A fourth Chinese vehicle producer will enter the Australian market in early 2012, with the Foton brand following Chery, Geely and Great Wall to market.

Foton, established in 1996 in Beijing, produces trucks and agricultural machinery, including a range of 4×2 and 4×4 one-tonne utes that will be imported here next year by Sydney-based distributor WMC Group.

According to WMC, the new Foton ute “has been designed and targeted for both the North American and Western Markets rather than for domestic Chinese sales, and has been benchmarked against the best Japanese rival models”.It will be powered by a choice of Cummins-built Euro V-compliant 120kW/380Nm 2.8-litre common-rail turbo-diesel or Foton-manufactured 2.4-litre petrol engines.Although Chinese-built cars have traditionally lagged behind other Asian and European manufacturers in terms of safety and technology, the Foton will be available with a ZF six-speed automatic or Getrag five-speed manual gearbox. WMC also expects the ute to achieve a four-star ANCAP rating, with dual front airbags, ABS and EBD standard – though no word yet on the availability of stability control or side airbags.The new ute range will be priced “15 to 20 percent less than comparable models from Japanese manufactuers,” accoring to the importer, meaning a starting price of below $20K.The Foton ute is currently undergoing final ADR compliance testing, as WMC recruits a nationwide dealer network.

BMW has announced a limited edition of super lightweight M3 sedans powered by an enlarged and more powerful version of the iconic performance model’s naturally-aspirated V8.

Just 67 examples of the M3 CRT (Carbon Racing Technology) will be produced; all four door sedans, weighing in at just 1580kg (45kg lighter than the standard model) thanks to the extensive use of carbonfibre reinforced plastic (CFRP).

Engine capacity has been increased from 4.0 to 4.4-litres (cylinder bore increased from 75.2 to 82.0mm), lifting outputs to 331kW/440Nm (up from 309kW/400Nm).The result is a claimed 0-100km/h time of 4.4sec, fully half a second quicker than the ‘normal’ four door M3. Vmax is electronically capped at 290km/h.Full details on the car’s engine and suspension specs, as well as its extensive use of cellular carbon honeycombe in Wheels August issue (on sale Wed 20.07.11).

It has long lived in the shadow of its top-selling i30 hatch sibling, but the all-new Elantra sedan now offers more power, more equipment, newer styling and a more modern chassis platform, all for the same price as the four-year-old i30.

At $20,490, the base Elantra Active includes a trip computer and cruise control over the identically-priced i30 SX hatch. A standard six-speed manual and optional six-speed auto both trumps the other Hyundai’s five- and four-speed units respectively.

Hyundai’s ‘Nu’ design of four-cylinder petrol engine makes its Oz debut in this fourth-generation HD series. With 110kW and 178Nm, it is the most powerful naturally-aspirated 1.8-litre in its class. Although it lacks the direct injection of the 1.6-litre ‘Nu’ unit seen in Veloster coupe, the bigger Elantra donk gets dual variable valve and cam timing. Unfortunately, unlike the i30, a diesel engine isn’t offered.Other range variants include the auto-only $25,590 Elite and $28,990 Premium, the former adding alloys, fogs, climate control, auto wipers and parking sensors; the latter flagship gets leather trim, heated front seats, sunroof and auto headlights.The small car market is divided roughly 50/50 between hatches and sedans, yet the hatch-only i30 has single-handedly given Hyundai a regular top-5 sales performer while the sedan-only Elantra has languished. Time will tell if this impressively-specced all-new model can redress the sales imbalance.

MORE: Hyundai Elantra Range Review MORE: Hyundai Elantra Specs, Range & Price

Well-heeled Aussies get your cheque books out, keen onlookers keep your camera at hand: Lamborghini’s all-new Aventador hero car is now on sale in Australia.Launched at today’s Australian International Motor Show opening, the Aventador replaces the Murcielago supercar and becomes the brand’s new halo model, above the smaller Gallardo.

Its full name is the Aventador LP 700-4, the first part of its name coming from a famous fighting bull that won the Trofeo de la Pena La Madronera in 1993 for its “outstanding courage”.As with all Lamborghinis, the new supercar also gets a technical element to its name: LP 700-4 represents its 700 horsepower output and four-wheel-drive layout.The Aventador LP 700-4 is powered by a brand-new V12 engine, producing – in metric terms – 525kW and 690Nm of torque.Combined with a seven-speed ISR (Independent Shifting Rods) transmission, the Aventador rockets to 100km/h in a numbing 2.9 seconds, making it 0.3 seconds quicker than the most powerful model in the Murcielago line. Top speed is listed at 350km/h.Power is sent to all four wheels through a Haldex full-time electronic all-wheel-drive system, featuring a self-locking rear differential and ESP-controlled front differential. Three driving modes are available: comfort-focused Strada, Sport, and track-ready Corsa.As promised, new lightweight construction practices have brought the LP 700-4 down to 1575kg, compared to the Murcielago’s 1650kg.The numbers also show that the new Lambo hero is larger in almost every direction, measuring 4780mm long, 2030mm wide and 1136mm tall. Its wheelbase is also longer, measuring 2700mm to the Murcielago’s 2664mm.At the rear is a pair of 20-inch wheels wrapped in 335/30 tyres and 19-inch wheels at the front, shod with 255/35 tyres. Braking is managed by 16-inch discs at the front with six-piston calipers, and 15-inch rear discs gripped by four-piston calipers.Pricing and availability The Lamborghini Aventador is available to order now, priced at $754,600 (plus on-roads) it’s a snip.

