Mercedes GLB: Compact family mover raises stakes

Get set to enjoy the surprising star qualities of Benz’s smallest sports utility.

GLB 250 and AMG-tweaked GLB 35 (right) will likely achieve the bulk of volume.

PLAYING for a full house is the game plan for Mercedes’ first baby sports utility.

 In revealing pricing and specification details for the GLB, which rides on new large iteration of the A-Class architecture, Mercedes Benz New Zealand has also revealed it only has eyes for the full-blown edition configured for family use, rather than an alternate derivative that presents as an extra-sized hatchback.

 Going just for the line-up in its 200 front-drive and 250 and AMG 35 four-wheel-drive full chair count presentations is a different tack than that adopted in Europe, where the five-seater is more on the front foot. 

The strategy conceivably doesn’t discount the car still being seen as a rival for the BMW X1 and Audi Q3, but certainly allows it to square up as an elite-end alternate to the only like-sized German model in this space, the Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace.

Mercedes’ local arm doubts it will be any poorer ignoring the five-seaters, pointing – quite reasonably – that this configuration is still availed the seven-chair edition; it’s just a matter of folding down the rearmost seats. 

This doesn’t mean the five-chair car couldn’t be sourced, as it does build in right-hand-drive. Just don’t expect to be able to order it through official channels. It’s simply not an option. “The car comes standard with seven seats in New Zealand,” a spokesman affirmed today.

The decision is based on a logic of keeping things simple, although it also identifies that additional flexibility and functionality will tune all the more nicely into the emergent Kiwi love for compact SUVs.

GLB 250 has 4MATIC

In respect to ensuring it is ticking all the boxes, MBNZ has also … well, ticked all the boxes. The suite of technology, safety and comfort inclusions and equipment specifications for NZ achieves beyond some other countries’ standard provisions.

You won’t have long to make up your own minds. A first shipment provisioning the $78,900 GLB 200 entry car and $92,200 mid-range GLB 250 4MATIC will unpack in several weeks. The flagship AMG-reworked GLB 35 4 MATIC, a $104,900 ask, comes later in the year, exact timing yet to be determined. All GLBs take the shortest sailing time yet for a Mercedes’ car, being sourced from a new factory in Aguascalientes, Mexico.

That launch timing is exactly to the plan unfurled last year during the car’s international release, when MBNZ managing director Lance Bennett expressed his optimism about why GLB will resonate, notably through it being in the right price band for families for whom this might well be their first new Mercedes.

“With the GLB we now have the ability to transport an entire family’s worth of activity and adventure from a much lower starting price than before,” he said then. “We expect this … will see us attract entirely new customers where we have not had a suitable vehicle in the past.” 

Notwithstanding that these thoughts were expressed before the world had even heard of coronavirus, let alone felt its impact on new car sales, the comment likely will remain relevant. A first drive last year in Spain imprinted hugely favourable impression of its qualities.

AMG engine is a sweet fit for this family-minded model.

The packaging is right up there. This is the smallest SUV Benz has ever tackled, yet it doesn’t feel that way. Even though it is not, by any stretch, a large car in overall dimension, and regardless that the handsome Benz styling suggests it as a big hatch, GLB is at heart a box full of chairs in which every centimetre of interior space is put to excellent use.

So clever is the employment of the additional room resulting from being on a wheelbase that’s 100mm longer than the other related models within the ‘compact portfolio’ - the A-Class hatch and sedan, B-Class, CLA and GLA – allows it a decent chance of being seen as a tangible alternate for anyone who now cannot stretch to a GLE (in which five chairs are standard and seven an option) due to need to reduce their spending.

Front headroom is a claimed best in class at 1035mm with an “especially comfortable” 967mm of legroom in the second row. True, it’s tight right at the back, but even with Benz’s admission that it only offers comfortable seating for those under 1.68m tall, that third row zone is hardly for emergency use only, not least because the second row is able to be slid forward by up to 140mm.

What does imprint more is that, wen running full occupancy, the luggage space remaining is miniscule. Stowing the back pair (neatly, into the boot) and it’s much more convenient, of course, as then there’s a loading space of 560 litres, expanding to 1755 litres when the second and third rows are stowed.

The force-fed 225kW/400Nm 2.0-litre unit ensures the AMG is considerably quicker than the other GLBs.

A lot of clever thinking (and using that VW for benchmarking) delivers decent head and legroom, excellent outward visibility and good stowage solutions, but one thought from the launch was that, before letting the kids in, you’d do well to pre-check for sticky little fingers. This is a premium car, flashiness extending beyond the fully digital dash with the MBUX interface (and occasionally over-eager ‘Hi Mercedes’ prompt). Touch surfaces use high-quality materials, buttons and knobs have a satisfying tactility and reassuring clicks and it’s beautifully trimmed, with cushy seats.

The NZ-market spec plays to that. Base trim includes the now familiar side-by-side 10.25-inch digital screens, keyless go, electric tailgate, Artico upholstered Comfort seats, adaptive cruise control, smartphone mirroring, wireless charging, advanced satellite navigation, illuminated door sills, leather multi-function steering wheel, reversing camera, Comfort suspension, rain-sensing wipers, 19-inch alloy wheels and aluminium roof rails. 

Standard safety gear includes nine airbags, active parking assist with Parktronic, adaptive high beam assist, blind spot assist, traffic sign assist, active lane keep assist and active brake assist with semi-autonomous braking.

The car’s other big flavour hit arrives with the driving. Family buses are generally not exactly highly-regarded for any kind of ‘fun-to-drive’ factor, and you wouldn’t think Benz would be the first brand to come to mind as a rule-breaker. But, truly, it was a surprise; that AMG car, especially, doesn’t let do anything to tarnish that sub-brand’s pedigree but, in truth, the non-performance-tuned editions are quite playful, too.

The steering feel is good, the car’s track neatly and though the 4MATIC’s enhanced traction is obvious, the front-driver has good grip. The dynamics are interesting, in a good way. Even the pliancy resultant from the extended wheelbase and tuning with mind to having to cope with optimal loadings are pluses for the ride-handling balance. Yes, there’s a touch of lean, but on the other hand it shouldn’t surprise if these turn out to be more comfortable and quiet on NZ coarse chip than other products on this base. In Spain we drove every model in both chair counts and found any thought about the seven-seater being less involving than the five, merely through the weight difference, was pretty much undone.

The fastest small car on the school run?

The GLB200’s turbocharged 1.3-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, with 120kW and 250Nm, sent via a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission delivers nifty delivery, but it’ll be easier to find excuse to seek an upgrade to the 250’s significantly more grunty (165kW/350Nm) 2.0-litre turbo. In addition to all-wheel-drive, it also adopts an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission. 

The mid-grade edition also adds more kit, including a panoramic sunroof, powered and heated front seats with memory function, adjustable damping, sports steering and five-spoke 19-inch alloy wheels.

Also included as standard is an ‘off-road engineering pack’ comprised of speed-adjustable hill descent control and an extra driving mode specifically tailored for light off-road use. We found it useful on a rain-drenched and reasonably rutted dirt track but the fact that Mercedes closed off a dedicated off-road driving circuit simply because of the precipitation perhaps is reminder that this car is better considered a crossover at best.  

What of the AMG; could it be called a hot hatch? On first encounter the more hunkered and honed flagship was an eyebrow raiser. Even though hot-rodding SUVs has become an AMG speciality and even if GLB is more expected to get people to race circuits than on them, with 0-100kmh in an exhaust barking 5.2 seconds and 250kmh top speed, it surely places at least the Audi SQ3 and BMW’s X2 M35i on notice.

The same force-fed 2.0-litre unit employed in the other compact ‘35’ variants generates 225kW and 400Nm, so it’s considerably quicker than the other GLBs. It also evidences higher lateral limits. Only when pushed really hard did it find understeer on the first trial, but impression on that day from burling it through some exquisite hairpins was that the high traction and surety exceeds what you expect from a family chariot. A true driver’s treat? Well, put it this way … if the kids (or family pooch) are coming, pack sick bags. 

The NZ-market treatment includes AMG Night Package exterior trim features and unique 20-inch alloy wheels, the full-barp exhaust system, high-performance brakes, speed sensitive steering and AMG Ride Control sports suspension.

Inside the performance theme runs to a Nappa leather-wrapped performance steering wheel, Lugano leather sports seats, Energising Comfort Control, brushed stainless AMG pedals and carbon interior trim.

Next Santa Fe fronts up

Hyundai has provided a first look at the next generation of its crucial sports utility.

the ‘luxury’ grille

GRADUAL unveiling of the next Hyundai Sante Fe has begun, with Seoul sending out shadowy preview images revealing the new car’s front.

There are two images, the reason being to demonstrate that the flagship car will have a slightly different gloss black grille to that meted the regular editions.

Either way, the new face is quite different to what we see now.

And those grilles are a significant departure from the 'waterfall' design that has evolved over the past decade across the Hyundai family.

In its new form, the Hyundai grille frame extends across the face of the new Santa Fe, tapering at each end to merge with the driving light housings.

Also new is the 2021 Santa Fe's daytime running light (DRL) signature, described as a ‘T’ shape.

the standard grill

The new lighting signature is described as reflecting "Hyundai's new integrated vehicle architecture". Is that a suggestion that what the SUV presents first will migrate into other Hyundai’s? 

No other angles have been revealed at this time, although Hyundai says we can expect “interior design updates providing premium amenities and comfort.” 

Also unclear are details on the new-look Santa Fe's mechanical package, though it could be that Hyundai also moves to adopt a hybrid set-up that is going into the Santa Fe’s sister ship, the new Kia Sorento.

The latter is taking a 1.6-litre petrol with battery assist – in ultimate form this being a 44.2kW electric motor and a 1.49kWh lithium ion polymer battery, for a total output of 169kW and 350Nm.

The new powertrain is presented under a new mantle, ‘Smartstream’, that also applies to the purely fossil fuel-reliant engines also going into the vehicle.

With the latter the choice with Kia is a new 206kW/421Nm 2.5-litre petrol and a refined version of the outgoing cars’ 2.2 turbodiesel, making 148kW and 440Nm. These marry to an eight-speed wet double-clutch automatic.

Kia NZ has yet to signal a firm local launch date for the Sorento, save for an indication some months ago that it might be here by the third quarter of this year. However, that timeframe was given pre-coronavirus; like so many others, Hyundai and its subsidiary have had to close down its assembly lines. 

Regardless of that, there is emergent possibility that the Sorento will beat the Santa Fe to market.

Both models stand on a new-generation midsize SUV platform and the Santa Fe is sure to align with Sorento in implementing a range of high-tech safety and convenience features.

Prime among these are a multi-collision brake system that mitigates the severity of secondary collisions. It automatically applies vehicle brakes when the airbags have been deployed after an initial collision, further protecting occupants from secondary frontal or side impacts. 

Kia’s new rig also has a remote smartphone Surround View Monitor. This allows users to check the vehicle’s surroundings with their smartphone in conjunction with the in-vehicle Surround View Monitor to maximise parking convenience.

Last year Kia registered 462 Sorentos in NZ while Hyundai NZ found homes for 1477 Santa Fes.

the current model santa fe

Buying a car preferred to riding a bus

Used car sellers are reporting intriguing customer feedback.

driving seems preferable to riding a bus … or a train

COVID-19 concern is driving Kiwis into buying cars in preference to using public transport.

