We publish a lot of car news during the work week (the rule is 70 odd) and it can be hard to keep up with everything – that’s the reason behind this weekend’s list.
In short, here are some of the key articles from our news desk as of this Monday summarized, just in case you missed them at the time.
Mazda tweaks the cheapest car model
The Mazda 2 is almost a decade old but shows no signs of being replaced, instead, the Japanese marque has given the light car another facelift.
It will go on sale in Australia in June 2023, with deliveries starting in July.
Pricing will be announced closer to launch, but Mazda says local 2 range will continue to include Pure, Pure SP, Evolve and GT variants. Currently, the GT is the only version that still offers a sedan option.
FULL STORY: Launch of Mazda 2 facelift 2023, delivery in Australia in July
Genesis convertible confirmed
The Genesis brand is said to have its first convertible.
auto news Reportedly the Korean luxury brand will introduce a production version of the Genesis X Convertible concept, revealed at last year’s Los Angeles auto show.
American Genesis dealer Peter Lanzavecchia, who is also chairman of the Genesis National Dealer Advisory Council, said Genesis creative director Luc Donckerwolke confirmed the model at an annual dealer meeting.
FULL STORY: Genesis X Convertible concept goes into production – report
Audi’s pickup concept… types
The fourth member of Audi’s futuristic ‘Sphere’ series of concept cars is an all-terrain electric crossover based on augmented reality controls.
Activesphere 5m long (4.98m to be specific) has the look of a luxury 4-door coupe but the height and wheels of an off-road vehicle. Perhaps this is the future of traditional sleek luxury cars?
Additionally, the rear hatch area can be transformed into an open cargo bed – Audi calls it an “active back” – at the touch of a button, making it a potentially appealing addition to the lineup. Audi’s Allroad product.
FULL STORY: Audi Activesphere concept is a coupe-pickup with AR . technology
Kia’s answer to Toyota RAV4 Hybrid is near
No, that’s not a typo. Kia Australia finally delivers Hybrid sports car (or HEV) to Australia and will likely arrive early next year.
Talk to auto expertRoland Rivero, Kia’s Local Product Planning Manager, confirmed that production of the local models will begin in Korea in the fourth quarter of 2023 before sales begin in early 2024.
That timeline fits Kia’s typical pattern of introducing new models at the Australian Open, for which the Korean brand is an official partner and recently extended his contract until 2028.
FULL STORY: Kia Sportage Hybrid finally confirmed for Australia, coming 2024
Porsche recreates an icon
As we know, the legendary Porsche brand was born in 1948, when the No. 1 Roadster number 356 was granted a general operating license.
Now the company has given itself a birthday present with the Porsche Vision 357, a design study and homage that has given the 356’s “monolithic form to this day”.
It also offers some clues as to what we can expect from future Porsche sports cars, even though the Vision 357 is purely a concept model “unbound by applicable regulations”. for deployment as a series vehicle”.
FULL STORY: Porsche Vision 357 design concept reinterprets an icon
Polestar 2 update has a Tesla Model 3 concept
Single-engine variants of the Polestar 2 electric forklift are set to switch from front-wheel drive (FWD) to rear-wheel drive (RWD) as part of a newly announced update.
Polestar today detailed some of the changes to the Tesla Model 3 competitor, including a new electric motor and battery setup that delivers more power and range, refined exterior styling, and additional standard features. While not confirmed, we also expect some upside.
Australian customers will be able to order the 2024 Polestar 2 in Q2 2023 through the Polestar Australia website. The first deliveries are expected to take place in the third quarter of this year.
FULL STORY: Polestar 2 switches to RWD, in Australia from Q3
Used car prices back to normal?
Australian wholesale new car prices are down 12% from their May 2022 peak, as the broader supply chain returns to normal and demand for used cars cools.
The Q4 used car price report shows that used car prices have now fallen for seven consecutive months, and in January 2023, prices fell for the first time year-on-year since January 2023. May 2020.
Furthermore, used car prices are expected to continue to return to earth in 2023 as supply of new cars improves and demand weakens due to higher borrowing costs and inflation.
