Flight Centre......................................................... 22

• 5 nights in a Treehouse Villa

• 1 night in a Deluxe Room at Marina-Express Aviator Phuket Resort

• Breakfast daily

• Airport and speedboat transfers

• Half day snorkel + kayak tours

• Treehouse breeze experience

• 5 nights in a City View Room

• Flights + Transfers

• Kids stay free

• USD$25 welcome drinks credit

• Welcome amenity gift

• Ala Moana Center Premier Passport Voucher

Terms & Conditions All pricing is based on a from price. All prices are in Australian Dollars and are based on per person twin share occupancy unless stated otherwise. Airfare is based on promotional economy class fares. Flights may not be direct or operate daily. Cannot stay longer than 1 month after departure from point of origin. Prices are subject to promotional fare availability. Air surcharges apply during Australian school holidays and Peak periods. Prices are correct at the time of publication, priced per person based on twin share, may change without notice & subject to availability. Prices quoted are on sale until or sold out. All packages are valid for travel subject to end dates. Seasonal surcharges & blackout dates may apply depending on the date of travel. Additional fees, including surcharges and visa fees specific to your departure date may apply. Preferred airlines, additional nights or room type upgrades can be requested at time of enquiry. All will result in additional fees.

A POWERFUL collaboration between Europe and Australia heralds the first official entry into the 2023 LIQUI MOLY Bathurst 12 Hour. Famous German-based Porsche team Manthey will join with Australian team EMA Motorsport to commence the 2023 season at Mount Panorama.

The pair join forces under the ‘Manthey EMA’ banner and confirm their entry of a Porsche 991.2 Generation Porsche GT3R in the February 3-5 event next year. After successful events in Europe, the Australian-German effort will be hard to miss as they come together to send the iconic green and yellow ‘Grello’ Porsche 911 GT3 R to the Mountain with a Pro driver effort.

EMA Motorsport makes a first appearance at the Bathurst 12 Hours with the Porsche 911 GT3 R, having raced at the Mountain as part of the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia grid earlier this year. The race will also be one of the final appearances for the 991.2 iteration of the GT3 R in top-flight competition, ahead of the new 992 generation joining grids from later in 2023.

Further details of the drivers are set to revealed early in the New Year.

Harrolds Volante Rosso Motorsport will enter the 2023 LIQUI MOLY Bathurst 12 Hour, contesting Australia’s International Enduro for the first time. The team has confirmed the initial entry of their #101 Mercedes AMG GT3, with Ross Poulakis named as the lead driver.

The Mercedes AMG Customer Racing squad maid their racing debut in the Fanatec GT World Challenge powered by AWS this season and has impressed with a series of highly competitive performances.

As well as taking several GT3 Am class race victories so far this year, the highlight saw the team claim a stunning third outright at Mount Panorama recently, in the three-hour GT Endurance Championship finale’.

There, Poulakis and international Aussie Jordan Love starred; Love qualifying fastest of the pro drivers, before the pair chased the leading Brad Schumacher-run Audi and the Triple Eight / Johor Motor Racing Mercedes all day - finishing on the lead lap and on the podium.

The result was doubly impressive given it was Poulakis’ first attempt at taking on Mount Panorama.

talkmotorsport.co.nz

The high specification Ford Ranger Platinum is due in Australia in May 2023, combining capability and versatility with unique styling and premium features.

The three-litre V6 turbo diesel Ranger Platinum has a recommended Manufacturer List Price of $76,9901.

Ford Australia says the Ranger Platinum meets the demand for a luxury product which is also a flexible work truck, assisting active work and family needs.

The five-seat double cab Ranger Platinum produces 184kW of power and 600Nm of torque, power delivered through the Ranger’s electronically controlled full-time four-wheel drive system, combined with Ford’s 10-speed automatic transmission.

Key exterior enhancements include a unique grille, 20-inch alloy wheels, ‘Platinum’ hood badging, Silk Chrome trims, Matrix LED headlamps, a damped tailgate, and Ford’s Flexible Rack System (FRS). “We listened hard to our customers throughout the design and development of the nextgeneration Ranger, and in doing so we reinvented the pick-up truck segment,” says Ford Australia president and chief executive Andrew Birkic.

“We’ve seen growth in high-end variants in this segment over recent years, so we challenged ourselves to create a vehicle that provides all of our customer’s wants and needs.”

Its maximum braked towing weight is 3500kg, like the whole Ranger line-up.

The Ranger Platinum will also be available in the Equinox Bronze paint colour, previously available only on Everest.

Ranger Platinum will go into production as an MY23.50 model from April 2023, with first arrivals in May 2023.

The Mazda CX-60 is available to order in Australia, due to arrive in June 2023. Fuel consumption is rated at a low 2.1L/100km, corresponding to CO2 emissions of 49g/km.

The 355V, 17.8kWh high-capacity lithium-ion battery onboard battery can be fully recharged from empty in 2.5 hours using a 7.2kW AC charger.

The debut vehicle from Mazda’s Large Product Group introduces three new powertrains – all hybridised and including inline-six turbocharged petrol and diesel engines and Mazda’s first plug-in hybrid (PHEV).

The powerplants can be mated to any one of three model grades – Evolve, GT or Azami – and customised further with safety and styling option packs.

They are priced from $59,800 (Evolve petrol), $61,800 (Evolve diesel) and $72,300 (Evolve PHEV).

“The Mazda CX-60 is more than an exciting new SUV; it’s the evolution of Mazda Premium – a high-quality concentration of design, driving dynamics, technology and comfort developed around our customers and what they want from a mid-sized SUV,” says Mazda Australia managing director Vinesh Bhindi. The six-cylinder turbocharged petrol and diesel both share a 3.3-litre capacity and join the lineup for the first time, each utilising Mazda’s 48V M Hybrid Boost technology.

The e-Skyactiv G turbo petrol engine results in performance well above that of the Mazda CX-5’s 2.5 litre turbo (0-100km/h in 6.9 seconds), but with much better fuel economy – closer to a naturally aspirated 2.5 litre.

The 3.3 litre e-Skyactiv D delivers a maximum power level of 187kW and 550Nm torque at 1500-2400 rpm. Acceleration to 100 km/h from rest takes 7.3 seconds. Fuel consumption on the combined cycle is 4.9L/100km, with CO2 emissions of 128g/km.

At the top of the range is the first Mazda plug-in hybrid – the e-Skyactiv PHEV, with a combined 241kW system output and 500Nm torque from its 100kW motor and Skyactiv-G 2.5-litre, four-cylinder direct injection petrol. Its zero to 100km/h sprint time is 5.9 seconds.

Overall range in EV mode is 76km at speeds of up to 100km/h – comfortably exceeding the average Australian daily commuting distance by almost five times without the need to revert to the petrol engine. All engines in the Mazda CX-60 range are combined with a newly developed SkyactivDrive eight-speed automatic transmission.

The new rear-biased i-Activ All-Wheel Drive system is also fitted to all versions of the Mazda CX-60, supported by Mi-Drive, which helps the driver easily switch between five different driving modes: Normal, Sport, Off-Road, Towing and EV (PHEV only).

autotalk.com.au