So claims a company providing shipping and transport logistics for at least one third of ex-Japan used vehicles.

Autohub New Zealand Ltd chief executive Frank Willett says anecdotal feedback from numerous used car dealers is that Covid-19 has created a client who prefers to own a vehicle rather than take a bus

“No-one’s quite sure whether it is fear or paranoia that is causing this, and whether it will continue – but it’s happening,” he says.

“And the trend looks to being confirmed by the public transport operators themselves, who are reporting low patronage right now,” says Willett, who also wonders if current low price of petrol is also contributing to this buying trend.

frank willett

The interest upswing is encouraging news for the country’s used vehicle dealers who – like their new vehicle counterparts – have been hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown.

Under normal circumstances up to 13,000 used cars are imported from Japan each month, their registrations roughly on par with the number of new vehicles that are registered here. Last year, for example, 154,863 new and 151,871 used vehicles were registered in New Zealand.

But then Covid-19 struck and New Zealand went into Level 4 lockdown, which has resulted in registrations of both new and used vehicles fall by more than three-quarters year-to -date to the end of April.

Adding to the crisis for the used car importers was the fact that many of them imported more vehicles than usual prior to a March 1 introduction of tougher government regulations that required all used imports to have electronic stability control.

Willett estimates that the number of used import orders prior to the March 1 deadline swelled by as much as 20 percent.

“There’s quite a bit of momentum involved in the used import business,” he says.

 “The vehicles get purchased in Japan, then they go to export yards, then to shipside for loading, then they’re on the water to New Zealand.  There’s about four to six weeks of momentum in this supply chain.

“When Covid-19 hit and we went into lockdown, we might have been able to turn the proverbial tap off here, but Japan didn’t. As a result, the supply chain continued to function.”

This in turn created problems with vehicle stockpiling and storage in New Zealand, because while ports were considered essential businesses and were able to unload the imported vehicles, the transport of the vehicles wasn’t. So they couldn’t be delivered to the end user.

This has eased since the country went to Level Two on May 13, but there are still a lot of vehicles still in storage, says Willett.

“At one stage our company alone had 2500 in storage. I’d estimate that the current total would be as many as 20,000 – that’s way in excess of normal.”

With Level Two the trade is back in business and seems to be working through pent-up demand.

“Our feedback has been that a lot of customers were happy to wait out the lockdown – but that as soon as they could go to a used car yard, they would.”

Even so, the used import industry is expecting the market to be subdued for most of the remainder of the year, says Willett. Contributing to it all will be market uncertainties that are normally associated with the lead-up to any general election.

Meanwhile, a foreign exchange specialist says the fluctuating value of the New Zealand Dollar against the volatile Japanese Yen has been causing financial headaches for businesses in the automotive sector.

Matt Spehr of Western Union Business Solutions says the Yen was already the most volatile of the major currencies for New Zealand importers before Covid-19 hit.

“Over the past 10 years it has moved 10 percent up or down on average every three months,” he says.

“However, the first quarter of 2020 has doubled that average, moving an incredible 20 percent from around 73 Yen for one New Zealand Dollar in January to below 60 JPY to 1 NZD at the end of the March. This has had a significant financial impact for most of our country’s car importers.”

Spehr says many car importers and dealers will try to reduce this impact to their profit margins by using forward contracts to lock in exchange rates for a few months in advance. This gives a business certainty about how many Yen it will get for the Dollar.

Manley’s record run keeps rolling on

Covid-19 is preventing a leading New Zealand motor industry executive from retiring.

manley took over when the nz vehicle assembly industry was in a state of flux. closing the line at wiri was an early job.

HE’S the world’s longest-serving Nissan managing director and wants to retire – but the Covid-19 pandemic is preventing it.

John Manley runs Nissan New Zealand. He was supposed to retire at the end of April after 39 years working for the Japanese brand – 20 of them in his present position.

The plan was for his role to be taken over by Ben Hamilton, on transfer to New Zealand from Nissan Australia. But then the pandemic hit, and both New Zealand and Australia went into lockdown – which meant the Australian couldn’t get across the ditch to take up his new job.

Not that it mattered – because Manley couldn’t do what he planned to do anyway.

“We were supposed to head off on a trip to Canada,” he explains.

“But then in what seemed the blink of an eye I was unable to retire, my wife Helen was made redundant as a flight attendant, our daughter was also made redundant, and we ended up stuck at home.

“It’s amazing how quickly things changed. Everything looked tickedy-boo – and then the whole world closed down.”

john manley - world’s longest-seving Nissan ceo

The plan now is for Manley to continue with Nissan New Zealand until his replacement can get across the ditch to his new job.

“It’s not a hassle at all,” says Manley. “All our plans went pear-shaped anyway, so I’m more than happy to help out.”

When John Manley does retire, he will finish as New Zealand’s longest-serving motor industry executive. He’s also considered to be the world’s longest-serving Nissan managing director.

His motor industry career began 39 years ago when he started work as a new vehicle salesperson at Newmarket Nissan in Auckland. Prior to that he was a bricklayer.

“I was sitting on a job one day, it was absolutely pissing down with rain and I thought ‘there’s gotta be more to life than this’.

“I flicked through a newspaper and saw this job advertised by the local dealer offering a car and the promise of pretty good money so I thought ‘that’s me.’ And that’s how it started.”

At that time the dealership was a factory shop, Nissan NZ’s head office was in Lovegrove Crescent in Otara, and the brand’s assembly plant and national parts warehouse was at Wiri.

 He progressed up the corporate ladder, becoming sales manager and fleet sales manager before being appointed dealer principal at Takapuna Nissan. Then in 1997 he moved to Nissan NZ as national sales manager, and was promoted to managing director three years later.

Manley took over the big job at a time when New Zealand’s motor vehicle assembly was in a state of flux.

The Government’s plan had been to gradually decrease import duty on vehicles over a period of years to allow the importation of fully-built up product. But in the 1998 Budget it instead made the sudden announcement to drop all import duties several years ahead of schedule.

This had an immediate effect of making motor vehicle assembly un-viable in New Zealand, and Manley – like the heads of every other brand involved in CKD assembly in the country – had to begin the process of shutting down assembly operations.

At that stage Nissan NZ had about 400 employees building 40 vehicles a day at Wiri. But thanks to their high levels of training, the vast majority were able to be re-employed in other industries by the time the plant closed down a few months after the Budget announcement.

“It created some immediate difficulties, but it was the correct decision and a better option than a slow wind-down,” Manley recalls.

“And from that point on we at Nissan NZ had access to a wider range of Japanese domestic product that had a greater specification level.”

From a business perspective the halt of CKD assembly, and move to a fully CBU regime, represented dramatic change. In one fell swoop Nissan NZ went from manufacturing to becoming an operation focussed more on sales and marketing.

overseeing the release of the latest juke should be manley’s last big gig.

Adding to complications at that time was the fact that Nissan Motor Company had entered into a strategic partnership with French manufacturer Renault to form what was known as the Nissan Alliance. Manley says this in itself caused a quantum shift in focus and priorities – all of which had a major impact on operations. But the impact was positive, he adds.

One such impact has been the ability to source product from all over the world. For example, today New Zealand sources a selection of vehicles from Japan, Thailand, USA, and United Kingdom that best suit the Kiwi motoring environment.

And the benefits of that wide international choice are best illustrated by what vehicles John Manley will take with him when he is finally able to retire. He’s going to have a Thailand-sourced Navara ute, while his wife Helen will have a United States-built Pathfinder SUV.

“That will cover every eventuality,” he quips.

And what does John Manley see of the future of the motor industry in New Zealand?

“I see the industry constantly evolving to meet the requirements of consumers,” he says.

“The current pandemic will provide further opportunity for revision, but basically we are a people industry – an industry building vehicles that fulfil consumer needs and aspirations. The personal interaction with the customer is the highlight,” he says.

And insofar as his career goes? Lots of memories, no regrets, plenty of quiet pride.

“Not a bad effort for a brickie, I’d say.”

JLR defiance as market toughens

 In the face of black clouds … is one brand channelling the Black Knight?

updated f-type will be at forefront of JLR’s local effort this year.

PRODUCTION lines halted, factories closed, new models delayed, registrations at the lowest since … well, forever in some countries. 

Certainly, it seems fair to suggest the global coronavirus crisis has caused no small amount of pain to the car industry and probability of more discomfort ahead seems unavoidable.

The New Zealand forecast of 2020 delivering around 40-45 percent fewer new car sales compared with 2019’s national tally is actually optimistic compared with others being expressed elsewhere around the world.

In face of all this, what brand would dare demonstrate a degree of stiff upper lip against-whatever-odds’ defiance?

Step forward SVO, the performance division of Jaguar Land Rover.

Primarily taking this moment to celebrate how well it is done in the past 12 months – both globally and in New Zealand – it is also expressing a touch of confidence about the future being … well, if not outright bright, then perhaps ‘less bleak. 

Admittedly, even that level of quiet confidence will jar with how others see it.

And, assuredly, there’s still so much uncertainty about the market condition that what might for now seem to be a reflection of the spirit that kept Britain chipper after Dunkirk might yet equate to the outright nutsy ballsiness of the famous Black Knight of Monty Python and the Holy Grail movie fame who, you might recall, was so staunch in his refusal to give up that, even when reduced to a limbless torso, he wanted to fight on claiming those injuries were but a flesh wound.

Still, SVO having achieved record worldwide sales for the most recent fiscal year reminds that the Brit battler is making good gains in a sector where Mercedes-AMG and BMW’s M Division in particular have long held the high ground.

That success has been particularly felt on New Zealand soil, where the Kiwi pick of the very fast, very powerful, very loud and quite expensive versions of Jaguar Land Rover road cars and sports utilities has been a model that has impacted significantly everywhere, the F-Pace SVR.

Jaguar NZ general manager Steve Kenchington can be rightly proud that the $157,900 supercharged V8 flagship has nabbed 35 percent of local F-Pace volume, a rate that puts up well above the global average. 

Of course, as impressive as the local effort’s cited 175 percent year-on-year climb in volume sounds, it pays to bear in mind that the total count of SVO product sold here comes to a modest count. 

That just 157 units across the Land Rover and Jaguar portfolios in total came from the SVO operation reminds how exclusive this option is. Also, how expensive.

roaring f-pace svr has been a stalwart in this market.

What imprint the hottest F-Pace can present in the future is less certain. The car’s 404kW/680Nm 5.0-litre eight-cylinder is set to soon be discontinued, with Jaguar switching to an alternate engine from BMW. 

Perhaps what’s especially plucky, all the same, is brand sentiment that, once we put this coronavirus issue behind us, Kiwi enthusiasts will again be keen to rev up their buy-in these understandably expensive products.

According to a local spokesman: “The demand (for SVO) is such that when we enter a more normalised world post Covid-19, we will be keen to restart SV specific drive days for our customers.”

There’ll be a new hero to try on those occasions, in the form of the updated and extensively re-engineered F-Type.

Meantime, Kenchington reckons the strong sales in the New Zealand market reflect Kiwi’s love for SV products “and their more sophisticated buying habits when it comes to performance vehicles.”

