Motor Trader e-magazine, April 2018

APR 2018

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MEMBER'S CLASSIC: 1972 CHEVROLET CHEVELLE MALIBU

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Contents Official Publication of the Motor Trades Association of Queensland

Search for MTA Queensland

HEAD OFFICE Building 8, 2728 Logan Road, Eight Mile Plains, Qld 4113 P.O. Box 4530, Eight Mile Plains, Qld 4113 Tel: 07 3237 8777 Fax: 07 3844 4488 Toll Free: 1800 177 951 Email: publications@mtaq.com.au Website: www.mtaq.com.au

MTA Queensland and MTA Institute actively promotes our four social media platforms and encourages all our members and MTA Institute clients to connect with us via these channels.

Simply search “MTA Queensland.”

EDITOR Jonathan Nash ART DIRECTOR Marco Ilinic

Each social media platform contains different information and this is a terrific way to stay on top of industry news, upcoming events, MTA Institute courses and the latest benefits for Association members.

We see our social media platforms as an additional important communication method, alongside Motor Trader and Member Bulletin emails.

INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS Ted Kowalski Paul Murray POLICY Kellie Dewar, General Manager MTA Queensland ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES Email: publications@mtaq.com.au EDITORIAL Editorial submissions are welcomed but cannot be guaranteed placement. For more information email the Editor at publications@mtaq.com.au SUBSCRIPTION RATES (including GST) Subscribing to the Motor Trader e-magazine is free.

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10

MOTOR TRADER PUBLISHING POLICY Motor Trader is the official publication of the Motor Trades Association of Queensland.

The role of Motor Trader is to inform members of current issues and legislation affecting the industry. As such it can be regarded as the business magazine for the Queensland motor industry. The role of Motor Trader is not to be in competition with the technical magazines already on the market. It will advise of new vehicles being released and of the latest technology incorporated into them; it will advise of latest technology affecting members in each of the MTA Queensland Divisions; it will keep members abreast of the latest in motor industry training and industrial affairs; and it will keep members informed of the latest technical aids available through MTA Queensland Member Services, which will assist members in staying ahead of the technological revolution presently being encountered within the motor industry.

The publisher reserves the right to omit or alter any advertisement and the advertiser agrees to indemnify the publisher for all damages or liabilities arising from the published material.

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34

MTA QUEENSLAND ABN: 74 028 933 848 CORPORATE PARTNERS

10 30 02 From the editor 04 From the desk of the CEO 08 Policy/Viewpoint

20180663

12 MTA Q&A

MICHAEL SCHMIDT, OWNER OF THE ONE STOP TRUCK DOCTOR Features 16 SWISS WATCH: ALL EYES ON THE GENEVA MOTOR SHOW 34 CONQUERING THE MOUNTAIN: MTAQ RACING TEAM MAKES A STATEMENT AT BATHURST

52 Members Classic CHEVY CHEVELLE: 1972 CHEVROLET CHEVELLE MALIBU

MEMBERS ESSENTIALS 79 Training GM's Professional Circle perspective 81 Professional Circle training 85 Apprentice of the Month for March 86 Concept Corner ASTON MARTIN LAGONDA VISION CONCEPT

April 2018 Motor Trader | 1

From the editor

JONATHAN NASH EDITOR

H

ELLO AND WELCOME to the April 2018 edition of Motor Trader.

The first few months of the year are pretty busy for auto manufacturers as they pack up their latest four-wheel goodies and sprint off around the world to join the auto show exhibition circus.

Already this year we have had a couple of biggies in Detroit and Chicago and at time of writing New York was in the midst of its annual auto extravaganza. Earlier in March, the Europeans got in on the act with the Geneva International Auto Show.

Something of a favourite with automakers, there was plenty of extraordinary vehicles on show and we focus on that event in our feature from page 16.

Out cover story, however, takes a look at the MTAQ Racing Team and its debut on the hallowed circuit at Bathurst Mount Panorama.

The long and exciting rack is the

epicentre of all things motorsport in this country. To be able to race competitively there is a tremendous honour and the MTAQ team and driver David Wood put in a brilliant effort as they battled it out with 54 other Hyundai Excel teams in the support category event for the Bathurst 6-Hour. It was terrific stuff and you can get a rundown of the weekend's racing from page 34.

Also in this month's e-mag, we have news on MTA Queensland's involvement in the Myriad Festival in May; some exciting news from the UK regarding the imminent reveal of the first car in decades to bear the name Brabham; and we take a look at some of the wonderful vehicles that paid MTA Queensland a visit at the end of March for the Association's inaugural Cars & Coffee get-together.

Along with all that, we have our regular features, including Member’s Classic and the MTA Q&A interview; a heap of automotive news from across the world; and news from the MTA Institute, the Industrial Relations team and much more.

I hope you enjoy this edition, and if you want to let me know of any news you'd like to share, or have a classic bike, car or truck we could feature on our Member's Classic pages, then please email me.

Cheers!

Jonathan Nash, Editor jonathann@mtaq.com.au

MTA QUEENSLAND WELCOMES THE FOLLOWING NEW MEMBERS Business Name

Principal/s

Address

Email

Division

Autocare Ipswich Bay Tyre & Mechanical Coert Bros & Coast Custom Auto Electrics Lynton Family Trust T/A Bridgestone Select Helensvale Mercedes Benz Sunshine Coast Motovated Turbo and Mechanical Your OCD Mechanics

Richard Peasey Robert Mehl Chris Cahill B Lynton

3 Hooper Street, WEST IPSWICH QLD 4305 108 Bailey Road, DECEPTION BAY Q 4508 2/48 Rene Street, NOOSAVILLE QLD 4566 17/178 Siganto Drive, HELENSVALE Q 4212

autocareipswich@gmail.com rcorney@bigpond.com office@coerts.com.au nadene@bselectsouthport.com

AED AED AED TUDQ

Cameron O Hara John Dimauro Matthew Barrett

65 Maroochy Blvd, MAROOCYDORE Q 4558 2/14 Freighter Avenue, TOOWOOMBA QLD 4350 10 Industrial Street, MACKAY Q 4740

cameron.ohara@mbsunshinecoast.com.au admin@motovated.com.au admin@yourocdmechanics.com.au

AADA AED AED

2 | Motor Trader April 2018

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To find out more, contact MTAQ on (07) 3237 8777 or email info@mtaq.com.au today.

From the desk of the CEO BRIEFINGS

BRETT DALE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER MTA QUEENSLAND

I

’VE BEEN BIT apprehensive as we prepared for our first Cars and Coffee event set for the last Sunday of every month and trying to imagine the scene in our car park. I didn’t have to worry as it went well, despite the drizzle. Our parking spaces were full, and with the helpful aid of neighbouring car parks there was plenty of room. There was an abundance of rare, classic, vintage, historic and race vehicles proudly on display accompanied by equally proud owners.

It was very successful and, I’m happy to report, so was the sausage sizzle, which was manned by volunteers and from which the funds raised will go to our charity partner Youngcare. As I gazed out towards the many enthusiasts and their families admiring the vehicles, I secretly wished that our industry meetings could attract similar attention. Sigh! We’ll keep trying.

VIDEO: CARS AND COFFEE HIGHLIGHTS

4 | Motor Trader April 2018

One of the outcomes of elections is that portfolios and departments are reshuffled.

With that comes the need to seek out where the various responsibilities for the automotive sector lie and rebuild contacts.

Much of my time recently has been devoted to that and putting the credentials of the MTA Queensland on the table.

I was appreciative of a luncheon invitation from the SAS Group Managing Director Peter Constanti. This enabled discussion on training and small business issues and the opportunity to speak directly with the new Minister for Employment and Small Business and Minister for Training and Skills Development, the Hon Shannon Fentiman.

As our registered training organisation is a key element of the MTA Group’s activities, I was keen to raise training issues with the Minister as there is a tendency for the state government to overlook the delivery of skills training through private providers in favour of public institutions. This is unfortunate as private providers such as the MTA Institute are the largest providers of skills training for the trades. Additionally, I expressed the view that the over regulation of the vocational educational and training industry was stifling productivity and delaying the emergence of new workforce skills.

A key issue stressed to the Minister (and included in our recent pre-state budget 2018-19 priorities submission to the Queensland Treasury) was the need for a state-based auto skills training advisory entity. Its purpose would be to advise the national industry committee on the state’s auto training demands and the investment requirements for passenger vehicles, trucks, buses and heavy machinery. As a

member of the national entity, I know first-hand that a state advisory body would be an asset ensuring that the state’s training requirements are met.

I also briefed the Shadow Minister for Employment and Small Business, Training and Skills Development and the Member for the regional electorate of Maroochydore Fiona Simpson on the issues above and the Association’s policies and priorities that are important to her constituents.

BUSINESS MEETINGS With stakeholders from other industry sectors, I participated in an Advancing Small Business Queensland roundtable at which the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman (ASBFEO) Kate Carnell AO spoke. She addressed the issues and priorities which her office handled. One matter was the unfair contract terms (UCT) report following a review by ASBFEO and the Australian Securities and Investment Commission.

The recently released report found the major banks had failed to take the necessary steps to comply with their obligations under the UCT legislation.

Following the review, these lending institutions committed to a series of changes. This included ensuring small business loans of up to $3 million entered into renewed from 12 November 2016 would be protected from unfair contract terms. Small business loan contracts are complex, with many pages of legalistic language. It is to the advantage of small business to have a friend such as the ASBFEO which will continue to apply pressure on Australia’s financial institutions to ensure they meet the unfair contract terms legislation.

At the roundtable, I raised the matter of government engagement with industry

“BRISBANE MARKETING . . .

INVITED MTA QUEENSLAND TO A DIGITAL SKILLS WORKSHOP. THE FOCUS WAS TO UNDERSTAND THE TALENT REQUIREMENTS NEEDED

BY LOCAL BUSINESSES TO DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES.” and business. It’s our estimate that no more than 10 per cent of all small business enterprises are aware of government’s legislative, regulatory and program agenda or changes for their sector. This means that there is a communication’s gap between business, industry and government. It is a difficult issue to address as the view of business is that it is overwhelmed by data from many sources which ultimately becomes spam. The obvious answer is for government to engage and communicate directly with business and industry on issues that matter rather than polemics.

Brisbane Marketing (a Brisbane City Council wholly-owned subsidiary) invited MTA Queensland to a digital skills workshop. The focus was to understand the talent requirements needed by local businesses to develop and implement digital technologies. I was pleased to participate and contribute to the discussion. In terms of our industry, we have insight of enabling digital technologies, such as cloud platforms, data analytics, artificial intelligence, digital ledger and the Internet of Things and their impacts on re-shaping the global economy and transforming almost every industry.

As members know, we’ve considered and done much work on these technologies through our Carmageddon symposiums, April 2018 Motor Trader | 5

From the desk of the CEO the MTAiQ (the newly established innovation hub) and of course will continue to do so at the forthcoming 16 -18 May Myriad Festival.

The challenge of future talent requirements is only one aspect of the digital workforce that we must confront.

A recent automation report claimed a third of Australian jobs could be completely replaced by 2030 – potentially leaving a chunk of the population unemployed. It is a duty to upskill the workforce so that they are not left behind in the digitisation and technological rush. And we are. MTA Queensland is a provider for the federal government’s Industry Specialist Mentoring for Australian Apprenticeships program for 2018 and 2019 to increase apprentice retention rates especially in industries undergoing structural change.

QUEENSLAND INDUSTRY TRAINING AWARDS In my role as the MTA Queensland’s Group CEO, I’ve been asked to contribute and participate as a judge of the 2018 Industry Training Awards by the Queensland Department of Employment, Small Business and Training’s office of the Deputy Director-General Training and Skills. I am pleased to do so as my service with MTA Queensland contributes to my overall industry, vocational education and training expertise and experience required to form the judging panel.

There are 11 categories with nominations per category drawn from across the state. Initially, the judging is online, followed by telephone interviews.

The winners will be announced on 8 September 2018 at the Queensland Training Awards State Final Dinner to be held at the Royal International Convention Centre Bowen Hills.

6 | Motor Trader April 2018

“I SUGGEST TO MEMBERS

THAT THEY ENTER INTO THEIR SCHEDULES: THE 2018-19 FEDERAL BUDGET HANDED DOWN ON TUESDAY 8 MAY; THE MYRIAD FESTIVAL (WHICH INCORPORATES THE CARMAGEDDON INITIATIVE) FROM 16-18 MAY.” AND THE LAST THING With the Department of Main Roads, I’m collaborating on an exciting new initiative with beneficial value for our MTA Institute trainers and ultimately our learners. It’s still in the planning phase but the ultimate goal is for a senior trainer to gain experience internationally on emerging automotive technologies including automated vehicles.

May is going to be a busy month.

I suggest to members that they enter into their schedules: the 2018-19 Federal budget handed down on Tuesday 8 May; the Myriad Festival (which incorporates the Carmageddon initiative) from 16-18 May; and small business week commences Monday May 28 and goes through to Friday 1 June 2018. Each of these hold interest for members.

Apart from these preoccupations, my focus will include membership growth, expanding the Association’s commercial interests, and interacting with stakeholders to enhance the standing of the Association.

Until May, as Henry Ford, the industrialist and the founder of the Ford motor company said, ‘execute ideas with enthusiasm . . . as it is the bottom of all progress’.

Take charge of your super How combining your super could save you hundreds of dollars each year

Camilla Bird, a 27-year-old apprentice mechanic from Sydney, may be a long way off finishing work but she can already picture her retirement years.

Camilla has her heart set on retiring to the country when the time comes and living her dream of establishing an organic food production operation.

“Before I got my start as a motor apprentice, I took jobs in hospitality and administration to make ends meet,’’ she said.

“I had multiple super accounts with small balances, slowly being eaten away by fees so I did some research and decided to open an account with MTAA super and roll everything in.”

Camilla intends to carve out a long career in motoring. Further down the track, she’d like to return to her farmland roots where she learned the lessons of car care early.

Camilla is one of a growing number of Aussies who have consolidated their super to save themselves the cost of multiple sets of fees and increase their overall savings.

MTAA Super CEO Leeanne Turner said the Fund offered a Supermatch service which searched for and consolidated members’ multiple super accounts for free.

“We received over 10,000 requests in 2016/2017 to search for lost super.”

“Most of the requests came through our online portal Member Super Site where members can elect to use their TFN to find their super.”

“The service is also available to new MTAA Super members at the time of joining the fund. During the July 2016–June 2017 period, we helped 970 MTAA Super members consolidate approximately $13M of super. This included super from their other accounts, unclaimed monies at AUSFund or undistributed government co-contributions at the ATO.” Ms Turner said “Account fees which comprise administrative and investment fees can have a material impact on retirement balances. With 40% of Australians having two or more super accounts, multiple fees can result in hundreds of dollars in fees over the course of a year or tens of thousands over a 30-year working lifetime. Enabling our members to find and consolidate their super in an easy, streamlined way is critical to protecting their long-term retirement savings.”

As part of its 2017 Annual Statement mailout, MTAA Super introduced members to its new three step process which enables them to find and consolidate their super online.

The search which requires members’ consent to use their TFN, queries the ATO’s unclaimed super monies database as well as the databases of other funds. If lost super or unclaimed money is located, it can be rolled into members’ accounts within 3–5 days. Over the coming months, MTAA Super will offer this capability directly from its website and Member Services portal so members can take this important step towards increasing their retirement savings.

Bring your super together Read more about finding lost super, taking us with you to your new job, and combining your accounts at mtaasuper.com.au/combine

1300 362 415 mtaasuper.com.au/combine

This article is issued by Motor Trades Association of Australia Superannuation Fund Pty. Limited (ABN 14 008 650 628, AFSL 238 718) of Level 3, 39 Brisbane Avenue Barton ACT 2600, Trustee of the MTAA Superannuation Fund (ABN 74 559 365 913). Motor Trades Association of Australia Superannuation Fund Pty. Limited has ownership interests in Industry Super Holdings Pty Ltd and Members Equity Bank Limited. The information provided is of a general nature and does not take into account your specific needs or personal situation. You should assess your financial position and personal objectives before making any decision based on this information. We also recommend that you seek advice from a licensed financial adviser. The MTAA Super Product Disclosure Statement (PDS), an important document containing all the information you need to make a decision about MTAA Super, can be obtained by calling MTAA Super on 1300 362 415 or visiting mtaasuper.com.au/handbooks. You should consider the PDS in making a decision.

