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Administrator

1,334 articles

Nissan expands Pulsar range

The Pulsar’s comeback to the Australian market is now complete, with the launch of Nissan's all-new Pulsar hatch, including the return of the SSS performance variant.Yesterday's launch of the Pulsar hatch follows the re-introduction of the Pulsar sedan to the Australian market in February this year, which has already seen the nameplate return to the ‘best sellers’ list in the small passenger car segment.“Nissan is excited to complete the comeback of the Pulsar today with the launch of the Pulsar hatch,” says William F Peffer Jr, Nissan Motor Company (Australia) managing director and CEO.

Australian Auto industry still has future

Federal, state and local governments are being urged to buy Australian made vehicles, to support the local automotive industry.Agreement on this basic requirement was reached at an industry summit, attended by the Prime Minister Julia Gillard, vehicle industry unions and company leaders, in Melbourne last week.“All parties acknowledged the shared responsibility in ensuring a viable, innovative and efficient automotive industry,” the participants said, in a statement issued afterwards.

State Budget of ‘Baubles, trinkets and debt’

The 2013/14 South Australian state budget provides little real relief for businesses struggling with a sluggish economy and overall is a disappointment, according to the State's Motor Trade Association (MTA).“It is a baubles and trinkets budget for business with some minor concessions but nothing to provide the substantial lift we need in a very poor economy,” says John Chapman, MTA CEO.“We are concerned that this is yet another budget built on debt which will blow out to more than $9.4 billion by 2015/16,” he says.

Improving choice of automotive repairers for consumers

The federal government has endorsed the need for a code of conduct between independent automotive repairers and car manufacturers to allow repairers access to the data they need to service modern cars.This is part of the Government's response to an inquiry by the Commonwealth Consumer Affairs Advisory Council (CCAAC) into choice for consumers in the automotive repair market.The government will ask the chairman of CCAAC, Colin Neave , to monitor industry-led negotiations on a voluntary code of conduct, with a report to Government by mid-year.

State sales steady in May

New South Wales was the month's top seller with 29,707 vehicles shifted, a dip of 104 units or 0.3% on May 2012.NSW's year-to-date (YTD) sales currently sit at 139,161 - up 4330, or 3.2%, on the same time period in 2012.Victoria had a healthy month with 26,226 sales, up by 1626 or 6.6%.

Colorado special edition on sale

Holden has added to its Colorado range with the release of a special edition 'thunder pack'.Now on sale at Holden dealerships around Australia, Colorado Thunder includes nudge bar, towing package, soft tonneau cover, front carpet floor mats, one-piece rear carpet floor mat, bonnet protector, slimline weather shields and Thunder badging.

Call for minimum 4-star rating on all new cars

All vehicles sold in Australia should comply with minimum ANCAP safety ratings - prospectively no less than 4-stars - and manufacturers should provide new safety features to Australian consumers at the same pace as in other countries.This is the opinion of Darren Chester, shadow parliamentary secretary for roads and regional transport, who is calling for renewed energy and enthusiasm to lower the road toll.Referring to the minimum 5-star ANCAP safety rating fleet purchasing policy adopted by the Australian Government in 2011, Chester points out that if the Government sets a 5 star ANCAP safety rating standard for its own employees, then it should require that all cars, for all people, meet this same standard.

Bank keeps key rate at 2.75%

The Reserve Bank has kept the cash rate unchanged at 2.75%, saying rates are low enough to encourage growth.

Toyota takes top spot in steady market

May new vehicle sales of 96,788 units represented a steady market compared to May 2012 with only a 0.7% increase, according to official VFACTS data released today by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI).