UPDATE: First teaser released

Lamborghini has released its first official teaser for the Huracan Sterrato, letting the upcoming rally-inspired supercar loose on a gravel course.

The video, dubbed ‘Beyond the Concrete’, shows what could be a camouflaged but production-ready version of the Sterrato, bearing plenty of exterior changes from the test mule spied earlier this year.

1

The teaser car notably wears a roof scoop, a set of black plastic flares and sideskirts more in line with the 2019 concept, and the LED light bar has similarly been swapped out for a set of pods.

Interestingly, the front bash plate that appeared on the black test car has seemingly been deleted.

No new technical details come with the teaser, though the Sterrato is still tipped to see a full unveil by the year’s end.

1

The story to here

February 2022: You don’t often see a Raging Bull in the snow, but Lamborghini has changed that, with its off-road focused Huracan Sterrato spied testing in Europe.

Based on the concept car, which launched in 2019, the pre-production Sterrato is less aggressive than the original prototype, scaling down its flared wheel arches – but retaining the jacked-up ride height.

Rather than the twin LED light bars on the front bumper previously seen, the winter shots show off a single light bar mounted to the bonnet, although it seems to just be a temporary fix to the problem.

4

Pairing the sharp, angular front valance is a large skid plate, taking up more of the grille space than the one fitted to the original concept – perfect for bashing snow or sand out of the way without damaging the expensive composite materials.

While we’ve seen practical Lamborghinis towing a trailer, the Sterrato’s roof racks seem like the perfect addition for anyone who wants more storage space, with the manufacturer undoubtedly dreaming up how much it could charge for a roof pod.

2

Under the skin, it’s expected not many changes will be made to the dependable 5.2-litre V10 engine or the Huracan’s all-wheel drive system, although just where Lamborghini could fit a selector for its off-road modes remains to be seen.

Anticipated to be a limited-run model, initial expectations were for between 500 and 1000 units to be built at roughly €240,000 (AU$385,000) each, meaning any examples bound for Australia would be unlikely to squeeze in under the $500,000 asking price of a Huracan Evo.

MG’s HS SUV has become an unlikely star in Network 10’s new hit show, Hunted – being chosen as the cops’ pursuit vehicle for tracking down the crims.

Hunted Australia, 10’s new real-life thriller series, challenges 18 ordinary Australians to operate in pairs as ‘Fugitives’ who are on the run from a team of elite investigators – all of whom have previously worked in the Australian Federal Police, Australian Defence Force or British Intelligence.

The Australian version of the original British series, which began in 2015, premiered last week to become the biggest new show launch of 2022 – drawing in peak audiences of more than one million viewers per episode.

1

Unlike the UK version however, which used the Volvo XC90 wagon as its weapon of choice, in the Australian series the Ground Hunters drive around in the MG HS SUV, which was said to have been chosen for its “power and endurance”.

“We chose the HS because it is sleek and stylish, great value and carries plenty of technology for investigators who are accustomed to having cutting-edge surveillance tools available to them,” an MG spokesperson said.

The HS range is powered by a choice of two four cylinder turbo engines: either a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol making 119kW of power and 250Nm of torque, or a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol producing 168kW/360Nm.

The 2.0-litre AWD powertrain is available on all grades except the entry-level Vibe, and is mated to a seven-speed dual clutch transmission, while the 1.5-litre is paired with a six-speed dual clutch.

1

MG’s lineup also includes the HS Plus EV plug-in hybrid, using the 1.5-litre donk combined with a 16.6kWh lithium-ion battery and electric motor capable of producing 90kW/230Nm and mated to a 10-speed auto.

Grades range from the base-spec Vibe, through to mid-level Excite and Excite X, before rounding out with the Essence and Essence X – as featured in the show with its more luxurious two-tone leather sports seats.

However that premium cabin comes at a cost for the Hunters, who would be getting 9.5L/100km out of the HS Essence X on the combined cycle – meaning plenty of fuel top-ups needed for all that back and forth chasing across Victoria. Though highway driving would get them a more palatable 7.5L/100km, they’d be better off in the lower-spec Essence which has a claimed 7.3L/100km combined or 6.2L/100km highway rating.

Produced by Endemol Shine Australia, Hunted continues, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday nights, at 7.30pm on 10.

