Ladies and gentlemen of the internet, meet Gabriel. He’s a 13-year-old Wheels reader who, quite clearly, is fairly excited to have a Ferrari F8 Tributo parked in his driveway.
He’s also living, and grinning, proof that your dreams can come true, no matter how big they are.
We first heard from Gabriel in the May issue of our magazine. He wrote to us to express his love for Wheels, and also to tell us that he has a particular passion for Ferrari.
In fact, his love for all things Maranello is so strong that he’s already saving to buy his first supercar by busking at his local market. A sign leans against his guitar case that reads “All proceeds to my Ferrari”.
His balance so far? A thoroughly respectable $1000 or so.
We applaud this kind of passion and entrepreneurship here at Wheels, so with the help of Ferrari Australia, we wanted to give Gabriel some extra encouragement to reach his goal.
Some high-level sleuthing followed, by which we mean we contacted Gabriel’s parents and asked if they’d help us deliver a surprise.
Which is how we found ourselves at Gabriel’s front door on a chilly autumn morning, the deep bass of a red F8 Tributo doing its best to give away our position.
You could say Gabriel was fairly chuffed and seeing the unbridled shock and elation on his face as we walked him towards the F8 Tributo delivered the kind of heart-warming positivity we could all use more of in these strange times.
Between wide-eyed stares and breathless exclamations of “Wow, this is AMAZING!” Gabriel quickly displayed his Ferrari knowledge. He knew the F8 Tributo’s price and its key performance metrics. “I really love the V8 models,” he said. “I’m not so keen on the V12s or the new hybrid one…”
A quick drive through the Yarra Valley completed the surprise, after which Gabriel made a sobering calculation. “That was breathtaking, I’ve never experienced anything like that in my life!” he said.
“I’ve been dreaming about this car for ages and now I just have to multiply my busking savings by 500 and maybe I can get one!”
#KeepgraftingGabriel.
What’s on WhichCar TV this week?
Green miles in Toyota’s most fuel efficient Corolla to date
Dan drives the fittingly green Toyota Corolla through some of the greenest New Zealand countryside in this week’s opening segment.
Kia Seltos culture tour
Emma checks out some of New Zealand’s local culture at the wheel of the new Kia Seltos.
Volkswagen on ice
Normally a daunting affair, driving on ice with Volkswagen in Queenstown looks to be an absolute hoot!
Continental Car Lab
This week on Car Lab, Guy explains the degradation of tyres and why it’s important you keep your rubber hoops fresh.
WIN A TRIP TO THE MALDIVES WITH WHICHCAR
For season two, we’re also offering an amazing prize for our viewers. How does a trip to the Maldives sound? Pretty awesome, right?
The competition is open NOW so make sure you tune into WhichCar TV on Channel Ten at 4pm Sunday AEDT.
And, if for some reason you can’t (and it had better be a good reason!) then there’s a host of ways to catch up on the show, check out behind-the-scenes stuff and find out more about the cars Aussies want to buy.
For example, our weekly podcast, our Facebook page and our YouTube channel are standing by 24/7.
WhichCar TV Season Two Episode 17
4:00pm Sunday June 14, Channel 10
FIND THE HOSTS ON INSTAGRAM
Daniel Gardner @octanedan
Tony O’Kane @tony2000gtx
Emma Notarfrancesco @emmanotarfrancesco
Alex Inwood @thealexinwood
MISSED THE SHOW? Catch up at Ten Play
Even if parents do have a vague idea about the laws, they often give in to pester power. Little kids are always begging to sit in the front seat. The cockpit’s more exciting, right? And no one wants to be squashed between annoying siblings.
Too often, busy mums and dads — juggling shopping, school bags and other kids — acquiesce.
There are national laws regarding carrying your precious cargo. These are set out by the National Transport Commission (NTC) which maintains the Australian Road Rules (ARRs).
To complicate matters, each state and territory has adapted the rules to meet individual requirements, resulting in slight variations across borders. For that reason it’s best to check your local rules in the links below. As a general guide, however, here are the rules as set out by the NTC:
Children under 6 months
What to look for with a baby car seat? Newborns up to the age of 6 months must be restrained in an approved rearward-facing restraint. The restraint is held in place by the seatbelt and the top tether strap, and incorporates an inbuilt six-point harness system.
