The silver Mitsubishi 380, polished to a glistening sheen by a dozen hands, was the last to roll off the production line of the car-maker’s Adelaide plant, which closes today, throwing most of its remaining 930 staff out of work.

Mr Mueller performed the last rites yesterday when he slapped a quality assurance sticker on the windscreen of the final 380 sedan to be made there.

The moment was bittersweet for the production workers who looked on, some teary, as a chapter of Australian auto-making ended.

“It’s a relief in one way,” Mr Mueller said quietly. “We have been hanging on tenterhooks for the last few years, so at least now we’ve got an outcome and people can get on with their lives.”

The process auditor thinks he inspected about 30,000 of the 1.1million Mitsubishis that rolled off the Tonsley Park line; after the factory was taken over by the Japanese car-maker in 1980 from the US-based Chrysler company.

The car that was supposed to revive the glory days of Tonsley Park — when it produced the Charger coupe and not-so-beloved Valiant for Chrysler, then the successful Sigma, Colt and Magna lines for Mitsubishi — sealed its fate by bombing with Australian buyers.

If there was any bitterness among the retrenched workers, they kept it to themselves.

Andy Barwick, 43, started work at the plant as a 16-year-old in 1980 when the last Valiants were made. To have the production line fall silent after all those years was “surreal,” he said.

“It hasn’t really sunk in that it’s all over,” he added, his friend, Brian Wilson, 58, nodding in agreement. “I’m just so used to being here.”

Mark Smith, 34, hopes his training as a welder will land him work at Adelaide-based naval submarine builder ASC. A quality inspector on the production line, earning a base salary of $48,000, he is resigned to a lower-paid job.

Chris Peachey, 39, a leading hand in the factory paint shop, said it was time to move on. He is looking for a job in the mines, hopefully in South Australia, but he’s prepared to move to Queensland or Western Australia with his wife and two children.

Metalworkers union state boss John Camillo said only 10per cent of the retrenched production workers had found jobs, and he was concerned those without trade qualifications could struggle.

Mitsubishi chief executive Rob McEniry paid tribute to the loyalty and commitment of the Tonsley Park staff.

As for the last 380, it will be auctioned among Mitsubishi dealers, with the anticipated six-figure proceeds going to charity.

Other cars in yesterday’s final production run will be donated to the Royal Flying Doctor Service, Vision Australia and Adelaide’s National Motor Museum.

The bandages have come off Mercedes’ face-lifted ML range and the redesign has delivered a more muscular look with more power and modest fuel-economy gains.

However, Australian buyers will have to wait for the new range. A Mercedes Australia spokesman says it is unlikely to reach here until October or November.

The current five-model lineup of two turbo-diesels and three petrol engines are likely to carry over, along with the car’s 4MATIC all-wheel-drive system and seven-speed automatic gearbox.

That means buyers can expect the ML350 V6, ML500 V8 and ML63 AMG petrol models and ML280 and ML320 CDI variants.

Power ranges from 140kW to 285kW for the ML500. The AMG’s 6.2-litre V8 will pump out 375kW. Fractional gains have been made in fuel economy, which has improved by 0.4-litres/100km.

Australia is expected to continue with all five models when the car eventually goes on sale.

The front and rear of the big Merc has been tweaked to freshen the car’s looks. The front gains a redesigned bumper, recontoured headlights and a more dominant grille.

The rear also gets a new bumper with integrated reflector strips and smoked-glass tail-lights.

Inside there is a new, four-spoke, multifunction steering wheel with paddle shifters and increased specification.

It now includes the pre-safe and neck-pro head restraints and an all-new, high-performance telematics system.

Apart from the bread-and-butter models, the ML63 AMG gets a muscular makeover with more distinctive front and rear ends, a chrome underguard and larger AMG grille.

The range-topping model also gets 20-inch alloy wheels.

The M-Class has been a big success for Mercedes-Benz locally since the second generation was launched here in September 2005.

Last year it sold 2459 of the four-wheel-drives, the company’s second-best seller behind the new C-Class.

Prices and final specifications are yet to be determined but the current range starts at $79,100 for the 280 CDI and tops out at $161,100 for the AMG.

Off-road adventurers around the world are being called to compete in another ultimate four-wheel-drive challenge.

The Land Rover G4 Challenge is touted as the “adventure of a lifetime” and pits competitors from 18 countries against one another and the environment.

The third running of the G4 Challenge will be held in remote Asian locations with a combination of off-road driving and sporting contests, ranging from kayaking to mountain-biking and climbing.

