Victorian Government partly privatises registrations, number plates, and licencing

A new multi-billion dollar deal between the Victorian Government and a consortium will outsource VicRoads operations for the next four decades.

The Victorian Government has announced a $7.9 billion deal which will outsource the operations of licencing, registrations, and number plates for the next 40 years.

While the Victorian Government will retain ownership of VicRoads, its operations will be a joint venture between the state and a consortium made up of Aware Super, Australian Retirement Trust, and Macquarie Asset Management.

Victorian drivers are in line to benefit, with a 25 per cent discount to be introduced for those who have not incurred demerit points or committed road safety offences in the three years prior to their licence expiring.

Learner permits and probationary licences will also be made free under the deal, along with online testing – saving new drivers hundreds of dollars.

There’s no word yet on registrations, but in August 2021 independent state body Infrastructure Victoria proposed a pay-as-you-go system, which would “discourage unnecessary driving”.

The new part-privatisation will also include the state’s lucrative custom number plates business, with rumours suggesting the system could be overhauled so owners lease the rights to display personalised number plates each year, rather than buying the plates outright.

VicRoads recently removed its six-digit heritage number plates from sale, causing the $14,000 vitreous enamel plates to skyrocket in price on the open market, with some sellers asking upwards of $40,000 for the plate combinations.

This Victorian Government announcement comes after a 15-month consultation process with VicRoads employees, unions, motorists groups, and other stakeholders, designed to modernise the organisation.

The Government says existing employees are protected under the deal, while a further 120 jobs will be created.

The $7.9 billion will be invested into the new Victorian Future Fund, but it’s not known how much of the nearly $2 billion in annual revenue from licencing and registration will reach the state’s coffers.

“This is a win for all Victorians – it means a better experience for drivers and owners of cars, motorbikes, trucks and boats, and continued investment in VicRoads for future generations,” Victorian Treasurer Tim Pallas said at the announcement.

“It’s a terrific start for the Victorian Future Fund, which will deliver major benefits for Victorians as we continue to recover strongly from the shocks of the pandemic.”

While operations will be outsourced, oversight will continue from the Victorian Ombudsman and the Office of the Victorian Information Commissioner.

“The consortium has the experience and capability to support VicRoads on its next stage of development by driving high standards of service delivery and customer experience,” Macquarie Asset Management’s Frank Kwok said.

“We are excited by the opportunity to invest in Victoria and to work with the Victorian Government to deliver new and innovative services to the community.”

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2023 Genesis GV60 price revealed early for Australia

The first dedicated electric car from Genesis will cost over $20,000 more than its siblings from Hyundai and Kia, with the flagship model nudging past $110,000.

Australian prices for the 2023 Genesis GV60 electric car have been revealed early, ahead of an official announcement and first showroom arrivals in the coming weeks.

Details published in a third-party industry pricing guide suggests two all-wheel-drive GV60 variants will be offered in Australia: an entry-level ‘Lux’, priced from $103,700 plus on-road costs, and a flagship Performance, from $110,700.

While Genesis Australia is yet to confirm the prices, they’re understood to align with price estimates shared with customers in recent weeks. A formal announcement is likely in the coming weeks, when the first cars hit showrooms.

The prices mean in equivalent, circa-230kW all-wheel-drive trim, the GV60 will cost $20,000 to $27,000 more than its twins under the skin, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6.

The GV60 Performance’s closest rival within the Hyundai-Kia group is the (albeit more powerful) Kia EV6 GT, which is expected to cost about $95,000 plus on-road costs when it reaches Australia late this year, or early next.

The high prices are despite the Genesis being smaller than both cars, at about 4.5 metres long – as well as its closest rivals, including the Tesla Model Y, which costs about $101,000 plus on-roads in Performance trim (no base AWD model is available).

The GV60 is also 200mm shorter than Genesis’ upcoming Electrified GV70 electric medium SUV, which will cost between $105,000 and $115,000 plus on-road costs when it launches in the coming months.

Powering the ‘base’ GV60 ‘Lux’ will be dual electric motors and a 77.4kWh battery pack (from the Kia EV6), developing 234kW and 605Nm for about 470km of driving range according to European testing procedures.

Meanwhile, the GV60 Performance upgrades to dual electric motors developing 320kW and 605Nm in normal driving, increasing to 360kW and 700Nm in 10-second bursts of ‘Boost Mode’.

