Today in Cars: Sensible Speed, Smarter SUVs, and a Hillclimb Shake‑up

I love Mondays when the industry collectively takes a deep breath and decides to be realistic. Not boring—realistic. Today’s brief is a tapestry of grown-up performance EVs, a possible hole in Porsche’s product plan, a new family hauler from Honda for right-hand-drive markets, and a Pikes Peak headline that’ll make Corvette fans cheer (even if Ford took the bigger trophy). I’ve sprinkled in some lived-in notes—what worked on rough roads, what didn’t, what might make your ski trips easier—because cars are more than stats on a slide.

Quick Hits

• Honda is reportedly cooking up a right-hand-drive three-row SUV to take on Hyundai Santa Fe—think family-first packaging, likely hybrid-heavy.
• Porsche’s planned three-row flagship SUV is in doubt as the brand aims for fewer, higher-margin sales rather than a volume grab.
• BYD’s Atto 2 DM-i plug-in hybrid is expected in Australia within months and could be the country’s cheapest PHEV.



• Hyundai says its next wave of electric N cars will be “more realistic”—track thrills without the daily compromises.
• BMW claims the upcoming electric M3 is “amazing” to drive without chasing horsepower numbers.
• Ford’s secretive, F1-flavored “skunkworks” EVs could come to Europe.
• Corvette ZR1X sets a new Pikes Peak production record; Ford wins overall up the 14,115-foot mountain.

Family SUV Chess: Honda Makes a Right-Hand Move, Porsche Pauses

According to reports out of Australia, Honda is developing a three-row SUV for right-hand-drive markets. If you’ve ever tried to wedge a stroller, a golden retriever, and hockey gear into a CR‑V, you’ll understand why this matters. The Santa Fe is the pragmatic yardstick—two usable rows plus a “sometimes” third—and Honda has the packaging chops to do it properly. My hunch? Hybrid will be the headline act. When I’ve driven Honda’s latest e:HEV setups, they nail the urban glide while keeping highway revs relaxed.

Meanwhile, Porsche’s mooted three-row range-topper—often whispered about as a tech-heavy, ultra-luxe halo—appears in doubt as the company shifts to lower overall sales targets. It’s a philosophical reset: exclusivity over expansion. As someone who’s dailyed a Macan and road-tripped a Cayenne, I’ll say this—Porsche’s magic is focus. If a mega three-row blurs that, walking it back is probably wise.

Snapshot: Three-Row Family Players (and Maybes)

BYD’s Wallet-Friendly PHEV Play

CarExpert tips the BYD Atto 2 DM‑i for Australia within months, potentially undercutting every other plug-in hybrid on price. In other DM‑i models I’ve driven, BYD’s serial-hybrid logic is smooth off the line and sips fuel in traffic—perfect for Sydney commutes or school runs with stop-and-go silliness. Two caveats based on my seat time with BYD’s recent crop: keep an eye on infotainment response (it can lag when the cabin’s cold) and check where the charging cable actually lives—the well is shallow in some variants and loves to tangle with the tire kit.

Performance EVs Grow Up (In a Good Way)

Autocar reports Hyundai’s next-gen electric N machines will be “more realistic.” Translation: less gimmick, more repeatable fun. When I hustled an Ioniq 5 N across broken B-roads, the limiting factors weren’t fireworks—they were heat and tires. If Hyundai is steering toward endurance-friendly cooling, saner curb weights, and more honest steering feel, that’s exactly the maturity EV performance needs.

BMW, meanwhile, is talking up its coming electric M3—not for eye-watering kilowatts, but for the way it drives. I’m here for that. The best Ms have always been about chassis feel first, numbers second. If the e‑M3 leans into instant torque with smart torque-vectoring and a brake-by-wire tune that actually breathes on a back road, enthusiasts will forgive whatever the headline horsepower is.

And Ford? Autocar says the brand’s F1-inspired “skunkworks” EV program might land in Europe. If those lessons show up as compact, lightweight specials with ruthless aero and cooling, we’re going to have some very fast, very usable EVs—cars you can track Saturday and commute Monday without carrying three charging plans in your pocket.

