Not sold on hybrids, plug-in hybrids or EVs? You’re not alone. While electrification dominates the new automotive landscape and discussions about fuel efficiency, there are still conventionally powered cars available that deliver impressive economy. We’ve rounded up the 10 most fuel efficient new petrol and diesel vehicles on sale in Australia for buyers who prefer to avoid the charging stations.

1. Fiat 500 Dolcevita: 4.8L/100km

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Price: From $28,900 plus on-road costs
Drivetrain: 1.2-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder petrol engine, 51kW/102Nm, five-speed automated manual
Fuel type: 95 RON premium unleaded

It may have been around for almost 20 years in its current shape, but the Fiat 500 is actually the most fuel efficient new car you can buy today without electrification. Of course, its tiny shape helps achieve such low figures, but its 1.2-litre petrol engine helps too. Making just 51kW of power and 102Nm of torque, the 500 is no powerhouse, but offers more than enough performance for urban driving. Its 4.8L/100km combined fuel consumption rating is lower than any other pure internal combustion engined new car available. 

2. Mazda2 and Skoda Fabia 85TSI: 5.0L/100km

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Price: From $27,290 plus on-road costs (Mazda2), $29,990 driveaway (Fabia)
Drivetrain: 81kW/142Nm 1.5-litre four-cylinder naturally aspirated petrol with a six-speed automatic (Mazda2); 85kW/200Nm 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbocharged petrol with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission (Fabia)
Fuel type: 91 RON regular unleaded (Mazda2), 95 RON premium unleaded (Fabia)

The second most fuel efficient new ICE cars in Australia are both the Mazda2 and the Skoda Fabia 85TSI, which are both rated to consume just 5.0L/100km of fuel. They take different paths in getting to that number, however, with the Mazda2 using a naturally aspirated 1.5-litre petrol engine, and the Fabia a smaller, turbocharged 1.0-litre unit. Both cars provide more than ample performance, with the Skoda a bit more refined thanks to low-end torque. The Mazda runs on 91 RON regular unleaded, which is cheaper to buy than the Skoda’s 95 RON premium unleaded, but the Fabia would likely be more efficient than the Mazda2 in real life. 

3. Audi A1 35 TFSI: 5.2L/100km

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Price: From $39,200 plus on-road costs
Drivetrain: 110kW/250Nm 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission
Fuel type: 95 RON premium unleaded

It’s officially no longer in production, but there is still stock around of the third most fuel efficient ICE car in Australia: the Audi A1 35 TFSI. It uses a refined and smooth turbocharged 1.5-litre petrol engine making 110kW of power and 250Nm of torque, while a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission is standard. The A1’s small dimensions make it nimble to drive, and the engine is quite punchy for its size. If you’re after an A1, you’d better get in quick as stock is limited.

4) Volkswagen Polo 85TSI, Volkswagen T-Cross 85TSI, Skoda Kamiq 85TSI, Skoda Scala 85TSI, Kia Picanto Sport manual: 5.4L/100km

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Price: From $19,190 plus on-road costs (Picanto Sport); $30,990 +ORC (Polo 85TSI); $33,990 driveaway (Kamiq 85TSI); $33,990 driveaway (Scala 85TSI); $34,990 +ORC (T-Cross)
Drivetrain: 62kW/122Nm 1.2-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder petrol with a five-speed manual (Picanto); 85kW/200Nm 1.0-litre turbocharged three-cylinder petrol with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission (Polo, T-Cross, Kamiq and Scala)
Fuel type: 91 RON regular unleaded (Picanto); 95 RON premium unleaded (Polo, T-Cross, Kamiq and Scala)

Consuming just 5.4L/100km on the combined cycle, the fourth most fuel efficient cars available are the Kia Picanto Sport manual, Volkswagen Polo and T-Cross, and Skoda Kamiq and Scala, all with the same ‘85TSI’ engine. While the Picanto uses a naturally aspirated 1.2-litre engine mated to a five-speed manual, the Volkswagen Group products use the same 1.0-litre turbocharged three-cylinder engine mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. The Picanto is best suited to urban conditions where its 122Nm of torque will be fine, but the 200Nm of the Volkswagen Group cars makes them quite punchy from low revs and they can do highway duties easily. 

5) Volkswagen Caddy Maxi TDI320: 5.5L/100km

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Price: from $57,500 plus on-road costs
Drivetrain: 90kW/320Nm 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel, seven-speed dual-clutch
Fuel type: Diesel

A bit of a surprise entrant into the most fuel efficient non-electrified cars in Australia, the seven-seat Volkswagen Caddy Maxi uses a smooth 2.0-litre turbo-diesel engine making 90kW of power and 320Nm of torque. Mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, the Caddy Maxi TDI320 is efficient and refined, and drives well. Diesel power is not at the top of everybody’s automotive shopping list these days, and as a result, many diesel cars are no longer available. But the Caddy Maxi proves that diesel passenger cars can be very fuel efficient, even without electrification. 

6) Nissan Juke, Honda HR-V and Mazda3 G20: 5.8L/100km

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Price: From $28,890 plus on-road costs (Juke); $31,610 +ORC (Mazda3); $32,900 driveaway (HR-V)
Drivetrain: 84kW/180Nm 1.0-litre turbocharged three-cylinder petrol with a seven-speed dual-clutch (Juke); 88kW/145Nm 1.5-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine with a CVT automatic; 114kW/200Nm (HR-V) 2.0-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder petrol with a six-speed automatic (Mazda3)
Fuel type: 95 RON premium unleaded (Juke); 91 RON regular unleaded (HR-V and Mazda3) 

It’s actually just gone off sale from Australia, and the next-generation model has already been revealed, but there’s still new stock available of the Nissan Juke available. Thankfully, the lovely Mazda3 isn’t going anywhere for now, same with the HR-V. The Juke uses a punchy turbocharged 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol engine that’s mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission as standard, which is torquier than the 88kW/145Nm 1.5-litre naturally aspirated engine in the HR-V but less powerful than the 114kW/200Nm 2.0-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine in the Mazda3. Their 5.8L/100km combined fuel consumption is low in the small SUV and small car segments, and both cars are good to drive as well. 

