Articles by Spencer Leech

Audi Australia has lowered pricing and boosted standard equipment for its A5 45 TFSI Sportback, Coupe and Cabriolet variants.Entry to the all-paw A5 grade now starts at $78,900 plus on-road costs for the Coupe and Sportback, while the drop-top Cabriolet is priced from $92,400.The updated pricing structure translates to a $2800 discount across the A5 45 TFSI quattro range.Despite the price reduction, Audi says it is now including an extra $9000 worth of standard features.Pricing for the base A5 remains unchanged, with the front-wheel-drive 40 TFSI starting at $70,100, or $83,600 for the convertible.New standard equipment for the 45 TFSI quattro includes an S line exterior package with unique 19-inch alloy wheels, memory driver’s seat and side mirrors, a wireless charger, heated front seats and dual USB outlets for rear passengers.The update also sees more driver-assistance systems fitted as standard, including active lane assist, high beam assist, adaptive cruise control with traffic jam assist, park assist and a surround-view camera.“The stunning A5 is an Audi design icon that perfectly fits the brief of a contemporary sports coupe,” said Audi Australia product planning and pricing director Shawn Ticehurst.“On the other hand, the five-door Audi Sportback concept offers similarly distinct styling, sporty performance and a uniquely versatile body concept, luring buyers that might have traditionally looked at a sedan instead.“With this new pricing and significant additional equipment, the A5 45 TFSI quattro models are an even more compelling package that shine conspicuously in what is a very aspirational segment.”While the Audi A5 Sportback has performed well in the showroom, sales for its Coupe and Convertible siblings have dropped 43.7 per cent year-to-date.

Renault Australia’s Trafic mid-size van is now available with a limited-run Formula Edition variant.The F1-inspired grade has returned for 2019, based on the 103kW/340Nm 1.6-litre turbo-diesel Trafic, and once again boasting unique exterior styling and a strong list of standard equipment.Available in both short- and long-wheelbase guise, the Trafic Formula Edition can be had from $41,490 plus on-road costs and $43,490, respectively, which translates to a $3000 and $3500 premium compared to the vehicles upon which they are based.The Formula Edition is equipped exclusively with a six-speed manual gearbox.For the extra bags of sand, the Formula Edition features dark cloth upholstery, a heated driver’s seat, unique floor mats, climate control, a wide-view reversing mirror, LED interior lighting, a dashboard storage compartment and a start/stop button.The interior also gains chrome touches on the instrument panel surround, gear knob, and speaker panels, and gloss black surrounds are added to the air vents.Renault will also include a high-security dead-locking system, a stainless-steel bumper lip to make the load bay more secure and a dealer-fitted timber cargo floor.The flooring is made from nine-millimetre hardwood with a hard-wearing, non-slip surface.Distinguishing the Formula Edition is a red exterior decal kit, which is included with both the White and Storm Grey paint options, black 17-inch alloys and body-coloured bumpers.According to Renault Australia LCV product manager Lyndon Healey, the brand is confident that the Formula Edition will help drive light-commercial sales.“Over the past few years the exclusive Formula Edition has brought many new customers to Renault LCV,” he said.“In addition to referencing Renault Sport’s involvement in Formula 1, the feature-rich list of extra equipment and the stand out design elements really appeal to SME (Small to Medium Enterprise) and tradie buyers,” he said.“More importantly for keen Trafic drivers, the manual six-speed gearbox is the same as that used in the high-performance Renault Sport Megane hot-hatch, so there’s a little bit of Renault Sport magic in every Trafic,”Only a “small number” of Formula Edition vans will be available in 2019, however, it is unclear exactly how many units are allocated.“With only a small number of Formula Edition vans available in 2019, fans of sporty Trafics are encouraged to race into their local Renault dealer before they sell out.” 

