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Maserati's Bottegafuoriserie bespoke division is developing a limited-production front-engined GT powered by the Nettuno V6, fitted with a manual gearbox and built in collaboration with Alfa Romeo. The project has been confirmed by Cristiano Fiorio, who oversees Bottegafuoriserie, and engineering chief Davide Danesin, who said the manual transmission suits the mechanical and classical character the car is meant to embody. Production will be strictly limited, and it represents Maserati's most pointed statement yet that driver engagement, not electrification, is at the heart of what the brand wants to stand for.

Porsche CEO Michael Leiters is pushing to finalise a second cost-cutting package before the factory holidays in July. The plan involves cutting 1,900 jobs over the coming years, on top of 2,000 temporary workers let go last year, and running production below the roughly 280,000 cars Porsche sold previously. Squeezed by tariffs and weak demand in China, Leiters says Porsche must "make money with fewer cars."

Aston Martin CEO Adrian Hallmark has confirmed a major strategic shift: rather than chasing 10,000 annual sales, the brand will deliberately cap production at 6,500 to 7,000 cars a year to protect its exclusivity, cutting overhead by around 30 percent. One of its three front-engined GT models will be dropped, the remaining cars gain more variants, the twin-turbo V12 is safe until at least 2035, and plug-in hybrid development has been shelved.

Toyota's new CEO Kenta Kon, who arrived from the finance side of the business in June, has launched a war on waste and singled out the company's sprawling model range. He pointed to the growing number of specifications and variants as a source of inefficiency. Toyota offers 32 models in the US alone, plus 14 Lexus models, and more than 100 vehicles globally. The move comes after a sharp profit decline.

South Africa's Cape Advanced Vehicles, a GT40 specialist since 1999, has revealed the GT MkII, a spiritual successor to the Ford GT40 rather than a straight replica. It pairs a twin-supercharged 4.2-litre Audi V8 making 789 hp with all-wheel drive, an R8-derived platform and the choice of an automated, dual-clutch or full manual gearbox. It hits 100 km/h in 3.0 seconds and tops 328 km/h. Just 40 will be built as a 60th Anniversary Edition.

A newly surfaced Ferrari patent describes an electronic H-pattern shifter, a gated lever like the brand's classic open-gate manuals, that controls a modern automatic transmission by wire. There is no mechanical linkage: moving the lever sends an electronic signal to select gears. It is a patent rather than a confirmed product, but it points to Ferrari trying to recreate the feel of a manual without giving up the modern automatic.

The FIA World Endurance Championship has confirmed Silverstone's return for 2027, ending an eight-year absence. The 6 Hours of Silverstone takes place on 25 April 2027 as the third round of an expanded nine-race calendar, the longest WEC season since 2017. The British round joins Hypercar entries from Ferrari, Toyota, Aston Martin and newcomers Ford and McLaren.

From 1 July 2026, Belgium's immediate traffic fines, the on-the-spot penalties police issue without going to court, increase by 10 percent. A basic speeding fine in a 50 km/h zone rises from €58 to €64 plus the administration fee. The Belgian government announced the increase in December, confirmed by the federal mobility department. In 2025, traffic fines generated roughly €600 million from more than 10 million recorded violations.

MINI gave its Paul Smith Cabrio Edition a Belgian premiere in Antwerp on 18 June, bringing the British designer's playful stripes, Nottingham Green accents and hidden details to the open-top MINI. The Paul Smith Edition spans the full range, from three- and five-door Coopers to the Cabrio and electric versions, with Belgian prices starting at €34,430.