ON FRONT PAG E N O R T H E AST V I C TO R I A , A L P S A N D H I G H CO U N T RY
OCTOBER 21 - 27, 2016
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BIG POWER: Chevrolet LS3 V8 engine is the key to the hottest Holden ever.
Last of the red hot Holdens By EWAN KENNEDY LS3 6.2-litre V8. Yep, the big engine… Okay, it’s a cliche - but there’s no substitute for cubic inches and we loved every minute we spent in the big Aussie bruiser. Not only in the way the engine performs, but also in the sophisticated dynamics that keep all that power under control. Exterior design changes on the VF to make it the VFII are minor and are chiefly functional, being there for improved aerodynamics and the additional cooling requirements of the more powerful engine. Air vents on the bonnet assist the release
of hot air from the engine bay, they also give the car a more aggressive look. Large corner fascia ducts have been added to channel air away from the front of the car. Our test car had the most powerful nonHSV Commodore engine ever produced. With 304 kW and 570 Nm the LS3 has significantly more power and torque than the 6.0-litre it replaced, not that 270 kW and 530 Nm in the superseded VF was anything to sneeze at. All that grunt goes to the back wheels by way of either a six-speed manual or some sort of an automatic transmission - we didn’t ask about the latter when offered a test drive by Holden.
Commodore VFII has GM’s MyLink system that works with smartphones through Bluetooth. USB and Aux ports are also installed. We have to admit to spending our time listening to the engine rather than testing the audio output. Anyone who drives a car like this highperformance Holden should know what they are doing behind the wheel. There are huge reserves of safety thanks to the well-tuned suspension and excellent brakes. Selectable electronic overrides are there should you make small to medium mistakes.
Continued page 2 n21d11337-V69/4316
SADLY, the VF Commodore Series II is likely to be the last ever Holden family car made in Australia, though Holden may surprise us by introducing a further update in the next 12 months. However, the VF II SSV Redline sedan we tested last week has the final major upgrades, any future versions are likely to be minor dress-ups perhaps with special editions. Given Australians’ love of driving it comes as no surprise that sales of the sporty Commodore models - SV6, SS, SSV and SSV Redline - are now making up more than half of all Commodore sales. This gave us a great excuse to road test an SSV Redline powered by a Chevrolet
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Oct 21 - 27 | 2016
Ford Territory Titanium By EWAN KENNEDY
At a Glance
SADLY, Ford is no longer making cars in Australia, so it seemed like a good time for us to carry out our final test of one of the best models Ford ever designed – the Territory. The big SUV was completely designed and developed in this country so is better than any other in the class at meeting Australian drivers’ needs and desires. When the Falcon FG X was introduced in 2014 the Ford Territory received a major refresh using some of the latest Falcon components, particularly in technology. This saw the advanced Sync2 system, WiFi hotspot and voice control introduced throughout the range. There are three variants of Territory; TX, TS and Titanium. All can be ordered with rear-wheel, or allwheel drive. And with either 4.0-litre in-line six-cylinder petrol or 2.7-litre V6 turbo-diesel. Our review vehicle was the topline Territory, the Titanium, with seven seats, a petrol engine and all-wheel-drive. The latest Territory has the now familiar Ford trapezoidal grille with contrasting horizontal bars, a rugged lower skid plate and large rectangular foglamps with matching bezels. Inside are improved instrument cluster graphics and new fabrics. The premium feel of ‘our’ Titanium was enhanced by quality tan leather trim on the seats and door inserts, complemented by black carpeting. Sync2, Ford’s latest connectivity system, has a new graphic display utilising layers and colours to aid navigation of menus and connected functions. The four-quadrant colour touchscreen
NOTE: THESE PRICES DO NOT INCLUDE GOVERNMENT OR DEALER DELIVERY CHARGES. CONTACT YOUR LOCAL FORD DEALER FOR DRIVEAWAY PRICES. TX 4.0-litre petrol RWD: $38,490 (automatic) TX 2.7-litre turbo-diesel RWD: $41,740 (automatic) TX 2.7-litre turbo-diesel AWD: $46,740 (automatic) TS 4.0-litre petrol RWD: $43,240 (automatic) TS 2.7-litre turbo-diesel RWD: $46,490 (automatic) TS 2.7-litre turbo-diesel AWD: $51,490 (automatic) Titanium 4.0-litre petrol RWD: $49,490 (automatic) Titanium 2.7-litre turbo-diesel RWD: $52,740 (automatic)
TOP OF THE LINE: The Ford Territory Titanium
Titanium 2.7-litre turbo-diesel AWD: $57,740 (automatic)
is the best in its class.
