Articles by Samuel Irvine

Mass-production of the updated Tesla Model Y is officially underway at the brand’s Shanghai Gigafactory.The news was confirmed by CarNewsChina ahead of orders commencing in China at the end of the month. Australian examples are set to roll off the same assembly lines and onto our shores by May.First examples were pictured in Tesla’s new Glacier Blue colour scheme, which is a much softer tone than the outgoing Deep Blue Metallic.Interestingly, images obtained by CarNewsChina show that new Model Ys produced in China will have the ‘T’ logo embossed on their front bonnets, despite promotional images showing the car without one.A Tesla spokesperson confirmed on Instagram the lack of a front logo will pertain to the US and European markets, but not in China, where front badges are apparently mandated by law.Front badges are not legally required in Australia either, but given our Teslas are produced in China, it remains to be seen whether the new Model Ys will carry them or not. Tesla's retail website in Australia shows the Model Y with no logo but the Model 3 does, which gives us a hint Aussie delivered cars will arrive sans front badges.The move, the spokesperson said, follows a new design direction for the brand, as pioneered by the Cybertruck, which prioritises the recognisability of the Tesla silhouette rather than any specific badges or logos.Tesla will launch the new Model Y in two single and dual-motor 'Launch Edition' variants, which are rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive, respectively.Full specifications remain unconfirmed, but in China, the Rear-Wheel Drive variant will carry a 62.5kWh lithium-ion phosphate battery pack built by CATL, while the Long-Range All-Wheel Drive will use a 78.4kWh nickel-manganese-cobalt battery, as per CarNewsChina. We do know in Australia that the Rear-Wheel Drive will provide 466km of range under the WLTP cycle, while the Long-Range All-Wheel Drive version will provide 551km, an increase of 18km on its predecessor.Pricing will start at $63,400, up $7500 for the base model, while the top spec will start at $73,100, up $3500 on its predecessor. Both prices are at before on-road costs.That puts it at $8410 more expensive than the BYD Sealion 7, which has just launched in Australia, and $6630 more than the Kia EV5, which starts at $6,630 (both cars are priced at before on-road costs).In addition to the new design features, Tesla said the new Model Y has improved suspension, wheels and tyres for a smoother driving experience. Acoustic glass and better noise insulation are also said to improve road noise.Inside, the Model Y’s central infotainment screen has grown to 15.4-inches, while there is now an additional eight-inch touchscreen for back seat passengers. There's also a new steering wheel, while the gear selector has moved to the central screen.A plug in the frunk also allows it to be used as a cooler.Expect more powertrain details on the new Model Y closer to the commencement of first deliveries in May.

The 2025 Ineos Grenadier will be exempt from having car-to-car Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) fitted as standard, despite new Australian Design Rules (ADRs) mandating all new vehicles must be sold with the safety technology from March 1.AEB works by using car-mounted radars to measure the distance between a your vehicle and the car in front. The system autonomously brakes if the distance between you and and that car suddenly starts to shorten.Ineos was awarded the exemption under ADR 97/00 on the grounds of its Land Rover Defender-inspired off-roader being classified as a Medium Goods vehicle with a GVM exceeding 3.5 tonnes, but not 12 tonnes, that is “designed for off-road use.”Asked by CarsGuide why Ineos sought the exemption, even as AEB is fitted on Grenadiers sold overseas as well as the brand’s new Quartermaster ute, an Ineos spokesperson said the technology wasn’t sought after by Grenadier customers.“In Australia at present, this category of vehicle does not have a high demand for this technology. We remain open to the possibility of adding it to our local program in future, however, this will be led by market demand. We continue to carefully review our active customer feedback alongside all government requirements to ensure we provide the most compelling and compliant vehicle.”“Exemptions are available based on specific vehicle classification and this includes the Australian-homologated INEOS Grenadier, a specialist 4x4, reinforcing our commitment to delivering the ultimate vehicle to 4x4 enthusiasts who appreciate a back-to-basics, driver-centric approach.”Toyota did not seek an exemption on its 70 Series LandCruiser, the Grenadier’s main rival, which is also classified as a Medium Goods Vehicle. It now comes standard with AEB.Meanwhile, the passenger car equivalent mandate, ADR 98/00, saw the end of the Mitsubishi ASX, Eclipse Cross, Pajero Sport, as well as the Suzuki Vitara, Ignis and Swift Sport, among others.In response to new rules, Kia moved in January to fit AEB as standard on its Picanto, Australia’s cheapest car, which starts at just $18,290, before on-road costs.The Grenadier was launched in 2022 as the brainchild of British billionaire and chemical engineer, Sir James Ratcliffe, as a no-frills, utilitarian off-roader designed to occupy the gap left in the market by the departure of the Land Rover Defender.It is built on a relatively simple box-section ladder frame chassis, with heavy-duty Carraro beam front and rear axles, paired to a five-link coil suspension from Eibach and anti-roll bars.Powering it is the choice of a 3.0-litre six-cylinder petrol or diesel engine from BMW, which sends either 210kW/450Nm or 183kW/550Nm, respectively, to all four wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission pulled from a BMW 7 Series.It starts at $102,000, before on-road costs, for the 2 Seat Utility, rising to $123,600, before on-road costs, for the top-spec 1924 Station Wagon.Ineos doesn’t publish its local sales, so it is uncertain exactly how many cars the brand has sold since Grenadier deliveries commenced in 2023, although Australia is considered an important market for the brand.

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