For car nuts it’s the high point of any classic movie – the edge-of-your-seat car chase that raises the heart beat and quickens the pulse through every twist and turn.

Now car insurer Canstar has set out to discover the most thrilling cinematic car chase of all time with a scientific survey of more than 150 volunteers as they watched a selection of iconic films, measuring their heart rate (BPM) and heart rate variance (HRV) to determine an overall ‘Excitement Score’ for each film.

And the winner as ‘most exciting’? Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) topped the list as the most ‘scientifically exciting’ car chase, raising average heart rates by a whopping 25 BPM (37 per cent). One of three franchise film entries to make the list, George Miller’s post-apocalyptic masterpiece feels like one continuous car chase, the HRV measurement dropping 21 per cent, or the steepest dive of all films tested.

In second place was 1998 thriller Ronin, starring Robert De Niro, which was the oldest film to make the top 10. Tearing through the narrow streets of Paris, this chase raised pulses by 23 BPM (34 per cent), proving that precision and realism can be just as electrifying as CGI and explosions.

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Rounding out the top five were Edgar Wright’s Baby Driver, Tom Cruise’s Mission: Impossible – Fallout, and the James Bond film, Quantum of Solace.

Other key findings from the survey included that Brad Pitt’s F1 (2025) was the highest-ranked movie released in the last year, while the Fast and the Furious series had more entries in the top 25 (four) than any other franchise.

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How did Canstar measure the data? Over 150 volunteers were recruited to watch iconic car chase sequences, which were curated from global critics’ lists, Reddit suggestions, and editorial picks. Each participant was fitted with a heart rate monitor tracking BPM and Heart Rate Variability (HRV) to measure changes relative to their individual resting baseline.

BPM measures how fast the heart is beating and the bigger the jump from resting rate, the more thrilling the scene. HRV tracks the milliseconds between beats. When stressed or anxious, the variance drops, and the heart beats more consistently.

Scenes that caused the most significant drop in HRV were those that had viewers holding their breath and both metrics were combined to calculate an overall Excitement Score out of 100, with Mad Max: Fury Road earning the highest score at 94.

The full results of Canstar’s survey can be found here.

Following WhichCar by Wheels‘ report that Tesla’s six-seat Model Y L had received government homologation approval to be brought to Australia, the electric vehicle manufacturer has confirmed that where there’s smoke, there’s fire.

A statement from Tesla Australia confirms, ‘the Model Y L will be coming to Australia and New Zealand’. Model Y L is already being produced at the Tesla Gigafactory Shanghai for the Chinese domestic market, and that production will now extend to RHD markets Australia and New Zealand.

According to Tesla, ‘the versatility of the Model Y L will appear to those wanting more room and more seats form Australia’s best-selling electric vehicle’. Larger than the standard Model Y in both length and height, Tesla claims that the third row will be useful because that extra length is in the wheelbase.

Model Y L’s wheelbase is 150mm longer than regular Model Y (out to 3040mm), while overall length is also 177mm longer. It’s 44mm taller, but width remains the same at 1920mm (without mirrors). This would be the first time since the discontinued Model X, that Tesla has offered a six-seat model in Australia.

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Tesla Australia won’t confirm an arrival or on-sale date as yet, but would state that customers could access Model Y L ‘this year’. Model Y L will be covered by Tesla’s five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty, with an eight-year warranty for the battery pack.

At the time of writing, Model Y starts from $58,900 for the Premium RWD, $68,900 for the Premium Long Range RWD, and $89,400 for the Performance AWD, all before on-road costs. It would be fair to assume – if Model Y L follows the same three-model line-up – that the six-seater would sit above these price points.

With more than 72,000 sales in the last three years, Model Y has been Australia’s best-selling electric vehicle since 2023, with a claimed range of up to 600km, depending on model. Given the Model Y L will be heavier than the regular Model Y, it’s safe to assume that claimed range will be revised back a little, with Model Y L getting two electric motors, AWD and an 85kWh lithium-ion battery pack.

