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SUBSCRIBE FREE: www.GoAutoMedia.com ADVERTISE: Steve Butcher Ph: 0419 562 110 [email protected]
May 23, 2012 No. 631
GoAuto NewsJohn Mellor’s
Australia’s No.1 Automotive Industry Journal 70,000 Readers Weekly
THE NEW CASTROL PROFESSIONAL RANGE IS NOWBETTER THAN EVER. CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT MORE.
EXCLUSIVEBy RON HAMMERTON
Holden’s hi-tech VFHolden’s hi-tech VFCrash warning system among tech treats for 2013 Commodore and Chevrolet SS
INSIDEPRIUS V WAGONHITS THE ROAD
A COLLISION warning system,
blind-spot alert and keyless remote
engine start are among the hi-tech
features set to make their Holden debut
on the company’s new-generation VF
Commodore and its American export
offshoot, the Chevrolet SS, that are both
due in showrooms next year.
Electric power-assisted steering and
an electric park brake are also included
in the new Australian-developed large
car that will carry the Commodore
badge through to about 2018, and
perhaps for the last time.
Lighter and more frugal than the current
VE Commodore that was introduced in
2006, the VF will employ a host of fuel-
saving measures, starting with a greater
use of thin, high-strength steel.
Despite speculation that the new
Commodore would use aluminium in
its sheetmetal, GoAuto has been told
that steel is being employed on the
skin of camoufl aged prototypes now
roaming Victorian roads, in both left-
and right-hand-drive forms.
GM chairman and managing director
Mike Devereux told the fi rst Alternative
Fuels Summit in Brisbane last year that
GM Holden had targeted “mid-eights”
fuel consumption for the VF, thanks
partly to a federal government Green
Car Innovation Fund co-investment
grant of $39.8 million to develop
methods to cut the car’s mass and
aerodynamic drag.
Ultra-light plastic moulded door
trims, a plastic spare wheel holder in the
boot, revised suspension components
and featherweight headlight assemblies
are among a vast number of components
redeveloped by engineers to help cut
fuel economy by a minimum seven per
cent while also improving performance
of the new model.
The pre-crash system is probably
GM’s Forward Collision Warning
System that debuted on the GMC Terrain
SUV in the US last year. It uses a single
digital camera mounted at the top of the
windscreen and sophisticated computer
algorithms to detect an imminent frontal
crash and warn the driver.
On the Commodore, it is expected to
be standard equipment on upper-spec
models, including the Chevrolet SS
bound for North America in late 2013.
FULL STORY: CLICK HERE Chevrolet SVO in frame – next page
May 23, 2012 Page 2
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Chevrolet SVO in frameChevrolet SVO in frame
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PUBLISHER: John MellorEDITOR: Terry Martin MANAGING EDITOR: Ron HammertonJOURNALISTS: Haitham Razagui, Mike Costello, Byron Mathioudakis, James Stanford PRODUCTION: Luc BrittenSUB-EDITOR: David HassallEDITORIAL ASSISTANT: Tim NicholsonProduced by GoAutoMedia: Ph: (03) 9598 6477 [email protected]
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GoAuto NewsJohn Mellor’s
HSV could benefi t fromSS program as Crennanconfi rms briefi ngs in US
ONE of America’s biggest car dealers
and most successful NASCAR team
owners, Rick Hendrick, has emerged
as a central fi gure in the future of the
Holden-built Chevrolet SS, both on the
racetrack and in the showroom.
Mr Hendrick, whose 79 dealerships in
12 American states sold almost as many
cars as Holden’s entire dealer network
for a $4.9 billion turnover in 2011,
appears to be a prime candidate for a
Chevrolet special vehicles operation
(SVO) using the Commodore-based,
rear-drive sports sedan when it goes on
sale in North America in the second half
of next year.
Founding managing director
of Holden Special Vehicles John
Crennan has confi rmed to GoAuto
that Mr Hendrick – whose Hendrick
Motorsports team is set to race the
Chevrolet SS in NASCAR’s Sprint
Cup next year – was one of two major
dealers/race-team owners he visited
last year to brief on the HSV business
model ahead of the rollout of the SS.
He also made a presentation on
the successful operations of HSV to
mega-dealer, trucking magnate and
race-team owner Roger Penske at his
Detroit base.
Mr Penske is the founder and
major shareholder in the world’s
second-biggest dealer group, Penske
Automotive Group, with a whopping
327 motor vehicle retail franchises in
four countries, and runs one of the most
successful motor racing operations in
the US.
However, Mr Penske’s NASCAR
team recently announced it will race
Ford’s Fusion next year – a move
that might not sit as comfortably with
General Motors’ North American
management, headed by former
Holden managing directors Mark
Reuss and Alan Batey.
As GoAuto reported in July last
year, Mr Crennan’s presentations were
made in his capacity as an independent
consultant to the motor industry after
completing his 30-month “no compete”
restraint period after retiring from the
board of HSV.
This week, he said he did not know
if Mr Hendrick or Mr Penske were
proceeding with an SVO for the new
Chevrolet SS, as he was now involved
with Nissan in his management role for
the Kelly Racing V8 Supercar team,
and no longer could get involved with
GM projects.
Mr Crennan was pivotal to the recent
signing of Nissan as V8 Supercar’s
third brand, with race development of
the all-new Altima mid-sized sedan
now underway at Kelly Racing for a
race debut in season 2013.
GoAuto understands Mr Crennan’s
presentations to Mr Hendrick and
Mr Penske were made with the full
knowledge of Chevrolet management,
including Mr Batey.
FULL STORY: CLICK HEREMore reports – next page
Chevrolet SS racecar in testing
EXCLUSIVEBy RON HAMMERTON
May 23, 2012 Page 3
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GoAuto NewsJohn Mellor’s
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BATEY PROMOTIONFORMER GM Holden chairman and
managing director Alan Batey was last
week promoted to a newly created top
sales and marketing role in General
Motors North America – on the day
that GM announced the born-again
Commodore export program to the US.
And in another delicious twist for
Holden fans, Mr Batey, 49, will report
directly to another former GM Holden
boss Mark Reuss, who is GM North
America president.
The two men both championed
the Holden-designed and engineered
Commodore for the US and
Canada, where it will now be given
another chance as the Chevrolet SS
performance car and NASCAR fl ag
carrier for Chevrolet from 2013.
FULL STORY: CLICK HERE
‘Exciting times’‘Exciting times’
Holden seals US export deal with VF CommodoreBy RON HAMMERTON
HOLDEN'S lighter, more fuel effi cient
and more powerful new VF Commodore
will land in Australian showrooms next
year ahead of the North American debut
of its export variant, the Chevrolet SS,
in late 2013.
GM Holden last week confi rmed the
2013 rollout for the locally designed
and engineered large-car twins, with
the left-hand-drive American version
set to go on sale in limited numbers as
a premium high-performance SS sedan.
The company did not rule out exports
of Chev-badged Holden Utes and
Commodore Sportwagons to the US
alongside the SS sedan at a later point,
with Holden engineering executive
director Greg Tyus telling journalists
in a phone hook-up from Holden’s
Melbourne headquarters: “We are
discussing sedan at the current time.”
And exports of the Chevrolet SS to
other markets such as the Middle East
and Europe might be on the cards. “If
something arises, we will consider it at
that time,” Mr Tyus said.
Mr Tyus confi rmed the Chevrolet
version of the Australian-developed
rear-drive sedan would carry General
Motors’ hopes in NASCAR’s Sprint
Cup, making its debut in the legendary
Daytona 500 in Florida in the last
weekend in February.
A photo of a camoufl aged Chev SS
NASCAR test car, along with another
image of the ‘SS’ badge, were released
by both Holden and its global parent
General Motors last Friday.
The Aussie Commodore is likely to
make its own local racing debut in the
fi rst round of the 2013 V8 Supercar
season under the new ‘Car of the
Future’ rules around the same time in
late February/early March, ahead of its
local showroom debut later in the year.
If so, Holden will have to publicly
out the car somewhat earlier to facilitate
team testing, with the Australian
International Motor Show in Sydney in
October a logical date.
FULL STORY: CLICK HEREMore reports – page 6, 18
MORE KEY GM MOVESGM HAS announced the appointment
of Mark Barnes as vice-president of
sales, marketing and aftersales for
GM International Operations (GMIO),
which includes China, India, Australia
and other regions.
To be based at GMIO headquarters
in Shanghai, Mr Barnes reports to
GMIO president Tim Lee and fi lls the
vacancy created when Susan Docherty
was appointed president and managing
director of Chevrolet Europe.
