Audi Nuvolari and Why 2030 Will Be a Turning Point for Car Design

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By: Sergiu Tudose

I needed a few days to gather my thoughts as far as the Audi Nuvolari was concerned. Everyone from media to redditors seems to like it, with some people claiming Audi are back, or that car design in general is “back”. It’s not. We need to pump the brakes, because not only is the Nuvolari nowhere near “peak Audi” in terms of design, but the industry still has a lot of healing to do.

When the first generation R8 was unveiled in the mid-2000s, it was during an era of peak car design. The production model looked even better than the Le Mans quattro concept Audi used as inspiration. That type of development hardly even happens anymore, because nowadays production cars look like concepts, which in turn look like they belong in some type of Cyberpunk-ish, dystopian, soulless future.

I think Audi might be going “cray-cray” with these ultra-futuristic designs, and they’ve said it themselves that the Nuvolari features design cues that will be applied to future models. They didn’t use these exact words, but here, you draw your own conclusions:

“As the first production vehicle that follows Audi’s new design philosophy, the Nuvolari will combine the high-performance character of a supercar with a distinctive design. Taut surfaces, seamlessly integrated technology, and intelligent aerodynamics define its appearance.”

Granted, we can make a distinction between design philosophy and design language. The former represents the reason why a car is designed in a certain way, whereas the latter represents how that philosophy is ultimately expressed from a visual standpoint.

For instance, if say... the next-generation Audi A8 will feature the same design philosophy as the Nuvolari, what that means is that it too will boast taut surfaces, but not necessarily the same type of grille design or shoulder line.

This leads me into why I think we need to just “hold on” until the end of this decade, at the very least.

Even though I don’t hate the Nuvolari, I’m not exactly blown away by it either. Have you seen it in action in various YouTube videos and shorts? It looks a lot chunkier in real life than it does in those studio shots released by Audi last week.

I don’t mind the styling, but I don’t like the proportions. There’s no reason for this vehicle to be this “fat” since this is not an EV. And even if it was, there are ways to package the battery pack so as to allow for a low or sloped roofline – if Rimac can do it with the Nevera, anyone can do it.

Here’s what most people tend to either forget or simply don’t even realize to begin with. All these controversial designs we’re seeing today were approved years ago. Back when board members and CEOs were freaking out over Tesla's success and electrification in general, forcing their design departments to come up with something entirely new.

For the full article, please continue reading on our site.

By: Alex Oagana

Especially in the past two decades or so, the age-old argument between RWD purists, who live their life almost exclusively on dry asphalt, and AWD pragmatics, who enjoy driving fast on all kinds of slippery surfaces, has been turning into an all-out war sometimes.

Until the late 2000s and even early 2010s, I’m pretty sure over 90 percent of driving enthusiast associated all-wheel-drive with SUVs and rally-bred sport compacts like the various iterations of the legendary Subaru Impreza WRX STI and the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution. Apart from Lamborghini, which introduced AWD on its cars as early as the 1990s, every sports car and supercar manufacturer was exclusively making RWD models exclusively.

This included carmakers like BMW and its M division, which only featured xDrive AWD on the X5 M and X6 M, with every other M model being RWD. Things have progressively changed since then, and now BMW makes a big deal of unveiling limited-editions RWD sports cars of its AWD ones, like the U.S.-only M3 Handschalter. Things have changed so much that BMW as a whole sells more AWD cars than RWD (or even FWD) ones globally.

Until spring 2026, when it was still accompanied by the BMW Z4 G29, the BMW M2 was the last remaining BMW model available exclusively with rear-wheel-drive, leaving AWD just for non-M versions of the 2 Series Coupe G42. Until June 3, 2026, the M2 was therefore the last “purist” BMW in the lineup, because as of this date, it will no longer cater strictly to that category of people.

Long story short, the BMW M2 with M xDrive is finally here, and the Internet, as expected, has opinions. Before I try to dissect what percentage of those opinions is based in reality, I think we must first understand where the BMW M2 nameplate is coming from, and indirectly, where it is going.

When it was first introduced, the mainstream consensus was that the M2 was the latest iteration of a long lineage of compact, reasonably lightweight RWD coupes that can be thrown around backroads like in the old days. Not a single M2 version, including the CS, were ever about quarter mile times or straight-line acceleration in general, instead trying to bring a modernized version of the same emotional response that a 2002 Turbo would elicit form its drivers.

In more than a couple of ways, the BMW M2 has been about preserving the same 2002 Turbo legacy indirectly continued by models like the M3 E30 and later by the 1M Coupe. The first generation, the M2 F87, was launched in 2016 and sold over 60,000 units over 7 years, which may not sound like much, but it immediately made it the best-selling M car in the company’s history. The current model, the M2 G 87, continued the amazing sales run and outsold the M3, the M4 and every other M car above them.

For the full article, please continue reading on our site.

