The Australian federal has both feet strurdily planted on the hybrid bandwagon, and the blokes lessened below are seeming for larger amount of of the automotive combo platter in its fleet. The federal now has 355 Toyota and Honda hybrids in its fleet, but Aussie supervisors are able to similar to to utilize its own home-grown workforce for coming years models. NSW Premier Morris Lemma wants the choice to investment opportunity hybrids out of both both GM-owned Holden and Ford of Australia, and has significantly safe and sound so his authorities am able to be one of the chiefly purchasers in sequence if Holden offered a battery-assisted Commodore over two years, as has kept on reported. Unfortunately, a promise based on what i read in the federal for a few hundred transactions is certainly not adequate incentive on its own for an automaker to initiate developing a hybrid, so both Holden and Ford would no hesitation be investigating thoroughly whether or not there is an adequate amount of clamor in the Australian state for a gas-electric hybrid to validation the investment.

[Source: The Australian]

Despite the happening an all-new rear-wheel-drive Falcon sedan is on the horizon, Ford of Australia saw fit to dress up the present time period of higher-performance XR patterns for such a closing run. The ‘08 XR margin characteristics a new person kit among new part rockers and rocker extensions for the front bumper, as enormously as a new affix in the rear valance. The half mirrors are too new, and the XRs get a new set of 5-spoke 18-inch alloy wheels provided a “shadow chrome” finish.

Ford of Oz moreover introduced a limited edition “XR by Craig Lowndes” Falcon Ute special car pack around on XR6, XR6 Turbo and XR8 Styleside Box models. Don’t worry, we had to Google the guy’s name, too. Craig Lowndes is a good famous V8 Supercar driver in Australia who inflated ship based on Holden to Ford going back in 2001. His namesake opportunity package propositions purchasers $6,000 of materials for just now $1,000 above the Falcon XR’s base price. Only 650 Utes through this moment package could be made, and all may be branded through “by Craig Lowndes” badging.

We’ll bid you make a home indemnity of these kinds of vehicles and a large amount of for the level of the Australian International Motor Show in Sydney then week. Oh yeah, we go to the show, too.

[Source: Ford]

While we wait for Ford to let the SVT gang loose on one of the Oval’s US-market sedans, it is arena as standard in Australia, at which the awesome can not be stopped, and the current-gen FPV Falcon sucker set away quietly. Today’s evidence: the just-announced FPV Cobra, a limited-edition Boss 302-powered tire incinerator this comes in both sedan and ute form. (Oh, the Boss 302 moniker stands for 302 kilowatts, not cubic inches, btw.) All Cobras are grey amidst red stripes, and the 5.4L Boss 302 V8 dishes out 404 horses and 398 lb-ft of torque. All too juice is make every effort aft via a typical 6-speed manual or a ZF 6-speed Automatic that is obtainable at no !no! cost.

Other baubles record usual leather, spiffy 19″ wheels, Brembos (which can be a greater number of upgraded as well), all the set badging, and in the state of affairs of the sedan, FPV’s track-ready R-Spec suspension. Total Cobra generation is limited to 500 vehicles, amid 4-doors outnumbering utes 400 to 100. Pricing will be able to craft at $65,110 AUD for the sedan and $61,200 AUD for the ute. In funny things news, US homeowners own the new Focus to seem produce to, that appears close to as cool as the present Aussie Cobra, assuming you are wearing a blindfold.

Follow the jump for the official push release. Thanks for the tip, Damien!

[Source: FPV]

Those are the idioms of John Clark, Chief Engineer for the merely unveiled Holden HSV Maloo R8 ute. Currently rotating on a stand in Sydney at the Australian International Motor Show, the HSV Maloo R8 looks like it’s want the combination of a Corvette and S-10, excepts it is so a great deal cooler as opposed to you could make the assumption these types of a asshole sttink child are able to be. Take one garden variety VE Ute, add a person kit becomes the rank across, a motorized rear tonneau smother overly can be controlled via the key fob and, oh yeah, a 405 HP LS2 V8 to create conditions interesting, and you will commence to comprehend how Holden goes in regards to building a Maloo. The trucklet, however, is was effective by the HSV team, Holden’s equivalent of SRT, AMG, SVT, etc. This suggests the rear-wheel-drive HSV Maloo R8 can be able to carve an Aussie corner as decently as it can tremor pavement behind its rear wheels in a straight line.

The Holden HSV Maloo R8 could bidder $59,900 AU, or around $53,778 USD. The merely opportunities are an automatic transmission for $2,000 AU and a performance pack too includes 20-inch wheels and GTS-inspired sport seats for an !no! $3,750 AU.

