The entry-level price of the Tesla Cybertruck has been slashed, with the introduction of a new Dual-Motor All-Wheel Drive model replacing the now deleted single-motor Rear-Wheel drive model.

Despite the addition of an extra motor and AWD capability, at US$59,990 (A$84,733) is US$10,000 (A$14,100) less than the rear-wheel drive model it replaces in the Cybertruck hierarchy. But, despite the price cut, the new base Cybertruck is still significantly more expensive than the US$40,000 (A$56,500) Tesla honcho Elon Musk promised at the model’s launch in November, 2019.

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However, the catch could be that this sub-60k price could only last for 10 days, according to a cryptic post by Musk on his social media platform, X, where he wrote “Just for 10 days”. When asked by an X user how much the new entry-level model would cost after the “10 days”, Musk responded with “Depends on how much demand we see at this price level.”

Equipment levels for the new entry-level Cybertruck include four-wheel steering, a powered tonneau, and fabric seats (replacing Tesla’s usual faux leather coverings), and heated front seats. Further cost-saving measures include swapping out the regular model’s 15-speaker audio system with a nine-speaker set-up while second-row passengers miss out on the 9.4-inch touchscreen from more expensive models.

The new model drops the regular range’s air suspension, now fitted with coil springs and adaptive dampers. That’s seen tow rating reduced from 4990kg to 3400kg.

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The addition of an electric motor at the front wheels has impacted driving range, dropping to 515km from the rear-wheel drive model’s 563km. But thanks to the extra power, the new entry-level model’s 0-100km/h claim is now 4.1 seconds, a significant improvement over the RWD model’s 6.5 seconds.

Although not explicitly stated, the new cut-price entry model is likely a bid to halt the Cybertruck’s sales slide. Tesla sold just 20,000 Cybertrucks in the US in 2025, less than half of its 2024 sales and well short of the projected 250,000 annual sales Musk promised at launch.

The current automotive landscape is obviously very different to even five years ago. I remember quite clearly within the last decade, a senior exec from a Korean manufacturer telling the the only reason an otherwise excellent car couldn’t come to Australia was because, ‘Aussies won’t pay 70 grand for it’. The insinuation was that the ask was too high for a brand associated with value.

Well, here we are, in 2026 with BYD’s luxury arm Denza launching the B5 Leopard that Wheels is testing this month, with an asking price of more than $80,000 once on-road costs are added. At the time of testing, the starting price for the off-road focused B5 Leopard was $79,990 before on-road costs. From a sub-brand most of you have never heard of. And, if the recent surge in sales from all challenger brands is any indication, it won’t make one iota of difference.

BYD has already known huge success in this country – and in theory at least, an assault on the more luxurious end of the market here makes sense – especially if you have the tools at your disposal to attempt it. Denza will launch with two models – the B5 as tested here and the six-or-seven seat B8. You’d expect the B5 to be the higher volume seller, and it’s armed with a more potent execution of the BYD Shark 6’s PHEV drivetrain. That alone, promises to deliver interesting performance.

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Given the disruption that Shark has caused in the dual-cab segment, you could reasonably assume that the B5 is capable of the same, but there’s one significant difference. The Shark undercuts the traditional badges with serious value – the B5 is a different proposition for buyers.

What are the Denza’s key features

However, the standard specification list, remains impressive. The Leopard we’re testing features 20-inch alloy wheels, wrapped in Pirelli Scorpion rubber, Napa leather interior trim, heated and ventilated front and rear seats, a digital rear-view mirror, two wireless charge pads, matrix LED headlights, 15.6-inch touchscreen, wireless smartphone connectivity a 16-speaker audio system, 12.3-inch digital driver’s display, head-up display, dual-zone AC, panoramic sunroof, and hydraulically controlled adaptive DiSus-P suspension.

The Leopard even has a heated and cooled console bin, all the electronic safety equipment you’d expect, front and rear parking sensors, a 360-degree camera and ambient interior lighting. It really is a very premium cabin. At the time of testing, Wheels had a Lexus GX550 in the garage, and the presentation and execution of the Denza cabin certainly holds the Lexus to account.

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Interestingly – and Wheels will test the off-road capability more specifically post-launch – the Denza B5 comes standard with some pretty focused off-road hardware in the form of a low-range mode, electronic front and rear diff locks, as well as 16 drive modes, off-road cruise control and a ‘tank turn’ function. I write interestingly, because the luxury off-road market is fascinating. Most 4WDers I speak to, question the need for proper off-road ability in a luxury SUV, given most of them will never experience true off-road work. It’s the prerogative of the manufacturer of course, to equip its SUV however it wants to, but I’d argue just about every 80 odd thousand dollar Denza B5 Leopard that is sold will be lucky to ever see a dirt road, let alone low-range terrain.

