Category Archives: NEW CARS

NEW CARS

Ford Ranger and Everest Refresh: Subtle Updates, Big Power Plays

Ford isn’t letting the new-gen Toyota Hilux or Nissan Navara steal any thunder in Australia. Just as its fiercest rivals roll out fresh metal, Ford has quietly but confidently unveiled updated versions of the Ranger and Everest—Australia’s top-selling truck and its SUV sibling. The changes aren’t dramatic, but they’re strategically targeted and, in some cases, overdue. Most notably, the long-running 2.0-liter bi-turbo diesel is heading out to pasture.

Ranger: Familiar Skin, Sharper Details

Don’t expect new bodywork—the Ranger’s sheetmetal is unchanged—but Ford massaged the trims with new gloss and matte-black accents, updated wheel designs, and expanded color choices. It’s a light-touch refresh meant to polish an already dominant product.

Wolftrak Returns With More Bite

Leading the headlines is the Ranger Wolftrak, back with a tougher look and a new hero hue called Traction Green. Shadow Black and Command Grey remain, but they’re now paired with bright Zest accents, a “long-legged” sports bar, and 17-inch Asphalt Black alloys. It’s aimed straight at buyers who want rugged style without paying Raptor money.

Upgrades for the Working-Class Trims

Ford has been stingy with base-model tech in the past, but not anymore. The XL, even in single cab-chassis form, now comes standard with a 12-inch touchscreen, dual-zone climate, and the full Driver Assist Technology suite.

The XLT gets a beefier Heavy-Duty suspension, and the XLS picks up practical perks like side steps, carpet floor mats, and 17-inch all-terrain alloys.

Sport Out, Black Edition In

The Sport trim is gone, but Ford’s keeping the Black Edition after its successful limited run. Meanwhile, the off-road-focused Tremor also returns temporarily, though Australia still misses out on the sporty, Europe-only Ranger MS-RT.

At the top end, the Wildtrak scores new 18-inch alloys, Matrix LED headlights, and a 10-speaker B&O audio system, all now standard. The premium Platinum trim adds a fresh Acacia Green paint option. The Raptor remains untouched—apparently because you don’t fix what’s already ridiculous in all the right ways.

Goodbye Bi-Turbo, Hello Refined Diesels

The biggest mechanical shift is the elimination of the 2.0-liter bi-turbo diesel. Stricter emissions targets likely sealed its fate.

Replacing it is a revised single-turbo 2.0-liter, now with a new timing chain and upgraded fuel injection. Output sits at 168 hp and 405 Nm, modest but efficient.

Buyers craving muscle can still opt for the 3.0-liter V6 turbodiesel, churning out 247 hp and 600 Nm. It’s optional on the mid-tier trims and standard on the more premium ones, including Wildtrak and Platinum.

Both diesels pair with Ford’s smooth 10-speed automatic, offering RWD or 4WD depending on spec.

The Raptor sticks with its fire-breathing 392-hp twin-turbo V6, unchanged. And while Ford didn’t mention it, the plug-in hybrid with its 2.3-liter EcoBoost and electric motor is expected to continue.

Everest: Same Story, SUV Edition

The Everest follows the Ranger in ditching the bi-turbo diesel for the upgraded single-turbo unit. The optional 3.0-liter V6 returns for the Active and Sport trims and remains standard on the Tremor and Platinum.

New Entry-Level Trim: Everest Active

Replacing both the Ambiente and Trend, the new Everest Active becomes the lineup’s entry point. It arrives well-equipped with:

  • 18-inch alloys
  • Leather upholstery
  • 12-inch infotainment screen
  • LED headlights
  • Privacy glass
  • Tire pressure monitoring

Above it, the Sport, Tremor, and Platinum stay largely the same, though the 2026 Tremor gets a premium seat pack with heated, ventilated, and power-adjustable front seats. Sport and Tremor also add a 360-degree camera as standard.

Color choices get a mild shake-up, with Acacia Green and Alabaster White joining the mix, while Equinox Bronze bows out.

Pricing and Availability

The 2026.5 Ford Ranger lands at AU$37,130–90,690 before options and before Ford reveals pricing for the incoming Super Duty–inspired variant.

The Everest starts at AU$58,990 and stretches to AU$83,490.

Ford will open order books in December 2025, with first customer deliveries slated for mid-2026.

