March 30, 2016 No. 819

GoAuto NewsJohn Mellor’s

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Star struckMercedes uncovers all-new GLC Coupe in New York ahead of December launch

By BYRON MATHIOUDAKISin NEW YORK

MERCEDES-BENZ unveiled the mid-size GLC Coupe at the New York International Auto Show last week, presenting yet another all-new member of its burgeoning SUV stable that looks set to carve out a lucrative niche worldwide as BMW’s X4 has done before it.

Due in Australia in December, the production version differs little from last year’s Shanghai auto show concept, ditching the usual motor show garnishes such as electronic doorhandles, tiny exterior mirrors, massive wheels and ultra-aggressive diffuser and exhaust combos, for more practical – read: production-ready – items.

However, the now-deeper tail-light shape and cleaner rear valance might come as a surprise to some observers.

While final pricing and specification data will be made available later in the year, do not expect the C253-series GLC

Coupe to stray too far from its closest competitor, the BMW X4, which kicks off from $71,100 plus on-road costs.

Other rivals will include the Range Rover Evoque (from $52,515), Lexus RX200 (from $73,000), Jaguar F-Pace (from $74,340) and even the Porsche Macan (from $93,100).

The latter two will certainly feel the heat when an AMG high-performance version lobs during 2017.

At 4730mm long and 1600mm tall, the GLC Coupe is 76mm longer and 40mm lower than the C-Class-based X253-series GLC that shares much of its architecture, with a slightly shorter

wheelbase to match.The only common body panels

between the two are the bonnet, front mudguards and lower front doors. Everything else has been altered for the sleeker new sister, including the pillar angles (with a more upright windscreen), while a back window wiper has been deleted because more aerodynamic profiling means water does not strike the glass, according to Mercedes.

Drag coefficient is described as a segment-leading 0.31Cd.

Most of the GLC Coupe’s dashboard and interior fitout mimics that of the donor vehicle, although trim and equipment levels differ according to variant, to reflect a “more exclusive” positioning.

Continued next page

MAZDA MX-5 RF BREAKS COVER

INSIDE

March 30, 2016 Page 2

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Mercedes-AMG confirmsfire-breathing GLC63 duo

By BYRON MATHIOUDAKISin NEW YORK

MERCEDES-AMG has confirmed it is preparing a high-performance flagship version of the GLC wagon, as well as the just-announced GLC Coupe spin-off, with the goal of blowing away BMW’s M division SUVs as the fastest and most dynamic of their type in the world.

Expected to be announced next year as a 2018 model-year addition, the GLC63 and GLC63 Coupe will, among other things, adopt the comprehensively revamped powertrain and all-new all-wheel-drive drivetrain slated for the related high-performance E63 mid-sizer.

“Yes, we can expect it,” Mercedes-AMG chairman Tobias Moers told Australian journalists at the New York motor show last week.

“I’ve already told one journalist earlier today, so why not … and it will be coming at the beginning of next year.”

Though fundamentally different in concept and execution, all three Mercedes vehicles use the same MRA modular architecture devised with the new E-Class to sit in the centre of things, allowing various advanced technologies to drip down in time.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

Star struckContinued from previous page

Considering how much lower the vehicle is, door aperture entrance height remains the same as the regular vehicle, as does occupant shoulder-room, legroom and elbow space. No mention of how much less headroom there is, however, while boot capacity drops from 550 litres to 491L, or from 1600L to 1205L with the rear backrests folded.

A number of packages will be made available to help personalise the cabin,

including an AMG Line set-up with sports seats, thicker steering wheel and other racier bits and pieces. Twenty-inch alloys will be the maximum-sized ex-factory wheels for now.

Mercedes has announced eight model variants made up of four diesel and four petrols, including a plug-in hybrid (for some markets) and aforementioned AMG version.

A 2.1-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel in 125kW 220d and 150kW 250d guises are likely, with the company’s 2.0-litre direct-injection four-cylinder petrol powerplant starting with a 155kW 250 version probably becoming the Australian-market mainstay. That said, expect the AMG GLC43 Coupe – employing a 270kW 3.0-litre V6 bi-turbo – to be popular. That one can hit 100km/h in less than 5.0 seconds.

For now, 4Matic all-wheel drive is standard on all versions, while a 9G-Tronic nine-speed automatic transmission is fitted to all models bar the hybrid.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE‘Our own coupe strategy’ – next page GLC43

March 30, 2016 Page 3

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Mercedes-Benz explainshow its GLC Coupe is not a kneejerk reaction to X4

‘Our own coupe strategy’

By BYRON MATHIOUDAKISin NEW YORK

MERCEDES-BENZ has denied its new GLC Coupe is a copycat version of BMW’s swoopy X4 crossover, saying that such a vehicle was in the company’s SUV strategy since last decade.

Speaking with Australian journalists at the New York motor show last week, Mercedes-Benz GLC chief engineer Michael Kelz said that discussions for a coupe-style SUV started when the overall architectural strategy was being discussed more than six years ago, well before the X4 made its market debut in 2014.

“We always have had our own coupe strategy,” Mr Kelz said. “And the GLC Coupe is definitely a competitor to the X4, no doubt. But we have our own ideas about how a car like that has to drive, and how a car like that has to look.”

While acknowledging that many pundits will compare the GLC Coupe to its Bavarian rival, Mr Kelz said he believes the Mercedes SUV’s sportiness will set it apart.

“It is always interesting to compare, but on the other hand, we think we are on the right path with our Mercedes way,” he said.

“For us, it is very important that with the coupe design … we would have a more sporty car, so we would have certain shift towards sportiness, and so

we took everything into account to make this possible.

“We changed the steering ratio on the car, so we have more direct steering in the car (at 15.1:1 in the GLC Coupe instead of the GLC wagon’s 16.1:1), we have the mixed tyres on the car which makes

it sportier, we have the sports seats in the car to give it a sportier flavour, and we have the dynamic body control in the car which gives it a nice substitute to a regular sports drive, with variable continuous dampening system for more comfort.

“With these four things, especially designated to this car, we think we have the right stuff in the portfolio to build a car like that.”

Mr Kelz said the GLC Coupe’s optional dynamic body control – a system with steel springs and adjustable dampers that counteract leaning forces, lowers the

vehicle’s centre of gravity and offers a suppler ride quality when required – will set it apart from competitors vying for the driving enthusiast.

Air suspension will also be available, lowering the ride height by 15mm in Sport+ mode for reduced bodyroll and a more-hunkered down attitude.

“The dynamic body control we first launched in the new E-Class E400, we now bring it to the GLC, and we think for the most sporty drivers, we have a nice combination there, so it is taking Mercedes’ confidence and Mercedes’ drive ideas out of the box, and bringing it to that car,” he said.

One similarity between the GLC Coupe and the BMW X4 is their limited off-road capability, despite the Mercedes having a 45mm-higher ground clearance than the C-Class sedan and wagon, but Mr Kelz said buyers looking to head to trickier terrain might be better off in the regular GLC.

FULL STORY: CLICK HEREMore reports – next page

Michael Kelz

March 30, 2016 Page 4

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Mercedes-AMG GT R ‘better than SLS Black’

By BYRON MATHIOUDAKISin NEW YORK

MERCEDES-AMG is preparing an even faster version of its flagship GT coupe, with performance that is said to eclipse the brutal 464kW/635Nm SLS AMG Black Edition that saw out the series in 2014.

Dubbed the GT R, it will sit above the existing GT S as the non-competition performance flagship. No power or torque outputs have been revealed, but Mercedes-AMG chairman Tobias Moers suggested that it might be one of the quickest production cars the company has ever built.

“The GT R stands for maybe better than SLS Black,” he told GoAuto at the New York motor show last week.

“It’s faster on the track than a Black. That’s what we aim for. It’s even faster than a C204 Black (C63 AMG Black Series), and this gives us a clear indication (not to) slow down with that product. So we need some new ideas … (something) that is unexpected.”

The SLS AMG Black Edition, released in Australia in 2014, was reportedly capable of topping 315km/h, while the C63 Black Series could reach 299km/h.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

‘GT4’ near

Four-door model set to expand AMG supercar range

GT S

By BYRON MATHIOUDAKISin NEW YORK

MERCEDES-AMG has hinted strongly that its long-awaited answer to the Porsche Panamera will surface sometime later this year, but it will likely lob as a ‘Vision’ concept car rather than the final production-ready version.

Known as the GT4 and aimed directly at the Panamera as well as the BMW M6 Gran Coupe and Aston Martin Rapide, the super-sports four-door sedan will complement the flagship AMG GT series when sales begin later next year or in 2018.

While no firm date has been set, Mercedes-AMG chairman Tobias Moers gave the strongest clue to date about when we will first see the long-rumoured four-seater.

“There is still room for other companions in our family,” he told GoAuto at the New York motor show

last week. “Let us wait a little. By the end of the year you will know a little bit more about it.”

