The Industry Brief

Edition No. 5Covering October 12–18, 2026Published October 19, 2026

Porsche Goes Above the 911, Volvo and Mercedes Share a Brain and the Roadster Leaps

Porsche previewed a permanent supercar line a week after deciding to sell fewer, pricier cars. Volvo and Mercedes picked the same NVIDIA brain for their self-driving future, America's EV sales had their best quarter in a year, and Tesla's Roadster finally appeared, hopping on thrusters.

By Margot Devries · 20 minute read

In this edition

  1. Porsche plans a permanent supercar line above the 911
  2. Volvo and Mercedes pick the same self-driving brain
  3. America's EV sales have their best quarter in a year
  4. Toyota wants its Arene software in 10 million cars a year
  5. NHTSA's 5-star tests now look outside the car
  6. BMW brings the V8 back to the 7 Series
  7. Tesla's Roadster hops on thrusters, and slips to 2028

The week's theme was what still makes a car distinct. Porsche's answer was a supercar that sits permanently above the 911, and a plan to sell fewer, more expensive cars. Volvo and Mercedes went the other way on the newest and most valuable layer of the car, choosing the same NVIDIA hardware and software for their self-driving future, while Toyota said its own software will run 10 million new cars a year by 2030. BMW put a bigger V8 back in its flagship. America's EV sales had their best quarter in a year without getting near last year's rush, NHTSA's 5-star tests started asking how a car treats the people outside it, and Tesla's Roadster finally showed up, if only briefly on the ground. As always, every story carries a status line, because a final count, a forecast and a promise in a press release are not the same kind of news.

Supercars · Porsche

Revealed October 15 · a vision model · no engine, output, price or production date yet

Porsche Plans a Permanent Supercar Line Above the 911

The Mission S previews a model line, not a limited-run hypercar. A week after Porsche said it would sell fewer, pricier cars, it showed what will sit at the top.

A white Porsche Mission S mid-engined sports car on a waterfront pier with the Manhattan skyline behind it
The Porsche Mission S on the Queens waterfront, across the East River from the United Nations, where Porsche revealed it on October 15.

Porsche revealed the Mission S on October 15 on a pier in Queens, the spot where the first photos of the 550 Spyder were taken in 1953. Porsche calls it a vision model for a mid-engined super sports car platform positioned above the 911. Its chief executive, Michael Leiters, said the line comes "not as a one-off hypercar," but as "a permanent and versatile addition to our customer offering." Porsche gave no engine, output, dimensions, price or timing, saying only that the engine sits in the middle. Leiters told Auto Express the platform can take combustion, hybrid and plug-in hybrid power, but there won't be a purely electric version: "there is no demand."

The design borrows from Porsche's past: a flat front from the 911 GT1, a roofline beneath the active rear wing that recalls the 959, cooling that echoes the 917's radiator fan and wheels in the 928's dial pattern. Inside are 5 round gauges, physical switches and no fixed center screen. Reports of a flat-eight engine and a price around €500,000 (about $560,000), first published by the German business paper Handelsblatt in September, remain unconfirmed.

Why now

On October 7, Porsche laid out a strategy it calls Sportwagenschmiede '35. It wants to break even at fewer than 200,000 vehicles a year and to raise the average selling price of its top-of-the-range models by about 20% in the medium term, while cutting its model variants by about 20%. The earlier flagships above the 911, the 959, Carrera GT and 918 Spyder, were built in limited runs and retired. This one is meant to stay.

Porsche's new math
Deliveries, 2025279,449, down 10% from 2024
Break-even targetFewer than 200,000 vehicles a year
Group operating margin1.1% in 2025, down from 14.1% in 2024
Top-model average priceUp about 20% in the medium term
Model variantsAbout 20% fewer
New productsAt least 1 brand-defining product a year by 2030

Source: Porsche, October 7, 2026, and annual results, March 11, 2026.

The Carveyance take

Porsche has built a car above the 911 every decade or so, then let it go. Making that car permanent turns the 911 from the summit into the core of the range, and it fits a company that has decided to earn more from fewer, wealthier buyers.

What to watch: an engine, a price and a date, and whether the production car keeps the physical controls.