Policy/Viewpoint

KELLIE DEWAR DEPUTY GROUP CHIEF EXECUTIVE GENERAL MANAGER MEMBER SERVICES

I

’VE JUST CELEBRATED 15 years of service with the MTA Queensland. In that time, I’ve worked with members on many complex industry and policy issues but none that has been all consuming.

That is until now, following the Federal Government’s compulsory Takata airbag recall after an intensive Australian Consumer and Competition Commission (ACCC) investigation. The ACCC’s Recall Notice guidelines, processes and procedures has engulfed me totally in an ocean of detail. Overall, I’ve comprehended these to respond to member’s queries about their stock and their obligations.

All automotive sectors are impacted by the recall, including vehicle manufacturers, authorised vehicle dealers, independent secondhand vehicle dealers, suppliers of spare parts, grey importers and Registered Automotive Workshop Scheme participants, and recyclers and auction houses. Each has their own specific guidelines. In all, the recall applies to 2.7 million cars. Any vehicle under the active recall cannot be sold until the airbags are replaced. All replacements must be completed by 31 December 2020, unless the ACCC approves the date variation.

8 | Motor Trader April 2018

The ACCC has on its website specific guidance requirements and the obligations for each impacted sector. To further help members we issued a Member Notice with the Recall details.

Whilst the Recall Notice is wide in its application, it’s our Auto Parts Recyclers, Automotive Engineers and Auto Remarketing divisions and the National Auto Collision Alliance which have had an array of questions for resolution. Some were able to be resolved from a study of the guidelines, other complex questions were forwarded to the ACCC Takata Taskforce for clarification.

One matter that attracted several queries related to vehicles sold through auction houses to which advise was sought. The Product Safety Australia website has been updated to include guidance material for auction houses and businesses that sell vehicles under auction conditions. Auction houses must ensure that they comply with their obligations under the Consumer Goods (Motor Vehicles With Affected Takata Airbag Inflators and Specified Spare Parts) Recall Notice 2018 (the Recall Notice) when they are considered to be supplying vehicles. More generally, I encourage members to be alert to the requirements of the Recall Notice by monitoring the ACCC website and reading our weekly bulletins for updates Aside from the compulsory Takata airbag recall, the ACCC has its focus on improving the safety of quad bikes which is one of the leading causes of fatalities on farms. It has proposed major changes to improve the safety of quad bikes. This includes the introduction of a safety rating system, crush protection or rollover protection devices in the design of new quad bikes, and mandatory minimum performance standards. The ACCC has

“I MET WITH AUSTRALIAN

FINANCIAL AUTHORITY OFFICERS FOR A GENERAL DISCUSSION ON THE PERSONAL PROPERTIES SECURITIES REGISTER (PPSR).

WE ARE OF THE VIEW THAT IT IS FUNCTIONING WELL AND FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE HAVE NO SPECIFIC CONCERNS RAISED WITH US FROM MEMBERS.” developed a Consultation Regulation Impact Statement detailing the proposed options to make quad bikes safer which has just arrived in the email in-box. I’ll discuss its contents and any response with our Farm and Industrial Machinery Dealer Division Chair David Fraser and Motorcycle Industry Division Chair Paul Petersen.

POLICY Policy activity is continuing apace.

The Australian Treasury is winding up a body of Australian Consumer Law (ACL) work of some three years duration. At present it has a consultation regulation impact statement (RIS) for comment pertaining to the ACL: Clarification, simplification and modernisation of the consumer guarantee framework. The purpose of the consultation is to seek comment on the regulatory options under consideration in order to determine the relative costs and benefits of the options.

We’ve been active participants in the ACL consultations throughout the process and will make a submission.

The Senate Parliamentary Joint

Committee on Corporations and Financial Services is conducting an inquiry into the operation and effectiveness of the Franchising Code of Conduct and has wide terms of reference. Checking my records, we’ve been contributors on matters pertaining to the Code since 2007 and will continue to do so.

Members interested in this inquiry may access details at: www.aph.gov.au/ Parliamentary_Business/Committees.

Members’ comments would be welcome.

The due date is 4 May 2018.

I met with Australian Financial Authority officers for a general discussion on the Personal Properties Securities Register (PPSR). We are of the view that it is functioning well and from our perspective have no specific concerns raised with us from members. For motor dealers, and indeed individuals, the PPSR is an excellent tool providing a detailed vehicle history report and a PPSR certificate.

Poor publicity about the banking industry has had at least one good outcome. The Australian Banking Association has submitted to the Australian Securities and Investment Commission for approval a new Banking Code of Conduct of Practice. The retail banks will be required to sign up to the new Code as a condition of membership to the Australian Banking Association.

There are welcome new changes including plain English contracts, ending unsolicited offers of credit card increases, the mandated ability for customers to cancel a credit card online, and improved transparency around fees by telling customers about service fees immediately they occur. There will be a 12-month implementation period for the Code once ASIC has given its approval and will have force of the law.

April 2018 Motor Trader | 9

Policy/Viewpoint SCAMS Now more than ever, individuals and businesses have to be vigilant to protect their data and finances. There is a proliferation of scams from malware and ransomware to online shopping to phone crime. At present there is a spate of phone scammers calling on behalf of communication providers about reported internet and national broadband network (NBN) problems or offering cut price NBN connections. Be cautious when calling or returning a missed call to an unfamiliar telephone number – it could be a costly international telephone call. You may be unaware that some of these numbers are actually costly international ‘pay-percall’ numbers, where a portion of your international long-distance charge goes to pay for the information or entertainment.

Another fraudulent tactic that has caught some local governments, is callers posing as a contractor for the purpose of changing bank details for payments.

ROAD SAFETY I’ve long had an interest in road safety, so I was disappointed that the State Government did not invite the Association to its recent road safety forum. Its focus was to discuss ways to curb driver distraction and improve safety of pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists.

Obviously, we were not regarded as a stakeholder which is surprising as the advanced technical changes sweeping the automotive manufacturing sector has the potential to make a quantum change in road safety.

I noted that the Australian Trucking Association, in its submission to the national road safety strategy, indicated that Australia should adopt a ‘towards zero’ philosophy and set a long-term target for zero deaths and serious injuries 10 | Motor Trader April 2018

“A HIGHLIGHT HAS BEEN

THE EAGERLY ANTICIPATED CARS AND COFFEE EVENT HELD ON THE LAST SUNDAY OF EVERY MONTH FROM 7.30 AM TO 9.30 AM.” on the nation’s roads. It incorporates safe roads, safe vehicles, safe speeds and safe people. This is a worthy goal to which all vehicle users should aspire. Another idea is in the National Road and Motorists Association Come Home Safe report. One of the key recommendations is to assist young drivers into safer vehicles by offering a registration discount to provisional drivers who register a 5-star Australian New Car Assessment Program safety rated vehicle.

The 2017 road toll of 250 fatalities is not just about adhering to road rules but personal responsibility as a driver and care in all actions.

FINALLY A highlight has been the eagerly anticipated Cars and Coffee event held on the last Sunday of every month from 7.30 am to 9.30 am. Due to family commitments I arrived a bit late for our first event and was overjoyed to see our car park full of gleaming vehicles ranging from the rare to the classic and spilling over into neighboring car spaces. There’s a special camaraderie between car enthusiasts but equally nice is their willingness to share experiences and insights with the interested public. I noted the sausage sizzle with our staff volunteers was doing a brisk trade, the takings go to the MTA Queensland-supported Youngcare charity.

Until May, take care and stay safe.

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CLICK TO VISIT THE ONE STOP TRUCK DOCTOR FACEBOOK PAGE

Michael Schmidt, owner of The One Stop Truck Doctor

MTA|Q&A

Michael Schmidt is the owner of The One Stop Truck Doctor – a workshop in Beenleigh, south of Brisbane, that caters principally to heavy vehicle customers, offering the full range of mechanical and maintenance services. At just 25 years of age, Michael leads a business that was established before he was born and has an impeccable reputation for service and quality - a reputation he is securing and building upon as he guides the evolution of the business as technological advances and innovation impact the industry.

What products and services does The One Stop Truck Doctor provide?

MS: We provide everything from basic

servicing all the way up to engine and driveline rebuilds. We do a lot of brakes, clutches, suspension repairs, fabrication and chassis repairs and also do modifications to heavy vehicles as well - we can engineer and certify tow bars, bodies, driveline alterations and things like that.

We get a wide variety of vehicles through here including trucks, motorhomes, cars, tractors, even plant and machinery.

12 | Motor Trader April 2018

Being a one-stop shop is the name of the game, ensuring that when a customer drops off their vehicle to us, they don’t need to worry about anything else. And we will go that extra mile to get the job done - many trucks are run by owner-drivers, the truck is their livelihood, and when their truck is off the road then they are losing money, so turnaround time is important.

We do quite a lot of work on motorhomes and, as with trucks, there is a bit of pressure there. While trucks often need to be turned around quite quickly, motorhomes don’t but

they can be very expensive and often the owners have sold everything to be able to own one. We have a big responsibility when they are with us.

When was the business established?

MS: The business has been trading under

the same name for about 25 years. When I was asked to take over I knew I had to take care of the customer base because Wayne, the previous owner, had built the business up from nothing. I was able to take it on, modernise the workshop and, importantly, keep talking to those customers, letting them know that nothing has changed - hey just won’t see the older bloke anymore!

The business used to be at a location further down the street, but for the past 20 years it has been at the current location.

It’s a well-known shop here and the town has grown around it – this area used to be a farming area and now we are smack in the middle of a highly sought-after industrial area. It’s a great spot to be.

We have invested pretty heavily in diagnostic equipment such as the Snap-on Modis scan tools and whereas in the past we might have contracted out work – like a specialist auto electrician, for example we now do far more in-house. Bringing skills in-house not only means less out-

goings for us, but it makes things cheaper for the customer.

Also, having that equipment means we can keep up to date with technology and use it to keep the customer informed about exactly what is wrong with, and what is being done to, their vehicle.

The technology in trucks today is often mirrored in cars. Trucks are usually a couple of years behind but now we are finding that they are very much up-to-date with everything that may be going on in a modern car – especially with emission controls and efficiency and so on.

The automotive industry is evolving fast thanks to new technology. This year Tesla even revealed its own all-electric truck. What is your take on new technology in the automotive industry and heavy vehicle sector?

MS: I don’t think we are too far from having electric vehicles. There’s a lot of surface area on top of a vehicle and I’m sure that we'll soon see solar panels there, designed to assist the function of the vehicle. That technology is on its way.

The main thing we have seen is in the past decade is the advancement of common-rail diesel technology. The next may be in diesel particulate filter tech or diesel exhaust

April 2018 Motor Trader | 13

fluids. There has also been rapid change from Euro 2, 3, 4 and 5 standards and now we’re up to Euro 6.

Making sure we are across these developments is important and there is a lot of pressure to keep up to date. I have a lot of years left in the industry and it will be good to evolve and grow with the industry and the technology.

We shouldn’t be scared of change.

It won’t be the end of the industry – this country will never get rid of trucks – and we have to embrace it and use it to our advantage.

So, we keep up with all the manufacturers bulletins, technical updates and service procedures, and companies like Bosch and Delphi also send out technical bulletins and hold seminars. It is good to go to those information nights – they really are a benefit to your business.

What’s you background in the industry?

MS: When I was growing up I was always

pulling things apart and putting them back together again - I had to know how things worked.

As a kid I used to get electronic gifts or gifts that were remote controlled, and they’d only last a few days before they were on my desk and I was working on them with my tools! My parents probably weren’t too happy that the toys were not being used as intended but, as I say, I had to know how things worked. I think that desire to know is what made me go me into this industry.

When I was 16, I did some work experience here at One Stop Truck Doctor.

I was here once a week for six weeks and that is when I decided to leave school. I was doing okay at school but there nothing really interested me. So, when the owner asked me if I’d be interested in a full-time apprenticeship my immediate answer was ‘yes!’ and I started my Heavy Vehicle apprenticeship in 2009.

Though I liked cars, and they are interesting, I always saw them as a bit small 14 | Motor Trader April 2018

and fiddly. To me it is more interesting to work in a ‘life-size’ environment. Everything is big in heavy vehicles. For example, when pulling wheels off a truck we need to use machinery because even small ones can weigh 60kg, and I enjoy going under a truck and removing a gearbox that weighs 400kg!

Anyway, this business was a family-owned enterprise when I started work here and everyone was close – we were, and are, a tight-knit group. The owner, Wayne, became like a second father to me.

I found out about a year before I finished my apprenticeship that he had started to think about selling the business and it was about two years later when he and I had a chat and he told me he was looking at retiring. He then told me that he had hung on for a while because he felt I was going somewhere in the industry and that he wanted to put an offer on the table to me.

He had received interest over the years but felt that those people were going to turn his business, that he had grown from nothing, into some sort of generic workshop. He didn’t want that to happen and so talked to me about taking over. He had brought me up to work the right way and knew that I would do the right thing that the customers would be treated well.

I knew I had to do it and to do him proud.

That was about three years ago, and it was a no-brainer decision. This is what I wanted to do, this is where I wanted to

I like to say that they can leave their worries with us. Once they’ve dropped the keys off, all they need to worry about is whether they want to pick up their vehicle, or whether they want us to drop it off.

It’s about good, old-fashioned service.

People talk about that a lot, but you don’t see it too often.

Do you still get on the tools or has owning the business meant you now work mainly form your office?

MS: The majority of my day is spent on the stay, and I wanted to take the business on and grow it.

You do a fair amount of work with motorhomes and recreational vehicles. How did that come about?

MS: Wayne had friends and family who

bought motorhomes and they would subsequently come to him for advice. That side of our work really grew from there and motorhomes have been a big part of the business for as long as I can remember.

Wayne has played a big part in the Campervan Club of Australia and so we offer a discount for members of the CMCA (Campervan and Motorhome Club of Australia). And it is good for us because of word-of-mouth advertising. Our name is known in that community because when they meet up they talk to each other and talk about us and the service we provide.

We often get calls from motorhome owners, who might not even be in Queensland, saying they’ll be travelling through at some future date and asking if we can accommodate them when they do.

To what do you attribute your success?

MS: Customer service is critical to our

success - without customers you’ve got nothing. We keep them updated throughout the process and let them know what is happening and why we are doing certain things. We will go that extra mile.

tools! I do spend a couple of hours each day answering calls and doing paperwork but the rest of the time I am in the workshop.

And that is good because not only do I enjoy it but it means I am always improving and keeping up to date with things.

I do, of course, much prefer to work on the tools!

What does the future hold for One Stop Truck Doctor?

MS: The aim is to grow a bit, although I do

like the size of the workshop and the number of employees we have. It allows us to keep a close relationship with our customers and I’d rather keep things on a smaller scale and be more service focused and customer oriented.

So, there are no plans for rapid expansion or to go to a massive workshop, but we will upgrade when we need to and make sure we are keeping up with the technology and the changes in the industry.

It’s going to be an interesting future.

What do you do with your spare time, if you have any?

MS: I don’t get too much. We work all week,

Saturday’s by appointment, and the phone has been known to ring a few times on a Sunday too! But in my time off I spend time with the family.

We enjoy a life outside and like camping, fishing, dirt track riding – activities that allow me to switch off from work and enjoy being a husband and a father.

April 2018 Motor Trader | 15

SWISS

ALL EYES ON THE GE

16 | Motor Trader April 2018

David Brown Automotive Speedback Silverstone Edition

WATCH

E N E VA M OTO R S H OW

April 2018 Motor Trader | 17

Volkswagen I.D. Vizzion

T

HE GENEVA INTERNATIONAL Motor Show is one of the largest and most prestigious of the world’s automotive showpiece event.

Held over 10 days in March each year, the Geneva show has been running since 1905 and more than 700,000 visitors cram the Swiss city’s exhibition centre each year to check out just what the automakers will be bringing to our roads in the near future.

18 | Motor Trader April 2018

And in an era of unprecedented change in the industry – an era in which the innovation in autonomous, electric and connected technology is moving at an incredible rate - there were some amazing vehicles presented at the Show.

Here is Motor Trader’s pick of the best of the Show, and if these are what the auto industry has in store for us then the future is looking pretty exciting.

VW I.D. VIZZION VOLKSWAGEN EVEALED THE I.D. Vizzion sedan – the fourth member of its electric vehicle family and a concept car that is autonomous, operated by voice and gesture control, and which has a ‘learning’ artificial intelligence at its core.

VW says that the Vizzion is designed for Level 5 automation – that is to say it drives exclusively as a fully autonomous vehicle. As such, it has been designed with no driver's seat, steering wheel, dash panel or foot pedals. Instead, the Vizzion detects its environment via inter-connected laser scanners, ultrasonic sensors, radar sensors, and front, rear and side view cameras.

