Hyundai Unveils Stylish HND-9 Concept

South Korean auto giant Hyundai is making concerted efforts to dramatically change its products designs.

The Hyundai HCD-14 made its debut at this year’s Detroit Auto Show, catching everyone’s attention with its curves and elegance ­- which signalled a dramatic change in design by Hyundai.

Hyundai today unveiled a new stylish and sexy HND-9 Sports Coupe Concept, with official images revealed at the ongoing 2013 Seoul Auto Show. The design really caught our attention because of its unique and sporty look. The HND-9 features large butterfly doors; scenic front-and-rear ends views.

The interior design is based on three guiding concepts: elegance, high-tech interface and the abstract sounding 'spiral sculpture',. The aim, unsurprisingly, is better performance and increase in interaction. 

“Representing an evolution of Hyundai’s ‘Fluidic Sculpture’ design philosophy, the rear-wheel drive sports coupe concept balances high performance with a sophisticated image,” said Suk-Geun Oh, head of Hyundai’s Design Center in Namyang, Korea. 

Check out the body-design and engine specifications of the Hyundai HCD-9 Sports Coupe Concept below:

• Stretched 2,860mm wheelbase 
• Overall length of 4,695mm 
• Width of 1,890mm 
• Height of 1,340mm 
• Rear-wheel drive 
• Front engine 
• 3.3-liter turbocharged engine with 8-speed automatic transmission 
• 365 horsepower engine 

“Based on the spiral sculpture concept – derived from Hyundai’s Fluidic Sculpture design philosophy – dynamic and distinctive spiral-shaped metal lines frame the entire interior in a speedy and rhythmical way, creating a unique layout.”

“The seats are made of sporty yet luxurious mesh fabric, and project different colours when viewed from different angles. The driver-oriented, high-tech interface is modelled on an airplane cockpit, offering both improved functionality and aesthetics, optimized for dynamic driving,” Suk-Geun Oh added. 

Seven Things to Consider Before Buying a New Car

Buying a new car is obviously a complex decision  for most people to make - it can lead to an expensive mistake! There is an enormously diverse range of cars on the market at any given time and our buying decisions are heavily influenced by the marketers who bombard our brains with carefully tailored advertisements and offers in the hope of directing us towards the car they're trying to sell.

In order to make a wise buying decision, it helps to define the type of car that you want to buy based on several factors: price, efficiency, capacity, engine type, power, style and drivelines. Knowing a bit about these factors in advance can go a long way in helping you make a decision. Let’s look at these factors one by one.

1. Price: Of course price should be at the top of your list. Go for the car you can afford to buy and maintain. There's no point buying a Monaro HRT if you can’t afford to get it serviced. Remember that insurance costs go up with a more expensive car as well - and if you're buying in the higher range, you'll definitely want insurance! Get some good advice about insurance here.
2. Fuel efficiency: Your car’s mileage is very important - the price of petrol is constantly increasing. Efficiency can range from 15 Km/litre up to 45 Km/litre. When you've narrowed your choices down by price, do some research online and compare the mileage figures for the models you're interested in.
3. Seating capacity: Your choice of seating capacity will probably be based on your families needs - or perhaps your circle of friends. This will be a simple decision to make, but shouldn't be overlooked - the last thing you want to do is get a car your family won't fit in (and don't forget the dog!)
4. Engine type: Engines vary from one car to another for many reasons, including performance, efficiency and adaptability. Petrol engines are still the most common by far. Diesel engines are known to have more torque- the grunt that gets your car moving, but if you're interested in making an low-emission choice, look at hybrid and electric engines. 
5. Horsepower: While torque gets you moving, horsepower keeps you moving. Horsepower in cars ranges from 100HP to well above 500HP. High-speed, high-end cars such as the German made Bugatti Veyron produces 1001 metric horsepower with 1,250 Nm of torque reaching 350 Km/hr.
6. Body style: Another relatively easy decision that depends on your personal preferences. Body styles you might come across include: Convertible, Coupe, Sedan, SUV, Ute, Hatchback, Liftback, Crossover, Track and Wagon. 
7. Drivelines: You have four types of driveline to choose from: 4WD or 4x4 (Four wheel drive), RWD (Rear Wheel Drive), FWD (Front Wheel Drive) and last but not the least, AWD (All Wheel Drive). AWD is a full-time 4-wheel-drive system (all four wheels receive torque from the engine simultaneously) that employs a center differential that allows each tire to rotate at different speeds improving handling and stability.

Tips for Buying a Used Car

Buying a used car is a great option if you're shopping within a limited budget. However, a used car will usually need a rigorous background check to ensure that you get a good deal. 

It's usually a good idea to look for a late-model vehicle that has not clocked up many kilometres. There is a good chance that, in addition to being in better condition, it will also still be covered under the manufacturer's warranty. Later models are generally better as the rate of depreciation is slower, making it even cheaper than a comparable brand new car while offering similar features.

Recent models will generally qualify for an extended warranty program, which protects you in the case that something goes wrong. It's usually advisable to purchase a used car from a dealer, as they often have the best used cars on the market - dealerships will often shift cars with huge mileage or other major problems to road side lots or smaller outlets that specialise in budget cars. 

