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May 9, 2012 No. 629

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Bound for the USABound for the USARampant dollar relegates Holden-built Chevy SS to niche export role – for now

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By RON HAMMERTONGM HOLDEN’S planned Chevrolet

sports sedan export program to North

America is expected to yield only

small volumes, at least while the high

Australian dollar is strangling the trans-

Pacifi c vehicle export trade.

Although still to be offi cially

confi rmed, GM sources have indicated

to GoAuto that the much-rumoured

Commodore-based Chevrolet SS

(SuperSport) is a goer for the United

States and Canada.

However, with the landed cost in

California likely to be higher than ideal,

the vehicle is set to play only a niche

role in Chevrolet’s model line-up.

Any big fi llip for Holden exports

was publicly ruled out by Holden chief

fi nancial offi cer George Kapitelli this

week when he told journalists during

the company’s 2011 fi nancial results

announcement: “While we see export

continuing and having a role, we don’t

expect export sales to signifi cantly

grow into the future.”

The AUD-USD exchange rate was

sitting at 1.02 cents yesterday, and while

that is down from its highs of about 1.08

in February, Holden will be hoping for

further easing in the ‘Aussie’ against the

‘greenback’ between now and the start of

shipments, probably next year.

Offi cially, Holden and its American

parent company are keeping the

announcement of the vehicle export

program under wraps, although

American magazines and blogs are

awash with reports of the rear-drive

V8 sedan – and potential Ute and

Sportwagon – in Chevrolet showrooms

from 2013 as a 2014 model.

The high-performance sedan is set

to carry the bow-tie brand’s hopes in

the 2013 NASCAR series, with the

company saying the racecar – replacing

the Chevrolet Impala as GM’s weapon

of choice in America’s most popular

form of motorsport – will wear an all-

new nameplate.

GM last month registered the SS

name with the US Patent and Trademark

Offi ce, while the US Autoblog

reports that GM’s in-car satellite

communication service, OnStar, has

already listed a “2014 SS Performance”

model on its list of compatible cars.

The Chevrolet SS will be shipped

from Holden’s Elizabeth plant in

South Australia to the US alongside

the Holden-made Chevrolet Caprice

Police Patrol Vehicle (PPV) based on

the long-wheelbase Holden Caprice

and fi tted out for North American

security forces.

Exchange rate pressures on the PPV

export program have limited sales since

deliveries started 12 months ago, with a

total of 1422 Caprice PPVs registered

in the US over the past year.

Continued next page

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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 newsroom@mellor.net

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Continued from previous pageHowever, the Caprice PPV notched

up one of its best sales months in April,

with 174 deliveries as Chevrolet fi lled

outstanding orders from police forces in

the US, equating to an annualised sales

rate of about 2000 units.

Last year, Holden exported 12,068

vehicles to the US, Middle East, New

Zealand, South Africa and Brazil, and

while that represented a 54.3 per cent

increase on 2010 levels, it was well

short of 2007 when Holden shipped

more than 36,000 units to overseas

markets, including the Middle East.

Despite the prospect of small

numbers, Holden and Chevrolet are

pressing ahead with the civilian version

of the Commodore, the Chevrolet SS,

which effectively replaces the ill-fated

Pontiac G8, a Commodore-based sedan

that was skittled by the global fi nancial

crisis and GM’s slide into chapter

11 bankruptcy that signed the death

warrant of the Pontiac brand.

Mr Kapitelli said domestic demand

remained the priority for Holden.

“We are always looking for (export)

opportunities,” he said. “That fact is

the high Australian dollar makes it very

diffi cult to realise those opportunities.

“It was pleasing that year on year,

we were able to grow exports by above

50 per cent (in 2011), but in reality, we

focus the business to predominantly

focus on domestic demand.

“So while we see export continuing

and having a role, we don’t expect

export sales to signifi cantly grow into

the future.”

US magazine Car and Driver says

the Caprice SS due next year will ride

on the current Holden-developed Zeta

platform that already underpins the

Commodore, Caprice and Canadian-

built Chevrolet Camaro.

It says, however, that the Chevrolet

SS will migrate to a new, lighter version

of the platform when it arrives in 2015.

That lightweight chassis will also

carry Holden’s new-generation VF

Commodore and related Caprice for

Australian customers, thanks to a light-

weighting program funded in part by the

Australian government under its now-

defunct Green Car Innovation Fund.

Car and Driver suggests that

production of the Chevrolet SS and

Caprice PPV will then shift to North

America, but Holden has offi cially

ruled that out, saying North American

production of any of these vehicles has

never been considered.

Unconfi rmed reports say the

Chevrolet SS will be powered not

by the Gen 4 6.0-litre V8 used in the

Commodore SS but by the 6.2-litre LS3

V8 as fi tted to Holden Special Vehicles’

ClubSport R8 and Maloo, as well as

the Aussie-made UK export model, the

Vauxhall VXR8.

Although power rating speculation

varies, most reports say the Chevrolet

SS will have at least 400 horsepower

(298kW) – 28kW more than the

Commodore SS.

Car and Driver speculates the engine

will be same 317kW tune as the unit

used in the Camaro SS muscle-car.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE Holden remains in black – next page

Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

May 9, 2012 Page 3

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Cruze helps Holden to an$89.7 million profi t after government funding of...

Holden remains in blackHolden remains in black

Jobs go at CMI but Campbellfi eld workers safe for now due to increased ordersBy HAITHAM RAZAGUI

THE receiver of stricken Ford

component supplier CMI Industrial,

the collapse of which resulted in

Ford temporarily halting Falcon and

Territory production late last month,

announced the lay-off of 44 workers

last week.

None of the redundancies took

place at CMI’s Campbellfi eld site that

supplies Ford.

The Australian Manufacturing Workers

Union (AMWU) told GoAuto that plans

to sack 10 employees there have been put

on hold due to increased orders.

Ford-appointed receivers McGrathNicol

said the redundancies were made at CMI’s

Ballarat site, which makes metal clips and

fasteners, and its West Footscray metal

forging facility.

McGrathNicol’s decision to lay off

workers during the administration

period, before the company is

liquidated, has proved controversial

as it can delay Government Employee

Entitlements and Redundancy Scheme

(GEERS) payments to workers.

At worst, the move could render

sacked employees ineligible for the

payments if CMI is not eventually

liquidated.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

By RON HAMMERTONGM HOLDEN has recorded its second

successive annual profi t, thanks to its

successful locally made Cruze small

car, cost reduction and Australian

taxpayers.

The 2011 after-tax result of $89.7

million announced on Monday was

identical to federal government

assistance dished out to the local

car-maker under the Automotive

Transformation Scheme (ATS) last

year.

Putting the matching fi gures down

to coincidence, the company said it

was too simplistic to say that it would

have only broken even without the

$89.7 million in co-investment funding

from Canberra, adding that the scheme

required Holden to tip in a considerable

investment in local product and

manufacturing programs.

The profi t in the year ending

December 31 represented a 20 per cent

decline on the 2010 result, when GM

Holden stormed back into the black

with a $112 million profi t – its fi rst

positive return after fi ve years of red

ink with accumulated losses of $576

million.

The latest profi t was made on

consolidated revenue of $4.3 billion,

slightly down on 2010’s $4.4 million –

a decline blamed on a slip in sales of

Holden’s locally made large car, the

Commodore, and stock shortages of

some imported models.

Describing the result as solid, GM

Holden chief fi nancial offi cer George

Kapitelli attributed the profi t to the

success of the locally assembled Cruze

small car and a leaner cost structure.

Mr Kapitelli told journalists that the

Cruze manufacturing operation was

profi table, but more importantly helped

to make Holden’s local manufacturing

business sustainable.

Continued next page

Cruze

May 9, 2012 Page 4

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Put yourselfin the picture.

By RON HAMMERTONNORTH American car buyers saved

the day for General Motors in the fi rst

quarter of this year, helping to drive

a $US1 billion ($A973b) quarterly

global profi t against strong fi nancial

headwinds in Europe.

GM’s worldwide sales volumes

and revenue were both up, but the

celebration was sullied by the results

from GM Europe, which racked up

a $US256 million ($A249m) loss,

compared with a break-even result in

the same period last year.

The bleak European result – made

worse by a $590 million goodwill

impairment charge related to worker

pensions – helped to drag the GM

global result down from $3.2 billion

last year.

GM’s European vehicle sales –

mainly Opel and Vauxhall cars – fell

eight per cent compared with Q1 last

year, while GM revenue in the region

fell from $6.8 billion to $5.5 billion,

falling behind the revenue produced

by the China-driven GM International

Operations (GMIO) for the fi rst time.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

GM posts $US1b profi tin Q1, despite Euro woesHolden in blackHolden in black

Continued from previous page“Local car-makers face tough

economic conditions with the high

Australian dollar, higher prices and

disruption in the local supply base

and increasing competition and

segmentation in the market,” he said.

