Luxury Reviews

Arriving three years after its launch, the Ferrari Purosangue Handling Speciale isn't an unhinged track-focused creation in the same vein as the latest 296 Speciale. Instead, it's the Prancing Horse's answer for those current Purosangue owners who wish their four-seat, four-door Ferrari drove more like a lighter supercar. What's wild is the Purosangue was hardly a dynamic dunce and, even without the €40,000 ($A65,000) option ticked, it remains in contention as one of the sportiest SUVs ever, but as the Ferrari nudges middle age the upgrade could help it maintain its edge. Under the bonnet, engineers have left the glorious naturally aspirated 6.5-litre V12 well alone, with it still producing 533kW and 716Nm of torque for an identical 0-100km/h sprint of 3.3 seconds and a 310km/h top speed. The current car's eight-speed dual-clutch rear-mounted transaxle-style transmission also carries over but now punches home more aggressive upshifts over 5500rpm in Race mode and can kick down for the optimum gear around 25 per cent quicker than before. Further recalibration of the valved sport exhaust, meanwhile, provide for a noisier cold start and extra V12 noise when you're in the mood to annoy the neighbours. Achieving its aim of adding extra nimbleness to the 2033kg Purosangue, engineers say the big Ferrari benefits from all the work that went into developing both the F80 hypercar and upcoming Luce EV that all share the same active suspension. The suspension differs from usual active or adaptive dampers by using 48-volt motors to apply force to each individual wheel and reduce the pitch or drive associated with accelerating or braking. The same system effectively cancels out body roll too, with the tech able to adjust the trick dampers every 0.05 seconds. Without any hardware changes, engineers say the HS calibrations slash body movements by 10 per cent – crucially – without any penalty in ride comfort. A subtle advertisement that you've ticked the box for the HS upgrades, the sharper Purosangue comes with black diamond cut alloy wheels, black carbon-fibre fender shields, special kick plates, satin black exhaust tailpipe finishers and a black Prancing Horse. Inside, all models come with a Handling Speciale plaque but no other changes. Ferrari says it won't offer the pack retrospectively, with it only available from the latest 2027 Model Year Purosangue as a factory option. Behind the wheel, the Ferrari SUV still takes time to adjust to, not least once the V12 fires up. It's still hard to compute that such an exotic soundtrack accompanies something with four seats and a reasonable 473-litre boot. Select first gear via the oversized carbon paddles and the Purosangue smoothly shifts away and, if we're completely honest, it doesn't feel as fast as its claimed figures suggest. Of course it is, we're just spoilt by both turbocharged V8s and, whisper it, EVs. To extract the best from the Ferrari SUV, you have to drive it like a proper supercar. Luckily on a proving ground owned by the carmaker's former owner, we can stretch the Purosangue's legs. It's then you find how noise regulations have muted some of the Ferrari's voice. Over some narrow undulating blacktop that mimic an Italian country road, grip mustered from the wide rubber is overwhelming, while the body control is exemplary both when cornering and under hard braking. The Ferrari, of course, still isn't a supercar on stilts, it scuffs its snout too easily and feels too nose-heavy for that but it's still easy to extract plenty of joy from the driving experience and provides lots of confidence to push. Does it matter that it wouldn't be able to keep pace with a Cayenne Turbo Electric? Or an Aston DBX feels like it offers added mid-gear punch for more effortless overtakes? Probably not, the Italian still feels special in a way the other fast SUVs just can't. Fuel consumption is unaffected with the new pack and remains high at 17.3L/100km which limits range, even with a large 100-litre tank, to around 578km. What could be a problem is whether most owners will be able to tell the difference between a car that is and isn't fitted with the fancier suspension tune? Again, we doubt it, but when most owners easily spend between $100,000-$200,000 on options to make their Purosangue their own, what's another $65,000 in the mix? In Australia buyers are given a wide range of colour choices, with its classic Ross Corsa (Ferrari red), Blue Pozzi (navy) and Giallo Modena (bright yellow) all included in the price. Most ignore the free hues and splash out on premium colours that include everything from shades lifted from classic racing cars to more daring four-layer paints, like Rosso Magma. Standard features in the Ferrari Purosangue include: 22-inch front and larger 23-inch rear alloy wheels Carbon-fibre roof Power-closing rear doors Electric tailgate Leather and Alcantara seats Twin screens with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto 21-speaker Burmester sound system Four heated, massage seats Safety hasn't been neglected in the family-friendly V12 wagon, even though there's no official EuroNCAP test or ANCAP crash test result. Standard safety kit includes: Auto emergency braking (AEB) Adaptive cruise Lane-keep assist Blind-spot monitoring Rear cross-traffic alert Traffic-sign recognition Hill-descent control Every Ferrari arrives with a three-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty, with the option of extending coverage for up to seven years at the point of purchase. Also available is Ferrari's 'Power20' protection, which covers the engine, transmission and all other major mechanical and electronic components for 20 years from the point of purchase. The recommended service interval is 12 months/20,000km, and there's also a seven-year capped-price servicing program, called '7-Year Genuine Maintenance', which allows you to prepay for all your servicing needs.