At 4921mm long, the B5 isn’t a monster, it’s almost Prado-sized (4990mm) in the real wold, and that will work for family SUV buyers. The wide, side steps make entry and exit into the cabin easy, but you’ll need to use them if you don’t want to dirty your trouser legs on exit if it’s been raining. There’s plenty of space in the second row, and the Nappa leather trim is luxurious, comfortable as well, but it lends a high-end feel to the cabin.

That’s important, too, because Denza will need to sell on the presentation and execution of its tech-laden cabin. The big screen will appeal, and they are clear and easy to decipher. There’s a lot going on, control-wise, with off-road modes, and drive modes, vying for console space with the shifter that rises out of the console when you hit the start button.

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A six-year/150,000km warranty is added to by the eight-year/160,000km battery warranty, and servicing is required every 12 months or 20,000km. It’s covered by a five-star ANCAP safety rating, too, tested in 2025.

What are the details of the drivetrain?

The Denza’s engine is familiar, but slightly different. It’s very similar to drive to a Shark 6, but it’s better on paper, and better in the real world, too, thanks to uprated power. The 1.5-litre, turbocharged petrol engine is the same, but higher output electric motors now generate 200kW at the front and 285kW at the rear. Combined, Denza quotes 400kw and 760Nm, which is serious mumbo, but there is also the small matter of 3007kg which needs to be motivated. In Eco mode, the accelerator pedal’s response is too docile for our liking, with Normal the drive mode we preferred.

In effect, the electric motors do the heavy lifting, relegating the petrol engine to generator status, though it can drive the wheels as required. In short, the power delivering v whether getting off the mark or rolling up to speed – isn’t as effortless or linear as the best diesel 4WDs.

Ride quality is good without being great. There’s a firm edge to the bump absorption and some sharpness to the way the suspension takes a nastier hit, but it’s not uncomfortable either – more in line with what you’d expect from a European SUV suspension tune. With 16 different drive modes, you will spend days working out what they all do, but that’s for a longer test than we have time for here.

What’s fuel consumption like?

Fuel use is complex in the new-generation PHEV space, because of the way they work depending on how you charge the battery. In theory, the smartest way to use a PHEV is to have it fully-charged every time you leave home, to maximise its efficiency – regardless of brand. Denza claims 3.9L/100km if the battery is between 25 percent and 100 percent, and then 10.9L/100km once the battery drops below 25 percent. In Hybrid mode, Wheels used 8.9-9.5L/100km, over 300km of testing, starting with a full charge. Denza claims 90km on battery power alone, and twice we got 75km under normal driving. In more stop/start traffic, you’d get even closer to 90km.

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Negatives aren’t overly grating, but there are a few. As is the way with so much modern technology, too much of it is accessed via the touchscreen. Things like temperature control, fan speed, seat heating and cooling, require an eye on the screen and multiple steps to access and adjust. Switches and dials would be significantly easier and more intuitive and while I understand the desire for decluttering, it isn’t always the best way forward.

Some of the driver assist systems are overly enthusiastic – and that’s being kind. Being told that fatigue has been detected two minutes after leaving my garage in the morning, is both offensive and annoying, and some of the chimes and assistance mechanisms could do with fine-tuning. Likewise, stop telling me too keep my eyes on the road – when they are already on the road. The last one would be what I’d like to see Denza do with its cabin – a clearer move from similar switchgear to a BYD would be a smart move.

Those negatives aside though, it’s worth noting that the B5 is a strong entrant into what is unchartered waters for the BYD brand. It’s a much more difficult ask to mail the luxury segments than it is the value segments BYD is already taking chunks out of. However, the Denza B5 looks and feels like it can make some inroads. Time – and some further Wheels testing post launch – will tell.

Specs

It could be the first time WhichCar by Wheels has ever heard the boss of a car company state that the primary focus of an otherwise expensive endeavour was not to sell more cars, but that’s exactly what John Pappas, Vice President of National Sales, Marketing and Franchise Operations for Toyota Australia told journalists on the eve of the Japanese giant’s first foray into the Supercars category.

“Look for us, actually, this isn’t about selling more cars,” Pappas said. “It’s actually more about building the GR brand, and it’s really more about just learning. Leaning to build better cars, better people. They are the key things fort us, right? This is not about sales and trying to sell cars. It’s about building better vehicles and building the GR brand.”

