Daily Auto Brief: Touareg’s swan song, a baby Bronco with a plug, bargain EVs, and one very confused robotaxi

Some mornings the inbox feels like a car meet at dawn—everything arrives at once, idling, steaming, trying to be heard. Today’s headline act is the Volkswagen Touareg Wolfsburg Edition taking its bow in Australia. Around it, the industry keeps shuffling the deck: smaller, smarter, cleaner. And, in one memorable case, an autonomous shuttle drove straight toward a situation any human driver would’ve avoided. Pour a coffee; let’s dive in.

Volkswagen Touareg Wolfsburg Edition: Australia’s sporty send-off

Volkswagen is giving the Touareg a curtain call with the 2026 Volkswagen Touareg Wolfsburg Edition, and honestly, it lands with that end-of-tour polish I hoped for. The current Touareg has always been a quiet achiever—big-car calm without the braggadocio. When I last ran one across coarse-chip country roads, it skimmed the surface like it was born there. The Wolfsburg Edition leans into that vibe: dressier detailing, likely larger wheels, and a curated spec list that reads like the Touareg’s greatest hits. Australian pricing’s locked in; supply won’t be endless. If this premium SUV’s been on your “maybe one day” list, that day may need to arrive soon.

Volkswagen Touareg Wolfsburg Edition: why this farewell matters

• It sends the Touareg off with a cohesive, high-spec package—no fiddling with endless options.
• Expect the same hushed long-haul comfort that made it a road-trip secret weapon.
• Limited availability means stronger residuals than a run-of-the-mill trim—usually.

Volkswagen Touareg Wolfsburg Edition ownership snapshot

Picture this: Friday night airport run, three suitcases upright, the cabin so quiet you can hear the kids argue about playlists. Saturday turns into a countryside lunch; the Touareg shrugs off rough B-roads. On Sunday, you find yourself handwashing it because the dark trim actually looks special in the sun. That’s the Wolfsburg pitch—daily usability with just enough “special” to feel like a send-off worth remembering.

Ford Bronco family grows: a smaller, plug-in hybrid trail buddy

Ford’s carving a new niche with a compact Bronco PHEV. Think city-size footprint with the weekend chops to chase fire roads. I’ve parked the big Bronco in a multi-story and, well, let’s just say my Fitbit recorded a spike. A smaller, electrified version makes sense: EV miles during the week, torque-rich trails on Saturday. If Ford keeps the stance and short overhangs, it could be the sweet spot for adventurous apartment dwellers.

EV reshuffles you’ll actually notice

Hyundai Ioniq 5 (2026): Small battery, gone

Hyundai has trimmed the Ioniq 5 lineup for 2026 by axing the smaller pack. When I sampled the base battery on a windy motorway, range management felt like playing chess against the weather. With the bigger pack standard, buyers get clearer value and calmer road trips. Less choice, more confidence. Fair trade.

Kia EV2 teased: The affordable EV play arrives in January

Kia teased the EV2 ahead of a full January reveal, and the silhouette screams “subcompact city runabout.” Nail the cabin storage and a friendly charging curve, and this could be the car that makes your weekly coffee map bigger without making your budget smaller. I’d love to see a good heat pump standard—cold mornings separate the thoughtful EVs from the brochure models.

UK sweetener: Renault 5 and 4 among EVs eligible for a £3750 discount

Across the pond, the UK has earmarked a £3750 incentive for a handful of EVs, including the charming Renault 5 and reborn Renault 4. Incentives don’t turn dull cars into must-haves, but they do nudge already-desirable ones over the line. The 5’s retro-modern look is the sort you see once and spend Sunday lunch quietly justifying.

Premium SUV shuffle: space, style, and seven seats

Mercedes GLC EQ grows a third row

Mercedes’ electric GLC—the GLC EQ—is sprouting a third row. Will it suit adults? Not unless your mates resemble carry-on luggage. But seven-seat flexibility sells cars. If you’ve lived with an EQB, you know the drill: five seats most days, seven in a pinch, and a flat floor that swallows sports kits. Expect more refinement here and a cabin that stays whisper-quiet on coarse tarmac.

