Overshadowing pretty much all of the other big "reveals" at the Melbourne International Motor Show was GM Holden's two door performance concept, the Coupe 60. Yes, it's smells like the next "Monaro", however at this stage it doesn't look like the Coupe 60 will see production.

The throbbing 6.0 litre V8 engine was one of the highlights of the show, and drew plenty of attention to the Holden stand. In true concept fashion the Holden Coupe 60 stands out on 21-inch centre-lock alloy wheels. The engine is also calibrated for E85 ethanol fuel.

The Coupe 60 features a whole host of features associated with race bred vehicles. These include full flat under body, rear underbody air diffuser, one piece carbon fiber bucket seats (featuring leather and suede pad design) and a sports-inspired flat bottomed steering wheel with integrated shift light display and LCD sports instrument cluster.

Highlighting the "one-off" nature of the concept, the Coupe 60 features an eye catching liquid aluminium finish.Unfortunately, for the moment at least, the Coupe 60 appears to be a concept only.

GM Holden Chairman and Managing Director Mark Reuss said, “Coupe 60 is Holden's 60th anniversary gift to its fans worldwide.

“It highlights Holden’s heritage of rear wheel drive performance whilst looking ahead to the potential offered by new technologies and materials.

“This is a vehicle I know our designers would dearly love to see go into production, but for the moment it has to remain a concept only,” he said.

From what I have seen, that's sad news for Holden fans.

Popularity: 72% [?]

If you've ever seen the TV show The Dukes of Hazzard, then chances are you'll recognise the good old General Lee Charger that starred in the series. Good news for Aussie fans, one of the surviving General Lee's is up for auction through Shannons.

Driven by Luke and Bo Duke, the General Lee was used for a variety of high-speed pursuits, jumps, stunts and became a celebrity in its own right. Between 1979 and 1985, it's believed no less than 309 Chargers were used in The Dukes of Hazzard, during which they were routinely destroyed at the rate of one or two per episode while performing their punishing stunts.

Of these, it is estimated that only around 23 originals survive today, although guesstimates on the number vary.Regardless, documented General Lee Dodge Chargers are now very collectible, as shown by the record price achieved at auction last year for the original ‘Lee 1’, which sold in the US for a staggering $Aus 10.5 million.

Shannons are auctioning one of these rare surviving General Lee Chargers at the Melbourne International Motor Show Auction on Monday March 10 and estimate that it will sell for between $220,000 and $260,000.The 1969 Dodge Charger is based on an original 440-cid R/T and was converted to General Lee configuration by General Lee Enterprises in the early 1980s.

General Lee Enterprises built a small number of cars (somewhere between 8 and 11) that Warner Bros. used for promotional work and some close-ups in filming.The car subsequently spent 20 years in storage in Kentucky prior to undergoing a comprehensive restoration and was then sold to the current Australian owner last year.

In September/October 2007, the full drivetrain rebuild took place and the vehicle generally tidied up in the cosmetic department, presenting in great condition both inside and out.

The Charger will be sold registered in Victoria on 'GN-LEE' plates along with a Victorian roadworthy certificate that will be supplied after the sale. The Dodge comes with supporting documentation, including American titles.

Popularity: 71% [?]

Putting together a list of the Top 5 Car Chases of All Time was always going to be a challenging, and controversial, task.

When I first thought about this, I was thinking, how could I possibly cut it back to just five. But then, that's part of the challenge, and the final cut is sure to inspire some debate.

So here we go counting down the MotorDude.com top 5 car chase scenes of all time... Continue Reading »

Popularity: 68% [?]

Ford have ripped the covers off their new Falcon range ahead of the 2008 Melbourne International Motor Show. The new FG Falcon is set to become Ford's flagship product as they attempt to wrangle back some of the large car market share in Australia.

The FG Falcon range will be split into three main groupings, the Falcon XT series (entry level), G Series (stepping up a notch, ie. the 'classy'/'executive' range), and the XR series (the balls out sports range).

So how do they differ, particularly under the bonnet?

The XT comes with the choice of either an I6 petrol engine producing 195kW of power and 391Nm of torque matched to a new five-speed automatic transmission with Sequential Sports Shift (SSS), or an optional 156kW E-Gas dedicated LPG engine with a four-speed SSS auto.

