Holden Commodore 2007 News

Strongly built and engineered for country roads as well as city streets, the King of the new car market; Holden Commodore, has an excellent reputation for being able to stand up to daily running on bush roads, as well as the equally tough city commuting.The current Commodore body began in August 1997 with the VT series. It received a minor facelift and mechanical changes to become the VT Series II in June 1999. The Commodore VX of August 2000 had more appearance changes and the VX Series II arrived just 12 months later. The real changes to the VX II were to the suspension, especially the rear, further improving stability and handling.Holden introduced the VY Commodore in October 2002 with substantial styling changes. The VY was facelifted to become the VY II in August 2003. Finally, the VZ arrived in September 2004.The big news with the introduction of the VZ was a new six-cylinder engine. A forerunner of the unit fitted to the current VE Commodore, it was an all-new twin-cam V6 of 3.6 litres. This powerplant is sold in two formats, one with variable valve and intake timing for a greater spread of torque and improved power, the other a more basic unit.As fitted to the VZ, this engine is not as smooth or quiet as it should be.Ride comfort is very good, even on rough roads, and this is a genuine five-seater car. Boot space is good in the sedan and excellent in the wagon.The model range is large: Commodore Executive, Acclaim and Berlina. The most expensive of the lot isn't called a Commodore, simply a Calais, and has almost invariably belonged to a private buyer, while there's a risk the cheaper variants may have been company cars.On the sporting side are the Commodore S and SS with firmer suspension, tauter steering and revamped seats and body kits. Not as hot as the HSV Commodores, these models do provide a lot of driving pleasure at a moderate price.Holden frequently does runs of special editions. The best value of them is arguably the oft-recurring Vacationer series.Under the bonnetMost Commodores prior to the VZ range have a pushrod V6 engine of 3.8 litres. There's also a supercharged 3.8-litre V6 with added torque, but it never found any real adherents and was discontinued in 2004. From the VZ range, all-new twin-cam V6s of 3.6 litres replaced the ageing 3.8-litre engine. It's a modern engine but not as smooth or quiet as many of its competitors.There were two V8s in the pre-VZ Commodores, one an old Australian design of 5.0 litres, the other a 5.7-litre Chevrolet unit adapted to Holden specifications. This Generation III Chev V8 is much better than the old Holden one, and resale values of the Holden 5.0-litre suffer in comparison.Gen III has recently been replaced by a Gen IV with 6.0 litres, but it is still too new to have had any effect on the used-car scene at this time.Almost all Commodores come with a four-speed automatic transmission; the five-speed manuals are on the crude side by today's standards, so they are rare. Manuals could be difficult to resell, so unless you do a lot of country running or really enjoy that extra bit of control, they are possibly best bypassed.These are easy cars to work on, with plenty of access to most mechanical components. Good amateur mechanics can do most of their own repairs, although it's best to leave safety-related items to professionals. There are numerous electronic components that also require specialist knowledge and/or diagnostic equipment.Spare parts are generally reasonably priced and we hear very few complaints about availability from Holden's widespread dealer network, as prevalent in the bush as in the 'burbs.Insurance is pretty cheap for a car of this size and performance, though there can be a significant extra slug for the sportier models, especially if they have supercharged or V8 engines.Danger SignsBe wary of a Commodore that has been a taxi. Look for where signs and meters have been removed and for paint respraying. Severe wear in the cabin and boot is another pointer to an ex-taxi or a hard-working commercial car.Check for brake fade by doing a succession of hard stops and feeling for a pedal that gradually has more and more travel.Look for oil leaks at the rear of the engine sump and check the dipstick level as some early units had high oil consumption problems.Automatic transmissions are generally OK, but one that is slow to go into gear and/or noisy and harsh in operation should be treated with caution.Rust is seldom a problem in later model Commodores. But look at the lower areas of the body — doors, tailgate and rear windscreen surround — to be sure. Rust is more likely to be caused by poor quality panel repairs than anything else.Check for previous body repairs by running your eye over the panels, looking for a slightly uneven finish. Watch for paint that doesn't match exactly from one panel to another. Another sign is minute spots of paint on areas normally unpainted.

