The last car Peter Brock ever drove at the Bathurst 1000 has hit the market almost 16 years after it took to track with The King of the Mountain at the wheel.
The VY Commodore was entered into the 2004 Bathurst 1000 with Brock to be paired with British Touring Car Championship legend Jason Plato.
Excitement around the pair was at an all-time high, with it being understood this was likely to be Brock’s final Bathurst 1000 appearance.
Excitement turned to misery, when Plato damaged the car early in the race, and was involved in a massive crash that resulted in John Cleland’s BJR Falcon rolling onto its roof after making contact with the limping Holden.
As a result of damage sustained during the shunt, Brock never got to turn a lap during the race, and Plato had to be escorted from the track with a security detail to avoid angry fans. Somewhat ironically, Cleland and Brock had partnered for the 1993 Bathurst 1000.
Despite not taking part in the race, there is no denying that this VY is Brock’s last Supercar, and his last Commodore racer.
Chassis HRT 048 continued its racing career following Brock’s final Supercars foray, but was restored to its ’04 Bathurst 1000 livery in 2010.
Owned by a private collector for the last eight years, the asking price for the collectable Brock racer is $495,000, which is… pretty reasonable.
For comparison, Russell Ingall’s 2000 Perkins Engineering ‘Silver Bullet’ VT Commodore came up for sale recently with a $500,000 asking price.
When Greg Murphy’s iconic Lap of the Gods VY Commodore was put on the market two years ago, the seller was asking for offers of “around $900,000”.
For hardcore Peter Brock fans, this would be one of the more unique items that can be added to their collection.
Other drivers that have slid into the hot seat of this Supercar include Mark Skaife, Todd Kelly, Rick Kelly, Jim Richards and Tony Longhurst – serious company!
The racer is for sale via the V8 Sleuth classifieds. Check out the listing here.
A new film looking back on the life of Australia’s most famous racing driver is set to be released in the coming months.
Mercedes-AMG has refocused the E63 for 2020 following the base car’s recent refresh, revealing it with a fresh face, retuned air suspension, more options and improved aerodynamics.
The most obvious change starts at the back, with reshaped tail lights. Designers have replaced the trapezoidal units, featuring stacked elements, with new “flatter” tail lights that now extend across the boot lid.
It seems Mercedes has also taken our criticism on fake exhaust tips to heart. The bumper’s lower diffuser insert now flaunts the integrated muffler tips more proudly and from what we can see, they’re more accurately aligned with the rear canister pipes.
2017 Mercedes-AMG E63 S review: first drive
Moving to the front, a larger central cooling inlet within the front grille and new all-LED headlamps greet you, but Mercedes claims it delivers function as well as form with the help of new wheels.
Fresh 19s on the standard E63 and 20s on the ‘S’ help it deliver improved aerodynamic balance for handling gains on “country roads” and at “high speed”. At the same time, the front guards have been pumped 27mm outwards to house wider tracks and “larger wheels” on the front axle.
But there’s also more scope to set your E63 apart from others as two new metallics – Graphite Grey and High-tech Silver – join Brilliant Blue Magno on its new colour palette, with the new E63 the only car outside AMG GTs allowed access to the latter hue.
2018 BMW M5 vs 2018 Mercedes-AMG E63 S
It carries over the 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 that relies on twin-scroll turbochargers to deliver a still-obscene 450kW and 850Nm in S form (it’s all Merc Oz will bring in this year). While it’s no faster than before, acceleration remains face-tearing, with 100km/h disappearing in 3.4sec from rest. Top speed is limited to 300km/h.
Engineers have also taken this chance to inject more comfort into the suspension after looking at the multi-chamber adaptive air suspension. Otherwise the chassis still relies on all-wheel drive and an active hydraulic-locking rear diff.
AMG E63 S Estate nabs a Nurburgring record
Inside, meanwhile, a new AMG steering wheel completes the typically luxurious tech-laden cabin. Its spokes are completely redesigned with two-level touch pads, flanked by the familiar dials that access AMG dynamics and Drive modes.
