Legendary car designer Marcello Gandini, who penned iconic models for Lamborghini, Ferrari, BMW, Citroen and many others, has died aged 85.

Regarded as one of the world’s most prolific and influential car designers, Gandini was born in Turin and first came to prominence during the mid-1960s while working for the famed Bertone design house.

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The successor to other design legend Giorgetto Giugiaro, whom he replaced at Bertone in 1965 when he was just 25, Gandini’s career saw him shape iconic models like the Lamborghini Miura, Ferrari 308/GT4, Bugatti EB110 and the E12 BMW 5 Series.

Famous for creating cars with angular lines and wedge-like profiles, Gandini is perhaps best known for his work on the Lamborghini Countach which made its debut in concept form at the 1971 Geneva motor show.

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Gandini created a string on famous wedge-like supercars including the Maserati Khamsin, Lamborghini Bravo, Alfa Romeo Navajo, Jaguar Ascot, Lamborghini Diablo and Alfa Romeo Carabo.

But Gandini created far more than poster-worthy supercars and concepts, with his work also including influential mainstream cars like the first Volkswagen Polo, original BMW 5 Series, the boxy and innovative Citroen BX and the Fiat 132. The iconic Renault 5 Turbo is also a Gandini creation.

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Gandini left Bertone in 1980 but continued to create and innovate right up until the mid 2000s with one of his last designs being the Stola S86 Diamante for the 2005 Geneva motor show.

A true trailblazer, innovator and visionary, Gandini is perhaps responsible for more poster-worthy cars than any other designer.

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Volkswagen has unveiled a Golf GTI for the electric age with the 2024 ID.3 GTX hot hatch.

Sitting atop the recently-updated ID.3 range, GTX variants score distinct front bumpers, lighting signatures and wheel designs. More power and chassis focus is a given.

Volkswagen has not confirmed global launch timing yet. There was a previous expectation that the ID.3 GTX would arrive this year, however the plan has changed at VGA.

“GTX is an exciting performance variant that will first debut in Australia with the ID.4 and ID.5. The ID.3 range for Australia will be announced in due course and the timing remains 2025+”, a Volkswagen Australia spokesperson told Wheels.

The GTX badge has proven successful for ID.4 and ID.5 SUVs, with 20 per cent of sales for the high-performance moniker in Europe – Australia’s penchant for GTI and R models could see an even richer share locally.

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In Europe, Volkswagen will offer two trim levels as it does currently with the Golf GTI.

The ‘base’ ID.3 GTX is fitted with passive dampers and a single ‘AP550’ rear motor producing 210kW while the GTX Performance (think GTI Clubsport) gets adaptive dampers and a 240kW tune, cutting its 0-100km/h sprint by four-tenths to 5.6 seconds.

Volkswagen’s new electric hot hatch beats its Cupra Born relation for outputs (by 40kW and 70kW, respectively), as well as its GTI ICE forebear that produces 180kW/370Nm.

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Batteries have been tweaked, too, with the GTX getting a 79kWh capacity compared to the regular 150kW ID.3’s 77kWh.

Volkswagen’s initial range expectation is around 600km for the regular GTX, with the hardcore Performance likely to offer a little less.

Charging capacity is a little higher, too, with the GTX able to take on DC electricity at 175kW for a sub 30-minute 10-80 per cent interval.

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Distinguishing itself from the regular ID.3, the GTX wears different bumpers, has a unique LED light signature, gloss black details on the sills and diffuser, and wears 20-inch ‘Skagen’ (sharing a name with Danish seafood toast) alloy wheels.

Inside, the treatment is very similar to the GTI though without the signature tartan upholstery.

‘Premium Sports Seats’ are appointed in dark grey fabric with leatherette accents and there’s red contrast stitching for a pop of colour.

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Kai Grünitz, Member of the Volkswagen board responsible for development said: “With the ID.3 GTX, Volkswagen is transferring the almost 50-year tradition of its compact GT models into the world of electric mobility. Driving pleasure is guaranteed.”

