Toyota has blurred the line between the real world and the virtual one, fitting its low-slung 86 sports coupe with a data logger that replays a thrash around a race track inside a game.
However, Australian buyers will have to wait until local race circuit data – possibly including the iconic Mount Panorama track near Bathurst – is added to the software before it will make its way here.
The Japanese car maker announced overnight that domestic versions of the 86 would come fitted with the Sport Drive Logger, which uses the coupe’s GPS and telemetry systems to paint a virtual picture of the driver’s lap around a race track.
The data can be downloaded onto a USB stick and integrated with a PlayStation3 gaming console, where the hot lap can be recreated on a digital version of the track in the driving simulation game Gran Turismo 6.
Toyota launched a virtual version of the 86 on GT6 even before the car arrived in global showrooms.
“We believe the Toyota 86 is the perfect match for this exciting technology,” Toyota Australia product public relations manager Steve Coughlan said.
“Having the opportunity to experience this driver-focused car in both the real and virtual worlds is an exciting proposition.
“That said, the system is currently only configured for Japan and only works in conjunction with circuits such as Fuji Speedway.
“Tracks outside of Japan have not been mapped at this stage,” he said. “For this reason, the technology is not currently applicable to Australia.”
The latest instalment of the long-running Gran Turismo game includes Mount Panorama for the first time, so if the 86 telemetry logger does come to Australia, owners could one day record their own hot lap of the circuit and replay it virtually – provided they can get access to the iconic track when it’s not a low-speed tourist drive.
The lack of the software’s availability in Australia is one of a string of disappointments for local 86 owners.
Despite availability in other markets, the car maker does not sell any TRD performance enhancement kits in Australia as they have not been homologated for use on our roads.
Likewise, Australia misses out on a stripped-out, cut-price version of the two-door coupe known as the 86 RC, which features matte black plastic body panels that can be easily and cheaply replaced.
We also miss out on the TR 86, a race-ready version of the car featuring uprated brakes, adjustable suspension and sets of slick and wet tyres.
The TR 86 sells in other markets for about double the price of a regular 86, which would make it about $60,000 if it came here.
Click here to read the full range review of the Toyota 86
BMW Australia says it won’t charge buyers for the privilege of adding an extra couple of doors to its newest addition to the 4 Series range.
However, while the news that the 4 Series Gran Coupe will wear the same $70,000 starting price as two-door tin-top version should come as welcome relief for buyers used to digging into their pockets for anything extra in their BMW-badged vehicle, it does hide a $500 across-the-board rise for the two-door version since its pricing was announced in October last year.
Thankfully for buyers, though, the four-door 4 Series Gran Coupe boasts a richer list of standard kit than the two-door coupe, as well as decent rear-seat headroom, a boot that can swallow more luggage, and even an in-car app that will connect it with your smartphone.
In a four-model line-up that closely shadows the two-door variant, the 4 Series Gran Coupe range will kick off with the $70,000 entry-level 420i Gran Coupe using the same 135kW/270Nm turbocharged four-cylinder 2.0-litre engine as its two-door sibling.
The range will also feature the 135kW/380Nm four-cylinder 2.0-litre turbo-diesel 420d priced from $72,300, the $81,000 180kW/350Nm turbocharged four-cylinder 2.0-litre 428i, and the $109,000 range-topping – for now – 225 kW/400 Nm 435i powered by a turbocharged inline six-cylinder 3.0-litre engine.
The four-door Gran Coupe shares most of the exterior dimensions as the two-door, but to accommodate the extra pair of frameless doors, the roofline jumps in height by 12mm, and extends rearwards by a further 112mm, adding to headroom.
Boot space also grows, adding 35 litres over the coupe to 480L, extending to a hefty 1300L if the rear “2+1” split-fold seatback is dropped to provide load-through space.
It comes with the same eight-speed automatic transmission as the 4 Series coupe and includes an idle-stop system that saves fuel by switching the engine off when the car is stopped in traffic, a braking system that converts stopping power into extra electricity, and a throttle-dulling “eco” mode to save more fuel.
The 4 Series Gran Coupe will also be BMW Australia’s first model to offer what it says is the “full suite” of its ConnectedDrive system that allows owners to link their smartphone to their vehicle.
The car maker says the Gran Coupe will include an inbuilt SIM card on every model to allow it to work with the mobile service.
Audi has confirmed its R8 e-tron electric supercar has been brought back from the dead and will go on sale thanks to new battery technology that has extended its electric driving range to a full 450km.
Audi board member for technical development Dr Ulrich Hackenberg said the R8 e-tron program that was cancelled last year has been resurrected and development is progressing full steam ahead.
But it seems that instead of being a serious production model the R8 e-tron will be used as a halo model for much cheaper hybrid Audis and will be produced to order for presumably very rich customers.
