By MARTON PETTENDY

THESE are the all-new Pajero pictures

Mitsubishi did not want you to see – at least

not until the global media embargo is lifted

on September 28, when the fourth-generation

SUV stalwart makes its world public premiere

at the Paris motor show and is launched

simultaneously in Australia.

As GoAuto reported in August last year, the

new-generation Pajero will be made available

in both long-wheelbase fi ve-door and, for

the fi rst time since the three-door NK was

discontinued in July 1997, short-wheelbase

guises Down Under.

Mitsubishi has refused to confi rm a short-

wheelbase Pajero for Australia. As GoAuto

has reported, it could be a manual-only

Ralliart-badged proposition – complete with

Hella driving lights and other off-road kit.

Back then, a Mitsubishi Australia insider told

GoAutoNews that such a model would need to

fi nd at least 1000 homes in Australia annually

to be viable.

Two weeks ago, Mitsubishi Motors Corp issued

teaser shots of the new Pajero’s front quarter, but

now offi cial studio shots of both short- and long-

wheelbase Pajero derivatives have emerged,

revealing more rounded, less aggressive exterior

sheetmetal than the current NP Pajero.

GoAuto understands both models will be

available from November and that the all-

new Pajero has already hit Aussie shores in

preparation for its media and dealer launches

culminating on September 28 – the same day

Mitsubishi whips the covers off its redesigned

off-roader in Paris.

That means Australia will be among the fi rst

nations in the world to receive the new off-roader,

which also arrives in Japan in October following

fi rst shipments to Europe late this month.

To be built at Mitsubishi’s Pajero

Manufacturing Co plant in Gifu Prefecture,

Japan, the new model will eventually be sold

in 170 countries across Asia, Central and South

America and the Middle East.

Badged in some markets as the Pajero

Evolution, the new three-door will form

the basis of Mitsubishi’s 2007 Dakar Rally

contender. It features the same front-end

design as the volume-selling fi ve-door,

including large, stepped headlights, the same

pronounced wheelarches (but with matt black

plastic extensions) and the same roof racks,

side steps and bodyside cladding.

The surprise double-act will give Mitsubishi

not one but two new contenders in Australia’s

large but declining medium SUV segment,

which is dominated by Ford’s Territory and

Toyota’s Prado and Kluger.

Specifi c details of the all-new model are

scarce, however the new Pajero will follow

the same fundamental formula that drove the

current-generation NP-series to an eight per

cent share of the segment. Sales of the four-

year-old model are down by more than a third

so far in 2006 but have fared better than some

rivals in the declining medium SUV sector.

The new model will continue with a

variation of the monocoque chassis introduced

with the NP in November 2002, as well as an

upgraded version of Mitsubishi’s Super Select

4WD-II transfer case offering low-range gear

ratios. Combined with Active Stability &

Traction Control (ATSC) and the availability

of a rear differential lock, it is said to deliver

“signifi cant improvements in both off-road and

tarmac performance”.

Continued next page

These leaked pictures show the 3dr model Mitsubishi

didn’t want you to see

RENAULT’S GODZILLA! - page 3

Pajero risesPajero rises

September 13, 2006

GoAutoJohn Mellor's Australia’s Number One Automotive Industry Journal

news

SUBSCRIBE: www.mellor.net ADVERTISE: Steve Butcher Ph: 0419 562 110

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SEPTEMBER 13, 2006 Page 2

Contact Peter Thatcher +61 3 9349 3062 pthatcher@auto-it.com.au www.unitssof tware.com.au

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With over 100 dealers now on board, isn’t it time you learned what UNITSTM can do for your business?

You do have a choice. Choose the 21st century solution.

Continued from previous page

There is also a redesigned interior featuring top-shelf equipment such as a new 860-watt, 12-speaker “Rockford Acoustic Design Premium Sound System”.

But the real news lies beneath the smooth new sheetmetal, which does away with the current model’s characteristic wheelarch and front-quarter bulges.

An upgraded 184kW 3.8-litre SOHC 24-valve V6 will benefi t from Mitsubishi Innovative Valve timing Electronic Control system (MIVEC), for which no offi cial performance fi gures are available. The current Pajero’s (non-MIVEC) 3.8-litre V6 produces 149kW and 310Nm.

Complementing the new petrol V6 will be the same 3.2-litre 16-valve DOHC direct-injection (Di-D) four-cylinder intercooled

turbo-diesel that debuted here in the new ML-series Triton utility in July. Now featuring a common-rail fuel system, the new diesel has been retuned to deliver 125kW - up from 118kW in Triton, but down from the current Pajero’s 121kW DiD peak.

Mitsubishi’s redesigned Outlander compact SUV will go on sale a month later in December, offering seating for up to seven, a 127kW/230Nm 2.4-litre four-cylinder engine mated to a new six-speed continuously variable transmission and a 150kW/352Nm 3.0-litre V6 petrol engine – both driving through a part-time AWD system.

According to Mitsubishi, more than 2.5 million Pajeros have been produced in the 25 years since the fi rst generation was released in 1982.

The Gen IV model will debut in Paris alongside a number of other new SUVs, including Australia-bound production models such as Nissan’s Qashqai, BMW’s second-generation X5 and facelifted X3, Land Rover’s revised 2007 Defender, Mitsubishi’s own Outlander “concept”, Honda’s next-generation CR-V, Chevrolet’s Captiva and Opel’s Antara.

The latter two will form Holden’s fi rst legitimate attack on the medium SUV sector under the Captiva nameplate from November.

Other Paris surprises may come in the shape of Volkswagen’s new mini-Touareg, the Tiguan SUV, an all-new Corolla from Toyota, a 3 Series convertible from BMW and a production version of Alfa Romeo’s Kamal SUV.

By MARTON PETTENDY

PEUGEOT’S redesigned 207 hatch has not

even been released in Europe yet but that hasn’t

stopped Peugeot previewing the all-new coupe-

convertible version ahead of its debut in concept

guise at this month’s Paris motor show.

Dubbed 207 Epure, the 207 CC concept is

déjà vu for those at the 1998 Geneva motor

show who witnessed the reveal of the 20♥

concept, which formed the basis of the 206CC

production car that was launched in Europe in

early 2001.

Similarly, Peugeot freely admits the 207

Epure is “a glimpse of a future 207 model”

– even before a successor for the three- and

fi ve-door 206 goes on sale. That will happen in

Europe this month, with 207 hatch sales due to

commence in Australia in December.

When the 207CC becomes a production

reality some time next year, it is expected

to follow in the footsteps of its popular

predecessor by offering a folding metal roof.

Key dimensions include a length of 4037mm,

width of 1749mm and a height of 1387mm –

making it slightly longer, wider and lower than

the 207 hatch, with which it shares its 2540mm

wheelbase. Epure’s kerb weight is listed as

1550kg.

However, the 207 Epure’s cutting-edge

drivetain makes Peugeot’s latest concept more

than just a preview of the 207 CC.

Epure is powered by a combination of an

electric motor and an experimental 20kW

fuel cell co-developed by the PSA Peugeot

Citroen Group and the French Atomic Energy

Commission (AEC), known as “Genepac 20”.

According to Peugeot, electricity produced

by the fuel cell is used to provide extra power

and operating range to the vehicle’s electric

motor or its lithium-ion battery. The company

says it’s good a top speed of 130km/h,

0-100km/h acceleration in 15 seconds and a

range of around 350km.

