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Porsche’s more refined Taycan Cross Turismo prototypes spotted in winter tests
Prototypes of the Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo have been spotted winter testing in Sweden recently. Based on images of the vehicle that were captured during the icy road tests, it appears that the Taycan Cross Turismo’s design is steadily coming together.
The new pictures of the Taycan Cross Turismo features a sleek silhouette that echoes much of the design cues present in its sibling — the Porsche Taycan sedan — which is expected to enter production sometime later this year. As noted by TaycanForum.com‘s Tye, Porsche’s recent Cross Turismo test mules now have a more refined rear roofline, rear design, and rear quarter windows.
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- The Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo prototype winter testing. (Photo: Tye/TaycanForum.com)
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- The Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo prototype winter testing. (Photo: Tye/TaycanForum.com)
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- The Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo prototype winter testing. (Photo: Tye/TaycanForum.com)
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- The Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo prototype winter testing. (Photo: Tye/TaycanForum.com)
The Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo prototype winter testing. (Photo: Tye/TaycanForum.com)
Similar to the Taycan sedan prototypes, one of the Cross Turismo test mules was equipped with aero wheel covers that appear designed to optimize range. Another unit, this time sporting large brakes on the front wheels, seem to hint at a high-performance variant of the electric car as well. Quite interestingly, Porsche has also fitted its Cross Turismo prototypes with faux exhausts at the rear.
As the Cross Turismo prototypes are starting to become more refined, differences between the vehicle and the Mission E Cross Turismo concept are starting to emerge. Among the most prominent of these differences is in the vehicles’ suspension, with the recent test mules being set up lower than their concept car counterpart. With this in mind, it remains to be seen if the Taycan Cross Turismo would retain its concept version’s rugged theme, considering that it is one of the vehicle’s primary features. When Porsche explained the Cross Turismo concept, for one, the company noted that the vehicle would be capable of going off-road, at least to a certain degree, thanks to its air suspension that could provide more ground clearance when needed.
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- The Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo prototype winter testing. (Photo: Tye/TaycanForum.com)
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- The Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo prototype winter testing. (Photo: Tye/TaycanForum.com)
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- The Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo prototype winter testing. (Photo: Tye/TaycanForum.com)
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- The Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo prototype winter testing. (Photo: Tye/TaycanForum.com)
The Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo prototype winter testing. (Photo: Tye/TaycanForum.com)
The Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo is the German automaker’s second all-electric vehicle. Unveiled last year in concept car form, the Cross Turismo was well-received as the Taycan’s (then dubbed as the Mission E sedan) more rugged sibling. Amidst the warm reception for the Taycan sedan after Porsche opened reservations for the vehicle, reports emerged from German media that the automaker’s supervisory board has approved the mass production of the Cross Turismo as well.
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To prepare for the vehicle’s production, Porsche is adding around 300 more jobs at its Zuffenhausen site, which is currently being augmented to support the Taycan’s production lines. The Taycan Cross Turismo is expected to start production in 2020, roughly a year after its sedan sibling enters the market. It remains to be seen if the vehicle would also feature a top-tier Turbo variant, similar to the Taycan sedan.
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Elon Musk’s space exploration company, SpaceX (NASDAQ: SPCX), is set to report its earnings for the second quarter today in what will be its first-ever earnings call since going public in July.
SpaceX is trading down roughly 25 percent from its IPO. These early stock signals are usually a bit tumultuous, and considering this is the first company actively launching rockets that is available on the stock exchange, investors might have a tendency to be a bit skittish.
However, there are going to be some details that investors will hear for the first time today on the earnings call. Here’s what to look for:
Wall Street Expectations
Revenue is expected to fall somewhere around $6.8 billion, and will be heavily driven by Starlink, which is SpaceX’s widely popular satellite internet platform that has been adopted by numerous airlines, cruise ships, and other maritime operations. It is also available for consumers at home or in their cars.
Earnings Per Share (EPS) expectations fall at a net loss of $0.23 per share. Wall Street sees this as a total net loss of roughly $1.9 billion.
EBITDA is expected to come in between $2 billion and $2.1 billion.
What Investors Want to Know
Tesla uses the Say platform to help work with both retail and institutional investors to answer relevant and quality questions that address concerns or questions that they might have.
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However, SpaceX is doing things differently, as the company launched its own Investor Relations website where these questions are being fielded. Just like the Tesla questions, they seem to be less focused on the operational tasks and overall progress of the company, and more novelty.
Here are the top five:
- Has the team thought about what possibilities there are with your mascot Asteroid? Whether it’s starting additional foundations for kids in its name, helping kids learn about space, etc. Kids are our future, and Asteroid would be a fun and easy way to help.
- Baby Asteroid is already making a difference through charity around the world. Could SpaceX take it even further with programs that inspire kids to explore space?
- SpaceX has some legendary vehicle names. Would you ever allow the public to name a Starship, even knowing there is a 99% chance it becomes Shipy McShipface?
- When can we expect to see more footage of the Human Landing System?
- Will Asteroid (your mascot) go to Mars?
