Photo: Nissan
In today's issue:
Four ambiguous words from a Nissan exec spawned a day of Altima obituaries; Nissan says a 2027 model year is still coming
Hyundai just made its 641-hp Ioniq 5 N nearly $6,300 cheaper
Range Rover's second EV shows itself at Goodwood ahead of a debut later this year
SEDAN, INTERRUPTED
Nissan's senior VP of product and planning, Ponz Pandikuthira, told WardsAuto the Versa and Maxima are gone and the Altima will soon follow, without giving an exact timeline, a line Autoblog and The Drive both ran as a discontinuation announcement.
Hours later, a Nissan spokesperson told Car and Driver the 2026 Altima remains in production and a 2027 model is coming.
Edmunds ran the correction outright: "No, the Nissan Altima Isn't Dead for 2027."
The Rogue PHEV genuinely is dead, confirmed in the same interview, per Autoblog, which is part of why the Altima line landed as an obituary: one confirmed discontinuation and one undated aside in the same breath, and outlets ran both as the same announcement.
The Mississippi-built Altima is still the cheapest American-made midsize sedan on sale, per americancarsandracing.com, a fact that makes the mixed signal costlier for shoppers trying to time a purchase.
Nissan's product chief didn't announce a funeral. He declined to give a date, and a dozen outlets filled in the blank. The Altima is dying, the 2027 model year is almost certainly its last, but anyone timing an Altima purchase off this week's headlines is working from a death certificate nobody signed.
Also worth knowing
Hyundai Slashes Ioniq 5 N Price by $6,300: The 641-hp EV now starts at $59,900 before a $1,600 destination charge, down from a sticker that had climbed past $65,000, per Car and Driver and Carscoops. The 2026 model also picks up a NACS port. #market
Volvo Weighs a Return to Sedans and Wagons, But Only as EVs: Volvo is studying a midsize sedan and wagon on its next-gen SPA3 platform for U.S. showrooms as early as 2028, a reversal after spending the past year trimming to an all-crossover lineup, per Automotive News. #analyst
Toyota and BMW Burn Cooking Oil in Regular Gas Cars: The two automakers launched a six-month Spanish pilot running unmodified gasoline vehicles on Repsol's Nexa 95 renewable fuel, claiming a 70% emissions cut, per InsideEVs and Carscoops. The project is aimed at shaping Europe's next emissions rules rather than selling cars. #analyst
NHTSA Sets a 2028 Deadline for Robotaxi Rules: The Trump administration wants performance-based federal rules for autonomous vehicle behavior finalized before the end of the president's term, per Automotive News, while Automotive World reports the agency's target rulebook date is 2028. Robotaxi firms still navigate a state-by-state patchwork in the meantime. #news
GM Dealers Slash $21,000 Off Unsold Electric Trucks: Dealers are marking down a new 2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV by more than $21,000, with some units repurposed as courtesy loaners, per Carscoops. GM's own five-year plan, detailed separately by Automotive News, bets on hybrids and gas models to offset the EV pullback. #market
Reveals & culture
Range Rover Sport Electric Makes Its First Public Appearance: Land Rover previewed its second EV at Goodwood, with Electrek reporting it arrives "later this year," per Electrek. Carscoops reports full specs wait for a later facelift reveal, and the EV joins six-cylinder, V8, and PHEV variants rather than replacing them.
Shelby's F-150 Super Snake Hits 810 HP: Shelby American's new street-truck build gets a 3-inch suspension drop and comes out of a new Bristol, Indiana factory, per Autoblog. It's Shelby's answer to Ram's 777-hp Rumble Bee SRT, per americancarsandracing.com.
Recalls & legal action
Ford Recalls 42,784 Mustang Mach-E EVs Over Fracturing Axles: The 2021-2023 Mach-E's rear differential pinion shaft may fracture, per We Talk Cars. → If you own one: Check your VIN against the NHTSA recall database now and schedule the dealer inspection before highway driving.
Toyota Recalls 61 Grand Highlanders Over Loss-of-Control Risk: A rear-axle defect on 2026 Grand Highlander and Grand Highlander Hybrid units in Canada could cause drivers to lose control, per Driving.ca. → If you own one: The affected population is tiny, but call your dealer to confirm your VIN isn't on the list before your next drive.
Quick links
Following up on Lucid's bankruptcy denial: the automaker hires a turnaround firm: Lucid disclosed in a July 14 SEC filing that AlixPartners is now helping fix execution after May U.S. registrations fell to 721 vehicles, per Automotive News.
Ford Pushes a Major BlueCruise Update to the F-150: The update expands hands-free driving capability on America's best-selling truck, per Autoblog.
Rivian's Electric Van Outsold Every Rival Combined by 70%: Rivian's commercial van led its category in Q2 2026 sales, beating the combined total of every competing electric van, per InsideEVs.
Wholesale Auctions Post Their Best First Half Since 2019: Dealers got what one report calls "welcome relief" as first-half 2026 auction volumes hit a seven-year high, per Auto Remarketing.
Yesterday's picks
Lucid Stock Plunges 57% Intraday, Claws Back to Close Down 16%, While It Denies Bankruptcy Talk: A 57% intraday crash, bankruptcy denial, and just 721 May registrations paint a grim picture for the struggling EV maker.
BMW Tells 29,119 PHEV Owners to Park Outside: Nearly 30,000 BMW PHEV owners must park outside due to starter-relay fire risk, with field fires already confirmed.
VW's ID. Cross Undercuts the Competition on Price: VW's €28,000 electric SUV undercuts the Renault 4 and Ford Puma with 271 miles of range, reshaping Europe's budget EV segment.
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