BMW's new iX is even harder to ignore
Plus, how a Japanese tuner made an R35 Nissan GT-R a manual.
Good morning, my dear readers, and a special welcome to all the new subscribers since last week's update. I'm thankful you're all here.
I was also thankful to spend a few days down in Georgia sampling Hyundai's new Ioniq 9. It's a big, three-row electric SUV, something the American market desperately needs more of, and while it comes at a premium over popular options like Hyundai's own gas-powered Palisade, it certainly has a far more premium look about it.
But how does it drive? Yet again, thanks to the occasionally frustrating nuances of automotive journalism, I can't tell you just yet. But I'll have all that for you next time.
Here's what I can tell you.
BMW's 2026 iX is better than ever
I'll just get right out there and say that I really don't mind how the iX looks. Heck, from some angles, I think it looks positively great, and its interior design is truly among the best out there. We've had ours for over 18 months now, and I still look forward to every trip out on the thing, even when it's Friday night and I'm forced to leave the house thanks to the sad dearth of pizza delivery places around me.
But setting aside the sad realities of food delivery economics in population-sparce locales, the iX's design is so universally disliked that I feel like I need to caveat my appreciation for its distinctive look whenever I write about it. Most people will never far enough past the nose to take one for a test drive, and that's a damned shame, because it's excellent. And the 2026 model? It's even better, and even more affordable.
I was lucky enough to be able to provide impressions of the thing for three outlets, and so you can dive deep if you're keen on knowing how I really feel about the thing.
How Crewch made a manual R35
The R35 Nissan GT-R is finally headed for a long-deserved retirement after over a decade of making people change their minds about the capabilities of technologies like advanced stability control systems and AWD to make a car not only safer, but better. You can read all about how it shaped the industry in my earlier send-off of the model here at Motor1.
But if you're a driver who craves the sort of involvement that can only come when you add a third pedal and a shifter, the R35 wasn't for you. It wasn't, anyway, but it is now thanks to Crewch. The Japanese tuner has gone through great lengths to find a way to shove a manual into a car that was never designed for one.
Jumping the 2024 Ford Ranger Raptor
Ford's Ranger was a truck that a lot of people demanded, but in the market, it sits in a somewhat uncomfortable middle ground between the attainably desirable Maverick and the industry powerhouse, the F-150.
But when it comes to high-performance off-roading, the Ranger Raptor might just be the sweet spot. It's far more attainable than the original, the F-150 Raptor, not to mention its mechanically similar bro, the Bronco Raptor, yet it offers all the speed and capability over just about any terrain you could ever want.
How much capability? Well, watch me send it in my latest video for Capital One.
That's all that's fit to share from the past week. I have several other features in the hopper at various outlets that I can't wait to get in your inboxes, but you and I are going to have to be patient a little longer on those.
I'm even more excited to head down to Austin, TX this week for a visit to the Circuit of Americas. It's one of our greatest race tracks, and this week it'll play host to the launch of one of our greatest sports cars. I haven't turned a wheel at COTA in years, and I can't wait to sling myself up the hill to turn one.
Stay tuned for all the details on how that goes. Until then, have great weeks.