Articles by Tim Nicholson

Mitsubishi Motors Australia Limited (MMAL) has increased pricing for a number of variants in its recently updated Triton pick-up range, which will land in local showrooms in early January.

Mazda has differentiated the exterior designs of its new-generation Mazda3 hatch and sedan in order for them to appeal to more buyers than the outgoing model did.

Holden Special Vehicles has introduced yet another Colorado SportsCat variant, this time adding the Look Pack to its line-up.

Audi Australia is waiting for a fix for a potential emissions management issue that has seen the company halt the sale of two of three Q7 variants in October, which has contributed to an 80 per cent sales slide for its large SUV last month.The design flaw in 160kW and 200kW versions of the Q7’s 3.0-litre TDI V6 diesel engine means the system can’t detect if its AdBlue anti-pollution system has been filled with AdBlue or another incorrect solution, meaning there is the potential for tampering.AdBlue is a fluid made up of urea and deionised water that is injected into a diesel vehicle’s exhaust system to reduce emissions of nitrogen oxide (NOx) – one of the main causes of urban smog –  and it breaks down the NOx into water and nitrogen.The stop-sale for new and used Q7 diesel V6 TDIs has come at a bad time for Audi, with BMW’s new-generation X5 large SUV set to lob before the end of November.Mercedes-Benz is also gearing up for the arrival in April 2019 of its freshly revealed GLE SUV.The launch next month of Audi’s new Q8 upper-large SUV could provide the carmaker with some relief at the top end of the segment, but it will be keen to make sure the Q7 is back in showrooms by then.Audi Australia corporate communications manager Shaun Cleary said engineers were working on a solution and that sales would resume as soon as it has been optimised and installed.The two V6 TDI Q7s have been withdrawn for sale Down Under, leaving the flagship $161,900 (plus on-road costs) V8 4.0-litre diesel SQ7 as the only variant offered.The Q7 e-tron plug-in hybrid was only offered as a limited-edition variant in Australia and is not affected by the issue.Audi Australia confirmed to CarsGuide that it is not conducting a recall/rectification program for customer cars potentially impacted by the fault.Q7 sales have dropped from 266 in June to just 29 in October. Last month’s tally was an 86 per cent dip compared with the same month in 2017, while year-to-date Q7 sales have now slipped by 31 per cent.VFACTS sales figures reveal that Audi registered four new Q8s last month ahead of the its media launch in December and showroom launch in January.The Q8 will be offered initially with a 3.0-litre TFSI petrol engine, while a 3.0-litre diesel will follow later in 2019.

Volvo Cars Australia (VCA) believes its strong portfolio of recent product coupled with its increasingly ‘cool’ image are the key factors in achieving double-digit sales growth in 2018.

Mitsubishi has ripped the covers from its facelifted Triton that is set to hit Australian showrooms in January 2019.

Volvo Cars Australia is considering offering a less expensive V90 variant as a response to the slow showroom performance of the V90 Cross Country wagon and its S90 sedan stablemate.

Mercedes-Benz has announced it will launch 12 all-new or updated models in 2019.

Tesla founder Elon Musk has confirmed that right-hand drive deliveries of the all-electric Model 3 liftback will start in mid-2019.

Following the release of a vague teaser image, Skoda has revealed a better look at its Scala hatchback in camouflage, as well as a number of key details.While the camo paint scheme makes it difficult to get a proper impression of the Scala's exterior, it appears to have pinched its design from Skoda's Vision RS concept that was revealed at the Paris motor show earlier this month, if a little toned down.We have confirmation that the Czech small car will arrive in Australia sometime before the end of next year, however local pricing and specifications are still open for speculation.What is known for certain is the forthcoming Scala sits on VW Group's MQB platform that's also used for high-volume passenger vehicles like the Golf, Passat and Octavia.Boot capacity ranges from 467-1410 litres depending on how the seats are positioned, with the overall dimensions confirmed at 4362mm long, 17892mm wide, 1471mm high and with a 2649mm wheelbase.Globally, the Scala will be offered with a number of petrol and one diesel powertrain, with the former consisting of a 70kW 1.0-litre turbocharged unit with a five-speed manual, or the same engine tuned to 85kW with either a six-speed manual or a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.A hotter version will feature an 110kW 1.5-litre petrol engine, while an 85kW diesel set-up will be available in Europe; both optional with six- and seven-speed transmissions.As usual, it's expected Skoda's Australian wing will not import all the engine options, and considering local buyers' preference for power, will likely opt for the highest-performance 1.5-litre petrol engine.The Scala will also be offered with a 'Sport Chassis' suspension set-up, which gives the option of Normal and Sport driving modes, lowers the vehicle by 15mm and sports valve-adjustable shock absorbers for improved handling.Tech-wise, the Scala will offer a 10.25-inch virtual cockpit instrument cluster as well as a 9.2-inch multimedia system, and full LED head- and tail-lights will be available as an option.Notably, the Scala gains a number of active safety systems including ‘Multi-collision Brakes’, which prevents the car from rolling further after an accident, and an emergency call feature which then sends for assistance.Furthermore, a new ‘Crew Protect Assist’ technology is on-board which automatically shuts the windows if a crash is imminent.