Trump Administration Suggests Station Wagons Might Return: TDS
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Good morning and welcome to The Downshift, or TDS for short.
TDS is brief and engaging, compiling the latest global automotive news into one concise format. Each story is summarized in a single, occasionally lengthy, sentence, along with a link for those who want further details.
After a long day witnessing the launch of the new Toyota GR GT, GR GT3, and Lexus LFA Concept in Japan, dinner time has arrived. Let's dive in.
🚙 President Trump's Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy mentioned that reducing fuel economy standards might "allow" automakers to produce station wagons again, reminiscent of the 1970s, though he didn't clarify whether there would actually be renewed demand for these vehicles.
🚌 The Federal Government is looking into why Waymo’s self-driving taxis have illegally passed school buses 19 times in Austin, Texas since the school year began.
🔋 Subaru announced that the 2026 Trailseeker will be priced at $41,445, offering up to 280 miles of range when it becomes available in dealerships early next year.
🐏 Ram unveiled an amusingly bad advertisement for its new cologne that is so poor it's entertaining.
🌟 Kia’s Vision Meta Turismo concept resembles a futuristic electric Stinger.
🇸🇦 Lucid revealed its plan to initially manufacture its mid-size $50,000 competitor to the Tesla Model Y in Saudi Arabia, allowing it to avoid tariffs on components sourced from China.
🏎️ Toyota will assume the role of title sponsor for the Haas Formula 1 race team starting in 2026.
🤖 Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe stated that the startup's next phase will focus on the smaller, more affordable R2 and the development of autonomy, which he believes will transform the auto industry by 2030.
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Trump Administration Suggests Station Wagons Might Return: TDS
The reasoning? Easing fuel economy standards might "enable" automakers to start producing station wagons again.