It’s an admission that raised some eyebrows, but isn’t quite as left-field as it might seem, given the sharp rise of the GR brand in this country, and the associated following that has come with it. GR Yaris got the tyres rolling, followed by GR Corolla, GR86 and of course the GR Supra, a car that Toyota stopped taking orders for in August 2025.

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Further, with Supra joining Camaro as race versions of cars no longer on sale to the general public, Toyota has guaranteed a further five years for the two-door sports car in the Supercars category. That rules out a switch to a different model or body style in the next few years.

Executive Chairman Akio Toyoda has stepped back from the daily running of Toyota globally, but his love of motor racing and his steadfast belief in the GR brand is behind Toyota’s Supercars push, following almost 25 years of deliberation at a local level.

Partnering with Walkinshaw and Brad Jones Racing for a five-car lineup, the rise of Gazoo Racing and it’s associated links to high performance versions of Toyota’s cars, paved the way for Toyota’s move into Supercars. And harked back to the glory days of some of Toyota’s great sports cars and hatches through the 80s and 90s particularly.

What started as a pet project for Toyoda personally, has shifted to become Toyota’s recognised performance brand globally, and now encompasses various racing interests around the world including the link to the Haas F1 team.

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“Akio’s philosophy is about producing better cars,” Pappas said. “He talks about that. I look at that and it just inspires us globally to continue to build, particularly the GR brand in this case. We love to see that expansion and what we’ve seen today, the trajectory that we’re on, we continue to build the GR brand.”

All five Toyota Supras finished inside the top 10 in Sunday’s Supercars race at Sydney Motorsport Park, marking a significant turnaround from Saturday’s struggles for the new model. Up front, Broc Feeney claimed victory after overcoming a failed cool suit, rising engine temperatures and a late-race challenge from Kai Allen in a dramatic, weather-affected contest.

A Holden VS Commodore driven to victory in the 1997 Bathurst 1000 by Larry Perkins and Russell Ingall will soon be offered for sale.

The Castrol-backed Number 11 Commodore, chassis PE030RB, is set to be listed by online auction platform Collecting Cars through a sealed bids process opening on 23 February 2026.

The car won the 1997 Primus 1000 Classic at Mount Panorama, marking Perkins’ sixth and final Bathurst 1000 triumph. The winner’s trophy presented to Perkins and Ingall will be included in the sale.

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Originally constructed by Perkins Engineering in Moorabbin, Victoria, the Commodore was rebuilt ahead of the Bathurst event following a crash earlier in 1997. The rebuild resulted in the addition of the ‘RB’ suffix to its chassis code. The car competed in the Australian V8 Supercars Championship during the 1997 and 1998 seasons with Perkins’ team.

After its frontline career, PE030RB was sold to privateer driver Barry Morcom and later raced in the V8 Lites series. It has since undergone a full restoration and is presented in its 1997 Bathurst-winning livery. The sale includes an extensive documentation file relating to its competition history and restoration.

Perkins Engineering built 49 V8 Supercars chassis and 198 racing engines between 1985 and 2012. Over that period, the team secured three Bathurst 1000 victories and three Sandown 500 wins. The company now focuses on restoration and parts remanufacturing for cars produced during its operation, overseen by Larry Perkins’ son, Jack Perkins, a former Supercars driver.

Bidding for the Commodore will be conducted privately through Collecting Cars’ Sealed Bids platform. More information here.

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Small SUVs are experiencing a growth spurt – just one month in to 2026, sales are 14.4 per cent higher compared with the same period in 2025. But just because they have the word ‘small’ in their classification, it doesn’t mean that they are ill-equipped for the modern Australian family. In fact, some small SUVs are more capable of coping with modern life than their larger competition.

Here’s the WhichCar by Wheels guide to the 10 most practical small SUVs under $40,000:

1. Chery Tiggo 7

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Price: From $29,990 driveaway
Boot space: 356 litres (rear seats up); 1672 litres (rear seats folded)
Drivetrains: 1.6-litre turbo-petrol or 1.5-litre turbo plug-in hybrid

It might bridge the small/medium divide but it’s our contention the Chery Tiggo 7 is the most practical small SUV you can buy for under $40,000 (or, given the low $29,990 driveaway price of the entry-level Urban, under $30,000 as well) with a huge 1672 litres of boot space with the rear seats folded. With the rear seats up, there’s still a reasonable 356 litres of space (or a more impressive 626 litres to the roof) and the loading lip is impressively low.

