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PM Luxon taken for ride in ‘Chinese spy car’

Alastair Sloane

November 4, 2025

Chinese-built SUVs used to ferry dignitaries around at September’s Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) in Honiara were likely equipped to spy for Beijing, Australian government security officials believe. New Zealand PM Christopher Luxon and Australia’s Anthony Albanese were among PIF leaders picked up at Honiara airport and later chauffeured to forum meetings in the Chinese vehicles.…

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Spotlight

China’s ‘creeping takeover’ of Western automotive rivals

Alastair Sloane

October 29, 2025

Former Stellantis group boss Carlos Tavares warns that Chinese carmakers will end up as “saviours” of European factories and jobs. Tavares (pictured) told Britain’s Financial Times (FT) that…

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Early morning glory on ice, Audi style

Alastair Sloane

April 7, 2025

The people who know these things reckon the best time to experience the demands of test driving a car on ice is in the ‘golden hour’ at dawn…

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PM Luxon taken for ride in ‘Chinese spy car’

Chinese-built SUVs used to ferry dignitaries around at September’s Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) in Honiara were likely equipped to spy for Beijing,…

Continue Reading PM Luxon taken for ride in ‘Chinese spy car’

Chinese EVs, zero emissions, and fairy dust

In June 2019, investment bank UBS and the research division of financial news company Bloomberg predicted electric vehicles (EVs) could reach cost…

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One-off tribute to 100 years of BMW bikes

Highlighting 100 years of BMW motorcycles this year is an R 18 boxer customised by former European motocross champion Dirk Oehlerking’s company…

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Electricity from thin air? They’re working on it

An electric car battery pack based on silicon that that can deliver 160km of range after a five-minute rapid charge? A sodium-sulphur…

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French carmaker Renault has won the 2025 European Car of the Year award with the all-electric R5 supermini (pictured). It’s the brand’s second win in a row, following the new Scenic’s gong in 2024. The R5 led the vote count from start to finish from the 60 jurors in 23 countries. It received 353 points, beating the Kia EV3 (291 points) and the Citroen C3/e in third place with 215 points. It’s Renault’s eighth win in the 62-year history of the Coty award. The R5 goes on sale in the UK this month. There are two main drivetrains: a 90kW motor/40kWh battery model with a 300km range, and a 112kW/52kWh example with a 400km range. The R5 starts in price at £22.995, or $NZ50,000.

BMW and Mercedes-Benz are among carmakers urging the European Union to get a favourable trade deal with US President Donald Trump. The European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) wants to keep open trade with both the US and China. It fears Trump, who promises heavy tariffs on Chinese imports to the US, will look unfavourably on countries that continue to trade freely with Beijing. Ola Kallenius, president of the group and chairman of the management board of MB, said in a letter to EU leaders: “Overall, it is essential to recognise that trade with China and the US is most vital for the prosperity of the European economy.The EU should seek a grand bargain with the US and attempt to avoid a potential trade conflict.”

A go-anywhere EV concept for the US military uses an onboard 12kW diesel generator to top up the batteries on the move. The all-wheel-drive has 800-volt technology and a 200kWh battery pack to power three electric motors, two in the rear and one up front. Claimed output is 745kW/15,590Nm, or 1000hp and 11,500 ft-lb of torque. The four-seater was developed by the defence division of General Motors and is based on the platform of the Hummer SUV. It rides on Fox performance shock absorbers and 37-inch tyres and comes with “exceptional” approach and departure angles for off-road mobility. Maximum range using the generator to keep things ticking over is said to be around 500km.

The outside temperature in Midland, Texas, was 40.5C when staff at the local office of the US National Weather Service set out to show the cabin of a closed car can literally get baking hot in summer. They mixed up a batch of chocolate chip cookies and laid them on the car’s dashboard – the surface of which showed a temperature of 87.7C. A little over four hours later the cookies were ready to eat. “Even though ours weren’t golden brown, we can confirm that they are done and delicious,” the staff wrote on Facebook.