“While the SV product range has assisted Jaguar Land Rover New Zealand’s total sales growth over the last 12 months, the introduction of new technologies in electrification have meant that we are also able to offer the likes of World Car of the Year Jaguar I-Pace.

“Being able to deliver such strong innovation in quite different parts of the market is a testament to the incredibly hard work and innovation that is taking place at our factories,.”

rang rover svr product has also resonated

The F-Pace aside, SVO has identified the Range Rover SVAutobiography as another particular winner that helped towards total sales of over 9500 cars.

But about that I-Pace. SVO ‘s overall boss, Michael van der Sande, has confirmed that his division is set to launch its first all-electric car within a few years.

However, in spite of SVO developing and running the I-Pace in the e-Tophy race series that supports Formula E, the battery crossover will not be the first electric car to receive an SVO makeover.

Speaking to Britain’s Auto Express magazine, van der Sande said: "We will be developing electrified versions of our cars, be that fully electrified or plug-in hybrids.

“I-Pace is not on that path, but there are various other things we are working on which we can’t talk about, but we’re very interested in electrification. That’s why we get involved in the eTrophy. 

“The technology transfer, the learning applies to that car and other cars but we’re not planning an SVR I-Pace at the moment.”

Part of that reason could be because the I-Pace sits on its own unique all-electric platform that won’t be used for any other JLR product.

The new XJ luxury sedan, to be unveiled later this year, will be the first car to make use of JLR’s new MLA architecture that’s set to be used across the entire large Jaguar and Land Rover product line-up in the coming years.

SVO’s boss has suggested it makes more sense for his division to work on that platform, making an XJ SVR a possibility, with the high-performance technology then rolling on to other all-electric models.

Another all-electric, full-size Jaguar J-Pace SUV and an as-yet unnamed Land Rover crossover are also ikely to use the MLA electric car platform.

Leclerc keeps Rendez-Vous with history

The Grand Prix was canned, but a Ferrari was still caned around Monaco by a top works driver today.

‘SOME appointments in the calendar cannot be forgotten.’

So says Ferrari in explaining its part in a just-conducted short film shoot.

Today should have been the Monaco Grand Prix. Coronavirus put a stop to that, yet local boy Charles Leclerc still ensured a Ferrari was hurtling around its streets.

With full factory support, Leclerc got behind the wheel of Ferrari’s SF90 Stradale early on race morning to assist director Claude Lelouch with the shooting of a short film reprising the theme of another, very famous flick.

“Le Grand Rendez-Vous” is inspired by LeLouch’s famous ‘C’etait un Rendez-Vous” filmed in 1976 and subsequently lauded as a pretty nifty homage to fast cars.

The original was an eight-minute drive through Paris during the early hours of a Sunday morning in August (when much of Paris is on summer vacation), accompanied by sounds of a high-revving engine, gear changes and squealing tyres. LeLouch, and Ferrari, insist the epochal movie was made with a Ferrari 275 GTB, but dark rumours still persist that the actual film car was a Mercedes 450 SE 6.9L, with the Fezza’s soundtrack dubbed in.

No matter. This time there’s no doubting. The Ferrari SF90 Stradale, the Prancing Horse’s first series production hybrid model, and the Monegasque talent, are very mich front and centre in what is promised to be a breathtaking drive through the Principality’s winding streets and roads.

We’’d like to show you the footage, but it won’t be released until June 13. In the meantime, Ferrari has furnished some stills. And, as a treat, we’ve included the 1976 original. See below.

The promise is that the film evokes both the atmosphere of the beloved Grand Prix and Lelouch’s original.

Leclerc certainly let his enthusiasm run wild, the car reaching speeds of up to 240kmh on the closed roads.

Ferrari knew it would do the job, saying before the action began: “On the city circuit the SF90 Stradale will measure its unmatched performance for a Ferrari production car: 736kW (1000bhp), a weight-to-power ratio of 1.57 kg/bhp, and 390kg of downforce at 250kmh.

“The car’s name, a reference to the 90th anniversary of Scuderia Ferrari celebrated last year, exemplifies the symbiosis of transferred technology between Ferrari road and track cars, of which this recent model is the maximum expression.”

The brand cited what it is calling the first post lockdown French shoot as a symbolic restart of a gradual return to the ‘new normal’ after the pandemic and the restart for the film industry, impacted significantly by recent restrictions.

Ferrari said welcomed partnership in the film as a way of demonstrating support for its tifosi, clients and supporters as an expression of  hope that the world will gradually be able to absorb the painful and complex health crisis which has affected everyone, allowing us to begin to look positively towards the future, also in anticipation of the expected restart of the F1 season in July. 

Leclerc was joined at the film shoot - but presumably not in the car - by Prince Albert II of Monaco and Ferrari Chairman John Elkann

Volvo slowdown hasn’t revved up customers

Safety-first Swede’s speed restriction is worth talking about, right? Erm….

Volvo’s current speed kings, the just-landed S60 and V60 T88s, are hit hardest by the reduction

 IN the 48 hours since the parent brand announced intent to speed limit its cars to 180kmh, Volvo’s local distributor has been inundated with inquiry about how to secure faster fare still in stock.

Actually, that’s a fib.

A run on the quicker cars hasn’t happened and care to guess how owners have reacted?

Answer: So far … with silence.

Admits Volvo Cars New Zealand boss Coby Duggan: “We haven’t received any customer feedback in relation to the speed cap as yet.” 

Does this surprise? Not entirely. The Volvo owner persona isn’t so performance-fixated these days.

“I’m yet to come across a Volvo customer who had ‘top speed’ on their list of key purchasing criteria.”

Even though it was first signalled a year ago, and regardless that Volvo has an especially high status for being safety aware, the impact of Gothenburg having now implemented a determination for all new Volvo cars to be pulled back to a peak 180kmh and be tweaked to further restrict their top speeds using a programmable key, an initiative called Key Care is bold.

coby duggan: if you want a faster Volvo, call him soon.

The new top speed is about 50-70kmh slower than the same cars can achieve now.

Sweden has acknowledged that a world-first statement no other car maker has dared make has proven “controversial”, but it is standing by its attitude that this is a core element of its plans to work toward its vision of a future with zero traffic fatalities and serious injuries in all new Volvo cars globally.

“We believe that a car maker has a responsibility to help improve traffic safety,” said Malin Ekholm, head of the Volvo Cars Safety Centre, during this week’s announcement. Volvo had “an obligation to continue its tradition of being a pioneer in the discussion around the rights and obligations of car makers to take action that can ultimately save lives.” 

"The speed cap and Care Key help people reflect and realise that speeding is dangerous.” 

All Volvos sold here carry the highest (five star) crash test scores given by Australasian New Car Assessment Programme (ANCAP), the only independent tester recognised by the New Zealand Government, which art-funds the Melbourne-based testing organisation.

Currently, the most recent models to be introduced locally, the S60 sedan and its sister V60 wagon in T8 plug-in hybrid format, stand as the brand’s fastest cars in production, with a top speed of 250kmh.

Volvo cites that the speed cap will implement across all cars for ‘Model Year 2021’, but as that period actually begins in 2020 basically it means local customers should assume any new car ordered from the factory from now onwards will potentially have the limit.

last of the fast: the V60 T8

Says Duggan: “While there have been some COVID-related delays to the model year change, we expect to land the first of these in September and October. 

While the S60 and V60 T8 “are among our most recent arrivals, the intention was always for the speed cap to be applied across the range at the same time rather than in a more staggered manner, hence the MY21 roll-out.”

 The implementation isn’t retrospective, and chances are some cars here already will be available for sale beyond the point when speed-limited equivalents arrive.

“We’re in pretty good shape in terms of stock (without the speed cap) – both quantity and model mix – to carry us through to the arrival (of cars with the speed cap).

“While forecasting retail run rates is a tricky proposition in the current environment – for everyone - I don’t expect the speed cap in itself to have any impact on demand.”

There’s also expected to be strong interest in Care Key, an alternate physical car key which allows owners to set their own speed limits, "before lending their car to other family members or to younger and inexperienced drivers," Volvo has explained.

The cars will recognise when it is being unlocked by the Care Key and automatically implement a limited top speed of the owner's choosing. 

The Auckland-domiciled distributor has already considered what might happen were any future owners to conspire to over-ride the factory’s speed-restriction measures.

“We don’t believe the speed cap can be overridden and even if it was technically possible to do so it’s certainly not a service Volvo NZ or our authorised network would offer,” said Duggan.

He offered no response on whether tampering would impact on a car’s warranty, though generally implementation of any performance-altering software on new cars often does void the factory cover.

Juke’s NZ spec, prices revealed

The new Juke represents as a new start in familiar territory.

THREE versions of the Juke will hold Nissan’s corner in the compact crossover class.

Pricing and specifications of the model have been announced ahead of launch in June, a process the New Zealand distributor has already admitted will be affected by supply constraints resulting from the plant in Sunderland, England, being closed by coronavirus https://www.motoringnz.com/news/2020/5/6/shutdown-jolts-jukes-nz-arrival.

Nissan NZ has indicated it had a shipment already en route when the factory shuttered, but has not divulged how many cars are coming on that first boat or if every variant is represented from the June 1 release date. There’s no additional comment on when reinforcements will arrive.

The models it will foot this time are an entry ST at $32,990, a mid-grade ST-L for $5000 more and a flagship Ti, retailing for $44,390 – or just $100 short of a Qashqai Ti. The previous Juke Ti was finally selling at $31,990.

This is just the second generation of Juke, replacing a car that ran in the market for 10 years – around two-to-three years longer than most rival makes keep their cars in circulation. However, it’s pretty much entirely fresh in every major facet.

There’s big change under the bonnet. Whereas the previous car presented with a choice of 1.6-litre aspirated and turbocharged petrols, generating between 85kW/190Nm and 140kW/240Nm, this time the entire family runs a 1.0-litre turbo-petrol three-cylinder unit producing 84kW/180Nm.

The constantly variable transmission has gone. Now there’s a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission with paddle shifters, the three-cylinder engine drives the front wheels exclusively and comes with an official combined fuel consumption figure of 5.8 litres per 100km.

The platform is also fresh, being an underpinning developed with Renault, and is said to be stiffer by 13 percent stiffer and six percent lighter. It maintains MacPherson-strut front and torsion-beam rear suspension.

The switch allows for an increase in all major dimensions. In measuring 4210mm long, 1800mm wide and 1595mm tall, it is 75mm longer, 35mm wider and 30mm taller than the outgoing car. This of course allows a roomier cabin and also improves luggage capacity, which increases from 354 litres to 422 litres with the seats in place, expanding to 1305L with the 60:40 split-fold fully utilised.

The Juke being well-provisioned on the safety front has seen it land with a strong ANCAP score. Standard kit includes autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, lane departure warning with intervention function, rear cross-traffic alert, forward collision warning, blind spot warning, traffic sign recognition, intelligent driver alert, active speed limiter hill start assist, intelligent trace and ride control, rear parking sensors and a reversing camera.

The ST grade has a rear spoiler, 17-inch alloy wheels, daytime running lights, auto- LED headlights with high-beam assist and power-folding and heated door mirrors.

