Articles by Ellen de Vries

The Mazda CX-5 was named ‘most beautiful car’ in the SUV, Van and All-Wheel Drive category -- ahead of the Audi A6 and Q3. About 200,000 people in Europe participated in the poll, which saw the Japanese brand’s CX-5 compact SUV take the 17.8 per cent majority against its German competition. “The CX-5’s win at the AUTO BILD 2012 European Design Awards is significant for Mazda. Europe has a strong reputation for being a global design leader and for the Mazda CX-5 to receive this level of recognition across several European markets and to beat established European competitors really speaks volumes for the company’s design direction,” Mazda Australia spokesman Steve Maciver says. “It’s clear that the Kodo: Soul of Motion design language really resonates with customers and when combined with Skyactiv technology, the CX-5 has demonstrated that it has the ability to grow the Mazda brand both here in Australia and also in other key markets such as Europe.” The CX-5 is the first production model to showcase Mazda’s Kodo design ethos, which Mazda says “combines motion with the beauty and power of nature”. The contemporary aesthetic of the CX-5 has contributed to its success in Australia, with over 8000 sold here since its March launch. This is the second time the company has won an Auto Bild title – in 2009 the Mazda3 was labelled ‘most attractive new car’ in the Small and Compact category.

As a three-time winner of the Bathurst 1000, he’s used to driving fast. But he’ll be dropping the pace in stints as a volunteer driver for leukaemia patients. The V8 Supercar star’s chauffer duties tie in with the donation of 17 new Holden Commodores to the Leukaemia Foundation. As a Holden ambassador, Tander made a special appearance at the Ipswich 300 round to help announce the donation, which is the latest initiative in seven years of vehicle supply to the Foundation. Among the happiest to be there was four-year-old former leukaemia patient Maggie, who was diagnosed when she was just six hours old and began chemotherapy at two weeks. Happily, Maggie is now in full remission but was delighted at the chance to meet Tander and get a close look at the special livery for the patient transport cars. Over the past seven years the patient transport program has transported over 6,300 blood cancer patients to and from treatment free of charge.  During treatment, blood cancer patients are highly susceptible to infections and therefore public transport must be avoided. Holden has an ongoing program that sees their cars do service for the patients. “We are very grateful to Holden for their ongoing support and commitment since 2002,” Leukaemia Foundation CEO Peter Cox said.  “The previous Holden sponsored cars have travelled over 2.8 million kilometres – equal to sixty-nine laps around the globe.” Holden paid tribute to the important work the Foundation undertakes, and which the carmaker says it is keen to support. "The Leukaemia Foundation provides an enormously valuable service to people with blood cancer and we aim to assist in as many ways as possible,” Holden spokesperson Maya Donevska said. “To be able to donate 17 Commodores is an important milestone in our relationship with the Foundation.”  

In the tsunami of email scams, you could be forgiven for scoffing at that announcement. But for one lucky Australian Hyundai buyer, it was genuine – and will see them getting a special prize with their car. The milestone Hyundai, an ix35 SUV, was sold just after 5pm last Wednesday -- at the same dealer who sold the first one way back in 1986, John Hughes Hyundai in Perth.  “We’re delighted that that the millionth new Hyundai was sold in the same city where it all began back in 1986,” Hyundai marketing director Oliver Mann says. Hyundai says the buyer will be getting VIP treatment with a package to attend the Hopman Cup in Perth -- and a hamper of chocolate and other sweets to keep their blood sugar up while courtside.  Mr Mann said: “The true significance of reaching one million sales in Australia is that so many astute local buyers have put their faith in the Hyundai brand when there is so much choice in the market," "We thank them for their loyalty, and pledge to continue our efforts to provide them with superior quality and service.” Hyundai has been pressing the sales accelerator. It took 18 years to reach the half-million mark, but the remaining 500,000 vehicles have rolled out the door in just the past eight years since 2004.  The growth has seen Hyundai become the fifth-largest automotive brand in Australia – and helped towards it being the fastest-growing in the world, with last year’s global sales exceeding 4 million.  

The little city pod car -- the name stands for 'twin-seater zero-emission easy vehicle'  --  took out the Best of the Best in the the prestigious international Red Dot Design Awards. Choosing the Twizy above 4500 other contenders, the panel of 30 expert judges commended  its safety, agility and energy-efficiency, calling it "a highly convincing and expressive transportation solution for mobility in the near future.” Featuring a hexagonal plastic body and beetle-wing doors (with windows open to the weather) Twizy might look comical compared to a conventional car, but overseas it's a serious consideration as urban transport -- and gets a safety fit-out to suit. The Twizy is classed as an 'electric quadricycle', but it has a body with front and rear crumple zones and a safety cell structure to shield impact from the cabin. The equipment list includes an airbag and four-point harness seatbelt for the driver, a three-point seatbelt for the passenger, and four-wheel disc brakes. But without side impact bars and electronic stability control Twizy fails to satisfy Australian regulations. So that means we won't see the award-winning design on our streets for several years. However Renault Australia says they will continue to appeal to authorities here to create a road-legal quadricycle category, following the example of European classification. And in the meantime, they're celebrating the Red Dot Award. "We are delighted to see Twizy being recognised for its design ingenuity and leadership'" Renault Corporate Communications Manager, Emily Ambrosy says. “Twizy represents Renault’s solution to urban mobility and, as an electric vehicle, demonstrates the future of motoring.” Twizy is the second Renault vehicle to win the award after Mégane II in 2003. Eric Diemert, Design Director, Renault Sport Technologies, said: “This award will encourage us to pursue our commitment to innovation for all that is so important to Renault range vehicles, and to make them even more innovative and attractive.”