In today's issue:

The iX5's $81,250 base puts it $7,700 above the entry gas X5, a narrower EV premium than most rivals manage. BMW has now assembled more than 3.1 million X5s in Spartanburg since 1999, per bmwblog.com, and the iX5 is the clearest signal yet that tariff exposure is a live pricing concern for Munich.

Polestar's U.S. Exit Leaves 32 Dealers With No Brand to Sell: The U.S. government banned Polestar over connected-vehicle hardware and software concerns, per Wards Auto, and the brand will exit after the 2026 model year, per CBT News. All 32 franchised dealers are now searching for answers on inventory, staff, and customers already in Polestar vehicles.

Jeep Kills Recon and Wagoneer S in Europe, Plans China-Built Replacement: Jeep confirmed it will not launch the Recon or Wagoneer S in Europe, and its post-2030 European flagship will be a large D-segment SUV co-developed with Dongfeng and built at Dongfeng's Wuhan plant, per Automotive News Europe and Carscoops. Jeep currently offers just two models in Europe after dropping the Grand Cherokee, Gladiator, and Wrangler.

Used Car Prices Jumped More Than $1,300 in the First Half of 2026: Average used prices climbed over $1,300 in H1 2026, per Car Dealership Guy, as tariff-driven demand front-loading tightened supply. New car average marketed price is now $51,940, up $2,413 year-over-year, per CarEdge data cited by the CarEdge Live podcast, while new-vehicle CPI actually dipped 0.3% in May per FRED. The gap between list-price inflation and headline CPI signals dealers are capturing margin through add-ons, not sticker increases.

Ford Rehired 350 Veteran Engineers After Its Own Quality Cameras Missed Defects: Ford brought back 350 veteran engineers, many of them former Ford employees, after discovering its 900-camera automated inspection system missed defects that experienced human eyes caught, per CBT News and KBB. The engineers now both catch defects before parts reach the plant and retrain the inspection system. Ford earned third place in JD Power's 2026 Initial Quality Study with 152 problems per 100 vehicles, per AutoGuide, the same week it disclosed the quality-tech gap.

BYD, MG, and Chery Are Set for Their Most Prominent Goodwood Festival of Speed Yet: BYD, MG, and Chery are all taking prominent roles at the Goodwood Festival of Speed opening July 9, with BYD debuting coupe and racing versions of the Denza Z electric supercar at the event, per Automotive News. It marks the most visible Chinese brand presence at the U.K.'s marquee performance showcase to date.

Ford Recalls 741,000 F-150s, Explorers, and Navigators Over Rollaway Risk: Ford's recall 26V402 covers 2018-2021 F-150, Explorer, Expedition, Lincoln Navigator, and Lincoln Aviator models whose transmission parking pawl may temporarily engage rather than lock permanently, creating a rollaway risk, per Autoblog and Carscoops. A separate action covers 36,000 Bronco Raptor models whose fender flares can detach; dealers will update software, inspect components, and replace damaged parts. If you own one: Check NHTSA.gov for recall 26V402 and contact your Ford or Lincoln dealer to schedule the repair.

Texas Is Now Just 0.6 Points Behind California as the U.S.'s Largest Auto Market: California's retail share of U.S. light-vehicle sales has fallen to 11.4% in 2026, while Texas has climbed to 10.8%, and Texas already leads the nation in total consumer spending on new vehicles, per CBT News.

GM Puts $275 Million Into Spring Hill to Support a New Cadillac ICE Model: The Spring Hill, Tennessee plant will become a five-vehicle operation once the new Cadillac arrives, with the investment also supporting the 2.7L turbo engine program, per CBT News and Wards Auto.

DRAM Memory Chip Shortage Is Costing Automakers Hundreds of Millions: Spot prices for DRAM chips rose roughly 450% between September 2025 and January 2026 as infrastructure spending outbid the auto sector for supply, and the ripple effects are reaching production schedules across multiple OEMs, per Automotive News.

Trump Signs Right-to-Repair Memo, EPA Gets 30 Days to Act: President Trump signed a memo backing Americans' right to repair their own vehicles with aftermarket parts, per CBT News and The Drive. The EPA must clarify which emissions repairs are permissible within 30 days.

Yesterday's picks

Rivian Killed Its Cheapest R1T and R1S, Making Every Config $7,000 More Expensive: Rivian raised entry price by $7,000, narrowing buyer pool while clearing space for the R2.

Nissan Celebrated Its 1 Millionth Frontier Built in the U.S. While Q1 Retail Sales Ran 48% Above Last Year: 1 million Frontier milestone and 48% retail sales jump highlight strong midsize truck demand.

96,000 Hyundai Tucsons Recalled Over a Software Bug: Hyundai recalls nearly 100k Tucsons; owners should check VINs and schedule free software updates.

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