Top Car News of the Past Week
In this week's automotive roundup, we spotlight major headlines: Tesla's shrinking European market share, the global premiere of the new Formula 1 movie, an exclusive test drive of a Maybach convertible, the debut of Sweden's most powerful hypercar, and the return of the iconic Jeep Cherokee.
Tesla's Sales Drop Shakes the European EV Market
Tesla's European sales fell by 27.9% in May 2025, marking the fifth straight month of decline. Year-to-date, sales have dropped by more than 37%, reducing the company's market share from 2.1% to 1.3%. This is despite continued growth in the EV market, driven by brands like BYD and Škoda. Analysts point to intense competition, delayed purchases ahead of model updates, and political controversies surrounding Elon Musk. Tesla's performance in countries like Germany and France is weak, with Norway being the exception. The 2026 Model Y might help, but its future in Europe remains uncertain.
Formula 1 Film 'F1' Makes a Splash at the Box Office
The new racing movie 'F1,' starring Brad Pitt and directed by Joseph Kosinski, premiered globally on June 25 and hit North American theaters on June 27. It opened with a strong box office performance, grossing around $140 million globally. The film, praised for its realism and shot during actual F1 races, is now Pitt's most successful opener. ArabGT's Musab and Suhaib Shashaa attended the Dubai premiere and reviewed the film in their latest 'Car Chat' podcast.
Mousub Shashaa Drives the Maybach SL 680
Mousub Shashaa, founder of ArabGT, took the 2026 Mercedes-Maybach SL 680 for an exclusive test drive. The fourth model in the Maybach lineup, this convertible blends timeless luxury with cutting-edge technology. It features premium materials, advanced comfort systems, and a smooth yet powerful driving experience—setting a new benchmark in open-top elegance.
Koenigsegg Unveils the Sadair's Spear 2026
Koenigsegg has launched the 2026 Sadair's Spear, a limited edition hypercar based on the Jesko Attack. Only 30 units will be produced, each powered by a twin-turbo V8 pushing out 1,625 hp on E85 fuel. With aggressive aerodynamics, lightweight construction, and a time-cutting transmission, the Sadair's Spear is more than a second faster on track than its predecessor—cementing its title as Sweden's most powerful hypercar to date.
Jeep Revives the Cherokee for 2026
After a two-year break, Jeep has brought back the Cherokee for 2026. Positioned between the Compass and Grand Cherokee, it features updated styling, hybrid and electric powertrains, and an enhanced infotainment system. The Cherokee stays true to its off-road legacy while embracing modern comfort, sustainability, and connectivity—aligning with Jeep's renewed brand direction.
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Arab News
3 hours ago
- Arab News
Germany and the balance of power in Europe
The 2025 NATO Summit, which took place in The Hague last week, brought together representatives of all 32 member nations of the alliance. Top of the agenda was an agreement to increase national security expenditure, with a target for each country to spend 5 percent of gross domestic product on defense by 2035. The shift comes as Germany embarks on its biggest military rearmament since the Second World War, signaling its intent to assume a more assertive role within NATO and across Europe. Given that a highly militarized Germany twice brought the world to war, this latest iteration has drawn great interest. It also follows repeated criticism from US President Donald Trump, who has long accused European allies of relying too heavily for their security on Washington, which he argues bears a disproportionate share of NATO's military burden. In 2024, the US spent $935 billion on defense, more than double the combined total of all other NATO members. When Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, this imbalance became clear, as Europe was exposed as being critically reliant on the US for its security. No country reflects the shift toward increased military investment more clearly than Germany. Under the leadership of Chancellor Friedrich Merz, it has embraced rearmament with a boldness unseen since the end of the Second World War. For much of the second half of the 20th century, Germany was characterized by its rejection of military might as an instrument of state power. Under the auspices of the European project, a reunified Germany sought to establish its role through multilateral diplomacy, economic stability and the rule of law. Its military, the Bundeswehr, remained fragmented and poorly equipped, with a defense budget that rarely exceeded 1.1 percent of GDP. Strict controls were placed on arms exports and strategic leadership was largely left to the country's NATO allies, led by the US. This was the established trend in postwar Germany. Even the faintest hint of rearmament