Car Advice | News

Lightning Electric Car Unlikely to ever be confused with the English Electric Lightning supersonic interceptor, you're looking at the world's first fully electric proper Gran Tourer (the Tesla is not a GT) and it's appropriately called the Lightning. 'Appropriately' because this thing is all electric and can accelerate from 0-100km/h in less than five seconds and has a top speed of just over 200km/h. The Lightning Car was launched at the British International Motor Show in 2008 and began taking deposits from that moment on. The styling appears to be influenced by the likes of Aston Martin, Jaguar, the Chevy Corvette and perhaps even the original 1967 Maserati Ghibli inspired the overall design of the Lightning. The difference is of course, you won't find a 4.7-litre V8 under the bonnet of this car, just 30 NanoSafe batteries (made from nano titate materials), which are said to have a shelf life of 12 + years. But that's not all that powers this EV luxo rocket, there are four electric motors, one in each wheel, that deliver the huge amount of torque and over 500 + bhp (380kW) required to deliver its supercar like acceleration. It's certainly an impressive looking piece of kit and if anything, proves that "electric" doesn't have to mean boring. CarAdvice hopes to bring you an update on how the car (and company) is fairing in relation to sales and development 2010 BMW 3 Series Coupe and Convertible receive M Sport Style BMW Australia has announced the June arrival of a sportier redesigned 3 Series Coupe and Convertible with a new 335i M Sport model topping the new M range. Powered by a new 3.0-litre turbocharged engine, the BMW 335i M Sport delivers the same 225kW of power and 400Nm of torque as its 335i predecessor, sprinting from 0-100km/h in just 5.4 seconds. A refreshed sporty exterior design showcases a full aerodynamic M Sport body kit with 19-inch double spoke light alloy wheels, while inside, M Sport doorsills, a Sports multi-function steering wheel and the option of lowered M Sport suspension. BMW Group Australia Managing Director, Starvo Yallouridis says the new look M Sport brand will see it continue to remain the benchmark in their class. “The M Sport brand is an icon in the world of sports sedans, coupes and convertibles…it was fitting to build upon that with the new 3 Series Coupe and Convertible and give the cars their own distinctive performance personality,” says Yallouridis. Yallouridis highlighted the redesigned front, rear and side features and the inclusion the fitment of Auto Stop/Start for the first time to an M3, has given the M range an edge over the competition. A substantial restyle for the 335i M Sport models, the 320d, 325i and 330d features a redesigned front bumper and bonnet with a wider BMW kidney grille. Customers have an even wider choice of exterior colour options with three new exterior metallic paint colours being added to the existing nine options available. Performance has also been enhanced to match the sporting style of the new 3 Series Coupe and Convertible with an upgraded 2.0-litre turbo diesel four-cylinder powerplant in the 320d, that delivers 5kW more power and 30Nm more torque combined with reduced fuel consumption. Generating a maximum power of 135kW at 400rpm and peak torque of 380Nm between 1900rpm – 2750rpm, the new 320d offers a combined fuel consumption of 4.7l/100km for the Coupe and 5.1l/100km for the Convertible. This is the first time the 320d has been offered with a manual gearbox and its fitment provides the opportunity to expand the application of BMW EfficientDynamics technologies including the standard Auto Stop/Start function. Topping the BMW 3 Series range is the new M3. With improved efficiency through the application of the Auto Stop/ Start technology, the 309kW/400Nm 4.0-litre Automatic M3 coupe now delivering a combined fuel consumption of 11.2l/100km. Standard features across the 3 series range include cruise control, climate control, power windows and heated exterior mirrors, dual front, side and full length side curtain airbags, Dynamic Stability Control (DSC), Antilock Braking System (ABS) with brake assist and Cornering Brake Control (CBC), active front head restraints, Rain Sensor and rear Park Distance Control (PDC). Additional features that come standard on the BMW 335I and M series but optional on the Innovations Package for the 320d, 325i and 330d, include Comfort Access System, Adaptive Headlights, automatic folding exterior mirrors, BMW Professional Navigation System, Voice Control and HiFi Loudspeaker system. Prices for the new 3 series range start around $65, 600 for the 320d coupe, with the top of the range 335i M convertible priced around $176, 700. . Aston Martin DB9 