Articles by Tom White

China’s Chery and India’s Tata Motors will team up on a new luxury brand that will launch two new models in 2027.This is thanks to a new report from Reuters, which claims Tata has forged a new partnership for its upcoming Avinya premium arm, after a plan to base the models on Jaguar Land Rover platforms fell through.The Indian giant told Reuters it plans to use the same platform, which underpins the upcoming Freelander 8 that is part of Chery’s existing tie-up with the Tata owned Jaguar Land Rover.The new deal with Tata will see the Chery platform components built in China and shipped as a knock-down kit, with final assembly occurring in India. They will cater to right-hand drive, opening up the opportunity for them to be exported to Australia. Chery’s new Freelander division also has designs to launch in Australia.Tata told Reuters, “Avinya is being developed as a global premium brand. Our collaboration with JLR and global partners will be an important pillar.”The vehicles were to be based on Jaguar Land Rover’s upcoming EMA platform, which was announced in 2024.That platform was originally designed to support next-generation electrified mid-size luxury SUVs, and was capable of supporting both hybrid, range extender and fully electric drivetrains.The switch to the Chery platform will shorten development timelines, in yet another example of a foreign brand embracing what has become known in the industry as “China Speed”.While Tata doesn’t currently have an automotive presence in Australia (aside from Jaguar Land Rover), the company’s main rival, Mahindra, offers several products in our market, showing a taste for Indian brands to expand.Tata turning to Chery also offers the Chinese giant a foothold in the Indian subcontinent, which it did not have before. As is the case in other markets, India has several barriers in place to stop Chinese automakers from having free market access in order to protect its domestic brands.It is part of a major global push by Chery, which has for a long time been one of China’s most successful brands in overseas markets. It already had strongholds in South America, and is in the process of establishing links in Europe, which looks to be the next battleground for Chinese brands.Nissan announced that it had signed a memorandum of understanding to allocate one of its production lines at its Sunderland UK plant to build Chery vehicles alongside Australian-bound Nissan Qashqais.

The Triton Raider is now the most expensive version of Mitsubishi’s popular ute range, featuring an array of modifications from local tuning outfit Premcar.With these locally-tuned utes becoming more commonplace, though, what sets this one apart? And can it live up to the hype Mitsubishi hopes to generate for it?We’ve driven it at its local launch on and off the road to find out.At $74,990, drive-away (at the time of launch), the Raider is by far the most expensive Triton yet. To even get in the door of this thing you’ll be spending nearly $10,000 over the previously-top-spec GSR grade which sits below it in the usually value-focused ute range.It pushes the Triton up into territory usually dominated by high-spec versions of more expensive rivals, like the (notably also locally-developed) Ford Ranger Tremor ($75,090) and Kia Tasman X-Pro ($74,990), both prices before on-road costs.In terms of its intentions, though, to build the Triton into something more than would normally come from the factory, it competes more closely with the likes of the Isuzu D-Max Blade ($80,900, BOC) or upcoming Volkswagen Amarok W600 (price TBC).To that end, the Triton Raider’s standard equipment includes a larger wheel and tyre package, consisting of 18-inch ROH ‘Assault’ wheels in an exclusive bronze hue clad in Bridgestone Dueler all-terrain tyres. This increases the track by 20mm in total (10mm each side) and it also features a 25mm suspension raise in the front and 15mm raise in the rear to better balance the body out.The star of the show is the Premcar-tuned suspension package, which consists of a set of customized Monroe shocks front and rear and new jounce bumpers (bump stops) which both help to smooth out the flaws in the factory ute’s ride.Mitsubishi has adorned the ute with some Ralliart-inspired decals on the lower parts of the doors and added gloss black overfenders to account for the wider track. It has also added Mitsubishi-branded matt black side-steps, a sports bar over the tray and a Raider-badged bash plate for underbody protection.Inside may come as a bit of a disappointment, with the brand playing it very safe by only adding Raider stitching to the front headrests and a Raider badge on the transmission cladding.In the pictures, it doesn’t look all that different from a regular Triton GSR, but once you see it next to a standard version of the ute, it’s evident how much tougher this package looks. Some may think it hasn’t gone far enough, but I think others will appreciate the subtlety on offer here, too.There are also an array of minor MY26 upgrades which shouldn’t be forgotten, particularly the new Yamaha performance dampers fixed horizontally to the front and rear frame rails which help to iron out some of the existing ladder frame jiggle. More on how it drives later.Buyers will be happy to know this new Raider variant maintains the ute’s 3500kg towing capacity, and this one