Aug 6, 2014 No. 739

GoAuto NewsJohn Mellor’s

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Mazda holds firmLeading import brand will push for solid sales growth but not market leadership

Martin Benders with the new Mazda2 (right),CX-5 and, at the rear, the 2014 Hazumi concept

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By TIM NICHOLSONMAZDA is resigned to the fact that it will lose its status as the leading full-import brand in Australia once Toyota and Holden close their factories here in 2017, but is intent on consistently improving its annual sales volume – currently at around 100,000 units – with all-new models and a greater emphasis on business sales.

Speaking with local media this week, Mazda Australia managing director Martin Benders admitted the Japanese brand would never be market leader given it does not compete in as many segments as Toyota and others, and point blank refuses to chase large fleet sales or offer rock-bottom, volume-geared cars at the entry level.

However, fully redesigned models such as the forthcoming Mazda2 and the all-new ‘CX-3’ crossover due next

year will be crucial in helping the company achieve solid incremental sales growth.

New-vehicle sales figures published yesterday by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries show that the Japanese car-maker recorded another strong result in July with 8048 new registrations for the month, boosting its year-to-date sales to 59,958.

This overall result represents a 1.4 per cent decline over the same period last year, but keeps the brand in third position behind Toyota on 117,591 (-4.8 per cent YTD) and a resurgent Holden on 65,763 (+6.6 per cent).

Bullish South Korean car-maker Hyundai is, however, closing in on Mazda, outselling it last month to now be just shy of 58,000 sales YTD – up 3.5 per cent on last year.

Mr Benders said he expected Mazda

to finish the year with similar sales numbers to last year’s haul of 103,144 units, adding that a shortage of run-out Mazda2 stock ahead of the arrival of the new-generation model in November could have an impact.

“I think we will finish a little bit up but not a lot – it will basically be flat,” he said. “We have got new Mazda2 arriving in the second half (and) we are a bit hamstrung on supply of the old one. Basically, what we are doing is all we can do. Most of the stock is accounted for, so there won’t be any upside there.”

Continued next page

Aug 6, 2014 Page 2

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Continued from previous pageIn terms of overall market share, Mr

Benders said Mazda expects to remain at its current level of 9.2 per cent for the full year, while beyond 2014 he predicted that sales will remain at a sustainable level.

“We can sustain a level above 100,000 for the foreseeable future. It is very much a matter of degrees. Do we want to grow further? We probably think we can a little bit,” he said.

“We have no intention of going backwards, and we need to strengthen our performance of where we are. It is not a ‘volume at all costs’ sort of thing.”

While Mr Benders predicted ongoing sales success for its two top-selling models – the Mazda3 small car and the CX-5 compact SUV – he conceded that other models in the range that have slowed in recent months will require more of a push.

“Mazda3 will do what it does, as will

CX-5. Both those two models are up 10 per cent year-over-year, and they have both had record first halves,” he said.

“The two segments we are behind the eight ball is Mazda6 (mid-size passenger car) and BT-50 (utility). With BT-50 we have been doing quite well in the private part of that segment. We haven’t been doing anything active in the fleet side and getting dealers focused on that side of things.

“That’s something we have to do, a big part of that BT-50 is fleet business so we are going to put some things in place in the coming months.”

Sales of the 4x2 BT-50 are down 3.4 per cent so far this year with 2751 shifted, while the 4x4 version has dropped 8.8 per cent to 4965 units.

These numbers place the BT-50 well behind a number of competitors in the light-commercial segment, including the top-selling Toyota HiLux, a fast-improving Ford Ranger and the ageing Mitsubishi Triton and Nissan Navara.

Despite the BT achieving a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating which is mandatory for many large fleet buyers, Mr Benders said Mazda would not chase fleet sales from the mining sector and will instead focus its energies on attracting small business owners.

“Our dealers have had a really good run with (BT-50) private sales, and they have done that user-chooser business. With the grey nomads, every second one is a BT-50, so they just need to get out there and do the hard yards on small fleets,” he said.

“There are a lot of small businesses in their PMAs (primary market areas); they just need to start working that.”

Mr Benders said he was not concerned with Hyundai’s position on the sales charts, reiterating that Mazda will not actively pursue large fleet business, including rentals, to increase volume.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE Special MX-5 a hot ticket – page 19

Mazda holds firm

BT-50

Aug 6, 2014 Page 3

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By BARRY PARKAUSTRALIA’S new-car market continues to tread water as the rush to buy vehicles before the end of the financial year collides with the doldrums of July.

VFACTS data released yesterday shows that with 89,867 new registrations recorded last month, the market was only 0.4 per cent down compared with July 2013, but over the first seven months it remains 2.1 per cent behind last year’s record-setting pace.

In terms of outright sales, Japanese brand Toyota continued its market dominance in July, snaring 16,486 sales for the month and claiming the top

individual model with 3800 sales for the Corolla small car.

“New-vehicle sales remain close to record levels, which is extremely encouraging for the industry’s prospects in the second half of the year,” said Toyota Australia executive director of sales and marketing Tony Cramb.

“All the signs are that the economy and consumer confidence are solid with no indications of a major upswing or a downturn of any significance.”

However, fierce competition in the marketplace saw Toyota’s share contract slightly to 18.3 per cent for the month as it sold 4.8 per cent fewer cars, with its year-to-date share pegged at just 18.1 per cent, 0.5 per cent down on last year’s numbers for the same seven-month period.

Helping to bolster Toyota’s softer result were the HiLux trade ute (3140) and the locally made Camry mid-size sedan (1805), which both featured in the industry’s top 10 sellers for the month.

Capitalising on Toyota’s loss was second-placed Holden, whose locally built Commodore large car is still pulling big numbers despite the

pressures on Australia’s flailing car-making industry.

Both Commodore and the locally made Cruze featured in the top 10 best sellers for July, with the Commodore recording 2469 sales (up 43 per cent) and the Cruze managing 1747 units, albeit down 25.5 per cent on July 2013.

It was not all good news for the local car-makers. Ford’s Falcon continues to plumb its

depths, recording its second-worst sales figure on record, falling to just 498 in July.

Sales of the large car are expected to weaken further as the car-maker builds up to the release of its recently revealed replacement for the FG Falcon that will carry the brand to the end of Australian manufacturing in late 2016.

In contrast, the locally made Territory continues to attract significant buyers, shifting 886 units in July – though sales slipped 8.3 per cent compared with the same month last year, and are down almost 30 per cent compared with the first seven months of last year.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

Pos Brand Sales % Share

1 Toyota 16,486 18.3

2 Holden 8990 10.0

3 Hyundai 8351 9.3

4 Mazda 8048 9.0

5 Ford 6210 6.9

6 Nissan 5451 6.1

7 Mitsubishi 5042 5.6

8 VW 3991 4.4

9 Subaru 3121 3.5

10 Honda 2708 3.0

Source: VFACTS

Top 10 Brands in July

New-car market on evenkeel last month with July2013 but is still down YTD

Car market treads water

Toyota Corolla

VFACTS WRAP

Aug 6, 2014 Page 4

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GoAuto NewsJohn Mellor’s

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Applications for this opportunity are to be sent to HR@porsche.com.au by Friday, 15 August 2014 and should include a current CV and cover letter.

New diversification fundputs $20 million on table to help car parts-makers

By BARRY PARKA $20 million fund created to help car parts suppliers diversify outside the ailing automotive industry opened for business on Monday as part of the first round of the program.

Businesses that successfully apply for the four-year Automotive Diversification Program will receive grants of between $50,000 and $1 million to help them survive beyond the end of Australian car-making in late 2017 when GM Holden and Toyota close their factories, a year after Ford.

According to the department of industry, the loans will target research and development activities, retooling, developing new products and prototypes, protecting intellectual property, pre-production development and developing exports.

“The Automotive Diversification

Program is a $20 million program which includes $17 million for competitive merit-based grants,” the department said in a statement announcing the opening of the fund’s

application period, which ends on September 11.

“The grant program will assist Australian automotive supply chain companies to diversify out of the domestic automotive manufacturing sector and thereby retain manufacturing capability in Australia.”

The funds are part of a $155 million Abbott government growth fund established in May’s federal budget to support employees, businesses

and regions affected by the closure of Australia’s car manufacturing industry.

Federal industry minister Ian Macfarlane said the federal, Victorian and South Australian governments are maximising opportunities for automotive supply chain firms affected by the closure of local automotive manufacturing.

“Supply chain firms can access the Automotive Diversification Program to shift their focus towards the high-growth industries of the future,” he said.

“This initiative will help to ensure that these firms continue to operate in Australia beyond 2017.”

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

Ian Macfarlane

Car supplier fund opens

Aug 6, 2014 Page 5

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Industry report debunksnotion that new cars costmore here than overseas

Car prices stack up: FCAI

Tony Weber

By BARRY PARKAUSTRALIA’S new-car industry has hit out against claims that imported vehicles sold here are more expensive than their equivalents sold overseas.

The Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) has released a report it claims settles the debate that Australians pay too much for their vehicles compared with one of the world’s largest right-hand-drive markets, with buyers here saving as much as $12,000 compared with Britain.

The results are based on a “like-for-like” research report prepared for the FCAI by car industry consultancy IHS Automotive.