As Australia's new car juggernaut rolls on towards the magic million sales mark, the number of available models continues to swell. Already recognised as one of the most diverse and competitive car markets in the world, Australian importers continue to add to the mix.With half the year nearly gone, buyers have taken almost 500,000 new vehicles into their garages with some of the traditional biggest selling months still to come.At least three new marques will arrive in Australian showrooms in the second half of  the year; Hummer, Mahindra and Skoda,  testament to the vibrancy of what is, in world terms, a minor market.However, it is the expanding model range within existing brands that will drive the Aussie market over the million mark for the first time.Over the next six months more than 50 new or revised models will arrive in Australian new car showrooms. Here's a look at what's coming soon:ASTON MARTINDip your lid in style in September with the V8 Roadster, a gorgeous extension of the Vantage. AUDI Audi starts its end-of-year program in September with the R8, the biggest, baddest Audi in the garage The Supercar looks with enough performance to keep most on their toes. Also on the cards for October is the A5, Audi's first coupe since the TT. An all-new platform which comes as a front-wheel-drive and quattro. In November the V8 4.2 TDi may answer some questions for the Q7, including on fuel economy. BMW You'll have to wait until October for the new M3, but the latest offering from the M garage has something special. It's the first V8 for an M3. CHRYSLER A Sebring convertible, topless cousin of the sedan launched in early 2007, arrives in December. DODGE The Nitro SUV joins the Caliber for Dodge next month and the US marque backs that up with its Avenger sedan in August. FIAT The baby Ritmo, sold as the Bravo in Europe, will be Fiat's second passenger offering in Australia when it lands in October. Expect petrol and diesel. FORD The rush to oil-burners continues with the Focus getting the honour of being Ford's first passenger diesel next month before the Focus CC, the drop-top concept that set hearts aflutter at Frankfurt two years ago lands in October. The other big news for Ford is the return in November of the Mondeo for a third tilt at Australia. HOLDEN The key second-half model from the General is the VE Ute, bringing all the developments in the VE sedan to the working man's Holden. HONDA The Civic Type-R is razor-sharp styling built around a high-revving fun package. Next month. HUMMER The iconic offroader from the land of the large truck opens its Aussie account in October, a couple of months later than anticipated as a result of production delays for the H3. Surprisingly agile with real offroad ability. HYUNDAI An important second-half for the Korean marque. It starts with the popular Santa Fe SUV finally getting the 3.3-litre V6 from the Sonata to give it some extra punch. In October, the new Elantra hatch joins the sedan in the Aussie line-up after a wait of almost 12 months. JAGUAR An October styling refresh for the marque's luxury sedan, the XJ, is all from the Big Cat this year before a big 2008. JEEP The second of Jeep's non-Rubicon Trail-rated soft-roaders arrives in August to join the Compass for duty around town. KIA The Carens compact people mover has never really taken off here. The new generation is a little bigger and more stylish. It will be powered by a four-cylinder petrol or diesel engine with five- or seven-seat capacity. On sale in October. LAND ROVERThe baby Freelander gets a complete makeover for this generational change. New engines and a new family look all go on show in July. MAHINDRAIndia's workhorse ute, the Pik-Up, starts to roll out to Australia in July. MAZDA A new generation and a new look for the little Mazda2. Sharper styling is the key to this one's October debut. At the same time Mazda will add a diesel option to its top-selling Mazda3 range. MERCEDES-BENZThe key model for Mercedes this year is the meat-and-potatoes C-Class. Bigger, brighter and ready to meet the masses it is available from July. Also on Mercedes' new-model list is an upgraded ML500 and R-Class in September, both getting the 285kW V8 engine. October is a big month for the three-pointed star with the crackingCL65 AMG (a bi-turbo V12 with 450kW and 1000Nm) and the more sociable S320 CDi, which marries diesel with uber-luxury. MITSUBISHI You have to love a fighter. Australia's “other” family car, the 380, wins a minor refresh with some interior updates from next month. In August the automatic turbo diesel, traditionally the model's top