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Faz and FuriousFerrari goes crazy with fastest road car – ever!

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Issue 36 ● April 2012

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6 Pixel perfectInnovative Tata hybrid city-car aims to be the Star of India

10EditorialGoAuto NewsroomPO Box 18Sandringham VIC 3191(03) 9598 6477 [email protected]

EditorDavid [email protected]

ProductionLuc Britten

ContributorsRon HammertonMarton PettendyByron MathioudakisTerry MartinHaitham RazaguiJames StanfordMike Costello

Advertising enquiriesSally Mellor(03) 9598 6477 0425 700 [email protected]

The Italian ThrobLamborghini opens up Aventador with wild one-off roadster

13

Prancing With the StarsGorgeous front-engined Ferrari woos the judges with power and grace

Economy classMercedes-Benz solves baby blues with more conventional A-class

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\\ Mercedes-Benz A-class

Economy classMercedes-Benz solves baby blues with more conventional A-class

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By DAVID HASSALL

THERE were no major surprises when Mercedes-Benz revealed its all-new A-class – the smallest car to wear a three-pointed star – at the Geneva motor show, just a widespread admiration for the new style of the German brand’s new baby.

Due in Australia in the first quarter of 2013, the third-generation A-class will mark the return of the model to Australia as it was discontinued in June 2010 after a sustained period of declining sales for the high-riding second-generation model.

Now more conventionally styled – in the

modern small-car vein of vehicles such as the BMW 1 Series, Mazda3 and even the Hyundai i30 – the new A-class is some 18cm (more than seven inches) lower than before.

Mercedes-Benz Australia promises sharp pricing for the new car, pointing out a quote from Daimler AG chairman Dieter Zetsche

ahead of the Geneva show that “A is for Attack”.

“This is absolutely a conquest car,” said Mercedes-Benz Australia senior manager corporate communications David McCarthy. “We expect that half of the buyers of this vehicle will be new to the brand, so look out.



“This is a very competitive market segment, but we are very keen to do volume with this car, so pricing will be very competitive.”

BMW 1 Series five-door hatch pricing starts at $36,900 plus on-road costs (116i manual) while the Audi A3 Sportback starts at $40,500 (1.6 TDI auto).

The Mercedes B-class – an all-new model of which will be launched here next month, built on the same platform and still with upright styling – is presently priced from $37,900, and the A-class is likely to be priced at least a couple of thousand dollars under its larger sibling.

Mercedes-Benz will launch the A-class next year with a pair of petrol-engined models (the 90kW A180 and the 115kW A200), a diesel (probably the 80kW A180 CDI) and new headline act, the ‘engineered by AMG’ A250 Sport.

AMG – Mercedes’ performance division – was involved for the first time from the early stages of model development and, as a result, the A250 Sport rides on 18-inch AMG light-alloy wheels and features a distinctive new diamond grille design based on an A-class concept car shown almost a year ago at the Shanghai auto show.

The A250 Sport is powered by a 155kW direct-injection turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine and provides Benz with its first direct rival to the iconic Volkswagen Golf GTI (which also just happens to produce 155kW).

Further down the track – perhaps at the Paris motor show in late September, with sales commencing in 2013 – expect a full-on AMG model developing more than 200kW and driving all four wheels.


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The high-gloss black wheels on the A250 Sport have a five-spoke design, are fitted with 235/40 high-performance tyres, cover red-painted brake calipers and are connected to an AMG-developed suspension and front axle.

Sport models – including a turbo-diesel A220 CDI Sport in Europe – are also distinguished by red bands front and rear, with further red accents inside the mainly black cabin, including the seatbelts, steering wheel and seats.

One innovative feature that will carry into production from the Shanghai show car is a smartphone integration – initially only for iPhones but extending in time to other brands – that allows full functionality through the car’s central display screen.

Mercedes will fit its radar-based collision avoidance system as standard in all A-class models. This system warns the driver by visual and audible alerts, and also prepares the Brake Assist function, if it detects an

impending collision.Another safety system – Pre-Safe, which

prepares the car for an accident and premiered on the S-class in 2002 – will be available for the first time in the A-class with the new model.

Mercedes-Benz head of design Gorden Wagener said he had stayed as close as possible to the Shanghai concept because it had been so well received.