2. Skoda Karoq

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Price: From $40,990 (driveaway)
Boot space: 521 litres (rear seats up); 1630 litres (rear seats folded)
Drivetrains: 1.4-litre or 2.0-litre turbo-petrols

Like the Tiggo 7, the Karoq is classified by the government as a medium SUV, but its dimensions place it in the small category – it’s 70mm shorter in length than a Toyota Corolla Cross which is officially classed as a small SUV. Regardless of what segment it fits into, it’s still very practical. At 521 litres, the Karoq’s boot is the largest here both with the rear seats up and folded, almost the largest as well at a massive 1630 litres. Helping practicality further are the usual Skoda ‘simply clever’ features like netting, a double-sided boot mat and various hooks to hang bags off.

3. Mitsubishi ASX

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Price: From $37,740 plus on-road costs
Boot space: 484 litres (rear seats up); 1596 litres (rear seats folded)
Drivetrains: 1.3-litre turbo-petrol

It only recently launched in Australia in its second-generation Renault-sourced form, but the Mitsubishi ASX is now the third most practical small SUV under $40,000 in Australia. Offering a healthy 484L space with the seats up and a large 1596L with them folded, the ASX (and its Renault Captur twin) features a dual-level boot floor to hide items securely.

4. Renault Duster

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Price: From $31,990 plus on-road costs
Boot space: 472 litres (rear seats up); 1564 litres (rear seats folded)
Drivetrains: 1.2-litre or 1.3-litre turbo-petrols

The Renault Duster – or Dacia, depending on the market – is a legendary car and has sold millions globally since its inception and one of the reasons why is because it’s so practical. With the latest generation, the front-wheel drive version is comfortably more capacious than the all-wheel drive model thanks to the lack of rear differential and offers up to 1564 litres of space with the rear seats folded (AWD: 1424L).

5. Leapmotor B10

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Price: From $37,888 plus on-road costs
Boot space: 490 litres (rear seats up); 1475 litres (rear seats folded), plus a 25-litre front boot
Drivetrains: Single-motor electric

The Leapmotor B10 only recently launched in Australia, but is leaving a mark as a cheap small electric SUV. It offers a low loading height, only a small load lip and a big square boot that opens up to 1475 litres with the rear seats folded flat. Helping further is a 25-litre front boot, which is large enough to store the charging cable and a few bags of shopping.

6. MG ZS

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Price: From $22,990 driveaway
Boot space: 443 litres (rear seats up); 1457 litres (rear seats folded)
Drivetrains: 1.5-litre petrol, 1.5-litre turbo-petrol or 1.5-litre hybrid

The second-generation MG ZS has done quite well for its maker. It’s one of our favourite small SUVs around thanks to its value, range of powertrains and practicality. There is 443 litres of space lie behind the rear seats, which increases to a large 1457 litres with them folded. The rear seats don’t fold flat, annoyingly, but it’s still a practical space.

7. MGS5 EV

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Price: From $40,490 driveaway
Boot space: 453 litres (rear seats up); 1441 litres (rear seats folded)
Drivetrains: Single-motor electric

Sitting just behind its petrol-powered ZS sibling, the MGS5 EV is the brand’s small electric SUV and it actually offers 10 litres’ more space with the rear seats up, but 16 litres less with them folded. Like the ZS, the MGS5 EV’s boot offers a dual-level boot floor to store items securely underneath, perhaps like the charging cable, and the seats fold almost flat to unlock up to 1441 litres of space.

8. Kia Seltos

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Price: From $31,250 plus on-road costs
Boot space: 468 litres (rear seats up); 1428 litres (rear seats folded)
Drivetrains: 2.0-litre petrol or 1.6-litre turbo-petrol

Although there’s a new one right around the corner, the Kia Seltos is still a great small SUV option and that’s true of its practicality as well. In the entry-level Seltos S lies 468 litres of bootspace with the seats up and 1428 litres with them folded. The rear seats fold almost flat, helping with longer items, and there’s more than enough space for trips to Ikea.

9. Skoda Kamiq

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Price: From $29,990 driveaway
Boot space: 400 litres (rear seats up); 1395 litres (rear seats folded)
Drivetrains: 1.0-litre or 1.5-litre turbo-petrols

A Skoda placing on a most practical list is no surprise, especially a second one, but the Kamiq is one of the most capacious small SUVs with up to 1395 litres of boot space with the rear seats folded. As with the slightly larger Karoq, the Kamiq includes handy features like a double-sided boot mat and various hooks and nets to securely hang items from.

10. BYD Atto 3

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Price: From $39,990 plus on-road costs
Boot space: 440 litres (rear seats up); 1340 litres (rear seats folded)
Drivetrains: Single-motor electric

Rounding out the top 10 most practical small SUVs under $40,000 is the BYD Atto 3, which offers 440 litres of space with the rear seats up and 1340 litres with them folded. The Atto 3’s under-floor and side storage help further, allowing you to store items such as the charging cable out of sight. Here’s a hot tip as well: the incoming Atto 3 Evo facelift will offer 50 litres of more bootspace and a new 101-litre front boot, making it even more practical.

