For a long time, Australia was definitely the lucky country when it came to cars. High-powered, home-grown muscle sedans were a staple of ours for decades.
We did, however, miss out on some of Europe’s sweetest hot hatches (Lancia Delta Integrale, Peugeot 205 Rallye spring to mind) and the most ferocious and road melting animals on the American market (for example, Dodge Challenger Hellcat).
With the onslaught of electrification and imminent introduction of draconian emissions standards, we cast our eyes around the globe to see what we’re missing out on today. Put on some green tinted glasses as we serve up an ice cold cup of FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out).
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Lexus IS 500 F Sport Performance
The previous-generation Lexus IS F was a genuine challenger to the BMW M3 and Mercedes-AMG C63, performance-wise, dynamically and in terms of fun. Unfortunately, Lexus has bowed out of that fight, with no more F cars, only F Sport.
The sonorous, Yamaha-developed 2UR-GSE lives on in the current generation IS body Stateside, in the form of the IS 500. A modest bump in output to 352kW and 535Nm, good enough for a 4.6-second 0-100km/h time. It might not match the numbers of the current M3 or C63, but it is a far more modest and unassuming vehicle, which Lexus Australia is missing out on. Don’t hold your breath for this one, since it is LHD-only and the IS was canned locally last year.
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Lexus RZ 450e with drive-by-wire steering, yoke
Lexus’s first dedicated electric vehicle (EV), the RZ 450e, is already on sale in Australia, sharing its platform with the Toyota bZ4X and Subaru Solterra, but presently without two of its main USPs: steer-by-wire and a jet-fighter style steering yoke.
Although it’s said to be on its way here, ADR’s have held up the process – as usual. The benefit of steer-by-wire is that you can execute a full turn on the spot without twirling the wheel around several times, while the yoke just feels futuristic.
This won’t be the first time a steer-by-wire car has been sold in Australia, with the now defunct Infiniti Q50 and Q60 beating it to the punch in the middle of last decade. Those cars suffered a disconcerting and artificial steering feel, but, unlike the Lexus, had several mechanical redundancies in the event of a system failure.
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2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee V8
When we evaluated the current Jeep Grand Cherokee in Summit Reseve 4xe guise earlier this year, we found it wanting in several key areas, with a strange and inefficient PHEV powertrain. A far cry from the 527kW Trackhawk which could set all four tyres ablaze at a moment’s notice.
Sales of the current WL generation have been lacklustre to say the least – so much that it prompted Jeep to take an axe to the pricing. A big part of the slump, we think, is the lack of a V8 engine option.
In its homeland of ‘Murica, the WL Grand Cherokee can still be had with a 5.7-litre Hemi V8, generating 268kW and 529Nm. Had this option been available here, it would’ve made for a more positive review and, in our opinion, less carnage on the sales charts. With Stellantis supplanting the V8 for the Hurricane twin-turbo inline-six, this is a more likely proposition in the future and that’d be just fine by us.
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2024 Genesis G70 2.5T
The recently facelifted Genesis G70 sedan and G70 Shooting Brake introduced the 2.5-litre Smartstream T-GDI engine globally, with 224kW and 422Nm – as seen in the GV70 SUV and Sonata N Line, but Australia misses out for the G70, making do with the carryover Theta II, 2.0-litre turbo with 179kW and 353Nm.
In all fairness, we still get the 3.3-litre twin-turbo V6 with 274kW and 510Nm, but an intermediate step between the two options would give Genesis a rival to the BMW 330i and Alfa Romeo Giulia Veloce.
A manual transmission variant available from 2017 to 2020 would’ve given us more FOMO, but realistically would’ve suffered a low take-up rate anyhow.
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2024 Ford Puma ST
Although the fun little terrier that was the Ford Fiesta ST has been taken to the vet and put down, its spirit lives on in the form of the Ford Puma ST. In Australia, we only get the pseudo-sporty Puma ST-Line, whereas Europeans and Poms get the proper ST. Using the same 147kW and 320Nm 1.5-litre triple as the Fiesta ST, it sprints from 0-100km/h in 6.7 seconds.
