The current conflict in the Middle East has raised an issue most Australians probably aren’t aware of, and one that could have been avoided. That is, we no longer come even close to being self-sufficient in regard to fuel production. And that’s before you get to the completely inadequate 30-something days worth of supply we currently have in storage.

Who is responsible and why, is irrelevant at this point. Both sides of politics would have to accept blame for this current shortage of supply. One thing is certain though, Australians should be demanding that this situation is never allowed to happen again – regardless of the government currently in power.

Let’s deal with the second point first, then, and recognise how manifestly inadequate it is for a remote nation like ours to have little more than a month’s fuel requirements in reserve at any given time. This geographically larger, remote nation – and the transport around it – relies heavily on refined fuel, primarily diesel. Without diesel, being able to drive our car to work, school or on holiday, will be the least of our concerns. Grocery and medical supplies, basic goods and services will all be directly impacted if transport either grinds to a halt or slows right down.

On one hand, those of us who need our cars to get to work or take the kids to school obviously need to put fuel in them, but diesel, and the transport that relies upon it, is the backbone of this country. And, being able to move goods around the country is key to the daily running of the place. Therefore, having somewhere between 32 and 36 days worth of fuel in storage at any given time, is completely inadequate.

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At the time that our ability to produce our own fuel was cut by 80 per cent, Australians were guaranteed that there would be a minimum of 90 days in reserve. There never was and there never has been, and Australians should demand answers as to why. Politicians will wrap the response up in political spin, but we’ve never had that much in supply and we should be demanding a change in that as a minimum.

Back to refining fuel, then, and the subject of actually manufacturing something in Australia – a concept that has been trashed by successive governments in the last few decades – means we now produce only around 20 per cent of our own fuel. If you go back to the year 2000, Australia had eight refineries. Australia’s appetite to make things is as low as its ever been, and its time for governments to stop wasting our time with explanations as to why things can’t be done, and start coming up with ways they can be done.

One by one, those refineries were deemed ‘economically unviable’ and shut down. Ultimately, six of them were closed, leaving Australia with only two operating refineries, able to produce around 20 per cent of our fuel requirements. The two remaining are Ampol’s Lytton refinery near Brisbane, and Viva Energy’s refinery in Geelong. Successive governments have been warned multiple times, most recently by the Chief of the Australian Navy, as to the vulnerability we would face if sea lanes were disrupted.

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And yes, that’s exactly what’s happened in the Strait of Hormuz. The former deputy chief of the Royal Australian Air Force, John Blackburn, told ABC’s 7.30 programme in December 2025, that Australia was increasingly vulnerable.

“In Australia, as of July this year (2025), we had 24 days of diesel stocks,” Mr Blackburn told the ABC. He went on to say that Australia was at the time the only member of the International Energy Agency not currently meeting its obligation for net import coverage of oil.

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Australia had a dress rehearsal for how this could play out during the COVID-19 lockdowns, and their subsequent impact on the global shipping industry. Fortunately, during that time at least, most people weren’t traveling too far, because we’d been told not to. It seems, in government at least, memories are short.

What’s taken place in the last month is not an exercise of acknowledging those who made accurate predictions or look smart after the fact. Nor is it an opportunity to waste time arguing about who did what, when. It’s an opportunity to make sure steps are taken – material steps – to ensure it never happens again.

The ongoing war in the Middle East has impacted Australia’s fuel supplies, leading to higher prices at the bowser amid concerns Australia could run out of petrol, diesel and aviation fuel.

Prices have surged since the conflict in the Middle East kicked off on February 28, with today’s NSW Fuel Check data showing the price of unleaded has increased by 34 per cent while diesel has jumped 55 per cent.

The dramatic increases, as well as the threat of dwindling supplies has seen an increase in ‘panic’ buying as consumers begin to stockpile fuel.

According to the federal government, and as reported by the ABC, oil continues to enter Australia and that our current supply levels amount to 36 days of petrol, 32 days of diesel and 29 days of jet fuel. The government also revealed it had tapped into its emergency supply, releasing around six days’ worth of petrol and five days’ worth of diesel at the behest of the International Energy Agency.

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Australia currently sources its fuel primarily from Asia, mainly from South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, China, and Japan, nearly all reliant on crude oil from the Middle East.

Some countries in Asia have already started rationing fuel, leading to concerns Australia may follow suit if supplies continue to be impacted by the Middle East conflict.

Australia is no stranger to fuel rationing, most recently in 1979 when the double-whammy of the second 1970s oil crisis, the result of revolution in Iran, combined with prolonged industrial action at Caltex Kurnell oil refinery in Sydney.

To manage the shortages, the government decreed that consumers could only buy fuel every second day, with rationing based on car number plates – those ending in odd numbers could fill up on odd-numbered calendar days, while number plates ending with an even number on even-numbered calendar days. Some exemptions were granted, primarily for essential workers like doctors, nurses and emergency service personnel. 

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The rationing measures lasted several weeks and were effective in controlling queues at the bowser while also curtailing the panic buying that had beset the nation as the oil crisis and industrial action saw fuel supplies slow to a trickle.

To combat fuel shortages during World War II, Australia introduced a coupon-based system with the government issuing ration books. The coupons allowed private motorists to purchase enough fuel for around 32km of driving per week.

There have been no suggestions yet that Australia could face fuel rationing, with climate change and energy minister Chris Bowen telling media last week that fuel continues to arrive in Australia and supply is “locked in” for another month.

“Obviously beyond that late April period, we’re dealing with more uncertainty [and it] depends how the international circumstance rolls out,” Bowen said.

He added that fuel rationing “has not been contemplated as something we need to do in the immediate future. We’re not there and we’re not close to there.”

Legendary BMW tuner AC Schnitzer has announced that it will shut up shop at the end of 2026 after almost 40 years in business. Citing a range of factors like lengthy approval in its German home market, US tariffs and global economic downturn, AC Schnitzer’s parent company Kohl Group has decided to close the company down unless a new buyer can be found.

