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BMW 5 Series Touring – BMW’s new 5 Series Touring coming to Australia

Alborz Fallah — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 06:47:07 +0000

The Germans are on the move once again with today’s announcement of the new BMW 5 Series Touring. Although no pricing or specifications have been officially released, we do have the first images and information regarding the all new BMW 5 Series Touring.

Last year BMW sold 1.29 million cars worldwide so whenever it releases a new car we tend to pay a lot of attention. This time around the 5 series touring is the 4th generation of the model and will land in Australia towards the end of 2010 (October to be precise).

Based on the brand new BMW 5 Series, the Touring variant is a logical extension of what is without doubt one of the most recognised models in the world.

From the outside the new look can be admired as it now sports a longer bonnet, shorter overhangs than the previous model and its stretched silhouette and aerodynamic roofline emphasis its modern nature. The new BMW 5 Series Touring will also sit on top of the longest wheelbase in its segment.

Being aimed more towards families and those needing more space, the luggage compartment has a capacity of 560 litres standard, if the 40:20:40 split folding rear seats are engaged the capacity can increase to a maximum of 1,670 litres.

Additionally the backrest angle is variable by 11 degrees and it can also be folded using control levers placed inside the luggage compartment.

As with all BMWs the 5 Series Touring is a sports car at heart. BMW will offer Adaptive Drive and Integral Active Steering and Optional Dynamic Driving Control to allow drivers to set the suspension individually to their choosing. Pneumatic suspension on the rear axle, including automatic self-levelling is standard on all variants.

Engine wise the BMW 5 Series Touring will initially be offered in only two engine choices, both of which we are familiar with.

Firstly the straight-six with BMW TwinPower Turbo, High Precision Injection and VALVETRONIC in the BMW 535i delivers maximum output of 225 kW and accelerates from 0-100 km/h in just 6.1 seconds. It does so by putting its Japanese rivals to shame, coming standard with an eight-speed automatic transmission with Steptronic.

Secondly the BMW 520d Touring is powered by a 135 kW four-cylinder diesel power engine featuring an aluminium crankcase and Common Rail direct injection, it makes use of the same eight-speed auto gearbox. The 520d Touring proves hybrids are not needed to deliver fantastic fuel economy figures, managing to use just 5.3 litres/100km and putting out 139g of CO2 emissions per kilometre. Those figures make it the most fuel efficient wagon in its class.

BMW will extend its EfficientDynamics range further with both variants of the new BMW 5 Series qualifying. To save weight some of the part are made from lightweight aluminium, such as the doors, bonnet, front side panels, drivetrain and suspension components. Additionally the new eight-speed auto, Brake Energy Regeneration, demand-dependant ancillary components and active air flap control means the new B-em-vehs are as efficient as they come.

Features available on the new BMW 5 Series and 5 Series Touring are enormous, some highlights include Parking Assistant, Surround View, collision warning with brake activation in conjunction with Active Cruise Control, Lane Change Warning, Lane Departure Warning, High-beam Assistant, BMW Night Vision with pedestrian recognition as well as Head-up Display.

BMW says the 5 Series Touring, the BMW 5 Series Sedan, the BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo and the BMW 7 Series are made at BMW’s Dingolfing Plant.

However before the 5 Series Touring arrives, the BMW X1 will be officially launched towards the end of the year.

Nissan Tiida Series 3 launched

Alborz Fallah — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 13:49:52 +0000

The Nissan Tiida hasn’t been a best seller for Nissan, having had such a strong brand association with the Nissan Pulsar, the Nissan Tiida has never been able to properly carry the weight of its predecessor. Feburary saw only 536 Tiidas sold. Nonetheless that may all change thanks to the new 2010 Nissan Tiida Series 3.

It’s been four years since the Nissan Tiida arrived in Australia and with the Series 3 upgrade buyers get a whole bunch of new features. Most importantly the Tiida ST grade will now feature standard curtain airbags and the higher-spec Tiida Ti model gets 16-inch alloy wheels, standard leather trim and climate control standard. Those after a Tiida Ti hatch will be delighted with their new sunroof as standard.

There has been no changes to the drivetrain with the Nissan Tiida making use of a 1.8-litre engine with 93kW @ 5,200 RPM and 174Nm of torque @ 4,800 RPM.

“Now, despite the increase in standard equipment, pricing is at least $1000 less than the previous model, further enhancing the outstanding value proposition with Japanese design and engineering in this very competitive market,” said Dan Thompson, CEO of Nissan Australia.

