Car News

DEALERS are likely to be desperate to do a sharp price on a new car in March – traditionally the second-biggest month of the year for sales – after figures for February revealed the biggest market slowdown since the Global Financial Crisis. It is now 11 months in a row sales have fallen short of the same month the previous year — and even market leader Toyota has been hit hard.

This week Mandy Turner is joined by Paul Maric and James Wong. In car news, the NSW opposition is planning to slug car buyers with the highest stamp duty in Australia, Toyota customers are paying more luxury car tax than many other buyers, and the Australian EV Council has slammed Federal Government's 'plan about a plan' on EVs. Plus, the Honda E Prototype and 2020 Volkswagen T-Roc R have been unveiled.

HSV has confirmed it'll bring the 2019 Chevrolet Camaro to Australia, complete with the option of a manual transmission and a higher $86,990 starting price before on-road costs. Headline news is the addition of a six-speed manual option to the Camaro, which now becomes the standard transmission. A 10-speed automatic is an option ($2200) and brings customisable launch control and line-lock.

Euro NCAP has released the latest round of safety ratings this week, with the new Honda CR-V, Mercedes-Benz G-Class and Seat Tarraco all scoring top marks. All three vehicles were tested against the firm's latest 2019 criteria, each achieving at least 90 per cent for adult occupant protection and 80 per cent for child occupants. In particular, the Seat managed an impressive 97 per cent for adult occupant protection, which Euro NCAP says is amongst the best score in this category.

Australia looks likely to make autonomous emergency braking (AEB) mandatory on all new vehicles sold from the early 2020s, pending the passage of draft UN standards. Unlike the rules soon to face the European Union parliament, which includes lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring and black box data recorders, the United Nations World Forum for Harmonisation of Vehicle Regulations rules relate exclusively to autonomous emergency braking.