In a media statement, the brand said steadily rising costs in the development and manufacture of parts are creating “competitive disadvantages” and that the “extremely long approval process for parts in the German system has caused AC Schnitzer to fall further and further behind its non-German competitors”.

“Whether it’s tariffs in the key U.S. market, rising global raw material prices, highly volatile exchange rates in international currencies, or the demise of suppliers on the supplier side: every development has left its mark on the balance sheet. The same goes for the general reluctance to spend, which, amid a global economic downturn that has now lasted four years, has also caused the domestic market in Germany to collapse” the company said.

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AC Schnitzer was founded in 1987 in Aachen, Germany, by Willi Kohl and Herbert Schnitzer. It began by tuning various BMW products and moved into motorcycle tuning, as well as making parts like wheels, suspension components and bodykits. After that, it entered various rallies and touring car races, and branched out slightly by eventually offering tuning kits for Mini and Jaguar Land Rover products, as well as the BMW Z4-based Toyota GR Supra.

Product highlights for the company include the V8 Roadster (1997), which was essentially a V8-powered BMW Z3, the M6 Tension (2005) that was a tuned E63 BMW M6 and its tuned 2018 F90 BMW M5, which became the fastest sedan at the Nurburgring at the time with a lap time of 7:29.50.

Unless a new buyer is found, AC Schnitzer will shut down by the end of 2026, though it will still honour warranties and offer support for products beyond that.

New research from financial comparison website Money has revealed that nearly one in four Australians (24 per cent) admit they’re ‘stockpiling’ fuel or buying more than usual, as uncertainty around fuel prices and potential shortages intensifies thanks to the latest Middle East conflict.

The results from Money‘s nationally representative survey of 1000 Australians also found that three per cent have faced purchase limits when trying to buy larger quantities of fuel, while the majority
(76 per cent) also haven’t increased their fuel purchases since the conflict began.

Fuel prices have surged since the conflict began on February 28, with unleaded up 34 per cent and
diesel jumping 55 per cent, according to NSW FuelCheck data as of today, March 23. Regional areas have seen the highest price increases.

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Money’s Finance Expert, Sean Callery, says that both surging fuel prices and supply fears are fuelling a wave of reactive behaviour at the pump. “Panic buying at the bowser is a knee-jerk reaction to uncertainty over fuel supply and skyrocketing prices as the conflict in the Middle East continues with no clear timeline for when conditions will stabilise,” he says.

“With petrol prices pushing towards $3 per litre in some areas, it’s a real financial pressure point for households and some Aussies are turning to stockpiling petrol or filling up more often in an attempt to get ahead of further price increases.

“But what many don’t realise is that panic buying can actually exacerbate the problem, because when demand spikes suddenly, it puts additional pressure on already tight supply and can push fuel prices even higher.”

The research also found that younger Australians are leading the petrol buying frenzy nationwide.
Nearly two in five Gen Z (39 per cent) admit they’re stockpiling petrol or buying larger quantities
when they fill up, followed by Millennials (30 per cent), Gen X (18 per cent) and Baby Boomers (10 per cent).

“Younger Australians tend to feel price hikes on essentials like petrol more immediately, as their budgets often have less room to absorb sudden cost increases. They’re also more likely to see and react to price movements or supply concerns in real time on social media, further amplifying panic buying behaviour,” says Sean.

State differences were also clear, with New South Wales motorists the biggest panic buyers (25 per cent), ahead of Victoria (22 per cent) and Western Australia (21 per cent). Lower levels of panic buying were recorded in Queensland (17 per cent) and South Australia (15 per cent).

Find out more about the latest Money survey by clicking here.

Following more the two decades of oversight and leading the design teams responsible for some of Jaguar/Land Rover’s most significant modern vehicles, Gerry McGovern will officially leave the company to start his own creative consultancy.

Sources told Autocar that McGovern would be severing ties with the company officially, and then the outlet obtained the internal memo, with the news then confirmed by JLR. The split will be official at the end of March 2026, when McGovern will no doubt reveal more news about his new venture.

Autocar quoted McGovern from within the memo where he was understandably effusive in his praise for the company. “It has been a great privilege to work at JLR across two extraordinary decades, and I would like to thank the Tata family in particular for the opportunities they gave me,” it read. “The dedication and passion of thousands of people across the business have made these brands what they are today, and I am enormously proud of what we have built together. I look forward to the next chapter of my creative career.”

WhichCar by Wheels understands that McGovern’s departure was anything but acrimonious, hence the time between him being asked to step down, and the official announcement now. McGovern was understood to wield significant influence over the JLR board, and was particularly close to the late Ratan Tata, former chairman of the Tata Group, which took over ownership of JLR.

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Autocar quoted new JLR CEO PB Balaji who said, “Gerry’s creative leadership, vision, drive and passion have left an indelible stamp on our brands. I would like to thank Gerry for the significant contribution he has made to JLR and wish him every success in his next creative chapter.”

McGovern was born in Coventry and was responsible for some of the most significant new vehicles to emerge from the Midlands-based manufacturer, with the new Land Rover Defender the most significant to Australian readers. McGovern told this journalist more than once in the delayed lead up to the release of the Defender that Australia was a vital market for the 4WD, and that re-imagining a legend was no easy task.

Subsequently, the Defender has been incredibly popular around the world, despite initial resistance from the traditionalists.

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McGovern was also responsible for the modernised Range Rover line-up – including Sport, the then-new Discovery, and more recently, the 2021 Reimagine Strategy and the divisive Type 00 Concept as part of Jaguar’s move to being an electric-only manufacturer.

With legendary designer Ian Callum leaving Jaguar a few years ago, McGovern moving on signifies the end of an era and changing of the guard for what has been an undeniable period of success for JLR globally.

While they aren’t suited to everybody, a plug-in hybrid can be a great option for those wanting to reduce their emissions and fuel use but not wanting to make the full jump and purchase an EV. PHEVs offer a longer electric driving range than a hybrid, as well as an ICE engine for when the battery runs out, with the potential to significantly reduce both emissions and running costs.

