Articles by Tim Nicholson

BMW has just revealed one of its most critical models in decades, the all-new iX3.

Polestar has just launched its flagship model, the Polestar 5, after a lengthy gestation.

Polestar could have offered hybrids and plug-in hybrids alongside its all-electric models.The Swedish brand is famous for electric cars such as the Polestar 2 and the just revealed Polestar 5, but the company’s boss confirmed it gave serious consideration to adding hybrids to its range.Polestar is part of the enormous Geely group of brands that includes Volvo, Zeekr, Geely and more. These three brands currently sell, or will soon offer PHEVs and so called ‘Super Hybrids’ that combine traditional and PHEV tech for longer driving range. This means Polestar could have leaned on its parent company to supply hybrid power.Polestar CEO Michael Lohscheller said the brand's reputation among its owners was the deciding factor in saying no to future hybrids.“Of course, it's always a natural debate to have, right? And we said, look, I mean, maybe hybrid is also a good way to do business? But then we looked really at our DNA and said, ‘Okay, we can't compromise’. We cannot.“I mean, our customers would be really, really upset, because they value this very clear positioning, and that's why we then concluded the debate. Polestar will be EV only.”Polestar’s first model, the sleek, limited-run Polestar 1 coupe, had a plug-in hybrid powertrain so it’s not new territory for the brand. However, once the production run of 1500 examples sold out in 2022, that was it for the Polestar 1 and the carmaker’s sole attempt at a hybrid.Geely’s upcoming Starray EM-i is a so-called ‘Super Hybrid’ (MG and Chery also use this term) and it uses a 1.5-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder petrol engine and an electric motor for a total system output of 193kW, and EV driving range of 83km.Lohscheller criticised other European carmakers for pushing for a softening of European Union legislation that will see internal combustion engines (ICE) banned in the region from 2035 on.“I'm probably the only one here at the IAA saying, like, ‘Hey, don't change the ban on ICE in Europe’. Everybody else said, move it. We are saying, No, we don't move it, right? Don't make any compromises.”Lohscheller said the global automotive industry is a tough business and the current transition of tech and powertrains makes it even more competitive. But he said that was no reason to slow down the transition to a zero emissions future.“But my point is, postponing things is not a solution, right? So if we all agree, and I'm sure we do, that the future of mobility is without emissions, then we have to go there. And I think the faster you get there, the better.“Delaying, in my experience, has never helped in any industry, right? And that's why we are advocating like, hey, let's do this. Let's do this. We have discussed this for years in Europe that we have the ban on ICE engines in 2035. This is still, like, 10 years away, right? So why now discuss this for two years and postpone it by five years? What's the benefit? It will come anyhow.“I mean, no politician in the world will be able to avoid it, right? Because the next wave of climate change will come. So we might as well invest into the future instead of, okay, let's invest into the past and delay everything. And I think that's a powerful argument. We want to invest into the future, and is this easy? No, not at all, but it's the right thing.”

Don’t believe the rumours! The Polestar 2 will live on and is confirmed to get a second generation.The boxy electric sedan is Polestar’s best-selling model and went on sale in 2020 globally before landing in Australia in late 2021.In recent times there’s been speculation about the future of the Tesla Model 3 rival, with some suggesting that it would not live on to see another generation, and others saying it would be replaced but it would adopt the Polestar 8 moniker.Polestar CEO Michael Lohscheller clarified the future of the model in an interview with Australian journalists at the IAA Mobility show in Munich.“Yes, new generation, yeah. And that's important, because we have set it up so successfully, right? It has… 180,000 customers at the moment, right? And there will be a Polestar 2 successor for sure, for sure.”Lohscheller also confirmed that the car that will replace the Polestar 2 will indeed be called the Polestar 2.He said if the vehicle was going to change in concept then it would make more sense to adopt a new moniker.“If it was a new car, then we could argue, is that a Polestar 8, but that's not the case, right? And that maybe indicates that we obviously want to keep the Polestar 2 customers, right?”When asked by CarsGuide if the next-gen Polestar 2 would retain its sedan-like liftback body style, Lohscheller would neither confirm nor deny it.“We leave that open. But there are arguments for it. Because obviously, I mean, we call it now, really a fastback,” he said.“I want to have those current Polestar 2 customers back.”“I think we did a great job. And I want to keep them in the family.”Polestar head of design Philipp Römers was also non-committal about whether it would retain its sedan shape.“Let's see. We have some ideas of course, also there. I mean, we always have to do something special and evolve it further, you know. And again, the car was born as a Volvo. So we have to evolve it and separate it more from the Volvo,” he told Australian journalists.“It has to look as like a true Polestar, you know. Be surprised, we have some good ideas, you know?”He said the freshly revealed Polestar 5 could also provide some inspiration for the next-gen 2’s design.“Polestar 5 is such a brand ambassador. And of course, there is a big pool of inspiration also for these kinds of cars.”Römers said there were a number of aspects of the current model he wants to capture for the new version.“That it has character, that it is good looking, that it's timeless. Also that it feels like you want to drive it, you know? And these are the elements which we definitely would keep.”In terms of timing, Polestar is yet to confirm when the next Polestar 2 will be revealed. The current focus for the brand is on the coming Polestar 7 compact SUV which is set for release in early 2028 so the 2 should surface after that.In the meantime, expect more significant updates to the car in the last part of its life cycle.

