North East Motor Guide

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N O R T H E AST V I C TO R I A

APRIL 13 - 19 | 2018

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RENAISSANCE: The new Alfa Romeo Giulia combines head-turning looks with excellent performance.

GIULIA SET TO RESURRECT the Alfa Romeo brand

ALFA Romeo Giulia arrived here in January 2017 with the arduous task of helping to resurrect the iconic Italian brand to the level that made it one of the world’s most respected carmakers.

The Alfa Romeo 4C that went on sale in 2015 was certainly a positive sign but it was a small two-door coupe or convertible sportscar with limited impact on the general market. By contrast Giulia is a mid-sized family sedan albeit one with serious performance attributes.

With SUVs dominating sales it’s getting harder and harder to find a motor vehicle that turns heads but Alfa’s Giulia is such a car. The front is spectacular with a large version of the traditional Alfa grille

By ALISTAIR KENNEDY finished in a honeycomb pattern above large twin air intakes, also honeycomb.

The interior is superbly crafted with genuine leather seats and a premium feel and look throughout.

Four variants are offered: Giulia, Giulia Super (with petrol or diesel), Giulia Veloce and the high-performance Giulia Quadrifoglio.

All come with the high levels of equipment that buyers would expect given prices that range from $59,895 to $143,900.

The entry-level Alfa Giulia has eightspeed automatic transmission; leather

upholstery; 18-inch alloy wheels, automatic bi-xenon headlamps, keyless entry and start/stop; dual-zone climate control; satellite navigation; automatic windscreen wipers; cruise control; rear parking sensors and a reversing camera.

The two Giulia Super models add a higher grade of leather for both the seats and dashboard and upper door trim.

There’s an eight-way powered driver’s seat; heated front seats and steering wheel; chromed door sill insert; ambient lighting package; and active cruise control with stop / go function.

Veloce adds sports features including a body kit; rear bumper with diffuser and

dual exhaust tips; 19-inch five-hole dark alloy wheels; upgraded brakes with red calipers; Alfa SDC adjustable suspension; gloss black window surrounds; privacy glass; bi-xenon headlights with Adaptive Front Lighting System; automatic high-beam control; powered sports leather seats with six settings and power bolsters; sports steering wheel; aluminium faced pedals; alluvium trim details; and a premium sound system.

Giulia Quadrifoglio Verde (QV) has serious sports items that include a large central grille and air intakes, cooling slots on the bonnet, serious side skirts and aggressive rear diffusers.

Continued page 2 G/21d11337-v145/1418

Kylie Stevenson 0428 215 677 Mark Prentice 0437 276 412 Noel Gilbert 0438 597 200 Michael Henderson 0418 512 531

(03) 5721 5677 Serving the community as your local Mazda dealer for over 50 years!

10 Templeton Street, Wangaratta

www.onemilemotors.com.au

LMCT1060

2

April 13 - 19 | 2018

MAZDA FINE TUNES

By EWAN KENNEDY EVER restless in their search for perfection, the engineers at Mazda have given their ND series MX-5 roadster’s rear suspension some minor tweaks.

Using information from the development of the Retractable Fastback (RF) version of the MX-5, the soft-top’s rear suspension’s upper link bushings have been lowered and the rear bump stops lengthened. The aim of the latter was to bring the stops into play a little earlier.

It’s also there to give a slightly more comfortable ride, but obviously without in any way interfering with the MX-5’s exceptional road holding and feel.

Arguably the biggest news is that Mazda’s stunning colour, Soul Red Crystal Metallic, is now available on the MX-5.

Realising that - sadly - the MX-5 roadster is more likely to spend time in boring commuting than being fanged on interesting Sunday drives, in-cabin noise reduction has been improved. Sound insulation was installed over areas of the centre tunnel and gaps around the tunnel reinforcements were reduced.

Finally vibration-damping materials were

its iconic MX-5

CLASSIC: Mazda MX-5 is now offered with the company’s stunning Soul Red paint. added to the rear wheel housings.

While the MX-5 already has a five-star ANCAP safety rating, the GT version gets the added safety features of Lane Departure Warning (LDW) and Adaptive LED Headlamps (ALH).

Small changes like this indicate just how serious the guys and gals at Mazda are. Speaking purely selfishly they have also given us the opportunity to borrow a road test car and do some more fanging on nice Sunday roads and, we suppose, some boring commuting as well. Stay tuned.