Thanks to more choice and higher fuel prices in Australia, PHEV popularity has increased significantly over the past 12 months and because of advancements in technology, they offer longer electric-only driving ranges than ever before. Here’s the WhichCar by Wheels guide to the PHEVs with the longest claimed electric-only driving range in Australia: 

1) GWM Haval H6 GT PHEV: 180km (NEDC)

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Price: From $53,990 driveaway
Drivetrain: 321kW/762Nm 1.5-litre turbo + two electric motors, 35.43kWh battery
Peak charging speed: 48kW

Surprisingly to some, the longest electric range in a plug-in hybrid in Australia is the GWM Haval H6GT PHEV, which is capable of an impressive 180km (NEDC) of electric driving from its 35.43kWh battery. What’s more, the H6GT is genuinely quick, hitting 100km/h in just 4.9 seconds from its 321kW drivetrain – and it’s wrapped up in a good value, practical and comfortable package. 

2) Chery Tiggo 9 Super Hybrid: 170km (NEDC)

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Price: From $59,990 plus on-road costs
Drivetrain: 315kW/580Nm 1.5-litre turbo, two electric motors, 34kWh battery
Peak charging speed: 70kW

Chery has been going hard with its Super Hybrid PHEV plug-in hybrid tech locally, with PHEV versions of the Tiggo 7, Tiggo 8 and now Tiggo 9 on sale. The largest of them all is the Tiggo 9 and it features the largest battery at 34kWh, achieving an impressive 170km EV range (NEDC) that can be recharged at up to 70kW. Its dual-motor drivetrain is also powerful, making 315kW, and its seven-seat cabin is both practical and high quality. Pricing starts at $59,990 plus on-road costs, making it pretty good value for money as well.

3) Omoda 9 Super Hybrid: 169km (NEDC)

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Price: From $61,990 plus on-road costs
Drivetrain: 395kW/700Nm 1.5-litre turbo, three electric motors, 34kWh battery
Peak charging speed: 70kW

Capable of just 1km less than its platform mate Tiggo 9, the Omoda 9 Super Hybrid plug-in hybrid is a new offering to Australia and is the top of the Omoda range for now. Using a similar drivetrain to the Tiggo 9 with the same battery stats but with an extra electric motor (three in total!), means it produces more grunt at 395kW/700Nm. Unlike the Tiggo 9, the Omoda 9 isn’t a seven-seater, but it has a massive 660-litre boot that opens up to 1783 litres with the rear seats folded. 

4) BYD Sealion 8 AWD: 152km (NEDC)

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Price: From $56,990 plus on-road costs
Drivetrain: 359kW/675Nm 1.5-litre turbo, two electric motors, 35.6kWh battery
Peak charging speed: 74kW

BYD’s first seven-seater plug-in hybrid in Australia offers impressive stats: 152km of electric range (with all-wheel drive – the front-drive base model features a smaller battery), 74kW DC charging and a huge 359kW of power. Pricing starts at $56,990 plus on-road costs, though the all-wheel drive versions start at $63,990 +ORC. It also features a roomy cabin with quality materials, long standard equipment list and pleasant driving experience.

5) MG HS Super Hybrid: 135km (NEDC)

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Price: From $48,990 plus on-road costs
Drivetrain: 220kW/350Nm 1.5-litre turbo, electric motor, 24.7kWh battery
Peak charging speed: 6.6kW AC

The MG HS PHEV was the brand’s first hybrid offering in Australia in its last generation, and now in second-gen form, both the Hybrid+ regular hybrid and Super Hybrid plug-in hybrid are offered. The Super Hybrid offers an impressive 135km NEDC range, as well as a strong 220kW/350Nm 1.5-litre turbo-petrol hybrid drivetrain. Unfortunately can’t be DC fast charged, with a 6.6kW AC maximum, but it can be fully charged in under seven hours (or overnight, or during the work day) meaning it’s still practical. Plus, the latest HS is an impressive car with good quality, a spacious cabin and a long list of standard features. 

6) Range Rover and Range Rover Sport P460e: 122km (WLTP)

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Price: From $181,018 plus on-road costs (Range Rover Sport), $280,100 plus on-road costs (Range Rover)
Drivetrain: 338kW/550Nm 3.0-litre turbo, electric motor, 38.2kWh battery
Peak charging speed: 43kW DC

At the more premium end of the plug-in hybrid market are the Range Rover and Range Rover Sport P460e, which both offer a WLTP range of 122km from a large 38.2kWh battery. That’s impressive considering they both weigh more than 2700kg and offer strong performance, hitting 100km/h in the mid-5 second range. Plus, as you’d expect for a Range Rover, both feature sumptuous interiors, high quality materials and an extremely comfortable driving experience. 

7) Cupra Leon Sportstourer: 119km (WLTP) 

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Price: From $69,990 plus on-road costs
Drivetrain: 200kW/400Nm 1.5-litre turbo, electric motor, 20kWh battery
Peak charging speed: 50kW DC

The Volkswagen Group’s sporty Spanish arm Cupra is no stranger to offering plug-in hybrids in Australia, and the Leon Sportstourer is the latest to be offered. Using a 200kW 1.5-litre turbo-petrol plug-in hybrid drivetrain paired with a 20kWh battery, the Leon wagon is capable of hitting 100km/h in 7.3 seconds but also 120km of electric driving range – and that’s on the more realistic WLTP cycle as well. The Leon Sportstourer is also quite practical with its large 470-litre boot and importantly, is a rare wagon in a sea of SUVs. 

8) Skoda Kodiaq and Superb PHEV: 112km (WLTP)

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Price: From $66,990 driveaway (Superb), $68,990 driveaway (Kodiaq)
Drivetrain: 150kW/350Nm 1.5-litre turbo, electric motor, 25.8kWh battery
Peak charging speed: 50kW DC

Skoda Australia has launched a few hybrid products in 2026, and the plug-in hybrid variant of the Superb large wagon and Kodiaq large SUV is one of them. Utilising a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine, electric motor and 25.8kWh battery, the Skoda PHEVs are capable of travelling 112km electrically and that’s on the more realistic WLTP cycle too. Plus, both the Superb and Kodiaq are high quality, practical and covered by a long seven-year warranty. 