Said to be based on the still-secret next-generation CLS – itself a spin-off

of the just-unveiled E-Class sedan – the GT4 is believed to be on a shorter wheelbase, and reportedly shares virtually no body panels inside or out with the donor vehicle.

Up to five engines have been reportedly mooted for the project known internally as

X290, including a trio of 3.0-litre inline six-cylinder units – including a high-torque diesel – and a pair of V8s.

The top-line variant will most likely employ a variation of the upcoming 4.0-litre bi-turbo V8 in the E63 S, driving all four wheels via a 9G-Tronic nine-speed MCT transmission.

FULL STORY: CLICK HEREMore reports – next page

Tobias Moers

SLS Black

March 30, 2016 Page 5

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AMG V8 firepower for C-Class Cabriolet

By HAITHAM RAZAGUITHE inevitable AMG-tuned, V8-powered C63 flagship variant of Mercedes’ C-Class Cabriolet broke cover at the New York show last week and is expected to arrive in Australian showrooms at the end of this year or early 2017.

Australian C63 Cabriolet pricing is yet to be determined – but it is guaranteed to command a premium over the $162,400 (plus on-road costs) coupe equivalent.

Mercedes-Benz Aust/Pac senior manager of public relations, product and corporate communications David McCarthy told GoAuto that like the C63 sedan, wagon and coupe, the cabriolet would “most likely” only be offered here as the higher-powered S version.

Mr McCarthy said no Australian orders for the soft-top C63 had yet been taken. “But I don’t expect that will take long,” he added.

The 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 of the C63 S develops 375kW of peak power and 700Nm of torque and is fitted standard with dynamic engine mounts that provide the best of both worlds for comfort and responsiveness, plus an electronic limited-slip differential for improved corner-exit traction.

It adds up to a 0-100km/h dash time of 4.1 seconds, a tenth quicker than the standard 350kW/650Nm C63 Cabrio.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

E63 overhaul

Circa 450kW, AWD for next Merc-AMG E63: MoersBy BYRON MATHIOUDAKIS

in NEW YORKMERCEDES-AMG is putting the finishing touches to what it says will be a worthy and ground-breaking torchbearer of the respected E63 nameplate.

Speaking with GoAuto at the New York motor show last week, Mercedes-AMG chairman Tobias Moers revealed that the upcoming W213-series E63 will be launched in Europe early next year, with other markets such as Australia to follow soon after.

Along with delivering better performance, sharper handling, more grip, a cushier ride and more excitement than any previous iteration, the E63 will usher in the first all-wheel-drive version to be sold in Australia, underlining the sheer extent of change that is occurring.

It also ensures that rivals such as the Audi RS6 quattro no longer have the AWD advantage to themselves.

“The next E-Class will have around 600hp (447kW) … and higher torque too,” Mr Moers said.

“It’s going to be a little bit of a different engine, but still with 4.0 litres, and we’ll have it with two power set-ups. The first one was brought to market with the GT S and C63, and this (revised) second

one with a higher output level, that we will bring to market with the E63.”

The outgoing W212-series E63 AMG S that retails from $250,540 plus on-road costs delivers 430kW and 800Nm from a 5.5-litre twin-turbo V8, reflecting the huge efficiency potential of the downsized engine.

As widely reported, the new E63 will switch to a nine-speed multi-clutch transmission known as the AMG Speedshift 9G-Tronic, tuned especially for faster and smoother responses than the previous 7G-Tronic.

Developed in conjunction with the AMG-designed and -engineered AMG Performance 4Matic AWD system, the powertrain will represent a sizeable advancement for the super-sports sedan.

“The E63 will make the biggest step we have ever made from generation to generation,” Mr Moers revealed.

“It’s a new all-wheel-drive system with a drift mode, it’s 9G-Tronic, it’s new driving dynamics … it’s going to be four-wheel drive with right-hand drive.

“I think it is on another, unexpected level from us.”

FULL STORY: CLICK HEREMore reports – page 26

E43 4Matic

March 30, 2016 Page 6

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Mazda reveals all-new‘retractable fastback’version of latest MX-5

MX-5 RF breaks cover

By TIM NICHOLSON in NEW YORKMAZDA has surprised fans by lifting the lid on a targa-style version of its popular new ND-series MX-5 sportscar ahead of the sleek new variant’s launch in Australia inside the next 12 months.

Revealed at a special event on the eve of the New York motor show last week, the MX-5 RF – for retractable fastback – is the latest addition to the MX-5 range that started its rollout in Australia last August.

Mazda says the RF variant stays true to its goal of making “open-top driving more accessible”.

It marks the first time the Japanese manufacturer has offered a fastback version of the MX-5, with the first two generations using a detachable hard-top and the previous NC-series offering a three-stage power retractable hard-top.

The RF has a power-operated roof that can be opened or closed at speeds up to 10km/h and maintains the same 110-litre luggage capacity as the soft-top.

The time it takes for the roof to open and close is still to be confirmed, but Mazda said the RF achieves “one of the fastest opening/closing times of any retractable hard-top”.

While the RF will be offered in 1.5 and

2.0-litre guise in some markets, Australia will only get the version powered by the 118kW/200Nm 2.0-litre four-cylinder naturally aspirated SkyActiv-G engine, paired with either a six-speed manual or automatic transmission.

Specification and pricing are yet to be announced for Australia, but it is likely to mirror the soft-top and be offered in base and GT trim, and GoAuto understands it will carry a premium over the soft-top of between about $3500-$5000.

That should put a base manual version somewhere between $37,990-$39,490 plus on-road costs, while a GT auto could retail from $45,050-$46,550.

The rival Toyota 86 is priced between $29,990 and $35,990 plus on-road costs, while the related Subaru BRZ is priced between $37,150 and $38,650 driveaway.

Mazda is also yet to reveal the weight of the RF, but the additional weight of the roof is likely to be similar to that of the hard-top version of the NC, which added 36kg. This would bring kerb weight to about 1069kg for the new model.

Acceleration times and other performance measures, including fuel consumption, have not been announced but the weight gain is likely to have had a slight impact on the figures.

Mazda Australia marketing director

Alastair Doak said the strong sales of the previous NC retractable hard-top in the later part of its lifecycle proves there is demand for the RF in Australia.

“There certainly was (demand) in the previous generation, obviously at the end we were only selling hard-tops in Australia,” he said in an interview with GoAuto in New York.

“The demand was there. People like the functionality of the automatic folding roof and I guess the added security as well if they have to park on the street, so that became the most popular model.”

Mr Doak said Mazda has gone to great lengths to differentiate the soft-top and the RF, which was an issue with the previous MX-5.

“The design was very similar between both cars. One was a hard-top version of the soft-top. The RF is quite different to that,” he said.

“When you see the car in the metal you can see that it actually has a very different character, a very different look and hopefully it will appeal to a slightly different buyer as well.”

Mr Doak said he did not believe the RF would dilute the simplicity of the MX-5, adding that demand for a hard-top has not waned since the new model arrived.

Continued next page

March 30, 2016 Page 7

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MX-5 RF breaks coverContinued from previous page

“We have proven with the previous generation that it is something customers want. We have kept weight to an absolute minimum. And the fact that it did become our exclusive seller in the previous generation proves that it very much fits in with where MX-5 is at,” he said.

“You could argue the 1.5 manual (soft-top) is the purest expression of MX-5 and we can’t see that model being impacted by our efforts.”

While the company expects solid demand for the RF in Australia, Mr Doak said Mazda was not anticipating that it would overtake the segment-leading Toyota 86, which sold more than 3000 units last year – and more than 4000 the previous year.

“MX-5, given it is a pure two-seater car, that will always limit its appeal to some degree. It is a more pure sportscar experience I think. It’s just the way it is.

“We are not really an alternative to a hatchback from a space and practicality point of view, but we offer a very pure

driving experience and the fun of an open-top and that is what MX-5 is all about and all models will deliver that.”

The RF has a coupe-like silhouette when the roof is closed and Mazda says the side sections of the rear roof slope down towards the rear and tuck in at the sides to create “a perfect teardrop shape for the cabin”.

When the roof is opened, the overhead roof panels and rear window glass are stowed out of sight behind the seats, giving what Mazda says is a unique look in the segment.

There is a large acrylic aero board wind blocker that helps prevent wind blowing back into the cabin. A sound-absorbing headliner on the inside of the front and middle roof panels also helps improve cabin quietness.

Aside from the Porsche 911 Targa and more exotic fare such as the Lamborghini Aventador Roadster, the MX-5 is one of very few targa-like

offerings in the sportscar segment.The RF is 5mm higher than the soft-

top but retains all other dimensions.The Japanese car-maker says that

when the roof is down, the result is a “pleasing sense of freedom combined with a reassuring feeling of being wrapped securely in the cabin”.

