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The Sneaky Reign of White Cars
White continues to be America’s favorite automotive color, but why?
Sergiu Tudose
January 25th, 2026
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The Sneaky Reign of White Cars
By: Sergiu Tudose
According to a recent industry report, white continues to be everyone’s favorite automotive color, followed by black and gray. Roughly 29% of new vehicles sold globally last year were white, with black at 23% and gray at 22%.
Meanwhile, silver continues to slide, with blue remaining the most popular “actual” color. Everything else is in the single digits. So, what’s going on? Well, let’s not draw any lazy conclusions, such as how much people enjoy picking safe/neutral colors despite having more options than ever before.
We can do better, because we didn’t get here by accident. It’s true that white is dominant (for lack of a better term) because it fits how cars are purchased, used, and resold today. Let’s start with resale value. One thing white doesn’t do is age poorly, which is huge in the age of shorter ownership windows and leases. It’s a built-in advantage.
Then there’s the practical side of things. White can reflect heat better than darker colors, which is more than just a hypothetical benefit. Think about large vehicles with expansive glass roofs and dark leather interiors – you definitely don’t want them in black. You probably don’t want them in most colors. But white? It would make a difference, trust me.
Another thing that white does better than black is hide both dust and light scratches. It’s a more forgiving color. Sure, black looks amazing when freshly detailed, but the upkeep is more constant. White is just... acceptable most of the time, and that’s exactly what the average buyer looks for in a car.
As for fleets, they do matter. Whether corporate fleets or rental companies, ride-sharing companies, and so on. They overwhelmingly choose white for exclusively practical reasons, which in turn makes white cars seem more desirable than they are when it comes to market share. It’s got nothing to do with taste.
Of course, fleets don’t tell the whole picture, because there are still a lot of private buyers that prefer white cars to their alternatives.
Note: There’s lots more coming up, for the full article please continue on our site.
In 2026, EV-only Carmakers Apear Set to Getting Wrecked by Legacy Companies
By: Cristian Agatie
Ever since Tesla started installing electric motors in the Lotus Elise and calling it the Roadster, people mocked it and predicted legacy carmakers would wipe it out. Indeed, Tesla faced extinction shortly after the Roadster began deliveries due to the 2008 financial crisis. However, instead of being wiped out by legacy carmakers, Tesla was actually helped by those seeking access to its technology.
Just as the Model S successfully proved that electric vehicles can be aspirational and sexy, more people predicted Tesla's downfall. To its credit, the EV startup made it look easy to build and sell electric vehicles. We should forgive people for thinking at the time that Big Auto, with their endless coffers and big factories, could replicate everything Tesla did and scale it to the extreme.
After all, achieving high-volume manufacturing should not be that difficult once you have the technology and a working prototype. That's what carmakers do, they're good at manufacturing cars cheaply and in insane volumes. However, to the surprise of many, that didn't happen, and not for the lack of trying.
Almost every carmaker in North America and Europe has tried to eat Tesla's lunch, and almost every EV announced by legacy carmakers was considered a "Tesla killer" at the time of their launch. However, none of them killed Tesla, as you've already figured out. They did not even make a dent in Tesla's sales or revenue. On the contrary, they came and went without securing a place in the market.
Everyone is tired of the old "Tesla killer" cliche, especially as Tesla sales have remained virtually unaffected by supposed tough competitors throughout the years. However, things look different in 2026, both because Tesla dropped the ball and legacy carmakers stepped up their EV game. New EVs launching this year show that legacy carmakers are now beating EV-only companies at their own game.
For the full article, please continue reading on our site.
10 Minibricks Collectibles to Make You Feel Like a Kid Again
By: Dragos Chitulescu
Have you ever noticed how some kids only ever want to eat certain foods? I was like that for many years, but traveling the world helped me change for the better and once I exposed my taste buds to cuisines from almost 40 countries, I realized how wrong it is to be stuck in a food-loop.
This applies to many things in life, which is why it's nice to experiment with other diecast models than just Hot Wheels, for instance. Likewise, Mattel’s Brick Shop line doesn’t have to be better than what LEGO is doing: they’ll both be fun.
