In today's issue:
Rivian's $45,000 R2 begins deliveries today, and first-drive reviews from five major outlets land at the same time
1.3 million 2021-2025 Jeep Wranglers and Gladiators recalled for a fire that can start while parked and off
A UAW axle-supplier strike enters its second week with GM running on two weeks of inventory
MAKE OR BREAK
Rivian is calling the R2 its "bet-the-company" mass-market SUV; the dual-motor launch model starts at around $45,000 and deliveries began June 9, per Electrek.
A new entry-level R2 Standard trim starts at $46,235 with 275 miles of range and arrives next summer, per Motor Trend.
Car and Driver called it "annoyingly good" for how polished it is, while The Autopian noted it is less luxurious and less off-road capable than the R1S, but more refined by focusing on cost-effective design.
The Drive found it somehow more refined than its larger, more expensive sibling, crediting simplified engineering choices like integrated turn signals and optimized rear doors that cut cost without cutting feel.
The R2 targets the Tesla Model Y directly at a price point no Rivian has hit before.
Five major outlets lifted their embargoes simultaneously, a sign Rivian is treating this launch as the credibility event the company has needed since the R1 premiered at a price most buyers couldn't reach. The question now is whether production at Normal, Illinois can scale fast enough for the Standard trim to arrive on schedule next summer.
Also worth knowing
Lucid Finally Ships Hands-Free Driving to the Gravity, Six Months Late: The OTA update, called DreamDrive 2.0, arrived "at least six months behind schedule," per Automotive News, and bundles hands-free highway driving with Google Maps Places integration and improved charging tools; Jalopnik noted Lucid already had this feature on the Air, making the Gravity delay harder to explain. #news
UAW Strike at GM Axle Supplier Enters Second Week With No Deal: The work stoppage at the axle manufacturer supplying full-size and midsize GM trucks has stretched past one week with no agreement reached, and GM said it has not yet disrupted production, per CBT News; previous reports put GM's axle inventory at roughly two weeks, meaning the clock is running. #analyst
Honda Is Refreshing the Accord and Passport to Chase Toyota: Honda's product planning chief told Automotive News that customers will feel like they are seeing new models entirely: the Accord gets a "futuristic" midcycle refresh and the Passport gets a more lifted, "masculine" stance. The moves come as Honda posted its first annual loss since listing in 1957 and wrote off significant EV investments, per US News. #analyst
Dodge Is Taking the Charger to Europe in 2027. It Left Europe in 2011.: Dodge will ship both the electric Charger Daytona and the gasoline Sixpack to Europe starting in early 2027, per Autoblog, with Dodge Europe head Fabio Catone calling it "a significant moment for the brand." The context: the Charger has had a rough commercial start in the US. #market
Reveals & culture
The 2027 Audi Q7 and SQ7 Arrive After 11 Years With the Same Second-Gen Body: Audi's third-generation Q7 debuts with a 429-hp 2.9-liter turbo V6 hitting 60 mph in 4.8 seconds, while the SQ7's revised 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 produces 591 hp and reaches 60 mph in 3.7 seconds, a claimed segment best, per TopSpeed; WardsAuto noted the new six-passenger layout is designed to leave room above it for the Q9. #enthusiast
A Nebraska Man Spent 25 Years Hoarding 350 Classic Chevys. Now They're All Going to Auction.: Collector Tim Robinson of Fremont, Nebraska amassed roughly 350 full-size Chevrolets, most of them Impalas from 1955-1970, across more than two decades, and the entire hoard is now heading to auction to make way for real estate development, per autoevolution and The Drive. #culture
Recalls & legal action
1.3 Million 2021-2025 Jeep Wranglers and Gladiators Recalled: Fire Risk Even When Off: Stellantis is recalling 1.3 million Wrangler SUVs and Gladiator trucks over a faulty electric hydraulic power steering pump wiring connection that can overheat and ignite even when the vehicle is parked and switched off, per Carscoops; Jeep is advising owners not to park inside until repairs are completed by dealers, and CBT News added that dealers should prepare for heavy service traffic, with Jeep targeting a July remedy date.
Quick links
Ford and GM Lobbied Trump to Restrict Right-to-Repair: President Trump disclosed that executives from Ford, GM, and Penske met with him and raised concerns about consumer vehicle repairs, per Autoblog, reigniting the right-to-repair debate at the highest level.
U.S. Caps Taiwan Auto Parts Tariffs at 15%: The Commerce Department filed a 15% retroactive tariff cap on Taiwanese auto parts in the Federal Register, a move that could benefit aftermarket parts manufacturers significantly, per Repairer Driven News.
This Last-of-Its-Kind Lincoln Raced the Carrera Panamericana and Is Now at Auction: Five Lincolns entered the final Carrera Panamericana road race in Mexico; one won; this is the only surviving example, and it is now at auction, per Car and Driver.
Amazon Autos Is Eyeing a European Expansion: Amazon is evaluating a European rollout of its Amazon Autos platform, but faces stricter data regulations and agency-sales models that would require a significantly different approach than its US dealership-linked model, per CBT News.
Yesterday's picks
BYD Snapped an Eight-Month Sales Decline in May. Every Unit of Growth Came From Exports.: Domestic sales fell 24% while exports hit a record 42% of total NEV sales.
Ford's Secret $30,000 Electric Pickup Begins Public Road Testing: Targets sub-$30K base price to undercut competitors after F-150 Lightning losses.
Ram ProMaster Lawsuit: The "9-Speed" Is Actually a 7-Speed: Class action alleges transmission software skips two gears due to vehicle weight.
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