LEXUS

Lexus LFA: a Japanese electric car to rival Ferrari, McLaren, Lamborghini...

Lexus has revealed the final image of the LFA Concept prototype—the model we saw a few weeks ago undergoing camouflaged testing on the Goodwood Festival of Speed ​​hillclimb, appearing alongside the Toyota Gazoo Racing GR GT and GR GT3. That appearance was a surprise, as the car was originally intended only for a static display in the supercar paddock, though it left us eager to see its final design. Now, that curiosity has been satisfied.

The LFA aims to be more than just a stylish sports car. Only 500 units of the original LFA were hand-built between 2010 and 2012, each featuring a 4.8-liter V10 engine so lightweight and responsive that it could rev from idle to 9,000 rpm in a mere 0.6 seconds. In fact, the acceleration was so rapid that the analog tachometer had to be replaced with a digital one because the needle on the instrument cluster couldn't keep up (or so Lexus claims). That car, which cost just over €375,000 when it left the factory, now commands prices exceeding one million euros on the used market. You can understand, then, that inheriting this nameplate means playing in a different league; the new LFA arrives as an alternative to models from brands like Ferrari, Porsche, McLaren, and Lamborghini, albeit with a specific focus on combining 100% electric propulsion with a two-seater philosophy.

Different proportions... We have limited information about the new LFA. For now, we know it measures 4,690 mm in length, 2,040 mm in width, and just 1,195 mm in height, with a wheelbase of 2,725 mm. These dimensions make it several centimeters longer and wider than its predecessor, and considerably lower to the ground. It has also been revealed that it utilizes the same aluminum platform as the GR GT.

However, the biggest difference compared to the original LFA—as previously mentioned—lies beneath the bodywork; the new model bids farewell to the naturally aspirated V10 (developed jointly with Yamaha) in favor of an all-electric powertrain, which, at first glance, seems far less exciting. Lexus is keeping all data regarding power output and battery capacity under wraps—a mystery that will be unveiled as we approach the mass production date, slated for 2027.

The cabin retains a strict two-seat layout, eschewing even the token rear seats that other sports cars include merely to tick a box. The entire space is focused on the driver, featuring a driving position inherited from the GR GT and GR GT3, a steering wheel that eliminates the need to shift hand positions during turns, and a control layout designed for operation without taking one's eyes off the road.

Behind the project is Toyota Chairman Akio Toyoda, who is determined to ensure that the brand's artisanal techniques are passed down from one generation of engineers to the next. The car's development ran parallel to that of the Gazoo Racing GR GT and GR GT3; the LFA Concept shares aluminum construction techniques, weight distribution, and much of its aerodynamic design with these models.

 

Autonews

AUTONEWS

Dynamic pitch shifts in vehicle sounds could help pedestrians assess collision risk earlier

To improve pedestrian safety in urban areas, researchers are developing technologies that alert pedestrians to potential hazards via smartphones or earbuds. However, loud warning sounds and strong vibrations can induce stress, and repeated alerts may eventually be ignored. To address this challenge, the researchers proposed a method that uses auditory augmented reality, which overlays information onto environmental sounds through earbuds, to slightly modify the sound of an approaching vehicle and naturally draw attention to it.

Human hearing perceives approaching sound sources based on multiple cues, such as increased loudness and frequency (pitch). Changes in frequency are particularly effective for distant sound sources that are difficult to judge by loudness alone. Using this mechanism, the researchers investigated how pedestrians perceive a vehicle's speed, distance and time to collision by artificially increasing the frequency of the vehicle's sound as it approaches.

The researchers conducted an experiment in a virtual reality urban environment with 30 participants. As the frequency shift increased, participants judged the vehicle as moving faster and closer than it actually was and predicted an earlier collision. Furthermore, with target upward frequency-scaling ratios of up to 3×, realism ratings remained comparable to those for unmodified vehicle sounds in most conditions. This may reflect a learned association between higher-pitched vehicle sounds and higher speeds.