While the cabin carries over unchanged from the soft-top, there is now an open/close button below the air-conditioning controls and a 4.6-inch TFT colour LCD display to the left of the speedometer with a roof lowering/raising animation.

The RF ushers in a ‘machine grey’ body colour to the MX-5 range, first shown on the new-generation CX-9 SUV. Mazda says this is the second ‘premium’ colour to be slowly rolled out to its line-up, following ‘soul red’.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE‘The pursuit of purity’ – next page

March 30, 2016 Page 8

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No plans for MX-5 turbo as Mazda keeps balancefor new RF at neat 50:50

‘The pursuit of purity’

By TIM NICHOLSON in NEW YORKMAZDA has ruled out offering any more body styles or adding turbo power to its freshly revealed MX-5 RF, but it will maintain the soft-top’s 50:50 weight distribution.

The RF (retractable fastback) was revealed last week with a power-folding targa-style roof.

It will be offered with the 1.5-litre or 2.0-litre naturally aspirated engines in some markets, but Australia will only get the 118kW/200Nm 2.0-litre.

Soft-top versions are offered in Australia with both powertrains in either six-speed manual or auto transmission and in base or GT spec.

Mazda Motor Corporation MX-5 program manager Nobuhiro Yamamoto told Australian journalists at the New York motor show last week that there was no need to fit the MX-5 with a

turbocharged engine. “We are not in pursuit of absolute

power, that’s not what this car is about,” he said. “We are talking about response

and the good engine sound is what we want. We will keep pursuing these parts but not in terms of absolute power.

“In our thinking, there is no turbo system that doesn’t have turbo lag, so we feel that in terms of the throttle response I think nothing surpasses the

naturally aspirated system.“Talking about the pursuit of purity

of enjoyment of MX-5 and that is about engine response and engine sound and those are the parts we hold

dear to this car.”Mazda is yet to announce the weight

of the RF and how many kilograms it adds over the soft-top (which ranges from 1009kg to 1057kg, depending on the variant), but it is believed to be about 40kg, a similar addition to the previous-generation folding hard-top.

Mr Yamamoto said that despite the extra weight, Mazda engineers had retained the even weight distribution and most of the driving characteristics of the soft-top.

“As you might know the tenets of MX-5, one of them is 50:50 weight distribution and we have been quite strict in observing this,” he said.

Continued next page

Nobuhiro Yamamoto

MX-5 driveline

March 30, 2016 Page 9

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‘The pursuit of purity’Continued from previous page

“As you have implied, with the weight balance changing because of the automatic roof closing structure, we have adjusted it on the suspension so I am sure you will be able to feel the ‘jinba ittai’ (Mazda’s term for describing a driver’s connection with the car) feeling that we have imbued into this car. The weight distribution is pretty much kept.

“We have tried to improve on the potential of the vehicle dynamics in various ways. Of course, we mention that the roof structure is slightly heavier in terms of the parts itself but if you have a look at the parts which are most further away from the centre of gravity,

we are talking about the front and the mid-roof, those are made lighter.”

Mr Yamamoto said that while the same basic principles had been used for both the soft-top and RF, changes in the suspension set-up meant some difference in driving characteristics.

“We are always trying to pursue the fun-to-drive aspect,” he said. “Soft-top has its character and has its taste, and what we tried to do with RF is it has its own character and that’s what we tried to set up in the character as well.

“You can drive soft-top and RF in the same driving scenario but have a different experience.”

According to Mr Yamamoto, no consideration has been given to further variations on the MX-5 body, including a fixed-top coupe.

“I think MX-5 basically is going to be an open-roof car so it always has to have some sort of open roof,” he said.

FULL STORY: CLICK HEREQuestions over next BT – next page

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JMC are growing. I n 2016 we will welcome our JMC Light Trucks (GVW 4.5-7.5T) into the Australian market.

T he JMC Vigus Dual Cab Ute is already available starting from $21,990 and the JMC Vigus Single Cab Ute arriving in 2016. We are currently looking for expressions of interest from experienced dealer operators & independent service operators to promote the JMC brand & create a phenomenal customer experience.

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JMC are growing. In 2016 we will welcome our JMC Light Trucks (GVW 4.5-7.5T) into the Australian market.

The JMC Vigus Dual Cab Ute is already available starting from $21,990 and the JMC Vigus Single Cab Ute arriving in 2016.

We are currently looking for expressions of interest from experienced dealer operators & independent service operators to promote the JMC brand & create a phenomenal customer experience.

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HiLux not on agenda as Mazda continues search for new ute partnership

Questions over next BT

By TIM NICHOLSON in NEW YORKMAZDA has reiterated its commitment to build a new-generation BT-50 utility for sale in Australia, but a rumoured spin-off of the Toyota HiLux is unlikely with the company yet to lock in a joint-venture partner.

Speaking with Australian journalists at the New York motor show last week, Mazda North American Operations president and CEO and Mazda Motor Corporation managing executive officer Masahiro Moro initially cast doubt on the future of the BT-50, saying it was not a global priority for the car-maker.

“I will refrain from making comment in the future, but if you look at Japan, China, USA and Europe, those are the top-five biggest markets for Mazda,” he said.

“We don’t have pick-up truck business (in those regions) anymore. So pick-up truck is quite a regional business. That is our understanding. So … it is not going to be a global pillar for Mazda.”

Moro-san said any development of

a future pick-up would have to be in partnership with another car-maker and acknowledged that some markets are more reliant on BT-50 than others.

“I think at least Mazda is not going to 100 per cent develop the Mazda pick-up; it is not a viable position for us. More countries are moving from pick-up business into passenger car business,” he said.

“It is a global picture. I know … we have existing countries

who have used Mazda’s pick-up truck so we have to deal with this in a different way.”

Moro-san poured cold water on rumours that Mazda’s recent collaboration agreement with Toyota included plans to spin the next BT-50 off the popular HiLux ute.

“I have never heard about that speculation within Mazda at all,” he said.

Asked if the next joint venture would be with former partner Ford, he said: “I won’t make any comment on that as it is just speculation and we don’t have any plan for that.”

The current BT-50 was engineered and developed alongside the Ford Ranger at the Blue Oval’s design and engineering centre in Melbourne.

It is unclear whether the former partners will team up on a utility program as most of their production and development ties have been severed.

While a joint-venture partner is still unconfirmed, Mazda Australia marketing director Alastair Doak said there would definitely be a next-generation BT-50 for the Australian market, reiterating his comments from last year’s Frankfurt motor show.

FULL STORY: CLICK HEREHopes fade for CX-4 – next page

Masahiro Moro

Current BT-50

March 30, 2016 Page 11

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Australian debut unlikely for new Mazda crossoveras company targets China

Hopes fade for CX-4

By TIM NICHOLSON in NEW YORKMAZDA is unlikely to offer the sleek CX-4 crossover in Australia any time soon, with the company confirming it will be a China-only model for the foreseeable future.

The Japanese car-maker previewed the CX-4 with the Koeru concept at last year’s Frankfurt motor show, and earlier this month confirmed the production version will be uncovered at the Beijing show in April.

Mazda says it has developed the CX-4 for the massive Chinese market, where the company is hoping to increase its market share and recapture some of the younger buyers it attracted with the first-generation Mazda6.

That model, which was replaced in Australia in early 2008, is still being built at Mazda joint-venture partner

FAW’s plant in north-eastern China for the Chinese market.

The second- and third-generation versions are also sold there as the Mazda6 Ruiyi and Mazda6 Atenza respectively.

Mazda North American Operations president and CEO and Mazda Motor Corporation managing executive officer Masahiro Moro said that while the current Mazda6 is doing “decent business” in China, the first-generation model “was a very big hit” and the company needs another “key business pillar” in that market, which he believes is the CX-4.

“I think CX-4 will play a very important role in China,” he told Australian journalists at the New York motor show last week.

“And in China, that younger generation

of customer is looking for a crossover-type vehicle. So CX-4 is a replacement of the first generation of Mazda6.

“This is an urgent business need for China. Globally, we still need to consider where we build (CX-4). Because with that Chinese production, all suppliers are in China. Exporting the vehicle from China is … difficult.

“And also CX-3 and CX-5, do we have a space in between? I don’t think so.

“CX-4 itself doesn’t fit to other countries’ portfolio.”

The CX-4 sits between the CX-3 and CX-5 SUVs and shares a platform with the latter and the Mazda3. Design-wise the Koeru looks like a slightly high-riding version of the Mazda3 but with more SUV styling flourishes.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

Koeru concept

Koeru

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Bigger, sturdier, nippier Impreza set to reignite Subaru small-car sales

Impreza raises the bar

‘CORNERSTONE’ MODELSUBARU’S all-new Impreza range is set to be a stronger player in the ultra-competitive small-car segment and could help drive an increase in the company’s global sales.

