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John Mellor’s GoAuto News ‘An accessible brand’ GM’s German brand Opel promises Euro appeal and value pricing from launch By RON HAMMERTON OPEL Australia plans to take the fi ght up to the likes of Volkswagen and Peugeot by offering better-value cars with more affordable pricing and extra features. The aggressive stance by General Motors’ European brand was foreshadowed by Opel Australia founding managing director Bill Mott when announcing the new-look 17-dealer Opel sales network that will launch the initial three-model range across Australia in September. Previously offered as part of the Holden range, Opel vehicles will now be sold down a separate sales channel under Opel badges for the fi rst time, sitting above the Holden line. Mr Mott said Opel intended to be one of the premier mainstream European manufacturers in the Australian market. He named European importers Volkswagen, Peugeot, Citroen and Bill Mott Renault as major rivals, adding that Opel would not be pitched as a premium brand. “We are a German engineering brand but we are an accessible brand,” he said. “We don’t see ourselves as a premium brand as such.” Mr Mott said Opel would use value as its point of difference against the middling European competitors. “We intend to price ourselves where have got a price and equipment advantage that is quite compelling to the customer,” he said. “We are really looking to put together a package that really speaks to customers and has them considering our brand.” Mr Mott declined to put a date on SUBSCRIBE FREE: www.GoAutoMedia.com June 27, 2012 Page 4 Astra GTC when the Opel head offi ce’s stated target of 15,000 sales a year in Australia would be achieved. “That was the very aggressive target given to us by management – that was a long-term target,” he said. “I can only say that we are on track to meet our objectives. There’s no timeframe. It will take us some time to get there.” The 15,000 target was quoted to GoAuto last year by GM Europe CEO Karl-Friedrich Stracke at the Frankfurt motor show. “It’s 15,000 to start from and then we want to go from there,” said Mr Stracke when asked how many vehicle sales he expected from Australia. FULL STORY: CLICK HERE
John Mellor’s GoAuto News Volvo to hold off on vital V40 launch until early in 2013 so T5 can top series At tradingpost.com.au we are committed to helping grow your business by • Promoting your brand alongside your inventory • Building and promoting your own web and mobile sites • Listing your Tradingpost stock on your website • Helping to deliver more buyers to your business Call 1300 699 608 to find out why it’s better with branding. Wil il i l D DDavison – Tradin di gpo p st Rac Racing ing Winn Winner er e – 201 20 2 Clipsa psa psal 500 Winner – 201 2012 2 Tasman man mania ia C CChall hall hallenge Winn W er – 2012 2 ITM M 400, 4 NZ Winner – 2012 2 Tr Tradin adi gpos os ost t Perth Chal Cha len en enge Winn inner r – 2012 Ph Philli Ph illi illip IIslan and n 30 300 SUBSCRIBE FREE: www.GoAutoMedia.com V40 to blast off with T5 By RON HAMMERTON in ITALY VOLVO has chosen to delay the Australian debut of its all-new premium small car, the V40, by about two months so it can launch with the full range, including a range-topping performance fl agship that will go headto-head with hot hatches like Audi’s S3, Volkswagen’s Golf R and the Renault Megane RS250. Packing 187kW of power and 370Nm of torque from a fi ve-cylinder engine tuned by Swedish race team Polestar, the yet-to-be-seen V40 T5 will lob in Europe later this year before joining the boat to Australia for the range launch in February. Other models in the V40 range from launch will be the 1.6-litre D2 diesel entry model, 2.0-litre D4 diesel and T4 fi ve-cylinder petrol. Collectively, the V40 range will provide a new benchmark in smallcar safety, boasting the world-fi rst pedestrian airbag that pops from between the bonnet and windscreen to cushion the head of a pedestrian in a collision, as well as an upgraded version of Volvo’s pioneering City Safe anti-collision technology and pedestrian detection system that automatically brakes to prevent more serious injury to wayward walkers. The V40 will be built for global markets only in a fi ve-door hatchback style, although insiders say there is a chance of a sedan for China where the three-box designs are more popular. At the European V40 launch in Italy last week, Volvo was keeping its powder dry on the V40 T5 that will not only take the fi ght up to existing hot hatches from rivals but also the upcoming Mercedes- Benz A-Class that reverts to a standard hatch design this time around, and a June 27, 2012 Page 5 new front-wheel-drive BMW model to be revealed at the Paris motor show in September. The V40 T5 will be armed with the same turbocharged fi ve-cylinder engine that graces the current Volvo C30 and S40 fl agship models, but with more power courtesy of Volvo’s racing partner Polestar Performance. The hot V40s will get an engine management chip developed by Polestar to help take engine performance from 169kW to 187kW – just 1kW short of Volkswagen Group’s 188kW 2.0-litre TFSI engine in the Audi S3 Sportback and Golf R, but with more torque (370Nm versus 330Nm). FULL STORY: CLICK HERE Marvellous little V – next page
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