“The board of management of Audi AG has decided to offer the next generation R8 e-tron as a manufactured sports car upon customer request,” Dr Hackenberger said.
“We will make intensive use of the next generation of the R8 e-tron as an open technology carrier and working instrument of our engineers to test and further develop technologies for the future.”
The e-tron will be based on the next generation of the R8, which in turn shares an aluminium and carbon-fibre platform with the all new Lamborghini Hurracan LP610-4. Previous development versions of the R8 e-tron have been based on the current R8, derived from the V10-powered Lamborghini Gallardo.
While Audi executives remain tight-lipped about the packaging and drivetrain of the R8 e-tron, it is likely to retain a version of the concept’s separate electric motors driving each rear wheel.
Prototypes based on the existing R8 produced 280kW of power and a whopping 820Nm of torque and accelerated to 100km/h in a claimed 4.2 seconds.
“In recent months I have had a very close look at these electric high-speed sports cars with my team. The latest development work is very convincing,” Dr Hackenberger said.
“We have increased their range from 215 to approximately 450km, which is a decisive step towards everyday practicality.
“This significant step is the result of progress with battery technology and a revised package with considerably higher power density.
“In brief: we combine power and stamina.”
While hybrid electric supercars such as the McLaren P1, Porsche 918 Spyder and Ferrari LaFerrari are full-scale production models, Audi CEO Rupert Stadler confirmed that the R8 e-tron will be available only to special order.
“We have the technologies up our sleeve to achieve greater range and in the next generation of the R8 we will take on customer orders,” he said.
“As to how many, under which conditions and where we will produce it, give us a few more days because I think we will have plenty of time to talk about it.
“The good thing is we’ve found a technical approach to offer a range of 450km which is an improvement on most purely electric powered vehicles.”
Today marks a noteworthy milestone for Ford followers. It is the 50th birthday of the Mustang, arguably the most adored car to wear the blue oval.
To celebrate this landmark, Ford aims to prove that you can pull the same trick twice by placing a Mustang convertible on the observation deck of the Empire State Building in New York, just as it did in October 1965 after a record-breaking year of production.
More than 400,000 Mustangs rolled off showroom floors in its first full year on sale, far exceeding the 100,000 estimated in Ford’s original business plan. It was the fastest-selling new car of all time.
So Robert Leury, who was the manager of the Empire State Building at the time, pitched an idea to Ford in the hope of garnering a slice of the Mustang frenzy that started with its March 25 debut in New York at the 1964 World’s Fair.
Ford set eight engineers the task of chopping a white Mustang convertible into quarters and transporting it to the 86th floor of the world’s tallest building using the passenger lifts.
As a marketing ploy, it was a success for both parties. More than 14,000 people visited the world’s highest showroom on the first day alone and countless more came during the next five months.
In the wake of the stunt, Ford made further history, selling a record 607,568 Mustangs in 1966.
To mark the Mustang’s 50th birthday, Ford today announced it will undertake the same assignment next month, disassembling a new Mustang convertible and rebuilding it 320 metres above the ground.
Half a century on, you might expect a more straight-forward approach, but hoisting the car up by crane is impossible given the height, and lifting it up with a helicopter is also out due to the spire on top of the building. Using the lifts remains the only option.
The new Mustang is almost 18cm longer and 10cm wider than its ancestor, so slicing it to fit precisely through the 2.1m-tall elevator doors is an even tougher ask than it was 50 years ago.
Ford’s engineers will have only six hours to reassemble the car on the observation deck, where it will be on show for just two days (April 16-17).
Kia is hoping its new $30K ProCeed GT will lure tuners and modifiers to help lift its image up from the bargain basement to builders of desirable drivers cars.
While rumours circulate that Kia Motors Europe is working on a high-performance Ceed and ProCeed small car flagships with considerably more power and torque than the new GT’s 150kW and 265Nm, the existing 1.6-litre T-GDI turbo direct-injection engine can be tweaked considerably above the current outputs.
A Kia spokesman said the twin-scroll turbocharger’s standard 1.5-bar boost pressure can be safely raised to well beyond the 2.2-bar mark, raising performance to 180kW and 320Nm.
The company believes such an “A-Spec” development could be achieved with minimum changes to suspension and steering systems because the ProCeed GT has already undergone a series of revisions to suit Australian driver tastes.
These include firmer springs, revised dampers and unique mapping for the motor-driven electric rack-and-pinion steering system, while the standard braking system – consisting of 300mm x 28mm discs up front and 262mm x 10mm discs out back – has already been subjected to 480 laps of the Nurburgring Nordschleife in Germany.
Kia says it is going down the driver-oriented path after years of dull econoboxes to move the company’s image on from cheap and cheerful to something that will someday engender passion and desirability.
