Cars news

• Ford takes focus off Focus sales

  27-02-2017 01:35
  
  Light and small Ford models take back seat to medium SUV class
  
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• UK passes law to allow self-driving autonomous cars on its roads by 2026

  26-05-2024 01:00 via drive.com.au
  Legislation was given Royal Assent this week, bringing the UK one step closer to normalising the technology.Self-driving vehicles could be on UK roads by 2026, after the country passed legislation into law this week.The passing of the Automated Vehicles Act, given Royal Assent by King Charles on Monday, means autonomous cars could be driving around on UK roads in less than two years.However, the caveat being that this can only happen if vehicles “achieve a level of safety at least as high
  
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• BMW presents its latest Art Car Le Mans racer

  26-05-2024 00:00 via drive.com.au
  Acclaimed Jewish-Ethiopian artist Julie Mehretu is the latest to lend their talent to the BMW Art Car series, applying unique designs to the new Le Mans race car.A new BMW Art Car has been revealed to the public, using a BMW M Hybrid V8 endurance race car as the canvas.BMW’s 20th Art Car was designed by celebrated New York artist Julie Mehretu, and will compete at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in the coming weeks – appropriately wearing the number 20.The livery is based on the 53-year-old&
  
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• Call for Queensland to up speed limit to 130km/h

  25-05-2024 23:00 via drive.com.au
  One motorist says it’s time to get out of the past, but the Government and industry groups claim it’s not safe.A petition has been launched calling on the Queensland Government to raise the speed limit to 130km/h.Townsville resident Stewart Collins submitted the petition because he believes the current 110km/h limit, which applies in every state and territory except the Northern Territory which already has a maximum of 130km/h, is outdated.Mr Collins’ submission, entered with t
  
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• Chery Australia rules out Jetour brand for Australia – for now

  25-05-2024 22:00 via drive.com.au
  Global expansion of Chinese carmaker Jetour won’t extend to local showrooms, despite the beginning of right-hand drive production.Chery Australia has quashed reports it will launch its Jetour brand in Australia.According to Automotive News, the Jetour brand will offer a number of its petrol- and diesel-powered SUVs – which may include its first hybrid – in Australia next year as part of global expansion plans to sell 1 million vehicles annually by 2030.Yet Chery Australia has t
  
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• Why are automatic cars more expensive?

  25-05-2024 21:34 via drive.com.au
  Ever wondered why automatic cars are more expensive? Well, there is a good reason why there is a premium.
  The cheapest 2024 model car you can buy in Australia right now is the Kia Picanto Sport manual for just $17,890 (plus on-road costs). Comparatively speaking, an automatic model of the same trim level will cost you $1600 more. RELATED: Do electric cars have gears and clutches?It’s the same with the Suzuki Ignis, which is priced $1000 more for the automatic, the Kia Stonic S, which
  
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• Mitsubishi gets green light to export power from plug-in hybrids in Adelaide

  25-05-2024 02:05 via drive.com.au
  It is the first car manufacturer to offer bi-directional charging from its head office.Mitsubishi has become the first car brand in Australia to roll out bi-directional electric car charging functionality, with the infrastructure now green-lit by South Australia’s power authority.MORE: South Australia launches bi-directional electric vehicle charging trialThe Vehicle to Grid (V2G) tech was approved for export by the SA Power Networks (SAPN) this week, marking a milestone for an Australian
  
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• 2025 Audi RS5 Avant spied testing

  25-05-2024 01:00 via drive.com.au
  The first RS5 Avant has been spotted testing as Audi Sport readies its first high-performance plug-in hybrid.The 2025 Audi RS5 Avant has been spied testing in Germany ahead of its scheduled mid-2024 unveiling and planned showroom arrival in 2025.The muscular-looking wagon replaces the high-performance Audi RS4 Avant in the line-up, with the German car maker now using even numbers for electric cars – such as the A4 and A6 – with petrol and hybrid Audis given odd numbers.That makes the
  
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• Video: Lamborghini smashed on livestream by hoons – UPDATE