Genesis claims a 4.0-second 0-100km/h time for this variant in Boost Mode, and 465km of WLTP range. All GV60 variants offer 350kW DC fast charging capable of a 10 to 80 per cent recharge in 18 minutes.

An entry-level rear-wheel-drive model with one 168kW motor has been certified for sale in Australia, however it won’t form part of the launch line-up.

Standard features have yet to confirmed for Australia, however government certification documents suggest 20-inch wheels will be standard on the Lux, rising to 21-inch alloys on the Performance.

The use of the ‘Lux’ badge suggests all GV60s will be equipped similarly to other Genesis cars with optional Luxury Packs, hinting at heated and ventilated nappa leather seats, dual 12-inch interior displays, a power tailgate, head-up display and a fingerprint reader.

Government certification documents suggest camera-based side mirrors may also be available in Australia, likely as an option.

The 2023 Genesis GV60 is expected in Australian showrooms within weeks. Stay tuned to Drive for more details as they come to hand.

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Porsche buyers keeping the manual gearbox alive

The manual transmission might be dying across most new-car segments, but Porsche buyers – high-end ones, at least – continue to show a penchant for three pedals and a gear stick.

Buyers of high-end Porsche sports cars continue to buck the trend of declining demand for manual transmissions – and the German sports car maker is happy to oblige.

Despite the increasing rush to automatic transmissions across the industry, around 50 per cent of all six-cylinder Porsche 718 (Boxster/Cayman) and flagship 911 GT3 orders are for cars with a manual gearbox, Porsche Australia says.

Look through the monthly sales figures, and you’d be forgiven for thinking the days of the manual gearbox are already well and truly numbered – particularly as the increasingly electrified and autonomous future of motoring approaches.

Even traditional sports cars, where a manual was long the preferred option, have either killed off the manual entirely, or seen buyers move to slick-shifting automatics, like Porsche’s PDK unit.

Only about five per cent of new passenger cars sold in Australia last year featured a manual transmission – and even in lightweight, affordable sports cars like the Mazda MX-5 and Subaru BRZ, the split between automatic and manual increasingly edges towards the auto.

Despite that trend, Porsche buyers continue to over-represent in terms of their desire for the purity of a manual gearbox.

“Both 911 GT3 and six-cylinder variants of the 718 are roughly 50 percent in terms of orders,” Chris Jordan, head of Public Relations for Porsche Australia, told Drive.

Drive’s launch review of the 911 GTS – which included some time behind the wheel of a seven-speed manual version – is coming soon, and that model attracts plenty of interest from buyers wanting to change gears for themselves.

“911 GTS orders are around 20 percent for the manual,’ Jordan said. The 911 GTS coupe is the only new-generation ‘992’ 911 without a GT badge that can be had with three pedals.

Interestingly, despite strong demand for a manual 718 with the six-cylinder engine, the four-cylinder remains an automatic stronghold.

“Four-cylinder models of the 718 are around five percent manual,” Jordan said. “This is a similar figure to the proportion of orders for manual when it was offered on the 911 Carrera and 911 Carrera S in the 991.2 generation.”

Muddying the waters for Porsche fans is the quality and precision of the brand’s dual-clutch automatic (PDK) transmission, which is faster in every circumstance than any regular driver is likely to be using a manual – including, in Drive’s testing, on a racetrack.

“The latest PDK technology is extremely capable in all settings, including high-performance circuit driving,” Jordan said.

“But, those who love an engaging experience on a touring type drive, love the feeling of driving with a manual transmission. This is true of Porsche sports cars old and new.”

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Next Chrysler 300 to go electric

The next-generation Chrysler 300 due by 2026 will switch to electric power, information found by Drive reveals – though a return to Australia is yet to be locked in.

The next-generation Chrysler 300 sedan looks set to go electric, with underpinnings good for 800km of driving range – but there’s no confirmation of whether it would return to Australia.

Insider information uncovered by Drive reveals development of a new Chrysler electric sedan has commenced, twinned with a new four-door model from fellow Stellantis group subsidiary Dodge – with the models rumoured to go on sale in 2026 and 2024 respectively.

While the mystery Chrysler is yet to be confirmed as a replacement for the 300, recent comments from CEO Christine Feuell indicate the brand will continue to compete in the 300’s ‘upper large’ sedan segment, albeit with electric power.

