A Tasmanian champion of car design

A Tasmanian has designed one of the showcase cars at the recent Detroit Motor Show – the new Ford GT.   This was one of three headline grabbing cars revealed at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit this month which were designed by Australians.

While Holden’s design studio in Port Melbourne was responsible for the design and construction of two of General Motors’ showpieces, over at Ford, the creation of its stunning GT supercar was overseen  by Tasmanian Todd Willing. 

The 'Tasmanian designed' Ford GT, unveiled at the Detroit Motor Show

Hobart born and bred, Willing managed a team of just six designers under a shroud of secrecy to create the mid-engined Ford GT in a secret location in the US.  He was reportedly not permitted to tell his family or friends what he was working on for more than 14 months!   

Willing told reporters at the car show ‘It’s every designer’s dream to work on a car like this.  A once-in-a-career opportunity.’

The car has special significance to Ford as the original Ford GT40 won the LeMans 24-hour race four consecutive times from 1966-69 after being defeated by Ferrari in the previous six years.

This new car controversially runs on a twin-turbo V6 engine rather than a V8, but Ford says it makes more power than its predecessor without burning as much fuel.

Willing has heard and seen the car being tested but as yet has not driven it.  And although it’s a ‘global car’ it will be manufactured only in left-hand drive and not sold in Australia.

Having managed the top-secret supercar project he has now returned to Australia as the head of Ford’s Asia-Pacific design studio in Broadmeadows.

It is the first time Australian designers have played such a significant role on the world stage and shows that we can still have some input into the worldwide automotive industry while the local manufacturing industry comes to an end. 

And it just goes to show the talent that comes out of Tasmania!

Aussie car manufacturers: an endangered species?

The chiefs of Australia's big three car manufacturers are warning that around 50,000 jobs will be lost if the government withdraws its assistance to the industry.

That assistance is expected to be a major federal election issue this year, with Tony Abbott promising to strip $500 million out of a green-car fund if the Coalition is elected.

Ford chief Bob Graziano, Holden chief Mike Devereux and Toyota chief David Buttner have all indicated that the sector will not survive if government support is abolished.

Bailouts have been controversial in recent years, with the three companies shedding 1350 jobs between them despite receiving billions in handouts.

Holden has received $2.2 billion in government subsidies in the past 12 years, while Ford has picked up about $1.1 billion - but neither can guarantee local production beyond 2016.

According to industry estimates, the three companies employ 17,000 people directly, while the industry (including suppliers) employs 55,000 and supports 200,000 jobs indirectly.

And if one of the manufacturers left Australia, the whole industry could collapse because the supplier network would not have enough volume to be profitable.

Toyota is the only Aussie car manufacturer with a significant export program. Its CEO David Buttner said government policy needed to continue supporting the car industry or Toyota would look at spending its money elsewhere.

"There's a whole host of countries around the world vying for Toyota's investment," he said.

Holden's Mike Devereux responded to critics of the Australian car industry, saying that assistance to the manufacturing was worth every cent. Ford Australia's Mr Graziano agrees, noting said that Australians spent less on car industry assistance than other countries.

"If you look at Australia the support here is a little bit less than $18 per person compared to significantly higher amounts in other countries around the world, but without that assistance, it would be difficult to see the industry surviving."

The Holden Story

The very first all-Australian car was a Holden that went on sale in 1948.

Before World War II, Holden assembled cars for General Motors and Chrysler. But after the war was over, the Australian government considered it vital to build home industries to support the soldiers coming home (they would need good jobs to support themselves and their families) and to strengthen its economic and political status.

Consequently, it chose to support Holden in manufacturing an all Australian-made motor car. The design of the first Holden was based on a General Motors prototype that was modified to suit the Australian environment, and in 1948 the first Australian made car, the Holden 48-215 (later referred to as the FX Holden), hit the streets of Melbourne. Although it was a pretty basic machine even for that era, the FX Holden was a well-loved car in Australia and long waiting lists stretched into 1949 and beyond. 

The FX Holden was big and robust - spacious enough to fit a large family - and heavy-duty as well, with it's steel frame designed to handle tough conditions. It also managed to deliver 48 kilometres for about 3 litres of petrol without sacrificing performance. 

Owning an Aussie car in the 1950's was a matter of great pride, resonating with the patriotic feelings of the time. To this day, Holden occupies a special place in the hearts of many Australians.

Holden continues to manufacture motor vehicles in Australia as a subsidiary of General Motors, and still exports vehicles and engines to other countries. Among other models, it produces the popular Commodore that was first introduced to the market in 1978. The Holden Commodore is still one of the most loved cars in Australia and has been continually updated to meet the demands of modern consumers.  

Australia's Best Car Awards 2012 - Part 2

Today we’re looking at the winners of the over $50,000 categories in Australia's Best Car Awards 2012.

Following a rigorous testing and analysis process, the winners in each category have been announced on australiasbestcars.com.au by the Australian Automobile Association.

BMW 320i - Best Medium Car Over $50,000
The BMW 320i boasts exquisite design and handling features that make it an absolute pleasure to drive. Powered by a 2.0 litre, 4 cylinder turbo engine with an 8 speed automatic transmission, the 320i gives a mileage of 6.0L/100km. It faced some tough competition from the Volkswagen CC 125 TDI and Mercedes-Benz C250 CDI, however the BMW outclassed them because of its spacious interior, power, improved ride and greater fuel efficiency.

