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John Mellor's
April 11, 2008
Australia’s Number One Automotive Industry Journal
GoAuto news
50,000 READERS WEEKLY
No. 428
New Falcon:
The Verdict
FG: The Verdict
GoAuto gets its hands on the FG Falcon - and new details of its long-term future
FORD Australia this week laid all its cards
on the table with the first drive of its newgeneration FG Falcon.
It was a week which has validated most
– but not all – of Ford Australia’s engineering
claims, and has also shed new light on the
future of this iconic Australian-built large car.
GoAuto can reveal that the long-term future
now looks to be secure for the Falcon, with
a diesel engine confirmed from 2010 and a
hastened arrival of the next-generation car
– understood now to be 2012/13 – that will be
built using the Blue Oval brand’s new global
rear-wheel drive architecture.
We have learnt this week that a decision
on the extent to which Ford Australia has an
engineering role in the development of this
new platform will be made within weeks – and
that it looks as though America will take the
reins from Australia as the global hub for rearwheel drive.
Australia is not out of the frame and still
has a fighting chance to become the centre
of excellence – as is the case with Holden
– for global large rear-wheel drive vehicles.
If that occurs, a senior Ford executive has
told GoAuto that, for the first time ever, the
Ford Falcon could become a world car for
international consumption.
Even if the Americans do take control, it does
not sound a death rattle for Ford manufacturing
in Australia.
The next-generation Falcon looks set to
transfer to the new architecture, along with the
Territory SUV, and will continue to be built in
Australia and tailored to our conditions.
As we have reported in this issue, Ford
Australia’s new president Bill Osborne is also
preparing a case for a renewed export push
with both Falcon and the forthcoming Focus
small car, which commences production in
Australia in 2011.
He intends to thrash out a deal for a wider
export program for Falcon – including lefthand drive – with Ford’s global product
development chief Derrick Kuzak at the
beginning of next month.
Around this time we will also learn whether
Ford Australia has, with the FG, earned the right
to describe the Falcon as “Australia’s safest”
with a five-star rating from the independent
Australasian New Car Assessment Program
(ANCAP).
Off the record, senior Ford executives have
confirmed the FG was designed to achieve
a five-star ANCAP rating. The company
will also make a car available for ANCAP’s
optional side-impact pole crash test, which is
a prerequisite for a five-star rating.
But back to the drive. It was conducted this
week in Victoria across more than 600km of
varied terrain. While the FG does not have
the same sense of overt newness as the VE
Commodore did, at least at base level, the
drive was illuminating.
But this is just the book’s cover. Read on for
the GoAuto verdict…
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A P R I L 1 1 , 2 0 0 8 Page 2
New benchmark
XT look packs less punch
than VE Omega, but the
Falcon is a superior drive
NEW FALCON:
THE VERDICT
By MARTON PETTENDY
IT MIGHT not smack you in the face as
being all-new like Holden’s aggressivelystyled billion-dollar VE Commodore, but
Ford’s redesigned FG Falcon sedan sets new
benchmarks in the areas of handling dynamics
and value for money.
In typical Ford fashion, the best parts of
the Blue Oval’s newest Australian large car
lie beneath its subtle new sheetmetal, which
is indeed significantly different to the BFII
Falcon it replaces but, in isolation on the
road, risks being mistaken as a mild upgrade
– especially in entry-level XT guise.
But it is in XT form that the first all-new
Falcon since the 1998 AU, the model that began
the current sales slide for Ford Australia’s vital
homegrown hero, most impresses as one of
the most high-tech, safe, powerful, efficient,
refined, well-equipped and well-packaged cars
Australia has ever produced – and it is priced
from $36,490.
Our first drive took place over a challenging
and varied 450km mix of Victorian country
roads, but even before a wheel had turned it
was obvious the larger new sedan is easier to
get into and out of thanks to its higher roofline
and more upright A-pillar.
Combined with larger door openings and
wider-opening doors, the banishment of
the AU-BF series’ too-fast A-pillar will be
welcome news for everyday Falcon drivers,
who will also love the best-in-class head,
elbow and hip space that the slightly wider and
much better-packaged new interior brings.
The new Falcon cabin falls short of the
Commodore’s only when it comes to legroom,
both front and rear, where 10mm more space
than before should still be enough for most.
It still offers a class-leading 535 litres of
boot space, which drops to 505 litres when a
full-size spare wheel is optioned (for $100, as
with Commodore).
XT
9
FG Falcon: XT
Crisp new steering feel and response;
improved chassis balance and dynamics; quieter,
smoother, more powerful, more fuel-efficient and
more characterful engine; stronger brakes; plush
ride quality; more spacious interior; easier ingress/
egress; improved visibility; value for money
8 Side curtain airbags are not standard; alloy
wheels are not standard; a degree of steering
rack rattle over bumpy bends; overhead lighting
console rattles; five-speed auto not as smooth as
previous four-speed; lack of visual differentiation
with the outgoing BF Falcon
Unlike the Commodore’s boot, however, it
is made more versatile by a 60/40 split-folding
rear seat, as well as more convenient thanks to a
boot release button on the bootlid itself – rather
than on the dash (as before) or, worse still, in
the glovebox (as with the Commodore).
Of course, the boot continues to be fully lined
and illuminated, and the bootlid has multilink
hinges that do not rob luggage space.
Visibility from the cavernous new interior,
which now accommodates even the tallest of
occupants and then some, is not only better
than before, but better than in the Commodore,
which has an unusually thick A-pillar that
encroaches on forward vision. Ford says it
has strict A-pillar width dimensions globally,
and that it achieved its chassis rigidity targets
without widening its A-pillars to the same
degree (or fitting a fixed rear seat).
That said, Ford executives privately admit
the 92 per cent new FG body is not as rigid as
the VE’s and that it does not deliver the same
structural rigidity gains as the BA Falcon did
in 2002, when Ford applied a $500 million
facelift to the slow-selling AU that lifted body
strength by almost 60 per cent.
With gains of up to 20 per cent, the BAFG model change was never going to feel
as significant as the structural integrity
improvements wrought by the VE, which
replaced VT-VZ Commodore lineage that dated
back to at least 1997. In short, the FG comes off
a much higher base than the VE and is therefore
a victim of the law of diminishing returns.
But it is what Ford has bolted to its upgraded
new FG platform that has transformed the
handling of Ford’s large sedan.
Apart from refinements to its proven
independent rear end, monotube shock
absorbers all round, a longer wheelbase and
wider wheel tracks, the FG features an allnew front-end design comprising a 22kglighter aluminium Virtual Pivot Control Link
suspension like that seen in the Territory and a
forward-mounted Y-shaped steering rack with
variable-ratio gearing supplied by Bishop.
Combined, they not only return a tight 2.6
turns lock-to-lock and a best-in-class 11.0metre turning circle, but allow the FG to
leapfrog the VE in terms of steering feedback
and response – especially at base level. If the
VE’s steering caught up with the Falcon of the
day, then the FG moves back ahead with even
more response as you wind the lock on and less
nervousness around centre.
Continued next page
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With nearly 400 satisfied dealer groups using Auto-IT
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A P R I L 1 1 , 2 0 0 8 Page 3
New benchmark
NEW FALCON:
THE VERDICT
Continued from previous page
Despite being less busy and more relaxing to
drive, the FG offers an even better feel for the
road. The only criticism we have, which was
revealed on virtually all cars we drove, was a
small but consistent amount of steering rack rattle
when loaded up over mid-corner bumps. But that
is a small price to pay for the huge increases in
steering communication the FG delivers.
Combined with the suspension changes all
round, the new Falcon feels much more willing
to steer in any given direction, more linear in its
progression from left- to right-hand turns and
vice-versa, less prone to diagonally pitching
than before and generally lighter on its feet.
It is a dynamic step that comes at no expense
to ride quality and makes the new Falcon
perform far better than suggested by the sum
of its parts. And it will make both the school
run and the mountain pass more enjoyable for
commuters and enthusiasts alike.
While the VE Omega’s accomplished ride/
handling prowess feels as if it comes exclusively
from its super-stiff chassis, the XT is more of
a unified package in which improved steering
and front suspension designs make lighter
work of corners, the better-damped suspension
results in superior body control on undulating
roads and the beefier new XR-sourced brakes
keep it all under control.
Complementing the revitalised FG Falcon
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GoAutonews
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XT
chassis is a more powerful, more economical
and more refined 4.0-litre petrol engine, which
will be the final iteration of the Falcon’s longrunning inline six.
Revving beyond 6000rpm with a new-found
mechanical raspiness that is almost BMW-like,
the XT’s six-pack delivers 5kW more power
and 8Nm more peak torque, but delivers both
peak figures more smoothly and effectively.
It is mated to a new five-speed automatic
built in France, offers one extra ratio over the
Omega, has a manual-shift mode that won’t
override the driver’s gear selection by changing
either up or down, but is not as smooth-shifting
as the BF’s trusty four-speed.
The revised engine is not only responsive
and refined enough to make the XT the finest
taxi Australia has ever seen, but a fitting tribute
to a long line of inline Falcon sixes.
The icing on the cake is fuel consumption that
drops to 10.5L/100km, almost matching Toyota’s
200kW Aurion (9.9L/100km) and easily beating
the 190kW Omega (10.9L/100km). It falls
further still to 10.1L/100km with the optional
six-speed ZF auto.
Apart from being bigger, the XT cabin is a
vast step up on the previous model in terms of
presentation, fit and finish.
There was an annoying rattle from the
overhead lighting console fitted to all lowgrade models (which lose their predecessors’
sunglasses holder), but the high-mounted centre
console information screen is larger, more legible
and more comprehensive than the Omega’s and,
though it still lacks a redline on its tacho, the
FG’s instruments are now separated by a simple,
effective and classy trip computer display.
Markedly quieter inside than BF, the new
Falcon is a good match for the Commodore
but lacks the hushed refinement of the Aurion.
And though it still sounds distinctly like an I6
Falcon, its new-found engine note leaves the
Commodore’s thrashy Alloytec for dead.
The XT (and every FG Falcon sedan variant
this side of the Fairmont Ghia-replacing G6E)
cops criticism for not matching the Commodore
Omega’s recent upgrade that now sees it include
side curtain airbags as standard. Side curtains cost
an extra $300 on the XT, which happens to be the
amount by which the XT undercuts the Omega,
so it is certain Ford could have made them
standard across the FG sedan range and still been
cheaper than the VE sedan at base level – at least
until you fit alloy wheels to the XT, which are a
$500 option but now standard on the Omega.
Otherwise, the XT and Omega equipment list
lines up almost identically, with the exception
of climate-control air-conditioning, which is
standard on the Ford but not the Omega.
Ford says that it won’t make side curtains
standard on the XT because, off the record,
the fleet buyers who predominantly buy the
base Falcon shouldn’t have to pay for rear
passenger protecting airbags when they rarely
carry rear passengers. But, at the expense of a
slightly higher entry price, Ford could easily
have made six airbags standard across the FG
range, as it is on its two chief rivals.
As it is, that’s the only omission from a
new Falcon XT that is not only roomier, more
refined and more powerful than Australia’s
top-selling large sedan, but less expensive,
more economical and dynamically superior.
