Auto & Car Blog

Filed under: Pacific Region, Holden

Apparently taking a cue from our friends at Chrysler, the down under team from General Motors are now offering cheap gas as a buying incentive. Back in June, Chrysler began offering a three-year guarantee of gas at $2.99 a gallon on most new Chrysler vehicles in a bid to get consumers to buy. Holden is now offering buyers a guarantee of 99¢/liter which equates to about $3.22/gallon in U.S. dollars and gallons. The current price for regular gas in Australia is around $4.63/gallon. Holden’s incentive goes for two years or 12,000 miles, which is considerably less than the three years/36,000 miles offered by Chrysler. Given the continued collapse of Chrysler sales this summer, it’s not clear if the promotion is having any meaningful impact, but Holden is going to try it - at least through the end of October anyway. The press release is after the jump.

[Source: General Motors]

Continue reading Holden emboldened by lack of Chrysler success, offers cheap gas

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Filed under: Diesel, Hybrid, Manufacturing/Plants, Ford, GM, Legislation and Policy

Fuel misers like the Civic Hybrid have caught buyers’ eyes in Australia.

Global accountancy firm KPMG has said that the Australian federal government should offer Australian car makers tax incentives to build greener vehicles, including hybrid electric cars and clean diesel vehicles. With fuel prices expected to rise again, the firm has warned that consumer trends are shifting permanently towards more fuel-efficient vehicles, a market segment currently best served by imports.

Local vehicle manufactures already receive significant federal government assistance including grants for specific projects such as the AUD$52 million (US$40.6) to Ford Australia to assist in the development of a diesel Falcon. GM Holden have also received a recent grant of AUD$6.7 million (US$5.2) to improve the fuel economy of the recently released VE Commodore.

Traditional Australian vehicles like the six and eight cylinder Holden Commodores and Ford Falcons have struggled in recent times with a massive sales shift towards smaller and cheaper to run vehicles. Sales of SUVs and four wheel drive vehicles in particular have been heavily hit by rising fuel prices. KPMG’s global senior vehicle company executive survey overwhelmingly pointed towards hybrids being the growth sector of the auto industry over the next few years.

Analysis: Japanese car manufactures still have the lead in hybrid technology and are catching up quickly on clean diesel technology as well which puts them in a good to capitalise on recent Australian market shifts. Little has been done to bring hybrids or clean diesels to market by the local manufacturers and it looks like that could cost them dearly. Big, comfortable cars with lots of space and power are nice but people’s fuel budgets wont expand indefinitely to accommodate the extra convenience.

Related:

• In the AutoblogGreen Garage: 2007 Volkswagen Passat TDI
• Toyota looking to build hybrid Camry in Australia
• Brisbane Motor Show: interview with Parveen Batish, director of Saab and Hummer brands in Australia

[Source: Drive.com.au]

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BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.

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Filed under: Sedans/Saloons, Etc., Plants/Manufacturing, GM

Recently announced as the next Pontiac G8, Holden says that the Commodore model is in need of a diet.

According to Holden chairman and executive director Denny Mooney, the Commodore doesn’t need to get any smaller and is sized appropriately for both the Australian and American markets. It could, however lose a few pounds, as the large-car segment leader in Australia has gained over 1000 lbs. since the original Commodore in 1978; nearly 220 of them added in the most recent generation alone. It has also gained in nearly every other dimension as well, adding 19cm in length, 18cm in width and 10cm in height. The current 3.6 liter V6 is also a huge increase in grunt over the 2.8 liter unit used in the first Commodore, producing a whopping 181% more power.

We hope that the current version of the Commodore comes to us here in the US as close to the current car as can be, maybe with some Lutz magic under the hood. The American car market could use an injection of some full-size fun again…how about an LS7 with a manual transmission option? Who says we can’t deal with a little extra poundage?

[Source: drive.com.au]

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BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-time

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Filed under: Chicago Auto Show, Concept Cars, Sedans/Saloons, Pontiac

click on the above image for a bunch of high-res shots showing the new Pontiac G8

The last decade has been difficult for General Motors enthusiasts who desired an affordable V8 RWD sedan (we love the V-series Cadillacs, but alas, they’re not exactly budget rides). With the introduction of the Pontiac G8, however, all is forgiven, for this muscular four-door appears poised to offer a blend of attitude and sophistication appropriate for the brand that claims to build excitement.

This Poncho is based upon GM’s new Zeta platform, and the base model offers up a 261-hp, DOHC 3.6L V6. GT models get the 362-hp, L98 OHV 6.0L V8 with Displacement on Demand. No bonus points will be awarded for correctly guessing which we’d pick. The V6 will come with a five-speed slushbox, while the V8 will initially be backed with GM’s new 6L80 six-speed auto, and a row-your-own manual with a half-dozen ratios will follow at a yet-undetermined later date. Naturally, the GT gets a bigger wheel/tire package and larger brakes, and a sport package will be offered for either engine type. Under the skin lies a McPherson strut suspension arrangement in the front and multi-link in the rear, with the full array of adjustments available at each corner.

Elements of the show car that won’t make it to production include the big brakes, lowered ride height, 20″ wheels, and custom interior trim. Note the new badge design; what we’re seeing here is a concept version of a new Pontiac logo that eschews the traditional red coloration for a metallic sheen.