Chrysler has confirmed it will introduce its first electric vehicle by 2025 – speculated by some to be a production version of the Airflow concept – ahead of phasing out petrol power entirely by 2028.

Drive has learned both vehicles will operate at 800 volts – confirming the models will pack Stellantis’ most potent electric motors, developing between 150kW and 330kW, the latter figure just shy of a rear-wheel-drive Chrysler 300 SRT’s 350kW/644Nm petrol ‘Hemi’ V8.

It’s therefore expected the new Chrysler electric sedan will ride on parent Stellantis’ STLA Large platform – twinned with the upcoming Dodge muscle car – capable of up to 800km on a single charge, with battery capacities between 101kWh and 108kWh.

During a media event in July 2021, Stellantis previewed two new electric sedans from Chrysler and Dodge, both underpinned by the STLA Large architecture – likely to be the replacement for the 300, and the aforementioned Dodge electric muscle car.

Compatible with front-, rear- and all-wheel-drive layouts, the future Chrysler and Dodge sedans could theoretically pair two 330kW electric motors for combined 660kW outputs – good for a zero to 100km/h time as low as 2.0 seconds in optimal conditions.

This platform is intended to support vehicles larger than 4725mm long and 1915mm wide, according to Stellantis investor presentations – a good fit for a replacement for the current 300, which measures 5089mm long and 1902mm wide.

While it remains to be seen what the new 800-volt Chrysler sedan will look like, Chrysler CEO Christine Feuell indicated to Automotive News the 300’s replacement would be “redefined” compared to today’s car, and “a vast departure from what’s in market today”.

“Where the Chrysler brand is going in the future will include a number of brand-new products that don’t exist today, but also products that are still playing in segments that we’re in already,” Feuell said.

The silhouettes shown during the 2021 media event (below) pointed to a far more rounded design for the next 300 than today’s car, with what appeared to be a five-door ‘liftback’ body, a rising window line, and a full-width tail-light strip.

The renders at the top of this story by @theottle imagine what the car could look like – albeit using the flagship model from fellow Stellantis subsidiary DS as a base, rather than the new EV platform.

The electric successor to the Chrysler 300 is slated to debut by 2026, given the aforementioned “long-range luxury sedan” teased for Chrysler in July 2021 will launch within “three to five years”.

A launch in 2025 or 2026 looks most likely, given Chrysler’s first EV – possibly a production version of the Airflow concept – is expected to launch in 2024 or 2025.

However, with the Chrysler brand withdrawing from Australia late last year following the end of right-hand-drive 300 production, a local launch for any of Chrysler’s new EVs is unclear.

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2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 orders to open again on July 13

Another 130 examples of Hyundai’s retro-cool Ioniq 5 electric vehicle will go on sale in most regions of Australia in a fortnight’s time.

The 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 electric car will become available to order again on Wednesday 13 July, as the largest allocation available since orders first opened in September last year.

The new Ioniq 5 allocation is set to be available online from 1:00pm AEST on July 13 for buyers only in the capital cities of every state/territory except the Northern Territory – in other words, Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Canberra, Adelaide and Hobart.

Approximately 130 cars will be available, marking the largest single allocation of Hyundai’s electric car since the first in September last year, and bringing the total number of cars offered since then to just under 700.

As with the May batch, all cars in the July allocation will be pre-built – though Hyundai Australia says there’s a “good spread of colour and variant” choices to suit different customers’ desired specifications.

While Hyundai’s system of offering small batches of vehicles every few months will see some customers disappointed after missing out on a car, it’s designed to cut wait times to a minimum, and ensure all buyers in applicable regions have an equal chance of securing a car.

Hyundai Australia quotes estimated wait times of four to six weeks for buyers in the July allocation – translating to delivery in mid to late August – with all cars sold in a first come, first served manner.

By comparison, sister brand Kia has received 600 examples of its related EV6 electric car for 2022 – though by selling the car through dealers with a traditional order book, wait times for new orders stretch up to two years at current production rates.

Drive understands further allocation of Hyundai Ioniq 5 vehicles will become available in August and September, though Hyundai Australia is yet to confirm batch sizes or release dates.

Meanwhile, a “small number” of unsold Ioniq 5s were quietly made available for purchase over the weekend, after a few customers cancelled their orders. These cars have now been spoken for.