Future networking of vehicles with one another will, says VW, enable the Vizzion to utilise the swarm intelligence of the immediate surroundings and the larger environment. In addition, the I.D. Vizzion integrates high-resolution digital maps into navigation.

The Vizzion’s lithium-ion battery delivers 111 kWh and is housed in the vehicle floor, as are the two electric motors on the front and rear axles. The two motors develop a total system power of 302 hp and drive their respective axles directly. Range is anticipated at up to 413 miles (664 km).

Inside, there are four ergonomically balanced seats and a bright atmosphere is created with large side windows and

VIDEO: VW I.D. VIZZION

a continuous panoramic sunroof that runs from front to rear. The glass surfaces can be darkened electronically and at maximum darkening the privacy glass is nearly opaque.

The car has no dash panel as the concept is designed to be primarily operated by gesture and voice control.

In addition, passengers can use a HOLOLENS which projects a virtual interface via augmented reality.

A virtual host recognises its occupants by biometric facial recognition or electronic device, such as a smartphone, and is able to call up settings from the cloud, automatically adjusting the settings for individual occupants. The profile for the Volkswagen ID can control parameters such as seating, lighting, climate control, and infotainment (including streaming services).

April 2018 Motor Trader | 19

Hyundai Le Fil Rouge (HDC-1) Concept

HYUNDAI ‘LE FIL ROUGE (HDC-1)’ CONCEPT THIS IS THE Hyundai Le Fil Rouge (HDC1) concept - a concept that highlights the future direction of car designs for the Korean manufacturer.

Hyundai calls this design approach Sensuous Sportiness – a concept it says is ‘defined by the harmony between four fundamental elements in vehicle design: 20 | Motor Trader April 2018

proportion, architecture, styling, and technology’ and the goal of which is ‘to bring instinctive beauty, creating emotional value and desirability in Hyundai vehicles’.

Poetic description aside, the concept is a great-looking car and if the future of Hyundai’s vehicles means following the HDC-1 as a template, then some tasty cars are going to be coming our way in the next few years.

ZENVO TSR-S ZENVO AUTOMOTIVE, THE Danish highperformance automotive company, has taken the covers off its new model – the Zenvo TSR-S. A street legal version of the Zenovo TSR track car, the TSR-S features an active multiaxis Centripetal Wing that functions both as an air break and a cornering stabiliser.

When the TSR-S corners, the wing rotates relative to the car’s longitudinal axis. This generates an inward force together with the conventional downforce.

The rear wing is only one contributor to the aerodynamics of the car. A new front splitter is designed to improve front to rear downforce distribution. The front bumper and front wheel housing outlets are designed to stabilise the air around

the front wheels and direct air to the intercoolers. At the same time the front wheel housing outlets extract air from the front underbody, improving downforce.

The rear body of the car features an air scoop, new diffuser and the active rear wing. The diffuser is optimised to extract air from the underbody and decrease the rear tyre wake for increased stability.

Underneath all this clever tech and the all carbon fibre body, sits a monstrous 5.8-litre, V8 racing engine with Twin Centrifugal Superchargers. The engine produces an eye-watering 1177 bhp that give the TSR-S a 0-100km/h time of 2.8 seconds and a top speed of 325 km/h.

The TSR-S also features manuallyadjustable performance settings that, the company says, delivers a genuine race car experience on the track.

Zenvo TSR-S

April 2018 Motor Trader | 21

David Brown Automotive Speedback Silverstone Edition

DAVID BROWN AUTOMOTIVE SPEEDBACK SILVERSTONE EDITION THE UK’S DAVID Brown Automotive unveiled this Speedback Silverstone Edition at Geneva. A retro-style design, the Speedback Silverstone Edition is a Grand Tourer that will be limited to just 10 production cars.

VIDEO: SPEEDBACK SILVERSTONE EDITION

22 | Motor Trader April 2018

Each model will be made using traditional coachbuilding techniques but the elegant and graceful exterior hides a beast of a power unit underneath.

Delivering 601hp, a 0-100km/h time of 4.2 seconds and a limited top speed of 250km/h, the 5.0-litre twin-scroll supercharged V8 engine delivers power through the Grand Tourer’s rear wheels.

The exterior retro-styling is continued inside, where there's plenty of leather, wood veneer and a dashboard featuring jet-inspired air vents.

With the nice aeronautical-inspired touches and a fully integrated infotainment system - including satellite navigation, Bluetooth connectivity and a 7.1-channel Bowers & Wilkins surround sound audio system - it all adds up to something really stylish and special.

The Speedback Silverstone Edition isn't cheap – the price tag is a whopping £620,000 ($AU1.1 million) – but you do get an awfully splendid motor for the money.

GFG ENVISION SIBYLLA THIS IS THE Sibylla - a smart electric sedan designed by GFG, the company owned by Giorgetto and Fabrizio Giugiaro, and developed in collaboration with Envision, a Chinese smart energy management company.

The vehicle uses Envision’s EnOS energy IoT platform which the company says allows the car to integrate with its surrounding energy infrastructure. The car can, the company says, become an intelligent green power plant using EnOS, to share energy with other vehicles, homes and buildings.

A four door, luxury sedan, the car is stacked with all the technical features you would expect and opens to passengers in rather intriguing way with a sliding

VIDEO: GFG STYLE AND ENVISION SIBYLLA

windscreen front section - the expansive windshield dome moves forward, sliding at the centre and opening into a huge space for the driver and front passenger.

The dashboard has a full-width smart interface, displaying data on the car's performance and the wider environment which it drives through.

GFG Envision Sibylla

April 2018 Motor Trader | 23

Corbellati Missile

CORBELLATI MISSILE ANOTHER FANTASTICAL MACHINE, the Missile comes courtesy of the Corbellati family – a family of jewellers, artists and art enthusiasts who, in latter generations, have become passionate about sports cars.

And they have certainly come up with something special with the Missile which, the company claims, will exceed 500 km/h! At the heart of the car is a V8 9-litre biturbo which produces 1800hp and 2350Nm of torque that, together with some clever aerodynamic work, gives the Missile its claimed performance stats.

The braking system has carbo-ceramic disks, 20-inch 265/35 tyres at the front and 345/30 at the rear, a self-leveling air system suspension and bodywork handmade in carbon fibre.

We can’t wait to see this on the track and proving those amazing states to be a reality.

24 | Motor Trader April 2018

LEXUS LAUNCHES ITS FIRST COMPACT CROSSOVER THIS IS THE UX, the first compact urban crossover form Lexus.

Due in Australia next year, the Lexus UX features a striking design, a new platform and two new powertrains - a fourthgeneration hybrid system and a new 2.0-litre petrol engine with high thermal efficiency.

The new 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine powers both the UX 200 petrol variants and the UX 250h with its fourth-generation self-charging hybrid system.

UX is equipped with the latest Lexus Safety System+ that includes a precollision system that can recognise pedestrians at night and cyclists during the day. Other new features include road sign assist and lane tracing assist.

The F Sport versions of the UX are

VIDEO: THE LEXUS UX

differentiated by design elements and benefit from exclusive tuning of the suspension and are also available with a specifically tuned version of the new highresponse adaptive variable suspension (AVS) system featured on the Lexus LC flagship coupe.

Lexus Australia chief executive Scott Thompson said the UX would be the most important new model for Lexus sales since the NX Line arrived in 2014.

Lexus UX

April 2018 Motor Trader | 25

THE RIMA

A 1 9 0 0 H P A L L- E L E

26 | Motor Trader April 2018

AC C TWO

ECTRIC HYPERCAR

April 2018 Motor Trader | 27

W

E HAVE KNOWN for a while that electric cars can be quick – do a quick search on YouTube for ‘Tesla Drag Race’ and you’ll find a heap of footage showing how lightning fast an electric car can be off the start line.

Now though, a new electric car has been unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show and it is sporting some stats that are truly mindboggling. Just take a look a look at these figures: • 0-100km/h in 1.85 seconds • 1,914hp • Top speed of 412km/h • 2,300Nm of torque No, you are reading those right.

The car in question is the C Two, a pure electric GT hypercar from the Croatian company Rimac.

There’s a lot going into the C Two. It has

28 | Motor Trader April 2018

VIDEO: RIMAC C TWO

a full carbon fibre body, forged alloy wheels with a unique aerodynamic design that channels cooling air to the carbon-ceramic braking system, and tyres that are a bespoke design and compound developed in conjunction with Pirelli.

A broad hood design includes active flaps that modify the car’s aerodynamic

profile and there is a front splitter featuring ‘active elements’ to both modify the car’s aerodynamic profile and help maintain optimum operating temperatures for electronic and battery systems.

The rear wing adopts varying positions and operates as a full air-brake to stabilise the car under heavy braking.

There’s more clever stuff going on underneath the car to optimise airflow while also channeling cool air to the battery pack cooling systems.

The C Two’s liquid-cooled battery pack holds 120kWh and produces 1.4MW of power. Four electric motors power each individual wheel with Rimac saying the motors offer instant response, more than 97-percent efficiency, a near-limitless and maintenance-free operating life and maximum torque from zero rpm.

Range is claimed at an astoundingly good 650km on a full charge.

There’s lots of tech wizardry on the inside of the C Two as well, including facial recognition being used, voice control, touchscreens from which information or entertainment can be accessed, and autonomous driving functionality – functionality that is possible thanks to eight on-board cameras, a pair of lidar, six radar emitters, twelve ultrasonic sensors, a precise global positioning system and other smart systems.

All that technology is great of course and would make the good-looking Rimac a fine car on their own. But, goodness me, it’s difficult to look past those performance numbers. Where will the genius engineers take us next?

April 2018 Motor Trader | 29

Myriad 2017 was a very successful inaugural event

MTA QUEENSLAND CENTRE STAGE AT MYRIAD FESTIVAL

M

TA QUEENSLAND IS taking a major role at the upcoming Myriad festival.

Myriad, now in its second year, showcases start-ups, innovation and next-generation technology on a global platform and is the only event in Australia that brings together the five elements of an innovation ecosystem – Start-ups, Investors, Students, Government and Enterprise. It is presented in partnership with the State Government’s Advance Queensland initiative and last year more than 3,000 attendees attended the event.

30 | Motor Trader April 2018

This year, MTA Queensland will be a key Myriad Festival partner and will showcase its role as an industry leader in the automotive sector through a combination of program content and activation displays.

2017 saw the launch of Carmageddon, a successful series of events designed to inform businesses of the emerging technologies related to the automotive sector and stimulate change for existing business models. Carmageddon in 2018 is going next-level, with MTA Queensland’s significant presence at Myriad.

2017 also saw the launch of MTAiQ –

Executive for MTA Queensland, will present as a key note speaker, complementing the Association’s extensive profile at the event and will deliver content covering ‘The future of mobility – exploring new business models and utopian societies.’

Dr Dale will outline that we are at the dawn of a new era where more seamless and integrated mobility promises to be faster, cheaper, safer, cleaner and more convenient than ever. His topic will cover how the automotive industry must Australia’s first automotive innovation hub. embrace the digital economy and build business models capable of capitalising on The hub has attracted some outstanding the revolution of future mobility and he will talent in the entrepreneurial and start-up explain how opportunities will be exclusive space and these hub clients will also be to those who build ‘excellent’ experiences profiled at Myriad, providing them with a into their mobility product or service. platform to make valuable connections to This is not simply about technology potential investment opportunities. used to digitise and automate segments of The three-day festival, that runs from traditional automotive business, but rather Wednesday 16 May to Friday 18 May, it is about getting closer to the consumer will be held at the Royal International through data, insights and the evolution Convention Centre at Fortitude Valley of ‘excellence’ in the customer (Brisbane Showgrounds) and will experience. be a hive of activity, with key note CLICK New for 2018 at Myriad is The presentations and interactive FOR MORE INFORMATION Garage, a custom-designed content packaged into seven AND TO BUY exhibition space. It will heavily TICKETS themes – cities, money, health, feature exhibits and product culture, work, play and food. demonstrations from the clients Dr Brett Dale, Group Chief VIDEO: LOOK BACK AT MYRIAD 2017

April 2018 Motor Trader | 31

MTA QUEENSLAND ANNOUNCES MYRIAD DESIGN

of the MTAiQ innovation hub. In the mix will be immersive displays including a prototype of a flying car, a new electric ‘assembled’ vehicle, a wireless charging electric bus as well as augmented reality demonstrations. Staff and clients of MTAiQ will be in this activation zone to chat to investors and members of the public.

In The Garage, MTA Queensland also will operate a unique, purpose-built theatrette, to screen amazing automotive innovation videos from around the globe In addition, Myriad will host a panel discussion on the topic, ‘Are Flying Cars the Way of The Future?’ The panel will be facilitated by Dr Dale from MTA Queensland and will feature Steve Baxter from Channel 7’s Shark Tank series, who also happens to be Queensland’s Chief Entrepreneur. Professor Michael Milford from QUT’s Science and Engineering Faculty will also be on the panel, alongside global mobility expert Kellie Nuttall from Deloitte.

Tickets for Myriad can be found at www.myriad.live/tickets MTA Queensland members will receive 10% off Engage and Explore tickets for the upper level using code MTAQ10 and can get FREE tickets for The Garage on the lower level.

32 | Motor Trader April 2018

MTA QUEENSLAND HAS a new design created specifically for the Myriad event to capitalise on its sponsorship and ensure it has the biggest impact possible on all the attendees.

The design has been uniquely created for Myriad and represents the Association's name and graphically depicts its commitment to emerging automotive technologies and innovation. It will ensure the public can clearly identify MTA Queensland's sponsorship and will leave a strong, prominent and memorable impression.

“The design is a picture of the future,” said Kathy Winkcup, General Manager of MTAiQ, Australia’s first automotive innovation hub operating at MTA Queensland.

“In one image we showcase the transformation of the automotive industry and the accelerated rise of new technologies.

“In addition to this, the design highlights four specific trends - diverse mobility, autonomous driving, electrification and connectivity which are driving enormous change and impacting on our culture and design of cities.

“We hope this design reinforces the message to the public that the automotive industry is an electrifying industry, and one that faces massive disruption and transformation, now and in the immediate years to come.”

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THE MOUNTAIN April 2018 Motor Trader | 35

MTAQ Racing Team

M

OUNT PANORAMA, THE 6.2km-long circuit that flows and sweeps across the hillsides of Bathurst is the epicentre of motorsport in Australia.

It’s the place where every driver with ambition wants to drive and test themselves, following in the tyre tracks of names such as Peter Brock, Allan Moffat, Mark Skaife, Jim Richards and a host of others who, over the circuit’s 80-year history, powered through its steep straights and intimidating corners to etch their names amongst the legends of the sport.

To get the chance to drive there, to race there, is a thrill, and for the MTAQ Racing Team, in only in its second season of racing, the opportunity to become a small part of the storied circuit’s illustrious history was an honour indeed.

The team, along with 54 other Excel racing teams from across the country, were there on the weekend of March 31 – April 1 to participate in the Federal Tyres Excel Challenge, a Hyundai category support event for the Bathurst 6-Hour race meeting.

And after 18 months of hard work, and plenty of ups and downs and frustrations, everything came together for the team with a 6th, 7th and 3rd-place finish across the weekend’s three races – results that ensured Mount Panorama would be the site of the most successful meeting in the team’s short history.

It was a glorious few days, though the result was never a certainty as the team’s Excel had, just two weeks previously, blown a head gasket at the Queensland State Championship’s first meeting of the season at Morgan Park Raceway in Warwick, and had been hastily put back together with no time for testing.

The car had, however, shown some serious promise before the Warwick

36 | Motor Trader April 2018

“THE RACING WAS INTENSE AND, WITH THE FIELD THAT HAD BEEN PUT TOGETHER, THEY WERE CALLING IT THE ‘EXCEL WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP.” breakdown, and some furious work by the team, and plenty of crossed fingers, meant the long journey to Bathurst was one filled with confidence.

So it proved to be as, for the first time, a weekend free of the trouble that had plagued the car in the past meant driver David Wood could give his full attention to racing fast and furiously.

And that he did, using his experience of the circuit – he raced at Mount Panorama in the Australian Production Car Series 12-hour

MTAQ RACING TEAM

PARTNERS MTAQ RACING FOUNDATION PARTNER

NATIONWIDE DELIVERY

MAJOR PARTNER

OFFICIAL TOOL PARTNER

OFFICIAL INSURANCE PARTNER

SIGNAGE AND DESIGN PARTNER

OFFICIAL LUBRICANT PARTNER

OFFICIAL TYRE PARTNER

ENGINEERING AND INNOVATION PARTNER

race in 2009 and 2010 – to clock a ripping qualification time to set up a magic weekend.

