Sydney motor show

[TheInterceptor]

Originally Posted by EgoFalcon

From memory, it was a V16 with a 14L engine?

Ah yes, you are right! Just double checked. Estimated 1001hp too

[Blue_XR]

I went to the show yesterday afternoon and I thought it was good but not enough wow factor from most manufacturers. I thought the stands from Ford, Porsche, Mercedes and Jaguar were good. Well they are the ones I really wanted to see. Even the 2 door Lexus which was on show that looked like a concept was nice.

I was quite impressed with the new A-Class Merc. Now that car is a looker. I am pretty sure it is a Focus size car but it looked a lot smaller inside. It is a much improved design on the previous A-Class inside and definitely outside.

I thought the Ford stand was good and I was impressed with the new Mondeo. Pictures do not do this car justice. The design seems to work together well. Even the Ecosport is not a bad bit of gear and if Ford play their cards right could have a winner on their hands with both of these models. Looking at the entire Ford line up though there isn't anything which is a bad car. They have the products to go toe to toe with others in the segments they are playing in.

The seats in the Focus ST are ultra supportive and comfy.

The Ford stand made you actually go in to have a look. It was simple yet effective in my eyes.

[In Focus]

http://www.carsguide.com.au/news-and..._plan_a_winner

More than 6000 people test drove a Ford at last week's Sydney Motor Show.
That's twice the number Ford predicted would try out its "Smart Drive" program and has prompted the carmaker to already book the sole outdoor venue for next year's Melbourne Motor Show.

Sydney showgoers could take a 10-minute drive of the Focus Titanium, Kuga and Ranger Wildtrak around a specially constructed course that highlighted key technologies and capabilities of the vehicles.

"The outdoor 'Smart Drive' has been a smash hit with showgoers. Even foot traffic walking past the Darling Harbour Convention Centre are stopping in to drive the cars on display," Ford Australia CEO Bob Graziano says.
"We had anticipated completing 3000 test drives across the entire motor show but we hit that number after the first weekend."

The active park assist was the most popular feature in the Focus, closely followed by the automated emergency braking system dubbed Active City Stop. The Ford Kuga compact crossover's touch-free tailgate opening system also copped a pounding.

Ford spokesman Neil McDonald says the same car was used throughout the show and cycled through more than 3000 displays of opening and closing its tailgate in response to a foot-wave under the rear bumper. The Ranger Wildtrak's hill ascent/decent software was also showcased, using a short but steep hill.

The outdoor track was marked out by shipping containers and up to seven vehicles at a time could be put through the course. "We're rapt. It definitely exceeded our projections and we're already thinking about the next one," McDonald says. That has included booking the outdoor venue at the Melbourne event for 2013, effectively locking its rivals out of what has instantly become one of the highlights of the show.

[OZQUAD44]

Well done to Ford by the sounds of it.

[nicco]

Originally Posted by TheInterceptor

Ah yes, you are right! Just double checked. Estimated 1001hp too

What is it? Looks awesome

[baboon]

Nice one Ford, well done. Letting the public have a 10 min drive of the cars is a BIG win!

[calais]

I went on the first monday of the show, later at night. It wasnt too packed at all, didnt have to wait to sit in anything!

I was most impressed by the the Volkswagen Beetle, it just felt nice to be in, and didn't look as god awful girly as the last 'New Beetle', all I can say is bring on the GTI!

The Peugeot 208 was a real looker too, such a nice little city car, 1.6 turbo too. They are somewhat expensive, but at least they fill that city car niche for a more enthusiastic driver.

I was also wrapped with the Ford stand, they had that stunning concept, the Mondeo, which I just think is the ducks guts, and the Focus ST which really impressed well beyond my expectations.

Mazda!....... The new 6 looked pretty darn good too, the turbo diesel will be an apsolute stormer. I really think their new design 'language' works for the brand, and by the looks of how many CX-5's I see on the roads, works well for the consumer too. I am looking forward to seeing what the next MX-5 looks like.

Ok... so now the bad.

Holden? WTF? They employed almost solely a fleet of moronic halfwits to 'introduce' their fleet of Cruze's and Commodores. Thats it. Besides having some Holden 'representitive' repeatedly tell me I was staring at a Calais (which was clearly a Caprice V)... pfft! There was nothing at all to report which was even slightly entertaining. The new Malibu is a dead set heap of the preverbial which when looked at in comparison to the Mondeo or 6 mde it even worse. They even had it locked too........ All I needed was one look to really understand just how badly Holden has missed the mark. And the HSV stand had nothing, no sneak previews, no information whatsoever about the next direction the company will be taking. It was hands down the biggest disappointment of the show.

Oh and to the bloke who mentioned the new Mitsubishi Outlander...... I agree. It is a bloody hideous car, Makes me wonder just how badly Mitsubishi is committed to flushing their dwindling reputation down the drain.

All in all, I got my $22 worth, and got up close with a few cars that may just one day grace my driveway.

[TheInterceptor]

Originally Posted by nicco

What is it? Looks awesome

A custom concept car made by these folk: http://woodsandwoods.com.au/