Car dealers slam franchise agreement inaction, warn motorists could be left high and dry

-
The future of new-car dealerships in Australia – and long-term certainty on parts, warranty, and service back-up for motorists and fleets – received a major setback last week. After a two-year investigation into the power imbalance between multi-national car companies and new-car dealers – many of which are small family businesses – the Federal Government has decided not to introduce a special franchise code for the motor vehicle industry.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

JLR: Consumer confidence on the rise post-election

-
Jaguar Land Rover Australia believes consumer confidence has returned to the luxury car market following the recent Federal election, where the sitting LNP government was returned to power. Speaking to local media at this week’s launch of the new Range Rover Evoque, JLR Australia managing director Mark Cameron said the conservative coalition victory has already been felt in the company’s showrooms.
Read more

Teacher accused of using rented Toyota Supra for land-speed record attempt

-
Image
A high-school teacher in the US could be more than $6000 out of pocket if he is found to have violated the terms of use of a rented Toyota Supra driven to a top speed record. A US high school teacher is facing legal action – and $US4000 ($AU6000) in costs – after being accused of renting a turbocharged Toyota Supra performance coupe from a car-sharing service and used the vehicle in a racing competition without the owner’s knowledge. The high-school teacher from Indiana – and his team of female mechanic students – were on their way to compete in the 2023 U.S. Mile land-speed trials in Texas last month. The girls and their teacher had built a high-performance Chevrolet S10 pick-up for the ‘Texas Mile’ – a competition which sees vehicles try to achieve the highest possible speed from a standing start within one-mile (1.6km) on a runway. However, the 1997 Chevrolet S-10 ute suffered a mechanical failure on the way to the event. Due to the hard work put in to make the 1800km j
Read more

Porsche unveils $1 million electric boat with Macan EV power

-
Image
German sports-car maker Porsche has unveiled a boat engine using some of its electric-vehicle technology. Sports-car specialist Porsche has unveiled an electric boat that was built in collaboration with German specalist Frauscher Shipyard. Dubbed the ‘Frauscher x Porsche 850 Fantom Air’, the boat comes with a starting price just shy of $1 million ($AU925,000). According to the media statement from Porsche, the 850 Fantom Air makes use of elements from Porsche’s electric-car platform. As previously reported by  Drive , Porsche’s electric-vehicle platform is expected to be underpinning the upcoming electric Macan among other models under the wider Volkswagen Auto Group umbrella. As with the forthcoming electric Porsche Macan, the Frauscher boat makes use of a 100kWh lithium-ion battery pack. This is housed beneath the rear lounge area at the rear of the 8.67-metre vessel, and powers a single 400kW electric motor. Frauscher is yet to reveal acceleration figures, but cl
Read more

Young driver gets dad’s Chevrolet Corvette impounded after being caught at triple the speed limit

-
Image
The young Canadian driver was caught by police at 186km/h in a 60km/h zone in his father’s new Corvette sports car. A 23-year old man has had his father’s Chevrolet Corvette impounded after being caught at more than three times over the speed limit in Ontario, Canada. According to a post on social media by the Peel Regional Police, the Corvette was detected travelling at 186km/h in a 60km/h zone. Images accompanying the post show a radar gun displaying 186km/h, and a blue C8 Corvette on the back of a tow truck. As a result, the driver not only had his father’s vehicle impounded for two weeks, but according to police he was also charged with ‘Stunt Driving’ and lost his licence for 30 days. According to Ontario traffic law, the ‘stunt driving’ charge is used when a driver is caught travelling 50km/h or more over the posted speed limit – with penalties of up to $CA10,000 ($AU11,300) and a jail term of up to six months, according to Ontario traffic law. In Ontario the fi
Read more

How much do driving lessons cost in Australia?

-
Image
Whether you’re a novice driver or a parent guiding a teen, we’ve got the information you need to make the right choices on your journey to becoming a confident and responsible driver.  Driving lessons are a vital step towards gaining independence on the road, but understanding the costs involved is equally crucial.  RELATED: How to get your learner’s permit in each state and territory RELATED: Can learners drive any car they like? To help you get behind the wheel with confidence, we’ve uncovered the average price of driving lessons in Australia and looked at which factors influence the cost.  The average price of progress If you or a loved one is about to get behind the wheel for the first time, it pays to make sure you’re informed about the road rules.  Safety on the road is a shared responsibility, and learning to drive is no different than going to school. There are no short cuts, and progress can be slow for some, and fast for others.  But amid a cost of living crisi
Read more

Melbourne council asks the public to name new roads. What could go wrong?

