Articles by Jake Williams

Renault has unveiled its new Triber seven-seat small SUV - a vehicle built primarily for emerging markets.Measuring just 3990mm long and 1739mm wide, the Triber is both shorter and skinnier than the current generation Clio light hatch, yet offers 625 litres of boot space with the third row folded. According to Renault, the Triber offers more than 100 seating combinations.Powered by a naturally-aspirated 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol engine producing 67kW/96Nm, the Triber is available with either a manual or automated manual transmission, both with five speeds.The Triber comes standard with 15-inch alloy wheels, roof rails and body cladding for a tougher look, as well as more protection against the bad roads Tribers will likely be driven on. The inside of the Triber uses a number of parts from other Renault models such as the Captur.  Available tech includes an 8.0-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as a 3.5-inch driver’s display, LED daytime running lights and keyless start. Air vents with fan controls and USB sockets feature in all three rows of seats for 'extra comfort', according to Renault. Power windows and mirrors are also standard. Aimed at price sensitive markets such as India, safety kit is lacklustre at best. Equipment such as AEB (auto emergency braking) is unavailable and only a maximum of four airbags are fitted - the third row of seating is disappointingly not covered by potentially life-saving safety kit.Because of its budget focus, the Triber will not be offered in Australia or other first-world global markets. Pricing is due to start in India at around R500,000 (AUD$10,400).Should Renault sell the Triber in Australia? Tell us your thoughts in the comments section below.

Toyota will reportedly borrow Mazda’s upcoming SkyActiv rear-wheel drive platform and inline-six engines for future products - if the automotive rumour mill is to be believed.As reported by Japan’s Best Car magazine, ‘several’ new rear-wheel drive Toyota and Lexus products will use Mazda’s platform after the upcoming next-generation cars are due to be replaced in around 2026. The immediate replacements for these cars will use Toyota’s TNGA platform, though will switch to Mazda’s new platform after.Mazda’s new rear- or all-wheel drive SkyActiv platform is rumoured to launch between 2020 and 2025. The first Mazda product it will sit under is the next generation Mazda6 in around 2022, while other products are due to also share it, including a new large SUV above the CX-9. The next Lexus RC - also due in 2022 - will be reportedly the first Toyota Lexus product based on Mazda’s platform, as well as the IS, Toyota Mark X and a new Lexus 'coupe' that will sit between the RC and LC and compete with the Audi A7.The petrol straight-six engine at the centre of the new products will displace 3.0-litres, and will employ both supercharging and 48V mild-hybrid technology to improve fuel economy. Mazda is also reportedly developing a plug-in hybrid version of the engine to further increase efficiency.This not the first time that Mazda and Toyota have worked together for product development. The previous-generation Japanese market Mazda3 hybrid used Toyota’s hybrid system and the US-market Yaris - which is different to the Australian model - is based on the Mazda2. The two manufacturers have also committed to building a new $1.6 billion factory in America that will initially build the US Corolla, as well as a new large Mazda SUV that is reportedly in development.Local Mazda and Toyota executives declined to comment on the platform and engine sharing.

Renault Australia has discontinued the entry-level Life and Zen variants from its Megane small car range - a move that increases the price of entry to the Megane line-up by $10,500.But like Holden’s recent decision to cull the Astra range to just a hatchback body-style, Renault has also killed off the Megane sedan and wagon locally.This leaves just the Megane GT-Line, GT and RS (Renault Sport) variants left, though the Megane RS Trophy and RS Trophy-R are due to be added later in 2019. Megane sales have slowed to a trickle in 2019 with just 15 sold to the end of May, according to VFACTS. This pales in comparison with the Mazda3 (12,682 units), Toyota Corolla (11,882) and Hyundai i30 (11,033). Sales of the Megane Sport range are more positive, with 155 sold in the same time period, although Renault Australia’s sales are down 20.7 per cent year on year to 3054 units. While slow sales are likely the reason to the Megane range’s culling, Renault Australia is also preparing to introduce the Kadjar small SUV that will sit between the Captur and Koleos. Due in late 2019, the Kadjar is based on the same platform as the Nissan Qashqai and is likely to be priced from around $27,000.

Such is the ferocity of our SUV obsession, the ubiquitous high-riders now demand an entire "most exciting cars of the new year" list of their very own.

