CAR COMPARISONS

Senin, 03 Juli 2017

2017 Land Rover Discovery pricing and specs

Local pricing and specifications have been released for the new-generation 2017 Land Rover Discovery, ahead of the seven-seat British off-roader’s arrival in Australian showrooms on August 1.

As previously reported in December, when pricing was initially revealed, no fewer than five trim levels will be offered, along with three different turbo-diesel engines.

The range will kick off with the entry-level Td4 S at $65,960 before on-road costs, topping out at a far more substantial $131,871 for the Td6 First Edition.

Standard equipment at the S base level includes 19-inch alloy wheels, heated door mirrors, a full-size spare wheel, halogen headlights, cloth seat trim, push-button start, autonomous emergency braking (AEB), lane departure warning, rear-view camera, rear parking sensors, and an 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system – though satellite navigation is optional on the S grade.

Other features across the range include an electric parking brake, hill-descent control with off-road ABS, hill launch assist, an acoustic windscreen, green tinted glass, along with Isofix mounts for the two outward seats in the second row.

Stepping up to the SE grade (from $77,050) adds a dual-range transfer case for the eight-speed automatic transmission, air suspension, rain-sensing wipers, power folding door mirrors with welcome lighting, automatic LED headlights with LED daytime-running lights, grained leather seat trim with 10-way power adjustment for the front seats, gloss black interior highlights, an automatically-dimming rear-view mirror and ambient door lighting.

Other additions include dual-zone automatic climate control, front parking sensors, an upgraded 10-speaker audio system (up from six), satellite navigation and additional 12V outlets in the upper glovebox and the second row of seating.

Third up the ladder is the HSE, which starts at $87,150 before on-road costs with the Td4 turbo-diesel engine.

Extra equipment over its lesser siblings include front fog lights, signature LED tail-lights, automatic high beam assist, 20-inch five-spoke alloy wheels, 12-way power-adjustable front seats with memory function, wood interior trim, electronic adjustment for the steering column, ambient lighting for the doors and door bins, a cover for the front cup holders, three-zone climate control, keyless entry and an automatic tailgate.

Additionally, the HSE gets a larger 10-inch ‘Navigation Pro’ touchscreen infotainment system, a 10-speaker Meridian sound system, and two USB charging ports in the second row.

Sitting atop the core range is the HSE Luxury (from $100,950), which adds chrome exterior door handles, an electric front sunroof with fixed rear glass panos, an infrared reflective windscreen, different 10-spoke 20-inch alloy wheels, upgraded ‘Windsor’ leather seats with 16-way power adjustment with powered headrests, ventilated front seats, and premium carpet mats.

Other features include configurable interior ambient lighting, a surround camera system, gesture-operated power tailgate, along with an upgraded 14-speaker Meridian surround sound system.

Finally, the First Edition – which is available solely with the Td6 turbo-diesel, starts at $131,871 before on-road costs, though full specifications for this model are still to be confirmed. According to our previous coverage, the limited-edition range-topper will get 21-inch alloy wheels, heated and cooled second row seats, and a semi-automated parking assistant.

A lengthy options and option packages list is also on offer, with seven seats ($3400), adaptive LED headlights with washers ($930), privacy glass ($870), metallic paint ($2010-4020) and a contrasting roof colour ($1540) headlining the single option items.

Meanwhile, several option packages are also available, including the Drive Pro Pack ($3800-4800) – which includes a driver condition monitor, adaptive cruise control with Queue Assist and intelligent emergency braking, lane keep assist, blind spot monitoring and rear cross traffic alert – and the Black Design Pack ($900) which includes dark-themed treatments like gloss black front grille, fender vents, mirror caps, and badging.

As previously noted, there are three turbo-diesel engines available across all core grades; the ‘Td4’ 2.0-litre, the ‘Sd4’ 2.0-litre, and the ‘Td6’ 3.0-litre.

The Td4 single-turbo 2.0-litre oiler puts out 132kW of power at 4000rpm, and 430Nm of torque at 1750rpm. Claimed fuel consumption is rated at 6.2L/100km combined, while 0-100km/h takes 10.5 seconds.

