CAR ADVICE

DEALERS are likely to be desperate to do a sharp price on a new car in March – traditionally the second-biggest month of the year for sales – after figures for February revealed the biggest market slowdown since the Global Financial Crisis. It is now 11 months in a row sales have fallen short of the same month the previous year — and even market leader Toyota has been hit hard.

Skoda has announced some minor changes for its Karoq and Kodiaq crossovers ahead of the Geneva motor show, set to go into production later this year. In terms of design, both models will swap out the current Skoda arrow logo on the tailgate for 'Skoda' script, in line with the new Kamiq baby SUV also making its public debut at the Swiss event.

Audi has revealed its 10th anniversary present to the R8 V10, in the form of the limited-run Decennium coupe. Just 222 examples will be built worldwide, making it a very tricky beast to track down. The Decennium is distinguished from other R8 models by its matte bronze engine intake manifold and and 20-inch milled wheels.

This week Mandy Turner is joined by Paul Maric and James Wong. In car news, the NSW opposition is planning to slug car buyers with the highest stamp duty in Australia, Toyota customers are paying more luxury car tax than many other buyers, and the Australian EV Council has slammed Federal Government's 'plan about a plan' on EVs. Plus, the Honda E Prototype and 2020 Volkswagen T-Roc R have been unveiled.

Tesla has finally released the affordable Model 3 it's been promising for so long, now available to order in the States for US$35,000 ($49,300) before incentives. Jumping on the company's US configurator shows new variants, dubbed 'Standard Range' and 'Standard Range Plus', the latter costing US$2000 more ($2818). Specifications for the Standard Range are as follows: 220mi (354km) of range, a top speed of 130mph (209km/h), and a 0-60mph (0-97km/h) time of 5.6 seconds.

It's been the worst-kept secret in the industry, but we can finally officially reveal HSV will import and convert the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 from April this year, with pricing to start from $159,990 before on-road costs.

HSV has confirmed it'll bring the 2019 Chevrolet Camaro to Australia, complete with the option of a manual transmission and a higher $86,990 starting price before on-road costs. Headline news is the addition of a six-speed manual option to the Camaro, which now becomes the standard transmission. A 10-speed automatic is an option ($2200) and brings customisable launch control and line-lock.

Kia has continued the drip-feed of details about its upcoming electric concept car headed for the Geneva motor show, revealing it'll have four doors, a new Kia logo, and more than 20 screens. No, that isn't a typo, it'll have more than twenty screens.

The Ferrari F8 Tributo has been revealed ahead of its in-person debut at the 2019 Geneva motor show, which starts next week. Powering the F8 Tributo is a 3.9-litre turbocharged V8 delivering 530kW of power at 8000rpm, and 770Nm of torque at 3250rpm. This seems to be the same engine employed by the 488 Pista.

Driving the 2019 Lotus Exige Sport 410 is a visceral experience, raw and unadulterated. It’s immersive and unrefined. Unembellished. It’s a car that breathes you in, inhales you, and embraces you so you become part of it. It screams at you, with you, and howls in delight even as you laugh with unbridled joy during your tango with the tarmac. It’s a delightfully raucous driver's car that makes no sense at all. Until it does.

The first motor show of the year, Detroit, is a distant memory, and the European calendar's first big new-car event of the year, the 2019 Geneva motor show, is nearly upon us. What can we expect this year? Catch our list of world premieres below: Alpina B4 S Bi-Turbo Edition 99 (confirmed) Alpina B7 Bi-Turbo xDrive (revealed) Bentley Bentayga Speed (revealed) BMW X5 xDrive45e (revealed) BMW 330e (revealed) BMW 745e (revealed) BMW M760Li xDrive (revealed)

As perhaps my personal favourite release of 2018 under a quarter-mil’, the Renault Megane RS – the ‘softer’ Sport EDC, specifically – was my list-topper for Christmas break getaway cars.

The New South Wales Government has committed to creating a National Centre of Excellence for autonomous vehicles, and will later this year host the International Driverless Vehicle Summit (IDVS). According to the Australian Driverless Vehicle Index (ADVI), the new Centre of Excellence will help address Australia's slow progress on autonomous vehicle development.

The newish 2019 Porsche Macan range has landed in Aussie showrooms – something of a facelift by conventional car-making definition, yet something else according to the local arm. “It’s more half facelift, half new-generation” is the claim, and of course off goes the spin-doctoring alarm, though in fairness Porsche Australia does have (half) a point.

Tesla's mercurial founder and CEO, Elon Musk, has sent Tesla stock soaring with a cryptic triptych of tweets. We'll know more on Thursday 2pm, California time, but Musk – rebranded Elon Tusk on Twitter, naturally – has promised "Some Tesla news". In most cases, that wouldn't be news. But after the tweet made its way around the world Tesla stocks rose by almost 6.0 per cent, proving Musk is still able to move markets with a few sweeps of his thumbs.