Painted white and trimmed in white leather to

represent “the purity of the concept car’s lines

while strengthening the ecological credentials

of the technology that powers it”, 207 Epure

aims to combine zero emissions and silent

operation with open-top driving pleasure.

207 fl ips out!207 fl ips out!Epure points to Peugeot’s 207 coupe-cabriolet

There’s no point denying it any longer - a new SWB Pajero is coming soon

Produced by GoAuto Newsroom: Ph: (03) 9598 6477 PO Box 18, Sandringham VIC 3191 PUBLISHER: John Mellor

GoAutonewswww.mellor.net

SEPTEMBER 13, 2006 Page 3

www.mellor.netJohn Mellor's

GoAutonews

Honda, Australia’s fastest growing Japanese automotive importer, has an exciting position available within its Queensland StateOffice, in Albion, due to an internal promotion. Having recorded its third year of record sales, Honda is well placed to continue its sustainable growth plans into the future.

With further aggressive growth targets on the horizon, we are seeking a dynamic, innovative minded individual, committed to driving sales strategy, to achieve business objectives and targets for the region.

Reporting to the State Manager, this hands-on sales management role will be focused on maximising profitability and sales within the Honda dealer network. This will include the development and implementation of sales and marketing strategies and the formulation of superior value add propositions.

Working in partnership with Honda Dealers, your key responsibilities will include:• Supporting dealers in their achievement of maximum sales potential.• Maintaining a focus on excellence in customer satisfaction.• Providing advice on policy and support with corporate identification standards.

• Roll out of key dealer programs and initiatives and training.• Supplying timely market information to state and national offices.

The ideal candidate will have proven success in a ‘wholesale to retail’ environment. A thorough understanding of the automotive industry is essential as is tertiary qualifications in business/commerce or similar. You will have

the communication and relationship building skills to be a collaborative ambassador for Honda Australia. If you fit the requirements and possess the ambition and acumen, send your application now!

Remuneration package includes fully maintained vehicle. Please forward your resumé to:Human Resources, Locked Bag 95, Tullamarine VIC 3043

or via e-mail: careers@honda.com.au

Applications close Monday 18 September 2006.

District Sales Manager, QLD

Honda Australia is an Equal Opportunity employer.

By MARTON PETTENDY

AT FIRST glance, Renault’s wacky Nepta

cabriolet concept appears to fall fi rmly into

the same fl ight-of-fantasy category to which

so many Paris show cars before it have been

relegated.

It is highly likely that some of the low-slung

four-seater GT cabrio’s styling cues will fi nd

their way into future Renault model designs,

which is no bad thing given the upmarket

drop-top’s rakish proportions, its clean,

tight lines and the way its disproportionately

long (1260mm) rear overhang harks back to

automotive design’s golden era.

But look closer at the specs sheet and it is

clear the real deal lies beneath the Nepta’s

handsome (at least in a French sort of way)

carbon bodywork.

Heralding the Parisian car-maker’s fi rst

employment of direct petrol-injection

technology, Nepta is powered by a twin-

turbocharged V6 that displaces the same 3.5

litres as many famous models from sister

company Nissan, but in this case also adds direct

injection to deliver no less than 309kW and a

storming 560Nm of torque at 3000rpm – almost

enough to power something like, say, Nissan’s

next-generation GTR.

Mated to, wait for it, a

Lexus-matching seven-speed

automatic transmission with

“fl ick-shift” steering wheel

controls, Renault says the

1490kg Nepta is good for

0-100km/h acceleration in a

supercar-style 4.9 seconds.

What’s more, it offers

claimed average fuel consumption of just

9.4L/100km, although CO2 emissions are less

impressive at 222kg/km.

Of course, Renault makes plenty of noise

about the special anodic aluminium colour

treatment on the lower part of Nepta’s bodyshell

and spoilers, the semi-suspended dashboard,

the active LED headlights and the motor-

driven gullwing doors that are hinged from

underneath full-length alloy panels and open

to reveal the interior and engine compartment.

But we suspect the real reason for the rear-

drive Nepta’s existence is to showcase its

longitudinally mounted direct-injection bi-

turbo V6 up front.

For the record, Nepta measures a big 4995mm

long, 1956mm wide and 1332mm high, and rides

on a 2845mm wheelbase and 23-inch wheels.

Renault ‘GTR’Renault ‘GTR’Under Nepta’s skin lies a 309kW twin-turbo V6

SEPTEMBER 13, 2006 Page 4

John Mellor's

GoAutonews

Wild hybridWild hybrid

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By MARTON PETTENDY

CITROEN’S wild C-Metisse concept,

previewed last week ahead of its Paris motor

show debut late this month, will be the star of

the French maker’s home auto show – for all

the wrong reasons.

Look beyond the gullwing doors, directional

LED headlights and striking interior with

roof-mounted head restraints, and it is clear

Citroen’s four-door/three-seat Paris show

stopper is all about a brand-new hybrid

drivetrain.

Likely to emerge in the recently-released

C6 sedan fl agship and the next-generation C5

sedan – in line with Citroen’s commitment

to offer a hybrid version of every model,

starting with the C4 – the diesel hybrid system

attempts to demonstrate that “pleasure and

performance can go hand in hand with care

for the environment”.

The C-Metisse differs from the C4 HDi

hybrid, revealed by Citroen early this year,

by featuring electric motors that are installed

within its rear wheels. Curiously, the company

that builds only front-drive models said:

“This confi guration is coherent with vehicle

performance and optimises traction.

“Perfectly suited to the character of C-

Metisse, the design refl ects Citroen’s expertise

in the various hybrid architectures, as well as

demonstrating its commitment to cutting fuel

consumption and CO2 emissions.”

For the record, C-Metisse is a sizeable

4740mm long, an imposing 2000mm wide and

just 1240mm high. It rides on a three-metre

wheelbase and offers just three white leather-

clad seats within a cavernous interior, each

affording limousine-style knee room. Aiding

its effi ciency is a low 0.30Cd aerodynamic

drag co-effi cient and light-weight materials to

produce a gross weight of 1400kg (including

batteries).

At the business end, however, is a new

150kW diesel V6 with a particulate fi lter

system, dubbed HDi DPFS, which drives

the front wheels via a six-speed automatic

transmission. Two electric motors, each

developing 15kW and 400Nm of torque, are

positioned in the rear wheels.

Citroen claims that in the city in all-electric,

completely silent ZEV (Zero Emission Vehicle)

mode, the C-Metisse will run for 3km at 30km/

h. The diesel V6 kicks in on roads requiring

repeated acceleration and deceleration, but

still returns average EU combined cycle

fuel consumption of 6.5L/100km and CO2

emissions of 174g/km.

More importantly, Citroen claims “no

sacrifi ces have been made in terms of driving

pleasure, which remains a key priority for

motorists”. C-Metisse offers claimed 0-

100km/h acceleration in a spritely 6.2 seconds

and drives all four wheels both when the V6

is employed and when low-traction conditions

are detected by its stability control sensors.

C-Metisse heralds Citroen’s hybrid future

EDITOR: Terry Martin MANAGING EDITOR: Marton Pettendy JOURNALISTS: Neil McDonald, Byron Mathioudakis, Tim Britten PRODUCTION: Chris Harris, Luc Britten

www.mellor.net

SEPTEMBER 13, 2006 Page 5

www.mellor.netJohn Mellor's

GoAutonews

Nissan unveils its all-new compact SUV

Qashqai coming!Qashqai coming!

