The Volkswagen Group has announced a 10 billion euro (AU$16.6 billion) three-year savings program for the ‘uncompetitive’ VW brand, resulting in job losses.

Volkswagen passenger vehicles CEO Thomas Schäfer said bluntly that VW’s cars are “no longer competitive” due to high costs and low productivity.

“With many of our pre-existing structures, processes and high costs, we are no longer competitive as the Volkswagen brand,” said Schaefer at a staff meeting at the German brand’s headquarters in Wolfsburg, according to Reuters [↗], signalling likely personnel cuts and other measures that will be announced later this year.

I think the statement is completely right to really build awareness within our team.

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At Volkswagen Australia’s 2023 brand day, we asked new managing director Karsten Seifert how the changes would manifest locally. “I think the statement is completely right to really build awareness within our team [of the coming transformation]”, he replied.

“Being really in a huge transformation time, we see that we have to adapt some of our processes, actions, and really to go a step further”, he said, referring to the brand’s 2024-2025 plan to launch multiple new vehicles.

“I mentioned already speed is an issue we have as a group [in development], we have to be a little bit quicker and to get much faster compared to our competitors”, said Karsten.

I can guarantee you that [Australia is] the most effective team globally

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“But I think we are so far away from being completely uncompetitive”, he added. “We have great products at the moment, we just talked about what is coming up for Australia, then we have also great competitors in the market, and we have to see that and to recognise that and to respect that as well.”

Schäfer’s direction is a breath of fresh air for Volkswagen, with executives able to acknowledge issues and begin to address them.

However, according to Volkswagen Australia passenger vehicles managing director Michal Szaniecki, the local arm isn’t so uncompetitive – and perhaps there’s something for global to learn.

“You asked about this implication for our Australian market specifically and I can guarantee you that we are the most effective team globally in the [VW passenger vehicle] world already”, said Szaniecki.

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“We practically made optimisations within our portfolio as well”, says Szaniecki, noting the $129,990 price of the Touareg R is below the V8 from 2020. “We very much appreciate the transparency of our leader right now to look into the global functions and fix them because we are looking forward to the changes.”

The brand has posted a 43.9 per cent improvement in sales this year headed by the T-Cross and T-Roc small SUVs. There’s also been continued interest in high-performance (and high-margin) R and GTI models.

VW’s electric offensive will begin in July with the ID.4 and ID.5 medium SUVs, followed by the ID.Buzz later in the year. Of the 10 to 12 per cent market share VW is expecting EVs to account for next year, it reckons 18 per cent of its sales will be battery-powered.

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Aside from new products, we can expect a more nimble Volkswagen when it comes to battery and motor performance updates to keep pace with Tesla, BYD, and MG’s rapid developments.

There’s also more to come for the consumer experience, including detailed consumer-facing ship tracking that’ll be a first in Australia when it launches in Q1 2024. Volkswagen is focusing on being a ‘one-stop-shop’ for electric vehicles, making the transition for ICE owners easier than ever.

When a customer buys an ID.4 online, for example, Volkswagen’s Welcome Experience ecosystem carries the process from configuration, to purchase, to tracking, then home installation.

Manufacturers offering wall chargers isn’t new, but VW’s augmented reality assistant is. The brand is also working with a solar panel provider for discounted home installations included with ID vehicles.

The 2024 Volkswagen T7 Multivan is due in Australia in the fourth quarter of next year, the brand has confirmed.

Volkswagen Australia has announced initial details for the latest T7 Multivan, confirming it will maintain a flexible seven-seat configuration, two-tone colour options, and diesel powertrains.

The T7 Multivan is the first completely new model in two decades – and is underpinned by a platform borrowed from Volkswagen’s latest passenger vehicles, rather than a commercial van.

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Like the monocoque Kia Carnival and Hyundai Staria, the T7 Multivan is based on a passenger car platform. In the T7’s case, it’s the same MQB Evo kit that underpins the Golf hatch, Tiguan mid-size SUV and Caddy small van.

The separately developed next-generation Transporter delivery van and Caravelle people mover models (heavily related to the latest Ford Transit Custom van) are expected to debut in 2024.

