AUSTRALIA’S NO.1 AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY JOURNAL EDITION 1031 – JUL 22, 2020

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Fighting fitMercedes spells out move to fixed-price ‘agency’ sales model inAustralia, but warns franchising law reform could crush its plans

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By NEIL DOWLING

MERCEDES-BENZ intends to switch to an agency model of selling cars in Australia in 2022, but the German prestige car-maker’s worldwide head of marketing and sales, Britta Seeger, has warned that any changes to Australia’s franchising laws could potentially crush its controversial retail plans.

Under the model, the factory supplies vehicles on demand to dealerships at a fixed price, and in Australia it will expand on the current online, one-price selling arrangement implemented late last year with the introduction of the Mercedes EQC electric SUV, which at launch was handled by nine dealers acting as agents.

Honda next year plans to be the first car-maker to introduce a similar retail program across all its models in Australia.

But speaking at an international roundtable meeting with journalists – including GoAuto – last week, Ms Seeger said: “If there are

changes to the franchise laws, then we will reassess.”

Under her global remit, Ms Seeger, who is a member of the Daimler AG board of management and Daimler Mobility AG supervisory board, is the German auto giant’s leading spokesperson on digitisation, including online sales and aftersales programs and introducing new dealership models around the world.

She said the agency plan was “the future model for doing business”.

“In Australia, in order to be ready for the future, we needed to change our business model to move the dealer experience online, to make us fit for the future, and to increase our customer relationship,” she said.

“The best way to do this is to change from a franchise to an agency network.

“In Australia we have started with a close relationship with our dealers to find a common denominator to see how we can protect the business and the customer relationship for the future.

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EDITION 1031 - JUL 22, 2020GoAutoNews

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Continued from previous page

“The transformation required between us and the dealer is still going on in Australia and other markets.”

The agency program started last year with trials in Sweden. It is now in operation in Sweden and South Africa and is starting this year in Austria.

The program requires Mercedes-Benz to renegotiate its dealer contracts to allow it to control the sales process, with dealers handling customer service and deliveries in exchange for a set fee.

However, Ms Seeger said the program would not be introduced into markets where franchise laws made it too difficult.

“We have done this successfully in South Africa and in Sweden. Now we will enter Austria and, step by step, we will shift this business model to other countries,” she said.

“It’s not for every market. We are determined this is the right direction but we have to sort out individual markets where it fits. It will take some time.”

Asked if the US market was involved, Ms Seeger said that country had “a special franchise law”.

“So we cannot work with this and so we are looking at what is the right future for the customers in that market,” she said.

“If the regulator changes legal circumstances, we need to change our approach. So if this is the case in any market, we would need to reassess.

“We have many discussions with Australian dealers and we are finding the common denominator and we plan to switch over (to the agency model) with dealers within 2022.

“I know from many discussions that this is something to go forward in the future and I truly believe we will not see any other chances to provide the seamless customer experience.

“I truly believe this is the future model of doing things in automotive.”

Ms Seeger said the aim of digitisation for Mercedes-Benz was to increase the customer experience and make the buying and servicing process easier and quicker.

She said the company is aiming to sell 25 per cent of all its new passenger cars online by 2025, up from the current rate of less than five per cent.

But she said it was wrong to presume that dealers were being removed from the sales and marketing role in the Mercedes-

Benz network, with interaction between dealer and customer expected in at least 80 per cent of sales and service cases.

“I cannot imagine going forward with this agency model experience without having any contact with the dealers,” she said.

“We want the customer to decide what they need to do and how much they want from their dealer. The customer has to be allowed to choose what they want.”

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By CALLUM HUNTER

MERCEDES-AMG has revealed its most powerful and focused production car to date in the form of the GT Black Series – a track-focused, front-engine/rear-drive ‘super-sportscar’ designed as the pinnacle of AMG performance.

Due in Australia early next year, the GT Black Series’ headline act is a 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 petrol engine which, thanks to a new flat crankshaft, bigger intakes and intercoolers, new turbos and a myriad of other changes, produces 537kW of power and a monstrous 800Nm of torque.

What’s more, all 800Nm is available from 2000rpm right the way through to 6000rpm before peak power comes in between 6700-6900rpm.

There have been so many

changes to the Black Series’ V8 compared to the standard GT and GT R’s engine that it carries its own unique engine code.

The result of all this grunt is a 0-100km/h sprint time of just 3.2 seconds and a sub-nine-second dash to 200km/h before maxing out at 325km/h.

To deal with all this extra power, the familiar seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission has been beefed up and had its cooling system upgraded while the ratios themselves have been tweaked slightly to better suit the Black Series’ track focus.

Fittingly then, the Black Series comes with ceramic stoppers as standard with unique high-performance brake pads and cooling system.

Visually, there is no way you

could mistake the Black Series for any of the ‘lesser’ GTs – GT R Pro included – with major work carried out across the body and aerodynamic features lifted straight from the AMG GT3 racecar.

The gaping front grille is also lifted from the GT3 and not only feeds the engine but also the wheelarch coolers, negating the secondary vents found on other GT variants.

Below the grille is a two-way

adjustable splitter – with Street and Race positions – designed to increase downforce while also reducing drag.

The other major visual difference away from the aerodynamics is a new carbon-fibre slotted bonnet featuring a thin central scoop and two ‘exhaust air outlets’ designed to “guide the warm air, which is fed from the diagonally positioned cooling pack, out of the engine compartment”.

Viewed from the side, the silhouette is the familiar cab-back GT shape with the enormous GT3 wing being the only real deviation from the norm.

At the rear, the wing is once again the centre of attention, although the carbon rear apron featuring an integrated diffuser and quad-exit exhaust tips is impossible to overlook.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

Black magic

Mercedes-AMG’s most powerful production V8 headlines 537kW GT Black Series due early 2021

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EDITION 1031 - JUL 22, 2020GoAutoNews

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By CALLUM HUNTER

BMW has unveiled its long-anticipated iX3 electric SUV, a market newcomer boasting 460km of effective range and which is due to launch in Australia by the middle of next year.

Wading into the premium electric SUV segment against rivals including the Audi E-Tron and Mercedes EQC, the iX3 outruns its two main German rivals in terms of claimed driving range but is down when it comes to powertrain output.

With maximum power and torque pegged at 210kW and 400Nm respectively, the iX3 is down 90kW/360Nm on the Mercedes and 65kW/264Nm on the Audi (not including Boost mode).

As a result, the iX3 is not as quick from rest to 100km/h, stopping the clock at 6.8 seconds, while the top speed is electronically limited to 180km/h.

The battery itself is an 80kWh unit and can be charged to 80 per cent capacity in just 34 minutes when using a DC fast-charging outlet, adding up to 100 kilometres of range in just 10 minutes.

