Thanks for joining us this Thursday 31 October 2024. Notably in car news today: V6 not looking likely for Kia Tasman ute, while the BYD Shark 6 has been priced competitively at $57,900 before on-road costs.
Browse this issue:
- Kia Tasman ute: don’t hold your breath for a V6 just yet
- BYD Shark 6 priced at $57,900 before on-road costs
- Xiaomi electric racecar sets blisteringly quick Nurburgring lap time
- Geely develops plug-in hybrid system with 2390km range
- BMW celebrates 25 years of the X5
- Reviewed: 2024 Ineos Grenadier Quartermaster ute
Don’t hold your breath for a V6 Kia Tasman
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Chances for a more powerful six-cylinder version of Kia’s newly unveiled Tasman ute appear slim in the face of impending efficiency regulations.
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While hopes had run high that the Tasman could eventually feature V6 power from the discontinued Kia Stinger sedan or from within the Genesis product portfolio, Kia Australia’s general manager of product planning Roland Rivero told media at the ute’s launch on Tuesday night that this was looking “highly unlikely with the current movement in green car tech and government legislation”.
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While not ruling a V6 powertrain out completely, Rivero cited the upcoming New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) as a key factor in the decision, as well as the dominance of four-cylinders in the segment.
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“Over 80 per cent of sales are still with the four cylinder category, we’ve gone with that big eighty to start off with. We do have a long product cycle and you never know”, Rivero said.
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While a V6 may appear unlikely, Rivero added that the brand is “well aware” of the NVES and added: “we are looking at powertrain options in the future that will help us navigate through NVES”, indicating that electrified hybrid variants may be the more solid bet as the Tasman’s product lineup evolves over the coming years.
BYD Shark 6 ute priced low at $57,900 plus on-road costs
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BYD Australia has at last announced the long-awaited pricing for its first ute, the plug-in hybrid Shark 6.
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Priced from $57,900 before on-road costs, the Shark 6 is available in a single, high-spec Premium grade.
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The new Chinese ute significantly undercuts several of its main rivals, including the $62,990 GWM Cannon Alpha Hybrid and the $63,260 Toyota Hilux SR5 with 48-volt assistance.
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Standard equipment for the Shark 6 includes a 15.6-inch rotating centre touchscreen, 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, electric front seats, LED headlights, tail lights and DRLs, double wishbone suspension front and rear and disc brakes on all four corners.
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Powering the Shark 6 is a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine with two electric motors – one on each axle – to produce combined outputs of 321kW/650Nm. Electric-only range is a claimed 100km.
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You can read more about the BYD Shark 6 in detail at our story below, or watch our first drive video that is embedded above.
READ: BYD Shark 6: Aussie pricing and specs
READ: BYD Shark 6 full written review
Xiaomi’s electric SU7 Ultra achieves blisteringly quick Nurburgring lap time
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Xiaomi, a Chinese electric automaker, has lapped the Nurburging in a very quick time of 6:46:87. How fast is that exactly?
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Well, for a non-street legal vehicle, the Chinese electric race car is quicker than a Pagani Zonda R, the Ferrari 599XX and the Dodge Viper ACR-X around the famous German racetrack.
The Xiaomi SU7 Ultra Prototype has set an astonishing Nurburgring lap time
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It’s a slower lap time only to the Manthey Racing Porsche 911 GT2 RS (6:40.33), the Lotus Evija X (6:24.047) and the Volkswagen ID.R (6:05.336).
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The Xiaomi SU7 Ultra Prototype is a 1139kW electric beast with supercar levels of performance and has styling similar to that of the current Porsche Taycan.
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Xiaomi Auto has not yet been confirmed to enter the Australian market and, as a company, was only founded three years ago. Its parent company, Xiaomi, is one of the largest consumer electronics companies and is the second largest smartphone manufacturer in the world.
Geely builds super efficient NordThor PHEV system with over 2000km range
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Chinese automaker Geely has bested BYD’s most efficient hybrid system, the DM 5.0 powertrain, with what it calls the NordThor PHEV system.
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Comprising a 1.5-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine which has the world’s highest thermal efficiency (46.5 per cent), the system also uses two electric motors, with one of the motors producing 160kW of power alone.
Geely will enter the Aussie market with the EX5 electric SUV, pictured
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According to a recent report by Car News China, Geely claims that this hybrid system is capable of a “mixed range of 2390km” and has an ICE fuel consumption of just 2.67L/100km.
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And if you thought this was too high tech for 2024, the NordThor PHEV platform is going into production into the very sci-fi-named Geely Galaxy Starship 7 SUV, a model which will enter the Chinese market on 4 November.
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For Australia, Geely is planning to enter the market with the EX5 electric SUV, a vehicle based on a new GEA platform, also known as the Global Intelligent Electric Architecture.
BMW celebrates 25 years of the X5
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BMW has marked 25 years of its X5 large SUV, currently in its fourth generation which debuted a midlife update this year.
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The German automaker says that 3 million X5s have been sold globally – including 75,000 in Australia – since it was introduced in 1999.
BMW has marked 25 years of its X5 SUV
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A Silver Anniversary edition was made available in the US to mark the milestone with special paint and badging, however this model isn’t expected in Australia where year to date 2334 X5s have been sold, making it the brand’s third most popular model behind the X1 and X3 SUVs.
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A new fifth-generation is due in 2027, with both ICE and electric powertrains expected to co-exist.
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Chasing Cars recently drove a hydrogen-powered prototype of the current-generation X5, for which you can read our review here.
Ineos Grenadier Quartermaster reviewed
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Chasing Cars editor Jez Spinks’s review of the 2024 Ineos Grenadier Quartermaster ute was published, including his first impressions and thoughts on the first ute by the Ineos brand.
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Jez praised the Quartermaster’s brilliant turbo-diesel engine, strong off-road capability and range of accessories as an alternative to the iconic Toyota Land Cruiser 70 Series.
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However, Jez also pointed out a few points to improve, including the model’s vague steering, titanic-sized turning circle and inferior payload capabilities when compared to the 70 Series. It’s also a pretty expensive thing!
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Jez concluded his review by recommending the Ineos model for its strong and peachy inline-six engines, its character and looks, but noted its expensive price tag.
READ: Ineos Grenadier Quartermaster full written review
The next issue of Car News Today will be published on Friday 1 November at 4.30pm Sydney time.