It takes an 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with voice recognition, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, a 4.2-inch instrument cluster display and cloth seats with six-way driver and four-way passenger manual seat adjustment. 

The ST-L builds on the ST’s spec and adds LED foglights, satellite navigation, heated front seats and front parking sensors. 

The ST-L grade lifts up to 19-inch alloys, 7.0-inch instrument cluster display, six-speaker audio, electric parking brake, leather-accented steering wheel and shift knob, cloth/leather trim, rear USB port, three-level drive mode selector, ambient interior lighting, and new safety kit including moving object detection, adaptive cruise control and a surround-view monitor.

The flagship includes adaptive headlights, sticks to 19-inch alloys in Akari style, illuminated sill plates, quilted leather/Alcantara seat trim, Alcantara dashboard, knee pad and door panels, shark-fin antenna, eight-speaker Bose audio system and tyre pressure monitoring. 

Nissan NZ managing director John Manley has expressed confidence the car will set the bar for small SUVs, recalling also that its predecessor was a successful sector disruptor in its early days.

In addition to giving out information about Juke, the Auckland-domiciled brand has also identified intent to sell its special edition Navara, the N-Trek Warrior, for $74,990.

Hard times to bring budget utes to fore?

The country still needs utes … if they’re cheap and tailored foremost for real work, a distributor says.

POLITICAL push to get the country moving again with toil-intensive job creation schemes will give ute sales an old-fashioned stir-up.

Providing, that is, they are models created to the ‘old-school’ formula that puts worksite punishment ahead of weekend play.

That’s the view of an advisor for a distributor which has good reason to hope budget back-to-basics models will rise to the fore over the next 18 months proves accurate. 

Russell Burling speaks for Dealer Direct Wholesale Limited, the national distributor for India’s Mahindra and Mahindra, whose smallest traydeck, the Pik-Up, has just under a major refresh, which beyond the easily-recognised restyling also runs to a major re-engineering for improved refinement.

With pricing starting at $24,990 and spanning to $34,990, P:ikUp stands as the cheapest load-up choice in the New Zealand market with clear terrain now that a Chinese competitor no longer has a rival model here.

Meantime, the PikUp line has doubled in count, with addition of four rear-drive single and double cab with choice of tub and cab chassis. All run a 103kE/320Nm 2.2-litre turbodiesel and with six-speed manual, though an auto will arrive later.

Range enhancement for a vehicle that has been here for seven years already might attune sweetly with perception that massive changes to our economy from the coronavirus that will unavoidably impact deeply on employment and spending habits.

russell burling

The models were signed off for NZ consignment before coronavirus was known about, but the effect of lockdown and restrictions set to maintain in the aftermath leaves Burling thinking “we’ve made a really good call.”

Government’s intent to keep the economy on the boil is a positive and he sees ongoing opportunity from its preparedness to fund big dollar shovel-ready public projects as those efforts will require new equipment.

However, he contends those at worksite level will be more choosey and won’t be spending large.

That’s an opportunity for Mahindra to promote the reliability, functionality and value aspect of its budget-minded products, which beyond PikUp also span other off-road configured models plus passenger vehicles.

But it’s also a sign that those other makes that have concentrated effort serving up big expensive doublecabs will be caught out. 

This new world demands tools, not pleasure craft. “A lot of those (expensive utes) are not required and not needed. We need tools now and that’s what we offer.”

Does that mean an end to the market condition of the past five years, when new passenger sales have been so skewed toward utes that the Ford Ranger has been the country’s top selling vehicle for several years? 

“It’s hard to exactly say it’s finished, but certainly the demand will be less. Everybody in business is going to take some pain through this (coronavirus).

“You need utes, but you need utes that do jobs. Do you need all the high-end stuff going forward? Probably not as much.”

Sales data from as far back as late last year seems to support thought the glory days are waning for ego-polisher models that can cost more than $90,000, with the likes of the dominant Ford Ranger maintaining market share but with smaller volumes.

Quite possibly anxiety with the big players will have grown since, not only because of emergent prediction of new vehicle sales halving this year but also with cancellation of Field Days. 

Promotions around the mid-July Mystery Creek event historically spike annual registrations counts and major players will have stocked up large, with consignments built and shipped before the virus closed down their plants in Thailand. If demand has cooled, do they have too many vehicles? That’s surely why Holden has more Colorado variants than anything else in its pre-closure stock clearance.

Potentially, then, there might be some sweet deals ahead, but perhaps the glam models won’t turn the heads of those set to engage in the public works programmes set to unroll. 

“They need work utes,” contends Burling. “If you’re going into back country on pest control, you need hose out floors and rubber mats, not high-end carpets.” 

Though Burling sees the new rear-drive PikUps as being valuable to volume, it’s likely the singlecab 4x4 will remain as the type’s biggest seller. 

“It’s ideal for possum hunters, farmers, those in construction … it’s a really  good product. A sharp tool for that market.”

This interview also gave opportunity to briefly drive the entry PikUp, the singlecab chassis that is new for 2020. This level comes in the S6 trim, which provisions for ‘function and value” rather than the S10 fitout, that lifts to what the maker describes as a more SUV-like spec.

Even so, the budget layout is not as rudimentary as previously. The interior benefits from ergonomic improvements, better plastics and a more dedicated approach to fit and finish than was apparent in the preceding line. The S6 also now takes better equipment: Cruise control, Bluetooth phone connect, upgraded seats with arm rests and, on the driver’s side, height adjust. You need by S10 to achieve sat nav and a reversing camera, both running through a touch screen not availed in the cheaper choice.

Option packs to suit rural, trade and fleet buyers can be created from an options list that’s now more comprehensive. A which compatible steel bull bar with bash plate, brush rails, snorkel, tow bar, canvas seat covers and so on. All in tune with a work-first ethic that also reflects in it being tailored to tote a payload of up to 1065kgs with a 2.5-tonne braked towing capacity. 

The demonstrator also had a light-weight but sturdy alloy deck, sourced from Australia, as an option to a steel type, and was trialling a wheel and tyre pack yet to be signed off.

The driving experience does not disguise that this is a working ute and performance is adequate, nothing more, though the engine seems perkier in the low and mid-range. However, the effort to reduce mechanical and road noise is obvious, even if the engine remains a dominant background voice during phone discussions at 100kmh. 

Notwithstanding that Mahindra’s plants are also currently closed by the virus, expect to see more activity from Mahindra going forward, as PikUp stands as the only existing model not due complete replacement.

The new Thar, a Jeep Wrangler lookalike (to the point where the grille design had to be replaced to appease the Americans), is coming and so too the Scorpio sports utility.

Mahindra also stands to benefit from having a major shareholding in SsangYong, with all the latter’s engineering and technology development having effecting shifted out of South Korea to India.

The Ssangyong brand itself, however, seems in parlous state – having failed to make profit for years, its future seems to hang in the balance from Mahindra having in April curtailed plans to invest a further US$423 million in a bid to make the Korean brand profitable by 2022.

It’s direction to SsangYong to seek “alternate sources of funding” has not yielded anything useful and conjecture now is that the South Korean government might yet direct Hyundai to subsume the SUV specialist marque, to thus avoid the embarrassment of it seeing it fail.

Mahindra’s involvement with SsangYong does not reflect locally, with the Korean marque operating with a separate distributorship.

Subaru e-boxer a balancing act

Subaru acknowledges a toughening economic condition has affected prepping a sales expedition for its first electric-assisted cars.

 EVER imagined entertaining a hybrid car that perfectly conforms to New Zealand conditions and expectation?

Subaru New Zealand stakes this ability within argument for why the long-awaited e-boxer editions of the XV and Forester will resonate well with Kiwi buyers. Hence a ‘made for our environment’ catchphrase standing tall in the marketing pitch that also encourages this as a better way of keeping New Zealand beautiful.

The Auckland-domiciled distributor also cites high customer excitement since last week’s announcement of the national selection ($42,490 XV Sport, and Forester Sport and Premium, respectively at $47,490 and $54,990). 

Seems hundreds of interested car buffs have been contacting the distributor directly, or via dealers, to signal strong enthusiasm to acquaint with Subaru’s first foray in electric driving. 

For their part, Subaru NZ is keen to enforce cars taking the 12kW electric motor (and 118V battery) paired to the existing 110kW/196Nm 2.0-litre flat four, which combine to drive all four wheels via a slighty recalibrated version of the range-wide constantly variable transmission are not getting a soft serve, in sense that these editions are true to Subaru tradition.

Maintaining all core strengths our market associates with the brand was critical, the brand says. It asserts they will be capable of achieving everything any other Subaru does. In short, there’s no dilution of that famous DNA and this is the start of a new journey for the brand, the first step toward a more sustainable future.

And while accepting that the hybrid system the cars carry is a walk on the mild side when it comes to considering what else is becoming available from a global car market pushing ever more into electrification, it nonetheless assures the ‘self-regenerative’ set up (translation: It’s old school and cannot quality for electric car status because there’s no facility for external recharging) will achieve tangible and easily-attained improvements in economy and emissions.

Wallis Dumper and daile stephens (below)

Still, many questions remain. Is Subaru already behind the times with a drivetrain that others in the car-making game are treating as a sunset tech, why hasn’t the Outback also achieved this option and, gosh, when supply is set to be limited, how easy will it be to secure these models? 

Here’s the outcome of a sit down with Subaru NZ managing director Wallis Dumper and marketing manager Daile Stephens.

MotoringNZ: Let’s start by exploring the sales expectation. You’ve already indicated the hybrid are in limited supply - just 20 examples a month and the first full shipment not coming until September – and also signal allocation is being managed through head office. What can customers expect from all this?

Dumper: Covid-19 created some operational disruption and yes, we needed to change the business model a little bit for this car. Our dealers only ever run on a months’ stock; we’re not like other brands. Hybrid supply is tight and, based on our research, we know we can sell every one. The last thing we want is having one or two dealers buying them all, so we have gone to an allocation system to ensure we can spread them fairly.

Stephens: Our dealers still buy the cars from us. The phase we are going through now is a pre-launch: The dealers have demonstration cars (from June 1). It’s about trying to be a responsible distributor and maintaining careful management of our inventory.

MNZ: You’ve gone on an economy drive before with diesel and that proved short-lived (2013 to 2017);. What makes this hybrid pitch any different?

Dumper: I don’t think it’s about thrift, it’s about capability and satisfying an emergent need. It’s a mild hybrid, we’re not pretending it’s anything more, but this is about evolution of the brand and we have to go that way.

Stephens: Diesel was a lot different. This (hybrid) is a clearer pathway to a more sustainable future. We were late to the diesel party anyway, it was over-priced and it was always going to be a tough ask, to be honest. 

:With diesel we weren’t really set up for success where with this (hybrid) we feel we are. We feel we are priced thereabouts with many, though acknowledging that one is particularly sharp, and the return from our focus group suggests we have it right with the $5000 premium we’ve set for hybrid. We’ve had hundreds and hundreds of registrations over the last week which suggests there is a desire and hunger for hybrid. We didn’t see that around diesel. There’s a completely different feeling around this (hybrid) product that wasn’t there with diesel. 

MNZ: Your Outback is a key model here and yet there’s no word on when, or if, it will go hybrid. Any news on that and how much urgency is there for that car to adopt this system? 

