Articles by John Law

Mike Simcoe, designer of some of Australia’s most iconic cars, will retire from his post as head of General Motors design in July.

The game-changing electric car from MG that would allow you to drive from Sydney to Melbourne on a single charge is moving closer to Australia. This black IM L6, wearing minimal camouflage, was spotted in a Sydney carpark by a CarsGuide reader. Aside from a few badge covers and a piece of equipment taped to the boot lid, it is plain to see this is the flagship L6 sedan from MG’s luxury cousin IM Motors.Local boss Peter Ciao has previously confirmed the L6 sedan and its LS6 SUV sibling are “100 per cent” coming to Australia. The only questions that remain are when — likely this year — how much and what badge will it wear? Ciao has confirmed he wants the car to wear an MG badge, but it could be tricky. In China, IM Motors is a joint venture between SAIC (MG’s parent company) and online sales giant Alibaba, so the MG part might not be simple. IM Motors has been trademarked in Australia, but not yet the associated L6 nameplate. The car is wearing a NSW number plate which reveals it is an evaluation vehicle registered last month. To the RMS, it’s known as a ‘Black MG P12L Sedan’ — not exactly a catchy name. This will certainly change prior to launch. An interior image reveals this is a right-hand drive evaluation vehicle that looks pretty much finished — no ungrained plastics here. The upholstery appears to be quilted leather, there’s a flat-bottom three-spoke steering wheel and what looks like a portrait-oriented touchscreen with a Tesla Model Y-like twin wireless smartphone charging dock. The headline figure of the L6 is the available ‘Lightyear’ semi-solid state battery. As it’s more energy dense than your average lithium-ion pack, MG’s able to fit a huge 123.7kWh (useable) battery in a car roughly the size of a BMW 5 Series. That’s about 50 per cent more energy capacity than you’d see in a Tesla Model 3 or BYD Seal. The technology is also thought to be safer and the L6 charges mighty fast, able to recuperate 400km of range in just 12 minutes of charging.Twin motors in some L6 models provide all-wheel drive and up to 540kW while trick ‘Digital Lizard’ active suspension and roll technology promises crisp road holding. The IM L6 is no Toyota Camry rival in its home market. If it arrives in Australia, we expect the flagship sedan to be priced as MG has the Cyberster, likely with a price tag starting north of $100,000. If the cabin quality, technology levels and driving experience are there, combined with the 1000km CLTC — more like about 800km real world — driving range, the L6 will be a unique and tantalising offering. 

Law firm Maurice Blackburn has launched a class action lawsuit against General Motors Australia and New Zealand.It alleges faulty transmissions were fitted to “hundreds of thousands” of Holden Commodore and Colorado models, with owners possibly getting a pay-out. The gearboxes in question are codenamed: GM 6L 45, 6L 50 and 6L 80, along with their derivatives. They were sold in new vehicles between January 1, 2011 and December 24, 2024. Models include the Commodore VE and Commodore VF also in Ute, Caprice and Calais guises. Some versions of the Colorado ute and its derivatives — the Colorado 7 and Trailblazer — also used the automatic transmissions. Maurice Blackburn’s class action “alleges that the transmission systems in the affected Holden vehicles are defective due to a design fault in the Torque Converter and Torque Converter Clutch.” “As a result of the alleged defect, the affected vehicles have a propensity to experience various problems including intermittent transmission shudders, excessive vibrations, harsh gear shifts, leakage of Automatic Transmission fluid, accelerated degradation of the components of the transmission system and greater servicing requirements. “The class action alleges that General Motors failed to comply with the guarantee of acceptable quality under the Australian Consumer Law and engaged in misleading and deceptive conduct. ”The class action is open to those who bought new or used vehicles affected. It is also open to those who have sold their vehicle or who own a vehicle, and those who have not yet experienced any issues. Maurice Blackburn is seeking to recover compensation from General Motors Australian New Zealand for loss and damage on behalf of the consumer. A GM spokesperson told CarsGuide, "GM does not comment on ongoing litigation."GM stands by its commitment to achieving the best outcomes for Holden customers."There is precedent for transmission-related class actions, with one being brought against Ford’s ‘Powershift’ dual-clutch transmission in 2016. The case evolved into an ACCC matter and Ford was ordered to pay a $10 million fine for its handling of the situation.