Euro NCAP has released the latest round of safety ratings this week, with the new Honda CR-V, Mercedes-Benz G-Class and Seat Tarraco all scoring top marks. All three vehicles were tested against the firm's latest 2019 criteria, each achieving at least 90 per cent for adult occupant protection and 80 per cent for child occupants. In particular, the Seat managed an impressive 97 per cent for adult occupant protection, which Euro NCAP says is amongst the best score in this category.

THE debate about Australia’s fuel quality is about to be reignited by Porsche. The updated Porsche Macan SUV is the first car sold in Australia with a petrol particulate filter. Until now, European brands have claimed Australia is missing out on the latest engine technology because our unleaded petrol is allowed to have up to 50 parts per million of sulphur rather than the maximum 10 ppm mandated in Europe.

Ginetta has unveiled its new, as-yet unnamed, supercar ahead of its public debut at the 2019 Geneva motor show. The Leeds-based firm has confirmed to Autocar the vehicle will be powered by dry-sump 6.0-litre V8, which was developed in-house and is milled from a single block of aluminium. Making around 450kW (600hp) of power and 705Nm of torque, the V8 is pushed to the back of the engine bay and drives the rear wheels through a Ginetta-designed six-speed sequential transmission.

Mercedes-Benz has pulled back the sheet on an update to its important entrant in the mid-sized SUV segment, the 2019 GLC, with a tougher look and the addition of MBUX infotainment. Given it's a critical point for most buyers, we're going to start with the infotainment. At the launch of the new C-Class, Mercedes said its mid-sized sedan wouldn't be getting the bleeding-edge MBUX system because its electrical architecture is based on that of the E- and S-Class, instead of the A-Class.

Australia looks likely to make autonomous emergency braking (AEB) mandatory on all new vehicles sold from the early 2020s, pending the passage of draft UN standards. Unlike the rules soon to face the European Union parliament, which includes lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring and black box data recorders, the United Nations World Forum for Harmonisation of Vehicle Regulations rules relate exclusively to autonomous emergency braking.

Polestar has unveiled the car it hopes will take down the Tesla Model 3 overnight, in the form of the 2. It's stayed true to its original concept, too, with a design heavily inspired (almost entirely inspired, in fact) by the Volvo Concept 40.2. On the inside, the Polestar 2 has a dashboard design that's quite different from the Volvo XC40, with a free floating portrait-orientation 11.0-inch touchscreen dominating the cabin.

The Honda e Prototype, patterned on the 2017 Urban EV concept, previews the company's first mass-market electric vehicle for buyers outside of China. Aside from the black patch on the bonnet, the design is refreshingly minimalist, and devoid of any sporty pretensions.

When we’re not creating it ourselves, the CarAdvice team spends a lot of time finding and consuming motoring content from all over the world. Here’s a handful of the articles, videos and social media posts that most caught our eye last week. Some of them are brand-new, others have been online for a while. Enjoy them – just not too much, okay? Things are tough in the world of startups Yes, it's satire. But it's scarily accurate, too MX-5 owners, are you alright? 

Image is everything, fashion is fleeting, and style is timeless. As Anna Wintour-esque as buzzphrases like those might sound, they’re true. At least they’re as true of consumer goods as they are high-end couture. There will always be exceptions, but in most cases if you were given the choice between something stylish and aspirational or something more frumpy, you’d hardly pick the latter.

Hyundai Australia has announced pricing and specification for the limited-run Kona Iron Man Edition "arriving in showrooms soon" priced from $39,990 before on-road costs. Based on the flagship all-wheel drive Highlander, the Kona Iron Man Edition picks up a swag of bespoke features inspired by the Marvel superhero, loosely based on the concept vehicle shown at the Kona's debut a couple of years ago.

Toyota Europe has revealed a pair of new Corolla variants for the Geneva motor show, offering two very different flavours depending on buyer preference. First up is the Corolla GR Sport (pictured in silver), which in concept is in a similar vein to the Hyundai i30 N-Line or Ford Focus ST-Line – offering sporty looks and equipment without any powertrain upgrades.

Porsche Australia has been left red-faced after releasing a new model without safety technology that comes standard on sub-$20,000 hatchbacks. Despite costing between $80,000 and $100,000 the updated Porsche Macan SUV does not come with autonomous emergency braking as standard — even though the safety aid is fitted to budget-priced models such as the Suzuki Swift, Volkswagen Polo, Toyota Corolla, Mazda 3 and most other new cars on sale.

Alfa Romeo has revealed a pair of F1-inspired special editions based on the Giulia Quadrifoglio and Stelvio Quadrifoglio performance models for the Geneva motor show next week. Dubbed the 'Alfa Romeo Racing special series', the limited-edition models celebrate the company's entry into the Formula 1 championship with Sauber.

