2013 Mazda CX-9 unveiled: global debut in Australia

A new-look Mazda CX-9 has been revealed, with the Japanese brand announcing the redesigned seven-seater SUV will make its global debut at the 2012 Sydney motor show.

The styling of the big SUV has been brought into line with the rest of the Mazda family and isn’t a new-generation model like the smaller Mazda CX-5 released earlier in 2012. Design changes are focused on the front and rear ends, with the headlights and grille familiar from the CX-5.

The revised Mazda CX-9 remains on the same platform as the original launched in 2007 and shared with the Ford Edge. It also carries over the same 3.7-litre V6 petrol engine that produces 204kW of power and 366Nm of torque, mated to the same six-speed auto.

There are no SkyActiv technologies featured on the revised Mazda CX-9, such as the lighter-weight chassis or i-Eloop brake energy regeneration system found on all-new models such as the Mazda CX-5 and Mazda6 that are aimed at improving fuel efficiency.

The result is no change in consumption for the CX-9, which is currently 11.0L/100km for the front-wheel-drive version and 11.3L/100km for the model equipped with all-wheel drive.

“The CX-9 is our flagship and while not a volume seller it does very well for our brand,” says Mazda Australia spokesman Steve Maciver. “It’s well regarded for its driving dynamics. We have said that SkyActiv technologies will be adopted across the entire Mazda range but there’s no announcement for this [CX-9] yet.”

The update also brings some upgrades to the CX-9′s infotainment system and there are additional active safety features including lane departure warning, forward obstruction warning and high beam control.

Mazda says it has sold more than 210,000 CX-9s in 74 countries since the SUV first hit the road in 2007.

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Mercedes-Benz B-Class goes all-electric for Paris

The battery-powered Mercedes-Benz B-Class Electric Drive will make its debut at next week’s 2012 Paris motor show, demonstrating Daimler’s continuing pursuit towards its ultimate objective of zero-emission driving.

The company says the Mercedes-Benz B-Class Electric Drive is “almost ready for series production”, with a 2014 launch already planned.

The concept car will be one of the first models to have ‘Electric Drive’ in its model designation before future battery-powered models from Mercedes-Benz, Mercedes-AMG and Smart follow suit.

The B-Class Electric Drive’s ‘Energy Space’ houses the car’s lithium-ion battery pack – likely to be sourced from Tesla Motors – low in the floor of the vehicle, in front of the rear axle, to provide the same interior space as the current B-Class production models (pictured below) as well as improving the vehicle’s centre of gravity.

Equipped with a 100kW/310Nm electric motor, Mercedes-Benz says the B-Class Electric Drive has a range of 200km with the battery able to be charged from any standard domestic 230-volt power outlet or with a rapid charge 400-volt terminal.

Joining the B-Class Electric Drive at Paris on September 27 will be the production versions of theMercedes-Benz SLS AMG Coupe Electric Drive and the Smart Brabus Electric Drive – both world premieres.

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Volkswagen Up! priced from $13,990

The all-new Volkswagen Up! compact city car will be priced from just $13,990 when it goes on sale in Australia on October 6.

The $13,990 before on-road costs price applies to the three-door variant of the sub-light Volkswagen Up!, while the identically equipped five-door model will cost $1000 more at $14,990 before on-roads.

The sharp pricing means the pint-sized Up! will undercut the entry-level version of the brand’s larger city car, the Volkswagen Polo, by up to $3000, allowing it to compete directly with some of the cheapest vehicles on the market, including the Holden Barina Spark (from $12,490), Nissan Micra (from $12,990),Proton S16 FLX (from $13,990) and the Suzuki Alto ($11,790).

Unlike some of its competitors, however, the Up! will only be available with a five-speed manual transmission from launch. A self-shifting automated manual gearbox is available overseas but Volkswagen Australia has not announced any plans to introduce it as an option at this stage.

The Volkswagen Up! breaks new ground in the city-car class, becoming the first vehicle of its size in the world to come standard with an autonomous braking system. The City Emergency Braking function scans the road ahead at speeds between 5km/h and 30km/h and brakes automatically to avoid a crash or reduce its severity if the driver fails to do so.