These findings suggest that dynamically shifting a vehicle's sound frequency could offer a less intrusive way to draw pedestrians' attention to approaching vehicles without requiring a separate alarm tone.

Overview of the proposed AAR interface. The interface monitors collision risk via V2P communication and sensor data. When the risk exceeds a threshold, the approaching vehicle sound undergoes a dynamic frequency shift (upward modulation). This design emphasizes perceived proximity over actual distance or speed, effectively capturing pedestrian attention and enabling appropriate avoidance actions(University of Tsukuba)

Ensuring pedestrian safety in urban environments is a critical challenge, particularly when attention is fragmented by smartphone usage. While conventional warning systems utilizing strong alerts offer immediate noticeability, they often induce annoyance and alert fatigue, potentially leading to system disuse. To address this, we propose an Auditory Augmented Reality (AAR) interface that leverages environmental sound itself as a natural cue for attention guidance without adding explicit alarms. Our approach employs a risk-based modulation scheme that dynamically shifts the frequency of approaching vehicle sounds when the Time-to-Collision (TTC) falls below a threshold. By exploiting the human “Auditory Looming Bias,” this upward frequency shift amplifies the perception of the vehicle as approaching “closer and faster,” thereby inducing earlier collision prediction and avoidance actions while maintaining ecological realism. This demonstration presents a high-fidelity VR simulation with spatial audio, allowing users to experientially validate the effectiveness of this method by comparing natural Doppler effects with the proposed dynamic frequency shifting intervention.

Ensuring pedestrian safety in urban environments is a critical social challenge from the perspective of accident prevention. Particularly in situations where attentional resources are fragmented due to smartphone usage, support for Situation Awareness (SA) is required to enable early detection of surrounding hazards (e.g., approaching vehicles) and to facilitate avoidance actions. Recently, pedestrian warning systems utilizing Vehicle-to-Pedestrian (V2P) communication to present strong visual, auditory, and haptic alerts on smartphones and wearables have been investigated. 

However, while strong alerts offer immediate noticeability, they can induce annoyance, psychological burden, alert fatigue, and reduced trust caused by false alarms, potentially leading to long-term system disuse. Therefore, an interface design that achieves early attention guidance without adding explicit alarms—and without disrupting the daily experience—is necessary.

The fundamental approach of this research lies in utilizing environmental sound itself as a natural cue for attention guidance. It is known that humans easily direct attention toward approaching objects, and that not only intensity changes  but also frequency changes (upward shifts) strongly evoke looming perception. Thus, rather than presenting the approaching vehicle sound as recorded, we dynamically shift the frequency of the vehicle sound in accordance with the decrease in Time-to-Collision (TTC). This causes the vehicle to be perceived as approaching closer and faster, thereby inducing attention earlier in a non-invasive manner. Crucially, the design does not add new warning sounds for danger notification but embeds salience into the existing soundscape, enhancing situation awareness while maintaining ecological realism. Our previous validation, utilizing VR listening experiments, demonstrated that manipulating the frequency shift ratio (2 ×, 3 ×) induces more conservative (safety-sided) predictions—specifically, earlier collision prediction and faster speed estimation—without significantly impairing realism.

Building on these findings, this demo presents a VR simulation of the proposed Auditory Augmented Reality (AAR) interface concept. Instead of real-time risk monitoring, the simulation places users in a specific high-risk scenario to experientially validate the effectiveness of the “looming sensation” amplification. Through the demo, attendees will experience: the sensory conflict between visual constancy and auditory acceleration, the retention of directionality via spatial audio, and a real-time comparison of different shift intensities to understand the trade-off between urgency and naturalness.

Provided by University of Tsukuba

WRC

WRC: Sami Pajari brings Finland its 200th anniversary triumph

Pajari, accompanied by co-driver Marko Salminen, finished 26.7 seconds ahead of Swede Oliver Solberg (Toyota Yaris), while Briton Elfyn Evans (Toyota Yaris) took third place, 1 minute 19.5 seconds back, completing a clean sweep of the podium for the Japanese manufacturer.

