AUDI

Nuvolari: 1,001 hp and faster than a Lamborghini

To develop its most powerful supercar from scratch, Audi leveraged internal resources to have it ready in just 405 days (a little over a year) from the initial project approval meeting. Specifically, it turned to Lamborghini, utilizing the chassis and engine from the newly launched Temerario plug-in hybrid.

It was named after Tazio Nuvolari, an immensely talented Italian racing driver from the 1930s and 1940s who won motorcycle races, Le Mans, the Mille Miglia, and Grand Prix events. In the latter category, during the late 1930s, he drove single-seaters for Auto Union (the brand that would later become Audi).

Technologically, the concept is essentially similar to that of Formula 1 cars and modern endurance prototypes, combining the immense power of a combustion engine with electric assistance to enhance performance and traction, while also incorporating active aerodynamic elements. In this context, it is positioned to fulfill the old motorsport adage: "Win on Sunday, sell on Monday."

The Nuvolari is the first production vehicle to adopt Audi's new design philosophy (which chronologically debuted with the Concept C); it stands out for its taut surfaces and a mid-rear engine configuration that defines its proportions and monolithic volume.

The bodywork is equally striking in Audi's new exclusive "Titanium" color, also featured on the Audi Concept C and the Formula 1 car. Behind this more minimalist design philosophy—dubbed "Radical Next"—is Massimo Frascella. The Italian designer began his career at Bertone, worked for the Ford Group, led design at Jaguar Land Rover, and was hired in early summer 2024 to define the styling of future Audi models. “Every external element performs a clearly defined aerodynamic function, from the front wing to the rear diffuser. And everything is exactly what it appears to be—whether carbon fiber or aluminum, inside and out,” explains Gael Buzyn, head of Audi’s advanced design center in Malibu, USA, with whom I shared this first dynamic experience in the Nuvolari.

It is also notable that the bodywork is virtually devoid of sharp edges; yet, its clean, monolithic forms—unlike the styling seen on a Lamborghini—still hint at its exceptional performance.

“The collaboration between designers and engineers was crucial, ensuring that every element of the bodywork had a functional reason for existing,” adds the French designer, who has lived in the United States for 20 years.

In this regard, “input from Formula 1 drivers Nico Hülkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto was vital during the project's development phase,” noted Viktor Underberg, Audi’s Director of Sports Car Performance, who served as my co-pilot during the roughly 10-kilometer exclusive drive in the Nuvolari.

Bortoleto, for instance, mentioned during dynamic testing at Nardò that what immediately struck him was the car’s precision and predictability in corners: “Basically, there is no understeer, which is impressive given the performance level. The balance remains very neutral and precise, providing the confidence needed to maintain speed through curves. You can clearly feel how the various systems—especially aerodynamics and torque distribution—work in unison,” the Brazilian explained.

Underberg (who worked at Audi prior to a recent stint at Lamborghini) emphasizes that “immense attention was paid to the balance between downforce and drag to maximize stability and, consequently, allow for precise control of the Nuvolari.” The chassis, suspension, and wheelbase are the same as those of the Temerario, with a slight increase in track width—1 cm at the front and 2 cm at the rear.

It features DRS, like a Formula 1 car, and generates over 400 kg of downforce. The front S-duct (which intakes air through the bumper and exhausts it through the hood) provides additional downforce, reducing lift at high speeds and improving engine cooling. However, the central element of the active aerodynamics system is the retractable, adaptive rear wing, which manages downforce and aerodynamic drag across three settings: closed, low downforce, and high downforce.

In the closed position, the rear wing retracts to minimize aerodynamic drag and improve efficiency. In high- and low-downforce configurations, varying levels of downforce are generated based on driving dynamics and the selected mode (the wing rises from the low-downforce closed position at 70 km/h, lowers at 50 km/h, and moves to the high-downforce position at 140 km/h).