Private dancer - next page
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John Mellor's
GoAuto news
A P R I L 1 1 , 2 0 0 8 Page 4
Private dancer
Plush G6 is the model
that private buyers will
flock to - for good reason
NEW FALCON:
THE VERDICT
By JAMES STANFORD
THE G6 is proof that Ford is serious about
lifting the image and standing of the Falcon.
While there is no doubt the new XT is an
impressive entry-level car, the G6 represents a
huge step up and is well worth the extra $3500
if you can afford it.
The G6 essentially replaces the Futura,
but the G6 feels every bit as good as the old
Fairmont Ghia on the inside.
From the outside, the G6, like the G6E and
G6E Turbo, looks substantially different to
other Falcon models.
Its deep chrome grille means it is more likely
to be confused with a European Mondeo from
a distance rather than another Falcon.
Small details like the chrome strip along the
bottom of the windows indicate this is a more
expensive model than the base car.
There is a lot more evidence when you
slip into the cabin. Things like a G6-branded
chrome door sill plate, and stitched leatherlook fabric for the door bins of the front door,
also contribute to the classy look. Material
which has a suede-like feel is used for part of
the door trim and the seats, which are quite
comfortable. The dashboard looks elegant as
a whole and is capped of by the large colour
G6
9
FG Falcon: G6
High-class interior; classy exterior styling;
supple ride; excellent handling; strong engine
performance; great value
8 Some interior elements could be improved; G6
name sounds awkward; boot should be flat
information display.
It is an impressive display with good detail
and crisp graphics and is easy to use. It is
clearly the best display unit in its class. The
display unit in the G6 test car on the launch
suffered from a glitch, but we were assured it
would be fixed.
The instrumentation is clear and clean with
metal rings around the simple speedo.
Ford has done a lot of work to improve the
steering wheels across the entire range. The
new units feel far better and also look nicer
than the chunky BA that never felt quite right.
The plastic surfaces are soft to touch and the
panel fit on the cars at the launch was very good.
Downsides include the shallow glovebox and
the exposed power socket – surely Ford could
have designed a lid of some sort to hide it.
It is important that both the exterior and
interior styling match the premium image that
Ford is promoting the G cars in the FG. It does,
but the best part is the driving experience.
While people after a super-sporty drive are
still going to opt for the aggressively-styled
and sports-tuned XR series cars, owners of the
FG do not miss out. It is a prestige car, with a
solid sporty base.
The suspension tune of this car, with 17inch alloy wheels, is just about perfect for what
marketers would call a sports/luxury model.
Continued next page
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John Mellor's
GoAuto news
A P R I L 1 1 , 2 0 0 8 Page 5
Private dancer
NEW FALCON:
THE VERDICT
There are far too many cars that push the
sporty side too far and spoil the ride. The G6
has a lovely supple ride, but does not give up
from a handling perspective either.
There is a bit more bodyroll than you would
experience in the sharp XR cars, but not much.
You can still throw this thing into corners at
an impressive pace and the G6 will happily
hang on, making very little fuss.
A spirited run along a very tight and twisty
section revealed just how much fun this car, and
the whole FG Falcon range for that matter, is to
drive. The work on the steering and suspension
has really paid dividends. The steering of the
previous model tended to feel a bit nervous
at higher speeds, but the new variable ratio
steering system really helps make it feel more
solid and sure.
It is very easy to guide the G6 through the
corners smoothly. There is little need to make
major corrections because the car has gone
where you wanted it to in the first place. And
while there was some steering-rack rattle in
some of the other FG cars on the launch, none
was evident in the G6.
Refinement has been improved substantially
with the FG, which makes the cabin a very
pleasant place to be. Wind noise is down and
there also seems to be a vast improvement in
road and tyre noise suppression.
Improvements to the naturally aspirated
G6
I6 engine also contribute to the refinement
package. With so much torque on tap, the I6
can deliver what you need most of the time
with very little fuss. It also behaves very well
if you really get stuck in.
In the past, revving a Falcon engine out to the
redline really would have caused some serious
thrashing and harsh noises. Now it is much
smoother and quieter. The engine really feels
like it is working half as hard as previously.
The G6 test car was fitted with the excellent
ZF six-speed gearbox, which really is worth it
if you can afford the extra money.
As we found in the XT, the five-speed
is inferior to both the six-speed and, in our
opinion, the previous four-speed.
Practicality is good, with plenty of headroom
and shoulder space in the front and back.
Legroom is adequate, but you do expect more
from a car of this size.
We like having a spilt-fold rear seat, and the
boot is vast, but it is a pity that the boot surface
is not flat, which can be a pain.
However you look at it, the G6 is an excellent
premium model and probably represents the
best value in the FG range.
We are still not sure about the selection of the
letter G for the premium Falcon brands. After
all, the G8 Fairlane, may it rest in peace, didn’t
exactly set the world on fire, but we don’t see
a problem in ditching the staid Fairmont and
Fairmont Ghia titles.
The G6 should do very well when compared to
the Holden Berlina, which makes do with a fourspeed auto and has a far less prestigious interior.
Overall, the G6 feels and drives like a car
deserving of a far higher pricetag.
Out of touch - next page
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John Mellor's
GoAuto news
A P R I L 1 1 , 2 0 0 8 Page 6
Out of touch
NEW FALCON:
THE VERDICT
XR8
Despite being a BF FPV GT by another name, the new XR8 feels dated next to XR6T
By MARTON PETTENDY
DESPITE being essentially a superseded FPV
GT by another name for the princely sum of
$45,490, it is a measure of how impressive
the new XR6 Turbo is that the new XR8 is
no longer the flagship of Ford’s Falcon range
– either in performance or on the price list.
The FG XR8 may well come with the same
290kW/520Nm 5.4-litre DOHC Boss V8
that FPV’s GT ran before it was upgraded to
302kW/540Nm (and which currently costs
significantly more at $62,210) – and it may
well deliver 20kW more power and only
10Nm less torque than the 6.0-litre Holden
Commodore SS, which is $200 cheaper and
now comes standard with six airbags instead
of the XR8’s four.
But the new XR8 faces stiff competition not
9
FG Falcon: XR8
Better weight distribution reduces understeer;
30kW and 20Nm extra for a similar price; stirring
engine note; more linear steering response
8 Slower, thirstier and more nose-heavy than
the XR6 Turbo; it feels dated
only from its direct rival at Holden, but from
within its own stable. The FG XR6T delivers
270kW (matching the current FPV F6 engine)
at 5250rpm and 533Nm of torque from as little
as 2000rpm – and all the way up to the XR8’s
peak torque engine speed of 4750rpm.
Ford does not supply official acceleration
figures, but while all claimed performance
figures are achieved on premium unleaded fuel,
the XR6T can also run on standard unleaded.
What’s more the XR6T can also run on
standard unleaded and returns a combined
average fuel consumption of 11.1L/100km,
compared to the XR8’s 14.0L/100km figure
(both in automatic guise), which is exactly
what both cars returned on this week’s varied
450km launch drive.
To add insult to injury, in an apparent
acknowledgement that the final (and finest)
iteration of Falcon’s 48-year-old inline six
plays second fiddle to no engine, the XR8
no longer carries its traditional $1000 price
premium over the XR6T.
Real-world driving backs up the
comprehensive drubbing the XR8 takes on
paper.
Continued next page
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John Mellor's
GoAuto news
A P R I L 1 1 , 2 0 0 8 Page 7
Out of touch
NEW FALCON:
THE VERDICT
Of course, the XR8 comes with the same
comprehensively redesigned, lighter and
double-balljointed front suspension as all FG
Falcons, as well as an even sharper, sportstuned version of the forward-mounted steering
rack with variable-ratio steering gear, which
gives it a much-needed boost in both agility
and stability.
Requiring much less correction to maintain
a straight line and offering even greater levels
of response as you wind the steering lock on,
the XR8 now points more like the sports sedan
it is, rather than the lead-tipped arrow it was
until now with its cast-iron-blocked V8.
The automatic transmission recalibration
work is just as welcome as the new six-speed
manual transmission’s triple-synchro treatment
for first gear. And, riding on 20mm-lower XR
suspension that is appreciably firmer but still
offers a decent ride on all manner of surfaces,
the more nimble new XR8 lacks the diagonal
pitching for which it was previously infamous.
But the new XR6T steps up even more in
handling terms, understeering less at the limit
thanks to its better front/rear weight bias
and always feeling more willing to change
direction and hold a given cornering line. A
back-to-back handling comparison will show
whether Holden’s SS matches the XR8’s newfound body control.
Combine the gruff-sounding 5.4-litre Ford
V8 – which is no match for the Holden SS’s
XR8
dam-busting Gen IV V8, revs begrudgingly
past 4000rpm to a lowly 5500rpm redline and
doesn’t feel all that much quicker than the
outgoing 260kW model – and the new XR8
simply feels old-school next to both its fiercest
rival and the stunningly effective new XR6T.
And we could not really discern any real
difference in exhaust note throughout the revrange, despite the fitment of a new semi-active
muffler.
On the plus side, the new Falcon’s classy
centre information display is a world ahead
of the SS Commodore’s naff-looking, redilluminated centre console gauges and the
FG Falcon’s packaging advantages over the
Commodore are many, including a bigger boot
with 60/40 split-folding rear seat, plus more
head, shoulder and hip room.
As the only V8-powered FG Falcon sedan
now available, perhaps the fact it is far easier
to get into and out of than before, as well as
offering better visibility, will tempt die-hard
Ford V8 fans into the newest XR8, which now
finally includes front seats that are low enough
to suit all manner of body sizes.
There is no doubt the latest XR8 is a big
dynamic step forward from its predecessors
and a far cry from the circa-200kW 5.0-litre
Windsor V8-engined XR8 the previousgeneration Falcon AU range was launched
with a decade ago.
Times have changed, however. While the
FG XR8 is a more finely honed example of
Ford’s premium V8 sports sedan than ever, and
in isolation is still the tool of choice for those
who believe there is no substitute for a Ford
V8, it has not kept pace with the opposition
– let alone its own more efficient turbo-six XR
sibling that makes it feel so dated.
But at least Ford no longer demands a
premium for it.
Best of the lot - next page
Careers with Melbourne’s
leading Motor Group
BMW MINI FORD VOLVO JAGUAR NISSAN KIA RENAULT
Currently the Stillwell Motor Group has the
following career opportunities:
GROUP
BMW
FORD
NISSAN
KIA
VOLVO
JAGUAR
Marketing Co-ordinator
Finance and Insurance Sales
Multi Site Financial Controller
Reception, Detailer,
Technicians, Service Advisor
Special Vehicles
Fleet Sales, Technicians,
Used Car Sales
Manager New Car Sales,
Financial Controller,
Technicians, Parts Interpreter
Sales
Technicians, Detailer
Technician,
3rd/4th year apprentice
The Stillwell Motor Group as it operates
today is an award winning family owned
and run business with over 500 employees,
representing 8 different Manufacturers at
dealerships across Melbourne’s Eastern
& Southern regions. The Stillwell name is
recognised and highly respected for its
values, from customers, staff & manufacturers.
