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Mazda6 Bows Out After Over Two Decades in Australia

Mazda Australia has announced the end of the road for the Mazda6, marking the conclusion of a remarkable journey that spanned over two decades. Production of the mid-sized sedan and wagon has officially ceased as Mazda shifts its focus toward hybrid SUVs, including the CX-60 and CX-80, as part of its evolving multi-solution strategy.

A Legacy of Success

Since its launch in 2002, Mazda has sold nearly 150,000 units of the Mazda6 in Australia, with its most successful year in 2005, registering close to 15,000 sales. The model earned multiple awards and competed with notable rivals like the Ford Mondeo, Honda Accord, Nissan Maxima, and Toyota Camry.

A Competitive Segment

In 2024, the Mazda6 secured third place in the Medium Passenger Cars under $60K segment, with 1354 units sold nationwide. The Toyota Camry dominated with 15,401 sales, followed by the BYD Seal (6393 units). Other competitors included the Skoda Octavia (846), Hyundai Sonata (506), Honda Accord (137), and Volkswagen Passat (103).

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BYD to Complete $1 Billion EV Plant in Indonesia by 2025

BYD is on track to complete its $1 billion EV production plant in Indonesia by the end of 2025, according to Eagle Zhao, BYD’s president director in Indonesia. This move highlights the company’s ambition to solidify its presence in a market traditionally dominated by Japanese automakers.

Key Details of the Plant

Location: Subang, West Java, within an industrial complex.
Production Capacity: 150,000 EV units annually.
Timeline: Construction is set for completion by the end of 2025, with production starting shortly thereafter.
Export Focus: The plant is intended to serve both domestic and export markets.

BYD’s investment aligns with Indonesia’s EV strategy, which includes tax incentives and an import duty waiver for automakers to stimulate EV demand and attract foreign investment. The Indonesian government has set an ambitious target of producing 600,000 EVs domestically by 2030.

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BMW Malaysia Unveils Updated BMW 3 Series for 2025

BMW Malaysia has announced a range of updates to its iconic BMW 3 Series, blending sportiness with innovative design and technology enhancements. The refreshed features aim to elevate the versatility and driving experience of the mid-sized sedan for the Malaysian market in 2025.

Interior Enhancements

The updated BMW 3 Series showcases a modernized cabin with:

A new M Sport steering wheel with a 12 o’clock strap as standard, underscoring the sedan’s sporty character.
Geometrical air vents for a contemporary interior finish.
Finer grain material on the upper instrument panel and upper door panel cover, creating a more refined feel.
New geometrical surface décor trims featured in the BMW 330 Li variant, further enhancing its premium interior aesthetic.

Additionally, improved suspension adaptation enhances driving comfort and control, particularly on uneven or open roads.

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Public Transport Improvements in Malaysia for 2025: Enhanced Reliability, More Payment Options, and Increased Ridership

Public transport in Malaysia is set to achieve new milestones in 2025 with increased train reliability, expanded payment options, and higher ridership levels benefiting commuters and travellers alike.

Prasarana Malaysia Bhd, the operator of urban rail and bus networks, reported an impressive 1.18 million daily journeys across its services in 2024, marking a 24% increase from 2023.

Improving Rail Reliability

Transport Minister Anthony Loke emphasized the importance of reliability in urban rail and bus services, particularly through the mean kilometres between failure (MKBF) metric. This measures the distance a train line can operate without a disruption lasting more than five minutes.

The Putrajaya line demonstrated stellar reliability, achieving an MKBF score of 1.35 million kilometres—the highest among Prasarana’s five lines.
The goal is to ensure all lines surpass the one-million-kilometre benchmark by the second quarter of 2026.

To boost reliability on the Kelana Jaya line, historically Malaysia’s most-used urban rail line, 27 new train sets have been procured, with 23 already in operation as of December 2024.

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Mercedes-Benz Partners with Google Cloud to Revolutionise In-Car Navigation and Voice Assistance

Mercedes-Benz and Google Cloud have announced an expanded strategic partnership aimed at elevating the MBUX Virtual Assistant through advanced conversational capabilities powered by Google Cloud’s Automotive AI Agent. Built on Gemini, Google’s state-of-the-art generative AI model on Vertex AI, the Automotive AI Agent is specifically designed for the automotive sector. By integrating Google Maps Platform, it offers personalised, real-time navigation and point-of-interest (POI) insights to Mercedes-Benz drivers.

Enhanced Navigation and Conversational AI

The upgraded MBUX Virtual Assistant will enable natural, intuitive conversations, allowing users to ask detailed questions about navigation or POIs. For example, drivers can say:

“Could you guide me to the nearest fine-dining restaurant for a unique culinary experience?”
Follow up with: “Does the restaurant have good reviews?” or “What is the chef’s signature dish?”

Responses will include accurate, up-to-date information, displayed seamlessly through the vehicle’s native interface. Google Maps Platform powers this feature, delivering real-time data updates across 250 million global locations, refreshed over 100 million times daily.

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Porsche Rumoured to Bring Back Petrol-Powered Macan Amidst EV Strategy

Porsche’s commitment to internal combustion engines (ICE) appears far from over, despite its aggressive push towards electrification. Insiders have hinted at the possible revival of a petrol-powered Macan, a move that aligns with recent statements from Porsche’s Chief Financial Officer, Lutz Meschke, regarding hybrid and ICE developments.

Meschke stated “We are exploring the possibility of equipping some of the models originally planned only as electrics with hybrid or internal combustion engines. Decisions are being made that are only conceptual for now, but it is clear the combustion engine will remain longer than planned.”