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The first trailer for Maserati: The Brothers is out, with Anthony Hopkins, Al Pacino, Andy Garcia and Jessica Alba on the poster and none of them playing a Maserati brother. Director Bobby Moresco and producer Andrea Iervolino previously made the poorly received Lamborghini biopic. Due in early November, it runs from the 1914 Bologna workshop to the 8CTF's Indianapolis 500 wins.

Dylan Pereira has taken pole for the 48th 24 Hours of Zolder, putting his Ajith-RedAnt Porsche 911 GT3 Cup on top of the Superpole with a 1:29.733, the only driver under 1:30 and more than half a second clear. Paul Meijer and Glenn Van Parijs completed a Porsche one-two-three. The Belcar double-points enduro, with around 40 teams, starts on Saturday at 16:00, and one car, the Chevron GR8, is already fighting an engine problem to make the start.

Lepas, the fifth badge Chery has brought to Europe, has confirmed full specification for the L6 EV, its first electric SUV, with order books opening early in the fourth quarter. It offers 449 km of WLTP range, 120 kW charging and a seven-year warranty. The bigger story is the distribution push behind it, from a 60-retailer UK network to shiploads of L8 hybrids heading for southern Europe.

Xiaomi Auto put its first international website live on 26 August with one unambiguous line on the front page: officially coming to Europe in 2027. Alongside five showcased models sits a dealer and distribution inquiry portal, the clearest sign yet that the Chinese brand is building a retail network rather than testing the water. It comes while the car division is still losing money at home.

Volkswagen's €20,000 entry-level electric car is set to launch in autumn 2027 as the ID. Up rather than the ID.1, according to Spanish reports backed by a leaked plant document. The 3.88-metre four-seater enters production in Palmela, Portugal, from mid-2027 with 95 hp and at least 250 km of range. Reviving the badge Volkswagen retired in 2023 confirms the numbered ID names are being written off.

Lotus has confirmed the Esprit name returns in 2028 on the Type 135, a mid-engined hybrid with more than 1,000 hp, all-wheel drive and a kerb weight target under 1,500 kg. A cheaper V6 version will be sold alongside the hybrid V8, both using engines from Horse. The weight target rests on a Formula 1 style electric motor that Lotus says weighs about 20 kg instead of the usual 95.

Volkswagen has put the California badge on an electric van for the first time. The ID. California Cruise arrives in early 2027 from €60,761 with a bed for two, blackout blinds and a California Mode that runs the climate control for up to 48 hours, but no kitchen and no pop-up roof. Underneath sits the ID. Buzz Pro, with 286 hp, rear-wheel drive and a 79 or 86 kWh battery.

BMW has again ruled out a return to Formula 1, with M boss Frank van Meel arguing that the sport is “too much of a laboratory” and does too little for road-car development. BMW would rather invest in the WEC and IMSA with its M Hybrid V8, plus GT3 and GT4 customer racing, where the technology transfers directly to production. Van Meel has not ruled out F1 forever, but says it is wrong for this moment.

Bentley is returning to the Bathurst 12 Hour weekend in 2027, six years after its outright win, but not in the main race. A privately entered, first-generation Continental GT3 owned by the Miedecke family will race in the Enthusiast Motor Insurance Bathurst Sportscars and Sedans, a combined support grid of up to 55 cars, over the 11 to 14 February 2027 event. It is a privateer effort, not a works return.