It was, said David, a fantastic feeling to be back at Mount Panorama.

“I love the place, absolutely love it,” he said. “Some people go there and are intimidated but I love it and it was like meeting up with an old friend.

“I feel comfortable on it and drive it well but while my experience might have given me an edge initially in practice and qualifying, the other guys soon started to get a handle on

it and by race time it was probably not as big an advantage as some might have thought.”

However, the practice and qualifying did set up the weekend, and a series of tightlyfought contests with some of the nation’s best Excel competitors.

“The racing was intense and, with the field that had been put together, they were calling it the ‘Excel World Championship’,” said David. “We had a two-time Hyundai National Champion, three-time South Australian Champion, two-time Victorian Champion, April 2018 Motor Trader | 37

MTAQ Racing Team the defending Victorian Champion, two Queensland Champions (including the defending champ), the son of a V8 Supercar star who is a prolific race winner in NSW and Victoria . . . and then there was us, a team that nobody had thought about in their pre-event calculations!

“With only 20 minutes of allocated practice time for Excels, every second counted. I managed to find a bit of clear track on my 4th lap and was quick until the last corner where I got baulked badly by a slow car.

Rounding up that car cost us 1.5 seconds and we missed provisional pole by 1.3 seconds.

That shows how quick we were, and even then, we were still 6th fastest for the session.

“Race One went according to plan, and I was able to hook onto the back of the lead group but couldn't make much of an impression as they were just too quick up the straights and I couldn't make up enough time across the top and down the mountain.

I was able to pass the defending Victorian champion, which brought us home in 6th.

STATE CHAMPIONSHIP // ROUND ONE // MARCH 17-18, 2018

Cameron Howieson, Elliott Lemmon, Gerard Field, David Wood and John Zyzniewski

THE OPENING ROUND of the Queensland Hyundai X3 Series championship was a rocky one for the MTAQ Racing Team.

The tight-knit group worked around the clock to get the Excel prepped and ready for another season. It was a tough job.

The car’s original engine was damaged beyond repair in the final race of the 2017 season and the challenge of preparing the car for 2018’s first race was conducted at full speed by the Support Crew. That crew of Gerard Field, Elliott Lemmon and Will Salmon, together with new recruit Cameron Howieson, worked 38 | Motor Trader April 2018

long hours and used the experience and knowledge gained from 2017 to make adjustments and improvements to key elements of the car as well as install a ‘new’ race-proven engine.

And though the hours were long, and a tight deadline only just met, the car was in good condition as it rolled out onto the Morgan Park Raceway for the its first competitive outing of the year.

Although it had not been put through a vigorous testing regime, the car performed flawlessly in qualifying with David Wood securing third spot on the

“Race Two was more of the same - we were struggling to hang on in a straight line, but we were able to stick closer to the lead group this time. I got boxed out at the start and dropped back to 9th but pushed back through to 7th.

“This race was shortened due to an accident so there were a few laps lost under safety car rules, but I had a great fight with our main adversary here in Queensland, Brock Giblin, and was able to catch and pass him. That was a great confidence boost for our local ambitions.”

The big race of the weekend was Race Three – a ‘winner takes all’ blast, said

David, that would decide the Bathurst Challenge winner.

“On Sunday morning, we played with some more things on the car and found a small adjustment with the throttle body which, for Race Three, amounted to a decent step forward with the car feeling much better.

“Starting 7th, we made a good jump but got held up coming onto the pit straight on Lap 2 which lost us a spot.

I quickly got that back, then nailed the two-time Victorian Champion for 6th in an intense little scrap and was closing in on the lead pack of five.

grid for the first race of the three-race meeting with a flawless drive.

From there, sadly, things did not go so well. While the car was quick and challenging for the lead by the threequarter mark of the 8-lap first race, the bugs that plagued the car for a fair chunk of 2017 returned to play havoc, and damage to the car’s cooling system saw David retire on lap seven.

Unfortunately, the damage was severe enough that the weekend ended for the team at this point, and it was a frustrating end to what had been a weekend of promise.

“It was a disappointing,” said David.

“The team had a lot of late nights in the weeks leading up to the meeting and we had basically stripped the Excel back to a bare shell, looking to improve on key areas of performance and rid the car of a few nagging gremlins.

“And we started Race One strongly. We did get shuffled back to 4th on the run to the first corner, but over the next five laps we harassed the 2nd and 3rd place cars in a tremendous tussle. I was being held up somewhat and was keen to push through for some clear air to chase the race leader but even with a bit of a roadblock in front, we were able to set the fastest lap of the race to that point on lap 4.

“Then, the abhorrent luck that plagued us during 2017 struck again.

“The short story is that our cooling system was critically damaged - either by a kerb strike, debris or a rock - and the engine had started jettisoning coolant at a rapid rate. The engine began to overheat and misfire and I had no choice than to retire to the garage.

“Unfortunately, the car wasn’t right after that. We worked hard, but it began overheating again signalling that the engine had blown its head gasket. That sidelined us for the weekend.”

The DNF in race one, and noninvolvement in races two and three, leaves the team propping up the championship table, but the fleeting signs of progress were there and the hard work in repairing the car, and the confidence the team had in their work, paid off in spades at Bathurst.

“The dedication and enthusiasm of the team is outstanding,” said David.

“That says a lot about the quality of people the MTA institute is producing and the belief in what we are doing with our Excel program.”

With the next state championship event taking place on April 14-15, confidence is at an all-time high.

April 2018 Motor Trader | 39

MTAQ Racing Team “The car felt really good – we set our fastest lap for the weekend on lap 2 – and I was excited at the prospect of attacking the lead group. With three laps to go, we were in a box seat and ready to pounce.

“However, on the next lap there was a major accident right in front of me that took out three of the lead cars and we were probably only a metre or so away from joining them!

“As we hit Conrod straight on that lap, the officials called for the safety car. Under safety car rules, you are supposed to slow down and hold position but the car behind me passed, putting us 4th on the road.

That was changed post-race and we were put back into third.

“The carnage of the accident at the top of the mountain was enough for the race had to be stopped and declared.

CAMERON ADDS DEPTH TO MTAQ RACING TEAM SUPPORT CREW CAMERON HOWIESON IS the newest member of the MTAQ Racing Team Support Crew.

The 25-yearold light vehicle apprentice with Mercedes-Benz Cameron Howieson Toowong is a relatively late starter in the trade and is just finishing his first year, but he has been around cars for much of his life as he worked for a time at his parents' wrecking yard.

Though he would spend some time in the youthful pursuit of travelling, Cameron would return with a 40 | Motor Trader April 2018

"So, in the amended order we placed third.

“A podium at Bathurst, now that’s a terrific result!”

While, at the time of writing, there is some question over the results of Race 3 – with some protesting that the race did not run its allocated distance – the MTAQ Racing Team can take an immense amount of pride in its performance.

“What really matters to me is that we were third, fair and square, when the race was declared,” said David. “That is good enough for me.” determination to work in the auto industry, finding a position with Mercedes.

So far, though an apprenticeship can be tough work to start, he has enjoyed, and is enjoying, the experience.

“I actually walked in off the street with my resume,” he said about approaching Mercedes for a job. “I seemed to have the right attitude and they offered me the job the same day.

“And it has gone alright so far, although it is going to be a grind for a while!” he added.

“The hours are long - it feels like your life is work, home, gym, study, sleep and then repeat – but I always knew working with cars was something I wanted to do.”

While he currently works on the sleek, hi-tech road vehicles from Mercedes, Cameron has a desire one day to make a mark in the high-performance sector – an interest that saw him immediately jump at the chance to become a member of the

“THE TEAM WAS JUST MAGIC AND LOVED BEING AT THE MOUNTAIN. . .

I FEEL LIKE THE BATHURST WEEKEND WAS A TURNING POINT FOR US.” MTAQ Racing Team Support Crew.

“Motorsport is something I am really interested in and, down the track, I would like to get into high-performance work with tuning and engine building and so on,” he said.

“When I signed on for the apprenticeship, I read about the MTAQ Racing Team and I asked my trainer, Keith Minchin, about it. He told me a few details and said I could apply this season. That’s what I did, and I was lucky enough to be selected.”

While the season has only just started, Cameron said that he had already got a lot out of the experience.

“I was able to work a few days and help put the car together for the first race at Warwick – doing hubs, brakes and helping to put in the engine,” he said.

“Being involved has been a lot of fun and a great experience so far.”

For MTA Queensland, the team and everyone involved in preparing and building the car, including many MTA Institute apprentices, the result is a fantastic achievement.

“The pride of the team afterwards was immense,” said David. “It has been a massive few months, but I am so proud of what we achieved. In the months since we launched MTAQ Racing we have come such a long way. From struggling to crack the top 10 at state level to being in the top bracket in the country is very, very satisfying. We all can be very proud.

“The team was just magic and loved being at the Mountain,” he added. “I feel like the Bathurst weekend was a turning point for us. The Excel community took notice and the quiet word around the paddock is we are going to be a serious handful for our competition going forward. I can’t wait until the next round of the state championships!”

April 2018 Motor Trader | 41

David Brabham

David and Sir Jack Brabham

BRABHAM AUTOMOTIVE SET TO REVEAL THE BT62

T

HE BRABHAM NAME, once synonymous with motor racing and, in particular, Formula One thanks to iconic race cars like the championshipwinning BT19, is set for a return to the roll call of manufacturers with the announcement by Brabham Automotive of the imminent reveal of a new car, the BT62.

In a statement, the company, under the leadership of Sir Jack Brabham’s son David Brabham, said that the Brabham BT62 car will be unveiled on May 2 and is far more than just a concept or styling exercise, having already been through a ‘rigorous and extensive engineering programme and is nearing the end of an intensive testing process prior to its global debut’.

While the exact nature of the BT62 is unknown for now, the company did release an audio file of the car’s engine note as

42 | Motor Trader April 2018

VIDEO: BRABHAM AUTOMOTIVE | BRABHAM BT62 ENGINE NOTE TEASER

Whilst best known for their F1 achievements, Brabham BT-designated cars have achieved success with numerous Formula 1 and Formula 2 championship titles, and been successful in Formula Junior, Formula B, Formula Atlantic, as well the Indianapolis 500, hill climb and closed-wheel sports car racing.

Jack Brabham racing the Brabham BT24

“WITH MORE THAN 700

RACING CARS PRODUCED SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN THE 1960S, THE BRABHAM MARQUE BOASTS A REMARKABLE HERITAGE, SO TO SEE THE FIRST BRABHAM IN 26 YEARS WEAR THE ICONIC BT DESIGNATION WILL BE A HUGE MOMENT IN OUR HISTORY.” well as a video offering the briefest of glimpses, a blur really, of the car. It has to be said, the car's engine note is music to the ears and points to a car we can all be excited about seeing for the first time next month.

“I am thrilled to announce Brabham BT62 as the name of Brabham Automotive’s first project,” said David Brabham. “With more than 700 racing cars produced since its inception in the 1960s, the Brabham marque boasts a remarkable

• BT3 was Brabham’s first F1 car, making its debut at the 1962 German F1 Grand Prix.

It was in BT3 that Jack Brabham became the first driver ever to score Championship points in a car bearing his own name, at the 1962 United States Grand Prix.

• Dan Gurney earned the Brabham team its first F1 race win at Rouen-les-Essarts in 1964 at the wheel of a BT7.

• Between 1964 and 1966, Brabham’s BT8A found great success in sports car racing, with Denny Hulme scoring the car’s greatest victory at the 1965 Tourist Trophy at Oulton Park,.

• The BT18 Honda, piloted by Jack Brabham and Denny Hulme completely dominated the 1966 Formula 2 Championship, winning 11 out of 12 races.

• In 1966, Jack Brabham made history with BT19 in becoming the first to win a Formula 1 race in a car bearing the driver’s name. He would go on to take the Formula 1 Drivers’ Championship and earn Brabham its first Formula 1 Constructors’ Championship in the same year.

• The radical Brabham BT46B ‘fan car’ won its first and only outing at the 1978 Swedish Grand Prix, piloted by Niki Lauda.

• In 1981, Nelson Piquet took the F1 Drivers’ Championship driving a Brabham BT49C. • Piquet won his second F1 world title in 1983 driving the BT52, the first ever Championship win for a turbo-charged car.

April 2018 Motor Trader | 43

Jack Brabham racing the Brabham BT24

Sir Jack with then Qld Premier Campbell Newman at the opening of the MTA Queensland's head office, the Sir Jack Brabham Automotive Centre of Excellence

heritage, so to see the first Brabham in 26 years wear the iconic BT designation will be a huge moment in our history.”

Following the unveiling, the company says it will throw the doors to the venue open to the public to view the BT62, which will be the centrepiece of an exhibition showcasing a collection of historic racing cars and memorabilia spanning the 70 VIDEO: ON TRACK TESTING OF THE BRABHAM BT62

years since Sir Jack started racing and celebrating the marque's story.

The Brabham heritage is indeed a remarkable one.

Back in 1959, already with more than a decade in motorsport, Jack Brabham secured his first Formula One world championship. It was a fantastic feat, and one that he would repeat twice, in 1960 and 1966, forever etching his name in F1 history.

But it was his 1966 victory that would secure Brabham unique status and afford him a permanent spot amongst the legends of the sport. For it was in 1966 that he became the only driver to win the world championship in a car that bore his name.

The Brabham BT19, as that car was known, was the culmination of years of work between Brabham and fellow Australian Ron Tauranac, and the racing car design construction and design company, as well as the racing team, that ran under the Brabham name would, over the next 30 years, create dozens of race-winning cars and win four F1 drivers’ championships and two constructors’ titles.

It’s a legacy that looks set to continue and the countdown to May 2 starts now!

You can register via the new website, www. brabhamautomotive.com, to receive updates as they become available.

44 | Motor Trader April 2018

CLICK TO VISIT THE BRABHAM AUTOMOTIVE WEBSITE

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At Famous Insurance we’re proud to be the Official Car Insurance Partner of CAMS. We’re committed to offering all CAMS members unique benefits on their Car and Bike Insurance. For further information, call 1300 32 6687 or visit famousinsurance.com.au Conditions, limits and exclusions apply. Insurance underwritten by RACQ Insurance Limited ABN 50 009 704 152 (‘RACQ’). Famous Insurance Agency Pty Ltd ABN 66 168 467 561 is authorised to arrange and issue this insurance as agent of RACQ. Please read the PDS before making a decision about this product, contact us for a copy.

Auto news

RECORD PRICE FOR AUSTRALIA’S FIRST HOLDEN TORANA

W

E ALL KNOW that classic cars, and particularly classic Australian cars, are much sought after by collectors. News from Gold Coastbased Lloyd’s Auctioneers and Valuers about the sale of an absolute classic from Australia’s automotive history confirms that owning a classic can prove a pretty tidy investment.

A rare four-door Holden Torana SLR5000 A9X – the very first off the production line in 1977 – sold for an Australian record price of $365,000 at a Lloyds auction at the end of March.

Bill Freeman, Lead Auctioneer from Lloyd’s Auctioneers and Valuers, said the price achieved was more than double the previous record.

“The highest price at auction for a fourdoor A9X Torana was $165,000, so we’ve more than doubled the previous record, which is very exciting for the owner and for Torana investors around Australia,” said Mr Freeman.

46 | Motor Trader April 2018

VISIT LLOYDS AUCTIONEERS AND VALUERS

VIDEO: THE FIRST EVER TORANA A9X

“IT’S BEEN IN THE SAME

FAMILY FOR MANY YEARS, AND WAS SOLD IN HONOUR OF THE OWNER, WHOSE MOTHER ENTRUSTED LLOYD’S WITH SUCH A SENTIMENTAL SALE OF A PRIZED PIECE OF HOLDEN MOTORING HISTORY.”

MICHELIN TAKES TOP SPOT IN BRAND VALUATION RANKINGS

“This sale shows the buyer interest in the Torana A9X market is continuing to grow, which is great news for Holden classic car owners everywhere.

“There was an incredible amount of interest in the car in the lead up to the auction, with our online video going viral, with more than 1.5 million views.”

The Torana’s history includes a stint as a ‘press car’ and it was a treasured collector’s item for the previous owner, who passed away last year.

“This car is the holy grail of Toranas.

It was the very first Holden Torana A9X sedan off the production line in 1977 and it’s got the paperwork to prove it,” said Mr Freeman.