A newly developed ‘flexible fast charger’ cable will be available with the relevant adaptors to ensure compatibility with both

domestic and industrial sockets, as will a new ‘smart wallbox’ for monitoring energy expenditure during home charging.

To make sure the iX3 is as efficient as possible, BMW has implemented a series of so-called adaptive energy recuperation tools including the brake energy regeneration system which automatically adapts to the road situation based on data received from the navigation system and driver assistance systems.

It also knows when the vehicle is travelling on an open road such as a freeway or major highway and automatically engages a coasting function whenever the driver takes his or her foot off the accelerator.

The driver also has the option of manually selecting the level of regenerative braking – high, medium or low – when in driving position D.

Another piece to the iX3’s efficiency puzzle is the fact it is exclusively rear-wheel drive,

thereby eliminating the mechanical drag usually found with an AWD driveline.

Thanks to the slim and compact construction of the battery pack, the iX3 has a centre of gravity some 75mm lower than the combustion-engined X3, resulting in “noticeably enhanced lateral dynamics” with the RWD set-up helping to deliver “a classic BMW driving experience”.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

iX3 breaks free

Range, output the main talking points as BMW details all-new zero-emissions SUV due 2021

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EDITION 1031 - JUL 22, 2020GoAutoNews

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By ROBBIE WALLIS

AUDI has revealed the latest chapter of its electric revolution with the unveiling of the E-Tron S wagon and Sportback SUV pair, which takes zero-emissions performance from the German premium brand to new heights.

Due to launch in Australia in the second half of 2021, the E-Tron S uses three electric motors that combine to produce a hefty 370kW/973Nm when using the Boost function available for eight seconds.

This places the S a considerable 70kW/309Nm clear of the twin-motor E-Tron 55, which will sit at the top of the E-Tron range for the time being when the all-new, all-electric SUV launches in September this year.

Under normal driving conditions, the E-Tron S produces 320kW/808Nm, making it one of the most powerful offerings in Audi’s entire product portfolio.

Sprinting from standstill to 100km/h in the E-Tron S takes just 4.5 seconds (2.0s quicker than the E-Tron 55), while terminal velocity is pegged at 210km/h.

The triple-motor set-up in the E-Tron S sees the powerful 150kW rear motor in the 55 moved to the front, while the smaller front motor on the 55 is relocated to the rear and duplicated with another so there is one on each side of the rear axle, combining to produce 264kW.

FULL STORY: CLICK HEREMore reports – page 10

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EDITION 1031 - JUL 22, 2020GoAutoNews

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By ROBBIE WALLIS

MASERATI has begun its push towards electrification with the reveal of its Ghibli Hybrid sedan, marking the first model from the Italian brand to feature some form of fuel-saving green technology.

Due for a launch in Australia before the end of the year, the Ghibli Hybrid is headlined by its 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine mated to a 48-volt hybrid system comprising a belt-driven starter-generator (BSG), eBooster electric compressor, battery and DC/DC converter.

Combined output for the new powertrain is marked at 246kW at 5750rpm and 450Nm at 4000rpm, with an eight-speed ZF automatic transmission sending drive to the

rear wheels with the aid of a limited-slip differential on the rear axle.

The hybrid set-up helps propel the 1950kg Ghibli from standstill to 100km/h in 5.7 seconds and on to a top speed of 255km/h.

The four-cylinder engine is derived from Alfa Romeo albeit with a vast number of tweaks from Maserati, and will be the only four-cylinder offering in Maserati’s local line-up, with all other variants and models being powered by at least 3.0-litre V6 or larger.

It is understood the hybrid will replace the 202kW/600Nm 3.0-litre turbo-diesel V6 in the Ghibli range, while the 257kW/500Nm twin-turbo petrol V6 will remain.

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EDITION 1031 - JUL 22, 2020GoAutoNews

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By ROBBIE WALLIS

MINI has received a phenomenal response to its first-ever zero-emissions vehicle in Australia, the Electric Cooper SE Hatch, with its first allocation for this market sold out soon after the Launch Edition – priced from $59,900 driveaway – was announced early in May.

Speaking to GoAuto ahead of first deliveries commencing this month, Mini Australia general manager Brett Waudby described the customer response to the EV as “overwhelming”.

“All of our allocation is now sold out for this year, so if you want one you have to wait until 2021 arrivals which has surprised us no matter what,” he said.

“Australians love V8s here and we weren’t sure how this car would go

here but it’s gone amazingly well.”Mr Waudby added that the

company would try to secure more examples for Australia, with the majority of the initial run spoken for within one week.

“We pre-ordered 100 of these vehicles and we went online, it was one of the first vehicles we went online allocation with, and we sold about 70 to 80 per cent within the week,” he said.

“And this is a car that nobody’s actually physically seen or driven!

“Obviously, we’ve been trying to get more into the country, and if we can, we will, but given the current situation (with COVID-19) it’s definitely going to be a 2021 delivery for all new orders.”

Mini’s new EV is available in a single specification, the Cooper SE,

with all focus naturally centring on its powertrain that has an electric motor mounted to the front axle – producing 135kW of power and 270Nm of torque – and combines with a 32.6kWh lithium-ion battery.

Its output makes it more potent than most of its direct rivals such as the Hyundai Ioniq Electric (104kW/265Nm), Renault Zoe (68kW/220Nm), Nissan Leaf (110kW/320Nm) and upcoming

electric-only new-generation Fiat 500 (87kW), allowing for a 0-100km/h sprint time of 7.3 seconds – only 0.6s off its petrol-powered counterpart.

The main drawback is range – on the WLTP cycle, the Cooper SE only manages 233km of driving range between recharging, down on its rivals and well off the pace of the Nissan Leaf, which boasts up to 400km.

However, Mr Waudby said the lack of longevity was not a concern for Mini, as it would be targeted primarily at inner-city owners who will not be making many long trips.

“We’ve recently developed this car and it’s developed for a purpose, and that’s really the inner-city people, and to be honest if you want a long-range electric car the Mini isn’t going to be for you,” he said.

Continued next page

Mini EV sold out

First batch of British brand’s $60K electric hatch already spoken for – but we snag a first drive

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Continued from previous page

“And we expect that, we make no bones about it. This car for the inner city, that inner-city driving and nipping out is the perfect car.”

He added that there were no plans to supplement the full-electric powertrain with a range-extender set-up that uses a small combustion engine to help replenish the battery when on the move – as seen on the BMW i3 hatch, for example – and that for the time being there were no plans to bring more EV variants to other model lines in Mini’s range.

Four drive modes are available – Sport, Mid, Green and Green+ – which can adjust potential range by limiting ancillary functions like seat heating and air-conditioning.

Charging the battery from fully depleted to 80 per cent can be done in 35 minutes when using a 50kW fast-charger, and 3.5 hours when

using an 11kW socket.With the battery mounted under

the floor, centre of gravity is 30 per cent lower than the equivalent petrol grade. However, the SE sits 18mm higher off the ground to protect the battery.