Ford Falcon G6EcoBoost - Best Large Car Under $60,000
The Ford Falcon G6EcoBoost silenced its rivals - the Toyota Aurion AT-X and Peugeot 508 Allure HDi - with a satisfying driving experience backed by a powerful engine. The EcoBoost has a 2.0 litre 4 cylinder engine with a six speed automatic transmission system that yields 8.5L/100km. It retails for $40,835.

Lexus GS350 F Sport - Best Large Car Over $60,000
The Lexus GS350 F Sport has an amazing spec sheet with a 3.5 litre,V6 cylinder engine and a 6 speed automatic transmission system. A true powerhouse, it yields a mileage of 9.7L/100km. The finalists in this category included the BMW 520i and Audi A6 3.0 TDI Quattro, both of which lost out because of the GS350’s spacious interior and superior handling.

Kia Sportage SLi AWD - Best SUV Under $40,000
Kia has once again won the under $40,000 SUV category. The Sportage SLi AWD has a 2.4 litre, 4 cylinder engine, with a 6-speed automatic transmission system. It has a mileage of 9.2 L/100km - remarkable for an SUV. The contenders for this category included the Volkswagen Tiguan 103 TDi and 

Mazda CX-5 Maxx Sport 2WD. 

Land Rover Discovery 4 SDV6 SE - Best All Terrain Four Wheel Drive
The Land Rover Discovery 4 SDV6 SE is a clear winner in the All-Terrain Four Wheel Drive category. With a 3.0 litre V6 diesel engine, and a 6 speed automatic transmission it makes for one of the most powerful four wheel drives available in the country. It yields an average of 9.3L/100km, which is decent considering its size and power. The contenders for this category were the Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo CRD and Toyota Prado GXL.

Do Australian Governments prefer imported vehicles?

Last week it was reported that Australian federal, state and local governments are choosing imported automobiles for their fleets rather than Australian-made Holden, Ford or Toyota cars.

According to reports, only around 16% of local council vehicles were manufactured domestically. It was also mentioned that only one in five cars in the Tasmanian government's fleet is Australian-made.

In the Herald Sun today, Paul Bastian of the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union wrote that it was wrong to blame the high Australian dollar for the recent troubles in the Australian car manufacturing industry.

He said the industry could be helped enormously if the government simply bought Australian made cars.

“If governments show leadership and buy Australian-made vehicles for their fleets, they can encourage private fleets to purchase Australian,” Bastian said.

“If all levels of government and private fleets purchased Australian-made cars, sales would increase by around 450,000 per year.”

Maybe the answer to saving the Australian car manufacturing industry is to simply encourage governments to buy their fleets from local Holden, Ford or Toyota.

Let's hope that the report is a bit of a wake up call to both local and federal governments and that they begin to show some pride in our great Aussie cars!

Ford announces more factory job cuts

It's very disappointing to hear that Ford Australia is expected to announce massive job losses at their Geelong and Broadmeadows plants today.

The venerated car maker is in talks with employees and union officials today, but initial reports claim that the company will cut almost a quarter of their factory floor staff between now and November.

The sackings come after 240 jobs were already cut at the plant last year.

Ford received a $100 million lifeline in January - from the parent company in the US and the Federal and State Governments - aimed at securing the future of the Australian operations until at least 2016.

The announcement follows FORD's reported $290 million loss in May. The loss has been blamed on weak sales of its flagship Falcon model, along with problems within the supply parts industry which slowed Ford’s production lines.

The sackings will bring the total number of Ford factory employees at the two plants to 1360.

Commentators are expressing grave fears that Ford will no longer be viable in Australia beyond 2016, and the grim reality is that demise of Ford in this country would put the entire car industry at risk.

Unions say the industry needs three major car manufacturers to be viable, and both Ford and its main competitor Holden are struggling with falling sales.

Let's hope that things pick up for the Australian car manufacturing industry and that we don't see too many announcements like this in the future.

Recall of almost 10,000 Holden Cruzes in Australia

Around 10,000 Holden Cruzes are being recalled by Holden Australia.

The recall applies to 9,547  locally built 2012 and 2013 units of the sedan fitted with the 1.4-litre turbo petrol engine. Holden said a condition has been identified where the car’s belly pan can catch oil that might drip from the engine if an oil change is not done properly. 

Holden's statement said: “If oil makes contact with hot engine parts such as the exhaust manifold or catalytic converter, a fire could occur.”

The move follows General Motors’ recall of 475,418 Chevrolet Cruze sedans in North America and Israel due to a similar fire risk.

So far there have been no reported cases of engine compartment fires caused by this problem in Australia.

Holden Director of Warranty, Customer Satisfaction and Quality, Craig Porritt said the recall is a precautionary measure and that Australia’s standards of servicing significantly reduce the risk.

“
We believe Australia’s high standards in servicing procedures significantly reduce the risk of improper oil changes which almost eliminates the risk of a thermal incident. However we will always err on the side of caution when it comes to initiating safety recalls and campaigns. Even if there have been no reported cases in our market we will take action to assure our customers and their vehicles are safe.”

Holden is contacting customers to arrange a free-of-charge modification which it expects to take around 40 minutes.

Owners are urged to contact 1800 632 826.