Adventure

Caravans and camper trailers take the adventure out of adventure travel.There I’ve said it.What is supposed to be an activity that takes you away from the comforts of home, offers up some wild challenges and ultimately brings you closer to nature has merely become a temperature-regulated and coddled process of transporting all of the comforts of your home – or at least approximations of them – to another, supposedly more nature-based location.Some caravans are equipped with everything you could ever want – including the kitchen sink – as do some camper-trailers.Camper-trailers are similar to caravans in that they have to be towed, but they do generally have fewer amenities than a caravan, such as a toilet and shower.A caravan is essentially a self-contained house on wheels, with kitchen facilities, beds, seating, storage and some, depending on their size, even have toilets and showers. It has to be towed behind another vehicle.A campervan is a vehicle-and-accommodation package that you drive, but it generally has fewer amenities than a caravan or motorhome – for example, no toilet and shower (unless it’s an outdoors one) – and it is not as big as a caravan or motorhome.It may have a basic kitchen and counter-top, as well as seats that can be moved and folded to become a bed of sorts.There are myriad problems with caravans and camper-trailers and those problems start long before these behemoths turn up at your camp ground to ruin your weekend.The problems start with the drivers.Think about it.Some of these vehicle-and-caravan combinations cost upwards of $200,000 and may weigh in excess of 7000kg. And many of the people who are towing these massive car-and-caravan set-ups actually don’t know how to tow. You don’t need a special licence to tow, or even training or any experience. And people who tow should have to accumulate all of those things before they’re allowed to even think about towing.It takes skill to tow and a lot of these people don’t have any.Best-case scenario, people who tow are annoying; worst-case scenario, they’re downright dangerous. Check out any towing fail videos online and you’ll soon get the idea.Then those same people roll into your camp ground and set up their monstrosity, replete with beds, bathrooms, awnings, chairs, satellite dish, camp kitchen, entertainment area, outdoor shower cubicle, solar panels, dirt-bike trailer, and watercraft storage facility. Not to mention any generators or stereos at full volume.So, what’s the point of travelling away from your home to rough it and have some adventure when you actually take the equivalent of all of your home comforts with you?That’s right, there is no point to it.These recreational road-trains also have a monumental negative impact on natural locations as well because they’re big, heavy and ill-suited to any terrain beyond sealed surfaces, no matter how outlandishly positive the marketing of your “off-road” caravan, camper-trailer or motorhome is.The weight alone is responsible for severe damage to unsealed roads, bush or sandy tracks and combine that with incorrect tyre pressures and the trundling terror behind your 4WD is ripping up the track and ruining it for everyone else.That’s one of the core problems with caravanning: there’s too much stuff. Now you can stay fed and hydrated, heated or cooled, entertained and mollycoddled to your preferred comfortable state of being in the great outdoors. If you have slide-out drawers, a TV, a microwave, a bushy bed and, yes, even the ubiquitous kitchen sink with a stove-top, why should you even bother leaving your house?There's too much technology. How can you enjoy the serenity of the great outdoors when the people in the caravan next door are watching an NRL game at maximum volume on a big-screen TV or blasting Slim Dusty’s greatest hits over their stereo at 9pm?Really, camping should be about small-scale logistics and large-scale fun.Camping in swags, tents, camper-trailers or even caravans should be about enjoying the outdoors in as minimalist a way as you can and without making a fuss.The simpler the better, I reckon. The key is not to overthink, over-plan or over-budget it.One of the great things about camping and caravanning is that you can scale your trip to suit you. The degree of difficulty and discomfort is entirely up to you.Start out small in terms of duration, go on a day trip or an overnighter, and not too far from home to see if you even enjoy camping. Some people simply don’t like it.Start out small in terms of logistics. Just take what you can pack in your car, or if you insist on towing, tow a smallish camper-trailer, just to get a feel for how much skill towing requires. I recommended that you get proper training before you do anything: head to www.tow-ed.edu.au and https://www.getabout.edu.au/Develop your skills, get some experience but, most of all, have fun.

