Articles by Stephen Ottley

Lamborghini has dismissed the potential sales threats posed by the likes of BYD and its Yangwang U9 electric supercar, despite the Chinese car industry shaking up the global established order.Speaking to Australian media at the local unveiling of the V8-hybrid Temerario supercar, Lamborghini CEO Stephan Winkelmann said he doesn’t see all-electric supercars as a serious challenge as they offer too many compromises.Which is why the Temerario and its bigger sibling, the V12 plug-in hybrid Revuelto, are both hybridised rather than opting for potentially more powerful electric motors. Winkelmann believes buyers are attracted to more than just pure power figures.“ No, we always said that the pure electric supercar are not here to be successful,” Winkelmann said. “Some already admitted it, and they're putting them out of the market, they're still trying to sell some, but it's not going to fly because of a lot of issues.“It's the brand, it's the residual value, it's the missing sound, a lot of things. But at the end of the day, what you want is something which is real.”Winkelmann is also confident that Lamborghini’s brand image and reputation crosses over boundaries and through generations, giving a truly global appeal and an especially strong one in the lucrative Chinese market. He made it clear this is no accident, and the Raging Bull brand is carefully curating its image and the next generation of buyers using all the latest technology and apps.“Yes, I hope it's like this because we are also very into social media now,” he said. “We have Instagram, TikTok, we are in the best position. So we have a lot of kids now which are loving us, and not only people which are having a driving license, but also the majority will never have the opportunity to own a Lamborghini."It's also important for us not only to have a, let's say, a good base for the next buyers, but also to have always thumbs up when a Lamborghini passes by now, which is easy to say, but you have to always be ahead of the wave.“You never know what is going to happen. So to have a large crowd of fan community is important and this is a huge difference of our type of luxury business. If you compare it with watches or with accessories or fashion. No, there is not this emotion. Sometimes yes, but mostly not.”However, how Lamborghini integrates this level of emotional appeal into its already-announced first electric car, a 2+2 GT car to join the Revuelto, Temerario and Urus, remains to be seen. When quizzed about the possibility of artificial engine noises for the electric Lamborghini, Winkelmann admitted he wasn’t a fan of this concept, but said there is a lot of research going on behind-the-scenes.“For sure,  we will have the sound of silence,” he said. “So one of the things which are also important when you have an electric car is - I don't know if a GT 2+2 car is a different car than Revuelto - so it's important that you have at least the opportunity when you're on the phone or when you are speaking to somebody who is next to you, that you can also enjoy this part.“For sure, on the sound level, we have to make a clear decision. I am personally against a fake internal combustion engine sound. But I don't know today what it is going to be. We heard a lot of things… So amplifying what is there as a sound but it has to be done in the right way. This is pretty complex.”On the topic of an artificial transmission, Winkelmann was more receptive, indicating that if done the right way, such a system could be way to make its EV exciting and emotional to owners.“We are evaluating a lot of things, but this could be an opportunity to make a car very emotional now,” he said. “Because at the same time it’s recuperating energy and also slowing down, so this is like shifting down. You can explain it also in a different way. And this is the positive thing.”Lamborghini has pushed back plans to launch its electric GT by 2026 until at least 2027, as demand for EVs has not grown at the expected rate. Winkelmann also confirmed that plans to make the next-generation Urus all-electric have been shelved in favour of a plug-in hybrid future for the SUV.

Chinese newcomer Chery has admitted it has work to do fine-tuning its advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) for the Australian market.

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Jaecoo is the latest new-car brand to arrive in Australia and it has big ambitions. Its all-new J7 SUV has arrived to take on the Toyota RAV4, BYD Sealion 6 and other popular models in the booming mid-size SUV segment. But as we found out, this newest offering has plenty of potential thanks to its efficient powertrain, eye-catching styling and head-turning value.

Jaecoo is positioning itself as a premium brand - but not an expensive one.The Chery spin-off has just arrived in Australia with its first model, the J7, which will be available at a network of up to 40 specific Omoda-Jaecoo dealers, as Chery’s Omoda 5 and E5 models also become a spin-off.But as the J7 demonstrates, when Chery execs say it’s a ‘premium’ brand it’s in the context of Chery, so rather than being a rival to Lexus and Mercedes-Benz, Jaecoo will simply be a more polished version of what Chery offers.To that end, the J7 range will take direct aim at the heart of the mid-size SUV market, aiming to lure buyers away from the likes of the Toyota RAV4, Mazda CX-5, BYD Sealion 6 and more. The J7 line-up will consist of four models initially, the 2WD Core, 2WD Track, AWD Ridge and SHS Summit, with the choice of two powertrains.The range will begin at just $34,990 drive-away for the 2WD Core and $37,990 drive-away for the 2WD Track. These are powered by a 137kW/275Nm 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine paired to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission and powering the front wheels.The AWD Ridge is priced from $42,990 and has the same 1.6-litre engine, with the same performance but obviously powering all four wheels.The range is topped by the SHS Summit, priced from $47,990 drive-away. SHS stands for Super Hybrid System, which is Jaecoo’s name for its plug-in hybrid powertrain. The SHS combines a 105kW 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine with a 150kW electric motor and a single-speed transmission and drives the front wheels.The SHS has a 18.3kWh lithium-iron-phosphate battery to power the electric motor, providing a claimed 90km of electric-only driving range. This helps the J7 SHS achieve a claimed fuel consumption figure of just 1.0L/100km, with the company claiming up to 1200km of theoretical driving range on a single tank/charge.Jaecoo is launching with an even longer warranty than Chery’s seven-year coverage, with the J7 covered by an eight-year warranty, as well as having eight years of capped-price servicing and roadside assistance.Standard equipment on the J7 Core includes 18-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, LED daytime running lights, a 10.2-inch digital instrument display and a 13.2-inch infotainment touchscreen, which incorporates wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Track trim level adds a power tailgate, front parking sensors, 360° surround view monitor, heated front seats, ambient lighting, dual-zone climate control, plus a wireless smartphone charger and an eight-speaker Sony sound system.Stepping up to the AWD Ridge model brings torque vectoring all-wheel drive, 19-inch alloy wheels, a full-size spare, a panoramic sunroof, heated and ventilated front seats, in-built dashcam and a 14.8-inch infotainment touchscreen.The SHS Summit matches much of the specification of the Ridge, but gets unique 19-inch ‘aero’ alloy wheels, a head-up display and perforated synthetic leather seats.All models are equipped with ‘Hello Jaecoo’ the brand’s voice-activated assistant.Safety across the range includes autonomous emergency braking (AEB), adaptive cruise control and lane departure warning. Notably the 2WD Core is equipped with seven airbags, but the Track, Ridge and SHS models all have an additional driver’s knee airbag.The Jaecoo J7 hasn’t been crash tested by ANCAP but Chery’s previous models have received five stars, so anything less would be a surprising result given the premium positioning of the brand.Jaecoo will add the larger J8 SUV by the end of 2025 and the smaller J5 SUV is believed to be under consideration for the expanding Omoda-Jaecoo showrooms.

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