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Reality check for Classic Outback Trial

Reality check for Classic Outback Trial #Aussie #carnews #carphotos #carreviews #cars4starters #notjustcars

A reality check will see a shorter event and the Classic Outback Trial return next year to NSW.

Described as the 21st century equivalent of the classic Round Australia trials, director Philip Bernadou has announced that after a sojourn in Alice Springs in 2016 and 2018, the 7th Classic Outback Trial will return to its original roots from August 8-15, 2020.

Bernadou said the spirit of the old…

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@cars4starters: Dominos deliver, #autonomous #cars #cars4start #dominos #driverless #pizza #Ford #Miami https://t.co/jWVvRowPjT https://t.co/7sqVjfeqdx

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Did you catch the news that Brabus has signed a deal with Chinese Great Wall Motors which could lead to a little automotive magic.

Brabus for those not familiar with the name is a German auto tuner renowned for turning ordinary cars into super cars.

Benz partnered with the outfit on the Smart car project, but it’s better known for its big, bad Benzes.

Brabus Automotive and Great Wall Motor have signed a strategic agreement that will lead to the development and production of limited special series, special annual editions as well as enhanced versions of the top-of-the-range models of the Great Wall Motor and WEY brands.

The two companies will also cooperate in the advance of joint research and development projects, and cooperate in the area of alternative powertrains.

Brabus will also provide support for exterior and interior design, as well as homologation of the vehicles for the European market.

Brabus Rocket 800

WEY is no doubt hoping its association with the German powerhouse will provide a launching pad to transform the company from a Chinese into an international brand, in line with a global vision of “going-up and going-out”.

From deployment worldwide to cooperation, WEY says it is committed to “bringing affordable luxury to Chinese customers and bringing luxury made in China to the world”.

WEY’s RS7 pictured is a sportier version of the VV7, but produces the same 172kW and 320Nm of torque — that’s where Brabus is likely to step in.

The Brabus Rocket 800 was the world’s fastest street-legal sedan until a few years ago.

With a V12 that produced 597kW and 1420Nm of torque, it was able to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.7 seconds, and had a top speed of 370 km/h.

The good news for us is that the WEY range is apparently under consideration for the Australian market.

CHECKOUT: Great Wall takes the fight up to Ford

CHECKOUT: Haval H6: the best Chinese car so far

WEY to go Brabus #Aussie #carreviews #cars4starters #notjustcars #GreatWall #RS7 #WEY Did you catch the news that Brabus has signed a deal with Chinese Great Wall Motors which could lead to a little automotive magic.

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Great Wall takes the fight up to Ford

Great Wall takes the fight up to Ford #Aussie #carreviews #cars4starters #GreatWall #Haval #notjustcars #ute

China’s Great Wall Motors cut its teeth here with cheap utilities that were snapped up by tradies a decade ago.

And now China’s largest SUV and utility manufacturer is getting ready to take its sales strategy to the next level with a 4×4 dual cab ute that is sure to have universal appeal.

It’s just released a sneak preview of its Adventure ute that will make its debut at the Shaghai motor show in…

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Car batteries recycled in fork lifts

Car batteries recycled in fork lifts #Aussie #carnews #carphotos #carreviews #cars4starters #notjustcars #website #Audi #batteries

Just like old tyres, used car batteries are becoming a millstone around the necks of manufacturers.

In Germany Audi has begun testing used lithium-ion batteries in factory vehicles at its main Ingolstadt plant.

Because they still have a large part of their original capacity, an interdisciplinary project team is investigating how batteries can continue to be used sensibly.

The batteries come from…

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Aussie reaches finals of international design award

Aussie reaches finals of international design award #Aussie #carnews #carphotos #carreviews #cars4starters #BenBerwick

A young Australian architect is a finalist in the prestigious international Lexus Design Award. Ben Berwick’s ingenious solar blind concept has earned him a spot in the finals ahead of 1500 other international entries.

The owner of Sydney-based architecture firm, his Solgami concept uses origami geometry to create an experimental window blind that incorporates solar panels.

Solgami — a hybrid…

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At a time when Kia has just dropped its slow selling Optima sedan, Hyundai has just revealed images of its next-generation Sonata — Optima twin under the skin.

Optima was hailed for its fresh, Peter Schreyer-inspired good looks on its launch here in 2011.

Initially available with the one 2.4-litre four cylinder engine, performance received a major lift with the inclusion of a torquey 2.0-litre turbo in 2015.