The fifth-generation Impreza, fresh from its debut at the New York motor show last week, is expected to bring improvements to cabin comfort, ride quality and safety over the model it replaces when it arrives in Australia late this year or early in 2017.

Subaru of America president and chief operating officer Tom Doll told reporters that the new Impreza was benchmarked against some of the best small-car rivals on the market, without identifying specific models.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

By RON HAMMERTONSUBARU is promising significant gains in safety, ride comfort and agility from its new fifth-generation Impreza small car that was officially launched in both sedan and five-door hatch variants at the New York motor show last week.

Many of the improvements are attributed to the new Subaru Global Platform that will underpin most models in the Subaru range – including planned hybrids – in future under the Japanese company’s Prominence 2020 plan.

Due in Australia late this year or early in 2017, the latest Impreza is 40mm longer than its predecessor in both hatch and sedan forms – sedan 4625mm, hatch 4460mm – and sits on a wheelbase that has been stretched 25mm, to 2670mm, thus affording greater cabin and cargo space.

Aesthetics and aerodynamics are both said to have been improved by lowering the roof height by 10mm.

The 2.0-litre direct-injection boxer

four-cylinder engine is 80 per cent new, delivering performance and fuel efficiency gains, although peak power is up just 2kW, to 112kW.

As before, the engine will put its torque to the tarmac via Subaru’s trademark permanent all-wheel-drive system fitted standard across the range.

A revised continuously variable transmission (CVT) – now with a seven-step manual mode – is standard equipment. No manual transmission is mentioned.

Like the American version shown in the Big Apple, the Japanese-built Impreza bound for Australia is set to get Subaru’s EyeSight suite of safety technologies, including autonomous braking and adaptive cruise control, albeit only on upper-spec variants.

The design of the new Impreza is typically Subaru, with familiar hexagonal grille and hawk-eye headlights, and remains largely faithful to the concept shown at last year’s Los Angeles motor show.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERESubaru large SUV agenda – next page

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USA to gauge reaction toTribeca successor beforerollout to other countries

By TIM NICHOLSON in NEW YORKSUBARU’S Tribeca-replacing seven-seat SUV will hit the market in two to three years and is highly likely to be offered in Australia after an initial rollout in the United States.

Little is known about the full-size three-row SUV, but it will compete directly with a number of popular models including the Toyota Kluger, Mazda CX-9, Nissan Pathfinder, Hyundai Santa Fe and Kia Sorento, as well as the replacements for the Ford Territory and Holden Captiva.

The Japanese car-maker has not revealed the design direction for the model, but it could take cues from recent SUV concepts such as the Viziv from the 2014 Geneva motor show, and if it follows Subaru’s recent history it will be previewed by a sleek concept ahead of its production-ready reveal.

Subaru of America president and chief operating officer Tom Doll talked up the look of the SUV with Australian reporters at the New York motor show last week.

“It’s been announced that we will be having a seven-passenger vehicle for the US market,” he said. “We have seen the prototypes and the designs. It is really

nice. It is a true seven-passenger (SUV) for the market. We are very excited about it but that’s a few years away yet.”

When asked if the SUV would make its production debut in 2018 or 2019, Mr Doll said that timing was a “fair guess”.

He also confirmed that it would be underpinned by the new global architecture that will form the basis of all future Subaru products, starting with the Impreza sedan and hatch that arrive in Australia in the next 12 months.

Mr Doll said it was his understanding that the seven-seater would be built in the United States and added that consumer reaction in North America

would determine which other markets it is rolled out to following its launch.

“I can’t say it won’t be built in Japan for other markets but right now the plan is for it to be built at our factory in Indiana,” he said.

“I think it will be launched in the US first and then we will see how it goes here, and depending on the reaction, it may get into other markets.”

Mr Doll said the “current plan” was that the Tribeca nameplate would not be resurrected for the new model, with Subaru aiming for something fresh to avoid a connection with the original that received mixed reviews from consumers and media when it launched in 2006.

“We will try to come up with a different name,” he said.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

Viziv 2 concept

Tom Doll

Subaru large SUV agenda

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All-new Mazda CX-5 rivalin works as Outlander tostep up, ASX to downsize

Mitsubishi SUV plans

By BYRON MATHIOUDAKIS in NEW YORK

MITSUBISHI Motors has outlined its new SUV strategy that includes introducing an all-new mid-size SUV that will push the next-generation Outlander up into the large SUV segment to pump gloves with the Toyota Kluger.

The plan that will roll out by the end of the decade also includes plans to shrink the 2017 ASX down to Mazda CX-3 size.

Speaking to Australian journalists at the New York motor show last week, Mitsubishi Motors of North America executive vice-president Don Swearingen reiterated the company’s plan to focus on SUVs, pitching no less than three small-to-medium crossovers in place of ageing or discontinued nameplates including Lancer and Galant respectively.

“This is the strategy we’re going with, and we’ve just announced this to our dealers a couple of weeks ago,” he said.

“Mitsubishi will take the next

Outlander, which will grow in width and in length; the Outlander Sport (ASX of North America), which is our number-one seller in the US, we

will take that down a little bit in size, and if you look at the (eX concept) prototype we just showed in Geneva, it will be formed over that car; and then we will come in the middle with a new CUV (Crossover Utility Vehicle),” he said.

“I think we are clearly seeing consumers moving away from sedans and going into CUVs, and we feel we need three cars in that segment.”

The mid-size SUV is said to be about the size of the highly successful Mazda CX-5, creating a logical walk up from the downsized next-generation ASX to the larger new Outlander, which will most likely become a Toyota Kluger and Kia Sorento competitor.

The new ASX is expected to be revealed first, likely during 2017, followed by the mid-size SUV in 2018, while the new, larger Outlander will be uncovered before the end of the decade.

“You’ll see that Mitsubishi will come with a new model vehicle every year between now and 2020,” Mr Swearingen said.

Each SUV will offer electrification, cementing Mitsubishi’s growing global reputation as a leader in low-emissions crossovers, as witnessed by the Outlander PHEV.

“Our plan with these three SUVs is to also have fully electric or plug-in hybrid versions of each vehicle,” he said. “And you’re going to see that with improvements because it will be the next level of battery technology for us.”

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE Mirage makeover – page 26

eX concept

Don Swearingen

March 30, 2016 Page 16

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Hyundai luxury brand’s sleek New York Conceptpreviews 3 Series fighter

All set for Genesis G70

By TERRY MARTINHYUNDAI has emphatically reinforced its intention to take the fight up to established European premium marques with its burgeoning Genesis luxury brand, unveiling a mid-size sports sedan concept at the New York motor show last week that previews the all-new G70 series.

To compete against the likes of the BMW 3 Series, Mercedes C-Class and Audi A4 in one of the highest-volume and most competitive premium segments worldwide, the G70 will be built in right-hand drive and will be launched in Australia in the second half of 2017.

The show car – simply dubbed ‘New York Concept’ – has emerged with a hybrid powertrain that combines a 2.0-litre GDi direct-injection turbocharged petrol engine with an electric motor, generating a combined 180kW of power and 353Nm of torque and driving the rear wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission.

GoAuto understands that in right-hand-

drive configuration, the car will be fitted at launch with a top-of-the-line twin-turbocharged 3.3-litre V6 engine – as seen in the flagship G90 limousine (not yet confirmed for Australia) in which it produces 272kW/510Nm and can reach 100km/h from standstill in 6.2 seconds.

Expect the latter to improve markedly in the lighter G70.

The new model will join the G80 large sedan, currently sold here as the Genesis but to receive a name change (reflecting the expanding range) in conjunction with an upgrade that will bring styling changes and should also mark the first application of the 3.3 twin-turbo six in Australia.

HMCA public relations general manager Bill Thomas told GoAuto: “We see great potential in the car as a BMW 3 Series rival – or perhaps more accurately, a 4 Series GT or Audi A5 Sportback rival, given the concept’s low roofline and coupe-like proportions.

“G70 will be a sedan, though, not a hatch.

“Right-hand drive has been confirmed and we will take the car – second half of 2017 is likely but not confirmed as yet. We won’t be talking about targets or volumes but you could surmise the car has greater volume potential than its big brother (G80).

“This platform will also spawn an SUV and a coupe, neither of which has been confirmed for RHD.”

Vehicle dimensions and other specifications were not forthcoming at the concept’s unveiling, with the Korean manufacturer preferring instead to emphasise in broad terms its design and technology – all of which draw heavily on European influences.

“We have the Italian flair in the exterior, we have the French avant-garde in the interior (and) the fantastic engineering precision from the German team,” said Genesis design general manager Eduardo Ramirez.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE Genesis faces biggest test – page 27

March 30, 2016 Page 17

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Lighter, stronger new R8drop-top shown ahead offirst-half 2017 debut here

By RON HAMMERTONTHE drop-top version of Audi’s muscle-bound V10 R8 sportscar will sprint from zero to 100km/h in 3.6 seconds – just 0.1 seconds slower than its hard-top sibling.