Meanwhile, former GM Europe
and GMIO president Nick Reilly has
resurfaced as the Asia Pacifi c chairman
of global automotive consulting fi rm
MSX International.
FULL STORY: CLICK HERE
May 23, 2012 Page 4
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GoAuto NewsJohn Mellor’s
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Toyota’s Prius V wagonarrives as a value-laden,single-spec $36K model
The The VVersatile hybridersatile hybrid
By MIKE COSTELLOTOYOTA Australia has added a fourth
member to its petrol-electric hybrid
range in the form of the seven-seat
Prius V, priced at a sharp $35,990 plus
on-road costs.
The third and largest member of
Toyota’s expanding Prius hybrid family
– alongside the Prius C light car (from
$23,990) and standard Prius ($33,990)
– will therefore become Australia’s
second-cheapest people-mover after the
similarly sized Kia Rondo.
The Prius V will slot in underneath
the larger Tarago eight-seater range
(from $52,490), giving Toyota an
effective replacement for the Avensis
people-mover that it discontinued 18
months ago.
It also bolsters the brand’s petrol-
electric family car showroom presence
alongside the locally built Camry
Hybrid, which starts from $34,990.
Toyota Australia will look to its newest
model to further the strong sales growth
this year of its Prius hybrid line-up –
which it calls a “standalone model range”.
Sales of the Prius hatch – which
received a facelift in March – have
rebounded this year, up 29.8 per cent
to the end of April after recording a 47
per cent drop in 2011, while the Prius
C has had a strong start, recording 405
deliveries in its fi rst full month on sale.
Toyota Australia expects Prius V to
contribute about 100 sales a month, with
70 per cent being private customers.
Globally, Toyota is projecting it will sell
one million hybrid vehicles this calendar
year – including members of its Lexus
luxury arm – compared to 630,000 units
last year, prompting the company to label
2012 as “the year of the hybrid”.
Last month, Toyota Australia made
public its ambitious 22 per cent growth
target (including Lexus) for this year,
following a 2011 result hampered by
supply shortages in the wake of natural
disasters in Thailand and Japan.
The cheaper-than-expected Prius V
is available in a single specifi cation,
with Toyota overlooking the fi ve-seat
option available in some overseas
markets due the comparative lack of
cabin fl exibility.
Toyota Australia executive director of
sales and marketing Matthew Callachor
said the size, pricing and fuel effi ciency
of the Prius V will help it conquest
sales from a wide range of passenger
vehicles, not just people-movers.
Continued next page
May 23, 2012 Page 5
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GoAuto NewsJohn Mellor’s
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The The VVersatile hybridersatile hybridContinued from previous page
“Prius V will compete in multiple
segments with its combination of size,
versatility and fuel effi ciency in a mid-
size package,” he said.
“We see Prius V as an alternative to
small or mid-size sedans and wagons
as well as compact SUVs and crossover
vehicles – with fuel economy few of
them can match.
“With the added cargo space, the
Prius V might also make an ideal light
delivery vehicle for fl orists and small-
package delivery services.”
The Prius V is powered by a
73kW/142Nm 1.8-litre Atkinson Cycle
petrol engine matched with a 650-volt
electric motor producing 60kW/207Nm,
giving a maximum combined output of
100kW, the same as the regular Prius.
Helped by a slippery 0.29 drag
coeffi cient, the Prius V achieves class-
leading claimed fuel economy of just
4.4 litres of 95 RON premium fuel per
100km on the combined cycle – half a
litre more than its smaller Prius siblings,
both of which record 3.9L/100km.
CO2 emissions are listed at just 101
grams per kilometre, compared to 89g/
km in the regular Prius hatch.
Unlike other Prius models, the Prius
V features a more advanced (and
expensive) lithium-ion battery pack
rather than the regular Prius nickel-
metal hydride system.
The space-saving battery pack –
the fi rst of its kind in a Toyota sold in
Australia – is mounted beneath the
centre console, helping to free up the
necessary room for a third row of seats.
Power is channelled to the front
wheels via an E-CVT (continuously
variable transmission) with three modes
– EV, Eco and Power.
Like the regular Prius, the V can
operate at speeds of up to 50km/h in full-
electric mode, albeit with a maximum
range of 2km. The car also employs full
EV mode at start-up and when in reverse.
The Prius V is marginally larger in all
departments than its Prius hatch sibling,
being 135mm longer at 4615mm, 30mm
wider at 1775mm wide and 100mm
taller at 1590mm high, riding on an
80mm longer wheelbase of 2780mm.
FULL STORY: CLICK HERE For drive impressions, go to
GoAuto.com.au from this afternoon
May 23, 2012 Page 6
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GoAuto NewsJohn Mellor’s
Moore Stephens knows the automotive landscape across Australia.
Our member fi rms around Australia provide a broad range of fi nancial and consulting services to the industry. We are delighted to welcome Brett Fowler and his team into our Melbourne fi rm, John Gavljak and his team to our Sydney fi rm and Henry Veronese to our Adelaide fi rm.
These recent appointments secure our position as one of the leading advisors to the Automotive industry.
Contact: Brett Fowler, Partner John Gavljak, Partner Henry Veronese03 8635 1907 02 8215 7964 08 8205 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]
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Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation. Moore Stephens is a network of independent fi rms which are independent members of Moore Stephens International limited – members in principal cities throughout the world.
We understand your terrain ...
Public EV charge station opens at Port MelbourneHQ ahead of Volt launch
Holden Volt in chargeHolden Volt in charge
By HAITHAM RAZAGUIHOLDEN moved a step closer to
launching the Volt range-extender
electric vehicle with the unveiling last
week of a public charging station on
the forecourt of its Port Melbourne
headquarters.
The company joins Nissan and
Mitsubishi in installing public charging
points at their Australian headquarters,
with Nissan setting up charging points
for Nissan Leaf drivers at its HQ at
Dandenong, Victoria, and Mitsubishi
establishing a fast-charger for i-MiEVs
at its Tonsley Park offi ces in South
Australia.
A driveway to the charging point
gives 24-hour access to Volt customers
via a swipe card.
Sydney-based EV infrastructure
supplier ChargePoint installed six
additional charging stations around
Holden’s headquarters, as well as
the Lang Lang proving ground, all
supplied by renewable electricity
from Origin Energy.
Federal climate change, energy
effi ciency, industry and innovation
minister Greg Combet was driven up
to the charging station in a Volt so he
could be the fi rst member of the public
to plug in a car.
He described the Volt as “the motor
vehicle of the future that is being
delivered now by General Motors”.
“It brings together many of the things
that we need to meet as a nation in the
years ahead – cleaner energy sources,
cleaner motor vehicles, advanced
engineering work and ensuring we are
utilising renewable energy,” he said.
“I congratulate the engineering work
that General Motors has put into the
development of the Volt and I look
forward to its take-up within Australia.”
Holden’s charger is a level-two
3.3kW unit, which takes less than four
hours to recharge the Volt, providing
an electric-only range of up to 80km,
extended to 600km when the 1.4-litre
petrol generator engine kicks in.
The Volt, which will go on sale in
Australia by the end of this year with
an expected price of between $50,000
and $60,000, can also be plugged into
a standard 10-amp outlet – unlike the
i-MiEV and Leaf – which charges it in
less than six hours at a cost of about $2.50.
FULL STORY: CLICK HERESharing EVs around – next page
Volt
May 23, 2012 Page 7
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Bosch EV charge pointbehind residential tower as car-share catches on
Sharing EVs aroundSharing EVs around
By IAN PORTERBOSCH Australia has joined with
the GoGet car-sharing company to
help make available the fi rst electric-
car share vehicle in a residential
development.
The Mitsubishi i-MiEV will join
more than 100 other GoGet vehicles
in the company’s Melbourne car-share
network, with the majority being small
Toyotas and Hyundais.
GoGet has more than 800 cars
stationed across Sydney, Adelaide and
Melbourne and all are available to more
than 19,000 GoGet subscribers.
The car-share company was invited
to install the Mitsubishi i-MiEV in the
garage below the Claremont residential
tower in South Yarra by developers
Red.c and Michael L Yates Pty Ltd.
“When we started in 2003 we imagined
having car-share vehicles in residential
buildings and were told ‘that’s a crazy
idea, what are you thinking?’” said
GoGet co-founder Bruce Jeffreys.
“In those initial years it was very
diffi cult to get people believing in car
share, even by parking on the street.
“So to be here in a development
building, seeing a car-share facility with
Australia’s fi rst electric car in a public
development, it’s a big day.”