Stepping up to the Sd4 motor adds an additional turbo to the 2.0-litre engine, bringing outputs to 177kW and 500Nm respectively – with the latter arriving between 1500 and 2500rpm.

Fuel use is rated at 6.4L/100km on the combined cycle, while the benchmark sprint is cut down to 8.3 seconds.

Finally, the Td6 is a 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo-diesel, pumping out 190kW of power at 4000rpm, and 600Nm of torque from 1750 to 2250rpm.

Claimed fuel consumption is rated at 7.2L/100km combined, while 0-100km/h takes 8.1 seconds. All engines are mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission as standard, driving all four wheels.

The new Land Rover Discovery launches Down Under on August 1, and is available to order now.

2017 Land Rover Discovery pricing (plus on-road costs)

Td4 S – $65,960
Sd4 S – $71,560
Td6 S – $78,271

Td4 SE – $77,050
Sd4 SE – $83,450
Td6 SE – $90,161

Td4 HSE – $87,150
Sd4 HSE – $93,550
Td6 HSE – $100,261

Td4 HSE Luxury – $100,950
Sd4 HSE Luxury – $107,350
Td6 HSE Luxury – $114,061

Td6 First Edition – $131,871

MORE: Land Rover Discovery news, reviews, comparisons and video
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2017 Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series Workmate single-cab review

The only thing more common than a wide brimmed hat in outback Australia is a Toyota LandCruiser and especially the workhorse of the range, the Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series Workmate.

Like a good wine, the 70 Series LandCruiser only gets better with time. Resale values of 10 or even 20-year-old 70 Series LandCruisers are astronomical and it’s hard to pick any other vehicle on the market that holds its value as well.

And, there’s a good reason for that. They’re almost impossible to kill — in fact, they’re so good the British special forces uses 70 Series LandCruisers to fight in Syria. Closer to home though, they’re almost exclusively used by farmers and people who want to get things done with no second thought paid to reliability, maintenance or ability.

As such, Toyota didn’t want to mess with the formula. In fact, the 70 Series LandCruiser should have died when Euro 5 emissions regulations came into effect late last year. But, Toyota decided to drop a significant amount of money investing in making the diesel V8 engine Euro 5 compliant.

Toyota also introduced an extra complement of airbags and included stability control, electronic brake force distribution and a hill-hold assistant across the range to increase the 70 Series LandCruiser’s ANCAP crash rating from three to five stars.

In addition to an increase in the safety rating, the price has also increased. Starting from $62,490 (plus on-road costs) for the single-cab Workmate ute, it’s a hike of around $5500 over the outgoing model.

The price rise comes courtesy of the extra safety and chassis equipment, now with driver and front passenger curtain airbags, a driver’s knee airbag, along with two front airbags. Other changes include new injectors for improved low-down engine response, lower noise, vibration and harshness levels and a stiffer frame with thicker side rails for improved refinement and stability.

On the design front, not much has changed with the 70 Series. It’s still very much a rough and rugged workhorse designed to tackle the harshest of terrain. The exterior features a pair of headlights, a big bonnet scoop, steel wheels riding on 16-inch rims and 225mm wide tyres with a 95 profile and automatic locking hubs (a feature the 70 Series never had previously).

The advantage of automatic locking hubs is significant given the added convenience afforded to drivers. Previously, drivers would need to exit the vehicle and manually lock the hubs on the front axle to engage that portion of the driveline, then enter the car again and select four-wheel drive.

The disadvantage of automatic locking hubs is you can’t enter low-range in two-wheel drive, which you were able to do previously by unlocking the front hubs manually. But, you can manually lock the front hubs using a wheel brace if you want to make sure they don’t pop out, which can happen on rare occasions.

When the hubs are unlocked, there is no drive to the front axle. When they are locked, it enables the system to direct torque to the front axle with a 25 per cent torque split to each wheel. The new setup allows the vehicle to enter four-wheel drive mode from the comfort of the driver’s seat.

Speaking of which, the driver’s seat is where a 70 Series owner is going to spend most of their time. In typical 70 Series fashion, there’s no central locking here with access to the vehicle restricted to just a manual turn of the key inside the door lock.

