Captivity

maze game

  Captivity

Description Game:

Play as either the Stalker or his Victim in this entertaining game. If playing as the Stalker, capture your prey in as little time as possible. If playing as the Victim, elude the Stalker for as long as possible. Good luck!

How to play Game:

Animal Commandos TD tower defense

tower defense

  Animal Commandos TD tower defense

Description Game:

Build either animal towers or robot towers to defend against the alien invasion
(Visited 23 times, 1 visits today)

How to play Game:

Friday the 24th

scary games

  Friday the 24th

Description Game:

Would you like to play Jason from Friday the 13th? Here’s your chance to slash em up. Not so nice, but it’s just an evil game!

How to play Game:

Extreme Maths

Cool math for kids

  Extreme Maths

Description Game:

Put your maths skills to the test in the fast paced question based snowboarding game! Answer the questions correctly to perform cool tricks off the ramps!
(Visited 13 times, 1 visits today)

How to play Game:

Use Arrow keys to play the game.

Maths Mania

cool math 4 kids

 Maths Mania

Description Game:

A simple game presented exclusively for kids to improve their addition skills. Go through all the levels within the given time duration and don’t miss to see the surprises too.
(Visited 18 times, 2 visits today)

How to play Game:

This game is played with mouse only.

Blast Bar Billiards

pool games

 Blast Bar Billiards

Description Game:

Pot six balls on each level without hitting the three bombs or it is kaboom for you!
(Visited 26 times, 1 visits today)

How to play Game:

Mouse

Mantras Trigger

gun games

 Mantras Trigger

Description Game:

Go after the baddies that overtook and destroyed you town and shoot them with your weapons.
(Visited 4 times, 1 visits today)

How to play Game:

A / D - Move. W - Jump. S - Heal. 1-3 - Select an available Weapon.

Ivan Drago

fighting games

 Ivan Drago

Description Game:

Ivan Drago is a fictional boxer played by Dolph Lundgren who was featured in Rocky IV in the Rocky series.Take your raw Soviet power to the streets and make ‘em run red with the blood of all lawbreakers.

How to play Game:

A - Punch. S - Block. D - Duck. Hold Punch - Super Punch.

Batman Dangerous Buildings

batman games

 Batman Dangerous Buildings

Description Game:

Climb up the building and kill all enemies. Beware of damaging electric lightning beams. Plan your jumps to avoid danger. Collect the coins scattered around.
(Visited 3 times, 1 visits today)

How to play Game:

Use arrow keys to play, UP Arrow key to Jump.

Euroleague Trickshots

basketball games

 Euroleague Trickshots

Description Game:

Practice and take challenges of performing trick shots into the basketball hoop. Nice graphics.
(Visited 5 times, 1 visits today)

How to play Game:

This game is played with mouse only.

Super Bike X

dirt bike games

 Super Bike X

Description Game:

Try to drive over all of the obstacles without falling off of your bike in this realistic environment.

How to play Game:

Arrow Keys Up and Down = Accelerate/Brake Arrow Keys Left and Right = Lean forward/backwards P = Pause

Play Highway Justice

disney cars

 Play Highway Justice

Description Game:

Hey little caps! How about catching the guilties? Or explode them? Catch them on time and get points. Be unstoppable with your lamborghini. Good Luck. How to Play? Navigate with “W,A,S,D” and crash into the guilties which showed you as target
(Visited 2 times, 1 visits today)

How to play Game:

W,A,S,D

Gold Fishing

Game Info - Collect the gold nuggets to clear the round.
Game controls - This game is played with mouse only.

Fireworks

Game Info - Detonate fireworks according to thier color!
Game controls - Left Mouse - Interaction

Mermaid Aquarium Coloring

Game Info - Color this beautiful mermaid in a aquarium with beautiful fishes. She is waiting to be colored for a big evening so add some beautiful color for her.
Game controls - This game is played with mouse only.

StarCraft - War of Honor

Game Info - A heavy learning curve makes this strategy game a little hard to get in. Mine and send attack forces
Game controls - Use mouse to play the game.

