News

Poland's traffic police are taking delivery of 100 BMW M340i xDrive saloons, each with a 392 hp straight-six good for 0-100 km/h in 4.3 seconds. The European Union is funding 10.3 million euros of the 12.7 million euro project through its FEnIKS programme, which also buys 100 laser speed guns and training. It is a road-safety push, and one of the fastest police fleets in Europe.

Porsche is selling MHP, its management and IT consultancy, to Tata Consultancy Services, and has signed a strategic AI partnership with the buyer covering engineering, manufacturing, operations and customer experience. MHP employs over 4,500 people in Ludwigsburg and keeps its brand as an independent consultancy under TCS. Porsche disclosed no financial terms, and the deal still needs regulatory approval before closing in the coming months.

Porsche has revealed the 911 Challenge, a new entry-level customer race car based on the 911 GT3. It keeps the 515 hp flat-six, PDK gearbox and even air conditioning so amateurs face a short learning curve, alongside full race kit like a roll cage and slicks. From 2027 it replaces the 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport as Porsche's starter car, the first time that rung is a 911.

Belgian used-car retailer My Way, working with diagnostics specialist MOBA, has tested the batteries of 2,500 used electric and plug-in hybrid cars and found an average State of Health of 95.9 percent. Most capacity loss happens early, then stabilises, and even cars past 100,000 km generally stay above 90 percent. It is powerful reassurance for used-EV buyers worried about battery wear.

Red Bull has confirmed Max vs 100, an event on 16 September at Silverstone in which Max Verstappen starts at the back of a 100-kart grid and must overtake every single driver before the race ends. The field mixes Red Bull athletes, celebrities, content creators and fans, on a bespoke track designed by David Terrien, and it streams live on Disney+ with game-style graphics and drone footage.

Grammy-winning DJ Black Coffee has won a court battle against Maserati South Africa over a bespoke MC20 Cielo that was never delivered. Left with no firm delivery date, he sued, and a Johannesburg judge ordered Maserati to repay his 7 million rand trade-in, about 375,000 euros, with 10.5 percent interest. The saga underlines the chaos at a struggling Maserati.

Suzuki has unveiled the e-Sky, an electric kei car weighing just 1,030 kg with a 26 kWh battery, up to 310 km of range on Japan's cycle and 63 hp. It reaches the UK and mainland Europe in 2027 for an expected sub-20,000 euros, targeting the Renault Twingo and Dacia Spring. It is exactly the kind of light, cheap small EV Europe keeps saying it needs.

Renault has updated the Renault 5 E-Tech Electric for 2026 with a new, cheaper entry model, more range and a smarter cabin. The new Five trim uses a 36.5 kWh LFP battery with 110 hp and up to 305 km of range, while the Urban and Comfort versions rise to 315 km and 430 km respectively. Belgian pricing starts at €28,100, with new tech including a Smart driving mode, a Qi2 wireless charger and Gemini AI replacing Google Assistant. Orders opened on 28 August.

Toyota is marking 60 years of the Corolla, the best-selling car in history with over 57 million sold across twelve generations, with a 60th Anniversary edition of the hatchback, Touring Sports and sedan. It adds exclusive blue paint, 17-inch alloys and anniversary detailing to the hybrid range (140 or 178 hp). Unusually, it is on sale across Europe now, with only the US getting a 2,500-unit limit.