Other standard features in the four-seat-only Up! include four airbags (dual front and sides), electronic stability control, 14-inch steel wheels and a full-size spare, manual air conditioning, cloth upholstery, and a six-speaker AM/FM radio with CD player and AUX input.

For $500, the Up! can also equipped with an innovative portable infotainment unit called Maps + More. The five-inch touchscreen module incorporates satellite navigation, Bluetooth phone connectivity with text-to-speech and audio streaming functions, multi-function trip computer and a micro SD card slot for media player and picture viewer options.

Likely to be popular is the $600 Comfort drive package, which adds cruise control, rear parking sensors and a multi-function display trip computer with outside temperature, trip time and length, speed warning, average and current fuel consumption and distance till empty measures.

Those wanting a more upmarket look and feel from their Up! can option in the Comfort style package which, for $2500, includes 15-inch alloy wheels, front fog lights, front and rear carpet floor mats, heated front seats, leatherette seat upholstery with white stitching, and a leather-bound steering wheel, handbrake lever and gearknob.

Driving the Volkswagen Up! is a naturally aspirated 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol engine producing 55kW of power (at 6200rpm) and 95Nm of torque (at 3000-4300rpm). With a five-speed manual sending drive to the front wheels, the Up! accelerates from 0-100km/h in a far-than-blistering 13.2 seconds.

Fuel economy is more impressive, with the Up! consuming just 4.9 litres of fuel per 100km on the combined cycle, although its requirement to be refuelled with premium unleaded petrol will increase the cost of filling its 35-litre tank.

At 3540mm long, 1641mm wide, 1476mm tall and riding on a 2407mm wheelbase, the Volkswagen Up! is more than half a metre shorter than the Polo (although its wheelbase is just 49mm shorter), as well as 41mm narrower and 24mm lower.

There’s 251 litres of cargo space with the back seats in place (30 litres less than the Polo) and 951 litres with the 60/40 split backrests folded forwards (one litre shy of the Polo).

Seven paint colours are available: white, red, black, light blue, dark blue, light silver and dark silver.

Read: Volkswagen Up Review

Volkswagen Up! manufacturer’s list prices:

• Three-door manual – $13,990
• Five-door manual – $14,990

Options:

• Metallic/Pearl effect paint – $500
• Maps + More portable infotainment device – $500
• Panoramic electric glass roof – $1400
• Comfort drive package – $600
• Comfort style package – $2500

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Suzuki S-Cross concept shows off its rear

Suzuki has released a second teaser image of the Suzuki S-Cross concept ahead of its world premiere at next week’s 2012 Paris motor show.

The latest shadowy teaser image gives us a glimpse at the rear of the S-Cross concept, which Suzuki says showcases an all-new ‘Emotion x Quality x Aerodynamics’ design theme for the brand.

The rear-end image follows a similar preview from August teasing the front-end, which revealed the headlight design, an LED daytime running light strip and a section of the grille, which sits upright and wears a large Suzuki ‘S’ badge.

A sketch of the S-Cross, also released last month, hints at hatchback-style proportions for the concept, with five doors, a low, wide body and a road-hugging stance.

Suzuki describes the S-Cross as a “concept car heralding a C-segment crossover model”, potentially giving us an early preview of the next-generation SX4 crossover.

The full details of the Suzuki S-Cross concept will be revealed at Paris on September 27.

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Land Rover Discovery 5 could lose half a tonne

The next-generation Land Rover Discovery 4WD could lose nearly half a tonne in weight, according to a company insider.

The new ‘Disco’ is due in 2014 and will be third model to be constructed from aluminium following the just-unveiled fourth-generation Range Rover and the Range Rover Sport that will be released in 2013.

Land Rover engineers managed to reduce the new Range Rover’s mass by a stunning 420kg for the entry-level TDV6 model.

Yet as remarkable as that figure is, a Land Rover source told CarAdvice at the recent Range Rover unveiling event in England that number is set to be beaten by the fifth-generation Discovery.

“The Disco 4 already weighs 2.7 tonnes so it’s got more to lose [than the Range Rover], so we think it will lose more weight [than the 420kg],” our insider revealed.

