Today’s Brief: Baby LandCruiser arrives, BMW eyes Tesla, Toyota bets hydrogen, and a few glorious oddities

I had one of those mornings where the espresso hits just as the inbox does. New metal, new tech, a recall, and a couple of stories that smell like old oil and dust. Let’s get into it.

Small but serious off-roaders: Toyota’s “baby” LandCruiser FJ meets Chery’s transformable seven-seater

Toyota has officially pulled the wraps off the 2026 LandCruiser FJ, a pint-size bruiser pitched squarely at Suzuki Jimny shoppers who’ve outgrown the novelty of four seats and a shoebox trunk. Think upright glass, honest proportions, and the promise of real-deal trail hardware without Wrangler money.

Over in Wuhu, Chery used a “Transformable Multi-SUV” concept to preview its 2026 TiggoX, a seven-seat family hauler with a party trick: a cabin that reconfigures like a living room on sliders. It looks aimed at school runs Monday to mountain bikes Sunday—flat-folding, sliding, and what sounds like camp-friendly packaging. I’ve lived with a few three-row crossovers that promised flexibility; the reality is usually a game of Tetris with booster seats. If Chery’s rails and fold mechanisms are robust and quick, parents will notice.

• Toyota LandCruiser FJ: compact footprint, boxy stance, designed as a Jimny rival with proper off-road intent
• Chery TiggoX concept: three rows, “transformable” interior with multi-configuration seating and cargo solutions
• Use case overlap: weekend trails, tight city parking, gear-hauling without full-size bulk

Urban-friendly off-roaders: where they stand

EVs and hybrids: BMW’s next i3 aims high, Omoda brings the heat

Remember when the BMW i3 meant a carbon tub and quirky city-car swagger? The name’s coming back for 2026, and this time it’s a proper electric sedan. According to early reporting, BMW’s targeting more range than Tesla’s Model 3—ambitious, given the Tesla can be specced up to around 341 miles EPA in its longer-range U.S. guise. If BMW clears that bar while keeping the ride/handling polish I noticed in recent i4 and i5 drives, that’s a strong statement.

Meanwhile, Omoda (Chery’s youth-forward sub-brand) dropped the O4 Ultra, a “hot” hybrid that reads like a flex from Wuhu: bold styling, punchy powertrain, and enough efficiency to keep your conscience quiet. I haven’t lived with one yet, but if it follows the latest Chinese hybrid trend, expect instant low-speed shove and a CVT or e-axle trickery that makes city traffic feel like a video game—sometimes too smooth, sometimes surprisingly quick.

• 2026 BMW i3 Sedan: all-electric, reported to exceed Model 3’s headline range; expect BMW’s trademark chassis tuning
• Omoda O4 Ultra: performance-leaning hybrid positioning with daily-driver efficiency
• Tesla Model 3: the benchmark for charging network and range-per-dollar, though cabin NVH and ride quality still polarize

Quick compare: new-wave sedans

Hydrogen in hi-vis: the UK-built pickup underpinning Toyota’s fuel-cell push

Autocar highlighted Toyota’s UK-built fuel-cell pickup program—the hydrogen Hilux prototypes that are quietly doing the spadework for hydrogen’s commercial future. Early targets cited around 365 miles of range per fill and a Mirai-derived stack, which makes sense. The appeal? For fleets towing or carrying heavy kit, hydrogen promises quick refueling and stable “loaded” range where battery trucks can suffer.

I’ve run a Mirai as a commuter for a week and loved the serenity—like cruising in a library. The catch was infrastructure. I queued twice at LA’s only functioning pump that day. If Toyota can pair this pickup with dependable station coverage for hubs—ports, utilities, councils—it could click. Hydrogen needs use-cases, not just headlines, and a working truck is as real as it gets.

• Fuel-cell Hilux prototypes assembled in the UK
• Refuel in minutes; range target around the mid-300-mile mark
• Best fit: centralized fleets and duty cycles that return to base

Recall desk: Porsche Panamera owners, eyes up

A fresh recall has been issued for the Porsche Panamera. If you’re an owner, this is your cue to check your VIN with your dealer and get a free inspection/repair scheduled. I spent several hundred highway miles in the latest Panamera this summer—it’s a sublime grand tourer, the kind of car that makes you take the long way home—so don’t let a recall notice gather dust. Porsche dealers are generally slick with loaners and fast turnarounds. Make the call, get it sorted.

• What to do: Contact your Porsche dealer with your VIN
• Cost: Repairs under recall are free
• Timing: Book early; parts supply can affect turnaround

Found in time’s attic: a hotel hoard and a 1970 Chevy cruiser

Two stories for the romantics. First, an abandoned luxury hotel with a fleet of equally luxurious cars left behind—think door handles that haven’t been touched in years, dust as thick as felt, and interiors that still smell faintly of leather and old cigars. Every time I step into a true barn find, it’s the details that land: period parking permits, a map in the glovebox to a restaurant that closed decades ago.

Second, a police department is selling a 1970 Chevy cruiser—an old Suburban—with just 18,000 miles. Eighteen thousand! You can almost hear the carburetor clear its throat. I once bought an ex-municipal truck purely because the logbook was impeccable; if this Chevy’s as honest as it sounds, it’ll make a fabulous parade car or tow rig for a vintage track toy. Budget for brakes, hoses, and tires. Rubber ages even when miles don’t.

The takeaway

Toyota’s going small and serious with the LandCruiser FJ while betting big on hydrogen where it matters. BMW wants to out-Tesla Tesla on range, and Omoda’s sharpening the hybrid value sword. Meanwhile, Porsche reminds us that even great GTs need the occasional service bulletin, and the past keeps surfacing in the most cinematic ways. Busy day. Good day.

FAQ

• When will the Toyota LandCruiser FJ go on sale?
  It’s been unveiled with a 2026 target. Expect more detailed specs and market timing closer to launch.
• Will the 2026 BMW i3 sedan really beat the Tesla Model 3 on range?
  Reports say BMW is targeting more range than Model 3. Final EPA/WLTP figures will confirm where it lands.
• Is Toyota’s hydrogen Hilux something I can buy soon?
  Not yet. It’s a prototype program built in the UK, aimed at proving the tech for fleet use-cases first.
• What should Panamera owners do about the recall?
  Call your Porsche dealer with your VIN to check coverage and book a free recall repair.
• Is the Chery TiggoX concept going to keep all its “transformable” tricks in production?
  Concepts often preview ideas; expect a more practical version of the reconfigurable interior to reach showrooms.