After an absence of 18 months, the Australian International Motor Show is back. And, while not all brands will be on display, most of the key makers will be competing for the lime-light.
There are a few world debuts and a number of cars that will be on display in the metal here for the first time.
So we've compiled an A-V guide of what's hot at this year's show.
Audi
Audi's competitor to BMW's Mini made its Australian debut at the show. The new premium sub-compact starts at $29,900 in 1.4 TFSI Attraction 6-speed manual form.
The initial Audi A1 range for Australia will comprise two core models - the 1.4 TFSI Attraction six-speed manual and the A1 1.4 TFSI Ambition six-speed manual. Both are available with the option of a seven-speed S tronic dual-clutch transmission.
The 1.4 TFSI delivers 90kW of power and 200Nm of torque and accelerates the A1 from 0-100km/h in 8.9 seconds. Claimed fuel consumption is 5.3 litres per 100km.
Audi will also have the hot new RS5 and R8 Spyder on the stand.
The RS5 coupe houses a 4.2-litre V8 with 331kW. It sprints from 0-100km/h in 4.6 seconds and debuts the latest evolution of Audi's quattro all-wheel drive. The coupe has an electronically governed top speed of 250 km/h although Audi can increase this to 280 km/h upon request. The two-door coupe has been lowered by 20 millimetres compared with the regular A5 and sits on 19-inch alloy wheels shod with 265/35-series tyres.
With its 386kW V10 engine the R8 Spyder supercar will also draw the crowds. The sports car boasts a claimed acceleration time from 0-100km/h of 4.1 seconds on its way to a top speed of 313km/h. Priced from $376,100 for the manual and $392,000 for the R Tronic, the R8 Spyder sports a cloth soft top in classic Audi style which weighs a mere 42 kilograms.
Ford
Ford's all-new Ranger makes its world debut at the show. The Ranger is all-new from the ground up and is a vehicle that has been designed and built as part of the global "One Ford" program for 180 markets around the world. There are new powertrains, new transmissions and a fresh new exterior and interior look. The Ranger won't go on sale until the second half of next year so Ford remains tight lipped on pricing and final equipment levels however, we do know that the new Ranger will come with six airbags, ESC and TCS (dependent on the grade). There will also be the option a new Rear view Camera System, Rear Park Assist, Trailer Sway Control and Adaptive Load Control. The Ranger will have up to1500kg payload capacity depending on the model.
There will be three engines on offer - a 2.2-litre (110kW, 375Nm) four cylinder turbo diesel, a 3.2-litre (147kW, 470Nm) five cylinder diesel and a 2.5-litre ( 122kW) four cylinder petrol engine that can be can be configured for E100 flexible fuel capability or to run on CNG or LPG. New six-speed manual and automatic gearboxes will be available while the petrol engine comes with a five speed manual.
The show also marks the Australian premiere of the all-new Fiesta sedan and hatch range, the hot new Focus RS, an updated version of the Mondeo and a special edition Territory TS model that comes with some extra equipment.
FPV
Ford's performance arm has the new GS and GT models on display. The new GT is the first supercharged V8-engined GT in the 43-year history of Australia's most iconic performance nameplate.
Under the bonnet is a supercharged 5.0-litre V8 engine with 335kW of power and 570Nm of torque.
The sporty new GT and GT-P feature distinctive new body graphics, including a 'hockey stick' stripe package and "Boss 335" identification, reminiscent of the famous 1970 Boss Mustang.
The GT is priced from $71,290, the GT-P is $80,990 and the GT E is $81,450.
The new 5.0-litre GS sedan and ute also house a supercharged V8 engine with 315kW of power and 545Nm of torque. The GS sedan is priced from $56,990, the ute from $51,990.
Holden
Holden took the covers off the all-new Barina Spark - shown for the first time in Australia. The Barina Spark is the most fuel efficient car in the Holden line-up and comes standard with electronic stability control and six airbags. The new city car was designed by General Motors global small car team for more than 150 markets around the world. It's based on the Chevrolet Beat concept car that was shown with the Trax and Groove at the New York Auto Show in 2007.