A smaller version of an iconic 4WD is no longer set to be EV-only, as new plans reveal hybrid drivetrain options have become a larger part of JLR’s future.The Land Rover Defender is going to spawn a smaller version of the nameplate, possibly called the Defender Sport if reports including those from Autocar in the UK are accurate.All signs pointed to an EV powertrain for the smaller Defender, based on Jaguar Land Rover’s (JLR) plans to roll out its new Electrified Modular Architecture (EMA) as an EV-exclusive platform, but now the company has shifted strategy to include hybrids.Likely good news to many traditionalists in the JLR customer base, the brand confirmed the new Defender model would indeed go hybrid rather than EV-only.“A new model from the Defender family has been confirmed as the second vehicle to be launched on the EMA platform, which will now include the option of HEV as well as BEV in the future,” JLR said in a statement.According to JLR’s Managing Director for Defender and Discovery, Mark Cameron, plans are already looking well into the future for ‘Defender’, which now stands as a sub-brand rather than a single model under JLR’s ‘House of Brands’ strategy alongside Range Rover, Jaguar and Discovery."We've got a portfolio of one model with several variants,” he told Autocar on his plans for Defender, “but I'm working seven to 10 years ahead to build out this whole brand portfolio."We've got to make sure everything we do as Defender has the DNA of the brand: epic built-to-last, go-anywhere capability."While development is well on its way, details short of the inclusion of hybrid drivetrains in the so-called Defender Sport are scarce.Cameron has said while the new model likely won’t have the same capabilities as a Defender due to the platform’s electrification limitations, the model will still be “class-leading in the attributes that make it a Defender”.Importantly, JLR also has a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Stellantis to work on hybrid technology, which could even result in the new model from Defender sharing some DNA with its historic rival.The new Defender model will be the second to launch on the new EMA platform after the Range Rover brand is to launch a new “full hybrid-electric vehicle.”“The HEV will be a unique new addition to JLR’s propulsion portfolio, offering more choice alongside mild hybrid electric vehicle (MHEV), plug‑in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) and full battery electric vehicle (BEV) options.“JLR will reveal more on its first electric model built on its EMA platform at Halewood, Merseyside, later this year.”

Subaru's newest EV in Australia is its fastest production model yet locally and with more than a sprinkling of all-terrain wagon looks, it's essentially an electric Outback. But how does the Trailseeker fare in the real world?

Nissan’s new mighty 4WD is a step closer to Australia.The Japanese brand revealed production of the current Nissan Y62 Patrol will cease in August, with the Aussie-tuned Premcar versions wrapping up soon after.This draws to a close the Patrol’s V8 era, with the Y62’s 5.6-litre eight-cylinder petrol unit to be replaced by a 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol making 317kW and 700Nm, or 19kW and 140Nm more than before.“The Patrol has been a constant presence in Australian motoring, and the Y62 has played a defining role in that legacy. Its 5.6-litre V8 is part of what has made this generation so beloved by enthusiasts, families and adventurers alike,” said Nissan Oceania Managing Director Steve Milette. “As we look ahead to the all-new to Australia Y63 later this year, the run-out of the Y62 represents a genuine ‘last chance’ moment for Australians who want to add a new V8 Patrol to their garage.”The move to a twin-turbo unit follows the Toyota LandCruiser, which ditched its V8 diesel for a twin-turbo V6 unit when it switched from 200 to 300 Series several years ago.The last V8 Nissan Patrol is likely to draw similar levels of demand to the final LandCruiser 200 Series models, where buyers were quickly on-selling for huge profits.The Y63 Patrol is built on a new platform and is bigger in almost every way. It is now 5205mm long (+35mm), 2030mm wide (+35mm), though the 1955m height remains unchanged.It’s also bigger in the third row, thanks to the rear section and boot being 30 per cent wider than in the Y62.It’s got some hi-tech suspension too, with the new Intelligent Dynamic Suspension system complete with air suspension that can give you another 7cm of lift. This also helps improve approach and departure angles when tackling properly tough terrain.The Y63 Patrol has already been on sale in left-hand-drive markets such as the US and Middle East for some time, but Australia is claimed to be one of the first right-hand-drive countries to get the new model when it arrives late this year.The Y63 Patrol will face a new breed of enemies when it lands.The scope of the large 4WD market has grown beyond the LandCruiser 300 Series to include the Denza B8 plug-in hybrid and incoming models such as the GWM Tank 700 plug-in hybrid and Geely Battleship 700.

