Articles by Jack Quick

An uncamouflaged version of the new Nissan Patrol Y63 has been spied on the city streets of Melbourne, Victoria ahead of an expected launch in either late 2026 or early 2027. The only thing covered up on this vehicle are the Nissan badges front and rear, though it’s very clearly a new Patrol. The vehicle is clearly right-hand drive and appears to be a high-spec example due to the large alloy wheels. In the UAE this trim level is called the LE Platinum City. It’s expected this Patrol is a test and evaluation prototype. It appears to have been out on gravel or dirt roads as the back and sides are dirty. The Y63 Patrol most notably ditches the Y62’s 5.6-litre naturally aspirated V8 petrol engine for a V6 petrol. Globally there are two V6 petrol engines available, a 3.8-litre naturally aspirated V6 and a 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6. The latter engine is what’s expected to be offered in Australia. In standard form, the 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 engine produces 317kW and 700Nm, which is 19kW and 140Nm more than the outgoing Y62’s V8. However, the high-performance Nismo version bumps power to 369kW. There is still a nine-speed automatic transmission and drive is sent through a full-time four-wheel drive system. Compared to the outgoing model, the Y63 Patrol is built on a new platform, is slightly larger and has a boxier look, plus there are larger screens inside and the capability for higher-tech advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). Nissan Australia hasn’t confirmed official details or specifications for the Y63 Patrol just yet. However, given the spied prototype appears to show a high-spec model, it’s likely to come Down Under. The current Y62 Patrol is available in Ti, Ti-L and Warrior trim levels in Australia. The latter receives a number of special touches from Melbourne-based engineering firm, Premcar. At this stage it’s unclear whether Nissan plans to engage with Premcar to create a hardcore version of the new Y63 Patrol. However, there is an off-road-focused Pro-4X version available globally and that may come to Australia. It may form the basis of the new Warrior eventually. Nissan confirmed that production of the outgoing Y62 Patrol is set to cease globally in August, with the Aussie-tuned Warrior version wrapping up soon after. “The Patrol has been a constant presence in Australian motoring, and the Y62 has played a defining role in that legacy,” said Nissan Oceania Managing Director Steve Milette in June 2026. “Its 5.6-litre V8 is part of what has made this generation so beloved by enthusiasts, families and adventurers alike. “As we look ahead to the all-new to Australia Y63 later this year, the run-out of the Y62 represents a genuine ‘last chance’ moment for Australians who want to add a new V8 Patrol to their garage.” More details on the upcoming Y63 Patrol are expected to drop imminently ahead of its Australian launch either in late 2026 or early 2027.

Electric vehicles (EVs) are becoming increasingly popular in Australia as people transition from owning combustion- or hybrid-powered vehicles. One major consideration that many people have when considering which EV to buy is how much range it offers, but another factor that should be considered is how quickly the battery can be charged. EV and battery technology is continually evolving, but here is a rundown of the 11 EVs with the highest DC fast-charging rate that are either already on sale or confirmed for a launch in Australia. It’s worth noting that the fastest DC fast-chargers in Australia currently are 400kW and these are operated by AmpCharge. However, Denza has confirmed that it’s rolling out its 1500kW ‘Flash’ charging network at its dealers by late 2026 or early 2027. The forthcoming Denza Z9 GT electric shooting brake will launch in Australia in either late 2026 or early 2027, alongside the ‘Flash’ charging network. Final specifications have yet to be locked in, but peak DC fast-charging is up to 1500kW. This allows a 10 to 97 per cent charge in nine minutes. The Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door, which is due in Australia during 2027, offers a peak DC fast-charging rate of 600kW. This allows the 111kWh lithium-ion