The last two generations of the vehicle have been badged Discover 3 and Discovery 4, but our source says the next version could possibly revert to simply ‘Discovery’ rather than being called Discovery 5.

There will also be a 2013 model year update for the current Discovery in early 2013, though changes will be mild – with no exterior styling revisions and a key mechanical change in the form of a new eight-speed ZF automatic transmission for the range.

The 2013 Range Rover reaches Australia in January, priced from $168,900.

The two Range Rovers – including the Sport – and the Discovery will be built at Land Rover’s Solihull, England, aluminium body shop the company says is the largest in the world.

Land Rover has invested A$573 million in the facility that will be able to produce up to 100,000 units per year.

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Lexus LF-CC concept previews 2013 IS sedan and coupe

The Lexus LF-CC concept has been unveiled to preview the Japanese luxury brand’s next-generation BMW 3 Series rival.

Lexus has used the reveal of the two-door show car to confirm its intention to build a mid-sized luxury coupe to join the new IS250 and IS350 replacement that launches in 2013.

The Lexus LF-CC – standing for Lexus Future Coupe Concept – is powered by a petrol-electric hybrid drivetrain that the company says will also go into production. It combines a 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine featuring both direct and port injection with an electric motor that has target emissions of less than 100g/km.

The drivetrain can be expected to make it a hybrid first for the Lexus IS, which unlike the CT200h small car is likely to offer petrol engine variants as alternatives.

Lexus claims the hybrid drivetrain “will achieve class-leading energy efficiency, with more than 1.47kW of power produced per gram of CO2″.

The concept’s design is said to take inspiration from the the Lexus LFA supercar and Lexus LF-LC concept from the 2012 Detroit motor show. It clearly relates the upcoming IS range to the family styling of other Lexus models such as the GS large car, RX SUV and LS limo - notably the huge ‘spindle’ grille.

Some of the concept’s design details, such as the triple-projector-beam headlights and sculpted side mirrors, and some of the more flamboyant aerodynamic bodywork are unlikely to make it into production, though the LF-CC’s general shape provides a strong guide to the look of the new Lexus IS coupe.

A convertible variant would be a natural extension, too, considering the current IS250 drop-top.

The interior of the Lexus LF-CC concept is also equal parts wishful thinking and production reality.

Glowing-blue steering wheel controls and display screens are pie in the sky but the two-part dash is similar to the design found in the latest Lexus GS. Lexus says the upper section is for ‘at a glance’ information such as the central display screen while the lower section is an ‘operating zone’ that encompasses features such as the gearshift lever and so-called Touch Tracer menu control system.

High-quality materials and finishes promise a step up in luxury for the next-generation Lexus IS, though the company has aimed for a sporty cockpit that includes a low-set driving position.

The Lexus LF-CC concept will debut at the 2012 Paris motor show starting Thursday 27th September.

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Bentley appoints new design director ahead of SUV production

Bentley has named a new design director to take the German-owned British brand into the future with new models that include the controversial Bentley EXP 9F SUV.

Luc Donckerwolke will take over from Dirk van Braeckel, who shifts within the Volkswagen Group to take up a new post with Volkswagen Group design, currently directed by Walter de Silva.

Donckerwolke’s first priority is certain to be the Bentley SUV that polarised opinions at the 2012 Geneva motor show.

Donckerwolke comes to Bentley from his previous position as head of advanced design for the Volkswagen Group, but his career within the umbrella organisation goes back as far as 1992, when he joined the ranks at Audi as an exterior designer.

Moving to Skoda in 1994 and Lamborghini in 1998 – where he was appointed head of design in 2003 and was involved with designing the Murcielago (pictured below) and Gallardo – Donckerwolke became director of design at Seat in 2005.

De Silva said Donckerwolke would bring a wealth of design talent to Bentley.

“His extensive experience makes him the ideal person to take forward Bentley’s future design language, at a time when the company has significant plans for new models,” he said.

Van Braeckel oversaw the development of the new generations of Bentley Continental and Mulsanne, and the polarising Bentley EXP 9F SUV first seen in March at the 2012 Geneva motor show where he told CarAdvice: “I’m sure people will like it, [but] people will [also] find it controversial in certain areas. And that’s a reason why the vehicle has already been a success.”

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