Car news, 17 Oct ’24: BYD Shark 6 to be priced under $68K in Australia, Deepal announces S07 SUV for future local launch, and more

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Thanks for joining us this Thursday 17 October 2024. Notably in car news today: BYD’s new Shark 6 ute is aiming for a price tag under $68,000, and Chinese automaker Deepal will soon introduce its first model locally, the S07.

Browse this issue:

• BYD Shark 6 to be priced under $68,000 in Australia 
• Deepal confirms first model for Australia, the S07
• First electric Mini Cooper JCW officially debuts 
• Hyundai Inster gets off-road enhanced Cross variant 

BYD Shark 6 to be priced under $68K, predicted to be number one best seller for the brand  

• BYD’s Australian distributor, EV Direct, expects its upcoming Shark 6 ute to be a great success on Australian shores when it launches in December, and is set to be priced very competitively at under $68,000. 

• When asked about whether the Shark 6 will be BYD’s best-selling model, EV Direct’s CEO David Smitherman said “Yes, if you look at the moment, our number one seller is Sealion 6, we did 1111 [units] last month … our expectations [for Shark] are north of that”. 

• “This is not an ICE vehicle converted to PHEV. This is actually, from the ground up, a PHEV vehicle. It makes the vehicle better,” he added. 

• The BYD Shark 6 will launch in Australia in a single grade with 321kW/650Nm outputs and a plug-in hybrid electric system. A turbo-diesel engine will not be offered. 

• More information on the Shark 6, including pricing, will be revealed on October 29. 

Deepal confirms first local details for its Tesla Model Y rival, the S07, with more models under consideration

• Local Subaru distributor Inchcape has joined forces with Chinese car-making giant Changan Auto to launch the Deepal brand in Australia this week, but disappointingly held back pricing of its first confirmed model – an electric midsize SUV called the S07 (Ess-Zero-Seven).

• It would be a surprise if the Deepal S07 didn’t undercut the $55,900 starting point for its natural rival, the hugely popular Tesla Model Y that shares the Chinese SUV’s 4750mm length.

• There’s just a single specification full of goodies that Deepal will hope can persuade buyers to consider an unfamiliar brand. Standard gear includes a 15.6-inch infotainment touchscreen, 14-speaker Sony audio, electric front seats with heating and ventilation, a heated steering wheel, and wireless smartphone mirroring.

• The S07 is rear-wheel drive only, packs a 79.97kWh battery, and features a 160kW/320Nm electric motor. A 0-100km/h claim of 7.9 seconds is a second slower than the entry (RWD) Model Y, though its WLTP range is 20km longer (475km).

• Several more Deepal models are under consideration for Australia, including the S07’s sedan twin called the L07, a compact SUV in the S05, a boxy off-roader dubbed the G318 that uses a petrol range-extender for a claimed 1000km-plus range, and even the unusual E07 that looks like a mash-up of sedan, coupe and ute body styles.

Mini debuts its first-ever electric JCW Cooper hatch 

• Mini has premiered its first-ever all-electric John Cooper Works performance hatch at the Paris Motor Show. 

• Producing 190kW of power and 350Nm of torque, the new electric JCW produces 20kW more than the last combustion JCW hatch offered.

• The model will use a ‘go-kart mode’ that, when activated, will produce a further 20kW of extra power, essentially yielding 210kW for a brief stint.  

• Standard equipment for the Mini JCW hatch will include JCW exterior styling and colours, a 240mm OLED circular touchscreen, 18-inch alloy wheels, horizontal LED front light bars and black synthetic leather upholstered seats. A JCW-specific suspension tune will also be standard. 

• Mini also debuted the Aceman JCW that also uses the same 190kW/350Nm electric setup. 

Off-road inspired Hyundai Inster Cross make its debut  

• Hyundai has pulled the covers off a new off-road inspired variant of its upcoming electric micro SUV and it’s officially called the Inster Cross.

• Chunky bumpers, roof rails, underbody skid plates, black cladding and unique 17-inch alloy wheels feature as part of the styling upgrade.

• However, the Hyundai Inster Cross is very likely to retain a front-wheel-drive electric configuration, rather than a dual-motor, all-wheel drive. The Inster uses a small 49kWh battery pack and produces just 84kW of power.

• Other confirmed standard equipment includes a 10.25-inch touchscreen, LED daytime running lights, Apple and Android phone connectivity and keyless entry. 

• It’s unconfirmed whether or not this off-road inspired Inster will make it to Australia, however knowing Australian buyers’ appetite for cars such as the Subaru Crosstrek, it’s certainly possible. 

The next issue of Car News Today will be published on Friday 18 October at 4.30pm Sydney time.