CAR ADVICE

  You can set a watch by the relentless pace of BMW's model cycle. Yet it can still come as a surprise to realise that one of the brand's Life Cycle Impulses – that's BM-lish for 'facelift' – has sneaked up already. It only feels like yesterday that the current G11 7 Series was launched, yet here we are with the revised version ahead of its market introduction later this year.

The 2019 Suzuki Vitara Series II update has lobbed in Australia, with a focus on improving the active safety credentials of range-topping Turbo variants. The revised version of Suzuki’s edgy Hungarian-made little crossover SUV now comes in only three variations, the base model with front-wheel drive (FWD) and either manual or auto transmissions, the auto-only Turbo with FWD and the auto-only Turbo with AllGrip all-wheel drive (AWD).

Volkswagen has recalled the 2015-2018 Tiguan and Tiguan Allspace, over concerns about an issue with the LED module for the sunroof backlight. According to the company, heating of the module could cause a short-circuit because of 'humidity ingress' into the LED module. If the problem occurs, the backlight may stop working, and passengers might notice a burning smell in the cabin.

This week Mandy Turner and Kez Casey are broadcasting from Barry Bourke Suzuki in Berwick, Victoria! In car news, the 2019 Renault Clio has been revealed, Ford has patented an all-wheel drive hybrid V8 system, car companies are calling for a registration ban on cars affected by the Takata recall, and Germany's autobahns will remain derestricted despite a push to impose limits. Alborz Fallah and Mike Stevens join the panel to chat with Jez Spinks about the 2019 Jaguar I-Pace.

It would be a travesty to call the Huracan EVO anything but a holistic triumph. Its myriad dynamic systems are in perfect balance with the chassis, and somehow it all comes together to provide one of the most exhilarating driving experiences I’ve had in a while. Bravo.

Honda has created a range of one-off golden products to celebrate 50 years in Australia, designed to highlight the immense diversity of its product offering. And no, you can't buy them. Honda's broad range of products across various segments have delivered over five million sales for the brand in Australia, since launching here on February 4, 1969.

Renault has added the 1.3-litre turbocharged petrol engine from last year's S-Edition to the wider Captur range, replacing the existing 1.2-litre turbo engine option. With 110kW of power and 250Nm of torque, the new four-pot is 22kW and 60Nm punchier than the existing turbo engine. The engine was developed alongside Mercedes-Benz, and is shared with the latest A-Class.

'Value for money' or 'bang for your buck' are the sort of terms we all love to hear when it comes to buying anything, particularly cars. Australians love getting a good deal, and the thought of being ripped off tends to anger any of us, regardless of our socioeconomic background. But depending on how you look at it, we are paying a hell of a lot of money for some things in comparison to others.

Ginetta, a Leeds-based company established in 1958, will soon enter the supercar arena with an as-yet unnamed vehicle. Although the company has built kit cars and fully-built road-going vehicles in the past, over the last few years it has concentrated on racing prototypes, and its own one-make racing series. According to the firm, its first modern supercar will have a carbon-fibre monocoque and body, and will be powered by a race-derived V8 engine cranking out around 450kW of power.

At the launch of the facelifted V-Class, the automaker confirmed the newest member of its electric car range: the Mercedes-Benz EQV. It's understood the EQV will ride on the current Vito/V-Class platform rather a dedicated electric vehicle architecture. As such it will be developed by Daimler's commercial vehicle division. According to Autocar the EQV will have more power and driving range than the eVito.

I reckon I could hit that even faster. That's the first thing that popped into my head after somewhat tentatively taking the Ford Ranger Raptor over a small jump on a narrow, rutted track underneath a giant transmission tower. It’s a sketchy run-up, partly downhill and quite off-camber amongst some low-lying scrub.

Mercedes-Benz has unveiled its facelifted V-Class van, complete with the promise of a fully-electric variant, ahead of a third-quarter arrival in Australia. As you'd expect of a mid-life tickle, changes to the V-Class are subtle on the outside. The front bumper has been redesigned in search of a more aggressive stance, while the AMG Line package now brings a diamond radiator grille in keeping with the wider range.

While the CarAdvice office shuts down (mostly) over the Christmas break, those few weeks are a great opportunity to thoroughly road test cars. With a longer loan period and the inevitable road trips planned, you start to really live with a car and pile on kays in all types of conditions.

BMW has recalled a handful of 2016 M3 and M4 models, over concerns about a three-hole flange within the car's driveshaft. According to the company, the car's carbon-fibre driveshaft contains a three-hole flange and a pushing piece which isn't produced with 'sufficient long-term durability'. That means the 'pushing piece' could be pulled out of the driveshaft. If that happens, torque mightn't be transmitted to the rear wheels, putting drivers at risk of accident.

Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi has beaten out Volkswagen Group and Toyota Motor Company for the 2018 passenger car sales crown, with a total of 10.76 million sales worldwide. According to figures released by the various brands, the combination of Renault, Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors accounted for 10.76 million passenger and light-commercial vehicles around the world, ahead of 10.6 million (up 0.9 per cent) for the Volkswagen Group and 10.39 million (up 1.0 per cent) for Toyota and Lexus.

Renault has added a top-spec S Edition to the Zoe range in Europe, with extra standard equipment and a more upmarket look. Compared to the Euro base model, the Zoe S Edition comes with a Bose stereo and DAB radio, a reversing camera, the full suite of Renault Connected Services, and keyless entry. Many of those features are already included in the Australian range-topper, although we miss out on the fancier stereo system.

Mercedes-Benz has recalled the 2018 Sprinter, over concerns about the electronic door locks. According to the company, the electronic door locks could have been installed with an incorrect operating lever. As a result, the front driver's hinged door, load compartment sliding door and rear-right door could be impossible to open from the inside or outside. In an emergency, that means there's a risk drivers or passengers won't be able to escape through the right-hand side of the vehicle.

A largely mass-market survey of 3075 recent new car buyers has found almost one-in-five were not entirely happy with how the experience went at their dealer. The study, conducted by market research and analytics firm J.D. Power and called the 2018 Australia Sales Satisfaction Index (SSI), also found about 20 per cent of interviewed buyers and lessees indicated the sales person merely “partially understood” their requirements in the first place.

In a short interview with The Nikkei, Carlos Ghosn said he has "no doubt" his arrest was part of a "plot" hatched by Nissan executives to kill a potential merger with Renault and Mitsubishi. Ghosn told the newspaper "there was a plan to integrate" Renault, Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors, and claims he'd discussed these plans with Nissan CEO Hiroto Saikawa, who has resigned since the crisis broke out.

The fact that Mercedes-Benz has taken the time and effort to join the ever-growing fray of 4WD utes available in Australia tells you how important and potentially lucrative this competitive segment is. It’s a landscape that is changing at breakneck speed, and moving away from those humble working origins into something more of a segment defined by lifestyle, prestige and an outdoorsy intent.

The Mercedes-AMG GLB35, a performance-oriented variant of the company's upcoming crossover, has been photographed during winter testing. This is the first evidence we've seen of an AMG-tuned version of the GLB. We believe it is a 35 model, sharing the drivetrain of the A35 hatch unveiled late last year. Should that be the case, this crossover has a 2.0-litre turbocharged engine with 225kW of power and 400Nm of torque under its bonnet.

The Range Rover SV Coupe has been nixed before a single model has trundled down the production line. Unveiled before last year's Geneva motor show, the SV Coupe is a three-door variant of the full-size Range Rover developed by the company's Special Vehicle Operations (SVO).

Hot hatches have traditionally been affordable, practical and economical ways of having fun behind the wheel. Jamming sports car performance into a cheap family hatchback has been a winning recipe for decades, although times have changed just a little.

Mercedes-Benz has recalled the 2018 B-Class and CLA over concerns about an issue with the automatic occupant detection system in the front passenger seat. If a child seat is installed facing backwards in the passenger seat, it's possible the airbag might not automatically turn off. If an affected vehicle is involved in a crash, and the driver has a child restraint in the front passenger seat, there's a risk the airbag will fire and put the child in danger of injury.

On this week's episode of CarAdvice, Paul Maric and Trent Nikolic talk about the Toyota Supra, seven-seat SUVs, and solar power. In news, Toyota has finally revealed the Supra, after a years-long tease involving concept cars, spy photographs and countless rumours. BMW has a fresh SUV flagship, called the X7. With seven seats and a distinctive face, it's unlike anything else the brand has ever built.

The Senate Select Committee on Electric Vehicles has called for a firm national electric vehicle sales target and tighter emissions standards to drive adoption of battery-powered vehicles in Australia. Most prominently, the report calls for national EV targets for "light passenger vehicles, light commercial vehicles and metropolitan buses", as a way to demonstrate a firm commitment to accelerating electric uptake in Australia.

Tesla has updated its Model S and Model X ranges in North America, adding a new shorter-range car with a software-limited battery to the line-up. Rather than sticking with battery-based badging, the Silicon Valley carmaker will bring its larger cars into line with the Model 3's naming structure, instead offering cars with no additional branding as base, rolling through 'Performance' to 'Extended Range'.

Toyota Australia has started issuing a 'Customer Service Exercise Notification' for the Toyota HiLux and Fortuner fitted with a Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) and the 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine. Due to it not being a customer safety issue, this isn't classed as a 'recall' and is instead simply a notice calling for customers to visit their dealers for a fix.

A new survey has shed some light on how disgusting the average steering wheel is, suggesting it's four times dirtier than a public toilet seat. With 629 colony-forming units (CFU) of bacteria per square centimetre, it's also six times filthier than an average smartphone screen, and twice as bad as public elevator buttons. According to the research, 12 per cent of Americans never clean the inside of their cars, in spite of the potential for bacteria growth.