Chevrolet has released a substantially upgraded 2027 version of its Silverado 1500 full-size pick-up with the headline change being adoption of the latest, sixth-generation ‘LS6’ version of GM’s small block V8 in 5.7- and 6.6-litre form.GM hasn’t released specs for the 5.7L and 6.6L V8s but dealer and industry reports point to outputs of around 300kW/580Nm and 350kW/680Nm, respectively. Scheduled to hit US showrooms before the end of the year, the new Silverado will continue to offer four powertrain options in North America - the two petrol V8s as well as an “enhanced” version of the 2.7-litre ‘TurboMax’ four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine and the ‘Duramax’ 3.0-litre turbo-diesel inline six-cylinder.The Silverado 1500 is currently sold in Australia in two trim levels - LTZ Premium and ZR2, powered by the now out-moded 6.2-litre ‘EcoTec3’ naturally aspirated petrol V8.In the States the 2027 Silverado will boast seven trims - ZR2, Trail Boss, Custom Trail Boss, Work Truck, Custom, Silverado (formerly LT) and High Country.Introducing the Silverado LS6 engines, GM Executive Chief Engineer Mark Dickens said, “We pushed these engines through an extensive testing and validation process to make sure they deliver the durability, capability and dependability Silverado customers expect.”The LS6 engine debuted in the Corvette earlier this year in 6.7-litre (400kW/705Nm) form and the Silverado powerplants will be produced at GM’s Flint Engine Operations centre in Michigan as well as its Tonawanda Propulsion plant in New York State and the St. Catharines Propulsion facility just over the border in Ontario, Canada.As well as the new under-bonnet hardware the updated Silverado features a revised exterior with a new nose treatment incorporating LED headlights, tweaked LED tail-lights, chunkier wheel arch fenders and rocker panels as well as a standard dual exhaust (on Custom grade and above).Inside, the revised dash is highlighted by a new “edge-to-edge display” comprising a 16.3-inch central media display and a 12.2-inch digital instrument screen.A head-up display and 11.5-inch front passenger screen are standard on the ZR2 and High Country.The Z71 package will now be standard on 4WD models in the US, including skid plates, hill descent control and off-road suspension.When contacted for comment on potential local launch timing for the new Silverado a GM Australia & New Zealand spokesperson told CarsGuide, “Whilst we are excited by the news of the next generation Silverado, currently we have no announcements to make on future models for the ANZ region.”

If there’s one thing we should have learned from COVID-19 lockdowns is that it’s important to take your fun seriously, and take it when you can. And perhaps that explains why sales of Isuzu’s N-Series 4X4 light trucks exploded during and just after the pandemic and continue to be strong performers right now.While the N-Series generally is this country’s best selling light truck (by a country mile) the 4X4 versions have a special appeal to the emergency services and mining and other industries in situations where a 4X4 dual-cab ute just won’t cut it. But if you venture into the Aussie outback right now, you’ll also see a swarm of 4X4 light trucks with specialist camper bodies bolted on to form a genuine go-anywhere alternative to a dual-cab ute or conventional four-wheel-drive and caravan combination. It seems the adventure travellers, grey nomads and plenty of other civilians have figured out the magic of the 4X4 light truck.But there’s still a bit of mystery around these vehicles. Questions like how hard are they to park, what do they cost, are they a chore to drive and, what ones can I drive on a car licence? So let’s dive in and tackle the three most popular N-Series 4X4s to get some answers.The simplest form of the N-Series all-wheel drive is the NMS which has a Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) of 4500kg and, therefore, can be driven on a normal car licence. With a 3.0-litre turbo-diesel and a nine-speed dual-clutch transmission, it runs part-time 4WD.Fundamentally, this is a derivative of the sort of trucks many countries (notably Japan where Isuzu is based) use commercially as snow-ploughs and similar. While the 4WD grip is necessary, extra ground clearance and super-low gear ratios are not, so the NMS has neither of those things.As a result, it’s a bit limited off road where the sump will eventually bottom out and it will run out of gearing on really steep stuff. That said, the nine-speed dual-clutch has a very low first gear, so it’s better at climbing hills than you might imagine.A much better alternative, however, is either the NPS or NQS which also get a two-speed transfer-case for those low ratios, as well as bigger wheels and tyres and a higher ride height for – frankly – brutal