Articles by Stuart Martin

The Australian new vehicle market year-to-date is up by 15 per cent over last year's recovering market and could again top the one-million-unit mark.Every brand in the top 10 was up on 2009 sales tallies to the end of August, which recorded 82,122 sales - 12 per cent better than August 2009, an increase of about 340 vehicles per day.The year-to-date 2010 market of 695,666 vehicles is running ahead of the same period in 2009 by 15.2 per cent or 91,823 vehicle sales.Holden's VE Commodore is in runout ahead of the Series II going on sale in and remains the top-selling vehicle in the country.Holden's executive sales and marketing director John Elsworth said the strong Commodore sales - including a big increase in Ute sales last month - suggested continuing Commodore success and Cruze outsold Falcon for the second time this year."The local manufacture of Holden's best sellers is a real boost for local manufacturing in South Australia and our national automotive industry," he said.Toyota remains the clear market leader by more than 50,000 sales and senior executive director sales and marketing David Buttner said the company's results were due to a number of factors, include strong retail offers in a competitive market."The improving economy, supported by solid business and consumer confidence, was also significant," he said.Passenger car sales increased by 1586 vehicle sales (3.5 per cent) over the same month last year.The Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) market was up by 4543 vehicle sales (32.5 per cent), led by increases of more than 25 per cent last month in all segments except large, which rose 15 per cent in August.The Light Truck Market, increased by 2746 vehicle sales (22.6 per cent) in August, contributing to the segment's eight percent increase over 2009.The Heavy Commercial Vehicle Market slipped by 39 vehicle sales - or 1.7 per cent - over August 2009, but in year-to-date terms heavy trucks are up by four per cent.Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries chief executive Andrew McKellar said it was a strong August result with improved private and government fleet sales."The figures show sales to private buyers remain solid (up 20.9 per cent) and there has been a lift in new car purchases by government fleets (up 21.7 per cent)," Mr McKellar said."There is no evidence in the August data to suggest customers were distracted from their normal buying habits due to the election and the current political uncertainty," he said.TOP 20 VEHICLES FOR AUGUST (YTD 2010)  TOP 10 BRANDS FOR AUGUST (YTD 2010)MARKET SEGMENTS AUG  (YTD 2010, +/-)PASSENGER CAR SALES FOR AUGUST  (YTD 2010, +/-)SUV SALES FOR AUGUST  (YTD 2010, +/-) 

The long-running Holden nameplate has adorned the passenger car flagship for much of the last 40 years but as a result of the Series II upgrade, the long-wheelbase models will now only be known as Caprice. There will be two WM Series II models - the Caprice and the debutant Caprice V-Series sports-luxury model, which follows the Calais and SS V-Series naming policy.  Holden executive sales, marketing and aftersales director John Elsworth says the name changes were the result of customer feedback. "Market research consistently told us that the Caprice nameplate, with its definite sports luxury character, appealed to a far broader customer base," he says. "We believe that presenting a choice of two models which share the same strong brand appeal but differ in specification will now make the step up to Caprice from its short-wheelbase siblings such as the Calais V, a more natural move for many buyers," he says. No doubt it is also helpful in reducing the costs involved in changing models for export, as Caprice is widely used for export versions, including those going to the Middle East. The Series II long-wheelbase models get the new touch-screen Holden-iQ infotainment system interface gives multi-media audio choices which include a hard drive storage for up to 15 CDs, fully integrated iPod connectivity and better Bluetooth connectivity. The touch-screen system also controls the standard colour satellite navigation and a rear view camera.  The Caprice V-Series is only offered with the E85-compatible six-litre V8 with a six-speed auto and also has a sunroof, Nappa leather trim and dual rear DVD screens, tri-zone climate control and Bose premium sound system. offers further inducements, among them a sunroof, exclusive Holden says the fuel economy has been improved by two per cent to 12.3 litres/100km. The Caprice Series II gets the 210 kW 3.6-litre direct-injection V6, which will be E85 compatible by 2012 according to Holden, with the six-speed automatic; fuel economy has improved by four per cent to 9.9 litres/100km.

