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Apr 3, 2013 No. 672

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Turbo flagship model on agenda for Australia as Kia unveils sleeker, sportier new Cerato Koup

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WILD WRX CONCEPT

REDESIGNED KLUGER

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By HAITHAM RAZAGUI in NEW YORKKIA has finally given its Cerato Koup the go to match its show, as the second-generation model unveiled at the New York motor show last week shares the hatchback’s 150kW/265Nm 1.6-litre turbo-petrol engine.

The powerplant is also found under the bonnet of Kia’s European-sourced Pro_cee’d GT hot hatch – set to launch in Australia early next year – and the Veloster SR Turbo from Kia’s sister company Hyundai.

Although the engine is not confirmed to appear on Koups sold Down Under, Kia Motors Australia public relations general manager Kevin Hepworth told GoAuto a force-fed variant is “being

actively discussed by the product guys”.Following the sedan (launched this

month) and hatch (July), Kia will fly the Koup in the fourth quarter of this year to complete the new Cerato line-up.

The Californian-designed Koup retains the current model’s well-received proportions and notchback-style silhouette while complementing the chiselled face and narrow grille of the hatch with a bigger lower air intake and raked windscreen angle.

Compared with the outgoing Koup, the new model’s wheelbase has been extended 50mm, providing shorter overhangs, while the roof height has been slightly lowered.

Continued next page

Apr 3, 2013 Page 2

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Kia’s Aussie turbo charge

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GoAuto NewsJohn Mellor’s Kia unveils all-new Cerato Koup at New York show

Continued from previous pageTurbocharged variants declare

their performance intent with more aggressive styling comprising a bigger front bumper with enlarged air intakes, gloss black grille inserts, carbon-fibre-look trim for the front splitter and rear valance and twin chrome exhaust tips.

Behind the 18-inch alloy wheels are larger front brakes, while inside are alloy sports pedals and carbon-fibre style accents on the front and rear seats.

Both Koup variants have a sportier suspension setup than the sedan, although

the hatch unveiled at the Chicago motor show in February was also described as coming with a sports chassis setup.

Entry-level US Koup variants will come with a 2.0-litre naturally aspirated direct-injection petrol engine tied exclusively to a six-speed auto.

Australian Koups are confirmed to come with this 132kW/209Nm engine – which punches above its weight for a naturally aspirated petrol – also set to serve in the Cerato sedan and hatch.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

Korean brand considersforce-fed 2.0-litre T-GDI for Sportage and Optima

By HAITHAM RAZAGUI in NEW YORKKIA Australia is considering feistier turbo-petrol drivetrains for its local line-up, beyond the European Pro_cee’d GT hot hatch confirmed to arrive early next year.

Key models with forced induction on the agenda include a hot version of the Sportage compact SUV that would take the fight up to the Subaru Forester XT and a long-awaited turbo version of the Optima mid-size sedan.

A turbo for the Cerato Koup – arriving Down Under in the fourth quarter of this year – is also being considered.

Details of engines that will power the new Cerato sedan and hatch line-up – starting with the sedan this month

– and the all-new Rondo people-mover that will arrive in late May have also emerged.

Kia Motors Australia public relations general manager Kevin Hepworth told GoAuto at last week’s New York motor show that a 2.0-litre turbocharged direct-injection petrol engine deployed under the bonnet of the Optima and Sportage is being considered for Australia.

“There is discussion periodically on and off about turbos for Optima because they are running that 2.0-litre turbo here (in the US) and also the Sportage because they run a nice little turbo here and that is a really nice little drive,” he said.

FULL STORY: CLICK HEREMore reports – page 7-10

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Car-maker reveals heavy draw on public purse tokeep manufacturing alive

By BARRY PARKHOLDEN has opened its books to show the amount of taxpayer dollars pouring into its Australian car-making program, arguing that without it we would not have an industry.

The details, released yesterday in response to a Freedom of Information request filed with the federal government, reveal the car-maker has received about $2.1 billion in government assistance since 2001 to help it compete against imported vehicles.

A story published in the Australian Financial Review yesterday estimated that Holden had received about $2.2 billion in government handouts – twice the amount of any previous estimates of the level of taxpayer support the car-maker had received.

Based on the number of cars built over that time, Holden’s subsidy equates to about $2200 for each locally made vehicle rolling off the company’s production line since 2001.

GM Holden director of government relations Matt Hobbs told GoAuto that disclosing the information would help taxpayers and government talk about the amount of financial help the industry needed to “make a decision about policy in a rational way”.

“We’re having an ongoing debate about the car industry in this country,

and we want people talking about facts,” Mr Hobbs said.

“If people keep writing things that we know to not be accurate, then it’s time to release the figures and say, ‘Here’s the figures, this is what they are, let’s talk real numbers.’”

Holden’s figures show the car-maker has spent $21 billion on locally made parts for its cars since 2001. It shows labour costs have totalled $5.9 billion, while engineering and design costs have totalled $3.1 billion.

Capital investment has totalled $2.7 billion, the car-maker says. Over the same time, Holden claims it has paid $1.4 billion in income taxes.

Holden’s biggest draw on the public purse has been the Automotive Competitiveness and Investment Scheme (ACIS), which has paid out more than $1.5 billion to the car-maker.

It still has $215 million in outstanding funding due next year for what it calls a “new-generation co-investment scheme”, and has received more than $188 million from the now-defunct Green Car Innovation Fund (GCIF).

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

$A CRUSHING EXPORTSHOLDEN could potentially double the number of vehicles it makes in Australia – if only the dollar lost 20 per cent of its value, the car-maker says.

GM Holden director of government relations Matt Hobbs told GoAuto that the company was still struggling with an Australian dollar that was beyond parity with the US dollar, as well as fighting a falling Japanese yen.

The weakening US dollar makes it harder for Holden to sell cars into the US, the Middle East and South Africa, while the devalued yen makes it much easier for Japanese imports to slide in under the price of locally made vehicles.

However, Mr Hobbs said a falling Australian dollar could help Holden by potentially doubling sales via its export program to countries including the US, where the new VF Commodore SS will soon go on sale as a premium rear-wheel-drive sedan.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

Holden’s $2.1b funding toll

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Final version of all-newSubaru WRX ‘close’ aswild show car emerges

By HAITHAM RAZAGUI in NEW YORKSUBARU’S long-awaited next-generation WRX performance flagship is just months away, with the production version expected to be revealed by the end of this year.

And given the BRZ coupe took seven months to go from production debut to Australian launch, a similar timeframe for the WRX points to an arrival in local showrooms around mid-2014.

