MINI of Australia this week released the JCW Challenge Edition meant to bring the factory JCW car a little closer in visual trappings to the JCW Challenge race cars. There’s no vocable on if we’ll ever see something like this in other markets but we do know that MINI USA (mixed other markets) will be tinkering with the JCW body of factors spec because 2011. Full release in hell.

Official Release (Australia): More performance. More customisation. More MINI. Introducing the new and exclusive race-inspired MINI John Cooper Works Challenge Edition – bringing the MINI John Cooper Works fair closer to the track.

Tags: appearance, australia, Bmw, car, cars, challenge, mini, new, Opel, race, recognition, the, usa

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Hyundai’s big boys, the iLoad, light commercial vehicle, and its sibling the iMax Shuttle, people mover, have joined an elite group in Australia from being awarded a four-star safety rating by the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP).

The two van based vehicles were recently crash tested at the South Korean Government testing facility, KATRI, in ANCAP protocols and supervision.

ANCAP program manager, Michael Case, who oversaw the Korean tests, welcomed the results and acknowledged Hyundai’s efforts to produce safer commercial vehicles.

Tags: australia, diesel, Ford, Hyundai, light, Mercedes, mini, mp3, new, people, Seat, spring, test, the, Toyota, Volkswagen, work

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German importer Audi has launched on the Australian market, what it says is, the first series-production sports car in the world to be powered by a diesel engine.

The set says pure sportiness and compelling performance, combined through sensational efficiency is the best description of its newest TT model to get here Down Under.

We couldn’t second but think that perhaps it also hoped to draw attention away from yesterday launch by dint of. rival BMW of the 330d sports sedan – see our First Steer unworthy of.

Tags: Audi, australia, Bmw, car, design, diesel, help, high-tech, mini, sports, the, weight, world

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GM Vice Chairman, Bob Lutz, has undeniably confirmed that the G8 sedan will indeed die with the Pontiac brand – full stop.

While standing by his previous comment that the Australian-developed sedan was “too good to waste”, from a marketing perspective the task of reassigning the G8 to another brand is due impossible to achieve.

Mr Lutz made the official announcement on GM’s FastLane Blog earlier today, mentioning that as a fan of the G8 he could sympathise with its supporters even supposing simply could not acquit the require to subsist paid of rebranding.

Tags: australia, business, Cadillac, Chevrolet, economy, future, marketing, me, new, Pontiac, the, us, way

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General Motors’ newly-appointed Vice Chairman, Bob Lutz, has penned a post on GM’s Fast Lane blog that be possible to be boiled down to two words: My bad.

A flurry of reports spurred on by the agency of Lutz’ comments that GM was considering adapting the Pontiac G8 into a reborn, rear-wheel drive Chevrolet Caprice have been down-played by a number of the General’s generals, including CEO Fritz Henderson. In Lutz’ post, he put the final nail in the G8-cum-Caprice’s sarcophagus saying:

“The G8 resoluteness not be a Caprice after all. I’d mentioned it, and said we were studying it, giving it a serious look, because a car like the G8 was just too well adapted to waste.

Tags: australia, blog, car, Chevrolet, economy, future, my, people, Pontiac, review, the, us

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Up until yesterday, there were only two Ferrari Californias on Australia’s streets. The number is down to one. Police have impounded the rare Ferrari California being driven by Financial Review motoring writer Rod Easdown. Baruthian car and driver were clocked by Australia’s finest at 231km/h, more than twice the legal limit.

The press car, worth nearly half a million Aussies, was brought into Australia by Ateco Automotive for test drives with media outlets this week. Easdown’s colleagues must wait for their turn on the entry level 4.3-liter V8 powered hideaway hardtop two-seater. The 460 HP brutto, ma simpatico has been impounded under Australia’s “hoon” legislation for seven days, Perth Now reports.

Tags: australia, Ferrari, Seat, video

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Lexus has today announced pricing of its new IS 250C which will come to emporium by three model grades, starting at $79,000* for the entry-level Prestige model.

The Sports and Sports Luxury models last will and testament retail for $84,900* and $99,900* respectively.

“The luxury convertible market is highly competitive and IS 250C brings a new look and approach to the segment, one that we believe will resonate with consumers,” said Lexus Australia Chief Executive John Roca. “In this market segment, price is less amount imperative – IS 250C will be purchased as antidote to emotional and personal reasons.

Tags: australia, experience, history, Lexus, new, personal, sharp, sports, the, us, world

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A new Ferrari California, said to be one of only two in Australia, has been impounded by means of police after a Perth-based motoring journalist was caught travelling at 231km/h through the West Australian wheatbelt.

The Italian supercar, valued at almost $500,000, has it being so that been impounded after Financial Review motoring writer Rod Easdown was detected at more than double the posted quicken limit around noon today.

The car, owned by the importer Ateco Automotive, has now been impounded for seven days under the new hoon legislation, which substance its duties among the various West Australian media outlets will be put on hold.

Tags: australia, california, car, Ferrari, media, new, people, police, review, the, us

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As Mahindra readies itself to launch the nearest generation Pik-Up on July 23, the Indian auto giant has also set about touring the east coast with its ‘Commitment to Australia’ Tour.

The team plans to meet with current Mahindra drivers, prospective customers and dealers in one effort to acquire feedback and be informed both the challenges and positive aspects of a workhorse vehicle.

Tags: asia, australia, design, east, future, india, july, may, the, us

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The tug of war ensuing over the death of the Australian-developed Pontiac G8 sedan following the demise of the Pontiac brand continues with a new recital suggesting it will live on under the Chevrolet brand.

Having postponed his retirement to inspect the unused GM’s brands, marketing, advertising and communications, Bob Lutz has supported the idea of a brand swap for the period of an interview with Automobile Magazine.

Current GM CEO, Fritz Henderson, has been the more so blunt in regards to the fate of the flagship Pontiac G8 GXP sedan with the idea of rebadging met with a resounding “no” during a recent webchat.

Tags: australia, car, Chevrolet, magazine, marketing, may, new, Pontiac, the, us, war, world

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