CAR ADVICE

If your knowledge of Toyota utes starts and ends with HiLux, you’re in for a surprise. The Japanese giant has never shied away from workhorses, utilitarian vehicles designed to cope with light commercial duties day in, day out. And so it was with the Toyota Crown. ‘Wait? What?’ I hear you exasperate. ‘Wasn’t, indeed isn’t, the Toyota Crown an accommodating sedan primarily for the Japanese domestic market?’

Sometimes the best-laid plans go awry, and I’d never want to discourage a car manufacturer from rolling the dice and having a crack. But when it comes to automotive miscalculations, the short life of Mercedes-Benz Vans’ X-Class pickup has to rate pretty highly on the list, and serve as a lesson to others. As revealed this week, the X-Class will be axed globally from May this year, less than three years after its global reveal and two after its introduction to the vital Australian market.

Aston Martin has secured £500 million ($967 million) in new funding to help see it through its current "challenging trading conditions". Overnight the automaker confirmed a group of investors, led by Canadian billionaire Lawrence Stroll, will purchase a new allotment of shares for £182 million ($352 million), giving them a 16.7 per cent stake in the company.

The Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance has outlined the basics of a plan to “reinforce its business model” after a year beset with internal and external strife following the ousting and arrest of chief Carlos Ghosn. It was ratified at an alliance of the operating board in Yokohama this week.

The tale of a Sydney driver being fined because her passenger was on FaceTime incited shock and outrage in June 2019, but drivers may be interested to know similar penalties are becoming commonplace on roads across the nation. Sheree Panetta took to Facebook to vent about the $337 fine she received from NSW Police, with her post quickly going viral.

The Mercedes-Benz Vision EQS concept, revealed at last year’s Frankfurt motor show, was a dazzling, futuristic-looking concept car, as concept cars tend to be. If you were worried something would be lost in the transition to production EQS, Mercedes-Benz has released some official photographs of the concept and a pre-production prototype side-by-side to put your mind at ease.

Subaru has recalled the 2019 XV to fix a problem with the locking mechanism in the rear seatbelts. According to the company, one of the two locking mechanisms in the rear seatbelts mightn't lock the belt as designed. If one of the locking mechanisms doesn't work as intended, rear passengers might not be properly restrained in an accident, increasing their risk of injury or death. A total of 721 cars are included in the campaign – a VIN list is attached here.

The 2020 Toyota HiLux SR flies under the radar a little when conversations turn to the success of dual-cabs in Australia – especially in relation to the pricier SR5 variant. The question here, then, is whether the more budget-friendly SR is a smarter way to spend your money?

The dual-cab Mercedes-Benz X-Class ute will be axed globally in May, less than three years after its global reveal and barely two years after its introduction to the Australian market. "It has been decided that from the end of May 2020, we will no longer produce this relatively young model," Mercedes-Benz said in a statement. "In our global product portfolio, the X-Class is a niche product which plays a great role in a few markets, including Australia and South Africa."

The theme for the 2020 Goodwood Festival of Speed has been announced, putting a focus on motorsport greats. Stepping away from traditional manufacturer-focused events, Goodwood has named this year’s theme “The Maestros – Motorsport's Great All-Rounders”. The theme celebrates not only drivers and riders on two and four wheels, but teams and manufacturers such as Ferrari, Porsche, Lotus, Mercedes-Benz, McLaren, Ford, Williams, Penske, and Ganassi.

Ford has taken another step towards sustainability by approving the use of the biofuel Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) in a select number of its new Transit vans in Europe. HVO is a high-quality renewable diesel fuel made from vegetable oils and animal fats that is colourless, odourless and can technically be used in all diesel engines. It's produced in the process of hydrogenation (i.e. treatment with hydrogen) and boasts a longer shelf life than regular diesel.

On this week's podcast are Mandy Turner, Mike Costello, and Scott Collie. In car news, the Alpine A110 Sportsx concept has been revealed, an Australian launch for Kia Stonic has been confirmed for late 2020, there's Australian interest in the Volkswagen Arteon 'Shooting Brake', and research shows school pick-up as 'the most dangerous time' to be on Australian roads. Mike talks about the all-electric 2020 MINI Cooper S E after its launch in Miami.

Global automotive production may have already peaked and is likely to remain in a steady decline, the CEO of a top engineering company said this week. Volkmar Denner, CEO of German giant Bosch, shared his predictions during a news conference in Stuttgart while announcing plans to cut jobs in response to decreasing demand. "It could well be that we have passed the peak of automotive production," Denner told Automotive News.

Jaguar's updated XF sedan has been snapped during winter testing, as it gets ready to take on the BMW 5 Series and Mercedes-Benz E-Class. The large sedan looks set to receive a smattering of small body changes, like tweaked bumpers and trim pieces up front, along with a mildly redesigned grille. A set of sharper-looking headlights are also likely, in keeping with recent changes to the F-Type and XE.

Mercedes-Benz Australia has recalled the 2019 A-Class, over concerns the glass pane of the panoramic sliding sunroof mightn't be correctly bonded. According to the company, an incorrectly bonded sunroof will create wind noise in the short term, and could detach from the car in the long term. If the glass pane detaches, there's a risk of accident or injury for the driver and other road users. A total of three cars are included in the campaign – a VIN list is attached here.

Mazda's important CX-30 SUV has achieved five stars in ANCAP testing, returning the highest score for Adult Occupant Protection in the road safety body's history. The high-riding CX-30, which rivals the Kia Seltos, scored 99 per cent for Adult Occupant Protection. It also returned an impressive 88 per cent for Child Occupant Protection, and 80 per cent for Vulnerable Road User Protection.

Diesel engines used by Jeep Grand Cherokee and Suzuki Vitara models sold in the EU used "prohibited emissions strategies" to emit more oxides of nitrogen (NOx) during regular road driving than during emissions testing, according to the RDW, the road authority for the Netherlands. In a statement to Reuters, the RDW said Jeep has developed a software patch to the authority's satisfaction. The off-road brand will be ordered to recall affected Grand Cherokee models and apply the fix.

Production of the Tesla Model Y crossover has already commenced at the company's Fremont factory in California. In its 2019 fourth quarter earnings report, released overnight, Tesla stated it has begun producing the Model Y this month. The company originally anticipated the car would start its way down the production line in October 2020.

Overnight GM confirmed its first-ever electric pickup truck will officially be known as the GMC Hummer EV. The automaker also revealed the new Hummer will be available with a 746kW (1000hp) and 15,592Nm electric drivetrain. This, presumably, multi-motor all-wheel drive electric drivetrain is capable of propelling the truck from 0-60mph (0-97km/h) in roughly 3 seconds.

After nearly six months with our 2019 Nissan Leaf long-termer at the tail end of 2019, a few factors became clear. The most predominant being that electric cars do exactly what we thought they have been doing since their release – they work a treat for some people, some of the time.

Nissan is expected to debut a redesigned Qashqai in September, while a new X-Trail could debut even sooner. Autocar reports the redesigned Qashqai should appear at this year’s Frankfurt motor show, while the next X-Trail may appear mid-year. The upcoming Qashqai won’t move to a new platform but will instead remain on the current model’s CMF platform, shared with the X-Trail, according to the report.

The premium people-carrier battle begins in earnest from 2020, with a new-generation Mercedes-Benz GLS fresh on Aussie soil and ready to bare its teeth to the BMW X7. Of course, seven-seat SUVs from prestige brands are nothing new. The Audi Q7 and seven-seat versions of the smaller Benz GLE and BMW X5 have long offered the flexibility of ‘+2’ third-row seats, but the new flagships are grand SUVs done properly.

Question: What do you get when you combine a former Game of Thrones star, a Grammy winner and a bunch of Boston accents? Answer: The car commercials at the 2020 Super Bowl. The annual NFL championship game traditionally attracts millions of television viewers each year – with Nielsen claiming last year's game was watched by 98.2 million viewers in the US alone.

UK electric vehicle startup Arrival has inked a multi-hundred-million euro deal with American logistics giant UPS to supply it with at least 10,000 battery-powered delivery vans from now through 2024. The deal comprises 10,000 vehicles the UK, mainland Europe, and North America, with UPS retaining the option of purchasing a further 10,000 during this period. This project stems from Arrival and UPS's development deal announced in 2016, just one year into the former's existence.

Porsche has given the world a fleeting look at its upcoming 2021 911 GT3, ahead of a likely at the Geneva motor show in March. The company used its first Superbowl advertisement slot in more than 20 years to offer a fleeting glimpse of the as-yet unreleased GT3, which has been spied repeatedly in the last 12 months.

Renault Australia has announced a new finance deal as it looks to promote its Nissan X-Trail twin, the Koleos. Updated in November 2019, the Koleos competes with the Honda CR-V, Kia Sportage, Hyundai Tucson, Toyota RAV4, Mazda CX-5, and the aforementioned X-Trail. Eligible customers who have their cars delivered before March 31, 2020, will be offered a 1 per cent comparison rate on the mid-sized SUV for finance terms up to 36 months.

Australian car buyers are spoiled for choice like few others in the world, with more than 60 brands competing for a slice of around one million annual sales. In the dual-cab ute market, there are 13 four-wheel drive options vying for your attention with their own brand of tough, go-anywhere attitude. Despite their differences, the majority – seven, to be precise – have something in common: they're built in Thailand.

Owners of cars from high-status brands like Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz are more likely to be "self-centred men who are argumentative, stubborn, disagreeable and unempathetic", according to new research from the University of Helsinki. Additionally, owners of these cars were deemed to be "more disagreeable" individuals who saw themselves as "superior" to others, which could explain their tendency to flout traffic regulations.

Lotus has added a softer, more day-to-day focused GT410 to the Evora line-up in Europe. The GT410 will sit alongside the GT410 Sport in the Evora range, with a lower starting price and a raft of comfort-oriented features (by Hethel standards, at least) to make the largest Lotus a friendlier beast on the roads. The cabin houses a set of heated Sparco seats and air-conditioning, and there's a "premium" infotainment system on board with Apple CarPlay, DAB digital radio, and a reversing camera.

Luca De Meo will take up the role Renault CEO on July 1, 2020, replacing interim boss Clotilde Delbos in the process. Renault's interim CEO Clotilde Delbos will remain in her current role until de Meo can join the company. When he starts on July 1, she will become deputy CEO in addition to her regular job as chief financial officer (CFO).

Undisguised photos of the updated Mercedes-Benz E-Class have been leaked online. These photos published on the Cochespias Instagram account seem to be taken at a Mercedes-Benz factory or development facility. If accurate, the facelifted E-Class will sport a redesigned front end with reshaped headlight units, a new bonnet with two extra bulges on either side of the centre line, and, of course, a remodelled bumper.

The Alpine A110 Sportsx concept has been unveiled at the International Automobile Festival, at the Invalides complex, alongside a selection of cars from the brand's past. Said to be inspired by the A110 race car which won the 1973 Monte Carlo rally, the Sportsx has a jacked up suspension package for 60mm of extra ground clearance. Thanks to a broader track and extended wheel arches, the body of the Sportsx is 80mm wider than run-of-the-mill versions of the A110.

We first spied it, heavily camouflaged, in June 2019. Now, the new fourth-generation 2021 Kia Sorento has been caught with only minimal camouflage, just weeks out from its expected unveiling. These new shots offer an unadulterated look at the big new SUV's front and rear styling, along with a revealing look at its dashboard and front seating row.

An upcoming wagonised version of the Volkswagen Arteon liftback, which an executive has previously referred to as a 'shooting brake' design, is on the wishlist for the company's Australian arm. The long-roofed Arteon was first referenced in a 2017 interview, when executive Dr Elmar-Marius Licharz revealed that not only was the design of interest, but that plans were underway.

The next-generation Mitsubishi Outlander has been spied during testing in Europe. Key changes from the Engelberg concept include the addition of flagpole-style wing mirrors, visible door handles, and smaller alloy wheels. The surfacing treatment around the sides and on the tailgate also seems to be a touch fussier than on the show car.

I’m in two minds about the 2020 Audi A1 40 TFSI S tronic, and neither one of them is terribly negative. It’s a reasonably accomplished compact city car that neatly sidesteps the 'my sister's high school graduation present' stigma, primarily through its smart styling and somewhat mature execution. And it’s also a surprisingly competent surrogate hot hatch, once you dig into its on-road capabilities. Charming and likeable? You bet.

Suzuki has invested in its Jimny production line to better meet global demand, meaning Australian buyers could see their wait-times cut from the latter half of 2020 onwards. The average wait for Australian buyers is still around nine months, though dealer stock does exist in certain colours. Some have had to hold on longer than this. In short, orders for the body-on-frame mountain goat remain sky high after 12 months on sale, and the Shizuoka factory remains at absolute capacity.

Tesla's vehicles may be of the zero-emission variety, but, like all cars, their production can have an impact on the environment. Reuters reports some local residents who live near the site of the company’s planned German factory are protesting over concerns it will impact their water supply. Tesla announced last November it would build its first European car factory in Grünheide, in the eastern state of Brandenburg.

BMW was a pioneer in the rollout of electric vehicles (EVs), but its Mini subsidiary has waited until now to begin series production of its own battery-driven car, called the Cooper SE. Well, kind of. It did make 500 units of the two-seat Mini E in 2009 and 2010 for Europe and the US, but they were lease cars designed to trial BMW's EV technology. This car is a proper production model.

Minis are a staple of well-heeled city slickers with progressive politics. So an electric one makes clear sense, and Australians can get their hands on it from July as Mike Costello finds out.

The daily trip to work can be hellish at best, but Spotify is attempting to improve the whole process ever-so-slightly with the launch of a customised commute playlist for Australians. Titled Your Daily Drive, the playlist promises to combat first-world problems like podcast fatigue, talkback radio anxiety and 'no new music' syndrome by offering Spotify subscribers a mix of news and pop culture updates, new music and a handful of old favourite tracks.

The updated Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross has been spied for the first time. Up front the revised Eclipse Cross will have a slimmer lighting array, possibly housing only driving lights, near the leading edge of the bonnet. The main and high beam units look as though they now live in an enlarged cluster of lights lower down the front bumper.

A special Bentley Continental GT has been built to compete in the GP Ice Race in Zell am See in Austria. In order for the Ice Race Continental to meet racing safety standards, the one-off car has been fitted with a rear roll cage, fire extinguisher, and Sparco racing seats with harnesses. From the outside the most obvious modifications are the raised ride height, 15mm increase in track width and complementary wheel arch extensions, and the suite of Lazer high-performance lights.

The updated 2020 Volkswagen Passat is now on sale in Australia, arriving this month in solitary 140TSI Business form – after delays kept it from reaching us sooner. That's a new variant name, and a new engine designation for the Passat, too. The familiar 132kW/250Nm 1.8-litre turbo petrol 132TSI has been replaced, as expected, by a new 2.0-litre turbo petrol unit offering 140kW (hence the name) and a big hop to 320Nm.

Audi will follow up the October launch of its new-generation Q3 compact SUV with the Australian debut of its sibling, the 2020 Audi Q3 Sportback, in March. The first of its name, the 2020 Q3 Sportback will mirror the launch program of the regular Q3, arriving initially with one drivetrain package and two trim options. Hopping into the Q3 Sportback will start from $49,900 before on-road costs, making the regular Q3 a $3500 more affordable proposition.

As Australian children return to school from holidays, new research serves as an important reminder to exercise caution, with school pick-up time found to be a particularly dangerous period on our roads. According to the latest AAMI Crash Index (produced annually), over a quarter of all road incidents in Australia occur in the afternoon, around school pick-up time.

MG is the fastest-growing Chinese car brand in Australia, with sales up 176.9 per cent last year largely on the back of the ZS SUV. The company hasn't given up on conventional passenger cars, though, and it's embracing both hybrid and battery-electric vehicles.

Drivers in the US state of Vermont may soon join Queensland in legalising number plates featuring emojis. If passed, draft legislation currently before the Vermont House of Representatives could make Vermont the first American state to allow drivers to customise their plates with the digital smileys. The bill, introduced by Democrat Rebecca White, proposes allowing motorists to choose one of six emojis to add to their plates.

The small-sedan segment does sometimes get overlooked as a fertile patch for mixing practical, enjoyable and affordable motoring for a diverse cross-section of buyers, even modestly sized families. Here we have the 2019 Honda Civic RS v Skoda Octavia Sport sedan comparison, which is our pick of these mid-priced medium-grade sporty sedans. Curt Dupriez finds out.

The compact SUV segment, despite ever more competition, shows no sign of slowing down in Australia – and now Kia has confirmed the arrival of its new Stonic compact SUV for the fourth quarter of 2020.

DeLorean Motor Company has confirmed the production of the iconic DMC-12 is back on the cards. Originally planned for a 2016 release, the reborn DMC-12 was halted after the presidential election, which impacted the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) implementing the Low Volume Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Act. This not only affected DMC, but many other companies wishing to produce low-volume models.

An updated version of the Kia Rio hatch has been spied undergoing testing in Europe. Given the current Rio made its debut at the 2016 Paris motor show, the city hatch is about due for its mid-cycle refresh. Although this prototype has black cladding over its entire front end, we can see a few changes. The front bumper appears to be new, and includes a redesigned lower air intake, a new body colour section around the number plate, and redesigned fog log pods.

Sadly, the simple silhouette outline doesn't tell us terribly much about the GM's first-ever electric pickup truck, which is rumoured to revive the Hummer brand. Whatever it will be branded, the new full-size electric pickup will look more like traditional petrol- and diesel-powered utes, as well as the upcoming electric Rivian R1T, than the divisively angular and groundbreaking Tesla Cybertruck.

In the aftermath of the RCZ sports car, which ended production in 2015, Peugeot declared it wouldn’t create a dedicated sports car again. Not because it was a bad car, but because it was resource-intensive in a shrinking market segment. Fast-forward to today, however, and the new 2020 Peugeot 508 GT looks more like a successor to the swoopy coupe that came before it, than the staid sedan of the same name that is technically its predecessor.

The next-generation Volkswagen Caddy has been teased again ahead of its debut in February. While the sketches issued by the company last month had a much more sporty front end with a wraparound windscreen, and slim headlights with teardrop extensions, the latest images supplied by Volkswagen paint a much more conservative — and likely more accurate — picture of the upcoming van.

Australia's new car market, it is fair to say, did not have a stellar year in 2019. Month after month, sales were down, with consumer confidence low and dealers struggling with significant changes to finance regulations.

It's arguably the most significant and beautiful car ever to come out of Japan: the Toyota 2000GT.

With a 375kW/600Nm Ferrari-developed V6, the Alfa Romeo Quadrifoglio isn't exactly underpowered, but the Italian luxury marque is reportedly planning to add a whole stable of ponies to its performance halo car. Sources have told Mopar Insiders the company is planning to launch a limited edition model in late June to help celebrate the automaker's 110th birthday.

Thank goodness for Europe. The continent is single-handedly keeping the traditional wagon alive – albeit with a gradual sales decline – while it’s all but died in America, where its popularity has been crushed by SUVs. This goes a long way to explaining why the 2020 Mazda 6 wagon goes against convention to be shorter than its sedan twin. Europeans prefer their wagons to be practical without being oversized, while the longer Mazda 6 sedan panders to the large-car-loving US.

We’ve (okay, I’ve) been a bit slack with updates for our long-term 2019 Holden Acadia. The headlong rush to the end of year and then the break over Christmas conspired against us, like it does for most people. Here we are, though, at the start of a new year, and it’s time to take a look at the interior packaging of Holden’s flagship.

Edward Markey, a Democratic senator from Massachusetts, has called on Tesla to rebrand and change the marketing around its Autopilot driver assistance suite. In a statement released last week, Markey, a member of the Senate's Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, called on Tesla to improve Autopilot in light of videos appearing online showing drivers how to fool the system's driver monitoring processes.

Comfortable, conservative, solid – three words that describe the 2020 Lexus IS300 Luxury mid-size sedan. It’s been around a while, the IS, and now in its third generation (XE30) that made its debut way back in 2013. An all-new model can’t be too far away. For now, though, those wanting a luxury mid-size sedan without European roots and who like large spindle grilles, then this is it.

The TVR Griffith is still, seemingly, a long way from entering production even though it made its debut back in 2017. Autocar has seen a newsletter sent by Les Edgar, TVR's chairman, to deposit-holders for the next-generation British sports car. In it Edgar talked up developments at the company, including the appointment of a new CEO, Jim Berriman, who helped to relaunch Rolls-Royce under BMW's ownership, and played a key role in getting the 2003 Phantom to market.

Aussie racing gamers will soon compete in the new FIA Certified Gran Turismo Championships on home turf, in front of a live audience, with the World Tour Sydney event firing up in February. Established in 2018, the entirely virtual championship is run by Polyphony Digital – the Japanese studio responsible for the Sony PlayStation hit series Gran Turismo – and motorsport governing body FIA.

Kia, the only brand inside the Top 10 to post a sales gain in 2019 – the weakest market in eight years – believes there is still room to grow in 2020 for companies that have cars buyers want at prices they're prepared to pay. Kia believes the recently-released Seltos city-SUV (pictured below) will help deliver another record year for the brand, but promises to not be complacent when it comes to the competition or the rest of its model range.

Kia Australia was hoping to go electric for the 2020 Australian Tennis Open – with a fleet of electric vehicles to shuttle sports stars and support screws during the event before the cars arrived in local showrooms. However, those plans were scuttled by strong demand overseas, pushing Australia down the queue for Kia's electric-car rollout.

The US International Trade Commission has agreed to review a complaint lodged by the parent company of Jeep, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA), claiming the design of Wrangler look-a-like, the Mahindra Roxor, infringed on its "trade dress". Last year legal representatives for Jeep convinced an administrative law judge the Mahindra Roxor's round headlights and vertical grille slats could infringe on Jeep's design (pictured above).

Italian sports cars and grand tourers are renowned for, among other things, the amazing sounds they make. Maserati doesn’t want its upcoming electric GranTurismo and GranCabrio to be exceptions. The company has teased its upcoming battery-electric grand tourer range, assuring it’ll have a “distinctive signature sound” that’s “unique and unmistakable”. It’s certainly a very different sound to that of the model Maserati teased in November, which was distinctly petrol-powered.

The next-generation Mercedes-Benz SL has been spied ahead of its global launch some time in 2021. Last year Tobias Moers, head of Mercedes-AMG, confirmed his division was leading development of the new SL, which rumours indicate will be available exclusively as a roadster.

“Old man’s car.” There it was, the predictable cheap shot directed at the 2020 Volvo V60, and fired off like clockwork from elsewhere in the CarAdvice peanut gallery. And just before I returned fire with “Really? You think that looks like an old man’s car?”, it dawned on me that the jibe wasn’t so much directed at the Pebble Grey T5 Inscription parked up in the Sydney garage, but aimed at yours truly. The bloke who’d asked for it as a long-haul road-tripper over the summer holiday break: me.

An Italian mid-engined coupe designed and built in-house by Pininfarina? What’s not to love? Originally designed by the famed Italian styling house as a replacement for the Fiat 124, the project became a Lancia when Fiat pulled the pin on the project in 1974, opting instead for the Bertone-designed wedge on wheels, the X1/9.

Volkswagen Group has bolstered its existing contribution toward the relief and recovery efforts for Australia's tragic bushfires, announcing a $2.5 million donation today. The company has earmarked $500,000 for fire services and those affected by the fires, with the remaining $2 million divided equally on reforestation and organisations involved with endangered wildlife.

This week you are joined by Mandy Turner, Josh Dowling, and James Ward. We cover many car news topics, including how the Ford Mustang R-Spec has sold out, the first C8 Corvette selling for USD$3 million, Honda warning 33,000 Takata-affected owners to "stop driving immediately", General Motors unveiling its first autonomous car, and how currency pressure is poised to push up the cost of cars this year.

Despite declining interest in its market segment, the Ford Mondeo name looks as though it will live to fight on. A parts tooling catalogue spotted by Autocar on Ford's European website shows a specialist tool designed to remove the rear leaf spring from a “2022 model year Mondeo CD542”.

With just over 11,000km on the clock, it's time to bid farewell to our electric long-termer, the 2019 Jaguar I-Pace SE. We've been full circle with the I-Pace. We went from never living with an electric vehicle through to owning one for a little over seven months, installing EV infrastructure at home and performing a full suite of tests with the car.

Ford and GM have imposed travel restrictions to the city of Wuhan due to a deadly outbreak of a new strain of coronavirus in the city. GM confirmed to Bloomberg it has issued a "global travel advisory" for the Chinese city, with travel limited to "business critical" issues. Ford had also issued a travel advisory for its employees, while Volkswagen has given safety advice to its staff.

Volkswagen and a Canadian judge have agreed to a C$196.5 million ($218.5 million) fine after the automaker pled guilty to 60 counts of illegally importing into the country diesel cars that secretly exceeded limits placed on oxides of nitrogen (NOx) emissions. As part of its guilty plea, Volkswagen admitted it had imported 128,000 Volkswagen and Audi cars, and around 2000 Porsche vehicles, which breached pollution standards.

Welcome back, petrol V6. Large SUVs need large motivation, so it’s a joyful return of the V6 petrol to the 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe range. Out is the old 2.4-litre four-pot, and in its place is Hyundai’s Lambda-II 3.5-litre V6. It’s bigger, more powerful, and just more suited to Hyundai’s flagship SUV.

Jeep Australia is recalling 544 examples of the current generation Wrangler made in 2018 and 2019 because a battery cable could spark a fire or cause the engine to stall. A recall notice issued by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) today said the transmission harness “may have insufficient clearance” to the catalytic converter.

Former Toyota executive Dave Buttner – who came out of retirement to run Holden for 16 months until he stepped down last December – is back behind the wheel of a Toyota. A post on Facebook has revealed Mr Buttner has replaced the ute he once lauded – the Holden Colorado – with Australia’s top-selling vehicle, the Toyota HiLux.

Almost 20 per cent of Australians between the ages of 35 and 54 find it difficult to read road signs, while 15 per cent of all Australians admit squinting to see while driving during the day, according to a new investigation into the state of the country's eye health. What's more, 71 per cent of males and 63 per cent of females sought an eye examination after failing a driving test, with 59 per cent of all Australians revealing they're worried about the overall quality of their eyesight.

As we enter a new decade, car subscription in Australia has well and truly progressed from new-age novelty to present-day reality. The automotive industry's answer to the commitment phobia that plagues plenty of millennials, services such as GoGet and Carbar are to car ownership what Spotify is to music – and they've seen massive uptake in recent years.

BMW Group Australia is expanding its M Pure lineup by adding four new variants and trimming price and equipment to make them more affordable. Joining the M550i xDrive Pure, the new variants will be M340i xDrive Pure, X2 M35i Pure, X5 M50i Pure and X6 M50i Pure. Each model will keep the same powertrain as offered in the model they are based on, but with a different level of equipment, coming in at a lower price. All variants have an eight-speed automatic transmission.

A handful of Ford GTs have started appearing on the used-car market, shortly after their two-year exclusion period ended. And they’re fetching big money. Ford originally sold the GT in 2017 with a US$450,000 price tag and a waiver stating the new owners would not sell their Blue Oval-badged supercars for two years. Now the ‘no sale’ period is over a handful of examples are beginning to appear at auction houses around the world.

Drivers in New South Wales have become some of the first in the country to face instant fines for parking in spots designated for truck drivers at highway rest stops as part of new trial restrictions implemented in parts of the state.

Lucid’s rival to the Tesla Model S, an electric car called simply the Air, is set to debut in production form in April at this year’s New York motor show. The company has said its unveiling will be accompanied by specifications, pricing and configuration information for the production model. That indicates the pricing information the company revealed all the way back in 2017 is no longer accurate.

Stephan Winkelmann, CEO of Bugatti, has laid out his thinking for a second model, what might power it, and how it will affect the brand's exclusivity. He told Autocar any second model for the Bugatti range would be a car "to be used on a daily basis" and not "only for weekends". It has long been speculated the company is keen to add a high-performance crossover or four-door grand tourer to its lineup.

The interior of the next-generation 2021 Audi S3 has been spied while undergoing cold weather testing in northern Europe. The exterior of the S3 looks to be an evolution of today's hatch, albeit with an all new body, and sharper detailing, especially around the intakes and lights. By comparison, the interior of the new A3 and S3 is quite a radical reinvention. The design of the current car's free-standing infotainment screen, relatively flat dashboard and round vents have all been retired.