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This is a career opportunity for a tertiary qualifi ed Product Design Engineer/Mechanical Engineer with at least 5 years’ experience in Project Management and Engineering Design in the manufacturing industry. Prerequisites include signifi cant plastics industry experience in design and tooling of plastic components. Applicants would need to have had experience in either Automotive Tier 1 supply or be working within Automotive OEMs in the design of plastic components.

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By MARTON PETTENDY

NISSAN president and CEO Carlos Ghosn

offi cially revealed the company’s new compact

crossover last week ahead of its global

production debut at the Paris motor show on

September 28.

Signifi cantly smaller than the bigger new

X-Trail compact SUV due to surface next

year, Qashqai is expected to play a key role

in Nissan’s European sales ambitions from

February next year, and is also high on Nissan

Australia’s hit-list.

The production Qashqai, which will be

produced at Nissan’s Sunderland factory in

the UK and will also be sold in Japan under

the name Dualis, is based on the concept of

the same name that fi rst appeared at the 2004

Geneva motor show.

According to Nissan, Qashqai “will cater

for those car buyers who want a more dynamic

design than offered by a traditional C-segment

(small) car, but are not attracted to the large,

aggressive nature of a compact SUV”.

As the fi rst model to be designed by Nissan

Design Europe (NDE) since its move to London

in 2003, Qashqai features a similar rising

shoulder line to that of the Murano and a cockpit-

style driving position with deeply recessed

instruments and a raised centre console.

Sized somewhere between Tiida and X-

Trail, Qashqai is 4210mm long, 1610mm

tall, 1780mm wide and rides on a 2630mm

wheelbase. Nissan claims that makes it about

100mm longer than a typical hatchback but

150mm shorter than a typical SUV, as well as

up to 150mm taller than a small hatch but up to

130mm lower than an SUV.

Four engines will be available in Europe,

including 86kW/160Nm 1.6-litre and

105kW/200Nm 2.0-litre petrol fours and

79kW/240Nm 1.5-litre and 112kW/320Nm

2.0-litre diesels.

Five- and six-speed manual, six-speed

automatic and continuously variable

transmission choices will be available,

depending on engines, but Nissan’s All-Mode

4x4 system will only be available with 2.0-litre

variants.

“European customers want it all: dynamic

design, driving performance and attractive

premium interior,” Mr Ghosn said.

“Qashqai delivers it all which is why it

will lead our sales growth in Europe and the

growth in recognition of Nissan as a truly bold,

thoughtful and innovative Japanese brand.

“We expect Qashqai will sell more than

100,000 units a year on average across Europe

– with 80 per cent of those customers buying a

Nissan for the fi rst time. Before Qashqai, they

drove a premium C-segment car, a compact

4x4 or a D-segment car,” he said.

SEPTEMBER 13, 2006 Page 6

www.mellor.netJohn Mellor's

GoAutonews

On the track, on the road, and in your

dealership, Mobil 1 is the name that

stands for performance.

HOLDEN’S stunning twin-turbo Torana TT36 concept wowed crowds

at the Australian International Motor Show in Sydney two years ago

– and now senior Holden designer Ewan Kingsbury has done it again.

The 25-year-old is the man behind WTCC Ultra, a wild fi ve-door

hatch concept revealed by Chevrolet Europe last week ahead of its

global debut at this month’s Paris motor show, where it will take pride

of place on the Chev stand.

Designed to “celebrate the brand’s motor sport heritage and push

Chevy’s styling language to the extreme”, the brand-new concept is

claimed to be more than a styling study in that it is a fully working

vehicle that is ready for both the road and the racetrack.

WTCC Ultra is also a mobile demonstration of General Motors’ (and

in this case Chevrolet’s) ability to employ global resources to develop

new products.

Designed in clay by Mr Kingsbury at Port Melbourne, the WTCC

Ultra’s engine – a 140kW version of the 110kW 2.0-litre common-

rail turbo-diesel that will debut in Europe’s Captiva SUV and

Lacetti hatch (read: Holden Viva) next year and that could also

power both models here – was built by GM Daewoo

in South Korea. Development work was carried out in

the UK, Germany and Switzerland, and the prototype

was assembled in Japan.

Chevrolet Europe says the WTCC Ultra offers performance to “rival

high-performance petrol cars” and was conceived as “a vision of a new

generation of World Touring Cars” to follow the Chevrolet WTCC race

team’s second victory of the season earlier this month at Brno in the

Czech Republic.

CHEVROLET WTCC ULTRA

HYUNDAI has come good on its promise to follow up its redesigned Elantra sedan with a fi ve-

door hatch derivative designed in Europe.

Revealed last week in sketch form ahead of its offi cial public debut at this month’s Paris motor

show, the all-new Elantra hatch will go on sale in Australia and Europe in mid-2007.

Hyundai describes its Arnejs (pronounced Ar-nez) concept as a “designer

preview of the car set to take the C-segment by storm in 2007”. The South

Korean maker said the production version would be very closely based on it,

and would also form the basis for Hyundai’s next world rally car.

The company claims its newest small car, codenamed FD (for Five-

Door), will offer enough quality, affordability, style and technology to

make it a hit in Europe’s largest vehicle category, and to compete with

Europe’s top-selling C-segment models.

The new Elantra was launched Down Under two weeks ago in US-

oriented sedan guise ahead of its offi cial release in October, and will be

followed by fi ve-door hatch and wagon body styles next year, and a

folding metal-roofed coupe-convertible in 2008.

HYUNDAI ARNEJS

SEPTEMBER 13, 2006 Page 7

www.mellor.netJohn Mellor's

GoAutonews

The perfect partnership

The acquisition of Kerridge Automotive Systems by ADP has established an international company, with a unique global capability to provide and support IT products for the retail automotive market place. Kerridge Automotive Systems in Australia will now be known as ADP Dealer Services.ADP Dealer Services brings together a wealth of knowledge, experience and a proven track record in the automotive sector; this combination provides customers with confidence in a secure future.If you want a DMS provider who listens to their customers and OEM’s, and conducts business in the spirit of true partnership, then speak to ADP today. Take the first step towards meeting your IT needs and realising the full potential of your business. For further information about ADP Dealer Services products and services visit www.adpdsi.com or email david_jiear@adp.com

DAIHATSU has revealed yet another micro-

SUV ahead of its world debut at this month’s

Paris motor show.

Dubbed the D-Compact X-Over and

developed in co-operation with ItalDesign, the

latest Daihatsu crossover prototype features a

huge glass sunroof that stretches from the top

of the windscreen to over the rear seat.

To be presented alongside the European debut

of a new Materia compact city car, powered by

a 1.5-litre engine and to go on sale in Europe

in early 2007, the X-Over follows the similarly-

themed Urban Cruiser compact SUV concept

revealed by Daihatsu at this year’s

Geneva motor show.

The fi ve-door D-Compact X-Over

joins the Urban Cruiser concept and

Daihatsu’s redesigned Terios, which

was launched in Japan in January as

the Rush, as yet another possibility to

join Toyota’s Australian SUV line-up

as a sub-RAV4 micro crossover.

Toyota may also use Paris to reveal its

next-generation Corolla due on sale here

early next year and the production version

of its 100kW Yaris T Sport concept.

FIAT appears intent on addressing the

shortcomings of its long-neglected luxury brand,

Lancia, if its latest concept car is any guide.

