That's Amore

iSelect’s
MOTOR MONTHLY
Issue 30 ● September 2011
That’s amore!
Ferrari tempts us again with its latest convertible
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Editorial
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VIC 3191
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Editor
David Hassall
dhassall@mellor.net
Production
Luc Britten
Sub-editor
Ron Hammerton
Contributors
Marton Pettendy
Byron Mathioudakis
Terry Martin
Haitham Razagui
James Stanford
Mike Costello
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iSelect’s
Issue 29 ● September 2011
MOTOR MONTHLY
Caddy-wack
American luxury brand goes crazy
with boat-inspired concept car
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Up and at ’em
Volkswagen’s new baby is born,
and is headed our way
Heil and shine
BMW shines a light on its ultimate production hybrid vehicle
Air Italia
Ferrari gets light-headed and
drops the top off its 458 Italia
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By RON HAMMERTON
AUSTRALIAN buyers are already
queuing for Ferrari’s latest droptop,
the 458 Spider – billed as the
world’s first mid-engined supercar with a
folding hard-top.
To be formally unveiled at the forthcoming
Frankfurt motor show, the V8-powered Spider
is scheduled to arrive in Australia and New
Zealand towards the end of 2012, when it will
join its 458 Italia coupe counterpart that went
on sale in Australia last year.
Ferrari 458 Spider //
Air Italia
Ferrari gets light-headed and
drops the top off its 458 Italia
Pricing, final specifications and production
volumes have yet to be confirmed for Australia,
but that has not deterred potential buyers from
registering their interest with Ferrari importer
European Automotive Imports.
EAI spokesman Edward Rowe said
expressions of interest from potential buyers
had reached double figures in Sydney alone,
with many owners of the previous 430 Spider
looking to step up to the latest topless V8
Ferrari ‘berlinetta’.
“As always with Ferraris, it will be a matter
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of allocation from the factory,” he said. “We
always have a waiting list with any new Ferrari.”
The Prancing Horse brand previewed the
Spider by releasing five photographs of the car
with the roof down, along with basic details
of its newest addition that confirms the 25kg
aluminium retractable hard-top will tuck away
between the engine and the two-seat cockpit.
The company said the patented roof deploys
in a mere 14 seconds and is so compact that
it still leaves space behind the seats for some
luggage.
The folding hard-top is not the first in
the Ferrari range, with that honour going
to the entry-level front-engined California
convertible that gained an electric-powered,
boot-stowed roof when it arrived in Australian
showrooms in mid-2009.
With the roof down, the 458 Spider driver
can raise a “generously-sized” electricpowered
wind blocker to cut turbulence in
the cabin and, according to Ferrari, make
conversation possible at more than 200km/h.
The rear deck of the car displays twin race-
Topless Gun: An aluminium hardtop somehow retracts into a
space between the seats and the mid-mounted engine.
style aerodynamic pods behind the driver
and passenger seats, which will make it
interesting to see how they fit when the roof
is raised.
The company said the “buttresses” are
designed to optimise the flow of air to the
engine intakes, as well as the clutch and
gearbox oil radiators, which can be seen
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tucked under the rear lip spoiler.
Ferrari claims a 3.4-second acceleration
time from zero to 100km/h – the same as the
coupe version, despite a 50kg weight gain
(in dry weight format) to 1430kg. Top speed
is 320km/h, presumably with the top up.
The Spider is powered by the same highrevving
natural-breathing 425kW 4.5-litre
V8 as the coupe, achieving peak power at
9000rpm and 540Nm of torque at 6000rpm.
This direct-injection engine was new with
the 458 when it was introduced last year,
gaining the Italian sportscar-maker the ‘best
performance engine’ gong in the recently
announced International Engine of the Year
awards.
The Spider also carries over the sevenspeed
dual-clutch ‘F1’ paddle-shift
automated gearbox, although no gearings
have been revealed.
Ferrari said some of the Spider’s features
will be unique, singling out the accelerator
pedal mapping and the multi-link suspension
damping as examples of recalibrated controls
to suit the Spider’s driving characteristics.
“Even the engine soundtrack has been
Modena marvel: Ferrari claims the Spider’s
folding hardtop deploys in just 14 seconds.
honed to ensure that the car’s occupants
are completely captivated by the drop-top
driving experience,” Ferrari said in its media
release from Maranello.
Ferrari claims the 458 Spider’s chassis
has new technical solutions that guarantee
identical levels of structural rigidity with the
roof up or down, but provided no comparison
between the coupe and Spider in this regard.
The arrival of the Spider will bring to five
the number of models offered by Ferrari in
Australia – the others being the 458 Italia
($526,950 plus on-roads) and three frontengined
models, the California convertible
($459,650), the 599 GTB coupe ($677,250)
and the range-topping 612 ($698,000).