The Eclipse Cross may not go down in the pantheon of great Mitsubishis, but it does have appeal as a small but spacious urban SUV.

I’ll say, I do hold a certain admiration for the company’s ability to spin so many cars off an ancient hatchback platform. The ASX and Eclipse Cross (and the last Outlander) look nothing like the old Lancer with which they share a platform, but they’ve gone on to carry Mitsubishi through more than a decade of uncertain times.

The Eclipse Cross was meant to do things for the brand, with striking styling and a new turbo engine, all of it intended to modernise the brand’s image. It certainly set tongues wagging with its bold styling, but it didn’t fire as well as the company hoped, getting absolutely rinsed by the older but smartly value-focused ASX.

Then came this facelift to push the Eclipse Cross closer the mid-size SUV segment, stretching the body to do battle with some very fierce competition.

1

Pricing and features

Mitsubishi does really push the ‘value for money’ idea, and the good news is that you get quite a bit of gear for $39,490 (before on-road costs) in the Exceed with front-wheel drive or $41,990 for the all-wheel-drive version tested here. (Again before on-road costs.)

You’ll pay a heck of a lot more for the plug-in hybrid (PHEV) I drove a few weeks ago.

For your money you get 18-inch alloy wheels, an eight-speaker stereo, dual-zone climate control, front, side and reversing cameras, keyless entry and start, front and rear parking sensors, wireless charging pad, part-digital dashboard, adaptive cruise control, electric and heated front seats, sat-nav, auto LED headlights, auto wipers, head-up display and a space-saver spare.

1

The central 8.0-inch touchscreen runs a very basic and ageing media system, albeit saved by Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

A five-star ANCAP safety rating hails from 2017, with seven airbags, ABS and stability controls, blind-spot monitoring, forward auto emergency braking with pedestrian detection, reverse cross-traffic alert and lane departure warning.

If you have babies or younger children to cart around, they’re looked after with two ISOFIX points and three top-tether anchors.

2

Comfort and Space

Redemption for the Eclipse Cross comes in the form of really rather impressive interior space. It’s especially good in the back whether you’re comparing this against its original compact SUV segment or its mid-size competition.

Where it sits now the space is competitive, certainly giving Kia’s Sportage and Mazda’s CX-5 a run for their money with plenty of leg and knee room and even with the two-piece sunroof, plenty of headroom. The centre armrest features a pair of cup holders and the doors provide bottle holders, too.

Front seat passengers have two cup holders in the centre console and bottle holders in the doors. There is also a handy-sized bin under the climate controls, which is a good space for your phone.

The front seats are really comfortable, too, with plenty of adjustment. Irritatingly, the angle of the steering wheel is a little awkward and I can never get the seating position exactly the way I like it.

1

Despite work to increase the boot space, you still only start with 405 litres. That’s not bad, of course, but it’s not going to break any records.

With the seats down, you get 1172 litres, also not record-breaking. I will say, however, that I think both of these stats are misleadingly conservative and I reckon they’re probably off by about 10 per cent.

That requires an explanation and the best one I can give you is that it just doesn’t feel right lined up next to its competition. I have no hard evidence, so make of that what you will.

You can tow up to 1600kg with a braked trailer and 750kg without brakes. On the trailer, obviously.

1

On the road

The basics

The headline act of the Eclipse Cross is the 1.5-litre turbo petrol four-cylinder that so far has made its sole appearance, at least in Australia, in this car. It’s a neat unit, developed by Mitsubishi to stave off emissions regulations.

Despite its small capacity, it knocks out 110kW and 250Nm, driving all four wheels through an automatic continuously variable transmission (CVT).

That’s not bad going, although those power figures belong in the compact SUV segment because at this price point it’s getting soundly beaten by the Kias and Hyundais with a turbo 1.6. Similarly, while those two brands have the same annoying twin-clutch transmission, they’re still better than Mitsubishi’s CVT.

CVTs are absolutely not my favourite kind of transmission at the best of times, but they work well in low-torque applications as long as they’re well-calibrated. 250Nm is not exactly earth-moving and nor is it weedy, but the CVT is not up to the job, just as it isn’t in the ASX with the 2.0-litre engine.

1

It’s slow to react to throttle inputs, it flares when you get off the accelerator and too often you need to pick one of the eight fake gear ratios accessible via the admittedly lovely (and always out of place) alloy paddles.