Sharing the lime-light is the new VE Series II Commodore range hot off the production line. The new line-up boasts fresh new exterior and interior styling as well fuel-flex technology that allows the 3.0-litre SIDI V6 and 6.0-litre V8 to run on up to E85 fuel.
The new Redline Edition models are also on the stand. These models combine high-performance Brembo brakes, unique forged alloy wheels, high-performance low-profile tyres and an FE3 suspension package (sedan models).
The Holden Cruze sedan, Barina hatch, Captiva 5 and 7 SUV models will also be on the stand together with a new special edition Colorado 4X4 Crew Cab Diesel.
Honda
The latest in personal mobility is on the Honda stand with the U3-X making its debut Down Under at the show. The U3-X is powered by a lithium ion battery and is operated by the rider simply leaning in the direction he/she wants to go. The U3-X enables movement in all directions from side-to-side, forward and backwards and even diagonally.
The U3-X can operate for an hour on a single charge and can be recharged by plugging it into a conventional household power point. And, weighing less than 10kgs, its light enough for most people to carry around.
Another highlight from Honda is the all-new CR-Z, due for release in Australia in the middle of next year. The CR-Z uses a petrol-electric drive train mated to a six-sped manual transmission. The 1.5-litre for cylinder engine is coupled with Honda's integrated Motor Assist hybrid system produces 91KW and 174Nm. All this is wrapped in styling that is reminiscent of the 1980's CR-X sports car.
HSV
Holden's performance arm is showing off its latest new E Series 3 which features a few Australian production car firsts.
Leading the highlight list are three new HSV technologies. HSV’s new Enhanced Driver Interface (EDI) streams vehicle performance data directly to the new touch screen display.
Liquid Propane Injection (LPI) is available as an option on all models, except for the ClubSport R8 which HSV says lowers running costs and reduces CO2 emissions without a loss of power or torque.
The new Side Blind Zone Alert will be available as an option on every model in the E3 range - and is standard on Grange.
The new E Series 3 models are powered by a 6.2-litre V8 engine with up to 325kW of power and 550Nm of torque.
Hyundai
The star of the show for Hyundai is Blue-Will - the company's first ever plug-in hybrid. Blue-Will serves as a test-bed from the Hyundai design studio and includes some unique features like the roof-mounted solar cells to drive-by-wire steering, lithium polymer batteries and touch-screen controls. Blue Will promises an electric-only driving distance of up to 64.4km on a single charge and fuel economy of 2.22 litres per 100 km.
Hyundai also has refreshed versions of the i20, i30, i45 and ix35.
The i30 CRDi turbo diesel Hyundai Rally is currently competing in the 2010 Australian Rally Championship and the car maker has put it on the stand complete with roll cage 15-inch rally wheels and sports tuned suspension.
The Santa Fe R-series Highlander 2.2-litre turbo diesel automatic is featured in a new Bronze colour and Hyundai hasn't left out its workhorse, the 2.4-litre iLoad CrewVan.
Isuzu
Headlining the Isuzu stand is the Isuzu D-Max ute that Australia off-road driver Bruce Garland will drive in the 2011 Dakar rally.
The ute, is fresh from its debut outings at the Australasian Safari ion WA. The latest Dakar D-Max has been further tweaked to stretch its potential in the 9000km endurance race.
The 3.0-litre turbo-diesel engine has been tweaked and produces approximately 630Nm of maximum torque and around 192kW of peak power, increases of 75 and 60 per cent, respectively, on the standard D-Max engine.
Also on display is the limited edition LE II version of the D-Max ute. Just 180 units will be on sale. There are two new and exclusive exterior colours. The LE II is based in the LS-U 4x4 crew cab ute but comes equipped with around $9,000 retail value worth of features and accessories for $5000 over LS-U typical pricing. Some of the extra equipment includes a Kenwood touch-screen hi-fi head unit with Garmin® SatNav, reversing camera view, DVD, USB and iPod® /iPhone® and Bluetooth® connectivity, as well as CD/FM/AM audio with AAC/MP3/WMA compatibility, played through LE II's six speakers. The Limited Edition II is priced from $47,300.
