Articles by Jack Quick

Alfa's new entry-level model draws from the MiTo and Giulietta lineage and injects trendy crossover SUV cues with Jeep and Peugeot DNA. It's just arrived on Australian soil so it's time to see how it holds up.

Alfa Romeo has finally launched the entry-level Junior crossover SUV in Australia and it’s only being offered in a single mild-hybrid and electric trim at launch.

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The tiny Alfa Romeo Junior arrived in Australia a few months ago but the company has confirmed it’s not going to give it a fire-breathing performance flagship for now. While there’s the hot-looking Elettrica Veloce trim available in other markets, the Italian carmaker said a Quadrifoglio (also referred to as QV) version has been considered for the Junior. However, speaking with Australian media, including CarsGuide, Alfa Romeo Head of Product Mario Lamagna said the QV badge will remain for the larger models, including the Giulia and Stelvio, for the time being. “QV is a really serious thing in Alfa,” said Lamagna. “We study… if an Alfa can be a QV. We take it very seriously. “There are many different… characteristics that an Alfa needs to respect to be called a QV. “We thought about that , but for the moment, with the technologies that we have, we didn’t believe there was a powertrain that was the right one to be called the Quadrifoglio for the Junior. “And also in this segment you have to be very careful with what you do, because, again, Quadrifoglio is very strong high-performance label. “The decision we took was to protect it and to keep it for… the higher segments. “I will never say no to QV in any model, but it is something that has to be studied because QV means serious stuff,” he said. The two current Alfa Romeo Quadrifoglio models, the Giulia and Stelvio QV, are both powered by a 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6 engine with 375kW and 600Nm. All QV models have been powered by pure internal-combustion engines to date, but Lamagna explained as emission regulations crunch it’s getting harder to develop and launch these kinds of models. As a result, the company is open to exploring hybrid and electric QV models. “We of course love thermal engines and we are in love with our V6s,” said Lamagna. “So we are, for sure, looking always at thermal engines. But with the future technologies, you can do a lot of interesting stuff, also with electric powertrains. “The point is that it really depends on the actual performance of the car. If you are able to do something that drives well and kicks in, very nice. I am open to both . “It’s very hard then to what you can do at the end because thermal engines have a lot of concerns with CO2 emissions. “We have a lot of regulation in Europe and for also on your side. “So it’s not easy to develop and to launch high-performance engines in the second part of this decade,” he added. The Alfa Romeo Junior Elettrica is the Italian carmaker’s first electric vehicle (EV). It’s currently priced from $57,900, before on-road costs, in Australia, which is $12,000 more than the Ibrida mild-hybrid version. As noted above, the hot-looking Junior Elettrica Veloce is available overseas. For now it’s unclear whether it will come to Australia. It’s technically the most powerful variant in the line-up, packing a single, front-mounted electric motor producing 207kW/345Nm. For context, the regular Junior Elettrica produces 115kW/260Nm and the Junior Ibrida delivers 100kW/230Nm.

Toyota’s iconic LandCruiser 300 Series off-roader is already offered with petrol-electric hybrid technology in certain markets and it’s soon coming to Australia, but more electric oomph is reportedly on the way. As reported by Japanese publication Creative Trend, a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) powertrain is on the cards for the LC300 which would bring more electric range. It’s reported the system will likely use the existing 3.5-litre twin-turbo petrol V6 engine as a base with an electric motor, like the existing LandCruiser Hybrid, but with a larger high-voltage battery pack.' At this stage total system outputs haven’t been confirmed, however the LandCruiser Hybrid produces 340kW and 790Nm in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Having a larger battery pack in the LandCruiser PHEV could reportedly lead to issues with vehicle weight, interior space and fuel tank capacity. As a result the LandCruiser PHEV could reportedly only be offered in five-seat configuration. Although the LandCruiser Hybrid will only be offered with five seats in Australia, in other markets there are seven-seat versions. Creative Trend also speculates the LandCruiser PHEV’s fuel tank could be reduced to around 50L. For context, the LandCruiser Hybrid has either a 68L or 98L fuel tank in the UAE, depending on the trim level. Plus, the diesel-powered LC300 diesel and the related petrol-powered Lexus LX600 in Australia both have 110L fuel tanks. Despite the bigger battery pack, it’s reported that overall driving range for the LandCruiser PHEV could only be around 500-600km. A diesel-powered LandCruiser 300 Series has a theoretical range of well over 1000km in Australia. This latest report comes after Toyota Australia Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Sean Hanley, told CarsGuide that PHEV technology isn’t being ruled out for the LandCruiser. “I think plug-in hybrid is going to be a tremendously big seller over the next five years, and with battery technology evolving, it offers, I think, a big, broad scope of capability,” said Hanley. “A key to it though with this car is you can’t compromise on the towing. That’s the issue. “So if you do bring in a plug-in hybrid, it’s got to be able to tow. “It’s got to be capable and practical, otherwise wasting time. “But having said that, not every LandCruiser goes out towing vans. “ you may have a LandCruiser technology or powertrain that really is for those city people. “They might do a bit of light off-road occasionally. Then you’ll have the other LandCruiser, which could be this one , or some other variant, for performance and towing, and it’d be this kind of setup in the future.” It’s unclear whether this statement opens up the possibility of an electric LandCruiser or smaller, more city-oriented model in the future. Toyota has previously shown off concepts for both but neither have been revealed in production form. The Tokyo motor show will kick off at the end of October and you can expect Toyota to reveal some significant new metal, so keep an eye on CarsGuide for any updates.

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Toyota has offered a hybrid version of its top-selling LandCruiser Prado in other markets since launch but the line-up has remained diesel-only in Australia to date.