battery pack to charge from 10 to 80 per cent in 11 minutes. It offers up to 460km of WLTP-claimed range. The XPeng X9 electric people mover has a peak DC fast-charging rate of up to 542kW. This allows for a 10 to 80 per cent charge in 12 minutes. Two versions are available, the FWD Standard Range and AWD Performance. The former has a 94.8kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery with up to 535km of WLTP-claimed range. The latter has a larger 110kWh nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) battery with up to 580km of WLTP-claimed range. The recently revealed BMW iX5 will launch in Australia around mid-2027 and will follow after the launch of the new, petrol-powered X5 variants later this year. The iX5 60 xDrive is the only variant to be detailed so far and it offers a peak DC fast-charging rate of 460kW. It has a 141kWh lithium-ion battery pack and a 10 to 80 per cent charge is claimed to take 23 minutes. It offers up to 845km of WLTP-claimed range. The updated version of the XPeng G6 with the larger 80.8kWh LFP battery has a peak DC fast-charging rate of 451kW. It’s currently the highest in Australia. A 10 to 80 per cent charge is claimed to take 12 minutes. In RWD Long Range form there’s up to 525km of range and in AWD Performance form there’s up to 510km, according to WLTP testing. While the entry-level G6 RWD Standard Range with its smaller 68.5kWh can only DC fast-charge at rates up to 382kW, it’s still claimed to take 12 minutes to charge from 10 to 80 per cent. It offers up to 480km of WLTP-claimed range. The entry-level Zeekr 7X RWD with its 75kWh LFP battery can DC fast-charge at rates up to 450kW. It offers up to 480km of WLTP-claimed range. The 7X Long Range RWD and Performance AWD, on the other hand, with its larger 100kWh NMC battery can charge at rates up to 420kW. WLTP-claimed range is 615km and 543km, respectively. Mirroring the Zeekr 7X SUV, the forthcoming, entry-level version of the 7GT electric shooting brake has a peak DC fast-charging rate of 450kW. It has a 75kWh LFP battery and can charge from 10 to 80 per cent in 13 minutes. Other versions of the 7GT have a larger 100kWh NMC battery that can charge at rates up to 420kW. The top-spec BMW iX3 50 xDrive has a peak DC fast-charging rate of 400kW. It has a 108.7kWh lithium-ion battery pack and a 10 to 80 per cent charge is claimed to take 21 minutes. It offers up to 805km of WLTP-claimed range. The entry-level iX3 40 with its slightly smaller 82.6kWh lithium-ion battery pack has a peak DC fast-charging rate of 300kW. Despite this, a 10 to 80 per cent charge is still claimed to take 21 minutes. It offers up to 635km of WLTP-claimed range. The MG IM5 Platinum RWD and Performance AWD have a peak DC fast-charging rate of 396kW. They both have a 100kWh NMC battery pack and WLTP-claimed range of 655km and 575km, respectively. A 30 to 80 per cent charge is claimed to take 15 minutes. The entry-level IM5 Premium RWD, on the other hand, has a peak DC fast-charging rate of 153kW. It has a 75kWh LFP battery, up to 490km of WLTP-claimed range and a 30 to 80 per cent charge is claimed to take 20 minutes. The MG IM6 Platinum RWD and Performance AWD have a peak DC fast-charging rate of 396kW. They both have a 100kWh NMC battery pack and WLTP-claimed range of 555km and 505km, respectively. A 30 to 80 per cent charge is claimed to take 15 minutes. The entry-level IM5 Premium RWD, on the other hand, has a peak DC fast-charging rate of 153kW. It has a 75kWh LFP battery, up to 450km of WLTP-claimed range and a 30 to 80 per cent charge is claimed to take 20 minutes. The forthcoming Porsche Cayenne Electric offers a peak DC fast-charging rate of 390kW. It has a 113kWh lithium-ion battery pack and up to 542km of WLTP-claimed range. A 10 to 80 per cent charge is claimed to take 16 minutes. While Hyundai, Kia and Genesis models on the E-GMP platform, like the Ioniq 5, EV6 and GV60, among others, display a claimed 10 to 80 per cent charge time when plugged into a 350kW DC fast-charger, a common misconception is they have a peak DC fast-charging rate of 350kW. However, this is not the case. None of the aforementioned Hyundai Group brands quote an official peak charging rate, but real-world data indicates it’s around 240kW.