off-road ability. The engine is broadly the same as the NMS’ including the 3.0-litre engine.The catch is, however, that the standard 6500kg GVM means you need an endorsed licence to legally drive them. But Isuzu has a solution for that. With what amounts to a stroke of the pen, Isuzu can sell you an NPS or NQS with an official GVM of 4500kg, and suddenly, anybody with a car licence can join in the fun.The flip-side is that your payload falls by that same 2000kg difference, but if you specify the truck carefully with regard to what you add and leave off, you can squeak in under the GVM limit. And if you need more payload in the future for a bigger camper or more water tanks or whatever, Isuzu can re-rate the vehicle to the full 6500kg GVM while you get your licence endorsed.Of those two vehicles, the NQS probably represents the best choice for recreational users thanks to its nine-speed dual-clutch transmission that just makes life simpler in a big vehicle like this one. The NPS has a conventional six-speed manual with a very low first gear, but it’s another thing to deal with off-road and the shift is far from the slickest passenger car version of the same thing.You also miss out on a lot of safety kit in the manual variant. Things like autonomous emergency braking (AEB), lane-departure warning, electronic brake force distribution and adaptive cruise control (all standard on the dual-clutch NQS) are missing from the NPS.As it stands, The NPS gets anti-lock brakes and stability and traction controls, but that’s about it for electronic help. And in other aspects, all N-Series trucks fall short of passenger-car expectations. While you get a pair of front airbags and side intrusion bars in the front doors, the seat-belt for the centre-front passenger is a lap-only deal and pretensioners are only fitted to the two outside (three-point) belts.You can improve this situation by checking the 'Technology Pack' option box which adds a camera system, and tyre pressure monitoring and an alarm, but overall, the truck world has some catching up to do here. Perhaps the industry is relying on the truck’s inherent mass and height advantage over passenger vehicles to take care of crash safety. Either way, the Isuzu in any of its forms has not been independently crash tested, so there’s no star-rating available.The N-Series trucks we’re dealing with here all have a crew-cab option which ups the seating layout to six (four across the back seat). The cabins themselves feature a fair bit of hard plastic surfacing but the bigger touchscreens and more modern instrument layouts have helped make the interior feel more contemporary and less like a rent-a-truck.There’s a single 24-volt power outlet (the N-Series runs on 24 volts, not 12) and a single USB charge-port, but the real genius is in the storage options that include overhead spaces, door pockets, cupholder and extra cubbies you’ll still be finding weeks into the future.The switchgear is logically laid out, but a steering column that prevents left-foot braking further hinders familiarity at the wheel.The driving experience is pretty alien with your backside perched over the front axle and hectares of glass giving an amazing forward view (critical when off-roading). The ride is a bit sharp thanks to the load-carrying spring rates, but with a load on board, it’ll be much better. It’s not terrible as it is, but you will feel the bumps.That said, it’s the N-Series’ ability to handle those bumps that makes it a bit special. It climbs hills with ease and the dual rear tyres offer plenty of grip. Add some more off-road oriented rubber and it’d be even more formidable.The big question comes down to whether the Isuzu fits two things - your budget and the average bush track. The former is down to your bank account and at $75,814 for the NMS, $103,206 for the NPS and $111,315 for the NQS (all single-cab, tray-backs) these are not expensive compared with a brand-new LandCruiser 300 Series and a $150,000 of-road caravan (that won’t go where the Isuzu with a camper body will) but still not cheap vehicles.Then there’s the operating environment. Australia’s bush tracks have been shaped for the last five or six decades by old-school Land Rovers and LandCruisers. As such, they can be a bit narrow in places for an Isuzu N-Series and that may limit things in some situations. It’s not the end of the world, but something to keep in mind. Ditto underground parking stations.Isuzu’s warranty on the N-Series is three years or 150,000km which is off the pace compared with cars, but mainstream for the truck industry. Service intervals are every 12 months or 20,000km and there’s three years of roadside assistance. Servicing plans are available with a range of inclusions from basic maintenance to full packages that cover everything from wheel bearings to tail-light globes.