7) MG 3 and Mini Cooper: 6.0L/100km

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Price: From $20,990 driveaway (MG 3); $41,990 plus on-road costs (Cooper C Core)
Drivetrain: 81kW/142Nm 1.5-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder petrol with a CVT (MG); 115kW/230Nm 1.5-litre turbocharged three-cylinder petrol with a seven-speed dual-clutch (Mini)
Fuel type: 91 RON regular unleaded (MG); 95 RON premium unleaded (Mini)

Consuming just 6.0L/100km on the combined cycle are two light hatchbacks from brands with British heritage, though they’re actually quite different. The MG 3 starts from $20,990 driveaway and uses a naturally aspirated 1.5-litre petrol engine, whereas the Mini in Cooper C form uses a turbocharged 1.5-litre three-cylinder engine making much more grunt. The MG drives through a CVT automatic and the Mini a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, and both offer a nice feel from behind the wheel. 

8) Hyundai i30 Sedan, Kia K4 2.0L sedan, Skoda Octavia 110TSI liftback: 6.1L/100km

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Price: From $30,000 plus on-road costs (i30), $32,090 +ORC (K4); $41,990 driveway (Octavia)
Drivetrain: 110kW/180Nm 2.0-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder petrol with a CVT (i30 and K4); 110kW/250Nm 1.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol with an eight-speed automatic (Octavia)
Fuel type: 91 RON regular unleaded (i30 and K4); 95 RON premium unleaded (Octavia)

In a big win for small-medium sedans, the Hyundai i30 Sedan, Kia K4 sedan and Skoda Octavia liftback are all quite fuel efficient as they’re rated at just 6.1L/100km on the combined cycle. The i30 and K4 use the same 2.0-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine with a CVT automatic, whereas the Skoda goes the lower capacity but turbocharged route. They all make the same 110kW of power, but the Octavia makes 70Nm torque and uses an eight-speed transmission – though a new mild-hybrid version of the Octavia is also now available and it uses just 5.1L/100km on the combined cycle. 

9) Hyundai Kona 2.0L and Skoda Octavia 110TSI wagon 6.2L/100km

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Price: From $33,700 plus on-road costs (Kona); $43,990 driveaway (Octavia)
Drivetrain: 110kW/180Nm 2.0-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder petrol with a CVT (Kona); 110kW/250Nm 1.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol with an eight-speed automatic (Octavia)
Fuel type: 91 RON regular unleaded (Kona); 95 RON premium unleaded (Octavia)

Using the same drivetrains as the eighth-placed entrants (a naturally aspirated 2.0-litre engine in the Kona and a turbocharged 1.4-litre engine in the Octavia) are the Hyundai Kona and Skoda Octavia again, though this time in 110TSI wagon form. Both make the same 110kW of power but again, the Octavia makes 70Nm more torque at 250Nm, making it feel punchier from lower revs. On the flip side, the Hyundai can use 91 RON regular unleaded, but the Skoda must be filled with minimum 95 RON premium unleaded, increasing the cost of each fill.

10) Mazda CX-30 2.0L, Mazda CX-3, Isuzu D-Max 2.2L 4×2, Volkswagen T-Roc 110TSI and Volkswagen Golf 110TSI: 6.3L/100km

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Price: From $34,360 plus on-road costs (CX-30); $38,990 +ORC (T-Roc); $39,290 +ORC (Golf); $44,200 (D-Max)
Drivetrain: 110kW/195Nm (CX-3)/114kW/200Nm (CX-30) 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol with a six-speed automatic; 110kW/250Nm 1.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine with an eight-speed automatic (Golf, T-Roc); 120kW/400Nm 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel with an eight-speed automatic (D-Max)
Fuel type: 91 RON regular unleaded (CX-30); 95 RON premium unleaded (T-Roc and Golf); diesel (D-Max)

In yet another example of how different new cars can be in achieving the same fuel consumption result without electrification, two small SUVs (one naturally aspirated and one turbocharged), a small hatchback and even a ute can all be rated at 6.3L/100km on the combined cycle. The CX-3 and CX-30 share the same 2.0-litre engine and six-speed auto but the CX-3 makes 110kW/195Nm and the CX-30 114kW/200Nm. The Golf and T-Roc make 110kW/250Nm from their smaller but turbocharged engine and eight-speed auto. Meanwhile the new 2.2-litre turbo-diesel in the D-Max uses a new eight-speed automatic that makes it the most fuel efficient non-electrified new ute available today.

First published in the March 1986 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.

The speedo read 155mph. Two-and-a-half miles a minute, 249km/h in a five-seater two-litre Ford Sierra sedan! The day before, we had clocked exactly 14.9 seconds, 241.7 km/h, over a flying kilometre in an identical car. So Ford was not kidding. The Sierra RS Cosworth, to give the new European barnstormer its full title, really is as sensationally quick as Ford says it is.

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And this is the tame one, the road car, the 5000-off homologation special that will eventually qualify the racers for serious Group A competition and really high speed, something over 320km/h. It seems only yesterday that the 150mph (240km/h) test run was a furtive dash-at-dawn affair, not the sort of speed you dialled up half a dozen times during the course of a routine car launch. Nor was it one achieved with so little sense of drama.

We were in southern Spain, in the Jerez country which gave sherry its name, where Ford had mustered a dazzling squadron of all-white Cosworth RSs for us to drive, well ahead of the start of regular production., scheduled for the end of March. It was not too late, we were told, for Ford to incorporate changes to the final specification, so our suggestions would be very welcome.

At the heart of the new car is a two-litre turbocharged engine, the 47th that Cosworth has developed in conjunction with Ford (out of a total of 52 engines Cosworth has created), but the first officially to carry the Cosworth name on a Ford. This new engine is based on a standard T88 Ford block, topped by a light-alloy cylinder head cast at Cosworth’s new Worcester foundry, which is claimed to be the most advanced in the world.

