Holden Commodore News

... as small car rivals nip at its heels in the battle for overall sales leadership. The Aussie-made fleet favourite has found itself locked in a life or death battle for most of this year with the darling of private-buyers, the Mazda3. But auto industry sales figures set to be released tomorrow are expected to show that the Holden Commodore is now also fending off a late surge from the Toyota Corolla, as the Japanese giant ramps up promotion and stock levels return to normal following the tsunami earlier this year. The Corolla is expected to take the number one spot ahead of the Commodore, with the newly facelifted Mazda3 relegated to third spot after having claimed victory in January, June and August. Despite the challenges Holden is not about to surrender the prestigious number one spot easily and Commodores solid September performance is expected to kick it clear of the Mazda3 in the close-fought battle. Holden insiders said the Commodore had put in another consistent performance last month to return to the number one spot in year-to-date terms with the Adelaide-built Cruze again performing strongly with sales in excess of 3000 units. Toyota is still the clear overall market leader despite being down on last year's tally to the same point. Toyota's sales and marketing executive director David Buttner said the company was pleased with its recovery post-tsunami and earthquake. "We're delighted with the pace of our recovery following the earthquake and tsunami, our share I believe is in excess of 20 per cent for September and we're looking forward to a big last quarter," he said. Mr Buttner said the June-August market was down about 30,000 - 27,000 of that was Toyota - and he expected the market to top one million units. "We're back to normal availability levels, Japan has been supportive of our efforts to pull back some of the losses, we want to finish the last quarter strongly to put us in a stronger position for 2012," he said. "I'm sure it will be a good last quarter for consumers," he said. Mazda public relations manager Steve Maciver wouldn't elaborate on specific sales figures ahead of the official release but said the company was happy with its supply from Japan and its rate of sales. "We are pretty happy with our September result off the back of record August, the key thing for us is to measure the months either side of our M-Day Sale, we're happy with our running rate and we're on track for the rest of the year," he said. Among the segments being watched by industry pundits will be the medium-car segment, sales of which is now closing in on the once-dominant large car market. One of the key cars in the medium segment will be the new Camry, which has been slowed by industrial action at Toyota's Altona plant. Mr Buttner said the industrial action had not greatly delayed Camry's changeover to the new model, expected in November. "At this stage there's no further industrial action planned, there's a secret ballot and that result will be known next Monday. We haven't had to change many dates, we've only pushed wholesale out by one week, at this stage we're pretty well on track," he said.

The Holden hero known as Peter Perfect is being commemorated in a new hero colour for the company's top selling Commodore. Perfect Blue is a fresh take on a colour used by Brock in the 1980s when his HDT Special Vehicles operation was at the peak of its powers and he was still a regular winner at Mount Panorama. It was sprayed on the HDT SS Commodore in 1984 and has been reworked for 2011 with metallic highlights as part of a limited-run colour program that began with a bright gold called Tiger. "We've been doing hero colours, particularly on sports models, for a number of years. They're obviously attractive to customers that want something different, something a bit more extroverted," Holden's colour expert Sharon Gauci says. "We designed Perfect Blue around Peter Brock's colour. We went back to the archives and this was perfect." Brock was killed on September 8, 2006 when he lost control of his car during a road rally nearly Perth in Western Australia. But the Holden salute is not the only tribute as HDT Special Vehicles, a Queensland company owned by one of Brock's close friends, Peter Champion, also announced yesterday that it is building a VE Commodore with a 'plus pack' inspired by Brock's work in the 1980s. HDT is already building small numbers of current-model Commodores tweaked with retro styling that recalls Brock's work on the VC and VH Commodores, and now there is a hint that it will even include a born- again Energy Polariser as part of the upgrade.

