Victorian automotive businesses you can support right now

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Victoria's automotive industry has returned to work after months of lockdown, with businesses in both metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria once again permitted to operate at full capacity. And if you've been sitting on your hands waiting to get your car maintenance checklist ticked off, there's never been a better time.

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2024 Toyota Yaris Cross updated in Europe with new tech, more hybrid power

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Europe’s Toyota Yaris Cross has received a mid-life update with more power, a revised look and new technology. Plans for the Australian version are yet to be announced. The updated 2024 Toyota Yaris Cross small SUV has been unveiled in Europe with an upgraded hybrid powertrain and new styling.  This is the first update for the Yaris Cross – the SUV sibling to the Toyota Yaris hatch – since it was first introduced to the Australian market in 2020.  Mirroring changes to the European-market Yaris hatch, the 2024 Yaris Cross in Europe brings with it mild styling changes to the exterior and interior of the SUV, improved safety features, and a more powerful hybrid system.  While pre-orders in Europe are due to commence this month, there’s no word on when we can expect to see the updates flow onto the Yaris Cross in Australia.  European-market Yaris Cross vehicles are manufactured in France, whereas Australian-delivered examples are built in Japan. Most ...
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2023 Porsche Taycan GTS review

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Whether on the back of a 911 or a Cayenne, the GTS badge has always denoted a special kind of Porsche. Now the electric Porsche Taycan gets the GTS treatment. Skip ahead: Introduction Running costs Price and specification Energy use Interior space and comfort On-road assessment Connectivity and infotainment Summary Safety 2023 Porsche Taycan GTS Nothing prepares you for it. It’s visceral, punching you in the guts, grabbing your heart in its sweaty fist and squeezing to the point of breathlessness. It’s the first heady rush of acceleration, a rush of speed unencumbered by the limits of traditional internal combustion. It shouldn’t come as a surprise anymore.   Meet the 2023 Porsche Taycan GTS , the mid-spec variant in the wider Taycan range that takes everything you think you know about the physics of driving and then stomps on it. Yes, there are faster Taycans – Turbo and Turbo S anyone? – but in terms of bang-for-your-not-inconsid...
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Ineos Grenadier gets converted into a camper with Australian-made pop-top

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Mere weeks after hitting the road in Australia, this Ineos Grenadier has already had the roof chopped and converted into a pop-top camper. Ineos Grenadier Pop-top camper The Ineos Grenadier four-wheel drive now has a pop-top conversion available , thanks to Australian company Expedition Centre. Based in Sydney, Expedition Centre has been making pop-top conversions for Land Rover Defenders and Toyota LandCruisers since 2009. But now with the Ineos Grenadier hitting the road in Australia, Expedition Centre has quickly turned its attention to the new, old-school four-wheel-drive wagon. Similar to conversions Expedition Centre has been doing on Defenders and LandCruiser Troopcarriers, the roof of the Grenadier is removed and modified to fit in a slatted 1.3-metre wide Fanello Bed. Hinged at the front and latched at the back, the roof can ‘pop’ open to create additional sleeping and living space inside the vehicle. The roofline of the Grenadier is raised by around 250...
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Renault and Nissan production delays due to global cyber attack

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Renault and Nissan ‘s Sunderland production facility has been the victim of a global cyber attack, causing costly production delays. The global cyber attack began late last week and has so far affected more than 75,000 systems in 100 countries. The attack hits vulnerable Microsoft Windows machines and encrypts the user’s filesystem, taking it ransom. The user is asked to pay a fee of US$300 to have their computer unlocked. While the attack can easily be prevented by updating the operating system, many automated machines and dumb terminals connected to the internet are being infiltrated. A Renault spokesperson told  Autocar, “Groupe Renault confirms it was impacted by the global cyber attack that began late on Friday May 12. It consists of a Ransomware virus. Proactive measures were taken immediately in order to stop the spread of the Virus and protect the group,” the spokesperson said. “A full diagnosis is in progress in order to put in place the appropriat...
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2024 Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series facelift spy photo

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2019 World Car Awards: Finalists announced

