City Extra - 13th Edition

We’re in the big (little) league

Sydney City Toyota is proud to announce it has become the primary supporter of the South Sydney Juniors 2024 Female Competition. It’s a major step forward for the Junior division of Australia’s oldest rugby league club, the Rabbitohs, and it is a giant leap at a time when female sporting competition is gaining such great momentum.

More than 1200 girls now play junior rugby league in the zone. Sydney City Toyota dealer principal John Roca and South Sydney District Junior Rugby League CEO Luke Curry agreed on the landmark association in time for this season’s competition. “It’s our hope that our association will go well beyond this year and will be the foundation for a female development program,” John Roca said. “The Female League is a really sound community initiative.”

Fifteen local clubs play under the banner of South Sydney District Junior Rugby League, most but not all of them with female participation. The Junior League fields noncompetitive teams for girls in eight, 10, and 12-year formats and then in competitions in 14, 16, and 18-year-old formats which play other districts. “Family tradition and values have always been paramount at Souths,” John Roca said. “Luke Curry is a third-generation first-grade player and he is a shining light for young men, and now women, as they enter the sport.”

Sydney City Toyota will actively support the female competition. “They’re looking for volunteers,” Mr. Roca said. Mr. Roca admitted he once played grade for another club “but I’m proud to be a Rabbitoh now,” he said.

Thanks for your patience

NEWS FROM JOHN ROCA, DEALER PRINCIPAL

Supply is returning and this is great news for our customers. I thank everyone for their patience and support during this challenging and frustrating period. There are also some exciting new models in the pipeline We’re working with all our customers to help return to a ‘new normal’ – a horrible expression, but it really does sum up the way the auto industry will look in the future.

As you may be aware, the Federal Government announced its New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) recently, in a concerted effort to reduce tailpipe CO2 emissions and limit the cost of consumables like fuel.

We support the concept; how could you not?

In fact, our parent company Toyota has long supported the introduction of an ambitious fuel-efficiency standard - one that is calibrated to the unique requirements of Australian motorists.

That’s why we welcome the willingness of the Federal Government to consult on this important public policy and to announce sensible changes that represent a positive step forward.

But let’s not be under any illusions. Even with the latest changes, Toyota and the industry face huge challenges

that must be addressed before these significant reductions can be realised – especially for commercial vehicles and larger SUVs. Many thousands of people use these vehicles as a tool of trade and, right now, there are currently no massmarket alternatives available anywhere in the world that are practical, capable, and affordable for these customers.

Toyota will not leave these customers behind. They are tackling these challenges with all the resources at its disposal as the world’s leading carmaker, supported by their many technology partners. They are investing billions of dollars in new vehicles and new technologies that will help all customers reduce their carbon footprint.

Given time, the industry will work to meet the new emissions requirements.

As Toyota’s Australian president Matt Callachor told me: “Our task now is to get on with the job of delivering diverse technologies with lower or zero carbon emissions that enable our guests to choose vehicles that best suit their needs.”

Finally, there are some very positive changes and new products to enter the space of vehicle Finance via our partner Toyota Financial Services so stay tuned for more information on this topic in our next newsletter.

The future is here

The all-new Toyota bZ4X battery electric vehicle has arrived in Sydney City Toyota’s showrooms. It is the first all-electric SUV to use Toyota’s breakthrough dedicated e-TNGA platform; a way of saying that this vehicle has been designed and built from the ground up to pave the way for Toyota electric cars of the future.

Toyota bZ4X is a breakthrough in many ways, including enhanced voice recognition which can control several functions including “open all windows”. Our new Toyota is available in front- and all-wheel drive. The all-wheeldrive version has higher ground clearance and traction modes which include “snow/dirt” and “deep snow/mud”. Stated driving range in front-wheel drive is 535 km and in all-wheel drive, 485 km.

We have bZ4X available for our guests to come and see. We also asked our resident tester, sports celebrity Mark Warren to take it for a drive. Press play for his report.

Tundra trial starts here

Sydney City Toyota is an integral part of the Tundra Insider program, a guest-involved innovation which could see the full-sized Toyota Tundra pickup truck released in Australia. We recognise there are certain guests who need the US-built Tundra for their work or recreation requirements, and we’re pleased Toyota has taken that opportunity seriously.

They’ve had 300 Tundras converted to right-hand drive in a program that has been the most comprehensive of its type in Australia. A specialist engineering company has not only moved the steering wheel and controls but has also reworked the steering rack, wiring harnesses, instrument panel, firewall, headlights, front seats, carpet, and trim. Many of those components have come from our LandCruiser 300 Series.

The Tundra is a special-purpose utility, with a massive tray and a towing capacity of 4500kg. The Tundra is a hybrid, with a 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol engine and an electric motor generator, delivering 326kW and 790Nm.