According to the FCAI data, the biggest saving for Australian buyers compared with their British counterparts comes in the form of a Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG, which sells here for the equivalent of $74,900, with Brits having to hand over the equivalent of $87,156 for a similarly kitted-out car – a difference of $12,256.

A low-end Ford Focus Trend hatch, meanwhile, costs $22,290 here, but in Britain buyers hand over the equivalent of $32,325 for essentially the same vehicle.

“Together, our research shows that for the vast majority of the Australian

new-car market, a model of like specifications is cheaper in Australia than it is in the United Kingdom or New Zealand,” FCAI chief executive Tony Weber said.

“This is great news for Australian consumers, especially when you also consider the ongoing benefits included

in the cost of buying a new car in Australia.”

This included support such as vehicle servicing, and services specifically for Australia such as sat-nav maps, more robust air-conditioning systems and beefed-up towing capacities.

Mr Weber said competition in the Australian market – there are about 67 brands here selling more than 350 independent models – also meant manufacturers were continuously working to improve safety, security and environmental features.

“This competition means that Australians are getting world-class cars

at globally competitive prices,” he said.The IHS Automotive analysis bases

its assessment on manufacturer list price and strips away local price factors such as taxes, which vary between markets.

Not everything tipped in Australia’s favour. Some examples where Australian buyers had to shell out a bit more than British buyers included a $69,400 BMW 328i which is almost $600 more expensive here.

Australians also pay more than $3000 extra for a $49,995 Range Rover Evoque eD4 Pure and an additional $7000 for a $110,688 Range Rover Sport SDV6 HSE.

The data shows Australians pay about $4000 over the odds for a $60,900 Mercedes-Benz C-Class, although this is comparing the old model which is still on sale here with the $1000-$2000 more expensive new model that is already on sale in Britain.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

Aug 6, 2014 Page 6

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Fiat launches sweeping upgrade for 500 mini, from entry Pop to fizzy 595 AbarthBy DANIEL GARDNER

FIAT has overhauled its 500 and Abarth city hatchback and convertible model range with a mid-life upgrade launched this week, bringing back driveaway pricing – from $17,000 – for all 500 variants and sharpening the value of its top-performing Abarth series, which now

starts from $33,500 plus on-road costs.Both lines now have more standard

equipment and greater customisation options, while the fizzy Abarth 595 is available in two fresh specification levels – Turismo and Competizione.

Returning as the Abarth 595, the hottest car in the Italian micro-car range replaces the outgoing – and $1490 more expensive – Abarth Essesse, but retains its performance and adds to the levels of standard equipment.

Its 1.4-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine still pumps out 118kW of power and 230Nm of torque, shoving the hard-charging bambino from 0-100km/h in 7.4 seconds on its way to a top speed of 210km/h.

Despite the zippy performance, the new 595 uses only 5.4 litres of fuel per 100km when paired with the standard five-speed manual gearbox, or 5.3L with Fiat’s optional ($2000) Dualogic five-speed electro-mechanical gearbox with steering-mounted paddle shifters.

Available only on the hatch, the

entry-level Turismo package brings leather-upholstered Abarth seats and floor mats, Bluetooth mobile phone connectivity and a seven-inch TFT screen to the interior, while 10-spoke 17-inch alloy wheels over cross-drilled and ventilated disc brakes complement the Abarth bodykit on the outside.

Competizione versions, which are available for both hatch and convertible body styles, replace manual air-conditioning with automatic controls, while diamond-finished alloy wheels are the same size as Turismo hoops but with half as many spokes and wraparound Sabelt seats get extra support bolsters – all for $36,500 plus on-roads in manual hatch form.

Continued next page

PRICING:*500Pop $17,000Pop (a) $18,500Pop Convertible (a) $21,000S $20,000S (a) $21,500S Convertible (a) $24,000Lounge (a) $23,000Lounge Convertible (a) $25,500Abarth 595Turismo $33,500Turismo (a) $35,500Competizione $36,500Competizione (a) $38,500Competizione C’tible (a) $39,000* Driveaway pricing for 500 range

Culture club

Abarth 595 Turismo

Competizione

Aug 6, 2014 Page 7

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Premium German car maker, Audi, is well-known for its pioneering heritage, technological advancement and strong design credentials. In Australia, and internationally, the Audi brand is growing steadily by virtue of its dynamic product portfolio.

Due to internal development, Audi Australia Pty Ltd is now looking to appoint an experienced Business Quality Specialist to continue the strong growth that the company is experiencing.

This is an exciting Sydney-based opportunity, reporting to the Business Quality Manager.

Key responsibilities will include:

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• Prepare complete analysis of sales/service facilities in sub-standard dealerships and assist in the execution of process development

• Evaluate the need for training programs

• Maintain close contact with dealership’s management advising on best practices solutions

• Conduct quarterly Quality Workshops and develop follow-up action plans with each dealer

• Complete a dealer contact report after every visit noting important issues

• Assist with set-up of new dealer and ensure all operating standard requirements are fulfilled

• Assist the dealer in achieving CSS, LiS, Mystery Shopping and associated targets

• Ensure Audi network comply with the Dealer Standards requirements

The successful candidate must have a minimum of 3 years’ experience in a similar role, with a strong understanding of the business requirement and quality measures.

Please ensure you submit your current CV and a cover letter, with attention to HR Manager on careers@audi.com.au, by close of business Friday 15th August 2014. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.

Business Quality Specialist

Move ahead with Audi

Continued from previous pageThe top-spec version also features

red brake callipers, titanium-coloured side stripes and a dual-mode Record Monza exhaust system, which allows a quieter note at low revs but more noise at engine speeds above 4000rpm.

Both Abarth grades have a lowered Koni MacPherson strut suspension up front and torsion bar rear with anti-roll bars at each end.

A switchable sport mode increases steering weight and throttle sensitivity as per the previous Essesse variant, but new to the line is a digital G-meter and boost gauge in the dash-mounted screen.

Abarth models can be dressed up in a choice of six two-tone colour schemes

or 11 single-shade options.Back in June last year when Fiat

Chrysler Australia relaunched the 500, it introduced a keen entry point of $14,000 driveaway for the base Pop manual, which has since shifted to $15,000 plus on-road costs.

The new 500 range sees a return of driveaway pricing on all variants with the entry-level Pop kicking off from $17K.

Power for the the 500 range remains the same with three engine choices starting with the normally aspirated 1.2-litre four-cylinder FIRE (fully integrated robotised engine) developing 51kW and 102Nm, and when coupled

to a five-speed manual gearbox uses 5.1L/100km.

With the optional ($1500) Dualogic auto, it is even more efficient at 5.0L/100km.

Moving up to the $20,000 500S increases the engine size to 1.4 litres and boosts output to 74kW/131Nm, while fuel consumption also increases to 6.1L/100km with a six-speed manual (Dualogic: 5.8L).

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE For drive impressions, go to

GoAuto.com.au from this afternoon Fiat set to hit 7500 mark – page 27

Lounge

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Aug 6, 2014 Page 8

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C450 AMG Sport next inline for sporty sub-AMGcars as A250 sales boom

By RICHARD BERRYMERCEDES-BENZ Australia/Pacific has confirmed the launch of a new sub-AMG performance line it will attach to a number of key models to go head-to-head with Audi’s S line and BMW’s M Performance.

The introduction of AMG Sport variants next year follows the sales success of models such as the A-Class A250 Sport performance hatch, which was last month the top-selling model for the German luxury brand in Australia.

“The biggest single-selling model across our entire passenger and SUV range is the A250 Sport which accounts for over five per cent of volume,” Mercedes-Benz Aust/Pac spokesman David McCarthy told GoAuto this week.

He also said sales of cars from its AMG performance division were at an all-time high.

“We had our best-ever month for

AMG – 340 cars – which brings our year-to-date figure to 1500.”

The 155kW/350Nm A250 Sport went on sale in Australia in March last year, and while it is a performance-focused A-Class, it is not an AMG model like its hardcore 265kW/450Nm A45 sibling which, at $74,900 plus on-road costs, sits at the top of the line-up.

Instead, the $50,400 A250 Sport has been enhanced by AMG engineers, with upgrades to the chassis, exhaust and a more powerful engine. Other models given the partial AMG treatment include the mechanically related CLA250 Sport and the C250 Sport Coupe.

Mercedes-Benz is now preparing to roll out the AMG Sport line across more of its passenger car and SUV range.

Much like the A250 Sport, each

variant will sit below the AMG version but will be more performance-focused than other variants.

Mr McCarthy said that given the success of the A250 Sport, this is a good indication that more AMG Sport variants will arrive in Australia.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERENew Benz-AMG engine – page 30

MERCEDES INTRODUCES SPECIALE-CLASS EDITIONS: CLICK HERE

Mercedes AMG Sport push

A250 Sport

Aug 6, 2014 Page 9

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Japanese brand still seestop-10 sales position but2014 forecast falls to 35K

By TIM NICHOLSONHONDA Australia remains confident that it will hold on to its top-10 standing in the new-vehicle market despite sales falling dramatically in the first six months of 2014.

To the end of June, Honda sales had dropped 34 per cent to 15,443 units compared to the first six months of 2013, with the company laying blame on low run-out sales for the Jazz light car and increased competition from rivals.