With 42,000 Nissan Tiida’s sold to date, the new 2010 (MY2010) Nissan Tiida had to look a little different so the range also gets an updated interior and exterior. Most obvious is the new front and rear bumpers. The new Nissan Tiida is now 45mm longer on hatch models and by 30mm on sedan variants. The hatch gains a new taillight design with the indicator now moved to the centre of the cluster. The Tiida Ti models come with new body-coloured side sills.

Additionally all Ti models come standard with 16-inch alloy wheels, (195/55R16 tyres) and the lower spec ST Tiida sits on 15-inch steel wheels.

From the inside the addition of leather upholstery and steering wheel on Nissan Tiida Ti Series 3 Sedan and Hatch models as standard is a bonus, so is climate control and an updated stereo system now capable of taking MP3 compatible CDs and also MP3 Player Input.

Additional minor details include an updated meter cluster (with fuel economy readout) and new metallic-look on Tiida Ti dashboards. The Tiida ST models come with the addition of curtain airbags, cruise control, power windows, standard steering wheel audio controls.

Nissan Tiida Pricing

Hatch

Tiida ST -$17,990 ($1000 less than the previous ST model)
Tiida ST auto -$20,240 ($1000 less than the previous ST model)
Tiida Ti – $21,990 ($2000 less than the now deleted Q model)
Tiida Ti auto – $24,240 ($2000 less than the now deleted Q model)

Sedan

Tiida ST – $17,990 ($1000 less than the previous ST model)
Tiida ST auto – $20,240 ($1000 less than the previous ST model)
Tiida Ti auto – $23,240 ($3000 less than the previous Ti model)

The Nissan Tiida has always been a car that has touched both the light car segment and the small car segment, sitting somewhere in the middle and hence proving excellent value for those not looking for either type of car.

Nissan says the Tiida will compete well with the light car segment given its level of standard equipement and also its relatively larger size. According to the Japanese giant the Tiida is designed to sit between the Nissan Micra and Nissan DUALIS when it comes to size, specification and pricing.

“The best news of all is that despite this marked increase in standard equipment, Nissan has been able to reduce Tiida prices across the range, doubling the benefit to our customers, The broad appeal of the Micra, Tiida and DUALIS, as well as the award-winning new Maxima, combined with the upgraded Murano, and just launched 370Z Roadster, mean Nissan has a compelling range of highly attractive vehicles with which to win over more customers in 2010,” said Thompson.

Previous Series : Nissan Tiida Review

Nissan Tiida Specifications

Engine: 1798cc DOHC four-cylinder (16 valve)
Power: 93kW @ 5200rpm
Torque: 174Nm @ 4800rpm
Induction: Multi-point
Transmission: Six-speed manual
Driven Wheels: Front
Brakes: Disc/Drum with ABS, EBA & EBD
Top Speed: Not Tested
0-100km/h: 10.8 seconds
CO2 Emissions: 182 grams per kilometre
Fuel Consumption: 7.6 litres per 100km (ADR)
Fuel Consumption: 7.9 litres per 100km (As Tested)
Fuel Tank Capacity: 52 litres
Fuel Type: 91 RON Unleaded
ANCAP Rating: Four-Stars
Safety: N/A
Spare Wheel: Full Size Steel
Suspension: Strut (F) / Torsion Beam (R)
Cargo Capacity: 289 litres
Road Noise: 68dB @ 100km/h (As Tested)
Tow Capacity: 1000kg (Braked)
Turning Circle: 10.4 metres
Warranty: Three Year / 100,000km
Weight: 1158kg (Tare)

Mitsubishi i-MiEV – Mitsubishi Electric Car lands in Australia

Alborz Fallah — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 05:23:10 +0000

Today marked the arrival of the first mass-produced electric cars in Australia. The two Mitsubishi i-MiEV electric vehicles landed into the Port of Brisbane to a warm welcome from the media and gave Mitsubishi the crown of the first manufacturer to bring a ready-to-sell electric car down under.

The Queensland’s Minister for Climate Change and Sustainability, Kate Jones, and MMAL’s president and CEO, Robert McEniry were present to spell out the future of electric vehicles.

The i-MiEV has been on sale in Japan since July last year and will go on sale in Australia in the next few months. European versions start production on the next couple of months.

Mr McEniry said the future of cars is showcased in the i-MiEV, pointing out that even the likes of Porsche and Ferrari are embracing electric or hybrid vehicles and that the i-MiEV is not a gimmick but the first of the next generation of electric vehicles.

Some interesting facts about the i-MiEV is its 160km range per charge, which takes 7 hours on a normal household plug. Once the “fast-charge” infestracture is available here you can charge the car to 80% capacity in just 30 minutes. It can travel at up to 130km/h using three different modes: Drive, Eco and Brake.

