Luxury vans to shock Australia
A new breed of beast is lurking in the Australian car market, and it's not a typical SUV or sedan.
These machines are all about space, speed and luxury, and they might just be the most opulent people movers to hit Australian roads.
The first is called the Zeekr 009 Grand, and it's a sub-variant of the already luxurious Zeekr 009 currently on the market.
Zeekr, a member of the Geely group alongside Volvo and Polestar, initially unveiled the standard 009 in 2024, offering six or seven-seat variants priced from $135,900 and $139,900 before on-road costs.
Zeekr 009 Grand. Picture: Supplied
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Sales have increased since the launch, with 66 vehicles sold through June of this year.
Zeekr is looking to further explore uncharted territories with a proposal to introduce a more luxurious 'Grand' version of the 009.
The Grand doesn't have a confirmed price for Australia; however, the variant has already hit the Chinese market at a price that's roughly double that of the standard 009 variant.
It's by far the most luxurious vehicle I've sat in.
From the inside out, the Grand is packed with features you'd typically expect in a high-end hotel suite.
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For starters, passengers can enjoy complete privacy thanks to a world-first revolutionary glass technology that offers 10 levels of adjustable window tinting.
There are two reclining airline-style rear seats mounted behind the C-pillar, designed with legroom and passenger comfort in mind.
Each seat is 24-way power adjustable and separated by a raised centre console that houses a touchscreen control pad for the massive 43-inch LED rear entertainment screen as well as a 31-speaker Yamaha surround sound system and an 18-litre refrigerator.
Zeekr 009 Grand. Picture: Supplied
Zeekr 009 Grand. Picture: Supplied
MORE: What is the best car of the 21st century?
The cabin itself is wrapped in hand-polished stainless-steel elements and real Himalayan marble, making it feel more like a private jet than your typical people mover.
Like the base 009, the Grand features a dual-motor electric powertrain that can propel the people mover from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.9 seconds in this application. For a car that weighs over three tonnes, that's pretty impressive.
According to Zeekr, this variant offers a driving range of up to 702 km on China's optimistic CLTC test cycle.
While the Grand would be welcomed to Australian showrooms, there's no guarantee it will be produced in right-hand drive at this stage.
Zeekr is in the process of investigating the viability of a conversion for the Grand, which will be informed by the sales performance of other 009 variants globally.
If Zeekr decides to make a right-hand variant and bring it to Australia, who would they compete with?
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Well, for starters, there is the Lexus LM500H.
Priced from just over $220,000 (before on-roads), the top-spec Ultra Luxury version is a four-seat private jet on wheels. Power comes from a 2.4-litre turbocharged hybrid set up, delivering a combined 273kW to all four wheels — a far cry from the electric Zeekr, but still potent.
Inside, the LM is kitted out with a 48-inch wide-screen display that can be split between passengers for personalised entertainment. There's also a mini fridge, plush Ottoman seating, and noise-cancelling technology.
2024 Lexus LM luxury people mover.
2024 Lexus LM luxury people mover.
MORE: Huge change coming to Aussie roads
Then there's BYD's luxury sub-brand Denza, which is tipped to arrive in Australia by the end of 2025 with its first model, the Denza D9.
The D9 has been a runaway success in China, selling nearly 118,000 units in 2023. The top-spec versions are expected to cost around AUD $126,000 locally, though pricing hasn't been finalised.
Buyers will be able to choose between three plug-in hybrid (PHEV) variants and two full-electric versions, with driving ranges ranging from 600 km to 970 km, depending on the configuration.
Inside, the D9 offers up to four or seven seats, a 15.6-inch floating touchscreen, a 10.25-inch digital driver's display, and a head-up display. A 2024 refresh added electric suction doors and more premium touches aimed at family buyers with a taste for tech.
If Denza launches the D9 here, it will add another high-end, hi-tech option to Australia's emerging premium electric people mover segment — one that values sustainability as much as comfort.
It seems clear that several brands believe there's a growing market for luxury people movers. It is a niche that combines high-end comfort with cutting-edge technology and sustainability.
This emerging demand could be the convincing factor that pushes Zeekr to bring their 009 Grand to Australian shores, offering buyers an entirely new level of opulence in the electric vehicle segment.
Originally published as Zeekr 009 Grand: Could this be the most luxurious people mover ever?