As a result, Honda Australia has again revised its full-year forecast, which is now down to 35,000 sales. Earlier in the year, the company lowered its initial forecast of 40,000 units to 38,000.

Honda has consistently made the Australian top 10 in year-end sales, placing 10th each year since 2011 and even taking eighth place in 2010 ahead of Subaru and Volkswagen.

However, a number of diverse competitors, including Kia, Mercedes-Benz and Jeep, are all closing in on the Japanese brand this year.

In an interview with GoAuto at the launch of the third-generation Jazz last week, Honda Australia director Stephen Collins said he was expecting the arrival

of the new light hatch to mark a turning point for the brand’s sales this year.

“The first half of the year we did 15,600,” he said. “In the second half we will do close to 20,000. Simple maths suggests that is around 35,000, which is down on our previous forecast

but we are confident, particularly with Jazz in reasonable supply, which we will have, that we can do around about that 20,000 mark in the second half.

“I think that’s realistic. Anything beyond that would really be pushing it pretty hard.”

Mr Collins said the low sales of the Jazz in run-out mode in the first half

had a major impact on overall sales, but predicted renewed interest in the city runabout, with a target of at least 800 units a month.

“In June we did 144 Jazzes because we basically ran out of stock. So if we are doing 800, that’s 700 more than what we have been doing in the first half pretty much – so, again, that is why Jazz is so important to us.”

Earlier this year the company confirmed it was targeting a return to its sales heyday of 60,000 units a year, which was last achieved in 2007 (60,529 units).

Mr Collins said he believed this was still achievable, despite the growing segmentation of the ultra-competitive Australian new-car market.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE Honda keeps hybrid faith – page 28

Honda hopes rest on Jazz

Jazz

Stephen Collins

Aug 6, 2014 Page 10

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New Kia Sorento takes onsmoother, sportier design

By BARRY PARKKIA has given a glimpse of the third generation of its best-selling SUV model, revealing a lower, more coupe-like Sorento.

The large SUV, due on sale in Australia early next year and scheduled to be unveiled in South Korea during August, was styled at the car-maker’s Korean, German and American design studios.

According to Kia, the new Sorento features a lower roofline, higher beltline, more muscular stance, rounded shoulders at the rear, and deeply sculpted body surfaces.

“Together with a larger, more upright ‘tiger-nose’ grille, these design changes raise the aesthetic sophistication of Kia’s best-selling SUV,” the car-maker said.

A video of the new Sorento shows redesigned headlights, as well as a more sharply sculpted side profile that lacks the plumped sheetmetal guards that feature on the current model.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

i20 tease

Hyundai sketches all-new i20 ahead of 2015 launchBy TIM NICHOLSON

HYUNDAI has teased its upcoming second-generation i20 with a pair of sketches ahead of the light-sized hatchback’s Australian launch next year.

The sketches reveal the latest iteration of the South Korean car-maker’s design language – Fluidic Sculpture 2.0 – and provide an insight into the final look of the redesigned model.

Front-end styling as depicted in the images shows that the design will not stray too far from that of its larger sibling, the i30, while also carrying some cues of the Veloster hatch-cum-coupe, such as the sweptback headlights.

The gaping grille at the front bears more than a passing resemblance to Peugeot’s rival 208, while blacked-out C-pillars and high-set tail-lights give the i20 a sporty look.

Timing for the next-generation i20 is yet to be confirmed but it should arrive

in Australian Hyundai dealerships at some point next year.

When it eventually lands, the i20 will face even tougher competition in the light-car segment with a number of rivals due for a replacement or a facelift in the coming months, including the Mazda2, Kia Rio, Volkswagen Polo and Toyota Yaris.

Honda’s new-generation Jazz also rolled into showrooms last week.

The production source of Australian-market cars is still to be confirmed, with Hyundai Motor Co Australia public relations general manager Bill Thomas saying only that the company was “still studying the feasibility of the car”.

“At that end of the market we’d need to be sharp on price, so given the car will be sourced from Turkey if we take it, exchange rates and shipping costs come into play,” Mr Thomas told GoAuto. “That makes it more complex.”

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

Aug 6, 2014 Page 11

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Small-car brand shoots forleadership in private salesof compact cars and SUVs

By RICHARD BERRYSUZUKI Australia is starting to claw back some of the ground it lost at the start of the year and has big plans for 2015 including a new flagship SUV based on the iV-4 concept, according to its local chief.

While sales have improved after a slow start to the year, the Japanese brand’s first-half result saw it down 24.4 per cent – to 8833 units – compared to the same period in 2013.

In an interview with GoAuto, Suzuki Australia’s recently appointed general manager Andrew Moore said the company has seen an upturn since June, which is a result of having a healthier supply of its best-selling model, the Swift light hatch.

“We moved Swift production from a plant in Thailand back to our Sagara plant in Japan in September 2013,” Mr

Moore explained. The decision to switch production

back to Japan was made after the Swift’s rise in popularity in Thailand restricted the number of cars available to overseas

markets such as Australia.“Swift was very successful

in Thailand so production (for Australia) became a bit unreliable because if the domestic market needs cars that’s a priority over export,” Mr Moore said.

“With that change we weren’t able to access as many vehicles in the first quarter of this year. So where we would normally sell 700 to 800 Swifts we were limited to around 400 for the first few months. I’m talking exclusive

of Queensland here which is a separate distributor.”

Once supply improved, Swift sales jumped to 1131 sales in June – up from 486 in January.

Mr Moore said he now anticipated a big comeback for the brand, led by the Swift but supported by the recently launched S-Cross crossover and future models, including a production version of the slightly bigger iV-4 SUV.

“I want Swift to be the number-one light segment vehicle to private customers. That’s a key objective,” he said. “We’ve achieved that in May and June and we want to keep achieving that month in and month out – that’s where we want to be.”

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

Swift

Suzuki on comeback trail

Andrew Moore

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GoAuto NewsJohn Mellor’s

CFO Chief Financial Officer

BBG194677_0714

CFO – Brisbane Dealership GroupBartons – A family owned, Multi Franchised Automotive Dealership on the Southside of Brisbane have significantly expanded over the last 12 months whereby a new position has been created for a Chief Financial Officer. In their 69th year of business, representing the brands of Holden, Mitsubishi, Subaru, Sti and Hyundai, over two locations the two Directors, Doug Barton and Mark Beitz, are looking to take operations to the “next level”. With turnover in excess of $100M and 120 staff, they are seeking a ‘unique’ individual, preferably with automotive experience to maximise the returns of this highly successful business.

Key Responsibilities & Pre-Requisites• Formal Qualifications to support this role (CPA, CA Bachelor Business/Accounting)

• Management of administrative team inc Property Manager, Office Manager, HR Manager, 2 Asst Accountants and Administrative Clerks.

• Strong communication skills – demonstrated ability within an administrative team and management group

• Proven ability to effect changes in process/procedures and Dealership Financial Performance.

• Identify profit opportunities

• Motor Industry and Pentana experience preferred but not essential

The Successful Candidate:You will need to possess the extraordinary ability to be a great communicator and also have genuine interest to “look further” into the details of dealership operations. Working alongside the Dealer Principal you must have the ability to design and implement changes.

Based at our Wynnum Dealership, this is an excellent opportunity for a Financial Controller looking for the “next step” in their career. With a simple structure of two Directors (one of which is the DP), the position will be entrusted with running the financial side of the Dealership.

Only driven individuals, with an extremely high work ethic who possess the above listed attributes, need apply.

RemunerationAn attractive package will be negotiated with the successful applicant including an above average base salary, bonus/commission, company vehicle and may even be considered for financial ownership interests in the future.

All applications should be sent to the Bartons HR Manager - marked “Private & Confidential” via emailhr@bartons.net.au. A confidential discussion with our Dealer Principal, Mark Beitz is available to applicants and we request you call via Tanya Hibbard 07 3396 7777 to register your interest in this.

Bartons www.bartons.net.au – Family Owned and Operated since 1945

PRICING:218i (a) $44,400 218d (a) $47,800 225i (a) $54,900

First front-drive, 3-cyl carfrom BMW priced aboveB-Class but has lots of kit

2 Tourer from $44,400

By RICHARD BERRYBMW has revealed that its all-new front-wheel-drive 2 Series Active Tourer will start from $44,400 plus on-road costs when it goes on sale in Australia from November.

The new model’s starting price is $3500 dearer than its most obvious rival – the Mercedes-Benz B-Class – which is priced from $40,900 plus on-roads for the base B180 hatch.

The 2 Series Active Tourer is the first front-wheel-drive model for BMW, however the German car-maker’s British offshoot Mini has been producing front-drive cars for many years.

This expertise has gone into the development of the 2 Series Active

Tourer, which shares the UKL1 platform with the third-generation Mini hatch that arrived in Australia in April.

While a front-drive car is a break in tradition for BMW, it has opened up new possibilities in vehicle design for the company and the 2 Series Active Tourer is the first example of more to come.

With the front wheels doing the driving and the engine transversely mounted, BMW says it has been able reduce the size of the engine bay and

increase the size and flexibility of the occupant space.

While the body style fits that of a multi-purpose vehicle (MPV), BMW is calling its new baby a Sport Activity Tourer (SAT).

