Holden has announced an update to the VE Series II Ute’s options list, with the arrival of a new three-piece hard tonneau cover.

Incorporating a polished aluminium sports bar with a high-mounted third stop light, the cover also features gas-strut lift assistance and a remote locking system integrated into the key fob.The cover will be offered across the Ute range and is covered by Holden’s three-year/100,000km warranty.“We think this accessory will prove to be really popular, particularly with our sports Ute buyers who take great pride in the presentation of their vehicles,” Holden Sales boss John Elsworth said.“The new three-piece hard tonneau has been designed specifically for the VE Ute, so it looks fantastic, provides security for cargo and as with any Genuine Holden Accessory it’s been extensively tested.”RRP for the new three-piece hard tonneau cover is $3,600 fitted – including the Sportsbar and is available now in all Ute colours through Holden dealers.

A new NRMA survey suggests many motorists look upon their own driving habits through rose-coloured glasses.

Surveying 540 motorists in New South Wales, NRMA found that while many are happy to describe frustrating behaviour in other drivers, 46 percent claim they do not have the same flawed practices.“Obviously people are very aware of things that frustrate them on the road, but they might be a bit quick to judge others,” NRMA’s Rob Cory said.“We all need to take a little extra care on the road and be more courteous to other drivers — regardless of whether we think we are great drivers.”Among the most frustrating habits listed were tailgating, being cut off, merging incorrectly and other drivers using mobile phones.Men and women were evenly divided on the topic of their own driving causing frustration in others, but there was a more obvious contrast among different age groups.“We did see a difference between the ages, with more than 65 percent of drivers in their early 40s saying their driving would never frustrate other drivers,” Mr Cory said.“NSW drivers in their late 20s were found to be the most realistic — more than 65 percent said they are guilty of doing things while driving that other drivers would find annoying.”Although a lot of people believe they’re model drivers, 22 percent admitted to tailgating, and 25 percent said they merge incorrectly.“People also said they found it frustrating when they’re in a hurry and people drive slowly in front of them. While we all know driving can be frustrating at times, we need to remember to stay calm and respect others on the road,” Mr Cory said.What’s your say? Do you think you’re a better driver than most motorists?

Honda debuted its CR-Z hybrid coupe in sports-kitted Mugen guise at last year’s Sydney motor show, however its Jazz-derived 1.5-litre petrol four and electric motor combo didn’t anywhere near match the car’s race-boy image.

Salvation comes in the form of the MY12 CR-Z Mugen, which adds a mechanical supercharger to the regular model’s ICE and teams with the electric motor to produce around 147kW and 245Nm.Honda claims that over 50kg has been pulled from the CR-Z’s overall weight, performance is on-par with the Civic Type R – sub-8sec 0-100km/h – and fuel consumption barely worse than the standard CR-Z.“Early fuel consumption tests have also been encouraging,” says Colin Whittamore from Mugen Euro. “We’ve retained the three driving modes from the standard car and economy ranges from 50+ mpg (under 4.7L/100km) in ‘eco’ mode to mid-30 mpg (6.7L/100km) when tapping into the supercharged power in a special ‘Mugen’ mode.”No word on a production date or Australian availability, but the CR-Z Mugen certainly has an enthusiast appeal not currently offered by any hybrid on-sale.

Mercedes-Benz Australia has launched its facelifted C-Class in Australia, almost four years after the W204 generation was voted Wheels Car of the Year.

All models score a lighter all-aluminium bonnet, revised interior including centrally-integrated media screen and the availability of new media and active safety tech systems – including Internet connectivity, drowsiness detection, highbeam assist, lane-keeping and blind-spot assist, and pre-safe collision braking.The entry level $58,900 C200 CGI retains identical pricing to the outgoing model, and the mid-spec $67,900 C250 CGI rises $1K. Both score a new seven-speed auto, replacing the previous five-speed unit, and consumption for both the 135kW C200 and 150kW C250 is 7.2L/100km.The single C220 CDI variant has been replaced by two diesel variants – C200 CDI and C250 CDI. The $60,900 C200 CDI costs $1270 less than the C220, however its 100kW/330Nm 2.2-litre turbo-diesel is down 25kW/70Nm by comparison.The C250 CDI is priced at $67,900 with the same-capacity high-boost engine pumping outputs to 150kW and 500Nm – virtually matching the old 3.0-litre turbo-diesel V6. Both engines get stop/start technology and the seven-speed auto. The C200 CDI boasts an ADR claim of 5.4L/100km; the C250 CDI even better, at 5.1L/100km.Two new V6 variants top out the regular C-Class range in Oz, however shipments of the C300 CDI and C350 V6 won’t arrive until September. The $84,900 C300 CDI is down a massive $14K to $84,400. Its upgraded 3.0-litre turbo-diesel V6 now produces 195kW and 620Nm (up 30kW/110Nm), yet the slurp drops to 6.1L/100km (ADR average, down from 7.4).Meanwhile the old C300 3.0-litre V6 has been ditched in favour of Merc’s all-new direct-injection 3.5-litre V6, which produces 185kW and 340Nm, and is rated at 8.3L/100km (down from 9.4L). The C350 will be priced at $94,400.Estate variants are available in all four-cylinder models for $2K extra. The facelifted C63 AMG sedan and Estate will arrive alongside the new coupe in November.

