Today’s Drive: Mustang GTD Goes Desert-Fast, Bolt Overdelivers on Range, and a Japan-Only Lexus IS Perk

Some mornings the car world whispers. Today it barked. We’ve got a track-slayer Mustang flexing 815 bhp in the sand, a humble Chevy Bolt quietly outpacing its own promise, and a refreshed Lexus IS teasing Japan with something the rest of us won’t get. Plus: a reality check on which cars exit stage left for 2026 and a messy “sober DUI” data story out of Tennessee. Coffee down, keys up—let’s run through it.

Desert thunder: 815 bhp Ford Mustang GTD does the big talk justice

Autocar strapped into Ford’s Mustang GTD and called it savage, which tracks with the spec: a front-engine supercharged V8 sending 815 bhp to the rear through a race-bred chassis and aero that looks like it came from a GT3 paddock. Even without a stopwatch, you can feel what matters here—high-speed control. In past track time with Ford’s GT350R and GT500, the steering precision and brake stamina always outpunched their size; if GTD carries that DNA, it’ll be properly unflappable at triple digits.

• Headline number: 815 bhp, with real downforce to use it.
• Intent: a road-legal, Nürburgring-minded special with race-car responses.
• Reality check: this isn’t about comfy commutes—it’s about laps and long straights.

On a fast, bumpy road, the last-gen Shelby cars could keep their composure better than their tire widths suggested. Expect the GTD to go further: flatter, calmer, more ruthless. Bring earplugs. And a wide-angled sense of humor.

EV corner: New Chevy Bolt beats its own estimate, Peugeot 408 tidies its tech

Chevy Bolt: promised 255 miles, delivers 262 miles

From Carscoops: the 2027 Chevy Bolt is arriving with an EPA-rated 262 miles of range—seven more than Chevy originally promised. It’s not headline-grabbing Lucid range, but this is the kind of gain you actually feel in real life. That extra buffer means your Friday detour doesn’t trigger a panic fast-charge.

• Range: 262 miles (EPA), beating the earlier 255-mile target.
• Use case: daily commuting, apartment charging, cheap miles.
• What I’ve noticed in earlier Bolts: tidy size, easy one-pedal driving, front seats that got better over time, DC fast-charging that required a little patience on road trips.

If Chevy also keeps the price discipline—and the intuitive, no-nonsense interface the Bolt has long nailed—this is the car that makes EV life boring in the best possible way.

Peugeot 408: sharper lights, quieter EV upgrade

Peugeot’s 408 gets a lighting signature you’ll spot from across the car park, but the bigger news is the quiet technical polish on the electrified side (per Carscoops). Efficiency and smoothness aren’t poster-friendly, yet they’re what make a commute feel calm. If you’ve spent time in recent Peugeots, you know the cabin warmth and ride comfort are already their calling cards; a slicker EV setup only underlines that.

• Design tweak: lighting refresh that leans into Peugeot’s current fang motif.
• EV angle: refinement and efficiency matter more than trim glitter.
• Real-world payoff: less energy used, fewer charges, more hushed miles.

Market tease: Japan’s refreshed Lexus IS gets something we don’t

Carscoops points out the Japan-only Lexus IS update includes a feature/option the rest of us won’t see. Lexus has a history of keeping some of its most enthusiast-bait goodies close to home, and the IS—compact, taut, and still one of the easiest sedans to just drive—feels like the perfect canvas for a last hurrah. It’s a familiar brand play: give home-market buyers a special twist and let the world look longingly through the window.

• Theme: incremental refresh, one notable JDM-only treat.
• Why this stings: the IS’s size and road manners still hit a sweet spot for city-plus-back-road drivers.
• What to watch: whether any of that Japan-only kit migrates later.

The obituaries: Vehicles confirmed dead for 2026

Car and Driver’s latest roll call of “dead for 2026” reads like a snapshot of the market’s mood. Fewer niche sedans. Fewer thirsty engines. Slow-selling coupes shuffled off quietly. Some of this is emissions and safety math; a lot is buyer gravity pulling toward crossovers and pragmatic hybrids. If you’re hanging onto a particular model, make sure to check parts support and residuals before you take the loyalty plunge.

• Trendlines: consolidation, electrification, and fewer low-volume passion projects.
• Good news angle: orphaned models often come with strong discounts right before the curtain drops.
• Caveat: resale can be choppy, but cult favorites sometimes bounce back later.

Policy lane: Tennessee’s “sober DUI” count balloons

Carscoops reports Tennessee has revised its tally of so-called “sober DUIs” from hundreds to thousands—cases where drivers reportedly tested under the legal alcohol limit yet were still charged based on alleged impairment. The semantics are messy and the stakes are high: public safety versus due process and data clarity. If you’ve ever sat in traffic court, you know the small details—bodycam timing, toxicology precision—often decide outcomes.

• Key issue: defining impairment cleanly when alcohol isn’t the trigger.
• Why it matters to motorists: precedent, insurance, and policy ripple effects.
• Watch this space: expect legal challenges and tighter standards for evidence.

Today’s quick takes

• Mustang GTD: 815 bhp is outrageous until the chassis makes it feel normal. That’s the point.
• Chevy Bolt: 262 miles is the difference between planning and living.
• Peugeot 408: less wind noise, more miles per kilowatt-hour—grown-up upgrades.
• Lexus IS (Japan): a reminder that great-driving small sedans still have fans.
• 2026 discontinuations: shop smart now, or be ready for trims to vanish mid-year.
• Tennessee DUIs: policy needs precision; drivers need clarity.

At-a-glance table: what moved and why

Conclusion

A day of contrasts: a Mustang that turns brutality into grace, an unassuming Bolt that quietly overachieves, and a Lexus IS teasing us from across the Pacific. Meanwhile the model lineup keeps pruning for 2026, and Tennessee’s DUI numbers remind us policy has a steering wheel, too. As ever, the best cars make complicated things simple; the job for the rest of us is to stay informed—and keep driving.

FAQ

How much power does the Ford Mustang GTD have?

Autocar reports 815 bhp. It’s a track-focused special with serious aero and chassis tuning to match the number.

What is the EPA range of the new Chevy Bolt?

262 miles, according to Carscoops—seven miles more than Chevy originally promised.

Is the refreshed Lexus IS coming to the U.S. or Europe?

The update highlighted today is for Japan and includes a feature other markets won’t get. Lexus hasn’t detailed a comparable global update.

Which cars are discontinued for 2026?

Car and Driver compiled the list; the broader theme is fewer niche sedans and thirstier powertrains as automakers pare lineups and prep more hybrids/EVs.

What is a “sober DUI” in Tennessee?

As reported today, it refers to impairment charges where drivers reportedly tested under the legal alcohol limit. The spike in cases raises questions about evidence standards and enforcement consistency.