Every important car news story breaking today, one convenient read
Thanks for joining us this Tuesday January 14th 2025. Notably in car news today: BYD Sealion 6 is Australia’s new price-busting PHEV, and GWM confirms details of its more powerful Cannon ute.
BYD has punctuated its new MY25 portfolio revamp by cutting the entry price of its Sealion 6 by $3000, making the mid-size SUV the most-affordable plug-in hybrid you can buy in Australia.
The entry-grade Dynamic variant is now $3000 cheaper than the MY24, now priced from $45,990 before on-roads.
Despite the price drop, specifications remain unchanged for the Dynamic, which is powered by a 1.5L petrol-electric hybrid system outputting a combined 160kW and 300Nm. However, the exterior paint choice has been reduced for MY25.
However, the high-grade Premium variant remains unaltered for 2025, carrying over both its $52,990 price tag and its 238kW and 500Nm dual-motor petrol-electric plug-in powertrain.
GWM’s MY25 Cannon ute gets more power and towing capability
GWM has updated its Cannon pickup range for 2025, including a new larger turbo-diesel engine, improved braked towing and revised styling, while also formally dropping ‘Ute’ from the line-up’s nomenclature.
The Cannon now features the 2.4-litre turbo-diesel lifted from the larger Cannon Alpha, lifting outputs to 135kW and 480Nm, which is 15kW and 80Nm up on the old 2.0-litre unit. It now also fits a nine-speed automatic transmission.
The lustier powertrain affords improved braked towing, now a more segment competitive 3500kg, up on the outgoing range’s 3200kg.
GWM has confirmed that the ‘big-engined’ Cannon range will launch next month, complete with added interior enhancements, though it hasn’t as yet revealed final pricing.
BYD shakes up Dolphin line-up for 2025
BYD has revealed pricing and specifications for its Dolphin hatchback line-up after announcing earlier this week that its entry-grade has become the first sub-$30k EV in Australia.
The new Essential variant of Dolphin lobs at $29,990 before on-road, replacing the ($6900 pricier) outgoing Dynamic. However, the 70kW/180Nm base grade loses features of the forebear such as sunroof and wireless phone charging.
The high-grade Premium, a carryover nameplate fitting a single, more-powerful 150kW/310Nm front-mounted motor, gets a haircut by $5900, now $36,990 list.
Dolphin also loses the MY24’s choice of vibrant colours, with the line-up now limited to white and grey paintwork.
Toyota’s mid-engined GR Yaris an MR2 reboot in the works?
Toyota’s go-fast Gazoo Racing arm has unveiled a GR Yaris M Concept, a mid-engined prototype that could well be a test bed of sorts for a reboot of the long-defunct MR sportscar.
The clearly race-engineered concept car swaps the GR Yaris road car’s 1.6-litre three-cylinder front-engined format for turbo 2.0-litre mid-ship arrangement.
Powering all four wheels, the turbo engine is said to be a co-development between Toyota, Mazda and Subaru, according to a report by Autocar.co.uk, with the M Concept slated to enter Japan’s Super Taikyu race series.
Whether the 2.0L engine itself or its mid-mounted powertrain format sees road car production remains to be seen, though Toyota has hinted at potential reboots of both its MR2 and Celica sportscar nameplates for some time now.
Reviewed: Mitsubishi Triton long-term review – Month Two
Production specialist Tom Place published Month two of his six-month stint behind the wheel of Mitsubishi’s Triton ute in top-spec GSR guise.
This month, he delved into the driver monitoring system which has proved to be controversial among fans and buyers alike
Although a recent update has improved the calibration, Place believes there is still room for improvement and describes how Mitsubishi and other car makers often adopt overly aggressive tuning when new safety tech is mandated.
Stay tuned for the next four months as Tom and his family delve into the Triton experience to find out if this dual-cab ute deserves to be among the greats.