also maintains a payload of 990kg, which is pretty solid for a dual-cab in this class.Again, some may be disappointed to see the brand hasn’t provided a boost in power to go with the Raider’s tough looks, it carries over the same 2.4-litre twin-turbo diesel engine from the rest of the Triton range.It provides 150kW/470Nm, which is fine, but maybe not particularly impressive when measured against Ford’s 3.0-litre V6 diesel (184kW/600Nm). Mitsubishi is banking on its track record for dependability, which it says, along with the cost of upgrading, is the main reason it stays the same under the bonnet.It also carries across the usual six-speed traditional torque converter automatic, paired to the brand’s signature 'Super Select II' system which is capable of running in permanent '4H' (4WD high-range) mode while including a 2H (2WD high-range) setting for fuel efficiency and a 4L (4WD low-range) mode for more challenging terrain, alongside a rear differential lock.Is the Triton Raider any good to drive? In short, yes.This is the definitive edition of the Triton for now. It’s rare for a car to live up to everything the brand wants to shout about, but this one is impressive to steer, with so much of the potential of this Triton’s platform explored.It feels far more confident on the tarmac, with very linear steering and excellent on-road manners, while on the rough stuff, where it’s really meant to shine, it excels.The Raider ate up the trails we had the chance to sample at an off-road test facility, whether it was articulation, loose surfaces, steep declines, or mogulled-hills, with seemingly plenty of breadth of ability left over.The already-good traction systems no doubt helped the ute along, with the only eyebrow-raiser I found being the square and upright bonnet with the extra lift making it tricky to see the terrain in front of you at times when descending.The engine, too, could potentially be a weak point if you were to venture into particularly muddy or sandy conditions, with it needing a proper push of momentum on the steeper climbs. Hopefully the topic of a test for another time.Overall though this is an impressive, well thought-out and properly tested halo variant, with Premcar working its magic to elevate the Triton further than expected.Mitsubishi says to expect 7.7L/100km of diesel consumption, but don’t be surprised to see at least 8.0L+ as we saw in our test cars.Importantly, Mitsubishi backs the ute and all of these additions with its conditional 10 year/200,000km warranty promise (provided you keep servicing at an authorised Mitsubishi dealer after the five year mark).It has a matching 10 years of capped price servicing and 10 years of roadside assist. Workshop visits will set you back an average of $675.30 per year for the life of the warranty.

Nissan is set to invite Chery to build cars at its UK factory as part of its Re:Nissan project to downsize its manufacturing footprint, and take advantage of its spare factory capacity.This will give Nissan a boost by allowing it to cut costs at its Sunderland factory, while for Chery it means establishing a manufacturing footprint just across the channel from the European heartland.The agreement is just a Memorandum of Understanding for the time being, and also comes just after Nissan announced it had cancelled plans to manufacture electric powertrains at the factory.Nissan’s Sunderland plant in the UK may seem a world away from Australia, but the Nissan Qashqai sold here is built there, as was the just-discontinued Juke.The company said it would retain 100 per cent ownership of the factory, while re-tooling one of its production lines to manufacture Chery vehicles. While the announcement said little else for the time being, it has been reported that, if all goes to plan, Chery would start building cars at the factory in the 2027 financial year.The factory has a capacity of 500,000 units, but has been operating at just over half that for some time.Chery is understood to be planning to build right-hand drive vehicles at the factory to satisfy exploding demand for its vehicles in the UK with Omoda Jaecoo capturing up to a six per cent market share despite being on sale for barely 24 months.The runaway success of the Chery sub-brands in the UK market has made the Omoda/Jaecoo operation bullish in Australia, with the company’s global boss Shawn Xu telling CarsGuide last year that it’s not really a surprise how well the products have been received in Australia.“We’ve always looked at global markets, not just the traditional left-hand drive markets - and from this global vision, we want to build up and be a famous brand for the world,” he said.Most Chinese cars sold in Australia are sourced from either Thailand or China itself, but high tariffs and protectionist policies have a role to play in protecting companies like Volkswagen, Renault and Stellantis in Europe.Many Chinese marques are finding a way into the space by purchasing whole factories or signing deals to take up under-utilised production capacity in active factories on the continent.Whether any Euro-built models from Chinese brands make it to Australia remains to be seen, but seems less likely in the medium term as our island is a convenient way to soak up supply from increasingly under-utilised factories on the Chinese mainland as the domestic market there experiences a contraction.

