Volvo XC90: Another generation confirmed for popular large SUV
During the company's latest call with investors, the CEO was asked about speculation Volvo would build the XC90 in its Charleston, South Carolina plant in the US from 2028.
Given the current car was launched back in 2015, Mr Samuelsson stated 'one day we will need a new XC90'. Unfortunately the CEO didn't provide any further details, simply stating 'there will be more speculation about that before we can say anything more concrete'.
For most markets the XC90 is built in Torslanda, Sweden. At present the Charleston plant builds the EX90 and Polestar 3. The XC60, Volvo's most popular model, will be added to the South Carolina factory by the end of 2026.
CarExpert can save you thousands on a new Volvo XC90. Click here to get a great deal.
The XC90 is no stranger to longer-than-normal lifecycles. The first-generation model (above) launched in 2002, and it took until 2015 before the second-generation version began trundling down the production line.
It has since received two facelifts, the first in 2019, and the most recent in 2024. The current facelift is more substantial with a new bonnet, headlights, grille, bumpers, tail-lights, and a dashboard tweaked to incorporate a larger touchscreen.
Volvo had hoped this facelift would see the vehicle through to 2030 when the company planned to discontinue production of all cars with internal combustion engines (ICE).
The XC90's electric equivalent and eventual successor, the EX90 (below), was revealed in 2022, but didn't enter production until 2024 due to a software issues. According to Mr Samuelsson, production of the EX90 is now ramping up after 'considerable improvements of the software quality'.
The company made the commitment to go EV-only in 2021. According to Mr Samuelsson 'the electric market is not growing as fast as we thought some years ago, but it's still growing'. As such, Volvo has subsequently revised its target, hoping to have electrified vehicles – plug-in hybrid and full electric – account for 90 per cent of global sales by 2030.
With the petrol engine's sunset pushed off to 2035 or later, in May Volvo launched its first new non-EV model in years: the reborn XC70.
Based on Geely's Scalable Modular Architecture (SMA), the XC70 is a long range plug-in hybrid with either a 22kWh or 40kWh battery.
It was developed in China as part of Volvo's plan to give its China, Europe and US arms more autonomy. The XC70 (below) is currently only slated for sale in China, but the company has left the door ajar for sales elsewhere stating it will consider 'potential additional markets at a later stage'.
In the call with investors, Mr Samuelsson noted long-range plug-in hybrids as a pragmatic solution 'that we will need for some more years than we thought'.
He also noted such drivetrains were 'something European consumers will want to have in the future', and that Volvo was 'looking at various possibilities to be in that market segment'.
We don't know if he's referring to the new XC70 specifically, or, possibly, hinting the new XC90 will also go down this path.
Given the company's need to satisfy Europe's tightening emissions rules, as well as appeal to Chinese consumers who have a growing appetite for long-range plug-in hybrids and extended range electric vehicles (EREV), it seems likely the third-generation XC90 will follow the XC70's template.
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The Advertiser
10 hours ago
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Cupra Born VZ: EV hot hatch coming early 2026, more affordable options could follow
Cupra Australia will finally bring the 240kW Born VZ electric hot hatch early in 2026, though customers eager for less powerful variants will have to wait a little longer. Speaking with CarExpert, head of product for Cupra Australia – Jeff Shafer – said the high-performance Born will arrive at the beginning of next year (despite being earmarked for late-2025 as recently as March), while lesser variants may arrive with an incoming mid-life facelift. "We're in the process of planning the rest of the Born range beyond the VZ – even for the VZ we're still locking in a couple of final details," Mr Shafer said. "There's a facelift coming soon, so we're looking at the timing in terms of whether it makes sense to bring [lower variants] back in the shorter term, or wait for the [mid-life update]." CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. Asked about how the ever-changing EV market has impacted Cupra's approach, particularly with regards to re-introducing the Born, Mr Shafer said the Spanish brand will focus on driver enjoyment and value to stand out from increasing competition from the likes of emerging Chinese brands. "Cupra doesn't aspire to be all things to all people… so we really want to make sure that we're bringing cars that are appealing to people's emotions, and are above all fun to drive," Mr Shafer said. "With the Born, we got a lot of positive feedback on the ride and handling, and how there was a feeling of quality. I think these aspects take the VZ up to another level in terms of the responsiveness. "Bringing Tavascan into the market, in the EV space just making sure you've got a product that doesn't follow the others [is important]. "[Pricing] is always a challenge, and we don't take anything for granted in the Australian market. It did move very quickly, so we're trying to make sure we're bringing a product that has the right positioning, offers value that customers can see. "But also, making sure that the points of difference that we believe we have in design, ride and handling, and calibration of our assistance systems is also communicated so that people understand what they're getting for their money," Mr Shafer continued. "It's important that people feel like they have value. So we're not always chasing the cheapest price point, I don't think that's ever our position, but you definitely have to have a value that people can see and appreciate." The Cupra Born VZ features a single rear-mounted