BMW has shown the first images of a close-to-production concept of its new 2026 iX3 and 3 Series interior design.

It feels like, in recent years, all we talk about is the take-over of the dual-cab ute. The idea of a ute is nothing new but since the Toyota HiLux took over the best-selling accolade in 2016, they have changed dramatically in how they’re used. It isn’t farmers, miners or road-workers driving the Aussie ute boom, it’s those who use these vehicles for both work and play. For family duties and forest exploration, but the current crop of utes are tied to their commercial heritage and compromised as a result.Over the years there have been some takes that simply wouldn’t have flown here: the hideous 207-based Peugeot Hoggar, the Golf-based VW Saveiro and Chevrolet Montana don’t get the blood rushing like a Ford Ranger Raptor, that’s for sure. But this “half SUV, half dual-cab ute,” Ford bosses told CarsGuide of back in 2020? That could be revolutionary. About a year later, the new Ford Maverick was born based on the same underpinnings as the Escape and Bronco Sport SUVs. Pretty much since then, we’ve been asking why Ford hasn’t been able to bring Maverick Down Under. The Ranger is still the one to choose if you need carrying capacity, towing ability or extreme off-road ability but for city and suburban folk, the cleaner burn petrol engine and more SUV-like ride of the Maverick could be the perfect tonic. Oddly, Ford Australia is keeping very quiet about the Maverick. Apparently it’s too popular in the US to consider right-hand drive, for now. Hyundai, however, has trickled the scoop down to dealers that its Santa Cruz pick-up, based on the Tucson mid-size SUV, is coming to Australia some time in 2026. Like the Maverick, the Santa Cruz has proved a hit with US pick-up buyers, combining car-like comfort with outdoorsy styling and carrying ability in an affordable, fuel-efficient package. The other benefit of SUV-based utes is the ease of engineering a hybrid system. For Hyundai and Ford, plug-in and plugless hybrids already exist in their passenger cars. Next stop, funky utes.The Maverick and Santa Cruz could pave the way for Honda’s entrant, the Ridgeline. A tough-looking SUV-based ute.With a bit more size and punch, the Ridgeline is aligned more closely with Ranger and HiLux, rather than the smaller Santa Cruz and Maverick. That could change come 2026, when its expected replacement arrives.Then there are the models we haven’t seen yet. Most exciting might be the Renault Duster Oroch — otherwise known as the Dacia. The budget-oriented brand is eyeing an Australia launch in the near future and a ute could be the ticket to instant sales success. Gawky in its first-gen form, the new Duster design lends itself perfectly to a ute version. Just look at this speculative render by Kolesa of the Renault pick-up. A 650kg payload is targeted, about 300kg down on the dominant dual-cab segment but still plenty more than your average medium SUV. Finally, we’d love to see Subaru return to this segment with a Brumby revival — or Brat, for you North Americans. The ute name is an icon here and abroad and, with Subaru’s latest Outback taking a step closer to ruggedness, it would be the perfect spin-off. As always, we’re talking about this ‘new breed’ of utes as if they’re groundbreaking. They aren’t so much in Australia, with Ford and Holden both famous for car-based utes.Holden even tried to steal a bit of rugged HiLux love, dipping its toes (rather unsuccessfully, mind you) into the segment with the lifted Crewman Cross 8 and its HSV Avalanche relation. Toyota also toyed with a car-based ute with the vibrant X-Runner concept of 2003. 