Ultimate Jewel

Game Info - In this game you have to arrange 3 similar jewels in a row or a column to make them disappear and earn maximum points through different levels.
Game controls - Use Mouse to interact.

BonBon Foliz

Game Info - Shoot your colored balls next to others of the same color to make 3 or more disappear.
Game controls - Mouse - Aim / Shoot.
Spacebar - Swap Ball.

Tainted Kingdom

Game Info - A brand new strategy from the creators of Sonny.

Your kingdom has become the target of many envious nations who will try to take it over. You have to develop strategies and stop the attacks of the furious enemies and protect your kingdom.
Game controls - The game is fully mouse-controlled. Follow the instructions in the game.

HOT-KEY GUIDE:
1: Knights
2: Hunters
3: Priests
4: Crusaders
5: Royal Guards
6: Hero Unit
7: Healing Blast
8: Defense Tower

Hot Fuschia Lips

Game Info - A makeup trend that keeps cropping up over and over this summer is the hot, bright fuschia lip.
Game controls - Use mouse to interact.

Blathnat Dressup

Game Info - Can you help the girl to choose her dress?
Game controls - Use mouse to interact.

Spongebob Squarepants - Fall Fall Fall Away

Game Info - Help Spongebob to fly down safely, without getting smashed by the spiked walls. On the way try to catch spongebob's favorite Burgers. This is an amazing journey, where you can meet many positive and negative obstacles.
Game controls - Use Left and Right Arrow Keys to move.

Portal: The Flash Version

Game Info - This is one tricky but great platform logic game!
Game controls - A, W, D - Jump and Run.
Mouse / Q or E - Launch a Portal.
F - Grab stuff.

Happy Kids

Game Info - Make the kids to ger ready to leave for the school happily! Invite and make the kid to brush, bath and to comb his/her hair, and also to have breakfast. Remember! You will have to provide the kid's desired item before beginning to start each of the said work. Click on the kid, and then the glowing spot to move the kid to a particular spot. If you have completed all the process, click on the arrow symbol to make the kid reach the bus. Attain target in each level within the given duration and proceed to higher levels.
Game controls - This game is played with mouse only.

Bling Bling Manicure

Game Info - Put some bling in tip of her fingers.
Game controls - This game is played with mouse only.

Girl's Rush Dressup

Game Info - She is cute and adorable. She is set for a date but she needs the right outfit before goes. Choose dress and see if the guy will like her.
Game controls - Use mouse to interact.

Alpha Bounty

Game Info - Great artwork in this sidescrolling shooter with a bunch of upgrade options.
Game controls - Mouse - Move / Fire.
R - Rockets.

Sweet Feet Nail Polish

Game Info - Decorate your toes and feet using a special manicure so that your feet can be photographed for a famous magazine. Who said feet are ugly?
Game controls - Use mouse to interact.

The Last Stand

Game Info - During the night, protect your barricade against the oncoming hordes. Manage your time during the daylight hours to search for weapons, survivors and to repair.
Game controls - W/A/S/D - To move.
Left Mouse Key - Click to fire.
R - Reload.
Spacebar - Swap weapon.

Cake Lover

Game Info - Do you love sweets and especially those fruity and with lots of icing and toppings cakes? I'm sure you do just as much as this girl. And because she loves them so much she decided to make them and have other children and people enjoy them. So she opened her own cake shop, starting baking some cakes, decorate and sell them. But she realized that this job is not so much fun if she doesn't have the help of a friend. Be her friend and start building a cake empire, opening shop after shop. Learn from the master how to make the best cakes, sell them and make enough money to upgrade your first store then open new ones. Go shopping for some more efficient ovens and some decorations for your shop to make even more appealing to your customers. Have fun helping the girl to run the cake shops!
Game controls - This game is played with mouse only.

Lunch Work Shop

Game Info - Hit the kitchen to help mom feed hungry kids! Put together correct orders with yummy sandwiches, salads, juices, and more as quickly as you can to keep the food and the fun flowing. Make each days goal to get to the next more challenging level and play through all 20 levels to become queen of the kitchen! Get busy in Lunch Workshop today!
Game controls - This game is played with mouse only.