9) Cupra Terramar VZe: 110km (WLTP)

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Price: From $77,990 plus on-road costs
Drivetrain: 200kW/400Nm 1.5-litre turbo, electric motor, 20kWh battery
Peak charging speed: 50kW DC

Using the same 200kW plug-in hybrid drivetrain as its Leon Sportstourer sibling, the Cupra Terramar VZe mid-size SUV offers up a 110km WLTP electric-only driving range. Priced from $77,990 plus on-road costs, it’s one of the more expensive options in this list but is quite well equipped, good to drive for an SUV and offers sporty styling, which Australians love.

10) GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV: 110km (NEDC) 

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Price: From $59,990 plus on-road costs
Drivetrain: 300kW/750Nm 2.0-litre turbo, electric motor, 37.1kWh battery
Peak charging speed: 50kW DC

Rounding out the top 10 longest EV ranges for PHEVs in Australia is the only ute on the list: The GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV. Offering up to 110km of range on the NEDC cycle (so likely less in the real world) from a 300kW drivetrain, the Cannon Alpha is quick and rewarding to drive. It’s good value for money as well as it’s loaded with features, yet priced the same as a mid-range diesel Ford Ranger. Importantly too, it offers DC fast charging at up to 50kW. 

Other noteworthy plug-in hybrid electric ranges include the Mercedes-Benz C 350 e (104km NEDC), Haval H6 PHEV (100km NEDC), BYD Sealion 5 (100km NEDC), BMW X5 xDrive50e (101km NEDC) and Mercedes-AMG E 53 (100km NEDC).

BMW is preparing to phase out its i4 electric sedan, with production expected to end after the 2026 model year as the company shifts focus to its next-generation electric architecture.

Introduced in 2021, the i4 was one of BMW’s early moves into mainstream electric vehicles, effectively translating the 4 Series Gran Coupe into battery-electric form. However, reports from multiple outlets including Car and Driver indicate the model will be discontinued within the next 12 to 18 months as newer technology arrives.

The decision is closely tied to BMW’s rollout of its Neue Klasse platform, a dedicated electric vehicle architecture that will underpin the brand’s future EV range. The first sedan to use this platform – a new electric i3 – is expected to take over the role currently occupied by the i4.

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Unlike the i4, which is based on a modified version of BMW’s combustion-engine platform, the upcoming i3 has been designed from the ground up as an electric vehicle. This allows for improvements in efficiency, packaging and performance, as well as access to newer battery and charging technology.

Early details suggest the new i3 will offer significantly longer driving range and faster charging capability than the outgoing i4, with BMW targeting major gains in both areas as part of its broader electrification strategy.

The overlap in size, pricing and positioning between the two models has also contributed to the i4’s planned exit. With the i3 effectively serving as a direct replacement, BMW is streamlining its sedan line-up rather than running parallel models with similar roles.

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Despite its relatively short lifecycle, the i4 has been an important stepping stone for BMW. It helped the brand establish a presence in the growing electric sedan segment while buying time to develop its next-generation technology.

BMW has not indicated that the broader 4 Series line will disappear, with combustion-powered and potentially future electric variants of the coupe and convertible likely to continue.

In Australia, the i4 has played a notable role in BMW’s EV push since its arrival in 2021, proving relatively popular in the premium electric sedan segment. However, the local range has recently been simplified, with BMW Australia now offering only the entry-level eDrive35 variant.

For existing i4 buyers, support and production will continue in the short term, but the model’s days are now clearly numbered as BMW prepares to usher in a new era of electric sedans.

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Subaru is preparing to draw the curtain on the WRX in its home market, confirming it will stop accepting new orders for the current-generation sedan in Japan from May 18, 2026.

The decision affects the WRX S4 (below), the Japan-specific version of the performance sedan, and effectively marks the beginning of the end for the model locally. While production will continue in the short term to fulfil existing orders, Subaru has warned that allocations could be exhausted before the official cut-off date.

The move forms part of a broader reshaping of Subaru’s domestic line-up. Orders for related models, including the Levorg and Layback wagons, will cease even earlier, in April, reflecting a wider transition away from current-generation internal combustion offerings.

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At the core of the WRX’s phase-out are tightening emissions and noise regulations in Japan, which are placing increasing pressure on traditional turbocharged performance cars. Reports suggest the WRX S4’s 2.4-litre turbocharged flat-four engine may struggle to meet future standards beyond 2027 without significant changes.

The announcement also signals the end of the WRX S4 STI Sport variant, a flagship version featuring chassis upgrades inspired by Subaru’s STI performance division. That badge will not continue in its current form, adding further weight to the model’s departure.

To mark the end of the line, Subaru has introduced a limited-run STI Sport variant as a final send-off. Restricted to just 600 units and offered via lottery in Japan, the model pairs a six-speed manual transmission with suspension and chassis enhancements, echoing the WRX’s enthusiast roots.

Mechanically, the outgoing WRX S4 has remained largely unchanged, powered by a turbocharged 2.4-litre boxer engine producing around 200kW and driving all four wheels. While less extreme than past WRX STI models, it has continued to offer a blend of everyday usability and performance.

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Subaru has not confirmed the long-term future of the WRX nameplate, but the phase-out points to a transition rather than a full retirement. A successor is expected, although details remain scarce, and the role of electrification is still unclear.

For now, the May deadline represents a final opportunity for Japanese buyers to secure a factory-built WRX. Beyond that, one of Subaru’s most recognisable performance models moves a step closer to history, at least in its current form.

