September 10, 2003 No. 180

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Crennan setto bow out

The extravaganza that is the Frankfurt motor show is underway. Our coverage of thelatest reveals, including this Mercedes-Benz Vision CLSconcept, starts on page 3

Showstoppers

GoAuto Online reached a new record by delivering 167,304 stories to readers during August, on the back of strong new model activity from Holden.The record tops the previous all-time high of 140,000 stories delivered to readers in May. GoAuto has served more than a million stories so far this year.During August, readers requested more than 55,000 GoAuto car reviews, more than 42,000 stories on new models and nearly 49,000 stories on new cars soon to be launched on to the Australian market.Holden’s new model onslaught captured the greatest attention with readers asking for more than 26,400 Holden stories. There was strong interest in VY II Commodore, Adventra and Crewman.Ford followed with 19,600stories. Readers requested 11,700 Toyota stories and 10,800 Mitsubishi reports.

CLICK HERE

HARD-bitten Holden Special Vehicles boss John Crennan will quit the com-pany within three years.Mr Crennan, 57, revealed at last week’s launch of the Y Series 2 Commodore-based range of sports sedans his intention to walk away from the hot Holden maker he played an intrinsic role in creating 16 years ago.“I want to get out before 60,” Mr Crennan told GoAuto.“That would be the max … but that gives me two-and-a-half years at least.”Mr Crennan has endured some of the toughest months of his business life in 2003. The collapse of Tom Walkinshaw’s TWR Group business empire in February threw the future of HSV briefly into doubt.

Continued next page

Holden drivesnew record

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Holden's hot horsepower

Continued from previous pageIt also triggered the sale of Mr Crennan’s pride

and joy, the Holden Racing Team, to ace driver Mark Skaife.

The failure of the 427 Supercar project to make it into production was a further setback for Mr Crennan and HSV.

While the news of his eventual departure will be welcomed in some quarters where his forceful style has made him enemies, he said he was not going to relax and slip into semi-retirement mode anytime soon.

“Mark Skaife said he is going to give the game away when he can see the younger guys capable of lapping in faster times than he can lap,” said Mr Crennan.

“I guess when I see people lapping in faster times and getting to work earlier than me and leaving later, then I guess that’s the time for me as well.”

Mr Crennan also scuttled any link between his departure and a mooted Holden takeover of HSV.

HSV is currently 100 per cent privately owned by Tom Walkinshaw and has therefore not been

dragged down with the collapse of the rest of his business empire.

“As far as Tom is concerned the business is not for sale,” Mr Crennan said.

In fact, Mr Crennan revealed a Holden buy-in had been discussed several times in the past three years, well before – as well as after – the TWR collapse.

“For three years there has been a lot of discussion about that between us at board level,” he said.

“There are three members of their board on our board and everything gets assessed and evaluated. But at the end of the day everyone says ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t try and fix it’.”

YS2 was Mr Crennan’s first major outing in front of the media this year, and he also used it to:

Paint a picture of strong sales growth including a “best scenario” target of 12,000 sales per annum by around 2010.

Announce October as the timing for former Holden and South Pacific tyres executive Rob McEniry to deliver an in-depth 10-year business plan for HSV.

Confirm the Avalanche name for HSV’s itera-

tions of Holden’s forthcoming Adventra/Cross8 all-wheel drives.

Announce the Avalanche would be on-sale this year along with “an all-new model” he would not discuss further.

Reveal a $20 million forward programs invest-ment with emphasis on all-wheel drive technology and developing the prestige and luxury Senator and Grange lines, hinting the former would be employed with the latter.

A continued commitment to developing a HSV “supercar” despite the failure of 427, albeit at a lower level of price and performance.

Confirm HSV’s plan to develop a number of new technologies, with up to 30 items set to follow YS2’s adjustable suspension into production.

Float an idea that HSV might switch its output emphasis from horsepower to torque in the future.

Take a swipe at the owners of V8 Supercar rac-ing, TEGA and AVESCO, saying he would never return to pitlane until the current management of the category had been replaced.

