CN CONFIDENTIAL: On with the Shows

Importers rise up against Kim Il Car games and some snippets from the Paris and Sydney motor shows

Whether it's from the www, the latest motor show or the back doors of a carmaker near you, Carsales Network Confidential features the good oil other sources either won't publish, don't care about or don't know. Heard an automotive rumour or new model tip? Then let us know - editor@carpoint.com.au

Know your audience
Senator Kim Carr is a strong supporter of the local manufacturing industry -- and he's to be commended for his indefatigable backing. But his support for the locals last week brought him undone at a dinner held by ACP, publishers of enthusiast titles Wheels and Motor.

Roughly 80 per cent of the guests represented importers and were disenchanted with the general tenor of the senator's speech -- not least of all because it failed to mention importers in any context other than "derogatory". According to an insider present at the dinner, held the night before the industry preview day for AIMS, the speech met with the same level of acceptance as "a rib-eye steak at a vegan collective".

Our source also told us that the director of one prestigious European brand looked like he was "about to cough up a fur ball".

An extract from Senator Carr's speech, published on his own website contains remarks that were at the distant end of the 'reasonable' spectrum, based on just the last paragraph:

    "We are today one of only fifteen countries able to claim the full range of automotive capabilities, from design to the show room floor.

    "Governments around the world jealously guard those capabilities. They aren't easily acquired. And once lost, they never return. If we're honest, we'll acknowledge that we've never faced a level playing field. Our success should be all the more striking.

    "But it's true we still have our critics.

    "There are still those who call on us to surrender.

    "Our opponents are so focused on making a noise of any kind that they are prepared now to criticise companies undertaking these major co-investment projects.

    "And some from within the industry itself query our support -- when their own products are made in markets with tariffs that put us all in the shade, and also enjoy strong government support."

Senator Carr's speech reads like a response to an article published by the Carsales Network in August. That article focused on the views of Suzuki MD Tony Devers, who believes we should debate the current level of government subsidy for the local manufacturing industry. We understand that words were exchanged by the senator and Devers on the night of the speech.

Our source (not Tony Devers), informed the Carsales Network that 80 per cent of new cars sold in this country are imported and 70 per cent of employment in the automotive sector "is not down to the locals". There's also a view prevailing among the prestige importers that the 33 per cent luxury car tax is subsidising the government's New Car Plan that benefits local manufacturers.

And it wasn't just the importers present who frowned upon the senator's speech. We've heard from two separate sources that at least one guest representing a manufacturer was reportedly "embarrassed" and felt the room was turned against him as a consequence of the senator's uncritical support of the manufacturing industry -- and yet the company in question also imports many thousands of vehicles in a typical year.

This particular industry executive, it was alleged, had seen the speech beforehand and had recommended to Senator Carr that it needed to be modified to suit the importer-heavy audience, but the senator refused.

"It's arrogance mixed with belligerence and a complete disregard for the political reality of the market and the economy," said our insider, also asserting that this was an opinion widely held by the other guests at the dinner.


Non, je ne regrette rien -- Parisian shorts

>> Embarrassed
Jaguar's Tony Harper was reluctant to reproduce the sound of the C-X75's gas-turbine engines -- vocally. Asked whether a production car's soundtrack would be in any way reminiscent of a fictional device from Gerry & Sylvia Anderson, he went with the obvious choice: Commander Ed Straker's car from the series UFO.

>> Smarter Nissan
Nissan is rumoured to be supplying a platform to underpin a four-door smart for the American market. Benz is unsure whether the new model will revive the forfour model name though.

>> Stop/Start
Opel plans to introduce Eco Stop/Start next year and expects the fuel-saving device to be ordered in up to 25 per cent of its new cars.

>> Patented
Benz will unveil a new patent from January 29 next year -- the 125th anniversary of the Benz Patent Motorwagen -- according to Dieter Zetsche at the Mercedes-Benz press conference the night before the opening of the Paris motor show (29/9/10). No word on what it will be, but we're expecting something a little more futuristic than cupholders.

>> Conquests
Jaguar must be doing better; they're conquesting S-Class owners with the new XJ, says design chief, Ian Callum. For its part, Benz describes its first generation CLS as the original 'Jag fighter', expecting the British prestige brand to come out with something that was really going to shake up the market. The CLS was aimed at stalling deep market penetration by a stunning new product from the hands of Ian Callum, says Benz designer Gorden Wagener. Instead, Jaguar trotted out the XK sports car -- and the earliest a competitor for the 2004 CLS arrived on the scene was the XF, just two years ago.

>> Paid political announcement
David Coulthard claimed to be "pleasantly surprised" after driving a four-cylinder diesel S-Class Mercedes. We ourselves were apathetically unsurprised that Coulthard, standing alongside Benz's Dieter Zetsche, would offer praise for a new vehicle from the company that supplied the engines for his F1 race cars. Perhaps, if anything, we were surprised that he wasn't more fulsome in his praise.

>> Left leaning
Speaking of Dr Zetsche, has he been coached by the Australian office's well-known left-leaning PR bloke, David McCarthy? According to the good doctor at the Paris show, the Mercedes-Benz brand will be "moving forward" -- just like the ALP, but hopefully with a stronger vision for the future. And if you think we're having a shot at Labor, the Libs and Nats are no better.

>> Saab-stitute
No mention from Saab whether we'll see the next 9-2 in Australia. This is the vehicle we believe will be powered by the 1.6-litre turbo petrol engine being supplied by BMW (and PSA) through the agreement with the Swedish builder. Gut feeling suggests that the 9-2 would be a little low-rent for the Aussie market, but what's that old saying about counting chickens?

>> Badge-baggage
Gorden Wagener, he of Benz styling fame, put it fairly and squarely where the blame lies. Asked by the Carsales Network in Paris for his explanation of America's rapidly dwindling relevance in the field of luxury automotive manufacturing, he answered that it was endless cost-cutting and commercialism. The country that, during the 1930s, produced world-class cars such as Duesenbergs, Packards and Pierce-Arrows -- as well as Lincolns and Cadillacs with V12 and V16 engines -- has steadily eroded its own 'brand' with badge-engineered Ford and GM products wearing once-hallowed badges.


Air kisses at Darling Harbour -- Sydney shorts

>> A Range of problems
Ford Australia is yet to reveal the towing capacity for the new Ranger (though check out our testing video and one engineer lets slip -- 3000kg) , but that's not to say the media event for the light commercial vehicle went entirely without hitch.

At Cockatoo Island, Ford's promotions team subjected journalists to an industrial-style audio-visual blitz, featuring the Tap Dogs.

The routine was supposed to finish with a pre-production Ranger (parts of which were reportedly wooden), lowered to the stage from a 40ft container suspended from above. A rectangular base supporting the Ranger and held by quick-release hooks and chains was supposed to be lowered into a flush-fitting slot in the stage, but the vehicle had to be rotated through 90 degrees as it was lowered -- and unfortunately it only made it to about 85 degrees.

The two Tap Dogs at the front of the vehicle unhooked the vehicle, even though it was apparent the base wasn't sitting in the slot for it. One of the Tap Dogs at the rear of the vehicle must have twigged that this just wasn't part of the plan when they rehearsed the routine, so the two blokes at the front had to re-fasten the chains to the base for the vehicle to be lifted again and lowered again -- into the recess in the stage this time. We've gotta say, they were dressed for the part of riggers, but the Tap Dogs definitely make better dancers.

But between the unforeseen dance debacle and the inclement weather for the event (journalists were ushered back onto the boat that took us across Sydney Harbour under cover of umbrellas), Ford may have already faced its hardest test for the new Ranger.

>> Temple of doom
At least one high-ranking member of staff at Mercedes-Benz Australia/Pacific admitted to being unimpressed by the styling of the new CLS. This gentleman, who showed particular candour -- but we won't drop him in it -- said in Sydney that he preferred the looks of the previous generation CLS. The styling of the new car, he suggested, has been informed by pedestrian safety -- and that is not a good thing in his opinion. Arguably though, if even Benz execs are polarised by the new car's styling, that's gotta be a good thing for the new model.

>> Blow out
Over at the Isuzu Ute stand, PR man Richard Power told the Carsales Network that Bruce Garland, had been let down -- so to speak -- by a string of tyre blowouts in the Australasian Safari last month. The run of bad luck for Garland and co-driver Harry Suzuki in their D-MAX effectively handed the event to Craig Lowndes on a platter, said Power. Garland's relationship with current tyre supplier Bridgestone is now believed to be in doubt for future events.

>> Off the podium
Subaru MD Nick Senior had some news of the disquieting kind -- for those who care about such things. Australia is about to relinquish its bronze-medal position on the podium in the Subaru Olympics. From next year, China will overtake Australia as Subaru's third-largest global market.

China's increasing importance in the Subaru world was first foreseen by Senior some time ago -- and it's a very positive outcome for the Japanese brand, not only for the substantial exports, but also the future-proofing of Subaru's unique formula of boxer engines and all-wheel drive. Senior told the Carsales Network around a year ago that China's enthusiasm for Subaru's products would result in sales growth there, but he also insinuated at the same time that Russia would be a larger market for Subaru in future. So the brand's global outlook is pretty positive, it seems.

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Big-block Ferrari sets world speed record

Chevy power propels specially prepared Ferrari 288 GTO to a world record at the Bonneville Salt Flats

The very notion may seem sacrilegious to any Ferrari purist -- plucking the twin-turbo 2.8-litre V8 from the iconic 288 GTO and usurping it with a 540-cubic-inch (8.8-litre) big-block Chevy.

Yet this is exactly what Washington Ferrari collector and retired investment banker Steve Trafton, 64, did to set a land speed record for the 'AA/Blown Fuel Modified Sport' category at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah earlier this month (watch the video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_622rP7bqI).