Revealed at this week’s 63rd Venice

International Film Festival and to be shown

at the Paris motor show later this month, the

Delta HPE is believed to preview an all-new

model that will herald the return of right-hand

drive Lancias.

The same car will also fi ll the yawning hole

in Lancia’s range between the small Ypsilon/

Musa hatches and the larger Alfa 156-based

Lybra sedan that has existed since the original

Delta disappeared in 1999.

Lancia said the Delta HPE takes its

inspiration from the “practical, sporty, elegant

car concept embodied in the Lancia Beta HPE

during the second half of the Seventies” to

represent a sporting but practical take on the

mid-sized shooting brake (sports wagon).

The surprisingly stylish Lancia concept

appears to take many styling

cues from sister brand and

parent company Fiat’s

redesigned Stilo (to be named

Bravo), which will be sold

Down Under in 2007 and

with which it will share its

underpinnings. As such, it

measures 4.5m long, 1.8m

wide and 1.5m tall.

Riding on a 2700mm

wheelbase, the Delta concept

is claimed to offer “extraordinary roominess”,

especially for rear passenger, who benefi t from a

sliding seat with reclining backrests. There is also

a 400-litre boot and all-independent suspension

with SDC electronic damping control.

Lancia said the Delta HPE Concept Car was

designed to be equipped with a selection of

turbocharged petrol and diesel engines ranging

from 90kW to 150kW in power output, each

mated to either six-speed manual or “robotised”

transmissions.

Australian Fiat Group distributor Ateco

Automotive has the fi rst right of refusal for the

Lancia brand in Australia, but do not expect to

see the upmarket Italian marque – the continued

existence of which is owed largely to the new

Ypsilon hatch’s popularity in Europe – appear

locally any time soon alongside Fiat and Alfa.

LANCIA DELTA HPE

DAIHATSU D-COMPACT X-OVER

SEPTEMBER 13, 2006 Page 8

www.mellor.netJohn Mellor's

GoAutonews

Turn more of your customer's voices into faces!Research shows that dealers miss up to 6 out of 10 potential sales opportunities from poor handling of phone enquiries. When you implement our unique focused appointment strategy you will achieve increases in appointments made and customer show ups.

By TERRY MARTIN

THE fi rst generation of petrol-electric hybrid

vehicles derived from the billion-dollar

alliance between DaimlerChrysler, BMW and

General Motors will not be sold in Australia or

other right-hand drive markets.

Despite claims that the advanced two-mode

hybrid system – which will fi rst appear in

select vehicles for the US market from late

next year – will be superior to technology

offered by market leader Toyota, the executive

director of hybrid powertrain programs for

DaimlerChrysler Andreas Truckenbrodt

admitted to GoAuto last week that the system

was not engineered for RHD.

“We don’t have plans for that at the

moment,” he told GoAutoNews in

Melbourne. “We have to say fi rst our

focus is certainly the US – and that’s

left-hand drive – because the market

pull and the market size is just much

bigger.”

Dr Truckenbrodt also said “no

decisions had been made” as to

whether the second generation of the

hybrid system, which is currently in

development for vehicles emerging

in 2012-13, would be built to include RHD

– although he did add that there was some

chance that could occur.

There now appears to be no short-term,

or even medium-term, threat to the hybrid

domination Toyota now enjoys in Australia

and elsewhere at the prestige and luxury end

of the market with its Lexus brand and models

such as the GS450h sedan and the forthcoming

RX400h SUV and LS600h limousine.

The fi rst hybrids to emerge from

DaimlerChrysler’s unlikely alliance with arch-

rivals BMW and GM will be the latter’s Tahoe

and Yukon SUVs during 2007 and, in 2008, the

Chrysler Group’s Dodge Durango SUV. BMW

has not yet named a specifi c vehicle, although

board member Burkhard Goeschel told GoAuto

in July that its fi rst hybrid was unlikely to

appear before the end of the decade.

“We will have hybrids in the Chrysler brands

and the Mercedes brand – and there will be a

Mercedes also before 2010,” Dr Truckenbrodt

said.

He declined to nominate which

Mercedes-Benz vehicles would

benefi t from the technology,

however his acknowledgement that

petrol rather than diesel had taken

development precedence throws

the spotlight on to the S350 hybrid

shown at last year’s Frankfurt motor

show.

The three manufacturers have

each committed at least $US300 million to the

development of the transmission of the hybrid

system, which like Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy

Drive is a “full hybrid” but has unique features

such as low- and high-speed modes (hence the

two-mode moniker) and four fi xed gear ratios

for its continuously variable transmission.

“We think we have absolutely superior

technology … more practical and real-life fuel

economy, (better) towing capacity (and) we

certainly have some smart control concepts

which we want to apply,” Dr Truckenbrodt

said.

Investing an unspecifi ed amount to integrate

the hybrid system into its chosen vehicles,

DaimlerChrysler has ensured that its version

will be compatible with front-wheel drive,

RWD and AWD – an emphasis which is in stark

contrast to an earlier position the company had

taken when emphasising that hybrids were

merely a stepping stone to fuel-cell vehicles.

“Certainly, the forecast which some

people had with fuel cells was quite a bit too

optimistic – timing-wise and volume-wise,”

Dr Truckenbrodt said. “Secondly, the market

share of hybrids has been so tiny it doesn’t

make sense to really invest a lot of money

into something which doesn’t see the road

– both economically for us, but also for the

environment.

“Thirdly, we have to acknowledge that the

competition is out there and we have to be

aggressive. We can think what we want about

hybrids but if the competition is out there then

we’ve got to be able to offer something.

“These are the key elements which are now

playing a more important role than they did in

the past.”

He also said tough environmental regulations

in the US had driven the change. “We have

regulations in California which unfortunately

do not tell you what level of emissions or fuel

consumption you’ve got to have to achieve,

but ask for a specifi c technology: hybrids.

So if you want to be able to sell vehicles in

California, you’ve got to have to have hybrids,

regardless of whether you consider this to be

reasonable or not.”

Australia and other RHD markets to miss out on key hybrid vehicles

Eco slapEco slap

Andreas Truckenbrodt

Dodge Durango

SEPTEMBER 13, 2006 Page 9

www.mellor.netJohn Mellor's

GoAutonews

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By MARTON PETTENDY

HOLDEN has pulled yet another rabbit out

of its corporate hat by announcing its fi rst

ever medium 4WD range will be headed by

a fl agship based not on GM Daewoo’s South

Korean-built Captiva but on GM Opel’s more

upmarket Antara luxury SUV.

The surprise news was contained in a press

release issued on Friday that revealed engine,

transmission and equipment details for the

upcoming Captiva line-up – pricing and release

details have still not been revealed.

GoAuto sources indicate the twin-pronged

Captiva range will go on sale in November

following its offi cial public unveiling at

the Australian International Motor Show in

Sydney opening on October 26 and its media

launch early next month.

Following hot on the heels of the VE

Commodore sedan (September) and WM

Statesman/Caprice sedan (October) releases,

the Captiva will not be the last new model in a

busy year for Holden.

Just as Captiva plugs a gaping hole in

Holden’s SUV product portfolio, another GM

Daewoo-sourced model – the Epica sedan –

will technically replace Vectra to give Holden

a mid-sized Camry rival for the fi rst time in

December.

