Car News

The 2021 Volkswagen Amarok W580 has joined the growing list of top-end utes, as Australians continue to buy record numbers of workhorses turned into show ponies. Unlike the Ford Ranger Raptor, Toyota HiLux Rugged X, and Nissan Navara Warrior, the VW Amarok W580 has been designed with a focus on on-road performance, although extra ground clearance and Pirelli Scorpion tyres will also boost its off-road ability.

The state of Florida will be the first state in the United States to offer motorists the option of a digital driver's licence from 2021, joining a handful of Australian states that already offer the service. From next year, residents of Florida will be able to apply for a licence that can be accessed across a wide range of devices, including smartphones and tablets, and will be recognised both nationally and internationally.

The 2021 KTM X-BOW GTX has been officially launched, equipped with a 'jet fighter' canopy and hypercar-rivalling power-to-weight figures. The external aesthetic is defined by exposed carbon fibre panelling, a large front splitter, and a gooseneck-mounted rear spoiler. To reduce drag on the KTM, traditional wing mirrors are replaced with rear-view cameras projecting to internal display screens.

Panel vans were an icon of Australian culture in the 1970s, providing young people with the freedom and accommodation to escape a more conservative society. While Holden's Sandman is the most well-known, the Ford Sundowner and Chrysler Drifter were also a big part of surf culture at the time. Estonian designer Rain Prisk – known for creating two-door wagon models on his Instagram page – has rendered what he's named a Dodge Challenger Hearse.

The next-generation Volvo XC90 – which is expected to arrive in late 2021 or 2022 – may be the company's last to be powered by a traditional internal-combustion engine. In an interview with American publication Car and Driver, CEO of Volvo, Håkan Samuelsson, confirmed the third-generation XC90 would be offered with a petrol-electric hybrid powertrain – though it may be the last model to do so.