“The car then became the General Motors ‘press car’, meaning all the motoring scribes of the day took the car on road tests. It also went on display around New South Wales and Victoria.

“It’s got excellent paperwork history, along with photos of the original ‘press test’ drive at Calder Park Raceway in Melbourne.

“It’s been in the same family for many years, and was sold in honour of the owner, whose mother entrusted Lloyd’s with such a sentimental sale of a prized piece of Holden motoring history.”

MICHELIN HAS BECOME the world’s most valuable tyre brand, according to Brand Finance, the London-based branded business valuation and strategy consultancy.

Thanks to a number of initiatives and developments – including its performance in motorsport ventures such as Formula E, which is becoming a desirable place to showcase technology for leading car manufacturers – Michelin has attained a 30% brand value growth to US$7.9 billion over the last year and has overtaken Bridgestone (down 6% to US$7.0 billion).

Michelin’s brand strength – ‘the efficacy of a brand’s performance on intangible measures, relative to its competitors’ – has also muscled up with the company’s Brand Strength Index (BSI) score up to a sector-leading 86.9 out of 100. The corresponding Brand Finance brand rating improved to AAA, making Michelin the only tyre brand with a clear triple A rating.

While Bridgestone slipped to second place in the rankings, other Japanese brands slipped too, with Yokohama and Sumitomo Rubber Industries affected by a weak domestic market and value gains from stronger sales growth in North America, Europe, and Asia partially offset by a weaker yen.

The strength of Chinese brands, Brand Finance says, continues to grow with the company saying that the largest THE VALUATION Chinese manufacturers, RANKINGS CAN such as Linglong and BE FOUND HERE Sailun Jinyu, potentially entering the top 10 as early as next year.

April 2018 Motor Trader | 47

Auto news

GM UPGRADES FACILITIES AS IT PREPARES TO BUILD SELF-DRIVING CARS

A

FTER MORE THAN a year of building test vehicles for development of its self-driving technology, General Motors has announced it will build production versions of its Cruise AV at its Orion Township assembly plant in Michigan.

Roof modules for GM’s self-driving vehicles will be assembled at its Brownstown plant.

The roof modules integrate special equipment for AV operation such as LIDAR, cameras, sensors and other hardware, and will be assembled on a dedicated line at the facility. The Orion plant will continue to build the Chevrolet Bolt EV and Sonic as well as the Cruise AV. GM will invest more than $US100 million to upgrade both facilities. The company says that roof module production has already begun and production of the

fourth-generation Cruise AV is expected to begin in 2019.

The Cruise AV, which the company plans to commercialise in 2019, is the first production-ready vehicle built from the ground up to operate safely on its own with no driver, steering wheel, pedals or manual controls.

VIDEO: THE CRUISE AV

POLESTAR 1 NOW AVAILABLE TO ORDER IN 18 COUNTRIES

P

OLESTAR 1, THE first car from the electric performance brand Polestar, is now available for pre-ordering in 18 countries.

Along with the opening of the preorder process, a new car configuration tool allows prospective customers to visualise their Polestar 1 before ordering.

Polestar say more than 7,000 people have expressed interest in owning a Polestar 1 since its reveal in March.

48 | Motor Trader April 2018

The Hybrid GT coupe, which produces 600hp, 1,000 Nm of torque, and 150 km of pure electric driving range – the longest of any hybrid car in the world – can be pre-ordered, with a fully-refundable $US2,500 deposit, in China, United States, Sweden, Germany, Norway, the Netherlands, Denmark, Finland, the United Kingdom, Spain, France, Portugal, Poland, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium and Canada.

Auto news

WAYMO & JAG TO BUILD SELF-DRIVING I-PACE

J

AGUAR LAND ROVER and Waymo ( formerly Google self-driving car project) have announced that they will develop the world’s first premium self-driving electric vehicle for Waymo’s driverless transportation service.

The two companies will work together to design and engineer self-driving Jaguar

I-PACE vehicles.

The vehicles will be equipped with Waymo's self-driving technology and will start testing later this year. Up to 20,000 I-PACE vehicles will be built in the first two years of production.

Waymo has said that later this year it will launch the world’s first self-driving

UBER HALTS TESTING OF SELF-DRIVING CARS AFTER FATALITY

U

BER, THE RIDE services company, has halted the testing of its selfdriving cars following the death of a pedestrian in Tempe, Arizona. The woman was struck by the Uber vehicle a Volvo XC90 running Uber's self-driving tech - as she crossed a road at night pushing her bicycle.

Footage retrieved from cameras mounted in the car show the woman appearing in the headlights of the car just moments before the accident. The footage also shows the vehicle operator behind the wheel of the SUV looking shocked as the pedestrian moves into view.

While the exact cause of the fatal

50 | Motor Trader April 2018

accident - the first involving a self-driving car and and a pedestrian - is not known, questions around Uber's self-driving systems, and indeed that industry as a whole, prompted other companies to pause their testing programs and the Arizona state government to suspend Uber's ability to test on public roads in the state.

The U.S. National Transport Safety Board (NTSB) is investigating and said in a statement that its investigation 'will address the operating condition of the vehicle, driver interaction with the vehicle and opportunities for the vehicle or driver to detect the pedestrian'.

$50,000 AVAILABLE TO QLD BUSINESSES THROUGH NEW GOVERNMENT FUND

Q

transportation service allowing members of the public to use Waymo’s app to request a vehicle.

“While we've been focused at Waymo on building the world's most experienced driver, the team at Jaguar Land Rover has developed an all-new battery-electric platform that looks to set a new standard in safety, design and capability,” said John Krafcik, Waymo Chief Executive Officer.

“We're sure Waymo riders will enjoy the safe, premium and delightful experience that the self-driving I-PACE will provide.”

The Waymo Jaguar I-PACE is being shown at the New York International Auto Show.

VIDEO: JAGUAR & WAYMO

UEENSLAND BUSINESSES CAN now apply for funding up to $50,000 through the Queensland Government’s Business Growth Fund.

Established to provide targeted assistance to small and medium sized businesses to develop and expand through the purchase of specialised equipment or access to professional advice, the fund is open to businesses with fewer than 50 employees and a minimum turnover of $500,000.

Applicants must be able to make a contribution of between 25 and 50 per cent and will go through a twostage assessment process, including a Shark Tank-style pitch during which they’ll have to put their plans to a panel of business experts.

“We know that small business take a lot of risks when expanding,” said Minister for Employment and Small Business Shannon Fentiman when announcing details of the $2.3 million fund. “We want more businesses to expand sustainably with expert advice and support, to provide Queenslanders with strong stable jobs.

“That’s what this new fund will achieve, and I’m CLICK FOR MORE ON HOW pleased this TO APPLY FOR fund will now FUNDING assist medium and small sized businesses to reach their goals.”

April 2018 Motor Trader | 51

Chevy C 52 | Motor Trader April 2018

MAKE: CHEVROLET MODEL: CHEVELLE MALIBU YEAR: 1972 ENGINE: FUEL-INJECTED 414 GEN I SMALL BLOCK CHEV OWNER: MIKE WEBER OWNED SINCE: 2016

CLICK TO VISIT THE PRESTIGE & PERFORMANCE WEBSITE

Chevelle

April 2018 Motor Trader | 53

T

HE EARLY 1970S were a bit of a high point for fans of the muscle car. In Australia, the Valiant Charger was introduced in 1971, Ford debuted the phenomenal XY GTHO Phase III the same year, and Holden brought out the second-generation HQ Monaro. In the U.S., the home of the beefed-up pony car, names such as Ford Mustang, Pontiac GTO, Chevy Camaro SS and Dodge Charger are well known to most enthusiasts and you can add to those a bewildering number of other muscle car models such as the Plymouth Barracuda, the Chevy Impala SS, the Dodge Challenger, the Oldsmobile Rallye, the Buick Skylark GS and the brilliant-looking Chevelle SS. The Chevelle SS, or Super Sport, was the performance model of a Chevelle range first produced in 1964 and which included everything from coupes to station wagons.

And it was a pretty big seller in its day with nearly 80,000 units sold in its first year of production.

54 | Motor Trader April 2018

No slouch on the road, the Chevelle SS looked good, sounded good and was available with a range of V8 engines delivering top speeds up to about 190km/h, quarter-mile times of about 14.5 seconds and power up to 375hp.

While that is some pretty decent grunt, the Chevelle on these pages is a good deal more powerful than that.

Owned by Michael Weber from Prestige & Performance in Brisbane, this Chevelle is a muscle car with added muscles, its original engine replaced by a 414ci Gen I small block

Chevy unit - a unit that gives the car an impressive power figure of 583hp. Actually, says Michael, the true figure is likely to be a fraction higher.

“When we ran it on the dyno it was 583hp,” he says. “But that was done when we were just running in the engine. Now it has been tuned it should have a bit more than that.”

In fact, while this Chevelle is a 1972 model, it’s actually a tweaked version, with SS features added, of a model known as the Malibu. That being said, the amount

of work and modification put into this car makes it far punchier and better handling vehicle than any SS that ever rolled out of the factory doors.

And there has been plenty of work done.

After discovering the car in the driveway of a man from whom he was planning to buy an engine, Michael bought the Chevelle and spent the best part of 2017 stripping it down and rebuilding it, turning the 46-year-old car it into a vehicle that, under the skin at least, is a lot closer to the hi-tech models from VW, Audi and BMW that he works on at his business day to day.

“It was fine to drive when I bought it, but it wasn’t really in good condition,” says Mike.

“So, the body was removed, the chassis completely reinforced with a chassis kit, all the rails boxed in and welded from front to back, and all-tubular control arms put in.

The diff was fixed up too, top-notch QA1 coilover suspension was installed all round and all the bushes were replaced.

“The transmission was rebuilt by Bob April 2018 Motor Trader | 55

Grant, a new exhaust installed by Men At Work Exhaust in Capalaba and the body resprayed by Cooparoo Paint & Panel. The trim is as I got it, but the instrument cluster is a Dakota digital one.

“I also changed it to a floor shift from a column shift. I did that because when you have a lot of power, a column shift can be hard to control - manual shifting just sort of slides. Now it has a proper ratchet shift you can just bash it and it will shift just one gear and not slide into neutral, park or reverse.”

56 | Motor Trader April 2018

The finished car, says Michael, is one that handles and performs much more like a modern car.

Unlike some classic car owners, he is not worried about the originality of parts or how authentic his cars are.

“It’s not a show car,” he explains.

“It’s for driving, not sitting around.

“And it is a lovely drive. It’s fuel injected, and with the chassis reinforcement and the suspension work it handles like a new Commodore. At my business we work on late-model vehicles and this car is now much more like those, and I can run everything off my PC and am able program settings and so on.

“It doesn’t bother me that it isn’t ‘original’. It has to work properly, that’s what matters. If it’s old and doesn’t work, it’s going in the bin!

“As for the paint, it is excellent work but we purposely asked the shop not to go mad on it because I didn’t want to be scared of getting it scratched or chipped. They were fine with that and thanks to them I’m comfortable parking

it anywhere. As I say, we do whatever we want with it – it’s for driving.”

Being driven on a regular basis means the Chevelle gets seen by a lot of people and with its looks, and the ear-bleedingly loud V8 growling away, it certainly garners a lot of interest.

“It is a real head-turner,” says Michael.

“People come up and talk about it all the time, but you do have to be a bit careful when you are on the road – some people try to get a good look at it while driving and end up drifting towards you!”

Bearing in mind that Michael and his team at Prestige & Performance work on late-model, hi-tech European cars, the question is why a 46-year-old American muscle car, and why an American muscle car and not a homegrown Aussie one?

“I’ve always had tough muscle cars or old cars, and my wife loves them too,” he says.

“I’ve had an HZ Statesman and a ’65 XP Falcon amongst others, but I had wanted a Chevelle for a long time - I actually had a model of a ’72 Chevelle sitting around for

about ten years.

“Before I found this car we did think about getting another Australian model, but you just can’t get parts for them – everything seems to come from the wreckers and you have to recondition them.

“And that’s another reason we went for the Chevelle – parts are so easy to come by. In the U.S., the market for classic cars is so huge that I actually have a catalogue from which I could order everything I need, including the body shell, to build a complete Chevelle from scratch.”

With that in mind, perhaps its no wonder that there may, perhaps, one day, be a couple more pieces of classic American vehicular art making their way into the hands of Michael and his family.

“I’m not really looking, but there are a couple of old Buicks that I wouldn’t mind having at some stage – I’ve always liked the late-60s Buick Riviera - and my wife would like a ‘67 Chevy Impala pillarless coupe.

I don’t really have the space for them at the moment though – I’d have to build another shed!”

!

DO YOU HAVE A PRIDE AND JOY IN THE GARAGE THAT YOU WOULD LOVE TO SEE IN THE PAGES OF MOTOR TRADER? Contact Jonathan Nash at jonathann@mtaq.com.au and let’s see if we can share your classic with other members.

April 2018 Motor Trader | 57

Auto news

NISSAN TARGETS ONE MILLION EV SALES A YEAR BY 2022

N

ISSAN HAS UNVEILED plans to launch growing numbers of electrified vehicles, expand and evolve autonomous driving systems, and accelerate vehicle connectivity as part of its Nissan ‘M.O.V.E to 2022’ plan.

Among the targets, Nissan is aiming to sell one million electrified vehicles either pure electric models or those with e-POWER powertrains - annually by 2022.

As part of Nissan M.O.V.E. to 2022, the company also intends to: • Develop eight new pure electric vehicles • Launch an electric car offensive in China under different brands • Introduce an electric kei mini-vehicle in Japan • Offer a global crossover electric vehicle, inspired by the Nissan IMx Concept • Electrify new INFINITI models from fiscal year 2021 • Equip 20 models in 20 markets with autonomous driving technology 58 | Motor Trader April 2018

• Reach 100 per cent connectivity for all new Nissan, Infiniti and Datsun cars sold in key markets by the end of the plan.

Nissan expects that electrified vehicles will make up 40 per cent of the company’s sales in Japan and Europe by 2022 and 50 per cent by 2025.

In the U.S., the expectation is about 20-30 per cent by 2025, while in China its 35-40 per cent.

VIDEO: THE NISSAN LEAF

Auto news

MTAQ SUPPORTS THE ATA’S ‘TOWARDS ZERO’ TARGET THE AUSTRALIA TRUCKING Association (ATA) released a submission on March 5th stating Australia should adopt a ‘Towards Zero’ philosophy and set a long-term target for zero deaths and serious injuries on our roads.

“A Towards Zero culture promotes that the only acceptable road safety target is zero,” said ATA Chair, Geoff Crouch. “This strategy incorporates developments in safe roads, safe vehicles, safe speeds and safe people.

“Target setting is essential to this, which is why we have recommended governments move away from the traditional ten-year strategy and implement a series of more achievable five-year plans.”

The ATA’s submission to the inquiry sets out 19 recommendations. These include: • mandatory fitting of Electronic Stability Control to all new trucks and trailers,

with only limited exemptions • the Australian Transport Safety Bureau providing independent, no blame, safety investigations for road crashes involving heavy vehicles • better roads and truck rest areas • fatigue law reform and • better education for learner drivers about how to share the road safely with trucks.

MTA Queensland is very supportive of the ATA’s submission.

“The ATA’s desire to prioritise national road safety is commendable and certainly something we strongly support,” said Dr Brett Dale, MTA Queensland CEO. “Striving to stop road fatalities altogether is great target and we hope to see technology continue to make its way into the market that will assist in preventing road deaths and human error.”

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Auto news

MCLAREN 'HYPER GT' TO BE FASTEST EVER

M

CLAREN AUTOMOTIVE HAS confirmed that its forthcoming new ‘Hyper-GT’, codenamed BP23, will achieve the highest top speed of any McLaren yet with the capability to exceed the 243mph (391km/h) peak speed of the legendary McLaren F1 road car. McLaren says a public reveal of the car can be expected this year.

The BP23 will be both the fastest-ever McLaren and, the company says, the most luxurious, and will feature a three-seat cockpit design with a central driving position - the same layout as the F1 – as well as a petrol-electric hybrid powertrain.

The entire BP23 production of 106

60 | Motor Trader April 2018

examples, which has a price tag of £1.6million + taxes ($2.95million), has been allocated and production is due to begin at the end of next year, with every BP23 personalised to each owner’s taste

by McLaren Special Operations (MSO), the division of McLaren Automotive responsible for bespoke customer commissions.

BP23 will carry an as-yet unannounced name, rather than the alphanumerical nomenclatures used by the McLaren Sports Series and Super Series. This name, together with the maximum possible speed, will be disclosed nearer to the car’s reveal.