Launching the new car today, Holden's chairman and managing director Mike Devereux says the updated Commodore's pricing would not increase when the Series II is launched in September. "The VEII price is unchanged … and in fact there are some lower prices on some of the Caprice range,” Devereux says.  "This is not a major thing like we did with VE, what we're really proud of is the iQ system which I think will really change how Australians interface with the car," he says. Ethanol E85 compatibility in the Holden Commodore VEII range have given the Red Lion an export boost, with Holden announcing a return to the Brazilian market after a two-year absence. The export deal will see Holden building 600 Emerson Fittipaldi special edition Chevrolet Omega 3.6-litre V6 cars (compatible for E25) slated for Brazil later this year. The company and its GM counterparts in Brazil believe there is scope for more exports going forward at a projected rate of 150 cars a month.  Devereux says Holden was set up to be profitable domestically, with exports on top. "We're proud to announce a new export program to Brazil once again, it's great news for Holden and it's a very positive inidicator of our recovery," he said. The VEII Commodore range, of which the majority is engineered to run on E85 bio-fuel, was evidence Holden was listening to its customers, Devereux says.  "We know Australians want better performance - but better preformance doesn't mean going faster in a straight line. "Better performance means driving more efficiently, more sustainably and the addition of simple-to-use technology that makes driving safe and fun at the same time," he says.  The VEII Commodore was unveiled at the company's Melbourne head office today ahead of its full release in early September. Subtle under-skin and underbody aero changes have been made to the Series II VE, as well as engineering the new range to run on E85 bio-fuel - a blend of up to 85 per cent ethanol and 15 per cent unleaded petrol.   The updated VEII range will continue to be powered by the three-litre V6 and the six-litre V8 E85-compatible engines, while the 3.6-litre V6 is expected to be flex-fuel ready by 2012 and Holden says the engines also have improved fuel economy on conventional unleaded petrol. The V6 engines have reduced fuel use by a claimed 2 to 3 per cent above the improvements made with the addition of direct injection last year, while the V8s have reduced fuel use by up to 6 per cent. The VEII upgrade also updates the centre stack, dominated by the new infotainment Holden-iQ colour touchscreen system. The new system, which has the capacity to hold up to 15 standard CDs in its hard drive, controls the MP3/USB comaptible sound system, Bluetooth phone link and satellite navigation, the latter on the high-end models. The long wheelbase model range has also benefitted from the drivetrain and technology revamp, with the Caprice and Caprice V-Series models, replacing the long-running Statesman badge that has been dropped. E85 FUEL * A blend of 85 per cent ethanol and 15 per cent petrol.* Claimed to effectively reduce emissions of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide by using 85 per cent ethanol, a fuel created through bio-sustainable methods rather than by burning fossil fuels.* Because ethanol is a renewable fuel produced from plant matter, proponents argue the CO2 emissions are offset when the plant grows.* Its higher energy rating can generate more power but uses up to 30 per cent more fuel, something offset by anticipated pump prices of around $1 per litre. AVAILABILITY * Caltex has committed to sell E85 fuel at 31 service stations in Sydney, Canberra, Brisbane and Adelaide by the end of October, with plans to increase the number of sites to 100 during 2011.* Becoming increasingly common in the United States.* Widely used in Sweden but most is imported from Italy and Brazil.