Honda has announced pricing and spec information for the 2019 Civic sedan range, headlined by the news VTi-L and RS models will now come with the Honda Sensing safety suite as standard. The active safety suite, previously reserved for the range-topping VTi-LX, brings autonomous-emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, and automatic high-beam.

On this week's episode of CarAdvice, Trent Nikolic and Paul Maric look the sales numbers from January 2019, talk about Hyundai's first N-Line product, wax lyrical on the Dodge Challenger Hellcat, and talk hail damage with Steve Price. First up: BMW has revealed its first-ever X3 and X4 M, complete with a hotter, meaner Competition variant. They're coming directly for the Mercedes-AMG GLC63 S, which has exactly the same amount of power...

The new entry-level Jetta brand plans to have 200 dealerships across China by the end 2019, and will also use "innovative sales formats", including digital showrooms, a presence in shopping malls and mobile sales trucks. The Jetta brand will target value conscious buyers who typically prefer local brands. When sales start, the Jetta range will consist of one sedan and two crossovers. At today's announcement, the company displayed images of two of the as-yet-unnamed models.

The 720S Spider demands a hefty $66,100 premium over its Coupe sibling, as well as rival models like the Ferrari 488 Spider ($29,112) and Lamborghini Huracan Performante Spyder ($23,365). But I’d argue that neither can match the all-round performance of the McLaren both on and off the track, as close as they might be.

Arizona is 10 per cent larger than the UK and has a population of seven million, with five million of those residing in Phoenix. So, once you leave the city, you’ll find deserted roads and even more of the ubiquitous saguaro cacti. And for those interested in botany, it takes about 100 years for the main stem to reach maturity and its natural height, but then the additional arms take about another 75 years to grow. And believe me, there are many that appear to be around 375 years old.

Mercedes-AMG has taken the wraps off its new GLE53 4Matic+, which will serve as the GLE's flagship variant until the full-fat AMG 63 version arrives. As with most AMG models, the new 53 is all about what lies under the bonnet. In this case it's a turbocharged 3.0-litre straight six augmented by 48V mild-hybrid technology, which Mercedes calls 'EQ Boost'.

The updated Jaguar XE has been revealed, with pricing to kick off at $65,670 before on-road costs when the dramatically slimmed-down range arrives locally. According Jaguar Land Rover, the revised exterior is inspired by the F-Type. The front end benefits from slimmer looking full LED headlamps, and restyled air intakes.

Nissan has teased its IMQ Concept ahead of the Geneva motor show, designed to preview the brand's all-electric, highly-automated future. The sharp-looking crossover follows in the footsteps of the IMs and IMx revealed at the 2018 Detroit and 2017 Tokyo motor shows respectively, with similar hook-shaped taillights and angular detailing.

The Lamborghini Huracan Evo Spyder has been revealed ahead of its physical debut at the 2019 Geneva motor show, which starts at the beginning of March. Like the Huracan Evo coupe, the Spyder is powered by a naturally-aspirated 5.2-litre V10 churning out 470kW at 8000rpm, and 600Nm of torque at 6500rpm. This engine was previously used on the pre-facelift Performante model.

The Volkswagen Touareg V8 TDI has been revealed ahead of its in-the-flesh debut at the 2019 Geneva motor show, which kicks off early next month. Under the bonnet, this model features a 4.0-litre turbo-diesel V8, which has been tuned to deliver 310kW of power and 900Nm of torque. Further details about the drivetrain have yet to be confirmed, but Volkswagen says it complies with the Euro 6d-TEMP emission standard.

The Hyundai Palisade, which is currently only made in left-hand drive, sits a good size above the Santa Fe, offering not only eight seats, but significantly more room inside and out. Andrew Tuitahi, Hyundai Australia's senior manager of product planning, told CarAdvice that a larger-than-Santa Fe offering would likely do well in our market.

The luxury car marker has just confirmed the second-generation Porsche Macan will be abandon the MQB transverse engine front- and all-wheel drive platform in favour of the new Platform Premium Electric (PPE). Developed in conjunction with Audi, PPE will form the basis of the Taycan sports sedan, Porsche's first all-electric model. The Taycan is heavily influenced by the Mission E concept, and will be launched at the end of the year.

Skoda has officially revealed the Kamiq, now the smallest member of the Czech brand's SUV family. In terms of design, it's very obvious the littlest Skoda crossover was inspired by the Vision X concept that previewed it at last year's Geneva motor show, though it's been toned down a bit for production. Up front is a new split headlight design that separates the main beam from the LED daytime-running light clusters – a first for the brand.

There are not a lot of concept cars that maintain the ability to impress and intrigue almost two decades after their launch, but the Audi Rosemeyer is definitely among them. The retro-futuristic hypercar from Germany was presented in June 1, 2000 at the Autostadt in Wolfsburg as the pinnacle of the brand's technical evolution and a fitting tribute to Auto Union's 'Silver Arrows' race cars of the 1930s.