BMW M boss Frank Van Meel has acknowledged the days of M cars with a manual transmission are numbered, citing a performance ceiling as the main reason.

Speaking to assembled Australian media this week, including Whichcar by Wheels, Van Meel said the manual transmission would remain a core part of the brand’s philosophy for as long as possible, but admitted its days may be numbered.

“From an engineering standpoint, the manual doesn’t really make sense because it limits you in torque and also in fuel consumption,” Van Meel said.

“But from an emotional standpoint and customer standpoint, a lot of people still love manuals, so that’s why we kept them, and we intend to keep them as long as possible.”

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BMW M’s current six-speed manual gearbox – ZF GS6-L55TZ – has a maximum torque rating of just under 600Nm. However, BMW engineers a safety margin, limiting torque to 550Nm for three-pedal M models.

Currently in Australia only regular M2, M3 and M4 models are offered with a manual gearbox. However, the brand’s more performance-focused CS models and their higher torque outputs miss out on the six-speed manual, available only with BMW’s eight-speed ‘Steptronic’ automatic transmission.

But according to Van Meel, the cost of developing a manual gearbox capable of exceeding the self-imposed 550Nm torque limit would prove too prohibitive.

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“It’s going to be quite difficult in the future to develop completely new gearboxes because the segment in the market is quite small, and the suppliers are not so keen on doing something like that,” said Van Meel.

“So we’re still happy with the manuals we have and we plan to keep them for the next couple of years, but in future, probably it’s going to be more difficult to keep the manuals alive, especially in the next decade.”

First published in the November 1998 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.

Mate against mate. State against state. Eight against eight.

The Holden versus Ford performance car war has waxed and waned ever since it exploded into life with the classic gold-with-black-stripes XR Falcon GT way back in 1967. Now, on the eve of the 21st century, with the launch of the AU Falcon, it’s about to boil over again.

You want hot? Both Ford and Holden will give it to you in both six-cylinder and V8 form, straight off the showroom floor. And there’s more coming. Holden and HSV are busy finessing the powerful new Generation III V8 for the Series II VT, due next March, and we hear rumours Tickford is playing around with an AU with even more grunt, 18in wheels and better brakes.

Not since the glory days of the Phase Falcons, XU-1 Toranas and GTS Monaros, and the R/T Chargers has Aussie muscle looked so strong.

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For now, though, it’s time to lay down some markers, to find out just how good the new XR Falcons really are, and whether they have what it takes to win the performance car crown back from Holden. Eight against eight means XR8 meets Commodore SS. For the six-pack shootout, we’ve lined up the new XR6 VCT against Holden’s supercharged Commodore S. Time to light the fuses and stand well back…

Holden Commodore S vs Ford Falcon XR6

Staples and a roll of duct tape couldn’t hold you tighter in the seat, but you still try to hunker down deeper into the bucket. The four tyres are as securely held to the road, suspended in perfect animation by a chassis with independence at each wheel. One by one your senses click on – the ears listening, the hands fingertip the wheel, the eyes focus and the mouth dries. Falcon XR6 VCT meets Commodore S.

Hot sixes have been a part of the Aussie performance car scene since the days of the giant killing Toranas and the storming E38 and E49 Chargers. They were lighter, more nimble, easier on the brakes than the V8s. That was the theory, at least. Sometimes it worked – Brocky’s first Bathurst win was in an XU-1 – and sometimes it didn’t, as proven by the potent but unlucky Chargers.

The genre disappeared for almost 20 years until revived by Tickford in 1992 with a car called the Falcon S XR6. It caused a sensation at the time – not the least because it was both quicker and cheaper than the hot Ford and Holden V8s – and quickly found a firm place on our annual Top Ten list.

By the time the EL version appeared, however, the XR6 had lost a little of its lustre. It wasn’t quite as quick or as cheap as it used to be, and the EL facelift wasn’t as good looking as its groundbreaking predecessor. The edge had gone off the formula.