“After the fi nancial crisis we reshaped

our business to improve structural cost,

reduce our reliance on exports and

bring the Cruze into local production

so we could continue to make cars in

Australia. Now around 60 per cent of

our Australian sales are Australian-

made cars, this is a great result.

“We’re running our business

responsibly and sustainably for the

long-term. We’re making a strategic

contribution to Australia, we’re

committed to advanced manufacturing

in this country and we’re committed

to creating new opportunities for

suppliers.”

Mr Kapitelli said Holden faced

headwinds in the form of the high

Australia dollar that gave importers an

advantage and disadvantaged exporters.

He said Holden was also challenged

by a lack of stability in its supplier base,

with a number of parts-makers fi ghting

for survival.

Mr Kapitelli said Holden was working

with suppliers to develop a more

robust supply chain, not just for local

manufacturing but for exports as well.

FULL STORY: CLICK HEREMore reports – page 10-11, 23

Cruze production

May 9, 2012 Page 5

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Swedish brand set to takeanother big leap forwardwith new V40 hatchback

Volvo makes its markVolvo makes its mark

By RON HAMMERTONVOLVO says generational change –

and not just in its showroom range –

is erasing its damaging ‘bloody Volvo

driver’ image in Australia.

Volvo Car Australia managing

director Matt Braid said its research

showed younger Australian motorists

had fewer hang-ups with Volvo, judging

the company on the mechanical merits

of its products, not the brand image

that was often considered staid by older

drivers who had not experienced the

latest Volvo range.

He said Volvo’s upcoming all-new

luxury hatchback, the V40, would help

to attract even more younger customers

into Volvo showrooms, accelerating the

overall appeal of the Swedish car-maker.

Mr Braid revealed that one in every

two potential customers who test-

drove a Volvo ended up buying one – a

conversion rate that he said was at the

upper end in the industry.

“Customers who put their bums on

the seats are very pleasantly surprised,”

he said.

Mr Braid said the unwarranted

image of Volvo as an old person’s car

was peculiar to Australia, and was

perpetuated by the media.

He said the new mid-size S60 sedan

and Volvo’s luxury SUVs – the XC60,

XC90 and XC70 – had helped to dispel

the myth of boring Volvos.

This elevation of the Volvo image

would continue with the new V40 – a

competitor for entry-level European

cars such as the BMW 1 Series, Audi

A3 and upcoming Mercedes-Benz

A-class – which he described as “a true

luxury hatchback”.

Mr Braid said he expected V40 to have a

high conquest rate, drawing a new clientele

looking to either step up from, for example,

Japanese cars, or down from larger luxury

vehicles of other European brands.

He said this would have a positive

effect on Volvo’s image while also

providing Volvo with a new generation

of drivers willing to step up through the

range over time.

But Mr Braid said Volvo was not

making huge predictions for V40 sales,

saying the new model would “add volume

and help us grow”, but not massively.

“We are conservative about the extent

of the growth,” he said, adding that the

market segment facing the V40 was

tough, with a lot of fresh entrants.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

V40

V40

May 9, 2012 Page 6

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Big slice of sales growthto come via ‘downsizers’and new compact models

Mercedes maps out futureMercedes maps out future

By HAITHAM RAZAGUIMERCEDES-BENZ expects sales in

Australia to grow over the next fi ve years

as it introduces a range of new compact

models that it says will eventually

account for about a third of its volume.

Mercedes-Benz Australia/Pacifi c

product manager Gordon Jones told

GoAuto at the launch of the new-

generation M-Class SUV last week that

sales will climb as the brand’s focus

shifts from traditionally large luxury

vehicles to more affordable products

with lower running costs.

“Our range had been predominantly

skewed to high-displacement, high-

output engines, so there is growth in an

emphasis on having a more balanced

portfolio of products,” he said.

“The compact car families are where

our growth is going to come from. It

will certainly account for a third of our

volume in the long term.”

Mercedes will also target downsizers

who require smaller, more effi cient cars

but are not willing to downgrade on

technology, luxury or performance.

“People don’t want to compromise

their standards,” said Mr Jones. “They

understand they might have to cut

down to size, but they don’t want to

compromise on performance, so while

the engines and vehicles are perhaps

downsizing, the performance and

interiors are not.”

The new products will be spawned

from the MFA platform that underpins

the latest B-Class and upcoming

A-Class, starting with the coupe-styled

CLA compact sedan previewed by the

CLC concept at the Beijing motor show

last month.

The CLA is expected to launch in

Australia shortly after the A-Class in

the fi rst quarter of next year.

Mr Jones confi rmed a new crossover

to take on the popular Audi Q3 and

BMW X1 – dubbed GLC – is also on

the way and expected to arrive in 2014.

“There is something similar to a GLC

on the platform,” he said. “It is a little

further out, but it does exist.”

In addition to the A-Class, B-Class,

CLA and GLC, other potential uses for

the MFA platform include a ‘shooting

brake’ wagon and a sub-SLK roadster

or coupe.

Mr Jones spoke of the challenges of

increasing sales in a mature, relatively

stable market like Australia, where

growth requires pinching conquest

sales from other brands.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE Smart’s time is ‘coming’ – next page

CLC concept

A-Class

May 9, 2012 Page 7

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Electric Smart and other future models bode well for Benz mini-car brand

Smart’s time is ‘coming’Smart’s time is ‘coming’

By HAITHAM RAZAGUIMERCEDES-BENZ Australia/Pacifi c

remains committed to the Smart micro-

car brand, even though it has registered

just 44 sales this year – down 40.5 per

cent

The company says Smart’s time in

Australia is “fast approaching” due to

increased city congestion and greater

public acceptance of smaller cars –

and is talking with its German head

offi ce about an all-electric version for

Australian sale.

Speaking at last week’s M-class SUV

launch, Mercedes-Benz Aust/Pac senior

manager of corporate communications

David McCarthy admitted the brand’s

sole offering in this market, the ForTwo,

had struggled against the Australian

preference for larger cars, as well as a

relatively high price (from $19,990 plus

on-road costs).

He also cited the limitations of its two-

seater confi guration, ride quality issues

and theoretical parking advantages that

seldom apply in real-world scenarios

as reasons why it did not sell in higher

numbers.

Mr McCarthy added that because

of Smart’s distinctive nature, public

awareness was already high, so

increasing the local marketing spend

was unlikely to provide worthwhile

return on investment.

As well, requests to the factory for

more production slots would require

long-term planning.

However, he did not accept the

argument that decent sales of sub-light

cars such as the Suzuki Alto and Holden

Barina Spark suggested Australians

were turning on to the city-car idea,

suggesting customer decisions to buy

those cars were more about price.

He said the Smart’s premium pricing

refl ected its status as a thoroughly

engineered product, and while reducing

its standard specifi cation could

potentially cut about $2500 from the

entry price, “that is not what we are

about”.

“We are satisfi ed with current Smart

volume,” he said, adding that the

upcoming products were not limited to

a replacement for the ForTwo.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

Smart ED

May 9, 2012 Page 8

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Mercedes to lure more customers into its M-Class SUV with superior new model

Class actionClass action

By HAITHAM RAZAGUIMERCEDES-BENZ offi cially

launched its third-generation M-Class

luxury SUV in Australia last week,

with a frugal, sharply priced new four-

cylinder diesel entry-level variant,

generous levels of standard equipment

and dramatically reduced fuel

consumption across the range.

In addition to tempting customers

away from traditional rivals such as

the BMW X5 and Lexus RX, Mercedes

hopes the $81,400 (plus on-road

costs) starting price will attract buyers

considering high-spec luxury SUVs

from the next size down – a segment in

which it does not compete.

Mercedes-Benz Australia/

Pacifi c senior manager of corporate

communications David McCarthy told

GoAuto the new M-Class offered the

luxury of space and presents customers

with an option that shows they do not

have to downsize in order to achieve a

lower price, better fuel economy (yet

higher performance) and attractive

equipment levels.

While the aim is to increase sales

volumes – at around 180 units a month

the long-term average is about 60 fewer

than the X5 – Mr McCarthy said supply

would be an issue until later in the year

due to M-Class’ popularity overseas.

“We are starting four months behind

the eight ball because we haven’t had

stock,” he said.

The two volume sellers introduced

to Australia fi rst, the four-cylinder

diesel ML250 BlueTec and V6 diesel

ML350 BlueTec, are expected to

account for 80 per cent of volume.

Next most popular should be the

V6 petrol ML350 BlueEffi ciency, due

to arrive by the end of May, while the

fl agship V8-powered ML63 AMG

arrives in June, followed by the less

powerful V8 ML500 in late September.

In addition to the lower starting price

(the ML250 is $4380 less expensive than

the outgoing ML300 CDI), which comes

courtesy of a powerful yet economical

four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine, Benz

has shuffl ed pricing of the fi ve variants.

