HAVAL, the premium Chinese SUV brand that is yet to celebrate its first birthday in Australia, has flagged plans to move into a new, potentially lucrative segment – premium trade utes.

Great Wall and Haval marketing manager Tim Smith told WhichCar he would take a “serious look” at plans for the brand to launch a premium twin-cab trade ute based on the ladder frame chassis that underpins the brand’s biggest SUV, the Ford Territory-rivalling H9.

Once launched, it will rival the likes of the Toyota HiLux SR5, Ford Ranger XLT, Mazda BT-50 GT, Volkswagen Amarok TDI420 Trendline, Nissan Navara ST-X, Mitsubishi Triton Exceed, Holden Colorado LTZ and Isuzu D-Max LS-U – although the Haval-badged version will potentially come in well under the $46,000-plus of its competitors.

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The ute has the potential to give some premium rivals a fright, featuring a host of driver aids including automatic city braking, active cruise control and a surround camera system that provides a bird’s eye view of the ground around the vehicle.

It could also adopt a raft of passenger car-like features expected to roll out as part of a facelift to the Haval H9, and the slightly smaller Hyundai Santa Fe-fighting H8 built on a more car-like chassis, due mid-way through next year.

These include a full digital dashboard, and a 12-inch multimedia screen mounted on the console that will be featured on a series of mid-life upgrades to parts of Haval’s showroom due next year.

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While the exterior of both the H8 and H9 are expected to change little, the interior and drivetrain of both cars – and therefore the ute – are expected to undergo a big makeover.

Changes under the bonnet include tweaks to the 2.0-litre petrol engine used in both models, and the introduction of an eight-speed automatic gearbox to replace the six-speeder used in the current line-up.

The planned changes for the H8 and H9 have been flagged in the reveal of the H7 earlier this year, a five- or seven-seat SUV due on sale in Australia in the second quarter of next year.

The introduction of the H7 – about the same time as stocks of the last Australian-made Ford Territory are expected to run out – along with this month’s launch of the mid-sized Mazda CX-5-rivalling H6 and the Mazda CX-3-rivalling compact H2, will give Haval a five-car SUV line-up covering one of the hottest segments of the Australian new-car market.

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When it moves into the ute segment, Smith says more doors will open for Haval via aftermarket sales for add-on features such as side-steps, tray-mounted sports bars and nudge bars.

“You see some of these people spending $10,000 extra on a ute with these things,” he says.

Haval’s move into trade utes will give one of Australia’s newest brands a firm foothold in the two fastest-growing segments of the market. SUV sales are up more than 10 percent compared with the first eight months last year, while the light commercial vehicle sector where trade utes dominate are up by the same amount.

In September, trade utes made up 15 percent of the market, while SUVs snared two in every five sales, and almost half of all passenger car sales.

TELL ME ABOUT THIS CAR

It’s essentially the final incarnation of Holden’s evergreen performance utility vehicle, set to disappear when Holden ceases local manufacturing in late 2017. It fills a specific performance/load-carrying niche many Aussies have embraced for decades.

STRENGTHS

• Two-seater cabin is virtually identical to the front half of a Holden Commodore sedan, so there are no compromises in terms of driving position, comfort or equipment.
• Load area is a vast 2064 litres, making it suited to everything from building supplies and trades-related equipment, to recreation vehicles like a couple of dirt bikes. Or of course a cattle dog or two.
• The V8 engine is a proper high-performance unit, delivering gobs of smooth, tractable power with a strong top end and a glorious, old-school V8 note.
• Traction, steering and sense of driver connection are also excellent; worlds apart from lumbering, cumbersome 4×4 utes.
• For the premium it commands over the regular SS model, the Redline gains niceties like leather seats, sat-nav, colour digital instrument display, eight-speaker stereo and keyless entry and go. The upgrades the Redline carries to brakes and suspension are also worthwhile for keen drivers or anyone interested in track days.

