UPDATE: A 2017 HSV GTSR W1 has sold at auction for $350,888.

After a decent start at 9 am for $205,000, competition for the 474kW HSV GTSR W1 hotted up in the final minutes with the winning bid coming in just north of $350K after 4:30 pm today.

You can view the Collecting Cars listing here [↗].

Compared to previous auction sales, the price could be considered low (with an XU3 Yellah example commanding $750K in 2021), however considering current market conditions and the more common Light My Fire paint, this result is strong.

What do you reckon, did the buyer score a good deal for one of HSV’s most iconic vehicles? Have your say in the comments below.

Our original story, below, continues unchanged.

One of 275 HSV GTSR W1s with just 32km on the clock is up for sale, and the auction ends at 4:30 pm (AEST) today.

The last (and arguably greatest) of the Commodore breed is one of the most hardcore examples ever produced, with a supercharged 6.2-litre V8 churning out 474kW and 815Nm supported by trick suspension and Pirelli P Zero Trofeo tyres.

The bidding has crested $200,000 with a little under seven hours to run, which is plenty for a Commo but nowhere near what prospectors are listing examples for in the classifieds.

This begs the question, is the GTSR W1 really worth what punters are asking? We’ll find out this afternoon and, in the meantime, you can view the Collecting Cars auction here [↗].

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As far as GTSR W1s go, this is about as quintessential as you get. Finished in the same lurid shade of Light My Fire orange with Alcantara upholstery as the communications car featured heavily in the pages of Motor and Wheels magazines in period.

This example has travelled a mere 32km (and likely none of them sideways), so this is a rare chance to get a box-fresh GTSR W1 on your driveway.

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How much will it sell for?

We’ll have an update after the auction ends, but currently bidding is over $200,000 for a car that listed at $169,990 when new.

Previous GTSR W1s sold at public auctions give us a clue. In 2021, a black example with 8121km on the clock fetched $153,000 at a Shannons auction.

In the same year, GTSR W1 build plate #017 finished in XU3 Yellah with just 16km on the odometer changed hands for $750,000.

It went to auction alongside build #E001 GTSR W1 Maloo – one of just four (or six, technically) ever made with 19km on the clock – that sold for a staggering $1.05 million.

In the classifieds, there are 12 GTSR W1s currently for sale ranging between $290,000-$525,000.

As for this example, it’s likely to climb but how far is yet to be seen – and the result will give insight into the current health of the W1 and Australian collector car markets.

After a bit of will-they-won’t-they – Peugeot is big on the straight-bat approach to questions about new product – the local arm settled on the E-2008 to spearhead its push into electrification.

Peugeot isn’t necessarily a brand you associate with cutting-edge innovation. All the cool stuff in a Pug happens down below, with clever chassis solutions and (mostly) excellent ride and handling. (I speak as an owner of a 25-year-old Peugeot 306 that is remarkably reliable and conservatively engineered but drives beautifully. Still.)

The 2008, despite being a compact SUV, manages quite well to be a proper Peugeot. It’s fun to drive, interesting to look at and comes with that long-established pedigree but without that tinge of “that’s not a bug, it’s a feature” from its owners.

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JUMP AHEAD

• How much is it, and what do you get?
• How do rivals compare on value?
• Interior comfort, space and storage
• Battery and charging
• What is it like to drive?
• How is it on energy?
• Warranty and running costs
• VERDICT
• Specifications

How much is it, and what do you get?

Things look to have fallen apart on the starting line, however, as the E-2008 is priced at a hefty $59,990 before on-road costs.

Peugeot doesn’t pretend to be anything but an upmarket brand in Australia, with the 308 GT PHEV clocking in at a whopping $64,900 excluding on-road costs, so it’s with a small amount of relief I tell you the E-2008 is cheaper than that. But sixty large ($59,990, or about $65K drive-away) places it very close to serious competition.