Captiva pricing is expected to undercut that

of both Toyota’s AWD Kluger,

which opens at $41,990 for the

172kW/328Nm 3.3-litre auto-only

CV and tops out at $59,490 for

the identically powered Grande,

and Ford’s top-selling Territory,

which opens at $39,490 for the

190kW/383Nm 4.0-litre auto-only

TX RWD and tops out at $65,490

for the 245kW/480Nm Ghia Turbo

AWD.

Expect pricing to match that of

Australia’s other Korean-sourced

medium SUV, Hyundai’s new Santa Fe (which

starts at $35,990), and for a large price gap to

separate the German-designed Maxx, which

will also be sourced from GM Daewoo in

South Korea.

All four Captiva variants will be powered by a

Holden-built 3.2-litre Alloytec V6, which in SX,

CX and LX guise will produce 169kW at 6600rpm

and 297Nm of peak torque at 3200rpm.

Curiously, the fl agship Captiva MaXX

– which is the same model designation that

Mazda uses with its Mazda2 and 3 small

cars – will offer two fewer kilowatts of peak

power: 167kW at the same 6600rpm. No fuel

consumption fi gures have been issued, but

expect them to be somewhere between that of

the 2.7-litre V6 Santa Fe and the Territory.

An “Active Select” fi ve-speed automatic

transmission will be standard across the range,

as will 200mm of ground clearance.

According to Holden, all Captivas will also

offer “active” all-wheel drive, Descent Control

System, cruise control, four power windows,

twin front airbags and, signifi cantly, ESP

stability control as standard. The CX, LX and

MaXX will add side curtain airbags as standard

(optional on the base SX).

Continued next page

Antara Captiva!Antara Captiva!

Opel-designed SUV will be the premium entrant in Holden’s Captiva range

Captiva

SEPTEMBER 13, 2006 Page 10

www.mellor.netJohn Mellor's

GoAutonews

Antara Antara Captiva!Captiva!

Continued from previous page

Unlike Territory and Kluger, in which a third

row of seats (bringing the total to seven) is

optional, the entry-level Captiva SX and top-spec

Antara-based MaXX will be available only with

fi ve seats, with a 60/40-split folding rear seat.

The mid-spec Captiva CX and LX will come

with seven seats as standard, with a 60/40-split

folding second row and a 50/50-split folding

third row – both of which will fold fl at.

Holden has said CX and SX will feature

cloth seat trim and 17-inch alloy wheels, while

LX and MaXX will feature leather-faced pews

and 18-inch alloys.

Offi cial cargo volume for SX, CX and LX is

930 litres with rear seats folded and 1565 litres

with the front passenger seat also folded. The

smaller Antara-based MaXX will offer 865 litres

with rear seats folded. No fi gures were released

for cargo space with all seats in use.

Sound systems will all be MP3-compatible,

including the base SX’s single-CD player and

the six-CD system in CX, LX and MaXX.

Captiva will be available in seven exterior

paint colours, with six available for MaXX.

“It makes sense to launch two models under

the same nameplate given it’s an all-new

model for us, because it will avoid confusion,”

Holden spokesman Jason Laird told GoAuto.

“Pricing will be competitive given we’re

entering a mature market segment.”

Rightly, Holden claims Captiva will give

it a “legitimate presence” in Australia’s

competitive SUV landscape, in which it is

currently represented only by the slow-selling,

VZ Commodore wagon-based Adventra AWD.

Now discontinued, the Suzuki-sourced Cruze

mini-SUV will eventually be replaced by a

compact SUV based on GM Daewoo’s T2X

concept, which followed the S3X show car that

became Captiva.

Holden showed both the T2X and S3X

concepts at this year’s Melbourne International

Motor Show, indicating a commitment to

address its dearth of serious SUV models.

Australia will be one of the world’s fi rst

markets to receive the Opel-developed

Antara, which will make its global debut in

fi nal production form at the Paris motor show

late this month. It fi rst appeared at the 2005

Frankfurt motor show as the three-door, four-

seater Antara GTC concept, riding on 20-inch

wheels and powered by a 400Nm 1.9-litre

turbo-diesel mated to a six-speed auto.

“Captiva has eye-catching appeal and

extensive testing in Australia will ensure

that it delivers Holden’s proven ride and

handling requirements for local conditions,”

GM Holden chairman and managing director

Denny Mooney said.

“It has excellent interior fl exibility,

advanced safety technologies and offers a high

level of specifi cation across the range. Captiva

represents an opportunity for Holden to make

signifi cant ground in the SUV segment.”

Antara

SEPTEMBER 13, 2006 Page 11

www.mellor.netJohn Mellor's

GoAutonews

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By TIM BRITTEN

VOLVO Cars Australia is doing nicely with its

XC90 and XC70 SUVs. Sales of the former

have been climbing steadily since it was

launched here in July 2003, and year-to-date

fi gures for 2006 show a nearly 30 per cent

increase over 2005.

Globally, the XC90 is working so well for

Volvo that production from Volvo’s Torslanda

plant in Sweden has risen from 50,000 XC90s

a year in 2003 to 90,000 today.

In fact, the XC90 and XC70 would almost

defi ne Volvo as an SUV company were it not for

the parallel success of its Ford Focus/Mazda3-

shared S40 sedan and V50 wagon. The profi le

of Volvo is somewhat different today to what it

was before the advent of its SUVs and shared-

platform small car.

The XC90 gets a big kick this week with

the launch of its 2007 update that includes

not just a new fi ve-cylinder turbo-diesel but

also a brand-new 4.4-litre V8 developed in

collaboration with Yamaha.

The fi rst-ever Volvo V8, the big petrol engine

heralds the departure of the six-cylinder turbo

T6 model and a readjusted range that now also

includes a new D5 turbo-diesel (expected to

be the top seller and also due to

go into the S80 fl agship) while

continuing with the 154kW T5

turbo fi ve-cylinder.

The all-alloy DOHC 32-valve

60-degree transverse V8, with

variable camshaft timing on both inlet and

exhaust camshafts, looks to be something special

and is claimed to be the most compact on the

market. It appears behind its fi rst Volvo

badge in the XC90 and is expected to

follow in the luxury S80 model later on.

The short-stroke V8 cylinder

arrangement places each piston at the

mid-way point between those on the

opposing cylinder bank, resulting in a

tightly packed arrangement measuring

just 754mm long and 635mm wide.

The new V8 is light, too, tipping the

scales at 190kg and, with a counter-

rotating balance shaft, is also smooth.

With four catalytic converters it is also

claimed to be the cleanest petrol V8 on the market

today and meets the American ULEV II (Ultra

Low Emission Vehicle, stage II) requirements as

well as forthcoming Euro 5 standards.

It churns out the power, too, developing

232kW at 5850rpm and an effi cient 440Nm

of torque, which is even better than it sounds

because even though the maximum does not

come in until 3900rpm, there is already 370Nm

available by 2000rpm.

Standard transmission in the

XC90 V8 is Volvo’s brand-new

six-speed auto which picks up

the Geartronic tag, meaning it is

a sequential-changer. Sixth gear

is purely an economy-friendly overdrive, while

torque converter lock-up is active on all gears.

The XC90’s all-wheel drive system is an

upgraded version of the on-demand Haldex

arrangement featured on the outgoing version

that sends power more quickly to the rear

wheels if needed.

The 2.1-tonne XC90 V8 is claimed to

return average fuel consumption fi gures of

13.5L/100km and will accelerate from 0-

100km/h in a quite rapid 7.3 seconds.

