Hello and welcome downshiftor TDS for short, driveA morning news roundup that compiles each day’s biggest automotive headlines from around the world.
downshift Summarizes news stories in concise words and fits each with a link to the original article for a deeper story. It’s Tuesday, July 7, 2026—here’s what’s happening.
⛽ It’s common for drivers who typically fill their vehicles with premium gasoline to switch to mid-grade or regular during times of higher prices, and that’s exactly what’s happening now. According to a new report, premium gas sales declined 5% over a four-day period late last month, while mid-grade declined 2% and regular increased 10%. On average, premium is also selling for 90 cents a gallon more than regular, and experts say the difference could widen to a dollar by the end of the year. Of course, the switch is not recommended for all vehicles; While some automakers recommend premium only for certain models, many high-performance cars require high-octane fuel, and frequently refueling with anything lower risks engine damage. (bloomberg)
🏭 Toyota is planning a new 2.5 million-square-foot truck plant in Texas that will take over some Tacoma production currently taking place in Mexico. The site is expected to cost $3.6 billion and open by 2030. (reuters)
🔧Ford has announced two completely separate recalls for two completely different Mustang-badged vehicles. Approximately 68,000 examples of the sports car (which includes the GTD) have been recalled for windshield wipers that may behave strangely in cold weather and only operate at their highest setting. As for the electric Mach-E, that’s more serious; Ford is recalling approximately 43,000 SUVs for a defective rear-differential pinion shaft that can fracture, resulting in loss of drive or the inability to park in place if the parking brake is not applied. Naturally, the automaker will replace all affected components free of charge. (reuters)
💽 In other Ford news, the company has announced a deal with memory-chip maker Micron to supply its vehicles. Its cross-town rival GM announced a similar deal last week. (reuters)
🏛️ Rivian had strong second-quarter sales, beating analysts’ estimates, but its sales fell 9% on Monday after the company announced it was offering to sell 75 million shares. (reuters)
🌎 The Chinese automaker announced on Monday that LeapMotor vehicles are officially on sale in Mexico. The brand is starting with its B10 electric SUV, which is being marketed in the country through Stellantis’ dealer network. (automotive news)
🚙 Land Rover may try to make the next-generation Range Rover Velar a high-riding sedan or liftback rather than a proper SUV – a surprising turn of events at a time in which sedans are being reimagined as crossovers, not the other way around. (autocar)
Bentley has announced that its first battery-electric vehicle will be named “Torkal” and will launch in nowhere else but London on September 26. (automotive news)
🧑🔧 McLaren Special Operations has rebuilt the company’s first road car, the M6GT, using restored components and new components created with the original molds and designs. The chassis was derived from the M6A race car, and it is powered by a Chevy small-block. (mclaren)
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