Children aged 6 months to 4 years
If the passenger is 6 months or older, but less than 4 years old, he or she must be restrained in a suitable and properly fastened and adjusted:
- Rearward facing approved child restraint; or
- Forward facing approved child restraint that has an inbuilt harness.
Children of this age grow at different rates. Even if your child is 6 months old they may not be ready to travel in a forward-facing child restraint. It’s recommended children are kept in their rear-facing restraint until they are too big for it.
Front or back seat?
Children under the age of 4 years must only travel in the back seat of a vehicle.
Children aged between 4-7 years
If the passenger is 4 years or older, but less than 7, he or she must:
- Be restrained in a suitable and properly fastened and adjusted forward facing approved child restraint that has an inbuilt harness; or
- Be placed on a properly positioned approved booster seat and be restrained by either a suitable lap and sash type approved seatbelt that is properly adjusted and fastened, or by a suitable approved child safety harness that is properly adjusted and fastened.
Front or back seat?
A passenger who is 4 years or older, but less than 7, must not be in the front row of a motor vehicle that has 2 or more rows of seats unless:
- All of the other seats are occupied by passengers who are also less than 7 years old; or
- There is no empty seating position in which the passenger can sit in accordance with this rule.
Children aged between 7-16 years
Children aged over 7 years must use either:
- A booster seat; or
- An adult seat belt.
Children aged 7 years and over can travel in the front seat. However, research shows that children under 12 years are much safer travelling in the back seat.
As mentioned, some states have made amendments to the national laws. For example, Victoria, News South Wales and South Australia no longer consider age ‘7’ the magic number to take a child out of a child restraint. These states argue that because children come in all shapes, sizes and heights, it’s safer to keep them in booster seats until they are 145cm tall.
Why? Because an adult lap-sash seat belt is designed for people with a minimum height of 145 cm. Research shows adult seatbelts only start to fit people properly when they reach this height. That’s when a seatbelt sits across the strongest bones of the body.
Children who are not tall enough to use an adult seat belt can slump into their seat. The lap part of the seat belt is then too high on their stomach which causes more serious injuries in a crash.The poorly positioned sash crossing the neck also causes life-threatening whiplash and injuries to the spine.
These are preventable injuries that occur because the seat belt was not the right size for the child.
145cm is taller than you think; most children don’t reach this height until they are aged ten to twelve.
Another way to check if your child is ready to sit in an adult seat is the five step test:
- Can the child sit with their back against the vehicle seat?
- Do the child’s knees bend in front of the edge of the seat?
- Does the sash belt sit across the middle of the shoulder, not on the neck or out near the arm?
- Is the lap belt sitting low across the hips touching the thighs?
- Can the child stay seated like this for the whole trip?
You have probably heard of ISOFIX, but what does it actually mean?
ISOFIX is a universal product standard used for safely attaching child safety capsules and booster seats in cars. (The “ISO” bit comes from the International Organisation for Standardisation. The “FIX” bit is a little more obvious).
Its main benefit is the clip in system which makes affixing capsules and booster seats easy.
Check your vehicle’s user manual to confirm whether it is ISOFIX compatible, or better still, ask before you buy.
Parents can probably hear the howls of protest from their young ones. There’s always a temptation to give in to badgering kids. But if you do have an accident, you don’t want to regret the decision you made immediately before that: The decision to let your child ride in the front seat or go without their booster or properly fitted seatbelt that day. Car seat safety is paramount.
MORE CONTINENTAL CAR LABS
- Caring for your performance tyres
- How fast can you go in reverse?
- How much do roof racks hurt fuel economy?
- Why driving on space savers is a bad idea
- What do car seat laws actually mean for parents?
State government guidelines
Novitec insists on taking some of the fastest machines on the planet and making them faster, and the Ferrari F8 Tributo is its latest victim.
The F8’s 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8 already makes 530kW and 770Nm, but that’s not enough for Novitec.
Using tech that sounds relatively simple (but likely isn’t) Novitec has tweaked the power levels on Ferrari’s 488 replacement.
“Two plug-and-play Novitec N-Tronic control modules are adapted to the engine electronics of the two-seater.
“They introduce newly programmed mapping for the eight-cylinder’s injection and ignition, and additionally modify the electronic boost pressure control.”
