I even like the teal calipers, which I did not expect. Credit: Tim Stevens
Hi there, sorry for the radio silence for the past few weeks. Suffice to say it's been a busy one. There's been the usual travel, both domestic and international, plus my wife and I took a long weekend and ran up to Montreal for the 2026 UCI Road World Championships.
I know, bicycle racing ain't exactly mainstream, but damn if we didn't have a stellar time up there. Watching an American world champion crowned for the first time since Greg LeMond in the '80s was a true milestone, and it was incredible to be there to see it.
Anyway, between all that was a fair bit of work, of course. Here are the highlights.
DH SC beats GTD in my heart
Rule of thirds. Credit: Tim Stevens
Listen, driving the Mustang GTD on the track last year was a real thrill. It's a righteous machine that felt like it’d just get more rewarding the more pace you found on the track. But when it came time to hit the road, there was no getting comfortable. It was harsh and loud, almost like someone cut the middle out of it and covered the hole with a piece of plexiglass.
Anyhow, the new Mustang Dark Horse SC offers plenty enough track performance to light up your life and yet is so much nicer to drive on the road. I could see myself burbling to work on a lazy Tuesday morning and then roaring home at the end of the day on my favorite roads. That it costs a third of the starting price of the GTD is a real bonus, too, but you'll still be looking at $150,000+ if you want all the goodies.
Another take on the 911 GT3 S/C
I miss this thing. Credit: Tim Stevens
A drop-top GT3 may seem like sacrilege, but in practice it's spectacular. Had I the money, I'd go GT3 Touring, personally, but I can't deny I had a lovely time blasting this 502-horse cabriolet across Spain.
Hyundai's new extra-bold Tucson
Box flare fenders. So hot right now. Credit: Hyundai
If you're fond of drinking games, a good one would have been to take a shot whenever someone said "bold" at the launch of Hyundai's 2027 Tucson SUV this week. The word appears 10 times in the thing's press release, so frequently that I can't help thinking about my favorite MST3K sketch.
Nomenclature aside, it certainly is a striking design. While I'm not completely in love with it, I respect it. Hyundai continues to swing for the fences with every new design, and while not every launch is a home run, you have to be a fan. More substantially, the new Tucson gets a smidge more off-road capability and more interior space, too.
Oh, and new outlet alert! Super excited to be making my first contribution to GearJunkie.