Epic, exhausting the day testing out the Stark Varg EX in the Pyrenees. Amazing sights and amazing to sikently cruise by the wildlife (and not so wild critters, too) without disturbing them.

Happy Friday, y'all.

Hey, join me behind the wheel of the upcoming BMW iX3, the first of the company's Neue Klasse EVs! Video is now live over at Inside EVs.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAOF2cke3-s

Some fresh reading material has arrived, perfect for what's shaping up to be yet another rainy weekend.

This one's been a long time coming. BMW's drawn out the details on Neue Klasse for years now with multiple concepts and enough tech briefings to give my AI transcriptionist a short circuit.

Finally, last week it was time for me to put the hype to rest and hit the test track to see how it all shakes out. Spoiler alert: It's good.

I've got a bit of a roundup of my first impressions from behind the wheel of the prototype iX3 EV in my newsletter.

https://open.substack.com/pub/timstevens/p/driving-neue-klasse-behind-the-wheel?r=17r5&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

Getting ready for someone's first car meet.

Supreme Court has granted Elon Musk’s DOGE access to sensitive Social Security information, including full access to personally identifiable information in the Social Security Administration database while the case proceeds on appeal.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-06-06/supreme-court-gives-doge-access-to-social-security-data?srnd=homepage-americas

I was really glad to spend a little quality time with the Subaru WRX tS on home roads I've covered many times with my (ahem, many) Subarus. Yeah, I know it's spendy, but this thing is excellent.

https://autos.yahoo.com/the-2025-subaru-wrx-ts-is-an-ideal-blend-of-performance-and-practicality-110516131.html

Spent the past few days sampling Audi's new 2025 A5 and Q5. I can't tell you what I think about either just yet, but damn can I ever say how blown away I was by the drive between Denver and Aspen. Every time I come out here I think I need to spend more time out here, and so it is again.

It’s been a busy few weeks and I’m really proud of what I’ve written along the way, everything from wild sports cars to practical EVs to space crystals. Here’s my latest update on what I’ve been up to and where you can find me, including my first pieces on Yahoo!

https://open.substack.com/pub/timstevens/p/fast-corvettes-posh-concours-and?r=17r5&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

@pattrudeau thanks! Sadly I need a lot more subs to make this stuff worthwhile :(

Just got laughed out of my local NAPA for asking to buy 7mm spark plug wire by the foot. "Those days are over. LOL"

Feels like that should be a safe space for asking for parts for old cars (or motorcycles in my case), but apparently not...

Driving the new ZR1 at the Circuit of the Americas, on the full Grand Prix circuit, was a life changing experience. Full impressions here on @theverge
https://www.theverge.com/cars/676708/chevrolet-corvette-zr1-first-drive-track-ztk-trim

And if you're so inclined, I made a video of the experience too. That's up on my channel now: https://youtu.be/_vPJtM_Zyvg

POV: You're at ‎⁨Fuori Concorso  on Lake Como, wandering between the legends. #motorsport #formula1 https://www.instagram.com/reel/DKIg2lLuuSQ/?igsh=N2VwaWUzOHYwcXFl

Join me for a quick stroll through the Concorso d'Eleganza.

https://youtube.com/shorts/R-MSItQlyMs?si=O0bB0Y4PhNbLBdho

Greetings from Lake Como. Villa d'Este to be specific. This'll be my first time attending the Concorso d'Eleganza and I expect this is just the beginning of the fantastic sights to be seen.

The Corvette GT3.R looking utterly menacing in the pits at COTA. #corvette

Greetings from COTA. I'm down here to drive something special. It's the 1,064-horse Corvette ZR1. I can't tell you what I think about it for another week and change, but I think I can tell you that wing makes Mullett Tower look downright petite.

The three-row SUV segment has been woefully underserved for those wanting an EV, but now buyers are flush with choice. The Hyundai Ioniq 9 is the latest entrant to the fray, and it's a damned fine one. My impressions from behind the wheel are up at Engadget

https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/hyundais-ioniq-9-is-a-big-electric-suv-with-big-style-130050754.html

A driverless EV that can't charge itself just feels a little bit manual. Automatic charging is a big missing piece with the potential to really open up autonomous, electrified fleets, whether they be robotaxis or cargo. My latest exclusive for @arstechnica

https://arstechnica.com/cars/2025/05/removing-the-weakest-link-in-electrified-autonomous-transport-humans/