Daimler has unveiled its first foray into the Chinese EV market, with the Denza 400. The Denza 400 is the baby of a collaboration between Mercedes’s parent company Daimler, and Chinese EV specialist BYD. The joint venture goes by the name of BYD Daimler New Technology Co. Ltd. (BDNT). When […]
Alexi Falson
Alexi is an automotive road tester and news editor at PerformanceDrive. He appreciates the complexity of modern vehicle engineering and loves to keep his hands greasy working on motorbikes and cars. He prefers wagons over SUVs, vans over utes and reads more news than your Grandma.
All-new Kia Rio previewed before Paris, gets new design
Kia has confirmed the official unveiling of its next-generation Kia Rio will take place at the 2016 Paris Motor Show. What we know so far is that the all-new Kia Rio will have a redesign for both the interior and exterior, adopting a new aesthetic language fine-tuned by its design […]
EVs could soon adopt clever new lithium-metal battery tech
A group of researchers in the US have revealed a radical new rechargeable lithium-ion battery concept that is twice as efficient as current, equivalent batteries. SolidEnergy Systems is behind the development, with a design said to double the capacity of current lithium-ion batteries while offering an identical lifespan. It’s apparently […]
1400hp Inferno supercar to go into production soon
The nearly AU$3-million Inferno is only months away from production, according to executives at the company. It goes without saying; the wider automotive world was somewhat cynical of the Inferno making it to production when it first broke the veil last year. Now though, Manuel Llaguno, Inferno’s marketing director, says […]
Next Audi A1 to go more premium, adopt MQB platform – report
Audi is set to spruce up the next-generation A1 with an air of sophistication, more space, new engines and more tech when it arrives in 2018, according to a British report. The news comes at a fiercely competitive time for Audi, as the MINI Cooper, Citroen DS 3, Ford Fiesta […]
Honda developing 11-speed automatic transmission? Patent found
Honda may be planning a revolutionary new 11-speed automatic transmission with three clutches, according to a recent patent application. The discovery made by Autoguide cites a recent patent application submitted by Honda Motor Co Ltd to the Japanese patent office on May 27, 2016. Japanese researcher Izumi Masao is credited […]
Current-gen Renault Megane R.S. production comes to an end
In some poignant news today, Renault has confirmed the end of the line for its the current, third-generation Megane R.S., as the company prepares to introduce the new model. The French manufacturer posted an obituary of sorts via social media, with a team of engineers standing in front of the […]
New Ford GT production extended two years, additional 500 up for grabs
Ford has just announced an additional two years of production for its sold-out Ford GT supercar, adding 500 units. This should help to alleviate some of the stress for those rejected in the initial application process. The announcement came over the weekend, with Ford confirming it will double the GT’s […]