By: Cristian Agatie

I got the chance to see the Cayenne Electric firsthand in February during a static reveal event. While I liked what I saw, especially in the infotainment department, I deferred my conclusion until after I'd gotten the chance to drive it. That time has come.

The 1,140 horsepower sounds impressive when you read about it in the specifications sheet, but it's certainly more impressive when you experience it firsthand. However, most of the time, you won't even have access to the whole stud herd. Only 845 hp are available during normal driving, which is nothing to scoff at, mind you. It's still enough power to push your stomach to your rib cage in a very mechanical way. 

If you're still not impressed, Porsche's "push to pass" button adds 175 hp for 10 seconds. To unlock the full 1,140 horsepower potential, you'll have to engage launch control from a standstill in Sport Plus driving mode. Since the test drive was conducted on public roads, such an opportunity did not present itself during my test drive. 

Believe it or not, the Cayenne Turbo Electric has the same 0-100 kph (0-62 mph) acceleration time as the 911 Turbo S: 2.5 seconds. However, the similarities end here, as they have wildly different personalities, as expected. The Cayenne Turbo Electric is a drag beast, despite its 2,600 kg (5,700 lb), but it's far more disconnected from the road and obviously not as engaging to drive. 

On the plus side, the Cayenne remains extremely stable and planted even during cornering, thanks to its active suspension. My tester was equipped with the optional Porsche Active Ride suspension, which is a first for the Cayenne. This does wonders at smoothing out body movements, both during acceleration and braking, and during cornering. 

If you can tolerate the steep price of the Cayenne Turbo Electric, which starts at under 170,000 euros in Europe and $163,000 in the US, the top athlete is a no-brainer. It's mind-bogglingly fast, although you will be surprised at how gently it can put the 1,140-hp power to the ground. With the top suspension, it handles great without sacrificing comfort, and that's a monumental achievement for such a heavy SUV.

For the full article, please continue reading on our site.

By: Aurel Niculescu

Wedge shapes are decidedly back in fashion because EVs need to be very efficient from the aerodynamic standpoint in order to maximize range. But why did the designers extract the soul of these cars, stomp on them, and throw them into the garbage bin? These aren’t smartphones, you know that, Ferrari and Mercedes-AMG?

May 20 and 25, 2026, are two dates that the Internet may never forget. That’s when Mercedes-AMG and Ferrari officially unveiled their new EV flagships, the GT 4-Door Coupe and the Luce. Since they are so closely grouped and they may have similar sales targets (though not also the prices, hopefully), they look like competitors: one focused on performance and the other on bringing back fond memories of how Jony Ive changed the world forever with the design of the original Apple iPhone.

Frankly, I’m not going to go out on a limb and contest the engineering work. I’m pretty sure it’s as safe as a vault because Mercedes-AMG and Ferrari have a ton of experience with performance cars, and they have had ample time to refine the EV capabilities of these new platforms. Also, the horsepower race is getting pretty bonkers: Mercedes-AMG has a Formula 1-based 800-volt battery pack and three axial flux motors, with the GT rocking up to 860 kW or 1,169 ps or 1,153 horsepower.

Meanwhile, the slightly more relaxed Ferrari Luce isn’t far away: 1,050 ps or 1,035 horsepower, which is still enough to fight the defunct Tesla Model S Plaid at the American quarter-mile dragstrip. Mercedes-AMG also touts a charging speed of 600 kW, a fake V8 “experience,” semi-active roll stabilization for the AMG Active Ride Control suspension to contain the whale-like weight. Ferrari is a bit franker: they say right from the onset that their Luce is pretty chunky: the curb weight is 2,260 kg or 4,982 pounds.

The Mercedes-AMG isn’t hiding the weight, but you have to know where to look for it: 2,460 kilograms or no less than 5,423 pounds! It’s not the worst, by the way, as the BMW M5 sedan has a curb weight of 5,390 pounds or 2,435 kg, and the Touring model is up to 5,530 lbs or 2,508 kilograms. To put all these figures into perspective, the smallest John Deere tractors can weigh as low as 1,433 pounds or 650 kg! Meanwhile, the massively popular John Deere 5050D global utility (agriculture/landscaping) model weighs around 4k pounds or 1,810 kg!

However, we’ve gathered here because the designs of these two models have set the Internet ablaze – and not because of positive recommendations. As far as I am concerned, I think that beauty is always in the eye of the beholder, and most likely, there will be folks who either love or hate the Ferrari Luce and Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupe. But the truth is, I have a raft of unanswered questions. Maybe you can help me in the comments section.

So, let’s get started. Because it’s a few days older, let’s kick off the proceedings with the Mercedes-AMG. First and foremost, I wonder if Mercedes-AMG’s designers have ever seen the Xiaomi SU7 full-size four-door fastback EV, made by Xiaomi Auto, an electric vehicle subsidiary of the Chinese consumer electronics company Xiaomi? If their answer is yes, then why did they give the GT 4-Door almost the same front fascia?

For the full article, please continue reading on our site.