Mercedes has unveiled its drop-top version of the SLS AMG, almost 18 months after the coupe debuted at Frankfurt in 2009.

What you lose in Gullwing doors (and a tin-top), you gain in an electrically-folding fabric soft top that opens and closes in just eleven seconds, and can be operated on the move at speeds of up to 50km/h.The aluminium spaceframe has been strengthened to compensate for the roof-rigidity loss. Extra struts are applied to the dashboard cross-member, a curved-reinforcement strut is placed between the soft-top and the rear axle, and a reinforcing cross-member exists behind the seats to support the fixed roll-over protection system.Despite the extra strengthening, the SLS AMG Roadster weighs just 40kg more than the coupe, at 1660kg, thanks mainly to the heavy Gullwing doors being flicked. Performance from the 420kW 6.2-litre V8 will be similar, meaning sub-4sec 0-100km/h. Whether the roof is open or stowed, the Roadster’s boot capacity remains 173 litres, just 3L less than its coupe sibling.Three soft top colours are available – black, red and beige – to match with nine exterior and eight interior colours.The SLS AMG Roadster will be available in Australian showrooms early 2012. Merc Oz is yet to reveal local pricing, however with the coupe priced at $464,000, don’t expect much change from half a million…

Driving is supposed to be relatively straightforward. There’s a speed limit, you stick to it, there are pedestrians, and you don’t run them down.

Common sense usually prevails and if you ever feel a little dazed then the holy road sign should help you on your way.On the odd occasion however even these beacons of light can be more than just confusing. From the politically incorrect, to the glaringly obvious, here are some of the more bizarre signs you might stumble upon on your next road trip.

The list of concepts and new models set to land in Melbourne for July’s Australian International Motor Show (AIMS) continues to grow.

This week, Mazda has confirmed its stylish Shinari concept will headline the Japanese carmaker’s stand.

Fresh from appearances in Milan, Shanghai, Los Angeles and Geneva, the Shinari represents the next-generation of Mazda’s styling language, dubbed simply ‘Kodo – Soul of Motion’.Kodo is the work of Mazda’s new global design boss Ikuo Maeda, responsible most notably for the look of the RX-8 four-door sports coupe and, at the other end of the spectrum, the Mazda2 hatch.The new styling language succeeds the Nagare theme developed by Maeda’s predecessor Laurens van den Acker, now vice-president of design for Renault.In the Shinari, the first of two concepts developed under the new direction (the second being the Minagi/CX-5 compact SUV), the Kodo style introduces slimmer headlights and tail-lights than most of the current Nagare-inspired Mazda range.It also features a new development of Mazda’s signature ‘smile’ grille, along with sharper character lines along the body and flanks.Maeda says the ultimate goal of the Kodo language is to convey energetic motion, evoking “emotion and affection” in the viewer.For showgoers at this year’s AIMS in Melbourne, the Shinari represents a first look at what lies ahead for future Mazda models.“This design will lead to the next generation of Mazda design and will lead to other elements,” Maeda said at last year’s unveiling of the Shinari.Although it is the first concept to feature the Kodo styling, the upcoming Minagi-inspired CX-5 compact SUV is expected to be the first to bring the new direction to the market.The Australian International Motor Show opens at 6pm on Friday 1 July and runs through until Sunday 10 July at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.Other new models and concepts confirmed for the 2011 AIMS include the Toyota Prius V and Prius C, the Suzuki Swift S-Concept, the Range Rover Evoque, the Toyota FT-86 II Concept, the 2012 Audi A6 and the 2012 Jaguar XF.Appearances have also been confirmed for the all-new Lamborghini Aventador, the Lexus LF-Gh concept, and a preview of Australian carmaker JOSS Developments’ upcoming JT1 supercar.

Audi has created a wild 370kW version of its entry level A1 to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Woethersee festival for Audi, Seat, Skoda and Volkswagen fans held in Reifnitz, Austria every year.