BMW’s mid-sized sedans and station-wagons have always represented a classy, high-end way to move a family. Competing directly with vehicles such as Audi’s A6-based models and the Mercedes-Benz E-Class, the BMW 5 Series has won its share of admirers over the years as a quality car albeit at a premium price. But now that they’re second-hand, premium models like the BMW 5 Series tend to drop retained value pretty sharply, making them great used-car buys provided you buy the right one. As with any conventional sedan or wagon, however, the BMW has suffered in popularity terms at the hands of the SUV. In fact, while this generation of 5 Series sedans lasted from 2017 to 2023 as the G30 model, the G31 station-wagon that launched alongside it in 2017, left showrooms in 2020 as demand for SUVs made selling a conventional wagon a very tough job. BMW also made the 5 Series line-up a pretty complex, constantly changing animal, so there are the mainstream models to look for as well as some quite specific variants that are worth investigating. Of the mainstream four-door sedan versions, things kicked off with the 520i with its 2.0-litre, four-cylinder petrol engine, 135kW and 290Nm. The 520d was next with a 2.0 diesel, 140kW and 400Nm. The 530i was also a 2.0L four-cylinder, but claimed 185kW and 350Nm due to a different tune. The first of BMW’s famous inline sixes arrived with the 530d with its 3.0 inline six-cylinder diesel and 195kW and 620Nm. The 540i was a 3.0 petrol six-cylinder with 250kW and 450Nm, while the big hitter was the M550i with its twin-turbo 4.4-litre petrol V8, 340kW and 650Nm. In station-wagon variants, there was a 520d (diesel) and a 530i (petrol). The more specialised variants included the 530e PHEV with 185kW and 420Nm and a small EV battery and electric motor. And then there was the really specialised 530d xDrive wagon with the 530d’s engine teamed with an all-wheel drive platform. There was also a sedan called the M550i xDrive which was more or less a 550i sedan with all-wheel drive, 390kW and 750Nm. If that all sounds a bit complicated, that’s because it is. And it also means when you’re shopping for a second-hand G30 or G31 BMW, it’s vital to know exactly what you’re looking at as the used prices vary enormously. The BMW 5 Series has always been portrayed as the driver’s choice in four-door sedans and it remains an entertaining drive in this form. Its interior space has grown over the years to remain relevant in the face of SUVs and the level of standard equipment is good. The best thing about these cars is the way they depreciate heavily in the first few years, making them good value (compared to their new price) as relatively new used cars. BMW’s reputation for building a quality product has been questioned before this model was ever on sale. However, many of the potential issues are the same ones facing other modern cars with their complex drivelines and requirement to meet ever stricter emissions and fuel economy targets. While many owners of this make and model have had great experiences, the BMW 5 Series is not without its problem areas. Like any modern, high-performance engine, the turbocharged engines in the G30 5 Series are fairly highly stressed in their search for maximum performance with minimum fuel consumption. As such, turbochargers have a pretty hard life and can sometimes require complete replacement. Increasingly, the turbo unit is being seen as a consumable item in modern car design. The BMW’s is no different. Plastic fittings in the cooling system of modern BMWs have also caused their share of problems. Thousands of heat cycles can eventually take their toll on these plastic fittings, and relacing them is often the only option. Due to the engine layout, this isn’t always an easy or cheap job. Diesel engines have been known to experience premature crankshaft wear (if you’re unlucky) and crankshaft pulley failures are also not unknown. The turbo-diesel engine also shares a problem seen on many modern diesel designs, of having oil and soot clog the intake system, requiring disassembly and manual cleaning. EGR (Exhaust Gas Recirculation) systems can also fail. V8 engines have a reputation for poor valve stem seals which sees them start to consume oil. Brake wear will be high on performance models and like a lot of European cars, replacement often includes rotors as well as pads, making the job much more expensive. Tyre wear on all-wheel drive versions can also be very high. Beyond that, the LED DRLs can become yellow or fail, and the active flaps in front of the radiator (designed to get the engine to operating temperature quickly) can fail either through an actuator not working, or a simple physical fault in the plastic linkages. It also makes sense in the complex car like this to make sure every electrical function, from the power windows to the sunroof to the central locking, operates correctly. The G30 5 Series has had a relatively trouble-free run in terms of recalls, but there are a few to check if you’re buying this car. The first was for a batch of 2020-built hybrid