The hot hatch was revealed alongside a 250kW GTX version of the ID.7 electric tourer, though Volkswagen has previously stated that the long-roof vehicle isn’t earmarked for Australia.

Pricing and Australian availability of the ID.3 GTX is unconfirmed. British outlets have estimated a start price of around A$80,000 for the ID.3 GTX in the UK market.

The first fully electric sports car from Porsche will be the 718 Boxster.

The much-anticipated new-generation ‘983’ electric models will not debut side-by-side, with the drop-top Boxster set to wave the flag for the new-gen EV sports car pairing well before the Cayman coupe arrives.

Porsche’s Björn Förster, who was in Australia recently to showcase the electric GT4 e-Performance prototype vehicle, said that while the electric project he’s put years of his life into is based on the existing 718 Cayman, he expects the Boxster to be seen first.

“Since the bigger innovation is to have an open electric sports car, if it was my company, I would go for the open version first,” he said. “We started way earlier [on the GT4 e-Performance], and we’ve already been touring the market for almost 18 months, and the electric Boxster is coming soon.”

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Mr Förster stated that, as is Porsche tradition, the base model electric 718 Boxster will debut initially, followed by a number of other variants.

As such, he said there’s not much chance buyers who are looking for a racing-spec version of the Boxster or Cayman will get that for several years to come, suggesting a timeline of “late in the decade” for a production EV racer.

“At the moment, we will surely not build up a race car on the base model. The base model will be introduced first,” he said.

“So it will need some time for a more performance-oriented version of the 983 [aka new-gen 718 models] will come, and then we will be on the same timeline as the Cayman, maybe,” he said.

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As with plenty of EVs, you can expect the new Porsche 718 models to be speedy. In fact, they may be breathing down the neck of the venerable 911, even in low-spec trim levels.

“It’s quite easy to be faster than a 911 with an electric car. As long as the 911 is not electric. But I think we want to hold on to that as long as possible,” said Mr Förster.

“We don’t build cars to make them slower. The [current] Cayman GT4 is faster than a 911… We will never make an electric car slower just to have the right hierarchy,” he said.

Expect the new 718 models to house their battery systems behind the rear seats.

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“It makes the balance way better, and also the inertia of the car will be better, the agility of the car will be better,” he said.

“Here we have a weight distribution of 52 percent on the front axle, 48 percent at the rear. Which is nearly 50:50, but not perfect,” he said. “The perfect Porsche has 58 percent in the rear. We’re playing around with that [for the production car].”

The production models may also make use of a 900-volt architecture, allowing them to recharge in as little as 15 minutes at a full-speed 350kW charging station using a Type 2 CCS combination plug.

The electric car revolution will be helpful to the hip pockets of those who have their own Porsche race car.

That might seem trite, but according to Björn Förster, Porsche’s GT4 e-Performance vehicle project manager, costs will conceivably be considerably lower for EV customer race vehicles than for ICE models – namely due to fuel and maintenance costs.

“I would say the regular combustion engine race car with about 75 hours of racing costs about 70,000 to 100,000 euros,” said Mr Förster, before explaining that the durability of the battery system and electric motors employed in the GT4e-Performance is, in theory, significantly more sound than a combustion engine model.

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“So as long as you can keep it at 45 degrees, there won’t be any damage,” Mr Förster said of the battery system, which is cooled by a novel oil-cycling system developed in conjunction with Mobil 1.

Mr Förster admitted that this project car – which essentially frankensteins a Taycan EV together with a previous-gen 718 Cayman along with about 6000 unique parts – was not the perfect way to put together a fully electric sports car, but said lessons learned in the development of this racer will flow through to future production EV sports cars.

“The biggest challenge was placing 80kWh of battery capacity into a small chassis vehicle,” he said. “That’s the reason this setup of batteries is really a compromise to get the same capacity from a Taycan, a four-door sedan, into a coupe.”