• The Ute has stiffer suspension compared to the sedan, in deference to its load-carrying role. This can makes the ute feel livelier and a bit less docile than the sedan when driven with vigour, and care needs to be taken in hard driving or on slippery surfaces to maintain control of the rear of the vehicle.
• The V8 engine has decent efficiency, and marries happily with either six-speed manual or automatic transmission, but does have a thirst when driven hard.
• Rough-road ride can feel a bit unsettled at the rear, especially when it’s not loaded.
• Some sections of cabin trim and plastics feel less than premium.

Ford offers a comparable Falcon ute body style, but not with V8 power. Ford’s performance variant is powered by a turbo-charged six-cylinder engine, which is hugely strong, but lacks the classic V8 sound, engagement and linear throttle response of the Holden. The Ford’s other issue is its comparatively basic rear suspension compared to the Holden, which can make it especially skittish and grip-shy on rough surfaces. The only other alternative for load-hauling is a separate-chassis 4×4 ute, all of which have ample off-road ability but are slow, cumbersome and not as polished on road.

Click here to read the full review on the Holden ute range.

Three years after the SLS Black Series departed, its angry baby brother GT R lobs as the next hardcore, track-focused AMG with its sights set (again) on Porsche’s 911 GT3 RS.

Affalterbach will charge around $400K for the GT R when it arrives locally in July 2017, placing it directly against broad competition beyond Stuttgart.

While the 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 unlocks 55kW/50Nm above a standard $300K GT S to 430kW/700Nm, and helps deliver a 3.6sec 0-100km/h and 318km/h top speed, this road-racer is about maximising the potential of its sticky Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2s.

This AMG’s ‘Green Hell magno’ paint gives a nod to the Nurburgring where a sub-7min 20sec is promised – at least 10sec quicker than SLS Black Series – thanks to a lightweight carbonfibre injection, chassis tech additions and F1-derived aero and traction control tricks, plus the extra grunt.

Here are six changes to the definitely-unhyphenated GT R and how it plans to sink its shiny chrome fangs into rivals…

1. Active Aero

2. Rear Steering

3. More Grunt

4. Traction Control

5. Fat Styling

6. Weight Drop

WHO says nobody at Toyota has a sense of humour, as the bizarre retro-themed disguise on the all-new, fifth-generation, XF50-series Lexus LS proves.

Spotted undergoing hot-weather testing near Death Valley in California, the heavily camouflaged full-sized luxury sedan features very old-school round headlights and what appears to be 1950s-style fins out back, tacked on what otherwise seems to be a way sleeker and more contemporary car than the existing version.

And that’s great news, since it means that the Toyota luxury flagship might finally banish the boxy blandness of the current decade-old XF40 design. However don’t expect the concept’s exaggerated 5.3-metre length and outlandish Blade Runner-esque interior to translate to production.

Perhaps the biggest change to the next LS besides the design is what will lurk underneath. Using Lexus’ all-new GA-L (Global Architecture-Luxury) platform previewed at this year’s Detroit Show in the upcoming LC 500 super luxury coupe, the big sedan is believed to be in line for an array of powertrain options.

There is also suggestion of the LC 500h coupe’s 3.5-litre V6 petrol/electric hybrid system with a lithium-ion battery pack and a rear-mounted four-speed auto transaxle could make its way in the touted LS 500h.

But the really exciting news is the speculation that the existing top-line LS 600h petrol-electric hybrid might give way to a hydrogen fuel-cell set-up, as per the 2015 LF-FC concept car, and similar to the pioneering Toyota Mirai.

However, with cheap fuel prices and no meaningful governmental incentive or infrastructural network to help support alternative fuels, don’t expect to see that in Australia any time soon.

Pricing? The current LS, essentially the same car launched 10 years ago in Australia (though substantially facelifted for 2010), retails from about $190,000 to $240,000, putting it in the same class as the aforementioned Germans, as well as the Jaguar XJ and Maserati Quattroporte.

