Articles by Dom Tripolone

Mazda is making moves. The Japanese carmaker has show

It seems anyone can build a car these days.Japanese electronics company, Sharp, is the latest non-auto brand to dive into the car world with a new concept that will be on display at the 2025 Japan Mobility Show later this week.Dubbed LDK+, you’d be forgiven for thinking it was a TV, but it's actually an electric people mover.It joins other newbies to the car industry such as China’s Xiaomi, which usually makes smartphones, and Sony of PlayStation fame.Sharp hasn’t developed the car all by itself but is using Foxconn’s electric vehicle platform. Foxconn is the manufacturing powerhouse that builds the iPhone for Apple.Sharp isn’t the only brand partnering with Foxconn. Even Mitsubishi has partnered with the manufacturer to build an EV.Foxconn, or Sharp, haven't detailed what motors or battery the platform handles, but we do know it is for compact cars measuring about 4300mm long or about the same size as a Toyota Corolla hatchback.It’ll also have a versatile modular interior layout that can be used for multiple applications.The LDK+ is a concept, so it has some whacky interior applications.When parked the vehicle can be used as a theatre room or a remote workspace. The driver’s and front passenger seats can swivel to face backwards, to act like a living room space.There is a screen folded above the rear seats that can be pulled down to enjoy movies or for online meetings.Sharp said the concept can sync with people’s home appliances - only Sharp branded of course. So if you want to start your air-con or washing machine from the car, you can.The vehicle will also have a vehicle-to-load function that can power appliances.

Tesla’s masterpiece is around the corner.The American EV brand’s chief designer Franz von Holzhausen told the Ride the Lightning podcast the Roadster may break cover this year.That’s no guarantee it’ll be revealed this year, but von Holzhausen said it would appear “definitely within two years”.We’ve heard this all before, though.Initially Tesla claimed the Roadster would arrive by 2020, but the COVID pandemic was blamed for delays. Then, in Tesla’s July 2024 earnings call Musk claimed it would be reaching production by “next year”. Late last year, it became clear that Roadster buyers will need a lot more patience.“I’d like to thank our long-suffering deposit holders,” Musk said, acknowledging the enormous delays. “The Roadster is not just the cherry on the cake but also the icing on the cake. We’re close to finalising the design.”The Roadster was first revealed back in 2017 at the same event the Semi was revealed. The Semi is now on American roads.Tesla has been taking deposits for the Roadster since that event almost 10 years ago.It is no small amount of money either, at US$50,000. The Australian Roadster deposit page is currently broken, but previously is was asking Aussies to slap down a $7000 deposit via credit card followed by a $59,000 bank transfer 10 days after to secure your spot.That’s the same price as a base Model Y or Model 3, but with no firm arrival date in place.Tesla had also been asking customers to pay $10,000 for a Full Self Driving mode that wasn't attainable until recently. So the company does have some form of delivering on its long term promises, eventually.In saying that, the FSD mode needs driver supervision, so isn’t technically 'full self driving'.If and when the Roadster does arrive, it promises to be one of the mightiest vehicles on the road.Elon Musk said in 2024 the Roadster would go from zero to 60 miles per hour (0-97km/h) in under one second.He also said that was the least interesting bit.However, he current Tesla Roadster page has watered those claims down.It said the Roadster will complete the benchmark 0-100km/h sprint in 2.1 seconds, which is still mind-bendingly fast.It’ll have a top speed of more than 400km/h and a driving range of about 1000km.Heady numbers, but not the knock out punch they were a few years ago.Fresh faces such as the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra and BYD’s YangWang U9 Xtreme pose a serious threat to the Roadster's dominance.The 2026 Yangwang U9 Xtreme is the fastest electric production car to lap the Nurburgring, with a time of 6:59.157 over the 20.8km circuit.It also set a speed record of 496.22km earlier this year, but this is unofficially as it didn’t complete the run in both directions.The Xiaomi SU7 Ultra lapped the Nurburgring in a 6:22 earlier this year, but that was a prototype. Its production version did it in 7:04.957, which is five seconds slower than the U9 Xtreme.The Tesla Roadster might now be playing catch-up rather than pacing the field.