In cars like this, the paddles should be for fun rather than because you’re listening to a lawnmower symphony playing out under the bonnet and getting nowhere fast.

At least the engine does haul this ton-and-a-half car along with some enthusiasm, but again it’s nothing special. The torque spread seems better in the real world than it does on paper so perhaps the CVT does a better job than I give it credit for, but it’s just not a car whose keys I want to wrestle control of.

The chassis itself is just another iteration of the same platform. While boasting a multi-link rear end where some might save some cash with torsion beams, the Eclipse wallows about and really kneels down on its outside front tyre in even moderate cornering.

1

The ride is better than the PHEV and better again than the ASX, but it’s a bit mystifying how after so long the company has not got its head around how to balance the ride and handling. And don’t get me started on the too-light and notably remote steering.

The Eclipse was with us during yet another dreary week of Sydney weather. Where it really shone was in the wet, the S-AWC system handling the atrocious weather so well that it felt like a different car according to my wife. Planted and secure-feeling, it shrugged off the standing waters, slippery tarmac and giant potholes. But when it dried up again, it was back to being deeply ho-hum.

Mitsubishi’s turbo engine does deliver on some of its efficiency promise, with a week in urban driving yielding a 9.2L/100km against its claimed 7.3L/100km.

It uses a lot less fuel than the ASX, which has never used less than 12.5L/100km in my hands. Although you deserve a prize for finding the trip computer’s average fuel figure, buried as it is in the menus.

1

Ownership

Mitsubishi offers a 10-year warranty on all its cars, but you can’t just get on the road and go for a moonshot as there are some caveats. First, it applies to the first 150,000km, which for most people is fine.

Second, and this applies to all owners, you have to service it at a Mitsubishi dealership or risk reverting to the old standard warranty of five years and unlimited kilometres. Only Kia does a better job of looking after high milers.

Servicing is covered by a capped-price program, which is mighty helpful and matches the warranty’s length of 10 years/150,000km. Six of the services cost $299, two cost $399 and the remaining visits a sobering $599. That gives you a ten-year service bill of $3790 or $379 per year. That’s reasonable in the context of the segment – and quite a bit cheaper than the Euros.

1

VERDICT

The Eclipse Cross does have good points. It’s roomy, reasonably well priced and undeniably striking to look at. I don’t mind the styling because it does show a bit of spark where over the last decade there has been none.

The new Outlander is proof that Mitsubishi can do a hell of a lot better than this, but the average buyer will find an Eclipse Cross perfectly agreeable because it mostly is. I’m not entirely sure, as ever, that the Exceed is the one to go for with its largely cosmetic additions over the Aspire and XLS variants.

It does, however, feature all-wheel drive, which for some is worth the extra cost and, as I discovered, quite good when it’s slippery. So if you want or need all-wheel drive, the Exceed is for you. If you don’t, and the sunroof is of no interest to you, look to the lower-grade models.

1

2022 Mitsubishi Eclipse-Cross Exceed specifications

The new 2023 BMW M3 Touring hero wagon won’t reach Australia until the first quarter of next year – but if you can’t resist knowing more about what will be on offer, BMW’s international configurator is now online.

So far, the options are limited to exterior colour choices and the two different wheel designs, with the interior seemingly off limits – for now, at least.

What’s worse, the savvy buyer going for a British Racing Green won’t have the option to select a gold wheel as offered with the recent M5 CS – but perhaps we’ll see that on the anticipated 2024 M3 CS.

Still, a black M3 Touring was shown at Goodwood on gold wheels, so we’ll hold out hope!

1

With only silver and black wheel options available, which body colour would you choose? For this writer, it’d have to be the Twilight Purple shown at Goodwood, but that BRG sure is compelling…

Hit the configurator here and tell us your colour of choice.

For those needing a reminder, the M3 Touring is powered by a 3.0-litre straight-six twin-turbo petrol engine delivering 375kW and 650Nm, sending motivation to BMW’s xDrive AWD system through an eight-speed torque converter auto.

1

BMW claims a 0-100km/h time of 3.6 seconds – making it roughly 0.3 seconds faster than its rear-wheel-drive siblings.

Find out more about the M3 Touring at the links below.

