Latest news with #luxurySUV
The Australian
2 days ago
- Automotive
- The Australian
Bentley's EXP 15 concept previews luxury brand's electric future
Bentley's drive for the future is as bold as its vehicles. A daring new concept car, the EXP 15, paves the road ahead for a brand that has juggled tech and tradition for decades. Though Bentley originally planned to release its first EV in 2025, we are still waiting to see what form that car will take. Like many brands, Bentley has pushed back its electrification plan to make sure it delivers something customers are ready for. Bentley's EXP 15 concept. Picture: Supplied Bentley factory in Crewe. (Picture: Supplied) MORE: Jet pilot tech tested for drivers The company is now focusing on a new goal of offering a complete line-up of electric vehicles by 2035. A key detail in the company's strategy is to ensure that the Bentley Dream Factory in Crewe is fully operational for EV production by the time they start rolling out their first EV product. Bentley has recently opened a new paint shop and an 'Excellence Centre for Quality and Launch', marking a significant milestone in transforming the 85-year-old site for a new era of electrification. Bentley says the new facilities aim to set a new benchmark in next-generation, digital, flexible, and high-value manufacturing operations. it is now shifting its focus to constructing a new logistics centre, with the completion timeline aimed for later this year. We still don't know much about the new full-electric vehicle being launched in 2026, except that it is a luxury urban SUV. Bentley's factory in Crewe. Picture: Supplied The brand prides itself on attention to detail. Picture: Supplied Bentley recently revealed the EXP 15 concept electric vehicle, which gives us the best idea yet of what the brand's first EV might look like. The EXP 15 draws design inspiration from the marque's renowned 'Blue Train' Speed Six of 1930 and features an all-electric, all-wheel-drive powertrain that will ultimately replace its iconic V8 and W12 engines. Bentley's EXP 15 concept points to an electric future. Picture: Supplied The EXP 15 concept has bold styling. Picture: Supplied MORE: Luxury vans to shock Australia With its radical three-door layout and emphasis on tactile controls, the EXP 15 offers an exciting preview of Bentley's commitment to performance and luxury in an electric era. Bentley's design director Robin Page said the car is an opportunity to explore new approaches. 'It's clear the SUVs are a growing segment, and we understand the GT market (through four generations of Continental GT), but the trickiest segment is the sedan because it's changing,' he said. 'Some customers want a classic 'three-box' sedan shape, others a 'one-box design, and others again something more elevated. 'The EXP 15 falls somewhere in between, with raised ride height and a sloped fastback-style roof line, but many familiar elements from Bentley's two-door and four-door models.' At the front, slim vertical LED lights frame a bold new take on Bentley's iconic upright grille. Bentley has chosen to retain the upright grille as a way to maintain one of its most iconic design elements. Although electric vehicles do not require a grille for cooling, Page noted that the grille would evolve into a form of 'digital art.' EXP 15 concept. (Picture: Supplied) Behind it, it retains Bentley's signature 'endless' bonnet line, but rather than hiding a combustion engine, it conceals two luggage compartments beneath piano-hinged covers inspired by the 1930 Bentley Gurney Nutting coupe. The top of the bonnet also debuts Bentley's new logo. At the back of the car, the pillars beside the rear window taper inward, giving it a sleek 'boattail' shape that enhances the wide rear wheel arches. The tailgate features two high-mounted spoilers that connect seamlessly to slim, C-shaped tail-lights. These lights frame a new design element known as the 'Prestigious Shield,' which showcases the Bentley badge. Inside, the EXP 15 features a radical three-door, three-seat layout, which takes inspiration from the one-off 'Blue Train' Speed Six. EXP 15 concept. (Picture: Supplied) MORE: The best car of the 21st century There's a single door on the driver's side in true coupe style, while the passenger side gets a two-door saloon set up. How does this configuration make logical sense? Well, according to the brand, it does. Here's why. Bentleys are traditionally bought by people who like to drive themselves and occasionally be driven. The least important seat in the car is the front passenger's, so it's been replaced with a luxury pet bed or additional luggage storage space. EXP 15 concept. (Picture: Supplied) The dashboard is shaped like the Bentley wings and includes physical tactile switches, as customers are increasingly tired of digital buttons and prefer the responsiveness of physical controls. Bentley has not released specific technical details about the EXP 15's powertrain, but the confirmed all-wheel-drive electric system, likely featuring two motors, suggests that Bentley's future EVs will uphold their legacy of both performance and luxury. Although the EXP 15 is just a concept and won't be arriving at any dealerships in Australia, we can expect to see features from this innovative design integrated into the luxury brand's first electric vehicle. James Chung Digital Content Creator James is a Digital Content Creator at and is part of the News Corp Australia's digital real estate team. His previous experience includes working for Sky News Australia.
