BMW's design is set to become more tranquil and "significantly more understated," according to TDS.
The 2026 BMW iX3. BMW
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Good morning and welcome to The Downshift, or TDS for short.
Concise and straightforward, TDS compiles the latest automotive news from around the world in one location. Each story is briefly summarized in a single sentence, along with a link for those wanting more details. Enjoy TDS with a Pop-Tart and a cup of coffee.
The first cup of coffee is finished, so let’s dive in.
🚘 What I’m driving: The 2025 Ford Expedition Platinum has been swapped for a 2025 Mercedes-Benz E 450 4Matic All-Terrain, the newest E-Class wagon, which is impressively fast with its turbocharged six-cylinder engine.
✍️ Senior BMW designer Oliver Helimer remarked that times are shifting and “everything is becoming more calm,” emphasizing that designs need not be “too in-your-face” and “can be much more subtle,” representing a significant change from the current M3 with its prominent kidney grilles.
🔋 After just one year on the market, the Volvo EX90 is receiving substantial hardware upgrades for 2026, including a new 800-volt electrical system for quicker charging, enhanced safety and collision avoidance capabilities, and an upgraded NVIDIA DRIVE AGE Orin-based core computer.
⛽️ Bentley plans to follow Porsche’s example, updating its current lineup of Continental GT, Flying Spur, and Bentayga with gas-powered engines instead of shifting to electric models as initially intended.
🏭 Volvo is reinvesting in its U.S. plant near Charleston, South Carolina, adding the XC60 in both mild and plug-in hybrid versions, along with another plug-in hybrid model.
💜 Jeep has reintroduced the purple Reign color option for the 2026 Wrangler and Gladiator, which last appeared in 2023 and was first launched in 2018.
🪫 California Governor Gavin Newsom has reverted the idea of replacing the soon-to-expire U.S. EV tax credit in California, stating that GM CEO Mary Barra “sold us out.”
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BMW's design is set to become more tranquil and "significantly more understated," according to TDS.
A senior designer at BMW remarked, "the times are evolving" and noted that "everything is becoming more tranquil."