Articles by John Law

The Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series is approaching its first update since launching in mid-2021, according to reports. Typically reliable industry source BestCar has listed a host of very minor changes (far from a facelift) that are due to be announced officially in December.Most of the tweaks are said to satisfy tighter regulations on exhaust gases and safety. CarsGuide has contacted Toyota Australia for additional information and local timing. The 300 Series is almost certain to be visually unchanged, with only the Sahara ZX’s rear-seat entertainment system set for a change inside: dropping the CD and DVD player in favour of a simple HDMI port. The Nissan Patrol rival’s main updates will be applied to the safety systems, with the LC300 upgrading to Toyota’s third-generation driver aids. This should mean improvements to the autonomous emergency braking (AEB) system with added cyclist detection, enhanced forward collision warning, speed sign detection and driver-attention warning to line up with global regulations.Another mandate-driven move is understood to be an update to the emissions control systems, particularly for the 227kW/700Nm 3.3-litre twin-turbo diesel V6 we get in Australia.The new standard set by the United Nations Real Driving Emissions (RDE) testing stipulates less than 34 per cent particulate matter in emissions. Cyber security protection is also said to be improved. Pricing is likely to increase slightly, too. A running update is nothing new for a Toyota LandCruiser. The 300 Series’ predecessor sold from 2007 through to 2021 and had myriad updates and facelifts, the first (a new engine option) coming just two years after release. Don’t expect to see a major overhaul of the LandCruiser 300 until at least 2027, when it’s possible that more electrification, interior and technology updates may be rolled out. The latest update to the LandCruiser range comes after Toyota Australia announced the discontinuation of the 70 Series V8, citing community expectations for environmentally friendly vehicles.

First came Puma, then came Mustang and now Ford has reinvigorated its Capri sports coupe nameplate as an electric SUV. Mustang may be a global sensation but Capri is just as, if not more, important to British and European buyers than the stallion nameplate.Headline figures are up to 627km of WLTP driving range from the rear-drive 210kW/545Nm Capri, while the twin-motor AWD ups power to 250kW though total torque remains the same. Unfortunately, the Capri is not in Ford Australia’s plans: "The Ford Capri is an exciting new addition to Ford's growing EV line-up. There are no plans for the Capri to come to Australia," a spokesperson told CarsGuide. The Capri is effectively a coupe version of the Ford Explorer (also ruled out for Australia) and therefore rides on Volkswagen’s MEB platform – the same found under VW’s ID.5 coupe SUV rival. Ford’s new Capri measures 4634mm long, 1872mm wide and 1626mm tall with a 2796mm wheelbase. It is a little longer than the Explorer and visually very different, though it is mighty close in size and target market to the existing Mustang Mach-E.The Capri’s chiselled styling and rising window line is more reminiscent of the SUV’s sport coupe namesake (and, funnily enough, the Polestar 2) than the Mach-E, giving it some unique attributes to the electric ’Stang. It rides on large alloy wheels, between 19 and 21 inches depending on trim.The electric stats are impressive, too, with good efficiency (13.3kWh/100km in the RWD) meaning the Extended Range RWD model is capable of travelling up to 627km from a single charge of its 77kWh NMC lithium-ion battery pack. That’s enough to beat a Tesla Model Y Long Range (542km). It is also a long way clear of the Mustang Mach-E equipped with a much larger 91kWh battery, which is only capable of 597km from a charge. A 79kWh pack is linked to AWD Capris, though the driving range falls to 592km in the WLTP combined cycle. The RWD model can fast charge up to 135kW (DC) while the AWD tops out at 185kW. Both take under 30 minutes to charge from 10-80 per cent.Inside, the Capri is outfitted with a generous 14.6-inch portrait-oriented touchscreen with connected navigation, a 5.0-inch digital instrument cluster and centre console bin with 17 litres of storage.  Two trim levels: Capri and Capri Premium are available, both can be paired with either rear- or all-wheel drive. This won’t be the end of Ford’s badge revivals, far from it (though we hope Probe stays in the grave) and while the result may annoy some fans it is at least a refreshingly different approach to Volkswagen, Polestar and Tesla’s dull alphanumerics.Not coming to Australia but Ford has promised five electric cars by the end of the year. Mustang Mach-E and two electric vans will definitely be joined by the Puma electric, but what else? The F-150 Lightning sounds most likely.

