BMW has scrapped plans to end production of its trademark V8 and V12 petrol engines, which will continue to be offered in its high-end performance and luxury models alongside a range of new electric vehicles (EVs) as part of its Neue Klasse electrification strategy. According to Automotive News Europe, the German automaker’s renewed commitment to large combustion engines is due in part to continuing high demand in the US. “High-performance engines remain a central part of our strategy,” a BMW spokesperson told ANE, adding that North American demand for V8 vehicles remains “above average” and that the company doesn’t expect…

Luxury brand Jaguar has denied reports it’s set to introduce new models packing a petrol engine, saying it remains fully committed to an all-electric future and that suggestions to the contrary are “rubbish”. The Sunday Times published a report on January 24, 2026, claiming the Indian-owned British automaker is exploring the inclusion of extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) powertrains which incorporate internal combustion engines (ICE). Such a move would represent a significant strategy shift after Jaguar’s 2024 announcement it would stop making ICE-powered vehicles, announcing it would pause production entirely as part of its transition to a more upmarket, electric-vehicle-only brand. However,…

Australia’s New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) is now in effect, and electric vehicle (EV)-only brand Polestar has confirmed it will sell the emissions ‘credits’ it accrues to brands struggling with their EV uptake. Under the NVES, all manufacturers operating in Australia are required to meet average fleet-wide carbon dioxide emissions targets every year. These targets will get stricter each year, and any brand that fails to meet them will be fined. However, if a brand beats its fleet-wide target – particularly easy in the case of plug-in hybrid-heavy and EV-only brands – they’ll earn ‘credits’ that can either be used to…

The Genesis GV90 flagship electric SUV has been delayed due to unspecified ‘technical challenges’ and internal personnel movements, according to reports coming out of the brand’s home base in South Korea. According to The Korean Car Blog, the GV90 EV’s previous April 2026 launch timing has been pushed further back to sometime in the second half of 2026. It’s reportedly not the first delay for the GV90 program, which was previewed by the 2024 Genesis Neolun Concept as a three-row electric SUV designed to rival the BMW X7 and Mercedes-Benz GLS. The Neolun Concept’s features included rear-hinged, Rolls-Royce-style coach doors,…

We’ve lived through the semiconductor shortage that stifled car production after the COVID-19 pandemic, and we might be about to go through something similar in the not-too-distant future. Artificial intelligence (AI) companies are driving a spike in the price of dynamic random access memory (DRAM) chips as they build out data centres for their power- and processing-hungry applications. According to The Register consumer prices for the most common memory capacities jumped up 63 per cent in Europe during the final quarter of 2025. Analysts from S&P Global and UBS say this will have a knock-on effect to the automotive sector…

Australia, this is your favourite small SUV… Despite its polarising looks, the Hyundai Kona has taken the Australian market by storm, no doubt helped by its sprawling range of variants and wide availability of a fuel-efficient hybrid drivetrain. It has clearly resonated with Australian new-car buyers, because 22,769 Konas were registered in 2025 – more than any other small SUV, and over 2500 units ahead of the Chery Tiggo 4 and MG ZS. Of those 22,700-plus units registered, 10,407 or 45.7 per cent were hybrids, making the Kona the fifth-most popular hybrid vehicle in Australia last year. That’s with good…

UPDATED 26/01/2026 08:00am: Now that deliveries of the new HiLux have commenced, we’ve updated this article with fuel consumption, towing capacity and payload figures that weren’t yet available when we first published it on November 12, 2025. The 2026 Toyota HiLux officially went on sale on December 9, 2025 with an expanded lineup introducing a refreshed exterior, new cabin design and now only one diesel powertrain. The expanded lineup sees the return of the top-end Rogue and Rugged X models, though a GR Sport version (or better) to take on the Ford Ranger Raptor hasn’t been confirmed just yet.  The…