Same goes for the windows, they’re manual. There’s even a triangular port in the front corner for extra air flow. Wing mirrors, they’re manual too. While this may seem like the height of cheapness from Toyota, it’s quite a clever move. By reducing moving parts and electric motors, you increase the chance of everything still working in 40 years’ time.

You do get some creature comforts, though. The head unit comes with four speakers, AM/FM radio, CD player and Bluetooth audio, USB input and telephone streaming. There’s also cruise control with a steering wheel-mounted lever.

The headlights and windscreen wipers are manual and there’s no rear-view camera. But, there is power steering and visibility is generally great out the front, sides and rear.

The cabin is the definition of basic. There’s a small centre console and glove box for storing items, there’s also some room behind the driver and front passenger seats for cramming in items you need to be away from view.

Under the bonnet, it’s a familiar story. Powering the 70 Series is a 4.5-litre turbocharged V8 diesel engine that produces 151kW of power and 430Nm of torque – peaking at an incredible 1200rpm. Combined fuel consumption now sits at 10.7L/100km, which means a range of around 1215km out of the 130-litre fuel tank.

Before we get into how this thing drives, I need to call out the effectiveness of the optional air conditioning system ($2671). It must be one of the coldest systems on the market and makes light work of an Australian summer. Twist the dial around to cold and the cabin is cool within seconds.

Given the emphasis on its rugged abilities, we tried to keep most of this review off the beaten track with a brief stint in the city – which didn’t end up going that well, more on that later.

Our road test loop included a mix of good and poor quality country roads, a stack of gravel road driving, some off-road work and a stint in the city.

Revisions to the vehicle’s chassis and ride and handling tune means it makes light work of poor quality roads. The front suspension consists of a rigid live axle, leading arm, coil springs, along with dampers and an anti-roll bar. The rear is a little simpler with a live axle, leaf springs and dampers.

The ride tune errs very much on the side of comfort and unlike a lot of dual-cab utes (especially the rough riding HiLux) it rides very softly when thrown at potholes and corrugations.

Normally single- and dual-cab utes like this with leaf springs can be a bit rough without a load. The 70 Series doesn’t exhibit this trait and that’s courtesy of a mix of high profile tyres, a softly sprung ride and a great deal of time spent tuning on Australian roads.

The steering lacks a great deal of feedback and feels quite spongy. And, it requires an incredible 3.83 turns to move from lock-to-lock, plus you need a massive 14 metres to turn kerb to kerb. But, the advantage of the spongy steering is most noticed when you head off-road.

Soft steering response is handy when hitting sharp holes or landing in a rut that changes steering direction in a hurry. It’s not as rigid and allows freer movement in the hand.

The five-speed manual gearbox works well in most situations, but don’t expect quick shifts between second and third. It can get a little fussy if you change gears too quickly. Response from the engine is fantastic with the bulk of its torque available from very low in the rev range.

Brake pedal feel is also good with a responsive pedal and progressive throttle application. While handling has been improved, it’s still not amazing. That’s thanks to the off-road-oriented four-wheel drive tyres and its high centre of gravity, but no big deal considering the closest the 70 Series will get to a race track is hauling supplies to build one.

It’s off the beaten track where the 70 Series really shines. Gravel roads go unnoticed, as do giant hills and challenging four-wheel drive terrain. Once locked into four-wheel drive mode, 25 per cent of torque is sent to each wheel with traction control managing wheel slip.

An optional ($1500) rear differential lock further increases performance off-road by splitting torque evenly between the rear wheels. But, we found that the 70 Series could effectively go anywhere without a rear differential lock.

For more serious occasions, the low-range mode makes this thing unstoppable. The torque available from the engine across the rev band is impressive, as are the four-wheel driving specifications.

With 235mm of ground clearance, a 35-degree approach angle and 29-degree departure angle, the numbers already make a lot of sense. Despite being a two-piece unit, the snorkel allows for 700mm of wading depth. Anybody more serious about driving off-road will switch this for a single-piece snorkel.

We found the traction control system to be a little interruptive when a wheel was in the air. It meant we had to ride the clutch and be ready on the hand brake when revs dipped. Switching off stability control made off-road driving far easier and fuss free.

