Every important car news story breaking today, one convenient read
Thanks for joining us this Thursday, May 22nd, 2025. Notably in car news today: Tesla CEO Elon Musk commits to five more years at the helm, and Toyota CEO declares that cars that aren’t fun, aren’t to be considered cars at all!
Tesla’s controversial CEO Elon Musk has committed to at least five more years at the helm of the company amid a global sales slide, largely blamed on impacts of his involvement in US and global politics.
Speaking at the Qatar Economic Forum, Musk denied recent reports that the Tesla board was looking to oust him from the role and said the company was already turning its fortunes around.
Musk reiterated his intention to spend less time dabbling in geopolitics and more time at Tesla and SpaceX, answering “yes” when asked if he planned to stay on as the CEO of the former for at least the next five years.
While Tesla sales continue to slide around the world, Musk pointed to a rebound in Tesla’s stock price as his measure of overall success.
It follows recent moves by Tesla, such as its AI projects and new self-driving Robotaxi, that it promises will provide huge commercial gains for investors in the future.
Toyota CEO declares “fun cars’ mandatory
Speaking at the launch of the sixth-generation Toyota RAV4, company CEO Koji Sato has declared that “a car is not a car if it’s not fun”.
It’s a statement reminiscent of the “no more boring cars” quote from Toyota chairman and former CEO Akio Toyoda back in 2017, which many point to as a step change in the philosophy of its vehicle lineup, that became significantly more fun to drive as new generations arrived.
Sato said the famously conservative manufacturer “can no longer sell cars just with model updates, slightly better fuel efficiency, or new designs”, adding, “unless that same passion [as sports cars] can be found in other types of cars, we won’t be able to reach customers”.
Sato said it was important to instil this philosophy into new members of the Toyota team, and, by making the statement publicly, the CEO appeared to be sending this message to the brand’s loyal fans as well.
Ford adds ‘Black Edition’ to Everest range
Following on from the Ranger Black Edition launched last year, the Everest has gained its own styling and value-focused grade, with the first batch of the total 750 units promised for Australia set to arrive in July.
Based on the mid-spec Trend 4WD with the twin-turbo four-cylinder engine option, the Black Edition offers the expected suite of dark exterior touches, along with 18-inch alloy wheels wrapped in all-terrain instead of highway terrain rubber.
Along with the usual towing packages, buyers can also opt for the Premium Seat pack that lifts the standard spec to include more adjustable seating along with heated/ventilated seats for an extra $1200 on top of the base $69,000 price.
It’s the latest new grade to join the Everest lineup following the Wildtrak and Tremor, with the folks at the Blue Oval more than keen to double down on its recent sales success of the wagon and in sympathy of the production wind-down of RWD versions.
Nissan Micra no chance for Australia
Nissan Australia has confirmed that the recently unveiled, all-electric Micra hatch will not be coming to Australia and will instead be targeted at Europe.
Pitched as a slightly more premium alternative to the Renault 5 on which it’s based, the Micra will be gunning for some of the recent sales success enjoyed by its French sibling, which has been praised for its affordability, good looks and smart design.
The Micra is available with both a 40kWh and 52kWh battery, offering ranges of 308km and 407km, respectively. A charging rate of 100kW is slow by industry standards, but the Micra can still recharge from 15-80 percent in 30 minutes.
The Micra has been on hiatus for the last two years, but Nissan discontinued the hatch locally in 2016, as it shifted focus towards SUVs, utes and sports cars.
2025 Mini JCW range reviewed
Chasing Cars contributor Iain Curry conducted an entire range review of the hottest JCW (aka John Cooper Works) versions of the current Mini lineup.
Driving the Countryman and Aceman SUVs, along with the petrol/electric three-door Hatch and petrol Convertible, Iain praised the depth of talent across the entire range.
The new all-electric Aceman shone with its keen handling and playful dynamics, but was held back by its fire ride; while the Countryman was great to drive, though the added heft became obvious in the company of the rest of the Mini JCW family.
While no longer available with a manual transmission, Curry said the three-door petrol Hatch was still the purest and most enjoyableJCW experience.