The $44,400 entry price is for the 218i, which is powered by a 100kW/220Nm 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbo-petrol engine matched with a six-speed automatic transmission.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE No threat to BMW brand – next page

2 Series Active Tourer

Aug 6, 2014 Page 14

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GoAuto NewsJohn Mellor’s

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FWD range, ongoing pushwith niche models will notdilute brand value: BMW

By RICHARD BERRYA STREAM of new niche models, more affordable cars and an upcoming front-wheel-drive model will not dilute BMW’s premium image, according to the company’s Australian marketing chief.

BMW Group Australia general manager of marketing Toni Andreevski – who is understood to have just left the company to take up a similar role at Porsche – told GoAuto late last month that entry-level models such as the 1 Series (priced from $36,700) and forthcoming Active Tourer – starting at $44,400 with a three-cylinder engine driving the front wheels – can encourage buyers to stay within the brand as they change vehicles.

“We feel confident that, executed very well in a premium way, we can actually bring people into the brand and let them experience the BMW driving experience by owning one,” Mr Andreevski said.

“And the technical innovation you see in the cars is so high, irrespective of the segment in which they compete.

“Then there’s the design. At the end of the day a BMW must still look very elegant. That’s why with some of these new cars – even the 2 Series Active

Tourer – you’re seeing what we believe is a benchmark design in that segment.”

Mr Andreevski said that any suggestions about the brand losing its premium image is unwarranted, and while the company was offering

more affordable vehicles, the sales data proves that BMW is retaining its exclusivity.

“In Australia, BMW’s market share in total would probably be somewhere between 2-2.5 per cent – that’s still fairly exclusive by global standards and the whole luxury market in

Australia probably accounts for close to 10 per cent of the market,” he said.

“In Germany it’s probably 30 per cent and I don’t think those brands are any less premium in those markets.”

Late last month, BMW also launched the new X4 coupe-style SUV, with a plan to mirror the success of the similarly styled but larger X6.

Mr Andreevski admitted that the

arrival of all-new models might cannibalise sales from other BMW lines, but was confident they would also bring new buyers to the brand.

“Every new model that comes has to earn its keep and if all it does is cannibalise from the existing range then it wouldn’t get up as a business decision,” he said.

As for outside threats, Mr Andreevski believes BMW has a comfortable lead over a number of re-energised premium brands, including Jaguar.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

No threat to BMW brand

1 Series

Toni Andreevski

BMW M235i DRIFT MOB SMOKES CAPETOWN CITY STREETS: CLICK HERE

‘Move your Career up a gear with Kia’

Kia Motors is one of the world’s fastest growing motor vehicle manufacturers, represented in over 172 countries across the globe and a Dealer Network comprising over 120 Dealers nationally, and is committed to the long-term future and continuous growth of the brand in Australia.

regional Manager – Eastern Region• Global automotive brand • Homebush-based

To apply for one of the above roles, please email your resumé and cover letter with the job title as the ‘Subject’ to: opportunities@kia.com.au. For enquiries contact Human resources on (02) 9701 1700. Applications close Friday 15th August 2014. No Agencies please.

exciting career opportunities

An excellent opportunity is available to join the After Sales team reporting to the Parts & Accessories Sales Operations Manager. Within this position you will manage planning, forecasting, pricing and analysis of Parts & Accessories sales.

Some of your key responsibilities will include:

• Analysis work to support parts and accessories sales programs.• Manage inventory requirements for new vehicle releases,

accessory programs and promotional campaigns.• Develop sales and pricing reporting to enhance parts

operations.• Management of the Parts KPI reporting system.• Price all new Parts and Accessories in line with company

objectives.• Undertake regular competitor price reviews to ensure KMAu

pricing is established to maximise both sales and profit.

To be successful you will have the following skills and experience:

• Minimum 5-years’ automotive experience (preferred but not essential).

• A tertiary qualification in a Business discipline or similar is highly desirable.

• Strong analytical and problem solving skills.• Excellent time management skills and attention to detail.• Excellent communication skills to liaise with all levels of

management, staff, dealers, and third parties.• Demonstrated analytical and strategic planning ability.• Advanced computer skills: Microsoft Office – primarily Word,

Excel, PowerPoint. Familiarity with SAP would be an advantage.

An exciting opportunity has arisen reporting to the Regional Manager in our Western Region Office. You will be responsible for creating, communicating and implementing a Sales strategy and national plan utilising regional resources, KIA dealerships and their representatives.

This will involve establishing effective relationships with Dealers in both Metro and Rural regions, providing ongoing support to the Dealer Network, and identifying wholesale and retail sales opportunities (including Fleet) for the Kia Motors product range.

Kia offers a competitive salary and all relevant tools-of-trade including laptop, mobile phone and a fully-maintained car.

The successful candidate will have the following attributes:

• Minimum 3-year’s sales experience in a wholesale or retail environment (preferably Automotive or Fleet Management).

• Tertiary Business education or qualifications an advantage.• Exceptional communication skills to liaise with all levels of

management and customers.• Intermediate computer skills (Microsoft Office Suite).• Experience in reporting and data analysis.• Experience in Data extraction will be well regarded.

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced and dedicated Regional Manager. Reporting to General Manager Sales, the Regional Manager will be responsible for achieving state wholesale and retail objectives through metro and rural dealers across NSW.

Additionally you will be responsible for:

• Identifying opportunities for sales growth and implement plans accordingly.

• Developing action plans to improve customer satisfaction.• Ensuring company standards are met.

• Coordinating dealer marketing and sales activities.• Supporting the development and growth of direct reports.

You must possess the following attributes:

• Proven ability to achieve business results through Dealers using a consultative approach.

• A sound understanding of Dealer business financials, with ability to provide effective advice.

• A track record of results through leadership and mentoring.• Intermediate/advanced computer and reporting skills.• Tertiary qualifications in a Business discipline are desirable.

area sales Manager• Global automotive brand • Welshpool, WA location

parts sales & pricing analyst• Global automotive brand • Homebush-based • Full-time permanent position

Aug 6, 2014 Page 16

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GoAuto NewsJohn Mellor’s

AreA SAleS MAnAger Queensland

Accelerate your career with Hyundai

Main responsibilities will include:• Meet and exceed retail, wholesale and accessory targets.• Establish professional working relationships within your Zone.• Manage your Dealer Zone efficiently to ensure market share penetration.

• Train, develop and motivate all sales teams.• Proactively plan and implement marketing plans in line with Market, Dealer and HMCA requirements.

• Drive your Dealer Zone to reach and maintain KPI including customer satisfaction indexing (CSI).

• Ensure Dealer facilities and practices are in line with terms and conditions set out in Dealer agreements and HMCA standards.

• Professionally represent HMCA in all aspects of the business.

• Utilise external intelligence and internal reports to propose and implement strategies to add value to the Dealer Zone.

• Communicate with regional service and parts teams to support the Dealer Network.

The ideal candidate will have:• Tertiary qualifications will be highly regarded.• Sound knowledge of automotive wholesale and retail operations.

• Excellent written and verbal skills.• Strong sales, marketing and communication capability.• Strong computer skills with advanced understanding of PowerPoint presentation.

• Excellent analytical skills.

Hyundai Motor Company Australia is pleased to announce the position of Area Sales Manager – Queensland is now available. Reporting to the Regional Sales Manager in our Brisbane Office, this role offers the opportunity to partner with the Dealer Network within a defined territory to ensure sales objectives are met or exceeded.

If you believe this is the role for you, please forward your confidential resumé and cover letter, with Area Sales Manager – Queensland as the subject, to email: careers@hyundai.com.au by Friday 15th August 2014.

Recycled aluminium andfrugal diesel engine takenew XE below 4L/100km

Top economy for Jag XE

By RON HAMMERTONJAGUAR is promising frugal diesel fuel economy of less than 4.0 litres per 100km from its all-new XE sedan, which the British luxury car-maker says will make extensive use of recycled aluminium in its lightweight construction.

In the latest drip-feed reveal of technologies behind the new competitor for BMW’s 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz’s C-Class, Jaguar says the XE’s new modular architecture will have a mix of high-strength steel and aluminium, bonded and riveted together in a first for its class.

Shown in a new head-on photograph released last week ahead of its full reveal next month, the XE employs a newly developed recycled aluminium alloy – dubbed RC5754 – in 75 per cent of the body to “dramatically” reduce energy consumption while delivering world-class driving dynamics.

As GoAuto has previously reported, the XE will also use Jaguar’s new Ingenium engine family, which includes a 2.0-litre turbo-diesel.

In its latest media release, Jaguar says the diesel engine will deliver XE fuel consumption of less than 4.0L/100km on the European combined test cycle, which should put it ahead of rivals such as BMW’s 320d (4.5L/100km) and Audi’s A4 2.0 TDI (4.8L).

Mercedes-Benz’s new C-Class promises to beat the 4.0L/100km mark with its C300 BlueTec Hybrid – expected to be about 3.9L/100km – but the official fuel consumption figure for its most frugal diesel model, the 1.6-litre C200 BlueTec, is yet to be revealed.

Apart from sub-4.0L/100km

consumption, Jaguar is also saying the diesel XE’s CO2 emissions will slip below 100 grams per kilometre. Toyota’s benchmark petrol-electric hybrid Prius is rated at 89g/km.

