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Page 1: AUSTRALIAS NO1 AUTOOTIE INDUSTRY JOURNAL EDITION 1025 ... · Ohio State University, the system works by baking the car’s interior at 56 degrees Celsius or higher for 15 minutes

AUSTRALIA’S NO.1 AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY JOURNAL EDITION 1025 – JUN 10, 2020

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By ROBBIE WALLIS

AUDI’S first-ever pure-electric vehicle, the E-Tron, has touched down in Australia this week ahead of showroom sales beginning in September – and the German premium brand has revealed it will offer a comprehensive range starting from $137,700 plus on-road costs.

Slotting into the popular medium-size SUV segment, the E-Tron will be offered at launch with six variants across two body styles – wagon and Sportback – and two powertrains, with two limited-run First Edition variants also available.

From the E-Tron 50 wagon at the entry level, Audi’s ground-breaking new model line pushes up to $146,700 plus on-roads for the more powerful and longer-range 55 version and on to $159,600 for the 55-based First Edition wagon.

The athletic-looking Sportback chimes in at $148,700 for the 50, attracts an equivalent $9000 increment for the 55 powertrain (at $157,700) and similarly requires a

further $12,000-plus outlay for the First Edition that tops the range at $169,950.

The special edition will be limited to just 70 examples in Australia across both body styles, while all full-time model grades will be available at launch.

The pricing of the E-Tron pits it squarely against its European rivals, namely the similarly sized Mercedes-Benz EQC400 – available in a single spec only, from $137,900 – and the smaller Jaguar I-Pace, which ranges from $124,100 to $146,000.

Audi Australia expects the 55 to be the most popular powertrain choice in Australia, accounting for about 70 per cent of overall sales, and while the company would not disclose sales targets this week for its all-new zero-emissions contender, the senior management team did confirm it had secured around 100 pre-orders ahead of first deliveries in September.

Continued next page

E spotAudi’s all-important inaugural electric vehicle, the E-Tron SUV, makesits Aussie debut this week ahead of September sales, from $137,700

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Continued from previous page

The more powerful E-Tron 55 is powered by a pair of electric motors, with a 125kW unit mounted to the front axle and a slightly more powerful 140kW motor at the rear.

The car-maker’s signature quattro permanent all-wheel-drive system has been taken to new levels in the E-Tron, with fully variable torque distribution at a level not yet seen on combustion-engined Audis.

Both motors combine to produce 265kW/561Nm, which can be increased to 300kW/664Nm for up to eight seconds through a Boost mode function.

Energy is stored in a floor-mounted 95kWh battery made up of 432 cells and weighing 715kg, which allows for a reported range of up to 400km on the WLTP test cycle.

The sprint from standstill to 100km/h can be mown down in 6.5 seconds, while on the charging side, going from five to 80 per cent charge takes 30 minutes when using a fast-charging station, up to 45 minutes to reach 100 per cent.

Completing a full charge at home using the 11kW onboard charger takes around nine hours.

The charging system in the E-Tron, known as CCS (Combined Charging System) is the same system used by Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Ford and the Volkswagen Group.

The more affordable E-Tron 50 variant is less powerful, relying on a 71kWh battery, a total output of 230kW/540Nm and an estimated driving range of 300km.

The smaller battery allows for a weight saving of 120kg, and can be charged to 80 per cent capacity in 30 minutes on a 120kW fast charger.

A new regenerative braking system will be offered on the E-Tron, which can be adjusted to three different stages of force through the steering- wheel-mounted paddle shifters.

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By CALLUM HUNTER

AUDI AG has used the first of its Audi Tech Talks to detail and explain the charging capacity and capabilities of its looming E-Tron all-electric SUV ahead of its Australian arrival in September.

Specifically referring to the higher-tier 55 variant – as opposed to the more affordable and less powerful 50 variant – Audi says the highlights of the E-Tron’s charging system are its “meaningful” charging speed and the almost flat charging curve.

According to engineers, the E-Tron can be charged from five

per cent to 80 per cent in just 30 minutes when using a fast-charging station and up to 100 per cent when left plugged in for 45 minutes.

Just 10 minutes on a fast charger will result in 110km of range. The secret to this rapid charging is the E-Tron’s ability to be charged with up to 150kW of direct current for longer than other EVs thanks to “elaborate thermal management” of the 95kWh battery pack.

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AUDI DETAILS E-TRON EV’S CHARGING CAPABILITIES

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EDITION 1025 - JUN 10, 2020GoAutoNews

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By ROBBIE WALLIS

RIVAL Australian automotive engineering and manufacturing specialists Walkinshaw Automotive Group (WAG) and Premcar have teamed up to manufacture constant positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines to help in the fight against COVID-19.

The two Melbourne-based companies first announced in March that they would be joining forces to lend a hand in the production of specialist medical equipment, however negotiations were continuing with government agencies on the exact nature of the equipment required.

The partnership has now resulted in a production program for CPAP devices, which are crucial in the treatment of COVID-19.

CPAP machines help deliver constant and steady air pressure to a patient, ensuring the airway does not collapse and greatly improving the patient’s chances of fighting the virus which compromises the respiratory system.

The UCL-Ventura CPAPA machine is being manufactured locally under licence from University College London and Mercedes-AMG, which created the design for the product.

One unique feature of the machine is the addition of a filtered exhaust to the mask, which eliminates the risk of further spreading the disease when used in conjunction with a facemask.

WAG and Premcar said they have the capacity to manufacture, test and distribute up to 1000 CPAP

units per month, for use both now and in the future.

The CPAP machines differ from ‘ventilators’ commonly employed during COVID-19 in that they provide medical assistance at an earlier stage, and have been used extensively in China and Italy to combat the virus while allowing patients to remain conscious and communicative.

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Rivals unite

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By CALLUM HUNTER

THE Ford Motor Company in the United States has turned up the heat in its efforts to stem the spread of COVID-19, fitting its Police Interceptor Utility with a new cabin-heating feature designed to “inactivate” any virus particles in the car.

Developed with the help of the Ohio State University, the system works by baking the car’s interior at 56 degrees Celsius or higher for 15 minutes and is available now on all 2013-19 Police Interceptor Utility vehicles.

When activated, the software

purposely increases the engine temperature and raises the climate control and fan settings to their maximum settings to ensure the entire cabin has an ambient temperature of 56 degrees or above before a subsequent cooldown protocol is activated at the end of the 15 minutes.

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EDITION 1025 - JUN 10, 2020GoAutoNews

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By NEIL DOWLING

THE federal government has established a vital lifeline that links manufacturers and Australian businesses to access personal protective equipment (PPE), cleaning supplies, hand sanitisers and many other goods for business during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The COVID-19 Manufacturer Response Register, developed by the government’s Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre (AMGC), is aimed at a broad range of businesses that includes automotive industries including car dealerships, service centres, parts stores, taxi and ride-share operations including Uber and GoGet, and suppliers and accessory outlets.

The interactive register uses a self-managed platform that introduces manufacturing partners

and customers under an innovative matchmaking program.

It identifies collaboration and market opportunities to allow the supply of protective, medical or critical care equipment in response to the COVID-19 crisis.

AMGC said the crisis has led to a boom in demand for PPE, medical and critical care equipment.

Organisations needing this equipment – including surgical gowns, gloves, goggles, face shields and masks, and hand sanitisers – are encouraged to create a request for products.

