Rox Motor's Adamas SUV has been spotted testing in Australia, with a reader-supplied photograph showing an undisguised right-hand drive example charging in Sydney. The sighting comes as the Chinese brand prepares to enter the Australian market, with a marketing agency telling CarExpert in October that the launch is expected around the end of this year or early next year.
What was spotted
The photographs, taken by a CarExpert reader, show the Adamas without camouflage and in right-hand drive configuration, suggesting the vehicle is undergoing local evaluation or homologation work. The Adamas is the more upmarket of Rox Motor's two current SUVs, sitting alongside the 01.
Both models are large unibody SUVs in the mould of the current Land Rover Defender, and both are offered with six- or seven-seat layouts. Where the Defender offers petrol, diesel or plug-in hybrid power, the Rox models are extended-range electric vehicles, with a petrol engine acting as a generator for the battery rather than driving the wheels.
Powertrain and specifications
The Adamas shares its battery and powertrain with the 01, combining a turbocharged 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with a pair of electric motors that drive the wheels. Total system output is 350kW of power and 740Nm of torque.
The 01 uses a 56.01kWh ternary lithium battery and delivers 235km of electric range on the WLTC cycle, plus 1115km of combined range. The Adamas offers slightly more combined range at 1226km WLTC.
The 01 measures 5295mm long, 1980mm wide and 1869mm tall on a 3010mm wheelbase, making it 100mm longer, 14mm narrower and 36mm lower than a Denza B8, with a 90mm longer wheelbase. The Adamas is incrementally longer, wider and lower than the 01 but has an identical wheelbase.
Both models feature double-wishbone front and multi-link rear suspension with adaptive dampers. Inside, the 01 has a 15.7-inch touchscreen infotainment system, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a 15.6-inch rear entertainment screen. Luxury equipment includes a heated steering wheel, heating, massage and power adjustment for first- and second-row seats, ventilation for the front row, and a panoramic sunroof with a power sunshade.
Brand background
Rox Motor was founded by Chinese entrepreneur Chang Jing and originally used the Polestones name. The 01 was its first model, revealed in 2023 with styling by Pininfarina. Unlike roughly half of the new Chinese brands heading to Australia over the next 12 months, Rox Motor is not part of the Chery Group.
What is still unknown
The marketing agency that confirmed the brand's Australian arrival did not specify which of Rox Motor's two model lines, the 01 or the Adamas, would be offered locally. The Sydney sighting of the Adamas points to that model being part of the launch, but the full line-up has not been confirmed.
The agency also did not confirm who would distribute Rox Motor in Australia or what the retail network would look like. Pricing in Australian dollars has not been announced either.
The timing remains approximate: the brand was described as arriving around the end of this year or early next year, without a firm date. The fact that a right-hand drive Adamas is already in the country suggests preparations are well advanced, but buyers will need to wait for official confirmation on models, distribution and pricing before they can plan a purchase.
