JUNE 10, 2026

The original - and still our favorite - Autoextremist logo. 

The AE Quote of the Century: Everybody loves The High-Octane Truth. Until they don't. -WG 

(Photos courtesy of Sports Car Digest. Contents © 2026 De Tomaso Automobili, reviewed and edited by Rex McAfee)

De Tomaso has unveiled its latest bespoke P72 commission, dubbed “Aurelian Night,” a one-off creation that demonstrates the marque’s continuing commitment to highly personalized craftsmanship and design. Developed in close collaboration with De Tomaso’s Colour and Materials design team, the commission draws inspiration from the fleeting transition between day and night. The concept centers on the atmosphere of a summer evening as daylight fades and the sky deepens in color—a brief yet evocative moment that served as the guiding theme for the project.

The exterior is finished in rich midnight-blue tones that mirror the changing hues of dusk. Contrasting hand-polished rose gold accents add warmth and visual depth, creating a striking interplay between light and shadow. As ambient lighting conditions change throughout the day, the rose gold detailing subtly alters the car’s appearance, revealing new characteristics with each passing hour.

Inside, Venetian Blue leather covers the seats, dashboard and surrounding surfaces, creating a cohesive environment that echoes the exterior’s dramatic palette. Rose gold stitching provides a refined finishing touch, linking the cabin and exterior through a consistent material and design language.

Like every P72 commission, Aurelian Night was realized through an extensive collaboration between the vehicle’s owner and the De Tomaso atelier. Each detail reflects a unique interpretation of the P72, underscoring the company’s dedication to bespoke design and individual expression. The Aurelian Night Commission is scheduled to appear at select events throughout the year before being delivered to its owner. Editor-in-Chief's Note: What can I say? This is frickin' cool. Thank you to SportsCarDigest.com and Rex McAfee for the inspiration! -PMD

(Bentley images)

Bentley's new Flying Spur has just been unveiled, with a new exterior design that re-introduces single front headlamps to a Bentley sedan for the first time since 1962. Other design details include significant enhancements to surfaces to the front, sides, and rear of the new Flying Spur. Other stuff? The S model returns to Bentley’s flagship four-door, featuring the Performance Active Chassis and up to 20 per cent more power than the previous generation. The new Flying Spur will offer five distinct seat styles, from wellness themed to ultimate performance. And Mulliner’s Virtuoso Collection will now be available for the Flying Spur. How much? Bentley isn't saying but if you want one, you can specify a new Flying Spur right now at your local dealer with deliveries beginning late this year.

 

(Audi images)

Audi has unveiled its first supercar with a high-performance hybrid powertrain. The Audi Nuvolari will be the fastest and most powerful production vehicle in the brand’s history. The Nuvolari has 1,001 PS and a top speed of more than 350 km/h. It accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 2.6 seconds and reaches 200 km/h in 6.8 seconds. These figures "are enabled by a range of innovations inspired by Formula 1, including the high-performance hybrid powertrain, quattro predictive ride, active aerodynamics, and the new Audi Space Frame (ASF) with carbon exterior," according to Audi PR minions.

“With the Audi Nuvolari, we are accelerating technological progress,” says Gernot Döllner, Chairman of the Board of Management of AUDI AG. “It shows what is possible when the focus is on technology, performance, and execution through teamwork — and when we achieve progress together.”

As the first production vehicle that follows Audi’s new design philosophy, the Nuvolari will combine the high-performance character of a supercar with a distinctive design. Taut surfaces, seamlessly integrated technology, and intelligent aerodynamics define its appearance. The mid‑engine layout defines the proportions, and the exterior is characterized by Audi’s new signature color Titanium, a paint also used on the Audi Concept C and the Audi Formula 1 race car. 

The Audi Nuvolari is powered by a hybrid high-performance powertrain with a maximum system output of 736 kW (1,001 PS). It combines a 4.0-liter V8 biturbo engine delivering 588 kW (800HP) with three axial flux electric motors, each producing 110 kW. The lithium-ion battery has a gross capacity of 7.3 kWh. The combustion engine delivers a maximum torque of 730 Nm and reaches up to 10,000 rpm. Two oil-cooled axial flux electric motors at the front axle deliver up to 2,150 Nm of torque. As an integral part of the quattro system, they support variable torque distribution. A third electric motor between the V8 mid-engine and the transmission completes the drive concept.

