Car news today: MG luxury brand IM Motors coming to Australia, Chrysler Hemi-V8 production rumoured to restart, and more – 25 March 2025

Thanks for joining us this Tuesday, 25th March 2025. Notably in car news today: MG confirms ‘IM’ luxury brand to launch in Australia, Chrysler Hemi-V8 production rumoured to resume in August.

Browse this issue:

• MG confirms ‘IM’ luxury brand to launch in Australia
• Chrysler Hemi-V8 production rumoured to resume in August
• Zeekr G-Pilot puts drivers in the passenger seat
• Next generation Kia Sportage could be hybrid-only

• Reviewed: 2025 GWM Tank 300 Diesel

MG confirms IM luxury brand to launch in Australia

• MG Australia has confirmed ‘IM Presented by MG Motor’ will officially launch in Australia at the Melbourne Motor Show on 5th and 6th of April 2025. 

• IM – which stands for ‘Intelligence in Motion’ – will debut in Australia as a premium luxury sister brand to MG, which has seen great success in Australia as an affordable brand offering a variety of entry-level vehicles. 

• The IM5 and IM6 will headline as the first IM Motors vehicles to go on sale in Australia. Both the IM5 mid-size sedan and IM6 mid-size SUV are fully electric, and are available in overseas markets with 800V architecture and vastly impressive maximum output figures. 

• IM motors is likely to target EVs from rival iconic luxury brands including Audi, BMW, Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, and Tesla.

Chrysler Hemi-V8 production rumoured to resume in August

• Recent reports from Mopar Insiders claim that Chrysler / Stellantis will resume production of the iconic Hemi 5.7L V8, as well as the 6.4L and 6.2 SC Hemi V8 engines. This news follows statements from Chrysler claiming the Hemi V8 would be phased out earlier in the year.  

• One critical change to Hemi engine production is the location of manufacturing. Engine production is rumoured to resume in the Dundee Engine Plant in Michigan, USA, rather than the previous location Saltillo North Engine Plant in Saltillo, Mexico.

• A long-lasting Hemi V8 production restart isn’t impossible. Initial US reception to the Dodge Ram 1500 losing a V8 powertrain offering was not positive, and led to US dealer leaks claiming the Hemi V8 would return to the Ram by MY26.

• In Australia, Ram has just launched the MY25 1500 that replaces the Hemi V8 with a twin-turbo inline six-cylinder.

Zeekr G-Pilot puts drivers in the passenger seat

• Zeekr has announced a new L3-capable autonomous driving system, dubbed ‘G-Pilot’. The system, alongside other capabilities, will allow drivers to relinquish control of the steering wheel and safely take their eyes off the road in certain circumstances. 

• G-Pilot will debut in Zeekr’s flagship 9X luxury SUV, with other models in the range to receive G-Pilot autonomous driving capabilities through future firmware updates.

• Other useful features introduced through Zeekr’s G-Pilot Autonomous driver software include: AI-controlled emergency evasive maneuvers for unexpected obstacles, even at speeds as high as 130km/h, and the ability to park autonomously.
  
• The first vehicle to feature G-Pilot, the Zeekr 9X, will go on sale in China in Q3 of 2025. At this stage, neither the 9X nor G-Pilot autonomous driving firmware updates are expected to come to Australia.

Next-generation Kia Sportage could be hybrid only

• Korean News outlet ETNews has published a report outlining that the 6th generation Kia Sportage will launch in 2027, and will only be available with hybrid or plug-in hybrid drivetrains.  

• According to ETNews, Kia’s shift in drivetrain offerings is preparation for a continued uptake of hybrid sales in both the North American and European markets, in which the Sportage is Kia’s most popular model. 

• Currently, details surrounding exactly what hybrid or plug-in hybrid Kia intends to use with the 6th generation Sportage are scarce. Expect the current generation hybrid to be upgraded, and the plug-in hybrid system to come from the current system used in both the Kia Niro and Sorento.

• Last year, the Sportage was Kia’s most popular model in Australia, shifting 22,210 units. The Kia Sportage is currently offered with a choice between, petrol, diesel, or hybrid-petrol powertrains.

Reviewed: 2025 GWM Tank 300 Diesel

• Chasing Cars deputy editor Curt Dupriez’s review of the 2025 GWM Tank 300 Diesel was published, and includes an outline of why GWM has added a diesel variant to the Tank range, as well as a thorough analysis of the Tank’s practicality.
  
• Dupriez noted that the new Diesel variant of the GWM Tank 300 has upped its braked towing capacity to 3000kg, increased its payload rating to 600kg, and, unlike its petrol and hybrid counterparts, is offered with a part-time 4×4 driveline.

• One major criticism of the new Tank 300 from Dupriez was the overly sharp throttle take-up, overly short pedal travel, and torque-deadspot during power delivery.
  
• With a starting price of $47,990 drive-away, the Tank 300 Diesel is certainly a solid choice for lifestyle 4WD drivers, as well as buyers wishing to tow a moderate weight payload, around 2500kg braked.

READ: GWM Tank 300 Ultra Diesel review

The next issue of Car News Today will be published on Wednesday 26th March at 4.30pm Sydney time.