Manufacturers involved in the register include Ford Australia making face shields, and a venture with Bosch, Braemac and Marand that has already supplied an initial 3000 ventilators for the federal government.

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Page 5: AUSTRALIAS NO1 AUTOOTIE INDUSTRY JOURNAL EDITION 1025 ... · Ohio State University, the system works by baking the car’s interior at 56 degrees Celsius or higher for 15 minutes

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By TERRY MARTIN

OPTIMISM returning to the automotive marketplace in recent weeks as social restrictions under COVID-19 ease has not yet translated into a meaningful recovery in new-vehicle sales, with the industry recording a steep 35.3 per cent decline last month.

The 59,894 vehicles sold across Australia in May was more than 32,000 less than in the corresponding month last year, and although shallower than the 48.5 per cent plunge experienced in April, the industry was quick to point out that the result still marks the biggest fall in May sales since the tallying of new-vehicle registrations under VFACTS started in 1991.

Federal Chamber of Automotive

Industries (FCAI) chief executive Tony Weber last week pointed again to the fact that the auto sector has been ailing for more than two years – the latest result marking the 26th consecutive month of negative growth for the market – and that the coronavirus pandemic has served to further erode consumer confidence and have a “devastating effect” on the nation.

“While COVID-19 is primarily a health crisis, it has brought about an economic crisis as well,” he said.

“These are difficult times for the global and domestic economy, and this of course has repercussions for the local sales sector, including the automotive industry.

Continued on page 13

‘Green shoots’

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Page 6: AUSTRALIAS NO1 AUTOOTIE INDUSTRY JOURNAL EDITION 1025 ... · Ohio State University, the system works by baking the car’s interior at 56 degrees Celsius or higher for 15 minutes

EDITION 1025 - JUN 10, 2020GoAutoNews

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By CALLUM HUNTER

TOYOTA Australia has revealed the updated version of its HiLux pick-up ahead of its August arrival, with the top-selling ute boasting more power, extra features and fresh styling.

The HiLux is currently Australia’s best-selling vehicle, battling it out for supremacy last year with the Ford Ranger which, up until now, had the upper hand in both power and torque.

That has all changed now with Toyota engineers managing to extract an extra 20kW and 50Nm from the HiLux’s 2.8-litre four-

cylinder turbo-diesel engine – the most popular powerplant in the range – to lift output to a much more competitive 150kW and 500Nm in automatic guise.

By comparison, the Ranger’s 3.2-litre five-cylinder turbo-diesel produces 147kW/470Nm.

As a result of the engine upgrade, HiLux’s maximum braked towing capacity on 4x4 automatic variants has increased to a Ranger-matching 3500kg (up from 3200kg and now on par with the manual), while fuel consumption is said to have been reduced by “up to 11.1 per cent”.

The towing capacity on 4x2 auto diesel variants is also now rated at 2800kg (+300kg).

Engine-wise, the rest of the range remains unchanged with the 2.4-litre turbo-diesel and 2.7-litre four-

cylinder petrol units continuing. Full details are still to be released,

but the new HiLux range will continue as a comprehensive line-up across the various powertrains, drivelines, body styles and model grades, the latter sticking with Workmate, SR, SR5, Rogue and Rugged X.

Under the skin, all models have been treated to suspension tweaks including a revised shock absorber tune, new bushings and improved leaf-spring design to improve ride

comfort, especially when unladen.Toyota Australia vice-president

of sales and marketing Sean Hanley said the HiLux would reach new heights in blending performance, toughness, comfort and quality.

“More than ever, Australia’s favourite ute will inspire go-anywhere confidence for customers who rely on it as a load-carrying and trailer-towing workhorse for doing their jobs,” he said.

“Equally, the latest changes

will advance HiLux’s credentials among customers who demand the handling, ride comfort and convenience of an SUV.”

In a bid to enhance versatility, Toyota has also expanded the hill-descent control system fitted to 4x4 models to also function when in two-wheel drive to increase “grip in muddy or grassy conditions on worksites”.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

HiLux highpoint

Toyota’s top-selling ute set for substantial updateheadlined by higher performance from 2.8 diesel

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Page 7: AUSTRALIAS NO1 AUTOOTIE INDUSTRY JOURNAL EDITION 1025 ... · Ohio State University, the system works by baking the car’s interior at 56 degrees Celsius or higher for 15 minutes

EDITION 1025 - JUN 10, 2020GoAutoNews

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By ROBBIE WALLIS

PORSCHE Cars Australia (PCA) has announced pricing and specification for its first-ever series-production electric vehicle, the Taycan performance sedan, which will arrive in local showrooms in December priced from $191,000 plus on-road costs for the entry-level 4S variant.

The mid-spec Turbo commands an almost $80,000 premium at $269,100, while the flagship Turbo S will start at $339,100, making for a $148,100 price difference between the entry and top model lines.

The pricing ensures all three

variants are now the three most expensive pure-electric vehicles on sale in Australia, trumping Tesla’s Model X Performance which asks $175,269 plus on-roads.

Buyers will nonetheless be well compensated with equipment and performance credentials never seen before on an EV, with the Taycan’s zero-emissions powertrain forming the basis of its impressive athletic abilities.

Even at the bottom rung, the all-wheel-drive 4S – which has a permanently excited synchronous electric motor on the rear axle (alongside a two-speed transmission) and another on the front axle – offers an impressive 390kW of power and 640Nm of torque, allowing for a sprint from standstill to 100km/h in 4.0 seconds on the way to a top

speed of 250km/h.Equipped with a 79.2kWh single-

deck battery, the 4S has a claimed driving range of 365km, which can be expanded to 414km with a twin-deck Performance Battery option that boosts battery size to 93.4kWh while also increasing output to 420kW/650Nm. PCA is yet to confirm the price of this option.

The Turbo uses the bigger battery option with power increased to 500kW/850Nm, which enables

a 0-100km/h sprint in 3.2s when using launch control, while range is pegged at 420km.

Finally, the flagship Turbo S produces a heavy 560kW/1050Nm, allowing a 2.8s 0-100km/h time and driving range of 405km.

From the outside, the 4S is distinguishable by its 20-inch Taycan Sport aero wheels, LED headlights with dynamic indicators and black paint on the lower valance, wing mirrors, rear diffuser

and side skirts.Inside, the 4S is fitted with

two-zone climate control, 14-way comfort seats with front seat heating and ventilation, a heated steering wheel, 16.8-inch curved display with Apple CarPlay and DAB+ digital radio, 14-speaker Bose audio system, partial leather upholstery, black accent package and fabric roof lining.

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Page 8: AUSTRALIAS NO1 AUTOOTIE INDUSTRY JOURNAL EDITION 1025 ... · Ohio State University, the system works by baking the car’s interior at 56 degrees Celsius or higher for 15 minutes

EDITION 1025 - JUN 10, 2020GoAutoNews

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By CALLUM HUNTER

BMW officially unveiled its bigger, bolder all-new 4 Series Coupe in Europe last week, with a three-variant Australian-bound launch range due to touch down in October this year.

Brandishing a radical new design that was previewed by the Concept 4 shown in Frankfurt last year, the second-generation 4 Series is 128mm longer and 27mm wider than its predecessor, with a 41mm-longer wheelbase and subtly wider front and rear tracks (+28mm/+18mm).

