Automotive news

• 2019 Mazda 3 teaser released ahead of LA debut

  17-10-2018 11:32 via caradvice.com.au
  
  A first official preview of the new-generation Mazda 3 has been handed down this evening, ahead of what is expected to be an LA motor show debut.For now, the company has confirmed only that the new model will appear in November, but this makes Los Angeles the most likely location.
  
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• Fresh warning for toll users as service under attack from scammers

  30-04-2024 07:10 via drive.com.au
  The toll company Linkt has issued a new alert reminding people how not to fall victim to cybercriminals.Australian road-toll service Linkt is warning of a new spike in scams targeting its users – with the number of attempts almost doubling between February and March this year alone.The toll provider, which operates across Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, said it has seen a “significant increase” in scams this year in which customers are being tricked into paying for routes they
  
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• Tesla to supply largest battery storage facility in Australia

  30-04-2024 04:54 via drive.com.au
  A coal-mining town in Western Australia will soon be home to the country’s biggest battery farm, utilising technology from US electric car maker Tesla.Australia’s largest battery storage facility will soon begin construction using Tesla technology.Located in the southwest of Western Australia, French company Neoen has been awarded a $650 million contract by the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) to establish a second electricity storage location, consisting of Tesla Megapacks.T
  
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• What do you need for a sim racing set-up?

  30-04-2024 04:00 via drive.com.au
  Thinking about getting into sim racing? Here’s the rig you’re going to need, according to the experts.
  We all here at Drive know all too well the adrenaline rush of pushing an exotic sports car to its limits (or more accurately, ours) on a racetrack, but it comes with very big risks that could set you back tens – if not hundreds – of thousands of dollars.But what if there was a way to replicate the sensation of flying over Conrod Straight at Bathurst in a Porsche 911 or l
  
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• Man charged after five cars stolen from regional disability hub

  30-04-2024 03:24 via drive.com.au
  The vehicles were taken from a community not-for-profit organisation in the town last week.A man has been charged with allegedly stealing five cars from a not-for-profit organisation, which helps provide mobility services for people with a disability.Victoria Police charged the 35-year-old man today with multiple counts of burglary and theft of motor vehicles following the break-in at the Hare Street property last week, located in Echuca – on the Victorian border with New South Wales.
  
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• Man charged after five cars stolen from Echuca disability hub

  30-04-2024 03:24 via drive.com.au
  The vehicles were taken from a community not-for-profit organisation in the town last week.A man has been charged with allegedly stealing five cars from a not-for-profit organisation in Echuca, which helps provide mobility services for people with a disability.Victoria Police charged the 35-year-old man today with multiple counts of burglary and theft of motor vehicles following the break-in at the Hare Street property last week.He has been bailed to appear before Echuca Magistrates’ Court
  
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• Surprise new eight-cylinder engine unveiled by GWM

  30-04-2024 02:30 via drive.com.au
  Big petrol engines are dead? No one told GWM, which has unveiled a new flat-eight cylinder engine – but it is not destined for what you think.GWM has made a splash at the 2024 Beijing motor show by unveiling an all-new eight-cylinder engine.But while the company is bucking the industry trend by developing an eight-cylinder, the bad news – as some may see it – is the engine has been designed for use in a motorcycle.Rather than being a V8, the ‘Souo H8’ engine is
  
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• Not dead yet: New eight-cylinder engine unveiled by GWM

  30-04-2024 02:30 via drive.com.au
  Big petrol engines are dead? No one told GWM, which has unveiled a new flat-eight cylinder engine – but it is not destined for what you think.GWM has made a splash at the 2024 Beijing motor show by unveiling an all-new eight-cylinder engine.But while the company is bucking the industry trend by developing an eight-cylinder, the bad news – as some may see it – is the engine has been designed for use in a motorcycle.Rather than being a V8, the ‘Souo H8’ engine is
  
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• Wagons aren’t dead: Cupra Leon Sportstourer locked in for Australia

