When you say "imports", you think of cheap Japanese sportscars from the 90s, but in Australia it's more like really expensive vehicles from Germany.
BMW has just announced local market pricing for the brand new X5 SUV and it starts at a whopping AU$99,990 before on-road taxes. That's a lot of money for any car, even BMW, and the base model isn't even that impressive: the X5 xDrive 30d equipped with a 3-liter turbodiesel producing 190 kW (258 PS) and 560 Nm. Official figures put this model at 0 to 100 km/h in 6.9 seconds and 6.2 L/100km on the combined cycle.
The only petrol engine you can have is the 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 in the xDrive 50i, good for 330 kW and 650 Nm, which sprints from 0 to 100 km/h 5.0 seconds. The price of this model is AU$133,900 before on-road costs.
Lastly, there's new M50d performance diesel, equipped with a 381 hp 3-liter tri-turbo that boasts fuel efficiency of 6.7 l/100km combined and a 0 to 100 km/h time of 5.3 seconds. This costs a whopping AU$147,900, but you do get a lot of kit from the M division for it.
The only petrol engine you can have is the 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 in the xDrive 50i, good for 330 kW and 650 Nm, which sprints from 0 to 100 km/h 5.0 seconds. The price of this model is AU$133,900 before on-road costs.
Lastly, there's new M50d performance diesel, equipped with a 381 hp 3-liter tri-turbo that boasts fuel efficiency of 6.7 l/100km combined and a 0 to 100 km/h time of 5.3 seconds. This costs a whopping AU$147,900, but you do get a lot of kit from the M division for it.