Car News Articles

Has your commute to and from work gotten easier? Anecdotally, high petrol prices and other economic factors are pushing people off the road and onto public transport. Which is a good thing if you’re sticking with your car.

A quick straw poll in the office at Drive.com.au confirmed our gut feeling that the traffic is easing. And statistics published in the Sydney Morning Herald would appear to bear out our conclusion.

According to the Herald, in the twelve months to February 2008, there were 1.2 million new passengers on the Bankstown train line, a growth rate of 8.4 per cent.

The number of passengers on the Inner West Line grew 7.4 per cent, 6.3 per cent on the Western Line, and 6.2 per cent on the East Hills line.

Buses, both suburban and long distance, are also reporting increased patronage.

Even more telling is the fact that our consumption of unleaded fuel has fallen by 4.4 per cent in the first three months of this year, while overall petrol sales fell by 1.2 per cent.

All this points to the fact that people are getting out of their cars and onto public transport. And that public transport is now bursting at the seams. It also shows that market forces are working – the higher the price of petrol, the lower the demand, and the more active consumers are in seeking alternatives.

But the examples given are just for Sydney. What is the traffic like in your neck of the woods? Have higher petrol prices taken the edge off the daily commuter grind? And will higher petrol prices eventually force you onto public transport?

Joshua Gliddon

Porsche Carrera Cup and Mini Challenge racing is to change.

It‘s business as usual for two of Australia’s biggest racing series, despite being for sale. The Porsche Carrera Cup and the Mini Challenge are on the market after current owner Ian Sherrin decided he was too busy to run them.

Sherrin’s company, Motorsport Event Management (MEM), owns the category management rights for both series.

After a rapid expansion into motorsport in recent years, including running cars in both series and Targa Tasmania, Sherrin says he has too much on his plate.

He runs six cars in the Mini Challenge and two in the Carrera Cup.

“After owning a category and a multiple-car race team in the same category for the past two years, it’s time to concentrate on one or the other. I think this is the right decision to make,” he says.

MEM will run both series for the rest of the year while a buyer is found.

Porsche Cars Australia managing director Michael Winkler will help.

“We’ll work with Ian to have an arrangement in place by the end of this season to ensure a seamless and smooth transition into 2009. Until then, it’s racing and business as usual,” Winkler says.

The news is abrupt for Mini, with the series only three rounds old. But the company confirmed it remains committed.

“Mini is confident that any sale of MEM will be to a suitable purchaser who will continue to manage the increasingly popular Mini Challenge series exactly in line with the arrangements Mini put in place with MEM,” Mini national manager Justin Hocevar says.

- Herald Sun

It might look the same, but Mazda claims the revised RX-8 will come close to being a new car where it counts; under the bonnet.

The upgraded range, which will include a GT designated model, arrives here in July. Those dedicated rotarians of Hiroshima remain the only carmaker to persist with this singular form of propulsion.

Mazda claims the 1.3-litre twin rotary has undergone so many modifications it almost amounts to a new unit. Compared with its 13B-REW predecessor, the Renesis rotary engine saves about 5 per cent in rotor weight and 15 per cent in flywheel weight. The use of dual injectors, an electronic throttle and a 32-bit Powertrain Control Module (PCM) also enables more control of the air-fuel ratio.

Slightly enhanced acceleration and fuel economy can be expected. The latter is no bad thing given that while the ultra-high-revving mill (it keeps going way up to 9000rpm) can rival V8s for squirt, it is also apt to drink as heavily.

The GT also cops specially tuned sports suspension with light-weight 19-inch wheels. Aside from the standard slick-shifting manual transmission, the revised range finally gets an automatic with the contemporary number of cogs, six, with steering wheel-mounted shifting paddles like the MX-5.

While Mazda Australia is thriving on sales of its medium and light cars, the Mazda2, 3 and 6, it’s rear-wheel-drive sportsters, continue to sell well.

The original Mazda RX-8 has won more than 50 automotive awards, including 2003 International Engine Of The Year and the 2003 Wheels Car Of The Year.

More than 170,000 RX-8s have been sold worldwide to punters attracted by the rotary aspect and the practicality of its four seats, the rear two being accessed by semi-concealed suicide doors. Mazda Australia has sold 5400 since release. So far this year, 171 new RX-8s have found homes.

The range starts at $48,990 rising to $55,840 for the limited release Rotary 40th Anniversary edition.

- The Daily Telegraph

The newly-launched Ibiza will be available with a new Sport Package. The price of the new package is 3500 euro.

The Ibiza Sport Pack will feature re-designed front bumper, new side skirts, re-designed rear bumper with integrated central exhaust pipes and a rear roof spoiler. The car will sit on 17″ alloy wheels.

On the interior there will be a sport steering wheel, aluminum sport pedals, sport gear knob and door panels featuring aluminum insertions.