Chinese cars have entered “uncharted territory”, according to Vice President of Geely Group Li Chuanhai.Chuanhai explained that as Chinese automakers became global entities, they could no longer rely on challenging the status quo of so-called legacy brands, but would have to innovate on their own if they want to move the industry forward.“Franky, the Chinese automotive industry has reached its current position by standing on the shoulders of giants in the century-old automotive industry,” he said.“But now that we’re taking the lead, we have entered uncharted territory. How do we innovate in uncharted territory? I think our logic for innovation needs to change."He said Geely was well positioned to provide multiple power options, such as as petrol, hybrid and EV, across many markets, but there would still be the need to innovate further in the future.“Geely adheres to its energy diversification strategy. Our Thor hybrid, SEA EV, i-HEV, and green methanol developed over 20 years have created a complete ecosystem covering pure electric, hybrid, range extender, methanol, and charging/battery swapping. We’ve successfully explored every path to provide global users with more choices,” he said.Chuanhai outlined some investments Geely was making including collaborations with “more than 50 universities on basic research”. He said this “may not yield immediate returns” for the group, but that innovation required “adequate resource investment, effective ecosystem collaboration, and sufficient talent density”.Chuanhai earmarked the success of its premium Zeekr arm as evidence Geely had moved beyond its challenger status.“We don't have the time to build the brand story that century-old established brands have accumulated over time,” he said.“New energy and intelligent technologies have brought us opportunities for brand advancement. However, we also believe that the foundation for brand advancement lies in safety, chassis and powertrain—areas that best reflect our core professional capabilities."He said the brand is aiming for Volvo’s ultimate safety, Lotus’ ultimate handling and Horse Powertrain’s ultimate performance.He said the 750,000 units Zeekr has delivered in its short existence have an average selling price of more than the equivalent of $62,000, comparatively very high for a Chinese brand, with the national average being a little over half that ($35,000).“The essence of Chinese automotive globalisation is not about low prices and high volume, but about being rooted in technology and driven by brands, ultimately moving from simply selling cars to defining the future of automobiles,” he said.“We hope that Geely's experience can serve as a model for Chinese automakers going global, and we believe that China's automotive industry is fully capable of winning respect and establishing a firm foothold in the world.”Next for Geely in Australia will be its EX2 fully electric hatchback, which will be followed by the Emgrand EM-i plug-in hybrid sedan. Zeekr will launch its flagship 9X plug-in hybrid large SUV before the end of the year, alongside the 7GT fully-electric performance wagon.In 2027, the much-hyped 8X large five-seat hybrid SUV will arrive, with Geely also plotting a yet-to-be confirmed three-row hybrid SUV offering.