The main talking point is clearly the new front end, which replaces the familiar frowning face with an extreme take on the twin-kidney grille and headlights that more closely resemble those of the bigger 5 Series.

The new grille arrangement dominates the front end, spanning

from just under the bonnet line to the subtly integrated front lip with the numberplate mounted across the middle.

In explaining the new styling, BMW said the grille “shines the spotlight on its standalone character and provides significant presence” and that it is a “defining element of the front end”, harking back to the classic 328 of the 1940s and 3.0 CSi from the ’70s.

Tracing further back along the body, the design is more familiar with the same swooping coupe roofline, albeit with a few subtle changes to the body sculpting along the flanks.

The rear is also definitively BMW, appearing to be more of a refinement exercise than total redesign like the front with the biggest difference

being the new slimline LED tail-light arrangement.

Inside, occupants are greeted by a familiar driver-focused cockpit as in the 3 Series, albeit with sports seats as standard and an M leather-clad steering wheel.

In the back, there is seating for two courtesy of model-specific individual-style rear seats with integrated head restraints. A 40/20/40 split-fold arrangement is also provided.

Infotainment duties are taken care of by the BMW Operating System 7.0, the functions of which can all be accessed via the dash-

mounted touchscreen, iDrive controller, multifunction buttons on the steering wheel, voice control or optional BMW gesture control.

BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant is also standard on all models while a built-in SIM card with 4G LTE connectivity and BMW Connected Package Professional cater for BMW TeleServices and Intelligent Emergency Call, real-time traffic information with hazard warning, remote services and concierge services.

Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are both standard across the range, as is the digital cockpit and head-up display.

Three 4 Series variants will initially be offered Down Under: the 420i, 430i and M440i xDrive, the latter serving as the flagship until the inevitable M4 arrives further down the line.

All versions share their powertrains with their respective 3 Series counterparts, those being a 135kW/300Nm 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder in the 420i, a 190kW/400Nm version of the same engine in the 430i and a 285kW/500Nm 3.0-litre turbocharged inline six in the M440i xDrive.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

4 Series redesign

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Page 9: AUSTRALIAS NO1 AUTOOTIE INDUSTRY JOURNAL EDITION 1025 ... · Ohio State University, the system works by baking the car’s interior at 56 degrees Celsius or higher for 15 minutes

EDITION 1025 - JUN 10, 2020GoAutoNews

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By CALLUM HUNTER

LEXUS Australia has announced pricing for its updated LC coupe range, with both the V8-powered LC500 and V6 hybrid LC500h almost $5000 more expensive than before at $194,747 and $195,165 plus on-road costs respectively.

Rather than being a simple case of price inflation, Lexus has treated the LC to “10 dynamic engineering improvements” to make the Japanese luxury brand’s flagship coupe more involving and rewarding to drive.

The 10 changes consist of a reworked transmission tune, extra instrument cowl bracing, new front control arms, altered shock absorber length, stronger front and rear coils with enhanced spring

rates, new stabiliser bars front and rear, lighter rear alloy wheels (21-inch), Yamaha-developed rear performance dampers on the LC500 and active cornering assist.

Lexus says all of the changes have been implemented to make the

LC more responsive, comfortable and capable.

A $15,000 ‘enhancement pack’ is also now available, adding a carbon-fibre roof and scuff plates, active rear wing, sportier interior trim with Alcantara and leather-accented front seats, dynamic rear steering and variable gear-ratio steering, while the LC500h also picks up a Torsen limited-slip differential – already standard on the LC500.

No changes have been made

under the bonnet of either variant, meaning the sonorous 5.0-litre V8 petrol engine in the LC500 continues to pump out 351kW of power and 540Nm of torque at a peaky 4800rpm.

Likewise, the 3.5-litre petrol V6 unit in the LC500h remains paired with a 650-volt ‘Lexus Hybrid Drive’ system and produces a combined 264kW while torque is pegged at 350Nm for the internal combustion engine and 300Nm for the electric motor.

As before, the V8 sends its power to the rear wheels via a 10-speed

automatic transmission as opposed to the continuously variable transmission (CVT) in the hybrid.

The standard equipment list has been given a tweak with the update, adding a heated steering wheel and ‘Easy Access’ sliding front seats designed to make getting in and out easier.

Befitting of an almost $200,000 coupe, the standard equipment list is still very generous and includes a glass roof with interior sunblind, automatic triple-stack LED headlights with cornering function, keyless entry, 10.3-inch multimedia

screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, satellite navigation, voice control, 13-speaker Mark Levinson sound system, heated and cooled 12-way power-adjustable semi-aniline leather-accented front seats, sports pedals, a reversing camera and six drive modes, among other features.

The interior trim itself is now available in four colour schemes with ‘Flare Red’ and ‘Manhattan Henge’ being added to the exiting black and ochre options.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

LC overhaul

Lexus engineers dive into dynamic performancewith comprehensive update to flagship coupe

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EDITION 1025 - JUN 10, 2020GoAutoNews

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By CALLUM HUNTER

AUDI Australia has revealed that its updated hard-charging TT RS flagship sportscar will arrive in showrooms next month priced from $134,900 plus on-road costs.

Missing in action for more than a year, mainly due to homologation issues overseas, the new TT RS charges in with its familiar fire-breathing 2.5-litre five-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine – a powerplant also destined for the imminent RS3 hyper-hatch – that continues to produce 294kW of power and 480Nm of torque.

As with all hot Audis, the engine’s considerable output is put to the road in collaboration with the brand’s quattro permanent all-wheel-drive system, in this case via

a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

As a result, the 0-100km/h dash is dispatched in just 3.7 seconds, more than half a second faster than the (much more expensive) Porsche 718 Cayman GT4.

Despite the ballistic performance, Audi claims the TT RS will sip a modest 8.0 litres of fuel per 100km on the combined cycle – not bad for a highly

strung low-capacity engine.The vehicle rides 10mm lower

than the standard TT on ‘RS sport suspension plus’ and now features magnetic damping as standard.

As we saw when the update was revealed back in February 2019, the facelifted TT RS distinguishes itself from the previous model and

its regular counterparts with larger front air intakes finished in black mesh, flared wheelarches, a fixed rear spoiler, ‘quattro’ lettering along its chin and Matrix LED headlights.

Audi Australia product planning and pricing director Shaun Ticehurst enthused that the TT RS’s “combination of power and soundtrack provides a rare thrill for enthusiasts” and exudes Audi’s rich brand heritage.

“The iconic Audi 2.5-litre five-cylinder turbo is one of the most celebrated engines in motoring,” he said. “Now with even more high-value features as standard, the Audi TT RS has never been more attractive.”

Audi says the new TT RS comes with “over $6500 of additional high-value features compared to its predecessor” with standard equipment on the new model

running to the 12.3-inch Audi Virtual Cockpit with bigger RS tachometer, coloured shift lights, G-force meter and lap timer.

Connectivity features include Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless smartphone charging, MMI navigation plus system with voice control and a 12-speaker Bang and Olufsen sound system.

Standard safety features include six airbags, active lane assist, side assist, parking sensors, a reversing camera and tyre pressure monitoring system.

For the record, the previous TT RS was priced from $137,240 plus on-roads.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

TT RS adds value

Audi details imminent update for top sportscar,still with hot five-pot turbo but adding extra gear

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EDITION 1025 - JUN 10, 2020GoAutoNews

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By NEIL DOWLING

AUSTRALIAN new-vehicle crash testing protocols are about to be drastically increased with the local adoption of the latest European safety regime.

