Australia's Easy Reading New Car News Home | News | Road Tests NEWS INDEX:   March 2010 Home > News Peugeot 3008 set for local release 1st March, 2010 The Peugeot 3008 is a compact SUV designed with a number of features also inherent in family hatchbacks and MPVs – resulting in an extremely versatile package ..... more Kia opens US factory 1st March, 2010 Mass production of the all-new 2011 Kia Sorento CUV began in November with the product going on sale in the US in January. Selling 7,398 units in its first month, the 2011 Sorento was Kia’s best-selling vehicle in January ..... more Jaguar to unveil fastest ever XK 1st March, 2010 This XKR delivers a significantly raised maximum speed and bold styling changes that provide an evocative and unique supercharged Jaguar ..... more Nissan's new Patrol 1st March, 2010 Under the banner of "The Hero Comes Home" the Nissan Patrol is back as an all-new seventh generation model, building on its impressive history, but at the same time, incorporating a new platform, a radical new design direction, significantly enhanced interior comfort and luxury, powerful new V8 engines, a 7 speed automatic transmission and a new 4WD system ..... more SEAT IBE concept car 2nd March, 2010 Spain's SEAT is delivering a powerful statement with a compact sports coupé that carries stunning design and great driving fun into the age of electric mobility ..... more Lamborghini Gallardo LP 570-4 Superleggera 2nd March, 2010 Even more dynamic, lighter, more powerful and stunning – the Lamborghini Gallardo LP 570-4 Superleggera is the new top model in the Gallardo line-up ..... more Porsche 918 Spyder concept car 2nd March, 2010 This mid-engined two-seater combines the performance of a super-sports car with the CO2 emissions of a small compact, an innovative plug-in hybrid concept reducing emissions to just 70 grammes CO2 per kilometre and fuel consumption to 3.0 litres/100 kilometres ..... more New Ford Focus in Geneva 2nd March, 2010 The stylish next-generation Ford Focus Estate makes its global debut at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show this week alongside the new Focus 5-door, which is appearing for the first time in Europe following its North American debut in January ..... more Holden Commodore Australia's most popular car in February 3rd March, 2010 Australians purchased a total of 11,213 Holdens during February, with Commodore Australia’s best selling car overall (3,914 sold) and Captiva Australia’s best selling SUV (1,315 sold) ..... more Lotus Evora Carbon Concept 3rd March, 2010 The striking white concept car is finished in an advanced water based pearlescent paint that contrasts with the exquisitely finished weave on the carbon fibre panels ..... more Nissan's new Micra 3rd March, 2010 Boasting breakthrough packaging and small-car engineering, the all-new, fourth generation Nissan Micra is on course to provide a whole new set of industry standards ..... more Mitsubishi adds Lancer ACTiV to line-up 4th March, 2010 Based on the ES model, the Lancer ACTiV features an impressive list of interior and exterior additions and, with a drive-away price from $21,990, the Lancer ACTiV is sure to impress ..... more Skoda considering new Fabia RS for Australia 4th March, 2010 For the first time ever, Skoda Auto is using a double-supercharged, four cylinder petrol engine providing 132 kW in an engine of just 1.4 litres ..... more Bertone celebrates 75 years with Alfa Romeo Pandion 5th March, 2010 Bertone, one of Italy’s legendary styling houses, is celebrating 75 years of collaboration with Alfa Romeo with Pandion, an aggressive coupé designed as a tribute to Alfa Romeo’s one hundred year anniversary ..... more Pininfarina reveals its Alfa Romeo Spider for the 21st Century 5th March, 2010 To mark its own 80th anniversary and to celebrate Alfa Romeo’s 100th anniversary, Pininfarinia has released at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show its proposal for a new Alfa Romeo Spider ..... more Citroen reintroduces C5 petrol 5th March, 2010 Fitted with the 2.0 litre 103 KW engine and an electronically controlled automatic gearbox, the Citroën C5 2.0 16V has a top speed of 205 km/h ..... more Chevy Camaro Sets Pace for the US Sports Car Segment 5th March, 2010 Camaro sales outpaced sports car models including the Ford Mustang, Nissan 370Z, and Dodge Challenger ..... more Kia's new Sportage 5th March, 2010 The unveiling of the third generation Sportage continues Kia Motors aggressive product refresh strategy to deliver new design with quality, safety and value to buyers ..... more Taiwan Car Maker Looks To Export Markets 7th March, 