Novitec says its first stage grants the F8 49kW and 112Nm more, which means the Ferrari can top 340km/h.
Novitec N-Largo 812 Superfast is a bit more visually wild
A second stage is available too, making the F8 good for 590kW at 7950rpm and 898Nm from 3100rpm.
Novitec says the extra power also shaves a couple of tenths off the F8’s 0-100km/h sprint, which was originally claimed by Ferrari as 2.9 seconds. Down to 2.7, says Novitec, if you’re even able to tell the difference by that point.
Of course, as is standard with Novitec’s offerings, there are a number of custom interior treatments and sets of wheels that can be optioned for the F8, as well as a suspension kit to lower the car by 35mm. This also includes a front-raise function for speed bumps and the like.
Given the base price of a Ferrari F8 Tributo here in Australia is just short of $485,000, it’ll be a rare sight to see someone who’s taken their half-million-dollar supercar in for some mods.
A legal battle between Holden dealers and General Motors that has been brewing since February is coming to a head this week, as mediation between the two parties on a compensation package takes place.
On February 17th, dealers were only given a handful of days’ notice that Holden would disappear from the Australian market by the end of the year, and are angry at parent company GM about the size of the compensation package being offered.
There are 185 Holden dealers in Australia, which were signed to a five-year franchise agreement that was slated to end in 2022.
As reported by CarAdvice, Holden dealers are seeking $6100 of compensation for every new car sold between 2017 and 2019. GM reportedly fired back and stated Holden dealers could be owed as little as $350 per vehicle, but is still ready to honour its original $1500 per vehicle offer.
The two parties will undertake negotiations, beginning this week, to try and come to an agreement on how much should be offered to dealers.
According to the Australian Financial Review (AFR), a third of Holden dealers are yet to receive a formal offer from GM at all, despite being nearly four months since Holden announced its closure.
The current June 30 date for negotiations to be settled by was only made possible after the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) threatened to take GM to court if it didn’t agree to extend the deadline.
The ACCC is watching proceedings closely, while a Federal Court judge will act as the mediator.
At the same time, a Federal Senate standing committee is preparing to begin an inquiry into Holden’s shock departure from the country.
The bipartisan inquiry was originally slated to provide its findings last month, but was delayed by COVID-19, with submissions now closing on June 25, before reporting to federal parliament in November.
Queensland Senator James McGrath has been scathing of General Motors, with the Canberra Times reporting he described the US giant’s delaying of negotiations as an “alibi for the worst corporate behaviour”, and assessing the company as having “the ethics of a purse snatcher”.
According to the Canberra Times, GM provided documents to the aforementioned Senate inquiry, stating “our offer has been the subject of much malign and misinformed criticism in the public domain”, and that its offer to dealers is “entirely fair and reasonable”.
Australian Holden Dealer Council secretary David Nicholson told the AFR earlier this week the company estimates it has just 2000 cars remaining to be sold.
Mr Nicholson added that there was frustration from Australian Holden dealers that New Zealand dealers were offered a $2500 compensation for every vehicle sold between ’17 and ’19, while Australian dealers were offered just $1500 per vehicle.
“This is both unfair and insulting given Australia has subsidised New Zealand Holden since the beginning. But for the Australian Holden dealer network and the Australian taxpayer, Holden wouldn’t exist across the Tasman,” he told the AFR.
Holden claims New Zealand dealers were offered more money because they were more profitable.
“When it comes to looking at the New Zealand business, it’s just a fact that they were a far more profitable network of dealers and, as such, their amount is different,” Holden’s acting managing director Kristian Aquilina said, according to the ABC.
“The formula we used for New Zealand dealers is the same one we applied in Australia.”
While the legal battle rages on, Holden has also erected a For Sale sign in front of its Lang Lang proving ground.
It appears negotiations with Lindsay Fox have stagnated, with a brochure for the legendary site being prepared by CBRE commercial real estate before leaking online.
Are you a discerning billionaire with a passion for fast cars, and looking for a new abode? Well, we’ve found the perfect home for you.
Located at 130 Collingwood Place in Los Angeles, this high-end residence has one of the coolest garages we’ve seen in a while.
While some are going to be obsessing over the city views and luxurious pools, for us the most interesting feature of this opulent mansion is the garage – or ‘auto gallery’ as it is described in the listing.
With space for 15 vehicles, there’s room for pretty much any set of wheels you could desire.
This isn’t just some mere storage facility, with this garage being specifically designed to showcase your most prized vehicles.
There’s even a viewing area so you can spend all day soaking in the curves and lines of your favourite cars.
If you are getting some real Batman vibes from the garage, that’s probably no mistake.
The current owner of the house is Kipp Nelson, a former Goldman Sachs partner, who clearly has a passion for things fast and furious.
This is exemplified by the giant scale racetrack that has been built in the house. Dubbed the Kippway, the large model racetrack will allow you to let your inner child run free.
There’s also a high-end racing simulator, so you can tear up some digitised metal if you so desire.
Taking four years to build and completed in 2018, the house was designed by Olson Kundig, and has other non-motoring ameneties (boring!), like five bedrooms, eight bathrooms, multiple swimming pools, and stunning Los Angeles city vistas.
Listed for sale by Williams Williams Estates Group, the estate has an asking price of, wait for it, US$62 million (A$89.3 million).
If you can afford that kind of property, we have no doubt you’d be able to fill the 15-car garage with some of the coolest metal on the planet.
So, when can we come around for a gander?
With a fully electrified drivetrain, clever fast charging systems and cutting-edge digital information technology, Audi’s freshly unboxed E-Tron is far from conventional, but the company’s first EV heralds a revolutionary feature that is not just unusual, it’s unique.
Place an order for an E-Tron and you’ll get the option to ditch the conventional glass door mirrors in favour of new ‘virtual exterior mirrors’ and the automotive first is more than just a flashy gimmick.
The clever rearward facing cameras add another $3500 to the bottom line, but Audi’s revolutionary feature brings some significant technological advances and advantages. Here’s why Audi’s innovation is one of the coolest features to be seen on a new model in years.
Audi Virtual Exterior Mirrors
Instead of a normal pod housing a glass mirror as found on virtually every production car since door mirrors became a legal requirement, Audi’s virtual exterior mirror has a more compact camera housed in a slimline stalk.
It captures images in real time along each side of the vehicle and relays them to a 7.0-inch OLED screen just inside the car at the base of the A-pillar. There are three modes according to the type of driving.
A kerb view focusses in on the wheels for parking, intersection view for negotiating tricky junctions and a broader, higher motorway view to monitor the blind spot and approaching traffic.
The casing also includes a turn-signal repeater and a smaller camera that faces downwards and provides a quarter of the information for the 360-degree parking function.
No nasty surprises
Convex and concave mirrors can provide only a fixed focus and field of view but the virtual mirror not only provides a broader perspective, it can also focus on particular areas of importance. This is either done automatically or by an occupant manually selecting a point of interest. Blind spots, particularly on the driver’s side, are virtually eliminated.
Lighter outlook
While mirrors can only ever reflect the amount of available light, the image from the camera is enhanced and, if necessary, brightened. The effect is similar to a night-vision camera and provides better visibility and safety at night and during bad weather.
Slippery and quiet
With a smaller frontal surface area compared with a mirror, the virtual mirror reduces wind resistance which Audi says increases the efficiency and range of the E-Tron by 5.0 percent compared with standard mirrors, and lowers the drag coefficient by 0.02Cd. There’s also less wind noise created by air flowing over obstructions.
Clean and warm
The lens of the virtual mirror is recessed deeply into the body of the housing which keeps it free from dirt, while a special heated cover prevents water and ice obscuring its view.
LED Oh!
The pair of high-resolution OLED screens are located inside the car making their images closer and easier to see than a mirror situated outside the vehicle. The edges of the screens illuminate with colour-coded warnings to warn the driver of approaching vehicles or other potential hazards.
The screens are also touch sensitive with a proximity sensor to display options as an occupant’s hand approaches. Touchscreen controls allow the field of view to be switched as well as aiming the view in a similar manner to a conventional mirror’s adjustment.
Looking forward
With a lower profile overall, the virtual mirror obscures less of the overall side and forward view, offering the driver and occupants a better view of the surroundings for enhanced comfort and safety.
Concept no more
In addition to all the safety and functional advantages, Audi’s revolutionary virtual mirrors bring an incredible new look that has, until now, been confined to the fantasy world of concept cars and one-off custom builds.
But if Audi’s E-Tron is demonstrating the value and advantages of a digital camera in place of a conventional mirror, why has it taken this long for a production version to eventuate? Ultimately it is a matter of cost and complexity.
Until now, screens may not have been able to offer images sharp enough or a picture that refreshes fast enough or that are sufficiently compact, light and affordable.
And, while Audi’s innovation still adds a significant cost to the options list, manufacturers are increasingly challenged to make their cars safer and more efficient. That’s why, in this particular case, technology is leading the way forward by looking backwards.
Mazda is celebrating its 100th birthday this year and to highlight its epic achievement the company has revealed a swathe of special edition versions of its current range.
The Japanese company pays tribute to its first ever passenger car, the R360, with special editions of the Mazda MX-5, Mazda 2, Mazda 3, Mazda 6, Mazda CX-3, Mazda CX-30, Mazda CX-5, Mazda CX-8 and Mazda CX-9 which are set to be offered in Australia later this year.
The Mazda R360 was designed to cater for the general public’s needs while simultaneously making vehicle ownership desirable. It was powered by a four-cylinder engine mated to an automatic transmission and even managed a 1500 kilometre endurance run between Perth and Esperance in 1961.
Models receiving the special edition treatment will receive a paint scheme reminiscent of the R360’s debut two-tone paint job, a distinctive white and contrasting burgundy.
All special edition models are finished in Snowflake White Pearl Mica, with a rich burgundy interior. Models also receive special 100th Anniversary Special Edition roundel badging on the front fender, key fob, wheels caps, head rests and floor mats.
Mazda says the cars are secured for Australia and will arrive Down Under later this year in limited numbers across its range. Customers can register their interest online in order to be the first to know more. Details such as numbers, pricing and arrival dates will be revealed in due course.
For those that weren’t aware, before the introduction of the R360 Mazda first got its start by producing cork in January 1920. From there the company moved to manufacturing small three-wheeled trucks before joining the fight in the second world war by producing rifles for the Japanese military.
It wasn’t until 1960 that the manufacturer got into cars with the aforementioned R360, and the rest was Mazda’s automotive history as we know it today.
For a sombre time in the world, it’s nice to acknowledge the little wins so congratulations to Mazda on a landmark 100 years.
Mazda 100th Anniversary special edition pricing Australia
All prices are listed without on-road costs added.
Mazda 2 | 20 units | pricing witheld |
CX-3 | 70 units | pricing witheld |
Mazda 3 – Sedan | 25 units | $40,090 |
Mazda 3 – Hatch | 55 units | $40,090 |
CX-30 | 100 units | pricing witheld |
Mazda 6 – Sedan | 15 units | $51,390 |
Mazda 6 – Wagon | 5 units | $52,690 |
CX-5 | 250 units | $52,330 |
CX-8 | 30 units | $66,940 |
CX-9 | 110 units | pricing witheld |
MX-5 (soft-top) | 10 units | $45,320 |
MX-5 (RF) | 10 units | $49,400 |
Click on the image at the top for more photos of the 100th Anniversary Special edition in MX-5 form.
A limited run of AMG’s most focused variant, the GT R Pro, will be sold in Australia despite previously being ruled out for our market.
Mercedes-Benz Australia has confirmed that 15 AMG GT R Pros will be offered to customers locally, taken from a global production run of 750 units.
The most hardcore GT variant (for now) will be sold with a lofty $453,200 price tag, which puts it $84,500 clear of the top of the range. The next most expensive GT is the $368,700 GT R.
The GT R Pro is available to order from one of Mercedes-Benz’s AMG Performance centres, and first deliveries are expected to arrive in the country in September.
So, what do you get for the money? Well, you don’t score any extra power. The GT R Pro shares the same 430kW/700Nm 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 as the GT R, but given it is pitched as a stepping stone between the existing GT road cars and AMG’s racing cars, it does add a raft of track-focused additions.
These focus on three key areas: chassis, weight and aerodynamics.
A new coil-over suspension set-up is introduced compared to the ‘regular’ GTs, with manually adjustable dampers at each corner. The compression and rebounds rates are variable, along with the spring pre-load length. Adjusting the suspension doesn’t require a special set of tools, and can be done via a ‘click system’ on the damper.