WhichCar by Wheels will report back with range and pricing details as soon as they are available.

First published in the April 1969 issue of Wheels magazine, Australia’s best car mag since 1953. Subscribe here and gain access to 12 issues for $109 plus online access to every Wheels issue since 1953.

If Ford ever gathers even one of each new coupe variation released under the generic Capri name, their combined weight would sink the island of the same name without a trace, barring perhaps the odd flotsam matt bonnet or handbrake light here and there.

It wouldn’t be polite here to linger over a previous Ford effort (also called Capri) so I’ll get right on to totting up the new baby Mustangs which Wheels scooped with full details in its last issue.

You can have a plain Capri GT which is, of course, not plain but fancy. You might also order an L, and X or, in one frenzied burst, an ‘XL. Not to mention the R.

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Capris come with inline and V4s starting around 1.3 litres. From there engine swaps run up to three litres, bent sixes and all, taking up a page.

England, building for the Outer Seven and “certain non-European markets” uses the common shell and Cortina/Zodiac power. The Germans, selling within the Common Market “and elsewhere”, fit 1.3, 1.5 and 1.7 V4s and four 2.0 or 2.3 V6 mutants. In Germany alone that spreads power from 50 DIN hp to 125, with weight changes held between 2030 and 2160 lb.

Where the new range really swings is around your purse. Despite modern lines with long snout and manxed tail, you can have a ‘basic’ Capri for as little as $1750 in Germany while a 2300R pacesetter needs the ‘automatic’ option to bite $2500 from your roll. That’s a 110 mph car cutting under 10 secs to 60 with manual box.

The Capri shape adds perhaps $250 to the price of identical specs in basic sedan form (less in the 2.3 line). Then there are options enough to sink the Isle of Capri in sheer paperwork, never mind traffic.

The L’ package of exterior doodads includes locking gas cap under the high flank flap, rubber overriders, wheel trim, chrome and, of course, a badge.

Go X instead (double the L bite) for reclining seats, dipping rear-view mirror (how stark can the basic car get?), rear arm rest, reversing lights, handbrake light and two interior candles. Oh, and a badge.

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Order both with the et ceteras I have forgotten and it saves 10 per cent, with an XL badge thrown in.

Then comes the GT’ (a version, not a package) though you can have it X or L too – but only with 1.7 or 2.3 engines. This brings dials for oil pressure and such handy subjects, radial tyres, a brake booster, centre console, and lighter. Oh, and a badge.

A further step is called R with 5 in. rims (replacing the previous 4.5), leather steering wheel rim, two iodine lamps, matt bonnet, map light, extra chrome – and guess what? Check – a GT badge.

Incidentally, German designers apparently don’t listen to Big Daddy Henry, who threatens to cancel the V4, nee Cardinal. They dropped front-wheel drive for Capris but small ones perpetuate that Vee engine form. In matters like dials Ford of England obviously had the biggest say.

As for style, the apparent ploy was for each entity – Cologne, Dagenham and even Dearborn – to draw up an automobile fitting given parameters like 101 in. wheelbase. Then they pasted up the final form from them all. It is basically nice but totally without accents, a feminine car. And more English than German.

But then, Ford of England has been selling and German ones languishing, so it is only natural for the successful team to speak a little louder and more often in conference. Wait until they really go International and have to hire ‘strine’ interpreters to settle on a grille.

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Judging by previous experiences of efforts like the Escort, which was not joint but later taken over in Germany, I would prefer German-built cars. Nothing against English engineers but they sag in assembly.

I have a feeling of cut costs here too. Okay, the $200 automatic is tentative and usually an extra but a machine aimed for the pay-more, drool-more market shouldn’t soak you extra for make-up mirror and alternator. They are standard wear in such circles – outside England, which may explain the omissions.

And if you ever buy a stripped Capri, you minority kill-joy you, do at least spring for the leather wheel, its nicest feature.