People often say “don’t forget where you came from”. Although we’re focused on every new car, every last detail here at CarAdvice, we have an extensive back-catalogue of news stories, lifestyle yarns and reviews. Here’s a look at what happened on the week of February 26 in years past. Sadly for old Pathfinder fans, there's no firm word on whether it's coming here It'll be the only new-gen Fiesta variant headed Down Under in the coming months, too

Toyota has pretty much confirmed it will produce a proper hot hatch based on the new Corolla, according to a new report out of Europe. Speaking with Dutch publication AutoRai.nl Toyota's deputy chief designer, Toshio Kanei, said a fully-fledged Corolla GRMN is "certainly realistic".

In 2018 super-luxury car manufacturer Rolls-Royce sold a record 4,107 cars – a huge number when you consider just nine years ago when current CEO Torsten Muller-Otvos arrived, they were selling just 1000 cars.

Alfa Romeo has partially revealed and detailed the refreshed 2019 Giulietta hatchback, ahead of its debut at next week's Geneva motor show. Two versions of the Italian hatchback will be on display at the Swiss event, Veloce and Executive, both featuring revised designs and some new specification.

The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has reportedly asked a judge to hold outspoken Tesla CEO, Elon Musk, in contempt for violating his settlement with the agency with a tweet last week. Bloomberg reports that the tweet in question, made on February 19 (US time), violates the settlement Musk made with the SEC last year that required him to seek pre-approval from the company for social media posts and "other written communication that would be material to the company or investors".

While the Hispano Suiza 'Carmen' set to debut at the 2019 Geneva motor show is an all-electric supercar being developed in Barcelona, this Hispano Suiza rebirth comes from a Switzerland-based firm. This company was also responsible for the brand's 2010 concept car, and was founded car designers Erwin Leo Himmel and Olivier Boulay.

NSW Labor leader Michael Daley plans to increase stamp duty to the highest rate in the nation – to 7 per cent on vehicles priced above $100,000. This would be in addition to the 33 per cent Luxury Car Tax and 10 per cent GST already levied on cars in this price range. Mr Daley says he wants the “wealthiest in society” and “the big end of town” to pay for more nurses as part of his $240 million plan to legislate minimum nurse-to-patient ratios.

Photographers have snapped the first images of the upcoming Audi A5 facelift this week, previewing the relatively light changes in store for its coupe, convertible and four-door Sportback range. With the swirly black-and-white wrap focused on the front and rear ends, it's pretty obvious the majority of changes will be made at the bumpers and light units to bring the A5 family in line with the company's latest models.

Abarth has revealed the 124 Rally Tribute and 595 esseesse as part of the company's 70th anniversary celebrations. The Italian performance brand's new models each have a unique flavour, which are both claimed to be "authentic expressions of the brand's racing soul and its glorious past in motorsport". First cab off the rank is the new 595 esseesse, which debuts some 55 years after the original.

The Seat Minimo has made its debut at the 2019 Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, and will eventually enter same the market niche as the Renault Twizy. Justifying the car's launch alongside the latest round of smartphones, the Minimo is fitted with a Digital Access key, 5G mobile connectivity, and wireless Android Auto support.

Under the bonnet the Volkswagen T-Roc R features the company's 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine tuned to deliver 221kW of power and 400Nm of torque. This is channelled to the ground via a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, and an all-wheel drive system. The hot crossover has a claimed 0-100km/h time of 4.9 seconds, and an electronically limited top speed of 250km/h.

When you've thrown the feature book at a car, midlife updates are often only skin deep. Mercedes-Benz updated the S-Class range in early 2018 with a minor face lift and a reduction of available models from 12 to eight in a bid to simplify the range. In addition to the range simplification, the 2019 Mercedes-Benz S400d L was spawned (a long-wheelbase version of the S400d) and the entire range had an increase in standard specification, including:

SEA Electric is taking its Australian EV-making talents abroad, preparing two pure-electric trucks and a van for the American market. Based on Ford and Isuzu chassis, and set for display at the Work Truck Show in Indianapolis, the display trucks follow the purchase of a site in Los Angeles, from which it'll explore what's required for North American certification and distribution.

Our time with 'Smurfette' the Citroen C4 Cactus Exclusive is nearly up, but before we return the brightly coloured French crossover, let's have a look at the cabin. We've already gone through the Cactus's infotainment and technology (or lack of), which you can read more about here. As for comfort and practicality, the little crossover is surprisingly spacious inside, despite barely being any larger than your average small hatchback.