Dumper: There’s not a lot of urgency. From what we can see the smaller style of cars are more popular as hybrid and EV types.

Stephens: Given that Outback has been one of our most commercially successful vehicles it would be awesome to have one (a hybrid variant) if that was an option. As far as we know, there’s nothing on the horizon. But something might be going on, but is being kept secret. It might go to full electric for all we know.

MNZ: The motoring world is moving fast toward electrification and, in the overall scheme of things, going hybrid is a small-scale adoption. Really, too, Subaru could be seen as a slow mover; others have had hybrid for years. So how long before it engages at a higher level?

Stephens: We (Subaru Japan) announced in February that by 2030 at least 40 percent of the models that will be available globally will be electric or hybrid. By the mid 2030s there’s another goal of applying electrification technologies to all all Subarus sold worldwide. There’s a clear pathway.

Dumper: Within a couple of years we might be able to challenge that. As for being a late adopter? Yes, we’re late at adopting part of it but we also know there are still a lot of brands that do not have what we have. Some of them are much bigger brands than ours.

MNZ: Given that this is an adoption of Toyota technology, are the brand’s fortunes in this regard tied to Toyota’s own programmes?

Dumper: It’s not Toyota technology. Our engineers in Japan are adamant that it is our own. The manufacturer also makes product for Toyota and, yes, Toyota has shareholding in Subaru and, yes, there is product sharing. And they are both self-generating. But ours is quite different. Look at what they do with Lexus, it’s not the same.

MNZ: For all their strengths, your drivetrains have been easy targets for criticism in respect to economy and emissions. The boxer engines tend not to be top performers for output and economy and being paired with a CVT gearbox and symmetrical all-wheel-drive system also has a consequence. Is that why the economy gains claimed for your cars (14 percent for the XV in urban, seven percent overall, and nine percent combined and 19 percent urban for Forester – when comparing to the 2.5 – but according just to in-house and Australian ADR81/02 standard as it has not yet been certified under the WLTP regime) are less extreme that those cited for, for instance, those Toyotas that avail in hybrid and none-hybrid forms?

Stephens: We do loads of fuel economy comparisons and, more often than not, we are in the top few against our competitors. Pre-2008 yes, we could be criticised on fuel economy, but not since then, not with the technology we have now. Unfortunately, there is a hangover of perception versus reality. But we believe we are up there with everybody else 

Dumper: We want to be all-wheel-drive, that’s part of our DNA. Likewise with our boxer engines. We have the pricing where it needs to be and we can hold the pricing. We’re only a little bit above one of the world’s largest manufacturers (of hybrids) and a lot of other brands that have this technology are dearer than us. Our story is sustainable.

MNZ: What do you say to those people who might wonder if this is just an exercise of developing a Green vibe that might be challenging to prove. Overseas’ testing of these models has indicated that it is not entirely easy to achieve the cited economy improvements. Plus of course, even if the targets are hit, it will likely take years of ownership to recoup the $5000 purchase premium through pure fuel savings?

Stephens: It’s a package. We are not claiming to be the best from an economical perspective at all; we’re quite up front that it is a mild hybrid. But we are also positioning that it is 100 percent Subaru and we say there are benefits from it being hybrid. The customer will decide what is best for them. It is more economical than a (purely) petrol Subaru. You might find that there is a competitor with hybrid that offers better economy. But against that you have to trade off the benefits of what we offer with all-wheel-drive, all the safety features and other things, and in doing so perhaps you are only going to be saving an extra $100 over six months. We’ve done our research and we are comfortable. We’re not trying to pull the wool over anyone’s eyes in respect to how economical it is. We’ve never said this is the nest of the best; it is the beginning of our journey.

MNZ: Subaru Japan said on Monday it might well produce 150,000 fewer cars this year. What does this potentially mean for NZ?

Dumper: It will impact us. But when we went into (Covid-19) lockdown we knew would have to change our forecasts. We have chosen not to order some cars. The last thing we want is to have too many cars.

MNZ: The Motor Industry Association has suggested the new car market will be down by at least 40 percent this year – what’s your view?

Dumper: I think it could even be 50 percent; the third and fourth quarter of this year will be tough with the Government telling us there will be 10 percent unemployment. And I think next year is going to be really tough. The worst is yet to come. 

MNZ: Your 2019 sales were ahead 2.8 percent year-on-year versus 2018 and allowed an all-time record number of Subaru SUV sales. Do you expect to maintain the same market share that was achieved in 2019?

Dumper: If the market halves, we’d like to hold our market share. The market is sure to change and it will get a big messy.

Stephens: We believe there are pockets of people out there who still want a new Subaru. Some might have come through this (coronavirus) and think, well, ‘we’ve got through this let’s buy ourselves the car we’ve always wanted.’ There might be people who might have used public transport and now are thinking they don’t feel so safe doing that before. We know of a dad who handed down his Forester to a child and he went off to the dealership to buy himself a new one. But it is a crystal ball question.

MNZ: Does Subaru have any strengths that might give it a better chance of in NZ than some other brands; is it tough enough to weather this challenging economic condition? 

Stephens: Our brand position is in between the Europeans and the mainstream brands; we’ve the one you step into on the way to going to the Europeans like an Audi. Likewise, when times are tough, people might trade in a Euro for a Subaru.

Subarus are seen as a vehicle for someone who wants to be a bit different and we believe we have a high ground based on technology and safety. There is quite a lot of desirably out there in respect to our product, we achieve strong consideration and strong conversion. So, we think that we can weather the storm – perhaps with less sales, but enough to maintain our market share.

Dumper: We run our business very lean and tight and we have done this very successfully for a long time. We outperform glamour brands with our return on sales and have for decades. We have more than doubled our business in the last decade and had to employ just four or five more people.

Focus ST: Automatic for the people

It’s been COVID-19 delayed and is $500 dearer than initially signalled but the fourth generation Ford Focus ST hot-hatch has launched.

THE new Ford Focus ST is more powerful and roomier than its predecessor and delivers a significant increase in technology.

And it also gains a new status as the sharpest Focus variant among gen-four following recent confirmation that development has been halted on a successor to the all-wheel-drive RS rocket ship.

Originally scheduled for a first-quarter introduction, the made-in-Germany Ford Focus ST has weathered the COVID-19 delays to join the Fiesta ST, Mustang models and the Ranger Raptor under the Ford Performance banner.

Pricing is $59,490 (back in September a $58,990 price-tag had been advised) and the Focus hot-hatch recipe combines five-door functionality with a high output 2.3-litre four-cylinder turbo engine, front-wheel-drive and a new seven-speed sports automatic transmission with paddle shift.

Ford New Zealand sees automatic transmission as the overwhelming customer preference in this market. There is a six-speed manual with rev-matching function available in most markets including Australia.

It’s the first time a Focus hot-hatch has been offered with only two pedals – a move that widens its reach in the market to deliver something that Honda Civic Type-R and Hyundai i30 N rivals can’t and positions the Focus ST as a Volkswagen Golf GTI competitor.

The previous Focus ST had a 2.0-litre turbo engine. The fourth generation features the all-aluminium 2.3-litre unit derived from the previous RS model with twin-scroll turbocharging, an electronic wastegate and anti-lag system. It develops 206kW at 5500rpm (an increase of 22kW) accompanied by a substantial jump in torque to 420Nm (up from 360Nm) available between 3000-4000rpm.

The sharpening of the Focus also applies to the chassis tuning with 19-inch alloy wheels shod with bespoke 235/35 Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tyres and suspension that lowers ride height by 10mm compared to standard Focus models.

A torsion beam axle is standard on mainstream Focus models but the higher riding Focus Active and the ST model have an independent rear suspension and the ST debuts a new Continuously Controlled Damping (CCD) system.

The CCD system monitors suspension, steering and braking inputs at 2 milli-second frequency to adjust damping responses. 

A Borg Warner electronically controlled Limited Slip Differential (eLSD) plays a key role in applying 420Nm of torque to the road. The system can pre-emptively adjust torque distribution using inputs from powertrain and vehicle dynamics sensors.

Ford says the electric power-assisted steering (EPAS) system is 15 per cent quicker than the standard Focus with just two turns lock-to-lock. And there is ST-specific steering knuckle geometry for sharper responses.

New software titled Steering Torque Disturbance Reduction has the target of reducing torque steer when applying 206kW and 420Nm to the tarmac.

Upgraded brake hardware includes larger 330mm front and 302mm rear ventilated discs with red painted callipers and Ford has developed a new electronic brake booster to provide more consistent pedal feel.

The Selectable Drive Modes offer Slippery, Normal, Sport and Track settings that adjust the eLSD, CCD, EPAS, throttle mapping, automatic transmission shift scheduling along with electronic stability control (ESC) and electronic sound enhancement (ESE) settings. In Track Mode the eLSD delivers maximum traction and the intervention of the ESC system is delayed.

A dedicated Sport button on the steering wheel allows direct access to Sport mode while the Mode button allows drivers to scroll through the Drive Mode options.

Exterior detailing includes a wide honeycomb grille, ST specific bumpers and side skirts, a rear spoiler, LED adaptive headlights, daytime running lights and tail lights.

Colour choices are Ford Performance Blue, Frozen White, Magnetic (grey), Race Red and Agate Black. Ford NZ had originally signalled a $500 premium for the searing Orange Fury seen here but has decided not to charge a premium for prestige paint.

Cabin highlights include heated Recaro sports seats with leather and suede trim and ST logos. The flat-bottom and heated ST steering wheel is trimmed with perforated leather.

Ford Performance instrumentation is standard including shift lights for when the paddles are being used. With the arrival of an automatic transmission the ST adopts the rotary e-shifter and an electronic park brake.

Standard equipment includes keyless entry and push-button start, LED ambient lighting, dual-zone climate control, rear privacy glass and heated power-folding exterior mirrors with puddle lamps. 

Interestingly Australian customers get a premium Bang and Olufsen audio as standard but Ford NZ has opted for a six-speaker system.

The Focus ST is equipped with the SYNC 3 infotainment and communications platform with 8.0-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility while Siri and voice-activated text messaging can be accessed via steering wheel controls. Satellite navigation, a 180-degree rear-view camera and wireless smartphone charger are standard.

Along with a five-star ANCAP (2019) rating the Focus ST safety and driver assist roster includes Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) with Cyclist and Pedestrian Detection, Blind Spot Information System (BLIS) with Cross Traffic Alert, Lane Departure Warning and Lane Keep Assist and Hill Launch Assist.

Because the automatic model has been selected for the New Zealand market Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) with Stop & Go function is standard.

Tesla, Dyson fuel EV conjecture

Recent reports remind that the electric car batteries we have now are just an intermediary.

is the China-market model 3 set to debut a breaktrhough battery?

WITH electric cars, it all comes down to the battery – and with batteries, it all comes down to what’s next.

In which case, intriguing news from two quarters. First and most recently, there’s James Dyson. In opening up more fully about the promise about the Dyson car we’ll never see, the British magnate leaves impression that while it was doomed on cost, the cancelled seven-seater known only by its codename, N526, was at least showing huge potential in respect to operability. The promise of offering double the range of a Tesla Model X reminds of the potential from solid state battery technology that the car world is aiming to implement.

