Hyundai may be about to enter the ultra-competitive sub-$40,000 electric hatchback segment dominated by models like the MG 4 Urban and BYD Dolphin. Recently released UK pricing points to the model undercutting Hyundai’s Inster EV, which starts from $39,000 in Australia.
Pricing for the cheapest Ioniq 3 in the UK starts from £22,245, which amounts to A$42,460 as a direct conversion, although cars in the UK are traditionally priced slightly higher than their counterparts down under.
Hyundai UK’s starting point for the Ioniq 3 EV range is already lower than that of the smaller Inster, which kicks off from £22,995 (A$43,890). In Australia, the Inster starts from $39,000, opening the door to a starting price below $40,000 for the Ioniq 3. If that’s the case, the Ioniq 3 could become Hyundai Australia’s cheapest electric model, undercutting both the Inster and the $46,000 Kona Electric small SUV.
Complicating the pricing formula slightly is the Inster’s South Korean sourcing, whereas the Ioniq 3 will come from Türkiye when it launches in Australia in 2027. That will add to shipping costs as well as attracting a five per cent import duty that’s not levied on cars from South Korea.
If Hyundai is unable to find a workaround, the Ioniq 3 could have a starting price of just over $40,000. That would put it roughly on par with the last i30 hatch in top-spec N Line Premium guise, which started from $41,250 after sourcing switched to the Czech Republic.
The powertrain for the entry-level Ioniq 3 comes close to that of the Inster, with a 107kW motor and 42.2kWh battery enabling a WLTP range of 344km. Australia’s cheapest Inster comes with a 71kW motor, but a similar 42kWh battery and 327km of WLTP range.
Our best-selling small EV hatch, the BYD Dolphin, starts from just $29,990 plus on-road costs for the Essential variant with a 70kW motor, 44.9kWh battery and a 340km WLTP range. The MG 4 Urban Essence starts from $31,990 drive-away and comes with a 110kW motor, 43kWh battery and a slightly shorter 316km WLTP range.
Aussie buying habits indicate that while low starting prices get customers into showrooms, longer-range models traditionally make up the bulk of electric vehicle sales.
A longer-range Ioniq 3 with a 61kWh battery starts from £25,745 (A$49,150), while the better-equipped, range-topping N Line Evo tops out at £31,945 (A$61,000). That’s more than many electric medium SUVs from Chinese rivals and overlaps with the Hyundai Elexio EV from $58,990 plus on-road costs.
The specifications and line-up for the Australian-delivered Ioniq 3 have not yet been revealed, but are expected to be announced closer to the new model’s early 2027 arrival date.
China’s Changan Automotive has foreshadowed a new foray into the Australian market by putting up job ads seeking staff to help with the launch of a “premium automotive brand”. The move means its Avatr vehicles are coming down under, but also paves the way for Changan-branded cars to be sold here too.
One of the advertisements seen by WhichCar by Wheels reveals Changan is looking for a senior brand and marketing manager to help with “launching a new premium automotive brand in Australia”.
The company is also hiring an Australian network development manager and legal manager, with the former position described as “crucial in supporting the planning, expanding, optimising and management of the Avatr/Changan sales and service network”.
That last detail seems to foreshadow the manufacturer selling vehicles under its own badge. At the moment, the company is represented in Australia by Deepal, which launched here in 2024. It has been reported that the new development does not mean Changan will take over distribution of those vehicles. WhichCar by Wheels contacted Deepal for comment.
Avatr is placed to compete with luxury rivals Zeekr, owned by Geely, and Denza, which is owned by BYD. More established marques like Audi and Lexus should also be in the crosshairs of the brand, in which Changan is the majority shareholder.
In May, Avatr revealed its answer to the Zeekr 7X, the 07L. It’s bigger than the regular 07, with dimensions that come close to those of the Tesla Model Y, but with more length and a longer wheelbase.
The Atatr 07 features a rear-mounted electric motor that makes 252kW and 365Nm, fed by an 82.16kWh lithium iron phosphate battery. It runs an 800-volt system, has a claimed CLTC range of 650km and a 0-100km/h time of 6.3 seconds.
An AWD variant in Hong Kong and Singapore has dual motors that make a combined 440kW and 645Nm, with the single-motor 07 photographed being tested in Melbourne in May.