EXCLUSIVE Toyota customers are paying more Luxury Car Tax than buyers of most prestige brands, prompting renewed calls to scrap the 33 per cent levy on vehicles priced above the $66,331 threshold. Luxury Car Tax has reaped the Federal Government more than $5 billion over the past decade – including more than $695 million in the last financial year alone.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison today unveiled a $2 billion pre-election climate change policy, but electric vehicle advocates are calling for more to be done in support of the burgeoning EV market. There's minimal mention of electric vehicles in the policy, which simply commits to developing a 'National Electric Vehicle Strategy' without any concrete promise what it might look like and when it might be done.

Volkswagen Australia is currently offering 2018 model-year Golf R hatches and wagons with a $3000 factory bonus for a limited time. Following the recent announcement of drive-away pricing for the front-wheel drive Golf GTI, the German manufacturer has introduced a new offer on its flagship all-wheel drive performance duo, available until March 31.

Peugeot has revealed its new 208 baby hatchback ahead of an in-person debut at the Geneva motor show next week, complete with a pure-electric variant. Up front, the new supermini has a face with more than just a hint of 508 about it. The headlamps contain a condensed version of Peugeot's three-stripe claw graphics, the outermost of which link with a pronounced 'fang' running into the bumper. There's a jewel-like grille and 208 badge on the bonnet, also in keeping with the wider range.

Gosford Classic Cars has closed its doors after less than three years of operation, due to an ongoing dispute with the Australian Tax Office (ATO). Set up in 2016 to be Australia's 'largest car dealership', the museum specialises in rare and unique vehicles, with the current collection totalling an estimated value of over $70 million.

The BMW X1 has completely flunked pedestrian autonomous emergency braking testing conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). So poor was its performance, the littlest BMW crossover was the only vehicle to not be rated in a test of 11 compact SUVs. The second-worst rated car was the Mitsubishi Outlander, while the Honda CR-V, Subaru Forester, Toyota RAV4 and Volvo XC40 took top ratings.

Audi has revealed its new range of plug-in hybrids, based on various model lines including the A6, A7, A8 and Q5. Set to make their public debut at the Geneva motor show next week, the four new PHEVs are badged 'TFSI e' – the company will reserve the 'e-tron' monicker for all-electric models from here on.

There is a vast array of car manufacturers kicking around today, and due to the ever-broadening growth of electric cars, a number of prospective new entrants (vacuum maker Dyson, for instance) poised to enter the fray. And yet the car business is simultaneously homogenous. Cars are ever more similar and inter-related, through direct joint-ventures between rivals or stable-mates alike, and via shared components provided by huge suppliers.

Ford Motor Company could be in hot water regarding emissions and fuel consumption data, after the company's employees raised concerns incorrect figures were submitted to regulators and consumers. A new report by industry journal Automotive News Europe says the Blue Oval has recently hired external investigators to figure out whether its internal processes translated to inaccurate data.

The on-again, off-again relationship between Tesla and Consumer Reports has taken another turn, with the reliability-focused US publication removing its recommendation for the Model 3. In initial testing, the Model 3 was found to be "not good enough to recommend", before over-the-air updates fixed the issues – which saw the car stop worse than a Ford F-150 in braking tests – and earned the littlest Tesla a coveted recommendation.

Leaving a seven-seat option out of the Endura range might be a bit of a gamble on Ford’s behalf, particularly when rivals like the Toyota Kluger, Mazda CX-9 and CX-8, Holden Acadia and Hyundai Santa Fe come standard with the flexibility of two extra seats, be they for full-time use or ‘just in case’ situations.

Lister is preparing to show off a concept modern reincarnation of its legendary Knobbly racer at the Geneva motor show. The company's co-owner, Lawrence Whittaker, gave little away in teasing the low-slung concept, beyond tweeting to confirm this is indeed "the new Lister Knobbly concept we've been working on".

Our focus is to inform people about new cars, and in so doing we generally deal directly with carmakers and their representatives, plus representative body the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries.

The Toyota HiLux has been Australia's top-selling new vehicle for three years running, outgunning the Ford Ranger, Mitsubishi Triton, Isuzu D-Max, Holden Colorado and Nissan Navara in the process. Peerless reputation and resale values, creature-of-habit customers, and Toyota's vast dealer network across our red country all play their role in making this the reality. What Ford's F-Series is to North America, the HiLux is to us.

The automotive news wheel is always turning. If you’re not constantly checking CarAdvice – which you should be doing, by the way – it can be easy for some headlines to slip through the cracks. To make sure you haven’t missed anything important, we’ve gathered what we reckon are the hottest news stories from this week, right here. Check them out, and let us know what caught your eye.

It was a simple design, a front-engined, rear-wheel drive, metal-bodied sedan built on a ladder frame chassis. It unashamedly borrowed its design cues from the American-made DeSoto Airflow, right down to the rear suicide doors.

