Panamá Car/LCV Sales: 2026 (Jan-Aug)

Panamá has many brands, a trend that is happening in many countries. The arrival of so many Chinese makes is the reason. Toyota is still the choice for over one in six buyers, Hyundai and Kia above one in ten. Yet there are some loss of sales, spread fairly evenly across all the legacy brands. 

The 212 is a rugged off road jeep style vehicle made by BAW. As the picture shows, it's ideal in jungle and that covers a large part of the country. Rox is another Chinese brand, which makes premium electric SUV's. As seen below, not so much for conquering the jungle as glamping. 

Bentley Torcal

The EV market is growing, especially with higher fuel prices due to issues surrounding the Strait of Hormuz. So why not a Bentley EV? The fact is the increase isn't being felt in the highest stratospheres of car purchasing. The rich can afford the fuel. 

That's not to say there isn't a market for this sort of car, but it's a small one. So why has Bentley come to the party with the Torcal EV? It's the most affordable Bentley and it appeals to people who may not have otherwise considered one. Half of initial enquiries are from people who don't currently own a Bentley.

It's also the first all new Bentley in over a decade, which surprised me. For those who like the sound of a V8, the artificial V8 sound was created using real musical instruments. It's also more attractive than I was expecting, in a conservative sort of way. I like unnecessary grill. 

It's a very powerful beast too, so the departure from fossil fuel won't inhibit thrust. Data on that is yet to be revealed but it will be the strongest accelerating Bentley yet.Has that tipped the scales in favour of my purchasing one. It would a be a tight squeeze to fit in my garage, so a pass for me. Otherwise...maybe.

Photos: Bentley Motors.

Freelander Is Back

This new Freelander brand has me flummoxed. Is it Chinese. Is it British? It features British design led by Land Rover with Chery engineering and technology. So that already says to me more Chinese input than British. Does it matter? It may be a sign of things to come. 

The model range: The Freelander 8 is first up, as a large luxury EV SUV, carrying only the Freelander name. More models will be coming along at a rapid clip, with several expected over the next four years. 

The new Model 8 size: It is a large, three-row SUV, 5,100 mm in length, seating up to seven people. 

Power: It comes with a dual-motor all-wheel-drive system producing a combined 610 kW (818 horsepower) and 813 Nm of torque. It uses a 60 kWh battery and a 1.5-litre turbocharged engine used as a generator, offering about 200 km of electric range. It also has an 800V architecture. 

Release: Deliveries are already taking place in China with 5,000 firm orders within 12 hours of official launch. An international brand rollout is also happening. Right-hand drive configurations are engineered for international markets, with regional rollouts confirmed for markets like Australia and the UK, although for the UK, for example, it's a late 2027 expected ETA.  

Likely sales success: Early indications are it will be a strong selling marque. It won't be making it to the USA, but there is enough world out there to keep production lines moving.