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It’s not a lavish spec, but few EVs have that, going for a restrained list of features ostensibly to keep the price down. Sadly the price down bit seems to have been lost here.

Having said that, the interior looks and feels tech-heavy with that clever dashboard and genuinely interesting design.

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How do rivals compare on value?

You can spend a bit less or a bit more to get an EV with a similar driving range – if not similar size – to the E-2008.

Starting at under $40,000 before on-road costs is the MG4 55 Excite. While it’s not strictly a compact SUV it has similar interior space and sort of looks like one. It’s got a lot less standard kit but it’s also twenty grand cheaper.

In the mid-to-late-$40Ks is the BYD Atto 3. It’s more like the E-2008 although its inventive interior is not as convincing as the Peugeot’s.

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Spend a bit more than sixty grand and you have the choice of the perennial EV fan favourite, the Tesla Model 3 in rear-wheel drive form for $61,900 before on-road costs but you’ll be waiting a few months for the facelifted version that still doesn’t have a proper dashboard. Its claimed range of 513km is probably closer to 450km in reality but if the open road beckons, you should probably look here.

Or at the just-updated MY24 Polestar 2. The entry-level 505km WLTP-ranged rear-wheel drive version is now $67,400 plus on-road costs, with deals going on MY23 cars you can drive away straight away.

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There’s the BYD Dolphin, too, at a hundred fewer bucks less than the MG but like the GWM Ora, probably not one you’ll cross-shop with the E-2008.

States are busy backing away from their EV incentives, so these prices represent what you’ll actually be paying in NSW from January and now in Victoria. It’s not as hard a blow if the NSW government uses the money to build charging stations, but don’t hold your breath.

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Interior comfort, space and storage

One of the great things about Peugeot is the inventive yet usable approach to interiors.

They look great and are awesome places to spend time. While things look a bit whack-a-doo – and the driving position remains an acquired taste – there’s no denying a genuine design flair across the range.

Peugeot’s weird driving position does work well in the 2008, as it does in the larger 3008/5008 pair. A more upright SUV stance is probably the key here, although the wheel still feels a bit low in your lap. The 3D-effect digital dash is great once you’re used to it; the way it brings pertinent information to the foreground is very phone-like and I dig it.

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The front seats are great, too, with a mix of leather (probably fake) and Alcantara. They’re as comfortable as they are good-looking and even have a massage function that can ease tired backs and bums on a long drive. Which, let’s be honest, isn’t going to happen very often with a 300km range.

You have a 10-inch touchscreen as well, which is a nice installation but still a bit finicky to use. The range of shortcut buttons underneath (and a proper volume dial) take the sting out of that laggy hardware but dead set, the reversing camera is hopelessly grainy and blocky.

A pair of cup holders, a wireless phone charging pad and a weird openable tray under the aircon are all present and correct on a spacious console that features a VW Golf-style toggle switch (or, as I prefer, toddler’s tongue) to clean up the space.

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To connect your phone, there’s a USB-A port and a USB-C charging port on either side of the console. At the rear of the console is a lidded bin doubling as an elbow rest.

Rear seats are similarly plushly covered in Alcantara and leather. Leg and knee room is acceptable for me behind my driving position. At 180cm I’m not a skyscraper but not short either. Three across will be a challenge because of the surprisingly big transmission tunnel that points to the ICE platform origins.

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There aren’t any air vents back here, nor is there an armrest or cup holders, so it’s a bit, er, economical. You can squeeze a bottle in the doors though. The seats themselves are comfortable and there’s good headroom, however, the headrests are a bit ho-hum and the windows high and slim. There are two USB ports, though.

In what appears to be good news, the petrol and electric 2008s share the same boot capacity – 434 litres with the seats up and 1467 with them down. On their own, that’s a pretty good deal in this segment. The E-2008, however, misses out on a spare tyre to bridge that gap.

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Battery and charging

The E-2008 ships with a 50kWh lithium-ion battery pack that has a 400-volt architecture.