The European press release also mentions an AMG exterior Carbon Fibre package and AMG Night Package that enhance exterior trims respectively with darkened gloss-black or carbon-fibre bits.
As for how much it’ll cost? Prices are unknown, while just under $250K will nab you a current E63 S. We’ll hear more from Mercedes Oz when it lands the new single-variant E63 range towards the end of this year.
A Lamborghini Aventador has ended up destroyed after being peppered by an unusually large hailstorm that hit Calgary, Canada this week.
It seems the owner was either oblivious to the incoming storm or perhaps they were keen on an insurance payout, but the entire body of the $700,000 black supercar was dented beyond repair, almost-certainly rendering it a write-off.
The footage was first posted to Reddit at the start of the week where it then went viral as members of the social news site weighed in to express their surprise.
No commentary accompanies the brief video clip but you can see the story for yourself. Hundreds of golf ball sized divots have been carved out of the expensive bodywork and the windscreen has been cracked as well. It seems as though the car held up surprisingly well around the rear, that said, we’d imagine there would be plenty of paint scratches to worry about.
Hail damaged cars are notoriously difficult and expensive to repair, so we hope the owner of this Lamborghini was on good terms with his or her insurance company.
In addition to the spectacularly destroyed Lamborghini, the hailstorm left a massive damage bill in its wake as homes and other cars were damaged.
You should never feel scared to take your supercar for a drive but at the very least, be aware of the weather conditions before heading out!
Thanks to Yasmin Gulsen and versacelp640 for the footage
So today Bob Katter showed up on the lawn of Parliament House dressed as Death, protesting the closure of Holden.
If 2020 could let up for just a minute, that would be great.
The… outspoken? Unusual?… member for Kennedy in Queensland is apparently cranky that Holden’s demise is due to the ‘free market’, and that we should be ‘Holden onto Aussie jobs’.
“In the next 12 months, no matter what happens, the government will buy 40,000 cars… when this started off it was unthinkable a government would buy a car from overseas,” Mr Katter told reporters.
“If you want to double the value of the dollar we can all go and buy cheaper lollipops but it doubled the value of a Holden compared with a car from overseas.
“We’ve got to do some reaping here.”
I’d have to check my calendar, but Holden announced it was shutting its doors four months ago, and closed the gates on its last local manufacturing plant in 2017.
“The Government is in control of which industries live and which industries die,” said Katter in a tweet. “If every government car was built in Australia, Holden would be in a very different position today.”
He also called for the government to support “the re-establishment of an Australian car manufacturing industry” as a way out of “COVID economic depression”, and that all government cars are made here.
I mean… really? You would think that this guy would have some semblance of the carnage that various governments have wreaked on heavy industry in Australia, given he’s been in parliament for almost 50 years.
Sure, the government also did its part by implementing regulations to ensure that government departments did buy Australian where possible, but with the demise of the three companies, that’s gone the way of the Falcon and the Commodore.
And as well-intentioned as plans like H2X’s notion to build 20,000 hydrogen cars are here, they aren’t going to be bought en masse by government bodies.
And let’s not forget Joe Hockey giving GM the perfect excuse to pull the pin on its Australian operations by using parliamentary privilege to berate the carmaker.
No… this is just a sad stunt from an irrelevant politician who is bizarrely late to the Australian manufacturing wake.
We stumble across some interesting things on the internet, and few have been more interesting to us this week than this HSV GTSR W1 replica in the United States.
Initially unsure if it was a genuinely imported GTSR (or even a real W1), we reached out to owner Josh who was happy to spill the beans. It turns out, Josh is a big fan of Aussie cars, having already owned the US equivalent of a Holden Monaro.
“I came from the Pontiac GTO which is a Monaro. It was my dream car growing up and as soon as I could I bought one and had it several years and totally decked it.”