Mr Jeffreys said most people living
close in to the city do not need to own
a car.
“There are many people in Sydney
who don’t need a car every day,” he
said. “Most of the time they can get
around without a car.
“But they do get stuck on those
occasions when they need a car, so we
started Australia’s fi rst car-share network.”
GoGet subscribers pay a monthly fee
and 39 cents a kilometre. For casual
users, the monthly fee is $9 and the
hourly rate is $8.45 while, for frequent
users, the monthly rate is $29 and the
hourly rate is $5.65.
These fees cover virtually everything,
including petrol, avoiding all the costs
associated with owning a vehicle such
as depreciation, maintenance, fuel and
insurance.
“They book a car by the hour, they
use it, bring it back and it’s there for the
next person to use,” said Mr Jeffreys.
FULL STORY: CLICK HEREMore reports – page 22
May 23, 2012 Page 8
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DISTRICT SERVICE MANAGER
A CAREER THAT’S NOT DIFFERENT SHADES OF BLAND.
Put your relationship building skills to work and build rapport with our Dealer Network and Holden internal communities.
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www.holden.com.au/careers and search for reference number: SAL0002971
Developing lighter cars need not see the featureslist fall, but CD is passé
Higher spec, lighter worldHigher spec, lighter world
By HAITHAM RAZAGUIHIGH customer expectations for
equipment and safety mean car
companies will be forced to think
smarter about how to design vehicles –
especially for the mass-market – while
continuing to reduce weight in response
to the pressure of ever-increasing fuel-
effi ciency requirements.
This was the consensus among a
panel of leading designers from the
big three Detroit car-makers at a recent
Auto Press Association presentation.
It also echoes the efforts of
companies like Holden, which is
working to reduce the weight of its
forthcoming VF Commodore, Mazda,
which is introducing its SkyActiv
technology, and Volkswagen Group,
which will save weight and cost with
its new MQB platform.
Cadillac exterior design director
Bob Boniface does not believe
manufacturers will reduce the content
of their cars in order to save weight.
“They won’t sell (if content is
removed),” he said. “There is an
expectation on the customer’s behalf of
more and more feature content, more
and more safety content – that’s always
going to be there, that’s a fact of life.”
Mr Boniface pointed to the lack of
success Indian car-maker Tata has so far
experienced with its no-frills Nano, the
world’s cheapest car.
“I don’t think there is any market
on earth that has embraced a car like
that yet,” he said. “I think it’s an
admirable pursuit, but the expectation
is always going to be for more and
more and more.
“There are smart ways to (save weight)
and I don’t think we are ever going to
start de-contenting vehicles.”
Ford chief interior designer Mike
Arbaugh said customers “want
everything” in terms of equipment and
interior ambience, regardless of segment.
“It’s a challenge; you want it to look
good, you want it to feel good, you want
it to be comfortable, you want the cup-
holders, you need the USB ports … it’s
just a big balancing act,” he said.
Mr Arbaugh suggested one feature
that could be dispensed of in the near
future is the CD player, due to the
number of people now using USB
music storage or Bluetooth streaming,
which would result in a weight saving
of more than two kilograms.
He described how the days of saving
weight by fi tting an instrument panel
made from 3.5mm thick hard plastic
were over “because nobody liked it”,
and how engineers have achieved
the now de-rigueur soft-touch vinyl
or leather surface fi nishes without
increasing weight.
Part of the solution was reducing the
thickness of the underlying substrate by
1mm, but engineers went a step further
by injecting tiny bubbles of nitrogen
into the polyurethane.
FULL STORY: CLICK HERE
2013 Ford EcoSport
May 23, 2012 Page 9
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DEALER DEVELOPMENT CONSULTANT – 12 month contract
The Fiat Chrysler Group is seeking a Dealer Development Consultant for a 12 month contract to further develop the reach and
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New Mercedes B-Class achieves almost-perfectscore in ANCAP testing
A star is A star is BBornorn
By MIKE COSTELLOTHE Mercedes-Benz B-Class small
hatch has been awarded the highest
crash test score ever recorded by the
Australasian New Car Assessment
Program (ANCAP).
The B-Class, which went on sale in
Australia last month, scored an almost-
perfect 36.78 out of a possible 37 – a
result the organisation called “ahead of
its time”.
The fi ve-star test score applies to
all B-Class variants and exceeds the
36.59 points achieved last month by
the Australian-built Toyota Aurion
large sedan.
ANCAP chairman Lauchlan McIntosh
said the stellar result was partially
because of the range of standard ‘safety
assist technologies’ (SATs) fi tted to the
car, including a radar-based collision
warning system.
“The ANCAP ‘rating roadmap’
progressively introduces minimum
mandatory and additional SAT
requirements over the coming years,”
he said. “Ahead of its time, however,
the B-Class has scored beyond the
current requirements to achieve this
fi ve-star result.”
The crash-test organisation has said
it will increasingly shift its focus onto
active safety technologies as they become
more widely available over the next few
years, as part of its roadmap to 2016.
The full ANCAP report shows the
B-Class achieved a perfect 16 out of
16 points in the side impact crash test
and 15.78 out of 16 for the frontal offset
test, with marks lost only in relation to
the lower leg region.
A further fi ve bonus points were handed
out for its performance in the pole test and
the fi tment of seatbelt reminders.
The B-Class attained only an ‘acceptable’
pedestrian impact rating of 20.12 out of 36.
The near-perfect crash result was
carried over from Euro NCAP tests on a
left-hand-drive diesel model conducted
late last year, and weighed against
ANCAP criteria.
The second-generation B-Class is the
fi rst car to be built off Mercedes’ new
global MFA modular platform, and is sold
in Australia in three variants – the B180
petrol ($38,950), B200 petrol ($43,950)
and B200 diesel ($43,950).
ANCAP also awarded fi ve stars to
another new member of Mercedes’ model
line-up, the eight-seat Valente people-
mover released in March.
FULL STORY: CLICK HERE
B-Class
May 23, 2012 Page 10
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Inchcape are an EEO employer. Women encouraged to apply for these roles.Creating the ultimate customer experience
www.inchcape.com.au
Inchcape Automotive Retail is a leader in the Australian automotive industry and amongst the world’s largest automotive retailers and distributors. With a global organisation comes great opportunities for our senior leaders. Due to internal movements we have these roles available. In return for your experience, drive and leadership, we offer great bene ts, including competitive salary and commissions, drive car and much more. If you would like to be part of this dynamic team, in a leading automotive retail organisation, and can demonstrate all of the above, apply by sending your resume to [email protected].
• Based in Melbourne Metro • Managing both Sales and Service & Sydney, Parramatta • Build your team and achieve great results
To be successful our General Managers will need :• Solid Automotive industry experience• To understand nancials and be able to identify
key drivers and triggers to deliver success • To be able to lead, coach and develop your team
to ensure that they are the best they can be• To drive a high performance culture
GENERAL MANAGERS
Piping-hot ‘WRC Street’concept previews VW’s2013 R-rated light hatch
Polo R anticipationPolo R anticipation
S2000-inspired Skoda Citigo wows Worthersee crowds as VW Group goes on tourBy TERRY MARTIN
A RALLY-SPEC version of Skoda’s
Citigo compact hatch has made its
world premiere at the Volkswagen
Group’s annual enthusiasts’ meeting at
Lake Worthersee in Reifnitz, Austria.
Pointing to a potential off-tarmac
campaign and production model spin-
off of its all-new VW Up-based sub-
light hatch, the Citigo Rally concept
comes with an array of aggressive body
adornments including an oversized front
bumper with massive air intake, a big
downforce-producing roof-mounted
rear spoiler and broad fenders housing
low-profi le tyres on forged 18-inch rims.
There is also a heavily sculpted two-
tone bonnet, substantial side skirts
and, at the rear, a centrally mounted
exhaust and an aerodynamic rear
bumper with integrated diffuser.
The cabin includes a rollcage, racing
seats and a lightweight dashboard, with
switchgear “strongly reminiscent” of
those used in rallying.
FULL STORY: CLICK HERE
By MIKE COSTELLOVOLKSWAGEN has previewed its
hottest road-going Polo yet with the
Polo R WRC Street concept at the
Worthersee tuning festival in Austria.
The concept previews a forthcoming
fl agship variant – likely called Polo R –
which Volkswagen has confi rmed will be
launched towards the end of next year.
Power comes from a 2.0-litre
turbocharged petrol engine producing
162kW, which is not only 30kW more than
the Polo GTI, currently the hottest member
of VW’s light-car range, but 7kW more
than the Polo’s larger Golf GTI sibling.
