Today in Cars: Smart GLB, touchy VW buttons, Vegas rain heroics, and an RX‑7’s identity crisis

I woke up to a traffic jam of stories: Mercedes’ boxy family hauler stepping out without camo, Volkswagen defending its touch-sensitive era in court, Lando drinking Vegas rainwater like it’s isotonic, and an RX‑7 that decided to cosplay a 911. Grab a coffee. Or an energy drink if you’re on your way to a cars-and-coffee meet.

The new Mercedes GLB finally shows its face — and it’s the right kind of nerdy

Mercedes’ GLB has always felt like the sensible kid at the party who secretly knows all the lyrics. Boxy, practical, quietly premium. The latest one has ditched its camouflage, and at first glance it looks… smarter. Sharper lighting signatures, tidier surfacing, and the same upright stance that makes it a darling for city families and people who ski on weekends.

When I last ran a GLB up a rain-slick trailhead, it impressed me with visibility and the way it swallows strollers, dogs, and the entire grocery aisle. The third row is still “emergency-use only” for adults, but for school runs and carpool chaos, having the option is gold. Expect Mercedes to keep its familiar playbook here: mild-hybrid four-cylinders, an AMG-flavored variant for parents who won’t admit they care about 0–60s, and an MBUX cabin with more smarts than the average condo.

Two things I’ll watch for when I get seat time: whether Mercedes tightens up low-speed ride over potholes (the current setup can thwack) and how slick the infotainment feels after a cold start. The brand’s latest steering-wheel controls are easier to live with than the last batch; fingers crossed the GLB benefits.

GLB at a glance

• Stance and surfacing: cleaner, crisper, same upright glasshouse
• Seating: 5 standard, 7 available — still a unique play in this class
• Powertrains: expect mild-hybrid 4-cyl options; AMG variant likely
• Cabin: latest MBUX with updated graphics and smarter voice control
• Watch-outs: keep an eye on ride compliance and third-row comfort

Where it fits: GLB vs. key rivals (current models)

On paper, the GLB’s ace remains the “sometimes seven-seat” layout. In the real world, that matters when the neighbor kid needs a lift home from soccer and you don’t want to graduate to a GLS.

VW and the capacitive button saga: from showroom gimmick to courtroom drama

Volkswagen is reportedly trying to get a lawsuit over the ID.4’s capacitive controls tossed. Which is wild and also not all that surprising. Those touch sliders and haptic pads became the automotive version of the office motion-sensor light: fine when they work, maddening when they don’t.

I lived with a Golf that had those sliders for a month. At night, brushing the volume with a sleeve was like a jump-scare in a horror movie. VW’s since changed course in several refreshed models, bringing back real buttons for the things you poke daily, and even illuminating the sliders so you can find them in the dark. That tells you a lot. Whether the legal argument sticks is one story; the owner verdict arrived years ago in murmurs at dealer service counters.

If you’re shopping an ID.4 or any VW from the “haptic era,” do a quick cockpit test:

• Toggle climate, volume, and drive modes with gloves on and off
• Try adjustments while turning the wheel — muscle memory matters
• Note nighttime visibility and accidental touches over rough roads

The Mazda RX‑7 that wanted to be a 911 (and why buyers balked)

Over in auction-land, an RX‑7 dressed to mimic a Porsche turned up and, according to reports, it didn’t exactly set bidder hearts aflutter. I get the impulse. The FD RX‑7’s proportions flirt with Stuttgart’s curves, and the rotary’s howl has its own operatic thing going on. But copycat styling is a tough sell. Enthusiasts pay for authenticity, and modified cars that blur identities often fall into the uncomfortable space between both crowds.

If you’re RX‑7 shopping, here’s my two cents after years of rotary rendezvous:

• Stock or period-correct mods tend to hold value best
• Body kits are okay when they celebrate the Mazda, not disguise it
• Compression tests and cooling upgrades matter more than badges

F1 Las Vegas, wet and wild: Norris on pole, paperwork in play

Las Vegas finally got its rain race and Lando Norris made it count, sticking it on pole in the wet — his third straight P1. Oscar Piastri slotted into fifth, which tells you the McLaren is comfortable dancing on a greasy circuit. Before qualifying, George Russell topped FP3 from Max Verstappen while both McLarens hit snags, so the turnaround was tidy.

There’s more: Carlos Sainz is under the microscope after an incident with Lance Stroll, leaving his P3 start at risk pending the stewards. And Mercedes has been summoned for failing to submit set-up sheets on time — not exactly the kind of admin headline you want on a Saturday. It’s Vegas: neon, low grip, long straights, and a surface that goes from glassy to bitey as it rubbers in. Bring your tire whisperers.

Vegas takeaways

• Lando Norris on pole in the wet; Piastri P5 — McLaren looks balanced
• Russell headed FP3 from Verstappen; form book was scrambled by the weather
• Sainz’s P3 under threat after a Stroll run-in; stewards to decide
• Mercedes pinged for missing set-up sheet submissions
• Race outlook: safety car lottery possible; undercuts powerful once the track grips up

Strategy note? If it stays cool, expect tire warm-up to be a mini-boss. The car that lights up its fronts first out of Turn 1 will own the opening laps.

Bottom line

The GLB is shaping up to stay the thinking person’s compact luxury utility, VW’s touch era continues to echo in courtrooms and in glovebox critiques, an RX‑7 just proved authenticity still sells, and the Vegas GP is giving us the kind of damp, unpredictable shuffle that turns a grid into a card trick. I’ll take it all, thanks.

FAQ

• Is the new Mercedes GLB bigger than before?
  No official size changes have been detailed yet; expect similar proportions with cleaner design and updated tech.
• Will the GLB still offer seven seats?
  That’s the GLB’s signature move in this class; expect Mercedes to keep the optional third row.
• What’s happening with VW’s capacitive buttons?
  VW is seeking to dismiss a lawsuit involving the ID.4’s touch controls. In parallel, many refreshed VWs are returning key physical buttons and improving illumination and haptics.
• Should I avoid modified RX‑7s?
  Not at all, but buyer confidence is strongest with tasteful, Mazda-forward mods and strong mechanicals. Replica styling tends to narrow the audience.
• Who’s on pole for the Las Vegas GP?
  Lando Norris took pole in wet qualifying, with Oscar Piastri in fifth. Watch for stewards’ decisions that could shuffle the order behind them.