The European Investment Bank (EIB) has granted Renault a 400 million euro ($544 million) loan to aid research and development of its next generation of affordable, environmentally friendly vehicles. Announced at the Renault Group�??s Boulogne-Billancourt head office in France, the loan will fund a major technological and environmental project through which resources will be
The Chrysler 300 SRT8 Core is a contender for best-value-for-money performance car in Australia. For $56,000 you get a rear-wheel-drive American muscle car with a 6.4-litre Hemi V8 that pumps out a staggering 347kW of power and 631Nm of torque. At least as a power-per-dollar barometer, that is unmatchable. Chrysler has stripped out its flagship 300 SRT8 by removing some luxury items and advanced
The Toyota HiLux could this year become the first ute to claim the title of Australia�??s best-selling vehicle.� It�??s famously and successfully marketed as �??unbreakable�??, but while that could also be applied to its stranglehold on its segment, this is a boom time for all utilities. They account for an eighth of Australia�??s new car market, and are growing. In 2009 utes were the second
Opel says it will continue to look for new markets outside Europe to sell its vehicles despite shutting down its Australian operations less than a year after opening its doors. An Opel spokesman told Automotive News the company was committed to �??looking into new markets wherever it makes business sense for us�?�, denying that its failure in Australia would make it think twice about
The Lotus Exige S Roadster has been released in the UK, becoming the British brand�??s fastest ever convertible. A drop-top version of the current Lotus Exige S, the Lotus Exige S Roadster joins the lightweight sports car�??s line-up alongside the track focused Exige Cup and Exige Cup R. Powered by the same 257.5kW/400Nm supercharged 3.5-litre V6 powerplant and six-speed manual
The last ever Ford Falcon has been teased a year ahead of its arrival in local showrooms. Ford Australia revealed little of the new car�??s shape �?" showing only parts of the vehicle including a muscular-looking front end, a stylish set of alloy wheels and exhaust pipes shrouded in an angular housing. Ford Australia previewed the 2014 Ford Falcon ironically at an event designed to
Two-time MotoGP World Champion Casey Stoner will don the riding leathers and put a leg over a Honda MotoGP bike later this year for the first time since retiring at the end of the 2012 season. Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) confirmed Stoner�??s comeback to the sport in a test rider capacity, announcing the ex-Honda and Ducati rider will work with Honda Racing�??s R&D team in
The Ford S-Max concept has been revealed ahead of its formal unveiling at next month�??s Frankfurt motor show. The concept previews the replacement for Ford�??s current S-Max seven-seater, a seven-year-old model that has been highly successful in European markets. The S-Max concept �?" a �??sport activity vehicle�?? in Ford-speak �?" applies the car maker�??s latest design themes to a
A prototype of what is believed to be the� as-yet-unconfirmed Jaguar F-Type R-S coupe has been spied lapping Germany�??s Nurburgring. Snapped by CarAdvice�??s spy photographers on track and on the roads around the famous circuit, the F-TypeR-S� coupe test car is clearly kitted out with a monster brake package comprising yellow calipers stamped �??Jaguar Carbon Ceramic�??. Our trackside
BMW is recalling more than 1100 diesel-powered cars in Australia due to an electrical fault that could lead to a vehicle fire. An expansion of a recall campaign announced in 2011 that originally affecting 2000 vehicles, the new recall sees the total number of affected vehicles rise to 3143. The recalled cars, built between August 1, 2009 and November 30, 2009, comprise 555 E87 1
BMW believes the increasing number of affordable compact luxury cars has the potential to double sales in Australia�??s premium car segment. The German car maker�??s local boss, Phil Horton, says the premium market is already growing more rapidly than the overall market �?" up 14 per cent year to date compared with three per cent for all passenger cars and SUVs. Horton says luxury
Tata Motors has embarked on an ambitious strategy that will see its next generation of passenger vehicles elevate the brand from an Indian market niche to a serious player on the global automotive stage. Tata Motors managing director Karl Slym says the global expansion is part of the company�??s recently launched �??Horizon Next�?? program, which will replace Tata�??s ageing, domestic-focused
The new Australian distributor of Indian automotive powerhouse Tata Motors says it�??s here for the long haul and will not waver in its commitment to the market despite modest early sales projections. Fusion Automotive managing director Darren Bowler told CarAdvice he has signed a five-year deal for the distribution rights of Tata vehicles in Australia, and said both parties were planning for
In the pressure cooker that is a race track the Jaguar XFR-S feels like a scalded cat. While the standard XFR remains largely placid in nature, in line with the regular XF range, the Jaguar XFR-S feels a fair bit more feral. It gets more power and torque, wider tyres, harder suspension, faster steering and a more relaxed stability control calibration, to name a few of the changes. Priced at $