electric motor producing 240kW of power and 545Nm of torque, increases of 70kW and 235Nm over the standard 170kW Born that is now sold out in Australia. As a result, the Born VZ can sprint from 0-100km/h in 5.6 seconds, and reach a top speed of 200km/h. Other changes under the skin of the VZ include a slightly larger 79kWh battery pack and a new DCC Sport chassis setup that includes revised dampers, anti-roll bars and rear springs. Exterior upgrades are limited to wider tyres and a choice of two 20-inch alloy wheel designs (globally): either forged or with 3D copper inserts. Two new colours join the palette: Midnight Black and Dark Forest green. Inside the cabin, the VZ is ready for the racetrack with bucket seats finished in recycled materials. The tech has also been improved over the base car, with the fitment of an upsized 12.9-inch infotainment touchscreen that features Cupra's latest operating system. The early 2026 launch timing is yet another delay for the flagship Born, which was originally due in May 2025, then pushed back to late 2025 as recently as March. This means when it arrives, it will be almost a year late. No doubt one reason for the delay is the Spanish brand's local strategy of giving each new model "the right time in the sun", as communicated by Cupra Australia's former director Ben Wilks earlier this year. "It's important to really roll these out responsibly in terms of timing. Each of these models needs the right time in the sun," Mr Wilks told CarExpert in March. "These are not necessarily delays from a factory perspective, but rather structure and order from our perspective." However, since Mr Wilks' comments launch timings for several new models have changed again. The facelifted Formentor and hotter Born VZ electric hatch were both initially due on sale here before the end of 2025, and now both are coming early next year. Stay tuned to CarExpert for all the latest Cupra Born updates MORE: Explore the Cupra Born showroom Content originally sourced from: Cupra Australia will finally bring the 240kW Born VZ electric hot hatch early in 2026, though customers eager for less powerful variants will have to wait a little longer. Speaking with CarExpert, head of product for Cupra Australia – Jeff Shafer – said the high-performance Born will arrive at the beginning of next year (despite being earmarked for late-2025 as recently as March), while lesser variants may arrive with an incoming mid-life facelift. "We're in the process of planning the rest of the Born range beyond the VZ – even for the VZ we're still locking in a couple of final details," Mr Shafer said. "There's a facelift coming soon, so we're looking at the timing in terms of whether it makes sense to bring [lower variants] back in the shorter term, or wait for the [mid-life update]." CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. Asked about how the ever-changing EV market has impacted Cupra's approach, particularly with regards to re-introducing the Born, Mr Shafer said the Spanish brand will focus on driver enjoyment and value to stand out from increasing competition from the likes of emerging Chinese brands. "Cupra doesn't aspire to be all things to all people… so we really want to make sure that we're bringing cars that are appealing to people's emotions, and are above all fun to drive," Mr Shafer said. "With the Born, we got a lot of positive feedback on the ride and handling, and how there was a feeling of quality. I think these aspects take the VZ up to another level in terms of the responsiveness. "Bringing Tavascan into the market, in the EV space just making sure you've got a product that doesn't follow the others [is important]. "[Pricing] is always a challenge, and we don't take anything for granted in the Australian market. It did move very quickly, so we're trying to make sure we're bringing a product that has the right positioning, offers value that customers can see. "But also, making sure that the points of difference that we believe we have in design, ride and handling, and calibration of our assistance systems is also communicated so that people understand what they're getting for their money," Mr Shafer continued. "It's important that people feel like they have value. So we're not always chasing the cheapest price point, I don't think that's ever our position, but you definitely have to have a value that people can see and appreciate." The Cupra Born VZ features a single rear-mounted electric motor producing 240kW of power and 545Nm of torque, increases of 70kW and 235Nm over the standard 170kW Born that is now sold out in Australia. As a result, the Born VZ can sprint from 0-100km/h in 5.6 seconds, and reach a top speed of 200km/h. Other changes under the skin of the VZ include a slightly larger 79kWh battery pack and a new DCC Sport chassis setup that includes revised dampers, anti-roll bars and rear springs. Exterior upgrades are limited to wider tyres and a choice of two 20-inch alloy wheel designs (globally): either forged or with 3D copper inserts. Two new colours join the palette: Midnight Black and Dark Forest green. Inside the cabin, the VZ is ready for the racetrack with bucket seats finished in recycled materials. The tech has also been improved over the base car, with the fitment of an upsized 12.9-inch infotainment touchscreen that features Cupra's latest operating system. The early 2026 launch timing is yet another delay for the flagship Born, which was originally due in May 2025, then pushed back to late 2025 as recently as March. This means when it arrives, it will be almost a year late. No doubt one reason for the delay is the Spanish brand's local strategy of giving each new model "the right time in the sun", as communicated by Cupra Australia's former director Ben Wilks earlier this year. "It's important to really roll these out responsibly in terms of timing. Each of these models needs the right time in the sun," Mr Wilks told CarExpert in March. "These are not necessarily delays from a factory perspective, but rather structure and