XPeng offers a wide number of sedans in other markets, but declining demand for vehicles of this type in Australia may rule them out from a local launch. At the Chinese carmaker’s Australian relaunch event earlier this month, it displayed a left-hand drive P7 electric sedan, among a wealth of other vehicles, and it claims it’s currently assessing whether to launch it locally. “I think we are looking at the market currently,” said XPeng Vice President and Chairman Dr Brian Gu to CarsGuide. “I see a trend that sedans becoming more marginalised as a format. So we are thinking very hard whether we want to bring more sedans to this market.” As it currently stands, the P7 is only produced in left-hand drive. Unless a right-hand drive version is confirmed for production, this makes an Australian launch virtually impossible. XPeng has officially taken over as a factory-backed operation in Australia from its previous distributor, True EV. It has since launched the updated G6 electric mid-size SUV and most recently the X9 electric people mover in Australia. Another three SUVs are confirmed for a local launch in the next six months. The GX flagship is also confirmed for Australia, however timing hasn’t been locked in yet. While True EV CEO Jason Clarke previously told CarsGuide the brand was in deliberations on whether to introduce the Mona M03 or the larger P7+ locally, neither are locked in with the factory-backed operation. It’s worth noting that XPeng has confirmed the P7+ will be offered in Europe and the UK, meaning a right-hand drive version is locked in. This version of the sedan will be produced in Graz, Austria and not China, which hurts its chance of coming here. Sales of passenger cars, including hatches, sedans and wagons, have been declining in Australia for the last 10 to 15 years. In 2025 a total of 157,484 passenger cars were sold, which was down 22.6 per cent year-on-year. 733,831 SUVs were sold over the same period, which is almost five times as many. The best-selling passenger car in Australia in 2025 was the Toyota Corolla. In 2013 and 2014 it had been the best-selling car overall in Australia. A total of 18,968 examples were sold in 2025, which was down 21.1 per cent year-on-year. The best-selling car overall in Australia last year was once again the Ford Ranger with a total of 56,555 sales, which was down 9.6 per cent year-on-year. While a number of electric sedans are offered in Australia, including the Tesla Model 3 and BYD Seal, among others, many are outsold considerably by their SUV counterparts.

A deadly 6.8-magnitude earthquake in Japan has halted production at multiple facilities across two major domestic car brands, Toyota and Nissan. As it currently stands 13 people have been killed in the earthquake and, as reported by Automotive News, production output of more than 5000 vehicles could be lost due to the facility shutdowns. One of the affected production facilities is Toyota’s Miyata assembly plant, which produces many Lexus vehicles. These include the ES sedan, as well as the UX, RX and NX SUVs. One shift was reportedly suspended at the Miyata production plant on July 28, following the earthquake. Production then restarted in the morning of July 29, but was suspended again in the afternoon. A decision was reportedly made to suspend production until July 31. "Lexus Australia is currently assessing the impact of the recent Kumamoto earthquake in Japan on production and supply of vehicles for the Australian market," said a Lexus Australia spokesperson. "While this is still an emerging issue, we can confirm that currently production for NX, UX, ES and RX has been suspended since 28 July, 2026 pending safety assessments and supplier impact. "Lexus is currently studying the impact of this suspension and in the process of developing a recovery plan." Two facilities that manufacture components for Toyota vehicles reportedly suspended production following the earthquake. This reportedly includes Aisin Kyushu, which produces suspension components for Toyota vehicles, as well as engine components and doors.   Ahrestry Corporation is also reportedly affected and it is an automotive diecast component maker. At this stage neither company has reportedly given a clear indication of when production output will resume at full capacity. Nissan partially suspended production at its Nissan Shatai Kyushu and Nissan Motor Kyushu facilities following the earthquake. The former produces the Nissan Patrol/Armada and Infiniti QX80 SUVs, as well as the Elgrand people mover. The latter, on the other hand, produces the Kicks and X-Trail SUVs, as well as the Serena people mover. “I can confirm that Nissan Motor Kyushu and Nissan Shatai Kyushu have partially suspended production this week due to earthquake-related parts supply delays,” said a Nissan Australia spokesperson. “At this stage, we have not received any information to suggest there will be any interruption to the supply of vehicles destined for Australia. However, the situation remains fluid, and we will continue to monitor developments closely.”