But as good as it was the car has failed to fire the imagination of the Australian buying public, with sales continuing to slide — down 42 per cent to the end of February this year.

Hyundai on the other hand is upbeat about the prospects of its new Sonata, due here in the second half of the year.

But its arrival may see the demise of the similarly sized but almost invisible i40.

The new Sonata adopts a sportier profile, with a short rump and long bonnet, sitting lower, wider and longer, with a 35mm longer wheelbase.

In a first the Daytime Running Lights include hidden lighting lamps.

The hidden lights appear to be of a “chromic” material when switched off but become dramatically lit when turned on.

The light architecture was initially revealed in Hyundai’s HDC-2 concept car at the Busan Motor Show in June last year.

It was created by fleshing out the form of the light and making it into a powerful design element.

The light architecture is also applied to the interior space with the ambient mood lamp illuminating dashboard and doors.

Along with the Sensuous Sportiness concept, Hyundai says the light architecture defines the design identity of its future cars.

Tghe next generation Hyundai Sonata

Tghe next generation Hyundai Sonata

Tghe next generation Hyundai Sonata

CHECKOUT: Kia tries to kick start Optima

CHECKOUT: Tough road ahead for classy Sonata

Optima axed as wraps come off new Sonata #Aussie #carnews #carphotos #carreviews #cars4starters #notjustcars #website #Hyundai #Kia #Optima #Sonata At a time when Kia has just dropped its slow selling Optima sedan, Hyundai has just revealed images of its next-generation Sonata -- Optima twin under the skin. 267 more words

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BMW comes up 'trumps' again

BMW comes up 'trumps' again #Aussie #carnews #carphotos #carreviews #cars4starters #notjustcars #website #BMW

It must rile Donald Trump more than the tales told out of school by his disgruntled ex-staff.

Not for the first time, but for the fifth consecutive year running, a German manufacturer is the biggest exporter of cars in the United States — not into but out of the country.

So much for making America great again.

According to data released this week by the US. Department of Commerce, BMW exported…

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Swiss car tuner Rinspeed has come up with some whacky ideas for cars over the years.

While their concepts are always entertaining, it would be mistake to dismiss them entirely — they’re pictures of what might be in future.

Rinspeed’s latest creation, SNAP, or more accurately the microSNAP, may spell the end of delivery vans and hi-viz clad drivers as we know them.

Presented for the first time at the Consumer Electronics Show last year in Las Vegas, Rinspeed has reduced the size of the concept in line with its new motto — “think mighty micro”.

The microSnap concept proposes an electric, autonomous vehicle with interchangeable bodies and chassies, together with a fully automated robot station that can change combinations autonomously.

But here’s the interesting bit.

As far as the Swiss automotive visionary is concerned, the days of large delivery vehicles that serve customers in sequence over the course of a day are numbered.

Because online business is booming and now includes the fresh food sector, Rinspeed believes deliveries will in future be carried out by small autonomous vehicles that “swarm” out to bring their goods to the customer without detours — and ‘just in time.’

Snap is not limited to goods and fast food either, with a passenger cell part of its interchangeable inventory.

“Customers increasingly want prompt deliveries and many passengers are unwilling to use shared taxis, which have to take time-consuming detours by design,” Rinderknecht said.

Under the Snap system, the chassis is known as a “Skateboard” and the body of the vehicle as a “Pod”.

Pods can be mated with whatever skateboards are currently available.

While skateboards are recycled after a few years, because they will have reached the end of their service life.

Rinspeed says this avoids expensive and complicated hardware updates.

In keeping with an established tradition, the 25th concept car from Rinspeed was again designed at Swiss company 4erC and constructed at Esoro, which also handled the technical implementation.

As always when Rinderknecht is at work, the electric vehicle is chock-full of technical and visual treats contributed by a network of renowned companies from around the world.

CHECKOUT: Pizza delivery, minus the driver

CHECKOUT: Ford targets the ‘last’ delivery leg

Snap takes the hi-viz out of deliveries #Aussie #carnews #carphotos #carreviews #cars4starters #notjustcars #website Swiss car tuner Rinspeed has come up with some whacky ideas for cars over the years.

