Articles by James Cleary

The rise and rise of Chery’s premium export subsidiary Omoda | Jaecoo continues with confirmation the Jaecoo J5 BEV, a premium small pure-electric SUV is coming to Australia.

Peugeot's 2008 GT Hybrid is the flagship of the French maker's local premium small SUV line-up. It looks sleek and is powered by a small capacity three-cylinder, turbo-petrol engine with relatively modest electrical support. We spent some time with it to determine if it's price premium over more mainstream options is justified.

In the early 1960s when Ferruccio Lamborghini was warming up for a punch on with Enzo Ferrari over the price of a clutch replacement for his 250 GT the already successful businessman famously took the bull by the horns and decided to make his own sports car.

It’s widely regarded as a great way to exfoliate, detoxify and hydrate the skin, while some believe it can provide relief from muscle and joint pain. But the type of mud bath Ford Australia has been applying to its up-coming Ford Ranger Super Duty is far from a therapeutic beauty routine.

I’m okay with picking pattern progressions, but begin to fall short when the pressure of upper level IQ testing starts to bring me undone. That said, even I could detect the clear sequence of super performance carmakers following one another into the world of the 4.0-litre, twin-turbo V8.A slew of British, German and Italian brands using the same performance vs consumption vs emissions equation to propel their exotic machines towards the horizon at warp speed with maximum efficiency.So, why did white-coated boffins from all points of the automotive globe come up with the same engine configuration, capacity and induction answer?Well, at the recent global launch of the Lamborghini Temerario (a 4.0L twin-turbo V8 hybrid) we asked Lambo’s Chief Technical Officer (and drift king) Dr. Rouven Mohr exactly that.He confirmed the broadly accepted answer that an individual cylinder volume of 500cc is the magic number.That’s right, the capacity that took the ‘Wollongong Whiz’ Wayne Gardner and ‘The Master of going Faster’ Mick Doohan to 500cc World Motorcycle Championship glory is the Goldilocks zone for an individual engine cylinder. And that’s because a cylinder of that size, ideally undersquare (with a stroke length exceeding its bore diameter), optimises the combustion process thanks to a relatively small internal surface to volume ratio (as the piston nears top dead centre) which helps improve fuel efficiency while producing optimum power and minimising C02 and NOx emissions.So, 500 times eight equals 4000, which, with the benefit of forced induction pushes the golden ratio to its maximum.And Lamborghini should know because the all-new (L411) unit it developed for the Temerario produces 588kW on its own, before a trio of electric motors tips in another 89kW for a total output of 677kW (920hp).Two turbos producing 2.5 bar located in the engine’s ‘hot vee’ optimise packaging and thermal management; titanium conrods reduce rotating mass; a flat plane crank delivers an even firing order and super hard finger followers in the valvetrain allow more aggressive cam profiles. The result? A 10,000rpm rev ceiling, which is… nuts.Other brands within the Volkswagen Group portfolio are on the same train, like Audi’s SQ7 and SQ8 with Bentley and Porsche directly sharing engine tech.And what about Mercedes-AMG with the GT63 and SL63 or McLaren just about matching Lambo for specific power output with its 750S rocketship?But hands up those who remember JLR’s ‘Ingenium’ modular engine family. Three-, four- and six-cylinder units built around 500cc cylinders. BMW Group with its triple, four- and six-cylinder engines, along with many others have also struck on the 500cc formula. But maybe Lamborghini President and CEO Stephan Winkelmann has the most compelling reason for joining the club.While acknowledging the capacity of the cylinder premise - “Six cylinder is usually three litres, eight is four and 12 is six” - he lets slip that the 4.0L thing “is also a matter of taxation in a lot of countries”. So, follow engine efficiency or follow the money, the 4.0-litre, twin-turbo V8 answer is the same.

Overnight reports out of Germany are pointing to Volkswagen retiring its long-serving full-size, luxury SUV, the Touareg at the end of the current, third-generation model’s life in 2026.

Chery sub-brand iCar has finally taken the wraps off its latest offering, the full-size V27 range-extender hybrid SUV.