Geely has revealed a huge jump in its export target for 2026, pumping up the volume from 640,000 vehicles to 920,000 as it tries to compensate for a drop in demand in China.
The new number, revealed in an interim results briefing earlier this week, represents a 119 per cent leap from the 420,097 units exported last year, and a 44 per cent increase compared with the previous target for 2026.
Geely – which controls Zeekr, Volvo, Polestar and Lotus – also unveiled its key markets for the second half of the year. Asia-Pacific has been tagged as a 100,000-vehicle market, with ASEAN at 300,000 vehicles and Africa, Pan-Europe, Eastern Europe and Latin America each coming in at 200,000.
The announcement follows a 157.6 per cent year-on-year leap for the manufacturer’s exports in the first half of 2026 as it sent 474,228 vehicles to overseas markets. July saw Geely set a new monthly exports record with 106,663 vehicles shipped. However, its numbers in China fell 22.6 per cent in the first half of this year.
Geely Group chairman Li Shufu brought up the spectre of rapidly changing tariffs when he said the aggressive increase in planned exports is due to the world “undergoing a historic shift toward de-globalisation”. That shift has also seen Geely expand its production outside China with initiatives like its groundbreaking partnership with Ford to use the US giant’s plant in Spain.
Australia has been a happy hunting ground for the group, with Geely sales up nearly 500 per cent year-on-year so far in 2026, making it the fastest-growing brand in the country. That massive surge has been led by the Geely EX5 electric mid-size SUV. Sales of the model this June were up 455 per cent compared with where they were in January.
The Geely EX2 electric hatch, China’s best-selling car, was approved for the Aussie market by the federal government in June. The rival to cars like the MG4 Urgan and BYD Dolphin will come down under with two powertrain options: a 60kW motor in the entry-level model and an 85kW motor for the rest of the range.
News that Toyota’s performance arm, Gazoo Racing, has a fourth coupe model under development should come as good news to enthusiasts. That car, tipped to adopt Toyota’s Celica name, could become the only mid-engined coupe in Australia’s sub-$90K sports car segment if it finds its way here.
In 2024, Toyota vice president Hiroki Nakajima told journalists at Rally Japan, “We are making the Celica.” At that point in time, concrete details weren’t known, and some speculation remains about whether the new Celica will be front- or mid-engined.
Images of the latest development mules lean toward the latter, with pronounced air intakes on each side of the car aft of the rear doors, and a low bonnet line that limits clearance for an engine up front. Our crack at an AI render of the possible new Celica is below (and main).
That philosophical shift means that, despite the Celica name, the new model could be closer to a spiritual successor to the mid-engined MR2. The only complication being that the new Celica is set to offer all-wheel drive, as with fourth-, fifth-, and sixth-gen Celicas – something the production MR2 never offered.
Toyota has been open about its mid-engined development program, running a modified GR Yaris in Japan’s Super Taikyu race series.
Similarly, that car’s powertrain is no secret, and points to what to expect from a production mid-engine car from the brand. In March this year, Gazoo Racing marketing manager Mikio Hayashi told Autocar that the current GR Yaris and GR Corolla 1.6-litre three-cylinder engine was unlikely to meet future emissions targets.
“The displacement size of 1.6 litres, for example, cannot meet emission regulations. So we have to consider the possibility of a 2.0-litre.” That 2.0-litre engine, with the engine code G20E forms the basis of the mid-engined Yaris program, providing the strongest hint yet that it’s destined for a production future.
Unlike the current G16E three-cylinder design, the G20E is set to become a four-cylinder engine. Toyota has claimed the engine could produce as much as 335kW, although initial figures are expected to stay closer to the 224kW of the G16E.
Toyota is also likely to phase out the G16E for the larger G20E in cars like the GR Yaris and GR Corolla over time, with the powertrain flexibility to offer two- or all-wheel drive, manual and automatic transmissions, and pair the engine with hybrid assistance if required.
The GR Celica would also become Toyota’s second in-house developed GR coupe. While the GR hatchbacks are full Toyota models, two-door models like the GR86 and GR Supra have been co-developed with Subaru and BMW, respectively.
Toyota’s new flagship, the twin-turbo V8 GR GT supercar (below), debuted as Toyota’s first wholly GR-developed coupe, and the Celica would be the second, with suggestions the next GR Supra could be a shared program with Mazda.
