Industry news

Mitsubishi is soon releasing the Australian-fettled Triton Raider and if it’s a success the Japanese brand claims there’s room for something above – perhaps with Ralliart in the name.Mitsubishi Australia General Manager Product Strategy and Product Public Relations Bruce Hampel said the Japanese carmaker has many iconic sub-brands, including Ralliart, but for the time being is trying to build the brand name with the Triton Raider.“We’ve positioned this vehicle above the GSR. I guess with the rally raid theme is really what we to pursue and that really helped us inform the Raider naming for this particular variant,” said Hampel.“It’s really our first foray we’re breaking new ground for Mitsubishi in that higher price bracket compact pick-up segment, which is quite extensive in the Australian market.”It’s worth noting that Mitsubishi offered the limited-production Triton Xtreme in 2023, which was co-developed by Walkinshaw. It’s still the most expensive new Triton to date at $71,990 before on-road costs.“So we’re really seeing how goes, how well we’ve managed to deliver the customer needs and how well that’s resonating with them,” added Hampel.“The goal is ultimately to build the brand and pull on our heritage, and part of that is the history we have with our sub-brands in the Australian market.“And if successful then, yes, we’ll continue taking the next step.”Ralliart is an iconic, high-performance sub-brand for the Mitsubishi brand that has its roots in rally racing.The Ralliart name is still affixed to certain, range-topping versions of the Japanese carmaker’s vehicles.The last Mitsubishi model offered in Australia with a Ralliart badge was the Lancer in 2015. Sitting below the Evolution, it was powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine that’s mated with a six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and sent drive through an all-wheel drive system.There have been many versions of the Triton Ralliart offered in other markets across many generations now, however they have largely been decals and aesthetic packages.There is demand for souped-up dual-cab utes in Australia, particularly stirred up by the Ford Ranger Raptor with its 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol engine.The forthcoming Triton Raider has been developed in partnership with Melbourne-based engineering and manufacturing firm, Premcar.Although the 2.4-litre bi-turbo diesel engine doesn’t produce any more power or torque, the suspension and tyre package has been tweaked to make this Triton more capable on- and off-road. There are also tougher looks.Using the model year 2026 (MY26) version of the Triton GSR as a base, the Raider gains Yamaha horizontally mounted dampers to further reduce noise, vibration and harshness (NVH).There’s a unique front and rear suspension damper package with the front damper gaining an internal rebound spring to create more wheel control on a variety of surfaces.Other tweaks include 18-inch ROH ‘Assault’ alloy wheels finished in a unique brushed bronze finish that are wrapped in Bridgestone AT002 all-terrain tyres.As a result of the suspension and tyre package, there is a 25mm ride height increase at the front, 10mm ride height increase at the rear and 20mm wider track width.Matching the brushed bronze alloys, there are a range of exterior highlights and decals with the same finish. Additionally there are upgraded side protection bars, underbody protection and a sports bar with unique red highlights.Inside the Triton Raider receives black leather upholstery with orange stitching and Raider branding embroidered into the front headrests. There’s also a Raider badge fitted on the centre console.At this stage Mitsubishi hasn’t detailed pricing for the Triton Raider, though it is likely to be more than the current flagship GSR trim, which is priced at $65,590 before on-road costs.This means the Triton Raider could be closer to $70,000 before on-road costs.

A cut-price 'badass' new four-wheel drive is drawing near.Nissan has confirmed its new Xterra 4WD, which Nissan America boss Christian Meunier labelled “badass” on social media.Word is the Japanese brand is targeting a sub-$40,000 price tag in the US, or circa-$56,000 in Aussie dollars.Nissan has promised the Xterra will be a no-nonsense 4WD, which will be underpinned by a ladder frame to boost off-road performance.“The Xterra represents the DNA of Nissan: affordable, durable and high quality,” Meunier told Automotive News.“We don’t want to over-engineer it and make it overly complicated or expensive.“We’re going to give our Nissan customers everything they need, nothing they don’t,” he said.It’ll likely use V6 petrol or V6 hybrid power. This will be different from the brand’s 'e-Power' hybrid technology found in the Qashqai and X-Trail SUVs, which use the engine purely as a generator to charge the battery while electric motors drive the wheels.Bad news is it will be built in the US for the North American market, at least for now.It is based on the US-market Frontier ute, which is different from our Navara and the coming China-sourced Frontier Pro dual-cabs.But that’s not the end of the story. CarsGuide understands the Chinese-market Frontier Pro will feed a similar 4WD SUV for Asia-Pacific markets.This means Australia should still get a chunky off-roader to challenge the Toyota Prado and incoming Mitsubishi Pajero.It would pack plug-in hybrid punch, with a 1.5-litre, four-cylinder, turbo-petrol engine and an electric motor combo producing 300kW and 800Nm.This would put it on a collision course with BYD’s new Denza B5 4WD.