order from our perspective." However, since Mr Wilks' comments launch timings for several new models have changed again. The facelifted Formentor and hotter Born VZ electric hatch were both initially due on sale here before the end of 2025, and now both are coming early next year. Stay tuned to CarExpert for all the latest Cupra Born updates MORE: Explore the Cupra Born showroom Content originally sourced from: Cupra Australia will finally bring the 240kW Born VZ electric hot hatch early in 2026, though customers eager for less powerful variants will have to wait a little longer. Speaking with CarExpert, head of product for Cupra Australia – Jeff Shafer – said the high-performance Born will arrive at the beginning of next year (despite being earmarked for late-2025 as recently as March), while lesser variants may arrive with an incoming mid-life facelift. "We're in the process of planning the rest of the Born range beyond the VZ – even for the VZ we're still locking in a couple of final details," Mr Shafer said. "There's a facelift coming soon, so we're looking at the timing in terms of whether it makes sense to bring [lower variants] back in the shorter term, or wait for the [mid-life update]." CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. Asked about how the ever-changing EV market has impacted Cupra's approach, particularly with regards to re-introducing the Born, Mr Shafer said the Spanish brand will focus on driver enjoyment and value to stand out from increasing competition from the likes of emerging Chinese brands. "Cupra doesn't aspire to be all things to all people… so we really want to make sure that we're bringing cars that are appealing to people's emotions, and are above all fun to drive," Mr Shafer said. "With the Born, we got a lot of positive feedback on the ride and handling, and how there was a feeling of quality. I think these aspects take the VZ up to another level in terms of the responsiveness. "Bringing Tavascan into the market, in the EV space just making sure you've got a product that doesn't follow the others [is important]. "[Pricing] is always a challenge, and we don't take anything for granted in the Australian market. It did move very quickly, so we're trying to make sure we're bringing a product that has the right positioning, offers value that customers can see. "But also, making sure that the points of difference that we believe we have in design, ride and handling, and calibration of our assistance systems is also communicated so that people understand what they're getting for their money," Mr Shafer continued. "It's important that people feel like they have value. So we're not always chasing the cheapest price point, I don't think that's ever our position, but you definitely have to have a value that people can see and appreciate." The Cupra Born VZ features a single rear-mounted electric motor producing 240kW of power and 545Nm of torque, increases of 70kW and 235Nm over the standard 170kW Born that is now sold out in Australia. As a result, the Born VZ can sprint from 0-100km/h in 5.6 seconds, and reach a top speed of 200km/h. Other changes under the skin of the VZ include a slightly larger 79kWh battery pack and a new DCC Sport chassis setup that includes revised dampers, anti-roll bars and rear springs. Exterior upgrades are limited to wider tyres and a choice of two 20-inch alloy wheel designs (globally): either forged or with 3D copper inserts. Two new colours join the palette: Midnight Black and Dark Forest green. Inside the cabin, the VZ is ready for the racetrack with bucket seats finished in recycled materials. The tech has also been improved over the base car, with the fitment of an upsized 12.9-inch infotainment touchscreen that features Cupra's latest operating system. The early 2026 launch timing is yet another delay for the flagship Born, which was originally due in May 2025, then pushed back to late 2025 as recently as March. This means when it arrives, it will be almost a year late. No doubt one reason for the delay is the Spanish brand's local strategy of giving each new model "the right time in the sun", as communicated by Cupra Australia's former director Ben Wilks earlier this year. "It's important to really roll these out responsibly in terms of timing. Each of these models needs the right time in the sun," Mr Wilks told CarExpert in March. "These are not necessarily delays from a factory perspective, but rather structure and order from our perspective." However, since Mr Wilks' comments launch timings for several new models have changed again. The facelifted Formentor and hotter Born VZ electric hatch were both initially due on sale here before the end of 2025, and now both are coming early next year. Stay tuned to CarExpert for all the latest Cupra Born updates MORE: Explore the Cupra Born showroom Content originally sourced from: Cupra Australia will finally bring the 240kW Born VZ electric hot hatch early in 2026, though customers eager for less powerful variants will have to wait a little longer. Speaking with CarExpert, head of product for Cupra Australia – Jeff Shafer – said the high-performance Born will arrive at the beginning of next year (despite being earmarked for late-2025 as recently as March), while lesser variants may arrive with an incoming mid-life facelift. "We're in the process of planning the rest of the Born range beyond the VZ – even for the VZ we're still locking in a couple of final details," Mr Shafer said. "There's a facelift coming soon, so we're looking at the timing in terms of whether it makes sense to bring [lower variants] back in the shorter term, or wait for the [mid-life update]." CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. Asked about how the ever-changing EV market has impacted Cupra's approach, particularly with regards to re-introducing the Born, Mr Shafer said the Spanish brand will focus on driver enjoyment and value to stand out from increasing competition from the likes of emerging Chinese brands. "Cupra doesn't aspire to be all things to all