Celine Nolan

The updated version of Tesla’s fastest Mannequin Y SUV has somehow been unleashed – revealing a pretty more aggressive exquisite and acceleration that will outpace most electric Porsche Macans.

Tesla’s Mannequin Y Performance rejoins because the flagship following the starting up of the closely revised electric SUV earlier in 2025.

It comes with a 0-60mph (0-97km/h) acceleration enlighten of 3.3 seconds, which might perchance collected translate to about 3.4 seconds for 0-100km/h – shaving several tenths off the old mannequin’s 3.7sec time.

That makes the Performance variant sooner than all electric Porsche Macan units with the exception of the flagship Turbo (3.3sec 0-100km/h, with Chrono Kit) and would match the 3.4sec of the brand new rival MG IM6. It’s seriously sooner than the BYD Sealion 7 Performance (4.5sec).

The Mannequin Y Performance aspects a sportier, angled lower bumper, pronounced rear spoiler, and fills its wheelarches with the biggest wheels within the vary – 21-plod Y-shaped alloys dubbed ‘Arachnid’.

Inside, extra beneficial properties over the Lengthy Range AWD are front sports actions seats that furthermore add thigh extensions, carbon fibre neat parts, and a 16-plod QHD touchscreen.

There are furthermore “extraordinary” drive modes and electronic constantly variable damping shared with the Mannequin 3 Performance.

Regardless of the elevated speed, the Performance comes with a WLTP vary no longer noteworthy shorter than the Lengthy Range AWD variant – 579km versus 600km.

Tesla says the Performance can add 243km of vary in barely 15 minutes on the company’s Supercharger recharging network.

The Performance carries the equal of a $20,600 top class over the Lengthy Range AWD within the UK, one of many restricted markets at show offering the brand new flagship. The Lengthy Range AWD starts from $68,900 in Australia.

Tesla Australia has previously indicated it might perchance truly perchance over every other time add the Performance mannequin to the native line-up. It at show affords the Tesla Mannequin 3 Performance, which charges from $80,900. Based totally totally on the $4k top class between the RWD/AWD variants of the 3 and Y, the Mannequin Y Performance will worth from $84,900.

Study our opinions here of the Tesla Mannequin Y.

Skoda has on the unusual time unveiled a wild unusual blueprint ute, the Felicia Fun, which combines parts of the Czech stamp’s unusual popular-sturdy up to date form language with traits of the long-established model, which debuted in 1995.

The ‘unusual’ Felicia Fun joins the disagreeable of several unusual Skoda blueprint vehicles, including the Vision O electric wagon, Favorit EV small automobile blueprint, and Vision 7S midsize EV SUV, all of which employ Skoda’s ‘popular sturdy’ form language, and devoted EV powertrains.

Skoda claims its ‘As much as date Solid’ form marquee, which is prolific on Skoda EV units, specializes in timeless, up to date form. Skoda Auto executive Martin Jahn describes the style as “a form overhaul, no longer most keen in regards to merchandise but additionally your entire stamp.”

The Felicia Fun isn’t the first Skoda ute blueprint to debut this yr. In June, Skoda revealed a living, respiratory dual cab ute (admittedly a chopped-up Skoda Wonderful) identified as the Skoda L&Ok 130, which serves as a group automobile for bicycle racing.

Skoda additionally debuted a one-off ‘Mountiaq’ ute blueprint in partnership with several form studios support in 2019. That automobile began lifestyles as a Kodiaq swish SUV.

Skoda claims the excellent yellow blueprint, which sports activities a physique-length purple rear light, substantial aero-style alloy wheels, steeply raked entrance windscreen, and stark rear spoiler you likely can again a roast dinner on, is a ‘light-hearted facet project’ which nods to a legend of yesteryear.

The ‘popular sturdy’ entrance cease of the Felicia Fun substances vivid ‘T’ fashioned LED headlights, and a vertical-reduce entrance bar which mirrors Skoda’s unusual EV lineup, in particular the upcoming Epiq small SUV.

The standard of living-targeted single-cab form looks to be rich in dilemma and utility. Key rivals within the left-of-self-discipline ute-section consist of the upcoming ‘DIY’ Slate pickup truck and BYD Shark 6 PHEV ute.

Within, the Felicia Fun sports activities a full-width multimedia display hide hide, with graphics paying homage to retro on-line sport graphics, at least within the equipped sketch. The substantial display hide hide sits in entrance of vivid yellow bucket seats adorning neon purple ascents, that are separated by a full centre console.

What’s under the skin?