  30-04-2024 01:34 via drive.com.au
  Volkswagen thinks wagons are dead in Australia, but its Spanish sibling Cupra disagrees – and has confirmed a new Leon ‘Sportstourer’ for showrooms with Golf R DNA.The void left by the axing of the Volkswagen Golf R wagon in Australia will be filled by its twin under the skin, the 2025 Cupra Leon Sportstourer, due in local showrooms in July or August next year.Sales of wagons in Australia have fallen by more than 80 per cent since the turn of the century, and have claimed iconi
  
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• 2025 Cupra Formentor and Leon facelifts unveiled, still a while away from Australia

  30-04-2024 01:17 via drive.com.au
  VW-owned Spanish car brand Cupra has updated its top-selling SUV – and its hot hatch – with a new look, more power, a drift mode, and a new wagon body style for the Leon in Australia.The facelifted 2025 Cupra Formentor compact SUV – and 2025 Cupra Leon small car – have been unveiled, ahead of Australian showroom arrivals due in April next year.While Cupra has been in Australia for less than two years, the Formentor and Leon were shown in Europe about four years ago, and a
  
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• New 2025 MG ZS caught on camera in Australia – and it’s a hybrid

  30-04-2024 00:00 via drive.com.au
  Australia’s most popular new small SUV is about to go hybrid – with a brand-new model photographed on Sydney streets.EXCLUSIVEThe next generation of the top-selling 2025 MG ZS small SUV has been photographed in Australia – inside and out – ahead of the first local showroom arrivals likely sometime next year.For the first time the ZS is expected to be available with hybrid power, to go head-to-head with top-selling hybrids from Toyota – as well as a growing field of
  
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• Updated 2024 Mercedes Sprinter, eSprinter, Vito and eVito van range detailed

  29-04-2024 23:00 via drive.com.au
  Mercedes-Benz’s van range – including the Sprinter, which accounts for 70 per cent of its sales – in Australia is about to receive an overhaul. Here’s what to expect.The Mercedes-Benz van line-up in Australia is about to undergo its most significant overhaul in some years to help recover a slowdown in sales since the X-Class ute was axed four years ago.Orders are due to open mid-year – ahead of first deliveries between October and December 2024 – for an update
  
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• ‘Monstrosity’: X-rated promo truck angers drivers in Melbourne

  29-04-2024 22:36 via drive.com.au
  An obscene mobile billboard spotted in Melbourne’s inner suburbs has prompted motorists to question the legality of digital advertising on the road.
  Image credit: Drive.com.auA digital billboard advertising a Melbourne brothel has outraged motorists by displaying obscene images on a ‘blindingly’ bright screen at peak hour.Drive has spotted the vehicle twice, both times at around 8.30 in the morning on roads in and around the city’s CBD, and displaying a rotating slideshow
  
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• ‘Monstrosity’: Raunchy promo truck angers drivers in Melbourne

  29-04-2024 22:36 via drive.com.au
  An obscene mobile billboard spotted in Melbourne’s inner suburbs has prompted motorists to question the legality of digital advertising on the road.
  A digital billboard advertising a Melbourne brothel has outraged motorists by displaying obscene images on a ‘blindingly’ bright screen at peak hour.Drive has spotted the vehicle twice, both times at around 8.30 in the morning on roads in and around the city’s CBD, and displaying a rotating slideshow of explicit imagery.RELAT
  
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• New electric-car battery from Tesla supplier claims 1000km driving range

  29-04-2024 22:00 via drive.com.au
  A Chinese company which produces batteries for Tesla and Volvo – among other brands – has showcased a new design at the Beijing motor show claimed to be capable of a 1000km range in certain vehicles.Chinese electric-car battery giant CATL has unveiled a new lithium iron phosphate (LFP) unit claimed to be capable of providing vehicles with a driving range of up to 1000km on a single charge.CATL is the world’s largest electric vehicle battery maker and currently supplies power un
  
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• 2024 Mazda CX-5 G35 Akera Turbo review

  29-04-2024 16:30 via drive.com.au
  It might be one of the oldest kids on the block, but the Mazda CX-5 still impresses in many ways… especially when it’s sporting torquey turbo grunt.Skip ahead:IntroductionRunning costsPrice and specificationEnergy useInterior space and comfortOn-road assessmentConnectivity and infotainmentSummarySafety Next steps
  2024 Mazda CX-5 G35 Akera TurboThey say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. But you can stick a turbocharger on the engine, which is the case here.After more than
  
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• Electric cars vs petrol cars: How do they differ?

