We publish a lot of car news during the work week (the rule is 70 news) and it can be difficult to keep up with everything – that’s the reason behind this weekend’s list.
In a nutshell, here are some of the key articles from our news desk as of this Monday summarized, in case you missed them at the time.
Volvo makes an electrification statement
Volvo wants to sell its last petrol car in Australia by 2025, as part of an ambitious plan to make it one of Australia’s biggest luxury brands.
The China-based, Sweden-based brand has committed to selling only electric vehicles by 2030 worldwide, but Volvo Car Australia chief executive Stephen Connor last week told the press that he thinks local buyers of the brand will be ready by that time.
“We are not going to wait until 2030, we are not going to wait for the global strategy to be in place. I proposed to Gothenburg the other day, and we will be completely electric by 2026 in Australia,” said Mr Connor.
FULL STORY: Volvo Australia plans to go all-electric by 2026 – all the details
Sales figures are calculated by…
New car sales in October rose 16.9% from the same month last year, to 87,299 units, according to VFACTS industry data released today. This is the best October tally since 2018 and shows that supply chain troubles are starting to ease.
The strong October tally also means the current figure for 2022 – 898,429 sales – is ahead of 2021’s cumulative figure by 0.9%.
Toyota topped the brand rankings while Ford came in second and the brand new Blue Oval Ranger took the top spot as the best-selling model of the month.
FULL STORY: New car sales increase, Ford Ranger leads – VFACTS October 2022
Key crux of Kia’s Australia plan emerges
Is this the long-awaited Kia auto?
Photos of a camouflaged (and slightly ragged) test mule are posted KiaClubOfficial shows a test drive of Kia-branded pickups on Korean roads, wearing what appears to be the front end of the Mohave SUV. Although the images are cropped, it is clear in one of the images that the cabin is cut behind the rear seats to create a dual-cab body.
Details about the Kia Ure have yet to be made public, but the company earlier this year pledged to build “a dedicated electric pickup truck and a strategic vehicle for emerging markets.” .
FULL STORY: Kia Ure has been tested quickly in Korea
Volkswagen EV launches closer…slower
Volkswagen Australia is aiming for an entry price of around $60,000 for its first EV, the ID.4 SUV that competes with the Tesla Model Y, which is expected to hit local showrooms by the end of 2023. .
Around the same time as the ID.4 launches, Volkswagen will also offer the ID.5 fastback crossover, giving it a two-way EV range.
The company says it’s seeing a high level of demand and hopes those planning to rent out late next year will start putting their names on it. It will open the subscription waiting list of your preferences to customers before Christmas this year.
FULL STORY: Volkswagen EVs will reach Australian owners in 2023 for around $60k
Subaru pledges humility
After all, Subaru will replace its Impreza, even as its sales continue to shrink by the related XV/Crosstrek.
The sixth-generation Subaru Impreza will be unveiled at the Los Angeles auto show, which runs from November 18 to 27, 2022.
The company has released a single teaser of the car’s silhouette in hatchback guise, and unsurprisingly it closely resembles the upcoming 2023 Subaru Crosstrek, which replaces the XV.
FULL STORY: 2024 Subaru Impreza gets teased
Another EV on the radar
Volvo Australia could work with its parent companies in Geely in China to bring to the electronics market Radar Down Under.
Does it come to Australia, Radar products will not carry the Volvo badge. Instead, Volvo Australia chief executive Stephen Connor said the brand could provide in-office support to Geely and assist with vehicle distribution Down Under.
“What I want to do is talk to our Geely partners and tell them ‘we will be the sales company for Radar’. That could be a possibility,” Mr Connor told the media, although he insisted Volvo Australia had not yet reached out.
FULL STORY: How Geely’s Electronic Radar Brand Could Come to Australia
EV dynamics in the industry grow at a rapid rate
As submissions close for the Australian Government’s National Electric Vehicle Strategy consultation document, 100 companies have called for a number of key actions.