“The ProCeed GT is a window to our future,” said Kia Australia marketing manager Steve Watt.
“While incrementally it will only contribute to a limited number of sales, its potential as an attention grabber and a brand builder is much more important.
“The GT is all about emotionally desirable cars that are fun to drive, and this won’t be the only one.”
Audi seems deadly serious about fitting its astonishing new 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder in a real car.
The new engine was presented in the star of the recent Geneva motor show, the TT quattro Sport Concept, and produces some 309kW of power and 450Nm of torque, figures that seemed like wishful thinking on Audi’s part.
But at the launch of the new S1 – which is powered by a 2.0 TFSI belonging to the same engine family as that of the wild concept but producing only 170kW and 370Nm – an Audi source confirmed the monster motor is more than a fantasy.
The third-generation EA888 engine can be tuned to deliver not only a crushing 44kW more than the Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG’s turbo 2.0-litre four, but also acceptable reliability, our source said.
The 309kW four could find its home in “a special series”.
In the meantime, the S1 adds some performance excitement to the more small end of Audi’s line-up.
The new hatchback is quattro-equipped, just like the left-hand-drive-only A1 quattro of two years ago. That car, manufactured in a limited edition of 333, was a forerunner of today’s S1.
Like the A1 quattro, the S1 features a multi-link rear suspension in place of the regular A1’s torsion beam. It’s an expensive-to-engineer change, but the viable solution to accommodating a differential between the rear wheels.
The expensive re-engineering required to create the S1 means it won’t be a bargain. It’s likely to wear a price-tag close to $50,000 when it launches in Australia in July, only two months after it goes on sale in Europe.
While both three-door and five-door bodies will be offered there, only the five-door S1 Sportback is Australia-bound.
The S1 is designed to be a driver-pleaser. It’s being built only with a six-speed manual transmission, which is 20kg lighter than the S-tronic auto. Audi’s chassis engineers wanted the best possible weight distribution for the S1, and successfully argued against the slight increase in nose-heaviness that would come with a double-clutch transmission.
The frozen lakes and icy roads of northern Sweden, where the S1 was introduced to the world’s media, weren’t the ideal environment to test the worth of Audi’s manual-only decision. Slithering around on low-grip surfaces may be entertaining, but reveals little of a car’s real-road handling character.
But it was obvious that the S1 Sportback is quick, effortless, refined and very likely to be damned good fun.
Want a new Ferrari, like now? Forget it; you’ll be waiting at least 12 months.
Afraid that its brand is becoming too common, Ferrari Australia now mandates every new customer must wait at least a year for their new Ferrari to arrive. It’s a move that follows Ferrari HQ’s decision to reduce production to less than 7000 units to boost the brand’s exclusivity.
“Look, we have a global strategy, which came from Enzo, which is always to supply one less car than demand,” Ferrari Australia CEO Herbert Appleroth told Wheels.
“Last year, our chairman reduced production because he didn’t think we were exclusive enough and right now our goal is to have around a 12-month waiting list for any Ferrari.
“So the number of cars coming into the country will be determined by the number of people waiting. If we’ve got lots of orders, we’ll have to see if we can get the allocation from Italy, which is difficult with high demand.”
Annoying, right? But, while it might sound like an inconvenience, Appleroth says the wait can also be a positive.
“I think there’s an argument for both,” he said. “We’re not a mode of transport, we’re a dream. So it’s not as if we’re inconveniencing people.
“The best things in life are worth the wait and Ferrari is certainly part of that. And that anticipation of something coming is important.
“It also gives our customers the chance to speak to our sales staff, to travel to Italy and handcraft their Ferrari, and get the full experience. We want them to be immersed in the Ferrari brand.”
Interestingly, Appleroth also dropped some sad news for motor show lovers, revealing Ferrari is likely to become less involved with the local events in the future. Instead, the company is keen to engage with fans through events such as its upcoming Ferrari Racing Days at Eastern Creek on 11-13 April.
“Motor shows are becoming less and less important for premium brands like us,” Appleroth said. “The costs have gone up and up and a lot of the people there obviously love Ferrari, but won’t necessarily be able to buy one.
“Plus, it’s a static display. A big part of our cars is how they sound and drive, so if we can show them off in a dynamic way, like our Ferrari Racing Days, it offers so much more than a motor show can bring.
“Obviously motor shows have their place when we need to launch a new car on the international stage, but would we ever have an international premiere in Australia? Probably not.”
Skoda has released pricing for its all-new, all-important Octavia RS, which will be cheaper than when the model was first launched in Australia seven years ago.
The RS model, which Skoda says will account for 30 percent of all Octavia sales, starts at $36,490 for the 2.0-litre petrol manual.
Adding a DSG dual-clutch gearbox pushes the price to $38,790, while the 2.0-litre TDI diesel with DSG starts at $39,790.
