CAR ADVICE

While the Lexus IS left Australian shores in 2021, the rest of the world was treated to a V8-powered flagship edition; now, Japan gets the most loaded version yet. Lexus has announced what may prove to be the company’s last V8 sedan, a 500-unit special edition of the IS500 for Japan, known as the Climax Edition. In what we can only imagine is an unfortunate translation fail, the IS500 Climax (think ‘pinnacle’ or ‘ultimate’, not what you may actually be thinking) comes with a subtle array of performance enhancements. As was the case with special editions of the Lexus RC F before it, the IS500 goes without changes to its 352kW naturally aspirated 5.0-litre V8. Instead, the Climax Edition comes with an upgraded brake package comprising six-piston Brembo calipers, painted red, which clamp down on 380mm ‘pillar fin’ rotors. MORE: Goodbye old friend, we’ll miss you The pillar fin design is a high-performance brake rotor developed by Brembo, with rotor vanes that are divi...

Turn off Seinfeld and grab your Ace Of Base CD, as everyday 1996 has arrived in time-capsule form by way of a pristine Nissan Maxima sedan with less than 1000km on the odometer. Could this be the most ordinary time-capsule car to ever hit the market? A pristine 1996 Nissan Maxima sedan, with just 520 miles (837km) on the odometer, has been sold in the USA by online auction platform, Bring A Trailer , for about half of what its purchase price was some three decades ago. The black Nissan was sold last week for US$15,250 ($A23,500), after originally selling in 1996 for $28,597 ($A44k). For context, we found a similar generation 1998 Nissan Maxima (with 125k on the clock) advertised in the US for just $2800. MORE: Toyota Supra flips the script, literally, with Ferrari-trumping auction price The auction listing notes that the ultra-low milage example was purchased last year from its original owner and was kept in storage (in a heated garage) for most of its life. Th...

Australia’s love affair with dual-cab utes is about to get a whole lot stronger, with some familiar names receiving new updates in the next couple of years. You don’t have to be a car enthusiast to know that dual-cab utes have taken Australia by storm. Whether it’s going on school runs, heading to the work site or going out bush, the versatility of utes has made the body style one of Australia’s most popular. Over the first five months of 2025, 96,159 new utes found their way into Australian driveways, led by the Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux taking out first and second positions on the sales charts once again, accruing 22,018 and 20,072 deliveries, respectively. While the two dual-cab titans compete for the top sales position in the country, the dual-cab market is set to get a lot more competitive with new challengers on the horizon. Whether it’s facelifts, new generations of current favourites, or entirely new nameplates to the market, here are the new dual-cab utes confirm...

Skoda bulks out Karoq range with a unique 130 Years Edition, which adds high-end equipment and special badging – at a cost. Skoda Australia will roll-out the Karoq 130 Years Edition to celebrate its birthday milestone, which adds more equipment and cost to the base Select 110TSI grade. Priced at $48,890 before on-road costs, the 130 Years Edition is $10,500 pricier than its donor car, but adds several features from the more expensive Sportline variants (from $44,490 for the front-wheel drive FWD and $55,090 for the more powerful all-wheel drive). Whereas the base Karoq is fitted with 18-inch alloy wheels, fabric interior, and an 8.0-inch infotainment touchscreen and digital instrument cluster, these features are upgraded in the 130 Years Edition. Wheel size is increased to 19 inches, while there is also leather seat trim, a larger 9.2-inch infotainment screen, and 10-inch digital instrument cluster – all borrowed from the more up-market Sportline. MORE: 2025 Skoda Kodiaq ...

Good news: Renault’s off-road-styled Duster small SUV – sold under its Dacia brand in Europe – is weeks away from Australia, but only limited numbers will be available initially. Dacia cars are weeks away from Australia, as the first two examples of the 2026 Renault Duster small SUV arrive on local roads ahead of showroom arrivals in the coming weeks. Prices are due to be announced imminently for the Duster, a small SUV similar in size to a Subaru Crosstrek which is sold in Europe under Renault’s Romanian budget brand Dacia . The two cars pictured are being used for “final validation” and “accessory fit-out” before “limited numbers” of the Duster reach showrooms from July. It is yet to be confirmed how many vehicles will be available initially, but Renault Australia says supply will grow in number next year. MORE: 2025 Renault Koleos now cheaper than some Chinese family SUV competitors “Demand for this vehicle in Europe is very strong, so Australia will receive an ...