facelift spied A prototype has appeared on the Nürburgring circuit, believed to be the revised Aston Martin DB9 which is set to receive a more aggressive facelift, bringing it closer to the more hardcore DBS in appearance. The prototype shares its side skirts, chiselled grille, vented bonnet, clear tail lamps, rear diffuser and raised rear spoiler with the Aston Martin DBS, with the only exterior difference being a new front bumper. Strangely, the prototype seen in the photos does not wear a scrap of camouflage which is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to deciphering exactly what this prototype will become. Since it shares so much of its DNA with the Aston Martin DBS, it is just as likely that this prototype could be a derivative of the DBS – a model which Aston insists is not just a ‘hardcore DB9′. . Toyota Rukus Review – Toyota's new image The Toyota Rukus presents an all-new image for Toyota by offering a unique and somewhat quirky exterior design coupled with a practical and spacious interior. Starting at $27,490* the Toyota Rukus will undoubtedly turn heads and attract younger buyers to the brand. Let’s be honest, Toyota is not the most exciting car maker in the world. Over the last 50 years the Japanese company has risen to the very top of the automotive world and become the world’s largest producer of vehicles, at a cost. Its success was arguably due to producing safe and reliable cars in massive volumes rather than creating cars that had character. Not that there is anything wrong with that strategy, if you’re in the business of selling cars why not appeal to the masses? Of course once upon a time Toyota did have a variety of sports cars such as the Supra, Celica and MR2. Despite sporty Toyotas of the past, the problem facing Toyota today is somewhat similar to that facing Mercedes-Benz. The majority of its customer are not exactly Twitter and Facebook users. In fact the main portion of Toyota’s customers are over 54 years old. That’s all well and good, but what happens when the current 20-somethings turn 40 and have no association with the Big T? Thankfully Toyota saw this coming and with new president Akio Toyoda (by all accounts a passionate car lover) in charge, the company has set itself the big task of putting soul, character and aspiration into its lineup. The first part of the design-revolution starts with the Rukus in Australia. A model which is set to polarise the public and car journalists alike. From the outside the boxy shape is unlike anything Toyota has done before (which is not necessarily a bad thing). The idea is to create a car which makes a statement and you’re not really suppose to agree with it either. Toyota Australia believes the Rukus will appeal to urban trend-setters looking for a car that stands out and one which may be customised to suit their personality. It should also appeal to young couples looking for something a little out of the ordinary. From the front there is something very unique about the Rukus design. It looks like something a half-American, half -Japanese designer would’ve come up with at 3 am in the morning (Rukus is actually designed at the CALTY design studio in Los Angeles). If it could talk I imagine it would say something along the lines of: “Yes, that’s right, I am boxy. Wanna fight about it?“. Frankly, I rather like it (but hold off on the hate-mails for now). The rear is pretty much the same, given its straight line box-on-wheels design structure it almost looks like a commercial van, but it’s got far more appeal than that. No doubt a few of you are frothing at the mouth dying to tell me how ridiculous the Rukus looks. My only piece of advice is to actually go and see one in the flesh. It looks far ‘cooler’ in person (but some will still hate it and that’s part of the plan as you can’t be cool if everyone likes your taste). Why do I like it? Perhaps because I am part of the Twitter and Facebook generation but also as a car journalist it’s rather refreshing to see Toyota design something that actually has character and personality. The idea is to get the exterior completely repainted (you can buy it as a blank canvas) or customised enough so that yours will be unique in your own way. The interior is also designed in such a way to make it easy to fit in multiple LCDs, new stereo systems and whatever else “you crazy kids can think of”. Toyota Australia also offers a huge selection of genuine customisable options. Of course you can just pick one of the seven default colours it comes with and be done with it, but that would be missing the point. This idea of a cool, hip and Gen-Y car for the younger folks isn’t new in Australia. It was tried last year with the Kia Soul which is yet to make a big impact