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Two five-bearing camshafts, driven by a Uniroyal toothed rubber belt, open four valves per cylinder through inverted bucket tappets with hydraulic lash adjustment. Exhaust valves are sodium filled and angled at 45 degrees to the slightly larger 35mm inlets. The floors of the pentroof combustion chambers are recessed bowls in the fully skirted forged-aluminium 8:1 Mahle pistons.

Conrods and crankshaft are heat-treated steel forgings and the flywheel is attached by nine bolts instead of the usual six. The water-cooled turbo, a Garret T3 pumping through an air-to-air intercooler, is driven from a compact cast nickel-iron exhaust manifold of optimised length and gaspipe diameter. Maximum boost is set at 0.55 bar (8psi) by a wastegate controlled by the engine’s electronic control unit (ECU), integrated with multi-point Weber fuel injection and fully programmed Marelli electronic ignition.

This state-of-the-art Italian engine management system, dependent on accurate air intake and engine speed measurements, precisely controls fuel-air ratio and ignition timing. Although torque peaks at 4500rpm, with 272Nm, 80 per cent or more of the maximum available is developed between 2300 and 6300rpm.

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Maximum power of 150kW is achieved at 6000rpm, and it was suggested that competition versions of the same engine, running with much bigger intercoolers and higher boost pressures, will be capable of yielding over twice as much.

Power is transmitted to the rear wheels through a five-speed Borg Warner gearbox (also used, with different ratios, in the 2.3 Ford Mustang and Thunderbird) and a two-piece rubber-damped propshaft. Ratios are fairly normal in their spacing but on the short side for such a powerful car, top being geared to give only 36.7km/h /1000rpm when it could obviously pull something nearer 50. Major re-engineering would be needed to give the car four-wheel drive, which is deemed unnecessary – undesirable in fact – for circuit racing, which is what this car is ultimately all about.

Suspension is conceptually like that of other Sierras, with MacPherson front struts and independent semi-trailing arms behind. Ford’s British-based Special Vehicle Engineering (the group responsible for the Capri 2.8i, XR2, XR3i, RS Turbo, XR4x4 and others) made many detail changes, though.

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More positive wheel control was achieved by introducing solid plastic inner pivot bushes for the front and rear links, sacrificing some harshness suppression for sharper response. Springs and dampers were uprated, the front anti-roll bar thickened and the rear wheels given slight negative camber to ensure a flat contact patch for the new steel-belted 205/50 Dunlop SP Sport D40 tyres. Wheels are 15×7 cross-spoked light alloys, accommodating the largest possible brakes – 280mm ventilated discs up front, with four-pot Teves calipers, solid 250mm discs behind. Electronic anti-lock mechanism like that used on the new Scorpio and Sierra XR4x4 is standard. So is variable-rate power steering, as used on other production Sierras.

Based on the three-door shell used for the XR4i and some lesser short-lived variants, the Sierra RS Cosworth’s striking sedan body incorporates 92 detail sheet-metal changes. A single body-coloured polyurethane moulding embraces the front bumper, grille and lower spoiler, carrying intakes for the hungry engine and front brakes. Hood louvres help release engine bay heat. At the sides, wheel-arch extensions and side-sill skirting protrude far enough to accommodate 10-inch racing wheels. The impact-resistant polycarbonate rear bumper is also colour-keyed, as is the giant rear wing, extending well back from the sides of the tailgate and supported by a single central strut. High mounted to catch the wind, it is alleged not merely to reduce lift but actually to generate downforce, 20kg of it at speed, for the first time on a production car.

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Inside, the RS Cosworth is much like that of other top-range Sierras, except for hip-hugging Recaro seats and a single-piece rear backrest. Instrumentation is normal apart from a boost gauge on the tacho dial. Other giveaways are a leather-trimmed gear lever knob and a blanked-off facia cubby used to house the car’s ECU, which you can hear ticking.

On the road, the RS Cosworth stands out like a thoroughbred in a pony field. Okay, so the rear wing is aesthetically way over the top. Never mind. The car has striking style rather than ostentatious vulgarity. It looks great.

You don’t sit on the Recaros so much as lever yourself into them. Firm and prominent bolsters embrace your hips and thighs with such unusual intimacy that it’s necessary to fine-tune the seat’s position with particular care. That done, the driving position is first class, even if the aft view isn’t. The rear wing cuts right across the middle of the screen, badly restricting visibility, though you can see the rooftops of following cars (and thus also see any flashing blue lamps!).

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The first agreeable surprise is the tone and timbre of the engine. As expected, it is hard edged and slightly tingly at rest through the gearshift and pedals. Mildly boomy at the top end, too. But in the main, refinement is first class for an in-line four, never mind one yielding 75kW/litre. It’s this combination of sweetness and vigour that makes the engine so impressive.

Performance is terrific, and not just beyond midrange revs, either. This is not an all-or-nothing turbo. There is no sudden kick-point in the wide rev band. The power comes in fluidly, with a progressive surge, as the revs rise. Ford claims a 0-100km/h time of 6.8 seconds; we doubted it until we timed the car, verifying the claimed 240km/h top speed. It felt too relaxed, too steady, too undramatic for that, but it was for real.

With 6500rpm on the tacho, the engine certainly booms quite noisily, even sounds a bit strained. Back off to relative tranquillity and the speedo is still registering 210km/h, despite gearing biased more for sprint acceleration than long-legged cruising. Two miles a minute – 190km/h – is a very comfortable cruising gait.

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Shift quality of the Borg Warner box is excellent, crisper and more precise than the normal Sierra’s, with little synchro obstruction to baulk swift movements. Despite the clutch’s rather mushy takeup from rest, it handles fast shifts positively and smoothly; all that’s needed is a sharp stab on the pedal. Although gearchanging is an indulgence to savour, the engine is quite willing to slog it out at low revs.