Kerb weight has increased by 150kg to 1365kg with the EV, which has forced a retune of the suspension, while the instant torque delivery has meant the dynamic stability control system has been tweaked to avoid wheelspin.

With many of the powertrain components housed in the engine bay, cargo capacity remains the same at 211 litres – with charging cables stored under the boot floor – and this can be expanded to 731L with the rear seats folded.

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EDITION 1031 - JUL 22, 2020GoAutoNews

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By TERRY MARTIN

PORSCHE Cars Australia (PCA) has opened the order books for its new-generation 992-series 911 Turbo, which will slot underneath the ballistic Turbo S as a far more affordable, but still unquestionably quick, top-end sportscar from December this year.

The new 911 Turbo Coupe is priced from $396,500 plus on-road costs while the 911 Turbo Cabriolet starts at $417,500, making them $77,400 less expensive than their respective Turbo S counterparts and

placing each about $6000 upstream of the previous 991 series.

The benefits are immediately obvious as the Stuttgart sportscar specialist is quick to emphasise that the more powerful, faster and “even more individual” 911T matches the previous-generation Turbo S ballistic missile in terms of its 427kW power output (+30kW), 750Nm peak torque (+40Nm) and 2.8-second acceleration from standstill to 100km/h (-0.2s), now without an overboost time limit.

All of this derives from the same newly developed 3.8-litre (3745cc) twin-turbocharged six-cylinder boxer engine at the even faster-beating heart of the 992 911 Turbo S, which is due in Australian showrooms soon and, as previously reported, has raised the benchmark

further with 478kW, 800Nm and 0-100km/h devoured in 2.7s.

Top speed for the new 911T remains at 320km/h (10km/h shy of the new 911T S) as drive is directed through a model-specific eight-speed PDK dual-clutch automatic transmission and four-wheel-drive system.

The extra individuality referred to includes new options on 911 Turbo for the first time, including the sports exhaust system (with adjustable flaps) and sports chassis

already announced for the S.The sports chassis takes a less

compromising, racetrack-oriented position than the standard Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) chassis set-up, with a firmer and lower (-10mm) suspension setting designed for improved dynamics and extra stability at high speeds.

As with the Turbo S, the standard Turbo has a wider chassis and body which in this case has an extra 42mm and 10mm of front

and rear track width respectively, as well as a mixed wheel and tyre combination of 20-inch rims and 255/35-section tyres at the front and 21-inch 315/30 behind.

Braking hardware has also come in for a serious overhaul, the cast-iron front brake discs now measuring 408mm diameter (+28mm) and 36mm thick (+2mm). The rear axle uses 380mm x 30mm rotors.

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EDITION 1031 - JUL 22, 2020GoAutoNews

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By ROBBIE WALLIS

AUDI Australia has announced pricing and specification for its most potent SUV to date, the RS Q8, with the manic twin-turbocharged V8 touching down in October priced from $208,500 plus on-road costs.

Only the second fully-fledged RS SUV in Audi’s range after the RS Q3 pocket rocket, the RS Q8 represents the flagship of the German brand’s SUV portfolio and comes with an engine to match – a 4.0-litre twin-

turbo petrol V8 borrowed from the RS6 and RS7 pair, tuned to produce a hefty 441kW of power and 800Nm of torque.

This is enough to see it comfortably positioned as the most powerful SUV in Audi’s local portfolio, ahead of the 320kW SQ7/SQ8 diesel, and places it squarely in the sights of the BMW X6 M Competition (460kW/750Nm) and Mercedes-AMG GLE63 S Coupe (450kW/850Nm).

The engine also features 48V mild-hybrid technology and cylinder deactivation that can help reduce fuel consumption by as much as 0.8 litres per 100km.

With the V8 under the hood driving all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission, the burly SUV can rocket from standstill to 100km/h in just 3.8

seconds, on to 200km/h in 13.7s and to an electronically limited top speed of 250km/h.

Despite its heft, the RS Q8 is still nimble through corners, as evidenced by its record-setting lap of the Nurburgring for a production SUV, achieved in just 7:42.253 minutes.

Like all Audi Sport offerings, the RS Q8 comes with standard

quattro all-wheel drive that in this case has a 40:60 front/rear torque

bias which can be altered to send up to 85 per cent to the rear wheels for optimised sporty driving.

The quattro sport differential mounted on the rear axle helps channel the power accurately to the rear wheels, while dynamics are further aided by the fitment of

all-wheel steering, which is designed to make the RS Q8 nimbler at low speeds and stabler at high velocity.

Leveraging the 48V mild-hybrid system, electromechanical active roll stabilisation comes as standard, which works with the adaptive air suspension to smooth out road imperfections and keep the SUV low and flat through corners.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

High command

Audi prepares to launch its most powerful SUV ever via $208K RS Q8 with 441kW biturbo V8

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EDITION 1031 - JUL 22, 2020GoAutoNews

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By NEIL DOWLING

AUSTRALIAN military vehicle manufacturer Thales has won a $NZ102.9 million ($A96.5 million) contract to supply and support 43 Bushmaster vehicles to the New Zealand Army.

Based in Bendigo, Victoria, Thales Australia also manufactures the smaller Hawkei seven-tonne 4x4 military vehicle for the Australian Army and is completing production of 1100 units and 1058 trailers in a contract worth $1.3 billion.

Thales Australia has also exported almost 180 units of the larger 11-tonne Bushmaster 4x4 in recent years, with the New Zealand contract coming just after the Netherlands ordered an additional six vehicles to its existing fleet of 100.

Thales, part of the French military and aerospace company Thales Group, manufactures in Bendigo but sources components from Australian subcontractors including Wollongong-based Bisalloy Steels, AME Systems in Ararat, DVR Engineering in Melbourne and KAB Seating in Dandenong.

The latest deal is understood to have secured 300 jobs at the Bendigo factory for the next two years, if not longer, and about 200 other jobs in the supply chain.

The New Zealand contract for the Bushmaster vehicles will replace its fleet of armoured Steyr Pinzgauer vehicles.

NZ defence minister Ron Mark said the new fleet of 43 Australian-designed and -built Bushmaster NZ5.5 vehicles would provide

better protection for personnel and improved carrying capacity.

“The age and lack of protection offered by the old fleet make this another investment in New Zealand Defence Force capability that must be made in order to protect our service people,” he said when announcing the contract.

“The need to replace the army’s fleet of land vehicles was outlined in last year’s Defence Capability Plan, with the armoured Pinzgauer

highlighted as a vehicle type reaching the end of its operational life and prioritised for replacement.

“The New Zealand Army operates in diverse and challenging environments, so a multipurpose, highly mobile vehicle has been selected, one that has proven its ability to provide a high level of protection.”

The substantial contract covers the vehicles, training, a desktop simulator, support equipment and

infrastructure upgrades at Linton Military Camp near Palmerston North on New Zealand’s North Island.