China’s XPeng has opened the door to dealers as the factory-backed operation pushes ahead in Australia.Despite its ongoing legal stoush with previous distributor TrueEV, XPeng’s new fully factory-backed operation is promising a seamless transition for prospective buyers and current owners.The company said it has appointed dealers and opened offices in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, and has sent its location finder live on its consumer website.XPeng is also promising its parts and service network is fully operational with a new warehouse for spares in Melbourne and the ability to cover cars in most states, in what will no doubt come as a relief for existing G6 owners.A spokesperson for the new factory-backed XPeng operation said the company is “building for the long-term in Australia”.However, they could not yet provide information on when the customer-facing locations will go live, or provide an update on timing for new cars hitting the ground.Previous distributor TrueEV is taking the new factory-backed operation to court for unconscionable conduct for allegedly tearing up its distribution agreement and undermining its operations to the point it was forced to de-list some dealers, making it impossible to sell vehicles.Since the brand’s establishment in Australia in 2024 under TrueEV, it has only offered a single model, the pre-facelifted version of the G6 mid-size electric SUV.Plans to expand this catalogue to include the G9 large SUV, X9 people mover, and potentially the Mona M03 sedan have not yet come to fruition, although the new factory entity lists the facelifted G6 on its new website with only expressions of interest open for the time being.XPeng will need a boost once its legal woes are behind it, as the delayed model roll-out has no doubt cost the brand potential market share in Australia as our new-car landscape becomes increasingly competitive.Its primary rivals, BYD, Zeekr and Tesla are soaring in the sales charts off the back of their respective line-ups of desirable and keenly priced electric models, with BYD leaping up the charts in large part thanks to its plug-in hybrids.XPeng does not yet provide registration data to VFACTS or the EV Council so it is hard to tell how many examples of the current G6 are in the country.The incoming updated G6 is a significantly updated vehicle underneath despite a mild aesthetic update from the outside.It includes a larger set of screens inside (consisting of a 10.2-inch digital dash and 15.6-inch multimedia touchscreen), a more powerful processor and larger battery capacities with longer driving ranges.The brand said at the launch of the updated car in China last year that it was 34 per cent new and included a total of 81 feature updates.The outgoing car was priced from $54,800 before on-road costs in base form, featuring a 190kW electric motor in a rear-wheel-drive layout.While the new entity will no doubt update its pricing strategy with the incoming G6, a similar price point would still make it a competitive offering when measured against the current Tesla Model Y (from $58,900), Zeekr 7X (from $57,900) and BYD Sealion 7 (from $54,990).

While Japanese brands increasingly turn to Chinese partnerships for more affordable and globally competitive models, it doesn’t always work out.According to Nikkei Asia, GAC, which recently launched in Australia and has some of the biggest name joint-venture partners in China, is in trouble.The Guangzhou-based automaker, which counts Toyota and Honda as long-term partners, has been losing money on every single vehicle it sells as it has recently been trying to fight in an aggressive Chinese domestic price war with BYD and others.According to figures published by Nikkei Asia, at one point the company was losing the equivalent of  A$1714 on every single vehicle sold under its own branding. In its annual results announcement for the full year of 2025 reported to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, GAC said its subsequent loss in revenue was due to “intense competition in the automobile industry,” earmarking risks to the future of its business from “increasing survival pressure on automobile enterprises and entering the high-speed shuffling phase of survival of the fittest”.GAC said the level of competition was directly eroding its profit margins, and with Chinese brands approaching 70 per cent sales proportion in the local market, it was placing pressure on joint-venture brands.GAC’s annual results documents also revealed some realities of the Chinese market that is directly contributing to the big push for longer-range plug-in hybrid models, which are increasingly making their way to Australia.“Technical requirements for vehicles eligible for tax reductions and incentives has been raised. The pure electric mode range and energy consumption standards for plug-in hybrid (including range-extended) passenger vehicles have been further tightened,” the company said.“If a company lags in R&D or supply chain fails to meet the standards, its main models may not comply with the new regulations, resulting in the loss of subsidy eligibility or market access To meet stricter safety, range, and environmental standards, enterprises’ mandatory investments in areas such as battery materials, thermal management systems, and low-carbon manufacturing processes will continuously increase. At the same time, the phase-out of purchase tax subsidies has directly reduced profit margins per vehicle, presenting severe challenges to the overall profitability of the industry.”As a result, GAC said the company’s operating profit had declined for two years straight, and had recorded a loss for the first time since listing with the exchange in 2010.Nikkei Asia points out the company had been heavily discounting its Aion-branded vehicles (two of which are sold in Australia - the UT hatch and V mid-size SUV) to keep up with the aggressive discounting of rivals, but was failing to meet volume expectations.The bleak competitive landscape comes as GAC’s long-term joint-venture with Honda is due for renewal by 2028 after 30 years. Honda-branded JV vehicles in China have experienced a slump at the same time as its Japanese parent recorded its first ever financial year loss for the 2025 Japanese Financial Year off the back of expensive global EV investments (amounting to the equivalent of $12.5 billion AUD), which have subsequently been cancelled and written-down.Honda executives have reportedly been taking meetings with GAC, and are yet to make a decision on the future of the partnership, according to Nikkei Asia.It is in stark contrast to Nissan, for example, which is only leaning further into its comparatively successful joint-venture with Dongfeng (with which Honda also has a joint-venture), which has netted a range of well-received models with big global potential, including the N7 sedan, NX8 SUV and Frontier Pro ute.GAC/Honda don’t have plans to export cars to markets like Australia. GAC's joint-venture with Toyota has been more successful in China, and has launched in right-hand drive markets such as Hong Kong.Market troubles in China have only been good news for the Australian market, with many brands seeking higher-margin markets to soak up production capacity and bolster profits, which is part of the reason our new car landscape has become so crowded and competitive.

