For the seventh time in the 17 year history of MOTOR magazine’s Performance Car Cup award, Porsche’s 911 has taken an emphatic victory.
Beating out more than a dozen other sports and performance cars, representing the cream of driver-focused models released locally in the last 12 months, the 911 Carrera S led the field across a range of disciplines including straight line acceleration, track evaluation, and open-road dynamics.
All contenders, from affordable hot hatches to exotic supercars, excelled in various areas, but none could match the 911’s all around ability and enjoyment factor. The only car to come close was it’s smaller sibling, the open-top, mid-engine Boxster S; a solid runner-up.
Judges from the MOTOR editorial team, as well as V8 Supercar race ace Warren Luff, put the field through its paces at Sydney Motorsport Park, Sydney Dragway and over a long rural loop north-west of the city.
Full details and stunning images, run over a special 50-page section in the January issue of the magazine, on sale from Wednesday, December 12th.
The Wiggles and Volkswagen Australia are giving you the chance to own the ‘real’ Big Red Car in an auction raising funds for SIDS and Kids, and there are only three days left until bids close.
The winning bidder will be announced this month ahead of The Wiggles’ final Sydney shows in their current farewell Celebration Tour.
The current bid price for the low mileage (292km) skivvy red Beetle Convertible Wigglemobile sits just under $30K.
The race for Australia’s fastest cup has commenced.
While the nation waits for the countries fastest nags to gallop around Flemington, 14 of the fastest four-wheel phillies released this year are being coralled in the barriers as testing has commenced for MOTOR Magazine’s 2012 Performance Car Cup.
Like the Melbourne Cup, the majority of the field consists of thoroughbred imports from the likes of Porsche, BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi following the late scratchings of high-profile entries from McLaren, Lexus and Ferrari.
And while all eyes will be on the locally-trained GT RSpec from Ford Performance Vehicles’ stable, there’s a couple of less-powerful dark horses that could spring a surprise, such as a Subaru BRZ and Reanultsport Megane RS265
While the all-new Porsche 911 and Boxster currently lead the betting odds, you’ll have to wait until the January issue of MOTOR is published on December 12 to find out the winner.
The unveiling of Chevrolet’s 2013 NASCAR racer in Las Vegas at the weekend effectively pulled the wraps off Holden’s new VF Commodore, due for release in Australia in mid-2013.
As you can see from MOTOR’s exclusive computer rendering, the last pieces of the VF Commodore puzzle have now been filled in, after the magazine broke details of the new car’s design and engineering development in its June, 2012 issue.
Chevrolet will be selling the next Commodore in North America as the V8-only SS, the new model stepping up as the brand’s NASCAR Sprint Cup hero at the same time.
Nissan knows the value of a name and a great price tag. The Japanese car company has taken the wraps off its comeback kid – the Pulsar along with its sporty sibling the SSS hot hatch.
Nissan boss Bill Peffer announced that Pulsar will hit Aussie shores in February next year with the SSS following about 100 days later.
While the more sedate Pulsar in ST ST-L and Ti form will get the naturally aspirated 1.8-litre four, the SSS variant will boast a 1.6-litre turbo-charged direct injection DOHC four cylinder engine good for 140kW and 240Nm. Transmission comes in the form of a six speed manual or CVT.
The last time you could buy a new Pulsar was back in 2004. And Nissan is milking the nameplate nostalgia angle big time by pointing out that the despite nearly 10 years passing the price of a Pulsar is still $19,900.
That’s for the base model though. The Ti with a CVT will set you back $28,990. We reckon the SSS will have to come in at about $30,000.
The radical rotary engine isn’t dead yet.
Just months after Mazda ceased production of its RX-8 sportscar, the Godfather of the unique pistonless engine, Nobihiro Yamamoto, has confirmed the Japanese car maker is pressing ahead with a successor.
Yamamoto confirmed exclusively to MOTOR at the launch of the facelifted MX-5 that a new-gen RX-7 is currently undergoing development, to be powered by a cleaner, more powerful rotary engine that will be dubbed Sky-R.
Like the RX-8, the new sportscar will share most of its underpinnings with the iconic two-seat convertible which is due to replaced in 2014 alongside an Alfa Romeo Spider.
He wouldn’t be drawn on more details, or confirm, whether it will be turbocharged, but is confident a suite of new technologies will overcome the rotary’s deficiencies – primarily it’s fuel consumption and emission outputs.
The RX-7 will likely make its debut as a concept car late next year at the bi-annual Tokyo Motor Show alongside a near production version of the fourth generation MX-5.