The Mitsubishi i-MiEV has the ability to read the load on the power grid and only use power when the power grid usage is at its lowest (at night). Of course it can recharge anytime when required. Mr McEniry said the next generation of these vehicles will have the ability to even give back power to the grid when plugged in.

The Climate Change Minister said the QLD government is currently working on an electric vehicle policy which should be finalised by the end of the year, she also didn’t rule out incentives to entice buyers but said she was more focused on getting the policy right first.

No Australian pricing was announced and we don’t expect those details for another few months.

According to Ashley Sanders, Mitsubishi’s project manager for i-miEV, the real constraint is the batteries with lithium being in short supply. Mitsubishi has signed a deal with West Australia company Lithium Australia to boost its lithium battery production.

The battery in the i-MiEVs is a 16 kilowatt hour. If you’re unfamiliar with what a kilowatt hour is: a household heater rated at 1000 watts (1 kilowatt), left on for one hour uses one kilowatt hour (equivalent to 3,600 kilojoules) of energy.

Mr Sanders told CarAdvice that the i-MiEV and its battery will last at least 10 years if not more. The battery pack is separated into 22 modules each carrying four batteries and there has been no battery failure to date.

The car is powered by a single electric motor that drives the rear wheels. Power is put from the engine into a reduction gear and then through a differential. Mr Sanders said most first time drivers are surprised at its acceleration, as the Electric i-MiEV can accelerate faster than its petrol equivalent.

The fast-charge system currently used in Japan is a result of the Japanese manufacturers agreeing on one set of standards for charging electric vehicles and with charging stations being available in populated areas. Australia is still in the process of examining needs for electric vehicle standards.

Mr Sanders says he personally uses a 3kW solar array on his house which can produce 17kilowatt hours of energy per day that will easily recharge the i-MiEV from empty to full, meaning there is absolutely no emissions generated when the car is charged.

CarAdvice will bring you a full review and road test of the Mitsubishi i-MiEV before the end of the month.

We previously drove the pre-production prototype, read our Mitsubishi i-MieV review.

Mitsubishi i-MiEV lands in Australia tomorrow

Alborz Fallah — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 03:21:32 +0000

The first of what is certain to be many plug-in electric cars is landing in Australia tomorrow. The much talked about Mitsubishi i-MiEV electric vehicle will see Australian shores on Friday when it arrives at the Port of Brisbane.

We must congratulate Mitsubishi for being the very first manufacturer to bring in a mass-produced full-electric car ready for sale to Australia. The historic moment will see two Mitsubishi i-MiEVs zero-emission electric cars unloaded in Brisbane

The cars will spend roughly one week with Mitsubishi engineers for testing before begining a series of pre-sale evaluations.

CarAdvice will be present at the unveiling tomorrow and will have a Review & Road test of the Mitsubishi i-MiEV in the following fortnight. We previously drove the pre-production prototype, read our Mitsubishi i-MieV review.

In other related news Mitsubishi is planning to make 100,000 of the i-MiEV electric vehicles for the Peugeot-Citroen group starting this year. The idea is 25,000 a year split equally as Citroen C-Zero and Peugeot iOn. The contract with the French runs until 2015. The more Mitsubishi i-MiEVs made the cheaper the cars will become.

However there are reports of battery bottlenecks with the Japanese giant only able to produce 9,000 electric car batteries for itself between April 1, 2010 to March 31, 2011.

“This is a headache for us, because out of 9,000 we have to decide how many will be for the domestic market, how many will be exported and so forth.” Mitsubishi President Osamu Masuko told AutoNews in Geneva.

In Europe the Citroen C-Zero is expected to retail for 30,000 euro or $45,000 Australian dollars (thanks to a 5,000 euro government tax deduction).

Australia pricing and specifications are still unknown but more information will be available tomorrow.

The Nissan Leaf Electric Car will also soon make its way to Australia.

Mitsubishi Outlander RX Special Edition

Alborz Fallah — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 02:52:45 +0000

Seems like it’s that time of the year again for special editions, first it was the Mitsubishi Lancer ACTiV, and today the Japanese giant has revealed details of a Mitsubishi Outlander RX special edition model.

The Outlander RX is built on the same specifications as the 2010MY LS variant but comes packed with a load of extra features inside and out. From the outside a set of 18 inch seven-spoke alloy wheels give the car a more prominent stance while redesigned front bumper and fog lights along with unique side and rear air dams finish off its new style.

For those paying attention to the minor details you’ll also notice silver painted exterior door handles, a chrome exhaust tip and privacy glass.

Sit inside the new Outlander RX and you’ll notice unique leather and sports mesh seat trim and to keep the silver theme going there is also silver painted floor console panels and chrome interior door handles. The special edition also gains Bluetooth phone system and smart key entry.