The T7 Multivan will be offered in two variants in Australia at launch: Life (replacing Comfortline Premium) and Style (replacing Highline).

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Both variants will be powered by a 110kW/360Nm 2.0-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder matched to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and front-wheel drive.

Volkswagen Australia said an additional engine variant is due in 2025 – likely an all-wheel drive diesel. That said, a plug-in hybrid offered overseas could be on the cards.

“The plug-in hybrid would be an awesome thing to have, obviously, in this market, and we just have to see how we go with the business case on that,” said local Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles director Ryan Davies in November 2022.

The T7 Multivan plug-in hybrid is powered by the same powertrain as the now not-for-Australia Golf GTE and Tiguan E-Hybrid, pairing a 110kW/250Nm 1.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder with an 85kW electric motor to develop a combined 160kW.

Available equipment includes 17-inch alloy wheels, a 10-inch infotainment system, a wireless phone charger, 18-way adjustable heated comfort seats, individually heated rear seats, and a panoramic glass roof.

The Style will add ambient interior lighting, matrix LED headlights, an illuminated grille, ‘easy open’ electric doors and tailgate, automatic parking, and a 360-degree camera system.

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A five-star ANCAP safety rating is expected to mirror New Zealand variants, while it features the latest active safety technology suite and a new front-centre airbag.

Rear seat flexibility has improved with a new rail system, individually heated seats, and a customisable 2/2/3 seat configuration. The seats are now 25 per cent lighter, and there’s a multi-function table.

A new-gen Volkswagen T7 California will follow later, offering a four-seat configuration with a kitchen and dual sliding doors for the first time. The five-seat variant will remain available.

It will include a fridge, induction cooktop, additional storage, a double bed, and a second pop-up double bed.

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“We’re expecting big things for [the California], when they’ve got both options of five seater without the kitchen, and then the four seater with the kitchen,” said Ryan Davies this week.

“This year was the really the year of the Amarok for us and we’re pleased with how that’s all transpired, but next year, what you can see is it’s going to be the year of the van.”

The 2024 Volkswagen T7 Multivan will be joined by the all-electric ID.Buzz people mover, ID.Buzz Cargo van – both due in Australia in the fourth quarter of next year – and the updated Crafter large van, while Ford-based Caravelle and Transporter models will arrive in Q1 2025.

November 30: 2024 Dacia Duster revealed, likely for Australia as a Renault

The 2024 Dacia Duster has debuted in Europe – and it’s likely to reach Australia as a Renault later in 2025.

Billed as a “shockingly affordable” alternative to the likes of the Mazda CX-30 and Toyota RAV4, the latest Duster uses a low-cost version of the CMF-B platform found under the Renault Captur and Nissan Juke.

New additions include mild- and full-hybrid powertrains, a revised design, a 10.1-inch infotainment system and 7-inch digital instrument cluster, an available four-wheel-drive system with five drive modes, and tougher exterior materials.

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In Europe, the Duster adds basic active safety technology to meet regulations, including autonomous emergency braking, lane-keep assist, lane departure warning, traffic sign recognition, speed limit assist, driver attention alert, emergency stop signal, and emergency calls.

Our earlier stories, below, continue unchanged.

Jordan Hickey

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February 27: Renault-badged Dacias on track for 2025 launch

Renault Australia general manager Glen Sealey has confirmed Dacia is on track for a local launch in 2025 with Bigster and next-gen Duster to wear Renault diamonds locally.

But it’s unlikely that lower-end Dacias will succeed in Oz, owing to trade agreements with China keeping prices for price-driven rivals such as Haval, MG, and Chery low.

“The problem with the rest of the range, to be honest, is when you look at Dacia in Europe it offers excellent value. But the reality is, Chinese brands are paying 10 per tax to get into Europe, and Dacia isn’t.

“For Dacia to come here, we have to pay five per cent duty, because they’re coming from Europe, and the Chinese are coming here free”, Sealey explained.

