you are welcome downshiftor TDS for short, of drive The Morning News Roundup is bringing you the biggest automotive headlines from around the world.
in every thing downshift It includes a link you can follow to a deeper story. Here is your bulletin for Monday, June 22, 2026.
🤖 Xiaomi has set the first record for a fully autonomous lap of the Nürburgring Nordschleife with its YU7 GT electric SUV, clocking a clocked speed of 10:29.483 around the famous circuit. As you’d expect from that era, it’s not a wild race; The SUV reaches a top speed of 130 mph on the back straight, even though it has nearly 1,000 horsepower and once managed a 7-minute, 22-second lap with a human driver at the wheel. Still, as Xiaomi said, this effort is just a starting point, and it will be interesting to see how long it takes automakers to bridge that three-minute gap between man and machine, if it’s even possible. (Electrek)
🏭 Toyota is now building RAV4s in Kentucky, complementing Canadian and Japanese production for the brand’s most popular vehicle. (Automotive News)
🛻 In other RAV4-related news, the SUV’s top engineer told an Australian outlet that although Toyota is not currently planning a unibody, RAV4-based pickup truck, the concept is “pretty fascinating” and, “Deep in our hearts, we all think, wouldn’t it be fun?” (To drive)
💸 “Porsche should be able to make money even with fewer cars,” CEO Michael Leiters told a German newspaper over the weekend. He said the sports-car maker plans to build fewer than the 280,000 cars it sold last year, and it wants to bring back the 718 Boxster and Cayman models to bring in new customers. (Bloomberg)
🌍 BYD is serious about its expansion in Europe, with the region’s business vice president saying, “Our strategic goal is to be recognized as a European manufacturer five years from now.” The Chinese automaker is planning a second factory on the continent in addition to one in Hungary, which is expected to come online by the end of the year, and wants to build a fast-charging network there. (Automotive News)
🤑 The only Enzo Ferrari Rosso Dino finished in red-orange was auctioned for more than $13 million through the DuPont Registry’s online platform. The seller says that this is the most expensive car ever auctioned online. (DuPont Registry)
🏁 Weekend race results:
- NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in San Diego: Layne Riggs wins for Front Row Motorsports
- NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series in San Diego: Austin Hill wins for Richard Childress Racing
- MotoGP Czechia Grand Prix: Marc Marquez wins for Ducati
- IndyCar at Road America: Christian Lundgaard wins for Arrows McLaren
- NASCAR Cup Series in San Diego: Corey Heim wins for 23XI Racing
Got any tips or feedback for TDS? Contact us at tips@thedrive.com