Only 500 of the Mitsubishi Outlander RXs coming to Australia and they will be available in Black Mica, Cool Silver and if you want it even more unique you can pick White Pearl which is exclusive to the RX.

The standard features of the range include the 2.4L MIVEC engine, with CVT auto transmission (4wd System), Dual SRS airbags, ABS Brakes with EBD, Active Stability Control, Active Traction Control and Hill Start Control.

The Mitsubishi Outlander RX will retail for $38,475.00 and come with a 5 year / 130,000km, 10 year/160,000km non-transferrable drive-train warranty and 5 year/130,000 roadside assist as standard.

Mitsubishi Outlander Review & Road Test

Opel Minicar Electric – iPod on wheels

Alborz Fallah — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 06:10:12 +0000

Although the days of the European sourced Holden Barina and Astra are well and truly over, Open/Vauxhall is working on a new minicar which may have great potential for the Australian market.

Opel Trixx Minicar concept

Currently unnamed, the Opel Minicar will sit below the Corsa and go head to head with cars such as the Nissan Micra and Toyota iQ.

Opel’s sales and marketing chief Alain Visser said the team are calling the minicar ‘iPod on wheels’ as they see it being the trendsetter in its segment.

Opel Corsa

The mini Opel is currently in the early stages of development but will have a shorter turn around than usual with the model expected within 24 months.

Opel CEO Nick Reilly is also focused on capturing more market share with technological innovations, having committed 11 billion euros ($16.5 billion) over the next five years to invest in refining vehicle technology and produce new models.

Opel’s model range is set to undergo some major upgrades with 80 percent of its lineup to be less than three years old by 2014.

Once the Opel Minicar is launched Opel says it will be followed by an electric version.

Should Holden import a minicar sourced from Opel?

Mazda RX-7 potential revival?

Alborz Fallah — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 05:45:08 +0000

Most Japanese car manufacturers have all found a way to differentiate themselves, Toyota has the reputation for producing bullet-proof cars (although that reputation may currently be slightly bruised), Subaru and Mitsubishi make all-wheel-drive rally inspired sportscars and Nissan makes the grand-daddy of them all, the Nissan GT-R.

Mazda on the other hand has always stuck to its Rotary powered sports cars that have created a unique cult of car enthusiasts. The Mazda RX-8 has come a long way since its introduction in 2003 and its designer Mr Ikuo Maeda is hoping to revive the RX-7.

Maeda was in charge of the RX-8 design but more interestingly his father, who held a similar job at the company was in the charge of the original RX-7.

“I was a real car lover long before I started designing cars, there are lots of car enthusiasts at Mazda, but I think I’m at the top.” Maeda said in an interview with AutoNews.

The designer is known internally as “Speedy” for his performance on the race track in his Mazda MX-5 and Lotus Elise. The man was also behind the current generation Mazda2 but his big ambition is to bring back the RX-7.

“I do have a strong yearning to revive the RX-7 during my tenure but in order for that to happen, we need the U.S. economy to come back, first and foremost.” Maeda said.

Although potentially many years away, Mazda fans can rejoice knowing they have a man with enormous passion pushing the RX-7 project internally.

Mazda RX-8 review

Source: Autonews

Audi A2 Electric on its way

Alborz Fallah — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 05:14:43 +0000

You know times are changing when mainstream manufacturers are heading towards more and more electric or hybrid cars. BMW, Mercedes-Benz and now Audi are all set to create zero-emission luxury vehicles in the forseable future.

What the Audi A2 could potentially look like

Reports flying around today suggest the German company is reviving the A2 badge with an all-new Audi A2 expected to be released by 2014.

Better yet it will be a full-electric vehicle and based on the recently announced Audi A1.

The new Audi A2 will sit between the Audi A3 and A1 with the company’s CEO Rupert Stadler saying “there’s clearly room for another product and another concept between the A3 and A1“.

It’s far too early to say if the A2 electric car will make it to Australia (since the original A2 never made it here) but given the push towards zero-emission vehicles it would seem like the perfect introduction.

The A2 will be using a lot of the technology featured in the Audi A1 e-tron vehicle and is no doubt a hint of what the future holds for the brand.

The first-generation Audi A2 never made it to Australia but found more than 175,000 European owners between 1999-2005.

Source: AutoWeek.

Saab 9-1 – BMW 1 Series & Audi A3 rival

Alborz Fallah — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 04:39:26 +0000

Saab was all but over a few months ago when the deal with Swedish manufacturer Koengisegg fell through, however with rival Spyker having secured the deal the Swedish brand is on a straight road to recovery with plans to bring out the Saab 9-1 to compete against the BMW 1-Series and Audi A3.