cars that had the potential for their high-voltage batteries to catch fire. The problem was to do with foreign objects entering the battery, rather than a battery flaw per se. The second recall was to check cars that had been given some software upgrades, In some cases, these upgrades could cause the engine to fail with predictable results if you were on the road at the time. The other recall affected many models across the entire G30 lifespan and was to check starter motors that could allow moisture in and catch fire as a result. For the full details of what cars were affected and what to do if yours is one of them, check out https://www.vehiclerecalls.gov.au/. There’s no particular build date to avoid here, but as is often the case, BMW got better at building the car the longer it did so. That’s why the earlier cars (2017 to 2020) tend to have more problems than later versions. Of course, as with any high-end car, you should always buy on the condition and service history of the car in question, rather than any rule of thumb. It’s not uncommon to see this make and model for sale with better than 200,000km on its odometer, which is impressive for a car so relatively new. That speaks highly for the overall robustness, but also – in an individual car sense – might be pointing to a history as a high-end taxi or city-hotel courtesy car. Most for sale now, however, have covered between 100,000km and 200,00km, and fewer kilometres is always better in a high-end car like this. You should also give any hybrid example a battery-health check to make sure the EV battery is still within specification and can provide a useful electric-only range. BMW’s diesel sedans have always been popular and with good reason. They’re refined, smooth and offer exceptional fuel efficiency. A V8 sedan or wagon with all-wheel drive is also an appealing prospect for skiing weekends and general safety, albeit with higher running costs. But for our money, the sweet spot in the range is the 530i which retains the four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine, but in a fairly sharp and entertaining state of tune. It’s also one of the cheaper ways into G30 ownership right now. Plenty of these were sold with the M-Sport option pack, and that makes them even better. For low-kilometre, V8, all-wheel drive examples, you can still easily pay $70,000 to $80,000. But that’s against a brand-new price of about $150,000. At the other end of the price ladder, relatively high-mileage diesels and four-cylinder cars start at about $25,000, while there’s lots of choice across a range of specifications in the $30,000 to $45,000 region. You often hear owners of European cars complain about parts prices. And it’s true. If you want genuine BMW service and replacement parts, you’ll generally be slugged quite hard. But if you can live with non-genuine bits and pieces, then the picture is a bit different. The same goes for service and repairs. Use a BMW dealership and the cost will usually be higher than an independent BMW specialist. And because BMW is a global brand, there are lots of online sellers all over the planet who will have what you need. The BMW 5 Series often played second fiddle to the Mercedes-Benz E-Class in the sales race. That said, it usually finished second in its category, but BWM still often sold less than 100 units per month. Of those, the station-wagon accounted for less than five per cent which is largely why it didn’t survive the facelift in 2020 and disappeared from showrooms. Right now, you’ll find the bigger online sales sites will be listing a few dozen G30 5 Series cars.

Alfa's Tonale is a hit overseas, but you wouldn't know it in Australia. Are the latest updates for 2026 enough to reverse its fortunes from just a handful of sales in 2025?

As its name implies, the Junior is a city-sized Alfa Romeo SUV and Ibrida is Italian for hybrid, which reflects this car’s 1.2-litre, three-cylinder turbo-petrol engine working in concert with an electric motor housed in its six-speed dual-clutch auto transmission. But that Junior badge has history on various iterations of the much-admired 105-series Alfa GT coupe that polished the brand’s sporty road and race car cred through the 1960s into the ‘70s. So, is that bloodline strong enough to make an impact on the 21st century Junior? We spent a week behind the wheel to find out. Although it’s classified as a ‘light’ segment SUV, at $46,990, before on-road costs, the Junior Ibrida competes on price with next size up small hybrids like the Hyundai Kona Premium Hybrid ($45,950), Nissan Qashqai ST-L e-Power ($45,850), Renault Symbioz Esprit Alpine ($45,990), Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid S AWD ($47,590) and Toyota Corolla Cross GXL AWD ($44,190), all before on-road costs. When you’re starting to give $50K cost-of-entry a nudge it’s fair to expect a decent basket of standard fruit and included feature highlights for the Junior include: 18-inch alloy wheels LED matrix headlights (plus LED tail-lights and DRLs) Privacy glass Leather-trimmed steering wheel Alloy pedal covers 10.25-inch multimedia screen 10.25-inch instrument display Wireless Android Auto/Apple CarPlay Six-speaker audio (with digital radio) Climate control air (single-zone) Keyless entry and start Power-adjustable driver’s seat Heated front seats That list’s okay rather than outstanding for the money and relative to the competitors mentioned above. In terms of design, a car’s looks are always subjective, but my two bob’s worth on the Junior is… there’s a lot going on. The nose has strong hints of traditional Alfa with the V-shaped grille, angled heritage typeface branding and offset licence plate.  