China’s GWM is pushing hard to localise its cars for markets around the world and Europe will be its latest attempt.As reported by Reuters, GWM plans to launch at least 10 new models in Europe over the next two years, marking a major push.The Chinese carmaker has had middling success in Europe to date since its latest relaunch in 2021 at the Munich motor show.It reportedly plans to expand its European operations and commence sales in 13 additional European markets over the next year. It currently operates in nine European countries.“We don't want to be the loser in any market in the world,” said GWM International President Parker Shi to Reuters.“We'll come back and ⁠we will go with the right product."GWM will launch the Ora 5 small SUV in Europe by mid-2026. Globally it’s offered with petrol, hybrid and electric power and it appears all three options will be on offer in Europe.The Ora 5 was recently confirmed for an Australian launch, but it will only be offered with electric power at launch.Following the Ora 5, GWM plans to launch the Jolion Max and H7 SUVs in Europe. The latter appears to be an updated version of what’s currently on sale in Australia.It’s unclear what the other GWM models set for a European launch will be at this stage.A key reason for why GWM is making a European push is because its Chinese vehicle sales are plateauing. It will also help it achieve its global goal to double overseas sales to one million vehicles by the end of 2030.As previously reported, the Chinese carmaker plans to build a European production facility with an annual production capacity of 300,000 vehicles. A location still hasn’t been locked in yet, but it will reportedly be up and running by 2029.In Australia GWM is the longest-standing Chinese carmaker with continual sales since 2009. Amidst a Chinese carmaker influx, its Australian sales have gone from strength to strength over the last few years.In the first three months of 2026 GWM has sold a total of 14,878 vehicles, which is up 28.5 per cent year-on-year.GWM isn’t stopping here as it has rolled out a local ride and handling program on the Haval H6 which was headed up by former Holden engineer Rob Trubiani.Dubbed AT-1, this local ride and handling program will be rolled out to more GWM products in the future.

Hyundai has recalled thousands of examples of its Kona, Tucson, Santa Fe, Palisade and Ioniq 9 SUVs, as well as the Sonata sedan.It affects 3445 units for the 2025 model year in relation to a software issue with the digital driver display, according to a notice from the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications Sports and the Arts. “Due to a software issue, the Instrument Panel Cluster (IPC) may fail to illuminate the visual vehicle speed, fuel level and other critical safety information,” the notice reads.“A loss of safety system warnings whilst driving, could increase the risk of an accident causing injury or death to vehicle occupants, other road users and bystanders.”A spokesperson for Hyundai Australia said there have been no reported instances of the issue in Australia.The brand will contact owners of affected vehicles to arrange an appointment to rectify the issue via a software update. If the vehicle is Bluelink enabled, the update will be delivered automatically over-the-air (OTA).Hyundai has had a solid start to 2026, with models such as the Kona and Tucson some of the most popular SUVs in Australia currently. The brand recently recalled nearly 5000 examples of its Ioniq and Kona EVs earlier this month. 