The radical engine transplant and various other tweaks enabled Trafton to clock up a
two-run average speed of 443.12km/h in the 1985 288 GTO. In the process, he eclipsed by more than 5km/h the previous record set in 2008 by a highly modified Berkeley (a specialist British sports car from the 1950s).

However, comparing the two record-breaking cars is a bit like equating apples to oranges, according to Trafton, who was quoted by the Seattle Post Intelligencer as saying: "That (the Berkeley) was a streamlined, aerodynamically engineered car."

"Ours is stock body. It not only holds the world speed record for its class, it's the world's fastest Ferrari and the world's fastest sports car," he said.

Cars built to qualify for the AA/Blown Fuel Modified Sport class need to be equipped with modified engines of 500 cubic inches or greater. In the case of Trafton's Ferrari, the 8.8-litre GM donk is fed by a pair of 80mm Borg Warner turbos huffing about 17psi -- and this combo is allegedly good for an output in the 2000-2500 horsepower (1490-1865kW) range.

The bespoke GTO was built by a US-based Ferrari workshop known as 'P4 by Norwood', which has since been promoting the car as a showcase of its expertise with prancing horse-badged products.

Visually, Trafton's Ferrari stays faithfully true to the original, although there's the obvious rear wing, blocked out front grille and special rubber used for the world-record attempt.

Die-hard Ferraristi may not like it, but we're prepared to extend a hat tip to Trafton and P4 by Norwood for chalking up the record in the delicious-sounding GTO.

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CR-Z wins Japan Car of the Year

Honda's CR-Z hybrid sports coupe has won Japan's top motoring gong for its smart mix of performance and economy
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Built on Honda's Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) series hybrid formula, the CR-Z combines a 1.5-litre four- cylinder i-VTEC engine with an electric motor to put out a total 91kW and 174Nm. Peak torque matches the conventionally powered Civic sedan's 1.8-litre four, but with the electric motor's help comes up at just 1500rpm. In the lighter, smaller CR-Z, Honda is promising a palpable performance premium it describes as "more usually associated with turbocharged engines".

Hailing from the 2007 show concept of the same name, the CR-Z is the first mainstream hybrid model as overtly sporting in its intent as it is enviro-friendly.

Much of the sell for the car hinges on Honda's marriage of hybrid power with a six-speed manual transmission rather than the usual CVT fare normal to such drivetrains.

That said, it's more about flexibility than pure sport. A three-mode powertrain management system allows drivers to move between NORMAL, ECON and SPORT modes according to conditions and preference. The system alters throttle, steering and climate control responses along with IMA input, allowing drivers to shift their priorities between performance and economy.

The CR-Z is scheduled for local release mid-2011. Prices and exact specs have yet to be announced, but as an unknown quantity breaking into a super competitive hot hatch sector, pricing is sure to be sharp. At $29,990, its five-door hybrid sibling, the Insight, comes in a full $10K under the Toyota Prius at which it's aimed.

Honda has won Japan's COTY 11 times in the award's 31 year history.

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Better Place outlines services

Electric car infrastructure provider Better Place unveils the next step in its nationwide EV service, which will entail subscriptions to access its charging points

The electric car (EV) revolution is slowly beginning to take effect, with Mitsubishi's iMiEV the first electric car from a major manufacturer offered to the public.

Electric cars can deliver potentially greener motoring -- depending on the source of the electricity used to charge their batteries -- and can reduce our reliance upon fossil fuels.

Better Place Australia is the leading electric vehicle services provider and is investing significant funds into setting up the infrastructure needed to ensure electric cars never run out of energy. In essence, that means charging points and battery swap stations -- the EV equivalent of petrol stations.

The company plans to spend around $600 million "putting metal in the ground" according to CEO Evan Thornley, to create charge spots and a handful of battery swap stations.

The idea behind the Better Place infrastructure, which will be rolled out first in Canberra late in 2011 and major cities nationally in 2012, will be for electric car owners to buy 'subscriptions' that take care of almost everything involved in running an electric car.

This subscription would see Better Place Australia cover the costs of replacement batteries and electricity so that drivers simply plug in their car and swipe their smart cards over the charge points -- which could be at a shopping mall or at work -- and away they go.

As well as offering safe, reliable and convenient charge points, Better Place Australia subscribers will also get a digital interface that will guide them to the closest charging points or battery swap stations not in use.

The nerve centre of this new system is called NOC, the Network Operations Centre, and the Carsales Network was given rare access to the Better Place NOC in Melbroune to see how the company will provide customers with a high quality service.

"The NOC is the brains of the Better Place service and will ensure that EV drivers never run out of energy," says Alan Finkel, Chief Technology Officer for Better Place Australia.

One of the issues the company faces will be to ensure the electricity grid isn't overloaded when large numbers of EV drivers plug in, as happens during hot weather when air conditioners and such are running constantly, and Better Place is confident its NOC can keep things running smoothly.

"The NOC will always prioritise the needs of EV customers, while optimally managing the capacity of the grid. As more and more Australian drivers begin to switch to electric vehicles, this will be fundamental to the success of the [Better Place] model."

Though the company will record data of users -- such as where they charge their cars and for how long -- Better Place claims that this data will be kept private and will not be for sale.

Better Place will be targetting big fleet operators from the outset, and expects to find many private subscribers who want the convenience of a national charging network.

While pricing structures are still being calculated for subscriptions to the new infrastructure, CEO Evan Thornley suggested that the average cost of fuel for small fleet cars was around $5000 to $6000 per annum and that it would cost around $1000 to $1500 to cover the same distances using electricity -- which provides an early hint of yearly subscription services.

Asked if oil companies and petrol retailers would jump on the EV infrastructure bandwagon, Thornley said it was a possibility.

"We're certainly rivals over revenue. They [oil companies] make $25 billion per annum right now out of petrol bowsers in this country in the light vehicle fleet alone, and we want to take a big piece of that. How they choose to respond, time will tell.

"The traditional retail location of the service station is actually not that important to the electric car. What we have to build is much smaller [than a petrol bowser]. Most people will charge their vehicles at home and at work," said Thornley.

The big question for EV early adopters will be whether to go with a company like Better Place and subscribe to their plan, or simply call up an electrician and install their own 15 amp socket in the garage at home, or in the office carpark, as the Carsales Network has done for our Mitsubishi i-MiEV.

CTO Alan Finkel (pictured) argued that safety is one reason to consider installing a Better Place charging point.

"Charging from a modified wall outlet, when you plug that cable in and bring it over to the car, you've got an extension cord. Fine, you take care of it normally, but if you start using it every day, you get negligent and leave it on the ground in a puddle, there are safety risks -- there's a live current. With our system, there are few risks. We disengage the current the moment you pull it out, and it only engages once it's plugged in you've swiped your card over the charging point," explained Finkel.

Dr Finkel went on to say that fleet managers would find the system more useful as Better Place can track power usage and provide regular reports to fleet managers from employees who have a charging point in their home.

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Five-door Evoque set to star in LA

Baby Rangie adds more doors and greater flexibility to evocative new SUV line-up
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The five-door Range Rover Evoque will make its first public appearance at the Los Angeles next week following the appearance of the new, more practical baby Rangie made at this year's Australian International Motor Show (AIMS) in Sydney.

Maintaining the same coupé-like styling seen on the three-door model, the classy new five-door Evoque remains faithful to the original design seen in the Land Rover LRX concept car.

As with all Range Rover-branded products, Evoque five-door promises to provide premium levels of craftsmanship, luxury, performance and renowned Land Rover all-terrain capability, but in a more compact package.

"The addition of the five-door to the Range Rover Evoque line-up extends the appeal of our brand still further," said Land Rover's Managing Director Phil Popham.

"While retaining everything that's great about the Range Rover Evoque coupé, this new five-door body style will offer customers even more choice, greater practicality, versatility and flexibility. The launch of the Evoque in 2011 will expand and revitalise the global appeal of the Range Rover marque."

Sharing the same footprint as the coupé model, the five-door Evoque is positioned as the smallest, lightest, most fuel-efficient Range Rover ever.

Utilising lightweight construction, Evoque five-door also employs environmentally sensitive technologies including modern petrol and diesel engines, direct injection, stop-start technology and electric power-assisted steering. The whole vehicle is also constructed from materials that aim to maximise end of life recyclability.

"Enhanced sustainability has been at the centre of the design and development of the Range Rover Evoque," said Popham. "We are offering customers the choice of high-efficiency coupé or five-door bodystyles, and both models are highly relevant, very contemporary and extremely desirable."

Adding to that desirability, the five-door Evoque extends the practicality of the coupé's SUV body, bringing with it more appeal for family buyers through what Land Rover says is its "enhanced functionality".

"The five-door Range Rover Evoque has the same strong emotional appeal as the coupé, while offering the superior versatility of a family vehicle," said Land Rover Design Director, Gerry McGovern.

"The key lines remain intact -- the dramatic rising beltline, muscular shoulder running the length of the car, and the distinctive taper to the floating roofline -- but with a slightly higher rear roof. The finished vehicle offers impressive levels of space and versatility whilst retaining the overall essence, visual robustness and jewel-like detailing of the coupé."

Fittingly, the five-door model also boasts a more capacious interior, despite no change to the vehicle's outer footprint. Clever packaging has ensured that the five-door Evoque's lavishly appointed cabin offers ample seating for five, the roof height expanded 30mm and rear shoulder room 50mm to accommodate rear seat passengers more comfortably.

Cargo space, too, is generous, Evoque five-door allowing a total of 1445-litres with the 60:40 split fold rear seats flipped forward. All three rear seating positions are equipped with ISOFIX child seat mounts.

Land Rover says that despite the car's family orientation, the driving experience remains polished and dynamic, sporty handling and responsive performance the key to much of Evoque's appeal.

"The five-door Range Rover Evoque has the same sporting character as the coupé," said Murray Dietsch, Director of Land Rover Programmes. "We have focused on ensuring that the car is agile and fun to drive, so that customers have a rewarding experience, even in day-to-day urban driving. Advanced technologies such as MagneRide mean we can ensure that this dynamic prowess does not come at the cost of top-quality refinement or comfort."