“So when you look at it, that’s a 15 per cent differential and, if you convert that 15 per cent, that really doesn’t make us any money here”, said Sealey, confirming that low-end Spring, Jogger, Sandero, and Logan won’t come to Oz.

John Law

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October 28, 2022: Budget-focused SUVs from Dacia are set to land in Australia from 2025, rebadged under the Renault brand locally.

The compact Duster and midsized Bigster SUVs are planned as the initial models for now, giving Renault a “shockingly affordable” alternative to the likes of the Mazda CX-30 and Toyota RAV4.

Denis Le Vot, fast-talking CEO of the Renault Group-owned and Romania-based Dacia, says that, for his brand, less is more.

“You will not find in our cars today an electric seat. Zzz, zzz, zzz, you know. This we consider not essential,” he told Wheels.

“Our job is to make choices, so we choose for the client. We don’t offer everything. We just keep what is essential.”

One Dacia essential is the recycled Renault technology that provides the basis for its all-small five-model line-up.

JUMP AHEAD

• Dacia’s plans for Australia
• Duster
• Bigster
• Jogger
• Sandero
• Logan
• Spring
• Manifesto

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Some versions of the Sandero, the VW Polo-sized hatch Renault Group says has been Europe’s best-selling car to private buyers since 2017, even come without an infotainment screen.

Instead there’s a place in the middle of the instrument panel to secure a smartphone. “Why do we pay for a screen when we don’t need it?” asks Le Vot.

There’s been a recent image revamp at Dacia. As well as a new logo, the brand is aiming to make stripped-back simplicity cool. Using unadorned and eco-friendly recycled plastics is part of the future look, but there’s no place for some traditional materials.

“We don’t have chrome on our cars,” Le Vot says. “We finished with the chrome outside. We don’t have leather.”

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The latest Sandero opens the company’s new ‘Essential But Cool’ era, but it’s the new SUVs still to come from Dacia that have caught the attention of distributor Ateco.

A replacement for the ruggedly good-looking Duster will go into production in the second half of 2024. Similar in size to the Honda HR-V, it’s currently produced with both front- and all-wheel and a variety of three- and four-cylinder engines, some of them dual-fuellers able to burn both petrol and LPG.

The next-gen Duster will be the same size as the existing model for a simple reason. “We do that because we come with the Bigster on top,” Le Vot explains, referring to the production version of Dacia’s 2021 SUV concept.

That name makes sense because this roughly Toyota RAV4-size vehicle will be the biggest Dacia ever. Due in 2025, it will be aimed at a different customer than the 250mm-or-so shorter Duster.

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“It will be more a little like… if I was American, I would say full-size SUV,” says Le Vot. “More the highway car; bigger, more spacious, and less rough and tough.”

“These new-generation products are excellent, and well suited to the Australian outdoor lifestyle,” adds Glen Sealey, general manager of Renault’s local importer Ateco, referring to Duster and Bigster. “Therefore we have our hand up.”

In other right-hand-drive markets outside Europe, including India and South Africa, Dacia products are branded Renault, he says. “We would follow the same path.”

What should Australians expect from Duster and Bigster? ‘Shockingly Affordable’ is a slogan Dacia has used in Europe, and this isn’t stretching the truth.

Duster prices in Italy, for example, open at the equivalent of $25,500, undercutting obvious rivals by a hefty margin.

The price advantage might not be so marked in the fiercely competitive Australian market, but Dacia exists specifically to cater for those on a tight budget.

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“Inside the Renault Group, Dacia is making the job of being here for the people that decide not to spend too much money on the car,” is the way Le Vot puts it. The brand will always prioritise price over progress.

“Dacia will come to be in a way, if I may say, the champion of the [internal-combustion engine] ICE, he says. “Because we have l-o-o-o-ng time between now and 2035.” That’s the year much of Europe aims to ban sales of ICE passenger vehicles.

“There is a need for renewal of the fleet of cars, and at the price of electric vehicles today not everyone can afford that.”

Electrification will also present Dacia with opportunities, Le Vot believes. “When the mainstream goes electric, they will leave holes in the demand all around the segments.”

