Celine Nolan

Mini has formally printed the John Cooper Works version of its new-technology Countryman small SUV.

The Countryman JCW is decided to come in Australia all thru the third quarter of 2024, and would possibly perhaps aloof join the new electric Mini Cooper hatch and Countryman electric within the electrified Mini range.

The JCW variant will say a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine that produces 221kW of energy and 400Nm of torque. This powertrain is mated to an all-wheel pressure machine and a seven-hasten twin-dangle transmission.

Interestingly, the new Countryman JCW has much less energy and torque than the outgoing Countryman JCW that produced 225kW/450Nm.

The Countryman is fixed with the UKL2 platform and aspects fully redesigned styling for 2024.

The JCW will stand out from diversified Countrymans due to the its two-tone crimson roof, quad say outlets and distinctive JCW badging.

What else to ask from the Countryman in 2024?

Mini will begin each combustion and electric variations of the Countryman in 2024, with the ability of a JCW electric version very likely, but unconfirmed.

There is runt be conscious on what energy and torque figures would possibly perhaps perhaps even be extracted from the new Countryman’s chassis, but we did hit upon a success upon of performance Minis all thru the Munich Motor Portray which took place earlier this yr.

Even supposing each electric and combustion energy is aloof the name of the game in up-to-the-minute motoring, it’s very likely that Mini will bring its proceed-kart dealing with performance JCW nameplate into the electric technology.

With now now not up to per week to head unless its anticipated reliable level to on the Los Angeles Auto Demonstrate, detailed pictures of the modern-generation Subaru Forester own leaked on-line.

What looks to be reliable pictures of the sixth-generation car had been posted by an unknown user to Imgur, and are essentially doing the rounds on social media including on the Cars_secrets instagram profile and X.

Subaru had teased the level to of an ‘all-modern fully redesigned car’ – widely anticipated to be the modern Forester – to debut on the 2023 LA motor repeat from November 17th, on the opposite hand the public is now getting a plump preview of what to place a question to in its modern generation.

It’s crucial to repeat that the Forester seen right here is probably going for the American market, with Jap-built devices purchased in Australia on the total differing slightly of in compose and can merely likely be printed at a later date.

What’s modern on the 2024 Subaru Forester?

Subaru has gone with an evolutionary take cling of on the recognisably burly Forester styling and proportions, akin to the recent update of the Crosstrek puny SUV – previously identified because the XV.

The pictures repeat as a minimal two mannequin grades, labeled ‘Sport’ and ‘Touring’, every carrying a model modern compose for the headlights with a mighty wider modern grille.

The modern wheel compose mirrors those of the teaser image Subaru printed closing week, on the opposite hand we’re essentially in a situation to search out out about them in plump, in a diversity of coloration treatments including what looks to be a bronze pack for the ‘Sport’ variant of the automobile.

Overall the compose of the modern-gen Forester looks to take cling of inspiration from the US-market three-row Ascent appealing SUV, with a more masculine look. Other puny adjustments consist of WRX-vogue plastic wheelarches and modern ‘symmetrical AWD’ badge on the D-pillar.

It’s unclear how mighty the scale differ from the modern-gen Forester, though the compose of the modern Forester does give the visual impression of a slightly of longer car as when put next with the taller see of the present generation.

The rear of the automobile showcases a cleaner compose, with the rear lights now linked by a compose strip running all the blueprint in which via the length of the tailgate.

For the internal, the automobile has adopted the modern-generation Subaru compose language with the modern mannequin sporting a huge 11.6-proceed vertical pill-vogue infotainment dispute – which will likely raise with it wi-fi Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

On the opposite hand, love the Subaru Outback, the modern car peaceable has outmoded analogue gauges for the instrument cluster as towards a entirely digital dispute.

Powertrain and Australian lineup particulars unclear

No particulars own yet emerged around the powertrain, though a more efficient hybrid possibility has been rumoured.

A turbo ‘XT’ variant is additionally imaginable given the success it has seen as a part of the Outback lineup, but it with out a doubt’s extremely likely Subaru will continue with a pure-petrol naturally-aspirated engine – potentially an up up to now model of the present 2.5-litre – within the modern lineup.

Now not pictured is a ‘Wasteland’ variant which can presumably presumably presumably additionally be on the cards, but we’ll likely discover about that at a later date.

The modern generation Forester went on sale in 2018.

Polestar has printed its new Polestar 5 high-efficiency liftback at the Swedish carmaker’s Polestar Day tournament in Los Angeles, USA.

