, making vehicle manufacturing irrelevant.

Today, Tesla appears closer than ever to fulfilling Musk's autonomous driving dreams. The cars drive autonomously from the production line to the outbound lots at Tesla gigafactories. Tesla has started testing cars with no person in the driver's seat, although a Tesla engineer is present as a passenger. Finally, Musk announced a "tentative" date for debuting the Tesla Robotaxi service in Austin: June 22.

While these details appear to show that Tesla will finally turn its cars into autonomous vehicles with a flip of a switch, there are still many unknown things. Most importantly, we don't know if Tesla has contingency plans if autonomous driving doesn't pan out. While Tesla has been chasing dreams, other carmakers have moved on, offering more advanced EV tech. This leaves much less room for error in the new ventures because there's nothing left to fall back on.

Spy photos & videos of the week

By: Mircea Panait

It's been a busy week in the spy photo space. General Motors turned up at the Nurburgring with its most powerful series-production Corvette to date, that being the ZR1-derived Zora. Snapped pretty much devoid of camo, the C8 to rule all C8s may pack in excess of 1,200 horsepower if the front-mounted electric drive unit is the very same 160-hp motor as featured in the E-Ray.

While on the subject of ridiculously powerful hybrids, Bentley is cooking up a performance-oriented Continental GT Speed with improved aero. Rumored to be called RS or bring the Supersports moniker back from its W12-powered successor, the mysterious derivative flaunts two canards on the sides of the front bumper and one seriously large fixed spoiler that stretches beyond the trunk lid into the rear haunches of the vehicle.

The Volkswagen Group has also been spotted testing its highly anticipated ID.2 electric hatchback. Previously spied with ID.3-imitating body panels, the production-intent ID.2 flaunts headlight and taillight camo stickers inspired by the internal combustion Polo. Although the rear door frame-integrated handles are clearly visible, Volkswagen felt the need to affix two stickers that mimic conventional handles for the rear doors.

BMW has been a lot busier than Volkswagen, with the Munich-based automaker bringing no fewer than three forthcoming models to the Green Hell for dynamic testing. The 2028 model year M5 facelift is the spiciest of the lot, and given the imminent launch of the second-generation iX3, the M5 adopts plenty of Neue Klasse styling cues from the New Class model family.

Expected to enter production sometime in late 2026, the 2027 BMW M350 will effectively replace the M340i in the 3 Series lineup. Similar to the refreshed M5, the internal combustion 3 Series will adopt the Neue Klasse design language. Said language carries over to the next-generation X5, which is getting a high-performance PHEV turbo I6 setup that may be dubbed M60e.

Mercedes hasn't been sitting idly either. This week, the Stuttgart-based automaker tested its next iterations of the GLE SUV, GLE Coupe SUV, and GLS at the world's most challenging racetrack. Stylistically aligned with the CLA Coupe, the luxury sport utility vehicles feature star-motif headlights and taillights. Plenty more stars adorn the radiator grilles of the GLE and GLS.

Apple Carplay’s massive overhaul in iOS 26

By: Bogdan Popa

After nearly two years of little to no improvements, CarPlay finally received more love this week. Apple used its yearly WWDC event to announce a pack of improvements for CarPlay and Apple Maps, finally bringing its products closer to rivals from a feature perspective.

Thanks to iOS 26, CarPlay is getting a massive overhaul. The update will include new features like widgets, a redesigned interface for calls (which no longer cover the entire screen), and new Messages capabilities, like pinned conversations.

Apple also released the first iOS 26 developer beta, and users who installed it discovered more CarPlay goodies, including clear icons, an option to prevent your iPhone from taking CarPlay screenshots, multi-touch support in navigation apps, and smart display zoom to allow the UI to make the most of your screen regardless of size and resolution.

Apple Maps is also getting new features, including alerts for railroad crossings and support for more hazards, presumably as the iPhone maker wants to expand its app deeper into the Waze territory.

This has also been a busy week in the GPS hardware space. Garmin announced two new navigators, both for off-road navigation and sporting rugged features. 

Unfortunately, people continued to misuse navigation apps in the same ridiculous way. One driver attempted to climb the steps of a church because he believed that's where Google Maps told him to go, while someone ended up with his car hanging off an unfinished bridge after trusting his navigation app blindly.

I Drove the 2025 Porsche 911 Carrera S and Now I Need a Loan

By: Dragos Chitulescu

I felt a strange sensation in my stomach, similar to what I had experienced the day I heard the minister say, "I now pronounce you husband and wife." I felt privileged, excited, proud, and humble all at once, knowing I'd be among the first to drive the new Carrera S 992.2. And I was slightly terrified at the same time.

I know myself quite well, and I can't just get into a 473 bhp car without seeing what it can do. But I also didn't plan on having an encounter with any San Diego Ford Police Interceptors. Sticking to a 70 mph (or less) speed limit in a car that can go from 0 to 124 mph in 11.6 seconds (with the Sport Chrono Package) is a bit like trying to eat just one slice of your favorite pizza when you're well capable of eating all eight of them without flinching.

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