Black widow · Juke of Hazard Nissan to build its madcap Godzilla-based Juke-R super-SUV Dieter and Goliath Massive new Mercedes-Benz GL-Class is ready to conquer. Compare. Select

Black widowMental $600,000 baby SUV has real venom

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Issue 38 ● June 2012

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6 12French cross onPeugeot gets new taste for SUVs with Urban Crossover Concept

Fisky BusinessFledgling electric-car brand Fisker takes an Atlantic crossing

Juke of HazardNissan to build its madcap Godzilla-based Juke-R super-SUV

Dieter and GoliathMassive new Mercedes-Benz GL-Class is ready to conquer

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Juke of HazardNissan to build its madcap Godzilla-

based Juke-R super-SUV

Nissan Juke R //

By MIKE COSTELLO and DAVID HASSALL

NISSAN is building its wildest and most expensive car – a sub-compact hand-built SUV with the chassis and drivetrain from the all-wheel-drive GT-R ‘Godzilla’ supercar.

The Japanese car-maker gave the green light to a limited production run of its mad Juke-R that

was first presented as an apparently outlandish but street-legal concept in October last year.

It was originally conceived as a one-off experiment by a small group of Nissan engineers, having been built by British motorsport outfit RML with input from Nissan Technology Centre for Europe.

Its aim was to gauge public reaction to a sporty variant of the mainstream Juke, which

proved a smash hit in Europe with more than 100,000 units sold there in its first year but is not sold in Australia.

Nissan Europe’s general manager for crossovers and sports vehicles, Darren Cox, said his department was given just 22 weeks to fulfill the brief of creating “a supercar crossover that packs the performance of a GT-R into the Juke platform”.

“We’re a very innovative company and we just like doing crazy stuff like this,” he said last year. “You look at our history and there’s many, many examples of Nissan engineers really driving forward the business.”

Most people expected that any version to hit the streets would be a saner, toned-down version, but the production Juke-R has turned out to be even more powerful than the original



What a Juke! Massive flared wheelarches are needed to cover the GT-R underpinnings,

including 404kW turbocharged engine.

British-built concept.Underneath its snubby nose

lurks the upgraded engine from the latest GT-R – producing 404kW of power and 628Nm or torque – whereas the original had the 357kW/558Nm unit from the 2010 model.

The twin-turbocharged 3.8-litre six-cylinder engine produces considerably more power than the 140kW and 240Nm developed by the range-topping 1.6-litre turbocharged engine in the regular Juke.

Power is channelled to the road via the GTR’s advanced AWD system and its rear-mounted six-speed dual-clutch transmission.

Nissan has not revealed the 0-100km/h acceleration time for the production Juke-R, but the extra power should make it even faster than the concept, which was claimed to complete the sprint in just 3.7 seconds on its way to a top speed of 260km/h.

The Juke-R rides on 20-inch forged-alloy wheels beneath wildly flared wheelarches, more aggressive black-finished front and rear bumpers, and a wild racing-inspired split rear wing.

The regular dashboard was transformed to accommodate the gauges, dials and seven-inch customisable LCD display from the GT-R, while the cabin is kitted out with a pair of racing seats with five-point harnesses and a roll cage to meet FIA safety requirements.

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Put up your Jukes: Nissan’s amazing hand-built machine is ready to rumble.

manager for the Juke, Gareth Dunsmore, said the quirky fireball was a big enough hit on its global debut to justify a limited, built-to-order production run.

“The reaction we had to the car was amazing – people were making offers for the original on the street,” he said.

“With such a strong reaction, and with three genuine offers on the table, we decided we had to make the car a reality. We can’t let down enthusiasts who are this keen to add to their collection of cars.”

The Japanese car-maker has confirmed that two of the three orders to date are from “a high-profile and well-respected member of Dubai society” and the first examples will be delivered in August.

Nissan says it will build more Juke-Rs on request and will be taking orders in the coming four weeks before it commences production in earnest.

A report from France suggested that total

production will be capped at about 25 units.Nissan Australia general manager of corporate

communications Jeff Fisher told us there had been no expressions of interest from Down Under, but that it was too early to rule it out.

Nissan has also released a movie online in which the Juke-R – piloted by Le Mans driver Lucas Ordonez – races a Ferrari 458, an AMG SLS and a Lamborghini Gallardo in a street race through Dubai.

The car’s incredible price was revealed by Nissan Americas vice-president David Reuter, who said the strictly limited production car will be priced from around $US590,000 ($A585,000).

“We will make Juke-R available to customers anywhere in the world on a build-to-order basis,” said Mr Reuter. “It is intended for serious collectors and investors who want to own a true original, an innovative project that will only be created in extremely small numbers.”

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Peugeot gets new taste for SUVs with Urban Crossover Concept

Peugeot Urban Crossover Concept //

French cross onBy TERRY MARTIN

PEUGEOT unveiled an ‘Urban Crossover Concept’ at the recent Beijing motor show, offering a “new vision” of a sub-compact SUV that moves the French brand away from its current product-sharing offerings such as the Mitsubishi ASX-derived 4008 soon to be launched in Australia.

