CAR REVIEWS

httpv://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNghMsdXgng Lister Motor Company has unveiled its latest creation, based on the Jaguar F-Type. Dubbed the Thunder , it’s powered by a 5.0-litre supercharged V8 producing 666hp ( 497kW ). No, that’s not an accident and yes, it’s the number of the beast. The engine is based on the standard supercharged F-Type V8, but Lister has fitted upgraded supercharger pulleys, custom intercoolers, a better air filtration system and a unique engine management system. Along with that devilish power output, the modifications deliver 976Nm of torque. That’s 276Nm more than the factory F-Type SVR makes, and helps shoot the Thunder to 60mph ( 0-97km/h ) in just 3.2 seconds , on the way to a 335km/h top speed. Styling changes are led by the extended splitter, new bonnet vents and reworked grille at the front, while the rear end now wears a unique bumper and fat carbon-fibre exhaust tips. Given the name, anything less than a thunderous exhaust note will be...

Mitsubishi has a wide range of SUVs led by the ASX and Outlander , which sell in huge numbers here on the back of commendably low pricing and a reputation for bulletproof reliability. But a brand cannot rely on such sensible metrics alone. Which is where the more alluring 2018 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross comes in, boldly repackaging a badge once used on a compact sports coupe, to meet the modern crossover boom. Now, not everyone will be happy about that, but Mitsubishi has long signposted its intent to focus on SUVs and light commercials, so that’s just the way things are going to be. Pitched between the aforementioned pair of range-mates, it’s designed to tackle fellow spacious-but-small SUVs such as the Honda HR-V , Nissan Qashqai and Subaru XV , but feasibly might also be cross-shopped against a Mazda CX-5 or Hyundai Tucson . Rather than launching with low, low pricing, it instead comes loaded up with modern infotainment and active safety equipment, and as such gives the coo...

Australian pricing and specifications for the  2018 Volkswagen Polo range have been revealed this week, with the all-new light hatch to kick off at  $17,990 before on-road costs when it arrives in showrooms next month. The sixth-generation of Volkswagen’s light car comes in at just $800 more than the vehicle it replaces, despite being larger in every dimension, more powerful and featuring more equipment. At launch, three trim levels will be available – Trendline, Comfortline and Launch Edition – all featuring a new  1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo petrol engine mated to either a six-speed manual or seven-speed DSG. The entry-level  Polo Trendline gets the lower-output ’70TSI’ version of the 1.0-litre mill, putting out 70kW of power and 175Nm of torque (up 4kW and 15Nm than before) – the latter available from 2000 to 3500rpm. Claimed 0-100km/h is 10.8 seconds with both transmissions, while fuel use is rated at 4.8L- and 5.0L/100km for the manual and DSG (...

The  Renault Koleos Initiale special edition has arrived in Australia this week, priced from  $49,490 drive-away. Sitting above the range-topping Intens variant, the Initiale adds a unique exterior finish named ‘Black Amethyst’, 19-inch alloy wheels and Renault’s Pure Vision LED headlights. Inside, there’s unique stitching for the leather-upholstered interior. The additional specification is on top of the Intens variant’s already lengthy equipment list, which includes an electric tailgate, a panoramic sunroof, dual-zone climate control, an 8.7-inch portrait-style touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, satellite navigation, heated and ventilated front seats, and ambient interior lighting. Driver assistance technologies like autonomous emergency braking (AEB), blind-spot monitoring, lane-departure warning, and hill-start assist are also included as standard, in addition to front and rear parking sensors, a rear-view camera, along with an au...

Ford’s regional boss is sufficiently dissatisfied with the modest sales of its Escape SUV in Australia to go on the record about it, and says he is looking at adding “emotional derivatives” with performance or luxury bents to shake things up. The Escape is one of the world’s most popular crossovers, yet despite some sales growth in 2017 compared to the badly-named Kuga it replaced, managed just 3.0 per cent market share here in our fastest-growing segment. The Mazda CX-5 outsold the Ford by a ratio of 5:1, the Hyundai Tucson and Toyota RAV4 beat it by more than 4:1, and even the more upmarket Volkswagen Tiguan doubled Ford’s tally. Put another way, medium-SUVs have a 16.5 per cent overall market share here now, but the Escape makes up only 6.4 per cent of Ford’s Australia sales. Sub-par, no matter how you cut it. Peter Fleet is the British-accented group vice-president of Ford Asia Pacific, who oversees operations of the company here above local president and CEO Graeme ...