Ford – just the German branch – plans on 425 Capris daily to make 100,000-odd people happy the first year. It is a well-priced sportster with no competition pretentions off the shelf.

A Capri will carry two in real comfort, particularly with the formed seats, two more adults can ride around town without needing orthopedic aid – better than in many a sedan – and there is a big boot in that stubby tail. Sort of a scaled down pony car – perhaps I should dub this line the Shetland pony cars.

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I drove the only two kinds on tap when the line was pre-announced and came away feeling Ford had made a damn clever shot at conferring style status within a narrow price range.

In GT and R form you just have to like wide-ranging seats and formed roosts in the rear too, really informative dials with resettable odometer in the speedo, a big tach set so it can’t reflect, tumbler switches up high, the thick wheel, easy heel-toe and even matt black bonnet. These (not unique to Ford) must be the first boy-racer gimmick to really serve driving ease.

In 1.7-litre V4 form (75 DIN hp), the car would show 30-50-70 in the lower gears but it tends to howl up around the 5250 redline and there is a 2000 rev spread when you shift. A tourer, not a track rod, you see. Top speed in the largest of the bent 4s was just three under the ton. With a little less weight up front and more miles on the clock than our 2.3, the 1700 steered more smoothly and precisely than its big brother.

The four came on more neutral around fast bends too, only getting into mild understeer on downhill marbles and even then you could power the tail out if you got to it in time. The floor-four shift is accurate enough but hampered by a wide gate pattern.

Both Capris driven here were sprung stiffly enough to be within semi-sports limits and while both jiggled a little on forest roads, neither really tried to bounce for the bushes. Good shock tuning, obviously. Boosted disc drum brakes in the R model stood up to short hard runs but Ford needs a more progressive clutch. And I don’t think I like the rocker foot piece on the Capri throttle, although one might get used to it.

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The 2300 GT-cum-R displays more understeer still, particularly one-up, and also far more effortless action, exceeding its identical 5250 red line without a quiver and doing 110 mph flat out. Gear spacing is again wide at 35-60-85 for the lower three. This is mostly a III-gear car on a chain of bends if you want to keep momentum up and torque on tap for breaking the tail loose.

Front headroom is astonishing and the driving position is good with plenty of elbow room and positive support from the back rest. The rear seats were comfortable with head and leg room adequate for adults but not enticing for a long journey. The leather-covered wheel with padded centre is set at the right reach and angle for vigorous driving and the action is quick (3¼ turns lock-to-lock) but quite light when parking and very accurate when travelling fast. The centrally-mounted handbrake and remote control gear lever are highly convenient.

Vision is good but the driver still doesn’t see the rear corners of the car. Instruments, flush-fitting rocker switches, heater controls and radio are set high in front of the driver under a deep resilient cowl where they are easy to read and to reach. I was not so happy with the horn button on the end of the stalk that works the turn indicators.

The ride is surprisingly comfortable for a sporting car, softer than Fiat’s 124 coupe at low speeds. Fast cornering is good, with no tendency to patter the axle or lift wheels at speeds higher than would ever be used on the road. Swerving about quite violently, the Capri I drove rolled little but quickly, making it a very neat performer in a fast tight “8” bend. At 6000 revs indicated I saw 36 mph in first, 50 in second and 70 in third and in top I was doing 80 at 5000 rpm. But above that, and on to 90 mph it began to sound rather busy and I began to think it must be under geared to give maximum acceleration up to Britain’s 70 mph limit.

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Yet according to Ford 6000 rpm in third should be theoretically 75.6 mph and 5000 rpm in top nearly 90 mph. And this is certainly what it felt like.

The normal 1600 had much simpler trim, with no console moulding over the centre tunnel and all the instruments grouped in two dials instead of six, with no tachometer. The seats had non-adjustable- backs, but were comfortable nonetheless. On the speedometer I saw 30 in first gear, 46 in second and 70 in third and after a fair run, 90 came up in top. The engine is more flexible than the GT unit and will pull smoothly from 24 mph in top.