The optional Adaptive Dynamics system with advanced MagneRide dampers provides an exceptional balance between a supple, controlled ride and sharper handling responses.

Off-road, and in addition to extremely generous ground clearance, the Evoque five-door has better breakover and departure angles than most other compact SUVs. It is also backed by the latest iteration of Land Rover's signature Terrain Response four-wheel-drive system.

The Evoque will also be the first Range Rover to offer customers a choice between a full-time four-wheel-drive system, which delivers outstanding performance and traction on all surfaces, and a low carbon, front-wheel drive option for further enhanced fuel economy.

Five-door Range Rover Evoque shares its turbocharged powertrain line-up with the Coupé model offering 2.2-litre turbodiesel derivatives (110 or 140kW) and a single 2.0-litre petrol (176kW). CO2 emissions are as low as 135g/km.

"We have combined state-of-the-art powertrains with a lightweight bodyshell and a range of low-carbon technologies to deliver fuel efficiency which is outstanding for a premium SUV," explained Murray Dietsch, Director of Land Rover Programmes.

Innovative and intuitive control systems include a touch-screen display with dual-view technology, so that driver and passenger can view independent content.

Connectivity options include Bluetooth hands-free mobile phone and audio streaming, plus a range of USB and auxiliary inputs for iPods and other portable devices.

The Evoque's audio systems have been developed in partnership with the high-end audio specialist Meridian. The premium Meridian offering is an 825W, 17-speaker system.

Like the coupé model, five-door Evoque will be offered in three model variants, 'Pure', 'Prestige' and 'Dynamic', each adding more equipment and amenity than the last.

'Pure'combines a stylish, clean interior in neutral colours with soft-touch wrapped materials on the major surfaces contrast with the metal brushed aluminium trim.

'Prestige' adds a bespoke exterior that includes unique, 19-inch alloy wheels and sparkling metallic details with an interior that is almost entirely leather-wrapped.

'Dynamic' brings a bolder exterior with 20-inch wheels and unique bumpers, sills, grille and tailpipes for a more assertive, confident stance. Contrasting roof and spoiler colours are available, while the premium sports interior offers sports seats with splashes of bright contrast colour.

Both the Evoque coupé and Evoque five-door models will be manufactured in the UK with pricing to begin at £30,000. Dealerships in the UK and Europe expect to see initial stock by mid-2011. Australian timing is yet to be confirmed.

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Ford announces pricing for made-over Mondeo

Specification upgrades and subtle styling review top the list for refreshed mid-sizer
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Ford Australia has today announced the manufacturer's list pricing for its revised MC series Mondeo, which has landed in showrooms this week.

The new-look Mondeo has been bequeathed with a redesigned front bumper section, which now incorporates LED daytime running lights, a slightly narrower grille, larger frontal air intakes and a mildly modified bonnet. The rear end now gets LED tail lights too.

Ford hasn't made major revisions to the interior of the updated Mondeo, but changes to the car's centre console, interior materials and interior lighting (the word 'ambient' was used several times in the company's press material) have made the cut. Powertrain options remain unchanged.

Mondeo LX and Zetec variants will be first to arrive, with Titanium hatch and wagon models to follow next month and January 2011 respectively. The sporty Ford Mondeo XR5 Turbo (hatch) and all sedan variants were discontinued with the previous MB series and are now available in limited supply only.

Slight increases in list price reflect the additional equipment offered and are listed in brackets below.

2011 Ford Mondeo hatch pricing:

- Mondeo LX 2.3-litre petrol* $30,990 (+$450)
- Mondeo LX 2.0-litre diesel* $34,990 (+$450)
- Mondeo Zetec 2.3-litre petrol* $36,240 (+$500)
- Mondeo Zetec 2.0-litre diesel* $39,740 (+$500)
- Mondeo Titanium 2.3-litre petrol* $43,490 (+$750)
- Mondeo Titanium 2.0-litre diesel* $46,990 (+$750)

2011 Ford Mondeo sedan pricing:

- Mondeo LX 2.3-litre petrol* $32,840 (+$450)
- Mondeo LX 2.0-litre diesel* $36,840 (+$450)
- Mondeo Zetec 2.3-litre petrol* $37,740 (+$500)
- Mondeo Zetec 2.0-litre diesel* $41,240 (+$500)
- Mondeo Titanium 2.0-litre diesel* $48,490 (+$750)

*All Mondeo models are offered as standard with a six-speed automatic transmission.

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Smarter looks for Toyota Kluger

Cleaner styling and changes to pricing and specification mark small but significant gains for Toyota's mid-size, family-friendly SUV
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Sequels are rarely as good as the originals, let alone better. Thankfully for Toyota the facelifted Kluger SUV is a tidier looking car than its predecessor.

Subtle sheet metal changes and slimmer headlights more in the mould of the Rukus have left the Kluger looking significantly better.

As reported by the Carsales Network earlier, the facelift also rings in changes to the Kluger's specification and pricing to enhance the car's value against its opposition.

Corporate Manager for Toyota, Greg Gardner introduced the upgraded Kluger to the motoring press over the weekend, explaining that the new vehicle also represented a "significant improvement in value for money..."

"In terms of the grade line-up and model line-up, it's carried over... the KX-R with the five-seat or seven-seat option as the entry-level model, the mid-range KX-S and the top of the range model... the Grande, with all the bells and whistles. And naturally it's available in two-wheel drive of four-wheel drive."

Changes to the frontal styling include new sheet metal for the bonnet (jutting further forward for a bluff nose) and quarter panels; revised headlights (now with projector beams units), grille and bumper covers; plus chrome accents and contrasting black surrounds. The chrome and black highlights carry through to the sides and rear of the vehicle. Both the KX-S and Grande variants come with front fog lights and chrome finish for the roof rails. Door mouldings, the rear bumper cover and tail lights have been revised for all variants, which also boast a chrome garnish at the rear. At the entry level, the KX-R is upgraded with the same (larger) rear spoiler fitted to higher-grade variants.

The Kluger adopts keyless entry, which activates door puddle lights on entry or exit. Each of the three levels of trim features a unique alloy wheel design, since Toyota has specified restyled 17-inch wheels for the KX-R and new 19-inch wheels for the Grande.

Inside, the Kluger is now trimmed with black carpet, irrespective of the grade. Variants trimmed in sand beige feature a black upper instrument panel. The centre fascia gains high-gloss silver highlights for the KX-R and KX-S variants, with the Grande trimmed in woodgrain instead.

As a minor change, the four-spoke steering wheel is fitted with black switches for the remote controls, in lieu of the previous model's silver switchgear. Onboard audio systems are improved across the board, with the KX-R gaining Bluetooth and USB input. A new audio interface for the KX-S is accompanied by a USB input for the six-disc MP3-compatibel CD audio system. Topping the range, the Kluger Grande picks up a 3.5mm Aux input for the audio/visual/satnav head unit.

Previously a single-piece folding unit, the third-row seat in the updated Kluger now moves to a 50/50 split-fold system. First and second-row seats in both the Kluger KX-S and Grande are now trimmed in perforated trim with leather accents.

Mechanically, the Kluger is what it was, but Toyota has re-jigged the engine mounts for reduced NVH and introduced electric power steering to improve fuel efficiency.

Along with the changes, Toyota has also adjusted prices to win over prospective Kluger buyers. At $39,990, the basic Kluger KX-R five-seater with front-wheel drive has been reduced by $1000 and is now priced at the same level as in 2007, when the current generation of Kluger went on sale. Optioned with the third-row seat, the Kluger KX-R is $800 cheaper. According to Toyota, the mid-level Kluger KX-S has been reduced in price by $500. The price adjustment for the Kluger Grande is a $414 saving for the customer.

Prices for revised Kluger:
KX-R five-seat FWD $39,990 (-$1000)
KX-R five-seat 4WD $44,490 (-$1000)
KX-R seven-seat FWD $42,690 (-$800)
KX-R seven-seat AWD $47,190 (-$800)
KX-S seven-seat FWD $50,990 (-$500)
KX-S seven-seat AWD $55,490 ($-500)
Grande seven-seat FWD $60,990 (-$414)
Grande seven-seat AWD $65,490 (-$414)

Key to pics: Kluger KX-R (white car with fabric seat trim), Kluger KX-S (black car with leather seat trim), Kluger Grande (silver car with leather seat trim and woodgrain)

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Aussie to take charge of Holden design team

VT Commodore design head Mike Simcoe appointed Executive Director of GM's International Design Ops
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The designer of Holden's most successful Commodore model, Mike Simcoe, has been named Executive Director of General Motors International Operations (GMIO) Design, effective next year.

Moving from his previous position of Executive Director North American Exterior Design and Global Architecture Strategy for GM, 53-year-old Simcoe will step into the newly created role, which will focus on further developing GM's operations in Australia and South Korea.

Simcoe will return to Australia for the role, after six years with GM in North America.

"This role will allow me to oversee the growth in GMIO design in both Korea and Australia, and to bring with me many of the learnings from my time with GM in the US," explained Simcoe.

"And, of course, I'm extremely pleased to be returning home to Australia, and to once again be working from the world-class Holden design centre, where I began my GM career almost 30 years ago," he said.

Commencing with Holden as a designer in 1983, Simcoe had subsequent appointments as Senior Designer and Chief Designer before becoming Design Director in 2001.

Of note, Simcoe supervised the genesis of the highly successful VT series Commodore and WH Statesman/Caprice range. He also oversaw the subsequent VX and VY upgrades, as well as the still current VE Commodore. He is possibly best remembered in Australia for the behind-the-scenes work on the Commodore-based V2 Monaro.

In 2003, Simcoe became GM's Executive Director Asia Pacific Design, a regional design role that incorporated responsibility for Holden design.