The  2018 Holden Commodore has been awarded a five-star safety rating from independent crash-testing firm, ANCAP . It’s the first score issued by ANCAP this year, and fittingly it’s given to the first imported Commodore . The ‘ZB’ Commodore managed  35.54 out of 38 for adult occupant protection, equating to 93 per cent . It also scored 85 per cent for child occupant protection, 78 per cent for pedestrian detection, and 77 per cent for safety assist systems. “Australian families and fleet buyers have long regarded the Commodore as a trusted local choice and the shift to overseas supply has further enhanced the model’s safety credentials,” said James Goodwin , CEO of ANCAP. “This next generation Commodore includes safety assist technologies not seen in its locally-produced predecessor, with standard-fit features such as autonomous emergency braking and active lane-keep assist.” ANCAP’s rating is based on the Commodore’s European twin, the  Opel Insignia – fitte...

httpv://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsI7N7hhZTg A pair of ex-Google engineers has created a funky last-mile autonomous vehicle, designed as a smarter way for companies to deliver their packages. Nuro.ai raised US$92 million ($113,900,000) in venture capital for its self-driving delivery van, which will never carry a human on board. Instead, it’s designed to do the dirty work for online retailers like Amazon . The toaster-shaped ‘car’ weighs 680kg, most of which is down to the battery pack and electric motors hiding under the floor. It’s a similar length to large SUVs (the company hasn’t provided an exact figure at this point) but measures just 1 metre wide, while the windshield serves no practical purpose – there’s no driver to look through it, but Nuro says it makes other road users feel more comfortable. The interior is endlessly customisable, and capable of carrying around 110kg of cargo. Shelves, hanging racks or bare floors for tying down cargo are some of the suggested c...

httpv://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOnPjpFa3DU The  Jaguar I-Pace has been previewed once again, this time during cold weather testing in Arjeplog, Sweden, ahead of its production premiere on March 1 . Set to debut at the  Geneva motor show , Jaguar has decided to demonstrate the I-Pace’s ability to deal with the arctic conditions of nations like Sweden, with temperatures as low as -40 degrees Celsius in the region. “Not only will the I-Pace charge quickly enough for our customers to carry out their everyday lives, it will offer powerful and precise performance in a variety of conditions and climactic extremes,” said Ian Hoban, Jaguar vehicle line director. “Allied with the versatile credentials of our celebrated Pace family, this will be an electric performance SUV like no other.” Jaguar has also confirmed the I-Pace will feature a fast-charging system from launch, which is capable of charging from zero to 80 per cent capacity in “ less than 45 minutes ” – wit...

The new BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe has been spied during cold weather testing near the Arctic circle. Compared to the prototype spotted back in September last year, this vehicle seems to have the same level of disguise applied to it. There are plenty of false body panels stuck to the car, most notably around the rear quarter windows, doors and boot. The vehicle is also using temporary lighting units at both ends, so it’s impossible to see the car’s styling details. We can tell the 2 Series Gran Coupe, like its bigger 4 and 6 Series brethren, will feature frameless windows. If the current front-wheel drive 2 Series Active Tourer and Gran Tourer models are anything to go by, turbocharged three- and four-cylinder engines will likely reside under the bonnet of the 2 Series Gran Coupe. Six-cylinder engines are probably a non-starter due to the transverse engine layout. For many markets around the world, the 2 Series Gran Coupe will be the first sedan-like front-wheel drive model sol...