While the XC90 T5 version continues with

the fi ve-speed auto transmission, the six-speed

transmission introduced on the V8 is also standard

on the new fi ve-cylinder turbo-diesel D5.

Continued next page

PRICING:XC90 LE (a) $69,950XC90 D5 (a) $72,950XC90 V8 (a) $84,950

Volvo’s latest XC90 gets a new diesel engine - and the Swedish brand’s fi rst V8

SUV SUV eeXXtataCCyy

SEPTEMBER 13, 2006 Page 12

www.mellor.netJohn Mellor's

GoAutonews

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Continued from previous page

A development of the all-aluminium

inline fi ve-cylinder T5 petrol engine, the

DOHC 20-valve turbo-diesel eschews the

increasingly more common direct injection

and was launched on other world markets

in 2005 where it is available in three forms

with varying outputs. We get the maxi-power

version producing 136kW and 400Nm with the

help of a variable-vane turbocharger, larger,

lower-compression combustion chambers and

a seven-nozzle port-injection system.

The turbo-diesel also gets a standard

particulate fi lter to minimise the unburned

small particles that are the bane of many early

diesel engines. The fi lter is maintenance free

and burns away the diesel soot in a 20-minute

cycle at 500km to 1000km intervals depending

on the build-up. Volvo says the fi ltration

effi ciency is more than 95 per cent.

Claimed average fuel consumption average

for the turbo-diesel is 9.0L/100km, while it

will reach 100km/h from a standing start in

a leisurely 11.5 seconds. The XC90’s weight

at 2069kg is slightly lighter than the V8 and

conspires against it here.

The T5 turbo is quicker than the diesel,

reaching 100km/h in a claimed 9.9 seconds,

but can only offer an average fuel consumption

fi gure of 12.0L/100km.

All XC90s come with Volvo’s roll stability

control system (RSC), traction control and

ABS with EBD and brake assist.

The $84,950 V8 is fi tted with 18x7-inch

alloy wheels wearing 235/60R18 tyres, while

the T5 and D5 are equipped with 17x7 alloys

and 235/65R17 tyres. The XC90 continues

with a space-saver spare wheel, while both

petrol versions have an 80-litre fuel tank, and

the D5 a smaller 68-litre tank.

Dual front and side airbags, full-length

curtain airbags, active front-seat head

restraints, leather trim, climate-control dual-

zone air-conditioning, power driver’s seat with

memory, cruise control, trip computer and rear

parking sensors are standard across the range.

The V8 model has power to the front

passenger seat as well, as well as adding

heating for both front seats, a six-disc in-dash

CD stacker, rain sensor wipers and laminated

side windows.

Volvo is still promoting the in-car sound

quality of the XC90, providing a 4x40W eight-

speaker sound system in T5 and D5, and a

Bose premium sound system with a 5x130W

amplifi er, 12 premium speakers and a six-disc

in-dash CD changer, in the V8.

Optional equipment includes a sunroof,

satellite navigation, bi-Xenon lights (available

for even more with active control), metallic

paint, softer leather and blind-spot warning

(BLIS) which uses digital cameras mounted

on the side mirrors to detect and inform the

driver via a yellow warning light if a vehicle is

travelling in the car’s blind spot.For drive impressions, go to

www.goauto.com.au from this Friday.

SUV SUV eeXXtataCCyy

SEPTEMBER 13, 2006 Page 13

www.mellor.netJohn Mellor's

GoAutonews

By NEIL McDONALD

AFTER a period of relative calm on the new-

vehicle launch front, Subaru is committed to

revamping its entire line-up over the next three

years.

Following the 2007 model year Liberty and

Outback released this month will be the Tribeca

prestige 4WD, which is due to go on sale soon

after its debut at next month’s Australian

International Motor Show in Sydney.

Two Tribeca model variants will be

available: a fi ve-seat version and a seven-seater

that Subaru is calling a “fi ve-plus-two” model.

According to Subaru Australia managing

director Nick Senior, pricing should start

below $60,000.

“There is signifi cant interest already in

Tribeca and we are already holding 1500 test

drive requests,” he said. “We have not been

able to offer a Subaru family with three or

more teenage kids an option up until now but

Tribeca will slot into that gap.

“Tribeca will not be a large-volume vehicle

for us – perhaps 100 a month

– but it will nevertheless be a

very welcome addition.”

The monocoque chassis

Tribeca will be powered by

a 186kW/296Nm 3.0-litre

fl at six and standard fi ve-

speed Sportshift automatic,

essentially a modifi ed

version of the same gearbox

in the Outback. It will use a coil spring-strut

suspension up front and an all-new double

wishbone rear suspension.

The Tribeca is the fi rst all-

new Subaru since the 1997

Forester.

It will be aimed at the

forthcoming Mazda CX-7 and

Mitsubishi Outlander V6 as

well as seven-seater offerings, among them

the Ford Territory, Hyundai Santa Fe, Nissan

Pathfi nder and Toyota Prado and Kluger.

The crossover will arrive with a high level

of standard equipment, with dual front, side

and curtain airbags, ABS, leather upholstery

and premium sound system.

The seven-seater will add vehicle dynamic

control, heated front seats, six-speaker 100-

watt stereo with MP3 capability, alarm, tyre-

pressure monitoring, heated

exterior mirrors and air

fi ltration system.

The Tribeca also has a

fi ve-star crash test rating in

the United States.

Apart from the Tribeca, an

all-new Impreza small car is

due towards the end of next

year, borrowing design cues

from the B5 concept car. However, the Impreza

is not expected to incorporate the Tribeca’s

controversial in-your-face front-end styling.

Following a partnership forged with

Toyota Motor Corp and Subaru’s parent Fuji

Heavy Industries, the new Impreza is tipped

to get a new hybrid drive system based on

the company’s 2.0-litre boxer engine. This is

expected to be a version of Toyota’s Hybrid

Synergy Drive system.

Continued next page

WHAT’S COMING:Liberty MY07 SeptOutback MY07 SeptAll-new Tribeca OctAll-new Impreza 2007All-new Forester 2008All-new Liberty 2009All-new Outback 2009

Tri-fectaTri-fecta

Tribeca will be Subaru’s third model in 2006 - and part of a full regeneration over the next three years

B5-TPH Concept

SEPTEMBER 13, 2006 Page 14

www.mellor.netJohn Mellor's

GoAutonews

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Continued from previous page

An all-new Forester arrives in the fi rst

half of 2008 and an all-new bigger Liberty/

Outback range follows in early 2009, with an

expected turbo-diesel engine – Subaru’s fi rst

diesel – which was primarily designed for the

European market.

“Against this background I believe it is

a very positive sign of the strength of the

Subaru brand that we are on track for

all-time record sales again this year,”

Mr Senior said.

He said rising petrol prices had

helped invigorate the brand with many

buyers moving out of big-six sedans

and large 4WD wagons.

“We actually see the increase in

petrol prices as an opportunity for

Subaru as people and companies are

downsizing,” he said. “In the past month or so

there has been a dramatic swing in the sort of

cars we are valuing at retail centres.

“Commodores, particularly SS and

Calais versions, XR Falcons, Territories and

LandCruisers are a common sight for valuers

on a Subaru retail centre as these customers

look at Libertys or Outbacks.”

Impreza and Forester was also benefi ting

from the change in buyer behaviour, he said.