The number of franchises represented
means staff, uniquely have many avenues
to pursue and grow their careers. In addition to several Industry leading training
providers - the Stillwell Motor Group have
their own “Future Leaders” program to
identify staff from all areas of the business
and ensure they have the right training and
mentoring to achieve success.
With the right development, many vacant
positions are filled from within however,
the Group has undergone a growth phase
which provides a rare opportunity for people looking for a career with a family
owned, profitable and progressive, industry
leader.
To discuss your career opportunities with
the Stillwell Motor Group, please contact
Liz Turner in the first instance by email:
[email protected]
Established 1949
John Mellor's
GoAuto news
A P R I L 1 1 , 2 0 0 8 Page 8
Best of the lot
NEW FALCON:
THE VERDICT
This is the FG that Ford’s
boss wants in his garage
- and we have to concur
By JAMES STANFORD
IT TOOK only a few minutes in the G6E
Turbo for incoming president Bill Osborne
to declare “this is my car” – and he has duly
ordered a version with 19-inch rims.
It is unsurprising that Ford would slot its
super new turbo six into something other than
the XR6 Turbo. It is such a sweet engine that to
limit it to one car just would not make sense.
Some customers no doubt want the
tremendous turbo engine and its endless stream
of torque, but do not want the “boy racer” styling
or firmer suspension of the XR6 Turbo.
The turbo six is the perfect engine for a
luxury performance car and makes a lot more
sense than the 5.4 Boss V8. It is an incredibly
smooth powerplant and can remain very
quiet when the driver wants a more civilised
experience.
When you decide to get going, the G6 E
Turbo can slingshot faster than most V8s.
With next to no turbo lag, the engine
responds quickly with an onslaught of power
that seemingly never ends. It delivers this
punch with a wonderful turbo whine.
There is so much grunt on demand, with a
torque map that looks very much like a billiard
table, that you can leave it in one gear and let
the engine do the rest. Even if you let the revs
drop right off, the turbo will get the engine
spinning in no time.
It is hard to believe that Ford is going to kill
off this engine in two years’ time and replace it
with something from the US.
The I6 turbo works well with the six-speed
ZF automatic, which is a very nice transmission.
Its shifts quickly and smoothly, but is also well
tuned to engine. That means it doesn’t hunt
around or downshift if it doesn’t need to. There
is also an evocative gruff popping sound when
it changes gear as you accelerate hard.
There are two features that could have made
this car even better. They are steering wheel
G6ET
9
FG Falcon: G6E Turbo
Stunning engine; top-shelf gearbox; comfortable
ride; excellent handling; sophisticated style with a
hint of performance
8 Steering rack rattle; engine will be discontinued in
two years; no steering wheel paddles
shift pedals and a blipping throttle as you
change down.
Sure, people might not use the paddle shifts
all that often, but it would really give another
sporty element to the car. And blipping the
throttle on down-changes wouldn’t have cost
much to do, but would have added to that
overall performance feel.
If you get stuck into this engine, the spooling
turbo will send the fuel consumption up to
around 14L/100km, although on one leg of
Ford’s drive program this week we returned
about 11.5L/100km. Either way, that is not bad
when you consider a V8 would slurp a lot more
fuel to deliver similar performance.
We drove two G6E Turbos, one with 18inch rims and one with optional 19s. The ride
in both cars is a good compromise between
agility and comfort.
This is definitely a car you could drive for
long periods of time with ease. It is softer than
the XR6 Turbo, and while not quite as sharp
through the tight turns it is in no way blunt.
The ride comfort is relatively good with 19inch rims although it does crash loudly over
potholes and ruts. The 18-inch rims are the
most sensible choice, but the 19s do look great
on the car and give it a more sinister edge.
Like the other Falcon models, the G6E
Turbo has significantly improved steering with
a more solid feel. The slightly nervous feel
at higher speeds of previous models is gone
thanks to a new variable steering system.
Unfortunately, one of the cars we drove
displayed some steering rack rattle in bumpy
corners. It was not the worst case of rack rattle
experienced, but it would certainly annoy
an owner who enjoyed spirited drives in the
country.
Ford engineers were aware of the issue that
affected some of the cars and said it was likely
to be an issue with a supplied component or
an issue with a steering nut, which should be
fixed before the production cars arrived in
showrooms. Let’s hope it can be fixed as there
was not much else wrong with the car.
The interior is a step above the G6, but
is essentially the same as the G6E. It looks
every bit like a luxury sportscar with leather
seats, faux carbon-fibre trim sections on the
dashboard and doors, and the premium centre
screen with excellent detail.
There are some details that are not perfect.
The gloss piano black used for the centre console
will be almost impossible to keep clean and the
striped chrome instrument cluster backing will
appeal to some and put off others.
FULL STORY: CLICK HERE
FG diesel in 2010 - next page
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John Mellor's
GoAuto news
A P R I L 1 1 , 2 0 0 8 Page 9
FG diesel in 2010
Turbo-diesel power will
come to Falcon and the
Territory SUV in 2010
NEW FALCON:
THE DIESEL
By JAMES STANFORD
FORD Australia has revealed that a diesel
engine powering its Falcon sedan and Territory
SUV will reach the market in 2010.
President Bill Osborne told GoAuto this
week that the company would introduce the
diesel powerplant for its locally produced
models at the same time it replaces the
Australian-made I6 petrol engine with the
imported Duratec petrol V6.
Mr Osborne would not discuss which
diesel engine Ford would source, but a strong
favourite is a 2.7-litre V6 turbodiesel developed by Peugeot/
Citroen and currently used by
Jaguar and Land Rover.
Even though these two
companies have now been sold to
the Tata group, it is understood that
the rights to produce the engines
remain with the Ford Motor
Company.
Mr Osborne is confident the Land Rover
TDV6
diesel engine variants of the
Falcon and Territory will sell strongly.
“I do believe there is very good potential for
a diesel in the Australian market,” he said.
Mr Osborne said Australian customers were
XT
open to diesel-powered passenger cars and
pointed to the new Mondeo as an example.
“We will certainly see how the market
acceptance is. So far we have had
great acceptance on the diesel
Mondeo,” he said. “Right now
demand is outstripping our
current supply, so we are quite
bullish on diesels.”
Mr Osborne said he felt that
cost advantages had originally
drawn people to diesels, but added
that modern diesels could actually
now attract customers with their
performance characteristics as well as
economy.
“People have been flocking to diesel in
Europe, but that is largely a result of some tax
incentive structures which makes diesel much
more affordable,” he said. “I do believe that
now it has become a secular trend that now
people have experienced a modern clean diesel
that they actually prefer them.”
Currently, Ford Australia sells diesel
versions of its Focus small car, Mondeo midsizer, Ranger ute and Transit van. After adding
the Falcon and Territory to that list, Mr Osborne
wants to widen the diesel spread even further.
“Our plans include the introduction of a
range of diesels in a number of our products,”
he said.
Mr Osborne would not discuss the price
premium that would be attached to the diesel
powerplant. He did express surprise that
Holden charges just $1000 extra for the VM
Motori diesel in its Captiva over the regular V6
petrol engine.
Continued next page
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AM_Syd_03/08_034307
John Mellor's
GoAuto news
FG diesel in 2010
When asked whether Ford was tempted
to go for a relatively cheap diesel engine for
its locally produced models, Mr Osborne
indicated it was not an option.
After stressing he was not talking about the
Captiva diesel, which he had not yet driven, Mr
Osborne said: “I don’t think good strategy is to
go to market with a compromised vehicle.”
“You may sell a guy one vehicle, but he’s
not going to remain very loyal if he doesn’t
enjoy his experience,” he said.
The introduction of diesel could also open
up export doors to Europe for both Falcon
and Territory which may have currently been
overlooked because of their large-displacement
petrol engines.
“Diesel is not a particular barrier (in Europe)
for us in the long-run,” said Mr
Osborne.
It is not yet clear whether Ford
will be the first brand to introduce
an Australian-made vehicle with a
diesel engine, although it is now the
front-runner.
GoAuto understands Holden is
currently working on fitting a diesel engine,
most likely a VM Motori V6 turbo-diesel, but
it is not clear whether the business case has
been approved.
Toyota Australia is unlikely to be the first
to offer a locally-produced car with a diesel
engine as there is no such engine fitted to the
Camry overseas and the company is also more
focused on petrol-electric hybrids.
Mr Osborne said Ford Australia was also
A P R I L 1 1 , 2 0 0 8 Page 10
NEW FALCON:
THE DIESEL
Territory
keen to continue offering an LPG-powered
Falcon when the new V6 petrol engine is
introduced.
He said no development work had been done
in that regard, but was confident the Americansourced engine could be easily adapted to run
on LPG. E-Gas Falcon sales have recently
accounted for up to 30 per cent of Falcon sales
and currently account for around half of Falcon
Ute sales.
Shooting star - next page
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John Mellor's
GoAuto news
A P R I L 1 1 , 2 0 0 8 Page 11
Shooting star
N
NEW
EW F
FALCON
ALCON::
THE
HE V
SERDICT
AFETY
T
FG Falcon will not match VE
on airbags - but Ford expects
a five-star NCAP rating
By MARTON PETTENDY
FORD Australia says it will not match
Holden’s Commodore and Toyota’s Aurion by
making side curtain airbags standard across its
new FG Falcon sedan range, but unofficially
still expects it to become the first Australianmade car to achieve a five-star NCAP crashtest rating.
Bringing the total number of airbags to six,
curtain airbags are standard in the Falcon G6E
and G6E Turbo, but will remain a $300 option
on the rest of the redesigned Falcon sedan
range that goes on sale in May.
Extending head protection to rear-seat
occupants, curtain airbags have been standard
equipment in the Aurion since its launch in
November 2006 and in the Commodore from
this month, but Ford remains adamant it will
not fit the potentially life-saving safety devices
in response to its rivals’ moves.
“If we believed we needed to do it then we
would have made them standard,” said Ford
Australia vice-president of product development
Trevor Worthington, in response to questioning
at this week’s national media drive of the newest
Falcon since the AU of 1998.
Following a lengthy safety presentation in
which Ford said the FG was the safest Falcon
it had ever designed thanks to Australian
firsts such as the employment of state-ofthe-art door pressure sensors and ultra-high-
strength boron steel in its 92 per cent new
body structure, Ford Australia president Bill
Osborne described the four-versus-six airbag
argument as “unenlightened”.
“We went through a very detailed
presentation that explained to you how and
what we designed,” he said. “It would seem to
me that there is weight in that presentation and
to reduce it to four versus six airbags is not an
enlightened view.
“The point I am trying to make is that all of
those conclusions come from the assumption
that you can discern the safety performance of
a vehicle by counting the airbags. An individual
feature does not determine the safety feature of
a vehicle.
“It cannot be reduced to the presence or
absence of one particular feature,” said Mr
Osborne, adding that he would be “comfortable”
in a Falcon fitted with four airbags, which in
the FG’s case comprises twin front and twin
front side/head-protecting airbags.