This week, in depthFewer Cars, Higher Prices and a Supercar Above the 911: Porsche's New FutureThe Mission S, the new strategy, and what happens to the attainable Porsche. From the Carveyance archiveHow Porsche Became Volkswagen's Problem ChildThe brand that paid for everything is now the largest weight on the group.

Automated driving · Sweden and Germany

Announced October 15 and 16 · no models, dates or markets named · eyes-off driving isn't available yet

Volvo and Mercedes Pick the Same Self-Driving Brain

On consecutive days, both said their next automated-driving systems will be built on NVIDIA's hardware, AI software and safety layer.

A champagne-colored Volvo EX90 SUV parked on a mountain overlook
A Volvo EX90. Volvo says its NVIDIA-based system will debut in a next-generation car it hasn't named yet.

Volvo Cars said on October 15 that it is expanding its partnership with NVIDIA to develop automated driving that can handle trips "from door to door," on highways, busy city streets and in parking lots, "with a gradual introduction of eyes-off and mind-off driving." It will use NVIDIA's Hyperion computer-and-sensor architecture, its Alpamayo AI driving software and its Halos safety system, and will debut in a next-generation Volvo the company didn't name. Reuters reported that Volvo expects it in its cars before 2030, in several regions at once but not in China. "There's no hurry, safety first," NVIDIA's chief executive, Jensen Huang, told reporters in Stockholm.

A day later, Mercedes-Benz said it will combine the same 3 NVIDIA technologies with MB.OS, its own operating system, for its next driver-assistance systems and as groundwork for future Level 4 uses, including what it calls robolimousines. It gave no timeline. "NVIDIA is our most important strategic partner in automated driving," said Jörg Burzer, Mercedes' chief technology officer. In March, NVIDIA said BYD, Geely, Isuzu and Nissan are also building Level 4-ready vehicles on Hyperion.

The Carveyance take

Sharing the expensive part makes sense: few automakers can afford to build self-driving software on their own. But if the newest and most valuable layer of the car comes from the same supplier, Volvo and Mercedes will have to show what's still theirs.

What to watch: the first car and the first market, and what Volvo means by eyes-off in practice.

This week, in depthIs NVIDIA Becoming the Operating System of the Automobile?What NVIDIA supplies, what stays Volvo or Mercedes, and who's responsible when the software drives. From the Carveyance archiveThe Cars Drive Themselves Now. The Fight Is Over What Comes Next.Inside Waymo, and what the empty driver's seat does to everyone who builds cars.

Electric vehicles · United States

Third-quarter estimates · corrected October 13 · from Cox Automotive

America's EV Sales Have Their Best Quarter in a Year

EVs reached about 6.4% of new-vehicle sales. That's still 39.5% fewer than a year earlier, when buyers rushed to beat the end of the $7,500 tax credit.

A pale blue Rivian R2 SUV parked on gravel beside a grassy hillside
A Rivian R2. Rivian's US EV sales rose 45.7% in the third quarter, Cox Automotive estimates.

Americans bought an estimated 262,649 EVs in the third quarter, up 6.1% from the second quarter and the most in a year, Cox Automotive said on October 12. EVs took about 6.4% of new-vehicle sales, up from 5.8%. That's still 39.5% below the third quarter of 2025, when buyers rushed to claim the federal $7,500 tax credit before it ended on September 30. Counting hybrids and plug-in hybrids, nearly 25% of new vehicles sold in the quarter were electrified. Cox corrected the report a day after publishing it, lowering its count for Lexus.

Tesla still sold more than half of all EVs, but its sales fell 19.7%, with the Model Y down 13.8% and the Model 3 down 25.1%. The gains came from newer products: Rivian rose 45.7%, Toyota's EV sales more than quadrupled, and Lexus and Subaru grew too. Nearly every other automaker sold fewer. "What we're seeing now is a market finding its footing again," said Stephanie Valdez Streaty of Cox. Regular gasoline averaged $4.30 a gallon on October 19, according to AAA, against $3.04 a year earlier.

Who sold more, and who sold less
BrandEVs sold, Q3 2026Change from Q3 2025
Tesla144,094−19.7%
Rivian19,239+45.7%
Toyota12,904+328%
Subaru4,566+31.5%
Lexus4,483+187.2%
Mercedes-Benz2,701+17.1%

Estimates. Source: Kelley Blue Book EV Sales Report, corrected October 13, 2026.