And when Dacia cannot avoid electrifying its line-up, there will be plenty of well-proven Renault EV tech to choose from.

“My job is to make the right choice at the last moment,” Le Vot says. “But only at the last moment, because the more you wait the more clever you are.”

An exact return date for Dacia to Australia has not yet been locked in, but last year Ateco boss Neville Crichton told Carsales that Dacia offers a real opportunity in Australia. “It will happen. Absolutely. We’re talking to them right now about the details,” he said. “Dacia will fit below Renault.”

Dacia’s model plans for Australia

Duster

For Oz? Yes, but next-gen model, probably 2025

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You’re looking at the current Duster, a good-looking small front-drive and all-wheel drive SUV facelifted only last year (2021), but Australian distributor Ateco will wait for the all-new and so-far-unseen model due for production in late 2024. Its look will draw on the aesthetic of the Manifesto concept. So far Dacia has sold 2 million Dusters.

Bigster

For Oz? Yes, but 2025 earliest (concept shown below)

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Due to go on sale in Europe in 2025, the Bigster is a very big deal for Renault Group’s Romanian value brand. This SUV will take Dacia places it’s never competed before. Few facts are available, but expect it to be 4.6 metres long (similar to RAV4), and count on it offering seven-seat interior and hybrid drivetrain options.

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Jogger

For Oz? No

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Having launched this year (2022), the Jogger is the most modern-looking Dacia. Deliberately designed to blur the lines between wagon, MPV and SUV, it’s sold in five- and seven-seat forms and is closely related to the Sandero/Logan. It has a lowly one-star Euro NCAP rating, but in 2023 will become the first Dacia to offer a hybrid drivetrain.

Sandero

For Oz? No

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Dacia’s best-seller by far. Third generation of this small front-drive hatch is powered by petrol and dual-fuel petrol-LPG 1.0-litre atmo and turbo triples. There’s a high ride-height version, too, the Stepway. Shrinking small-car demand in Australia and poor two-star Euro NCAP rule it out.

Logan

For Oz? No

Sedan version of the Sandero hatchback, basically. The latest Logan wears a nameplate launched in 2004, making it the longest-lived badge in Dacia’s current line-up. As well as Romania, the small front-driver is built in Morocco and Turkey. In 2021 The Logan scored the same low Euro NCAP result as the Sandero.

Spring

For Oz? No

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Very cheap and very small, this four-seat, Chinese-made, Renault-based, front-drive EV is so popular with European city-dwellers and urban car-sharing outfits that it’s quickly become Dacia’s third-best seller. But its 33kW motor, 230km range, 125km/h top speed and 2021 Euro NCAP one-star result severely limit its appeal elsewhere.

Manifesto

Concept only

Dacia doesn’t plan to build anything like the Manifesto concept buggy. This 2022 concept car instead highlights the brand’s “unrivalled vision for an essential, robust, cool, affordable and environmentally efficient car”. It doesn’t attempt to conceal its recycled plastic parts, and the single headlight is a cost-saver.

In and out in under three minutes, that’s the dream. Just to be clear, I’m talking about giving your EV’s driving range a massive shot in mere moments.

Chinese EV manufacturer Nio (styled NIO) is joining forces with Geely – compatriot carmaker and giant parent company of Volvo, Polestar and Lotus – to expand the reach of its EV battery swapping technology.

This collaboration could have a significant impact on the EV market in China if not globally, by jointly developing standards, advancing technology, and models capable of utilising the technology.

Geely becomes the second major carmaker to align with Nio in the battery swapping realm – the other being Changan Auto, which focuses primarily on the Chinese market and has no major stake in any of the brands currently sold in Australia.

The Nio-Geely partnership is based on a “co-investment, co-construction, shared, cooperative” model, aiming to streamline battery asset management, construct standardised swapping infrastructure, and design vehicles compatible with both companies’ systems.

Below: Nio’s map of battery swap locations in China, totally 2103 so far.

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This initiative is particularly significant considering the potential of battery swapping to ease pressure on power grids during peak recharging times. Analysts and executives, however, note that the full practicality of this method hinges on further standardisation of batteries.