“Applying the new dynamic style of Mercedes-Benz to the compact class was a challenge that we thoroughly enjoyed,” he said.

“No other car in this segment is as progressive as the A-Class. The almost sculptural lines are very typical for Mercedes and the feature lines, particularly along the sides of the car, then give the A-Class structure and tautness.

Prof Wagener said the new dynamic style also applies to the interior, which features a new “silver chrome” metallic-touch surface and air vents designed to stand out “like sparkling jewels”.

Family face: Familiar Mercedes front end makes the A-class look like a bigger car.

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\\ Ferrari F12 Berlinetta

By TERRY MARTIN

FERRARI’S fastest and most powerful road car ever – the gorgeous F12 Berlinetta – was revealed in all its glory at the Geneva motor show last month, ahead of an Australian arrival early in 2013.

Emerging after years of speculation, the Prancing Horse’s front-engined 599 successor is said to usher in a new era of Ferrari 12-cylinder engine performance – in this case a 544kW 6.3-litre naturally aspirated V12 that develops its peak power at 8500rpm and can

reach 100km/h from rest in just 3.1 seconds.The Italian supercar marque also claims

the F12 Berlinetta requires just 8.5 seconds to crack 200km/h, on its way to a maximum speed of “more than 340km/h”.

It also completes a lap of Ferrari’s Fiorano

test circuit faster than any other Ferrari road car before it, including the previous benchmark-setting 599 GTO.

While the engine is based on the same 6262cc direct-injection 65-degree V12 found in the four-seater FF, the F12 Berlinetta – which

Gorgeous front-engined Ferrari woos the judges with power and grace

Prancing With the Stars



prior to its unveiling was expected to carry the ‘620’ moniker – outguns both the FF and the previous 599 in more than mere horsepower, with maximum torque of 690Nm at 6000rpm, 80 per cent of which is available from 2500rpm and which provides “an unrelenting surge of acceleration” all the way to its 8700rpm redline.

In comparison, the FF develops

485kW/683Nm and the 599’s 6.0-litre V12 produced 456kW/607kW, with the GTO version upping the ante to 500kW/620Nm.

Lamborghini’s F12-rivalling $754,600 Aventador LP700-4 uses a 515kW/690Nm 6.2-litre 60-degree V12 that drives all four wheels and can hit 100km/h in an even quicker 2.9 seconds, but the Ferrari can claim a minor

victory on environmental grounds. Turning up with rear-wheel drive and a

closer-ratio version of the 599’s F1-style seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, the F12 super-coupe boasts a 30 per cent reduction in fuel consumption, down to 15L/100km when fitted with “lightweight options” and the factory-fit HELE (High Emotion, Low Emissions)

pack that combines an idle-stop system with ‘intelligent’ controls for the engine fans, fuel pump and air-conditioning compressor.

CO2 emissions are down, to 350g/km, which Ferrari claims puts the vehicle “at the top of the high-performance league”. The Aventador manages only 17.2L/100km and 398g/km.

Ferrari says its efficiency improvements boil


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down to “engine, aerodynamics, tyres and weights”.

The F12’s dry weight has come in at 1525kg – down 70kg compared to the 599 – and its aero drag coefficient drops to 0.299Cd (even though downforce has been boosted by 76 per cent), with the evocative design resulting from collaboration between the Ferrari Styling Centre and Pininfarina.

These results stem from new solutions that were honed in the 599XX ‘research and development’ car, including ‘Active Brake Cooling’, which is a system that only opens the brake cooling ducts at high operating temperatures, again reducing drag.

This combines with lower mounting of the engine, dash and seats in the chassis, together with a new layout for the rear suspension and gearbox, which essentially reduces the volume at the rear, achieving a more compact car overall with a lower centre of gravity that

is further back in the chassis. Ferrari says the F12 is built with an all-new

spaceframe chassis and bodyshell that has 12 different kinds of alloys as well as new assembly and joining techniques. The result is a claimed 20 per cent increase in structural rigidity.

It uses Ferrari’s latest generation of carbon-ceramic brakes and an evolution of the company’s ‘magnetorheological’ suspension control system.

Cabin highlights include full ‘Frau’ leather trim, new carbon-fibre and aluminium detailing and the adoption of Ferrari’s ‘Human Machine Interface’ driver control layout, while more luggage space has been created behind the seats.