A Ford spokesperson told GoAuto that
despite the fact the entry-level FG Falcon
XT would still undercut the VE Commodore
Omega at base level if fitted as standard with
curtain airbags, it would be unfair to make
buyers, including fleet customers, pay
extra for a safety device that would be
redundant for 90 per cent of the time.
“We believe our car, without a side
curtain airbag, is safer than other cars
fitted with side curtain airbags,” said
the spokesperson.
“Vehicle structure is what delivers
the best crash outcomes. We have
invested heavily in basic vehicle
structure, rather than simply adding
More Chinese information from
curtain airbags. We welcome independent
crash testing of the FG.”
Mr Worthington and Ford Australia sales and
marketing chief Mark Winslow both ruled out
the availability of a VE Commodore Omega
V-Series-style special value pack, potentially
containing curtain airbags, for the FG Falcon
any time soon.
Ford Australia said the FG Falcon was
subjected to the most rigorous safety
development program it has ever conducted,
including a record 5000 simulated crashes and
90 physical prototype crashes at world-class
crash-test facilities in Australia, Detroit and at
Volvo in Sweden.
Officially, Ford will not forecast a five-star
crash test rating from leading independent
automotive safety body Australian New
Car Assessment Program (ANCAP), which
would see the eighth-generation Falcon better
the results achieved by the Aurion and the
Commodore, both of which have been awarded
equal-best Australian-made vehicle scores of
four stars.
Mr Worthington confirmed that Ford had
replicated ANCAP crash testing with the new
Falcon, but would not forecast an ANCAP crashtest rating. Nor will Ford reveal its internal
crash-test results but, off the record, senior Ford
executives have confirmed the FG was designed
to achieve a five-star ANCAP rating.
“We understand very well all of the modes
we need to design for to deliver real-world
crash safety,” he said. “How well our car will
perform in some particular modes we will just
have to wait and see.”
‘All the best’ - next page
Stay Ahead!
When Chinese cars go on sale
in Australia, Red Book is ready.
Thanks to over four years of
operation in China, we already
have all the specifications you
need in our database.
For more information talk with Colin Baird (03) 9328 1255 or Michaela Donovan (02) 9310 7622
John Mellor's
GoAuto news
A P R I L 1 1 , 2 0 0 8 Page 12
‘All the best’
NEW FALCON:
THE RIVAL
Toyota boss wishes Ford success with the FG
Falcon - and hopes it will stimulate Aurion sales
By DAVID HASSALL
TOYOTA may thrive on market domination in
Australia, but the company also knows what is
good for the industry and wants to see the FG
Falcon succeed.
The company’s executive director of
sales and marketing, David Buttner, this
week extended an uncharacteristic word of
encouragement to one of its main rivals.
“I don’t comment on competitors’ products,
but because they’re a local manufacturer I wish
them every success,” Mr Buttner told GoAuto.
“I think it’s important that the three
remaining local manufacturers have a good
volume base that supports local suppliers,
creates employment in Australia and
generates income, so I hope they do
very well with the car.”
Mr Buttner also said he hopes that the
new Falcon will help stimulate sales of the
traditional Aussie six-cylinder car.
“When Aurion and Commodore were launched
(in 2006), there was some stabilisation for a
period. However, there’s since been a continued
decline and in the first quarter this year that ‘large
six’ (market) was down 21 per cent again.
“At the same time, Aurion is performing very
well for us – our model volume aspirations for
that product was 15 per cent over the model life;
we exceeded that through full year 2007 and
David Buttner
this year we have 20.8 per cent in that market.”
Of course, with the segment in a slump,
Toyota has a growing share of a declining
total. But Mr Buttner said that Aurion was still
“fulfilling our volume aspirations”.
The other problem for Toyota is that, even
though it produced a record number of cars at the
Altona plant last year, it has become something
of a victim of its own export success.
While domestic consumption of Camry/
Aurion is relatively static, exports have risen
dramatically in recent years.
Export agenda - next page
‘Doing the common things
uncommonly well’
Subaru Australia has carved an enviable position in the automotive marketplace, completing 10 years of successive sales growth
with 3.9% market share for 2007. During that time the Subaru brand has become synonymous with automotive excellence, innovation
and success.
Due to internal movements and promotion Subaru (Aust) Pty Limited has two exciting new opportunities for driven, dedicated
and passionate individuals looking to align themselves with one of the worlds most successful and respected premium
automotive brands.
Business Manager – Sydney Based
Customer Retention Manager – Aftersales
Reporting to the National Manager – Sales, you will be required to
manage the vehicle sales and Retailer development at a Regional
level. This position is based at our National Head office in
Baulkham Hills, and may require a degree of travel within NSW.
We are currently seeking to appoint a highly motivated
marketing professional to head up a relatively new function
within our After Sales Operation, based at our National Head
office in Baulkham Hills. With a vehicle parc of over 300,000
units, the challenge is to develop and deliver Service Marketing
and Customer Retention programs through our network of 108
Franchised Retailers across Australia.
Your responsibilities will include:
• Driving increased sales and CSI, and achieving targets
for your region.
• Liaising with Retailers to assist in their development.
• Ensuring Retailer compliance to Subaru standards.
• Assisting in regional marketing and advertising.
You must possess extensive first hand experience in the
automotive retail or wholesale industries, with the ability to
implement strategic sales and marketing plans in a highly
competitive market.
Additionally, tertiary qualifications in Business Management,
Commerce, Economics or Finance would be an advantage. You
must also have a high level of computer literacy.
The role requires a self-motivated, creative and numerate
individual who is able to work in teams and in isolation. Excellent
communication skills are a pre-requisite. While a background in
the Automotive Industry would be well regarded, experience in
the Marketing of Services at a senior level in any industry sector
could be appropriate.
This is an outstanding opportunity for career-focused individuals
to join a dynamic team environment, offering multiple development paths with one of the worlds most successful and respected
premium automotive brands.
Please forward a resume and covering letter outlining your interest to: [email protected]
Applications close Wednesday 23th April 2008.
John Mellor's
GoAuto news
A P R I L 1 1 , 2 0 0 8 Page 13
Export agenda
NEW FALCON:
THE EXPORTS
Ford Oz boss prepares
to thrash out export
plan for Falcon, Focus
By JAMES STANFORD
KNOWING full well that it must find more
export markets to be competitive into the
future, Ford Australia president Bill Osborne
has revealed to GoAuto that the company is
actively pursuing new export opportunities for
the Falcon large car – including left-hand drive
– and the Focus small car.
The latter commences production in
Australia in 2011.
Mr Osborne will outline his push for
increased Ford Australia exports with Ford
Motor Company global product development
chief Derrick Kuzak, who will visit Australia
on May 1.
“We are going to have some very open
discussions, really about all kinds of future
products. Large cars will be on the agenda as
well,” Mr Osborne said.
“I would say the purpose of the meeting
would be to ensure we have the most robust
strategy for Ford Australia going forward and
I do believe that part of that strategy includes
exports.”
Mr Osborne told GoAuto that Ford Australia
was planning to export the Focus in both RHD
and LHD form.
He also said Ford Australia was looking to
the FG Falcon for more export opportunities,
even without the approval of a LHD program.
“Right now we have no capability to drive
a left-hand drive car, however that ultimately
Focus
G6E Turbo
doesn’t mean that we couldn’t export,” he said.
“There are still some right-hand drive
markets around the world that we could
potentially export to.”
Mr Osborne would not specify which righthand drive markets the company would target,
saying only that it would look at “a variety” of
countries. GoAuto believes South Africa and
England are on the list.
The additional sales in such markets could
be valuable, but Mr Osborne admits there
would be a limit to the volumes.
“If we wanted to export in larger volumes
we would need to invest in a left-hand drive
version,” he said.
Mr Osborne said the new Falcon export plans
were not far advanced, but were progressing.
“We are at the strategy stage. We haven’t put
together a market equation yet to determine
volumes – that is a bit further down the road,”
he said. Part of what we are going to do, once
we complete the launch, will be to ship a few
vehicles back to the US for evaluation by the
product development team.”
Mr Osborne said exports would be the
key to a healthy future for Ford Australia, a
different position to former president Tom
Gorman who pushed the line that
the company could do very well
on just domestic (and New
Zealand) sales.
“What I came to realise as
soon as I landed is that the
Australian market is about a
million units, the minimum efficient scale for a
modern assembly plant is about 200,000 units.
It is very difficult in this competitive market to
have that kind of share of the industry with one
product,” he said.
“So you either have to build multiple
products or you have to sell into other markets
and ultimately I think the best strategy for any
manufacturer here is a bit of both.”
Ford Australia currently has a production
capacity of 120,000, although it is not currently
running at capacity.
Mr Osborne said that by producing more
models and having a strong mix of exports and
domestic sales would allow the company to
react to economic conditions such as currency
fluctuations.
“That is one reason I suggested that having
flexibility in your strategy is important because
currency fluctuation is always going to be an
issue. But if you have a flexible strategy you
can shift your production to a different segment
of product or presumably if your currency is
extremely strong your consumers have greater
spending power. So theoretically you should
be able to shift more production to domestic,”
he said.
Mr Osborne said he decided to launch a new
drive for Falcon exports after driving the cars
for the first time earlier this year. He said the car
would qualify as world-class in any market.
“I wouldn’t even encourage those kinds of
decisions if I didn’t think it was a product that
met world-class standards,” he said.
ATO targets automotive industry
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PwC is running a series of training sessions
for automotive staff involved in completing
BAS returns.
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return and dealing with the complexities
of GST compliance.
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Industry specific courses are $500 per
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A small investment to ensure that you can
sleep at night if the ATO knocks on your door.
Register online at www.pwc.com/au/auto
or call 02 8266 7073 for more information.
John Mellor's
GoAuto news
A P R I L 1 1 , 2 0 0 8 Page 14
Turbo crisis
Subaru suspends production and sale of all
vehicles fitted with its 2.5-litre turbo engine
By TERRY MARTIN
SUBARU has suspended the production and
sale of all vehicles fitted with its 2.5-litre fourcylinder turbocharged engine – that is, Forester
XT, Impreza WRX and WRX STi and the
Liberty GT sedan and wagon – built between
January and April this year.
A statement released last night by Subaru
Australia said the problem had been identified
as abnormal wear on conrod big end bearings
and could affect up to 1233 vehicles in Australia
built this year between Tuesday, 8 January and
Saturday, 5 April.
Of these, 171 have been sold to customers,
none of whom, according to Subaru, have
experienced engine problems. The latter
would manifest as an engine knocking noise.
The affected cars are not the subject of a
recall but a “quality assurance action” which
is “aimed at avoiding possible damage to the
engines of potentially affected vehicles”.
“Therefore, in the interests of preventing any
possibility of engine damage, we are isolating
any potentially affected vehicles from sale
until the cause and correction are identified,”
the company said.
Australian owners do not need to contact
their dealer or Subaru’s customer service
line (1800 22 66 43) unless they experience
incidents of engine knocking noise.
NATIONAL SERVICE TRAINING
INSTRUCTOR
Our continued growth within the industry has opened an
opportunity for an enthusiastic Service Trainer located at our
Victorian Head Office to create, implement, and manage the
training and development across all products, suitable for all
dealer service staff.