seller, completes the Triton range while in October the point guard for the red-hot Evo X (due late in the year), the new Lancer, promises look-at-me-styling and more punch than the current model. NISSANThe baby Micra finally gets the green light for Australia with an October date with sales. In November the X-Trail, a core model for Nissan and the compact SUV that set the benchmark for those who actually can go off-road, gets a full generational change. The Dualis arrives in December. A softer option to the X-Trail, it sits on a similar platform but is more plush. PEUGEOT It's all about size for the French manufacturer. In July the 207CC, the previous generation of which set the standard for accessorising small cars, is back and promising to reclaim the crown. Its far more focused and athletic sibling, the GTi arrives in August with its turbocharged 1.6-litre engine. The station wagon derivative of the base 207 goes on sale in October. PORSCHEThe 911 turbo cabriolet proves Porsche's belief that if you can go fast in a sedan you should be able to go just as fast in a cabriolet. In September you can prove it for yourself. RENAULT August sees the Megane diesel join the Renault fleet, while the Clio Sport returns in November in an all-new guise. SAAB The new 9-3 will highlight Saab's first all-wheel-drive system in a completely renewed model range. All models arrive in November. SKODA Launches into Australia with a two-pronged attack in October. The Octavia medium-sized hatch and the quaintly named Roomster compact MPV will carry the flag initially. SMARTIn September the next next-generation smart ForTwo arrives, a little bigger and a little smarter. SUBARU The new Impreza is one of the most polarising styling departures of the year. In basic and WRX fettle the hatch arrives in September. A cult car heads mainstream and the jury is out. SUZUKIIf it ain't broke ... A freshen-up for the car that put punch back in Suzuki's local range, the brilliant Swift is in showrooms in October with the sedan version of the SX4 “tall hatch” joining the stable in September. TOYOTA The first product from Toyota's new “hot shop”, the Aurion TRD, arrives in August with a 3.5-litre supercharged V6 with sports manners and a load of plastic kit. Also in August is the generational change for Kluger with the SUV getting a substantial facelift and the 3.5-litre V6 from the Aurion. November brings the Landcruiser 200 Series and a TRD version of the HiLux. VOLVO The highlight for the Swedes in the second half of the year is the all-new generation of the XC70 due in November. About the same time the C30 will get the in-line five-cylinder diesel. VW A hot version of the Passat, the R36, is heading Down Under in November. 

In the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) results this week, the Toyota Aurion, Toyota Camry and Holden Commodore all received a four-star safety rating, adding to the previously tested four-star performers, the Ford Falcon and Mitsubishi 380.NRMA Motoring and Services Vehicle Safety Expert, Jack Haley says most of these cars failed to reach a top rating because of the lack of side curtain airbags.The Toyota Aurion is the only car equipped with side head protection as standard, but Haley says Toyota chose not to proceed with an optional pole test. This meant they were unable to score five stars in the overall testing. The testing involved the top-selling version of each model and Haley says the other large cars offered curtain airbags as an option, but not as a standard feature in the models tested.“Obviously our aim is to get all cars up to a five-star safety rating,” Haley says. “We'd like to see curtain airbags in all vehicles and we would also like to see stability control as standard.”The Toyota Aurion and Holden Commodore have stability control as standard, but it is only an option in various other family cars. But Haley says stability control didn't contribute to the ANCAP testing, as the results show how a car performs in a crash, whereas stability control is an active accident-prevention device.Each car underwent three main areas of testing under ANCAP.They included frontal, side impact and pedestrian tests.Many Japanese and European cars have already received a five-star rating in the European version of testing, known as the EuroNCAP.They include the Toyota Corolla, Peugeot 207, Ford Focus XR5, Land Rover Freelander 2, Citroen Picasso, Mitsubishi Outlander, Volvo C30, VW Passat and Mini Cooper.Most of these models were tested as top-of-the-range, whereas in Australia the extra airbags are optional on some models. ANCAP advises motorists to buy vehicles with a full six-airbag package, including side head protection and electronic stability control.The Toyota Tarago and Mitsubishi Triton also scored a four-star rating in the recent testing, an improvement for the Triton, which is up from a previously low two-star rating.The Hyundai Accent scored three stars and the Mitsubishi Express van scored poorly with just one star. STAR RATINGS  Source: ANCAP 2007 