Isuzu has also taken a step back to the past with the Isuzu Wasp - the company's first generation one-tonne ute series from the early 1960's.
The Wasp was produced from 1963-1971.
Jaguar
Making its Australian debut is the XJ Supersport. This flagship model …
Jaguar has also added an entry model to the XF range - the new V6 diesel. The new model is priced at $99,990. Power is deliverd by a 3.0-litre twin-turbo engine that produces 500Nm of torque. The XF 3.0D accelerates from 0-100km/h in 7.1 seconds, while returning a frugal 6.8L/100 km.
Jaguar unveiled the new XKR Special Edition at the Geneva Motor Show earlier this year and it has finally hit our shores. The new model has a raised maximum speed - 280km/h up from 250km/h - thanks to recalibration of the engine management system and exterior styling changes. As in the XKR Coupe, the supercharged V8 engine produces 375kW of power, 625Nm of torque and a 0-100km/h sprint time of 4.8 seconds. Just 10 XKR Special Edition coupes will be sold in Australia.
Kia
Two of Kias most important models were unveiled at the show - the new five-door Cerato hatch and the all-new Optima sedan.
The Cerato is Kia's best-selling model globally but until now there has not been a hatch bodystyle in the line-up. First shown at the New York Auto Show earlier this year, the new Kia model will be priced from $20,240 up to $26,240.
The new model is the latest model to benefit from local ride and handling development work.
As well as its all-new body shape, the new Cerato 5-door model introduces styling, equipment, refinement and technical improvements, which will also feature on the 2011 Cerato sedan and 2-door Koup models (sedan and Koup upgrades available from January).
Kia's new Cerato five-door will be available with a 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol mated to either a six-speed manual or automatic transmission.
The covers also came off the all-new Optima sedan which goes on sale in January 2011.
Land Rover
The Sydney show is just the second time the baby Range Rover Evoque has been seen since its world debut at the Paris motor show last month.
The compact coupé is expected to attract a new group of customers to the Range Rover brand. The all-new Evoque is 430mm shorter and 187 mm lower than the Range Rover Sport four-wheel-drive and comes with a choice of two derivatives of the 2.2-litre turbo diesel engine (110kW and 104kW) as well as a 2.0-litre (177kW) four cylinder petrol.
Stop-start technology features on all diesel manual derivatives and fuel economy is as low as 5.6L/100km. Both diesel and petrol engines are offered with an updated six-speed automatic transmission.
Land Rover's Terrain Response is standard and technologies such as park assist, dual-view display for the eight-inch touch-screen, Bluetooth audio streaming and a surround camera system are also available. The car will go on sale next year.
Lexus
Lexus staged the global debut of the CT 200h F Sport model - due in Australia in the first half of 2011.
The F Sport CT 200h is a hybrid sports car that uses visual and performance enhancements in keeping with Lexus' F Sport model line-up. Performance and exterior enhancements include unique suspension, front and rear styling, alloy wheels and badging, along with the choice of Lexus' unique Flame Blue exterior colour.
Inside, the F Sport model CT 200h has unique interior trim, F Sport steering wheel, sports pedals, scuff plates, instrument panel and privacy glass. CT 200h F Sport models will feature Lexus' unique body performance damper, which has been designed to improve ride and handling.
Joining the CT 200h F Sport on the stand is the all-new IS 350 - priced from $64,800. The 233kW, 3.5-litre V6-powered IS and there will be three models at launch - Prestige, F Sport and Sports Luxury.
The rare $700,000 LFA Supercar is also on the stand and Lexus has confirmed all eight vehicles destined for Australia have been sold. With 412kW of power and 480Nm of torque, the LFA sprints to 100km/h in 3.6 seconds on to a tops speed of 325km/h.