VW’s smallest SUV was, as ever, a long time coming. The Volkswagen T-Cross landed here in 2020, which must have been a bit disappointing for the German giant because something else landed here as well, putting a dent in its triumphant arrival.

Despite the events of the past two years, the T-Cross has cemented itself in the VW range, defying supply constraints and managing to be at or near the top of the marque’s overall sales tally. It isn’t anywhere near the cheapest compact SUV but it isn’t the most expensive, with one European rival costing at least ten thousand dollars more.

It isn’t the most powerful or feature-packed either, with even its VW stablemate (and lower-riding twin under the skin) Polo packing a lot more gear for similar money and certain other cars throw in some features as standard the T-Cross wants more money for.

1

Pricing and features

At $30,750 before on-road costs, the Style is the second step in the two-car T-Cross range. That seems like a bit of cash for such a small unit but you’ll be paying more for a Polo.

For your money you get 16-inch alloy wheels, a six-speaker stereo, reversing camera, remote central locking, front and rear parking sensors, cruise control, auto headlights and wipers, leather shifter and steering wheel trim, powered and heated folding mirrors, wireless phone charging, LED taillights and a space-saver spare.

VW’s media system runs on an 8.0-inch touchscreen. Opinions on this system vary but I find it reasonably easy to use and don’t have much to dislike. It has Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and DAB+ digital radio, and works really well with phones.

1

Annoyingly, the headlights are halogen which, while not unusual in this class, is annoying. The much older Mazda CX-3 has LEDs available in some grades. Some of its competitors also feature a more complete safety package as standard, but at least you can add those features to the T-Cross as part of the optional Driver Assistance Package.

The standard safety kit list includes six airbags, ABS, stability and traction controls, forward auto emergency braking (low speed with pedestrian detection), driver attention monitoring, reversing camera and lane departure warning. The kids are taken care of with three top-tether anchors and two lots of ISOFIX points. The T-Cross scored five ANCAP stars in April 2019.

A $2200 Sound and Vision Package upgrade gives you a full digital dashboard as well as sat-nav and an upgraded sound system. The Driver Assistance package includes rear cross-traffic alert (*cough* should be standard on all cars, not just VWs), blind-spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control and folding mirrors for $1200.

1

There are eight colours available and only white is free, with the remaining costing $600 with the exception of Makena Turquoise, which is $900.

As is rapidly becoming the norm across the VW Australia fleet, the R-Line styling kit is standard, meaning some sporty visual upgrades inside and out.

If you’re looking around for other cars in this space, your choices are, of course, legion. The Skoda Kamiq is a few grand more and bigger, the Mazda CX-3 can be had in a wide range of specs but isn’t considerably cheaper these days (and it’s getting on a bit).

The Kia Stonic is cheaper and feels it (even in top-spec GT-Line form) and its Hyundai counterpart, the Venue, is cheaper than the T-Cross but not as well-equipped even in Elite spec. The hugely underrated Euro-sourced Ford Puma also plays in this space at a similar price point, with a big boot, funky looks and a turbo three-cylinder engine.

1

Comfort and space

As you might imagine for such a small car, it’s not exactly roomy. However, it’s clear a fair bit of work has gone into making the most of the space and it starts with a massive 385 litres of boot space, huge for such a small car and bigger even than the Polo on which it is based. With the seats down you have 1286 litres.

Rear seat passengers taller than about 150cm will need to plan their entry through the tight door aperture but once in, folks up to 180cm will have a cosy but comfortable fit as long as the driver isn’t any taller.

Headroom is good and knee room is surprisingly good, with plenty of light from the rear windows. The rear seat will also slide forward towards the front seats, bringing smaller children and/or animals closer to the front occupants.

It’s clear a fair bit of work has gone into making the most of the space and it starts with a massive 385 litres of boot space

1

Sadly you don’t get much in the way of storage, with just bottle holders in the doors and pockets in the back of the front seats. No cup holders or armrest, though, which is a bit of a shame.

The front is, again, very spacious given the T-Cross’ upright vibe, with a high roof and plenty of space. You do get cup holders here, of course, as well as a wireless charging pad perfect for your phone. You also get an under-seat storage tray on the passenger side.

It’s a well-made cabin that has a nice mix of materials with just a little bit of scratchy plastic here and there, something very common in this class. Also common is the fact that there isn’t a lot of colour to break up the plastic.

