Sedan News

GAC is taking aim at the Tesla Model 3 with its new “global model”.

BMW is not giving up on diesel, with the German giant confirming the arrival of an oil-burning version of the new 5 Series sedan.

The price of a new Tesla Model 3 or Tesla Model Y continues to plummet in Australia, with the seemingly endless series of sticker price reductions now leavings owners who have already bought one scratching their heads.

Alfa Romeo has unveiled swan song special editions for its Giulia and Stelvio Quadrifoglio models. Limited to 450 examples worldwide, the Giulia and Stelvio Super Sport (split 275 for sedan and 175 SUV) celebrate Alfa’s first victory at the Mille Miglia endurance race in 1928 at the hands of Giuseppe Campari and Giulio Ramponi in an Alfa 6C 1500 Super Sport.Six examples of the Giulia Quadrifoglio Super Sport ($174,200) and three Stelvio Super Sports ($183,200) are coming to Australia using the 375kW 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6. This could be the engine’s last mass-production outing with an electric Giulia due next year. The Giulia Sedan is a stand-out option among peers including the Audi RS5, BMW M3 and Mercedes-AMG C63 S – the same can be said of the BMW X3 M and AMG GLC 63 S rivalling Stelvio medium SUV. The ‘690T’ Ferrari-derived twin-turbo V6’s 375kW and 600Nm outputs are unchanged for the Super Sport models though an Akrapovič exhaust system has been fitted to add more bark to the Quadrifoglio experience.Both models use an eight-speed automatic transmission and the Giulia drives its rear wheels while the Stelvio powers all four.Alfa Romeo says the Giulia Super Sport benefits from a re-tuned mechanical limited-slip differential (LSD) with learning from the track-focused GTA model. The tweaks apparently increase stability without sacrificing agility, benefitting cornering speeds. There are none of the GTA or GTAm’s chassis changes here. The Super Sport variants use 19-inch (Giulia) and 21-inch (Stelvio) five-hole alloy wheels. The Stelvio does not score the different LSD so changes are limited to visual ones. The cars share a black-backed Quadrifoglio badge for the first time as a follow-up on last year’s gold-accented centenary insignia. Carbon-fibre aerodynamic parts, including a functional front splitter, feature on the Giulia. Both vehicles are available in Etna red metallic or Vulcano black – Alfa white paint is reserved for the Giulia. Inside, the gear shift surround gets a new carbon-fibre material with red finish to match the embossed headrests that carry the car’s individual number. As much as these Super Sport editions celebrate Alfa Romeo’s storied racing history, they also signal that Alfa is coming to the end of its combustion journey and the Giulia and Stelvio Quadrifoglio’s V6 aren’t going to live forever. Alfa has confirmed its 2025 Giulia replacement will be electric and based on Stellantis’ ‘STLA’ EV only architecture. The Stelvio is expected to follow suit. With only six Giulia and three Stelvio Super Sports, Australian buyers will want to get in quick.2024 Alfa Romeo Giulia and Stelvio Quadrifoglio pricing before on-road costs 

The IM Motors L6 sedan is the first production electric car to use semi solid state batteries and its full, frankly astounding, statistics have been revealed at its China release. The massive 133kWh semi solid battery pack isn’t on sale now – it’ll arrive in October – provides a claimed 1000km of driving range in the CTLC protocol (equivalent to around 800km WLTP) and 400km of range added in 12 minutes of charging are very enticing. It’s not just big batteries, with SAIC-owned and Alibaba-backed IM Motors (a peer of MG) also touting its ‘Digital Lizard’ active chassis technology that got the sedan through the ‘Moose Test’ swerve and recover manoeuvre at 90.96km/h, faster than any other vehicle on record. The IM L6’s test results can’t be considered official, though.Popularised by Swedish outlet Teknikens Varld, the ISO standard stipulates the test must be completed with a full complement of passengers and luggage on board to be considered valid. The 1997 Citroen Xantia Activa’s 85km/h effort remains on top for now. IM’s active suspension tech is interesting though, said to offer ‘three axes’ of control including vertical (though there’s no literature to say it uses air springs). It appears to have active anti-roll bars, four-wheel steering and ESP functions integrated into a module said to aid response, stability and manoeuvrability – you can watch it in action hereSingle and twin motor variants of the IM Motors L6 will be offered in China with a range-topping L6 Max Super Performance variant features a 100kWh battery and twin ‘Hurricane’ motors for 579kW/800Nm, a 0-100km/h sprint in 2.74 seconds and Audi e-tron GT-beating top speed of 268km/h thanks to IM’s 21,000rpm motor speed.To give some context to the IM L6’s figures, here is how it stacks up against a BYD Seal sedan.At 4.9 metres long it’s bigger and pitched as a more luxurious option than the Seal - a BMW i5 M60 rival really – but this should help illustrate its figures. The L6 Max Lightyear will launch later with a 900V architecture and 133kWh semi solid state battery supplied by Qingtao (Kunshan) Energy Development Group.IM Motors is planning a European launch in 2025 with ambitions to compete with luxury brands such as Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz.Australian plans are unclear but MG Australia, who would be the natural importer of the SAIC-owned IM brand, has shown an interest in the sedan and LS6 medium SUV previously as a Tesla Model Y rival. “The process is quite a complex process around why a specific variant is selected or not selected, so as we do with all our range, we will proactively work with our engineers locally and internationally as well as product, marketing, sales teams, dealer network and customer feedback to understand and cater our offering to their ongoing needs and wants", an MG spokesperson said.  Taking into account shipping, taxes and margins (rather than direct conversion), it’s possible the L6 line-up could be priced from around $70K for a long range single motor variant with the flagship 133kWh ‘Lightyear’ potentially under $100K if it does arrive.

