Autos

As an early preview to the attendees at this year’s SXSW in Austin, Texas, Volkswagen debuted its all new ID. Buzz – a modern reinterpretation of its iconic microbus from the 1950s. While the new iteration is a far cry from the “Hippie Van” almost 70 years prior, the ID. Buzz does carry a lot of heritage and history, while reinterpreting the needs of commuters in a vehicle no other car brand has embraced much like VW. For example, the overall shape and silhouette of the ID. Buzz is not too far from the original T1 camper van – a boxy, tall chassis is set with short front- and rear-overhangs much like the OG. Visibility remains a consistent priority, as the driver’s peripheral vision is not impeded by much up front, and with only relatively small rear pillars blockin...

Rolls-Royce believes it has set three new world records to claim the title of the world’s fastest all-electric aircraft. The records include the fastest top speed over 3 km in which it clocked in at 555.9 km/h (345.4 mph) smashing the current record of 213.04 km/h (132mph), fastest speed over 15 km, and fastest clime to 300 meters. During its runs, the Rolls-Royce “Spirit of Innovation” aircraft registered a maximum speed of 623 km/h (387.4 mph), a speed the automaker believes is the world’s fastest for an all-electric vehicle. Rolls-Royce has submitted the results and is waiting for FAI certification. The Spirit of Innovation plane is part of Rolls-Royce’s Accelerating the Electrification of Flight Project (ACCEL), in collaboration with the Aerospace Technolo...

Tesla‘s CEO Elon Musk has reportedly asked federal courts to terminate his $20 million USD fraud settlement with the SEC from 2018. The issue in question pertains to the need for Musk to gain approval before Tweeting. Musk is claiming that he felt “forced” to sign the consent at the time and that the SEC utilized “governmental abuse” to get their way. According to Musk, the SEC has used the agreement to monitor Musk’s First Amendment free speech rights in the matter of his Tweets, where they would have to be preapproved before they are published online. Musk’s attornies also argued that “the consent decree should be terminated because compliance with it has become impossible under the SEC’s skewed conception of its authority.” In ...

Collecting Cars has just released a special collection to its platform — The Renault Collection. Celebrating some of the French automobile manufacturer’s most iconic vehicles from 1977 — 2015, this collection captures the magic of these “honest” sports cars. While not yet at the level of classic Porsches, older sports-focused Renaults have already amassed a cult following with recent auction closing prices reflecting that growth in collectibility. The collection of 12 cars was once owned by Renault UK where it was later sold to a dealer in Warwickshire. Sold without reserve, the low-mileage Renault Collection carries a little bit of everything from Renault’s history — from the Renault Clio V6 Phase 2 hatchback, just 1 of 354 for the U.K. market (18...

The Amsterdam-based label Filling Pieces is best known for its smart-casual footwear, sneakers, and its complementing clothing line, but now this takes a back seat as the Guillaume Philibert-helmed imprint has worked with car restoration specialists Differs to create two Fiat Panda 4x4s.  Filling Pieces and Differs took two Panda 4×4 models from the 1980s and customized them using the former’s “Caribbean Riviera” and “Luxury Altitude” collections as inspiration. As a result, we find cars that spent their life in Italy and the Netherlands get treated to an extensive year-long restoration that makes them fit for their respective climates, with one in “Signal Yellow” that’s perfect for the beach thanks to its top grain leather seats and bei...

The British marque Jaguar makes some of the wildest-looking concept cars there has ever been, from the James Bond Spectre C-X75 to the very first Vision Gran Turismo Coupé and its more menacing sibling the SV version, but now Jaguar has unveiled its latest masterpiece, the all-electric Vision Gran Turismo Roadster. This third iteration of the familiar design does more than just take its top off, as it combines with the racing series’ most immersive and expansive platform to date — Gran Turismo 7 — to create an electric hypercar like no other. Speaking on the project, Oliver Cattell-Ford, Exterior Designer, Jaguar Advanced Design said: “As a car designer, being part of the team that has delivered three virtual cars for the Gran Turismo series has been a dream project...

The Land Rover Defender is one of the best SUVs in the world — just read HYPEBEAST’s Open Road review if you need reminding — and now the marque has launched another special edition dubbed the “URBANIGHT ’22.” Based on the 2022 iteration of the Defender, which offers the very latest specification of technology and interior upgrades, this “URBANIGHT” spec is exclusive to Japan and comes in “Carpathian Gray” or “Silicon Silver.” The extended black pack comes as standard, meaning you get black badging, exterior trim, and 22″ rims also in black alongside black brake calipers, and this can all be applied to both the Defender 90 three-door and the Defender 110 five-door. Inside, you’ll find the upgraded tech pack...

DRIVERS is a series highlighting influential individuals in the HYPEBEAST sphere and their passion towards all things automotive. The approach is simple: what is car culture to you, and why do you have a passion for it? Each contributor is given a chance to shine light on their personal vehicle or vehicles, and asked to remark on how they are driving culture forward, both metaphorically and literally. A legend has arrived: for this week’s DRIVERS, we’re excited to feature the one and only Magnus Walker. In the illustrious world of automotive enthusiasts, there are car collectors, and then there’s Magnus. For ages now, the 54-year-old former fashion designer has become the man to know if you were getting into collectible cars and car culture. From Porsches and Ferraris to ...

Automotive dealership Dick Lovett has ranked the most popular car brands that appear in hip-hop music videos using the music video database from the Internet Movie Cars Database (IMCDB). Chevrolet came out on top as the most popular car manufacturer in the industry, with 1,176 total cars in music videos and the Camaro making the most appearances. The study noted that the Corvette increased in popularity in recent years after the release of Popp Hunna’s “Adderall” featuring Lil Uzi Vert. The track went viral on TikTok and users posted millions of videos dancing to its “Corvette, Corvette” lyrics. Closely behind Chevrolet, Ford followed, with 1,064 cars in videos, which researchers attributed to the Police Interceptor being used within hip-hop music storylines. The ensuing manufacturers, in ...

Ford unveiled the very first Mustang in 1964, but it took until 2015 for the model to finally come to the U.K. as a right-hand-drive alternative. Now, the American muscle car’s drop-top iteration, dubbed the “California Special,” has landed on the other side of the pond. Thankfully, the new convertible is available exclusively as a V8 as opposed to the EcoBoost offering that Brits also get. As a result, the “California Special” packs 450 PS and 529 Nm of torque, resulting in a 0-62 MPH time of 4.8 seconds with the rev-matching six-speed manual or 4.5 seconds with Ford’s 10-speed automatic. While purists may prefer the manual, the automatic might make the most sense in the U.K. as it also comes with drive modes ranging from Normal, Sport, and Track to a m...

Mercedes-Benz is bringing back the G-Wagon, but this time it’ll return as a special edition release. Limited to just 200 units made across the globe, the new G-Class Edition 550 will be available in Jupiter Red, Arabian Grey and an exclusive Manufaktur shade called Moonlight White. The car itself is based on the non-AMG G550 model, which gives it a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 engine pushing out 416 horsepower. Unlike the standard models, however, the Edition 550 will also come with black lower trim for a more tactical aesthetic along with 20-inch AMG 14-spoke wheels in black that previously came as an upgrade option. On the inside, the new G-Wagon takes on a two-tone Nappa leather upholstery paired with a sportier carbon-fiber trim. You’ll be able to opt for massaging front seats t...