What to Watch For in the Next Wave of Performance EVs

• Thermal management that survives more than two hot laps.
• Weight discipline—smart packaging over battery bloat.
• Pedal feel that’s consistent as regen blends with friction brakes.
• Road-noise tuning: big rubber plus big weight can drone on coarse chip.

Pikes Peak: Records, Rain Clouds, and Reality

Up at 14,115 feet where engines gasp and batteries chill, the 2026 running of Pikes Peak delivered split headlines: per reports, a Corvette ZR1X set a new production-car record, while Ford took overall honors with its entry. Two truths from the mountain after years of covering (and occasionally freezing on) that start line:

• The aero that looks silly at sea level makes total sense above the tree line.
• Consistency beats a single hero sector—especially when the surface changes three times from Start to the W’s.

Production-car bragging rights matter because they echo on showroom floors. Overall wins matter because engineering teams learn a decade’s worth of lessons in ten minutes. Everyone wins, including the nerds like me who watch tire temperatures like a day trader watches the Dow.

Autonomy at the ‘Ring: Could You Beat a Driverless Lap?

Carscoops flagged a driverless Xiaomi prototype lapping the Nürburgring—and suggested that an enthusiastic human might be quicker. That tracks with what I’ve seen. Autonomy is brilliant at predictability; the ‘Ring is a masterclass in chaos. On a recent tourist day, I watched five corners swing from dry to damp to dry again thanks to one cloud. Humans adapt, algorithms iterate. For now, your brain still has the edge in the Eifel—especially if you’ve memorized the bumps at Pflanzgarten.

Industry Pulse: Policy, Data, and a Junkyard Palate Cleanser

Toyota has warned that strict “Made in Europe” rules, if overcooked, could isolate the EU from global supply chains just as the EV transition needs flexibility. Regardless of brand loyalty, that’s one to watch—the ingredient list matters as much as the recipe when you’re building millions of cars.

Data nerds, rejoice: CarExpert has launched a Sales Atlas for new-vehicle sales. If you’re the type who brings charts to the pub (hi, it me), this sounds like catnip—market share shifts, segment swings, the works.

And because every car story deserves a little rust and romance, Autocar’s junkyard finds out of French Lake Auto Parts in Minnesota delivered proper nostalgia. If you’ve never lost a Saturday combing through door cards and badge fonts, put it on your list. Bring gloves. And a tetanus shot.

Garage Life: Deals Season Is Here

Road & Track rounded up Prime Day picks—from dash cams and tire inflators to detailing kits and LEGO car sets. If you’ve been putting off outfitting a road-trip kit, here’s your nudge. My under-$100 standbys for long hauls:

• Compact inflator with a digital readout and a screw-on chuck (less bleed, fewer swear words).
• Low-profile jump pack that also charges your phone overnight at a campsite.
• Two microfiber stacks: one you baby, one you abuse. Label them. Trust me.

Bottom Line

Today reads like a reset: performance EVs focused on durability and feel, family SUVs built for real lives, and racing that still teaches everyone something. Fewer vanity projects, more cars you’ll actually want to live with. I’ll take that trade every time.

FAQ

Is Honda really launching a new three-row SUV for right-hand-drive markets?

Reports indicate Honda is developing a Santa Fe-sized, three-row SUV aimed at right-hand-drive regions. Expect hybrid power and family-first packaging.

What happened to Porsche’s rumored three-row flagship?

According to recent reporting, the project is in doubt as Porsche targets lower overall sales and sharper brand focus.

Could the BYD Atto 2 DM‑i be Australia’s cheapest PHEV?

That’s the expectation. It’s reportedly due within months and positioned aggressively on price, with BYD’s smooth DM‑i hybrid tech.

Are performance EVs moving away from headline horsepower?

Yes. Hyundai and BMW both point to drivability, heat management, and feel over raw output—good news for track days and daily use alike.

Who won Pikes Peak this year?

A Ford entry took overall honors, while the Corvette ZR1X claimed a new production-car record per the latest reports.