  25-05-2024 00:00 via drive.com.au
  Reckless driving has resulted in a Lamborghini Urus being hit in traffic, during an event streamed live by a popular YouTube star.UPDATE, Saturday, 25 May 2024: An anonymous YouTube street racer known as ‘Squeeze Benz’ has been unmasked as Antonio Ginestri, following his arrest by police in the US.Ginestri is alleged to have been the man behind several dangerous and illegal driving incidents – many of which were filmed, and some involving police pursuits.According to Yahoo News
  
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• Hertz accused of charging electric car renters for ‘empty gas tank’

  24-05-2024 23:00 via drive.com.au
  One of the largest rental companies in the US has been accused of charging Tesla and Polestar electric vehicle renters hundreds of dollars for petrol refills.US car rental giant Hertz has been accused of billing customers renting electric vehicles close to $US500 ($AU750) – and in some cases more – to refill the cars with… petrol.Hertz has reportedly charged customers in the US who have rented electric vehicles a ‘Skip the Pump’ fee, intended for customers who retu
  
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• Advertising spend on ‘highly-polluting’ vehicles increased by 29 per cent – report

  24-05-2024 22:00 via drive.com.au
  A climate advocacy group claims SUV ad-spend alone totalled $125 million in 2023.Car manufacturers in Australia have reportedly increased their advertising spend by 29 per cent – from 2022 to 2023 – on ‘large, highly-polluting’ vehicles.The rising ad-spend comes despite new proposed emission laws – that could see carmakers financially penalised for exceeding CO2 targets – being imminent, due to come into effect in January 2025.According to a report by The Guar
  
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• The top 10 coolest pop-up headlights of all time

  24-05-2024 21:40 via drive.com.au
  Pop-up headlights are often looked upon and remembered fondly. These are the top 10 coolest pop-up headlights of all time. There are fewer cooler features that made it onto such a wide variety of cars quite like pop-up headlights. They had the ability to make even the most basic car look like something out of a Star Wars film. RELATED: Why we will never see pop-up headlights againPop-up headlights have a surprisingly long history. They were first applied t
  
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• What does neutral do in a car?

  24-05-2024 08:51 via drive.com.au
  As more and more cars are sold with automatic gearboxes, the neutral gear seems to be the least selected option. We investigate the question ‘What does neutral do in a car?’.Gone are the days when you needed to push in a clutch and select a gear. In fact, less than three per cent of all new cars sold Australia-wide in 2023 were manual. RELATED: Do electric cars have gears and clutches?This 90 per cent drop over the past decade has affected the number of new cars offered with a m
  
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• Dynamic Black Audi Q3 and Audi Q5 special editions return to Australia

  24-05-2024 08:15 via drive.com.au
  Limited-edition versions of the city-sized Q3 and medium Q5 return to Australian showrooms but with a higher price.Audi has reintroduced Dynamic Black special edition versions of the Q3 small SUV and Q5 medium SUV, but with higher prices compared to when they first arrived in local showrooms in August 2023.The car maker announced the return of the Dynamic Black package only for select Q3 and Q5 models.The Q3 is Audi Australia’s best-selling vehicle year-to-date in 2024, ahead of the Audi A
  
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• Extra Volkswagen Golf R supply unlocked, deliveries to triple this year

  24-05-2024 07:00 via drive.com.au
  VW has increased Golf R production for the Australian market to meet pent-up demand.Volkswagen Australia expects to triple the amount of Golf Rs delivered this calendar year after two years of supply shortages.In 2022, 151 Golf R examples were delivered to Australian customers and 346 in 2023. The brand stopped taking orders for the Golf R in February 2023 after the wait time for the model blew out to more than 12 months due to parts shortages.But, Ralph Beckmann, Volkswagen Australia’s pa
  
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• 2025 BYD Shark Australian pricing may be cheaper than expected

