News

From 29 July to 31 August 2026, BMW is showing all 20 of its Art Cars together for the first time ever at BMW Welt in Munich, with the opening ceremony on 28 July. The collection spans 50 years and artists from Alexander Calder and Andy Warhol to Jeff Koons and Julie Mehretu. Entry is free, and it marks the finale of a world tour across more than 30 countries.

HWA has revealed the Tribute Edition, a limited run of 25 cars honouring founder Hans Werner Aufrecht, the A in AMG. Based on the Mercedes-AMG GT 63 and technically re-engineered by HWA, it makes up to 685 hp and 870 Nm, with bespoke motorsport-inspired design inside and out. Each car is numbered and individually configurable. HWA has not disclosed a price.

The FIA and ACO have confirmed the 2026 FIA WEC season will finish in Europe, with the 6 Hours of Barcelona and 6 Hours of Monza replacing the originally planned Qatar and Bahrain rounds. The change follows the regional conflict in the Middle East, and organisers say they intend to return there in 2027.

Italy has temporarily cut its diesel excise by 14 cents per litre from 28 July to 6 August 2026, worth around 17 cents at the pump with VAT, to soften an oil-price spike. The move partly reverses a January reform that raised diesel tax to match petrol and ended the fuel's long-standing advantage. It shows how hard it is to run a green fuel policy and a cost-of-living policy at once.

Fiat has suspended new passenger car imports to Australia after selling just 144 cars in the first half of 2026, a 30 percent drop, with its range there reduced to the 500e and Abarth 500e. Commercial vehicles, which sell far better, are unaffected. Stellantis says it is not leaving, only pausing while it evaluates future models, and points to the Grande Panda and Grizzly as candidates.

Ferrari has been evaluating potential development parts for the 499P at Monza, pointing toward the 2027 FIA WEC Hypercar season rather than any immediate update. Programme boss Antonello Coletta maintains the current car is competitive without changes, even as testing continues and the car goes through 2026 without a Le Mans win.

For the Road America 6 Hours on 2 August, the two Penske Porsche 963s wear heritage liveries marking 75 years of Porsche motorsport and 60 of Team Penske. Car 6 honours the Sunoco 917/30 and is shared by Kevin Estre and Belgium's Laurens Vanthoor; car 7 recalls the 2007 RS Spyder.

Maserati has unveiled a one-off GT2 Stradale in Modena that pays tribute to the MC12, built for a single collector through its Fuoriserie personalisation programme. The Leggenda livery recreates the Vitaphone Racing MC12 GT1 that won three times at the 24 Hours of Spa. Underneath is the standard GT2 Stradale with its 640 hp Nettuno V6. Only one exists, and the price was not disclosed.

Peugeot has confirmed that its 9X8 Le Mans Hypercar enters a new development phase, with a revised approach to performance, efficiency and design for the 2027 WEC season. The key message is that Peugeot is continuing rather than withdrawing, despite years of inconsistent results. Team principal Emmanuel Esnault says the goal is to position the 9X8 consistently among the top contenders.