The aim is to test the two-member teams in trials of their strength, stamina and strategic awareness.

The G4 challenge has been held twice before. Belgian fighter pilot Rudi Thoelen won in 2003 in the Moab Desert in the US. South African Martin Dreyer won in 2006 on a course that included Thailand, Laos, Brazil and Bolivia.

Australia has been represented by champion ironman Guy Andrews, but Alina McMaster did best when she won several individual events and finished sixth of 18 competitors two years ago.

“The challenge is all about pushing yourself and your vehicle as hard as possible in some of the world’s most spectacular locations,” G4 challenge manager Ed Tilston says.

The challenge is an amazing event that gives people the chance to experience a real adventure. It tests not only physical strength, but also mental and strategic talents and teamwork. And this time it will be raising money for a very worthy cause.

The objective is to raise $1 million for the Red Cross, and the winning team will get a Land Rover vehicle for their country’s Red Cross or Red Crescent Society.

Australian hopefuls will be up against men and women from Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Britain, Canada, China, France, Germany, Holland, Ireland, Italy, Norway/Sweden, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Turkey and the US.

The Australian selection trials will be held late this year to choose the two men and two women who will advance to the international selections early next year before the G4 Challenge finals in the middle of next year.

“Only two people from Australia will go to Asia for the adventure of a lifetime, but winning a place on the challenge is all part of the excitement,” Tilston says.

“The new team format marks a massively exciting move for the challenge and we are expecting thousands of entrants from the 18 nations on the list,” he says.

For more information and to register for the event, go to www.landroverG4Challenge.com

Launched in Japan in December and drip-fed to a waiting world, the demand for the all-new GT-R is such that Australia’s first production vehicles will not land until at least the middle of next year and, until the company has a car ready for sale, Nissan Australia will remain under attack from independents offering cars imported under low volume schemes.

“Of course it is a concern to us. It is certainly not something we are ignoring,” a Nissan Australia spokesman said this week when asked about importers advertising immediate delivery of the new GT-R — both new and second-hand demonstrator models.

No senior executives from Nissan Australia would be interviewed about the latest developments in which a Melbourne importer, Kamikaze Motors, is advertising availability of six road-registered GT-Rs for $160,000 each.

Nissan’s official position is that the cars bought at second-hand auction cannot be imported because they are the same model that will be sold in Australia under the Nissan badge next year. However, they are less certain about being able to block the cars bought new in Japan by agents acting for Kamikaze Motors.

“The situation with the new cars is less clear,” the spokesman says. “However, if they are imported then they will have to be homologated and meet all Australian ADR regulations with regard to seats belts, emissions and other issues."

“Customers need to be aware they need to buy a Nissan GT-R from Nissan Australia. It is the only way they will get a full warranty and full service support from Nissan,” the spokesman says.

Kamikaze principal Shui Mir is confident there will be no impediment to his importing the GT-Rs.

“We have been doing this for 10 years and are well up on the regulations and requirements for importing low-volume cars,” Mir says.

“The cars are either bought direct from Nissan Japan or through auctions with very low mileage on them. I have checked carefully and under the regulations we can bring in up to 100 cars a year as long as they are built before the manufacture date of the first car Nissan Australia brings in.”

Nissan, both in Australia and internationally, has been aware for some time of the threat grey imports might pose in small-number markets, particularly those at the end of the roll-out schedule.

Nissan vice-president for global communications, Simon Sproule, said at the international launch in Japan last year that the threat to any high-desirability, low-production model was that people were not prepared to wait.

“We’re going to have to be realistic and concede that in some instances the grey imports will be the first available,” he noted then. At the time Nissan Australia put on a brave face, saying it was confident of being able to block non-official imports.

“Because we’ve clearly stated our intention to import the car, there’ll be no opportunity for any grey importers to bring the GT-R to Australia,” Nissan Australia’s Karl Gheling said at the time.

Mir says interest in the first six cars has been stronger than he anticipated, his phone “ringing off the hook” even before the advertisement in a specialist car magazine this month.

“If I sell these six, and demand is there, there will be no problem with getting more,” Mir says.

At $160,000, the Kamikaze GT-Rs are about $10,000 dearer than the indicated price from Nissan Australia, although with specialist cars it is not unusual to pay a premium to acquire cars in short supply or to jump up the supply queue.

For example, when Subaru imported a limited number of its first STi models in 1998, within 24 hours of delivery to those on the ‘official’ list there were cars back on the market advertised at a $20,000 — or 40per cent — premium.