I mentioned before that city driving didn’t go all that well. That’s mainly due to the optional tray fitted to our Workmate. With a 2.2m clearance at our apartment building, I thought it’d easily fit into the car park at 3AW – in the middle of Melbourne’s CBD – where we do our weekly radio show. Well, I was wrong.

With a 1.9m maximum clearance, the 70 Series LandCruiser’s two-ish-metre clearance wasn’t quite enough. I had to end up parking it in a laneway next to the building and thankfully the ‘official’ workhorse look of it let us get away without a parking fine.

Moral of the story is to keep the 70 Series in its natural habitat – away from tall buildings.

Ownership costs are reasonable thanks to capped price servicing at $340 per go. But, that’s at 10,000km intervals, which most owners will dispatch in a matter of months. It also comes with a standard three-year warranty.

You don’t buy a Toyota 70 Series LandCruiser for taking the kids to school. You buy it if you’re serious about getting the job done and need a reliable ute capable of going literally anywhere. The serious nature of this thing means that it’s likely to last for decades to come.

MORE: Toyota Lancruiser news, reviews and video
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New Cars: 2017 New Car Calendar, the July update

Last year was a huge one for new-model launches in Australia, with 2016 seeing the heroic new Ford Mustang land in January, before rolling through to the impressive new Subaru Impreza that made its media debut in late December.

Of course, many, many more new offerings appeared between.

The past year of international unveilings has also shown that 2017 promises to be a big year in its own right! We’ll see Maserati’s first SUV, the Levante, in January, while the other end of the year will give us Kia’s big new rear-wheel-drive Stinger sedan.

What can we expect in 2017, and what’s arrived so far? Catch our list below of newly launched models and everything that’s still to come. Everything we know about right now, that is!

We’ll update this page as the weeks and months roll by, with many models still to be given firm launch dates. And, while the details here have been confirmed by each brand, there are no doubt many models still to be announced – and don’t be surprised if launch dates shift over time.

The list below begins with month-by-month confirmed launches, before spreading out to the more vague ‘quarter’ and ‘half’ confirmations that each brand has offered.

Here’s what we know, so far!

LAUNCHED

STILL TO COME

July

BMW 530e iPerformance

Honda CR-V (pricing announced)

Land Rover Discovery

Mercedes-AMG GT R

Skoda Fabia 1.0 TSI

Subaru Levorg (possibly August)

Subaru WRX (possibly August)

August

Audi A5 Cabriolet (potentially September)

Skoda Superb (details)

Volkswagen Golf 7.5 GTI update (pricing announced) (first drive review)

Volkswagen Golf 7.5 GTI three-door (pricing announced)

Volkswagen Golf 7.5 R update (pricing announced)

September

BMW 1 Series (timing not locked in)

BMW 2 Series

Haval H7

LDV T60 ute

Skoda Rapid facelift

October

Abarth 595

Honda Civic Type R (pricing revealed) (first drive review)

Hyundai Kona (quick drive review)

Volkswagen Arteon (Australian specs confirmed)

Volvo XC60 (details) (first drive review)

November

Hyundai i30 N (prototype drive review)

Jaguar F-Type four-cylinder

Skoda Octavia RS245

December

Jaguar XF Sportbrake (possibly November, with pricing due in July)

Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk (details)

LDV D90 (confirmed)

Mercedes-AMG E63 (pricing revealed)

Mercedes-AMG GLC63 (confirmed)

Subaru Liberty – revealed (possibly January rather than December)

Subaru Outback – revealed (possibly January rather than December)

THIRD QUARTER

Audi RS3 Sportback

BMW M4 CS (first drive review)

Hyundai Ioniq

Hyundai Sonata facelift (details) (originally second quarter)

Kia Stinger / Stinger GT (leaked details) (first drive review)

McLaren 720s (pricing announced)

Mercedes-AMG GT update and new variants

Peugeot 3008 (originally first quarter, but overseas demand has delayed local launch)

FOURTH QUARTER

Alpina B3 S, B4 S

Aston Martin DB11 V8 (pricing announced)

Audi RS5 (first drive review)

BMW 6 Series Gran Turismo

Holden Astra Sportwagon

Jeep Compass

Lexus CT200h update

McLaren 570S Spider (pricing announced)