Toyota driver Sami Pajari won the WRC rally in Finland today, moving up to second place in the overall standings with four races to go.

This is the 24-year-old Finn's second WRC victory, after he celebrated in the previous race in Estonia, and he brought his country its 200th anniversary triumph in the World Rally Championship.

Pajari celebrated with a total time of two hours, 27 minutes and 58 seconds, and two other Toyota drivers climbed the podium - Swede Oliver Solberg (26.7 seconds behind) and Briton Elfin Evans (1:19.5 minutes behind).

On Saturday, the current world champion, Frenchman Sebastien Ogier from Toyota, finished the race after an accident, having successfully passed the medical examinations.

Evans leads the overall standings with 201 points, Pajari is 30 points behind in second place, while Japanese driver and Toyota member Takamoto Katsuta is third with 160 points.

The Finnish driver began the final day with a 46.4-second lead and chose to manage his pace during the two passes through the 30.02-kilometer Himos-Jämsä stage, finishing fifth in the event-closing Power Stage.

"I don't know what to say. Winning in Estonia was very important, but a home victory is always something special," said Pajari, who was greeted at the end of the final stage by former Finnish world champion Ari Vatanen.

Pajari's triumph marked the 200th victory by a Finnish driver in the World Rally Championship—following his own 199th win in Estonia—and made him the 14th driver from the country to win the event since its inclusion in the WRC.

"It hasn't always been easy for the Finns, but after a truly crazy rally, we did it. A huge thank you to the team and also to all the fans for their support," he added.

Pajari also became the first Finn to win two consecutive World Championship rallies since Kalle Rovanperä's victories in Poland and Latvia in 2024.

Following Rovanperä's 2025 victory, Finland saw a home driver on the top step of the podium in two consecutive editions for the first time since Jari-Matti Latvala's wins in 2014 and 2015.

Toyota secured its eighth Rally Finland victory in the last nine editions. With 11 wins since the championship's inception, the Japanese brand overtook Ford to become the most successful manufacturer in the Finnish event. Pajari inherited the lead on Saturday following the crash of Frenchman Sébastien Ogier (Toyota Yaris), who had been leading since Friday but went off the road at high speed during the second pass through Västilä.

Ogier and co-driver Julien Ingrassia exited the car unaided and were taken to the hospital for precautionary checks; both later revealed on social media that they were fine, despite remaining hospitalized overnight.

Solberg won the first stage on Sunday and was the fastest overall on the final day, despite suffering severe back pain from a heavy landing. The Swede received medical attention before the final section and finished just 25 thousandths of a second behind Evans in the ‘power stage’.

This second-place finish mirrored the result Toyota achieved in Estonia, where Pajari had also finished ahead of Solberg.

Evans recovered to third place after rolling his car on Saturday. Spectators helped put the Toyota back on the road, and team mechanics repaired the damage during the service break.

The Briton won the ‘power stage’ and extended his championship lead to 201 points, now holding a 30-point advantage over Pajari. Takamoto Katsuta (Toyota Yaris) dropped to third in the standings with 160 points, while Solberg sits fourth with 156.

Adrien Fourmaux (Hyundai i20) finished the race in fourth place, 16.4 seconds behind Evans, while Belgian driver Thierry Neuville (Hyundai i20) moved up to fifth following Katsuta’s off-road excursion on the final stage.

The Japanese driver hit a tree and reached the finish line with the front of his car heavily damaged, dropping to sixth place—ahead of Irishman Josh McErlean (Ford Puma). Jari-Matti Latvala finished eighth overall and won the RC2 category, while Estonian Robert Virves secured his fourth victory in as many WRC2 appearances this season following a 30-second penalty handed to Finn Teemu Suninen.