Although pricing for the Spider will not
be confirmed until the middle of next year,
potential buyers can expect it to command a
significant premium over the Italia.
Before the 458 Italia replaced the 430 in
2009, the 430 Spider – which had a folding
soft-top – cost $38,800 more than the coupe,
reflecting a 9.0 per cent premium, so expect
a price of around $570,000 when you join
MOTOR
the waiting list.
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\\ Cadillac Ciel
Caddy-wack
American luxury brand goes crazy
with boat-inspired concept car
By RON HAMMERTON
CADILLAC has revealed a precursor to
an all-new flagship model that harks
back to the golden age of American
land-barge motoring but without all the gasguzzling
drawbacks.
The open-top Cadillac Ciel grand tourer
concept – appropriately unveiled in California
at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance
where such old-style classic cars abound –
is said to be underpinned by a new General
Motors architecture that will spawn a latterday
Eldorado.
This platform under the Ciel (French for sky
and pronounced C-L) might be a variation of
Cadillac’s new large-car architecture that will
provide the basis of the recently announced
XTS sedan.
Although the Ciel show car abounds with
design flourishes that are unlikely to make
it into production, Cadillac says the styling
language points the way to how its cars may
look in the future.
The boat-like cruiser, with its acres of leather,
real olive-tree polished wood and long, low
body, dispenses with the monstrous 12- and
eight-cylinder engines of previous generations
and adopts a modern and efficient hybrid
powertrain employing a twin-turbo 317kW
version of GM’s direct-injection 3.6-litre V6,
hooked up with an electric motor and lithiumion
batteries that can provide electric-only
drive at low speeds.
The all-wheel driveline ends at massive 22inch
wheels that, despite their individual size,
look to be in proportion with the rest of the car,
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such are its massive dimensions.
For example, the wheelbase is 3175mm –
260mm longer than the between-the-axles
stretch of the VE Holden Commodore.
Designed at GM’s North Hollywood studios
in California, the Ciel was said to be inspired by
that state’s iconic coastal drive, on Highway 1.
Cadillac global design director Clay Dean
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said the Ciel reflected the Cadillac heritage
that was all about expressive luxury.
“Large, expressive luxury is innate to
Cadillac and the Ciel recalls that heritage,
while suggesting where the brand can go in the
future,” said Mr Dean.
“Authentic luxury is driven by experiences, not
just products, and Ciel is about the experience of
Imperial leather: Traditional materials dominate an interior
that features a cigar humidor and aromatherapy dispenser.
the journey. The Ciel is about the romance of the
drive. It emulates the great touring cars seen on
the greens at Pebble Beach (during the Concours
d’ Elegance), but with a modern flair that projects
Cadillac’s vision for the future.”
Even the deep burgundy paint of the Ciel
was inspired by California – a Napa Valley red
wine in a glass held up to the sun.
In grand tourer tradition, the rear doors of the
four-seat open-top limo are rear-hinged in what
Cadillac describes as “French-style”. With both
side doors opened, the pillarless access to the
dark leather-clad seats is vast, revealing leather
trim wrapped around the door ends.
The LED running lights – stacked vertically
on the sharp outer edges of the front fascia –
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7 /14

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TM .
New Porsche 911 here next March
THE latest incarnation of Porsche’s iconic 911
sportscar will be larger but lighter, faster and more
efficient than its 997 predecessor while costing up
to $10,300 more.
Compare, Select and Save
compare, select and save
> FULL STORY
First look: Toyota Camry steps out
TOYOTA Australia promises its all-new seventhgeneration
Camry will deliver more power, greater
fuel efficiency and a quieter, safer and more
spacious driving experience when the new midsizer
rolls from its Altona production line from next
month ahead of a November release – just a month
after its debut in North America. > FULL STORY
Quick test: Hyundai Accent range
DON’T look now but after the i20, i30 and
Elantra, there’s yet another new and not-socompact
Hyundai for light and small-car buyers
to contemplate. This time the almost-forgotten
Accent badge has been exhumed, worn on an allnew
set of clothes that brandish the brand’s ‘fluidic
sculpture’ design philosophy. > FULL STORY
blend into a traditional Cadillac look, along with
the typically monstrous crosshatched chrome
grille that extends the timeless Cadillac theme.
Chrome ‘bright-work’ is evident all around the
car, with a metal line framing the front fascia,
running down the side, around the windscreen
frame, the alloy wheels and around the interior.
The body colour rolls over the top of the
doors and into the interior, where it meets a
chrome strip that divides it from the wood trim
that is said to have come from a single olive
tree felled in a Californian olive grove.
Each piece of wood was dried in a kiln before
being cut and photographed to allow precise
matching by craftsmen who hand-machined
each piece.
Passengers can pull a tab to unwind a cashmere
blanket to be placed over their knees to make openair
motoring more comfortable. The blankets
retract automatically when the passengers alight.