First European deliveries commence in the third quarter and right-hand-drive production kicks off later in the year, with Australia and New Zealand receiving their first examples in the first quarter of 2013.

Modena marvel: The new Ferrari F12 Berlinetta looks menacing from any angle.

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Innovative Tata hybrid city-car aims to be the Star of India

Pixel perfect


By HAITHAM RAZAGUI and DAVID HASSALL

INDIAN car-maker Tata Motors used the recent Geneva motor show to unveil its Megapixel concept, a plug-in hybrid successor to the three-cylinder diesel Pixel it

showed at the Swiss show last year.Like the Pixel, the Megapixel has no

B-pillars, but instead of the earlier car’s dramatic scissor doors, entry is via a pair of sliding doors on each side. The innovative doors part from the centre of the car – like the

entry to a shop or office – with just a thin seal between the adjoining windows.

Viewed from the side with the doors open, the Megapixel’s four seats appear to float as they are only attached to the central ‘transmission’ tunnel that holds the battery pack, providing

extra storage space in the gap between the seats and the floor.

Inside the minimalist cockpit are a smartphone dock and a large touchscreen on the dash to provide traditional switchgear functions plus infotainment and connectivity options.

\\ Tata Megapixel


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Niche and easy: Holden is keen to expand its SUV portfolio and a restyled version of the Buick would fit the bill.

Speaking at the Geneva show, Prakash Telang, the managing director of Tata Motors’ Indian operations, said the latest concept was a global design with real-world potential for developing megacities.

“The Tata Megapixel, developed by our design centres in India, the UK and Italy, is our idea of a city car for discerning motorists in any megacity of the world,” he said.

“It is a result of the progress we have made on the Tata Pixel, displayed last year, and also denotes the company’s future design direction.”Running under the power of

its Lithium-ion phosphate battery alone, the Megapixel is claimed to be capable of running for up to 87km with zero emissions.

Tata says the Megapixel can be charged to 80 per cent capacity in 30 minutes using a fast-charger, or wirelessly if

parked over an induction pad.A 22kW single-cylinder petrol

engine is used to charge the battery and feed power to the four 10kW electric motors for a combined 500Nm of torque at the wheels and a 900km total range.

The Megapixel employs an electric motor at each wheel that can be driven in opposite directions while the front pair do most of the steering, resulting in a remarkable 5.6-metre turning circle and easy parking for the 3.5-metre-long car. For comparison, London taxis, noted for their impressively small turning circles, and Toyota’s tiny 3.0-metre-long Toyota iQ can complete a U-turn in about 8.0 metres.

Although the stylists seem to have been inspired by cars such as the Mercedes-Benz B-class and Kia Rio, Tata claims the Megapixel displays “Indian uniqueness” with its colours, graphic themes and materials

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Skoda broadens Yeti SUV range

MUCH-IMPROVED styling and a new engine with class-leading fuel economy are the key elements of the updated 2012 SsangYong Actyon Sports, the first batch of which arrived in Australian dealerships this week.

NISSAN Australia this week introduced the annual upgrade of its iconic GT-R supercar, with significant improvements in performance, handling and efficiency, in return for a modest $2000 price increase to $170,800.

SKODA Australia has revealed a price of $32,990 (plus on-road costs) for the new all-wheel-drive Yeti 112TSI variant, which it hopes will significantly widen the market appeal of the quirky compact SUV.

First drive: Nissan GT-R

Actyon sports new skin and heart

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Indian takeaway: Spider-like overhead view shows the novel sliding doors in play.

while recognising global styling preferences. For instance, it says the traditional Indian

‘Jaali’ – a perforated lattice design – has been used in a three-dimensional fashion in the front bumper air intakes and the air-conditioning vents, providing “a modern, unexpected twist”.

Rose Copper details inside the Megapixel are said to be derived from Indian metal craft – “another unexpected and surprising use of a very traditional Indian material” – while “the juxtaposition of technical and natural materials also reflects perfectly the place India occupies today in the global context, a mix of the modern with the traditional”.

The headlight lenses extend right across the centre of the car, replacing the traditional radiator grille, while front and rear bumpers feature a matrix of tiny circular air vents, as seen on similar concepts like the Kia

Pop from the 2010 Paris show, the Smart Forspeed from Geneva last year and the original Pixel.

