Today in Cars: EV Reality Checks, V8 Comebacks, and a $442k Skyline

I started the morning the way any car tragic does: coffee in one hand, half a dozen tabs open, and a scribble of “EVs, V8s, Duster?!” on the notepad. The news cycle’s serving a mixed platter today—policy rumblings, a Toyota tease, Cadillac bling, and a Nissan Skyline that just sold for house money. Let’s lap it together.

EV reset, hybrid honesty: Europe rethinks, Ferrari owners don’t plug in, Toyota teases

Autocar’s business desk makes the kind of point you only make after living through the last three years of electric car chaos: Europe’s premium brands can’t afford a second wave of EV blunders. Price misreads, software snafus, charging naivety—do that dance again and watch customers develop trust issues. The next wave has to be laser-targeted, honed, and (crucially) desirable.

On that “desirable” note, Toyota just teased a new SUV—CarExpert wondered aloud whether we’re looking at the first electric LandCruiser or an electric Kluger (Highlander to some of us). The silhouette hints at something substantial. If Toyota puts its truck-durable battery know-how behind it, school runs and desert tracks might both be in play. I’m picturing a weekend in the Snowies with silent torque and no servo stops—if they get the charging curve right.

Meanwhile, Ferrari’s real-world data throws a bucket of cold water on hybrid optimism. CarExpert reports owners of the brand’s plug-in hybrids aren’t exactly leaping for the charge port. It tracks with what I’ve heard from a few PHEV owners generally: if the engine is this good and petrol is this available, the cable stays in the boot. The climate math suffers; so does the promise of low-cost commuting. Hybrids work brilliantly when you treat them like EVs with a backup engine—many don’t.

Regulators and robots: DOT mulls AI rule-writing; Australia backs an AV startup

Carscoops flagged a spicy one: the U.S. Department of Transportation is weighing whether to use AI to write rules in minutes. The idea of software spitting out safety regs that govern billions of miles of traffic? Efficient—and a little terrifying, say critics. As someone who’s lived with lane keepers that occasionally go sightseeing, I’d like the humans to stay in the loop. At least for the footnotes.

Closer to home, CarExpert says an Australian autonomous vehicle startup led by a former Holden engineer has secured government backing. That’s the kind of seed money that turns prototypes into test fleets. It also signals something important: if Canberra’s funding local autonomy brains, we’re not just buying tech off the shelf; we’re writing some of it ourselves. When I tried early Aussie-developed driver-assist on our lumpy rural lanes, the tuning felt smarter to the local conditions. More of that, please.

Daily driver tech that actually helps: Honda Accord keeps it calm

CarExpert took a look at how the latest Honda Accord uses new tech to make driving more enjoyable. This is where I’ve warmed to Honda lately. The interface is simple, the driver aids stay polite, and the hybrid powertrain glides through traffic without drama. On a gloomy weekday slog, I’ll take clear menus and a steady lane centering system over another half-baked “hands-off” promise. Small wins add up—especially when you’re late for a school pickup.

• Clean, quick infotainment responses (no hunt-the-icon nonsense)
• Well-calibrated driver assistance that doesn’t nag
• Hybrid smoothness that makes city miles feel shorter

Trucks and trail toys: Silverado readies a new V8, Grenadier stays old-school tough

Chevy’s not done with the bent-eight. According to CarExpert, the 2027 Silverado will debut this year with a new generation and a new V8 under the hood. That’s not nostalgia—that’s serving the customer base. When I towed a car trailer across a baking stretch of highway last summer, the simplicity of a big-cube engine and a sensible transmission felt like a cold drink. The trick will be balancing grunt with sensible consumption and modern emissions kit.

• New-generation Silverado debuting this year
• Fresh V8 on the menu (specs still under wraps)
• Expect a tech overhaul alongside the hardware

Over in the analog corner, Autocar revisited the Ineos Grenadier. Every time I’ve bounced one along a rutted farm track, I’ve come away grinning. It’s a throwback that’s nailed the brief: body-on-frame, proper axles, and controls you can use with gloves. It’s not a latte SUV. It’s a thermos-and-lunchbox one. And the world’s better for having it.

Family SUVs: Duster goes upmarket in India, Santa Fe 2027 teases a rethink

CarExpert reports the new Renault Duster has launched in India, with a more luxurious push but no plans for Australia. That’s a shame; a comfy, honest, value-led SUV can be exactly what a young family needs. The last Duster I drove (on different shores) won me over with upright visibility and a cabin that handled sand, snacks, and the occasional Labrador.

Carscoops hints Hyundai is thinking “outside the box” for the 2027 Santa Fe, which is a cheeky line given the current one’s very boxy swagger. Whether that means packaging tricks, clever storage, or a design pivot, the Santa Fe’s been on a roll with family-first thinking. If they keep the square cargo space and add more brains, school runs and ski weekends will thank them.

Three-row and family SUV snapshot

Enthusiast corner: Cadillac sells style, Nissan Skyline sells history

Carscoops spotted Cadillac offering a $27,000 option package for the CT5-V Blackwing that adds precisely zero horsepower. And you know what? The 668-hp supercharged V8 doesn’t need any more. If the kit—dubbed the Deep Ocean Package—brings exclusivity, paint, trim, and the kind of curbside drama that makes valets grin, some owners will say “take my money.” When I had a Blackwing for a weekend, the party trick wasn’t just speed; it was the fizz in your fingertips at 3,000 rpm.

Then there’s the sale that sent Group B-era eyebrows skyward: Someone paid $442,000 for a 2002 Nissan Skyline, per Carscoops. Rarity, spec, provenance—all the usual auction fireworks—but it speaks to where JDM legends now sit in the pantheon. Park that next to a modern super-sedan and watch the crowd drift toward the one with the triple gauges and the cult following.

Quick hits

• EV strategies must mature: Premium brands can’t survive another round of misjudged pricing and unpolished software.
• PHEVs only work if you plug them in: Ferrari owners aren’t, says CarExpert, and the emissions math suffers.
• Regulators weigh AI: DOT’s potential use raises speed-versus-scrutiny questions.
• V8s still matter: Silverado’s next-gen engine aims to keep heavy-duty buyers loyal.
• Rugged is alive: Grenadier continues as the anti-crossover, by design.

Conclusion

The car world’s in one of those weird, glorious overlaps: old-school V8s are evolving, EVs are sobering up, hybrids are getting a reality check, and regulators are flirting with AI. In the middle of it, a Toyota tease can light up off-road forums, a Duster can make a family’s day, and a Skyline can outbid your mortgage. Wouldn’t have it any other way.

FAQ

• Is Toyota’s teased SUV an electric LandCruiser?
  Toyota hasn’t confirmed. The silhouette and timing suggest a large electric SUV; whether it wears a LandCruiser or Kluger/Highlander badge remains to be seen.
• Why don’t many PHEV owners charge regularly?
  Convenience and habit—if petrol is easy and the car performs well without plugging in, some owners skip the cable. That undermines fuel and emissions benefits.
• Will the 2027 Chevrolet Silverado keep a V8?
  Yes. CarExpert reports the new-gen Silverado debuts this year with a new V8 in the lineup. Specs are yet to be detailed.
• What’s special about the CT5-V Blackwing $27k package?
  It’s about exclusivity and appearance rather than power. The Blackwing already packs a 668-hp supercharged V8.
• Is the new Renault Duster coming to Australia?
  No. CarExpert reports the new, more luxurious Duster has launched in India but isn’t planned for Australia.