Jaguar promises that despite the lightweight construction methods, the body will be highly rigid for class-leading levels of ride and handling of a “true driver’s car”.

The car-maker stopped short of revealing how much the new XE weighs, saying only: “This gives us a body structure with unrivalled low weight: it’s light but also immensely strong with extremely high levels of torsional stiffness.”

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

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Aug 6, 2014 Page 18

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GoAuto NewsJohn Mellor’s

John Mihelakis M: 0431 110 774 E: john@citywideconsulting.com.auwww.citywideconsulting.com.au

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Land Rover Disco Sportto offer seven seats

By DANIEL GARDNERLAND Rover has released images of its Freelander-replacing Discovery Sport in camouflage, but the ‘gift wrapping’ reveals one feature that the outgoing model does not have: seven seats.

The vinyl coating obscures much of the new small SUV’s detail, but the peeled-back graphic – sardine-tin style – shows a third row with two extra seats.

Land Rover describes the new interior layout as “5+2 seating”, which suggests the two rear positions will not be full-sized seats and most likely fold-away units for occasional use.

Under its disguise, the new model appears to be ready for production, but a fleet of the camouflaged cars have been dispatched to various locations around the world for final testing and development before the official Discovery Sport launch next year.

The disguised vehicle also reveals a nose design that takes cues from its larger Range Rover SUV sibling, as well as twin outboard tailpipes and an unusual ribbed seat upholstery pattern.

Technical details have not yet been announced, but it is likely the new model will be powered by Jaguar Land Rover’s new line of Ingenium engines, which will be produced at the British car-maker’s new factory in South Staffordshire, England.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

Range Rover claims Nurburgring record with SVRBy RON HAMMERTON

LAND Rover is claiming the fastest lap for a production SUV at Germany’s Nurburgring Nordschleife circuit, saying its upcoming supercharged V8 Range Rover Sport SVR covered the 20.6km course in 8:14.00 minutes in testing.

The problem is that no one seems quite sure what the previous swiftest SUV lap time was, although unofficial reports suggest a Porsche Macan Turbo did it in 8:15.00, with a Porsche Cayenne Turbo allegedly two seconds slower, at 8:17.00.

Porsche has not made any formal Nurburgring claims for its SUVs, although it readily owned up to the scintillating 6:57.00 lap by its hybrid 918 Spyder last year in the fastest lap for a street-legal car.

The most powerful production Range Rover ever built, the Sport SVR (Special Vehicle Racing) is propelled by the same 404kW 5.0-litre V8 engine as in the Jaguar F-Type S Coupe.

This engine is 29kW more powerful than the current Range Rover Sport power king, the 375kW supercharged V8 HSE Dynamic.

Car fans were given a foretaste of the

SVR at the recent Goodwood Festival of Speed, where a camouflaged vehicle was put through its paces for the first time in public.

Land Rover says the Nurburgring lap was set by a Land Rover test driver in a standard production vehicle that is scheduled to go on sale around the world, including Australia, next year.

The company says it used the Nurburgring course to hone the SVR sports flagship’s suspension because the undulating circuit’s challenging layout represents the ultimate test for high-performance vehicles.

Land Rover’s chief engineer for vehicle integrity, Mike Cross, said: “The Nurburgring is a benchmark for vehicle development and testing, and cars become stronger, more durable and faster over its 13 miles (20km) and 70-plus corners.

“We wanted to see whether an SUV could behave like a performance car in this challenging environment. The results are spectacular and the Range Rover Sport SVR has demonstrated outstanding on-road performance capabilities.”

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

SUV ’Ring master

Aug 6, 2014 Page 19

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GoAuto NewsJohn Mellor’s

Regional geneRal ManageR Western Australia

accelerate your career with Hyundai

Main responsibilities will include:• The primary objective is to ensure regional sales objectives are met or exceeded while contributing proportionally to the National Sales results and to the overall financial performance of the company.

• The position has overall management responsibility for Western Region Dealership operations and incorporates Sales & Marketing and Parts & Service (After Sales).

• The position also has accountability for achieving targets for Sales and Aftersales Customer Satisfaction.

• Lead and develop a team of 7 Regional Sales and After Sales professionals.

The ideal candidate will have:• 5-7 years’ demonstrated Automotive Sales Management experience (Retail & Wholesale).

• Very strong interpersonal skills - able to build rapport quickly at all levels of the organisation, internally and with our business partners.

• Tertiary Qualifications e.g. Bachelor of Business or similar discipline desirable.

• Great organisation and planning skills and computer literacy.• Experience operating in a cross-cultural environment.

Hyundai Motor Company australia is pleased to announce an exciting opportunity to join our Sales Operations Team in the position of Regional General Manager, Western Australia. This is an exciting time for an experienced and driven automotive executive to join the world’s fastest growing car company. This critical position has direct accountability for Sales performance in this key region, and reports directly to the Director of Sales. The position is located in our Perth office.

if you believe this is the role for you, please forward your confidential resumé and cover letter, with Regional general Manager – Wa as the subject, to email: careers@hyundai.com.au by Wednesday 20th august 2014.

Huge demand for limited25th Anniversary editionas new model draws near

Special MX-5 a hot ticket

By TIM NICHOLSONMAZDA’S last hurrah for the current MX-5 sportscar has gone on sale as the Japanese manufacturer prepares to unveil its new-generation model on September 4.

Australia has received an allocation of 40 limited-edition 25th Anniversary MX-5s, 13 of which already had a buyer waiting ahead of last week’s official August 1 on-sale date.

Globally, Mazda has produced just 1000 25th Anniversary editions, and its Australian subsidiary expects sportscar fans to snap up the remaining 27 cars, with people who have already registered interest to be first in line.

Australia’s allocation is made up of 24 vehicles with a six-speed manual gearbox, priced from $48,380 plus on-road costs, and 16 with a six-speed automatic transmission starting from $49,990.

This pricing places it above the entry-level MX-5 Roadster Coupe which starts from $47,280 for the manual ($49,405 for the auto) and below the Roadster Coupe Sports which starts at $49,885 ($52,010 for the auto).

To highlight its special status, Mazda has included a 25th Anniversary badge with a serial number and one-off metallic exterior paint – Soul Red – as well as black-painted A-pillars, mirror

caps and retractable roof.The cabin gains off-white leather

upholstery and door trims, with a black leather armrest, steering wheel and

manual gearshift knob featuring red contrast stitching. Stainless-steel scuff plates with the 25th Anniversary

logo and a red decoration panel add to the interior highlights.

Mazda is also including a ‘his-and-hers’ MX-5-branded Tourneau commemorative watch set made from surgical quality stainless-steel, with a sapphire crystal face and black leather strap with contrasting red stitching.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

PRICING:25th Anniversary $48,380 25th Anniversary (a) $49,990

Aug 6, 2014 Page 20

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GoAuto NewsJohn Mellor’s

Deloitte refers to one or more of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited, a UK private company limited by guarantee, and its network of member firms, each of which is a legally separate and independent entity. Please see www.deloitte.com/au/about for a detailed description of the legal structure of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited and its member firms.

Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation.

© 2014 Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu

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Redesigned Nissan ute set to pick up larger diesel buttiming yet to be confirmed

By BYRON MATHIOUDAKISin THAILAND

NISSAN is believed to be planning another diesel engine for its new-generation Navara to sit above the all-new 2.3-litre units that will be available from launch early next year.

Speaking at the D23 Navara international launch in Thailand last week, Nissan product planner Keno Kato said a larger diesel was a possibility for the one-tonne truck, but not for the time being.

Australian Navaras will receive the smaller of the two turbo-diesels – an all-new YS23 2.3-litre four-cylinder engine available in two guises: a 120kW/403Nm ‘Medium Output’ single-turbo unit and a 140kW/450Nm ‘High Output’ twin-turbo.

This compares to the outgoing D40’s YD25 2.5-litre diesel that is currently offered in 106kW/356Nm, 120kW/403Nm, 126kW/403Nm and 140kW/450Nm iterations depending on model and specification.

While a variation of the 2.5-litre engine will power the new Navara in some overseas markets, increasingly

strict emissions regulations have ruled it out for Australia.

The same regulations will probably also exclude the proposed Cummins 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel that is currently being evaluated by US media in a prototype version of the D40 Navara-based, American-built Frontier.

It has been reported overseas that if the Cummins engine deal receives the green light it will not happen in the D23 Frontier for a number of years.

In any case, Nissan Australia general manager of communications Peter Fadeyev told GoAuto that a Chinese-built Cummins unit would not be seen in any locally bound version of the next Navara at this stage. “It is not intended for Australia,” he said.

If the Navara does gain a larger diesel

engine it will probably be engineered in-house due to the level of expertise available.

The YS23 unit is a fourth-generation unit co-developed with Nissan’s alliance partner Renault, and will debut in a number of other commercial vehicle applications for both brands in the near future.

Models that will potentially receive the engine include the all-new Trafic and Master vans.

