2018 Mercedes-AMG GT Roadster: Australian pricing

Australian pricing for the new 2018 Mercedes-AMG GT Roadster, unveiled in September last year and driven by CarAdvice in March just gone, has now been revealed.

The newest soft-top AMG, which Mercedes reckons will attract “a very different” type of buyer to those drawn by the legendary SL badge, had initially been expected to land with a price tag below $350,000.

Clearly, then, the brand was playing it safe in initial discussion with the media: In regular GT form, the Roadster will be priced in Australia from $283,711, and the GT C Roadster will also come in under the mark at $338,711. (Note: All prices in this article exclude on-road costs.)

No surprise, this pricing means the dollar difference between the $258,711 GT Coupe and the GT Roadster would put you into a small hatch – although not one with a three-pointed star on the grille.

The leap from a GT to GT C in the Roadster range, however, would see you comfortably into an A250 Sport hatch for the daily commute.

Opting for the GT Roadster would see you delivered the same 4.0-litre V8 that drives the newly updated coupe, offering up 350kW of power and 630Nm of torque. But, forego the option of a sporty hatch companion in the driveway and you could instead experience 410kW and 680Nm in the GT C Roadster.

MORE: AMG GT C Roadster REVIEW

The GT Roadster’s standout attraction is of course its open-air design, while protection from the elements comes courtesy of a triple-layer ‘z-fold’ fabric roof that opens and closes in 11 seconds at speeds up to 50km/h, along.

There’s also a ‘draught stop’ wind deflector and heated seats, along with a 10-speaker Burmester surround sound system and COMAND Online infotainment with an 8.3-inch high-resolution colour display.

The GT C Roadster adds GT C Roadster incorporates standard features including AMG Performance seats in nappa leather, an AMG Performance steering wheel in black nappa leather and Dinamica, heated and ventilated seats, and AirScarf neck level heating.

The Roadster pair will arrive in October, alongside the wider updated GT range and the range-topping $349,000 GT R hero, detailed back in February.

The AMG roadshow doesn’t end there, though, with the recently revealed 50th anniversary coupe special also coming to town.

The AMG GT C Edition 50 Coupe adds AMG Performance seats and steering wheel, the AMG interior Night Package, Edition 50 detailing in the head restraints and steering wheel bezel, quilted nappa leather upholstery, AMG trim elements in black chrome, LED high performance headlamps, black chrome exterior highlights, 19/20-inch AMG cross-spoke forged wheels and a choice of two ‘designo’ paint colours – graphite grey magno or cashmere white magno.

That one’s yours for $338,711, for a limited time. But at that price, you might as well dig a little deeper and step up to the GT R. That’s not a limited-edition model, but you’re not going to see them touring town by the dozen.

2018 Mercedes-AMG GT pricing

Mercedes-AMG GT Coupé – $258,711
Mercedes-AMG GT Roadster – $283,711
Mercedes-AMG GT S Coupé – $298,711
Mercedes-AMG GT C Edition 50 Coupé – $335,211
Mercedes-AMG GT C Roadster – $338,711
Mercedes-AMG GT R Coupé – $348,711

All prices include GST and LCT, but exclude on-road costs.

MORE: AMG GT C Roadster REVIEW
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2006-13 Mazda 6, CX-7, CX-9 added to Takata airbag recall

Mazda has issued a recall for 55,000 of its previous-generation Mazda 6, CX-7 and CX-9 model lines as part of the ongoing Takata airbag campaign this week.

In this latest notice, affected vehicles could be fitted with front passenger airbags that are susceptible to moisture intrusion, causing the inflator to deploy abnormally and rupture in the event of a collision.

Should the condition occur, a rupture of the airbag inflator could result in metal fragments entering the cabin, posing a significant risk of injury – even death – to the vehicle’s occupants.

Above: 2009 Mazda CX-7, Top: 2008 Mazda 6

Affected Mazda 6, CX-7 and CX-9 models were available for sale from 15 November 2016 through 30 April 2013. A VIN list for these vehicles can be viewed here.

Owners of the recalled units will be contacted by Mazda Australia via mail, and will be advised to present their vehicle to their local dealer to have the passenger airbag replaced free of charge.

For more information, contact 1800 034 411.

Above: 2009 Mazda CX-9

This latest recall comes after the first Australian casualty from a faulty airbag came just a few weeks ago.

Prior to today, Mazda alone has recalled more than 237,000 vehicles in Australia for Takata inflators. This latest notice brings the company’s total to 288,400 units.