Handling, less impressive than drivetrain performance, is marred by steering nervousness, a characteristic of many Ford SVE products. Pressing on, the RS tends to dart round corners rather than flow through them. It is often necessary fractionally to back off lock immediately after entry to stabilise the car, to get it to point where you want. Even with deft, light-fingered pressure on the wheel, which is the technique SVE advocates, transient flick-turn behaviour denies the car pin-sharp accuracy.

Such edgy-turn-in also gives you the (false) impression that the tail is about to let go into massive oversteer. ln fact, the new Dunlops are impressively adhesive, the cornering powers very high once the car is g-settled.

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Otherwise, there’s little but more praise to lavish on this car. The ride is firm but well controlled, braking powerful (but over-assisted), noise levels very modest. There’s little disturbing roar or thump from the tyres, nor much aggravating wind whoosh at speed. At A$34,250 or thereabouts in the UK – the price won’t be announced until next year – there is no other roomy, comfortable, five-seater to compete with this car dynamically. Ford’s party line is still that they will make 5000 for homologation purposes, and no more. We shall see.

A symbol of success, one with all the bells and whistles, the kind of car you buy when things are going your way. Range-topping models carry a certain air, a distinction, that sets them apart from their pleb-spec counterparts.

There are, of course, notable Australian range-toppers, fused in our collective memories, like the Holden Caprice and Ford LTD. Then there are the others. Range toppers that either faded out quickly, or simply weren’t worth revisiting – until now

Nissan Pintara Ti 

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Two-tone paint. Luxury cars have to have two-tone paint. And alloy wheels. And puffy velour trim. The Pintara Ti came with all of that, giving it a very different look to other Pintara models.

Nissan’s mid-sizer managed to look almost handsome in the process, and its aero styling came across as more modern than the rival Camry at the time. Cruise control and climate control came standard, and Nissan loaded the Ti version with equipment to rival full-size family cars.

The 19080s Button Plan for rationalising Australia’s carmaking industry led to some unusual tie-ups, and the Pintara was one of them, available as the Ford Corsair, but even the Corsair Ghia couldn’t match the glitz of a top-spec Pintara.

HSV Jackaroo

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Before HSV fully locked in on its role as Holden’s performance arm, it tried a few unusual avenues first, like the HSV Jackaroo.

Changes were limited to standard alloy wheels, different lower body cladding, and plenty of HSV branding. The usual HSV elements, like an uprated engine or tweaked suspension, didn’t make the cut.

After a brief production run of 313 units, most of which wore Holden, rather than HSV badging, the model was wrapped into the regular Jackaroo range while HSV concentrated on its Commodore-based V8 models.

Toyota Lexcen Newport

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Another product of the Button Plan, the Toyota Lexcen became Toyota’s Holden-supplied large car, with Holden getting Nova and Apollo versions of the Corolla and Camry in return.

At the top of the Lexcen line-up sat the Newport. Introduced in 1991 on the T2 Lexcen, otherwise known as the VP Commodore.

The name? Unimaginatively taken from the suburb across the road from Toyota’s Altona assembly site – despite production being entirely handled 750km away at Holden’s Elizabeth factory in South Australia.

Ford Landau

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The success of the ‘personal luxury car’ in North America led Ford Australia to conclude that local buyers might also like their upscale luxury delivered in a more hedonistic two-door body.

By combining the front styling of Ford’s P5 LTD sedan with the svelte body of the XA Falcon Hardtop, albeit with a modified glasshouse to really emphasise its padded vinyl roof, the Landau was born.

The heavily chrome-trimmed, softly suspended appeal of the Landau was, however, misjudged. When the P6 LTD came along, an updated Landau was nowhere to be seen, although prototypes were assessed. Just 1385 Landaus were built. 

HDT Magnum

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Peter Brock’s Holden Dealer Team Road cars weren’t just a way to get a road-going racing Commodore in your driveway. For the well-heeled, the Magnum wrapped hard-hitting performance in a premium luxury package based on the WB Statesman and Caprice.

Unlike other HDT models, owners could choose which HDT bits made the cut, so the fully-colour-keyed poster car with aero wheels wasn’t indicative of every Magnum out there.

Power jumped from 126kW to a reported 188kW thanks to the HDT tune-up. Suspension and handling also received attention to give the softly-sprung Statesman greater agility, should you ever decide to take to the track. 

Mitsubishi Verada

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Mimicking how Ford and Holden dropped the Falcon and Commodore names from their upscale models, Mitsubishi spun the fleet-friendly Magna into the Verada with the launch of the second-generation Magna.

When the Verada launched in 1991, it was the first Magna variant with a V6, two years ahead of mainstream models. A styling makeover, thanks to bigger US-spec bumpers, alloy wheels, and full-width taillights, gave it a more premium look.

The Verada also introduced ‘multi-parabola headlights’ to the Australian lexicon, and benefited from some of the luxury features from Mitsubishi’s global portfolio to give it a boost against the Fairmont and Calais.

Toyota Avalon Grande

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After the Cressida was retired in 1993 and the Lexcen never quite hit the mark, Toyota looked to North America for its next large car, the Avalon.

Debuting in 2000, the Avalon was already a generation old by the time Australians got access to it, and the range-topping Grande managed to look even older, with out-of-style two-tone paint and undersized 15-inch alloy wheels.

Unsurprisingly, the audience for the Avalon Grande skewed towards older buyers, and the Avalon never quite held the same gravitas as a Calais or Fairmont Ghia of the era.

Chrysler by Chrysler

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Chrysler attempted its own version of the local long-wheelbase luxury recipe with the Chrysler by Chrysler.

The name itself had some issues, right off the bat, but the features didn’t disappoint. Despite a close relationship to the VH Valiant, the Chrysler by Chrysler rode on a longer wheelbase and came with a chrome-heavy wrap-around front bumper encircling the grille and headlights.

