The disparity in cost between regular and premium gasoline is increasing, prompting drivers to take action: TDS

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      Welcome to The Downshift, or TDS for short, The Drive's daily news digest that gathers the most important automotive headlines from around the world.

      The Downshift condenses news into brief summaries and includes a link to the full article for more detail. It’s Tuesday, July 7, 2026—here’s what’s going on.

      ⛽ It’s common for drivers who usually fuel their cars with premium gasoline to switch to mid-grade or regular during times of high prices, and that’s exactly what's occurring right now. A recent report indicates that premium gas sales fell by 5% over a four-day period last month, while mid-grade decreased by 2%, and regular increased by 10%. Currently, premium gas averages 90 cents per gallon more than regular, with experts suggesting the difference could reach a dollar by the end of the year. However, this switch isn’t wise for all vehicles; while some manufacturers merely recommend premium for specific models, many high-performance cars require higher-octane fuel, and consistently filling up with lower octane could damage the engine. [Bloomberg]

      🏭 Toyota is set to establish a new 2.5-million-square-foot truck manufacturing plant in Texas, which will take over some Tacoma production currently taking place in Mexico. The site is projected to cost $3.6 billion and is expected to open by 2030. [Reuters]

      🔧 Ford has issued two completely separate recalls for different Mustang-branded vehicles. Approximately 68,000 units of the sports car (including the GTD) are being recalled due to windshield wipers that may not function properly in cold conditions, only operating at the highest setting. The recall for the electric Mach-E is more critical; Ford is recalling nearly 43,000 SUVs due to faulty rear-differential pinion shafts that could break, leading to loss of drive or an inability to stay parked if the parking brake isn’t applied. The company will replace all affected parts at no cost. [Reuters]

      💽 In more Ford news, the automaker has announced a partnership with memory-chip manufacturer Micron to supply its vehicles. Rival GM revealed a similar agreement last week. [Reuters]

      🏛️ Rivian performed well in the second quarter, surpassing analysts’ expectations, but its sales dipped by 9% on Monday following the announcement of an offer to sell 75 million shares. [Reuters]

      🌎 Leapmotor vehicles are officially available for purchase in Mexico, as announced by the Chinese automaker on Monday. The brand is launching with its B10 electric SUV, which will be marketed through Stellantis' dealer network in the country. [Automotive News]

      🚙 Land Rover may be considering turning the next-generation Range Rover Velar into a high-riding sedan or liftback rather than a conventional SUV—an unexpected development during a period where sedans are being transformed into crossovers, not the reverse. [Autocar]

      ⚡ Bentley has revealed that its first battery-electric vehicle will be called “Torcal,” with its debut set for September 26 in London. [Automotive News]

      🧑‍🔧 McLaren Special Operations has reconstructed the company's inaugural road car, the M6GT, using a mix of restored components and newly manufactured parts based on original molds and designs. The chassis is an adaptation of the M6A race car and is equipped with a Chevy small-block engine. [McLaren]

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