The Carveyance take

The 39.5% drop compares this year with a quarter inflated by a deadline. The better sign is the climb since spring, and it's coming from new models rather than the old ones.

What to watch: whether the gains hold through the fourth quarter, and where gas prices go.

From last weekSame Technology, 2 Completely Different EV MarketsWhy EVs are 23% of sales in Europe and 6% in America.

Software · Japan

Targets stated October 16 · for 2030 · no feature roadmap or support policy yet

Toyota Wants Its Arene Software in 10 Million Cars a Year

The software platform behind the new RAV4 is meant to reach 50 models by 2030, roughly every car Toyota and Lexus build in a year.

The dashboard of a Toyota RAV4 GR Sport, with a digital instrument display and a large center touchscreen showing navigation
Inside the new Toyota RAV4, the first Toyota with features developed on Arene. Its driver assistance and multimedia system were built on the platform.

Toyota expects its Arene software platform to be in 10 million new vehicles a year and 50 models by 2030, the company said on October 16, after a report in the Nikkei, according to Reuters. A Toyota spokesperson said its chief technology officer, Hiroki Nakajima, set out the plan at an investor briefing in Brussels the week before. Toyota aims to spread Arene further as it moves toward 2035, including to vehicles from its alliance partners.

Arene made its debut in the sixth-generation RAV4, a 2026 model in the US, whose Toyota Safety Sense driver assistance and multimedia system were built on it. Cars like it can get new features and fixes over the air, the way a phone does. For scale, Toyota and Lexus sold about 10.5 million vehicles worldwide in 2025, the most of any automaker for the 6th year running.

The Carveyance take

Toyota is often painted as cautious about software. At this scale, Arene would be one of the most widely used software platforms in any car. The questions for owners are how long older cars keep getting updates, and what Toyota charges for new features.

What to watch: which models get Arene next, and whether Toyota says how long cars will be supported.

Safety · United States

Vehicles selected October 15 · results to come · being selected isn't a rating

NHTSA's 5-Star Tests Now Look Outside the Car

For the first time, the government's ratings will test how well new models protect pedestrians, and check how well their driver-assistance systems work.

A white Tesla Model Y being struck in the side by a crash-test barrier in a test lab
A Tesla Model Y in a side-impact test by IIHS, the insurance industry's safety institute. NHTSA runs its own tests for its 5-star ratings, and the Model 3 is in all 3 of its 2027 test groups.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration named the 2027 models it will test for its 5-Star Safety Ratings on October 15. 23 will go through frontal, side and rollover tests, covering 87% of new vehicles sold. 18 will get the agency's new pedestrian-protection assessment, and 10 will have 5 driver-assistance systems checked: automatic emergency braking, pedestrian automatic emergency braking, lane keeping assist, blind spot warning and blind spot intervention. The pedestrian and driver-assistance tests were meant to start with 2026 models, but NHTSA postponed them by a year in September 2025, so 2027 is the first model year they count.

The Tesla Model 3, Kia Telluride and Volkswagen Atlas are in all 3 groups. The Slate pickup goes through the crash tests, the Rivian R2 gets the driver-assistance checks, the Toyota Tundra is in the pedestrian group, and Nissan's Rogue will be crash-tested in both its regular and e-Power hybrid versions. "Our 5-Star Safety Rating program also rewards automakers who continuously innovate to improve safety," said NHTSA's administrator, Jonathan Morrison.

The 2027 test groups
TestVehiclesAmong them
Crash and rollover23Slate pickup, Chevrolet Tahoe, Nissan Rogue and Rogue e-Power, Dodge Charger
Pedestrian protection18Toyota Tundra, Toyota Prius, Subaru Outback, Mazda CX-90
Driver assistance10Rivian R2, BMW X5, Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Toyota Sienna Hybrid

The Tesla Model 3, Kia Telluride and Volkswagen Atlas are in all 3 groups. Source: NHTSA, October 15, 2026.

The Carveyance take

No results are out, and being picked isn't an endorsement. But a 5-star rating that accounts for the people outside the car matters more every year that pickups and SUVs get bigger.

What to watch: the first results, especially for the biggest vehicles in the pedestrian group, the Tundra and the Telluride.

