Today in Cars: Australia’s EV moment, Mercedes’ new CLA lands, and BMW’s electric M3 sharpens its pricing

If there’s a theme to this week, it’s that the future isn’t creeping up on us anymore—it’s already flicked the indicator, merged, and settled into the fast lane. Australia just posted a one-in-six EV sales month, Mercedes-Benz priced the next-gen CLA for Down Under (including its battery-powered variant), and the first electric BMW M3 is rumored to be priced closer to the petrol car than anyone expected. In between: a cheaper plug-in ute, fresh five-star safety scores, a Chinese luxury brand quietly pounding Aussie backroads, and a Singer so lavish the options eclipse a new GT3. Buckle up.

Australia watch: EVs surge, CLA gets a sticker, and utes play the value card

EVs hit one in six new-car sales in April

Australia’s April results show roughly one in six new cars sold was an EV—a milestone that would’ve sounded like science fiction not long ago. What I’m hearing from dealers (and seeing at suburban charge hubs late on Sundays) is that buyers aren’t just early adopters anymore; they’re families and fleet managers running the numbers. Petrol sales, meanwhile, took one on the chin. Not a collapse, but the tide is visibly turning.

2026 Mercedes-Benz CLA: New generation priced for Australia, including EVs

Mercedes has pulled the wraps off Australian pricing for the new CLA range, and yes, the electric version is part of the plan. The last CLA I drove—a 250 on coarse-chip B-roads—looked great but let a bit too much tyre roar into the cabin. If the new car tightens the NVH and leans into the efficiency brief, it’ll feel like a proper baby-CLS again, not just a pretty face in a sharp suit.

• All-new design with cleaner surfacing and a more mature stance.
• Electric variant joins the lineup from launch in Australia.
• Cabin tech leans heavy on next-gen infotainment and driver assists.
• Expect a calmer ride/road-noise balance—key for Aussie highways.
• Positioning: still the gateway to the three-pointed star, but with more substance.

Australia’s cheapest plug-in hybrid ute is set to get even cheaper

Electrified utes were a novelty two summers ago; now they’re the sharp-pencil option for tradies and weekend towers watching fuel spend. The headline is simple: the country’s most affordable PHEV ute is about to become more affordable. On a test loop I use that mixes urban crawl with a hardware-store run, PHEV trucks can halve the fuel cost if you keep them charged. The EV-only glide is also a stealthy treat at dawn job sites. The obvious question for buyers—battery warranty and tow performance—remains front of mind, but value’s doing the heavy lifting here.

BYD, Tesla, MG and Skoda score fresh five-star safety ratings

A new batch of five-star safety results landed for BYD, Tesla, MG, and Skoda models. The takeaway isn’t just crash structure—it’s the maturing of active safety across the board. The last half-dozen family cars I’ve borrowed have nailed the basics: freeway lane centering that doesn’t ping-pong, AEB that spots cyclists early, and fatigue alerts that pipe up before you need that servo pie.

• Five-star scores reflect robust crash performance and advanced driver assistance.
• Fleet and family buyers get more peace of mind baked in, not as pricey options.
• Resale tends to favor five-star cars—especially in fleet changeover cycles.

Another Chinese luxury brand caught testing in Australia

Australia’s become a proving ground for luxury newcomers from China. I’ve done ride-and-handling loops with engineers here; our coarse-chip surfaces and long, hot distances are a torture test for bushings and damping. Seeing another premium badge running local plates suggests a serious push for right-hand-drive tuning and real-world validation. Translation: sharper chassis tune and cabins that don’t rattle by the first service.

Performance corner: BMW’s first electric M3 edges toward reality—without an outrageous price jump

A new report says the first electric BMW M3 won’t cost a lot more than the petrol version. If true, that’s a big psychological barrier removed. I still remember my first stint in the i4 M50—huge mid-corner shove, a bit of mass to manage, and eerily quick point-to-point. An electric M3, done the M way, could bring that instant torque and scalpel steering into alignment. The question is balance: weight, heat management, and the kind of pedal feel that makes you chase one more lap.

Give me a well-sorted steering rack and confidence-inspiring brakes and I’ll forgive the extra kilos. If the price delta really is modest, the EV M3 could tempt loyalists who swore they’d never plug in.

Culture and curios: A Singer that out-options a GT3, and a street-race reality check

The options alone on this Singer cost $65K more than a new 911 GT3

Only in the rarefied air of reimagined 911s could the options on a Singer outstrip the price of a new GT3—and by a big margin. I’ve been around a few at concours lawns; they’re couture on wheels. Exotic materials, jewel-like details, and fastidious craftsmanship that turns grown petrolheads into statue-still gawkers. The auction result says the market still values obsessive artistry—and that the Porsche enthusiast universe contains multitudes.

Houston street race: Corvette, Mustang, Charger seized—none drove home

The headline writes itself and the lesson’s old as time: take it to a track. I’ve seen the aftermath of roadside “heroics,” and it’s never heroic—just expensive and occasionally tragic. If you’re itching to line up, your local strip or track day will happily take your money and give you timeslips, marshals, and safety crews in return.

Quick takeaways

• Australia’s EV adoption is no blip—one in six new cars last month plugged in.
• New Mercedes-Benz CLA arrives with Australian pricing, including an EV variant.
• Cheaper-to-buy plug-in utes will pressure diesel on the job site.
• Fresh five-star safety ratings bolster family and fleet confidence.
• BMW’s first electric M3 may be priced closer to the petrol car than expected—game on.

Conclusion

From EV share milestones to performance icons going electric without moonshot pricing, the industry’s center of gravity is shifting fast. The upside for buyers? More choice, safer cars, and tech that no longer feels like beta software. The trick now is picking the right tool for your life—be it a value-focused plug-in ute, a sleek compact luxury EV, or, soon enough, an electric M car that doesn’t blow the budget.

FAQ

• Is the new Mercedes-Benz CLA available as an EV in Australia?
  Yes. The new-generation CLA range for Australia includes an electric variant.
• How big is EV adoption in Australia right now?
  April’s results put EVs at roughly one in six new-car sales—an all-time high.
• Will the first electric BMW M3 be much more expensive than the petrol model?
  A recent report suggests it won’t cost a lot more than the petrol M3.
• Are plug-in hybrid utes worth it for tradies?
  If you can charge regularly, they can significantly cut fuel costs on urban runs while keeping long-range flexibility for site-to-site work and weekend towing.
• Which brands just received new five-star safety ratings?
  Recent results include models from BYD, Tesla, MG, and Skoda earning five stars under current testing protocols.