1

On the road

The basics

The T-Cross 85TSI Style ships with VW’s titchy 1.0-litre turbocharged three-cylinder producing 85kW at a high-ish 5000-5500rpm and an impressive 200Nm between 2000 and 3500rpm.

It is a resolutely front-wheel drive proposition, with power delivered via a seven-speed DSG dual-clutch transmission.

This is not the lightest of little SUVs at over 1200kg but the T-Cross gets along okay. The quoted 0-100km/h is a believable 10.2 seconds, which puts it on par with pretty much everything else in the class.

1

VW’s seven-speed DSG automatic isn’t at its best in the T-Cross, with a slightly bumbling nature that its Polo counterpart doesn’t display, so that’s a little confusing. It takes a while sometimes to decide which gear it wants to give you and over the course of this week-long test, that got a little grating.

It is, however, very nice to drive once you get past that. The steering is well-weighted, delivers enough feel to let you know what’s going on and is well geared, so you won’t be twirling the wheel too much to get the car in and out of tight corners or tight spaces.

A turning circle of just 10.6 metres makes it an ideal city car.

Steering is well-weighted and delivers enough feel to let you know what’s going on

1

The T-Cross is reasonably happy on the freeway, too, which is where the torque figure comes into its own. Rivals without the advantage of a healthy twist number fall away when you’re trying to overtake or even keep up with fast-moving traffic.

VW’s MQB platform rarely fails to deliver and in this application provides an excellent ride for such a small car, even on relatively large wheels and tyres. It’s very quiet at a cruise and around town. The suspension dispatches bumps with little drama except for the bete noir of almost all torsion beam cars, those wretched rubber speed bumps in car parks.

As ever, the rolling lab fuel figure of 5.6L/100km is a little optimistic, with the T-Cross returning 7.1L/100km in our hands. You also need to know that being a small Euro turbo, it will expect a minimum of 95 RON fuel where its naturally-aspirated Korean and Japanese competition is less picky.

1

Ownership

Volkswagen offers a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty on its passenger cars along with roadside assist.

You can pre-purchase three or five years of servicing through VW’s Care Plan. For the five-year plan you’ll pay $2100, which is $765 cheaper than pay as you go.

The three-year package is $1300, with a less-handy saving of $171. It’s not particularly cheap but nor is it outrageously expensive when you compare with some of its rivals which either have shorter service intervals (12 months/10,000km vs 12 months/15,000km) and/or aren’t significantly cheaper.

If you don’t go with a Care Plan, you can expect to pay around the $500 mark (give or take) per service and the four-year service is a bit of a whopper, nearing $1000.

1

VERDICT

The T-Cross offers a combination of dynamics, looks and interior space that are worth the extra bucks.

The T-Cross is neither the cheapest to buy nor run of the extensive small SUV market in Australia. The Style isn’t even the cheapest T-Cross, with mostly cosmetic changes to justify the price rise. It is the nicer of the two, but unusually it’s worth stretching if you can to the Life as the Style can feel a little spartan if that kind of thing worries you.

Either way, the T-Cross is definitely worth going for in a more general context. The Hyundai/Kia pair are a bit lacklustre in the engine department and the Kia is obviously just a higher-riding Rio where at least the Venue does what the T-Cross does and looks very different to its hatchback sibling.

It is irritating that a couple of really important safety features aren’t standard and that the pack you need to add them isn’t exactly cheap, but the T-Cross offers a combination of dynamics, looks and interior space that are worth the extra bucks.

2022 Volkswagen T-Cross Style specifications

UPDATE, July 26: Ford Australia secures further supply of Ranger Sport and Wildtrak V6, in production from fourth quarter

Ford Australia has secured further supply of the new-generation Ranger, due to strong demand for the flagship V6 diesel grades.

The additional 2023 Ford Ranger units will commence production in the fourth quarter of the year (October to December inclusive), consisting of the Sport and Wildtrak – including the premium pack – with the popular 3.0-litre turbo-diesel V6 engine.

A spokesperson for Ford Australia said the “incremental supply” is due to strong customer demand for the diesel V6, in order to reduce extended wait times aggravated by the semiconductor chip shortage and COVID-related supply chain disruptions.