Some of your key Accountabilities will be:
• Training of all service staff (Nationally).
• Development of competency based, technical development
training strategy.
• Develop and conduct/utilize all Service training courses,
programs and materials (Automobile and Motorcycle).
• Develop, implement, and manage specialist areas,
e.g., Master Technician Program.
• Plan and manage training facilities, tooling and equipment.
• Attend dealer events and product launches as necessary.
The selected applicant will have a sound technical background
in the automotive business ideally with experience in a
comparable role, and a broad understanding of a professionally
run Dealer’s Service Department Operations. A passion for
continuous learning and a willingness to remain current with
new and emerging technology and learning principles is
essential. This person will hold a current trade certificate, will
be an excellent communicator, and be able to work with limited
supervision. PC literacy is also a pre-requisite, as well as holding
a current driver’s license.
STi
“As far as Subaru Australia is aware, no
customers have reported instances in Australia,
but if any are forthcoming, they will be given
a loan car until their vehicles can be checked
and, where necessary, fixed,” the company
said.
“Subaru Australia will update its retail
network and relevant customers as soon as
possible, on receipt of further advice from
FHI (parent Fuji Heavy Industries). This will
also include advice regarding 171 potentially
affected vehicles already with customers.”
DEALER NETWORK ANALYST
Suzuki Australia’s increased sales and dealer network
growth has impacted the need for a Dealer Network Analyst
for our Automobile department located at Head Office in
Laverton North.
Reporting to the National Sales Manager the scope of the role
includes the monitoring of dealership financial performance,
managing the implementation of Suzuki’s corporate identification program, monitoring dealership adherence to Suzuki’s
required standards, dealership sales performance and
conducting market analysis.
The successful applicant will be degree qualified in a Business or
Commerce discipline. A minimum of 5 years experience in the
automotive industry is essential as is a sound understanding of
franchised dealership operations. Relevant experience will have
been gained either with a franchised motor vehicle dealership
or with a motor vehicle manufacturer and/or importer.
Important qualities are a willingness to provide a high level
of support to internal and external customers, excellent
verbal and written communication skills, strong organisational
skills, an attention to detail and strong IT skills with the MS
Office suite of applications. Experience with COGNOS would be
an advantage.
This position offers the successful candidate the opportunity
to join a rapidly growing, progressive automobile importer.
An attractive salary package including fully maintained motor
vehicle will be offered.
A full position description is available upon request along with a
competitive remuneration package.
Please forward your resume to: Suzuki Australia Pty. Ltd., P.O. Box 84, Laverton, Vic., 3028 or email to: [email protected]
by Wednesday 23rd April 2008.
John Mellor's
GoAuto news
A P R I L 1 1 , 2 0 0 8 Page 15
Corolla number one
VFACTS
WRAP
Quarterly sales figures
show the Commodore is no
longer Australia’s favourite
By JAMES STANFORD
THE Holden Commodore is no longer
Australia’s favourite car, being outsold over a
full quarter for the first time in a decade.
VFACTS figures show the Australianmade model, whose reign as number one
has remained unchallenged for so long, was
outsold in the first quarter of 2008 by the
Toyota Corolla.
The imported Corolla has picked off the
Commodore in seven individual months since
2005, but has never previously won a quarter.
Commodore might have outsold the Corolla
in March, but by only 20 cars – not enough to
overhaul the Corolla’s super start to the year. In
the first quarter, Toyota sold 12,002 Corollas,
while Holden sold 11,511 Commodores.
The contrasting trajectory of the two models
is revealed when the figures for the first quarter
of 2008 are compared to those of 2007. The
Corolla has risen by 897 so far this year, while
Commodore sales have slid a whopping 3259.
Toyota Australia sales and marketing director
David Buttner said the Corolla quarterly win
was an “important milestone for Toyota” but
added that the small car had some help in
achieving the victory.
“Market conditions have been especially
favourable for four-cylinder cars such as
Corolla,” Mr Buttner said. “Summer holidays
Commodore
Corolla
in January and the Easter break in March have
probably reduced fleet purchases of larger
cars. We anticipate sales of those vehicles will
accelerate in coming months, supported by the
introduction of a Commodore wagon and a
revamped Falcon range.”
Mr Buttner estimated Corolla sales would
continue to average 4000 a month for the rest
of the year.
VFACTS sales for March also revealed the
market actually slowed for the first time this
year, easing off by 3.3 per cent (or 3107 sales)
compared with March last year.
Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries
(FCAI) chief executive Andrew McKellar
said that it appeared that recent rate rises were
beginning to have an effect on new-car sales.
“We are yet to see any definitive effect on sales
from the recent interest rate rises, although
there was some evidence in March of fewer
private buyers in the market,” he said.
Despite continuing fuel price pressure,
Australian customers are still keen on SUVs,
although they are walking away from large
cars – down a massive 21.6 per cent for the first
quarter as Australian manufacturers continue
to struggle.
Year-to-date sales show SUV sales have
risen by 16.1 per cent for the quarter, while
the total passenger car market is down by 2.6
per cent. Small cars are down 3.9 per cent,
while light-car sales are up 2.5 per cent.
Sales of imported cars were up 7.9 per
cent to 8385 for the quarter, while locally
manufactured vehicles dropped by 15.6 per
cent to 7765 over the same period.
Toyota is the clear winner at the end of
March, posting 60,224 sales and increasing its
share by 0.9 per cent to 22.9 per cent. Holden
remains in second place, but has drifted further
behind, recording 33,850 sales and dropping
two points to 14.8 per cent. Ford maintains
third place with 26,287 sales to the end of
March, shedding 0.5 per cent of market share
for 10.0 per cent.
Toyota dominated the light-car class, with
the Yaris taking more than a quarter of the
class market share in March with 2171 sales
to comfortably beat the Hyundai Getz (1406)
and Mazda2 (1327). Suzuki’s Swift pipped the
Holden Barina for fourth place by a single sale,
1151 to 1150. Nissan is quickly establishing the
Micra nameplate and shifted 620 units in March,
not far behind the Ford Fiesta on 634, but the
Honda Jazz struggled with just 472 sales.
Toyota continued its dominance in the smallcar class with 3968 sales in March, leading the
Mazda3 (3039), Mitsubishi Lancer (1902),
Honda Civic (1558) and Ford Focus (1284).
Hyundai’s i30 (1019) continues to deliver solid
sales, as does Subaru’s new Impreza (1050).
Holden’s Astra sits at 1040 while its Viva
cousin continues to struggle with just 530 sales
for the month.
Audi took the March honours in the premium
small-car class (over $40,000) with the A3
recording 187 sales, while the Mini Cooper
snuck ahead of its BMW 1 Series ‘stablemate’
154 to 135.
Bridge Consulting | Automotive Recruitment
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John Mellor's
GoAuto news
A P R I L 1 1 , 2 0 0 8 Page 16
Formidable A4
BMW and Benz had better sit up and take notice of Audi’s new A4 - it is brilliant
By BYRON MATHIOUDAKIS
assessing the availability of high-grade diesel
fuel here before committing.
A complete generational model change, the
A4 sedan’s body is now longer by 117mm at
4703mm and wider by 55mm at 1826mm,
and sits on a 167mm longer wheelbase at
2808mm, with the front tracks being 45mm
wider at 1564mm and rear tracks 36mm wider
at 1551mm. There is also 3mm and 6mm more
front and rear headroom respectively.
The B8 also features the new-from-theground-up Modular Longitudinal Platform
(MLP) that underpins last year’s A5/S5 twodoor coupe range.
Still basically a front-wheel drive vehicle
featuring a longitudinal engine layout, as well
as the option of quattro torsen differential
all-wheel drive, the 2008 A4 sits on a longer
wheelbase.
Its engine, gearbox and drivetrain have
been repositioned backwards to achieve
a better weight balance and lower centre
of gravity than previously. This is why the
front axle has also been pushed forward.
The upshot is improved steering,
handling,
roadholding
and
ride
characteristics – with the latter being one
of the A4 engineers’ greatest challenges.
Aiding this is the first A4 application
of what is catchingly referred to as ‘Audi
3.2 TFSI
Drive Select Dynamic Driving System’ – a
DESCRIBED as its “most important launch
ever in Australia”, Audi took to the streets last
week with its new-generation A4 ahead of its
official showroom debut next month.
Known as the B8 series, the A4 will range
from $50,990 for the base 1.8 TFSI to $89,500
for the 3.0 TDI quattro – for now.
Once again, there will be a wagon offered.
Due in August as the $57,100 Avant 1.8 TFSI,
it offers 1430 litres of cargo space, while for
the first time a diesel joins the bandwagon in
$58,500 Avant 2.0 TDI guise.
Further models will be unveiled in due
course, including an S4 V8 and a range-topping
RS4 bahnstormer to meet the latest BMW M3
and Mercedes-Benz C63 challenge.
Audi Australia may also import the high
economy/low emissions A4 2.0 TDIe, but is
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$3200 option that sharpens up the steering and
dampers and increases throttle response for a
sportier drive.
A new variable ratio rack-and-pinion
steering set-up is also available, while brakes
are now bigger than before.
The front suspension is an aluminium fivelink design, while the rear is a multi-link
arrangement. Quattro cars now have up to 60
per cent of drive channelled to the rear wheels.
Four engines and three gearboxes have been
announced initially, with more on their way
next year.
The 1.8 TFSI ousts the previous B7’s
long-lived 96kW/195Nm 1984cc 2.0-litre
normally aspirated and 120kW/225Nm 1781cc
turbocharged DOHC 20-valve four-cylinder
petrol engine family for an all-new 1798cc
DOHC 16-valve direct-injection unit delivering
118kW of power at 4500rpm and 250Nm of
torque from 1500rpm to 4500rpm.
Available with a six-speed manual or a
redesigned Multitronic Continuously Variable
Transmission (CVT) with eight stepped
‘speeds’, it returns 7.4L/100km and has a 0100km/h sprint time of 8.6 seconds.
The B8 continues with a 2.0-litre turbo-diesel
four-cylinder engine, but the revamped 1968cc
unit now features common-rail and piezo-injector
technology and a diesel particulate filter.
Continued next page
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our webbout
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es
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GoAuto news
A P R I L 1 1 , 2 0 0 8 Page 17
Formidable A4
Teamed with the Multitronic transmission,
it produces 105kW at 4200rpm and 320Nm
at 1750-2500rpm, and boasts 5.8L/100km
combined average fuel usage and a 0-100km/h
dash time of 9.4 seconds.
Mid-year will see the Australian debut of
Audi’s 2698cc 2.7-litre V6 TDI commonrail turbo-diesel with Multitronic, dishing
out 140kW at 3500rpm, 400Nm from 14003250rpm, 6.6L/100km and a 7.7-second sprint.
Like Mercedes with its W204 C-class
rival, Audi will pitch both a petrol and diesel change indicator, side proximity alert, rear
A4 luxury sedan flagship, with each using a camera, keyless entry and start, a standard
conventional six-speed Tiptronic automatic 6.5-inch colour screen and three-zone climategearbox like before.
control air-conditioning.