Alfa Romeo Australia has announced pricing for its limited edition Giulia Quadrifoglio and Stelvio Quadrifoglio NRING special editions.The highly limited Alfas will touch down in September from $182,900 plus on-road costs for the Giulia, and $189,900 for the Stelvio variant.Customers of the highly specified grade will have to pay a significant premium, with both NRING editions costing at least $35,000 more than the standard Quadrifoglios upon which they are based.Just four Giulia, and three Stelvio NRING units have been allocated for Australia.As the name suggests, the NRING limited editions are designed to pay homage to the famous Nurburgring circuit in Germany, and benefit from a number of unique features inside and out.Both models are painted in Curcuito Grey matte, and sport carbon-fibre grille inserts and exterior mirrors, as well as an exposed carbon fibre roof, and carbon ceramic brakes with red painted calipers.The Giulia four-door sedan wears 19-inch Dark Miron alloy wheels and NRING-specific badging, while the Stelvio medium SUV rides on 20-inch alloys and features a panoramic sunroof.Inside, both vehicles feature leather and Alcantara upholstery with red accents, Sparco carbon fibre front seats, a sports steering wheel, and various carbon fibre trim pieces.“The NRING limited dition models take the Quadrifoglio lineup to the next level,” said Alfa Romeo director of brand and product strategy Guillaume Drelon.“The Quadrifoglio range was specifically designed to be the fastest production SUV and five-passenger sedan to take on the Nürburgring and both achieved that goal. "The NRING Limited Editions celebrates that triumph and those who strive to set the pace, in an absolutely unique and exclusive manner.”Carrying over from the standard model, the Giulia Quadrifoglio NRING is powered by a 2.9-litre bi-turbo petrol V6 delivering 375kW/600Nm, and sending power through to the rear wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission.The Stelvio Quadrifoglio NRING uses the same motor and transmission, but instead uses an all-wheel-drive system. In production form, the Giulia Quadrifoglio sedan set a time of seven minutes and 32 seconds at the Nurburgring Nordschleife circuit, while the Stelvio Quadrifoglio SUV managed to run the Green Hell in seven minutes and 51 seconds.

Ford has revealed its new Mustang55 special edition model for European customers, which celebrates the 55th anniversary of the iconic nameplate. The Mustang55 is exclusively V8 powered, and will be available overseas in both fastback and convertible body styles.Motivating the American muscle car is the standard 5.0-litre naturally aspirated V8, which produces 339kW and 556Nm, and can be equipped with either a six-speed manual or 10-speed automatic transmission.With no performance upgrades, the Mustang55 is down on power compared to Ford’s Mustang Bullitt special edition, which gets a 6KW boost to 345kW/556Nm.What the anniversary special does gain is new exterior styling touches including a bespoke bonnet and side-stripes, as well as unique badging, an optional rear spoiler and a ‘high-specification’ interior. Fastback units can feature a black painted roof, complementing the new gloss-black 19-inch alloys.Inside, the Mustang55 is treated to carbon-fibre effect dashboard inserts, a leather-wrapped centre console and knee bolster, and grey stitching.Both automatic and manual variants gain unique shift knobs, and the seats and door trims feature Alcantara material.Ford of Europe marketing sales and service vice president Roelant de Waard says the brand is confident that the Mustang will continue to perform well in the showroom. “Mustang is one of an exclusive group of vehicles to achieve more than half a century of continuous production, and customers’ appetites for the world’s best-selling sports car show no sign of waning,” he said.Earlier this month, Ford Australia revealed its 2020 Ford Mustang GT range, which will be available with a new ‘Black Shadow Pack’, which adds similar upgrades to Europe’s Mustang55 special edition. The Black Shadow pack bundles a black roof, bonnet and side stripes, grille badging and 19-inch wheels.2020 Mustang GT customers also benefit from four new colour options including Grabber Lime and Twister Orange.Pricing for the premium paint has yet to be confirmed, however, it will likely be available for $650 as with previous Mustang paint options.The facelifted Stang will also come standard with a 12.4-inch digital instrument cluster, Recaro seats and an 8.0-inch ‘Sync3’ infotainment touchscreen.Pricing will carry over, with the base GT Fastback coming in at $63,290 plus on-road costs, the automatic version costing $66,290, and the auto-only convertible topping the full-time range at $74,728.

Bentley has revealed a special First Edition variant for its all-new Flying Spur sedan range, which is slated for production before year’s end.

Olympic and Paralympic Games partner Toyota has revealed its new APM (Accessible People Mover) electric vehicle, which will provide mobility for staff and visitors at the Tokyo 2020 Games.The APM is specifically designed to transport people to events and venues, including athletes and staff related to the Games, as well as visitors with particular accessibility needs such as elderly, disabled, pregnant people, and families with small children. Toyota will employ around 200 units, and will also utilise the APM at non-event sites such as the Olympic Village.The vehicle is powered by a low-power, battery-electric powertrain, which provides 100 kilometres of driving range and a maximum speed of 19km/h.In the standard configuration, the APM has three seating rows. A driver and front passenger can use the front row, while the second row provides seating for three, and the third row provides seating for two. When transporting passengers in wheelchairs, the layout can be adjusted to place one wheelchair rider in the second row, with anchor plates and ramps to improve safety. The APM can also cater to injured event-goers, with a configuration that hosts relief staff workers and a stretcher. It is unclear what will come of the 200 Toyota APM units once the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games comes to pass.

Lotus has officially revealed its first fully electric model, the Evija, dubbing the 1470kW hypercar “the most powerful series production road car ever built”.