A Type 2 CCS with DC plug fits in the rear left quarter panel which is fairly convenient as long as you’re happy to back into the space.

Peugeot quotes a maximum charge rate of 100kW, meaning you’re wasting your time looking for a faster and more expensive 350kW rapid charger. Charge time from 10 to 80 per cent is a claimed 30 minutes, which isn’t too bad. I plugged in for a brief squirt at a 50kW charger and it held full speed. You won’t always get that from a charger, but the E-2008 clearly works when full whack is available.

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There’s a lot to be said for a city-bound EV having a sensibly-sized battery – the E-2008’s is comparable in size to the long-range Atto3 and base model MG4 – because short trips and short charges work well into the likely usage pattern, assuming charge station availability. Again, though, you expect a lower up-front price.

Charging at home is the usual slow affair, with around 16 to 24 hours for a full charge on the Type 3 cable hooked up to the mains or five hours if you have a wallbox.

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What is it like to drive?

One of the more tedious things about the perception of electric cars is that they’re all really fast and if they’re not, what’s the point?

Peugeots – unless wearing a GTI badge – have generally not been focused on outright speed. The home market is full of Pugs with tiny engines being rowed along enthusiastically at moderate speeds because that’s how things are in France. And so it is in the E-2008 with the slightly ambitious GT badge.

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The GT badge might suggest warm hatchness, but that’s where you’d be wrong – it just means it’s based on the GT spec of the petrol range, and even then, they’re different anyway. Cheeringly, the base 2008 is good fun to drive, so we’re already in reasonable shape.

As you can see, the power output of 100kW is quite modest, just four measly kilowatts up on the surprisingly characterful 1.2-litre three-cylinder. That engine is remarkable for its near-prodigious torque output of 230Nm.

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The E-2008 has to shift around 320kg more than the petrol-engined version. Somehow it’s three-tenths quicker to 100km/h at nine seconds but as you can see, that isn’t a stellar number. Which is fine.

What Peugeot has done, however, is what I expected – maintained a very pleasant ride and handling balance and managed to keep it fun, with one or two caveats. Obviously trying to hide 300-plus kilos is a bit of a task but it certainly doesn’t feel that much heavier.

You can hear the rubber working pretty hard in the corners when you lean on it, but given they’re pretty decent Michelin Primacy tyres, they hold on pretty well.

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The more time I spent chucking the E-2008 at corners, the more I realised how quiet it is. Quieter than the MG4, quieter than the Atto3, Model 3 and Polestar 2. The tyres are part of that equation but even at highway speeds, just a gentle audible shimmy around the wing mirrors is the worst of it.

Like the petrol 2008, the chassis has a bit of sparkle to it. The small steering wheel makes the steering feel sharper and more direct than perhaps it is, but that feeling is always a bit of a laugh. Its change of direction is also impressive given the weight, just a little dull compared to the petrol.

It’s always tricky turning a petrol car electric and Peugeot has pulled it off. It will be interesting to see how the E-208 hatchback compares.

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• What is a Powertrain or Drivetrain?
• Power vs torque
• Car suspension explained
• Automatic transmissions (‘gearboxes’) explained
• Chassis control systems explained
• Car vs Ute vs SUV: How the vehicle you buy should guide the way you drive

Despite a reasonable 2.5kWh difference from the WLTP, we got a pretty good result from the E-2008 for a couple of reasons.

First, the days I spent in the E-2008 were very hot, so the climate control went on and stayed on. Secondly, I had rather a lot of fun driving the E-2008 so there’s an easy kWh or more to be found if you’re not a perpetual adolescent like I am.

No, 280km from 50kWh isn’t outstanding, but the E-2008 isn’t a slippery sucker given its tall SUV bearing. I think you could probably get quite close to the WLTP figure in gentle city driving, which is commendable.

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How safe is it?

As the E-2008 is quite new it doesn’t yet have an ANCAP safety rating.