Revealed last week at the New York motor show, the R8 Spyder is set to arrive in Australia in the first half of next year, just a few months after the second-generation R8 coupe.

Again employing an electro-hydraulically operated folding soft-top that can close automatically in 20 seconds while driving at up to 50km/h, the new Spyder is said to be 113kg lighter than its predecessor yet 50 per cent more rigid in the body.

Riding on a modified version of the new aluminium and carbon-fibre spaceframe platform that debuted recently under the R8 coupe, the Spyder also shares the same 5.2-litre naturally aspirated V10 carried over from the first-generation R8, albeit with tweaks such as idle-stop and a combination of

port and direct injection.The engine generates 397kW – 11kW

more power than the previous model – at a screaming 8250rpm, along with 40Nm more torque (540Nm) at a lofty 6500rpm.

Like the R8 coupe, no V8 will be offered this time, but if you wait a while, you can expect a more powerful R8 Plus V10 with 449kW/560Nm.

In all cases, the mid-mounted engine is coupled to a dual-clutch seven-speed S-tronic transmission that drives all four wheels through Audi’s re-engineered quattro all-wheel-drive system that now can deliver up to 100 per cent of the torque to the front or rear wheels in extreme circumstances.

Such is the force through the quattro clutch that Audi has incorporated water cooling.

Fuel efficiency is said to have been improved by 10 per cent, to 11.7 litres per 100km on the Euro combined test scale, thanks to technologies such

as “freewheeling mode” – a system that decouples the engine to allow the vehicle to coast.

LED laser headlights are also new to R8 Spyder, enhancing night vision.

The folding roof slides under a tonneau behind the two seats. Two tapering fins at the sides give it the same silhouette as the coupe, while the electric-powered rear glass window slides up and down out of the rear bulkhead. With the roof up, top speed is said to be 318km/h.

Inside, redesigned sports seats are more contoured, while bucket seats are available. The instruments are all shown on a large 12.3-inch high-definition screen with 3D graphics, should the driver want them.

New smartphone technology and LTE internet connection are included, along with a Bang & Olufsen sound system, this time with speakers in the headrests.

FULL STORY: CLICK HEREAudi Sport ‘to fly’ – next page

Audi R8 Spyder bite

March 30, 2016 Page 18

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Quattro’s boss sees Audi Sport sub-brand catchingMercedes-AMG, BMW M

Audi Sport ‘to fly’

By TIM NICHOLSON in NEW YORKTHE newly formed Audi Sport performance sub-brand could become as popular as its arch-rivals – Mercedes-AMG and BMW M – according to Quattro GmbH chief executive Stephan Winkelmann.

Up until recently the president and CEO of Automobili Lamborghini, Mr Winkelmann told reporters at the New York motor show last week that while he has only just commenced in the role, he has strong ambitions for the Audi Sport brand.

“It depends on you, it depends on how much you (journalists) beat the drum,” he said. “This is a journey we have to start, and at the beginning it will be a bit bumpy but I think we have a lot of opportunities and with a good strategy we can catch them all.

“So it depends on us how fast we are going to have awareness and image for this brand. The base is there, there are great products, the RS models and R8 is an outstanding product so we have

everything to build up the brand – we have to tell the story, the strategy and then it will fly, I am sure about that.”

Audi Sport encompasses all performance variants of Audi models,

including S and spicier RS vehicles as well as the R8, which was unveiled in Spyder guise at the New York show.

Asked if there was a possibility of a standalone Audi Sport-branded four-door sedan or SUV unrelated to any existing model, Mr Winkelmann simply said: “We will surprise you in the

years to come.”Mr Winkelmann’s appointment to

the top job at Quattro GmbH – a 100 per cent subsidiary of Audi AG – was only announced a month ago, but he brings 11 years’ experience as head of the VW-owned Lamborghini marque to the position.

“What I can bring is my experience in a super-sportscar company, but other than that, now it is too early. Give me the time to adjust and work on this company and we will be back to not only you, but all the press,” he said.

Asked how the car-maker can still produce large, powerful engines in an age of downsizing and emissions regulations, Mr Winkelmann said Audi and Lamborghini were successful in developing high-performance, efficient powertrains – and that there was more to come.

“One thing is clear. Even if we produce high-performance cars, the emissions are going down so this is one of the commitments we always had and I can speak for Lamborghini at this stage because this is my knowledge, my past,” he said.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

Stephan Winkelmann

RS3 Sportback

March 30, 2016 Page 19

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GREAT CAREER OPPORTUNITIES – Sunshine Coast Lifestyle

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Powertrain soundtrackstill to be sorted but EVwill have ‘Porsche DNA’

‘Evolutionary change’

By TIM NICHOLSON in NEW YORKTHE introduction later this decade of Porsche’s first all-electric sportscar, based on the Mission E concept, will alter the perception of the iconic brand, according to the company’s North American chief.

Porsche has committed to building a production version of the striking zero-emissions four-door concept that wowed crowds at last year’s Frankfurt motor show, and it will compete with the likes of the Tesla Model S and potentially BMW’s yet-to-be-seen third ‘i’ model that is rumoured to be dubbed i5.

Porsche Cars North America president and CEO Klaus Zellmer said the company is used to people reacting negatively to any major change it proposes, and added that the production model will feature the characteristics of a Porsche sportscar.

“We have a funny feeling that whenever we change something people feel that we are changing the brand,” he told reporters on the Porsche stand at the New York motor show last week. “Whether it is from air-cooled engines to water-cooled engines, manual transmission to automatic or double-

clutch or hybrid technology. “But, yes, it is going to change the

brand but I don’t think in a revolutionary way, it has got to be evolutionary.

“We have to make sure that with the battery electric vehicle people feel the

Porsche DNA in that car and we are going to make sure of that.”

One Porsche characteristic that is unclear for the Mission E is what it will sound like when accelerating, given its electric powertrain, but Mr Zellmer said the company was hard at work determining how it will work.

“That is the big billion-dollar question. We are not answering that yet. We are currently researching on what is a Porsche sound if it doesn’t come out of the exhaust pipe, but let’s wait and see what we come up with,” he said.

“But generally speaking if you drive any electric vehicle, the sheer performance, the power, the acceleration, that is all down the road

of what Porsche delivers. The only missing link at the moment is sound and we are working on that.”

Mr Zellmer said the German car-maker was “not ruling out” the use of artificial sounds for the EV’s exhaust note.

The Mission E concept uses an 800-volt drive system generating 440kW of power and offering an electric driving range of more than 500km.

Discussing the ongoing diesel scandal plaguing the Volkswagen Group, Mr Zellmer said the company was trying to determine the impact it has had on the relatively small number of Porsche diesel customers in the United States.

“Any technical issue that we have with our cars is irritating to us and our customers in terms of the impact on our sales volume. In fact, the sales volume derived from diesel engines is not really big here in the US. It’s about five per cent,” he said.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

Mission E concept

March 30, 2016 Page 20

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Nissan’s upgraded GT-Rushers in host of engine, aero and interior tweaks

‘Godzilla’ even greater

By HAITHAM RAZAGUINISSAN continues to coax yet more power and torque from the 3.8-litre twin-turbo V6 of its flagship GT-R supercar, with the latest update revealed at the New York show last week cranking out 419kW and 632Nm – up 15kW and 4Nm respectively.

Due to hit Australian showrooms this September in two grades, including a local first in the shape of a Nismo-enhanced Track Edition, the seven-year-old super-sports machine has also been given a late-life nip and tuck, headlined by a distinctive new front end and more luxurious interior.

A revised 0-100km/h time for the

updated GT-R is conspicuous by its absence despite the engine tweaks, suggesting the superseded model’s already mind-bending 2.8-second sprint has not been bettered.

But additional performance in other areas is assured by an exterior styling evolution that has reduced drag while maintaining downforce.

The new front bumper is not only visually simpler and smoother, its enlarged grille increases engine cooling, incorporates a race-inspired, downforce-generating splitter and flows more seamlessly into the bonnet, which has been reinforced for additional high-speed stability.

Wider side skirts also improve airflow while adding a more aggressive, modern stance, and the rear fascia has been subtly but substantially updated with more airflow-enhancing vents at the bumper’s outer edges and the proportion of the body-coloured upper and black lower sections altered to increase the visual width.

Major upgrades have been made to the GT-R cockpit, its increased levels of luxury the next logical step in Nissan’s constant evolution of the model from hardcore performance beast to ballistic grand tourer.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

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Upgraded Aussie-specCorolla sedan details

By RON HAMMERTONTOYOTA Australia has issued details of its facelifted Corolla sedan due in 2017 to head off any confusion caused by the unveiling of the US-market small car at the New York auto show last week.