Mercedes-Benz S-Class

MG ZS (quick drive review)

Porsche 911 GT3 (pricing announced)

Range Rover Velar (pricing announced)

Toyota Camry

FIRST HALF

Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk

Mini Clubman JCW

Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace

MID YEAR (FIRST/SECOND HALF CUSP)

Audi R8 Spyder

Citroen C4 Picasso facelift

Porsche Panamera E-Hybrid

Skoda Octavia RS (pricing announced)

SECOND HALF

BMW 5 Series Touring

Citroen C4 Cactus petrol auto

Genesis G70

Haval H2 update

Holden Equinox

Maserati Levante S (details) (launch review)

Mercedes-AMG GT Roadster, GT C Roadster

Volkswagen Crafter

Volvo V90

2017 LAUNCH CONFIRMED, TIMING UNCLEAR

Ford EcoSport facelift

Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross

Peugeot 5008 – now confirmed for sometime in 2017 (as of 23/01)

MAYBE, BABY?

Models not listed above, but queried by you, our readers, in the comments section below.

BMW X3, X5 – no confirmation, but likely to be revealed in 2017.

Citroen C3 (previously third quarter, now unclear)

Citroen C5 Aircross – under consideration for Australia, but not confirmed.

Ford Fiesta – no confirmation, this looks like a tricky one…

Ford Mondeo facelift – no word, but it’s only been revealed in North American ‘Fusion’ form, so far.

Ford Mustang – Revealed in January, the new-look ‘Stang will be here in 2018.

Kia Niro – local arm is hopeful, but no confirmation yet.

Lexus LS – Australian launch of new model set for sometime in 2018. Timing to be confirmed.

Lexus NX facelift – 2018 launch confirmed.

Mercedes-Benz X-Class – Australian production begins in late 2017 for a 2018 launch.

Nissan Qashqai – 2018 launch confirmed.

Skoda Karoq – Unveiled in May 2017, but won’t hit Australia until the second quarter of 2018.

Subaru Forester – no word, but a 2017 international unveiling is possible.

Volkswagen Polo – spied testing in August ’16, which – like the Touareg below – could give us a Geneva motor show unveiling in March. Expect it in Australia by late 2017 or early 2018. No official word yet, though.

Volkswagen T-Roc – Global debut expected in late 2017, but Australia likely a no-go until 2019.

Volkswagen Touareg – spied testing in August ’16, we expect a Geneva motor show unveiling in March. Could mean a late 2017 Australian launch, or early in 2018.

Watch for further updates to come in the weeks and months ahead.

Reckon we’ve missed any new models? Sing out in the comments below!

Now that you know what’s coming, how do you decide which car is best for you?

In terms of model and manufacturer choice, Australia has one of the biggest new-car markets in the world.

It is also one of the most sophisticated car markets in the world, with all manufacturers offering several variants of each model. At the time of writing, there are 67 manufacturers offering 205 models, divided into 23 different categories.

These categories include micro, light under $25k, light over $25k, small under $40k, small over $40k, medium under $60k, medium over $60k, large under $70k, large over $70k, Upper large under $100k, upper large over $100k, people movers under $60k, people movers over $60k, Sports cars under $80k, Sports cars over $80k, Sports Cars over $200k, small SUVs under $40k, small SUVs over $40k, medium SUVs under $60k, medium SUVs over $60k, large SUVs under $70k, large SUVS over $70k, upper large SUVs under $100k, upper large SUVs over $100k.

Just reading the list of new-car categories gives you an idea of how confusing it can be to select the right car for you. After all, not all buyers are checking in with CarAdvice every morning and night. Even within these categories of new cars you have the option of hatches, coupes, sedans, convertibles and station wagons.

When you have decided on the body style, you need to consider how many people you are going to be carrying on a regular basis. Does your new car need to have two, four, five, seven or even eight seats? If you need more than eight seats, you should start looking in the mini-bus people-mover category, which is a whole other world. Will your new car need to carry child seats, and how many? Does it need to have a big luggage capacity? Obviously, these factors will have a bearing on which new car suits your needs.