The petrol version carries a five-star rating from 2019, though, which points to a) reasonable form and b) a likely four-star rating given the lack of front-centre airbag. But with ANCAP, you just never know.

The forward AEB features low-light pedestrian and cyclist detection. Any car without reverse cross-traffic alert and/or reverse AEB earns my wrath and the E-2008 – frustratingly at this price – has neither. Rawr.

For child seats, there are two ISOFIX points and three top tether anchors.

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Warranty and running costs

Peugeot’s five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty applies to the vehicle and an eight-year/160,000km warranty covers the battery.

Servicing an EV should be cheap and, as it turns out, it is. You only have to visit the dealer once every 12 months or 24,000km (whichever comes first) and pre-paid servicing costs just $600 (three years) or $1000 (five years), working out at an easy $200 per year.

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VERDICT

The only real problem with the E-2008 is the price. As an electrified compact SUV, it builds very nicely on the petrol versions, which are hardly cheap themselves given the Allure base model reaches well into the $40,000s.

The E-2008 looks great, is really nice to drive and should be as appealing as the petrol versions that aren’t anywhere nearly as well-regarded in this market as they could be.

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And again, it comes down to the price – Peugeot needs to sell a lot more cars to get the prices down but… yeah. Chicken and egg stuff that nobody wants to underwrite and I can understand why.

It’s a great pity the local importer couldn’t get a sharper price for this car because it could have been a contender.

Price aside, it is a contender for a good compact SUV meant for urban combat because it drives well and is comfortable. But with credible alternatives on either side of the $60K mark, this one is for the fans.

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• ? All advice stories

While an entirely new Skoda Kodiaq is expected to arrive in late 2024, the current model continues to age gracefully.

Remarkably, when compared to the recently updated competitors, the Skoda’s exterior retains its youthful and timeless appearance.

In our 2023 Best Large SUV under $60k test, the Skoda was crowned victorious, even against brand-new competitors.

But before the update of this seven-seater family SUV, let’s see what the entry-level Style variant offers.

Pricing & Features

The Style kicks off the Kodiaq range, before the Sportline and flagship RS trims– at $56,490 drive-away.

As a base grade the Style is well equipped, with a long list of standard features including 19-inch alloys, soft suede seats, wireless Apple CarPlay, LED day-time running lights, wireless phone charger and an electric tailgate.

The cabin is comfortable and a bit luxurious. There’s ample space in the 765L cargo area with cleverly places lidded storage containers on the sides. One thing that Skoda does well is the sprinkle of thoughful touches throughout the car.

Energy Blue is the standard paint colour on the Kodiaq, with all other options adding $770 to your drive-away price.

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Powering the vehicle is the well-known 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine, producing 132kW of power and 320Nm of torque. This engine is mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission and offers variable all-wheel drive.

The Tech Pack at $3000 adds adaptive suspension, hands-free tailgate and more while the Luxury Pack brings features such as tri-zone climate control, electric leather front seats and massage function seats for an additional $6900. You can even chuck on a panoramic sunroof for an extra $1900.

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Safety

The Skoda Kodiaq Style is currently unrated by ANCAP as its six-year rating window has lapsed, but did earn a five-star score following assessments carried out in 2017.

It achieved a commendable 92 percent score for adult occupant protection, 77 percent for child occupant protection, 62 percent for pedestrian protection, and 54 percent for safety assist.

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Standard safety is good with features such as adaptive cruise control, driver attention monitoring, blind spot monitoring (a new addition), nine airbags and front and rear parking sensors.

The omission of lane keep assist is noticeable in a car of this size but can be picked up if you’re willing to spend more and add the Luxury Pack.

Key Rivals

Some examples of key competitors include other popular seven-seaters:

• Toyota Kluger
• Mazda CX-9
• Honda CR-V
• Kia Sorento
• Hyundai Palisade

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Should I put it on my shortlist?

The 2024 Skoda Kodiaq Style is an excellent choice for those seeking a family SUV that combines style, space, and advanced technology.

