Browsing: Automobiles

The only Volkswagen with a folding top is an SUV. The T-Roc Cabriolet has the old VW interior design with real buttons and knobs. VW will pull the plug in mid-2027. Car configurators are an endless source of surprising discoveries. We recently spotted cloth seats in the new S-Class, but how about a convertible SUV with a manual gearbox? Volkswagen’s nearly forgotten T-Roc Cabriolet is still available, and yes, it can be ordered with three pedals. In an ironic twist, the Golf GTI has been automatic-only for the past couple of years, yet this high-riding contraption lets you row your…

Tesla has asked Apple to fix a software bug which has halted progress of the deployment of Apple CarPlay in its vehicles – but not enough iPhone users are running the newest iOS which remedies the problem.According to Bloomberg, Tesla discovered the maps it uses for its Autopilot and Full Self-Driving (FSD) software – with FSD (Supervised) switched on in Australia and New Zealand last year – weren’t compatible with Apple Maps.The issue means both companies’ mapping systems could be running at the same time, potentially resulting in the driver following a different set of directions to the vehicle while…

Article SummaryDuring the same event, BMW will mark 90 years of the 328 two-seater sports car.Other milestones will include 60 years of the 02 Series and 50 years since the original 6 Series came out.BMW Group Classic is celebrating all these anniversaries at Lake Como between May 15-17.The current-generation M3 may be approaching the end of its life cycle, but a replacement is already deep in development. However, there will be a gap of more than a year between the two performance sedans. We’ve heard the last G80 will roll off the assembly line about a year from now, with…

The VW Group is looking to slash costs by 20 percent by the end of 2028. Plant closures could be part of the plan. Savings would be implemented across all brands. Here we go again. The Volkswagen Group may have already implemented a cost-cutting strategy, but it’s apparently not enough. Despite saving an unspecified amount in the double-digit billion-euro range, according to a company spokesperson, it now needs to trim even more. A new report from Germany claims the automotive conglomerate is looking to slash costs by a fifth. Business publication Manager Magazin (subscription required) alleges top executives from the VW…

Finding out which would be the most reliable BMW cars ever made isn’t just as easy as looking at a statistical database but is one of the complex things you can do. So we have researched and compiled a number of the most reliable BMW models, which we think can satisfy your search this year. In this guide, we are going through the archives to highlight the top 10 most reliable BMW models of all time, looking at everything from the modification-friendly E46 to the powerhouse V8 engines that turned the 7-series into a legend of the road. 2002 BMW…

Ford already has a wide range of utes, but it appears to have found gaps into which it can squeeze a couple more.In addition to a previously confirmed ‘mid-size’ (ie: Ranger-sized) electric ute that’s due in 2027 and based on its new Universal EV platform, Ford has confirmed its plans for another new ute.When asked about Ford’s recently announced plans to launch five new models priced below US$40,000 (A$56,450) in the US market, Ford CFO Sherry House confirmed one of these would be a new ute.“We had talked [in December 2025] about putting more ICE [internal combustion-engined] trucks into our…

Article SummaryThe BMW Z4 Touring Concept unveiled at Villa d’Este featured ALPINA-like components, including distinctive multi-spoke wheels and characteristic interior stitching and leather work.ALPINA lacks coupe heritage, being known instead for luxury-performance sedans and estates like the B3, B5, and B7. So a coupe might have been tough to market.The concept came tantalizingly close to production approval, following the success of limited-series projects like the 3.0 CSL that proved BMW could realize special low-volume cars.Three years after its unveiling at the prestigious Villa d’Este Concorso d’Eleganza, the stunning BMW Concept Touring Coupe continues to spark conversation among enthusiasts. The Z4-based…

Autoforma has designed a stunning Volvo P1800ES shooting brake restomod.    It’s available in three trims, with the bold Forward Fashionista debuting first.    It has a turbocharged Volvo T5 engine, a revised suspension, and bold color options.  Autoforma, a Dutch restomod design company, has introduced a stunning take on the P1800ES shooting brake from the early 1970s. The company is offering the car in three trims, starting with the Forward Fashionista—the most extreme variant.   Under the hood is a Volvo’s turbocharged T5 five-cylinder engine, which pairs with a “revised transmission.” Autoforma also upgrades the brakes with improved cooling…

A hybrid Subaru ‘Rex’? No, not the WRX – but Subaru Australia’s boss has left the door open for an affordable hybrid crossover to join the lineup should the business case make sense.”We’re always looking at our model range and how best we can give more Australians options for Subaru. When we bring models in, they have to be right for the market, right for Australian consumers, and we also have to have permission to play in that territory,” said Scott Lawrence, general manager for Subaru Australia.”So it’s not a no, but right now we’ve got no firm plans to…

Article SummaryA new Countryman special edition or trim level with an off-road focus is in the works.MINI’s Head of Design Holger Hampf says the rugged Countryman is coming in the next couple of years.Expect all-wheel drive, a raised suspension, extra plastic body cladding, and all-terrain tires.The third-generation Countryman is still a relatively new product, having been around for only a couple of years. That likely means we haven’t seen everything MINI has planned for the U25 generation. With production reportedly continuing into the early 2030s, there’s plenty of time for additional variants to expand the lineup.Case in point, MINI recently…