Full report, go to www.goauto.com.aufrom this Wednesday afternoon

THE power battle between HSV and FPV has been rejoined, with the hot Holden tuner bumping its peak power rating to go toe-to-toe with its Ford rival. Report: CLICK HERE

Crennan prepares to bow out

GoAuto -newse SEPTEMBER 10, 2003 Page 2

John Mellor's

MERCEDESVISION CLSMERCEDES-BENZ has revealed its much-anticipated CLS four-door coupe-sedan at the Frankfurt auto show, confirming the German brand has moved toward Jaguar when it comes to hunting down enthusiasts in the sportslimousine market.Dubbed the Vision CLS and based on theE-class platform, the four-door combines astunning, sleek silhouette with ampleproportions and what is said to beexceptional interior space.Full specifications are still to be released,however the floor space between the front and rear seat is a sedan-like 829mm and the boot volume 470 litres. Headroom? That could be an issue with the fast-falling roofline, although most emphasis is being placed on the car’s visual and driving appeal.“We are one coupe generation ahead with the Vision CLS,” said Mercedes-Benz boss Jurgen Hubbert.“The idea of a four-door coupe opens upinteresting possibilities and is especiallyintended to appeal to people for whom cars and

driving are a passion.”A production version in Europe is expected in late 2004, with Australia receiving its firstallotments in 2005. A V8 will doubtless be the natural engine selec-tion for Aussie owners, but the show car features a 195kW six-cylinder bi-turbo diesel engine paired with Benz’s 7G-TRONIC transmission, claimed to be the world’s first seven-speed

automatic for passenger cars. The combination can propel the CLS from rest to 100km/h in a claimed 6.4 seconds, while the average fuel consumption is 7.5 L/100km. The engine also meets EU-4 emission limits.Front, side and window airbags are fitted, along with seatbelt pretensioners for all seats, active headlamps, cornering lights and Sensotronic brake control.

OPEL INSIGNIAGENERAL Motors’ European arm Opel has shown its future design direc-tion for a large sedan with the Insignia show car – and it has an Australian connection.The production version is tipped to be underpinned by Holden’s forthcom-ing VE platform and be powered by the Melbourne-built HFV6 engine.With Holden now considered the auto giant’s centre of excellence for large rear-drive passenger cars, General Motors chief executive Rick Wagoner told GoAuto in Frankfurt this week that Holden has the engineering knowledge and capability to engineer such a car. But he stopped shot of confirming whether the Australians would be handed the task.“I won’t make any announcement on behalf of Holden,” he said.GM’s worldwide product czar Bob Lutz also told GoAuto that the platform underpinning the new generation Opel flagship, not due for production until the Omega is discontinued in 2006, would be eventually produced in three continents.The latest work from Opel design boss Martin Smith – the athletic, coupe-like Insignia – is a move away from the traditional three-box sedan luxury

car philosophy the German marque has pursued in the past.Its most striking elements are its electrically operated “pantograph-action” rear doors and tailgate, although other features such as its bold nose and broad shoulder lines could be found on the next wave of GM luxury cars including future Statesman and Caprice models. The interior can be con-verted from four to five seats.

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Opel Insignia

Mercedes Vision CLS

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CHRYSLER300C TOURINGCHRYSLER’S intention to bounce back in Europe and Australia with large and luscious rear-wheel drive passenger cars was reaffirmed this week in Frankfurt with the showing of the 300C Touring.A station wagon variant of the 300C sedan shown at the New York auto show in April, the Touring again shirks the cab-forward design favoured in recent times for a cab-rearward configuration which can accommodate the forthcoming new generation 5.7-litre Hemi V8 engine.They are based on the so-called LX rear-drive platform and the Touring demonstrates the probable inclusion of all-wheel drive come production in Europe during 2004. The wagon will not be sold in the US, however Australia should get its hands on both factory-built

right-hand drive versions in 2005.The Touring has similar design cues to the sedan, including an enormous grille and ultra-long bonnet, and the same all-important attention to detail in the cabin.As is now the norm with new generation Chryslers, a significant number of components and technologies are shared with sister brand Mercedes-Benz.

ASTON MARTIN DB9ASTON Martin has rolled out its crucial DB7 sports car replacement, the DB9, at Frankfurt this week and the Ford-owned British brand has pronounced the car its mostimportant ever.To be the first vehicle built at Aston Martin’s new plant in Gaydon, England, the 2+2 coupe uses an ultra-lightweight aluminium-bonded frame derived from theall-new VH (Vertical/Horizontal) platform underpinning allforthcoming Aston models.It is believed to be 25 per cent lighter than the DB7. Power comes from a 6.0-litre V12 engine mated to either a six-speed manual or drive-by-wire six-speed automatic with pseudo-manual control.Over the past decade, DB7 has become the biggest-selling Aston Martin on record, with more than 7000 cars produced since 1993. To be launched early next year, the DB9 is expected to surpass that total in less than five years.