Australia will receive the first of its Lexus LFAs in early 2011.
From today, Lexus confirmed it will offer a dedicated F Sport model on a number of its vehicle lines including IS and CT 200h vehicles.
Maserati
Maserati's all-new Quattroporte Sport GTS MC Sportline headlines the supercar maker's stand debuts at this year's show. Just 30 cars are destined for Australia.The MC Sportline replaces all the wood trim in the standard car with carbon fibre, across the dashboard, the front and rear centre consoles, sections of the door panels, the gear knob and around the switchgear. Additionally it is used around the instrument pack and on the gearchange paddles. Each of the door sills is fitted with carbon fibre trim panels embossed with the MC Sportline logo and the MC logo is stamped into the aluminium brake pedal. Deliveries start in November and come with a recommended price of $298,800.
The Maserati Quattroporte Sport GTS is the range topping variant and has been consistently the best selling variant of the Quattroporte. The GTS has a top speed of 285 km/h and the 0-100 km/h time is 5.1 seconds. The 4.7-litre V8 has 323 kW of power and 490Nm of torque.
Mazda
Like Ford, Mazda's headline act is a utility. The all-new BT-50 and Ford's Ranger were designed and built together in Australia as part of a global strategy. While the pair share most parts underneath the skin, the exterior and interior design is quite different. Mazda opted for a more "car-like" look to the BT-50 while Ford modelled its new Ranger on the tough F-Series truck.
The new BT-50 is expected to go on sale in the second half of next year.
Mazda's latest range of SKY engines are also on show. The SKY-G (petrol) engine is the next-generation direct-injection petrol engine with 15 percent improvement in fuel economy, 15 percent more torque. It is due for global roll out in 2011. The SKY-D is the next-generation clean diesel engine. It boasts a 20 percent improvement in fuel economy, more low and high end torque and will appear in cars in 2012. Mazda's SKY-Drive next-generation six-speed automatic contributes to 7 percent improvement in fuel economy versus the current five-speed automatic transmission. It's available with both SKY-G and SKY-D and will be available in 2011.
And for a bit of fun, the Mazda3 MPS rally car will draw some attention. The car was created in-house by Allan Horsley and the Mazda Motorsport team in readiness for its competition debut at this year's Targa Tasmania tarmac rally. In the case of the Mazda3 MPS rally car, the suspension configuration is the same as you would find on a standard Mazda3 MPS although it adopts modified shock absorbers and springs to suit rally conditions. The brake pads are upgraded to cope with the increased stresses of rally performance while improved ventilation to the brakes ensures that they continue to perform.
Mercedes Benz
What's a Mercedes stand without a turnout from the AMG department and this year they don't disappoint with not one but four AMG models on the stand two of which are making their world debuts. The C63 AMG boasts more power and the SLS AMG and C63 AMG also feature new special paint.
A third AMG model, the G 55 AMG is also on show. It's due for release in Oz in February next year.
The German maker has the facelifted R Class on show which is due to go on sale next month.
The facelifted CL 63 AMG has a new 5.5 litre twin turbo V8 and will go on sale next month.
Mitsubishi
Mitsubishi is busy trialling it's i-MiEV in Australia as we speak so the car maker decided to put the sports concept version on the stand.
Based on the regular i MiEV, the i MiEV SPORT uses Mitsubishi's unique in-wheel motors in the front, plus S-AWC (Super All Wheel Control). The 'Fastback' exterior design expresses the quickness of the car yet it's efficient and environmentally-friendly.
i MiEV Sport uses a rear-midship design in its layout. The lithium-ion battery sits in the lowest area under the floor, and components including a motor and inverter are arranged beneath the luggage compartment. This layout provides a good distribution of weight, front and rear, and a lower center of gravity for stability, sporty performance, and a spacious interior. The aluminum space frame helps improve performance by minimising weight.
