Articles by Samuel Irvine

2000km. That’s the range Chinese automaker BYD is claiming with its new plug-in hybrid (PHEV), the Seal 07 DM-i.

Mitsubishi has announced the addition of two new low-payload variants to its Triton range, giving customers more financing options.

Range Rover has announced the latest instalment of its Sport SV Model: the Edition Two. It is the most powerful Range Rover ever, bringing a mild hybrid assisted twin-turbocharged V8 that pumps out an astounding 467kW and 750Nm, which allow it to complete the benchmark 0-100km/h sprint in 3.8 seconds.

The Ford Mustang Mach-E has broken the Guinness World Record for the longest single trip taken in a production EV on a single charge.On July 27, a UK-based team, sponsored by vehicle tracking software company WebFleet, travelled 932.84km over a 24 hour duration.It beats the previous record set by Chinese EV-maker Zeekr in Hangzhou, China by about 10 km. According to the new record holders, as per Autocar, the journey was “meticulously documented with independently verified video footage, odometer readings, GPS and battery-level data from Webfleet”. The Mach-E chosen for the record run was the Premium extended-range model, which carries a 91kWh battery that feeds a single rear mounted electric motor making 216kW/430Nm. Ford claims a range of 600km via the stringent WLTP test cycle. Over the journey, the vehicle averaged 10.05km per kWh, far exceeding the 6.1km per kWh the vehicle is capable of according to the WLTP rating.Even with the battery showing zero per cent charge the vehicle travelled a further 33.8km. The car was unmodified except for smaller 18-inch wheels that were wrapped in Bridgestone efficiency-optimised EV tyres. Bridgestone says they have a lower rolling-resistance than tyres used on conventional internal combustion vehicles.It wasn’t revealed what the Mach-E’s average speed was, though the trip took place on public roads across the UK and included a mix of different road types.This is the longest verified distance ever undertaken by an electric vehicle, however, Mercedes-Benz claims their EQXX concept travelled 1202km from Stuttgart (Germany) to Silverstone (UK) in 2022 on a single charge.In April, Chinese-EV maker Nio also claimed their ET7 large sedan completed three test runs in excess of 1000km using a “semi-solid state battery” that Nio says is lighter, faster-charging and more energy dense than conventional lithium-ion batteries.The Mach-E Premium is available in Australia for $86,990 (before on-road costs). 

Smart will unveil its largest and most powerful SUV to date – the Smart #5 – at a global launch event in Australia later this month. It will be the first time the electric car has been officially shown to the public and follows the reveal of a concept version in April at the Beijing motor show. The launch event will take place on August 28 in Byron Bay where Smart has planned its domestic launch of the smaller Smart #1 SUV and Smart #3 coupe SUV models, both of which debuted in China last year.Smart has referred to the #5 as a “contemporary adventurer” that combines premium SUV comfort and style. The #5 is designed by Mercedes-Benz and will have off-road capability. Smart says the #5 has only slight variations from the concept model, which showed it as a fully-equipped off-roader. Patent filings earlier this year revealed the the top-spec dual-motor variant of the Smart #5 will have a staggering output of 474kW, blowing away the most powerful versions of the Smart #1 and Smart #3 by at least 150kW.For comparison, the Smart #5 will pack 44kW more than the red hot Kia EV6 GT and nearly as much as the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N performance EV.The #5 doesn’t appear to get the same Brabus treatment – via Smart’s part-owner Mercedes-Benz – as the #1 and #3 receive. Full performance figures are expected closer to the vehicle’s official launch date, and it is likely the top-spec variant will be able to hit 0-100km/h in less than three seconds.There will also be a slightly less performance oriented dual-motor variant, which still outputs a hefty 431kW. Two rear-wheel drive variants with outputs of 250kW and 267kW will also join the line-up.Smart says its most efficient #5 will have a range of up to 700km.Exact details regarding the battery capacities for each model are yet to be disclosed, though Smart has stated that the model’s most efficient variant has a battery capacity of more than 100kWh, along with 800-volt fast-charging capacity.Measuring at 4705 mm long, 1920mm wide and 1705 mm tall, the Smart #5 is a similar size to the Tesla Model Y. Details on the vehicle's interior design are yet to be released, though given the vehicle’s exterior design is only likely to differ marginally from the April 2024 concept, it could be safe to assume the interior will remain largely the same.If so, you can expect two central OLED screens, a digital driver’s display, ambient lighting, a portable speaker integrated into the vehicle’s central console, a striking ‘X’-shaped glass roof, as well as heated, ventilated and massage seats. Pricing is expected once the vehicle is officially launched.The global launch will involve a drive program from Brisbane to Byron Bay, which Smart will live-stream to a global audience. It’s very rare for a car company to stage its global launch in Australia, though Smart says its decision was made based Australia’s proximity to China – where the cars are built and where the Smart team is based – and the company's commitment to the Australian market, having announced its return earlier this year. Smart is a jointly owned venture between Mercedes-Benz and Chinese automotive conglomerate Geely, the latter owns car brands such as Polestar, Volvo and Zeekr among others. 

Mazda Australia has issued a recall for 860 diesel engined variants of its CX-60 and CX-90 SUVs sold between 2023 and 2024.

The 2025 BYD Seal was revealed in official images last Friday, signalling more bad news for Tesla as the Chinese EV-maker looks poised to climb global sales charts. 

Toyota has broadened the appeal of its rally-bred GR Corolla hot hatch with a suite of changes — including a new transmission.

Plans for a new V8-powered Lexus supercar appear to be well underway.

Renault has announced a suite of cosmetic upgrades and a refreshed line-up for its 2024 Arkana coupe-styled SUV.