WhichCar By Wheels

Hyundai has expanded its Palisade large SUV line-up with the introduction of a new Elite variant, positioned below the existing Calligraphy grade and priced from $76,500 plus on-road costs.

Due in Australian showrooms from March 2026, the Palisade Elite is offered exclusively with Hyundai’s 2.5-litre turbocharged petrol-electric hybrid powertrain and all-wheel drive. It serves as a lower-priced alternative to the $89,900 Palisade Calligraphy, reducing the entry point to the Palisade range by $13,400.

Like the flagship, the Elite is powered by a 2.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder hybrid system producing a combined 245kW and 460Nm, paired with a six-speed automatic transmission. Hyundai claims combined fuel consumption of 6.8L/100km and a braked towing capacity of 2000kg.

The Elite retains much of the mechanical specification of the Calligraphy, including Australian-specific suspension and steering calibration. Local engineers worked with Hyundai’s global development team to tailor the passive dampers and steering tune to suit domestic road conditions. The SUV uses a strut front suspension and multi-link rear setup with self-levelling dampers.

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Externally, the Elite is differentiated by its own grille design, black wheel-arch cladding and 20-inch alloy wheels, compared with the 21-inch rims fitted to the Calligraphy. Black and silver lower bumper elements and side skirts distinguish it further. Six exterior paint colours are available.

Inside, the Elite is configured as an eight-seater and features leather-appointed upholstery rather than the Nappa leather used in the Calligraphy. It retains twin 12.3-inch displays for the digital instrument cluster and multimedia system, along with a 14-speaker Bose audio system, tri-zone climate control and Hyundai’s Digital Key 2 functionality. Heated front and second-row outboard seats are standard.

Advanced driver assistance systems include Highway Driving Assist 2, adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go, blind-spot monitoring with intervention and a surround-view camera.

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The Calligraphy continues as the more luxurious option, adding features such as a head-up display, dual-panel sunroof, 21-inch wheels and suede interior trim.

Hyundai backs the Palisade range with a five-year warranty, extendable to seven years if serviced within the dealer network, and an eight-year/160,000km warranty for the high-voltage battery.

Pricing

Palisade ElitePalisade Calligraphy
2.5 T-GDi HEV AWD 6AT2.5 T-GDi HEV AWD 6AT
8 seats8 seats – $89,900
$76,5007-seat option – $90,900

Key features

Exterior

Safety

Interior

Convenience

Multimedia & Display

Performance

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Specs

Engine2.5L Turbo Hybrid
Transmission6-speed AT / All-Wheel Drive
Combined Max Power245 kW
Combined Max Torque460 Nm
Combined Fuel Efficiency6.8L/100km
Braked towing capacity2,000 kg

The judges at Wheels COTY are a tough bunch – there’s no side stepping that fact. This year was my first as Editor, but the names Robinson, Gover and Morley carry the weight of combined decades of testing. As such, impressing them isn’t the easiest thing to do, no matter how good a vehicle is.

And yet, all of us, individually and collectively, drove the IM5 and were impressed – not just by the pace and performance on offer – but also the quality of the suspension system and the ease with which it dealt with Lang Lang’s notoriously difficult ride and handling test loop.

If you recall, the judging team had asked MG Motor, who backs the IM brand in Australia, for the entry-grade IM5 Premium, but unfortunately, that model wasn’t available and the much more hardcore IM5 Performance was provided. While it ultimately prevented the IM5 from going deeper into the COTY field, it did illustrate the quality of the chassis underneath, which is featured across the range of IM models and that’s why we’re taking a closer look this month at just what makes the system tick.

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What makes up the IM Digital Chassis?

The crunching power beneath the skin is as deeply complex as you probably suspected. There’s 800-volt electrical architecture in keeping with the best of the pure EV world. But it doesn’t just power the IM in the traditional sense, as other systems do. That same 800-volt system delivers lightning-fast, real-time interaction between the powertrain, the suspension, the steering system, and braking at speeds that make the reaction times of even the fastest F1 drivers on the grid seem positively pedestrian.