Yet another Chinese brand locks in for an Australian launch.

Polestar’s most important model yet is slowly taking shape.The Polestar 7 will be a compact SUV that’s all but certain to become the brand’s top-selling model.Up to now the Chinese-owned Swedish carmaker has not revealed too many details about the all-important EV, but a few things have come to light in a recent interview at the IAA Mobility show in Munich.According to Polestar CEO Michael Lohscheller, the Polestar 7 will launch in early 2028.The Polestar 5 launch has just kicked off with the four-door grand tourer’s reveal in Munich. But, aside from the occasional model year update of models like the Polestar 3 and 4, the next major model will be the 7, more than two years from now.Chief Design Officer Philipp Römers wouldn’t go as far as confirming it, but did not reject the idea of a concept version of the 7 ahead of the production model’s debut.“I'm dreaming. And of course, as a design driven brand, you need, from time to time, some concept cars,” he said.“I can't confirm it today, but we are on it. I mean I'm dreaming of it, definitely.”The Polestar 7 is expected to introduce the next iteration of Polestar’s design language and it will be the first major project under Römers’ stewardship since taking the reins of Polestar design earlier this year after 20 years with Audi.Asked if it will take a more traditional SUV shape compared with the fastback-crossover style of the Polestar 4, Römers said: “Polestar 7 will be smaller and I mean, we said it already, a compact SUV. Also quite functional, you know, and that means, of course, some things. But we will make sure that it still has USP, that it looks Polestar-ish and sticks out, you know, (from) all of the masses.”Römers said the design language would include familiar Polestar elements, but with a more modern twist.“I'm pretty sure you would see it's a Polestar, but in the same time, it's different. It's the next step. It's even more modern, you know? I mean, we are talking about a car which comes out in (20) 28 you know. So you have to evolve. You can't just stick to the current status.”When we see the Polestar 7, or a concept version of it, is unclear. But it is expected to do battle with the likes of other Geely models like the Volvo EX30 and Zeekr X, as well as the BMW iX1 and 2, Audi Q4 e-tron, XPeng G6 and more.

Toyota announced it was discontinuing the 2026 Toyota Supra coupe two days before I picked up the keys for a week-long loan. It might not be the end of the famed nameplate - another generation is expected - but it’s the end of the line for the current-gen version. Is this performance-honed Track Edition a fitting farewell?

Australia might get another new upper-large pick-up and SUV, and this time it’s not a Chinese brand.

Polestar 5 takes the performance four-door fight to the Porsche Taycan and Audi e-tron GT.

BMW snuck in a little teaser after revealing its all-important new iX3 late last week.BMW CEO Oliver Zipse introduced the second model from its Neue Klasse group, the i3 sedan. While it had been rumoured to adopt that name, this was the first time it was publicly acknowledged.Covered in camouflage, the production model looks to have toned down some elements from the Vision Neue Klasse concept from 2023, like the little spoiler lip on the boot, but if the iX3 is anything to go by, expect it to retain a number of elements from the concept.The i3 will be the next model from the Neue Klasse architecture, and it will arrive ahead of the next-generation 3 Series. They will eventually sell alongside each other, but the all-electric i3 will arrive first.Zipse said the model is coming in 2026, but given the European on-sale date is closer to quarter three next year, it may not reach Australian shores until early 2027.While the i3 is underpinned by the hugely significant Neue Klasse architecture, the next-generation 3 Series will ride on an evolution of BMW’s CLAR platform (CLAR II) that already forms the basis of the 5 Series, 7 Series, iX and more.The i3 name was used for BMW’s first mass-produced EV. It was a small, quirky, tallboy hatchback that was a niche offering until it was discontinued in 2022. The badge has also been used on a China-only electric version of the 3 Series. This new i3 is expected to be a much more mainstream offering from the German giant. A Touring wagon version is all but certain.BMW has not revealed any mechanical details but the freshly revealed iX3 holds many clues. The only grade to be confirmed so far for the new SUV is the iX3 50 xDrive which features an electric motor on each axle for total outputs of 345kW and 645Nm and a driving range of up to 805km.Neue Klasse will be rolled out to 40 new derivatives over the coming years and from 2027 it will have spread across the range. Derivatives means model variants as well as full model changes and it can also be rolled out to facelifts and updates too.As well as the Neue Klasse design language, technology from the platform including digital functions like the Panoramic Vision projection that runs the width of the windscreen, will find their way to these other derivatives. So while the 40 derivatives might not be full Neue Klasse models they will feature at least some of the design and tech.Six Neue Klasse models are coming within the next two years, but expect those to be more iX3 and i3 model grades.As for what’s coming beyond i3, it is highly likely to be a smaller model.Speaking with Australian journalists at the iX3 reveal in Munich, Mike Reichelt, Head of BMW Neue Klasse ruled out a sports car based on Neue Klasse, but added that the biggest opportunity for the brand is smaller models. “The start and the most relevant advantages are the compact and middle class. That in higher classes is not so relevant. The technology comes there. Is it a Neue Klasse model? Maybe not. But in the compact and middle class, the smallest car, It's really important to go to step…”When asked by CarsGuide if the next full Neue Klasse model will be a new-gen 1 Series hatch or iX1 SUV, Reichelt simply responded with, “It's possible.”