Toyota might be committed to bringing the fun back into its line-up, but that's no guarantee its affordable, rear-wheel drive collaboration with Subaru will make it into a second generation. Reports from Japan have suggested Toyota and Subaru have decided to put a stop to their BRZ and 86 joint venture, with Toyota instead turning focus to the lower-end four-cylinder Supra and rumoured electric MR2.

In a short statement overnight, Subaru has confirmed vehicle production has recommenced at its factories in Japan. The automaker halted production at its Gunma factory on January 16 after discovering a faulty electric steering component was being fitted to Forester, XV and Impreza models. Subaru halted all manufacturing at the Gunma factory, meaning unaffected models, such as the Liberty, Outback, WRX, Levorg, BRZ and Toyota 86, were also paused.

Citroen has revealed a set of limited-run Origins edition cars, designed to celebrate 100 years since its foundation. Based on the C1, C3, C3 Aircross, C-Elysee, C4 SpaceTourer and C4 Cactus, the cars have been treated to a raft of cosmetic upgrades. To start with, there are three exterior colours on offer: White, Grey, and Black.

NEVS (National Electric Vehicle Sweden) and Koenigsegg will also form a joint venture company "to expand into new market segments". NEVS will contribute €150 million ($238 million) in starting capital for the new firm and hold a 65 per cent stake. Koenigsegg will own the rest of the company by contributing its "intellectual property, technology licenses, and product design".

Once upon a time, dual-cab utes or pickups were humble tools of trade. Then they started getting quieter, comfier and safer, and started appealing to a wider group of people. The resultant arms race from ute manufacturers has forked off in all directions. In Australia, where 4x4 utes own about 15 per cent market share, this is particularly relevant.

Named after the alpine resort and town almost smack bang in the middle of Switzerland, the Mitsubishi Engelberg will be some sort of electrified crossover concept. We don't know if the Engelberg will be a pure electric vehicle, or a plug-in hybrid. Mitsubishi says the car will bring "further developments in SUV styling and practicality along with a focus on next-generation technology and enhanced EV performance".

Germany will maintain its derestricted sections of autobahn, despite a government-appointed report suggesting lower limits could help cut carbon emissions. Speaking with reporters in Berlin, a government spokesperson said there are "more intelligent control mechanisms" than a 130km/h speed limit. That sentiment was backed by German transport minister, Andreas Scheuer, who said the push "goes against all common sense".

Mercedes has made much of its new Mercedes-Benz User Experience (MBUX) infotainment system, with its natural voice input and clever augmented-reality capability. As it turns out, the system will also allow owners to remotely unlock certain functions after they've bought the car. Owners of the latest-generation A-Class, B-Class and GLE will be able to add things like digital radio, smartphone mirroring, and factory navigation once they've actually taken delivery of their car.

Renault has finally revealed the exterior of its new 2019 Clio, following last night's look at the car's high-tech cabin – and today's leak of the exterior design, which appeared on Instagram some hours ago. According to its designers, the Clio is "more elegant and dynamic" than its cutesy predecessor, with a larger grille and more pronounced air intakes than before.

Legendary British marque, Jaguar, is known around the world for blending sportiness with luxury and style in a unique manner. From the motorsport triumphs and the iconic E-Type of the past, to the technological advancement of the all-electric I-Pace today, the “leaping cat” continues to offer driving pleasure in a compelling package. Let’s discover the brand’s exciting history and learn more about the people and the models that shaped its identity.

There’s no mistaking a Lamborghini for anything else – and it’s been that way since Ferruccio Lamborghini formed his sports car company in 1963 in the tiny rural town of Sant’ Agata Bolognese. The 350GT was the first model to roll out of the factory in 1964 (only 131 were ever built), but it was the drop-dead gorgeous Miura that took the motoring world by storm and single-handedly created the supercar segment, well ahead of arch-rival Ferrari.

Morgan's range of V8 sports cars has fallen victim to strict WLTP regulations, leaving the Roadster V6 and 3 Wheeler its only offerings in Australia. Update, 23/01/2019: Morgan has adapted its pricing again, bumping most of its sticker prices up by $1000. Availability has also changed. We've updated with the correct details.

Fiat Chrysler is preparing to launch a three-month car-sharing trial for North American Jeep owners, as part of a partnership with Avis. According to reporting in The Detroit News, the company is partnering with Avis Budget Group on a three-month subscription service, allowing owners to swap their cars for other vehicles in the FCA umbrella.

Renault's new 2019 Clio has leaked on social media, revealing a sharp new look inspired by the larger Megane. Although it's not due for reveal until 8pm tonight, a set of official-looking pictures of the supermini have appeared on Instagram courtesy of cardesignworld, and it's a serious looker. The front end takes clear inspiration from the Megane, with a prominent c-shaped graphic in the headlights and a large Renault badge in the middle of the grille.