At each corner of the IM, the hardware comes into play – four-wheel independent suspension, which is nothing new – but you also get adaptive damping, and bi-directional rear-wheel steering which can move up to 12 degrees, making a significant difference to steering performance around town and combined with the VMC, provided the IM with enough high-speed swerve stability to beat a 25-year record in Europe’s famous ‘moose test’. Added to that, the IM features brake-by-wire, which has the processing power to modulate pressure to each wheel individually in what IM claims is milliseconds.

As you can see, then, what MG is working on is the concept of changing the relationship between the software and the hardware, and unleashing the capability that comes with such a clever computing brain. Within the software genius, the algorithms can intake and then process data from dozens of sensors around the chassis and use that data to predict what the vehicle is likely to do in super-fast time. It means, in theory, that the IM can turn that data into a response at the mechanical component with a speed that wasn’t previously possible.

IM’s engineers tell us the easiest way to think of the speed of the system is by considering traditional traction control – or stability control systems for that matter. Even the best can only react once you’ve either lost traction or started to slide, and then make the corrections via input from the brain that mitigate the slide. IM says that its digital chassis can read and identify the scenario that might otherwise have led to the slide and prevent it from happening in the first place. Clever.

How it works…

Despite the significant engineering advances in the world of automotive over the past decade or two, it’s still the modus operandi of four-wheeled transport to base itself upon a mechanical connection – that is, components connected to each other in the traditional sense. Remember the furore when electric power steering was first used? Or fly-by-wire throttle systems? You can understand why manufacturers are reluctant to change, cost aside.

And, while Wheels has seen and tested systems that can read and predict road surfaces, and make adjustments accordingly, what IM has delivered here, in the form of the IM5 and IM6, might just be the evolutionary step some of you have been waiting for. There’s complexity beneath the skin, no doubt, and some of you might question its durability, but there’s also the theory that reconfiguring the way the electronic or computer-controlled part of the vehicle communicates with the mechanical part is absolutely the way forward.

Beneath the skins of the IM5 and IM6 hide more than 3000 semi-conductors, which control everything from brake pressure and application to suspension behaviour. These two cars might be the first example of road cars anyone can buy that think significantly faster than even the best of us behind the wheel.

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According to MG, the concept of the traditional chassis and the way it works is a tried and tested one. Mechanical components like the front wheels, for example, react to an input from the driver at the steering wheel and respond accordingly. That response is put into action via hydraulic actuation, pneumatic actuation, or an electronic system that does what it does in isolation of other control elements of the car.

You could even break that theory down further into the spring and shock absorber taking care of different things at one corner of the car. Extrapolate that out to the brakes working in isolation, the steering doing the same, and so on. In reality, you’ve got a lot of things happening independently beneath you. When you’re driving a car or SUV, IM has summed up these otherwise complex relationships as its ‘digital chassis’ ‘Vehicle Motion Control’ system – or VMC – enhancing both safety and performance.

What IM is bringing to production with the VMC is the concept of a central control brain, that – by way of computers, of course – operates every dynamic component in concert with all the others. It takes the concept of managing the chassis from an individual sport to a team sport, in other words.

There’s genuine complexity to a system that could change the way manufacturers think about controlling what a vehicle does with speed and precision that hasn’t been the domain of regular road cars. In the same way that our brain does things without us even realising it, so too could a digital chassis be working away beneath you, without you knowing what’s going on.

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Road surfaces – whether in urban areas or on our notoriously patchy regional roads – are a bugbear of every tester who contributes to Wheels. On one hand, we like a testing route that delivers some shoddy surfaces so we can assess the chops of whatever car we’re testing, but on the other, the fact we have to test on such surfaces is required only because they exist. There’s no point in us recommending an SUV that rides like a sports car if your daily commute includes tens of sharp speed humps and countless potholes, or if you’re regularly heading off on road trips further from town on patchwork B-roads to visit your favourite winery or coastal holiday spot.

The issue with road surfaces, for example, is that in the cut and thrust of the daily commute, you spend much more time worrying about the cars in front, beside, and next to you, and what they’re doing.

