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The Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio has lapped the Nurburgring Nordschleife in seven minutes 51.7 seconds, setting a new record for a production SUV. Its time is eight seconds quicker than the previous record holder, the outgoing Porsche Cayenne Turbo S. Even as an SUV, the time set by the Stelvio Quadrifoglio places it between the 2017 Volvo S60 Polestar and the 2015 BMW M4 on the race track’s official leaderboard. The Stelvio Quadrifoglio features the same Ferrari-developed 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6 as the Giulia Quadrifoglio. In both instances the 90-degree engine delivers 375kW of power and 600Nm of torque to all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic and a torque vectoring differential. For comparison’s sake, the Stelvio’s platform mate set a time around the track of seven minutes 32 seconds, almost 20 seconds faster. As Alfa Romeo is only too happy to point out, though, the Italian luxury marque now holds the record for both the fastest production sedan and SUV aroun...

The new Mercedes-AMG sedan, tipped by some to be branded as the GT4 , has been spied again. This time, though, the spy photographers managed to snag some pictures of the car’s interior. The interior doesn’t hold any great surprises as it features many of the design elements used in coupes and convertibles from the Mercedes-Benz stable, including four round air vents in the centre of the dashboard. Despite its sporting nature, the GT4 will be fitted with two large high-resolution screens, as is the norm throughout most of the company’s most expensive models. The exterior has the same level of camouflage as the prototype spotted back in August , with the production car looking as though it will keep all the major elements of the concept car , which was revealed at this year’s Geneva motor show. Key changes include the fitment of proper door handles and wing mirrors, and a front fascia that’s a little less aggressive. While the GT4’s exterior draws a heavy link to both the GT c...

The  PSA Group , parent of Peugeot, Citroen and most recently Opel, has announced it will develop an all-new vehicle platform with  ChangAn Automobile that will underpin its upcoming one-tonne ute, which will launch “by 2020”. In an agreement signed this week, the French and Chinese companies announced they would co-develop a new architecture to be implemented at ChangAn’s manufacturing facility in Dingzhou, China, dedicated to light commercial vehicles (LCV). As part of the project, both firms will collaborate on the development of a new one-tonne ute, which will be offered by both manufacturers in their respective markets. In its press release, PSA said: “This new vehicle should meet the most stringent worldwide regulations and customer’s expectations with a very strong design and uncompromised quality and durability”. Above: the Peugeot Pick Up, an unrelated ute, is based on the Dongfeng Rich (itself based on the old D22 Nissan Navara) The LCV market accounted for ...

We may give the Poms a fair bit of grief – depending on the time of year and what particular sporting event might currently be going on – but, jeez, you’ve got to give them credit when it’s due. And this WRC -inspired Ford Transit Custom  is one of those occasions. Hand-built by British group MS-RT – a collaboration between vehicle specialists Van-Sport and UK motorsport icon Malcolm Wilson – the new Ford Transit R-Spec Edition is inspired by Wilson’s M-Sport Ford Fiesta World Rally Championship ( WRC ) cars currently competing in this year’s 2017 season. Limited to 50 units, the tough-looking R-Spec Edition is based on a standard five-seat Ford Transit Custom , but is fitted with an extended front diffuser, front grill LED lights, Sparco bucket seats, blue seatbelts, and a replacement interior dash. Metallic paint, dual-slide load doors, a rear-view camera, parking sensors, LED load space lighting, and a 240-volt power converter have also been added, along with an MS-RT ‘bi...

A new study has found that while Australians may be warming to autonomous vehicles as a concept, they’re unlikely to share them with other travellers – potentially making congestion worse than the status quo. The Transport Opinion Survey (TOPS), conducted by the University of Sydney Business School , found that one in four participants would buy a driverless vehicle for family use, though only one-third of these people would lease their cars to other travellers when they aren’t in use. Additionally, 40 per cent said they would be likely to use their vehicles more if they were autonomous , as travelling would become easier, while more than 30 per cent said they would rather use their car than take public transport. Professor David Hensher, director of the school’s Institute of Transport and Logistic Studies, said the results indicate that driverless cars could worsen congestion on Australian roads – rather than improve it, as previously predicted by various transport experts. “The...