Speaking of those ‘T’ cars … the other figure of the moment is, of course, Mr Loony Tunes himself.

Accepting that it’s becoming increasingly obvious that not everything Elon Musk says can be trusted as fact, there’s still good reason to take genuine interest what he seems set to have to say on occasion of the ‘Battery Day’ that was supposed to occur today but has now been deferred to some time in June, and might now be staged over several days … and in Texas, rather than California. Welcome to Elon’s world, right?

Much like the “Autonomy Day” that happened last year, Tesla is planning to give presentations to investors, which are livestreamed, about its latest development in powertrain and battery technology. 

What’s getting pundits excited is the realisation of something Musk has long teased rivals and investors about – a low-cost, long-life battery.

Such a device is now said to be developed to the point where it is intended to insert into Tesla’s staple Model 3 sedan, albeit initially just in the cars coming out of the brand’s new plant near Shanghai whose function is to purely build stock for sale in China.

There is emergent evidence to suggest the new battery might be the breakthrough to bringing the cost of EVs in line with petrol cars, and allow EV batteries to have second and third lives in the electric power grid.

Tesla has made clear in the past of its desire to deliver batteries designed to achieve outcomes well beyond the capabilities of today’s types. That conceivably would easily outlast the usable life of a car then, having done so, enter a second-life as a powerwall home installation or integrated into a larger commercial undertaking, to fulfil Tesla's goal to achieve the status of a power company.

Recent reports say this has been jointly developed with China’s Contemporary Amperex Technology and deploys technology developed by Tesla in collaboration with a team of academic battery experts recruited by Musk. 

The batteries differ to today’s types by relying on innovations such as low-cobalt and cobalt-free battery chemistries, and the use of chemical additives, materials and coatings that will reduce internal stress and enable batteries to store more energy for longer periods.

According to reports, Tesla also plans to implement new high-speed, heavily automated battery manufacturing processes designed to reduce labour costs and increase production in massive “terafactories” about 30 times the size of the company’s sprawling Nevada “gigafactory” — a strategy telegraphed in late April to analysts by Musk.

Tesla is working on recycling and recovery of such expensive metals as nickel, cobalt and lithium, through its Redwood Materials affiliate, as well as new “second life” applications of EV batteries in grid storage systems, such as the one Tesla built in South Australia in 2017.

Reuters news agency reported exclusively in February that Tesla was in advanced talks to use CATL’s lithium iron phosphate batteries, which use no cobalt, the most expensive metal in EV batteries and also the most controversial ingredient, due to the associations with child labour being used in cobalt mining in the Congo, a primary source.

CATL also has developed a simpler and less expensive way of packaging battery cells, called cell-to-pack, that eliminates the middle step of bundling cells. Tesla is expected to use the technology to help reduce battery weight and cost.

the model 3 is already positioned as tesla’s core volume model.

Reports say CATL also plans to supply Tesla in China next year with an improved long-life nickel-manganese-cobalt battery whose cathode is 50 percent nickel and only 20 percent cobalt.

Tesla now jointly produces nickel-cobalt-aluminum batteries with Panasonic at a “gigafactory” in Nevada, and buys NMC batteries from LG Chem in China. Panasonic has declined to comment.

Taken together, the advances in battery technology, the strategy of expanding the ways in which EV batteries can be used and the manufacturing automation on a huge scale all aim at the same target: Reworking the financial arithmetic that until now has made buying an electric car more expensive for most consumers than sticking with carbon-emitting internal combustion vehicles. 

The cost of CATL's cobalt-free lithium iron phosphate battery packs has fallen below $US80 per kilowatt-hour, with the cost of the battery cells dropping below $US60/kWh, the sources said. CATL’s low-cobalt NMC battery packs are close to $US100/kWh.

The car industry cites that $100/kWh for battery packs is the level at which electric vehicles reach rough parity with internal combustion competitors. 

It was an inability to achieve anything like this that caused Dyson to axe his project. Indeed, in an interview with Britain’s ‘The Times’ newspaper, he was pretty frank about how the only figures that looked good for his car related to performance and range –  the same sort of get-up-and-go of a performance combustion engine SUV of similar size and almost 1000kms on a single charge.

Sounds tasty? Perhaps not so much given the car would have cost well over $300,000, Dyson has admitted. Hence why, after putting around $150 million into the gig – which he could afford (all this information comes from an interview he gave on occasion of topping Britain’s rich list, with an estimated value of $NZ3.2 billion) – he pulled the plug last October, by which stage they’d reached the point of having a running prototype – still unseen - plus styling concepts of the finished interior and Range Rover-ish exterior, both of which were shown off to media.

The whole point of the Dyson car was, of course, to show the potential of the proprietary solid state battery tech that is core to the inventor’s homeware products. The challenge of transferring this to an automotive product was huge, but the tests had been promising.

That range was a huge wow. Website Autoblog says that, assuming that the ultimate figure was based on Europe’s WLTP standards, it would have been an impressive jump from Tesla’s Model S’ 610km and almost doubling the long-range Model X’s 510 km (the latter also a seven-seater). 

There’s more. Current lithium ion batteries lose oomph more quickly when stressed  - which is what high speed driving does – and also operate most effectively in a narrow ambient temperature band; range drops off especially when it get icey outside.

Comment from Dyson suggests his car wasn’t so affected. He told ’The Times’ the model sustained great performance “even on a freezing February night, on the naughty side of 70mph (110kmh) on the motorway, with the heater on and the radio at full blast.”

Even though his batteries are more compact than current lithium ion cells, the weight issue wasn’t resolved: The car had an alloy body, yet still weighed 2.6 tons. Yet it could clock 0-100kmh in 4.8 seconds (about half a second more than the long-range Model X), with its top speed apparently reaching 200kmh (50kmh shy of the Model X’s). This is all coming from the twin 200kW electric motors rated with 400kW and 650Nm of torque.

Even though the Dyson car is no more, its spirit lives on. The founder said the 500-strong team are already working on various other projects, and that he is open to the idea of letting car makers tap into his company’s batteries, He’s not adverse to taking a second look at making cars again some day. But only if it becomes commercially viable. 

The Times ran this image of james dyson and his stillborn electric car

Special K entering the EV-sphere?

Kia building a Porsche Taycan competitor? Imagine.

SHOCK news for anyone imagining Kia’s electric vehicle aspiration settles where it presently plugs, with the compact Niro.

 Latest from the Hyundai sub-brand is that while it still stick true to running the battery assault primarily with crossovers, the future fare will be much more adventurous – in shape and technology.

 Particularly exciting is talk about a product coming out next year; a high-riding luxury crossover with a sedan-esque shell that it is specifically targeting high-performance electric cars.

 While yet unseen in production form – indeed, it doesn’t even have a name at present (the in-house designation is simply ‘Kia CV’) – the shape of the newcomer model mightn’t seem wholly unknown, as the brand has let slip that it will draw strongly off the concept seen here.

This is the Imagine, a styling study that made quite an impression on its global unveiling at the 2019 Geneva motor show.

The car that will emerge is described as Kia’s first dedicated electric vehicle – to draw distinction from Niro and Hyundai’s Kona EV being very close in terms of engineering make-up, no matter that Kia uses a different battery to enable range superiority.

Even so, it’s not a 100 percent Kia in that it is going to base off Hyundai’s E-GMP platform which will underpin the parent’s own electric SUV, labelled the ‘45’. 

Indeed. being scalable, the new platform will be the launchpad for a whole host of electric Hyundai and Kia models. The latter said last week it is planning to have 11 EVs on sale in the next five years. Hyundai has indicated similar aspiration, though it has yet to cite an exact target number. 

What’s also hugely interesting about the Imagine’s showroom equivalent is that it will be set up to use an ultra-fast 800-volt battery system that could bring 15 minute EV pit stops to the masses.

To date, the only production EV with that capability is the Porsche Taycan, which with a peak charge of 270 kiloWatts can achieve a charge of five percent to 80 percent in about 20 minutes. That’s with the right kind of charging network in place, of course; you’re talking about 300kW charging stations.

Kia is talking about its car will have a range of just over 300kms, which is hardly going to impress Tesla-rati and in fact isn’t a lot more than a Niro. But, then, it could be sitting in the replenishment phase for much less time. And it will also be ludicrously quick, with 0-100kmh in under three seconds vowed for the hottest version. That’s comparable to the Taycan and the fastest Teslas and, obviously, a lot faster than any other car Kia has ever created.

There’s one small disappointment about the project in that the identity behind the concept is no longer with the company. Luc Donkerwolke has just resigned as chief design officer of Hyundai Group, citing personal reasons.

When Imagine was unveiled, the 54-year-old was then Kia’s head designer and, when questioned a year ago about the feasibility of Imagine hitting the street, he was quite confident it could do so with minimal change.

“I don’t see anything that’s really not feasible. There are some cost-related issues that have to be validated, but it hasn’t been done by designers who don’t understand how to build a car for production.”

Donkerwolke was lured to South Korea in 2016, having been with Volkswagen Group for 22 years. He was lured to Seoul with the promise of a free reign to set the design pathways for Hyundai and Genesis; he achieved this with radical effect, not least after achieving in 2018 the role he now leaves, a job that pulled Kia into his portfolio, succeeding Peter Schreyer.

MX family spans well beyond roadster

A history of Mazda’s MX models reminds that this monicker has attached to more than just the world’s best-selling roadster.

These are the MX models we know best … but the entire family is much, much larger

IN a year that sees Mazda celebrate its centenary, the Japanese firm is also looking to the future with the debut of its first all-electric production vehicle – the Mazda MX-30.

With customer deliveries expected to begin in early 2021, the MX-30 is a unique, stylish and versatile crossover EV; a stand-out addition to the Mazda line-up.

Yet why does it wear the MX moniker? This piece supplied by Mazda takes up the story:

A badge made most famous by the MX-5. Well, a look back through Mazda’s history highlights that the MX name pre-dates the world’s best-selling roadster and in fact has been used more than a dozen times across a broad spread of production, concept and racing Mazdas.

Mazda explains that the MX prefix is given to a car that takes on a challenge to create and deliver new values without being confined by convention regardless of vehicle type.

When it was revealed in 1989 the Mazda MX-5 was exactly this kind of car, as the automotive industry as a whole moved away from the affordable sports car, Mazda defied convention to create a perfect modern reinterpretation of the classic rear-wheel drive roadster.

More than three decades later the MX-5 needs no introduction, but the first car to wear the MX badge is less famous, however there’s no forgetting it once you’ve seen it.

1983 MX-02

1985 MX-05

1987 MX-04

1987 MX-04 ROADSTER

MX-03

MXR-01

Revealed in 1981, the Mazda MX-81 Aria concept car was created by Italian styling house Bertone, who using Mazda 323 running gear created a futuristic wedge-shaped hatchback.

With its gold paint, huge glasshouse and pop-up lights it stood out at the Tokyo Motor Show, but with its recessed square steering wheel, TV screen cockpit and side swinging front seats, it was arguably the interior that was the most radical. A one-off concept that certainly met the defy convention ethos of MX models, it led to a future relationship with Bertone, while things like the high-mounted taillights and pop-up headlamps appeared in future Mazda production cars later in the eighties.