FULL STORY: New research shows used cars continue to get cheaper
Bent-eight burbles on
The world is moving to electric, but the old-fashioned V8 isn’t dead yet. Just ask General Motors.
The group’s sixth-generation small displacement V8 engine will be built in Flint, Michigan, using parts made in Michigan, Ohio and New York thanks to an investment of $854 million (1.2 million USD) billion Australian dollars) announced this week.
When put into service, this engine will be available in “large trucks and SUVs” models. What role it will play in the sports car space is unclear. Corvette E-Ray express the clear intention of electrifying the GM emblems.
FULL STORY: General Motors invests $1.2 billion to maintain V8 . engine
Akio resigns as CEO of Toyota
Akio Toyoda, grandson of the automaker’s founder and one of the most famous auto bosses in recent Japanese history, will step down as CEO of Toyota.
He will be replaced as president and chief executive officer on April 1, 2023 by Koji Sato, who currently heads both Lexus and Gazoo Racing. Sato will continue to take charge of luxury and sports brands after becoming the company’s boss.
Sato has worked for Toyota since he graduated from Waseda University in 1992 with a degree in mechanical engineering.
FULL STORY: Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda resigns, replaced with Lexus and GR boss
The aggressive BMW M3 CS appeared
BMW has revealed the more powerful M3 CS flagship sedan – lighter, stiffer and more powerful ahead of its world premiere this weekend at the 24 Hours of Daytona.
As we’d expect, the M3 CS has an upgraded inline six-cylinder chassis and extensive use of carbon fiber to make it uglier than its brethren. It shares much in common with the BMW M4 CSL revealed last May, only it offers a more practical interior and four-wheel drive instead of rear-wheel drive.
It will be available in Australia in limited quantities from the second half of 2023, priced at $249,900 before on-road costs.
FULL STORY: BMW M3 CS 2024 revealed
Ferrari introduces EV . noise booster
Electric cars are known to be quiet and Ferraris are not. However, the prancing horse brand’s upcoming electric cars can deliver a special soundtrack that both occupants and passersby can hear.
In a filing with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) found by XeBuzzFerrari has patented a system that will “allow the driver and passengers to enjoy, inside the passenger compartment, a quality sound … very pleasing to them”.
Ferrari filed a patent in the United States on January 5, 2023, about six months after filing the patent in Italy.
FULL STORY: Ferrari patents ‘engine noise’ for electric cars
Hyundai DCT recalled due to power failure
Hyundai Australia has issued a recall of 8466 vehicles on select models, due to problems with the eight-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT), where drivers could experience sudden power outages.
“Software logic for ‘unsafe’ driving conditions is not set up to respond correctly when certain transmission oil pump failures are detected in dual-clutch transmissions,” the company said in a statement. recall notice.
“The loss of momentum when driving at high speeds can increase the risk of a crash. This has the potential to result in injury or death to vehicle occupants and other road users.”
FULL STORY: Hyundai Australia recalls thousands of vehicles due to DCT . error
Volvo skeptical of driverless car schedule
Fully self-driving cars won’t be around for a long time, even as the tech side of things matures, said Jim Rowan, current global director at Volvo.
He also called the current five-tier self-driving car classification system “absurd” and said unfounded claims around driverless vehicle development no longer inflate stock values like Several years ago.
The Scotland-born Volvo Cars chief executive (and former Dyson executive) was in Melbourne last week as part of his business’s visit to remote regions and spent time with the media. local communication.
FULL STORY: Volvo boss says self-driving cars are a ‘long way’ and everyone knows it
Australia is a big deal for Chery, again
Chinese company Chery will return here in the coming months, initially with the Omoda 5 small SUV before an enhanced broader-scale product rollout over the next 12 months.
And – without pressure or anything – the entire organization is pinning its hopes on the company’s local success and future product planning.
The automaker has a history of playing in developing markets, traditionally offering low-priced models that are basic in terms of features, technical quality and also safety features at a bargain price. cheaper.
FULL STORY: Chery says Australia is the focal point, with priority supply – here’s why