Ford appears to be preparing a hybrid, all-wheel drive system built around a V8 engine, hinting at what could be to come for the legendary Mustang nameplate. The patent was actually filed in 2017, but the US Patent and Trademark Office published it this week. The filing was initially reported by AutoGuide in the USA. With a longitudinally-mounted engine sending power to the rear wheels, the system appears more sport-oriented than some of the other hybrid systems becoming more prevalent.

The Porsche Taycan, the company's first fully electric model, will have limited free access to the Electrify America public charging network for the first three years of its life. American Taycan owners can use Electrify America's chargers for up to 30 minutes at a time for free. By the middle of 2019, Electrify America plans to have around 2000 charging bays installed at 484 locations throughout the United Staes.

Fans of small sporting hatches have been asking for the Picanto GT to come to Australia. Well, it's finally here... is it any good? Alborz Fallah finds out.

In a statement released overnight Lotus and Williams confirmed a technical partnership where they will "share research and development into advanced propulsion technologies". Official details about the full extent of the partnership are thin on the ground, but it should be noted, Williams has experience in battery technology and electric drivetrains through its involvement in Formula E. Backed by new majority owner Geely, Lotus is developing an electric hypercar, codenamed Omega.

After months of driver training and hours of practice and preparation, race and safety modifications to our Lotus Elise Sport 220, it’s time for Alborz to see if he has what it takes in competitive motorsport. This is the event that we’ve been building up to since Episode 1 of Road to Race, it’s time for Targa High Country. Will Alborz walk away victorious, on the podium or with such a high level of competition and such incredible but unfamiliar roads ahead, will he finish at all?

Carlos Ghosn was born in 1954 in Porto Velho, a Brazilian city on the fringe of the Amazon rainforest. In his autobiography "Shift", Ghosn recounts his grandfather, a member of the Maronite minority, moving to Brazil from Lebanon to escape the crumbling Ottoman Empire and, eventually, running several companies.

The BMW i4 has been spied on the back of the trailer, and it doesn't look too different to what we imagine the next-generation 4 Series Gran Coupe will be like. If the electric iX3 and conventionally-powered X3 are anything to go by, the key differences between the i4 and 4 Series Gran Coupe may be limited to a different front fascia.

Car companies are calling for registration bans to be expanded to include the remaining 1.3 million vehicles equipped with dodgy Takata airbags – in addition to 12,000 currently under a compulsory recall – because tens of thousands of customers are refusing to have them fixed.

Hands up if you know the top 10 reasons people buy certain cars. In order. All the boring stuff – safety, fuel consumption, price, ride and handling – is way down the order. Leading the charge for buyers is perceived reliability, followed closely in position number two by styling. Yep, we want our cars to work, and work well, for a long time, and we want them to look good.

Renault has revealed the cabin of its key new compact hatchback, the 2019 Clio, ahead of the car's full reveal tomorrow night. As you'd expect of a totally-redesigned model, the latest Clio looks altogether more modern than its predecessor, and packs plenty more technology to boot. For one, there's a new 9.3-inch multimedia screen taking pride of place on the centre console. It's gently curved and, in keeping with the theme kicked off with the latest Megane, vertically oriented.

Last week's launch of the Lamborghini Huracan Evo was an eye-opening experience, not least for the fact that it can match the super lightweight Performante in a straight drag race. The car is fast... Not only can it hold the Performante in a straight line, Lamborghini's chief technical officer, Maurizio Reggiani told CarAdvice the Evo is faster around many sections of the Nardo test track.

A prototype for the next-generation Opel Corsa has been snapped during winter testing in Northern Europe, wearing a full-body wrap. As such, it's easy to discern the car's overall shape and form, but hard to make out many of its details. Despite this, we can see it will look substantially different to the next-generation Peugeot 208, which was spied earlier this month. The new Corsa could sport some of the brand's new "bold and pure" design language, debuted on a pair of concept cars.

Bentley has recalled the 2018 Continental GT, over concerns about an issue with its electric power steering unit. According to the company, a software fault could make drivers lost power assistance momentarily, forcing them to apply extra force to the steering wheel. Should the power assistance stop at an inopportune moment, both the driver and other road users are at increased risk of an accident. A total of 142 vehicles are included in the campaign – a VIN list is attached here.

The next-generation Rolls-Royce Ghost has been photographed on the back of a flat-bed truck, wedged between a pair of BMW X5 crossovers. Compared to today's car, the new Ghost looks to have a more heavily raked boot lid for a slightly sportier look, although there's still no danger of it being branded as a "four-door coupe".

They're both yellow, they're both American and they're both very, very fast. But the Dodge Demon and Ford GT are completely different vehicles, with completely different mission statements. Where the Ford GT is derived from racing, with a carbon-fibre tub and a twin-turbo V6 engine making 470kW and 731Nm, the Demon is a street car adapted for life on the drag strip.