2010 All LUXGEN vehicles feature a state of the art onboard computer system, dubbed ‘Think +’, which, for the first time ever, combines HTC smart technology and Windows CE Automotive Interface, ‘Think+’ boasts six main features ..... more Toyota remains #1 in February 7th March, 2010 Toyota Australia lifted its February sales over 17 per cent compared with the same month last year ..... more Hyundai now #3 in Australia 7th March, 2010 In a total market that has increased +17% (February YTD 2010 v. February YTD 2009), Hyundai Motor Company Australia has achieved an overall increase in sales of +73.6% ..... more Ferrari's first Hybrid 7th March, 2010 Ferrari has displayed its first ever hybrid car at the Geneva Motor Show with the Ferrari 599 HY-KERS vettura laboratorio cutting emissions and fuel consumption by 35 per cent ..... more Subaru confirms Forester Diesel 7th March, 2010 The Subaru Forester will add an efficient diesel engine to the range in early June, with the launch of the Subaru Forester 2.0D ..... more Audi R8 Spyder 5.2 FSI quattro 7th March, 2010 Fascination taken to a new level of intensity: The Audi R8 Spyder 5.2 FSI quattro combines breathtaking performance with the experience of open-top driving ..... more New Corvette Racing C6.R and Production Corvette ZR1 Represent the Culmination of More Than 10 Years of Technology Transfer 8th March, 2010 The updated C6.R and  the Corvette ZR1 on which it’s based represent the strongest link yet between a production Corvette and the modern Corvette Racing team ..... more Hyundai fixes its 'i' on the future 8th March, 2010 The Hyundai i-flow's dynamic, elegant lines not only portray a futuristic silhouette, but also contribute to exceptional aerodynamics ..... more Ford's Electric Vehicles 8th March, 2010 Zero-emission Ford Transit Connect Electric to launch in 2011, followed by Focus Electric in 2012 ..... more Mercedes-Benz E-Class cabriolet 8th March, 2010 The highly appealing and emotionally charged Cabriolet is the latest addition to the successful Mercedes-Benz E-Class line-up ..... more Lexus LS 600hL upgraded 9th March, 2010 Lexus' full hybrid LS 600hL flagship gains a range of technological and styling improvements for the 2010 model year ..... more Bentley announces specification of new Mulsanne 10th March, 2010 While paying homage to past Bentley greats, the brief for the new Mulsanne’s design and engineering teams was to provide a Bentley that represents the pinnacle of British luxury motoring ..... more Subaru Impreza XV Unveiled 10th March, 2010 Subaru unveiled the latest variant in its Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive Impreza range, the Impreza XV hatch, at the Geneva Motor Show ..... more Toyota Rukus coming 10th March, 2010 The new Toyota Rukus is an urban utility vehicle with head-turning styling that projects an aggressive appearance ..... more Chevrolet Corvette Z06 Carbon Edition 11th March, 2010 Designed to further incorporate technology developed through racing, the Corvette Z06 Carbon Limited Edition is a tribute to the 50th anniversary of Corvette’s first race in the 24 Hours of Le Mans ..... more Mitsubishi releases special edition Outlander RX 11th March, 2010 With unique interior and exterior specifications, the Outlander RX is a stylish new vehicle offering exceptional value for money ..... more Looking back: Citroen SM 12th March, 2010 Citroen announced it was stopping production of the SM in the northern summer 1975, with these words: “The SM was born from speed and died with speed” ..... more Twenty million visit VW's Autostadt 12th March, 2010 During this celebratory year, a 'milestone' was reached: by Thursday 25th February 2010 a total of more than 20 million visitors had passed through the Autostadt gates ..... more Lamborghini sales down 14th March, 2010 Deliveries from January to December 2009 reduced by 37.7% from 2,430 to 1,515 units worldwide ..... more Looking back: Volvo PV36 14th March, 2010 It is not a copy of the Chrysler Airflow, despite the fact that some think it was ..... more Maserati GranCabrio released in Europe 14th March, 2010 The Maserati GranCabrio, which made its debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 2009, is now available from Maserati dealerships throughout Europe ..... more Toyota still showing FT-86 sports car 14th March, 2010 Toyota’s great driver-focused sports cars of the past have inspired its vision for a future-generation concept model that made its European debut at the Geneva Motor Show ..... more Aston Martin Cygnet Concept 14th March, 2010 The release of the Aston Martin Cygnet is getting closer. This new