A decade in the making, the LS prototype might be dressed for laughs, but Lexus is obviously very serious indeed about shaking the establishment once again…

Have spy pics of your own? We’d love to see them. Just email them to [email protected]

PETER Brock had some unbelievable moments at Mount Panorama during his career. Choosing from them to pick just one would be nigh on impossible.

From his incredible performance in an A9X Torana, to numerous awe-inspiring moments in wet conditions, Brock was a delight to watch whenever he tackled Australia’s toughest track.

Love him or hate him, there are few people who could deny the nine-time Bathurst 1000 winner wasn’t the true master of Mount Panorama.

With the 10th anniversary of his passing this Thursday, September 8, it is timely to go back and remember why Brock is remembered so fondly.

Aside from his peerless class when dealing with fans, Brock was a brilliant driver, and that is the core of what made him great.

One of our favourites here at the Wheels office is Brocky’s qualifying lap from the Top 10 Shootout for the 1991 Bathurst 1000.

What makes this lap so awesome isn’t Brocks speed – in fact he didn’t even end up qualifying in the top five – it is the manner in which he wheels his Group A VN Commodore around The Mountain.

It is a perfect example of just how good Brock was at the track, with the car dancing on the very edge for the full lap.

The car is sliding around, and three-wheeling through corners, along with a monumental slide through McPhillamy Park.

But Brocky had an easy explanation for that particularly wild moment.

“What happened is I had the brakes adjusted for a full tank of petrol, and foolishly as I touched the brakes it went and oversteered,” he said nonchalantly, as if he didn’t just have a moment which would have put most men into the wall.

And as for the roaring crowd?

“They loved it because I kept the pedal to the metal. I drove out of there and thought ‘not bad’”

Not bad indeed!

As we edge closer to the opening of the Paris motor show, we’ve collated the latest from the newswire about what we should expect to see at the year’s biggest showcase of new motoring metal.

Wheels will have coverage from the press days in Paris when the curtain drops on September 29 and 30. Until then, we have even more news about the debutants at our earlier Paris motor show preview.

Land Rover Discovery 5

As we suspected from last month’s Land Rover Discovery 5 spy pics, the shots of the new Disco 5’s nose show the English brand is farewelling the SUVs boxy signature look, opting for a trendier curvaceous look, channelling styling from its siblings the Discovery Sport and Range Rover Evoque.

By the looks of things, Land Rover has picked up the Discovery Vision concept shown at the 2014 New York Motor Show, made slight changes to features like the mirrors. It’ll also be underpinned by Land Rovers aluminium platform also found in the Range Rover Sport, which should mean it weighs in less than the 2500kg Discovery 4.

According to Land Rover, the 5 has been “created with absolute versatility, capability and technology like no other,” and combines “British desirability with an unstoppable spirit of adventure.”

“New Discovery redefines the large SUV. Land Rover’s design and engineering teams have revolutionised the Discovery DNA to create a highly desirable, extremely versatile and hugely capable premium SUV,” said Land Rover’s Chief Design Officer, Gerry McGovern.

KIA RIO

Kia’s most popular model worldwide is the Kia Rio small hatch, and there’s a new one on the way to Paris. We don’t know too much about the fourth-gen Rio yet, other than what we can glean from official sketches released today.

MERCEDES-AMG GT C CABRIOLET

The Mercedes stand at this year’s Paris show may well overshadow all others. The German brand has a fleet of new gear to wheel out including its Tesla-fighting electric car(s) and this – the topless version of AMG’s flagship road car, the GT.

A handful of new spy photos seem to show a revised front grille and a folding roof very similar to that of the defunct SLS Roadster. AMG’s determination to continually outdo itself all but guarantees the GT C Cab will be faster than the old SLS.

HYUNDAI i30

One of Australia’s most popular cars, the Hyundai i30, is getting an overhaul and the world will see it for the first time inside the halls of the Paris show. Actually, that’s not entirely true. A Hyundai media event in early September will offer our first proper peek, but full details including more scope on Hyundai’s new N Performance division will have to wait until Paris.

