A special edition latest flagship coupe, the BMW i8 Protonic is being marketed under BMW’s Performance eco-focused sub-brand, and is to be released in a limited number in Australia. This is already an awe-inspiring sports car, and the new edition brings some unique trimming and cosmetic changes.
With its butterfly doors, spaceship look and cool design, this super sports car is in a word, desirable.
Special door sills have been fitted in this edition, and the Spheric seats are trimmed in a new high-end dark Mido leather with premium cloth inserts and Amido and yellow, with woven yellow stitching and grey seatbelts. Yellow piping finishes the floor mats. The roof lining is a soft anthracite in colour.
Externally the Protonic version of the hybrid supercar is differentiated from the regular models by distinct 20-inch matte-finish light alloy wheels.
The centre console features a gear lever with a black ceramic finish and carbon fibre trimmings giving a sporty, futuristic look. The iDrive controller sports a special engraved i8 logo.
Power for the special edition comes from the same 1.5-litre turbo-petrol three-cylinder engine producing 170kW and 320Nm. Although this is very impressive in itself, for a 1.5, it’s supported by a 7.1kWh electric motor assist system that produces 96kW and 250Nm. Combined output is rated at 266kW and 570Nm.
Across the 0-100km/h sprint, the i8 takes just 4.4 seconds. Despite the performance, fuel economy for the official combined cycle is rated at just 2.1L/100km. It can also drive on electric power alone for up to 31km and at speeds up to 120km/h.
The BMW i8 Protonic special edition is on sale in Australia from November, with prices starting at $303,300 (excluding on-roads). Buyers have the choice of Protonic Yellow and Protonic Black.
The Protonic versions of the BMW i8 will be sold in extremely limited numbers. Only six of these special vehicles will be released in Australia – and only one of these will be available in Frozen Yellow, with the remaining five being available in Frozen Black. The Protonic is certainly destined for collector status – especially the single Frozen Yellow which certainly qualifies as “ultimate i8 collector status”.
Think this is the car for you? Contact Carbiz on 1300889256 or message us today.
The updated BMW 2 series coupe and convertible will arrive in Australia in late September – featuring a minor mid-cycle upgrade.
The current line-up extends from the entry-level 220i priced from $51,300 before on-road costs or $58,300 if you opt for the convertible version, through 230i coupe and cabriolet, to the sub-M range-topping M240i which is also available in drop-top or tin-top versions.
The main changes include a redesigned nose with bi-LED headlights, a bigger kidney grille and a revised front intake design. An all-LED taillight design provides a fresh look for the rear. Externally, the pricier MY18 2 Series coupe and convertible get LED headlights standard: in a bi-circular design for 220i and 230i variants, and hexagonal-shaped Adaptive LEDs for the M240i M Performance models.
There are four more alloy wheel designs from 16-inch to 18-inch to choose from, and three new colours have been added as options – Mediterranean Blue, Seaside Blue and Sunset Orange.
Inside the cabin you will find a new instrument panel, new fabrics and new design stitching features throughout, highlighted by Pearl Chrome trim finishers, chrome window button elements and a centre console in high-gloss black. The cabin also9 features sliding covers for the front cup holders. Over all, the cabin has a more spacious, calmer and clearer feel.
The iDrive infotainment system has an in-built SIM card and ConnectedDrive services as standard. Extended net-based services include concierge services, real-time traffic information with hazard preview and access to the BMW Connected smartphone app where users can track vehicle information and remotely lock/unlock their vehicle via their mobile device.
Depending on the variant, included are Wi-Fi hotspot and Apple CarPlay, along with the larger Navigation Professional system, which also adds a touchscreen for the 8.8 inch display.
There are new driver assistance options such as adaptive cruise control with stop/go function, lane departure warning and autonomous emergency braking (AEB) which works at speeds of up to 60 km/h and can also detect pedestrians and motorcycles.
Engines are familiar: the 220i has a 135kW/270Nm 2.0-litre turbo-petrol, the 230i gets an uprated 2.0 with 185kW/350Nm, and the M240i range gets a 3.0-litre TwinPower turbo inline-six with 250kW/500Nm, and a 0-100km/h time of 4.6 seconds.
Contact Carbiz on 1300889256 or message us today.
The G300 CDI Professional wagon is new to the Australian market this year and offers a heavy duty 461 platform that is shared with military vehicles used by the Australian Defence Force as well as military units around the world.
This five-door wagon has the same heavy-duty chassis as the 2016 cab-chassis version, but has a shorter wheelbase.
The G-Wagen has live axles front and rear, coil springs all around and electronically switched diff locks front, rear and centre, standard fit all-terrain tyres all of which enable it to comfortably cross rugged and rocky tracks.
The powertrain is the same as the G-Professional models, comprising 3.0 litre V6 diesel engine and five-speed auto transmission. The V6 engine makes a modest 135kW and 400Nm – but it is designed to run on poor fuels and in harsh conditions anywhere in the world.