“The versatility of this vehicle will increase the defence force’s ability to help our communities during a time of need such as a natural disaster, and contribute to supporting vital peacekeeping operations with our global partners,” Mr Mark said.

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EDITION 1031 - JUL 22, 2020GoAutoNews

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By CALLUM HUNTER

FORD Australia is beginning to roll out its advanced new FordPass Connect embedded modem, with the Ranger ute, Everest large SUV and Transit van the first to score the new connectivity features from this month.

In essence, the Blue Oval brand will fit its entire line-up with the new cloud-based modem that can remotely link owners with their vehicles via the FordPass app, which can be downloaded from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.

From the app, owners will be able to perform a range of actions remotely, such as starting and stopping the vehicle (automatic models only), locking and unlocking, locating the vehicle when parked, receiving live

traffic updates and monitoring the vehicle’s ‘health’ in areas like tyre pressures, fluid levels and service intervals.

According to Ford, the idea behind the FordPass Connect system was to create a ‘connected car’ experience and put “the power of ownership into the palm of your hand”.

Customers will also be able to book logbook servicing online, access warranty details and owner manuals, roadside assistance contact numbers and general troubleshooting.

The modem itself is fitted with an internet-compatible and global-roaming SIM card linked to all three mobile carriers in Australia – Telstra, Optus and Vodafone – while in New Zealand it is linked with Spark and Vodafone.

“As a result of that, the quality of the signal strength is always going to be at its maximum because it’s always going to pick up the strongest signal at the time,” said Ford Australia mobility and connectivity manager Christine Wagner.

Presenting the new system to journalists at a media event last week, Ms Wagner said the Ranger, Everest and Transit were chosen as the first vehicles to be fitted with the new system due to the integral nature of technology in their owners’ lives.

“You only have to look at the average Ranger customer to understand how integral technology is to their lives, how important it is to have technology that works and they are very engaged in all aspect of the products that we offer,” she said.

“In that context, offering this technology to them and making them among the first customers to access it is a deliberate strategy, it’s where we get to learn a great deal very quickly as to if this technology makes a difference for them, whether it’s in work context, whether it’s in a recreational context.”

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

Strong signal

Blue Oval takes another tech step forward withFordPass Connect app/embedded modem launch

By CALLUM HUNTER

THE Ford Motor Company has finally unveiled its reborn Bronco off-roader in the United States, with the highly anticipated all-new model available in both two- and, for the first time ever, four-door guise.

Despite being based on the same Aussie-developed T6 platform as the current Ford Ranger ute and derivatives, the new Bronco was not developed for right-hand drive and therefore will not be coming to Australia under any official factory program.

The same is true for a smaller Bronco Sport model developed in conjunction with Bronco.

Taking the fight up to Jeep and its iconic Wrangler, Ford says the all-new Bronco is built with “the toughness of an F-Series truck and performance spirit of Mustang”.

On the performance aspect of that statement, power is rated at 201kW and 420Nm courtesy of Ford’s 2.3-litre turbocharged EcoBoost four-cylinder engine paired with either a seven-speed manual gearbox or optional 10-speed automatic.

A 231kW/542Nm 2.7-litre twin-turbocharged V6 petrol engine is also available, paired exclusively with a 10-speed auto.

Underlining its toughness and off-road ability, seven drive modes – Normal, Eco, Sport, Slippery, Sand, Baja, Mud/Ruts and Rock Crawl

– will be fitted standard, while a 94.75:1 crawl ratio should ensure no reasonable incline is insurmountable.

To complement the varying body styles, there are two different 4x4 systems available for the new Bronco.

The standard system utilises a two-speed electronic shift-on-the-fly transfer case while an optional advanced system features a two-speed electromechanical transfer case that adds an auto mode for on-demand engagement between 2H and 4H.

Maximum ground clearance for the two-door is rated at 295mm while the four-door sits just 3mm lower.

The Bronco also comes with a claimed best-in-class wading depth of up to 851mm, with breakover and departure angles pegged at 29 degrees and 37.2 degrees respectively.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

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EDITION 1031 - JUL 22, 2020

PAGE 15

GoAutoNewsMarket Insight

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By TERRY MARTIN

THE Chinese car industry has continued its strong performance in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic from which the world’s biggest automotive market was the first to recover, setting a new record of 2.3 million new-vehicle sales in June.

According to figures released by the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM) last week, the June result represents an 11.6 per cent upswing from the corresponding month last year and the third consecutive month of year-on-year increases, following a 14.5 per cent rise in May (to 2.2m units) and a 4.4 per cent return to form in April (2.1m).

The positive results are particularly relevant given the pre-pandemic slowdown in the Chinese car market, which due to a broad range of economic and political factors – including the winding back of subsidies for electrified vehicles – had not seen a monthly sales increase since mid-2018.

The industry’s sales across the first quarter were deeply impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, with March

down 43.3 per cent (to 1.4m units) after a heavy 79.1 per cent plunge in February (to 300,000) and early warning signs in January when the market fell 18.7 per cent (to 1.6m).

At the end of the first quarter, the market had dropped 42.4 per cent to 3.672 million units, but at the end of first half the rebuilding process and positive momentum has seen the industry halve that deficit to 16.9 per cent, at 10.257 million.

By comparison, at the halfway point of 2019, the Chinese auto market was down 12.4 per cent on the previous year.

The most recent official forecasts for the full 2020 calendar year, made during June, were sticking with a broad 10-20 per cent downturn from the 25.8 million vehicles sold last year.

Commercial vehicles, led by light and heavy trucks, are continuing to underpin the growth in China, pushing up the numbers with an impressive 63.1 per cent increase in June to 536,000 units. Of these, 494,000 were trucks (+72.6%), marking an all-time record for the category.

In the pick-up truck class, 57,000

sales were recorded last month, up 74.5 per cent as the sales resurgence continues.

For the year to date, commercial vehicles overall are up 8.6 per cent to 2.4 million units, thanks largely to the 10.8 per cent growth in truck

sales (to 2.2m). Pick-ups stand at 212,000 units, now down only 7.5 per cent on 2019’s first half of trading after bogging down in earlier months.

This compares to the higher-volume, though harder-hit, passenger

car sector that posted a 1.8 per cent improvement last month to 1.8 million units but remains in negative territory for the year to date, down 22.4 per cent to 7.9 million.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

Record 2.3m sales in China last month reflectsrecovery in world’s biggest auto market

China’s rebound

GoAuto Market Insight brought to you by Op2ma

January February March April May June YTD

0

20

% -40

-20

-80

-60

-100

Chinese car industry sales performance this year

Source: CAAM

EDITION 1031 - JUL 22, 2020

PAGE 16

GoAutoNewsGreen

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By CALLUM HUNTER

NISSAN has made its first foray into the electric SUV market with the all-new Ariya unveiled in Japan last week ahead of a mid-2021 launch in its home market.