Another Middle East conflict has spiked fuel prices around the country and consumers are once again winching at the prospect of filling up theirs vehicle. As such, changing vehicles for a more fuel efficient option is no doubt being considered by many of us. But what if you don’t want to consider an electric or plug-in hybrid option? Can vehicles without those power sources still be fuel efficient? Of course they can. Here are the most fuel efficient plugless vehicles in each segment:

Light: Toyota Yaris

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Price: From $28,990 plus on-road costs
Drivetrain: 85kW 1.5-litre hybrid, eCVT, front-wheel drive
Claimed combined fuel consumption: 3.3L/100km

Australia’s most fuel efficient car without a plug is the Toyota Yaris, which is capable of an incredible combined fuel consumption of just 3.3L/100km. That’s thanks to its small size, but also its 85kW 1.5-litre three-cylinder hybrid system, which is very efficient but also surprisingly punchy as well. Pricing for the Yaris starts at $28,990 plus on-road costs, so it’s not the cheapest option, but it is a very efficient one.

Small: Toyota Corolla sedan and Hyundai i30 Sedan hybrid

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Price: From $32,585 plus on-road costs (Corolla), from $33,250 plus on-road costs (i30)
Drivetrain: 103kW 1.8-litre hybrid, eCVT, front-wheel drive (Corolla), 104kW/265Nm 1.6-litre hybrid, six-speed dual-clutch, front-wheel drive (i30)
Claimed combined fuel consumption: 3.9L/100km

Just above the Yaris in consumption is its larger Corolla sedan sibling, which uses a larger 1.8-litre hybrid system making 103kW of power but using just 3.9L/100km of fuel. Hyundai‘s i30 sedan hybrid uses a slightly smaller 1.6-litre hybrid system with a six-speed dual-clutch transmission making one more kilowatt in total at 104kW. Regardless, both the Corolla sedan and i30 sedan are practical, well equipped and great options to lessen fuel consumption without using a plug.

Medium: Toyota Camry

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Price: From $39,990 plus on-road costs
Drivetrain: 170kW 2.5-litre hybrid eCVT, front-wheel drive
Claimed combined fuel consumption: 4.0L/100km

Somehow, thanks to Toyota‘s hybrid magic, a big sedan like the Camry can use just 4.0L/100km on the combined cycle. That’s despite featuring a large 2.5-litre engine – obviously combined with a hybrid system in this case – making 170kW and providing ample performance. The Camry is also hugely spacious inside, well equipped and drives quite well too.

Large: BMW 540d

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Price: From $136,900 plus on-road costs
Drivetrain: 210kW/700Nm 3.0-litre turbo-diesel, eight-speed auto, all-wheel drive
Claimed combined fuel consumption: 6.5L/100km

If you’re seeking the most fuel efficient large car, the BMW 540d is your choice and oddly enough, the only diesel passenger car on this list. In this case, it’s a lovely 210kW 3.0-litre straight six turbo-diesel, making strong 210kW/700Nm outputs – yet, it’s also capable of a 6.5L/100km combined fuel consumption rating and on highway trips, it’ll use a lot less than that. The only thing that would make it better would be offering a wagon, eh BMW Australia?

People movers: Kia Carnival hybrid

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Price: From $56,100 plus on-road costs
Drivetrain: 180kW/366Nm 1.6-litre turbo-hybrid, six-speed auto, front-wheel drive
Claimed combined fuel consumption: 5.8L/100km

The Kia Carnival received Kia‘s punchy hybrid system relatively recently with great results. Using just 5.8L/100km on the combined cycle, it’s easily the most efficient large people mover on the market. That it can carry eight people and their stuff in comfort while providing excellent efficiency is even better. The Carnival also offers an efficient 2.2-litre turbo-diesel option (6.5L/100km), but for those wanting to use their Carnival in mostly urban driving, the hybrid is the way to go.

Small SUV: Toyota Yaris Cross

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Price: From $31,790 plus on-road costs
Drivetrain: 85kW 1.5-litre hybrid, eCVT, front- or all-wheel drive
Claimed combined fuel consumption: 3.8L/100km

Like its Yaris light hatchback sibling, the most fuel efficient small SUV in Australia is the Toyota Yaris Cross, which is capable of a low 3.8L/100km on the combined cycle. Like the Yaris, it uses a 1.5-litre hybrid drivetrain making a reasonable 85kW of power, while both front- and all-wheel drive drivetrains are available – the latter with a separate electric motor for the rear axle – for those who need the choice. The Yaris Cross is also roomy, drives well and is well equipped, especially with safety features.

Medium SUV: Toyota RAV4

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Price: From $45,990 plus on-road costs
Drivetrain: 143kW 2.5-litre hybrid, eCVT, front- or all-wheel drive
Claimed combined fuel consumption: 4.7L/100km (old model, new model expected to be identical or less)

The Toyota RAV4 is the world’s best-selling mid-size SUV and for good reason: While many rivals used to not offer hybrid options – many now do – the RAV4 hybrid was capable of sub-5L/100km fuel use reliably without any trouble. As such, most people bought the hybrid and now it’s the only drivetrain option in the range. The new-generation RAV4 is about to launch and although we don’t know its fuel consumption rating just yet, we’re expecting it to be the same 4.7L/100km as the old model or less.

Large SUV: Toyota Kluger and Hyundai Santa Fe hybrid

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Price: From $62,410 plus on-road costs (Kluger), from $57,650 plus on-road costs (Santa Fe)
Drivetrain: 184kW 2.5-litre hybrid, eCVT, all-wheel drive (Kluger), 172kW/367Nm 1.6-litre turbo-hybrid, six-speed auto, front- or all-wheel drive (Santa Fe)
Claimed combined fuel consumption: 5.6L/100km

You can probably sense a theme here: Toyota is capable of making very fuel efficient cars that don’t need a plug. The Kluger hybrid large SUV is the latest example, capable of just 5.6L/100km on the combined cycle and carrying seven in comfort. But Hyundai has also entered the fray with a very efficient large SUV: The hybrid Santa Fe, which is rated the same as the Kluger on the combined cycle. Both options are comfortable, good to drive and good quality, though the Hyundai is better value.

