Morning Shift: MR2 Hopes, China’s Extra-Long X5, Subaru Finds Its Mojo, and a Cabrio G-Wagen on the Prowl

I took my first coffee to the garage this morning and, as the opener clunked skyward, today’s feed felt a bit like a greatest hits album: icons flirting with comebacks, luxury SUVs getting stranger (and longer), and EV momentum quietly doing the grunt work in the background. Let’s lap the headlines.

EVs: Fleet reality check and Australia’s leaderboard mood

Two very different markets, same trajectory. Autocar reports EVs now account for more than 80% of UK company car orders—cue the industry chorus calling for policy stability to keep the tap running. Fleet bosses I’ve spoken to over the years don’t mince words: wobble the rules and the spreadsheets stop approving electric. Simple as that.

Meanwhile, CarExpert tallies Australia’s best-selling EVs halfway through 2026. No spoilers here, but the headline tells you the market’s no longer a novelty; it’s a scoreboard. When I chat with Aussie owners—Gold Coast to Geelong—it’s practicality that wins: range that handles a winter weekend away, charging that’s predictable, and running costs that feel like a cheat code next to petrol.

Cupra nails down connected tech in Australia (there’s a catch)

CarExpert says Cupra has “locked in” connected-car tech locally, which is the kind of commitment owners love to hear—remote features, live data, the whole cloud-shaped bundle. The catch? The headline doesn’t spell it out, but in this game it’s usually one of two things: a time limit on services or a subscription wrinkle. When I’ve tested cars across outback routes, it’s consistency that matters more than any single flashy feature; let’s hope the setup here is robust and clearly priced.

• Why it matters: Buyers have come to expect remote locks, location, and live nav updates baked in.
• Real-world note: On country highways, stability trumps novelty—laggy apps get abandoned fast.

Honda’s baby EV: Super-One pricing leaks

CarExpert also flags leaked Australian pricing for the pint-sized Honda Super-One. City EVs live or die on value math: sticker price plus cheap running versus a well-priced hybrid. I can already see it hustling a tight CBD car park, silent and unflustered, while the driver grins at never seeing a fuel station again.

Icons and oddities: SUVs get longer, tougher, and breezier

China’s long-wheelbase BMW X5 goes full cinema lounge

Both Motor1 and Carscoops line up on this one: China’s latest BMW X5 stretches its legs and apparently fits an 8K cinema-style experience out back. One outlet even says it “out-rooms the X7.” I’ve ridden in a few China-market LWB specials and the vibe is private-jet taxi—feet up, phone away, driver trusted to glide.

• Takeaway: Massive rear legroom; tech-laden back seat aimed squarely at chauffeur life.
• Catch: For China only, at least as of now.

Mercedes-AMG G63 Cabriolet spied

Motor1 pegs the new AMG G63 Cabriolet as barely hiding under camo—like a dog wearing sunglasses and assuming you won’t recognize it. A soft-top G-Wagen is peak “weekend in St. Moritz” energy. I’m already wondering: will the roof mechanism add much weight, and how does it handle wind buffeting with those upright pillars? The last time I drove a boxy cabrio at motorway pace, my cap tried to emigrate.

Toyota’s shortest Land Cruiser folds its screen for ranch duty

Carscoops highlights Toyota’s short-wheelbase Land Cruiser 70 with a windshield that folds flat—purposeful, charming, and properly old-school. It’s the sort of truck you point at a goat track without a second thought. Toss a swag in the back and disappear for the weekend. Or, apparently, throw a lasso.

Range Rover shake-up: Discovery Sport bows out

Autocar reports Discovery Sport production ends this year, with Evoque and Velar continuing. As a former Disco Sport dog-taxi (two muddy labs, one impatient vet appointment), I’ll miss its honest, square-shouldered utility. The Evoque and Velar are the lookers of the trio—good that they live on—but I hope Land Rover keeps a proper family packhorse in the lineup.

Fun cars are back: Subaru’s performance arm and Toyota’s MR2 tease

CarExpert has Subaru reviving a dedicated performance division. If that means more characterful, lighter, smile-on-a-B-road stuff, sign me up. The current crop of fast Subarus are capable, sure, but I want the kind of car that begs you to take the long way to the bakery.

Same outlet also caught a mid-engined Toyota prototype, pushing the MR2 revival narrative closer to reality. The notion of a compact, mid-engine Toyota in 2026 is catnip to anyone who remembers lift-off giggles in an old one. If it lands with modern reliability and a sensible price, the used market for weekend toys will feel it instantly.

2027 Kia Sportage spied ahead of Australia

CarExpert again: the 2027 Sportage is testing. The current Sportage is already family-great—big boot, comfy seats, easy tech. If Kia sharpens refinement and keeps pricing honest, it’ll stay on every suburban shortlist from Adelaide to Auckland. I’ll be listening for road-noise suppression; that’s where long-commute sanity lives.

Motorsport minute

Autosport notes Sébastien Ogier will reunite with a WRC champion co-driver for Rally Finland. On gravel that quick, the relationship between right seat and left seat is everything; when pace notes sound like an auctioneer and you still trust the call, you go faster.

Also from Autosport: Ferrari’s Hungarian Grand Prix unraveling cost them a real podium shot. Painful, because the headline points to a chassis with genuine pace. Strategy misfires always sting more when the car underneath is a gem.

Road safety note: Sydney chase swallows a whole precinct

CarExpert reports more than 20 police cars were deployed to stop a speeding driver in Sydney. It’s a wild image—lights everywhere, radios melting. A reminder: the best performance upgrade is always judgment. Save the heroics for the track days and tarmac rallies.

Quick hits and takeaways

• EV fleets are doing the heavy lifting—stable policy will decide how fast the rest of us follow.
• Cupra’s connected services are coming to Australia with a caveat—watch the fine print.
• China’s X5 goes living-room luxe; G63 Cabrio promises wind-in-hair thunder; Land Cruiser SWB keeps it delightfully analog.
• Subaru wants fun back on the menu; Toyota’s mid-engine test mule whispers “MR2.”
• Discovery Sport signs off; Evoque and Velar carry Range Rover’s compact torch.

What I’ll be watching next

• Whether Cupra clarifies duration/pricing on connected services at launch.
• If BMW’s long-wheelbase philosophy hops markets—rear luxury sells everywhere.
• How Subaru defines its performance remit: lighter, purer cars or just bigger numbers?
• The MR2 prototype’s powertrain hints—mid-engine packaging begs for balance over bragging rights.

Conclusion

From policy to prototypes, today’s sheet music hums with momentum. EVs keep marching via fleets, Subaru wants to put mischief back into its lineup, Toyota’s flirting with a mid-engine darling, and the SUV world proves there’s always room—sometimes literally—for another twist. It’s a good day to be a car nerd with a spare podcast in your queue and a favorite back road bookmarked.

FAQ

Is the long-wheelbase BMW X5 coming outside China?

As of today’s reports, it’s a China-market special. If that changes, expect BMW to say so loudly.

What’s the “catch” with Cupra’s connected-car tech in Australia?

Details weren’t spelled out in the headline. Typically, the “catch” is a time limit on services or a subscription fee—watch for local launch specifics.

Is Toyota really bringing back the MR2?

A mid-engined prototype has been spied, pushing the revival closer. Until Toyota confirms production, consider it a very strong hint.

When does the Land Rover Discovery Sport end production?

Autocar says production ends this year, with Evoque and Velar continuing.

Are EVs dominating fleet orders now?

In the UK, yes—Autocar reports EVs exceed 80% of company car orders, with calls for stable policy to maintain momentum.