Saab Managing Director Jan Ake Jonsson and Spyker CEO Victor Muller have both agreed that a small car in the lineup will help the brand recover from troubled times. Mr Muller told Automotive News Europe that his newly purchased company had “better than average chance” of taking the 9-1 into production.

The Saab 9-1 will most likely be based on the Saab 9-X BioHybrid concept which was released at the 2008 Geneva Motorshow. the 9-X was stated as being “a vivid vision of what a future compact car from Saab could look like.”

Saab believes the 9-1 will target the younger customers who seek modern looking cars, performance and technological innovations in an all-in-one package.

This year will see the Swedish brand release the new Saab 9-5 to go head to head against the BMW 5-Series and Audi A6. The manufacturer’s entire model lineup will be renewed by 2012 with the Saab 9-4X crossover coming in 2011 followed by the new Saab 9-3 the year after.

Subaru Impreza R limited edition

Alborz Fallah — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 04:15:23 +0000

Following last week’s announcement of the Mitsubishi Lancer ACTiV, direct rival Subaru has today announced their own limited edition to go head to head with the Lancer. The Subaru Impreza R will now come with leather trim.

The leather packed Impreza R is a proper limited edition with only 1,000 headed to Australia (arriving in April). The choices will include five-speed manual or four-speed automatic available in both sedan and hatch body-types.

The standard Subaru Impreza R will drop in price by $1,000, making it $23,990. The leather equipped models attract a premium of just $500, retailing for $24,490 for the manual.

Read a review of the Subaru Impreza:

Lexus CT 200h for the younger buyers

Alborz Fallah — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 04:06:54 +0000

Lexus has a similar issue to Mercedes-Benz with the stereotypical target buyer seen as being a more mature buyer than say BMW, which strives to breath sportiness into the heat of every one of its cars. The new Lexus CT 200h will soon be here to address that issue.

According to Lexus’ European head Andy Pfeiffenberger the Lexus CT 200h full-hybrid hatchback is expected to win over younger drivers, thanks to its advanced modern design.

“We anticipate that a whole new audience will respond positively to the CT 200h’s dynamic styling, the latest evolution of Lexus — L-Finesse design — has given the car a real contemporary appeal to attract design-conscious, younger customers,” Mr Pfeiffenberger told reporters at the Geneva auto show.

It will be interesting to see if their predictions are correct given the Lexus CT 200h is based on the Toyota Prius. It uses the same 1.8-liter petrol engine with a electric motor combination and can drive for up to 2km on electricity alone. We suspect it will also have the same 3.9L/100km fuel economy depending on weight.

“It is the right car at the right time. The compact premium segment became the largest in the premium market last year. The European buying public want smaller, less-polluting cars – but without any comprise on refinement and driving pleasure,” Pfeiffenberger said.

Lexus says the CT 200h will soon go into production first for the European market and then a release worldwide. The new entry level Lexus is destined to take on the BMW 1 series and the Audi A3.

Prices in Europe will start at about 21,000 euros (about $32,000) but no doubt it will cost more here once our taxes are added on.

Koenigsegg Agera Concept

Alborz Fallah — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 03:51:34 +0000

When CarAdvice drove the Koenigsegg CCX-R last year, we were left wondering how Koenigsegg could improve on what is arguably one of the best cars in the world. Of course we didn’t have to think for long as the Swedish supercar manufacturer has released the Koenigsegg Agera Concept.

To celebrate the company’s 15th birthday the Koenigsegg Agera is set to take the brand into the next decade, with the original CC concept still seen in its DNA.

Agera is short for the Greek word Ageratos, which in ancient Greek means “ageless”, but it’s also the Swedish verb “to act” and hence it emphasises Koenigsegg philosophy to strive forward. The company says when it believes in something, it does it, hence the Agera.

Using custom made tyres from Michelin, the Agera is as wide at the front as in the rear of the car.

Stopping the monster are a set of 392×36 (front) and 380×34 (rear) ventilated and drilled ceramic discs, which the company says give zero fade regardless of track or road condition. To get the most out of the V8 engine, a twin turbo setup has been installed which delivers 679 kW of power (yes that’s not a typo) and an even more impressive 1100 Nm of torque with over 1000 Nm of that available at from 2680 to 6100 rpm.

Another first for the Agera is its traction control system which the company claims is the “fastest reacting” in the business, with auto adapt functionality for different road conditions and driving styles plus the option of setting the system up manually.

The Ghost light interior illumination system is another Koenigsegg invention. The company says the light comes through the billet aluminium buttons and surfaces by way of invisible nanotubes, which give a whole new look to the interior.