Still to be officially confirmed for Australia, the Ariya is based heavily on the concept bearing the same name from the 2019 Tokyo motor show and is the first production model representing Nissan’s new “electrified brand identity”.

The zero-emissions mid-size SUV will be offered overseas in four different variants based around two powertrain and driveline configurations – single-motor/front-wheel-drive and dual-motor/AWD – and two battery sizes:

65kWh and 90kWh.Power output and driving range

varies on each variant, with up to 290kW and 610km available respectively.

Visually, the Ariya is undeniably a Nissan and yet does not closely imitate any member of the current model line-up.

At the front is a solid, inverted trapezium grille Nissan describes as a ‘shield’ flanked on either side by a LED running lights which flick up to underline narrow LED projector headlights.

The first showing of the newly redesigned Nissan badge adorns the grille while a black centrepiece bridges the gap between the

darkened headlight arrangements.Below the grille is an aggressively

shaped, multi-layered front apron which looks to double as a front splitter as the upper layer curves down towards the corners of the bumper.

Set into the ‘cheeks’ of the Ariya are two tall, thin vents skirting the edge of a prominent contour line with sensors nestled in the bottom.

With a sleek coupe-like roof and doorline, Nissan has given the Ariya

a sporting flavour while also making it as aerodynamic as possible.

The vehicle measures 4595mm long, 1850mm wide and 1655mm tall – placing it in between the current Qashqai and X-Trail – and rides on either 19-inch or 20-inch aero five-spoke wheels depending on the trim level.

At the rear is an integrated roof spoiler, below which sits another prominent contour line which can be

traced along the flanks of the vehicle and up to the front end, creating a seamless parabolic character line.

A single-piece light strip containing the tail-lights, brake lights and indicators runs across the entire width of the tailgate, designed specifically to be blacked out when not in use and complementing the two-tone nature of the front.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

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EDITION 1031 - JUL 22, 2020

PAGE 17

GoAutoNewsPersonnel

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By TERRY MARTIN

TOYOTA Australia is laying the groundwork for a significant boost to its product planning and development division, recruiting senior personnel for a two-year assignment that includes work on a vehicle conversion project and will “bring to market highly desirable products that meet the future needs of customers”.

While the timing ties in neatly with the expected North American debut late next year of the new-generation Tundra full-size pick-up – a model for which Toyota Australia has spent years working on a business case and remains an ongoing study – the local subsidiary of the Japanese auto giant has told GoAuto that there are still no plans to convert the Tundra to right-hand drive in Australia.

This holds true for either an in-house conversion operation in the foreseeable future or one that is developed in collaboration with a third party such as Walkinshaw Automotive Group, which currently converts Ram and Chevrolet pick-up trucks for this market.

In a nutshell, the latter just “doesn’t really align with the Toyota philosophy”.

A Toyota Australia spokesperson

also said the two new ‘conversions project co-ordinator’ roles currently being advertised – one a senior position, the other more general – would contribute to existing projects already underway at its Port Melbourne design, engineering and product testing and evaluation centre.

“These new roles will further strengthen the expertise within our product planning and development division, and will contribute to existing projects that work to continually progress Toyota’s advanced and future technologies,” the spokesperson said.

In the job description, Toyota says the senior project co-ordinator will be “primarily responsible for leading a vehicle conversion project, co-ordinating stakeholders through the design, development, evaluation and production preparation, working with multiple areas and providing direction on business strategy and planning to bring to market highly

desirable products that meet the future needs of customers”.

The role is specified as a key liaison point “in respect of conversions projects for stakeholders, suppliers and customers, including global company headquarters”.

Toyota also says the position “would suit someone with experience in new automotive technologies looking to take a leadership role to deliver projects, or someone with proven track record in project management and leading cross-divisional teams who has a keen interest in the automotive industry”.

A separate position is also currently being advertised for a

product planning specialist who will “support the development of future model line-ups for commercial vehicles”.

The product planner will, according to the advertisement, be expected to “strategically develop commercially sound product strategies to determine product specification, price and volume, with insight into the customer and marketplace of the future”.

The successful candidate will also be required to present key findings from market and product research directly to Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) in Japan.

Senior industry sources have told GoAuto that Toyota’s latest recruitment drive points to a major product initiative.

If not Tundra, this could simply tap into the ongoing Australian-developed, Thai-built HiLux Rogue and Rugged X programs that have carried through to the updated series

that will be released late August, however the company has made it clear to GoAuto that any future performance models that would rival the Ford Ranger Raptor with a significant powertrain upgrade – which is something to watch out for – would not be the responsibility of the local R&D operations.

There are also no moves for Australian development of fuel-cell electric vehicles, such as a locally converted HiAce FCEV, which could be used for pilot purposes as Toyota invests heavily in its hydrogen centre at the company’s former car manufacturing plant at Altona in Melbourne’s west.

As GoAuto has reported, this centre will deliver Victoria’s first commercial-grade hydrogen refuelling station by the end of this year and will be supported by a hydrogen production and storage facility.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

TOYOTA TO BOOST LOCAL PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

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EDITION 1031 - JUL 22, 2020

PAGE 18

GoAutoNewsDiary

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GoAuto New Car Diary brought to you by Autotrader

By ROBBIE WALLIS

BENTLEY has revealed the first update for its landmark Bentayga luxury SUV, which brings fresh styling, updated technology and new powertrains – including plug-in hybrid – to the range.

The overhaul is the first since the box-fresh Bentayga arrived on Australian shores in March 2017, with the upgraded model easily distinguished by its revised exterior

styling that brings it closer into line with the rest of the Bentley range.

From the front, the Bentayga now features a more upright fascia with a more vertically oriented matrix grille, while the twin circular LED matrix headlight clusters have been restyled and raised 30mm to better match the Continental GT and Flying Spur.

The lights also feature a cut crystal design which gives the impression of sparkling even when

not illuminated, while the front bumper has received a sportier, more aggressive design.

From the side, new 22-inch wheels are featured, along with restyled side skirts and a longer vent above the front wheelarch helping to give the Bentayga a more stretched and sleeker look.

The biggest changes are at the rear, with heavily revised tail-lights now in an oval shape to match the

Continental GT and with a lattice pattern that gives the lights a 3D-like glow when illuminated.

A new full-width tailgate has been fitted, moving the rear numberplate into the bumper, while a longer roof spoiler emphasises the Bentayga’s sporty characteristics.

Inside the cabin, the centre fascia has been treated to an extensive redesign with the new-generation 10.9-inch infotainment touchscreen

now spanning the entire width of the fascia.

The system comes with advanced satellite navigation with real-time traffic information and 3D maps, (wireless) Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and remote connected services, while the head-up display can now show traffic information, street names and distance to destination.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

First update for Bentley’s SUV targets styling,tech, sheer opulence and PHEV powertrain

Bentayga boostJUL

LAUNCH

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Audi’s avalanche of new model releases continues apace with a host of high-performance hardware arriving in showrooms this month, including the fresh TT RS from $134,900.