The revised Australian-spec version is set to receive a new nose and a few other revisions, including new safety technology as standard equipment on the up-spec ZR variant and as an option on the mainstream Ascent and SX.

The four-door small car will go on sale in the first quarter of 2017, bringing its design into line with current Toyota fashion that includes a larger lower air opening in the front fascia, along with a smaller grille above it, topped by a sweeping chrome garnish running from headlight to headlight.

The car unveiled by Toyota USA in New York has a different front “mask”, separate from the Corolla sedan sold here and in Europe.

The styling changes are destined only for the sedan, as the popular hatch received its mid-life makeover in the middle of last year.

The chrome-laden ZR gets the bulk of the changes that include new LED headlights and daytime running lights, plus a package of safety technologies such as pre-collision warning, lane departure alert and automatic high beam.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

Toyota reveals 2017 Prius Prime plug-in hybrid in NYBy DANIEL GARDNER

AFTER a nine-month hiatus, Toyota has resurrected its plug-in Prius hybrid for North America, with the more efficient and more tech-heavy Prime rolling out at the New York International Auto Show last week.

While a previously teased tail-light view suggested a venture into sporty territory for the Prius family, the car as shown in the Big Apple appears to be sticking to the orthodox layout of its siblings.

The Japanese car-maker is touting its new model as the most efficient plug-in hybrid to date, with a claimed fuel economy figure of 2.0 litres per 100km.

It also has a new home-charging feature, offers 35km of pure electric range and an emissions-free top speed of 135km/h.

Were it to come Down Under, the

Prius Prime would be Toyota’s first foray into both plug-in hybrid territory and lithium-ion battery technology, but Toyota Australia public relations manager Mike Breen told GoAuto the new model was not scheduled for launch here.

“There’s no current plan to introduce it here,” he said. “We would need to do some market surveys and get a better understanding of the market before we contemplate it.”

With its more efficient powertrain, the Prime uses 26 per cent less fuel than the previous plug-in Prius sold in the United States until June 2015. Combined battery and petrol range is estimated at 965km.

The 8.8kWh battery can be fully recharged in about two hours using a 240-volt socket or 5.5 hours on the American 110-volt system.

Toyota’s Synergy Drive system has been given a significant upgrade with its first “dual motor” that allows the generator to temporarily act as a motor in parallel with the main drive motor for boosted acceleration.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

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Prime mover

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New Cadenza takes Kiafurther upmarket in USas Schreyer looks ahead

Kia climbs social ladder

New Kia Cadenza debuts eight-speed auto, safety techBy HAITHAM RAZAGUI

AUSTRALIAN Kia fans seeking a bigger sedan than the Optima had better move to North America, where the second-generation Cadenza has just been revealed at the New York motor show – and will be left-hand-drive only.

Nestled in the North American Kia sedan range between the Optima and the rear-drive K900, the Californian-designed new Cadenza aims to build on the success of its critically acclaimed predecessor with a premium interior, high levels of technology and an improved combination of ride comfort and dynamics.

Hyundai-Kia’s familiar 3.3-litre V6 engine has received fuel-efficiency tweaks for the new Cadenza but the real driveline highlight is the South Korean company’s first eight-speed automatic

transmission for front-wheel-drive vehicles, developed in-house and said to be lighter than the outgoing six-speed unit despite having an extra two ratios.

Further technological advancements include a version of blind-spot monitoring that detects when the Cadenza is getting too close to an adjacent vehicle and brakes the opposite-side front wheel to pull it back into line and prevent a collision.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

By TIM NICHOLSON in NEW YORKKIA Motors could soon be rubbing shoulders with high-end competitors, with global president Peter Schreyer saying some of the company’s latest products nudge premium territory.

The South Korean car-maker lifted the covers from its second-generation Cadenza mid-size sedan at the New York motor show last week, with the prestige contender moving further upscale compared with the model it replaces.

The Cadenza also previews Kia’s future design direction for sedans.

When asked if he believes some of the brand’s mainstream models will push into premium territory in the coming years, Mr Schreyer said they would “a little bit”, adding that the feel and quality of materials can help lift a model beyond mainstream status.

“I think to be able to kind of be ahead of the competition, I think it is important to have really good quality,

perceived quality, which means a little more premium in it,” he told GoAuto.

“Because it is not only the price point but it is also when you buy a car you want to be rewarded, want to be proud of it, want to enjoy nice materials and

good quality I think that’s very important.”

Asked if he sees a day 15 or 20 years in the future when Kia will have dropped its mainstream roots and become a premium brand, Mr Schreyer said the brand already had moved slightly beyond mainstream.

“I hope we are not totally mainstream now,” he said. “I hope we keep our approach (which) is to try to be a bit ahead of the competition.”

While the luxury appointments in the Cadenza set a new benchmark for the brand, at least in the United States, the big sedan is unlikely to make it to

Australia, with Mr Schreyer saying he does not know of any plans for the model to be produced in right-hand drive.

Meanwhile, the long-mooted Kia sportscar looks no closer to a production reality, with Mr Schreyer highlighting sporty variants in the Kia line-up when asked about a road-ready performance hero.

“I think with the GT line that we have in Europe, we are making more cars with good performance,” he said. “So the whole brand is moving towards more sporty.

“I think with some show cars we have had in the past, for example the GT – the four-door coupe sports saloon – we are heading in a very sporty direction with the rear-wheel-drive layout.

“And this company already shows where we are heading as well.”

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

Cadenza

Peter Schreyer

March 30, 2016 Page 23

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New Trailhawk, Summit variants due in Australia with Jeep’s MY17 update

Grand Cherokee boost

Honda MDX not on Aussie agenda as Acura considers RHDBy TIM NICHOLSON in NEW YORK

HONDA’S premium brand Acura could expand to more markets beyond its North American base, including right-hand-drive countries such as Australia in the future, but its focus remains on its key United States battleground for now.

Acura offers some models that are sold in Australia as Hondas, including the Accord Euro-based TSX and the second-generation NSX supercar, but outside of North America it only operates in China, Russia and Kuwait.

The Japanese luxury car-maker revealed the heavily revised third-generation MDX at the New York motor show last week that could be a perfect fit for the Australian market given its size and premium positioning.

Speaking with reporters at the show, American Honda Motor Company and

Acura Automobiles executive vice-president John Mendel said the brand could potentially expand into RHD markets, but added that if it did, it would likely be with a focus in sedans.

“Having worked in the UK I understand it,” he said. “We are exporting Acura now to other markets. We will see how that goes as we make more relevant global vehicles, which I think is certainly probably more in the sedan side of the business than the truck side of the business.”

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

By DANIEL GARDNERA TOUGHENED Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk will join the Australian line-up as part of a model range update at the end of the year, following its unveiling at the New York International Auto Show last week.

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) Australia will also get a more luxurious version of its swish Grand Cherokee Summit that also stepped out at the New York extravaganza.

The new variants are likely to join the Laredo, Limited and Overland in the current Grand Cherokee range, while updated versions of the Blackhawk and SRT are expected at a later date.

FCA Australia senior manager of corporate communications Andrew

Chesterton told GoAuto that given the popularity of the model, the company was likely to take any variants offered for the Grand Cherokee.

“We are expecting our model year 2017 Grand Cherokees to arrive by the end of the year,” he said.

“The Grand Cherokee is a very big seller for us here in Australia so it stands to reason that we would take anything and everything, whether it be Trailhawks, Summits or anything else.”

Mr Chesterton said that while adventurous customers have always had the option of upgrading their current-generation Grand Cherokee to a ‘trail-rated’ specification with original equipment, the New York show Trailhawk would be a production option.

“You could always spec-up a Grand

Cherokee to make it trail-rated, but this is the first time for this that we’ve done a straight-out-the-gate Trailhawk on the Grand Cherokee so it’s pretty exciting.”

With its trail-rated gear, Jeep says its Trailhawk is the “most capable” Grand Cherokee produced to date. The variant was shown as a concept at the 2012 Easter Jeep Safari in Moab, and was first offered in the WK2 Grand Cherokee in 2014.

For the facelifted version, the Jeep can go further off-road with a unique version of the Quadra-Lift air suspension for increased travel and ride height, while Selec-Speed Control makes climbing and descending steep slopes simpler.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

Trailhawk

MDX

Summit

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Standalone showroom inMelbourne reflects risingsales, status of Brit brand

Confidence in McLaren

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By DANIEL GARDNER and NEIL DOWLING

PremiumGoAutoNews

SUPERCAR marque McLaren says the appointment last year of its first Australian standalone dealership, in Melbourne, was confirmation of its belief in its strengthening presence in Australia.

McLaren Automotive Asia-Pacific regional manager David McIntyre told GoAutoNews Premium this month that the car-maker was ready to move into an exclusive space of its own following increasing demand for the British supercar-maker Down Under.