Car-makers must fall in line with a new test – a moving vehicle hitting a moving barrier – to retain or be eligible for a five-star safety rating, with the assessment set to include the use of the world’s most advanced crash-test dummy.

The Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) aligned itself with Euro NCAP testing procedures and protocols in 2018 and will introduce the new testing this month, with the first new vehicle expected to be assessed in the closing weeks of June.

ANCAP director Rhianne Robson said “we are in complete alignment with Euro NCAP, so any step change is a joint approach so our protocols and policies are aligned”.

“We have common protocols between the Australasian market and the European market,” she said.

The new test is a frontal crash test involving a moving deformable barrier and a moving car, replacing the offset-deformable barrier test that Euro NCAP has used for the past 23 years.

Euro NCAP said the new test “not only evaluates the protection of occupants inside the car, but also assesses how the cars’ front-end structures contribute to injuries in the collision partner”.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

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ANCAP follows Europe in adopting tougher vehiclecrash testing protocols, starting from this month

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Continued from page 5

“Of key importance to the industry has been the topic of consumer confidence. The past few months have seen a contraction of household income and consequently household spending. This, combined with the uncertainty of the pandemic outcome, has severely curtailed retail activity.”

As he called for more government assistance, including an extension of the instant asset write-off scheme, Mr Weber said the combined effect of stimulus initiatives already in place and the gradual easing of pandemic-enforced restrictions had brought some optimism into the market.

He also said early starts to end-of-financial-year sales and marketing campaigns among the auto brands had sparked interest among prospective buyers.

“Anecdotally, we may be beginning to see some ‘green shoots’ in the marketplace,” he said.

“With people venturing out a little more, dealers have advised of a slight uptick in floor traffic through dealerships.

“Additionally, we are hearing from some brands that website traffic is on the rise – a sure sign of increased purchasing interest.”

Toyota’s dominance in the marketplace was plain for all to see, limiting its monthly downturn to ‘only’ 23.1 per cent as most other leading brands turned in 30-50 per cent deficits. Its 14,466 sales for the month was well over double that of its nearest competitor, Mazda, and worth a 24.2 per cent share of the overall market, kicked along by four of its models standing among the top five best-sellers.

These were HiLux (first, 3527, -16.1%), RAV4 (third, 2345, -19.6%), LandCruiser (fourth, 2132, -7.3%) and Corolla (fifth, 1626, -34.1%).

Ford’s Ranger was the only punctuation mark, coming in second with 2663 sales (-33.0%) and playing a typically substantial role in the Blue Oval brand’s overall result of 3894 units. The Australian-developed ute soaked up more than 68 per cent of the total as Ford’s sales for the month fell 32.7 per cent, handing it fourth position behind Toyota, Mazda and Hyundai.

Perhaps the most striking results for the month came from those brands that bucked the trend with solid growth, or at least relatively positive returns.

BMW again found itself among the top 10 brands overall, repeating its historic feat achieved in April

with a 10th placing this time around – down from seventh, but no less impressive as the volume brands set about rebuilding their fortunes with huge campaigns in recent weeks.

The Bavarian brand led the premium market with 2013 sales, down just 1.9 per cent on April last year, and ahead of Mercedes-Benz Cars which with 1777 sales was down 32.2 per cent for the month but still held 12th position in the overall market.

Notably, this was more than Holden, which is close to exiting the market and recorded only 1689 sales last month as its remaining stock in dealerships runs dry.

Others to perform well last month included Chinese brands MG and Haval, each continuing their run of solid form with 664 (+14.5%) and 207 sales respectively (+73.9%), and US truck brand Ram, which recorded 333 sales of its locally converted pick-ups (+42.3%).

There was less to admire among the leading brands that, along with Toyota, underpin the market’s performance and are now working overtime during the EOFY runout to recover lost ground.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

Pos Brand Sales % Share

1 Toyota 14,466 24.2

2 Mazda 5661 9.5

3 Hyundai 4109 6.9

4 Ford 3894 6.5

5 Mitsubishi 3010 5.0

6 VW 2781 4.6

7 Kia 2760 4.6

8 Nissan 2216 3.7

9 Subaru 2023 3.4

10 BMW 2013 3.4

Source: VFACTS

Top 10 Brands in May

VFACTS WRAP

Ford Ranger

BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe

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EDITION 1025 - JUN 10, 2020

PAGE 14

GoAutoNewsMarket Insight

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By TERRY MARTIN

THE New Zealand automotive industry will be hoping consumers respond to the lifting of restrictions this week in a bid to boost new-vehicle sales that made a “partial recovery” last month after plunging 90 per cent in April when the country was in full lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Figures released by the NZ Motor Industry Association (MIA) last week show that 8313 new vehicles

were registered in May compared to 12,259 in the corresponding month last year, marking a 32.2 per cent downturn.

Heavy restrictions were in place for the first two weeks of trading last month under the New Zealand government’s Alert Level 3 strategy – one rung down from the full lockdown in place throughout most of April – but switched to Alert Level 2 on May 14 which kept social distancing and hygiene measures in place but removed limits on the number of customers allowed in retail premises, including car showrooms.

This impacted positively on vehicle sales, but MIA chief executive David Crawford said last week that the car industry was still struggling and in need of government assistance to reduce economic loss.

“The month of May reopened for business albeit in a constrained manner. It was a challenging month operating under Alert Level 2 and an economically depressed environment,” he said.

“The MIA shares the views of many that with no new COVID-19 cases for the last 11 days and no

known community spread for at least two months, we should be looking to move to Alert Level 1 sooner rather than later.

“The country is better prepared now to manage the odd case of COVID-19 should it arise. Our

health system has improved significantly in terms of testing capability, contact tracing and hospital intensive care capacity.

“It is time to get our economy moving forward while maintaining our health gains.”

New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern this week switched to Alert Level 1 from midnight on Monday, lifting all restrictions but keeping the borders closed.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

New Zealand looks for positive response frombuyers after car sales down 32 per cent in May

‘Partial recovery’

GoAuto Market Insight brought to you by Op2ma

J F M AA M J J A S O N D J F M A M

2019 2020

-100

-80

-60

% -40

-20

0

20New Zealand market performance since 2019

Source: NZ MIA

Source: NZ MIA

Top 10 Brands in May

NZ SALES WRAP

Pos Brand Sales % Share

1 Toyota 1611 19.4

2 Holden 760 9.1

3 Ford 702 8.4

4 Mitsubishi 636 7.6

5 Mazda 530 6.4

6 Kia 522 6.3

7 Suzuki 511 6.1

8 Hyundai 323 3.9

9 Nissan 274 3.3

10 VW 263 3.2

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EDITION 1025 - JUN 10, 2020

PAGE 15

GoAutoNewsGreen

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By BYRON MATHIOUDAKIS

MERCEDES-BENZ has increased the price of its freshly upgraded C-Class plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) by $3100, to $82,300 plus on-road costs, since the new model was announced for the Australian market last September.

Originally set down at $79,200 plus on-roads, the C300e sedan is now $6400 more expensive than the C350e it replaces, but offsets the rise with nearly double the all-electric range, lower fuel consumption and substantially stronger performance.

The new plug-in C-Class is priced just above its direct rival, the BMW 330e PHEV, which recently pushed up to $81,900, though still manages

to undercut the $86,990 Volvo S60 T8 PHEV.