Volkswagen has not confi rmed
that the fl agship Polo will wear ‘R’
badges, as widely speculated, joining
Golf and Scirocco variants with the
same nomenclature.
As the concept’s name suggests, it is
inspired by the Polo WRC racecar, which
Volkswagen will enter in the World Rally
Championship from next year.
To this end, the road-going concept
features unique WRC logos inside and out,
and is fi nished in the same blue-and-white
paint job as the fully fl edged rally machine.
Setting the WRC Street further apart
from its more humble Polo siblings are
a subtle rear spoiler, black rear diffuser,
lowered sports suspension, meaty
wheelarches fi nished in glossy black,
and 14-spoke alloy wheels covering
blue brake callipers.
An interior shot of the concept shows
a familiar Polo interior with blue-
stitched leather/suede sports seats and a
race steering wheel with paddle-shifters
for the DSG transmission.
Also on display at Worthersee was
a running prototype of the WRC rally
car ahead of its competition debut,
powered by a tuned 1.6-litre engine
with around 220kW that pushes the car
from 0-100km/h in 4.1 seconds.
FULL STORY: CLICK HERE
May 23, 2012 Page 11
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A rare & exciting opportunity exists; the role of LiveMarket Sales Specialist will see you selling innovative & user friendly products to automotive dealerships.If you have a natural ability in sales & previous experience within the retail automotive industry we want to hear from you!
Contact recruitment at carsales on 9093 8782 OR apply via www.careers.carsales.com.au
Are you respected in the automotive industry? Start a new career with Australia’s number one carsales website! Victoria and Queensland positions available
SALES SPECIALIST REQUIRED
Australia waits ongreen light for ESBy RON HAMMERTON
LEXUS Australia says it is still
awaiting approval from head offi ce
for the return of the mid-sized Lexus
ES to Australia, even though the right-
hand-drive version of the luxury sedan
has been given the green light for
production next year.
Local Lexus CEO Tony Cramb has
made no bones about his desire to
restore the front-drive ES to Aussie
showrooms, slotted between the
smaller IS and larger GS, both of
which sit on rear-drive platforms.
The proposal seemed in peril when
Japan – one of the world’s biggest
right-hand-drive markets – decided
against taking the ES, despite the fact
that it is manufactured in Japan for
global markets.
But collective pressure from other
RHD markets – including India –
ensured that cars with the steering
wheel on the right would be restored to
the range and manufactured alongside
the left-hand-drive model that is
primarily aimed at North America.
In Australia, the ES was squeezed
out of the range in 2005 with the
advent of the IS and GS, with Lexus
Australia skipping a generation.
The latest ES was unveiled at the
New York motor show in April, with
production for the US set to start in the
third quarter of this year.
FULL STORY: CLICK HERE
LF-LC aliveLF-LC alive
Lexus hybrid coupe now on the cards for productionBy RON HAMMERTON
LEXUS’ jaw-dropping LF-LC hybrid
concept is a step closer to showroom
reality, with the Australian arm of
Toyota’s luxury brand echoing overseas
statements by Lexus executives that the
2+2 sports coupe is a 50/50 prospect
for production.
And the coupe – potentially a competitor
for the Porsche 911 – might yet be joined
in the showroom by a red-hot ‘F’ variant
of the newly launched Lexus GS luxury
large car, with Lexus Australia chief
executive Tony Cramb telling GoAuto he
has seen an image of such a vehicle under
consideration in Japan.
The two sports machines are expected
to become major planks in the company’s
image overhaul – from conservative
prestige brand to excitement leader –
that started with the launch of the Lexus
LFA V10 supercar in late 2010.
Speaking at the Australian launch
of the GS450h hybrid luxury sedan in
Melbourne last week, Mr Cramb said
the word from within Lexus was that
the LF-LC was a 50/50 chance to get
the green light for production, although
it might be years away.
“I think that gives you a real good
sign of things to come from Lexus, both
from a styling point of view but also
excitement and engagement with the
customers,” he said.
“It was only a design concept at
Detroit, so it will defi nitely be years,
not months, away.”
Overseas reports suggest the
Californian-designed sports coupe has
fi rmed as a production model after a
chorus of positive reviews in the wake
of its Detroit debut as “a pure design
concept”.
Among the admirers were the judges
of the annual EyesOn Design Award,
who named the LF-LC the best concept
car at the 2012 Detroit show.
The LF-LC, which builds on the
“spindle grille” design of the latest GS,
is a front-engined, rear-wheel-drive
hybrid coupe with four seats.
Although no other driveline details or
fi rm performance fi gures were given,
the coupe was said to be powered by
a next-generation hybrid powertrain,
with Lexus promising “a rewarding
driving experience that is also kinder to
the environment”.
FULL STORY: CLICK HERE
We have an opening for the role of Public Relations Specialist. This role reports directly to the Public Relations Manager and is responsible for the following activities:• Assisting the Public Relations
Manager with the positive promotion of Mazda’s product and brand philosophy through the media
• Assisting with the development and implementation of new model launch events and national Public Relations strategies
• Writing press releases and assisting with press kit compilation
• Liaising with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders, including motoring and lifestyle media representatives
• Supporting long and short lead press events locally and internationally
• Leveraging existing sponsorships to further promote the Mazda brand
This is a full-time, Melbourne based role and may require domestic and occasional international travel.
Applicants will have a relevant tertiary qualification and have some experience working within a PR or communications role. Experience with the automotive industry would also be an advantage. Applicants will possess strong written communication, relationship building skills and be able to manage a busy, diverse workload effectively.
To apply, send your resume and a covering letter or email to: [email protected] quoting the reference PR-PRS-01 in the subject line. Applications close 25/05/2012.
Mazda is one of Australia’s most successful automotive companies, consistently driving business, brand and market growth in recent years. Our success has been driven by the Zoom-Zoom philosophy which inspires the design and engineering of our exciting range of vehicles, like the iconic MX-5, the hugely popular Mazda3 and the All-New CX-5.
The way in which our brand and products are represented in the media and perceived by the public is a critical factor in the strength of our brand.
We have an opening for the role of Public Relations Co-ordinator. This role reports directly to the Public Relations Manager and is responsible for the following activities:• Assisting the Public Relations
Manager with the positive promotion of Mazda’s product and brand philosophy through the media
• Administration of Mazda’s national press fleet
• Assisting with the implementation of new model launch events and national Public Relations strategies
• Monitoring and collating print and online media clippings
• Handling of Public Relations-related administrative tasks
such as database maintenance, travel bookings and accounts.
This is a full-time, Melbourne based role and may require occasional domestic travel.
A relevant tertiary qualification and PR experience would be preferred and an interest in the automotive industry would also be an advantage. Applicants will possess strong written communication, relationship building skills and be able to manage a busy, diverse workload effectively.
To apply, send your resume and a covering letter or email to: [email protected] the reference PR-PRCO-01 in the subject line. Applications close 01/06/2012.
May 23, 2012 Page 13
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DUTTONS AUTOMOTIVE is a successful award-winning 60-year-old family-owned business, comprising of 5 dealerships throughout Murray Bridge and Mount Barker. Their strong reputation and client base throughout the Adelaide Hills, Murraylands and Fleurieu Peninsula is built on their used car and six new car franchises of Holden, Mazda, Nissan, Hyundai, Mitsubishi and Volkswagen.
The business is continually growing and currently employs 100 staff. A rare
professional to join this dynamic organisation and work within a vibrant and enthusiastic executive management team.
Reporting directly to the Dealer Principal/Owner, the key responsibilities of this diverse and hands-on role will include:
departmental managers to support critical decision making.
departmental budgets.
direction and growth of the organisation.
improvement.
Experience in the Motor Vehicle Industry is highly desirable however not essential.
To be the successful applicant you will need strong communication, organisation and negotiation skills. An attractive remuneration package including a fully-maintained motor vehicle will be negotiated to secure a high-calibre candidate.
Applications in Word format only should be forwarded to Tamara Bormann by email to: [email protected]. All applications successful in achieving
Applications close Friday 22nd June 2012.
FINANCIAL CONTROLLER
Porsche reveals stunningplug-in hybrid supercar inadvanced prototype form
Countdown to 918 SpyderCountdown to 918 Spyder
ROADSTER RED LIGHTPORSCHE has confi rmed reports it
has postponed development of a new
entry-level Roadster to slot into its
range beneath the Boxster.
The project had been thrown
into doubt earlier this year when
Volkswagen, Porsche’s parent
company and development partner
on the roadster project, said it had
yet to lock in a business case for
its own take on the car, which it
previewed as the Concept BlueSport
at the 2009 Detroit motor show.