Pedestrian crossings, traffic lights, your attention is on many more important things than the road surface beneath you. Imagine then, that your chassis is taking care of that, in a much more sophisticated way than even the most comprehensive traditional suspension systems can?

Across the range globally, IM has specified NVIDIA Orin-N or Orin-X chips, which to you and me is the automotive computing world’s equivalent of stage three hot rodding modification, which ‘integrates real-time machine learning’. If you think this is the stuff of science fiction, it certainly sounds like it. However, IM assures us it’s much more realistic and presents an opportunity to change the expectation of what our vehicles can do beneath us.

The process of learning takes place in milliseconds, as sensors keep an electronic eye on just about anything you could think of. They can watch the pressure that’s being put into the suspension for example, wheel speed, brake force, even the tyre pressure itself, which is highly influenced by road temperature, speed and air temperature, not to mention the force you’re putting into them under braking or turn-in. Those readings are then sent to processing units in lightning fast time, and turned into thousands of calculations each second.

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Crucially, and this is perhaps the most important part, the digital chassis doesn’t wait for the driver to respond behind the wheel. Rather, if it detects any instance that requires mitigation – a loss of grip, understeer, oversteer, whatever that might be – it will then work rapidly to deliver a multi-layered response across as many systems as it deems necessary to call into action.

That could even be something as subtle as leaning into or out of a corner, or front-to-rear balance under braking.

We’re accustomed to electronics working to intercept traction, stability or braking issues. At Wheels COTY testing for example, our intention is to find the limits of the stability control systems, or entice a full ABS stop. Imagine though, that responses are being measured beneath the skin without you having any idea they are happening. Most of the time you won’t even be aware they are happening, according to IM.

MG tells us that one example of this is the way the rear-wheel steering works. We’re accustomed to the way these systems work at both low- and high-speed. One is to shorten the wheelbase, the other to improve high-speed stability. IM’s digital chassis can use rear-wheel steering to deliver enhanced stability, working to deliver better dynamics on any road, at any speed or steering input. It’s fascinating stuff – particularly considering that we’re at the inception. How smart can it get?

Safety guru Karl Reindler noted that the IM5 behaved impeccably through the swerve-and-avoid test during COTY. Where some vehicles fought their electronic safety systems, watching on, the judges could see how well balanced the IM5 remained, even as speeds increased.

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According to IM that’s because emergency manoeuvres like that – most of them unexpected of course – are exactly the kind of real-world scenario where the digital chassis comes into its own. MG says that its IM systems can process and respond faster than the reflexes of even the best driver. Reindler, please don’t take that personally…

Even the least tech savvy of us can discern the safety benefits, but comfort is a big one in the real world, too, especially when the balance between ride comfort and handling prowess is such a fine line.

And it’s a line few cars nail perfectly. In theory though, a system that can read thousands or even millions of inputs and data points to deliver the most comfortable ride possible, makes for a much more serene experience around town at city speed.

That’s where the – sometimes daunting – reality of artificial intelligence comes in. IM says its iSMART app smarts and computing intelligence can adapt to different driving conditions, without the need to work your way through selectable driving modes.

Surely it can’t read my mind a split second before I decide to hook into a corner with gusto? Not yet, but maybe that isn’t too far away either.

What’s fascinating about this technology, from the outside looking in, is the ability for it to be updated as more smarts are perfected. Like a smartphone or computer that can be enhanced by updates and tweaks to the operating system, the digital chassis could – up to a point – be enhanced with flash updates as it comes online. In many ways, the sky really is the limit with what it can do.

It wasn’t so long ago that satellite navigation with live traffic updates, and the ability to steer you around that traffic to get to your destination faster, was the stuff of fantasy. Now, we accept it as commonplace every time we connect our smartphone to the car.

We’ve said for some time that the ‘car as computer device’ era is very much upon us. The modern buyer expects electronics – in regard to safety, connectivity and smarts – to be standard in even the most value-focused new cars. IM’s digital chassis steps the expectations up a notch with features most of us haven’t even thought too deeply about, if at all.

What’s fascinating for me – someone who loves driving, which is unsurprising given the masthead
I work for – is IM’s insistence that the concept of its digital chassis doesn’t remove the driver from the scenario. Certainly not now anyway. Which is good news for those of us who love driving.