The biggest issue facing both importers and buyers of the ‘unofficial’ cars is the question of warranty and service for what are very specialised high-performance engines.

“We will warranty the cars for three years and … well, we do have a bit of an issue with servicing at the moment,” Mir concedes.

“If necessary, a couple of the boys will go to Japan and get the training they need there.”

Even Nissan Australia has not been forthcoming with just how they will handle the proposed three-year premium servicing.

The highly complex and specialised racing car-style service will offer a full chassis and suspension balance as well as a precision tune and balance of the engine.

That will require expensive, specialised equipment and highly-trained staff — something likely to be beyond Nissan Australia’s normal service capability — let alone a small importer.

How the import scheme works

* Independent importers, such as Kamikaze Motors (their advertisement) can be licensed to bring in 100 cars a year as low-volume, used vehicle imports

* They cannot import a vehicle that has been sold as a new model by a mainstream importer in Australia

* Individual low-volume importers can bring new vehicles into the country under licence but the vehicles must be homologated to Australian design rules

Newly appointed Ford Australia president Bill Osborne brashly predicts that not only will the Falcon survive a threat to its existence, it will overtake the Holden Commodore as the family car leader. It’s a big call as, aside from beating the Commodore by a few dozen sales in September 2003, the Falcon has not been a dominant force in the large-car segment for more than a decade.

The FG Falcon arrives for duty in May, with the eighth-generation family car coming at a time when the segment has been decimated chiefly by those migrating to SUVs or downsizing in fuel economy and cabin space to medium and small cars.

The market for large cars has dipped by as much as 20 per cent on year-to-date figures to the end of February. The Falcon is down 1288 while the Commodore has dropped 1495. Dark clouds continue to give the domestic family car bunch a gloomy future but Osborne remains optimistic the sales erosion will not continue.

Ford says it has managed its run-out of the existing BF Falcon to the point where it will have a clean changeover with few run-out models remaining. Osborne doesn’t expect the large car segment to rebound to a significant extent, although he says the FG will help rebuild Falcon sales.

He says the FG will ultimately overtake the VE Commodore but won’t nominate time frame or market-share figure.

“I have no fear of comparing this product head-to-head with the Holden or the Toyota (Aurion) offering because I do believe it is world-class,” Osborne says.

Ford’s challenge is going to be spreading the message far and wide enough that people will come and drive the FG Falcon.

“It’s up to us to convince consumers we have the best product in that market and up to our dealers to get people in the vehicles and drive them head-to-head,” he says.

“If you offer a product for a compelling and appealing price and tell enough people about it, eventually they will come.”

However, Osborne says there is no silver bullet that will bring people back to large cars, saying that offering the best engineered sedan was crucial.

“Our simple strategy is to offer the best-engineered and built sedan in the segment,” he says.

“It’s still an important segment for us and we plan to do well in the class.”

In a year that heralds another milestone in the Falcon’s history, the Falcon-based Territory faces its moment of truth. There is no upgrade for 2008 and the versatile wagon is now treading water in sales volume in a segment where business continues to soar, driven chiefly by Toyota’s Kluger and solid Holden Captiva business.

Priced from $16,500, the Mazda2 has won concerted praise since the new model was launched in Australia last year. Forty-seven jurors from 24 countries determined the winner based on a range of factors, including styling, quality and safety.

The Ford Mondeo and the Mercedes C-Class were the other nominees for the main prize from an initial list of 39 cars. The Mazda2 also made it into the top three for the World Car Design Of The Year award along with the Volvo C30 small car and the eventual winner the Audi R8 supercar.

The $259,900 R8 claimed two of the four awards as it also won the World Performance Car award.

BMW’s little 118d 1-series diesel won the World Green Car Of The Year award. The WCOTY awards started in 2004 and are run by motoring journalists.

“This is wonderful recognition which Mazda2 car owners and Mazda employees alike can celebrate,” Mazda spokesman Dan Morris says.

The Mazda2 Maxx finished third in the 2007 Carsguide Car Of The Year poll.

It was awarded 75 points and finished behind the winning Hyundai i30 CRDi (94 points) and the VW Golf TSi (86). The green victor, the BMW 118d is not sold in Australia. It won the award based on low fuel consumption (4.5litres per 100km) and clean emissions of 119 grams per kilometre.

The nearest equivalent model in Australia is the $48,000 BMW 120d, which has the same engine, 25kW more power but consequently higher fuel consumption (6.1litres per 100km) and emissions (162grams per km).

