FAST NEWS - Hubshop's Weekly Roundup / Week #04

1. Performance & Product Releases and New Arrivals

• Brussels Motor Show 2026 Recap: The 102nd edition closed on Sunday, January 18, with very strong attendance. Visitors got an exclusive world-first look at the Kia EV2 and the new Mazda CX-6e, confirming that 2026 will be a year of choosing between affordable EVs and Japanese refinement.
• Cadillac F1 - The First Roar: On the sidelines of the show, the American team made a splash by releasing footage of its car's shakedown at Silverstone. It is a historic milestone for the grid's 11th team, which is preparing its official debut for preseason testing.
• Alpine A290: The first customer deliveries began this week. Alpine's "pocket rocket", which shares its DNA with the Renault 5 but has radically different chassis tuning, is already setting the benchmark for driving fun in the electric B-segment.

2. Global News & Automaker Market

• The Mercedes CLA's Crowning: Named "Car of the Year 2026" at the opening of the Brussels Motor Show, the CLA now dominates the conversation. With 320 points, it finished well ahead of the Skoda Elroq (220 pts) and the Kia EV4 (208 pts). It is only the second title for Mercedes in the award's 63-year history.
• 2026 Weight Penalty - Initial Impact: Two weeks after the 1,500 kg threshold took effect, dealer networks are seeing a massive shift in orders toward Full Hybrid versions. Non-electrified combustion SUVs are taking the full brunt of the heavier taxation, to the benefit of more compact models.
• Digital Transition: With the copper network shutdown approaching (January 31), automakers are speeding up upgrades to their connected charging infrastructure to ensure optimal energy management via 5G.

3. Motorsport - Dacia Makes Dakar History

• ⭐ Dacia Wins the 2026 Dakar: A masterstroke! In its very first appearance, the brand took the win on Saturday, January 17, in Yanbu with Nasser Al-Attiyah. It is the Qatari driver's 6th title. Dacia pulled off the feat of placing three cars in the Top 10 (Moraes 7th, Gutiérrez 11th).
• Sébastien Loeb Just Misses the Podium: After a heroic comeback and a fight for every second on the final stage, the Alsatian driver finished 4th overall, just 37 seconds off the podium. A frustrating result for the French champion, but one that confirms the Sandrider's speed.
• F1 - Red Bull Ford Powertrains: Following the Detroit launch, simulation data for the new Red Bull-Ford hybrid engine shows performance in line with Max Verstappen's expectations. All eyes now turn to the Barcelona tests.

4. Upcoming Auto Events & Must-Sees

• Rallye Monte-Carlo (January 22-25): The rally starts from Monaco this Thursday. Wintry conditions are confirmed on the mountain passes, promising an epic duel between Sébastien Ogier and Thierry Neuville to open the 2026 WRC season.
• F1 Private Testing: Several teams have scheduled "filming day" running sessions this week to validate their active aerodynamic systems before the big collective start.

5. Performance Pick of the Week

Dacia Sandriders' Feat: Winning the Dakar on the first attempt against the Ford and Toyota armadas is a technical tour de force. By using a sustainable synthetic fuel, Dacia proves that extreme performance, reliability and environmental commitment can go hand in hand. A victory that will go down in rally raid history.

See you next week for the first results from Monte-Carlo!