people… so we really want to make sure that we're bringing cars that are appealing to people's emotions, and are above all fun to drive," Mr Shafer said. "With the Born, we got a lot of positive feedback on the ride and handling, and how there was a feeling of quality. I think these aspects take the VZ up to another level in terms of the responsiveness. "Bringing Tavascan into the market, in the EV space just making sure you've got a product that doesn't follow the others [is important]. "[Pricing] is always a challenge, and we don't take anything for granted in the Australian market. It did move very quickly, so we're trying to make sure we're bringing a product that has the right positioning, offers value that customers can see. "But also, making sure that the points of difference that we believe we have in design, ride and handling, and calibration of our assistance systems is also communicated so that people understand what they're getting for their money," Mr Shafer continued. "It's important that people feel like they have value. So we're not always chasing the cheapest price point, I don't think that's ever our position, but you definitely have to have a value that people can see and appreciate." The Cupra Born VZ features a single rear-mounted electric motor producing 240kW of power and 545Nm of torque, increases of 70kW and 235Nm over the standard 170kW Born that is now sold out in Australia. As a result, the Born VZ can sprint from 0-100km/h in 5.6 seconds, and reach a top speed of 200km/h. Other changes under the skin of the VZ include a slightly larger 79kWh battery pack and a new DCC Sport chassis setup that includes revised dampers, anti-roll bars and rear springs. Exterior upgrades are limited to wider tyres and a choice of two 20-inch alloy wheel designs (globally): either forged or with 3D copper inserts. Two new colours join the palette: Midnight Black and Dark Forest green. Inside the cabin, the VZ is ready for the racetrack with bucket seats finished in recycled materials. The tech has also been improved over the base car, with the fitment of an upsized 12.9-inch infotainment touchscreen that features Cupra's latest operating system. The early 2026 launch timing is yet another delay for the flagship Born, which was originally due in May 2025, then pushed back to late 2025 as recently as March. This means when it arrives, it will be almost a year late. No doubt one reason for the delay is the Spanish brand's local strategy of giving each new model "the right time in the sun", as communicated by Cupra Australia's former director Ben Wilks earlier this year. "It's important to really roll these out responsibly in terms of timing. Each of these models needs the right time in the sun," Mr Wilks told CarExpert in March. "These are not necessarily delays from a factory perspective, but rather structure and order from our perspective." However, since Mr Wilks' comments launch timings for several new models have changed again. The facelifted Formentor and hotter Born VZ electric hatch were both initially due on sale here before the end of 2025, and now both are coming early next year. Stay tuned to CarExpert for all the latest Cupra Born updates MORE: Explore the Cupra Born showroom Content originally sourced from:
The Advertiser
10 hours ago
- The Advertiser
2026 Honda Prelude has no direct competition, say Australian bosses
The Honda Prelude name will return to Australian showrooms for the first time in 25 years with its planned arrival in mid-2026, but it won't sit alongside any direct rivals nor set sales charts on fire, according to the brand. The Prelude was previously a mainstay in a highly competitive sports car market which has shrunk to a handful of models, including the Subaru BRZ and Toyota GR86, Ford Mustang, Nissan Z and Toyota Supra. According to Honda, none of these are direct rivals to the 2026 Prelude, which will be the first to offer a hybrid powertrain. "By the nature of it, it's going to be a little bit in the market. There isn't going to be anything you can neatly say, it's a direct competitor of that – it's just seen in a lot of different spaces," said Honda Australia managing director, Rob Thorp. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. The sentiment is backed up by Honda Australia CEO Jay Joseph, who told CarExpert: "Prelude is a really fun car, but it's not a high-volume car. "It's a bit of a Swiss Army Knife – it really doesn't fit neatly into a segment and I think that's the opportunity that we get to leverage." In the Prelude's final year in Australia, 2001, total sales across the 'Sports' segment were 8820 across all makes, making up 1.14 per cent of all the 772,681 new vehicles sold that year. In 2024, the same Sports segment saw 10,633 sales, making up an even smaller 0.87 per cent share of all new cars sold (not including brands like Mahindra, Tesla and Polestar brands, which don't report to the official VFACTS figures, and would reduce this number further). While the price of the Prelude in Australia is yet to be announced, it will enter a dramatically different battleground when it returns in mid-2026 – but does the sports car market have room for another competitor in Prelude? "Yes, we think it does," Honda Australia managing director Ron Thorp told CarExpert. "We've actually been planning this for a little while, and … the nature of the model is it doesn't fit a market segment easily. "It will, from a VFACTS perspective and pricing, but the customer who we think will be interested, it's going to be quite a wide, broad base." "If you look at [Civic] Type R, we know who wants to buy Type R," Mr Thorp said. "Looking at the Prelude, it could be a sports cars person, but you could sort of see, to be honest, older males who used to own them back in the 90s buying them again – I think it's going to reattract a lot of consumers back to the Honda brand. "You can see it opening up to a female audience as well because of the way it looks and drives and handles. "We sort of think that this is where the customer segment