How to make the Volkswagen Golf R feel a little lardy and quiet? Jump into the lively GTI.  There's no doubting the R is anything but tardy, but the GTI has more brattish upstart about it.I'm a big fan of proper all-wheel drive systems, not these reactive front-drivers, and the R was certainly worthy, but there's something a little more entertaining about the GTI.  It could be the tartan interior that harks back to the original VW Golf GTi of several decades past.What was supposed to be a special-edition small production run has now racked up more than 1.7 million sales globally and it has long been the benchmark hot hatch.PricingDwelling in the lower half of the $40,000 bracket when fitted with the DSG, the GTI isn't exactly on its own in the segment, with competition from it's own backyard and Japan.The features list has dual-zone climate control, 3.5mm auxiliary input jack, red and black tartan cloth trim, a leather-wrapped flat-bottom sports steering wheel with audio and trip computer controls, 17in alloy wheels, but absent from the list is satellite navigation (a $2500 factory option) and Bluetooth - something that is not just a GTI problem within the Volkswagen group.TechnologyGiven the sixth-generation Golf range is evolution rather than revolution there's not massive changes between the old and the new outside, but top of the pops in new gear beneath the skin is the GTI's Extended Electronic Differential Lock, XDL in VW-speak.The XDL system improves traction and combats understeer - two things that can make or break a front-drive pocket rocket.  The new GTI is the most powerful yet but its emissions have dropped by 19g/km and fuel use is down from over 8 to 7.6 litres per 100km.The GTI can be further tweaked with the addition of $1500 worth of adjustable dampers, which given recent experience in other Golf models with the system would take the edge off the ride around town, which can be on the firm side.DesignThe GTI sits a little lower than the standard model and is distinguished by a new front bumper, front foglights, a model-distinct grille with GTI badge and a rear diffuser - it all adds up to a hot hatch look that reflects its ability. We're in the three-door GTI and it gets longer doors, which weigh a little more and mean the stretch back for the seatbelt is a long way, even for someone with arms on the long side.  The entry to the rear seats is reasonably wide and there's decent space in the rear.SafetyThe little hatchback has a solid feel that is typical of the VW breed and imbues a confident frame of mind for the occupants.  The passive side of the safety equation includes driver and front passenger airbags, a driver's knee airbag, front side airbags and full-length curtain airbags, anti-lock brakes (with red brake calipers), emergency brake assist and pre-tensioner-equipped load-limited front seatbelts.The driver gets electronic brakeforce distribution, hill start assist, traction and stability control, the standard electronic diff lock and the extended version.DrivingThe fun factor in one of these hot hatches can not be underestimated.  Where supercar owners need racetracks to get the best from their mortgage-priced machines, the appeal of these hatches is felt daily.Nipping through traffic is easy on the broad torque surge offered and sport mode makes taking gaps cheekily easy.  There's more refinement but some of the brattish engine and exhaust noise is there in the distance.The three-door can complete the school run duties, with space for bags, pushers and shopping - even a stroller as well.  The backseat is not just for the rugrats either - four adults can be GTI-ed to a destination with a bit of gear on board without concern.But you won't want the excess ballast on your favourite back road, which is the little three-door excels - the firm suspension manages mid-corner bumps with alacrity, using the tricky front diff to turn in with gusto and power out with little fuss - the DSG is generally a useful gearbox, with more smarts than before, but it is still not a mind reader.Low-speed parking duties, particularly on a slope, can see the transmission in two minds, requiring subtle throttle work.  Sport mode on a back road is pretty good, but M mode is manual in name only - it won't hold a manually-selected gear.Leave it Sport and point it at a series of bends and there's plenty of far more expensive thoroughbreds that won't be able to shake it.VerdictThe Golf GTI is still the benchmark all-rounder hot-hatch. 

Ford has switched the source of its Fiesta hatch and new sedan to the shared Ford/Mazda factory in Rayong. But Ford Australia marketing general manager David Katic is coy about speculation over the future supplier of Australian Focus variants. "We haven't said anything about Focus and we're not going to," he says. But the Blue Oval is building a new $500-million factory adjacent to its AAT Rayong plant to build Focus for the Asia-Pacific region, which would logically include Australia. Currently the Focus models sold in Australia are shipped from Pretoria in South Africa - although it was planned to build them at Broadmeadows until those plans were canned last year. "We've had some supply issues with Focus out of South Africa, and that high variation of Focus sales is a result of that," Ratic says. "If you speak to our dealers about that they would say they just need to get some more... we haven't been able to get consistent supply, we're hoping to get some consistency," he says. The company is getting cost and tax gains from bringing the Fiesta into Australia from Thailand and would benefit from a similar price break with a Focus sourced from the same region. The company is keen to increase its small car slice of the market, starting with cutting order turnaround times and increased supply to get more cars to consumers. "We're at the stage where our dealers can't aggressively market the Fiesta product because they haven't got them - our dealers will be able to carry more stock. They are desperate for more stock because they see people come through the showroom door every day looking for a car quickly, the dealers are excited because they know what it means for supply for them," he says. "We're changing sources but they haven't just taken the European car and started building it here, they've improved it and we're confident that we're getting a better car with more features and we'll do even better," he says. The Ford small car hero, Fiesta Econetic, remains a European sourced vehicle but is expected to receive some of the spec upgrades of the Thai-built Fiesta later this year. Katic says the frugal diesel has made big changes to the Ford brand image and the brand was looking at ways to expand the Econetic. "We did some research just after we launched that car, people were saying that they had no idea Ford had this sort of capability when it comes to green, that's why we see the Econetic tag as a powerful thing going forward," he says. "We're looking at strong, fuel-saving technologies across the range, however we get there, Econetic or something else ... the Fiesta has told us there is a strong market there for us."