With Euro 6 emissions capability, it is likely that any 2.8-litre to 3.2-litre engine development within the alliance would most likely be based on this new engine family.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERERanger the benchmark – next page

YS23 2.3-litre engine

Bigger diesel for Navara

Aug 6, 2014 Page 21

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Navara engineer looks toFord’s Aussie-developed ute ‘but we’ll beat them’

Ranger the benchmark

By BYRON MATHIOUDAKISin THAILAND

NISSAN’S next-generation Navara workhorse was benchmarked against Ford’s Australian-developed Ranger utility for driveability, ride, refinement and ruggedness, according to the Japanese manufacturer’s commercial vehicles engineering chief.

Speaking to GoAuto at the launch of the D23-series Navara in Thailand last week, Nissan Motor Company chief vehicle engineer for light commercial vehicles, Takashi Fukui, admitted that the Aussie-engineered one-tonne ute was his personal favourite for dynamic feel and ride comfort – until now.

“I think the Ford Ranger is very good,” he said. “The competition is strong … but we will beat them.”

The 30-year chassis engineer, who is also responsible for the development of the Y62 Patrol, revealed that he visited Australia recently to better assess how the Navara’s rivals performed.

Specifically, he wanted to see how the nine-year-old outgoing D40 Navara still stacked up against the Ranger, as well as the Isuzu D-Max, Toyota HiLux and Holden Colorado.

Mr Fukui also expressed admiration for the Volkswagen Amarok, adding that the German manufacturer should be pleased considering it was VW’s first one-tonne truck.

“I am also impressed with the Amarok,” he said.

However, Mr Fukui said his team’s efforts with the new-generation Navara have eclipsed the best that the rest of the world can offer, coming off three intensive years of research and development.

A particular emphasis was put on

addressing the D40’s highly publicised quality issues, which among other problems led to an “extremely poor” one-star strike-through safety rating by the European New Car Assessment Program.

This was due to the collapse of a chassis rail, leading Euro NCAP to declare an unacceptable level of passenger compartment intrusion.

The outcome forced Nissan to reprogram the airbag software to achieve a slightly better result of three stars in 2008, which is still a poor performance compared to the five stars achieved by the latest Ranger (which in its previous generation managed only two stars when tested in 2008).

It was only in the beginning of 2012 that Nissan finally strengthened the occupant cell sufficiently for the D40 to warrant a four-star rating.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

D23 Navara

Ranger

Aug 6, 2014 Page 22

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GoAuto NewsJohn Mellor’s

1300 66 11 33

oem@dealersolutions.com.au

Contact: Glen Faulkner - OEM Engagement Manager

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New sub-brand to boostRenault business vehiclesales, service in Australia

Pro+ for Renault dealers

Renault’s redesigned Espace wagon bound for Europe – but not AustraliaBy RON HAMMERTON

RENAULT Australia would like to include the next, more SUV-like Espace people-mover replacement in its local armoury once the seven-seater goes into production next year, but it is unlikely to get the vehicle as a competitor for the Peugeot 5008 and Citroen C4 Grand Picasso.

Based on the Initiale Paris concept shown at the Frankfurt motor show last year, the new family bus is due in European showrooms in the middle of next year as a replacement for the ageing Espace in Europe, where it has plied its trade since 2003.

But Renault Australia managing director Justin Hocevar told GoAuto that Renault had “poured cold water” on proposals for local sale, telling him the vehicle would not be available to Australia.

“There is a lot of suggestion that the next-generation Espace will be more of

a crossover than a people-mover, and if we use that concept car (Initiale Paris) as a guide, it would seem to point in that direction,” he said.

“That would be very interesting for us – we have investigated that somewhat – but at present, the next-generation Espace is not available to us.”

United Kingdom reports suggest a right-hand-drive version of the next Espace will not be built any time soon.

The concept was 4850mm long, which makes it about 300mm longer than its French competitors.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

By RON HAMMERTONRENAULT Australia will start rolling out 10 specialist business fleet dealerships under the French company’s Pro+ sub-brand from this month.

Already well established in many overseas markets, including Europe, Britain and Brazil, the Pro+ scheme provides dedicated sales and service for business customers large and small, especially those looking to buy Renault vans.

Sales of those vans – the Kangoo, Trafic and Master – have rocketed 63 per cent in Australia this year (in the first half), with Australia Post among the customers to make the switch.

All 10 of the specialty centres are being established at existing Renault dealerships

in capital cities, with others possibly to follow in other centres. The first to nail up the Pro+ shingle will be in either Perth or Melbourne during August.

Sydney will get the most – three – with Melbourne getting two and the other capitals one each.

Renault Australia managing director Justin Hocevar told GoAuto that many van buyers had particular requirements, such as specialty fit-out for particular loads or work tasks.

He said the Pro+ dealerships would have sales and service staff trained to handle such requests.

“Without such a service, the customer is frequently left to their own devices after they have bought the vehicle,” he said.

Mr Hocevar said Renault dealers were invited to apply for the Pro+ operation, which for the most part will be based in existing Renault sites.

He said most of the development of the Pro+ service was behind the scenes in the dealerships, including a new website where Pro+ operators could share information, including contact details for fit-out suppliers and so on.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

Initiale Paris concept

Aug 6, 2014 Page 23

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GoAuto NewsJohn Mellor’s

Last year Holden launched more new products than in any year over the last decade. Launches included the acclaimed new VF Commodore, the all-new Holden Malibu and Holden Trax. This year Holden is wanting to take advantage of its additional product strength to provide Fleet Customers the perfect solution to their motoring needs. There is no better time for proven, results-driven professionals to join our Holden Fleet team. We are currently seeking experienced Business Development Managers to manage territories in WA and NSW with the main aim of building long-term business relationships with Fleet customers while professionally representing Holden through these key, market-facing roles. You will use your business skills and product selection experience to secure a growing share of fleet vehicle sales by coordinating and administering tenders, contracts and supply agreements, and efficiently managing customer contact.To be successful you will have:• Proven ability to build and maintain successful business relationships with the ‘know-how’ to sell high-value goods.• An understanding of the fleet vehicle market, asset financing and leasing would be highly advantageous.• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing or related discipline would be highly desirable.• Self-motivated and a lateral thinker who is driven to achieve results.Please ensure you mark your application either WA or NSW, or both if you would like to be considered for either opportunity.

Business Development managers – WA & NSW

Think abouT a career wiTh holden.Please apply confidentially online via www.holden.com.au/careers and search for job reference number: Sal0005266 or alternatively contact Cara Elliott (03) 9647 9579. Flexible working arrangements will be considered for the right candidate.

US tow rating tussle, utestripping should not rockmodels here: Performax

Pick-up towing feud

By RON HAMMERTONAUSTRALIAN vehicle conversion specialist Performax International says a spat between pick-up manufacturers in the United States over towing capacities is unlikely to have a knock-on effect for its range of American-made, locally converted trucks.

In Detroit, Ford and General Motors have admitted they have stripped various standard bits – even the centre console in the case of the Ford F-Series and the rear bumper in the case of the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra – to reduce the purported weight of the vehicles and thus boost maximum payload claims.

According to US publication Automotive News, spare wheels, jacks and the radio are also among the items

jettisoned by Ford when calculating the F-Series’ weight for payload purposes, rather than using the standard kerb weight.

The ploy was justified by the company as “removing items that have the possibility of being deleted from a vehicle order”.

After first denying that it resorted to such tactics, rival GM last week admitted it too had started removing the rear bumper and fitting light alloy wheels to its latest pick-ups to reduce vehicle weight in the rating process due to “competitive pressures”.

The admissions arose in a tit-for-tat war of words over who has the best towing capacity, with only Dodge Ram publicly declaring that it uses the standard kerb weight and the international SAE J2807 towing test criteria when calculating its published figures.

The argument mainly centres around the maximum towing capacity for so-called “goose neck” or “fifth-wheeler”

towing, in which the towing arm hitch is fixed to the pick-up bed, taking some of the trailer load.

In Australia, Queensland-based Performax International imports and distributes full-size pick-ups from GM, Dodge, Toyota and, most recently, the latest Ford F-250 Super Duty.

Performax sales manager Kevin Thoroughgood said his company relied on the manufacturers’ official ratings when setting the towing and payload capacities for the vehicles sold in Australia.

He said he had noted the claims and counter claims between the US manufacturers over the past few days, but doubted it would have any knock-on effect here.

“Whatever they (the manufacturers) verify as correct is normally fine,” he said. “The government accepts that if the manufacturer claims something, it is fine.”

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

Performax US truck range

Ford F-250

Aug 6, 2014 Page 24

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GoAuto NewsJohn Mellor’s

Dynamic dealership seeks committed Financial Controller!

Please submit your resume by COB 15 August 2014 to: Laura Rogers, Fordham Motor Dealer Services

GPO Box 4369, Melbourne Victoria 3001, T. 03 9611 6628 E. lrogers@fordhamgroup.com.auFordham Business Advisors Pty Ltd ABN 77 140 981 853. Fordham Business Advisors is part of the Perpetual Group.

We are a growing dynamic business located in Melbourne’s South East looking to appoint an enthusiastic and committed Financial Controller.

You will have experience in the motor industry and be able to lead our finance and administration teams, reporting directly to the Dealer Principal.

