Posted December 2nd, 2008 by neil mcdonald in Motoring News
With a pricepoint of $43,890, the turbo-diesel hatch is being pitched right into the European sports turbo-diesel territory of the Ford Mondeo, Skoda Octavia, Volkswagen Passat, Renault Laguna and Peugeot 407.
The Mazda diesel also comes to market against the South Korean Hyundai Grandeur and the yet-to-be launched Honda Accord Euro turbo-diesel.
Complementing the hatch is the $36,690 diesel wagon, which is expected to garner most sales.
The Sports hatch is $2900 more than the petrol engine hatch while the wagon is $1490 more than the equivalent petrol wagon.
Performance is the key to the car's new found status.
A new 2.2-litre turbo diesel engine replaces the old 2.0-litre unit and eclipse it and most of its direct European rivals on power and torque.
The 2.2 develops 136kW at 3500 revs and 400Nm from 1800 to 3000 revs.
Mazda has given it the title of a full-blown performance diesel.
Compared to the 2.0-litre turbo-diesel, the larger capacity 2.2 increases power by 31kW and torque by 40Nm.
This translates into a zero to 100km/h of 8.5 seconds, 1 second faster than the old engine.
The same engine, in a slightly de-tuned form, is expected to go into the new Mazda3 when it arrives in mid-2009.
Mazda marketing boss Alastair Doak says there is an enthusiast niche for the Sports diesel hatch even though it is only available with a six-speed manual.
Doak is not concerned that the price difference between petrol and diesel will act as a disincentive to sales for the new turbo-diesel.
"People recognise that added benefits of performance and economy, as well as the environmental benefits of diesel," he says.
"There is a strong group of younger buyers who are also attracted to the technology of diesel.
"Roy Morgan research found recently that car enthusiasts are more likely to consider buying a diesel than a hybrid.
"With this car we deliver guilt-free performance driving performance."
Mazda claims the 2.2-litre 6 diesel will out accelerate the locally grown V8 performance sedans from Ford and Holden in fourth gear from 80kmh to 120km/h.
Despite the increase in performance the 2.2-litre turbo-diesel has a combined fuel economy figure equal to the 2.0-litre of 5.9 litres/100km. The wagon gets 6.0 litres/100km.
The hatch's C02 rating is 156g/km and the wagon 159g/km.
The 2.2-litre four is an exercise in refinement.
The engine has chain-driven balance shafts for low noise, vibration and harshness and adopts direct-injection common-rail technology for smoothness.
Variable geometry turbocharging is employed for low-speed response and reduced turbo-lag.
The comprehensive equipment levels in the wagon runs to 17-inch alloys, fog lights, rain-sensing wipers, auto headlights, dual-zone climate control, leather steering wheel, lumbar adjustment for the drivers' seat, trip computer, six-disc in dash CD stereo and steering wheel audio controls.
The hatch adds 18-inch alloys, leather trim, adaptive bi-Xenon headlights, front and rear parking sensors, eight-way electric drivers' seat and electric front passenger seat and a premium Bose 240 watt sound system.
Safety gear includes six airbags, electronic stability control, traction control, active front headrests and collapsible pedals.
The company expects to sell 70 a month, slightly less than the outgoing 2.0-litre diesel with sales split 50/50 hatch and wagon.
Posted December 2nd, 2008 by paul gover in Motoring News
And it's not just about the girls.
This time the Pirelli Calendar has been planned, photographed and printed as reminder of the many challenges to the world's ecology.
There are still girls with minimal clothing, but photographer Peter Beard says he went to Botswana - and the Okavango River delta and Kalahari Desert - to give people a reminder of what is happening in the world.
"My real concern is the destruction of nature on a global scale. We've totally lost track of what evolution is based on, and how important diversity is in nature," says Beard.
"This concept is the very foundation of survival."
The calendar has been printed for the first time on natural, lead-free paper to minimise its environmental impact and, as well, Pirelli says it is contributing to the creation and protection of a forested area in Costa Rica. The plan, in conjunction with a group called LifeGate, is to offset the C02 generated by the production and printing of the calendar.
The models for the 2009 Pirelli Calendar are as beautiful as always, for a day chart produced since the 1960s, with Daria Werbowy of Canada, Emanuela de Paula and Isabeli Fontana from Brazil, Lara Stone and Rianne Ten Haken from Holland, Malgosia Bela of Poland and Italy's Mariacarla Boscono posing for the pictures.