INFINITI VCT

Bored of EVs? Here’s some cutting-edge tech with nary a battery pack in sight. Infiniti recently shared detailed information about its revolutionary variable compression engine, a world first as far as volume production goes. The luxury indent of Nissan will bring its brand new petrol powerplant to Paris, and it just might be nestled in the engine bay of an as-yet unseen vehicle.

Wheels believes the forthcoming Infiniti QX50 mid-size SUV will be the first car to utilise the new 2.0-litre, turbocharged four-cylinder engine, which the Japanese brand claims outputs of 200kW and 390Nm. Could that car make an early debut in Paris? We’ll know soon enough.

Ferrari will field its open-top LaFerrari Spider to please hypercar fiends. Audi is bringing the long-awaited Q5 SUV, which will make for an easy direct comparison with the new Alfa Stelvio SUV also on its way to Paris.

Suzuki will add its new S-Cross to the legion of SUVs – Citroen C3, Skoda Kodiaq, Mitsubishi Outlander, etc. – being unveiled, though it has already been shown in full online after images were leaked.

The list will inevitably keep growing in the coming weeks. Stay tuned.

TELL ME ABOUT THIS CAR

Unlike some people movers which have become sleek seven-seat limousines, the Hyundai iMax is an affordable but well-equipped eight-seater that’s popular with big families and businesses needing to shift people about.

STRENGTHS

• This is a true eight seater, with the three rearmost seats able to seat three adults thanks to the boxy shell that provides good head and leg room throughout.
• Passenger access is easy via large sliding doors on each side. The middle row seats slide back and forth and fold forward to allow access to the rear seats, much like the front seats in a two-door car.
• The rear cargo area is a very decent 842-litres with the rear seats installed, which makes it popular as a hotel shuttle.
• The air conditioning works well in the large space and there are separate climate controls in the passenger cabin.
• It’s pleasant enough to drive for a big van, with comfortable captain-chair-style front seats with fold down armrests. A 7-inch touchscreen controls and displays standard functions such as phone, media with Siri or Google voice activation. The rear-view camera is very handy for a vehicle this size.
• While it looks big, it’s easy to drive and shouldn’t worry anyone who hasn’t driven a large van before. It’s only marginally bigger than large family cars and SUVs and fits into most car parking spots.
• The 2.5-litre diesel engine is very zippy even with a full passenger load and you get good response via the five-speed automatic transmission. The diesel costs $2500 more than the 2.4L petrol variant, but is the pick of the two with better torque and fuel efficiency – about 9L/100kms versus 11L/100kms.
• It’s one of the most affordable people movers on the market, starting at $39,990 for the 2.4L petrol version and topping at $46,490 for the 2.5-litre automatic diesel.

• Not as slick as its competitors, which offer more of a compromise between car and van. There’s also no luxury versions should you want to combine its practicality with style.
• Unlike competitors such as the Kia Carnival, the rear seat doesn’t fold down and isn’t designed to be easily removed meaning there’s little versatility should you need to transport anything other than people.

In terms of affordability not much beats it except for the Chinese-built LDV G10 which comes with a 9-seat version for $32,990. Other options include Kia Carnival, Toyota Tarago, Chrysler Voyager and Volkswagen Caravelle or Multivan.

TELL ME ABOUT THIS CAR

As one of the most enjoyable compact SUVs on the market, the Kia Sportage comes with plenty of room, a decent amount of grunt from the diesel engine and unique styling. Add to that Kia’s seven year warranty and you’ve got yourself one classy option.

STRENGTHS

• The diesel engine in the Kia Sportage Platinum is not only fuel efficient (6.8L/100km) but it also offers plenty of power.
• It’s great to drive. The cabin is quiet and the diesel engine offers enough power to outweigh the standard diesel lag. It’s also easy to steer, helped further by the Drive Mode Select system which lets you adjust the weight of the steering.
• Being an SUV, you’d hope for plenty of room in the Sportage and luckily it delivers. There’s ample room in the rear seats, generous headroom, and support in the rear seats which also offer comfort. The rear cargo area holds an adequate 466L (or 1455L with rear-seats down).
• We’re putting looks in the Sportage’s strengths, but its unique design is one you’ll either love or hate.