ShowstoppersFrankfurtFrankfurt

Aston Martin DB9

300CC Touring

GoAuto -newse SEPTEMBER 10, 2003 Page 4

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AUDI LE MANS QUATTROTHE rumour mill got it right this time – Audi was indeed planning to reveal a high-performance road-racer at Frankfurt. And the mid-engined two-seater Le Mans quattro doesn’t disappoint.Built using the aluminium Audi Space Frame and clothed in a carbon-fibre and aluminium skin, the 1530kg sports car is endowed with a longitudinally mounted 5.0-litre twin-turbo with FSI direct fuel injection, the latter used to great effect in the Le Mans-winning racers.It will be quick. Developing 449kW at 6800rpm and 750Nm between 1750-6800rpm, and driving all four wheels (based on a 60:40 front/rear ratio in normal conditions) via a six-speed sequential-shift gearbox, the Le Mans is claimed to reach 100km/h in 3.7sec and 200km/h in 10.8sec.Striking a menacing pose, the Le Mansquattro is 1900m wide, 4370mm long and 1250mm high, and the 2650mm wheelbase has enabled the designers to carve out quite a spa-cious cockpit. Double wishbone suspension is used at each end, where 20-inch wheels are shod with 255/30 (front) and 295/30 (rear) rubber.Stopping power comes through eight-piston ceramic disc brakes measuring 380mm diameter at the front and 356mm at the rear.

HYUNDAI CCS CONVERTIBLEHYUNDAI looks set to make some interesting variations on the Tiburon coupe theme, with the head-turning CCS Convertible at Frankfurt showing how close to production a steel-roofed cabriolet could be.Based on the V6 Tiburon, the CCS (Coupe, Convertible, Slide) uses a retractable glass roof designed by German convertible specialist Karmann, and as the name suggests, the electric lid allows the driver to change from glass top to open roof and then the full drop-top experience.

The entire process occurs in 25 seconds.Despite the folded roof slotting into the raised bootlid area, Hyundai is claiming the car offers the largest boot volume in the segment (244 litres with roof open, 443 litres when closed). Pointers to future Tiburon design revisions include new front and rear lights and Radius R3 18-inch alloy wheels on 225/40 Michelin tyres.

Audi Le MansQuattro

CCS

GoAuto -newse SEPTEMBER 10, 2003 Page 5

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IT’S the feast that follows a famine. The luxury 4WD segment, virtually non-existent five years ago, is being bombarded by new contenders. The latest entrant is Volkswagen’s Touareg, following hot on the heels of the Volvo XC90, Porsche Cayenne, Lexus RX330 and Honda MDX.

It could be argued the Range Rover has inhabited this segment for decades, but the cat-egory really did not start to generate much buyer interest (or sales volumes) until the MercedesM-class appeared in October, 1998, followed by the BMW X5 a little over two years later.

It is patently obvious there is a burgeoning demand for these opulent lifestyle vehicles, so the manufacturers are coming to the party by giving the people what they want – and boosting their bottom lines in the process.

The Touareg is a significant vehicle in that it represents VW’s first crack at building an SUV.

It’s off to a good start in the US, with the prestigious Car and Driver magazine voting it the Best Luxury SUV of 2003.

The newcomer is competitively priced, with the entry level V6 bowing in at $67,900 – under-cutting the RX330, MDX and XC90. Further up scale are the V6 Luxury at $75,800, the V8 at $99,900 and the V10TDI at $138,900. On price,

the top two models are up against the Mercedes-Benz ML500 and ML55 AMG respectively.

Volkswagen says its design brief was to build a vehicle that delivers “superlative performance on-road and off-road”.

Right, then – that shouldn’t be too difficult. Flippancy aside, achieving a balance between these two diverging parameters has proved tricky – and few contenders can claim to excel both on and off the black stuff.