Even at the end of its lifecycle, it continues to hold strong event against newer competitors.

Its blend of practical features and European elegance makes it a standout in its class. If you’re looking for an SUV that is as stylish as it is functional, the Kodiaq Style is certainly worth considering.

Nissan has handed down images of a tough-looking concept called the X-Trail Crawler, bound for this weekend’s Tokyo Auto Salon.

Finished in a fairly rad ’90s-looking fluoro red and green theme, the Crawler is jacked up on black 17-inch Sunraysia-style wheels wrapped in properly fat off-roading tyres.

Above those are some bench-style flares, while underbody bash guards are bolted to every side of the SUV.

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Nissan says: “The exterior represents a world of rock-crawling, running through steep and rough terrain, and the luggage area contains the tools that have always been looked for in the X-Trail.”

It’s been a long time since the X-Trail was anybody’s idea of a go-to off-roader, but this concept at least looks the part.

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Still, every brand wants you to think of their modern car-based SUVs as being capable of the task, with software-tricked terrain modes available to help with some basic off-roading.

Apart from the the raised suspension and lower protection sections, this X-Trail is a standard all-wheel-drive E-Power variant – which you can read about at our X-Trail page.

A facelift for the X-Trail was revealed in October 2023, in its American-market Rogue form, but the local Nissan office has so far said that it has no imminent plans for an updated X-Trail.

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RELATED STORIES

The number of new cars imported to Australia from China overtook vehicles shipped from Korea in 2023.

Chinese-built models registered locally last year grew 58 per cent to 193,433 – moving them past Korean-sourced vehicles that increased by just two per cent to 161,614 units.

According to Country of Origin data in official VFACTS industry figures, China moved up to third – behind Thailand (264,253 vehicles) and leading import nation Japan (345,071 vehicles).

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The increase was driven primarily by record years for multiple Chinese brands in Australia.

MG led the way with 58,346 new-vehicle registrations to beat its previous best of 49,582 in 2022. GWM increased sales by 45 per cent to 36,397 units, and LDV jumped 31 per cent to 21,398 sales.

BYD also had a successful first full year in Australia, shifting 12,438 vehicles with just two models – the Atto 3 compact SUV (pictured above) and Dolphin hatchback.

The 2023 result continues the incredible rise of Chinese cars, which accounted for fewer than 10,500 vehicles in 2018.

This year marks 15 years since the Great Wall Motors (now GWM) became the first Chinese brand to enter the Australian market, with the V240 and SA220 utes.

It’s 20 years since the first ever Chinese-built model went on sale here – the 2004 Volkswagen Polo Classic sedan.

Chinese-built models from brands headquartered outside of China also contributed to 2023’s result. Tesla sold a record 46,116 vehicles last year locally, with the Model 3 sedan and Model Y SUV.

Also sourced from China is Volvo’s electric XC40 and C40 models, as well as the Polestar 2 from its all-electric sister brand, and the BMW iX3 electric SUV.

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Cars from Germany increased by a notable 36 per cent, though the biggest year-on-year increase for a country was driven by a single car.

Portugal jumped by 147 per cent thanks to the Volkswagen T-Roc compact SUV (above), which increased sales from 3637 to 8943 units. The T-Roc was last year voted Wheels Best Small SUV.

The GWM Ora electric hatch, already one of Australia’s most affordable EVs, is now the cheapest by a good margin – thanks to a sales campaign the brand is running until March 31.

Buyers who move before then will get into an Ora from around $4000 less, drive-away – depending on their location, as drive-away prices differ by state. In NSW, that means $37,044 drive-away for the entry-level Ora Standard Range.

The deal runs across the full Ora range, meaning a top-shelf Ora GT can be had for $49,044 drive-away in NSW – down from $51,990 before on-road costs.

GWM is running deals across its entire range at the moment, all with drive-away pricing that will result in thousands saved.

