Articles by Samuel Irvine

BMW has revealed an even more souped-up version of its M3 wagon model, the M3 CS Touring. Staging its global unveil at the iconic Mount Panorama circuit in Bathurst, just 55 vehicles have been allocated locally with each set to carry a price tag of $253,900, before on-road costs, a $70,400 premium over the standard M3.

Tesla has confirmed that new “affordable” models are still on track for release in the first half of this year.Details on how exactly the budget models will take shape aren’t clear yet, but Tesla confirmed the watered-down new models will utilise aspects of its current and next generation platforms in its 2024 Q4 investor report.Production will also take place on pre-existing production lines, suggesting that previous speculation of a stripped-back Model 3, and potentially Model Y, was correct.That is likely to translate to a smaller battery pack, along with less standard features on both models.Tesla has previously floated a 53kWh battery pack over the current model 3 and Y’s 60kWh unit.What other features the cars lose in exchange for a lower price tag is unclear. Both models come equipped with power-adjustable, artificial leather upholstered seats with heating and ventilation functions, a panoramic sunroof and 19-inch wheels.Those features could be walked back as Tesla aims for an estimated price near the USD$25,000 ($40,000) mark, as has been floated by the brand since as far back as 2020 when news of future budget models was first announced.The investor report went further than just confirmation of budget models, too, adding that a suite of technical features currently employed on the Tesla Cybertruck would make their way onto future vehicles.That includes steer-by-wire technology, 800V charging infrastructure, 48V electrical architecture, bi-direction charging, rear-wheel steering, laminated windows and adaptive air suspension, just to name a few.Given that future affordable models are expected to receive fewer features, not more, it is probably safe to assume that these will be bypassed on any future budget Teslas.We could see them on a future Tesla Roadster, which remains in the brand’s product plans despite lengthy delays.The first Roadster concept, a second-generation model of Tesla’s very first electric car, was unveiled all the way back in 2017 with a huge 200kWh battery pack, 1000km of range and a claimed zero-100km/h sprint time of just 1.8 seconds.Full-scale production has been delayed for years, with long-suffering deposit holders, some of which have put forward up to USD$50,000 ($80,000), receiving no respite today.The announcements today came as Tesla CEO, Elon Musk, heralded 2025 as the “biggest year in Tesla history”, with concerns over the brand's first-ever annual delivery decline in 2024 and mounting pressure from Chinese electric car brands unfolding in the background.Tesla stock fell around 4.0 per cent in after hours trading.

Four years after its debut, BMW has given its iX electric SUV its first facelift.For 2025, the updated model sees a suite of upgrades to the powertrain, exterior and interior, along with a new entry grade.Production will commence at the brand’s Dingolfing factory in Germany in March, with deliveries expected to start in Q2.CarsGuide has contacted BMW’s local operations for further information on an Australian launch date. An update to the story will follow with a response.Three variants remain in the line-up, starting with the new xDrive45 that replaces the xDrive40. Battery capacity swells from 71kWh to 94.8kWh, boosting the combined driving range by nearly 180km to 602km (WLTP).It also gets a 60kW power bump for its single rear-mounted electric motor to 300kW thanks to a drive system "fine-tune" and further developments to the car's power electronics.The xDrive60 replaces the xDrive50, which grows its battery capacity from 105.kWh to 109.1kWh. BMW notes a range of up to 701km on the combined WLTP cycle when fitted with standard aerodynamic wheel covers.For comparison, that comfortably exceeds the driving range of an Audi Q8 e-tron (484km), a Mercedes-Benz EQE (539km) and a Cadillac Lyriq (530km), all of which have been tested according to the WLTP cycle.Power on the dual-motor xDrive60 also increases by 15kW for a total output of 400kW.Last but not least, the dual-motor M70 replaces the M60 as the model's flagship sport variant. Its battery capacity grows from 105.2kWh to 108.9kWh for a maximum WLTP-certified range of 600km.It gains a 30kW power boost, pushing its total output to 485kW. BMW says a 0-100km/h sprint time of just 3.5 seconds can be achieved using the "one-foot rollout method", while top speed is limited to 250km/h.Looking at the exterior, the iX welcomes a refreshed front end, inclusive of a new front bumper, restyled grille and revamped headlights that feature new vertical daytime running lights and indicators.Customers can also opt for an illuminated grille on the entry-level xDrive45 or the mid-spec xDrive60, while it will come standard on the top-spec M70 xDrive.At the rear, BMW has integrated a new diffuser as standard on the M70, while customers can also opt for this upgrade through additional M Sport packaging.It adds further styling accents, distinctive air intakes and new M alloy wheels, while the M Sport Professional package adds "Shadowline" headlights, black exterior mirror caps, a unique M kidney grille and exclusive 22-inch M alloy wheels.Once again, M packaging adds exclusive interior features to the M70, which are optional for the xDrive 45 and xDrive60.Those include M multi-functional seats with optional ventilation, a leather steering wheel, M pedals, high-gloss black centre console trim and a two-tone instrument panel.BMW sold 566 examples of the iX in Australia last year, a decrease of 32.4 per cent on the previous year.