The Felicia Fun is with out a doubt a standard of living SUV, likely constructed on a monocoque ‘skateboard’ EV platform with rear or all-wheel force.

The powertrain would likely be shared with the unusual Skoda Enyaq – a drivetrain borrowing strategy which changed into once additionally utilized within the newly launched Skoda Elroq. This means a battery size of 77kWh, 400V digital architecture, and outputs of 210kW or 250kW.

Daily life utes are scarce in Australia, where many look in direction of extra rugged ladder-chassis dual-cabs take care of the Ford Ranger, Kia Tasman and Toyota Hilux. In North The US, pickings are broader, and consist of the Hyundai Santa Cruz, Ford Maverick and Honda Ridgeline.

Will the Felicia Fun reach to Australia?

With Skoda labelling the Felicia Fun blueprint a ‘light hearted facet project’, it appears no longer going that it might per chance well in all probability reach production automobile self-discipline, but it’s important that the emblem has shown repeated ardour in building ute ideas.

Chasing Autos has reached out to Skoda Australia for comment on the Felicia Fun and might per chance merely replace this story if any extra data is shared.

Sadly, the uncommon and gentle Felicia Fun blueprint is highly no longer going to ever demand the light of day; whether as a bodily blueprint or as a production automobile.

As Volkswagen’s legendary Golf R efficiency hot-hatch nears its 25th anniversary, experiences hang suggested that a particular edition mannequin could well explore showroom floors sporting Audi’s legendary 2.5-litre turbocharged five-cylinder engine.

Whereas the Golf GTi has been effectively-known for when it comes to 50 years, the vital beefy-plump Golf R – in most cases known as the R32 – launched in 2002 with a bizarre powertrain: a transverse mounted VR6 petrol mated to a six-velocity DSG or manual and electronically-controlled all-wheel pressure system.

The R32 became an instant success, and the ‘R’ moniker has been expected on the serve of Golf fashions ever since. Now, a file from Autocar suggests every other left-of-arena powertrain would be coming to the efficiency hatchback.

Followers of the Golf R would know that Volkswagen’s tried and examined ‘EA888’ turbocharged four cylinder petrol has since change into synonymous with the flagship badge, first appearing when it comes to two decades within the past, and unruffled existing in basically the most recent Golf 8.5 R as of late.

Nonetheless many hang long awaited the announcement that Volkswagen sister place Audi would enable its iconic five-cylinder turbo, which debuted in 2011, to appear within the ‘of us’s car’.

And whereas the Golf R’s most recent four-pot produces a first charge 245kW and 420Nm, Audi’s most recent RS3 boasts 294kW and 500Nm… As effectively as an enhanced soundtrack.

Increased outputs would moreover seemingly run a technique in lowering the 4.6 second 0-100km/h time of the Golf R, with the RS3 quoting 3.8 seconds in its most recent carry out.

The rumoured 25th anniversary Golf R couldn’t correct sport Audi’s powertrain. Suspension would be upgraded and tweaked, weight would amplify somewhat of and greater efficiency brakes would seemingly be fit.

The file, nonetheless, stays unconfirmed speculation, with followers and pundits alike expressing doubt that Audi would enable its uncommon and iconic engine to be fitted within the considerably more much less dear Golf from its sister place Volkswagen.

In Europe, the mannequin’s speculative 2027 start is hindered by strict Euro 7 emissions guidelines, and in Australia, ‘27 NVES targets would create the beginning equally sophisticated.

Volkswagen has as we remark unveiled its second-skills T-Roc shrimp SUV for European markets. The recent model is constructed on a revised ‘MQB Evo’ platform, shared with recently launched Tiguan and Tayron SUVs.

The second-skills T-Roc has promptly entered presale in its German home nation with a initiating impress of 30,845 euros (~$AUD55,000) and two light-hybrid (MHEV) drivetrains.

The two drivetrains are exclusively entrance-wheel force (FWD), wearing high outputs of 85kW or 110kW. Both feature the identical 1.5-litre turbo four-cylinder and 48V starter-generator machine.

Dimensionally, the second-skills T-Roc is longer than its predecessor, with 12cm of extra dimension and a resultant 30 extra litres of boot home (now 475L). Volkswagen says there might be now big seating for four occupants ‘taller than 1.85m.’

In line with Volkswagen, the T-Roc’s up to this level interior makes employ of sentimental contact supplies and atmospheric background lighting to create a ‘lounge-vogue skills’. Key revisions comprise the next 13.0-waddle infotainment cowl (changed into 8.0-inches) and a ‘driver skills dial’.

