The 2026 Kia EV6 will start from $72,660 before on-road costs, with price rises of just $70 across each of the four model grades. The modest price increase coincides with updated exterior styling, cabin tweaks and a larger battery designed to deliver improved driving range. The updated lineup is due in showrooms “imminently”, according to a Kia Australia release. Every EV6 is now fitted with the same 84kWh lithium-ion battery pack, replacing the previously offered 77.4kWh unit. The entry-level Air RWD gains an additional 54km of range, and is now rated at a claimed 582km under the WLTP test cycle.…

A significantly updated Mercedes-Benz S-Class sedan will reportedly be revealed this year, powered by a more powerful V8 petrol engine the automaker has confirmed will use a flat-plane crankshaft. The new engine is part of what Mercedes-Benz describes as the “most extensive update in one generation”. According to Autocar, the current seventh-generation S-Class is set to receive a major overhaul in the coming weeks, including an updated exterior design, a substantially upgraded cabin, and the aforementioned V8 engine. A flat-plane crankshaft not only gives an internal combustion engine (ICE) a distinctive timbre, but also offers performance advantages such as reduced…

The Ford Bronco RTR is yet more proof the Blue Oval has a big off-roader-shaped hole in its local lineup. Revealed today, the RTR is a new member of the Bronco off-road SUV family, which Ford says delivers “Raptor-inspired high-speed capability with a lower starting price than Badlands Sasquatch”. For context, the Badlands is an “extreme off-roading” variant of the body-on-frame off-roader, while the Sasquatch package brings a higher ride height, more sophisticated automatic four-wheel drive system, and a different final drive ratio, among other changes. RTR Vehicles, meanwhile, is perhaps best known as a tuner of Mustangs, but has…

BMW M has offered detailed insights into its first electric performance model ahead of its upcoming global reveal. Due in 2027 – one year earlier than previously thought – the as-yet unnamed model will be an electric counterpart to the iconic M3 sedan, and will be sold alongside its internal combustion-powered ‘brother’. As previously speculated, the M3 EV (and all other Neue Klasse M models) are now confirmed to feature four electric motors – one on each corner, coined BMW M eDrive – and the same ‘Heart of Joy’ drivetrain and dynamics computing system found in the upcoming iX3. Indeed,…

The Kia K4 Sportswagon has been revealed for Europe and the UK, adding a third body style option for the Korean brand’s new global small car. Measuring 4695mm in length, the K4 Sportswagon is a smidgen shorter than 4710mm-long K4 Sedan on sale in Australia, but 255mm longer than the K4 Hatch that just launched Down Under. It rides on the same 2720mm wheelbase as its siblings, while boasting a healthy 604 litres of cargo capacity in European specification – nearly 170L more than the hatch, and just under 100L more than the sedan – and is exclusively available with…

Ford’s revitalised hybrid strategy could soon include a V8 engine as the hero for its next-generation Raptor models. Ford CEO Jim Farley has opened the door to a V8-powered Raptor that would leverage the US automaker’s tilt at the 2026 Dakar Rally with its purpose-built Raptor T1+ racers which employ a version of the Blue Oval brand’s iconic 5.0-litre Coyote V8 from the Mustang muscle car. Speaking in the Saudi Arabian desert at the Dakar Rally bivouac – essentially a mobile pit lane that follows the epic 14-day adventure – Ford’s outspoken and ever-enthusiastic chief gave the strongest hints yet…