Nio, a prominent proponent of battery swapping, plans to nearly double its swapping stations in China within the current year. Geely, on its part, had announced plans in 2021 to establish 5,000 battery swapping stations worldwide by 2025, with 300 already operational. The partnership with Nio is expected to further bolster these efforts.

While shares of Nio saw a slight dip following the announcement, the long-term implications of this partnership could be substantial for both companies. As Nio and Geely forge ahead, their joint venture could set new benchmarks in the EV industry, potentially attracting more collaborations in the future.

Will we see EV battery swapping in Australia?

We certainly could, given the money being thrown around by the Chinese brands – but realistically that market is comfortably big enough for this to be a profitable venture without ever expanding beyond its own borders.

This means we may never see the concept introduced into local Volvo, Polestar or Lotus models – although if any company has the resources and budget to gamble on a potentially game-changing battery-swapping network, it’s… well, all of the Chinese brands.

Nio and Geely aren’t the only ones looking at this concept, either, with LDV – known as Maxus in China – currently running a battery-swapping trial with the electric LDV Mifa 9 in its home market. The business has told Australian media that it sees potential for it to come here.

“In China, Saic Motor Group is building battery swapping stations, we are also planning to apply this technology to Mifa vehicles here in Australia”, added Xie. The $106,000 LDV Mifa 9 people mover has 430km WLTP driving range and with 120kW DC fast-charging can go from 30-80 per cent charge in 36 minutes.

See that story below.

The Volkswagen T-Cross entered the competitive light SUV market based on the popular Polo hatchback.

As a newcomer– having only landed in 2020– it aims to make a mark with its unique blend of fresh looks and urban agility.

A late 2024 update is expected for the model in the third quarter of next year.

But in a booming segment with so many emerging options, let’s see what VW has introduced to compete.

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Pricing and Features

The T-Cross is positioned as an accessible entry into the Volkswagen SUV family, offering only two variants – Life and Style. Both are automatic, front-wheel drive configurations.

The Life is priced from $30,990, and the Style grade additions will set you back (an extra $2500) at $33,490 before on -roads.

Both grades adopt the same teeny 1.0-litre 3-cylinder petrol engine making s 85kW of power and 200Nm of torque, with the only choice as a 7-speed automatic transmission.

On a combined cycle, the T-Cross uses 5.4 litres of fuel which is perfect for those doing their daily commutes.

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The exterior design of the T-Cross is one of its strongest selling points, featuring bold lines, a charismatic front fascia, 16-inch alloy wheels and LED Daytime Running Lights that gives it a modern edge.

Inside, the T-Cross surprises with its clever use of space. Despite its compact dimensions, the interior feels roomy with one of the segments best cargo capacities from 385L to 455L when the rear seats are on the forward position.

The dashboard is ergonomically designed, featuring an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system that supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

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Spending the extra $2500 on the Style variant will add:

• 17-inch alloys
• Dual-zone climate control
• Keyless entry and start
• LED headlights
• Auto high beam
• Extra driver assist tech
• Premium cloth upholstery
• Front and rear carpet floor mats
• LED ambient dashboard lighting
• Paddle shifters

For an additional $2200, you can add the Sound and Vision Package.

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Solid white is the only no-cost paint choice, while other solid, pearl and metallic colours as $600-$900 options.

And lastly, an R-Line Package is available for $2600, which includes:

Safety

The Volkswagen T-Cross boasts a five-star ANCAP safety rating and includes a variety of standard driver assistance features.

These include front and rear parking sensors and manoeuvre braking, which helps prevent collisions with unseen objects or people.

The vehicle also features standard cruise control, driver fatigue detection, autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, and lane-keep assist.

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Key Rivals

The T-Cross finds competition in other light SUVs, including:

• Kia Stonic
• Hyundai Venue
• Mazda CX-3
• Ford Puma
• Toyota Yaris Cross

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Should I Put It On My Shortlist?

The 2024 Volkswagen T-Cross Life is an excellent choice for those seeking a compact and economical SUV for daily driving.