Next in the MX lineage was the 1983 MX-02 concept car, a big flat sided five-door hatch with large windows, aerodynamic rear wheel covers and flared in door mirrors. Unique features included rear wheel steering and a windscreen head-up display.

The one-off theme continued with the 1985 Mazda MX-03, which again was a radical looking concept car, but this time it was a defy convention sports car that was powered by a triple rotor 315ps engine. Conceived purely as a concept, this low-slung coupe, was pure futuristic exuberance, with a cabin that featured an aircraft style yoke rather than a wheel, plus digital displays and a head-up display, its technology tally also including four-wheel steering and all-wheel drive, while the long low body delivered an aerodynamic Cd figure of just 0.25.

While the MX-02 and MX-03 shared some of the same futuristic design cues, the MX-04 was completely different. Revealed at the 1987 Tokyo Motor Show, the MX-04 was a front-engine rear-wheel drive sports car chassis that had removable fibreglass panels, but not just one, but two different sets, allowing the car to switch from a glass dome roofed coupe to a beach buggy style open sided roadster. 

Powered by a rotary engine this barmy shape-shifting sports car was never a serious contender for production, but little did outsiders know that Mazda was already developing the MX-5, and just two-years later, the most famous car to wear a MX badge arrived.

And the next cars to wear the MX badge were also production models, both cars built on the MX-5’s success and offered very different coupe styles.

MX-3

MX MICROSPORT

MX SPORT TOURER

MX-5 SPEEDSTER CONCEPT

MX-5 SPYDER CONCEPT

MX-5 SUPERLIGHT CONCEPT

MX CROSS SPORT

Sold from 1992 to 1993, the Mazda MX-3 was a four-seat coupe hatchback that disregarded the convention for normal hatchbacks to offer buyers something far more stylish and sportier, while it further earnt its MX badge by being available with the world’s smallest mass-produced V6 engine. The larger MX-6 coupe conveyed big premium coupe style for family saloon money, but in the 1990s arguably the most radical car to wear the MX badge was the Mazda MXR-01.

After the rotary powered Mazda 787B took victory in the 1991 Le Mans 24 Hours, the FIA promptly banned rotary powered cars, leaving Mazda looking for a new car for the 1992 World Sportscar Championship at very short notice.

A solution arrived in the shape of the incredible Mazda MXR-01 prototype race car. Based on the previous seasons Jaguar XJR-14, the British firms’ withdrawal from sportscar racing, allowed Mazda to adapt this radical Ross Brawn designed prototype and fit a Mazda badged V10 Judd engine. Famed for its incredible grip and downforce, just five examples where built, but sadly the collapse of the World Sportscar Championship at the end of 1992 spelt the end of Mazda’s world level motorsport programme and denied the MXR-01 the chance of success.

Into the 21st century the MX moniker returned to adorn concept cars, all of which stayed true to the MX ethos of delivering something new by challenging convention: the 2001 MX-Sport Tourer concept was a radical MPV concept with freestyle doors and sweeping body design, that highlighted the fact an MPVs did not have to be boxy or dull, something the resulting Mazda5 proved. In fact, the 2004 Mazda MX-Flexa was a concept that was even closer to the final ground-breaking Mazda5 production car, sharing its popular sliding rear doors.

The 2002 MX-Sport Runabout concept previewed the modern look of the second-generation Mazda2, while the 2003 MX-Sportif was the concept that previewed the first generation Mazda3, which was a big step forward from the outgoing Mazda 323.

The MX-MicroSport was a US focused hatchback concept, revealed at the 2004 Detroit Motor Show, but the nineties MX concept that really started Mazda on the road to another success story that set it apart from other brands, was the 2005 MX-Crossport.

Inspired by the Mazda RX-8 sportscar this was a sporty looking SUV concept with sculpted wheel arches, slender headlamps and bold shoulder lines that previewed the Mazda CX-7 - a pivotal car that established the fact that Mazda could build a stylish, sporty SUV with car like dynamics to rival the best SUVs from premium brands. A car that established a lineage of award-winning SUVs that leads to today’s CX-5 and CX-30 - the MX-Crossport sat at the start of this SUV success story.

And now with the arrival of the ground-breaking MX-30, it’s appropriate that the MX name returns to a production model – as Mazda’s first production EV, the MX-30 is a car that represents a new chapter in Mazda’s history.

2021 MX-30 - MAZDA’S ENTRY INTO THE ELECTRIC SCENE

MIA welcomes wage subsidy, trades training

The Budget brings good news for the auto industry, a core involver contends.

NEW Zealand’s troubled new vehicle industry is pleased with the contents of today’s Budget.

The country’s level 4 lockdown during the Covid-19 pandemic has proved disastrous for the industry, with sales down 90 percent during April and little likelihood of things being much better this month.

Motor Industry Association chief executive officer David Crawford said that for the new vehicle market to flourish, the New Zealand economy needs to be strong – and that is going to be a challenge in the current environment.

“A Budget that focuses on jobs while supporting businesses was what I was looking for,” he said.

In that regard the MIA was pleased to see in the budget a $4 billion business support package that included a $3.2b extension of the wage subsidy scheme, and a $1.6b free trades training package.

The wage subsidy scheme has been extended for another 12 weeks from mid-June, and Crawford said this extension will benefit those companies where revenue remains low.

The MIA also strongly supported the trades training package, which aims to open up opportunities for those who have lost their jobs or need to up-skill for a new career.

“We are delighted to see these two initiatives in the Budget,” said Crawford.

Holden NZ signals stock going fast

With Level Two allowing a return to car dealerships, how long have you got to buy a new Holden and what’s left?

commodore has taken a public pounding - yet stocks are low now

 RESUMING the business of getting out of … well, the business … marks Holden New Zealand out from all other car distributors that today resumed some semblance of trading normality.

Transition today into Level Two of the Government’s coronavirus crisis restrictions regime has allowed General Motors’ Australian maker to join most other major marques in welcoming the public back into showrooms.

Where Holden stands out is that it is a brand with no future, owner General Motors having announced its demise in February, so that buying time is limited.

For all that, Holden NZ is still guarded in detailing how much longer it has to go and exactly how much stock there remains to be moved.

Trax (above) and Acadia have also been a popular runout product

The Auckland distributor is only prepared to identify that its inventory is declining quickly.

It also cites that only the Colorado utility remains in reasonable availability, whereas crossovers and sports utilities were shifting faster and just a modest count of Astra and Commodore cars remain.

“We have a reasonable supply of new Colorado, both 4x2 and 4x4, as we head into the annual Fieldays sales campaign which usually takes place in June,” said corporate affairs manager Edward Finn.  

“There are some Commodore and Astra variants remaining, but for those customers who would like a new Holden SUV, Trax is almost sold out, a small selection of Equinox remain and there are limited numbers of Acadia.” 

Actual counts in respect to specific models and any thoughts about how long before these will be gone for good is not being shared, however.

When GM announced on February 17 that Holden was a goner, the inference was that full wind-down would still take until 2021.

However, it could be a quicker death. For instance, just a handful of Holden New Zealand’s staff at the East Mangere, Auckland, office will escape a mass redundancy that hits at the end of June. Those staying beyond then are involved in parts distribution and warranty care. Holden has to maintain parts supply and support for years yet.

colorado stockpile was built up for the now-abandoned fieldays

Conceivably, it might not be too much longer before Holden dealerships start either mothballing showroom space or finding other brands to fill it. A sobering situation in a market condition that, thanks to the virus, is predicted to drop 40-45 percent on the 2019 volume.

It is probable all shipments of Holden product to New Zealand have finished. So, what’s here now and still unregistered is all there will be.

The Covid-19 lockdown that virtually stopped all car sales for the month of Level Four and still had restrictive impact during the fortnight of Level Three that followed had cruel impact on Holden.

The brand had just begun the major run-out programme to clear its inventory when coronavirus struck. 

Obviously, few new cars were moved in April, when the shutdown allowed just three trading days: The April tally was 90 percent down on the same period of 2019. To give an idea of what that means, bear in mind that Colorado achieved as the second strongest selling ute for April … on the back of 38 registrations.

So what’s left and how long have prospective buyers got? Finn was apologetic:

“The best advice is for people who are considering the purchase of a new Holden is to contact their nearest authorised dealer and find out exactly what is on offer.”

Kamiq Scoutline adds tough edge

The baby Skoda crossover now hitting NZ has a new sibling with enhanced outdoorsy attitude.

NO sooner has Skoda settled its new Kamiq into local showroom life than the parent has announced another variant that the local distributor agrees would conceivably be tasty to Kiwis.

The baby Kamiq crossover is a fitting choice to debut a new brand initiative of a tough-looking Scoutline trim level.

It’s a different recipe to the Scout trim that is becoming more familiar to New Zealand buyers.

Whereas Scout models – and for us, that’s been the Octavia for several years and a just-introduced Superb – get all-wheel-drive for a degree of off-seal ability, the Scoutline is all about dirt-treading imagery.

Changes are therefore entirely to do with enhancing the styling without touching engineering.

Accordingly, Kamiq Scoutline retains the same front-drive layout and drivetrain choices that install in the 85kW 1.0-litre $30,990 Ambition, and 110kW 1.5-litre $36,990 Amibition Plus and $42,990 Monte Carlo models that have just landed here. Europe also sees a diesel and a manual gearbox as alternate to the direct shift transmissions NZ sees.

To make the Kamiq look more like an off-roader, Skoda has given the Scoutline matte black wheel arch surrounds, a new front spoiler and a rear diffuser designed to look like underbody protection, plus extra silver flashes. There are also LED tail-lights and tinted rear windows. It rides on 17-inch wheels as standard, but 18-inch versions are on the options list.

The Scoutline model also has exclusive interior trim decoration. In Europe ash wood effect is standard, with a darker shade available as an alternative. The front seats come with a new upholstery choice made of breathable fabric and microfibre suede and stamped with a Scoutline badge. Other touchpoints like the steering wheel and gear lever are leather-trimmed, while the interior also gets three-colour ambient lighting and LED reading lights.

The spec appears to be around the same level that affords with Monte Carlo, with reversing sensors, LED headlights, a 9.2-inch touchscreen, smartphone connectivity and cruise control. 

Production begins in two months, while conceivably means that the Sportline could be available to right hand drive markets by early 2021.

With the compact crossover sector having been a hot spot – at least prior to coronavirus lockdown – and consumers showing no concern about buying into product that, regardless of what the look suggests, is suited far more to the street than sludge, it would seem a car that Skoda NZ might give serious consideration to.

So how keen is it? Well, it’s not off the table, says brand boss Rodney Gillard.

“We can see the merit. At this stage we are sticking with the three variants we have but it’s a possibility.”

Skoda’s rapid rise in New Zealand has put us in Skoda HQ’s good books and, Gillard says, is a factor as to why it gets priority over most other right-hand-drive markets, including Australia and South Africa.

“So, while at this stage that (Scoutline) is not available to us, when and if it does become available we will absolutely give it consideration.”

Meantime, he anticipates good demand for the Kamiq variants already here and says early interest reminds that the one of the car’s attributes is being  a particularly good poster child for the current Skoda look.

“It really demonstrates the strength of our styling.”