If you’re interested and keen to part with a few million dollars for one of these beauties, the Koenigsegg Agera will go into production alongside the CCX and CCXR models after six more months of testing.

Geely Volvo deal still in progress

Alborz Fallah — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 03:45:44 +0000

Swedish vehicle manufacturer Volvo was suppose to have been sold to China’s Geely Automobile Holdings last month, but the Chinese company is still to sign an agreement with Ford Motor Co.

Despite previously suggesting the deal would be complete by end of February, Zhejiang Geely Holding Group says work is still on track for the agreement, even though an official agreement has not been signed to date.

Geely is currently China’s biggest privately owned car manufacturer and agreed to pay $2 billion USD for Volvo by May. The idea is to produce Volvo cars at double the current rate by utilising a new factory in Beijing. Geely believes it can make Volvo profitable by 2011.

Last month saw the Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machinery Co’s deal for Hummer fall through partially due to no support from the Chinese government. Geely says it has obtained some of the regulatory approvals but details are sketchy.

Subaru Impreza Hybrid on the way?

Alborz Fallah — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 03:03:01 +0000

Seems as though Toyota’s inclination to stick with its hybrid strategy has affected Subaru (which Toyota partially owns) with reports that the Japanese based company will bring out a hybrid version of the Subaru Impreza when the new model comes out in 2012.

Although previous suggestions of a hybrid car were thought to be for the Subaru Liberty, Road & Track’s Sam Mitani said Subaru insiders have suggested it will first be seen on the all-new Impreza.

The news should not come as a surprise given Ikuo Mori, president of Subaru, recently declared that his company will introduce a new hybrid vehicle in 2012. Given the Impreza’s size and popularity it’s certainly the right choice to start with.

With a diesel now in the lineup, Subaru is a brand on the move. A hybrid drivetrain based on the company’s boxer engine could be a very interesting idea and can potentially produce much better results than similar systems found in Toyota hybrids.

Even if a Subaru Impreza Hybrid does come out in 2012, it may not necessarily come to Australia straight away.

Would you consider an Impreza Hybrid?

Source: Road & Track Blog.

Alfa Romeo G1 touring Australia

Alborz Fallah — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 07:32:41 +0000

It was 100 years ago that Nicola Romeo took over what was then A.L.F.A (Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili) to make Alfa Romeo. The company which has become one of the world’s leading brands for designing inspiring cars.

The very first Alfa Romeo to be ever built was the Alfa Romeo G1, with one example planning a tour of Australia over the course of the coming months. Ateco, Alfa Romeo’s distributor in Australia, says the G1 will be heading to the Australian Grand Prix and numerous museums to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the brand.

The Alfa Romeo G1 was designed by Giuseppe Merosi and only had two years of production between 1921 to 1923. It was powered by a massive 6.3-litre six cylinder engine which produced a not-so-massive 52 kW of power. Nonetheless it could reach speeds of up to 138 kmh.

According to Alfa Romeo the G1 was designed to take on Rolls Royce but also found it self in numerous motorsport events, such as winning the Coppa de Garda. Unfortunately for Alfa Romeo their very first car was launched at the wrong time during a period of rising fuel prices, this led to only 52 G1s ever being built.

The touring Alfa Romeo G1, the only one of its kind, now resides at Ateco’s new headquarters in the Sydney suburb of Waterloo and comes with a story of its own.

The car came to Australia (Chassis 6018) in 1921 and was sold for only £850 to a Queensland businessman who was declared bankrupt soon after the purchase.

In order to preserve the car from creditors it was hidden away, unfortunately for the owner he died three years on without revealing the value of the G1. A quarter of a century later it was spotted apparently holding up one corner of a shed in the Queensland outback.

It’s value still unrecognised, it spent the next 15 years being used as a ‘paddock bomb’ for rounding up cattle, chasing kangaroos and all the stuff that you’d expect to use a vintage Alfa Romeo for on a farm. Fate had its way when the G1 hit a tree and was put to use to power a water pump. Thankfully for the G1 this meant the engine remained active and serviced even though the body was left to die.

It wasn’t until 1964 when Alfa Romeo enthusiasts found and rescued the G1 from its prison. In 1965 it was bought by Ross Flewell-Smith who began to rebuild it over a period of ten years. He was lucky enough to find a second G1, a wreck, to use for parts. In 1977 the restored G1 won the Queensland Vintage Car Concours and went on to win the 1978 Australian Mile Miglia memorial run.

In a bit of irony it was once clocked at Lakeside raceway (QLD) doing 135km/h and black-flagged for being so quick!