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Caddy Cool: The Ciel looked at home
at Pebble Beach, grandly reflecting
its luxury Cadillac heritage.
A cigar humidor and drawers for holding
sunscreen, sunglasses and towels are placed
around the vehicle. As well, aromatherapy is
controlled from a rear armrest switch.
Cadillac interior design manager Gael Buzyn
described the interior design as romantic in its
form and materials.
“There is authentic craftsmanship in the way
the exterior and interior elements meld, much
like a vintage wooden boat,” she said. “It is
romantic, not only in its form, but the materials
– nothing smells as good as real wood and
leather. It blends together for a rewarding
feeling of uncompromising luxury.
“Milled solid wood delivers richness and
a sensual feeling of authenticity in the visual
impact of the grain, its feel and aroma, which
a veneer simply cannot. Even in our hightech,
connected world, luxury customers crave
MOTOR
touches of old-world craftsmanship.”
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\\ Volkswagen Up
Up and at ’em
Volkswagen’s new baby is born,
and is headed our way
By MIKE COSTELLO
VOLKSWAGEN has released details
of the all-new Up city car, which
will almost certainly be added to the
company’s already-burgeoning Australian
model range next year.
The final design appears to have stayed
faithful to the first Up concept car from the
2007 Frankfurt show, retaining the short
overhangs and relatively long wheelbase of
the show car.
With a width of just 1640mm and a height
of 1480mm, the Up is almost as tall as it is
wide and, with the engine mounted well
forward, this makes for a spacious interior that
features a 251-litre boot, which stretches to an
impressive 951 litres when the rear seats are
fully folded.
Volkswagen’s global head of design Klaus
Bischoff said: “If the goal is to maximise
space, the ideal form for a small car would be a
rectangular box. In the Up, we were able to sculpt
such a box with a clean and powerful design that
does not lose sight of space utilisation.”
The pint-sized four-seater, which will slot
into the German brand’s range beneath the
larger and pricier Polo, will go on sale in Europe
from December and will likely be launched in
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Australia some time in 2012.
At 3540mm long, the three-door city
car is about the same length as a Suzuki
Alto, although it is unlikely to compete
on price point in the highly-competitive
sub-light segment of the market.
In the same way that the Polo competes
with larger Japanese and Korean-built
small cars, the Up is likely to be priced
in line with larger light segment vehicles
such as the upcoming next-generation
Toyota Yaris, Holden Barina and Kia
Rio models.
Despite that, Volkswagen Australia
managing director Anke Koeckler said it
would bring new clientele to the brand,
including young buyers and those who
might otherwise have considered a
second-hand car.
“The Up will contribute greatly to the
Volkswagen brand in Australia, where
it will be our new entry-level model
below the Polo and should allow new
(VW) drivers and also used-car buyers to
experience the look and feel of the brand.
“But it has to be less than $15,000.
The Polo is $16,690, so Up has to be
below that.”
The relative strength of the Australian
dollar has brought the little Volkswagen
back into local contention after
less favourable exchange rates had
previously hindered getting it here at the
right price.
The diminutive car will debut with a
new-generation 1.0-litre, three-cylinder
petrol engine in two different states
of tune – with 44kW and 55kW of
power – while BlueMotion versions use
technology such as idle-stop to bring
fuel consumption down to as low as 4.2
litres per 100km.
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Go GREEN
Give driving two green thumbs up in the new i20. Winner of the
2010 ECOcar Magazine Car of the year, * and voted Australia’s
Best Light Car under $20,000, † it goes further for less to keep
up with you. What’s more, the new i20 has a maximum 5 star
Green Vehicle Guide rating ^ , making it a car that’s responsible as
well as fun. Find out for yourself why every journey’s a breath of
fresh air in the new i20. Go for more information at i20.com.au
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Both of these green-friendly engines are
claimed to emit fewer than 100 grams of CO2
per kilometre travelled.
Following on from the initial launch will
be a 50kW natural gas-powered derivative,
while Volkswagen has also committed to an
electric version by 2013 – a first for the brand.
The Up will be launched in three
different specifications, beginning with the
interestingly named Take Up, followed by the
more comfort-oriented Move Up and toppedoff
by the High Up flagship.
The High Up will also be joined by two
independent models called Up Black and Up
White, based on the flagship variant.
The sparse and clean interior layout
features a relatively high-end instrument
fascia and a chunky three-spoke steering
wheel. Depending on the equipment line,
either decor paint or one of the five body
colours is used in the interior, much like the
cabin of the pricier Mini Cooper.
Opening Up: The first three models in VW’s Up range
are expected in Australia by the end of 2012.
The interior also features Volkswagen’s
first mobile portable infotainment device,
developed in collaboration with navigation
systems manufacturer Navigon, in what
appears to be a development of the portable
tablet-based system from Volkswagen’s Bulli
concept, which debuted at the Geneva show
earlier this year.