First, the new 2019 Mazda 3 must live up to its predecessor's mix of affordability, quality and driver-focused dynamics. Second, it has to raise that bar at least a notch, if not two, in a competitive market. And third, it has to tackle the new Corolla, established i30 and new Cerato, as well as segment frontrunner Golf, in what has become a serious battleground locally. 

After a brief drive on foreign roads in cars that aren’t quite exactly like what we’ll end up with, is the 2019 Mazda 3 still positioned to be a segment favourite? While we don’t know final model grades – or pricing – yet, I think it’s a strong contender. We’ll let you know what those prices and grades are as soon as we can.

How many times have we heard a sports car company say ‘We won't make an SUV’? Porsche, Ferrari, Jaguar... Just to name a few. Well, guess what, as much as it pains me to say it, if making SUVs is going to save the V12 Aventador, then bring on the 2019 Lamborghini Urus SUV.

The 2019 Detroit motor show didn’t deliver any concepts to send the world recoiling in horror, but its track record hasn’t always been clean. As a counterpoint to some of the best over the last 20 years, we’ve also dug up a few of the less agreeable stars to grace the Detroit stage. While we often pine for concepts to get a production run, there’s unlikely to be calls for any of these to forge a path to production.

Lexus has added the 2014 IS250C and IS F to the Takata recall list, expanding on a campaign initially launched in January 2018. As with all Takata-related recall notices, a combination of heat and humidity can make the airbag propellant degrade. If a car fitted with a faulty inflator is involved in an accident where the airbag is triggered, metal fragments may shoot into the cabin, putting vehicle occupants at risk of serious injury or fatality.

Hyundai has revealed the world's first multi-impact airbag, designed to protect drivers in collisions where the first collision isn't necessarily the most dangerous. In scenarios where the airbags might not deploy after the first impact – say a car crashing into another car, below the main airbag trigger threshold – the Hyundai system is capable of detecting the occupants' positions, and firing faster than the initial airbag system.

In this week’s design review we look back on a premium MPV concept from Citroën. Unveiled at the 2003 Frankfurt Motor Show, the C-Airlounge Concept was not just another design study, but a different take on the executive car segment.

In a late night press conference in Tokyo, Hiroto Saikawa, CEO of Nissan, told reporters, including those from Bloomberg and The Wall Street Journal, he "would like to complete my responsibilities as quickly as possible and pass the baton on to the next leader". Saikawa stated he will concentrate on overhauling the company's governance structures. Its three independent directors and outside experts are currently looking into the issue and plan to deliver a report by the end of March.

A mysterious Pagani Huayra wearing a wild aerodynamics package has been spied in testing, sparking speculation an 'R' variant could be on the way. The images, snapped by iuri.giova on Instagram, reveal a massive rear wing and super-aggressive diffuser, along with what appears to be a fin running down the car's spine.

GMC has debuted new technology allowing drivers to see what's behind their trailers on its new Sierra Heavy Duty, as part of an expanded suite of tech features designed to make life easier for people who are always towing.

As competing mainstream car brands align themselves closer and closer, seemingly in an attempt to court buyers via familiarity, it’s nice to encounter an occasional mould-breaker like the Peugeot 3008. While the 3008 Active doesn’t rewrite the rules for medium SUVs, it does dare to be different. Not alienating, just individual.

A new coupe-styled Audi crossover, likely to be badged Q4 or Q3 Sportback, has been snapped testing in the snow. In keeping with the theme laid out by the Q8, the Q4 (or Q3 Sportback, if Audi and Alfa Romeo can't settle their name-based differences) will be a sportier-looking, sloping-roofed version of the Q3 SUV.

The Hyundai Kona crossover is available with both traditional internal combustion engines, and a fully electric drivetrain, so it makes sense an in-between version is also in the works. According to the photographers from our spy agency, the prototype seen here was filled up at a petrol station, but drove away in electric-only mode. The key visual difference between this development vehicle and regular petrol- and diesel-powered Kona models are the aero-style alloy wheels.

Jaguar Land Rover has charged ahead with development of another left-field way for self-driving cars to communicate with the world around them. The company last year released a self-driving pod with giant eyes, designed to make pedestrians feel more comfortable interacting with the vehicle, and has followed up with a test vehicle using light projection to indicate its intentions.

Sponsored by: Kia The Grand Slam season kicks off with the Australian Open and features all the big names in tennis. With over $62 million in prize money up for grabs and over 740,000 people walking through the gates each year, you’ll want to keep an eye out for the specially-marked and Kias.

Renault has launched a (very mildly) revised version of its rear-engined city car, bringing it into line with the wider range's styling direction. Gone are the Twingo's distinctive in-bumper spotlights, sacrificed in favour of a cleaner look designed to make the snout look wider than before. We're not sure of the logic behind giving a rear-engined car more prominent 'air intakes' on the front bumper, but hey, form trumps function sometimes.