Click on the photo above for a gallery of Pontiac G8 live photos and studio shots! Also, check out the exclusive VIDEO of the G8 and Bob Lutz introducing the new rear-wheel drive sedan after the jump.

Continue reading Chicago Auto Show: GM RWD fans can rejoice, for the Pontiac G8 has arrived (w/ VIDEO!)

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BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-time

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Filed under: Concept Cars, Frankfurt Auto Show

Back when I was in high school I first became aware of Bitter Motorcars. The small German firm headed by Erich Bitter was building low volume cars based on Opel mechanical components. The first time I saw a Bitter SC in Road & Track, it looked a lot like a Ferrari 400 coupe of the time, particularly in profile. Bitter built almost 900 cars between 1973 and 1986, when he introduced a new model based on the then current Opel Omega. Unfortunately, the money to actually produce anything beyond a few prototypes of the new car never materialized and eventually Bitter Motorcars ceased being an operational entity. Bitter continued designing cars and doing contract construction through the ’90s and into the new century.

The rear wheel drive underpinnings of the Omega eventually went out of production in Europe, but Holden kept the platform alive in Australia. In 2003, Bitter unveiled a new prototype based on the Holden Monaro (Pontiac GTO), and it’s been shown a few times since, but never produced. Autoweek.nl is now reporting that Bitter may attempt another comeback this September at the Frankfurt Motor Show with a new car based on the Holden Statesman luxury model. The statesman shares the new GM Zeta platform with the Commodore and the new Pontiac G8. It should be interesting to see what Bitter conjures up this time around and whether the new platform will allow him to raise the funds needed for production.

[Source: CarScoop]

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BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-time

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Filed under: Garage, Sedans/Saloons, Toyota, Driving

Click on the image for a gallery of high-res pics of the Toyota Aurion Sportivo SX6

For years, the large, family car market in Australia has been divided between the Aussie built GM Holden Commodore and the Ford Falcon, both on the road and on the track. The large car market has been characterised not only by their size, but also by V6 or V8 powerplants running on rear-wheel drive platforms. For years, other competitors, including Mitsubishi with their Magna and more recently their 380 models, have tried to chip away at this virtual duopoly, with limited success.

The game is changing though. As the price of fuel has risen, the Australian car market has seen a massive shift away from large cars and towards more fuel efficient, medium sized models. The market is currently dominated by vehicles like the Mazda6, the Honda Accord, the Hyundai Sonata and in particular, the Toyota Camry. As Australia’s largest passenger vehicle brand, Toyota has long enjoyed segment-leading sales with the Camry, and although it’s not a sexy choice, Toyota’s mid-sized sedan represents a smart purchase, with high re-sale value, good fuel economy and Toyota’s reputation for outstanding reliability.

Continue reading the Toyota Aurion Sportivo review after the jump.

Continue reading In the Autoblog Garage: Toyota Aurion Sportivo SX6

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BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-time

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Filed under: Time Warp, Trucks/Pickups, Chevrolet

Mike Levine over at PickupTruck.com has made an argument for the return of the El Camino, the car-based pickup sold back in the day that has risen to cult status in the modern era. Considering the cost of fuel these days and fuel economy standards that are likely to rise in the next decade, a car-based pickup could offer a viable solution for people who need the utility of an open bed but not the dismal fuel economy that accompanies a traditional pickup.

A resurrected El Camino would likely be built on the rear-wheel drive Zeta platform developed by GM’s Holden division in Australia where such vehicles already exist and are quite popular. The Holden Utes come in two- and four-door versions and are available with V6 and V8 engines, including a Super Sport version with a 350-horsepower V8. A Zeta-based El Camino could easily be built alongside the new Camaro in Oshawa, Ontario, and styling would likely mirror the new pony car’s lines to earn some instant street cred by association. The commissioned rendering by Mark Stehrenberger shows what a new El Camino with the corporate Chevy face could look like.

Follow the Read link to catch Mike Levine’s case for the El Camino in full, and let us know what you think in the comments.

[Source: PickupTruck.com]

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BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-time

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Filed under: Car Buying, Marketing/Advertising, Holden, Australia

Click image for a hi-res gallery of the Holden Commodore SS-V

Despite the fact that capping the cost of gas didn’t work out so well for Chrysler in the U.S., General Motors’ Australian arm, Holden, is launching a new incentive that guarantees gas will be 99¢/liter for two years after your vehicle’s original date of purchase. The system works much like the one Chrysler used: buyers get a debit card that they use when filling up their tanks. That debit card will be tied to the purchasers bank account, which will be debited a few days later for the reduced rate, regardless of how much the fuel had actually cost. If all of this sounds a bit confusing, click here for the details from Holden. We’ve also pasted GM’s official press release after the break.

As we mentioned, a similar promotion wasn’t too successful for Chrysler. There are a few differences, though. Chrysler’s vehicles aren’t quite class-competitive while Holden’s generally are. There were also more fuel efficient vehicles to choose from in the U.S., thereby making the gas card savings a bit irrelevant. In Australia where the V8 is still king, that’s not really the case. Will this new scheme make Holden’s V8-powered, rear-wheel-drive vehicles sell quicker? We don’t know… but we’re positive that a similar deal could go a long way towards putting an Pontiac G8 GT in our own personal garages.

[Source: Holden, Australian Car Advice]

Continue reading Holden begins 99¢/liter fuel incentive for two years

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