A hero colour chosen by the late and great race ace during his time as a carmaker is being brought back from the dead - with a twist - for the 2012 Holden Commodore. Brock chose a bright mid-blue colour for his HDT Commodore SS in 1984 during the days of the VK Commodore and it is returning with some extra metallic punch as Perfect Blue as part of the latest twist on the VE.The timing could not be better, on the fifth anniversary of the death of 'Peter Perfect' in Western Australia on September 8, 2006. The newest Commodore also gets improved economy and emissions in both V6-powered models, with some very, very minor cosmetic tweaking. By Commodore standards it's not a big deal, although the LPG model coming before the end of 2011 promises to have more impact.The new hero colours - Chlorophyl joins Perfect Blue - are the latest in a long run of bright body shots for the Commodore which reflect the changing times and impact of Australia's favourite car. It's currently facing one of its toughest showroom challenges - ironically, with the baby Mazda3 and not the Ford Falcon that's been its traditional rival - and Holden believes the changes for the 2012 model will help rebuild its support.It starts with the paintwork, which Holden designer Sharon Gauci says was an easy choice for 2012. "We designed Perfect Blue around Peter Brock's colour. We went back to the archives and this was perfect," she says. We've been doing hero colours, particularly on sports models, for a number of years. They're obviously attractive to customers that want something different, something a bit more extroverted. They are head-turning and attract attention."She says Perfect Blue - which also pick's up Brock's nickname - is a solid colour with a fine metallic content, while Chlorophyl is "more organic and nature inspired" with a colour that changes depending on how it's viewed. "On the interior we've included some accent stitching on sport and Berlina. There are minimal changes for the interior," says Gauci.Visually, there is also a new design of 16-inch alloy on the Omega a lip spoiler on the Calais V, while the Redline models get red Brembo brake calipers, a new design of polished 19-inch alloy wheel, and FE3 suspension on the Ute and Sportwagon.The real advantage in the latest change is improved economy and emissions for the two six-cylinder engines, thanks to a new gearbox and torque convertor on the 3.0-litre motor. They reduce weight and, with updated calibration, also improve efficiency. Changing the torque convertor saves 3.35 kilograms and a new gearbox in the 3.0-litre car trims another 4.2 kilograms."We reduced transmission mass. We also downsized the torque convertor," says Holden engineer Roger Athey. We've put them through a battery of testing and it came up well. It has contributed to some of the fuel economy savings. (But) all the gear ratios are the same."Holden claims 1-3 per cent fuel economy gains for the 2012 Commodore, with 1-3.5 per cent improvements on CO2 emissions. The headline number is 8.9 litres/100km for the 3.0-litre Omega sedan, as Holden also touts an 18 per cent economy improvement since the start of the VE-generation Commodore.The update also means all Commodores are now E85 compatible, meaning they are classified as flex-fuel cars that can run on bio-ethanol fuel. "It's a minor update. A minor enhancement," admits Holden spokesperson, Shayna Welsh. We're very pleased with how Commodore is going. We'll be talking about LPG Commodore later in the year. That's the only mechanical change still to come this year." 