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With a win at the 2025 Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps, Oscar Piastri tied Daniel Ricciardo with eight Formula 1 race wins. Now, the 24-year-old has his sights on his manager Mark Webber's total of nine and, more importantly, winning his first Formula One World Championship. While he still has some achievements to lock in before he challenges Australian F1 greats like Alan Jones and Sir Jack Brabham for the top of the all-time drivers rankings, Oscar Piastri is on track to become the first Australian Formula One World Champion since Alan Jones in 1980. Should he achieve this, his name will go down in history with the greats of Australian motor racing, but some would argue he's already in that conversation. Today, we're taking a retrospective look at the achievements of the greatest Australian F1 drivers. If you want to see how Oscar Piastri compares to the greats in wins, podiums, and points in his short but successful career, read on. Jack Brabham pushing his car across the line to win 1959 Formula One World Championship | Image: Supplied Has There Ever Been an Australian F1 World Champion? Year Champion Points* Wins Podiums 1959 Jack Brabham 31 2 5 1960 Jack Brabham 43 5 5 1966 Jack Brabham 42 4 5 1980 Alan Jones 67 5 10 Scroll horizontally to view full table * FIA championship points credited after the season's drop‑score rules were applied. The first Australian F1 driver to win the Formula One World Championship was Sir Jack Brabham. His first of three titles arrived in 1959 when he won the US Grand Prix at Sebring International Raceway on 12 December 1959 by pushing his rear-engined Cooper T51 across the line. He would then back up his efforts a year later by winning the 1960 title behind the wheel of the Cooper T53, which would also secure the Cooper team a constructors' title. Six years later, he won the 1966 championship behind the wheel of his own Brabham BT19 and BT20, powered by a 3.0-litre Repco 620 3.0 V8. Notably, only the best five results from the nine- and ten-race 1959, 1960, and 1966 seasons counted towards the championship. Still, this was no small achievement as Brabham was racing against names like Stirling Moss, Jim Clark, John Surtees, and Jackie Stewart. The last Australian to win a Formula One World Championship was Alan Jones, who took home the 1980 title behind the wheel of a Williams-Ford FW07 and FW07B. He would beat out names like Nelson Piquet, Alain Prost, and Mario Andretti during the 14-race season, winning five races and scoring five fastest laps. Jones would put up a strong fight in the 1981 season, finishing third in the title race, but with Nelson Piquet, Alain Prost, and Nigel Mansell on the up and up, and Carlos Reutemann in peak form, it was going to be tough to mirror the success of the 1980 season. Neither Daniel Ricciardo nor Mark Webber won a Formula One World Championship, but Webber managed to finish third in the championship in the 2010, 2011 and 2013 seasons. Ricciardo managed the same in the 2014 and 2016 seasons. Sir Jack Brabham has the most wins with 14 | Image: Supplied Which Australian F1 Driver Has the Most Race Wins? Driver Total wins First victory Win span Sir Jack Brabham 14 1959 Monaco GP 1959‑1970 Alan Jones 12 1977 Austrian GP 1977‑1981 Mark Webber 9 2009 German GP (Nürburgring) 2009‑2012 Daniel Ricciardo 8 2014 Canadian GP 2014‑2021 Oscar Piastri 8 2024 Hungarian GP 2024‑2025 Scroll horizontally to view full table Oscar Piastri is on track to secure his first Formula One World Championship in 2025, but he's still a ways behind Sir Jack Brabham for outright titles. That said, Oscar has a very good chance of catching Sir Jack for total race wins in the not-so-distant future. Most recently, he tied Daniel Ricciardo with eight race wins after a first-place victory at the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps. His manager, Mark Webber, is next on the list with nine wins before Alan Jones on 12, and finally, Sir Jack Brabham with 14. Mark Webber has the most podiums with 42 | Image: Supplied Who Has the Most Podiums? Driver Career podiums First podium Most‑recent podium Podium span Sir Jack Brabham 31 1959 Monaco GP (P1) 1970 British GP (P2) 1959 – 1970 Alan Jones 24 1977 Austrian GP (P1) 1981 Caesars Palace GP (P1) 1977 – 1981 Mark Webber 42 2005 Monaco GP (P3) 2013 Brazilian GP (P2) 2005 – 2013 Daniel Ricciardo 32 2014 Spanish GP (P3) 2021 Italian GP (P1) 2014 – 2021 Oscar Piastri 21 2023 Japanese GP (P3) 2025 Belgian GP (P1) 2023 – 2025 Tim Schenken 1 1971 Austrian GP (P3) 1971 Austrian GP (P3) 1971 Scroll horizontally to view full table We dislike intergenerational comparisons as much as the next person, but podiums are the toughest to make because of the number of races in a season. The 1959 F1 season had a total of nine races, while the 2025 F1 season has a total of 24 Grands Prix (six of which include an F1 Sprint race). There are more chances to land a spot on the podium, but we don't want to take away from just how hard it is for someone like Daniel Ricciardo, Mark Webber, and Oscar Piastri to get a bottle of Champagne in their hands. With 24 races per F1 season today, Oscar Piastri could easily catch his manager, Mark Webber, within the next two seasons if he continues to win at a high level. Oscar Piastri wins the 2025 Belgian Grand Prix | Image: Supplied Where Does Oscar Piastri Sit Amongst the All-Time Greats? With 21 podiums, eight GP wins, and a real chance at the first Formula One World Championship for an Australian F1 driver in more than 40 years, Oscar Piastri could catch Mark Webber and 1980 F1 Champion Alan Jones quickly to become one of the greatest Australian F1 drivers of all time. If he manages to hold out teammate Lando Norris and win the 2025 World Championship, Piastri would eclipse Jones in the rankings, but where he ranks against Sir Jack Brabham and his pre-ground-effects titles is up for debate. It will be an accomplishment worth celebrating when he catches his manager, Mark Webber, for podiums and wins. However, Piastri likely has more in the tank than a few wins. Still early in his career, he has the potential for more than a few Formula One World Championships if his car, skill, and a little luck can continue to perform at a high level.