The windscreen extends from deep in the bonnet into a panoramic glass roof and the glassy theme extends along the Megapixel’s flanks with the effect of one long window that sweeps under the ‘floating’ C-pillar into the glass tailgate.

“The dynamic stance, sweeping silhouette and floating C-pillar express again the modernity and confidence of India today,” said Tata. “The wide, single-piece front ‘mask’ gives the car a presence usually reserved for much larger cars and the single belt-line, which sweeps from the front quarter glass all the way around to the tailgate, visually stretches and lengthens what is otherwise a car with very compact dimensions.”

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The Italian Throb


\\ Lamborghini Aventador J

Lamborghini opens up Aventador with wild one-off roadster

By MIKE COSTELLO

LAMBORGHINI used the Geneva motor show to reveal the Aventador J – an extreme, fully road-legal roadster that the marque calls its “most uncompromising” to date.

It will also be unique because Lamborghini said the Geneva car – which was voted the best car in the show by US magazine Autoweek – is the only one it will ever produce.

Even before the 11-day show closed, Lamborghini claimed the car had been met

with worldwide acclaim, having captured more than 21.5 million organic Google searches while its “Making of” video was the most popular show-week YouTube sports car video with more than 280,000 views.

Automobili Lamborghini president and CEO

Stephan Winkelmann said the car had shocked automotive media and enthusiasts, who were also awed by its unique paint color, a highly intensive red with a slight chrome effect that was specially formulated for the exclusive vehicle.

“We knew the Aventador J was something



Raging Bull: Lamborghini says its remarkable Aventador J is the most uncompromising road-legal roadster it has created.

quite special, but we did not anticipate such an overwhelming reaction to the car,” he said. “We are pleased by the response to this vehicle and look forward to pushing the limits of design and technology for future products and generations to come.”

The J is an open-topped sportscar in the truest sense of the word, with the Raging Bull brand having not only discarded the roof, but

also the windscreen. In its place are two small wind deflectors, which are said to emulate the experience of riding a superbike.

Mr Winkelmann said the J was the most radical open supersportscar in the company’s illustrious history, and a testament to its desire to continue pushing the envelope.

“Nowadays we are confronted with several regulations that we face in the spirit

of challenge (but) the Aventador J is the proof that, despite the rules, Lamborghini will always make people dream, even in the future,” he said.

“With the Lamborghini Aventador J, we have molded our brand DNA into its most definitive form to date. This automobile is as extreme and as uncompromising as only a Lamborghini can be. It is the most radical

open supersports car of Lamborghini’s history and combines an unconventional design with technology innovation.”

The J is based on the standard Aventador’s carbon-fibre monocoque bodyshell, but includes roll-over bars behind the seats and a periscope-style mirror mounted on the dash in light of its unique roofless structure.

The carbon-fibre front air scoop is narrower


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Slice of Lambo: Matching the outrageous body is an interior fabric made from woven carbon fibres.

than the standard Aventador and is said to have been inspired by a Formula One racecar.

Special aluminium wheels (20-inch front and 21-inch rear) are also exclusive to the J and feature an additional carbon-fibre insert that functions like a small fan for better brake ventilation.

Lamborghini removed the air-conditioning, audio and navigation systems as well as the roof and windscreen, adding thinner scissor-lift doors to further cut weight from the 1575kg standard Aventador.

Underneath the outrageous body sit regular Aventador underpinnings, including permanent all-wheel-drive, automated transmission and pushrod suspension. Power comes from the same 6.5-litre V12 engine, which produces 515kW of power at some 8250rpm and 690Nm of torque.

Inside, the J gets special seats clad in Lamborghini’s trademarked Forged Composite

material. This carbon-fibre fabric called “Carbonskin” is made of woven carbon fibres soaked with a special epoxy resin to stabilise the structure and keep the material soft.

The letter J in the model name is derived from the FIA world motor sport organisation’s ‘Appendix J’ technical regulations, but also draws inspiration from the 1970 Lamborghini Jota, a one-off high-performance version of the company’s legendary Miura coupe.

Lamborghini claims the J can be driven on the road – although occupants are advised to wear a helmet at speeds above 300km/h.

This unique car will not, as might be expected, occupy a place in the Lamborghini museum, but will instead be sold to one exceedingly well-heeled member of the public. The car-maker did not reveal the price, but as the adage goes, if you have to ask…

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