The former is a derivation
All models include the
PRICING:
of the 3197cc 3.2 FSI
latter two items, plus ESP
$50,900
V6, delivering 195kW at 1.8 TFSI sedan
stability control, traction
$53,500
6500rpm and 330Nm from 1.8 TFSI sedan (a)
control, anti-lock brakes
$54,900
3000-5000rpm.
Using 2.0 TDI sedan (a)
with electronic brake1.8 TFSI Avant (a)
$53,500*
quattro drive, it hits 100km/
force distribution and
2.0 TDI Avant (a)
$54,900*
h in 6.4 seconds and uses 2.7 TDI sedan (a)
brake assist, eight airbags,
$67,900**
premium unleaded at a rate 3.2 FSI quattro sedan (a) $88,500
cruise
control,
alloy
of 9.3L/100km.
3.0 TDI quattro sedan (a) $89,500*** wheels, a multi-function
Topping this is a 3.0 TDI * Available August 2008
steering wheel, light and
quattro due in October, with ** Available June 2008
rain sensor technology,
*** Available October 2008
176kW at 4000rpm, 500Nm
leather upholstery, power
from 1500-3000rpm, and a 6.1-second sprint windows, remote central locking, aluminium
time while sipping an average of 6.4L/100km.
exterior trim, a trip computer and split/folding
New to the A4 are features such as an rear seats.
electro-mechanical park brake, adaptive cruise
The B8 is the eighth-generation ‘compact’
control, Audi’s MMI driver interface, a lane- Audi sedan since the B1 80 series was
3.2 TFSI
launched in Germany in 1972. Since then
there have been around 8.5 million units made,
with the A4 badge usurping the old numerical
nomenclature from 1994’s B5 generation.
Some of the innovations that this series has
employed include quattro drive (B2, 1980),
full body galvanisation (B3, 1986) Audi’s
ambitious but doomed Pro-Con Ten secondary
restraint system (B3, 1986), and TDI turbodiesel technology (B3, 1989).
The A4 has become Audi’s global bestseller,
averaging around 41 per cent of total volume.
In Australia it accounts for 46 per cent. Last
year 2247 A4s found homes here, with about
3500 forecast for 2008 and 4000 next year.
The company expects that 70 per cent of
all B8s sold in the next 12 months will be the
1.8 TFSI CVT, followed by the 2.0 TDI at 10
per cent. Australian-delivered A4s are now all
built in Germany.
DRIVE IMPRESSIONS: CLICK HERE
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Profit enhancement and
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Advice for buying or selling
your dealership
Succession planning
Strategic planning
Training
Accounting, Audit & Taxation
1300 138 991
www.bdo.com.au
Recent global economic issues are contributing to an increased urgency
for dealers to consider the future. The motor industry, while extremely
competitive, has largely been in cruise control thanks to record unit sales. For
anyone considering selling, having a realistic expectation around goodwill value
is imperative. For those continuing on and looking to maintain the profit levels
of previous years, you may need to consider maximising fewer opportunities
and identifying profit leaks.Whether staying or going, the BDO Kendalls Motor
Dealer Services team have the experience and expertise to assist you.
John Mellor's
GoAuto news
A P R I L 1 1 , 2 0 0 8 Page 18
Super ute
Workhorse? No, the long-awaited supercharged TRD HiLux is a racehorse...
their vehicles, often spending thousands of
By DAVID HASSALL
TOYOTA has finally launched its supercharged dollars extra on items such as big wheels,
TRD HiLux in Australia, more than a year foglamps and bullbars,” said Mr Buttner.
after previewing it at the 2007 Melbourne “The same applies to some of our competitors’
vehicles (and) these buyers – hot-ute owners as
International Motor Show.
The factory-backed vehicle comes in two well as companies and instrumentalities – are
dual-cab model variants, the sporty 4000S the audience for TRD HiLux.
“They do not want an aftermarket
priced at $59,990 and the more luxurious
modification; they want the quality of a fully
4000SL priced from $64,990.
Both are powered by the same forced- warranted, factory-spec Toyota product.
“Aftermarket customisation to the exact
induction 4.0-litre V6 engine, which develops
225kW of power and 453Nm of torque, and specification of the TRD HiLux 4000S and
come with modified suspension and
PRICING: 4000SL would cost substantially more
brakes as well as a standard five-speed 4000S $59,990 (than the $9500 to $14,500 premium
over the standard SR5 Dual Cab).
automatic transmission.
4000SL $64,990
“The supercharger with intercooler
Toyota’s answer to HSV and FPV
has not exactly had a smooth introduction and plus 17-inch wheels with all-terrain tyres would
its second model arrives nine months after cost around $9500 alone in the aftermarket – and
the TRD Aurion, which has already been the that would not include factory warranty on the
engine. Dealers have told us for some time there
subject of a hefty price cut to help boost sales.
Many observers expect the HiLux to do is a latent demand for a performance truck from
better for TRD because of the popularity of Toyota. TRD HiLux will be the tradie’s choice;
SUVs with sports-minded buyers and their it will also be the prestige choice of ownerwillingness to spend many thousands of extra operators and business proprietors.”
Testing and development of the TRD HiLux
dollars on customisation.
Toyota Australia sales and marketing director was conducted mainly in Australia, including
David Buttner said that almost 600 HiLux buyers engine calibration testing at Bosch in Melbourne,
each month – of an average 3500 combined 4x2 engine durability testing in Texas and Perth (at
and 4x4 models a month last year – paid more Orbital Engine Company), hot-weather testing
in the Northern Territory, cold-weather testing at
than $50,000 on upmarket SR5 models.
“These customers typically love to customise Mount Hotham, track-testing at the high-speed
Phillip Island and low-speed Winton raceways,
the private Broadford track north of Melbourne
and an off-road facility at Werribee, as well as
public roads and off-road tracks.
Development of the 225kW/453Nm engine
was a joint venture between TRD Australia,
Toyota in the US and Eaton supercharger
distributor Magnuson Products in the US.
Running on premium unleaded petrol, the
TRD HiLux develops maximum power at
5400rpm while torque peaks at 3400rpm –
though Toyota points out that the TRD version
produces more than 376Nm (the standard
model’s maximum) from just 1200rpm all the
way through to about 5700rpm.
Toyota says its ADR fuel economy rating of
12.9L/100km is comparable with a standard
HiLux, despite having 28.5 per cent more
power and 20.4 per cent more torque.
Running a water-to-air intercooler with its
own electric water pump, the 4.0-litre quadcam’s output is not a massive step up from
the TRD Aurion’s supercharged 3.5-litre
V6 (which has more power at 241kW, but
considerably less torque at 400Nm).
Although the crankshaft-driven Eaton M90
supercharger is also offered as an aftermarket
kit for the Toyota Tacoma and FJ Cruiser in the
US, the HiLux application was made difficult
by the tight confines of the engine bay.
Continued next page
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A P R I L 1 1 , 2 0 0 8 Page 19
Super ute
“The standard 4.0-litre V6 engine and the
engine bay were not originally designed to
take a supercharger,” said TRD development
manager Jonathan Miller.
“Our engine bay is by far the smallest of
the three vehicles, which required unique
packaging solutions. We had to modify the
top of the supercharger air intake snout as
well as develop unique components to ensure
appropriate clearances from other underbonnet components.
“Complying with the tight tolerances
demanded by Toyota – and achieving them
in a relatively confined space – has been our
biggest challenge.
“We carried out the early engine calibration
work in Australia because of the availability
of a dynamometer that could handle the
substantial loads.
“This involved early work to establish the
peak power and torque, as well as spark and
fuel settings to match the bigger injectors
needed for the supercharged engine. We did
further unique engine calibration, including
the throttle-pedal mapping which was initially
a bit too aggressive.
“Achieving compliance for an entire
vehicle is a much more complicated task than
developing an aftermarket kit.”
The TRD HiLux rides on 17-inch alloy
wheels with 265/65 R17 all-terrain tyres and
employs a modified and lowered suspension
with retuned springs and high-performance
Bilstein monotube shock absorbers with stone
shields to protect them off-road. Braking is
provided by bigger front discs and callipers
sourced from the Prado – 338mm x 28mm
rotors with four-piston callipers versus 294mm
x 25mm discs and two-piston callipers on the
standard HiLux – while ABS is standard.
Despite keeping drum brakes at the rear,
Toyota claims stopping distances from 130km/h
have been reduced by more than 30 metres.
The model line-up reflects the TRD Aurion
strategy and sees the 4000S kick-off with the
requisite and now familiar bodykit, but, as with
other 4x4 utes, still no side airbags or stability
control.
Standard
equipment
includes
airconditioning, cruise control, power windows
and mirrors, remote central locking, microdot
security identification, leather gearknob and
steering wheel, sidesteps, TRD floor mats,
a full-size alloy spare wheel and numbered
plaques in the cabin and engine bay.
Step up to the 4000SL and the extra $5000
provides on-the-move 4WD selection, a rear
deck, leather seats, carpeted flooring and mats,
six-CD in-dash changer and ‘Optitron’ backlit
instruments.
For drive impressions, go to
www.goauto.com.au in the coming days.
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GoAuto news
A P R I L 1 1 , 2 0 0 8 Page 20
Toyota cool on hybrid
Unlike the government,
Toyota is not hell-bent on
winning a hybrid contract
By DAVID HASSALL
TOYOTA Australia is not counting on the
apparent lure of the Federal government’s
much-touted $500 million Green Car
Innovation Fund to get a Camry Hybrid into
production in Australia.
In fact, the company’s executive director of
sales and marketing David Buttner – the man
who put local hybrid production on the agenda
two-and-a-half years ago – told GoAuto this
week that the government had yet to fully
explain the fund, which has been linked
with the current Review of the Automotive
Industry.
However, even though industry review
chief Steve Bracks said he had been asked to
include the Green Car Fund in his review, he
told GoAuto that the terms of reference would
not allow it to consider tax breaks for more
environmentally friendly fuels.
Mr Buttner said that the Altona plant still had
the ability to produce a third model line such
as a Camry Hybrid, but added that “we’re not
pursuing that aggressively at the moment”.
“We’re conducting internal studies to see
what would be the appropriate model for the
marketplace if we were to go down that road,”
he said.
“We’ve got no timeline at the moment (but)
it’s always an option for us.”
This is quite a step backwards from less than
18 months ago, when Mr Buttner told GoAuto
the company had “a strong desire” to build the
Camry Hybrid and was “pursuing it very, very
strongly”.
And, if the new government’s promised
fund was designed to facilitate such a move, as
many people believed, it seems to have missed
the mark.
“The government Green Fund details are
still not fully articulated by the government,
but my understanding of the program is that
they’re prepared to support the development of
alternate fuels in Australia to the tune of $500
million on the proviso that that stimulates $2
billion worth of investment in pursuing alternate
fuels in Australia,” Mr Buttner told us.
“There have been no papers published by
the government, so I don’t understand any of
the micro detail (but) that’s our understanding
of the macro level.
“In terms of hybrid in Australia, it’s one
option in terms of alternate fuels. I’ve said on
a number of occasions that we would like to do
it. Whether that happens or not will be found
out in the fullness of time.”