Duties include

– Overseeing and managing the financial well

being of the Dealership

– Managing cash flow requirements

including floorplan

– Maintaining an accurate set of accounts

which will facilitate the timely production

of trading results

– Ensuring all statutory returns are completed

and assisting the Dealer Principal with the

administration of the Dealership

motor dealer services

– Monitoring all costs and payments

– Planning, directing, monitoring and controlling

the activities of the Administration Department

– Recruiting, managing and training an efficient

administration team

You will have

– Significant experience in an administrative

role with substantial time in an automotive

dealership

– Thorough knowledge in the areas of tax,

cashflow, cost accounting and financial

accounting

– Tertiary qualifications in accounting and CPA

or CA highly desirable

– Have strong time management, organisational

and communication skills

– Be good at delegating

– Be highly computer literate and strong computer

skills in Microsoft Office (mainly Excel)

– Experience with motor industry based

accounting systems

Aussie-built Chevrolet SS receives lift with features from the Holden parts bin

Auto park for Chev SS

By RON HAMMERTONIT HAS taken an Australian car-maker to introduce hands-free parking to America’s biggest car brand, Chevrolet.

The Holden-made Chevrolet SS has become the first vehicle in the American ‘bow-tie brand’ range to offer the automated parking system – a feature already offered on Holden’s VF Commodore and WN Caprice ranges in Australia.

The 2015 export model for North America also gets a host of other new features, including an optional six-speed manual transmission as an alternative to the six-speed automatic, Magnetic Ride Control suspension, Brembo brakes all-round and OnStar connectivity as standard equipment as Chevrolet puts more spice into the single-model SS in

reaction to calls from US customers.Announcing the updated model last

week, General Motors vice-president for Chevrolet Brian Sweeney revealed that BMW was the top non-GM trade-in on SS in the showrooms.

“The SS reinforces Chevrolet’s position as America’s performance car brand and affirms what we’ve believed all along – enthusiasts want the driving experience that only a rear-drive sedan can provide,” he said.

“And by the way: BMW is the top non-GM-brand trade-in from SS customers.”

Surprisingly, no other Chevrolet has offered hands-free Automatic Parking Assist to date. The SS gets the most advanced version – as offered on Holden’s Commodore and Caprice – that not only automatically parallel parks your car but can also reverse park at right angles.

The system uses ultrasonic sensors

on the front and rear bumpers to size up parking spots and guide the car into position as the driver controls the gears, throttle and brakes with the help of a rearview camera.

As GoAuto has previously reported, many of the latest enhancements to the SS have come straight out of the Holden Special Vehicles (HSV) features list, with items such as Magnetic Ride Control (MRC) already fitted to HSV’s Gen-F HSV Senator Signature, Grange and GTS.

The third-generation MRC dampers have sensors that “read” the road every millisecond, electronically adjusting the shock absorbers in as little as five milliseconds to alter the damping rate for better ride and handling.

The driver can select between three suspension modes – Tour, Sport and Performance.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

Aug 6, 2014 Page 25

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GoAuto NewsJohn Mellor’s

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Britain aims to take globallead in driverless cars withbig program starting 2015

UK’s autonomous route

By RICHARD BERRYTHE British government has announced a competition which will see driverless cars take to the streets of the United Kingdom next year.

Business secretary Vince Cable last week called for cities throughout the UK to partner with businesses and research institutions and put forward a proposal to run autonomous vehicle testing.

Three cities will be chosen, with testing expected to start in January next year and programs to run for between 18 and 36 months.

The business partners of each test location are expected to incur 70 per cent of the cost of testing and all bids must include a partnership with a local authority.

A prize of £10 million ($A18 million) will be shared among the three winners and go some way to assisting in the projects which could cost between £5 million and £10 million ($A9-$18m).

Speaking at the Mira research facility last week, Mr Cable said the competition is part of the UK government’s plan to establish Britain as a world leader in

driverless car technology.“The excellence of our scientists and

engineers has established the UK as a pioneer in the development of driverless vehicles through pilot projects,” Mr Cable said.

“Today’s announcement will see driverless cars take to our streets in less than six months, putting us at the forefront of this transformational technology and opening up new opportunities for our economy and society.”

British ministers have also launched a review to examine how current road regulations will need to be altered to accommodate the arrival of driverless vehicles.

Two major factors will be central to the review: driverless cars with a driver who can take control if necessary; and fully autonomous cars without a driver.

While the British government’s project is the largest of its kind, driverless car development is well underway in other countries.

In the United States, the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA) has been developing

autonomous vehicle technology for years, though mainly for military applications.

In May, internet giant Google unveiled a self-driving car and the company is currently testing functional prototypes on city streets in the US.

Volvo announced a ‘Drive Me’ project last year which will test self-driving cars in Gothenburg, Sweden, in 2017, while car-makers such as Nissan, Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz and Toyota are also involved in developing autonomous car technology.

In Australia there are several research initiatives taking place with goals to produce self-driving vehicles. In February this year a partnership between the University of NSW and car-sharing company GoGet was announced at the GeoNext technology conference in Sydney.

The plan is to develop an advanced autonomous driving algorithm with a goal of having self-driving cars within 10 years.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

NISSAN MAPS OUT SELF-STEERINGFUTURE – WITH A DRIVER: CLICK HERE

Google driverless car

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GoAuto InBrief

John Mellor’s

Aug 6, 2014 Page 26

The Fiesta is the tiniest, least powerful and most affordable Ford on the market. It’s also the best-selling car … in the United Kingdom. In Australia it doesn’t enjoy the same sort of popularity. In June, for example, the Fiesta was ranked number one (as usual) on the UK sales charts, while here the Fiesta was 42nd.

Ford Fiesta Sport 1.0 EcoBoost

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

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SUBARU WAGONS CUTSUBARU has confirmed it will drop two wagons from its passenger car line-up as buyers show a preference for high-riding crossover versions of the vehicles.

Subaru Australia national corporate affairs manager David Rowley said the Liberty wagon and seven-seat Exiga would both be culled from the car-maker’s line-up next model year in response to slow demand.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

Porsche releases local pricing, spec for revised SUVBy TIM NICHOLSON

PORSCHE has confirmed pricing for its updated Cayenne performance SUV, with prices rising on all variants apart from a hybrid version that falls by more than $10,000.

The 2014 Cayenne range is expected to roll into local Porsche dealerships in early November, starting with the entry-level Diesel priced from $104,400 plus on-road costs – a $4100 hike over the existing model.

While there are few rivals at this end of the SUV segment, the entry-level diesel-powered Range Rover Sport

TDV6 SE undercuts the base Cayenne by $1600.

Porsche’s petrol-electric hybrid now uses a battery-fuelled plug-in system shared with the German sportscar-maker’s Panamera grand tourer.

Porsche priced the outgoing Cayenne Hybrid from $149,900, but the updated S E-Hybrid version that can now plug into a 15-amp wall socket has dropped by $10,700 to $139,200, which is also just $700 less than the Cayenne S.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

Cayenne pricing

GLOBAL SALES BATTLEJAPAN’S biggest car-maker, Toyota, kept its nose in front of fast-gaining European rival Volkswagen Group in the global vehicle sales race in the first half of 2014.

Reigning world sales champ Toyota and its subsidiaries Lexus, Daihatsu and Hino sold almost 5.1 million vehicles in the six months, just ahead of contender for the crown, VW Group, with 4.97 million sales in the same period.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

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GoAuto Market Insight

John Mellor’s

GoAuto Market Insight – brought to you by Dealer Solutions

DealerSolutions

Means Performance.

Aug 6, 2014 Page 27

By TERRY MARTINFIAT Chrysler is expecting the newly arrived MY14 Fiat 500 Series 3 range to continue the strong sales momentum it has built in the first half of this year as the Italian quarter of the predominantly American-led stable reaches new heights under the factory-backed Australian operation.

Of the 21,261 sales the group had racked up at the halfway point of the year, Jeep accounted for two thirds of those – 14,207, up 43.2 per cent – but a stunning 222 per cent increase in Fiat passenger car sales, taking its first-half total to 2999 units, has seen it overtake Chrysler (1083 units, down 17.6 per cent) as the number-two brand in the collection.

While Dodge was also down, to 1083 sales for the period, the Fiat Professional light commercial brand climbed 17.6 per cent to 708 new registrations, and Alfa Romeo – the other Italian brand managed by Fiat Chrysler Australia (Ferrari and Maserati are handled elsewhere) – rose 99.4 per cent over last year’s first half to 1432 units and a solid third position.

Fiat has come a long way since its return to Australia under independent importer Ateco Automotive in 2001 with the Ducato commercial vehicle range, and the subsequent launch of

Fiat passenger cars in 2006 with the compact Punto and, two years later, the 500 city car and Ritmo small car.

Factors such as aggressive pricing moves, improved vehicle supplies, extra model variants and increased marketing expenditure have generated record sales for Fiat cars in the two years since both it and Alfa joined the existing Chrysler business in Australia in May 2012.

By that point only the 500 remained, but the Dodge Journey-based Fiat Freemont SUV was added in April last year – starting at just $27,000 driveaway, or $28,500 for the seven-seat version – and the 500 range was overhauled two months later with a market-shaking $14K d/a entry price for the cute, fashionable and, crucially, now easily attainable Italian bambino.

What’s more, Punto returned to market shortly after with a sharp

$16,000 d/a opening position, while the light-sized Panda turned up in October priced from $16,500 d/a.

