The Week That Was: Volkswagen Polo GTI, BMW X5 M & X6 M

The 2015 Volkswagen Polo GTI joined the rest of the refreshed Polo range in Australia this week, bringing a host of new features and technology.

On board for 2015 is a new engine, updated infotainment equipment and - for the first time in the fifth-generation Polo GTI's production - a manual transmission option.

With the new manual now being offered, the price of entry for the now five-door only GTI is slightly cheaper than the previous three-door auto at $27,490 plus on-roads.

BMW's new X5 M and X6 M performance SUVs, offering M5 levels of power (and more torque) for a lot less cash, arrived in Australia this week.

Priced from $185,900 for the practical X5 M and $194,700 for the style-focused X6 M, both are markedly more expensive than their predecessors, but BMW says it has packed around $15,000 worth of extra kit into both.

Power in both cars is provided by BMW’s 4.4 litre TwinPower V8 engine, producing a mighty 423kW and 750Nm.

the week that was.