The Ford Everest hit the Australian market in August 2022 based on the same body-on-frame platform as the Ranger ute. Ford’s large off-road SUV was an instant hit, leaving rivals such as the Isuzu MU-X, Mitsubishi Pajero Sport, Toyota Fortuner and even 150 Series Prado in its dust, proving the importance of true local development in Australia. Despite only being a little over two years old, rumours of a mid-life Everest update are already circulating with changes expected to the design, cabin technology and even the diesel engines coming, likely in late 2026 or early 2027. And it’s needed if the Everest is to continue taking sales from the new and much-improved Toyota Prado. CarsGuide has commissioned these speculative renders from Thanos Pappas to illustrate one direction Ford may travel in, leaning on design changes from the brand’s US-only Maverick for the new style. A larger, simpler black mesh grille replaces the existing item with its two horizontal bars. It tidies up the appearance, as do the new upside-down ‘L’ shaped LED headlights, instead of the existing ‘C’ shaped look. The Everest and Ranger’s mid-life makeover is expected to be minor because Ford spent so much nailing the design and packaging the first time around. Don’t expect major changes to the cabin design as it already has plenty of thoughtful details. The screen size may swell beyond the current 10- and 12-inch items (depending on trim) and we expect a graphics reskin, too. There will undoubtedly be more variants and special editions, too, following the addition of a Tremor trim. An Everest Raptor? That would be nice, but there’s no word yet. More changes are likely to come under the bonnet because, as CarsGuide previously reported, the Everest and Ranger’s diesel V6 and twin-turbo four-cylinder oiler are endangered species. This is due to Australia's changing regulatory environment, with emissions regulations that will punish carmakers for exceeding increasingly stricter CO2 emissions targets. Ford’s existing ‘Panther’ series four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine will be developed in single turbo guise. It’s currently found in the base Ranger XL producing 125kW and 405Nm, and the fifth-gen Transit Custom (125kW/390Nm), though no Everest variants. There’s an expectation Ford will effectively replace the V6 with its new 2.3-litre turbo-petrol based plug-in hybrid for the Ranger, but the Everest’s path is less clear. Any engine changes will have to occur without changing the Everest's core winning attributes: a 3500kg towing capacity, plenty of poke, off-road capability and decent payload ratings for a 4x4 wagon.With the Ranger’s sales life expected to end in 2030, the Everest is unlikely to be far behind it in current guise. We’ve got a lot of waiting to do for now, though, with the Everest’s mid-life update still expected to be more than two years away. 

It’s no secret times are tough. The cost of living is sky high and cars don’t seem to be getting any cheaper. 

The Mini LandCruiser FJ could be the most hotly anticipated new car of 2025. As one of CarsGuide’s most read stories last year, it’s clear Australians are intrigued by a cut-price rough and tumble 4WD, but there are a few glaring problems for prospective buyers.In all likelihood, the Mini LandCruiser FJ will not be available in Australia.We’ll only know for sure when it debuts in the second quarter of next year, but reports from Japan's BestCar do not look promising for an Aussie arrival. The Mazda CX-5 and Toyota RAV4-sized Mini LandCruiser Fj — as we’re calling it for now — will be built on the ASEAN-market focused IMV platform seen under the low-cost HiLux Champ and its wagon-bodied Rangga relation. Like the HiLux ute, the LandCruiser FJ will be built in right-hand-drive Thailand, which bodes well for Australia. However, only a 2.7-litre petrol four-cylinder will be available according to reports.The 2.7-litre petrol’s fuel economy isn’t great at 10.4L/100km combined, corresponding to 241 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometre. Introducing a popular model with this engine would hurt Toyota’s chances of being able to meet incoming emissions regulations in Australia. A more expensive hybrid would surely be necessary. That’s a shame, because with its ladder frame and expected 4WD with locking centre differential, low-range transfer case, six-speed automatic and rear ‘Torsen’ limited-slip differential, the Mini LandCruiser has everything needed in a capable off-roader. Bigger than a Suzuki Jimny but still much smaller than a LandCruiser Prado, the Mini FJ is said to be 4.5 metres long, 1.83 metres wide, 1.85m high and roll on a 2.75-metre wheelbase with a rear-mount spare tyre shown in BestCar’s renders for that authentic look. The other issues facing the Mini LandCruiser FJ in Australia and other countries are safety requirements.The HiLux Champ ute is not equipped with the usual litany of systems. It has two airbags, a pair of three-point seatbelts and anti-lock brakes with brake-force distribution. That means no daytime running lights, reverse cameras or auto emergency braking, and therefore no Australian compliance. The Champ also lacks a multimedia touchscreen. Toyota could, of course, add these features into the Mini LandCruiser FJ, but that comes at quite a cost, liable to take the expected price of entry from A$40,000 equivalent into the mid-high $50K region, and perhaps even higher. While there may not be as much demand for this size of car as a Prado in Australia, Suzuki has proven the Jimny recipe can be successful. The brand is on the way to selling 10,000 units of the tiny off-roader this year, beating Toyota’s urban-focused Yaris Cross in the sales charts. That said, Toyota Australia Vice President Sales and Marketing Sean Hanley previously poured cool water on plans for a shrunken LandCruiser product. “The short answer is no. No, not right now,” Hanley told CarsGuide, before qualifying that means: “No in the sense that there are no plans right now that I'm aware of for Australia.” “I don't necessarily see a small cruiser right now entering the Australian market. You never say never, but there's nothing on the horizon,” said Hanley.  The ‘LandCruiser FJ’ name was trademarked both overseas and locally by Toyota and is distinctly different in trademark from the retro ‘FJ Cruiser’ sold in Australia from 2011-2016. Toyota is expected to reveal the LandCruiser FJ in Australian Spring. Expect more details — including its potential for Australia — by then. 

