Australian Car Advice | News Blog

Placed an order for a Maserati GranTurismo lately? Needing some luggage to go with it? Well, you’re in luck my friends.

Maserati has teamed up with Ferragamo to produce a bespoke luggage set for your GT. Using the GT’s grille as inspiration, two calfskin carry sets are available.

Here are the top three car commercials voted by our friends in the UK.

Skoda Fabia:

Audi Australia has announced plans to build a $50 million showroom and Australian headquarters in Sydney

The Audi “lighthouse”, will be built on a 3655sqm site on South Dowling Street in the southern city-fringe suburb of Rosebery. The Victoria Park area marked for the development has previous automotive associations. It was the site of the ill-fated Leyland Australia factory that built the P76.

Hyundai America has began a new type of marketing campaign to initiate a change of perception towards the Korean manufacturer. For many, the thought of a Hyundai (or Kia) conjures images of cheap and nasty Excels stuck on the side of the road, and this image is stalling sales, the company believes.

The “Think about it” campaign starts by showing off Hyundai vehicles without mentioning the brand at all. Instead it aims to intrigue the audience to visit Hyundai’s new website, thinkaboutit.com.

“The Hyundai brand has an opportunity to define itself in the eyes of the consumer,” says Jeff Goodby, co-chairman of the ad agency in charge of the campaign. “We feel that the campaign will close the huge gap between the reality of Hyundai vehicles and perceptions that consumers have about the brand.“

One of the more interesting commercials asks viewers to ponder: “Shouldn’t a car have more airbags than cupholders?” While a print ad shows a sumo wrestler representing Hyundai’s 10-year, 100,000-mile new-vehicle warranty (U.S. only) against the opposition which offer lesser warranties.

Fortunately for Hyundai, the marketing campaign is backed up by solid vehicles and a great deal of promise for the future.

The Korean company is working on a V8 powered, rear-wheel-drive sedan (concept Genesis) for next year, while also recently announcing the next-generation Tiburon will be more performance focused with a rear-wheel-drive setup and performance bits.

To introduce the new performance Lexus IS-F in the US, a few lucky Club Lexus members were handed the keys to these 300kW monsters to put them to the ultimate test on the famed Laguna Seca Raceway.

“We also got to test drive the IS350, GS430 Hybrid and LS600 Hybrid models. AND, when I mean test drive, I don’t mean driving on a coned parking lot, but on the famed Laguna Seca Raceway.”

Source: TechEBlog via The Car Lounge

In support of visual arts in Australia, Mazda - the country’s leading vehicle importer - have become the presenting partner of Sydney’s largest urban arts festival, Chalk the Walk 2007.

In line with their sponsorship, their all new Mazda2 - which goes on sale from October 1 - will take centre stage as a work of art in its own right. Two will be displayed on the Festival’s home site, Pyrmont Bridge, and headline pavement artist Jenny McCracken will even decorate one with a chalk masterpiece.

Mazda Australia managing director Doug Dickson said:

“Chalk The Walk is a perfect brand fit with our All New Mazda2. Boasting chic, ultra-modern styling and universal appeal, the new generation Mazda2 attracts a much younger, trendier buyer that Chalk The Walk allows us to connect with.”

This year Mazda is celebrating its 15th year of supporting the Arts. Mazda’s other arts sponsorships include Opera Australia, Arts Exhibitions Australia and the Brisbane International Film Festival.

Not everyone is destined to drive a Porsche in their lifetime – let alone own one.

Porsche owners describe driving a Porsche as a sensual experience, one that can’t be replicated by any other car. With cars ranging from expensive, to very expensive, there is a Porsche to suit every level of success.

It’s the same story with the five levels of driver training offered by Porsche at their tailor made driver training program – the Porsche Driving Experience. Each level offers a different and unique experience, ranging from beginner courses in cars like the Boxster, Boxster S, 911 Carrera and 911 Cabriolet, right through to advanced courses in vehicles like the hard core 911 GT3 and even track time in the 911 GT3 Carrera Cup race car.

Level 1 – Precision

Before you get thrown the keys, you are taught the basics of car control, such as the differences between understeer and oversteer, along with the way to manage – and avoid – hazards, if and when they arise.