The updated Volvo XC90 has been unveiled, and the exterior differences are difficult to spot. The grille insert is now concave and the highlights around the lower air intakes have been modified, but aside from that the only other differences relate to new alloy wheel designs and paint options. More significant upgrades have been made under the bonnet, with the range gaining new mild hybrid drivetrains.

The Cupra Formentor concept will be given its in-the-flesh debut at the 2019 Geneva motor show, which kicks off at the beginning of March. Although the car that will go on stage in Geneva is billed as a concept, it looks production ready — check out the interior and its proper wing mirrors! — and is likely based on the Seat Ateca crossover.

A car manufacturer took out Roy Morgan’s ‘Best of the Best’ trophy in its annual Australian Customer Satisfaction Award earlier this week, given to the company with the highest rating across all market categories. This winner was… Isuzu Ute (IUA), which managed a 96.1 per cent satisfaction score, nudging it ahead of supermarket Foodland (93.5 per cent), bottle shop Dan Murphy’s (93.3 per cent), the Heritage Bank (92.9 per cent), and insurer RACT (92.3 per cent).

Sales charts for the Australian car industry are broadly broken up into categories or segments, pitting like-for-like vehicles against one another. By analysing these segments it becomes clear a number of them are dominated by a single player. For every segment that’s closely fought between a number of competitors, there’s one that… isn’t.

The new Porsche 911 is barely three months old, but already the top-end variants are starting to appear on the internet. We've seen spy photos of cars wearing big wings, camouflaged prototypes and now what appears to be an undisguised 911 Turbo on Instagram. Hmmm. It's obviously not an official Porsche picture, but all the hallmarks of a 911 Turbo are present and correct in the leaked images, posted on Instagram by user t_schleicher.

As far as farewell gifts go, the BMW M3 CS is beautiful and heartbreaking all at once. It’s captivating by virtue of being the last of the current-generation F80 M3 line. While it may be an ‘old car’ by contemporary standards – particularly when lined up against the incoming G20-generation car that will replace it – the anachronisms inherent in its engineering base make it a purist's dream. Of sorts.

Barely a week goes by without us talking about electric vehicles on the CarAdvice podcast. In this special, Mandy Turner hosts our panel with Paul Maric, Curt Dupriez and Jez Spinks while on location for our latest electric vehicle mega test. Topics include the future of EVs, battery longevity, different types of charging, build quality, pricing, servicing, infrastructure, range anxiety, and so much more. Listen to the podcast below, and let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Hyundai is preparing to expand its N-Line trim in Europe, giving the warmed-over i30 a Tucson-based brother. The new Tucson N-Line looks likely to launch at the Geneva motor show next month, with a range "of motorsport-influenced details inside and out". Based on what we've seen, the car will get a more aggressive front-end treatment and unique alloy wheels, along with N-Line badging on its flanks.

Mitsubishi has once again teased the concept it plans to reveal at the 2019 Geneva motor show, revealing its chunky profile and split headlamp treatment. Based on our brightened version of the teaser, pictured above, the car will have a face blending elements of Triton and Eclipse Cross, with the same split headlight treatment and bluff snout.

The European Union Parliament will next month vote to make pre-crash 'black box' data recorders and potentially life-saving active safety technology mandatory on new vehicles sold after 2022. In yesterday's vote, the EU Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO) approved plans to make autonomous emergency braking, pedestrian and cyclist detection, intelligent speed assist and lane-keeping assist mandatory on all new cars sold from 2022.

Volkswagen has given its Transporter van a new look, with a fresh grille more closely aligned to models like the Touareg, a sportier looking bumper design, and squarer headlight units which flow directly into a new side badge and indicator element. Out the back there's LED driving lights integrated into the redesigned tail-lights graphics.

This week Mandy Turner is in Sydney for the EV mega test – listen out for the EV podcast special! – and is joined on the panel by Trent Nikolic and Tony Crawford. Geza emailed us at podcast@caradvice.com to ask if he should chip tune his 2014 Kia Rondo, used to haul the family and a camper trailer.

Kia has offered a peek at its upcoming electric concept car, revealing its face in a teaser. Although the original image was blacked out, a bit of basic photoshop is all it took to get a proper look at the compact, sporty show car.

Audi has revealed a diesel compatriot to the SQ5, inventively dubbed the SQ5 TDI, following in the footsteps of the model's diesel-only predecessor. Under the bonnet is a 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel engine assisted by an electric compressor at low revs and a 48V mild-hybrid setup. This powertrain cranks out 255kW of power and 700Nm between 2500 and 3100rpm. All of this channelled to ground through all four wheels and an eight-speed automatic transmission.

There are a number of car brands in Australia that must long to be Mazda, and not simply because it’s number-two in the sales race behind Toyota. Market research and sales data suggest that prospective customers are easily ‘up-sold’ into more expensive premium versions of its Mazda 3 small-car staple. They’re not after a $20k ‘base’ grade, instead wanting something nicer.