Performance: Mazda MX-5

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Price: From $42,640 plus on-road costs
Drivetrain: 135kW/205Nm 2.0-litre petrol, six-speed manual, rear-wheel drive
Claimed combined fuel consumption: 6.8L/100km

The Mazda MX-5 is one of the last pure sports cars on the new car market, and it’s also the most efficient. Rated at 6.8L/100km on the combined cycle, the MX-5 uses a 135kW/205Nm 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with one of the best six-speed manual gearboxes we’ve ever seen.

Dual-cab ute 4×4: Isuzu D-Max SX 2.2L and Mazda BT-50 XS 2.2L

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Price: From $52,200 plus on-road costs (D-Max), $55,220 plus on-road costs (BT-50)
Drivetrain: 120kW/400Nm 2.2-litre turbo-diesel, eight-speed automatic, four-wheel drive
Claimed combined fuel consumption: 6.6L/100km

Isuzu – and partner Mazda – introduced a new 2.2-litre turbo-diesel engine into the D-Max ute, MU-X large SUV and BT-50 last year. Replacing the former 1.9-litre unit as the entry engine in each range, the new 2.2-litre donk is more powerful (120kW versus 110kW) and torquier (400Nm versus 350Nm), as well as more fuel efficient, rated from just 6.6L/100km. A new eight-speed automatic transmission is also fitted, making the 2.2-litre engine more driveable than the former 1.9-litre unit as well.

Giving customers what they want has been front and centre of mind at Affalterbach lately. After all, by Mercedes-AMG’s own admission, it’s the feedback from the people who buy and drive their cars that has shaped this, the all-new second-generation Mercedes-AMG GT 63 Pro. An important car then, and maybe even a redemption of sorts.

The original GT R Pro, launched in 2019, highlighted that car’s uncompromising nature, a hard-edged track-day weapon that focussed – perhaps – just a little too much on the race track. Owners needed to be race set-up savvy with a host of manual adjustments on the menu. Everything from the coil-over suspension, front and rear anti-roll bars, and that huge carbon-fibre wing hanging off the back required tools and a degree of set-up smarts to extract the best out of it.

Simply, the GT R Pro was resolute in its uncompromising single-focus. Fast? Unquestionably. Hardcore? X-rated. Comfortable and practical? Errrr…

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Mercedes-AMG listened, and the result is a friendlier GT in the truest sense of the ‘grand tourer’ tradition. For starters, the GT 63 Pro now has four seats (the previous model only had two, thumbing its not inconsiderable nose at GT tradition), more luggage space, and a better integration of the race track smarts that don’t require a spanner and scraped knuckles before you hit your local raceway.

Its appeal has thus been broadened, the GT 63 Pro opening the doors to buyers – who will shell out $418,900 before on-road costs and options – who appreciate its track-focussed nature while also catering to that unmistakable Mercedes luxury without diluting what it means to have that haloed AMG badge on the bootlid. It’s a tall order then, and perhaps one of the bigger challenges faced by the boffins at
Affalterbach.

The addition of two seats has, unsurprisingly, changed the Pro’s dimensions and arguably, its demeanour. To accommodate seats three and four, the new GT 63 Pro has enjoyed a growth spurt, measuring 177mm longer, 46mm wider and 66mm taller than the car it replaces.

The rakish rear-mounted cabin of the original that lent it some serious swagger and character has been moved forward by around 200mm, the end result a far more conventional and elegant looking coupe, even in this most potent GT 63 Pro guise. Squint and it even has a hint of Porsche 911.

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It’s also around 280kg heavier than its predecessor, partly because of its increased size, but also its 4Matic+ all-wheel drive underpinnings, the latter addressing what had made the original rear-wheel drive GT R just a little intimidating and fearsome to drive.

It’s just one of a wealth of changes under the skin, changes designed to make the GT 63 Pro an easier, more comfortable car to drive but, crucially, without losing the essence of what makes an AMG an AMG.

It starts with the same 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 found in the ‘regular’ GT 63. It’s a familiar beast, serving time in a number of AMG-badged cars including the Pro’s ever-so-slightly tamer sibling, the GT 63. It’s been retuned, however, boasting 20 more kiloWatts and 50 more Newton metres than its non-Pro stablemate. With total outputs of 450kW and 850Nm, the GT 63 Pro covers the 0-100km/h sprint in the same 3.2 seconds as the GT 63. The real gains come at the 200km/h mark from standstill, the Pro half-a-second quicker than the GT 63, 10.9 seconds against 11.4 seconds. Small gains on paper, yes, but they’re keenly felt on the race track. More on that later.

The V8’s moved forward inside the engine bay too, now hanging over the front axle where previously it was mounted firmly behind. AMG’s multi-clutch nine-speed automatic transmission, located directly behind the engine, replaces the transaxle (rear-mounted) seven-speed dual-clutch of the previous model.

The relocation of the transmission from rear to front addressed one of the criticisms of the old GT R Pro – a lack of usable boot space. But what the gods of packaging giveth, the engineering gods taketh away. Having the transmission up front, in tandem with the big V8 sitting over the front axle, has had a marked impact on weight distribution, now sitting at 54:46 front-to-rear compared with the older model’s 47:53.

Thankfully, the engineers at AMG haven’t been idle, countering that unfriendly forward weight bias with liberal doses of chassis and aerodynamic refinements that not only make light work of the excess baggage up front, but improve the GT 63 breed measurably.

The standard-fit suspension set-up, what AMG calls Active Ride Control, is arguably the hero of this story. It’s a complex system but one that delivers not only increased ride comfort, or so Mercedes-AMG claims, but also makes it a better car to drive near the limit.

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Eliminating the need for anti-roll bars and stabilisers, the system features interconnected two-valve dampers at each wheel. Using cameras and sensors that scan the road ahead, hydraulic actuators adjust the dampers to reduce pitch and body roll, the net result improved handling and dynamics during cornering while also maintaining ride comfort, thanks to its ability to adjust individual wheels to counteract bumps and imperfections on the road.