Enough to fuel 1.7 million cars.That's 1.7 million passenger cars running on 85 per cent ethanol-15 per cent petrol, called E85, a year, with sustainable crops annually capable of repeating that fuel production.It gets even better. Wheat similarly can be refined to produce ethanol. Western Australia is the nation's biggest producer and the latest plans can boost annual output to 540 million litres.That's part of the good news — and here's part of the bad.The cost of establishing irrigated land, harvesting, refining and distributing ethanol is very expensive.To get E85 fuel to a potential 1.7 million cars may push the price of ethanol too close to petrol to be economical for motorists to make the move.Ethanol isn't especially efficient as a motor fuel. Compared with petrol-fuelled equivalents, E85 cars would have up to 10 per cent degraded performance and up to 30 per cent higher fuel consumption.Outwardly, ethanol's benefits appear modest at best.However, consider this: by 2015 our crude oil stocks are forecast to plummet from 85 per cent now to a level where we're about 40 per cent self-sufficient. At that time Australia becomes a major oil importer — with a trade deficit of up to $25 billion a year, reports ABARE — and, because of that, exposed to whatever price and supply fluctuations are dictated by world oil producers.We could be, to use the vernacular, stuffed.A similar situation was played out in the US and Brazil in 1973 when the predominantly Arabic OPEC producers sparked retribution for the US and US sympathisers over the Yom Kippur war between Arab nations and Israel.Simply, OPEC caused the '73 oil crisis by turning off the tap to the US and its supporters.Brazil, to use that term again, was stuffed. In 1975 it turned, by government decree, to using its enormous sugar cane fields to produce the alcohol, ethanol.More than 30 years later, 75 per cent of new cars sold in Brazil are compatible for ethanol in varying percentages, from 10 to 85. It's mixed with unleaded petrol.Many run on 85 per cent ethanol-15 per cent petrol with the fuel known as E85 but most new vehicles are “flex-fuel” cars that are capable of drinking anything from E85 to 100 per cent petrol.Given Australia has sugar cane crops and vast wheat, barley and corn fields, could we do the same?Basically, yes. Data from government agriculture departments, ABARE, the Australian Bureau of Statistics, Perth-based consultant Economics Consulting Services and many other sources show ethanol is a viable replacement for petrol — with a few hiccups thrown in for a challenge.Bureau of Statistics figures of 2004 report there is 440,000ha of land cropped for sugar cane in Australia.We can get, at best, about 120 tonnes/ha of cane, with a rated extraction of 88.5-litres/tonne, according to ECS and the WA Department of Agriculture.Do the sums and that equates to 4.6 billion litres of ethanol from existing cane fields. We haven't yet included wheat and other ethanol-producing grains.If that sounds a lot, it isn't. Australia consumes 25 billion litres of petrol and diesel a year, withpetrol-fuelled cars drinking about 15.8 billion litres a year (ABS).It's an impressive start, though. If we run E85, we could service almost 35 per cent of passenger car fuel needs just with what we have growing in Queensland cane fields. Right now.There's more. The WA and Northern Territory governments are poring over submissions from three prospective cane growing and ethanol-producing companies that want to get involved in an expansion of the Ord River project. The plans outline the possibility of 24,000ha of ethanol-producing cane by the Ord River, a water-rich zone in the northeast of WA.Bring that into the equation and there's a further 255 million litres of E85.So it's plausible that Australia, perhaps within a decade, could have 4.9 billion litres of E85 ethanol from sugar cane available as motor fuel.In perspective, that's enough to run 3.2 million Toyota Corollas averaging 10 litres/100km over 15,000km each year on E85.Here I'll mention that ethanol is a sustainable fuel: it's harvested and regrows in a 12-16 month cycle; as it grows it absorbs carbon dioxide emitted from the