Chinese luxury brand Avatr will take aim at brands like Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi, Zeekr and Denza when it starts deliveries of its first Aussie model early next year. Majority-owned by the giant Changan Group, the newcomer is kicking things off with its large BEV SUV, the 07L.

Avatr’s decision to head down under comes after BYD launched its premium Denza brand and Geely brought its Zeekr subsidiary here. There were telltale signs of the move in August, when Changan – which currently sells Deepal models locally – put up job ads seeking staff to help with the launch of a “premium automotive brand”. 

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The vehicle in the vanguard of Avatr’s Aussie push made its debut earlier this year as a stretched version of the company’s 07 SUV. Few details have surfaced in the company’s official press release announcing its debut here, but it is confirmed to have an advanced 800-volt silicone-carbide electric architecture and CATL battery tech.

The 07L features an 89.33kWh lithium iron phosphate battery on the Chinese market, and the all-wheel drive version directs 712kW of power and 996Nm to the road. That gives it a claimed 0-100km/h time of 3.7 seconds and a claimed CLTC range of 650km.

In rear-wheel drive form, the 07L runs a single e-motor making 305kW and 435Nm, does the 0-100km/h sprint in 5.9 seconds and boasts a claimed CLTC range of 725km.

The 07L’s impressively appointed interior gets a 35.4-inch digital display that stretches right across the width of the cabin, seats that massage, warm up and cool the driver and front-seat passenger, and a 15.6-inch touchscreen. 

It will run the Avatr OS system, which the company says has been “designed around Australian customers, digital services and market requirements”. A Meridian audio system will feature as well.

First customer deliveries are expected to happen early next year, and Avatr will release further specs and pricing closer to the opening of pre-orders, which has been promised before the end of the year.

The Bathurst 1000 is just weeks away and the hype is starting to build with a hilarious new Repco TV commercial starring Supercars greats like Neil Crompton, Dick Johnson – and musician Shannon Noll, who puts a ute into the wall by the end of the ad.

Crompton – who spent years as the focal point of the Supercars Championship’s TV coverage once his racing career was over – stars in Repco’s annual production as one of the instructors at the Bathurst Driving School.

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After one student calls Garth Tander “the voice of Bathurst”, Crompton kicks the former Supercars champion off the screen to take his place as the real voice. What follows is a comedic introduction to the other famous instructors as they try to teach the novices “how to tackle the mighty Mount Panorama”, as Crompton puts it.

Greg Murphy, whose “lap of the gods” during qualifying in 2003 is one of the highlights of Bathurst folklore, jokes about the five-minute penalty he was slugged with for driving out of the pits with a fuel hose still attached to his Commodore in 2002.

The students are shown how to dodge the kangaroos that famously stray onto the track – and how to avoid a huge rock that suddenly pops up out of nowhere. That brings back some memories for Dick Johnson, who famously struck a boulder in his Falcon in the 1980 race. 

After the students are shown a series of intense and fiery crashes, David Reynolds delivers a message about hydration by doing a “shoey” with some champagne and a racing boot. 

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When Crompton then says, “Righto you lot, time to get behind the wheel. Who wants to go first?” a voice from the back of the classroom says, “What about me?” and of course, it’s Shannon Noll, who bins the Repco car soon after.

“I actually grew up not two and a half hours from Bathurst, so it’s just a monumental event,” Noll said in a behind-the-scenes look at the ad. “I remember when I was a kid, it was all anybody talked about when it was on.”

This year’s race runs from October 8 to 11. Matthew Payne of Penrite Racing currently leads the drivers’ championship on 2275 points, followed by Broc Feeney and Kai Allen.

GWM’s assault on the top five brands in Australia is two-pronged – a pincer movement, if you will. On one flank, the new Cannon Alpha dual-cab. On the other, this big and imposing seven-seater SUV, the GWM Tank 500.

Like its dual-cab cousin, the Tank 500 has been given a heart transplant, now proudly beating along to the throb of GWM’s new 3.0-litre turbo-diesel.

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It’s the right engine for the right market right now, according to GWM Australia as it continues its push up the sales charts to reach its lofty aim of becoming a top-five brand in Australia. GWM currently sits seventh, around 11,000 sales behind Hyundai in sixth place and 13,000 adrift of Mazda in fifth.