McLaren has sold six cars this year ending February, compared with no sales for the same period in 2015. It ended 2015 with 36 sales. Prices range from $325,000 to $616,250 plus on-road costs.

The British brand recently took its Australian dealership tally to three when McLaren Gold Coast opened for business under the direction of Sunshine Automotive group.

With the appointment of Sunshine Automotive late last year and the launch of new models to take the inventory to seven, McLaren is forecasting to double sales in 2016.

Until now, all three Australian McLaren dealerships have operated as part of a multi-franchise model, sharing showroom space with other prestige and high-performance brands.

Now European brand specialist

Zagame Automotive Group will cut the red tape on its McLaren dealership in Richmond in June, six months after acquiring the iconic British brand franchise from Inchcape’s Trivett Bespoke group.

Mr McIntyre said that with Zagame Automotive “we have an opportunity with a new partner who is willing to invest to support our business for the future”.

In an interview with GoAutoNews Premium last year, Zagame managing director Bobby Zagame said he had received approval by the three car manufacturers involved in the Trivett Bespoke acquisitions.

He is completing a four-storey showroom in Swan Street, Richmond, for Rolls-Royce and Aston Martin, and announced that another showroom, also in Richmond, will be opened in the middle of this year for McLaren.

Mr McIntyre said that it was his practice to mystery shop all the dealerships in his jurisdiction and that he had posed as a mystery shopper

when evaluating Zagame as a potential franchisee.

He said that the existing network of Melbourne locations had passed the test.

“When we went through a due diligence process I actually came and did a mystery shop,” he said.

“I walked through all his showrooms and I got a very good impression in all of them. I was confident this was a partner we could work with here in Melbourne.

“For McLaren it will be a significant showroom.”

Zagame currently sells McLaren at its temporary showroom on City Road in Melbourne’s Southbank.

Mr McIntyre said that the City Road dealership had been a “temporary solution” while the company established the brand’s potential in Australia.

“The current facility is a shared showroom space and we have a designated space within that showroom, but we will have a standalone showroom from June in the new location,” he said.

“When the business was set up here, it wasn’t clear what the market potential would be, so effectively the showroom we are in now was a temporary solution.”

Dealerships and/or service centres for Adelaide and in Western Australia are still under consideration.

March 30, 2016 Page 25

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Mantello details Platinumtitle success as Hughes attop sales mark since 1986

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By NEIL DOWLINGVICTORIAN Hyundai dealer Mantello Motors said hard work, staff passion and ensuring customer satisfaction were keys to winning the brand’s coveted 2015 Platinum Dealer of the Year award.

The family-owned and -run business in Roxburgh Park in Melbourne’s north has been in car retailing for about 40 years and took on the Hyundai franchise 10 years ago. It also has two Holden franchises and one Nissan franchise.

Dealer principal John Solarino said that to win the national awards against 166 other Hyundai dealers “is fantastic and shows we do a lot of things great”.

But at Hyundai’s regional awards this month, which followed February’s national awards, Mr Solarino said the fact they did not win in the Southern Region “shows that we can also do a lot of things better”.

“What contributed to our national win was a focus on customers,” he said.

“We don’t over-complicate anything but we put hard work into concentrating on doing things right and on quickly fixing any issues.

“It also comes down to the team.

Without them you’re no-one. The sales manager and service manager are both fairly new to the role but their passion and dedication are one of the reasons for our success.”

Mr Solarino also said the Hyundai product was a major part in attracting and retaining customers.

Criteria required to win the Platinum Dealer of the Year award, now in its fourth year, starts with an extensive year-long assessment as part of Hyundai’s network development program.

Hyundai Motor Company Australia sales academy and training manager Glenn Forster said the assessment covers the overall quality of each dealership, not just sales targets.

“We also look at things like data quality, sales staff product knowledge, customer satisfaction levels, and the standards of sales and service training, both face-to-face training and via monthly e-learning,” he said.

There were 11 other award recipients from Hyundai including John Hughes of Perth for the highest sales volume of 4234 Hyundais retailed in 2015.

Mr Hughes, who was Australia’s first Hyundai dealer and distributor in 1986, retained his title of Australia’s top-selling Hyundai dealer for the 30th consecutive year.

His dealership in Perth’s inner-city Victoria Park has also been the world’s top-selling Hyundai dealer (by volume) for nine consecutive years, outselling the US, UK, Asia and Europe, and in 2012 was voted by the manufacturer as the world’s number-one dealer.

He said the success was attributed to passion with the brand and selecting a very good dealer group in the start-up years of Hyundai in Australia.

“The passion for the product stems from being so personally involved with importing the first cars, establishing the dealer network and facing all the uphill battles on the way,” he said.

“We had some dealers in the early days who couldn’t pronounce the name Hyundai, who didn’t know where South Korea was and probably didn’t care.

“Now it’s a brand that people want to own and want to drive, and one in which I still have a lot of passion.”

John Hughes

Hyundai’s top dealers

John Solarino (left) with HMCA CEO Charlie Kim

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March 30, 2016 Page 26

It is possible to count with one finger the vehicles that exist in the light hatchback-derived wagon segment. The Skoda Fabia Wagon in $21,440 (plus on-road costs) 81TSI six-speed dual-clutch automatic guise tested here may sound pricey for a light car, but it offers a real alternative to the likes of the Mazda CX-3 and other sub-compact crossovers.

Skoda Fabia 81TSI wagon

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

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

FRESH BARINA POINTERCHEVROLET has revealed a facelifted Sonic which is expected to turn up in Australia wearing Barina badges before the end of this year, packed with technology, comfort and safety upgrades that should help draw Gen-Y eyes away from their smartphones and towards showrooms.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

Mid-life upgrade for Mitsubishi’s city hatch, sedanBy DANIEL GARDNER

MITSUBISHI has hit back at Holden’s all-new Spark micro-car with a refreshed Mirage hatchback and sedan range, which brings a light facelift for the hatch, revitalised interiors, a tweaked chassis and an increase in the asking price.

With a bump of $260 to $12,250 plus on-road costs, the Mirage ES manual hatch is still Australia’s most affordable new car, although with a driveaway price of $12,990, Suzuki’s Celerio is arguably cheaper when all the forms are signed and sealed.

Along with the 2016 update, Mitsubishi has dropped the manual LS hatch option, with the top-spec Mirage now only available with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) to align with the sedan line-up.

Upgrading the ES to the CVT automatic costs an extra $2000, taking the price to $14,250, while the top-spec LS starts from $15,250. Pricing for the sedan has increased a mere $10 across the board.

Mitsubishi Motors Australia Limited product communications co-ordinator Genevieve Kerin told GoAuto the price adjustment was accompanied by a reduction to fixed-price servicing costs.

“We’ve reduced capped-price servicing by $270

dollars for the life of the vehicle so that offsets it, but there are significant updates to the current model that has resulted in a modest price increase across the range,” she said.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

PRICING:Hatch ES $12,250 ES (a) $14,250 LS (a) $15,250 Sedan ES $14,500 ES (a) $16,500 LS (a) $17,500

Mirage makeover

AMG LINK WITH ALPINEA RENAULT executive has hinted that Mercedes-AMG engines might power the French company’s new Alpine high-performance car range that will be rolled out from late this year.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

C-CLASS AIRBAG RECALLMERCEDES-BENZ has ordered a safety recall for more than 7800 previous-generation C-Class cars in Australia to rectify a possible airbag fault that could set off the safety devices without obvious cause.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

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March 30, 2016 Page 27

By TERRY MARTINAFTER demonstrating its credentials with the standalone Genesis large sedan and the recently launched G90 limousine, Hyundai Motor Company is now moving into the high-volume but ultra-competitive mid-size prestige sedan segment with the forthcoming all-new G70 series.

Previewed in the Big Apple last week by the ‘New York Concept’, the G70 is in the final stages of development and expected on sale in Australia in the second half of next year, joining the G80 – which the current large sedan will revert to with a facelift due later this year – and taking its place in a segment dominated by the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, BMW 3 Series and Audi A4.

Jaguar has also become a major player with its new XE, while the Lexus IS is likewise at the top end of a field which has come to include sleeker niche derivatives such as the CLA-Class, 3 Series Gran Turismo/4 Series Gran Coupe and A5 Sportback – models that Hyundai Motor Co Australia believes the G70 will match in terms of style, technology and, up to a point, performance.

HMCA is not prepared to put numbers on the table for anticipated sales once the G70 reaches the market, but this is the biggest-selling class for

prestige vehicles in Australia – across all passenger car segments as well as SUVs.

A neat 26,000 sales of medium-size cars above $60,000 were recorded last year, up 18.8 per cent on 2014 – the biggest increase in any of the prestige car segments – and representing 40 per cent of all prestige passenger car sales spanning light, small, medium, large, upper-large and people-mover segments, as well as the higher-end sportscar classes.