Simcoe then moved to the US in 2004 for his current role as Executive Director North American Exterior Design and Global Architecture Strategy. In this role he is responsible for all North Amercian GM vehicles' exterior design.

During his tenure, Simcoe has led design development of a long list of GM products including the GMC Terrain, Buick LaCrosse, Chevrolet Camaro and Chevrolet Equinox, as well as the Cadillac CTS range.

While his new role will have an Asia-Pacific focus, Simcoe will be based at Holden's Port Melbourne headquarters in Melbourne where he will report to Ed Welburn, the Vice President of Global Design.

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CN's car companies of 2010

Finding firmer footing in 2010, which industry heavyweight will come out on top in the race for sales success... And who will win our respect?

Car companies of the year 2010

After last year's doom and gloom some light at the end of the tunnel has seen a turnaround in fortune for many industry stalwarts. Now with a brighter future ahead, members of the Cars games ales Network team take a look back at the year that was, and nominates a favourite.

Mike Sinclair - Editor in Chief
Volkswagen has had its ups and downs. Some owners lament reliability issues (especially Golf 5 and early Touaregs) and others suggest there's still work to be done on the ownership experience (see Mike McCarthy's comments in Disappointments), but the brand that somehow defies socio-economic pigeonholing is kicking goals Down Under.

Yes, the Korean brands are on the march but it's VW that has to be at the centre of the Toyota HQ dartboard. It won't happen in 2011 or even in the next five years, but further out it's far from inconceivable that 'das Auto' will eventually park more new cars in private buyers' driveways than brands that have become Australian staples such as Honda, Nissan and, perhaps, even Mazda.


Ken Gratton - News Editor
Volvo has achieved some spectacular success this year; not necessarily measured by sales alone, although the Swedish brand has begun to climb back up the sales charts in North America. Its success also lies in the way it has remained true to its design and marketing philosophy, in spite of the distractions that beset it during the year. Those would be distractions like being sold by Ford to Chinese company Geely, for example, or seeing market share in the American market flushed down the toilet as a result of the GFC.

From what insiders have told us, Volvo is looking forward to a close working relationship with Geely and sees a rosy future for the brand, both as a recipient of R&D funding from the Chinese and as an in-house consultant for Geely's own automotive products and global marketing. It's easy to assume that Volvo was just a passenger on the ride from Ford to Geely, but the prestige manufacturer's management have been working as hard as anyone behind the scenes to ensure the smooth transition that took place.


Melissa McCormick - Production Editor
Kia impressed this year for a number of models (Soul, Cerato, Sportage, Optima...) and reasons (inviting us to visit the state-of-the-art facilities in Namyang and drive the company's latest eco-cars, and meet pattern-perfect Peter Schreyer (pictured)). Before now I've nominated Kia-Hyundai, in recognition of South Korea's double-force but this year Kia showed-up its big sister with a better-styled, more interesting lineup.


Feann Torr - Staff Journalist
Ferrari gets the gong for my Car Company of the Year in 2010 for opening a theme park in the deserts of Abu Dhabi. I remember laughing when it was first announced a few years back, and now here we are, starting at a giant red starfish in the middle of the nowhere. Lambo, it's your move...


Matt Brogan - Staff Journalist
Kia on the whole has moved beyond merely scoring the participation award in our local market to becoming a contender in just about every sector it seeks to challenge. Looking back over the last 12 months and new models such as Sorento, Sportage and Cerato have all proven just how much power Kia has to impress. The continuous improvement of those same models yet another indicator of the brand's dedication to becoming more than a 'cheap and cheerful' car company. Next year, with models like Optima and Optima Hybrid on the way, the juggernaut seems likely to continue.


Joshua Dowling - Contributing Writer
I fear I may not be alone here (the editor-in-chief Mike Sinclair doesn't let us look over each other's shoulder when we write these) but, reluctantly, I must say Korean giant Hyundai-Kia made big ground in 2010. Quality, design and sales are all on the up. Combined, Hyundai-Kia overtook Toyota in Europe this year and has the Japanese maker in its sights for global dominance.

Interestingly, it's the one company Toyota fears most. So why did I insert the word 'reluctantly'. Well, because I don't want all this rapid success going too quickly to their heads. There are still significant areas of improvement to be worked on.

I think some journalists (and customers) make allowances for the step up in quality and design because they were expecting worse before they got to the showroom. For example, if you replaced the Hyundai or Kia badges with Honda, Mazda or Toyota badges, would the flimsy feel of the power window switches and some of the harder plastics still be deemed acceptable? And Hyundai and Kia still have some way to go to make the cars drive well compared to their contemporaries. Repeat: compared to their contemporaries (not compared to a BMW). See my 'Surprises of the year' listing tomorrow.


Michael Taylor - International Correspondent
Toss up between Volkswagen, Kia and Skoda. But VW's done so well with its main stuff that nobody punished them -- or even noticed -- that two branches, Bentley and Seat, each lost €200 million in the third quarter... So VW...


Gautam Sharma - International Correspondent
I'll go with two nominations here: Kia and Lotus. A brand that not that long ago gave us crappy offerings whose only USP was a puny pricetag, Kia has suddenly emerged as a serious contender.

Immaculately penned styling (thanks to Peter Schreyer) has been matched by high-quality interiors and driving dynamics far removed from Kias of old. Sales success has followed, and deservedly so. Kia's global sales topped the one-million unit mark during the first six months of 2010, representing a huge 34.1 per cent improvement on the first half of '09.

Lotus, on the other hand, has no similar stats to gloat over, but the audacity of its Paris motor show unveilings has to be admired. Despite being tucked away in a corner hall and allocated a late-in-the-day timeslot at the Paris show media day, Lotus attracted a bigger crowd than any other manufacturer as it whipped the covers off no less than five new concepts that it plans to put into production over the next five years. Not content with being an ultra-niche brand, Lotus has designs on kicking Porsche in the family jewels. Whether or not it succeeds will only become clear in time, but I doffs me cap to the company's newfound gumption and vision.


Jeremy Bass - Green Motoring Writer
Volkswagen Group. The Polo deserves the plaudits it's gathering. The Golf R is a fine example of engine downsizing to better effect than its predecessor. The Transporter is the best developed, most versatile light commercial platform on the local market. The Bentley Mulsanne's shaping up well as a Ghostbuster. And on it goes...

Volkswagen is the powerhouse behind so many marques that are performing well, critically and commercially: VW, Skoda, Audi, Porsche, Bentley (you have to be doing well to afford a loss leader like the Bugatti Veyron). Indeed it's now the powerhouse behind an actual powerhouse, thanks to a deal supplying Hamburg energy utility LichtBlick with Caddy engines modified to burn CNG for its clever domestic powerplant network.

Honourable mentions to sub-brand Audi for its progress through EV concepts, to BMW for the speed with which its EfficientDynamics technologies flowed down to entry level models, and to UK outfit Riversimple for the radicalism and altruism of its open-source policy.


Mike McCarthy - Contributing Writer
Remember when, just a few years back, mere mention of Tata was good only for a snigger from the western motoring media and industry at large. Well, India's giant is up and on its feet, and no-one's laughing now. Tata's successful launch in 2008/2009 of the very cheap, very small, and bravely creative ultra-mini Nano is India's ticket to mass transit. Regardless, the west is gratefully (if not altogether expectedly) impressed by Tata's outwardly seamless and healthy sustenance of adoptees Jaguar and Land Rover.

Of course this year's exciting new models and concepts from both Jaguar and Land Rover reflect directions instituted during Ford's ownership. But it's a perceived credit to Tata's good governance that the eminent British brands are looking better placed, better designed and better able than ever to take the challenge to rivals from Germany and Japan.

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Spoiler suits for Territory, Ranger

Ford's pioneering use of skin-tight lycra conceals skin-deep aesthetics
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The 2011 Territory remains incognito, but the material used to confound spy photographers has been revealed. It's lycra.

The lightweight synthetic material is usually associated with cyclists' apparel, but Ford Australia also employs the stretchable fabric as a means of disguising the finer points of its new models in testing. Ford first began using the material for the FG Falcon during the car's development phase in 2007 and 2008.

Lycra isn't the only material used, but has found favour with the Ford development team locally because will fit different shapes and sizes of panels while providing easy access to external parts such as fuel filler caps, bonnet, doors and windows.

Other materials used to camouflage vehicles under test include vinyl, foam, fibreglass and vacuum-formed plastic. Ford often recycles these materials also, thus saving money from the development budget. The problem with disguising pre-production vehicles is that the camouflage inevitably draws more attention to the vehicle than might be the case if the car were to remain undisguised, a point made by the company's program coordinator, Damian Lavric.

"These days most people have a camera phone so we have to be extra careful when we use public roads with a prototype," Lavric said.

"It is a difficult job because we want to keep driving vehicles in real-world conditions but we don't want to inhibit key vehicle functions at the same time, like engine cooling.

"It's ironic because we want to disguise the vehicles and hide all the details, but all the stickers and camouflage draw the attention we are trying to avoid."

Both the new Territory and the T6 Ranger have been seen in 'bra and panties' undergoing local testing, but it's actually the Ranger that has posed the greater challenge for the Ford staff building the prototypes, despite being revealed to the public at the Australian International Motor Show in October. It's a totally new design, unlike the Territory and it will sell in 180 markets. So the camouflage must be durable enough to cope with Middle Eastern and Australian summers on the one hand, and European winters on the other.

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CN's surprises of 2010

Every so often we encounter a bolt from the blue. Here are our picks from 2010

Surprise of the year 2010

Be it a car that beat our expectations or a manufacturer that rocked our world, the list for this year's standout surprise has an electric overtone. Here's a list of Carsales Network staffer's jaw dropping moments of 2010.

Mike Sinclair - Editor in Chief
The disconnect between sister companies Kia and Hyundai in delivering on the tastes of Australian drivers was a surprise to me. It cost Hyundai some kudos but on the flip side earned Kia brownie points with many.

