Cars for all

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2008 Volkswagen Jetta TDI Review and Road Test

One of life’s little luxuries.
Model Tested:

2008 Volkswagen Jetta TDI sedan 2.0 litre four cylinder diesel DSG automatic - $37,790 (RRP)

Options:

Metallic Paint $690; Fog Lamps $390; Alarm $590; Sunroof $1890; Leather Trim $3290; Xenon Headlamps $1890; Alloys 18” $2990; Satellite Navigation $2990; Six CD Stacker $790

Capable & Economic Engine, Handsome Styling, Boot Space
Rear Leg Room, Tyre Noise, Due for a Facelift
CarAdvice Rating:
- by Matt Brogan
Volkswagen’s Golf based Bora replacement has been kicking around for a couple of years now and despite having had the pleasure of our company before, Jetta decided to pay another visit to the CarAdvice office to see if after all this time its most recent guise was still a relevant contender.

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What’s essentially a Golf with a boot, Jetta offers buyers a similarly sized package, albeit a little longer, […]

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admin wrote an interesting post today on
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If you live in the country, you’ll know how hard fuel prices are hitting. But spare a thought for the folks in Kumarina, Western Australia.

Located between Newman and Meekatharra, Kumarina is usually a stopover destination - a welcome break from the monotony of driving along the Great Northern Highway.
But according to the state government run website Fuel Watch, the fuel price has hit an all time high - $2.07 per litre. Hardest hit will be tourists who have no choice but to stop and fill up. Bear in mind, too that this price is for normal unleaded petrol. Premium will be higher and diesel is listed at a staggering $2.25/litre.
A sign of things to come? Let’s hope not.

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Karl Peskett wrote an interesting post today on
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Logic should dictate that given the rising cost of petrol and increasing petrol prices, the Australian motor vehicle market would suffer, not so. Official VFACTS figures released today by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) indicate that 542,695 new cars, trucks and buses have found new owners in first six months of 2008.

 The figures are up 18,319 or 3.5 per cent over the same period last year and for those that remember, 2007 was the best year on record!

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For the accountants, 1,068,301 vehicles have been sold in the 2007-08 fiscal year, marking a near 65,000 increase over the previous financial year.
“The continued growth of the motor vehicle market so far this year is an encouraging result given current economic circumstances, business sales in particular have remained resilient in the face of interest rate rises, fuel price increases and general turbulence […]

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Alex Ion wrote an interesting post today on
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The first images of upcoming new Mazda3 were leaked on the net. The forthcoming Mazda3 is one of the most highly anticipated future models.
The designer of 2010 Mazda3 prototype took a different approach, applying elements from the Nagare, Ryuga, Hakaze, Taiki and Furai concept cars to a an enlarged version of the Mazda2. Not bad but we would have definetely preferred a different styling for the front-end.
More pics after jump

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admin wrote an interesting post today on
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Who said there is a shrinking demand for large, powerful SUVs? Not BMW, that’s for sure. The German powerhouse has started extreme durability testing on the new twin-turbo V8-powered BMW X5 in the southwestern part of the United States.

The sort of testing that might have once been conducted in the Northern Territory (no longer viable due to speed limits) takes full advantage of the local hot temperatures, kilometres of desert roadways and mountains with steep grades.

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The X5’s twin-turbo engine is shared with the X6. The 4.4-litre V8 is expected to have about 300kW and roughly 610Nm of torque.
 
The twin-turbo will be unveiled in the US later this year. As for availability in Australia, BMW has been contacted for comment.

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admin wrote an interesting post today on
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Kia has released the first official images of its 2009 Forte sedan, based on the striking Kia Koup concept revealed earlier this year.

The new Forte will act as a replacement for the aging Cerato, and certainly looks the part of an executive sedan.

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Currently a brand new 1.6-litre petrol engine along with a more powerful 2.0-litre petrol engine have been confirmed for the range, although a flagship performance model has not yet been ruled out.

The Koup concept from which it is derived featured a 216kW turbocharged 2.0-litre engine which could potentially find its way into a production model - especially with a two-door coupe model confirmed for some overseas markets.
 

The new Forte is the work of acclaimed designer Peter Schreyer, the same mind behind the first-generation Audi TT and new Volkswagen Beetle.
Source: Kia via TheCarBlogger

[…]

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admin wrote an interesting post today on
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If you can afford the $280K that it costs to park an Audi R8 in your garage, then you’re one of a blessed few.

But when these pics were snapped, the blessing seems to have been on vacation. Apparently taken on the Gold Coast, the aftermarket “additions” shown in these photos leave a little to be desired. I mean, if you’ve got the dosh, then surely something a little more tailored would be appropriate.

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As they say, money can’t buy taste.
But tell us - what’s your favourite automotive accessory?

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admin wrote an interesting post today on
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One of the main criticisms of the new FG Falcon Ute range has been the lack of Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) availability across the entire range.

Ford has quickly addressed this issue, today announcing that DSC will be standard on all XR Falcon Ute models equipped with sports suspension from September production.

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This offer will also be extended as an option to workhorse models - which includes the R6 variant - with ¾-tonne and one-tonne suspension packages from December production.
“With the introduction of DSC on Falcon Ute, in conjunction with the availability of side head/thorax airbags, customers are able to configure their vehicle with a comprehensive safety package that is unmatched in the passenger-derived ute market,” Ford Australia Vice-President Marketing and Sales Mark Winslow said.

The DSC system will incorporate Traction Control, four-channel Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD) and Emergency Brake […]

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admin wrote an interesting post today on
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Mazda Australia has released the official pricing and specifications for its face lifted 2008 rotary-powered RX-8.

This is the first update to the RX-8 since its inception in 2003, where Mazda has since sold more than 5,400 units in Australia to date.

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Together with the obvious exterior design changes, the new RX-8 also boasts interior changes for improved useability and refinement as well as key modifications to the powertrain.

The 1.3-litre Renesis rotary engine has been modified to improve low to mid-range response while suspension upgrades have honed the RX-8’s handling and dynamics.
A six-speed manual transmission adopted from the MX-5 gets the best from the rotary powerplant, producing 170kW at a screaming 8,200rpm.

The manual transmission is standard fit for the RX-8 range and features unique gearing ratios better suited to the Renesis engine as well as a shorter final drive.
A new 6-speed Activematic transmission […]

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TDR wrote an interesting post today on
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Two items pretty much sum this one up:
Hummer sales down 54%.
Honda sales up 18%.
People are buying smaller, fuel efficient cars, while avoiding the pigs.  Imagine that.  A few more of the failures for June:
Acura down 16% - New models might help things soon
Buick down 34% - The buyers are dying off
Chrysler down 36% - Hmm Sebring or Accord - what would you buy?
Ford down 20% - No one wants Expeditions
Jeep down 33% - Surprised?
Lexus down 21% - Wow!!
Mitsubishi down 35% - Their cars are bad, what do you expect?
Saab down 52% - Should be 100%
Toyota down 10% - Didn’t see this coming, at all
 
And some of the positives:
Audi up 18% - No explanation
Kia up 21% - Cheap cars, decent on gas
Benz up 12% - I guess the super rich aren’t affected by $4 gas
MINI up 40% - Amazing.
Subaru up 18% - People are buying smaller AWD Subarus instead of 4×4 […]

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