Auto - TechEBlog

This 2006 Aston Martin DB9 Delivers James Bond Thrills With Flames and Corvette Power

By Bill Smith May 23, 2026

Silver paint catches every ray of sunlight across the smooth curves of this 2006 Aston Martin DB9. A linear actuator tilts the front fascia forward on hinged brackets. Twin assemblies shaped like miniguns slide into view right behind the grille. Propane and oxygen tanks stored in the trunk feed these devices so they shoot real flames when activated. Smoke canisters mounted on the rear subframe release thick clouds for equally dramatic exits. These effects turn the car into a rolling tribute to James Bond without any actual weapons involved.

Xiaomi’s YU7 GT Claims the Nürburgring Crown Among SUVs

By Bill Smith May 22, 2026

Ren Zhoucan lapped the Nordschleife at an amazing pace of 7 minutes 34.93 seconds in a Xiaomi YU7 GT. The time is almost two seconds faster than the earlier record held by the Audi RS Q8, which is no mean feat considering how fast the Audi went. Interestingly enough, the earlier record of 7 minutes 36.69 seconds has stood since 2024.

BMW Motorrad Vision K18 Concept Teases a Striking Cruiser That Draws Speed Straight from the Skies

By Bill Smith May 21, 2026

BMW Motorrad revealed its latest vision motorcycle at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este on Lake Como this May. Called the Vision K18, the machine turns heads with its long, low lines and unmistakable presence. Designers looked to high-speed aircraft for guidance, crafting a form that feels ready to launch even when parked on the pavement.

Mercedes-AMG’s GT 4-Door Coupe Finally Goes Electric, Packs Over 1,110HP

By Bill Smith May 20, 2026

Mercedes-AMG just revealed its most powerful vehicle ever, and this time the GT 4-Door Coupe runs purely on electricity. Available in two versions, the GT 55 and the flagship GT 63, the new model swaps out any combustion engine for three axial flux motors that sit low and deliver instant force without any lag. The top version hits 1,153 horsepower when conditions line up, enough to push it from zero to 60 miles per hour in about two seconds. Even the milder GT 55 produces 805 horsepower and covers the same sprint in roughly 2.4 seconds. Both models share the same long, low body that stretches just over 200 inches from nose to tail, yet they weigh around 5,423 pounds thanks to a mix of aluminum, steel, and carbon-fiber pieces that keep everything stiff.

Tesla Cybertruck Driver’s Lake Test for Wade Mode Lands Him in Custody

By Bill Smith May 20, 2026

Monday evening at Katie’s Woods Park in Grapevine a silver Cybertruck eased down the boat ramp and entered the waters of Grapevine Lake. Jimmy Jack McDaniel sat behind the wheel with two visitors from Germany along for the ride. He had tried this before with success or so he later told officers. This time the water proved too much.

BYU Students Push a Tiny Car to 2,145 Miles on One Gallon of Fuel

By Bill Smith May 19, 2026

photo credit: Nate Edwards | BYU
Last month at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway a team of BYU engineers sent their hand-built machine around a ten-mile course and recorded a result that still seems impossible on paper. Their vehicle covered the distance using barely a thimbleful of ethanol and returned 2,145 miles per gallon, enough to carry the same amount of fuel from Provo, Utah, all the way to New York City.

XPeng Rolls Out China’s First Mass-Produced Robotaxi from the Factory

By Bill Smith May 18, 2026

News came straight from Guangzhou this morning. XPeng has now sent the first robotaxi built for large-scale output down its assembly line. This marks the initial time any carmaker in the country has reached that stage through its own complete development process. Production took place at the company’s plants serving the region. The vehicle draws on the GX platform already used for one of XPeng’s full-size SUVs sold to regular buyers.

Ouster’s REV8 Sensors Turn Laser Scans into Full-Color 3D LiDAR Maps

By Jackson Chung May 17, 2026

Engineers at Ouster just released a fresh lineup of color LiDAR sensors called the REV8 OS family. These devices shoot out laser beams to measure distances and build detailed three-dimensional views of the world around them. What stands out right away comes from a new chip inside each one. Developed together with Fujifilm, this L4 chip adds accurate color information straight to every measurement point during the scan itself.

SmartBay AI Robot Handles Tire Swaps Without Removing Wheels from the Car

By Bill Smith May 16, 2026

Automated Tire Inc. spent years in Boston perfecting a robotic system that takes over the dirtiest, most tiring part of any service bay. Called SmartBay, the machine steps right into a standard twelve-foot bay and goes to work on tires while the wheel stays bolted to the vehicle. Shops now have a practical way to move more cars through the day without adding extra hands or forcing techs to wrestle heavy assemblies on and off machines.

Jaguar Type 01 Surfaces in Monaco as Its First Public Glimpse Arrives

By Bill Smith May 16, 2026

Prototypes of the Jaguar Type 01 rolled quietly through the winding streets of Monaco this weekend, parked in plain view just hours before the Formula E race weekend kicked off. The four-door electric grand tourer wore a bold camouflage wrap in red, white, and beige, with its new name printed large across the roof so no one could miss it. Crowds gathered along the harbor and narrow roads caught sight of the long hood, slim headlights, and clean lines that mark the start of something fresh for the British brand.