GAC AION V ARRIVES: A NEW CHAPTER IN LUXURY ELECTRIC CARS

The model, available in more than 20 markets worldwide, combines progressive design with advanced EV engineering, offering a long-range, fast-charging alternative that redefines what Australian drivers can expect from electric mobility.

BUILT ON INNOVATION

Selling more than two million vehicles in China last year, GAC has emerged as a leader in new-energy mobility, drawing on decades of research and development and collaborations with Toyota and Honda.

Underpinning the AION V is GAC’s proprietary 400 V electric architecture, a densely packed 75.26 kWh battery, and extensive use of lightweight aluminium. The result: a 510 km WLTP range and fast charging from 30 to 80 per cent in just 16 minutes.

Its 150 kW motor produces 210 Nm of torque, while a heat-pump air-conditioning system improves overall power efficiency — hallmarks of the brand’s real-world engineering approach.

SAFETY FIRST

At the heart of the AION V’s safety credentials is the Magazine Battery 2.0, GAC’s patented technology designed for exceptional durability and fire resistance even under extreme conditions.

The SUV also meets i-Size, the latest international standard for child seat compatibility — reinforcing its credentials as a smart and secure family choice.

DESIGN WITHOUT BORDERS

Developed through GAC’s global design network, with studios in Milan, Los Angeles, Shanghai and Guangzhou, the AION V reflects the brand’s internationally influenced aesthetic.

Muscular proportions, a bold waistline and distinctive “dragon claw” lighting give it a confident, athletic stance, while inside, the cabin offers a calming, minimalist environment anchored by a 14.6-inch central display with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Soft-touch materials, a panoramic glass roof with electric sunscreen, and 4 mm acoustic glass deliver a serene, premium ambience.

REFINED PRACTICALITY

Space is generous, with class-leading rear legroom of up to 1.1 metres and the ability to recline the front seats into a queen-bed configuration. A smart-sensor tailgate and 978-litre cargo capacity (rear seats folded) ensure practicality keeps pace with luxury.

The Luxury trim adds standout features, notably a 6.6-litre refrigerator hidden in the central armrest that cools to –15 °C or warms to 50 °C, and eight-point massage seats for driver and passenger.

READY FOR AUSTRALIA

Cheney Liang, Deputy General Manager of GAC Australia, said: “We’ve already delivered the AION V in over 20 countries worldwide, and we’re delighted that Australians can now experience this exceptional, feature-rich SUV for themselves.

“Whether choosing the Premium or Luxury model, every AION V represents the very best of modern electric powertrain technology, combining this with the safety, comfort and everyday practicality that truly make a difference in Australian life.”

Rolls-Royce has unveiled the Phantom Centenary Private Collection, a landmark series of just 25 motor cars honouring the 100th anniversary of its most storied model.

Described as the marque’s most complex and technologically ambitious creation to date, the Centenary Collection is a statement of craftsmanship, symbolism and legacy, three years in the making.

Each Phantom Centenary tells the story of the nameplate’s century-long reign as the pinnacle of luxury motoring.

Every surface, from its embroidered headliner to its gold-detailed engine cover, reflects an element of Rolls-Royce’s history.

The Bespoke Collective of designers and artisans distilled the Phantom’s heritage into 77 motifs that appear throughout the car, created using groundbreaking techniques such as 3D marquetry, ink layering, laser-etched leather and 24-carat gold leafing.

Chief Executive Chris Brownridge called the Centenary Collection “a tribute to 100 years of the world’s most revered luxury item,” describing it as “a motor car which reaffirms Phantom’s status as a symbol of ambition, artistic possibility, and historical gravitas.”

Inside, the rear seats feature more than 160,000 stitches across 45 panels of high-resolution printed and embroidered fabric inspired by historic Phantoms, developed in partnership with a fashion atelier.

The front seats are laser-etched with hand-drawn sketches that reference key design codenames, while the Anthology Gallery installation – 50 brushed aluminium fins engraved with a century of quotes – forms a centrepiece that reads like a living archive.

The exterior pairs Super Champagne Crystal paint with Arctic White and Black tones, finished with iridescent glass particles. Each car is crowned with a solid 18-carat gold Spirit of Ecstasy, enamelled and hallmarked with a bespoke “Phantom Centenary” mark. Even the famed RR badges have been plated in 24-carat gold and white enamel for the first time.

Bespoke woodwork depicts the Phantom’s most defining journeys, from Sir Henry Royce’s homes in France and England to the 4,500-mile expedition of the first Goodwood-era Phantom across Australia. Roads and landscapes are etched in gold, and interior embroidery continues these lines in gleaming thread.

The Starlight Headliner, with 440,000 stitches, portrays the mulberry tree under which Royce once worked, complete with bees from the marque’s Goodwood apiary and constellations referencing legendary Phantoms such as Sir Malcolm Campbell’s ‘Bluebird’.

Limited to 25 cars worldwide, the Phantom Centenary Private Collection stands as both an homage to Rolls-Royce’s past and a promise of its future, a modern-day heirloom crafted to be read, driven and remembered over generations.