CAR REVIEWS

Just five months after launching it in Australia, Hyundai has revealed a facelifted version of its all-electric Ioniq hatchback. Visually, the updated Hyundai Ioniq Electric boasts a 3D textured insert for the traditional grille area. There are also new bumpers at both ends, and LED head- and tail-light designs.

The Chevrolet Camaro SS can join the Ford Falcon and Subaru Tribeca in the pantheon of vehicles to have its physical appearance rectified not too long after going on sale. For the 2019 model year facelift (below), which made its debut in April 2018, Chevrolet visually united the upper and lower grille portions of the SS by painting the space in between black, and moving the Chevrolet bow tie to this newly darkened section.

Vauxhall has revealed its all-new Vivaro van at the CV Show in Birmingham, UK. Based on the PSA Group's EMP2 modular architecture, the new Vivaro is the former-GM brand's take on the Peugeot Expert, and will be built at the company's facility in Luton – securing 1250 British jobs.

We know the Porsche 911 GT2 RS is fast. It set a Nurburgring lap record in 2017, lapping the Green Hell in just 6:47.3 with Lars Kern behind the wheel. Lamborghini has since taken it back, but that's besides the point... Now, it's the quickest production car ever to lap Road America. It's a fast track, with just 14 corners in its 6.5km layout, allowing driver David Donohue to average 174km/h throughout the lap. That's fast.

This is the 2019 Holden Equinox, and is the Australian brand's entry in the competitive medium-SUV segment. It’s hand-picked from the American market, made in Mexico and fine-tuned for local tastes. It’s originally a Chevrolet product, which has picked up where five-seat versions the Captiva left off in 2017.

Renault is set to propose a merger to Nissan, but the chances of success seem low at this stage. A source has outlined Renault's proposed merger plans to The Nikkei. In the proposal, a new holding company will be formed to own 100% of Renault and Nissan, with current shareholders swapping their current shares for stakes in the new company.

Lexus looks set to introduce a new entry-level compact vehicle to replace the current CT hatchback early next decade, according to a new report out of the UK. Autocar says Lexus' European boss, Pascal Ruch, confirmed the company's plans for a new model to slot under the compact UX crossover at the 2019 Geneva motor show, and that UK director, Ewan Shepherd, also hinted at such a vehicle earlier this year.

We already know the Volkswagen Golf R is something special – a deliciously driveable hot hatch with a very real and very uncompromised duality. It’s always been at, or near, the top of the hot-hatch tree, with blistering performance married to an everyday liveability few can match. Disclaimer: we bought one. But, can you make the Golf R even better? Volkswagen seems to think so. Enter the Volkswagen Golf R Special Edition, just 400 of which have made their way to Australia.

Nissan North America has confirmed it will discontinue the 370Z Roadster from the 2020 model year, according to a new report out of the US. Speaking with Motor Authority, Kyle Torrens, spokesperson for the manufacturer's American division, said Nissan "will not offer the Roadster variant for the current-generation Z beginning with model year 2020". This marks the end of a 10-year run for the drop-top Z in the States, first joining the range in 2009 for the 2010 model-year.

Anouk Poelmann has succeeded Andrew Moore as managing director of Renault Australia, after Moore's sudden departure on April 10. Poelmann has form with French brands in Australia. Having served on the Inchcape Australasia executive team, she headed up Peugeot Citroen Australia. The company says she has history of business turnarounds and disruptive transformations around the world. "I’m delighted to join Renault and to lead the brand’s Australian operations,” Poelmann said in a statement.

Mazda Australia has issued a recall for its previous-generation 'BM' and 'BN' 3 small car from the 2015 to 2017 model years, over concerns the windscreen wipers could stop working. The Japanese manufacturer reports affected units could have a defective relay within the Front Body Control Module (F-BCM), which could cause the windscreen wipers to "become inoperative".

Audi has taken the diesel engine from the S5, S6 and S7 TDI and slotted it into its more practical S4 and S4 Avant, creating the S4 TDI in the process. As with its two-door brother, the S4 TDI is powered by a 3.0-litre V6 TDI engine making use of an electrically-powered compressor. It pumps out 255kW and 700Nm, the latter on tap between 2500rpm and 3100rpm.

The Isuzu MU-X is on a roll at the moment. Despite entering its twilight years – it's been around since 2013 – it’s holding its own against newer rivals. Last year the Isuzu MU-X outsold its former twin, the Holden Trailblazer, by more than three-to-one – and posted close to double the sales of the Toyota Fortuner and Ford Everest.  For every two Mitsubishi Pajero Sports sold in 2018, Isuzu sold three MU-Xs.

Faraday Future has secured bridge financing worth up to US$225 million ($315 million) from Birch Lake Associates, a boutique merchant bank based in Chicago. With the new source of funding secured, Faraday Future plans to continue development of the FF 91 electric car, which had stalled due to money issues stemming from a disagreement between the company's two major shareholders.

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles has issued a recall for the 2018 model-year Ducato van fitted with the 2.3-litre diesel over concerns vehicles could inadvertently lose power. According to the Italian manufacturer, affected units could have throttle bodies that have been incorrectly manufactured, which could see the intercooler sleeve detach and cause the the engine malfunction light to illuminate.

When will the hotly-anticipated Mk8 Volkswagen Golf launch? Jurgen Stackmann, head of the brand, last week said it would be in February 2020, but a new report quoting "multiple company sources" has suggested the new hatch could surface this October. Hmm. The latest report comes from Automotive News Europe, the same outlet responsible for the original Stackmann interview.

The long-wheelbase BMW 3 Series Li is slated to hit the Chinese market in the middle of 2019, following its production reveal at the Shanghai motor show. It's the second generation of the stretched 3 Series the BMW Brilliance Automotive joint venture has produced for China, which is claimed to meet "the needs of young, progressive customers" of the region.