Kia might be preparing a fresh face for its Tasman workhorse ute.Debate about the Tasman’s styling has followed it around like a bad smell since the day it was revealed. That might be all about to change.Kia recently revealed a military-grade Tasman as part of its display at the International Aerospace & Defence Exhibition in Seoul.The show cars were the usual military fare, but Kia’s Special Vehicle division showcased several suggested uses for the military-grade Tasman on its website.The hard to access website - we had to go incognito mode to get it to load — looks just like any Kia retail page but has heavy duty Tasmans.A few images jumped out, with a 'Military Command Vehicle' and a 'Military Version Pick-up truck' showing a substantially different look to the current Tasman.These images are clearly computer generated, but so are the rest of the images on this official Kia website that all depict the current shaped Tasman.This might be a long bow, but it is also odd they would publish these images that look so obviously different.The digital renders show a new headlight design, completely new fender flares front and back and an altered grille, bonnet and front bumper.The result is tough and — dare I say — handsome ute. Kia has not confirmed to CarsGuide if these images are real or not.Kia’s global VP of Next Interior Design, Jochen Paesen, previously said people will get used to the design, which was intended to stand out from the outset.“This is really, really important for Kia, we want to make sure that we have a clear identity. It does stand out. We are new to the market. It needs to be noticed. And generally, and this is generally for design, if you want to be progressive, if you want to stand out, if you want to do something new, you will go through a process of getting people used to it,” he said.The proof is in the sales figures.Despite receiving critical acclaim for how the car actually performs on and off the road, sales of the Tasman haven’t moved the needle.Kia is currently moving about 800 Tasmans a month, which is about half of what it needs to hit its lofty targets.A new look could catapult way up the charts.

Chinese carmakers are obsessed with utes.

GWM has tinkered with its fast-selling Haval Jolion small SUV, delivering big results.The Chinese brand has made some rolling changes to its compact SUV that have delivered massive reduction in fuel use.The Jolion Hybrid now uses 4.8L/100km, down from 5.1L/100km. And petrol Premium and Lux grades go from 8.1L/100km down to 6.7L/100km. GWM has also ditched the range-topping Ultra grade and replaced it with the Vanta variant. Its petrol engine is even more efficient than the cheaper grades, with it using 6.5L/100km.GWM said the fuel savings were due to the addition of stop-start function on petrol versions and new tyres and a more aerodynamic undertray on all variants. Engine performance remains unchanged despite the improvements.Hybrid version use a 1.5L petrol engine matched with an electric motor to make a combined 140kW and 375Nm.Lux and Premium petrol variants use a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol motor making 105kW and 210Nm. This jumps to 130kW and 270Nm in the Vanta grade.Petrol variants use a seven-speed dual-clutch auto and hybrid examples have a hybrid automatic transmission. All Jolions are front-wheel drive.All models run on the cheapest 91 RON regular unleaded petrol, which boosts value by reducing running costs.The increased efficiency also pushes the hybrid models under this year’s CO2 threshold as set out by the federal government’s New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES).The NVES slaps carmakers with penalties for every gram of CO2 emitted over a certain threshold per car. This CO2 limit gets lower every year until 2030.Carmakers can offset the penalties via credits earned from the sales of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles.This type of change shows just how flexible Chinese carmakers can be, ushering in proper alterations outside of model year updates.This is referred to as "China Speed", which is a new industry buzz and something many established carmakers such as Audi, GM and Nissan are looking to replicate.GWM is currently offering sharp drive-away deals on current Jolion stock, but this deal is unlikely to apply to the revised versions. 

The Toyota Camry doesn’t scream family car, it’s been pigeon-holed as a ride share vehicle or taxi, but I’m going to break those stereotypes.

‘China speed’ is the newest buzz word in the car industry.

BYD has introduced a new version of its LandCruiser rival in China.

After years of rumours, Toyota has finally confirmed and revealed the mini FJ LandCruiser.