The new Ford Fiesta will change the landscape of Australia's small car market.  The Blue Oval folks have been labouring under a yoke of constrained supply with the European-sourced hatchback range.But now they are bringing out a sedan version and expanding the diesel offerings by taking cars from the multi-million dollar AutoAlliance Thailand (AAT) factory in Rayong, Thailand. However the super-frugal Fiesta Econetic hatch will still come from Europe.Ford Australia marketing general manager David Katic says the Fiesta has doubled its share in Australia - as well as increased the proportion of high-end models sold - and he is aiming to make significant volume and share gains with the expanded range."We think if we can get more supply it can really lift our market share just by getting greater availability," he says.  "We sold 88 per cent of the old Fiesta in the base-model, in 2010 our Sports model has gone from 10 to 43 per cent, our Zetec model has blown away every expectation we have ever had for it," he says.The addition of the sedan (available only in CL and LX models) and more diesel models opens up additional volume opportunities for Ford in the light car market."The sedan we're really excited about, because we think it is a great looking car but also the sedan market represents about 15 per cent of the segment in Australia, there are only four or five competitors and we think we have a tremendous product proposition," he says.Pricing is yet to be released but Ford says it is aiming to remain competitive with its main opposition when it starts with the new Fiesta range toward the end of the year, acknowledging the cost base difference of the source country and the free trade agreement that applies to Australia-bound products from Thailand.Katic says the pricing has yet to finalised but the new Thai-sourced model would be well-specified.  "I don't think you'll see a price drop, I think you'll see us adding value - we haven't finalised our pricing yet but our shift and focus is on consumer value and more content, going to Thailand gives us an opportunity to do that, but we weren't taking a bath on Fiesta from Germany either," he says.The Zetec model, marketed as the sports star of the range until we see an ST, XR or RS edition, now has sports-tuned suspension and sports seating to distinguish it from the range.Bluetooth and voice control is now standard from the base CL model up, with stability control, seatbelt minders, a six-speaker CD sound system all standard.Those looking for an automatic will - on the petrol engine at least - be able to opt for a six-speed double-clutch automated manual that is similar to the Focus TDCi, although it has not been (for now) teamed with the new Fiesta diesel.Customers will be able to tick the option box for a 66kW/200Nm turbodiesel on the LX sedan and hatch, or from early next year the Zetec hatch, with a five-speed manual transmission and a claim of 4.4 litres per 100km.The petrol-engine on offer remains the 89kW/151Nm 1.6-litre petrol engine as standard across the updated petrol range, with the 1.4-litre being dropped from the Australian range.The Kinetic design language remains the dialect of choice with Ford and it is serving them well, so minor changes are all that has been made to the Thai-sourced vehicle from an aesthetics point of view.The sedan has followed the hatch, using similar lines to produce a planted stance, although from the rear in the metal the sedan looks a bit broad in the hips.The company is boasting of more engineering changes, including more insulation against noise, better torsional rigidity and body strength thanks to high-strength steel and bracing across the width of the front-end.The entry-level CL brings standard stability control but buyers will have to opt for the safety pack that adds extra airbags (standard fare above the CL) before it rates a five-star crash-test rating; for the LX and above that includes a driver's knee airbag as standard.There's no doubting the Ford engineering team has transplanted the excellent road manners from the German vehicle to its Thai-built counterpart.  The steering is light and direct, body control is good and the ride - which could only be tested to anything approaching Australian standards on some of the worst sections of road we could find - seems civilised.That said, the bulk of the bitumen is smooth and not coarse of grade, so claims by Ford to have remedied the criticisms of tyre noise (with a change of supplier to Continental) on Australian bitumen will have to wait until a local drive.The launch drive did have a couple of cars that didn't feel quite right and questions were being asked about the fitness of those vehicles, but the bulk of the cars sampled had good road manners and enough grunt for the segment.The mainstream diesel engine is the pick of the bunch, with a well-matched five-speed manual gearbox, which for many won't be worthwhile, as clutch pedals fast-become old-hat.We didn't test the crashworthiness of the new Thai-built Fiesta despite some of the better efforts of the locals, but the body feels tight and strong, with noise intrusion up there with the best in class.