Recently, one of my colleagues pointed out a company I hadn’t even heard of: Minibricks. It has been around for a decade now and has created almost 1,000 different models. Some of the trucks, buses, JDM machines and German rally cars are exactly the ones I like most.
I plan on continuing my exploration of this building Universe in future stories. All the models you’ll see on today’s list are currently available for pre-order on the Minibricks web shop. Most of them are 1:24th-scale products, so just in between the Mattel Brick Shop Maserati we built last year and the ’90 Acura NSX (1:16).
British Classic Off-Roader
I think we can all tell what this one is. The name implies that an official license isn’t effect yet, which is why you won’t see any badges on.
It has the most pieces for assembly of all the small models here, which sounds like great value for under $40. The idea of the container is brilliant, too!
Toyota Land Cruiser
Notice that this is the Toyota Land Cruiser? It’s an officially licensed item, and it shows.I’d say it’s one of the hottest collectibles on this list, and it’s great to know we’ll have to go through 512 pieces to complete the “puzzle”.
The manufacturer even has a short video on building the thing, and you can apparently pop the hood for a glance at the engine inside. It’s Moonrock’s creation, and whoever he or she is, I hope they’ll be onboard for other projects soon.
Continued…
For the full article, please continue reading on our site.
Automotive Autopsy: Does Subaru Hit the Same Without the Legacy in the Lineup?
By: Benny Kirk
I grew up in the back, and then in the front, of a 2001 Subaru Outback station wagon. A car, I remind you, wouldn't have existed at all if not for the car it was based on, the Legacy. As of writing this, it’s not even been a full six months since the last Subaru Legacy sedan left the production room floor. But in that time, it feels like the entire makeup of the Subaru fleet feels different.
That’s all the more bizarre, because the rest of the lineup is more or less the same as it’s been for years, save for the second-generation Subaru Solterra.You have the new-age Outback, now bloated into a mid-size crossover, the Forrester and Ascent if you need a little extra space, plus the Solterra if you hate pumping gas. Elsewhere, the Impreza hatchback is still kicking, plus the BRZ and WRX for the thrill seekers. But still, no Legacy.
Well, its place in Subaru’s North American online catalog is still there, at least until Subaru finishes moving the bulk of whatever stock from the Legacy’s final production year. But once this process is finished and the last of the Legacys leaves the dealer’s lot, I bet you the whole vibe of the place will be altogether different.
The reason why can obviously be placed in part on familiarity. The Legacy was the Trojan horse Subaru once used to plant their flag permanently in North America. When it hit dealerships stateside in the US and Canada in 1989, Subaru was a company with a touch-and-go presence in the region. The brand first appeared on-shore under the Subaru of America banner in 1968, an import facilitated by the eccentric, Philadelphia-born business tycoon named Malcom Bricklin.
In its first two decades in operation, Subaru of America was effectively the import broker between cars manufactured in Japan and a small network of domestic dealerships on both coasts. Icons like the tiny 360 runabout, the Leone sedan, and the Brat light pickup gave Subaru a small cult following in the West.
But nothing that could challenge the might of Toyota, Honda, and the American big three, plus AMC, on their home soil. But the Legacy was intended to be the start of a new direction for Subaru in America. In the period the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry cemented themselves as America’s default basic personal transportation, Subaru’s design team gave consumers a slightly different perspective.
Subaru teamed with Isuzu in 1986 to construct a state-of-the-art production facility in Lafayette, Indiana. One that countered a similar Honda plant in Ohio, Nissan’s factory in Tennessee, and Toyota’s first US operation in Kentucky. Designed in Japan specifically for the market, the US-spec Legacy attempted to bridge the gap between practicality-focused name-brand cars from Toyota, Honda, and Nissan, and their luxury counterparts in Lexus, Acura, and Infiniti.
Note: please continue reading the full article on our site.
Spy Shots and Renderings of the Week
By: Mircea Panait
The 911 GT3 RS prepares to undergo its most dramatic update yet as increasingly more photographic evidence suggests a switch to forced induction. Expected to drop later this year as a 2027 model, the more track-centric brother of the 911 GT3 incorporated new front and rear bumpers that appear to have been designed with turbocharging in mind.
