Browsing: Automobiles

The Suzuki e-Vitara is the source material for the latest Toyota Urban Cruiser, and this isn’t too unusual as most versions of preceding Urban Cruisers sold worldwide have often been based on Suzuki Vitaras.The problem, though, is that the e-Vitara is Suzuki’s first attempt at an electric vehicle (EV) and we were less than impressed with its dynamics and efficiency.So the question is whether Toyota has done significant work in modifying the e-Vitara’s underpinnings to create the new Urban Cruiser, or whether it has just plonked its own very similar crossover body on top of the platform and sent the…

BMW is busy as a bee. Whether it’s working on a facelift or a next-generation model, there’s always something brewing in Munich. However, the company appears to be changing its modus operandi for its smallest crossover. If these spy shots are any indication, the iX1 will seemingly skip the Life Cycle Impulse. Instead, it could head straight to the next generation.Although this is not the first time car paparazzi have caught the “NB5,” we hadn’t seen a prototype’s interior until now. Predictably, the second-generation iX1 will receive a radically different cabin compared to the current model. While the layout is…

Mitsubishi has a lengthy list of motorsport accomplishments. While the automaker began racing on pavement, the glory really arrived when Mitsubishi took to the dirt. There was a time when Mitsubishi dominated in rally, but the most impressive racing efforts unfolded over the lengthy, grueling stages of the Dakar Rally. The Mitsubishi Pajero Evolution is the winningest vehicle in the Rally’s history. The Pajero Evo has won the event twelve times. There have been evolutions of the Pajero Evo over the years, but all of this Dakar success began with the first win in 1985. After winning the race, the…

What a huge change.The new Hyundai Palisade large SUV has received a significant overhaul, with the old powertrains and platform gone.It’s a bigger car, still with the choice of seven or eight seats, but there’s only one powertrain available initially, and one equipment grade too. And boy oh boy, this is an opulent bit of kit – and it’d want to be, considering the price.How much does the Hyundai Palisade cost?I’ve struggled to come to terms with the idea of a nearly-$100,000 Hyundai that still needs petrol. I mean, it’s a really big SUV with loads of stuff, but the people…

As financial gurus like to say, it’s better to have multiple revenue streams than to rely on a single source of income. BMW’s expertise extends beyond selling cars, as it also operates as an engine supplier. Take Land Rover, for example, which uses Bavaria’s V8 in three models: the Defender, Range Rover, and Range Rover Sport. Ineos Automotive also sources BMW inline-six gasoline and diesel engines for the Grenadier off-road SUV and its Quartermaster pickup sibling.The collaboration with Morgan predates BMW’s deals with Land Rover and Ineos. The British sports car marque partnered with BMW in 2000 for the “M62”-powered…

Ford’s electric vehicle lineup is about to look very different. To meet the ever-changing needs of the American market (and in an effort to combat slow sales), the Blue Oval is rethinking its electric F-150 Lightning for the next generation. The standard F-150 Lightning is on the way out after 2025; like some other EVs, it’s headed to the big junkyard in the sky. In its place, Ford will introduce the next-generation F-150 Lightning EREV—short for Extended-Range Electric Vehicle—and it brings some major changes with it. At its core, the Lightning EREV is still technically an electric truck. A battery…

The Ford F-150 Lightning electric pickup has been axed as part of a strategic switch on electric vehicles (EVs) by the automaker, which has cost it billions.However, the Blue Oval still forecasts an overall profit for 2025, and profitability for its Model e EV division by 2029.Ford has announced production of the battery-electric F-150 Lightning, unveiled in 2022 but never part of the Ford Australia lineup, ends this year and it will be replaced by a new F-150 Lightning extended-range electric vehicle (EREV).The EREV version will enter production at an unspecified date at the same plant: the Rouge Electric Vehicle…

We don’t like being the bearer of bad news, but get ready for yet another round of price hikes. A new report claims BMW USA will raise prices by 1% on most models in two weeks’ time. Starting January 1, 2026, a new car could cost up to $1,500 more than it does today.According to a leaked dealer bulletin seen by CarsDirect, most models will unfortunately be affected. However, there are a few notable exceptions, including EVs and a trio of combustion-engine models. The 7 Series will not see a price increase, although BMW may be waiting until next year’s…

In 2022, Porsche announced plans to launch fully electric replacements for the Boxster and Cayman later this decade. Despite a weaker-than-expected rise in EV adoption, the gas-free 718 duo is still very much on the way. That said, Zuffenhausen has come to terms with the reality that ICE models remain a necessity in the sports car segment, where buyers’ appetite for combustion engines continues to drive sales. In September, Porsche pledged to fit a gas engine to “top” versions of the Boxster and Cayman. Ironically, the announcement came just a month before production of the 982 generation ended. A juicy…

In what would be yet another about-face on its EV plans, Porsche will reportedly offer internal combustion engine (ICE) powered versions of its next-generation 718 electric sports cars.Due on sale in 2026, the hitherto all-electric fifth-generation Boxster roadster and fourth-generation Cayman coupe have already been previewed in concept form and spied undergoing development testing.But now according to an Autocar report, they will also be re-engineered to accept mid-mounted petrol engines, like every previous Boxster and Cayman including the current 982-series, which introduced a new turbocharged four-cylinder boxer engine.Production of the 982 models ended for Australia earlier this year and for…