Sedan and coupe versions were initially offered, along with a choice of 4.3-litre inline six, or 5.2 and 5.9 litre V8 power, with sedans spanning from 1971 until 1976, but the coupe only lasting until 1973.

Holden Suburban

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Holden’s pitch for market supremacy in the late 1990s left no stone unturned, resulting in the massive Chevrolet Suburban arriving here adorned with Holden badges.

A factory-built right-hand drive program for GMC ambulances made the project possible, but also meant the Holden Suburban got a lower-spec pick-up dash compared to its US equivalent.

A choice of 5.7-litre petrol or 6.5-litre turbo diesel V8 engines was offered. By the time the Suburban was pulled in 2000, its almost $83,000 price for a fully-loaded petrol V8 was over $16,217 more than a V8 Caprice.

Ford TL50

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Ford went after HSV in a big way with the AU Falcon and Fairlane, establishing FTE – Ford Tickford Experience – to overhaul the performance and handling for Ford Australia’s mainstream models.

Launched in 1999, the TL50 was exactly what its acronym suggested, a Tickford long-wheelbase with a 5.0-litre engine, although technically its V8 rounded down to 4.9L, as with other AU Falcons.

By the time the third iteration T3 TL50 arrived, its 250kW 5.6-litre stroker engine rivalled HSV’s 255kW 5.7-litre Grange, and its long, low styling over massive wheels and huge brakes looked suitably sinister. Buyers didn’t fully agree, however, and when Ford launched the next-gen BA-based FPV range, no Fairlane-based model made it past concept stage.

What could be one of the wildest-looking Porsche 911 GT3’s to ever leave Stuttgart has been revealed. And it’s a fully factory-built creation.

To celebrate the 15th anniversary of Porsche’s official distribution in the Eastern European country of Moldova, Porsche’s Sonderwunsch individualisation program created a ‘Tree of Life’ 911 GT3.

The gradient-painted exterior, complete with hand-painted Tree of Life graphics, is attention-grabbing on its own, but the interior goes even further. Individual tastes may vary, but it’s unlikely the bold interior combination of the 911 GT3 Tree of Life will be repeated in a hurry.

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The car is designed to demonstrate the extremes of what’s possible via Sonderwunsch customisations, but the aesthetic applied here features strong ties to Moldovan culture.

The interior is trimmed in Lina purple leather, with highlights in Ruby Star Neo pink, mirroring the hand-painted Violapurplemetallic to Chromaflair Magic Magenta exterior that references Moldova’s wine-growing heritage.

Porsche’s legendary Pasha chequered interior fabric is also used in the seats, doors, and luggage area in eye-catching pink and white. Woof finishes for the gear knob and seat backrests are used to “symbolise Moldova’s natural roots and traditional craftsmanship”, according to Porsche.

Pasha first arrived as an option for the Porsche 928 in 1977, and was reintroduced by Porsche, for restorations – and custom-build creations like this one – in late 2025.

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The Tree of Life exterior details are finished in Neodyme Porsche Gold, adding another hand-painted element to go with the gradient paintwork, taking a reported 400 hours for the exterior finishes. A Tree of Life ‘M’ graphic, for Moldova, has been integrated into the front lower intake grille.

Even the wheels score a Sonderwunsch (German for special request) once-over, with the 20-inch front, and 21-inch rear magnesium wheels, colour-coded to their respective position on the vehicle.

The unique 911 GT3 Touring was commissioned by Porsche Moldova, and will form the basis of a customer event and subsequent exhibitions at the National Museum of Ethnography and Natural History in the Moldovan capital of Chișinău. From there, the 911 GT3 ‘Tree of Life’ will take pride of place at Porsche Centre Moldova.

Mechanically, the Tree of Life 911 retains the same 375kW 4.0-litre naturally aspirated six-cylinder engine and six-speed manual as found on regular production GT3s.

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Drivers travelling during the King’s Birthday long weekend are being warned to obey road rules, with double-demerit penalties now in force in parts of the country and police stepping up patrols on major roads.

Motorists in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory will be subject to double demerits from Friday through to Monday night as authorities target dangerous driving behaviour during one of the busiest travel periods of the year.

The tougher penalties apply to offences including speeding, illegal mobile phone use, failing to wear a seatbelt correctly and riding a motorcycle without a helmet. In NSW, additional penalties may also apply in school zones on Friday, while other traffic offences can attract an extra demerit point.

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Transport for NSW has reminded drivers that the initiative doubles demerit points rather than financial penalties, increasing the risk of licence suspensions for repeat offenders.

Police across NSW will maintain a highly visible presence throughout the holiday period, with officers focusing on behaviours known to contribute to serious crashes and fatalities.

NSW Police Minister Yasmin Catley urged motorists to take responsibility behind the wheel, saying road safety depended on every driver making sensible decisions.

Queensland operates a different system, with double-demerit penalties enforced year-round for drivers who repeat certain offences within a 12-month period. The state’s rules apply to speeding, seatbelt, mobile phone and motorcycle helmet infringements.

Meanwhile, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania and the Northern Territory do not operate double-demerit schemes. However, police in those jurisdictions will still conduct major road safety operations over the long weekend.

Victoria Police has launched Operation Regal, targeting highways, freeways and routes to regional tourism destinations and alpine areas as snow season begins. Authorities have warned that cold and wet conditions could increase risks for motorists.

South Australia’s Operation Safe Long Weekend will focus on the so-called “fatal five” road safety factors, while Tasmania Police will continue a mix of overt and covert patrols aimed at reducing dangerous driving and preventing road trauma.

Hyundai Australia has announced changes to the Kona Electric small and IONIQ 5 medium electric SUV ranges, which has seen their pricing reduced by up to $8000. Now priced from $46,000 plus on-road costs for the Kona Electric and $68,200 +ORC for the IONIQ 5, both electric Hyundai models are now better value for money than before, with the Kona Electric is now priced comfortably under $50,000.

