CAR ADVICE

In almost no time at all Hyundai’s upmarket arm, Genesis, has built itself from nicer versions of Hyundai cars, to a fully-fledged premium contender. If Genesis wants to play with the likes of Mercedes-Benz and BMW it is missing one key product, for now. A svelte two-door would be the ideal profile-builder, while taking a swipe at the established C-Class and 4 Series coupes.

Volkswagen plans to deliver a €20,000 (AU$32,000) electric vehicle by 2023, according to a new report from Reuters. The in-house project – reportedly codenamed 'Small BEV' (Battery Electric Vehicle) – is tasked with building a city car more affordable than the current ID.3, which was officially launched for Europe in September and is priced from €35,575 (AU$58,000) in Germany.

In what might be the most sensible, practical move ever, the third car in Australia to be given the GR treatment is the C-HR SUV. While the 2020 Toyota C-HR GR Sport may not be a fully loaded performance model in the same way the GR Supra and GR Yaris are, it follows a familiar formula set by plenty of other brands.

Australian pricing has been announced today for the mid-tier hero 2021 BMW 128ti hot hatch, ahead of a showroom debut set for the first quarter of 2021. The 128ti was initially unveiled with a 2.0-litre twin-scroll turbo petrol four-cylinder engine producing 195kW and 400Nm, but BMW Australia later confirmed Australian buyers would only be offered a reduced tune delivering 180kW and 380Nm.

Maserati will electrify its entire line-up by 2025, according to the manufacturer’s chief executive officer Davide Grasso. Speaking at an online fashion event last week, Mr Grasso confirmed that within five years all models from the Italian manufacturer would be driven by hybrid or all-electric powertrains.

It's all-but-confirmed Genesis is working on a svelte long-roof version of its G70 mid-size sedan. While its existence has yet to be confirmed officially by the Korean luxury brand, the G70 wagon – or 'Shooting Brake', as it's rumoured to be badged – has been spied testing in production guise on European roads and racetracks in recent months, clad in heavy camouflage.

The United States' National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has launched a probe into 115,000 Tesla cars over a safety issue pertaining to the vehicles' front suspension. According to news outlet Reuters, Tesla issued a service bulletin in 2017 addressing the issue, explaining that some Model X and Model S cars have “front fore links that may not meet Tesla strength specifications".

A Porsche 911 GT2 RS has broken the production car lap record at Mount Panorama, with amateur driver Jeff Morton behind the wheel. The time of 2:14.24 – achieved during a Super Sprint session at the Challenge Bathurst event – shaved more than two seconds of the previous record of 2:16.50, set in 2017 by Bernd Schneider in a Mercedes-AMG GT R. “I’m extremely happy, the time came pretty easily in the end,” Morton said of the attempt.

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.

We have a new long-termer in the Sydney CarAdvice garage – and it's not an SUV. You may also be surprised that our performance rear-wheel-drive sedan doesn't hail from Europe, either. Meet our new 2020 Genesis G70 3.3T Sport. Priced at $72,450 before on-roads, it sits in the middle of the range as the cheapest entry into a 3.3-litre V6 twin-turbo-powered car.

Lamborghini and Ducati have teamed up to design a limited-edition superbike based on the Diavel 1260 S. Just 630 examples of the two-wheeler – called the Ducati Diavel 1260 Lamborghini – will be produced. Design inspiration was drawn from the green and gold Lamborghini Sián FKP 37 hybrid, which was unveiled to much fanfare in 2019.

Production of the new Isuzu D-Max is ramping back up again after a parts shortage temporarily interrupted supply of Australian models. Earlier this month, Isuzu Ute Australia issued an urgent bulletin to dealers and wrote to customers to apologise for an unexpected delay in production at its Thailand factory due to a critical component not being available out of Europe. Isuzu’s initial forecast was that the new Isuzu D-Max could be out of production for up to three months.

One of Australia’s biggest and longest serving Holden dealers has switched to Ford, in a showroom swap that would have once been unthinkable. The former Suttons Holden dealership in the Sydney suburb of Homebush will soon start selling new Ford cars after a dealer agreement was finalised last week. The new name – Suttons Ford – may not roll off the tongue for many die-hard Holden fans.

It remains one of the most iconic rally cars in history, the last rear-wheel drive car to win the World Rally Championship against a horde of four-wheel drive rivals. With rally royalty Walter Röhrl and Markku Alen behind the wheel, the Lancia 037 propelled the Italian manufacturer to the WRC Manufacturers’ title in 1983, against the might of Audi and its fearsome all-wheel drive Quattro.

French Formula One driver Romain Grosjean walked away from a horrific crash during last night’s Bahrain Grand Prix, escaping with just superficial burns to the hands and feet. The Hass driver – who is without a seat for the 2021 season – hit an Armco barrier at approximately 220km/h, tearing a hole through the escape road fencing, splitting his car in half, and rupturing the fuel cell.

Let me paint a picture of my street for you: it’s narrow, it’s one-way, it’s located five minutes from the city, and it’s close to two major train stations in a busy little enclave. Cars can park on both sides of the road, and because my suburb is constantly in the grips of ongoing construction, the majority of vehicles are huge utes or vans. Rarely can you nose neatly into a park – you typically have to reverse in.

Victoria could soon implement fines for non-electric car owners occupying designated electric car charging and parking spots, under new proposed amendments to the state's road rules. According to a new recommendation to parliament filed by Minister for Roads and Road Safety Ben Carroll, non-electric car owners could be fined up to $330 for unlawfully occupying a parking space specifically marked out for electric car owners.

The 2021 Toyota C-HR GR Sport has landed, providing our first look at the company's performance-oriented sub-brand. Only available as a hybrid, Toyota has positioned the new C-HR variant as a sportier alternative for buyers, with the new model sitting alongside the range-topping C-HR Koba. A number of updates were made to the C-HR line-up in August 2020, with new safety tech accompanying a price rise.

BMW is retooling its factories in Germany to focus on electric vehicles (EVs). All petrol and diesel combustion engines will be produced at the company's plants in England and Austria, while its German factories are converted to build EVs and related components, news outlet Reuters reports. In July 2020, BMW announced it was shifting towards an electric future, with 25 electrified models to be rolled out over the next three years.

Footage of a Tesla Model S allegedly losing its roof on a freeway has been captured by a dashcam in China, making it the second Tesla vehicle in two months (that we know of) to lose the crucial element while on the road. In the latest video – which was originally posted to Chinese social networking site Weibo before being shared on Reddit – a Model S can be seen speeding down the right lane of a freeway on November 22, before its glass roof breaks free and flies toward the cars behind.

The 2021 Volkswagen Amarok W580 will go on sale online from midday this Thursday, with the first 30 customers treated to an all-expenses-paid “money can’t buy” experience, including a V8 Supercar track day. One of Australia’s most powerful utes – and soon the only one with a turbo diesel V6 and constant all-wheel-drive once the Mercedes X-Class is axed – gains a mild styling makeover and a new, locally-developed wheel and tyre package (and a wider track) for even more car-like handling.

Toyota fans and self-appointed experts on car enthusiast forums were finally put out of their misery last week, when Toyota eventually revealed the price of the Yaris GR Rallye, an even more special version of the already-special hot hatch. But the squeals started again as soon as the price was announced: $56,200 drive-away. For a Yaris. Suddenly the $39,950 drive-away introductory price looks almost reasonable. Catch up here.

Volvo is ensuring its cars are prepared for all crash conditions by dropping its vehicles 30 metres from a crane, in an effort to prepare them for extreme collisions. The scenario was used to simulate the results of extreme crashes – such as high-speed, single-vehicle collisions or truck and passenger vehicle collisions – in order to both improve in-car safety systems and help provide training for rescue crews.

The Audi A4 Allroad has returned as part of the updated 2020 A4 range – again offering a niche, high-riding wagon alternative to the Q5 SUV. As with other A4s receiving their first major upgrade since the latest-generation luxury car was launched in 2016, the Allroad gains changes to its bodywork and revised LED lights front and rear. The designers have put some extra chiselling into the sheetmetal, while the styling tweaks bring a 24mm increase in overall length and a 5mm gain in width.

The Lamborghini Aventador's successor will retain its naturally aspirated V12 powerplant, according to the manufacturer’s chief technical officer Maurizio Reggiani. The 6.5-litre engine will, however, be paired with a hybrid electric motor. Speaking to Car & Driver earlier this week, Mr Reggiani said "the V12 has been part of the story of Lamborghini since the very beginning".

The South Australian number plate '1' has sold at auction for $700,000. Pickles Auctions offered the number plate alongside '2', which ended up selling for $185,000. But while '2' may have been a 'relative' bargain, website historicplates.com.au says there's more than one South Australian '1' number plate in existence.

Read the news lately? Barely a day passes without a suggestion that BMW may have lost its way. The storied German brand seems to be doing its best to usurp the ‘Ultimate Driving Machine’ mantra with perhaps a wordier ‘Really quite good and undoubtedly clever, if only you can get past the design' style slogan. I’ll be the first to admit it’s not quite as catchy, and I’d be concerned… If it weren’t for cars like this.

Nissan is set to receive a large loan from Japan's export credit agency in order to help the car company offer finance to US customers. News outlet Reuters reports the state-owned Japan Bank of International Cooperation (JBIC) will extend credit of US$2 billion (AU$2.72B) to Nissan, with the view to improve export sales to the US.