group might be," Mr Thorp said, with the Prelude potentially able to "attract a lot of different people from a lot of different areas". "It's also going to provide an opportunity to actually conquest and speak to new customers at the same time, and the combination of the two will allow us to generate great [brand] awareness and start to put Honda on a consideration list." More: Everything Honda Content originally sourced from: The Honda Prelude name will return to Australian showrooms for the first time in 25 years with its planned arrival in mid-2026, but it won't sit alongside any direct rivals nor set sales charts on fire, according to the brand. The Prelude was previously a mainstay in a highly competitive sports car market which has shrunk to a handful of models, including the Subaru BRZ and Toyota GR86, Ford Mustang, Nissan Z and Toyota Supra. According to Honda, none of these are direct rivals to the 2026 Prelude, which will be the first to offer a hybrid powertrain. "By the nature of it, it's going to be a little bit in the market. There isn't going to be anything you can neatly say, it's a direct competitor of that – it's just seen in a lot of different spaces," said Honda Australia managing director, Rob Thorp. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. The sentiment is backed up by Honda Australia CEO Jay Joseph, who told CarExpert: "Prelude is a really fun car, but it's not a high-volume car. "It's a bit of a Swiss Army Knife – it really doesn't fit neatly into a segment and I think that's the opportunity that we get to leverage." In the Prelude's final year in Australia, 2001, total sales across the 'Sports' segment were 8820 across all makes, making up 1.14 per cent of all the 772,681 new vehicles sold that year. In 2024, the same Sports segment saw 10,633 sales, making up an even smaller 0.87 per cent share of all new cars sold (not including brands like Mahindra, Tesla and Polestar brands, which don't report to the official VFACTS figures, and would reduce this number further). While the price of the Prelude in Australia is yet to be announced, it will enter a dramatically different battleground when it returns in mid-2026 – but does the sports car market have room for another competitor in Prelude? "Yes, we think it does," Honda Australia managing director Ron Thorp told CarExpert. "We've actually been planning this for a little while, and … the nature of the model is it doesn't fit a market segment easily. "It will, from a VFACTS perspective and pricing, but the customer who we think will be interested, it's going to be quite a wide, broad base." "If you look at [Civic] Type R, we know who wants to buy Type R," Mr Thorp said. "Looking at the Prelude, it could be a sports cars person, but you could sort of see, to be honest, older males who used to own them back in the 90s buying them again – I think it's going to reattract a lot of consumers back to the Honda brand. "You can see it opening up to a female audience as well because of the way it looks and drives and handles. "We sort of think that this is where the customer segment group might be," Mr Thorp said, with the Prelude potentially able to "attract a lot of different people from a lot of different areas". "It's also going to provide an opportunity to actually conquest and speak to new customers at the same time, and the combination of the two will allow us to generate great [brand] awareness and start to put Honda on a consideration list." More: Everything Honda Content originally sourced from: The Honda Prelude name will return to Australian showrooms for the first time in 25 years with its planned arrival in mid-2026, but it won't sit alongside any direct rivals nor set sales charts on fire, according to the brand. The Prelude was previously a mainstay in a highly competitive sports car market which has shrunk to a handful of models, including the Subaru BRZ and Toyota GR86, Ford Mustang, Nissan Z and Toyota Supra. According to Honda, none of these are direct rivals to the 2026 Prelude, which will be the first to offer a hybrid powertrain. "By the nature of it, it's going to be a little bit in the market. There isn't going to be anything you can neatly say, it's a direct competitor of that – it's just seen in a lot of different spaces," said Honda Australia managing director, Rob Thorp. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. The sentiment is backed up by Honda Australia CEO Jay Joseph, who told CarExpert: "Prelude is a really fun car, but it's not a high-volume car. "It's a bit of a Swiss Army Knife – it really doesn't fit neatly into a segment and I think that's the opportunity that we get to leverage." In the Prelude's final year in Australia, 2001, total sales across the 'Sports' segment were 8820 across all makes, making up 1.14 per cent of all the 772,681 new vehicles sold that year. In 2024, the same Sports segment saw 10,633 sales, making up an even smaller 0.87 per cent share of all new cars sold (not including brands like Mahindra, Tesla and Polestar brands, which don't report to the official VFACTS figures, and would reduce this number further). While the price of the Prelude in Australia is yet to be announced, it will enter a dramatically different battleground when it returns in mid-2026 – but does the sports car market have room for another competitor in Prelude? "Yes, we think it does," Honda Australia managing director Ron Thorp told CarExpert. "We've actually been planning this for a little while, and … the nature of the model is it doesn't fit a market segment easily. "It will, from a VFACTS perspective and pricing, but the customer who we think will be interested, it's going to be quite a wide, broad base." "If you look at [Civic] Type R, we know who wants to buy Type R," Mr Thorp said. "Looking at the Prelude, it could be a sports cars person, but you could sort of see, to be honest, older males who used to own them back in the 90s buying them again – I think it's going to reattract a lot of consumers back to the Honda brand. "You can see it