The G6E Turbo is differentiated from the G6E by a range of performance-oriented features, including the I6 Turbo engine that produces 270kW of power and 533Nm of torque, matched to the ZF six-speed automatic transmission.

The FG Falcon XR6 Turbo includes a 270 kW / 533 Nm I6 Turbo engine, limited slip differential, upgraded front brakes and 18-inch alloy wheels.

The XR8 shares its major equipment specifications with the XR6 Turbo and is differentiated by its engine and signature bonnet power bulge. The exciting Boss 290 5.4-litre four-valve V8 engine moves to the XR8 with the introduction of the FG Falcon and is complemented by a new exhaust system with a Semi Active Muffler (SAM), said to amplify the sporty V8 exhaust note.

The FG range also raises the bar in terms of the safety features available on the Falcon range. All petrol Falcon sedans will come standard with an advanced safety package, incorporating driver and front passenger airbags, front side head/thorax airbags, driver and front passenger Beltminder® system, Dynamic Stability Control (DSC), Traction Control (TC), and Anti-lock Brakes (ABS) with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD) and Emergency Brake Assist (EBA).Side curtain airbags, in conjunction with front side thorax airbags, are standard on premium sedan models, but are also available as an option across the rest of the sedan range.

A new reverse camera system is standard on G6E and G6E Turbo models, and optional on the overt sports XR range, while a reverse sensing system is standard on all G Series models and available as an option across the rest of the sedan range.

But, here's my pick of the bunch, the FPV version. It's picture alone just screams "GRUNT!!!".

Popularity: 56% [?]

There is something about a big old American muscle car that just floats my boat. Obviously I'm not alone, as Chrysler have seen it in their wisdom to revive the classic Dodge Challenger from its 35 years of slumber.

The Dodge Challenger revival began at the North America International Auto Show in Detroit in January in 2006, and is now set to hit the shop floor in the U.S. spring.

Tagged as the "Ultimate Modern American Muscle Coupe", the Challenger is powered by a mammoth 6.1 litre HEMI V-8 engine capable of a gutsy 425bhp (or 317kW) and 569 Nm of torque.

Performance wise, the 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8 hits the very American 0 – 60 mph time in the low 5 - second range, and can run through the quarter mile in less than 13.5 seconds.

Whilst the Challenger looks unmistakably modern, there is no doubt that it has taken its design cues from the Challengers of old.

“The all-new Dodge Challenger SRT8 is engineered to give customers everything they want in a modern muscle machine,” said Mike Accavitti, Director – Dodge Brand and SRT Global Marketing, Chrysler LLC. “The new version of Dodge’s American classic boasts tyre-smoking performance and head-turning design while offering a wide array of state-of-the-art technology, such as GPS navigation, ‘Keyless Go’ entry, a MyGIG™ infotainment system and UConnect hands-free communication.”

Standard on the 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8 is a 13-speaker Kicker High Performance audio system that features a 322-watt amplifier and 200-watt subwoofer, and SIRIUS Satellite Radio. A MyGIG infotainment system is also available.

In the U.S. the 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8 will hit the market at a manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of $US37,995. Unfortunately the Dodge Challenger SRT8 is not available to markets outside North America.

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Subaru have officially launched their All-Wheel Drive Impreza WRX STI in both entry-level and spec.R variants, with the range-topper adding lightweight BBS wheels and leather Recaro seats.

Both models are capable of accelerating from 0-100 km/h in 5.2 seconds, which is 0.2 seconds quicker than the previous version. Surprisingly, this little boost in performance has been achieved whilst also improving the vehicles overall fuel economy, with Subaru suggesting the new STI is 11.2 per cent more fuel efficient.

But it is underpinned by the same exceptional five-star occupant and four-star pedestrian safety rating shared by every new generation Impreza.WRX STI’s 2.5 litre four-cylinder horizontally opposed turbocharged boxer engine achieves an impressive 7.3 per cent power hike, up from 206 Kilowatts in the superseded model to 221 kW at 6000 rpm. Torque is up 3.8 per cent to 407 Newtonmetres at 4000 rpm.