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The battery isn’t a traditional ‘bank’ or ‘skateboard’ platform – instead, there are three separate battery casings in the car – one under the bonnet, one in the passenger’s footwell, and a third behind the seats.

Mr Förster said that while this is a prototype, the target cost for a production model is around 300,000 euros. For a little further context, the most recent Porsche 911 GT3 Cup Car had a list price of 225,000 euros… and then you need to consider that, if Mr Förster’s assertion is correct, there will be far less maintenance needed, and no hefty fuel bills, either.

“To offer it with a good price of 300,000 euros, maybe, for a race car, we need a proper street car, which is already electric, which is a two-door, to build an electric race car out of that.

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That’s the main point we’re waiting for to start with the development of the next version,” he said of the future-gen 718 Cayman and 718 Boxster models which are due in the next couple of years.

Time on track is another cost consideration: EVs are still far slower to ‘refuel’ than conventional vehicles: on 350kW charging – if present in the pit lane – it’s still at least 15 minutes of charging before only getting 25-30 minutes of drive time.

However, the GT4 e-Performance prototype’s oil-cooled battery system will cool itself while you recharge, essentially lessening the potential downtime once you’re back on track.

But don’t expect an oil-cooled system in the production model, as Mr Förster suggested that this car’s tech is “five years ahead” of what has potential for mainstream production.

We’ve seen it for a few decades now – faster cars have all-wheel drive (AWD) to help get the grunt down to the ground – and that’s also a common theme across ICE Porsche models.

However, it seems evident that Porsche electric sports cars of the future will also sport AWD as a crucial component to the drive experience – and it’s not simply to boast a faster 0-100 time.

Björn Förster, the project manager behind the Porsche GT4 e-Performance prototype racing EV, said AWD is going to be vital in fast EVs to help them go, but also to help them stop.

Mr Förster explained that, currently, battery weight is still a big consideration for EV development, and that by having dual motors rather than a single motor setup, you can reduce the battery capacity needed, lowering the weight of the car, and – in the case of the brand’s prototype model – improving its braking performance, too.

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“If you add all-wheel drive on a combustion engine car, yes, you raise your traction a bit, but you’re also adding weight,” he said.

“On electric cars, it’s a completely new playground. We have, on each axle, one electric motor and so we can recuperate energy on both axles. With each minute we are racing, we can recuperate up to one kWh per axle,” Mr Förster explained.

“So it’s very sensible to use both axles for recuperation,” he explained about the GT4 e-Performance. “But we also have the same drivetrain in the front and in the rear, so 500-something horsepower in the rear, and the same in the front.

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“If we only had a rear-wheel drive car, we would need about 250 kilograms more batteries to reach the same drive time,” he claimed. “And that’s massive. So the decision to go for all-wheel drive, it’s very clear for a race car.

“The advantage is to save weight, but also to save batteries – because batteries are expensive, you also save money,” he said, suggesting that the GT4 e-Performance’s 450kg of batteries is notably less because it has dual-motor all-wheel drive than if it had been rear-wheel drive. “If you can reduce both of those by putting in an additional motor in the front which doubles the power of the car? It isn’t an option.

“It’s also about the drive cycle – because on a regular drive cycle like WLTP because going up to 50 kilometres, holding the speed and braking, stopping, going to the Autobahn – but you never have the chance to break out. On a race course, you do nothing else but pushing hard, braking hard. So the potential of the drive cycle is way higher to get energy back when you’re racing a car, either as a race car, or as a street car on a race track,” Mr Förster said.

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As for production EV sports cars, like the upcoming 718 Boxster and 718 Cayman?

“There are some regulations that on a road car, you’re only allowed to recuperate until 0.3G. Everything with a higher brake acceleration has to be braked by mechanical brakes. So, it’s the law, at least in Europe, so it’s the same potential on a street car – but on a street car it’s not that relevant because most of the time you don’t brake [that hard]. For street cars, it’s absolutely okay to have a rear-wheel driven car.