• Seven-seat flexibility when grandparents or teammates crash the plan
• Electric serenity without going full land-yacht
• Smarter cargo solutions than its two-row counterpart

Performance corner: Lexus tease, Bugatti finale, Dodge turns the page

Lexus supercar teased; Toyota GR GT in the wings

Lexus is teasing a new supercar to debut alongside Toyota’s GR GT this week. Lexus doesn’t do lukewarm flagships; expect drama and meticulous engineering. I still remember the first time an LFA’s V10 howled past 9000 rpm—it rewired my inner ear. This one may chase different thrills, but ambition is clearly in the brief.

Bugatti builds the last of a 40-car run

The final example of a 40-car Bugatti series is complete. At this level, you don’t so much “own” the car as curate it. The last build is reportedly gorgeous, which is usually code for “we ran out of adjectives around car number six.”

Dodge Charger R/T orders open: 420 hp, price bump

Dodge has opened the books on the new Charger R/T—420 hp, roughly a $10,000 premium over the old Hemi. I’ve driven enough new-age muscle to know the bargain: sharper tech, cleaner shove, slimmer waste. The window sticker might sting, but the torque sniff-test should pass with distinction.

Tease season: BMW has a Christmas Eve surprise

BMW is lining up a mystery model for December 24. Coupe silhouette? Concept? Something M-ish? Munich loves a festive curveball. Odds are we’ll see a design flourish that looks odd on Christmas and obvious by Easter three years from now.

Autonomy and design drama: the messy middle of progress

A robotaxi drove passengers toward a police standoff

One of Google’s autonomous shuttles reportedly took riders toward an active police standoff. That’s the nightmare edge case: confident navigation in the wrong direction. I’ve used robotaxis on geofenced, sunny-day routes and they’re brilliant—right up until real-world chaos intrudes. The fix is boring but necessary: richer live data, tighter geofences, more conservative decision trees during dynamic incidents.

Jaguar parts ways with designer of controversial concept

Jaguar has reportedly parted ways with the designer behind a much-debated recent concept. Revolutions wobble; that’s normal. What matters next is the reset—double down with conviction, or pivot with grace. As someone who’s loved Jags from XK120 to XFR, I’m rooting for timeless feline stance and fewer gimmicks.

Market pulse: Australia’s November sales slip

VFACTS numbers for November 2025 show Australian new-car sales drifting lower, with several major brands down. You could feel it at showrooms—more “let’s see what we can do” chats, fewer impulse handovers. Expect year-end theatrics, demo deals, and the occasional rare spec reappearing as fleets rejig orders. If you’re patient, December can be kind to your driveway.

Conclusion: a day of goodbyes and green shoots—led by the Volkswagen Touareg Wolfsburg Edition

Today’s mood swings between farewell and fresh start. The Volkswagen Touareg Wolfsburg Edition bows out like a veteran headliner, while the baby Bronco PHEV and Kia EV2 promise practical fun with smaller footprints and lower fuel bills. Performance diehards get teases from Lexus and Dodge; futurists get a sobering reminder that autonomy still needs chaperoning. If your tastes run to the premium SUV middle ground—quiet, capable, not flashy—the Touareg’s last dance feels like the right note to end on.

FAQ

• When will the Kia EV2 be revealed? Kia is teasing now, with a full reveal planned for January.
• What’s special about the Volkswagen Touareg Wolfsburg Edition? It’s a limited, dressier farewell with a curated spec—exactly the kind of polished send-off that suits a premium VW SUV.
• Is Ford really making a smaller Bronco? Yes. A compact plug-in hybrid Bronco is reportedly on the way, aimed at urban drivers who still want trail credibility.
• Which EVs get the UK’s £3750 discount? Among those flagged are the Renault 5 and the reborn Renault 4, both already compelling in their own right.
• Can the electric Mercedes GLC (GLC EQ) seat seven? A third-row option is coming—best for kids or short hops, but that flexibility moves metal.