As rivals bring in low cost electric options, there is one brand that remains absent: Tesla.

Electric off-road SUVs don’t have to be spiritless, according to Audi.At least that’s the gist of its recently-unveiled Q6 e-Tron off-roader concept that the brand is calling a “highly emotive” reimagining of Quattro, which is Audi-speak for its trademark four-wheel drive system.Poised as a potential vehicle in Audi’s future line-up, the concept EV could be unlike anything we have seen from the brand before, should it make production.Its 160mm lift and 250mm wider track compared to a regular Q6 e-tron make it look more like a monster truck rather than a luxury European SUV, while its Audi-developed portal axles give it genuine off-road ability.In fact, Audi said the prototype can comfortably climb gradients of up to 100 per cent — or 45 degrees — a feat typically reserved for souped-up V8 off-roaders such as the Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series, Nissan Patrol Warrior and Land Rover Defender Octa.According to Audi, its off-road capability is a product of its powerful, fully-electric dual-motor powertrain, which delivers a total output of 380kW.In addition, Audi’s house-made portal axles enable a claimed power increase of 20 to 30 per cent to each wheel, while increasing available torque at the wheel by 50 per cent.Unlike regular axles, portal axles are integrated into the wheel hub assembly and are offset from the centre of the wheel to enable significantly more ground clearance.That means Audi had to fully rework the pre-existing suspension links from the Q6 e-tron, the SUV on which the concept is based.The result is a combined maximum torque to all four wheels over a 10-second peak is quoted by Audi at a staggering 13,400Nm, an increase of 4400Nm from the regular Q6 e-tron.Given the Q6 e-tron serves as the basis for the off-road concept, it too is built on Audi’s all-new Premium Platform Electric (PPE) modular EV platform, which it jointly developed alongside Porsche.The idea behind the Q6 e-tron off-road concept is to prove how versatile the PPE platform can be, and with a gaping void left by the departure of the A4 and A6 Allroad from the brand's line-up, it suggests Audi is genuinely serious about future off-roaders.

Another Chinese newcomer has landed in Australia with a five-star ANCAP safety rating.The Deepal S07 electric mid-size SUV is a cut-price rival to the Tesla Model Y, Kia EV5, Xpeng G6 and more.ANCAP awarded the Deepal S07 a score of 95 per cent for Adult Occupant Protection, one of four safety criteria in the testing regime. It is an equal best result with the Toyota Camry.ANCAP said the result was backed up by "unblemished" injury risk scores for the driver in the side-impact ‘T-bone’ and oblique pole crash tests and the front-seat passenger in the frontal offset ‘head-on’ crash test.The design and structure of the Deepal S07 also stood up to ANCAP testing, with the S07 only scoring a minor deduction of 0.86 points out of a possible 8.00 penalty for vehicle compatibility in the frontal offset crash test.Full points were awarded for child occupant protection in the frontal offset and side impact test.Despite the S07 utilising electronically-retractable door handles, ANCAP found no issues in accessing the inside of the vehicle in the post-crash assessment, with the S07’s doors able to be opened once the vehicle lost power.Additionally, ANCAP also found that its electric windows were able to be opened following water submergence.More mixed results were seen in the use of the S07’s advanced driver assistance systems, such as its Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) system in pedestrian testing scenarios.A “marginal” result was even recorded for the AEB crossing scenarios where the S07 showed limited auto-braking performance when crossing the path of another car.The AEB system did, however, receive a “good” score in car-to-car scenarios, while "good" results were also recorded for the performance of the car’s Lane-Keep Assist system.ANCAP CEO Carla Hoorweg said it was refreshing to see new car brands entering the Australian market taking safety seriously.“We’ve seen a number of new brands enter the local market over the past year and they continue to impress in meeting the high safety standard Australian consumers and fleet buyers expect,” said ANCAP Chief Executive Officer, Carla Hoorweg.The full safety report for the Deepal S07 can be viewed on ANCAP’s website here.