Holden managing director Mike Devereux told the first Alternative Fuels Summit in Brisbane yesterday that "the little old internal combustion engine has come a long way," pointing out that the average fuel efficiency of Australian vehicles has improved 15 per cent in the past decade. "When we launched VE (Commodore) in 2006 we had about 10.8 litres per 100km in the Omega and over the last five or six years we've been able to take that down to 8.9. That's an 18 per cent improvement in fuel economy. It's largely due to our approach to things like direct injection, a smarter approach to the way air flows underneath the vehicle and tiny things like a change last year to the tailgate of the vehicle to make air flow more efficiently off the back of the vehicle. So there are ways to improve the old internal combustion engine and right now our fuel economy targets of 8.9 we are trying to take down to the mid 8s as we go forward into our next gen of Commodore which is about two years from now. We are going to do that through significant light weighting, significant uses of things like aluminium for the panels, things like electronic power steering, looking at every component in the car and trying to make it in a much more lightweight fashion.'' Devereux also declared all V6 and V8 Commodores will be E85 compliant from next month. That's not free,'' he says. "Holden has actually invested ahead of wide availability of the fuel (ethanol) across the country. I don't want you to cry for Holden because it's a strategic decision we're making, but it costs us about $100 per car to make those vehicles capable of running on E85. We put a stake in the ground and said every Commodore will be capable of running on E85.'' Devereux told the conference he was encouraged when he came to Australia 18 months ago (from his previous position as president and managing director of GM Middle East) by "how involved the local manufacturers were in promoting of alternative fuels''. "Ford actually have a fantastic new LPI system in their Falcon and we are launching an all-new mono-fuel LPG system in our Commodore next year,'' he says. For the first time, he confirmed that the mono-fuel Commodore will have the LPG tank under the floor instead of in the boot. He says the barriers to LPG acceptance include the loss of cargo space, the "bomb-like'' tank and the availability of LPG. "For some people it's kind of disconcerting when you open up the back of the car you see this very high-tech looking tank full of LPG. Our Commodore early next year will take the tank out of the back of the vehicle and put it under the vehicle, freeing up that space. It's all about removing the barriers and the perception that 'oh my god, there's a bomb in the boot' thing and making LPG seem like a very reasonable, easy to adopt technology.'' He says there are also barriers to acceptance in the limited supply and the slow pumping process. Devereux also told the summit that Australia could become a world centre for LPG expertise over the next five years. "It is incredibly naturally abundant and the technologies to run this fuel are all here in this country,'' he says.

Rating the big three Aussies comes down so much to personal preferences. And those preferences could be based on anything from the shape of the driver's seat to the boot size or the fuel economy. And there is always the rivalry in the 'rust belt' - as Toyota calls it - between old-time favourites from Ford and Holden.All three locals are close in most ways and Australians are massively spoiled for choice, as well as value, in cars which are so big they are heading inevitably towards extinction. Then again, American cops are only just learning to love the Commodore-based Caprice ...FORD FALCON XR6There is nothing as homegrown as the punch from the Falcon's big six away from the lights, and that same engine-room strength makes the XR6 a fun car on a twisty road. You can cruise it or push it without every worrying. You also feel the same deep-down muscularity of the Falcon package every time you drive, although - for me - the car is a bit more boofy than the Holden. And, on the negatives, I've never felt as comfortable in the Ford because of its higher-set driver's seat. Ford has an update coming and I've yet to drive the new LPi car, but for me it's a close second.HOLDEN COMMODORE SV6 The Holden is a sharper package than the Ford, a little sweeter in most areas from the steering feel to the operation of the transmission. It turns a little nicer and is a tad more enjoyable on a long freeway run. Commodore buyers also get the advantage of the latest cabin update and a very impressive infotainment system, after dramas with the previous package, and the showroom impact from the driver's seat is probably winning sales. It doesn't feel as strong in a straight line, and it doesn't have Ford's latest capped-price servicing deal, but it's my personal choice.TOYOTA AURION This car is efficient and effective, but it's the transport choice and not for people who enjoy driving. I also wonder how the Aurion V6 can be classified as a large car when the Camry, which is identical apart from a four-cylinder engine, manages to run as the best selling medium-class car ... The Aurion has a giant boot, impressive quality, good fuel economy and is quiet on a trip, but it's bland and that is bad when the other locals have so much personality and punch.

... as the Australian car industry returned to normality last month. The official Vfacts figures for July are released tomorrow and are expected to show that the Japanese-based carmakers have finally shaken off the production delays arising from the Japanese earthquake and tsunami earlier this year. That was evident in June when the mid-sized Mazda3 led sales on the back of orders taken after the natural disasters that the company hadn’t been able to deliver. That spike dropped in July but the Mazda3 was only just beaten into top spot by the Commodore and the duo are battling for bragging rights as the best-selling model of 2011. The Commodore is about 120 vehicles ahead in the year-to-date sales race but should get another shot of sales when the LPG versions go on sale later this year. Ford’s new turbodiesel Territory outsold the petrol model for the second consecutive month since its launch. The result proves both the pent-up demand for a diesel in the big SUV and that Australian buyers are accepting diesel as a smart alternative to petrol. Diesels are an increasingly popular choice, BMW's diesel-engined vehicles are outselling petrol versions for the first time this year. See this week's Carsguide for the full Vfacts details and a rundown on the diesel v petrol debate.