  29-04-2024 09:25 via drive.com.au
  Electric cars have more in common with petrol cars than you might think. Here, we look at the similarities and differences between the two.For the uninitiated, there can be a tendency to view electric cars as futuristic spaceships – a foreign species entirely different to the internal combustion engine cars we know and love.The reality is the two have more in common than many might think. RELATED: 2024 Nissan Qashqai Ti e-Power – long-term review “When I’m talki
  
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• 2024 Genesis GV80 price and specs: Model range slashed, entry price up significantly

  29-04-2024 07:00 via drive.com.au
  Genesis has added a sportier ‘Coupe’ body style to the GV80 line-up for the more expensive facelifted range – now available with one engine and one equipment level.The price of the cheapest 2024 Genesis GV80 large luxury SUV has climbed to $130,000 plus on-road costs, a $19,800 jump when compared to the equivalent outgoing variant, to coincide with a facelift and increase in standard equipment.The GV80 model line-up has been slashed to one engine – a 279kW/530Nm 3.5-litre
  
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• Nissan unveils four new electric-car concepts

  29-04-2024 05:47 via drive.com.au
  Two electric vehicles and a pair of plug-in hybrids have been shown as part of the car maker’s new China strategy, including more electric cars than previously.Nissan has pulled the covers off four new concept vehicles at the 2024 Beijing motor show after ramping up its plans for new electric and hybrid vehicles in China, the largest new-car market in the world.Nissan presented two electric vehicles and a pair of plug-in hybrids – collectively referred to by the industry in China as
  
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• 2024 BMW i5 M60 review

  29-04-2024 04:36 via drive.com.au
  Big battery, big power, big driving range and a commensurately big price tag. BMW’s fully-electric 5 Series goes hard on refinement and performance, and is the flagship offering for Bavaria’s classic executive express.
  Skip ahead:IntroductionRunning costsPrice and specificationEnergy useInterior space and comfortOn-road assessmentConnectivity and infotainmentSummarySafety Next steps
  2024 BMW i5 M60 xDriveIt’s the classic BMW 5 Series, now gone fully electric.But not only that,
  
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• Who did it better – the Tesla Cybertruck or Renha Formigao?

  29-04-2024 04:04 via drive.com.au
  Over 40 years before the controversial Tesla Cybertruck debuted, a Brazilian manufacturer was pumping out its own unusually-styled ute.The Tesla Cybertruck has been no stranger to controversy since its polarising design was first revealed to the world in 2019.Now, a lone Cybertruck is trolling the streets of Sydney, its angular design drawing crowds and plenty of happy snaps from passers-by.But, predating the Tesla Cybertruck by five decades was 1978’s Renha Formigao, a fibreglass-bodied p
  
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• BMW betting on high-performance wagon revival in Australia

  29-04-2024 04:00 via drive.com.au
  BMW Australia believes fast wagons are back in style, and says the success of the M3 Touring has driven a U-turn on plans not to sell the new 5 Series Touring here.BMW says it is riding a wave of resurgent support for the wagon body style in Australia with the M3 Touring – and has scrapped plans not to sell the electric i5 M60 Touring locally, due this August.The BMW 5 Series wagon was dropped from Australian showrooms in 2020 – due to the body style accounting for just 4 per cent of
  
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• We took the MG 4 on a road trip through Sydney

  29-04-2024 02:30 via drive.com.au
  If you missed Drive TV on the weekend, you can catch up here. In this episode, we take one of the most affordable electric vehicles on a drive through the stunning harbour city.
  If you missed Season 7 Episode 6 of Drive TV on Channel Nine on Sunday, you can watch it on 9Now here. In the meantime, if you want to know more about the car, check out our latest review on the MG 4.If you missed Seasons One, Two, Three, Four, Five,m or Six of Drive TV, you c
  
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• Ford F-150 shipments halted in Australia again as second pause in four months

  29-04-2024 02:26 via drive.com.au
  After three recalls in two months, the official right-hand-drive Ford F-150 pick-up has hit yet another speed bump in Australia.Shipments of the 2024 Ford F-150 pick-up to dealers have been paused yet again while Ford Australia investigates an unnamed “potential” issue.It is the second halt in four months – and only five months after the first deliveries – for the F-150 in Australia, which is ‘re-manufactured’ from left- to right-hand drive in Melbourne by Tha
  
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• 2024 Mercedes-AMG CLE53: International first drive

  29-04-2024 02:12 via drive.com.au
  The Mercedes-Benz CLE-Class coupe replaces both the C-Class and E-Class coupe, and provides a beautiful basis for the ballistic new Mercedes-AMG CLE53 4Matic Coupe. Glenn Butler drives it ahead of its Australian arrival.
  Skip ahead:IntroductionRunning costsPrice and specificationEnergy useInterior space and comfortOn road assessmentConnectivity and infotainmentSummarySafety Next steps
  2024 Mercedes-AMG CLE53 4Matic CoupeThe Mercedes-Benz CLE Coupe is a two-for-one replacement for both the C-Clas
  
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• Maserati and Alfa Romeo in war of words over who conceived MC20 supercar

  29-04-2024 01:00 via drive.com.au
  Maserati has refuted comments by Alfa Romeo executives revealing the flagship of its new model range – the mid-engined Maserati MC20 – began life with a different badge.The designer who oversaw the styling of the Maserati MC20 supercar has passionately denied claims by Alfa Romeo executives the car was not always meant to be a Maserati.A high-ranking Alfa Romeo executive late last year confirmed rumours in the car industry the Maserati MC20 began life as a new Alfa Romeo 8C before pl
  
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• Elon Musk heads to China as Tesla pushes self-driving technology rollout

  29-04-2024 00:25 via abc.net.au
  
  Tesla CEO Elon Musk visits Beijing on an unannounced trip, where he is expected to discuss the rollout of the company's Full Self-Driving software, according to a person with knowledge of the matter.
  
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• BYD to grow in-house servicing away from Mycar

  29-04-2024 00:00 via drive.com.au
  Increased dealer footprint and new aftersales manager to spearhead BYD’s efforts for buyers to come back to showrooms for servicing.BYD Australia will address one of the biggest criticisms of its aftersales support by expanding its in-house servicing operations – and placing less emphasis on its partnership with Mycar, the independent servicing network formerly known as Kmart Tyre and Auto.That is according to David Smitherman, CEO of BYD’s Australian importer EVDirect, who tol
  
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• BYD moves away from Mycar servicing to take maintenance in house

  29-04-2024 00:00 via drive.com.au
  Increased dealer footprint and new aftersales manager to spearhead BYD’s efforts for buyers to come back to showrooms for servicing.BYD Australia will address one of the biggest criticisms of its aftersales support by moving servicing in-house to its expanded dealer network and away from Mycar, the independent servicing network formerly known as Kmart Tyre and Auto.That is according to David Smitherman, CEO of BYD’s Australian importer EVDirect, who told Drive at a recent event the c
  
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• Do you still need to run in a new car?

  28-04-2024 23:00 via drive.com.au
  Being told to ‘run in’ an engine used to be a common practice, but it seems to have been forgotten in recent years. So, do you still need to do it on modern cars?It seems like it wasn’t that long ago that you’d be encouraged to ‘run in’ a new car, or a car with a refurbished engine.RELATED: How many kilometres is good for a used car?Cars have many moving parts that take time to settle in before they can be subjected to more extreme driving conditions, such as
  
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