V6 petrol and diesel engines continue

to occupy the mid-spec ML350 variants,

now both identically specifi ed and priced

higher at $99,000 plus on-road costs

(the petrol previously cost $89,365 and

the diesel was $92,425) but Mercedes

claims extra equipment worth around

$11,000 makes up for the difference.

Two downsized, turbocharged V8s

replace the naturally aspirated units in

the top-spec models, the ML500 (down

$13,995 to $119,900) and the ML63

AMG (up $2085 to $177,900).

Continued next page

PRICING:ML250 BlueTec (a) $81,400

ML350 BlueTec (a) $99,000

ML350 BlueEffi ciency (a) $99,000

ML500 (a) $119,900

ML63 AMG (a) $177,900

ML350

ML250 BlueTec

May 9, 2012 Page 9

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Class actionClass actionContinued from previous page

The new entry level means Mercedes

now undercuts arch-rival BMW’s X5 by

$10,700 and places the M-Class within

sniffi ng distance of customers tempted

by high-end variants of the smaller Audi

Q5 and BMW X3 while being roughly

level with the Lexus RX350.

Perhaps even those looking at the top

end of Volkswagen’s Touareg or Jeep’s

popular Grand Cherokee ranges will

be interested – the US-built M-Class

shares some underpinnings with the

latter as both began development before

Benz’s tie-up with Chrysler turned sour.

Benz says the extra equipment

on the entry-level model represents

around $9500 of extra value over its

predecessor.

A long equipment list includes

standard satellite-navigation, self-

parking (enabled by the switch to electric

power steering) and comprehensive

multimedia equipment, while the frugal

new four-cylinder diesel gives little

away in performance terms to the V6

oil-burner it replaces.

Although lacking two cylinders and

850cc of capacity compared with the

engine it replaces, peak power of 150kW

and torque of 500Nm match the old unit,

but it is peakier, with a narrower torque

band, refl ected in a 0-100km/h seven

tenths slower at 9.0 seconds.

Combined-cycle fuel consumption

of 6.4 litres per 100km is not to be

sniffed at though, bringing luxury car

tax savings and a big improvement

over the old ML300 CDI’s 9.5L/100km

while offering a theoretical tank range

of about 1450km.

Benz claims to have worked hard

to improve refi nement on the new

M-Class, particularly with the four-

cylinder, and has applied vibration-

reducing technologies to the engine and

transmission.

The safety spec is high, with nine

airbags, brakes that dry themselves in

the wet, tyre pressure loss warning,

driver fatigue detection, the ‘pre-safe’

accident prediction system and a full

complement of electronic stability,

traction and braking aids.

FULL STORY: CLICK HEREDRIVE IMPRESSIONS: CLICK HERE

ML250 BlueTec

ML250

May 9, 2012 Page 10

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Toyota and Mazda on topof auto market in April asAussie large cars struggle

Imports crunch local carsImports crunch local cars

Top 10 Brands in AprilPos Brand Sales % Share

1 Toyota 16,568 20.9

2 Mazda 7681 9.7

3 Holden 7589 9.6

4 Hyundai 7017 8.9

5 Ford 6306 8.0

6 Nissan 4686 5.9

7 VW 3798 4.8

8 Mitsubishi 3748 4.7

9 Subaru 3003 3.8

10 Kia 2505 3.2

Source: VFACTS, May 2012

By RON HAMMERTONLOCAL car-makers Holden and Ford

were relegated to third and fi fth place

respectively in the Australian new-

vehicle market last month as Japanese

motor companies Toyota and Mazda

fl exed their showroom muscle.

As expected, top full-line importer

Mazda ousted Holden from second place

in the sales rankings – 7681 sales to 7589

– as Holden’s one-time best-selling large

car, the Commodore, suffered one of its

worst sales months on record, offi cial

VFACTS sales fi gures show.

Holden’s Commodore achieved

just 2248 sales, down 26.9 per cent

on the corresponding month last year,

contributing to a continuing slide in the

large-car segment, which is now down

23.2 per cent year to date.

The Commodore’s previous

worst monthly performance

was 2170 sales in January this

year, but January is when fl eet

sales are at their lowest ebb each year.

The one-time king of the road

could manage just fi fth place in April,

again falling behind its locally made

stablemate, the Cruze (2315 sales).

Holden’s position was made worse by

an absence of Colorado stock ahead of

the local launch of its next-generation

Thai-built ute next month.

Holden can at least console itself that

Commodore sales looked respectable

compared with rival Ford’s Falcon,

which stumbled to 1009 sales – down

30.7 per cent on April last year – as

the launch of Ford’s new four-cylinder

EcoBoost Falcon variant came too late

in the month to save the big Ford from

one of its worst monthly efforts.

A wave of imports pushed

overall April sales up 6.6 per

cent to 74,214 vehicles, with

most of the drive again coming

from SUVs (up 27.8 per cent).

Market leader Toyota came roaring

back with large gains in its imported

vehicle sales, particularly its HiLux

ute that recovered from recent Thai

fl ood-impacted shortages to become

the nation’s top-seller in April with

a whopping 3565 sales – 560 units

ahead of the next best, the Mazda3

(3005 units).

Continued next page

VFACTS WRAP

Toyota HiLux

May 9, 2012 Page 11

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Imports crunch local carsImports crunch local carsContinued from previous page

The Toyota surge propelled the

Japanese giant to 16,568 sales for the

month, up 21.1 per cent on the same

month last year, giving it a 20.9 per cent

share of the market – more than the next

two biggest car companies, Mazda and

Holden, combined.

However, its new locally made

Camry and Aurion failed to light a fi re

under its sales performance, up just 1.6

per cent and 0.3 per cent respectively to

1602 and 629 units.

Ford’s local Territory helped to save

the day for the Blue Oval brand, with

sales of the recently upgraded SUV up

almost 80 per cent on April last year

to 1076 units – more than the Falcon

sedan on which it is based.

Overall Ford sales were down just 2.5

per cent on April 2011, to 6306 units,

but that was only good enough for fi fth

place, behind Toyota, Mazda, Holden

and Hyundai.

On a monthly basis, Mazda had its best

April, and has now climbed from fourth

place to second in three months, mainly

on the back of its hot-selling new medium

SUV, the CX-5, which topped 1400 sales

in its second full month of sales.

The CX-5 last month was the best-

selling medium SUV on the market,

out-pointing the Subaru Forester (989

sales) and Nissan X-Trail (957).

Overall Mazda April sales were up

21 per cent to 7681 units, giving the

importer a 9.7 per cent market share.

Year to date, Mazda still trails second-

placed Holden, which is now sitting on

10.8 per cent, compared with Mazda’s 10.1

per cent, but continues to close the gap.

South Korean brand Hyundai eased up

slightly in April sales, to 7017 vehicles

and fourth place in the rankings, ahead

of Ford’s 6306 sales, which is now

running fi fth in year to date, with a

four-month market share of 7.8 per cent

– down 1.2 percentage points.

The biggest winner among the top

10 brands last month was Volkswagen,

which ousted Mitsubishi from seventh

spot with a 25.3 per cent jump in

monthly sales volume, to 3798 units.

While sales of VW’s top-seller, the

Golf, slipped 48 per cent, the leeway

was more than made up by a huge 460

per cent leap in Tiguan sales, to 846

units, Amarok 4x4 (up 542 per cent)

and Jetta (up 160 per cent).

Mitsubishi was the biggest loser last

month, with sales sliding 29 per cent to just

3748 units. All models in the Mitsubishi

range showed red ink on the sales sheet.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERERethinking ‘large’ – page 23

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US market returns to pre-GFC levels

By DAVID HASSALLTHE new-vehicle market in the United

States is well on the road to recovery,

hitting levels in the fi rst four months

of 2012 not seen since the GFC, with

total industry sales up 10.3 per cent.

After posting the best fi rst quarter

since 2008, sales rose 2.3 per cent in

April, putting the US market on track

for 14.4 million sales this year.

Chrysler and Toyota recorded the

best results of the major brands in

April – gaining 20.0 per cent and 11.6

per cent respectively – while Ford and

General Motors both lost ground over

the same month last year.

Toyota’s recovery one year on from

the Japanese tsunami appears to have

come at the expense of Ford and GM,

which had gained market share while

the Japanese giant struggled with

supply shortages on top of safety recall

dramas, according to trade-in data

from auto industry research company

Edmunds.

Star performers for Toyota included

the new Camry, which jumped 20.9 per

cent, and Prius, which doubled with

the addition of the Prius C and Prius

V variants. Sales of the hybrid models

reached 25,168 for the month – not so

far behind the 36,820 for Camry.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

NZ sales upNZ sales up

Kiwi new-car market climbs 26 per cent in AprilBy JACQUI MADELIN in NEW ZEALANDNEW Zealand’s new-vehicle market

predictably grew considerably in April

compared with the same month in 2011,

which had been the fi rst to be impacted

by the March 11 Japanese

earthquake and tsunami.

