Today in Cars: BYD’s Aussie surge, Toyota security fixes, Nissan’s swagger returns, and AMG whispers

I spent the morning bouncing between press calls and muddy memories of a LandCruiser 300 I once coaxed down a rutted fire trail. The news today has that same split personality: some pragmatic, some wild, all moving the metal in interesting directions. Australia’s EV tide keeps rising, Toyota’s shoring up defenses, Nissan wants to be cool again, and somewhere in Germany an AMG is doing push-ups under a tarp.

Australia check-in: BYD’s big milestone, Toyota reality checks, and a blue-oval unicorn

BYD hits 100,000 Aussie sales in under 3.5 years

BYD has ticked past 100,000 deliveries in Australia in less than three and a half years. That’s rapid by any measure, and if you’ve seen the mix—Atto 3 for young families, Dolphin for commuters, Seal for folks who still care about a good roofline—it makes sense. I’ve noticed on recent airport runs that rideshare queues are now a rolling BYD brochure. The brand’s knack for sharp pricing and usable range has clearly connected, particularly with urban buyers who’d rather charge at home than queue for servo pies.

Toyota: theft countermeasures, a delayed safety badge, and no Prius encore (again)

Three Toyota headlines, three distinct vibes:

• Security upgrades are coming mid-year for the LandCruiser 300, Prado and HiLux. Given how easily crooks have been bypassing keyless systems, this is overdue. A couple of owners told me they’ve already added aftermarket immobilisers; Toyota tightening things at the factory level should calm nerves and insurance premiums alike.



• The new 2026 RAV4, billed internally as the “safest RAV4 ever,” won’t carry an ANCAP rating at launch. Don’t panic—that’s more about timing and protocol updates than a sudden safety wobble. I’ve tested current-gen RAV4s on pockmarked backroads; even with today’s hardware they feel planted. Expect the paper trail to catch up to the tech a bit later.
• The Prius door is shut in Australia once more. It’s a little bittersweet. The car that taught a continent the meaning of the word hybrid won’t be the one cashing the cheques—RAV4 Hybrid and Corolla Cross have stolen its thunder (and its buyers).

Tesla fines flippers, Ford greenlights the GTD—with a catch

Tesla is cracking down on buyers who quickly flip their cars, with penalties reportedly up to $70,000. If you’ve watched early adopters arbitraging demand spikes before, you know why Tesla’s tired of being its own scalper. I don’t love the look, but I get it: keep cars in genuine owners’ hands, starve the speculators.

At the opposite end of the spectrum, Ford’s Mustang GTD has been approved for Australia—just not in a carefree, walk-in-and-drive-out way. Think limited allocation and special conditions. The GTD remains a track-obsessed animal, with a front-mounted, supercharged V8 targeting something around 800 horsepower and aero that looks like it was CFD’d by a caffeinated barn owl. If you snag one, book your track days early and your tyre budget earlier.

Nissan: product push for Oz, “cool cars” globally, and no EV GT‑R

Nissan says it’s planning a product offensive for Australia with help from a Chinese partner, which should mean fresher metal and shorter waits. Globally, the brand’s making noise about building “cool cars” again—music to those of us who still smile when someone says S15 or Z32. And for the record, the next GT‑R (R36) won’t be fully electric. That doesn’t spill the beans on hybridization or anything else, but it does tell you Nissan still believes a GT‑R needs more than a wall plug to feel like a GT‑R.

Volkswagen rediscovers buttons: 2027 ID.3 Neo

VW’s forthcoming ID.3 Neo is being pitched as a “true VW” with honest-to-goodness buttons and switches. As someone who has fumbled through too many touch sliders with winter gloves on, I could hug the engineer who fought for this. The industry pendulum is swinging back toward tactility—and about time, too.

UK/Europe: an EV reset and a reality check for seven-seaters

Honda pulls the e:Ny1 in the UK

Honda’s taken the e:Ny1 off the UK market as part of a broader EV rethink. The compact EV segment is brutally contested right now, and if your value, charging curve, or software stack isn’t bullseye, shoppers walk. Pausing to repackage the proposition is smarter than slow-bleeding in a price war.

Volvo XC90: 6000 miles, plenty to love, plenty to grumble about

After 6000 miles, a long-term XC90 report out of the UK reads like a familiar parenting diary: spacious, safe, serene… and occasionally exasperating. Anyone who’s loaded seven seats for a Sunday sport run will nod. Big SUVs are brilliant until they’re not, and software gremlins or cabin quirks get amplified when the whole family is along for the ride.

Design face-offs and loud whispers: Rivian, Tesla, AMG, and a playful Mini

Rivian R2 vs Tesla Model Y: same segment, different planets

Seeing them together underscores it: the Rivian R2 leans outdoorsy and upright, the Tesla Model Y remains wind-tunnel minimalism. I parked a Y next to an R1S last winter; the Rivian feels like a trailhead meetup, the Tesla a tech campus carpark. Neither is wrong, they’re just tuned for different tribes.

AMG CLE 63 Mythos: modern-day CLK Black Series energy

Scooped again, and it’s looking serious: swollen arches, big brakes, and that quietly menacing stance you can spot down a motorway on-ramp. The name alone tells you this isn’t a trim package. Powertrain specifics remain under wraps, but the intent is loud. If it drives anything like it looks, expect gym-rat rigidity with just enough daily civility to justify weekday miles.

Mini Countryman concepts add the party trick

Mini’s latest Countryman concepts are playing with accessories—including an integrated speaker setup that’ll keep the HOA calm and your picnic playlist louder than your portable. It’s very Mini: make the sensible crossover a little less sensible and a lot more fun.

Quick hits: what matters if you’re shopping soon

• If you garage a late-model Toyota 4x4/ute in Australia, ask your dealer about the mid-year security update timing.
• Shopping compact EVs in the UK? Honda’s e:Ny1 is off the board for now; expect a reshuffle of deals from rivals.
• Considering a RAV4 replacement? Don’t fixate on day-one ANCAP stars; focus on actual safety kit and test procedure timing.
• Flipping a new Tesla fast? Know the potential penalty before you play the market.
• Enthusiasts: watch the Mustang GTD allocation dance and keep an eye on whatever Nissan’s cooking next for Oz.

Conclusion

The market’s doing two things at once: growing up and acting out. BYD is normalizing EV ownership at scale in Australia, Toyota’s locking the doors tighter, Nissan’s getting its groove back, and AMG is prepping something unapologetic. Somewhere between buttons coming back and flippers getting fined, it feels like the car world is remembering who it’s for: people who actually use the things, every bland commute and glorious backroad at a time.

FAQ

• Which Toyota models in Australia are getting anti-theft updates?
  LandCruiser 300, Prado, and HiLux are set for enhanced security from mid-year.
• Why doesn’t the 2026 Toyota RAV4 have an ANCAP rating at launch?
  It’s a timing/process issue—new protocols and scheduling. The rating typically follows once tests are completed.
• Can Australians buy the Ford Mustang GTD?
  Yes, it’s been approved, but expect limited numbers and special conditions rather than open showroom sales.
• Is the next Nissan GT‑R going to be electric?
  No—Nissan has said there will be no EV GT‑R. Further powertrain details remain to be confirmed.
• What happened to Honda’s e:Ny1 in the UK?
  Honda has pulled it from sale as part of a broader EV reset, likely to rethink positioning and value.