Plug-in hybrid (PHEV) vehicle sales are surging, but the federal government is about to put a roadblock in the path of these petrol-electric machines.

You don’t typically associate the words “aircraft carrier” with cars, but that might be about to change.In what is probably the weirdest, wildest electric car yet, the Xpeng AeroHT Land Aircraft Carrier – a six-wheeled off-road utility with an in-built flying car – is reportedly set to enter production next year, according to Autocar UK.Both the car and its flying unit were displayed at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas earlier this month, with Autocar reporting that Xpeng AeroHT – the aircraft subsidiary of Chinese Xpeng Motors – has already received “3000 intent-orders” for it.Reportedly, testing has been completed in China where type certification has already been received, a significant hurdle for the brand in being allowed to conduct commercial flights.Wang Tan, the co-founder and chief designer at Aero HT, told Autocar “There are people who like to go off-road, and this vehicle has a six-wheel set-up and a differential lock that gives it real off-road ability.“It will also offer another dimension to people who fly. I’m a pilot, and every time I want to fly, I need to go to the airport, and if I have my own helicopter, I might need a trailer. It makes it all very difficult, but with this, I can take my eVTOL anywhere.”That’s right, who needs the airport when you’ve got an in-built flying car mounted to your truck?The aircraft carrier itself is listed at around 5500mm in length and 2000mm in length, which, according to Tan, is still enough to fit in a standard parking space.Design-wise, it appears to be heavily-inspired by the Tesla Cybertruck, with its sharp front end, flat aluminium- and steel-look panelling and a body-width front LED light bar.It looses the bed to account for the flying car, of course, with rear suicide doors that lift up so the flying device can dock.There are just two seats in the truck for the driver and front passenger, as well as plenty of carbon fibre parts to save ample space and weight.Full specifications remain unconfirmed for now, but apparently the truck, which will use a range-extender EV powertrain, will be good for nearly 1000km of driving range.There is still a couple years of development work left to do, according to Tan, but a 2026 launch date is being thrown around, along with a price tag of under US$300,000 ($477,000), as per Autocar.Launch will take place in China with global markets reportedly to follow. Apparently there is lots of interest from Middle Eastern markets, too.Xpeng already has a presence in Australia, selling its Tesla Model Y competitor – the G6 SUV – locally. Expansion is on the cards with more models, including the G7, mooted to arrive.So, who knows? Given our vast expanses of remote country, and the Australian government's growing interest in eVTOLs, we might just be next in line.

Cadillac's electric car assault on Australia is continuing with the souped-up Lyriq-V electric SUV, the brand's fastest car off the line ever.Earmarked for a local on-sale date of early 2026, production of the Lyriq-V will commence at the brand’s plant in Tennessee imminently.Australian prices remain unconfirmed, but it will start in the US at $79,990 ($127,256). Expect it to incur a considerable premium once it lands here.Cadillac has confirmed the Lyriq-V will have a zero-100km/h sprint time of just 3.3 seconds, which blitzes a Tesla Model Y Performance (3.7 seconds) and even trumps a Porsche 911 GT3 (3.4 seconds).Power is sourced from dual-electric motors that deliver 452kW/880Nm to all four wheels, while power is maximised through a selectable driving mode called ‘Velocity Max’.Underpinning the powertrain is a huge 102kWh lithium-ion battery pack, which delivers a claimed 458km of driving range, down from 530km on the standard Lyriq.Cadillac also claims a DC fast charger will deliver approximately 120km of range in about 10 minutes, while a “low state of charge” to 80 per cent will take approximately 40 minutes.In terms of design, the Lyriq-V is beefier than its more sensible Lyriq sibling, adding a unique front fascia, side rockers and the option of additional carbon fibre trims.There’s also a unique “chin spoiler”, V-series logos on the front doors and tailgate, as well as a V-patterned mesh on the front grille to distinguish it from other Cadillac models.Bulky 22-inch alloy wheels, etched with a V-series logo, and a black painted roof come standard, while special Magnus Metal Frost paint will be offered to customers in very limited numbers.Dimensions are quoted at 5004mm long, 2207mm wide, 1627 mm tall and with a wheelbase of 3094mm. That puts it in the size category of a Hyundai Ioniq 9, a Volvo EX90 or a Kia EV9.Stepping inside, the Lyriq-V shares the same 33-inch panoramic dashboard as the Lyriq, which incorporates the digital driver’s display, climate controls and the central multimedia display into one.There's a fixed panoramic glass roof, a 23-speaker AKG audio system, paperwood trims and optional Nappa leather upholstery, along with a dual-plane augmented-reality head-up display, which is Lyriq-V-specific.Otherwise, the only thing that really distinguishes it from the standard model is the V-Series steering wheel, which adds V-series branding and a V-mode, allowing for quick customisation of steering feel, pedal response and the noise played through the cabin.More details, including local pricing, are expected closer to the Lyriq V’s official launch in 2026.