No changes have been made to standard specifications or pricing for the latest allocation, with the entry-level rear-wheel-drive model starting from $71,900 plus on-road costs, and rising to $75,900 plus on-road costs for the all-wheel-drive flagship.

A more affordable variant with a smaller 58kWh battery pack is “coming soon”, a company spokesperson told Drive, though final launch timing is yet to be confirmed.

There’s also no word on the Model Year 2023 updates announced overseas, which include optional camera side mirrors, battery software enhancements, new frequency-selective dampers and a larger 77.4kWh battery (up from 72.6kWh) – though the lattermost item has been ruled out for Australia for the time being.

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Every Hyundai Ioniq 5 allocation in Australia so far

Date	States/cities included	Number of cars	Read more
Late September	All states and territories	240	Details
16 December 2021	Sydney and Canberra	90	Details
27 January 2022	Brisbane, Perth, Melbourne	66	Details
23 March 2022	NSW, ACT, Victoria, Queensland, WA, SA and Tasmania	100	Details
18 May 2022	Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Canberra, Adelaide and Hobart	68	Details
13 July 2022	All states and territories except the NT	130 (approx.)	N/A

Total cars sold since launch: approx. 694

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Unheard-of Chinese electric cars spotted for sale in Queensland

A trio of Chinese electric cars by brands Leapmotor, BAIC and GAC are for sale in Australia.

A trio of Chinese electric evaluation vehicles has been spotted for sale by Queensland-based auction house McDonalds Australia.

The three vehicles – a 2019 Leapmotor SO1, 2020 GAC NE AiON.S and 2019 BAIC EX5 R500 – are being offered as written-off salvage vehicles due to being “smoke damaged” by a fire. None of these vehicles are currently on sale in Australia.

It’s understood the three electric cars – alongside the listings for multiple other Chinese-imported electrified vehicles – were owned by an Australian engineering firm until the incident occurred.

Usually, left-hand-drive vehicles imported into Australia by a manufacturer under strict test and evaluation criteria must be either crushed, donated for research (such as to a TAFE, fire brigade or university) or exported off-shore.

However, as parallel private imports, these vehicles are understood to be immune from being crushed or exported.

The auction listing can be found by clicking here.

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2018 Nissan X-Trail ST: owner review

I’m in my late 60s and had been considering an SUV, because of the ease of getting in and out and the elevated driving position, for some time.

What we love

• Space and practicality
• Excellent all-round vision and safety
• Build quality
• Ride and comfort

What we don’t

• Foot-operated park brake
• Space-saver spare

NOTE: Editorial images used as none provided by the writer.

The Nissan X-Trail wasn’t on my radar until I drove one, my son’s ST 2.5-litre seven-seater, which impressed me. So when I saw this one advertised, I bought it without a second thought.

I like the styling, which I think is purposeful and ‘clean’ without unnecessary creases and folds, and the dimensions translate into plenty of space inside. The high roof line adds to the feeling of space and airiness, unlike some other makes with their sloping/lower roofs.

Outward vision through the large windscreen and windows is very good, but I have found myself needing the blind-spot monitoring a few times in heavy traffic. The powered and heated leather seats are very comfortable (with powered lumbar support for the driver), and with the seat and steering wheel adjustments it is very easy to find a spot-on driving position.

The flat-bottomed leather-bound steering wheel feels nice and chunky, and the buttons for the most part are easy to use – my only gripe is with the smallish cruise-control buttons, which take a bit of time through use to become intuitive. The steering is light and the X-Trail is very easy to park and manoeuvre in tight spaces.

I like the dash layout; the instruments are clear and easy to read with a large, central digital speedo. The good-size screen controls the audio, sat-nav etc, and I’m enjoying exploring all the functions. The digital radio is brilliant through the six speakers and it has a CD player too (yippee!). When selecting reverse, the screen splits between the rear-view camera and the all-round virtual bird’s-eye view, which is a real boon in congested spaces.

Apparently the 2.5-litre engine is ‘old school’, but I consider it proven and reliable, preferring it (an atmo) over the complexity of a turbo. It has enough power for me, and the CVT means smooth and easy driving. The brakes feel slightly spongy, lacking that initial bite, compared to my previous Japanese sedan, but work well enough.

The X-Trail is well soundproofed and it’s relaxed at freeway speeds. At 100km/h the engine is ticking over at about 1700rpm and returns excellent economy in the 6L/100km range. I’m averaging mid 7s to low 8s for general suburban driving.