The Blue Oval's hero Pony car is back... again.Ford announced the return of the Mustang Dark Horse to Australia this year with a limited run of 500 units.This year’s version of the range-topping V8-powered beast can also be had with a 'T8-Spec Pack', which is a collaboration with V8 Supercars’ Triple Eight Race Engineering. This is limited to just 250 units.Ford’s marketing boss Ambrose Henderson said the T8-Spec brings a new level of track-focused ability to the Mustang.At the Dark Horse’s core is the 5.0-litre V8 engine making 350kW and 550Nm.The Dark Horse T8-Spec is manual-only and is priced at $138,888, before on-road costs, which is a big chunk more than the $104,990 regular Dark Horse. The standard version can be had with a manual or automatic transmission.For the extra spend T8-Spec Pack buyers get a range of performance and cosmetic upgrades.This includes 19-inch alloys wheels, which are fatter at the rear and shod with Pirelli P Zero Trofeo RS tyres.There is a large rear spoiler with blue accents and an “enhanced” front splitter that Ford said is supplied separately and not fitted to the vehicle as it can only be used on track and not on public roads.A beefed up suspension features stiffer springs and roll bars and adjustable top mounts, which Ford claims provides sharper steering response and increased stability,It comes with numerous exterior highlights including Triple Eight branding, black roof, blue Brembo brakes and bonnet decals.Inside, there are Recaro sports seats with indigo-coloured bolsters, Triple Eight branded scuff plates, a new gear shift knob and a build plate.The T8-Spec Pack is installed in Melbourne.Buyers of the T8-Spec Pack will also be invited to an exclusive track experience at Queensland Raceway in 2027.Triple Eight Race Engineering Managing Director Jamie Whincup said the T8-Spec allows the team to apply its race winning expertise and apply it to the road.“We are looking forward to meeting these 250 passionate customers at Queensland Raceway and showing them exactly what this vehicle is capable of in a track environment," he said.

Leapmotor’s B05 small electric hatch has been approved for Australia, according to Federal government documents seen by CarsGuide.Just six months after its Munich motor show debut, the Leapmotor B05 has now been cleared to land in Australia where it will rival the MG4 and BYD Dolphin.The Australian Federal Government Road vehicles standards website published approval details on April 20 of a vehicle made by Leapmotor with the “marketing designation” B05. Publishing the approvals notices is the normal transparent process for all imported vehicles and typically indicates that a model will soon arrive in Australia. The document also lists some details which help us find out in advance a few specifications of the upcoming vehicle.   According to the published approval documents the vehicle is fully electric with a 160kW motor;  it’s a four door, five-seater measuring 4430mm in length; and has multi-link rear suspension.That 160kW output is identical to the power produced by the two other electric models Leapmotor currently sells in Australia - B10 small SUV and C10 mid-sized SUVWhile the B10 and C10 are both SUVs the B05 is a small hatchback and Leapmotor boasts that it has a 50:50 weight distribution and that even balance is a good sign the car will be fun to drive.Ahead of the B05’s debut in Munich Leapmotor’s vice president Cia Li said the car would be a “gift” for young people  "We want to build a dream car for young people who refuse to settle, conform, or be ordinary!" Li said.Leapmotor has been in Australia since late 2025 arriving first with the C10 mid-size SUV. Since then the brand has added the B10 small SUV and a hybrid version of the C10 to its local line-up.Pricing is yet to be announced for the B05 but Leapmotor will likely price it to be competitive with the MG4 which starts at $37,990 driveaway and extends to $55,990 for the top grade.

Mitsubishi has confirmed its new flagship large SUV, which will likely be called Pajero, will be in Australian showrooms by the end of 2026.Mitsubishi Australia General Manager Product Strategy and Product Public Relations Bruce Hampel said the company will be able to provide more information regarding this car around the middle to third quarter of 2026, which is understood to be when it’ll be revealed globally.“We have vehicles in Australia at the moment,” said Hampel, noting that CarsGuide was one of the first to spy camouflaged prototypes on public roads late last year.“So we have them conducting validation testing in various locations around Australia. And again, that’s another proof point of the importance of Australian market to the MMC company that they’re coming out here and they’re evaluating the vehicle in our environment and conditions.“With the product though, we’re at the mercy of the global reveal for the program. We are one market of many for this very important product for Mitsubishi.”Hampel notes that an Australian global reveal of this new flagship SUV was under consideration at some point, however it will happen in Japan.“It’s a very important product for the Japanese market and that’s its pride and joy. So I think the final decision was to have the global launch in Japan,” said Hampel.As previously reported, it’s understood this new Pajero Sport successor will be dropping the Sport suffix altogether, therefore reviving the original Pajero nameplate for the first time since it was retired in 2021.Speculation indicates the new Pajero will be based on the underpinnings of the current Triton ute, likely meaning it’ll also feature a version of its 2.4-litre bi-turbo-diesel engine.In terms of styling, previous prototypes have shown it’ll have a big, boxy and bluff silhouette. From some angles it even looks like the Nissan Patrol Y63.Although we haven’t seen the design in full yet, it’s expected to feature a large grille, headlights that cascade down the front fascia, plus prominent bonnet bulges.At the rear there is no tailgate-mounted spare wheel, likely meaning it’ll be mounted under the vehicle.The interior design is yet to be revealed though it will likely share a lot with the Triton. Five- and seven-seat configurations are likely.