Executive sedans and the smaller-volume body styles that make up the segment cannot match the strong sales growth among the various sizes of SUVs – something Hyundai will address with two all-new Genesis SUVs due before the end of the decade – but the mid-size passenger car segment will, for years to come, stand as a benchmark in the industry and illustrate just how much acceptance there is in the marketplace for a Korean luxury brand.

The one-size-larger Genesis sedan – priced from $60,000 plus on-road costs at the entry level, rising to $71,000 with a Sensory Pack and $82,000 with an Ultimate Pack – has been on sale for almost 16 months, launching in November 2014 and accumulating 540 new registrations in its first calendar year.

In the first two months of 2016, Genesis sales are down 7.1 per cent on 92 units, reflecting early demand a year ago when the vehicle was new to market.

By comparison, Mercedes posted 1428 E-Class sales last year (-9.0 per cent) and BMW sold 1038 units of the 5 Series (+17.7 per cent), while as we have previously reported, HMCA management considers the Genesis sedan’s outselling of the Lexus ES (394) and GS (139) combined as a measure of success.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

Genesis faces biggest test2017 G70 to test marketacceptance Down Underfor Korean luxury brand

Prestige passenger segment sales movement in 2015

Varia

nce

(%)

-25

-20

-15

-10

-5

0

5

10

15

20

25

Light >$25K

Small >$40K

Medium >$60K

Large >$70K

Upper Large >$100K

MPV >$60K

Sports >$80K

Sports >$200K

Source: VFACTS

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By DANIEL GARDNERBENTLEY’S foray into SUV territory will also pioneer other new realms for the British ultra-luxury car-maker, with hybrid powertrains and compression ignition power on the way, but extra engines will be in the name of power, not frugality, the company says.

While Bentley acknowledges its customer base is more likely to put luxury and performance above fuel economy, a social stigma attached to large-capacity petrol engines is making a case for more efficient drivetrains.

Speaking at the Bentayga’s Australian media launch this month, Bentley Asia-Pacific dealer sales manager David Simpson said additional engines would trade on their performance benefits and not efficiency, with the imminent hybrid outperforming the current W12-powered petrol variant.

“The hybrid element of what we are talking about here is more akin to your (McLaren) P1 and LaFerrari than it is akin to your (Toyota) Prius,” he said.

“Obviously there is an efficiency gain, but when we talk about a hybrid option it is a performance hybrid and likely that would come out higher than the W12 in terms of its price point.

“That is something that we would introduce as a performance leader, absolutely.”

Mr Simpson explained that customers would be primarily drawn to a Bentayga hybrid for its power, but regardless of the drivetrain, a perception of environmental sensitivity would be a welcome by-product.

“Customers would be very keen to see a performance hybrid on the market because that is something that they can market themselves,” he said.

“They drive a hybrid and that is more acceptable socially and you get the benefit of having the most powerful one.”

For now, the Bentayga is only available worldwide with a 6.0-litre twin-turbocharged W12 petrol engine developing 447kW of power and

900Nm of torque.While a second combustion engine

will join the range in the form of diesel power, Mr Simpson explained that it was harder to justify than a hybrid.

“Certainly diesel is something that we are looking at, but diesel is not as accepted globally as petrol,” he said.

“We know that certainly, if we were to do a diesel at Bentley, we would bring that to Australia.

“The US used to be a big diesel market, but Europe and UK still is. It is more efficient and if the crisis is still there with like for like (fuel prices) your car is simply going further for the same money.”

Mr Simpson could not confirm whether a diesel option would be developed in-house like the Bentayga W12, which took a Volkswagen idea and added Bentley know-how, or if it would share an unaltered Volkswagen Group unit.

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Bentayga hybrid to bringsome eco, social benefitsbut performance the key

Bentley’s hybrid age

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March 30, 2016 Page 29

SUBARU, AUDI, SKODA, DAIMLER CV BRANDS NAME TOP DEALERS FOR 2015By TERRY MARTIN

MOTOR vehicle companies in Australia have continued to announce ‘Dealer of the Year’ and related retail incentive award winners in recent weeks, with Subaru, Audi, Skoda and Daimler commercial vehicle brands among those celebrating the performance of their top-performing dealerships in 2015.

Eastern Subaru in Lilydale in Melbourne’s outer north-east was named the Japanese brand’s 2015 Retailer of the Year, as well as the Southern Region Retailer of the Year.

Dealer principal Michael LaFerlita was presented with the awards by Subaru Australia managing director Nick Senior, who said the retail program recognises “holistic achievement” across each dealership’s entire business, including “the vital parameters of customer service, sales, service and parts and accessories”.

“Michael and his team at Eastern Subaru have done an exceptional job and have proven that consistent high quality across every aspect of the business is the key to both great customer service and sales success,” he said.

Other regional winners were: Key Motors, Townsville (Queensland/Northern region), Subaru Toowong (Queensland/Brisbane region), Rolfe

Subaru, ACT (NSW/Eastern region), McGrath Subaru, Liverpool (NSW/Sydney region), Performance Subaru, Hobart (Tasmania), Jarvis Subaru, Adelaide (South Australia/Central region) and City Subaru, Victoria Park (Western Australia).

Audi Centre Parramatta in Sydney’s west has returned to the top of the field in the German prestige brand’s retail network, taking out the 2015 Major Metropolitan Dealer of the Year award after deferring to Audi Centre Mosman last year.

This was the Parramatta dealership’s third title, following consecutive wins in 2012 and 2013, but the first under the leadership of dealer principal Chris Chamberlain. The Mosman dealership finished third, with Audi Centre Five Dock in second place.

Audi Centre Newcastle took out the Metropolitan DOTY award for the third year running – this time ahead of Audi Alto Pennant Hills and Audi Centre Indooroopilly – while Audi Centre Townsville bagged its fifth

Rural/Provincial DOTY award since the program was established in 2007.

Audi Centre Hobart was second in the rural category, ahead of Audi Centre Orange.

“The Audi Dealer of the Year award is rightly coveted by our network and can only be won by a great team, where everyone in the business works with tireless commitment to deliver ‘customer delight’ to each and every one of our owners,” said Audi Australia managing director Andrew Doyle.

“While we are only able to award one winner each year, the level of competition makes it clear that our entire network is very focused on establishing new standards of excellence in every business area.”

Peninsula Skoda in Melbourne’s outer south-east was named 2015 Dealer of the Year for the VW Group’s Czech brand, and picked up its second successive Provincial DOTY award in the process.

Dealer principal Michael Beamish was presented with the awards by Skoda Australia director Michael Irmer, who said several dealerships were in contention for the national title and praised the Seaford-based dealership for its “tireless effort towards customer service”.

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Subaru ROTY presentation Audi DOTY presentation

Skoda DOTY presentation M-B Trucks DOTY presentation

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GoAuto New Car Diary

John Mellor’s

March 30, 2016 Page 30

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Ford has bid farewell to the iconic Australian-built Falcon sedan with a high-performance special-edition XR6 and XR8 Sprint that are sure to become collector’s items.

Audi Q7

Bentley Bentayga

BMW 750i and 750iL

Citroen C4 Cactus

Ford Falcon Sprint

Holden Spark

Mercedes-Benz GLS

Toyota Prius

No Australian orders yet as Jaguar prepares to build born-again XKSS roadsters By RON HAMMERTON

JAGUAR’S in-house classic car experts in England are planning to handcraft nine spanking new XKSS sportscars to the original 1950s race-bred recipe, for collectors with at least £1 million ($A1.4m) to spare.

While it might seem like a lot of loot for a 1950s-based vehicle, the price is cheap compared with the asking price for one of the originals which command up to $6 million on the world classic car market.

The company expects to have no trouble unloading all nine of the vehicles that will effectively replace nine examples destroyed in a fire at Jaguar’s Browns Lane factory in Coventry in 1957, thus effectively completing the set 59 years on.

The project follows in the wheel tracks of a similar Jaguar project to build six Lightweight E-Types in 2014, thus belatedly completing the run of 18 planned cars, 50 years after the originals.

Jaguar Australia senior public relations executive James Scrimshaw said that so far, no Australian orders had

been received for the new XKSSs, but it was early days.

“Now that the project has been announced, we will see if the publicity brings anyone out of the woodwork in the next few days,” he said.

The cars will be built by Jaguar Classic – a special division of the British company that specialises in restoring classic cars and building replicas to original specifications – at the company’s new Experimental workshop at Warwick in the West Midlands of England.

The original XKSS was a road-going version of the six-cylinder,

twin-cam D-Type racer that won three successive Le Mans victories in 1955, 1956 and 1957.

According to Jaguar, company boss Sir William Lyons decided in 1957 to convert the remaining 25 D-Types into road-going cars with several external modifications, creating what it describes as the world’s first supercar.

A higher windscreen and passenger-side door were added, while the famous fin behind the driver’s seat and the divider between driver and passenger were removed.

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Original XKSS

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