Steane Klose

TMR News and Features

Ford Australia Announce a Targeted Approach to V8 Supercar Involvement

Jul 4th, 2008 • No comments • Link to Article

Word on the street last year was that Ford Australia execs were reviewing the manufacturers involvement in motorsport, including the holy-grail – V8 Supercars. At the time, Ford’s continued involvement in the premier class of Australian motorsport appeared to be less than guaranteed, however a press-release issued yesterday by Ford Australia confirms that they are committing to an ongoing significant investment in V8 Supercar racing.

Ford’s involvement in V8 Supercars will remain the company’s single largest sponsorship and category investment. However, Ford will be seeking to leverage their return from this involvement by more closely linking it to their performance car line-up.

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Australian New Car Sales Scale New Heights

Jul 3rd, 2008 • 1 comment • Link to Article

In spite of rising interest rates and fuel prices, the Australian motor vehicle market continues to power on setting new records.

Official VFACTS figures released today by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) show that 542,695 new cars, trucks and buses were sold in the first six months of 2008 - up 18,319 or 3.5 per cent on the same period in the record year of 2007.

June sales were a new record with 106,541 new vehicles finding homes - an increase of 1,444 or 1.4 percent over the same month in 2007. The June result is an all-time record.

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2010 Pontiac G8 ST May Get V6 Option

Jul 3rd, 2008 • 1 comment • Link to Article

The folks over at G8 Nation share a rather close working relationship with the General, or at least the General’s Pontiac division. Rising fuel prices have got the Pontiac folk considering a second engine option for the upcoming Pontiac G8 ST, until now a V8 only proposition. In this case the engine under consideration is the 265hp/197kW 3.6-litre engine that we know as the Alloytec - the same engine that powers our VE Commodore and the Pontiac G8 sedan.

The idea of a second more economical engine option is still being kicked around the Pontiac boardroom but I’d almost be prepared to put money on it being given the final tick of approval.

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2008 Holden Colorado Specifications and Pricing

Jul 3rd, 2008 • 1 comment • Link to Article

GM Holden has taken the covers off its soon to be released replacement for the current Rodeo light commercial vehicle range. The new LCV addition to the range is being called the Holden Colorado.

The Holden Colorado will bring an extensive LCV range to the market, offering consumers a wide choice of body styles, powertrains and specifications to suit all work and recreational applications, catering for both fleet and private customers.

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Mercedes-Benz Australia announces the E 280 Sports Edition

Jul 2nd, 2008 • 4 comments • Link to Article

Mercedes-Benz Australia has released the E 280 Sports Edition for a limited time only. The Sports Edition is priced from $98,000, a saving of $11,000 over a similarly optioned E 280.

The Sports Edition version of the E 280 features a swag of normally optional kit as standard, including metallic paint, electric sunroof, COMAND APS stereo system combining MP3 playback and satellite navigation, lowered sports suspension, dual chrome exhausts, 18 inch alloy wheels, double stitched sport seats, steering wheel shift paddles and a glass electric sunroof.

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Fords FG Ute Range to Receive DSC

Jul 2nd, 2008 • No comments • Link to Article

Ford Australia has today announced the availability of Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) across the petrol powered FG Falcon Ute range. DSC will be standard on FG Falcon Ute models equipped with sports suspension from September production and offered as an option on workhorse models with ¾-tonne and one-tonne suspension packages from December production.

Having just driven the XR6 Turbo in sedan form I can confirm that DSC will be a welcome inclusion on the FG Ute range, in particular the turbo and V8 models which pack a prodigious punch.

The DSC system will incorporate Traction Control, four-channel Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD) and Emergency Brake Assist (EBA), with the latter not previously available on Falcon Ute models.

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2008 Mazda RX-8 Pricing and Specifications

Jul 2nd, 2008 • 2 comments • Link to Article

Mazda has announced the pricing and specifications for their updated RX-8 range – the car that Mazda like to refer to as, “the world’s most successful rotary-powered sports car”.

Since its launch in July 2003 worldwide sales of the RX-8 have exceeded 170,000 units with Australia accounting for a modest 5,400 of those.

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Diesel Fuel Theft on the Rise as Prices Pass $1.80 a Litre

Jul 2nd, 2008 • 24 comments • Link to Article

As the price of oil continues to rise the pain at the pump continues to worsen. Diesel prices as a result have increased from around $1.20 per litre to $1.80 per litre in just the past year, on average between 20 and 30 cents per litre dearer than unleaded fuel. A ridiculous state of affairs but this is Australia and the ridiculous is becoming more commonplace on a daily basis.

The exorbitant price of diesel is having an expected knock-on affect with reports that ‘diesel rustling’ is becoming quite a popular pass time on country properties and forestry work sites.

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