The G-Pro comes with a range of electronic driving and safety enhancements – ABS, electronic stability control with selectable on/off function, brake assist and electronic brake-force distribution. A tyre-pressure monitoring system and two airbags are also standard.
Like the G-Pro cab-chassis, the interior of the G-Pro is stripped out and barebones. There are runner mats in the footwells (no carpets), wind-up windows and central locking that needs you to put a key in the door. A PUR option pack adds leather to the seats and heating on the front pews, power adjustable door mirrors and a timber finish to the floor in the cargo area. There are 4 seats.
The sturdy roof rack is fully welded with no pop rivets or screws to loosen, and has a mesh floor in the centre. C-channels run down the sides for anchor points.
The G-Pro has a carrying capacity of 220 kg – much more than most utes on the Australian market. It has a kerb weight of 2140 kg. Included in the price are 16-inch alloy rims with 265/75R16 AT rubber, a bulbar, snorkel, radiator and sump protection plates together with indicator and headlight light guards.
The G-Professional provides practical, off-road ability and functionality. It is not the standard luxury, refined SUV – it is designed to get the job done under any conditions.
Keen to get the best price on this car? contact our team today!
The value of your car reduces the moment that you drive it out of the showroom. The average new car in Australia loses 15% per year in the first 3 years – that’s a whopping 40% in the first 3 years. Thereafter, the rate of depreciation slows to around 10% per annum – assuming that you don’t drive more than 15000 km per year. Think about it this way – if you spend $100 000 of a new car, in 3 years it will be worth only $ 60 000.
Not all cars depreciate in the same way – in Australia, desirability and practicality weigh in heavily on the depreciation rate. If you have a vehicle that is desirable, and people believe that it is a practical choice – it will depreciate at a lower rate, and more slowly. Remember that desirable doesn’t always mean a status symbol or a zooty sporty car – it means that a lot of people want one of these vehicles – think Mazda6, Honda Accord, Honda Odyssey, Daihatsu Terios, Audi Q5, Volvo XC60 which all hold their value a little better than the average car. But, at the end of the day, even these vehicles will lose their value just like all other cars.
Lets examine “practical”. In order to be considered practical, a car should have decent fuel economy, be reliable and easily usable for the daily commute.
On the opposite end of the scale are your more expensive vehicles, such as the Lamborghini Gallardo, which depreciate much faster than the average. Here you have a limited market in people who have the ready cash to buy such a vehicle, and best you have enough time to avoid selling up in a hurry and cutting your losses. Also in this category from a depreciation perspective is any sports car that has a poor reputation for durability.
Mileage is a big issue when it comes to depreciation of a vehicle – low-mileage vehicles will tend to look and feel better, and be more reliable. Therefore the lower the mileage, the lower the depreciation.
The desirability of any vehicle model will reduce when a new model is released (this is why dealers offer discounts on the last versions of an older model).
So to summarise – if you want to minimise the loss of value of your vehicle due to depreciation, buy a car that is loveable, practical and more than a year old.
The all-new Kia Stinger will launch in Australia later this year in October 2017. The all-new five-door rear-drive Kia Stinger, will arrive as a rear wheel drive, powered by a 3.3 litre V6 twin turbo mated to a 8 speed transmission. The Stinger produces 272kW of power and an impressive 510Nm of torque reaching an expected 0-100km/h in just 4.9 seconds. There will also be a 182kW 2.0 litre turbo on offer. Both engines will be available in three variants each.
Tuned and engineered by Albert Biermann, who was responsible for all of BMW’s M cars, the Kia Stinger is a rear-wheel-drive sporty sedan. Inside are three central aircon vents, a floating 8.0-inch tablet screen and a 15-speaker Harman-Kardon sound system, as well as a large number of technological features from Apple CarPlay to Android Auto and also an array of safety systems. Comfortable seats with plenty of storage space and knee room at the back. The spacious interior is mature and high-end with brushed aluminium, Nappa leather, a chunky steering wheel, as well as expensive-feeling materials everywhere – including Alcantara-style microsuede on the A-pillars.
Kia claims 0-100km/h in a launch-control assisted 4.9 seconds, with its 3.3-litre twin-turbo V6 sending power through an eight-speed torque-converter automatic to wide, 255-section Continental ContiSportContact 5 tyres. It has cutting-edge chassis electronics that very much work with the car’s power and rear-drive layout, rather than against it. The Stinger GT looks to be fun car to drive fast.
A special Australianised suspension tune will be unique to the Australian market, as Kia Australia wants to make it more of a corner-carver than a long-distance cruiser.
With 350mm four-pot Brembo front brakes, 19-inch wheels and wide tyres, it is incredibly stable at high speeds. Aggressively styled, with big 19-inch wheels, bonnet vents, quad exhaust pipes, assertive front bar and a fastback roofline, this car will have appeal in the Australian market.
The new Kia Stinger has been developed on the legendary Nürburgring circuit and will be further refined by Kia Australia to ensure the best ride, handling and stability package for our diverse roads and driving styles.