On the podcast this week are Mandy Turner, Alborz Fallah, and Mike Stevens. Check out the classy shirts the guys are wearing below... Kez Casey joins us for car news, where we discuss the Toyota Supra sold for US$2.1 million. The 2020 Volkswagen Golf Mk8 has been snapped, while BMW and Mercedes-Benz are discussing a joint front-wheel drive platform, and Tesla has increased its Supercharger prices as it slashes seven per cent of its workforce.

You could say Jeep needs a new Compass. The US 4x4 brand has lost its way in recent years, haemorrhaging sales locally for three successive years. It hasn’t helped that its Cherokee model that launched in 2013 has struggled to fire in the all-important medium-SUV segment. Whether awkward front-end styling has hindered that model is unknown, but the Compass’s cause surely can’t be harmed by looking much more like a Grand Cherokee Junior.

Toyota has added the 2014-2016 Rukus and Yaris Sedan to the ever-expanding Takata recall. As with all other Takata-related recalls, the inflators in affected vehicles can degrade due to a combination of heat and humidity. If a vehicle with an affected inflator is included in an accident, the inflator's metal housing can rupture, sending metal fragments shooting into the cabin.

The new 2020 Ford Shelby Mustang GT500 launched with much fanfare at the 2019 Detroit motor show, becoming the most powerful road-legal Mustang ever created in the process. There are plenty of high-end mechanical parts, from the carbon-fibre driveshaft to the magneto-rehological suspension, along with enough vents, scoops and intakes to make even the most devout boy racers weak at the knees.

Carlos Ghosn, the man who once headed up Renault, Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors, has decided to quit as the chairman and CEO of Renault. After a meeting of its board of directors, Renault has appointed Thierry Bolloré as the company's new permanent CEO. Bolloré was elevated from chief operating officer to interim CEO after Ghosn was arrested in Japan in November 2018.

Sources have told CNBC over 200 people have been fired this week from Apple's Project Titan group. A spokesperson for the tech company confirmed the layoffs to the business news channel. The person added "as the team focuses their work on several key areas for 2019" some groups have been moved to other areas within the company, such as machine learning.

Another week, another new SUV. Toyota’s luxury brand Lexus has finally joined the booming baby SUV class with a completely new model called the UX. It’s odd that Lexus is so late to the party given it was one of the pioneers of the soft-roader segment 21 years ago with the mid-size RX. Better late than never, the 2019 Lexus UX comes well equipped - even from the base model.

There’s a certain homogeneity in the car industry today, which is why an unashamed throwback like the Suzuki Jimny has elicited such a strong response. Not many cars launch to the media with one-third of the first 12-months’ supply already sold out, but that’s exactly the situation Suzuki finds itself in.

The 2019 Suzuki Jimny with its retro styling and hardcore four-wheel drive credentials is launching now, priced from a reasonable $23,990 before on-road costs with a manual, and another $2000 for the automatic. That's pretty sharp considering the Jimny starts at £15,499 pounds in the UK ($27,960)

I have a fondness for French cars. There, I’ve said it. My infatuation probably stems from the Citroen 2CV my mum owned back in the late 1960s. Yes, it was slow. No, it wasn’t comfortable and yes, it ended its all too short life on its side (with me inside). But I loved that car. I loved its quirky styling, it’s pale blue paint, and the black canvas roof that folded back like an old sardine tin. Above: Yep, that's little old me, circa 1969

Ford will axe more than 200 jobs locally as part of a global restructure of the company’s engineering divisions, however Australia will retain a key role in the recently-signed joint development of the next generation Ranger and Volkswagen Amarok utes. Approximately 90 contractors, 75 hourly workers and 40 salaried workers will lose their jobs but Ford Australia will retain about 1700 design and engineering staff, the largest workforce of its type in the country.

We said it in 2017, and in 2018, and we can safely say it again: last year was a big one for new model reveals, and 2019 is shaping up to bring more of the same. With new-car sales numbers having fallen short of a record effort in 2018, the 60-or-so brands operating in Australia will be hoping their latest offerings inspire more interest among local buyers.

Lamborghini won't build more than 8000 cars in 2020, with half of that allocation to be Urus, and the remainder to be split across Huracan (two-thirds) and Aventador (one-third). Speaking with CarAdvice, Lamborghini CEO Stefano Domenicali said that figure include "no further increase in new markets".

A US federal grand jury last week indicted four senior managers — Richard Bauder, Axel Eiser, Stefan Knirsch and Carsten Nagel — for their role in developing and covering up the emissions testing defeat device fitted to the Audi-designed 3.0-litre turbo-diesel V6 engine. All four held senior management positions at Audi's diesel design centres in Neckarsulm and Ingolstadt, Germany. All four are believed to still reside in Germany.