After a bit of theory, participants jump in to sample hazardous situations first hand. Professional instruction is constant, with drivers experiencing every aspect of control.

The Level 1 course runs for one day at Mount Cotton (Queensland) and is priced at $1,265. This is the perfect start for beginners and offers the perfect opportunity to get behind the wheel of a Porsche.

Level 2 – Precision Plus

Level 2 training builds on the basis offered in Level 1. Level 1 training is therefore a prerequisite for Level 2 training.

Perfect for those punters who enjoy decidedly sports driving, the Level 2 course offers attendees training on how to handle a vehicle and respond correctly during a hazardous situation.

Participants learn how to master bends under the mindful eye of a professional instructor, with a focus on road traffic hazards. Drivers are then offered a chance to experience exercises which simulate loss of control, with an emphasis on retaining control while driving at the vehicle’s limits.

The Level 2 course is a single day course and is available at Mount Cotton (Queensland) and is priced at $1,265. Remember, prior completion of the Level 1 course is required before being permitted entry into the Level 2 course.

Level 3 – Performance

With Level 2 and subsequently Level 1 as prerequisites, the third level of driver training offered delves deeper into the track aspect of Porsche driving.

Participants in the Level 3 course receive tuition on maintaining the racing line at high speeds, along with load changing reactions the vehicle emits with varied braking and cornering techniques

Circuit lapping is concentrated on, as is keeping the vehicle steady throughout all parts of a race track. Drivers are also given the opportunity to hone and test their skills on a specially designed ‘challenge circuit’, set to sort the good from the bad.

Instructors monitor your performance from a lead vehicle prior to offering further advice. It’s then onto the solo lap where the reins are yours to punt a Porsche around the track to test all the skills learnt.

Both Level 1 and Level 2 driver training courses are prerequisites for the Level 3 course. The third course is held at Queensland Raceway and runs for a single day. Entry into the course costs $1,540.

Level 4 – Master

Ladies and Gentlemen, this is where the men are separated from the boys. The Level 4 course not only brings on further honing of race techniques, it offers drivers quite possibly one of the best training vehicles known to man – the Porsche 911 GT3.

The 911 GT3 is Porsche’s road legal race car – so to speak. Punching out 306kW from its 3.6-litre motor, the 911 GT3 features adjustable dampers, roll bars and race tuned suspension – coupled with the ultimate in race tread, Michelin Pilot Sport Cup tyres. There is no better way to learn car control on a track than in the 911 GT3.

Level 4 participants drive 911 GT3s fitted with satellite tracking nodes that – after completing a race lap – can record precise information about the vehicle’s speed and braking habits, which are then compared to those recorded by the instructor.

One on one tuition with racing professionals, along with radio communication provides the perfect test bed to bring out the racer in you. Such an experience can only be found on a race track and there’s no better way to sample it than in a race-prepped 911 GT3.

Levels 1, 2 and 3 are prerequisites for Level 4. This one day event is held at Queensland Raceway and costs $2,997.

Level 5 – GT3 Cup

This is quite possible the ultimate driving experience on offer in Australia for a racing nut. Porsche’s Level 5 Driving Experience course offers up to six participants the opportunity to drive a race-prepped Porsche 911 GT3 Carrera Cup race car around Queensland Raceway.

This course isn’t open to anyone though. Drivers must have either completed training levels 1 – 4, or have a national racing license.

A professional instructor and Porsche engineer is on hand to work with you to improve your experience and explain aspects of the car and your performance around the track. After a few laps with the instructor to confirm braking points and racing lines, you are handed the keys to begin solo laps in manageable blocks – whilst being monitored from pit lane by the instructor and Porsche engineer.

At the end of this adventure packed day, participants will be provided with their own unique DVD which includes footage from in-car cameras to provide a memento to treasure for life.

Porsche’s Level 5 course is a one day event and costs $5,995 to complete. The event is held at Queensland Raceway.

