Australia's Easy Reading New Car News Home | News | Road Tests NEWS INDEX:   August 2009 Home > News Suzuki Kizashi Suzuki Kizashi revealed 2nd August, 2009 Suzuki Australia is yet to finalise its specification levels, however Suzuki US has confirmed a 2.4 litre four cylinder engine, matched to a six-speed manual or six-speed CVT transmission ..... more Lamborghini remains profitable 2nd August, 2009 In terms of sales, the company delivered 825 cars: a reduction of 37% compared to the same period of 2008 with sales of 1.309 cars ..... more Mazda MX-5: 20th Anniversary Edition for Japan 2nd August, 2009 Mazda has released a special edition version of its lightweight, two-seat, open-top sports car for the Japanese market ..... more JCW coming for Mini Cabrio 4th August, 2009 The Mini John Cooper Works Cabrio is confirmed for market introduction in September this year and will join the Mini John Cooper Works and Mini John Cooper Works Clubman ..... more Chrysler PT Cruiser production continues 4th August, 2009 With more than 1.3 million PT Cruisers sold in more than 60 countries since 2000, we’re excited to announce we’re re-energising the iconic and award-winning PT Cruiser ..... more Germany Hosts Global Mazda Cosmo Sport Rally 5th August, 2009 A group of Cosmo Sport owners from around the world and enthusiasts of the rotary sports car will gather at an international Cosmo Sport rally in Germany, from 10th to 15th August 2009 ..... more FPV Launches its F6 E 5th August, 2009 The F6 E will cater for the corner of the market - in particular executives - that want the performance and dynamics of the F6 with some added luxury appointments and subdued styling ..... more Nissan Leaf: a new ZE car 6th August, 2009 Designed specifically for a lithium-ion battery-powered chassis, Nissan Leaf is a medium-size hatchback with a range of more than 160 kms ..... more Toyota Corolla tops the sales charts 6th August, 2009 More Australian motorists bought a Toyota Corolla in July than any other vehicle, according to official sales figures released yesterday ..... more Hyundai Moves Up to Australia's No.4 6th August, 2009 In a total market that has contracted by 15.3% (July YTD 2009 vs. July YTD 2008), Hyundai remains the only top ten brand to increase sales ..... more Mazda MX-5 "Super Light" show car 6th August, 2009 Strictly a show car not intended for production, it takes lightweight technology to a new level ..... more New V6 For Holden Commodore 6th August, 2009 Australia’s favourite car, the Holden Commodore, is set to slash motorists’ fuel use and running costs with two new advanced V6 engines and other technology improvements ..... more Mercedes-Benz E-Class wagon for 2010 6th August, 2009 Like the Saloon and Coupé, the Estate combines unique design with leadership in safety, comfort, quality and practicality ..... more White vans gain style from Ford 7th August, 2009 Frozen white paintwork, wide performance blue bonnet stripes, 18 inch alloy wheels, twin exhaust pipes and spoilers ..... more New Porsche 911 Turbo for Frankfurt Motor Show 7th August, 2009 Far-reaching technological innovations together with fine-tuning and refinement herald the debut of the second generation 997-type Porsche 911 Turbo ..... more Honda UK to export Civic Type R to Japan 9th August, 2009 The model will be called the Type R EURO, to distinguish it from the Japanese-spec 4-door Civic Type R saloon, and will be sold in limited numbers ..... more Holden Cruze a Showroom Hit 9th August, 2009 Sales figures for July released by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries show 1,982 Cruzes sold, making it Australia’s eighth best-selling car for the month ..... more Kia to share in joint focus on eco-friendly growth 9th August, 2009 Kia will be fully involved in this process with petrol and diesel hybrid vehicles set to follow the European introduction of its emission-reducing cee'd ISG models within the next two years. Kia is also working on plug-in hybrids and has some of the most advanced fuel cell vehicles operating anywhere in the world ..... more BMW: 80 years of car production 9th August, 2009 Guests invited to BMW’s new showroom in the middle of Berlin in July 1929 were able to admire a small car bearing the model designation 3/15 PS DA 2, with the two last letters standing for “Deutsche Ausführung” ..... more Limited edition Mercedes-Benz C 63 AMG – Edition 63 coming 9th August, 2009 German sports car maker Mercedes-AMG has enhanced its model arsenal with a more focussed version of its compact 'sledgehammer'. Its name: the C 63 AMG – Edition 63 ..... more Mitsubishi’s 2010 Triton: More Power, Safety and Load Capacity 9th August, 2009 The 2010 Mitsubishi Triton offers a new, high powered turbo-diesel engine with class leading power, industry-leading safety standards including stability control and side and curtain airbags available on diesel dual-cab models, greater towing capacity, and an extended tray ..... more Suzuki sounds-out upgrades for Swift and Grand Vitara 11th August, 2009 The audio systems in all Swift and Grand Vitara models now feature an auxiliary input jack, enabling easy connection to a portable MP3 player such as the iPod ..... more Mitsubishi adds "ACTiV" Special Edition to Outlander range 11th August, 2009 The ACTiV features a unique chrome radiator grille, front alloy nudge bar, roof rail cross bars, ACTiV badging, fog lamps and privacy glass as standard ..... more Toyota RAV4 gains an "Edge" 11th August, 2009 Consumers will pay just $750 extra for the added features that include 17-inch alloy wheels (including the spare wheel), reverse-parking sonar sensors, roof rails and privacy glass for the rear, rear-quarter and rear-door windows ..... more Audi R8 5.2 FSI quattro released 13th August, 2009 With quattro permanent all-wheel drive, Audi Space Frame ASF light weight technology, mid-ship engine mounting and the innovative all-LED lights propel the new Audi model right into a competitive field ..... more ‘Race cars for the road’ for the Earls Court Motor Show at Goodwood Revival 13th August, 2009 The effect simulates going back the past to visualise the future, offering other-worldly futuristic new cars to see, right up to and including manufacturers’ latest products ..... more Kia at Frankfurt Motor Show 13th August, 2009 With sales continually rising, Kia heads to the Frankfurt Motor Show full of confidence. In keeping with the Kia tradition, a surprise is sure to be a component of their stand at Germany's largest motor show ..... more Ford's North American production to increase 14th August, 2009 While increasing production, Ford also is reprioritising vehicle shipments to ensure that vehicles in high demand, such as the Focus, Escape and Fusion, arrive at dealerships quickly ..... more BMW's new ActiveHybrid 7 14th August, 2009 Based on the BMW 7 Series, this unique car will compete with the already established Lexus LS 600hL hybrid luxury car ..... more Revised Nissan Dualis line-up released 14th August, 2009 Nissan extends the appeal of the Dualis model range, adding a new 2WD version and simplifying the Dualis AWD line-up. Standard specifications improve and prices now start at a highly competitive $24,990 ..... more Kia Soul earns another safety accolade 14th August, 2009 Kia's affordable car now adds a 2009 ‘Top Safety Pick’ from America's highly respected Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) to its list of accomplishments ..... more Record sales as new Toyota Prius launches 14th August, 2009 The launch of all-new third-generation Toyota Prius has helped propel the world's best-selling hybrid car to an all-time sales record in Australia ..... more Bentley Mulsanne Debuts 17th August, 2009 Yesterday, Bentley Motors unveiled the new Mulsanne, the company’s all-new flagship grand tourer, at the prestigious Pebble Beach Concours D’Elegance in Monterey, California, USA ..... more Audi launches new A5 Cabriolet in Australia 17th August, 2009 Joining the A5 Coupe, this brand new four-seater convertible with classic fabric roof combines its distinctly sporty character with the added benefit of open-top driving, high levels of comfort and everyday versatility ..... more Extra value with Limited Edition Kia Cerato 17th August, 2009 Kia has announced a Limited Edition Cerato with features valued at $1,200 being offered to customers at no extra cost for a limited time only ..... more Five Stars for Mercedes-Benz Vito 19th August, 2009 The Australasian New Car Assessment Programme (ANCAP) has announced the first Australian 5-star rating for a light commercial van. The vehicle: the Mercedes-Benz Vito ..... more Australia's first Porsche Panameras arrive 20th August, 2009 Porsche’s first four-door sedan will be shown to the public from 1st September with a 17,000 km full lap of mainland Australia, completing the journey on 3rd October to coincide with the Panamera’s on sale date ..... more Hyundai ix35 to succeed Tuscon 21st August, 2009 The ix35 represents a major step forward for Hyundai. It is the first Hyundai SUV to be conceived and engineered in Europe, at the company’s Frankfurt-based design and technical centres ..... more BMW to revise 1 Series diesel models 23rd August, 2009 Each new model will be equipped the latest in fuel saving technology, including Auto Start/Stop Function, Optimum Shift Indicator, Electric Power Steering and Brake Energy Regeneration ..... more Mazda CX-7 Update Coming 23rd August, 2009 On sale in November, the refreshed CX-7 range will 'adopt' the 2.5 litre naturally-aspirated and 2.2 litre turbo-diesel engines already used in the Mazda 6 ..... more Stirling Moss about to turn 80 23rd August, 2009 In just one month’s time Goodwood will be swaying to the strains of ‘Happy Birthday’ when the 120,000+ visitors to the Goodwood Revival sing in harmony (?) to wish Sir Stirling Moss their heart-felt best wishes ..... more Volkswagen updates T5 23rd August, 2009 A few weeks after the Multivan and California are premiered at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 2009, the new version of Volkswagen’s successful models will 'hit' European roads ..... more Toyota updates the Land Cruiser 70 Series 24th August, 2009 Toyota has beefed up its Land Cruiser 70 Series 'work horses' with improved passive safety, comfort and features ..... more Mini anniversary models for Australia 25th August, 2009 Mini has