It is now clear what Mitsubishi has gained from allowing its Triton to become the base for the new Navara in Australia - Nissan will allow it to produce an American pick-up based on its upcoming next-gen Frontier.To be built alongside the Nissan in America, the new Mitsubishi will arrive alongside a planned overhaul to the Frontier due in 2028 with a new platform expected to also underpin Nissan’s next-gen XTerra 4x4 for the American market.Current information surrounding the next-gen Nissan platform suggests it could lean into both V6 power (similar to the incoming Patrol SUV) and also spawn a plug-in hybrid variant.For Mitsubishi, this is part of a wider strategy to split its model range in two as it searches for a new identity in a realigned Renault/Nissan alliance.It will split its range in two - with one range of models (like the XForce, Xpander and Destinator) focused on South East Asian (ASEAN) markets, and the other focused on higher margin markets Australia and the US, which Mitsubishi dubs the ‘Off-road group’.This realignment will see a total of 13 new models launched by 2031, seven of which will be for the off-road group. We know of at least three new models - this Frontier-based pick-up, the just-announced new-generation Pajero based on the Triton, and the long-hinted next-generation Delica people mover based on the Delica D:X Concept shown in 2023.Mitsubishi’s local GM of Product Strategy and PR Bruce Hampel told CarsGuide the brand was considering its options for the over-3500GVM category at the launch of its Aussie-upgraded Triton Raider, but it seems unlikely this would include a completely new American-sourced model.Instead, he suggested Mitsubishi was considering either factory or a licensed local upgrade for something a bit more heavy duty than what the Triton range currently offers.In addition, it seems more likely Nissan won’t be building its American-market Frontier in right-hand drive as part of its new ladder-frame platform overhaul, instead suggesting it would choose to import the Chinese-built Frontier Pro model as a Navara/Triton alternative as a plug-in hybrid exclusive to Australia.It would be well positioned to be more competitively priced, with the capability of the GWM Cannon Alpha while chasing the breakthrough success of the BYD Shark 6.In the meantime, Mitsubishi will have its hands full in Australia as it plots the launch of its next-generation Pajero full-size SUV as a new rival to the Toyota Prado, and the launch of its fully electric joint-venture SUV with Taiwan’s Foxconn, both due before the end of 2026.Locally, Mitsubishi has felt the impact of more affordable Chinese brands encroaching on its turf, with the brand down over 25 per cent this year. However, there are promising signs for the Japanese giant, with its Triton sales up healthy percentages year-on-year as welcome updates flow through and new variants are added to its line-up.Interestingly the brand is acutely aware of the challenges it faces across the disparate markets it plays in, even showing a slide which plotted its market positioning off-set against the “market-entry difficulty for Chinese OEMs” highlighting Australia as a ‘turn around market’ with high perceived brand value for Mitsubishi, but a low bar-to-entry for affordable Chinese rivals.