makes it easy to personalise audio, climate control, smartphone and other vehicle settings. There’s voice control for entertainment, climate control, phone information and satellite navigation. The latter has traffic messages. The option of digital radio is standard on all Territory models.The touchscreen shows the title and artist of the song, as well as news headlines, or the latest sports results depending on the broadcast. To improve reception, the DAB+ radio includes a dual antenna system – in the roof and behind the front bumper. WiFi capability creates a wireless network hotspot in the vehicle, allowing other devices to be operated. The rear-seat roof-mounted DVD player proved a winner with the junior travellers. At the base of the centre console and just ahead of the transmission selector is a deeply recessed storage bin for mobile phones, iPods, small cameras and the like.
Also, in the bin is an integrated phone cradle with a convenient connection. Everything appears to have been thought of, even a dedicated area for a tissue box, including an integrated pen holder and a 12volt accessory outlet. There’s good interior space, the front seats are large and comfortable, the second row is pretty good too, but the rear is a bit of a squeeze. Nothing unusual in that, though. Territory was released 12 years ago and is showing its age in the NVH areas. It’s not as quiet and smooth as more modern vehicles in its class. Not that it’s bad, it’s just that others are not only more modern and there have been impressive improvements in NVH control in recent years. Ford’s big straight-six engine is smooth and responsive and still a pleasure to sit behind. There’s minimal engine noise intrusion into the cabin unless you go pretty hard.
Ford says it has been able to improve fuel efficiency on the petrol versions. Titanium petrol models are shown as being only marginally better - down from 10.6 L/100km to 10.5 L/100km. During our test period we found it using nine to ten litres per hundred kilometres on motorways and country roads, rising quite sharply to 11 to 15 litres per hundred around town. This isn’t bad for a large SUV, but it has to be said that the age of the Territory is showing up, most recent competitors have better aerodynamics and are often lighter. The latter because they are not really intended to be 4WDs, rather they are crossover station wagons. Handling is pretty good for a vehicle in this class, with minimal body roll. Though now in the old-stager class, Ford’s Territory is still pretty impressive, chiefly due to the fact that it’s Aussie designed and built. It’s a crying shame the final one rolled off the assembly line last week.
Last of the red hot Holdens From page 1
Should something come unstuck in a big way Holden engineers have ensured their car got a five-start ANCAP rating. We have been complaining about the visibility problems created by too-wide A-pillars for many years. Obviously nothing is going to be done about this in the future, so we have no choice but to continue to live with it. This is quite simply the quickest non-HSV Commodore ever, leaping from rest to 100 km/h in just 4.9 seconds. The clutch and gearbox aren’t exactly user-friendly, but that’s all part of the fun in any US-based muscle car. The big V8 is supported by upgraded FE3 rear sports suspension aimed at improving ride
comfort without affecting handling. Even when pushed hard through tight bends the hot Holden is wellbalanced and stable. We managed some track driving at the historic Collingrove hillclimb during the VFII launch and pushing it to the limit never caused a moment’s doubt as to its ability to hang one. Our range-topping SSV Redline had Brembo brakes front and rear, these can haul off speed very rapidly without any sign of fade. We didn’t do any track work, but feel the brakes could even handle that. While performance is the number one demand by owners of V8s, the sounds the engine emit run a close second. Holden developed a component called the “Baillie Tip”.
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Named after the engineer who designed it, Dr David Baillie, it uses an aperture in the tailpipe to reverberate sound back through the exhaust and into the cabin. It sounds great and brought smiles to the faces of all who travelled in the big Commodore. Fuel consumption of the SSV Redline is listed at 11.8 litres per 100 km on the combined cycle. We found our review car running in the mid teens most of the time, but it can be brought under 10 litres per hundred on motorways. With future Commodores likely to take the European route and be powered by four-cylinder turbopetrols, and V6 turbo and non-turbo petrols we suggest that V8 lovers get their backsides into one of these high-performance VF Series II models.
BIG RED: The powerful Chevrolet LS3 6.2-litre V8 in the VF Commodore will be a hit with Holden fans.