Land Rover has announced it will unveil both a Range Rover Hybrid and Range Rover Sport Hybrid at the Frankfurt motor show next month. Combining a 35kW electric motor with the 215kW/600Nm 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 diesel currently available in both models, the Range Rover Sport Hybrid and Range Rover Hybrid both develop a combined 250kW of power at 4000rpm and 700Nm of torque between
The production version of the limited edition Japan-only� Subaru BRZ tS has been� revealed by the company�??s performance arm, Subaru Tecnica International� (STI). First seen earlier this month� in concept form, the Subaru BRZ tS sports several upgrades over the regular BRZ, although none affect the base car�??s 147kW/205Nm 2.0-litre non-turbo boxer four-cylinder engine. Instead, Subaru
Hyundai Australia has bolstered its performance car range with the launch of the Hyundai i30 SR hatchback. First previewed in concept form at the 2012 Sydney motor show, the new Hyundai i30 SR is priced from $27,990 plus on-road costs and comes equipped with a 2.0-litre naturally aspirated direct-injection petrol engine. The engine is borrowed from the i40 range and produces 129kW and 209Nm
The Proton Suprima S has been unveiled at an event in its home country of Malaysia, revealing a sporty hatch set to arrive locally in November. Based on the five-door Preve GXR that�??s due here in October, the Proton� Suprima S is powered by a 103kW/205Nm turbocharged 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine. Tied to either a five-speed manual gearbox or a� �??seven-speed�?? continuously variable
Ford is claiming to be the first car maker to employ autonomous vehicles to assist with its durability testing. Developed by Ford engineers along with Utah-based Autonomous Solutions Inc., the autonomous vehicles employ robotic technology to drive cars during accelerated high-impact on- and off-road durability tests. In use now at Ford�??s Michigan proving grounds, the robotically
Audi drivers are the most likely to cheat on their partners, a survey by the UK�??s leading married dating website has found. The survey, conducted by Illicit Encounters, found Audi was the most commonly purchased car brand by members of the website, which disturbingly claims to help married people find their perfect match. Almost one quarter of participants in the survey,�
A New South Wales Government program aimed at installing flashing lights in school zones of 1263 schools has been expanded after a funding boost of $13 million dollars was announced. NSW Premier Barry O�??Farrell, Treasurer Mike Baird and Roads Minister Duncan Gay today announced a funding increase for the School Zone Flashing Lights program from $19.5 million to $32.5 million, with 1500
An Infiniti Q30 concept will be shown at September�??s 2013 Frankfurt motor show to preview the new compact crossover model coming in 2015 from Nissan�??s luxury arm. Infiniti has released a sketch of the Q30 concept in the lead-up to the big European show, building anticipation for what will be a crucial vehicle for the brand in terms of sales. The Infiniti Q30 production car is
The supercharged HSV GTS project almost became stillborn when parent company Holden raised concerns over the engineering and manufacturing viability of the project. HSV engineering manager Graeme Dusting cited that Holden engineers �?" many of whom worked on the Camaro project that uses the same �??LSA�?? 6.2-litre supercharged V8 �?" were concerned that cooling the powerful engine and its
The Nurburgring-blitzing Ford 1.0-litre EcoBoost-powered open-wheel racer will be on hand in Australia at the local manufacturer�??s Go Further event tomorrow. Recording the 11th-fastest lap around Germany�??s 20.8km Nurburgring Nordschleife circuit �?" a Pagani Zonda- and Ferrari Enzo-bettering 7min22sec �?" the street-legal (in some markets) 151kW 1.0-litre three-cylinder Formula
Kia Australia has confirmed the all-new turbocharged Kia Cerato Koup will go on sale in Australia in a few months, marking the first performance orientated model in the company�??s local lineup. Speaking at the launch of the new Kia Cerato hatch, Kia Australia�?? chief operating officer, Tony Barlow, said the Koup will be the beginning of a new phase for Kia in Australia. �??[The Kia Koup turbo
The Kia Cerato hatch has launched in Australia from a starting price of $19,990 drive-away, matching that of its recently launched sedan. The three-grade Kia Cerato range will stretch from $19,990 for the base model S with a manual transmission to $29,990 for the range topping SLI automatic. Kia Australia says the Cerato hatch will represent 70 percent of Cerato�??s sales volume, with the
The first-generation Kia Soul will soon make way for the all-new model that arrives early next year. But until that happens, it�??s worth having another look at this funky little Korean. When the Kia Soul came out in 2009, the market was going through a phase where boxy cars were the buzz. The likes of the Soul and Toyota Rukus attempted to leverage that demand but overtime the hype fizzled