What the digital chassis does, through its ability to think faster than us mere mortals, is enhance the driving experience in multiple different ways, most of them without intruding in a way you’d notice. I reckon that’s a good thing.

What do you think?

So, who exactly is IM presented by MG?

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MG isn’t quite the MG we once knew – certainly not in terms of engineering might. What was once Morris Garages in England, is now very much a global company headquartered in China. MG still stands for Morris Garages, and IM stands for ‘Intelligent Mobility’. In MG’s own words, ‘IM is about intelligent and forward thinking electric vehicles’.

IM isn’t quite to MG what Lexus is to Toyota, for example, but the concept is similar. That is, offer a higher level, more upmarket and luxurious vehicle than the regular product line-up. The difference in IM’s case, though, is that each model is more than an ‘optioned up’ MG, they are completely different vehicles.

IM cars are built by a different arm of the MG conglomerate, aimed at attracting the kind of buyer who might otherwise look at a luxury European car, with a hint of Tesla’s forward thinking DNA. MG is part of the enormous SAIC Motors group, which purchased the British brand back in 2007. The group states that design is a huge element of its vision, with one design centre in Tokyo, and two UK-based centres – SAIC Advanced London and SAIC Design Advanced Birmingham – spearheading the work on some of the brand’s well-known models over the last few years. Vehicles are then built in the SAIC production facility in Lingang Shanghai.

Hurricane Motor

IM’s Hurricane Motor is the beating heart of the brand’s range of electric vehicles. Utilising 800-volt electrical architecture and spinning at 21,000rpm, it delivers 553kW and 802Nm in its most potent form in the IM5 Performance, good for a 0-100km/h.

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TAG Heuer has unveiled a Formula 1-themed version of its Connected Calibre E5 smartwatch, combining race-specific digital features with a titanium case and motorsport-inspired detailing.

The TAG Heuer Connected Calibre E5 45mm x Formula 1 edition follows the brand’s return as Official Timekeeper of Formula 1, a role it previously held between 1992 and 2003. The new model builds on TAG Heuer’s broader involvement in the sport, which spans partnerships with teams including Ferrari, McLaren and, more recently, Oracle Red Bull Racing.

Central to the watch is a dedicated “Race Track” face that changes automatically across the 24-race Formula 1 season. Each Grand Prix is represented by its national flag, circuit outline and race name, with a moving indicator marking the passing seconds around the track layout. Additional digital faces have been redesigned to align with the Formula 1 edition.

An integrated Formula 1 app, accessible directly from the watch menu, provides the season calendar, weekend schedules, results and current driver and constructor standings. The system also delivers notifications and widgets tied to each race weekend session, from practice through to the Grand Prix.

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The 45mm case is made from Grade 2 titanium with a black DLC coating. The touchscreen bezel references the stages of a race weekend, while red accents and Formula 1 branding appear on the caseback. Two straps are included: a leather-and-rubber combination with red stitching, and a stretch textile band intended for sport and sleep tracking.

Powered by the Calibre E5 platform, the smartwatch runs TAG Heuer’s proprietary operating system and includes health and fitness tracking functions such as heart rate monitoring, sleep tracking and dual-band GPS.

The model will be offered via TAG Heuer’s website with a limited early access sales window ahead of its broader release.

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At the launch of a Supercars season that sees Toyota finally enter the category as a partner with Walkinshaw Automotive Group (WAG) and Brad Jones Racing, the Australian boss said there is scope to deepen that relationship provided current projects are successful.

Toyota has already partnered with WAG to remanufacture the US-built Tundra pickup (main) to RHD for our market, and now aligns with the race team Walkinshaw TWG Racing, to bring the GR Supra into the Supercars category. But with a history of alignment with the local arm of car companies as far back as Holden, could the relationship between Toyota and Walkinshaw strengthen even more?

“We already had a good relationship and partnership with Walkinshaw and now expanding into Supercars with the GR Supra,” Toyota Australia boss, John Pappas said. “We continue to build and our focus right now is on those two things. It’s about selling more Tundras and you know, getting the GR brand expanded as well, as a model line, and trying to learn through the GR V8 Supra. So that’s the focus for now, but you know, as we grow, we could look to other things.”