There is some decent competition in the sedan versions of hatchbacks, and they are increasingly popular for drivers who want added rear seat and boot space. But with a boot bolted to the rear, in most cases, they aren’t exactly great to look at. Enter the 2017 Renault Megane sedan . It is one that stands out amongst the crowd with its styling, unlike the  Holden Astra and Mazda 3 sedan. Whether you love or hate it, it’s bound to get looks. And we have to say; surely it’s better looking than its now-departed stablemate, the Fluence ? Only two variants are available in the Megane range , and this one we have on test is the base model Megane Zen sedan, starting at $27,490 before on-road costs. It’s $4500 less than the Intens variant, missing out on blind-spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control, distance warning, side parking sensors, privacy glass, 18-inch alloy wheels and a larger infotainment screen. But the Zen still gets a lot for that money, including front and rear parkin...

Hyundai owners are the happiest car owners in the country, according to the latest J.D. Power Australia Sale Satisfaction Index (SSI) Study. Hyundai took out the top spot in the customer satisfaction index, an independent survey of new car buyers. The Korean manufacturer scored 827 points out of a possible 1000 in the survey which was conducted from January through June this year. The survey garnered responses from 2779 buyers of new cars from the period June 2016 to June 2017. Hyundai edged out Korean stablemate Kia , which scored 824 points, with local manufacturer (for now) Holden third on 823 points. The independent study made a number of interesting findings. Buyers of new SUVs are typically unhappier than buyers of more traditional passenger vehicles. SUV buyers scored an average Satisfaction rating of 811 points, five points below the mass market average. On the flipside, buyers of more traditional passenger vehicles scored an SSI of 819 points, three points above the...

Suzuki has revealed a handful of funky concepts ahead of next month’s  Tokyo motor show , focusing on the company’s theme of making fun and unique small cars. Headlining the charge are three versions of the same vehicle, which is named the  xBee (pronounced cross-bee, below). The standard xBee is pitched as a tiny crossover wagon that sits in its own new segment, fusing the qualities of a station wagon with an SUV. While we wouldn’t say it’s the most beautiful thing we’ve ever seen, it looks like a cross between a Toyota FJ Cruiser and Fiat 500L , largely due to its contrasting paint scheme, boxy body and cartoonish circular headlights. There’s no details of what powers the xBee, though it’s likely to be a small capacity petrol engine, possibly the 66kW/120Nm 1.2-litre unit found in the Ignis . Suzuki will show two additional versions of the xBee, the Street Adventure (top) and the Outdoor Adventure (above). The xBee Street Adventure is “intended for fashionable a...

Victorian toll road provider  EastLink has announced the first major survey of motorists’s attitudes toward autonomous vehicles, which will help to track forthcoming changes into the future. The company is expecting thousands of responses to the new survey, which will measure perceptions and attitudes to driverless cars, with the study to be repeated yearly. Partnering with the Australian Road Research Board (ARRB), the survey complements recently-announced technical trials of self-driving vehicle technologies to improve the compatibility with driverless vehicles and Victoria’s freeway architecture. Additionally, Eastlink expects autonomous driving will be made possible – to an extent – on its 40-kilometre road network and other suitable freeways within the next few years, provided legislation is changed accordingly. The results of the survey will be provided to the public, while a more detailed run-down will be provided to road operators throughout Victoria along with ve...

The new Audi Q8 crossover has been spied undergoing hot weather testing in southern Europe. While this latest prototype seems to be wearing the same exterior and camouflage combination as the car spotted on the Nurburgring in May, the car’s interior now seems to be close to production specification. Unlike the earlier prototype, this latest Q8 has an interior design that’s a lot closer to the one used in the new A8 sedan. There are two touchscreens in the centre of the dashboard: one for the infotainment and navigation system, and the other primarily climate control functions. There are plenty of metallic highlights and glossy surfaces, while physical buttons have been kept to a minimum. The rear and side of the new crossover were photographed almost completely undisguised in August. Based on that smartphone photo, the production Q8 seems to be very closely related to the concept cars. Under the skin, the Q8 will use the MLB Evo architecture for front- and all-wheel drive v...