By way of explanation, here are two companies dealing with essentially the same hardware and both purporting to have local (ie: Aussie-focussed development resources) yet they can deliver new products at diametrically opposed ends of the acceptance spectrum.

In launching its i45 medium car, Hyundai claimed it had tuned the car to local tastes and yet delivered a woolly, underwhelming chassis package that, while not as bad as some suggested, was far from the pointy end of its class. It did a similar thing with its ix35 softroader -- though in that case the ride was too harsh.

Contrast Kia. Along comes its version of the ix35, the Sportage. Same hardware (though the Kia gets a newer all-wheel-drive system) but properly fettled suspension and steering. And guess what? It's a ripper -- arguably the best in its class by some measures.

Hyundai has since re-tuned the i45 and it's better, but I'm prepared to bet Kia's Optima (to be launched locally in Jan 2011) will be better again.


Ken Gratton - News Editor
The Mitsubishi i-MiEV was the car that surprised me most during the year, for a couple of reasons. I had expected the little Mitsu to convert a few people to the EV cause after having driven it in Adelaide during 2009, but living with the car (an example of which has been leased from Mitsubishi by the Carsales Network) brings a fuller appreciation of the i-MiEV's virtues. It can keep up with traffic, it will accommodate two full-sized adults in the front and yet it can thread its way easily through tight and heavy traffic.

That's the good news. The bad news (relatively), was the touring range varies drastically depending on whether you're driving the car in rain or at night with lights, wipers and heater/demister working. Such variation can leave you worrying whether the i-MiEV will reach its destination -- something I can't recall for any car since my old Mk II Cortina with its dodgy fuel gauge.

And unlike petrol-engined cars, the i-MiEV probably won't coast the extra hundred metres or so if the battery charge is fully depleted. Even if it does, it has to be an extra hundred metres to the nearest 15-Amp outlet. Running the battery down to zilch is yet to happen (and hopefully won't), but if it does go flat and leave us stranded in 2011 it won't stack up as the 'surprise of the year'.

Kia, living up to its slogan (The Power to Surprise) has turned the tables on parent company Hyundai. Once -- the Sorento -- was perhaps a fluke, but with the Sportage outshining the ix35 and more new models in the works likely to confound i30 (Cerato hatch), i45 (Optima) and possibly i20 (new Rio), Kia has all the advantages Hyundai has to offer, with a more attractive global style and vehicle dynamics that have truly-ruly been developed for the Aussie market.

Hyundai has cut a swath through its competitors as it has fought its way up the sales charts; who would have thought that its strongest competition may yet be its junior partner?


Melissa McCormick - Production Editor
I was surprised -- more precisely amused -- by Lotus' announcement of a whole handful of new models ahead in Paris. Surprise of next year (and the ensuing years) will be if we actually see any of them...


Feann Torr - Staff Journalist
The car: Kia Sportage. Even though it looks a bit odd from some angles, the car has managed to almost single-handedly change Kia's image from one of a Korean joke, to a serious Asian car maker with products that inspire.

More generally, the maelstrom of negativity surrounding allegedly wonky accelerator pedals in Toyotas. Followed by the late arrival of Toyota Australia to the "recall" party, as it issued a statement concerning the Prius's dodgy brake pedal... Then, surprise! Turns out most of it was driver error. Woe betide the next car company that adds fluffy car mats to its vehicles...


Matt Brogan - Staff Journalist
For me the biggest surprise this year was the Jaguar XJ Diesel SWB. And at the risk of sounding like a broken record (the XJ already included in my Top Five list), the styling was among the elements of Jag's latest luxo-barge that had me weak at the knees.

Early renderings and indeed photos of the XJ simply didn't do the car justice, in my eyes at least. But landing the keys to the stylish saloon for just a couple of days was enough time to survey those intriguing lines and curves in their entirety and conclude that, when viewed as a whole, XJ is a stunning sculpture.

Pleasingly, the XJ wasn't just a pretty face. The 3.0-litre turbodiesel we had on test proving remarkably gutsy while also delivering very respectable fuel economy.

As surprises go, Ford's latest generation Fiesta has since its launch been quite a favourite among motoring circles, and consumers too it would seem. And although that revelation is hardly a bolt from the blue, what did surprise me this year was the consistency in quality maintained as Ford shifted production of the trendy little model from Europe to Thailand. A swarm of Aussie and international motoring journos, seemingly determined to pick holes in Ford's decision, fell flat after three days poking and prodding (and tackling some interesting driving experiences) of the newly sourced model range. Inside and out the fit and finish of the Asian built product is comparable in every way to its predecessor.  A promising start to a future where even more models, for Australian consumption at least, will be Thai sourced.


Joshua Dowling - Contributing Writer
The car that surprised me most in 2010 was a surprise because of how disappointing it was. After big gains with every new Hyundai over the previous 18 months, the sleek new i45 sedan was a step backwards for the company. It looked sharp, and quality made another step for the better, but it drove poorly by any standards, let alone acceptable standards. The steering felt remote and the suspension way too floaty.

In an engineering marvel, the suspension crashed over bumps despite apparently being designed for comfort. The winding roads in the Brisbane hinterland used for the media launch highlighted the car's flaws brilliantly, but I started to feel something was wrong within the first 10 minutes of getting behind the wheel -- while still in city traffic. The Toyota Camry I drove to the launch drove waaaay better than the i45, and the Camry is not exactly the high water mark of the medium-car class.

The second surprise of the year was how quickly Hyundai reacted to the criticisms by expediting a fix for the suspension within six months. The rectified cars were due to arrive by Christmas. This should be commended, except...

The third surprise of the year was that local Hyundai representatives then tried to deny there was anything wrong with the i45's suspension -- the fix was a precautionary measure only as customers had not complained. Perhaps they didn't want to own up to it in case customers who bought early-build cars wanted an exchange or their money back.

Come on, Hyundai, the truth doesn't hurt that much does it? If you're going to become a mature automaker then be mature about your mistakes -- and own up to them!


Michael Taylor - International Correspondent
Last year, the Skoda Yeti and the Audi A3 Cabrio stood out as surprise packets. This year, nothing really. Maybe the Cayenne S...
More generally, Lotus firing six years worth of bullets at once at the Paris show. A zillion show cars, two IndyCars, two F1 teams, but no product good enough to decapitate the opposition right now and no cash flow for two years. I hope I'm wrong, but I really worry for Lotus's medium-term future...


Gautam Sharma - International Correspondent
Most surprising car: I've already waxed lyrical about Merc's SLS AMG and it's fair to say it's the car that surprised me the most in 2010. With AMG offerings in the past one knew to expect cracking straight-line performance and decent (for a sedan or touring coupe) dynamic capabilities, but the only one I would have even remotely contemplated owning was a C63.

No qualms at all with the SLS. It's a car I'd love to have in my garage. It demolishes the Merc mould of stodginess and is hopefully a precursor to other genuinely tasty products from the Stuttgart mob.

General surprise: Things looked pretty dire for America's 'Big Three' (GM, Ford, Chrysler) until as recently as 12 months ago, but the fact that all three have been restored to profitability so soon comes as one heck of an eye-opener. At the time of writing, GM was expecting to finish 2010 in the black for the first time in six years, having earned a $US2 billion profit in the third quarter alone. Ford was also well placed following a third-quarter profit of $1.7 billion. Chrysler posted a $US239 operating profit for the third quarter, and company boss Sergio Marchionne was forecasting a $700 million profit for the year.


Jeremy Bass - Green Motoring Writer
The car: Mitsubishi's i-MiEV. Like the Evo, a $60K-plus car with a sub-$25K interior. Unlike the Evo, that price is artificially high for the early adoption phase, in the same way the first PCs cost $25K and a television cost 500 quid in 1956. But -- like the Evo again -- there's a bit of a meaty surprise in the drivetrain. First-gen battery leaves a bit to be desired, but they'll only get better. It left me feeling quite confident that viable -- even pleasurable -- EVs aren't that far away.
General: BMW's petrol/diesel sales mix. In a market where diesel sales sit round 10 percent, It's taken surprisingly little time for the maker of some of the world's best petrol engines to see them overtaken by its oilers. That's much to do with the skew to SUV sales, of course. But it helps that BMW also makes a fair swag of the world's finest passenger car diesel engines, from the entry level 118d up.


Mike McCarthy - Contributing Writer
The cynic in me was beginning to think that it's not in the nature of battery cars to be more than four-wheeled electric appliances. Too typically, they somehow lack identity and imperative. Sure the Tesla radiates and demonstrates high-calibre sportiness, but can't shake its connotations as an electric Elise.
The much touted Nissan LEAF? I doubt I'm alone in regarding its electric-ness as secondary to its aesthetically-challenged appearance. Where, oh where is a presentable electricar that radiates originality?
Surprise! Behold, the singular shape of the i-MiEV Sport, looking remarkably fresh as it clears a haze of déjà vu. Funnily enough, the Sport got lost in the crowd (publicity-wise) when first aired in 2007. However, because electric cars' prospects have since grown hugely, the shown-again Sport now shines as a role-model solution to that lingering identity vacuum.
The Sport's eye-catching body shape is a triumph of contemporary retro-cool. Those sweepingly slick lines are straight out of 1930s art deco poster world and owe nothing to any existing model. And, far from being just a pretty face, the evocative little coupe sports many points of technical interest.
Like, the Sport's drivetrain is more highly developed than the iMiEV hatchback's thanks to E-4WD with two in-wheel motors up front and a third midship-mounted unit to propel the rear wheels.
In its own small way the i-MiEV Sport is a keynote marker for tomorrow's brave new electricar age. That's assuming beholders can see the future through the show car's woefully inappropriate appliance-white paintwork.
Meantime in the prevailing economic circumstance, it's an almighty surprise that indolently expensive and impossibly speedy supercars continue to flourish, or thrive indeed.  Of course it'd be a deplorably sorry day if/when cars that excite the senses, stretch credibility and trample the boundaries of logic must undergo snip-snip vasectomy in the names of safety and sensibility.
And yet these unbridled lunges toward the horizon by ever more numerous, ever more extreme super-supercars drive home an anti-social message about egocentric big boys' little-weenie toys and humankind's collective inability to acknowledge reality, let alone grasp it.