Volkswagen concedes that 95 per cent of Touareg owners will not venture off the beaten track, but the ability to do so is built into the vehicle because “people buy into the dream that one day they might go off-road”.

“The 4WD has become the quintessential family car,” Volkswagen Group Australia manag-ing director Peter Nochar said at the Touareg’s launch.

It has been fairly well documented that Porsche and Volkswagen collaborated in the development of the Cayenne and Touareg respectively.

But while these two vehicles share their basic platform, they differ markedly in their drivetrains and, obviously, appearance.

Like all its rivals, the Touareg is built on a monocoque chassis that is sprung independently – by double wishbones – on all four corners.

The Touareg’s 4XMOTION all-wheel drive system distributes torque to front and rear axles in a 50:50 ratio in normal circumstances, but up to 100 per cent can be directed to either end when the going gets rough.

Where the Touareg differs from most rivals is in its provision of a centre differential lock, which can be engaged via a knob on the centre console.

It is also equipped with genuine low-range gearing of 36:1 in first.

There’s even an optional rear cross-axle diff lock, but VW officials concede the take-up rate on this feature is expected to be minimal.

Off-road enthusiasts will be dismayed to learn the Touareg comes with a space-saver spare tyre, but those genuinely intending to venture off the beaten track can opt for a full-size spare and swing arm that mounts on the tailgate. This option costs $2000.

Two engines will be available from the end of October – a 3.2-litre V6 with 162kW and 305Nm, and a 4.2-litre V8 with 228kW and 410Nm.

Continued next page

TOUAREG PRICING:V6: $67,900V6 Luxury: $75,800V8: $99,900V10 TDI: $138,900

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Tough for the rough

VW juggles off and on-road capabilities

with the Touareg

Tough for the rough

GoAuto -newse SEPTEMBER 10, 2003 Page 6

John Mellor's

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Continued from previous pageThey will be joined in late January by a thump-

ing 5.0-litre V10 turbo-diesel with 230kW and a towering 750Nm – sufficient to tow the average house!

Also in the pipeline is a 2.5-litre five-cylinder TDI with 130kW. This powerplant is expected to join the line-up around April and will be priced slightly below the V6 variant. So, in other words, it will undercut the ML270CDI on price by a rea-sonable margin.

Further down the track – VW officials will not say when – a W12 version will join the range to put the wind up the likes of the Porsche Cayenne Turbo.

A six-speed automatic is standard across the range and this transmission can either be left to its own devices, or controlled manually. The V8 and V10TDI come with F1-style paddles behind the steering wheel, while the V6 makes do with a conventional Tiptronic-style shifter.

Apart from the badging, the most obvious visual differentiators between the different vari-ants are the wheels – the V6 rides on 17-inch rims, the V8 gets 18s, while the range-topping V10 gets 19-inchers.

The V6 and V8 models are suspended on con-ventional steel springs, but the V10 TDI relies on Continuous Damping Control (CDC) air suspen-sion that enables the driver to select one of six

ride heights – ranging from an autobahn-friendly 160mm to a tippy-toe 300mm. Ground clearance on steel-sprung models is 237mm.

Touareg V8 buyers can order the air suspension as part of an $8000 option pack that also includes bi-xenon headlights.

Volkswagen says the Touareg has been designed to handle speeds of 270km/h (which the imminent W12 would no doubt be capable of if it wasn’t speed limited) and all models have an impressive 3500kg towing capacity.

The Touareg’s design places great emphasis on pedestrian safety, says VW, and to assist in this cause the bonnet is fabricated from aluminium and the front guards are plastic.

The other benefit of the plastic guards is that they can withstand low-speed impacts without sustaining damage.

No bullbars or other body add-ons will be offered, in keeping with VW’s “conscious rejec-tion of aggressive off-roader design”.

Equipment levels are everything you would expect from a vehicle in this category and even the base model gets front, side and full-length curtain airbags, keyless entry, power windows and mirrors, dual-zone climate control, anti-lock brakes, Electronic Stability Program (ESP), Electronic Differential Lock (EDL), Hill Start Assist, Downhill Assist and six-speed automatic transmission.

The V6 Luxury Pack adds leather upholstery, electrically adjustable (and heated) front seats and woodgrain trim.

Volkswagen Group Australia aims to sell 1500 Touaregs next year, of which it says the V6 will account for 11 per cent, the V6 Luxury 57 per cent, V8 20 per cent and V10TDI 12 per cent.

