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Australia’s alignment to US fuel-efficiency standards will enable big pick-ups to access an emissions credit loophole already used to address other community issues in North America. Further details of the controversial plan to ease upcoming Australian emissions standards for US pick-ups have been announced, following last week’s confirmation of less stringent targets for smaller utes and vans. The revisions to the rules, modelled off similar emissions standards used in the US, saw many large four-wheel-drive wagons reclassified as light-commercial vehicles, and subject to higher CO2 limits than smaller passenger cars. Vehicles that don’t meet the new guidelines, which gradually become more stringent between 2025 and 2029, are subject to a penalty of $100 per gram of carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted beyond the threshold – while vehicles that beat the targets are subject to a credits. These credits may be traded by manufacturers to offset fines applied to certain vehicles. ...

After an influx of complaints regarding street parking, Gold Coast’s inner-city council is set to axe many bike lanes in favour of more parking spaces for US pick-ups. The Gold Coast has announced plans to remove half of its bike lanes following a surge in popularity of US pick-ups in the area. The council says it has heard complaints from owners of Chevrolet Silverado , Ford F-150 , and Ram 1500 pick-ups about having “nowhere to park them,” and “these e-bikes always getting the way.” “We have decided to cut back on our bike lanes due to a fall in usage to accommodate the growing dimensions of modern cars,” said a spokesperson for the council. “Large ute drivers should no longer feel as if they cannot drive on the Gold Coast, so we want to make sure we are accommodating for all drivers.” On-road bike lanes in Surfers Paradise and Southport will be the first to hit the chopping block before the rest of the city moves towards cutting down on bike lanes and putting the road “...

Work has begun on the site of what promises to be a motorsport hub, with a circuit designed by a legendary Formula One track designer. The first sod has been turned on a new race track being built near Newcastle, New South Wales, which is scheduled to open in 2026 before becoming fully operational the following year. The $95 million Black Rock Motor Resort is being constructed in Teralba, Lake Macquarie, south of Newcastle, NSW on the former site of Rhondda Colliery which closed in 1971. Approved in 2019 by the New South Wales state government, the circuit will be laid out by famous racetrack designer, Hermann Tilke. Tilke – a former racing driver himself – is one of only four designers recognised by the FIA (Federation Internationale de l’Automobile), the global governing body of motorsport. The German has designed countless Formula One circuits around the world, as well as upgrading iconic parts of tracks including Silverstone in the UK and the Nurburgring in Germany. Th...

Elon Musk says all compatible Tesla vehicles in the US will be granted a one-month free trial to the so-called ‘Full Self-Driving’ software – but a broader plan to give new customers a demo in their own car has been met with concerns. All compatible Tesla vehicles in the US will soon be offered with a one-month free trial of the company’s controversial, so-called ‘Full Self-Driving’ software, company boss Elon Musk has announced. However plans by the outspoken executive for all Tesla US customers to be taken on a ‘test ride’ with Full Self-Driving software in their new car before taking delivery have been labelled impractical by experts. A company-wide email sent by Musk at 2:00am California time on Tuesday morning – leaked and posted to X (formerly Twitter ) ­– demanded Tesla delivery staff in the US must now “take customers on a short [FSD] test ride” before handing over their new vehicle. Tesla’s most advanced semi-autonomous system was made available in beta form in 202...

This Pagani carbon-fibre driving simulator is said to be as close as you can get to driving the real Huayra R – without leaving the house. Racing simulators are much like the real racing cars they’re meant to mimic – they can be as simple, or as detailed as wallets allow. But the latest creation from Italian hypercar specialist Pagani takes the racing simulator to another level. The bespoke Pagani Huayra R Driving Simulator is developed in partnership with simulator specialist Racing Unleashed, and is said to blend aspects of each company into one of the most technically advanced simulators on the market. Pagani’s involvement entails carbon-fibre bodywork developed using the same autoclaves as real Pagani cars. The green-tinted carbon fibre envelops a seating position said to match that of the full-size Pagani Huayra R. MORE: Pagani Huayra R – $4 million track-only hypercar revealed The Italian company’s craftsmanship continues to metal stands housing the monitor a...

The vehicle tracking app included with late-model Ford Rangers is claimed to have helped one owner locate their allegedly stolen ute. Police have claimed to have caught alleged thieves responsible for stealing a ute – by using its tracking app to hunt them down. According to the owner of the Ford Ranger – who shared the story on social media with radio presenter Jacqui Felgate – the ute was stolen from a property in Hurstbridge in Melbourne’s north on Monday night, with work tools on board. The owner claims they used the FordPass Connect app included with the Ranger – which shows its current location – to help Victoria Police track the vehicle to a house in Lara, near Geelong, where the alleged thieves were said to have been searching through the tools left in the ute. In 2020, the FordPass Connect app was introduced to the Ranger, Everest and Transit models, with the technology rolled out to other models shortly after. View this post on Instagram ...

Our parents taught us that you need to let your car warm up before you drive it, but is this true? Or are you just wasting fuel? If you were around 20–30 years ago, you’d remember either starting the car or watching your parents start it and letting it idle for a few minutes before driving it. RELATED: Does idling use a lot of petrol? Here’s the truth There is conflicting information about why people do this. Some say it’s to oil the engine, while others can’t even answer the question; they just know they’ve been told to warm it up. Do I need to warm my car up? Unless you own an old car, your car has been sitting for a while, or your windows are foggy, no. Modern cars are very different to those of years past. Modern fuelling solutions and accelerated oil development mean that sitting and leaving the car idling for a few minutes has been rendered obsolete. “Oil has become more technologically advanced and is now much more efficient,” says James Boer, who has been a Bentle...

Victoria Police claimed the two drivers were in a rush to “get home at a reasonable hour” – and are expected to be charged on offences relating to dangerous driving. Two Melbourne drivers will be without their cars after police allegedly clocked the offenders speeding at double the legal limit while in convoy. Victoria Police say the 24 and 25-year-old motorists were allegedly speeding at 113km/h along a 60km/h stretch of road in Simpson – a town approximately 200km west of Melbourne – on 24 March 2024. When stopped by officers, the two alleged drivers claimed they were returning to Melbourne after a weekend getaway and “wanted to get home at a reasonable hour.” As a result, the Audi A7 and Toyota Landcruiser were impounded by police, with the drivers and their six passengers forced to stay a night at Camperdown after missing the last train to Melbourne. Authorities said the two speeding motorists are expected to face charges relating to dangerous driving. The post Two car...

Authorities said they have charged a 16-year-old for multiple offences relating to police evasion and reckless driving – with reports claiming the vehicle used in the incident belonged to a former Western Australia police boss. Photo Credit: 9 News A 16-year-old teenager has been arrested and charged with multiple offences after engaging in a police pursuit while recklessly driving in Perth on 22 March 2024. According to 9News , the Mitsubishi Pajero used by the offender reportedly belonged to former Western Australia Police Commissioner Karl O’Callaghan. Western Australia Police say officers attempted to stop the white SUV on a stretch of road along Maylands – an inner-city suburb approximately 4.5km northeast of Perth – at approximately 10:00pm. The driver allegedly failed to follow police directions and continued driving. A police pursuit began but was abandoned due to the dangerous driving behaviour. According to 9News , the vehicle was damaged when the teenager beh...

The final diesel-powered Volvo has rolled off the line in Sweden, a blue XC90. Volvo has made its last diesel-powered car – 18 months after the fuel type left its Australian showrooms – with the final example to roll off the production line bound for a museum. The final diesel-engined car, an XC90 , left Volvo’s Torslanda plant in Sweden this week, bringing to an end the company’s 45-year relationship with the fuel type. The XC90 SUV, using the marque’s turbocharged inline 2.0-liter four-cylinder diesel from the VEA (Volvo Engine Architecture) family which debuted in 2013, will now go on to be displayed at the World of Volvo museum in Gothenburg. The firm, which has produced more than nine million diesel cars since 1991 – as far back as its applicable records go – according to UK publication Autocar , aims to be an electric-only brand by 2030.  By 2040, Volvo says it wants to be a completely climate-neutral company – claiming it has “one of the most ambitious tra...

Street signs often outline days and times you don’t need to pay, or when time limits don’t apply. But what happens on public holidays? When reading street signs in major Australian cities, you could be forgiven for thinking you need a university degree to make sense of them. RELATED: The Aussie parking sign baffling tourists (and how to read it) Street parking often has signs outlining a time limit and whether you need a parking ticket. However, it can get a little difficult when public holidays fall on weekdays, as in the case of the Easter long weekend. It’s important to note that metered parking is run by local councils and not state governments, so different rules may apply depending on where you park, but most councils follow the same guidelines. Private car parks do not follow these guidelines and set their own rules. Ensure you carefully read the signs before walking away from your car. A good rule of thumb is that if it’s private, you’ll probably have to pay. Is pa...

Ahead of the Easter public holiday, state police are warning drivers of road operations combatting impaired driving, speeding and general road safety. Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images Ahead of the Easter public holiday festivities, police across the country are warning drivers of increased road presence and various operations set to take place. Police say the road blitz is targeted towards impaired driving, speeding, distracted driving, and dangerous and reckless behaviour – as well as general safety – as authorities are expecting an increase of families hitting the road throughout the long weekend. The road operations are set to take place from 28 March 2024 to 1 April 2024 – except Queensland, which starts on 29 March and ends on 14 April, and Tasmania, which begins on 28 March 2024 with no official end date. In Western Australia, New South Wales, Queensland and the Australian Capital Territory, double demerits are enforced throughout the public holiday. “We want a...

The Skoda Karoq is back below $40,000 drive-away for the first time in two years – and this new entry-level model may be the pick of the range. Skip ahead: Introduction Running costs Price and specification Energy use Interior space and comfort On-road assessment Connectivity and infotainment Summary Safety Next steps 2024 Skoda Karoq The Skoda Karoq is the middle child in the Czech car maker’s SUV range, with the footprint of a ‘big’ small SUV – but interior space said to be close to a mid-size SUV such as a Toyota RAV4, Kia Sportage or Mazda CX-5. For 2024 it has added a new entry-level model, simply called ‘Karoq’, which brings the base price back under $40,000 drive-away for the first time in two years. It is priced similarly to top-selling rivals from Japan and South Korea, while offering more equipment, and a seven-year warranty. Is it worth a look? How much is a Skoda Karoq? The new entry-level Skoda Karoq is priced from $39,990...