It’s a competitive price point for the performance variant, which first launched in Australia in 2007 at $37,490.
Performance is up in the new model, with 162kW of power and 350Nm of torque from the 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine – up from 147kW/280Nm in the superseded RS.
If you prefer diesel grunt, the 2.0-litre turbo diesel variant churns out 135kW and 380Nm – up from the old diesel’s 125kW/350Nm.
Fuel economy is good, too, with official combined figures of 6.4L/100km for the petrol and 5.2L/100km for the diesel.
Skoda predicts that 70 percent of Octavia RS sales are expected to be wagons, while the take-up for manuals will be less than 10 percent.
With Nissan preparing to enter the Australian market with a Pathfinder hybrid, Toyota has revealed that it is taking a ‘wait-and-see’ approach before committing to importing a corresponding version of its new 50-series Kluger.
Speaking at the Kluger’s Australian launch in Queensland this week, Toyota Australia sales chief Tony Cramb admitted he will observe rival hybrids carefully before making a decision.
However, the temptation is there because the latest Kluger is one of the few seven-seater SUV contenders without a diesel option.
Rivals such as the Ford Territory, Hyundai Santa Fe, Holden Captiva 7 and Kia Sorento rely heavily on sales of the more frugal engine choice.
“There is a hybrid version of this model in the US, and we’ve chosen not to bring it to Australia for overseas demand reasons,” Mr Cramb told Wheels. “But we are going to watch and see what happens.
“Hybrid is one of our platforms that we are keen to introduce, but we need to see that it is right for that segment first and there has to be a demand for it.
“We’ll keep monitoring demand for it in the SUV segment to see if it is appropriate.”
Nissan announced five months ago that the Pathfinder would be offered with a hybrid flagship by the middle of this year.
It will feature a 184kW/330Nm supercharged 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine/battery-powered electric motor combo capable of averaging around 7.5 litres per 100 kilometres – a 25 percent improvement over the standard 3.5-litre petrol V6.
However, there is a price to pay for such parsimony, with the Pathfinder Supercharged Hybrid expected to carry a circa-$8000 price premium over the V6.
It is believed a similar premium would be necessary for Toyota to justify the cost of homologating the Kluger Hybrid for Australia.
Not coincidentally, both the Toyota and Nissan SUVs are now sourced from the US, where a hybrid is generally deemed more necessary than a diesel variant – although a recent sales spike for other manufacturers suggests that diesel is finally gaining traction over there.
Meanwhile, Toyota has rejected the naturally aspirated 138kW/250Nm 2.7-litre four-cylinder petrol engine available in the US version of the Kluger, at least for the foreseeable future.
“It just isn’t worth it,” a Toyota spokesman said. “It wouldn’t be much cheaper, uses almost as much fuel and isn’t nearly as powerful.”
Playing second fiddle to the show-stopping S-Class coupe, but equally significant at Geneva, was the release of the V12-engined W222s – the S600 and S65 AMG four-doors – and a new-generation V-class MPV.
The mega-quick, mega-luxurious S-Class flagships carry over the silent assassin twin-turbo 6.0-litre V12 from the previous models but the engine now meets Euro 6 emissions standards and features stop/start tech for the first time.
In the S600, the 5980cc V12 punches out 380kW and a huge 830Nm at just 1900rpm, but it’s the 21 percent improvement in fuel consumption (now 11.1L/100km) that’s the most impressive figure.
But if you love headline numbers, the S65 AMG is your car. Or private jet. Mated to AMG’s seven-speed ‘Speedshift Plus’ automatic for the first time, the S65 matches the S600’s huge efficiency gains (now 11.9L/100km) yet its engine outputs are monstrous – 463kW from 4800-5400rpm and 1000Nm across a 2300-4300rpm continental shelf. AMG claims 0-100km/h in 4.3sec, but that’s nothing compared to its autobahn clout.
Both V12 W222s also debut two new optional features – a smartphone-style touchpad for the COMAND controller that reads handwriting, and a head-up windscreen display.
It may not be quite as rapid but the new-generation V-Class people mover will soon be transporting business people to a conference near you. Essentially it’s the previous van with a windswept new front to the B-pillar, a new rear-end with the tailgate incorporating an opening rear window, and a completely gutted interior. And it’s that rock-star new cabin that sets the V-Class apart.
Unlike the Valente and Viano vans it replaces, the V-Class finally transfers the luxe cabin DNA from Mercedes-Benz sedans into a people mover. Available in two wheelbases and three body lengths, it’s powered by a four-cylinder 2.1-litre turbo-diesel with three output options – 100kW, 120kW or 140kW.
The S600 and S65 AMG will be in Australian showrooms by June; the V-Class will launch here in 2015.