There will be a purpose-built display for the Touareg in many VW showrooms and the vehicle will also be exhibited at Sydney and Melbourne airports.

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Toughfor therough

GoAuto -newse SEPTEMBER 10, 2003 Page 7

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By GAUTAM SHARMA

THE launch of the Touareg in October signals the start of a formida-ble product offensive over the next 12 months by Volkswagen.

The luxury SUV, of which the company aims to sell 1500 next year, will get the ball rolling as Volkswagen Group Australia strives to achieve its eventual goal of 20,000 annual sales, but the piece de resistance will be the all-new Golf, which debuts this time next year.

But the first model to come in for attention is the entry level Polo, sales of which have been disappointing until now, due mainly to the fact that it has been unable to compete on price.

“We argued a strong case to get the Polo in at a lower price (when it was launched), but at the time there was a worldwide benchmarking on price,” VGA managing director Peter Nochar said.

“As a result of that, when journalists wrote about the car at the time they said it’s a nice car, beautifully made, but it’s not very good

value.”A change in stance by the factory

means that from later this month all Polos will have ABS, central locking and air-conditioning as standard.

All five-door versions will also have electric windows and remote central locking.

“And the (entry level) price will be $19,990, so it’s not a sort of smoke and mirrors price – it’s real value,” Mr Nochar said.

He said the all-new Golf, due next September, would be a key addition to the Volkswagen range.

“The Golf will come with 1.6 and 2.0-litre petrol and 1.9-litre diesel engines at launch,” he said. “It will be the first time in modern history that we would be offering a passenger car with a diesel engine.

“Then in the second year there will be a high-performance GTi, as distinct from the current GTi, which is maybe not as quick as we’d like it to be. The new GTi has about 200 horsepower (about 150kW). Finally, there is a schedule to get an R32 version of the new Golf.

“Initially the Golf will be offered as a five-door but there will also be a second body style – but we can’t tell you what it is yet.”

Although Mr Nochar would not say as much, it is possible thesecond body style may be a steel-roofed convertible to rival the Peugeot 307CC.

The revamp of the passenger car line-up will be complete with the arrival of the new generation Passat and Bora.

“We get the new Bora and Passat at the end of 2005 or early in 2006. These cars are very sporty, very aggressive new-look products, which we think would be more suited to the local market than thecurrent models,” Mr Nochar said

PRODUCT PIPELINESeptember: Up-specced Polo

debuts. All models gain ABS, central locking and air-conditioning. Entry level pricing remains under $20k.

October: Touareg V6 and V8 arrive, signaling Volkswagen’s first crack at the SUV segment. Entry level model costs $67,900. V8 priced at $99,900.

January 2004: Touareg V10TDI blows in. $138,900 diesel thumper priced against Merc ML55 AMG.

January 2004: Golf R32 177kW V6-powered road rocket will be priced around $62k. Just 200 examples will be offered, of which half are spoken for already.

February 2004: All-new T5 commercial range and Caravelle people-mover join the fray.

April 2004: Touareg line-up boosted by entry level 2.5TDI with 130kW. Pricing expected to

start around $65k.

October 2004: All-new Golf line-up makes its debut. Engine choices will include 1.6 and 2.0-litre petrol and a 1.9-litre diesel. The five-door hatch may be supplemented by a steel-roofed convertible to take on the Peugeot 307CC.

2004/2005: Touareg W12 barges in. Towering 300kW-plus output will enable it to take on Porsche Cayenne Turbo.

2005: At last, a real Golf GTi. Newcomer promises sharp dynamics and lively performance, thanks to 150kW engine.

2005: Phaeton flagship will arrive to show what VW iscapable of. Its main role will be as an image leader.

2005/2006: All-new Passat and Bora arrive. New models will be sportier and more aggressive.

VW blitzkriegVW blitzkrieg

Peter Nochar

Golf V is 12 months away

GoAuto -newse SEPTEMBER 10, 2003 Page 8

John Mellor's

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VOLKSWAGEN Group Australia has not scrapped its plans to introduce the Skoda and Seat brands to the local market, but manag-ing director Peter Nochar says the timing will depend on a sound economic argument present-ing itself.