The Drive
5 days ago
- Automotive
- The Drive
2025 GMC Yukon AT4 Ultimate Review: The Ultimate SUV, But Still Not Worth $102K
The latest car news, reviews, and features. Do you have kids? How about pets? Do you like to ride dirt bikes or own a boat? Do you often travel with backseat passengers who wish to entertain themselves in full isolation from the outside world? And do you also like to explore the outside world, without being limited by the parts of it that are paved? If you answered 'yes' to all of these questions, I think you'll like the GMC Yukon AT4 Ultimate. If not, the good news is you don't need to worry about going $100,000 into debt for one. Make no mistake: The Yukon AT4 is a specialized tool, albeit one draped in rugged luxury. (Because if all you needed was a tool, the Chevrolet Tahoe is right there, for a lot less.) Oh, my passengers loved it, from its massaging seats to its second-row seatback screens and supple captain's chairs. Me? I don't have kids, animals, or powersports, so I'm certainly not the kind of buyer GM has in mind—the buyer that would use the 460 lb-ft of torque from its beefy 6.2-liter V8 to haul something other than ass. It's important to recognize that there is stunning capability in this machine, but if you don't need it, it kind of makes everything worse. Adam Ismail The fifth-generation Yukon has been on the market since the 2021 model year, and it gets a comprehensive update for 2025. This refresh incorporates taller headlights, which have the effect of making the entire vehicle look higher—something it surely didn't need, but it is a big truck, after all. 2025 also brings this new AT4 Ultimate trim, which fuses the ruggedness of the AT4 line with many of the amenities you'd typically associate with the Denali label. The interior has been redesigned, with a massive, new 16.8-inch vertical infotainment screen; massaging, full-grain leather seats with second-row heated and ventilated 'executive' thrones; and a panoramic sunroof. The Ultimate swaps out the base 5.3-liter mill for the 6.2 V8, though a 3.0-liter Duramax turbodiesel is available as well. This trim also gains Air Ride adaptive suspension, which allows for some adjustability and doesn't come standard on a regular AT4, and rides on chunky Goodyear Wrangler Territory AT tires. My colleague Byron, The Drive's foremost expert on the misfortunes of these 6.2-liter 'L87' motors, tells me that GM completely revised the engine's tooling for the 2025 model year, so at least buyers going forward should be spared the pain of catastrophic failure. Adam Ismail Do mind that you'll be spending quite a lot extra for everything this Yukon has to offer. Where a normal AT4 runs $76,395, an AT4 Ultimate starts at an eye-watering $96,495, and the sticker for this one came in at $102,280. The good news is that the almost $6,000 in optional extras here are mostly illuminated trim, all-weather mats, and the Midnight Pine exterior paint (which is technically green, but most of the time looks gray). From the outside, the Yukon pretty much looks like any other big, modern body-on-frame SUV, with a towering grille that jacks up the hood and elbows the headlights aside. Knock off the GMC badge and it may as well be a Chevy or, to a lesser extent, a Cadillac. The AT4 grade at least throws in a re-sculpted front bumper that improves approach angles, and looks athletic with its chrome trim evoking bull bars, encircling red tow hooks. This interior is packed with features and leather, but it still doesn't feel like $95K to me. Adam Ismail The interior is more of the same: rectangular, big, and chunky. Quality seems fine, and I like the copious physical buttons and switches, and the strip of wood on the dash. The white piping on the seats and circuit board-esque texture to the upholstery are a little much, but you don't buy one of these for subtlety or tasteful design. The Yukon AT4 Ultimate really isn't about driving enjoyment. There are aspects of the driving experience that are nice; I found that SuperCruise and its automatic lane changes worked well, for example, and the 6.2-liter V8 and 10-speed combo is smooth, strong, and honestly not quite as thirsty as you'd think. But this is one of those vehicles that's better to be a passenger in, and that's OK. Firming up the suspension via Sport mode helps the big SUV change direction a bit more confidently, but you'd best get used to some wallowing. In an ideal world, Air Ride's cushiness would at least positively impact the ride quality, but even in Comfort mode, I wasn't particularly impressed. It's not terribly harsh, but it does feel a little clunky and loud, and for the money, it should be better. Adam Ismail This is a truck at its core, though, and I don't begrudge the