Victoria’s  Andrews Labor Government has announced it will offer short-term payment options for vehicle registration from 1 January 2018. With the annual fee now sitting at $800.80 for light vehicle registration, Victorians will soon have the choice of additional three-month or sixth-month options intended to help ease the cost-of-living pressures for millions of people. Under the new scheme, owners of cars, utes, motorcycles and other light vehicles will have an average three month registration of $200.20 and six-month payment of $400,40. The new short-term registrations, however, will not be available for trailers. Currently, VicRoads processes around 5.6 million registration renewals each year, which includes 4.47 million light vehicles. In 2016, the Labor Government invested $12 million to upgrade VicRoads’ registration systems, which has allowed for short-term payments to be made available. Vehicle owners will be able to select the registration payment option that su...

It’s 25 years since Japan gave birth to a turbocharged, all-wheel-drive sedan that would become a cult performance car. A classic, even. That would make perfect timing for the introduction of a next-generation Subaru WRX , though with the next all-new model not due until 2019 we’ll have to make do with an MY18 update. It still brings further proof that Subaru is at least trying to incrementally add sophistication to its rally car for the road, acknowledging that today’s raft of rapid, yet refined, rivals in the $40,000 pricing belt are asking questions about the Rex’s relevance. As you’d expect for a facelift program, there’s no change to the absence of an alternative wagon or hatch body style as with past generations. The classic sedan shape, though, gets a further sharpening up front to cement its place as the best-looking ‘Rex’ since the original. (There are also new-look 18-inch alloy wheels.) While the bonnet scoop hinders the WRX’s bid to escape its boy-racer stigma, there’...

Reaction to the old-school Civic-inspired Urban EV concept is only just now starting to die down, and already Honda is preparing to roll out another take: the Sports EV concept. For now, Honda has revealed only a tightly cropped sketch of what we can expect, but it is clear the company is developing a bit of a theme when it comes to electric vehicle tech packed into retro-styled concepts. While the Urban EV concept was clearly inspired by the first-generation Civic hatch (although more than a few punters felt it was closer in style to the first Golf), this latest show car might instead draw on the S600 and S800 sports models of the ’60s (below). Classic lines dominate the single sketch, with a simple square tail lamp tucked into the corner of the rear. “The development team designed the sporty electric car to deliver a feeling of joy and emotional unity to the drive, achieved by efficiently combining the EV powerunit and AI technology in a compact bodyshape,” Honda says of its...

China’s largest privately-owned automotive group, Zhejiang Geely Holding Group (Geely Holding) has completed a takeover of British sports car marque, Lotus . Geely Holding now owns a majority stake of 51 per cent in Lotus Advance Technologies Sdn Bhd ( Lotus ) with a minority 49 per cent being held by Malaysia’s Etika Automotive. Geely Holdings, which owns Volvo Cars amongst others, has wasted no time in taking control of its new acquisition, establishing a new board of directors, comprising five seats in total – three appointed by Geely Holding and two by Etika. The new Chairman of the Board is Daniel Donghui Li, Geely’s Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. Fellow Geely Holding executives Feng Qing Feng and Nathan Yu Ning have also joined the board. Above: Geely MPV concept Etika Automotive has appointed just one board member, Dato’ Sharil Tarmizi. Etika’s second appointment will be made in due course. Incumbent Lotus CEO, Jean-Marc Gales will continue in his...

Adelaide’s push for electrification is surging ahead with the City of Adelaide and the South Australian Government joining Mitsubishi Motors Australia to open a first-of-its-kind, fast direct current (DC) charging station in the city’s CBD. Located in Adelaide’s Central Market Precinct, the eight fast-charging stations are the first step in what will see another 11 installed by the end of the October. Funded by Mitsubishi , and at no cost to the City of Adelaide or the South Australian Government, the DC stations offer a charging rate that is five to six times quicker than a conventional home charging point. That means, a Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV for example, can charge to 80 per cent capacity in around 30 minutes. The charging stations are compatible with a wide range of plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles. “Mitsubishi has provided a fast charger at no-cost to the State as part of our commitment to supporting a public charging network for all electric vehicle users, we believe...