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The countdown to the World Car Finals has begun this week, with a list of 10 finalists announced for the overall title, along with the contenders in five specialist categories. According to the firm, a jury of 86 "distinguished international automotive journalists" selected the finalists by secret ballot, based on their own assessment of the vehicle as part of their professional work. The initial list of 40 models has been shaved to 10 finalists, with representation from around the world.
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Cupra Terramar, Tavascan and UrbanRebel: Three new models revealed, set for Australia

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The Volkswagen-owned Spanish car maker’s global expansion will be underpinned by the new Terramar, Tavascan and UrbanRebel. Cupra has revealed its new Terramar medium SUV ahead of a planned start to Australian sales for the new five-seater in 2024. Unveiled alongside a near-production version of the electric Tavascan and a second concept of the UrbanRebel hatchback, the Toyota RAV4-rivalling model is set to be sold with the choice of four-cylinder petrol mild-hybrid and plug-in hybrid drivetrains in an expansion of Cupra’s existing line-up. Described as being “around four and a half metres” in length, the Terramar is a sister model to the Audi Q3 – alongside which the new SUV will be produced at an Audi-owned factory in Gyor, Hungary, according to Cupra CEO, Wayne Griffiths. “It will be our last combustion engine model”, says Griffiths, adding, “the future is electric”. The basis for the Terramar is the Volkswagen Group’s MQB platform – the same structure used by the...
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New Hyundai Venue due in 2025 – report

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The next generation of Hyundai’s smallest SUV in Australia may be two years away, as the South Korean automaker commits to compact, budget-priced cars – even if only as an SUV. The next generation of the Hyundai Venue city SUV is due in overseas showrooms in 2025, according to a new report from Indian publication Autocar India . Hyundai has reportedly locked in a successor to what is currently its smallest SUV in Australia following its popularity in India, where more than 450,000 have been sold since 2019, according to Autocar India . The Indian publication reports production of the next Venue is due to commence at Hyundai’s new Talegaon factory in India – purchased from General Motors – in 2025. It is yet to be confirmed if and when the new Venue will come to Australia, and it is unclear if production will continue in South Korea – where Australian models are currently produced – or if it will move elsewhere. It has been a relative sales success in Australia – whe...
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Chevrolet Bolt: One of the cheapest electric cars in the US to return, a slim chance for Australia

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The Chevrolet Bolt electric hatch – axed earlier this year to make way for production of three-tonne electric pick-ups – is poised to make a comeback, and it could be sold in Australia. The electric Chevrolet Bolt hatchback – axed in its previous form earlier this year so its production line could be used for giant electric pick-ups – is due to return to US showrooms in 2025 with new battery technology . It is also a chance – albeit slim – to come to Australia as part of General Motors Specialty Vehicles, the local operation of Chevrolet’s parent company, General Motors. As reported by industry journal Automotive News , General Motors CEO Mary Barra confirmed plans to a media conference to have the Bolt – previously one of the most affordable electric passenger vehicles in the US – “back again in ’25.” The new car is poised to be the first GM vehicle to use lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery cells – as used in BYD electric cars, as well as certain MG and Tesl...
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New Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale supercar unveiled with petrol and electric power

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Alfa Romeo has rebooted the iconic 33 Stradale of the 1960s with a limited-edition, custom-built, multimillion-dollar supercar available with twin-turbo V6 petrol, or full battery power. The Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale name has been revived for a new supercar, unveiled in Europe overnight ahead of first customer deliveries overseas due late next year. The new car is a modern reboot of the original 1967 33 Stradale, which was the road-going version of the Tipo 33 race car of the day, and is considered one of Alfa Romeo’s most iconic cars. Limited to 33 examples, all sold out, the new 33 Stradale will be available with an enlarged version of the twin-turbo petrol V6 familiar to Alfa Romeo performance cars today – or solely electric power, as the first battery-powered vehicle unveiled by the Italian car maker. With each vehicle to be custom-built to the customer’s specifications by boutique Italian ‘coachbuilding’ company Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera, prices are estimated to e...
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