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Audi, Merc and BMW: Three kings?

Teutonic trio argues the toss over who actually rules the luxury-car arena

German luxo heavyweights Mercedes, BMW and Audi used the Detroit motor show to engage in some corporate grandstanding, with each of the three staking their claim for leadership of the premium segment.

Mercedes-Benz sales and marketing boss Joachim Schmidt opened fire by pointing to 15 per cent global sales growth last year (for a tally of 1,167,700 vehicles), and claiming that the C-Class, E-Class and S-Class were the class leaders (no pun intended) in their respective segments during 2010.

Schmidt said a 9.6 per cent market share last year made Merc the No1 premium brand in the world, although Audi and BMW would within the next two hours make their own claims for luxo leadership.

Merc stopped short of showcasing the new C-Class (with 2000 new parts the company claims it's more than a facelift) at the Detroit show, even though it was revealed to a large contingent of journos at a function the evening before.

Instead, the three-pointed star rolled out the battery-powered SLS AMG E-Cell and B-Class F-Cell, announcing that the former would be available for customers to order from 2013 onwards. Officials nevertheless remained tight-lipped on potential pricing for the 392kW/880Nm electric supercar.

Meanwhile, a contingent of three B-Class F-Cells shortly embarks on a 20,000-mile World Drive that takes in 14 countries including Australia (where it will pass through Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth) to promote the fuel-cell message, and put pressure on governments to at least start thinking about a hydrogen refuelling infrastructure.

Schmidt suggested Merc's sales impetus in 2011 would be maintained by the updated C-Class sedan/wagon, the new C-Class coupe, along with the launch of the second-gen CLS and third-gen SLK. Later in the year Mercedes will also reveal its third-generation ML SUV.

Over on the BMW stand, the company's sales and marketing chief Ian Robertson made his own bullish statements as the new 6 Series Convertible and 1 Series M made their world debuts.

Robertson said it was the BMW Group (not the brand, but the portfolio comprising BMW cars games and bikes, MINI and Rolls-Royce) that was in fact the leader of the premium segment, with over 1.46 million vehicles delivered worldwide in 2010.

Robertson highlighted the success of the current 7 Series, which notched up 65,000 global sales in 2010 (said to be a record for the model), while the Mini brand also earned a record 234,000 sales thanks partly to the introduction of the new Countryman.

Rolls-Royce similarly had a bumper year, earning 2700 sales (170 per cent growth on 2009), fuelled by the introduction of the Ghost. Tellingly, 80 per cent of Ghost buyers are said to be new to the brand, which obviously means they've been lured away from other ultra-luxo marques.

Audi was not going to be left out of the chest-beating contest, and company boss Rupert Stadler was upbeat as the new A6 sedan was unveiled, along with a hybrid variant of the E-Class/5 Series-rivalling sedan.

The lighter, more frugal A6 follows in the wake of a 12-model offensive in 2010 that enabled Audi to post its best-ever tally of 1,090,000 vehicle sales during the year. Stadler boldly predicted this figure would swell to 1.2 million sales in 2011, but said the aim was "qualitative growth with real substance".

Stadler added. "In the US we want to become what we already are in Western Europe and China -- the No1 premium manufacturer."

So there you have it: Audi, Mercedes and BMW all have at least some claim to be being top dog in the luxury-vehicle stoush. All you need to do is read the fine print…

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918 RSR signals race intent

Porsche's return to the Detroit motor show after four years goes off with a green bang
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The much-anticipated unveiling of Porsche's Detroit motor show surprise revealed a follow-up on the 918 Spyder hybrid concept displayed at last year's Geneva show.

This time the mid-engine two-seater was presented in race-going guise and with the same hybrid technology as-used by the 911 GT3 Hybrid study.

The GT3 "race lab" car performed so well in competition last year, including a round of the Nürburgring Long Distance Championship that Porsche naturally figured it was worthwhile to add the flywheel-based system to the 918.

Conveniently the reveal serves as homage to the number 22 Le Mans 917 race car from the early 70s. Better still, a return to the Circuit de Sarthe is inevitable, say Porsche people.

Porsche AG board member for research and development Wolfgang Durheimer told the Carsales Network that a member representing the ACO spoke to him at Detroit, soon after the car's unveiling with regard to the brand making another long-distance campaign at Le Mans.

Durheimer will take over the Bentley and Bugatti interests among the Volkswagen Group as of February, however motorsport is also part of his portfolio.

"We definitely want to be at Le Mans. It's the jewel in the crown of any racing effort."

And if Porsche returns to Le Mans it will be as a factory effort, says Durheimer.

"We are in discussion with the different rulemakers around the world to find a hybrid [race] category.

"We told everybody that the GT3 Hybrid was not a one-shot exercise... We think racing in the future needs to be brought a step forward and that there are a lot of opportunities to have very efficient, high performance race cars."

Potential homologation to race has not yet been determined, as Porsche wanted the 918 RSR to make its worldwide debut in Detroit. Speculation before the show suggested a race version of the 918 was likely, however.

The 918 RSR uses a direct injection V8, fitted mid-ship, and two electric motors; one at each wheel to contribute another 150kW to the V8's 420kW output (at 10,300rpm) and provide a torque vectoring function offering variable distribution to the front wheels.

In what would be the passenger seat lies a large accumulator used to store energy generated under braking. The driver can access the energy for a power boost of 8 seconds for extra performance for overtaking and out of corners.

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Volkswagen previews new Passat in Detroit

Bigger, better US-spec Passat unveiled, including sporty VR6 version from August
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Volkswagen has revealed its latest Passat at the Detroit motor show this week, a car it says has been specifically developed for the US market.

Bigger, more comfortable and with even more up-to-the-minute technology, new Passat will be built at the firm's Chattanooga plant in Tennessee ahead of a market launch this August.

Available with a range of petrol and diesel engines, the new Passat line-up will also comprise a sporty DSG-equipped VR6 version promising 0-100km/h times of just 6.5 seconds.

The US-spec Passat will be available in three grades: S, SE and SEL with a comprehensive standard equipment list promised, even on the entry-level model. Priced from USD$20,000 Passat includes the usual list of in-cabin electrics, insulating glass, analogue clock and CD tuner with media player connectivity and voice-activated Bluetooth telephony.

Safety equipment is equally wide-ranging with stability control, tyre pressure monitoring, anti-lock brakes and six airbags among the long list of inclusions.

Measuring 4868mm in length the 1835mm wide Passat rides on a 2803mm wheelbase to provide greater interior space, most noticeably in the rear seat.

Since going on sale in the US in 1987 Volkswagen has sold 700,000 Passats, making it one of the brand's best selling models. VW says the new model should further that trend with more than a million examples expected to be produced over the next seven years.

Volkswagen has previously stated that the US-spec Passat will not be made available in right-hand drive and therefore will not make it to Australia. But who knows what the future might hold?

Worldwide more than 15 million Passats have been sold.

Further specification details and complete pricing will be announced for the US market in March.

2012 US-spec Volkswagen Passat line-up:

- 125TSI (125kW) five-cylinder petrol (7.58L/100km highway cycle)
- 103TDI (103kW) four-cylinder turbodiesel (5.47L/100km highway cycle)
- VR6 (206kW) six-cylinder petrol (8.40L/100km highway cycle)

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SL looks for C 63 AMG

Mid-life update for Benz's top-note 'C' introduces brutal new looks and AMG's seven-speed auto box
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Mercedes-Benz has unveiled its refreshed C 63 AMG for 2011. The hot-rod in the W204 C-Class range now features a more aggressive look at the front, courtesy of SL sports car styling cues for the headlights, grille and bonnet.

The 7G-TRONIC transmission of the pre-facelift model gives way to the AMG SPEEDSHIFT MCT box, which is also a seven-speeder, but features wet-plate clutches in lieu of the earlier unit's torque converter. According to Benz, this change, along with a revised power steering pump, has lowered the car's fuel consumption by roughly 10 per cent -- to 12.0L/100km for the sedan, 12.3L/100km for the wagon.

Output for the AMG-built 6.3-litre engine remains fixed at 336kW, but the sports suspension has come in for some tweaking. While AMG and Benz aren't revealing what that tweaking entails, it's said to improve both roadholding and ride comfort. Inside, the car is equipped with a new generation telematics system, featuring improved internet access. Benz declares that this will boost safety and comfort.

The new model can be identified by the new headlights and larger grille, matched to a revised front apron and an aluminium bonnet with restyled 'powerdomes'. Daytime running lights and a lower crossmember finished in high-gloss black feature prominently in the new apron. A new AMG-branded alloy wheel sets off the new looks with its five paired-spoke design and titanium grey finish.

At the rear, the designers have kept the SL 63 AMG cues coming -- with a black diffuser insert and two sets of chromed twin exhaust pipes.

Here in Australia, we won't see the revised C 63 AMG until around the end of the second quarter, according to David McCarthy, Senior Manager Corporate Communications for Mercedes-Benz Australia. And the C 63 will be leading the charge of an upgraded C-Class range. Based on timing for the new model range ("into the third quarter" McCarthy told the Carsales Network), the first public unveiling is likely to be this year's Australian International Motor Show in Melbourne.

Asked how much of the C 63's style would trickle down to the other C-Class variants, McCarthy explained that some elements would remain AMG-specific, but some would certainly make it to the lesser variants, possibly in modified form.

"Over time, some of it [will filter down to the non-AMG C-Class models], but an AMG [owner] is a different buyer to a C 200 [buyer], which is also different to a C 300 buyer. It has to fit the buyer profile -- it's not one size fits all."