Overnight the market capitalisation of Tesla broke through the US$100 billion ($146 billion) barrier. As noted by Reuters, Tesla's share price has surged a further eight or so per cent while Australians were asleep. At the time of writing, Tesla's share price is US$586 ($854), making its market capitalisation is just shy of US$107 billion ($156 billion).

Tyres can be a bit boring. They're mostly defined by talk of compounds and tread patterns, about braking distances and load ratings. Fascinating if you're the type of person who obsesses over fractions of a second at the track, or if you're really into rubber... But for the average punter, it can all be a bit mystifying. And that's not good, because car makers and tyre manufacturers are increasingly hopping into bed during the vehicle development process.

The Mitsubishi ASX continues to be a successful seller for the Japanese brand. The monthly new-car sales figures show it to be consistently in the top three small-SUV bestsellers and the top 10 overall bestselling models. Its affordable pricing, practicality, and features appeal to many, and buyers don’t seem to mind that the current generation is 10 years old.

US car giant General Motors has unveiled an autonomous car without a steering wheel or brake and accelerator pedals, but the company is yet to say when it will arrive in showrooms. The concept car, named “Cruise Origin”, was developed in partnership with Japanese maker Honda. General Motors and Honda have part ownership of technology start-up Cruise, a Silicon Valley company established in 2013 that specialises in autonomous vehicles.

If you couldn’t get enough of the movie, Ford vs Ferrari, then the Ferrari Museum in Maranello has just opened a new exhibition that will feed your Le Mans fix. Ferrari at 24 Heures du Mans looks at the Italian brand’s 36 triumphs over 70 years of racing at the famous Le Mans.

Ford dealers are telling customers they have sold out of their allocations of the upcoming Mustang R-Spec – even though the price tops $100,000 by the time it’s in the traffic. The Ford Mustang R-Spec was unveiled in the lead up to the 2019 Bathurst 1000 but dealers were allocated cars within the first 60 days of the announcement. It has taken less than half that time for all examples to be accounted for. Some dealers sold out within 24 hours of informing their customers.

Volkswagen Australia will offer wireless Apple CarPlay across its wider local range "within the next 18 months" in conjunction with the global rollout of the new 'MIB3' infotainment architecture, from the Polo hatch to the Amarok ute and Transporter van.

Offices in Germany linked to Mitsubishi, including its research and development centre, have been raided as part of an investigation by the Frankfurt prosecutor’s office. The prosecutor's office says it is investigating whether Mitsubishi vehicles fitted with the company's 1.6- and 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbocharged diesel engines used illegal software to pass emissions tests.

Fiat Australia has added a new variant to its existing 500 lineup, named the Club, priced from $23,250. Featuring a long list of standard features, it comes with 16-inch alloy wheels, fixed glass roof with sunblind, DAB+ radio, automatic headlights and rain-sensing wipers, automatic climate control, and chrome front grille surround, rear bumper insert, and sill plates.

Cruise, the self-driving car firm owned by General Motors, will reportedly unveil its new dedicated autonomous vehicle by the end of the day. Sources within the company told Bloomberg Cruise will unveil the vehicle at an event in San Francisco. A spokesperson for the firm stated the vehicle at the event "is definitely not a car", but refused to elaborate any further.

Sono Motors has raised €53 million ($86 million) from a crowdfunding drive during the months of December and January. This figure exceeded the company's initial target of €50 million ($81 million), and will allow it to contract out production of the Sion EV people mover to National Electric Vehicle Sweden (NEVS).

It’s easy to underestimate the Audi TTS as a bona-fide sports car – a model that has struggled sometimes to be taken seriously as a performance car, certainly in plain old 'TT' guise. But that is doing the TTS a disservice, because when the opportunity presents itself, where it’s just you, a stretch of winding tarmac and the limitations of your own mortality staring you in the face, the little coupe proves its mettle. Time and time again.

Australians have to travel long distances – it's just the nature of our land. So, while cars from Europe and Asia tend to be focused on being urban-friendly, they also have to be comfortable for the long haul Down Under.

The next generation Volkswagen Golf GTI has broken cover, with a photo of its rear end posted on Instagram by photographer @wilcoblok overnight. While the 2021 Volkswagen Golf GTI is not due to be unveiled until the Geneva motor show in March, another Instgram post has shown what appears to be a dealer presentation of the new line-up.

Fiat’s next-generation 500e electric minicar has been spied by photographers in Europe more than a year before it is due to go on sale. Though the styling appears to be merely an evolution, underneath there’s been a revolution. The new Fiat 500 rides a new, bespoke electric vehicle platform developed by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. The next-generation model will launch only with an electric powertrain, though petrol-powered models may follow later.