on its target market. Last month the Soul found only 53 buyers (total year to end of April sales were 189). Toyota believes it’s brand reputation will mean better results for the Rukus. The Big T expects to sell 150-200 units per month. The Rukus is sold in the United States under the Scion brand as the xB but Toyota Australia decided to keep the Toyota badge for this market. Partially because launching an all-new brand for just one model would not make all that much sense and also because Toyota’s image in Australia is in better standing with the younger crowd than in the United States. Once you get over the look and exterior styling of the Rukus, you’ll quickly realise that it’s a rather well equipped and practical car. All Rukus variants in Australia are powered by a 2.4-litre dual overhead-cam four-cylinder engine that outputs 123kW of power at 6000rpm and 224Nm of torque at 4000rpm. This is mated to a four-speed automatic (more on this later) and as such returns a respectable fuel economy figure of 8.8L/100km for the combined highway and city cycle. The Rukus is built on the same platform (MC) as the Corolla and RAV4, but feels much roomier inside than both. The box-shaped exterior means a spacious interior big enough to comfortably seat five adults (a rare feature these days). What most impressed me about the Rukus was the unique dash layout. Despite its box-shape, the interior is all about circles. From the four gauges in the centre console to the aircon controls and even the air-vents, it’s all round. There are three different variants of the Rukus, simply called: Build 1, Build 2 and Build 3. The base model Toyota Rukus Build 1 starts at $27,490* and comes standard with: Six airbags, Stability and traction control Anti-skid disc brakes Air-conditioning, 16-inch alloy wheels, Cruise control, Keyless entry and ignition, Power mirrors and windows Engine immobiliser. CD player with six speakers, Bluetooth™ hands-free telephone and audio streaming (meaning you can stream music wirelessly from your iPhone/Pod directly to the car), USB and 3.5mm audio input. Build 2 will see buyers fork out $29,990* and gain: Leather-accented seats, steering wheel and gearshift knob. Nine speakers including a sub-woofer, plus a six CD-stacker linked to a 4.3-inch colour screen for the audio (no Sat-Nav or TV). Climate-control and push-button operation Build 3 is basically just a Build 2 but with a Sunroof for an additional $1,800 ($31,790). Compared to the entry-level Kia Soul, the base Rukus is $6,500 more expensive but it does come with a much bigger engine plus a whole range of additional features (and a Toyota badge). It’s hard to criticise the Rukus because it’s not meant for everyone – no doubt the older crowd will dismiss it quickly (but that’s a good thing!). My only solid concern is the car’s four-speed automatic gearbox which should really be a six-speed (there is no manual option in Australia either). During the media launch, Toyota brought out a few examples of what the car could be customised to look like (note: the black one with the giant intercooler is not road-legal). A short stint behind the wheel didn’t pose enough opportunity to thoroughly report on the car’s handling credentials. Nonetheless it would be fair to say the Rukus is not underpowered and it certainly managed the obstacle course with ease. Check back soon as CarAdvice will conduct a comprehensive Road Test & Review of the Rukus. To put everything into perspective, Toyota doesn’t really want everyone to like the Rukus (it would almost defeat its purpose). It will no doubt find enough buyers to become an effective branding car. Finally a Toyota model which is not about volume. If you’ve seen those Lexus LFA ads that say “Yes, It’s a Lexus.” then you get the idea – changing brand perception. Yes, it’s a Toyota – and no, it doesn’t care what you think! 2010 Toyota Rukus Specifications: ENGINE Type – Petrol Capacity (cc) – 2362 Code – 2AZ-FE Description – All-alloy in-line four cylinder with DOHC, VVT-i on inlet valves Bore x stroke (mm) – 88.5 x 96.0 Compression ratio – 9.8:1 Max. power – 123kW @ 6000rpm Max. torque – 224Nm @ 4000rpm Fuel system (petrol) – Sequential multi-point electronic fuel injection Fuel type – 91 RON ULP or higher Fuel tank capacity (L) – 55 Fuel economy1 (L/100km) – 8.8 Carbon dioxide (g/km) – 208 Emission rating – Euro IV PERFORMANCE Max. speed (km/h) – 190 TRANSMISSION Driven wheels – Front Transmission description – Electronically controlled, four-speed intelligent automatic with lock-up torque converter Transmission code – U241E Gear ratios – 1st – 3.943 - 2nd – 2.197 - 3rd – 1.413 - 4th – 1.020 - Reverse – 3.145 - Final drive ratio – 2.740:1 STEERING Type – Rack and pinion, Electric