After growing by 10 per cent

in the fi rst quarter, new-vehicle

sales rose 25.6 per cent in April to 7048

units, with passenger-car registrations

up 27.5 per cent to 5430 and commercial

vehicles up 19.7 per cent to 1618.

Used import sales were down by 4.4

per cent to 6107 units, continuing the

expected slowdown resulting from new

emissions regulations that took hold in

January.

The Ford Ranger was April’s top-

selling vehicle with 279 registrations,

just ahead of the Toyota HiLux

(278), Suzuki Swift (228),

Toyota Corolla (218) and

Nissan Navara (214).

NZ Motor Industry Association chief

executive offi cer Perry Kerr said the

April result confi rmed that the market

is stronger than forecast at the start of

the year.

Toyota again topped the market, up

34.8 per cent to 1205 sales for a 17.1

per cent share as it continues to recover

numbers after last year’s natural

disasters.

Ford rose 18.4 per cent for second

place with 825 sales, while stock

shortages of the ix35 kept third-placed

Hyundai’s rise down to 18.5 per cent,

ending its run of ahead-of-trend growth.

Holden was up some 45 per cent, but

fell just 12 vehicles short of Hyundai,

while Mazda was boosted by 179 sales

of the newly launched CX-5 to fi nish

the month in fi fth, up 22.6 per cent.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

NZ Top 10 Brands in AprilPos Brand Sales % Share

1 Toyota 1205 17.1

2 Ford 825 11.7

3 Hyundai 582 8.3

4 Holden 570 8.1

5 Mazda 537 7.6

6 Nissan 460 6.5

7 Suzuki 421 6.0

8 Mitsubishi 371 5.3

9 Honda 311 4.4

10 VW 264 3.7

Source: NZ MIA, May 2012

NZ SALES WRAP

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May 9, 2012 Page 14

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Car sector applauds moveto drop Geelong hub planand revitalise Melbourne

Webb Dock to redevelopWebb Dock to redevelop

By DAVID HASSALLTHE Victorian government has decided

against shifting the state’s car shipment

hub to Geelong, instead opting to

redevelop the existing Webb Dock West

in the Port of Melbourne.

Car importers are believed to have

been opposed to the proposed move to

Geelong, the state’s second-largest port,

which was the subject of a feasibility

study announced in February last year.

Ports minister Denis Napthine said last

week the department of transport had

explored the potential of shifting the car

trade to Geelong “but found signifi cant

issues with the lack of availability of

suitable land, concerns regarding the

shipping channel and considerable

opposition from automotive industry

stakeholders”.

“The automotive industry raised

a number of serious concerns that

would have adversely affected their

operations,” said Dr Napthine.

“These concerns include the lack of

suitable land at the Port of Geelong

which is required to conduct pre-

delivery inspections on imported

vehicles as well as to consolidate and

prepare vehicles for export.

“Access to the shipping channel also

proved to be an issue with ships facing

delays due to restrictions in windy

conditions, coupled with the fact the

channel is one-way.

“The automotive industry made it

clear that their preference was to relocate

to a new location at Webb Dock where

there is suffi cient land and round-the-

clock access for shipping lines.”

Opposition spokesman Tim Pallas did

not argue the merits of the decision, but

accused the government of giving “false

hope” to Geelong, where the move was

to have injected $200 million into the

economy and created 1000 jobs.

The Federal Chamber of Automotive

Industries (FCAI) welcomed the

decision to consolidate the automotive

import and export trade by relocating

it within the Port of Melbourne to the

newly redeveloped Webb Dock West.

FCAI chief executive Ian Chalmers

said in a statement that it demonstrated

the Victorian government’s willingness

to fi nd a solution to the relocation of the

automotive trade which best met the

needs of car importers while providing

benefi ts to the Victorian community.

Webb Dock, including Webb Dock

West, will be redeveloped at a cost of

$1.2 billion, creating more than 2500

jobs, as outlined in the state budget

handed down last week.

Meanwhile, the Victorian Automobile

Chamber of Commerce (VACC), which

represents more than 5000 retail,

service and repair business owners,

described the budget as “responsible

and restrained”.

VACC executive director David

Purchase said it would encourage small

business.

“Small business confi dence in

Victoria is at low ebb and business

owners are feeling the pinch in an

environment best described as patchy,”

said Mr Purchase.

“The Victorian government needed to

demonstrate to small business owners

that it is committed to doing what it can

to assist small businesses succeed. Our

fi rst impression is that small business

will be encouraged by this budget.”

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

Toyota Camry exports

May 9, 2012 Page 15

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Previous experience in a similar role within a high volume dealership is essential, as is the ability to demonstrate a stable employment history. You will report directly to the General Manager and be responsible for volume, gross, customer satisfaction, marketing and expenses of both the New Car Franchises and Fleet Operation.

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Ford’s top-selling modelin Australia – Focus – setto spring from new plant

Focus shifts to ThailandFocus shifts to Thailand

Circa-$30K Maxus V80 is set to become Australia’s cheapest mid-sized diesel van

By RON HAMMERTONFORD Motor Company offi cially

opened a new $450 million factory in

Thailand last week that is set to supply

Ford’s top-selling car in Australia

in 2012, the Focus, as well as related

vehicles such as the new-generation

Kuga.

Supplies of Focus bound for

Australian showrooms are set to switch

from Saarlouis in Germany to Thailand

by September, although the car is

expected to be fundamentally the same

as the current fi ve-door hatch and sedan

range that was introduced last August.

The move allows Ford to take

advantage of Australia’s free-trade

agreement with Thailand, which will

slice fi ve per cent from the landed cost

of the vehicle, while also shortening

the supply line.

The new Ford Thailand Manufacturing

plant will have a production capacity

of 150,000 vehicles a year, boosting

annual Thai Ford production to 445,000

vehicles.

Ford Australia already sources its

Australian-developed Ranger utility

from Thailand, where it is produced

for global markets alongside the related

Mazda BT-50 in a Ford-Mazda joint-

venture AutoAlliance plant that is also

set to get a $27 million expansion to lift

production by 20,000 units a year.

The AutoAlliance operation also

produces the Ford Fiesta for Australia,

alongside the similar Mazda2 light car

that initially was shipped to Australia

before Mazda Australia switched its

sourcing back to Japan due to supply

constraints in Thailand.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

By RON HAMMERTONCHINESE vehicle importer WMC

Group has predicted a starting price

of about $30,000 for its seven-model

Maxus V80 van range from China’s

biggest motor manufacturer, Shanghai

Automotive Industry Corporation

(SAIC).

This is expected to make the entry-level

short-wheelbase standard-roof cargo van

at least $4000 cheaper than most rival

diesel vans such as the Hyundai iLoad,

Toyota HiAce, Ford Transit, Renault

Trafi c and VW Transporter.

The Maxus brand will be launched in

a 25-dealer network across Australia in

October, with a cab-chassis light truck

range to follow.

WMC Group managing director

Jason Pecotic said he expected Maxus

V80 passenger van variants to start in

the low to mid-$30,000s, again well

below rival minibuses.

He said all Maxus vans would not

only match the specifi cation levels

of major rivals but add extras such as

alloy wheels and foglights.

All Maxus vans will be front-wheel

drive, with a 100kW/330Nm 2.5-litre

four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

Ford Thai plant opening

V80

May 9, 2012 Page 16

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High-series models withdiesel, wagon in mix onRenault Australia menu

By BYRON MATHIOUDAKISRENAULT is contemplating importing

a sub-Renaultsport range of Megane

GT models to Australia within the next

12 months, to compete directly with

the successful Volkswagen Golf and

Peugeot 308.

Using chassis developed by Renault

Sport Technologies – makers of the Clio

RS200 and Megane RS250 – the GT series

is designed to be the softer luxury fl agship

level of the French small-car range.

In Europe, where the GT has been

available since 2010, the model grade

features across all existing third-

generation Megane body styles, including

the CC coupe-cabriolet, wagon, three-

door coupe and fi ve-door hatch.

A wagon range is thought to be

on Renault Australia’s wish-list and

would mark a fi rst for the Megane in

this country.

In Europe, the GT is available

in two 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo

specifi cations – the TCe 180 petrol,

which produces 132kW of power and

300Nm of torque for a 0-100km/h

sprint time of 7.8 seconds with the

standard six-speed manual gearbox;

and the DCi diesel, which musters

110kW/360Nm with a six-speed

automatic, or 118kW/380Nm with a

six-speed manual.

While the diesels are slower than

the petrol GT models to 100km/h –

8.5 seconds for the manual and 9.2 for

the auto – they have an advantage in

terms of fuel consumption, returning

5.9L/100km (manual) and 6.6L/100km

(auto) to beat the petrol variant’s

7.6L/100km decisively.