The Volkswagen Tarok “urban pick-up” concept shown at the 2018 Sao Paolo motor show is firming to appear in US showrooms, but remains ruled out for Australia. Based on the brand’s MQB platform with optional all-wheel drive, Volkswagen US sees a market for the Tarok.Where most utes - or, in local parlance, trucks - are gigantic in North America, VW believes an untapped market exists for smaller models aimed at urbanites searching for a more lifestyle-orientated vehicle.“As (mid-size) pickups get bigger, to the stage where they are as big as full-size pickups were not so long ago, and more expensive and less fuel-efficient, we are trying to see if there is space for a vehicle with a smaller footprint that potentially is more affordable and gets better fuel economy,”  Volkswagen of America’s Senior Vice President of Product Marketing and Strategy told The Detroit News.Unfortunately, the Tarok’s chances for Oz appear very slim, with Volkswagen Australia's Paul Pottinger telling CarsGuide that "There’s not enough capacity at either end for our market. There's just no appetite for a compact ute in Australia."To be built in Mexico, and thus avoiding the USA’s 25-per-cent "chicken tax" on imported commercial vehicles, the Tarok will reportedly be available with a trio of turbocharged four-cylinder engines.The concept used a 110kW/250Nm 1.4-litre and a 132kW/320Nm 2.0-litre turbo petrol, while a 110kW/320Nm 2.0-litre turbo-diesel could also be made available. All-wheel drive will likely be optional, and both manual and automatic gearboxes will be available. The Tarok concept also featured a very clever variable load space, which allowed the rear seat to be dropped to extend the useable length of the tray.

Audi has revealed the next generation of its high-riding A6 allroad wagon, which will land in Australia in the first half of 2020. Based on the new generation A6, which is due on sale locally soon, the allroad sits 45mm higher than the standard wagon, and can offer up to 184mm of ground clearance depending on which mode the air suspension is in. The styling of the A6 allroad mimics past variants, too, with plastic bumpers and revised front and rear styling for a more off-road look. Other off-road tech includes hill-descent control, as well as a tilt-angle assistant that informs drivers of the angle that the car is sitting at. Up to six driving modes are also available to choose from.Like the standard A6, four-wheel steering is available optionally and allows the rear wheels to turn up to five degrees in the opposite direction to the front wheels to increase maneuverability at speeds of up to 60km/h.The only available engine is a 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel in three tunes: 170kW/500Nm, 210kW/620Nm and 257kW/700Nm. Fuel use is between 5.8L and 6.4L/100km, thanks to Audi’s 48-volt mild-hybrid system, which is capable of recovering up to eight kilowatts of power during braking. That power is fed to a 10Ah battery, which then contributes the power back under acceleration. All tunes of the V6 engine are offered only with an eight-speed automatic, which is matched to Audi’s quattro all-wheel drive system as standard. An optional sport differential then further distributes power between the rear wheels.Inside, the A6 allroad arrives with unique trim and colour combinations, with black, beige and brown available to choose from. European variants offer half cloth and leather trims as standard, though Australian models will get full leather.The A6 allroad gets the same multimedia set up as the regular A6, with a 10.1-inch central touchscreen and a 12.3-inch digital driver’s display. Audi is also releasing a special edition, the '20 Years allroad’, which can be ordered in three colours - ‘Gavial Green’, ‘Glacier White’ and ‘Soho Brown’ - and arrive with unique 19-inch wheels, a black styling package, black sports seats, aluminium inlays and illuminated door sills.The A6 allroad will compete with the Mercedes-Benz E-Class All Terrain and Volvo V90 Cross Country when it launches locally in the first half of 2020. Local pricing and specification are yet to be announced. 

Mazda UK has announced performance and fuel economy data for its upcoming SkyActiv-X engine, which will be launched into the Australian Mazda3 towards the end of 2019. Going on sale in the UK in July, the 2.0-litre supercharged SkyActiv-X engine with the company’s new compression ignition tech will reportedly produce 133kW of power and 223Nm of torque, which is slightly less than the current 2.5-litre SkyActiv four-cylinder petrol engine used in the G25 variants locally. The SkyActiv-X engine has a high 16.3:1 compression ratio, and thanks to the supercharger, its peak torque is produced 1000rpm lower than the current G25 engine, at 3000rpm. As for fuel economy, Mazda UK claims that the SkyActiv-X engine will use as little as 5.4L/100km on a combined cycle - 1.2L/100km less than the Australian G25. Although Australian figures are yet to be announced, we expect the combined figure to be comfortably below 6.0L/100km despite possible weight differences, larger wheels and different fuel quality. Emissions are similarly improved - the SkyActiv-X engine emits as little as 96g/km of CO2, which compares well with the current 2.0-litre (143g/km) and 2.5-litre (153g/km) variants of the Mazda3.The UK-spec SkyActiv-X engine is also combined with a mild-hybrid system that allows the car to have its engine switched off for “extended periods of time”, according to the brand. Whether or not the SkyActiv-X engine will be paired with the same mild-hybrid system locally is unknown.When it goes on sale in the UK, Mazda will offer the SkyActiv-X engine in both the sedan and hatchback bodystyles, and with either a six-speed manual or automatic gearbox - and possibly with either front- or all-wheel drive. Mazda Australia is yet to comment on when the SkyActiv-X engine will be sold locally, but we expect it to be offered only in higher-spec versions of the Mazda3 range, possibly as an option.Mazda has confirmed that the 2.0-litre SkyActiv-X engine will be offered in the CX-30 small SUV when it goes on sale locally in 2020. It’s also announced that larger six-cylinder versions of the SkyActiv-X engine concept will be produced in the future, though smaller iterations for cars such as a future Mazda2 are yet to be confirmed.