Speaking in New York, Subaru America president and COO Tom Doll said the production version was “close”, and conceded that a November motor show reveal was “possible”, hinting at a potential world premiere at the Los Angeles motor show.

It is also worth noting that the Tokyo motor show will take place at the same time as the North American event this November.

The concept revealed in the Big Apple last week is just a styling preview, in similar vein to the pumped-up BRZ STI concept from the 2011 motor show, which was tamed down by the time it was unveiled in production form at Tokyo a fortnight later.

Like the BRZ show car, the WRX concept is obviously an extreme version of what will end up in showrooms.

Strip away the carbon-fibre roof, 20-inch alloy wheels, massive racing brakes, aggressive rear diffuser, tiny door mirrors and air intake-like headlights and it is possible to get a measure of what the showroom STI model might look like.

Tame down the chunky flared wheelarches – which at the front lead into huge air vents – and the base WRX

starts to materialise. Whether the production model will

retain the four-door concept’s swoopy coupe-like roofline remains to be seen.

Apart from confirmation the new WRX will maintain the turbocharged, all-wheel-drive layout of its predecessors, no mechanical details have been announced and Subaru’s global deputy general manager for corporate communications Masashi Uemura declined to comment on technical details.

However, Mr Doll confirmed the new WRX will share the Impreza platform and be offered with a manual gearbox, while automatics will use a CVT with paddle-shifters.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

Next ‘Rex’ in view

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Tradition takes back seatto mileage, comfort withpolarising new Cherokee

Jeep’s brave new world

By BARRY PARKJEEP’S Cherokee off-roader has shaken off years of traditional styling to emerge kicking and screaming into the 21st century.

After official images were released in February and a follow-up video was published a few weeks later to demonstrate the new model’s off-road capability, the polarising new-generation Cherokee was formally revealed last week at the New York motor show ahead of an arrival in Australian showrooms at the end of this year.

Now with only a passing nod to its trademark face, wearing a backside that looks more at home on a European-designed hatchback, featuring front-wheel-drive entry-level models and sitting on underpinnings that have had the purists moaning, Jeep says the new

Cherokee is every bit as brave in the bush as the model it replaces.

However, moving to a shared platform with car-making partner Fiat means the traditionally off-road-focused brand can also concentrate on fuel economy, with the new 4x4 Cherokee able to disengage the rear axle when it is not needed, such as for highway cruising.

That, combined with a nine-speed automatic transmission fitted to a Fiat-sourced 137kW/232Nm 2.4-litre four-cylinder engine, has helped the Cherokee boost fuel economy almost by half, and pushed the Cherokee’s historically limited range out to 800km.

Jeep claims the nine-speeder is a segment first, although Range Rover last month also announced a similar

transmission would be fitted to its smaller Evoque this year.

In terms of the all-important off-road capability, Jeep has taken a page from Land Rover’s book, introducing a console-mounted dial that allows the driver to look outside the window and select one of five settings – Auto, Snow, Sport, Sand/Mud and Rock – to match the terrain.

That is backed up with a two-speed power transfer unit for the Cherokee’s all-paw system, giving low-range gearing with up to a 56:1 crawl ratio and a locking rear differential. Models lower down the range get only a single-speed unit.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE‘They all picked wild’ – next page

Apr 3, 2013 Page 6

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‘They all picked wild’

By BYRON MATHIOUDAKIS in NEW YORK

JEEP has defended the new Cherokee’s controversial front-end styling, calling it progressive, long-lasting and crucial to luring buyers away from rival compact SUVs that were eroding away market share.

Speaking at the New York motor show last week, chief designer Mark Allen revealed that Fiat and Chrysler management under leader Sergio Marchionne insisted on nothing less than visual boldness.

“Trust me,” he said. “We offered up to our management – and you’ve got to give them full credit – ‘mild to wild’ for this exterior look, and they all picked wild.

“The mood was to move aggressively with this vehicle.

“If you look at the face of the vehicle, there is no corner on it. Splitting the lights, and moving the lights around there, allowed us to really rake back the front of the vehicle.

“It’s got to stand on its own, it’s got to be modern. It’s got to go on a while.”

Significantly larger than the preceding

Patriot and Compass, but smaller than the old Cherokee (which was sold as the Liberty everywhere but Australia due to Subaru’s hold on the name), the newcomer finally falls in line with the compact SUV norm.

It does so by employing a monocoque body instead of a separate ladder-frame chassis, transverse engine installation and front-wheel drive for at least part of the time – the largest Jeep in history to do so.

Using the US segment-leading Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4 as benchmarks, Mr Allen acknowledged that Jeep is finally in with a chance to

succeed where it has previously failed. “We were out of the market with the

old Liberty,” he admitted. “That just wasn’t competitive with

the set that’s out there right now. Management didn’t just want us to ease into that segment. They wanted everybody to know that we are here.”

Taking about two and a half years to complete, Jeep’s design studio in North America was given the freedom to be expressive with their proposals.

“It just came out of the pen,” is how Mr Allen described the process.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

Apr 3, 2013 Page 7

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Latest concepts point todesign-led desire to joinpremium compact genre

By HAITHAM RAZAGUI in NEW YORKSMALL, desirable, attractive feature-packed cars that can command premium prices are becoming increasingly popular among car-makers and buyers alike – and Kia wants a slice of the action.

The company’s two most recent concept cars, the two-door Provo shown at Geneva last month and the CUB four-door coupe just revealed at Kia’s home show in Seoul, both point to a move in this direction.

Kia Motors America chief designer Tom Kearns, who oversaw the styling of the Soul and Cerato Koup unveiled last week at the New York motor show, told GoAuto the company was studying the downsizing trend.

“People have been downsizing in the past few years so it is something we are always exploring; how can we make a small car that is efficient but for someone who doesn’t want a cheap car necessarily,” he said.

Mr Kearns agreed that buyers want small cars to be desirable, describing

the phenomenon as “something to explore”.

“Those two concepts (Provo and CUB) are like that – how can you make a small car desirable without having to be cheap and basic with plastic everywhere.”

A design revolution led by ex-Audi designer Peter Schreyer and kicked off with the original Soul – a funky jacked-up small car – has helped significantly lift Kia’s brand image over the past five years.

But while he agreed Kia was better placed than ever to go the premium compact route, Mr Kearns suggested there was still some way to go before the Kia brand becomes as desirable as some of the stylish cars it is now producing.

“It is a challenge for us because it takes some time to get over that changing perception. We can do it step by step,” he said.

“Hopefully the perception has already changed in the past five years and

hopefully in the next five years it will continue to evolve and change so we are not looked at like a cheap Korean brand.”