Bentley has announced a new special edition, set to debut at the 2019 Geneva motor show, as a celebration of its centenary. Inspired by one of its racing models, the limited-run car was this morning teased with a picture of a car's badge, sitting above what appears to be a retro-painted grille. We'd suggest the grille is a nod to the legendary Blower Bentleys of the 1920s, although the treatment has also been applied to concepts since then.

The cheapest child restraints are sometimes the safest, according to a new study from the NRMA. Conducted alongside Kidsafe NSW, the NRMA test put nine restraints through their paces in safety and ease of use. None of the seats tested scored a perfect five stars, while four snagged a four-star rating. Although all nine complied with Australian Standards, the NRMA and Kidsafe called out the "vast difference in the quality of protection they offer" in the real world.

The design of Volvo and sub-brand Polestar's new Android-based infotainment system has been revealed as part of the build up to the unveiling, later this year, of the Polestar 2, a new electric sedan set to rival the Tesla Model 3. Polestar's new demonstration website has been designed for tablets and smartphones only, allowing enthusiasts to experience the layout of its new tablet-inspired infotainment system, which will eventually take over from Volvo's Sensus system.

The new Suzuki Jimny has been hit with a “below average” three-star rating by Australia’s peak automotive safety body - matching the poor score issued by European authorities. Testing found “structural weaknesses” in the body, the crash-test dummy head “bottomed out” through the airbag and struck the steering wheel, and there were shortcomings with the safety assistance technology.

Federal Labor has promised to devote $1 billion to developing the Australian hydrogen sector, as part of a plan designed to "supercharge Australia's renewable energy industry". The plan would see a $3 million National Hydrogen Innovation Hub created in Gladstone, Queensland, driven by the broader promise of growth in the burgeoning hydrogen industry. According to the Federal Opposition, the industry could be worth $10 billion over the next two decades.

A new teaser sketch, as well as spy photos taken last year, show the new electric car owes much of its design to the 2017 Honda Urban EV concept. With its round headlights and minimalist detailing, the new car will be quite a break from not only Honda's recent styling efforts, but from the industry in general.

Although the faulty component only affects those three models, Subaru has halted production of the Liberty, Outback, WRX, Levorg, BRZ and Toyota 86 as well because all these vehicles use the same body assembly line. According to the company's initial investigation, cars produced between late December 2018 and January 16 this year were fitted with this faulty component.

Volkswagen has turned its energy from Pikes Peak to the Nurburgring, announcing plans to topple the electric lap record currently owned by the NIO EP9. Where it chased the outright record up Pikes Peak, the record within Volkswagen's sights is purely related to electric vehicles. Apparently there's no way the ID R could come close to toppling the 5:19.55 outright record set by the Porsche 919 Evo.

If the all-new 2019 Porsche 911 were a car taken in isolation, an isolation that doesn’t draw on the model’s 55-year history, then what you would have is one bloody great sports car.

It’s hard for small-volume, albeit highly profitable, brands to stand out in the super-fragmented Australian car market. But Suzuki Australia is nevertheless getting aggressive with its sales targets.

Aston Martin has continued its drip-feed of details about the upcoming Valkyrie hypercar, shedding some light on what's included in the AMR Track Performance Pack, and how owners will be able to customise their cars. We're going to start with the Track Performance Pack (pictured below), given this is designed to be a one-of-a-kind weapon on a racetrack. The package means the car isn't road-legal, but Aston Martin says it makes the Valkyrie about eight per cent faster per lap.

Passing lanes can reduce accidents by 16 per cent on highways, according to a new study from the Australia Road Research Board (ARRB). The report found overtaking lanes added to two-lane, two-way roads – the likes of which feature prominently in rural and semi-rural Australia – also reduce congestion by 10 per cent. Dr. Ian Espada from the ARRB described the lanes as a "good investment", arguing they offer "improvements in operation and safety benefits" for motorists.

Ford has confirmed it's working on a cheaper, more compact ute to slot below the Ranger, following reports from July last year suggesting such a vehicle was in the works. Speaking at the Deutsche Bank Global Auto Industry Conference and quoted in Automotive News, Ford's president of global markets, Jim Farley, said the company is "investing in more affordable versions of our truck business" at the moment.

Test-driving a new hardcore Lamborghini in a foreign land at an official F1 circuit is bucket-list stuff, no matter which way you put it. That said, it’s been a while since I climbed aboard a new Lambo and nailed it on-track, but my enthusiasm for the brand with the raging bull as its emblem is as strong as ever. Principally because this is a carmaker that not only dares to be different, but has always stayed the course regardless of who has been steering the ship.

The Lamborghini Huracan Evo was revealed overnight with styling changes, equipment upgrades and a more powerful drivetrain. UPDATE, 23/01/2019: Lamborghini has revealed pricing for the car will start at $459,441 before on-roads. The story has been updated with those details. Externally the Huracan Evo is differentiated from its forebears by new front bumpers, which feature less black space than before, revised side air intakes, and new alloy wheel designs.