Zeekr has announced European details on the 9X flagship SUV ahead of its Australian launch later in 2026. This European-specification version of the Zeekr 9X is slightly different from the Chinese-specification version and it potentially gives a clearer indication of what to expect when it comes Down Under. In Europe the only powertrain available is a range-extender (REEV) hybrid that pairs a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine and dual electric motors. It has a total system output of 660kW. The electric motors are fed by a 55kWh battery pack which allows for up to 179km of electric range, or up to 737km of overall combined range, according to WLTP testing. This aforementioned REEV powertrain is offered in China but there’s also a version with the same 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine, and three electric motors. It has a heftier total system output of 1030kW. It has a larger 70kWh battery which offers more than 300km of electric range, or up to 1250km of overall range, according to more lenient CLTC testing. Both European- and Chinese-specification versions of the 9X have a 900V electrical architecture and offer rapid DC fast-charging capabilities. The European version has a peak DC fast-charging rate of 330kW. This allows for a 10 to 80 per cent charge in a claimed 9.5 minutes. In China the Zeekr 9X is offered in a total of five interior colour schemes. For contrast, the European version only comes with two – Charcoal Black or Caramel Brown and Moonglade Blue. Both have Nappa leather upholstery. Like the Chinese-specification version, the European-specification 9X has a six-seat configuration with second-row captain’s chairs. There are two 16-inch displays, a 47-inch augmented reality head-up display, a sliding and foldable 17-inch OLED display, as well as a 32-speaker Naim sound system. Zeekr has confirmed the 9X is launching locally before the end of 2026. It will sit at the top of the Chinese carmaker’s line-up in Australia and be a rival to German players like the Audi Q9, BMW X7 and Mercedes-Benz GLS. The 9X is expected to carry a price tag over $100,000, although it is expected to be considerably less than the aforementioned German rivals. It will likely be the most expensive Zeekr offered in Australia though. This title currently goes to the 009 AWD electric people mover which starts at $139,900 before on-road costs.

Mitsubishi could be planning an all-out hybrid assault with its new Pajero 4WD and Triton ute. The Japanese brand is reportedly planning to make its Thai manufacturing facility a production and export hub for electrified vehicles. Mitsubishi builds the Triton ute in Thailand and will produce the coming Pajero there, too. Mitsubishi Motors Chairman and CEO Takao Kato made the announcement on a recent visit with the Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, according to Nikkei Asia. The Japanese carmaker’s Thai production facility will reportedly be focusing on producing electrified versions of the Triton ute, as well as the forthcoming Pajero SUV. This indicates that Mitsubishi could be fast-tracking electrified versions of both the Triton and Pajero. The former vehicle is currently only available with diesel engines and the latter hasn’t been revealed yet, but it’s expected to share componentry. Around the reveal of the current, sixth-generation Triton ute in 2023, Mitsubishi had claimed it was developing an electric version. In October 2025, Mitsubishi Engineering Fellow Kaoru Sawase told CarsGuide the Japanese carmaker is still looking to make an electrified version of the Triton, but it’ll now more likely have a hybrid powertrain. “Of course there’s a need to reduce CO2 emissions,” said Sawase. “So along with the flow of the times, there is a need to develop Triton HEV, so we are working on that.” “So first we have to work on hybrid, not the way of plug-in hybrid. “In the past, we have announced to launch the battery electric vehicle Triton. But now the reaction has shifted a little bit. “We are now trying to quickly launch the electrified vehicle.” It’s worth noting that Mitsubishi already makes electrified vehicles at its Thai manufacturing plant. These include the Xforce Hybrid, Xpander Hybrid and Xpander Cross Hybrid. There are currently no Mitsubishi plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) or electric vehicles (EVs) made in Thailand. Globally the Japanese carmaker has already committed to introducing 13 new models, including five hybrid and PHEV models, over the next five years. It’s unclear how many of these new electrified models will be produced in Thailand. Although diesel-powered vehicles are still incredibly popular in Thailand, the local government is looking to boost and incentivise the production of electric vehicles (EVs). This has already caught the attention of many Chinese carmakers who have set up Thai production hubs for export markets. Examples include BYD, Chery, GWM and MG. This pressure from the Thai government and the investment from Mitsubishi to introduce more Thai-made electrified vehicles may benefit its Australian arm if the vehicles produced launch locally. Mitsubishi did receive credits last year from the recently instated New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) in Australia for beating its fleet CO2 targets, however these targets are tightening every year. One of the few ways of reducing the company’s fleet CO2 emissions, besides buying credits from other carmakers, is by introducing more low-emissions vehicles, like hybrids and EVs. Mitsubishi already offers the Outlander PHEV and has remaining stock of the discontinued Eclipse Cross PHEV in Australia. The Japanese carmaker has also confirmed it will be launching an EV that has been co-developed with Taiwanese carmaker Foxtron in Australia before the end of 2026. At this stage Mitsubishi hasn’t confirmed any other electrified vehicle launches in Australia yet.