Fancy new anti-roll bars (carbonfibre up front, and hollow steel at the rear) are used to increase stiffness and reduce weight, while spherical bearings are used on the lower and upper rear wishbones.
AMG has also installed electronically controlled dynamic engine mounts. Ceramic brakes are standard, naturally, along with forged (i.e lighter) 20-inch rims. All up, the Pro is 25kg lighter than the GT R.
New active aero has been added, along with a more aggressive front splitter and a redesigned rear diffuser. The rear wing is made from milled aluminium and also includes a small but all-important Gurney flap. AMG says the changes bring an extra 99kg of downforce at 250km/h.
AMG’s ‘Track Pack’ is standard on the GT R Pro (optional on other GTs) and adds a steel roll cage, seat braces, and four-point safety harness for both occupants.
For a quick refresher on the M178 powerhouse under the bonnet, peak power arrives at 6250rpm, while maximum torque is on tap from 2100rpm all the way to 5500rpm. Grunt is shifted to the rear wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch transaxle. The GT R Pro has a claimed 0-100km/h time of 3.6 seconds.
All these changes combine to make the GT R Pro six seconds quicker around the Nordschleife than the GT R it is based on.
When the GT R Pro was revealed, it was thought the track-focused variant wouldn’t lob in Australia, with Mercedes locally waiting out for the even more hardcore Black Series flagship.
However, there is clearly demand enough for both models to be sold in Australia.
With pricing for the Pro confirmed, the GT Black is now expected to cost in the region of $500,000 when it finally arrives.
Yet to be officially revealed, the GT Black will have a visual design with a striking resemblance to the AMG GT3 race car.
It’ll be fitted with more aggressive aero additions compared to the Pro – which will be needed to chase down its Porsche GT2 RS nemesis.
Unlike the Pro, the Black will gain a substantial power hike with rumours suggesting around 520kW.
To achieve that figure, outgoing AMG boss Tobias Moers confirmed that a “new” engine is in the works.
“It’s still a 4.0-litre engine and twin turbo, but it’s a different engine. It’s not a typical AMG V8,” he said.
A 48-vold mild-hybrid system is off the table, while the engine block will remain the same as the M178 unit found in other GT variants. New cylinder heads and a revised crankshaft are thought to be the biggest contributors to the power boost.
If you can’t wait until next year to get your hands on the bonkers GT Black, the GT R Pro will be the fastest AMG in the land for the time being. You’ll want to get in quick though, we don’t suspect the 15 Aussie units will be available for long.
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UPDATE: In solidarity with the recent global Black Lives Matter movement, Lexus has withdrawn its scheduled reveal of the upcoming 2021 Lexus IS sedan. Lexus plans to reveal the car soon, though hasn’t supplied a launch date as yet.
Lexus is cranking up its hype machine ahead of the full reveal of its 2021 IS, with a single tantalising shot of the sedan’s rear… after dark.
Not much can be seen from the heavily blacked out image and deliberately low lighting, but the prudish pic confirms the new IS follows at least one of the UX‘s design cues, with a full-width ‘unibeam’ taillight.
No extra detail or secrets can be gleaned from the image by boosting light and contrast levels, with Lexus carefully filter-proofing the photo and giving away only what it chooses to for now.
All quiet on the eastern front
The company has remained remarkably quiet on the development of the new IS, with few, if any, spy photos being snapped of the prototype under testing. Something which can be attributed to Toyota’s very private and closely guarded, proving ground near Nagoya, Japan.
When it does make its curtain call, the Lexus IS will go into battle with the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, BMW 3 Series, Audi A4, Jaguar XE and Genesis G70.
The IS will retain rear-wheel-drive, but what isn’t known are the powerplant options on offer. Rumours suggest it may double-down on the BMW/Toyota partnership that spawned the Z4/Supra twins and use a BMW engine, or that we might finally see a 5.0-litre V8 lifted from the LC500.
The safer money would be on a carry-over of the 3.5-litre V6, 2.0-litre hybrid four-cylinder and the 2.0-litre turbo four cylinder petrol engines.
You won’t have to speculate for long and we’ll bring you all the details when Lexus turns on the lights on June 10.