Peugeot and Citroen have announced huge price cuts on select models until July 31, 2024.Discounts include more than $25,000 off old stock of the Peugeot 508 plug-in hybrid sedan, $17,000 cut from the Citroen C5 X’s price, $15,000 for the C5 Aircross Sport and even up to $14,000 cut from MY24 Peugeot 3008s. These latest offers follow a massive $20,000 price cut on Peugeot's e-2008 electric car which cleared remaining stock within days – not weeks or months – ahead of the facelift’s introduction.The 508 can be had for $57,990 drive-away instead of the $76,990 before on-road costs price at release in 2022. The same car today with an unchanged 165kW PHEV that provides 55km of electric-only driving range lists at $81,610. Peugeot only has MY22 508 liftbacks on offer and none of the wagons. Peugeot sold 130 508s in 2022, 156 in 2023 and has registered 37 so far this year. The facelift is expected to arrive this year.  Citroen’s quirky C5 X Shine’s price has been slashed down to $45,990 drive-away, roughly a $17,000 saving over its $57,670 list price. It uses the same powertrain as petrol 508s, a 1.6-litre turbo-petrol with 133kW and 250Nm. In 2022 61 C5 X examples were registered, climbing to 68 in 2023 and sitting at 26 so far this year. A plug-in hybrid MY24 model is available via special order only.It is strange that Peugeot and Citroen have such dated floor stock in the country when companies like Toyota and Mazda are only just catching up with post-COVID demand. CarsGuide has contacted Peugeot Citroen Australia for comment.Citroen's more conventional mid-size SUV to rival the Toyota RAV4, the C5 Aircross, is on sale as well. MY23 examples are available from $44,990 drive-away, about a $15,000 saving on its $55,990 before on-road costs list price. Peugeot’s take on the same underpinnings is the 3008. It comes in three variants (unlike the sole-trim models above) with varying savings – in this case, they’re all on new MY24 models. The entry-level Allure can be had from $46,990 drive-away, that’s down about $7700 but it includes the $5990 Luxury pack (with Nappa leather, sunroof and more) for that price, bringing total savings to nearly $14,000.Other trims, including the GT ($50,990) and flagship GT Sport ($62,990, both drive-away), have more modest discounts of around $6000. The 3008 GT plug-in hybrid remains priced at full whack: $82,915 before on-road costs. Various discounts on vans – including more than $15,000 off the pre-facelift e-Partner electric van – are available. Even one of Peugeot’s freshest models, the 308 GT hatch, can be had for less than list with a circa $1000 saving thanks to a $46,990 drive-away price. 

Zeekr has shown off a new model in China, which is codenamed the CX1E.

The Honda Prelude name has been absent from the market for more than two decades, but it looks set for a comeback in the next two years. Ahead of an appearance at this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed, Honda has shown off the (very close to production-looking) concept in a new red paint hue. Additionally, the British arm of the marque confirmed to publication Autocar that the hybrid sports coupe it will launch in the United Kingdom in the middle of this decade. Previous intelligence suggests the Prelude will begin production in 2026 and will be a step in lowering Honda’s emissions while creating desirable, enthusiast-focused cars. Beyond it being a hybrid, nothing else is known of the Prelude’s powertrain. There are musings it could use a version of the existing Civic’s e:HEV petrol-electric set-up, potentially making more than the Civic's 135kW and 315Nm for a sportier feel. Honda has not commented, but a manual transmission is not off the cards – remember the three-pedal hybrid CR-Z?Visually, the low and wide Prelude concept has a distinct coupe aesthetics, and rides on attractive 20-inch alloy wheels. It channels classy vibes – more Volkswagen Scirocco than boy racer Hyundai i30 N or Civic Type R.“Ensuring this model maintains its ‘sporty’ DNA by perfectly blending the efficiency and environmental advantages of electrified driving with an exhilarating experience behind the wheel – liberating users from their daily lives with increased driving pleasure,” said Chief Engineer and Large Project Leader Tomoyuki Yamagami.How exactly Honda will achieve a pleasurable drive is unclear but the Prelude is likely to draw on the brand’s high-revving roots potentially with sound augmentation – or even natural noise. Tactility will matter hugely so expect Honda’s engineers to outfit the Prelude’s cabin with traditional physical knobs and buttons for high-traffic touchpoints, rather than trendy screen-heavy interaction. Honda’s new coupe model will most likely adopt the Civic’s chassis. It features aluminium components in the sub frames and independent multi-link suspension all around. The Prelude won't be Japan's only new sports car, with Toyota in particular reviving historic names including MR2 and Celica along with big updates for GR 86 and Supra.Details for the Prelude's Australia release remain a mystery. Expect more noise about the coupe in the coming months and years.

The City of Sydney council has been slowly reducing speed limits of high foot-traffic roads to 40km/h to enhance local safety.The 10km/h lower limit will now become the standard on regional and local roads within inner-city suburbs of Glebe, Forest Lodge, Beaconsfield and Waterloo.Illuminated electronic signs will be put in place in affected areas for a minimum of two weeks after the new limits become law.Suburbs further out with existing 50km/h limits including Annandale, Alexandria, Redfern Woolloomooloo and Zetland will also have some speed limits lowered to 40km/h.The City of Sydney's eventual goal is to implement more 30km/h zones in high pedestrian and cyclist areas.“It is everyone’s responsibility to make our roads as safe as they possibly can be for people walking, riding and driving,” said Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore.“Currently, 75 per cent of local and regional roads in our area already have a 40km/h speed limit or lower. That’s up from just five per cent in 2004. This has been achieved through our work with the NSW Government, which is funding the latest round of speed limit changes," she added.Myriad studies have shown a 10km/h reduction can benefit both pedestrian and vehicle safety in built-up areas.This latest reduction will only apply to local and regional roads. Motorways and State roads are spared.It is not all speed reduction in New South Wales, with the M4 motorway's WestConnex tunnel having its limit raised from 80km/h to 90km/h in March. Perhaps surprisingly, that speed limit increase was also for safety reasons.The number of deaths on NSW roads continues to climb despite newer, safer cars and generally lower speed limits. So far, 181 lives has been lost on roads in NSW compared to 165 in the same period last year. 

The first spy pictures of the 2025 Tesla Model Y update have appeared, known internally as ‘Juniper’. 

interested in Australia's most popular new vehicles? Here is a list ranking sales from from 1-100 between January 1 and June 30, 2024.

It looks like Chinese brand GWM Haval has taken inspiration from the Toyota Prado range for its second-generation H9 large SUV.

It sounds like the wind has gone from the sails of Mitsubishi’s business case to bring the eK X EV electric kei car to Australia for as little as $30,000.