UPDATE, 27 November, 2020: The Mitsuoka Buddy has been officially launched in Japan, following a limited number of photos emerging of the SUV last month. The Buddy is essentially a Toyota RAV4 in a 1980s American outfit, with Mitsuoka giving the SUV a distinctly retro design. Buyers can choose which engine and trim they desire from the RAV4 range before the vehicle is transformed into a Buddy.

An annual survey ranking the most reliable car brands in the United States has crowned Mazda as the manufacturer with the best record in 2020. Every year, Consumer Reports – an independent product testing and research agency – ranks car brands according to their reliability scores, which are ascertained via the agency's own testing of at least two models in a manufacturers' line-up.

It's been an usual year for motorsports – like most things in 2020 – with many championships either cancelled or rushed through thanks to the coronavirus pandemic. With 2021 just on the horizon and most car-racing seasons winding down, we wanted to bring our readers' attention to a few shows we thought might be of interest, to help bridge the gap over the holiday period.

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 photos, articles, videos or 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? It's been a rough year for car dealers and it appears some of them are resorting to ever more creative tactics to shift stock.

Toyota Fortuner: the forgotten 4x4 of an otherwise top-selling line-up. While the LandCruiser Prado and HiLux continue to rack up market-leading sales figures, the Fortuner has collected a relatively modest slice of pie. Hell, even the very expensive 200 and 70 Series LandCruisers seem to find more homes each month.

Introducing our latest long-termer, the 2021 Kia Sportage GT-Line, in petrol form.

Official details of the upcoming 2021 Porsche 911 GT3 have surfaced overseas, ahead of the track-focused model's expected unveiling in early 2021. Porsche has given passenger rides to international publications in a prototype GT3, revealing a number of details and specifications of the new GT-branded 911, including its engine, suspension and aerodynamics package.

The 2022 Toyota Tundra has been leaked online in a series of low-quality photos. Images posted on Instagram by @car_secrets show distinctive Y-shaped headlights for the upcoming third-generation Toyota pick-up. The Tundra is Toyota's answer to the Ford F-150, Chevrolet Silverado, and RAM 1500, with the full-size pick-up being built in the US since 1999. The current model first went into production in 2007, receiving a major update in 2014.

It’s fair to say I had high expectations for my latest long-termer, the 2021 Kia Sportage, before I even got behind the wheel. Kia’s reputation for having an impressive seven-year warranty, an increasingly positive reputation, affordable pricing, fresh design and comprehensive packaging precedes it.

The upcoming 2021 Mercedes-Benz EQA electric small SUV has leaked on social media with minimal disguise, ahead of its expected unveiling in the coming months.

The 2021 Audi SQ5 Sportback has been officially unveiled in Europe. The SQ5 Sportback combines the sloping roofline and coupe-inspired body of the standard Q5 Sportback, with the performance-oriented drivetrain and chassis of the recently-revealed facelifted SQ5 TDI. While not unveiled today, it's likely a petrol-powered TFSI version of the Audi SQ5 Sportback will follow at a later date, sharing its 250kW/500Nm turbo V6 with the 'standard' SQ5 TFSI, targeted at the North American market.

The 2021 Rolls-Royce Cullinan, Dawn and Wraith Black Badge 'Neon Nights' special editions have been unveiled, adding a splash of colour to the British brand's dark-themed performance models. Rolls-Royce says just four of each Neon Nights-hued Black Badge model will be offered, each featuring a different exterior and interior colour scheme inspired by "the natural world".

The 2021 Nissan X-Terra has been revealed for Middle Eastern and South-East Asian markets. Much like previous-generations of the Nissan Pathfinder, the new X-Terra places an SUV body on Navara ute underpinnings.

The proliferation of small – and perhaps medium – vans in Australia shows that Aussie buyers know what works. Especially when they spend their time running around town. The 2020 Renault Kangoo Maxi slots firmly into that middle ground, and is aiming to take the fight up to the segment-leading Volkswagen Caddy. When you see how many there are on the road, it makes you wonder why Toyota doesn’t make a baby HiAce available.

Kia's US division has unveiled a pair of rugged concepts based on its Sorento seven-seat SUV. Based on the flagship, off-road-oriented X-Line variant of the Sorento offered in the US, Kia's Yosemite Edition and Zion Edition concepts – named after two American national parks – have been created by LGE-CTS Motorsports of San Dimas, California.

Toyota Australia has revealed pricing and specification details for its upcoming 2021 Toyota GR Yaris Rallye. As it did with the regular GR Yaris, Toyota Australia will initially offer the Rallye with special introductory pricing of $56,200 drive-away. The special drive-away offer is limited to the first 200 units only.

UPDATE, November 26, 2020: Toyota Australia's vice-president of sales and marketing, Sean Hanley, has confirmed that the company's request for additional GR Yaris stock will be fulfilled during the second half of 2021.

Toyota Australia plans to unite like-minded enthusiasts with its newly formed Gazoo Racing (GR) Club. Those who join will receive exclusive invites to customer drive days, special offers and discounts, as well as access to member-only areas at motorsport events which Toyota Gazoo Racing Australia is involved with. The brand is also hoping the club will create a community centred around its GR performance brand.

Toyota Australia has revealed its GR Yaris AP4 rally car. It has been developed and built in-conjunction with factory-backed outfit Neal Bates Motorsport, who competes in the Australian Rally Championship as the Toyota Gazoo Racing Australia rally team. The rally car is set to debut in the 2021 Australian Rally Championship season, where two examples will be campaigned by Toyota Gazoo Racing Australia factory drivers and siblings, Harry and Lewis Bates.

As several states propose dedicated taxes for electric cars in lieu of the fuel excise, an Australian economist has suggested a potentially controversial alternative plan for "fairly" taxing road users to cover national road maintenance. Richard Denniss, Chief Economist at The Australia Institute think tank, has slammed misconceptions that the fuel excise gives electric cars a free ride, suggesting the Federal Government should instead increase taxes on heavy trucks.

UPDATE, November 26, 2020: Over a year since the Mach-E's initial unveiling, many of the 'estimated' range figures given at launch have finally been confirmed by the US Environmental Protection Agency. Standard Range, 75.7kWh Mach-E models in rear- and all-wheel-drive configurations will be able to travel 370km and 340km respectively (the latter up 1 mile/2km), while Extended Range, 98.8kWh cars claim driving ranges of 483km and 435km in RWD and AWD guises respectively.

A prototype of the upcoming Genesis G70 Shooting Brake has been spied testing on the Nurburgring this week, marking just the latest appearance of the new long-roof variant. The last time we wrote about the new G70 wagon, the mid-sized sedan's facelift had not yet been revealed, leaving a little more mystery as to how this new variant might look.

Ferrari has unveiled the 488 GT Modificata, a track-only vehicle made with parts developed for the 488 GT3 and 488 GTE racing cars. While Ferrari is coy about the exact figures, it says the 488 GT Modificata's 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8 engine puts out around 515kW of power – up more than 20kW over the standard road-going variant. New gear ratios for the seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, coupled with a carbon-fibre clutch, help transfer power to the rear wheels.

Autonomous technologies and driver aids may actually make us less safe, a new study has found. The research – conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) in conjunction with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology – concluded that drivers were more likely to fidget with electronics and take both hands off the steering wheel when they became accustomed to adaptive cruise control and lane-keep assist features.

Elon Musk now sits behind only Amazon-founder Jeff Bezos on the international rich-list, following a sharp rise in the valuation of Tesla this week. In the last seven days alone shares in the electric vehicle manufacturer rose from $447 (approximately AU$607) to $558 (approximately AU$758), representing an increase of approximately 25 per cent. Market capitalisation now sits at $526.45 billion (approximately AU$715 billion).

The 2021 Audi TTS is set to receive some updates for the European market. Audi's mid-grade, performance-oriented TTS coupe and Roadster has received a power increase in Europe for 2021, alongside Competition Plus and Bronze Selection special editions for Europe.

Audi Australia has issued a recall on eight examples of its Q5 SUV, citing incorrect welding. The affected vehicles were sold between June and July, 2020 (MY2020). The recall notice, lodged with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), says “due to incorrect welding, the gap on the adjusting mechanism for the backrest of the front seats may be faulty”.

It's great to see a brand remaining faithful to its heritage when undergoing change. Audi's promise to continue with its signature Quattro nameplate, despite pivoting to electric vehicles, is just that. I'm sure that anyone who's ever shopped in the premium segments knows about Quattro. It's so synonymous with the brand – a sporty, all-wheel-drive system that enables fierce all-weather traction and sure-footed confidence.

In the automotive world, there are final editions, and then there are final editions – and this one is unlikely to be of the John Farnham variety. Following the announcement of its retirement in early September, a special swansong package has been applied to 31 examples of the 2020 Subaru Liberty sedan in Australia.

Revenue collected from speeding fines is set to increase by nearly 60 per cent, according to figures listed in the Victorian Government's 2020-2021 Budget this week. The increased revenue is the result of an initiative by the State Government to increase the speed camera program by 75 per cent. The discrepancy between the expansion and the forecasted revenue aligns with figures showing speed and red light camera fines have been falling in recent years.

UPDATE, November 25, 2020: With a freshly updated Giulia Q bound for Australian roads soon, the time is right to take another look at the outgoing specification. I was warned by not one, not two, but three of my well-meaning colleagues before getting behind the wheel of the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio.

The cross-state road trip is officially back in business! And it’s certainly true that you often don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone. All those people who had been planning a journey from Victoria to New South Wales or vice versa will know this feeling all too well, after their travel plans were put on indefinite hold earlier this year with the re-introduction of Victoria’s coronavirus lockdowns.

The popular Ford Ranger Wildtrak X will receive a number of minor tweaks for 2021. First announced in late 2019, and then updated again in August 2020, the 'MY21.25' Ranger Wildtrak X dual-cab gains a handful of additions over MY20 versions, many of which mirror changes to Thai-delivered Rangers earlier this month.

Isuzu has an all-new D-Max, which has proven to be quite a favourite of the CarAdvice team, but exactly how much better is it than the old model?

The Tesla Model S could be in line for yet another increase to its all-electric driving range, according to new reports out of the US. Online electric vehicle-centric publication Electrek obtained images of the dealer 'window sticker' – a mandatory label attached to new US-market vehicles detailing pricing, fuel/energy consumption and key equipment information – affixed to a new, November-produced Model S Long Range Plus, revealing an EPA-rated combined range of 409 miles, or 658km.

Details have emerged out of Europe of the Volkswagen Group's planned electric vehicle (EV) onslaught over the next two years. A screenshot of a leaked presentation shown during a Volkswagen Group investor meeting earlier this week – published online by Romanian publication Automarket – reveals the launch dates for a range of the Volkswagen Group's upcoming all-electric models.

w General Motors will launch 30 all-new electric vehicle models by the end of the decade, with the Cadillac, GMC, Chevrolet and Buick marques all confirmed to take part in the range expansion. The manufacturing conglomerate – which was, until last week, working with the Trump administration to roll back a spate of environmental protections in the United States – says it now intends to invest $27 billion into its zero-emission development program.

We’ve already covered the Mazda Roadpacer, that ill-conceived take on the Holden Kingswood powered by Mazda’s ubiquitous rotary engine. More recently, we discovered the Daewoo Royale Salon with more than a passing resemblance to our own VB Commodore. And then there’s this, the Isuzu Statesman De Ville, a rebadged Holden HQ Statesman intended for the Japanese market.

Electric vehicle manufacturer Rivian will likely build smaller models for the overseas market, following the launch of its R1T pick-up and R1S SUV in the USA. Speaking to Reuters over the weekend, company founder and Chief Executive RJ Scaringe explained that broadening the brand’s appeal would require tailoring products specifically for China and Europe.

Researchers in Belgium claim they have found loopholes in the Tesla Model X's on-board security system that could be exploited by hackers and potential car thieves. Using a self-assembled hardware kit costing just $300, experts from the Computer Security and Industrial Cryptography (COSIC) group were able to hack into the Model X's key fob via Bluetooth. In doing so, they were able to not only unlock the $160,000+ electric SUV, but start it and drive it away – all in a matter of minutes.

Former Formula One driver Nico Rosberg tested a prototype version of the Rimac C_Two all-electric hypercar on public roads over the weekend, becoming the first person outside the Croatian manufacturer’s development team to do so. The 2016 world champion – who in August of this year announced he had personally ordered a C_Two – described the driving experience as “unreal.”

Jaguar Land Rover has filed a lawsuit to block certain SUVs from the Volkswagen Group from being imported into the United States, alleging the VW Group has used its patented all-terrain technology without permission. The technology in question is called Terrain Response, which is available on Land Rover SUVs like the Discovery Sport or Range Rover, or Jaguar SUVs like the F-Pace, and allows drivers to select from several drive modes optimised for various surfaces and conditions.

There was a time, not all that long ago, when new-car buyers on a budget could land a deal for under $10,000. As recently as 2013, the abominable Chery J1 city car could be yours for $9990.

There was a time, not all that long ago, when new-car buyers on a budget could land a deal for under $10,000. As recently as 2013, the abominable Chery J1 city car could be yours for $9990.

The all-new 2021 Nissan Note has been officially unveiled, ahead of a Japanese sales launch on 23 December 2020. The third generation of the brand's Yaris-sized city car shifts to the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance's CMF-B platform, shared with the latest Renault Clio, Renault Captur and Nissan Juke.

The 2022 Subaru BRZ was officially unveiled last week, but, to the disappointment of many fans, the low-slung sports coupe still doesn’t have a turbo – now the Japanese manufacturer has revealed the reason why. The new-generation model is powered by a naturally-aspirated version of Subaru's 2.4-litre 'FA24' petrol four-cylinder 'boxer' engine, which sends 170kW and 249Nm to the rear wheels via a six-speed manual or six-speed torque-converter automatic transmission.

Porsche has set a new Guinness world record for the longest continuous drift in an electric vehicle (EV). Porsche Experience Centre (PEC) chief instructor Dennis Retera recorded 210 laps around the 200-metre wet circular skidpad at the brand's Experience Centre at the Hockenheimring circuit in Germany.

Living with the 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLS450 in the literal confines of a city transitioning out of lockdown has presented a somewhat relevant comparison landscape for the husky SUV. The giant G has remained constant in an environment that has gradually become busier and more crowded. A shrinking space around the car taking the luxury of parking where I want, and the greater luxury of doing it without family onboard, away.

McLaren's upcoming hybrid supercar has been given a name: Artura. Due to launch in the first half of 2021, the Artura is the (indirect) replacement for the British brand's popular Sports Series line of supercars – consisting of 540C, 570S, 570GT, 600LT and 620R variants – and, unlike its predecessors, shifts away from a numerical nameplate derived from the car's power output, towards a word-based moniker.

Hyundai and Ineos have signed a memorandum of understanding, as they look to work together on developing hydrogen fuel cell technology. Both companies will look to develop strategies in the production and distribution of hydrogen, along with adding hydrogen fuel cell power to more of their respective line ups. Hyundai is a leader in fuel cell technology, after investing a huge sum of money in the alternative choice to battery electric power.

The much-anticipated Subaru BRZ coupe has been revealed to the world, and it's been the inspiration for same day-dreaming here at CarAdvice. Last week the BRZ was unveiled, with Subaru showing off a heavily-revised version of the first-gen BRZ, but with an increased length, a lower height, and a much stiffer chassis than the outgoing model.

The Mercedes-Benz R-Class seven-seater could be on track to return for 2025, according to a new report from the UK's Car magazine. However, while the original R-Class sold from 2006 to 2013 offered V6 and V8 naturally-aspirated petrol and turbo-diesel engines with – C63-engined R63 AMG aside – little to no performance bent, Car claims the new R-Class will be an all-electric, high-performance luxury seven-seater to top Mercedes' electric vehicle (EV) line-up.

The 2022 Jeep Compass has been officially unveiled at the Guangzhou motor show, just weeks after the facelifted crossover was leaked online. The exterior updates are subtle, with the standard Compass getting a revised front end with a new grille, lower air intake, and restyled fog lights. Meanwhile, the Trailhawk variant (shown below) picks up new alloys, a red and matte black bonnet decal, and repositioned lower fog lights.

Ford's luxury arm Lincoln has taken the wraps off its facelifted Nautilus crossover, ahead of a US market launch in early 2021. The refreshed Lincoln Nautilus is a twin under the skin to the Ford Endura, known in the US as the Ford Edge. Yesterday it was announced the Endura would be discontinued in Australia.

Toyota is set to kill off its second-oldest nameplate, with reports out of Japan suggesting the Toyota Crown – in its current sedan form, at least – will be retired. A report in Japanese newspaper Chunichi Shimbun states that Toyota will cease production of the Crown sedan but will retain the nameplate, likely on an SUV, slated for 2022.

Seven-time Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton will be knighted, according to UK newspaper the Daily Mail. Calls for Hamilton's knighthood became louder after the 35-year-old equalled Michael Schumacher's record of seven F1 championship titles earlier this month at the Turkish Grand Prix.

LDV is on the upward march, and perhaps nothing shows the vast improvements this Chinese car manufacturer is making better than the 2020 LDV Deliver 9, the brand's new commercial van. We’ve already seen what its car and SUV arm can do with new MG vehicles (owned by the same parent company, China's SAIC), even pushing the envelope in the leading-edge electric car space with enticing vehicles at a sharp price.

BMW Australia has issued a recall of 48 examples of the 2019-20 (MY19-20) X3 and X4 due to a potential fault with the seat belt fittings. The recall notice, lodged with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), says the seat belts may not have been screwed to the correct specification. Affected BMW X3 and X4 SUVs were sold between 6 December 2019 and 5 August 2020. BMW Australia has been contacted and this story will be updated with its response.

Miss trolling used-car dealerships in the hope you’ll find a rare 1983 Mazda RX-7 GT Turbo, or still feel you’ve got a couple of tenths around the Autumn Ring in a worked Toyota Supra SZ-R up your sleeve, and looking for a way to pass the time until the all-new Gran Turismo 7 arrives on the PlayStation 5 next year? Obviously, you do. We all do.

With Subaru's new BRZ revealed last week to a generally favourable response, fans are now waiting on signs from Toyota that the new 86 coupe is near. In their first generation, both cars were unveiled within days of each other, ahead of a 2011 Tokyo motor show debut. (Remember motor shows?)

It’s the rootin’est, tootin’est, off-roadiest ute in the range, and now the 2021 Toyota HiLux Rugged X has been mildly revised to receive the updates that have been delivered across the rest of the HiLux line-up. But does the range-topping 'Chapel Street Cowboy' bring anything other than a well-ticked accessory catalogue to the otherwise standard and solid HiLux platform? Let’s pull on a pair of brand-new RM Williams boots to find out!

The Australian Automobile Association (AAA) has called for a “nationally consistent road user charge for electric vehicles,” following last week's announcement that Victoria would follow South Australia in implementing a per/km EV levy from 2021.

The end of the road has arrived for the Ford Endura in Australia, with the brand confirming the SUV will be phased out locally by the end of 2020. Ford Australia Communications Director, Matt Moran, told CarAdvice today: “With the expansion of the Ford SUV line-up in 2020 to include the all-new Puma and Escape, as well as our growing Everest offerings, we’ve decided to hone our SUV line-up to these three vehicles, meaning Endura will depart our Australian line-up by the end of 2020”.

The Volkswagen Group is developing a new flagship electric vehicle for three of its premium brands, according to a report from German newspaper Handelsblatt. Codenamed 'Landjet', development of the top-rung electric car is reportedly being led by Audi's autonomous- and electric-focused Artemis division, and is slated to be aimed squarely at a potential next-generation version of the Tesla Model S.

UPDATE, November 2020: After experiencing production delays earlier this year due to COVID-19, BMW Australia has confirmed that some stock of the limited-edition M2 CS has now landed locally! Only 84 examples of the $139,900 (before options and on-road costs) M2 CS are coming to Australia, so if you want to end 2020 on a high note, you'd best get in quickly! We haven't driven it on local roads yet – but until we do, here's a reminder of what the ultimate BMW pocket-rocket is like.

Mazda has unveiled a range of updates for the brand's popular 2021 Mazda 3 small car in Japan, though it's unclear whether the changes will make their way to Australia. Headlining the updates – at least those most relevant to Australian customers – are upgrades for the recently-introduced, breakthrough SkyActiv-X petrol engine.

The pioneer of the Chinese vehicles in Australia – Great Wall Motors – has delivered its biggest overhaul in more than 10 years, and is poised to shake-up the affordable end of the double-cab ute market. The 2021 GWM Cannon is an all-new model with more technology than the segment leaders – and more equipment than the Toyota Hilux, Ford Ranger, Isuzu D-Max and Mazda BT-50 at a fraction of their price.

As part of the overhauled Toyota HiLux range, the two-pronged town ute and country ute Rogue and Rugged X approach continues. While it’s no city car, the 2021 Toyota HiLux Rogue 4x4 is still very much a HiLux, but the equipment on board makes for an almost-sensible urban package… Almost.

Fans who want to secure one of the last examples of the Toyota LandCruiser 200 Series V8 turbo diesel will need to get a move on. The Toyota LandCruiser 200 Series V8 turbo diesel is approaching the end of the production line, with the last batch due to be built in March 2021.

A Senate Inquiry in Canberra has been told new-car prices will likely rise under a radical plan by Honda and Mercedes-Benz to change the way they sell vehicles in Australia – amid renewed calls for the Federal Government to introduce legislation to better protect consumers and local businesses.

With Holden only five weeks away from closing its doors in Australia – and after 31 months in a row of new-car sales decline – a Senate Inquiry in Canberra has been told current franchise laws make it too easy for multinational car companies to shut-up shop locally, wipe out jobs, and leave customers high and dry.

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.

The state of Victoria followed South Australia’s lead (pun intended) by coming up with a per-kilometre charge for electric cars in lieu of fuel excise, but they’re still at least 40 per cent cheaper to run than a petrol car. The Australian Automobile Association repeated its calls for a national approach. Heads-up: this is coming to all cars, it’s just starting with electric vehicles. Read all about it here.

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 photos, articles, videos or 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? We knew Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson was big, we just didn't know he was 'too large for a Porsche Taycan' big.

Honda's story is one of clever engineering. Its founder, Soichiro Honda, is recognised as the key protagonist in this tale. He was the sort of guy that held a private pilot's licence aged in his 70s. His wife was equal-minded, also flying planes late into her senior years, too. Honda's famed motorcycles first rose to stardom. During the 1960s, under Soichiro's watch, its American subsidiary sold a million examples in less than 10 years.

American-based start-up Elation has previewed its Freedom hypercar. According to its website, Elation was founded by South American pair Carlos Satulovsky, and Mauro Saravia. The duo met in their native country of Argentina in 1985, and had originally planned to build an ultra-light airplane facility. This plan was abandoned due to unrest in the nation.

The 2021 Skoda Octavia RS has been unveiled as a police pursuit vehicle in the UK. The fourth-generation sedan from Skoda will share its powertrain with the 2021 Volkswagen Golf GTI, but offering buyers a sleek liftback body with hot hatch performance. Using a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol four-cylinder engine, the RS develops 180kW of power and 370Nm of torque, propelling the Octavia to 100km/h from a standstill in 6.6 seconds through a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.

Ford has revealed a slew of modified concepts based on its latest models, unveiled on Friday as part of the brand's 'Ford Auto Nights SEMA Show Special' livestream event. The online-only Auto Nights event was set up, as its name suggests, in place of the 2020 SEMA show in Las Vegas, which was cancelled as a result of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Headlining the roster of modified show car and custom concepts is the Bronco Badlands Sasquatch 2-Door Concept.

People are holding on to eight-cylinder sedans. Some for reasons of nostalgia, others for the dependability and strength that come from an old-school pushrod V8 engine. Another issue could be the lack of a logical upgrade. Affordable, V8 petrol cars with a dotted line to performance don't really exist anymore.

Victorian will follow South Australia’s lead and impose a tax on electric vehicles from 2021. Dan Andrews’ Labor Government confirmed it would charge owners of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles a usage fee from July 2021. Victorian Treasurer Tim Pallas confirmed the per-kilometre-usage-fee on Saturday afternoon.

We weren’t actually going to punt our long-term 2020 Nissan Navara N-Trek Warrior off-road in this series of long-term updates, but it happened by accident. You already know most of what the Warrior is capable of in an off-road environment, as we’ve tested it before. However, we ended up using it as a support and camera vehicle almost by accident for some other testing, and decided to take another quick look at what makes it such a solid ‘off the shelf’ off-road option.

South African company SVI (Special Vehicle Innovation) have released their updated Max 3 armoured vehicle, which is based on the popular Toyota LandCruiser 79 Series. With bodywork comprising of 38-millimetre thick armoured glass and steel plates, the Max 3 offers B6 ballistic protection – good enough to stop high-powered 5.56mm and 7.62mm rounds. And if that’s not enough and can be upgraded to B7, for protection against armour-piercing bullets.

General Motors' new fully-electric Hummer has shown up in SUV form. While the Hummer pick-up was revealed last month, this is the first time the wagon body has made an appearance in public. Compared with the pick-up's unveiling, the Hummer SUV variant was presented without any fanfare at all, merely turning up in the background of a conference call with company investors. MORE: 10 electric utes on the horizon

Owners of the original Mini can now convert their vehicles to a fully-electric powertrain. British company Swindon has put together the 'Swind Classic Mini Kit' for £42,480 (AU$76,700), which gives the original Mini a range of around 200 kilometres. The kit comprises an 80kW electric motor – manufactured in-house by Swindon – which helps get the little hatch to 100km/h in around 9.5 seconds.

The Toyota Yaris remains a fairly big name in the world of cars, even if sales of city cars continue to slide. And Toyota has reinforced its faith in the nameplate by applying it to the model’s SUV spin-off, the Yaris Cross. Yet, you could have forgiven anyone for believing the Japanese company had accidentally launched the latest-generation Yaris with the SUV’s pricing. Whereas the most affordable Yaris previously available was $15,990, the cheapest ticket now is about $25,550 drive-away.

That the 2021 Genesis G80 is an exceptional large luxury sedan is no surprise. What is perhaps something of a surprise is just how far the luxury arm of Hyundai has come in a relatively short time. Not long after driving the all-new GV80 SUV, we get to sample the new G80 – a flagship large sedan that defines the brand.

A 17-year-old American YouTube star has emerged relatively unscathed after crashing his father's one-of-a-kind, extremely expensive supercar. Gage Gillean, who runs the YouTube account GG Exotics, was allegedly involved in a crash in Dallas, Texas, on November 17, leaving his father's Pagani Huayra Roadster in ruins.

Let’s get one thing out of the way early – taking care of your car’s recall notice is an easy thing to let slide. Despite the urgency of the manufacturers and their sincere warnings about all the awful things that can go wrong if you ignore it, we’re all guilty of occasionally letting a recall service fall down the to-do list. Hot tip: Don’t let that happen. Recalls are issued for a reason and not fulfilling them could see drivers and passengers injured or killed.

EXCLUSIVE The NSW state opposition has labelled the move to remove warning signs from mobile speed cameras, as announced yesterday by NSW Transport minister Andrew Constance, is "all about revenue, not road safety". Shadow Minister for Roads, John Graham, acknowledged “speed cameras are important in ensuring motorists adhere to road rules”. However, Mr Graham told CarAdvice the timing of the government’s announcement made it clear road safety wasn’t the only motivation for the change.

The 2021 Hyundai Venue has been updated for the new year, with a number of features added across the model line-up. Prices have also risen by $500, only three months after Hyundai raised the price of the mid-range Venue Active by $420, and the range-topping Elite by $250.