GIULIA SET TO RESSURECT the Alfa Romeo brand

From page 1

The entry level Giulia is powered by a turbo-petrol 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine producing 147kW and torque of 330 Nm from 1750 to 4000 revs. Fuel consumption is listed at just 6.0 litres per 100 kilometres.

The Giulia Super comes with a choice of the same turbo-petrol engine as in the base model or a new-generation 2.2-litre, four-cylinder turbo-diesel with 132 kW, and 450Nm from 1750 to 3750 rpm.

Giulia Veloce also uses the 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine but here it’s re-tuned to 206kW and 400 Nm that take it to 100 km/h in 5.8 seconds.

The 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6 in the Giulia Quadrifoglio Verde (QV) is something special with its Ferrari-inspired 500 horsepower (375 kW) twin-turbocharged engine. That peak power comes in at 6500 rpm with the redline set at 7000 revs.

There’s an impressive 600 Nm all the way from 2500 to 5500 rpm.

All engines are mated to an eight-speed ZF automatic gearbox.

Passive safety features across the Giulia range include Forward Collision Warning (FCW), Autonomous Emergency Brake (AEB), pedestrian recognition, Integrated Brake System (IBS) and Lane Departure Warning (LDW).

These, and the usual standard safety features combine to give Giulia the expected five-star EuroNCAP rating but

with a 98 per cent protection result for adult occupants, the highest score ever achieved by any car to date.

Our test car had cream carpets which looked great but seem sure to show up dirty marks. A small car vacuum cleaner carried in the boot is recommended.

Talking of the boot, there’s a decent 480 litres of space although the loading area is on the small side and the interior shape makes it difficult to store large items. A 40:20:40 split-fold rear seatback that folds almost flat will help overcome this problem.

The rear door openings are fairly small and taller passengers will need to do a bit of manoeuvring to get inside. Once there legroom is adequate although some negotiations may need to take place between taller front and rear occupants.

Headroom may be marginal for taller occupants.

As good as the Giulia looks it’s also a brilliant car to drive. It’s a true sports model, with an all-new rear-wheel-drive architecture giving it 50:50 weight distribution. It’s the first Alfa sedan to be driven by its rear wheels since the early 1990s. Weight is kept down through the use of lightweight steel and composite materials such as carbon fibre.

Like an increasing number of new vehicles Giulia comes with a start/stop button, many of which are annoyingly

tucked away out of sight behind the steering wheel. Determined to be different the Alfa designers have positioned the button at the bottom of the steering wheel itself. At least it’s at the bottom once the driver gets into the habit of parking, as we all should, with the wheels pointing straight ahead.

The dashboard tilts slightly towards the driver Giulia wouldn’t be a true Italian car without a few annoyances. The drinkholders are too small and require too much pushing and pulling to use.

Also far too small is the windscreen wiper control which is tucked away behind the, contrastingly large, aluminium gearshift paddles.

The driving position is lower than we normally like but Giulia is a sports sedan so that’s to be expected.

But all that is forgotten when you get underway.

A diesel-powered Alfa Romeo might seem like an odd couple but engine in our Super Diesel test car is so quiet as to be all but indistinguishable from a petrol.

Acceleration is smooth and progressive.

Steering is so fast and sharp that it takes a few minutes to adapt your driving to it before settling in to enjoy it.

The suspension provides a nice balance between comfort and control.

Fuel consumption is listed at a

challenging 4.2 litres per 100 kilometres.

We averaged a touch over six during our test.

It’s not often that we get a real surprise with a new car but we certainly got it in spades with the new Alfa Romeo Giulia.

Anyone who is in the market for a midsized sports sedan should forget all their pre-conceptions about Alfa and at least take it for a test drive before rushing in and buying one of its mostly German competitors.

It’s a car with the character that you expect from Italy and that combines stunning looks with excellent performance – outstanding if you’re willing to double your investment for the QV.

At a Glance MODEL RANGE

Giulia 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four-door sedan: $59,895 (automatic)

Giulia Super 2.0-litre turbopetrol four-door sedan: $64,195 (automatic)

Giulia Super Diesel 2.1-litre turbo-diesel four-door sedan: $65,895 (automatic)

Giulia Veloce 2.0-litre turbopetrol four-door sedan: $71,895 (automatic)

Giulia Quadrifoglio 3.0-litre petrol four-door sedan: $143,900 (automatic) NOTE: THESE PRICES DO NOT INCLUDE GOVERNMENT OR DEALER DELIVERY CHARGES. CONTACT YOUR LOCAL ALFA ROMEO DEALER FOR DRIVE-AWAY PRICES.

