Throttle Weekly — Issue 31: Polestar Pulls Out, BMW Reboots the X5, and an L88 Corvette Clears $867K

Polestar’s U.S. clock now has an end date: the Geely-owned EV brand says it will leave the American market after the 2027 model year, even as BMW is preparing a fifth-generation X5 with gas, plug-in hybrid, full EV, hydrogen, and future V-8 variants. That gives this week a clean split: regulation reshaping the showroom, and automakers still trying to cover every buyer type at once.

Road & Track reports that Polestar will leave the U.S. after the 2027 model year, after failing to receive an exception under the U.S. Connected Vehicle Rule. Polestar will continue selling existing U.S. inventory and says it will support current owners after the exit. 1

The simple version of the rule: the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security restricts the import or sale of certain connected vehicles and related technologies when they have a sufficient link to China or Russia. For model year 2027, the rule prohibits sales of connected vehicles by manufacturers owned by, controlled by, or subject to the jurisdiction of China or Russia, and vehicles using covered software from those sources; hardware restrictions phase in for model year 2030, or January 1, 2029 for non-model-year components. 8

Polestar sits in the awkward middle. It is Europe-based and Volvo-affiliated, but it is owned by Geely. Road & Track notes that Volvo received authorization to keep selling in America in May, while Polestar did not. 1

For buyers, the takeaway is narrower than the politics: software origin, corporate control, and supply-chain declarations are becoming purchase-risk factors. That used to be fleet-manager territory. Now it can determine whether a car brand remains in the market.

NHTSA’s recall entry for campaign 26V393000 covers 2026 Toyota bZ, Lexus RZ, and Subaru Solterra battery-electric vehicles. The agency lists 20,991 potentially affected units and says the battery-control ECU may fault, causing a loss of drive power. 2

Autoblog’s breakdown adds the model split: 11,495 Toyota bZs, 4,739 Lexus RZs, and 4,757 Subaru Solterras. It also notes that Toyota was aware of no field technical reports and only one potentially related warranty claim as of earlier in June. 9

The remedy is free battery-ECU software at a dealer. NHTSA says owner notification letters are expected to be mailed August 3, 2026. 2 If one of these cars is in your garage, this is a VIN-check item rather than a panic item.

The fifth-generation BMW X5 is the clearest new-model story of the week. Road & Track reports that the 2027 X5 family will include a 394-hp mild-hybrid 3.0-liter inline-six, a 483-hp plug-in hybrid with an estimated 44 miles of electric range, and the dual-motor iX5 60 xDrive EV with 570 hp, 593 lb-ft, and an estimated 435 miles of range. 3

The iX5 is also notable for its charging hardware. BMW says the EV uses an 800-volt architecture, can charge at up to 460 kW, and can go from 10 to 80 percent in 22 minutes, with about 170 miles added in 10 minutes under ideal conditions. 3

Pricing starts at $71,250 including destination for the rear-drive X5 40, $73,550 for the X5 40 xDrive, $78,950 for the X5 50e xDrive plug-in hybrid, and $81,250 for the iX5 60 xDrive. 3 The interesting bit is not just that BMW is building an electric X5. It is that BMW is refusing to pick one propulsion answer for its best-known SUV.

At the Austrian Grand Prix, George Russell took his second win of the 2026 Formula 1 season, finishing ahead of Max Verstappen and championship leader Kimi Antonelli. Road & Track reports that Verstappen closed from roughly 10 seconds back to less than three seconds in the final laps, but Russell held the lead. 4

In NASCAR, Shane van Gisbergen swept Sonoma, winning both Saturday’s O’Reilly’s Auto Parts Series race and Sunday’s Cup race. Road & Track reports that he now has eight Cup road-course wins in 16 starts, putting him one short of Jeff Gordon’s Cup road-course record. 5

And in IMSA, the No. 31 Action Express Cadillac of Earl Bamber, Jack Aiken, and Fred Vesti won the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen. Road & Track reports it was Cadillac’s first Watkins Glen win since the DPi era in 2017, and that Aiken set a new track record in qualifying with a 1:31.284 lap. 6

Porsche’s new 911 GT4 R is not a replacement for the 911 GT3 R. It sits lower in the customer-racing ladder, built for GT4 racing rather than top-tier GT3 endurance racing. Road & Track reports that the car shares its naturally aspirated 4.0-liter flat-six with the 911 Cup and makes 512 hp in base form, but is delivered with an air restrictor that brings output to 424 hp for GT4 use. 10

GT4 is meant to keep racing closer to production cars and budgets than GT3. Series organizers use Balance of Performance rules, such as power limits and weight adjustments, to keep cars from different brands in the same performance window. That is why a car that can mechanically make more power may be delivered restricted for the class.

The bigger story is Porsche’s product gap. Road & Track notes that Porsche has long used Cayman and 718-based racers in GT4, but the demise of the lesser internal-combustion sports car leaves Porsche without that road-relevant platform. The 911 GT4 R is the answer, and Porsche expects it to run in series such as IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge and SRO GT4 America. 10

Hagerty’s sale write-up is a reminder that provenance can be as valuable as horsepower. The 1969 Corvette L88 in question was one of 116 built for that model year, kept its original drivetrain, and came with the tank sticker, Protect-O-Plate, NCRS Top Flight awards, Bloomington Gold Survivor and Hall of Fame status, and even a Zora Arkus-Duntov signature dated May 1, 1987. 7

The sale price was $867,500 including buyer’s premium. Hagerty notes that the result blew past the $563,000 condition #1 value in its price guide, helped by the car’s condition, matching numbers, and stack of documentation. 7

Le Mans Classic week has its own auction bait. Hagerty previewed Artcurial’s 2026 Le Mans Classic sale, with bidding set to open July 3 at the Circuit des 24 Heures in France. The catalog includes a 1967 Porsche 906 expected at €1.8 million to €2.4 million, a 1972 Duckhams Le Mans designed by Gordon Murray expected at €700,000 to €1.1 million, and a 1974 Porsche 911 Carrera 3.0 RSR expected at €750,000 to €1.25 million. 11

That makes next week’s auction results worth checking, especially after the L88 result showed bidders still pay up for the right history file.