Every day driving habits can make or break the budget when it comes to daily driving. A list of tips to improve your fuel economy is something the rally ace believes can benefit drivers young and old. Fuel economy has been an interest of the retired 55-year-old rally driver, even before it was used as a competitive advantage. "I've always been interested in fuel economy, even at university purely from the necessity of getting 50mpg out of my Mini, and in my rally career as well," he says. The multiple production-car champ recently got behind the wheel of Hyundai's new i20 in Sydney and aimed for Brisbane - a 936km trip - on one 45-litre tank of fuel, but the quest saw the bright lights of Bundaberg in the windscreen instead. The final trip distance was 1269km, using on average 4.2 litres per 100km, with the only real concession to hard-core economy driving being no air conditioning. But the Adelaide rally ace believes there are simple things that every driver can do to improve fuel economy, without freezing or frying, before they turn the key. "If you want to save fuel, the over-riding one is choosing when to use your car - the actual number of times people don't combine the journies is important. For example, make sure you don't drop the kids at school, go home and then come back to the shops, minimise the use of the car, thinking about what you do with your car every day." Mr Ordynski also believes car choice is important but drivers also need to learn the best way to drive their chosen vehicle. "No matter what vehicle you choose, learn how to drive it efficiently, take the time to learn a bit about your car. If you really want to drive efficiently, learn where its optimium performance bad is," he says. The motorsport veteran firmly believes a well-driven manual vehicle is far more efficient than either a conventional automatic or the increasingly-common double-clutch automated manual. "We're a country besotted with automatics, but there is no auto or DSG that's better for fuel economy if the driver knows how to use it (a manual gearbox) properly," he says. A small amount of research to find where the optimum operating range for your vehicle can be beneficial, says Mr Ordynski. "If you look at a graph of the torque you can work out the most efficient operating range. It doesn't effect the speed of driving at all, one of the most common things I see people doing incorrectly, the number one thing is operate the engine outside the most fuel-efficient band," he says. Australia's national vehicle fleet average is 11 litres per 100km, that's petrol-powered vehicles, if you could cut that in half by choice of vehicle and driving technique, that means big savings in cost, fuel and CO2 emissions." Drivers should also be focussed on the job of driving - for safety's sake as well as fuel economy. "One of the things about driving for efficiency is that it forces you to think about it and look ahead, I think it makes you concentrate on what you're doing, which is something I think the average motorist doesn't do. Every time you use the brakes it costs you fuel - rolling off throttle and conserving momentum coming up to traffic lights and things like that," he says. WHO IS ED ORDYNSKI? A stalwart of the Australian motorsport scene for more than three decades, rally driver Ed Ordynski, 55, has been successful in a wide array of motorsport-related activities, conducting product launches, writing for magazines and training competitors and actors both here and overseas. He has also served as Chairman of the Australian Rally Commission and Manager of Motorsports Training Australia. The Ordynski name is probably most closely linked to the Mitsubishi brand, having driven a Galant VR-4 to top spot in the 1990 Australian Rally Championship, which included the Group N production car title that year and continuing a long and successful relationship until his retirement in 2005. The Group N category title was on his mantle three more times - 1993, 1994, 1995 - all in Mitsubishi Lancer Evolutions. Ordynski has also spent time in big, rear-wheel drive Holden Commodores, winning the 1995 Round Australia Trial. He has competed in China, Sweden, Finland, Japan, New Zealand, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. Ed's record-winning eight Group N 1st placings in Rally Australia, in the World Rally Championship, is unmatched. ED ORDYNSKI'S TOP 5 FRUGAL AND FUN CARS ED ORDYNSKI'S FUEL-SAVING TIPS Plan when you need to use your car to avoid unnecessary journies and peak-hour. Take a little time to learn about the way your car operates for best fuel efficiency. Choose an energy efficient vehicle. Concentrate on driving smoothly and anticipate traffic flow to conserve momentum. Keep tyre pressures at maximum recommended level and have your car serviced at correct intervals and keep wheel alignment at manufacturer specification. Avoid carrying excess weight and remove accessories which affect the aerodynamics (eg. roof racks). Choose a manual transmission and learn to drive it properly for optimum fuel