model is based on the tiny Toyota iQ ..... more Volkswagen sets roadmap for e-mobility 14th March, 2010 Starting in 2013, the high-volume Golf and Jetta models of the Volkswagen brand are expected to participate in the hybrid and electric vehicle market ..... more Ferrari adds a stop & start 14th March, 2010 Ferrari showcased two additions to its new found eco-friendly credentials at the Geneva Motor Show ..... more Peugeot/Citroen to sell Mitsubishi EVs 14th March, 2010 Mitsubishi has announced the signing of a Final Cooperative Agreement regarding development and supply of the new-generation electric vehicle (EV) i-MiEV* with Peugeot Citroën ..... more New Kia Magentis: more details 14th March, 2010 It’s a car that people will simply not expect from Kia ..... more New BMW 5 Series Touring 15th March, 2010 The 4th generation of the BMW 5 Series Touring stands out with powerful design aesthetics, premium-level functionality and typical BMW driving dynamics combined with modern day efficiency ..... more Nissan revises the Tiida 15th March, 2010 Nissan has revved up the value, luxury and standard safety features on the new Tiida Series 3 models, which have arrived in showrooms across Australia ..... more Mitsubishi welcomes first production i-MiEVs to Australia 15th March, 2010 The new arrivals are the first full-production electric vehicles ever to set their treads on Australian roads and are in the country for MMAL’s extensive pre-sale evaluation programme ..... more New VW Beetle BlackOrange Special Edition 15th March, 2010 Volkswagen Group Australia is now offering a limited special edition of the New Beetle Range – the New Beetle BlackOrange ..... more Renault Clio RenaultSport 200 coming 15th March, 2010 Since 2000, the successive variants of Renault Clio Renaultsport have resulted in it becoming the most popular hot hatch of its class, with over 70,000 worldwide sales ..... more Kia Venga wins red dot design award 16th March, 2010 Kia Venga has won the coveted red dot design award, marking the second prize the car maker’s newest B-segment MPV has won since its launch ..... more Volkswagen Transporter: 60 years on 16th March, 2010 Production of the Volkswagen Transporter van started in March 1950 and during the 60 years since then it has become one of the most iconic and popular vans in the world ..... more Nissan Leaf confirmed for Australia 16th March, 2010 The Nissan Leaf is the world’s first competitively-priced, mass-produced electric vehicle from a mainstream manufacturer. It is serious car, a real car ..... more BMW X1 here next month 16th March, 2010 BMW’s versatile X1 will join the Bavarian luxury brand’s line-up in Australia with a starting price of $43,500* ..... more Mercedes-Benz updates the C-Class 16th March, 2010 In outselling its nearest rival by more than 17 per cent since launch and maintaining that sales scorecard during 2009’s challenging market is a fine achievement ..... more Sixty Years of Porsche Production in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen 17th March, 2010 A further highlight is the first Porsche 356 Coupé built in Zuffenhausen will be shown for the first time in the Museum follow an unusual restoration process ..... more Volkswagen R GmbH in the starting blocks 17th March, 2010 Volkswagen R GmbH will be the specialist for sporty exclusive models from Volkswagen in the future ..... more Peugeot unveils Hoggar ute 17th March, 2010 Peugeot Hoggar is designed and manufactured in Brazil for the expanding Brazilian market ..... more Mazda updates the 6 17th March, 2010 The New Mazda 6 further evolves the striking design and competitive value for which the Mazda 6 has become known ..... more BMW adjusts 3 Series line-up 17th March, 2010 BMW has announced revisions to the 3 Series sedan and Touring ..... more Heads-up on GM's vision for the future 18th March, 2010 On that foggy day, maybe worsened by sleet or snow, the enhanced vision system could combine night vision with the head-up system to identify and highlight the precise location of animals roaming along the side of the road ..... more Looking back: Carroll Shelby with Aston Martin 21st March, 2010 The United States has played a fundamental role in Aston Martin’s motor sport history, with an American automotive legend forming part of the 1959 Le Mans-winning line-up: Carroll Shelby ..... more Skoda Roomster's new 'face' 21st March, 2010 The face lifted look of the Roomster is underlined by a new radiator grille and 3D-shaped headlamps that have been considerably widened to highlight the horizontal line of the vehicle's front ..... more Renault-Nissan start-up in India 