By: Mircea Panait

While it may have been a busy week for the carparazzi, the yet-unreleased model that captured our attention the most here at autoevolution is a weird-looking 718 Boxster Electric prototype. As opposed to earlier sightings, the black-painted sports car in question features Ingolstadt license plates, an easy-to-miss particularity that indicates the Audi brand's involvement.

Given that its body panels are 100 percent Porsche rather than Audi, what is the Ingolstadt-based company testing here? Based on the existence of the Concept C, whose monolithic and minimalist stylistic traits were applied to Audi's take on the Lamborghini Temerario, the German automaker is developing a TT-replacing electric sports car with potentially two body styles.

Because of its 718 Boxster Electric overalls, the yet-unnamed model should feature a dual-motor option advertised under the quattro handle. Its battery location and packaging should also mirror the mid-battery setup of the Porker, with Audi targeting a near-perfect weight distribution. Chief executive officer Gernot Dollner locked in a 2027 start of production date for the newcomer.

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The rendering scene was ablaze this past week, especially after Mercedes-AMG and Ferrari were pretty much humiliated by the Audi Nuvolari plug-in hybrid V8 supercar in terms of design. One unofficial design study that I really liked for being extremely loyal to the real thing's proportions and styling is the Citroen 2CV of Kleber Silva, namely a small electric hatchback that Citroen previewed in May 2026.

Aimed at the cheap battery-electric vehicle market in Europe, the second coming of the 2CV pays tribute to the Tin Snail from the good ol' days in a couple of ways. First and foremost, its highly retro-futuristic aesthetic evokes the signature curved silhouette of the original that Citroen produced in over 5 million units between 1948 and 1990.

Just like its forerunner, it will be within the reach of many as well. Citroen wants to sell it for around 15,000 euros, positioning the all-new 2SC as a mass-market urban electric car. Extremely similar to the hatchback teased by Citroen last month, the rendered vehicle also carries over the production vehicle's illuminated front double chevron badge.

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Another extremely realistic unofficial rendering comes from Kolesa's pixel master Nikita Chuyko, whose digital interpretation of the Mitsubishi Pajero proposes an upright and blocky stance inspired by the last generation of the off-road icon. Confirmed to have Triton/L200 underpinnings, the body-on-frame SUV will premiere this fall, making it a 2027 model.

Not yet confirmed for the United States, and probably never coming there due to Thai production and a ladder-frame architecture that wasn't developed with North America in mind, the next Pajero is an imposing vehicle with prominent slats up front and Y-shaped running lights. A full-width upper light strip connects the running lights, whereas the primary headlight clusters are stacked vertically underneath.

Further gifted with a muscular profile and a relatively flat roofline, the Pajero is rocking Y-shaped lights out back as well. Mirroring the front lighting arrangement, a horizontal strip of light-emitting diodes spans the tailgate, making the Pajero look wider than it actually is. Under the hood, our best guess is a twin-turbo I4 diesel as the base powertrain. Later on, a hybrid option is almost certain to be introduced.

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Nikita Chuyko also penned a speculative interpretation of BMW's next M3 Touring, an internal combustion performance wagon that stands out from the current model through Neue Klasse front and rear styling cues. Heavily inspired by the i3 Sedan and the previewed i3 Touring, the rendered vehicle carries over the quad exhaust system of the G81-chassis BMW M3 Touring.

The Bavarian automaker is understood to be developing a four-motor iM3 Touring electric longroof derived from the i3 Touring, therefore implying that BMW is also eyeing an internal combustion equivalent. If there is a case to be made for such a car, look forward to an evolution of the Cluster Architecture underneath and the hybridized I6 engine of the G84-chassis M3.

As is the case today with the M3 Touring, its potential replacement won't offer three pedals. Beyond the massive peak torque of the twin-turbo I6 hiding underhood, another limiting factor is the electric assistance side of the powertrain. Little by little, the manual transmission will disappear from the M range in favor of ZF's universally acclaimed eight-speed automatic.

By: Bogdan Popa

Forza Horizon 6 is here, but with so many game releases on the radar, it’s hard not to look beyond Playground’s new title and be excited about what’s to come. For example, Stuntman is returning with big changes, including real movies, such as Back to the Future, Knight Rider, and Fast and Furious.

Hot Wheels is also getting a refresh with the introduction of Infinite Rush. Scheduled to go live in September, the new Hot Wheels will include over 150 cars, four islands, and more challenges to keep you entertained while playing the solo mode.

GTA 6 is also coming, and people seem to dissect every little thing related to this game in an attempt to figure out unannounced details. Someone spent days monitoring Rockstar’s parking lot looking for evidence that a new trailer is coming.

A politician wants GTA 6 banned because he doesn’t think male dancers are moral, while a YouTuber rushed into Rockstar’s building, hoping to get juicy details directly from devs.

Otherwise, Ford told CarPlay users to update their iPhones, while Google quietly started rolling out a Google Maps update for Android Auto users with a new traffic report popup layout.

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