Mazda Australia has taken the bold decision to push its new 3 sedan and hatch upmarket, responding to what it calls customer demand for ritzier choices in the small car space.

Mazda Australia has justified its decision to push the new-generation 3 hatch and sedan models further upmarket – greatly increasing the price of entry in return for a substantial amount of extra equipment – by suggesting it’s simply following customer trends.

Holden boss Dave Buttner has officially dismissed talks of a takeover in the distribution of its cars – but in a shock move the former Number One has raised the white flag and admitted it is now a “challenger brand” in the wake of record low sales. In wide-ranging media interviews this week, Holden executives conceded the company needs to reinvent itself to remain relevant amid changing buyer tastes, and has even vowed to take on “keyboard warriors” who give it grief on social media.

The mighty Falcon GTHO has risen from the ashes two years after the closure of the Ford factory. Except the people who built this car can’t call it a GTHO because it was never an official program. The engineers who developed the supercharged Falcon GT always knew there was more power in reserve and more potential in the chassis. In the end, they ran out of road before they could get the fastest Falcon of all time over the line.

The mighty Falcon GTHO has risen from the ashes, two years after the closure of the Ford factory - except the people who built this car can’t call it a GTHO, because it was never an official program.

Volkswagen has categorically ruled out the current-generation Atlas making the trip to Australia, with a tricky right-hand drive business case the culprit. Speaking with media on the back of an SUV-focused dealer event in Brisbane, Paul Pottinger, Volkswagen's local head of communications, said the behemoth seven-seat SUV is just "not going to happen this generation" in Australia.

Peugeot Sport has revealed a high-performance version of the 508 Hybrid, ahead of its public debut at the Geneva motor show next month. Dubbed the 508 Peugeot Sport Engineered, the concept car teams a 'PureTech 200' 150kW turbocharged petrol engine with a 110bhp (82kW) electric motor on the front axle, while an additional 200bhp (150kW) electric motor drives the rear wheels, giving the performance sedan all-wheel drive.

The new-generation SsangYong Korando has surfaced ahead of its full reveal at the Geneva motor show next month. Sporting a sharper design and a raft of brand-first technologies inside and out, the Korando slots between the Tivoli and the Rexton in the company's SUV line-up making it a rival to the likes of the Honda CR-V and Volkswagen Tiguan.

Alfa Romeo is planning to reveal something at the Geneva motor show next month, which the company says should give "a taste of what's next to come in the word of Italian performance and luxury". Speaking with Roadshow by CNET, company spokesperson, Berh Alexanian, indicated the brand will arrive at the Swiss event in "full force" with "something new up our sleeves as well".

Toyota Australia has confirmed it has been the victim of an attempted cyber attack, however it believes no customer data has been accessed.  In a statement issued today the company said: “The threat is being managed by our IT department who is working closely with international cyber security experts to get systems up and running again”.  Toyota says at this stage it has “no further details about the origin of the attack”. 

SAIC Motor has announced it will be taking over the distribution of its MG subsidiary in New Zealand from British Motor Distributors. As part of the move, the company will introduce the MG3 automatic hatchback and ZS crossover to the New Zealand market later this year, joining the existing MG6 Plus, MG3 manual and GS SUV.

Volkswagen has confirmed the Polo-sized T-Cross and the on-again, off-again T-Roc are coming to Australia early in 2020, giving the brand's SUV portfolio a long-overdue boost. Speaking on the back of a dealer conference in Brisbane, Todd Ford, product manager at Volkswagen Group Australia, said both cars offer a "significant volume opportunity" when they arrive.

Kia Motors Europe has teased its upcoming small SUV, unofficially dubbed the XCeed, ahead of its unveiling at the Geneva motor show early next month. Set to slot between the little Stonic and the mid-sized Sportage in Kia's European line-up, the XCeed will have a lot in common with the Ceed hatchback and Sportswagon it will share its underpinnings with.

Rich Ceppos • The Turbo Ultimate is the most expensive model in the all-new, second-generation 2019 Hyundai Veloster line-up. Its intriguing three-door configuration continues (two doors on the passenger's side, one on the driver's side), and the Ultimate comes with a long list of standard equipment, ranging from leather seats to a head-up display and a full complement of active-safety equipment.

The Skoda Vision iV will debut at the 2019 Geneva motor show at the beginning of March, and could preview a new electric crossover "coupe" for the brand. Like the recently launched Scala hatch, the company's word mark is used for the centre of the steering wheel instead of its winged arrow logo. The two-tier dashboard features a small instrument pod and an infotainment screen, both of which appear to float above the dashboard top.

Two of Europe's key governing bodies, the European Parliament and Council, have agreed to a provisional deal, which will see the 28 member bloc cut carbon dioxide emissions from heavy trucks and buses by 30 percent from 2019 levels by 2030. The deal will also see the EU target a 15 per cent reduction by 2015, as well as create incentives to spur production and sales of low- and zero-emissions trucks.