The winning duo headed into the final day with a 46.4-second lead over their pursuers, opting to manage their pace during the two passes of the Himos–Jämsä stage to avoid unnecessary risks and secure the top spot. At the finish, Sami Pajari made no secret of his immense emotion at winning in front of his home crowd, celebrating at the finish line where he was greeted by the sport's living legend, Ari Vatanen: “I don’t know what to say. Winning in Estonia was huge, but a home victory is always something special. It hasn’t always been easy for Finns, but after a truly crazy rally, we did it. A huge thank you, first and foremost, to the team, and also to all the fans for their support. It’s simply incredible. Kiitos paljon – thank you everyone!”

Historical significance and Saturday’s incidents...Sami Pajari’s triumph holds profound statistical significance, marking the 200th victory by a Finnish driver in WRC history and making him the fourteenth representative from the country to win his home event during the World Championship era. The lead fell into Sami Pajari’s hands on Saturday afternoon when the previous leader, Sébastien Ogier, suffered a terrible crash on the Västilä stage. The French driver and his stand-in co-driver, Julien Ingrassia, emerged from the vehicle unharmed, though they underwent hospital checks as a precaution.

Oliver Solberg’s resilience and Elfyn Evans’s recovery...Despite severe back pain resulting from a violent landing, Oliver Solberg showed remarkable pace to secure second place and win the "Super Sunday" classification. Afterward, the Swede described the physical difficulties he faced: “I’m in so much pain inside. I was braking so hard for the jumps because of the pain. I knew I’d lose the Power Stage. I tried, but I wasn’t good enough.” For his part, Elfyn Evans staged an exceptional recovery after rolling his GR Yaris Rally1 on Saturday. The car was quickly righted by spectators and fully repaired by the team's mechanics during the service break. The British driver acknowledged the collective effort by setting the fastest time on the Power Stage and securing third place overall: “It was a surreal set of circumstances. More than anything, we owe a thank you to the guys who fixed the car yesterday at lunchtime. We always know we can count on them.” Ironically, this recovery allowed Elfyn Evans to extend his championship lead over Sami Pajari to 30 points.

As for the remaining points-scoring positions...Adrien Fourmaux drove his Hyundai to fourth place overall, overcoming weather-related setbacks experienced early in the rally. Thierry Neuville capitalized on a mistake by Takamoto Katsuta on the Power Stage—where the Japanese driver hit a tree and dropped to sixth—to move up to fifth place overall.

Josh McErlean placed his M-Sport Ford Puma seventh, while Jari-Matti Latvala rounded out the top eight and won the RC2 class. In the WRC2 category, Robert Virves claimed his fourth victory of the season. The World Rally Championship returns soon for the eleventh round, Rally Paraguay, scheduled for August 27–30.

Sami Pajari turned his Estonian dream into an epic reality in Finland, securing back-to-back WRC victories with a thrilling home win, finishing 26.7 seconds ahead of a stoic Oliver Solberg. This marks the 200th victory by a Finnish driver in a WRC event since 1973: Marcus Grönholm, 30; Tommi Mäkinen, 24; Juha Kankkunen, 23; Markku Alén, 19; Jari-Matti Latvala, 18; Hannu Mikkola, 18; Kalle Rovanpera, 18; Mikko Hirvonen, 15;

Timo Salonen, 11; Ari Vatanen, 10; Timo Makinen, 4; Henri Toivonen, 3; Esapekka Lappi, 2; Sami Pajari, 2; Pentti Airikkala, 1; Kyosti Hamalainen, 1; Harri Rovanpera, 1.

The World Championship continues from August 27 to 30 with Rally Paraguay, the 11th round of the season.

by Autonews

TATRA

Tatra 613: the jewel in the crown of the former Czechoslovak

The Tatra 613 is a large luxury car featuring rear-wheel drive and a rear-mounted, air-cooled engine; it was manufactured by the Czechoslovak company Tatra from 1974 to 1996 as the successor to the Tatra 603 series.

It featured an all-new body designed by the Italian firm Vignale in 1968  and was powered by a 3.5-liter, DOHC, air-cooled V8 engine producing 168 hp (124 kW). Later fuel-injected versions reached 200 hp (147 kW), with a top speed of 230 km/h (143 mph). The design underwent five further updates before being replaced by the Tatra 700 in 1996, which was essentially a restyled T613-5.