Polestar is offering a whole pile of money off its electric car as the Chinese-owned Swedish EV specialist looks to shift more metal in Australia. Far from calling it a ‘discount’ – the brand doesn’t like the word – the lower Polestar pricing is valid for orders placed until June 9, 2024 and savings add up to a maximum $15,000. An end-of-financial year special, the offer is also only valid on vehicles delivered by June 30.It brings the price-of-entry of a base Polestar 2 Standard Range Single Motor (SRSM, 546km driving range) to $62,400 before on-road costs – a saving of $5000 making the Polestar $3500 dearer than a Tesla Model 3 RWD. But you can make the deal even better if you forego any options.Omit the popular Pilot pack ($3500), Plus pack ($6000) and Performance pack ($9000, Dual Motor only) for a Pure Spec and Polestar will give you another $5000 cash back after on-road costs. This applies to all grades.Pure Spec models can have 20-inch alloy wheels added. Polestar is also offering $7500 off the base price of Long Range Single Motor (LRSM, 655km driving range) and a whopping $10,000 off the 310kW Long Range Dual Motor (593km driving range). Any option pack can be added and you’ll still receive cash off the price.While the base car’s price is enticing, it’s the fact you can get a 310kW AWD sedan that hits 100km/h from rest in 4.5 seconds for effectively $61,400 before you factor in on-road costs that’s most exciting. It means the Polestar even undercuts BYD’s Seal Performance. Polestar is the latest carmaker to usher in drastic savings to promote EV sales ahead of the end of financial year. BYD cut $8000 from Atto 3 demonstrators, Tesla carved margin from its whole range, Peugeot knocked a third off its e-2008 SUV (which is now sold out) and Nissan chopped a chunk from Leaf pricing.Polestar has delivered 448 examples of its 2 lifted sedan this year, short of the BMW i4 (663) and a long way adrift of Tesla’s dominant Model 3 sedan (6865). The price cut comes as a surprise after Polestar Australia Managing Director Samantha Johnson told CarsGuide “we don’t do discounts” at the updated sedan's launch in August 2023.It remains to be seen if cheaper prices will increase local sales of the Polestar 2.Polestar 2 pricing (before on-road costs, valid until June 9, 2024) 