exhaust of our cars.If it sounds too good to be true, you're partially right.The first hiccup is ensuring permanent water for the crops; crop disease is another factor.Developing the Ord River expansion would cost about $200 million and need government financial help.Ethanol is a corrosive alcohol, meaning cars need specialised components to run on E85, although the diluted E10 fuel suits most post-1986 vehicles. Holden exports its Commodore to Brazil to run on E24 and company spokesman John Lindsay says there are “no major issues” in operating on E85.Flex-fuel cars in Brazil sell for the same price as petrol cars but that may differ in Australia.Theoretically, ethanol produced in Australia will be cheaper than petrol.A study by WA-based Economics Consulting Services (ECS) for the WA Department of Agriculture believes ethanol for the domestic market from the proposed Ord River cane fields could be produced at “around 56c/litre delivered to an Australian capital city”, which it says is equivalent to an oil price of $US56 a barrel. Oil is now about $US65 a barrel.ECS director Murray Meaton stresses the viability of ethanol is tightly bound by the world crude oil price.“There is a point where, if the oil price falls, it may become uneconomic to produce ethanol,” he says.The Federal Government has an excise on ethanol and a rebate for producers. The two cancel each other out so, effectively, ethanol at the pump isn't taxed.That changes in July 2011 when a 2.5c per litre tax applies, rising 2.5c/litre each year until July 2015 when it will be frozen at 12.5c/litre.The ethanol argument is plausible. Australia can become self-sufficient.Yet will we overturn our existing reliance on imported crude oil just to feel green?Even if the answer is yes, it won't happen overnight. It took the country almost two decades from 1985 to switch from leaded to unleaded petrol.Unlike Brazil in 1973, Australia isn't (yet) up against a wall when it comes to petrol supply and price.

A tighter economy and tougher emissions standards in the United States will not affect the hard-won export deal for the Holden Commodore.The Pontiac G8 version of Australia's favourite car is still locked in for later this year and General Motors expects at least 40,000 sales a year, even as the green debate takes on a new edge in the United States.There had been worries about the G8 in recent weeks after General Motors' global product chief Bob Lutz suggested the company had hit the “pause button” on some of its future large rear-wheel-drive projects as petrol prices again soar in the US and various governments look to tighten standards for CO2 emissions and carmakers' corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) numbers.But Steve Harris, GM's head of global communications, moved quickly to erase any worries during a brief visit to Melbourne for an Asia-Pacific planning summit.He says Pontiac cannot wait to get the G8 and predicts a solid future for the left-hand drive Commodore.“There is a lot of anticipation around that vehicle. People feel that it will do well,” Harris says.He is a member of the top management group at General Motors and was brought back from retirement when the company was close to bankruptcy last year.Harris believes GM is pointing in the right direction with breakthrough cars, including the G8, to win back ground lost to Japanese carmakers with their “transplant” factories in the US. But he concedes there have been mistakes.“We definitely disappointed a lot of people in the '80s and '90s. But most people think we've touched bottom,” Harris says.On the environmental front, he says there are still too many questions to give definitive answers to. But he says Lutz's comments were taken too literally and there was never any doubt about the G8.“We have not stopped and never did stop any work on any rear-wheel-drive activity. There is no slowdown and no putting any investment on hold,” he says.Harris's words are good news for the engineering and design teams at Fishermans Bend who are preparing the Chevrolet Camaro concept car for showrooms, over the top of the VE Commodore mechanical package.But Harris still warns that change is coming and GM will have to be prepared, as the federal and state governments, led by California, look at tighter regulations for motor vehicles.“It is a concern to us, what is going on from a CAFE and CO2 discussion in the US, and some of the proposals look unbelievably difficult to achieve,” he says.“It's a complex issue and it is yet to be determined how it will play out . . . We're very much at discussion and negotiation stages.”

