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Good morning and welcome to The Downshift, or TDS for short.
TDS is, in the words of my colleague Joel, “tight, right, and light,” bringing you the biggest auto industry news from around the world in one convenient package. They say it’s best enjoyed with a cup of coffee, and I wouldn’t disagree with that, but if you drink tea, hey, that’s fine too.
Anyway, let’s get into it.
⚡ Audi’s Concept C sports car that’s due to enter production in two years will exclusively be offered as an EV, the company confirmed to Motor1, with no internal combustion powertrain option. Presuming it shares a platform with Porsche’s electric 718 replacements, that could mean a similar fate for the Boxster and Cayman.
🇯🇵 Japan and the U.S. are reportedly nearing a deal to lower tariffs on cars from the former, from the current rate of 27.5% to 15% by the end of the month, per Reuters. Provided it happens, the new rate would take effect 10 to 14 days after President Trump signs an executive order.
🏁 Ford Performance has rebranded as Ford Racing. The company says that this has been done to align its motorsports efforts more closely with its high-performance road cars, and that “the first production vehicle born from this new Ford Racing mindset will debut this January.” Maybe they’ll run some throwback liveries with that logo from the ’90s that is on all the vintage tees that kids like to wear.
📈 The Honda Prologue actually outsold both the Odyssey and Passport in August, buoyed by strong promotions. The automaker moved 9,347 examples of the Blazer EV twin, a monthly record, handily outperforming the Odyssey at 6,690 units, and the Passport at 5,173.
🇩🇪 Porsche’s ICE Macan replacement that will share underpinnings with the new Audi Q5 will reportedly incorporate a front-biased all-wheel-drive system in a marked shift from tradition for the brand.
📉 Chinese EV giant BYD is facing its “slowest annual growth in five years,” internally slashing its 2025 sales target from 5.5 million vehicles to 4.6 million, according to Reuters citing multiple sources. The company is under pressure of competition from rising rivals, including Leapmotor and Geely.
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Backed by a decade of covering cars and consumer tech, Adam Ismail is a Senior Editor at The Drive, focused on curating and producing the site’s slate of daily stories.
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