efficiency. Avoid use of airconditioning and keep windows closed. Do not use cruise control but do focus on keeping a constant speed and conserving momentum (eg. gradually reduce speed up long hills). Switch off engine if going to be stopped for more than 10 seconds. Drive off as soon as the engine is started, especially from a cold start. With diesel engines, minimise throttle percentage, using the tallest gear with the least throttle opening. With petrol engines, minimise engine revs, regardless of throttle position, using the tallest gear the engine will allow without harshness. If you must drive an automatic, learn how to encourage it to stay in tall gears with the torque converter locked as much as possible. Steer smoothly on the correct line through corners to avoid using energy from unnecessary angle on the front wheels. GREEN VEHICLE GUIDE The Green Vehicle Guide provides an overall rating for all new cars sold in Australia based on their combined greenhouse rating and air pollution rating. The top ten overall performers and top ten sellers are based on the best performing variant for the listed model. Variants with different engines and transmissions may have lower scores. DRIVING TIPS Drive smoothly - aggressive driving can increase fuel use by up to 30 per cent, so avoid hard accelerating or braking and look ahead to read traffic flow to conserve momentum. Maintenance - a well-maintained engine can improve fuel economy by up to four per cent. Change the oil regularly, check the air filter and follow the car manufacturer's recommendation on servicing. Check the air pressure in your car's tyres - quite apart from being safer and improving longevity, a properly-inflated tyre can help with fuel use. A tyre under-inflated by one psi (pound per square inch) can reduce fuel efficiency by as much as three per cent. Get the weight out - some research suggests for every extra 45kg carried, there's a two per cent reduction in fuel efficiency. Remove roof racks or roof bars - the reduction in your car's aerodynamic efficiency can hinder fuel economy by as much as five per cent. Avoid high speeds - increased speed equals increasing wind resistance, with some research suggesting cruising at 110km/h uses up to 25 per cent more fuel than cruising at 90km/h. TOP PERFORMERS *  TOP SELLERS * * Source: Green Vehicle Guide - for more information, visit www.greenvehicleguide.gov.au.

The special 'Arabia' models from Bentley show how well the luxury badge has done in the Middle East while other brands were suffering sales drops.  The oil-rich market has doubled its slice of Bentley purchases in the last five years and now buys 10 per cent of the marque's global sales, despite the recent global financial crisis.In recognition of that the VW-owned British breed has been busy at its Crewe headquarters, designing and developing two unique Continental models with a range of features specific to the Middle East market.Imaginatively named the Continental Flying Spur Arabia and the Continental Flying Spur Speed Arabia, the high-performance luxury four-door saloon - which starts at just under $400,000 if you bought one here - has additional features to create what the company says is "the ultimate in distinguished, elegant driving developed for the Arabic  market.''Both cars are further distinguished by some subtle exterior and interior Arabia motifs. These include an exterior front fender badge, tread plate and ashtray lid badge all bearing the Arabia signature.In any other part of the world - and many other brands - it might well be called a "bling'' edition, but Bentley isn't treading on the toes of "Pimp My Ride.''  The already-ample features list has been bolstered with ventilated "fluted'' seats that now cool as well as heat - the latter not really a must-have for the Middle East - as well as the option of active cruise control, a rear-view camera, iPod connectivity for the rear DVD system, phone handsets front and rear and carbon ceramic brakes (which need the Speed's 20in wheels, optional on the Flying Spur, for space).Even the fuel cap has been blinged up in bright chrome with the famous B badge.  Bentley's Middle East and Asia regional director Geoff Dowding says the new models for Arabic customers is recognition of their growing importance to the marque."Bentley has a long and proud tradition of being able to design, engineer and personalise our cars to the individual styling and driving tastes of our customers and these special-edition Bentleys showcase these skills for the Middle East Market,'' he says.The Arabia editions don't get any extra urge, but the standard six-litre twin-turbo W12 has an elegant sufficiency of propulsion for the 2440kg machine, thanks to 412kW and 650Nm being delivered to all four wheels via a six-speed automatic.That's enough for the Flying Spur Arabia to reach a top speed of 312 km/h and a 0-100 km/h sprint time of just 5.2 seconds.  The Speed Arabia has 449kW and 750Nm at its driver's disposal, dropping the 0-100 km/h sprint to 4.8 seconds and upping the top speed of 322km/h.