Renault is officially discontinuing its current Koleos mid-size SUV in Australia after 10 years of being on sale and there may not be an available direct replacement for a period. “The current-generation Renault Koleos is in run-out after a stellar run as one of Renault Australia's most popular models, with more than 21,000 examples sold,” said a Renault Australia spokesperson. “Now available from $36,990 drive-away with a $2000 cashback offer, all remaining inventory – complied to meet current motor vehicle regulations – is expected to be sold out by the end of this year.” The reason why the Koleos is being discontinued is due to it not meeting an Australian Design Rule (ADR) pertaining to autonomous emergency braking (AEB) performance, called ADR 98/00. It came into effect for all new vehicles produced from March 1, 2025. While the current Koleos does have AEB, it does not meet the specific requirements outlined by ADR 98/00. This means that Renault was able to stockpile at least 18 months worth of the Koleos stock before the ADR came into effect. Production of this South Korean-made model also ended in 2025. The Koleos is far from the only vehicle to be affected by the implementation of ADR 98/00. Other examples include the Mitsubishi Pajero Sport and Eclipse Cross, as well as the Suzuki Ignis and Mazda 6. With the axing of the current Koleos, this leaves Renault without a mid-side SUV that isn’t purely electric-powered in Australia for the time being. However, the French carmaker has many alternatives available in its global portfolio, though none have been locked in for an Australian launch yet. Examples include the South Korean-produced Grand Koleos and Filante, the Spanish-produced Austral, Espace and Rafael, as well as the Turkish-made Boreal. “As we have said before, Renault Australia is in the middle of a model revitalisation,” said Renault Australia Managing Director Glen Sealey earlier this month. “And while we won’t talk numbers or volume, we are well progressed with our long-term plan. “Renault has a vast catalogue of vehicles and we continually assess what is available to us and which ones best suit the needs – and price ranges – of Australian customers. “We’re not going to reveal all our future model plans today, but we can tell you there are another six new or refreshed models now due over the next two years. “And we have plenty to get through before then.” It’s understood that three of these six new Renault models are the Symbioz small SUV, Master E-Tech electric commercial van and the updated Megane E-Tech electric small SUV. At this stage the other three forthcoming Renault vehicles remain unclear and unconfirmed.

China’s XPeng is currently known for its electrified SUVs and passenger cars, but it hasn’t shut down the prospect of making a ute. “The format probably is something we are looking into,” said XPeng Vice Chairman and President Dr. Brian Gu to CarsGuide, noting how the term ute is used in Australia, rather than pick-up. “Clearly it’s not a big format in China because China doesn’t drive that format, but I understand in Australia, limited countries in Latin America or in Africa or Middle East, those are actually pretty popular. “So we are thinking about whether it’s a format we want to develop.” “It is going to require quite different development processes,” added Dr. Gu, specifically calling out the chassis. Tesla, which XPeng refers to as a key rival, already offers an electric pickup, called the Cybertruck. It’s a large pick-up that’s primarily aimed at the North American market, but is still not confirmed for a local launch despite previous reports. A number of other Chinese carmakers already offer electrified utes or pick-ups and many identify Australia as a key market for these types of vehicles. BYD offers the top-selling Shark 6, GWM offers the Cannon Alpha PHEV and soon the Cannon PHEV, JAC is launching the Hunter PHEV ute, Chery is soon launching the Stockman PHEV ute and MG is bringing the U9 EV ute. Japanese brand Nissan will bring its Frontier Pro/Navara Pro PHEV ute, which has been developed as part of a joint venture with China’s Dongfeng. XPeng may or may not develop a ute, but it is already developing SUVs that are capable of light off-roading. “Well, I think SUVs we understand and we want to make sure it’s capable of being driven not just in the beautiful highway lanes, but that can also take on certain … limited off-road capabilities,” said Dr. Gu. “In fact, some of the GX owners actually drove it off-road. It was actually not bad.” The XPeng GX recently launched in China and it is confirmed to come to Australia at some point. No concrete launch timing has been locked in yet. It’s available in China with both battery electric (BEV) and range-extender (REEV) hybrid powertrains. It’s built on a car-based platform, rather than a rugged ladder frame, called SEPA 3.0, which has an 800V electrical architecture, as well as semi-autonomous driving capabilities and rear-wheel steering. While the BEV version of the GX can be had in either rear- or all-wheel drive forms, the REEV version is only available with all-wheel drive. It remains to be seen whether XPeng is developing any vehicles with a body-on-frame chassis that are more capable off-road.