3

April 13 - 19 | 2018

ALL-ROUNDER: The new Nissan Navara ST dual-cab ute impresses with its reworked rear that offers both support and comfort.

2018 Nissan Navara

By VANI NAIDOO WE love having a big, sprawling fourwheel-drive at our house, swayed of course by its rugged nature, no-nonsense appearance and its innate ability to approach all challenges as adventures.

What better way test it than the week you are moving house?

The Nissan Navara ST made numerous trips to the dump and the Salvation Army, making hasty work of, “but it’s precious to me” mountain my girls have gathered over the last few years, and the “you can’t throw away a good shirt” pile my husband has accumulated over the last two decades.

Not many changes have been to the latest Nissan Navara dual-cab but those that have are quick to make an impact and with that enhance the ute’s flavour.

With its muscular stance and boxy profile, the Navara is one of the better looking dual-cab utes around. Signature running lights and new projector headlights add some interest to the exterior. Along with the polished side step, chrome accents, used sparingly mind you, and the chunky sports bar on the tub.

If the interior of this updated Navara looks familiar, it’s because it is. Nothing has changed here but it probably didn’t need to, although it wouldn’t have hurt to allow the steering a reach adjustment to accompany the rake.

The cabin is rather pleasant, workmanlike

with a hint of style – and it takes nary a minute to get your bearings. The relevant layout and uncluttered design allows for ease of use.

Seats are comfortable and supportive enough accommodating both my feminine shoulders and my husband’s much broader pair. The kids were suitably ensconced in the second row, a nicely-shaped angled pew keeping complaints to a minimum.

Storage options are fair with places to keep phones and incidentals, usefully shaped cup holders and generous door bins.

The centre console bin and glovebox are smaller than you would expect. Someone that’s likely to annoy for tradespeople who use their utes as offices.

Dual-cab utes have certainly made technological advancements in the last few years and the Navara’s 7.0-inch integrated multi-function touchscreen is a pleasing result of that. It could be a bit bigger given the size of this vehicle but graphics quality is good, the system is intuitive to use and smartphone integration via Nissan Connect is easy to achieve.

There is a single USB port, four 12V outlets, including one in the tub, but no Apple CarPlay or Android Auto at this time.

The Nissan dual-cab ST is powered by a 2.3-litre twin-turbo diesel, the gruntier of the two engines that drive this Navara range. The 140kW/450Nm unit, which

dual-cab 4x4 ST

comes from Renault, is not the most powerful in the class but does enough to spirit the ute along although it does take more than a moment to draw breath when pushed under load.

The seven-speed automatic transmission makes informed choices moving through the gears astutely to underline a pleasant driving experience.

The Navara gets seven airbags, including curtain airbags for rear seat passengers.

Stability and traction control as well as hill descent control and hillstart assist.

The reversing camera is clear and precise and offers good guidance, especially in the absence of reverse sensors.

You will need the top-of-the-range ST-X is you want blind spot monitoring, overhead camera view and proximity key, but even that model will have to wait for autonomous emergency braking.

Navara had previously set itself apart from the rest of the class by using coil springs at the rear rather than the leaf springs favoured by other brands.

The point of difference for the updated dual-cab Navara is the improvement in overall driving dynamics thanks to the new dual-pitch coil springs at the rear. Basically this means that the twists in the lower half of the coil are closer together than at the top.

The changes have been made following criticism that Navara sometimes behaved erratically around road bumps, slow and steady one minute, and all wallowy and inefficient the next. But this dual-pitch setup means the Navara is capable of a comfortable ride with no load and a more

supportive ride under load.

The difference is noticeable. The ST doesn’t jiggle around half as much as it did, it is more composed and predictable over a series of bumps and it just feels better balanced.

Nissan has also retuned the power steering and adjusted the ratios so that you don’t have to turn the steering wildly to get around a roundabout. The turning circle is unchanged.

The Navara is no ballet dancer, which ute is? It’s quite simple to drive but will struggle at times when asked to perform under load, the extra effort resulting in a loud protest but it can be persuaded to keep its head.

Off the beaten track, the Navara once again impresses almost finding the nimbleness that is elusive on the road. It scrambles and clamours over challenging terrain with glee but battles a bit with the shorter suspension when the going is really rough.

There will be limited resentment at the fuel pump with the Navara not straying too far from the official 7.0L/100km.

Nissan gives a three year, 100,000km warranty with service intervals at 20,000km or 12 months. A ‘service certainty’ program sees fixed-price servicing for the first six years ($3700).

