FURTHER EVOLUTION OF THE LEXUS LS

Available in Australia in early 2021, the upgraded Lexus LS saloon has detailed tuning and component upgrades. The supportive seats in the LS now feature deeper stitch points and low-resilience urethane for the padding, with vibration absorption measures and softer positioning contributing to even greater comfort. Ornamentation is available for the first time in “Nishijin & Haku” (with “haku” being the Japanese word for “metal leaf”). Newly developed laser-cut wood (with L-shaped silver metal) and open-pore ash trim join new ochre L-aniline (highest grade) leather as available ornamentation and colour… Read more

HYUNDAI IONIQ – A COMPLETELY NEW MARQUE

Hyundai Motor Company has announced the launch of its new Ioniq brand dedicated to battery electric vehicles. The creation of Ioniq brand is part of Hyundai’s plan to lead the global EV market. Hyundai first introduced the term Ioniq, which fuses “ion” and “unique”, when it announced Project Ioniq, a long-term research and development project focused on eco-friendly mobility. However, the existing IONIQ vehicles (HEV, PHEV, EV) will not be housed under the new IONIQ brand. IONIQ 5, IONIQ 6 and IONIQ 7 are coming, with the even numbers used… Read more

MASERATI QUATTROPORTE AND GHIBLI ADDED TO TROFEO COLLECTION

Maserati Trofeo collection

Maserati has expanded its Trofeo collection with the introduction of new Quattroporte and Ghibli Trofeo are now available. To highlight once again Maserati’s all-Italian identity, the colours chosen for the Trofeo collection launch are those of the Italy’s flag: green for Quattroporte, white for Levante and red for Ghibli. Ghibli and Quattroporte Trofeo have a 3.8-litre V8 Twin Turbo with power output of 580 hp (433 kW) at 6,250 rpm and peak torque of 730 Nm. The engine is built at the Ferrari plant at Maranello to Maserati’s specifications. Ghibli… Read more

ON THE ROAD WITH THE NEW AUDI A4 AND A5

Audi A5 Cabriolet

In what was our first major car launch program since Covid-19 hit we’ve just participated in the unveiling of the upgraded Audi A4 and A5 models. The launch opened with an impressive on-line presentation that included a product information presentation followed by a walk-around video of all eight variants and concluded with an interactive Q&A session. The two-day drive program that followed was quite a change from the traditional format with border closures restricting it to journalists from the Sydney area. All cars were cleaned and disinfected thoroughly before the… Read more

NEW i30 SEDAN N LINE: FIRST DETAILS

Hyundai has given us information on the new i30 Sedan N Line sedan that’s due in Australia in the final quarter of this year. Powered by a 1.6-litre turbo-petrol engine (150kW / 265Nm) that sits beside a six-speed manual or seven-speed double clutch transmission. It has increase stiffness in its suspension, rides on 18-inch alloy wheels and has larger front brake rotors. Hyundai i30 Sedan’s grille has an aggressive look with an N Line badge and geometric pattern. Arrow-shaped air curtains on the lower fascia support aerodynamic performance and engine… Read more

ELECTRIC VEHICLE (EV) SMART CHARGING TRIAL

Tony Weber, chief executive of the FCAI

The Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI), the peak body for the automotive industry in Australia, has applauded the announcement by the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) of funding for an electric vehicle (EV) smart charging trial. The funding of $838,000 has been allocated to Origin Energy Ltd, who will provide and install 150 smart chargers across residential, commercial, and industrial premises. The initiative is part of a $2.9 million trial run by ARENA which seeks to evaluate the benefits and barriers to controlled smart charging, including improving understanding of… Read more

MAZDA SKYACTIV-X M HYBRID

The revolutionary Skyactiv-X M Hybrid engine has gone on sale in Australia, at this time it’s only in the Mazda3. It will be available with Mazda CX-30 from September. The world’s first production petrol unit to exploit the benefits of diesel-like compression ignition, new 2.0-litre Skyactiv-X M Hybrid is the next step in Mazda’s multi-solution approach to reducing emissions. Skyactiv-X is characterised by Mazda’s revolutionary Spark Controlled Compression Ignition (SPCCI). This new engineering concept allows the engine to switch seamlessly between conventional spark ignition and compression ignition combustion by using… Read more

2021 KIA STONIC

Kia Stonic is a compact crossover / SUV. It has been on sale in other markets since 2017 and if finally coming to Australia, arriving here in second generation format late in 2020. Exact local specifications are yet to be advised, as is pricing. There are many interesting features in the just updated European models, though not all may apply in this country. An 8.0-inch touchscreen display with Display Audio or optional Satellite Navigation depending on vehicle specification. Bluetooth multi-connection lets users connect up to two mobile devices at the… Read more

NEW AUDI A5 IS SPORTIER THAN EVER

Audi A5 Coupe

Audi A5 has been around since 2007 when the German carmaker split its mid-sized models into two, with the sedans and wagons continuing as A4 and the sportier coupe and cabriolet models renamed A5. In conjunction with the launch of its latest A4 Audi has released upgraded versions of its A5 Sportback five-door coupe, two-door coupe and cabriolet models. Audi A5 has always been a good looking vehicle, especially in coupe and convertible form. If anything the changes for the MY2020 has made them even more exciting than ever. Many… Read more

NEW STYLING AND TECHNOLOGY IN AUDI A4 UPGRADE

Audi A4 allroad

Audi has launched an updated version of its popular mid-sized A4. With over 75,000 local sales since it arrived in Australia 25 years ago the A4 sedan and its A5 hatchback sibling have long been the German manufacturer’s biggest seller here only dropping down the company’s sales chart as SUV alternatives grew in numbers. We’ll look at the A4 here, and examine the Audi A5 models in a separate news story. Across the range there have been design changes including some bodywork tweaks as well as a new grille and… Read more