Devilish Hairdresser

Game Info - Create devilish haircuts in this naughty hairdressing game!
Game controls - Hold down the left mouse button for as long as possible without letting the angel catch you.

Penguinz

Game Info - Fight through antarctica killing 19 enemies and bosses in this intense sidescrolling shooter.
Buy new weapons and upgrades to build up your arsenal and take out the Penguin king!

15 enemies and 4 bosses.
9 weapons with 33 upgrades and 6 special upgrades.
Game controls - Arrow keys to move and jump, mouse to aim and fire.
P to pause (and change music / sound options) !!!! 

Papa Louie: When Pizzas Attack

Game Info - Travel various levels to rescue your friend.
Game controls - Left / Right Arrow Keys - Move.
Spacebar - Jump / Glide.
Z - Hit Enemies.
X - Pepper Bomb.

Avatar Fortress Fight

Game Info - Use the trebuchet to launch your bolder to the neighboring village. Destroy their building!
Game controls - Use Mouse to interact.

Whack Your Boss 17 Ways (NEW)

Game Info - Can you find all 17 ways to whack your boss?
10 ways to be more productive.

1. Define Your Space.
2. Structure Your Time.
3. Outsource All You Can.
4. Use Technology to Your Advantage.
5. Group Your Errands.
6. Stay Focused.
7. Beware of Yappers.
8. Work With Your Moods.
9. Dress for success.
10. Break for your superiors.
Game controls - Find all the ways to whack your boss by clicking on the secret items!

Stick RPG

Game Info - What do you do in this GTA-like world? Work out to raise your strength, and you might find yourself the winner of a bar fight. Are you a charmer, a fighter, or a smarty-pants?
Game controls - Use mouse to interact.

Crash Down

Game description: cick on a group of 3 or more of the same coloured squares to remove them.  
Game controls: Use mouse to interact.

Dead Tree Defender

Game description: Eliminate all enemies by using an arrow. The longer you hold it down, the faster and farther the arrow will go.
 Game controls: Aim with the mouse and click with the left mouse button to shoot, the longer you hold the mouse button down, the more power the arrow will get.

Desert Rage

Game description: Desert Rage is an Extreme bike adventurous game. You will win only if you survive surprise paths with harsh environment of desert. Ride your bike on desert terrain mountain with lots of adventure paths.  
Game controls: Use arrow keys to drive.

Sponge Bob Square Pants: Plankton's Krusty Bottom Weekly

Game description: Take photos of Bikini Bottom's inhabitants when they are the goofiest. Visit the various areas and keep a watchful eye for hilarious situations. You'll have 3 seconds to center your picture by moving the mouse.  
Game controls: Space bar- to take a photograph. Mouse/Left click- To take snapshot/Interact with objects.

Ederon: Turning Tide

Game description: Ederon is a simple yet wide and fun massive multiplayer online collectible card game that you can play directly. Having eight different classes to choose, and a very tactical hybrid strategy, the possibilities are almost endless. Turning Tide is the brand new expansion of Ederon Series. This new version includes hundreds of new features such as a brand new lobby, friend list, challenges, clans and 8 brand new beginner decks.
 Game controls: Use mouse to interact

Korean Princess Dressup

Game description: This is the perfect set for the little girls who really want to be a Korean princess.  
Game controls: Use mouse to interact.

Fishin' Fever

Game description: Try to catch fishes as much as possible!  
Game controls: Left click to catch fish

Luna Sun Bakery

Game description: Let's help Luna to sell the best bakery in the beach.
 Game controls: This game is played with mouse only.

Ice Cream For Kids

Game description: You opened an ice cream store and you have to serve your customer with differents ice cream and drinks for them. The weather will be really high in the south today so be prepared to server lots of clients for this beautiful day.
 Game controls: This game is played by mouse only.

Roof Top Party

Game description: Get styled right for a swank cocktail party at dusk. Hit the rooftop in Chic skirt's, faux fur shall's, a new do, designer bag and matching shoes then dance the night away against a sparkling city skyline.  
Game controls: This game is played with mouse only.