The award panel found; “Jurors felt that BMW’s EfficentDynamics technology, as applied to the 118d, comprises a range of features and improvements with the specific purpose of reducing fuel consumption and lowering emissions. Its 2.0-litre turbo-diesel engine, with third-generation common-rail fuel injection, piezo injectors and up to 2000 bar injection pressure is said to reduce fuel consumption by up to 8 per cent.”

Runners up were the Smart Fortwo cdi and the VW Passat 1.9 TDI.

The Audi beat the BMW M3 and the Audi S5 Coupe to win the performance car award.

The judging panel found; “The Audi R8 has solid credentials on paper thanks to its mid-mounted 4.2-litre V8 engine and aluminium construction."

“But where it excels is in the exceptional balance, refinement and control that grant the driver the confidence to push to the limit without fear of unintended consequences."

“That limit is high, with 0-100km/h acceleration of 4.4 seconds and a top speed of 300km/h."

“The R8′s dramatic visible carbon fibre side panels make a traffic-stopping visual statement, one that it backs up on the test track with astonishing precision for a car of its size category. The R8 is a surprisingly good value for its class.”

World of winners

World Car Of The Year: Mazda2

Performance Car Of The Year: Audi R8

Car Design Of The Year: Audi R8

Green Car Of The Year: BMW 118d

In August 2006, a month after Holden released the new VE Commodore; HSV introduced its own new E-Series. It came with changes to the exhaust system and the LS2 engine gained an extra 10kW, powering it up to 307 kW.

The latest E-Series engine upgrade means that the power output for the ClubSport R8, GTS, Senator Signature, Maloo R8 and VM Grange’s power output will increase to 317kW.

Managing director Scott Grant believes the new engine, the LS3 is a welcome upgrade for Australia’s HSV models.

“We know our customers want the latest and greatest technology in their cars” he said.

“The general Motors LS3 engine continues the HSV tradition of sourcing the world for technological advancements to enhance the driving experience,” Scott Grant said.

The LS3 engine built by General Motors Powertrain in North America will also be used in the new Pontiac GXP. The GXP will be built by Holden in Australia, which will export it to the United States at the end of 2008.

The 6.2 litre LS3, produces 317 kW at 6000 rpm and 550 Nm of torque at 4600 rpm.

Production of the LS3 will begin this month and should be available in April 2008.

Ford Motor Company announced today that it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell its Jaguar Land Rover operations to Tata Motors.

The transaction is the culmination of Ford’s decision last August to explore strategic options for the Jaguar Land Rover business, as the company accelerates its focus on its core Ford brand and "One Ford" global transformation.

The sale is expected to close by the end of the next quarter and is subject to customary closing conditions, including receipt of applicable regulatory approvals.

The total amount to be paid in cash by Tata Motors for Jaguar Land Rover upon closing will be approximately US $2.3billion. At closing, Ford will then contribute up to approximately US $600 million to the Jaguar Land Rover pension plans.

"Jaguar and Land Rover are terrific brands," said Alan Mulally, president and CEO, Ford Motor Company. "We are confident that they are leaving our fold with the products, plan and team to continue to thrive under Tata’s stewardship. Now, it is time for Ford to concentrate on integrating the Ford brand globally, as we implement our plan to create a strong Ford Motor Company that delivers profitable growth for all."

"This is a good agreement. It provides the Jaguar Land Rover management team and employees with the assurances needed to maintain their focus on delivering the best results for the business," said Lewis Booth, executive vice president, Ford Motor Company, who has responsibility for Ford of Europe, Volvo and Jaguar Land Rover. "I am confident that, under its new owner, Jaguar Land Rover will continue to build upon the significant improvements and product successes it has achieved in recent years."

As part of the transaction, Ford will continue to supply Jaguar Land Rover for differing periods with powertrains, stampings and other vehicle components, in addition to a variety of technologies, such as environmental and platform technologies. Ford also has committed to provide engineering support, including research and development, plus information technology, accounting and other services.

In addition, Ford Motor Credit Company will provide financing for Jaguar and Land Rover dealers and customers during a transitional period, which can vary by market, of up to 12 months.

The parties believe these arrangements will support Jaguar Land Rover’s current product plans, while providing Jaguar Land Rover freedom to develop its own stand-alone capabilities in the future that will best serve its premium manufacturer requirements.

The parties do not anticipate any significant changes to Jaguar Land Rover employees’ terms of employment on completion.