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Oct 21 - 27 | 2016
French flair at an affordable price By EWAN KENNEDY RENAULT’S continuing strong push into the Australian market will be boosted by the introduction of an all-new Megane hatch. Aimed at offering a European car at a similar price to one from Japan or South Korea, French flair will be a major selling point of fourth generation Megane. Prices start at $22,490 plus onroad costs for a six-speed manual version with the interesting title of Megane Life; it’s the only variant with a manual gearbox, a sign of the times – all others have a dualclutch seven-speed automatic. Moving up from the Megane Life is the even more interesting name of Megane Zen, at $27,490. Topping out the range is a pair of Megane GT variants, one a full-on GT, the other a dress-up tagged the GT-Line which has the sporting looks but doesn’t have the go faster bits to really power it along. The GT-Line is likely to be a big seller because most of the Euro marques – including the prestige brands - now have similar vehicles in their lineups. Today’s standard engines often provide more than enough performance for dayto-day use so owners can save a considerable amount by opting for a ‘Line’ type cars. In the case of the Renault Megane this means paying $32,490 for the GT-Line rather than an extra $6000 for the fullhouse GT version. Gen-four Megane is longer and lower than the outgoing one and has wider front and rear tracks. Large headlights sit outside a big Renault diamond badge,
MAGNIFIQUE: French flair will be a big selling point of the new Renault Megane. there’s deep sculpting of the doors, and a distinctive shape to the C-pillars that works neatly. From the rear the Megane looks particularly low and purposeful, in part by using a similar theme to the latest Porsches in carrying the taillights in thin lines almost to the centre of the car. All models have alloy wheels; 16 inches on the Life and Zen, though with different designs from model to model; 17-inch diameter on the GT-Line, which can be optioned up to 18 inches; and 18s as standard on the GT. Power comes from turbo-petrol engines in all models. The big gun engine in the GT is a 1.6-litre TCe 205 horsepower unit that produces 151 kW of power and 280 Nm of torque. The others, including the GT-Line have a 1.2-litre TCe 130 horsepower engine with 97 kW and 205 Nm. Even the low cost Megane Life has keyless entry, dual-zone climate control, leather wrapped steering wheel and gear knob.
Zen gains fancier DRLs with a 3D look, satellite navigation and an electric parking brake. The GT-Line has an electric panoramic sunroof (front opening, tilting and sliding); front sports seats with integrated headrests; black Alcantara upholstery; rear privacy glass and chromed sill plates at the front doors. The Megane GT car gets Renault Sport designed suspension and steering systems as well as RS Drive modes, steering column mounted paddle shifters (though we would prefer the paddles move with the wheel rather than being fixed to the column); aluminium accelerator and brake pedals; and Renault Sport badges. Infotainment is provided by Renault’s R-Link 2 Arkamys audio system with a 7.0-inch touchscreen and voice control. It has eight speakers, Aux socket and two USB plugs and two 12-volt charging points. A portrait oriented 8.7 inch
touchscreen is part of an options package. This shaped screen makes a lot of sense when using satellite navigation as it gives you a much longer view ahead. A Bose audio system tailored specifically from the Megane is also optional. Safety featuress on all variants include automatic windscreen wipers and headlights, and LED daytime running lights (DRLs), a reversing camera and rear parking sensors. The Zen also gets front parking sensors. The GT has a four-wheel steering system to further improve dynamics safety, more about it later. A blind sport warning system is fitted to the GT-Line and GT – though we would like to think that owners of these sports models would know how to adjust the mirrors correctly and so not need an electronic warning. Renault was the first company ever to get a five-star safety rating
and the French giant has taken safety even more seriously since that historic event. New Megane sailed through to five stars with ease. A fascinating feature of the Megane GT is a four-wheel steering system. This uses computer controlled hydraulics, at speeds up to 60 km/h (80 km/h in Sport mode) the rear wheels are steered in the opposite direction to the front wheels to improve manoeuvrability, particularly when parking. Above those speeds the rear wheels are steered in the same direction as the front to cornering grip and control. We tested this 4WS system during an extensive drive program in the hilly hinterland of northern NSW and south-east Queensland. The difference is significant, with the full GT turning in with less movement of the steering wheel and holding its line with seemingly ridiculous ease. This clever Renault ‘4Control’ system will prove a real winner for those who really enjoy their driving, indeed we suggest you try to tag onto a track day at a local circuit if you really want to push the hot Renault to its limit. Renault Megane has a five year, unlimited distance warranty and five-year roadside assistance. Capped price servicing for the first three scheduled services is just $299 for each. Renault Megane sedans and station wagons will join this new five-door hatch at a date yet to be announced. All that Renault Australia chief Justin Hocevar will tell us at this stage is that they will arrive somewhere in the first half of 2017.
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Oct 21 - 27 | 2016
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NISSAN Pulsar sedan 2001, manual, with 12 months rego (QAS502), 170,000km, in good condition, great ¿UVW FDU RQR 3K
1997 Mitsubishi Pajero van/wagon, 3.5lt manual, (WNU717), petrol/gas, T/B bar, electric brakes, VGC, 284,000km, $4500 neg. Ph/txt AH 0431 261 155.
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