There’s truth in the old adage that “size matters” when it comes to owning a car. According to a new study by Victorian insurer and member service club, RACV, buyers on a budget may find that smaller is better.RACV lists the Suzuki Alto and Barina Spark, along with the outgoing Hyundai Getz, as the cheapest cars to own.Surveying 94 cars, the 2011 RACV Driving Your Dollars survey also found that despite rising prices at the bowser, the overall cost of owning and running a vehicle has fallen by 1.6 percent compared to this time last year.The survey measures a number of factors, from fuel economy to servicing costs and vehicle loan interest rates.“It’s important to look at the whole picture when shopping for a vehicle. The price of the car is just a piece of the puzzle,” RACV’s Michael Case said.“Buyers also should know how much it costs to have the car serviced, how much it costs to fill the fuel tank, tyres, insurance, registration, interest, stamp duty, drivers’ licence, RACV membership, as well as the costs of spare parts like windscreens and batteries and we consider all these factors in compiling our survey.”The results showed that outstanding fuel economy was no guarantee of a car’s ranking in the survey, with Australia’s most fuel-efficienct car – the Ford Fiesta Econetic ($153.38 per week) – bested by the Alto.At $110.64 per week, the five-door 1.0 litre manual Alto GL topped the list, chased closely by the 1.2 litre five-door manual Barina Spark CD at $113.33 per week.The new 1.2 litre manual five-door Nissan Micra ST rounded out the top three at $119.38, followed by the Suzuki Swift GA 1.4 litre five-door manual ($123.98) and the Hyundai i20 Active three-door 1.4 litre manual ($126.13).

The small car class proved a tightly-fought battle, with the top six models all within $5 of each other in this year’s survey.The 2.0 litre petrol automatic Hyundai i30 SX proved the most affordable small car to own and operate, at an average $157.30 per week.Volkswagen’s petrol-powered 1.2 litre Golf 77TSI was only two dollars away at $159.43, but Hyundai rounded out the top three – this time with the 2.0 litre diesel automatic i30 SX.At the other end of the scale, the Toyota LandCruiser proved the most expensive at $387.21 per week for the 4.5 litre V8 diesel.Mr Case said that depreciation is the “ticking time-bomb” in owning and running a car, with many buyers failing to consider its impact on their purchase – particularly the value they’re left with at trade-in time.“In the 2011 survey, depreciation accounts for an average of 39 percent and while car owners do not hand over 39 cents in every dollar they spend each week, in five years time when they are looking to trade their vehicle that’s when the depreciation costs kick in significantly,” he said.

Jaguar is celebrating the 50th anniversary of its iconic E-Type with a futuristic vision of how its spiritual successor will appear: the C-X16 Concept. The all-aluminium two-seater features a cutting-edge hybrid drivetrain and is fully expected to make production.

“Jaguar has set in place bold, ambitious plans for the future,” said Jaguar’s Global Brand Director, Adrian Hallmark. “This production concept demonstrates the depth of design and engineering ability we have within Jaguar to make these plans come to life.”

The C-X16’s front-mounted 3.0-litre supercharged all-alloy V6 engine (a modular development of the AJV8 5.0-litre) produces 280kW and 450Nm. It’s also mated to an eight-speed auto, but that’s only half the story. An electro-hydraulic brake energy regeneration system on the rear axle stores 1.6kWh in a lithium-ion battery pack mounted behind the seats.

When you push the red ‘push-to-pass’ button on the steering wheel, the stored energy is converted into an extra 70kW/235Nm by an electric motor for up to ten seconds. It’s a great example of Formula One KERS technology making its way to the road. Tapping petrol and electric engines together, the C-X16 will hit 100km/h in 4.4sec, and eventually a top speed of 300km/h.

Sources indicate the C-X16 will be named XE in production, and will be based on a shrunken version of the flagship XKR platform. It is expected to hit showrooms around 2014.

BMW has replaced the Z4’s venerable naturally-aspirated six cylinder engines with turbocharged four-cylinder units, accompanied by massive price cuts across the range.

Replacing the 150kW/250Nm 2.5-litre sDrive23i is a new sDrive20i variant, which runs BMW’s fresh N20 2.0-litre twin-scroll turbocharged four and produces a little less power (135kW) but more torque (270Nm). Priced at $76,900, buyers will save $10K over the outgoing base six, thanks partly to the new four’s eligibility for a reduced Luxury Car Tax rate, as the new turbo four slurps less than 7L/100km (6.7L/100km, a 1.8L improvement on 23i).