Speaking about today’s agreement, Mr. Ratan N. Tata, Chairman of Tata Sons and Tata Motors, commented: "We are very pleased at the prospect of Jaguar Land Rover being a significant part of our automotive business. We have enormous respect for the two brands and will endeavour to preserve and build on their heritage and competitiveness, keeping their identities intact. We aim to support their growth, while holding true to our principles of allowing the management and employees to bring their experience and expertise to bear on the growth of the business."

Jaguar Land Rover’s employees, trade unions and the UK Government have been kept informed of developments as the sale process progressed and have indicated their support for the agreement.

Speaking on behalf of Jaguar Land Rover, Geoff Polites, chief executive officer, said: "Jaguar Land Rover’s management team is very pleased that Ford and Tata Motors have come to an agreement today. Our team has been consulted extensively on the deal content and feels confident that it provides for the business needs of both our brands going forward.

"We have also had the opportunity to meet senior executives from Tata Motors and the Tata group," Polites continued. "They have expressed confidence in the team that has delivered significant improvements in Jaguar Land Rover’s business performance. We feel confident that we can forge a strong working relationship with our new parent company, and we look forward to a bright and successful future for Jaguar Land Rover."

The Australian new-car market will soon see the Cadillac badge return to showrooms, but an event in Adelaide next week will refresh our Cadillac memories. While the reintroduction of Cadillac – it was last sold here between 1960 and 1973 – will begin with the CTS sedan in the last quarter of this year, more than 100 older Cadillacs will arrive here tomorrow for the Cadillac and LaSalle Nationals.

More than two dozen pre-1930 and at least 40 Cadillacs with some of the biggest fins yet seen on a car will be here until Tuesday. The biennial event will be based in the Barossa Valley.

National Cadillac Club of Australia SA branch president Ian Robertson says; it is the first time in the club’s 31-year history to have entries from every Australian state and territory for the Cadillac Escape. “The event promises to be one of the largest gatherings of Cadillacs ever seen in Australia,” he says.

The event also has confirmed entrants from the U.S., Canada, Britain and New Zealand.

Activities include a car show at the Australian National Motor Museum, Birdwood, and a drive to the top of the Barossa Valley’s highest point for panoramic photos.

Mr Robertson says a wide variety of Cadillacs will be at the event.

“The cars range from the 1905 Model F Tourer, through to a 1994 Eldorado Touring Coupe,” he says.

“In between, there will be the elegant 1920s models, the Art Deco models of the ’30s and ’40s, the giant fins of the ’50s and ’60s and to the utter opulence of the Fleetwood d’Elegance models of the ’80s.”

But the Australasian New Car Assessment Program results show that more can be done to improve occupant protection in the popular commercial vehicles.

The VE Commodore Ute, which is exported to New Zealand and South Africa, has a range of standard safety features, including anti-lock brakes, electronic brake distribution and electronic stability control.

GM Holden spokesman John Lindsay said it was introducing stability control as standard on all Australian-built cars.

“The recent addition of six airbags as standard on our Commodore sedan range is a further illustration of our commitment to passenger safety in our vehicles,” he said.

The VE Ute also beat the Japanese Mazda BT50 4×4 and Nissan Navara D40 4×4, which rated three stars, while the Indian Mahindra Pik-up rated only two stars under ANCAP’s sister program, EuroNCAP.

The Commodore Ute, which was voted most popular car in the 2007 Carsguide Car of the Year awards, was yesterday announced as a finalist in the Australian International Design Awards automotive section along with the Audi TT and R8, VW Eos and Honda Civic Type R. The winner will be announced on May 30.

ANCAP chairman Lauchlan McIntosh said the trend toward improved safety showed that utility vehicles could earn five-star ratings in the near future.

“Manufacturers are building key safety technologies as standard features in many of their models — and while some utes are definitely safer than they were five years ago, more needs to be done,” he said.

In a recent EuroNCAP test, the Navara was declared an “unacceptably high” risk for fatal head or neck injuries in a front-on collision.

Other complaints were “the Navara’s passenger compartment became unstable” and “the airbags and seatbelt pre-tensioners were triggered late in the impact”.

After an airbag software upgrade, the vehicle scored three stars.

Nissan Australia is contacting customers to take Navaras back for an upgrade to the airbag software.

The Ford Ranger, which shares the Mazda BT50 platform, is also expected to gain three stars.

Other EuroNCAP ratings for vehicles sold in Australia are the new Fiat 500 fitted with ESC, the Volvo V70 and Peugeot 308 with ESC and knee airbag, which scored five stars, and four stars for the Fiat 500 without ESC, the Peugeot 308 without ESC or knee airbag and the BMW X3.