Even so, Beard has managed to shoot them with animals and landscapes to give a very natural feel.
The Pirelli Calendar is so exclusive because only 10,000 copies are printed each year - with around 400 shipped to Australia - and it cannot be bought.
The calendar is only ever given away, with the mailing list held as a closely-guarded secret.
Posted November 28th, 2008 by neil mcdonald in Motoring News
Subaru Australia managing director, Nick Senior, credits the Impreza with having driven sales, particularly since the arrival of a sedan model earlier this year.
Next week the range will get another boost with the updated 2.5-litre WRX sedan and hatch.
Senior says that despite the recent new car sales slowdown, Subaru is on track to achieve its 11th consecutive record sales year.
The Impreza is a big contributor, he says.
“We've seen Impreza sales up 7 per cent this year in a small car market that is up only marginally up year to date and that is despite the fact that we haven't had a sedan, which accounted for 50 per cent of our sales in the previous Impreza,” he says.
“We launched the Impreza sedan in May and next week we launch the 2.5-litre WRX in sedan and hatch variants.
“We are anticipating that our WRX sales will also increase.”
Senior admitted that the past six months had been difficult but the company was performing solidly on the back of the Impreza and new Forester.
When the Impreza was launched last year it pushed sales up 7 per cent without the added bonus of the sedan by attracting new buyers.
“We had a thorough look at Impreza and in terms of a pure marketing campaign it has been a success in attracting those new audiences, particularly the professional womens' segment... female buyers from 25-30 right through to 50-55 that are working business professionals,” he says.
“So we have grown that audience despite not having a sedan model.”
Subaru will go into 2009 with the existing Liberty and Outback range, which is not due to be replaced until the end of the year.
Senior says the company is also close to signing off on the Exiga minivan.
“We're having a look at Exiga,” he says.
“We've done clinics here.
“There's one running around at the moment doing some preliminary work on testing.
“We haven't pressed the button on it, yet, that's probably going to come after a few more discussions in late January.
“So I imagine in January we'll be making a decision and if it is coming it's probably late next year.”
Senior says unlike Japan, which has both turbo and non-turbo Exigas, only one normally aspirated model will be available here.
That is expected to be a 2.0-litre four cylinder.
In Japan that engine produces 108kW at 6000 revs and 191Nm at 3200 revs.
Widely praised as the best car ever made in Australia - and the first locally-manufactured car to be awarded a maximum five-star safety rating - the spearhead of the FG Falcon family car range swept a field drawn from around the world. More...
People's choice
But not only was the Blue Oval entrant the judges choice, it was also your favourite, taking out the people's choice award by a large margin. More...
Best green car
Determined to not let the Falcon snatch all the glory, Audi's A3 1.9 TDi e has been awarded carsguide's best green car, showing that common sense and clever engineering can turn an existing model into a highly efficient eco-friendly package. More...
Porsche ran its own back-to-back tests with the Japanese company's GT-R supercar and said it could not get within 25 seconds of Nissan's claimed record time of seven minutes 29 seconds in April. It also found its 911 Turbo and GT2 were both quicker than the GT-R.
Porsche said it took a standard GT-R, running on regular road tyres, and clocked the GT-R at 7:54.
The German sports car maker was initially protective of the exact lap times, which were run during a program when Porsche also compared its upcoming four-door Panamera with a range of potential rivals.
But Porsche eventually revealed its team clocked the GT-R at 7 minutes 54 seconds, with the 911 Turbo managing 7:38 and the GT2 getting down to 7:34.
The laps were not run by Porsche's usual hot-lap specialist, former world rally champion and race winner Walter Rohrl, but one of the company's chassis development engineers who is an expert on the Nurburgring.
Now, Drivers Republic in the UK has chimed in, with Ring veteran Chris Harris taking both a Nissan GT-R and a Porsche GT2 around the track.
Both vehicles were stock, except that the limiter was removed from the Nissan and it had Bridgestone tyres rather than the Dunlops used when the car set the 7:29 time.
Which vehicle proved the point? Drivers Republic has offered us their story and the video of their laps.
And they’re happy for you to leave comments here for them to respond to.
Posted November 24th, 2008 by paul pottinger in Motoring News
New-car buyers have a unique opportunity to bargain with dealers as the industry weathers a perfect storm of plummeting demand, rising costs and fallout from the credit crunch.