Now Porsche CEO Matthias Mueller
has told German newspaper Stuttgarter
Zeitung that the introduction of such
a car to the Porsche range could
potentially dilute the brand and
disillusion traditional customers.
FULL STORY: CLICK HERE
By MIKE COSTELLOPORSCHE is putting the fi nal touches
to the 918 Spyder plug-in range-extender
supercar before production begins at the
end of September next year, after unveiling
the most advanced prototype to date.
Offi cial images released last week
show a lightly camoufl aged car in
circuit testing, giving the clearest
indication yet of the fi nal design of the
limited-edition model.
The test car features a black-and-white
striped paint scheme that pays homage to
the iconic red-and-white 917 racer that
won the 1970 Le Mans 24 Hour.
The images also clearly show the
918’s unique “top-pipe” arrangement,
with a pair of exhaust manifolds
mounted on either side of the rear-
mounted engine and twin pipes directly
behind both front seats.
The latest images came just six
weeks after the German car-maker
displayed a test ‘mule’ in development
at the Nardo circuit in Italy while
cloaked in a mix of 911 panels and
other makeshift pieces.
Porsche claims that the 918’s
combination of a race-bred 4.6-litre V8
petrol engine and electric motors on each
axle produce combined power of 566kW,
giving the car a projected zero to 100km/h
sprint time of below three seconds.
The German car-maker previously
predicted that this powertrain would propel
the car around the Nurburgring in less than
7:22 minutes – at least 10 seconds faster
than the legendary Carrera GT.
This blistering performance is said to
be coupled with fuel economy “in the
region of” 3.0 litres per 100km – close
to 25 per cent better than a Toyota Prius.
In a statement accompanying the
latest images, Porsche said that initial
results from the driving trials “were in
line with the high expectations placed
in the 918 Spyder”.
Porsche will build just 918 examples
of the ultra-exclusive car, all in left-hand
drive, priced from €645,000 ($A866,000)
in Europe, with the fi rst customers to
receive their car before the end of 2013.
FULL STORY: CLICK HERE
May 23, 2012 Page 14
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Goes Mobile... Goes Mobile... One Of The MUST HAVE iPhone & iPad AppsOne Of The MUST HAVE iPhone & iPad Apps For 2012 For 2012One Of The MUST HAVE iPhone & iPad Apps For 2012
Peugeot’s ASX-derivedSUV arrives with a highspec, sub-$30,000 starter
4008 from $28,9904008 from $28,990
By HAITHAM RAZAGUIPEUGEOT offi cially launched its
4008 compact SUV in Australia last
week, offering a highly competitive
combination of European badge allure
and value for money, underpinned by
the Japanese reputation for reliability
that comes from its Mitsubishi ASX
origins.
On sale in early June from $28,990
plus on-road costs for the entry-level
Active with a manual transmission
attached to the 2.0-litre petrol engine,
the 4008 will compete hard against
similarly priced, Euro-branded rivals
like the Volkswagen Tiguan and
Renault Koleos, plus the British-built
Nissan Dualis.
Peugeot Australia PR and promotions
manager Jaedene Hudson told GoAuto
the brand conservatively estimates it
will sell 900 examples of the 4008 by
the end of this year and around 1600
next year, which would place the SUV
among the French company’s best
sellers in Australia.
Those numbers may seem small fry in
a segment that is up 52.7 per cent year-
to-date with more than 18,000 vehicles
sold, but the 4008’s arrival is a chance
for Peugeot to reverse its fortunes from
a six per cent sales dip YTD, on top of
last year’s 7.6 per cent decline.
The 4008 is $500 more expensive than
base variants of the Tiguan and Koleos,
undercut on price by its Mitsubishi ASX
progenitor by $3000 and priced $4000
higher than the cheapest Dualis, but the
Peugeot comes more comprehensively
equipped than all of
them.
Peugeot has managed
to squeeze a level of
standard equipment into
the base model of its
SUV comparable with
what most rivals in the segment include
on their higher-spec variants costing
more than $30,000.
Highlights include climate-
control air-conditioning, a reversing
camera with rear sensors, automatic
headlights/wipers, cruise control,
Bluetooth connectivity, a multi-
function leather steering wheel, self-
dimming interior mirror, rear privacy
glass, front foglights and LED daytime
running lights.
Safety systems including electronic
stability control, anti-lock brakes with
electronic brake-force distribution, and
seatbelts with pretensioners and load
limiters are standard fi t, along with
seven airbags, including one for the
driver’s knees.
A continuously variable transmission
(CVT) auto is available on the front-
drive Active for an extra $2500, and
specifying all-wheel-
drive costs $2000.
The top-spec Allure
variant is available
only with all-wheel-
drive and auto
transmission, costing
$5000 more than the AWD and CVT-
equipped Active, at $38,490.
Allure adds Xenon headlights,
leather upholstery and electrically
adjustable heated front seats with
height adjustment for the passenger
side while cosmetic upgrades include
18-inch alloy wheels (up from 16-inch),
piano-black door trim strips and chrome
inserts on the door sills.
Ms Hudson said the Active with
front-wheel drive and auto is expected
to account for the highest volume,
with 30-40 per cent of 4008 customers
expected to specify all-wheel-drive.
FULL STORY: CLICK HERE
PRICING:Active 2WD $28,990
Active 2WD (a) $31,490
Active AWD $30,990
Active AWD (a) $33,490
Allure AWD (a) $38,490
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May 23, 2012 Page 16
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NOW RECRUITINGsydney . canberra . brisbane
www.automotivestaff.com.au
NEW CAR SALES MANAGERA high volume dealership on the Sunshine Coastrequires a highly qualifi ed New Car Sales Managerto lead the team. They seek a true professional who can demonstrate a proven track record in automotive sales, understands the importance of customer service, and is driven to achieve targets and perform at the highest level. On offer is modern state of the art facilities at a highly desirable lifestyle location.
All resumes and applications will be received inconfi dence to Mark Palmay at [email protected]
NSW/ACT 0406 996 894Mark Palmay
QLD 0435 741 002Ron Grant
Nissan locks in Almeralight sedan for August
By MIKE COSTELLONISSAN Australia has announced
it will launch the Almera light-size
sedan in August, around two months
later than expected.
The Micra-based sedan, which had
been set to arrive by mid-year, will
be the fi rst of three new sedan models
launched by Nissan Australia over
the next 18 months, followed by the
reborn Pulsar small car and mid-size
Altima.
Local specifi cation and pricing for
Almera will not be confi rmed until
launch, but Nissan Australia claims
the entry-level light car will be sharply
priced and offer “exceptional” interior
space.
Expect the range to be powered by
the same 75kW/136Nm 1.5-litre four-
cylinder engine as used in the Micra
ST-L and Ti, with pricing starting well
below $20,000.
The Almera measures 4495mm long,
1695mm wide and 1445mm high, and
rides on a 2535mm wheelbase. The
Micra, by comparison, is 3780mm
long, 1665mm wide, 1525mm high
and has a 2435mm wheelbase.
FULL STORY: CLICK HERE
Mirage runs hotMirage runs hot
By HAITHAM RAZAGUIMITSUBISHI has moved to increase
production of the new Mirage light car
at its Laem Chabang production facility
in Thailand as a response to higher
than expected demand, just weeks after
deliveries began in the country.
Mitsubishi Motors Australia corporate
communications manager Caitlin Beale
told GoAuto that Mitsubishi has taken
around 20,000 orders for the Mirage in
Thailand – the fi rst country to receive
the redesigned model – since the books
opened on March 28.
The Mirage factory’s annual capacity
of 150,000 units can be expanded to
200,000, but the current rate is not clear.
Ms Beale said Mitsubishi was
expecting to sell 2000 Mirages per
month in Thailand alone and that the
factory has enough capacity to cope
with the glut of orders.
She agreed the boost in production
was necessary to enable Mitsubishi
to cater for existing orders while
satisfying ongoing demand in Thailand
and ensuring supply for the forthcoming
rollout to markets.
The Mirage will be rolled out to other
members of the Association of South
East Asian Nations (ASEAN) before
shipments to Japan start in July, while
the Australian launch is scheduled for
January 2013.
According to the Bangkok Post,
around 3000 Mirages were produced
in the fi rst batch and production will
be gradually increased to meet demand
from domestic and export markets.
Mitsubishi describes the Mirage as its
global compact car, designed to meet
the needs of fast-growing emerging
markets and as an environmentally
friendly entry-level car for developed
markets like Australia.