The Royal Automobile Club of Victoria has just completed its annual cost of ownership survey of a range of current models.The survey looks at total running cost and is based on vehicles travelling 15,000km a year, which is the Australian average.It factors in the cost of a typical car loan, depreciation, registration, club membership, comprehensive insurance plus servicing, fuel and tyre costs.Fuel costs were calculated on an unleaded petrol pump price of $1.26 a litre, $1.31 for diesel and 47c for LPG.Fuel prices have risen significantly since the survey was finished so true running costs will be even higher.The survey results show the cheapest car costs about $6000 a year to run, compared to $18,500 for the most expensive.The most affordable car was Hyundai's Getz at $116.54 a week, followed by Holden's Barina ($120.85) and the Toyota Yaris ($125.88).Go up a size and Toyota's Corolla was the winner at $154.49, followed by the Ford Focus ($156.49) and Holden Astra ($158.12).The medium class sector was won by Toyota's Camry at $193.05, followed by the Mazda6 at $197.85, and Honda Accord Euro ($218.07).Large cars are, as expected, more expensive to run but, surprisingly not that much more.The best was Mitsubishi's 380 at $200.44, so it is cheaper than the Honda Accord. Toyota's Aurion was next best ($217.60), followed by Ford's Falcon ($229.13).For large families, the Kia Carnival people mover at $216.68 beat the Honda Odyssey ($228) and Toyota Tarago ($267.61).Diesel and hybrid cars were cheaper to run but don't forget diesel cars initially cost more and replacement batteries for hybrids are hellishly expensive and have a short lifespan.The cheapest was the Honda Civic hybrid at $175.29, beating the Toyota Prius at $200.63. A VW Golf diesel was better than the Prius on the wallet at $187.93.A Ford Falcon running on LPG cost $211.43 a week, while the dual-fuel Commodore came in at $225.10.The popular compact SUV market was headed by Honda's CRV at $203.86, followed by Nissan's Xtrail ($207.36) and Subaru's Forester ($208.52).Medium SUVs had the Holden Captiva out in front at $225.16, followed by the Ford Territory ($234.47) and Toyota Prado ($286.16).At the expensive end of the running cost spreadsheet were the big four-wheel-drives.The cheapest was Nissan's Patrol at $269.53, while the Toyota LandCruiser cost $357.51 a week.

They are some of the questions, among others, many Australians who still buy the “local hero” tag Holden promotes, would like to be answered.

Chris Gubbey, pictured, executive vice-president of Shanghai General Motors, will take up the position in August.Outgoing GM Holden boss Denny Mooney said Gubbey had been involved in the export of WL long wheelbase Holdens to China.“Chris spent a fair amount of time down here . . . so he also has some good familiarity with our operation. I think he is going to be a big benefit to the operation here as we continue to rely more on exports and . . . integrated business worldwide,” he said.“I don't know that it's a renewed focus (on China), because I think the focus has always been there.”GM Holden has been exporting engines to China for some years and recently announced a V6 export program.“China is now the second-largest car market in the world and it's great to have a partnership and a business relationship, and I see where Chris can strengthen that and help us find opportunities.”Gubbey began his career with Ford in 1979, has worked for Toyota and Vauxhall, and has been in Shanghai since 2000.Mooney has been appointed GM vice-president of global vehicle systems and integration based at GM's headquarters in Detroit.The American executive has a background in engineering and will have global responsibility in body, chassis and electrical engineering for GM. Mooney said Australia would now “have a friend” in Detroit.He was appointed to GM Holden in 2004 and during his time here has overseen the launch of the new VE Commodore and WM long-wheelbase Caprice and Statesman and development of the new-generation ute.The billion-dollar program for the large rear-wheel-drive cars was the biggest in Australia's history.During his time, Holden dropped from first to second in sales behind Toyota. He also presided over the termination of the Monaro model and the withdrawal of Daewoo from Australia in 2004. Six months later he brought back Daewoo small cars rebadged as Holdens to capitalise on record fuel prices.