According to Mercedes-Benz Cars Australia/Pacific head of media relations and public relations, Jerry Stamoulis, increasingly unfavourable exchange rates and higher costs meant the company had little choice but to revise the pricing for not only the C300e, but across the broader C-Class range.

While the C300e is manufactured in South Africa, much of its technology originates in Europe.

“Upward currency pressures meant we had no choice but to raise prices,” Mr Stamoulis told GoAuto. “The Australian dollar does not always move in the right direction.”

As GoAuto reported late last year, the C300e will not follow its C350e predecessor by offering a wagon alternative to match Volvo’s V60 T8 PHEV.

In a move mirrored by many other brands, an SUV – in this case the closely related GLC300e – is stepping in instead.

Launched last year, the mechanically near-identical, German-built GLC300e costs just $1200 more than the C300e sedan, at $83,500 plus on-roads.

“The GLC300e is offered for not much more money than what the C300e wagon would be, so given how much stronger SUV sales are, it makes much more sense to go with that,” Mr Stamoulis said.

“Unfortunately, there are fewer and fewer people who appreciate the merits of a great wagon nowadays. But from a business point of view, the move to an SUV hybrid makes much more sense.”

Mr Stamoulis added that the GLC300e’s larger and taller proportions provide more room for the hybrid technology and batteries, sidestepping the packaging compromise suffered by the electrified C-Class sedan, which at 300 litres for boot capacity loses 155L compared to combustion-engine versions.

In contrast, while the hybrid version of the medium SUV also loses 155L of cargo capacity compared to the regular 550L petrol-powered GLC300

equivalent, it still offers more space and practicality than the sedan.

As previously reported, the new C300e gains a 13.5kWh lithium-ion battery pack with up to 52km of electric-only driving range, compared to the 31km from the preceding C350e’s 6.2kWh pack.

Though powered by a similar 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine producing 155kW of power and 350Nm of torque, driving the rear wheels via a nine-speed automatic transmission, the newcomer is also 0.3 litres per 100km more economical at 2.1L/100km.

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EDITION 1025 - JUN 10, 2020

PAGE 16

GoAutoNewsPersonnel

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By TERRY MARTIN

TOYOTA Australia has announced a senior management reshuffle that sees three members of its leadership team across the national sales, marketing and ‘people and business development’ divisions switch roles.

General manager of sales John Pappas will move to marketing, replacing Wayne Gabriel who moves to the people and business development department led by Jack Hobbs, who in turn now takes responsibility for sales.

All three executives have served for more than two decades with Toyota and have held their current positions since 2017.

Mr Pappas is a qualified mechanical engineer and has worked for Toyota since graduating from Monash University in 1996, starting as a quality control engineer and moving through a variety of positions.

These include: regional general manager for Victoria and Tasmania; corporate manager of national operations and distribution; corporate manager of national logistics and export operations; global supply chain project leader; manager of logistics, aftersales

engineering and export sales and marketing; and aftersales engineering manager.

He also had a two-year stint with Toyota Motor Asia-Pacific in

Singapore from early 2015 to late 2016, working as general manager of S&M area operations and regional fleet.

Mr Gabriel, meanwhile, began

his career with Toyota in November 1997 as media relations manager for subsidiary Daihatsu. In January 2000, he stepped up as national sales and marketing manager for the micro-car

brand, serving in the role until December 2004, a few months prior to the announcement that Daihatsu would be withdrawn from this market.

He subsequently moved through the ranks at Toyota in various senior positions,

including manager of national sales and marketing in the customer services division (parts, accessories and service).

Toyota says that under his watch as chief marketing officer since 2017, Mr Gabriel has “has been instrumental to Toyota’s marketing success in recent times with key highlights including

the launch of Supra, Gazoo Racing and developing Toyota’s ‘brandshift’ project, signalling Toyota’s shift from manufacturer to mobility company”.

His new role in the people and business development division, which was formed in 2017 with Mr Hobbs at the helm, “encompasses human resources, organisational development, and retail, product

and technical knowledge, among other disciplines”.

Like Mr Pappas, Mr Hobbs has a mechanical engineering background, receiving an honours degree from Melbourne University in 1988 and joining Toyota

the following year. Over the past three decades, he has served in a range of positions across manufacturing, quality, organisational capability, and ‘people and culture’ areas of the business.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

By NEIL DOWLING

MARK Kehoe has taken over the reins at Gumtree Australia as the free classifieds business this month joined with CarsGuide and Autotrader under the parenthood of UK-based eBay Group.

Mr Kehoe comes to Gumtree as the service passes seven million visitors a month and during a time when digital sales platforms are booming because of the isolation requirements of COVID-19 and a retraction of physical shopping outlets.

The new managing director said the pandemic had seen a steady growth of e-commerce penetration to 16 per cent of the physical retailing business.

However, in April and after the global onset of COVID-19

and the introduction of personal distancing rules, that penetration hit 27 per cent.

Mr Kehoe sees this as being a major reason for all businesses to embrace digital marketing and particularly for people buying and selling automobiles and auto parts.

“We are seeing people spending more time online, and those who were never online or rarely used the service have no choice but to go online in order to purchase goods,” he said.

“The seller is seeing the same trend. So it’s becoming increasingly important for dealers.”

He said that Gumtree was “a great business” and occupied the “sweet spot” of retailing in Australia.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

NEW MANAGING DIRECTOR FOR GUMTREE

TOYOTA RESHUFFLES LOCAL LEADERSHIP TEAM

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EDITION 1025 - JUN 10, 2020

PAGE 17

GoAutoNewsDiary

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GoAuto New Car Diary brought to you by Autotrader

By CALLUM HUNTER

MITSUBISHI Motors Australia Limited (MMAL) has announced that its reborn Express mid-size delivery van will start from $38,490 plus on-road costs for the GLX short-wheelbase manual.

Officially on sale from July 6, the Express is essentially a rebadged Renault Trafic and at the entry level is powered by a 103kW/340Nm 1.6-litre four-cylinder twin-turbo diesel engine paired to a six-speed manual gearbox.

A bigger 125kW/380Nm 2.0-litre

single-turbo diesel unit is also available, matched exclusively with a six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

The automatic on the GLX SWB adds $4000 compared to the smaller-engined manual, starting at $42,490 plus on-roads, while the long-wheelbase variants follow a similar pricing regime with the GLX LWB manual starting at $40,490 and the auto set at $44,490.

All Express variants undercut their Trafic counterparts by $1000 although the French brand offers three extra variants which bookmark its range, those being the $36,490 Pro SWB, $38,490 Pro LWB and $52,490 Crew Lifestyle LWB.

Both Trafic Pro variants use a single-turbo version of the 1.6-litre

engine, resulting in a lower 85kW/300Nm output.

Standard equipment on all Express variants includes remote central locking, Bluetooth and USB-compatible audio unit, air-conditioning, cruise control, three-seat bench, manual height and lumbar adjustment for the driver’s position, fully adjustable steering column and rubber floor coverings in the cabin.

Left- and right-hand side sliding doors are also included, along with

rear twin glazed barn doors that have 90-degree and 180-degree stops.

Standard safety features include Extended Grip traction control, electronic stability control, rollover mitigation, ABS brakes (with electronic brake-force distribution and brake assist), hill-start assist, rear park assist, driver blind-spot mirror in the passenger sunvisor and five airbags.