Sydney City Toyota has been chosen as one of a few key dealerships to lease Tundra to a customer with specific requirements to use as part of a monitored trial.

Michael Dunn is that customer! His feedback will be essential to make further changes to Tundra, and even to determine if the Tundra is viable for inclusion in our range in the future.

Stay tuned for the next newsletter to hear what Michael has to say first hand.

An App that really works

My Toyota Connect App is becoming far more of an essential service as more features are added and as motoring habits change. Con Hatzivasiliou, Sydney City Toyota’s general manager – service reports a number of features that perhaps even the App’s developers didn’t think of when they planned it.

“You’d be surprised at the number of guests using the App to keep an eye on their P-plated teenagers,” Con said. “Not in a threatening way, but it’s a great comfort to have a device that can track the family car with real-time data showing how safely the vehicle is being driven.

Con is really careful when he talks of the App for fear of causing offense. But he is aware of instances where guests

have used it to find their car in car parks. “We’ve all done it,” he said. “Walked around pressing the unlock button on our key in the hope the car will flash back.” Now the My Toyota Connect App will lead a guest right to their car. There is a very serious side of course; The App comes with an SOS button to press in time of distress, and a stolen vehicle tracker in case your Toyota is taken by thieves. It even alerts its owner if a window has been left down. Con is very happy to help guests with logging on to My Toyota Connect App.

Alternatively, you can go to our website: www.sydneycitytoyota.com.au/new-vehicles/toyotaconnected-services/mytoyota-connect/

Taking it to the streets

Sydney City Toyota has given a Toyota HiLux to the St. Vincent de Paul Society (Vinnies) to tow its nightly food van through Redfern, Surry Hills, and Waterloo. Incredibly, that van provides sustenance to an average of 210 people each night.

Vinnies is a worthy local cause that has become particularly close to our hearts since we went out on ‘van duty’ with them to discover what they do, and how incredibly important they are to our community.

One of our guests told us about them and we thought we should discover for ourselves. That has led to a closer association and we are working on ways we can help Vinnies not only deliver food but also provide personal care to vulnerable people, restoring and maintaining dignity. We’re working with Vinnies’ zone manager Josie Charbel, a person we hold in the highest regard. The purpose of this story is to alert our customers to Vinnies and suggest that if the opportunity arises, they would appreciate your support.

Donating to a very worthy cause

International Women’s Day is another initiative which we consider important. We have provided support to the United Nations activity over the past two years, and this year we’ve added another layer. Our Sydney City Toyota group general manager Allan Dabbagh asked his sales team to work twice as hard in the week of International

Women’s Day as we decided to donate $50 for each car sold to a most worthy charity – Vinnies.

We also celebrated the inspirational women in our business. Click here to watch what they had to say about their experiences.

A quick day trip

The Seacliff Bridge, just south of the Royal National Park in Sydney’s south holds the key to a for a one-day adventure – and if you love it, it’s so close to Sydney you can go back again the next day.

The best way to get to the bridge is through the national park. Just turn off the Princes Highway at Farnell Avenue, Loftus, or McKell Avenue Waterfall. If you’re planning to stop in the park (and you should) there’s a one-day entry fee of $12. In the park, we recommend a stop at the mobilityfriendly Audley Dance Hall Café, a relic from the past now restored. And while you’re there, walk across to the Audley Boat Shed. You can hire a rowboat or a Kayak for $40 an hour. You might enjoy it so much, you won’t want to move on.

Make sure you stop at Stanwell Tops to marvel at the hang-gliders. There’s usually a pop-up café in the parking area. The Seacliff bridge is a 450-metre miracle of modern engineering, winding over open ocean away from the cliff tops. We recommend you park the car and walk it. The kids will love it, especially if they’re on their scooters.

Further down there’s upwards of ten beaches before you hit Wollongong – and there’s no real reason to go into its CBD. Each of the beaches has its own character and you can spend the whole day riding the right to left-hand breaks at Coledale or go on to give the toddlers a taste of the fabulous Bulli Rock Pool.

Either way, make sure you hit the gelato shops at Thirroul. They are, seriously, the world’s best.

And battle your way through the bike riders to grab a beach-facing table at Ruby’s Café at Bulli. From breakfast eggs to lunchtime old school burger, you can’t go past food mixed with salt spray.

Easter traffic is likely to be heavy, so give a relaxed day to the trip. Depending on your starting point, round trip from Sydney is only around 200 kms. We’d stay clear of the Prince Highway and be prepared to amble back up the coast road.

Sydney City Toyota GLEBE

36-38 Parramatta Road

Glebe, NSW 2037

T 02 9565 6313

Sydney City Toyota WATERLOO

824 Bourke Street

Waterloo, NSW 2017

T 02 9690 9999

www.sydneycitytoyota.com.au