australia Archives

Exclusive: Xbox One and Forza Motorsport 5 to race in Australia’s V8 Supercars [w/video]

Filed under: Motorsports, Sedan, Videos, Holden, Toys/Games, Australia, Racing

Xbox One Racing Team Holden VF Commodore V8 Supercars

Microsoft is going to get into the world of racing. Okay, so the tech-giant is already kind of involved in motorsports, with its subsidiary studio, Turn 10, responsible for the phenomenon that is Forza Motorsport. Forza, which goes toe-to-toe with Sony’s Gran Turismo series, is preparing to release its fifth version in the main series, appropriately called Forza Motorsport 5.

In conjunction with promotions of the new game and the launch of the next-generation Xbox One console (due out on November 22), Microsoft has announced that Xbox Australia will team with Triple Eight Race Engineering to launch the Xbox One Racing Team at the 2013 Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000.

Bathurst, which runs on the Mount Panorama Circuit, will be included in Forza 5 and is one of the most grueling events on the V8 Supercars calendar, covering 620 miles (1000 kilometers). Winning it is as important to V8 Supercar teams as winning the Daytona 500 or Monaco GP is to NASCAR and Formula One teams.

Leading the charge for Xbox One Racing will be a Holden VF Commodore, finished in the traditional Xbox green. Triple Eight Racing, which has won Bathurst five times since its initial win in 2006, handled the oily bits of the VF Commodore. With a 640-horsepower, 5.0-liter V8, the saloon racer can get to 62 miles per hour in 3.3 seconds and will run up to 185 mph. Have a look at the thing coming together in the video below.

Besides a top-flight car, the Xbox One Racing Team will have no shortage of talented drivers – Andy Priaulx and Mattias Ekström will be at the helm. Priaulx has competed in the World Touring Car Championship, German DTM and has ran the Bathurst 1000 three times. Ekström may be a Swede, but we feel like there’s some Finnish blood in him somewhere. He’s ran in DTM since 2001, as well as completing stints in the World Rally Championship and NASCAR. He’s also captured three titles in the Race of Champions, which saw him best the legendary Michael Schumacher.

Continue reading Xbox One and Forza Motorsport 5 to race in Australia’s V8 Supercars [w/video]

Xbox One and Forza Motorsport 5 to race in Australia’s V8 Supercars [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 04 Sep 2013 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Exclusive: Xbox One and Forza Motorsport 5 to race in Australia’s V8 Supercars [w/video]

Filed under: Motorsports, Sedan, Videos, Holden, Toys/Games, Australia, Racing

Xbox One Racing Team Holden VF Commodore V8 Supercars

Continue reading Xbox One and Forza Motorsport 5 to race in Australia’s V8 Supercars [w/video]

Xbox One and Forza Motorsport 5 to race in Australia’s V8 Supercars [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 04 Sep 2013 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Tata Xenon Tuff Truck Concept bows in Australia

Filed under: Concept Cars, Truck, Australia, Tata, Diesel, Off-Road

Tata Xenon Tuff Truck Concept - front three-quarter studio view

Following the cancellation of the Melbourne Motor Show, it would appear that automakers in Australia are looking for creative new ways to show off vehicles to consumers. Enter the country’s National 4×4 and Outdoors Show and Fishing and Boating Expo. India’s Tata Motors has used this weekend’s festivities to reveal an off-road concept version of its Xenon pickup called the Tata Xenon Tuff Truck Concept.

In a land where midsize trucks are still a popular segment, the Tuff Truck Concept looks like a good way to create some excitement, and it is, without a doubt, an attention-grabbing rig. As is often the way with such things, the Australian-designed Tuff Truck Concept is not intended for production, but the Oz authorities at GoAuto.com say Tata might consider building a production version in the future.

For this concept, Tata started with a standard Xenon and then fitted it with everything needed to help it traverse Australia’s rugged Outback, including features like bigger wheels with meatier tires, an intake snorkel, LED running and off-road lights and a flush rear bumper with integrated D-rings. For more wow factor, it has all been finished off with a matte gray paint color apparently borrowed from corporate cousins Jaguar and Land Rover. The menacing look was conceived of by none other than Julian Quincey, chief designer at Holden Special Vehicles, a.k.a. HSV.

Tata will launch itself in Australia on the back of the Xenon pickup, but the standard truck won’t offer all the toys seen on the Tuff Truck. However, it will feature a 2.2-liter turbodiesel offering 148 horsepower and 236 pound-feet of torque paired exclusively with a manual transmission. Tata is reportedly considering selling passenger cars in Oz as well, but the Nano is not expected to be a part of the program.