Pricing in Europe suggests that

Renault Australia would have to position

the expected volume-selling Megane GT

fi ve-door hatch around $35,000, to leave

some space for the RS250 Cup, which

kicks off from $41,990.

Tellingly, the GT cars miss out

on Renaultsport’s ‘performance

hub independent steering axis’ front

suspension, as well as a limited slip

differential, but feature specifi cally

calibrated dampers, RS-derived rear

bump stops and the same 296mm

ventilated front discs and 260mm solid

rear discs as the RS250.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

Megane GT on cardsMegane GT on cards

Renault-Nissan to take control of Russia’s biggest car-maker in $750m dealBy RON HAMMERTON

THE Russian company that brought

you the Lada Niva and Lada Samara

in the 1980s and 1990s is about to

fall under the spell of the Renault-

Nissan Alliance, which will acquire

a controlling stake of more than 50

per cent in Russia’s biggest motor

company, Avtovaz, by 2014.

The French-Japanese conglomerate

has held a 25 per cent share of Avtovaz

since 2008 when the Russian company

almost collapsed in the global fi nancial

crisis, but now it has agreed to up the

ante in a joint venture with state-owned

Russian Technologies to take over the

huge operation with the intention of

accelerating production to 1.4 million

within two years.

Including Lada – Avtovaz’s major

brand – the alliance holds a 33 per

cent share of the burgeoning Russian

market, which is expected to overtake

Germany as Europe’s biggest vehicle

market by 2014.

Last year, Russian vehicle sales

reached 2.65 million units and is

expected the reach 2.9 million this

year, thanks to a rapidly expanding

middle class.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

CLIO RS ADDITIONS: CLICK HERE

Lada Granta

Megane GT

May 9, 2012 Page 17

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We are the market leader in our field and are experiencing a sustained period of growth in a growing market. We know our success comes from our dedicated and enthusiastic staff who work together to deliver exceptional customer focused outcomes. As we continue to grow, we need to add to our talented and successful team.

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X3 an all-turbo affairas new 28i hits town

By MIKE COSTELLOBMW Australia has dropped the six-

cylinder petrol engine from its X3

xDrive28i and replaced it with a faster,

more frugal (but pricier) turbocharged

four-cylinder unit while retaining the

same badges.

The addition of the new engine

– already found in the Z4 roadster,

3 Series and 5 Series sedans, and

possibly the smaller X1 later this year

– means the popular premium SUV

range is now all-turbo.

While power output is down (180kW

compared to 190kW for the inline-

six), torque is up by 40Nm to 350Nm

between 1250 and 4800rpm, while

0-100km/h acceleration is two-tenths

of a second faster at 6.7 seconds.

As before, the 28i is matched to

a standard eight-speed automatic

transmission with Steptronic manual

mode.

Like the rest of the engine range,

the xDrive28i now comes with a fuel-

saving idle-stop function, which helps

bring claimed petrol consumption

down by a substantial 1.5 litres per

100km to 7.5L/100km.

FULL STORY, PRICING: CLICK HERE

X1 power linesX1 power lines

New diesel, petrol engines on agenda for BMW SUV

By DAVID HASSALLBMW Australia is working towards

introducing a new turbo-diesel engine

and a pair of turbocharged petrol engines

when it launches a revised X1 compact

SUV range in October this year.

The German car-maker’s latest

eight-speed Steptronic automatic

transmission is also expected to become

available as an option to the standard

six-speed manual in the X1, replacing

the existing six-speed auto.

A new twin-turbo version of the

company’s existing 2.0-litre diesel –

which already powers the 23d variant

in Australia – was last week revealed

in Europe as the 25d, which will be the

top model in the mainly diesel X1 range

over there.

The new engine lifts power over the

23d by 13kW to 163kW and torque

by 50Nm to 450Nm, with drive going

exclusively through all four wheels.

BMW says the smaller of the two

turbochargers, which features variable

geometry technology, is responsible

for low-rev response, with peak torque

available from just 1500rpm, while the

larger turbo is concerned with higher-

rev output, resulting in 0-100km/h

performance of 6.8 seconds – 0.5

seconds faster than the 23d.

This new xDrive25ds model goes on

sale in the UK from July and could come

to Australia, although the local division

is concerned about the relatively low

take-up of top-end diesel variants.

On the petrol side, however, the

high-output version of BMW’s familiar

‘TwinPower’ 2.0-litre turbocharged

four-cylinder – which has a twin-scroll

single turbocharger, not twin turbos as

the name might suggest – is likely to

come here as the xDrive28i, replacing

the 25i variant that was discontinued in

January.

The 28i has been available overseas

for a year and the engine is already

available in a number of other BMW

models in Australia.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

May 9, 2012 Page 18

SUBSCRIBE FREE: www.GoAutoMedia.com

GoAuto NewsJohn Mellor’s

Westco Motors Cairns is a family owned and operated business, we operate with the Nissan, Mazda, Volkswagen and BMW franchises. We are seeking an experienced Service Manager for our main workshop. We operate with 18 productive staff and 8 support staff. Our business is growing and we have significant expansion plans for the future.

This is a serious opportunity for the right person to further their career, join our dynamic team in exceptional work conditions and be rewarded with salary a package, (negotiable based on experience) and provision of a fully maintained vehicle.

Service ManagerFor more information please contact General Manager Chris Lukosius on (07)40 444 111 or to apply email chris.lukosius@westco.net.au and provide an up to date resume, along with a cover letter outlining your experience and why you are the right person for this role.

All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.

More than 250 orders infor hot Grand Cherokeeahead of August launch

Jeep SRT8 in demandJeep SRT8 in demand

Australia waits as Subaru UK sets identical price for BRZ as Toyota 86 twinBy MIKE COSTELLO

SUBARU has announced its highly

anticipated BRZ coupe will wear an

identical starting price to its Toyota 86

twin in the UK market.

Subaru’s version of the rear-drive

sportscar had been expected to

command a slight premium over the

Toyota.

The BRZ will be available in the UK

at launch in two specifi cation levels

– base SE and fl agship SE Lux, with

prices starting at ₤24,995 ($A39,200).

This is around ₤1500 ($A2350)

more than the UK price of the Mazda

MX-5 hard-top, which retails in

Australia from $47,200.

Subaru Australia national corporate

affairs manager David Rowley told

GoAuto last week that a decision on

local BRZ pricing remained “some

way off”, with the local launch not

scheduled until the third quarter of

this year – some months after Toyota’s

launch of the 86 in June.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

By MIKE COSTELLOCHRYSLER Group Australia (CGA)

management will be the only ones

driving the hotly anticipated new Jeep

Grand Cherokee SRT8 for now, with a

stock shortage from the US pushing the

arrival date back until August.

Originally set to launch Down Under

this month, the company will now

have to make do with the handful of

evaluation vehicles that are currently

doing the rounds on Australian roads

ahead of its wider release – 18 months

after the new-generation Grand

Cherokee was launched here.

The delay also means the hottest

Grand Cherokee will now arrive one

month after the SRT8 version of the all-

new Chrysler 300C, which remains on

track to launch in July alongside the rest

of the 300C sedan range.

CGA director of corporate affairs

Lenore Fletcher told GoAuto that

the company would still receive the

production allocation it had requested,

despite the delay.

“There is a little bit of a delay, which

is a little disappointing,” she said.

“Nonetheless we’re very excited to

be getting it. The silver lining is that

it points to the demand there is for it

around the world.”

CGA said it will receive 25 per cent

of global SRT8 allocation, equating to

around 1000 per year, and has already

taken more than 250 orders.

The sporty SUV is powered by a

ferocious 6.4-litre Hemi V8 petrol with

351kW of power and 630Nm of torque,

enough to accelerate the 2350kg wagon

from zero to 97km/h (60mph) in just 4.8

seconds – a time more akin to high-end

sportscars than big American SUVs.

CGA expects it will bolster the already

strong growth Jeep has experienced in

Australia this year.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

May 9, 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.

Australia looks on as Kialaunches K9 in Koreai30 wagon outi30 wagon out

Euro production rules out new i30cw for Australia

By MIKE COSTELLOHYUNDAI Australia will drop the i30

wagon from its line-up when it launches

the redesigned, second-generation model

in hatch-only guise later this month.

The Korean car-maker fi rst showed

the German-designed, new-generation

i30 wagon at the Geneva motor show

in February this year, and it was widely

expected to arrive here several months

after the hatch.

While the current i30cw model has

been sourced from South Korea since

2009, the new-generation wagon will

only be manufactured at the company’s

Nosovice plant in the Czech Republic.

Hyundai said this rules the wagon out

of contention for the Australian market,

even though the Czech plant will

produce the new model in right-hand-

drive confi guration for the UK market.

