CEO of Mercedes-Benz Aims for the Company to be ‘Ready’ to Support Europe: TDS
Mercedes-Benz Special Defense Trucks
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Good morning and welcome to The Downshift, or TDS for short.
We’ve compiled the most recent automotive headlines from around the world for your quick reading! The Monday edition also includes results from weekend races.
🫡 Mercedes-Benz CEO Ola Källenius stated that the company is “ready” to enter the military equipment sector, and he was not solely referring to camouflaged G-Wagens. His full comment was: “The world has become more unpredictable, and I think it is quite clear that Europe needs to enhance its defense capabilities. If we can contribute positively to that, we would be ready to do so.” [Euronews]
🪖 In relation to military contracts—Jaguar Land Rover and General Motors are competing for a deal to manufacture military trucks for the UK. [The Guardian]
⛽ A cooking fuel shortage in India is causing an increase in gas prices in California. [Reuters]
🔧 Max Verstappen’s Red Bull Mercedes AMG GT3 encountered a broken driveshaft, ending his chances of winning the 2026 Nürburgring 24 Hours. [ESPN]
🛞 Car and Driver columnist Ezra Dyer brought a Lamborghini Revuelto to a high school automotive class to inspire the next generation of car enthusiasts. [Car and Driver]
🏛️ Automotive YouTuber Rob Ferretti ("superspeedersRob") is campaigning for mayor of Rockleigh, New Jersey. [Ferretti for Mayor]
🏁 Weekend Race Results:
NASCAR Cup Series All-Star Race: Denny Hamlin (#11, Joe Gibbs Racing) claimed first place, with Chase Briscoe in second and Erik Jones in third.
NASCAR Xfinity Series BetRivers 200: Corey Day, Justin Allgaier, and Sam Mayer finished in that order on the podium.
IndyCar Indianapolis 500 Qualifying: Alex Palou (Chip Ganassi Racing) is in the pole position, followed by Alexander Rossi in second and David Malukas in third.
MotoGP Catalan Grand Prix: Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team)
Formula E Monaco E-Prix Double-Header: Dan Ticktum (Saturday), Oliver Rowland (Sunday)
2026 ADAC Ravenol 24h Nürburgring: Maro Engel, Mercedes-AMG GT3
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Mercedes-Benz's CEO aims to ensure the company is ready to assist in defending Europe: TDS.
The interest of various automakers in the military-industrial sector doesn't appear to bode well for civilization as a whole.
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Why a Small Dacia Econobox Won Everyone Over at the Nurburgring 24 Hours
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CEO of Mercedes-Benz Aims for the Company to be ‘Ready’ to Support Europe: TDS
The interest of various automakers in the military-industrial sector doesn't appear to bode well for civilization as a whole.