Tatra 613 vehicles were primarily used by government officials and industry executives, and—to a limited extent—as police cars and rapid-response vehicles for firefighting and rescue operations at motorsport events.

This is a large luxury sedan, manufactured by the Czechoslovak manufacturer Tatra. It had a relatively minor success on the market, but is still regarded as one of the most technologically-advanced vehicles from the Soviet Bloc.

Production started in 1974 and the last example rolled off the assembly line in the city of Koprivnice in 1996, more than 20 years after the model was launched.

When it was first introduced, the 613 featured a 3.5-liter V8 naturally-aspirated, air-cooled, DOHC petrol engine, delivering 165 horsepower (123 kilowatts) to the rear wheels through a four-speed manual gearbox with floor-mounted gear change lever. The motor is longitudinally mounted and has four cylinders ahead of the rear axle line and four cylinders behind it, described by many as a semi-mid-engine layout.

Stopping power is provided by a dual-circuit, servo-assisted braking system with ventilated disc brakes on all four wheels. McPherson strut front suspension and semi-trailing arms at the back were used.

Let’s talk design. This well-proportioned luxury sedan featured a body styled by the famous Italian coachbuilder Vignale – a name, which was resurrected by Ford of Europe in 2013 for the Ford Vignale series. The Italians started designing the 613 in 1968 and were ready with the final product a few years later.

At first, it had a double headlights layout, much similar to the later 603 models. The overall shape of the two large cars from different generations is similar, but the 613 features more edgy and modern forms with longer hood and slightly shorter overhangs.

Just like its predecessor, the car was mostly used by government officials and industry executives. Limited numbers were handed to the secret police of Czechoslovakia and even North Korea ordered a few thousand for its police.

Later during the model’s life, it was exported to the United Kingdom as a rival for some BMWs and Jaguars, at least on paper. Despite its many upgrades over the standard version, including a five-speed gearbox and electronic fuel injection for a maximum output of 200 hp (149 kW), it never had a massive success, mainly because of its high starting price of around £30,000. The car was even featured in a Top Gear episode from 1993. 

 

Autonews

VW

ID.Polo with the most compact battery—designed for daily urban use—arrives in Spain for €17,900

Volkswagen has launched sales of the most affordable version of the new ID.Polo in Spain, equipped with a 37 kWh battery designed for city driving and short distances. The launch comes at a delicate time for the traditional gasoline-powered Polo, which will coexist with its electric counterpart in dealerships for a while longer before being discontinued at the end of its lifecycle.

The entry-level ID.Polo Match combines a 37 kWh battery with a 116 hp motor and a range of 323 kilometers. Its starting price is €17,900, though this figure includes promotional offers and is contingent upon financing through the brand itself and the Auto+ plan. Without these incentives, the price rises to €25,995.

The Life and Style versions also offer this entry-level battery. The ID.Polo Life retains the 116 hp motor—albeit with a slightly lower range of 318 kilometers—while the Style features a 135 hp motor and offers a range of up to 326 kilometers. Those seeking even greater range will need to opt for the 52 kWh battery, which provides a range of up to 457 km.

Standard equipment includes LED headlights with high-beam assist, a digital instrument cluster with a 10-inch screen and retro display mode, the Innovision infotainment system with a 13-inch screen, a synthetic leather multifunction steering wheel, and automatic climate control.

A unique detail concerns the climate control: a dual-zone system is technically pre-installed in the vehicle but is only activated via an optional "winter package" costing 545 euros, which also includes heated seats and a heated steering wheel.

Even a heat pump comes at an extra cost—specifically, 990 euros. Wireless smartphone connectivity for Android Auto and Apple CarPlay costs 225 euros. Alternatively, one can opt for the "Innovision Pro" package with factory navigation for 985 euros; in this case, wireless connectivity is included. Regarding safety and assistance systems, lane change assist, lane keeping assist, and emergency assist come standard. For 380 euros, the model also gains adaptive cruise control (ACC) and other advanced features from the ADAS package.