But then, the slim, angular LED headlights and DRLs as well as the big egg-crate vents lower down state their case for a more contemporary presentation. You may love it, but to me it looks like at least two styling teams couldn’t resolve their differences. Other signature elements like the ‘teledial’-style wheels are in line with the rest of the current Alfa line-up and the rear is dominated by a horizontal tail-light graphic with a moustache-like droop at either end.     Inside there are more hints of classic Alfa in the dual-hooded shape of the instrument binnacle and racy red highlights through the cloth and synthetic leather seats and ambient lighting. It’s a cozy cabin because at just under 4.2m long, close to 1.8m wide and 1.5m tall with a 2562mm wheelbase there’s no denying the Junior’s diminutive footprint.  Up front, the car feels small and rear room is modest even for an SUV of this stature. At 183cm tall, sitting behind the driver’s seat set to my position I’ve got just enough legroom, although headroom is fine. Forget three full-size adults for anything other than short, awkward journeys in the rear. Up to mid-teenage kids will be fine, though.    And when it comes to storage, the front door bins are a decent size with room for medium bottles, there’s a small-ish glove box, a lidded bin between the seats, an extra cavity with adjustable cupholders in front of it and a wireless charging bay ahead of that.   There are USB-C outlets front and back, but the rear space comes up short in terms of practicality. No door pockets, no fold-down armrest, no adjustable air vents and no cupholders. Backseaters have to make do with small map pockets on the back of the front seats. That’s it. Over and above that, the interior feels insubstantial. Push that carefully shaped instrument hood or the front centre console and they instantly shift with an audible creak. The car lacks the solid feel of its key rivals.  Other gripes? I’m not a fan of the vertical rear exterior door handles (on any car), the Apple CarPlay proved flaky with occasional disconnects and a stuttery wireless link and the driver’s door armrest feels as solid as a piece of granite. Boot capacity is an impressive 415 litres, expanding to 1250 litres with the 60/40 split-folding rear seat lowered. There are numerous bag hooks and a 12-volt outlet in there and the floor can be set at two levels for extra space or a flat load surface. No spare tyre, though, just a repair/inflator kit which isn’t good enough. This is a mild-hybrid with the 107kW/230Nm turbo-petrol triple doing the heavy lifting and the 21kW electric motor, powered by a 48-volt lithium-ion battery, playing a supporting role, particularly at slow speeds. The small-capacity engine uses a Miller combustion cycle which effectively shortens the compression stroke relative to the expansion stroke in the name of optimal fuel efficiency. Its official combined cycle (urban/extra-urban) economy figure is a thrifty 4.1L/100km but over a week of city, suburban and some freeway running we saw a real-world average of 5.9L/100km. A sub-6.0L/100km result is still easy on the bank balance but beware you pay a price in terms of driveability. This powertrain is unrefined relative to the competition. The car feels on edge, with stilted throttle response and the dual-clutch transmission lacks polish. Even the stop-start function is rough.  There’s enough oomph. Claimed 0-100km/h acceleration time is a reasonably rapid 8.9 seconds, there are ‘DNA’ drive modes and the Junior is well balanced in cornering with accurate steering and good road feel. But it’s not a particularly relaxed drive. The Junior boasts a full suite of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) tech and none of the assists, monitors or alerts are overly intrusive, although the speed sign recognition was regularly misfiring, including a 40km/h advisory on the deck of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Back of a bus, perhaps? Six airbags are onboard, the Junior missing out on the increasingly common front centre bag.  Alfa covers the Junior with a five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty with roadside assist included for the duration. Servicing is every 12 months/15,000km with each workshop visit averaging just under $670 over the first five years. Not the worst, not the best.    And it’s worth noting there are only eight primary Alfa dealerships and 18 service centres across Australia.