Toyota has, so far, limited its GR range to coupes and hot hatches. While the lesser ‘GR Sport’ tag has been applied to everything from utes to off-road SUVs to hatchbacks and small crossover SUVs, the stand-alone GR range has kept its bloodline pure.
Without a full picture of specifications and drivetrain variants, price and positioning for the Celica remain unknown, but the more exotic turbocharged mid-mounted powertrain would see it priced higher than the GR86, from $43,940 plus on-road costs, and likely close to the now-discontinued GR Supra, last offered from $86,295 plus on-road costs.
Australia’s current cheapest mid-engined car, the V8-powered Chevrolet Corvette, starts from $193,990 +ORCs, opening the door to a mid-engined car in Australia’s Sports Cars Under $90,000 segment, which includes a broad mix of models like the Ford Mustang, Mazda MX-5, and Honda Prelude. The new Celica would mark the return to an ‘affordable’ mid-engined model not seen since the Toyota MR2 and MG TF were discontinued in 2005.
Final production timing for the new model and an official reveal date have yet to be announced, but with Toyota keen to show the new model’s development steps, and senior Toyota executives unable to keep key details to themselves, the new Celica could appear sooner rather than later.
Mercedes has given its GLB a comprehensive overhaul to go with its unique seven-seat layout, with the second-generation SUV combining the roles previously filled by the petrol-powered GLB and electric EQB – and doing so in fine style, according to our friends at Auto Express.
Sitting between the GLA and GLC, the new GLB retains one of its predecessor’s biggest advantages: three rows of seats in a relatively compact premium SUV. The third row might be a tight fit for adults, but a sliding middle bench and four Isofix mounting points add useful flexibility for families.
European buyers can choose between petrol and electric powertrains. The GLB 180 produces around 100kW, while the GLB 200 increases output to 120kW. The all-wheel-drive GLB 220 4MATIC develops about 140kW. Buyers who want electrification get the rear-wheel-drive GLB 250+ and dual-motor, all-wheel-drive GLB 350 4MATIC, with both offering stronger acceleration than their combustion-engined counterparts.
The electric models also benefit from an 800-volt architecture capable of accepting DC charging at up to 320kW. Mercedes claims a 10-80 per cent recharge takes 22 minutes when connected to a suitable charger, while a 7kW home wallbox requires around 14 hours for a full charge.
On the road, the electric GLB is all about refinement. The cabin remains library quiet at urban and higher speeds, while its softly tuned multi-link rear suspension irons out all but the harshest bumps. The trade-off is that comfort-oriented set-up results in noticeable body roll when the Merc is pushed through corners, although higher-specification variants gain adjustable dampers to improve control.
Four regenerative braking settings are available in electric versions, including a strong one-pedal mode and an adaptive function that responds to traffic and speed limits.
Technology dominates the interior. A 14-inch central touchscreen and 10.25-inch digital instrument display are standard on European versions, while higher grades add another 14-inch screen for the front passenger. The infotainment system runs Mercedes-Benz’s MB.OS software and can support downloadable features and subscriptions.
Practicality remains a major drawcard. Five-seat boot capacity is 540 litres, expanding to 1715 litres with the rear seats folded. Electric models also provide a substantial 127-litre storage compartment beneath the bonnet.
The GLB comes in at 4728mm long, 1860mm wide and 1689mm high with a wheelbase of 2889mm, with its upright proportions helping maximise passenger room. Third-row access is a bit awkward, however, and legroom is limited once all seven seats are occupied. Towing capacity is another strong point. The electric GLB 250+ can haul up to 1500kg braked, while the GLB 350 4MATIC increases that figure to 2000kg.
Australian pricing, specifications and arrival timing haven’t been released yet. Local models may also differ from their European counterparts in equipment and powertrain availability, but the new GLB’s combination of that unique seating arrangement, rapid-charging EV technology and premium features gives it a position of strength in the compact luxury SUV market.
It’s been a very, very busy year for Mark Reuss.
The product boss for the world of General Motors has been active on all fronts, from green-focussed EVs to heavyweight trucks and outright speed machines. There has been design and engineering across the company’s portfolio, with top-level motorsport also swirled into the mix.
GM has even announced it is shooting for the moon – literally – as it begins development of a new lunar rover as part of the Artemis program at NASA to establish a permanent space base.