From the Carveyance archiveStand-Ins for the LivingThe crash test dummy, and the dead who came before it.

Launches · Germany

Revealed October 14 · US sales in the first half of 2027 · price, torque and performance not released

BMW Brings the V8 Back to the 7 Series

The 2027 M760 xDrive puts a twin-turbo V8 of about 570 hp back in BMW's biggest sedan, with an M badge this time.

A silver and black two-tone BMW 7 Series sedan parked in front of a curved, sand-colored building
A BMW 7 Series. The 2027 M760 xDrive puts a twin-turbo V8 of about 570 hp back in BMW's biggest sedan.

BMW revealed the 2027 M760 xDrive on October 14. It uses a twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 of around 570 hp, with all-wheel drive, and replaces the 760i xDrive, whose V8 made 536 hp. The V8 had been "conspicuously absent" from the refreshed 7 Series lineup, Car and Driver noted. The M760 is due in the US in the first half of 2027 and will also be sold in Europe. BMW hasn't released the price, torque or performance figures. Car and Driver expects it to cost more than $126,000; the 760i started at $117,395, according to Motor1.

Car and Driver reported that BMW is refocusing its M Performance range around the V8 for the US, with more V8 versions likely for bigger models such as the new X5. The electric i7 M70, until now the only M Performance 7 Series, isn't part of the i7 lineup for 2027, according to the magazine.

The Carveyance take

BMW is building its electric Neue Klasse cars and putting a bigger V8 in its flagship at the same time. That's a more honest picture of the next decade than combustion against electric.

What to watch: the price and full specifications, and which other big BMWs get the V8.

From the Carveyance archiveMud on the Collar2 supercharged Jaguar XJRs, and the case for a V8 in a big sedan.

Launches · United States

Demonstrated October 15 · production targeted for 2028 · no price · performance figures are Tesla's claims

Tesla's Roadster Hops on Thrusters, and Slips to 2028

Nearly 9 years after its reveal, the second-generation Roadster showed up with cold-gas thrusters, nobody at the wheel and no price.

A white second-generation Tesla Roadster with an angular wedge-shaped body and a large rear wing, in a dark studio
The second-generation Tesla Roadster. Tesla says the design drew on the SR-71 spy plane and the F-35 fighter jet.

Tesla demonstrated the second-generation Roadster on October 15 at SpaceX's rocket test site near Waco, after postponing the event from October 1 because of the weather. With nobody aboard and automated controls doing the work, the car used fan suction to drive upside down on a curved ramp, launched off it, rolled in midair on cold-gas thrusters and landed on its wheels. Then it used the thrusters to hop over a line of Tesla vehicles. Tesla didn't say how high or how long. Production is now targeted for 2028. When the car was first shown, in November 2017, Tesla promised it for 2020.

Tesla offered 3 versions: a 2-seat Performance, a 2-seat Thrust with rear thrusters, and a 1-seat, invitation-only Rocket that Tesla says is not approved for public roads. There's no price. Reservations take $5,000 up front, with the rest of a $50,000 deposit for the Performance or $250,000 for the Thrust due within 10 days. The Federal Aviation Administration said the car doesn't meet its definition of an aircraft, according to CBS and Politico, and the Transportation Department said NHTSA would keep monitoring. "This is not necessarily a safety-optimized car, OK?" Elon Musk said at the event.

What Tesla promised in 2017, and what it claims now
2017 reveal2026 demonstration
Production20202028
0–60 mph1.9 seconds0.81 second (Thrust version, at the event)
Top speedOver 250 mphOver 230 mph
Range620 milesOver 300 miles
PriceFrom $200,000 (about $270,000 in today's dollars)Not announced

All performance figures are Tesla's and haven't been independently verified. 2026 dollar equivalent based on US inflation since 2017. Sources: Reuters, October 16, 2026; Fortune, October 17, 2026; InsideEVs.

The Carveyance take

The engineering is real, and the show was spectacular. But a car is a promise about price, certification, crash safety, range and service, and on those, the Roadster tells buyers less today than it did in 2017.

What to watch: a price, a factory and a production date that holds.

Also That Week

7 more stories worth knowing, in brief, including 3 worth watching.