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A tough act to follow, and it’s clear from the AU model range, Ford’s still not sure it has the answer. The $38,990 XR6 HP basically mates the cylinder head from the EL version with the new AU block and bottom end, and rolls on a Tickford tweaked version of the regular AU Watts link live axle rear end. The XR6 VCT gets the new variable cam timing head (and therefore an extra 8kW and 8Nm) and the new IRS but costs five grand more. Sounds like an each way bet…

Cut Ford’s 4.0-litre six through the middle and you’ll see stratified improvement from cast aluminium sump to the variable camshaft timing. There’s a stronger, better balanced crankshaft, and longer connecting rods that affix lighter pistons to reduce friction and vibration. A nominal increase in compression from 9.3:1 to 9.6:1, and further EEC-V software fine tuning yields 172kW and 374Nm.

That’s virtually line ball with the 171kW and 375Nm developed by Holden’s supercharged 3.8 litre V6, first seen in the VS Calais, and now available in the S and SS versions of the VT. Yet pricing is miles apart. The automatic only S lists at $38,050 (the supercharged SS, essentially identical to the V8 version, costs $44,900).

The XR6 VCT costs $43,990, manual or automatic – and even then that doesn’t buy you the car you see here. In standard trim, all XRs come equipped with 16in wheels and a mild front spoiler and wing kit. To get the side skirts and double decker rear spoiler, the 17in alloys and the red panelled Momo steering wheel, you have to hand over an extra $6080. At a tad over 50 grand, even the supercharged SS looks bargain buying. That alone perhaps explains the real reason for the XR6 HP’s existence. And even then, with its live axle and less powerful engine, it’s still $940 more expensive than the supercharged S.

Let’s not waste precious words. Line ’em up, drop ’em into drive and press the pedal. The S launches off the line with immediate boost from its Eaton supercharger and sure-felt force of near full torque. It gets better each time we drive it. In December last year, it ran a 15.9sec 400m to the EL XR6’s 16.4sec. This time, in cool spring air, the 1593kg S (Holden has slimmed around 30kg off the car since launch) took half a second off that time, stopping the clock at an impressive 15.4sec. The 1620kg XR6 VCT recorded 15.9 seconds, slightly slower than the 15.7 we posted at Calder.

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What does that say about the XR6? Smoothness, for one thing, favours the Ford. The heavily revised Falcon six is better behaved than ever – rush the revs hard to the redline and the inline six shakes and shimmies less than the blown Holden. Rev the thing freely to 5000 even 5500 and don’t worry about a connecting rod coming through the firewall or a valve bouncing off the bonnet. Believe us – you use the revs, and here’s why.

With an engine that’s now working better than ever before, the throttle becomes more useful. Millimetre movements at the pedal get a lot of response at the rear end. After reading last issue’s introduction to Ford’s independent rear suspension, there seemed to be an unasked question of whether it is as good as it looks.

It is. Through corners and over rough bitumen, Ford’s IRS holds the face of the rear tyres flat to the road most of the time. The more tyre on the road, better the traction.

What that does to the XR6 VCT is you’re on the power earlier and harder in a corner. The rear end is less throttle and tyre sensitive than the old EL XR6 live axle, and better controlled than the Commodore’s trailing arm IRS. Come off the power suddenly, the XR6 doesn’t care. The rear end stays planted. Tap the brakes, it’s still planted; only when you really load the front at full braking does the rear end begin to feel at all unsettled.

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Drive the S into a corner and the rear end pitches, roll steers and bump steers. In the Commodore the rear determines cornering speed. Watch your hands on the steering wheel – in the Commodore they’re chasing the tail with quick jabs to counteract the arse pitching over bumps. In the Falcon, you’re keenly aware of the rear end’s grip because you can now push harder on the front. Your hands are steady.

The XR 6 demands greater steering input only because it has a slower steering rack – three and a frag turns lock to lock where Commodore is half a turn less.

The two cars enter a corner differently. The Falcon likes to be tucked in early and kept tight to the inside. The front will push or understeer long before the rear gets loose or oversteers, so you feed it as much throttle as the front end wants. The Commodore comes in late, turns in sharp as the body begins to roll and its mass leans on the front outside wheel. Once it’s point in, you’re back on the throttle, gentle movements of the slow-action pedal to balance the rear end and always ready to correct it with the steering. The Commodore can be quick through corners, but it’s very driver demanding.

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Some of that has to do with the XR6’s bigger optional tyres, 17in 235/45 Dunlop SP Sport, but even on standard 16in 225/50 rubber, the Falcon is the superior handling chassis.

To sum up: The Commodore S is quicker to the corners and the XR6 quicker through them.

Straightforward enough, except for that small matter of the price. The way we see it, Holden, not Ford, now builds the great Aussie performance car bargain.

Ford Falcon XR8 vs Holden Commodore SS

From the moment your gluteus hit the bucket, the XR8 captures you with softer cushions and narrower bolstering. Length in the lower cushions supports longer legs, and finally we have a Falcon that fits big, tall, short and thin.