The recent T-Roc also sides Volkswagen’s ‘Fade Assist’ adaptive cruise preserve a watch on machine, able to computerized lane altering and robotically adjusting to modified tempo limits, along with computerized parking functionality.

Elevated grade T-Roc models also provide a heads-up demonstrate and massaging 14-system adjustable entrance seats on the inside of, and matrix LED headlights, illuminated external badging and a full-dimension rear LED light strip on the exterior.

LED headlights are fitted as customary to all T-Roc neat grades.

Volkswagen claims a FWD 2.0L MHEV, as effectively as two FWD ‘full hybrid’ drivetrains, will later bolster the recent T-Roc fluctuate. All MHEV variants of T-Roc will operate employ of Volkswagen’s signature seven-tempo ‘DSG’ dual-snatch computerized transmission.

An all-wheel pushed MHEV and ‘R’ have also been slated for a later originate, even though no official date is currently on hand.

Volkswagen’s 48-volt 1.5 eTSI MHEV machine, which sides in the 2 recent originate T-Rocs, can no longer enhance prolonged EV-easiest riding. It as a replace aids the combustion engine at low speeds, and presents a delicate quantity of regenerative braking.

This contrasts to key plugless hybrid shrimp SUV opponents, which comprise the Toyota Corolla Monstrous, Hyundai Kona Hybrid, Honda HR-V e:HEV and Nissan Qashqai e-Vitality. These cars all provide EV-easiest riding functionality in some regard.

A Volkswagen spokesperson instructed Chasing Cars that timing for an Australian second-skills T-Roc originate is no longer yet confirmed. Additionally no longer confirmed is which grades or powertrains will headline the native originate.

Launching a full-hybrid T-Roc in Australia might maybe perchance be very much precious to Volkswagen. The German firm might maybe perchance trusty great-well-known NVES credit score, which would offset gross sales of its emissions-heavy Amarok ute when stricter emissions targets are save in position next year.

On the second, the Amarok is Volkswagen Australia’s hottest model with 5413 deliveries.

The T-Roc is Volkswagen AU’s second hottest car with 4721 devices sold year to this level (in accordance to the Federal Chamber of Automobile Industries’ VFACTS). The solid establish contains 22 p.c of Volkswagen’s complete gross sales for H1 2025 (21,407 devices).

Skoda Australia has printed to Chasing Vehicles famous points of key model releases being rolled out thru to 2027 at this week’s native start of its debut mid-dimension electric SUV, the Elroq.

It has been confirmed that a Kamiq 130 Years Model will most definitely be half of the Skoda portfolio in what’s shaping up as a busy Q4 for the logo’s native arm.

At $Forty five,990 driveaway, the 130 Years Model sits atop the Monte Carlo as a excessive-spec 110TSI-powered variant, the first version of the nameplate to present leather-based/Alcantara properly-organized.

Reach Q2 2026, the snappy-witted-launched mid-sized Elroq electric – imminently launched in coarse 85 ($59,990 driveaway) and 130 Years Model ($69,990 D/A) guises – will collect a crimson-scorching excessive-efficiency Elroq RS version attain Q2 2026.

Skoda Australia has no longer printed additional famous points in regards to the native Elroq RS properly-organized, though it’s anticipated to deem Europe’s 250kW dual-motor specifications – 5.4sec for 0-100km/h – and describe over $60K list.

Extra, the quickly-to-be-launched (next month) updated Enyaq orderly electric SUV will most definitely be joined by two crimson-scorching RS variations around the center of 2026 in Australia, and will most definitely be supplied in each coupe and wagon body types.

Skoda Australia also announced that the noteworthy rumoured creep-in hybrid (PHEV) variations of its orderly Improbable sedan/wagon and Kodiaq orderly SUV were officially permitted for Australia free up and are predicament to debut within the 2d half of 2026.

Bolstering Skoda fresh slim hybrid credentials is also the affirmation that a snug-hybrid (MHEV) version of the Octavia midsize liftback and wagon line-up is coming in 2026, though actual timing and additional famous points are unclear.

Extra ahead in 2027, the new Enyaq orderly and Elroq midsize SUVs will most definitely be joined by the Epiq runt electric SUV.

The trio of native electric family haulers will later be topped by a fourth, upper-orderly three-row electric SUV production iteration of a car Skoda on the 2d calls the Vision 7S SUV.

Inspiring, no longer on the list of confirmed new native Skoda product releases thru 2027 is the electric Octavia wagon no longer too long ago teased by the logo and that’s in consequence of be unveiled on the Munich motor gift next month.