This portable touchscreen system, which
combines navigation, telephony, in-car
information and music, is said to simply
‘snap-on’ to the top of the dashboard above
the centre console.
Optional safety technology will include
Volkswagen’s City Emergency Braking,
which can automatically intervene and apply
the car’s brakes in an emergency situation
to avoid or lessen the severity of an impact.
VW claims the laser sensor-guided system
– which is automatically active at speeds of
lower than 30km/h – is a first for the sub-light
MOTOR
vehicle segment.
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By JAMES STANFORD
in FRANKFURT
THE stunning BMW i8 supercar concept
you see here – revealed at a media event
in Frankfurt last month – is not far away
from the planned 2013 production car, according
BMW i8 //
Heil and shine
BMW shines a light on its ultimate
production hybrid vehicle
to chief designer Adrian van Hooydonk.
The design of the i8 concept is bold, with
swooping lines, an aggressive stance and tall
but extremely narrow wheels. It would be easy
to dismiss it as a fanciful concept, but Mr van
Hooydonk is confident it will not change much
when it goes into production.
“It is not far away,” he said. “What you see
is 90 per cent what you will see in production.
All the ideas and themes will be there.”
BMW revealed the two-door i8 will be an
extreme plug-in hybrid that will be quite a
different beast to the more practical i3 fivedoor
hatchback it plans to launch at the same
time.
The company said the two vehicles will
book-end the German car-maker’s forthcoming
green car sub-brand range and that there are
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Eight is enough: The external colours
carry through into the cockpit.
plenty of numbers in between them for new
and different models.
BMW disclosed that the i8, which is
expected to cost as much as $300,000, will
use both an electric motor and petrol engine to
deliver M3-like acceleration by blasting from
0-100km/h in less than five seconds.
At the same time, it will be able to deliver an
official average fuel consumption of less than
3.0 litres per 100km, though BMW says realworld
economy figures of between 5.0 and
7.0L/100km are likely when driven hard.
The i8 uses the same electric motor as the i3
city-car – which delivers 125kW of power and
250Nm of torque – but is mounted over the
front axle instead of the rear.
This motor drives the front wheels and is
assisted by a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol
engine generating 164kW and 300Nm that is
mounted at the rear and drives the rear wheels.
Unlike the i3, which has a large rectangular
battery pack that forms the floor of the
passenger cell, the i8 runs a long and thin
rectangular battery pack that sits between the
driver and passenger much like a traditional
driveshaft tunnel, allowing the seats to sit
closer to the road.
While the i3 will have an all-electric range of
around 150km, the i8 will have fewer lithiumion
batteries and be able to travel only 35km in
electric-only mode, which BMW says will be
enough for most city trips.
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M{ZD{ 3 LOVES DRIVING
When a car is as much fun to drive as Mazda3, the journey
itself becomes a destination. Its dynamic shape inspires you
to jump behind the wheel, while spirited performance and great
fuel economy are enough to turn a shopping trip into a road trip. After
all, with satellite navigation and Bluetooth ® on most models plus standard
Dynamic Stability Control, why would you want to stop? In hatch or sedan,
Mazda3 loves driving. And so will you. Head for your Mazda Dealer or mazda3.com.au
Compare, Select and Save
MAZ9740/M3
When the driver wants to accelerate hard, the
i8 uses both the electric motor and the petrol
powerplant while a third mode enables the
electric motor to shut off for Autobahn cruising
on the petrol engine alone.
The two-plus-two i8 features an aluminum
platform and a carbonfibre-reinforced plastic
body that will help keep the weight pegged
below 1500kg.
The interior has a real cockpit feel with the
dashboard and centre console designed to wrap
around and focus on the driver.
With the exterior shape, BMW designers say
they spent a lot of time in the windtunnel to
ensure the exterior themes they came up with
were aerodynamically sound. There are several
inlets or gaps in the bodywork that give the i8 a
futuristic look and also reduce drag.
The long doors are hinged to the A-pillar, but
Blue light disco: BMW says the i8 will be able to be ordered
with or without the illuminated blue grille surround.
open up and away from the body.
BMW presented the concept car with 19-inch
wheels that are extremely narrow, especially for
a supercar. It says customers can expect to see
these in production, which will pose a challenge
for chassis engineers given the traction
restrictions from such a small contact patch.
One design element that will be specific to
the i-car range is the blue-ringed kidney grille.
Mr van Hooydonk confirmed that the grille
surround, which shares the same blue as the
BMW badge, will feature on the production
car, but said customers would also be able to
choose a regular grille.
The i8 already has one serious fan in
Australasia, with a New Zealand customer
placing an order for the production car, more
than two years before it is expected to go on
MOTOR
sale there.
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