Luxury

Audi has announced prices for the new-generation A5, which has landed in Australia with a completely new design and armed with the latest technology, but its arrival means the end of era.The pressure is piling on Audi with the brand discontinuing its internal combustion variants of the A4 and putting all its faith in the new-gen A5 to compete against BMW's 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz’s C-Class. Just to add to the pressure it is also understood this A5 may well be the last version fitted with an internal combustion engine. So this new generation A5 could be a significant one, possibly the last of its kind.With that in mind let’s look at the just-released A5 pricing. The A5 Sedan kicks off the range at $79,900 and steps up to  $114,900 for the sporty S5 sedan. A wagon bodystyle or Avant will only be offered in the S5 grade and for $117,900. A special Edition One of both the S5 sedan and S5 Avant will also be offered at launch for $99,900 and $102,900, respectively.The A5 now begins at about $10,000 less than before, but it's also $8000 more expensive than the previous entry fee into the outgoing A4.Standard features on the A5 sedan include 19-inch alloy wheels, Matrix LED headlights, proximity unlocking, a power tailgate with gesture control, sport seats with leather upholstery power adjustable driver’s seat, heated front seats, three-zone climate control, a 14.5-inch OLED media display and an 11.9-inch digital instrument cluster, there’s also Apple CarPlay Android Auto and wireless phone charging.Powering the A5 Sedan is a turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine making 150kW and 340Nm with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.Stepping up to the S5 brings more standard features including 20-inch alloy wheels with red brake calipers, Matrix LED headlights with digital OLED tail lights and privacy glass. Coming standard inside is Nappa leather upholstery with diamond stitching, heated and ventilated front seats with massaging function, there are also here heated second row outboard seats, a heated steering wheel, a head-up display ambient lighting, a Bang & Olufsen sound system and a 10.9-inch media display for the front passenger.The S5 Edition 1 comes with extra features including black 19-inch alloy wheels with a five-spoke design, S exterior styling with black elements and gray Audi ring badging, while inside there are heated sports front seats with integrated headrests, stainless steel pedals, a flat top- and bottomed steering wheel, plus microfiber accents and S embroidery throughout the cabin.The S5 is powered by a 270kW/550Nm six-cylinder turbo petrol engine and has Audi's quattro all-wheel drive system delivered through a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. The S5 also comes with sports suspension with adjustable dampers and a brisk acceleration time with 0 to 100km/h done and dusted in 4.5 seconds. Audi Australia Director Jeff Mannering says the new A5 is a combination of innovation and performance.“The introduction of the new Audi A5 and S5 range highlights our dedication to delivering innovation, luxury, and performance. These vehicles epitomise Audi’s progressive spirit, setting new standards within the premium segment and offering Australian customers a truly compelling proposition in terms of technology, design, and dynamic driving experience.”

A message has appeared on the dashboard of my 2018 Jaguar F-Pace 2.5 Sport: Exhaust Fluid Dosing Malfunction No Engine Restarts in 845km. I have taken the car to a dealer to fix this problem and now the message has appeared again after the repair and about 200km travelled since.

The ‘green’ brand from Gaydon has a new toy, and it’s far from meek: Aston Martin has revealed a new flagship version of its DBX SUV to sit atop the range.The 2025 Aston Martin DBX S is the new halo version of the UK’s rival to the Ferrari Purosangue and Lamborghini Urus, and it’s got the chops to stand up to both.With its twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 engine cranked up to 535kW and 900Nm, up from the 520kW in the almost-as-wicked DBX 707, the new top-dog DBX can hit 100km in 3.3 seconds, and go on to 200km/h quicker than most family cars even hit the ton: 7.2 seconds.The five-door, five-seat SUV could still function as a family car, for only the most unhinged school runs, but the DBX S comes with a host of luxury and performance features that would give any parent pause before letting a little one into its Alcantara-shod interior.Outside, design cues like black trim, chrome, ‘S’ badging and carbon fibre give the game away, while a staggered quad-exit exhaust might be the biggest tell.Inside, the ‘S’ theme continues with more Alcantara blended with leather, a herringbone seat design and specific trim elements, while the Alcantara can be replaced with entirely semi-analine leather.Importantly, weight reduction was a focus in developing the DBX S, with an optional carbon fibre roof “which, at almost three metres square, is by far the largest such carbon element ever fitted to an Aston Martin” saving 18kg from the highest point of the car. Furthermore, optional 23-inch magnesium wheels save 19kg of unsprung weight from the car.The DBX S is available to configure on the Aston Martin Australia website. Pricing isn’t yet confirmed, but given the standard DBX is $387,500 before on-roads and the DBX 707 comes in at $429,000, a DBX S with a couple of options ticked could easily nudge half a million.

There is life in diesel yet.

This isn't a desert mirage, but it is the Dubai Police Force’s shimmering new ride.The emirate is known for its opulent lifestyle and its police force often have cars to match its persona.Its latest machine is the Mansory-tweaked Rolls-Royce Cullinan.The luxurious high roller follows in the footsteps of some seriously high-powered machines that have worn the Middle Eastern police force’s green and white livery, such as the Lamborghini Aventador, Mercedes-AMG G63 and Bugatti Veyron.The bespoke Rolls-Royce Cullinan has been customised by Mansory, known for its outrageous takes on top-flight supercars.The price? Well, how long is a piece of string?Masonry Cullinan’s can retail anywhere from $1.5m to $2m according to online reports, which would put it at the extremely pointy end of the police car scale.This Cullinan has carbon fibre and aluminium components added and has been fitted with high-end displays and technologies, according to the Dubai Police.It isn’t expected to be used in general duties policing but rather joins the flashy Tourist Police Department.This Cullinan is powered by a beefy 6.75-litre V12 engine that makes 454kW which has a top speed of 280km/h and can sprint to 100km/h from a standstill in five seconds flat.Mansory boss, Mr Kourosh Mansory, said: “We are proud to mark our second collaboration with Dubai Police. Our latest creation—the Rolls-Royce Cullinan, a one-of-a-kind edition tailored specifically for Dubai Police—reflects our shared commitment to innovation, excellence, and leadership in the automotive world."It is the second Mansory custom vehicle handed over to the Dubai Police. A Mercedes-AMG G63 that has about 540kW and a 0-100km/h time of 3.7 has also been enlisted in the past.

Ferrari has continued its two-decade long line of ‘special’ versions of its smaller mid-rear engined supercars with the arrival of the 296 Speciale, a fire-breathing 647kW version of the twin-turbo, V6 plug-in hybrid.

Renault has opened the order books for the second batch of its bespoke EV hot hatch, with 500 units available to regions including Australia.

Cadillac has arrived in Australia, with this Lyriq the first in a fleet of new electric vehicles built in right-hand drive in the USA and shipped to our shores. It's big, lux and definitely has premium intentions, but it also goes up against the best of BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi in the battle for our well-heeled dollars.

With a 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8 in the front driving the rear wheels, the Roma is a classic Ferrari two-door 2+2. We leapt at the opportunity of driving the Coupe version in and around the iconic Italian brand's home town of Maranello, Italy.

What people mover costs a quarter of a million dollars? The Lexus LM 500h does and we tested it to see if it's the ultimate family car.