2009 Seat Ibiza

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We’re big fans of Steve Saleen. He’s created some pretty incredible Mustangs over the last 25 years, and any guy that successfully builds his own supercar gets major props in our book. Plus, we could listen to his racing stories for hours. After he announced his retirement from Saleen, Inc last year, we were somewhat disappointed when he took the position of CEO at ZX Automobile, a Chinese car company hoping to import trucks into the United States. It’s not that we think Steve wasn’t up to the task; we were just hoping he would stick to sports cars.

We shouldn’t have worried, because Steve announced the formation of his new company, SMS Limited, in March of this year with plans to develop vehicles based on the new breed of American muscle cars (Mustang, Challenger and Camaro) as well as race in the American Le Mans Series. We wanted to get more info on Steve’s plans with the company, and what better way than to hear it from the man himself. We were able to get a one-on-one with Steve, and got some inside info on the new company and his plans to race an S7R in the ALMS. Interested? Follow the jump for the interview.

Interview with Steve Saleen - SMS Limited Chairman and CEO
May 28, 2008

Autoblog: What does SMS stand for?

Steve Saleen: We used my initials (Stephen Mark Saleen) for the name of the company in keeping with the more personal expression, commitment to quality and exclusivity of the vehicles we will be designing and manufacturing.

Autoblog: What inspired you to form SMS?

Steve Saleen: In addition to my long-standing relationship with the Ford brand I wanted to expand into new markets with the Dodge and Chevrolet muscle cars that are coming out now. For contractual reasons this was not going to happen at Saleen, Inc. due to their heritage with Ford products and the Ford dealer network.

Autoblog: You’ve brought Bill Tally and Phil Frank with you. How important is it to have them working alongside you? Is anyone else involved in SMS that you have worked with before?

Steve Saleen: Those who know me are aware that building a great team is essential for any venture to be successful, be it on the racetrack or in business. You need to have the right mixture of long-standing and experienced acquaintances and “new blood” bringing in new ideas. Billy and Phil have been integral to all the vehicle and aftermarket programs my team and I have developed in the last 15 years, having them with me to build up this new team is essential when it comes to talent, drive and getting the most from the team and the vehicles.

Along with a number of engineers we had worked with in the past I am also leaning on my children Clint, Sean and Molly to help with the business development and management as we set things for the future.

Autoblog: Is there anything that you are doing differently with SMS than you have with your previous
companies?

Steve Saleen: Well, first off we are doing everything right from the start; we are not held back by any antiquated systems or processes. We have a completely fresh start but with a deep understanding of the factors that stood in our way in the past. We are establishing the proper protocols, processes and procedures for everything so there is no ambiguity or confusion as we go forward in our business and product development.

Secondly we now have an incredible array of high-end prototype, fabrication, machining, development, testing and manufacturing tools such as; 13 variations of CNCs, an SLS Sinter station, engine and chassis dynameters, etc that will allow us to do a whole range of tasks internally, making us a great deal more independent from third parties. Having this new technology to our disposal will also allow us to create and market new technologies that will set us apart in the marketplace.

Autoblog: Your vehicles have always had a very signature look. Will your new cars have any specific
design attributes?

Steve Saleen: Our aesthetics will push the envelope of functional aesthetic innovation, you will be seeing an example of this with a new concept we are rolling out very shortly. Stay tuned.

Autoblog: You’ve been very involved in nearly every aspect of your companies. Will you continue to do
this with SMS?

Steve Saleen: Yes, as ever I am heavily involved in all aspects of the business and will be so as we move forward. However, as I mentioned earlier, we are setting up the processes and procedures that will ensure that the business is built on the best possible foundation for success. And – you might have heard I have actually taken up racing again…

Autoblog: Will you be working with the Ford Mustang again? Any other vehicles?

Steve Saleen: When the next generation Mustang arrives you can be sure to see our newly developed SMS technology at the top of the food chain. As you know we just announced the SMS 570 Challengers and – as I said – will make another important announcement in the near future.

Autoblog: Do you have any plans to build a completely unique vehicle like you did with the S7?

Steve Saleen: All I can say at this time is that it is in our DNA to develop and build supercars.

Autoblog: Can you give us any details about your future plans for racing in the ALMS?

Steve Saleen: Currently we are testing the two 2007 ELMS Championship Winning S7R’s here in the States with the goal of running a number of races towards the end of the season. If you can believe this will be my first opportunity to drive an S7R competitively! I had a number of opportunities to fill in for privateer team drivers but never took the chance. The S7 is perfectly suited for my driving style. And, not that I am boasting, but in testing I’ve beat Stephan Ortelli’s lap times around Willow Springs while he was there testing the same car… (smiles)

Autoblog: What do you think of the Saleen S5S Raptor concept?

Steve Saleen: I had no involvement in the Raptor concept other than the original groundwork that Billy, Phil and I had laid out in 2005 for developing the S5. As a clay study it has its merits, now we need to wait and see what they are going to make of it.

Autoblog: Thanks for your time, Steve.