Renault has officially launched its new Latitude mid-sized sedan. Built in Korea in conjunction with Renault-owned Samsung, the Latitude is roomier, more powerful, better-specced and cheaper than the slow-selling, French-built Laguna which it replaces in Oz.Available with a 133kW/235Nm 2.5-litre petrol V6 (made in Japan by Nissan, and shared with Maxima) or 127kW/380Nm 2.0-litre turbo-diesel four (Renault’s own unit, made in France), both donks are hooked to a six-speed auto and retail for an identical $36,990.After years of poor sales in the Australian market, Renault is taking an aggressive value-based approach to improving its performance, with the Latitude offering more standard kit than its similarly-priced Japanese competitors.The base Latitude comes loaded with 17inch alloys, fog lights, six airbags, ESC, leather interior with heated electrically-adjustable front seats, dual-zone climate control, cruise control, satellite navigation, reversing camera and premium Arkamys audio system with Bluetooth music streaming.Buyers can also upgrade to the $42,490 Latitude Luxe (same price – petrol or diesel) which adds 18in alloys, three-zone climate control, panoramic sunroof, and even a massage function for the driver’s seat.Large, comfort-oriented front-drive sedans have never sold well in Oz, and while Renault doesn’t expect the Latitude to be a big-volume seller, it argues that the car’s cheaper pricetags, extensive equipment level and extra space will make it a significantly more competitive product than the outgoing Laguna.Although the Latitude sells in its native Korean market as the Samsung SM5, the car is based on Nissan’s Maxima platform, and Renault says the car was developed with extensive input from its engineering HQ in Paris.First impressions suggest that the sweet, smooth-spinning petrol V6 and torquier, but noisier four-pot diesel are difficult to split. On the sweeping country roads of the Renault’s northern-NSW launch, the Latitude’s ride comfort wasn’t compliant enough for this class of car, yet its docile steering and understeery chassis won’t win over enthusiasts – rivals like the Falcon G6 and Commodore Berlina prove that comfort and driver-appeal can co-exist, but the Latitude seems lacking in both respects.We’ll have a full first drive of the Renault Latitude in Wheels, June issue, out May 18.
Wheels’ own Peter Robinson is one of a select group invited by Ferrari to sign the first copy of its 852-page, 200,000 word, 37kg book, The Official Ferrari Opus as it travels around the world prior to auction for charity at Maranello later in the year.The book features 2,000 pictures, many from Ferrari’s historic records and have never previously been published.A total of 5000 copies will be produced across three spec levels ranging from $3250 to $34,925, the top-shelf Enzo edition featuring a carbonfibre case, with each of the 400 copies personally signed by all living Ferrari world champions.And at $275,000, the one-off Enzo ‘Diamante’ issue features a Ferrari ‘Prancing Horse’ on the cover made with more than 30 carats of diamonds.
MARCUS MARSHALL will pay homage to the very beginnings of his career when he joins GRM for the Bathurst and Phillip Island enduros this year.On Monday GRM confirmed Marshall as its second enduro driver alongside Greg Ritter, but it is unclear who Marshall will race with out of Lee Holdsworth or Michael Caruso.Marshall has driven for GRM before. In 2002, he drove a GRM-prepared Van Diemen in the Australian Formula Ford Championship, but he has never driven a GRM V8 Supercar. Rogers told AA that he had been watching Marshall since the beginnings of his career.“We looked at who we thought could do the job and who we thought couldn’t do the job, and we decided that he was the man for the job,” Rogers told AA.“Way back when we were in the Formula Ford business, we looked after him in his more junior days. I’ve watched him since then. I know he went overseas and all that Indycar stuff, and I don’t suppose his time with Craig Gore was his happiest time, but life goes like that.“Sometimes you make moves that you think is your best one but it doesn’t necessarily go your way. That happens in all forms of life.”Marshall’s signing at GRM represents an unofficial driver swap with Dick Johnson Racing. Marshall raced for DJR at the enduros last year and David Besnard, DJR’s 2011 enduro signing, was an enduro driver for GRM in 2010.Marshall’s appointment at GRM all but seals up the 2011 enduro driver silly season. Just one spot is left – alongside Tony D’Alberto at Wilson Security Racing. D’Alberto told AA he would lock-in his enduro driver next week.
Infiniti’s FX mid-size SUV has been updated for overseas markets, although these latest tweaks will likely not be the last before it hits Australian roads next year.The updates come just weeks after Nissan announced that it will launch the Infiniti luxury brand in Australia in the third quarter of 2012.For 2011, the already well-equipped FX gains a Lane Departure Prevention system as standard (previously an option only), designed to alert the driver with visual and audible signals if the vehicle drifts from its lane.An advanced dynamic intervention system will also work to steer the vehicle back into its lane if the driver does not respond.Other updates include a powered tailgate as standard equipment across the range, which can be controlled from buttons in the dash, or from the inside or outside of the tailgate itself, along with a function on the ‘I-Key’ unit.A new scratch-shield paint option has also been added, dubbed Malbec Black, replacing Mojave Copper in the FX’s eight-colour palette.When it arrives in Australia late next year, the FX will be available in three variants: the 235kW 3.7 litre petrol V6-powered FX37, the 290kW 5.0 litre petrol V8-powered FX50 and the 175kW 3.0 litre turbo-diesel V6-powered FX30d.