There is also the 70th anniversary of the GM Global Technical Centre, which Reuss first experienced as a boy on weekend ride-alongs with his father Lloyd.
“This place is still creating the future and I still find myself amazed at what goes on here on a daily basis,” says Reuss. “It’s not difficult to summon that childlike wonder I used to feel.”
That reaction is a genuine reflection of a true ‘car guy’, to use an American expression. His title might be GM President, and he might preside over a giant workforce with billion-dollar budgets, but he likes nothing more than planning the future and enjoying the present. He regularly cuts laps at the Nürburgring in Germany and pops up as the chief GM cheer leader at Indianapolis, Daytona and Le Mans.
Reuss has also taken Cadillac into Formula One in 2026 and, although the American speed racer has a Ferrari heart and is struggling to get off the back of the grid, it’s more than just a marketing spin for the Drive to Survive generation.
It was Cadillac that brought Reuss back to Australia for the start of the grand prix season, where he has many Melbourne memories from his time in the driver’s seat at Holden in Fishermans Bend. He made the trip with his wife Kim, fitting in some sightseeing around his commitments at Albert Park with the F1 team.
“Boy, the memories were great,” Reuss tells Wheels. “We went to where we lived in Blackrock. We ate at Rickett’s (restaurant) on Beach Road. We took pictures of ourselves in front of the schools where all my kids went. It’s been just phenomenal. I mean, it really has and, well, it’s just, you know… I hated to leave.
“I left early because of what was going on back in the United States with the mainline company.”
There is a blanket ban on any questions about Holden during this interview, but Reuss does make a brief quip about his visit in 2018 to introduce Dave Buttner as head of GM-H in the company’s dying days, an event covered at the time by Wheels.
“I came back for a day, which was really not great,” he says.
There are plenty of memories for Reuss and Wheels, tracking back to September of 2004 when he was just a foot soldier helping to wrangle a vast fleet of cars in southern France. It was a menial job for a fast-rising GM engineer, but he had slipped into his favourite Cadillac Racing jacket and got down to business.
“The only reason why I was there was because I knew how to drive the cars. Wash and make sure the cars are shiny for everybody,” Reuss recalls.
Skipping forward to January of 2008 and Reuss was standing in the spotlight at the Detroit Motor Show as the freshly-minted managing director of Holden. He arrived with his favourite Cadillac V-Series pin in his lapel but quickly replaced it with one to celebrate Holden Special Vehicles.
“The V-Series is now 20 years old. So [it was] just before I came to Australia… when that was born,” he says, recalling the start of the go-faster division.
There is a Cadillac theme running through his reminiscences, but also his plan for the future of a brand which has gone all-electric in Australia.
“You can’t just tell people about Cadillac. You have to show them,” Reuss says.
In many ways, it’s the same with Reuss.
“You need to meet this guy, he’s going places,” said Denny Mooney, the MD of Holden at the time, as he made the introduction to Wheels in France in ’04. Now he has definitely arrived, landing in Melbourne alongside Mary Barra, the Chair and CEO of GM, who handles the business and politics while he gets on with the cars.
“This is probably one of the most transformative times in the history of our industry,” says Reuss. “That’s very energising for me.
“I’ve spent most of my career in defiance. That is very powerful. The defiance piece for me [is] doing things that people say I can’t do or, yeah, shouldn’t do or won’t do. All that stuff is very powerful for me. [And] that’s still there.”
He sees himself as a disrupter and there is plenty of proof, starting with the Pontiac Aztek (below) he helped to develop back in 2001. It was a program that failed in showrooms before becoming a star car in the Breaking Bad television series. One is now displayed prominently in the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles.
“A lot of people don’t even think that car is real,” Reuss reveals. “If you really want to know, it was the height of dysfunction in the design department at GM. There were at least five chief designers that were re-doing the car all the time.”
Reuss has been through plenty of turbulent times at GM, back to the days when his father Lloyd was company president. Reuss Snr lost his job amid collateral damage from financial mistakes by others and the experience convinced Reuss Jnr he never wanted the top job.
“When I joined [GM], I always wanted to be a chief engineer of a car, that’s really what I wanted to do.”
He was no nepo baby and worked his way through the engineering ranks, with one big advantage. He is a true car guy who is happy to get his hands dirty and can also feel what makes a car good – or bad. In that way he is like the late Richard Parry-Jones, the Ford engineer who was responsible for a generation of ordinary European cars – think Fiesta and Focus – that were extraordinary to drive.