Chris Williams, 59, has built a replica of the VK Commodore that Brock drove to Bathurst glory in 1984 with co-driver Larry Perkins, even though Williams wasn't in the country at the time.Williams, was still living in England in the 1980s. He migrated to Australia about 20 years ago, but spent his early days as a fabricator for the F1 Arrows team with Frank Wiliams and then the Le Mans-winning JW Automotive, working on Ford GT40s and Porsche 917s.On arriving in Australia, he was taken by the legend of Brock in his '80s hey day and the unrestricted Group C V8 muscle cars."I never saw Peter Brock race, but I've seen the videos and photos," he says."It (VK Commodore) was the best-looking car and the most memorable because it was the start of modern colour schemes and the end of the big banger (Group C) era," Williams says.Williams bought the car for $6000 in 2007 when it was a black show car. He has since spent about $50,000 turning it into a replica that he races, shows and hires for promotional events.Williams says he's had three offers of more than $100,000 for the car, plus a buyer who wants him to make one. However, it's only insured for $50,000 because of the high risk of racing."Everything has a price, but it's not for sale really. I want to use it for a few years first," he says."I've also put in 1600 hours getting it to this level."Williams has been racing for five years and won a few trophies. He converted the VK from black to HDT livery in the past 18 months by popular demand."People want to see the car racing on the track," he says. "Racing is the best way to spend my money.”"It's like you seem quite sensible until you get your helmet on and get on the starting line, then you just see red."Incidentally, his gold helmet is festooned with the signatures of racing greats such as Dick and Steven Johnson, Harry Firth, Mark Skaife, Kevin Bartlett, Greg Murphy and Jim Richards, but not Peter Brock.His fluro orange replica has all the original sponsor signage, including cigarette advertising which Williams believes will not be a problem, even on Victorian tracks, because it's a replica historic car. Modifications to the 308 V8 engine are few: hot cams, K&N air filter, high-tension leads and handmade stainless steel manifold and side exhaust that rumbles with Group C memories.Williams hasn't had the engine dynoed, but says he's reached a top speed of 240km/h. In the back is a proper stainless steel racing tank, while in the cabin are two Sparco seats and Sabelt five-point harnesses."I must have rocks in my head; being a perfectionist and wanting to do it right the project turned into a monster," he says. Williams literally had to re-invent the wheel to get the car right. The original 17 x 10 Momo wheels are no longer available, so he had to hand-make the billet aluminium wheels from a 1/18 scale model using a vernier gauge.The car is not quite CAMS spec, but compliant for AAA racing in the Shannons muscle car series. Williams says he goes through a set of 625/265 R17 Dunlop slicks in a race weekend at a cost of $2300. He estimates a racing series would cost up to $50,000.However, he hopes to do a full season in the VK including Phillip Island, Eastern Creek, Queensland Raceway and Bathurst where it will no doubt stir some deep emotions.AT A GLANCEYear: 1984Price New: $11,000Price Now: >$100,000Engine: 308 5-litre V8Body: 4-door sedan race carTrans: T21 5-speed manualDid you know: Peter Brock has won nine Bathurst titles, 10 if you include the 24-hour race.RACING RECORDThe King of the Mountain was on a roll in 1984.Peter Brock's win in the Bathurst 1000 that year was his third in a row and his sixth in just seven years.The Holden Dealer Team claimed a 1-2 finish with John Harvey and David Parsons behind Brock and Larry Perkins.The race was known as The Last of the Big Bangers because the Group C touring car category was ending because the cars had become too expensive and powerful.It was replaced by the international Group A formula.However, the Group A-spec VK Commodore won again in 1986 with Allan Grice and Graeme Bailey at the wheel.