Perhaps a part of that is a new design direction apparently already underway judging by the Provo and CUB – both of which almost do away with Kia’s signature tabbed grille that dominates its current model line-up.

Mr Kearns agreed that while the tabbed grille is “in there but very subtle” on the Provo, it is a shape that is “played up on some cars and toned down (on others) – but it is always there”.

The second-generation Soul shown at New York maintains the tabbed grille but it is more of a decorative emblem as it does not serve as an air intake due to the radiator’s low-down location.

“We felt like we can do what we want with that (grille) area; it is not a real engineering requirement,” Mr Kearns said.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE‘Clear focus’ – next page

Kia’s class action

CUB

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Apr 3, 2013 Page 8

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Great expectations fornext Genesis with HND-9

By MIKE COSTELLOSAY hello to the stunning Hyundai HND-9, an aggressive turbocharged rear-drive performance coupe concept that hints at a model destined for Australia.

Revealed last week at the Seoul motor show, the HND-9 is said to preview “stylistic elements” of the next-generation Genesis coupe, which Hyundai Australia has already announced will hit local showrooms, probably in 2014.

A further sign that the world’s fastest-growing mainstream car brand is intent on moving into more desirable corners of the market, the HND-9 belies its dowdy name with its swooping lines, snub overhangs, mammoth 22-inch wheels and gullwing doors.

The wild cabin features mesh seats that vary in colour depending on the angle of the beholder, and a driver-oriented digital interface. And no, the white steering wheel hasn’t melted and warped in the sun – that design appears quite deliberate.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

Kia concept targets driving performance, practicalityBy HAITHAM RAZAGUI in NEW YORKKIA could be preparing to dip its toes into the growing compact premium segment pioneered by the Mini, Fiat 500, Citroen DS3 and Audi A1 with its CUB concept just revealed at the Seoul motor show.

The CUB could be considered further proof of the South Korean company’s premium compact intentions as it has barely finished showing the Mini-like, light-sized Provo hybrid coupe concept at the Geneva motor show.

Like the rear-drive GT concept unveiled at the 2011 Geneva motor show, the CUB has four doors, the rear pair of the reverse-hinged ‘suicide’ variety like a Mazda RX-8 and similarly lacking traditional B-pillars.

Also similar to the GT are the scoop-like air intakes at the front bumper’s outer edges, while other elements reference the similarly petite Kee 2+2 concept first seen at the 2007 Frankfurt show.

But at less than four metres in length,

the CUB is even smaller than the 4.3m-long Kee 2+2.

The sleek exterior features flush glazing, tiny low-drag door mirror pods and a front end that marks a step away from Kia’s signature tabbed grille design.

Hints that this is a premium vehicle – perhaps Kia’s answer to the larger Mercedes-Benz CLA – include LED exterior lighting, arch-filling 19-inch alloy wheels, bold aerodynamic features and touch-activated doorhandles.

Finishing off the South Korean-designed CUB’s look is eye-catching exterior paintwork with offset go-faster stripe that accentuates the car’s broad, purposeful stance.

Inside is a sumptuous cabin trimmed in black leather with yellow highlights on the four individual seats, as well as on the armrests and steering wheel.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERESoul kind of feeling – next page

‘Clear focus’

CUB

HND-9

Apr 3, 2013 Page 9

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Kia’s second-generationSoul borrows Track’sterlooks, targets broad base

Soul kind of feeling

By HAITHAM RAZAGUI in NEW YORKKIA has not messed with the concept or strayed too far on the styling front with the second generation of its funky tall-boy Soul small car unveiled in New York last week.

But the South Korean company has taken plenty of inspiration from the hot Soul-based Track’ster concept unveiled at last year’s Chicago and Sydney motor shows.

Interior design and quality have moved upmarket, with Kia’s first Android-based, high-definition touchscreen infotainment system able to deliver online services including Pandora internet radio using a combination of Sirius digital satellite radio and the data connection of a smartphone paired via Bluetooth.

But when the new Soul goes on sale in Australia in the second half of next year, the chances of this sophisticated infotainment system being included are slim due to a lack of localisation and local support for the technology – such as a lack of satellite radio services.

Kia Motors Australia public relations general manager Kevin Hepworth said the Soul’s buyer demographic was not the Gen-Y buyer seen in markets like the

US but older buyers who appreciate the easy manoeuvrability and ease of entry and egress due to its high hip point.

Although Mr Hepworth anticipated the age of Soul buyers to lower, he said the new car would maintain its appeal to the older generation that likes the outgoing model.

“I can see the demographic on the car changing to middle-aged empty nesters through to older people – it’s a car that makes a lot of sense to them,” he said.

The bolstering of the Soul’s younger appeal should be furthered by improved dynamics from the all-new, 29 per cent stiffer chassis, aimed at making it more fun to punt around the city while improving forward visibility due to thinner – yet stronger – windscreen pillars.

Mr Hepworth said the Soul will be subject to Kia Australia’s usual thorough retuning for customer tastes and road conditions in Australia.

Kia has expanded on the Soul’s reputation for practicality by growing it in length, width and wheelbase to provide more interior space and luggage

capacity while reducing interior noise (by around 3dB), vibration and harshness.

Updated 97kW/160Nm 1.6-litre and 122kW/205Nm 2.0-litre petrol engines gain direct fuel injection and have been tuned to deliver more low-end grunt – and Mr Hepworth confirmed these for Australia plus the existing 94kW/260Nm 1.6-litre diesel.

Clear Track’ster-inspired styling touches include the reshaped grille and trapezoidal lower air intake (almost unchanged from the concept), which are similarly flanked at the lower extremities by circular foglights.

At the back, a body-coloured panel set into the (69mm wider) tailgate is another nod to the Track’ster.

Chief Soul designer Tom Kearns, based at Kia’s Californian studio, described the new Soul as one “one of the most difficult assignments we’ve taken on”.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE Mid-size Optimisation – next page

Apr 3, 2013 Page 10

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Kia’s upgraded Optimalooks fine but new techmight not make it to Oz

Mid-size Optimisation

By HAITHAM RAZAGUI in NEW YORKKIA has boosted its mid-size Optima sedan with the latest internet-connected infotainment and blind-spot monitoring technology on the facelifted model unveiled at the New York motor show.

However, there is no guarantee the new technology will make it Down Under when it arrives in the first quarter of next year.

The infotainment system, which relies heavily on North America’s Sirius digital satellite radio service, is not yet localised for the Australian market and there could be an obstacle to adopting blind-spot monitoring.

Kia Motors Australia public relations general manager Kevin Hepworth told GoAuto that even if the new infotainment system could be made to work via Bluetooth smartphone

tethering, there was no guarantee the head units would be available through the South Korean factory.

And while Mr Hepworth conceded there should be no technical reason the Optima could not become the first Kia sold in Australia with blind-spot monitoring, the way the factory packages specification items could be a hurdle.

“For example, on one of the models if you want a rearview camera you have to take heated seats and something else as well, so it is not as simple (as just selecting the option),” he said.

In addition to cost factors of bundling onboard technologies, Mr Hepworth said they can sometimes be tied to region-specific items like the blinking red tail-light indicators of North American models.

Good news for Optima fans is that Kia Australia continues to consider the

potent 204kW/369Nm 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine offered overseas – and the facelift could provide the company with an ideal opportunity to introduce it.

The facelifted Optima’s updated styling is dominated by a revised front bumper featuring distinctive four-lens foglight arrays linked with the deeper lower air intake by a strip of gloss black plastic.

A more delicate chrome strip around the signature Kia grille gives it a more open-mouthed look while the LED daytime running lights are now integrated with the headlight units rather than located on the bumper.

Chrome-trimmed side skirts balance out the strip running along the top of the windows and down the C-pillar toward the restyled LED tail-lights, beneath which is a new diffuser design.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

Apr 3, 2013 Page 11

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Australia waits as bigger,roomier, more advancedToyota SUV debuts in NY

Growth spurt for Kluger

By MIKE COSTELLOTOYOTA pulled the wraps from its redesigned Kluger mid-size SUV in New York last week, almost a year ahead of its arrival in Australian showrooms next February.

The third generation of the nameplate is larger outside and roomier inside, and wrapped up in a thoroughly restyled skin.

As reported, it will also be the first Kluger imported to Australia from the United States, with Japanese production of the model discontinued.

While the US market version – where it is called the Highlander – will be available with a base 2.7-litre four-

cylinder engine and the option of eight seats, Australian versions will continue to be offered with seven seats and limited to a thirstier 3.5-litre V6 petrol – at least from launch.

The company has confirmed it will again offer both all-wheel-drive and cheaper front-drive versions Down Under.

Toyota has not announced specific consumption or power figures for the tweaked engine – the current version produces 201kW/337Nm and consumes at least 11.0 litres per 100km – but has confirmed a new six-speed automatic transmission will be fitted in place of the current five-speeder.

Expect improved fuel economy and

sharper acceleration. As GoAuto has reported, the company’s

Australian arm has also ruled out the US market’s petrol-electric hybrid version, while a diesel engine option is unlikely to be made available. The Kluger’s main markets, such as the US and China, heavily favour petrol power.

Still, the lack of diesel power – unique among key rivals – has hardly been an impediment to sales for the current version.

In February, for example, Kluger outsold both the Holden Captiva 7 and Hyundai Santa Fe in Australia.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE US Kluger’s Aussie trail – page 13

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Australian localisationunderway for new SUVas plant adapts to RHD

US Kluger’s Aussie trail

By HAITHAM RAZAGUI in NEW YORKWORK is well underway to tune the third-generation Toyota Kluger SUV for Australian tastes and driving conditions as the Japanese company’s upgraded factory at Princeton, Indiana, in the US prepares to produce its first right-hand-drive model.

The new family wagon, officially unveiled last week at the New York motor show, will be built with eight seats but sold in Australia as a seven-seater due to compliance issues.

It will also remain a V6 petrol-only proposition, with the entry-level 2.7-litre four-cylinder not being produced in right-hand drive, no decision on RHD production of the hybrid and no plans for a diesel at this stage.

Australia and New Zealand will be the only RHD markets served by Princeton, which will become the sole supplier of Klugers – called Highlander outside Australia – apart from a factory in China that produces exclusively for its domestic market.

As Japanese manufacture of the Kluger ceases when the current model

is discontinued, Princeton will supply Australia and Russia in addition to its traditional North American markets.

Speaking with Australian media at the New York show, Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indiana president Norm Bafunno said he had already taken part in engineering research trips to Australia in preparation for localising the new car.

“We have had a very exciting time visiting both countries and regions (Australia and Russia) with our quality engineers to understand a bit how customers in those countries drive their vehicles,” he said.

He confirmed driving dynamics and rear independent suspension tuning were among the localisation tasks and described the research trips as assessing city and country roads as well as “how people use their vehicles and what kind of dynamic characteristics the vehicle should have”.

Highlander/Kluger project manager Tomoyasu Harada said Toyota Technical

Centre Australia, based in Melbourne, was helping out with evaluation, local tuning and compliance for this market.

No Kluger prototypes have or will be tested in Australia, although Mr Bafunno said engineers will be flown over to intercept the first shipment “just to confirm any feedback we want to react to”.

“What we do is take the road conditions from around the world, build those into the test tracks we have both in Japan and North America at the design centres and accommodate those global road conditions,” he said.

Apart from adapting to the slightly different assembly and mirror-image dashboard layout of RHD Klugers, Mr Bafunno said production, test and engineering alterations had also been made, including dynamic simulations, the testing done at the end of the production line and making sure the proving ground is suitable to test RHD vehicles.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

Apr 3, 2013 Page 14

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Business Fleet ExecutiveThis is an exceptional opportunity to make your mark and drive growth through securing new relationships and building and maintaining our Fleet business. You will be provided with the platform to offer both New Vehicle and Service related solutions to the Small and Medium Business sector in a multitude of Business Parks within our large PMA.

If you think you have what it takes to be successful in either of these roles, please express your interest confidentially via email to Scott McIntyre, Dealer Principal, smcintyre@titan.com.au AAG Pty Ltd is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

With the upcoming release of the All New Ford Kuga SUV starting at below $30,000, plus the multi-award-winning Focus, Falcon, Territory and Ranger, there has never been a better time to join the legendary Blue Oval, and no better place than Titan Ford, located on Pittwater Road in Sydney’s Northern Beaches.

We are seeking two experienced individuals who want to achieve success at a state-of-the-art dealership facility right in the busy automotive hub of Brookvale.

New SUV due Novemberis lighter, more agile andnow has third row option

Range Rover Sport reborn

By MIKE COSTELLOTHE lighter, faster and more family friendly second-generation Range Rover Sport has been outed in New York ahead of an arrival in Australian showrooms in November.

The Big Apple was deemed perfect for hosting the premiere because, as Land Rover puts it, the US is the biggest-selling country for the Sport, and New York the best-selling city therein.

Featuring a ground-up redesign, the new iteration of Range Rover’s middle child is said to have been more clearly positioned between the smaller Evoque and the larger, full-size Range Rover.