He says after that, he decided to sell it and save for a new pickup and a Chevrolet SS, essentially a VF Commodore SS, complete with LS3 and Aussie muscle car styling. But Josh wanted his SS to be different.
HSV GTSRs get around, here’s a Maloo we found in Malta!
“The GTSR kit always reminded me of Pontiac (particularly the front end) and I knew I had to have it.”
Josh then began the process of turning his SS into a GTSR, using genuine parts and fitting them himself.
“I initially found the seats out of a 2000-mile car on eBay and ended up buying them. That’s what started my transformation.
“I found several sources who could get me parts for the car, I ended up getting all OEM GTSR things except for the fenders and spoiler. They’re both W1 carbon fibre. I added a 5th-gen Camaro carbon fibre hood vent, and did the front and side splitters of the GTSR in carbon fibre.
“I also did all the carbon on the inside myself. Almost every time I take the car out, I’ve gotten compliments and ‘what is that?’ as no HSVs ever [officially] made it to the states. To my knowledge I am the first GTSR sedan in the USA, but a ute showed up last year.”
Though the running gear is still standard atmo SS for now, Josh plans to give the 6.2-litre V8 a bit more walk to match his car’s GTSR W1 visual talk.
“I think come December I’m going to put a Procharge or a Whipple supercharger on the LS3 that came with our cars here in the States.”
Josh, we salute you. Check out more pics supplied by Josh in the gallery above!
The Wheels Verdict: How appealing the Macan Turbo will be to you depends on your priorities. If you’re seeking flamboyance or sheer powertrain presence and personality, then we’d recommend an Alfa Romeo Stelvio Q or an AMG GLC 6 S. But if you’d prefer a package with greater polish, better everyday usability and expertly judged dynamics, then the Macan is the one to buy.
WHAT IS THE PORSCHE MACAN TURBO
This is the ultimate iteration of Porsche’s smallest (and most affordable) SUV. For a long time, it’s been the smart choice when it comes to performance SUV. While it can’t quite deliver the same sense of excitement as its rivals, it decimates them for overall polish, and interior presentation and quality.
WHY WE’RE TESTING IT
To see if the Macan Turbo is still the performance SUV to buy. This facelift brings some welcome upgrades, and a new engine, but the Macan’s rivals have upped their game too. Plus, the Macan is now at the very end of its lifecycle. An all-new model will be revealed next year. So should you commit or wait for the second-gen car?
THE PORSCHE MACAN TURBO REVIEW
So, you want a Porsche Turbo but don’t quite have the $500K required for the new 992 911. Plus, you have some rugrats that need ferrying to soccer practice. Well sir, step this way. This facelifted Macan Turbo is the most affordable way into Porsche Turbo ownership, by a considerable margin. And forgetting for a moment that $142,000 is a huge amount of money (and a significant increase over the previous model’s $133K tag), the Macan Turbo also represents great value when measured against its competitor set. You’ll need an extra $16K to slip into a BMW X3M and a whopping $23K more for the bombastic AMG GLC 63 S.
Interestingly, it’s only a $9K jump from the Macan Turbo to an Audi RS4 Avant, which packs the same engine in a higher state of tune, better back seats, more luggage space and greater driver involvement, but don’t get us started on the whole SUV v wagon thing…
Despite the Porsche’s edge in value over its rivals, you do pay a price when it comes to performance. Unlike the BMW and AMG, which can hit 0-100km/h in less than 4.0sec, the Porsche takes a whisker longer at 4.5sec (or 4.3 with Sport Chrono fitted). You won’t win bragging rights when it comes to power outputs either, though this remains a seriously rapid SUV.
The Turbos’ engine is the biggest headline for this long-awaited mid-life facelift. Gone is the old car’s 3.6-litre twin-turbo V6 and in slots the same 2.9-litre six-pot found in the Panamera, Cayenne and previously mentioned RS4.