-
Image
Have you ever dreamed of living in Streety McStreetface Street, Warnieville? Here’s your chance. Melbourne City Council has announced plans to allow the public to suggest names for new roads and locations in the city. Names proposed for roads must meet the 1998 Geographic Place Names Act to ensure they are not duplicated or offensive, and support the local community interests – and they can can be submitted by community members, landholders and developers. The draft policy will defer naming proposals back to the community, with a preference for “Aboriginal language names and the names of women who have contributed to Melbourne’s historical development.” According to the Council, this is intended to “correct the imbalance” of naming representation in Melbourne – which in the past 20 years has seen 50 new roads named after men, 23 named after women, and six the use local Aboriginal language. The scheme will cover new roads, laneways, localities, and public places. This
Read more

Victoria Police target distracted drivers in two-day operation

-
Image
Police have detected more than 100 distracted drivers – including 86 using their mobile phone – during a recent two-day road blitz. Victoria Police detected close to 90 motorists using their mobile phones while driving in a two-day operation in Melbourne. In a two-day operation dubbed ‘Spotto’, 131 offences were recorded – including 86 motorists caught using their mobile phones and/or other mobile devices when driving. In addition, police detected 10 violations of traffic signs or signals, eight cyclist offences, four seatbelt offences, three speeding and motorcyclist offences, one motorist who was unlicensed, and one motorist caught drug driving. Deaths on Victorian roads have reached 270 so far this year – up 20 per cent from the total for all of 2022 – according to the Transport and Accident Commission . “We’re seeing distraction contributing to far too many fatal and serious injury collisions this year, and yet in two days we’ve caught 86 people using their phones
Read more

Five things we learned about Supercars in 2023 – and what to expect next year

-
Image
After 28 races the 2023 Supercars season is over. Here are a handful of our favourite things from the year and what to look forward to in 2024. With last weekend’s Adelaide 500 run and won, another season of the Supercars Championship – formerly known as V8 Supercars – is over. While the final standings show Brodie Kostecki as the champion with a hefty margin to second place, the results do not reflect what an important – and mostly tumultuous – year it was for those in the sport. From one of the sport’s stars calling time to Ford threatening to take its bat and ball back to Detroit amid year-long disputes, these are the five most important take-aways from the 2023 Supercars season. 1. Brodie Kostecki and Erebus are deserving champions Brodie Kostecki wins the Supercars Championship just three seasons into his full-time career In 2021, Erebus Motorsport started the season with two new rookie drivers in Will Brown and Brodie Kostecki, each having risen through the jun
Read more

Honda confirms NSX successor in the works

-
Image
Honda boss has again confirmed the car maker is working on an electric sports car which may see the hallowed NSX badge return to showrooms. A successor to the Honda NSX supercar is coming, after Honda CEO Toshihiro Mibe once again confirmed the car maker is working on a new halo electric sports car. Mibe told UK publication Autocar that work was ‘progressing’ with a ‘good analysis’ on an electric sports car being carried out by the Japanese brand’s research and development department. “We have not decided on mass production or timing but, personally, I would like to make it happen.” Honda – which began in September 1948 – has hinted that it would have a halo sports car in showrooms to celebrate its 75th anniversary year. Honda teased two electric sports car concepts in 2022 , seen as successors to the S2000 and the NSX, as it announced a $AU53.7 billion (five trillion Japanese yen) investment in electric technology. Honda also said it would introduce 30 electric cars by
Read more

2018 Mahindra XUV500 pricing and specs

-
Pricing and specifications for the updated 2018 Mahindra XUV500 range have been revealed this week, with the seven-seat SUV kicking off at $25,990 drive-away – $4000 cheaper than before. Available in two grades, the revised XUV500 now gets a 2.2-litre turbocharged petrol engine, making 103kW of power and 320Nm of torque, mated to a six-speed Aisin-sourced automatic transmission […]
Read more