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

SPECIAL EDITOR'S NOTE: We'd like to remind you that Peter's first work of fiction, "St. Michael of Birmingham" is out now. Make no mistake, it doesn't resemble anything you've read from him before. In fact, it is quite a dramatic departure. It is mystical. It is sexy. It is funny. It's moving. And it is a flat-out wild ride unlike anything you've experienced. Having said that, it is definitely not for everyone, but then, it is from PMD, so that probably shouldn't come as a surprise! Check it out on Amazon Kindle here. -WG

(Porsche images)

Editor-in-Chief's Note: The runner-up for the 2025 Autoextremist "The Answer To The Question That No One's Asking" Award is, ta-dah!, the 2026 Porsche Cayenne Electric SUV. "Combining the performance of a super sports car and Formula E levels of recuperation, the all-electric Cayenne initially comprises two models: the Cayenne Electric and the Cayenne Turbo Electric – both with all-wheel drive and therefore equipped with electronic Porsche Traction Management (ePTM)," according to Porsche PR minions. The high hard ones, according to Porsche operatives?

Two electrified variants at market launch: the Cayenne Electric and Cayenne Turbo Electric.
Super sports car performance: up to 850 kW (1,139HP), 0-60 mph in 2.4 seconds and a top track speed of up to 162 mph.
Exceptional charging performance and efficiency: up to 400 kW charging power under ideal conditions.
Capable of 10-80% State of Charge in less than 16 minutes.
The first Porsche to optionally support inductive charging (like charging your iPhone), with a system that charges at up to 11 kW – all that Porsche Wireless Charging requires is for the user to park above a floor plate.
Porsche Digital Interaction: new display and control concept and expanded digital offering with AI support – blend of physical buttons and touchscreens.

Other stuff: The Cayenne Turbo accelerates from 0-60 mph in 2.4 seconds and completes the quarter mile in 9.9 seconds. It can also reach a top track speed of 162 mph. This powerful e-performance is made possible by a newly created drive system that develops up to 850 kW (1,139HP) and up to 1,106 lb-ft of torque when Launch Control is activated. The Turbo variant features direct oil cooling of the electric motor on the rear axle to ensure high continuous output and efficiency – an innovation from motorsport. In normal driving mode, up to 630 kW (844HP) is available. By means of the Push-to-Pass function, up to an additional 130 kW (173HP) can be activated for 10 seconds at the press of a button. The standard Cayenne Electric model has 300 kW (402HP) in normal operation and 325 kW (435HP) and 615 lb-ft of torque with Launch Control. It accelerates from 0-60 mph in 4.5 seconds, on its way to a top track speed of 143 mph.

The 2026 Cayenne Electric and Cayenne Turbo Electric will complement Porsche's portfolio of combustion-engine and plug-in hybrid powertrains, which will continue to be offered in parallel worldwide. The Cayenne Electric models are available to order now. The Cayenne Electric has an MSRP of $109,000, while the Cayenne Turbo Electric stickers for $163,000 (not including a $2,350 delivery, processing and handling fee).

And this is where it gets ridiculous. Besides the usual usurious Porsche pricing policies, which the brand is expert in, deliveries aren't expected to begin until the end of next summer, 2026. Listen closely, it's the sound of one hand clapping. Porsche is buried in its overreaching EV investments, and it's flat-out killing the company, This is another example of the wrong car, at the wrong time from the wrong car company. In other words, a giant bowl of Not Good. -PMD

(Stellantis)

Speaking of Stellantis, while unloading the Jeep Recon, the company is going all-in on ICE vehicles to make payroll. To whit, the 2026 Dodge Durango. The SUV stands alone as the only three-row muscle SUV on the market, "delivering unmatched performance, capability and attitude for families who refuse to compromise," according to Stellantis PR minions.