It’s a poster child for downsizing, this donk. More than half a litre less in capacity than its predecessor, it still manages to produce 324kW/550Nm, or 30kW more than before.
And while it might lack the potency and theatre of AMG’s 4.0-litre, the trade-off is remarkable civility in everyday driving. Paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch, response from the engine and throttle verge on languid in Comfort mode, and the ride comfort, on 21in wheels and air suspension with three-stage adaptive dampers, is plush.
Cabin refinement is also top-drawer, making this an excellent highway cruiser. Comfortable and supportive 18-way adjustable seats, exemplary build and materials quality, and the welcome inclusion of a larger 10.9-inch touchscreen are cabin highlights, though there are a few interior gripes.
There’s no head-up display and active cruise control is a $2700 option. And while wireless Apple CarPlay is available (Android users aren’t catered for), the usable display doesn’t extent to the full width of screen. Still, the basics are all there: the boot is a useful 500L and the rear bench offers decent cushions, easy visibility and plenty of head room for adults.
Where the Turbo crushes the competition is its handling. Macans have always toyed with the laws of physics, and when dialled into Sport or Sport+, the Turbo offers grip, poise and confidence in degrees few SUVs can match.
Body control is kept rigidly in check when the dampers are in their stiffest mode (though you do lose some ride quality), and all of the controls, including new tungsten carbide coated brakes, have a typically Porsche reassuring weight to them.
There’s even a raspy six-cylinder soundtrack that has echoes of a BMW E46 M3 courtesy of a standard sports exhaust, but the Macan Turbo is never as raw, or as engaging, as its more loutish and potent rivals.
It has greater bandwidth and is more polished and mature in how it dissects a winding road. If that sounds like your kind of performance SUV, there is another option to consider.
The equally fresh Macan GTS is now available in Australia. It uses the same engine in a slightly lower state of tune and has a sportier focus courtesy of a 15mm lower ride height, yet costs $30K less.
But if you’re chasing a greater duality of character, and that revered Turbo badge, the Macan Turbo is a fitting flagship send-off. An all-new second-gen Macan will be announced next year.
RIVALS
Alfa Romeo Stelvio Q, Audi SQ5, BMW X3M, Jaguar F-Pace SVR, Mercedes-AMG GLC 63 S, Volvo XC60 T8
2020 PORSCHE MACAN TURBO SPECS
- Model: Porsche Macan Turbo
- Engine: 2894cc V6, dohc, 36v, twin-turbo
- Max power: 324kW @ 5700-6600rpm
- Max torque: 550Nm @ 1800-5600rpm
- Transmission: 7-speed dual-clutch
- Weight: 1945kg
- 0-100km/h: 4.5sec (claimed)
- Economy: 9.8L/100km
Ignore the grille for now, because a discussion on that could (and might soon) fill a column at the back of this magazine. BMW says it “follows the tradition of legendary BMW coupes and reflects the engine’s high cooling air requirement.”
But what we really care about when it comes to the new BMW M440i xDrive is that BMW says it will have a “sharper character than its predecessor.”
With a 285kW/500Nm tune from its turbo straight six, 10kW up from the European spec with a petrol particulate filter, 100km/h should arrive in just 4.5 seconds, say the Bavarians.
Preview: The next BMW M4 (and M3)
Dynamically, we’re told to expect a proper driver’s car, with the design and construction of the new 4 Series carried out with weight optimisation in mind.
It does still weigh 1740kg, the same as a last-gen 440i Convertible, but it’s packing a heavier AWD drivetrain, which also means its extra weight is lower-set.
According to BMW its centre of gravity is even 21 millimetres lower than on the new BMW 3 Series, with a rear axle track 23mm wider for added stability.
Optional M Sport suspension with firmer dampers, mounts and anti-roll bars will be available for the keen driver, though adaptive M suspension can be optioned across the 4 Series range.
Inside, the 440i will be more driver-focussed, with newly developed sports seats as standard and a leather M Sport steering wheel in front.
Customers can also option an M Carbon exterior package to make the M440i look more aggressive, like a baby M4.
No local pricing yet, that’s to be revealed closer to when BMW Australia is expecting the M440i to rock up, around October, with 420i and 430i specs in tow.
Until the new M4, this is peak 4 Series.
WHAT IS THE NISSAN JUKE
Nissan popularised the whole supermini-SUV thing back in 2010 with the original Juke and that model, facelifted in 2018, enjoyed a decade of wilful wackiness that proved almost inexplicably popular.
The latest all-new iteration of the Juke has a lot more in the way of competition and it needs to up its game to level with the likes of the Mazda CX-3, the Hyundai Venue, the Toyota C-HR and incoming Ford Puma.
WHY WE’RE TESTING IT
Nissan’s first model on the new CMF-B chassis, which also underpins alliance partner Renault’s latest Clio and Captur models, is pivotal to its small car success story now that the Micra has checked out.
We had the opportunity to sample the British-built crossover for the first time in Australia in order to bring you the verdict on a car that could become a very familiar sight on local roads.
THE NISSAN JUKE REVIEW
Is it fair to say that this latest Nissan Juke doesn’t have a lot to live up to? While it may well seem invidious to denigrate the achievements of the previous generation car, which sold in respectable numbers and was part of a clairvoyant push by Nissan from legacy vehicle genres into SUVs and crossovers, time hasn’t been particularly kind to it. In the decade since it was launched, rivals equalled and then cantered past it. Catching up with them isn’t going to be easy.
First impressions are promising. The front end of the car no longer looks like a cane toad’s O-face, the dimensions have been teased out in each direction while retaining a tautness of surface yet there are still enough stylistic curlicues to set it apart from the bunch. But where the old Juke exited with a 160kW engine in top trim, you now get little more than half that in the flagship. In fact, all versions of the Juke in Australia get the same 84kW/180Nm three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine.
All feature a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission driving the front wheels as well, making the four-car model range effectively a lengthening menu of tinsel. That range comprises the entry-level ST grade (from $27,999) and its sibling, the ST+, identified by their 17-inch wheels. Then there’s the mid-level model, the ST-L, which runs on 19-inch wheels and is expected to account for fully half of all Aussie Juke sales.
Finally, at the top of the range is the Ti, with its shark-fin antenna on the roof and fancy Bose headrest speakers. The reason I mention these identifying features is that none of the cars carries a trim designation on the boot.
The 1274kg kerb weight of the range-topping Ti version compares favourably to the 1460kg a Toyota CH-R Koba has to heft about with only a single kilowatt extra to work with, and the turbocharger gives a decent amount of pep off the line.
The steering wheel is unfashionably thin in sections, the leather stretched so taut that it almost feels like a urethane rim and, at 2.5 turns lock to lock, it’s something that requires enthusiastic wielding in town. Fortunately, that’s no great chore because the Juke’s chassis is extremely well supported, with a firmish ride and lovely body control.
The downside to its composure through corners is that there is a bit of head-toss when you encounter a pothole or a bump on one side of the vehicle, but it’s not bad and most will happily put up with that for the way that it can jink through bends.
It also resists understeer extremely well, although if seriously provoked, the stability control interventions can be intrusive. The brake pedal is well weighted with easy modulation, and throttle tip-in is also very good, although pick-up is often marred by the dual-clutch transmission clumsily jumping down a ratio or two in order to provide meaningful propulsion.
Zero to 100km/h takes a little over 10 seconds, so it’s not particularly rapid, and that figure will be dulled still further with people on board, but the tiny turbocharger does a great job of plumping up the torque curve in the lower registers that it feels amply peppy about town. The engine makes a faint three-cylinder warble at idle, but the dominant sound at highway speeds is the wind rustle around the door mirrors.