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These payments are an indication only and variables such as loan type, applicant profile and current interest rates are not taken into account. Exact payments will be provided on application. For approved applicants only, terms and conditions apply. Special 11 per week offer only vaild until 30 June 2018

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MUSTANG BULLITT TO GO ON SALE IN AUSTRALIA

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HE FORD MUSTANG Bullitt special edition model, which celebrates the 50th anniversary of the iconic Steve McQueen movie, will be available in Australia in strictly limited numbers.

While the Australian specifications for the Bullitt special edition are yet to be announced, the car was revealed at the Detroit Motor Show a couple of months ago and that version had a number of

VIDEO: MUSTANG BULLITT

62 | Motor Trader April 2018

special features including a 475hp 5-litre, V8 delivering a top speed of 262km/h, an active valve performance exhaust system with Black NitroPlate exhaust tips, a heated leather steering wheel and a 12inch all-digital LCD instrument cluster with a unique Bullitt welcome screen.

Other features included chrome accents around the grille and front windows, 19-inch aluminum wheels, red painted Brembo brakes, and a unique black front grille. The leather-trimmed interior featured green accent stitching on the dashboard, door panels, centre console and seats.

“Steve McQueen as Bullitt created a legend and Mustang Bullitt is the perfect way to salute an icon of the silver screen,” said Graeme Whickman, President and CEO, Ford Australia. “We’re excited to offer Australian buyers the Mustang Bullitt, especially on the 50th anniversary of the legendary film.”

GOODYEAR ROLLS OUT OXYGENE CONCEPT TYRE VIDEO: GOODYEAR OXYGENE - A CONCEPT TYRE DESIGNED TO SUPPORT CLEANER URBAN MOBILITY

T

HERE ARE CONCEPTS, and then there are concepts, and Goodyear’s latest effort has got to be one of the most unusual we’ve ever heard of, and one that will surely bring a smile to environmentalists everywhere.

The concept tyre, named Oxygene, has a structure that features living moss growing within the sidewall. That’s right . . . living moss.

Why? Well, the open structure and the tread design absorb and circulate moisture and water from the road surface, allowing the moss to live, to absorb CO2, to photosynthesise and, consequently, release oxygen into the air.

We’ve heard it all now.

Goodyear say it was inspired by the principles of the circular economy, with emphasis on reducing material waste, emissions, and energy loss, and its Oxygene concept is designed to integrate seamlessly into future cityscapes, featuring several performance solutions: • Cleaning the Air We Breathe: Oxygene absorbs moisture from the road and inhales CO2 from the air to feed the moss in its sidewall and release oxygen via photosynthesis.

• Recycling Worn Tyres: Oxygene features

a non-pneumatic construction that is 3D-printed with rubber powder from recycled tyres. The shock-absorbing structure provides a puncture-free solution intended to extend the life of the tyre and minimise service issues.

Additional safety is ensured by the tyre’s open structure, which improves wet grip by helping absorb water from the tread.

• Generating its Own Electricity: Oxygene harvests the energy generated during photosynthesis to power its embedded electronics, including onboard sensors, an AI processing unit, and a customisable light strip in the tyre’s sidewall that switches colours, warning both road users and pedestrians of upcoming maneuvers, such as lane changes or braking.

• Communicating at the Speed of Light: Oxygene uses a visible light communications system, or LiFi, for high-capacity mobile connectivity at the speed of light. LiFi enables the tyre to connect to the Internet of Things, allowing vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) and vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) data exchange, which is critical to smart mobility management systems.

April 2018 Motor Trader | 63

Auto news

VOLKSWAGEN UNVEILS THE I.D. PIKES PEAK

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OLKSWAGEN’S LATEST MOTORSPORT project is an all-electric prototype racing car called the I.D. R Pikes Peak, with which the company will compete in the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in the U.S. in June.

The newest member of the company’s electric I.D. family of vehicles, the four-

wheel drive sports car is, VW says, the first step towards an intensification of the cooperation between Volkswagen R and Volkswagen Motorsport. Volkswagen plans to offer more than 20 fully-electric cars by 2025. Manufacturing of the first production model in the I.D. family is scheduled to start at the end of 2019 .

FOCUS ON EV SKILLS FOR ALLIANZ WORLDWIDE PARTNERS UK

I

NTERESTING STORY OUT of the UK with news that Allianz Worldwide Partners, in partnership with the Institute of Motor Industry (IMI), has a goal to meet the demand for technicians skilled in the assistance of Electric, Hybrid and PHEV vehicles at the roadside.

Anticipating increased demand for highly qualified, specialist engineers, the Allianz Worldwide Partners network of dedicated manufacturer technicians, along with its fleet of Multi-Technicians, which support nine of the UK’s manufacturing automotive brands, are working to achieve a Level 4 accreditation in Electric, Hybrid and PHEV vehicles, with the IMI acting as the

64 | Motor Trader April 2018

awarding body. In addition, all roadside assistance operations staff at the Allianz Worldwide Partners headquarters receive technical awareness training, which includes Electric Vehicle, Hybrid and PHEV awareness module.

Skill requirements include identifying AC and DC voltages, as well as high voltage symbols, cabling and components during maintenance and repair. Following procedures is a key skill, along with safe working practices engaging with Electric, Hybrid and PHEV vehicles that require assistance, and advising others when a vehicle is in a ‘safe condition’ to carry out maintenance or repair.

Auto news

SURVEY CLAIMS CAR SHARING GROWING IN POPULARITY

C The Pikes Peak hill climb is one of the world’s most famous hill climb challenges – the 20km route runs from a start at 2800m to the summit at 4300m above sea level and VW says it is the perfect place to give the car its first test.

“We want to be at the forefront of electromobility with Volkswagen and the I.D. family,” said Dr. Frank Welsch, Volkswagen Member of the Board of Management with responsibility for Development. “Competing in the most famous hill climb in the world with the I.D. R Pikes Peak not only has symbolic meaning but is also a valuable test for the general development of electric cars.”

Though there are no details yet of the car’s technical specs, the current record for the electric prototype class stands at 8:57.118 minutes, set by New Zealand’s Rhys Millen in 2016 in the 1500hp e0 PP100. We can assume that VW has that time well in its sights.

VIDEO: VW AT PIKES PEAK

AR SHARING SERVICES such as GoGet Oneway and Car2Share are growing in popularity amongst travellers at the expense of taxi and ride sharing services such as Uber, according to the latest Transport Opinion Survey (TOPS) carried out by the University of Sydney Business School’s Institute of Transport and Logistics Studies.

Car sharing allows users to rent a vehicle from a convenient street location on an hourly or daily basis.

Support for one-way car share services was strongest amongst TOPS participants in South Australia (68 per cent), followed by Queensland (67 per cent) and Western Australia (64 per cent).

When asked about the possibility of using a car-share scheme instead of a taxi or Uber service for a one-way trip, well over half (59 per cent) of TOPS participants had a greater preference for car sharing.

When asked about their view of car-based taxi like services, 39 per cent said they preferred regular taxis over Uber type services (22 per cent) while the remaining 39 per cent of participants said that their preference depended on the circumstances.

When it comes to choosing between a taxi and an Uber type service, 54 per cent said their decision would be based on price while 27 per cent indicated that service THE TOPS quality was the most REPORT CAN important factor. Vehicle BE FOUND HERE quality was the deciding factor for just 19 per cent of respondents.

April 2018 Motor Trader | 65

Auto news

VW TO EXPAND ELECTRIC VEHICLE PRODUCTION ON HUGE SCALE

T

HE VOLKSWAGEN GROUP is to massively expand its move into electric mobility with the company announcing that 16 locations around the globe are to produce battery powered vehicles by the end of 2022.

This was announced by Matthias Müller, CEO of Volkswagen AG, at the Group’s Annual Media Conference in Berlin.

The Group currently produces electric vehicles at three locations, and in two years’ time a further nine Group plants are scheduled to be equipped for this purpose. To ensure adequate battery capacity, partnerships with battery manufacturers for Europe and China have already been agreed. A supplier decision for North America will be taken shortly.

The push is in line with VW’s ‘Roadmap E’ plan, which was launched last year when Volkswagen announced plans to build up to three million electric vehicles annually by 2025 and market 80 new electric Group models. This year, another nine new vehicles, three of which will be purely electric-powered, will be added to the Group’s electric portfolio of eight 66 | Motor Trader April 2018

VIDEO: THE PORSCHE MISSION E CROSS TURISMO

e-cars and plug-in hybrids.

“Over the last few months, we have pulled out all the stops to implement ‘Roadmap E’ with the necessary speed and determination,” said Matthias Müller,.

A number of innovations from the Group were presented last week at the Geneva International Motor Show, among them the Audi e-tron, the Porsche Mission E and the I.D. VIZZION, another member of the Volkswagen I.D. family. From 2019, there will be a new electric vehicle “virtually every month”, Müller said: “This is how we intend to offer the largest fleet of electric vehicles in the world, across all brands and regions, in just a few years.”

Representing the legal interests of MTAQ’s chosen firm Queensland’s automotive industry for Representing the legal interests of TheMTAQ’s MTAQ’s chosen firm more thanthe 15 years Bennett Philp Representing the legal interests Representing the legal interests of Representing legal interests of& of chosen firm Representing legal interests of for for automotive industry Queensland’s the automotive industry MTAQ’s chosen firm MTAQ’s chosen firm MTAQ’s chosen firm Lawyers are acknowledged asfor experts Queensland’s automotive industry for Queensland’s automotive industry for Queensland’s automotive industry Queensland’s automotive industry more than 15 years Bennett & Philpfor for for theautomotive automotive industry industry, more in a broad range of commercial issues more than 15 years Bennett & Philp more than 15 years Bennett & Philp than 15 years Bennett & Philp complimentary legal more than 15acknowledged years Bennett as & Philp for automotive industry for automotive industry Lawyers for automotive industry Lawyers are experts involving the automotiveasindustry. acknowledged as Lawyers are acknowledged as experts Lawyers areare acknowledged experts providing complimentary Lawyers are acknowledged asexperts experts in a broad range of commercial issues complimentary legal advice aa range of issues broad range of commercial issues in ainin broad range of commercial issues complimentary legal complimentary legal complimentary legal in abroad broad range ofcommercial commercial issues We advise car and truck dealerships, involving the automotive industry. legal advice involving the automotive industry. involving the automotive industry. involving the automotive industry. involving the automotive industry. advice vehicle tuning and customisation advice advice advice We advise car and truck dealerships, companies, performance and accessory advise and truck dealerships, We advise car and truck dealerships, WeWe advise carcar and truck dealerships, Take advantage of our Take advantage our expertise and ask of MTAQ Take advantage of ouryour expertise and ask for a referral today.

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We advise car and and customisation truck dealerships, vehicle tuning manufacturers and automotive industry vehicle tuning and customisation vehicle tuning and customisation vehicle tuning and customisation vehicle tuning and customisation companies, performance and accessory suppliers.

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Our team’s legal expertise includes: • Motor Trades licensing and regulatory compliance;

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••• •Motor Trades licensing regulatory compliance; Motor Trades licensing and regulatory compliance; • Motor Trades licensing regulatory compliance; Purchasing, sellingand orand leasing commercial property; Motor Trades licensing and regulatory compliance; • Business structuring and succession planning; ••• •Business structuring and succession planning; Business structuring and succession planning; • Business structuring and succession planning; Franchising advice; and succession planning; Business structuring • Purchasing, selling or leasing commercial property; ••• •Purchasing, selling oror commercial property; Purchasing, selling leasing commercial property; • Purchasing, or and leasing commercial property; Raisingselling finance entering into security arrangements; Purchasing, selling orleasing leasing commercial property; • Franchising advice; ••• •Franchising advice; Franchising advice; • Franchising advice; Contractualadvice; advice including compliance with consumer laws; Franchising • Raising finance and entering into security arrangements; ••• •Raising finance and entering security arrangements; Raising finance and entering into security arrangements; • Raising finance and entering intointo security arrangements; Intellectual property protection; Raising finance and entering into security arrangements; • Contractual advice including compliance with consumer laws; ••• •Contractual advice including compliance with laws; Contractual advice including compliance with consumer laws; • Contractual advice including compliance with consumer laws; Employment law and workplace relations; Contractual advice including compliance withconsumer consumer laws; • Intellectual property protection; ••• •Intellectual property protection; Intellectual property protection; • Intellectual property protection; Workplaceproperty health and safety; Intellectual protection; • Employment law and workplace relations; ••• •Employment law and workplace relations; Employment law and workplace relations; • Employment lawand and workplace relations; Insurance liability advice; Employment lawpublic and workplace relations; • Workplace health and safety; ••• •Workplace health and safety; Workplace health and safety; • Workplace health and safety; Insolvencyhealth and bankruptcy Workplace and safety;advice, and • Insurance and public liability advice; ••• •Insurance public liability advice; Insurance and public liability advice; • Insurance andand public liability advice; Commercial litigation and debt recovery Insurance and public liability advice; • Insolvency and bankruptcy advice, and ••• Insolvency and bankruptcy advice, Insolvency and bankruptcy advice, and • Insolvency and bankruptcy advice, andand Insolvency and bankruptcy advice, and • Commercial litigation and debt recovery ••• Commercial litigation and debt recovery Lachlan Thorburn I Associate Brian Smith I Director Commercial litigation and debt recovery • Commercial litigation and debt recovery Commercial litigation and debt recovery T: +61 7 3001 2914 Brian Smith I Director Brian Smith I IIDirector Brian Director Brian Brian Smith Director T:Smith +61Smith 7I Director 3001 2914 T:T: 7773001 +61 3001 2914 T: +61 7+61 3001 29142914 T:+61 3001 2914

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Our team’s legal expertise includes: • Motor Trades licensing and regulatory compliance; • Business structuring and succession planning; • Purchasing, selling or leasing commercial property; • Franchising advice; • Raising finance and entering into security arrangements;

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Complimentary telephone advisory service automotive industry. acquisitions and sales, fi nancing, negotiations with lenders to the the automotive industry. acquisitions and sales, fi nancing, negotiations with lenders to the thethe automotive industry. and sales, fi nancing, negotiations with lenders to the • Raising finance negotiations and entering into security arrangements; the automotive industry. acquisitionsindustry, and sales, financing, to theissues. automotive and business succession with and lenders restructuring Don’t quite know where you stand on a legal issue? - Your MTAQ We takeindustry, pride in and knowing ouradvice team focuscompliance their considerable knowledge automotive industry, business succession and restructuring issues. automotive industry, and business succession and restructuring issues. business succession and restructuring • and Contractual including with consumerissues. laws; automotive industry, and business succession and restructuring issues.

We advise car and truckautomotive dealerships, Complimentary telephone advisory service Membershiptelephone entitles you to fi ndservice out — before you pay any legal fees. and experience to•deliver specialist, value-added and cost-effective Complimentary telephone advisory service Complimentary telephone advisory service Complimentary advisory Complimentary telephone advisory service Intellectual protection; tuning and customisation Don’t quite know where you stand on a legal issue? -vehicle Your MTAQ We take pride in knowing ourproperty team focus their considerable knowledge Our initial legal advice is free and accessed –---the advantage for WeWe legal services toknowing the automotive industry. Take advantageknowledge ofknowledge our Don’t quite know where you stand aalegal issue?

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Simply ask MTAQ for athe referral to Bennett & Philp Lawyers. litigation and debt recovery Call us on 07 3001 2999 Automotive Dealers and Industry Suppliers problems.

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Simply ask MTAQ for a referral to Bennett & Philp Lawyers. problems. Simply ask MTAQ for a referral to Bennett & Philp Lawyers. firm of the MTAQ, and proud supporters Dealers and suppliers need to know their legal advisors can expertly Automotive Dealers and Industry Suppliers of the industry - including being a major Lachlan Thorburn I Associate Brian Smith I Director guide them through the sale and purchase of dealerships and related Automotive Dealers and Industry Suppliers Automotive Dealers and Industry Suppliers Automotive Dealers and Industry Suppliers Automotive and Industry Suppliers Dealers and Dealers suppliers need to know their legal advisors can expertly T: +61 7 3001 2957 T: +61 7 3001 2914 partner of the MTAQ Racing Team. businesses throughout Australia.