The company says the Sport is 149mm shorter and 55mm lower than the traditional Range Rover, and model-for-model is around 45kg lighter.

Developed alongside the aforementioned larger flagship, the Sport shares the same full-aluminium body structure, resulting in weight savings of up to 420kg over the superseded separate-chassis version. The platform

alone is 39 per cent lighter than before.With these improvements comes a

subsequent step up in driver dynamics, with Range Rover calling the new Sport its “fastest, most agile, most responsive model ever”.

But while the company labels the Sport as among its most “road-focused” designs to date, purists can rest easy in the knowledge that it also comes with its big brother’s Terrain Response system, adjustable air suspension, full-time four-wheel-drive system, low-range gearing and 546mm of wheel articulation for the rough stuff.

The Sport is also the best choice for the school run, being the first Range

Rover model available with the option of seven seats. At 4850mm long, the Sport is shorter than most seven-seaters, but its 178mm longer wheelbase allows the temporary third row to be accommodated.

Four engines have been confirmed from local launch – a 3.0-litre turbo-diesel V6 in 190kW/600Nm or 215kW/600Nm states of tune, a 250kW supercharged V6 petrol and a range-topping 375kW 5.0-litre supercharged V8 petrol.

Range Rover claims the V6 diesels are up to 15 per cent more efficient than the equivalent outgoing unit, with carbon dioxide emissions down to 194 grams per kilometre.

The supercharged V6 petrol version, meanwhile, can dash from zero to 100km/h in a claimed 7.2 seconds – three-tenths faster than the V8 that preceded it. The supercharged V8 brings this down to a sportscar-like 5.3s.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

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Chevy uncovers Z/28track-focused Camaro

By BARRY PARKGENERAL Motors could afford to cut corners when redesigning the most track-ready Camaro ever sold in the US – they did not have to include air-conditioning.

The car-maker last week pulled the wraps off the 7.0-litre V8-monstered Chevrolet Camaro Z/28, as the model is known, with air-conditioning available only as an option for the track-focused coupe.

However, while the Camaro, which shares its underpinnings with the Holden Commodore, was originally penned by the Commodore’s design team, GM North America president Mark Reuss told GoAuto that Holden had no part in the car’s track-focused redesign.

The range-topping Z/28 features a full aerodynamics package with a focus on generating downforce to help it stick to the track, and high-speed stability.

Holden’s performance-tuning arm, HSV, will probably be interested to know that the 7.0-litre V8 generates more than 373kW of power and a stump-pulling 637Nm of torque. HSV is yet to show Australia what it intends to do with its version of the redesigned VF Commodore due in a couple of months’ time.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

GM looks to Torana concept for bi-turbo V6 ‘boost’By HAITHAM RAZAGUI in NEW YORKHOLDEN’S 2004 Torana TT36 concept provided some inspiration to engineers working on the thumping new Cadillac twin-turbo V6 petrol engine.

The engine’s assistant chief engineer Richard Bartlett told GoAuto in New York last week that the Torana’s 3.6-litre twin-turbo V6 engine was among the forced-induction applications considered when researching methods of boosting the venerable GM LFX V6.

“Yes, we looked around and we have also done spins here in the US off the same architecture with twin-turbo aftermarket systems and we looked at how people integrate things,” he said.

“In those applications typically packaging and mass are not a big consideration ... but certainly the concept of twin turbocharging, what they learnt feeds into what we selected

for here as well.”The V8-bashing six-pot made its

debut under the bonnet of Cadillac’s all-new rear-drive CTS luxury sedan at last week’s New York motor show.

Although Mr Bartlett would not be drawn on specifics outside the Cadillac brand – the next car to receive the engine will be the Cadillac XTS large SUV – it promises to eventually deliver searing performance across the wider General Motors empire.

“It’s remarkably space efficient, it’s not really heavy mass-wise, the output is scalable with calibration so there is certainly potential to do other things than what we are offering here today,” he said.

“It’s a very compact, efficient design, it mounts transversely and longitudinally and it has compatibility with a lot of options – but today we’re talking about CTS.”

In the CTS – in which the new engine pumps out an HSV V8-chasing 313kW and 583Nm – the turbo V6 heralds the arrival of a new V Sport sub-brand to sit below V8-powered performance flagship Cadillacs bearing the V designation.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

CTS

TT36

TT36 inspires CTS

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Mercedes unveils 265kW turbo CLA sedan ahead of Australian sales next year

CLA45 AMG blasts in

Audi uncovers all-new A3 sedan in New York and confirms early 2014 launch hereBy BARRY PARK

AUDI has finally put a boot on its city-friendly A3, creating a three-box sedan that will sell alongside the already revealed hatchback – and it is coming to Australia.

Unveiled at the New York motor show last week, the production version of the four-door A3 sedan was shown alongside a special S3 model loosely based on the S3 hatchback.

It has been a long wait for the more practical form of the city car, with a

sedan concept based on the A3 first shown two years ago.

According to Audi Australia, the A3 with a boot is slated to arrive here early next year, although it is remaining coy

about pricing until much closer to the car’s arrival.

As GoAuto has reported, the new-generation A3 will launch here in May this year, priced from a sharp $35,600.

Shortly after the launch of the regular sedan range in early 2014 will come the hot S3 version, featuring a 221kW 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine pumping out a V8-like 380Nm of torque through all four wheels.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

By MIKE COSTELLOIT Set jaws dropping when revealing the A45 AMG uber-hatch in February, and now Mercedes-Benz has repeated the trick with an AMG version of its new CLA sedan.

Making its first global appearance last week at the New York motor show, the fiery four-door uses the same remarkable 265kW/450Nm 2.0-litre turbo as the A45 on which it is based, and has the same supercar-like 0-100km/h acceleration time of 4.6 seconds.

Billed as a smaller but conceptually similar take on the rakish CLS63 AMG, the hottest CLA sends power from its hand-built engine – the most powerful engine of its kind in the world today – to all four wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission with paddles.

As GoAuto has reported, the CLA45 AMG is due to hit Australia in early

2014, a few months after the regular CLA range launches. The CLA, along with the A-Class with which it shares a modular platform, is tasked with giving Mercedes a leg up into more youthful markets.

Further Australian-specific details such as local pricing are undecided. As a guide, note the mechanically identical A45 AMG hatch will be priced from $74,900 plus on-road costs when it launches in September.

Along with genuine sportscar pace, the CLA45 is frugal enough to undercut the 7.0 litre per 100km luxury car tax cut-off, although it is unclear if the

car will come in under the circa-$75K threshold.