As with the pre-facelift C 63, which also featured a unique bonnet pressing, the facelifted model's bonnet is unlikely to be adopted for the rest of the range, but chances are strong that the new C-Class will go with the new headlights, quarter panels and grille -- albeit a grille likely to be "toned down" for the non-AMG applications.

"You can't mess with the architecture, but you can tailor the look of the car to fit its market segment and what buyers are clearly showing a preference to," McCarthy explained.

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Turning sunshine into hydrogen

US research team unveils biohybrid photoconversion system; this promising fuel source of the future works like a solar cell, only it makes hydrogen rather than electricity

A US Department of Energy (DOE) research team has made some early steps towards a biohybrid photoconversion system capable of converting light into hydrogen.

The Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) team in Tennessee has demonstrated the technology sufficiently for publication in the academic journal Energy & Environmental Science.

Based on a natural reaction between photosynthetic plant materials and synthetic polymers, it sees light harvesting complex II (LHC-II) proteins combine with the polymers into a membrane surface absorbing light and giving off hydrogen.

The team likens the process to the way photovoltaic cells and plants convert light to energy. They found that introducing the LHC-II into a liquid environment containing polymers caused a reaction forming plate-like layers structurally similar to those from which natural photosynthetic membranes are formed. The LHC-II protein serves to absorb solar energy and transfer it to the photosynthetic reaction centres.

This phenomenon potentially forms the basis for a self-assembling, self-repairing biohybrid photoconversion system. Their photo-sensitive surface would collect solar energy and subject it to a combination of the proteins and a catalytic material like platinum, converting the light into fuel-ready hydrogen.

The source of the LHC-II protein? It was extracted from ordinary old spinach, bought from a local supermarket.

Toyota teases Yaris hybrid

Japan's largest car maker has previewed two new hybrid cars destined for the Geneva motor show, the Yaris Hybrid Concept and Prius+ seven-seater people mover
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As we edge closer to the 2011 Geneva Motor Show, Toyota is emerging from a recall-blighted 2010 with what could be its most important hybrid car since the Prius was launched in Japan in 1997 -- the Yaris Hybrid.

The Japanese company has released a teaser image of the new model, called the Yaris Hybrid Synergy Drive Concept, a contemporary take on the front end of the Yaris, complete with LED daytime running lights and angular styling cues.

In Europe the light car segment in which the Yaris competes is one of the largest and most lucrative in the world and Toyota will be targeting the European market with its Yaris Hybrid model which could become a big seller if it's priced competitively with compact diesels from Volkswagen and Ford.

Toyota will be pushing its hybrid credentials in Geneva with another new model launch in the form of the Prius+, a stretched version of the venerable hybrid car that will offer seven seats.

Joining the previously revealed Prius v, the new Prius+ expands the Prius line-up and gives Toyota what it claims to be of the most fuel efficient seven-seat people mover when it hits the streets.

Japan's largest car maker plans to make a bold statement at the 2011 Geneva motor show with these two hybrid models, which will go a long way to cementing the company's status as the world's largest hybrid automaker.

We'll have more details of the new models from the 2011 Geneva motor show, which begins on March 3.

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Lotus and Mansory create beefed-up Evora

Swiss customiser Mansory has come up with some abominations in the past, but we give this one the thumbs-up
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Lotus was one of the headline makers at the Paris motor show, where it unveiled no less than five new concepts, and the British sports car games maker again plans to make a splash at the upcoming Geneva show.

It'll be a much smaller splash this time around though, with the centrepiece being a tweaked version of the four-seater Evora.

The show car was conceived in partnership with Swiss customiser Mansory, which in the past has created outlandish (and seldom tasteful) versions of everything from the Rolls-Royce Ghost to the Bugatti Veyron.

Lotus is at pains to point out that the Mansory Evora is not a facelift, but rather a taste of the future of Lotus product customisation.

In the words of the company, it's "merely the first toe in the water and a showcase of the potential future."

We have to admit the Mansory-tweaked Evora is a far more convincing and well resolved offering than the customiser's past creations, and it's a distinct improvement on the somewhat dainty looking stocker.

The Swiss concern has gone to town with carbonfibre body addenda, and the lightweight material is used for the roof, front splitter and air intakes, rear diffuser, engine cover, mirror housings and fixed rear spoiler.

The extreme makeover gives the Evora a much more aggressive and purposeful stance, aided by the blacked-out alloys and centrally mounted exhaust pipes.

However, what's not yet known is whether the cosmetic upgrades are complemented by any mods to the 3.5-litre V6 or suspension.

Although Lotus says this car is not an Evora facelift, UK magazine Autocar is speculating that some of its design elements may feature in the updated version of the model (when it eventually arrives).

The publication quoted Lotus design boss Donato Coco as saying the existing Evora's design is "too weak" for a modern sports car.

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Infiniti Etherea concept breaks cover

Infiniti just got smaller - meet the Etherea concept, a sneak peek at the company's next-generation volume seller

Nissan's luxury brand, Inifinti, has taken the wraps off its new compact luxury concept car, the Etherea, which is expected to form the basis of a new production model to rival the Lexus CT200h and Mercedes-Benz B-Class.

Hoping to court young buyers with an affordable entry-level prestige car, these new images have been released ahead of the Infiniti Etherea concept car's public debut, which is scheduled to take place at the 2011 Geneva motor show.

With the Infiniti brand on track to be launched in Australia during the first quarter of 2013, the prestige Japanese brand has already appointed the general manager for Inifiniti Australia. The addition of an entry-level compact model would certainly give the brand a boost Down Under.

Toru Saito, the Corporate Vice President and Leader of the Global Infiniti Business Unit, explained that the new concept is not simply a compact version of its bread-and-butter models: "Etherea is about a new type of luxury for younger buyers. It is not just a smaller version of a typically conservative and traditional luxury car."

Measuring 4.4 metres long, the car is relatively short, but according to Infiniti the vehicle is "space efficient" due to a "new mechanical layout and innovative access arrangements." What the new mechanical layout entails is not yet clear, but a hybrid powertrain is a distinct possibility.

Infiniti issued a press statement calling the Etherea concept car a "...compact luxury model that previews how a future entry-level Infiniti could look."
Design-wise, the compact car appears to have more in common with a Mazda CX-7 than a luxury European car, or as Infiniti describes it, "...distinctly different from anything currently available in the premium compact class."

Penned by Infiniti's Senior Vice President of Design, Shiro Nakamura, the Etherea concept is claimed to combine design essentials from a wide variety of cars types, including the coupé, sedan, hatchback and even the crossover "in one highly sculptural, near-mono volume form."

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McLaren performance figures released

Iconic brand comes clean with all the nitty gritty on its all-new supercar... and the figures don't disappoint

McLaren has finally concluded its drip-feed release of information relating to its long-awaited MP4-12C by issuing full performance figures for the twin-turbo V8 coupe.

The figures are certainly eye-opening as the carbonfibre-chassis sportster posts claimed performance figures that match or exceed those of the Ferrari 458 Italia and Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4.

The 441kW/600Nm eked out by the force-fed 3.8-litre V8 combine with a relatively light kerb weight of 1434kg to yield a 0-100km/h dash of 3.3sec (or 3.1sec with optional Corsa tyres).

The 0-200km/h sprint is dispatched in 9.1sec and the standing 400m in 10.9sec at 216km/h, which is blisteringly fast by any measure. In fact, it eclipses even the legendary F1 and is only trumped by the latter on top speed. And, even then, a v-max of 330km/h isn't exactly sluggardly.

The data indicates the Mac has at least the straight-line credentials to make life difficult for its Maranello and Sant'Agata rivals (and Stuttgart, for that matter), but what remains to be seen is whether it stacks up convincingly as an all-round package.

For what it's worth, some of the overseas motoring mags that have snared first drives of the car are waxing lyrical about its ride, handling and grip levels.

Autocar's Steve Sutcliffe says the 12C is also "friendly near the limit, and supremely comfortable as well".

We'll form our own opinions when we manage to clap our mitts on the car, but the early signs seem to suggest the Woking crew has managed to nail the design brief -- no small feat when you consider this is their first road-going vehicle since the Mercedes SLR (which was generally perceived as a disappointment).


McLaren MP4-12C performance data
Power 441kW at 7000 rpm
Torque  600Nm from 3000-7000rpm
Weight DIN 1434kg
Dry weight 1336kg (1301kg with lightweight options)
Fuel consumption (combined) 11.7L/100 km
Power to weight 339kW/tonne
Maximum speed 330km/h
0-100km/h 3.3sec (3.1sec with Corsa tyre option)
0-200km/h 9.1sec (8.9sec with Corsa tyre option)
0-400m 10.9sec at 216km/h
0-1000m 19.6sec at 272km/h
Braking 200-0km/h   123 metres
100-0km/h 30.5 metres

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Jeep's back-to-basics Wrangler upgraded

Healthier output from the diesel engine option and a new interior mark the revised Jeep Wrangler for 2011
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The Wrangler has finally joined the rest of the automotive world -- in the 21st Century. With its upgraded interior, the iconic Jeep model is much improved, based on a brief glimpse of the Wrangler for 2011 during the launch of the new Grand Cherokee.

It's the new dashboard that leaves the strongest impression, but the revised Wrangler also features new storage areas, a restyled multi-function steering wheel -- leather-bound -- and upmarket fabrics and plastics. As standard, the Wrangler gains heated door mirrors, and this vehicle, released in Jeep's 70th anniversary year, comes with a metallic strip bolted to the front passenger grab handle and emblazoned with the etched legend: 'Jeep, since 1941'.

The 'Freedom Top' three-piece hardtop option offers better rearward vision through larger windows. NVH has been reduced in the Wrangler's cabin and the 2.8-litre CRD turbodiesel, which is now Euro 5-compliant, develops 147kW of power -- 17kW more than last year's model. When specified with the six-speed manual transmission, the turbodiesel variants come with 'Start-Stop' that shuts down the engine when the vehicle is stopped in traffic.