“We’ve given them (Skoda and Seat) a number of product proposals in terms of pric-ing and things like that. At the moment both companies find it difficult to compete at a price level which we feel is necessary for them to expand their volume,” Mr Nochar said.

Mr Nochar said VGA had been particularly excited at the prospect of importing the Spanish Seat brand, as only high-performance versions would have been brought in.

“Because of that we were going to position them higher up the scale than Volkswagen but we still couldn’t quite get it across the line (in terms of profitability),” he said.

“With Skoda there were some problems because the Czech crown became stronger than the euro dollar at one point. But the Aussie dol-lar has become stronger now, while the crown has become weaker, so we constantly say: ‘Let’s have a look at it again. Is there a possibility for Skoda at a different price position?’ ”

Mr Nochar said VGA had developed a plan to launch Skoda with a diesel strategy, giving the brand a unique selling proposition.

“They also make a Fabia wagon, which is a very attractive small wagon – it seemed inter-esting as a city car with an extra dimension,” he said.

“We also looked at the Octavia wagon as Volkswagen doesn’t really sell that many wag-

ons. So, in a sense, the intention was to position Skoda as a practical brand and

Seat as the sporty one. “The plans are ready, but it costs

a lot of money to go from nothing to something. It’s a question of how many

cars are you going to sell and how much money are you going to spend.“We find it hard at Volkswagen, being a sub-

two percent player, to make a bit of noise in the market. But if you’re 10 per cent of that then the budgets you have to work within make it very hard to make any sort of noise.

“I’d like to think that they (Skoda and Seat) will be here within two or three years, but exactly when is dependent on things that are completely out of our control.

“If they want to come, we want to receive them. It’s just a case of when a good economic argument presents itself.”

Sitting on Seat,Czeching on Skoda

Skoda Fabia diesel was considered for 2002

It's all in the timing for VW group

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AUSTRALIANS are continuing to purchase new vehicles in record numbers, with sales in August breaking the previous all-time record for the month and fuelling expecta-tion that the auto sector will break through 900,000 come December 31.

For the moment, the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries is sticking to 875,000 sales after the August total of 76,173 – a 9.4 per cent, or 6526 vehicles, increase over August, 2002 – was down 4.2 per cent on the previous month.

But with VFACTS statistics showing the running total at 598,897, and prizefighters such as Holden promising a strong four months ahead, the record destination still looks within reach. Last year’s total was an unsurpassed 824,309 sales.

In the bout between the manufacturers, Toyota won the eighth round with 15,210 sales from Holden (14,334), Ford (10,450) and Mitsubishi (5833).

Toyota’s record-month sales with Echo, Prado, LandCruiser and HiLux has extended its market leadership out to 5489 units, or 0.9 per cent.

Year to date, Toyota has climbed 1.5 per cent over last year to hold 20.4 per cent of the market, compared to Holden with 19.5 per cent share (down 2.3 per cent), Ford with 13.9 per cent and Mitsubishi with 8.2 per cent.

The two big hitters are each forecasting around 180,000 total sales for 2003, with Holden expecting a surge from its forthcom-ing Crewman crew-cab utility and Adventra four-wheel drive station wagon.

Toyota will counterpunch with several new models including the Kluger medium-sized off-roader.

These four-wheel drives will be important given the SUV market experienced negligi-ble growth overall in August – a mere 2.4 per cent month on month – while passenger cars and light trucks climbed 10.5 and 16.2 per cent respectively. Compact four-wheel drives are down 9.6 per cent.

The General continues to lead the all-impor-

tant large car segment with Commodore, which despite being down 324 units month on month (the price increase with VY Series II perhaps

having an influence here) still dominates the market with 57,545 sales YTD.

Yet the BA Falcon is far from disgraced.The big Ford should surpass its 2002 total

during September, having amassed 6041 sales in August – 732 behind Commodore – to climb to 48,080 YTD, 9465 behind Commodore overall.

Mitsubishi recorded 1973 TL Magna sales, which when combined with the KL Verada (230) are below expectations for the radically reshaped model.

In other segments, sports cars and people-movers are each down more than 21 per cent month on month, while medium cars turned the tables again with a massive 55.2 per cent rise. With the new Honda Accord positioned in the prestige segment – and proving a knockout with 648 sales in August – Toyota’s 380N Camry and Mazda’s 6 remain the prime pugilists among the medium-sized middle-weights.

