Toyota Australia announced it will offer Australian customers a versatile new member of the Prius family – the seven-seat Prius v.The new Prius v will be the first Toyota production vehicle in Australia fitted with a lithium-ion battery – placed under the centre console between the driver and front passenger.

Toyota’s lithium-ion battery is smaller and lighter than the nickel-metal hydride battery in Prius, but has similar storage capacity. Prius v, due on sale in May this year, will join an expanding Prius family that includes the standard Prius hatch and the Prius c city car.

Toyota Australia’s executive director sales and marketing Matthew Callachor said the seven-seat Prius v will broaden the appeal of Toyota’s hybrid technology and environmental credentials.The Prius v is all about versatility – it is larger and roomier to meet the needs of growing families while retaining the Prius DNA of environmental performance and fuel economy,” Mr Callachor said.

Due to the placement of the lithium-ion battery pack between the front seats, there is minimal compromise to the MPV-style seven-seat passenger accommodation or the load space,” he said.Families will have the flexibility of using all seven seats or folding down the third-row seats to convert the car into a five-seater with extra luggage space.

Customers can also fold down the second-row seats to accommodate more cargo than many SUVs and wagons on the market. Prius v has been newly designed from the ground up – an evolution of Prius, not merely an elongated version. All exterior body panels are new.

Source: http://news.toyota.com.au/toyota-brings-seven-seat-addition-to-prius-family

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Cologne, Germany – The Ford Focus powered by the 1.0-liter EcoBoost engine began rolling off the assembly line this week in Saarlouis, Germany, setting a new benchmark as Ford’s most fuel efficient petrol-powered vehicle ever.

The Focus 1.0-liter EcoBoost 100PS offers class-leading economy of 4.8l/100km (58.9mpg) alongside CO2 emissions of 109g/km. The turbocharged, direct injection engine also is available on the Focus in a 125PS version that returns 5l/100km (56.5mpg) with CO2 of 114g/km.

Production of the first Focus 1.0-liter EcoBoost is an important milestone for Ford,” said Ford of Europe Chairman and CEO Stephen Odell. “Developing an engine this small and fuel efficient that still delivers good power and driving fun in a Focus-sized car would have seemed impossible just a few years ago.

The new 1.0-liter EcoBoost engine is produced at Ford’s engine plant in Cologne, Germany. . Ford invested €134 million ($200 million) to develop a special high-tech line at the Cologne Engine Plant to build the engine. Later this year, production of the engine also will begin in Craiova, Romania. European production capacity could eventually reach 700,000 engines per year.

The 1.0-liter EcoBoost illustrates just how much Ford and the entire auto industry have been able to continually improve the internal combustion engine, a technology that has been around well over a century.For example, the 2.9-liter engine that powered the iconic Model T delivered fuel economy 11.3l/100km, while cranking out 20PS – numbers that were impressive in their time.

The first generation Ford Fiesta’s 957cc engine from 1976 was roughly the same displacement as the 1.0-liter EcoBoost. The EcoBoost, however, delivers 64 percent more power and 38 percent lower fuel consumption.The 1.0-liter EcoBoost engine was developed by Ford experts across Europe, including engineers at Ford’s European Research and Advanced Engineering Centre in Aachen, Germany, and the Dunton Technical Centre, UK.

Source: http://corporate.ford.com/news-center/press-releases-detail/pr-ford-launches-production-of-focus-35921

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Detroit – Buick attracted more than 40 percent of its customers from outside General Motors in 2011. That number rose to more than one in two last month for the new Verano compact luxury sedan, which went on sale in December.

With my name, I’ve been asked if I drive a Buick for as long as I remember,” said Buick, a distant relative of brand founder David Dunbar Buick. “But the cars were never right for me. The Verano, though, is truly perfect in every way that I ask of a car. It honestly feels like it was made just for me, so it’s amusing that I get to step over my name embossed in the sill plate every time I get into my car.

Buick’s new Black Onyx Verano replaces a Subaru Outback and offers what he says is just the right combination of size and content. “I need some creature comforts, but I’m not interested in a larger, more expensive car. My Verano has a high quality level for the price. Small things like the heated steering wheel make a big difference.

Verano is Buick’s first compact luxury sedan, offering a standard seven-inch Color Touch radio and other features at a starting price of $23,470 including destination. ”A lot of people want small, high-quality cars,” Buick continued. “It’s a little narrow-minded to equate luxury with size. I’m pleased, and proud, to see American carmakers stepping in that direction.