In 1995 the car changed hands once again, this time new owner Julian Sterling began work on the car to replace all worn parts with specially-made components built regardless of cost. For example new tyres had to be specifically made by Michelin using the original 1920s moulds, costing $6,000 for the set.

Some years later the G1 was once again sold to its current owner Neville Crichton, the governing director of the Australian Alfa Romeo importer, Ateco Automotive Pty Ltd.

From here it was decided the G1 had to be put back in to full running order. The finish result was entered into the 2005 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elgance and beat more than 60 classic Alfa Romeos from around the world, including seven cars entered by Alfa Romeo’s own museum.

If you’re interested in catching a glimpse of this amazing car, you can see it next weekend (13-14 March 2010) in Victoria when it appears at the Alfa Romeo Owners Club of Australia annual event at Phillip Island.

The weekend after (19-21 March) the G1 will head back to Phillip Island for the Classic Festival of Speed. On Wednesday 24 March the Alfa Romeo G1 will join more than 120 classic cars on display in Argyle Square, Carlton from 09.00 to 15.00. At the end of the display the cars will leave as a group and drive in a parade to Albert Park for the Qantas F1 Australian Grand Prix.

If you want to see it standing still you can catch the Alfa Romeo G1 on display at Zagame Alfa Romeo in King Street, West Melbourne in between its public appearances. After its commitments at the F1, the G1 will head to New South Wales and Queensland later in the year and it will be centerpiece of celebrations on 24 June, the 100th Anniversary of the founding of ALFA.

2010 Geneva Motorshow Gallery

Alborz Fallah — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 04:33:18 +0000

Our own Paul Maric has spent the last few days at this year’s Geneva Motorshow and we thought we’d share with you his photos from the show. If you want to read about all the reveals from this year’s show simply click here.

Peugeot 3008 Compact SUV launching in May

Alborz Fallah — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 03:04:26 +0000

It seems the time has come for Peugeot Australia to gain more and more market share as it expands its Australian lineup. Apart from the Peugeot 4007 which has already been launched, the latest addition to the range is the Peugeot 3008 compact SUV which will make its first public appearance in Australia at this month’s Handa Women’s Australian Open golf championship in Melbourne.

The Peugeot 3008 will be launched later this year in May and features the best of both SUVs, family hatchbacks and MPVs. Having been launched in Europe last year, the Peugeot 3008 has won numerous awards such Car Of The Year for 2009 by British publication What Car? and the Auto Europa 2010 award.

The new Pug will come packed with the latest the French company has to offer, Grip Control, Dynamic Roll Control, Head-Up Display for the driver, Distance Alert, Automatic Electric Parking Brake and Hill Assist are just a few.

From the outside the 3008 follows on from the Peugeot design principle, taking inspiration from the 308 and 207 model range.

Australian buyers can pick between diesel or petrol variants with fuel economy figures as low as 5.6 litres per 100km combined for the manual 2.0-litre HDi diesel (146 grams/km CO2 emissions).

The Peugeot 3008 is safety rated at the maximum five stars with an array of airbags and active safety systems all standard. A brief demonstration of the systems in use can be seen below:

As with all Peugeots of late, the interior space is extremely flexible with its configuration, Peugeot says the 3008 offers a load capacity under the parcel shelf of 512 litres, or 1,604 litres when the rear seats are folded flat.

It has a huge rear load area that is extremely versatile thanks to its adjustable floor. Combined with the extra ride height and commanding driving position it offers an ideal proposition for almost any leisure activity.” Peugeot Automobiles Australia national marketing manager Richard Grant says

CarAdvice will soon bring you a review of the Peugeot 4007 and Peugeot 3008.

Mitsubishi Lancer ACTiV limited edition

Alborz Fallah — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 05:27:27 +0000

Mitsubishi’s successful Lancer model will soon get a new limited edition variant to boost sales. This month will see the introduction of the Mitsubishi Lancer ACTiV which is based on Lancer ES model, but comes packed with more features.

The Lancer ACTiV will retain for a drive-away price starting from $21,990, the Lancer ACTiV is sure to impress. New features include 16-inch alloy wheels, privacy glass, side airdams, rear spoiler, chrome exhaust tip and the ACTiV badge.

Sitting inside you’ll notice hands free blue tooth, a leather steering wheel with audio and blue tooth controls which are bonus features above the ES specifications.

“The Lancer ES is already an extremely well appointed and popular vehicle. The additional features available as standard increase the street presence and highlight the superior value of the ACTiV variant.” MMAL Vice president of brand marketing, Paul Unerkov

The Mitsubishi Lancer ACTiV will be powered by the same 2.0-litre dual overhead cam MIVEC four-cylinder engine that pumps out a reasonable 113kW of power @ 6000rpm and 198 Nm of torque at 4250 rpm. The special edition is available in both manual and CVT transmissions as well as in both Sportback or sedan body styles.