Hyundai has also revised the Kona Electric line-up by adding a new mid-spec Elite, which the brand recently did for petrol and hybrid Kona models as well. Over the entry-level Kona Electric, the Elite adds 19-inch alloy wheels, leather upholstery, electric front seat adjustment, heated front seats, solar front glass, rear privacy glass and an auto-dimming rear mirror.

Hyundai has also removed mid-spec Kona Electric N Line models, with just the Premium N Line remaining.

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To achieve the price cuts, Hyundai has removed some features from some grades, including a heat pump, auto-dimming rear mirror, AC-to-wall socket charging cable and vehicle-to-load (V2L) capability from the base Kona Electric, and V2L capability and wall charger from the base Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 5 N.

However, the IONIQ 5 Premium N Line variant now receives leather sport seats with N Logos, replacing the previous suede seats.

2026 Hyundai Kona Electric and IONIQ 5 pricing (excluding on-road costs):

The updated Hyundai Kona Electric and IONIQ 5 ranges will land in local Hyundai showrooms soon.

In a surprise move Audi has revealed a new 736kW (that’s 1001hp) hybrid supercar called the Nuvolari, named after driver Tazio Nuvolari, who raced for Auto Union in the 1930s.

The new mid-engined model will act as Audi’s new halo model and while it may look like it, it’s actually not a concept car but a limited-run production model for which European deliveries will commence in the first half of 2027.

Limited to just 499 units globally and costing around £500,000 in the UK (around A$940,000), the Nuvolari won’t be a direct replacement for the beloved Audi R8. Instead, the Nuvolari takes the brand to a higher level of engineering, targeting Ferrari, McLaren and sister brand Lamborghini.

The Nuvolari is the first production car to feature Audi’s new design language, which debuted on the Concept C in September 2025. However, it takes more inspiration from its Formula One motorsport program, with extra openings and vents to help keep the engine cool, and more movable aero parts to help deliver up to 400kg of downforce. The moving rear wing features DRS, there are staggered 20- and 21-inch alloy wheels, and carbon ceramic brakes also feature.

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The Nuvolari’s cabin is driver focused, using a modern clean layout with most key functions operated through a portrait-style touchscreen. Material quality looks to be extremely high, with milled and brushed aluminium used for almost all the interior’s hard components. 

Centre of Audi’s new aluminium and carbon fibre-bodied mid-engined supercar is a twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 engine, which is paired with three electric motors to help boost the overall maximum power output to 736kW. The engine itself makes 588kW/730Nm outputs and revs to 10,000rpm, while the three electric motors produce 110kW each. The lithium-ion battery has a gross capacity of 7.3 kWh for short all-electric driving capability and to also feed the electric motors.

Thanks to the firepower and lightweight construction, the Nuvolari is quite fast: it completes the 0-100km/h sprint in just 2.6 seconds, 0-200km/h in just 6.8 seconds and the top speed is limited to 350km/h. That makes it comfortably the fastest production Audi ever made, and faster even than the quickest R8, which took 3.1 seconds to reach 100km/h and a top speed of 331km/h.  

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A new feature in the Nuvolari is called ‘Quattro Predictive Ride’. It’s a powertrain-management system that will read road data from various sensors across the car to actively predict how and where to apply power, reportedly making the Nuvolari even faster. Expect that system to make its way down the Audi line-up in the future.

As with most modern cars, the Nuvolari’s driving characteristics are variable depending on which of the five drive modes is chosen. ‘E-Hybrid’ will run the car in all-electric mode as much as possible. Normal driving will be served by ‘Balanced’, with ‘Dynamic’ and ‘Dynamic +’ all turning the power up slowly in turn. At the top is a ‘Track’ mode, which will deploy full power wherever possible, and allows the driver to finely control the traction control. 

The Audi Nuvolari will go on sale in European markets in 2027. Australian plans are yet to be revealed, or if it will even be made in right-hand drive.

Ford’s rethink of its product strategy sees the brand edging closer to introducing a sedan variant of the Mustang coupe for the first time ever.

The unprecedented model stepped closer to a production reality with a key Ford executive revealing that the company is looking to expand its Mustang group of products. In an interview with Automotive News, Andrew Frick, the head of both Ford’s internal combustion and hybrid vehicle business unit, Ford Blue, and its electric vehicle line, Ford e, singled out the Mustang while discussing the potential for a new sedan.

When asked about comments from Ford’s CEO Jim Farley about the return of a sedan, Frick responded, “We have a really great Mustang that people consider a car. We look to expand on the Mustang family as we move forward.”

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Ford’s line-up in the USA has been without a sedan since 2020, with the end of the Fusion model line, essentially the North American version of the Mondeo.

Comments from Ford’s CEO have pointed to a return of traditional passenger cars, and in Europe, the brand has announced that a compact car, sized like the Fiesta, is locked in to fill that gap there.

As early as 2022, Ford released official design sketches of a four-door Mustang as part of the development process for the design of the current Mustang coupe and convertible. Later, in a 2024 Autocar interview, Farley was quoted as saying, “Could we do other Mustang body forms – a four-door or whatever? I believe we could.”

WhichCar was even musing about a four-door Mustang in 2022, after the release of the 2023 Ford Mustang, and ran a render by artist Theottle to indicate what it might look like (below).

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Frick cautioned that the shrinking sedan market and the ongoing popularity of SUVs mean that balancing development and production costs would play a pivotal role in bringing any new model to market.

“It’s going to have to make sense within our portfolio. It’s going to have to make sense within a family that we may already offer. And it’s going to have to be very cost-effective for us to do it.” Frick said.

A four-door Mustang would also give Ford a competitor to the new Dodge Charger, which is available as both a coupe and sedan, and a potential fighter for a new Chevrolet Camaro, rumoured to return in 2028 as a sedan, rather than a coupe for the first time.

With platform sharing now a major part of the development of new models in the name of cost efficiency, adapting the Mustang’s unique D2C chassis architecture into a higher-volume model could be a way for Ford to amortise the cost of both the Mustang coupe and a potential future sedan.