“There is a gain, yes, but it’s not that effective. You go for about 30 to 50 kilometres more recuperation of energy from the front motor, but not more,” said Mr Förster.

The Toyota Corolla and Toyota Yaris hatchbacks are no longer available to order with a non-hybrid powertrain in Australia – except for GR performance models.

Toyota Australia has announced order books for the Corolla and Yaris petrol hatches will be closed from March 13, leaving dearer but better selling hybrid variants as the sole options available.

GR Corolla, Corolla sedan and GR Yaris models will retain all existing non-hybrid powertrain options. The turbocharged GR Yaris is due to receive an update later this year with a newly-available automatic transmission.

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“In recent times, we’ve announced that C-HR, Camry and Yaris Cross are all going 100 per cent hybrid. Taking this one step further, we’ve advised our dealers that from today, we are no longer accepting orders for petrol variants of Yaris hatch and Corolla hatch,” said Toyota Australia’s sales and marketing boss Sean Hanley.

“This is due to natural consumer demand. There are no direct incentives and there’s certainly no legislation. It’s driven by changing consumer behaviour and choices that Toyota has played a significant role in encouraging. It’s not driven by an efficiency standard.”

The decision to delete petrol versions of the Yaris and Corolla hatches will see the base price for both models rise beyond $30,000 before on-road costs.

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The cost-of-entry into the Yaris petrol line-up was $24,800 before on-road costs for the base Ascent Sport, while the most-affordable Yaris Hybrid is priced from $30,190 plus on-roads – a $5390 increase.

A hybrid version of the Yaris Ascent Sport is not available, limiting it to SX and ZR trims. The latest increase sees the Yaris’s base price almost double from $15,390 to $30,190 compared to the previous-generation model last sold in 2020.

Meanwhile, the Corolla hatch line-up will now start from $32,110 before on-roads for the Ascent Sport Hybrid – up from $29,610 for the now-axed petrol Ascent Sport.

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The Corolla Sedan will continue to offer non-hybrid options with the most affordable petrol variant priced from $29,270 before on-road costs. There are also no changes for the related Toyota Corolla Cross small SUV.

In Australia, the Toyota Yaris Cross light SUV went hybrid-only with petrol models deleted in late 2023 due to “overwhelming demand for hybrid-electric variants”.

The latest Toyota C-HR small SUV – which arrives in local showrooms this month – and Toyota Camry medium sedan – due here later in 2024 – also exclusively offer hybrid powertrains.

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2024 Toyota Yaris pricing

2024 Toyota Corolla hatch pricing

2024 Toyota Corolla sedan pricing

Industry body reports that growth in novated leases, particularly for EVs, is helping to boost Australian new car sales

Battery electric vehicles (BEV) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) comprised 14.4 per cent of passenger and SUV vehicle sales (excluding light and heavy commercial vehicles) in February, in a month where total sales were up 20.9 per cent compared to February 2023. BEVs and EVs took 9.9 per cent of the market in February 2023.

PHEVs sales are up 126 per cent in January and February 2024 compared with the same period last year.

National Automotive Leasing and Salary Packaging Association chief executive Rohan Martin said demand to buy new cars remains robust for a range of reasons, including new discounts for motorists.

“Our members are reporting robust growth in novated lease sales, particularly as a result of the Government’s EV FBT exemption and greater EV model availability,” Martin said.

NALSPA members have recently reported strong ongoing growth in total novated lease sales, with EVs making up 35 to 40 per cent of all new novated leases.

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“The FBT discount is making EVs more affordable to purchase which is driving new interest from a range of Australians across the country,” Martin said.

“As many Australians navigate cost-of-living challenges, they’re looking for ways to help them save on their transport related costs – and a way they are achieving this is by turning to novated leasing. With the benefit of salary packaging, they are able to reduce their income tax, potentially helping to save them thousands of dollars.