In a bid to clear stock before the next financial year and celebrating its 70th year of continuous sales locally, Peugeot Australia has announced drive-away pricing for its whole range until June 30th (or stock runs out).The whole Peugeot range is being offered with free metallic paint, while any 2018 model year cars also earn a $2000 bonus on top of other incentives. The 208 Active is available for $21,990 drive away, while the upper-spec 208 Allure is available for $24,990 drive away - both saving buyers $3000 in the process.The entry 308 Active is available for $26,990 (-$3000), the mid-spec Allure for $29,990 (-$3000) and the Allure diesel $32,500 (-$6500).The upper end of the 308 range is also on sale - the Touring wagon diesel has been cut to $36,990 (-$4000) and the GTi is $43,990 (-$4000). Peugeot's SUV range is also on sale. The 2008 Active is $26,990 (-$2000) and the Allure $28,990 (-$4000).The 3008 kicks off with the $36,990 Active (-$3900), then the $38,990 Allure (-$5500), Allure Crossway ($43,490, - $3500), GT-Line ($45,990, - $2500) and GT ($46,990, - $7500).The 5008 is available from $42,990 for the Allure (-$5000), $44,900 for the Allure Crossway (-$5600), $46,990 for the GT-Line (-$5000) and $49,990 for the GT (-$8000). Further sweetening both the 3008 and 5008 in GT and GT-Line specs is that the previously-optional $4000 Premium Pack is standard equipment as part of the deal, which adds leather, a panoramic glass roof, heated front seats with eight-way adjustment, massaging and extendable under-thigh seat cushions for buyers.All three- and five-year service packs purchased before June 30 have a 10 per cent discount applied. All cars must be ordered and delivered by June 30 to be eligible for the deals. 

After a long teaser campaign, BMW has finally revealed the M8, which has become the fastest accelerating production BMW ever with a claimed 0-100km/h time of as little as 3.2 seconds.Using the same 4.4-litre twin-turbocharged petrol V8 as the M5 super sedan, the M8 produces 441kW of power in standard form and 460kW in the Competition variant. Both produce the same 750Nm of torque and like the M5, Australia is expected to receive only the Competition. For the record, the non-Competition M8 hits 100km/h in 3.3 seconds.The M8's power is sent through an eight-speed automatic transmission to BMW’s xDrive all-wheel drive system, which - like the M5 - can decouple the front axle to become rear-wheel drive in a so-called ‘drift mode’. The M8 Competition hits an electronically limited top speed of 305km/h. The car’s chassis has been stiffened to help with the extra power and according to BMW, the M8’s centre of gravity is 24mm lower than the M5. Adaptive suspension is standard, as well as an active differential for the rear axle.The exterior of the M8 looks tougher than the regular 8 Series. Standard fit are new 20-inch alloy wheels, as well as larger air intakes and front, side and rear spoilers for a pumped-up look.The M8 also debuts the company’s new adaptive braking system, which allows drivers to adjust brake feel on demand.The inside the M8, there are M badges on the steering wheel, seats and gearknob. Heavily bolstered M seats are available in a range of colours, while the configurable driver’s display has also been designed for greater driver focus. Carbon fibre inlays are standard for a sportier look. The M8 will compete with other super GTs such as the Aston Martin DB11 ($374,995), Mercedes-AMG S63 ($372,900) and Bentley Continental GT ($422,000).BMW Australia is yet to confirm local availability for the M8, though it’s likely to arrive down under in 2020 priced above the $272,900 M850i.

Ian Callum will step down from his role as design director of Jaguar after working with the company for 20 years.Stepping down to “pursue other design projects”, Callum will be replaced by current creative design director Julian Thompson, though he will remain a consultant to the brand.Callum is credited with turning Jaguar into the modern brand it is today, and has produced quite a product resume: the XK (2006), XF (2007) and XF Sportbrake, XJ (2009), C-X75 concept (2010), F-Type (2012), F-Pace (2015) and I-Pace (2018). Callum began his career in 1979 by designing cars for Ford. After 11 years there, he left to head up TWR Design. In 1999, he succeeded the late Geoff Lawson as Jaguar’s director of design, and also directed Aston Martin design for a short time - the two brands were then part of Ford’s Premier Automotive Group. He had a hand in shaping the Aston Martin DB7 and DB9, as well as the Vanquish. “I came into this role with a mission to take Jaguar design back to where it deserved to be. It has taken 20 years, but I believe I have achieved what I set out to do, ” Callum said.  “Given the strength of both our products and the design team I feel that now is the right time to move on, both personally and professionally, and explore other design projects. Designing Jaguar cars was a lifelong dream for me.”Callum's successor, Julian Thompson, has been at Jaguar since 2000 and also worked at Ford. Thompson's CV also includes roles as head of design for Lotus and chief of exterior design at the Volkswagen Group.