Aussie Motoring

A Driver’s Car with SUV Tendencies - or so they say

Kia Motors Corporation has released a preview sketch of the all-new ‘Kue’ concept car, which will make its world premiere at the upcoming North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit in early January.

The Kia Kue concept employs a different approach to the crossover utility vehicle segment by taking elements of what makes a CUV to a new level, namely performance.

Kue is designed first and foremost as a driver’s vehicle. While possessing SUV characteristics and capabilities, the Kia Kue focuses more on giving the driver an exhilarating driving experience on the way to the home improvement center than on how much it can haul.

The Kia Kue has a monocoque platform that sits on 22-inch tires with a wheelbase of more than 114 inches, packaged in an overall length of 186 inches. Though purely a concept, the Kia Kue does, however, hint at future styling directions for Kia Motors.

Of course, it’s a BMW

The world’s first hydrogen-drive luxury performance car has been unveiled at the Los Angeles International Auto Show.

Known as the Hydrogen 7 the car is based on BMW’s familiar 7 Series model and is equipped with an internal combustion engine capable of running either on hydrogen or on petrol.

With the BMW Hydrogen 7, the BMW Group is laying down a marker for sustainable mobility and this car will play a pioneering role in driving forward hydrogen technologies.

Together with clean, performance diesel engines and the technologically advanced hybrid systems currently under development within the BMW EfficientDynamics project, the BMW Group has a clear strategy for sustainable mobility – with hydrogen as the ultimate goal.

Hydrogen technology dramatically reduces emissions generated by personal transport and, in particular, minimizes the emission of CO2.

Running in the hydrogen mode, the BMW Hydrogen 7 essentially emits nothing but water vapour.

With all the comforts and amenities of a non-hydrogen BMW 7 Series, the BMW Hydrogen 7 is powered by a 191 kW twelve-cylinder engine that accelerates from 0–100 km/h in 9.5 seconds.

Top speed is limited electronically to 230 km/h.

The BMW Hydrogen 7 also features a dual-mode power unit – controlled at the touch of a button – that can switch quickly and conveniently from hydrogen to conventional premium grade unleaded.

The car’s dual-mode drive provides a hydrogen mode cruising range of more than 200 kilometres, with another 500 kilometres in petrol mode.

With this overall cruising range of more than 700 kilometres, the driver of a BMW Hydrogen 7 is able to use the vehicle without problem even when the nearest hydrogen filling station is far away.

This technology is a viable solution until the hydrogen infrastructure is fully developed.

The BMW Hydrogen 7 emphatically proves that changing over to an alternative form of energy doesn’t mean missing out on superior driving dynamics and comfort.

The departure from fossil fuel does not in any way mean giving up the dynamics and performance typical of a BMW.

Sleek and impressive

Lexus will stage the world premiere of the 2008 IS-F sport performance car and an exciting concept vehicle at a press conference at the 2007 North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

The IS-F is an all-new high-performance version of the popular Lexus IS 250/350 sport sedans. It will feature unique styling and a substantial boost in power from a V8 powerplant that will captivate performance car enthusiasts when it goes on sale next year.

It was designed in China for China and it sure looks different

The Volkswagen Neeza is a concept car … so far … but when Volkswagen released the Neeza at this year’s major Chinese auto show - Auto China 2006 - there were plenty of hints that the concept might soon turn into a production model.

The concept behind the Neeza is a crossover between a coupe and a station wagon.

The unusual name will have direct appeal to the Chinese market place because it is derived from “Ne-zha”, the name of a well-known figure in Chinese history.

Well at least that’s the way the UK sees it

Kia Motors has been named ‘Global Automotive Manufacturer of the Year 2007’ by the UK’s Institute of Transport Management (ITM) in its recent report into global manufacturing processes and companies operating within the industry.

The award recognizes the considerable progress Kia Motors has made in promoting sustainable development within the industry. Amongst both product and next generation initiatives, the report recognizes the advanced technological solutions Kia has implemented to minimize energy and water consumption, emissions and waste at its manufacturing plants.

It anticipates a year of continued expansion for the Kia brand in which its first European production facility and its second Chinese production facility will become fully operational, increasing sales from overseas production to almost half a million units per year by 2008.

Just when everyone will be watching

Financial pressures on the struggling Betta Electrical group will mean that Craig Lowndes and Jamie Whincup will be racing at at Phillip Island without the Betta Electrical brand appearing on their cars or uniforms.

Lowndes and his team had already signed a major sponsorship deal with Vodafone for next year and it’s been reported that the team’s cars will be wearing a livery at Phillip Island that hints of that coming sponsorship.

SUV of the Year and Best Midsize SUV

The fourth annual Autobytel Editor’s Choice Awards is a listing of the best new 2007 vehicles on the market in the United States and the review team consists of veteran automotive editors.

This year the Hyundai Santa Fe was adjudged the best midsize SUV and it also picked up the top award as SUV of the Year.

The Santa Fe appealed to the judges because it offered a new sleek and sporty designed coupled with a luxurious interior at an affordable price.

Nissan claims its first hybrid will be on the road within three years

A Japanese business magazine has reported that Nissan will have its first hybrid on the road within three years. The vehicle will be sub-compact that will be powered by lithium-ion batteries that Nissan will develop themselves.

Nissan is also planning on releasing a gas-electric hybrid sometime in 2010 and will work with Renault to put a bioethanol vehicle on the road.

Five-Star crash safety rating for entry level SUV in frontal and side impact crash tests

The 2007 Kia Sportage earned a five-star crash safety rating, the highest possible, for all seating positions in the latest frontal and side impact crash tests conducted by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

SUV sales are also recovering in November

Sales of light cars and Sports Utility Vehicles have helped the Australian motor vehicle market to a strong monthly result in November.

Figures released today by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) show that a total of 83,927 cars, trucks and buses were sold last month – down just 0.3 per cent on the total for the month last year.

The results from industry statistician VFACTS show that the Light car segment was again the main driver of the market, with sales up by 1604 vehicles (18.8 per cent) on November 2005.

“The light car boom is undoubtedly one of the major motor vehicle sales stories of 2006,” said FCAI Chief Executive Peter Sturrock.

“Throughout the year the motor industry’s smallest models have been the biggest growth trend, propelled by spiking fuel prices, rising interest rates and the exceptional value and convenience these cars now represent,” he said.

The growth of light cars was not matched by the Small car segment, which fell by 6.1 per cent – the fourth month in a row that sales in the segment have failed to match the previous year’s volumes.

The larger Medium car segment in contrast grew by 8.1 per cent month-on-month.

“The Medium car result points to an encouraging swing back to family sedans which has become evident in recent months,” said Mr Sturrock.

“The new, locally-made Camry is selling very well in the Medium segment and above that the new Holden Commodore had another good sales month, plus the new Aurion debuted strongly.”

Sports Utility Vehicle sales continue to recover with the market up in November by 961 vehicles or 6.6 per cent on the same time last year – the second monthly rise in a row.

“The improving sales of four-wheel drive vehicles is mostly due to growth in the SUV Small segment, where fuel economy is less of a concern,” said Mr Sturrock.

The year-to-date 2006 market of 885,603 vehicles is running below the same period in 2005 by 2.6 per cent or 23,389 vehicles.

Mr Sturrock said the industry was looking for a strong result from the traditional end of year retail push in order to take it to the FCAI’s forecast total of 970,000.

“In a year when fuel prices have reached record levels and we’ve had a succession of interest rate rises it’s remarkable that the Australian motor vehicle industry is still likely to finish with its second-best ever sales result.”