If you’re looking for a vehicle that’s well-suited for city living and offers great value, the T-Cross Style is definitely worth considering.

Both the 85 TSI Style and Life are quite similar, but the Style makes the proposition of moving up a variant an easy proposition with notable additions.

These extra features, such as adaptive cruise control and more active safety technologies, account for a significant part of the price difference.

So if you’re looking for the extra luxuries and safety, the $2500 jump builds a very strong case for itself.

Popular YouTuber ‘ND-WoodArt’ has hand-crafted a scaled-down Tesla Cybertruck in his garage, built almost entirely from wood.

Crafted for his son and daughter, but clearly also as a love letter to Tesla and his hero Elon Musk, the wood-panelled Cybertruck looks to be a fully functional, driving EV about the size of a Fiat 500.

The video below shows the 100-day journey’s highlights, with ND first welding together a platform and installing the electrics, before moving on to crafting the rest of the ‘fun-sized’ Cybertruck in wood.

December 2023: Cybertruck pricing and specs

You might be glad, or you might’ve hoped it wouldn’t happen – but Elon’s teenage wet dream, the Cybertruck, is actually real and finally in customer hands.

Story continues…

And, frankly, the fit and finish is better than anything I’ve seen from Tesla so far…

As you can see in the video, the wooden Cybertruck has LED lighting at both ends, an infotainment system in the dash, and single-arm window wiper just like the real thing, and functioning doors – including the tailgate and ramp at the rear.

And of course, the job wouldn’t be complete without a wooden version of the Cyberquad, which Tesla currently sells for kids in the US, from AU$2870. You can watch the build of that below.

What do you think of ND’s work?

Tell us in the comments below!

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The 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe will launch in Australia with a hybrid all-wheel-drive powertrain initially, creating a starting price likely be more than $20,000 higher than the current entry point.

Hyundai’s fifth-generation large SUV is due to go on sale locally next April or May to take on key rivals including the Toyota Kluger and its Kia Sorento twin.

The Korean car maker has ditched the outgoing model’s four-cylinder turbo diesel and V6 petrol engines to focus on four-cylinder petrol models, including carry-over hybrid and plug-in hybrid variants.

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Pricing trends point to the hybrid Santa Fe moving closer to $70,000 before on-road costs. The outgoing petrol-electric variant costs from $63,000 in base form, though the latest Santa Fe brings an increase in size and features.

Hyundai Australia is pursuing an entry-level powertrain, though it’s unclear how close it would bring the Santa Fe’s start price closer to the current $46,050 kick-off point.

The company is yet to confirm which engine out of three options available elsewhere, though Wheels believes the target powertrain is the 2.5-litre turbo petrol four-cylinder also found in the Sonata midsize sedan.

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It produces 207kW and 422Nm, offering extra power and torque over the hybrid that produces combined outputs of 169kW and 350Nm – though it is naturally more economical.

The hybrid features a six-speed torque converter auto compared to the turbo-petrol that’s linked with an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission.

Hyundai Australia would likely prefer the turbo petrol with all-wheel drive as well rather than front-drive, making for a more even distribution of those healthy outputs.

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Fuel economy figures have yet to be confirmed for Australia.

The Santa Fe’s aerodynamics have notably improved despite a dramatic design shift to a blocky, rectangular shape, though kerb weights have also increased significantly for the bigger model.

The Santa Fe now exceeds 4.8 metres after a 4.5cm stretch to its length, while height increases by 3.5cm.

Five-, six-, and seven-seater versions are again available globally. Hyundai Australia will ignore the five-seater again and is expected to stick with seven-seater layouts only. It currently offers a six-seater in the Santa Fe hybrid with middle-row captain’s chairs.

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Hyundai is claiming improvements in legroom and headroom to both the second and third rows, mostly thanks to a five-centimetre increase in wheelbase, while boot space increases by 91 litres.

Stand-out new features for the Hyundai Santa Fe include a panoramic curved display that incorporates 12.3-inch digital driver screen and infotainment screen, digital rear-view mirror, over-the-air software updates, a digital key that allows your smartphone to lock/unlock the vehicle among several functions, a UV-C sterilisation glovebox, dual phone-charging pads, and a bilateral centre console cubby that can be opened from both the front cabin and middle cabin.