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What those ‘other things’ might be are the subject of speculation for the moment, but Walkinshaw has a history in this country of modifying and enhancing factory offerings, with powertrain, tuning and chassis enhancements.

Tundra sales in Australia have been slow – taking into account the significant price jump to established platers RAM, Chevrolet and Ford, but also related to the head start RAM got in this market.

Ryan Walkinshaw sees the opportunity, but was also keen to emphasise the success of the existing arrangement. “Toyota is a major partner of Walkinshaw Automotive Group,” he said. “Obviously we’ve got a successful program going on with Tundra. They’re obviously always talking with all of our manufacturing partners about other opportunities, and we’d be slit not to. We propose different ideas (to them) and they propose different ideas to us.”

With a strong GR stable now including nameplates like Yaris, Corolla, Supra and HiLux previously, and 300 Series LandCruiser, opportunities for further enhancement are appealing, and it would appear the appetite for performance-focused Toyotas is well and truly alive.

“We’re always exploring those kinds of things,” Walkinshaw said. “But at the moment, our focus is ensuring that our Tundra program is a huge success here in Australia. And, after that, is there are other exciting products that may or may not exist in the future as a partnership with our two brands, then we’ll let you guys know.”

Motorists in New South Wales will face expanded roadside camera enforcement from March 1, as the state’s transport authority activates full bi-directional monitoring on single-lane roads.

The change means mobile phone and seatbelt detection cameras will be able to monitor traffic travelling in both directions, effectively doubling enforcement coverage at selected sites. Previously, the transportable cameras were limited to monitoring up to two lanes moving in the same direction.

In a Yahoo Australia news report, Transport for NSW (TfNSW) says the state’s 10 transportable mobile phone and seatbelt detection camera units will not increase in number, but their upgraded capability is intended to maintain enforcement coverage amid a growing vehicle fleet. Registered vehicles in NSW have risen by almost 12 per cent over the past seven years, from 6.7 million to 7.5 million.

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According to TfNSW Secretary Josh Murray, the original goal when the mobile phone detection program began was to scan each registered vehicle an average of at least 20 times per year. The expanded bi-directional functionality is designed to help meet that benchmark as traffic volumes grow.

Data released by TfNSW shows a decline in offence rates since the program’s introduction. When enforcement first began, as many as one in every 400 drivers was detected using a mobile phone illegally. In 2025, that figure has fallen to around one in every 1200 vehicles checked. Seatbelt offences, added to the camera program in 2024, were detected in roughly one in every 1300 vehicles screened this year.

The rollout of the expanded capability will begin in March and is expected to take up to six months to complete. Fixed mobile phone and seatbelt cameras will not be affected by the changes.

Penalties in NSW for illegal mobile phone use while driving include a $423 fine and five demerit points, increasing to $562 and additional demerits in school zones and during double demerit periods. Failing to wear a seatbelt correctly attracts a $423 fine and three demerit points.

Revenue raised from infringements issued by the cameras will continue to be directed toward road safety initiatives, according to the state government.

MINI will release a 1965 Victory Edition in Australia next year, marking 60 years since the brand’s Mini Cooper S won the 1965 Monte Carlo Rally.

Limited to 30 cars locally, the edition will comprise 20 petrol-powered MINI John Cooper Works hatchbacks and 10 all-electric MINI John Cooper Works models. The vehicles are scheduled to arrive in Australian showrooms in the second quarter of 2026, with pricing to be announced closer to launch.

The special edition references the 1965 Monte Carlo Rally victory by Timo Mäkinen and co-driver Paul Easter in a Mini Cooper S. That win helped cement the original Mini’s reputation in international rallying during the 1960s.

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Both modern variants are based on current John Cooper Works models. The petrol version is powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 170kW and 380Nm, with a claimed 0–100km/h time of 6.1 seconds. The electric John Cooper Works delivers up to 190kW and is claimed to accelerate from 0–100km/h in 5.9 seconds.