opening up to a female audience as well because of the way it looks and drives and handles. "We sort of think that this is where the customer segment group might be," Mr Thorp said, with the Prelude potentially able to "attract a lot of different people from a lot of different areas". "It's also going to provide an opportunity to actually conquest and speak to new customers at the same time, and the combination of the two will allow us to generate great [brand] awareness and start to put Honda on a consideration list." More: Everything Honda Content originally sourced from: The Honda Prelude name will return to Australian showrooms for the first time in 25 years with its planned arrival in mid-2026, but it won't sit alongside any direct rivals nor set sales charts on fire, according to the brand. The Prelude was previously a mainstay in a highly competitive sports car market which has shrunk to a handful of models, including the Subaru BRZ and Toyota GR86, Ford Mustang, Nissan Z and Toyota Supra. According to Honda, none of these are direct rivals to the 2026 Prelude, which will be the first to offer a hybrid powertrain. "By the nature of it, it's going to be a little bit in the market. There isn't going to be anything you can neatly say, it's a direct competitor of that – it's just seen in a lot of different spaces," said Honda Australia managing director, Rob Thorp. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. The sentiment is backed up by Honda Australia CEO Jay Joseph, who told CarExpert: "Prelude is a really fun car, but it's not a high-volume car. "It's a bit of a Swiss Army Knife – it really doesn't fit neatly into a segment and I think that's the opportunity that we get to leverage." In the Prelude's final year in Australia, 2001, total sales across the 'Sports' segment were 8820 across all makes, making up 1.14 per cent of all the 772,681 new vehicles sold that year. In 2024, the same Sports segment saw 10,633 sales, making up an even smaller 0.87 per cent share of all new cars sold (not including brands like Mahindra, Tesla and Polestar brands, which don't report to the official VFACTS figures, and would reduce this number further). While the price of the Prelude in Australia is yet to be announced, it will enter a dramatically different battleground when it returns in mid-2026 – but does the sports car market have room for another competitor in Prelude? "Yes, we think it does," Honda Australia managing director Ron Thorp told CarExpert. "We've actually been planning this for a little while, and … the nature of the model is it doesn't fit a market segment easily. "It will, from a VFACTS perspective and pricing, but the customer who we think will be interested, it's going to be quite a wide, broad base." "If you look at [Civic] Type R, we know who wants to buy Type R," Mr Thorp said. "Looking at the Prelude, it could be a sports cars person, but you could sort of see, to be honest, older males who used to own them back in the 90s buying them again – I think it's going to reattract a lot of consumers back to the Honda brand. "You can see it opening up to a female audience as well because of the way it looks and drives and handles. "We sort of think that this is where the customer segment group might be," Mr Thorp said, with the Prelude potentially able to "attract a lot of different people from a lot of different areas". "It's also going to provide an opportunity to actually conquest and speak to new customers at the same time, and the combination of the two will allow us to generate great [brand] awareness and start to put Honda on a consideration list." More: Everything Honda Content originally sourced from:
The Advertiser
14 hours ago
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Ford posts $77.6 billion record revenue amid tariff losses
Ford has posted a $US36 million ($A55.9 million) loss in the second quarter (April-June) of 2025, the least of the US 'Big Three' since the introduction of import tariffs in the United States (US). In the first reporting period since US President Donald Trump introduced automotive tariffs – followed by broader tariffs unsettling the industry – Ford also announced a 22 per cent fall in earnings to $2.1 billion ($A3.26 billion). Yet the automaker said it achieved record quarterly revenue during the period of $US50.2 billion ($A77.6 billion), up 5.5 per cent year-on-year. Ford's commercial vehicle division, led by products including the Ford Ranger, F-150 and Transit, was the biggest contributor to the result, with US$2.3 billion (A$3.56bn) in profits. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. The automaker continued to post losses on winding down its electric vehicle (EV) programs, with a $US1.3 billion ($A2.0 billion) loss after an $US849 million ($A1.3 billion) Q1 loss and $US5.1 billion ($A7.9 billion) loss for the full year 2024. Ford's announcement follows results from rival US company General Motors (GM) which posted a $US1.1 billion ($A1.7 billion) loss of the last three month to the end of June, laying the blame for the loss entirely on the introduction of tariffs on imported vehicles, materials and parts. Rival Stellantis, Netherlands-based owner of iconic US brands Chrysler, Jeep, Ram Trucks and Dodge, posted a €2.3 billion (A$4.1 billion) loss for the first half of 2025. Bill Ford – great grandson of company founder, Henry Ford – said after the April 2, 2025, introduction of tariffs the automaker was to be the least impacted, given it has the largest US manufacturing footprint. US President Trump said the tariffs were designed to strengthen local manufacturing, with Ford since pushing the slogan "Ford Motor Company. From America. For America." On this week's call, Ford said it expects the tariffs to cost more than previously, increasing its earlier $US1.5 billion prediction to $US2 billion ($A3.11 billion) for the full year in 2025, with a total impact estimated to be $US3 billion ($A4.66 billion). The automaker took out a $US3 billion ($A4.66 billion) line of credit on July 29, the