Car News

Ian Cartabiano, chief designer of the Toyota FT-4X and studio chief design at Toyota's Calty studio in California, confirmed to CarAdvice the concept crossover isn't far shy of being production ready. Speaking to the media after the official unveiling of the FT-4X, Cartabiano said: "We always design [Calty's concepts] to be at the 75 per cent stage. We can make this thing."

The Audi R8 Audi Sport Edition has been revealed for the New York motor show this week, bringing unique exterior and interior trim elements in the colours of the German company's performance division. Limited to just 200 units, the R8 Audi Sport features unique exterior styling enhancements such as red side mirrors and side blades, titanium black front spoiler, grille and rear diffuser insert, along with gloss black trapezoidal tailpipe trims.

A senior Subaru executive has been frank with CarAdvice about the brand’s latest drivetrain being short on power. Masahiko Inoue, Subaru project general manager product and portfolio division, told CarAdvice in a one-on-one interview at the launch of the new Subaru XV in Japan this week that he has been copping it from all angles about the 2.0-litre engine and continuously variable transmission (CVT) auto in the latest-generation Impreza and XV models.

Kia Australia likely won’t have a proper Mazda CX-3 rival in the hot small crossover segment until 2019, the company says. A small SUV to sit below the Sportage is a massive hole in the Korean brand’s line-up, which nevertheless is up 30 per cent (and ahead of Subaru) year-to-date. The news that we won’t see Kia’s answer for the CX-3, Honda HR-V and Nissan Qashqai for two years or more, took us by surprise.

The Toyota FT-4X has been given a proper unveiling this week at the New York motor show, dubbed by the Japanese brand as a four-wheel-drive toolbox. Standing for 'Future Toyota 4WD Crossover', the FT-4X reincarnates the spirit of the company's iconic FJ LandCruisers and other off-roaders with a more modern twist.