Just like the larger eight- and 12-cylinder engines in AMG’s arsenal, the fire-breathing four-pot in the CLA (and A45) is hand-built to AMG’s “one man, one engine” philosophy.

Despite having half the cylinders of its AMG brethren, Mercedes claims to have retained the signature throaty exhaust note found on models such as the C63 thanks to a sports exhaust system that adjusts outputs depending on driving style.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

Apr 3, 2013 Page 17

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New importer adds value to Citroen compact SUV, now from $31,990 driveaway

By TIM NICHOLSONCITROEN’S revival in Australia continues with confirmation of driveaway pricing for its C4 Aircross compact SUV, eight months after it officially went on sale.

Now available for $31,990 driveaway in base two-wheel-drive guise and $33,990 for the four-wheel-drive version, the C4 Aircross gives Citroen a leg up in the booming compact SUV segment in Australia.

Sales of the Mitsubishi ASX-based crossover have been slow since its release in July last year, with just 71 units shifted in 2012 and 13 sales in the first two months of this year.

In comparison, sister company Peugeot’s twin SUV, the 4008, has sold 130 units this year and the Citroen is even being outsold by Chinese brand Chery’s J11.

The relaunch of the French car-maker’s first crossover vehicle comes after private importer Sime Darby officially took over distribution of Citroen from

Ateco Automotive in February.At the media launch of the C4 Aircross

last week, Citroen Automobiles Australia national marketing manager Manuel Tynas said that the French car-maker was hoping for an increase in sales, indicating a modest target of 20 units per month.

Little has changed since the C4 Aircross was released last year – it is still available in one specification only, the Exclusive, but with the choice of either two-wheel or all-wheel drive.

Pricing remains as it was at launch, however Citroen has added a reversing camera as standard and the price of both models is now permanently driveaway, which in reality means a price cut of several thousand dollars.

In comparison, the mechanically identical Peugeot 4008 kicks off from $28,990 in entry-level Active guise but it is only available with a manual gearbox, whereas the top-spec all-wheel-drive

automatic Allure jumps to $38,490.Mitsubishi’s ASX on which both

French-branded cars are based is priced $3000 cheaper than the Citroen for the two-wheel-drive Aspire range-topper, and the all-wheel-drive variant is $34,990.

Citroen Automobiles Australia general manager John Startari told GoAuto that the reason for importing just one specification level was to test the waters in the SUV market.

“It’s a new foray for Citroen,” he said. “We want to see whether Citroen buyers will accept us going into

the SUV category because it is not something we have been in before.”

Mr Startari said that the introduction of further variants would depend on how the vehicle is received locally.

“We are being very conservative with the sales figures, obviously we can expand on that should the need arise. There are manual variants available, but we have chosen to just stick with two-wheel drive and four-wheel drive in one specification level with options.”

Citroen has included enough gear in the C4 Aircross to entice buyers away from its higher-selling competition in the segment that also includes the Volkswagen Tiguan, Nissan Dualis, Skoda Yeti and the top-selling Hyundai ix35.

Continued next page

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Aircross relaunch

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DS made to order

Kickstart for Citroen Aircross under Sime with driveaway pricing from $31,990Continued from previous page

The cabin of the C4 Aircross gets a leather-covered steering wheel with audio controls, chrome surrounds on the dials, air-conditioning controls and gearshift knob, automatic-dimming interior mirror, Bluetooth and USB connectivity and an auxiliary socket.

A chilled glovebox, dark tinting on the rear and back windows, the aforementioned reversing camera in the interior mirror and a Rockford Fosgate stereo are also standard on both models, with the short options list

including power heated leather seats and metallic paint.

Strangely, an optional panoramic glass roof with roof rails is available as an option – but only on the 2WD model.

Safety features include seven airbags, park assist and emergency brake assist,

while the C4 Aircross is yet to be crash tested by ANCAP.

The Citroen has been given a unique design to differentiate it from its donor car, the ASX and its French sister, the 4008. Citroen claims that the rear lights and 18-inch alloy wheels were inspired by the C4 hatch and Hypnos concept car from the 2008 Paris motor show and that they “were designed to optimise airflow and cut CO2 emissions”.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE DRIVE IMPRESSIONS: CLICK HERE

By TIM NICHOLSONCITROEN will offer tailor-made cars via its upmarket DS range in a bid to differentiate itself in Australia’s crowded new-car market.

The DS bespoke concept will allow buyers to pick and choose from an extensive options list and build their car from scratch, via a new app-based logistics ordering system.

Creating your ideal car will mean a wait list, with Citroen Automobiles Australia general manager John Startari confirming that the time between ordering the vehicle and receiving it will vary between two weeks and three months.

“Some people will order a car that is a generic specification,” he said. “We will be able to supply that a lot quicker than someone that wants an out-and-out radical roof colour or different body colour, especially with the DS3.

“We believe the majority of those will be well under the three months and closer to the two-week mark but we have got to provide the worst-case scenario.”

Mr Startari said that Citroen’s local arm will manage the waiting list through an engagement strategy that will see customers updated on the progress of their vehicle via an in-house call centre.

“Long-term we would like to have some online electronic communication that potentially could lead to customers seeing their car coming down the production line, being loaded at the boat, but that’s obviously down the track,” he said.

Citroen’s dealer network will adapt to the new bespoke system from July 1, with showrooms adding a dedicated DS area where customers can review DS options.

“The way that will work is the ‘C-line’ range of vehicles will operate under a slightly modified traditional dealer

system,” he said. “However, the biggest amendment of the DS line is that dealers will hold demonstration vehicles only.”

Mr Startari said the new strategy was designed around customer satisfaction and giving the buyer as much power as possible.

“What we are looking for is to create a relaxed environment where the customer is in control. Our strategy is really about the customer, we are trying to give them as much flexibility

as possible and capitalise on the huge range of options available from Citroen,” he said.

“In the past the product planning team has made the decision for the customers and there was a compromise. What we are trying to do is take that away and give full flexibility to the customer.”

While acknowledging that the new strategy could pose problems, Mr Startari believes the size of the company in Australia will allow for a successful rollout.

“Logistically it is very difficult to do and I can understand why people don’t attempt it but at the end of the day we think we can do something that’s different and the volumes are not out of control,” he said.

The change in dealer strategy coincides with the expansion of the dealer network in Australia.