Crucially for GWM, its sales are tracking up by almost 16 per cent compared with 2025, while Hyundai’s and Mazda’s are down by two and 15.9 per cent respectively.

Certainly having a big diesel-powered, ladder-frame seven-seater – with some serious off-road capability – in dealerships won’t hurt its reputation as it attempts to take on the undisputed segment heavyweights: Ford Everest, Toyota LandCruiser Prado and Isuzu MU-X. Between them, the leading trio have already amassed over 37,000 sales this year. The Tank 500? Fewer than 1000. But that’s before this new 3.0-litre turbo-diesel arrived in local showrooms. So is it the right engine for the right market at the right time?

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Its numbers suggest it is. With 170kW and 620Nm on tap, the Tank 500 outguns its rivals in the torque stakes with only the Everest offering a modicum of resistance, down 20Nm but with better power at 184kW.

The most compelling argument in favour of the Tank 500 is pricing and equipment. Two trim levels have landed in local dealerships, the entry-level $65,990 driveaway Tank 500 Lux and the flagship $71,990 driveaway Vanta, undercutting Everest and Prado handsomely. Isuzu’s MU-X can be had for a relatively bargain $55,900 but to come close to matching the Tank’s list of standard gear, buyers will need to spend north of $70k before on-road costs.

GWM hasn’t been shy with its equipment list, both models brimming with the type of goodies that command big-buck premiums from the more established brands.

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Common to both variants are off-road-focussed goodies like front and rear mechanical diff locks, a low-range transfer case, independent double wishbone coil-sprung front and multi-link live axle rear suspension, plus a selection of All-Terrain drive modes.

Inside, occupants are greeted by leather seat trim (fake in the Lux and genuine Nappa in the Vanta), a big 14.6-inch infotainment screen running the latest GWM Coffee OS software, the obligatory gamut of smartphone-mirroring options, dual-zone climate, and power-adjustable heated front seats. A full complement of GWM’s safety technologies is on board across both variants.

The flagship Vanta makes a big play for being considered in the ‘premium’ space. It’s the model available to me at launch and it immediately impresses with a cabin that is unashamedly luxurious. The creamy Nappa leather seats, heated and cooled up front, and with massage function, look a million bucks. If that’s too garish for some buyers’ tastes, a more austere black interior is available.

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Adding to the primo vibe are a heated steering wheel, heated and ventilated second-row seats, a panoramic sunroof and power-folding third row seats. It’s a shame, then, that the Tank’s massive tailgate is manually operated, especially with that full-size spare wheel and tyre hanging off the back. You can’t have everything, I suppose.

The second row continues the theme with plenty of space and a lightness not always guaranteed in the segment. Visibility is good and the manual side window sunshades are useful, especially for those with kids on board.

Access to the third row is awkward for adults, and once ensconced it does feel a little cramped. Best saved for occasional use by grown-ups. It’s fine for smaller children, though.

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Lifting the tailgate reveals a paltry 98L of luggage-lugging ability, pretty much ruling out long-weekend road trips with a full complement of passengers on board. Things improve with the third row folded away, GWM quoting 795 litres, while stowing the second-row seats opens up an expansive 1459 litres.

Plush cabins are nice and all, but where the Tank battle will be won or lost is under the bonnet. And straight off the bat, from the very first press of the starter button, the news is good.

GWM’s new 3.0-litre donk brings a refinement not usually associated with big oilers. Forget that telltale diesel clatter. There isn’t any. Instead, an easy thrum permeates into the acoustically deadened cabin.

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That’s only enhanced once on the move, the Tank settling into an easy lope, the diesel unit barely raising a sweat as it ticks over at around 1500rpm at motorway speeds.

That’s right in the torque sweet spot too, which peaks between 1400-2400rpm, making overtakes on the freeway a breeze.

The nine-speed automatic plays along nicely, with unobtrusive shifts and a knack for knowing when to kick down in the hunt for more pulling power.