Yukon for many of those faults. My beef rests, as it has often with these recent GM products, with the infotainment. An almost 17-inch touchscreen sounds luxurious until you first experience how far your finger's got to travel between on-screen buttons. I think the row of physical switches below the panel is clever, because those inputs can serve different functions depending on what's shown. Also, I'm at least happy that there are still GM vehicles with CarPlay and Android Auto, for however long that lasts. But this interface still feels haphazardly designed, with hieroglyphics for icons. Simple things, like reconfiguring the instrument cluster, can't be done with buttons on the steering wheel—you have to 'pin' widgets like fuel consumption or trip data to the gauges from the center touchscreen. Hunting for things just takes too long on this huge touchscreen. Adam Ismail Again, though—for everyone other than the driver, this cabin is great. There are rear tablets with dedicated headphones and HDMI ports on the back of that gigantic, power-operated center console, presumably so your passengers can plug in some PS5s and go to town. They won't even be forced to play against each other, because naturally, the Yukon can become an LTE hotspot. I'm also pretty sure third-row passengers have more legroom than anyone ever has in my Corolla. The ride may not be perfect, but frankly, I think everyone will be too distracted to notice. Adam Ismail You can get some of these amenities in other vehicles, but you get a Yukon for what it can pull, and you get an AT4 for where it can go. I didn't tow anything on my journey, though GMC rates the Yukon AT4 Ultimate for 8,200 pounds. (The Elevation 2WD model improves on that by another 200 pounds.) It's worth adding that number is a good sight shy of the cross-town rival Ford Expedition Tremor's 9,300-pound limit. GMC quotes the Yukon AT4 Ultimate at 14 miles per gallon city, 18 mpg highway, and 16 mpg combined. I found that figure to be on the money, as I hovered around 16 mpg mostly racking up highway miles around the Oregon Coast. If those numbers seem a bit low compared to the competition, that's the cost of two extra cylinders and no forced induction. The Ford Expedition and Jeep Wagoneer only come with a V6 and inline-six, respectively, and promise an extra roughly 2-4 mpg over a 6.2-liter Yukon with four-wheel drive. On the flip side, this fuel economy advantage would quickly evaporate while towing, whereas the penalty wouldn't be so great for the naturally aspirated Yukon. This GMC Yukon AT4 Ultimate might be very nice and very powerful, but it hasn't changed my mind. If you purely need to haul people and not something big and heavy connected to a hitch, you'd be much better served by a unibody SUV, of which you have so many alternatives. This Yukon is massively overbuilt for getting family and pets around, and I'd swap all that torque and fuel expense for something more car-like to drive, with an interior that isn't just full of tech, but aesthetically nicer, too. Maybe a Mazda CX-90. Casting all that aside, if you do need a massive and comfortable body-on-frame SUV for your purposes, a Yukon is by no means a poor choice, but I'm not sure about this Yukon. A $96K floor is a tough pill to swallow, and most options, even on this high-end trim, are also available on a Tahoe High Country that'll run you just $84K, with the very same engine and a horizontal infotainment screen that looks like far less of a pain to use. As usual with a GMC product, its biggest rival is something wearing a bowtie. Not sure GM cares, though; either way, the house wins. 2025 GMC Yukon AT4 Ultimate Specs Base Price (AT4 Ultimate as tested) $69,395 ($102,280) Powertrain 6.2-liter V8 | 10-speed automatic transmission | switchable two-wheel and four-wheel drive Horsepower 420 @ 5,600 rpm Torque 460 lb-ft @ 4,100 rpm Seating Capacity 7 Curb Weight 5,580 pounds Max Towing 8,200 pounds Ground Clearance 8 inches (10 inches in Off-Road mode with Air Ride) Cargo Capacity 25.5 cubic feet behind third row | 72.5 cubic feet behind second row | 122.8 cubic feet behind first row EPA Fuel Economy 14 mpg city | 18 highway | 16 combined Score 7.5/10 The AT4 Ultimate is indeed the ultimate Yukon for hauling people and things off the beaten path, but it comes at a hard-to-swallow price. Adam Ismail
News.com.au
7 days ago
- Automotive
- News.com.au
Cadillac Vistiq electric SUV reviewed