The new compact crossover design is credited to in-house teams in Paris, Shanghai and Sao Paulo and is described as marrying the “elegance and refinement” of a sedan and the “cheekiness and mischievousness” of an SUV with a “multi-role capability and unusual spaciousness” for this increasingly popular genre.

It further develops the themes expressed in the larger SXC concept unveiled at the Shanghai motor show last year, downsizing them into an urban-centred B-segment (light-car) package.

Specifications are thin on the ground, but Peugeot has revealed that the Urban Crossover Concept




City living: Peugeot says its crossover vehicle was designed with young urban dwellers in mind.

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measures 4140mm long and 1740mm wide, making it slightly smaller than the 4008 (4340mm long and 1800mm wide) but a little longer and narrower than the conceptually similar HR1 concept unveiled at the Paris motor show in 2010.

There is no word on the concept’s donor vehicle architecture or drivetrain, but, like the HR1, it is understood to be based on the same platform as the 208 series.

The HR1 employs Peugeot’s HYbrid4 technology, with a rear-mounted 27kW electric motor combining with an 81kW/195Nm 1.2-litre petrol engine to achieve reduced emissions, a short pure-electric range and four-wheel-drive capability.

Peugeot says the Urban Crossover Concept embodies its “know-how in creating a small vehicle combining agility, compactness, multi-role ability and confident styling at the

service of young city dwellers”.“Urban Crossover Concept wants to be

the synthesis of Peugeot’s know-how in creating a small vehicle combining agility, compactness, multi-role ability and confident styling at the service of young city dwellers who like the city, live the city, creating the city, while still loving to escape from it,” the company said.

“Urban Crossover Concept naturally embodies Peugeots new styling cues. With its athletic and classy lines, it imposes its audacious posture which shakes up and reinvents the standards of large vehicles for the small vehicle segment.

“It transcends borders – the borders of vehicle style and segmentation, the borders of the needs of future generations of customers, the borders between the city and nature, the borders between continents.”

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Massive new Mercedes-Benz GL-Class is ready to conquer

Mercedes-Benz GL-Class //

Dieter and Goliath


By MIKE COSTELLO

MERCEDES-BENZ used the New York motor show to unveil its new-look GL-Class large SUV, promising comfort levels on par with the S-Class limousine.

The Stuttgart marque’s revised Range Rover rival is likely to make its sales debut in the United States – far and away its biggest market – from September, before arriving Down Under in the first quarter of 2013.

The revised GL will be merely one part of an

increasingly-formidable Benz SUV line-up due to roll out over the few years, starting with the all-new M-Class that went on sale here in May.

Next year will also see Mercedes add an entirely new SUV model line to its Australian range, in the form of a baby crossover based

on the same new modular platform as the new B-class and forthcoming A-class and CLA models.

Little is known about this forthcoming SUV, but it is unlikely to break cover in production guise until early next year, perhaps at either

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GLee club: The new GL-Class will be joined by a number of other new Mercedes SUVs.

the Detroit motor show in January or at Geneva in March. From there, it looks set to hit Australian showrooms from the end of next year, finally giving the three-pointed star a legitimate rival to the likes of the Audi Q3 and BMW X1.

The gargantuan new seven-seat GL revealed in the Big Apple is 5120mm long, 2141mm wide and 1850mm high, making it slightly larger in every department than the current model. Its wheelbase remains at 3075mm.

A pair of engines – one petrol and one diesel – will be available at launch, each consuming substantially less fuel than those found in the current generation courtesy of technology such as idle-stop and low-rolling-resistance tyres.

The 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel in the entry GL350 BlueTec produces 190kW of power and 620Nm of torque (down from 195kW/620Nm in the current model), but consumes as little as 7.4 litres per 100km on the European combined cycle – a reduction of 1.8L/100km.

The flagship GL500 will feature a 4.6-litre BlueEfficiency V8 petrol producing 300kW and 600Nm (up 15kW and 70Nm) that propels the beast from 0-100km/h in 5.9 seconds while consuming 11.3L/100km combined – down from 13.5L/100km from the current GL500’s 5.5-litre V8.

Both variants will continue with a tweaked version of the current 7G-Tronic seven-speed


> FULL STORY

> FULL STORY

> FULL STORY

Mazda MX-5 to spawn Alfa Spider

THE electric car industry will use the famed Pikes Peak hillclimb in the United States on July 8 to promote the performance as well as environmental credentials of EVs.

A COLLISION warning system, blind-spot alert and keyless remote engine start are among the high-tech features set to make their Holden debut on the company’s new-generation VF Commodore and its American export offshoot, the Chevrolet SS, that are both due in showrooms next year.