That’ll help when it comes time to haul a big ’van or boat, GWM claiming a braked towing capacity of 3500kg, an improvement of 500kg over the older model. Towing goodies include a dedicated drive mode and an integrated trailer brake controller.

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GWM has made much of its local tuning, which brings more than just composed road manners. Ex-GM-H gun Rob Trubiani has painstakingly wrought improvements to the suspension, steering, towing and even safety tech to better suit Australian conditions. And his work is a triumph of engineering, with the Tank 500 displaying a refinement on the road that the segment isn’t always known for. The safety systems are nicely calibrated too, with no overly eager interruptions or warnings. Other brands should take note.

A huge part of the Tank 500’s main selling points is its off-road ability. The GWM’s mechanical package proves its worth out in the wild, the 500 an easy and capable off-roader.

Mechanical diff-locks, high- and low-range 4WD modes, hill-descent control – it all combines to ensure the Tank 500 is capable of much more than just cruising some rutted fire trails.

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And it is, GWM’s launch program taking in stretches of rocky climbs showcasing the Tank’s articulation, plus wheel-deep muddy trails and the kinds of tracks the more adventurous among us like to tackle on weekends. None proved an obstacle to the 500’s off-road capabilities, which handled the various conditions confidently and easily.

Key off-road numbers to consider include a wading depth of 800mm, an approach angle of 28.5 degrees, breakover at 22 degrees and departure angle of 25 degrees. Ground clearance sits at 220mm.

A big unit like the Tank 500 needs a big fuel tank. GWM delivers with the standard 78-litre unit augmented by a 53-litre secondary tank for a total of 131 litres. The Lux grade is fitted only with the standard 78L tank.

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GWM claims the Tank 500 will sip through diesel at the rate of 7.1L/100km. My brief launch drive, taking in plenty of rough-and-tumble, low-range rock crawling, blew out the fuel number to the high 12s. But a reset for the long bomb back to Melbourne and suburbia ended with a respectable 7.8L/100km.

There’s an awful lot to like about the GWM Tank 500 3.0TD. Localised tuning with effortless grunt and meaningful off-road capability is just one part of the equation. Sharp pricing, in some cases $20k-$30k less than similarly-specced rivals, is another.

To make meaningful inroads into the Everest, Prado, MU-X triumvirate is a big ask, but with this muscled-up Tank 500, GWM finally has the big-diesel weaponry to lay down a serious challenge.

Specs: GWM Tank 500 3.0TD Vanta

Honda is recalling more than 500 vehicles in Australia due to an issue with the front seats in its Civic, Accord and ZR-V models that means they do not comply with local regulations. Revealed on September 23, the fault can increase the risk to drivers and passengers in an accident.

“Due to a manufacturing issue, the left-side seatback frame edge on the driver and passenger seats may not meet the minimum radius requirements of the Australian Design Rule (ADR) 3/04 – Seats and Seat Anchorages,” Honda Australia said in a statement.

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“In the event of an accident, contact with the seatback frame edge could increase the risk of injury to vehicle occupants.”

A total of 554 vehicles are affected: Civics from model years 2024 to 2026; Accords from the 2025 model year; and ZR-Vs from the model years 2023 to 2025. 

Honda Australia will contact the owners of affected vehicles in writing and ask them to schedule an appointment with a dealership to have the issue corrected free of charge. Owners can also contact the brand directly on 1800 804 954 or send an email to [email protected].

This is the first non-motorcycle recall for Honda Australia since November last year, when 180 examples of the Accord manufactured from 2024 to 2025 were recalled due to a software issue that meant the integrated control module could cause system errors resulting in a sudden loss of power.

BYD has unveiled the country’s cheapest new plug-in hybrid in the Atto 2 DM-i Essential, which will go for just $24,990 before on-roads – beating the previous holder of the title, the brand’s Sealion 5 Essential, by almost $10,000. 

The news comes just weeks after BYD dropped the price of its Atto 1 to $19,990 driveaway, making it the first EV to become Australia’s cheapest new car. The top-spec variant in the Atto 2 DM-i range, the Premium, will set customers back $29,990 before on-roads.