In performance-oriented driving modes—such as Dynamic, Dynamic+, and Track—the rear wing is fully automatically actuated. On straightaways, the system switches to a low-drag position to optimize top speed and stability.

The Drag Reduction System (DRS), known for its use in Formula 1, can be manually activated (except in E-Hybrid mode) via a steering wheel button, enabling a top speed of 351 km/h. Additionally, the system automatically raises the wing during high-speed cornering, allowing active aerodynamics to contribute to greater driving efficiency.

Carbon fiber, electronic brakes, and technology inherited from Lamborghini...The Nuvolari combines an aluminum chassis with CFRP (carbon fiber-reinforced plastic) exterior panels. Manufacturing processes derived from motorsport—such as autoclave-cured pre-preg carbon fiber components—are employed to achieve maximum lightness and rigidity.

The Nuvolari also features forged wheels with a single-bolt center-lock system, a first for an Audi production model (though inherited from the Temerario). The tires are 255/35 ZR20 at the front and 325/30 ZR21 at the rear.

The braking system is electronic (brake-by-wire); consequently, the brake pedal has no physical connection to the wheels—unlike in conventional hydraulic systems—as the process is managed by an electronically controlled pump. This facilitates the combination of regenerative and hydraulic braking without altering pedal feel.

The brakes utilize carbon-ceramic discs with an internal cooling system that, according to German engineers, improves heat dissipation by 21% compared to conventional carbon-ceramic discs. They feature ten-piston fixed calipers at the front and four-piston calipers at the rear.

Autonews

AUTONEWS

How much does air conditioning use up an electric car's battery during hot weather

Using air conditioning in the summer generally reduces the range of an electric car less than using heating in the winter.

An electric car that has been parked in the hot summer sun for several hours can get quite hot, so the air conditioning often needs to be turned on at full power when you get in the car. How much does intensive cabin cooling actually put on the battery and can it significantly reduce the range of an electric car?

Measurements by the German automobile club ADAC show that air conditioning can consume several kilowatts during the initial cooling of a very hot cabin. However, consumption drops significantly once the desired temperature is reached in the car, reports

The most energy is consumed during the initial cooling phase...The biggest challenge for the air conditioning system occurs after the car has been parked in the sun for a long time. The system then has to lower the temperature in the cabin by tens of degrees in a very short time. As a result, short city trips can result in a proportionally greater reduction in range. On longer trips, this initial jump in energy consumption is spread over a much greater distance.

However, using air conditioning in summer generally reduces the range of an electric car less than using heating in winter. Heating the cabin at very low temperatures can require significantly more energy, especially in electric vehicles that do not have a heat pump, reports Tportal.

How can energy consumption for air conditioning be reduced? One of the most efficient ways is to cool the car while it is still connected to the charger. The energy needed for the initial cooling is then taken from the electrical network, not from the car's battery.

Briefly ventilating a very hot cabin before turning on the air conditioning also helps, as does using sun visors and parking in the shade whenever possible.

Why is EV range loss less in the summer than winter?  The difference between comfortable cabin temperature (e.g. 70F) and outside temperature is usually smaller in the summer than in the winter. In the summer, you may want to change the inside temperature 20 or 25 degrees, but in the winter, you may be looking at a temperature change of more than 50 degrees!

Pro tip: Much like in the winter, you can save your range for the road by pre-cooling your car while it’s still plugged in. If you’re not starting your trip from home, things like sun shades or parking in the shade can also really help.

How to protect an EV in the heat? Modern electric cars can withstand the heat thanks to robust thermal management systems that keep the batteries cool and safe.

However, here are a few things to consider:

Try to avoid letting your EV sit with extremely low states of charge. This is extra risky in the summer because an EV uses its battery power to keep the battery cool. Keep your car charged to at least 50%, or plugged in with a charge limit of 80%.

If you’re able to park your car in the shade - do it! That doesn't mean you can't leave your car in the airport parking lot for a week, but it is something to consider if you live in a very hot climate.

LFP batteries stand up better to the heat. If you know that you will frequently be leaving your car in the sun for weeks, or letting your car sit with the battery charge under 20%, consider getting a car with an LFP battery. This type of lithium ion battery degrades less in the heat.

Why is EV cooling different from ICE cooling? The good news is that A/C has much less of a negative impact on EV range than a resistance heater, and range does not really begin to dip until at least 90 degrees.

Overall, cooling your EV’s cabin will be less range intensive than heating it. Plus, here’s what’s cool about cooling an EV:

With a gas car, the engine produces a lot of waste heat that the air conditioner has to work against to keep the cabin cool. An EV does not produce the same amount of heat when running so the AC doesn’t have to work as hard. This means it uses the same amount of energy to cool your car whether you’re driving or idling.

You can pre-cool your EV when it’s plugged in. This is great because the most energy intensive part of air conditioning is the initial cool down. It may take 3-5 kW of energy to get a 95 degree car to a comfortable temperature, but it takes only around 1 kW to keep it there.

Cold air happens immediately - no more waiting for the air compressor to kick in as the engine warms up!

What’s the same? Basic air conditioner maintenance. While electric air conditioners are simpler systems than mechanical ones, you should still check your air filters and hoses regularly.

Although air conditioning reduces the range of an electric car, the period of highest energy consumption is relatively short. Once the temperature in the cabin stabilizes, significantly less energy is required to maintain it, so there is no reason to avoid using air conditioning during the summer heat.

 

TOYOTA

Toyota still produces an old and indestructible diesel

At a time when almost all manufacturers are switching to hybrids, electronic injection, turbines and complex gas treatment systems, Toyota still produces an extremely simple diesel engine codenamed 1HZ. The old-school diesel is installed in the Land Cruiser Series 70.

It is a 4.2L inline six-cylinder engine that is installed in the legendary Land Cruiser Series 70, primarily for markets where reliability and durability are more important than performance.

The Toyota 1HZ is an inline-six diesel engine developed and produced by Toyota starting in 1990. It remains available in the Toyota 70 Series and the Toyota Coaster—sold in countries with low or non-existent emissions regulations—and also powers Land Cruiser 70 models sold by Toyota Gibraltar Stockholdings to organizations such as the United Nations and other NGOs. Previously, the engine was used in the Land Cruiser 80 and Land Cruiser 100 series before being replaced.

The 1HZ engine generates more power and torque than the older 2H diesel engine. Despite being 35 years old, the 1HZ is still used in the production of the Land Cruiser J70 worldwide, with the exception of markets that exclusively use gasoline engines, Euro 4 compliant markets, and the Australian market, where the 1GR-FE and 1GD-FTV turbo-diesel engines are supplied, respectively. Popular in the Land Cruiser 80 Series, it replaced the 2H engine in the 80/85 series in 1990.

The Toyota Land Cruiser 1HZ engine—a 4.2-liter (4164 cc), inline-six, 12-valve SOHC (Single Overhead Cam) diesel—features indirect injection and delivers a maximum power output of 96 kW (129 hp; 131 PS) at 3800 rpm and a peak torque of 285 N⋅m (210 lbf⋅ft) at 2200 rpm.

The 1HD is the turbocharged, direct-injection version of this engine. It shares many of the same components, most notably the engine block and crankshaft.

The 5-cylinder variant of this engine is known as the 1PZ.

While Toyota does not install its 1HZ engine into any mainstream passenger car, it's not merely producing it for fun or through any sense of nostalgia, and it's certainly not keeping it alive through aftermarket support. Toyota South Africa lists the Land Cruiser 79 DoubleCab 4.2D on its website, complete with the 1HZ engine, as part of an official 2026 specification sheet. It goes on to list the coded engine with its power and torque outputs and notes that it pairs with a five-speed manual transmission for that particular market.

In parallel, Toyota Gibraltar Stock Holdings (TGS), which is the parent company's dedicated supply arm for humanitarian agencies, fleet operators, and NGOs, also offers multiple Land Cruiser 70 series variants with the HZJ model code. These vehicles have the 1HZ diesel engine, and this shows that the engine policy is not only a regional anomaly. Instead, it seems to be a deliberate product decision that sits within Toyota's global industrial ecosystem.

However, Toyota doesn’t sell the Land Cruiser 70 Series everywhere with the 1HZ in place. For example, when it reintroduced the vehicle to the Japanese market in late 2023, it came with the newer 2.8-liter 1GD-FTV turbodiesel.

If you go down to New Zealand or Australia, you'll find that Toyota has transitioned away from the 1HZ as well, due to both evolving customer expectations and emissions regulations, showing that the engine’s survival is certainly not universal.

Instead, that survival does seem to be strategic, as Toyota confidently builds it and sells it in places where durability, serviceability, and regulatory allowances permit, and where the engine fully aligns with its original design intent.

Fundamentally, the 1HZ is still going because it explicitly delivers what some customers require, and it's not simply a case of survival through accident or neglect.

The engine codenamed 1HZ is almost a textbook example of a simple design. The engine is atmospheric, without a turbine, has a design with only two valves per cylinder and a single camshaft. It does not have common-rail injection, electronic injection control or a computer that controls its operation. The injection is completely mechanical, and the pump is driven by the engine itself. Therefore, it can also work with lower quality fuel.

The performance is modest by today's standards: from 4.2 liters it develops 131 hp and 285 Nm. It is this conservative design that allows the engine to operate far below its maximum load and therefore lasts an exceptionally long time. The crankshaft has seven bearings, the cylinder diameter is 94 mm, the piston stroke is 100 mm, and the compression ratio is 22.4:1.

The immortal Toyota diesel has neither a DPF filter nor an EGR system, and in some markets it does not even have a catalytic converter. Its environmental standard is Euro 2, which is why it would practically not be able to be registered as a new vehicle in the European Union.

However, in countries such as Tanzania, South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Australia, the Land Cruiser 70 with this engine still has its purpose. In remote and demanding areas, a simple engine is often worth more than modern technology.

In some markets, the 1HZ is offered in parallel with the newer 2.8-liter turbo diesel, but Toyota still retains it, even though it has been in production for 36 years. For certain international customers, including humanitarian and security organizations, vehicles can be customized and delivered through Toyota's Gibraltar dealer.

While most of the world is preparing for increasingly strict standards such as Euro 7, Toyota is still preserving this almost "fossil" diesel. Because where there is no service, diagnostics and quality fuel - simplicity is sometimes worth more than the most modern technology. 

 

by: Autonews

AUTONEWS

KAIST discovers pathway to faster-charging, longer-lasting electric vehicle batteries

KAIST researchers have identified a possible route toward electric-vehicle batteries that charge faster without losing as much performance or lifespan. Their approach uses a three-dimensional “digital twin” of a real graphite battery anode, allowing them to observe how microscopic variations inside an electrode can trigger lithium plating, uneven protective-film growth, mechanical stress, and eventual degradation.

The study, led by Professor Kang Taek Lee of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, or KAIST, was conducted with Professor EunAe Cho of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering. Instead of treating a battery electrode as a uniform block with average properties, the researchers recreated its internal architecture in three dimensions, including graphite particles, binder material, and electrolyte-filled pores. The resulting model was designed to behave like a virtual counterpart of a commercial graphite anode.

That internal structure matters because a lithium-ion battery is not simply a container in which ions move smoothly from one side to another. During charging, lithium ions travel through the electrolyte-filled pores of the anode and enter graphite particles, where they are stored between layers of carbon atoms. When charging is too rapid, however, the ions may reach the graphite surface faster than they can be absorbed. Instead of intercalating into the graphite, they can accumulate as metallic lithium on the surface, a damaging process known as lithium plating.

Lithium plating is one of the most important obstacles to extreme fast charging. It can consume active lithium, reduce the battery’s usable capacity, and in some cases create structures that increase the risk of internal short circuits. At the same time, a thin protective layer called the solid electrolyte interphase, or SEI, forms on the graphite surface. The SEI is essential because it helps stabilize the electrode, but excessive or uneven growth consumes electrolyte and lithium, raises resistance, and can prevent ions from reaching the graphite efficiently.

The anode also undergoes mechanical changes during charging. As lithium enters graphite, the particles expand and push against neighboring particles, binder regions, and pore walls. If the surrounding structure has sufficient empty space, that expansion can be accommodated with less damage. If the local pore volume is too limited, mechanical stress becomes concentrated in particular regions. Because lithium transport, SEI growth, lithium plating, and mechanical deformation occur simultaneously at microscopic scales, experiments that measure only total capacity can miss the earliest signs of failure.

To expose these hidden processes, the KAIST team reconstructed the three-dimensional arrangement of the graphite particles, polymer binder, and pores in a commercial anode. The researchers then altered key structural parameters in the virtual electrode, including its thickness, porosity, and the spatial distribution of the binder. They simulated fast-charging conditions and tracked where lithium ions moved, where lithium plating occurred, how the SEI developed, and which areas experienced the greatest mechanical stress.

The simulations revealed that two electrodes with nearly identical overall compositions and apparent charging capabilities can behave very differently internally. In 50-micrometer-thick anodes, changing the binder distribution produced a capacity difference of less than 4 percent, a variation that might appear relatively minor in conventional battery testing. Yet the simulations showed clear differences in the locations where lithium was inserted into graphite and where degradation reactions were concentrated.

One particularly important result emerged when binder was concentrated near the separator, the membrane that separates the anode from the cathode while allowing lithium ions to pass. The binder occupied space that could otherwise support ion transport, effectively narrowing the pathways through which ions moved into the electrode. This created a microscopic bottleneck similar to traffic congestion on a narrowed road. Under those conditions, lithium plating near the current collector increased by more than 10 percent compared with an anode in which the binder was distributed more evenly.

A more uniform binder arrangement produced more consistent ion transport and helped the SEI form more evenly across the electrode. The contrast became substantially stronger as the anode grew thicker. In an 83-micrometer electrode, the difference in charge capacity between the two binder distributions reached approximately 18 percent. The finding highlights a growing challenge in battery engineering: thicker electrodes can store more energy per unit of area, but their greater transport distance makes them more sensitive to local variations in pores, binder, and particle arrangement.

The researchers also found that pore-space distribution influenced mechanical damage. Regions with adequate pore volume could absorb some of the expansion of graphite particles during charging, while densely packed areas forced particles against one another and developed concentrated stress. These localized effects may not immediately appear in a battery’s total voltage or capacity, but they can gradually accelerate structural damage and amplify other degradation mechanisms. The study therefore suggests that electrode design must consider not only how much graphite, binder, and pore space are present, but also their precise locations.

The digital-twin strategy could allow battery developers to test virtual electrode designs before producing and cycling large numbers of physical prototypes. By revealing where transport bottlenecks, lithium plating, uneven SEI growth, and mechanical stress are likely to occur, the model may help engineers optimize electrodes for fast charging while preserving energy density and service life. Professor Lee said the work demonstrates how three-dimensional modeling can uncover internal battery problems that remain invisible when researchers rely only on overall charging performance. The study, led by KAIST PhD candidate Yejin Kang as first author, was published in InfoMat and featured on the journal’s back cover. Its results point toward a future in which the microscopic architecture of an electrode is designed as carefully as its chemical ingredients.

KAIST

SUZUKI

Electric Suzuki e-Sky

Suzuki showed off a number of new products at the Tokyo Motor Show last year, including the Vision e-Sky Concept, which previewed a future production car.

That production model is now upon us, and according to some previous announcements, it could hit European roads in the spring of 2027.

David Keightley, Suzuki’s UK boss, spoke to Autocar about the car. “The A-segment BEV is vital. It’s a new entry into another segment for us and I’m very excited about its prospects,” Keightley said.

According to the company, the mini electric car is designed for daily commutes and short weekend trips. It follows the theme of “Unique, Smart, Positive” and aims to evoke a “cheerful” mood. It’s also the first vehicle to adopt Suzuki’s redesigned logo, with a flatter design and a matte aluminum finish.

In line with kei car regulations, the electric car is 3,395 mm long, 1,475 mm wide and 1,625 mm high.

The newly developed “HEARTECT e” platform, designed specifically for kei electric vehicles, also makes its debut. The lithium-iron-phosphate battery has a capacity of 26 kWh, while the range is 310 km. Charging time for a standard socket is 4.5 hours to reach 100%, while a 50 kW fast charger takes approximately 25 minutes to reach 80%.

Inside, there is a 10.1-inch screen, as well as heated seats and a steering wheel.

The British report adds that the new Suzuki will fall below the £20,000 mark, putting it in line with the Renault Twingo E-Tech and Honda Super-N.

Crucially, the new electric model could help Suzuki cope with strict emissions regulations across Europe and the UK. For now, the brand is relying heavily on mild hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains, with the e-Vitara being its only fully electric car. The latest reports suggest that Suzuki's third electric car is set to arrive by 2029, likely as a crossover.

Autonews

AUTONEWS

Darth Vader crashes city council meeting to endorse flock surveillance

Municipal public comment periods are usually home to standard local grievances, but a recent San Diego City Council meeting received an Imperial visit when Darth Vader stepped up to endorse Flock cameras and automated surveillance technology.

During a meeting of the city’s Public Safety and Livable Neighborhoods Committee, an unidentified individual wearing a somewhat ill-fitting Darth Vader costume took to the stand, complete with mechanical breathing echoing over the mic (sounding less menacing than pervy). Standing before local officials, the cosplayer delivered a satirical speech in support of San Diego's expanding network of Flock Safety cameras.

Addressing the committee in full character, the speaker announced that the Dark Side was fully aligned with the city's tech-driven law enforcement efforts. "The Emperor is a fan of Flock, and we must continue utilizing Flock technologies so that we can follow and surveil the rebel scum," he told council members, adding that the expanded automated license plate reader system would help the Empire locate Luke Skywalker in his X-Wing and reveal the rebels' hidden base on the icy planet Hoth.

The masked orator also used dark (Force) humor to spotlight pressing civil liberties concerns surrounding license-plate tracking and dragnet monitoring. Pointing out that cameras capture movement near public parks, pools, and schools, the speaker mockingly praised the tech for tracking children and sarcastically noted it would help him "stalk my ex-girlfriend," a jab at reported cases where law enforcement officers misused surveillance databases for personal tracking.

The Dark Lord didn't stop at cameras. He turned his attention to city policies regarding public encampments and municipal spending, sarcastically arguing that tax dollars were far better spent on "surveillance technology that imprisons" people than on libraries, daycare centers, or homeless shelters. He urged the council members to perform "Jedi mind tricks" and double-speak on the public to convince residents that invasive monitoring was ultimately for their own good, dramatically waving a gloved hand toward the audience.

Indeed, California is no stranger to unique performances like this one, but this particular appearance brought a theatrical twist to a heated civic debate. The city currently utilizes over 550 Flock Safety cameras, drawing intense pushback from privacy advocates, and civil rights groups.

A man dressed as Darth Vader appeared to poke fun at San Diego officials for using Flock Safety automated license plate readers at a city council meeting this week, a stunt that comes as the company faces growing backlash linked to spying concerns.

The man, whose real identity remains unknown, masqueraded on Thursday as the Star Wars villain at a San Diego public safety committee meeting.

“The emperor is a fan of Flock,” the man said, though he proceeded to portray the surveillance hardware in an ominous light.

“We must continue utilizing Flock technologies so that we can follow and surveil the rebel scum as they move from playground to playground, from playground to pool, from pool to gymnasium,” he continued.

The man also said the cameras could be employed for nefarious purposes such as tracking children and stalking a former romantic partner. (A Louisiana sheriff’s deputy was fired recently for using Flock’s system to track his ex-fiancee’s car more than 3,000 times, Guardian reporting partner WWL Louisiana reported).

Flock Safety, an Atlanta-based company, touts its technology as an aid to law enforcement, highlighting achievements on its website such as tracking missing people and recovering stolen vehicles.

San Diego city council members voted in December to continue using Flock’s camera system.

Recent blunders, however, have cast scrutiny on the technology.

In San Diego, a man spent a month behind bars after a Flock license plate reader falsely linked him to an attempted violent carjacking, according to the Times of San Diego.

As of August 2026, about 100 municipalities have deactivated, canceled or rejected contracts with Flock, according to the grassroots group DeFlock.

Some critics have taken matters into their own hands, undergoing vigilante-esque missions to dismantle or destroy the cameras. An Ohio man was arrested for allegedly damaging a Flock camera, but a grand jury recently declined to indict him on felony vandalism charges.

In August, Flock announced new policies aimed at curbing misuse of its system, including a mandate for law enforcement agencies to adopt an audit assistance feature in its system by the end of the year, although some legal experts described the accountability measures as insufficient.

 

FORD

Ford enters FIA WEC championship

Ford has released photos of the supercar it is preparing for the FIA ​​WEC (World Endurance Championship), or World Prototype Championship. Its main feature, which distinguishes it from the competition, is expected to be a powertrain configuration unusual for a sports prototype. The car is currently being tested at the Paul Ricard circuit in France, and its racing debut is scheduled for March next year.

Ford will join the top echelon of WEC with a car developed on an Oreca chassis. However, while many of its rivals use 6-cylinder turbocharged engines, Ford has opted for a naturally aspirated V8. The engine displacement is 5.4 liters, with the unit itself based on the production Ford Coyote block, which is used, among other things, in the Ford Mustang. The total power of the hybrid system is limited by racing regulations to 670 “horses”.

The first race of the next season, the debut of the new Ford, is scheduled for March 21 and 22 at the track in Qatar. The crowning glory of the season will be the 24 Hours of Le Mans, scheduled for June 12th and 13th, a race that Ford marked in the second half of the 1960s, recording four consecutive victories between 1966 and 1969.

The timeline has moved quickly. Ford fired up the car's naturally aspirated V8 for the first time on 4 July, and running-in checks began on 5 August. Twelve days later, the prototype turned its first proper laps at Paul Ricard — a circuit picked largely because it sits a short drive from ORECA's factory, which built the chassis. Ford Racing says the team has “methodically followed a comprehensive programme to activate and verify every control system”, and that all of them are now fully operational. Blomqvist and Rockenfeller are due to take over later in the test week, with Nick Yelloly and Sebastian Priaulx also part of the wider driver roster.

“This was the culmination of months of painstaking work,” acknowledged Ford Racing’s FIA WEC Hypercar Programme Manager, Sayers. “It was one of our most significant milestones to-date, and as I reflect upon the journey to this point, I’m proud of the groundwork that was laid long before the engine ever turned over. 

“Its development is already showing great promise on the dynos in Dearborn, where we’ve been pushing the limits of performance and durability and learning a lot at the same time. That dyno work, combined with parallel progress on the chassis side with ORECA, has now converged into a complete package ready for the next phase.

“The firing of the engine is more than a symbolic moment – it’s a critical validation step. We are doing everything from an engine perspective in-house and we’re doing that because we can react faster, learn faster and bring that back to the production side of the business. [The engine] serves as a direct link to Ford’s production performance vehicles as well as accelerating the transfer of technology between the racetrack and the road.

“Hearing the Coyote V8 come alive within its intended home for the first time confirmed that months of integration work between the powertrain and chassis teams have paid off. Looking ahead, we have a lot of laps to turn later this year, but the work has already started and I’m excited for what’s ahead.”

A V8 that refuses to downsize...The engine is the most distinctive part of the story. While most of the current Hypercar grid has gone turbocharged, Ford is racing a 5.4-litre naturally aspirated V8 derived from the unit already used in the Mustang Dark Horse R, GT4 and GT3 programmes. It still runs the hybrid system every LMDh car must carry under the class's shared technical rules, but the base engine is pure Ford, developed at the brand's Dearborn facility rather than bought in. It is a deliberate choice, not a compromise — Ford is betting that a proven, characterful V8 will do more for the brand than a smaller, quieter unit built purely around a lap time.

Visually, the car is still wearing the blue-and-white camouflage it has worn since its unveiling, with “Ford Racing” lettering across the bodywork. The nose sits low, in a style not unlike Ferrari's 499P, with a raised front splitter and aerodynamic flicks along the sides. Unlike other ORECA-built cars on the grid, this one is running without the small front fin usually fitted to the marque's chassis — a detail that suggests Ford and ORECA are exploring their own aerodynamic path rather than simply copying the customer template. Nothing about the final specification is confirmed, and Ford has not released a power figure, weight, or the car's eventual name.

Indeed, next up for Ford’s Hypercar programme will be a comprehensive track testing schedule at various circuits throughout Europe – and later the United States – which is due to begin next month. The focus will be placed on performance, reliability, aerodynamics and hybrid system integration in conditions aimed at simulating the myriad demands of an FIA WEC race weekend. 

Sayers expects the input from all six confirmed drivers – Logan Sargeant, Mike Rockenfeller, Sebastian Priaulx, Matt Campbell, Tom Blomqvist and Nick Yelloly – to play a vital role in the project’s transition from the virtual world to the real world, as the ‘Blue Oval’ bids to hit the ground running come the curtain-raising contest next spring. 

“Of course it’s early days, and we have a huge amount of work ahead of us, but the sim work and dyno numbers give us a great foundation,” the Brit reported. “Still, there’s no substitute for what the drivers feel through the wheel and seat once we’re actually out on-track – that feedback loop is what will truly sharpen this car over the upcoming months. 

“With the engine now firing within the chassis and a circuit debut just weeks away, our Hypercar programme is entering its most visible and consequential phase yet – one that brings Ford Racing another step closer to its ultimate ambition.”

Ford is stepping into arguably the toughest era the top class of endurance racing has ever seen. Porsche, Ferrari, Toyota, Cadillac, BMW, Peugeot, Aston Martin and McLaren already build or race Hypercars, and Genesis is circling the category too. Starting later than a rival such as McLaren is not being treated as a problem internally — Ford's programme management has said publicly that it is not concerned about the timeline, and 2027 remains the target for a full FIA WEC campaign built around a real assault on the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Autonext take...Ford choosing a naturally aspirated V8 for a 2027 Hypercar is not a nostalgia play. It is a brand decision. Every rival on this grid has already accepted some form of turbocharging or hybrid-heavy downsizing to chase efficiency numbers; Ford is betting that sound, character and a direct line back to its road-going Mustang programme matter just as much to the people who will actually watch this car race.

That said, running without a front fin while everyone else on the ORECA customer platform keeps theirs is the kind of detail that either ages very well or gets quietly reversed within a season. We would not read too much into it yet. What matters more right now is that the programme is hitting its own dates — engine fired in July, running-in in August, laps on track before the month is out. For a manufacturer that has not fought for outright Le Mans victory since the GT40 era, simply being on schedule is itself the story.

Ford's Hypercar programme continues to build on the momentum from its July V8 first-start, as the WEC's current era keeps delivering — Toyota's latest 24 Hours of Le Mans win among the proof that the Hypercar class has never had this much depth.

 

Autonews