“Wow, is that a Bentley?” Our week with Hyundai Motor Group luxury brand Genesis’ GV60 provided its fair share of surprises. Yet the fact that onlookers mistook it for one of Britain’s (via Volkswagen Group) finest wasn’t actually one of them, given the blatant similarity with the badging and cross-hatch grille. Recently facelifted with a substantially lower starting price, the new base GV60 Series II enters a busier class of small electric SUVs from when the original launched in 2021. How does it play out today?   Kicking off from $88,300 (all prices are before on-road costs), the GV60 Advanced rear-wheel drive (2WD) is now the most affordable new Genesis in Australia. But it remains a bit more expensive than most direct and more popular premium small electric SUV rivals, despite enduring a dramatic power cut from 234kW to 168kW. This includes the BMW iX1 AWD (from $77,900), as well as the substantially cheaper Mini Countryman SE, Renault Megane E-Tech, Volvo EX40 and Zeekr 7X. The Advanced claps back in a number of ways, however. For starters, it’s one of the few electric SUVs in this class (along with the Renault and Zeekr) using a dedicated EV architecture (E-GMP), instead of sharing a platform with an internal combustion engine (ICE) sibling. This cuts compromise and pays dividends for efficiency. Secondly, the GV60 features 800-volt electrification rather than almost every other rivals’ 400V system, substantially speeding up charging. This is a remarkably sophisticated machine. And, thirdly, convenience items abound, with walk to/away central locking, heated front and rear outboard and vented electric front seating, a toasty steering wheel and powered tailgate. Other GV60 features include: A (bigger) battery at 84kWh offering 561km of WLTP range A (significantly larger) widescreen display at 27 inches A heat-pump heater with driver-only zoning to help range Multi-level single-pedal drive using regenerative braking via paddle shifters Vehicle to Load (V2L) external appliance powering Five years free servicing Backup Light Guide – a reverse-gear light projection on to the gutter to help avoid alloy wheel rash The consensus is the Advanced neither looks nor feels like an entry-level proposition. Expensive, but worth it.   The facelifted GV60 remains an attractive, rounded compact SUV/crossover with a sporty premium hatch look. For 2026 it ushers in redesigned lighting elements, reprofiled bumpers, more body coloured trim, revised alloy wheels and a new underbody cover for improved aero efficiency. But the GV60 has always lived in the shadow of its somehow more glamourous E-GMP siblings, the elegant Hyundai Ioniq 5 and racy Kia EV6. Particularly as they cost significantly less. At least Genesis has been able to meet brand expectations inside.   The GV60 seems more compact inside than other electric SUVs in its class, and even against the Ioniq 5 and EV6. However, the new elongated touchscreen with its improved graphics (whilst retaining button access functionality), sumptuous front seats, lovely steering wheel and quality materials do elevate it. Again, there’s nothing base about the Advanced. Genesis also provides plenty of surprise and delight items, like that anti-gravel-rash kerb illuminator, drawer-style glovebox, tunnel storage under the centre console, strange swivelling gear-lever ball and secret storage thanks to a compartmentalised boot floor. Cargo capacity is limited by the coupe-like styling, so can’t match a BMW iX1, though with 432 litres VDA (expandable to 1460L), it is far better than, say, a Mazda3 or Toyota Corolla. However, the lack of a spare wheel is a disappointment.   Under the bonnet is 53L of additional ‘frunk’ storage, so that’s also helpful. That’s because the 168kW/350Nm electric motor is on the rear axle, driving the rear wheels. This layout gives the Genesis an unexpected athleticism, which in turn makes it fun to drive fast. Acceleration is still very brisk despite the power downgrade, and in Sport throttle response is downright rapid, while the smooth power delivery is matched by the linear, controlled steering, that provides a decent degree of feedback. In the wet it’s easy to momentarily break rear-wheel traction. And while the suspension possesses a sporty edge, the Advanced’s ride quality is also supple enough when comfort is a priority. The E-GMP’s chassis sophistication really shines through. If you’re a driving enthusiast, the small premium you pay for a GV60 is worth it for the dynamic flair delivered.   Being an E-GMP EV, the efficiency’s not too bad at all, especially considering how much we enjoyed the Advanced out on our rural road drive. Our average was 15.8kWh/100km (indicated), and were on track to achieve about 485km range from the big 84kWh battery. The WLTP range is 561km. More sedate commuting would see that improve markedly.   Scoring a five-star ANCAP rating in 2022, the GV60’s update saw the addition of a broader amount of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) tech – namely improved lane-support capabilities. Along with autonomous emergency braking (AEB), the Advanced includes 10 airbag, surround-view cameras, safe-exit assist and what Genesis calls Full Micro Lens Array LED headlights for better nighttime illumination. Still on security, Genesis offers a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty (130,000km for fleet buyers) with roadside assistance, trailing Kia and Hyundai’s seven-year guarantee. Why not all for one and one for all? On the other hand, servicing is free for the first five years.