Check out the official force release according to Holden in the wake of the jump and our exclusive high-res make a home shots and official images in the gallery below.

[Source: Holden]

The 2007 Australian International Motor Show is underway, and the instant debut we are bringing you on the substantiate ground is the Holden VE Commodore Sportwagon. The new wagon on Holden is the recent addition to the VE cycle of rear-wheel press sedans. In a nod the cheese, Holden’s Chairman and Managing Director Chris Grubbey said, “Holden’s new VE Sportwagon turns practi-’cal’ to practi-’cool.” Corny, yes, but remarkably he’s properly on the money. Technically the VE Commodore Sportwagon on screen in Sydney is a concept, but Holden reports it is very how Australians plans to be able to buy in the previous portion of 2008.

[Source: Holden]

Ford clearly announced a hot new CUV for the Australian boom dubbed the FPV F6 X. Based on Ford Australia’s Territory SUV, the F6 X is the particularly principally non-Falcon example altered by the brand’s high-performance FPV division. Applying the trade to the Territory yields an SUV packing a turbocharged 4.0L inline six-cylinder engine triggering 362 HP and 405 ft-lbs. of torque. Power is funneled over a ZF six-speed automatic, the alone accessible transmission, and ends up at every wheel in a full-time all-wheel-drive system. In addition, the FPV F6 X characteristics a host of acronyms similar to DSC, EBD and tractional control. Brembo six-piston calipers are responsible for scrubbing off swiftness additonally the suspension has kept on retuned by FPV for a more stern ride.

Check out greater number of to know and the official push release ensuing the jump, as agreeably as the gallery short of investing in exclusive reside shots and official images based on Ford.

[Source: Ford]

On be purchased that November, the Volkswagen R50 is the German automaker’s primarily leg work at a performance oriented SUV. After seeing the R50 dwell in occupant at the 2007 Australian International Motor Show in Sydney, our man on the ground says returning who Wolfsburg has a winner here. The R50 is established on the Touareg TDI provided the firm’s 5.0L V10 diesel engine. In R50 guise, the V10 becomes an ECU adjustment to pump more and more pressurized air based on what i read in the twin turbos to engender 350 HP at 3,500 RPM and pinnacle torque of 627 lb.-ft. at 2,000 RPM. That’s fantastic for a 0-62 MPH run of sole 6.7 moments and a top promptness of 146 MPH. Plus you will be styling and profiling on 21-inch rims framing bright green calipers.

Check out VW’s impel release subsequent to the jump and view our reside shots in the updated gallery below.

[Source: VW]

We brought you word on the new FPV Cobra go on week, and today it was legally unveiled at the Sydney Motor Show. Everything we informed you at this moment carry on to holds true, so here’s a quick refresher:

* Available in both sedan and ute bodystyles
* 5.4L BOSS 302 V8 (302 kW/540 Nm - 404 HP/398 lb-ft)
* 6-speed manual or ZF 6-speed automatic
* Sedan equipped provided R-Spec suspension
* Brembo brakes standard, 6-piston front/4-piston rear upgrade available
* 500 cars total: 400 sedans, 100 utes
* All cars wound up in grey w/ green stripes
* Pricing: Sedan - $65,110 AUD, Ute - $61,200 AUD

Follow the jump for the official FPV force release and thwart out the gallery under for a comprehensive suite of reside shots out of the storey in Sydney, as perfectly as all the obtainable urge photos, not excluding a few new ones.

[Source: FPV]

Who loves you? Autoblog loves you. We new reside shots of the new Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X (in both red and blue, additonally models!) out of the level of the 2007 Australian International Motor Show at which the current version of Mitsu’s rally rocket was debuted in public for the really mainly time. Enjoy and scrutinize out official guidelines on the EVO X in our initial post.

[Source: Us]

You knew how the Mazdaspeed3 is a fairly spiffy package, how amid its 263 horses and 280 lb-ft of torque? The Australians hold a best one. I know, I understand — shocking. Mazda Australia revealed the Mazda3 MPS Extreme at the Sydney Motor Show today, and it is a rather compelling package. PCM reprogramming consequences in enhanced mumbers of 281 horsepower and 313 lb-ft of torque. The fun does not end there either, as the Extreme becomes a 2-inch lose and a suspension tuned by Murray Coote, who performs the same for Australian race and rally cars. 19″ BBS wheels in red MPS heart caps fill out the fender cutouts, and the car itself is ended in red coat amongst brown stripes and a brown roof. It appears hint at both in pictures and on paper, and it is easily for our friends Down Under.

[Source: Mazda]