All Australian-delivered 1965 Victory Edition cars will be finished in Chili Red, with a white bonnet stripe extending over the roof and rear. A white “52” graphic on the sides references the race number carried by the 1965 rally winner, while a “1965” badge appears on the C-pillar.

Further exterior details include 18-inch alloy wheels unique to the edition. The petrol John Cooper Works rides on JCW Lap Spoke two-tone wheels, while the electric variant receives black JCW Mastery Spoke wheels. Floating wheel hub caps and edition-specific valve caps are also fitted. Buyers can opt for a panoramic glass roof.

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Inside, the cabin follows the usual John Cooper Works colour scheme of black and red. The door sills feature illuminated “1965” lettering, and each car carries a plaque referencing the Monte Carlo victory. Additional details include “1965” marking on the lower spoke of the sports steering wheel, commemorative lettering within the centre console and a key cap displaying the historic race number.

The edition arrives after a strong year for the John Cooper Works line in Australia. MINI reports the performance-focused variants accounted for 21 per cent of its local sales in 2025, while electrified models made up 31 per cent of total deliveries.

Sales of petrol and diesel vehicles continue to fall in Europe, with the latest data from the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) showing a sharp drop in registrations of traditional internal combustion (ICE) vehicles.

According to ACEA’s data released this week, overall new car sales in Europe were down 3.9 per cent in January compared to the same time last year with sales of petrol cars plummeting 28.2 per cent year-on-year, thanks to sharp decreases across all major European markets.

France saw the steepest decline with petrol car sales down 48.9 per cent, followed by Germany (down 29.9 per cent), Italy (25.5 per cent) and Spain (22.5 per cent). Sales of diesel-powered vehicles also fell sharply, declining by 22.3 per cent year-on-year. 

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While the overall new car market saw a modest decline in January (down 3.8 per cent compared with last January), sales of hybrid, battery electric, and plug-in hybrid vehicles continue to grow significantly.

Data shows that 154,230 new battery electric vehicles (BEV) were registered in January, now accounting for almost 20 per cent (19.3) of new car sales in the EU, an increase of 5 per cent year-on-year. France recorded the biggest increase in BEV sales, up 52.1 per cent ahead of Germany’s 23.8 per cent increase. Conversely, Belgium (down 11.5 per cent and the Netherlands (down 35.4 per cent) posted strong declines.

Meanwhile, hybrid vehicles are now the leading choice of power type in the EU, with sales of 308,364 in January lifting overall market share to 38.6 per cent, helped by strong growth in Italy (up 24.9 per cent) and Spain (up 9 per cent), although Germany recorded a modest drop in hybrid sales, down 1.8 per cent compared with January last year.

Sales of plug-in hybrid (PHEV) vehicles also recorded sharp increases, with sales of 78,741 in the first month of 2026 accounting for 9.8 per cent market share, up from 7.4 per cent the previous year. Italy was the heavy-lifter in the PHEV space, with sales up 134.2 per cent year-on-year, followed by Spain (66.7 per cent) and Germany (23 per cent).

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Of the other major European markets, the United Kingdom recorded modest growth in January, up 3.4 per cent compared with January 2025 with hybrid vehicles now accounting for 38.6 per cent of all new car sales while PHEVs increased market share to 12.9 per cent (up from 9 per cent the previous year).

Sales of petrol vehicles in the UK were down 4.2 per cent year-on-year while diesel recorded a modest 0.5 per cent decline. BEVs also recorded a small drop, down 0.7 per cent against January last year.

The shift in EU buyer preference largely mirrors that of Australia where sales of petrol vehicles declined 14 per cent in January while PHEV sales increased sharply, up over 170 per cent year-on-year to now account for 5.9 per cent of the new car market. Conventional hybrids accounted for 17.4 per cent of total sales in January while battery electric vehicles held a relatively steady share at 8.4 per cent.

A 1990 Ferrari F40 converted to right-hand drive is being auctioned by RR Auctions in Australia, with bidding already exceeding A$2.5 million with just hours remaining.