“To be honest with you, I spend five hours a week on Fridays driving cars like customers would,” he says. “If it’s cars that people haul kids in, then we’ll pack it full of engineers and ride it loaded. Really, really aim it at what our customers do.”
To this day, Reuss has a crash helmet and a HANS safety device in his office, and talks enthusiastically about his work at the wheel. He has regular outings in test cars at the Nürburgring and was at the wheel when the Corvette ZR1 hit 375km/h.
“The reason why I bring that up is that feeling, where you’ve never done something before. You know it’s going to be something worthwhile doing, yeah? “ he continues. “You know, it’s a great feeling. Like the butterflies you can feel. [It] makes you feel alive, right?”
Now he has shifted gears into Formula One and the feeling is the same.
“That’s what this feels like, going into F1. It makes me feel incredibly alive,” Reuss states. “And there’s risk in it. There is downside, there’s upside. It’s the right thing for Cadillac and the company, and it’s all of that.”
Reuss has been on the Cadillac F1 program since day one. He was one of only four people in the original meeting with champion driver Michael Andretti.
“The original business proposition was not a works team,” Reuss says. “And so we were not going to do it if we weren’t going to be a works team,”
That meant a commitment of more than $100 million, not just in set-up costs and staff and buildings and driver fees – veterans Sergio ‘Checo’ Perez and honorary Aussie Valtteri Bottas were chosen – but compensation to the other F1 teams for potential loss of earnings by expanding the grid from 10 to 11 teams.
Although the Formula One program is a very big deal, and Reuss is a very big fan, it’s barely even a blip on one of his regular working weeks. They are all about developing the cars of the future, responding to a world that is changing almost every day, and ensuring GM stays profitable for the long term.
“I’m not going to tell you my favourite car. It’s the one you haven’t seen yet. I’m proud of all of them. I’m proud of the Trax (baby SUV, below)) we’ve just introduced. They are the hard cars to do. Good ones in those price ranges are very hard.
“And I’m very proud of our V-Series sedans that rated higher than most of the Europeans. And the C8 portfolio.
“You could also talk about all the cars (designer Mike) Simcoe and I have done over the last 10 years. I think the Cadillac design language, I’m really proud of that.
“Also very proud of the Equinox type of vehicle because I know it brings smiles to so many people’s faces. Those are really important.”
But does Reuss now see a day when the world on wheels will be totally electric?
“The markets have widely different infrastructure, widely different adoption and widely different regulatory environments,” he states. “Those are all reasons why there’ll be different paces and penetration of EVs. And, you know, I think that’s the reality of it, which is fine.
“It’s a slower pace of adoption than what we thought, for lots of different reasons. I would never say never. But I also say that we invested into dedicated platforms which a lot of other people didn’t. We invested in two dedicated platforms. So our cars are, generally speaking, over 300 miles (480km) of range.”
Reuss talks about a variety of new EV technologies and GM’s factory set-up as he looks at the rate of change in motoring.
“The infrastructure is coming. It keeps coming. And if you get the right range and the right value… obviously you can do amazing things with the (design) proportion of the vehicle, whatever vehicle it is.
“We invested in those and so all we’re doing is going to take more cost and deliver more value of those products to our customers. That’s a pretty powerful place to be.
“Look how well placed we are from a portfolio point of view in a rapidly evolving industry. At Spring Hill (Tennessee) we will have almost equal production of EVs or ICE (internal combustion). We can flip that factory – and I’m talking about where the Lyriq is built – to all EV in a week. Or all ICE in a week. And we’ve got a battery factory making batteries for it right next door.”
Reuss says GM is now moving to new LMR battery chemistry – lithium manganese-rich – which promises higher energy density with huge cost advantages.
“We’ll take thousands of dollars out of the car on the battery. Which is really important. I think we’re really agile. It’s really hard. It takes investment and courage and it takes commitment. If you swing your strategy really hard, you will burn capital faster than you can keep up.”
Still, he is optimistic on one EV front.
“Four out five people who drive an EV will never go back,” Reuss predicts.
So, with Cadillac going all-electric in Australia and with a growing EV emphasis, what does Reuss see as the main motivation for the expensive and expansive Formula One play?