Ford didn’t reinvent the Ranger or Everest—and it didn’t need to. With lean, targeted updates and a simplified (but still robust) engine lineup, the brand is keeping its Australian workhorses competitive without chasing trends. The bi-turbo’s exit may sting for some fans, but the refreshed trims and feature boosts should soften the blow.

After all, when you already dominate the segment, sometimes a tidy tune-up is all it takes to stay ahead.

Source: Ford

NEW CARS

2026 Opel Mokka GSE — A Rally-Bred EV With Real Attitude

Opel didn’t mince words when it teased the Mokka GSE: “We’re bringing rally feeling to the road.” Big promise, bigger expectations. Yet after finally meeting the production-ready GSE, it’s clear the brand wasn’t bluffing. This is Opel’s most aggressive electric vehicle yet—an EV that borrows heavily from its own rally prototype and funnels that motorsport swagger straight into a compact crossover.

Rally DNA, Road-Legal Wrap

Let’s start with the headline figures: 207 kW (281 hp), 345 Nm of instant torque, and a 200 km/h top speed—numbers that matter because Opel lifted nearly the entire high-voltage drivetrain from the Mokka GSE Rally prototype. The production GSE sprints from 0–100 km/h in 5.9 seconds, making it the quickest electric Opel you can actually buy.

The energy comes from a 54 kWh lithium-ion battery, which keeps curb weight just under 1.6 tonnes—light for a modern EV performance crossover. Three drive modes—Sport, Normal, and Eco—allow the GSE’s personality to shift from full-tilt fun to efficient commuter.

But what really distinguishes this EV is the chassis hardware. Opel didn’t just tweak the suspension—they engineered it with motorsport intent. The Mokka GSE gets:

  • A Torsen multi-plate limited-slip differential
  • Hydraulic sport shock absorbers
  • Re-engineered axles and steering geometry
  • Heavier-duty brakes with yellow four-piston calipers

All key high-voltage components—motor, inverter, wiring harness—are direct descendants of the rally prototype. That level of parts sharing is rare, and it gives the GSE a depth of engineering you can feel even on a normal street.

A Rally Suit for the City

Opel made sure nobody mistakes the Mokka GSE for a regular Mokka Electric. Up front and out back, new GSE-specific inserts sharpen the already-angular design. The stance? Wider, lower, more planted.

The real eye-catcher is the set of 20-inch aerodynamic alloy wheels, wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport EV rubber—rubber chosen specifically to translate electric torque into road grip. Those wheels, plus the big yellow calipers, serve the same purpose as a spoiler on a hot hatch: a visual promise of performance.

Black-and-yellow GSE badging finishes the job. It’s loud, but it works—this isn’t pretending to be subtle.

Inside: Performance Meets Precision

Open the door and Opel continues the rally-inspired theme without going overboard. Alcantara GSE Performance seats with integrated headrests hold you tightly without punishing you. A white center stripe and yellow stitching provide motorsport vibes without drifting into gimmicky territory.

Alcantara door inserts, aluminum pedals, and a sport steering wheel (flat top and bottom) give the cockpit a sense of purpose. Opel’s designers clearly wanted to make the GSE feel special, and they’ve succeeded.

Digital interfaces get the GSE treatment too. The 10-inch driver display and central touchscreen deliver unique graphics, plus pages of performance metrics—G values, acceleration runs, even battery management data. It’s more playful than your typical Opel, and that’s the point.

Comfort hasn’t been sacrificed, either. Heated seats, heated steering wheel, wireless phone charging, and an armada of safety systems come standard. Matrix headlights, lane-keep assist, speed assist, and a 180-degree rear camera ensure the GSE is as friendly in daily life as it is fierce on a back road.

Price and Positioning

The Opel Mokka GSE is already available to order. In Germany, the fully loaded model starts at €47,300 or can be leased from €399 per month. That makes it one of the more compelling performance EVs in its size class—roughly hot-hatch money for crossover practicality and legitimate rally-inspired engineering.

The Most Exciting Opel EV Yet

The 2025 Opel Mokka GSE isn’t trying to be a Tesla drag-strip monster or a luxury EV statement piece. It’s something more interesting: a compact, lightweight-ish electric crossover engineered with genuine motorsport influence.