In Australia, the Mirage will replace
the discontinued Colt and is expected
to compete on price against low-
end hatchbacks such as the Nissan
Micra (from $13,490), Holden Barina
($15,990) and Hyundai i20 (from
$15,490).
FULL STORY: CLICK HERE
Mitsubishi increases Mirage production in Thailand
May 23, 2012 Page 17
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New 520d model marksfresh move from BMWto lift sales of niche GT
5 Series GT below $100K5 Series GT below $100K
European emissions standards present ‘huge challenge’ but are achievable: BMWBy DAVID HASSALL
BMW admits it faces “a huge challenge”
to meet European fl eet emissions
standards proposed for the year 2020,
which are expected to be approved by
the EU Commission in July.
Company chairman Norbert Reithofer
told shareholders at last week’s annual
general meeting that BMW Group
needed to intensify the development of
plug-in hybrid vehicles and full electric
vehicles to meet not only the European
standards but others around the world,
including the United States.
“In Europe, the EU Commission will
be voting this summer on a European fl eet
average of 95g of CO2 per kilometre for
the year 2020,” said Mr Reithofer. “That
will be a huge challenge.
“In order to meet these ambitious
CO2 targets worldwide, we at the
BMW Group are intensifying our
efforts to develop plug-in hybrids and
electric vehicles.”
FULL STORY: CLICK HERE
By MIKE COSTELLOBMW Australia will lower the price of
entry to its slow-selling 5 Series Gran
Turismo range to under $100,000 when
it introduces a new 520d variant in the
third quarter of this year.
Confi rmation of the new entry-level,
diesel-powered variant comes four
months after BMW Australia quietly
slashed pricing on both members of the
current 5 Series GT line-up by more
than $40,000.
The new 520d GT is powered by
the same TwinPower 2.0-litre direct-
injection turbo-diesel engine used in
other BMW Group models, including
the 5 Series sedan and wagon and the 3
Series sedan.
As in those other models, the 520d
GT has 135kW of power and 380Nm
of torque, good for a 0-100km/h sprint
time of 8.9 seconds and combined
fuel consumption of just 5.3 litres per
100km.
The new variant will headline a range
of fuel-saving mechanical updates
across the entire 5 Series GT range
that will be fi tted as standard from July
production, meaning a debut Down
Under in about October.
Updates include idle-stop
technology, a new electromechanical
power steering system and an Eco
mode that modifi es throttle response
and transmission mapping.
It is unclear whether this will affect
local pricing on other variants in the
range, which comprises of 520d and
530d diesels and 535i petrol.
The niche 5 Series Gran Turismo
– essentially a raised, elongated and
wagon-like version of the 5 Series
sedan – arrived here in February 2010
with 530d, 535i and 550i variants.
The company sold 105 examples
that year – fewer than half of 7 Series
limousine sales over the same period –
and just 55 units for all of 2011.
FULL STORY: CLICK HERE
535i Gran Turismo
i3
May 23, 2012 Page 18
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AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY
Building Chevrolets inEurope part of GM bidto return Opel to profi t
Opel outlines profi t planOpel outlines profi t plan
ASTRA PRODUCTIONOPEL has confi rmed its Astra
small car will continue to be built at
Vauxhall’s Ellesmere Port production
facility in north-east England and
Gliwice in southern Poland when
the next-generation model begins
production in 2015.
The decision provides a stay of
execution until early next decade for
Ellesmere Port, which is managed by
former Holden manufacturing director
Martyn Cray, who recently returned to
the UK to take up the position of plant
manager.
The Opel brand launches here in
September, with Astra supply for
Australia to be split from the outset
between Ellesmere Port and Gliwice.
FULL STORY: CLICK HERE
By HAITHAM RAZAGUIGENERAL Motors’ loss-making
European arm Opel plans a quick return
to profi tability by reducing the cost
of building cars, expanding alliances
beyond GM’s recent tie-up with PSA
Peugeot Citroen, and potentially
running factories closer to capacity by
building Chevrolets.
Opel CEO Karl-Friedrich Stracke
last week outlined the plan, which
also includes a program of new model
launches, three new engines and
expansion into overseas markets like
Australia.
Other measures include increasing
the profi t margin on each vehicle, a new
brand strategy aimed at keeping
existing customers while
appealing to new ones, and
expanding its position in the
fi eld of alternative propulsion.
“We’re very proud that Opel
is quite a bit ahead of our
competition with products such
as the electric Ampera,” Mr
Stracke told company employees.
An €11 billion ($A14.2b) investment
in new products will result in a range
renewal that will take Opel through to
2014, with six new models introduced
this year alone, including entries to new
segments with the Mokka sub-compact
SUV and Adam premium-light hatch.
A new Astra variant (expected to
be a sedan) and “completely new”
convertible are also on the launch pad.
As previously reported, Opel revealed
details last week of a new 1.6-litre
turbo-petrol engine that will be joined
by two more new powerplants as the
company replaces its core petrol and
diesel engine line-up.
Mr Stracke said the planned export of
cars to Australia, North Africa, South
America and the Middle East would not
generate enough extra demand
to operate its factories at full
capacity – and Opel is aiming to
run each of its plants around the
clock on three shifts.
The Astra small car is
currently built at three factories
running two shifts, so for the
next-generation car Opel will
produce it at two plants running
three shifts, freeing up the third facility.
“Given the forecasted market volumes
(of the next-generation Astra), it would
not be viable to produce in more than
two plants,” said Mr Stracke.
“If we run these two plants with
three shifts, the production costs
for the next Astra generation will
be signifi cantly below the costs of
building the current Astra.”
FULL STORY: CLICK HERE
Karl-Friedrich Stracke
Ellesmere Port
Opel Mokka
May 23, 2012 Page 19
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GoAuto NewsJohn Mellor’s
Distinctively different – it’s how we see youAUDIT • TAX • ADVISORY
ONLINE PRESENCE INCREASES PROFITABILITY
Dealership profi ts – not just about the numbers
Latest research confi rms that 90% of car buyers use the internet to determine purchase decisions. However, the focus on state of the art facilities has taken priority over online tools which bring the customers to the dealership in the fi rst instance.
At BDO we are not just about the numbers – we take a whole of business approach to our advice. Visit bdo.com.au/dealershipprofi ts for further details regarding the importance of an online presence.
New sportscar to replaceRoadster by 2016 as EVrollout at Tesla continues
Tesla sportscar agendaTesla sportscar agenda
Pentana partners with PareX in ‘virtual parts warehouse’ across Asia-Pacifi c regionBy JOHN MELLOR
LEADING automotive industry
management systems provider Pentana
Solutions has been appointed by the
European-based auto parts locator,
PareX, to be the exclusive distributor
for PareX products in Australia, New
Zealand, the Pacifi c Islands, Philippines
and Indonesia.
PareX operates a virtual parts
warehouse which links parts stock
housed in OEM parts warehouses and
in the parts departments at subscribing
member dealerships.
Subscribers can search for parts
by franchise, make-model or by part
number to locate and purchase diffi cult-
to-fi nd parts within Australia or from
any of PareX’s worldwide subscribers.
Dealer subscribers can choose to
upload all their parts inventory or may
limit their stock listing to just obsolete
stock or aged parts.
PareX has 5000 subscribers mainly
concentrated in Europe which perform
25,000 searches a day and 2500 parts
transactions a day.
The system is designed to locate
parts quickly, not just in Australia but
in other parts of the world. Equally,
subscribers to PareX in other countries
will be able to source parts from dealers
or OEMs in Australia. The present
large customer base in Europe could
be especially valuable for the European
brands in Australia.
The system can be confi gured so that
only OEMs can see parts available from
their counterparts in other countries.
This means that the OEM can locate
and ship the part from overseas rather
than have dealers going direct and
purchasing independently of the OEM.
The new system will be integrated
into Pentana’s Australian IT platform
and ultimately replace the Pentana
parts trading system, CLERA.
By DAVID HASSALLTESLA Motors intends building a
successor to its groundbreaking all-
electric Roadster, but perhaps not
until 2016.
As the California-based car-maker
continues with its plan to roll out a new
model every year – starting with the
Model S sedan this year and the Model
X SUV next year – it is close to locking
in the next two models.
Tesla Motors Australia regional manager
Jay McCormack told GoAuto that an
all-Tesla successor to the discontinued
Lotus-based Roadster was defi nitely in the
company’s long-term planning.
“We will have another sportscar,
defi nitely,” he said. “At the moment we’re
concentrating on the Model S and Model
X, of course, but in 12 months we will be
ready to talk about the third model.