Asked what he would do with the $500
million if he were a member of the government,
Mr Buttner replied he would not speculate on
government policy.
Would Australia be better off if the
government simply made LPG cheaper, as
suggested by former Holden engineering chief
Laurie Sparke, therefore capitalising on our
abundant source of natural gas?
“There’s a host of means available to
governments. As an industry, through the
FCAI, we talk to the government and put
forward ideas and suggestions on what we
believe will be the appropriate way forward.
How the government responds is entirely up to
them in terms of where they spend their money
to support the industry.”
So that’s a “no comment” then?
“Yeah, that’s right.”
Green Carr shift - next page
Power-Sport, Utility and Agricultural Vehicles
Business Development Manager
About us:
We are a fully owned subsidiary of a US$1.5 billion company that is listed on
the New York Stock Exchange. We have over 90 dealers throughout Australia
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More than this – you are able to demonstrate that you have managed
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You will also understand the power of brand management.
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John Mellor's
GoAuto news
A P R I L 1 1 , 2 0 0 8 Page 21
Green Carr shift
Amid the hybrid hysteria,
industry minister extends
olive branch to all brands
By MARTON PETTENDY
THE Federal Government has moved to allay
fears by some industry quarters that the lion’s
share of its $500 million Green Car Innovation
Fund, which aims to assist the manufacture
of low-emission and fuel-efficient vehicles in
Australia for five years from 2011, will go to
the likes of Toyota for the production of its
proposed Camry Hybrid.
Speaking at the launch of the Greening the
Supply Chain initiative between GM Holden
and the World Environment Centre, which aims
to promote sustainable development among
Australian automotive industry suppliers and
is part of the Australian government’s $7.2
million Supplier Capability Development
Program, the minister for innovation, industry,
science and research, senator Kim Carr, said
last week the government was “agnostic”
when it came to technologies that will promote
an environmentally sustainable vehicle
manufacturing industry.
Providing the clearest indication yet of the types
of technologies for which the government will
consider financial assistance, Senator Carr said
a range of vehicle and transport systems will be
considered as part of a review into the Australian
automotive industry by former Victorian Labor
premier Steve Bracks, who issued background
and discussion papers on March 31 and has
called for public submissions ahead of his final
report to government on July 31.
“The government will contribute one dollar
from the fund for every three dollars put up by
industry. We are agnostic about the technology
– hybrid, hydrogen combustion, hydrogen
fuel cell, flexible fuel (petrol-ethanol), clean
diesel, LPG – they are all on the table. So are
technologies to make vehicles lighter and more
aerodynamic,” he said.
Toyota Australia has long been vocal in
its desire to produce a petrol-electric hybrid
Senator Carr (second from right) with GM Holden chairman
Mark Reuss (left) and Victorian premier John Brumby
version of its Camry sedan locally, but
fired a shot across the government’s bow in
October last year when senior Toyota Motor
Corporation executives in Tokyo warned the
future of its Australian plant could be in danger
if the manufacturing climate shifted due to
government policies including the scheduled
reduction of the vehicle import tariff from 10
to five per cent in 2010.
The new Australian Labor government’s
Green Car Challenge to the industry has
pledged to purchase “hybrid or other value-formoney, environmentally friendly vehicles” for
the Commonwealth fleet if they are produced
in Australia. But Toyota Australia Technical
Centre vice-president Max Gillard told GoAuto
on March 24 that both state and federal
governments needed to offer more incentives
for buying hybrid vehicles and that neither body
had made clear its position on hybrid cars.
Privately, senior Toyota Australia officials
also point out the fact that rivals Ford Australia
and GM Holden received the majority of the
last round of ACIS funding.
In tabling his interim report on Monday,
Mr Bracks said the question of tariffs was
overshadowed by exchange rate issues,
production volumes, worldwide competition
and export markets. Both tariffs and the future
of the $7 billion Automotive Competitiveness
Investment Scheme (ACIS) are nonetheless
expected to be major focus areas for Mr Bracks,
who this week told GoAuto it was outside the
panel’s brief to look at fuel tax regimes or other
strategies to encourage more widespread use of
fuels like diesel, ethanol, LPG and natural gas.
While GM has recently embarked on a
global push toward engine technology fuelled
by ethanol produced from non-food sources
as a means to reduce its fleet’s dependence on
crude oil, Holden’s former chief of advanced
engineering Laurie Sparke told a Society of
Automotive Engineers conference last month
that the solution to reducing Australia’s reliance
on petrol and diesel was LPG and natural gas.
Signalling the likelihood of government
assistance for GM Holden under the GCIF
next decade, Senator Carr’s address last week
at Holden’s Port Melbourne headquarters
mentioned cylinder deactivation as a key
technology worthy of taxpayer funding.
“Technologies to make vehicles operate
more efficiently – such as cylinder deactivation,
dual-clutch transmissions, common axles and
drive-chain improvements. Even technologies
to help vehicles get through traffic more
smoothly, such as intelligent transport systems
and telematics,” he said.
It is unclear whether Holden would have to
delay the local introduction of its “Displacement
on Demand” cylinder shut-down technology,
which already features on the Gen IV 6.0-litre
V8 that powers its VE Commodore SS sedanbased Pontiac G8 currently exported to the US,
to be eligible for the “green” funding.
Continued next page
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John Mellor's
GoAuto news
A P R I L 1 1 , 2 0 0 8 Page 22
Green Carr shift
“Any idea with a serious chance of reducing
the carbon and other environmental impacts of
Australia’s vehicle fleet will get a hearing. I’ve
already made it clear that we will not be putting
the entire fund into one vehicle, company or
technology.
“We welcome the contest of ideas and we are
ready to support a variety of solutions. We are
especially keen to develop solutions that will
find markets overseas. This is an international
industry and Australia needs to become an
integral link in the global supply chain.
“With this in mind, I am planning to travel
to the United States in June to discuss the
government’s proposals with auto industry
leaders,” said Senator Carr, who travelled to
Japan in the wake of Toyota’s comments during
the 2007 Tokyo motor show, to canvas a number
of companies, including Toyota, about the green
funding plan.
Senator Carr told the National Press Club of
Australia on March 19 that it was “not feasible”
that one technology would receive the GCIF’s
entire $500 million budget. “We are clearly
aimed at ensuring that we use public money well,
we get value for money and that we have a coinvestment approach to industry development.
“It is clearly not feasible that one company
would take all of the fund. That would be
frankly a nonsensical proposition and that’s
not our intention. Our intention is to work with
companies for them to come to us with specific
proposals and to ensure that there is on a coinvestment basis they are able to put practical
measures before the government and for us to
actually discuss that within the industry.
“Clearly we are in the business of moving as
quickly as we can to establish the framework in
which the industry itself is able to transform.
“I want this industry to be put on a sustainable
basis. Now, if one of those questions arises in
regard to a particular form of technology, we
will have a good look at it, but we’re not going
to be prescriptive. After all, to develop a new
model costs something like a billion dollars, a
billion dollars. It has a lifespan of about seven
years. So these are not simple things that you
Camry Hybrid
simply turn on and off.
“We’re not saying it has to be a hybrid, we’re
not saying it has to be diesel, fuel cells or any
other particular technological form. After all, it’s
the companies that have got to make decisions.
“Mitsubishi made some decisions about a
particular model, and as a consequence that
model didn’t sell. A lot of people paid the price
for that, but in the end it’s not government’s job
to guarantee that company executives will make
the right decisions. Our job is to try to work
with them and provide the policy framework
to provide the highest level of certainty that the
right decisions are in fact made,” said Senator
Carr in Canberra two weeks ago.
“We won’t be in the business of telling
companies what to do. We won’t be in the
business of prescribing particular technologies.
We will be in the business of discussing
with them the options for the future and it is
companies that put money on the table. We will
work with them to ensure that the full range of
options are available.
“There are some 12 countries around the
world that enjoy the capacity to build a vehicle,
that is from design through to construction.
We’re one of them ... Many of those countries
have much more substantial relationships than
we do and I want to ensure that our relationship
with the auto industry is placed: one, within its
international context; two, on a sustainable basis;
and three, ensure that the skills development, the
research and development capacity of the industry
and the ability to make products that people want
to buy, is maintained in Australia.”
Angst over hybrid support
TOYOTA has denied that the Japanese
Government fully subsidised development
of the Prius hybrid car after its former
North American president Jim Press made
comments to that effect in a recent interview
with BusinessWeek magazine.
Now serving as the co-president of
Chrysler, Mr Press was quoted as saying “the
Japanese government paid for 100 per cent
of the development of the battery and hybrid
system that went into the Toyota Prius”.
In response, a Toyota Motor Corporation
spokesman told Associated Press last week
that “I can say 100 per cent that Toyota
received absolutely no support – no money,
no grants – from the Japanese government
for the development of the Prius”.
The issue has prompted calls for the US
government to provide more funding for
hybrid programs.
Chrysler itself also issued a statement
about the comments Mr Press made,
emphasising that he was not speaking
negatively of Toyota but “cited this as
an example of co-operation between
government and industry working together
on public policy issues; he went on to
say that he would like to see similar cooperation in the United States in order to find
technological improvements that help give
US companies a competitive advantage”.
– TERRY MARTIN
Volt takes shape - next page
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John Mellor's
GoAuto Green
Green issues in the auto world
Custom Fleet
Part of GE Commercial Finance
A p r i l 1 1, 2 0 08 Page 23
GoAuto Green is brought
to you by Custom Fleet
Volt takes shape
Aerodynamics, battery
size force innovative
solutions for GM hybrid
By TERRY MARTIN
GENERAL Motors has achieved a 30 per
cent reduction in the drag coefficient of
the forthcoming Chevrolet Volt, and has
integrated a T-shaped battery into the vehicle
structure, as the production version of the
plug-in hybrid car takes shape ahead of its
November 2010 showroom debut.
While the design of the production Volt
remains under wraps, the American auto giant
last week provided an engineering update that
revealed the concept car had been redesigned
to reduce the drag coefficient by almost a third.
This is no small feat considering wind resistance
is claimed to account for 20 per cent of the
energy consumed by an average vehicle.
“We made a conscious decision to make
the Volt a four-passenger vehicle to keep the
roof low, an important aerodynamic enabler,”
said E-Flex design director Bob Boniface.
“As designers, we must be sensitive to the
energy efficiency gains that can be achieved
by optimising aerodynamics, whether it’s
occupant packaging or overall styling.
“This not only contributes to improved fuel
economy or extended range, but can produce
beautiful exterior body shapes and innovative
interiors.”
GM designers have also been faced with
sculpting an interior around the Volt’s battery,
which is T-shaped, weighs more than 170kg
and measures 1.8 metres in length – a size that
requires it to located down the centre tunnel of
the vehicle and under the rear seats, and for it
to be treated as part of the vehicle structure.
The powertrain itself also represents a
significant change from the concept car,
which had a separate petrol engine and
electric motor. Now the two are combined
and apparently look like a conventional frontwheel drive powertrain, with the electric
motor and generator housed where the
automatic transmission would be.