The cargo area has plenty of space and a retractable blind. The floor is split with a handy hidey-hole for valuables or to carry wet swimmers and towels etc. The carpeted floor is a bit slippery, so I’m putting a ribbed rubber mat down to stop shopping bags sliding around.

Overall, I am very happy with the X-Trail, but there are a few quibbles:

• the aforementioned smallish cruise-control buttons
• the foot-operated park brake, which is a bit strange but I’m used to it now
• the start-stop button for me is on the wrong side (it should be on the right-hand side of the steering wheel)
• the space-saver spare wheel

MORE: Everything Nissan

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Europe to ban petrol and diesel cars from 2035, but with concessions

The internal combustion engine isn’t dead yet, with synthetic fuels being recognised as a viable alternative by the European Union.

The European Union has agreed to a new proposal which could mark the end of new petrol and diesel cars – except in some circumstances.

Officials from the European Union (EU) announced the proposal to introduce a 100 per cent reduction in tailpipe emissions from 2035 for all new cars and vans – encouraging manufacturers to adopt either battery-electric or hydrogen fuel-cell powertrain technologies.

All new cars will need to have reduced tailpipe emissions by 55 per cent by 2030, or 50 per cent for commercial vans.

However, after lobbying from Germany and Italy – along with pressure from G7 member Japan this week – there will be some major concessions.

Low-volume manufacturers will be granted a partial exemption of emissions laws from 2030, after the 55 per cent rule has already been imposed.

Carmakers responsible for new registrations of between 1000 and 10,000 cars annually, such as Lamborghini, will not have to abide by the 100 per cent tailpipe emissions reduction by 2035.

Synthetic fuels will also be a part of the EU’s roadmap for a zero-emissions future, despite only one specific reference in the 36-page proposal.

While it acknowledged “the consultation reflected mixed views” regarding synthetic fuels, it confirmed the proposal was “technology neutral” and will be accompanied by “renewable and low-carbon fuels for the combustion engine”.

Synthetic fuels – also known as eFuels – are created by capturing CO2 from the atmosphere and recycling it into hydrocarbon fuels such as petrol, diesel, and avgas using renewable energy.

The idea is the CO2 emitted from the vehicle’s tailpipe when burning synthetic fuels is the same amount that was previously removed from the atmosphere, giving it carbon-neutral status.

However, the language used in the proposal also allows for the use of hydrogen as a fuel in internal-combustion engines – an alternative fuel being developed by Toyota.

The recognition comes after German environment minister Steffi Lemke told her European counterparts the country would only support the proposal if synthetic fuel-powered vehicles were included, according to an earlier report from Reuters.

The move will extend the life of the internal-combustion engine for the foreseeable future – however it is likely to be reserved for use in market-specific entry-level passenger cars, some commercial vehicles, and low-volume performance cars.

The EU recognised the potential for synthetic petrol and diesel to provide “affordable climate-neutral mobility,” opening the door for internal-combustion engine cars to continue to be made and sold in some regions where the full adoption of electric and hydrogen vehicles is not viable due to economic reasons and lagging infrastructure.

Earlier this week, reports suggested Portugal, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Romania, and Italy had joined forces to delay the emissions target, however the inclusion of synthetic fuels in the proposal likely provides a workable pathway for the countries.

“Zero-emission vehicles currently include battery-electric vehicles, fuel-cell and other hydrogen-powered vehicles, and technological innovations are continuing,” the EU’s proposal reads.

“Zero- and low-emission vehicles, which also include well performing plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, can continue to play a role in the transition pathway.”

It’s thought significant pressure from officials representing major car manufacturing countries Germany and Japan are largely responsible for the acknowledgement of synthetic fuels within the proposal.

Japan has been a public advocate for hydrogen and hybrid vehicles, while Germany has been vocal in its support for synthetic fuels following billions of dollars of investment in the technology by BMW and Porsche.

A communiqué from the leaders of the Group of Seven (G7), who met in Germany this week and were joined by leaders of Argentina, India, Indonesia, Senegal, South Africa, and Ukraine, stopped short of naming specific emissions targets for vehicles.

The language used in the document was almost identical to a quote leaked earlier this week, which allegedly replaced the goal of a 50 per cent tailpipe emissions target reduction by 2030 – which would have mirrored the emissions goal announced by the EU overnight.

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