“Right now, it's an epic fire sale. We'll never see this repeated,” Channel Nine motoring expert and consultant John Cadogan said.
“If you've got the money, now is the time to buy. It won't be this good again.”
Some brands are offering huge incentives, including extended warranty, free on-road costs and price reductions running from $1000 to more than $10,000.
Mr Cadogan said that for a determined buyer these were merely the beginning.
“The basic formula for getting a discount is to ask for the drive-away price, subtract 15 per cent and offer that,” he said.
“If they won't be in it go somewhere else, because some dealer somewhere will trade in for that sort of discount. Be prepared to compromise on colour and trim if you have to.
“And even if it's not the make you want, you will get the same sort of car.
“The only caveat is that the car has to be in stock.
“When it's on the floor, the dealer is paying the finance cost of owning it because he has to buy it from the manufacturer.”
AMP chief economist Dr Shane Oliver said car sales were “in the process of falling off a cliff”.
“Given the urgency with which some dealers need to get rid of their stock rather than have it repossessed, there are bargains out there,” Dr Oliver said.
Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries chief executive Andrew Mackeller said brands are “doing what they can to clear the decks. There are excellent deals to be had on 2008-plated stock.”
The window will not be open for long.
The Australian dollar's dramatic plunge against major currencies will soon bite hard, forcing prices to rise.
For the moment, dealers disadvantaged by the credit crunch and the market downturn seek to urgently shift stock.
This buyer's market has been brought about by a downturn in car sales so dramatic that Holden has suspended production at its Adelaide plant for the first three months of 2009.
New-car sales for October were down by more than 10,000 units on the same month in 2007.
Dealers have also been hit by the withdrawal from the car market of financiers GE Money and General Motors Acceptance Corporation. This has caused a funding shortfall of about $2 billion which affects as many as 30 per cent of the nation's dealerships.
10 TIPS TO A GREAT DEAL
* Look for slow-selling models
* Look for 2008-build models
* Compare prices from dealers
* Go for a car that's in the showroom _ these are the ones the dealer needs to get rid of
* Big, thirsty cars are unpopular, but the savings on the purchase price can equal a year's worth of fuel
* Demand the driveaway price and offer under that
* Demand extended warranty and on-road costs
* Lean hard on the dealer to include optional extras
* Compromise on colour and trim and even make in order to save big
* Be ready to walk away there's no lack of competition out there
START HERE AND THEN OFFER 15 PER CENT LESS ...
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MITSUBISHI LANCER: $20,990 (with $2008 cashback)
HYUNDAI ELANTRA: $19,990 (Driveaway plus $1000 gift card)
Posted November 24th, 2008 by admin in Motoring News
Though it had ruled out a diesel — once saying: "a Porsche that doesn't rev beyond 5000rpm isn't a Porsche" — the change of mind was spurred by new European tax incepntives for diesel vehicles.
It was further swayed by its majority shareholding in one of the world's biggest diesel-engine makers, Volkswagen.
From next year the Cayenne will be offered with an Audi-derived 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel with 176kW and 550Nm of torque. It is fitted only to a six-speed Tiptronic transmission.
Porsche claims 9.3 litres/100km and 244g/km of CO2 emissions.
It is the second Audi engine to be fitted to the Cayenne after last year's launch of the 3-litre petrol V6 and now brings to four the SUV's engine options.
Porsche will also make the Cayenne with a hybrid powertrain from 2010.
In a statement, Porsche revved up the diesel by stating: "The spontaneous throttle response and high torque characteristics of this diesel engine deliver the required performance levels for an athletic all-terrain vehicle such as the Cayenne."
Posted November 24th, 2008 by admin in Motoring News
What should have been the main attraction in the car world was reduced to a sideshow as the heads of America's Big Three sat down in Detroit on the same day to beg for the billions they need to stay in business.
There was plenty of shiny new stuff but all the talk was doom and gloom, even from car chiefs who do not have the same live-or-die pressures as General Motors, Ford and Chrysler.
"I think it is fair to say this is the worst we have seen," the head of the world's fifth-largest carmaker, Carlos Ghosn of the Nissan- Renault alliance, says as he delivers the keynote speech at the opening of LA '08.