Pricing for the Impreza WRX STI starts at $59,990 recommended retail price (rrp) with the spec.R variant coming in at $64,990 rrp.

Popularity: 23% [?]

Ford Performance Vehicles (FPV) has let loose its sports F6X, marketed as the most powerful six-cylinder SUV in the Australian market.

The F6X is powered by a high-performance F6 270 Turbo 4.0-litre DOHC in-line six-cylinder engine, that produces 270kW of power and 550Nm of torque.

To summarise then, the F6X is basically a Ford Territory with a whole lot more grunt, as is shown in the picture below.

The F6X sits on 18-inch five-spoke Alpine Silver alloys.To match the higher engine outputs, FPV engineers also had to tweak the Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) calibration to provide a better fit for the F6X.

Other standard safety equipment includes side curtain airbags and dual-stage driver and front passenger airbags, a Reverse Sensing System and reverse camera.

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Popularity: 26% [?]

The Audi R8 is the car of choice for Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) in the soon to be released, highly anticipated - at least by me - film version of the Marvel Comics Iron Man movie.

Gwyneth Paltrow will also feature in the film as Virginia Potts, and can be seen getting around in an Audi S5.

The R8 received praise from the films director Jon Favreau.

“The R8 is the perfect car for Tony Stark,” said Iron Man director Jon Favreau.
“It’s a technological masterpiece. Plus it’s fast, safe, and sure to be noticed.”

High praise indeed, even if it does sound like something straight from the sales brochure...

Audi is no stranger to product placement, featuring in 'I, Robot' as well as another comic book adaptation, Superman Returns - you may remember Kate Bosworth driving around in an Audi A3.

Any way, here's a screen shot from the film.

If you haven't seen the trailer for Iron Man, you can watch it in all its glory below.

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Popularity: 29% [?]

Well it looks like Australia will catch up with the rest of the world with the introduction of electronic stability control (ESC), albeit later rather than sooner.

In a case of 'better late than never' the Australian Automobile Association has thrown its weight behind calls to make ESC standard in all new cars by 2012.

Australia's peak motoring body – the Australian Automobile Association – has supported international calls for the life-saving vehicle safety technology, Electronic Stability Control (ESC), to be included in all new cars by 2012.

The AAA backed comments by the President of the FIA, Max Mosley, who has called on the European Union to meet its stated goal of fitting ESC on all new cars by 2012.

source: AAA media release

The AAA seem happy to quote figures celebrating the benefits of ESC, yet they are willing to wait until 2012 for it to become standard fitment. Lets be honest, at the rate ESC is being picked up by the market at the moment, the AAA et al could do nothing between now and 2012 and ESC will be fitted on 99% of new cars anyway.

Research shows that ESC has the potential to significantly reduce the road toll, so isn't it about time the auto world got serious about it, rather than paying it lip service and making warm and fuzzy motherhood statements in press releases? How about mandating the compulsory fitment of ESC for all new cars sold in Australia? How about including it in the Australian Design Rules? Instead of following the standard set by Europe, why doesn't the Australian car industry take the initiative and lead the way?

Yes it's good to set targets that are achievable, but how about setting some that would accelerate things a little? Grrr... this big on talk, low on action lip service announcements really annoy me!

Rant over.

Popularity: 22% [?]

Mitsubishi Motors Corporation is to give the Prototype-S concept its global debut at the 78th Geneva International Motor Show which runs from March 4 through March 16.

Distinguished by the inverted-slant nose with trapezoidal grille front fascia that marks Mitsubishi Motors new design identity and with wide-and-low proportions that leave no doubt as to the concept underlying its design, Prototype-S uses exterior lines to craft a shape that is powerful and sporty even by European standards, echoing the acclaimed 2005 Concept-Sportback show car.

According to the specification data provided by Mitsubishi, the Prototype-S is powered by a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder DOHC MIVEC intercooler/turbocharger engine capable of 177 kW and 343 Nm. The full-time 4WD driveline features Mitsubishi Motors' Active Center Differential (ACD) that uses an electronically controlled multi-plate hydraulic clutch to optimally tailor front/rear drive torque split to different driving conditions and deliver the best balance between steering response and traction.

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Popularity: 23% [?]