The dash layout in the SS feels better, more like a cockpit the way the dash flows into the centre console, but the XR8 gives the driver more instrument information. The gauges are spread nicely from left to right – oil pressure and amps, 240km/h speedo and 7000rpm tacho, with water temp and fuel on the right. The SS doesn’t offer oil or amp gauges.

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Holden offers few options on the SS V8 manual which creates a Catch 22. At $44,160, not counting the power windows ($910) and metallic paint ($233) fitted to our test car, it is more than six grand dearer than the S and a lot slower, despite a manual five-speed. The problem is the wheezy 179kW 5.0 litre V8 is now past its use-by date. Do yourself a big favour – tick the HSV developed performance option, coded XX3. That essentially buys twin exhausts with extractors and most needed 16kW and 30Nm. But it will cost you an extra $2825.

The XR8 lists at a more competitive $46,490, but that doesn’t buy a 17in wheel and tyre package to match the Holden. For that, you must pay an extra $2450. With the optional body kit and Momo steering wheel added, our test XR8 stopped the cash register ringing at a not insubstantial $53,080.

Still, you do get the necessary bits such as twin exhaust with four-into-one extractors, cone-type limited slip differential, 3.45:1 rear gears and air-conditioning as standard equip.

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We’ve driven two, maybe three, sports sedans that are better than the AU XR8: BMW’s M3, the E55 Benz and Jaguar’s storming XJR. The cheapest of these starts at $134,000, and you’ll get enough change out of $200K for the Benz for no more than a week’s holiday in Germany. The HSV GTS is also quicker with brakes that’ll deform facial features. But even that costs nearly 20 grand more…

The XR 8 has a sweet chassis, so totally chuckable and completely benign on the limit that it starts to feel small, almost WRX-ish instead of a big, roomy 1650kg sedan.

The wonders of the IRS are more, well, wonderful. The more power the engine puts through it. Everything we said about the XR6 VCT’s handling applies here, but with 185kW and 412Nm and no hesitation from the five-speed manual gearbox, the predictability and stability at the rear is enormously fun. We can’t be any more technical other than to say the XR8 is a sport bike of a sedan. For the same reason guys on Ducatis tear down a piece of winding road on a sunny Sunday morning, you’ll be there with the XR8.

The SS is slower, doesn’t handle as well, and the LHD biased shift of the Getrag gearbox is awkward. Small details for a V8 owner, perhaps, but the Holden also used on average 3 litres more premium unleaded fuel on every fill. Who says we don’t care about the environment?

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The XR’s styling is in your face; the SS, by comparison is restrained, almost elegant. You will either love the Falcon or hate it. The Holden is far more socially acceptable. We like both, for difterent reasons and, at the end of the day, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. It’s the driving that counts. Especially in the XR8.

The sound is V8, complete with Group A grumble and gearing buzz. You might like that, but we eventually found the buzz from the BTR gearbox too annoying to like on a long drive. On short, winding blasts, your hearing focuses on engine revs and the tyres, so you never notice the transmission noise.

The shift, though, is quick, partly because the XR8 clutch and throttle pedals are better than the long throw, little action levers in the SS.

Tickford has worked wonders on the Windsor V8, a design that must be approaching 35 years old. It’s old, maybe, but compact and with a new set of heads and intake system – the only Ford engine that fits into the AU bay and provides the asked-for power and torque.

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The XR’s brakes are the weak link in the package, however. Start pressing and they quickly get hot and bothered, while the Holden stays cool, calm and collected. We want a fix, please, and the sooner the better.

The Falcon XR8 may not stop as well as the Commodore SS. But it goes and steers better. Two out of three ain’t perfect, but it ain’t bad, either. And enough to make it our choice.

The future of the Toyota Supra is secure for at least five years in Australia thanks to Supercars racing. Everything is also pointing to the GR GT, a Toyota GR concept car unveiled last year, as the next racing and showroom spearhead for Brand T.

The future news comes as Toyota Australia makes its heavily hyped move into touring car racing with the GR Supra as a rival to the Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Camaro. Sydney Motorsport Park is hosting the five shiny new Supra GR racers, led by the #1 Toyota driven by defending champion Chaz Mostert.

No-one at Toyota Australia – or the teams run by Walkinshaw Racing and Brad Jones Racing – is making predictions about on-track success, but company vice-president John Pappas re-stated Toyota’s long-term commitment that mirrors its involvement in cricket and AFL football.

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“This is truly a massive moment for all of us. We don’t do things by halves,” said Pappas. “We don’t enter things to lose. But we don’t want to put out too high expectations.”