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LEAF 2: $50K still big ask for a hatch #Aussie #carnews #carphotos #carreviews #cars4starters #electric #LEAF #Nissan Nissan's new LEAF will be in Australian showrooms from August, priced from $49,990. The previous model failed to ignite buyer interest, but the company has high hopes for the latest version of its electric car which now boasts a range of up to 270km. 382 more words

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Car batteries find new life off road #Aussie #carnews #carphotos #carreviews #cars4starters #notjustcars #website #camper #Nissan Going camping usually means going off the grid with a range of LPG powered appliances to provide your lighting and heating needs.

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Where's the Calais we know and love?

Untitled #cars4start

What is it?

It’s a vehicle from a brand that was once regarded as being as solid as the Rock of Gibraltar.

Holden relied on its trusty Kingswood for a decade, but was forced to downsize the car in response to the oil crisis.

Its replacement came from Europe and was called Commodore for the local market.

Forty years later Holden has stopped building cars locally.

They’re sourced from around…

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Tough road ahead for classy Sonata

Sonata #cars4start

What is it?

HARD to believe that Hyundai’s Sonata dates back to 1985, because the mid-sized sedan seems to have been around forever — but in its latest form it’s as fresh as tomorrow’s tweet from The Donald.

The car is a visual stunner with an all-new body, the fresh Kona-like grille, sleek headlights and a new transmission and updated interior too.

The model range has been reduced to two,…

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By any measure the Vauxhall Caleche is a rare Australian convertible.

Built by Holden from 1938 to 1951 it featured an imported British Vauxhall chassis, grille, bonnet and front mudguards.

From the firewall back Holden fastened a wooden frame to the chassis.

The frame supported thin metal panels.

Covering it all was a canvas convertible top.

It was a car built to a low price.

Creature comforts were sparse, even by the spartan standards of the day.

No wind up windows here.

This little gem had curtains that were fixed to the car with press studs.

No exterior door handles either.

Oh, and the windscreen folds down, like a world war two Jeep.

1940 Vauxhall Caleche convertible

1940 Vauxhall Caleche convertible

1940 Vauxhall Caleche convertible

So how rare is a Caleche?  

Peter Sara’s immaculate 1940 model is believed to be one of only 15 or so still in existence.

“There’s not too many of them about,” Peter says.

In fact, Peter’s car is doubly rare.

Research suggests that it went down the production line on the opening day of Holden’s brand new factory at Pagewood in Sydney on February 16, 1940.

Car production ceased soon after and Holden swung over to war material production.

Peter bought the car in 2008.

The previous owner had acquired it 25 years previously with every intention to restore it.

Its ownership history before that is less clear.

“I’d like to find out who the first owner was,” he says.

The car was not in good shape when Peter put it in his workshop.

“It was pretty rough,” he remembers. “There was no interior, the engine and associated mechanicals were inoperable, the steering was woeful and the suspension needed replacing.

“AND the brakes did not work”.

It took Peter six years to restore the car to as-new condition.

On the road the 1.4-litre four cylinder engine copes well with suburban traffic, but the 80km/h top speed restricts its use on a freeway.

“You would not want to go that much faster in it anyway” he says, obviously reflecting the lack of side windows.

The word ‘Caleche’ has various meanings but in general terms refers to a fashionable horse-drawn carriage or the folded hood of a horse-drawn carriage.

David Burrell is the editor of retroautos.com.au

CHECKOUT: Ladies and gentlemen, Mr Monaro John Schinella

CHECKOUT: Rob bought it on eBay

1940 Vauxhall Caleche #cars #cars4start #Retro #Vauxhall By any measure the Vauxhall Caleche is a rare Australian convertible. Built by Holden from 1938 to 1951 it featured an imported British Vauxhall chassis, grille, bonnet and front mudguards.

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Supra bound for Botany Bay

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Surprise, surprise. Toyota has confirmed the next generation is bound for Botany Bay.

The fifth-generation Supra, code named A90, is expected to arrive here in the third quarter of next year.

No word on the price yet, but there will be no shortage of eager customers — not with the promise of a 220kW 3.0-litre turbocharged six cylinder engine and performance to match.

Boosted by a twin-scroll…

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Toyota throws the hybrid switch

Toyota Corolla ZR Hybrid #cars4start

What is it?

Toyota’s latest foray into hybrid vehicles comes in the form of a revamped Corolla hatch range.

There’s a new three level choice: Ascent Sport, SX, and ZR.

There is also a choice of 2.0-litre petrol or 1.8-litre hybrid powertrains, with a manual transmission offered with only one — the Ascent Sport. Otherwise it’s a CVT across the range.

There’s been some real sheet metal changes,…