BBC Magazines, the publishers of Top Gear magazine, have done a deal with Australian Consolidated Press to bring an Australian version of the mag to our newsstands. Edited by Ewan Page, the launch issue is on sale now. Looks like they have the finger on the pulse as far as humour goes.
Source: CarAdvice and TheGuardian (Thanks to Paul for the tip.)
Volkswagen is set to launch a ‘Twin Drive’ electric-diesel hybrid Golf by 2010. Hinting at the future of the automotive industry Volkswagen boss Martin Winterkorn stated, “the future belongs to all-electric cars.” In a switch to existing hybrid technology, the Volkswagen Twin Drive will source its primary power from an 82bhp electric engine, with supplementary power from a 122bhp diesel. Volkswagen has signed a deal with Sanyo to develop develop li-ion batteries, with current estimates for the Twin Drive suggesting a 50 kilomtere range to all-electric power.
What better way to beat the end of financial year blues than with a healthy dose of hot MINI CHALLENGE action!
Coverage from the fourth round of the Series from Sandown International Raceway will be on Australia’s Olympic Network, Seven, this Saturday, 28 June at 1:30pm nationally. The action is really starting to heat up as some new young chargers have emerged, Sandown saw a brace of Bargwannas thrown into the mix and Paul Mercurio put his dancing shoes to work on the pedals of the UBER-STAR Car.
Gavin Conway from TimesOnline has recently filed a report on the all new Volkswagen Scirocco (also reviewed by Greg Kable in the July 2008 issue of Wheels). The car is now available for order in the UK, but the car’s Australian future remains unclear. Volkswagen sales in Australia are going from strength to strength, and while the introduction of the Scirocco to our market may affect sales of the Golf GTI and the R32, it is the new sales the Scirocco’s stunning and swooping lines could help create that should be adding a sparkle to the eyes of the decision makers at Volkswagen Group Australia.
The Scirocco, in GT24 guise, made a stunning racing debut at the recent Nürburgring 24 hour race, claiming first, second and fourth spots in class from the three cars entered (see AUSringers.com for more detail, including some superb photography).
Certainly, Mr Conway thinks Volkswagen are on to a good thing with the first new Scirocco in over 30 years, “a third of a century may have elapsed but the new car does the same job the cultish Scirocco did back then—takes ordinary, reliable, proven VW mechanicals and wraps them in a form that will make people point and smile.”
Here is some footage discovered on YouTube of the replica 1939 Auto Union “Silverarrow” Type D built in England by Roach Manufacturing. This car will be driven at the 2008 Goodwood Festival of Speed, for the first time, by Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason.
The 2008 Goodwood Festival of Speed (11–13 July) will see the world debut of an “all-new” Auto Union “Silverarrow” Type D. An authentic reconstruction of the 1939 dual-compressor model, the car will be driven at the event by Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason. The project, commissioned by Audi Tradition, was undertaken by specialist workshop Crosthwaite & Gardiner in East Sussex, with bodywork completed by Roach Manufacturing, near Southampton. It took four years to complete.
The dual-compressor 12 cylinder Type D originally made its debut half way through the racing year at the 1939 Belgian Grand Prix and won two Grands Prix at the hands of Hermann Paul Müller (French GP) and Tazio Nuvolari (Belgrade GP). While heavily based on earlier Type D models, the bodywork of the 1939 car was modified to house the 485hp twin supercharger set up. Auto Union was split apart by Soviet forces after the completion of World War II, and as a result many of the technical drawings and records of their cars were lost forever. With only a few rare photos to work from the team at Roach Manufacturing had a painstaking task to recreate the Silverarrow’s exterior. The company already have a 1937 reconstruction on display at the Audi museum mobile, so their pedigree was well founded. At the completion of this project Keith Roach proudly declared, “it is one of our all-time masterpieces.”
Newly appointed General Manager of Press and PR for Volkswagen Group Australia, Karl Gehling, has denied claims that the MkVI Golf will not be coming to Australia. A recent report suggested that the MkVI Golf would not be sold in Australia due to currency and return on investment concerns. In 2007, the MkV Golf was Australia’s best selling European car. That trend continues, with sales to the end of May 2008 up 25% from the same point last year.
Golfs delivered to Australia are built at Volkswagen’s Uitenhage plant in South Africa, with the exception of all R32 models and three door GTIs, which are built at Wolfsburg in Germany. Volkswagen plans to shift all MkVI Golf production to the company’s headquarters in Wolfsburg. The MkVI will debut at this year’s Paris Motor Show in October and should be at your local Volkswagen dealer in the second half of 2009. Keep reading AUSmotive.com for more.
The use of GPS devices to monitor speeding motorists is set to be trialled by the New South Wales Government. Approximately 100 cars in the New South Wales Illawarra region will be fitted with the ‘Big Brother’ style device. The satellite based system will make a sound to alert the driver if they are speeding. Failure to slow down will prompt the device to cut fuel to the engine, forcing the car to drop its speed.
The trial is set to last for 18 months and, if deemed successful, the NSW Government could consider extending the use of the system.
Details of how cars are selected for the trial is not clear at this time and without firm details of how the system actually works, or how suddenly it cuts the fuel supply, there is potential for such a system to cause as many accidents as it will allegedly save.
Source: ABC
Ever wondered how fast you could go around the Top Gear test track in their reasonably priced car? Why don’t you check out their website and have a go! The current record is 1:44.4—it’s safe to say I won’t be troubling that record any time soon, but I’d be keen to hear how you get on…
Joy to the world—Top Gear is back! With talk of new Australian and US versions in production, I guess there is now a need to specify just which Top Gear is being referred to. Of course, it is the original UK line up of Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May. The lads are presenting Series 11 and the first episode aired in the UK last Sunday. Above is the first part of two clips of their £1000 Police car challenge, the second part is down below.
Other highlights from the show included Jeremy’s review of the new-ish Ferrari F430 Scuderia, a Toyota Prius v BMW M3 fuel challenge and an all out supercar economy challenge. A new crew member—Top Gear Stunt man—was also introduced. It looks like we are in for another great series from the entire Top Gear team. Stay tuned for more next week.
The team from MINI specialist website MotoringFile have given us a great teaser of the upcoming MINI John Cooper Works. The new top of the line MINI will be in Australian showrooms in August, but if you can’t wait, here’s a few thoughts from their report: “MINI has definitely kicked it up a notch with this new model. If you have the chance to test drive the MINI JCW you must take the opportunity but if you are a fan of the JCW you better get your order in now.”
Read the full MotoringFile report for images and an audio clip. There’s also more images available at the GBMINI website.
BMW Australia has lifted the lid off its new M3 Convertible and Sedan models. Both feature the 309kW V8 from the M3 Coupé and the Convertible will be the first BMW in Australia to offer the company’s new seven-speed double-clutch transmission (M-DCT). It will also be the first M3 Convertible to feature a retractable hard-top roof—which takes 22 seconds to fully open. The Convertible will be on demonstration in Australian showrooms in July, with the first deliveries expected after October.
The first 3 Series Sedan to feature a V8, the M3 Sedan, will arrive in Australia shortly after the Convertible and it is expected the first crop of Sedan will find their way into customers’ hands around Christmas time. The M-DCT gearbox will also be available in the M3 Sedan and the four door saloon is capable of doing the 0-100km/h dash in just 4.7 seconds. Watch out Audi RS4! Pricing for the Sedan is yet to be announced, but it should come in under the M3 Coupé.
Full press releases are available for both cars after the jump.