Automatic variants also score a reversing camera, dusk-sensing headlights and rain-sensing

windscreen wipers. Cargo space for the SWB is rated at

5.2 cubic metres, rising to 6.0 cubic metres for the LWB. Payload ranges from 1115kg to 1200kg depending on the variant, while maximum braked towing capacity is similarly variable, limited to 1630kg on the 2.0 LWB auto but pushing up to 2000kg on the 1.6 manual variants. The 2.0 SWB slots in between at 1715kg.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

JUNLAUNCH

Audi’s massive new-model rollout continues apace with the A6 Allroad crossover wagon now on sale, priced from $109,500 for the sole 45 TDI grade.

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Page 18: AUSTRALIAS NO1 AUTOOTIE INDUSTRY JOURNAL EDITION 1025 ... · Ohio State University, the system works by baking the car’s interior at 56 degrees Celsius or higher for 15 minutes

THE BUSINESS PAGES OF GOAUTONEWS

EDITION 1025 - JUN 10, 2020 SUBSCRIBE FREE: CLICK HERE ADVERTISE: CLICK HERE

By NEIL DOWLING

A FRAMEWORK to structure a specific franchising code of conduct for car dealers was heading in the right direction but already at least one OEM is trying to write in a clause preventing its franchisees from claiming future compensation.

The brand, unnamed at this stage, was seen as blatantly forcing franchisees to sign away potential future claims at the same time the federal government announced its framework for a code that is designed to protect conflict between dealers and OEMs.

In a second case, a European brand is to introduce an agency dealer system – similar to the one Honda dealers in Australia are now faced with – as part of a global push to have control over the retailing of its products.

Both cases were discussed last week by federal industry minister Karen Andrews and shown as examples why it was vital for the protection of Australian automotive

retailers for any code of conduct to be mandatory and set in legislation.

The advisor to the Australian Automotive Dealer Association and its former CEO, David Blackhall, said that the progress towards a code of conduct was going in the right direction.

“We are encouraged by the minister getting a framework which will become the standard for regulation,” he told GoAutoNews Premium.

“But the chunks include the difficulty of bureaucracy getting a grip on the issue.”

Mr Blackhall said that there were key issues that still needed to be addressed: compensation in the case of the franchise closing; the return on investment; and tenure of the franchise agreement.

“We argue that tenure of one year is simply unworkable,” he said.

“No-one can invest in a business knowing that the franchise may or may not be renewed after one year.

Continued next page

Cox: used car sales are strongBest used-car market for 12 months as May recovery drives firmer prices

Jeep starts ‘mea culpa’ TV campaignFCA Australia comes clean with customers about faults in cars gone by

OEMs poised to beat new code laws

Code looks promising but GM issue shows changes must be mandatory – Blackhall

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Continued from previous page

“McDonalds, for example, has a 20-year franchise agreement so operators can invest and grow the business knowing they have a secure timeframe.

“The AADA also believes that the code of conduct for dealers cannot ever be voluntary.

“Underlining this is the experience of the ACCC recently saying in the media that GM has agreed to negotiate in good faith.

“The franchise code says words along those lines and ‘good faith’ is the baseline of what is required under the franchise code.

“Otherwise offshore OEMs will find ways to not comply.”

Mr Blackhall said he was aware from the minister’s office that a Japanese car-maker has already moved ahead of the minister’s legislation to write compensation out of their dealer agreements.

“It has inserted a clause into its new franchise agreement that categorically

says that if the dealer exits or when the franchise is terminated, there will be no compensation,” he said.

“That brand has moved now as a pre-emptive strike to get its dealers to sign away any right to compensation before the minister has introduced any legislation.

“There is also the example of a European luxury brand that proposes to move to an agency model in 2022.

“There is no choice for the dealers and the brand said it was introducing it to every market except – and this is the real kicker – markets where they run the risk of litigation.

“The minister was aware of this case. The brand doesn’t want litigation and clearly it will not introduce the agency model into the US, because that market has franchising laws that are done state by state and they are very, very protective of dealers.”

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

“No-one can invest in a business knowing that the franchise may or may not be renewed after one year. McDonalds, for example, has a 20-year franchise

agreement so operators can invest and grow the business knowing they have

a secure timeframe.”– AADA advisor, David Blackhall

We are delighted to provide our automotive partners Market Insights that tell a pleasing story, so far, of a recovery in our sector from what was a devastating

impact to our industry with COVID-19.

Analysing data from across our product portfolios, we have created an insights report on market trends that, thankfully, are showing signs of recovery.

I invite you to download the report to access intelligent data and insights from our team of automotive experts.

DOWNLOAD REPORT

MICHAEL SOMMERTONChief Executive OfficerCox Automotive Australia Retail Solutions

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The business pages of GoAutoNews

PAGE 20EDITION 1025 - JUN 10, 2020

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By NEIL DOWLING

THE used-car market is the best it has been for the past 12 months with solid action on dealer websites reflecting strong signs of renewed demand in the Australian market, according to data compiled by Cox Automotive Australia Retail Solutions.

In its latest Market Insight, Cox reports that recovery is being seen in the industry following the outbreak of COVID-19 and, although the effects of the pandemic are still being felt, Australia has appeared to have weathered the crisis much better than most other markets.

The report said there was a decline in sales of used vehicles after the

COVID-19 lockdown and moves to social distancing in late March. But, since the start of May, there has been “a positive turnaround” and “strong upward trends exceeding previous highs”.

“From mid-April, despite long-term uncertainty over COVID-19, the market recovered by the first week in May to normal levels as it did in 2019 post-Easter,” the Market Insight report said.

“We are seeing a continued demand for vehicles pushing the seven, 14 and 30-day rolling averages beyond the usual rebound,” Cox said.

The report gave three possible reasons for the strong trend:• Discounted prices dealers have

offered to reduce growing stock levels.

• Buyers holding back sales since February.

• The availability of cash from early superannuation access under COVID-19 legislation.

The report was compiled by Cox’s business units of Dealer Solutions, online marketing agency Digipurple and Kelley Blue Book valuations.

It showed that the average used vehicle list price in March 2020 was

$26,268. By May, that average price grew to $27,620 which, compared with the May 2019 average of $26,930, was a gain of $690.

The average sale price in May 2020 was $23,639, down on May 2019 at $24,804 (a reduction of $1165) because of the discounting as dealers quit stock. However, the May 2020 figure was up on this year’s months of March ($23,424) and April ($22,545).

Data shows the average

discounting from the active listing to the actual sale price has fallen in May (averaging $3983) from $4424 in April, though well up on the more stable economic environment of May 2019 when the difference was only $1586.

Cox’s report also found there was an increase in unique users visiting dealer websites, in line with the social distancing triggered by COVID-19.

Continued next page

Best used-car market for 12 months as May recovery drives firmer prices

Cox: used car sales are strong

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PAGE 21EDITION 1025 - JUN 10, 2020

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Continued from previous page

“Despite the sharp drop in April compared with March, the recovery in May 2020 has been impressive, reporting a 59.9 per cent increase in unique visitors across the Cox websites compared with April,” the report said.

In April, the study showed unique visitors to websites plunged by 24.7 per cent over the previous month.

The boost to the website visits was reflected in total leads. These were up 35.7 per cent in May after dropping 14.29 per cent in April compared with March.