It’s also important for dealers and Dealers and suppliers need to know their legal advisors can expertly Dealers and suppliers need to know their legal advisors can expertly Dealers andand suppliers need to know their legal advisors cancan expertly Dealers suppliers need know their legal advisors expertly guide them through the saletoand purchase of dealerships and related suppliers to knowthe their lawyers are experts pursuingand litigation for guide them through the sale and purchase and related guide them through the sale and purchase of dealerships and related guide them through sale and purchase of of dealerships related guide them through the sale and purchase ofindealerships dealerships and related businesses throughout Australia.

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Looking after MTAQ and its members Lookingafter afterMTAQ MTAQand andits itsmembers members Looking after MTAQ and its members Looking after MTAQ and its members Looking MTAQ’s chosen firm for automotive industry complimentary legal advice

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As industry specialists we are ideally positioned to assist dealers and suppliers with operational issues such as commercial leasing, supply agreements, employment issues and franchise and consumer law.

We have expert advice available to assist with dealership and business acquisitions and sales, financing, negotiations with lenders to the automotive industry, and business succession and restructuring issues.

For more information contact: Phone: 07 3001 2914 For more information contact: For more information contact: For more information contact: Phone: 07 3001 2999 Phone: 07www.bennettphilp.com.au 3001 2914 Website: www.bennettphilp.com.au Website: Phone: 3001 2914 Phone: 07 3001 2914 Phone: 0707 3001 2914 Website: www.bennettphilp.com.au Website: www.bennettphilp.com.au Website: www.bennettphilp.com.au Website: www.bennettphilp.com.au

We take pride in knowing our team focus their considerable knowledge Representing the legal interests of and experience to deliver specialist, value-added and cost-effective Queensland’s automotive industry for

MTAQ’s chosen firm

Our team’s legal expertise includes: • Motor Trades licensing and regulatory compliance;

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MAHINDRA AND FORD TO CO-DEVELOP NEW TECH INITIATIVES

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AHINDRA GROUP AND Ford Motor Company will jointly develop new SUVs, and a small electric vehicle as part of several initiatives announced between the two companies.

The companies signed five new memoranda of understanding (MoU) that will see the development of key products for consumers in India and emerging markets.

Under the initiatives, the companies say they will co-develop a midsize sports utility vehicle (C-SUV). Built on the Mahindra platform, the new SUV will drive engineering and commercial efficiencies and will be sold independently by both companies as separate brands.

Mahindra and Ford also agreed to evaluate co-development of a compact SUV and electric vehicle, along with sharing powertrain portfolios, including the supply of Mahindra powertrains to extend Ford’s product range.

The companies also announced plans

UNDER THE INITIATIVES,

THE COMPANIES SAY THEY WILL CO-DEVELOP A MIDSIZE SUV. BUILT ON THE MAHINDRA PLATFORM, THE NEW SUV . . . WILL BE SOLD INDEPENDENTLY BY BOTH COMPANIES AS SEPARATE BRANDS. to co-develop a suite of connected car solutions for consumers.

“Ford is committed to offering the best vehicles, technologies and services that fit the lifestyles and preferences of Indian consumers,” said Jim Farley, Ford executive vice president and president of Global Markets. “Listening to our customers and incorporating their future needs is the core premise of this collaboration. With utility vehicles and electrification as key focus areas, we are glad to see the progress our two companies have made.”

MAZDA MOTOR CORP. LOOKS TO BATTERY DEVELOPMENT

M

AZDA MOTOR CORPORATION, ELIIY Power Co., Ltd. and Ube Industries, Ltd. have agreed to jointly develop lithium-ion batteries for use in automobiles. The three companies will work to develop durable, heat- and impact-resistant 12-Volt lithium-ion batteries as a viable replacement for

lead-acid starter batteries in motor vehicles by 2021.

The joint development project aims to make a next-generation battery for widespread use in place of conventional lead-acid starter batteries. In addition, the three companies will assess prospects for further collaboration.

April 2018 Motor Trader | 69

CARS &

C O F F E E

70 | Motor Trader April 2018

April 2018 Motor Trader | 71

CARS &

C O F F E E

CARS ARE THE STARS OF MTA QUEENSLAND’S FIRST ‘CARS & COFFEE’ EVENT

C

AR ENTHUSIASTS AND collectors from across the south-east descended on MTA Queensland on March 25 to take part in the Association’s first Cars & Coffee meet.

Open to anyone with a classic, rare or exotic car or motorbike, the call was answered on a pleasing scale for the debut event with dozens of fantastic classic motors and modern masterpieces

72 | Motor Trader April 2018

“AN OPPORTUNITY NOT

ONLY FOR CAR ENTHUSIASTS TO GET TOGETHER, BUT ALSO FOR MTA QUEENSLAND TO CONTINUE ITS MISSION TO PROMOTE THE INDUSTRY AND REACH OUT TO THE COMMUNITY, THERE WAS A TERRIFIC ATMOSPHERE . . .”

April 2018 Motor Trader | 73

74 | Motor Trader April 2018

CARS &

C O F F E E

converging on the Sir Jack Brabham Automotive Centre of Excellence.

Among the more than 70 vehicular works of art that gathered were a handful of early Porsches, Mustangs (including a couple of cracking early ‘70s Mach 1s), classic Holdens (including an XU-1 Torana and an HT Monaro), Corvettes, a rare Ford XC Cobra, a 1960 Impala, an early-70s Z28 Camaro . . . the list is very long!

And in the wake of the classic cars came hundreds of members of the public who took the chance to enjoy a chat with the proud vehicle owners, take some pictures, and enjoy a snag and a drink from the MTA Queensland-staffed BBQ, or some quality fare and a coffee from Zali’s café.

An opportunity not only for car enthusiasts to get together, but also for MTA Queensland to continue its mission VIDEO: MTAQ CARS & COFFEE CAR MEET // BRISBANE, MARCH 2018

“ALL IN ALL, IT WAS A

FANTASTIC START TO CARS & COFFEE – AN EVENT THAT WILL BE HELD ON THE LAST SUNDAY OF EVERY MONTH AT MTA QUEENSLAND’S HEAD OFFICE IN EIGHT MILE PLAINS, SOUTH OF BRISBANE.” to promote the industry and reach out to the community, there was a terrific atmosphere as the sun broke through some early morning cloud and rain. And while there was plenty of chat about horsepower and torque, there was some charitable fundraising going on too, and money collected from the BBQ and from donations accepted on the day went to MTA Queensland’s charity partner Youngcare, a not-for-profit organisation spearheading positive change for young people with high care needs. Hundreds of dollars was raised from generous attendees.

All in all, it was a fantastic start to Cars & Coffee – an event that will be held on the last Sunday of every month at MTA Queensland’s head office in Eight Mile Plains, south of Brisbane.

The next will be on April 29. We’ll see you there!

April 2018 Motor Trader | 75

JOBS DON’T HAVE A GENDER

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OBS DON’T HAVE a gender” is the solid theme of a group of strong and courageous women all united by SALT (Supporting and Linking Tradeswomen), a not-for-profit incorporated organisation that provides a support network for tradeswomen, apprentices and women in trades.

Some of the female leadership group from the Motor Trades Association of Queensland (MTA Queensland) met with a few of these empowered and passionate tradeswomen the day before the Tradeswomen Australia Conference, held on the 8th and 9th of March at the Construction Training Centre, Brisbane.

The SALT ladies represented many different industries but had one thing in common - they were passionate about their trade, they had a yearning to know more, and they wanted to empower and encourage other women to follow their “

76 | Motor Trader April 2018

“THE SALT LADIES . . .

WANTED TO EMPOWER AND ENCOURAGE OTHER WOMEN TO FOLLOW THEIR PASSIONS AND NOT BE INHIBITED BY THE STEREOTYPED ‘TRADITIONAL ROLES’ FOR WOMEN.” passions and not be inhibited by the stereotyped ‘traditional roles’ for women.

MTA Queensland welcomed: • Louise Azzopardi – Heavy Vehicle Mechanic (SALT) • Stephanie LePoidevin – Apprentice (SALT) • Camille Agerbeek – Veteran Automotive Tradeswomen (SALT) • Radmila Desic – Queensland Government – Department of Employment, Small Business and Training (NAWIC). NAWIC is an

Australian Not-For-Profit organisation sponsors of the event. formed in 1995 whose mission is to Highlighted at the opening of the champion and empower women in the event, was the support of the Queensland construction and related industries to Government to have a target of 11 per cent reach their full potential. of women in trades by 2021. A tough but • Claire Brown – Light Vehicle Mechanic, achievable goal from the current one per cent.

MTA Institute graduate and founder The Conference had a range of social of WITTS Apprenticeship. WITTS elements to the Program and was attended Apprenticeship offers year-round by tradeswomen from across the country. support for high school girls looking at The Program comprised an amazing trade career paths and runs a Vehicle selection of strong, skilled and articulate Safety Session for women where they keynote speakers, as well as inspiring teach the basics of vehicle maintenance workshops and breakout sessions. and safety.

MTA Queensland is the Industry The following day, the Tradeswomen Specialist Mentoring Provider for the Conference kicked off, coinciding automotive industry in Queensland nicely with International and will ensure female apprentices CLICK TO Women’s Day. The theme in the automotive industry are VISIT for the Conference was – to supported by groups like SALT and THE SALT WEBSITE Educate, Empower & Unite and get the chance to attend important MTA Queensland were proud Conferences such as this.

April 2018 Motor Trader | 77

RTO No. 31529

Can you afford not to be in the circle?

Advocacy

Specalising in matters such as print solutions, finance, electricity, gas rates and solar; Core SME Services is a vendor neutral business with one simple objective; reduce costs, increase profits and streamline workflows for your business.

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The MTA Institute delivers world-class automotive training at your workshop, at the Institute’s state-of-the-art facility, or a combination of both. It’s the right training, in the right place, in the right way.

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Training

The Commonwealth Bank offers members some of the lowest EFTPOS charges in the country. Members have saved thousands with CBA.

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MTAQ membership gives you access to a range of services, including technical information, industrial relations advice, promotional material, discounted services from corporate partners and much more.

Capricorn makes it easier for its members buy parts, earn reward points and share in the benefits of being a member of the largest and oldest automotive parts buying cooperatives in Australasia.

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Services

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Providing legal services across a number of core areas, Bennett & Philp Lawyers have been providing effective legal solutions to meet the needs of dealers, suppliers, racers, financiers and other motor vehicle professionals for more than ten years.

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MTA Queensland actively engages with state and federal governments on automotive industry issues, ensuring members have a voice as the industry continues to evolve.

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Save with our Corporate Partners

Dun and Bradstreet is the nation’s foremost credit control and debt collection agency. Members are eligible for substantial savings on annual subscriptions.

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Support

MTAA Superannuation is the industry’s superfund. Our superannuation partner has over 200,000 members who enjoy excellent service and returns.

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Innovation

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Carmageddon events and our Innovation Hub mean that you have access to cutting-edge information and business solutions connected to the automotive digital revolution.

OurAuto Tech-Centre is a repair information service offering technical information on more than 90 per cent of passenger vehicles on our roads.

Available to MTAQ members at a 20 per cent discount.

OurAuto Digital specialises in online marketing solutions that are tailored to your business, including website design, online marketing, and website hosting.

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Safety Help provides the automotive industry with a service dedicated to making your business complaint properly and professionally.

MTA Queensland | Sir Jack Brabham Automotive Centre of Excellence Address Freeway Office Park, Building 8, 2728 Logan Road, Eight Mile Plains, Queensland, Australia 4113 Training +61 7 3722 3000 Fax +61 7 3844 4488 Email info@mtaq.com.au Website www.mtaq.com.au Postal PO Box 4530 Eight Mile Plains, Queensland, Australia 4113

Search for MTA Queensland

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MTAQ members receive advice and support across a range of issues.

From legal advice to business support, from highlighting industry issues to facilitating networking events, the MTAQ is here to support you.

Guard Insurance Brokers specialises in insurance and risk management solutions and offers dedicated service to MTAQ members at market leading rates.

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GENERAL MANAGER MTA INSTITUTE

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OOKING TO THE future and thinking about where the automotive industry is going can be exciting and somewhat frustrating. Exciting, in that the new technologies emerging, and the level of sophistication, is mind blowing; frustrating, in that there is so much going on in the automotive industry it is difficult to know where to begin to draw a clear path!

We’ve always been innovative, are the leaders in automotive training, and now are in the process of creating an accredited Hybrid Electric Vehicle Inspection and Servicing Skill Set to support the industry with the growth of this sector. Clear the path and watch this space!

We’ve also got our first Auto Camp coming up in July. We’re are always trying to engage with schools and this opportunity allows students to experience parts of the automotive spectrum that they wouldn’t necessarily think about. We know the automotive industry is evolving rapidly through technology and we need

to have other angles to show how broad the automotive industry is – it’s not just spinning filters off cars – and that there are many opportunities in dealerships and other specialist areas that might excite a youngster to pursue a career in the automotive industry. Hopefully, through this course, we can show them what’s happening now and into the future.

I’m also looking forward to participating in the upcoming Multicultural Development Australia Speed Mentoring event. This event is an opportunity for young people to connect with professionals from different industries and get some advice on their career/education aspirations.

I’m looking forward to understanding the needs of these young people from a refugee or migrant background, of hearing their stories, journeys, aspirations and motivations and hopefully assist them in boosting their confidence and understanding of the Australian job market.

We have a diverse industry and we also need to look at a diverse workforce.

I hope everyone has an enjoyable and safe Easter break!

MEMBERS' ESSENTIALS Contents 81 Professional Circle training 85 Apprentice of the Month for March 86 Concept Corner 90 Industrial relations

April 2018 Motor Trader | 79

E S S E N T I A L S

PAUL KULPA

M E M B E R S

Training GM's Professional Circle perspective

AUTO CAMP During this 3-day course, designed for male and female high school students (14-17yrs), you will get hands-on experience in a range of skills connected to the automotive industry.

This is a great experience if you are interested in electronics, engineering, design or manufacturing.

COURSE CONTENT ✔ AUTOMOTIVE PRINCIPLES AND MAINTENANCE ✔ ELECTRICAL/ELECTRONIC FUNDAMENTALS ✔ HYBRID BATTERY ELECTRIC TECHNOLOGY ✔ DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING ✔ COLLISION REPAIR TECHNOLOGY Dates: Venue: Times: Cost:

July 3-5th 2018 MTA Institute, Building 8, 2728 Logan Rd Eight Mile Plains 9am - 3pm daily $225 per person (inc GST)

Required: Enclosed foot wear / work boots and work trousers / jeans

ENROLMENT & ENQUIRIES courses@mtai.edu.au or 3722 3002 Class size limited to 20 students Includes lunch and morning tea All safety equipment eg: glasses, face shields, gloves will be provided Certificate of Completion for students

Right training.

Right place.

Right way.

RTO No. 31529

The benchmark of training standards.

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• • • •

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S THE AUTOMOTIVE industry To be held from July 3-5, the first continues its evolution through Auto Camp course will take place at the new technological advancements, it Institute’s training facility in Brisbane and becomes ever more important to provide the will, said Mr Kulpa, cater to all students. training, programs and projects that assist “The course is for students who already and prepare those work with cars as already in the industry, a hobby and want and those about to to know more, but enter it, for the future. it is also relevant to young people MTA Institute who have no real continues to be at experience but the forefront of this would like to see evolution, developing if automotive is courses such as something that is Hybrid Electric interesting and that Vehicle Inspection they could pursue. and Servicing – and is “We know the industry is evolving rapidly launching a new program aimed at showing and we need to show that it is more than the younger generation the opportunities a just spinning filters off cars and that there career in automotive can deliver. are many opportunities in dealerships and Called Auto Camp, the three-day course specialist areas. We want to inspire students is designed so that high school students and show them what the industry is about aged 14-17 will be exposed to, and get now and where it is heading.” some hands-on experience in, a range of The Auto Camp course will be run by automotive areas, from the traditional areas two of MTA Institute’s senior trainers and such as automotive principles to new areas will include theory sessions as well as such as hybrid and battery technology. practical demonstrations.

For those young people who might be While the course is to be held first at the thinking of automotive as a career option, MTA Institute, Mr Kulpa said there would or perhaps aren’t aware of what that career be scope to take it on the road. might be, it’s the perfect introduction.

“If this course is a success, then we will “Auto Camp is an initiative to get school look at taking it to other locations across students involved in the industry,” said Paul the state,” he said. “Ultimately, we want to Kulpa, General Manager of MTA Institute. give school students access to the many “It’s about showing them what the facets of the automotive industry – industry has to offer and putting CLICK FOR MORE ABOUT access they might not get without the them on the right path to, maybe, COURSES opportunity Auto Camp delivers.” one day working in automotive.”