A sedan model, built alongside the coupe and convertible, could also help Ford utilise production capacity at its Flat Rock, Michigan assembly site.

The CEO of Lotus has made a bold, and seemingly ironic, statement that has set Chinese social media alight.

Feng Qingfeng, the CEO of Lotus Group since 2018, made the divisive statement during a media event in China.

Translated reports from Chinese media vary, but essentially report Qingfeng as saying that any sports car with a weight over 1.8 tonnes is ‘mediocre’, ‘slow’, or, in one instance, ‘a grocery getter’. However, that last interpretation seems least likely.

Chinese social media swooped on the callout, highlighting the fact that of the three cars Lotus currently produces, only one meets Qingfeng’s standards.

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The current Lotus lineup includes the Emira sports car (main) and two ‘grand touring’ or luxury cars, the Emeya sedan and Eletre SUV (above). Of those, the Emira weighs between 1446kg and 1457kg according to the brand, while the lightest Emeya starts at 2505kg, and the Eletre starts at 2490kg, based on Australian specifications.

The statement appears to target the brand’s current lineup, which has faced criticism from enthusiasts for shunning the brand’s lightweight ethos in favour of a more luxury-oriented position for four-door models.

Qingfeng’s statement may have had a different intention entirely.

Lotus has recently announced that it was scrapping plans to become an all-electric brand by 2028, and revealed that a plug-in hybrid sports car, equipped with a V8 engine, would join the range by 2028 instead. The targeted callout on weight could be a sign that Lotus is aiming to keep its newest model under 1.8 tonnes.

The move would not be unprecedented, with Ferrari’s similar drivetrain layout – a V8 engine and plug-in hybrid system – tipping the scales at 1735kg in the SF90 Stradale.

A plug-in hybrid version of the Eletre SUV pairs a 2.0-litre four-cylinder with dual electric motors, and offers the ability for the petrol engine to run as a generator, or to connect directly to drive the front wheels.

A similar system is likely for the new model, albeit with rear-wheel drive for the petrol engine owing to its probable mid-engined placement.

It’s not yet known if the upcoming sports car, being developed under the codename Type 135, will use an AMG-supplied engine, as with the four-cylinder Emira, or rely on Horse, an engine supplier owned by Lotus’ parent company, Geely, for its V8 engine.

The original Lexus RZ, released in 2023, wasn’t a bad electric SUV. But it did have its flaws – underpowered, not enough range, slow charging times and a price tag that elevated it way above its competitive set.

But in a case of going back to the drawing board, not only has Lexus heavily updated its flagship EV to address each and every one of those issues but also brought some exciting new technology that it hopes will see the refreshed RZ gain a wider audience.

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How much is the Lexus RZ?

Lexus has emphatically addressed what was arguably the previous RZ’s biggest flaw – price – the accountants running the razor over the spreadsheet with gusto.

The 2026 Lexus RZ range kicks things off with the $84,500 RZ500e Luxury, a headline-grabbing $36,559 less than the model it replaces.

It’s a similar story for the mid-spec RZ500e Sports Luxury, its new $91,000 sticker price a gob-smacking $42,059 cheaper than the outgoing model.

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At the top of the RZ tree, the new flagship 550e F Sport asks for $105,000 and it’s here where we see new technologies – a steer-by-wire steering system complete with F1-style steering yoke; and what Lexus calls Interactive Manual Drive, an artificial gearshift system much like that found in Hyundai Ioniq 5 N and 6 N.

All models, no matter the grade, are generously equipped with 20-inch alloys, dual-zone climate control, LED dusk-sensing headlights, electric tailgate, power adjustable heated front seats, 14.0-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, satellite navigation, and wireless phone charging.

The entry-level RZ 500e Luxury alone features NuLux synthetic leather seat trim and a 10-speaker Panasonic sound system with the mid-spec RZ 500e Sports Luxury and flagship RZ 550e F Sport scoring Ultrasuede upholstery, a premium 13-speaker Mark Levinson sound system. Additionally, the two high grade models bring a panoramic roof, ventilated front seats, heated rear outboard seats, a heated steering wheel, and head-up display.

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The flagship RZ 550e F Sport, underscoring its sportier demeanour, adds black 20-inch alloy wheels, exterior styling elements including a rear spoiler, steer-by-wire system with F1-style steering yoke, sports seats up front, ‘manual’ drive mode, and aluminium pedals.

How powerful is the Lexus RZ?

Two electric motors provide the shove for all variants. In the two 500e models – Luxury and Sports Luxury – they combine for 280kW, a significant increase of 50kW over the old model.

The new range-topping 550E F Sport features the same twin-electric motor setup, but ups the power ante to 300kW. Those power boosts have improved straight line acceleration, with 0-100km/h claims of 4.6 seconds for 500e models, while the 550e F Sport is marginally quicker at 4.4 seconds.

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What is the driving range of the Lexus RZ?

The revamped Lexus RZ range has addressed one of the major shortcomings of the outgoing model – driving range.

New battery technology with improved density has resulted in significant gains without wholesale increases to battery size.

Battery size has increased to 74.7kWh in both Sport and Sports Luxury models, boosting the claimed driving range, now pegged at 460km (WLTP) up from the 400km claim of the older model.

The new RZ 550e F Sport is fitted with a slightly larger 77kWh battery, although thanks to its extra juice and weight, its WLTP-quoted range is lower at 437km.

Recharging the battery is now faster too, with the maximum AC rate doubled to 22kW, now taking 3.5 hours from 0-100 per cent. DC fast charging is capped at 150kW bringing a 10-80 per cent top-up time of 28 minutes.

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Lexus claims energy efficiency has improved over the outgoing model, now quoted at 18kWh/100km for RZ 500e models, and a slightly higher 18.8kWh/100km for the more powerful (and heavier) RZ 550e F Sport.