“Becoming truly tier one luxury with no excuses. Full commitment, a lot of technology transfer,
particularly aerodynamics and the integration of the car itself.
“And the speed will be reflected in cars like what we just put into Australia, the Lyriq, the Optiq and the Vistiq. Being able to be better than anybody else is a big part of that, and I think the recognition piece, right? I mean, this reaches millions of people that we can’t.”
His final thoughts on GM run parallel with the challenge for success – and the considerable and costly risk involved – in the bold foray of Cadillac into Formula One.
“Nothing matters until you sell a car. Nothing happens. You cannot invest,” he says. “If the product is not right, and people don’t buy it, we risk everything. It’s all at risk. It’s never over. There is no finish line on that. There should never be a finish line on product.”
This story first appeared in the August 2026 issue of Wheels magazine, now on sale. Subscribe here and gain access to 12 issues for $109 plus online access to every Wheels issue since 1953.
BYD has expanded its Fangchengbao Ti7 SUV range in China with a new long-range plug-in hybrid version capable of travelling a claimed 315km without using its petrol engine.
The Ti7 DM Long-Range Edition introduces a 50kWh BYD Blade lithium iron phosphate battery, substantially increasing capacity over the 26.6kWh and 35.6kWh packs offered in existing Ti7 plug-in hybrids.
Importantly, that headline 315km figure is measured under China’s CLTC test cycle, which typically produces higher range figures than the WLTP standard commonly quoted in Australia. Even so, that would give the Ti7 an unusually long electric-only range for a plug-in hybrid SUV.
The new model continues with BYD’s DM hybrid system, combining a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine with electric propulsion. The larger battery is intended to allow owners to complete considerably more everyday driving without starting the combustion engine, while retaining petrol power for longer journeys.
Chinese pricing starts at 219,800 yuan (approximately A$47,000), while the better-equipped version costs 239,800 yuan (approx. A$51,000). Those direct conversions do not account for Australian taxes, shipping, homologation or other costs that would apply if the model were sold here.
The Ti7 is a substantial five-seat SUV, measuring 4999mm long, 1995mm wide and 1865mm tall, with a 2920mm wheelbase. That makes it similar in overall footprint to large off-road-focused SUVs, although the Ti7 uses a monocoque construction rather than a traditional ladder-frame chassis.
Australian prospects remain uncertain. BYD has trademarked the Ti7 name in Australia, while Fangchengbao products including the Bao 5 and Bao 8 have already provided the basis for models sold here under BYD’s premium Denza brand.
The first details of a new Chery high-performance SUV from the company’s Luxeed division have surfaced in China, including a design that looks a lot like Ferrari’s Purosangue – but the involvement of a former Prancing Horse designer means it’s no copycat.
Luxeed is a co-development between Chinese manufacturer Chery and Huawei’s Harmony Intelligent Mobility Alliance (HIMA), which provides the technology platform and self-driving tech for a number of new brands emerging in China.
The Luxeed RX range is set to join similarly styled low-roof, fastback electric SUVs with classically proportioned long-bonnet, cab-rearward designs, like the Xiaomi YU7 and Voyah Passion S. But the inspiration for the RX’s looks appears to stem from former Ferrari designer Werner Gruber, who worked on cars like the LaFerrari and FXX-K during his time at Maranello.
Even the dimensions aren’t too far off the Purosangue. The Luxeed measures 5020mm long, 2007mm wide and up to 1600mm tall on a 3000mm wheelbase. Compared to Ferrari’s SUV, the RX is 47mm longer, 21mm narrower and 11mm taller, with the wheelbase falling short by 18mm.
The RX’s Gruber-led design cloaks either an 81.1kWh or 100kWh battery, according to information from China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. It will come in 277kW single-motor form and a 437kW version with 160kW front and 277kW rear motors.
In keeping with its performance positioning, the Luxeed RX is expected to come with six-piston front brakes, staggered-width tyres and dual-chamber air suspension with a double-wishbone front and five-link rear design.
Estimates for the longest-range model indicate a driving range of 852km based on often-optimistic CLTC test conditions, which is expected to be closer to 720km in WLTP testing.
As with other HIMA-developed cars, the RX is expected to offer a suite of advanced semi-autonomous driving capabilities, but the full list of features and specifications for the production version has yet to be revealed.