Power-assisted Steering (EPS) Turns lock to lock – 2.9 Gear ratio – 14.5 Turning circle kerb to kerb (m) – 10.6 SUSPENSION All around – Independent, barrel-shaped coil springs, low-pressure gas-filled dampers, multi-leaf linear control damper valves Front – MacPherson struts, wide-based L-shaped lower arms Rear – Torsion beam BRAKES Front – Ventilated discs, 275 x 25mm Rear – Solid discs, 279 x 10mm Stability control – ABS with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD) and Brake Assist (BA), Traction Control (TRC), Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) WHEELS Rims – Alloy 16×6.5J Tyres – 205/55R16 Spare – Spacesaver T135/70 D17 BODY Body type – Monocoque 5-door wagon Length (mm) – 4260 Width (mm) – 1760 Height (mm) – 1645 Wheelbase (mm) – 2600 Front track (mm) – 1525 Rear track (mm) – 1520 Ground clearance (mm) – 130 Approach angle (degrees) – 15 Departure angle (degrees) – 21 Coefficient of drag (Cd) – 0.32 INTERIOR Length (mm) – 1980 Width (mm) – 1495 Height (mm) – 1295 without moonroof Build 3: 1235 with moonroof WEIGHTS/LOADS Kerb weight3 (kg) – 1390-1400 (Build 2,3: 1420-1430) Gross Vehicle Mass (kg) – 1855 (Build 2,3: 1885) Cargo capacity (L) with rear seats up – 310 Seating capacity (incl. driver) – 5 Towing capacity – 500 * plus statutory charges or other on-road costs . Honda Civic redesign delayed until 2011 Changing market conditions and tougher fuel economy regulations are to blame for pushing back the arrival of Honda’s redesigned Civic until 2011. The delay means the new Civic, Honda's first redesigned Civic since the current Civic's debut in 2005, is past the general five-year product replacement cycle. John Mendel, Honda America's executive vice president did not specify an exact time period, except that the new Civic will be out in 2011. “We change vehicles as need be. The ability to do something based on more current information is better than waiting a full model cycle. Some of that is being able to have the opportunity to change what you see happening in the marketplace,” he told Automotive News. Japanese carmaker Toyota experienced a similar life cycle extension on its Corolla in 2007 due to a lack of engineering resources, but the delayed arrival had no impact on sales. The Honda Civic, which finds 1 million new buyers each year worldwide, will undergo major changes for the next generation. Sources say it will be larger than the current model but still feel about the same size. In other Honda news, there are no delays to the Civic-based CR-V crossover with the redesign to arrive globally in 2011. Read: Honda Civic Review. Source: Automotive News . Toyota's US safety restructure The world’s largest vehicle manufacturer, Toyota, is putting safety first by reassigning top engineers and executives to new safety-related duties. A move that will no doubt reflect the company’s new attitude for the future. Nonetheless with the key staff away on side projects, the company may suffer slow product development. The restructure will also see Toyota expand its Human Resources department with the announcement of the Design Quality Innovation Division (DQID). With a team of 50 staff, the new DQID will see customer feedback find its way into product development a lot quicker than before. Toyota has been criticised for not listening to its customers, this can be viewed as a sign of change. The extra layers of bureaucracy at Toyota, which include task forces and rapid response teams come on the back of the rapid expansion of the Big T and its global recall crisis. Toyota, which is eager to improve safety and prevent future relapses, admits rebalancing resources may delay product plans as a result of the company shake-up. Seigo Kuzumaki, project general manager for vehicle safety, told Autonews that Toyota would review the product development plan so that it was not strained. “Some product projects are already under review,” says Kuzumaki. Toyota concedes that before the GFC even hit, the Human Resources team was struggling to meet international growth demand. St. Angelo, the newly appointed chief quality officer for North America, who has been charged with improving the flow of information, plans on creating a new rapid response team and improve resources to turn the HR from a weak to a strong link. Kuzumaki says shifting resources to safety and being more consumer-focused is needed to meet customer needs faster and improve customer satisfaction. “One lesson we learned is that customer expectations are higher than what we thought they were. Whether that leads to a slowdown or not, we are taking these measures because we want to respond to the needs of our customers quickly,” says Kuzumaki. Toyota Australia began a new phase in the company’s