MORE: All affected vehicles in Australia
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2019 Chevrolet Corvette: Mid-engine supercar spied

The new mid-engine Chevrolet Corvette has been spied undergoing testing on a proving track.

These slightly grainy photos were taken from afar, but seem to show a prototype vehicle using production body panels obscured by both camouflage wrap and a clip-on covering.

The photos give further credence to the long-standing rumour the next-generation sports car will switch from the front-engine, rear-wheel drive layout used by the Corvette thus far to a new mid-engine layout.

A mule for the eighth-generation Corvette was first spied in 2015 wearing radically altered panels borrowed from the Commodore ute.

Said to be going into production in 2019, the new mid-engine Corvette will likely push the storied nameplate into new and uncharted price and performance waters.

Rumours indicate the mid-engine Corvette could be offered with the choice of three V8 engine options, one of which will be paired with an electric motor and offering all-wheel drive.

It’s believed the current seventh-generation Corvette will remain in production until around 2021.

Australia

Ever since Holden announced its plans to shutter its Australian factories by the end of 2017, and end production of its locally developed Commodore range, rumours have circulated the company will offer the Chevrolet Camaro or Corvette down under to keep its local rear-wheel drive enthusiasts within the GM fold.

Neither the current Camaro or Corvette are currently available in right-hand drive format.

Officials from GM have said Holden will offer a V8 model after the Commodore becomes a rebadged version of the front- and all-wheel Opel Insignia imported from Germany. Although the V8 Holden is said to “blow your socks off”, the company has yet to announce any details about this vehicle.

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2019 BMW X4 M spied

The new BMW X4 M has been spied leaving the company’s American factory in Spartanburg, South Carolina.

With four large exhaust tips out the back, and intercoolers lurking behind the front fascia’s enlarged air intakes, we believe this vehicle is a full-on M car, not just a run-of-the-mill X4 variant wearing a body kit.

In addition to these modifications, the X4 M also features lowered suspension, rear spoilers, large wheels with low profile Bridgestone tyres, and an improved braking package with cross-drilled discs and big callipers.

The long rumoured M variant of the next-generation X4 is said to be powered by the new S58 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged straight-six engine.

To be used in both the X4 M and X3 M, the motor is thought to develop around 335kW of power. The S55 engine used in the base M3 and M4 cranks out 317kW.

Production of the new X4 is expected to begin some time during the first half of 2018, meaning the M version probably won’t debut until later in the year.

The next-generation X4 will share its underpinnings with the recently unveiled third-generation X3, meaning the new “coupe SUV” will likely be larger than today’s car.

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2018 Nissan Leaf caught undisguised

Undisguised spy photos of the upcoming 2018 Nissan Leaf have surfaced on social media this week, giving a glimpse of what the all-new EV will look like ahead of its official reveal later this year.

Posted to Twitter by user Julien Jodry (@JJODRY), the grainy trio of images show an undisguised white Leaf, though the finer design details are unclear due to the low quality of the images.

We can make out, however, the overall shape of the new electric hatchback – which actually looks quite similar to the new Micra revealed at last year’s Paris motor show.

The next-generation Leaf has been teased on several occasions by the Japanese manufacturer in recent months, ahead of the new EV’s global debut on September 6.

It’s understood the electric hatch will feature an upgraded battery pack compared to the current model, capable of between 300 and 400 kilometres on a single charge – by comparison the current Leaf has a range of between 135km and 172km depending on the battery capacity selected.

We know the Leaf will come with a new e-Pedal, which allows drives to accelerate and decelerate using just one pedal, while Nissan’s first-generation ProPilot autonomous driving technologies are also expected to feature.

Stay tuned to CarAdvice for more Nissan Leaf updates in the lead-up to the EV’s September 6 reveal.

Australia

Nissan’s local arm has already confirmed the next-generation Leaf will be offered here, though timing is still to be announced.

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2017 Honda Civic RS hatch review: Long-term report one – introduction

This new-generation 2017 Honda Civic hatch is a big deal. It could be a step too far to suggest that Honda Australia’s future depends on it being a success, but the Japanese brand is sure as hell hoping for big things from it.

It’s such a big deal, in fact, we decided to get one for a few months to see if it lives up to the hype.

It’s the first time in more than a decade that Honda has offered a concurrent, similarly-styled and specified version of the Civic hatch as the Civic sedan.

This time around, both the sedan and hatch are sourced from Thailand – previously the hatch came from the UK, and the sedan from our Southeast Asian neighbours.