Even at a time when fuel economy is top-of-mind with a growing number of Australian drivers there is plenty of space on the roads for Commodores and Falcons with old-fashioned V8 muscle under the bonnet. They burble menacingly at idle. They are the backbone of V8 Supercar racing.Yet V8s in the 21st century are not what they were in the days when they first conquered Mount Panorama and a GTHO Falcon or a Monaro - or even a Valiant V8 - was a dream machine for a generation of Aussie youngsters.Since 1970 the crude oil price has exploded from $20 a barrel to double that amount during the Iran revolution, over $70 during the first Gulf War, broke through the $100 barrier ahead of the Global Financial Crisis and has now settled at just below $100.In Australia, petrol prices have correspondingly risen from about 8c a litre in 1970 to about 50c in 1984 and almost $1.50 today.Despite all this, and despite one attempt at a death sentence by Ford in the 1980s, the V8 has not been wiped from Australian showrooms. Holden and Ford have continued to produce large cars with a V8 alternative and continue to slog it out at Bathurst.But Australian cars, even the ones that now have American V8s imported for local use, are not the only bent-eight blasters on the road.Germans are prolific builders of V8s and produce some of the most powerful engines in the world thanks to AMG-Mercedes, BMW and Audi. English V8s are built by Aston Martin, Land Rover and Jaguar, while the Americans provide V8s in the Chrysler 300C sold here. Even the Japanese luxury brand Lexus has a V8 in its IS F hero and its luxury saloon LS460, as well as the LandCruiser-cloned LX470.Most V8s are powerful enough breathing ordinary air, but there are many forced-induction models with either turbo or supercharging to liberate even more power. Walkinshaw Performance does the job in Australia for Holden, BMW is going down the turbo V8 road for its latest M cars and Benz had a time with a supercharged AMG V8.But V8s are not just about unrestricted power. The push for greater fuel economy has also reached V8 land and so Chrysler and Holden have V8s with multiple displacement technology which shuts down half the cylinders when the car is just cruising to improve fuel economy. Formula One racing engines now do the same thing when they are idling on a grand prix starting grid.Holden's Active Fuel Management (AFM) was introduced on the V8 Commodore and Caprice in 2008 and the red lion brand is committed to the engine - with future technology updates - despite near-record fuel prices."It is incumbent on us to keep it relevant and continue introducing new technology that delivers on our customers' needs," says Holden's Shayna Welsh.Holden has the biggest stake in V8s with more models than any other company selling in Australia. It has a total of 12 models with V8 engines across four nameplates and four body styles, including Commodore SS, SS V, Calais V, Caprice V and the recently introduced Redline range. V8s account for about one quarter of Commodore sedan sales and almost half of Ute sales."We see it as being more than just the V8 engine - it's about the entire car. It's the whole performance package that appeals to people and we want to continue making cars that people are proud to own," Welsh says."The combination of features and technology, great handling and braking and outstanding value is consistent across our V8 model range."Ford fans are also committed to V8s, according to company spokesperson Sinead McAlary, who says a recent Facebook survey was overwhelmingly positive."We asked whether they worry about petrol prices and they say 'No, it's the sound of the V8 we love and we are prepared to pay the price'," she says.Both Ford and Holden also have performance divisions where the V8 was, and still is, king. Ford's is Ford Performance Vehicles (FPV) and Holden's is Holden Special Vehicles (HSV).HSV marketing manager Tim Jackson says their sales are "on par" with last year."That's despite the fact that last year we had the limited edition GX-P which is an entry level product for us," he says. "We don't have that model in our range at all this year and you would expect numbers to come off, but we've been able to maintain sales volume."All