profile today with the launch of the Rukus (review on that coming soon). Source: Automotive News . Jaguar Land Rover's April sales boost Jaguar & Land Rover sales continue to improve with global unit sales of the two British brands growing 61 percent in April, a far cry from the same time last year. Tata Motors (owner of both brand) revealed total sales for Jaguar & Land Rover worldwide in April were 17,909, with sales for Jaguar 3,559 during the same period. Jaguar XF sales were up 23 per cent whilst Land Rover sales soared by a massive 89 percent to 14,350. The revival of sales comes on the back of a luxury car sales plunge that hit Jaguar & Land Rover hard last year due to the GFC. The company’s revival is largely due to consumer demand for the updated Discovery (the LR3 in USA) and Range Rover Sport. The new found success of the company could also be credited to former General Motors Europe President Carl-Peter Forster and former BMW executive Ralf Speth who were named earlier this year as Tata Motors CEO and JLR CEO respectively. Despite the sales revival, the company will continue to go ahead with plans to shut down one of three UK plants. The strong Australia dollar has seen Jaguar and Landrover sales continue to perform well locally. Source: Automotive News Volkswagen rolls dice one more time for SEAT Volkswagen’s SEAT brand is going to be given one last roll of the dice, with plans to expand its model range and grow the brand beyond its current limited market within five years. SEAT is currently Volkswagen’s most unprofitable brand and analysts predict it will be difficult to turn around, particularly with Greece's fiscal crisis affecting the Spanish economy, but CEO James Muir, has faith in SEAT and is willing to give the company one last chance. "This is the last attempt for SEAT as a brand, it would not be sensible to view things differently. If one would want to get rid of SEAT, one would have to give the other party money to take it," CEO James Muir told Automotive News. SEAT’s first-quarter operating loss of US$139 million doubled Volkswagens other unprofitable units, Bentley and commercial vehicles. Sales of Ibiza, which traditionally makes up 56 per cent of SEAT’s sales, as well as Alhambra minivan fell 8.5 per cent to 337,000 units last year on the back of an overall 21 percent car sales slump for Spain in 2009. With Spain's economic woes rising, SEAT’s proposed turnabout could hamper VW's plans to surpass Toyota to become the largest automaker by 2018, if the economic situation does not improve. Volkswagen, which also owns Audi and Skoda, aims to double SEAT’s sales to 800,000 vehicles. Muir acknowledges that it will take more than cost cutting to revive the SEAT brand at Volkswagen. "Our clear focus over the next three years will be to improve utilisation. One cannot solely rely on cost reductions to make Seat profitable," says James Muir. Volkswagen Australia has previously said there are currently no plans to bring SEAT down under. Source: Automotive News . Skoda Fabia vRS launches in the UK It's got a 1.4 litre TSI turbocharged and supercharged petrol engine mated to a seven-speed DSG (twin clutch) gearbox with paddle shifters as Standard and will accelerate from 0-100km/h in 7.3 seconds with a top speed of 224km/h. The Fabia vRS will also sip fuel at the rate of 6.1 litres/100kms and comes with an XDS electronic differential for extra cornering grip. Standard features on both the hatch and Estate versions include ESP and HHC (Hill Hold Control) along with 17-inch 'GIGARO' alloys, three-spoke sports leather steering wheel, LED daylight running lights, Sunset Glass and vRS body kit. Buyers can also choose an optional white or black roof with a good selection of body colours. Inside, it's the same value for money performance with body hugging vRS sports seats and a multi-device Interface for iPod and MP3 connections. With superb build quality, tonnes of kit and excellent fuel economy, the Fabia vRS offers exceptional bang for buck at just £15,700 or £16,495 for the Estate version. Skoda Australia told CarAdvice that they would very much like to bring the Fabia here, and are currently working on the business case. We certainly hope they're successful with the Fabia, as it deserves some close attention. 1974 Porsche 911 chases Nissan GT-R in Targa Tasmania 2010 In this clip from the 2010 Targa Tasmania campaign, Tony Quinn in his 2009 Nissan GT-R overtakes Rex Broadbent in his 1974 Porsche 911 Carrera RS – who then decides to give chase. Despite the 34 year age gap between his car and the Nissan GT-R, Broadbent proves technology is no substitute for skill – keeping the tail lights of the GT-R in his sights for the entire stage. Thumbnail credits GTRBlog .