Mitsubishi has confirmed its performance ambitions for the Triton - and perhaps even its upcoming Pajero - won’t end with the locally-tuned Triton Raider, as it gears up for a long-teased Ralliart revival.Mitsubishi’s local GM of Product Strategy and PR Bruce Hampel said: “We’ve got aspirations to go a step higher again in the future if this thing proves to be successful.”Hampel said that “step higher” would be for both price and capability, and would “bring back some of that more emotional brand heritage”.He’s likely talking about Mitsubishi’s long-dormant Ralliart performance name, which may hinge on the success of a car like the Triton Raider. The company’s Japanese HQ had a close interest in the Triton Raider to gage the taste for a higher-priced Triton.“There are a lot of eyes in Japan that are eagerly following the progress of this program, or have been following it since we started. But now that we’re at the point where we’re on sale, they’ll be reviewing what’s happening with an eye to understand whether this type of model, which is new for Mitsubishi using a second stage modification process, is something that they can entrust their distributorships with to deliver successfully with local expertise.“When it’s successful, there are going to be opportunities to go further and expand more, both within Australia and potentially into other global markets as well,” Hampel said.The first port-of-call for the Premcar tuned Raider could be New Zealand with an eye to going even further in the future.The Premcar-tuned Triton Raider is a significant overhaul and the new flagship for the ute’s range in Australia. It includes beefed-up suspension with custom-developed shock absorbers, an increase in ride height, a larger profile all-terrain wheel and tyre package, a 20mm overall increase in width, and various genuine accessories added on to increase the visual appeal.It costs from $74,990, moving Triton into unforeseen pricing territory, a $9400 step-up from the previously range-topping GSR trim level.So what would it take for a Ralliart model to earn its place at an even higher price-point than that? Hampel has some thoughts.“We stopped short of putting the Ralliart badge on this vehicle because we were mindful of what customer expectations are of the Ralliart brand," he said.“And the Raider, while we expect it to resonate very well with customers, it’s more typical of what customers do with typical aftermarket modifications to create the style of vehicle they will then go and modify further.“We didn’t feel it was quite worthy of the Ralliart branding. But we do have alignment with Mitsubishi Motors to continue the study and to reinstate the Ralliart brand in Australia and re-install it, properly, globally as well.“So we’re in constant discussion with them and working on those next-level programs but we’ve got to prove what we can do, and what we’ve done so far.”One thing Hampel confirmed was there would be no Ralliart without more power than is currently on offer from the Triton’s 2.4-litre turbo diesel (150kW/470Nm).“Ralliart needs more uniqueness to the vehicle in terms of its appearance, higher levels of suspension sophistication, and ideally more performance from the powertrain,” he said.“The engine is the most difficult one to not have fully done by the manufacturer, with the extensive durability testing, and it’s very expensive to go through that whole process.“Yes, Premcar can do it, but it comes at a significant cost, so to do that you really need global behind us with their view to a global market with that kind of product.”As to what that could look like? Hampel pointed to a potential hybrid solution.“With the change to electrified options as well, that opens up a different path to having a step-up in performance level,” he said.“As we transition into HEVs, PHEVs, and ultimately BEVs and these types of vehicles we could use electrification as the differentiator.”Next for Mitsubishi in Australia will be the long-awaited arrival of the next-generation ground-up Pajero 4WD, and a fully electric small SUV from its joint-venture with Taiwan’s Foxconn, both due to be on-sale before the end of 2026.