of HSV's range are powered by a naturally aspirated V8 engine (6200cc 317kW-325kW), while the opposition at FPV has gained the kilowatt advantage with forced induction (supercharged 5000cc 315kW-335kW).Jackson says their LS3 V8 has been "validated" by customers."We're not getting guys screaming at us to go turbocharging. The LS3 is an extraordinary unit. It's a light engine with a good power-to-weight figure. There is not a turbo engine that would do it for us at the right development cost. But I wouldn't rule it (turbo) out or rule it in."Jackson says there have been no repercussions from the rise in petrol prices."Our customers don't have other choices in their repertoire," he says. "A small car doesn't suit them and they're not into an SUV. They're of a certain level where the whole cost of running the car is easy for them to absorb."The top-selling HSV is the ClubSport R8, followed by the Maloo R8, then GTS.However, the greatest HSV in history is debatable, Jackson says.HSV engineering boss Joel Stoddart prefers the all-wheel-drive Coupe4 and sales boss Darren Bowler the SV5000."The Coupe4 is special because of its engineering but I like the W427 because it's the fastest," Jackson says.FPV boss Rod Barrett says they are also experiencing strong sales growth. He says they sold about 500 cars in the first quarter, which is up 32 per cent on the previous year. He also says sales of the F6 have slowed since the launch of the supercharged V8 engine variants late last year, as customers "opt for power". Ford no longer offers a V8 with the demise of the XR8 sedan and ute last year."Our middle name is performance so we have all the V8s," Barrett says. "When we were launching this new supercharged car all the V8s came across here."Barrett says their supercharged engine has changed people's minds about "dinosaur V8s"."The turbocharged F6 was a cult hero car in its day and people thought a V8 was a low-tech dinosaur," he says. "But when we produced a high-tech all-alloy five-litre supercharged V8 built in Australia people started to think that V8s aren't all that bad after all. I'm not seeing the demise of the V8 just yet, but for us, the future is hi-tech."The supercharged 5.0Litre V8 335kW FPV GT continues to be FPV's top-selling vehicle followed closely by the supercharged V8 5.0 litre 315kW GS sedan and GS ute.Barrett believes the current GT is the best FPV car yet with its segment-leading power, light weight and improved fuel economy."However, I think our most iconic car was the 2007 BF Mk II 302kW Cobra in white with blue stripes. That car brought back the passion of '78 with the original Cobra. If you have a look at the second-hand prices, they are still holding up very well" he says.

The good news is that the cars of the future are not boring electric "golf carts" but sleek and sexy machines.Take for example the BMW Vision EfficientDynamics Concept, or even the updated Toyota Prius C. Just as smart, but also featuring powertrain technology that is much further down the line, is the Hyundai Blue2 Concept, powered by a hydrogen fuel cell, or the Mitsubishi Concept PX-MiEV with a plug-in hybrid system that extends the use of the vehicle in electric mode.Here is a sample of the green vehicles on the stands at this year’s show:BMW Vision EfficientDynamics Concept: Making its Australian debut, this is the concept for the coming BMW i8. A conventional 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbo-diesel mated to a pair of electric motors powers this four-wheel-drive 2+2 sports car. The hybrid combination pumps out 265kW of power and 800Nm of torque, and can run on electric power alone for up to 50km, diesel only for 645km or a combination of both. The lithium-ion battery packs charge in just 2.5 hours from AC mains or 44 minutes on quick charge.Ford: The new Liquefied Phase Injection LPG technology in the Ford Falcon EcoLPi has improved power and torque and decreased fuel consumption (12.5L/100km) and CO2 emissions (203g/km). Ford will also show its long-awaited diesel Territory with a 2.7-litre V6 boasting fuel economy of 8.2L/100km.Holden: The Ecoline Series II Cruze range with a new generation 2.0-litre turbo diesel (5.6L/100km) is Australia’s most fuel-efficient