21st March, 2010 Representing an investment of 45 billion Rupees ($990 million) and with the capacity to produce 400,000 units per year at full ramp-up, the new Chennai plant will initially employ 1,500 workers at start of production in May 2010 ..... more Europe's top-sellers in February 21st March, 2010 Germany, once Europe’s largest new car market is suffering a distinct ‘scrappage hangover’, with February sales down almost one third (29.8%) ..... more Volkswagen's new T5 21st March, 2010 Volkswagen's new editions of the Transporter, Caravelle and Multivan are now available in Australia. Often referred to as T5, the range is even more frugal, clean and cultivated ..... more Nissan updates the Murano 22nd March, 2010 The luxurious, powerful and sharply styled Nissan Murano has struck a chord with Australian buyers in the premium, medium-sized SUV market since the second generation model made its debut one year ago ..... more All-new Pentastar V6 Engine from Chrysler Group LLC 22nd March, 2010 Chrysler Group LLC introduces the most advanced V6 engine in the company’s history — the Pentastar V6. This new line of V6 engines will contribute to an overall fuel-efficiency improvement across the Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge product line-up ..... more Goodwood Festival of Speed for 2010 22nd March, 2010 The annual Goodwood Festival of Speed is set to be held this year from 2nd-4th July ..... more Caterham Seven for 2010 22nd March, 2010 A dramatically lower priced range of Caterham Seven sports cars is now available to the Australian market ..... more Porsche's "Rolling Museum" coming to Australia 24th March, 2010 Accompanying these race-winners from the “Rolling Museum” is the 1963 Porsche 356 B Carrera GS/GT – affectionately known as the “Frost Scraper” after the slope and shape of its 'nose' ..... more Mercedes-Benz returns to Carrera Panamericana Mexico 24th March, 2010 The original winning car from the 3rd Carrera Panamericana Mexico in November 1952 is to return to the scene of its great triumph ..... more Peugeot 3008 prepares for Australian debut 24th March, 2010 Through Peugeot’s avant-garde approach and resolute styling, the 3008 offers an ingenious solution and optimised versatility to motorists in search of modernity, practicality, peace of mind and driving pleasure ..... more High-tech fuel for tomorrow’s cars 25th March, 2010 Holden Energy and Environment Director Richard Marshall said the organisations in the consortium were committed to sustainable motoring through the development of renewable fuels that reduced greenhouse gas emissions and improved energy security ..... more Chrysler to develop Fiat 500 based Electric Vehicle 25th March, 2010 Chrysler Group LLC has announced its plans to engineer and manufacture a pure electric vehicle using the Fiat 500 platform ..... more Saab production resumes 25th March, 2010 The production lines at Saab Automobile’s state-of-the-art Trollhättan plant began rolling again on Monday 22nd March 2010, heralding a new era for the Swedish premium car maker ..... more Widebody Subaru Impreza WRX coming 25th March, 2010 A revised Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive Subaru Impreza WRX, featuring a 'widebody' will be unveiled at the New York Motor Show next month ..... more Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles gain ESP 26th March, 2010 Volkswagen has announced that with this month's introduction of the new Transporter range, the entire Volkswagen Commercial Vehicle range now comes standard with ESP ..... more Nissan updates the Navara 26th March, 2010 Now available with an upgraded 140 kW/450 Nm 2.5 litre turbo-diesel engine, improved exterior and interior design, plus a full complement of active and passive safety features including ESP, the Nissan Navara ST-X provides a good option for dual cab customers ..... more Peugeot Ion 26th March, 2010 With the i0n, the 100% electric car to be launched at the end of 2010 in France, Peugeot offers a response to the challenges of urban mobility and environmental responsibility ..... more Diesel headlines revised Ford wagon line-up 26th March, 2010 The introduction of a new, fuel efficient diesel powertrain for the Mondeo wagon range headlines a number of upcoming changes to Ford Australia's vehicle line-up, which includes the discontinuation of the Falcon wagon ..... more Renault releases Clio Renaultsport 200 Cup 26th March, 2010 The challenge faced by the engineers from RenaultSport Technologies was to build on the existing qualities of Clio RenaultSport 197 and take its inherent strengths and dynamism to a new level ..... more