The current wagon variant is a popular

choice among buyers, accounting for 20

per cent of the i30’s 8817 total sales this

year, making it far-and-away Australia’s

most popular small wagon.

Its absence from showrooms will leave

pricier Euros like the Volkswagen Golf

and Peugeot 308 as the only remaining

small wagons available in Australia – at

least until Holden enters the fray in early

2013 with the Cruze wagon, which also

premiered at the Geneva show.

Holden will import the Cruze

wagon from GM Korea initially, but

is considering putting it into local

production at its Elizabeth plant

alongside the sedan and hatch variants.

Hyundai Australia senior manager

of public relations Ben Hershman told

GoAuto it would rely on other models in

its range to cover for the loss of the wagon.

“It’s something we have to work into

our product strategy, and we’re very

fortunate that we have ix35 available

to us as an alternative product, and also

the i40 Tourer,” he said.

Mr Hershman said the car-maker had

enough stock of the current wagon to

fulfi l outstanding customer and fl eet

interest over “the next few months”.

While the current i30cw retails from

$22,090 plus on-road costs – $1500

more than the equivalent 2.0 SX

hatchback – the entry-level front-drive

ix35 small SUV costs $26,990, with the

larger and more premium i40 Tourer

wagon starting at $32,490.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

By MIKE COSTELLOKIA has opened the order books for

its K9 fl agship in its home market of

South Korea, edging the car-maker

towards the luxury-car segment for

the fi rst time.

Featuring styling clearly inspired

by the Maserati Quattroporte, the K9

is the fast-growing Korean company’s

fi rst rear-wheel-drive sedan.

The K9 will spearhead Kia’s

K-series sedan range, which includes

the Optima (called K5 in Korea) and

Cadenza (K7).

The car will be introduced with a

different name in “a number of key

overseas markets” during the fi nal

quarter of this year, but its left-hand-

drive-only confi guration leaves it out

of the running for Australia.

Kia has not identifi ed which LHD

markets it will specifi cally target, but

it is expected to hit Asian markets

such as China fi rst, before heading to

Europe.

Kia chief design offi cer – and former

Audi designer – Peter Schreyer said the

K9 is “a clear signal of our intention

and determination to compete head-

to-head with the European luxury

brands”.

At 5090mm long, 1900mm wide

and 1490mm high, the K9 is about the

same size as both the Mercedes-Benz

S-Class and BMW 7 Series.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

May 9, 2012 Page 20

SUBSCRIBE FREE: www.GoAutoMedia.com

GoAuto NewsJohn Mellor’s

GENERAL MANAGER JOWETT MOTOR GROUP MELBOURNEOne of Melbourne’s most progressive multi-franchise organisations is seeking a General Manager to operate one of its premium brand, high volume dealerships.Reporting exclusively to the Managing Director, this challenging position calls for an outstanding, dedicated hands-on professional, with appropriate dealership ex-perience, along with the vision, fl air and knowledge to manage, motivate and mentor our dynamic dealership staff to achieve monthly performance objectives. Candidates will need to demonstrate a history of success in terms of sales volume, profi t generation,

leadership and customer satisfaction. An attractive remuneration package, commensurate with experi-ence, standing and ability will be negotiated with the successful candidate. The Jowett Motor Group is an equal opportunity employer, with a mission to establish its own, unique culture in automotive retailing and accordingly, seeks the best, most talented people available. Interested persons should email their resumes with a covering letter to tjowett@jmgpl.com.au. All resumes will be treated in the strictest confi dence.

LMCT8953 JMG5147JH

Honda Accord becomessole sub-$30K large carin post-fl ood sales drive

Accord from $28,190Accord from $28,190

Sharper pricing, cosmetic tweaks and more refi nement for Honda City light carBy MIKE COSTELLO

HONDA Australia has cut $500 from

the price of its City light-car line-up as

part of a facelift that also brings a range

of cosmetic tweaks both inside and out.

The range continues to be available in

two specifi cation levels – VTi and VTi-L

– with both receiving a new chrome

grille with subtly different front and rear

bumpers and redesigned brake lights.

A new Sparkling Brown Metallic paint

colour has also been added to the range.

Inside, both variants pick up a

new glowing-blue speedometer,

aluminium-look inserts and “luxurious

feel” seat fabric.

Noise, vibration and harshness

(NVH) levels are also said to be better

than before, courtesy of thicker window

glass and “enhanced” fl oor carpets.

The entry VTi model gets a new

micro antenna while the VTi-L adds

new-look 16-inch alloy wheels and

chrome treatment on the audio and

climate controls.

FULL STORY, PRICING: CLICK HERE

By RON HAMMERTONHONDA Australia has taken the axe to

the pricing of its Thai-built Accord as it

prepares to effectively relaunch the larger

of its two Accord variants after months

without fresh stock due to the fl ood

devastation of Honda’s factory in Thailand.

Prices have been chopped by up to 13

per cent, as the importer looks forward

to receiving shiploads of Accords from

the refurbished plant next month.

The biggest price cut – $4300 – has

been made to the entry-level Accord

VTi, which drops from

$32,490 to $28,190 (plus

on-road costs), or $29,990

driveaway.

This makes the 2.4-litre

four-cylinder Accord the only model

in the large-car segment to be priced

under $30,000, with Nissan’s 2.5-litre

Maxima 250 ST-L the next lowest at

$33,990.

It also makes the Accord VTi cheaper

than the smaller Accord Euro, which

starts at $30,340 for the Standard model.

The price of the mid-range Accord

VTi-L has been chopped $2800, to

$37,190, while the fl agship V6 automatic

takes a $2700 price cut, to $47,290.

However, customers will have to wait

until next month for delivery and may be

limited in their choice of colours.

The latest price cuts

follow similar moves with

Civic and City pricing

over the past few months

as Honda fi ghts to retain

sales volume and share after struggling

with a severe lack of stock due to back-to-

back natural disasters in 2011.

Honda Australia corporate spokesman

Lindsay Smalley told GoAuto that

Honda was looking to aggressively lift

Accord sales volumes when stocks of

the model begin to fl ow next month.

“In June 2011, Honda announced a

return to our strong value-for-money

position in the highly competitive

Australian market,” he said.

“We have realigned our pricing and

added specifi cation upgrades across most

of our range over the past eight months.

“Our focus is now on the Honda

Accord, as stock becomes available again

from our reopened factory in Thailand.

“Honda has repositioned pricing

on the Accord range as we look to

aggressively lift volume of this model.

“Honda’s strategy is to always provide

our customers with excellent product at

an excellent price and this new pricing

is in line with this strategy.”

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

PRICING:VTi (a) $28,190

VTi-L Nav (a) $37,190

V6 (a) $47,290

May 9, 2012 Page 21

SUBSCRIBE FREE: www.GoAutoMedia.com

GoAuto NewsJohn Mellor’s

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FOR SALE

Last roll of dice for Tiidavia ‘Series 4’ as mix also changes for Micra, Dualis

Nissan ‘small change’Nissan ‘small change’

Nissan to offer wild Juke R on build-to-order basisBy MIKE COSTELLO

NISSAN has given the green light to

a limited production run of its mad

Juke R concept – a small SUV with

the chassis and drivetrain from the all-

wheel-drive GT-R supercar.

The car was originally conceived as

a one-off experiment by a small group

of Nissan Europe engineers, with the

aim of gauging public reaction to a

sporty Juke variant.

It was expected that any production

version to hit the streets would be a

saner, toned-down version, but the

production Juke R has turned out to

be more powerful than the original

British-built concept.

Underneath its snubby nose lurks

the upgraded engine from the latest

GT-R – producing 404kW of power

and 628Nm of torque – whereas the

original had the 357kW/558Nm unit

from the 2010 model.

Power is channelled to the road via

the GTR’s advanced AWD system and

its rear-mounted six-speed dual-clutch

transmission.

Nissan has not revealed the 0-100km/h

acceleration time for the production

Juke R, but the extra power should

make it even faster than the concept,

which was claimed to complete the

sprint in just 3.7 seconds. Top speed is

listed at 260km/h.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

By MIKE COSTELLONISSAN Australia has increased

pricing by $1000 across its slow-selling

Tiida small-car line-up, around eight

months before it is due to be replaced

by the reborn Pulsar.

The ambitious company – which

aims to supplant Mazda as Australia’s

number-one full-line importer by

March 31 next year – has also added

$500 to several members of its Micra

light-car range.

GoAuto understands the price hike

across the Thai-built Tiida range comes

as part of a ‘Series 4’ upgrade, although

it is unclear if this has been offset by

additional standard features or other

forms of value-adding.

Pricing for both the Tiida fi ve-door

hatch and sedan now kicks off at $18,990

for the ST and $22,990 for the higher-

specifi ed Ti, plus on-road costs. The

optional four-speed automatic (standard

on the Ti sedan) adds a further $2500.