ALFA Romeo will share Mazda’s next-generation MX-5 sports car from 2015, spinning off a born-again Alfa Spider from the Mazda-developed SkyActiv architecture. The roadsters will both be made at the Japanese company’s Hiroshima plant but will have different styling and unique powertrains.

Commodore to get pre-crash system

EVs head for the clouds

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Big Benz: GL cuts an imposing figure as the largest passenger

vehicle Mercedes-Benz makes.

automatic transmission. The current mid-range GL450 turbo-diesel

V8 – only introduced to the current model in Australia in March last year – will not carry over onto the new version.

The incorporation of more lightweight materials such as aluminium and magnesium has contributed to a weight reduction across the range, with the portly GL350 said to weigh almost 100kg less than the current generation’s scale-straining 2505kg kerb weight.

The more rigid redesigned bodyshell, optimised engines, tweaked chassis, better insulation and acoustic refinements are all said to add up to noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) levels on a par with the S-Class limo.

Meanwhile, the standard Airmatic air

suspension system, permanent all-wheel-drive system, hill assist and a maximum ground clearance of 285mm (fording depth 600mm) ensure the GL remains capable off the beaten track.

New technologies to join the range as standard include Crosswind Assist, Steer Control steering assistance and a Collision Prevention Assist active safety system. Also available will be Lane Assist, Blind Spot Assist and a parking package incorporating a 360-degree camera.

Australian pricing for the new GL has not been announced, but expect it to be broadly similar to the current model, which kicks off at $119,270 plus on-road costs in GL350 guise and climbs to $173,200 for the flagship GL500.

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\\ Fisker Atlantic

Fisky BusinessFledgling electric-car brand Fisker takes an Atlantic crossing


By HAITHAM RAZAGUI

START-UP car brand Fisker used the recent New York auto show to unveil a design prototype of its Audi A5-rivalling Atlantic luxury plug-in hybrid sports sedan.

Co-founder, executive chairman and design

director Henrik Fisker said development of the Atlantic – originally codenamed Project Nina – is 90 per cent complete.

Following reports and rumours about the Californian firm’s financial position, Mr Fisker also said the company’s funding is sufficient to

put the new model into production.Powered by the second generation of

Fisker’s range-extender hybrid drivetrain, the Atlantic also features innovations such as ice-like daytime-running lights and a “spider” glass roof that provides both improved roll-

over protection and increased headroom.The Atlantic is similar in size to the Audi A5

and BMW 3 Series coupe.Mr Fisker said that, while it was too early

to talk about pricing, “we are going into a segment somewhere around the Audi A5 (and)

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upper end of the BMW 3 Series”, which suggests an opening price around half that of the circa-$US100,000 ($A97,180) Karma.

Fisker is aiming the Atlantic at young families “who want to drive an impactful, high-end vehicle while making a positive statement about responsibilities” and is “engineered inside and out to offer a dynamic

yet compact feel on the road”.The drivetrain remains a secret, although Mr

Fisker announced at the unveiling that a small four-cylinder BMW engine will be used as the range-extending electrical generator. The use of lithium-ion batteries has been confirmed.

Short overhangs and a long wheelbase create interior space claimed to equal the A5 and 3

Series, while the second-generation range-extender powertrain is smaller, providing a more commodious luggage space, which can be expanded using the split-folding rear seats.

Mr Fisker said the panoramic glass “spider” roof, which incorporates a crossmember, provides more headroom than would be expected of a car with such a low-slung,

coupe-like silhouette.In addition to its sleek profile, the Atlantic’s

sporting intent is illustrated by frameless doors, with hidden rear handles enhancing the coupe look.

Mr Fisker claimed the Atlantic – which is primarilly a rear-wheel-drive model but will also be offered with optional all-wheel drive

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– will offer performance and fuel economy better than any in its segment and price range.

The Atlantic’s squat, four-square stance gives almost supercar looks and it bears a strong family resemblance to its similarly sculpted but larger Karma sibling.

Fisker describes the Atlantic’s lines as being inspired by nature and its stance as resembling a “wild tiger ready to pounce”, while its grille – an evolution of the Karma’s – combined with sharp-looking headlights are said to “create a greater rear-view mirror presence than any other vehicle in its class”.

On the aerodynamically optimised rear end, slim LED tail-light clusters flow into the bootlid and are split to

allow a wider opening.At the unveiling, Mr Fisker confirmed

the Atlantic prototype is an accurate representation of the production model, saying: “What you see today is a promise of what we will deliver.”

He is confident the Atlantic will attract many new customers who may not have previously considered an extended-range EV.

Apparently keen to allay concerns about the company’s financial health, Mr Fisker said the company’s first product, the Karma, which has been in production since July last year, is selling well and netted the company revenues of $US25 million in January and $US50

million in February.

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Black widow · Juke of Hazard Nissan to build its madcap Godzilla-based Juke-R super-SUV Dieter and Goliath Massive new Mercedes-Benz GL-Class is ready to conquer. Compare. Select