Audi RS6/RS7

Audi RS Q3

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Audi TT RS

Kia Picanto

Mercedes-Benz GLB

Mini Electric Hatch

Mitsubishi Express

Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR

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THE BUSINESS PAGES OF GOAUTONEWS

EDITION 1031 - JUL 22, 2020 SUBSCRIBE FREE: CLICK HERE ADVERTISE: CLICK HERE

By NEIL DOWLING

HOLDEN’S prized Lang Lang proving ground south-east of Melbourne remains on the market despite speculation that includes a potential sale to transport businessman Lindsay Fox and Vietnamese car-maker VinFast.

Currently, the identity of bidders and pricing for the 877-hectare site are unconfirmed. Selling agents CBRE told GoAutoNews Premium that it was unable to comment on the sales campaign. Meanwhile, VinFast responded by saying Lang Lang was “under an investigation process”.

The proving ground property at Lang Lang, 86km south-east of Melbourne, was thought to have been crown land and it was being said that the sale would revolve around a buyer taking on leasehold. This would have meant there were 36 years remaining on the typical 99-year lease on the government land after General Motors-Holden Ltd took on the property in 1957.

But information uncovered by

GoAutoNews Premium shows the land was purchased as four parcels, two from private owners and two from the government.

GM-H bought the crown land of 421.3 hectares in February 1956 for £8000, equivalent to $260,000 today. An additional 5.7 hectares was bought from the government in July 1956 for an undisclosed sum.

The private land, which is at the front of the property and borders the Bass Highway, covered about 445 hectares (1100 acres) but its sale price was not disclosed.

The Lang Lang proving ground was built in stages and was modelled on the 1623-hectare General Motors proving ground at Milford, Michigan, and those at Phoenix, Arizona, and Manitou Springs in Colorado.

GM-H previously used public roads for testing its vehicles and then, faced with problems ensuring reliable and consistent tests, used part of the land it owned at Dandenong.

Continued next page

Consumers pulled $16b from superCitiGroup research: Retail boom in June quarter but outlook not as bullish

Dealers sitting on a fortuneAbsolute Results using multimillion-dollar technology to identify customers most likely to buy now

GM liquidation of assets ends proving ground’s 62-year association with Holden

mis@kpmg.com.au

Not just a view from the top.

Holden selling Lang Lang

The business pages of GoAutoNews

PAGE 20EDITION 1031 - JUL 22, 2020

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Continued from previous page

When Dandenong became GM-H’s additional manufacturing facility, the company looked for land for its own testing.

It said at the time that it “wanted a site where a private road system could be surveyed to duplicate virtually any type of surface or gradient in this country”.

It also specified a proving ground that could measure Holden performance against the actual road conditions, climate, and rigid requirements of Australia.

Within the first year of operation from 1958, GM-H spent £200,000 (today equivalent to $6.4 million) on the land and improvements, not including the main buildings and the proving ground banked track.

Since 1958, the property has

been improved to now comprise 877 hectares with 44km of roads including the 4.7km four-lane banked high-speed track, a 5.5km ride and handling track, a 100-metre diameter skid pad and a road section of 1.8km with rumble strips and tram lines.

Improvements in recent times include $8.7 million to renovate and upgrade buildings, and $7.2 million on relaying the banked test track.

The Lang Lang proving ground listing follows the sale in 2016 of Holden’s 37.7-hectare Fishermens Bend manufacturing plant for $130 million to the Victorian state government for an education facility.

It has also sold its Adelaide factory to developer Pelligra Group. This is being redeveloped as a business park.

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The business pages of GoAutoNews

PAGE 21EDITION 1031 - JUL 22, 2020

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By NEIL DOWLING

SELLING services to the electric vehicle market could be worth $A21.6 billion a year within a decade as fleets embrace EVs, according to management consultancy McKinsey & Company.

It said the prediction means companies can boost revenues by selling more electric power and charging infrastructure, and also providing services that support the charging of EVs.

“EV fleets represent a particularly promising segment of the potential market for charging services, which can help fleet operators reduce their costs by procuring and managing energy in efficient ways,” it said in a report on the EV market.

“In the US, the market for fleet-charging services could amount to

$US15 billion ($A21.6 billion) per year by 2030.

“Although this market is fragmented and undeveloped, it is not too early for companies to position themselves to compete in it. Companies should recognise that delivering these services will likely require new business models – and prepare accordingly.”

McKinsey said that sales in the US of commercial EVs have continued to grow despite being more expensive to purchase than comparable vehicles with internal combustion engines (ICEs).

“However, their superior efficiency, the moderate price of electricity, and the high utilisation of fleet vehicles allow fleet operators to quickly recoup the extra up-front cost of an EV and achieve a lower total cost of ownership,” it said.

“Our estimate suggests that fleet EVs can have a total cost of ownership that is 15 to 25 per cent less than that of equivalent ICE vehicles by 2030.”

Based on the assumption that EVs will have widespread adoption, McKinsey projects that commercial and passenger fleets in the US could include as many as eight million EVs by 2030. This compares with about 5000 in 2018.

That would amount to between 10

and 15 per cent of all fleet vehicles being EVs.

“Powering those EVs will require a great deal of investment and infrastructure,” McKinsey’s report said.

It estimates that the US will need about $US11 billion ($A15.9 billion) of capital investment by 2030 to deploy the 13 million chargers needed for all of the country’s EVs.

“Fleet EVs alone would consume up to 230 terawatt-hours of power per

year, which would be approximately six per cent of current US power generation,” it said.

“Their batteries would offer roughly 30 gigawatt-hours of electricity-storage capacity, or 15 to 20 per cent of projected capacity in 2030.

“Mass deployment of EV charging infrastructure will bring opportunities to run that equipment more efficiently and cost effectively.”

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

Smart companies could get into the business of selling power and systems for fleet EVs

Fleet EV charging worth $A22b a year

A L I C E

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The business pages of GoAutoNews

PAGE 22EDITION 1031 - JUL 22, 2020

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By NEIL DOWLING

NISSAN has unveiled a new logo that aims to launch the brand into a new generation of models and specifically a move towards digital connectivity and electric mobility.

The open-sided circle with the Nissan name in a new script will begin to be used later this month and will first appear on the Ariya EV, the brand’s first crossover electric model.

It replaces a more modest logo that Nissan has used for the past 20 years.

Nissan’s senior vice-president of global design, Alfonso Albaisa, said the new logo started its development in mid-2017 with the establishment of a design team led by Nissan’s deputy general manager of the advanced design department, Tsutomu Matsuo.

It was charged with studying everything from a subtle evolution to a complete reinvention.