was met with public resistance, shaped by memories of the nation's painful past. The Bundeswehr, established in 1955, was intentionally built with no projection of offensive power. For decades, as Germany became Europe's economic powerhouse, its security policies remained largely reactive and rooted within NATO's strategic architecture. However, those days now seem to be firmly behind it, with Berlin emerging as a prominent defense hub for Europe. This year, the Merz government passed a defense budget worth 2.4 percent of GDP, the highest level of military expenditure in Germany's postwar history, and announced long-term aspirations to raise it to 5 percent. At the transatlantic level, Germany's evolving strategy reflects growing uncertainty about Washington's role in NATO. Zaid M. Belbagi The goal is to ramp up annual defense spending from €95 billion ($111 billion) in 2025 to €162 billion by 2029. To enable this shift, Berlin has introduced legal changes allowing it to bypass its constitutional debt brake, a departure from a long-standing tradition of fiscal restraint. The transformation goes beyond budgets and legislation. Merz has pledged to build the Bundeswehr into 'the strongest conventional army in Europe' by 2031. The plan includes an expansion of its active forces from 182,000 troops to 203,000 by 2031, with a long-term target of 240,000. The military's role is expanding beyond Germany's borders as well. In May, Berlin announced that an armored brigade would be permanently stationed in Lithuania, the first long-term deployment of a German force beyond its own borders since the Second World War. This shift aims to support NATO's eastern flank amid growing concerns about Russian aggression. Modernization is proceeding at a rapid pace. Under a new rearmament directive issued by Chief of Defense Gen. Carsten Breuer, the Bundeswehr is acquiring advanced weapons and equipment, including air defense and precision-strike capabilities, space assets, advanced electronic warfare tools and munitions reserves. The procurement program includes Patriot missile systems, Eurofighter and F-35 fighter jets, Leopard 2 tanks, PzH 2000 howitzers and sophisticated military drones. This shift by Germany marks a pivotal moment for NATO and for Europe: the emergence of a post-American mindset in defense policy, with Berlin increasingly taking on responsibilities long championed by the US. At the transatlantic level, Germany's evolving strategy also reflects growing uncertainty about Washington's role in NATO, especially amid the decisions of Trump and his administration during his second term. The result is a more assertive and autonomous German military posture, one that is reshaping the security architecture of Europe. For the Middle East and North Africa, the rearmament of Germany and the revitalization of its defense industry present significant opportunities for deeper cooperation. The country has long been a key supplier of advanced machinery, equipment, motor vehicles and military aircraft components across the region. Amid the ongoing tensions between Iran, Israel and the US, Middle Eastern nations might increasingly look to Berlin as a vital partner, one whose expanding defense capabilities and industrial expertise could help shape their own security and military strategies for years to come.
Al Arabiya
3 hours ago
- Al Arabiya
'F1' Opens With $55 Million, Delivering Apple Its Biggest Big-Screen Hit
Apple has its first box-office hit. F1 The Movie debuted with $55.6 million in North American theaters and $144 million globally over the weekend, according to studio estimates Sunday, handing the tech company easily its biggest opening yet. Though Apple Original Films has had some notable successes in its six years in Hollywood – including the 2021 Oscar-winner CODA – its theatrical results have been decidedly mixed. Misfires like Argylle and Fly Me to the Moon and big-budget awards plays like Ridley Scott's Napoleon and Martin Scorsese's Killers of the Flower Moon have been better at driving viewers to Apple TV+ than movie theaters. But F1 was Apple's first foray into summer blockbuster territory. It won a bidding war for the project from much of the production team behind the 2022 box-office smash Top Gun: Maverick. Apple then partnered with Warner Bros. to distribute the film starring Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, and Kerry Condon. With a production budget over $200 million, F1 still has several laps to go to turn a profit. But for now, F1 is full speed ahead. ' F1 The Movie puts the pedal to the metal in an impressive overperformance for this original summer movie that had one of the most comprehensive and exciting marketing blitzes in recent memory, and it paid off big for the film,' said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for data firm Comscore. Car racing movies have often struggled in