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The Chinese brand finished comfortably inside the top-10 of Australia’s best-selling brands in 2023, with 3862 sales to its name for eighth position. Among those were 526 Oras.

This latest campaign could help it spring past Isuzu (3987) and even Hyundai (4887), although those brands – like all others – will be working to improve their own figures too.

Elsewhere in the cheapest-EVs fight, the MG 4 is now $1000 more expensive, making it $39,990 before on-road costs. This again leaves the BYD Dolphin as Australia’s cheapest EV, by a hair, at $38,890 before on-road costs – but, given it’s a new year, a price rise could well be on the cards.

Wheels has summoned me

One weeknight, while partaking in the usual activity of aimlessly scrolling through my Facebook feed, a particular post caught my eye – “We’re on the hunt for a handful of old cars… Do you own one of these 1993 models?”

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Among the models listed was the unmistakable image of a red EB II Falcon, resembling my trusty wagon.

ANCAP, the crash testing aficionados of Australia and NZ, via Wheels, were seeking a handful of vehicles for an upcoming photoshoot. Amazed that my Falcon had qualified for something, I scrambled together an email offering my honest daily driver.

Before too long, a polite reply arrived from Rhianne Robson, graciously inviting the wagon and myself to attend.

The arrogant belief that old cars are stronger is nothing short of rubbish

Mysterious and interesting, I thought. I accepted.

The day arrived… As I turned off the Great Western Highway to a set of obviously government facility style electric gates, with an ominous looking intercom, I could only wonder what was at the other end of this winding driveway.

As it turned out, it was Crashlab, the NSW Government’s $25 million crash testing playground, the largest of its type in the southern hemisphere.

Oddly enough, the building didn’t look as imposing as it sounds, softened by a carpark line-up straight out of 1993; a VP Commodore, a Subaru Liberty RS Turbo, and a fellow EB Falcon owner. My inner (unqualified) engineer was already fantasizing about the equipment and tools that lurked within.

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Soon enough, I met with the Crashlab and ANCAP teams, along with a variety of fellow crazy people (owners of the other cars requested for the photoshoot).

Then, the legendary John Law of Wheels, accompanied by the one and only photographic master, Thomas Wielecki (I have admired his work, such as his images of the late, great Paul Cockburn and his E-Type at Oran Park), directed us into the Crashlab “arena”, where all the action occurs, to shoot our cars in various revealing positions.

It was at this point that a 1993 TR Magna Executive – bearing immaculate blue cloth trim and a mere 58,000 kilometres on the clock – had been revealed as the crash test sacrifice for ANCAP’s 30th anniversary.

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Touring the facilities

After completing the photoshoot, us old-car tragics were given a comprehensive tour of the Crashlab facilities. As a sufferer of Gear Acquisition Syndrome, this was a dangerous idea for me. (I too, have bad GAS – Stevo.)

It was here that we were shown a variety of equipment and different testing facilities, including a rig for testing motorcycle and bike helmets with a sickening metal spike, dropped from a reasonable height.

It was revealed that the modern THOR crash test dummies cost around $1.5 million per piece, depending on configuration and size. A few expletives were offered from the crowd after that bombshell, understandably. Animal dummies are also used, for testing pet restraints.

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At the business end, a 1992-vintage electric motor originally designed for mining use is responsible for propelling the vehicles and appropriate vehicle dollies.

In a shed, a number of confronting examples were kept, including two Holden Astra hatchbacks, a 1989 and 2005 model, involved in a two-car head-on test, highlighting the pace of safety improvement since Crashlab’s opening.

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A room full of important people… and a farewell to the Magna

I had been invited back to Crashlab the following week to witness the Magna’s unlikely end, and to partake in the swift and efficient consumption of a delightful celebratory chocolate cake.

Here, I met and spoke with a range of industry professionals, such as Michiel Van Ratingen from Euro NCAP, who educated me on the bureaucratic red tape that ultimately delays the technology and implementation of dummies by roughly a decade.