“Both private and company/fl eet buyers are

increasingly looking at the whole-of-life cost,

not just the upfront discount. This is refl ected in

a 15 per cent increase in our fl eet and corporate

and government sales so far this year.”

Conversely, buyers opting out of the larger

six-cylinder SUVs seem to prefer Subaru

sixes. Mr Senior said 25 per cent of all Liberty

buyers this year and 29 per cent of Outback

buyers had bought six-cylinder models.

Last year Subaru sold 36,044 vehicles in

Australia and despite predictions of a slowing

market for the remainder of this year

Mr Senior is confi dent of selling

around 38,000 vehicles this year.

“In a market which is now

forecast to be 960,000 vehicles,

according to Charlie Nelson this

week, that would give us a market

share of around 3.9 per cent, which

is where we currently sit year to

date,” he said.

So far this year Subaru has sold 8614

Foresters and is on target to sell 12,000 plus

for the year.

Impreza is also performing strongly, selling

7073 year to date while the small sedan and

hatch are on track for an all-time sales record

of more than 10,000.

Mr Senior believes Subaru’s reputation for

retained value, reliability and durability have

been contributors.

“Looking at Glass’s fi gures for the current

period, Forester, Impreza, Liberty and Outback

dominate their respective classes,” he said.

Tri-fectaTri-fecta

Nick Senior

SEPTEMBER 13, 2006 Page 15

www.mellor.netJohn Mellor's

GoAutonews

Brock wasn’t perfect - but was a godsend for Holden

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COMMENT By JOHN MELLOR

EVERYONE will have their Brock stories.

Mine date from the mid-1970s when he was

starting to make his mark both on the track and

as Holden property.

Brock used to call in at the offi ces of Motor

Manual, an Age magazine I was editing at the

time, to drop off copy and talk cars.

Another attraction was yet more rounds of

Pencil Point 500, a game played on graph paper

with a motor racing circuit – any motor racing

circuit – traced over it. It had been published in an

American car magazine and had become widely

adopted by the motoring staff at Age Magazines.

Without going into too much detail,

Pencil Point 500 players moved in turn both

accelerating (increasing the number of squares

advanced with each turn) and

braking (decreasing the number

of squares reduced by turn).

I am pleased to report (and

have done so for three decades)

that I beat Brocky at Pencil

Point 500. But not for long. The

super-competitive Brock took

very little time to realise that

stealth (neither accelerating nor

braking too hard) and a correct

racing line was the fastest way

around the paper track.

It was actually the same as

the way he drove.

The fi rst time I drove with him, Brocky had

convinced Holden to build an HQ SS Kingswood

up to his specs and we spent an afternoon at

Calder Raceway trying it out. That was the day I

realised the difference between us mortals and a

truly talented racing driver. Brock’s car control,

at speeds I would never contemplate as a driver,

even on a circuit, was just so effortless.

He never gave a car a fright – no sudden

braking or sharp swing at the wheel. Everything

was so progressive, effortless and easy and his

cars rewarded him by staying in one piece

while other drivers were tearing their machines

apart with aggressive moves at the controls.

Brock didn’t just sit in a car. He was the car.

On the rallycross circuit at Calder Raceway,

Brocky had his new Kingswood pride and joy

totally crossed up on a long corner when a large

rock loomed in the cornering line. A minor tweak

at the wheel – it was as though he had simply

moved his weight in the seat

– and the line widened leaving

the rock out of harm’s way.

He just looked across and

grinned. He loved that he had

that sort of control.

If Peter had a failing it was his

ability to let emotion cloud his

judgment in relationships and

nothing was more damaging

to him than the emotional

blinkers he wore during the

polariser affair. Larry Perkins

dismissed the polariser on TV

the other night as insignifi cant.

But it was signifi cant, not because he had fallen

under the spell of spin and wishful thinking, but

because he allowed it to destroy the relationship

with his greatest ally – Holden.

This little box of resin and wires was being

espoused by Brock as having special powers

over the way a car handled and performed and

he was fi tting them to the HSV cars he was

preparing as part of his alliance with Holden.

Trouble is Holden could not go along with it

because it was a legal minefi eld that was never

going to pass Trade Practices guidelines. Peter

took it personally and even though Holden was

desperate for a way out, Brocky stood fi rm

– the polariser or nothing.

In a conversation with then Holden chief

Chuck Chapman, Chapman was clearly

desperate to “knock some sense into him”.

I asked if there was anything I could do by

talking to Brock. But Brocky had hunkered

down. He would not see reason. The die was

cast. Brock lost the gravy train.

A few years later Brocky and I sat on the

banks of the Hume Weir chatting privately

about the fact that he had been reduced to

putting his name on a Lada Samara.

Publicly he was all upbeat and full of bravado

but as we talked he looked at me and said: “I’ve

blown it, haven’t I.” It wasn’t a question.

But neither of us realised at that moment

that Peter was about to tap into the wealth of

goodwill that he had laid down with his fans

and with his road safety work in schools. The

thousands of kids he sat with on the classroom

steps after he had fi nished talking road safety

with them, the signing of autographs late into

the night, the interest he showed in people so

that they always felt they were important to

him as he chatted to them.

All this residual goodwill came to his rescue

in the form of market research. Quite simply,

Holden found, in survey after survey, that the

person most associated with the brand was Peter

Brock. After time it made no sense to keep him at

arms length and he was reunited with the brand

that made him and the brand he helped make.

Brock with the infamous HDT VL Calais Director

SEPTEMBER 13, 2006 Page 16

www.mellor.netJohn Mellor's

GoAutonews

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Terry Martin at tmartin@mellor.net.

THE Ford Motor Co has a new president

and chief executive offi cer: former Boeing

aircraft executive Alan Mulally, who took

the reins last week in a $US20.5 million

($A27.2 million) package that includes

$US18.5 million in signing bonuses and

other compensation and a $US2 million

base annual salary.

The fi gures, $US11 million of which

will compensate Mr Mulally for income

foregone from Boeing, were disclosed last

week in a fi ling with the US Securities and

Exchange Commission and widely reported

in international media.

Mr Mulally, 61, takes over from Bill Ford

– the great-grandson of the struggling car-

maker’s founder Henry Ford – who, after fi ve

years as CEO, will now become executive

chairman. Mr Ford has vowed to stay

involved in the family business, of which his

family still holds a 40 per cent voting stake.

Before Mr Mulally’s appointment, Ford

was known to be courting Renault-Nissan

boss Carlos Ghosn and DaimlerChrysler

chief Dieter Zetsche.

US analysts have welcomed the move,

with several saying the fact the family

was prepared to hand over the company to

an outsider refl ected the magnitude of the

problems it faces.

This is not the fi rst time

Ford has sought outside

executive help with the

company. In 1999, the

Blue Oval brand put

its faith in former Ford

Australia chief Jac

Nasser, who was CEO

until 2001 when he was

unceremoniously sacked.

Under Mr Nasser’s

control, Ford acquired

Volvo and Land Rover and

set about forming the Premier Automotive

Group, which also came to include Aston

Martin, Jaguar and Lincoln.

Aston Martin is now up for sale, and the

future of other PAG brands – Jaguar and

Land Rover in particular, both of which are

under the control of another former Ford

Australia boss (Geoff Polites) – remain

under a cloud as Ford continues its strategic

review of its brands.

Mr Mulally said last week that he

welcomed the chance to put into practice

some of the lessons learned at Boeing.