Called the A1 clubsport quattro, the one-off show car adopts a rally car inspired styling that is said in part to preview the appearance of a hot new four-wheel drive S1 quattro model that is being developed by Audi as a rival to the likes of the Renault Clio Sport.At the heart of the new hatchback is a heavily tweaked version of Audi’s turbocharged 2.5-litre five-cylinder powerplant shoehorned transversely into the A1’s compact engine bay.In standard guise, as found in the TT RS and recently introduced RS3, the direct injection unit already delivers a sturdy 200kW – or 64kW more than the most powerful production version of the A1 up to now, the 136kW turbocharged 1.4-litre four-cylinder 1.4TFSI.But for the A1 clubsport quattro, Audi’s engineers have provided the five-cylinder engine with added boost pressure, a larger intercooler and a redesigned exhaust among other unspecified modifications that see output rise by 170kW to a supercar like 370kW; enough to endow the 1390kg hatchback with a weight-to-weight ratio of 3.8kg/kW. Torque has also risen by a substantial 229lb ft – or 47 per cent – over the standard unit, peaking at 660Nm on a band of revs between 2500 and 5300rpm.Drive is delivered to all four wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox and a modified version of the TT RS’s multi-plate clutch Haldex style four-wheel drive system – a set-up that is already earmarked to appear on the A1 quattro early next year.Although Audi is quick to play down the relevance of the A1 clubsport quattro’s engine to the rest of the A1 line-up, there’s no denying its potency in a car of such compact dimensions.Factory claims put its 0-100km/h time at just 3.7sec, making the Woethersee special faster up the strip than all of Audi’s existing production cars bar the 560bhp naturally aspirated 5.2-litre V10 powered R8 V10, which boasts an official time of 3.6sec.Audi also says the extreme hatchback will hit 200km/h in 10.9sec and accelerate from 50 to 75mph in fourth gear in just 2.4sec. About the only disappointing thing about the A1 clubsport quattro’s overall performance is its top speed, which is limited to 250km/h.While details of the the production version S1 quattro are yet to be revealed, Ingolstadt based sources suggest it will be a significantly milder machine. Nothing’s official just yet but rumours suggest it will run the same 155kW turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine found in a variety of Volkswagen Group offerings, including the Golf GTi.The A1 clubsport quattro is distinguished by a comprehensively redesigned exterior and matt white paint scheme that combined to provide it with a much more aggressive air than lesser A1 models.The overall look leans heavily on contemporary world rally championship cars, with a deep front bumper, fenders that are widened by 60mm over those worn by the standard model, a clear coated carbon fibre reinforced plastic roof, large rear wing perched high on the tailgate and a fully functioning diffuser at the rear.The need for added cooling also sees it receive bonnet mounted ducts and two large air outlets within the trailing edge of the front fenders. Other features include a honeycomb grille insert, unique headlamp and tail lamp graphics and smaller mirror housings than those found on the other A1 models.Mirroring the move taken with the styling of the quattro concept wheeled out at last year’s Paris motor show, Audi’s design team has also provided the A1 clubsport quattro with elements that lend from the original quattro produced between 1985 and 1991, including new interpretations of its signature wheel arch blisters and classic turbine style alloy wheels.The A1 clubsport quattro rides on a heavily modified version of the Volkswagen Group’s PQ25 platform featuring adjustable suspension settings, 19-inches wheels shod with 255/30 profile tyres and carbon fibre ceramic discs up front grabbed by purposeful looking six pot calipers.Inside, the A1 clubsport quattro lives up to its name with a stripped out cabin devoid of the standard A1’s rear seat. In its place is an additional cross member aimed at providing added stiffening and dedicated stowage bins for a pair of helmets.The rally inspired hatchback also uses front carbon fibre backed seats from the R8 GT, four point harnesses, a flat bottom carbon fibre steering wheel , unique instruments and simple pull straps in the place of the standard A1’s door handles.

New details have emerged for Volkswagen’s very special Golf GTI Edition 35, the latest in a line of tuned commemorative models. And to promote the GTI brand further, the German car maker also released one of its most suggestive TV ads to date.

Unveiled online in May ahead of its Worthersee Tour debut this week, the GTI Edition 35 was revealed to be packing a 2.0 litre engine with 175kW on tap – 20kW more than the regular GTI.At the time, Volkswagen offered few details about the engine, although it was assumed that the extra power had been liberated from the GTI’s regular turbocharged powerplant.Volkswagen has confirmed that the GTI Edition 35 instead draws power from a detuned version of the more powerful Golf R and Audi S3 engine, modified to suit the GTI’s front-wheel-drive layout.Top speed is listed at 247km/h, and the 0-100km/h sprint in a claimed 6.6 seconds – roughly one second short of the Golf R and a few hundredths quicker than the standard GTI.The Edition 35 will be offered in Europe with either a six-speed manual transmission or six-speed DSG automatic.Cosmetically, the Edition 35 is set apart from the regular GTI by its unique ‘Watkins Glen’ alloy wheels, along with the Golf R’s dark LED taillights. The special GTI also gets the model’s updated LED daytime running lights and tinted windows.Tweaks in the cabin include a golf-ball shaped gearshift grip, ’35’ logos on the seatbacks and and door sills, and a unique honeycomb trim pattern in place of the usual tartan fabric.

Porsche’s line of limited edition ‘Black’ models continues with the Cayman S Black Edition.

A run of 500 (yes, all black) boasting improved performance and a higher level of standard equipment, yet prices at the same $147,500 as the standard Cayman S.Power from the 3.4 litre six-cylinder boxer engine steps up 7 kW to 243kW, helping to shave the 0-100km/h time by 0.1 sec (six-speed manual – 5.1sec / seven-speed PDK – 5.0sec).The car is fitted with 19-inch Boxster Spyder wheels in black shod with 235/35ZR tyres on the front and 265/35ZR at the rear.Additional standard equipment includes Bi-Xenon headlights with dynamic cornering lights, automatic anti-dazzle interior and exterior mirrors with integrated rain sensor, Porsche crest on the seat headrests and a Sport Design steering wheel. Local deliveries begin in September.