First it was an Isuzu executive, confirming three years ago last month that the new Mazda BT-50 would pretty much be a clone of the new Isuzu D-Max ute. Mazda’s next BT-50 ute will be rebadged Isuzu D-Max Now it’s the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance boss confirming that the new Nissan Navara will pretty much be a clone of the new Mitsubishi Triton. But unlike the … [Read more...] about Future of utes: next Triton and Navara will be clones
Volkswagen's Piech
Replicas of James Bond’s DB5 cost NZ$5.5m – with guns and gadgets
British brand Aston Martin may be deep in the red but it’s driving ahead with its multi-million dollar DB5 Continuation project, a recreation of the iconic car driven by James Bond in the film 1964 Goldfinger. The limited run of 25 cars is being built, exact replicas of the DB5 used by secret agent 007 in the third Bond movie. Aston Martin says it will begin deliveries of … [Read more...] about Replicas of James Bond’s DB5 cost NZ$5.5m – with guns and gadgets
Subaru: no measuring stick for combining petrol-electric power
Pretty much every maker of fuel-saving hybrid vehicles combines, on paper at least, the power and torque of both the petrol engine and electric motor for overall output. Even Ferrari does. Its hybrid hypercar LaFerrari, it says, generates 708kW – 588kW from its V12 petrol engine and 120kW from an electric motor. Toyota does too. Its premium hybrid Prius delivers 90kW – … [Read more...] about Subaru: no measuring stick for combining petrol-electric power
Jaguar Land Rover seeks $2 billion in British gov’t bailout
Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) says reports that it is seeking a NZ$4 billion bailout from the British Government are “inaccurate and speculative”– but it is in talks for help as it battles a steep fall in global sales as a result of the coronavirus lockdown. “We are in regular discussion with government on a whole range of matters and the content of our private discussions remains … [Read more...] about Jaguar Land Rover seeks $2 billion in British gov’t bailout
Hyundai Santa Cruz ute built around car-like architecture
Spy pictures of Hyundai’s Santa Cruz ute have been floating about for some time, but this first picture of the actual bodyshell shows how the four-door production version has grown from the two-door concept shown below. It is a logical step, seeing as four-door variants make up the lion’s share of ute sales. But Hyundai has steered away from the accepted logic in the … [Read more...] about Hyundai Santa Cruz ute built around car-like architecture