The LaCrosse luxury sedan, which comes standard with Buick’s innovative eAssist light electrification powertrain, also reported a retail sales increase in January of 7.7 percent versus the same period in 2011. LaCrosse’s 4,013 sales topped the Lexus ES350 by approximately 1,400 units.

Overall, Buick retail sales were down 18.5 percent for the month, amid the phasing out of the Lucerne sedan. Despite the decrease, Buick outsold key competitors including Acura, Audi, Infiniti and Lincoln.

Source: http://media.gm.com/content/media/us/en/gm/news.detail.html/content/Pages/news/us

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Detroit – The all-new Chevrolet Sonic is building a digital reputation and a legion of fans by bungee jumping, sky diving and successfully completing a skateboard-style kick flip. The one thing missing in its first six months on sale – traditional TV advertising.

That ends Sunday during Super Bowl XLVI when “Sonic Anthem” chronicles what the subcompact has been up to while posting month-to-month sales increases and rising to the upper echelon of subcompact sales leaders.

Sonic, the only subcompact made in America, more than doubled the sales in January of the January 2011 sales for the vehicle it replaced.

The Sonic is a great new addition to the Chevrolet line-up and we are encouraged by the steady increase in sales that we are seeing each month,” said Alan Batey, vice president, Chevrolet Sales and Service. “In addition to the early sales momentum of the Sonic, the rest of the Chevrolet passenger cars are building on the tremendous sales success of last year posting stronger than expected numbers in the first month of the New Year.

The first phase of Sonic marketing focused on reaching younger consumers through jaw-dropping stunts like the Sonic sky dive, and the skateboard-style kick flip – a 360-degree rotation in mid-air – successfully executed by MTV-reality and action sports-star Rob Dyrdek.

Digital efforts like The Game of Firsts where Chevrolet challenges the public to do something first, post it to letsdothis.com, and get people to love it, for a chance to win a new Sonic. Sonic has nearly 300,000 “likes” on its Facebook fan page, more than any other vehicle in the segment.

The launch of the Sonic is allowing the Chevrolet brand to engage with consumers on a more personal level,” said Chris Perry, vice president, Chevrolet Marketing and Strategy. “Focusing our early efforts on the digital space gave us the freedom to attempt some of our own firsts and establish a solid presence for the new Sonic nameplate.

Source: http://media.gm.com/content/media/us/en/gm/news.detail.html/content/Pages/news/us/en/

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Detroit – The choice of the Buick Regal GS to endure the test of time and become an automotive classic places the new sport sedan in the company of bygone Buick classics. Hagerty Insurance, the classic car insurance firm, placed the Regal GS on its “2012 Hot List” for mass-market vehicles with a suggested retail price below $100,000. The company thinks the Regal GS will be a future collectible.

In particular, Hagerty applauded Buick’s decision to offer a performance sedan with a manual transmission, noting that “at a time when allegedly more sporting makes don’t offer real three-pedal manual transmissions, Buick is doing it with the Regal GS.

The Regal GS is a unique and thrilling vehicle for the Buick brand,” said General Motors North America President Mark Reuss. “As someone who drove a classic Skylark to prom and owned other incredible Buicks like an ‘87 GNX, I can say it deserves to be viewed among the best Buick has built.

As a projected future classic, the Regal GS will join memorable Buicks that have proved their collectability. Following the announcement of the 2012 Hot List, Hagerty experts collaborated with Buick to list the Top 10 most-collectible Buicks, some of which hold values of well over $100,000.

In order to be included on the annual Hagerty Hot List, the vehicle must be geared toward the driving enthusiast beyond just being a form of transportation,” said Hagerty.” Like the other Buick classics listed here, the 2012 Regal GS will be remembered more than most of its peers for many years down the road.

Source: http://media.gm.com/content/media/us/en/gm/news.detail.html/content/Pages/news/us/en/

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Torrance, Calif. —On the heels of Lexus’ first Super Bowl spot, the luxury automaker is launching a multi-faceted marketing campaign for its highly anticipated 2013 Lexus GS sport sedan. The bold new GS—which arrives in showrooms this week—marks a defining moment in Lexus’ history, with major enhancements in performance, design, technology and luxury.