One advantage to choosing either the ST-L or the Ti over the ST grades is that the upper-spec cars come with a drive mode selector that can switch between Eco, Normal and Sport.
Because all Jukes share the same passive suspension architecture, the Sport mode doesn’t affect ride quality and just gives the engine and gearbox the best opportunity to stay on the boil. It also adds a little heft to the steering, which is welcome. You’ll find you click into Sport as a matter of course when shifting the gear lever to ‘D’.
Should you click one of the wheel-mounted paddle shifters that control the dual-clutch transmission, the Juke will register that gear and stick with it for about fifteen seconds before dropping back to Drive.
Hold the paddle for longer than a hilariously exact 0.65sec and the Juke will stay in manual mode. Hold the upshift paddle for the same amount of time and it’ll switch back into Drive. That takes a bit of discovering as, unlike most other models, you don’t click the gear lever across to signify that you’re in a manual mode.
Stretching the wheelbase by over 10cm compared to its predecessor works wonders for interior packaging. The 2020 Juke’s 75mm longer, 35mm wider and 30mm taller than the old version and you’ll spot this most clearly in the rear seats. A word of warning though. The two upper-spec models have absolutely huge front chairs. They’re seriously chubby and this means that kneeroom in the back of the ST and ST+ grades is better as a result.
What’s more, the back of the TI’s one-piece front seat is finished in piano black, so the rear seat passenger gets a view of their own face reflected back at them. I can think of a few people who would like nothing better than to gaze into a mirror for a two-hour journey, but it won’t be for everyone.
On the subject of the front seats, those chunky chairs in the ST-L and Ti grades are extremely comfortable, but they’re specified quite differently. The Ti has a leather and Alcantara mix but instead of the usual sports seating method of putting the grippy Alcantara on the seat back and cushion and use the leather to trim the bolsters, it opts for the opposite. The ST-L, on the other hand, gets that right with a cloth centre section and leather bolsters.
Accommodation up front is otherwise excellent. The Juke is a great choice for very tall guys (or indeed ladies) because the manually-adjusted seats are positioned low in a cabin with an arcing roofline and no sunroof to impinge on headroom. I’m 193cm and long in the body and still had a good 5cm of space overhead. That’s extremely rare.
The dashboard is busy in the amount of information it attempts to convey, but it’s executed well. There’s a small but deep centre bin, big bottle holders in all four doors and a huge glovebox. The only ergonomic fail is that there’s not a wireless phone charger, and the cubby that is earmarked for a smartphone is just too small. What’s more it’s impossible to get your phone into that tray if it’s plugged in for smartphone mirroring.
The infotainment system is fairly easy to navigate about, with the screen looking almost identical to that featured in the current Ford Fiesta. One small goof is that the physical navigation key on the centre console will only ever take you to the proprietary nav system, even if you were using your smartphone’s Waze for instance. Instead you have to click the music button and from there jab a finger at the map icon on screen.
The six-speaker Bose stereo fitted to the Ti model deserves special mention. It’s a punchy system and features headrest speakers that you can control to deliver an astonishing surround effect. It’s like being wrapped in a scarf of music, although it must be noted that these compact speakers are better at communicating the treble frequencies than bass tones.
Move round to the back, flip up the manual tailgate and you’ll notice a very large boot for the class. Nissan quotes a figure of 422 litres, which makes a Mazda CX-3’s 264 litres or a Toyota C-HR’s 318 litres seem undernourished, but the boot aperture is smaller than ideal. Nevertheless, it makes the Juke a far more practical thing than the old version, which fronted up with a 354-litre luggage capacity. Wide opening doors at front and rear make entry and egress very easy.
The fuel tank on all versions is 46 litres which, given a test average of 7.6L/100km, gives a typical range somewhere in the region of 600km. Not bad for a little ‘un but still a bit off Nissan’s claim of 5.8L/100km combined.