  24-05-2024 05:30 via drive.com.au
  The plug-in hybrid BYD Shark may be priced in line with the most popular versions of the Toyota HiLux, Ford Ranger and Isuzu D-Max – with twice the power.The 2025 BYD Shark plug-in hybrid ute may be cheaper than top-selling versions of the Toyota HiLux and Ford Ranger dual-cabs in Australia, overseas details suggest.Prices are not due to be confirmed until the Shark, the brand’s first dual-cab ute, arrives in Australian BYD showrooms late in 2024 or early in 2025.In Mexico – wh
  
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• 2024 Chery Tiggo 8 Pro Max awarded five-star ANCAP safety rating

  24-05-2024 03:31 via drive.com.au
  Though largely based on the results of its Tiggo 7 Pro sibling, the newer model was put through some additional testing.The 2024 Chery Tiggo 8 Pro Max large SUV has been given a maximum five-star safety rating by ANCAP.The three-row SUV was tested against the latest Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) 2023-2025 protcols, alongside the 2024 GWM Tank 500 in the latest round of evaluations.But while the Tank 500 was subjected to the full suite of safety tests, the Tiggo 8 Pro Max’
  
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• Smart returning to Australia this year with Chinese-made electric cars

  24-05-2024 03:30 via drive.com.au
  Mercedes-Benz’s Smart brand – now part-owned by Volvo’s parent company – is returning to Australia with a range of SUV electric vehicles.City-car specialist Smart is due to return to Australia by the end of this year after an absence of more than a decade.However, the new electric SUVs it is expected to introduce are a far cry from the tiny two-seaters it previously sold – and Smart is now part-owned by Chinese car giant Geely, after Mercedes-Benz sold half its stak
  
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• Smart cars returning to Australia this year with Chinese-made electric cars

  24-05-2024 03:30 via drive.com.au
  Mercedes-Benz’s Smart brand – now part-owned by Volvo’s parent company – is returning to Australia with a range of SUV electric vehicles.City-car specialist Smart is due to return to Australia by the end of this year after an absence of more than a decade.However, the new electric SUVs it is expected to introduce are a far cry from the tiny two-seaters it previously sold – and Smart is now part-owned by Chinese car giant Geely, after Mercedes-Benz sold half its stak
  
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• 2024 GWM Tank 500 given five-star ANCAP safety rating

  24-05-2024 03:30 via drive.com.au
  The large SUV, ANCAP noted, has one of the best child-detection systems on the market.The 2024 GWM Tank 500 has been awarded a maximum five-star safety rating by crash test authority ANCAP.The three-row SUV was tested against the latest Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) 2023-2025 protcols, and praised for having one of the most advanced child-detection systems on the market.The GWM Tank 500 blitzed each of ANCAP’s key assessment areas, with high scores seen in a ran
  
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• Echuca Holden museum auction raises $2.5 million, sets record for FJ sale – UPDATE

  24-05-2024 01:00 via drive.com.au
  A number of rare and desirable vehicles will be up for grabs in the auction, which comes after the recent closure of the site in April.UPDATE, 23 May 2024: Almost 800 items – including rare cars and motorbikes – were sold from the collection at the former National Holden Motor Museum last weekend, raising more than $2.5 million.The highest-selling lot was a 1972 HQ GTS Monaro 350 Coupe, which went for $315,000 before the buyer’s premium (BP) ($346,185 with BP), while the sale o
  
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• Petrol, hybrid, and electric: Nissan keeps all options open for Qashqai SUV

  24-05-2024 00:01 via drive.com.au
  Nissan’s current Qashqai is to be made alongside the newer, all-electric version, but Australia is likely to stick with petrol and e-Power for now.Nissan will continue producing all powertrain options for its Qashqai SUV for the foreseeable future, despite an all-electric, next-generation flagship coming in the next few years.Nissan’s Sunderland plant in the UK produces the Qashqai for worldwide consumption, but the nameplate is also built in Dailan, China, for that specific market i
  
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• Do you move your car before paying for fuel? Here’s why you shouldn’t

  23-05-2024 23:00 via drive.com.au
  If you’re at a busy service station, is it better to pay for your fuel or move your car first? We find out.Do you move your car before paying for fuel? You probably shouldn’t, even if there’s a big queue behind you.
  While you do not legally need to pay for fuel before moving your car in Australia, it could be frowned upon at some service stations.There are no laws prohibiting you from parking in another space before settling the bill, but it’s more a matter of a fuel reta
  