Also on the stand are the 2011 model year Outlander and Lancer models and the new Triton club cab utility. The Triton Club Cab is based on the GLX 2.5-litre single cab range with some extra features such as bucket seats, flip up rear occasional use seats, a lever type park brake, and floor console with lid and cup holder. The Club Cab is available with a 2.5-litre four cylinder powerplant mated to a five-speed manual. Driver and passenger airbags, front seat belt pretensioners and ABS with EBD are standard while ESC is an optional extra. The Triton Club Cab is on sale now for $38,990.
Nissan
With an aggressive target to be the number one importer in Australia by 2012, it's not surprising that Nissan has a jam-packed line-up at the show.
Two new models made their debut - the all-new Micra and Patrol.
The new Micra will be built in Thailand for the Australian market and will come as a five-door hatchback only. There are three equipment grades - ST, ST-L and Ti - as well as two engine and gearbox combinations. Fuel economy is 5.9L/100km for the 1.2. Nissan also revealed pricing for the Micra - starting from $12,990 for the 1.2-litre three cylinder ST model. This version will initially be available at a special launch price of $13,990 drive away when the car goes on sale later this year.
At the other end of the scale, the all-new Patrol also makes its show debut, despite being on sale globally for some time now. The Patrol is not due for release here until 2012. It will come with a 5.6-litre V8 engine only with 278kW of power mated to a seven-speed automatic transmission. The new model will be available with technology such as lane departure warning, all-round view camera and tyre pressure monitoring.
Also on the stand is Nissan's electric vehicle - the LEAF. Nissan has made no secret of its intent to be the mass market leader in electric vehicles and says by the second generation it expects LEAF sales will account for 10 per cent of total Nissan sales. Nissan and the Victorian Government have signed a definitive agreement for the supply of 16 LEAFS as part of a five-year trial. The LEAF can travel 160km on a single charge.
The Navara and Pathfinder models have not been forgotten for the show either with an all-new 550Nm V6 diesel to power topline models - the Navara ST-X 550 and the Pathfinder Ti 550. The 3.0-litre V6 diesel produces 170kW of power and allows for an increase in towing capability on both models - 3500kg for the Pathfinder and 3000kg for Navara. The new engine uses 9.5L/100km. Both models gain extra equipment with the engine upgrade.
They go on sale in January, priced from $60,990 for the Navara and $75,990 for the Pathfinder.
Peugeot
This year marks the 200th anniversary of Peugeot as an industrial manufacturer. To celebrate, the French car maker has the 2009 2009 Le Mans Winning 908 HDi FAP Race Car on display as well as a special 200th anniversary edition of the RCZ coupe and the REDEX 3008.
As the winner of the 2009 24 hour Le Mans, the 908 HDi FAP race car completed 23,684 gear changes, travelled more than 5206 km over 382 laps in 24 hours. Driven by Australia’s own David Brabham, with two co-drivers, the 908 HDi averaged a speed of 216km/h.
To coincide with the reveal of the 200 Year Anniversary model RCZ, Peugeot has enlisted the talents of a new fashion designer - Begitta. The Begitta fashions will be on display on October 16 at 11:30am and 2:30pm.
Porsche
The German sports car maker's stand is once again filled with product to make show-goers drool.
Models on the stand include the Boxster Spyder, the hot GT2 RS and the new V6 powered Panamera.
Also on show is the greenest car in the line-up, the new Cayenne S hybrid as well as the Cayenne Turbo.
The GT-1 race car, Carrera Cup car and the Carrera GT are also providing eye candy.
Renault
Renault's all-new Latitude made its Australian debut at the show.
It is joined on stand by the Fluence - Renault's small car, the Clio RS sports hatch, the Megane Sport 250 and the refreshed Koleos SUV.
The Megane sedan and convertible are also on display.
Skoda
The highlight of Skoda's stand is the all-new Yeti. The Yeti is the Czech brand's first SUV and will come with both diesel and petrol engines and in both two-or-all-wheel-drive. The four-wheel drive version of the Yeti is provided by a fourth-generation Haldex clutch. To make the most of the Yeti's four-wheel drive system, Škoda has added an off-road mode, which makes driving on loose surfaces easier and more secure. All Yeti models are equipped with ABS while ESC is offered on all 4WD versions as well as up to nine airbags.