Advertising performance was another winner, as franchise dealers who continued to invest in digital advertising and promotion lifted the number of website visits and inventory leads above those who did not.

The report showed inventory leads by dealers who continued

advertising was up 34 per cent in May over April, compared with dealers who paused their ads and only had a 20 per cent increase.

Looking at “click to calls” in the period, Cox found a 51 per cent increase for dealers who advertised while those who did not only saw a 21 per cent rise.

Cox also looked at the leads that were followed up within two hours of submission by dealership staff.

“Analysing website chat and form leads from a group of new-car franchise websites, we found that these leads converted to sales on average at 34 per cent,” the report said.

“We believe buyers were more ready to purchase compared with those who were window shopping because car buying pent-up demand was prevalent.”

READ STORY ONLINE: CLICK HERE

May 2019 Mar 2020 Apr 2020 May 2020

Average

List Price $26,930 $26,268 $26,969 $27,620

Average

Delisted Price $24,804 $23,424 $22,545 $23,637

Average Price Change From List to Delist

$1,586 $2,844 $4,424 $3,983

12. INSIGHTS

Used vehicle EGC price The trend of average (excluding government charges EGC) price on active listings and at the time of delisting shows increasing discounting by dealers.

• Average List price is the average price across all used vehicles that were active.

• Average Delisted price is an indicator of the average price at time of delisting a vehicle.

• Average Price change indicates the amount of discounting that has occurred from active listing to delist price.

© 2020 KPMG, an Australian partnership. All rights reserved. 378288416ENT

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Page 22: AUSTRALIAS NO1 AUTOOTIE INDUSTRY JOURNAL EDITION 1025 ... · Ohio State University, the system works by baking the car’s interior at 56 degrees Celsius or higher for 15 minutes

The business pages of GoAutoNews

PAGE 22EDITION 1025 - JUN 10, 2020

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By JOHN MELLOR

JEEP has launched a much anticipated television advertising campaign in which the company acknowledges that it let its customers down by overpromising new buyers to the brand and letting them down by under-delivering on quality and support.

Riding on the back of the “I bought a Jeep” blanket advertising campaign of a decade ago, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) Australia sold 100,000 Jeeps to people mostly new to the brand.

But indifferent quality and flawed aftermarket systems and policies at the OEM, which left dealers completely unable to fix problems in a timely way, saw the brand attract public comments such as: ‘You’ll only ever buy one Jeep’.

FCA Australia is now publicly acknowledging the issue and going back into the market with a new campaign saying that its problems are behind them and that it is safe to go back into the water.

The TVC starts with the familiar scene (using the same actors) from the original campaign where a woman returns from buying a car and tells her surprised partner (Michael) that ‘She bought a Jeep’.

In the latest campaign she turns to the camera and says: “And so did over 100,000 other Australians.

“But for some owning a Jeep wasn’t as enjoyable as driving one which is why Jeep have now committed to cut-price servicing and more dedicated technical specialists. So every driver will be looked after.

What do you think of that, Michael?”To which ‘Michael’ runs out the

new tag line for the brand: “I’m in.”In March this year, the newly-

appointed chief of FCA Australia, Kevin Flynn, told GoAutoNews Premium that Jeep’s failure to keep up with the huge explosion in sales for the brand under the ‘I Bought A Jeep’ advertising campaign in the early part of the last decade had left a massive gap in customer care responses that had wounded the brand dearly.

But he said that the company was putting in place a completely new regime for handling customer complaints including a ‘flying doctor’ in each region with the power to intercede and settle reliability issues the minute the problem is flagged by its call centre or a dealer.

He said in March that when the company was certain it could manage its customer promise it would launch this new TV campaign which would spread to other media as well.

The brand’s woes culminated in Queenslander Ashton Wood who publicly destroyed a $50,000 Jeep online because he could not get satisfaction from FCA Australia to address the issues with his Cherokee.

Mr Flynn said of the new arrangements: “If we sense that there is going to be an issue we have the ‘flying doctors’ in the region and they go straight in.”

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

FCA Australia comes clean with customers about faults in cars gone by

Jeep starts ‘mea culpa’ TV campaign

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The business pages of GoAutoNews

PAGE 23EDITION 1025 - JUN 10, 2020

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By NEIL DOWLING

MCCARROLL’S Automotive Group has mirrored the Japanese spirit of hospitality in the design and execution of a new service and repair centre for Lexus at Roseville in Sydney’s north.

As part of the group’s Lexus of Chatswood franchise, the centre puts customers first in what has been designed as a unique luxury space for clients while technicians attend to their vehicles.

It was created by group managing director Simon McCarroll and his wife Nici and who said they were inspired by the “Intersect By Lexus” luxury brand-experience space in Tokyo.

The McCarrolls said they drew on their first-hand observation in Japan to embrace the Lexus spirit of “omotenashi” – anticipatory hospitality and service that sets a new standard for customer experience.

They said they also incorporated

the Lexus “yet” philosophy to design a centre that, without conflict or compromise, delivered customers’ automotive needs yet invoked the beauty and craftsmanship inherent in the brand’s Japanese heritage.

The result is a service and repair centre that has a carefully styled interior that creates a tranquil place where visitors can experience Lexus through design, quality materials and first-class craftsmanship.

Mr McCarroll said the new centre

has been created to provide an exceptional place that anticipates the requirements of customers for work or relaxation while their vehicles are being serviced.

“We thought deeply about Lexus, the philosophy behind the brand and how we could bring that to life by offering customers a space that, very simply, is somewhere they just want to be,” he said.

Lexus Australia chief executive Scott Thompson said the new

centre perfectly encapsulates the brand’s determination to provide an unparalleled ownership experience – even when customers are not driving their Lexus.

“The Lexus of Chatswood centre reinforces our commitment to anticipating customer needs and offering them a heightened sense of the Lexus ownership experience and the lifestyle it embodies,” he said.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

Japanese spirit of hospitality woven into new McCarroll service centre for Lexus

McCarrolls expands Lexus

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Page 24: AUSTRALIAS NO1 AUTOOTIE INDUSTRY JOURNAL EDITION 1025 ... · Ohio State University, the system works by baking the car’s interior at 56 degrees Celsius or higher for 15 minutes

The business pages of GoAutoNews

PAGE 24EDITION 1025 - JUN 10, 2020

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By NEIL DOWLING

A NEW vehicle market platform has been launched under the eBay umbrella with three “shop windows” that target dealers, private buyers and sellers and features shared editorial content that, combined, attracts close to 40 million visits a month.

Gumtree, CarsGuide and Autotrader are now under the eBay Classifieds Group umbrella after Cox Australia Media Solutions sold out of its involvement in automotive media, in line with its strategy to concentrate on dealer solutions in the US, UK and Australia.

For the new entity, CarsGuide Autotrader Media Solutions (CAMS), it promises more value and a broader audience and has specific benefits to dealers, said

CAMS CEO Shaun Cornelius.“This deal makes sense because

it helps dealers access a single audience through the three parts of Gumtree, CarsGuide and Autotrader which makes almost 40 million visitors a month,” he told GoAutoNews Premium.

“We see this new business as representing an opportunity. At eBay we have constantly been told by dealers that they are looking for a strong cost-effective partner. So by joining forces with Gumtree in Australia, it gives us a step change that really helps us give more value to dealers.

“Our aim is to make it easier for dealers to work with us and access that audience through one service and one account.