Whereas the company hasn’t printed worthy within the kind of specs all the design by the unveiling, it’s believed that the new rival to the likes of Porsche Taycan and Audi E-Tron GT will boast 650kW and 900Nm from its twin-motor powertrain.

The newcomer 5-door also promises new extra-quick charging technology that claims to add as worthy as 160km of fluctuate in as miniature as 5 minutes with out changing the beget of its existing battery packs or main to any long-term degradation.

Dubbed Impolite Like a flash Charging, or XFC, by charging company StoreDot, the technology become showcased at the Swedish carmaker’s Polestar Day tournament in Los Angeles, with plans to debut the technology in action on the Polestar 5 prototype in 2024.

The Polestar 5 is expected to arrive in Australia in early 2025, the place this would well rival its extremely popular competitors from Porsche and Audi.

Expected to pack a fluctuate of over 482km, the skill to spin a ways on a single charger shall be main in a super nation worship Australia however so that you just can, may well be the skill to recharge rapidly.

How does StoreDot XFC’s work?

StoreDot says it has considered a ‘step forward’ in battery pack beget which overcomes one of the crucial crucial inherent tradeoffs of lithium-ion batteries by a series of solutions.

The predominant reasons are all the vogue down to what it calls a ‘holistic beget’ of its battery packs, which seeks to take care of challenges much like residual warmth factors and field topic growth, at the side of changing the gentle graphite anode with silicon-essentially based completely nanoparticles.

Even supposing StoreDot is coy with exactly how its technology works, the company has labored to conquer the tendency of silicon to magnify by combining it with varied stabilising materials to maintain overall mechanical integrity, with out sacrificing the advantages of silicon.

With longevity in thoughts, StoreDot says its batteries win been proven to continue to exist 1200 consecutive ‘XFC’ cycles sooner than the pack is diminished to 80 percent of its customary ability. It also claims a high vitality density of over 300Wh/kg.

Polestar’s extra and extra quick charging speeds

The Polestar 2 liftback is currently the emblem’s fastest charging car, with a most DC charging hurry of 205kW, allowing the 79kWh battery to be charged from 10-80 percent in 28 minutes – taking into consideration around 524km of spin

Subsequent year, the Polestar 3 perfect SUV will attain to Australia with increased 250kW DC charging speeds, which design even supposing the battery is larger at 107kWh this would well charge up from 10 to 80 percent in 28 minutes – taking into consideration around 488km of spin.

The Polestar 5 is expected to pack a 103kWh battery with a fluctuate of over 482kms – which design an effectivity of around 21.3.kWh/100km. A total of 34.08kWh may well be desired to spin 160km.

Roughly speaking, this fashion that the Polestar 5 is able to charging speeds of up to circa-350kW – inserting it on par with the likes of the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6.

Charging, nonetheless, is no longer merely about top outputs however the moderate hurry of the vitality flowing into the auto. This can even be influenced by a assortment of issues much like ambient temperature and the amount of warmth within the battery constructed up all the design by the charging route of, so these outcomes may well also fluctuate.

There shall be a disagreement between providing a short burst of electricity, and preserving a sustained circa-350kW hurry for your total charge interval, which can well demonstrate to be a degree of disagreement between Polestar and its opponents.

Polestar’s avalanche of present fashions destined for the worldwide market are being met with an equally global network of manufacturing hubs.

Following in the aid of the enormously up thus far 2 liftback and 3 gorgeous SUV might possibly perchance possibly be the Polestar 4, a comparatively smaller SUV better in comparison with the extremely worthwhile Tesla Model Y.

Polestar right this moment launched that it might perchance possibly possibly perchance possibly construct the incoming 4 in Busan, South Korea, all the plan thru the 2d half of 2025. The most in model manufacturing hub will provide vehicles for the South Korean and the North American market.

The plans were launched after an agreement changed into as soon as struck between Polestar, Geely Retaining and Renault Korea Motors to construct the EVs in the plant, which has been building cars for 23 years and is on the 2d staffed by around 2000 workers.

What does this mean for Australia?

Polestar Australia head of PR & communications, Laurissa Mirabelli, urged Chasing Vehicles that Australian vehicles would no longer be derived from this fresh space.

“All Australian product will be sourced from China for the foreseeable future,” which blueprint that the Polestar 2, 3, 4 and most likely the 5 sedan will attain from the one predicament.

Even supposing Australia might possibly perchance circuitously receive pleasure from the most in model manufacturing source, the upper selection of construct areas permits a most likely better provide of vehicles if there is enough ask.