If you have your heart set on a ute but can’t decide what to buy, the range of choices available nowadays is mind-boggling.But a lot of the utes on offer cost more than $60,000.So, what’s available with a sub-$60,000 price-tag and may actually be a good buy for you?Here’s our guide to budget-friendly workhorses.Warning: you don’t get champagne on a beer budget and that’s fine because lots of people (including me) prefer beer anyway. The point is: when you’re shopping in the cheaper part of the market you have to be prepared to make some compromises on quality, ride and handling and overall drivability, and ultimately accept that there’ll always be trade-offs – sometimes minor and sometimes not so minor.(Note: For the purpose of this yarn we’ll focus on dual-cab 4WD utes as they offer the most flexibility in terms of passenger- and gear-carrying functionality ... and because I want to focus on them.)Read on.This top-spec Tunland has plenty of standard features for the price, is adequately capable off-road and offers a reasonable driving experience all-round.It has a 2.0L four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine (120kW/450Nm), a 48V mild-hybrid system, a reasonably calibrated off-road traction control system, and front and rear diff locks.The engine and eight-speed auto transmission produce a sluggish driving experience on sealed surfaces, and it feels underpowered, but the set-up works better at low-speed 4WDing more than anything else.If you plan to do anything beyond formed trails in dry weather than think about swapping out the showroom-standard Giti 4x4 AT71 tyres (265/70R18 116T) for some more-aggressive all-terrain tyres.Towing capacity? 3500kg.Foton Australia offers a limited range of accessories for the Tunland (including tonneau covers, roof platforms and towbar kits) but the Australian aftermarket industry is more than capable of kitting you out with everything you’ll need for your Tunland and there’s gear across all price points to suit every budget.The Musso has an impressive features list, is a capable 4WD, and yields a decent driving experience on sealed and unsealed surfaces.And with the optional XLV pack, it gets a longer wheelbase (110mm extra), a 300mm longer tub and 90kg of extra payload over the standard Musso (880kg rather than 790kg).It has a 2.2L four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine (133kW/420Nm), a six-speed automatic transmission, part-time 4x4 and an auto-locking rear differential.This is a rather sluggish ute and the powertrain is not particularly efficient, but the Aisin auto is a reliable, well-proven transmission and the Musso does well with what it has.Towing capacity? 3500kg.KGM Australia offers a range of accessories for the Musso (including hard lids, ladder rack kits and “premium” underbody protection) and if you can’t find what you want in KGM genuine accessories, then you can always tap into the lively Aussie aftermarket sector.The top-shelf Cannon XSR is the most capable 4WD of this bunch and – coming in at a little more than $50,000 drive-away (nationwide, at time of writing) – you get a lot for your money.This ute has a 2.4-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine (135kW/480Nm), twin lockers, a snorkel, underbody protection and Cooper Discoverer AT3 all-terrain tyres – so it is set up for off-road adventure straight off the showroom floor.And it does perform well off-road.The engine and nine-speed auto is a tractable pairing and well suited to the demands of 4WDing, easily able to muster and harness more than enough power and torque on- and off-road when needed – although it does exhibit pronounced lag at times and that auto can be patchy during daily driving duties.Towing capacity? 3000kg.GWM Australia and New Zealand has a variety of accessories (including bull bars, tow bars, and canopies) and if GWM doesn’t have what you want, Australia’s well-stocked aftermarket sector will likely be able to sort you out as soon as humanly possible.More a lifestyle ute than a 4WD ute, the BYD Shark 6 has rattled the market’s cage with its blend of premium features, refinement and all-round driveability. At $57,990 (excluding on-road costs), this ute offers a lot in an appealing package.The Shark has a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder plug-in hybrid system* (321kW/650Nm), a 30kWh battery and, in basic terms, the petrol engine — and regen braking — feed power into that battery during general driving. It has a single-speed reduction gear/dedicated hybrid transmission, which enables electric-only driving and hybrid operation, switching between modes based on throttle demand and battery level.