A high-boost version of the same engine is available in the sDrive28i, with outputs of 180kW and 350Nm, or 10kW less and 40Nm more than the outgoing 3.0-litre sDrive30i. 0-100km/h is a claimed 5.7 seconds. Despite the extra grunt, the combined consumption for the 28i is identical to the 20i variant. A full $9K is saved over the 30i, with the new 28i priced at $89,400.

Both new variants are standard with a six-speed manual transmission; a new eight-speed auto is optional.

Although the flagship turbo-six sDrive35i and sDrive35is carry on unchanged, both variants also receive price cuts in line with the new turbo four variants – tags are now $107,500 and $120,500, respectively.

BMW says the reason the flagship Z4 variants get a slashed sticker is to “harmonise prices across the range”. But surely it wouldn’t have anything to do with a new Mercedes SLK that’s just arrived on the scene, would it?

Skoda is known as the VW Group’s value brand, yet this week the Fabia hatch launches in Australia with a price and equipment equation that is inferior to the equivalent Volkswagen Polo.

Priced at $18,990, the Fabia 77TSI 1.2-litre petrol-turbo variant undercuts the Polo 77TSI by just $760. However the cheaper price also reflects a thinner equipment list. A five-speed manual is the only transmission available, while the Polo scores six cogs. 15-inch steel wheels are standard, and to match the Polo’s standard alloys, buyers will need to fork out another $990 – immediately making the Fabia more expensive when equipped to the same level. In fact, the Fabia’s only equipment advantages are standard fog lights and a full-size spare wheel. Skoda offers climate control as a $390 option, however Volkswagen packages climate with rain-sensing wipers, auto-dim rear view mirror and a tyre pressure monitor for just $500.

The value message clearly doesn’t reflect that of the Octavia mid-sized hatch, which is larger and better equipped than a Golf, for the same or less outlay.

This doesn’t make the Fabia a bad car; in fact quite the opposite. Our first drive on local roads indicates that it is a softer car than Polo, but in some ways all the better for it. Ride quality is excellent on wrinkly Aussie roads, and the steering feels meaty and natural. Even with a tall-geared five-speed manual, the small turbo-four feels punchy and torquey. We’ll have a full road-test report in the November issue of Wheels, out Wednesday November 19.

Light cars are big business in Australia, commanding 13% of the passenger car market so far this year. While the Fabia is expected to boost small-player Skoda’s overall volume, there’s only a very small carrot to tempt buyers away from the resale-security of the Volkswagen badge…

Last month, a report out of Russia showed a rare, red-fur albino that was rejected by its mother but saved by a local animal-lover. Draw your own conclusions, but we reckon that BMW modelled its new 1 Series off the lonely creature.

Similarly, the front of the original VW Tiguan has more than a hint of koala about it, despite the name referencing ‘tiger’ and ‘iguana’. The Ferrari 458 Italia is one of the hottest supercars ever built, but its aero-enhancing air intake slats makes it appear as though it bailed Italy and grew a Mexican moustache. All it needs is a sombrero. Creatures from the deep also make an appearance in the HSV GTS and Peugeot 407, we reckon, what with their oddly-shaped grilles mimicking a wide-mouthed fish.

Finally, away from animals, the 2001 VW Polo and current Nissan X-Trail and Skoda Yeti all share headlights that appear dopey-eyed, with more than a hint of Harry Potter’s glasses about them.

What are your favourite car design look-a-likes? ‘Like’ this page on Facebook and tell us your favourite car design look-a-like. The best response will win one of five motorsport DVDs from the Wheels gift shop…

Labourers, your new breed of utes are arriving … fast. Ford has this week released its Australian-designed, Thai-built Ranger, with rivals Holden Colorado and Mazda BT-50 set to follow in the next twelve months. Confirming the imminent ute-segment war, Toyota has just revised its top-selling HiLux, adding equipment and introducing cheaper entry-level models.

Ranger opens the bidding at $19,740 for the XL cab-chassis petrol, or $750 above the base HiLux Workmate. However the Ford is the first ute on the market to include electronic stability control standard on every model; only top-spec HiLux SR5 dual-cabs get ESC. The 2.5-litre petrol-four in the base Ranger produces 122kW and 226Nm, besting the HiLux 2.7-litre by 6kW/14Nm.

Up-spec Rangers take more of a hit from a refreshed Toyota opposition. A new HiLux Workmate diesel variant brings the entry price for a 4×4 single cab bodystyle to $31,990; the equivalent Ranger is $38,390. Likewise entry to the 4×2 double cab bodystyle is $26,990 for the HiLux Workmate petrol, compared with $30,240 for the Ranger XL petrol. At the top end, new Ranger tops out at $57,390 for the Wildtrak 4×4 dual-cab, a full $6400 more than a HiLux SR5 TD dual cab.

In most instances, the Ranger is the better equipped ute, and the Ford turbo-diesels – 375Nm 2.2-litre four or 470Nm 3.2-litre five – out-torques the sole Toyota oiler’s 343Nm.

Time will tell if tradies will pass on the class favourite and spend the extra on the newer ute … if not Ranger, then, from next year, Colorado and BT-50.