2027 Porsche 911 GT3 RS Facelift (992.2) - Spy Photo
Further evidence comes in the form of a pair of small exhaust pipes at the fringes of the redesigned aerodynamic diffuser. If the 992.2-phase 911 GT3 RS does go turbo, one has to wonder how is Porsche going to differentiate it from the next iteration of the 911 GT2 RS. In any case, the anticipated switch to forced induction was long in the making.
Citing more restrictive Euro 7 regulations, Porsche GT head Andreas Preuninger first confirmed that Zuffenhausen is weighing electric assistance or turbos in October 2024. Considering that the Carrera GTS and Turbo S feature electrically-assisted turbochargers, the GT3 RS could also combine electrification with forced induction. Beyond these changes, Porsche aerodynamicists have further worked their magic on the GT3 RS' rear wing.
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Mercedes-AMG has also been working hard this past week by testing the facelifted SL in sub-zero conditions. Also believed to drop for 2027, the German roadster follows in the footsteps of the completely new CLA and GLC with EQ Technology with three-pointed stars in the headlights.
The spied prototype is clearly an AMG that poses as the SL 680 Monogram Series from the Mercedes-Maybach brand. Its heavily camouflaged front end hides what matters the most about this facelift, although Mercedes also plans to surprise customers with a revised interior. Taking a cue from the refreshed S-Class, the SL may also get the latest iteration of the MBUX Hyperscreen.
Speaking of the S-Class, which Mercedes confirmed to adopt a flat-plane crankshaft V8, said engine is certain to find its way under the hood of the 2027 Mercedes-AMG SL as well. Building on the cross-plane M177 and the flat-plane M178 LS2, the mild-hybrid M177 Evo allegedly makes 530 horsepower and 553 pound-feet (750 Newton-meters) of torque in the 2027 model year S 580 4MATIC.
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While Porsche and Mercedes do their best to keep internal combustion relevant in the Euro 7 era, Ford continues to sell badge-engineered BEVs with nameplates that should have been reserved for more exciting vehicles. The Volkswagen ID.5-derived Capri sport utility vehicle comes to mind, a model that sells poorly on the Old Continent. So poorly that the Cologne plant has dropped a shift earlier this month.
2026
Ford Capri Fastback Coupe (rendering)
Ford of Europe cited rapidly deteriorating market conditions and customer demand that is significantly below industry forecasts, albeit ACEA registration data indicates a tremendous growth in BEV registrations compared to 2024. The ever-talented pixel master Theophilus Chin proposes a 2026 Ford Capri that says true to the old internal combustion model's fastback aesthetic, but not even such a dramatic switch in body style could help Capri sales.
Removing two doors and going for a hunkered-down sports car look inspired by the Nissan Z misses the point entirely because the Capri is a disappointment on multiple levels. From the naming controversy to the Volkswagen-in-a-Ford-suit shenanigans, the pricing overlap with premium brands, mediocre interior quality, and 400-volt electrical system, it's hard not to ask yourself what Ford of Europe was actually thinking it would happen.
Is Sure Looks Like Forza Horizon 6 Checks All the Boxes
By: Bogdan Popa
Big things are happening in the gaming space. The first Forza Horizon 6 trailer is out, and as we already knew, it's set in Japan. Over 550 cars are coming, and a PlayStation 5 version is also on the table for a 2026 release.
Forza Horizon 6 screenshot
There's also a lot of buzz in the software world. Google shipped Android Auto 16.0 and Android Auto 16.1, with the latter specifically aimed at beta testers. Ford released a new iPhone app update, and the changelog is worth checking out. The biggest change is aimed at F-150 owners, who can now see live video from the new camera kit announced in late 2025.
We live in a digital era, and while some people believe it's important to keep some things the way they are, police have a different opinion. Authorities in White County, Tennessee, have recently adopted the digital siren, a concept that allows drivers to be warned about nearby emergency vehicles on their phones.
You only need one app to get notifications, and police say you'll want to install it, considering they plan to send more types of alerts in the coming years.
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