• As a sign of the times, the Sportage has no CD player. But, who uses a CD player these days anyway?
• As you move up the range of the Sportage, the wheel sizes increase which is good for looks but leads to rougher drives at low speeds.
• All colours beyond the standard Clear White come at an added cost of $500.
• The petrol engines could use with a dose of power, especially the 2.0-litre which will leave you wishing for more muscle.

Nissan X-Trail, Subaru Forester and Mazda CX-5.

TELL ME ABOUT THIS CAR

The Ford Falcon XR8 Sprint is a final, high-performance swansong for the Ford Falcon, which after 56 years ceases Australian production on October 7, 2016. Packing a supercharged 5.0-litre V8 engine that produces 345kW and 575Nm, the Sprint is a high-powered goodbye to an icon.

STRENGTHS

The engine. The 5.0-litre supercharged V8 that Ford has wedged under the bonnet of the XR8 Sprint is a joy. Yes, it isn’t the most technologically advanced, or efficient, or refined, but combined with the six-speed automatic as tested (a six-speed manual is also available), the XR8’s engine is a wonderful thing. There’s plenty of power, which is delivered smoothly and predictably, which makes country blasts raucous fun. However, the powerplant is also docile enough for everyday duties around town.

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Comfort. Sitting in the XR8 Sprint is a very easy experience. The driving position isn’t spot on (more on that later), but comfort-wise it is hard to fault the Falcon. Even tall adults will have ample legroom in the back seats. With the front passenger seat fully reclined, a grown man could sit in the back without complaints. A combination of leather and suede-like material make time in the saddle a breeze. Even after six and a half hours of driving in one day, there isn’t an inkling of discomfort.

The soul. This isn’t something tangible. But there is something special about the XR8 Sprint. This is the last of the fast Falcons, a final swansong for a car with 56 years of Australian history. Although the Sprint doesn’t wave this in your face, it is undeniably part of the car, and you get a real sense that this car means a lot. To some it is just a lump of metal, but the XR8 Sprint really does have a soul, and it is a thing of wonder.

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Suspension. The Sprint’s suspension has a difficult task. It has to ride the fine line between everyday comfort, and performance capabilities. It straddles these conflicting needs well. Yes, you do get jiggled over some of the more notable bumps in the road, but it is not the worst for a car with low-profile rubber. At the same time, body-roll is kept at a minimum, and the car performs admirably when the bitumen in front of it snakes into the distance.

WEAKNESSES

Interior trim. Although the cabin is a mighty comfortable place to sit, the trim is mid-2000s taxi. It harks back to the Falcon’s economy roots, which can be jarring in a car that costs $62,190. It is unquestionably the biggest disappointment in the Sprint. Despite being the final farewell, there is nothing special in how the XR8 is decked out. The steering wheel is bland, boring and disappointing. The hand-controls and stalks are dated. The centre-console is clustered. The riding position is also a let-down. The seat is too high, and the steering wheel just too low, resulting in your knees banging on the steering column., This is a cardinal sin in a performance-orientated vehicle, and one which has plagued the Falcon for a number of generations.

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Looks. Now, this isn’t an attack on the exterior styling of the FG X Falcon. In fact, the last generation Falcon is one of the best looking of the family. But there is nothing that really sets the Sprint apart. The bonnet bulge, 19-inch rims, Sprint stickers, and rear- lip spoiler are nice touches, but could be too subtle for what is the final performance orientated Falcon. It may not be to everyone’s taste, but the Sprint deserves something more to separate it from the crowd – it is a performance car after all! There isn’t enough visual oomph to match the mechanical punch. However, this could be to the liking of some, with the Sprint easily blending into a crowd instead of having garish ‘look-at-me’ touches.