An aerodynamic overhaul helps here too, with enhanced elements that reduce drag, improve downforce and assist with keeping things cool underneath.

Larger air intakes, along with carbon-fibre deflectors that funnel air to the brakes, engine, radiators, you name it, are the entree. The main course, a trick carbon-fibre active underbody that extends downwards – by around 40mm – at high speeds and creates a Venturi effect – ground effects, in other words – sucking the GT 63 Pro to the ground, improving stability, and reducing front axle lift by, according to AMG, 30kg. Out back, the dessert served is a fixed rear wing – carbon-fibre of course – that increases downforce by around 15kg.

Mercedes-AMG hasn’t scrimped on keeping things cool either, vital if the GT 63 Pro is to pound out lap after lap on the track without any degradation in performance. As well as the main front-mounted radiator, the Pro scores two additional radiators up front, located inside each of the left and right front wheel arches. The 4Matic+ all-wheel drive system gets its own dedicated cooling system for the front and rear diffs as well as the transfer case.

Huge carbon-ceramic discs provide the stopping power. Measuring 420mm up front with six-piston callipers it has a dedicated aero package that works to keep temperatures down. Vanes on the underbody funnel air to the brakes helping to reduce that dreaded brake fade when enjoying some spirited driving, whether on the road or the race track.

Lightweight forged aluminium 21-inch alloy wheels – finished in stunning Himalaya Grey Matte – and wrapped in staggered Michelin Pilot Sport S5 rubber (295/30 ZR 21 up front and 305/30 ZR 21 rears) not only look fantastic, but keep unsprung mass down.

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So far, so track-ready almost-racecar. Inside, the GT 63 Pro plays to the brand’s strengths, a blend of purposeful sports car flourishes but with enough premium touches that go a long way to justifying its $418k price tag.

But the cabin is also where the fundamental changes wrought by AMG’s boffins pay, arguably, the greatest dividends. Interior comfort, a bit of a mixed bag in the older model, has stepped up several notches. Nappa leather trim abounds throughout, including on the lightweight AMG Performance bucket seats. They are the perfect accompaniment for a day on the race track, highly supportive, and hugging your body like your favourite sweater to hold you firmly in place during spirited driving. They’re heated and cooled too, while the automatic side bolsters tighten noticeably when the GT 63 Pro’s more aggressive drive modes – Sport, Sport+ and Race – are selected.

Race track-inspired features are plentiful – from the Nappa leather-wrapped AMG steering wheel with microfibre inserts at the grips and the drive mode selector dial on the lower-right hand spoke, a host of carbon-fibre interior trim elements, a large 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster with razor-sharp AMG-specific graphics that displays vital driving information alongside a wealth of configurable telemetry data.

The 11.9-inch portrait-orientated infotainment screen runs Merc’s proprietary MBUX operating system along with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. But more than just a friendly host for your smartphone, the addition of the AMG Track Pace brings a plethora of track-focused telemetry with up to 80 different performance parameters data-logged, displayed and saved for later analysis. It’s a helpful tool for those looking to hone their driving skills on the track.

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The two second row seats, by Mercedes-AMG’s own admission, aren’t much use for anyone over 150cm tall, i.e. young teens and children, but they do make for a useful space for extra luggage that doesn’t fit in the now cavernous (by AMG GT standards) 321-litre boot, expanding to 675 litres with the second-row seats folded forward. The older model offered a meagre and complaint-worthy 175 litres.

So, the 2026 Mercedes-Benz GT 63 Pro is bigger and more comfortable than its racy predecessor. More practical too. It’s also significantly heavier, around 280kg, give or take. It should, by all sensible measures, be more cumbersome, and a little slower to accelerate than its slightly unhinged GT R Pro predecessor. Banish those thoughts, however – the new car is quicker from standstill to 100km/h by 0.4s, despite the extra 280 kegs it needs to haul.

Choosing to launch the 2026 Mercedes-AMG GT 63 Pro at a track-only event at one of Australia’s most fearsome race circuits is either foolhardy or genius.

Certainly, sliding into the cabin for the first time on an unusually cold – and just a little damp – summer’s day at Phillip Island in Victoria, forces sweat glands into overdrive. Phillip Island is no Mickey Mouse race track and the GT 63 Pro is no ordinary car.

But that feeling of trepidation soon eases, the rumbling V8 under the bonnet, even at a sedate and mandated 40km/h pitlane speed limit, helping to calm the nerves. It’s a satisfying V8 grumble even if it’s not as sonorous as it once was, the sound of combustion and forced induction strangled for the modern age by the EU bureaucrats who – probably – hate cars.

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Phillip Island’s pit exit offers commanding views over Bass Strait and on this blustery day the ocean is churning, filled with ominous white caps that are soon banished from sight once the GT 63 Pro and its thunderous V8 is let off its chain.

Phillip Island needs little introduction to Wheels readers, its 12 corners and 4.448km length both challenging and rewarding. Fast and flowing and with high-speed corners that require commitment and more than a little bravery, Phillip Island provides the perfect canvas for seeing just how far the GT 63 Pro has come.

By rights, a near two-tonne and 4.729-metre long GT shouldn’t feel like a nimble and lithe sports car. Yet, the Pro does exactly that, masking its weight and sheer size with aplomb. It feels much smaller and lighter than its specs in the brochure suggest. That’s a testament to the AMG boffins who have clearly and adroitly accepted the challenge of turning a track-day weapon that was always considered “a bit of a handful” into this new, approachable, practical yet still blindingly fast track day warrior.

There’s a predictability at play, something absent from the previous model which always felt like it could turn around and bite the hand that feeds without a moment’s warning. Instead, the Pro attacks the track with a composed, albeit very, very fast surety that simply inspires confidence.

Acceleration is other-worldly quick all the way through to the 250km/h I was seeing at the end of Phillip Island’s long main straight. With 850Nm to play with, speed piles on at a prodigious rate with no pause for taking a breath. The Pro simply hunkers down and gets on with the job of being a very fast car.