Mitsubishi has confirmed its new flagship 4WD SUV will be called Pajero and it will hit Australian dealerships before the end of 2026.After months of hype and frequent sightings of camouflaged test cars in the wild, the new large off-road flagship will take its place atop Mitsubishi’s range as a new-generation 4WD in the fourth quarter of 2026.While the brand has not revealed details such as dimensions or powertrain and has only revealed a teaser image, it has told CarsGuide that it is a ground-up offering designed specifically to live up to the nameplate’s history, and will be a step beyond the outgoing Triton-based Pajero Sport in terms of its positioning.The Pajero will be manufactured in Thailand alongside the new-generation Triton. It is confirmed it will share its underpinnings with the brand’s best-selling ute, like the Pajero Sport that came before it.Mitsubishi Australia’s GM of Product Strategy and PR Bruce Hampel said the company was expecting to run out of stock of the outgoing Pajero Sport before the new full-fat Pajero arrives as a replacement.He also said Australia won’t be the launch market for the new-generation Pajero, with it likely to debut in the Thai market first. Previous reports said the model is intended to be as global as possible for Mitsubishi, with the brand seeking to export the 4WD to Japan and other important markets.Hampel said the Pajero will be the brand's premium flagship.Previous information from Japan suggest the new Pajero will be available in at least three trim levels, likely with familiar naming conventions to the current Triton range, as well as the opportunity for the top-spec grade to be dubbed the Exceed as a throwback to the previous-generation model, which ended production in 2021.Don’t expect a return of the previous model’s 3.2-litre four-cylinder turbo diesel engine (141kW/441Nm), with the most likely powertrain being the same updated 2.4-litre diesel engine that powers the current Triton range (150kW/470Nm).The new Pajero won’t be Mitsubishi’s only radical new offering in Australia in 2026, with the brand also confirming its upcoming joint-venture electric small SUV with Taiwan’s Foxconn is also set to arrive before the end of the year.Mitsubishi will no doubt be hoping the addition of these two key new models will arrest its sales slide of over 25 per cent in Australia this year, off the back of reduced stock of the Pajero Sport and the discontinuation of the previously-popular Japan-sourced ASX small SUV, which has been replaced by a more expensive Euro-sourced model based on the Renault Captur.In better news for Mitsubishi, Triton is up a healthy 18.7 per cent for 4x4 variants and 36.3 per cent for 4x2 variants, as its full range of commercial and private buyer offerings come online and recent MY26 updates continue to improve the key ute model.The just-launched Premcar-tuned Raider also now tops out the range at $79,990 as Mitsubishi experiments with a new price-point ahead of a long-rumored Ralliart revival in the future.Expect to learn more about the new-generation Pajero closer to its on-sale date later this year.

Vice President of Zeekr Group Mars Chen explained what the Chinese luxury brand’s ultimate objective is.Some of its Chinese rivals frequently cite the huge and lucrative US market as the ultimate aspiration, Zeekr’s goal is somehow both more subtle and loftier at the same time.“We are not a ‘real’ luxury brand yet, right?” Chen said. “We’re still only five years old.”“I think it’s to be the top premium choice, with or without a battery,” he said.“In the end, it’s if people don’t mention whether it’s an EV or it’s a hybrid. You need a nice, expensive, fancy car? Zeekr is a brand you absolutely must check. It’s one you cannot avoid.”Chen wasn’t so keen on factoring the US into Zeekr’s immediate plans for the future."With the US market, if you take out pick-ups, then the passenger car market is not that big. It is a big cake, but still, without that cake we’d like to make a very nice meal,” said Chen.Chen said the brand was discussing the potential of a ute or pick-up truck to add to Zeekr’s expanding range of headline-grabbing models.Interestingly one factor which the brand was considering is how tightly contested the segment was becoming, with seemingly every Chinese automaker scrabbling to release a “box-style” hybrid off-roader.Chen said a potential for a ute or US-style pick-up truck is just a discussion for now.“We want to re-define every single segment. Once we identify the segment, Zeekr will check how disruptive we can be if we enter. We have the curiosity to do it, but it’s not a concrete thing.”“If we cannot create enough differentiation, of course we won’t just follow or replicate ,” he said.Chen said Zeekr’s strategy is to focus on just a few consolidated models, rather than cars that are “customised just for one country. Even just China”.“If we want to be in that segment, we have to be a global brand.”Zeekr’s model range as it stands is limited to the X small SUV, 009 People Mover, 7X mid-size SUV, 007 and 7GT sedan and wagon pair, as well as the incoming 8X large SUV and 9X flagship.For the Australian market, the brand has shot from relative obscurity in its first year on the market to a front runner in the EV space, thanks to the arrival of its extremely competitive 7X mid-sizer.The model has gone on to become the fourth-best-selling electric vehicle in the country, racking up 973 units to the end of April, trailing only the Tesla Model Y, BYD Sealion 7 and Geely EX5 in that order.The 9X and 8X large SUVs which are set to follow in the next 12 months will shift the brand to plug-in hybrid territory and have already created quite some hype in the market, despite asking prices looking like they’ll start well and truly in premium territory.