“Selecting an EV can save motorists even more when factoring in the EV FBT discount and their reduced running costs.”

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What is a novated lease and why is it better with an EV?

Under a novated lease, you enter into a ‘salary sacrifice’ arrangement with your employer to cover the car lease repayments from your pre-tax salary. You may also include some running costs in your lease.

Your taxable income is therefore lower and you pay less tax: your finance provider or an accountant can help you to work out the potential savings and the other things you’ll need to consider, based on your personal circumstances, before entering into a novated lease.

When you have a conventional combustion car under a novated lease with your employer, the Federal Government considers it to be a fringe benefit. Fringe benefits tax (FBT) may then apply.

Exemption from FBT for BEVs and PHEVs valued below the luxury car tax threshold ($89,332 for FY 2023/24) on novated leases was introduced in 2022, however, reducing the cost of BEV/PHEV novated leases by thousands of dollars per year.

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Embarking on a road trip is not just about reaching a destination; it’s about the journey itself—the winding roads, breathtaking views and stops along the way that create those core memories for you and your family or friends, that will stay with you for years to come.

It’s also a fantastic excuse to get out of the office and drive a new car. So when Mahindra offered us to try their top-spec XUV700 we set out on an adventure from Melbourne to Daylesford, a journey that showcased the best of Victoria’s countryside.

The Mahindra XUV700  (pronounced: XUV seven double-oh) is the second new SUV recently launched by the Indian brand in Australia, following the off-road focused Scorpio. With plans for more SUV releases, Mahindra aims to establish itself as a leading “SUV brand” in the Australian market, moving away from its current international rural and agricultural image.

Our expedition commenced from the Wheels office in Melbourne’s south-east on a surprisingly nice Melbourne day, where we eagerly awaited the start of our journey. After all, how can you not be excited about the proposition of a road trip on a sunny day?

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Hopping inside the Everest White Mahindra XUV700, we were greeted by a spacious and inviting cabin. The premium white leather upholstery and ample legroom ensured that every passenger could relax and enjoy the journey in comfort. We were in the top-spec AX7L which packs in everything the XUV700 range has to offer, and for only $39,990 drive-away its clear to see the fantastic value proposition you’re stepping into.

At the heart of the dashboard lay an impressive 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system, seamlessly integrated with a matching 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster. The interface provided easy access to navigation, music, and vehicle settings, allowing us to customize our driving experience with just a few taps.

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Whether it was adjusting the climate control or selecting our favorite road trip playlist via Apple Carplay, the XUV700’s dashboard layout proved to be a valuable companion throughout our journey. And thankfully the air con was controlled by physical buttons and not through the screen, which we’ve struggled with in other marques before.

Similarly most of the touchpoints were quite pleasant to the touch, with the use of leather upholstery on the steering wheel and gear knob an impressive addition considering the price. The trim of the seats however, was entirely made of a soft feeling synthetic leather, but we weren’t able to really tell the difference.

As we made our way towards Daylesford, freeway driving was made simple with safety assist features like the adaptive cruise control and lane keep assist. Music was a contentious point in the cabin as we debated if Spotify’s road trip playlist or Outback hits was the ideal choice through the 12-speaker SONY stereo system.

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The memory seat function proved invaluable, ensuring seamless swaps between drivers. With just the press of a button, we returned to our preferred seating configuration, eliminating any frustrations of switching.

Our first pit stop was Lake Daylesford –about 134km away– a serene oasis nestled amidst lush greenery. The panoramic sunroof of the Mahindra XUV700 allowed us to appreciate the beauty of the surroundings. We soaked in the breathtaking views of the serene oasis, while the spacious boot accommodated all our essentials (sneakers) for an impromptu lakeside stroll. It’s stepping out of the car where I first noticed how the Mahindra logo looks somewhat like a chrome butterfly, which the brand has been using exclusively for their SUV portfolio. We finished our coffees and headed off to our main stop.