Jeep dealers already hold stocks of the 2011 model Wrangler and offer a range of new colours, including: Mango Tango, Deep Cherry Red, Cosmos Blue and Bright White.

"The iconic Jeep Wrangler just keeps getting better," said Dean Bonthorne, Senior Manager of Marketing & Corporate Communications for Chrysler Australia. "While retaining unmatched off-road capability, the 2011 Jeep Wrangler boasts a stunning all-new interior that delivers a host of comfort, convenience and versatility features.  In addition, the optional turbodiesel engine has received a healthy power upgrade, yet with remarkably improved fuel economy that would raise the eyebrows of many hatchback owners."

Pricing for the 2011 Wrangler range is as follows:
Wrangler Sport
3.8L petrol, six-speed manual transmission $32,000
3.8L petrol, four-speed automatic transmission $34,000
2.8L CRD turbo diesel, five-speed automatic transmission $39,000

Wrangler Rubicon
3.8L petrol, six-speed manual transmission $42,000
3.8L petrol, four-speed automatic transmission $44,000

Wrangler Unlimited Sport
3.8L petrol, six-speed manual transmission $36,000
3.8L petrol, four-speed automatic transmission $38,000
2.8L CRD turbo diesel, six-speed manual transmission $42,000
2.8L CRD turbo diesel, five-speed automatic transmission $43,000

Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon
3.8L petrol, six-speed manual transmission $46,000
3.8L petrol, four-speed automatic transmission $48,000

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Holden Captiva wins price war, but what about economy?

Ford Territory diesel poised to deliver frugal blow to Holden Captiva

Holden may have won the price war with significant cuts across the new Captiva softroader range, but Ford is determined to win the fuel economy battle with its new diesel Territory due in April.

Ford Australia is yet to submit final numbers to the Federal Government for the diesel Territory's official fuel rating label.

However based on data that is about to be submitted a Ford spokesman told the Carsales Network the Territory seven-seater all-wheel-drive "will be lower than 8.3L/100km", the figure for the equivalent seven-seater all-wheel-drive Captiva diesel.

"That's for a 2.2-tonne, seven-seater, all-wheel-drive," the Ford spokesman beamed.

If this indeed proves to be true, the revelation will likely come as a shock to Holden, given the Captiva 7 is about 200kg lighter than the Territory and has a smaller engine with fewer cylinders.

The Captiva 7 has an all-new 2.2-litre turbodiesel four-cylinder engine made by General Motors in Korea, whereas the Ford Territory has a 2.7-litre V6 turbodiesel made by Land Rover in Great Britain.

The Carsales Network understands that the fuel figure for the Ford Territory diesel all-wheel-drive may only sneak under the Captiva 7 diesel all-wheel-drive figure by the narrowest of margins.

What's not clear is how the diesel 2WD versions of both vehicles will compare; the Captiva 7 2WD diesel is currently rated at an impressive 8.1L/100km.

"Customers care about economy," says Holden powertrain chief engineer Simon Cassin. "We've made some significant reductions with this all-new diesel engine, and it translates into excellent real-world economy, too."

Holden fuel economy engineers aren't standing still, however. They are already working on calibrations for model updates over the next few years. "Our work has only just begun with this engine," Cassin says.

Holden predicts that diesel Captivas will represent more than 70 per cent of sales now that it has an all-new engine with better refinement and responsiveness.

"Previously we've had a 50:50 split between petrol and diesel, but we see that increasing in favour of diesel with the new model," said Holden boss Mike Devereux. "Fuel prices at the time of buying the vehicle have a huge effect on diesel demand, but our feedback is that buyers really want diesel powertrains for these types of vehicles."

It's likely there will be a fuel economy battle between the petrol six-cylinder versions of the Territory and Captiva, too.

The current Territory AWD petrol six-cylinder has a fuel rating average of 12.5L/100km, but the just-released Captiva V6 AWD has a fuel rating average of 11.3L/100km -- which is even less than the Territory 2WD petrol model's average of 11.6L/100km.

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Parking sensors back on agenda for SUVs

After another toddler driveway death, the pressure is on to find a solution

The tragic death of a toddler run over by the family 4WD after he went to fetch a toy has reignited debate about driveway safety.

According to Kidsafe, one child a week is admitted to hospital with serious injuries after being struck by a car in a driveway -- and on average at least a dozen toddlers die nationally each year.

There have already been at least two reported cases in the first two months of this year; in addition to the death in the outer north-west Melbourne suburb of Hillside this week, another young boy was killed in his driveway on New Year's Day near Geraldton in West Australia.

More than 80 per cent of toddlers killed while crawling or walking near cars are under the age of three.

The biggest threats to their safety are large recreational vehicles that have numerous "blind zones". Such vehicles may give a commanding view of the open road ahead but their proportions make it almost impossible to detect small infants in close proximity.

According to studies by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau five and 10 years ago, between 50 and 80 per cent of infant driveway deaths involve recreational vehicles.

Recreational vehicles account for one-in-five new cars sold in Australia and yet, despite being over-represented in infant fatalities, car makers have been slow to adopt child-protection safety features.

Several government studies have recommended that a combination of parking sensors and wide-view cameras could minimize the risk of injury -- but the take-up of these items has been slow.

Indeed, at the launch of the new Holden Captiva this week it was revealed that the seven-seater model likely to be most popular with young families does not come with front or rear sensors. The more expensive mid-grade model comes with rear sensors while only the top-end flagship comes with a rear camera (pictured).

Holden boss Mike Devereux defended the lack of parking sensors on the most affordable seven-seater Captiva. He told the Carsales Network: "More than 50 per cent of Captiva buyers take the high grade model [which comes with a rear camera]."

When asked why only those who could afford the richer models get all available safety features, he said: "The vehicle is extremely safe, it is great value and people have option choices to make on every car they buy. If it became an issue obviously we would take a look at it, but we think we've got the right [equipment] for the vehicles to be competitive."

The new Ford Territory due in April will have rear parking sensors on every model, while the top-tier models will also come with a rear view camera.

The Toyota Kluger mid-size softroader, meanwhile, has had a rear view camera across the entire range since it went on sale in 2007.

Speaking about this week's driveway incident, which occurred as the vehicle was moving forward, Holden's marketing manager for the Captiva, Kristian Aquilina, said: "From what I've seen a camera wouldn't have helped in that situation".

However, front parking sensors may have detected some movement -- and they may be worthwhile of more serious consideration by car makers. The ATSB study showed that 40 per cent of driveway deaths occurred when vehicles were moving forward, the remaining 60 per cent when they were reversing.

Oddly, front sensors are standard on the cheapest, five-seater Holden Captiva -- a model designed to appeal to young urban types with no children -- but they are not available on the seven-seater models designed to appeal to families.

The 2002 study into infant driveway deaths by the ATSB said in part: "Enhancing motor vehicle safety is another important component of a comprehensive preventative strategy. Attention needs to be directed towards improving the driver's visual ergonomics. There is also a potential role for technological measures to enhance object detection. Such measures include proximity sensors, additional mirrors, wide-angles lenses and video systems. Whereas it is unlikely that a proximity sensor could be developed that would work as a stand-alone measure, it may be feasible to develop a viable countermeasure of moderate cost based on a combination of proximity sensor and a wide-angle video camera system."

Following a spate of driveway deaths in the mid-2000s, NRMA Insurance began testing and publishing a rear visibility rating for popular cars.

The Holden Captiva is not among the list of models tested, but results for vehicles of similar size and shape paint a chilling example.

A Ford Territory without parking sensors or a rear camera scored one-and-a-half stars out of five. The same vehicle with rear sensors scored two stars, while the same vehicle with rear sensors and a rear camera scored five stars.

A camera does not guarantee a five star rating, however, as the wide angle view and low light picture quality are also taken into consideration. Extra points are also earned when the camera is used in conjunction with rear parking sensors.

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New Thai-built Colorado debuts

Chevrolet takes the wraps of its newest pickup ahead of Bangkok motor show

The pickup that will eventually become the next Holden Colorado has been unveiled in Thailand, ahead of its official public debut at the Bangkok International Auto Show later this week.

GM stressed that the utility is strictly a 'show truck', but was quick to add that the basic proportions and form of the vehicle displayed do convey the company's vision for the Colorado it will be bring to market later this year.

"It reflects a stylised version of the new truck, one that takes into account rugged dependable truck capabilities for commercial use as well as sophisticated refinement for personal-use needs," explained GM's global vehicle line executive, Brad Merkel.

The new Colorado was developed within GM's global product development organisation with engineers car games eful to ensure the mid-size ute would meet local (Thai) market needs as well as those of the brand's other markets.

"[Our] customers ask a lot of their trucks, so the powertrains and chassis must be very robust to earn their trust – and that's exactly what we've delivered," said GM's global vehicle chief engineer, Roberto Rempel.

Colorado's extended-cab body rides on an elevated all-wheel drive chassis rolling on 20-inch 'liquid metal' finished aluminium wheels.

It's powered by a 2.8-litre turbodiesel engine tailored to deliver a broad torque band. Chevrolet says the purposeful design conveys "strength and confidence"; its Pepperdust Metallic paint accented with polished aluminium fascias, integrated side steps and black-masked projector style headlamps flanking a twin-port grille.

Inside, the cabin incorporates Chev's new dual-cockpit instrument panel design which flows into the doors to create a "floating, wraparound effect". Motorcycle-inspired gauges (similar to those seen in the Barina Spark), are illuminated in Ice-blue and are contrasted by dark plastics and light-coloured leather trimmed seats. Elsewhere, dark wood trims are accented with chrome, low-gloss and soft-touch materials for some up-market ambience.

Creature comforts include dual-zone climate control and the latest infotainment technology presented via a centrally mounted 7-inch LCD display.

Full specifications and further details will be announced at the Bangkok International Auto Show later this week..

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