Honda is gearing up to reveal a new-generation version of its ute, though don’t expect it to be coming to Australia. The Japanese carmaker has confirmed it has begun development of a new, third-generation Ridgeline pick-up that will be revealed within two years. It will continue to be manufactured at Honda’s production facility in Alabama, US, alongside the Passport, Pilot and Odyssey, using both domestic and globally made parts. Production of the current Ridgeline is set to end later in 2026. This means there will be a period where Honda isn’t producing any utes. Honda claims the new Ridgeline is already being designed at its styling studio in Southern California and it will feature an “even more rugged design”. It’s also set to be engineered in Ohio. Ahead of the reveal of this new ute, Honda has shown off a single teaser image that shows a shadowy front three-quarter angle. There aren't many design features that can be distinguished, but it appears it will retain a similar silhouette. No other details have been confirmed just yet, however this new Ridgeline is expected to continue being built on a unibody platform, which typically prioritises passenger comfort over outright payload capabilities. This differs from top-selling utes in Australia, the Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux, which have a ladder-frame chassis and typically allow for a higher payload capacity and superior off-road capabilities. Overseas reports indicate the new-generation Ridgeline will be powered by an updated version of Honda’s 3.5-litre naturally aspirated V6 engine. A hybrid powertrain with a new V6 engine and multiple electric motors is reportedly something that’s expected to launch in the early 2030s. It will reportedly bring better fuel economy, torque and towing capabilities. Honda has offered two generations of the Ridgeline to date. They have always been aimed at the North American market and produced in left-hand drive only. This makes an Australian launch of the Honda Ridgeline more difficult to get over the line as while utes are a very popular body style locally, a right-hand drive version would need to be engineered and developed. It’s unclear if this is set to change with the forthcoming, third-generation model. Back in 2020, then Honda Australia Chief Operating Officer Stephen Collins, who is now at BYD Australia, told CarsGuide the Ridgeline was strongly requested by dealers and customers.

China’s Geely has signed a joint venture with Ford to begin shared production at the American carmaker’s production facility in Spain. The Chinese carmaker has conditionally agreed to acquire a 34 per cent stake in Ford’s Almussafes production plant near Valencia, Spain for €221 million (~A$360 million), per a filing with the Hong Kong Exchange. This newly established joint venture will begin in the first half of 2027, pending regulatory approvals, and allow for renovations to boost annual production capacity to 500,000 vehicles. As it currently stands, this Spanish production facility only produces the Ford Kuga, which was previously offered in Australia as the Escape. Production of this mid-size SUV will continue. Beyond this, Ford has confirmed it will produce a new, European-focused “member of the global Bronco family” at the Spanish production facility in 2028. Little details are known about this new European-focused Bronco model, but previous reports have indicated it will be smaller than the full-sized model and potentially offer both electric and hybrid options. Geely also plans to begin production of two electric SUVs at the Spanish production facility in 2028. At this stage it’s unclear what these models will be as the only electric SUV the Chinese carmaker currently offers in Europe is the E5, which is called the EX5 in Australia. Lastly, a new “multi-energy family crossover” designed by Ford and jointly developed with Geely will launch in 2028. No details about this vehicle have been announced yet, but Ford says it will be engineered with its “signature capabilities and driving dynamics”. Geely over the past few years has been scaling its operations in markets outside of China, including in Australia. In the first half of 2026 it sold a total of 474,228 vehicles in overseas markets, which is up 158 per cent year-on-year. In Australia the Chinese carmarker sold a total of 10,970 vehicles in the first half of 2026, which is up 494.6 per cent year-on-year. It is now the 18th best-selling brand Down Under. Geely is far from the only Chinese carmaker that has been acquiring unused production capacity from legacy carmakers. Chery recently signed a non-binding agreement with Nissan to explore contract manufacturing at the Japanese carmaker’s production facility in Sunderland, UK. Stellantis, which owns brands like Alfa Romeo, Fiat and Ram, among others, decided earlier this year to share its manufacturing plants in Spain and France with its Chinese partners Leapmotor and Dongfend, respectively.