Markets · China

Confirmed September data · released October 12

China's Car Exports Jump as Sales at Home Fall

China's vehicle sales fell 8.4% in September to 2.956 million, the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers said on October 12. Sales inside China dropped 23% to 1.903 million, while exports rose 61% to 1.053 million, AP reported. Passenger-car exports topped 7.1 million in the first 9 months of the year, up more than 70%.

Why it matters: when Chinese automakers can't sell at home, they ship abroad, which is the pressure behind Europe's new cap on Chinese hybrids.

Recalls · United States

Recall filed · no remedy yet

Hyundai Tells 94,622 Genesis Owners to Park Outside

Hyundai is recalling 94,622 cars, the 2015–2016 Hyundai Genesis and 2017–2020 Genesis G80, because a front power-seat switch can stick and overheat the seat motor, even with the car turned off, according to NHTSA. Owners are being told to park outdoors and away from buildings until a fix is ready. Hyundai knows of 2 alleged fires and no injuries, AP and Kelley Blue Book reported.

Why it matters: if you own one, park it outside until the fix arrives.

Trade · Mexico

Decree in effect October 14 · clarified October 16

Mexico Drops Tariffs on Kits for Established Automakers

Mexico cut its 10% tariff on parts kits that automakers assemble into cars to 0% for 5 years, in a decree that took effect October 14. 2 days later, the Economy Ministry said only automakers that already have factories in Mexico qualify, 11 in all, which it didn't name, Reuters reported. Chinese automakers including GAC and JAC had been mentioned as possible beneficiaries.

Why it matters: it rewards automakers already building cars in Mexico and keeps the break away from newcomers that only want to assemble kits.

Manufacturing · Canada

Reported October 15–16

Toyota Keeps the Lexus NX in Canada

The refreshed 2027 Lexus NX, now hybrid-only, will stay in production at Toyota's Cambridge plant alongside the RAV4 and the Lexus RX, Bloomberg and Motor Illustrated reported. Toyota built 537,518 vehicles in Canada in 2025, more than any other automaker, and exports about 85% of them. Toyota didn't disclose an investment figure.

Why it matters: it's a vote of confidence in Canadian production as other automakers shrink theirs.

Worth watching · Robotaxis

Service opened October 14 · Toronto riders targeted for 2028

Waymo Goes Driverless in 3 More Cities, and Names Toronto

Waymo opened fully driverless public rides in San Antonio, including its airport, San Diego and Tampa on October 14. 2 days later, it named Toronto as its first Canadian city, with mapping starting now and public riders targeted for 2028, working with Magna and Element Fleet, Electrek reported. Ontario doesn't yet have rules for commercial robotaxi service.

Why it matters: while automakers announce partnerships for the next decade, the leader is adding cities now.

Worth watching · Acura

Roadmap shared October 13 · timing given for 2 of 3 models

Acura Plans a Bigger SUV, an Off-Roader and Its First 2-Motor Hybrid

Acura laid out a roadmap that includes an 8-passenger SUV above the MDX, with no timing, an off-roader in early 2028, and a 4th-generation RDX later in 2028 that will be Acura's first 2-motor hybrid, WardsAuto reported. A V6 hybrid is in development.

Why it matters: it's the premium side of Honda's hybrid bet from last week.

Worth watching · Slate

Showroom opened October 15 · on sale by the end of 2026

Slate Opens Its First Showroom

Slate Auto opened its first experience center, in a former Tesla store on West Grand Avenue, with test rides, Electrek reported. The Slate pickup starts at $24,950, or $26,400 with destination, has 205 miles of range, is built in Warsaw, Indiana, and is due on sale by the end of the year. It's also among the vehicles NHTSA picked for crash testing this week.

Why it matters: it's one of the very few new EVs in America priced under $30,000, and buyers can now drive one.

Since That Week

Where last week's stories went next.

Follow-up · Europe's hybrid cap

No legal text yet. Commission officials said the cap of 350,000 Chinese-built hybrids and plug-in hybrids could start as soon as December 1, and that it's structured as a safeguard that formally covers imports from every country. Cars Chinese brands build inside the EU stay outside it, while hybrids European brands build in China count against it, according to euperspectives. China's commerce ministry says 302,000 Chinese hybrids came in during 2025, so it calls the cap room for about 16% growth; the Commission measures it against the up to 800,000 expected this year. EU leaders meeting on October 15 and 16 asked the Commission for more trade-defense tools.