Honda CR-Z proving popular 26th March, 2010 This new model has already achieved orders of 10,000 vehicles in its first month of sales ..... more Skoda's record year in 2009 28th March, 2010 Despite difficult market conditions, Škoda Auto was one of the few car manufacturers to achieve record sales in 2009. Overall it supplied its customers with 684,226 cars, 1.4% more than in 2008 ..... more Renault Twingo Gordini 133 28th March, 2010 The launch of Renault Twingo Gordini 133 in Europe brings a luxury car with the Gordini 'signature' to the light car segment. Developed by Renaultsport, this stylish small car exudes the spirit of Gordini, with a modern twist ..... more Porsche Boxster Spyder 28th March, 2010 The light weight version of the mid-engined Porsche Boxster roadster has now been released in Europe. The new Boxster Spyder represents the true, purist form of the Porsche sports car – light, powerful, open-roofed and very efficient ..... more Ford sell Volvo to Chinese 29th March, 2010 Ford Motor Company announced overnight that it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell Volvo Car Corporation and related assets to Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Company Limited ..... more Mazda takes Toyota's hybrid help 29th March, 2010 Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) and Mazda Motor Corporation have reached an agreement on the supply under license of hybrid technology used in the Toyota Prius ..... more Lexus LFA to take on the 'ring 29th March, 2010 It will be the first time the production LFA is seen in 'full-blooded' competition, taking on one of the world's most challenging circuits ..... more 500,000th Fiat 500 rolls off the production line 30th March, 2010 Another important 'milestone' in the history of the Fiat 500 and the Fiat Auto manufacturing plant in Tychy, Poland, where the car is manufactured, has been reached ..... more Rolls-Royce Ghost receives "Red Dot" 30th March, 2010 The new Rolls-Royce Ghost has received the prestigious “red dot: best of the best” award for the very highest level of design ..... more Think announces expansion of product development facility 30th March, 2010 Scandinavian electric vehicle (EV) maker, Think, has announced a significant investment in a brand new, state-of-the-art product development facility at its corporate headquarters in Fornebu, Oslo, Norway ..... more Europe's Ford Focus RS500 30th March, 2010 A new and powerful limited edition Ford Focus RS model, called the RS500, is being launched as the ultimate performance Ford and will provide the definitive driving experience for serious European performance car enthusiasts ..... more MX-5 Clubs head to South Australia 30th March, 2010 Over 130 of the country’s most passionate Mazda MX-5 owners and their cars will gather this week-end in McLaren Vale, South Australia, to celebrate 20 years of the popular two-seat roadster and its dedicated motoring clubs ..... more Subaru Forester Adds X-Ceptional Value 30th March, 2010 During April, Forester X models will feature extras valued at more than $2,000 for no extra cost ..... more Porsche announce new Cayenne prices 31st March, 2010 Porsche’s all-new Cayenne range will arrive in Australia boasting higher levels of standard equipment, sportier performance than before and fuel saving reductions of up to 23 per cent ..... more GM Partners with U.S. Department of Energy to Develop Jatropha-to-Biodiesel Project in India 31st March, 2010 The goal of the project is to demonstrate that jatropha can produce significant quantities of oil for conversion to biodiesel and to develop new varieties of the plant that have high yields, can withstand frost, and grow in temperate climates such as the United States ..... more Falcon Soars in Anniversary Year 31st March, 2010 The legendary Falcon will soar again during 2010 with the release today of a commemorative logo to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Ford Falcon cars in Australia ..... more More sting for Dodge Viper 31st March, 2010 Built for road racing enthusiasts, the Dodge Viper ACR-X combines the best performance attributes of the record-setting, street-legal Dodge Viper ACR (American Club Racer) and the safety equipment of championship-winning Viper Competition Coupe ..... more Top of page Hear Chris Goodsell Talk Motoring On Radio & Internet ..... more April 2010 News ..... here February 2010 News ..... here January 2010 News ..... here About | Car Clubs | Home | News | Road Ramblings | Road Tests | Subscribe | Top Drive ©   2010   All rights reserved.   Next Car Pty. 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