In 2024, the Polestar 3 will be constructed in South Carolina, USA, the place the cars will be supplied to the broader country along with the European market.

The Polestar 4 in transient

Living to near in Australia in early 2024, the Polestar 4 is anticipated to be priced north of $80,000 sooner than on-avenue prices in the neighborhood in single-motor RWD guise.

Polestar will provide two elementary variants: a rear-wheel-pressure, long-differ single-motor and an all-wheel-pressure long-differ dual-motor. Both will be a 94kWh-usable battery pack.

The outmoded will spend a 200kW/343Nm motor on the rear axle and a claimed 0-100km/h depart time in 7.4 seconds, with a claimed differ of over 600km (WLTP).

The AWD model produces a combined 400kW/686Nm output, a 3.8 2d 0-100km/h time and has a claimed differ of 560km (WLTP).

Chevrolet’s first hybrid all-wheel-force supercar is creeping closer to Australian shores, with GMSV this day confirming that the manufacturing invent of the Corvette E-Ray for Australia and Fresh Zealand will open in mid 2024.

We are in a position to on account of this truth search data from the principle examples of the fresh hybrid model, which has already been announced for Australia and Fresh Zealand, to approach in Australia by the pinnacle of 2024, or very early in 2025.

Australian and Fresh Zealand pricing is easy but to make sure, on the opposite hand Chasing Vehicles understands that this is in a position to possibly very successfully be announced closer to commence.

We estimate that the E-Ray would possibly possibly impress as noteworthy as $300,000 in Australia, or fair a miniature decrease than the fresh supercar-slaying Z06 variant.

What exactly is the E-Ray and what powers it?

Based mostly utterly totally on the C8 Corvette platform, the principle vitality source is courtesy of a 6.2-litre LT2 V8 engine, but is assisted by an electrical motor located on the front axle.

This naturally-aspirated V8 engine on my own has outputs of 369kW/637Nm.

Total system output for this setup is a well-known 488kW, and Chevrolet states that the E-Ray has a claimed 0-100km/h creep of 2.5 seconds.

The Corvette E-Ray capabilities a small 1.9kWh battery pack that helps feed vitality to the front-mounted electric motor.

You would possibly possibly wonder the effect a battery pack would match in a supercar – Chevrolet managed to set up the battery between the 2 seats.

The Corvette E-Ray is a used series-parallel hybrid, rather then a crawl-in hybrid that is at probability of be charged by activity of an exterior source.

Chevrolet says the battery is charged by activity of regenerative braking, as successfully as authorized day-to-day riding.

Chevrolet states there’ll likely be a ‘stealth mode’, usually an electrical-only mode, but it completely only operates as much as 70km/h. An electrical-only differ is now no longer said but given the scale of the battery it’s unlikely to be huge.

Other vital authorized capabilities for the electrified Corvette encompass a Brembo carbon ceramic braking system, adaptive dampers and staggered 20-hump and 21-hump wheels with Michelin rubber.

Chevrolet Corvette 2024: costs in Australia

All costs listed comprises GST and Luxurious Automotive Tax

• 2LT Coupe: $175,000
• 3LT Coupe: $190,000
• 2LT Convertible: $190,000
• 3LT Convertible: $205,000
• Corvette E-Ray: $TBC
• 3LZ Z06: $336,000

Long-established Motors Particular Autos (GMSV) has confirmed it would possibly per chance well be introducing the GMC Yukon into the Australian market in early 2025.

The beefy-dimension SUV, which dwarfs ragged good SUVs a lot just like the Toyota Prado, would possibly per chance well be sold in an eight-seat configuration within the extremely specified Denali grade.

The Yukon will endure remanufacturing in Melbourne, with pattern of the left-  to-appropriate-hand-power conversion dilemma to take role in 2024. Pricing and specs for the Yukon would possibly per chance well be announced shortly sooner than the model arrives in showrooms.

It comes as GMSV celebrates a fundamental milestone with its 8000th remanufactured Chevrolet Silverado rolling off its manufacturing line in Dandenong, Victoria.

The Silverado alongside with the Corvette were key wins for the local importer, with plans to broaden this offered within the arriving years with the arrival of the hybrid-powered Corvette E-Ray and upgrades to the Silverado 1500 and HD lineup.

GMSV director Greg Rowe emphasised that the success of this stuff has laid the groundwork for the Yukon to arrive in Australia.