Should we be surprised that America's vision for a luxury SUV is an exercise in excess? Probably not. The Cadillac Vistiq on the way to Australian showrooms next year shapes up as an opulent machine from a place where too much is never enough. There's no real need for a family wagon to have an enormous 452kW of power and 894Nm, or to hit 100km/h in 3.7 seconds. You don't need huge 23-inch wheels or a 23 speaker stereo with Dolby Atmos surround sound, you don't need five-zone climate control and you don't need a 33-inch wraparound digital display that stretches across the cabin. But you might want these things. Especially if you want a car that stands apart from the crowd. There aren't many cars like the Vistiq, which is a three-row electric luxury SUV that shapes up as a rival to battery-powered machines such as Volvo's EX90, the Mercedes EQS SUV, Hyundai Ioniq 9 and Kia EV9. You could also argue that it shapes up as an alternative to combustion-powered machines such as BMW's X5. Full prices and specifications for the car have not been confirmed for Australia. But you can expect the Vistiq to arrive in one fully-loaded trim for around $150,000. For that, you get a large SUV with a cab that doesn't hold back. From its spacious dimensions to myriad materials that steer away from the low-key approach of Euro rivals, the Caddy delivers a bold and brassy experience that should translate well in Australia. Sofa-like seats with fine adjustment help you get comfortable in the car, and sensibly placed controls make the machine second nature. Interestingly, Cadillac does not equip its latest models with Apple CarPlay, so you need to make do with its built-in Google-based mapping services. That's annoying, but not a deal-breaker. The sweeping screen stretching across the dashboard is loaded up with features such as night vision, augmented reality sat nav and the 'Super Cruise' self-driving suite that is standard in the US, but not available in Australia yet. Out on the road, the big Caddy feels planted, thanks in part to enormous 305mm-wide tyres that help keep its 2.8-tonne weight in control. This is a big car. But it feels more agile than the numbers suggest, thanks to clever tech such as rear-wheel-steering, variable-height air suspension and adaptive shock absorbers that work against physics. Sure, tight corners will reveal its weight. But sweeping bends and city driving are no trouble. Smooth roads fringing Detroit didn't trouble its suspension, though Australia's rougher surfaces will offer a greater test of its abilities. In any case, surplus power also helps disguise the mass. You always have acceleration in reserve, which makes the car feel surprisingly spritely on the road. It will pin you back in your seat and raise its nose like a speedboat when you pin the throttle. There really aren't many family SUVs that claim this sort of thrust. The downside to the huge power and weight is that it's not the most efficient car getting around. Cadillac's 102kWh battery returns less than 500km of range, which is less than you might find from some rivals. Folks who want to drive further could consider the smaller Cadillac Lyriq, which is already on sale with the same battery in a smaller, less-powerful five-seat package. But people chasing opulence should step up to the Vistiq. You can't have too much of a good thing. ON SALE Mid-2026
Motor Trend
22-07-2025
- Automotive
- Motor Trend
2026 Jaguar F-PACE Review: Expert Insights, Pricing, and Trims
In 2026 Jaguar makes only one vehicle: the F-Pace. This luxury SUV is everything for the British brand as it works to redefine itself as an ultra-luxury automaker. Jaguar had said that 2025 would be the final year of production for the F-Pace, but apparently this sleek cat had another year of life in it. What's New Basics Compact spare tire included on I-4 and I-6 models Exterior Commemorative 90th anniversary badge added to tailgate Front foglights added to I-4 and I-6 models Interior 360-degree camera and semi-automated parking assist become standard SVR model gains upgraded audio system What We Think As Jaguar transitions confusingly into its next chapter, the 2026 F-Pace represents the entirety of the brand's 2026 lineup. First launched for the 2017 model year and refreshed in 2021, this luxury SUV is showing its age, and this will likely be its final year on sale. That said, there are still reasons to consider the F-Pace beyond its stylish exterior and premium interior finishing. This SUV's precise steering and confident handling are satisfying, and its all-wheel-drive system delivers effective traction. The available I-6 engine with mild hybrid assistance provides smooth, refined power, while the high-performance SVR model gains a V-8 that delivers thrilling acceleration and a muscular exhaust note. Skip the underwhelming, overworked base I-4 engine, though. Inside, Jaguar's infotainment system lags newer rivals, and the F-Pace's pricing is on the high side for the segment. Still, when choosing the I-6 or V-8 engine, the F-Pace continues to offer a distinctive and dynamic option