day before the earnings call. It enacted counter measures when the tariffs hit, such as offering staff pricing to all US customers to stave off predicted increases in showroom prices and also capitalise on margins of vehicles not impacted by tariffs. The move was followed by Stellantis for its brands in the US shortly after. Ford chief financial officer Sherry House said higher-than-expected tariffs on parts as well as a doubling of the duties on steel and aluminium to 50 per cent were the reason for the predicted higher costs of tariffs. "We recorded our fourth consecutive quarter of year-over-year cost improvement, excluding the impact of tariffs, building on progress we made last year when we closed roughly $1.5 billion [$A2.3 billion] of our competitive cost gap in material cost," Ms House said in a statement. "Our balance sheet keeps getting stronger, further enabling our ability to invest in areas of strength. We are remaking Ford into a higher-growth, higher-margin and more durable business — and allocating capital where we can compete, win and grow." Ford revised its earnings forecast for the year to $US6.5-7.5 billion ($A10.1-11.6 billion), having withdrawn previous guidance of $US7-8.5 billion ($A10.9-$13.2 billion). MORE: Ford slowing electric car rollout as losses mount MORE: Everything Ford Content originally sourced from: Ford has posted a $US36 million ($A55.9 million) loss in the second quarter (April-June) of 2025, the least of the US 'Big Three' since the introduction of import tariffs in the United States (US). In the first reporting period since US President Donald Trump introduced automotive tariffs – followed by broader tariffs unsettling the industry – Ford also announced a 22 per cent fall in earnings to $2.1 billion ($A3.26 billion). Yet the automaker said it achieved record quarterly revenue during the period of $US50.2 billion ($A77.6 billion), up 5.5 per cent year-on-year. Ford's commercial vehicle division, led by products including the Ford Ranger, F-150 and Transit, was the biggest contributor to the result, with US$2.3 billion (A$3.56bn) in profits. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. The automaker continued to post losses on winding down its electric vehicle (EV) programs, with a $US1.3 billion ($A2.0 billion) loss after an $US849 million ($A1.3 billion) Q1 loss and $US5.1 billion ($A7.9 billion) loss for the full year 2024. Ford's announcement follows results from rival US company General Motors (GM) which posted a $US1.1 billion ($A1.7 billion) loss of the last three month to the end of June, laying the blame for the loss entirely on the introduction of tariffs on imported vehicles, materials and parts. Rival Stellantis, Netherlands-based owner of iconic US brands Chrysler, Jeep, Ram Trucks and Dodge, posted a €2.3 billion (A$4.1 billion) loss for the first half of 2025. Bill Ford – great grandson of company founder, Henry Ford – said after the April 2, 2025, introduction of tariffs the automaker was to be the least impacted, given it has the largest US manufacturing footprint. US President Trump said the tariffs were designed to strengthen local manufacturing, with Ford since pushing the slogan "Ford Motor Company. From America. For America." On this week's call, Ford said it expects the tariffs to cost more than previously, increasing its earlier $US1.5 billion prediction to $US2 billion ($A3.11 billion) for the full year in 2025, with a total impact estimated to be $US3 billion ($A4.66 billion). The automaker took out a $US3 billion ($A4.66 billion) line of credit on July 29, the day before the earnings call. It enacted counter measures when the tariffs hit, such as offering staff pricing to all US customers to stave off predicted increases in showroom prices and also capitalise on margins of vehicles not impacted by tariffs. The move was followed by Stellantis for its brands in the US shortly after. Ford chief financial officer Sherry House said higher-than-expected tariffs on parts as well as a doubling of the duties on steel and aluminium to 50 per cent were the reason for the predicted higher costs of tariffs. "We recorded our fourth consecutive quarter of year-over-year cost improvement, excluding the impact of tariffs, building on progress we made last year when we closed roughly $1.5 billion [$A2.3 billion] of our competitive cost gap in material cost," Ms House said in a statement. "Our balance sheet keeps getting stronger, further enabling our ability to invest in areas of strength. We are remaking Ford into a higher-growth, higher-margin and more durable business — and allocating capital where we can compete, win and grow." Ford revised its earnings forecast for the year to $US6.5-7.5 billion ($A10.1-11.6 billion), having withdrawn previous guidance of $US7-8.5 billion ($A10.9-$13.2 billion). MORE: Ford slowing electric car rollout as losses mount MORE: Everything Ford Content originally sourced from: Ford has posted a $US36 million ($A55.9 million) loss in the second quarter (April-June) of 2025, the least of the US 'Big Three' since the introduction of import tariffs in the United States (US). In the first reporting period since US President Donald Trump introduced automotive tariffs – followed by broader tariffs unsettling the industry – Ford also announced a 22 per cent fall in earnings to $2.1 billion ($A3.26 billion). Yet the automaker said it achieved record quarterly revenue during the period of $US50.2 billion ($A77.6 billion), up 5.5 per cent year-on-year. Ford's commercial vehicle division, led by products including the Ford Ranger, F-150 and Transit, was the biggest contributor to the result, with US$2.3 billion (A$3.56bn) in profits. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. The automaker continued to post losses on winding down its electric vehicle (EV) programs, with a $US1.3 billion ($A2.0 billion) loss after an $US849 million ($A1.3 billion) Q1 loss and $US5.1 billion ($A7.9 billion) loss for the full year 2024. Ford's announcement follows results from rival US company General Motors (GM) which posted a $US1.1 billion ($A1.7 billion) loss of the last three month to the end of June, laying the blame for the loss entirely on the introduction of tariffs on imported vehicles, materials and parts. Rival Stellantis, Netherlands-based owner of iconic US brands Chrysler, Jeep, Ram Trucks and Dodge, posted a €2.3 billion (A$4.1 billion) loss for the first half of 2025. Bill Ford – great grandson of company founder, Henry Ford – said after the April 2, 2025, introduction of tariffs the automaker was to be the least impacted, given it has the largest US manufacturing footprint. US President Trump said the tariffs were designed to strengthen local manufacturing, with Ford since pushing the slogan "Ford Motor Company. From America. For America." On this week's call, Ford said it expects the tariffs to cost more than previously, increasing its earlier $US1.5 billion prediction to $US2 billion ($A3.11 billion) for the full year in 2025, with a total impact estimated to be $US3 billion ($A4.66 billion). The automaker took out a $US3 billion ($A4.66 billion) line of credit on July 29, the day before the earnings call. It enacted counter measures when the tariffs hit, such as offering staff pricing to all US customers to stave off predicted increases in showroom prices and also capitalise on margins of vehicles not impacted by tariffs. The move was followed by Stellantis for its brands in the US shortly after. Ford chief financial officer Sherry House said higher-than-expected tariffs on parts as well as a doubling of the duties on steel and aluminium to 50 per cent were the reason for the predicted higher costs of tariffs. "We recorded our fourth consecutive quarter of year-over-year cost improvement, excluding the impact of tariffs, building on progress we made last year when we closed roughly $1.5 billion [$A2.3 billion] of our competitive cost gap in material cost," Ms House said in a statement. "Our balance sheet keeps getting stronger, further enabling our ability to invest in areas of strength. We are remaking Ford into a higher-growth, higher-margin and more durable business — and allocating capital where we can compete, win and grow." Ford revised its earnings forecast for the year to $US6.5-7.5 billion ($A10.1-11.6 billion), having withdrawn previous guidance of $US7-8.5 billion ($A10.9-$13.2 billion). MORE: Ford slowing electric car rollout as losses mount MORE: Everything Ford Content originally sourced from: Ford has posted a $US36 million ($A55.9 million) loss in the second quarter (April-June) of 2025, the least of the US 'Big Three' since the introduction of import tariffs in the United States (US). In the first reporting period since US President Donald Trump introduced automotive tariffs – followed by broader tariffs unsettling the industry – Ford also announced a 22 per cent fall in earnings to $2.1 billion ($A3.26 billion). Yet the automaker said it achieved record quarterly revenue during the period of $US50.2 billion ($A77.6 billion), up 5.5 per cent year-on-year. Ford's commercial vehicle division, led by products including the Ford Ranger, F-150 and Transit, was the biggest contributor to the result, with US$2.3 billion (A$3.56bn) in profits. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. The automaker continued to post losses on winding down its electric vehicle (EV) programs, with a $US1.3 billion ($A2.0 billion) loss after an $US849 million ($A1.3 billion) Q1 loss and $US5.1 billion ($A7.9 billion) loss for the full year 2024. Ford's announcement follows results from rival US company General Motors (GM) which posted a $US1.1 billion ($A1.7 billion) loss of the last three month to the end of June, laying the blame for the loss entirely on the introduction of tariffs on imported vehicles, materials and parts. Rival Stellantis, Netherlands-based owner of iconic US brands Chrysler, Jeep, Ram Trucks and Dodge, posted a €2.3 billion (A$4.1 billion) loss for the first half of 2025. Bill Ford – great grandson of company founder, Henry Ford – said after the April 2, 2025, introduction of tariffs the automaker was to be the least impacted, given it has the largest US manufacturing footprint. US President Trump said the tariffs were designed to strengthen local manufacturing, with Ford since pushing the slogan "Ford Motor Company. From America. For America." On this week's call, Ford said it expects the tariffs to cost more than previously, increasing its earlier $US1.5 billion prediction to $US2 billion ($A3.11 billion) for the full year in 2025, with a total impact estimated to be $US3 billion ($A4.66 billion). The automaker took out a $US3 billion ($A4.66 billion) line of credit on July 29, the day before the earnings call. It enacted counter measures when the tariffs hit, such as offering staff pricing to all US customers to stave off predicted increases in showroom prices and also capitalise on margins of vehicles not impacted by tariffs. The move was followed by Stellantis for its brands in the US shortly after. Ford chief financial officer Sherry House said higher-than-expected tariffs on parts as well as a doubling of the duties on steel and aluminium to 50 per cent were the reason for the predicted higher costs of tariffs. "We recorded our fourth consecutive quarter of year-over-year cost improvement, excluding the impact of tariffs, building on progress we made last year when we closed roughly $1.5 billion [$A2.3 billion] of our competitive cost gap in material cost," Ms House said in a statement. "Our balance sheet keeps getting stronger, further enabling our ability to invest in areas of strength. We are remaking Ford into a higher-growth, higher-margin and more durable business — and allocating capital where we can compete, win and grow." Ford revised its earnings forecast for the year to $US6.5-7.5 billion ($A10.1-11.6 billion), having withdrawn previous guidance of $US7-8.5 billion ($A10.9-$13.2 billion). MORE: Ford slowing electric car rollout as losses mount MORE: Everything Ford Content originally sourced from:
