Volkswagen Group and its Audi unit reported weaker global deliveries in the first quarter of 2026 as demand cooled in China and North America. Volkswagen’s overall shipments fell about 4% year-on-year, weighed down by a roughly 15% slump in China and a more than 20% fall in the United States. Audi delivered 360,106 vehicles in Q1, down 6.1%, with its China volumes sliding 12% to 127,109 units. Electric vehicle deliveries across the group also softened, declining in the low single digits to roughly 200,000 units. The automakers cited a mix of factors: a global automotive slowdown, the expiry of Chinese EV subsidies, intensifying competition from fast-moving local brands such as BYD, U.S. import tariffs introduced in April 2025, regulatory shifts and model transitions. Europe was a relative bright spot, with gains in Western and Central/Eastern Europe offsetting some overseas weakness, including reduced demand in the Middle East linked to the Iran war. Volkswagen said it will press ahead with localized EV launches and model rollouts to regain footholds in key markets.

Mercedes-Benz has unveiled the interior of its forthcoming all-electric C‑Class ahead of a global premiere scheduled for April 20, 2026, showcasing a dashboard-dominating MBUX Hyperscreen and a wide array of comfort and audio features. The Hyperscreen — offered alongside a Superscreen option — uses matrix backlighting with nearly 10 million pixels and independently adjustable brightness zones to span the full width of the dashboard. The cabin adds extensive ambient lighting that extends onto an optional panoramic roof with 162 illuminated elements, Burmester 3D/4D surround sound, and new high-end seats with electro-pneumatic lumbar support, heating, ventilation and massage. Mercedes is promoting vegan-certified interior options, upgraded insulation and laminated glass for a quieter cabin, and a multi-source heat pump said to speed cold-weather heating while lowering energy use. Some outlets report the EV is built on Mercedes’ MB.EA architecture and list a claimed range figure and 800V charging capability, but Mercedes has not yet confirmed pricing, trims, official range, charging speeds or performance. The production model is expected to reach markets this summer.

Ford Motor Co. announced mid-April 2026 a U.S. recall affecting about 1.39 million F-150 pickup trucks built for the 2015–2017 model years equipped with the 6R80 six-speed automatic transmission, after a U.S. NHTSA probe linked unexpected downshifts to two injuries and one crash. Regulators and Ford say degraded electrical connections in the transmission lead frame can cause signal loss from the Output Shaft Speed/Transmission Range Sensor, prompting temporary unintended downshifts — in worst cases to second gear — that can reduce wheel speed and cause rear-wheel slide or momentary lockup. Ford will provide a free remedy at dealers: a powertrain control module (PCM) software calibration update and, for trucks that showed certain diagnostic trouble codes, lead-frame replacement under extended warranty. Dealers were notified in mid-April, owner interim notices began late April and formal remedy mailings are slated for July. Ford also reported a parallel recall in Canada affecting roughly 144,000 F-150s.

Ford’s Mustang GTD Competition clocked a 6:40.835 lap of the Nürburgring Nordschleife on April 17, 2026, shaving roughly 11 seconds off the previous GTD time and beating rival Chevrolet’s Corvette ZR1X by more than eight seconds. Piloted by factory driver Dirk Müller, the pre-production Competition run uses an upgraded supercharged 5.2‑litre V8 with undisclosed power above the standard GTD’s 815 hp, plus aerodynamic revisions, new high‑performance tyres, magnesium wheels with rear aero discs, lighter dampers and carbon bucket seats to cut weight. Ford says the car currently sits in the prototype/pre‑production class on Nürburgring leaderboards; once produced in limited, serialized quantities it would rank behind only the Mercedes‑AMG One among production cars. Ford also recorded a 6:49.337 lap with engineer Steve Thompson, underlining the package’s consistency. The company has reopened applications for the standard GTD and says the Competition will be a strictly limited, street‑legal special edition; pricing has not been announced (the regular GTD’s starting price is $327,960). The run renews a high‑profile lap‑time fight between U.S. OEMs and European rivals.

Alimentation Couche-Tard’s Circle K and automaker-backed charging network Ionna announced in mid-April 2026 a partnership to bring fast EV charging to about 350 Circle K locations across the United States. The rollout will convert or upgrade roughly 85 existing chargers and add more than 250 new high-power stalls, offering output up to 400 kW and both NACS and CCS plugs. Ionna will operate the sites, which will be branded as “Rechargeries at Circle K.” The first sites are slated to open by late 2026 with wider deployment through 2027. Ionna, formed and backed by major automakers and targeting tens of thousands of U.S. chargers by 2030, says the deal accelerates high-power coverage at high-traffic retail locations and complements Circle K’s foodservice and retail offering. The announcement comes amid a slowdown in U.S. EV sales but reflects continued investment in public charging infrastructure.

Mini and Austrian design studio Vagabund unveiled two one-off custom Mini Countryman concepts in mid-April 2026, debuting at Auto China in Beijing. The contrasting show cars—one in a restrained silver/white/beige theme, the other black-on-black—reimagine the Countryman as a mobile soundstage. Each features raised ride height, widened arches, 20-inch wheels with 3D-printed monoblock-style covers, and laser-cut roof racks. The rear-most side windows are replaced by externally mounted speaker assemblies (cast polymer granite housings), with tweeters and mid-range drivers integrated into the bodywork and subwoofers accessible when the tailgate is open. Cheeky retro touches include integrated Walkman units built into the body. Mini says the cars are designed with “community events in mind” as portable DJ booths and festival vehicles. While framed as creative studies rather than production models, Mini plans to show the cars at the Beijing motor show and to showcase them across events and platforms.