The Ram 1500 TRX is dead, long live the RHO – a turbo six-cylinder successor with about 25 per cent less power, but less weight and a lower price. The 2025 Ram 1500 RHO – the indirect turbocharged six-cylinder replacement for the Ram 1500 TRX supercharged V8 performance pick-up – has been unveiled in the US, but plans for Australia are yet to be disclosed. The axing of the V8 engine across the Ram 1500 ‘DT’ range in the US has claimed the life of the TRX, one of the world’s most powerful pick-ups – and one of the last production applications of the 523kW 6.2-litre supercharged ‘Hellcat’ V8 ..read more

The Mazda CX-5’s electric counterpart has broken cover ahead of showroom arrivals next year – but it may never see roads outside of China. Mazda has unveiled a new concept at the 2024 Beijing motor show which previews plans for a rival to the Tesla Model Y, the world’s best-selling new car. The showroom version of the Arata concept is due in Chinese Mazda dealers sometime next year, and is expected to offer a choice of plug-in hybrid, or fully-electric power. However it may never be sold outside of China, as it is understood to be closely related to vehicles from Changan, Mazda’s joint-vent ..read more

A new Toyota Corolla rival from BYD is due in Chinese showrooms later this year with a circa-$50,000 price – and the promise of a hot-hatch version. BYD – which is battling with Tesla for the title of the world’s top-selling electric-car manufacturer – has unveiled a concept for a new electric hot hatchback aimed at the MG 4. The Ocean-M concept previews a high-performance version of an upcoming Toyota Corolla or Hyundai i30-sized hatchback from BYD, due in Chinese showrooms later this year, pending any delays. It looks to be larger than the current BYD Dolphin, which is marketed as a Corol ..read more

Mazda has re-entered the electric-car race in China with a sleek new sedan. But it is another Chinese brand’s car underneath – and it is not expected to reach Australia, at least for the time being. Japanese car giant Mazda has unveiled its third-ever production electric vehicle – the EZ-6 – a mid-size sedan pitched at the Tesla Model 3 and BYD Seal. However it is heavily based on the Deepal SL03, a mid-size electric car sold by Mazda’s joint-venture partner in China, local car maker Changan – and it is not Mazda’s work from the ground up. It is expected to be exclusive to the Chinese marke ..read more

State police said car offences perpetrated by minors have decreased in comparison to this time last year. The number of teenagers committing car-related crimes in Queensland has fallen by almost 8 per cent, new police data shows. According to Queensland Police, reported offences committed against property – which include vehicle theft, unlawful use of a vehicle, and breaking and entering – have declined by 7.8 per cent, from 11,163 in the first quarter of 2023 down to 10,294 between January and March this year.   Overall crime by youth in the state is down 10 per cent over the same tim ..read more

It’s larger than others in this segment – and only a five-seater – but GWM could add a ute-based SUV to its line-up in Australia. GWM Australia has revealed it is considering adding a new four-wheel-drive to its model range to compete against the likes of the Ford Everest, Mitsubishi Pajero Sport and Toyota Fortuner, among other ute-based SUVs. Based on the plus-sized GWM utes – including the Australia-bound Cannon Alpha, and Chinese-market King Kong Cannon – the Haval H5 SUV is understood to be on the company’s wishlist, and may be rebadged under the GWM brand if sold locally. But as the G ..read more

Mini’s newest electric car is a Chinese-built VW Polo-sized hatchback marketed as a ‘crossover’ SUV, with up to 406km of claimed driving range. The 2025 Mini Aceman electric hatch has been unveiled ahead of the first Australian showroom arrivals between October and December this year. The Aceman is the final model in Mini’s new-generation electric-car range, slotting between the larger Countryman SUV and Cooper three-door hatch, both available with petrol or electric power. It has been marketed previously as an SUV, but it has the footprint of a Volkswagen Polo with a roof only five centime ..read more

The Triumph TR7 represented everything that was wrong with the British car industry in the 1970s. Original story by Tony Davis published in Drive on 18 April, 1997 Hailed as Leyland’s first genuinely new sports car in a decade and a half, the Triumph TR7 hit the Australian market in mid-1978. Its only real achievement was to make every backyard kit-car maker feel like a fine craftsman Built by an imploding Leyland in the industrial nightmare of 1970s Britain, the TR7 had been lambasted on both sides of the Atlantic long before we saw it here. Soon after the model came to Australia, the supp ..read more

It could push beyond $100,000, but GWM Australia says it’s looking at adding the aggressively-styled Tank 700 four-wheel-drive to its line-up in the future. The 2024 GWM Tank 700 could soon join the model line-up in Australia – and it would likely carry a six-figure price tag. Speaking to Drive at a GWM product showcase in China, a spokesperson for the company’s Australian division revealed it is evaluating a possible business case to introduce the Tank 700 locally – particularly given it is priced from 428,000 yuan, or about $AU90,000, in its home market. Excluding a special launch edition ..read more

The Lamborghini Urus has gone hybrid, offering more power than the soon-to-be-defunct petrol-only versions with 80 per cent lower claimed emissions. The plug-in hybrid version of the 2024 Lamborghini Urus super SUV has been unveiled, ahead of the first overseas showroom arrivals by the end of the year. The Urus SE is the first electrified version of Lamborghini’s debut SUV and is the most powerful version sold to date, with close to 600kW – about 100kW more than the previous record holder. At 2.5 tonnes, it is believed to be the heaviest Lamborghini since the iconic LM002 off-roader of the ..read more