While it has increased the list price,

Nissan Australia is currently offering

the Tiida ST at a driveaway price of

$18,990 for a limited time.

Tiida sales are up 13.3 per cent

in the fi rst four months of this year,

but with just 1437 sales it remains a

relative minnow in its segment, which

is dominated by the Mazda3, Toyota

Corolla, Holden Cruze

and Hyundai i30.

Nissan Australia

expects the new Pulsar

sedan and hatch range to

substantially close the gap

when it begins a staggered

rollout from early next year, returning

it to the lofty heights of its popular

predecessors.

Interestingly, the $500 price increase

on Micra only applies to fi ve-speed

manual versions, meaning the optional

automatic transmission now commands

only a $1500 premium.

With increases of up to 3.8 per cent,

the Micra line-up now starts at $13,490

for the base ST three-cylinder variant,

while the ST-L is now $15,490 and the

Ti starts from $17,490.

Before the increases, the Indonesian-

sourced Micra was one of only four

sub-$13,000 models in Australia – the

others being the Chery

J1, Holden Barina Spark

and Suzuki Alto.

Micra sales are also

up year-on-year, this

time by 23.5 per cent to

3027 units, although it

dropped 39 per cent in April over the

same month last year, to only 380.

While it trails well behind the overall

light segment-leading Mazda2 and

Toyota Yaris, the Micra continues

to outpoint its rivals at the bargain-

basement end of the segment, with the

Alto recording 963 sales, Barina Spark

629 and Chery J1 only 203.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

PRICING:ST sedan/hatch $18,990

ST sedan/hatch (a) $21,240

Ti hatch $22,990

Ti sedan (a) $24,240

Ti hatch (a) $25,240

SUBSCRIBE FREE: www.GoAutoMedia.com

May 9, 2012 Page 22GoAuto InBrief

John Mellor’s

GoAuto’s latest car review www.GoAuto.com.au

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

Volkswagen Tiguan 118TSIVOLKSWAGEN introduced a front-drive, entry-level variant of its class-leading Tiguan compact SUV along with a comprehensive midlife facelift in October 2011, heralding a $5500 drop in the cost of entry. The base Tiguan comes with VW’s twin-charged 118kW/240Nm 118TSI petrol engine for punchy power, while standard idle-stop and the lack of an all-wheel-drive system’s weight and friction reduce the penalty at the pumps. On paper there is little to mark the Tiguan down and this base model represents a classy German alternative to the Asian competition.

A successful and long-established NSW coastal dealership is now available for sale.

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TOP VICTORIAN DEALEROUR report last week on Infi niti’s east-

coast dealer network included a claim

from Penfold Motors, which is published

on its website, that it is Victoria’s highest-

volume dealer for Holden and Mazda.

However, Max Kirwan has thrown

his hat into the ring, providing offi cial

fi gures from Mazda Australia that show

his Preston dealership as the brand’s top

Victorian retail outlet – year to date (to

the end of April 2012), as well as for the

full year in 2010 and 2011.

RAV EV revealRAV EV reveal

Toyota’s electric SUV to be a niche US-only model

By DAVID HASSALLTOYOTA unveiled its all-electric

production vehicle, the RAV4 EV, in Los

Angeles this week, with a retail pricetag

almost double that of the brand’s top-

specifi ed petrol-engined RAV4.

Toyota has priced the “fully

equipped” front-wheel-drive RAV4 EV

at $US49,800 ($A48,800) whereas the

top-spec FWD V6-engined Limited

automatic model sells for $US27,250

($A26,700).

It will go on sale in California in

about four months, but is not scheduled

for Australia.

The Japanese car-maker claims the

electric version equals or exceeds the

driving performance, dynamics and

cargo capacity of the V6-engined RAV4.

Although it weighs about 215kg

more, the extra weight is located down

low, delivering what a Toyota executive

described as “an even better driving

experience” that would “dramatically

change your thinking regarding EV

performance”.

Toyota claims the vehicle’s

aerodynamic drag fi gure of 0.30Cd is

the best for any SUV in the world.

The EV’s highly anticipated

introduction – at the 26th annual

Electric Vehicle Symposium at the LA

Convention Centre – comes less than two

years after Toyota bought into California-

based electric-car-maker Tesla Motors to

fast-track its way into the EV market.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

GOAUTO’S MONTHLY CAR MAGAZINE OUT NOWDOWNLOAD FOR FREE: CLICK HERE

SIMPSON ON PATROLNISSAN Australia has announced the

Simpson 50th Anniversary Edition

Patrol, a special version based on the

current-generation ST variant and now

in showrooms.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

READ MORE: ► ACTiV STRIKES AGAIN ► TOP AUDI EXPERIENCE

SUBSCRIBE FREE: www.GoAutoMedia.com

GoAuto Market Insight

John Mellor’s

May 9, 2012 Page 23

GoAuto Market Insight – brought to you by Dealer Solutions

DealerSolutions

Means Performance.

By TERRY MARTINAS SIGNIFICANT new models

hit the market, and new taxpayer-

supported investments are made to

keep Australian car manufacturing

alive, the monthly sales fi gures

continue to dent the long-term

prospects of locally built large cars –

at least as we know them today.

New-vehicle registration statistics

released last week by the Federal

Chamber of Automotive Industries

(FCAI) show yet another fall in the

large-car segment, down 25.4 per cent

in April to account for just 5.2 per cent

of the entire market.

For the year to date, large cars below

$70,000 have now fallen 23.2 per cent,

on the back of the three Australian-built

nameplates all plunging more than 20

per cent.

Ford’s Falcon is down 25.4 per cent

(plummeting 30.7 per cent last month

with just 1009 sales, fewer than the

Territory SUV), Holden’s Commodore

is 22.8 per cent in arrears (down

26.9 per cent in April on 2248 sales,

again behind the Cruze small car)

and Toyota’s Aurion has fallen 20.8

per cent, despite an even-par 0.3 per

cent rise (629 units) last month with

registrations of the redesigned model

kicking in.

Although Cruze sales dropped 10.3

per cent last month and sales of the

medium-sized Toyota Camry were up

just 1.6 per cent, their respective YTD

increases of 4.9 and 17.0 per cent are

at least heading in the right direction in

market segments that are bigger than

the once-dominant large cars.

Yes, even medium-sized cars – up

19.8 per cent YTD in the sub-$60K class

– have outsold large cars throughout

this year in a segment showing strong

growth potential, which is one of the

reasons Holden has signalled it will

downsize after the 2013 VF series with

its next-generation ‘Commodore’.

Toyota has also spoken of its “fi rm

intention” to build another all-new

Camry that would take it into next decade,

leaving Ford as the only other local

car-maker still to give a manufacturing

commitment beyond 2016 and the

current platform underpinning Falcon

sedan/ute and Territory.

So the spotlight remains on Australian-

built large cars, which last month

brought the long-awaited four-cylinder

Falcon and new-generation Camry-

based Aurion, following Holden’s fi rst

dedicated-LPG Commodore/Caprice in

February and, late last year, Ford’s FGII

Falcon series upgrade.

The Blue Oval’s much-vaunted

EcoLPi LPG Falcon was launched in

July last year – almost a year ago – but

has not arrested the downturn in Falcon

sales.

LPG supplier issues have reportedly

played a part here, but Ford and Holden

management will be clearly dismayed

at the apparent lack of buyer interest

in their respective new LPG models,

which have required major investments

and offer clear benefi ts for motorists.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

Aussie large cars still inspotlight as sales remainlow, sector plans change

Rethinking ‘large’Rethinking ‘large’ Large and Medium Car Sales April 2011-onwards

3000

3500

4000

4500

5000

5500

6000

6500

7000

7500

Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr

2011 2012

Medium cars under $60,000

Large cars under $70,000

SourSource:ce: VFACVFACTSTS

Sale

s

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May 9, 2012 Page 24Green issues in the auto worldGoAuto Green

John Mellor’s

SUBSCRIBE FREE: www.GoAutoMedia.com

GoAuto Green is brought to you by Better Place GoAuto Go reen is broughtto you by Bey tter Place

By DAVID HASSALLA NEW consortium established in

Germany and headed by BMW is

exploring ways of making small

electric cars of the future much more

affordable and as safe as conventional

petrol-powered city cars.

BMW is taking the lead – resulting

in the adoption of the BMW-style

name of Visio.M for the project – but is

working with the Technical University

of Munich (TUM) as a “scientifi c

partner”, along with cross-town rival

Daimler and other engineers to advance

the cause of electric cars.

The consortium aims to produce a

concept city car with 15kW of power

and a maximum kerb weight of just

400kg without the battery, while

meeting the same safety standards as

conventional petrol-powered cars.

It will start working with a prototype

electric vehicle called MUTE, which

was developed by 200 people across 20

departments of the Munich university

and was revealed at last year’s

Frankfurt motor show.