“By having the battery in the middle,
we were able to move the occupants apart
and give them more space,” said interior
design manager Tim Greig, who claims that
the cabin will accommodate a 188cm-tall
male comfortably in either the front or rear
compartment. “We also shrink-wrapped the
interior, particularly the doors, for comfort
and spaciousness. There is no wasted space.”
The Volt is being engineered with a
relatively small fuel tank to reduce mass,
although GM claims it will still enable a
driving range of around 650km between
refuelling stops. The company also claims to
have developed a new computer algorithm to
accelerate durability testing of the lithium-ion
batteries needed to power the Volt for up to
64km of electric-only driving. It is currently
testing around the clock in labs in the US and
Germany to simulate 10 years of battery life
and around 240,000km of usage.
“Production timing of the Volt is directly
related to our ability to predict how this
battery will perform over the life of the
vehicle,” said global vehicle chief engineer
(Volt and E-Flex) Frank Weber, who last week
emphasised that the Volt was the number one
priority project at GM. “The battery team is
(now) able to utilise human and technical
resources around the globe to reduce testing
time.”
Volvo launches a $2 billion Swedish-based program to produce plug-in hybrids
By TERRY MARTIN
DETERMINED not to let General Motorsowned Saab dominate the environmental
agenda, the Ford-owned Volvo Car
Corporation has divulged plans to develop
plug-in hybrid cars in Sweden.
Volvo announced last week that it would
invest around $2 billion over five years in a
broad-based joint-research venture with a
number of organisations in its home country,
including the Swedish government, the
ElectroTechnological Centre and electricity
provider Vattenfall.
The aim is to “develop and demonstrate the
next generation of hybrid cars”, materialising
as a fleet of 10 plug-in hybrids that will then
undergo field-testing in Sweden. “We have a
unique opportunity to take the lead when it
comes to innovations for advanced green car
technology,” said Volvo Car president and
CEO Fredrik Arp. “Within the next decade,
electric vehicles are going to be needed if we
are to meet forthcoming CO2 legislation.”
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John Mellor's
GoAuto news
A P R I L 1 1 , 2 0 0 8 Page 24
Rescue package for ACL
By TERRY MARTIN
THE Federal and Tasmanian governments
have joined Toyota, Holden and Ford in a
multi-million-dollar rescue package for the
financially troubled ACL Bearing Co, the
sole supplier of precision auto bearings for
Australia’s three remaining car manufacturers.
ACL Bearing Co and its subsidiary National
Parts, Australia’s largest independent automotive
parts distributor, are under administration. In
response to ACL’s “short-term difficulties,
which have threatened the supply of these critical
parts”, Federal industry minister Kim Carr said
that the Rudd government would contribute
$2 million and the Tasmanian government
$330,000. This is in addition to undisclosed
sums the car-makers have contributed.
Based in Launceston, ACL announced a
restructuring plan last month that included
reducing its workforce from 390 to 300
within the next six months.
“The
company
has
experienced
considerable external pressures in recent
years from tariff reductions, price reductions,
the commodities boom, currency pressures,
fuel price volatility and a tight labour market,”
ACL chairman and chief executive Ivan James
said on March 3. “These factors have restricted
investment potential, and eroded the competitive
position and profitability of the company.”
However, Mr James said the company
was optimistic for the future “with new sales
opportunities arising from its distribution
facility in Grand Rapids, Michigan, additional
Up
Up Close
Close on
on Personnel
Personnel
Brought to you by Motor Staff - The Motor Industry’s No1 Recruitment Specialist
ATECO’S NEW ‘ITALIAN CLUB’
ATECO
Automotive
has
restructured
the
senior management team
responsible for Italian
brands Fiat, Alfa Romeo
and Maserati as the Fiat
brand in particular expands
in Australia.
Edward Butler is now Edward Butler
general manager for Fiat Cars in Australia,
adding responsibility for the burgeoning
small-car brand to his current role of general
manager for Maserati Australia and New
Zealand. Assisting him is Ross Meyer, who was
previously marketing manager for Fiat Cars and
Alfa Romeo but has relinquished his duties at
Alfa to become general sales and marketing
manager for Fiat Cars.
Previously, responsibility for Fiat in
Australia rested with Alfa Romeo Australia
general manager David Stone. Mr Stone is
now purely responsible for Alfa, preparing
for a series of new-model launches including
the Mi.To hatchback in the second quarter of
2009. Alfa Romeo marketing co-ordinator
Holden V6 assembly line
domestic business and the introduction of new
technology and new products”.
According to Senator Carr’s office, the support
package announced this week was offered under
strict conditions, and requires ACL to implement
an efficiency and productivity strategy to secure
the viability of the company into the future.
It said clear requirements and milestones
would be negotiated with the company to ensure
this occurs.
motor staff
sales•service•parts•admin
Kylie Stephen has been promoted to national
marketing manager, filling the vacant slot left
by Mr Meyer. At Fiat Commercial Vehicles,
Chris Swan has resigned from his post as
general manager and Ateco is believed to be
on the verge of announcing a replacement.
DESIGNER QUITS ALFA
LESS than 12 months into the job, Alfa
Romeo chief designer Frank Stephenson has
resigned from his post.
The highly respected 49-year-old designer
previously oversaw Fiat and Lancia design
(including the Punto, Ritmo and 500) and
is credited with the first-generation BMW
Minim and Ferrari F430. Mr Stephenson
joined Ferrari in July 2002 and moved
to Fiat/Lancia in April 2005. He became
Alfa’s design chief in June 2007, and after
overseeing stunning sportscars like the 8C
Competizione and the Mi.To, will now be
replaced by 40-year-old Austrian Christopher
Reitz. Mr Reitz is understood to be a relative
of Wolfgang Porsche who has worked for Fiat
since 2005 and had previous experience with
Volkswagen, Audi and Nissan.
HENNESSY TO MOTOR STAFF
AUTOMOTIVE recruitment
specialist Motor Staff has
appointed the services of
recruitment
consultant
George Hennessy.
Mr Hennessy has spent
the past eight years in the
automotive
recruitment
George
field, specialising in fixed Hennessy
operations personnel, and has more than three
decades’ experience as fixed operations and
service manager for a number of franchised
dealerships. “George has also acquired the
hands-on experience and specific knowledge
necessary to understand the unique skill sets
needed for automotive service and parts
personnel,” said Motor Solutions Australia
managing director Mark Henderson. “His
motor industry contacts, particularly in the
service and parts departments aroundAustralia,
are unsurpassed, as is his understanding of
their recruitment requirements.”
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If you have any car industry personnel
announcements, please email them to
Terry Martin at TMARTIN MELLORNET
John Mellor's
GoAuto news
A P R I L 1 1 , 2 0 0 8 Page 25
GoAuto’s latest car review
www.goauto.com.au
Subaru Impreza WRX STi five-door hatch
WITH the launch of STi MkIII, Subaru hopes to widen its audience for the rip-snortin’, rally-bred
road car. Has it got a chance? You betcha! Take the brash and brawny MkII, a car which
made virtually no concessions for comfort and manners, and the challenge for Subaru
was to identify a new recipe for success, and make sure the third generation delivered
on the key elements. You’ll have to read the drive story to assess its chances.
CAR REVIEW: CLICK HERE
A BETTER MAZDA3, SPORT
MAZDA Australia has upgraded its popular
3 small car with additional standard features
across the sedan and hatchback range, including
electronic stability and traction control on the
SP23 and, on the entry-level Neo, equipment
claimed to be worth $1600. The Neo remains
priced from $20,990, but is now known as
Neo Sport to reflect the higher – and sportier
– standard specification with 15-inch alloy
wheels (replacing steel rims), black cloth trim,
electric windows/mirrors and an auxiliary
outlet for iPod and related hardware.
NO 7-SEAT DUALIS FOR OZ
NISSAN has unveiled a seven-seat version of
its Dualis SUV in the United Kingdom and
Europe, but concerns over its limited appeal to
Australian customers has made it a non-starter
for our market.
Known overseas as the Qashquai+2 – the +2
denoting the extra two seats – the Europeanengineered and British-built SUV is due for
release overseas in October and is designed
to appeal to customers who want triple-row
seating but feel ambivalent about peoplemovers and traditional large 4WD wagons.
VECTRA BECOMES INSIGNIA
Launch Pad
brought to you by
APRIL:
Audi A4
Audi A5 1.8T
BMW 1 Series coupe
Fiat 500
Jaguar XF
Kia Rondo
Lexus LX570
Lotus Elise SC
Lotus 111
Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X
Subaru Liberty GT Spec.B
Toyota TRD HiLux
VW Caddy Maxi Van
A4
500
XF
TRD HiLux
New model diary: CLICK HERE
SPECIAL PUNTO PRICING
FIAT is offering drive-away pricing across
its Punto compact hatch range this month,
claiming savings of up to $3000. The Punto
range starts from $19,990 and comprises two
trim levels (Dynamic, Sport), four engines (1.4
petrol, 1.4 petrol turbo, 1.3 diesel, 1.9 diesel)
and two bodystyles (three-door and five-door).
DIESEL FLAGSHIP FOR 500
AS GOAUTO revealed last month, Ford has
used the Adelaide motor show to launch a
new-look Escape model “range”, comprising
just one automatic four-cylinder variant priced
from $31,990. The move drops an axe on the
V6 version of Ford’s compact SUV, which was
priced well into Territory turf at $37,190 for the
3.0 XLT Sport and $42,490 for the Limited.
AFTER launching in Australia with great
fanfare at the Melbourne International Motor
Show last month, Fiat’s new-generation
500 range has been joined by a new diesel
flagship.
Previously only available in the entry-level
Pop, the Italian three-door micro-hatch’s 55kW
1.3-litre turbo-diesel JTD engine can now be
had with the same equipment as the luxury
Lounge flagship of the 500 range.
ESCAPE ON ALL FOURS
EUROPEAN General Motors affiliates Vauxhall
and Opel continue to stage a slow-release
reveal of the car that will replace the Vectra in
the UK and on the continent respectively this
year (and possibly the Saturn Aura in the US
too) – the Insignia. Only time will tell whether
GM Holden chooses to try again with the
premium mid-size model in Australia – after
unapologetically dropping the nameplate in
2006 in favour of GM Daewoo’s less expensive
Epica from March 2007 – as a rival for the likes
of the new Ford Mondeo and Mazda6, and
Honda’s upcoming new Accord Euro.
PROTON SAVVY RECALL
PROTON Cars Australia has announced a
recall on every Savvy compact car sold in
Australia after it was found that water could
enter into the rear wheel bearing.
NEW SGFLEET STREET
SUPER Group Australia has combined its fleet
management and salary packaging businesses
FleetAustralia, SMB Salary Packaging and
Commercial Fleet into a single brand known as
sgfleet. The company was quick to emphasise
that the name change does not represent
a change in “people, products, vision or
direction”, although it has prompted a change
in legal name from Super Group International
Pty Limited to SG Fleet Pty Limited. SG Fleet
Australia operates under this umbrella.
“The change to sgfleet reflects our product
range and specialist skills while reconfirming
our commitment to the Australian marketplace,”
said SG Fleet Australia managing director
Andy Mulcaster.
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