General level of style and finish is good and there is a luggage boot of quite reasonable capacity. But the foot dipper is an item now going out of fashion and it is surprising that none of the custom equipment items includes grab handles for front or rear

passengers. As this is a car which Ford claims can generate cornering forces of 1g without a lot of fuss, it is an unfortunate omission.

They certainly have made a success of cutting wind noise, and this is matched by a very low level of mechanical noise and road rumble – even over noisy surfaces. Ford has been carrying on its war against what it calls NVH (noise, vibration and harshness) with only limited success till now. There is some real progress on the Capri. This follows some hard work with extra-sensitive microphones and acceleromators no doubt. 

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Underbody cross members were redesigned, several panels were made more rigid and more damping material was built in. The gearbox is a new one with only a single rail connecting shift lever and selectors and is separate from the clutch bell housing. To damp out any vibrations at this point, a stiff steel

plate links the bell housing to the sump. The gearbox extension housing was strengthened and the rear engine mounting was moved 3½ ins. to the back of the gearbox where vibration movement was lowest.

Cutting down road noise coming through the rear suspension without causing a loss of cornering capacity was a tricky job. It was achieved by enlarging the rear spring bushes, inserting isolator clamps in the axle seats, enlarging and softening the radius arm bushes and softening the front spring bushes.

The exhaust system grew extra retaining brackets fitted to the back of the gearbox, which gave an added bonus in longer silencer life at high speed. The front silencer and the pipe connecting it to the manifolds were double skinned to reduce noise. The final stage was a special bulkhead lining of PVC, felt and a woven material. The result is not a dead silent car – that is still impossible – but one in which noise is low for the level of performance. Harsh and disagreeable sounds have been eliminated and the overall effect is of quality above the price level.

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I was at Ford’s Boreham test track when the first twin-cam Capri was rolled out and this too seemed a surprisingly quiet unit, both from outside the car and when driving it. It is developed from the engine which has been supreme in Formula 2 single-seater racing here. It uses the 1600 cc Cortina block and not the 1500 block, which have had to be over bored for the Lotus twin-cam unit. The pistons have flat tops and combustion chambers in the alloy head are fully machined. It is a cross flow head with eight inlet valves down one side and eight exhaust down the other connected to ports which are siamesed into four openings each side. Carburettors are two twin choke Weber 40 DCOEs and there is one plug per

cylinder fed by coil and distributor. The two overhead camshafts are driven by cogged belt from a crankshaft fully while a normal smooth belt drives fan, water pump and dynamo or alternator. The original side-mounted camshaft is retained to drive distributor, oil pump and fuel pump. Standard production crankshaft, rods, bearings, oil pump and fuel pump are used.

In racing form this engine gives 220 bhp and has rarely been beaten. So it obviously has lots of scope as a saloon car power unit.

One of Australia’s most historically significant racing machines has received one of the sport’s highest local honours, with the Repco-Brabham BT19 Formula 1 car inducted into the Australian Motorsport Hall of Fame.

The car, which carried Sir Jack Brabham to the 1966 Formula 1 Drivers’ and Constructors’ World Championships, became the 100th member of the Hall of Fame during a ceremony held at the Formula 1 Qatar Airways Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne.

It is also the first time a car – rather than an individual – has been inducted into the Hall, which traditionally recognises Australia’s most influential drivers, engineers and figures in motorsport.

The BT19 holds a unique place in Formula 1 history. Brabham’s 1966 championship remains the only time a driver has won the Drivers’ World Championship in a car bearing their own name while also securing the Constructors’ title for their team.

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The achievement came during a landmark year for Australian motorsport. Brabham, working alongside Australian engineer and designer Ron Tauranac, led the Brabham Formula 1 team to the top of the sport with the help of engines produced by Melbourne-based engineering company Repco.

The championship was sealed at the Italian Grand Prix at Monza on September 4, 1966, when Brabham accumulated enough points to secure his third and final Drivers’ World Championship. The Brabham team also claimed the Constructors’ title that season, repeating the feat in 1967.