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Arriving in Daylesford, we were captivated by the town’s vibrant atmosphere and bustling main shopping strip. Although I’d been here plenty of times, I never get sick of the town. We parallel parked the Mahindra XUV700 along the main street which was made easy by the the parking assist technologies. Borrowed from Hyundai, the XUV700 features a live video feed of the blind spot in the digital instrument display when indicating a turn. This paired with the 360 degree camera removed my worries about parking a seven seater in a narrow spot (although I’m a notoriously cocky parallel parker).

Eager to explore the charming boutiques, cafes and art galleries that lined the main street I broke away from the group to explore. As I strolled through the streets of Daylesford, I couldn’t help but appreciate the seamless blend of old-world charm and modern amenities that the town had to offer.

We regrouped at the famous Pastry King Cafe and Bakery I grabbed a pie and a ridiculously yummy eclair for lunch. After wrapping up we embarked on a scenic drive through the picturesque countryside surrounding Daylesford, to soak in the natural beauty of the region.

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The Mahindra XUV700 handled the winding roads well, its light steering and unoffensive suspension ensured a comfortable ride for all. Along the way, the tyre pressure monitoring system provided peace of mind, as it could alert us to changes in pressure should they arise.

As a final stop we made our way to the Hepburn General Store, a cute little store offering an array of local produce and artisanal goods. As soon as we stepped inside the store I knew I’d be walking out with a new mug or two. It didn’t help knowing that there was plenty of spare space in the car to fill with gifts.

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During our drive back home the day grew quite warm and sometimes the stop-start system would shut off the engine for too long in traffic, causing the air-conditioning to struggle to maintain its coolness.

On a more positive note, the second row is impressively designed. The rear doors open wide, and the rear seats providing rear passengers with a spacious area and large windows to enjoy view of the outside world. There’s ample knee and foot room, and the almost nonexistent transmission tunnel contributes to the sense of spaciousness.

As far as road trips go, the Mahindra XUV700 AXL7 was the perfect companion for this group of music-debating car journos. It provided ample features and exceeded expectations, especially considering its price, making it a compelling choice in terms of value.

This is the Taycan Turbo GT. It still has no turbo, but it’s comfortably Porsche’s most powerful series production model of all time.

With up to 815kW and 1340Nm at its disposal, the Taycan Turbo GT claims a 0-100km/h time of just 2.2 seconds.

For those keeping score, those numbers make the Taycan Turbo GT markedly quicker than not only the Taycan Turbo S (2.8sec) but also the tightly-packed Porsche 918, 991 Turbo S and 991.2 GT2 RS trio (2.6, 2.7 and 2.8sec respectively).

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To achieve this level of performance, Porsche has equipped the Taycan Turbo GT with a more powerful and efficient pulse inverter on the rear axle, using silicon carbide semiconductor materials.

An expanded use of carbon-fibre has also reduced total weight by up to 75kg compared to the 2295kg Taycan Turbo S.

Accessing the Turbo GT’s highest performance capability comes through the new ‘Attack Mode’, delivering up to 120kW more (to achieve that 815kW figure) for 10 seconds. This feature is inspired by the push-to-pass function used in Formula E racing cars, providing an instant increase in power for overtaking or achieving faster lap times.

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All of this comes together to give the Taycan Turbo GT new record lap times for an EV in its Weissach Package form, hitting 1:27.87min at Laguna Seca and 7:07.55 on the Nordschleife.

That impressive latter figure, while 26 seconds quicker than the Taycan Turbo S managed, is outdone by a number of recent petrol-powered Porsche heroes. [↗]

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2024 Porsche Taycan Turbo GT pricing for Australia

The Taycan Turbo GT will join the recently refreshed 2024 Taycan range in Australia from the middle of this year, priced from $416,600 before on-road costs.