GR Corolla? Toyota NZ’s revved

The big sleep might be ending, with talk about Toyota reviving an old-school favourite. What’s the local distributor’s reaction?

SPECULATION about Toyota Japan prepping a Gazoo Racing version of the Corolla sounds sweet to a local brand boss.

When asked for his thoughts about the potential of any such programme, Toyota New Zealand chief operating officer Neeraj Lala was unequivocal: Bring it on.

 Talk about the potential of a GR Corolla that would be a direct heir to the celebrated 4AGE 1.6-twin cam AE86 and GT Corollas of the 1980s has re-emerged on strength of a tweet sent out by Toyota America to media.

A message relating that the NZ-confirmed baby GR Yaris hot hatch is not a starter Stateside, the American operation raised flags – and hopes – by adding “it’s time the U.S. got a hot hatch to call its own.” 

Commentators saw that as a green light for Corolla, purely on strength that the brand’s top seller is the only other conventional hatchback in the Toyota line-up.

Sounds thin? Well, then consider what might be construed from this sole comment from Lala: “We are working hard on confirming this model, and would love to have it here in NZ.”

Interesting choice of words, right? Does ‘confirming’ mean there’s definitely something going on? Or is this just mischief?

Let’s not forget Toyota America’s interest in the concept of a hot Corolla has already been delivered in exactly that form. The highly-modified one-off special pictured here was a one-off created for the 2018 SEMA show in Las Vegas. 

Certainly, Lala and other TNZ high-ups are huge fanboys for Akio Toyoda’s aggressive expansion plan for its GR (Gazoo Racing) high-performance road cars.

NZ was amongst the first export customers for the GR Supra that has revived the brand’s most famous sports car and is also in the queue for the upcoming GR Yaris, a quasi-homologation homage to its World Rally Championship car 

If and when a GR Corolla does arrive, then don’t be surprised if it borrowed heavily from the GR Yaris, including using the blitzer baby’s 200kW/370Nm turbocharged 1.5-litre three-cylinder engine and all-wheel drive system.

In addition to Supra and Yaris, the GR clan will also include the next-generation 86 sports coupe – with the GR 86 nameplate – by the end of 2021 and also the GR Super Sport, a road-going version of the race car Toyota is creating to run in the Le Mans hypercar category expected to start in the 2021/22 season, though the category is looking precarious after Aston Martin froze its programme.

TNZ confirms Highlander in hybrid only

The V6 has served its purpose, but from now on petrol-electric efficiency makes more sense, distributor says.

EVERYTHING hinges on hybrid – that’s from Toyota New Zealand, in confirming today that the just-revealed next-generation Highlander will divest its V6 here and devote to petrol-electric purity.

Total commitment from TNZ to a new-to-type drivetrain that bumps a petrol V6 that continues in other markets and has been a mainstay here in the current and previous models is a safe call at the right time, local chief operating officer Neeraj Lala says. 

Pointing out that hybrids now account for one in three sales of new Toyota cars here, he said: “The introduction of another hybrid to our line-up further complements our focus on moving towards a low emission economy, while delivering our customers with a fuel-efficient large SUV.”

And that’s the whole point of the exercise. While the V6 models have been popular for their impressive power output, the engine has been increasingly tested to come up to speed in respect to economy.

That the current car has maintained healthy volume here has been increasingly due to its popularity as a rental car – where the seven-seat configuration lends favourability.

At same token, it has slipped in status with private buyers, to the point where Toyota and its fleet customers have found moving ex-rental stock into the used car forum a challenging exercise. All the more so, perhaps, now that the coronavirus crisis has destroyed tourism and thus forced operators into selling off stock.

“Toyota has now sold more than 15 million hybrid vehicles globally, including in excess of 17,000 in New Zealand,” Lala said.

"The all-new hybrid Highlander is the beneficiary of Toyota's global hybrid leadership, extensive experience in SUVs, and unrivalled reputation for quality, durability and reliability,"

On arrival in early 2021 the model will achieve immediate status as the first seven-seater hybrid SUV has had here with a Toyota badge – a distinction that separates it from the brand’s Lexus RX, which added a third row two years ago.
Married to a 2.5-litre petrol engine, it is of course a mild system – plug-in recharging has yet to enter the Toyota lexicon – and the cited total hybrid system power output is expected to be 179kW (whereas the new V6 has 218kW).  

The hybrid drivetrain marries to an intelligent AWD system that incorporates front and rear electric motors. The hybrid battery is located under the second-row seats.

The fourth-generation Highlander sits on the Toyota New Global Architecture GA-K platform, providing multiple benefits for dynamics, safety and styling, Lala says.

“The new Highlander is brand new from the ground up; a new platform for improved stability and handling, a new engine with class leading efficiency, new levels of safety and with a dynamic styling package.”

He says it will appeal as being “a significant improvement on the outgoing model, with improved efficiency and flexibility for families.”
Toyota says this has enabled engineers to develop a lightweight and highly rigid bodyshell with a low centre of gravity - features that provide the new SUV with nimble handling and comfortable driving around town and on the highway.

The new generation has advanced Toyota Safety Sense active safety technologies designed to help prevent or mitigate collisions across a wide range of traffic situations.

The new platform has also allowed designers to craft a longer, more distinctive body that delivers a more flexible interior with expanded cargo space and a more tailored ambience.

Toyota has sold more than 15 million hybrid vehicles globally.

Special Kei provided an enduring taste

Mazda’s first car was a cheeky little coupe. It’s never broken the two-door hardtop habit.

the enduringly awesome cosmo

MORE reminder of Mazda’s determination to never bend to car design and engineering conformity has come with reminder of how many two-door cars it has knocked out over the years.

The tenor of an in-house history of the company’s coupes, released as part of this being the brand’s 100th year, is a fascinating insight into its enduring commitment to this design style. 

Whereas many other Japanese makes committed more deeply to mainstream sedan shapes that were far more likely to win greater volume returns (that’s how Toyota, Mitsubishi and Nissan did it), Mazda always played beyond conservative tastes.

 That a conviction formed right at the start about how coupes best reflecting core brand philosophies remains adhered to now is a tribute to the make’s independent spirit. It hasn’t been a smooth road, but what a trip!

Agreed, that first offer, the R360 microcar designed for the domestic ‘kei’ category, is an utterly humble thing in comparison with the far more sporting products that have ultimately followed, but it nonetheless speaks clearly to Mazda’s intent to make cars that were attractive and visionary.

Of course, there was more. Mazda also identified that the best coupes around when it kicked into car-making in 1960 (having been involved in other industry, and starting out as cork supplier in the 1930s) were those that delivered performance-enhancing structures like rigidity, aerodynamics and weight reduction. These have also remained central elements of the brands product philosophy, wrapped up in the ‘fun to drive’ ethos that even the R360 was able to cheekily demonstrate, albeit less by virtue of its outright performance than the happy fact of it being the lightest in class.

Anyway, that made it an immediate bestseller, capturing 65 percent of Japan’s burgeoning microcar segment and 15 percent of the domestic market in 1960, the year of its launch.

Here’s the how the history unfolded from thereon, in the maker’s own words:

“The Mazda Carol P360 coupe, which had a longer wheelbase and a four-cylinder engine, joined the line-up in 1962 with comparable success.

Mazda’s first performance car was also a coupe, unveiled at the 1964 Tokyo Motor Show, the Mazda Cosmo Sport 110S would arrive on the market in 1967 as the world’s first production model with a twin-rotor engine. With space-age looks matched by the powertrain’s turbine-like sound, it was the beginning of an illustrious age of unconventional rotary sports coupes at Mazda. The Cosmo Sport also launched the brand’s international motorsport career.

However, the big international sales breakthrough would come with the Familia/R100 and Capella/616/RX-2 series – the respective forerunners to the Mazda3 and Mazda6 – along with the Grand Familia/818/RX-3. Mazda took its rotary engine global with these models starting in 1968, and their Italo-design inspired looks electrified buyers, quickly driving overseas unit sales into six-figures.

Even more stunning was the Mazda Luce R130 coupe introduced in 1969. Designed at Bertone by Giorgetto Giugiaro (who had also styled the first Familia), it was Mazda’s only front wheel-driven rotary model and is now a sought-after collector’s item. Slotted above the RX-2 and RX-3, the Luce R130 would make way in 1972 for the Mazda RX-4. Marketed as luxurious and sporty, the hardtop coupe version was available with an “AP” (anti-pollution) rotary that improved emissions and fuel economy. The engine would also see service on the RX-3 and Mazda Cosmo/RX-5 launched in 1975 in coupe and fastback format. Performance of the 110-135PS rotary RX coupes, with kerb weights in the 900-1,100kg range, was very respectable for the time.

The Hiroshima carmaker took this recipe for driving fun up a level in 1978 with the Mazda RX-7, whose unique wedge-shaped design featured a wraparound glass rear window. Under the bonnet of Mazda’s first truly mass-market sports car was a completely redesigned rotary engine. Propelling a lightweight structure with near-perfect weight distribution, it was exceptional to drive. Successful on the racetrack and rally stage, the RX-7 developed over three model generations into a high-performance twin-turbocharged super-coupé on par with the best the competition had to offer. With some 811,000 produced, the RX-7 remains the most popular rotary powered car in history.

Less well known is the Eunos Cosmo, a Japan-only luxury sports coupe built from 1990 until 1995. It was the only production model with a three-rotor engine; the 300PS twin-turbo “20B-REW” was also the largest-ever production rotary. The Cosmo introduced many new cutting-edge technologies, like the first built-in GPS navigation system and a touchscreen display.

Another domestic market model, the Autozam AZ-1, was remarkable in its own way. Weighing only 720kg, the exciting mid-engined kei coupe developed under Toshihiko Hira, MX-5 programme manager, had gullwing doors and a 9,000rpm redline – in a segment personified by utilitarian “boxes on wheels”.

This was typical Mazda, always seeking new ways of making its coupes look and feel special. The Mazda 929 coupe (1982-86), with its lowerable opera windows in the B-pillar, is yet another example. The stylish Mazda MX-6 (1987-97), meanwhile, had optional four-wheel steering. And the compact Mazda MX-3 (1992-98) was available with the 1.8-litre K8 engine, the world’s smallest mass-production V6.

Even back in those days, Mazda dabbled in crossover designs, widely considered a 21st-century phenomena. The Mazda 323F (1989-98) made a family friendly five-seater out of a wedge-shaped sports coupe with pop-up headlights, while the Mazda Xedos 6 (1992-99) walked the line between luxury coupe and mid-sized saloon. And the Mazda RX-8 (2003-12), a two-row “quad coupé” with freestyle doors yet, again demonstrated the company’s sophistication when it came to refreshing coupe design.

Today Mazda continues to push design convention with models like the Mazda MX-5 RF (“Retractable Fastback”). As with the previous generation MX-5 Roadster Coupe, the RF’s one-of-a-kind power hardtop gives the world’s most popular roadster the comfort of an enclosed cabin, while concept cars like the Mazda RX-Vision and Vision Coupe demonstrate how stunning coupe design influences the Kodo: Soul of Motion design philosophy that delivers the award-winning styling you find across the whole Mazda range, something demonstrated by the 2020 World Car Design of the Year winning Mazda3.”