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Welcome to The Downshift, or TDS for short, The Drive’s morning automotive news roundup bringing you the biggest headlines from around the globe.

We hope you had a fine weekend. Here are the stories worth catching up on for Monday, June 8, 2026.

Honda is seemingly planning significant refreshes for the Accord and Passport for next year. One Honda executive teased a “substantially redesigned Accord that will feel like a new model,” while an anonymous source said the automaker is “giving [the Passport] more testosterone” and that “it’s a little more masculine.” [Automotive News]

Stellantis will sell the the new Dodge Charger in Europe, from gas-powered Sixpack models to the battery-electric Daytona, in two- and four-door varieties. [Stellantis]

Subaru has promised no less than three new manual-toting models for Japan: a new hatchback seemingly inspired by the Performance-B STI Concept from last year’s Japan Mobility Show; a WRX with the more durable TY85 manual from the prior-gen STI; and a leaner, sharper BRZ. It’s unclear if any of these vehicles will be sold in the U.S. [Carscoops]

Subaru also issued a rather odd press release over the weekend, “[announcing] that it is considering” selling the three-row Ascent in Japan, where it has not been offered to date. The Ascent is built in Indiana. [Subaru]

Toyota seemingly can’t crank out new RAV4s quickly enough, with less than five days’ worth of inventory in the U.S. at present, as the hybrid SUV has been selling fast due to rising gas prices. [Bloomberg]

⛐ Ford of Europe has continued playing coy on the prospect of a Fiesta and/or Focus revival, with its product chief saying, with respect to new ST or RS models, that, “To be credible and authentic, there needs to be some kind of performance series of our vehicles.” [Auto Express]

Uber has opened a waitlist for customers in London who want to use the company’s robotaxi service in the city first, though no prospective launch date has yet been given. [Bloomberg]

Weekend race results:

• NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series at Michigan: Corey Heim won for Tricon Garage
• British Touring Car Championship at Oulton Park: Dan Cammish, Ash Sutton, and Charles Rainford each won races
• MotoGP Hungarian Grand Prix: Marc Marquez won for Ducati
• Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix: Kimi Antonelli won for Mercedes
• NASCAR Cup Series at Michigan: Denny Hamlin won for Joe Gibbs Racing
• IndyCar at St. Louis: Josef Newgarden won for Team Penske

Got a news tip? Reach out to tips@thedrive.com

Chery has been one of the fastest growing brands in Australia and over the last 18 months has launched Omoda Jaecoo as a sub-brand geared towards younger “adventure-focused” families.

Now, the automotive giant is in preparation to launch another sub-brand in Australia, which it calls Lepas, and has revealed two BEV models heading towards our market.

These will be the Lepas L4, a small SUV, similarly sized to a BYD Atto 2 or recently revealed Ora 5 EV , while the L6 is a bit bigger, more Geely EX5 length car.

The L4 will be available as a BEV, along with a hybrid powertrain, although details on the battery and motors are likely to be revealed in the coming months.

Both models were also showcased at the currently running Beijing Auto Show and have so far received quite a positive reception from international media that attended.

That’s because the Lepas brand is geared specifically for international markets, including right-hand-drive markets like Australia and New Zealand.

These models will ride on the LEX platform, which allows the brand to incorporate the latest BEV architecture into these cars. 

Although local technical specifications are yet to be confirmed, the L4 specs in other markets show a 67.1 kWh battery pack, powered by a 160 kW motor.

This will help the car accelerate from 0-100 km/h in just under 8 seconds, which is fairly respectable for a small city electric SUV.

The battery is expected to offer around 400 km of range, and charging it should take under 30 minutes at the right DC fast charger.

Inside, the car’s interior is similar to that of the Omoda Jaecoo J5 EV, particularly the screen behind the steering wheel and the main portrait infotainment screen found in the centre.

There’s also a wireless charger and two cup holders with the cabin layout aimed at being quite minimalist.

Detailed specifications for our market will be revealed along with the pricing of the car. We expect it to be priced above the current Omoda Jaecoo J5 EV, which has an introductory offer of $36,990 driveaway in Australia.

Given the success of the J5 EV, we’d be keeping an eye out for the L4 and the L6, as they could also see solid sales once they debut closer to the end of 2026.

VOLKSWAGEN Group has announced it will cut 50,000 jobs in Germany by 2030 (from a total German head count of about 300,000) as it moves to contain costs amid falling profitability, softer demand in key markets and mounting pressure from global competition.

 

The cull follows the largest carmaker in Europe reporting its weakest profit result since 2016, with net profit after tax dropping sharply in 2025 to a reported €6.9 billion ($A11.6b), down from €12.4 billion ($A20.8b) a year earlier.

 

Volkswagen says the “decline” reflects a combination of headwinds including US import tariffs, fierce competitive pressure from Chinese manufacturers and the high cost of restructuring as the company continues its transition toward electrification.

 

Volkswagen Group chief executive Oliver Blume said the staff reductions would affect operations across Germany and span the broader group, including brands such as Audi and Porsche.

 

“We are operating in a fundamentally different environment,” he said in a letter to shareholders.

 

The just announced 50,000 job reduction expands on an earlier agreement reached with powerful German unions, under which Volkswagen had already committed to cutting more than 35,000 positions in a “socially responsible manner” by 2030 as part of a plan to save around €15 billion ($A25.2b).

 

Like some of Volkswagen’s German rivals it has been hit hard by slowing (particularly EV) demand in China, historically one of its most important and profitable markets.

 

At the same time, Chinese carmakers are expanding rapidly into Europe, intensifying pressure on incumbent manufacturers across both combustion and electric vehicle segments.

 

Conditions have also been worsened by US tariffs on imported vehicles, adding further strain to margins at a time when the company is already investing heavily in new electric vehicle architectures, software and battery technology.

 

Volkswagen Group chief financial officer Arno Antlitz said the business had endured a difficult 2025.

 

“2025 was shaped by geopolitical tensions, tariffs and intense competitive pressure,” he said.

 

“The group’s operating margin of 4.6 per cent – even after adjusting for restructuring measures – was not sustainable in the long term.

 

“We can only realise this if we continue to rigorously reduce costs, leverage group synergies, reduce complexity and thus sustainably increase profitability.”

 

Despite forecasting a recovery in the year ahead, Volkswagen has warned that more internal discipline will be required.

 

For 2026, the group is forecasting a core profit margin of between 4.0 and 5.5 per cent, underlining the continued fragility of its earnings outlook.

 

The company sold around 9.0 million vehicles globally in 2025, broadly in line with the 9.03 million recorded in 2024, though the flat volume result masks uneven performance across brands and regions.

 

Audi and Porsche have both adjusted aspects of their EV strategies in response to softer-than-expected growth in electric vehicle demand, while the broader group continues to juggle legacy combustion-engine investment alongside future-focused EV and software spending.

 

Volkswagen’s challenges have also been reflected Down Under where the brand’s sales fell 20.6 per cent in 2025 after declining 16.8 per cent the year before.