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Victoria recorded more than double New South Wales’ volume of car thefts over the same period, the latest data shows. New South Wales is experiencing less than half the volume of car thefts as Victoria, the latest data shows. In the 12 months to September 2025, Victoria recorded 33,212 offences, while NSW recorded 14,873, according to the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research and Victoria’s Crime Statistics Agency. The counts of motor vehicle theft offences for both NSW and Victoria included both actual and attempted motor vehicle thefts. Motor vehicle theft offences in Victoria and New South Wales Between 2018 and 2023 vehicle theft in Victoria remained around an average of 42 per cent higher than in NSW.  In 2024 vehicle theft in Victoria increased to 76 per cent higher, then rose again in 2025 to 123 percent higher than NSW. However, monthly car thefts in Victoria began dropping from June to September of 2025. If the trend of decreasing thefts has continued ...

China was the fastest-growing country of origin for new cars in Australia in 2025, but with so many new brands trying to outpace one another, how did they stack up comparatively? In 2025, Australians bought 221,699 cars built in China. Most of those, though not all, were from Chinese brands, and that figure represents a substantial 18.3 per cent of Australia’s new car market. Sales growth for Chinese-sourced vehicles reached 25.9 per cent, with 45,540 more Chinese cars sold in 2025, compared to 2024. Among Chinese brands, competition is fierce. Three Chinese brands made it onto the top 10 in 2025, but almost every new brand in the country says it wants to be there. MORE: China’s 212 off-road 4WDs confirmed for Australia with Jeep-like ute, SUV GWM was Australia’s best-selling Chinese brand in 2025, with 52,809 new cars sold, making it Australia’s seventh-best-selling brand overall. Compared to 2024, GWM was up 23.4 per cent (42,782 units). In 2023, GWM managed 36,39...

What does it take to put on an event as big and bespoke as the F1? Drive spoke to the Australian Grand Prix chief events officer to get the numbers behind the spectacle. As the Australian Grand Prix celebrates 30 years in Melbourne this year, we asked Australian Grand Prix chief events officer Tom Mottram to give us an inside look at how the event has changed since 1996. RELATED: Why Oscar Piastri is scared to drive in Melbourne The biggest change has been the sport’s booming popularity in recent years – spurred by Drive to Survive and the F1 movie. But what else is new? And what does it take to pull the event together? Drive asked Mottram to crunch the numbers. More than 465,000 spectators Last year’s F1 attracted a record 465,000 people to Albert Park over the four-day event. This year, that record is set to be broken. “We expect to surpass that again this year because we have upped our capacity on the Sunday by 3500,” Mottram said. “So we now have a daily capacity of...

Automotive enthusiasts the world over are familiar with the iconic Volk Racing TE37 wheel. What you probably didn’t know is that 2026 marks 30 years since the TE37 went into production. Fans of Japanese car culture need no introduction to Rays Wheels. The company is responsible for what might be one of the most iconic aftermarket alloy wheel designs, and this year that design turns 30. Under its Volk Racing brand , Rays released the TE37 wheel in 1996. To cement just how important the TE37 is on the global stage, the Japan Anniversary Association has recognised 7 March (3/7) as TE37 Day. MORE: ‘Bear with me’ – the cute novelty wheels you probably forgot about The TE37’s name comes from the wheel’s breakthrough construction at the time, with a weight of ‘around’ 3.7kg for a 15×6-inch wheel, according to Rays, with TE standing for Touring Evolution. In 1997, the range was expanded with the addition of 16-inch sizes, with lightweight magnesium versions releas...

A strong team and competent driving ability won’t hold Piastri back from glory, according to manager Mark Webber, but a strong competitive field could. Australia’s Oscar Piastri is the big hopeful to take out the 2026 Formula One Championship, according to his manager, and former F1 driver, Mark Webber. Speaking to Drive on the upstart’s chances this year to take top honours ahead of the inaugural race in Melbourne, Webber laid out the biggest hurdles Piastri will need to overcome. “Of course, I hope Oscar [wins this year], I hope it’s his turn,” Webber said. “There’s going to be stiff opposition, but he is with an amazing team in McLaren . MORE: 2026 Formula One Australian Grand Prix: On-track schedule “I think they’ve got to back up more world titles, and there’s no reason they can’t do that, but Mercedes , Ferrari – you never discount Max and Red Bull – they’re always there, they always just find a way. “But when you’ve got someone of Oscar’s calibre, he fin...

In the ‘Drive to Survive’ era, F1 is the hottest sporting ticket in town. So why doesn’t motorsport legend BMW have an entry? Formula 1 is in rude commercial health. This year, the grid will contain entries from Mercedes-AMG, Audi, Ferrari, Cadillac, Alpine, McLaren and Aston Martin. Honda is supplying engines to Aston Martin, while Ford is adding its expertise to Red Bull’s engine program and Toyota is a major sponsor of Haas.  All of which makes you wonder, where the heck is BMW? RELATED: Five things Max Verstappen hates about the new F1 cars After all, few car manufacturers have a more storied competition history than the Bavarians. It’s in their blood. The company’s fabled M Division was founded with the M3, a competition car that featured an engine that could trace its lineage back to some of the most exciting Formula 1 cars ever. Chasing the dream The last time we saw an F1 car bearing the BMW roundel on the grid was in 2009, when the BMW Sauber team was sold bac...