Car news, 29 July ’24: Skoda Australia locks in a batch of new product, and could the Ford Fiesta return as an EV?

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Thanks for joining us this Monday 29 July 2024. Notably in car news today: Skoda Australia locks in a batch of new product for 2024/25, Ford details further insights on a new small EV platform, and more.

Browse this issue:

• Skoda Australia locks in a batch of new product for 2024 and 2025
• Could an electric Ford Fiesta revival be closer than we think?
• Volvo could reverse its EV-only future plans
• Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 expected to cost USD $150,000 or more, will have Aussie-made carbon wheels
• Reviewed: 2024 Honda CR-V e:HEV RS long-term review – Part One

Skoda Australia locks in batch of new product for 2024/25

• Skoda Australia has locked in timing for several new variants and models for our local market.

• The Fabia will gain an entry-level Select model in August 2024, while the Scala and Octavia will be facelifted and introduced here by the end of 2024.

• By December ’24, we should finally see Skoda’s first EV, the Enyaq, on sale in Australia, while early in 2025 we’ll see a facelifted Octavia RS performance flagship.

• In the second half of 2025, Skoda will introduce its second electric vehicle, the Elroq, which is due around July.

• Skoda will also keep combustion engines alive with a new-generation Kodiaq RS due around the same time as the Elroq’s Australian debut.

Could an electric Ford Fiesta revival be closer than we think?

• A new EV-only platform being developed by Ford could potentially see the revival of iconic small-car nameplates like Fiesta and Focus.

• While the brand has previously confirmed what it has described as a ‘skunkworks’ architecture, Marin Gjaja, the chief operating officer of Ford’s Model E division, has given further insights about the new platform to UK publication Autocar – saying that the first car based on the platform will “arrive in late 2026 or early 2027”.

• “If you look at our line-up globally, at this point we don’t really have much in the affordable segment”, Gjaja said. “The key for us is to be affordable, differentiated, and profitable. For too long we stayed in the affordable segment, either at break-even or losing money”.

• While citing the challenge of achieving affordability in the face of stiff Chinese competition, Gjaja cited the importance of smaller vehicles for a “true mass brand” like Ford, adding: “our sense is the uptake on electric vehicles will be more smaller vehicles over time”, noting that those segment buyers show a greater sensitivity to fuel costs.

• The new platform is a strong signal that Ford is setting its sights on returning to the affordable small-car segment after axing several iconic nameplates over the years such as Fiesta and Focus, as well as its Puma small SUV in Australia.

Volvo follows other automakers, recalibrates its global EV goal

• Volvo could scale back its EV plans according to reports from Automotive News, in a similar move to other automakers such as Aston Martin and the Volkswagen Group.

• Volvo dealerships in the US told Automotive News that they need to continue to sell combustion and hybrid variants, stating that “we will have to, or we will die”.

• The Volvo brand, owned by parent Geely Holding, finalised a new deal with Renault to develop more efficient internal-combustion engines.

• This joint venture is expected to also develop lower carbon e-fuels and new hydrogen solutions.

• Volvo’s Australian outpost remains committed to an all-electric range as early as 2026, with the EX30, EX40, C40 and soon, the EX90 large SUV.

Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 could cost USD$150,000 or more, will have Aussie-made carbon wheels

• The new Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 has attracted a lot of media attention, but what will it cost compared to its key rivals?

• US-outlet Car and Driver has reported that the new supercar variant could cost around USD$150,000, or the equivalent of $228,720 Australian dollars.

• That price would make the Corvette ZR1 significantly cheaper than the USD$242,900 Porsche 911 GT3 RS, the USD$328,000 Ferrari F8 Tributo and, lastly, the USD$249,800 Lamborghini Huracan Tecnica.

• The Corvette ZR1 is unique in the fact that it also has an Australian angle – the model will use Aussie-made Carbon Revolution wheels from Victoria. It’s the third time Chevrolet and CR have collaborated.

• We look forward to one day seeing a few ZR1s on Australian roads!

Honda CR-V RS Hybrid long-term update

• Chasing Cars deputy editor Curt Dupriez’s long-term test of the 2024 Honda CR-V e:HEV RS has been published, including Curt’s first two hits and misses of the vehicle as Part One of his conclusion series.
  
  
• In terms of ‘hits’, Dupriez noted his love of the CR-V’s styling, while he also made mention of the positive design and layout of the CR-V’s interior.
  
  
• However, deputy editor Dupriez did find a couple of ‘misses’, including the driving disclaimer that pops up on the screen every time you get into the Honda, and the fact that the CR-V RS is not available as a seven-seater and is only front-wheel drive, rather than all-wheel drive. 
  
  
• Stay tuned for Dupiez’s final video to launch on YouTube in the next couple of weeks, where he will address one of the most important aspects of any new car: how it drives out on the road.
  
  

READ: Honda CR-V Hybrid 2024 Long Term – full written review

The next issue of Car News Today will be published on Tuesday 30 July at 4.30pm Sydney time.