Mr Albaisa offered the keywords “thin, light and flexible” and set Mr Matsuo and his team on their journey.

“Inspiration was drawn from breakthroughs in science, technology and connectivity. How these have brought fundamental changes to our customers,” said Mr Albaisa.

“As you can imagine, visions of digitalisation started swirling in our heads.”

Over the next two years, the team sketched and plotted several iterations with the background of Nissan founder Yoshisuke Aikawa’s directive: “Be passionate, be an innovator, be a challenger.”

The team needed to consider several variables, including an early decision for the logo to be illuminated on upcoming all-electric models.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

Fresh logo to take Nissan on its next 20-year journey into EVs and beyond

Nissan puts on a new face

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The business pages of GoAutoNews

PAGE 24EDITION 1031 - JUL 22, 2020

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By NEIL DOWLING

IT MAY be a catastrophic time in history as a new pandemic claims lives and shatters economies, but data from CitiGroup shows that despite social distancing and periods where shopping was discouraged, retail spending remains strong.

In its latest Citi Research report, the investment company Citigroup Global Markets said Australian Bureau of Statistics showed retail sales in May were up five per cent on the same month in 2019, pushing up the June quarter data on the strength in at-home food retail and household goods.

By comparison, April retail sales were down nine per cent compared with the previous corresponding period.

It said the upward trend was

attributed to factors that were “under appreciated” which were the superannuation withdrawal rate and the drop in non-retail spending.

“The superannuation withdrawal is $16 billion in the June quarter – that is, 2.1 million people taking out $7500 – and some of that has landed in retail,” the report said.

“Even though wages income is down over eight per cent, there are also benefits from mortgage holidays and government support schemes that could be another $15 billion in the June quarter.

“If we include access to super, June quarter, the capacity for spending could be up 3.5 per cent year-on-year.

“Secondly, the drop in non-retail spend, by force, has freed up spending in retail.”

While that boosts the data for the

June quarter, Citi is less optimistic about the December quarter where it says both these factors “will be less favourable”.

“Retail spending is likely to fall in the December quarter, even if there is government stimulus,” it said.

“As a result, sales growth rates could slow by four to six percentage points compared with the June quarter.”

Citi said that while the debate about the “fiscal cliff” in the December quarter is unresolved “it

is difficult to see a scenario where retail spending is strong”.

“We can see discretionary retail sales down one to four per cent even with a fiscal stimulus of $15-20 billion, from primarily JobSeeker and industry support, not JobKeeper.

“This would be a difficult environment for retailers to hold margins.”

The ABS reported that May 2020 seasonally adjusted figures for retail showed the biggest winners were

in clothing, footwear and personal accessory retailing with a 129.2 per cent increase on the same month in 2019.

The other increases were: food retailing (7.2 per cent); household goods retailing (16.6 per cent); cafes, restaurants and takeaway food services (30.3 per cent); department stores (44.4 per cent); and other retailing (9.4 per cent).

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

CitiGroup research: Retail boom in June quarter but outlook not as bullish

Consumers pulled $16b from super

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The business pages of GoAutoNews

PAGE 25EDITION 1031 - JUL 22, 2020

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By JOHN MELLOR

IN THIS fifth edition of Dealer Talks, the podcast series brought to you by Gumtree Cars, in partnership with GoAutoMedia, we explored the importance of dealers building virtual relationships with prospective car buyers on the Road to Recovery.

The pandemic has seen a reduction in walk-in customers for car dealers and this means that dealers are increasingly needing to interact with customers over the phone, virtually through online

stock listings or by sending ‘video inspections’ of cars to customers’ phones or emails.

We talked to James Boysons, brand strategist at YouTube, and to James O’Neill, the CEO of WildJar, a phone management and monitoring company.

Mr Boysons shared insights that during the pandemic YouTube, already Australia’s most popular video platform, had seen further increases in watch time.

He explained how YouTube can become a virtual salesperson in a virtual showroom to deliver tailored video messages to

intending car buyers.YouTube can measure if a customer watched a dealer’s ad, visited the dealer’s website or walked into the dealership.

Mr O’Neill talked about recent record call volumes

to dealers as well as a subsequent increase in missed calls due to reduced staffing levels.

We heard that most calls to dealers come from their Google

My Business listing and call tracking has revealed that 98 per cent of buyers call a local dealership because that is where they want to go. The data confirms that only two per cent of car buyers will ring the competing dealership up the road.

We learned that in a COVID world, dealers need to work harder with their video leads and phone calls to enable more sales both online and over the phone by delivering value up front rather than holding out for the buyer to walk in.

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The business pages of GoAutoNews

PAGE 26EDITION 1031 - JUL 22, 2020

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By JOHN MELLOR

SALES training and automotive sales events specialist, Absolute Results, has recently been impressing dealers across the eastern states and across the ditch as more car retailers adopt the company’s methods of moving to an appointments culture and report strong sales from record closing rates.

Absolute Results is able to add, in a one-day private sales event, an extra week of sales to a dealer’s month.

It does this by applying its systems to a dealership’s database and, through extensive analysis, is able to identify the most likely customers to take advantage of a special, customer invitation-only sale day.

The dealership’s sales staff

are trained in “intelligent phone conversation” to recruit into the showroom for the event people who are loyal customers. The sales staff are then supported and ready to convert those who turn up into repeat and new customers.

It is a training and events system based on a dealership’s existing customers that has sold more than 750,000 vehicles globally and more than 20,248 vehicles in Australia.

Steve Zanlunghi, director of operations – Asia Pacific Region, told GoAutoNews Premium: “Recent events have shown that contacting the dealers’ database to invite previous customers for private sales events continues to have great success.”

Some recent examples from Absolute Results’ sales events in May and June include:• A dealership for a premium

European brand in Melbourne sold 27 cars from the event with a 71 per cent appointment-to-show ratio and a 52 per cent close ratio. The event was so successful that if a customer walked in without an appointment there was over an hour wait.

• Luxury European brand

dealership in the Melbourne suburbs sold 36 cars during the event with a 57 per cent appointment-to-show ratio and 56 per cent close ratio.

• An event in the Melbourne suburbs for a volume Asian brand sold 32 cars with a 77 per cent appointment-to-show ratio and 57 per cent close ratio en route to their best-ever month in spite of that brand being down by double digits nationally.

• Dealership in Queensland selling a mid-ranking Japanese brand sold 31 cars, enjoyed a 67 per cent appointment-to-show ratio and generated an extraordinary 86 per cent close ratio.

Mr Zanlunghi said that these results reflect the growth of the Absolute Results team in Australasia.

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PAGE 27EDITION 1031 - JUL 22, 2020

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By JOHN MELLOR

ABSOLUTE Results, the Canadian-based sales training and automotive sales events specialist, has invested millions of dollars to develop technologies that include an algorithm designed to find the most likely vehicle buyers residing within a dealer’s customer database.