“I also recognise that Ford has a strong

foundation upon which we can build,” he said

in a statement. “The company’s long tradition

of innovation, developing new markets,

and creating iconic vehicles that represent

customer values is a great advantage that we

can leverage for our future.”

Since becoming CEO in 2001, Bill Ford,

49, has been unable to stem a decade-long

slide in US market share of the world’s

second-largest car-maker. Ford’s large F-

Series utilities and Explorer SUV are among

its best sellers in the US and petrol prices

have seen buyers downsizing.

Mr Mulally led Boeing’s defence unit

for two years before becoming head of

commercial aircraft in 1998. He was

overlooked for Boeing’s top job in July 2005,

when the world’s second-largest commercial

jet-maker tapped 3M Co’s James McNerney

to be CEO.

EX-BOEING EXEC NETS $27 MILLION AS FORD’S NEW CEO

PEUGEOT CHIEF TO RETIRETHE chairman of the

managing board of

Peugeot, Jean-Martin

Folz, will retire in January

2007. The unexpected

move was announced

last week. In a statement,

Peugeot supervisory

board chairman Thierry

Peugeot said a successor

was now being sought for Mr Folz, 59, who

has held the top job at the French car-maker

since 1997. His replacement will be charged

with implementing his cost-cutting plan, the

details of which are due to be released soon.

NEW PRESIDENT FOR SEATVOLKSWAGEN has appointed Audi’s

purchasing chief Erich Schmitt as the

incoming president of its Spanish brand

Seat. Current president Andreas Schleef will

step down from his post on September 30,

relinquishing at the same time his position on

the executive committee of Audi; however,

he will maintain links with Audi as general

supervisor “with overall responsibility for

local and regional projects”. Mr Schmitt

will continue to sit on Audi’s executive

committee. Responsibility for purchasing

at Audi will fall to the current head of

electrical purchasing at Volkswagen, Ulf

Berkenhagen.

DOOLAN TO KPMGDAIMLERCHRYSLER

Australia/Pacifi c corporate

communications co-

ordinator Amelia Doolan

is leaving, after four

years with the company,

to take up the position of

internal communications

specialist for audit, tax and

advisory fi rm KPMG. Her

replacement should soon be announced.

Jean-Martin FolzAmelia Doolan

Alan Mulally (left) and Bill Ford

SEPTEMBER 13, 2006 Page 17

www.mellor.netJohn Mellor's

GoAutonews

MORE ON PICASSOCITROEN has announced more details of

its compact C4 Picasso people-mover ahead

of its offi cial Paris motor show debut later

this month and its Australian premiere at the

Sydney motor show in October.

Due on sale here in early 2007, the new

Picasso is 4590mm long, 1830mm wide and

1660mm high. Featuring interior lighting from

Citroen’s C-Sportlounge (Geneva show) concept,

it will offer seating for up to seven occupants, a

new six-speed “electronic gearbox system” (plus

conventional manual and auto transmissions),

pneumatic rear suspension, “class-beating”

interior and cargo space, improved comfort and

quality and “outstanding thermal, acoustic and

odour-exclusion comfort”.

Full local specifi cations will not be available

until launch, but in Europe the new Picasso

will be available with four Euro IV emissions-

compliant engines: 95kW 1.8i 16V and 107kW

2.0i 16V petrol fours and two particulate fi lter-

equipped diesels in the HDi 110 DPFS and the

HDi 138 DPFS.

TOYOTA EXPORT RECORDTOYOTA Australia exported 10,699 cars

last month, claiming an all-time record for

Australian motor vehicle exports by any brand

in a single month. The company expects to

retain its position as the top Aussie exporter

this year, shipping around 80,000 cars. Last

year, it exported 68,989 vehicles – the majority

of which were left-hand drive Camrys to the

Middle East – for a new industry export record.

Its previous best monthly export result was

8261 in October 2001.

BLOWN MONARO BRITHOLDEN’S British affi liate Vauxhall has

released a supercharged version of Holden Special

Vehicles’ VZ-Commodore-based Monaro in the

UK. In this limited edition, known as the Monaro

VXR500, the forced induction increases power

for the familiar LS2 6.0-litre V8 engine from

403PS (297kW) to 500PS (368kW), while torque

increases from 530Nm to 677Nm! Performed

in the UK, the conversion includes a “positive

displacement” Eaton supercharger, upgraded fuel

system and clutch modifi cations. Vauxhall claims

the £35,995 ($A89,198) VXR500 should have a

sub-5.0 second 0-60mph (96.5km/h) time. HSV

told GoAuto this week that there were no plans

for a blown LS2 VE-based E Series sedan to be

sold Down Under – but watch this space.

AUTO CHOICE FOR 307 HDiPEUGEOT Automobiles Australia this week

introduced a new 307 XSE HDi model in

hatchback and station wagon form, which for

the fi rst time combines a six-speed automatic

transmission with its 100kW 2.0-litre turbo-

diesel engine. Pricing starts from $34,790 for

the auto hatch and $36,490 for the Touring

version. Watch out for full details next week.

LEXUS FLAGSHIP DELAYLEXUS Australia has pushed back the

introduction of its fourth-generation LS460 from

November to around March 2007. The move

will see the rear-drive LS460, which will feature

a new 280kW 4.6-litre V8 paired with a “world

fi rst” eight-speed automatic transmission,

launched alongside the long-wheelbase AWD

LS600hL, which boasts another world fi rst: a

petrol-electric V8 hybrid engine.

In the meantime, Lexus has added twin front

knee airbags to its SC430 coupe-convertible,

bringing its total airbag count to six. The SC also

now features front-seat airbag indicators in the

instrument cluster and a front passenger seatbelt

warning buzzer.

SAAB CABRIO BIRTHDAYSAAB Australia has released a 20th Anniversary

Convertible to commemorate 20 years since the

original four-seater Saab 900 Turbo Convertible

fi rst went on sale in the US (in 1986). The 9-3

Linear-based limited-edition version will feature

17-inch alloy wheels, Saab Park Assist, a six-

CD player and body-coloured tonneau cover

and doorhandles. Pricing starts from $68,400.

Hyundai Santa Fe Elite fi ve-door wagon

More buyers. More prospects. More cars sold.More buyers. More prospects. More cars sold.

AFTER six years on the Australian market, the original Hyundai Santa Fe bows out to make way for a new, much larger replacement. What the new SUV shows is a maturity that has come over the South Korean car-maker in the past few years without the expense of losing basic core values - such as highly competitive pricing. The new Santa Fe adds more of everything, including safety, and Hyundai says it has been tested to score an indicative fi ve-star crash rating with the US NHTSA safety authority. It’s also more refi ned on the road and, most signifi cantly, can now be ordered with seven seats. The downfall is that, for now, the Santa Fe still makes do with the previous, lighter model’s 2.7-litre V6 engine. The performance drop is as expected, although Hyundai has managed to retain reasonable fuel economy.

GoAuto’s latest road test www.goauto.com.au

SEPTEMBER:Audi Q7 SUVBMW 3 Series CoupeFord Transit vanLexus RX400h SUVMaserati MC Victory coupeMercedes-Benz E-class sedan/wagonMitsubishi Pajero SUVPeugeot 307 HDi auto hatch/wagonSubaru Liberty sedan/wagon (incl. GT)Subaru Outback wagonSuzuki Swift Sport hatchVolvo XC90 SUV

New model diary: CLICK HERE

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