MUTE weighed 500kg, including

the batteries, thanks to a “vehicle frame

made of aluminium and a chassis made

of a carbon-fi bre-reinforced plastic”.

It had a 4kWh zinc-air range-extender

located at the front of the vehicle, a

10kWh lithium-ion battery pack (with a

fi breglass-reinforced housing for crash

protection) and a 15kW electric motor,

providing a range of at least 100km and

a top speed of 120km/h.

The Visio.M consortium plans

to use this vehicle to “explore

innovations and new technologies

for vehicle safety, propulsion, energy

storage and operational concepts, for

implementation under the framework

requirements of large-scale production”.

Funding of €10.8 million ($A13.8

million) has been secured from the

German ministry for education and

research.

Other German ‘industrial partners’ in

the venture include safety outfi t Autoliv,

the Federal Highway Research Institute

(BAST), Continental tyres, power

company E.ON, design company Hyve,

transport analysts InnoZ, mapping

experts Intermap Technologies,

lithium-ion battery specialists LION

Smart, drivetrain specialists Neumayer

Tekfor, and electronics giants Siemens

and Texas Instruments.

BMW said that while EVs powered

by electricity from renewable energy

sources are an attractive option for

urban areas, previous approaches have

led to vehicles that are too heavy and

too expensive or do not meet mass-

market safety requirements.

“On the way to mass production

of electric vehicles, there are still

signifi cant technological hurdles to

overcome,” said the Munich-based

company in a statement this week.

“Previous small electric vehicles

offer only a minimum level of vehicle

safety and therefore are not mass-

marketable (while EVs) that were

derived from gasoline-powered models

are usually too heavy and require large

and expensive batteries.”

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

German auto giants join forces to advance causeof battery-powered cars

Hitting ‘MUTE’ buttonHitting ‘MUTE’ button

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MOTOR INDUSTRY ACCOUNTANTS FIND NEW HOMEBy JOHN MELLOR

FORMER Horwath and BDO motor

industry accounting luminaries Brett

Fowler and John Gavljak have moved

to Moore Stephens Australasia in the

wake of the March discontinuation of

the BDO NSW and BDO Victorian

franchises by BDO International.

According to BDO International, the

BDO franchises were cut adrift because

the two fi rms were not making enough

progress in preparations for integration

of the Melbourne and Sydney practices

and this was deemed to impact on

BDO International’s plans for global

integration.

The cancellation of the franchises

left the motor industry consulting

divisions of BDO NSW and BDO

Victoria without a home.

Mr Fowler and Mr Gavljak will be

joined at Moore Stephens by their

motor industry teams from BDO.

Mr Fowler and Mr Gavljak each

bring roughly 20 years’ experience

in accounting advice to car retailers,

manufacturers and distributors, fi nance

companies and industry associations.

Mr Fowler told GoAuto that from his

team’s point of view it was “business

as usual” with their motor industry

clients.

The motor industry services divisions

of BDO NSW and Victoria were set

up in the early 2000s when Horwath

partners based in Sydney elected to

move the fi rm across to Deloitte to

form Deloitte Motor Industry Services.

A number of motor industry

specialists at Horwath elected not to

join Deloitte and set up under the BDO

franchise.

NEW AUDI SALES CHIEFNEW AUDI SALES CHIEF

Mark Kebblewhite

JORDAN JOINS NISSAN AUSTRALIA PR TEAM

May 9, 2012 Page 25GoAuto Personnel

John Mellor’s

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If you have any car industry personnel announcements, please email them to

Terry Martin at tmartin@mellor.net

VALE BRYAN HANRAHAN By TERRY MARTIN

FORMER Australian motoring and

motorsport writer and author Bryan

Hanrahan died on April 27 after a long

illness. He was 88.

Born in the UK in 1923, Mr

Hanrahan became one of Australia’s

leading motoring writers over a career

spanning four decades, working for a

range of newspapers and magazines

in the early 1950s before joining The

Herald in Melbourne in 1956.

He rose to motoring editor in 1967 –

succeeding Chris de

Fraga, who moved to

The Age – and served

at The Herald until

1989, when he retired

with wife Barbara to

Tathra in New South

Wales.

The couple relocated

to Sydney in recent years.

During his career, Mr Hanrahan also

wrote and edited a number of books

including Motor Racing the Australian

Way (1972), Bikes and Bikies (1974)

and In Praise of Australia’s Veteran

and Vintage Cars (1989).

He fought for the British Army

during World War II and was reportedly

one of the fi rst Allied soldiers to fl y into

Singapore – by parachute – after the

Japanese surrender in 1945.

A private cremation was held for Mr

Hanrahan in Sydney last week.

(Editor’s note: Thanks to Motor

Book World for assistance in sourcing

a photograph.)

Bryan Hanrahan

www.motorstaff.com.au

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Doug Tame

Mara Nogarotto

Les Land

By TERRY MARTINAUDI Australia has appointed

experienced automotive sales

executive Mark Kebblewhite as

general manager of sales, fi lling the

vacancy created when Carlos Santos

left the company earlier this year.

Mr Kebblewhite

has spent the past

seven years at

Hyundai Motor

Co Australia, most

recently as regional

sales manager. He

also has more than a

decade’s experience in

the motor retail sector,

including brand manager for Volkswagen

at Denlo Group in Parramatta.

Meanwhile, Mr Santos has returned

to Volkswagen Group Australia

as general manager of business

development. He was in the top sales

position at Audi for just over a year,

having moved from his role as national

sales manager at Volkswagen.

CHRIS Jordan recently joined Nissan

Australia as press and PR supervisor,

replacing Colette Black who has

moved to the marketing department.

Mr Jordan was previously a senior

client manager at PR fi rm BAM

Media, working for the past three

years as communications manager

for Kelly Racing – the V8 Supercars

team with which Nissan has struck a

deal to race its forthcoming Altima

sedan from next year.

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May 9, 2012 Page 26GoAuto New Car Diary

John Mellor’s

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Citroen cuts C5 baselineto $32,990 driveaway

By DAVID HASSALLCITROEN has effectively slashed

more than $5000 from the price of its

turbocharged Citroen C5 Attraction

less than three months after it was

released in Australia, introducing a

driveaway price of just $32,990 for a

limited time.

This represents a saving of $3000

on the retail price, plus at least another

$2000 in on-road costs.

There is no change to the price of

the diesel-engined C5 Attraction HDi,

which remains at $37,990 plus on-

road costs.

Less than two years ago, the entry

level for the C5 range was $49,990

plus ORCs.

The Attraction specifi cation was

introduced in February as a new entry

level for the French car-maker’s mid-

size sedan and was priced $3500 below

the Seduction level that previously led

the C5 line-up.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

All-new ‘mainstream’ model in works at Aston MartinBy DAVID HASSALL

ASTON Martin is creating a new

standalone two-door model line that

will debut in little more than a year –

in time to celebrate the famed British

marque’s 100th birthday.

Although it will be based on Aston

Martin’s familiar front-engined VH

platform and be powered by the same

5.9-litre V12 fi tted to most of its existing

models, the new car will apparently not

be the expected replacement for either

the DBS or the aging DB9.

It is expected to be unveiled later

this year, possibly at the Paris motor

show in September, ahead of its 2013

introduction.

Aston Martin CEO Ulrich Bez told

British magazine Auto Express the

new model would be an addition to the

existing line-up.

“This will be an entirely new model,”

said Dr Bez. “We have to do something

remarkable to mark our centenary.

“It won’t be a DB9 with a Centenary

Edition badge and it won’t be a limited

edition like the One-77 supercar. This

will be a mainstream Aston.”

Aston Martin head of design Marek

Reichmann is reportedly putting the fi nal

touches to the Centenary model, which

is expected to feature an aggressive front

bumper, a ventilated hood and LED-

infused headlights and tail-lights.

Spy shots of the car testing in Europe

indicate it will be a slightly sharper-

edged variation on the usual Aston

Martin theme, as displayed by its other

two-door, front-engined models, the

Vantage, DB9 and Virage.

Auto Express said Dr Bez dismissed

those who have criticised the similarity

of recent Astons and called for more

radical designs.

“The best cars stand the test of

time,” he said. “You need evolution in

design, not constant change. Look at the

Porsche 911.”

Reports out of Europe suggest that

the V12 engine – which produces

350kW in the four-door Rapide, 365kW

in the Virage and 380kW in the Vantage

and DB9 – will be tuned to deliver more

than 400kW for the new Centenary

model, driving through a six-speed

manual gearbox or Aston’s new seven-

speed Sportshift II auto.

This could be enough to make the

new model the company’s fi rst capable

of accelerating from 0-100km/h in

four seconds or less. The fastest Aston

currently is the Vantage V12 at 4.2

seconds.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE C5 Attraction