Rayman - Slap Flap, and Go

Game description: Rayman Origins Flash Game
Game controls: This game is played by mouse only. 

Mirror Edge

Game description: Run around grabbing all the symbols and free running around the top of the city. Master the moves.
Game controls: Arrow Keys - Move. S - Jump. 

Stick Figure Penalty : Chamber 2

Game description: The most anticipated sequel of stickman's greatest torture is here! The chamber is now filled with more ways to end up the so-called life of this stick. Enjoy those ways and have fun!
Game controls: Mouse - To interact. 

Dawn of the Dead - Black Out

Game description: Shoot the zombies before they climbed over the fence! Try to shoot them in the head for one hit shot!
Game controls: Use mouse to aim SPACE to shoot 

Stylish Cover Girl

Game description: Pssst!!! I know what you do Friday afternoons! Don't act so surprised! Everybody knows that you lay in your bed and go through the latest magazines, wanting to know everything that is new in fashion. Imagine something really great: your are a stylist that takes care that the front page model looks fabulous. First you pick the right foundation, then you apply some subtle blush. You always want to make a statement with the eyes that's why you use eye liner, eyebrows pencil and dark mascara,for extra volume. After you pick out the perfect dress that matches with her sun-kissed skin, you know which lipstick to use. The final touch are the sparkly jewels.Your wonderful job is done here. She's amazing!!!
Game controls: Use the mouse to make up and dress up this Stylish Cover Girl. 

Sponge Bob Square Pants: Bikini Bottom Carnival Part 2

Game description: Lots of carnival games inside! must play for spongebob fans!
Game controls: In every tent their are different instructions in playing the game and before the game begin the instructions will be given. 

Melbourne to host 2016 ITS World Congress

Intelligent Transport Systems Congress to attract 5000 delegates

A five-day trade exhibition and conference in Melbourne will bring together experts on advanced transport technology from all over the world. To be held during October 2016 at Melbourne's Convention and Exhibition Centre ('Jeff's Shed', as the locals know it), the event will generate $23.5 million in revenue for the state of Victoria.

The ITS (Intelligent Transport Systems) World Congress will draw in as many as 5000 delegates, all experts in the fields of communication, data processing and electronic technologies for in-vehicle, vehicle-to-vehicle, vehicle-to-infrastructure and mode-to-mode systems. Principally these leading-edge technological developments are aimed at increasing transport safety and mobility, sustainable travel, reduced congestion, and improved efficiency for all modes of transport.

“Hosting the Congress here in Melbourne would provide an opportunity to showcase the latest technical developments to a global audience, with delegates including private corporations, public agencies and academic institutions involved in the research, design and implementation of new technologies across all modes of transport,” said Victorian Minister for Tourism and Major Events, Louise Asher, as quoted in a press release.

In another press release Brian Negus, President of ITS Australia, expressed his delight at the news from Tokyo last week that ITS had settled on Melbourne to be the host venue for the 23rd ITS World Congress.

"We are particularly pleased with the support shown by our ITS Asia Pacific region colleagues who assessed the World Congress bids and selected Australia at the ITS Asia Pacific World Congress Board Meeting in April 2012," he said.

'ITS — Enhancing liveable cities and communities' will be the theme for the event, says Negus.

"Australia is at the forefront of development and deployment of ITS technologies in many fields," said Former ITS Australia President Dr Norm Pidgeon, who will chair the organising committee for the 2016 World Congress. "That we export our products and ideas to international customers, and that we continue to implement state of the art systems across Australia proves the strength of our ITS industry.

"Our industry resources will collaborate with our international peers to produce a strong World Congress program to help move the industry forward globally. Transport safety, reducing congestion and the environmental impact of our networks are all greatly improved by effective ITS delivery.

"We expect that by 2016, these themes will be even more pressing in our busy cities and communities. This World Congress will be Australia's opportunity to foster further international cooperation in unleashing the power of ITS," said Norm Pidgeon.