“Maybe it will be the sportscar, or
maybe we’ll slip another model in
before it, so it should be 2015 or 2016.”
Company founder and chairman Elon
Musk earlier this year was reported to
have said that the third Tesla model line
could be a smaller and less expensive
model in the mould of the BMW 3
Series, which would have greater mass-
market appeal than the luxury Model S
or Model X.
A more affordable EV would enable
Tesla to make better use of its new
manufacturing facility at Fremont,
south of San Francisco, which is a
former Toyota-General Motors joint-
venture plant with a capacity of 500,000
units a year. Production of the Model S
has been set at 20,000 units next year.
FULL STORY: CLICK HERE
Roadster
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GoAuto InBrief
John Mellor’s
May 23, 2012 Page 20
SUBARU’S evergreen Impreza has been restyled for 2012 with a completely new drivetrain, redesigned interior and palpable improvements to noise suppression and refi nement. All help to bring the Japanese small car with all-wheel drive up to date, but has the company done enough against high-fl ying rivals like the Volkswagen Golf and Ford Focus?We take an in-depth look at the range-topping (for now) 2.0i-S hatch to fi nd out.
Subaru Impreza 2.0i-S 5-dr
....... FULL STORY: CLICK HERE
GoAuto’s latest car review www.GoAuto.com.au
www.oldfieldholden.com.au
USED CAR SALES CONSULTANT
07 3245 2200
Oldfield Holden is seeking an ambitious and motivated Used Car Sales Consultant for their Holden operation in Capalaba. Oldfield is a family owned company that has for many years been awarded the Holden Grand Masters award and are currently selling over 100 vehicles per month. This role will see you utilizing your superior sales and negotiating skills to sell to our new and existing customers. You will express professional customer service skills, have a proven capacity to work as part of a passionate team and your attention to detail will be second to none.
If you are looking to join a successful franchised operation with strong family values/culture along with very stable staff, and you are highly motivated to succeed, then this is the position for you.
Please send your resume to the Used Car Manager: [email protected] or telephone on 3245 2200.Your enquiries will be treated with the strictest of confidence. Remuneration will be attractive and will be commensurate with experience including superannuation, bonuses and a company supplied vehicle.
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CITROEN DS STUDIOCITROEN has created a dedicated
styling department for its DS model
line, the French car-maker’s distinctive
luxury range that majors on sporty style.
The new DS styling department will
be managed by 47-year-old Frenchman
Thierry Metroz, who was recruited only
two years ago as director of styling for
Citroen after 25 years at cross-town
rival Renault.
FULL STORY: CLICK HERE
TT tweaksTT tweaks
Audi adds 1.8 TFSI Roadster and new auto optionsBy MIKE COSTELLO
AUDI Australia has lowered the price
of entry to its TT Roadster line-up by
more than $9000 with the addition of a
new front-drive 1.8 TFSI base model.
The company has also added its
S-tronic seven-speed dual-clutch
transmission to 1.8 TFSI Coupe and
2.0 TDI quattro Coupe variants, both
of which were previously offered only
with a six-speed manual.
The dual-clutch transmission is
already fi tted as standard to 2.0 TFSI
versions of the Coupe and Roadster,
and is optional on the TTS Coupe and
Roadster, and TT RS Coupe.
Priced from $72,400 plus on-road costs,
the new entry-level soft-top joins the
$81,600 2.0 TFSI quattro and $103,300
TTS quattro in the Roadster line-up.
Power comes from a 1.8-litre TFSI
petrol engine that produces 118kW
between 4500 and 6200rpm, and
250Nm of torque between 1500 and
4500rpm, matched exclusively to the
S-tronic transmission in the Roadster.
The engine – which also powers
the base 1.8T Coupe (from $65,450
plus $3500 for the auto), allows the
Roadster to zip from zero to 100km/h
in 7.2 seconds and consume 6.4 litres
of premium fuel per 100km (down from
6.7L/100km for the manual).
FULL STORY, PRICING: CLICK HEREA3 tech showcase – page 24
MONKEY BUSINESSHYUNDAI UK has taken an unusual
approach to demonstrating the
toughness of its new i30 hatch – setting
a pack of baboons on it.
In a publicity stunt conducted at the
Knowsley Safari Park near Liverpool,
Hyundai left an example of the second-
generation small car in the baboon
enclosure for 10 hours.
FULL STORY: CLICK HERE
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GoAuto Market Insight
John Mellor’s
GoAuto Market Insight – brought to you by Dealer Solutions
DealerSolutions
Means Performance.
May 23, 2012 Page 21
By RON HAMMERTONRENTAL company purchases of sport
utility vehicles have more than doubled
in a year in Australia, with a record
3555 SUVs registered to rental fl eets
so far in 2012.
The SUV rental infl ux spiked in
March when sales shot up to 1622
units, a rise of almost 150 per cent
over the same month last year, offi cial
VFACTS fi gures show.
The April increase was a more
modest 12.9 per cent, to 638 vehicles,
but rental fl eet SUV purchases are
still running 109 per cent ahead of last
year’s four-month tally.
This compares with a year-to-date
increase of 25.6 per cent for SUV
private buyers and a 21.3 per cent gain
in business SUV purchases.
Rental company purchases still only
account for 3.7 per cent of the 94,775
SUV sales in Australia so far in 2012,
but SUVs have moved ahead of light-
commercial vehicles (LCVs) on rental
company purchase books this year,
3555 to 1736.
LCV rental fl eet sales have fallen
11.7 per cent – a drop that might be
attributed to a shortage of Thai-built
utes in local stocks in the wake of last
year’s devastating fl oods.
By contrast, SUVs have been fl ooding
into Australia, with a strong Australian
dollar and ever-expanding model line-
up driving a buyer’s market – and
happy hunting for rental fl eet buyers
looking for hot deals from stressed car
companies looking to meet sales targets.
The rise in rental company interest
in SUVs also refl ects the community’s
growing interest in these vehicles,
which now account for more than one
in four vehicles registered in Australia.
So far this year, SUVs have taken a
27.9 per cent chunk of vehicles sales
– up 4.3 percentage points – while
traditional passenger vehicles have
slipped 2.9 percentage points, to 53.1
per cent.
Since 2009, SUV rental sales
volumes have had a wild ride, plunging
from a high of 5535 units in 2008 to a
low of 2910 in 2009 – a drop of 47.4
per cent – at the height of the global
fi nancial crisis, and then soaring 135
per cent to 6858 vehicles in 2010.
Last year, sales edged up 13.9 per
cent to a record 7812 units for the full
12 months – a fi gure that appears to
be in danger of being surpassed well
before the end of this year.
The spike in March SUV sales to
rental fl eets might by partly explained
by an end-of-Japanese-fi nancial-year
sales push by Japanese motor companies
looking to maximise volumes.
A scan of the top fi ve rental company
websites indicates that Nissan,
Mitsubishi, Toyota, Subaru and Ford
are the brands most mentioned under
the SUV tags, with nameplates such as
Nissan X-Trail and Dualis, Mitsubishi
Pajero and Outlander, Toyota RAV4,
Kluger, Prado and LandCruiser,
Subaru Forester and Outback, and Ford
Territory among those listed.
FULL STORY: CLICK HERE
SUVs strengthen, LCVsstruggle in volatile localrental fl eet sales market
Rental fl eets turn to SUVsRental fl eets turn to SUVsRental sales in Australia January 2011-onwards
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
2011 2012
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr
Passenger SUV LCVSourSource:ce: VFACVFACTSTS
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Green issues in the auto worldGoAuto Green
John Mellor’s
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GoAuto Green is brought to you by Better Place
May 23, 2012 Page 22
GoAuto Go reen is broughtto you by Bey tter Place
By RON HAMMERTONAUSTRALIAN Ford customers will
probably have to wait until 2014 for a
chance to buy the Blue Oval’s fi rst full-
electric passenger vehicle, the Focus
Electric, which this week was being
shipped to selected dealerships in the
United States.
Ford Australia said it is still awaiting
confi rmation of the battery-powered
hatchback for this market, saying it will
be a regional decision made by Ford
Asia Pacifi c and Africa.
Ford Australia public affairs director
Sinead Phipps told GoAuto that, even if
the green light was given to local sales
of the Focus Electric, it would not be
rolled out across the region until after
the planned European debut in 2013.
“The EV, if we get it here, will be
part of an Asia Pacifi c-wide program; it
wouldn’t be something that we would
bring in just by ourselves,” she said.
“Other markets in Asia would need to
get it as well.