Volkswagen Group (VW, Audi, Skoda and Cupra) has stepped away from the policymaking committee of Australia’s peak car industry body over conflicting views on the federal government’s proposed efficiency standards.

The German brand’s decision is the latest move against the FCAI’s position on Australia’s proposed New Vehicle Efficiency Standard, after EV brands Tesla and Polestar announced they were leaving the new-car lobby group entirely.

VGA will not exit the industry group entirely, however: a spokesperson told WhichCar today that VGA will remain a member – including other committees it is involved in – and will continue to provide data for the VFACTS new-car sales wrap collated by the FCAI.

“Our NVES submission was written internally and submitted without reference to external organisations or other brands. Volkswagen Group Australia (VW, Audi, Skoda and Cupra) speaks for itself on public matters. That holds true for this one,” the spokesperson said.

“Essentially, VGA is in favour of the Government’s Option B, though with the inclusion of ‘super-credits’ from Option A. We’re told that some other brands might have this preference too.”

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In its submission to the Federal Government, the FCAI said it opposes the proposed ‘Option B’

Responding to VGA’s announcement, the FCAI said: “The Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries has a range of committees that focus on elements of the automotive industry. These include emerging technology, tax, policy, advocacy, technical, legal, logistics, motorcycle and others.”

“Volkswagen Group Australia (VGA) has advised the FCAI that they would leave one of these committees. VGA is still a member of the FCAI.”

In its submission to the Federal Government, the FCAI said it opposes the proposed ‘Option B’ as it would “cause significant disruption for large sections of the industry, and will result in less choice and higher retail prices for Australian consumers”.

The FCAI also claims the proposed standard would have a “disastrous impact” on some manufacturers who could discontinue certain vehicles, leave the Australian market, or significantly increase vehicle costs.

Australia is one of the last developed countries to introduce a vehicle efficiency standard.

If passed through parliament, the proposed policy would come into effect from January 1, 2025.

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NVES: The basics

The new standards – which will apply only to new cars – will establish emissions targets that car makers must meet across their vehicle fleets. Over time, this CO2 target will be lowered, forcing companies to provide more efficient cars.

The Government’s preferred emissions-limit model intends to catch up to the United States by 2028, with an average annual CO2 reduction of 12.2 per cent for passenger cars and 12.4 per cent for light commercial vehicles between 2025 and 2029.

The ‘Option A’ scenario is less ambitious – and includes ‘super-credits’ for the sale of low-emission electric and hybrid vehicles – while ‘Option C’ is “fast and aggressive” with stricter emissions reduction.

In February, the FCAI released modelling claiming the prices of Australia’s most popular new cars – such as the Ford Ranger, Toyota HiLux, Isuzu D-Max and Toyota LandCruiser – could increase between $6000 and $25,000.

It also said carbon credits would reduce the cost of the popular Tesla Model Y by around $15,000 in Australia – a claim Tesla Australia says is “false and misleading”.

Tesla referred the FCAI to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, saying “…the FCAI should be careful not to facilitate coordination among competitor companies about how they change prices or supply in response to regulations”.

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Volkswagen – which has long been calling for a fuel-efficiency standard – recently told WhichCar it is “not one of the dinosaur brands”.

Hyundai and Kia are also mainstream brands that publicly support the implementation of a fuel-efficiency standard.

However, some other brands – such as Toyota, Mazda, Mitsubishi and Isuzu Ute – are more cautious about the proposed efficiency standard, due to a far more limited range of electrified options in their model lines.

Toyota has Australia’s widest range of hybrid models, but the massive sales success of its HiLux ute – which has no hybrid option – and the only very recent addition of the bZ4X to its line-up is likely to hurt the company if Option B is approved.

Toyota said it wants additional leeway for large SUVs like the LandCruiser under fuel-efficiency standards and isn’t keen on buying carbon credits from other brands it does not have a stake in.