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Nissan mulls resurrecting right-hand drive version of its Murano mid-size coupe SUV as it looks to soak up capacity from underutilised US manufacturing.

Volvo explains how Geely is encouraging it to move to faster model cycles, but it won't move as quickly as Chinese rivals.

It seems anyone can build a car these days.Japanese electronics company, Sharp, is the latest non-auto brand to dive into the car world with a new concept that will be on display at the 2025 Japan Mobility Show later this week.Dubbed LDK+, you’d be forgiven for thinking it was a TV, but it's actually an electric people mover.It joins other newbies to the car industry such as China’s Xiaomi, which usually makes smartphones, and Sony of PlayStation fame.Sharp hasn’t developed the car all by itself but is using Foxconn’s electric vehicle platform. Foxconn is the manufacturing powerhouse that builds the iPhone for Apple.Sharp isn’t the only brand partnering with Foxconn. Even Mitsubishi has partnered with the manufacturer to build an EV.Foxconn, or Sharp, haven't detailed what motors or battery the platform handles, but we do know it is for compact cars measuring about 4300mm long or about the same size as a Toyota Corolla hatchback.It’ll also have a versatile modular interior layout that can be used for multiple applications.The LDK+ is a concept, so it has some whacky interior applications.When parked the vehicle can be used as a theatre room or a remote workspace. The driver’s and front passenger seats can swivel to face backwards, to act like a living room space.There is a screen folded above the rear seats that can be pulled down to enjoy movies or for online meetings.Sharp said the concept can sync with people’s home appliances - only Sharp branded of course. So if you want to start your air-con or washing machine from the car, you can.The vehicle will also have a vehicle-to-load function that can power appliances.

Yet another warning that long wait times for new cars could be back

Tesla’s masterpiece is around the corner.The American EV brand’s chief designer Franz von Holzhausen told the Ride the Lightning podcast the Roadster may break cover this year.That’s no guarantee it’ll be revealed this year, but von Holzhausen said it would appear “definitely within two years”.We’ve heard this all before, though.Initially Tesla claimed the Roadster would arrive by 2020, but the COVID pandemic was blamed for delays. Then, in Tesla’s July 2024 earnings call Musk claimed it would be reaching production by “next year”. Late last year, it became clear that Roadster buyers will need a lot more patience.“I’d like to thank our long-suffering deposit holders,” Musk said, acknowledging the enormous delays. “The Roadster is not just the cherry on the cake but also the icing on the cake. We’re close to finalising the design.”The Roadster was first revealed back in 2017 at the same event the Semi was revealed. The Semi is now on American roads.Tesla has been taking deposits for the Roadster since that event almost 10 years ago.It is no small amount of money either, at US$50,000. The Australian Roadster deposit page is currently broken, but previously is was asking Aussies to slap down a $7000 deposit via credit card followed by a $59,000 bank transfer 10 days after to secure your spot.That’s the same price as a base Model Y or Model 3, but with no firm arrival date in place.Tesla had also been asking customers to pay $10,000 for a Full Self Driving mode that wasn't attainable until recently. So the company does have some form of delivering on its long term promises, eventually.In saying that, the FSD mode needs driver supervision, so isn’t technically 'full self driving'.If and when the Roadster does arrive, it promises to be one of the mightiest vehicles on the road.Elon Musk said in 2024 the Roadster would go from zero to 60 miles per hour (0-97km/h) in under one second.He also said that was the least interesting bit.However, he current Tesla Roadster page has watered those claims down.It said the Roadster will complete the benchmark 0-100km/h sprint in 2.1 seconds, which is still mind-bendingly fast.It’ll have a top speed of more than 400km/h and a driving range of about 1000km.Heady numbers, but not the knock out punch they were a few years ago.Fresh faces such as the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra and BYD’s YangWang U9 Xtreme pose a serious threat to the Roadster's dominance.The 2026 Yangwang U9 Xtreme is the fastest electric production car to lap the Nurburgring, with a time of 6:59.157 over the 20.8km circuit.It also set a speed record of 496.22km earlier this year, but this is unofficially as it didn’t complete the run in both directions.The Xiaomi SU7 Ultra lapped the Nurburgring in a 6:22 earlier this year, but that was a prototype. Its production version did it in 7:04.957, which is five seconds slower than the U9 Xtreme.The Tesla Roadster might now be playing catch-up rather than pacing the field.

