2012 Australian International Motor Show: The TMR Wrap-Up

• AIMS news and photos

Despite some negative publicity about who isn’t at the Australian International Motor Show in Sydney, there are more than 400 new models, concepts and exotics that will make a visit to the show a mouth-watering experience.

Sure, 25-or-so brands are not there … people like Ferrari, BMW, Audi, Bentley, Rolls-Royce, Maserati, Chrysler, Jeep and MINI are nowhere to be found.

But as show director Russ Tyrie points out, the 27 brands at the show represent nearly 95 percent of cars people actually buy.

For new product, Toyota, Holden, Ford, Mazda, Nissan, Hyundai and Mercedes-Benz – the latter with surprising new models on its biggest-ever stand – have a lot on show to whet appetites and capture the imagination.

 The big T’s new Corolla 

In Toyota’s case, the big news is the sharp new Corolla.

Available in four models, three of which are cheaper than their predecessors, the European-styled 1.8 litre Corolla offers a CVT transmission or a six-speed manual gearbox and the car already has achieved a five-star ANCAP safety rating.