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• Australian Defence Force eyes all-electric vehicle fleet – report

  23-05-2024 23:00 via drive.com.au
  After years of speculation about the benefits of an electric vehicle fleet within the Australian Defence Force, the Government is now beginning discussions with the industry.The Australian Government has begun talks with industry members about transitioning the Australian Defence Force’s vehicle fleet to electric.According to website Defence Connect, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles, along with Minister for Defence Industry Pat Conroy and Dan Repacholi MP, met
  
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• Video: McLaren driver rams unmarked police cars in Victoria

  23-05-2024 22:00 via drive.com.au
  The man has been charged with multiple offences, including resisting police and failing to follow police direction.
   A 32-year-old Victorian man has been charged with multiple offences after allegedly ramming two unmarked police cars with a McLaren supercar.Police said the man was first detected along Milleria Road in Keilor East – a suburb approximately 13km north-west of Melbourne – at 1:30pm on 21 May 2024.Authorities claimed officers attempted to intercept the luxury sports
  
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• 2024 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio review

  23-05-2024 16:01 via drive.com.au
  Can you have daily driver abilities sit alongside dynamic excellence in a practical SUV package? The 2024 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio gets most of the way there.
  Skip ahead:IntroductionRunning costsPrice and specificationEnergy useInterior space and comfortOn-road assessmentConnectivity and infotainmentSummarySafety Next steps
  2024 Alfa Romeo Stelvio QuadrifoglioIt seems like a relatively new category, but one that’s growing fast. Sports SUVs satiate the nation’s desire to have p
  
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• Kia EV3 GT electric ‘hot hatch’ coming for MG 4 XPower, Volvo EX30

  23-05-2024 12:01 via drive.com.au
  Kia has confirmed its new EV3 small electric SUV will gain a high-performance version, with the GT treatment set to spread across the EV line-up.A high-performance GT version of the new 2025 Kia EV3 electric SUV is in the works, with dual-motor all-wheel drive and a promise of rapid acceleration.Every new Kia electric vehicle on a dedicated platform – not shared with petrol cars – will offer a GT variant, the South Korean car giant has previously announced.No details of the EV3 GT ha
  
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• 2025 Kia EV3 electric car revealed, due in Australia next year

  23-05-2024 12:00 via drive.com.au
  Meet the smallest Kia electric vehicle to be sold internationally – the Seltos-sized EV3, promising up to 600km of EV driving range.The 2025 Kia EV3 electric SUV has been unveiled ahead of a South Korean launch from the middle of this year – and Australian deliveries starting next year.The EV3 is the smallest model to date in Kia’s global electric-car range, with dimensions similar to a Kia Seltos or Hyundai Kona Electric, and a choice of standard- or long-range batteries with
  
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• Why we will never see pop-up headlights again

  23-05-2024 07:48 via drive.com.au
  Quite possibly, one of the coolest styling features ever may never be seen on a new car again… Pop-up headlights: no cooler gimmicks have graced the automotive world quite like it. RELATED: TR7, not a Triumph of engineering
  Whether they were designed to give a car a more streamlined look, better aerodynamics, or just a futuristic appeal, they worked. People loved their look, and soon, they were on everything from Ferraris and Lamborghinis to Fords and Mazdas.The first
  
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• Volkswagen pledges to avoid price war with Tesla for upcoming ID.4 and ID.5 electric cars

  23-05-2024 07:00 via drive.com.au
  VW has updated its launch timing for the new ID.4 and ID.5 electric cars, insisting it will not get into a price war with other manufacturers.Volkswagen Australia will not be sharing the price for its upcoming electric cars, the ID.4 and ID.5, until the last minute, to avoid Tesla-style price cuts which can ruin electric vehicle resale.The brand says it will not enter into a price war with Tesla, which has just issued large discounts to its Model 3 and Model Y, and is instead waiting for current
  
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