SpaceX will report its earnings today, August 4, at 4:30 P.M. EDT.
Lemonade has expanded its innovative Autonomous Car insurance program to Tennessee, giving Tesla owners in the state a substantial discount on Full Self-Driving (FSD) miles. Announced on August 3, the product offers 50 percent off every mile driven with FSD activated, positioning the digital insurer as a leader in pricing insurance around autonomous technology.
The program, marketed as Lemonade Autonomous Car insurance, uses a direct connection via Tesla’s Fleet API (with customer permission) to automatically distinguish FSD-engaged miles from manual driving. Policyholders pay a low base rate when the vehicle is stationary and a few cents per mile when moving, with the 50 percent reduction applied specifically to FSD miles.
If you’re driving a Tesla in Tennessee, FSD miles now cost 50% less to insure with Lemonade. Autonomous Car is now live in TN.https://t.co/4CDTuhyORi pic.twitter.com/QZk4LBIs6f
— Lemonade (@Lemonade_Inc) August 3, 2026
Coverage includes standard protections such as liability, collision, comprehensive, roadside assistance, and Tesla-specific benefits like access to certified repair shops and emergency crash services. Eligible vehicles require Hardware 4, as well as recent firmware.
Lemonade first unveiled the product on January 21 of this year, describing it as a first-of-its-kind offering designed for self-driving cars, starting with Tesla FSD. It began rolling out in Arizona on January 26, followed by Oregon about a month later. Subsequent expansions brought it to Indiana in early June 2026 and Colorado later that month.
Tennessee marks the fifth state.
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Tesla Full Self-Driving gets outrageous insurance offer with insanely cheap rates
The discount rests on Lemonade’s strong belief in the safety of Tesla’s FSD system. The company cites Tesla’s data showing that FSD-driven miles are twice as safe as those driven manually, or associated with roughly a 50 percent crash reduction.
Lemonade Co-founder and President Shai Wininger has emphasized this distinction: “Traditional insurers treat a Tesla like any other car, and AI like any other driver. But a car that sees 360 degrees, never gets drowsy, and reacts in milliseconds can’t be compared to a human.”
He added that “Teslas driven with FSD are involved in far fewer accidents” and committed that as FSD software improves and becomes safer, Lemonade’s prices will drop further.
Tesla Full Self-Driving gets an offer to be insured for ‘almost free’
This approach leverages Lemonade’s existing pay-per-mile technology and AI-driven risk models, which analyze nuanced vehicle data including software version and sensor performance. The company expects the model to reward higher FSD usage with greater savings while supporting mixed households that include both Tesla and non-Tesla vehicles under one policy. Bundling with home, renters, or pet insurance can yield additional discounts.
As autonomous driving technology advances, Lemonade’s state-by-state expansion of usage-based pricing that directly reflects real-world safety data represents a notable shift in how insurers evaluate risk.
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Tesla owners in the five available states – Arizona, Oregon, Indiana, Colorado, and now Tennessee – can obtain quotes quickly through the Lemonade app or website, potentially lowering the overall cost of ownership for vehicles equipped with advanced driver-assistance systems. Further states are expected as regulatory approvals progress.
Tesla has continued to flex the strength, rigidity, and robustness of its all-electric pickup, the Cybertruck. In fact, since 2019, Cybertruck’s ability to avoid dents, dings, and even gunfire has been one of the main selling points Tesla has used to attract buyers who are looking for a vehicle that can handle the most intense challenges.
But that does not mean Tesla is not still actively trying to make it even better.
In a new hardware update, Tesla has decided to change the material of the Cybertruck’s underbody panels from aluminum to carbon fiber, a move that aims to not only increase pricing efficiency but also improve strength.
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Cybertruck Lead Engineer Wes Morrill confirmed the change was made to the Cybertruck recently after it was spotted by Coleton Guerin of Out of Spec. This particular trim level was a Cyberbeast, but it is being applied to all trims to keep supply chain efficiency high and have less variance across trim levels.
Morrill said that Tesla tested different materials for the underbody panel protection, and carbon fiber performed better than aluminum, which is what the company was using since its first deliveries in 2023.
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Additionally, there are some efficiency improvements because Tesla can better form the areas around the bolts to keep underbody airflow cleaner than previously.
good eye – it’s a new material. Testing showed it to be more durable than the aluminum while being lower weight and cost. Also slight efficiency improvement since we can better form the areas around the bolts to keep the underbody airflow cleaner than what stamped aluminum allows
— Wes (@wmorrill3) July 30, 2026
Carbon fiber is traditionally lighter and more durable than aluminum, which is why it is such a popular material among luxury automakers, and EV makers will utilize some of the materials around battery packs to save weight.
This is the first instance of Tesla utilizing carbon fiber on the Cybertruck’s exterior to help with overall performance and strength. As previously mentioned, Tesla used aluminum to protect the underside of the body, but it is pretty typical for the company to continue making engineering changes that will improve the car in the future.
SpaceX to report first-ever earnings today: here’s what to expect
Tesla Full Self-Driving insurance program with heavy discount expands