Lamborghini says it’s Fuoriclasse… outstanding… in a league of its own. And while, of course, there are other ultra-high-performance super sports cars in this world, it’s hard not to be impressed by the mind-blowing attributes that define this new Temerario, a classically exotic mid-engined machine from this iconic Italian carmaker.The twin-turbo V8, three-motor hybrid is due in Australia in the first half of 2026, with a price tag close to $615,000 which makes it more expensive than the Huracán Evo AWD it effectively replaces and puts it in the same ball park as the Ferrari 296, McLaren 750S and Porsche 911 GT3 RS.And CarsGuide was invited to its global dynamic launch at Portugal’s iconic Circuito do Estoril just outside Lisbon. So, prepare to strap in.But first, just look at it! A typically dramatic, purposeful Lamborghini design. Maybe a little less aggressive than its Huracán predecessor but still featuring signature hexagon graphics integrated throughout, a ‘single line’ profile arcing from nose to tail, a super-cool high-mount exhaust outlet and a cut-away outer rear end showing the massive rear tyres like a sports prototype at Le Mans in the ‘70s.It’s a fraction over 4.7m long, so not tiny. But at 2.0m wide and just 1.2m tall it’s a striking supercar wedge developed in-house at the Lamborghini Centro Stile, led by Mitya Borkert.  Dialling up the take-no-prisoners stance are 20-inch rims at the front and 21s at the rear available in multiple designs in cast or forged alloy, as well as carbon-fibre.And under the jaw-dropping skin sits a newly developed hybrid powertrain, consisting of a mid-mounted 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 engine supported by no less then three oil-cooled axial flow electric motors - two on the front axle and one between the engine and transmission.This combination sends 677kW, or around 920hp, to all four wheels courtesy of the front motors and an eight-speed dual-clutch auto transmission driving the rears. Lamborghini hasn’t published a combined torque number, but the V8 alone pumps out 730Nm from 4000-7000rpm.A small, 3.8kWh lithium-ion battery pack is housed in the central tunnel and can be recharged via 7.0kW onboard AC capacity (in 30min) or regen braking from the front wheels or directly from the V8 engine.The Temerario is claimed to accelerate from 0-100km/h in 2.7 seconds, which we experienced via multiple full-fat launch-control runs on the track. That engine has a rev ceiling of 10,000rpm, which is stratospherically high for a turbo V8 and if you’re game, maximum velocity is a lazy 343km/h!But if that’s not enough for you, an Alleggerita or ‘Lightened’ package makes liberal use of carbon-fibre on the front splitter, mirror caps, sill panels, rear diffuser and wing as well as the door inserts, with a recycled carbon used for the smooth underfloor panels, plus a lightened rear windscreen, polycarbonate for the rear side windows and the carbon rims to reduce weight by more than 25kg.From an ergonomic point of view, relative to the Huracán this car has been enhanced with increased leg, head, and shoulder room. Heightened areas on either side of the turret allow for extra headroom ‘divots’ in the headliner over the two seating positions.Even at 183cm tall I was able to wear a crash helmet during track testing and still have enough headroom to avoid the all too common supercar neck twist syndrome. There’s even a pair of swing-out cupholders, a decent glove box and a large wireless phone charging bay, while luggage space has also been increased across a bench behind the seats and there’s a surprisingly generous 112-litre 'frunk' in the nose (although that’s 38L less than the Huracán’s).Interior design is multi-layered and jagged with multiple hexagons making an appearance as well as an upright 12.3-inch display for instruments and car data, a vertical 8.4-inch media screen in the centre and what Lamborghini calls an ‘Entertainment Screen’ (9.1-inch) for the passenger showing speed, gear and other readouts. A swipe feature even allows content to be moved from the central monitor to the driver or passenger displays.There’s the obligatory grippy, flat-bottom steering wheel (it’s