UK company Western Power Distribution (WPD) has revealed findings from its three-year study into electric vehicle (EV) smart charging feasibility, using data collected from more than a million charging records. The Electric Nation project was conducted to further understand the impact of home charging of EVs on UK electricity networks, and to evaluate the reliability and feasibility of smart charging.Smart charging systems can be configured to automatically charge vehicles when the electricity is at its cheapest, and reduces charge when it is more expensive.Partners in the project DriveElectric recruited approximately 700 EV drivers and installed smart charging facilities in participants homes, before collecting their data over an 18-month period. More than 40 different makes and models of plug-in vehicles were included in the study, including battery electric and plug-in hybrids (PHEVs).Participants’ charging habits were monitored for things like frequency, length and amount of energy consumed.The results were announced at this week’s Smart Charged conference at the British Motor Museum, Gaydon, and showed that smart charging combined with time-of-use electricity tariffs could help to manage the impacts of EVs on the low voltage electricity network.According to the Electric Nation project results, the most popular time for EV owners to plug-in is during the evening peak time between 5pm and 7pm on weekdays, when the majority of drivers get home from work. In most cases, the vehicles were plugged in for over 12 hours, which shows that it is feasible for owners to charge away from the peak electricity demand period.The study also shows that an average charging event for a pure EV in the UK starts with the battery already 50 per cent full, and that most PHEV owners only charge their vehicle three times a week.DriveElectric has called for cheaper electricity rates at off-peak times in the UK, as it believes that without an incentive, and as EV ownership grows, too many vehicles will be plugged into the grid during the evening peak time.According to DriveElectric managing director Mike Potter, trial participants had a positive response to smart charging. “The Electric Nation project shows that smart charging can help to reduce the load on the grid from EVs at peak times, and there has been an overwhelming positive attitude towards smart charging from participants,” he said. “We have also trialled our Crowd Charge app and this has proven that the platform works and that EV owners can benefit from lower cost and lower emission electricity without changing their use of their EV.”

Mini has officially entered the electric vehicle (EV) market with the reveal of its Cooper S E, which combines a familiar 3-door hatch design with a zero-emissions powertrain. Under the bonnet sits an all-electric motor that delivers 135kW and 270Nm, sending power directly to the front wheels, and allowing the German small car to sprint from zero to 100km/h in 7.3 seconds.The lithium-ion battery spends 13.2kWh of energy per 100 kilometres, and can provide 270km of driving range between charges.It takes two and a half hours to recharge to 80 per cent from a standard plug, but when connected to a fast-charging station, it takes just 35 minutes.Pricing and specifications for the Australian market are still under wraps, however, it is expected to come in around the $50,000 mark.For reference, the current Mini 3-door Cooper range kicks off at $29,000 plus on road-costs for the base model, while the high-performance JCW starts at $49,900.The S E retains the classic Mini Cooper exterior design, but gives away its EV status with yellow body accents reminiscent of the concept car shown at 2017’s Frankfurt motor show. It also features stylised alloy wheels and Mini Electric badging, while the charge port is positioned in the same place as its conventionally powered siblings (rear-right quarter panel).Inside, the Cooper S E sports a model-specific instrument cluster with a 5.5-inch digital screen behind the steering wheel, which alters in apperance depending on which of the four driving modes are selected. Drivers can change between Sport, MID, Green and Green+ modes, which adjust the vehicle's performance and efficiency settings.The cabin also gains a model-specific gear selector on the centre console, and is fitted with an electronic parking brake as standard.Standard kit includes LED headlights, two-zone automatic climate control, a 6.5-inch touschscreen infotainment system with sat-nav and auxiliary heating. Optional extras include a larger 8.8-inch display, leather upholstery and a number of interior and exterior styling packages.When the Cooper S E goes on sale, it will be the second electrified Mini in Australia alongside the plug-in hybrid (PHEV) Countryman S E All4 ($57,200).

De Tomaso is officially back in business, as the iconic Italian carmaker reveals its new P72 sportscar at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, in celebration of the marque’s 60th anniversary.The rebirth of De Tomaso follows its 2014 buyout by Ideal Team Ventures (ITV), an investment group that also owns Italian manufacturer Apollo.Precise mechanical details have yet to be disclosed, however, the P72 rides on the same platform as the Apollo Intensa Emozione (IE) hypercar, which draws power from a 6.3-litre naturally aspirated V12.According to De Tomaso, the P72 pays homage to the historic P70 racecar from the 1960s, however, unlike its spiritual predecessor, the P72 will be road legal.The vehicle borrows the Apollo IE’s all carbon chassis, but adopts a long and flowing body design reminiscent of classic Italian racing cars.Specifications are scarce, although De Tomaso has confirmed that the car will be produced with a manual gearbox.The cabin takes on a bare-bones, yet luxurious design, with an array of chrome-bezzled analogue dials, tan leather upholstery and an exposed aluminium pedal box.A total of 72 units will be produced, with the starting price estimated to be around €750,000 ($A1.2 million).The production schedule remains unclear, however, the company is already accepting deposits.