As for Australia, none of China’s HIMA-affiliated cars from companies like Chery and JAC have arrived down under. With Chery Australia already fielding its Chery, Jaecoo, Lepas, and Omoda brands locally, and iCaur and Jetour expected soon, Luxeed’s range of vehicles could be pushed to the back of the queue.
In the world of the ultra-rare supercar, pedigree is all-important – and you won’t find many finer examples of that than the new Kode89, which was unveiled at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance as part of Monterey Car Week.
The Kode89 is the work of Ken Okuyama, the former Pininfarina creative director who led the design of the Ferrari Enzo as well as overseeing the design of cars like the 612 Scaglietti, 599 GTB – and even some lowlights, like the Mitsubishi Colt convertible.
This latest design from his coachbuilding firm, Ken Okuyama Cars, is an in-house development, unlike previous vehicles that have started as redesigns of existing models. Despite the unique chassis, the design has more than a few links to Okuyama’s past work with Ferrari.
The Kode89 is built around an aluminium space frame and features a 5.4-litre naturally aspirated V12 engine producing 403kW at 7000rpm and 569Nm at 5000rpm. Both the chassis and engine were reportedly created by Okuyama’s company and not sourced externally.
Okuyama’s baby joins other limited-run supercars like those from Gordon Murray Automotive and Spyker in featuring a traditional H-pattern six-speed manual rather than a dual-clutch or sequential transmission. A run of eight cars is planned, with the 5.4-litre engine as the ‘base spec’, but Japanese magazine Response reports that a more powerful race-prepped 5.9-litre version making 560kW will be available as an option.
Both engines are designed to run primarily on petrol, but there’s also a bi-fuel version tuned to run on vaporised hydrogen for zero-CO2 urban driving but capable of switching to petrol combustion for performance work.
The first three build slots from the planned production run are already spoken for, and the Kode89 name is a nod to the car’s retro-inspired design, with Okuyama pointing to the late ’80s era of design as an inspiration for the V12 roadster’s appearance.
Even the chassis development, which shuns the typical carbon monocoque construction seen on modern supercars, was deliberate, with Okuyama explaining, “In this age of carbon monocoques, we deliberately chose an aluminium frame because we wanted to pursue a supple feeling that allows us to communicate with the road surface.”
The fifth generation of the Hyundai Tucson has been revealed as a radical departure from the curvy current model thanks to its very boxy, angular styling and full-width LED lighting in the front and rear.
At first glance it seems the 2027 model doesn’t share a single panel with its predecessor as it brings Hyundai’s new “Art of Steel” design language to the fore. Revealed in South Korea on Wednesday, it boasts a far sharper and more upright look – but that’s far from the only change.
The new Tucson is also bigger than the NX4 it replaces, coming in at 4700mm long, 1685mm tall and 1905mm wide, with a wheelbase of 2785mm. That makes it 60mm longer and 40mm wider than the current version, with the wheelbase swelling by 30mm.
That size increase carries over to the interior, where headroom in the second row is up by 29mm. Entry and exit are improved by second-row doors that open at 83 degrees instead of the previous 73 degrees.
The styling overhaul has also resulted in the nixing of the instrument cluster, which has been replaced with a minimalist display visible just above the low-set, D-shaped steering wheel. There’s also a new, larger touchscreen complete with Hyundai’s Pleos Android-based software. However, buyers will still get volume and tuning dials, plus switches for fan speed and temperature settings.
Leather-look materials are found right throughout the front row, and there’s now a stalk-like gear selector instead of the previous wand on the steering column. The images from the debut also show a card holder near the driver and dual wireless phone-charging pads.
Customers can choose from a range of interior colours, from monotone black to black/sand beige and mud grey/dove grey. There’s even what Hyundai calls a “hidden palm rest tray”.
The new Tucson will also come in a more rugged XRT variant with different styling for the front and rear bumpers, black window accents, XRT-branded upholstery and wheel arch garnishes that have been finished to resemble carbon fibre. There has been no confirmation about an N Line package for the 2027 model.
Details on possible drivetrains also haven’t dropped, but it’s reasonable to expect the new Tucson to follow the current range and run naturally aspirated and turbo petrol engines in addition to a plug-in hybrid.
Timing for the Australian market has not been revealed, but the new family SUV should appear in showrooms down under at some stage next year.