An electric version of the fifth-generation Range Rover (L460) wasn't meant to be this late. The delay that sees it land four years after the current car first went on sale, was triggered first by having to reconfigure the Range Rover's MLA Flex platform's outdated 400-volt electrics to more powerful 800-volt hardware and then by the huge decision to go ahead and design, develop and engineer the battery and drive units in-house. The final barrier to its launch was when, after extensive testing, engineers realised the all-new front motor that it had developed from scratch was prone to overheating in extreme off-roading, prompting a costly last-minute switch. In the end, the pioneering tech developed needed no less than 300 patents, not that the new Range Rover Electric advertises its state-of-the-art tech. Just a tweaked front grille, revised underbody and set of fresh 22-inch wheels give the game away. All have been aerodynamically optimised to benefit range. The reason for the under-the-radar approach is that even deep into its middle age, the current Range Rover's design remains a major attraction for buyers. The same well-heeled bunch are pretty partial to the way the big SUV looks and feels within, and that's why the Electric version's cabin is also unchanged, which is a very good thing when it comes to the fit, finish and the intuitive tech available, plus the Range Rover's trademark towering driving position and incredible comfort. The decent 575-litre boot also remains undisturbed and is still accessed via the excellent split tailgate, although there's no space for a spare wheel and no frunk up front for cables. The Range Rover Electric can't match the all-new BMW iX5's 845km range, but data from 350 million journeys collected from owners suggests the 600km NEDC range provided by its 118.5kWh battery is more than enough, especially since that figure translates into up to 535km in the real world. Plug it in and, thanks to its 800-volt electrics, a 10 to 80 per cent top-up takes around 22 minutes, which isn't bad, but its 350kW peak charging is some way off the 460kW rate a BMW iX5 is capable of. While a 10 minute burst of charge adds up to 220km of range, its German rival will have squeezed in as much as 350km into the battery, but in Australia, finding a charger powerful enough to realise those numbers won't be easy. For now, just one powertrain will be offered that combines two 260kW e-motors that drive each axle to produce 405kW and 850Nm. That translates to a brisk 0-100km/h dash of 4.5 seconds and an 80-120km/h sprint of 2.7 seconds, which is said to demonstrate that this EV is as quick to overtake at higher speeds as the V8 version. What's remarkable is that performance is achieved with a kerb weight in excess of 2800kg, with the battery accounting for 700kg of that mass. Behind the wheel on our brief drive, the Range Rover Electric is effortless, off the mark and gathering pace, it doesn't feel heavy. Helping disguise the weight is an 88mm lower centre of gravity, but the large SUV hasn't quite morphed into anything remotely sporty. Like other models, rear-wheel steering and twin-chamber air suspension are present, but the star of the show is the new Integrated Traction Management tech that can monitor and adjust torque in 50 milliseconds – 100 times faster than the combustion version. Capable of climbing 45-degree slopes, there's now even a one-pedal off-road mode for when you're in the mud, snow, sand or rocky terrain for a safer, more precise way of tackling unfamiliar territory. The system is so quick and smooth to work that it's difficult to detect any slip, even with clumsy stabs of the throttle. Come to a river crossing and the Range Rover can still wade through water up to 900mm, although there is one drawback of going electric – towing is wound back to just 2500kg – 1000kg less than the V8 and 500kg behind the plug-in hybrid. In Australia, the Range Rover will be available with HSE, Autobiography and SV trim, with the entry model likely to feature: 22-inch alloy wheels Meridian 3D surround sound Soft semi-aniline leather 20-way adjustable front seats Heated and ventilated front and rear seats Large head-up display The Autobiography will add: Upgraded headlights Sliding panoramic roof More powerful sound system Body and Soul 24-way adjustable massage chairs Quad-zone climate control The Range Rover Electric has yet to be crash-tested but the combustion versions were rated the maximum five stars for protection by Euro NCAP and ANCAP back in 2022. The large luxury SUV comes with Land Rover's five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty and eight-year/160,000km protection for the high-voltage battery. Expect the Range Rover to come with the option of pre-purchased, fixed-price servicing for up to five years. The Range Rover Electric has been priced from $317,718 for the HSE, $357,718 for the Autobiography and $417,418 for the flagship SV, with all pricing excluding on-road costs. The new battery-powered SUV is offered with the standard and extended-long wheelbase, but a seven-seat version will be off the menu.

