We publish a ton of car news stories during the working week, and it can be tough to keep up with everything – which is the rationale behind this weekend list.
In short, here are some key articles from our news desk since Monday of this week summarised, just in case you missed them at the time.
Australia’s car emissions winners and losers in 2022
The Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) has released 2022 emissions results for each individual brand.
In its first release of information on the voluntary emissions reduction standard, it confirmed the heavy SUV and light commercial vehicle target (MC + NA) had missed its target while passenger cars and light SUVs (MA) reached it.
Now, it has confirmed which brands met their target and which ones fell short.
FULL STORY: Australia’s car emissions winners and losers in 2022
2023 Mahindra Scorpio priced for Australia
The 2023 Mahindra Scorpio six-seat body-on-frame SUV is on sale in Australia from April 20 with test drives now available.
The two-variant Scorpio range starts at $41,990 drive-away, and extends to $44,990 drive-away until June 30, 2023. It’s unclear what prices will change to after this time.
This pricing of the entry-level Scorpio Z8 undercuts the likes of the Ssangyong Rexton ELX by $7000, Mitsubishi Pajero Sport GLX 4×4 by $10,750, and the Isuzu MU-X LS-M 4×4 by $18,100.
FULL STORY: 2023 Mahindra Scorpio price and specs
LDV reveals new electric Toyota HiAce rival with 1.2-tonne payload
SAIC Motor’s Maxus brand, known here as LDV, has revealed the new electric eDeliver 7 mid-sized van with two battery options and more than 360km of range.
It will go on sale in the UK market in the second half of the year.
Ateco, the local distributor for LDV, has previously confirmed it will launch a new mid-sized cargo van in the fourth quarter of this year with both combustion and electric powertrains and a choice of three roof options, though it hasn’t confirmed any other details. The eDeliver7 seems a logical fit.
FULL STORY: LDV reveals new electric Toyota HiAce rival with 1.2-tonne payload
Land Rover brand dead, Defender, Discovery, Range Rover brands to replace it
Jaguar Land Rover is dead, all hail the carmaker known as JLR. To go along with this change, the role of the Land Rover marque will be diminished.
Adrian Mardell, JLR CEO since the start of 2023, announced the change today as he outlined the company’s electric vehicle strategy for the coming decade.
As part of an accelerated version of the Reimagine strategy launched during the two-year reign of former CEO Thierry Bollore, Jaguar Land Rover will rename itself as JLR.
FULL STORY: Land Rover brand dead, Defender, Discovery, Range Rover brands to replace it
Next Range Rover Evoque, Velar, Land Rover Discovery Sport to be electric cars
Jaguar Land Rover – now known as JLR – is accelerating its electric car push, and its next-generation of mid-sized models will now be electric-only propositions.
These crossovers will be based on the upcoming Electrified Modular Architecture (EMA), which was previously touted as an electric-first platform that would also support internal combustion engines (ICE) and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) functionality.
As part the updated Reimagine strategy unveiled overnight, JLR will invest £15 billion ($28 billion) over the next five years on new model development and production, with much of the money spent on electric vehicles.
FULL STORY: New Range Rover Evoque, Velar, Land Rover Discovery Sport to be electric cars
Polestar 4 revealed: Coupe SUV has no rear windscreen
What comes after the Polestar 1, 2, and 3? The Polestar 4, of course.
Revealed at the Shanghai motor show, the 4 is slightly smaller than the 3 revealed in 2022.
Launch timing for Australia hasn’t been confirmed; Polestar says launch details for global markets will be confirmed in 2024.
FULL STORY: Polestar 4 revealed: Coupe SUV has no rear windscreen
Lexus bringing luxe LM hybrid people mover to Australia
The second generation of the Lexus LM luxury people mover has been revealed, and it’s coming to Australia.
Lexus says local launch timing, specification and pricing will be announced closer to the vehicle’s launch.
It has previously indicated it will launch three new models in three new segments for the brand by mid-2024, so the LM should therefore arrive over the next 12 months or so.
FULL STORY: Lexus bringing luxe LM hybrid people mover to Australia
Chinese six-wheeler ute revealed, Australia on the cards
Great Wall Motor has just revealed a dream ute with its six-wheeler CyberPickup concept at the 2023 Shanghai motor show.
The plug-in hybrid Cannon 6×6 ute – which has a 50km pure electric range – has certainly caught our attention and will no doubt be highly desirable for anyone that needs the extra load and towing capacity.
CarExpert has been told the vehicle has already been homologated for the Chinese market for 3.5-tonne towing with potential to go up to 6 tonnes for special purposes.
FULL STORY: Chinese 6-wheeler ute revealed, Australia on the cards
Ford Puma electric car confirmed for Australia
Ford has confirmed the as-yet unrevealed electric Puma small SUV will join the e-Transit, e-Transit Custom, and Mustang Mach-E in Australian showrooms.
Ford Australia boss Andrew Birkic says the Puma is the final step in a plan to launch five electrified vehicles Down Under before the end of 2024.
Although it will technically achieve that goal, the Escape ST-Line plug-in hybrid won’t be on sale come the end of 2023 as Ford kills the model locally.
FULL STORY: Ford Puma electric car confirmed for Australia
Ford Escape: Toyota RAV4 rival axed in Australia
Ford won’t have a rival to the best-selling Toyota RAV4 and Mazda CX-5 in Australia by the end of 2023.
The brand has confirmed it’ll axe the Escape locally before the end of this year, just over 20 years after it debuted Down Under. Both the petrol model and its plug-in hybrid twin will be axed.
“We don’t make those nameplate decisions and those brand decisions lightly. We go through a very rigorous process, with multiple factors that go into making those decisions,” Ford Australia boss Andrew Birkic told media. “We believe now is the right time.”
FULL STORY: Ford Escape: Toyota RAV4 rival axed in Australia
2024 Porsche Cayenne: Overhauled SUV flagship revealed
Porsche’s biggest SUV (for now) has been overhauled for 2024.
Although it’s technically a mid-life update on the exisiting model which debuted in 2019, Porsche describes this as “one of the most extensive product upgrades in the history of Porsche”.
Inspired by the Taycan, the new-look Cayenne features revised engines, suspension and handling improvements, as well as an updated dashboard that features a digital instrument cluster and optional front passenger display.
FULL STORY: 2024 Porsche Cayenne: Overhauled SUV flagship revealed
MG Cyberster: Electric Boxster rival officially revealed
We already knew what it would look like thanks to patent images, spy photos, and a Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology filing, but here it is: the production-spec MG Cyberster.
MG has released a series of images of the electric roadster, which takes the stage at this week’s Shanghai motor show two years after it was first previewed in concept form.
“I can confirm that we will be bringing the MG Cyberster to the Australian and New Zealand market and hope to have more exciting news to share around this in due course,” said a spokesperson from MG Motor Australia.
FULL STORY: MG Cyberster: Electric Boxster rival officially revealed
BMW reveals its fastest electric vehicle yet
BMW’s flagship electric car has a new flagship of its own, and it’s the brand’s most powerful electric vehicle yet.
The BMW i7 M70 xDrive features a dual-motor all-wheel drive powertrain, with the rear motor producing 360kW of power and the front producing 190kW.
Total system torque is 1015Nm in Sport mode, with total system power of 485kW and torque of 1100Nm when M Launch Control or the M Sport Boost function is activated.
FULL STORY: BMW reveals its fastest electric vehicle yet