Indeed, Mazda has again turned out a strong performance across various segments to achieve 5130 sales all up – its second succes-sive month past the illusive 5000 mark – and is claiming to be the top-selling import brand for August. Stemming in large part from 323, RX-8 and Mazda2 sales, the result gives Mazda 30 consecutive months of YTD growth.

Sales of light cars were up 22.6 per cent month on month, luxury cars 20.5 per cent, prestige cars 18 per cent and small cars 4 per cent.

In the light truck division, the pick-up/cab chassis 4x4 segment is up 23.8 per cent, the 4x2 equivalent 9.6 per cent and vans 20.5 per cent.

Take out the negative result with small four-wheel drives and SUVs are still standing strong with the luxury segment up 40 per cent in August through new entrants such as the Porsche Cayenne (63), Volvo XC90 (74) and Volkswagen’s Touareg (26). Large and mid-size SUV sales were also up 13.9 and 13.1 per cent respectively.The previous record for August was 75,845

sales, set in 2000.

VFACTSwrap

with TERRY MARTIN

Not shaping up: Mitsubishi had 2203 Magna Verada sales in August, below expectations for

the radically reshaped model.

Top 10 manufacturers and YTD sales to August:

Volume Share %Toyota 122,344 20.4Holden 116,855 19.5Ford 83,445 13.9Mitsubishi 48,999 8.2Nissan 37,894 6.3Mazda 36,023 6.0Hyundai 20,268 3.4Honda 19,665 3.3Subaru 19,468 3.3Mercedes 12,499 2.1

Sales surge continuesSales surge continues

GoAuto -newse SEPTEMBER 10, 2003 Page 10

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Carsales triumphAUSTRALIA’S leading automotive website, Carsales.com.au Limited, has earned a $1.3 million net profit in the year to June, 2003, following a $983,000 profit in the latest half year.The full year result represents a turna-round of $2.5 million on the previous financial year.The chairman, Wal Pisciotta, said the company had been cash flow positive for 14 months.“Our only debt is current trading accounts and we have over $1 million on deposit,” he said.The CEO, Greg Roebuck, said that vehicle listings on the site had grown by 65 per cent over the previous year to more than 50,000 vehicles for sale.Searches for vehicles by the public has increased by 272 per cent and the number of purchase enquiries had risen by nearly 270 per cent.The company has now set a target of 100,000 vehicles listed for sale.Carsales, which generates most of its revenue by charging dealers for sales leads submitted by the public and from classified private car advertising, more than doubled revenue from $3.3 million to $6.8 million.The company said dealer training pro-grams had resulted in 45 per cent of leads being followed up in less than two hours and that the average conver-sion of leads into sales was now 17 per cent with many dealers “doing substantially better”.Disclosure: Interests associated with John Mellor hold shares in Carsales.

DC DEALER MOVESDAIMLERCHRYSLER Australia/Pacific has appointed Andrew Harlock, 42, to head up a new dealer development department established to oversee the strategic direction of all Mercedes-Benz and Chrysler-Jeep retail outlets in Australia.He will report to president and chief executive, Ernest Lieb.The new department will have three core platforms spanning physicalconstruction, financial performance and customer relations.

HYUNDAI EXECUTIVES HYUNDAI Motor Company has appointed its senior execu-tive vice-president of planning, Park Hwang-Ho, 57, as its new president and co-CEO (with HMC chairman Chung Mong-Koo). He replaces Kim Dong-Jin, who becomes vice-chairman.Other senior management moves at HMC, designed to bolster its export operations, include Ulsan multi-plant boss Jeon Cheon-Soo taking up the new position of president of manu-facturing; executive vice-president of production development, Shin Hyun-Oh, appointed senior executive vice-president of production technology; and Asan plant chief Ahn Joo-Soo appointed senior executive vice-president of the plant.

Zafi ra limited offerWITH Zafira a steady but slow seller – 1096 had been sold for the eight months to 31 August, according to VFACTS – Holden has released a limited edition Equipe version with a claimed $2500 extra value built-in.

Restricted to 300 units, Zafira Equipe adds to the standard speci-fication 15-inch alloy wheels, front foglights, a trip computer, cargo security blind, rear electric windows and metallic paint (normally $240).