If you’re looking for an electric mid-sized SUV but don’t really want to drive another BYD, Geely or Zeekr just like everybody else seems to, then the Cadillac Optiq probably has your name all over it. Well, you’ll know if it does after you read this quick review.  Yes, American brand Cadillac is back in Australia although you may not have missed it because it was the 1960s that the brand was here last. Now it’s back but this time with an all-electric line-up. Cadillac is General Motors' luxury sub-brand. Think Lexus to Toyota, only with way more history and a strong, glitzy show-biz connection. Elvis had more than 100 of them, although would he have an electric one today? So the Optiq is a little upmarket, a little bit luxurious even, but hoping to win over Aussies at a competitive price.  Oh and yes that is Optiq with a “q”. In Australia the Optiq range consists of one grade and it lists for $80,000, before on-road costs. That prices it above many affordable, mainstream electric SUVs like the Geely EX5 or BYD Sealion 7 but not quite as high as the Mercedes-Benz EQB, Polestar 4 and BMW iX3.  Instead the Optiq competes with the pricer end of Hyundai’s Ioniq 5 range, Skoda Enyaq and Zeekr 7X. Standout features include the 33-inch display which stretches from the centre of the dash to the driver’s side for media and the instrument cluster. The standard 19-speaker AKG stereo is excellent. The seats are heated up front and in the second row. The panoramic glass roof is expansive and opens, plus there’s a thick screen to close and keep the glare out. The Optiq has two electric motors - one at the front and the other at the rear - making this SUV all-wheel drive. The combined output of the motors is 224kW and 480Nm which isn’t huge especially considering its rather hefty 2379kg weight, so a 0-100km/h time isn’t outstanding for a sporty EV at 6.3 seconds. According to Cadillac the 75kWh battery provides 425km of driving range and energy consumption of 19.9kWh/100km. My own testing saw our car use slightly more at 21.2kWh/100km. The range is relatively normal compared to other EVs this size, as is the consumption. The Optic feels lower to the ground than most SUVs but also more solid and planted than a lot of its rivals. That said the steering feels heavy and acceleration isn't nearly as brisk as some rivals. But this is a super comfortable car - from the seats to the ride and dynamically, the Optiq is impressive for its weight and size. Adding to the serene driving experience is a super quiet cabin with active noise cancellation. A head-up display would make driving through Sydney’s ever-changing speed zones easier and the overly enthusiastic safety alerts are annoying - from the seat belt chimes the moment you get into the car to the driver distraction and speed warnings.  The Optiq isn’t small at 4820mm end-to-end l but it is sleek rather than tall and boxy, and this reduces its cargo carrying ability. The boot is large at 744 litres, but the large sloping hatch means it’s deep rather than high. Oh and the Optiq is a five-seater only. Rear seats are comfortable and head and legroom is great back there, even for me at 189cm tall. Cabin storage is also impressive with big door pockets, a cleverly designed wireless phone charger, along with shelves and lots of storage under the floating centre console. So as a sleek and low SUV the Optiq is surprisingly practical. We lived with it for a week with my young family of four and I am happy with almost everything… but there are some things I’d change on this car. The Optiq is a nicely crafted, comfortable SUV, but there’s a few things I’d have trouble living with having spent a week testing this car.  First, the door handles would be high on my list of things to change. The thin, stick-like handles just made opening these big heavy doors so hard for me and impossible for my children.  Second, the Optiq has vibrating seats - yes, you read that right. They vibrate as parking sensors to let you know how close you’re getting to objects and also in conjunction with  blind spot warning. It’s gross and I don’t like it. Third, the styling. I don’t mind the Optiq from the front, but the side profile is very awkward to my eyes, while the rear is ungainly. It’s disappointing. A Cadillac should have a large, confident, show-stopping presence with a hint of Hollywood and the Optiq really misses the mark in the style stakes.  Cadillac offers a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty in Australia with an eight-year/160,000km warranty on the EV battery. Servicing is required every 12,000km and 12 months.

Audi’s A8 is the third member of the big German luxury sedan crew, sharing marketplace space with the BMW 7 Series and Mercedes-Benz S-Class. It boasts the same sharply-cut-suit looks as its peers but, in some ways, is the more technically advanced car. Somehow, however, it was never as popular as the other big Germans. Which is not to say it isn’t worth looking at now. Code-named the 4H series in Audi-speak, the 2010 A8 was available in long- and short-wheelbase forms and with a choice of either a 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel with 184kW or a 4.2 litre petrol V8 with 273kW. Just for something left field, Audi also offered a 4.1-litre twin-turbo diesel V8 with 258kW but a stonking 800Nm of torque. All variants used an eight-speed automatic and the A8 was all-wheel drive, which is something its major competitors didn’t have. The car was facelifted for the 2014 model year at which point the magnificent petrol V8 was dropped from the line-up and two revised turbo-diesels appeared. The first was a V6 with 190kW and the other a V8 with 283kW and now 850Nm. The latter was available only as a short-wheelbase car. Standard equipment levels and inbuilt safety were major features of the big Audi and it remains an impressive car to drive and look at. The A8’s other big selling point was its aluminium chassis which helped offset some of the mass of the 'quattro' all-wheel drive system. The A8 is a lovely car to ride in and a decent thing to drive as well. It was set