Holden has used the official unveiling of the new German-built Commodore range to outline its $50 million investment into the future of the brand in New Zealand. The asset boost includes 16 new builds, among them the Auckland-based Holden Training Academy for the carmaker’s 1400 NZ staff, and upgrades to the brand’s 51 outlets around the country. It also includes … [Read more...] about Holden NZ’s $50m injection into future with the new Commodore
Volkswagen's Piech
A line-up of electric vehicles, some of them for NZ market
The public relations hype claims New Zealanders are buying Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs) and Battery-Electric Vehicles (BEVs) at a rate faster than Europeans. Whatever, the electric vehicle (EV) numbers in this country are indeed growing. Here’s a brief look at current and future EVs. Tesla began Model 3 (above) production last August and planned to ramp it up to … [Read more...] about A line-up of electric vehicles, some of them for NZ market
Jeep heads into Aussie bush to give new Wrangler hard time
Jeep has been testing the new JL Wrangler in the harsh Australian Outback, focusing on suspension calibration and hot weather engine performance. The programme follows trials in New Zealand late last year where a handful of US motoring writers put JL Wrangler prototypes over high-country stations near Queenstown. American engineers Bernie Trautmann and John Adams set up … [Read more...] about Jeep heads into Aussie bush to give new Wrangler hard time
Hilux-Ranger rivalry: a new ute here, a new ute there
The cynics will say it’s more than coincidence, Toyota or Ford seemingly coming up with new variants of the Hilux or Ranger utes every time one or the other hogs the headlines. On the same day this week that Ford NZ grabbed all sorts of media attention with the launch of the Ranger Raptor, saying it would land here later this year, Toyota revealed its latest special-edition … [Read more...] about Hilux-Ranger rivalry: a new ute here, a new ute there
The Lone Ranger – a Raptor badge with small diesel donk
Hopes among Ford fans in New Zealand a year ago that the new Ranger Raptor double-cab ute would arrive in 2018 with a beefy all-American engine have been dashed – it gets a tweaked four-cylinder 2.0-litre diesel from the company’s commercial fleet, notably the Transit van. But whereas the Transit unit is boosted by a single turbocharger, the Raptor engine gets dual turbos – … [Read more...] about The Lone Ranger – a Raptor badge with small diesel donk