And all of this is before you even consider the engine size or type! Do you want your new car to be powered by a petrol or diesel engine, or are you looking for something greener like a hybrid or even electric? Where is the car going to be driven, and how many kilometres are you going to be driving each year? Will you take it off-road or even out of the city limits?

It’s no wonder so many find buying a new car a daunting task. So, how do you find the best new car for you, or even keep up with all the latest models hitting the market virtually weekly? Right here, CarAdvice provides a great record of all the latest models due to be released and when. It also is a great source of all the latest news in the lead up to the release of these new model.

If the manufacturer is planning to fit a new engine, new technology – either safety or for entertainment, CarAdvice will provide comprehensive coverage of all those changes. But, most importantly, CarAdvice prides itself on driving every new car so it can provide you with all the information you will need when it comes your turn to make a new car purchase.

2017-bmw-m3-mercedes-amg-c63s-alfa-romeo-giulia-qv-comparison-139

Whether you are looking for a small and cheap hatch to simply get you to the shops and back, or for a large SUV capable of towing a boat, caravan or horse float or a people mover that will carry a growing family you will find all the information you will need on CarAdvice.

We don’t just test new cars, we put them into real life situations so we can tell you how they perform, towing or tackling the toughest outback tracks. We also take them shopping, use them to drop the kids off at school, and when the right vehicle arrives we even take them out on a racetrack to see just how well they perform.

Just as importantly, we pit them against their closest competitors so you can see how they stack up in regards to features, new technology, driveability, useability and, one of the most important considerations when it comes to purchasing your new vehicle, price.

So, no matter what type of new car you are looking for, or are interested in, CarAdvice can provide you with all the relevant information you need to help you make the right choice for you and your family.

And, right here on this page, our new car listing is also a great way to keep an eye on the latest models coming onto the market and what new cars manufacturers are planning to launch in the future.

So, whether you’re looking to buy your first or tenth new car, or you’re simply a motoring enthusiast who wants to keep up with all the latest cars coming onto the market, the CarAdvice New Car Calendar will keep you up to date with every new car from every manufacturer.

Minggu, 02 Juli 2017

2018 Honda Accord on track for Australia

A brand new Honda Accord sedan will make its world premiere in the US on July 14. Reassuringly for fans, the car is on track to come to Australia.

Honda reckons the tenth-generation Accord will feature a “dramatic new styling direction”, as you can read here, and will be “the most fun-to-drive, premium and dramatically styled Accord ever.”

In some sense, it looks set to mark a spiritual return to what the axed Accord Euro (sold in the US as an Acura) was.

Pictured: Current-generation Honda Accord

The Accord has been part of Honda’s range in Australia – in one form or another – for 40 years, and alongside the Civic is probably its best-known nameplate.

However, the precipitous decline in big sedan sales here in the face of SUVs, and the current Accord’s ageing design, have hit sales of late.

The Accord currently has just 0.9 per cent market share, and is smashed not just by the Toyota Camry, but by the Mazda 6, Ford Mondeo, Subaru Liberty and Volkswagen Passat.

Pictured: Old Honda Accord Euro

However, Honda Australia director Stephen Collins told us this week that the company’s intention was to keep the faith and get the the car here as soon as it’s available.

“We definitely want for that to be the case,” he told us. “It’s still a challenging segment but there’s definitely a place in it for us [as a flagship].”

Collins added that the Accord would be a technological leader for the brand, stating that in particular he was keen for a petrol-electric hybrid to be part of this mix once again.

Pictured: Next-generation Honda Accord testing

Recently the company revealed the new Accord, in the US at least, will be powered by two turbocharged four-cylinder engines.

The base engine will be a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder, versions of which already power the 153/260Nm US-only Civic Si and 140kW/240Nm CR-V.

Replacing today’s 206kW/342Nm 3.5-litre V6 will be a detuned version of the Civic Type R’s 235kW/400Nm 2.0-litre turbo four-cylinder.

The 1.5-litre engine can be specified with either a six-speed manual or CVT, while the larger 2.0-litre mill can be paired with a six-speed manual or 10-speed automatic.

MORE: Accord news, reviews, comparisons and video
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2017 Tesla Model S, Model X: Entry variants score big acceleration boosts

Tesla has introduced a handful of updates across its Model S and Model X ranges this week, namely improving the acceleration of its non-performance variants.

Headlining the changes is the significant improvement in terms of straight-line performance for the Model S 75 and 75D, which both can now accelerate from 0-100km/h a full second quicker than before – 4.6 seconds and 4.4 seconds, down from 5.8 seconds and 5.4 seconds respectively.

The same goes for the larger Model X 75D – available only in dual-motor ‘D’ guise – which can now sprint from 0-100km/h in a claimed 5.2 seconds – down from 6.2 seconds.

The performance improvements have been achieved through a combination of software and hardware updates, meaning the changes apply to new vehicles from the factory rather than current examples already on the road.

Additionally, the Model S 100D and Model X 100D cut the benchmark 0-100km/h sprint time to 4.3 seconds and 4.9 seconds respectively – down from 4.4 and 5.0 seconds.

Meanwhile, the Model X also sees the introduction of a new seven-seat option that allows the second and third rows to fold completely flat, however the Australian seating specification remains unchanged.

Australia

Tesla’s local arm has confirmed the updated Model S and Model X ranges are available to order now, with the changes already shown on the company’s online configurator.

Kicking off the Model S range, the 75 starts at $121,183 plus on-road costs “after incentives and petrol savings”, while the Model X 75D is listed at $145,143 plus on-roads.

MORE: Tesla Model S news, reviews, comparisons and video
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Honda Australia introduces five-year warranty

Honda Australia will roll out a self-funded five-year and unlimited kilometre warranty on all vehicles it sells from July 1 this year.

Capitalising on what it calls its reputation for reliability, the company becomes the first Japanese manufacturer to offer such coverage in Australia. It previously covered three years/100,000km.

Honda’s five-year warranty matches the package offered by challenger brands Skoda and Renault, though falls short of Kia’s industry leading seven-year term.

The warranty covers all new and “selected” demonstrator vehicles, and will include the imminent Civic Type-R hot hatch.

Note that Honda vehicles used for “commercial purposes” will instead receive a five-year/140,000 km warranty – a sure indication that most private buyers will not do 140k inside that term.

“In the competitive Australia market, customers expect brands to be innovative and Honda Australia is aiming to do this right across the business,” said Honda Australia director Stephen Collins.

“Through our network of 107 dealers, we’re continually focused on improving how we interact with our customers.”

The new warranty does not affect other Honda factory-backed warranties, such as the existing six-year rust perforation warranty and three-year paint warranty.

Honda Australia said it would retain its current 10,000km service intervals, however, unlike some rivals with 15,000km intervals. Honda advertises its service prices here.

“Our new five-year, unlimited kilometre Honda warranty, combined with Honda Tailored Servicing, reinforces Honda as a superior ownership proposition ahead of some key rivals,” Collins said.

“Given the quality of Honda vehicles, they can sometimes be perceived as more expensive, when this is simply not the case… Honda is very competitive.”

We asked Collins if the company considered applying the cover to older cars. He said many cars sold recently came with an additional warranty thrown in, and that “we had to draw a line somewhere”.

Honda has sold about 22,000 cars this year, up 11 per cent in a flat overall market.

With the new CR-V due this month and the Type R in October to round out the Civic hatch range, it should nudge 50,000 sales for the first time in many years.

MORE: Five brands swimming against the tide in Australia, growing sales
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2017 Goodwood Festival of Speed: Our favourite photos

Another year, another standout Goodwood Festival of Speed, with dozens of brands big and small taking the opportunity to tear up the hill and make noise – the latter occurring often while simply sitting still.

This year brought debuts for new homegrown specials like the Jaguar XE SV Project 8 and the Aston Martin Vulcan AMR Pro, along with the stealthy Rolls-Royce Dawn Black Badge. And, while McLaren’s new 720S had already been revealed, the company rolled out a life-sized Lego version with 280,000 pieces in play.

From across the water, Porsche’s 911 GT2 RS made its live premiere, and Maserati’s GranTurismo and GranCabrio models – now into their 10th year on the market – were also revealed with new exterior and interior tweaks.

Here’s a selection of favourite photos from this year’s event, and there’s even more in the gallery. Enjoy!