DELIVERED BY MTA INSTITUTE

April 2018 Motor Trader | 81

E S S E N T I A L S

MTA INSTITUTE LAUNCHES COURSE FOR SCHOOLKIDS

M E M B E R S

Professional Circle training

E S S E N T I A L S M E M B E R S

Professional Circle Training

MTA INSTITUTE STUDENTS GET TO WORK ON CLASSIC FORD RESTORATION

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ETTING SOME HANDS-ON, real-life work while training for a career can be a priceless learning experience for any apprentice. Be it in a working business dealing with real customers or toiling over a training project that demands industrystandard results, there’s a real benefit to be had in that type of experience.

And that’s exactly what a group of MTA Institute panel repair apprentices are experiencing as they work to restore the body of a classic 1966 XR Falcon.

The XR in question is in need of some serious TLC and has found its way into the hands of the MTA Institute and senior trainer Alfio Rotolone who, with a group of his apprentices will, over the next few months, be working to repair the XR’s bodywork to a point where it is ready for paint.

Owned by Darren Luback, who trained

as a mechanic and is now Managing Director of a Goodyear Autocare business that encompasses workshops at Albion, Chermside, Enoggera, Milton and Woolloongabba, the XR is a prized possession and one to which he has something of a personal connection.

“It is a 1966 Falcon, one of the first ever made and was actually built in Brisbane,” he said. “It had one owner through to the mid-90s and had been serviced in its early life at Coach Craft Ford in Brisbane. Coach Craft is now Southside Ford which was where I did my apprenticeship. When I discovered that, I had to buy it.

“It was in pretty dire condition,” he added. “It had been soda-blasted and you could see all the nastiness and the rust, but the bones of it were pretty good.”

For the MTA Institute, getting hold

ACKNOWLEDGING THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF COLLISION REPAIR INDUSTRY EMPLOYEES IN QUEENSLAND

I

-CAR AUSTRALIA, THE organisation that delivers information, training and education to the collision repair industry, will, in a new initiative, be acknowledging the achievements of industry employees from across the country who have achieved I-CAR Platinum Individual accreditation and I-CAR Welding Certification.

The following is a list of Queensland-

82 | Motor Trader April 2018

based collision repair industry employees who have received I-CAR Platinum Individual Accreditation: • Scott Gregor IAG • Bronson Pou IAG • Donald Donaldson IAG • Richard Smith IAG • Kirk Millar IAG • Ben Wallace IAG • Darren Howlett IAG

M E M B E R S

“This is being done right,” he said. “Take the rust, for example. It’s is like a cancer. If you don’t get it all out it will come back. So, we’ll be cutting it out, making replacement pieces and butt welding those pieces into place. That means the apprentices are learning to shape and bend metal, learning welding techniques – all the good stuff.”

The goal of the project is not just to have a rust-free, dint-free body, but to have it prepared to a standard to which professional restoration shops would aspire. It’s challenging and intricate work but, said Alfio, challenging can also be fun.

“The apprentices are really enjoying the work,” he said. “They’re excited about the project as a lot of them haven’t touched anything like this before, and they love having the opportunity.

“In fact, I’m really enjoying it too. This was what I did when I was younger, working on rusted areas and making up panels and so on. It’s a lot of fun.”

April 2018 Motor Trader | 83

E S S E N T I A L S

of the XR for training purposes came through fortuitous circumstance. After attending a meeting at MTA Queensland, Darren bumped into the Association’s Business Development Manager Anthony Bonaccorso who had completed his own apprenticeship alongside Darren at Southside Ford. After some discussion with Anthony and Alfio, and a tour of MTA Institute’s workshop, the trio agreed that Darren’s XR would be a great project and challenge for panel repair apprentices.

“One of the conversations I had with the guys was that this was an opportunity for them to teach some of the old-school, craftsmanship-type work, and was an opportunity that doesn’t come around often,” said Darren.

The XR is suffering from plenty of dints and a fair bit of rust so it will be a long job, but one that will be rewarding and, said Alfio, will expose the students to some traditional techniques and processes.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF TRAINING WITH THE MTA INSTITUTE? • Trainers with extensive automotive industry experience • On-site one-on-one workplace training • Flexible employer arrangements • State-of-the-art training facility • Online learning capability • Free wi-fi at our training facility • Strong connections to government agencies and industry stakeholders • Unique student opportunities - Pathway to motorsports - Apprentice of the Month and Year Awards - Overseas scholarship opportunities - Links to employers that are members of MTA Queensland - Access to jobs board - Graduation ceremonies THE MTA INSTITUTE offers a full suite of nationally accredited automotive apprenticeships and traineeships in the fields of Light Vehicle, Heavy Vehicle, Motorcycle, Mobile Plant, Automotive Body Repair, Refinishing and more.

ENQUIRE: TRAINING@MTAI.EDU.AU 07 3237 8777 | WWW.MTAI.EDU.AU

RTO No: 31529

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In addition, accredited short courses for licensing requirements are available for Motor Vehicle Sales, Dealers, Wreckers and Automotive Air-Conditioning. We also offer non-accredited short courses in MIG Welding, Paintless Dent Repair, Hybrid Electric Vehicles and Common Rail Diesel Injection.

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NOMINATE FOR THE MTA INSTITUTE APPRENTICE OF THE MONTH AWARD

• Are you employing an apprentice who is excelling in the workplace?

• Do you have a high-achieving apprentice colleague?

• Are they training with MTA Institute?

If the answer is 'yes', then nominate them for the MTA Institute Apprentice of the Month award.

FOR MORE INFO, CLICK HERE AND CHECK OUT THE APPRENTICE AWARDS PAGE AT WWW.MTAI.EDU.AU April 2018 Motor Trader | 85

E S S E N T I A L S

"I really like his diagnostic ability and he really wants to test things and find out what has gone wrong – I like his tenacity.

He is very deserving of the award."

Francois began his automotive career with a spell of work experience at Highfields Mechanical, near Toowoomba.

He moved on to Bridgestone after a couple of years and has flourished there, enjoying the diverse job requirements.

RANCOIS WELMAN IS the MTA "My role in the workshop has changed a Institute Apprentice of the Month lot since I came here," said Francois. "I was for March. The 22-year-old has just just a technician but now, while I still do completed his light vehicle apprenticeship that work, I am answering phones, making with Bridgestone Select Tyre & Auto in sales, talking to customers. It's a lot more Toowoomba and has been recognised for customer oriented. his passion for the trade, his dedication "I take a lot of pride in my work. I enjoy and his skills development. working with customers and I wouldn't Having started his training with other let a job go out if I wasn't 100 per cent apprenticeship training providers, happy with it."

Francois switched to the MTA Institute Now qualified, Francois said he in his third year.

CLICK TO had plans for his career, though he "Francios came over and we VISIT hoped to stay with Bridgestone for BRIDGESTONE pushed him pretty hard to SELECT some time yet. complete," said David Twidale, TOOWOOMBA "My dream is to one day open my his MTA Institute trainer. "And his own workshop with my father," he attitude was excellent. The effort said. "He's a great organiser and I believe he put in to get over the line we would make a good team!" was tremendous.

APPRENTICE: FRANCOIS WELMAN WORKPLACE: BRIDGESTONE SELECT, TOOWOOMBA APPRENTICESHIP: LIGHT VEHICLE

M E M B E R S

Apprentice of the Month: March

Concept corner

ASTON

ELECTRIFYING LAGON

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Aston Martin Lagonda Vision Concept

MARTIN

NDA VISION CONCEPT April 2018 Motor Trader | 87

Concept corner

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HIS IS THE Lagonda Vision Concept, surely one of the most stunning concept cars of recent years. Revealed at the Geneva Motor Show, this is one creative piece of automotive art reflecting the design direction of the Aston Martin Lagonda brand. Cars based on the concept are slated for production in 2021 and it’s a massive statement by the company as it looks to make its mark on an autonomous, electric future.

Configured to accept powerful solid state electric batteries enabling it to cover up to 640kms between charges, the Lagonda Vision Concept has also has been designed to be compatible with the latest wireless conductive charging technology.

The car itself makes full use of multimaterial bonding techniques, creating a structure that is light for an all-electric luxury car, but structurally stiff.

Some serious workmanship has gone into the interior of the concept with ultramodern materials like carbon fibre and ceramics sharing space with some oldeworlde favourites such as cashmeres, silks

88 | Motor Trader April 2018

VIDEO: LAGONDA VISION CONCEPT

and hand-woven wool. Aston Martin says that even Savile Row tailors, Henry Poole, were recruited for their expert knowledge in tailoring luxury materials.

Clever touches include rear hinged back doors that don’t just open outwards, the roof sections also open upwards to provide ease of access. Occupants can stand up inside and walk out of the car, or step straight into it. Similarly, the front seats are not mounted on conventional runners but on cantilevered arms extending from the floor outside the seat frame providing a completely uncluttered floor area.

Aston Martin Lagonda Vision Concept

Aston Martin says the Lagonda Vision Concept anticipates a world with a high level of autonomy and it designed with level four autonomous driving in mind, meaning the car is capable of driving itself in all routine circumstances and on all recognisable roads. As a result, the steering wheel not only moves from left to right hand drive according to need, in autonomous mode it can also retract entirely. The car will also be fully connected to the outside world.

“The Lagonda Vision Concept is

an incredibly bold design statement,” said Aston Martin EVP and Chief Creative Officer, Marek Reichman. “The electrification revolution means there is no longer any need for horse and carriage design, and our new concept shows the scope of design opportunities that open up once you no longer need to provide space for a large power source directly in front of the passenger compartment. In the Lagonda Vision Concept, the batteries occupy the floor of the car. Everything above that line belongs to us.”

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E S S E N T I A L S M E M B E R S

Industrial relations

TED KOWALSKI INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS MANAGER

ANTI-DISCRIMINATION LEGISLATION AT A GLANCE AWARENESS OF THE current AntiDiscrimination laws is crucial for any business owner. If you have a claim lodged against you for alleged discrimination it could cost you thousands of dollars in defending the claim.

In a nutshell, the current AntiDiscrimination legislation makes it unlawful for an employer to dismiss or refuse to employ someone based on any of the following attributes: • Sex • Marital Status • Pregnancy • Parental Status • Age • Race • Impairment • Religion • Political Beliefs or activity • Lawful sexual activity • Trade union activity • Association with or relation to, a person identified on the basis of any of the above attributes.

Ignorance of the law provides no defence and employers can be held liable (called ‘vicarious liability’) for the acts of their employees. As such, it is prudent to have in place an effective anti-discrimination 90 | Motor Trader April 2018

CLICK FOR MORE ON INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS

policy. Ensure all managers/ supervisors and people involved with hiring and firing staff are familiar with and enforce the policy. In addition, it is recommended that all new employees are provided with a copy of the policy on induction and have a supervisor go through the policy with them. The policy should also be discussed in staff meetings as an ongoing matter.

Members can access a model antidiscrimination/sexual harassment/bullying policy from our website www.mtaq.com.au or by request to the IR department.

PRE-EMPLOYMENT SCREENING AND ANTI-DISCRIMINATION LEGISLATION Another area where members can become unstuck is in the pre-employment process.

Members need to be mindful of their pre-employment screening and interviewing process as the legislation extends to prospective employees. Below is a quick checklist of some do’s and don’ts when dealing with prospective employees:

DO: Ask them if working reasonable overtime will be a problem if it’s required in the job Ask them if heavy lifting will be a problem if it’s a requirement of the job Ask if there is any reason they will be unable to perform the full range of duties of the advertised job (provide a job description).

DON'T: Make assumptions (e.g., don’t assume because a woman has children that she won’t work overtime) Ask about previous workers’ compensation claim Ask about marital status, children etc., in the interview or on an application form.

Right training.

Right place.

Right way.

RTO No: 31529

MTA INSTITUTE

COURSES PAINTLESS DENT REPAIR COURSE (PDR) INTRODUCTORY

To be advised Click for more information.

MIG WELDING FUNDAMENTALS COURSE 7 March 2018, 8:30am – 12:30pm 18 April 2018, 8:30am – 12:30pm 24 May 2018, 8:30am – 12:30pm Click for more information.

COMMON RAIL DIESEL INJECTION COURSE INTRODUCTORY

24 April 2018, 6pm - 9pm 19 June 2018, 6pm - 9pm Click for more information.

HYBRID ELECTRIC VEHICLE COURSE INTRODUCTORY

27 March 2018, 6pm – 9pm 15 May 2018, 6pm – 9pm Click for more information.

AIR CONDITIONING COURSE

SKILLS SET TRAINING (2 DAY) 4 - 5 April 2018 30 - 31 May 2018 Click for more information.

GAP TRAINING (3 DAY) 23 – 26 April 2018 18 – 20 June 2018 Click for more information.

SALES/DEALER LICENCING COURSE

AVAILABLE ONLINE - ENROL NOW Click for more information.

CERT IV and DIPLOMA OF LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT now available.

All Courses are held at the MTA Institute

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Address Freeway Office Park, Building 8, 2728 Logan Road, Eight Mile Plains, Qld 4113 Enquiries to: courses@mtai.edu.au Website www.mtai.edu.au

Investment matters

MARKET WRAP

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EBRUARY SAW A return of volatility after several periods of calm equity performance. The Australian market outperformed its global counterparts in February, helped by a reporting season that saw more companies exceed expectations than miss expectations. The start of February saw heightened volatility with the S&P/ASX 200 falling up to 4.6% between 2 February and 9 February in response to strong hourly earnings in the US, which may put pressure on inflation and result in higher bond yields. Reporting season was well received and saw the S&P/ASX 200 Accumulation Index close up 0.36%.

At the time of Trump's win, we wrote that his policies were a mixed bag for markets. Tax cuts and infrastructure spending were stimulatory, but his views of tariffs and immigration suggested a closing of the economy that would be inflationary and detract from growth.

The markets have now become more concerned about the potential for inflation to rise because of: • the strong economy • low unemployment; and • stimulatory populist economic policies including the tariffs and tax cuts.

The consequence of rising inflation is higher interest rates and potentially lower valuation multiples, partially offset by higher growth for certain companies.

The market is on 15.5x 1-year forward earnings, which is similar to long term averages. Earnings are expected to grow 92 | Motor Trader April 2018

SALES GROWTH CONTINUED TO CLIMB AND PROFIT MARGINS ARE LIFTING, WHICH IS SUPPORTING THE 6.6% PROFIT GROWTH EXPECTED FOR THE YEAR. by 6.6% this year. At face value this appears to be reasonably attractive, but it masks the pockets of the market that appear expensive. Industrials, excluding banks, are on 18.5x earnings with 4.5% growth expected and, within this segment, the faster growing stocks are trading at a large premium.

Reporting season was quite a strong one, albeit extremely volatile. Sales growth continued to climb and profit margins are lifting, which is supporting the 6.6% profit growth expected for the year. Offshore companies operating in the US are enjoying some tax relief, providing further tailwind.

DISCLAIMER This document has been prepared by DNR Capital Pty Ltd, AFS Representative - 294844 of DNR AFSL Pty Ltd ABN 39 118 946 400, AFSL 301658. It is general information only and is not intended to be a recommendation to invest in any product or financial service mentioned above. Whilst DNR Capital has used its best endeavours to ensure the information within this document is accurate it cannot be relied upon in any way and recipients must make their own enquiries concerning the accuracy of the information within. The general information in this document has been prepared without reference to any recipient’s objectives, financial situation or needs. Before making any financial investment decisions we recommend recipients obtain legal and taxation advice appropriate to their particular needs. Investment in a DNR Capital managed account can only be made on completion of all the required documentation.

MTAQ are a Charity Partner of Youngcare and our staff show support by wearing casual clothes on Friday and donating gold coins.

Please join us and donate to this life-changing organisation!

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For over 25 years we’ve built our name as the leading industry fund for the automotive industry.

Whether you’re paying your team’s super, or building your own, we have the tools, resources and people to help you make financial decisions that work for you.

To find out how we can support you, call us or visit our website today.

1300 362 415 mtaasuper.com.au/get-started

This document is issued by Motor Trades Association of Australia Superannuation Fund Pty. Limited (ABN 14 008 650 628, AFSL 238 718) of Level 3, 39 Brisbane Avenue Barton ACT 2600, Trustee of the MTAA Superannuation Fund (ABN 74 559 365 913). The information provided is of a general nature and does not take into account your specific needs or personal situation. You should assess your financial position and personal objectives before making any decision based on this information. The MTAA Super Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) can be obtained by calling MTAA Super on 1300 362 415 or visiting mtaasuper.com.au/handbooks. You should consider the PDS in making a decision.