theaters; crash-and-burn cases include Ron Howard's Rush (2013) and Michael Mann's Ferrari (2023). But F1 built off of the Formula 1 fandom stirred up by the popular series Formula 1: Drive to Survive. And it leaned on Top Gun: Maverick director Joseph Kosinski and producer Jerry Bruckheimer to deliver another adult-oriented action thrill ride. Like they did in Top Gun: Maverick, the filmmakers sought an adrenaline rush by placing IMAX cameras inside the cockpit in F1. IMAX and large-format screens accounted for fifty-five percent of its ticket sales. IMAX, whose screens are much sought-after in the summer, has carved out a three-week run for the movie. Reviews have been very good for F1, and audience reaction (an A via CinemaScore) was even better. That suggests F1 could hold up well in the coming weeks despite some formidable coming competition in Universal Pictures' Jurassic World Rebirth. Universal's M3gan 2.0 had been expected to pose a greater challenge to F1. Instead, the robot doll sequel didn't come close to matching the 2022 original's box-office launch. M3gan 2.0 collected $10.2 million in 3,112 theaters. Memes and viral videos helped propel the first M3gan to a $30.4 million opening and a total haul of $180 million, all on a $12 million budget. Still, the Blumhouse Productions horror thriller could wind up profitable. The film, written and directed by Gerald Johnstone, cost a modest $25 million to make. A spinoff titled Soulm8te is scheduled for release next year. M3gan 2.0 ended up in fourth place. The box-office leader of the last two weekends, How to Train Your Dragon, slid to second with $19.4 million. The DreamWorks Animation live-action hit from Universal Pictures has surpassed $200 million domestically in three weeks. After a debut that marked a new low for Pixar, the studio's Elio gathered up $10.7 million in sales in its second weekend. That gives the Walt Disney Co. release a disappointing two-week start of $42.2 million. Top 10 movies by domestic box office. With final domestic figures being released Monday, this list factors in the estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at US and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore: F1 The Movie, $55 million. How to Train Your Dragon, $19.4 million. Elio, $10.7 million. M3gan 2.0, $10.2 million. 28 Years Later, $9.7 million. Lilo & Stitch, $6.9 million. Mission: Impossible – Final Reckoning, $4.2 million. Materialists, $3 million. Ballerina, $2.1 million. Karate Kid: Legends, $1 million.
Al Arabiya
4 hours ago
- Al Arabiya
F1 Champ Max Verstappen Says His 'Mentality Doesn't Change' After a Big Blow to His Title Defense
After days of speculation he might leave Red Bull for Mercedes, Max Verstappen got a closer look at a Mercedes car than he wanted. The defending Formula 1 champion's Austrian Grand Prix lasted less than half a lap as he was knocked out of the race by Mercedes driver and potential future teammate Kimi Antonelli. 'I think we try to do our best always. My mentality doesn't change. We have won a lot in the past. Sometimes you have to accept that you are not winning and we just try to do the best we can,' Verstappen told British broadcaster Sky Sports. Asked about what the incident meant for his title defense, he said: 'Hopefully then maybe people will not mention it too much anymore.' For all the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app. It followed an eventful week for the four-time champion, who blamed a lack of grip for being off the pace in qualifying and seventh on the grid. Antonelli's teammate George Russell had suggested Thursday Verstappen may be holding talks with Mercedes on a possible future move. Verstappen remains third in the standings but is 61 points off leader Oscar Piastri. In past years, Verstappen and Red Bull have produced some of their best performances at the team's home race. It attracts thousands of orange-clad Dutch fans, and Verstappen has won at the Red Bull Ring five times. It was a rare mistake in an otherwise impressive season for 18-year-old Antonelli. He braked late, locked his rear wheels, and dived deep into a tight right-hand corner, spinning Verstappen around and ending both of their chances. 'I'm out. I got hit like crazy,' Verstappen told Red Bull over the radio. Verstappen waved to the crowd as his car was lifted away by a tractor and chatted with Antonelli as they walked away together. It was the first time Verstappen failed to score any points in a race in more than a year – since the Australian Grand Prix in March 2024. It ended a week of struggles at a track where he's won five times in F1 and capped a disastrous home Grand Prix for Red Bull. Rounding out a nightmare home race for Red Bull, Yuki Tsunoda hit Alpine's Franco Colapinto while fighting for 13th place and had to pit for a replacement front wing. The Japanese driver finished last and hasn't scored a point in four races.