This vehicle has come farther, faster than any other vehicle we’ve developed, and is the first to wear the new design face of Lexus,” said Brian Smith, Lexus vice president of marketing. “With the GS, we’re redefining our place in the industry, as well as in drivers’ minds. Our marketing campaign has to do the same, and it’s supported by one of the largest media buys in the history of the company.

Two spots titled, “Resistance,” highlight the cutting-edge technology features available in the new GS. On a moonlit night, objects from technology’s past, including a telephone booth, turntable, and typewriter, begin to slide along a desolate road, as if pulled by a mysterious force. The GS begins to get pulled back as well, but the car fights the force and breaks free, taking off in the other direction. As the car gains momentum, it skillfully swerves around the oncoming objects. One spot introduces us to the next generation Enform® app suite, where apps allow drivers to perform local searches, make restaurant reservations, purchase movie tickets and more.

A third spot, “Beast,” is a derivative of the brand’s Super Bowl commercial and showcases performance features of the vehicle, including the four driving modes (ECO, Normal, Sport and Sport S+) and Lexus Dynamic Handling system. In a futuristic lab, there are several loud thuds, and a large metal containment box bursts open with a dramatic explosion as the all-new GS races out of the box. As the GS F Sport aggressively maneuvers through a tunnel in the science facility, the voiceover announces that “the next generation of Lexus will not be contained.

Source: http://www.lexus.com/about/news/index.html#/view-0/model-0/page-1/article-Lexus_

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The Mazda Motorsport team has confirmed that they will be returning for Targa Wrest Point, the second round of the Australian Tarmac Championship. After successful testing sessions, the rally will see both the Mazda3 MPS and the Mazda RX-8 SP competing over two gruelling days and 14 closed road stages around Hobart.

Victorian-based siblings, Brendan Reeves and Rhianon Smyth will be piloting Mazda’s turbo rotary RX-8 SP. In three previous championships, the siblings have been successful drivers of the Mazda3 MPS, but now step up to the more powerful RX-8 SP for the first time, a move which demonstrates Mazda’s faith in Reeves.

The dynamic brother and sister duo have competed together for Mazda in seven rallies and in their Mazda3 MPS have secured five first places.Reeves, who tested the RX-8 SP around Wakefield Park last month, was most enthusiastic about its performance, saying, “I am really excited to be driving the RX-8 SP at Targa Wrest Point. Although I have loved driving the Mazda3 MPS in previous rallies, it’s great to be able to step up to another challenge and get behind the wheel of the RX-8, a car which has the potential to take it to the main challengers in the Modern category.

Mazda Motorsport Manager, Allan Horsley, is confident that Reeves driving the RX-8 SP will do him proud. The RX-8 SP had some mixed fortunes in Targa’s last rally in the Targa High Country, but Horsley and his team have been working on it to refine and improve any limitations the rotary previously had. “We are cautiously optimistic that the RX-8 is in for a good run at this year’s Wrest Point, especially after seeing it come second outright at last year’s Wrest Point rally. I believe it should be on the pace again,” said Horsley.

Reeves will be competing in the Modern Category and will be amongst Jason White in his Lamborghini Gallardo, Jim Richards, driving his Porsche GT2 RS, and Tony Quinn in his new Nissan GT-R. Another Australian Motorsport power couple, Simon and Sue Evans, will be driving the Mazda3 MPS. Their carefully honed driving-navigation skills took out the Showroom category in the Targa High Country 2011 rally and they are now equal leaders in the Australian Tarmac Championship.

Source: http://www.mazda.com.au/community/news/2012/1/mazdas-tenacious-two-back-to-tackle-tassie

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Nissan North America and The National Auto Sport Association (NASA) are pleased to announce the creation of an all-new Spec Z series that will feature the Nissan 350Z®. The NASA Spec Z class will include all trim levels of the 2003-2008 year model Nissan 350Z in a single classification focused on close competition, parity and cost containment that will showcase driving ability and car setup skills.

NASA Spec Z will offer a comprehensive contingency prize program that will reward both Regional and National Championship competitors. Nissan Motorsports will provide significant support for the series, and their contingency prize program provides cash rewards up to $850 for the top three finishers at each regional competition weekend. Additionally, Nissan Motorsports will provide $6,500 in cash support to the top Spec Z finishers at the 2012 NASA Championships.