Australian authorities have warned 33,000 Honda owners to “stop driving their vehicle immediately” – and the cars will be bought back by the car company – as the Takata airbag crisis continues to expand. Following two separate crashes that resulted in a death and a serious injury – suspected of being linked to a new type of faulty Takata airbag inflator – the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has ordered more cars off the road because there are no replacement parts.

A fake Ferrari famously used in iconic 1980s movie Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, has sold for a staggering US$396,000 (A$577,000) at auction last weekend. The replica Ferrari 250 GT California Spyder SWB is one of three cars built by Modena Design and Development for the 1986 movie, that starred a young Matthew Broderick as the eponymous hero enjoying an illicit day off from school.

Volkswagen's new six-speed manual V6 Amarok will cost from $48,990 drive-away, according to its website, which has published details ahead of the local launch next month. This is the less than the list price of $49,590 before on-road costs and also includes an accessory starter pack.

Australia’s top-selling hatchback, the Hyundai i30, is getting a mild makeover inside and out. These spy photos of a camouflaged prototype testing in the European winter show the changes will be subtle but worthwhile. The overall shape of the headlights and tail-lights appears to remain the same, but top end models will wear a new LED light signature front and rear, as these images show despite the masks.

An oddball vehicle labelled as the world’s first street-legal all-terrain supercar, the Laffite G-Tec X-Road, has been revealed in North America. Produced by Laffite - which specialises in auto design, concept cars, and road-ready limited editions - only 30 models will be available to order exclusively through its website.

The Volkswagen Golf R will farewell showrooms with with a new eye-searing palette. Where VW's primo hot hatch has always rocked a sensible, buttoned-up design language when compared to outlandish offerings such as the Ford Focus RS and Honda Civic Type-R, the Golf R Final Edition - as the name suggests, the last hurrah for the seventh-generation model - doesn't stick to the script.

Electric car specialist Tesla has emphatically denied its vehicles are subject to “unintended acceleration”, claiming the petition tabled yesterday is “completely false” and was started by a financial speculator who would benefit if Tesla’s share price tanked. A prepared statement on Tesla’s blog overnight said: “There is no ‘unintended acceleration’ in Tesla vehicles. This petition is completely false and was brought by a Tesla short-seller.”

In the mid 1940s and as Europe was recovering from the catastrophic consequences of World War II, Citroen started developing a practical, strong, durable and technologically advanced light commercial vehicle to cover the ever-increasing needs of the growing market. The Citroen Type H, unveiled at the 1947 Paris Motor Show, wasn’t just ahead of its time but also set the standard for modern vans with its innovative design.

It took some time, but slowly, anecdotally, the Mercedes-Benz X-Class has started to appear across Australian cities – often branded with the logos of upmarket landscapers or premium building firms attached. That seems like the right fit for a Mercedes-Benz ute. While some may scoff that a tradie in a Benz is getting paid too much, there’s plenty of scope for businesses aiming a little higher to show their elite aspirations with something like the 2019 Mercedes-Benz X250d Progressive.

Subaru claims it will shift to an all-electric line-up of cars by the middle of next decade – but initial reports out of Japan are unclear whether or not this includes petrol-electric hybrids or a complete switch to purely electric cars. A report by news agency Reuters quoted the president of Subaru, Tomomi Nakamura, as saying: “Subaru’s strong commitment and dedication toward car-manufacturing that we have cultivated throughout our history remain unchanged.”

Curt Dupriez travelled to a chilly Seoul, in South Korea for the launch and first drive of Genesis' first SUV, the GV80. Does the SUV hit the mark?

Sponsored by: Kia Australia Since 2002, Kia has been providing a fleet of cars to ferry players, coaches, media and staff to and from the Australian Open. In a fresh twist for 2020, Kia's Australian Open courtesy fleet expands, offering a designated "fan fleet" providing free trips for tennis fans in partnership with rideshare app: Uber.

Sponsored by Kia Kia's Australian Open courtesy fleet expands for 2020, with a fresh twist: a designated "fan fleet" providing free trips for tennis fans. The fleet, comprised of 30 new Kia Seltos compact SUVs, will be available to tennis-goers via Uber's app and will offer courtesy trips to Melbourne Park from anywhere in the CBD. To utilise the cars, simply select the 'Fan Fleet' option in the app and wait for your Seltos to show up.

Queensland's LNP Opposition has called for increased penalties for drivers caught tossing cigarette butts in an effort to match harsher punishments in place in other states, where litterbugs can be fined up to $25,000 and even face jail time.

Those in the market for a one-of-a-kind night out can place bids on a private dinner with Formula One driver Mark Webber, Hollywood star Eric Bana and tennis great Pat Rafter in Melbourne. The best part? It's all in the name of bushfire relief. The three stars have teamed up with the owners of Melbourne restaurant Ezard to host a seven-course dinner for 12 people at the upmarket eatery in the city's famed Flinders Lane.