“It is rolling out in California and
across the US at the moment. Next, it
is going to be rolling out across Europe
early next year, and we are still looking
at its applicability here.
“We would like it, but we are
concerned about whether Australian
consumers are ready for it. There is not
really enough infrastructure here yet to
support such a vehicle, either.”
Asked if Australia and the rest of
the region would likely get the Focus
Electric in 2013 after the European
debut, Ms Phipps said: “Later –
absolutely later.”
She said it was too early to say if the
electric version of the Focus would go
into production in Thailand alongside
the standard Focus sedan and hatch.
The Thai plant is just a few months
away from supplying most of Ford
Australia’s Focus stock, although the
new-generation Focus ST hot hatch
will still come from Ford of Europe’s
Saarlouis plant in Germany.
FULL STORY: CLICK HERE
Ford’s electric hero startsUS rollout, but no launchhere for a couple of years
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Mitsubishi reveals i-MiEV racer as electric cars tackle famed Pikes Peak hillclimbBy DAVID HASSALL
THE electric car industry will use
the famed Pikes Peak hillclimb in the
United States on July 8 to promote the
performance as well as environmental
credentials of EVs.
Mitsubishi and Toyota have each
entered factory-built machines for
this year’s ‘Race to the Clouds’
while seven-time winner Nobuhiro
‘Monster’ Tajima – who is also chief
commissioner of the Association for
the Promotion of Electric Vehicles –
believes he can win the event outright
this year in an EV.
EV competitors hope to gain an
advantage over their more powerful
internal-combustion-engined rivals,
which lose power over the 20km course
as it climbs to an oxygen-starved
altitude of 2862m.
Mitsubishi’s contender is a purpose-
built single-seater using production
i-MiEV drivetrain components ‘hotted
up’ for extra performance.
FULL STORY: CLICK HERE
GoAuto Personnel
John Mellor’s
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GoAuto Personnel – brought to you by Motor Staff
May 23, 2012 Page 23
`̀
FORD PAYS TRIBUTE TO ACCLAIMED FORMER CEO HAROLD ‘RED’ POLINGBy TERRY MARTIN
FORMER Ford Motor Company chief
executive Harold ‘Red’ Poling, who
was widely regarded as a saviour of
the company after steering it through
recessions in the early 1980s and
1990s, died on May 12 at his home in
California. He was 86.
Although renowned for his cost
cutting at Ford, Mr Poling is also
remembered as the man who approved
the $US3 billion program in the early
1980s to engineer the Taurus – a
medium-large front-wheel-drive model
that was styled under one-time Ford
Australia design chief Jack Telnack and
was later under serious consideration
as a locally assembled replacement
for the Falcon, before the 1998
AU-series Falcon program
prevailed.
As head of Ford’s North
American operations in the early
1980s, Mr Poling reportedly
slashed $US2.5 billion from the
company’s fi xed costs through
factory closures and white-
collar retrenchments, bringing the Blue
Oval back to profi tability as the Taurus,
launched in 1985, became the biggest-
selling car in the US.
The Taurus was eventually imported
to Australia in 1996 bearing the highly
divisive styling that emerged with the
second generation. However,
the car never came close to
achieving its sales targets and
was discontinued two years later.
That vindicated Ford
Australia’s decision to stick
with a larger and more powerful
rear-drive Falcon – and history
is now repeating itself to a
degree, with the US Taurus under
consideration as the basis for Ford
Australia’s next-generation large car.
FULL STORY: CLICK HERE
www.motorstaff.com.au
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George Hennessy
Sharon Hunter
Anne Taylor
Doug Tame
Mara Nogarotto
Les Land
CHRYSLER Group Australia
corporate affairs and sponsorship
manager Lucy McLellan has been
appointed regional manager for the
company’s newly created central
region, which covers South Australia,
the Northern Territory and Tasmania.
This is a new sales
region created as part
of Chrysler Australia’s
restructuring since it
became responsible
for the Fiat and Alfa
Romeo brands earlier
this month.
Mark Tavcar
remains responsible for Victoria, Tony
Small NSW, Ryan Harding Queensland
and Phil Crump WA. All area managers
now cover fi ve brands, with Fiat and
Alfa adding to the Chrysler, Jeep and
Dodge stable.
Chrysler Australia has also confi rmed
it is looking for a replacement in
corporate affairs for Ms McLellan.
McLELLAN MOVES UP
Lucy McLellan
MITSUBISHI Australia recently
named two Queensland dealership
employees as the Japanese brand’s top
technician and service
advisor for 2011 in its
12th annual ‘Service
Skills Program’.
A former winner,
Rod Howes from Blue
Ribbon Mitsubishi in
Ipswich took out the
2011 Technician of
the Year award after
regional qualifying
and a national fi nal
for the comprehensive
program, which attracted
579 technicians last year
from dealerships across Australia.
Meanwhile, Carla Smith from Len
Patti Mitsubishi in Toowoomba took
out back-to-back Service Advisor of the
Year titles.
FULL STORY: CLICK HERE
MITSUBISHI CHAMPS
Rod Howes
Harold Poling
FORMER BMW Group Australia
managing director Guenther Seemann
has been named as the incoming head
of importer markets for BMW in the
Africa, Caribbean, Eastern Europe,
Asia, Pacifi c and Middle East regions.
Mr Seemann was most recently
responsible for the
Asia, Oceania and
South Africa sales
region.
He succeeds
Graeme Grieve,
who will head up
BMW’s Mini brand,
while current head
of BMW Motorrad
Hendrik von Kuenheim will move
from the motorcycle division to take
on Mr Seemann’s previous areas of
responsibility, which include Australia.
Stephan Schaller will be the new head
of BMW Motorrad, returning to BMW
after a stint as vice-chairman at German
specialist glass manufacturer Schott.
SEEMANN PROMOTION
Guenther Seemann
Carla Smith
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GoAuto New Car Diary
John Mellor’s
GoAuto New Car Diary – brought to you by carsales.com.au
May 23, 2012 Page 24
MAYLAUNCH
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Next Audi A3 to showcase new technology as MQB platform reaches productionBy HAITHAM RAZAGUI
AUDI has revealed more details on the
third-generation A3 it revealed at the
Geneva show in March, around a year
before it is scheduled to go on sale in
Australia.
As the fi rst car to go on sale
underpinned by Volkswagen Group’s
new MQB platform, the next A3 will
showcase plenty of trickle-down
technology from Audi’s fl agship models,
while also introducing new innovations.
For example, upgradeable
infotainment hardware enables the
A3 to stay up-to-date with the latest
developments, a special ‘phone box’
enhances connectivity and boosts the
signal of mobile telephones, while a
mobile wi-fi hotspot enables up to eight
devices to access the internet.
Sophisticated driver assistance systems
will also be available, including fatigue
detection, lane-keeping assistance, blind-
spot monitoring, road sign recognition,
self-parking, and collision detection,
avoidance and mitigation.
Like larger Audis, the adaptive cruise
control system will automatically bring
the car to a halt and resume progress
in heavy traffi c – if an automatic
transmission is fi tted.
These extra features do not come at a
weight penalty, as the new A3 will weigh
from 1175kg in base 1.4-litre TFSI form
– around 80kg less than the car it replaces
– despite being the same size as before.
Audi said the investment in reducing
the A3’s weight was made possible
by the MQB platform’s increased
standardisation, which lowers the
development and production costs.
The occupant cell is 25kg lighter due
to the extensive use of form-hardened
steels, while the bonnet, front wings
and part of the frontal crash structure
save a further 10.5kg as they are made
from aluminium.
Weight has also been saved through
the use of aluminium in suspension
and steering components, lightweight
wheelarch liners, and a lighter blower
motor for the climate-control system.
New engines – developed in
conjunction with the MQB platform – are
also lightweight, with an example being
the 1.4 TFSI unit, which weighs 21kg less
than before, and weight savings have also
been made in the exhaust systems.
Inside, redesigned seats contribute a
4kg saving, lightweight plastic inserts
are used instead of steel wire in the rear
bench seat frame, and numerous small
changes have been made to make the
dashboard structure lighter.
An indication of the attention to
detail applied to reducing weight is the
redesigned layout of the A3’s electronic
control modules, reducing the amount
of wiring required and saving 1.5kg.
Steps have even been taken to ensure
the optional 18-inch alloy wheels weigh
no more than the standard 17-inch alloys.
In terms of infotainment, Audi has
attempted to address the problem of
vehicle product cycles being outpaced by
advancements in technology, leading to
dated sat-nav systems or incompatibility
with the latest mobile devices.
FULL STORY: CLICK HERE