Toyota Australia has confirmed specifications for the 2025 Camry sedan which will go hybrid-only and lose the mid-spec SX trim when it arrives in the second half of the year. The Mazda6 and Hyundai Sonata rival is a favourite with rideshare drivers, so it’s no surprise Toyota is staying strong with the Ascent entry grade and step-up Ascent Sport trim. The flagship SL remains for keen private buyers. Pricing for the sedan will be confirmed closer to the car’s arrival later this year – expect a bump from the current $35,051, before on-road costs, starting price thanks to its fifth-gen hybrid only line-up. “The move to a hybrid-only Camry range reflects the popularity of hybrid with customers, who appreciate the impressive fuel consumption, smooth driveability and agile performance they provide,”  said Toyota Australia VP Sales, Marketing and Franchise Operations Sean Hanley.“Camry is proof that there is still a market in Australia for sedans, especially when they offer the value, efficient performance and good looks buyers are after”, said Hanley. The move follows record hybrid sales for the brand last month led by the RAV4 medium SUV, with more than 95 per cent hybrid sales share. The Camry’s latest hybrid tech incorporates a new lithium-ion battery and more compact transaxle hooked up to a punchier electric motor. Final outputs are not confirmed, but expect power to climb to 167kW in line with the US-market version.  Fuel consumption is also yet to be confirmed but the Camry hybrid is rated at 4.7L/100km in US EPA combined cycle testing. It is the same width and rides on an unchanged 2825mm wheelbase, though is around 9mm longer at 4914mm. A new interior layout and refreshed visage with crisp LED lighting features hide a largely similar Camry underneath with changes focused on evolution, not revolution. The Ascent features an 8.0-inch touchscreen with wireless phone mirroring, 7.0-inch digital driver’s display, two rear USB-C charge points, Toyota connected services, new 17-inch alloy wheels, fabric seats, dual-zone climate control, one-touch power windows and an electronic handbrake. It benefits from safety enhancement, including  front and rear parking support brake, blind spot monitoring, safe exit assist, rear cross-traffic alert, driver monitoring, front and rear parking sensors, a 360-degree surround monitor and improvements to AEB and adaptive cruise functionality. The Ascent Sport’s touchscreen swells to 12.3 inches with navigation, wireless phone charger, six-speaker sound system, different LED lighting features, an auto-dimming rear mirror, leather-appointed steering wheel and shifter and power-adjust driver’s seat with lumbar support.Headlining the range is the SL with 18-inch alloy wheels, rain-sensing wipers, 12.3-inch digital driver’s display, a heated steering wheel, tinted rear windows, air purification, leather-accented upholstery, heated and ventilated seats, power-adjust passenger seat and steering wheel, a sunroof, head-up display and a nine-speaker JBL sound system. 

As Toyota takes its next steps towards electrification, building up its plans and introducing more ‘new energy’ options to build on its long-running back-catalogue of hybrids with some more heavily electrified options - including plug-in hybrids.

Mercedes-Benz has confirmed pricing and features for the 2024 E-Class which will arrive in a single E300 mild-hybrid trim level from next week. The Audi A6 and BMW 5 Series rival will cost $131,500, before on-road costs and options, shrinking the five-strong E-Class range to one variant, for now. High-power AMG E53 and E63 models are due later. Inside, the E300 features Mercedes’ 14.4-inch ‘Superscreen’ touchscreen media system, 5G connectivity, third-gen operating system and digital key compatible with Apple iPhone and smart watch. The new variant sits between the old entry-level E200 and mid-spec E350, with pricing closer to the latter. More powertrain options, including a plug-in hybrid, are offered overseas but there’s no word yet for Australia.Under the E300’s bonnet is a turbo-petrol 2.0-litre four-cylinder with an integrated starter motor generator bumping outputs by 17kW and 205Nm to 190kW and 400Nm total. The E-Class drives its rear wheels via a nine-speed automatic transmission.A drag coefficient of 0.23 helps keep fuel consumption at 7.2L/100km in the combined cycle. The E-Class sedan rides on a 20mm longer wheelbase for improved interior space. Visually, there are cues from the new C-Class sedan combined with new details, including an illuminated grille and star motif tail-lights. The E300 has a generous amount of equipment standard, including AMG Line exterior styling, adaptive LED headlights, 20-inch multi-spoke alloy wheels, plus adaptive dampers and steel springs (the suspension is 15mm than other overseas-market models). Inside, the 14.4-inch touchscreen is complemented by wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, a digital driver’s display, head-up display, augmented realist navigation, dual-zone climate control and power-adjust sports front seats with heating, leather upholstery in three colours.Adding to the E-Class luxury experience is an in-built ‘assistant’. Voice control features along with the ability to automate habits, for example pre-setting the car’s climate control before you leave at a set time. The E-Class can also intelligently make these choices, for example turning on the heated seats when the outside temperature dips below a certain threshold.The E300 gets driver-assistance tech such as lane-centring, AEB, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring and cross-traffic alert. A set of 11 airbags features as well.An optional ‘Energizing Plus’ pack adds multi-contour front seats with adjustable lumbar and bolsters as well as a heated rear bench for $5200. The 'Plus Pack' brings adaptive air suspension, rear axle steering, a 17-speaker 730-watt Burmester sound system, gesture control and quad-zone climate control.The Mercedes-Benz E300 will arrive in dealerships next week, with timing for the AMG E53 yet to be confirmed. 2024 Mercedes-Benz E-Class pricing 

It looks like one of China's biggest automakers is coming to Australia - here's what the brand is about and what kind of models to expect when it finally arrives.