Among so many knowledgeable individuals, I had expected to feel like the dunce in the room. Yet every person I met took the time to speak with me, teaching me about various aspects of their profession.

From a gantry above, the crowd huddles to watch the Magna meet its grisly end.

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The occupants’ experience didn’t look so terrible in person, yet the slow-motion footage is shocking

Recorded by numerous high-speed cameras under a staggering array of LED lights rated at 100,000 lux (or anecdotally about as bright as the lightbar of a four-wheel drive tailgating you at 3 am) the old Magna collides with a dolly. A distinct and visceral “bang” follows; glass, plastic and stainless brightwork flying everywhere.

The occupants’ experience didn’t look so terrible in person, yet the slow-motion footage is shocking, revealing that the rear passenger’s knees had collided with the lower rear of the front seat, slipping below the seatbelt – a phenomenon known as ‘submarining’. The driver, amongst other injuries, sustained 107g of force to the head, essentially a certain demise.

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How does this make me feel?

As someone who daily drives a car from the same era as that TR Magna, witnessing this experience face-to-face could only remind me that I am driving a car that falls within the same risk factor and deficiency of safety compared to a modern car, which is virtually any traffic surrounding me whenever I drive.

This is a factor I remain aware of when driving an older car, a reason to employ defensive driving skills, to minimise as much risk as I’m able.

The arrogant belief that old cars are stronger is nothing short of rubbish. The entire point of a newer car is to deform and crumple to absorb the energy and force. In an older car, you are the conduit for that energy – and it does not end well. Dummies can be reset and rebuilt, but people cannot.

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In Australia, it’s highly likely that you’re just two degrees of separation away from a utility vehicle.

Utes have become an integral part of our country’s automotive landscape, representing the largest selling segment in Australia.

However, in 2023, the Hilux’s seven-year winning streak was broken when the Ranger claimed the title of the top-selling ute for the year.

With the ute market offering abundant opportunities for brands, let’s now shift our focus to the Navara and explore what this enduring competitor still brings to the table in 2024.

Pricing & Features

The ST-X is the best-selling variant in the Navara range, the high-specced vehicle is priced at $51,445 before on-road costs.

The dual-cab ute is available in both 4×2 and 4×4 configurations, with the choice of manual or automatic transmission, and various tray sizes.

A 2.3L single-turbo diesel engine option creates 120kW and 403Nm in 4×2 variants. The upgrade to a twin-turbo in the 4×4 offers and increase in power a strong output at 140kW and 450Nm, using a quoted 7.2L/100km on a combined cycle.

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The ST-X is equipped with the following features:

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Safety

Due to updates in the ANCAP protocol, the five-star ANCAP rating that the Navara received in 2015 has lapsed. Consequently, ANCAP now designates the Navara as ‘Unrated’ since January 2023.

The Navara is not without expected safety features such as autonomous emergency braking (AEB), blind-spot monitoring and a lane departure assist system but does miss out on features competitors have as standard such as a centre airbag and adaptive cruise control.

Other active safety includes forward collision warning, driver fatigue warning, and brake assist.

For off-roading enthusiasts, hill-start control, trailer sway control and downhill brake control are all standard.

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Key Rivals

It’s a game of updates, with most manufacturers looking to add spec to remain competitive.

Some examples of key rivals include models include notable utes such as:

• Toyota HiLux
• Ford Ranger
• Mitsubishi Triton
• Isuzu D-Max
• Mazda BT-50

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Should I put it on my shortlist?

The 2024 Nissan Navara ST-X is a compelling choice for those in the market for a pickup truck that offers a perfect blend of toughness, capability and technology.

Its enhancements for 2024 make it a strong competitor in the segment, suitable for both work and leisure.

If you’re looking for a vehicle that can handle demanding tasks while providing a comfortable and connected driving experience, the Navara ST-X is definitely worth considering.

BYD has unveiled a rival to large luxury electric sedans such as the BMW i5, Mercedes EQE and Tesla Model S.