Sir Jack Brabham, who died in 2014, remains one of the most influential figures in Australian motorsport. Across a 23-year racing career he won three Formula 1 world championships – in 1959, 1960 and 1966 – and claimed 14 Grand Prix victories.

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He was also widely respected as both a driver and constructor, building and developing his own racing cars with Tauranac through their company Motor Racing Developments.

The BT19 itself was designed by Tauranac and built by the Brabham organisation. It was powered by the Repco RB620 3.0-litre V8 engine, which was engineered and produced in Melbourne.

Only one example of the BT19 was built, competing during the 1966 and 1967 Formula 1 seasons. Today the car is owned by Repco’s parent company in Australia and is widely regarded as one of the most important machines in motorsport history.

Family members of Sir Jack Brabham and former Repco-Brabham team members attended the Hall of Fame ceremony, held during what would have been Brabham’s centenary year.

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Mercedes-Benz Australia has marked 17 years as a partner of the Formula 1 Qatar Airways Australian Grand Prix with its largest trackside presence to date, hosting more than 5,000 customers and fans across four days at Albert Park.

The company says its 2026 activation is the biggest in its history at the event, and the largest of any brand on the circuit this year. Across two adjacent hospitality spaces – the Mercedes-AMG Lounge and the Mercedes-AMG Grandstand – the brand has secured more than 150 metres of trackside frontage at Turns 9 and 10, one of the fastest sections of the circuit.

The expanded presence is intended to support the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula 1 team and its drivers, George Russell and Kimi Antonelli, while also providing a platform to showcase historic and current road cars.

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Inside the invitation-only AMG Lounge, Mercedes-Benz is displaying several heritage vehicles as part of its 140-year anniversary celebrations. These include a replica of the 1888 Benz Patent Motor Car, recognised as the first automobile to complete a long-distance journey, and a 1957 Mercedes-Benz 220 SL roadster prototype.

The 220 SL is one of four experimental W127 cars built and is believed to be the only surviving example. It is also the only six-cylinder 220 SL produced in right-hand drive. The car was discovered in Australia in the 1970s before being identified in Germany as one of the original prototypes and later restored at the Mercedes-Benz Adelaide workshop.

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The Lounge and Grandstand are also being used for local public debuts of new models, including the Mercedes-Maybach SL 680 and the Mercedes-AMG GT 63 PRO. A replica of the Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupé Medical Car is on display to mark 30 years since the brand first supplied the FIA Formula 1 Safety Car in 1996.

Over three decades, 13 different Mercedes-Benz models have served as Safety Cars and eight as Medical Cars in Formula 1. In 2026, Mercedes-AMG will be the sole supplier of both vehicles at every Grand Prix.

The anniversary activity extends beyond Melbourne. As part of a global “140. Years. 140 Places.” program, three new S-Class sedans are travelling more than 50,000 kilometres across six continents, with Australia scheduled as one of the later stops this year.

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In a move that could shake up Australia’s new car market, the Federal Government looks set to increase the Luxury Car Tax (LCT) threshold as part of a larger European Union free trade deal.

According to a report in Guardian Australia, negotiations with the EU on a new free trade agreement, including around Australia’s luxury car tax, are well advanced, with treasurer Jim Chalmers confirming increasing the LCT threshold was on the negotiating table. Guardian Australia reports that rather than scrapping the LCT altogether, the government is looking to increase the threshold from $80,000 to “at least” $100,000.

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The LCT is currently set at 33 per cent for every dollar above a certain price threshold in two distinct categories, based on fuel consumption. Vehicles that use less than 3.5L/100km (such as EVs, some hybrids and plug-in hybrids) only attract the LCT once over the $91,387 threshold. For vehicles that consume more than 3.5L/100km (most traditional internal combustion engine cars, in other words), the LCT threshold is lower at $80,567.

