Cars - TechEBlog

Tesla Stretches the Model Y L Into a Proper Six-Seat Family SUV for the US Market

By Bill Smith July 3, 2026

Tesla opened orders for the Model Y L across the United States on July 2. The new variant stretches the popular crossover to deliver a genuine six-passenger layout with a usable third row for the first time in this lineup. Engineers added six inches to the wheelbase and seven inches to overall length. They also increased height by roughly two inches compared with the standard Model Y. These changes turn the third row from an occasional squeeze into space that works for adults on longer drives or for carpool duty with kids and gear.

LEGO Assembles a Full Grid of Drivable Brick Minicars for Formula 1 Drivers at the British Grand Prix

By Bill Smith July 3, 2026

Silverstone gets ready for a different kind of lap this weekend when all 22 Formula 1 drivers take the wheel of minicars made from LEGO bricks. Builders at the LEGO factory in Kladno, Czech Republic, put more than 6,400 hours into creating these 22 vehicles. Each one incorporates over 28,000 bricks arranged over a steel frame to match the specific livery of every team on the grid. Driver numbers and team emblems appear in their proper places with a playful LEGO touch.

Bugatti’s One-Off Mistral Blanc Éternel Pairs Actual Porcelain With Its Final W16 Power

By Bill Smith July 1, 2026

A hypercar that carries real fired porcelain on its fuel cap, oil cap, badges, and several interior controls sounds like an unusual experiment. Bugatti made it real with the W16 Mistral Blanc Éternel, a single custom commission built through its Sur Mesure program. This roadster serves as the final road-going expression of the long-running W16 engine before the brand moves on.

BMW Gives Its 2027 X5 a Sharper Look With Winglet Doors and Launches a Long Range iX5 Electric Version

By Bill Smith July 1, 2026

BMW revealed the fifth generation of its X5 at the Spartanburg plant in South Carolina, the same facility that builds these vehicles for markets around the world. The new model keeps the core formula that turned the original X5 into the vehicle that defined the premium Sports Activity Vehicle segment back in 1999, yet it arrives with cleaner surfaces, new lighting details, and a broader set of powertrain choices than any X5 before it.

BMW Puts Figure 03 to Work Sorting Parts on the Spartanburg Factory Floor

By Bill Smith June 30, 2026

BMW Group has moved its work with Figure AI past the testing stage and into regular factory shifts. At Plant Spartanburg in South Carolina, the Figure 03 humanoid robot now handles a daily logistics job inside assembly hall 52. The robot takes components that arrive in large, mixed containers and places them into the right spots on a sequencing trolley. That trolley then travels by automated tugger train or smart transport robot to the exact station where assembly teams need those parts next, delivered in the correct order.

First Production Tesla Cybercab Without Pedals or Steering Wheel Begins Engineering Test Runs in Austin

By Bill Smith June 30, 2026

Austin streets now host something that looks ordinary at first glance but represents a sharp break from everything that came before. Production Cybercab units have started engineering tests on public roads, and these vehicles carry no steering wheel and no pedals. Tesla just posted video of the tests on June 30. The footage and supporting details show the first examples built for actual use rather than pure development. Earlier cars sometimes carried temporary controls. These do not.

Tesla Brings a Practical Slice of Its Newest Self-Driving Software to Older Model 3 and Model Y Cars with FSD v14 Lite

By Bill Smith June 29, 2026

Tesla has started delivering a new version of its Full Self-Driving software to Model 3 and Model Y vehicles that use the original Hardware 3 (HW3) computers. Known as FSD v14 Lite, the update began reaching a small group of early-access drivers in recent days through software version 2026.20.5.1. It marks the first meaningful step forward for these cars in more than a year.

Shell’s Triple 10 EV Concept Delivers 10-Minute Charging Through Smarter Thermal Management

By Bill Smith June 28, 2026

Shell built a working electric hatchback to prove that fast charging and strong efficiency can exist in the same vehicle without forcing buyers into painful compromises. The company calls the project the Triple 10 Challenge. Three targets sit at its center: 10 kilometers of range per kilowatt-hour of energy used, a lifetime carbon footprint of just 10 tonnes of CO2 equivalent, and a charge from 10 to 80 percent in less than 10 minutes.

This $1.1 Million 2023 EarthRoamer XV-SX is Ready for Remote Adventures

By Bill Smith June 27, 2026

EarthRoamer builds expedition vehicles that blend heavy-duty truck toughness with the kind of self-contained living spaces most people only find in high-end homes. This 2023 XV-SX stands as a pre-roamed example with just 8,228 miles on the odometer and a full complement of factory options already installed. At $1.1 million it sits at the top of the price range for anything on four wheels that can still tackle serious trails while keeping occupants comfortable for weeks at a time.

Porsche Trades the Cayman for a 911 in Its Latest GT4 R Race Car

By Bill Smith June 26, 2026

Porsche lifted the curtain this week, with a clear message for its customer racing community. The new 911 GT4 R replaces the long-running Cayman-based GT4 models and becomes the first car in this category to wear the iconic 911 shape. Built on the same foundation as the current 911 Cup, the car arrives in time for the 2027 season and carries a starting price of $375,500 in the United States, including delivery.