“GMSV has made a proper impact within the local market and, ensuing from of this success, we’ve

been in a keep to fabricate a ambitious industry case for added items and this latest arrival is

testament to these achievements,” he stated.

What is the GMC Yukon?

As a GMC product, the Yukon effectively straddles the center ground between the extra practical Chevrolet Tahoe and the beefy-elephantine luxurious Cadillac Escalade within the GM lineup.

Readily available in a ragged and ‘XL’ long wheelbase option, the Yukon is sold within the SLE & SLT entry-stage grades, adopted by the AT4 as properly as the Denali and Denali Last.

Australia is identified to acquire the fashioned wheelbase model, which restful measures 5.33m metres long,  over two metres huge and 1.94 metres mighty, with a wheelbase of over three metres.

What is the towing capacity of the Yukon?

The towing capacity of the Yukon Denali is formally rated at as a lot as 3719kg (8200lb) within the US, it’s likely this would possibly per chance occasionally be rounded the total scheme down to 3700kg for our market.

What does the Yukon Denali encompass?

While the proper specification that arrives in local Australian showrooms is frequently weird from the American market thru which it’s miles derived, the 2 versions are anticipated to be broadly equivalent.

The fashioned engine within the Yuki Denali is the 6.2L naturally-aspirated V8 making 313kW of energy and 623Nm of torque. Additionally on hand is a 206kW/623Nm 3.0L turbo-diesel straight-six, with every paired with a 10-tempo computerized transmission.

When it comes to other aspects on hand on the Denali encompass:

• Adaptive air suspension
• Heated and ventilated entrance seats
• Heated steering wheel
• Picket panelling inserts across the cabin
• Wheels stretching from 17 to 22-inches in dimension
• LED headlights and tail lights
• Panoramic sunroof
• A energy-sliding centre console within the second row

Readily available on the Denali Last are upgrades a lot just like the Bose 18-speaker sound system and complete-grain leather-based mostly interior neat.

It remains to be seen if GM’s hands-free adaptive cruise back watch over will manufacture it to the Australian market, or if it will poke into any seemingly concerns with local regulations.

As the early 2024 originate date for the next-generation Mitsubishi Triton comes into look, the Japanese marque has introduced the completion of the opt-up truck’s Australian suspension construction and tuning program.

In announcing the conclusion of the tuning process, Mitsubishi says the next Triton delivers “a cosmopolitan scoot and handling mix that is difficult at house in Australian prerequisites.”

That’s a say that will likely be examined independently when the ute launches around February 2024 with an upgraded 2.4-litre turbocharged diesel engine, with double-cab variants arriving first.

Competing utes benchmarked

All thru the process, Mitsubishi says it tried over 100 assorted combos of entrance and rear suspension alternate choices, including dampers, springs and steering ingredients.

The Australian-specification subsequent-gen Triton has uncommon entrance dampers and comes when put next to in another country versions, to boot to a uncommon rear shock absorber.

The tuning process change into initially hampered by COVID commute restrictions in Australia however received momentum as the pandemic waned, when Mitsubishi’s native engineers had been ready to gain their palms on prototypes developed in Japan.

Tony Dorrington, Mitsubishi Australia product plan venture manager, led the native tuning process in consultation with Hiroshi Nagoka, global head of review and construction at Mitsubishi’s Japanese headquarters.

Steering genuinely feel, affect harshness and body abet an eye on prioritised

Dorrington stated this morning that getting the steering genuinely feel of the next-gen Triton difficult change into his major precedence.

“We pressure prolonged distances and having steering that affords a clearly defined centre-point, to give directional stability, makes the car less lifeless to pressure,” he stated.

“We desired to give the Triton the steering linearity, body abet an eye on, scoot and handling experience as shut to a fair correct SUV as that that you can possibly well believe, whereas preserving its feeble [pick-up] strengths.”

Mitsubishi’s Australian work change into performed on a mix of genuine public roads and closed proving ground environments, including the damaged-down Long-established Motors proving ground at Lang Lang, Victoria.

From over 100 examined suspension combos, four supreme candidates had been chosen and had been subjected to intensive review by Dorrington, Mitsubishi chief product specialist Yoshiki Masuda and Triton chief engineer Tetsuya Tobe.

Australian suspension tune is disclose however steering is global

That’s when the Australia-disclose entrance damper and spring – and rear shock absorber – change into chosen as the successful candidate.

Mitsubishi Australia additionally says it contributed to the single global electronic vitality steering tune for Triton.