among luxury compact SUVs, even if it's not the best. Top-Ranked Competitors: Genesis GV70 BMW X3 Audi Q5 Porsche Macan MotorTrend Tested Regardless of engine, every F-Pace uses an eight-speed automatic transmission and standard AWD. The standard engine is a 2.0-liter turbocharged I-4 badged P250 that produces 246 hp and 269 lb-ft of torque. Acceleration from 0 to 60 mph is estimated to take 6.9 seconds. As an upgrade, the P400 engine is a 3.0-liter I-6 that benefits from a turbocharger, electric supercharger, and mild hybrid system. It produces 395 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque, which reduces the 0–60-mph time to 5.9 seconds. Then there's the F-Pace SVR 575, which has a 5.0-liter supercharged V-8 that cranks out 567 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque. According to Jaguar, the 0–60-mph launch takes just 3.8 seconds. MPGs and Range When equipped with the basic I-4 engine, fuel economy for the F-Pace is rated at approximately 22/27 mpg and total driving range on a full tank of gas is about 520 miles. Choosing the I-6 reduces fuel economy to 19/25 mpg and driving range to 460 miles. Unsurprisingly, the SVR's V-8 is the least efficient, returning 15/21 mpg and about 370 miles of range. Safety Features All 2026 F-Pace models have driver assist and active safety features including: Front automatic emergency braking Rear cross-traffic alert Blind spot monitoring Lane keep assist Adaptive cruise control Road sign recognition Cargo Space and Interior Room On the larger side of the compact SUV spectrum, the F-Pace provides more interior capacity than some of its rivals. Technology Infotainment All F-Pace models have a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster supplemented by a head-up display. The infotainment screen measures 11.4 inches, with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility. In addition to USB ports, a wireless charging pad is standard. A 360-degree camera is included on all 2026 models. Sound System Meridian supplies the standard 12-speaker and optional 16-speaker audio systems available in the Jaguar F-Pace. Value Standard Features Pricing for the 2026 F-Pace starts at slightly less than $59,000. For that you get 19-inch wheels, LED headlights and taillights, leather-accented upholstery, heated front seats and steering wheel, dual-zone climate control, a power tailgate, and an 11.4-inch touchscreen among other tech features. Recommended Trim If you're going to get an F-Pace in 2026, just go all out and get the SVR. Given the newer, better, less expensive luxury compact SUVs on the market, the main reason you'd choose a 2026 F-Pace is for street presence and speedy performance, which the SVR version has the most of. Otherwise, choose a different vehicle.
Auto Car
21-07-2025
- Automotive
- Auto Car
BYD is bringing a Ferrari rival to Europe!
BYD has finally confirmed plans to launch its high-end Yangwang brand in Europe, more than two years after introducing it in China. Yangwang is the Chinese company's high-end marque, sitting above the core BYD line-up and the new Denza premium brand with a range of tech-heavy, high-performance flagship models that are pitched as rivals to the likes of Bentley, Porsche and Ferrari. The brand was launched in 2023 with the Yangwang U8 - a huge range-extender luxury SUV that packs more than 1000bhp, outpaces the BMW M3, can turn 360deg on the spot and floats on water. That was followed shortly after by the U9 (pictured below), an electric supercar that cracks 240mph and can use its fully hydraulic suspension to jump on the spot or drive on three wheels. Both cars have been on sale in China for around two years, priced at the equivalent of £120,000 and £200,000 respectively, but despite showing both models at the Goodwood Festival of Speed last year, BYD did not officially confirm plans for a European roll-out. But now, BYD vice president Stella Li has told Autocar that "our plan is that we will bring Yangwang into Europe", following the launch of the Audi-rivalling Denza marque early next year. She stopped short of giving full details, but said the U8 and U9 are earmarked for European sale, as well as "more cars coming" including the U7 super-saloon - a quad-motor Lotus Emeya rival with 1250bhp and 1237lb ft for a 0-62mph time of 2.9 seconds. The move will make BYD the first Chinese manufacturer to enter Europe's top-rung luxury market, though it remains unclear whether the company plans to significantly undercut the likes of the Bentley Bentayga and Ferrari 296 on price. The costs of converting the Yangwang cars to right-hand drive, and exporting them to Europe where BYD's EVs face a 17% tariff, will mean they are likely to command a significant premium here compared to China.