Delivered new on May 11, 1990 by IFS Importation Ferrari (Suisse) in Nyon, Switzerland, the Rosso Corsa coupe is a late-production “non-cat, non-adjust” example. That specification denotes the absence of a catalytic converter and adjustable suspension, a configuration typically associated with lower weight and fewer mechanical revisions than later cars.

The F40 was launched in 1987 to mark Ferrari’s 40th anniversary and is widely recognised as the final model approved by Enzo Ferrari. It is also credited as the first production car to exceed 200mph (321km/h), with a claimed top speed of 323km/h.

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Power comes from a 2.9-litre twin-turbocharged V8 driving the rear wheels through a five-speed dogleg manual gearbox. Ferrari quoted outputs of 352kW and 577Nm, with a 0–100km/h time of 4.1 seconds. With no power steering, ABS or traction control, the F40’s layout reflects its late-1980s design brief. Composite carbon/Kevlar body panels, polycarbonate windows and a pared-back cabin contributed to an approximate 1250kg kerb weight, although air conditioning was fitted as standard.

This example is one of an estimated six F40s in Australia. Unlike the handful of factory-converted right-hand-drive cars reportedly delivered to the Sultan of Brunei, this car was converted after delivery. The current owner, an Australian mechanical engineer, purchased the car in 2005 with 33,000km recorded and carried out the right-hand-drive conversion after importing it.

The odometer now reads 37,063km, with roughly 4000km added during his 20 years of ownership. The vendor states no structural changes were made, meaning a return to left-hand drive for Ferrari Classiche certification remains possible.

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In 2020 the car was involved in a single-vehicle accident on the Gold Coast. The owner undertook repairs to the carbon/Kevlar bodywork himself, and the car is said to retain its original parts.

Modifications include owner-installed electric windows, central locking and red trim on the centre console. A suede steering wheel and conventional seat belts are currently fitted; the original steering wheel and harnesses are included in the sale, along with logbooks and service records from France. Original 17-inch Speedline centre-lock wheels remain, now fitted with new rear Pirelli tyres.

The auction here ends on February 25.

Initially, plug-in hybrids (PHEV) copped plenty of stick in this market. Motoring journos lined up to pan them, calling them half-baked, half-pregnant, and any other half-cocked criticism you could conjure. Most ignored the reality of the average driver, which is a total daily run of less than 40km. That’s what the stats tell us, at least. But, even in their earliest phase, with a 30-40km electric range, a PHEV could get you to work without using fuel, leaving the petrol tank for the run home.

Fast forward to 2026, and the MG HS Super Hybrid now offers a claimed 120km electric range on the WLTP cycle, by way of a 24.7kW/h battery pack. There’s a 1.5-litre, four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine and two electric motors – one drives the HS, one is used for regeneration. MG claims 220kW and 350Nm as combined peak outputs, which is robust in the medium SUV segment.

Further, MG claims a total range beyond 1000km if you deplete the battery and empty the fuel tank – which is good news for one-car families, or those of you who like touring. Our tester was knocking on the door of 1000km on the combined trip indicator. Over that time, it had averaged 30.1km/h, and used 2.8L/100km, and 7.5kWh/100km. Wheels is often asked about real world usage as opposed to claimed usage and that mix of battery and petrol usage is as real world as it gets. And keeping in mind, this HS would have been charged regularly during the test phase.

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Twice on test, we achieved 110km from a full charge, without driving any differently than we would either an ICE vehicle, or a full EV – genuinely impressive. MG quotes 18kW/h/100km electric use, which if you take into account the usable 23.2kW/h battery capacity, gets you 129km range. Anywhere around the 110km mark that Wheels achieved, makes the HS Super Hybrid effective for the average driver.

Straight out of the gate, negatives are few, but let’s get them out of the way. Some of the electronic safety aids are a pain – as per the current Chinese-built vehicle brief – and there’s no spare tyre. We’re of the opinion that no car should be sold in this market without a space saver as a minimum.

The electronics are less of an issue, given the fact they can be tweaked and updated to improve their functionality. The speed limit warning was indicating 110km/h for example in a 50km/h zone, but would then start chiming annoyingly at 1km/h over the indicated limit at any given time. Lane departure can also grate.