In a two-page advertisement put out by the Electric Vehicle Council, 100 companies called for one million electric vehicles to be on Australian roads by 2027. A range of car manufacturers were among them. advocates of this goal.
Other companies expressing their support include rental agencies like Europcar and Hertz, fee infrastructure providers like Evie, Jetcharge and Tritium, and other big players like IKEA, Origin , Uber and Woolworths Group.
FULL STORY: 100 companies call for one million electric vehicles in Australia by 2027
Fiesta’s Infinite Nap, a Flashback
The story of the Ford Fiesta begins with the fuel crisis that led to OPEC-instigated oil production cuts, and ends with the climate crisis forcing a shift to electric vehicles, as well as a growing preference for electric vehicles. prefer crossovers over hatchbacks.
Fiesta production stops in 2023 at Ford’s Cologne plant, Germany to make way for a new electric crossover based on the Volkswagen MEB architecture. Over seven generations and 47 years of production, 22 million Fiesta-branded vehicles have been sold worldwide.
While its current innings are coming to an end, we shouldn’t rule out a revival of the popular nameplate as Ford isn’t averse to reviving historic badges – sometimes on similar vehicles. similar to Bronco and Escort, and other times on something completely different, like Galaxy and Puma.
FULL STORY: Farewell, Fiesta – How has the Ford City hatch evolved
MG wants to make herself sexy again
MG’s first all-electric sports car is now out early next year, although its showroom debut is still some time away.
Autocar reports that the reveal of the production MG Cyberster has been delayed, with plans to reveal it at the Guangzhou motor show this month canceled due to fears the show will be postponed or canceled due to COVID- 19.
It is now expected to be revealed in April, ahead of UK deliveries commencing in 2024 as previously reported – in time for the MG brand’s centenary anniversary. The company’s local branch is also considering bringing the electric roadster here, as it will be built in right-hand drive mode.
FULL STORY: MG Cyberster reveal delayed to April – report
Audi to launch EV in 2024
Audi Australia has made some progress in securing the Q4 e-tron EV, with a local launch likely as early as 2024.
That is a good news. The bad news is that the electric small SUV will have about three years left by the time it arrives, revealed in April 2021.
That puts Audi at a disadvantage given its lack of competition with the increasingly popular Tesla Model Y, BMW iX1, Volvo XC40 Recharge, Lexus UX300e and Mercedes-Benz EQA.
FULL STORY: Audi Q4 e-tron small electric SUV pushed to early 2024
The Australian-developed Ford Ranger Raptor will carry a Baja 1000
Ford has made no secret that the Ranger Raptoronne is inspired by the world of Baja off-road racing.
Now, a version of the Raptor, modified for racing by Kelly Racing in Melbourne and Lovell Racing in the US, will enter the Baja 1000 desert race on the Baja California Peninsula in Mexico from 15 to 20 November 2022. .
It will be powered by a “low-carbon” biofuel developed by Shell, which is a mixture of ethanol and another vegetable oil and organic waste product, called bio- naphtha.
FULL STORY: The Australian-developed Ford Ranger Raptor will carry a Baja 1000
Euro ICE ban comes into effect
The European Union has enacted new regulations banning the sale of petrol and diesel cars, SUVs and light commercial vehicles from 2035, although shop makers have been given some concessions.
Smaller manufacturers that produce between 1,000 and 10,000 vehicles a year will be allowed to sell their gas-powered cars for an extra 12 months, opening the door to Lamborghini and Ferrari supercars for an extra year of ICE power. in some form.
Brands that produce less than 1000 vehicles a year will be completely dropped from the rules…now.
FULL STORY: Europe details the ban on gasoline / diesel from 2035, with an exemption for large displacement supercars
Thank you for your support and readers as we bring you all the latest car industry news of the week. Any feedback or thoughts, rate us in the comments!
Have a great weekend.