At the time of the change in distributorship in February this year, there were 19 Citroen dealers across the country and that has grown to 23 in less than two months.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

Citroen set to offer novelapp-based customisationprocess with DS relaunch

DS3

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Apr 3, 2013 Page 19

Audi’s facelifted RS5 coupe has received numerous tweaks but nothing major that stands out – apart from about $14,000 off the list price. But price aside, the small changes feel as though they add up to more than the sum of their parts, enough to make this the car it should have been pre-facelift.It is just as fast and just as loud as before but some of the original’s aloof remoteness when tackling twisty roads has been shed, making it a far more interactive – and most importantly fun – experience.

Audi RS5 coupe

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

GoAuto’s latest car review www.GoAuto.com.au

SUZUKI SMALL SEDANSUZUKI has revealed its intention to leap into the popular small-car segment with a new model line – and it plans to reveal a concept version at the Shanghai auto show later this month.

Teaser images of the concept – dubbed Authentics – reveal a near-production four-door sedan with similar proportions to the newly released Nissan Pulsar or similarly sized Ford Focus sedan.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

VW caps range

Capped-price servicing for all VW passenger carsBy MIKE COSTELLO

VOLKSWAGEN has become the latest mainstream car brand in Australia to give buyers the transparency of capped-price servicing.

The company placed a toe in the water with the recently released Up and Beetle – both of which launched with fixed dealer service costs – but has now rolled the program out across its entire passenger fleet.

The deal covers all new passenger vehicles sold since January 1, 2013, not just those sold from this week. All future models will be covered from launch as well, starting with the eagerly awaited

new Golf Mk7 that goes on sale April 27. Volkswagen’s commercial vehicles

– the Caddy, Transporter, Crafter and Amarok – will miss out for now, although general manager of communications Karl Gehling told GoAuto yesterday that it was being considered for them as well.

The scheme sets a consistent, standard dealer service cost for the first six years or 90,000km of ownership. Considering Volkswagen’s service intervals are 12 months apart, this means six scheduled dealer visits are covered.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

New VW Golf named 2013 World Car of the YearBy TIM NICHOLSON

VOLKSWAGEN has won its fourth World Car of the Year title in five years, taking out top honours this year with its Golf Mk7.

Due on sale in Australia this month, the new-generation Golf edged out fellow finalists including the Mercedes-Benz A-Class, Porsche Boxster/Cayman twins and Toyota 86/Subaru

BRZ/Scion FR-S sportscar triplets. Finalists were whittled down from a

top 10 list that included the Volvo V40, Audi A3 and Peugeot 208.

Mazda’s CX-5 and Land Rover’s Range Rover were the only two SUVs to make it into the top 10, while the mid-size Mazda6 range rounded out the list.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

MID-SERIES XLS RANGERFORD Australia has plugged an important hole in its Ranger ute line-up, releasing a mid-specification model aimed at private and small-business buyers.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

FURORE OVER FIGO ADSFORD’S Australian-developed Figo light car has become embroiled in controversy overseas after it featured in ads showing bound and gagged women.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

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By BARRY PARKDIESEL passenger car sales appear to be on a bit of a rollercoaster ride at the moment, but that does not worry the companies that supply them with the fuel they need.

Sales of oil-burning passenger cars have climbed steadily to peak at just more than 22,000 in 2010, but since then they have fallen to about 18,500 units.

However, the Australian arms of fuel supply behemoths Shell and rival Caltex say they are preparing for years of growth in the market, with projections tipping diesel fuel sales to rise by about 4 per cent a year.

Volkswagen thinks it may have part of the answer.

The German premium brand pioneered the popularity of diesel passenger cars, pricing its oil-burning Passat mid-size sedan and wagon as the entry-level models in the range in 2006 – a stark contrast in a market where diesels have traditionally attracted a hefty premium over their petrol versions.

According to VW’s general manager of communications, Karl Gehling, sales of its smaller diesel engines have slowed, and it is all because of the rival petrol engines.

“We are seeing a bit of a (diesel sales) plateau, which is probably reflective of advances with the (petrol-fuelled) TSI engines that we’ve introduced over the

last few years,” Mr Gehling said.“The gap between the petrol and

diesel engines in terms of (fuel) economy has dropped significantly, which obviously takes away one of the arguments for the choice of diesel over petrol,” he said.

Mr Gehling said the mix of petrol-to-diesel sales varied according to the model.

“With the Passat range the 125TDI (2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel) engine has been our strongest seller, and diesel is still by far the greatest proportion of our sales,” he said. “As we move down to smaller models, the petrol (cars) have really taken up a bigger share of the sales – it’s not an across-the-board move, but it depends

on the particular model.”Mr Gehling said the larger the

vehicle, the more likely a buyer would favour a diesel engine under the bonnet.

He pointed to the Touareg large SUV, which had its FSI V6 petrol engine discontinued in favour of an all-diesel line-up “because the demand for a large petrol (engine) was so small in that model”.

“It comes down to preferences in a smaller car,” he said. “Some people prefer the high torque and more relaxed driving style of a diesel – it’s a more effortless engine – whereas obviously when you go into a large vehicle there’s a clear benefit … you get a fuel consumption saving.”

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

Variable diesel new-carregos no concern for oilgiants as fuel sales rise

Diesel outlook solidDiesel vehicle sales 2008-2012

Passenger private Passenger non-privateSUV private SUV non-privateLight commercial private Light commercial non-private

2008 2009 2010 2011 20120

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Source: VFACTS

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By MIKE COSTELLONISSAN Australia is looking at bringing a petrol-electric hybrid version of its new Pathfinder SUV Down Under in the absence of a fuel-sipping diesel variant.

Revealed at last week’s New York motor show, the new Pathfinder economy leader consumes 25 per cent less fuel than the regular 194kW/325Nm 3.5-litre V6 petrol engine fitted in all other variants.

As GoAuto has reported, the more car-like new petrol Pathfinder will go on sale in Australia by November this year, giving Nissan a more natural competitor for the popular Ford Territory and Toyota Kluger.

However, unlike the utilitarian (Navara-based) current version, there will be no diesel engine option at launch, belying a wider segment trend towards more frugal oil-burners.

The story is similar on Nissan’s larger new-generation Patrol, which is available only with a 5.6-litre V8 petrol

engine. As such, the company’s local arm continues to sell diesel versions of the superseded model alongside it.

Importing the Pathfinder Hybrid would be one way to get an economy leader should a suitable diesel engine not be found from the Nissan catalogue, or those of alliance partner Renault (or, potentially, even global joint-venture partner Daimler).

As we reported last month, private hybrid car sales – while still relatively low – are up around 70 per cent so far this year, with a wider range of petrol-electric models becoming available, helping market acceptance and traction.

Nissan says the hybrid version will be priced around $3000 higher than the regular petrol version in the US market – about the same premium as a diesel regularly attracts in Australia.