(* Note: The new Shark 6 Performance will have a 2.0-litre turbocharged engine and dual electric motors, claimed to deliver total outputs of 350kW and 700Nm.)Worth noting here is that the Shark does not have 4WD, it has an all-wheel drive system split between the front and rear, and Drive modes include Eco, Normal and Sport and Terrain modes include Sand, Snow, Mud and Mountain.But this Shark 6 is actually impressive off-road, as long as it’s driven within its scope of capability: light to moderate off-road conditions — that is, if possible, stick to well-maintained dirt tracks in dry weather; do not take on any ‘4WD/high ground clearance only' tracks, prolonged sand-driving or rock-crawling.Towing capacity? 2500kg.BYD Australia offers a range of accessories (including “deluxe” bull bars, roof racks, and suspension upgrade kits) and if they don’t stock what you want/need, feel free to buy through the Aussie aftermarket.The other brands on this list are still in their relative infancy in this country – compared to established car-makers in Australia, such as Toyota et al – and there are lingering concerns about after-sales service (or lack thereof), availability of parts, and long-term reliability with these newer brands that have to be taken into account.There are no such concerns with Mitsubishi or its well-proven Triton.While a Premcar-developed Raider ($74,990 drive-away) would be the pick of the Tritons, a less expensive GLX-R Is on the cards here.This ute has 2.4-litre four-cylinder bi-turbo diesel engine (150kW/470Nm), a six-speed automatic transmission and, while it is comfortably mid-range in terms of price, it gets the higher-spec variants’ Super Select II 4WD, an impressive legacy set-up, which enables this ute to be driven in all-wheel drive mode (and centre-diff unlocked), so it’s safe to use on high-traction sealed surfaces.This engine, auto and Super Select II 4WD is an impressive combination – smooth, nimble and torquey – and offers a decent all-round driving experience on- and off-road.Towing capacity is 3500kg.Out of this five-strong mob of utes, the Triton is the best in terms of value for money, baked-in brand trust, parts availability, and ultimately resale value.Bonus: there are plenty of aftermarket accessories (OEM or otherwise) available for the Triton.

There is a tough new three-row plug-in hybrid SUV from China that could be headed to Australia.The Jetour G700 has been teased by on social media ahead of its appearance at the Kuala Lumpur International Motor Shaw. The Jetour brand has already been confirmed for Australia and is scheduled to arrive early next year, but there is no news yet on whether the G700 will be one of its models at launch.Jetour will not fall under the Chery name in Australia, despite being a sub-brand, and will be its own operation.The G700 will be available in right-hand drive for Malaysia, which increases its chances for Australia in the future.It would line up against the Denza B8 ($91,000, before on-road costs) and GWM Tank 500 ($79,000, drive-away) plug-in hybrid 4WDs.It would also tackle more established 4WDs, the Nissan Patrol and Toyota LandCruiser.It is powered by a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine and electric-motor set-up, producing a whopping 665kW and 1135Nm, so it can shift from 0-100km/h in less than five seconds. There is a 34kWh battery, with an electric-only driving range of 150km, according to more lenient CLTC standards. With a fully-charged battery and brimmed tank, total driving range sits at 1148km on more accurate WLTP standards. DC charging at 170kW takes just 10 minutes for a 30 to 80 per cent boost.The G700 has an overall boxy look, including a rectangular-encased headlight design and flat roofline. The car gets a suite of high-end luxury features, simialr to other Chinese large SUVs. On the inside, there is a panoramic dashboard display measuring at 35.4-inches, along with a 15.6-inch central touchscreen. A 17.3-inch rear screen folds out from the roof for rear passenger entertainment, while an 8.8-inch touchscreen controls the climate.The G700 is priced in China from just under the equivalent of $70,000, but expect it to be more than the $80,000 mark if it comes Down Under, which will put it in close proximity to other rivals. 

Want to know a secret? It's possible to buy a big US-style ute without spending big US-style ute cash. The 2026 Foton Tunland is under six metres long and costs under $50,000. The top-grade Tunland has a 2.0L four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine, a 48V mild-hybrid system, front and rear diff locks and a stack of standard features. But is this budget-friendly workhorse too good to be true?

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.