1

In particular, the Wildtrak with premium pack is proving popular, leading to an estimated wait time of nine months. The additional supply should assist in reducing this wait, which is understood to be caused by a shortage of matrix LED headlights.

The twin-turbo petrol V6 Ranger Raptor features matrix lights as standard, with a similar indicative wait time.

“We’ve worked with our team to do everything possible to get as many Rangers, Ranger Raptors and Everests as we can to customers as soon as we can,” the spokesperson added.

1

“Global semi-conductor and COVID-related supply chain challenges, combined with very high demand for certain variants, mean some customers will unfortunately face extended waits.

“However, depending on the dealer, location and specifications, there is still some stock available, so we encourage customers to talk to their dealer.”

Earlier this month, Ford Australia CEO Andrew Birkic told Wheels roughly 5000 Rangers will arrive on local shores every month until the end of the year – potentially boosting sales by over 25,000 units.

The first examples of the 2023 Ford Ranger rolled into local Ford showrooms in mid-July. For more information, see below.

The story to here

1

July 17: 2023 Ford Ranger deliveries to begin this week, 10,000 more expected over two months

The 2023 Ford Ranger is arriving in Australian dealerships this week, almost eight months on from its global reveal.

At today’s local launch of the Ranger, Ford told media it was projecting an extra 10,000 examples of the model to land locally between now and September, representing a serious chunk of the 17,000 orders already placed.

While the flagship Raptor grade will be further delayed thanks to supply chain issues, the first examples of the new Ranger are currently rolling out onto Australian streets through the local dealership network.

UPDATE, July 2022: New Ford Ranger review – it’s here at last

The new 2023 Ford Ranger is now on sale in Australia, and the local media launch has been run. The Wheels and 4×4 Australia teams have both driven the new Ranger, and you can find their stories at the links below.

Story continues…

1

Unveiled in November last year, the next-generation Ranger has proven popular with local buyers, especially the Raptor which has accounted for 4000 of the 17,000 orders despite its $85,490 price tag (before on-road costs).

Buyers are facing delays of up to eight months for the Wildtrak V6 with the optional Premium Pack – essentially the flagship grade until Raptor arrives and the top-spec diesel from the range – although Ford has told customers they can receive their order sooner if they forgo the optional pack.

Despite production of the outgoing Ranger winding up, the model is still the third-most popular new car in Australia, having recorded 19,794 sales to the halfway point of 2022, however last month was particularly tough as its 2802 June deliveries was a 54 per cent drop on the same month last year.

An industry group has slammed dangerous drivers for running red lights after they were caught more than 30,000 times across Queensland in a single year.

State police data shows that in 2021, a motorist ran through a red once every 17 minutes, leading to the Royal Automobile Club of Queensland (RACQ) issuing a safety plea.

RACQ Spokesperson Tristan Vorias said it was extremely disappointing to see so many motorists risking their lives and the lives of others.

“Ignoring a red light is one of the most dangerous decisions any driver can make,” Vorias said.

“You’re not only running the risk of crashing into other motorists, but also our most vulnerable road users like pedestrians and cyclists.”

The data, obtained by RACQ, also revealed the worst intersections for red light runners in 2021, with the Gold Coast Highway and Margaret Avenue at Broadbeach taking top spot with 1636 fines issued.

1

Two intersections on Ipswich Road came in second and third place with the Cornwall Street intersection at Woolloongabba and the Venner Road intersection at Annerley recording 1547 and 1194 fines, respectively.

But far from being a city problem, Vorias said a significant number of motorists were also caught breaking the law in regional Queensland.

The intersection of Moores Creek Road, High Street and Alexandra Street in Rockhampton caught 690 motorists running red lights, and the Bruce Highway and Coombs Street intersection in Cairns recorded 517.

“Already we’ve seen more than 160 people die on Queensland roads this year and we are tragically on track to surpass last year’s road toll,” he added.

“Motorists need to stop risking lives just to save a few seconds. They need to be prepared to slow or stop when approaching traffic signals and treat yellow lights as though they are red.”

Red light hotspots

UPDATE, July 25, 2022: BMW X6 Black Vermillion Edition bound for Australia

A limited-edition of the 2023 BMW X6 M50i will arrive in Australia later this year for $208,900 drive-away, the marque has confirmed.