Thanks to rising development costs, greater market fragmentation, and the need to invest in both electric vehicles and self-driving car technology, automakers are increasingly coming together to share development costs and increase economies of scale. With that in mind, Harald Krüger, CEO of BMW, and Ola Källenius, CEO-in-waiting at Daimler, are said to be in wide-open collaboration talks between the sometimes bitter rivals.

Toyota will team up with Panasonic to accelerate battery production, as the automotive giant attempts to set itself up for future electric vehicle demand. The new joint venture will come into force by the end of 2020 pending approval by the relevant authorities, with Toyota taking the dominant (51 per cent) stake in the partnership. It builds on a lithium-ion battery partnership forged in 2017.

The second-generation Peugeot 2008 has been spied during winter testing in northern Europe. If the surfacing of the new 2008 seems a little flat and bland, that's because there's quite a few small false panels affixed underneath the camouflage to hide many of the styling elements of the final car.

The Mercedes-Benz E-Class facelift has been spied again in northern Europe, but this time our spy photography agency has managed to get a look at the car's interior. As we saw in an earlier series of spy photos, the update for the current E-Class won't be as dramatic as the reshaping the previous generation underwent for its mid-life facelift. Up front it seems changes are limited to a restyled bumper, new grille designs, and revised graphics for the headlights.

From its earliest beginnings, Jaguar has always been about design. Whether it was a sports car or a luxury sedan, they were things of beauty. I’m thinking of the E-Type and the Daimler Double-six my old man had picked up as veritable barn finds and restored to near perfection back in the day, and they left a lasting memory and fondness for the brand that has endured ever since.

The Bathurst 12-Hour enduro race may not yet draw the same crowds as the Supercars Bathurst 1000, but its profile domestically and internationally is growing rapidly. The four-day 2019 event (January 31 to February 3) has an incredibly strong driver line-up including Le Mans and Spa enduro winners, plus DTM and Supercars touring champs.

Transport for New South Wales has announced a $10 million fund for connected and autonomous vehicle trials, as it looks to ramp up self-driving research within its borders. Released yesterday, the fund is part of a Connected and Automated Vehicles Plan outlining how to create a "sustainable transport system that improves on safety, efficiency and the customer experience" for users.

If you thought Supra Mania was over, think again. Having launched the car in Detroit, Toyota last weekend auctioned the first example in Scottsdale, Arizona. We're used to seeing crazy prices on classic cars, but it turns out modern sports cars can also fetch mental money, with the grey-and-red Supra selling for US$2.1 million ($2.93 million).

The current Dodge Challenger and Charger are old. The chassis on which they're based is 13 years old, to be precise, meaning they're proper dinosaurs in the fast-moving automotive world. They won't stay that way forever, though. Mike Manley, successor to Sergio Marchionne at the helm of Fiat Chrysler, has confirmed they'll be replaced with electrified vehicles "in the next decade".

Remember the Fisker Karma? It was an audacious attempt to upset the establishment, powered by a range-extender and designed to take only pictures, leave only footprints on the environment. Money troubles killed the project in 2012, forcing the company to sell its design, rights and assets to a Chinese buyer.

It should come as no surprise, then, to hear Aston Martin has paired up with TAG. Although it's primarily a sponsorship deal for the Vantage GT3 racer, the partnership has also bred the blacked-out grand tourer you see here. Dubbed the (deep breath) Aston Martin DBS Superleggera TAG Heuer Edition (phew), the limited-edition features unique finishes across the board, along with a timepiece to match.

Tesla has jacked up the prices of its Superchargers around the world, having last week cut its workforce and ended its long-running referral program. Discovered by Electrek and confirmed by the company, fee increases of 33 per cent are being reported on Superchargers in some American states. In Australia, the average price for charging will jump from $0.35 per kWh to $0.47 per kWh.

The Alpina B5 Biturbo Touring is the V8 BMW 5 Series wagon you were never meant to have, as Alpina’s car is the only current-spec 5 Series Touring with a bent eight. While the sedan was launched here last May, this wagon variant means you can get to 100km/h in 3.7 seconds and, where possible, on to 322km/h with Fido and his dog bowl in the back.

The New South Wales Government has announced a major election promise today, confirming a not insignificant investment in its electric vehicle fleets and the state's growing EV charging network. If successful in the March 23 election, the NSW Liberal party claims its Electric and Hybrid Vehicle Plan will include a $3 million co-investment in fast charging points on major regional corridors, along with $2 million on chargers in commuter car parks.

BMW has expanded its Takata recall to E46 3 Series models previously fitted with new Takata inflators as replacements for their old, potentially deadly units. As with all Takata-related recalls, the inflators in affected vehicles can degrade because of heat and humidity. If a vehicle included with a faulty inflator is included in a crash triggering the airbags, the metal inflator housing could explode or rupture under the internal pressure, sending metal fragments shooting into the cabin.