Car News Daily: Bugatti's V16 Stand, Tesla's Cybercab Timeline, and a $122K Ferrari EV Premium

The automotive world is having a loud day — literally and figuratively. From hypercar engine politics to robotaxi delivery promises, here are the stories moving the car market today.

Bugatti chose its V16 over VW's electric dream

Volkswagen reportedly wanted an all-electric successor to the Chiron, but Bugatti CEO Mate Rimac pushed back and won: the Tourbillon keeps a naturally aspirated V16. This is a fascinating data point for the whole car industry — even inside the VW group, the top end of the market is being run by people who believe combustion still has a halo value. Rimac is betting that hypercar buyers are buying emotion, not kilowatts. (Motor1)

Tesla Cybercab: deliveries by end of 2026, but mostly as robotaxis

Tesla now targets customer deliveries of the Cybercab before the year ends, with most units continuing to work as robotaxis in Tesla's own fleet. If real, this is the first meaningful test of the "sell the car, but we drive it for you" model — a revenue-sharing autonomous fleet rather than a traditional retail launch. Watch this closely: it either validates autonomous driving economics or becomes the most expensive pilot program in EV history. (Motor1)

Ferrari prices its first EV above its V12 SUV

Ferrari's first electric car, the Luce, costs $122,190 more than the V12-powered Purosangue SUV. That premium tells you everything about where legacy brands think EV value sits: not in efficiency, but in exclusivity. Ferrari is deliberately making its EV more special than its combustion flagship. (Motor1)

Dubai cracks down hard on loud exhausts

Dubai police issued 7,735 fines in a single crackdown — 2,045 for noise violations and 5,690 for illegal modifications, with fines, black points, and possible vehicle impoundment. A signal to the global tuning community that exhaust noise is becoming a legislated issue, not just a neighborhood complaint. (Motor1)

Also worth a look

• Audi is the first brand with a native Spotify app that runs without your phone, splitting driving and parked modes. (Motor1)
• Mercedes-AMG is developing a new C63 — possibly as both gasoline and electric versions. (Motor1)
• Ford Bronco ORV adds Fox suspension, Raptor skid plates, and dealer-installed lighting for serious trails — at a premium price. (Motor1)

Takeaway

Today's pattern is clear: the industry is splitting into two camps. One side (Bugatti, Ferrari, AMG's gasoline C63 option) is doubling down on combustion as an emotional luxury product. The other (Tesla's robotaxi fleet, Audi's software-first cockpit) is treating cars as connected platforms. The winners of the next decade may be whoever bridges both — and Morgan letting 50 customers co-design their own sports cars suggests personalization is the third axis nobody is betting against.

Sources: Motor1, Car and Driver — October 22, 2026.