Safety improvements include curtain airbags that now cover the entire third row. The third-row seats also gain top-tether anchor points to allow for the fitment of child seats.

Click here to read our first international drive of the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe.

November 2023: Sorry, how much?

An example of the iconic Countach has sold at auction for a cool $2 million in Australian dollars – comfortably shading the previous best auction result of AU$1.17 million, set in January 2023.

The twist here, though, is that the new record holder is the deliberately and properly wrecked Countach that starred in the modern classic, Martin Scorsese’s The Wolf of Wall Street.

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If you’ve seen the film, you’ll recall the scene.

If you haven’t, this is no great spoiler: Leonardo DiCaprio’s character, stockbroker Jordan Belfort, speeds off in his Countach after sucking down a metric ton of illicit party tricks and proceeds to drive it into everything he can and probably can’t see.

To be fair, even in its wrecked state, this very authentic – not a mock-up – Countach 25th Anniversary would make one hell of a centrepiece in a grand foyer somewhere.

As for its price, well, I imagine its connection to the film, its legendary director and popular cast would’ve helped push it to that new record figure.

The other of the two Countachs used in the film – an undamaged example – will also go to auction in December, so it’ll be interesting to see what number it achieves…

By the way, does anybody know how much that gold-plated Countach sold for, back in 2017? Struggling to find a result! (Scroll down ?)

Mike Stevens

Get some more Countach reading

2017: Lamborghini Countach for sale with gold-plated interior

RM Sotheby’s Villa Erba auction is the very acme of refined good taste.

The 19th century mansion, set on the shore of Italy’s Lake Como, plays host to some of the most elegant classic cars once a year, where immaculately groomed guests can pick at unpronounceable finger food, guffaw conspicuously and wear red trousers without fear of public ridicule.

It’s also where this 1987 Lamborghini Countach QV is being sold. At first it looks the authentic Jay-Z deal.

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“Cocaine seats, all white like I got the whole thing bleached,” as Mr Z might say if he hadn’t been rapping about a Rolls Royce Corniche instead.

And then you look inside and recoil with horror as you realise that the dashboard, steering column and gated gearshift has been plated in 14-carat gold.

It probably hasn’t escaped your attention that the Countach has often attracted a certain clientele. Rod Stewart owned one. Mike Tyson was a customer as was Duran Duran’s Simon Le Bon. Then there’s Prince Jefri of Brunei, a man with a superyacht called Tits and twin tenders on the back called Nipple 1 and Nipple 2. These are not men encumbered with an excess of refined taste.

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Countachs are cars that you had on your bedroom wall as a kid, when you thought that you could live solely on a diet of foam banana lollies and that you’d be rendered irresistible to the opposite sex if you actually owned a functional lightsaber.

There are exceptions, but Countachs are usually bought by people who haven’t progressed far beyond this worldview.

It’s hard to understand quite where the motivation to gold plate the Lambo’s cabin came from though. With typical understatement, RM Sotheby’s simply claim that the car’s Dutch owner sent it to Lamborghini Polo Storico for a bare metal restoration that included the gold work inside. Dutch. Gold. It could really only be one person.

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Porsche’s flagship Panamera range has come in for a major update.

When was the last time you saw a Panamera? Could you say which generation it was? That’s a bit of a trick question, because they all sort of look the same, but it’s fair to suggest you’d see ten Cayennes and two or three Taycans for every late model Panamera.

It’s a critical model for Porsche, though, given the breadth of its customer base, and so now we have a new one. Yes, it looks much the same – and it largely is, with near identical measurements of 5052 mm in length, 1937mm wide and 1423mm tall – but there’s little to complain about on that front.

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Third-gen Panamera, or v2.1?

First thing’s first: the Panamera is once again a liftback sedan only. We liked its styling as a wagon – er, Sport Turismo – so it’s a shame that style has been stricken from the range.