BYD plots podium finish in Australia - but how will it get there?

Kia might be preparing a fresh face for its Tasman workhorse ute.Debate about the Tasman’s styling has followed it around like a bad smell since the day it was revealed. That might be all about to change.Kia recently revealed a military-grade Tasman as part of its display at the International Aerospace & Defence Exhibition in Seoul.The show cars were the usual military fare, but Kia’s Special Vehicle division showcased several suggested uses for the military-grade Tasman on its website.The hard to access website - we had to go incognito mode to get it to load — looks just like any Kia retail page but has heavy duty Tasmans.A few images jumped out, with a 'Military Command Vehicle' and a 'Military Version Pick-up truck' showing a substantially different look to the current Tasman.These images are clearly computer generated, but so are the rest of the images on this official Kia website that all depict the current shaped Tasman.This might be a long bow, but it is also odd they would publish these images that look so obviously different.The digital renders show a new headlight design, completely new fender flares front and back and an altered grille, bonnet and front bumper.The result is tough and — dare I say — handsome ute. Kia has not confirmed to CarsGuide if these images are real or not.Kia’s global VP of Next Interior Design, Jochen Paesen, previously said people will get used to the design, which was intended to stand out from the outset.“This is really, really important for Kia, we want to make sure that we have a clear identity. It does stand out. We are new to the market. It needs to be noticed. And generally, and this is generally for design, if you want to be progressive, if you want to stand out, if you want to do something new, you will go through a process of getting people used to it,” he said.The proof is in the sales figures.Despite receiving critical acclaim for how the car actually performs on and off the road, sales of the Tasman haven’t moved the needle.Kia is currently moving about 800 Tasmans a month, which is about half of what it needs to hit its lofty targets.A new look could catapult way up the charts.

An important change delayed by the government puts up a hurdle to EV ownership.

It’s been 10 months since former Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares left the company and now he claims the multinational carmaker giant could face a potential breakup.

Chery’s Jetour G700 has been priced in China as an emerging rival to the incoming BYD Dezna B8, Toyota Prado and Tank 500.The plug-in hybrid 4x4, which measures over five-meters long and over two meters wide, hits the Chinese market in five variants and it doesn’t have the kind of entry-level pricing Chery is usually known for.Starting from the equivalent of A$71,000 and spanning to a whopping $151,000 for the flagship 'Supreme Voyage Edition'.To account for this relatively high cost the G700 is equipped with a new plug-in hybrid system consisting of a 2.0-litre turbo four-cylinder engine, which produces 155kW/340Nm, and is mated to electric motors on each axle. The front axle mates engine power to an electric motor via a dedicated hybrid transmission (210kW/360Nm for the internal motor), while the rear axle has an independent motor drive unit producing 300kW/435Nm.Total combined system power is 560kW/795Nm, and the system functions closer to the range-extender-style hybrid system in BYD’s Shark 6 ute.The G700 maintains locking differentials on both the front and rear axles, as well as up to 970mm of wading depth. It also features various terrain modes and a hill descent control system, with variable height air suspension and adaptive damping.It has a 34.13kWh CATL battery providing up to 150km of range (to the more lenient CLTC protocol), while a 100-litre fuel tank has the brand claiming up to 1400km of combined range. Jetour said the G700 will consume as low as 7.95L/100km even when the battery is drained.The brand said it can even fast charge the battery in just 10 minutes thanks to ultra-fast 170kW DC charging speeds, and it can discharge via a vehicle-to-load system at up to 6.6kW.Inside, the G700 features a similar toughed-up design vibe to the Denza B5, with squared-off panels to match the boxy exterior look. The interior features a 15.6-inch multimedia touchscreen, but also a 35.4-inch digital instrument cluster, which spans the entire length of the dash. Outside, the 4x4 is equipped with either 18- or 20-inch wheels with off-road tyres.Chery’s rampant expansion in Australia (up 220 per cent year-on-year) has seen it also launch an array of its sub-brands, like Omoda, Jaecoo, and Lepas, however the off-road focused Jetour, which seems like a natural fit for the Australian market, has yet to be confirmed.Originally, this was said to be because it was focused on left-hand drive for the time being, but it seems as though this could change before long, with multiple executives from both Chery and Omoda/Jaecoo saying the brand is keen to get tougher 4x4 models on the market as soon as possible.