Car News

Update (25/5/18): Ford Australia has confirmed the Ranger Raptor will arrive in September alongside the wider MY19 line-up. The 2018 Ford Ranger Raptor has been revealed in Thailand, ahead of an Australian launch in September. First things first: there's no Ecoboost V6 from the F-150, although the Raptor does get an all-new transmission and twin-turbo four-cylinder diesel.

BMW Australia is considering a subscription fee for Apple CarPlay, potentially following in the footsteps of its American counterpart. Speaking to CarAdvice at the 2018 Bathurst 12 Hour, Lenore Fletcher, local communications boss for BMW, said the company was in discussions about making customers – who currently pay upfront to have CarPlay fitted – make yearly payments to use the service.

Local pricing and specifications for the BMW X3 M40i have been detailed this week ahead of a July arrival, with the new performance variant to kick off at $99,900 before on-road costs. Serving as the first ever M Performance version of the company's popular SUV, the X3 M40i's spec sheet is headlined by what's under the bonnet – a 265kW/500Nm 3.0-litre turbocharged inline six. Peak power is available from 5500 to 6500rpm, while maximum torque is on tap between 1250 and 4800rpm.

Holden has taken steps to bring a fully-electric car to the Australian market, but the business case depends on government support. In August 2017, Holden lodged a trademark application to protect the use of Chevrolet Bolt. The company then transported a vehicle to Australia for local testing – and display at the Holden Dream Cruise in 2017. The Chevrolet Bolt is an all-electric car capable of travelling 320km between charges, and retails for around US$30,000 in its home market.

As the launch of Holden's first imported Commodore, the ZB, rolls around, the company's boss has challenged the Holden heartland to drive the car before they offer an opinion. This week Holden hosts Australian media for a first drive of the ZB Commodore across a variety of roads and tracks at Holden's Lang Lang proving ground, but company boss, Mark Bernhard, wants fans to reserve judgement until they've had a go themselves.