Given his long-time girlfriend, Nicole Scherzinger, is a former member of The Pussy Cat Dolls, it’s 2008 Formula One world champion, Lewis Hamilton that usually spends off-track time relaxing in the entertainment world.
But not to be out-done, reigning F1 champ Sebsatian Vettel is starring in a music video with double Grammy-winning R&B star, Melanie Fiona.
A connection between Vettel’s Red Bull team, and Japanese luxury car brand Infiniti, sees the two time title holder appear in the clip for Fiona’s track ‘Watch Me Work’, driving a red Infiniti G37 convertible to an enormous warehouse space.
He powers up the lights and sound system, and takes control of the volume. Happy with his work, Vettel’s character departs, and is seen driving into the Manhattan sunrise.
The video is the latest in the ‘Infiniti Inspired Performers’ series, which sees Vettel and Aussie team mate Mark Webber collaborating with other top performers in different disciplines.
Canadian-born Melanie Fiona is no stranger to collaborations either, having worked with Jay-Z, co-written songs with Rihanna and toured with Kanye West.
Commenting on the video, Sebastian Vettel said: “It was a great experience, and certainly very different to what I’m used to.”
CLICK HERE TO VIEW Melanie Fiona ‘WATCH ME WORK’
CLICK HERE TO VIEW A behind the scenes video featurette
A sculptural installation entitled ‘Aesthetics S’ offers an artistic preview of the next Mercedes-Benz S-Class flagship.
Created for display at this year’s Paris Motor Show (27 September to 14 October) it combines low-relief sculpture with specific projection techniques, to create a three act, three-dimensional impression of the next S-Class sedan.
Code-named W222, the new car is expected to reflect relatively minor exterior changes, but the interior will receive a comprehensive makeover.
Not short of confidence, Mercedes-Benz’s head of design, Gorden Wagener says, “The characteristic lines of the S-Class have always represented the expression of automotive culture, as we understand it. The new S-Class will continue this tradition and, with its striking lines, put a face to our design philosophy over the coming years.”
The sculpture will also incorporate four previous S-Class models, from the W189 of the 1950s, through the W108 of the ‘60s and ‘70s, to the W126 of the ‘80s, and the current W221.
A ‘World’s Strongest Man’ competitor pulling a Kenworth prime mover, up a slope, with his teeth, has become almost commonplace, but Toyota in the States has come up with a heavy-hauling publicity idea that’s literally come out of the clouds.
Although it’s not sold here, the Tundra pick-up truck has been on sale in America for over a decade, and the top engine spec in the latest generation Tundra is the same (3UR-FE) 5.7-litre V8 petrol engine used in the Lexus LX570 4WD.
To put it to the test, Toyota has signed on to tow the space shuttle Endeavour during its final journey to the California Science Centre on October 13, 2012, where it is going on permanent display.
The Endeavour will travel 19km from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on city streets to the Science Centre, with the Tundra towing the last 400 metres.
Normally rated to tow a maximum of 4.5-tonnes, the stock-standard Tundra 1/2–tonner will be towing a total payload of 133-tonnes, with the Endeavour orbiter accounting for just over half of that.
Toyota says it has done extensive testing, and worked with heavy lifting and engineered transport specialists to develop a custom dolly for hauling the Endeavour.
General Motors’ German subsidiary, Opel, has entered the already crowded Australian car market with a three model launch range, pitched at the premium end of the volume segment.
Trading heavily on an ‘Attainable German Engineering’ sales pitch, Opel will offer the compact Corsa as a 1.4-litre petrol hatch, in three and five door form, starting from $16 490.
Astra, a badge already familiar to Australians via Opel’s GM sibling Holden, is offered as a mid-size hatch and ‘Sports Tourer’ wagon, with a choice of 1.4 and 1.6-litre turbo petrol engines or 2.0-litre turbo diesel from $23 990.
The sleek Astra GTC coupe variant is a highlight for enthusiasts, and will be available from launch with either of the turbo petrol engines, from RRP $28 990. Although Opel Australia will not confirm it, the odds are strong for the addition of a 206kW/400Nm Opel Performance Centre (OPC) version of the GTC arriving in the near future.
The larger Insignia is offered in turbo petrol and turbo diesel, sedan and Sports Tourer, from $38 490. Opel says over half a million Insignias have been sold since its debut in 2008, and claims the car has won more than 50 national and international awards, including the prestigious European Car of the Year award in 2009.
Although new to Australia, Opel has a long history in Europe, and its Russelsheim HQ is a General Motors powerhouse in terms of research and development for the group. Opel was the fourth largest auto brand in Europe in 2011, and will be represented by 17 dedicated dealerships across the country, with on-sale availability scheduled for September this year.