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A 7.85kWh Blade lithium iron phosphate battery is fitted to the DM-i Essential, and BYD claims it delivers an EV-only range of 39km on the WLTP cycle. The Premium, meanwhile, runs a larger 18.03kWh Blade battery for a claimed electric-only range of 90km. 

Both versions run the same 1.5-litre, naturally aspirated four-cylinder petrol engine producing 72kW. It’s teamed with a 145kW, 300Nm e-motor driving the front wheels, with BYD putting combined outputs at 122kW for the Essential and 145kW for its fancier stablemate. 

Times for the 0-100km/h sprint come in at 9.1 seconds for the Essential and 7.5 seconds for the Premium. Charging is AC only for both, with the 15 to 100 per cent charge time quoted at 2.7 hours for the bottom-spec and 6.1 hours for the top-spec DM-i.

According to BYD, WLTP fuel consumption with a charged battery is 1.8L/100km for the Essential, which has a total hybrid range of 845km. The consumption figure drops markedly to 0.7L/100km for the Premium, with its total range hitting 895km.

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Both variants come with three intelligent hybrid driving modes: the self-explanatory EV Pure Electric; HEV Series mode, which turns the petrol engine into a generator for the battery instead of using it to power the wheels; and HEV Parallel Mode, with both the petrol mill and battery putting grunt to the road.

Safety is taken care of with front and side airbags for the passenger and driver, curtain airbags front and rear, and the full monty of active safety features such as blind spot detection, forward and rear collision warning and lane departure assist.

The fresh interior sports an 8.8-inch LCD instrument display, either a 10.1-inch central touchscreen (Essential) or 12.8-inch version (Premium), with a 425-litre boot that grows to 1335 litres with the backrests folded.

AI-powered cameras are playing a big role in the stunning leap in the number of seatbelt fines handed out across Australia, led by a remarkable 690 per cent increase in the offences in NSW, new figures show.

Australia recorded 85,768 seatbelt infringements in 2023, with that number skyrocketing to 183,315 in 2024 – and 87.6 per cent of the offences were detected by cameras, according to data from Compare the Market. 

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NSW was easily the biggest source of infringements, clocking up 80,970 in 2024. That’s a 690.2 per cent rise in just 12 months for the Premier State, which led Victoria on 53,204 and Queensland with 39,530.

In terms of percentage increases in seatbelt fines from 2023 to 2024, no other state comes within cooee of NSW. Tasmania is next at 98.3 per cent, with Victoria following on 75 per cent and the Northern Territory on 24.7 per cent. South Australia and the ACT recorded falls of 12.6 per cent and 21.3 per cent respectively.

Camera-detected fines as a whole – including other offences like mobile phone use – are a massive source of money for state governments, with 1.3 million resulting from fixed cameras in 2024, and a further 1.2 million stemming from images gathered by mobile cameras.

While AI is changing the way Aussies get fined for breaking a range of road rules, it isn’t without problems. Drivers in Canberra and Western Australia who have been hit with seatbelt infringements picked up by the technology have had their fines thrown into doubt by legal issues recently.

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Around 13,000 fines have been called into question in the nation’s capital, where authorities failed to properly update a legal update governing the use of the cameras. In Western Australia, police have dropped hundreds of seatbelt-related fines because they are having problems proving drivers knew their passengers were breaking the rules at the time of the offence.

“Camera technology is becoming an increasingly common part of Australia’s roads, and these figures show just how much automated enforcement has become part of everyday driving. With millions of camera-detected infringements being recorded, motorists need to understand that offences can be detected even when there isn’t a police officer immediately present,” said Compare the Market executive general manager of general insurance Adrian Taylor.

The Atto family of Chinese price fighters is now complete and promises more than just tasty showroom stickers. The trio of BYD models, starting from $19,990 driveaway, are claimed to set new standards for electrified action in Australian showrooms.

The Atto 1-2-3 group covers the cheapest electric car, the cheapest car overall and the cheapest plug-in hybrid in the country. But BYD is resisting any push to slap the company as a budget concern, pushing instead for it to be recognised for affordability.

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“We’re good value for money. We want to make electrified cars accessible to any Australian,” the chief operating officer of BYD Australia, Stephen Collins, told WhichCar by Wheels.

“There’s a lot of difference between value and cheap. What we’re trying to do is position ourselves as a brand of choice. We’re using the value we can bring, and the technology.”

As BYD grows the Atto line-up it admits some people might be confused by the name, since other models in its range – the Shark, Dolphin, Seal and Sealion – have badges plucked from the ocean.

In contrast, Atto means a tiny measurement – officially one quintillionth – although it can also mean an act or deed in Italian and is an affectionate term for father in J.R.R. Tolkien’s Elvish language.

Regardless of the literal meaning, Atto means big numbers for BYD in Australia.

It is the most successful Chinese arrival down under and came within 243 sales of trumping Toyota for top spot on the sales charts in June while sitting regularly towards the head of the Top 10 sales charts each month.

Its latest push is with the Atto family that sits at the bottom of its line-up.

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BYD is highlighting the $19,990 drive-away pricing of the Atto 1, a deal which runs until December and makes it both the cheapest electric car and cheapest new car overall in Australia.

The Atto 2 was previously only battery electric but is coming with a plug-in hybrid drivetrain at a $24,990 showroom sticker, with a claimed range of up to 895 kilometres. The Atto 3 is getting its first facelift.

Apart from the cars, Collins said BYD is now putting growing emphasis on its dealer network, one of the pressure points for all Chinese arrivals.

“We currently have 120 dealers and by the end of the year we will have 150. By the middle of 2027 we want it to be 200,” he said.

He also forecast further growth in sales numbers and said BYD is looking to win sales from a broad range of rivals: “We’re probably taking volume from all the top 10. But there is still daylight between us and Toyota.”

It’s arguably one of the prettiest SUVs currently on the market, but that alone hasn’t helped the Alfa Romeo Tonale attract a swathe of buyers in Australia, certainly not in the type of numbers that would keep the Italian brand’s accountants happy.

Perhaps that’s why Alfa’s engineers have rolled up their sleeves and brought a ‘heavily updated’ Tonale to market just three years after its initial launch. That’s a short mid-life cycle, by any new-car metric.

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And it needed it, with the original Tonale, as gorgeous as it looked, not delivering on its Alfa promise with a lethargic engine and mild-hybrid system, not to mention a firm ride.

Alfa says it has listened to its customers and responded by “getting rid of a few of those niggle points,” according to the brand’s local rep.

It’s immediately apparent the $64,990 Alfa Romeo Tonale Ibrida (Italian for hybrid) on test here is cut from a different cloth. An overhaul of its exterior design, especially at the front, pays dividends, the updated model looking more muscular, more sporty, more Alfa.

The most obvious change is the redesigned ‘Trilobe’ and ‘Scudetto’ grille, paying homage to the gorgeous 33 Stradale limited-production supercar. 

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A wider track has resulted in more pronounced front and rear wheel arches housing a new Stilo wheel design, measuring in at 19 inches. There was nothing wrong with the old wheel design, but as Italians say, Così va la vita!

One glaring carryover, and it still jars, is Alfa’s decision to leave the number plate holder off-centre on the front bumper. It gives the Tonale an unbalanced look, even more so when viewed against European market models where the plate is now firmly centred.

Inside, the Tonale looks like, well, an Alfa Romeo, which is no bad thing as the Italian brand has always charmed with its driver-centric cockpits. Sadly, the traditional gear lever of the pre-updated model is no more, replaced by a rotary dial that, while it works just fine, lacks the tactility of a proper lever, even if it is just there to shift from P into D.

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But the rest of the cabin looks and feels purposeful, like an Alfa should, with sumptuous perforated leather seats, a ‘sporty’ leather steering wheel, aluminium pedals and the brand’s now-signature DNA drive mode selector just fore of the centre console.

And credit to Alfa for persisting with physical switches for the Tonale’s climate controls. It feels like rewarding the bare minimum, but such is today’s proliferation of fiddly screen-based HVAC controls that any vehicle with knobs, switches and dials is worth mentioning.

The second row remains tight, however – hardly surprising for this small SUV segment – but the rear bench sits nice and high, affording those consigned to row two good visibility. Around the back, lifting the tailgate reveals a 500-litre cargo area that expands to 1550 litres with the second row stowed away. Not bad for this slice of the market. There’s a space-saver spare under the boot floor.

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Power for the Veloce Ibrida comes from a 1.5-litre turbo-four that’s good on its own for 117kW and 240Nm. This being a mild-ibrida, a small 15kW/55Nm electric motor boosts total output to 128kW. A seven-speed dual-clutch auto transmits the grunt to the front wheels.

It’s important to note that this ‘mild-hybrid’ system isn’t there to power the Tonale on its own. The electric motor can move the car at – very – low speeds from standstill, such as when parking or backing up into the garage. And yes, it will help the Tonale coast on battery power alone if the right conditions are met, such as very slow-moving traffic or driving downhill.

But its main job is to provide that extra little bit of kick (11kW of it) to the Tonale’s performance. 

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Alfa says the mild-hybrid system has been retuned with ‘refined hybrid control processors’ that bring more responsiveness and smoother transitions between petrol-only and petrol-electric motivation. And it’s a gear-driven 48-volt system rather than belt-driven which, according to Alfa, allows for “greater hybrid electric drive”.

There’s no question the system is smoother in its transitions than the pre-updated model, which always felt just a touch clunky. But as for ‘greater hybrid electric drive’, that seems a little fanciful. It doesn’t take much throttle pressure to provoke the petrol engine into life, which proves zippy enough in around-town situations. Alfa claims a 0-100km/h time of 8.5 seconds – not particularly fast, but such is the flow of traffic today that you’ll barely notice.

You won’t notice any rorty engine note, either. There isn’t one, and that’s one of its biggest disappointments. Alfas of old always had a song, a guttural soundtrack that prickled the hairs and curled the corners of your mouth upwards. Not this Alfa, which remains decidedly mute and sociable. Boo.

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The seven-speed dual-clutch isn’t the last word in refinement, either, showing a hesitancy at slow speeds that proves frustrating and, on occasion, alarming.

The biggest criticism is reserved for the suspension. It’s an improvement over the pre-updated model, yes, but still brittle and firm. It simply doesn’t gel with patchy city streets, the chassis jolting and jostling around uncomfortably.

Things get better out on the smoother surfaces of the motorway and no doubt that firmness would pay dividends on the billiard-table smoothness of a race track. But that’s not what this car is for.

On the plus side, the steering is nicely calibrated, with some heft (at least in Dynamic mode) but not so much that your forearms are getting a workout. Responses are quick and accurate, making for an easy time navigating tight urban enclaves.

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The Tonale’s mild-hybrid powertrain does bring some fuel benefits. Alfa says it’ll sip 5.4L/100km. Pleasingly, my short time with the Tonale returned an indicated 5.1L. That’s not too shabby at all, and on par with some regular hybrid systems from other brands.

It’s one of a handful of bright spots on the updated Tonale which, while it tries very hard to live up to the Alfa badge on its Scudetto, doesn’t quite evoke the same passion of Alfas of old. Yes, it’s stunning to look at, and arguably one of the best-looking SUVs currently on sale. But it’s also an Alfa for the modern age, an age that prioritises high-riding soft-roaders over almost everything else, with rules around emissions relegating driver engagement to the second row. 

Alfa deserves praise for recognising the flaws of the original Tonale and then setting about trying to rectify them. And there have been improvements. But the changes haven’t gone far enough, leaving the Alfa Romeo Tonale firmly on the Style over Substance side of the ledger.

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Specs: Alfa Romeo Tonale Veloce

The comfort of a Flying Spur, the handling ability of a Continental GT Speed and enough performance to embarrass plenty of supercars: That’s what Bentley is promising with its first EV, the Torcal, which is also the most powerful and heaviest model the marque has ever produced.

At roughly five metres long, the Torcal will become Bentley’s fourth model line when production begins in Crewe, England, in early 2027. It rides on the Premium Platform Electric architecture also used by the Porsche Cayenne Electric, but Bentley has gone to great lengths to give its EV a distinct personality – right down to a bizarre feature involving a white-gloved hand.

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Traditional Bentley cues remain, including the long bonnet, muscular rear haunches and enormous wheels measuring up to 22 inches. However, split headlights and two illuminated grille designs filled with diamond-shaped crystals give the debut EV a more futuristic flavour.

Bentley design director Robin Page said the company questioned whether an EV needed a conventional grille at all, eventually deciding to turn the familiar feature into an illuminated piece of art.

Performance is less mysterious. The standard Torcal uses two electric motors producing 604kW and 1194Nm, allowing it to reach 100km/h in around 3.4 seconds and continue to approximately 250km/h.

The Torcal S turns things up further with 653kW and 1350Nm, slashing the 0-100km/h sprint to about 2.9 seconds. Bentley says going any faster would become “uncomfortable”.

A 113kWh gross-capacity battery provides up to 600km of claimed range, while the 400kW maximum DC charging rate is equally impressive. Bentley says a 15-minute charge can add approximately 400km of range.

Active suspension, rear-wheel steering and sophisticated dampers are intended to give the Torcal Flying Spur-like comfort on the highway while retaining Continental GT-style responses when driven harder.

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Inside, Bentley has focused heavily on materials and craftsmanship. Buyers can choose from 15 shades of olive-tanned leather and six wood veneers, while 100 per cent Merino wool is used on the doors in what the company claims is an automotive first.

There’s also an aluminium fascia, hand-stitched seats, crystal-inspired ambient lighting and traditional knurled controls for functions including climate control and audio volume. Bentley deliberately resisted fitting a passenger display because it would cover an area better used to showcase the cabin’s expensive materials.

Technology includes powered doors that can close when occupants fasten their seatbelts or when the driver presses the brake. The Torcal can also learn manoeuvres such as a three-point turn on a driveway, autonomously reverse to a passing point on a narrow road and use facial recognition to load driver preferences.

Bentley has even created its own soundtrack. Indicators mimic the sound of a workshop hammer tapping leather, while touchscreen inputs produce a crystal-glass chime. Acceleration is accompanied by a combination of drums, viola and bass guitar inspired by the rhythm of a Bentley V8.

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Then there’s the touch of weirdness. Every couple of weeks, an animated hand appears in the digital instrument display and resets a crystal circle, resembling the gloved hand of a snooker referee replacing the cue ball. Why? We are at a complete loss.

UK pricing starts at £173,330, equivalent to roughly A$350,000 before taxes and on-road costs, although Aussie pricing has yet to be announced. Bentley has invested roughly $700 million in upgrading its Crewe factory for the electric era, including a new paint shop, wood shop and dedicated EV assembly line, so a lot of hopes are riding on the newcomer.

Australia has a new member of its highly exclusive cheapest new car club with the news that MG has dropped the price of its MG3 Vibe to $19,990 driveaway courtesy of a $1000 cashback offer. Unlike other similar discounts, this one is applied to the original sale price rather than after the vehicle has been purchased.

The MG3 Vibe was the brand’s cheapest car on the Aussie market when it launched last May priced from $21,990 driveaway. BYD dropped the driveaway price of the Atto 1 by a stunning $4000 on September 15.

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The cuts from both brands come after the Chinese government warned carmakers not to get embroiled in price wars in overseas markets to avoid the sort of behaviour that could lead to the imposition of tariffs to combat anti-competitive behaviour.

MG’s offer runs until the end of September and covers new and selected demonstrator cars, but it cannot be combined with other discounts from the brand or redeemed for cash. The offer doesn’t apply to government, rental or hire sales. 

The savings don’t stop there, either. MG is offering customers $2000 cashback on the MG4 EV Urban Essence 43, dropping its price to $29,990. The same applies to the MG4 EV Urban Essence 54, which is now $32,990. Cashbacks of $500 are also going for the MG3 Excite Hybrid+ and MG3 Essence Hybrid+.

Despite its ultra-low price, the MG3 Vibe comes well equipped with standard features like autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assistance and a front centre airbag.

It’s powered by the same 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine as the other petrol models in MG’s range, delivering 81kW and 142Nm. The MG3 Vibe is quite frugal with a claimed 6.0l/100km on the combined cycle, and its features also include a 7.0-inch digital driver’s display, 10.25-inch touchscreen and driver attention monitoring.