brilliant) and proper alloy or carbon gearshift paddles as well as ‘jet switches’ and the signature red fighter-style ignition button cover. The sense of theatre makes just getting in the car a special occasion. So, time to venture out onto the circuit and Lamborghini encourages you to ‘feel like a pilot’ when you’re driving this car and they’ve tuned the exhaust system to sound more ‘like a racing motorbike’ and you can hear it. A high-pitched sound because, of course… 10,000rpm.And what you have is three motors and the twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8 working seamlessly together.If you just had the engine with those big turbos (producing up to 2.5 bar boost), it would undoubtedly be laggy, relatively unrefined and not as nice to drive. But put the motors with it and they all work together. There’s an algorithm governing which element of the powertrain takes the leading hand at any given moment.The mid-range is huge in this car, so you’ve got mega torque between 4000 and 7000rpm and urgent top end power, the titanium conrods blurring up and down as the 180-degree flat plane crank screams towards 10 grand.Lamborghini’s ‘ANIMA’ system, accessed by a rotary dial on the steering wheel, offers four main drive modes - Città (or city with electric propulsion to the fore), Strada (or street for daily use), Sport for dialling up the fun factor and Corsa/Corsa Plus for the track. Paired with different hybrid modes, up to 13 combinations are possible.The rear motor is integrated into the engine housing before the transmission, so it’s putting drive directly onto the crank and it picks up the slack, smoothing power delivery.And the compact eight-speed dual-clutch transmission is super quick and positive in ‘Manual’ mode. And even in ‘Auto’ you can feel it plucking gears with satisfying precision.Suspension is by double wishbones front and rear, with steel springs and adaptive damping. Through the different drive modes not only the steering, transmission and engine are tweaked up, the suspension reacts as well. Combine that with seamless torque vectoring across the front axle and this car is properly telepathic in terms of the connection between car and driver.Dry weight is 1690kg, distribution is 43 per cent front, 57 per cent rear, and the tyres are enormous Bridgestone Potenza Sports, developed (in Rome) for this car - 255/35 up front and 325/30 at the rear.The body is an alloy space frame and it’s claimed to be over 20 per cent stiffer in terms of its torsional resistance than the Huracán. And you can feel it is an exceptionally stable platform with the powertrain operating in the same algorithmic way as it does for acceleration to enhance steering and cornering dynamics.  You can often apply more steering lock than you’d ever think possible in genuinely fast corners. Just squeeze the throttle, look up the road and the Temerario puts its power down with absolute authority as you rocket ahead on exit. The brakes are immense; 410mm carbon-ceramic rotors at the front clamped by 10-piston monobloc calipers, with 390mm discs and four-piston calipers at the rear.With a good line and drive out of the final corner onto Estoril’s long start-finish straight we were pulling an indicated 300km/h before braking for the sharp right-hand turn one. And the Temerario pulled up straight and steady for it and all 13 corners on successive hot laps, the friction point proving consistent no matter the speed on application.  A ‘Drift Mode’, available via a steering-wheel dial, offers three levels from small to high side-slip angles and we had huge fun playing with it. Ott Tänak, eat your heart out!And a telemetry package uses three cameras and myriad sensors to plot your track day progress with 100 circuits pre-installed in the system.Safety includes a 2+ level ADAS pack featuring AEB, lane departure warning, rear cross-traffic alert and more. There are front and side airbags for the driver and passenger, with knee airbags available in specific markets.Then ‘Lamborghini Connect’ - offers up numerous options including connected nav, remote vehicle status updates, Amazon Alexa Entertainment, an emergency call function, a dashcam and (lots) more.