There is a new limited edition Range Rover Sport, which has just been announced in Australia. With only 25 units available for the car, it will start from $233,200 (before on-road costs). This means it is roughly $6000 cheaper than the previous cheapest V8 variant of the car. The ‘Twenty’ Edition is to celebrate 20 years of the Range Rover Sport. It shapes up as a rival for the V8-powered BMW X5 M60i and M Competition, with price tags of $177,900 and $247,800 (before on-road costs). It also takes on other high-end luxury performance SUVs such as the Audi SQ7 and the Porsche Cayenne, which are also nearer to the $200K mark. The most noticeable changes come elsewhere in the car, with it offered in exclusive ‘Ostuni’ white and ‘Santorini’ black paint options.It also includes a blacked out exterior package to give the car a sleek and stealthy look. There are 23-inch wheels finished in a glossy silver featuring a ‘Twenty’ etching, along with other branding such as on the treadplates and the centre console. On the inside, there are forged carbon veneers and a black suedecloth headlining, while the high-quality leather seats have been lifted out of the up-spec SV variant.It will be powered by Land Rover’s 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 engine, producing 390kW and 750Nm. This is the same amount of power as in the base V8 Sport variant, which can shift from 0-100km/h in under five seconds. The Range Rover Sport was first introduced in 2005 and is now in its third generation. During its time on the sales charts, the car has been part of several high-profile stunts, such as the 999 steps to Heaven’s Gate in China back in 2020. The ‘Twenty’ Edition is available for order now. 

BYD’s Atto 3 mid-sized SUV is getting a cabin redesign which will have a more conservative look resembling the interiors of the rest of the model’s in the brand’s line-up according to leaked spy images.The spy shots surfaced in China and show a more toned-down cabin in the Atto 3 with the curved and free-flowing feel of the current model’s dashboard replaced with horizontal lines that bring a broader, more refined look.Gone, too, are the quirky, circular elements with the rotating interior door handles replaced by more conventional pull type. The gill-like central air vent design has been switched to regular slat styling and fans of the guitar-string door pockets will be sad to hear they're now gone in favour of regular plastic-moulded versions.BYD will likely launch a new version of the Atto 3 in China next month. Along with this redesigned interior the vehicle will also have new-generation batteries along with rear-wheel drive variants.Whether or not this Atto 3 from the spy images will be sold in Australia is not clear.What appears more likely is that Australia will get the version of the Atto 3 which went on sale this month in the United Kingdom. Known as the Atto 3 Evo it's an updated version which has the same cabin as our current car but with overhauled engineering - the biggest change being a switch from front-wheel drive to rear- and all-wheel drive.A larger 74.8kWh battery in the Atto 3 Evo gives a longer driving range of 510km and 800V architecture allows DC changing at up to 220kW. Australia’s current Atto 3 is offered only in FWD with two batteries - the largest being 60.48kWh with a maximum DC charging rate of 88kW.Power output is also much higher in the UK versions with the top grade producing up to 330kW. The most powerful Australian Atto 3 variant makes 150kW. CarsGuide reached out to BYD Australia for clarity regarding which Atto 3 would arrive locally - the Evo sold in the UK or the Chinese Atto 3 with redesigned cabin - but was told it was too early to speculate.Given the approval compliance documents for the import of a BYD Atto 3 with an output of 330kW were published in February this year on the Australian Federal Government's road vehicles standards website it appears likely the Evo is coming here soon. 