Nissan Navara proved a most willing companion during our week in the seat showing the sort of determination and easy accomplishments we expect from a high functioning dual-cab ute. This Series 3 update has added a spring to its step and definitely makes for a ute worth considering.

4

April 13 - 19 | 2018

Jaguar F-Pace SVR is coming

By EWAN KENNEDY JAGUAR is running hot right now, not only with victories in major awards, but also new models seemingly by the week.

The Jaguar F-Pace SUV has taken out the World Car of the Year and World Car Design of the Year, now an ultra-hot SVR has just been announced.

Engineered by Jaguar LandRover’s Special Vehicle Operations (SVO), the Jaguar F-Pace SVR has a 5.0-litre V8 supercharged engine producing 540 horsepower (404kW) and 680Nm of torque. The big SUV can now leap from zero to 100km/h in 4.3 seconds, and proceed to a top speed of 283km/h where conditions (and laws) permit.

Huge 395mm front and 396mm rear brake discs help to drag speed off rapidly. The brake discs feature an advanced two piece construction on the front and rear to reduce weight, further contributing to the SVR’s agile handling.

There’s a lot more to the F-Pace SVR than simply 44 per cent more power, its chassis has

„ EVEN BETTER: Hot new Jaguar F-Pace. received a major rework to match its performance, with sharper steering and bespoke suspension.

The torque on-demand AWD system’s Intelligent Driveline Dynamics (IDD) control technology has been optimised to maximise the benefit of the EAD, while the software for the Adaptive Dynamics suspension, Electronic Power Assisted Steering (EPAS) and Dynamic Driving Mode are all bespoke to SVR. Engaging Dynamic mode initiates faster, more responsive

CLASSIFIEDS CARAVANS & CAMPERS

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2014 (Nov) JAYCO JOURNEY 16'6" Pop Top single axle, island double bed, combo ENSUITE, 120ltr fridge, 2 water tanks, air con, TV/DVD, 2 x 9ltr gas tanks, recently serviced, excellent condition, reg (W64804) to March 2019, extras including H/R hitch, hydraulic lifter, 4 screens, step, power lead, hoses, pole tube, manual mover, clothes line, all you need is food and clothes! $34,000 ono. Phone 0427 141 243 to inspect.

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gearshifts, sharper throttle responses and increased steering response for a more engaging driving experience in all conditions.

An exclusive SVR bonnet features vents to help extract hot air from the engine bay and provide added visual excitement.

Aerodynamic enhancements include larger front air intakes and side fender vents that lower pressure in the wheel arches. This reduces lift to optimise highspeed stability.

At the rear, an aero spoiler works

with a new bumper that houses the four tailpipes that are part of Jaguar’s Variable Valve Active Exhaust System. We are promised that the latter, “provides a charismatic soundtrackâ€? by Jaguar engineers. Can’t wait to sample it‌ Revised wheelarch extensions and lower body mouldings provide added space for lightweight forged 21- (or optional 22-inch) alloy wheels. These are wider at the rear by 25 mm compared to the front.

Inside, the Jaguar F-Pace SVR has slimline front seats for

enhanced lateral support. These have signature ‘lozenge’ quilting and embossed SVR logos.

The SUV’s sporty character is underlined by the Sport Shift Selector. Finally, the SVR branded steering wheel features aluminium paddle shifters.

Four interior colour themes help to highlight the vehicle’s high performance personality; Red with Jet, Light Oyster with Jet, Siena Tan with Jet and Jet with Light Oyster stitching.

When you’re not fanging along enjoying all that supercharged V8 performance the Jaguar can keep you connected with 4G WiFi for up to eight devices. It also has the company’s advanced Touch Pro infotainment system with 10-inch touchscreen and a 12.3-inch HD instrument cluster.

Australian pricing is to be announced shortly and Jaguar F-Pace SVR is available to order from mid-2018. Potential customer can register interest now at www.jaguar.com.au/.

They can then select ‘Keep me informed’ to find out more information or click the ‘I Want One’ button to be contacted by their nearest dealer.

Selling your car has never been easier or cheaper!

MOTOR VEHICLES

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MAZDA Maxx Sport silver, sedan, (RTA220), (TIZ667) May 15.

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Ph 5723 0101 Emailyouradvert______________classifieds@nemedia.com.au MAZDA BT-50 GT, 2015, auto, as new, only 4200km, lot of extras, reg til’ May, (1HD3CS), must sell. $48,800 ONO. Ph 0427 750 537.

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