The recommended retail price increases $500 to start from $33,190, with automatic transmission remaining an additional $2000.

Toyota tops ChryslerTOYOTA sales in the US in August topped Chrysler for the first time ever.Toyota posted an all-time high 200,482 car and truck sales last month, compared to Chrysler’s 190,388, which was down six per cent compared to the previous year.While Toyota will not pass Chrysler again for a little while – it has virtually run out of stock – US analysts predict that it’s only a matter of time before the swap becomes permanent.“At this rate, they could overtake them in the next couple of years,” said Rebecca Lindland, a senior market analyst with Global Insight.

Hyundai mates with ZFIN its ongoing quest to improve vehiclequality, Hyundai Motor Company has signed acontract with German-based driveline and chassis expert ZF Friedrichshafen AG todevelop a new six-speed automatictransmission for use in Hyundai and Kiafront-wheel drive passenger cars and light commercial vehicles.The transmission is expected to reachproduction in 2007.The deal will also allow HMC and ZF to explore rear-drive applications for thetransmission.

Park Hwang-Ho

GoAuto -newse SEPTEMBER 10, 2003 Page 11

John Mellor's

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LIANA PRICE DROPSUZUKI Australia boss David Le Mottee has made good his promise to bring some life back into his ailing product range, slashing up to $2000 from the retail price of the slow-selling 2002 GS Liana and adding anti-lock brakes to the Grand Vitara four-wheel drive.“Liana is where we’ve suffered – that car just hasn’t performed at what we thought it would,” Mr Le Mottee said.With a Liana update due in the first quarter of 2004, Suzuki has dropped the 2002 GS model’s starting price to $17,990 for both sedan and hatch, and thrown in $500 worth of free fuel via a Caltex StarCash Card. The message? Get them out the door.Grand Vitara pricing holds firm with the ABS addition, starting from $25,990 for thethree-door and $30,990 for the five-door.

TOYOTA SALES UPTHE good news continues in Europe for Toyota where the company has announced it is increas-ing its sales target for 2003 to 800,000 units, two years ahead of schedule, and said it hoped to boost this to 1.2 million vehicles a year by 2010. By contrast, Mercedes-Benz has announced that sales of its luxury models are down two per cent over the first eight months of the year, while Volkswagen brand sales were three to

four per cent lower in August compared with the same month last year.

FPV BIRTHDAYFORD Performance Vehicles celebrated its first anniversary on September 5. In its first 12 months of operation, FPVproduced more than 1000 vehicles, built almost 5000 Boss V8 engines for the FPV models and XR8 Falcon, and helped develop and produce the Ford Falcon XR6 Turbo.

CJA TASSIE MOVESCHRYSLER Jeep Australia has announced the appointment of the Von Bibra Group as the new Chrysler Jeep franchised dealer in Tasmania as of September 1.The Von Bibra Group will operate Von Bibra Chrysler Jeep Burnie, Von Bibra Chrysler Jeep Launceston and Hobart Chrysler Jeep.

The Von Bibra Group will build a stand-alone facility in Hobart for Chrysler Jeep, while all sites will feature the new corporate Chrysler Jeep signage.

HONDA TOPS 50 MILLIONHONDA Motor Corporation produced its 50 millionth vehicle globally in August.Starting automotive production in 1963, Honda’s first production vehicles were the T360mini-truck, T360 and the S500 small sports car.Production volume increased with thesubsequent introduction of N360 (in 1967), Civic (in 1972) and Accord (in 1976), and cumulative worldwide production of automobiles reached 10 million units in 1983.Automobile production in the US began in 1982 and greatly contributed to Honda’s production total, with 20 million vehicles produced by 1990 and 30 million units made by 1995. As production in Asia and other areas expanded, production reached 40 million units in 1999 and 50 million units in August, 2003.

DCX CHINA DEALDAIMLERCHRYSLER has signed a framework agreement with Beijing Automotive Industry Holding Company to make Mercedes-Benz luxury cars and trucks in China.Total investment over several years is likely to amount to one billion euros, Daimler said in a statement.In the first phase, output of Mercedes-Benz cars would be pegged at about 25,000 per year. The broader investment plans includes production of trucks, diesel engines and a variety of other components.

GoAuto -newse SEPTEMBER 10, 2003 Page 12

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