But it’s also not just how fast the GT 63 Pro can mumbo in a straight line; the Pro is no one-trick pony. Its depth of abilities allow for a dollop of aggression, of extracting the most out of the car, and more importantly, yourself.

This is no rear-wheel drive monster prone to stepping out of line with an injudicious use of the throttle. Instead, the Pro’s AWD system and electronic limited-slip diffs work feverishly to provide the kind of grip out of corners that feels like a promise, the Pro whispering in your good ear, “go on, just a little harder next time”.

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The nine-speed multi-clutch automatic transmission is a gem, and so remarkably good at ensuring the right gear is selected for any given moment that it’s easy to forgo the paddle shifters. Sure, purists might like the tactility, such as it is, of rifling up or down the ratios like Kimi Antonelli, each shift met with gloriously explosive aggression that shoves you back into the depths of those body-hugging sports seats. The reality is, however, that the nine-speed MCT is likely better than you at making the right decisions. It’s certainly better than me.

The carbon-ceramic brakes provide more reassurance, pulling up the hefty Pro in a mostly predictable manner. Only the big stop into what was once called Honda Corner – probably the biggest braking point on the entire circuit – offers just a hint of sketchiness, the back end squirming just a little as the weight transferred to the front wheels. It provides a mild heart-stopping moment the first time but once the electronic traction and chassis gizmos kick in, you realise you’re in the hands of a safe and capable algorithm.

Phillip Island’s combination of fast straights and sweeping bends highlight the Pro’s dynamics to good effect. Thanks to its clever aero package, working in tandem with AMG’s Active Ride Control constantly working away at the wheels, the GT 63 Pro feels pleasingly and solidly planted to the track, even under the heavy loads of a 180km/h sweeper. The trick four-wheel steering set-up keeps things nice and tight too, imbuing the Pro with an agility and sure-footedness belying its size and weight, helping to make the car feel that much smaller (and thus lighter) than it actually is.

It’s a well-choregraphed dance of modern technological smarts that allow even the average punter – like me – to confidently extract not only performance, but blissful enjoyment from the GT 63 Pro. Not every high-powered performance car can make that claim.

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Certainly, the first part of the challenge AMG’s engineers faced when creating the GT 63 Pro has been met – that despite the imposition of extra weight necessitated by two extra seats, all-wheel drive and a host of other tech goodies, the Pro needed to remain true to its track-focussed philosophy. Tick that box.

With the Australian launch limited to the race track only, we won’t know how – or if – all that clever engineering has transformed the Pro into a comfortable grand tourer out on the open road, not until we get the car through the Wheels garage in the near future. But Mercedes-AMG is confident the GT 63 Pro has addressed its predecessor’s shortcomings with a package that is not only fearsomely fast with predictable handling that will flatter even the most timid of drivers, but also a practical and comfortable road car. Sounds like a win-win.

The GT 63 Pro family tree

Mercedes-AMG SLS

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Although not a direct ancestor, 2010’s SLS could rightly stake a claim as the current GT 63’s grand-daddy. The first car designed and built entirely in-house by Mercedes-AMG, the SLS stunned when it first appeared at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show, not least of all for its gullwing doors, an homage to 1954’s original Mercedes-Benz SLS.

But more than just a pair of doors, the SLS was fitted with a monster 6.2-litre naturally-aspirated V8 pumping out 420kW and 650Nm, outputs that made it at the time, according to AMG, the most powerful atmo V8 ever in a production car. Zero to 100km/h was over in what today seems a pedestrian 3.8 seconds, but was blisteringly quick for the day.

Ever more powerful and faster versions followed, culminating with 2013’s SLS Black Series that weighed 70kg less than the standard car. Power from the V8 was up too at 464kW, although AMG throttled torque ever so slightly in a bid to make the car more manageable to drive. A shorter first-gear ratio andredline increase combined for explosive performance, with a 0-100km/h claim of 3.6 seconds. Underscoring its track-focus, the Black Series’s adaptive dampers came with only two settings – Sport and Sport+ – doing away with the more road-friendly Comfort.

Just 350 SLS Black Series coupes were ever made, going down in history as the last naturally-aspirated car ever produced by AMG

Mercedes-AMG GT

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Strictly speaking, the new Mercedes-AMG GT 63 Pro is only the second in a lineage that dates back to 2014 and the original first-gen (C190) AMG GT.Only the second ever car developed entirely in-house by AMG – after the SLS – the GT’s long bonnet and wide- stance swagger endeared it to die-hard performance car enthusiasts even if the long, low, V8 powered two-seater coupe defied the very definition of grand touring. Still, what it lacked in seats it made up for with brutal and uncompromising performance.

A more hardcore GT R followed in 2016, boasting 430kW and 700Nm from its M178 twin-turbo V8 and a zero to 100km/h sprint time of 3.6 seconds.

Those outputs and performance claims remained unchanged in 2019’s GT R Pro but thanks to a host of track-focussed enhancements to the suspension, aerodynamics, brakes and even the interior, the lightweight ‘professional’ version of the already hardcore GT R proved even more fearsome, underscored by Mercedes-AMG driver Maro Engel’s 7m04.632 seconds lap of the Nürburgring Nordschleife in late 2018, at the time the eighth-fastest lap by a road-legal production car.

That lap time paled into insignificance with the release of the AMG GT Black Series in 2021, which featured a heavily reworked M178 twin-turbo V8 utilising a flatplane instead of cross-plane crankshaft.

Additionally, a new smaller compressor wheel increased boost to 24.6psi, the end result increased power and torque outputs, now rated at 537kW and 800Nm.

Wrapped inside a body largely fashioned out of carbon-fibre, the Black Series was nothing short of a bona fide race car for the road. Only the number plates gave any hint that the bewinged monster was indeed road legal.

Engel once more put the Black Series through its paces at the Nordschelife, his astonishing lap time of 6m43.616s resetting the benchmark for a production car.

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Specs

This story first appeared in the March 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.