The company’s internal technology and data science team has developed technology that includes an algorithm which can surgically identify the quality of the highest propensity-to-buy customers the dealership has on its books.

Steve Zanlunghi, director of operations – Asia Pacific Region, told GoAutoNews Premium: “We have invested millions of dollars in our technology which, when it gets into the data within a dealership

database, identifies the customers with the highest propensity to buy.

“All that allows us to be very surgical about the customers we are going to be reaching out to,” he said. “These are either previous sales customers or people who did not buy from the dealers but are service customers.

“The algorithm in our proprietary software looks at customer loyalty, warranty expiration date, distance to the dealership, type and duration of purchase (fleet, user-chooser, retail loan), vehicle type, current or previous model and so on. We can also see if the age of the vehicle to be traded hits the sweet spot for that special brand (in that market).”

The company selects 150 names per sales executive to call and their job is to make 15 appointments

each for the sales event. Absolute Results trains the sales

staff to make the calls and shows them the best techniques for setting appointments. Trainers are also on hand throughout the one-day event.

Typically the one-day event generates the sort of sales numbers the dealership would make in a week.

Asked if dealers worried the events would pull sales forward, Mr Zanlunghi said: “We are

not pulling forward a dealer’s customers because, when we analyse a dealer’s database, we know that only eight per cent of the dealer’s customers are currently shopping at any given time.

“This has been established in studies done in North America and backed up by our corporate data scientist in Canada. We are very careful not to burn out the customer base,” he said.

The number of events a year

depends on the size of the dealer’s database, he said.

“Some dealers in Canada do these events twice a month but they have databases of 20,000 to 25,000.”

Using a Melbourne luxury car dealer as an example, he said the dealer has a database of 9000 customers. It has five sales staff and each salesperson is given 150 names to approach for an appointment.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

Absolute Results using multimillion-dollar technology to identify customers most likely to buy now

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PAGE 28EDITION 1031 - JUL 22, 2020

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By NEIL DOWLING

HINO Australia expects to boost market share to over 30 per cent from its current 28 per cent after last week launching a critically important medium-size truck model and plans to add more dealers in key rural areas.

The new 300 Series truck range, which includes improvements like autonomous emergency braking and pedestrian detection as prime safety features, is entering the market to replace a model that ranked as Australia’s second most popular truck in the 3500-8000kg GVM sector, behind Isuzu’s N-Series.

Hino Australia general manager for brand and franchise development, Bill Gillespie, told

GoAutoNews Premium that the increase in market share would be assisted by a growth in dealer numbers but he emphasised that this would be centred on regional areas.

“We have the necessary amount of dealerships and Hino staff to increase sales at the forecast sales amounts in future years,” he said.

“We have just appointed a new dealer at Ballarat and we have plans to add some more key dealers in regional

areas in the next one to two years.“But right now, we have more

than enough metropolitan coverage to achieve our sales goals.”

He said there were no plans to appoint any more parts and service dealers “at this time”.

“It’s our view that our current

Hino dealer network is more than capable of handling the anticipated sales volumes from the new 300 Series,” he said.

“This same network just achieved a record best-ever sales record in June 2020,” he said.

Hino Australia posted its best single-month sales result in Australia, with 752 sales of new trucks in June.

Its previous single-month sales record was in March 2006, with 690

trucks sold. This latest effort was an 11 per cent improvement over that previous benchmark.

Mr Gillespie said that total Hino sales for the first six months of 2020 were 2568 units, down only five per cent over the same period last year. At the same time, the Australian truck market was down 17 per cent over the corresponding period.

“This is an enormously encouraging sales result for Hino and our dealers, and further

reinforces that if you get the product and customer service right, then the sales will follow, despite the tough times,” Mr Gillespie said.

In market share terms, the year-to-date Hino figures for the light-duty segment was a 15 per cent market share while the medium-duty segment share for Hino was 33.8 per cent. Both were up on the previous period.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

Record month for Hino as the brand plans to add more rural dealers in key locations

Hino eyes 30 per cent share

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PAGE 30EDITION 1031 - JUL 22, 2020

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By NEIL DOWLING

GEELONG dealership Till Hino has expanded its market area and broadened the reach of the Japanese truck-maker by opening a new outlet in Ballarat.

Till Hino has become the latest dealership for the brand after opening its purpose-built premises and appointing its Geelong sales manager Rob Angus as general manager at Ballarat.

In keeping with Hino’s plan to expand first into regional areas, the company’s general manager of brand and franchise development, Bill Gillespie, said Ballarat was identified as “an exciting opportunity”.

“Given their excellent results in the Geelong market, Till Hino was the obvious choice to lead that expansion,” he said.

“Since their purchase of the

Geelong dealership in 2017, the team at Till Hino, led by dealer principal Brad Till, has continually delivered an excellent experience for their customers, the results of which were apparent with their recent success at the 2020 Hino Dealer of the Year awards with the Regional Sales Excellence title.”

Mr Till said: “To service the needs of our Ballarat customers, we launched an on-site service van there two years ago. Opening a sales branch is a natural progression from this.

“While there was an initial quiet period in early March, we increased our marketing efforts, which has resulted in the strongest ever sales month and second largest service month for our Geelong dealership.”

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

Till Hino expands reach with Japanese truck brand, opening up new outlet in Ballarat

Hino opens Ballarat dealership

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PAGE 31EDITION 1031 - JUL 22, 2020

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By NEIL DOWLING

BRIDGESTONE Corporation has launched a new maxim and brand identity as the core to its “Mid-Long Term Business Strategy Framework” that aims to push the company to a leader in sustainable mobility.

Bridgestone global CEO and representative executive officer Shu Ishibash unveiled the “Solutions for your journey” catchphrase that will carry the company’s evolution to the future.

Future plans towards 2050 include offering more than tyres with a move into “diversified products”, the company said.

The plans come as Bridgestone in Australia is constructing a new corporate office in Adelaide and a new state office and warehouse in Victoria.

Bridgestone’s new business strategy framework looks at the medium-to-long term and outlines three main goals: sustainability as a competitive advantage and core to all aspects of its business; create a new platform to support the mobility ecosystem; and grow into a mobility solutions business.

The new platform will be called Bridgestone T&DPaaS (Bridgestone Tyre and Diversified Products as a Solution).

One of the first products to be launched under the new framework is the environmentally friendly Enliten Technology that debuts in a Turanza Eco tyre for the Volkswagen ID.3 EV, now in production in Germany.

FULL STORY: CLICK HERE

Tyre-maker to expand into mobility services including specialist EV products

Bridgestone to diversify into EVs

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AutoRadar takes on LiveMarket

A newly-minted used car market pricing and stocking intelligence

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Vehicle shortages to hit market

Record June for new and used cars but supply outlook predicted to be soft

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Moody’s downgrades nine car-makers

Credit rating agency says industry won’t recover for ‘several years’

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