up with comfort in mind, but the quattro all-wheel drive system also lends an added margin of safety in terms of grip in slippery conditions. If anything, though, it lacks the imposing visuals of the BMW 7 Series or Mercedes-Benz S-Class, and from some angles, looks like an enlarged A4 or A6. The interior is pure Audi, which is another way of saying excellent. Because new tech – including safety gear – is usually first seen in the high-spec models from each carmaker, the A8 hit the market as a very safe car for the time. Even now, it boasts some equipment that is still optional on cheaper brand-new cars. Sophisticated cars often wind up with sophisticated problems later in life. The Audi is not perfect in this regard, but it is well made and used quality materials. The fundamentals are good although, like any car, poor maintenance and servicing will show up eventually. And when repairs are needed on a high-end car like this, they won’t be cheap. The first thing to look for in an A8 is any evidence or history of crash damage. That’s because the aluminium chassis and body is difficult to repair properly and requires a specialist workshop to get it right. Even the factory used specialist techniques to build the cars and a lot of the bodywork and panel alignment was somewhat hand-finished. So a close check of the frame and underbody is a must. The A8 was also caught up in the Volkswagen family’s shameful 'Dieselgate' scandal where many brands and models were fitted with devices and software designed to trick the official fuel consumption test for a better number than the car could actually achieve in the real world. The V6-powered A8s were part of this and should, by now, have been returned to Audi for a software update to negate this 'cheat'. On 4.2-litre petrol V8 variants, some owners have reported a problem with carbon build-up on the intake valves. This is due to the direct-injection system where fuel is sprayed directly into the combustion chambers rather than across the back of the intake valve. As such, the valves don’t get washed clean and carbon can build up, affecting performance. To be perfectly fair, this is not an Audi-specific problem and can affect many engines using direct-injection. The A8 hasn’t had too bad a run with safety recalls, but that’s not to say there haven’t been some recalls over the years this generation A8 was on sale. Recalls for the A8 have included problems with the glass sunroof suddenly shattering, transmission oil leaks, power steering leaks in V8 models, engine-bay seals leaking, a potential for incorrect deployment of both front airbags and seat-belt pretensioners and another to check on the oil supply to the engine’s turbochargers. You can find the full details on these recalls by visiting: https://www.vehiclerecalls.gov.au/ . There’s no specific year to avoid here, but the one A8 we’d be very wary of would be an ex-hotel limousine. Flash Aussie hotels often used big German sedans for this task, so take a close look at the rear seat (which will be as worn as the driver’s seat in a hotel limo) and the rear bumper which could be scratched from having a million suitcases dragged over it. The mileage is also likely to be higher than the average A8 thanks to a lifetime of slogging between the city and airport and sitting in traffic in between. And, obviously, any big, sophisticated car like this must have a complete and up to date service history or you could be buying all sorts of trouble down the track. Aside from those ex-hotel limos we were talking about, the A8 doesn’t seem to rack up huge mileages. So, an example with less than 200,000km showing and a clean service history should be able to offer plenty of life for the next owner. Even with its all-wheel drive and aluminium structure, the A8 was hardly a sporty car in an overall sense. So why not make the most of the luxury on tap and find a long-wheelbase version which will also accommodate lanky teenagers in the back much better. And the all-wheel drive will be a great safety bonus when those same kids start learning to drive. While the turbo-diesels have the potential to be very frugal, the Audi 4.2-litre petrol V8 remains one of the sweetest, most sonorous production V8s ever made. So that’s the one we’d go shopping for. There’s a rule in the luxury car market when it comes to second-hand examples. And that’s called the Funnel Effect. Fundamentally, it suggests that while there are enough captains of industry to lease luxury cars brand-new, there aren’t enough private buyers willing to spend that sort of money for a second-hand one. And that’s when trade-in values plummet. The Audi A8 is far from immune to this. Which means there are some great buys out there for a fraction of the cost of the walk-up price when the cars were brand-new. You’ll find decent 4H A8s out there now for $20,000 or so, and they won’t necessarily have huge mileages on board. Pony up to about $30,000 and you are in the realm of some seriously good second-hand A8s. Many of the A8’s driveline components are shared with other high-end Volkswagen Group makes and models, so even though the A8 itself was a fairly niche model, there’s plenty of knowledge and parts available. The Audi brand is also popular with enthusiast motorists, too, so there’s a big online community offering support and parts supply. You need to bear in mind, also, that the Audi is a large, heavy, relatively powerful vehicle so it will consume its fair share of tyres and brake pads and this needs to be factored into annual running costs.

Ferrari has a proud history of front engine, rear-wheel-drive GTs, many with a V12 engine, but while the twin-turbo V8 Amalfi is down four cylinders it produces 'ample' power in a beautiful, refined 2+2 coupe.

When you're spending the best part of $200K on a family SUV you want more than a little luxury and performance to go with its day-to-day practicality. Add in petrol-electric plug-in hybrid efficiency and the Range Rover Sport Dynamic HSE P460e starts to look like a compelling proposition. We spent a week behind the wheel to test its credentials.