Japanese companies  Mazda, Toyota and Denso have signed a contract this week to co-develop “basic structural technologies” for electric vehicles (EV) , and establish a new company to oversee the related joint development projects. Following the two automotive manufacturers announcing plans to work together on EV tech and connected infotainment systems , this latest announcement adds Denso Corporation into the mix – a Japan-based global automotive components manufacturer that is a subsidiary of Toyota . The three companies will form a new company to be known as EV C.A. Spirit, which will be tasked with developing EV technology for a “wide variety of vehicle segments and types to ensure flexible and rapid response to market trends”, and the ultimate goal is to create “appealing EVs that embody the unique identities of each brand and avoid the commoditisation of EVs”. According to the partners, this includes kei cars, regularly-sized passenger cars, crossovers, SUVs and light tr...

Wolfgang Hatz , former head of engine development at the Volkswagen Group, has reportedly been arrested as part of investigations into the Dieselgate emissions cheating scandal. According to a joint investigation by the Suddeutscher Zeitung newspaper, and the NDR and WDR television networks, Hatz was arrested earlier this week by prosecutors in Munich who are investigating the affair on behalf of the German government. The public prosecutor’s office confirmed on Thursday it had arrested an unnamed individual in relation to its investigations, and was in the process of executing related search warrants. Hatz is not the first Volkswagen Group employee arrested over the Dieselgate scandal, but, if this report proves to be true, he is the most senior to date. The former engine boss is said to be a close friend and confidant of Martin Winterkorn, the Group’s former CEO. He held senior roles related to engine development during the period when the company’s various marques were devel...

Motorsport greats  Colin Bond, John Harvey, Jim Richards and Peter Janson , will be reliving memories of their racing days and paying tribute to Holden  at the 2017 Motorclassica in Melbourne. Held only days out from when Holden wraps up local manufacturing on October 20, the racing legends will appear on stage to be interviewed. They’ll be be joined by Alan Moffat , who’s known for his early racing days with  Ford , then at Holden later in his career. “To give life to the Holden story and context around what it meant to represent the brand on the track and to the public, who better than the heroes that raced them,” Motorclassica Event Director Paul Mathers said. “Our guests have a myriad of memories and some stories that can only be told now, with the benefit of time and distance, that I am sure will make these sessions one of the absolute highlights of this year’s Motorclassica and a fitting tribute to Holden,” he said. Supporting the drivers will be a display ...

The  South Australian Government has announced it will roll out technology to allow driver’s licences to go digital from October. Available to anyone in South Australia with a learner’s permit, provisional, full, or heavy vehicle licence, the new feature is optional and is accessible through the mySA GOV smartphone application. Fingerprint, PIN protection and one-time barcodes that refresh every 30 seconds are some of the security measures being utilised to stop fake licences from being used. The strategy has already been implemented for several other permits in South Australia, including proof of age cards, boat licences and vehicle registrations. As the app displays the licences in real-time, expired or suspended permits will be displayed with a large orange or red bar at the bottom to indicate the status, and also won’t show a barcode as suspended or expired licences cannot be validated. There’s also a ‘shake to animate’ feature that helps to indicate the licence i...

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR)  is set to roll out a new naming structure for its model portfolio, using the numbered format first seen with the new Range Rover Velar . Reported by the UK’s  Evo, a reader of the British publication noticed a new Jaguar F-Type wearing a ‘P380’ badge on its rump – signifying the amount of metric horsepower (PS) the engine makes, as the 3.0-litre supercharged V6 of that particular F-Type develops 380PS (280kW). Meanwhile, the letter that precedes the number, a ‘P’ in this case, refers to the type of engine used – a petrol unit. On the recently-launched Range Rover Velar range, there’s a combination of ‘P’-branded petrol engines and ‘D’-named turbo-diesel engines. According to  Evo , the upcoming Jaguar I-Pace is expected to wear the ‘E400’ name, as its all-electric powertrain pumps out 400PS (294kW). Above: Range Rover Velar However, it’s unknown what letter will denote plug-in hybrid variants, with the current Range Rover and Range ...