Interested in getting your hands on the latest cars to hit Australia? Contact Carbiz on 1300889256 or message us today.
Millennials have up to now been the focus of attention, but the first wave of the next generation, Generation Z, are starting to enter the workplace, and are bound to change the marketing environment, especially the new car market.
Generation Z (also known as iGeneration, Post-Millennials, Plurals or the Homeland Generation in the United States) is the demographic cohort after the Millennials. There are no precise dates for when this cohort starts or ends; demographers and researchers typically use starting birth years ranging from the mid-1990s to the mid-2000s, and as of yet there is little consensus about ending birth years.
A significant aspect of this generation is the widespread usage of the Internet from a young age; members of Generation Z are typically thought of as being comfortable with technology, and interacting on social media websites for a significant portion of their socializing. Some commentators have suggested that growing up through the Great Recession has given this generation a feeling of unsettlement and insecurity.
How is this generation likely to buy cars? Research is showing some interesting trends in this regard. Gen Z is not as materialistic as Millennials, and vehicle style and brand are not as important to Gen Z as they are to Millennials.
Gen Z do not trust autonomous vehicle technology to work, and 65% believe that “lack of trust in the technology to work” is a barrier to adopting self-driving vehicles.
According to the research, 92% of Gen Z own or plan to own a vehicle. The main motivation for this is a desire for freedom and convenience. Gen Z do not see a car as any type of reflection of themselves, and are therefore likely to make purchasing decisions based on function over form.
Being environmentally friendly is important to Gen Z – but not as important as price. Cheaper green cars will be top of their buying preference.
Gen Z is concerned about safety, more so than the infotainment features of a vehicle.
With Gen Z turning their back on TV, email and the fake world of celebrity, it is imperative that car manufacturers start to understand what drives this generation, and adjust their thinking accordingly.
We are all aware of the threat of hacking into our laptops or desktop computers, and to a lesser extent of awareness, our mobile devices – but our cars? Sadly, with the increase in technology being applied in our vehicles, such as internet WiFi hotspots and autonomous driving features, cars are going to be more vulnerable than ever to hacking and data theft.
In future, more vehicles are likely to rely more on external cloud services to assist with self-driving and other functions – and it is becoming more and more important that manufacturers should manage the security of automotive software and provide appropriate aftercare and incident response to ensure that these systems remain secure over their lifetime.
Right now, the risk of hackers gaining access to your automotive on board systems may be low, but as manufacturers increase their investment in self-driving technology this risk will rise over time.
Keyless entry systems are becoming common in modern vehicles. These systems work by recognising a low-powered signal from the key fob in a pocket or bag – unlocking the doors and enabling the ignition. There have been reports that car thieves use signal boosters to beat the need for proximity, allowing the thieves to open the car doors even if you are a distance away.
There are now concerns that thieves in Europe and Russia are bypassing the fob and car link altogether and hacking into the car systems directly using their own devices.
What can you do to protect your car? Make sure that your fob is stored well out of reach of your parked car at home. Consider buying a ‘Faraday Bag’ that blocks radio signals – or store your fob in the fridge or freezer at home. You could consider turning the fob off when not in use, or simply removing the batteries.
It should be noted that the problems emerging overseas have not yet reached Australia. Car manufacturers are also working hard to stay one step ahead. However, you do need to be aware of potential risks, and that security issues need to be considered for your vehicle as well as your other computer equipment.
As the old saying goes -your brand spanking new vehicle depreciates in value from the second that you drive it out of the showroom. Many of us opt for a lease for a new vehicle – this is a tax-efficient way to finance a vehicle without tying up capital. However, the market value of your vehicle at the end of the lease contract is a matter for speculation, with variables including the condition of the vehicle and the state of the market at the time.
With normal car lease programs, you pay an amount each month depending on how far you travel. At the end of the lease period, you can switch for a new vehicle or pay a lump sum or balloon payment. Sometimes the balloon payment is less than the car is worth, and you can sell the vehicle for a profit. However, sometimes the car has depreciated to the extent that the balloon payment is larger than the value of the car – mostly an unexpected and financially awkward situation.
With a guaranteed future value lease contract, when the contract ends, you have three options – you can keep the car, return the vehicle or trade it in for another vehicle. If you return the vehicle, all payment obligations cease. If you trade the vehicle in, and the actual trade-in value is higher than the guaranteed final value, then you will receive the difference. If you keep the car, you will pay the final figure as agreed at the beginning of the contract.
There are obviously terms and conditions that will apply to these deals, and these will vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. The bottom line is that this type of deal is only available for finance deals supplied by the manufacturer. Expect there to be limitations on distance travelled over the period of the lease, and the vehicle must usually be serviced within the manufacturer’s network.
Each manufacturer will have different guidelines for what is deemed to be normal “wear and tear” – make sure that you are clear on these, and also remember that “wear and tear” applies to paint, wheels, underbody, windows and interior. If the condition of your vehicle falls short at the end of the contract period, the guaranteed value will be adjusted accordingly.
Contact Carbiz on 1300889256 or message us today