The Yeti will go on sale in Australia in the middle of 2011.
Skodas core models - the Superb and Octavia - are also on stand and the car maker confirmed the Scout will finally be available with a direct shift gearbox from February next year.
Subaru
The covers came of the new Subaru Forester S-Edition concept which made its world-wide debut this morning.
The S-Edition concept builds on the turbocharged following of the existing Forester XT. It features a turbocharged 2.5-litre 193kW engine (24 kW more than the XT) and 347Nm of torque (27Nm more than XT).
There's a paddleshift five-speed automatic gearbox, revised sports suspension, variable torque distribution (VTD) All-Wheel Drive, exclusive styling accents, STI 17-inch alloy wheels, Alcantara seat trim with S-Edition logos, drilled alloy pedals and special badging.
The rest of Subaru's model line-up is also on display.
Suzuki
It may not look a lot different to the current generation Swift, but this is the third generation model. Suzuki remains tight lipped about the new car until it goes on sale in the first half of next year.
The car was first revealed at Paris motor show back in 2004 and in Europe is available in both a 1.2-litre petrol engine and a 1.3-litre diesel engine.
Suzuki Australia is yet to confirm which engine will make its way in the new car here but did say the new Swift will boast class-leading fuel efficiency.
Hot on the heels of the car's debut in June, Suzuki took the wraps off a hot new concept version of the all-new Kizashi sedan. The AWD Kizashi was released in August this year and now the car maker has unveiled a turbo.
Concept Kizashi Turbo boasts a force-fed power boost, lifting power from 131kW to 179kW and torque from 230Nm to 330. Under the bonnet is a 2.4-litre four cylinder turbo engine which is mated to a six-speed manual gearbox. The concept is nearly 40 per cent more powerful than its naturally-aspirated sibling. The ride height has been lowered, the brakes uprated and front strut brace.
There's a new rear spoiler, 19-inch alloy wheels wrapped in 40-series low profile sports rubber.
Toyota
Making its international motor show debut is the FT-86G sports concept. The concept previews a rear-wheel-drive sports coupe expected on Australian roads post 2012. The production model is the spiritual successor to Toyota's sports-car heritage that features names such as Supra and MR2. The FT-86G sits on 19-inch rubber and the concept retains classic sports-car underpinnings with a front-mounted 2.0-litre engine - now boosted with a turbo - driving the rear wheels through a six-speed manual transmission.
The shows marks the Australian unveiling of a new off-roader model - the FJ Cruiser, as well as the HiLux that was the first car to reach the Magnetic North Pole.
The retro-styled FJ takes its name directly from the 1960s-era FJ40. The modern FJ uses a 200kW, 380Nm 4.0-litre petrol engine, dual-range transfer case and large wheel articulation and Toyota says it's designed for serious off-road enthusiasts. Inside, there are two rows of seats with standard-size front doors and smaller "suicide-opening" rear doors. It will be launched in the first quarter of 2011.
The "fire and ice" HiLux was the first car to be driven across the Arctic to the Magnetic North Pole as well as the fiery heart of Iceland's Eyjafjallajökull volcano. The 3.0-litre turbo-diesel HiLux was adapted for its adventures by specialists Arctic Trucks to cope with the extreme terrain and temperatures as low as -36 degrees C. The front suspension was lowered 50mm, moved forward 40mm and given an additional 40mm of lift. The 16-inch wheels and tyres were replaced by aluminium wheels with two valves per wheel, shod with 38-inch studded snow tyres. Specially blended diesel was used in the main and added sub-tank, which boosted capacity to 180 litres. In addition to an extensive recovery kit, shotguns were also carried for protection from a polar bear attack.