announced the introduction of two new models for the Australian market, the Mini 50 Mayfair and Mini 50 Camden. This confirms the news that Next Car revealed back on the 9th August that Mini was preparing for two new models to be unveiled at next month's Frankfurt Motor Show ..... more Maserati GranCabrio to debut in Frankfurt 25th August, 2009 Maserati’s first ever four seat convertible, the Maserati GranCabrio, will make its public debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September ..... more Skoda releases new Octavia RS 25th August, 2009 Although local sales have never achieved targets, Skoda Australia's new-look Octavia RS models is set for release in coming days ..... more BMW increase 3 Series diesel line-up 26th August, 2009 BMW is set to expand its diesel range even further, introducing the first ever diesel powered 3 Series Coupe, Convertible and Touring to the Australian market ..... more Kia's new Venga 26th August, 2009 Kia’s stylish and uniquely spacious new premium B-segment contender will be named ‘Venga’ when it goes on sale across Europe later this year and in the UK early in 2010 ..... more Top Euro Safety Rating for New Subaru Liberty 27th August, 2009 The European specification new generation Subaru Legacy, known in Australia as Liberty, has achieved a top five-star crash worthiness rating ..... more Mini Celebrated its 50th Birthday Yesterday 27th August, 2009 Fifty years ago to the day, the British Motor Corporation (BMC) unveiled the result of its quest to design a new and revolutionary compact car ..... more Euro NCAP: Five Stars for Skoda Yeti 27th August, 2009 The Skoda Yeti's top-class safety test results include those of a “whiplash test”, a new category established this year to assess the stability of the seats and the degree of protection of the occupants from cervical spine injuries in rear impacts ..... more Smart "Electric Drive" goes into production 27th August, 2009 Unlike its predecessor, the electrically driven Smart Fortwo of the second generation is fitted with an innovative and highly efficient lithium-ion battery ..... more Euro NCAP: Five Stars for Kia Sorento 27th August, 2009 The all-new Kia Sorento, due in Australia in early 2010, has been awarded the maximum 5-star safety rating in the latest Euro NCAP crash test results, placing the Sorento amongst the safest SUVs on the road ..... more New Saab 9-5 Sedan 27th August, 2009 Sleek, sophisticated and unmistakably Saab, it combines stand-out looks with advanced technologies and will bring a fresh alternative choice to the premium sedan segment when sales start in 2010 ..... more Porsche's most sporting road-going 911 of all 28th August, 2009 The uncompromising 911 GT3 RS uses the new 3.8-litre naturally-aspirated engine of its 'junior' brother, the GT3 ..... more Volvo XC60 gets the R-Design treatment 28th August, 2009 The new dynamic driving properties of the Volvo XC60 R-Design have been possible with the introduction of a stiffer chassis and stiffer damping ..... more Five star safety for Holden's locally built passenger cars 28th August, 2009 For the first time ever, Holden’s entire range of locally manufactured passenger cars have been awarded the maximum five-star Australasian New Car Assessment Programme (ANCAP) rating ..... more Suzuki rivals turn green with envy 28th August, 2009 With a combined fuel economy of just 4.8 litres per 100 kilometres, a greenhouse gas rating of 8.5 out of 10 and a similar air pollution rating, the Suzuki Alto joins a select group of cars to score a prestigious five-star efficiency rating ..... more Mini Coupé Concept 28th August, 2009 Its design and the use of high-performance drivetrain technology, the Mini  Coupé Concept offers ideal conditions as a compact sports car ..... more Holden Cruze - Top crash rating for under $25,000 cars 28th August, 2009 The all-new Holden Cruze is the safest car under $25,000 according to a report released by the NSW Minister for Roads, Michael Daley, and NSW's Roads and Traffic Authority ..... more Subaru’s Safety Status Sustained 30th August, 2009 Both new Liberty and Outback were awarded 34.8 out of a possible 37 points, gaining a five-star rating for occupant safety ..... more Additional Ferrari 458 details revealed 30th August, 2009 The 458 Italia will offer a new design of controls and steering wheel that uses experience gained in Formula One with main commands grouped on the steering wheel, the secondary commands are set in two satellite pods either side of the dash ..... more Hyundai Launches ix35 Compact SUV in Korea 30th August, 2009 The ix35 is launched with either a 2.0 litre all-new Diesel R engine or 2.0 litre Theta-II petrol engine and is fitted with Hyundai’s all-new six-speed automatic transmission.  The diesel engine achieves 6.5 litres per 100 km fuel economy with maximum power output of 137 kW ..... more Hear Chris Goodsell Talk Motoring On Radio & Internet ..... more September 2009 News ..... here July 2009 News ..... here June 2009 News ..... here About | Car Clubs | Home | News | Road Ramblings | Road Tests | Subscribe | Top Drive ©   2009   All rights reserved.   Next Car Pty. 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