Audi’s mean limited-edition R8 GT will soon be joined by a topless counterpart, according to new artwork and details revealed today.Brewed to the same formula as the hardtop monster, the new Spyder variant will utilise the same lightweight materials and construction techniques as the R8 GT.Specific figures haven’t been revealed, but expect the Spyder to show a similar weight reduction to the R8 GT, which is around 100kg lighter than the ‘regular’ R8 5.2 FSI.For the R8 GT, those improvements come courtesy of carbon fibre panels in place of many aluminium ones, along with a thinner windscreen and a polycarbonate rear window.Power will be likely drawn from the same highly-tuned 5.2 litre V10 engine, producing 418kW and 540Nm of torque – a jump over 27kW and 10Nm over the mainstream model.In the case of the hardtop, that boost in power results in a 3.9-second run to 100km/h, with a top speed of 320km/h.The mechanical story remains the same under the skin, with Audi’s quattro all-wheel-drive system and a six-speed R tronic transmission featured.The R8 GT Spyder is expected to debut in June at Le Mans – where Audi has achieved great success on the track wit hits R8 LMS race car. A more public launch is planned for the Frankfurt Motor Show in September.
Less than a week since the first preview of its next-generation 2012 Impreza, Subaru has announced that it will reveal its new XV Crossover Concept at this month’s Shanghai Auto Show.
Subaru has revealed little about the concept at this early stage, although the carmaker has confirmed that it will utilise the same symmetrical all-wheel-drive system featured across the Subaru range.“It’s an exciting time for new models and concept designs at Subaru and we look forward to sharing greater detail on XV concept and Impreza next week,” Subaru Australia Managing Director Nick Senior said.Close inspection of the single teaser image reveals that the XV Crossover will likely be based on the hatch version of the new Impreza, following the same ‘high-riding Impreza’ formula utilised by the current 2011 Impreza XV.In production form, the XV will likely draw power from Subaru’s new third-generation boxer engine, destined for the new Impreza and already driving petrol models in the 2011 Forester range.
Click here to read the full range review of the Subaru XV.
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The New South Wales Government has begun an audit this week of the state’s speed camera network.The announcement follows news last week that the new government has ordered the Roads & Traffic Authority to reverse a decision to axe the state’s margin of error on speeding.Premier Barry O’Farrell said this week that the NSW Auditor-General will investigate whether the state’s cameras are positioned to raise revenue or to best ensure road safety.“The Liberal-National Party is not interested in revenue raising. The Liberal-National Party are interested in better road safety outcomes,” Mr O’Farrell said.“That’s why we’ve written to the Auditor-General today, asking for this review of speed cameras across the state.”New South Wales currently has 172 fixed cameras, six mobile cameras and 60 speed/red-light safety cameras in operation across the state.NRMA Motoring & Services President Wendy Machin welcomed the review, describing it as a move “that will go a long way to restoring [motorist] confidence.”“The community needs to feel confident that these cameras are there to save lives and not to raise revenue,” Ms Machin said.What’s your say? Is this a necessary investigation or a waste of money by the NSW Government?
A British motorist has spent $310,000 converting his Ferrari 360 coupe into a limousine using all genuine Ferrari parts.The car initially worth $185,000 brand new required substantial reinforcement to sustain the added weight and the 400 horsepower engine.However, not all went according to plan as the London-based Ferrari is no longer able to reach its original top speed due to the extreme modifications.
BMW Australia has pulled out the red pen for the pricing of its 2011 3 Series range, slashing prices by up to 11 percent for many of its petrol models – including the M3.Marking what it describes as the 3 Series’ success as “the world’s most successful premium model series,” BMW Australia has cut prices on a number of Sedan, Touring, Coupe and Convertible models.As part of the changes, the 325i has also gained BMW’s Innovations package as standard, which adds Navigation System Professional, Voice Control, High-Beam Assist, Bi-Xenon headlights (with washer system) and power folding exterior mirrors (with automatic anti-dazzle function).The new features join the existing standard Exclusive package, which includes 17-inch alloy wheels, fine-wood trim and roof rails.The 3 Series is currently the second best-selling mid-size premium car in Australia. With 405 sales across the 3 Series range in March, it led the Audi A4 (330) by 75 cars and the Lexus IS range (267) by 138 cars, but lagged behind the Mercedes-Benz C-Class (631) by 226 cars.The 3 Series accounted for 37 percent of total BMW sales in 2010.
A new limited-edition Isuzu D-Max is upon us, this time in the form of the 2011 D-Max X-Runner.Limited to just 210 units, the X-Runner brings $5000 worth of additional features to the table, including ventilated black leather seats, slim-line side steps, a chrome-trimmed mesh grille, bonnet protector garnish and fog light bezels.Other add-ons include Bluetooth connectivity, ‘X-Runner’ front side stripping and a chrome sports bar at the back with integrated high-mount brake lights.The D-Max X-Runner is available in 4×4 and 4×2 configurations is equipped with manual or automatic transmissions.Power is provided by the same 3.0 litre common-rail diesel featured across the D-Max range, producing 120kW at 3600rpm and 333Nm of torque between 1600 and 3200rpm.Based on the D-Max LS and LS-U models, the X-Runner features the same 16-inch alloy wheels, body-coloured front bumper and wheel arch flares, projector headlights, front fog lights, power folding door mirrors, chrome rear step bumper and lockable tailgate.Standard features in the cabin for the LS and LS-U – and the X-Runner – include six-speaker audio, double bin centre console, roof console and electro-luminescent instruments.Air conditioning, cruise control, dual airbags, ABS brakes and remote entry are also standard.The D-Max has been a soft seller in Australia, lagging behind most of its competitors in the Pickup CrewCab category. In March, Isuzu sold 132 4×2 D-Max utes (89 in March 2010) and 480 4×4 models (324). While an improvement over the previous year, the D-Max’s sales are far outstripped by the likes of the Triton, the Navara and the Toyota Hilux.Pricing The D-Max X-Runner is priced at $37,490 drive-away for the LS-based 4×2 manual X-Runner, and the 4×4 LS-U-based top model is $42,990 drive-away for the manual.Note: prices are for ABN holders only. Consult with your Isuzu dealer for other pricing.