Tata Xenon Tuff Truck Concept bows in Australia originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 23 Aug 2013 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Man arrested in Australia for driving with pliers instead of steering wheel

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal, Safety, Australia, Humor

Aussie man caught driving with vice grip pliers instead of steering wheel

We’ll be the first to say that taking short cuts to keep a car on the road isn’t a good practice, but sometimes, people take it too far. No, we’re not talking about using a coat hanger for a throttle linkage, or driving on bald tires for one more week, even though the cords are showing. We’re talking about driving without a steering wheel and using locking grip pliers clamped around the steering column shaft to navigate, which is just what one man has been caught doing in Adelaide, Australia, the Daily Mail reports.

The unnamed 38-year-old man’s Monday morning commute was interrupted when police pulled him over for driving erratically with two flat tires, and they were surprised to find him holding the pliers instead of a wheel. He was arrested and charged with many offenses, including driving without a license in an unregistered vehicle, uninsured while under the influence of illegal drugs and more. Police also said they believe he was involved in a hit-and-run accident.

There are many things one can learn from this man’s mistakes, which can be summed up in two words: Drive safely. And that includes taking good care of your car.

Man arrested in Australia for driving with pliers instead of steering wheel originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 24 Jul 2013 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Ford Australia to kill off FPV by 2014 in advance of Mustang return

Filed under: Performance, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Ford, Australia

Ford Falcon XR8 - front three-quarter view, black

Ford seems to be having a good time yanking our friends in Australia about. First, there was the news that after 90 years, the Blue Oval would be ending Australian production, effectively killing the legendary Falcon sedan. Then, yesterday came the announcement that Oz would be getting the next-generation, global Ford Mustang in 2016. And now, we have news regarding Ford’s Australian tuning partner, FPV.

The group responsible for hot Falcons will be disbanded in 2014, according to Aussie newspaper The Age. FPV’s most recent creation, the GT Falcon, will be discontinued. This news isn’t a tremendous shock, as FPV was recently taken in-house by Ford. The tuning house’s death will not lead to any job loss.

Ford will reportedly continue building Falcons with the GT’s mechanicals, though. That means its 449-horsepower, supercharged V8 will live to fight another Holden. Along with the GT’s upgraded suspension and brakes, the new model will wear the unused XR8 badge, allowing Ford to continue building cars for enthusiasts without spending extra on the pricey styling bits of the GT Falcon.

The XR8 Falcon’s days will still be numbered, though. Falcon production is still on track to end, at which point the Mustang will look to take over the XR8’s performance reins. The Falcon will well and truly die when the Mustang takes over for it in the V8 Supercars series, and the US-built Taurus arrives to handle the sedan’s more domestic duties.

Ford Australia to kill off FPV by 2014 in advance of Mustang return originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 17 Jul 2013 10:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Ford Mustang returning to Australia in 2016

Filed under: New York Auto Show, Coupe, Performance, Ford, Australia

Australia’s Herald Sun newspaper has reported that the next-generation Ford Mustang is heading Down Under in 2016, just as Ford is hanging the “Closed for Good” sign on its Australian manufacturing operations and sending the Falcon to its grave. Ford hasn’t offered any official word on the matter, but the paper says that Ford’s global VP of sales and marketing, Jim Farley, is flying to Australia to make the announcement himself.

While Ford converted Mustangs in the early 2000s from left-hand to right-hand drive for the Australian market and then sold them at high prices, it’s been almost five decades since Ford imported a dedicated right-hand-drive Mustang to Oz. The arrival of the global model specifically made for places like Australia and the UK means Ford will also be able to offer them at better prices than the converted models; the Herald Sun says the price is expected to be “close to $50,000.”

And that’s for one of the “V8 performance models,” which are the only ones Australia will get; Ford apparently won’t send the turbocharged four cylinder or the V6. The Aussies could find out in a month from now whether this rumor is true. We will all find out what this Mustang fuss is about when the car debuts at next year’s New York Auto Show.

Ford Mustang returning to Australia in 2016 originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 15 Jul 2013 11:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Official: Volvo joins Australia’s V8 Supercars series [w/video]

Filed under: Motorsports, Sedan, Videos, Volvo, Australia, Racing

Volvo S60 Polestar V8 Supercars teaser - video screencap

It was just a rumor, but now it’s official, mates: Volvo will be joining the V8 Supercars series in Australia with an official team for 2014. Volvo is partnering with Garry Rogers Motorsport and its own Polestar tuning firm to create Volvo Polestar Racing.