Nissan is still on the road to financial recovery and it’s looking for ways to strategically beef up its model line-up, especially as emission regulations crunch, without adding more complexity and cost.The Japanese carmaker already has a long-standing relationship with Dongfeng to produce Nissan models for the Chinese market.Highlight models include the Frontier Pro plug-in hybrid ute, N7 large battery electric (EV) sedan, N6 plug-in hybrid (PHEV) sedan, as well as the recently launched NX8 EV and range-extender (REEV) SUV among others.As a result, Nissan is looking to export these Chinese-produced vehicles to a number of markets and Australia could very soon be on the menu. For our market the Frontier Pro and N7 have been earmarked, followed by the NX8.Nothing is confirmed, but we got the chance to drive the Chinese-specification Nissan N6, N7 and NX8 on a closed test track in Japan.First let’s discuss the NX8, which is the newest of the bunch. While it’s offered with EV and REEV (Range Extender Electric Vehicle) powertrains in China, we were only able to sample the former.It’s powered by a single, rear-mounted electric motor that produces 250kW and 310Nm that’s fed by an 81kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery. It’s worth noting a smaller 73kWh battery pack is also offered.Claimed range in the model tested is up to 630km, according to lenient CLTC testing. The battery operates on an 800V electrical architecture, allowing a 10 to 80 per cent charge in only 12 minutes.While the NX8 is around the same size as the Pathfinder, which has been axed locally, it only offers five seats. This means there’s plenty of space inside including a sizable boot.A main focus of this large SUV is tech. There is a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster that is complimented by a dual 15.6-inch touchscreens – one in the centre and another for the front passenger.There’s also plenty of flashy bling on the outside, highlighted mainly by the bold lighting signatures that are dynamic and can change. It’s a cool touch but I doubt this would be offered in Australia.While it was hard to get a proper read on the NX8’s driving dynamics on our one-lap test drive, it’s clear this car is aimed at China. It has an isolated cabin feel with soft suspension and light steering.However, Nissan claims this car is focused on offering dynamics and with 250kW/310Nm it has enough punch to get along at a decent pace.Next up is the N7, which was the first model to be based on the so-called 'Tianyan' architecture. Compared to the NX8, however, the N7 is powered by a single, front-mounted electric motor that produces 200kW and 305Nm.This is fed by a 73kWh LFP battery that allows for a claimed range of 625km, according to lenient CLTC testing. A smaller 58kWh LFP battery and less-powerful motor combination is also offered in China.Like the NX8, the N7 has a clean design with flashy tech inside and out. It’s clearly identifiable as Chinese due to the ultra-minimal look and lack of physical switchgear.Driving this electric sedan it similarly feels isolated inside the cabin and even on middle undulations requires a number of body movements to settle. If the N7 does come to Australia it will likely require some form of suspension re-tune to handle our rougher roads.Lastly there’s the N6 PHEV sedan which is arguably the ugly duckling of the trio. It’s the most affordable model of the trio in China. Its starting price is ¥94,900 (~A$19,400) – and it looks like it from the outside.While the N7 and NX8 have at least some form of edge and presence in terms of design, the N6’s silhouette is rather plain with no defined character. One element that adds to this is the small wheels not filling the wheel arches properly. It cheapens the look.From a driving perspective, the N6’s focus is efficiency. It features a PHEV powertrain marrying together a 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with an electric motor that’s fed by a 21.1kWh LFP battery.Nissan claims this allows for up to 180km of electric range and once you run out of charge you’ll achieve 2.79L/100km, both according to lenient CLTC. We’ll have to wait and see whether these figures are accurate in the real world.The majority of driving in the N6 is done by the electric motor, however from around 50-60km/h in hybrid mode, the petrol engine turns on the assist. While you can’t feel it turn on, its presence can be heard in the cabin.Like the N7 and NX8, the driving experience in the N6 is floaty and distinctly Chinese-feeling. It’s made worse as the skinny Linglong tyres screech easily in the bends.While Nissan hasn’t officially confirmed any of these Chinese-made models for Australia just yet, they can’t come soon enough.The Japanese carmaker currently only offers one EV in Australia, the Ariya mid-size SUV. It has indefinitely delayed the introduction of the new-generation Leaf small electric SUV and there are no plans to launch the new, European-focused Juke EV.This leaves Nissan stuck between a rock and a hard place as the brand is already facing fines of over $10 million thanks to the Australian government’s New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES), which penalises carmakers for selling vehicles producing emissions in excess of CO2 targets which become stricter every year.Hopefully Nissan can make a decision on whether to introduce at least some of these EV or PHEV models soon as many legacy carmakers are ramping up their EV and PHEV offerings Down Under to reduce their fleet CO2 emissions.If these Chinese-made Nissans do launch locally, pricing will be a key factor as many Chinese brands are highly competitive in this space.For now, however, watch this space.