All this activity has brought a bevy of new buyers to the brand. Fiat finished with 3854 passenger car sales last year – up 651 per cent over 2012 (during which sales were disrupted with the changeover in distribution) – while for the 12-month period from July 1 2013 to June 30 this year, the tally was out to 5922, with the 500 and the sporty Abarth derivatives accounting for 57 per cent of these.

The Fiat brand’s average passenger car sales in the first half of 2014 – which, eerily, turns out to be exactly 500 a month – puts it on track to accumulate 6000 passenger car sales this year, and around 7500 for the brand as a whole.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

Latest 500 to drive salesfurther as Fiat cars climb222 per cent in first half

Fiat set to hit 7500 mark

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014*

0

1000

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3000

4000

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6000

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Passenger cars Light commercials Total sales* Fiat H1 sales: 2999 cars,

708 LCVs, 3707 combined

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Green issues in the auto worldGoAuto Green

John Mellor’s

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GoAuto Green – brought to you by Titan DMS

Aug 6, 2014 Page 28

By TIM NICHOLSONHONDA will continue to offer hybrid-powered models in Australia despite low volumes, with the company’s local director hinting that a decision on launching a petrol-electric version of the mid-size Accord is imminent.

An Australian berth for the Accord Hybrid was mooted back in April 2012 when then Honda Australia managing director Satoshi Matsuzawa confirmed it was on the cards, but the company had since remained non-committal when discussing its chances here.

Speaking with GoAuto last week, Honda Australia director Stephen Collins said the company was keen to introduce the petrol-electric Accord, but only if it could do it for the right price.

“Accord Hybrid is definitely on our shopping list,” he said. “It has got to make sense and it’s got to make economic sense for us.

“But it’s certainly on our list and with the new-gen hybrid engines with the one-motor, two-motor and three-motor system, I think there could be a place

for it, but again you have got to get the equation right, you have got to price it right.

“And we have got to do reasonable numbers so we are working on that, but I think there could be an opportunity for it.”

Mr Collins stopped short of confirming that the Toyota Camry Hybrid rival was a definite starter in Australia, and did not discuss possible timing.

He did, however, confirm the company’s commitment to its smaller hybrid range, which includes slow-selling eco versions of the Jazz and Civic sedan.

While the third-generation Jazz arrived in local showrooms last week, the hybrid version is not expected until sometime next year, meaning the environmentally friendly city runabout will push on in second-generation guise alongside its newer, third-generation petrol-powered sibling until a replacement arrives.

“The new Jazz Hybrid is definitely part of our plan,” Mr Collins said. “The

timing at this stage is not yet confirmed. “We chose to go with the petrol

engine first because it is the bread and butter. Hybrid is still in the plan, we just need to confirm the timing.”

In the 15 months since the Jazz Hybrid went on sale priced from $22,990 plus on-roads, Honda has sold 315 examples – less than five per cent of the 6564 conventional-engine Jazz models it sold in the same period.

Mr Collins conceded that while the Jazz Hybrid was not a volume model for the brand in Australia, it provided a showcase of the company’s hybrid technology.

“Globally and locally we are still committed to hybrid. You just see in sales numbers it’s just not big volume. Having said that, it is definitely part of our strategy and a showcase of Honda’s technologies,” he said.

“I think it’s still important, but the petrol engine is going to be the lion’s share of whatever we do in Jazz for the foreseeable future.”

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

Petrol-electric Accord stilla chance here despite lowsales of Jazz, Civic hybrids

Honda keeps hybrid faith

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By TERRY MARTINLONG-SERVING Hino Australia executive Vic Rijn is retiring from Toyota’s truck division after 36 years of service.

Currently sales operations manager for Victoria, Mr Rijn, who emigrated from Holland in 1974, has worked with Hino in various roles since 1978, starting with Thiess Toyota in Townsville as fleet manager for both Hino and Toyota in the northern Queensland region.

Over the years Mr Rijn has worked along the eastern seaboard in a range of positions, including divisional manager for parts.

He also had a stint in Sydney following the formation of Hino Motor Sales Australia in 1995.

“There have been a number of different challenges in my time with Hino which I have enjoyed,” Mr Rijn said. “I’ve had the chance to meet dealers in all regions, and make a lot of good friends.

“It has never been a boring job; there have been so many variations in what I’ve done.”

Hino Australia chairman and CEO Steve Lotter, who worked alongside Mr Rijn at both Toyota and Hino over several years, described his contributions as “invaluable”.

“Of course we’re sorry to see Vic go, but we wish him a long, healthy and happy retirement,” Mr Lotter said.

An avid ballroom dancer, Mr Rijn will take long-service leave for a year before fully retiring in July 2015.

Vic Rijn

RIJN SET TO RETIRE FROM HINO AUSTRALIA

CHRISTIE STEPS UP AS SUBARU SALES CHIEF IN CHARGE OF CARS AND PARTSBy TERRY MARTIN

SUBARU Australia has appointed Colin Christie to the newly created position of general manager – sales.

Mr Christie has spent the past three years as general manager of aftersales for the Japanese brand, responsible for parts and accessories, service and technical, engineering and customer experience.

Subaru says the new position puts him in charge of “the operational and strategic” sales performance of both the vehicle and parts and accessory sides of the business.

Subaru Australia managing director Nick Senior, to whom Mr Christie will

report, said the move to put the two sales functions together would benefit all concerned.

“By bringing these two extremely important functions together we streamline the organisation, create

efficiencies and bring the vehicle sales and parts and accessories teams closer together,” he said.

“This not only benefits us, but also our dealer network and our customers.

“It is a credit to the strength of our Subaru team and to Colin

that he was clearly the ideal candidate to take on the challenge.”

Mr Christie takes responsibility for vehicle sales from Patrick Bourke,

who has been acting national sales manager since Gary Johnston stepped down from the role in December to return to Perth, where he is now business manager for the central and western regions.

Mr Bourke now continues as national sales manager, reporting to Mr Christie.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

Colin Christie

ACCOUNTING and business advisory firm Moore Stephens, which includes the automotive industry as one of its areas of specialisation, has appointed three new partners to its Melbourne office.

Jean-Marie Abi-Ghanem joins the firm as head of cyber risk services. He was previously national lead partner for Deloitte’s cyber security practice and brings to the position almost two decades’ experience in cyber security and information security solutions.

Craig Geddes has been appointed head of Moore Stephens’ risk management and internal audit division, bringing more than 25 years’ experience in the field to the position. He was previously a partner at consulting and technology firm Oakton.

Tony Schiavello joins the firm as head of mergers and acquisitions. He has more than 20 years’ experience in the area across a range of sectors, including IT, financial services, education and novated leasing.

He was previously a director at KPMG, heading up the mergers and acquisitions practice for which he had served over the past 13 years.

MOORE STEPHENS NEWS

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The price of entry to Maserati’s local range has dropped by almost $60,000 with the arrival of the BMW 5 Series-baiting Ghibli sedan in showrooms this month, kicking off from $138,900 plus ORCs for the 202kW/600Nm 3.0-litre turbo-diesel.

Fiat 500 and Abarth

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Mercedes details all-new 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 set for GT sportscar, C63 AMGBy DANIEL GARDNER

MERCEDES-BENZ has released full technical details of its new 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine, which will arrive under the bonnet of the next-generation C63 AMG range and Porsche 911-rivalling AMG GT sportscar.

Pumping out a meaty 375kW and 650Nm of torque, the V8 produces 100Nm and 58kW more than the C63’s most staunch opposition – the freshly launched BMW M3 and M4 performance twins.

Weighing in at 209kg, Mercedes says its new engine is “the lightest in its competitive segment”, but with two fewer cylinders, the slender BMW straight-six turbo may still have the weight advantage.

The arrival of the forced-induction engine brings the end of naturally aspirated AMG engines closer, with only the SLK55 AMG and flagship SLS supercar relying on atmospheric pressure, and their respective replacements would likely complete the turbo transition.

Mercedes’ A45, CLA45, CLS63, E63, G63, GL63, GLA45, S63, SL63 and SL65 models have already made the switch to turbo power, cutting emissions to satisfy the ever-

tightening European standards, as does the latest arrival.

Specific vehicle performance figures are yet to be released, but with the same power as the outgoing C63 AMG 507

Edition and more torque, the new engine could shave a fraction of a second from the 4.2-second 0-100km/h dash.

The German luxury car-maker says that extra performance will not come

at a cost to the environment, and with increased thermal and

volumetric efficiency the new engine will meet Euro 6 CO2 and particulate levels due to start in 2016.

Mercedes has followed BMW’s lead in placing the brace of turbos in the engine’s ‘valley’ rather than the customary position on the outside of

each cylinder bank, which saves under-bonnet space but creates challenges managing the associated heat.

With a more compact unit, the engine and transmission has been mounted with a majority of the mass behind the front axle, resulting in a front-mid configuration and better weight distribution.

A dry-sump lubrication system has also allowed the engine to be mounted lower, improving the centre of gravity, and at high engine speeds the two-stage oil pump cycles the entire nine litres of oil in less than 10 seconds.

The racecar-derived technology also eliminates potentially catastrophic surging and oil starvation during high-G manoeuvres.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

Camouflaged AMG GT

4.0 biturbo V8