In order to get the best deal, compare a few models and their prices at different dealers. This not only gives you an idea of the prevailing price in the market, but also provides you with options in case you find something better than you were originally looking for within your budget. 

Another factor that you need to consider is potential maintenance costs that might be in addition to the purchase price. Is the vehicle due for a major - and potentially expensive - service? How long until the brakes need fixing? Does it have overdue mechanical repairs? Has it had major body repairs which have been poorly done?

Just how good a car is it?

If you are not sure, remember that Cooper Automotive offers pre-purchase inspections.

We can carry out a thorough vehicle inspection accompanied with a full written report prior to you buying, which could potentially save you thousands of dollars down the track. One of the best tips you'll ever get for buying a used car is this: talk to an expert before you buy!

The new Audi Q5!

The freshly made-over Audi Q5 has arrived!

With a mission to protect Audi's medium prestige SUV/crossover market share from the BMW X3, Range Rover Evoque and Volvo XC60, the Audi Q5, a slick mid-size SUV, comes with: 

• Two all-new engines 
• Eight-speed auto availability 
• Big efficiency improvements 
• The latest driver-assistance and multimedia technology 
• Improved ride quality – softer springs, firmer dampers and new anti-roll bars

The change begins with a new engine for the range-topping petrol model; the 3.2 FSI has been replaced with a new twin-charged (supercharged and turbocharged) 3.0-litre V6.

Audi claims the new Q5 3/0 TFSI delivers 200kW/400Nm, accelerates from zero to 100km/h in 5.9 seconds and returns combined cycle fuel consumption of 8.5l/100kms. The petrol versions also boast Audi’s outstanding eight-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission.

Audi Q5’s diesel star, the 3.0 TDI, delivers 180kW/580Nm, cutting the consumption by 15 percent to 6.4l/100kms. The 130kW/380Nm 2.0 TDI delivers fuel consumption of 6.1l/100kms. A switch to electromechanical power steering is an added feature.

In short, we can say that the Audi Q5 delivers a little more of everything: value, efficiency, performance, safety, driver-assistance and the latest multimedia tech.

It’s no wonder the Q5 has become Audi’s strongest performer in the mid-sized premium SUV class world-wide. The styling is smart and purposeful, the interior has been fashioned to the highest standards, there is plenty of space to move around and even the rear seats slide and re-configure for more practicality. 

Don't pay too much for new car servicing!

Introducing the 2012 Mazda6

The year ahead is going to be filled with an exciting crop of new cars as the Australian market awaits the launch of several flagship vehicles. But today, we’re looking at the Mazda6 GT that is set to hit dealers before the end of 2012.

The Mazda6 GT is one of the most anticipated vehicles of the year. Equipped with Mazda’s new i-ELOOP brake energy regeneration system, it hopes to outclass it’s market rivals - the Honda Accord Euro and theToyota Camry.

The Mazda6 GT has some amazing specs and is available in two variants, petrol and diesel. The petrol version houses the SKYACTIV-G 2.5 litre engine which yields 138kW/ 250Nm, a ten per cent increase over the existing Mazda6 series. The diesel version houses the SKYACTIV-D 2.2 litre turbo-diesel engine that yields a performance of 129kW/420Nm, similar to the previous CX-5 models.

The Mazda6 GT has been hyped as the most advanced Mazda model, with a range of features aimed at improving performance efficiency, including the new Ii-ELOOP brake energy system and the iStop engine stop-start system.

The i-ELOOP brake energy system essentially stores and recycles electricity produced as a result of deceleration and braking. The iStop engine stop-start system automatically switches off the engine when the car is still, and restarts it on a gentle tap of the accelerator pedal. These two technologies contribute greatly towards enhancing the efficiency of the Mazda6 and will set some high standards for other upcoming releases in this class.

According to Mazda, both the petrol auto and diesel manual accelerate to 100kmph within 7.8 seconds. The diesel auto version that will arrive in Australia will take about 8.4 seconds to achieve the same speed.

The Mazda6 will be available from dealerships from early December.

New Car Dealership servicing

Buying a new car is exciting, but in the heat of the moment it can be easy to miss some important information. 

Your dealer may not have mentioned it, but did you know that you have options when it comes to getting your new car serviced?

Some buyers worry that they will have to pay for expensive dealership servicing to maintain their new car's manufacturers warranty.

But the truth is this: you DON'T need to rely on dealership servicing!

Here are the facts about your manufacturer's new car warranty:

• It's your car, so YOU can choose where you have it serviced
• A Cooper Automotive service will NOT void your manufacturers statutory warranty
• Cooper Automotive strictly follows the manufacturers instructions and recommendations when servicing YOUR vehicle
• Cooper Automotive only use genuine and high quality direct fit service parts
• Cooper Automotive will give your handbook the stamp of approval

So to keep your new car's warranty intact, all you need to do is bring the car in for a service by it's service due date, or before it reaches it's nominated amount of kilometers - whichever comes first. It's that easy!

Consider your options - and don't pay more than you need to!