“With the Audi Nuvolari, our entire team has once again demonstrated its technical expertise, innovative strength, and dedication,” says Rouven Mohr, CTO of Audi. “This is reflected not only in the vehicle’s performance and its Formula 1-inspired technologies, but also in the ability to transfer innovations quickly and precisely into a production vehicle.”

Deliveries of the supercar, limited to 499 units, will begin in the first half of 2027. The Audi Nuvolari shown is a European Pre-Production Prototype. The arrival of the Audi Nuvolari to the U.S. is subject to a future announcement and will vary from what is detailed in the global release. Final market-specific information, including performance specifications, pricing and EPA-rated mileage/emissions figures for the Audi Nuvolari will be subject to a future announcement and may vary from the information provided in this press announcement.

Editor-in-Chief's Note: This week, our video feature is a fascinating historical perspective about the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, "Behind The Bricks." Watch it here. -PMD

The AE Song of the Week:

Ain't got no regrets
I ain't losin' track of which way I'm going
I ain't gonna double back, no
Don't want no misplay
Put on no display
An angel? No, but I know my way
Oh yeah, oh-oh

I used to follow, yeah, that's true
But my following days are over
Now I just gotta follow through
And I remember what my father said
He said, "Son, life is simple"
It's either cherry red

Or midnight blue
Oh, oh
Midnight blue
Oh, oh

You were the restless one
And you did not care that
I was the trouble boy lookin' for a double dare
I won't apologize for the things I've done and said
But when I win your heart
I'm gonna paint it cherry red
I don't want to talk about it
What you do to me
I can't live without it
And you might think that it's much too soon
For us to go this far

Into the midnight blue
Oh, oh
It's midnight blue
Oh, oh

Now things could be different
That'd be a shame
'Cause I'm the one who can feel the sun
Right in the pouring rain
I won't say where and I don't know when
But soon there gonna come a day, baby
I'll be back again
Yeah, I'll be back for you
Uh-huh
You see, I'm saving up my love

Midnight blue
Oh, oh
Into the midnight blue
Oh, oh
Another midnight blue
Oh, oh
The deepest midnight blue
Oh
It's a midnight blue
Into the midnight blue
Oh, oh
Midnight blue
Oh, oh
Midnight blue
Oh, oh
The deepest midnight blue
Oh, oh
Into the midnight blue
Oh, oh

"Midnight Blue" by Lou Graham, from the album "Ready Or Not" (1987).* Watch the Original Music Video here.

*In "Midnight Blue," Lou Gramm sings about how life is simple, really: it's either cherry red or midnight blue. In our Songfacts interview with Graham, he explained that cherry red is "everything going as best as it can," while midnight blue is "dark and mysterious." On this track, he makes it clear that he is the darker shade, letting the girl know that he's going to forge his own path, and while they are split at the moment, he'll be coming back for her. It's a very unapologetic love song, as Gramm makes it clear that he doesn't regret the way he treated her, but is confident that everything will be cherry red once he decides to win her back.

This was Gramm's first single as a solo artist. He had staggering success as the lead singer of Foreigner, which in the previous 10 years had become one of the biggest bands in America. Gramm, who co-wrote most of their songs with guitarist Mick Jones, was disheartened by the direction that band had taken, fearing that slick ballads like "Waiting For A Girl Like You" and "I Want To Know What Love Is" had gotten them away from their roots.

Looking to rediscover a raw, spontaneous sound, Gramm released the album Ready Or Not in early 1987, and by April, "Midnight Blue" reached #5 on the Hot 100. Later in 1987, Foreigner released another successful album (with Gramm on lead vocals), Inside Information, which contained the hits "Say You Will" and "I Don't Want to Live Without You." Gramm released another solo album in 1989 with contained the hit "Just Between You And Me." Gramm wrote "Midnight Blue" with Bruce Turgon, a longtime friend who was in an early band with Gramm called Black Sheep. In 1992, Turgon became the bass player in Foreigner, a position he held until Gramm left the band in 2003. (Knowledge courtesy of Songfacts.com)

 

Editor's Note: Click on "Next 1 Entries" at the bottom of this page to see previous issues. - WG