With dual cab ‘pick-up’ versions of its just-released Tasman ute now in local showrooms, Kia has confirmed pricing for cab chassis variants of the much-anticipated newcomer.

All it takes is one look at the size and function of this car’s 1.2-metre long rear doors to realise its primary focus is on the rear occupants rather than the person behind the wheel.Not that the Genesis Electrified G80 Signature’s driver is ignored… far from it, and we’ll get to that soon. But once you clock the auto close and soft-shut functionality of those immense rear openings, its VIP A-to-B purpose is clear.And the way it perfectly leverages the smooth, effortless power and serene refinement delivered by its dual-motor, pure-electric powertrain further confirms this car as more luxurious limo than driver-focused touring sedan.At $155,000, before on-road costs, it lines up against other luxe (often commercially-operated) electric people carrying options like the BMW i5 Sedan ($155,900), Mercedes-Benz EQE350 4Matic Sedan ($154,900) and Zeekr 009 6-seat ($139,900).Updated just last month, this already large EV’s wheelbase has been extended by no less than 130mm, and now at over 5.1m end to end, it shows.The G80’s exterior is familiar, although car-spotters should look for this Electrified’s brushed metal inserts filling in the signature honeycomb grille, uniquely dished 19-inch alloy rims and a tweaked rear bumper.The interior is awash with quilted Nappa full-grain leather on the seats, highlight trims in the doors and lush carpets on the floors.And it’s not just the coverings. Dialling in the heating, cooling, recline and massage functions on the (front and rear) seats is a reminder that relaxation and comfort are key Genesis G80 objectives.And when I say rear seats, it’s just the outer ones. Technically you can slide someone into the centre rear position but that’s more of an afterthought. The huge fold-down centre ‘armrest’ unit is the size of a carry-on suitcase and contains everything from seat adjustment (including recline, heating, cooling and massage functions) and media controls to wireless charging and extra storage.Controls on the rear centre console, available only to the rear ‘VIP’ position behind the front passenger, allow its occupant to remotely push and tilt the front passenger seat forward, which allows for a comfy recline angle and a leg rest to swing up, creating the best seat in the house. Add climate control at the back of the front centre console, a power-operated rear window and screen curtains, plus drop-down illuminated vanity mirrors in the roof, and you have a comfortable automotive cocoon at your disposal. No surprise the extra millimetres in that wheelbase stretch were dedicated exclusively to rear seat space. A ‘small’ disappointment is the boot, which despite power opening and closing (with hands-free operation) offers only 354 litres of volume (70L less than its internal-combustion counterparts), which could be awkward when well packed passengers need a ride to the airport. Compounding the issue is the fact the rear seats don’t fold, so what you see is what you get, except for a small ski-port-style door in the centre.But what was that comment about aspirations of a driver-focused touring sedan taking a ‘back seat’? Despite its substantial footprint and roughly 2.3-tonne kerb weight, the Electrified G80 accelerates, steers and stops ridiculously well.The dual motors combine to produce 272kW and 700Nm, which is enough to propel this big beastie from 0-100km/h in just 5.1 seconds and there’s always plenty of punch lurking under your right foot.The electronically controlled suspension system features a front camera and GPS-based preview function designed to smooth the ride. And it not only does that but keeps the car balanced and composed in quick corners.All-wheel drive and rear-wheel steering also play a role here, helping the car turn in rapidly and corner accurately and road feel is surprisingly good. The fat Michelin Pilot Sport 4 rubber (245/45 fr - 275/40 rr) grips firmly yet remains admirably quiet.But that near-silence (thanks in part to active road noise control) can be broken in the best possible way courtesy of the standard 17-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio system. It cranks hard and is managed (save for physical volume controls on the console and steering wheel) via one half of a sleek 27-inch dual-screen OLED display covering instruments and multimedia.On the other side of the performance coin the recent update brought a larger 94.5kWh battery pack (up from 87.2kWh) and WLTP range now sits at a useful 570km (up 50km).The car’s 800V electronic architecture means an ultra-fast charge can boost the battery from 10 to 80 per cent in a handy 25 minutes and WLTP energy consumption is quoted at 15kWh/100km. Over a week of city, suburban and some freeway running, using all the climate control, seat (and steering wheel) heating and massage functions available, we recorded an average of 20.5kWh/100km, which is more than reasonable for an EV of this scale.And then there’s the ownership promise that fits hand in glove with the Genesis G80’s premium positioning.How about a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty and eight years/160,000km cover on the drive battery? Not exceptional, but in line with its key competitors. Then there’s 10 years’ roadside assist and ‘Genesis Concierge’ pick-up and delivery at service time with a Genesis courtesy vehicle handed over in your car’s place. But here’s the kicker. Recommended service interval is relatively short (for an EV) at 12 months or 15,000km, but who cares because the first five years’ servicing is free of charge.And on top of that, you have the choice of a five-year Chargefox subscription or a home AC charger with installation. Zero cost ownership for the first five years? Nice.As you’d expect, active (crash-avoidance) safety is top-shelf and the G80 boasts a maximum five-star ANCAP assessment from testing in 2021. The airbag count runs to 10, including a centre and side bags for the front seats. Final random thoughts include a big tick for the inclusion of V2L (Vehicle To Load) capability to power or charge house-power appliances via an adapter attached to the plug area in the car’s nose, a big cross for a repair/inflator kit rather than a physical spare wheel, the ‘star’ button on the steering is a welcome shortcut to switching off the annoying over-speed warning, the four-level regenerative braking (including a single ‘i-Pedal’ mode) works smoothly and the four-wheel steering helps make slow-speed manoeuvring easy.