The Ford Everest concept has been revealed to preview Ford�??s new seven-seater SUV that�??s related on the Ranger ute and expected to go on sale in 2015. The Everest boasts an uncanny resemblance from some angles to the Ford Territory SUV that will disappear in late 2016 along with the Falcon large car when Ford ceases local manufacturing. Ford Australia designed and developed the Everest
The all-new Audi S3 Sportback will arrive in local showrooms in December priced from $59,900, more than $11K cheaper than the model it replaces. The new pricing sees the third-generation� Audi S3� undercut its key premium hot-hatch rivals, the� $64,900� 235kW/450Nm BMW M135i� and the� $74,900� 265kW/450Nm Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG, the latter due to launch locally in September. Powered by the
Marking a return to the hot-hatch genre for the brand in this country, the Peugeot 208 GTi has arrived priced from $29,990. Available in 1160kg three-door form only, with a single drivetrain option �?" a 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder producing 147kW and 275Nm, linked to a six-speed manual �?" the 208 GTi will compete against the forthcoming Ford Fiesta ST and Renault Sport Clio 200, in
Toyota Australia has announced a $123 million investment in its Victorian manufacturing operations, shoring up its presence on the local automotive scene until at least 2018. The funding will support the production of a �??major facelift vehicle�?� �?" the updated Toyota Camry �?" from 2015, and the expansion of its supplier development program over the next five years. The Federal Government
The Honda Civic has taken the top two spots in the latest round of the US Insurance Institute for Highway Safety�??s (IIHS) small overlap front crash tests involving small cars. Covering 12 of the North American market�??s best-selling small cars, the crash tests resulted in half earning a �??good�?? or �??acceptable�?? rating, qualifying them for the IIHS Top Safety Pick+ award. The highest
The Audi A3 1.6 TDI ultra has been unveiled, linked with the title of Audi�??s most fuel-efficient production model. A variant of the all-new A3 that first debuted at the 2012 Geneva motor show, the 81kW Audi A3 1.6 TDI ultra claims combined cycle diesel consumption of 3.2 litres per 100 kilometres and CO2 emissions of 85 grams per kilometre. Those numbers not only better the
The most capable factory-produced Wrangler ever �?" the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 10th Anniversary Edition �?" has arrived in Australia. Fiat Chrysler Australia has secured 30 of the limited edition Wrangler Rubicon 10th Anniversary vehicles for our market �?" 12 two-door models and 18 four-doors �?" commemorating a decade of Wrangler Rubicon production. The Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 10th Anniversary
Ford Australia will cut vehicle production in the lead-up to September�??s federal election following record-low sales, which the company has blamed primarily on the government�??s proposed fringe benefits tax (FBT) rule changes. The Ford Falcon plummeted to its worst monthly sales result in the nameplate�??s 53-year history in July, with the Broadmeadows-based manufacturer delivering just 594
The Audi e-tron family is set to expand with the Audi Q7 next to utilise electric motor technology. Speaking at the launch of the brand�??s first local advertising campaign tagged �??land of quattro�??, Audi Australia managing director Andrew Doyle confirmed that a Q7 e-tron model will be shown before the six-year-old current generation is replaced in late 2015. Audi has previously shown the
A local Nissan Pulsar television commercial has been banned twice in two months by the Advertising Standards Bureau (ASB) for depicting unsafe driving. Spruiking the new Nissan Pulsar SSS, the ad shows a man driving through the streets as his seemingly pregnant wife is in the passenger seat appearing to be in labor. When the couple arrives at a hospital, the man looks at his watch and
CarAdvice Magazine has pushed towards 25,000 active users, and the August issue, available to download now, is jammed with even more features, videos and reviews. In this issue we�??ve comprehensively tested 25 of the latest new cars across three separate comparison tests and nine single-car reviews, ranging from popular hatchbacks to small sedans to premium mediums to dual-cab utilities and
Holden�??s German sister brand Opel is exiting the Australian market after less than a year, saying it couldn�??t make a profitable business case going forward. Opel Australia confirmed the news to CarAdvice after a source revealed the brand was planning to cease sales operations in the country. The company has since made the news official, saying it has commenced plans to wind down its
Tata Motors�?? new importer has no interest in selling the cheapest cars on the market and is instead focusing on establishing a strong dealer network offering safe and reliable vehicles. Managing director of Tata�??s Australian distributor Fusion Automotive, Darren Bowler, told CarAdvice while the company�??s Indian-made vehicles would be well priced, it had no intention of engaging in a