Toyota is Continuously Improving Its Mid-Engine Sports Car, According to TDS.
Toyota
The latest car news and reviews, no nonsense.
Subscribe to our free daily newsletter to receive the most important stories straight to your inbox every weekday.
Good morning and welcome to The Downshift, abbreviated as TDS.
Concise and informative, TDS compiles the latest automotive headlines from around the world, summarizing stories in one sentence with links for further reading.
The first cup of coffee has been finished, spring break has ended (in this household), and it’s time to face reality. Let’s dive in.
🚘 What I’m currently driving: I’ve been spending some time with the 2026 Dodge Durango Hellcat, and I must say, it really has that old school vibe. It’s impressive that this vehicle’s foundation has been for sale for nearly 15 years.
⚙️ Toyota Gazoo Racing's marketing manager Mikio Hayashi stated that the automaker is still developing its Yaris M Concept mid-engine sports car and is “improving it every day.” He added, “All the insights and feedback from training this car in motorsport will eventually lead to something in a road car or mass-produced vehicle in the future. We are committed to this direction.”
🛑 Production of the Jeep Cherokee has been suspended due to a dispute between Stellantis and ZF regarding chassis modules since March 14.
💨 Audi's iconic 5-cylinder engine is ending its production in Europe as Euro 7 emissions regulations come into play; however, the renowned engine will still be used in the RS3 in the U.S. for the time being.
🤑 General Motors believes that OnStar and Super Cruise subscriptions will "fundamentally transform" its business in the future.
💣 The ongoing conflict in Iran is impacting the luxury car market for brands like Ferrari, Bentley, and Rolls-Royce.
💸 The depreciation of used EVs is set to cost automaker finance companies billions as leases expire.
🤺 Following Rivian's success in persuading car dealers to back down in Washington, other states may follow suit.
🚙 Tesla CEO Elon Musk has suggested that the company may be on the verge of unveiling an urban transport vehicle that would be “cooler” than a minivan.
💰 Rivian has reached another milestone and unlocked an additional $1 billion from Volkswagen.
💵 The founder of Bollinger Motors has repurchased the EV startup’s assets for $250,000.
🏁 Weekend Race Results:
Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix – Kimi Antonelli claimed victory, making history for Mercedes-AMG Petronas.
NASCAR Cup Series Cook Out 400 – Chase Elliott celebrated a win for Hendrick Motorsports.
NTT IndyCar Series Children’s of Alabama Indy Grand Prix – Alex Palou triumphed for Chip Ganassi Racing.
MotorGP Grand Prix of the Americas – Marco Bezzecchi secured victory for Aprilia Racing.
Do you have a news tip or feedback? Contact us at tips@thedrive.com.
Other articles
Hyundai has just released a teaser for a mysterious debut, and we believe it's a body-on-frame off-road vehicle.
"It's not a joke," is about all Hyundai has revealed regarding its vehicle launch scheduled for Wednesday. After all, it was a rock that led to the extinction of the dinosaurs.
Verstappen will not be able to announce his departure until at least October.
Verstappen is contracted with Red Bull until the end of 2028, but there is a clause for early termination...
Japanese Grand Prix: Curious Statistics
Several curious statistical findings from the results of the Japanese Grand Prix...
Another Red Bull Racing employee has resigned.
The struggle for power in Red Bull Racing that began after the death of Dietrich Mateschitz has led to the loss of most key employees over the years.
Minardi: I am amazed by the quality of Kimi's performance.
Giancarlo Minardi on his emotions after Kimi Antonelli's victory in Suzuka...
Bottas: There was a noticeable difference between the Cadillac cars.
Comments from Valtteri Bottas to the Viaplay channel, which he gave in his native Finnish language, are noticeably different from what the Cadillac F1 team reported in their official release...
Toyota is Continuously Improving Its Mid-Engine Sports Car, According to TDS.
According to Mikio Hayashi, the marketing manager for Toyota Gazoo Racing, the efforts invested in Toyota's mid-engine powertrain could potentially be converted into a feature for a future road car or mass production vehicle.