For comparison, Volkswagen offers the classic Polo with an internal combustion engine—delivering the same 116 hp—only starting from the higher "Life" trim level paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, at a starting price of 28,220 euros. That model achieves a range of approximately 750 kilometers on a 40-liter tank, with a manufacturer-stated average fuel consumption of 18.8 km/l.

From 10% to 80% in 23 minutes... The small battery is of the LFP (lithium iron phosphate) type, a chemical composition that sacrifices some energy density in exchange for lower manufacturing costs and a longer lifespan. It supports DC fast charging of up to 90 kW, enough to charge from 10% to 80% in about 23 minutes—a respectable figure, though not cutting-edge for a 2026 launch, given that several Chinese competitors are already achieving times of around 15 minutes for the same charging range.

Standard equipment on the Match trim—even the entry-level version—includes LED headlights, 17-inch steel wheels, a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, and a 12.9-inch infotainment screen with wireless App-Connect for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Notable additional features include over-the-air (OTA) updates, rain-sensing wipers, electrically adjustable and heated side mirrors, adaptive cruise control, rear parking sensors, and a suite of driver-assistance systems, including Front Assist, Side Assist, and Lane Assist. Climatronic automatic climate control and a two-way electric opening and closing system round out the generous list of standard features for this entry-level model.

 

Autonews

 

AUTONEWS

This police method has become a hit on the internet

If you recently noticed a shrub staring back at you while driving through downtown Dunellen, New Jersey, you’re probably not losing your mind; you may instead have been looking at a police officer instead of landscaping. If you didn’t notice the shrub because you were looking at your phone, however, you may have been issued a ticket.

The Dunellen Police Department recently took to Facebook to showcase the unconventional approach to distracted driving enforcement. As odd as it sounds, the tactic proved remarkably effective. During a six-hour enforcement detail, officers issued 74 citations to drivers who were allegedly distracted by their phones.

The operation took place along the 100 block of Dunellen’s North Washington Avenue, a busy downtown corridor with heavy vehicle and pedestrian traffic. According to the department, the location was selected specifically because of the number of people walking through the area, and the importance of keeping drivers focused on the road.

The undercover officer, hidden in a ghillie-style suit designed to resemble roadside bushes, watched traffic for motorists holding or interacting with their phones. Once a distracted driver was spotted, nearby members of the force stopped the vehicle and issued a citation for violating New Jersey's handheld cell phone law. Even the officers not disguised as greenery played it cool, with at least one wearing a "Not a Cop” T-shirt.

"Did you spot our 'shrub' today? If you had your head buried in your phone, probably not," the department posted Wednesday. 

"To address the elephant, or shrub, in the room, our officer didn't wear a ghillie suit during the entire enforcement detail. The photo was a creative, lighthearted way to draw attention to our safety efforts on social media," Det. Sgt. Nicholas Goldman told CBS News New York. 

In a second photo, the department showed an officer who participated in the crackdown wearing a T-shirt with the message "not a cop." 

It was all part of an effort to catch drivers on their phones. In all, the crackdown resulted in some 74 citations being issued in a six-hour crackdown. 

"While it was a fun thing, the underlying mission is incredibly serious. For a one-square-mile town, we have a relatively high number of accidents, and we were looking for a unique enforcement method," Goldman said. 

"So what we're seeing a lot of is people usually just holding their phones, following either a GPS, or FaceTiming a lot of the time, you know, we did get, unfortunately, see a lot of people holding the phone with two hands and, like, almost driving with their knees, which sounds crazy, but, you know, there's a lot of people that were doing it," Dunellen Borough traffic safety patrolman Kevin Condis said. 

While the camouflage may have drawn a few laughs online, the message behind the operation is serious. Distracted driving remains one of the leading causes of crashes across the United States; according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), it led to 315,167 injuries and 3208 fatalities in 2024 alone.