The LCT was introduced by the federal government in 2000 as a measure to protect Australia’s local manufacturing industry. Since the demise of local manufacturing in 2017, there have been repeated calls to scrap the LCT, its function no longer fit-for-purpose. However, successive governments have been reluctant to abolish the luxury tax which contributes around $1.2 billion annually to the government’s coffers, around 40 per cent of which, according to several reports, is generated from the sale of cars imported from Europe.

Mercedes-Benz has introduced the Mercedes-Maybach SL 680 to Australia, marking the first time the company’s ultra-luxury Maybach brand has been applied to the long-running SL roadster.

Positioned at the top of the SL line-up, the new model combines the performance of a high-powered sports car with the bespoke materials and design elements typically associated with the Maybach nameplate.

Under the bonnet is a 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine producing 430kW and 800Nm, driving all four wheels through Mercedes-Benz’s variable 4MATIC+ all-wheel-drive system. The convertible can accelerate from 0–100km/h in a claimed 4.1 seconds.

The drivetrain is paired with a nine-speed SPEEDSHIFT MCT transmission and a dedicated Maybach drive mode, while the chassis has been tuned to emphasise ride comfort alongside performance.

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Standard equipment includes the brand’s ACTIVE RIDE CONTROL suspension system and rear-axle steering with up to 2.5 degrees of steering angle to improve manoeuvrability at low speeds and stability at higher speeds. Dynamic engine mounts, an electronically controlled rear-axle locking differential and a front-axle lift system designed to help clear steep driveways are also included.

The SL 680 is visually distinguished from other SL models through Maybach-specific exterior detailing. These include a dedicated grille with vertical slats, an Obsidian Black bonnet and 21-inch forged alloy wheels. Metallic paint finishes such as Garnet Red and Opalite White MAGNO are offered as standard.

Buyers can also choose from more than 50 optional MANUFAKTUR paint finishes, with the option of a bonnet finished in body colour or decorated with a Maybach pattern applied using Mercedes-Benz’s PixelPaint process.

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Additional exterior elements include chrome accents along the side sills and windscreen surround, an illuminated radiator shell and DIGITAL LIGHT headlamps with rosé-gold details. The acoustic fabric soft top carries a subtle Maybach pattern, while puddle lamps project the brand’s emblem onto the ground when the doors are opened.

Inside, the two-seat cabin features Nappa leather upholstery, a DINAMICA microfibre roof liner and trim details unique to the model. The sports seats feature a floral-inspired design with embossed Maybach logos and include heating, ventilation and massage functions.

Technology includes an 11.9-inch MBUX central touchscreen with augmented-reality navigation and 5G connectivity, a Burmester 3D surround sound system, wireless smartphone charging and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration.

The Mercedes-Maybach SL 680 is priced from $463,900 before on-road costs.

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A teasing silhouette image of the next Volkswagen Golf was released by German trade union IG Metall at a meeting with Volkswagen workers on Wednesday, at the same time as the manufacturing giant reaffirmed its commitment to the Wolfsburg factory where the Golf is built.

The new Golf, when it arrives, will be based on VW’s SSP architecture, and while the dark silhouette image is light on detail, new Golf looks to be, as expected, a subtle evolution of the model currently on sale.

Design inspiration has seemingly been taken from the ID. GTI concept with Autoblog reporting that the image file includes the words ‘ID. Golf’ in the title. This would appear to confirm that Volkswagen is moving away from alphanumeric naming convention for its electric vehicles. For example, ID.4 has been rumoured to be moving to ID. Tiguan in it’s naming convention, much easier for potential buyers and owners to remember.

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WhichCar by Wheels understands that the next generation Golf is also likely – for the first time – to see an electric variant sit alongside the petrol-powered variant when it goes on sale, and will be available some time in 2028.

While the silhouette image is light on specific detail, it does show a sharper, more visible rear spoiler, and a subtle change to the rear end lines. Previous reports have suggested a distinct focus on aerodynamics – vital to the efficiency of any electric vehicle.