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As you can tell, the Porsche Driving Experience is a unique training collaboration that enhances a driver’s ability on the road and in the case of Levels 4 and 5, can be the ultimate excuse to hit the race track.People who don’t readily have access to Porsches will find the courses on offer a win-win situation. Driver training, along with the chance to ride in an expensive sports car is often hard to come by. With reasonable prices and professional instructors, there’s no better way to learn advanced driving skills in a safe and manageable environment.

For more information about Porsche Driving Experiences, please call Porsche Cars Australia on 1800 062 911.

Hyundai’s short lived Santa Fe ad is back, albeit with a few modifications.

The ad was pulled from air five months ago by the Advertising Standrards Board after over eighty mindless complaints from viewers (who clearly had nothing better to do) claimed the ad was a bad influence on children and that it could lead to toddlers driving cars or even hitch hiking.

Give me a break!

It seems in our politically correct world that some light hearted, imaginative advertising is too much for our fragile minds to take (though somehow pinky finger wiggling insults to our manhood are acceptable).

Personally I thought it was a good ad, cute even, but clearly I am mad and should be outcast from society.

So for now it’s a case of no fast cars in ads, no toddlers surfing in nappies, and no ‘fancy’ driving. Perhaps we should just look at a car static on the screen for thirty seconds, engine off so as not to offend our ears, or hug some trees and catch the train instead.

But I digress. For now, at least, the ad is back. There’s no driving scenes and no hitch hiking babies, but at least, in part, it’s a small win for common sense.

Matt

It seems the RTA are not even trying to be subtle with their latest ad campaign.

I realise how ridiculous this sounds, but this is a completely RTA endorsed advertisement and can be found here on their website.

With the apparent success of their initial pinky-wiggling campaign, the RTA have thrown caution to the wind and blatantly connected speeding (better described as hooning) with poor endowment.

Even more strange it seems, is that the RTA is apparently a Capricorn - and single, ladies. That is according to their MySpace profile. No, you read it correctly, in order to connect with our youth the RTA have aimed this campaign directly at young male driver’s through MySpace.

Since Hollywood has made us all but immune to blood and gore, traditional RTA scare campaigns no longer have an effect, so it seems they have had no choice but to resort to shocking the audience with these controversial ad campaigns.

Perhaps it is time they moved on from blatantly targeting male drivers (one of the tags associated with the MySpace video is simply ‘male’) and came up with new, more appropriate campaign slogans such as, “Yes honey, you look fine…” which deals with the dangers of applying make-up while driving. Followed by “You know, like - whatever” condemning teenage girls using mobile phones whilst driving.

So far Myspace users have ridiculed the ad and the RTA’s advertising methods. Mypace user Alex said “The RTA are oblivious” while a more comical response came from Brian who said:

“Driving slower wont increase the size of your *****, but speeding will decrease the size of it (if I read the advertisement correctly). So for guys with 20″ ******* that scare chicks away, speed more and your **** will become 8 inches!!!”

What the RTA fails to realise is that no matter what, young males will always be just that, young males, who are inherent high risk takers.

So I still retain that encouraging the use of public race tracks rather then continuously condemning speeding would better suit both parties. Since it seems advanced driving courses are out of the question, how about subsidising public race tracks and allowing driver’s to teach themselves by taking their cars to the limit in a controlled and safe environment?

George Skentzos

A survey conducted by Interbrand and BusinessWeek (the New York-based global business media organisation) has put together the top 10 automotive brands, ranked by brand value.

2007 Interbrand Ranking
Top100 Ranking	Automotive Ranking	Auto Brand	Brand Value(US $ Bil)
6	1	Toyota	32.1
7	2	M. Benz	23.6
13	3	BMW	21.6
19	4	Honda	18
41	5	Ford	9
54	6	VW	6.5
68	7	Audi	4.9
72	8	Hyundai	4.5
75	9	Porsche	4.2
92	10	Lexus	3.4
98	11	Nissan	3.1

Toyota has once again taken first place with a brand value estimated at US$32.1 billion, putting the Japanese manufacturer ahead of Mercedes Benz which has an estimated value of $23.6 billion USD.

The big winner though is Honda which ranks ahead of not only Ford but VW, Audi, Porsche and a whole lot more! Another notable mention in the top 10 is Hyundai which has managed to nudge Porsche out of eight place.