Ford’s reported plans for a roughly $25,000 entry-level crossover and a four-door Mustang prototype headline Monday’s automotive news roundup, alongside Volkswagen’s new 2027 Atlas Cross Sport, a major restructuring update at Volkswagen, and weekend racing results.
Ford Shows New Entry-Level Crossover and Four-Door Mustang
The Fathom electric pickup isn’t the only affordable Ford reportedly on the horizon. The automaker showed attendees at a dealer event in Las Vegas an entry-level crossover with a starting price around $25,000.
The vehicle would fill the gap left by the Edge and EcoSport at the lower end of Ford’s lineup. Ford is also said to have presented a prototype for a four-door Mustang at the event, with a targeted starting price below $40,000.
The sport sedan’s design was compared to the Porsche Panamera. At previous events, Ford referred to the vehicle as the Mach-4.
Volkswagen Introduces 2027 Atlas Cross Sport
Volkswagen has introduced the second-generation Atlas Cross Sport for the 2027 model year.
Compared with the standard Atlas, the Atlas Cross Sport is shorter, has a lower roof and features two rows of seating instead of three. It is powered by the Evo 5 revision of Volkswagen’s EA888 turbocharged four-cylinder engine, which produces 282 horsepower in this application.
Porsche SE Supports Volkswagen Restructuring Plan
Porsche SE, the top shareholder of Volkswagen controlled by the Porsche-Piëch family, has pledged support for Volkswagen’s transformative restructuring plan.
The plan has already resulted in tens of thousands of job cuts in Germany and threatens to eliminate even more positions.
Man Dies After SUV and Waymo Robotaxi Collision
A man in Dallas died Friday after being hit by an SUV that threw him 30 feet into the path of oncoming traffic, where a Waymo robotaxi struck him.
Police said nobody was occupying the Waymo at the moment of impact. The investigation into the incident remains ongoing.
Mitsubishi Reveals Pininfarina-Designed ASX VR-e
Mitsubishi has introduced a new crossover for Australia and New Zealand called the ASX VR-e. The vehicle was penned by Pininfarina, but underneath its design is a Foxtron-built electric vehicle.
Mercedes-AMG Owners Sue Over Alleged Seat Badge Burns
Two Mercedes-AMG owners are suing the company after allegedly being branded by the metallic AMG badge placed on the automaker’s front seats.
According to the complaint, a dermatologist apparently confirmed that one plaintiff’s burns matched the outline of the AMG logo.
Weekend Race Winners
- NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series at Iowa: Carson Kvapil for JR Motorsports
- MotoGP British Grand Prix: Raúl Fernández for Trackhouse Racing
- NASCAR Cup Series at Iowa: Ty Gibbs for Joe Gibbs Racing
- IndyCar at Portland: Alex Palou for Chip Ganassi Racing
Monday’s automotive roundup spans new Ford models, Volkswagen’s latest SUV and restructuring efforts, developments involving a Waymo robotaxi, Mitsubishi’s new crossover, a Mercedes-AMG lawsuit and the latest weekend racing winners.