Sharp design, real mechanical upgrades, and a drivetrain pulled from a rally prototype make the GSE feel like Opel rediscovering its performance roots—this time through electrons.

It may be Opel’s fastest electric production car ever, but more importantly, it might be its most fun.

Source: Opel

NEW CARS

Porsche Panamera Turbo Sonderwunsch: When Personalization Becomes Performance Art

Porsche has never been shy about blurring the line between production car and personalized sculpture, but the Panamera Turbo Sonderwunsch might be its most compelling argument yet for the art of bespoke automotive design. First revealed with a custom exterior that looked more at home in Monaco than in a configurator, the brand has now pulled the curtain back on an interior that’s every bit as audacious as the paintwork. The unveiling took place at the Icons of Porsche festival in Dubai—fittingly, a city where the ordinary rarely survives.

A Cabin Built Like a Concept Car—But for a Real Customer

Porsche’s Sonderwunsch program exists for one purpose: to turn a customer’s imagination into metal, leather, and lacquer. According to Alexander Fabig, Vice President of Individualisation and Classic, this Panamera’s interior is meant to demonstrate “our passion for making every customer’s personal dream a reality with the utmost precision.”

Precision is an understatement. The cabin mirrors the exterior’s dramatic fade from Leblon Violet Metallic to black, but trades violet for a sunset hue. A gradient shift from black into Sunset Red Metallic sweeps across seat centers, the parcel shelf, and even the vehicle document folder—because in this car, the details don’t take days off.

Avium Metallic: A Color Born for One Customer

A custom paint shade—Avium Metallic—was created specifically for this project. Outside, it highlights pinstripes, wheel faces, and window frames. Inside, Porsche lets the color take a victory lap.

Avium appears on:

  • The Sonderwunsch lettering on the console
  • Switchgear
  • Sport Chrono display bezel and hands
  • Seat piping
  • Door handles
  • Audio speaker grilles
  • Even the Drive Mode switch ring

It’s rare for a color to feel like a narrative thread, but Avium Metallic binds the cabin and exterior into one synchronized design language.

Craftsmanship That Borders on Excess—In the Best Way

The dashboard and door panels are wrapped in black leather with double stitching in Barrique Red, contrasting cleanly against black-stained chestnut wood inserts. The aesthetic is both quietly traditional and deliberately extravagant.

But the detail likely to spark the most conversation is stitched into the seats themselves. On the driver’s side, the badge carries the coordinates for Zuffenhausen—Porsche’s birthplace. On the passenger side: Leipzig, where the Panamera comes to life. It’s a subtle nod to heritage, and an invitation for future Sonderwunsch customers to embed their own story.

A Humidor and Champagne Cooler—Because Why Not?

If there were any doubt that this car was built for the most particular kind of connoisseur, Porsche’s design team erased it by integrating two concept features that feel straight out of a luxury yacht.

The cigar humidor sits beneath a glass lid in the center console. Cedarwood inserts and a hygrometer keep the microclimate just right, while removable trays hold a cigar cutter and lighter.

Not to be outdone, the illuminated Champagne cooler is tucked into the rear seat, tailored for a small bottle and two glasses. The bottle holder is leather-wrapped, Avium-painted, and embossed with the Sonderwunsch name.

Yes, it’s excessive. No, Porsche doesn’t apologize.

A Luggage Compartment That Laughs at the Concept of ‘Trunk’

Open the rear hatch and you won’t find carpet or plastic trim—everything is clad in leather. Black anodized metal strips framed in Avium guard against scratches, while the loading-sill protector includes real gold flakes suspended in the finish. It’s a trunk you treat like a showroom floor.

The Final Touches

Illuminated door sill plates with brushed black aluminum frame the Sonderwunsch branding. Even the key case and charging cable bag—both leather, both contrast-stitched—are crafted to match the cabin’s palette.

The Panamera Turbo Sonderwunsch isn’t simply a special edition—it’s a rolling argument for what happens when a manufacturer hands over the design reins to a customer with vision and a team with the craftsmanship to deliver. Porsche didn’t just match interior to exterior; it created a cohesive design universe where every stitch, shade, and piece of hardware contributes to the story.

This Panamera isn’t built for mass production. It’s built for the one person who dared to imagine it—and for the rest of us to admire from a respectful distance.

Source: Porsche