“Australia is a necessary market for us, particularly within the sunshine industrial phase, so from our preliminary discussions we created a thought to study the Triton in Australian prerequisites,” stated chief engineer Tobe.

“We additionally examined widely [at Mitsubishi’s Japanese R&D centres] however for Australia’s uncommon road prerequisites, we had been ready to call on the Australian group’s native expertise and enhance to beget determined the Triton’s dynamics would review favourably to the phase benchmarks.”

The upcoming facelifted fourth-technology Carnival folk mover, that Kia Australia has confirmed for native originate early subsequent 365 days, will probably be equipped with lengthy-rumoured turbo petrol hybrid energy if the importer can secure a wholesome enough allocation of the powertrain layout.

For the time being powered by a different of 216kW 3.5-litre petrol V6 and 148kW 2.2-litre diesel four, it’s been broadly forecast that the revamped Carnival lineup, lately spied undisguised, will offer a different of the 169kW hybrid layout that pairs a 132kW 1.6-litre turbo petrol engine with a 40kW motor and 1.5kWh lithium-ion battery on the moment equipped within the Sorento sizable SUV.

“We’re strongly pushing for the [1.6L turbo petrol hybrid in Carnival],” Kia Australia in model supervisor of product planning Roland Rivero told Chasing Autos on the most up-to-date originate of the EV9 electrical SUV.

“We have confidence our hand up for it, and we unquestionably seek a marketplace for it.”

Nonetheless, as Rivero explains, the turbo-petrol hybrid powertrain rollout in Carnival shall be halted or even delayed due to construct points that, as reported earlier this 365 days, have confidence caused production a bottleneck for Sorento that saw the specter of hybrid variations of the sizable SUV being halted from sale all over 2023.

“For the time being, [facelifted Carnival] pattern for Australia is tranquil being worked on,” Rivero says.

“If we seek for on the experience we’re on the moment going thru with Sorento, the majority of [hybrid supply] is going to the [Korean] home market or to North The United States.

“It would perchance per chance also very wisely be no longer easy on the provision aspect…so we have confidence now to seek for at all aspects of the feasibility.”

Talking to Chasing Autos earlier this 365 days, Rivero explained the pickle with Sorento that in flip impacts the fortunes of the Carnival hybrid coming to the Australian market.

“The pain is that there is supreme one factory on the moment constructing [our] hybrids for the arena. Even even supposing our Georgia factory produces the Sorento, they don’t build a hybrid. So Korea is tranquil supplying the hybrid [Sorento] wants of North American, Europe and themselves.”

Carnival to affix Sorento and Sportage hybrid units

Two hybrid programs are on the moment equipped in Sorento: a self-charging 169kW series-parallel layout that debuted in 2022, as wisely as a 195kW walk-in hybrid providing 60km (tested) of pure electrical vary.

Each and every hybrid formats had been deployed as flagship powertrain alternatives, in Sorento GT-Line guise, and each were plagued by provide points. The allocation of hybrid provide is determined by Kia’s global headquarters.

If the Carnival hybrid does land within the community, this will probably followed the excellent-anticipated midsize Sportage hybrid residence for a January 2024 and a model that Kia Australia has successfully secured in lengthy-wheelbase guise, rather than the short-wheelbase Euro-spec produced in Kia’s Slovakian factory that, too, has caused Kia Australia provide and trade-connected headaches within the previous.

“Sportage hybrid is a green gentle out of Korea and fortunately for us, we don’t have to share it with Europe,” Rivero said earlier this 365 days.

Now not like the single-factory production of Sorento and Carnival, the Sportage is constructed in two different services that offer different markets.

The four-technology Carnival has so some distance loved dominance in its phase, with round 80 percent market share previously.

Facelifted Carnival specification printed

Even supposing the Australian specification has yet to be printed, the worldwide characteristic list for the Carnival Hybrid has been confirmed to present upgrades corresponding to Kia’s unusual Connected Automobile Navigation Cockpit (CCnC) which enables wi-fi Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

In Korea, the Carnival hybrid has a rated gasoline consumption of 7.1L/100km which compares with 7.6L/100km within the hot diesel possibility.

Other valuable facets encompass:

• New LED front fascia and grille make
• Twin 12.3-run displays
• Rain sensing wipers
• Blind residence peek video show cameras
• USB-C charging ports
• A ways off tidy parking serve
• Digital key accumulate admission to
• Philosophize recognition

The facelifted Kia Carnival vary is due to originate in Australia in Q1 2024.