Available with a six-speed manual, the recently introduced Puma ST Powershift uses a downsized, mild-hybrid powerplant, with a seven-speed DCT. While it only delivers 125kWw and 248Nm, it still trounces the locally-delivered ST-Line’s 92kW.
A look at Ford’s lineup ten years ago would show a very diverse range of accomplished, sporty cars. Falcon XR6 Turbo, Fiesta ST, Focus RS, for example. Nothing really fulfils that performance ethos now except for the Ranger Raptor, so a Puma ST would be a tasty addition.
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2024 MG3 manual
Australia’s best-selling light car gets a long-overdue redesign, with the all-new 2024 MG3 Hybrid. A manual transmission verison of the MG3 has been available in the UK for some time, whereas it is an automatic-only proposition in Australia. The five-speed may have added some driving appeal to the outgoing MG3, which, save for surprisingly nice and direct hydraulic steering, doesn’t hold much in the way of driver appeal.
The new model is promising, with its 155kW hybrid powertrain, MG4-inspired interior and handsome exterior styling. After the launch of the hybrid, a conventional version will be released, lowering the entry point. A new manual has been spotted overseas but there isn’t much chance of it coming here.
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Ford Mustang GTD
The Mustang versus Camaro war has really heated up in the last few years, with insane power levels of the ZL1 and GT500, but lately it has stopped being merely a horsepower pissing contest, with cars like the Mustang GTD evolving into truly exotic, race-inspired pedigree.
Featuring a 5.2-litre supercharged V8 with nearly 600kW, the GTD is based on the Ford Mustang GT3 race car, with a rear-mounted eight-speed DCT transaxle, dry sump lubrication, semi-active suspension and an underslung, carbon fibre rear spoiler ala Porsche 911 GT3 RS.
Sadly, like the GT350 and GT500, it is only built in left-hand-drive configuration and therefore unlikely to hit Australian showrooms.
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GWM Cannon Alpha V6 twin-turbo
Great Wall Motors’s new Cannon Alpha is larger than the existing Cannon, sitting in the middle ground between the average ute and something larger, like a Silverado or F-150. It comes with a 2.4-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder providing a pretty average 135kW and 480Nm, sent to an nine-speed automatic, or a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol hybrid with a pretty impressive 255kW and 648Nm. Perversely, the hybrid has a higher ADR81/02 fuel consumption of 9.8L/100km versus 8.9L/100km for the turbo-diesel.
Annoyingly, it doesn’t receive the Chinese Domestic Market 260kW, 500Nm, 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6, which is apparently due mainly to the government’s controversial New Vehicle Efficiency Standards (NEVS) regime. What a shame, as this might’ve become the first seriously desirable Chinese ute in Australia.
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Ford Ranger Wildtrak 1st Edition (Chinese Domestic Market)
The fact there are two Chinese market entries on this list shows how pre-eminent the market is for the minds of most product planners.
While we don’t necessarily envy the powertrain in this one (190kW 2.3 turbo with an eight-speed automatic), it gets two things that not even the Ranger Platinum get; a sunroof, and coil-sprung live axle instead of leaf springs at the back.
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Toyota RAV4 PHEV/ Prime
Locally, Toyota makes a big song and dance about ‘self-charging’ hybrids that don’t require a plug. Overseas, the company sells some very powerful and popular plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs), which would contradict Toyota’s marketing line here.
With 225kW, the RAV4 Prime accelerates much harder than the standard hybrid, achieving 0-100km/h in 6.2 seconds.
An 18.1kWh lithium-ion battery pack with a maximum charge rate of 6.6kW provides up to 74km of EV range. Considering the RAV4 Hybrid already offers unparalleled fuel economy, this would definitely be a worthy flagship. A few grey import outlets in Australia sell JDM models of this car, so if you’re keen on one, it’s definitely worth looking around.