Some time in 2019 Ford will close its São Bernardo do Campo factory located in the suburbs of Sao Paulo, and its oldest manufacturing facility in Brazil. The factory's closure will see the loss of an estimated 2700 manufacturing jobs, and the end of local production of the previous-generation Fiesta. It will also see the automaker exit the local heavy commercial truck market, with the plant responsible for manufacturing the Cargo (above), F-4000 and F-350 models.

Volkswagen has confirmed pricing and specs for the first 2019 Touareg coming to our shores, the Launch Edition, on the back of a dealer event in Brisbane. Overseas models pictured. Local imagery will be added when it's available.  The new SUV, pitched as a more premium offering than its predecessors, will be priced from $89,990 before on-road costs. Power will come from a 3.0-litre turbo-diesel engine when the car arrives in dealers early in May.

On this week's episode of CarAdvice, Trent Nikolic and Paul Maric look at an Australian supercar, check out last year's strong sellers, and explore the range-topping Mercedes-Benz X-Class. In car news, the Brabham BT62 supercar will be road legal, allowing exacting customers to drive their handmade racer to the track, make Ferraris look slow, and then drive home again.

Toyota's North American division will cull the little Prius C from its line-up in the coming months, making way for the new-generation Corolla Hybrid to take its place in the range. Speaking with the US's Autoblog, a Toyota spokesperson confirmed the move, adding there's around 700 units left in dealer stock in the US. "The transition to Corolla Hybrid [should be] in the next couple of months," the spokesperson said.

Nissan has collaborated with Opus Campers to create a concept camper trailer that features second-life battery packs from the Leaf EV to offer "up to a week's worth" of off-grid power for remote adventures. Incorporating the vehicle manufacturer's new Energy Roam system, a portable weather-proof power pack with 700Wh capacity, the concept camper trailer offers both 230V and 12V circuits with enough juice for "around seven days of camping", aided by the on-board solar panel accessory.

Volkswagen Australia has initiated its recall for Caravelle and Multivan models fitted with Takata airbags, affecting vans and people movers across the 2008 to 2015 model years. The recall is specific to the driver's side airbags, which could have degraded propellant if exposed to high temperatures and humidity over time.

Aston Martin has offered the first glimpse at its upcoming Project 003 hypercar, set to hit the market late in 2021. Just 500 examples will be made, following in the footsteps of the Valkyrie and Valkyrie AMR Pro, dubbed Project 001 and 002 respectively.

Honda Australia has reaffirmed its commitment to the currently UK-sourced Civic Type R, despite its global parent announcing the factory that makes it will shut its doors in 2021. The Swindon plant is the only Honda facility that makes the Civic Type R (pictured) currently, though the company's local director, Stephen Collins, says the current model will see out its lifecycle and confirmed plans for a next-generation model after that.

McLaren’s newest track-focused weapon is the 600LT Spider, and if you’re thinking it’s a junior-league performer because of its Sports Series product positioning and open-top profile, you couldn’t be more wrong. You can probably guess which car they benchmarked during the development too – yep, the 675LT Spider, meaning this thing has massive shoes to fill as the latest and fifth chapter in the Longtail lineage.

The last time I drove a McLaren Longtail was three years ago at the famed Silverstone Circuit in England, and that was the unequivocally phenomenal 675LT Coupe. The experience left me totally gobsmacked.

Queensland drivers could soon be staring at an emoji on the back of another car, with the state allowing five faces on its latest range of personalised plates. Announced with an Instagram post, drivers will be able to add a classic smiley, a 'laughing cry' face, a 'heart-eyes' face, a winking face, and the cool, sunglass-wearing emoji. Unfortunately the smiling pile of poo, eggplant and peach won't be offered...

The all-new Ford Escape is due to be revealed soon, and new details have come to light regarding the powertrains that will be available. Documents first published by The Truth About Cars and then confirmed by Carscoops reveal the new-generation crossover will offer two turbocharged petrol engines in North America, along with a plug-in hybrid variant.

It’s not just vehicle manufacturing in Australia that has felt the strain in recent years, with Honda officially announcing this morning it will close its UK plant in the English town of Swindon.

Volkswagen has kicked off the Takata recall campaign for its B7 Passat, focusing on cars in the hottest and most humid parts of Australia. As with all cars included in the Takata recall, a combination of heat and humidity can make the airbag propellant degrade over time. If vehicles with a faulty inflator are involved in an accident triggering the airbags, there's a risk the unit could explode under too much internal pressure.

BMW and Daimler are set to announce their joint urban mobility venture this week, after being granted approval by the European Union in January. According to reports from Autocar the joint venture will be called Jurbey, replacing the companies' current Car2Go and DriveNow short-term rental services, which are spread across a number of different banners and applications.