A V8 engine will be produced by the Swedish arm of the racing effort, and will be supplied to the Garry Rogers team, which will get the whole shebang ready for the track. The outfit will be running two V8 Supercars “based on the production S60 road car.” Considering that the S60 uses a range of transversely mounted engines with four, five or six cylinders (powering either the front or all four wheels) while the new race car will employ a V8 sending about 650 horsepower to the rear wheels, make that very loosely based on the production S60…

Volvo claims this is the first factory-backed entry in the V8 Supercars series from a luxury brand. We should note, though, that Mercedes-Benz is represented in the series with an E-Class sedan, but that outfit isn’t quite an official entry from the car’s German parents. In any case, you’re encouraged to watch the teaser video and read the press release below for all the details.

Continue reading Volvo joins Australia’s V8 Supercars series [w/video]

Volvo joins Australia’s V8 Supercars series [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 17 Jun 2013 15:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Official: Holden launches tuned, pre-facelifted Malibu in Australia

Filed under: Sedan, GM, Holden, Australia

As General Motors prepares to launch a refreshed 2014 Chevrolet Malibu in the US, the current, year-old version of the car will go on sale in Australia as the Holden Malibu. Rather than just making it right-hand drive and putting new badges on the Malibu for Aussie duty, Holden engineers worked on the sedan’s drivetrain and suspension to give it a tuning unique to that market.

It seems like one of the biggest challenges was getting the Holden Malibu to drive smoothly on Australian roads, and GM’s crew Down Under accomplished this by retuning the suspension’s damping calibration, as well as giving the car proper right-hand-drive tires. Yes, apparently tires designed for a left-hand-drive car would cause the Malibu to pull “excessively to the left,” according to GM’s press release. Engine choices for the Holden Malibu are the 2.4-liter gasoline four-cylinder or a 2.0-liter diesel I4.

Scroll down for the official press blast.

Continue reading Holden launches tuned, pre-facelifted Malibu in Australia

Holden launches tuned, pre-facelifted Malibu in Australia originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 13 Jun 2013 18:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Infiniti confirms plans to launch in Australia

Filed under: Convertible, Coupe, Sedan, Crossover, Infiniti, Australia

Infinity M37

2011 Infiniti M37 – Click above for high-res image gallery

Infiniti has big plans to expand beyond North America, and Drive reports that the Japanese luxury automaker intends to include Australia in its expansion. The site says that officials at Nissan have officially announced that Infiniti would head Down Under by September 2012, adding that the brand would start off with three stand-alone dealerships in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.

When those dealerships launch, there will only be three Infiniti products from which to choose. The G37 coupe and convertible, the M sedan and the FX crossover were chosen in part because of their freshness in the market. Infiniti has reportedly decided against exporting the high volume G37 sedan to Australia, opting instead to wait until the next generation model goes prime-time. The Australians will be able to choose from the same 3.7-liter V6 and 5.0-liter V8 options we have here in the States, and they’ll also be able to pick a 3.0-liter diesel that we aren’t afforded.

The folks at Infiniti also hinted at their strategy for the brand. Infiniti brand GM Kevin Snell reportedly told the press at a launch event that the brand wouldn’t try to be the “cheapest” make Down Under, adding that Infiniti models are often better-equipped than the competition from Europe.

Gallery: 2011 Infiniti M37: Review

Infiniti confirms plans to launch in Australia originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 25 Mar 2011 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2011 Ford Territory hits the web ahead of tackling Australia

Filed under: Crossover, Ford, Australia

2011 Ford Territory

2011 Ford Territory – Click above for high-res image gallery

Ford has finally unleashed information on the production version of the 2011 Territory, giving us all the skinny on what Australian buyers can look forward to when the crossover hits showrooms this May. The party gets started with an all-new exterior that makes use of Ford’s kudzu-like kinetic design language. The Territory now wears a fascia that’s reminiscent of the new global Focus and more than a few Aston Martin products, and the rear produces a cohesive look thanks to integrated glass in the rear quarters and hatch.

The Territory will be available in three configurations when it lands: TX, TS and Titanium and while there’s preciously little information available about what will power those machines, we do know that a diesel mill will find its way under the hood. There’s also some indication that the CUV won’t be available with a manual transmission no matter what engine you opt for.

Inside, Ford has graced the new Territory with an interior that borrows a bit from the Falcon. A large LCD touch screen dominates the dash, and the center stack looks to be cleanly designed. Hit the jump for the full press release.

Gallery: 2011 Ford Territory

[Source: Ford via WorldCarFans]

Continue reading 2011 Ford Territory hits the web ahead of tackling Australia

2011 Ford Territory hits the web ahead of tackling Australia originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 08 Feb 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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