The model grade Wheels is driving this month is the Essence, which is packed with standard equipment for the asking price of $50,990 drive away at the time of testing. Standard features include a panoramic glass roof, dual-zone climate control, faux leather trim, electric driver’s seat with lumbar adjustment and memory function, electric front passenger seat, heated front seats, eight-speaker audio system, 360-degree camera and wireless charging.

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The pretend leather trim is actually quite comfortable and there’s plenty of space in the second row even if the front seat occupants are taller than six-foot. The screens are clear and easy to navigate, but we’d like their response to be a little snappier, and it would be more practical to not have to access so many features – like AC – through them. The other factor we noticed, as reported by others, was an echo on phone calls – and that happened whether we used the wireless or wired smartphone connection.

In EV mode, the HS is like most other electric vehicles to drive. It’s not as punchy in an outright sense as a regular EV, but it delivers that effortless, near silent forward urge that makes driving an EV so enjoyable. The combined power and torque figures might indicate that it’s fast, but it doesn’t feel as sharp as those stats might make you think, given this system is tuned more toward efficiency.

Steering, braking and general drivability are all what Wheels would expect of a medium SUV, which is not quite that of a well-sorted hatchback, but not that of a large SUV or dual-cab either.

The MG HS Super Hybrid simply does what we expect it to do. It’s more affordable than a full EV and more expensive than a regular hybrid, but it does give you the electric driving experience without the headaches.

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Specs

Price$50,990 (drive-away)
EV Range120km (WLTP)
Engine1.5-litre turbocharged petrol four-cylinder
TransmissionTwo-speed hybrid transmission
Electric motorsTwo (one driving, one regeneration)
Battery capacity24.7kWh (23.2kWh usable)
Power220kW (combined)
Torque350Nm (combined)
Fuel type/tank size95 RON premium unleaded/55L
Weight1870kg (tare)
Dimensions L/W/H/W-B4670/1890/1663/2765mm
Warranty7r/unlimited km (standard), 10-year/250,000km (conditional)
On saleNow
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This article first appeared in the February 2026 issue of Wheels. Subscribe here and gain access to 12 issues for $109 plus online access to every Wheels issue since 1953.

Mercedes-Benz has introduced a limited C 300 AMG Line Plus Edition in Australia, adding a new variant to the C-Class sedan line-up with a focus on design changes and additional standard equipment.

Based on the existing C 300, the AMG Line Plus Edition incorporates a series of cosmetic revisions intended to distinguish it from the standard model. Chief among them is the Night Package, which adds high-gloss black elements to the radiator grille, exterior mirror housings, beltline trim and window surrounds.

A subtle AMG spoiler lip has been fitted to the rear, while 19-inch AMG five twin-spoke light-alloy wheels – finished in black with a high-sheen surface and designed with aerodynamic optimisation in mind – replace the standard items. Inside, metal-structure trim has been applied to the centre console and dashboard.

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The special edition retains the AMG Line interior specification offered in the regular C 300. This includes sports front seats with heating and electric adjustment, along with a Memory Package. ARTICO upholstery and dual-zone THERMATIC climate control are also standard.

Technology features are unchanged from the donor vehicle. An 11.9-inch portrait-oriented MBUX multimedia touchscreen sits alongside a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity are included, as is wireless smartphone charging.

Exterior equipment mirrors that of the C 300 AMG Line, with AGILITY CONTROL suspension, LED High Performance headlamps and Adaptive Highbeam Assist fitted as standard. The model also features KEYLESS-GO entry, a powered boot lid, electrically folding and heated exterior mirrors, and a 360-degree camera system.

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Driver assistance systems include Active Parking Assist with PARKTRONIC, Active Lane Keeping Assist, Blind Spot Assist, Traffic Sign Assist and a tyre pressure loss warning system. Dark-tinted privacy glass is fitted from the B-pillar rearwards.

The Mercedes-Benz C 300 AMG Line Plus Edition is on sale now, priced at $95,400 before on-road costs. Until June 30, 2026, it is being offered nationally at a driveaway price of $94,900, subject to terms and conditions.

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