The petrol-electric Pathfinder uses a one-motor/two-clutch configuration similar to the Infiniti M hybrid luxury sedan – a vehicle which for a time claimed the title of world’s fastest hybrid.

In place of the regular 3.5-litre V6

is a supercharged 2.5-litre petrol four-cylinder paired with a 15kW electric motor, charged by a small lithium-ion battery and fed to either the front or all four wheels (depending on the variant) via a CVT automatic.

Combined power and torque figures are listed as 186kW/329Nm – almost identical to the regular V6, but combined-cycle fuel economy is about 25 per cent lower at 9.0 litres per 100km.

Importantly for a family SUV, the hybrid also has a 1600kg towing capacity, and thanks to the compact lithium battery located under the floor at the rear of the car, retains the sliding middle seat row and has the same rear legroom and cargo space as the regular petrol model.

The large 4.2-inch screen in the instrument panel displays power flow readings from the electric motor and petrol engine, as well as power regeneration back into the battery.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

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Pathfinder hybrid bid

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Apr 3, 2013 Page 22

McMAHON STEPS UP AS HONDA AUSTRALIA’S NEW SALES AND MARKETING CHIEFBy TERRY MARTIN

HONDA Australia has promoted Carolyn McMahon to the role of general manager of sales and marketing.

Most recently Honda’s southern and western regional manager, Ms McMahon has worked for the company since 1995 in a variety of roles spanning business services, administration, fleet and the Honda Advanced Rider Training (HART) motorcycle program.

In Honda Australia’s lead sales and

marketing role, Ms McMahon takes over from company director Stephen Collins, who had remained in the position since his appointment to the board in October 2011, when Lindsay Smalley stepped down from his duties as senior director.

Honda said in a statement that Ms

McMahon’s appointment would enable Mr Collins to focus on “the broader strategic business” as well as further strengthen the company’s senior management team.

“Carolyn brings extensive experience in the automotive industry,” Mr Collins said. “Her strong working relationships mean she will be a great leader in our team.”

Honda’s new southern/western regional manager is Terry Aravanis.

Carolyn McMahon

CITROEN DISTRIBUTION MOVE SEES SIME DARBY EXPAND COMMUNICATIONS TEAMBy TERRY MARTIN

SIME Darby Motors Group has expanded its communications department since taking on the Citroen brand in Australia.

Former Volkswagen Group Australia public relations representative and dealer network operations officer Jenny Chungall has been appointed PR and communications executive, covering the Peugeot brand as well as Citroen.

The company has also appointed Rebecca Reyes as events manager, whose areas of responsibility will include events and sponsorship activities of both French PSA brands.

Ms Reyes brings some five years’

events management experience in an agency setting to the role, having worked on events involving high-profile companies including Virgin Australia, Suncorp and Procter & Gamble.

Both Ms Chungall and Ms Reyes will report to Sime Darby Motors Group PR and communications manager Jaedene Hudson.

As GoAuto has reported, Sime Darby officially took over the Citroen franchise from Ateco Automotive

in February, with the newly named Citroen Automobiles Australia operating alongside the company’s existing Peugeot business.

The company has hired former Proton Cars Australia managing director John Startari as general manager of Citroen Automobiles Australia, who has begun revising the model range and developing a new retail strategy in an effort to increase sales and standing of the brand in Australia.

Jenny Chungall Rebecca Reyes

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AUDI FINANCE EXEC LEADS NEW AUSTRALIAN DEALER DEVELOPMENT DIVISIONBy TERRY MARTIN

AUDI Australia has appointed long-serving finance executive Rhonda Soulakellis as general manager of dealer development as its works on a plan to secure luxury car market leadership by the end of this decade.

The company’s head of finance for the past 16 years, Mrs Soulakellis will oversee a newly created dealer development department of seven staff members that

the company describes as part of its global Strategy 2020 in which it aims to become the leading luxury brand in Australia and markets worldwide.

Replacing her as the general manager of finance, legal and

compliance will be Dr Ralf Schuell,

an experienced executive who is relocating from Audi AG.

As GoAuto has reported, Audi has experienced strong growth in recent years to over 14,500 annual sales, coming within about 4000 units of BMW and Mercedes-Benz, although new registrations in 2012 were up just 0.2 per cent.

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Next Mini to stick with familiar design but set for significant changes inside, underneathBy TIM NICHOLSON

THE next-generation Mini hatch that is scheduled for a reveal later this year will feature evolutionary styling and be one of the first vehicles to be built on the BMW Group’s UKL front-drive platform.

Not slated for release until sometime in 2014, the Mini hatch will test the waters of the controversial platform that will also form the basis for BMW’s first front-drive small car, previewed as the Concept Active Tourer at the Paris motor show last year.

Speaking at the recent local launch of the new Paceman coupe in Brisbane, Mini Australia’s national manager Kai Bruesewitz confirmed that he had seen the next-gen hatch in the flesh and was impressed with what he saw.

“It’s a great looking car,” he said. “It’s an evolution of the current model but completely new, everything is new.”

Mr Bruesewitz said it would be unwise to take a dramatic styling turn with the new model, given its history and enthusiastic fan-base and hinted at safety improvements over the current version.

“With the love that our Mini customers have developed for the brand, there won’t be a radical change of design. We will continuously develop the shape from today, evolving and taking new requirements such as pedestrian safety requirements into

consideration as there are pretty tight rules in Europe.”

Discussing the interior of the new model, Mr Bruesewitz said that there will be big changes for the cabin, without neglecting the heritage of the iconic brand.

He also addressed concerns that the current model wasn’t different enough from the hatch that relaunched the brand in 2002, saying that the 2014 version will “absolutely” be different enough.

Mr Bruesewitz said an all-wheel-drive version of the hatch was not out of the question, pointing to the high take-up of AWD variants across the BMW range in Europe.

“I could also see it for Mini hatch, but I don’t necessarily think we would have a very high uptake here in Australia. But internationally I think that is something that is looked into,” he said.

In a bid to increase its global market

share, the BMW-owned car-maker is looking to expand the number of body styles from the seven it currently offers.

While there has been some talk of a Mini sedan in the works, Mr Bruesewitz was quick to point out that any discussion of such a vehicle was “hypothetical”.

“There isn’t a decision yet and I don’t have any dates of when this could happen but this is an idea that the headquarters is playing around with and there are markets around the world, not necessarily Australia, but China and the US that have a very strong natural demand for a sedan,” he said.

Another vehicle that Mr Bruesewitz would like to see come to fruition is the funky Rocketman concept that was revealed at the 2011 Geneva motor show and received another outing at the London Olympics last year.

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Rocketman

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