We are very excited about Spec Z,” said Jeremy Croiset, NASA Sponsorship Manager. “We have been working closely with Nissan Motorsports on the creation of Spec Z, and it will be an excellent series for anyone looking to step into a spec vehicle that’s fast and relatively inexpensive to build, maintain and race. With the fantastic contingency prize programs that are being provided for Spec Z, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a more rewarding spec series to race in.

Ron Stukenberg, Senior Manager, Motorsports Marketing Communications, Nissan North America agrees, and adds, “NASA has a proven track record of growing classes from the ground up, so we are excited to be working with NASA on the new Spec Z series. We have a number of competitors already expressing interest in the series, so the potential for this series is very strong indeed.

Source: http://www.nissannews.com/pressrelease/3235//nissan-partners-national-auto-sport-association-create-new

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Hyundai Motor Company’s all-new Veloster is now arriving in Australian showrooms and brings a unique, interesting and inspiring alternative to the Australian automotive market.The all-new Veloster exemplifies Hyundai’s brand philosophy “New Thinking. New Possibilities.”. The Veloster also exhibits Hyundai’s unique design language ‘Fluidic Sculpture’ showcasing a sleek and distinctive design in an innovative 2+1 door configuration that provides practicality and individuality.

The Veloster achieves the maximum 5-star ANCAP safety rating. Complete with a comprehensive suite of active safety technologies, Veloster comes standard with Vehicle Stability Management (VSM), Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Traction Control System (TCS), Anti-skid Braking Systemn (ABS) with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD) & Brake Assist System (BAS). Hill-start Assist Control (HAC) is standard on DCT models.

The Veloster’s commanding exterior is echoed with a powerful and poised interior environment. Inside, the centre stack fascia and controls resemble a sport bike fuel tank with air vents inspired by motorcycle tailpipes and a floor console mirroring the seat of a bike. The interior is finished with modern metallic-look accents around the centre console, door handles, air vents and gear stick.

The Hyundai Veloster will be available in two trim levels (Veloster and Veloster +) and powered by an efficient 1.6-litre four-cylinder GDI petrol engine, generating 103kW. The Veloster is available with the option of a six-speed manual gearbox or Hyundai’s first double clutch transmission both achieving an estimated combined fuel economy of just 6.4 litres per 100km.

Source: http://www.hyundai.com.au/About-Hyundai/news/Articles/Introducing-the-All-new-Hyundai-Veloster-Cool-Coupe-or-Smart-Hatch

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IRVINE, Calif. - Mazda North American Operations (MNAO) will unveil its 2012 MX-5 Miata Special Edition at the upcoming 2012 Chicago Auto Show. The limited-run model features a black-only Power Retractable Hard Top (PRHT) - the first time a non-body-colored hard top is available in North America - as well as other exclusivities such as two new exterior colors, new 17-inch black gunmetal alloy wheels, black exterior accents, black heated leather seats and piano black interior finishes.

The MX-5 Miata is the world’s best-selling two-seat roadster with more than 900,000 produced, and made its global debut at the Chicago Auto Show in 1989. The MX-5 Special Edition continues the sports car’s history of being a dynamically-engineered, enthusiast-approved roadster whose price doesn’t discriminate and whose luxuries are not stripped.

Available with either the six-speed manual transmission with short-throw shifter or six-speed Sport automatic transmission with steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters, the Special Edition model is based off the Grand Touring model. Both Premium and Suspension packages will be standard on the MX-5 Special Edition.

Turbo2 - Unveiled at the SEMA Show held in Las Vegas this past November, this concept is the brainchild of The Autobarn, which owns two Mazda dealerships in the Greater Chicago area. Here, a “Zoom-Zoom Concentrated” Mazda2 is outfitted with an extra-strength component in the form of a MAZDASPEED3 MZR 2.3-liter Direct Injection Spark Ignition (DISI) turbo engine. Consider the Turbo2 a subcompact cat that doesn’t purr - it growls.

Star Mazda Championship Open-Wheel Race Car - The Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear is a major part of the Mazda Road to Indy. Rising motorsports stars from around the world compete for prizes valued at $1.5 million, including a scholarship to move up and compete in the 2013 Firestone Indy Lights series.

Source: http://www.mazdausamedia.com/content/2012-mazda-mx-5-miata-special-edition-makes-north-american-debut-chicago

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