Follow-up · Citroën's electric 2CV

Last week's brief item gets the in-depth treatment this week. Citroën says the European-built production car will be unveiled within 2 years, join its range by 2028 and comply with the EU's planned rules for small, affordable EVs, which haven't been adopted yet. Read: The Original 2CV Motorized France. Can the Electric One Do It Again?

Follow-up · Tesla's driver assistance in Europe

Slovakia approved Tesla Assisted Driving, the European name for "Full Self-Driving (Supervised)," on October 16, making it 9 European countries. The EU-wide vote is still December at the earliest.

Follow-up · Stellantis in Canada

Unifor members at Stellantis Canada voted 97.3% in favor of a strike mandate on October 17 and 18, the union said on October 19. No strike has been called. The dispute centers on Stellantis's plan to sell its idle Brampton plant, CBC reported. Separately, Windsor Assembly's production was already canceled for 3 weeks starting this week.

Follow-up · Volkswagen's ID. Tiguan

Pre-sales opened on October 13 in Germany and many other European countries, from €42,695 (about $47,800). Deliveries start in early 2027.

Follow-up · Honda's charging road

At Japan Mobility Show Bizweek, Honda showed a mockup of its in-motion wireless charging, not a working road. The next phase aims for up to 150 kW for trucks of about 20 tons, with a public-road test on the Tateyama Expressway from April 2027.

Follow-up · Fuel prices

Regular gasoline averaged $4.30 a gallon on October 19, down from $4.36 on October 8, according to AAA. A year ago it was $3.04.

In Depth This Week

3 of this week's stories get the full Carveyance treatment.

Supercars
Fewer Cars, Higher Prices and a Supercar Above the 911: Porsche's new future, and what happens to the attainable Porsche
Automated driving
Is NVIDIA Becoming the Operating System of the Automobile?: what Volvo and Mercedes are buying, and what's still theirs
Electric cars
The Original 2CV Motorized France. Can the Electric One Do It Again?: Citroën's case for less car

News Versus Noise

How solid is each story? Our ledger for the week.

Confirmed
Porsche's reveal and its strategy targets. Volvo's and Mercedes' announcements. Cox's corrected EV sales estimates. Toyota's Arene targets. NHTSA's test lists. The M760's engine and US timing. The Roadster demonstration and Tesla's deposits. China's September sales. The Genesis recall. Mexico's decree. Waymo's new cities. Slovakia's approval. Unifor's vote.
Reported, not confirmed
Volvo's before-2030 timing and its plan to leave out China, from Reuters. The M760's expected price and BMW's V8 plans for other models, from Car and Driver. The Lexus NX staying in Canada, from Bloomberg and Motor Illustrated. Acura's roadmap, from WardsAuto. How the hybrid cap will work, from unnamed Commission officials.
Plans without dates
A production Mission S. The first Volvo and the first Mercedes on NVIDIA's full system. Acura's bigger SUV.
Not final yet
Every Roadster performance figure, which is Tesla's. The 2CV's €15,000 price, a target for a car due by 2028, and the EU rules it's built around. Toyota's 2030 numbers, which are targets. The hybrid cap's legal text.
Noise
Fresh commentary on Europe's hybrid cap: the deal was struck October 9, and nothing was decided this week. The NHTSA petition about Tesla robotaxis speeding in school zones: it was opened October 9, it's a review of allegations based largely on social-media videos rather than a defect investigation, and it records no crashes or injuries. The Paris show's concept cars, including Peugeot's 816-PS E-T16 and Alfa Romeo's Cuorerosso: great to look at, with no production commitments. And the €5.18 million (about $5.8 million) LaFerrari sold at Broad Arrow's Zoute sale: the auction was October 9, and it's a record for an auction in Belgium, not for a LaFerrari.

The Industry Brief publishes every Monday.

Sources

Porsche Mission S

Volvo, Mercedes and NVIDIA

US EV sales

Toyota Arene

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings

BMW M760 xDrive

Tesla Roadster

Also that week

Since that week, and noise

Currency conversions at about $1.12 per euro.

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