According to Honda Australia this car is going to grapple for attention in the private buyer segment, and hatchbacks are the typically one of the sweet spots in that part of the Aussie car market. Overall, hatches are roughly twice as popular as sedans with small car shoppers.

This specification in particular, the RS, will likely be a standout in the private buyer ranks. It has been for the sedan, with the RS accounting for the bulk of sales with its sportier-than-standard styling.

That same approach is taken with the Civic RS hatch, which is differentiated on the showroom floor and on the street by its central exhaust outlets, black side skirts, boot-lid spoiler, dark chrome door handles, LED headlights and electric sunroof.

It does stand out from the pack to a degree, but it’s also fair to say all Civic hatches have pretty extroverted bumper styling, including the base model VTi with its epically large black plastic inserts and dodgy plastic wheel covers.

Inside, the RS gets sporty drilled alloy pedals (only two of them, because it’s auto – more on that in a sec), an eight-way power adjustable driver’s seat, heated front seats, black leather seat trim and gearknob, and 12-speaker stereo with subwoofer.

You get all that stuff for $32,290 plus on-road costs, which is competitive in the segment for the most part, but the Civic RS misses out on some of the safety equipment you may expect for that outlay. We’ll get to that in our second report.

Like I said, this Civic hatch – and indeed all Civics bar the incoming Type R hatch – are automatic, with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) adjoining a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine. In lower spec models there’s a 1.8-litre non-turbo engine, but this definitely fits the character of the Civic RS a little better.

Yes, we should talk about the fact it’s called an RS – because it’s a huge issue for me. I hate it. This is commonly the shortened form of the German Renn Sport or Racing Sport and when you’ve got RS versions of the Porsche 911 GT3, it seems pretty audacious to label what is essentially a slightly pimped version of a standard hatchback the same.

But Honda isn’t the only one to have done it – Holden’s Astra hatch range has a mid-range car called the RS, too, and there have been RS versions of other small hatches that didn’t live up to that standard in the past, too. At least we Ford has done the right thing in reserving it for a proper racy/sporty hatch in the case of the Focus RS.

Okay, now that’s off my chest, I’ll be able to go into this long-term ownership dealio with a clear head. But tell me if you concur or not in the comments section below.

Over the coming weeks this series of long-term reports will cover off all the important elements that matter to you as a buyer. Stay tuned for the next instalment.

2017 Honda Civic RS hatch

• Price: from $32,290 plus on-road costs
• Engine: 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol
• Power: 127kW at 5500rpm
• Torque: 220Nm at 1700-5500rpm
• Transmission: CVT automatic, front-wheel drive
• Claimed fuel use: 6.1 litres per 100 kilometres
• Weight: 1337 kilograms (tare mass)
• Seating: five
• Boot space: 414 litres
• Country of origin: Thailand
• Odometer at time of collection: 1400km

Click the Photos tab above for more images by Sam Venn.

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2018 Hyundai Santa Fe detailed: Active safety now standard across the range

The new model-year updates continue this week, with Hyundai announcing its upgraded 2018 Santa Fe range.

Headlining the changes for 2018 include the Hyundai SmartSense active safety suite being equipped as standard across the range – including autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with forward collision warning, lane departure warning, blind spot monitoring and radar-guided smart cruise control – previously limited to the flagship Highlander model.

Entry-level Active and ActiveX variants get the safety upgrade with no price increase, while also gaining a new 4.2-inch colour driver’s information display, replacing the outgoing model’s monochromatic 3.5-inch unit.

Other changes for the Active and ActiveX include an electronic parking brake, electrochromatic rear-view mirror, power folding side mirrors, and puddle lights in the side mirrors. The manual-equipped Active is no longer available, making the ActiveX the price leader and the Santa Fe range automatic-only.

Meanwhile, the higher-spec Elite and Highlander variants get a new 8.0-inch touchscreen navigation system, which also incorporates Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functionality.

Pricing remains unchanged despite the extra equipment, starting at $40,990 for the front-wheel drive V6 petrol ActiveX and climbing to $57,090 for the all-wheel drive turbo-diesel Highlander.

2018 Hyundai Santa Fe pricing

ActiveX 3.3 MPi FWD – $40,990
Active 2.4 GDi AWD – $41,850
Active 2.2 CRDi AWD – $44,850
Elite 2.2 CRDi AWD – $51,990
Highlander 2.2 CRDi AWD – $57,090

All prices exclude on-road costs unless otherwise specified

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