The BMW X6 Black Vermillion Edition – of which just five are coming to Australia – includes features from BMW Individual to give the model “enhanced exclusivity”.

The special edition, which is powered by BMW M’s TwinPower Turbo V8 engine good for 390kW and 750Nm with a 0-100km/h sprint time of 4.3-seconds, went on sale this morning on BMW’s website.

1

Features

As standard, above the X6 M50i, the Black Vermillion Edition gets:

Read on for more details contined in our original story below.

2

The story to here

July 2021: BMW X5, X6, X7 black editions announced for UK

The trend for blacked-out vehicles is as popular as ever, with BMW becoming the latest carmaker to release a set of special-edition variants of its X range – the X5 and X6 Black Vermillion Edition and X7 Frozen Black Edition.

The Black Vermillion Edition of the X5 and X6 integrates red grille accents onto an exclusive Frozen Black metallic finish taken from the BMW Individual range of exterior colours. The X6 is also fitted as standard with its glowing kidney grille.

Both models feature the M Sport and M High Gloss Shadow Line packages as standard, with the equipment list extending to unique 22-inch alloy wheels in matte grey, an M Sport exhaust system, laser headlights, red brake calipers, as well as slightly redesigned front and rear bumpers.

1

Inside, the darkened theme is emphasised through black suede headlining and black BMW Individual leather seats with ventilation. Owing to the red accents of the Black Vermillion Edition’s exterior, the seating is joined by contrasting red stitching for the driver and passenger seats, and also in the rear of the X5. Front and rear floor mats in red are fitted as standard.

The iDrive controller, start/stop button and gear shifter are finished in crystal glass.

Meanwhile, the company’s largest SUV – the X7 – sees a different special-edition variant.

1

The BMW X7 Frozen Black Edition is available in M50i guise only, finished in BMW Individual’s Frozen Black metallic paint – although the X5 and X6’s red accents have not been carried over.

The X7 is also fitted as standard with the M Sport and M High Gloss Shadow Line packages and rides on 22-inch matte grey alloy wheels.

Offered as standard on the X7 is an M Sport exhaust system, black brake calipers, laser headlights and crystal glass for the iDrive controller, start/stop button and gear shifter.

2

The BMW X5 and X6 Black Vermillion and X7 Frozen Black special edition models will go into production at the company’s Spartanburg, South Carolina, plant in August 2021, with the vehicles not confirmed for Australia.

However, given the limited amount of units available in overseas markets, we’d wager they won’t make the trip Down Under.

The X5 and X6 special editions are limited to 50 units across the UK and Ireland, as well as just five X7s.

All versions are available to order now in the UK and Ireland with deliveries expected from September 2021.

One of Australia’s key motoring organisations has accused fuel stations in regional Queensland of ripping off customers at the bowser by not lowering their prices.

A plunge in the cost of global oil, as well as Singapore benchmark and terminal gate prices this month, has seen regular unleaded (ULP) drop significantly in the state’s south east – but the amount drivers are paying in regional areas is taking much longer to fall, according to the Royal Automobile Club of Queensland (RACQ).

“After months of pain for motorists and record high petrol prices, it’s incredibly disappointing to see fuel companies refusing to pass these savings onto motorists, and instead use the falls in oil prices and wholesale prices to further bolster their retail margins,” said RACQ spokesperson Lauren Cooney.

1

“In Mackay the average price today is 208.3 cents per litre (cpl), but really it should be closer to 179cpl. That’s a massive 29 cents more than it should be and that will really add up for drivers who need to fill the tank,” Ms Cooney said.

“In Cairns, the average price is 204.9cpl, but again, with lower global oil and terminal gate prices, this should be 26cpl less, sitting around 178cpl.

“In Gladstone, drivers are paying 20cpl more than what they should, in Townsville and Rockhampton it’s about 18cpl and in Bundaberg, they’re being overcharged by about 14cpl.”

1

The dramatic drop in global oil prices is believed to be caused by fears of recession and has impacted the cost of petrol right across Australia, and the RACQ expects prices to continue to fall over the coming weeks.

However, Cooney said diesel prices were still unacceptably high.

“Right across regional Queensland the average price of diesel is above 224cpl, in some areas it’s higher than 230cpl when it really should be closer to 210cpl,” she said.