The expanding 2026 Dodge Durango lineup includes:

Pentastar V-6 engine returns on Durango GT, delivering 295HP and 260 lb.-ft. of torque at a starting U.S. MSRP of $38,995 (all prices exclude taxes, titles and fees); optional all-wheel-drive on the GT V-6 adds $2,000.
The 360HP 5.7-liter Durango GT HEMI AWD starts at a MSRP of $42,695.
The 6.4-liter V-8 HEMI-powered Durango R/T with 475HP will open for orders in Q1 2026.
The supercharged 6.2-liter V-8 Durango SRT Hellcat with 710HP is available at a starting U.S. MSRP of $79,995. It is "the quickest, fastest most powerful three-row gas SUV," according to the manufacturer.
Dealer orders for the Dodge Durango GT V-6 opened on Nov. 19.

(Audi images)

The all-new 2026 Audi Q3 "sets a new benchmark with best-in-class performance, and upper-luxury levels of tech and refinement," according to Audi PR minions. The Audi Q3 receives a dynamic, more emotional, exterior design language paired with a spacious interior with more storage and technology. Best-in-class acceleration of 5.5 seconds due to its best-in-class 255HP 2.0L TFSI four-cylinder gas engine paired to a 7-speed S tronic dual-clutch transmission. There's much more to the new Q3, but you can find more info at the Audi website, or at your local Audi dealer (the press release was too lengthy and tedious for words). The 2026 Audi Q3 SUV will be available at U.S. Audi retailers in the first quarter of 2026 and is priced from $43,700.

(Honda images)

The 2026 Honda Prelude hybrid-electric sports coupe has finally begun arriving at Honda dealers. The new Prelude pairs the Honda two-motor hybrid-electric powertrain with high-performance chassis hardware from the Civic Type R. The all-new Prelude also marks the debut of S+ Shift, "an innovative new drive mode that simulates a performance-transmission experience to deliver an engaging grand touring experience, while remaining comfortable for everyday driving," according to Honda PR minions. The 2026 Prelude is available in one well-equipped trim with an MSRP of $42,0001 (excluding a $1,195 destination charge).

The AE Song of the Week:

Touch my body tender
'Cause the feeling makes me weak
Kicking off the covers
I see the ceiling while you're looking down at me

How can we go back to being friends
When we just shared a bed?
How can you look at me and pretend
I'm someone you've never met?

It was last December
You were layin' on my chest
I still remember
I was scared to take a breath
Didn't want you to move your head

How can we go back to being friends
When we just shared a bed? (Yeah)
How can you look at me and pretend
I'm someone you've never met?

The devil in your eyes
Won't deny the lies you've sold

I'm holding on too tight
While you let go
This is casual

How can we go back to being friends
When we just shared a bed? (Yeah)
How can you look at me and pretend
I'm someone you've never met?
How can we go back to being friends
When we just shared a bed? (Yeah)
How can you look at me and pretend
I'm someone you've never met?

Someone you've never met (yeah)

"Back To Friends" by Sombr from the album"Barely Know Her" (2024).* Written by Shane Boose. Publisher: Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC. Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind. Watch the Official Music Video here.

*Sombr (real name: Shane Boose) was 19 when he released his breakthrough song "Back to Friends," where he poses a question many have asked after a romantic encounter with a supposedly former love: "How can we go back to being friends when we just shared a bed?" He told iHeartRadio the song was "written about when the lines become blurred between lovers and friends, and having to navigate going back to friends after sharing such intimate moments with someone."

The inspiration, as is often the case with heartbreak anthems, comes from personal experience, a "really dark point" in his life. For Sombr, emotional turmoil is something of a creative goldmine, but it means he has to revisit the pain every time he performs the song. "Every night when I play it, I relive everything I was feeling that night when I wrote it," he told MTV. "All the emotions come back."

Sombr produced the track, which leans into an indie-rock sound. He also pulled a multi-instrumentalist flex by handling bass, drums, keyboards, and piano. The other musicians are: Benny Bock: keyboards and piano; Kane Ritchotte: drums and Mason Stoops: guitar. The track was mixed by Rich Costey. A renowned American producer and engineer, he's known for his work for artists like Muse and Foo Fighters. (Knowledge courtesy of Songfacts.com)

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