Whether dressing officers as shrubbery becomes a long-term enforcement strategy remains to be seen, but it certainly succeeded in grabbing drivers' attention. The next time you think about checking a text while driving, remember that the bush on the side of the road may not just be a bush.

AUTONEWS

Ferrari sold out by the end of 2027

Ferrari has announced that its order books for 2027 are already fully booked. In other words, new orders will not be filled until 2028 at the earliest, according to Motor1.

Ferrari cites “healthy demand across all geographies” as the influx of orders as new models arrive and others are retired.

The Purosangue recently received the Handling Speciale option, while the new 12Cilindri Manuale with simulated manual transmission premiered with the status - sold out.

Although order books are growing, deliveries are slightly down through June compared to the first half of last year. Ferrari sold 6,802 cars in the first half of 2026, a decrease of 285 units. Europe, the Middle East and Africa took the lion's share, accounting for almost half of deliveries, with combustion engine cars accounting for 70 percent and hybrids accounting for the remaining 30 percent.

In the first half of this year, Ferrari delivered 6,802 cars worldwide. Although the figure represents a slight decrease of 285 units compared to the same period last year, the brand's profitability remains at record levels. This strategy reflects the brand's clear philosophy: maintaining exclusivity by capping production and prioritizing luxury customization.

Rarity is the most important driver of desire in the ultra-luxury segment. For Ferrari, a two- or three-year waiting time doesn't alienate customers, but rather increases their attachment to the brand.

How global sales were divided:

Geographic distribution: The markets in Europe, Africa and the Middle East remained the main pillar of the company, generating half (50%) of total sales.

Engines: Despite the global energy transition, purely thermal models (with internal combustion engines) continue to dominate purist preferences, representing 70% of sales. The remaining 30% was made up of hybrid and electric cars.

Ferrari Luce: First electric model reaches sales target in just two months...One of the most important milestones in the brand's recent history is the launch of the Ferrari Luce, the first 100% electric vehicle in the brand's portfolio.

Although the switch to electric propulsion has sparked much debate among traditional fans, the commercial success was instant: the Ferrari Luce has already reached its entire sales target for 2026 just two months after its official debut. The result confirms the huge appetite of customers for innovation, as long as it bears the emblem of the Prancing Horse.

How successful is Ferrari on the Romanian market? Romania remains an extremely dynamic and receptive market for the Maranello brand. The local community of collectors and supercar enthusiasts has expanded considerably in recent years, and demand far exceeds the number of annual allocations for our country.

The main factors explaining success in Romania:

Appetite for the Purosangue SUV: The brand's first four-door model, the Ferrari Purosangue, has become a real phenomenon on the Romanian market. Being an ideal vehicle for daily use, the quotas allocated to Romania were quickly exhausted, and recently run examples are trading on the secondary market at prices substantially above the list price.

Existing customers with priority access: Ferrari policy stipulates that limited edition models or new hybrid launches are allocated with priority to loyal customers, who already own other models in their garage. In Romania there is a strong core of collectors who have successively purchased SF90, 296 GTB or special series models, thus ensuring a place at the front of the waiting lists.

Safe financial investment: With waiting lists extending until 2028, Ferraris purchased in Romania retain their value extremely well. For many local business buyers, buying a Ferrari is not only a passion, but also a way to protect capital.

Two more new models are coming...CEO Benedetto Vigna said that two more new Ferrari models will arrive by the end of 2026. He also mentioned biofuels.

"We classify biofuels as carbon-neutral fuels. For us, they are part of that group and they work well in our engines. We have already tested different types of carbon-neutral fuels and the engine behaves very well. Nothing changes."

Vigna did not provide details on which biofuels Ferrari used or which engines were involved.

As for the two new Ferrari models expected in the second half of 2026, one of them is likely to be the Ferrari F80 Aperta, a version of the hybrid hypercar with a removable roof. Its powertrain will be the same 1,200 horsepower hybrid system as the coupe. Another debut could be a new variant of the Ferrari 12Cilindri, possibly called the Versione Speciale.