Another highlight on the Toyota stand actually sits inside the car. THUMS up is the latest version of Toyota's Total Human Model for Safety. An adult male of average build, he has been tagged the "smartest dummy" because he enables Toyota to study serious injuries that are difficult to measure with conventional crash-test dummies. He is aged 30-40-plus, 175cm tall and weighs 77kg. He will soon be joined by an entire family of new-generation "smart" dummies, including women, children and the elderly.
Show-goers will be able to demonstrate their "virtual" skills in two race pods by racing the FT-86G which features in Sony's upcoming Gran Turismo 5. Next week Toyota will host an around-the-clock race when Motor magazine presents the 24-hour Gran Turismo 5 Challenge, featuring a field of FT-86G sports cars.
There is also a 60th anniversary LandCruiser model on display, the upgraded Kluger SUV range, with upgraded HiLux and a RAV4 modified by Australia's street-car shows and events promoter, Auto Salon.
Volkswagen
The VW Polo GTI is back. VW unveiled the second-generation Polo sports hatch today with a new 132kW four cylinder engine, mated to a seven-speed DSG.
On display for the first time in Australia, the new Polo GTI uses a twincharged 1.4-litre TSI engine (turbo plus supercharging) and sips just 6.11/100km. The Polo GTI accelerates to 100 km/h in 6.9 seconds.
The front drive GTI features an electronic transverse differential lock (XDL) to help reduce the tendency to understeer and improves handling especially in quick driving through curves.
The Polo GTI also comes with ESC and hill start assist, six airbags, belt tensioners, belt tension limiters plus belt warning, head restraints designed to avoid whiplash trauma (each in front) and three rear head restraints. Full specifications and pricing of the Polo will be released when the car is launched in December this year.
At the frugal end of the scale sits the Golf BlueMotion - using just 3.8L/1090km and emitting 99g/km CO2. VW initially said it would not brig the ultra frugal model to Australia but has since confirmed It will be on sale by mid-2011. Volkswagen will also release Blue Motion versions of other models in the range such as the Passat and the Touareg next year.
The show marked the Australian premiere of the all-new Amarok utility. Available in a four-door dual cab bodystyle initially, VW says a single cab will join the line-up late next year. The new Amarok is available in three different drive options - two-wheel-drive, part-time 4WD and full-time 4WD. It's available in either petrol or diesel (including a bi-turbo charged, 120kW diesel) and with a six-speed manual gearbox only. VW says the Amarok has class-leading cabin space and "Best in class" maximum load width.
The safety package of the Amarok includes driver and front passenger airbags and front seat head/thorax airbags. Also included are height-adjustable head restraints and three-point safety belts at all seating positions, ESC and an off-road mode that can be activated on the fly up to 130 km/h.
The new 77kW Golf and an Adidas version of the iconic small car are also on display.
Volvo
Volvo's all-new S60 takes centre stage at the show. The car maker announced pricing for its all-new S60 range due in showrooms mid-December.
The new model is priced from $51, 950 for the T5 and stretches to $64,950 for the T6 AWD.
There will be three models: a 224kW 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo-charged petrol T6, a 151kW 2.4-litre five-cylinder twin-turbo diesel D5, and a new 177kW 2.0-litre four-cylinder GTDi (Gas Turbo Direct Injection) petrol engine in T5 guise.
The T6 and D5 models will be all wheel drive and mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. The T5 will be front drive and feature Volvo's dual-clutch automatic transmission.
City Safety, advanced ESC, Intelligent Driver Information System (IDIS) and pyrotechnical seatbelt pretensions for all passengers are new safety additions.
Volvo's pedestrian detection and avoidance system will be offered for the first time in its S60 range. Available as an option or as part of a pack ($4990), the system uses a camera and radar and takes just 0.5 seconds to detect a pedestrian and determine whether or not it is in danger of being hit by the oncoming car. At speeds of up to 35 km/h an accident with a pedestrian can be avoided, while at higher speeds the focus is on reducing the impact speed.
The rest of the Volvo range is also on show such as the new S80, the XC60 and C30.