Official images of the Yangwang U7 – which sits under BYD’s premium sub-brand – were released on the company’s Chinese social media channels.

Using the same ‘e4’ battery platform as the U8 SUV and U9 supercar, BYD is said to have confirmed the U7 four-door will feature four electric motors – and produce more than 1000hp (745kW).

Chinese media are reporting the U7 will be 5.2 metres long, which would make the Yangwang sedan slightly longer than the 5m Model S and 5.1m i5.

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The U7 shares design cues with the U9 – such as the dramatic, C-shaped headlights and full-width tail-lights – while it also has some resemblance to the BYD Seal that recently went on sale in Australia.

BYD is said to be claiming the U7 will have incredibly slippery aerodynamics, with a 0.195Cd figure.

The U9 supercar is yet to go on sale, though the first Yangwang showroom model, the U8 (pictured below), is under consideration for Australia, according to insiders.

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BYD has three electric models now on sale in Australia, with the Seal midsized sedan joining the Dolphin hatchback and Atto 3 compact SUV.

This year the Chinese brand will introduce a dual-cab ute along with an SUV that’s expected to be the Seal U.

BYD’s BEV (battery electric vehicle) sales overtook Tesla in the last quarter of 2023 and it could become the world’s No.1 BEV produce this year.

Here’s news sure to shock millions of F1 fans around the globe: Guenther Steiner, the sweary and charismatic team boss made famous by Netflix’s Drive to Survive, has been axed by the Haas F1 team.

News of Steiner’s shock departure broke overnight with Haas confirming the Italian has left the team with immediate effect.

His replacement will be director of engineering, Ayao Komatsu, who has also featured in Drive to Survive.

Steiner has been in charge of Haas Formula 1 since 2016 and was pivotal in the team’s creation, however a recent string of poor results seems to have led to his axing.

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Despite some flashes of success, including a pole position in Brazil last year, Haas finished dead last in the standings in 2023 as it struggled to transform its strong qualifying pace into decent race results.

Formula 1 distributes prize money to teams based on where they finish in the constructor’s championship, so finishing last means Haas’s budget has taken a huge hit for the 2024 season.

As one of F1’s smallest teams, Haas has long faced budget restrictions and has built its business plan around buying engines and other parts/technology from other teams — mostly Ferrari — to help manage costs.

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Budgetary issues have also been a point of contention between Steiner and team owner Gene Haas, according to reports, with Steiner pushing for greater investment to help improve performance and Haas keen to make better use of the team’s existing resources.

Technically Steiner wasn’t fired — his contract was up for renewal at the end of last season and Haas has simply chosen not to extend it.

Gene Haas said the following in an official statement:

“I’d like to start by extending my thanks to Guenther Steiner for all his hard work over the past decade and I wish him well for the future.

“Moving forward as an organisation, it was clear we need to improve our on-track performances. In appointing Ayao Komatsu as Team Principal we fundamentally have engineering at the heart of our management.”

Steiner wasn’t quoted in the official release from Haas.

Steiner has enjoyed a long and successful career in motorsport. Now 58, the Italian worked as an engineer and team manager in the World Rally Championship before moving to Formula 1 in 2001 with Jaguar as team principal. A stint at Red Bull Racing as technical operations director followed before Steiner made the jump to Haas as team principal for its debut season in 2016.

Today’s news is sure to cause some discomfort among the producers at Netflix. Steiner found unexpected fame in the Drive to Survive docuseries, where his big personality and fondness for swear words saw his profile grow to rival that of some drivers.

The news has also rocked the wider sport, with numerous high profile personalities sharing their thoughts on social media. F1 commentator and former driver Martin Brundle said the following:

“Always significant when the departing person is not quoted in the press release, tells you there’s friction, suspicion we’ll hear more about this. The team hasn’t progressed in recent seasons, but hard to know exactly why without being on the inside. Good luck Guenther. And Haas.”