“At the moment, our 2500 dealer

partners can choose to work with Gumtree, CarsGuide and Autotrader. In the longer term we plan to deliver one ecosystem so dealers can reach all audiences in all three platforms.

“That is the goal. It will take a while to integrate – it took several months in the UK – but we’re very keen to do that because we see it offers more value to customers.”

Gumtree’s new managing director, Mark Kehoe, said Gumtree “was in a sweet spot”.

“It’s a great business going through change and this acquisition consolidates a fragmented market in Australia,” he told GoAutoNews Premium.

“You probably couldn’t get three better brands to come together and offer the efficiencies and benefits to customers as this.”

Mr Kehoe, who comes to Gumtree after extensive experience in e-commerce including being a founding member of GraysOnline

and head of digital at Virgin Australia, said Gumtree’s reach was “massive” and better than any other car site in Australia.

“Then you add CarsGuide which is the leading content site and then Autotrader that is one of the leaders in the dealer space.

“These provide more choice and better value for the dealers from one business unit,” he said.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

Three ‘shop windows’ to maximise dealer sales potential under the eBay group

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Page 25: AUSTRALIAS NO1 AUTOOTIE INDUSTRY JOURNAL EDITION 1025 ... · Ohio State University, the system works by baking the car’s interior at 56 degrees Celsius or higher for 15 minutes

The business pages of GoAutoNews

PAGE 25EDITION 1025 - JUN 10, 2020

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Fleet of mobile vans commissioned to respond to increased demand to sanitise vehicles

MotorOne launchesdetailing service

By JOHN MELLOR

MOTORONE has extended its reach in the vehicle care and protection market with the launch of 23 Mercedes-Benz vans fitted out for on-the-spot car detailing and sanitising in response to demands from managers of fleets and from car retailers needing to bring their stock up to safe levels of cleanliness for both staff and customers.

The detailing and cleaning service offers three levels ranging from 50

minutes up to two hours and costs between $160 and $255.

There is also a special quick-sanitisation rate based on a $65 call-out fee and $95 an hour for multiple cars with an expectation of four to five cars in an hour.

The initial focus of the service has been to sanitise cars during the pandemic, but the intention is for the service to continue on as a detailing operation for individuals, dealers and fleets.

The vans are fitted out with a compressor, power generator, water tank, steam cleaner, spray washes, vacuum cleaner and various sanitising fluids including MotorOne’s Germinator interior sanitisation ‘bomb’.

The units are completely self-

contained using the on-board generator to produce steam, as well as to drive both compressed-air cleaning and vacuuming. The compressed air is used to clean out hard-to-reach crevasses in-between and under seats.

The CEO of MotorOne, Greg Lewis, told GoAutoNews Premium that MotorOne had accelerated the launch of the service because the company had received “massive enquiry about how MotorOne

can help plus people wanting to understand the various levels of vehicle sanitisation that are available. This all stems from the AutoKlene part of our business”.

He said that the vans will operate mostly on the eastern seaboard and can service vehicles varying from fleets or mini fleets; from one vehicle, up to dozens of vehicles.

“So, if I’m a fleet manager and I have obligations to my staff to provide a safe workplace they

can get their people to bring their company cars in and we can sanitise them all. The vans are totally self-contained, they don’t need any external power and they have their own water tanks,” he said.

“The steam is created from a generator in the vehicle, so it’s independent of land power. We can do it remotely; in car parks or virtually anywhere the customer chooses.”

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

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The business pages of GoAutoNews

PAGE 26EDITION 1025 - JUN 10, 2020

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By JOHN MELLOR

SOME histories of car companies are so rich in detail that readers can almost sense the fabric of the car factory where the cars were made.

But the just-released book of the history of Elfin sports and racing cars goes so far as to include a selection of five of the actual tools used in the Elfin factory to build the cars.

Founded by Garrie Cooper in South Australia in 1959, Elfin went on to become the second largest racing car manufacturer in the world. Formula One world champion James

Hunt had his last competition drive in an Elfin and French F1 driver, Didier Peroni, raced in Elfins as well.

Local drivers included Cooper, Australian F1 driver Vern Schuppan as well as Larry Perkins, John Bowe, Frank Matich, John McCormack, Bob Jane, Allan Grice, Peter Manton and Mark McLaughlin.

Elfin: The Spirit of Speed has been written by motoring writer David Dowsey who interviewed 50 key Elfin people over a period of five years to complete the work. It has been published by Bill Hemming, a one-time Elfin Sports Cars owner who is the founder of the Elfin Heritage Centre which is based in the Melbourne suburb of Moorabbin.

The book comes in a standard edition, of which 1000 are available, the Limited Edition (250 copies) and

the Ultimate Edition. The Standard Edition costs $198 and the Limited Editions cost $450 each.

The Ultimate Edition is 704 pages long, weighs almost 20 kilograms (book and case) and costs $2750. Just five have been produced and all five sold out in less than two days.

The book features incredible production values, with a specially made matching slipcase, heavyweight stock, ribbon bookmark modelled on the famous Elfin-made

magnesium wheel, and contains rare historical photos as well as specially commissioned photographic essays of every Elfin model produced between 1959 and 2012.

The Ultimate Edition is packaged in a wood and aluminium presentation box complete with leather straps and a special presentation plaque cut from Vern Schuppan’s Elfin MR8A-C, which he campaigned in Australia and – in Can-Am specification – in North America.

Housed within their own compartments is a signed and numbered copy of the book – complete with replica chassis plate that can be stamped with the owner’s Elfin chassis number – along with a selection of genuine Elfin Sports Cars body-making tools used by Garrie Cooper and body-maker and designer John Webb from the late 1950s through to the late 1970s.

READ STORY ONLINE: CLICK HERE

Some editions of the history of local sportscar- maker, Elfin, come with a boxed set of tools

Elfin history a hands-on read 100 good reasons to join VACC

Reason #14VACC members gain access to discounts on motor dealer stationery

Page 27: AUSTRALIAS NO1 AUTOOTIE INDUSTRY JOURNAL EDITION 1025 ... · Ohio State University, the system works by baking the car’s interior at 56 degrees Celsius or higher for 15 minutes

The business pages of GoAutoNews

PAGE 27EDITION 1025 - JUN 10, 2020

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By NEIL DOWLING

AUSTRALIA’S biggest automotive retailer has revealed it has secured a $122 million lifeline to help minimise the ravages of sinking dealer profits because of flagging sales and the COVID-19 outbreak.

In an announcement to the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX), AP Eagers Ltd said the funds will be used as working capital and has come from its OEM finance partners.

“AP Eagers has been strongly supported by our key suppliers, in particular our OEM partners, who have offered a range of measures to support the liquidity of our dealerships during this period,” it said.

The funds come as AP Eagers said that it was implementing operational initiatives “and other

cash management strategies” aimed at preserving cash and optimising liquidity.

It said these measures included the deferral of tax payments, pre-emptive inventory management, a review of all marketing and advertising and a freeze on non-essential capital expenditure.

“We are confident these actions have established a liquidity profile that will ensure the company can navigate through the current crisis and is well positioned should the situation worsen,” the statement said.

These moves come after AP Eagers in mid-March reduced its employee level by 1200 people which cut employee costs by about $6 million a month.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

Australia’s biggest car retailer slims down, takes on additional working capital

Eagers gets $122m cash support

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