Whether the Juke is as good as a Ford Puma or a Volkswagen T-Cross is a fact-finding exercise for another day. I’d say it easily has the measure of a Mazda CX-3, which is some measure of its competence and, above all, it’s endearing.
Making it bigger and a little more mainstream in its styling will undoubtedly pay dividends, because it can now appeal to young family buyers. Well finished, well equipped, good to drive and still with a sprinkle of individuality, the new Juke is off to a very solid start.
VERDICT
I know the pickings are thin, but the latest Juke might be one of 2020’s more pleasant surprises. It’s decent to pedal, it’s well equipped, decently finished and offers respectable practicality for a car just 4210mm long. What’s more, it’s no longer tediously goofy like its predecessor. The Juke might have grown up but it hasn’t lost its sense of fun.
RIVALS
Ford Puma, Hyundai Venue, Mazda CX-3, Toyota C-HR, Volkswagen T-Cross
2020 NISSAN JUKE TI SPECS
- Model:Nissan Juke Ti
- Engine: 999c, 3cyl, dohc, 12v, turbo
- Max power: 84kW @ 5250rpm
- Max torque: 180Nm @ 2400rpm
- Transmission: 7-speed dual-clutch
- Weight: 1274kg
- 0-100km/h: 10.4sec (claimed)
- Economy: 5.8L/100km
- Price: $36,490
- On sale: Now
A female driver has fled the scene of a spectacular crash in Melbourne’s CBD this morning, losing control of a $500,000 Aston Martin Vanquish which crashed head-first into a tram stop on Collins Street.
At about 12:30 am, police were alerted to a crash that occurred after the driver lost control after a left turn, ending up in the middle-of-the-road tram stop.
Result? One very banged-up car.
Our Aston assailant fled on foot after the accident, leaving the 27-year-old owner to deal with the mess as police arrived on the scene.
Police are now on the hunt for the driver and are investigating the circumstances surrounding the crash.
We’d expect the owner will also be pondering who he’ll allow to drive his cars in the future.
Aston Martins have a bit of a reputation for being banged up – the James Bond movie franchise, for example, killed three DBSs filming Casino Royale.
The Vanquish suffered heavy front-end damage and was towed from the scene in the early hours of the morning. It doesn’t look good.
Police are appealing for any witnesses to the crash to come forward.
If you want to see some more similarly tragic supercar crashes, click through to this round-up we’ve prepared.
MG will flesh out its new HS line-up in August this year, adding a third variant to the five-seat, five-door mid-sized SUV range.
The brand’s newest car has been in the market since the beginning of 2020, built around the premise of half-decent specs and an attractive price point.
It’s been a pretty reasonable start for the MG HS sales-wise, with a shade over 800 cars finding homes so far in 2020 – no mean feat given the carnage of the COVID-19 sales slump that’s afflicting the industry.
By way of comparison, the runaway leader in the category, the Toyota RAV4, has 2345 sales to its name for the same period.
Currently, the entry-level Vibe retails for $29,990, with a drive-away price of $30,990. The now mid-level Excite, sells for $32,990 retail and a sharp drive-away price of $33,990.
Pricing for the new top variant, which is known as the Essence (below), has been set at $36,990 MSRP (plus on-roads).
A seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty is included, along with seven years’ roadside assistance.
It uses the same 124kW/250Nm 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine that drives the front wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox.
LED daytime running lamps are standard on all cars, while the Excite and Essence score LED headlights as standard, along with 18-inch rims that replace 17s on the Vibe.
The HS Essence gains a sunroof, a 360-degree parking camera, a red interior option and a different seating design.
All cars offer leatherette upholstery, automatic headlights, keyless entry and pushbutton start, LED interior lights, rear vents and twin chargers and two ISOFIX baby seat mounts.
The dashboard scores a digital centre screen to complement traditional twin dials, while a 10.1-inch multimedia system offers Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Rain-sensing windscreen wipers are standard on the Excite and Essence, along with satellite navigation and an electric tailgate.