That approach extends to the future of the Supra in showrooms, even though everything is pointing directly to a GR GT with Supra badges sometime after 2027.

“That is super exciting. That vehicle. That is going to be unbelievably great for the brand.

“I would love to see that car come to Australia. But we’ve got nothing to announce today,” Pappas said. “Right now we’re focussed on the GR Supra. That’s the vehicle for us for the next five years.”

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Those words indicate that the Supra-cars racing program will use the existing body shape for five seasons, even though the last customer cars were delivered in Australia last year.

In addition to the Supercars program, Pappas confirmed Toyota’s ongoing support for the GR 86 Cup in circuit racing and a two-car attack on the Australia Rally Championship with the GR Yaris.

“This year will be the biggest year ever for Toyota in Australian motorsport. Participating in motorsport demonstrates Toyota’s passion and commitment to what we do,” Pappas said.

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It is also a reflection of Toyota’s work to build a barricade against Chinese import brands, cementing the sales success of the Toyota HiLux favoured by many motorsport fans and its position as number one in showrooms.

“The more we race, the more we learn. For us it’s all about learning,” said Pappas.

Ask the average Aussie in the street what ‘autopilot’ means and the overwhelming majority would respond with an answer based on the concept that we know and understand from the way an airliner works. That is, the pilot can set some controls and effectively get up and leave the flight deck, while the plane flies itself. Now, there’s an element of simplicity to that explanation above, but the basics of it stand in regard to what non-pilots think autopilot really is.

As we know now, that concept doesn’t quite work down here on level ground, and a recent ruling in the state of California has forced Tesla to acknowledge the confusion caused by its naming convention.

As reported today by Car And Driver in the United States, Tesla is changing the name of its driver assistance features after the California Department of Motor Vehicles threatened to take away its dealer licence. The report states that ‘California had previously ruled that the “Autopilot” and “full Self Driving” names misrepresented the systems’ capabilities, violating state law’.

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As such, Tesla has decided that ‘Full Self Driving’ will now carry the suffix ‘Supervised’ in all marketing material, while ‘Autopilot’ has been renamed ‘Traffic Aware Cruise Control’. In other words, Tesla has acknowledged that the general public – who buys new cars – is being confused by what the system is and what the system can do.

On one hand, we suspected this would always have to happen, given Tesla’s use of the terms for almost a decade, despite the fact that various levels of human interaction are required in order for the systems to keep working. Even Tesla’s most advanced self-driving system, which is currently Level 2, demands that the driver pay full attention to the road ahead for it to continue to function.

While the ruling pertained specifically to the state of California, Car and Driver reports that Tesla will adopt the new naming convention even outside the west coast state. The outlet reported that ‘Tesla will now refer to the systems by new names, even outside California, and the changes appear to have already taken place on Tesla’s website’.

What’s the range tipping point to attract a sceptical buyer to even look at an electric vehicle? Much of the feedback we see at Wheels suggests it’s 1000km – a range that seemed fanciful even a few years ago – but BYD Australia thinks the answer is a little more nuanced than simply an outright figure.

“Yeah, it’s a good question and I don’t know that the tipping point is to be honest,” BYD Australia Chief Operating Officer Stephen Collins told Wheels. “But what I do know, is that BYD at its core, is very much about battery technology and leading battery technology, so I think range is one part of it, but there are other parts too, like charging time and charging availability.”

As it is in EV manufacturing terms, China is also leading the way in the roll out of serious public charging infrastructure, aimed at making the ownership of an EV as attractive – and easy – as possible.

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“In China, they’re just rolling out mega chargers, 1000kW, five minute charging capability,” Collins told Wheels. “So I think there are a number of answers to that question that solve some of the issues for some of the people who aren’t fully adopted yet for EVs. So I do think range is one component and like everything it’s going to keep improving as we go.”

Can Collins see a situation, then, where we get the charging infrastructure ‘right’ in this country then, given especially in remote areas or outside metro areas, its the single biggest issue for sceptical buyers in this country?

“Im not sure we’re miles away, I think we’ll get it right, it’s just an evolution,” Collins told Wheels. “We know most people charge at home, so it’s not just about the public charging infrastructure system, it’s also about getting affordable home chargers into houses.”

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For what it’s worth, Collins says BYD isn’t expecting the government to pay for the infrastructure required to assist the uptake of EVs in Australia.

“I feel strongly there’s a role for the private sector and the public sector to play in that regard, Collins said. “What percentage either one is, I don’t know, but we’re not expecting the government to be paying for all this. We’re committed to provide infrastructure where we can as well and invest in that infrastructure.”