Even from the distance of mere photos, the 2024 Panamera’s interior looks the business. Yes, it’s a lot like the last one, but as that was a largely spot-on style, we’re not expecting complaints.

As with the Taycan and a number of other new models, the Panamera’s design team clearly felt more screens would improve things, so now there’s a 10.9-inch display ahead of the front passenger.

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Priced from $227,000, all 2024 Panamera models come as standard with a panoramic roof, 14-way ‘Comfort’ seats, soft-close doors, a cooled smartphone compartment with inductive charging function, and an “improved fine dust filter with GPS-supported, automatic air-recirculation function”.

Step up to the $402,300 Turbo E-Hybrid and you get rear-wheel steering, Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus, ioniser including carbon fine-dust sensor, and electric roll-up sunblinds for the rear side windows.

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The Turbo E-Hybrid features a revised 4.0-litre V8 turbo engine backed up by a 140 kW electric motor for combined outputs of 500kW and 930Nm, transferred to the road through an eight-speed PDK transmission.

Porsche claims 0-100 km/h in 3.2 seconds. (Any faster and we’d imagine the air-con can’t maintain a link to the GPS satellites…)

Battery capacity for the plug-in hybrid is now 25.9 kWh, and a new 11kW on-board AC charger shortens the charging time to 2 hours and 39 minutes.

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The ‘base’ Panamera is powered by a 2.9-litre turbo V6 producing 260kW and 500Nm, representing a bump of 17kW and 50Nm over the previous model.

In this form, the Panamera lists a claimed 0-100km/h time of 5.1 seconds – still enough to blow most passengers’ socks off.

The Porsche Active Suspension Management system has also been revised, the dual-chamber two-valve air suspension separating the rebound and compression stages of the damper control – targeting a greater distinction, and capability, between comfort and sports modes.

“The system noticeably dampens impacts from transverse joints and road damage while at the same time ensuring more body stability in dynamic driving situations,” Porsche says.

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For the E-Hybrid, buyers can also option the Porsche Active Ride system, with new active shock absorbers.

Again, to quote Porsche: “This generates a volume flow in the damper according to demand and can therefore build up forces between the body and wheels in a lightning-fast, highly precise and targeted manner, which counteract and almost completely compensate for the forces resulting from the road excitation. A weight-saving single-chamber air-suspension system complements this technology.”

An exclusive colour of Turbonite is featured on models bearing the Turbo name, serving as a contrast on the side window strips, and elsewhere on the steering wheel badge.

Pricing & availability

New Panamera deliveries in Australia are expected to begin late in the first quarter of 2024.

We do miss the wagon…

Soon your next trip to the supermarket could include eggs, milk, bread and a brand new car.

That’s the vision of US retail giant Costco who will this week offer its 1.5 million Aussie members the chance to buy a new car at discounted prices.

Costco currently has 15 warehouse locations around Australia with each location frequented by 25,000 Aussies every week. Shopping at Costco requires a membership, which is $65 per year, and that provides access to cheaper, wholesale pricing on a wide range of products.

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Costco already sells cars at its stores in America, where it moves around 775,000 vehicles each year. The initiative is also in Costco stores in the United Kingdom and Canada.

The Aussie operation, which is called Autoconnect, will see Costco partner up with Aussie company Autoreviewa and has been four years in the making.

Discounts on new cars purchased from Costco tend to range between $700 and $2750, with most cars being $1500-2500 cheaper than if purchased directly from a dealer.

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The Aussie program will see Costco allocate space for between one and three vehicles in each of its warehouses, with individual dealers and manufacturers both able to apply for the space.

Importantly, the cars displayed in Costco stores will be available to purchase that day without the need to order or endure lengthy waiting periods. Nissan, Suzuki, Renault and Ford are just some of the brands currently being promoted for Costco purchase on the Autoreviewa website.

Test drive events are also expected to be part of the Costco program and car brands will also be able to man their displays to engage with customers.

The new initiative will be rolled out on Australia’s east coast this week before expanding to all of Costco’s 15 Aussie outlets. More Costco stores are also planned for Australia.