While the company has launched the Sportage with a locally-tuned suspension and played with a Koup to make it handle, the Korean brand has critical vehicles coming.  Kia Australia national marketing manager Steve Watt says the next-generation Rio - due in the latter half of next year - is a critical car for the brand."I've seen the clay of Rio, it's a game-changer, the packaging is more for a small family because it is so clever, that's second half of 2011," he says.  The line-up is far from set, but Watt says the range will need to retain the brand's sharp-pricing as well as cover a broader range of body options."We're known for sharp prices - entry level we need a presence, hopefully we'll have access to different body shapes, sedan and wagon and hopefully a three-door but that's not confirmed, the greater coverage we have the better we'll do," he says.  The company will add the Cerato five-door to its line-up following a Sydney motor show debut in October.The medium sedan - still known as TF for now  but likely to use the Optima nameplate - will be unveiled at the Australian Open in Melbourne early next year, with even more suspension and steering work done by the Australian tuning team than the Sportage."The TF we have started chassis dynamics testing on that car, that determines when it goes on sale - when the work is finished.  It costs the same to put a poor as a good suspension system in the car, the trick is to get a good suspension." he says.Watt says the brand is still considering tactics like a seven-year warranty and says it has to expand its catchment of customers and agrees that the company's line-up need to be seen as "more than A to B" transport."A to B suggests being disconnected with the car, our designs now are for more engaging, you notice the car now - my view is the drive needs to match the style of the car.  We need to talk to a new market, we need to talk to people who wouldn't have considered us before," he says.

The Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries figures show the market to the end of July has risen by more than 82,000 units - 15 per cent ahead of 2009 to the same point - with SUVs leading with a 30 per cent growth rate. So far this year the rental and private buyers had lead the increases, with rental fleets' order sheets up by about 98 per cent yeat-on-year.  Last month's private buyer numbers were up by 20 per cent, just ahead of its YTD increase of just over 17 per cent, while there was a corresponding drop in July rental fleet purchases. The Adelaide-built Commodore remains in top spot for July and the year so far, with almost every main segment recording sales growth for last month and the year so far.  Both light and small car sales are up almost 18 per cent so far this year, although small car sales dipped a little last month; medium car sales improved markedly for July and the year overall. Large cars kept ahead of last year's performance for the year so far but the upper-large segment fell behind YTD 2009, something Holden managing director Mike Devereux says is typical of the fluctuating LWB market. "It's fairly stable and profitable for us, would I like to sell more Statesmans and Caprices? Absolutely, but it's still solid business for us," he says.  Peoplemovers and sportscars also kept ahead of 2009 figures. The year-to-date 2010 market of 613,544 vehicles is running ahead of the same period in 2009 by 15.6 per cent, with last month's figure of 82,376 ahead of the same month in 2009 by more than 7000 vehicles. Devereux says the VE Commodore runout was on track and it did not appear that buyers were holding off for the VEII later this year.  "We had a great month, the great thing is that it's five or six years old but it's still a good-looking vehicle that sells well." "I'm happy with where we are in terms of the inventory and the way the dealers are selling the old model and then we'll ramp up with the new one here."Devereux also says the dealers were excited about VEII, which he expects will change the way Australians use cars, but refused to be drawn on details of the new model. The Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries chief executive Andrew McKellar says strong private sales traffic and SUV interest produced a solid July.  "This is a very solid result for July with the start of the new financial year usually resulting in slower sales," he says. "There is a proliferation of new models on the market at the moment that buyers are finding attractive, particularly in the SUV range," he says.  The on-going SUV interest has Toyota revising its 2010 forecast beyond 200,000, giving the brand its seventh straight year beyond that tally. Toyota divisional sales manager John Roca says the figures show the Australian market can again reach the one-million mark. "The market returned to six figures in the financial year ended June 30 - and sales in July were higher than the rate needed to repeat the effort for the calendar year," he says.  TOP 10 BRANDS July      (YTD 2010)Toyota                 17,250    (124,720)Holden                 10,648    (79,305)Ford                      7375     (56,571)Mazda                   7374    (50,245)Hyundai                6531    (48,902)Mitsubishi             5029    (37,401)Nissan                  4646    (37,476)Subaru                 3253    (24,362)Honda                  3150    (25,355)Volkswagen         2922    (22,228)