Standard features will include Active Stability Control with Traction Control (ASTC), ABS braking system with Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD) and Brake Assist (BA), (SRS) airbags, anti-intrusion pedal system, seatbelt pretensioners, and reinforced impact safety evolution (RISE). All of that means a five-star ANCAP safety rating.

As with all Mitsubishi models the Lancer ACTiV is cared for by a five year/130,000 whole vehicle warranty and further backed up by Mitsubishi’s 10 year/160,000 km powertrain warranty and a five year/130,000 km roadside assistance package.

2011 Infiniti M35 Hybrid

Alborz Fallah — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 04:05:36 +0000

As we said yesterday Nissan’s luxury brand Infiniti is on its way to Australia and as part of the company’s new strategy to take on Lexus and produce cars for the future, it has unveiled the Infiniti M35 Hybrid.

The Infiniti M35 Hybrid is the first petrol-electric car for the brand and is a sign of cars to come both from Nissan and Infinit in the future.

The technical details is a little different to the Toyota/Lexus hybrids with the electric engine being built into the transmission.

A 3.5-litre decoupling V6 engine plus a 50 kW, 270 Nm of torque electric motor built in to the 7-speed automatic transmission powered by lithium-ion battery pack powers the car.

The front-engine, rear-wheel drive layout will mean a proper engineered luxury Japanese car to take on the world.

The technology allows the clutch to fully decouple from the V6 when in both electric and power regeneration modes – in order to reduce mechanical drag and boost the efficiency of the electric motor.

The Infiniti M35 HYBRID underwent day-in, day-out driving test over a three-month period on a route that took in not just busy city streets but also suburbs, freeways and even mountain roads.

The results from the test show the Infiinti M35 Hybrid can drive in electric-only mode, with zero tailpipe emissions, for almost 50 per cent of the time.

Infiniti says there are two key factors in the car’s hybrid setup that separate it from other hybrid cars. The first being the lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery pack – which is twice as powerful as conventional batteries. The second is the apparent direct manner in which the petrol or electric power is delivered to the rear wheels. One of the benefits of the 7-speed Adaptive Shift Control transmission is that there is no torque converter, and therefore no losses that torque converters cause.

One other interesting features of the Infinit M35 Hybrid is the world’s first Blind Spot Intervention (BSI) system. Although called a world first, it’s a take on the Volvo BLIS system, which warns the driver if there is another vehicle in their blindspot, however the Infiniti system also actively prevents the car form being steered into their path

Highlights of the M35 Hybrid

* World premiere of Infiniti’s first production hybrid at 2010 Geneva Motor Show
* M35 HYBRID the low CO2 champion of all-new M Line saloon range
* Innovative new INFINITI DIRECT RESPONSE HYBRID technology with one motor/two clutch system
* Decoupling V6 engine reduces frictional losses for outstanding efficiency
* Responsive Adaptive Shift Control 7-speed automatic transmission
* Linear power delivery and incisive rear-drive handling: a hybrid for keen drivers
* Joins M Line range from 2011

Aston Martin V12 Vantage Carbon Black Edition Geneva 2010

Alborz Fallah — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 02:28:12 +0000

As part of Aston Martin’s 2010 plans a series of special editions are being built such as the Aston Martin V12 Vantage and DBS Carbon Black Edition.

Aston Martin Australia operational manager Marcel Fabris told CarAdvice there are three V12 Vantage Carbon Black and one DBS Carbon Black editions on their way to Australia.

The very first of the Aston Martin V12 Vantage Carbon Black Editions is currently on display at this year’s Geneva Motorshow.

Aston says the V12 Vantage has surpassed all sales expectations since launch. To celebrate its success the special edition models will feature bespoke Carbon Black metallic paint especially formulated with a subtle metallic twist to create a deep rich patina.

Although all Aston Martins are already special ’standard’, an additional 50 man-hours of hand painting followed by stringent quality checks is in order for the Carbon Black Editions.

Additionally the Aston Martin side strake has been restyled from carbon fibre backed by a black mesh and complimented with gloss black 10 spoke diamond turned alloy wheels.

Other unique exterior features to the V12 Vantage Carbon Black Edition include a bright finished grille and front parking sensors (normally an option).

Each Carbon Black is bestowed with a carbon fibre sill plaque etched with V12 Vantage Carbon Black in stainless steel.

The Aston Martin V12 Vantage Carbon Black Edition and Aston Martin DBS Carbon Black Edition will attract a five per cent price premium over the equivalent ’standard’ models.

Aston Martin V12 Vantage Review