Volkswagen Group head of design Andreas Mindt has previously referenced the Mark 7 Golf as a seminal moment for the now legendary hatch in terms of design. “The Mark 7 is kind of a masterpiece, because it resembles all the best elements from history, but it’s still a fresh design,” he said.

Having listened to the feedback from testers and owners, he also said at the time that all future Volkswagen product would retain physical dials, controls, switches or buttons for high-use features like HVAC control and entertainment volume.

In an admission of the popularity of the existing Golf, Volkswagen has stated that the new electric Golf will sit alongside a petrol version, likely to use a range of different engine variants, with hybrid technology also included. Rather than an all-new petrol Golf, though, the ninth generation, in petrol form, is likely to be a heavily updated version of the current model.

Initially revealed in October 2025, the upgraded 2026 Polestar 3 is now available to order in Australia ahead of deliveries commencing in July. Priced from $116,700 plus on-road costs, the 3 now starts at $1720 less than before, but includes important upgrades like a new 800-volt architecture for faster charging and more standard equipment.

Thanks to the new 800V architecture, the Polestar 3 can charge 100kW faster at 350kW (dual motor variants), which has improved the 10-80 per cent charge time by 25 per cent to a claimed 22 minutes. A new 250kW/480Nm (+25kW/-10Nm) rear-mounted motor is now fitted to all variants, and all-wheel drive models can now automatically disconnect their front motors to improve efficiency.

The previously optional $9000 Plus Pack is now standard across the Polestar 3 range, adding standard equipment such as a head-up display, an acoustic rear windscreen, Bowers & Wilkins audio with speakers in the front headrests, active noise cancellation, electric steering column adjustment, soft-close doors and a foldable boot floor with luggage hooks.

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The 3’s infotainment system has also seen a big upgrade, thanks to a new Nvidia Drive AGX Orin processor that replaces the previous Xavier unit, which has increased computing power from 30 to 254 trillion operations per second. According to Polestar, that move has increased computing power more than eight times and “enables faster, more intelligent management of active safety systems, battery performance, and sensor data”.

Current Polestar 3 owners will be able to upgrade to the new processor free of charge, with the company already contacting owners to organise fitment.

Polestar has also revised the line-up for the 3, with the Rear motor now the new entry-level model. It uses a smaller 92kWh battery (down from 106kWh) so its WLTP range has fallen by 96km to 604km, but it’s now lighter and quicker as a result with a 6.5-second 0-100km/h time a reduction of 1.3 seconds on the previous model.

Above the Rear Motor sits the Dual Motor, which uses a larger 106kW battery for a claimed WLTP range of 635km (+25km) and now makes 400kW of power and 700Nm of torque (+40kW, -100Nm) for a claimed 4.5 second 0-100km/h sprint time, which is 0.5 seconds less than before.

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At the top of the range continues to be the Performance, which uses a 500kW/870Nm (+120kW/-40Nm) dual-motor set up paired to the same 106kW battery as the Dual Motor for a claimed 593km range (+33km). It hits 100km/h in just 3.9 seconds, which is 0.8 seconds less than before, and has also seen revised anti-roll bars and remapped steering.

Finally, the 2026 Polestar 3 range introduces two new colours: Storm (a dark grey metallic that replaces Thunder) and Krypton (a new green metallic). There are also new interior colour options: ‘MicroTech’ in Nebula (a soft green with repurposed aluminium trim) and Nappa leather in Dune (a sandy colour with black ash trim). The standard interior option is black ‘MicroTech’ with repurposed aluminium trim.