"And we are not certain. Is this the beginning of the end, or the end of the beginning?", Ghosn says of the critical cash crisis which is affecting nearly everyone in the car world.
Still, there is plenty of new stuff and news on the strangely subdued stands in downtown LA.
The latest Ford Mustang, for a start.
And then the world debut of the latest Mazda3 and Lexus RX, the great looking new Nissan 370Z, the updated Porsche Cayman and Boxster, and even a droptop Lamborghini Gallardo LP 560-4.
It's no surprise, either, that some of the special impact in LA is reserved for cars which are chasing the elusive path to a future beyond petrol that satisfies American lawmakers' deepening desire for transport without emissions.
The Mini E is the obvious champion, but LA also has the electric Mitsubishi i-MIEV which is likely to become Australia's first plug-and- go volt car, and all sorts of new-and-old battery-powered concept cars from the Big Three and a growing number of hybrid production cars including the Mondeo-sized Ford Fusion.
As well as the radical looking Honda FC Sport Concept, which was done to prove that a hydrogen-powered future car does not have to look as boring or family as the company's upcoming Insight or the benchmark Toyota Prius.
The show is a mis-hit for General Motors, which canned its concepts and parties, although Ford stays totally committed with a Mustang which makes the running for an event which typically draws around one million visitors in a city which is the car capital of the USA and, by extension, the world.
"I think there is a mixed emotion at the show," says J Mays (SUBS: CORRECT), the design director of Ford Motor Company.
"You still have to try and tug hard enough on the heart strings that people forget about the purse strings. It's a yin-and-yang situation."
Looking over at his Mustang, and across to the Honda FC, Mays expresses what many people are thinking. Even at a time when it is more politically correct to attack the car chiefs, and their private- jet flights to Washington, than to talk about a show which takes another important step towards the world beyond petrol.
"Automobiles are escapism. It's not just transport," says Mays.
"People ask if it's appropriate to launch the Mustang at his time. Damn right it is. It puts a smile on your face and enhances your quality of life."
That is definitely true of the Mustang, which still looks muscular and fresh despite a chassis which trails well behind the Ford Falcon, and the open-air Gallardo and even the second-generation Nissan Cube, which could just make it to Australia one day.
And the 370Z looks tauter than today's 350, with the promise of more go and much better cabin quality, and the Mazda3 is fresh and happy.
The Mini E looks just like the regular petrol-power car but is a milestone car which has the power and range to win people to electric.
"It's an important time in the history of the global car industry," says Carlos Ghosn.
He worries about the impact of the global recession, and the money pressures on carmakers trying to evolve faster than ever before, and the challenges of safety and emission regulations.
But, just like the cars on the LA Show stands, and the regular car people who flood in once the doors are open, he is bottom-line upbeat and bright.
"The one thing that is certain, absolutely certain, is that people will continue driving cars. Cars have no substitute. We have convergence on the issues, but divergence on the solutions," Ghosn says.
And that is pretty much the way things looked in LA.
Posted November 24th, 2008 by admin in Motoring News
The first picture of the four-door Porsche reveals a car which is clearly linked to the classic 911 but goes far further into the luxury world than the German brand has been in the past.
The Panamera will not hit the road for nearly a year, but the first official image opens the action on car which has been scooped and papped for years during development everywhere from Death Valley to the Nurburgring.
The picture shows the car much as it has been scooped, and still with its controversial rounded rear end, but with much cleaner lines and the sort of smooth detailing you would expect from Porsche.
It is only a side-on shot, and probably not the powerhouse Porsche's best angle, but it reveals the reality of one of the most-anticipated newcomers of recent years.
Why? Because Porsche is moving up and away from sports cars, and the giant Cayenne SUV which has been its cash cow in recent years, to give its existing owners a car for their greying years. It has space for a family but, just as important, will be easier to get in and out as well as giving a softer drive.
It also takes Porsche deeply into BMW and Mercedes-Benz territory for the first time, although its real rivals are much more likely to be the upcoming Aston Martin Rapide and Lamborghini Estoque which are also being produced as morph machines by sports car makers.
The first official picture of the Porsche Panamera comes just two months after a teaser shot from Porsche which only showed the car's nose, alongside the 911.
And there is no confirmation of anything technical, even though the Panamera is expected to come with either a familiar flat-six engine or a new 4.8-litre flat eight with up to 400 kiloWatts under turbo power.