“These exceptionally high prices are despite a significant drop in wholesale prices for diesel. We haven’t seen any falls in diesel prices, instead fuel companies are refusing to pass on the savings to motorists.”

1

With the end of the former Federal Government’s fuel excise cut imminent, due to cease from September after the new administration confirmed it would not be extending it, it remains to be seen what will happen to prices in the months to come.

Last month the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) reported that the cut to the fuel excise had been passed on to Australian motorists in the vast majority of locations.

The ACCC’s latest petrol monitoring report showed in the weeks after the fuel excise was cut on March 30, daily average petrol prices fell by at least 39 cents per litre in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide. In Canberra, Hobart and Darwin over the same period, prices fell by between 25 and 48 cpl.

1

Daily average petrol prices across the five largest cities decreased by around 42 cpl between March 29 and April 19, the ACCC found. Over the same period, daily average wholesale prices dropped by around 36 cpl.

However, from mid-April higher international refined petrol prices stemming from Russia’s war in Ukraine again pushed up wholesale and retail in Australia – which is what we’ve seen at the bowser over the last couple of months.

“Retail petrol prices will still fluctuate with changes in international prices and the price cycles in the largest capital cities, even though the excise cut has flowed through to the bowser,” ACCC Chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb said.

“Our monitoring will continue for the duration of the excise cuts. Petrol retailers who fail to maintain the cuts can expect to hear from us.”

Controversial Volkswagen Group CEO Herbert Diess has resigned from his role, with Porsche’s Oliver Blume set to take the helm later this year.

The move was announced following months of speculation about what Diess’s future with the company would be, due, in part, to longstanding friction with labour representatives.

Blume will take over the top job as of September 1, Volkswagen said, combining it with his role as Chairman of the Board of Management for Porsche AG – which is set to continue even following Porsche’s IPO later this year.

Meanwhile, VW’s current Chief Financial Officer, Arno Antlitz, will assume the position of chief operating officer.

1

The Group’s Board said Diess had resigned by “mutual agreement”.

“During his tenure as Chairman of the Board of Management of the Volkswagen Passenger Cars Brand and as Chairman of the Group Board of Management, Herbert Diess played a key role in advancing the transformation of the company,” said Supervisory Board Chairman, Hans Dieter Pötsch.

“The Group and its brands are viable for the future; its innovative capabilities and earning power are strengthened. Mr Diess impressively demonstrated the speed at which and consistency with which he was able to carry out far-reaching transformation processes. Not only did he steer the company through extremely turbulent waters, but he also implemented a fundamentally new strategy.”

1

Since taking the job of CEO in 2018 – the third in the role since the fallout of Dieselgate – Diess has lauded American EV specialist Tesla – praising Elon Musk and his company’s efforts to bring fully-electric cars to the market, while also wanting Volkswagen to become a competitor in the segment.

In an earlier interview with US current affairs show 60 Minutes, Diess said:

”We have to decarbonize the world, because climate change is happening. And to decarbonize the automotive sector, the only way — feasible way forward is electrification.

”It’s really the new competitors which are especially challenging for us… coming from software background, battery background, Apple being said to entering at some stage, no? Those are probably the competitors we have to take most seriously.”

1

During his tenure, Volkswagen has released its ID.3 and ID.4 electric vehicles, as well as announced the upcoming ID.5.

Across its portfolio, the Volkswagen Group will launch additional electric vehicles in the next 12 months.

This includes the MEB-based Volkswagen ID Buzz, and the PPE-based Audi Q6 E-Tron, A6 E-Tron and Porsche Macan.

Blume, 54, has been touted as a potential successor to Diess for some time, even though any changeover was thought to be further off after Diess’s contract was extended until 2025, according to Automotive News Europe.

Born in Braunschweig, Germany, Oliver Blume joined the Volkswagen Group in 1994 and, since then, has held management positions for the brands Audi, Seat, Volkswagen and Porsche.

1

He has been the Chairman of the Board of Management at Porsche since 2015 and a member of the Group Board of Management since 2018.

“Oliver Blume has proven his operational and strategic skills in various positions within the Group and in several brands and has managed Porsche AG from a financial, technological and cultural standpoint with great success for seven years running,” said Pötsch.

“From the Supervisory Board’s point of view, he is now the right person to lead the Group and to further enhance its customer focus and the positioning of its brands and products.”