2026 Polestar 3 pricing (excluding on-road costs):

2026 Polestar 3 options:

• Climate pack (heated steering wheel, heated rear seats, heated front wiper blades: $1200 
• Charcoal wool upholstery with repurposed aluminium trim: $1200 
• Quilted ‘MicroTech’ upholstery with repurposed aluminium deco: $900 
• ‘Bridge of Weir’ nappa leather seats in black, beige or white with black ash deco: $6500-$7200 
• 21-inch wheels: $1900 
• 22-inch wheels: $3800 
• Active air suspension (standard on Dual motor Performance): $3200 
• 1.3-megapixel HD LED headlights: $3000 
• Fully automatic electric towbar: $2900 
• Privacy rear window glass: $700 
• Electrochromic glass roof: $2800 
• Premium paint: $2000-$3200

The upgraded Polestar 3 is now on available to order in Australia ahead of the first deliveries in July.

The latest new car sales data from the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) highlights a worrying trend for some of Japan’s most popular car brands in Australia.

The FCAI’s February data shows that all but two Japanese brands have posted double-digit percentage losses over the first two months of 2026 when compared with the same period last year, including some of Japan’s heavyweight automakers.

Nissan has recorded the biggest drop of the Japanese brands so far in 2026, down 44.7 per cent compared with the same time last year. Nissan Australia has sold 3464 vehicles in the first two months of 2026. This time last year, it had sold 6594 new vehicles.

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Nissan’s poor result came on the back of market share losses for its three biggest sellers – its Qashqai small SUV (down 78 per cent), X-Trail medium SUV (down 49.4 per cent), and Navara dual-cab ute (down 35 per cent). There is some light on the horizon, however, with the imminent arrival of all-new Navara and Qashqai in local showrooms that should see a sales boost for the struggling brand.

Mazda, another powerhouse brand, has reported sales of 14,734 vehicles to start the year, a 13.9 per cent drop compared against last year when it reported 17,119 new car sales. The Mazda3 has taken a big hit in the first two months of 2026, down 34.7 per cent while sales of its popular city-sized crossover SUV, the CX-3, are down 25.3 per cent in the face of stiff competition from a host of challenger brands, mainly from China.

In good news for Mazda, its best-selling CX-5 medium SUV posted strong gains – up 15.4 per cent – despite the expected arrival of an all-new third-generation in July this year which should see a further boost.

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Toyota hasn’t been immune from the sales slump either, the Japanese juggernaut down 25.1 per cent year-on-year. But that slide is set to be reversed with the imminent arrival of an all-new Toyota RAV4 into dealerships in the first quarter of 2026. RAV4 was the world’s best-selling car in 2025, with sales of over one million and it’s conceivable the launch of the new model could see it rocket to the top of the Australian new car sales charts.

The downward trend has affected just about every Japanese brand in Australia: Lexus is down 15.6 per cent, Mitsubishi down 22.9 per cent, Subaru down 22.4 per cent and Suzuki down 32.5 per cent.

Only Honda (up 7.6 per cent) and Isuzu (up 12.6 per cent) recorded growth year-on-year. Surprisingly, Isuzu’s positive result comes off the back of a 61.6 per cent increase in sales of its MU-X SUV, one of just two models the brand offers in Australia. Sales of its D-Max dual-cab ute are down 3.1 per cent.

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Honda’s trio of SUVs – CR-V, HR-V and ZR-V – led the brand’s positive result over the first two months of 2026, sales up 14.7, 11.1 and 6.8 per cent respectively. Only its two ‘traditional’ passenger cars remained in the red, the Civic hatchback down 31.8 per cent, and Accord medium sedan down 57.1 per cent.

So why are Japanese car brands haemorrhaging sales? The single biggest factor remains the influx of new challenger brands from China, which continue to offer a broad portfolio of vehicles across multiple segments that offer previously unaffordable levels of standard equipment at prices that are significantly under-cutting rivals. 

A matter of timing is also a factor, with at least three models – RAV4, CX-5 and Navara – that have traditionally been top-10 sellers in Australia all currently in run-out as dealerships await deliveries of all-new generations over the coming weeks and months. Toyota and Mazda certainly, are well-placed to reverse their respective downward trends while Nissan’s Navara shoulders a heavy 44.7 per cent burden as the brand looks to claw back ground from its rivals.