Detail

The new Land Rover Defender has been unveiled with minor exterior tweaks and interior upgrades. The vehicle features changes in rectangular headlights, grille design, and tail light shades, while maintaining the same body dimensions. The interior now includes a 13.1-inch infotainment screen, driver monitoring system, and adaptive off-road cruise control. Powertrains are expected to remain unchanged. The overseas starting price is approximately RMB 554,400.

BMW has announced a major refresh plan for its core models in the Chinese market, set to begin in Q3. The update includes the BMW 5 Series, X5, and X3, with changes such as configuration simplification, optimized customization options, and upgraded interior and exterior details. The new 5 Series will drop the luxury package and add a new gemstone blue paint option. The X5 will eliminate non-night package models, while the X3 will feature an upgraded M Sport Night appearance. The i3's electric drive system has been upgraded, with increased range. The 7 Series will come standard with sound-insulating laminated glass.

The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and four other departments have jointly launched the 2025 New Energy Vehicle Rural Promotion Campaign, featuring 124 models including the BYD Han. The campaign will focus on key county-level cities with high market potential, hosting special events and extending to surrounding rural areas. It encourages enterprises to participate in creating integrated promotional plans and enhancing after-sales service networks in rural areas.

Malaysia’s Transport Minister Anthony Loke announced that the Vehicle Entry Permit (VEP) system will be fully enforced from July 1, 2025. All Singapore-registered vehicles entering Malaysia must register and activate the VEP tag, or face a fine of RM300. The VEP system was first introduced in October 2024 on a phased basis, initially issuing reminder notices. As of June 2025, 231,018 Singaporean vehicles have registered for VEP, though 15% have yet to activate their tags.

Singapore’s Woodlands Checkpoint will be redeveloped and expanded over the next 10-15 years to address chronic congestion at the Johor-Singapore border. The first phase of construction will begin in Q3 2025 and involves extending the checkpoint at the Old Woodlands Town Centre. Singapore will acquire two parcels of land totaling 0.79 hectares from Malaysia to build new automated clearance facilities for cargo vehicles, arriving cars, and motorcycles. Once completed, the redeveloped checkpoint is expected to reduce average travel time from one hour to 15 minutes during peak periods.

The Volkswagen Tayron is set to arrive in Australia in September as a replacement for the Tiguan Allspace, positioning itself between the five-seater Tiguan and the Touareg SUV. Based on the third-generation Tiguan, the Tayron measures 4,792 mm long, 1,852 mm wide and 1,660 mm tall, with a 2,791 mm wheelbase, making it larger than the Tiguan. Powertrain options include 1.4T and 2.0T petrol engines, paired with a seven-speed DSG transmission and 4Motion all-wheel drive. The interior features a 10.25-inch Digital Cockpit Pro, a 12.9-inch touchscreen (15-inch for R-Line), and matrix LED headlights. Standard features include XDS torque vectoring, adaptive dampers (R-Line), and Travel Assist Level 2 semi-autonomous driving functions. Given the popularity of the Tiguan Allspace in Malaysia, the Tayron is expected to be introduced there soon.