Despite a less-than-ideal 30 per cent sales decline last year, Sino-Swedish electric car brand Polestar isn't burying its head in the sand, according to Scott Maynard, Managing Director of the brand’s local operations.Even as sister brands under the Geely umbrella, such as Zeekr, Volvo and Lotus, backflip on electric-only plans for more plug-in hybrids in response to softening EV demand, Polestar is staying true to its electric-only pledge.In fact, Maynard believes there are much bigger and better things to come in 2025 and beyond as Polestar grows its retail footprint and expands its offerings in Australia’s electric SUV market.“It wasn’t unexpected , in truth. With the incoming product of Polestar 3 and 4, we knew that there were a lot of customers holding off on a Polestar purchase,” he said.The brand has been carried by the Polestar 2 for three years since arriving in Australia, a mid-size electric sedan rivalling everything from the BMW i4 to the Tesla Model 3 and BYD Seal.Then, at the back end of last year, Polestar added an additional member, the Polestar 4, a coupe-like SUV closer in style to the Tesla Model Y – Australia’s top-selling EV.It clocked some 120 sales in December last year, far exceeding anything else in the brand’s catalogue, a feat which has Maynard anticipating strong returns in 2025.“We see huge potential, particularly in Polestar 4,” he said.Maynard stopped short of giving sales numbers projections for the brand in 2025 (last year Polestar sold 1713 cars), suggesting it was anyone’s guess with high interest rates and a challenging economic outlook.“I’m not putting a number on it yet because I’m really keen to see how the first half of the year plays out,” said Maynard.“Of course, we have to have internal planning numbers for budgets and that sort of thing, but I actually think the potential of those cars sits higher than we’re currently shooting.”It's an underlying confidence that is certainly matched by the head office in Gothenburg, Sweden, which recently announced a five-step plan to get back to profitability in 2025.Part of that plan involves growing the brand's global retail footprint by 75 per cent by 2026, increasing sales of carbon credits, expanding to new markets such as France and launching Polestar Energy – Polestar's charging network app.They're moves that couldn't be made without the support of the brand's Chinese parent company, Geely Group, which also owns Zeekr, Smart, Volvo and Lotus, though all are operated independently in Australia.Despite so many brands in Australia under Geely's ownership, Maynard is steadfast that Polestar is a unique brand competing in its own lane."We partner with Geely for investment, but we differentiate ourselves as a European brand with our heart and soul in Sweden."The brand is clearly drawing all of its design and inspiration from the design team based out of Sweden, and so we've got a pretty easy job to differentiate ourselves as a true, proper, luxury European brand."Another major part of Polestar's plan is introducing the Polestar 7, a compact electric SUV with a lower price point.“Polestar 7 is going to appeal to an Australian buyer, perhaps even more so than it does to Europe and some other markets,” said Maynard.“It is very much a key car for us and will provide us with a really lovely entry point to the brand, so to have an SUV style entry point to the Polestar brand that is 100 per cent Polestar, I think will be a really important addition to the model range.”Given the Polestar 5 GT — the brand’s first EV on its bespoke architecture — and the Polestar 6 roadster are expected to precede it, the Polestar 7 may not be in showrooms until closer to 2027.It's a long time to wait for a brand which hasn’t seen the quick sales success of upstart Chinese and American rivals, but one thing is for certain, Polestar is here for the long haul.