Sound. The sound the Sprint makes under hard acceleration is something to relish. The supercharger whine in harmony with a V8 bellow is great. But it comes through a tad muffled in the cabin of the XR8 Sprint. If you have dropped your hard earned on this piece of history, you would want to enjoy its sound, but you don’t get to do that very often in the Sprint. If you are really standing on the loud pedal you get a nice tune from the pair of dual pipes, but most of the time the Sprint quietly murmurs along without too much fanfare. That may appeal to some, but again, this car deserves something a bit more special.

ANY RIVALS I SHOULD CONSIDER?

The Holden SS-V Redline is the XR8 Sprint’s most direct competitor, and is a more convincing all-rounder than the Ford. The SS-V sounds better, with more audio crackles and pops, and delivers a more sophisticated ride and handling mix thanks to a superior chassis. HSV also has a range of special, fast Aussie-built V8 cars to be considered.

With no RS model on table, it’s up to the stylish, warm-ish new Skoda Fabia Monte Carlo to keep the Czech brand’s left-field faithful happy. Given the previous-gen Monte Carlo filled 40 percent of Fabia orders, that shouldn’t be difficult to match with this much more sophisticated offering.

In line with a range re-shuffle for the 2017 model year, the Monte Carlo slots in where last year’s 81TSI with Sports Pack left off, only this black-wheeled baby scores kit you simply couldn’t option previously.

Top of the list is Monte Carlo-specific seating, with exposed stitching, striped centre trim and striking rear seatbacks and rear headrests, giving the funky Fabia some real visual flair inside its neatly drawn cabin.

This time, however, you can get the Monte Carlo in a wagon bodystyle as well as a hatchback, giving the Fabia a genuine USP over every competitor in Australia’s ‘light’ car class. Indeed, one third of local Fabia sales go to the wagon, far outstripping Skoda’s predictions.

As well as the rear-view camera now fitted to every MY17 Fabia (in conjunction with standard collision assist, autonomous emergency braking, and multi-collision brake), for its $23,490 sticker ($24,640 as a wagon), the Monte Carlo boasts a host of visual dress-up gear, including the aforementioned sports seats and black 17-inch alloys.

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A black grille, front spoiler, side skirts, door mirrors, rear diffuser, a darkened panoramic glass roof and rear privacy glass visually toughen the Monte Carlo, backed up by sparkly projector headlamps with LED daytime running lights and front fogs. It also rides on sports suspension 15mm lower than stock, which strikes a pleasant compromise between enhanced agility and decent ride comfort, and can be painted in the almost-matte Steel Grey hue from the Skoda Octavia RS.

Inside, unique instrument graphics, a perforated-leather flat-bottomed wheel with red stitching, silver Monte Carlo sill strips, stainless-steel pedal covers and a front-centre armrest complete the look.

Available solely with an 81kW/175Nm 1.2-litre turbo-petrol four and seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, the Monte Carlo can be further enhanced via two comprehensive options packs.

The ‘Tech Pack’ ($1800) adds keyless entry/start with alarm, adaptive (instead of regular) cruise control, rear parking sensors, digital climate control, auto headlights/wipers, an auto-dimming rear-view mirror, digital radio and fatigue detection.

Amundsen sat-nav ($950) and metallic paint ($500) are also extra, while a Skoda 5-year care Pack ($2899) bundles together two years additional warranty coverage with five years/75,000km worth of servicing.

The rest of the MY17 Fabia range gets a slight pricing reshuffle. The 66TSI five-speed manual base model kicks off at $16,490 driveaway, while its 81TSI seven-speed dual-clutch sister is now $19,490 driveaway.

The 81TSI has been slightly de-specced to match the 66TSI for equipment (cue 15-inch steel wheels with wheelcovers instead of 16-inch alloys), but both can be significantly enhanced via optional Sports Pack ($1800) and Premium Sports Pack ($3600) equipment bundles with more gear than a princess on holiday.