Prestige & Luxury Cars

Which audi tt should i buy?

The second-generation Range Rover Evoque has been revealed, with the British brand claiming the new version is “the luxury SUV for the city and beyond”.

Is the new-generation BMW X5 luxury SUV still the king of the segment? We attended the local launch of the fourth-gen iteration of the X5, and here's what we thought.

The BMW X5 was the first model to labour under the monicker "Sports Activity Vehicle" or SAV, and it is now in its fourth generation. Bigger in every direction it's also loaded with a whole load of new features, new interior and, of course, new looks.As before, the X5 is available in M Performance guise, again called the X5 M50d. The 3.0-litre diesel has four turbos strapped to it - that's two times two - for 294kW and 760Nm. For those playing along at home, that torque figure is the same as a Ferrari 488 GTB's. To help tame that grunt, you get an active rear differential, active steering and adaptive suspension.For your $149,900 (plus on-road costs) you get 22-inch alloys, panoramic glass sunroof, dynamic dampers, head-up display, active cruise control, front and rear parking sensors, auto parking, auto laser headlights, auto high-beam, auto wipers, heated and auto dipping rear vision mirrors, configurable interior lighting, leather trim, electric split tailgate, four-zone climate control, heated electric front seats, keyless entry and start, M aero package, and a space-saver spare.Entertainment comes via BMW's iDrive system, now up to version 7.0. With a huge 12.3-inch screen - the same as the digital dashboard's - DAB digital radio, 16 speakers and the usual Bluetooth and USB, the new system is slick and powerful. Apple CarPlay is standard (there is no Android Auto, however), but a third row of seats is optional.On the safety front you've got the usual stability and traction controls, seven airbags, ABS, steering, reverse cross traffic alert, various lane keeping warnings and steering assists and lane keep assist, speed limit information and three top-tether and two ISOFIX points.

The fourth generation version of the BMW X5 will aim to retain its spot at the top of the large luxury SUV sales charts.

The BMW X5 was the first model to labour under the monicker "Sports Activity Vehicle" or SAV, and is now in its fourth generation. Bigger in every direction it's also loaded with a whole load of new features, new interior and, of course, new looks.The X5 xDrive40i is currently the only petrol model available until the arrival of a four-cylinder petrol, plug-in hybrid and, presumably, the 4.4-litre V8 X5 M.The 40i arrives with BMW's effortlessly smooth 3.0-litre twin-turbo straight six which delivers 250kW and 450Nm. Available a little later than the diesels, it will set you back $115,990 (plus on-road costs) and the specification mirrors the slightly cheaper 30d.Standard inclusions consist of 20-inch alloys, panoramic glass sunroof, dynamic dampers, head-up display, active cruise control, front and rear parking sensors, auto parking, auto LED headlights, auto high beam, auto wipers, heated and auto dipping rear vision mirrors, configurable interior lighting, leather trim, electric split tailgate, "2.5-zone" climate control, electric front seats, keyless entry and start and run-flat tyres.Entertainment comes via BMW's iDrive system, with a huge 12.3-inch screen, DAB digital radio, 10 speakers and the usual Bluetooth and USB. Apple CarPlay is standard, but you can't get Android Auto. A third-row seating setup is optional, but expensive.You can choose from xLine, Indulgence and M Sport packages, shifting the focus to off-road shenanigans, luxury and on-road fun respectively.On the safety front you've got the usual stability and traction controls, seven airbags, ABS, steering, rear-cross traffic alert, lane keeping warning and lane keep assist, speed limit information and three top-tether and two ISOFIX points.

Alfa Romeo's blistering Stelvio Quadrifoglio is now on sale in Australia, with the lightning-quick SUV to wear a $149,900 sticker price.

The McLaren 720S supercar is about to get a drop-top variant, with a Spider version teased ahead of a December 8 reveal.

The Lexus ES300h Luxury is the entry into the ES300h range, with a list price of $59,888.Standard features include a 12.3-inch screen with sat nav and a 10-speaker Pioneer stereo system with digital radio. There’s a head-up display, dual-zone climate control, wireless charging, 10-way power adjustable front seats, privacy rear windows, moonroof, proximity key and LED headlights, too.The Lexus ES is only available with one powertrain option – a petrol-electric hybrid. This combines a 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine making 131kW and 221Nm with an electric motor that has outputs of 88kW and 202Nm. The 244.8V nickel-metal hydride battery has been moved from under the boot floor in the previous generation car to under the rear seats, so it no longer eats into the cargo space.The ES300h isn’t a plug-in hybrid, so battery recharging is done through regenerative braking.A continuously variable transmission means seamless and smooth low speed driving using just the motor, but under heavy acceleration the engine activates and the you’ll hear that drone associated with CVTs.The Lexus ES300h was awarded the maximum five-star ANCAP rating when it was tested in September 2018. Expect 10 airbags, AEB with pedestrian detection, lane keeping assistance and adaptive cruise control. 

Lexus ES300h Sport Luxury sits at the top of the two-grade ES300h line-up, costing $74,888.Standard features include a 12.3-inch screen, sat nav and a Mark Levinson 17-speaker sound system with digital radio. There’s a head-up display, wireless charging, privacy rear windows, moonroof, proximity key, leather seats, heated and ventilated 12-way power adjustable front seats, heated and power reclining rear seats, three-zone climate control, heated steering wheel, power rear sunshade and manual side rear window shades, gesture open boot and cornering LED headlights, too.The Lexus ES is only available with one powertrain option – a petrol-electric hybrid. This combines a 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine making 131kW and 221Nm with an electric motor that has outputs of 88kW and 202Nm. The 244.8V nickel-metal hydride battery has been moved from under the boot floor in the previous generation car to under the rear seats, so it no longer eats into the cargo space. The ES300h isn’t a plug-in hybrid, so battery recharging is done through regenerative braking.A continuously variable transmission means seamless and smooth low speed driving using just the motor, but under heavy acceleration the engine activates and the you’ll hear that drone associated with CVTs.The Lexus ES300h was awarded the maximum five-star ANCAP rating when it was tested in September 2018. Expect 10 airbags, AEB with pedestrian detection, lane keeping assistance, rear cross-traffic alert, blind spot warning and adaptive cruise control.