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The HWA EVO Is the 190E Revival You Didn’t Know You Needed

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AMG-Bred 190E Restomod To Make Track Debut at the Nürburgring 24 Hours

It’s not often that a restomod earns the right to go toe-to-toe with today’s top-tier performance cars, but the HWA Evo isn’t your typical nostalgia project. Developed by HWA AG – the engineering powerhouse established by AMG co-founder Hans Werner Aufrecht – this modern-day reincarnation of the iconic Mercedes-Benz 190E Evo II is finally ready to prove its mettle. And not just on any track: it’s headed for the Nürburgring Nordschleife during one of motorsport’s most iconic weekends.

Set to make its first public demonstration at the Nürburgring 24 Hours, two HWA EVO prototypes will run demo laps during the race weekend. The car will also be on display at the Adenauer Racing Day on June 18 and in Corso laps on June 20 and 21, with a permanent presence at the Nürburgring paddock stand throughout the weekend.

HWA AG/Instagram


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Not Your Typical Restomod

Unlike many modern restomods, the HWA Evo is far more than a vintage shell with a new engine. Each car begins life as a Mercedes W201 donor vehicle, which is then stripped to its steel bones. HWA reinforces and rebuilds it with custom aluminum and high-strength steel subframes, replacing 75% of the original chassis and doubling its torsional rigidity. The result is a motorsport-grade structure with an OEM-level finish.

Mounted in a front-mid-engine configuration is a 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 – believed to come from the AMG C43 – pumping out 493 hp and 405 lb-ft of torque, controlled by a bespoke HWA ECU.

For electronics, HWA partnered with Bosch Engineering to develop a custom ESP system featuring ABS and a tailored control unit – a feature not typically found in an average restomod.

HWA AG/Instagram


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A Familiar Livery for a Legendary Race Weekend

The powertrain is just one piece of the puzzle. The rest includes billet-machined suspension components, KW adjustable dampers, H&R anti-roll bars, and Brembo brakes with optional carbon ceramics. All of it wrapped in a full carbon fiber body crafted for both strength, lightweight advantage, and aerodynamic finesse.

For its Nürburgring shakedown, one of the HWA Evo prototypes features a special livery reminiscent of the original Evo II’s racing roots, particularly its dominance during the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters‘ 1992 season.

Only 100 units of the HWA Evo will be produced, each priced around $760,000. Most have already been spoken for, but if you’re lucky, there might still be a few slots left. In any case, if you have the means, a visit to the Nürburgring next weekend will earn you the right to witness this track beast up close.

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China’s First Bronco EV and Hybrid

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Ford unveiled a new Bronco model exclusively for the Chinese market. Called the Bronco New Energy, it comes as either a full battery-electric SUV or as a plug-in hybrid (with a gasoline generator). This new Bronco is boxy and four-door like a larger Bronco Sport, with a full-size spare tire mounted on a swing-out back door. It carries many rugged styling cues as seen on other Broncos (flush door handles, a squared-off body) but rides on a unibody chassis.

bronco new energy
Ford

Under the hood of the all-electric Bronco, Ford fitted a massive 105.4 kWh battery made by BYD. On China’s testing cycle that battery is good for roughly 404 miles of range (about 650 km ). The SUV uses two electric motors (one on each axle) for all-wheel drive. Together those motors make about 232 kW (311 hp), which lets the Bronco EV cruise up to roughly 105 mph (about 170 km/h). With this setup, it can cover a lot of distance on a charge, keeping the off-road spirit alive with zero emissions.

Related: Updates: Ford Officially Reveals The 2025 F-150 Lobo

The hybrid Bronco (often called an EREV, or extended-range electric vehicle) has a smaller 43.7 kWh battery and a 1.5-liter gasoline engine that only acts as a generator. On electric power alone, it can go about 137 miles (roughly 220 km). When the gas engine kicks in to recharge the battery, the total range jumps up to around 758 miles (about 1,220 km). Combined, the electric motors and generator make about 241 horsepower. This gives the hybrid Bronco a very long driving range, since it can run in pure electric mode for daily use and switch to fuel power for long trips.

bronco new energy
Ford

Even as an EV, this Bronco is built for the trail. It has chunky all-terrain tires and good ground clearance like a normal Bronco. The rear hatch swings out and carries a full-size spare tire, just like the classic off-road Broncos. One neat high-tech feature: a LiDAR sensor sits on the roof. This suggests Ford plans to include advanced driver-assistance systems (like emergency braking, lane keep assist, or even hands-free driving aids) in the New Energy Bronco. The top off-road trim (likely a “Badlands” version) should also add extra skid plates and off-road gear, making it ready for Chinese backroads.

Ford built this Bronco EV at its joint venture plant with Jiangling Motors in China. The company has only released teaser images and specs so far, but reports say the New Energy Bronco will go on sale in late 2025. Early price estimates are around $42,000–55,000 USD. For now, Ford has said it’s strictly a China-only model, and there’s no word on selling it elsewhere.

As of now, the Ford Bronco New Energy is only bound for China. Ford hasn’t given any timeline for a US version. In North America, every Bronco still uses a gasoline engine (Ford has promised a hybrid Bronco is coming at some point). But the Chinese Bronco EV/EREV shows what an electric or hybrid Bronco could be. It’s a big, rugged SUV with tons of range and modern tech, carrying on the Bronco’s adventurous spirit in an electric future.

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2025 Jeep Wrangler gets price cuts after years of price increases

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The Jeep Wrangler Rubicon is now the cheapest it has been since 2022 following a price cut, but the iconic hardcore off-roader is still a much pricier proposition than it used to be.

In two-door guise, the Wrangler Rubicon is now priced at $79,990 before on-road costs, down from $82,590.

The Rubicon four-door is now $82,990 before on-roads, down from $89,450.

However, Jeep Australia has once again rejigged the Wrangler lineup, axing the more affordable Sport S and Overland variants.

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Therefore, while the Rubicons are the most affordable they’ve been since 2022, the base price of the Wrangler range is now more than $10,000 higher than in that year – and close to $20,000 higher than it was in 2021.

Jeep has repeatedly raised prices during this generation of the Wrangler, citing global supply chain issues and rises in material costs.

This trend was reversed with last year’s update, which saw the old 3.6-litre petrol V6 replaced with a 2.0-litre turbocharged four, but only the now-defunct Sport S and Overland received price cuts – the Sport S four-door’s price, for example, was slashed to $75,950 before on-roads.

Other than the addition of two new colours – ’41’, an olive green; and Mojito, a lurid lime – there are no changes to the Wrangler. The revised lineup is in showrooms this month.