Unleaded petrol costs have risen 5.6 per cent since this time last year, but hidden costs are the main culprits responsible for pumping up motoring budgets, the survey found.The RACV 2007 Vehicle Operating Costs survey said hidden costs such as servicing, insurance and loan interest rates on average rose up to 7 per cent compared to last year's survey.At the same time, depreciation figures show vehicles' value falling faster.After examining the 37 top-selling vehicles across 10 categories, the survey found the cheapest car to own and run was the Hyundai Getz at $116.54 a week.This was $5.34 more than last year's cheapest vehicle, the Kia Rio.The most expensive was still the Toyota Landcruiser GXL turbo-diesel, at $357.51.The Mitsubishi 380 ES was the most affordable family car at $200.44 a week, a weekly increase of $4.46.Meanwhile, lower price and service costs helped Ford Falcon outperform its rival Holden Commodore, costing $229.13 a week compared with $233.40.RACV Chief Engineer of vehicles Michael Case said the Federal Government's $1000 grant to LPG car purchases helped ease the overall running costs of these models.Although eight vehicles across the 10 categories managed to retain last year's rank as cheapest in their class, there were still some significant cost increases.For example, the Kia Carnival rose 14.7 per cent to $216.68, while the Honda CR-V cost $203.86 a week, a 7.4 per cent jump from last year's survey results.Mr Case said the survey showed the cost benefits of diesel and hybrid vehicles, which more motorists were considering investing in as fuel prices continued to skyrocket."A diesel Volkswagen Golf will save you around $2.95 a week - nearly $770 over five years," he said.""That's also a saving of around 11kg of greenhouse gas each week," he said."The Honda Civic hybrid meanwhile, provides a fuel saving of $9.46 a week and can save 17.9kg of greenhouse emissions."The survey data was collected in March and April.RACV calculations are over a five-year ownership period and are based on the average operating conditions for the private motorist, including travel of 15,000 km a year.

New car buyers are reaping rewards from the strongest Australian dollar in more than a decade.The exchange rate has gone over 100 yen for the first time in 15 years and the dollar is also running strongly against the US dollar, British pound and the Euro.Government figures show car prices have declined in recent months, and surging demand is likely to take sales beyond one million vehicles for the first time this year.The losers, a growing concern, are exports such as Holden Commodore and Toyota Camry.“The Aussie car buyer has never had it so good, cars have never been better value,” Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries president John said.“Importers are taking advantage of the strong Australian dollar to cram a lot more features into cars.“At the same time, the market is impacted almost monthly by some new model or brand.”Conomos said the exchange rate is allowing importers to hold prices while boosting value at all levels.He believes the number of importers is a bonus for buyers.“We have around 55 companies in this country, compared with only 35 or so in the US,” he said.“I don't know any other country that has a 70 per cent share held by imports, and still rising, while retaining a local manufacturing industry.”He said Free Trade Agreements are boosting value as buyers also benefit from reducing import duties.“While the Australian market is under such immense competition, I see no reason why sales will not drive beyond one million vehicles this year,” Mr Conomos said.“Consumer confidence has never been higher. The election in New South Wales has had no bearing on demand, the threat of interest rates has had no effect and the Federal Government looks positive.“Consumers are the beneficiaries and it will stay that way for more than a year. Most car companies will be looking to expand their volume.”The sales chief at GM Holden agrees with the FCAI boss, but Alan Batey said competition is still tough.Batey said Commodore and engine exports are being impacted by the strength of the dollar.“Value for money in this market is very, very important,” he said.“The dollar-yen exchange rate is at the toughest we've seen in a decade. It's a very, very tough market.”Ford Australia president Tom Gorman worries about the longer-term impact of the strong dollar.“Being an exporter from Australia at 81.5 cents to the US dollar today for anybody is difficult,” he said.“At the present exchange rate, for you to keep your margins where you want them to be, it's very hard to be an exporter. That is going to be factor into a lot of future decisions.“Both Toyota and Holden have very big export businesses here. It's the vast majority of Toyota volumes.“At 81.5 cents to the US dollar and the equivalent relationship with other currencies around the world, I'm not so sure how attractive those export opportunities are.“I think that's another big issue for us to come to grips with.”