locally-built car. The stand will also feature the Cruze 1.4-litre intelligent turbo induction (1.4 iTi) petrol engine (6.4L/100km manual) and other Ecoline models, including the Commodore E85 flex-fuel and Spark Ignition Direct Injection V6 powered Commodores and Captivas.Honda hybrids: Honda will show the stylish Honda CR-Z coupe petrol-electric hybrid that arrives here later this year, as well as its second-generation Insight hybrid.Hyundai Blue2 Concept: This is the Korean company’s first sedan-style Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV) powered by hydrogen. It delivers power of 90kW and fuel economy of 2.8L/100km. Being a concept car, it comes with a host of future electronic aids, such as an automatic opening door system, roof and side cameras to replace mirrors, and a motion sensor-operated infotainment system.Lexus LF-Gh Concept: This concept features the hybrid system already in the Lexus fleet, but is the first time the spindle-shaped grille that will become a feature of future designs will be seen here, and hints at a future grand touring sedan. Lexus Australia chief executive Tony Cramb says the LF-Gh reaffirms that hybrids can be sleek and stylish.Mazda Minagi: This is a crossover concept specifically engineered to be the first with frugal SKYACTIV technology diesel and petrol engines and transmission. The car is an insight into the coming CX-5.Mercedes-Benz C-Class: The range now includes the updated 7G-Tronic Plus seven-speed automatic transmission for improved economy. Diesel models come with the ECO start/stop function as standard, and the C250 diesel coupe boasts economy of 5.1L/100km. At the top end of the Benz range, the S350 diesel BlueTec luxury saloon has economy figures of 7L/100km.Mitsubishi ?i-Miev-based electric vehicle concepts: The i-MiEV is about to hit the showrooms and Mitsubishi already has an SUV variant, which will be on its stand. The Concept PX-MiEV has a plug-in hybrid system with fuel economy better than 2L/100km. It is powered by two permanent magnet synchronous motors and a 1.6-litre MIVEC engine. The PX-MiEV also features Smart Grid technology that allows the battery to power home appliances during a blackout or at peak times when electricity tariffs are high.Nissan Leaf: The all-electric Leaf hits showrooms next year. The World Car of the Year features a satnav system linked to the "Global Data Centre’’ in Japan so you just press a button to find the closest recharging stations.Toyota Prius C concept & Prius V: The latest in the Prius family are a funky coupe concept (C) and a people mover (V). The Prius C concept shows how stylish the Prius can be and the V shows how spacious it can be. The V also features a lightweight-resin panoramic moon roof, weighing about 40 per cent less than a regular glass roof of the same size. It will be the first to feature Toyota’s new Entune multimedia system with mobile internet and Microsoft’s Bing search engine. The system will offer live weather and traffic updates, along with monitoring the best fuel prices in town.Volkswagen Golf BlueMotion: The BlueMotion has the same 1.6-litre engine with the same output at 77kW and 250Nm as the 77TDI, but its fuel use is just 3.8L/100km compared with 5.12L/100km (77TDI) and CO2 of 99g/km (133g/km 77TDI). The gains are made from a lower idle speed, stop/start technology, aerodynamics and low rolling resistance tyres.Volvo V60 diesel plug-in hybrid: The world’s first diesel hybrid plug-in goes into production next year. The driver can choose from three modes: Pure, which is all-electric with a range of up to 50km, Hybrid with an average fuel consumption of 1.9L/100km and CO2 of 49g/km, and Power, which boosts total diesel and electric power to 200kW and 640Nm of torque with acceleration to 100km/h in 6.9 seconds. The turbodiesel drives the front wheels and an electric motor drives the rear axle. It can be recharged via a regular power socket in 4.5 hours on 10A charge.PLUS: There will also be displays by infrastructure companies including Better Place EV, which has announced plans to begin rolling out infrastructure in Canberra this year.

a vehicle now has to look good, go well and have a label on the windscreen showing it runs on the smell of an oily rag.