Lexus’ launch drive didn’t really provide the canvas for real world energy consumption readings, its blend of long highway stretches and tantalising winding and twisting stretches of tarmac showcasing performance over energy use. We’ll wait until we cycle the various RZ models through the Whichcar by Wheels garage before making a definitive judgment on energy use.

How practical is the Lexus RZ?

Inside, the Lexus RZ treads a familiar path, with thoughtful design, top-notch materials and a fit-and-finish that ranks amongst the best in the segment.

Infotainment comes via a carried-over 14.0-inch touchscreen with the usual suspects – Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, sat-nav, – all accounted for.

Lexus only had Sports Luxury and F Sport models available at launch, so I can’t speak to the cabin treatment of the entry-level 500e Luxury, suffice to say that aside from a few amenities and niceties, and the use of synthetic ‘leather’ on the seats, there’s not a lot to differentiate the trio.

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Both Sports Luxury and F Sport variants make good use of their more expensive price points, a highlight the Ultrasuede interior trim that extends to the door cards which have been enhanced by an intricate laser-cut pattern that looks a million bucks.

The sense of space inside is enhanced by the panoramic glass roof, paying dividends in the second row. A completely flat floor frees up vital foot and leg room, adding to the overall feeling of comfort and luxury.

Boot space is carried over from the old model, quoted at 522L (seats up) and 1451L (second row folded). There’s no under-bonnet storage.

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But the headline act of the cabin, at least in RZ 550e F Sport trim, is the F1-style steering yoke, connected to a steer-by-wire system. It’s only available in the flagship F Sport variant and brings not only a sense of theatre, but also fundamental changes to the way the RZ drives.

Beyond its racecar aesthetic (and its trick steer-by-wire system), the yoke serves other practical purposes – thanks to its dimensions, there’s more leg room for the driver while the view through the windscreen and onto the instrument cluster is unhindered by the rim or spokes of a traditional wheel.

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What’s the Lexus RZ like to drive?

There’s not much between the 280kW Sports Luxury and 300kW F Sport, certainly not in terms of performance. Yes, the F Sport is, on paper, fractionally quicker in a straight line but the 0.2s difference is so small you don’t feel like you’re being short-changed out on the road if you opt for the more affordable of this pair.

Both variants settle into easy and quiet lopes, never feeling overly-stressed. Ambling along at city speeds is whisper quiet, a hallmark of electric powertrains. So too throttle responsiveness when you step on the ‘gas’, the RZ surging forward with ease in an entirely predictable manner. Like so many EVs of its ilk, the RZ is easy to drive, a relaxed and comfortable medium SUV, whether curling on the highway or trawling the suburbs.

Refinements to the chassis, along with tweaks to the suspension for this update, bring refined road manners. Bump absorption is excellent while everyday road nasties are dispatched with cossetting ease. Body control, during more adventurous cornering, remains nicely in check too.

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And it’s here where the F Sport’s steer-by-wire system shows its true hand. With just 200-degrees turn end to end – 100 degrees each left and right from centre, doing away with hand-over-hand steering – inputs are much smaller than a conventional setup. It doesn’t take long to get used to, your mind adjusting quickly as you begin to enjoy the sharp accuracy of even the most minor adjustments. It’s a system that rewards precision.

The conventional steering in the Sports Luxury doesn’t suffer by comparison: still accurate, still responsive, just needing more work from the driver.

As for Lexus’ hyped Interactive Manual Drive, activated in the F Sport only by a press on the ‘M’ (presumably for Manual), button? It’s a miss, filling the cabin with an overly-synthesised sounding imitation of a trad engine and gearbox that’s entirely unconvincing. Hyundai does it better.

What safety technology does the Lexus RZ have?

All Lexus RZ variants are equipped with the brand’s Safety Sense suite of advanced driver assist and safety technologies including autonomous emergency braking, lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert and driver attention monitoring. A complement of 10 airbags covers both rows.

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ANCAP awarded the Lexus RZ a five-star safety rating in 2023, a score that should carry over to this 2026 update.

What’s verdict on the Lexus RZ?

Lexus should be applauded for acknowledging the inherent flaws of the original RZ, and then addressing those same flaws just three years after launch.

Improvements across the board have resulted in a measurably better mid-size SUV compared to its predecessor. More range, more power and more on-road refinement are the headliners, with steer-by-wire of the F Sport the supporting act.

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The new RZ isn’t without its flaws still, but they pale into almost nothingness when measured against the model it replaces. The F Sport could have done without the fake gearshifts, which is unconvincing at best, and simply awful at worst, but at least it’s a feature that drivers need to opt-in to, meaning it will lie dormant and unused. And while improved driving range is always welcome, in a segment where 500-plus kilometres is becoming increasingly common, the RZ’s 460km claim at its best feels a little below par.

But, saving the best for last, it’s the RZ’s price realignment that arguably represents the biggest improvement, a realignment that brings the mid-sized SUV much closer to its rivals, which should see Lexus now in the conversation around premium mid-size electric SUVs.

Lexus RZ 500e Luxury standard features

• 20-inch alloy wheels
• Dusk-sensing automatic LED exterior lighting
• Electric tailgate
• ‘NuLux’ synthetic leather upholstery
• 8-way electric front seats with heating
• Power steering wheel adjustment
• Dual-zone automatic climate control
• 7.0-inch digital driver’s display
• 14.0-inch touchscreen
• Satellite navigation
• Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• Wireless phone charger
• 10-speaker Panasonic sound system

RZ 500e Sports Luxury adds

• Two-tone alloy wheels
• Semi-autonomous parking functionality
• Upgraded LED headlights with adaptive high beam
• Dimming panoramic glass roof
• Suede upholstery
• Ventilated front seats
• Heated outboard rear seats
• Heated steering wheel
• Head-up display
• 13-speaker Mark Levinson audio
• Digital rear mirror

RZ 550e F Sport adds

• Black alloy wheels
• Sportier exterior styling, including a rear spoiler
• Steer-by-wire
• Yoke steering wheel
• Manual drive mode
• Front sports seats
• Aluminium pedals

Specs