The first symptoms of serious market change are afoot. Not only did 2024 mark the end of a host of individual nameplates, it also saw the demand of one the oldest brands in Australia after decades of flagging sales. 

Nissan is in dire straits and another Japanese carmaker is coming to the rescue. Forging an official bond through a memorandum of understanding in March, Honda and Nissan are now taking steps towards a ‘business integration’ — that means a new holding company led by Honda executives will likely sit above the two brands.Mitsubishi, Nissan’s ongoing alliance partner, also expressed an interest in joining Japan’s nascent automotive giant. Nissan's other alliance partner Renault elected to keep distance from the Japanese arrangement. Not everyone is so sure the new deal is a good one, including outspoken former Nissan Boss Carlos Ghosn. Investors have also cooled on their initial excitement, with Nissan stock dropping 7.8 per cent late last week.Distinct from The Alliance, the new arrangement will see Nissan and Honda merge under a new, as-yet unnamed holding group. The deal is tipped to be finalised by August 2026 and the new company will be listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE). Mitsubishi’s involvement in the new company will be decided by January 2025. This is a response to Nissan’s current position, with the company battling sales declines, shrinking profits and huge debts. Specifically, China is the main target, with Nissan’s sales in the country down 50 per cent last fiscal year. New, electrified and ‘software-defined’ products are desperately needed. Banding together won’t see Nissan and Honda outsell Toyota, which delivered over 11 million vehicles last year. Still, with Honda’s 3.8 million unit and Nissan’s 3.4 million unit projections, the pair will be close. Add Mitsubishi’s circa-900,000 sales and that’s over 8.0 million. Honda will have a controlling share in the new group, being Japan’s second-biggest carmaker and the larger company of the three. It also has more stable financials than Nissan. In short, working together should see Honda and Nissan share vehicle platforms and technology investment, giving the two brands greater operational efficiency. The goal is to have a combined sales revenue exceeding 30 trillion yen (A$300 billion) and a healthy 10 per cent operating margin. The change in arrangement will see Honda and Nissan working closely but will not preclude the brands from continuing relationships with the likes of General Motors and Renault, respectively.In Ghosn's eyes, the deal stands to stem Nissan's losses, yet does not offer clear advantages in terms of technology, supply chain or platform. Neither company has a strong foot hold in China, for example, yet they compete fiercely in other markets such as the US and Europe.“It doesn’t make sense ... the first thing you look at when you want to envision an alliance is complementarity between the two partners. When I look at Honda and Nissan, I see none,” Ghosn commented from Beirut, Lebanon.Honda's engineering excellence lays mainly in combustion engines and it will forever be the bridesmaid in the hybrid game. The cutting edge Insight beat Toyota to market with a hybrid yet it failed to have the cultural impact the Prius did. Honda then didn't persevere with hybrids in passengers cars in the same way Toyota did.The brand's electric cars have struggled, too. The Honda e ended up being a quirky curio, while the North American-market Prologue and (critically panned) European market e:Ny1 haven't blown the competition away.Nissan was, on the other hand, early to the electric car game with the Leaf yet did not progress the technology as fast as new Chinese carmakers have since. The Ariya is its lone electric car though an all-new Leaf is coming in 2025 or 2026.Game-changing solid state batteries are also in Nissan and Honda's future arsenals, which could turn the game around in the eventual merged company's favour.