Lexus has reportedly signed off on a convertible version of the  LC , while an  LC F  performance hero also looks set for production in the coming years. According to a new article by the UK’s  Auto Express , internal sources claim the drop-top LC has already been approved, while the ‘F’-branded version is looking likely for production as well. The convertible is said to be heading to production within the next 18-24 months, filling a key gap in the Japanese marque’s line-up. It’s expected the ‘LC500C’ and/or ‘LC500hC’ will share their engines with the coupe, meaning a 3.5-litre V6 hybrid powertrain and 5.0-litre naturally-aspirated V8 should be available when it arrives on the market. Such models would give Lexus a competitor to the Mercedes S-Class Cabriolet and upcoming BMW 8 Series Convertible , while giving the company an image-boost to better compete with its German competitors. The company’s previous drop-top efforts weren’t so well received – rem...

Rimac Automobili will release its second electric hypercar, inventively named Concept Two , at the Geneva motor show in March. The electric start-up released a short teaser on Facebook, captioned with the question “why play by the rules, when you can change the game?” Up front, the new electric hypercar looks similar to its predecessor, with slim headlights and a shapely bonnet, although the ‘grille’ has clearly been revised in the transition from Concept_One to Two. Above: Rimac has been teasing the Concept Two with these work-in-progress shots  There are no details about a powertrain yet, but expect the Concept Two to be properly powerful. The Concept_One makes 800kW of power and 1600Nm of torque, for a 2.6 second sprint to 100km/h . Range is currently limited to 354km, although up-to-date batteries and more efficient motors are likely to open the door for longer-haul drives in the upcoming model. Impressive, but that sprint time is slower than the (claimed) time of t...

Donald Trump has praised car manufacturers for plans to expand their American production capabilities in his State of the Union address in Washington, DC. “Many car companies are now building and expanding plants in the United States — something we have not seen for decades,” Trump told US Congress, arguing he’d “halted government mandates that crippled America’s great, beautiful autoworkers”. Fiat Chrysler has announced plans to invest US$1 billion ($1.3 billion) in its Warren, Michigan truck plant instead of moving production to Mexico, in a move set to create 2500 jobs. The company said the move was made possible by new laws cutting the corporate tax rate from 35 to 21 per cent. Above: The Volkswagen Atlas is one of many cars built in the USA. Along with FCA’s plans, Toyota and Mazda intend to build a US$1.6 billion ($2 billion) production plant in Huntsville, Alabama – the only brand new production centre announced during Trump’s time in office. Do these plans give cred...

The new-generation  Kia Cerato/Cee’d   hatchback has been spied during testing in Europe, ahead of a likely unveiling at the Geneva motor show in March. Despite the black and white camouflage, this vehicle is largely identical in design to the undisguised version seen in Korea last December, pretty much confirming the new Cee’d and Cerato hatchbacks will basically be one and the same. The sharp headlights feature the same quad-LED daytime-running light signature as the recently-revealed Cerato sedan , while the grille, bumper and front indicators all look very similar to the sedan. At the rear, there are angular LED tail-lights that are similar in design to those used on the larger Optima Sportswagon , a fastback tailgate, a single exposed exhaust tip, and reflectors embedded into the bumper. Have a quick look at the Korean hatch spied in December and the Forte (Cerato) sedan revealed in Detroit earlier this month : Key differences in the front include slight va...

The next-generation  2018 Hyundai Santa Fe has been teased in designer sketches this week, ahead of a market launch mid-year. While the final version will be toned-down compared to these drawings, it appears Hyundai is looking to push the Santa Fe further upmarket with a striking and luxurious-looking design. Up front is a version of the company’s ‘cascading’ grille, flanked by the two-tier headlight design that will become a mainstay in Hyundai’s SUV range – first seen on the smaller Kona . The upper tier features LED daytime-running lights, while the lower tier incorporates the main headlight cluster. Hyundai says this design creates a “unique, futuristic look”. Meanwhile, the sides and rear give a more athletic stance, with a roofline that extends into a fastback-like tailgate, slim tail-lights that look like a mix of Lexus and Audi units, and a prominent character line that runs from the headlights to the tail-lights. The tailgate’s various creases and folds wouldn’...