Before the Melbourne event falls due, ITS will hold annual World Congress events in Vienna this year, followed by Tokyo next year, Detroit in 2014 and Bordeaux in 2015.  ITS Australia is a not-for-profit organisation that numbers suppliers, government bodies, academics and transport businesses among its members. The think tank convenes summits and conferences, provides a medium for dialogue to take place between transport modes and government, while promoting transport-related R&D and the export of Australian technology.

With the automotive industry increasingly focused on the benefits of car-to-car communications and the integration of personal transport with civil engineering, as exemplified in Nissan's Tokyo Motor Show exhibit last year, the efforts of organisations such as the ITS will be of increasing benefit in years to come.

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Rendered: BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe

Bavarian car games maker set to broaden its compact line-up with a rakish 4 Series Gran Coupe derivative of its 3 Series sedan
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BMW’s 6 Series Gran Coupe is clear evidence of the Bavarian carmaker’s objective of matching Mercedes-Benz and Audi blow for blow, and now here’s further proof – the 4 Series Gran Coupe.

These com-gen images from Carparazzi provide an indication of how the Audi A5 Sportback-rivalling four-door could look when it launches internationally in 2015.

Its arrival will beef up the 4 Series range, which will initially comprise a 3 Series Coupe-replacing two-door, codenamed F32 and captured recently in these spy pics.

The 4 Series Gran Coupe is codenamed F35, and a company insider was quoted by BMW Blog as saying it will be a “very sexy looking four door Gran Coupe model which will bring the sleek sportiness, premium image and ambience of the 6 Series Gran Coupe to the premium entry sports segment.”

Going on the accompanying rendering, it appears the stylists are on the right track, with the Gran Coupe’s tapered roofline improving on the profile of the existing F30 3 Series.

Classic BMW cues such as the scalloped flanks and Hofmeister kick in the C-pillar are all there, but the nose has been sharpened up vis-à-vis the 3 Series sedan, and the car clearly has a more premium look about it.

Whether it’s a more stylish proposition than the svelte A5 Sportback remains to be seen, but it’s reasonable to expect the 4 Series Gran Coupe will be an involving drive, based on our first taste of the F30 3 Series.

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BMW M135i a certainty for Australia

But Aussies will only get the five-door model, with the three-door ruled out for local market
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September is shaping up to be a very busy month for BMW in Australia. Roughly two months after the company's July production schedule — and one month ahead of AIMS in Sydney — a full load of new and revised models will reach Australia, including the appealing M135i revealed earlier this year in Geneva. But there's a hitch. The body style chosen for Australia will be the five-door hatch, not the three-door.

Scott Croaker, Product Communications Manager for BMW Australia, told motoring.com.au yesterday that there's simply not enough market demand for a three-door car at the sort of price BMW is expected to ask for the M135i.

"It will be coming out in five-door hatch [form]... the three-door hatch... is not a car under consideration for the Australian market. It's not a car that enjoys a great deal of attention or sales."

Developing an engine output of 235kW/450Nm from its TwinPower straight six, the M135i comes with a six-speed manual transmission and can reach 100km/h from a standing start in 4.9 seconds, according to the manufacturer. An eight-speed automatic transmission is available as an option and this variant will return fuel consumption and CO2 figures of 7.5L/100km and 175g/km, respectively.

Other cars that are being introduced from July production are the xDrive (all-wheel drive) 1 Series variants and the entry-level 114i. Neither the base-grade 1 Series nor the xDrive models will make it here, Croaker says. In the case of the all-paw 1 Series variants, they're only built in left-hand drive, he explained. This is also true of 3 Series xDrive models that will be available overseas.

Among the other vehicles BMW will introduce from July production is the 320i EfficientDynamics Edition, which won't be coming here. According to Croaker it's a very lean-running version of the petrol model designed specifically for certain markets. The BMW exec was uncertain of which markets will take it, but the US would seem likely to be one, given the prompting from California for lower emissions vehicles.

"Because we don't have as stringent... emissions standards in Australia it's not really relevant for our market, so it's not a vehicle we need to look at bringing in," Croaker explained.

Another car categorically ruled out for Australia is the entry-level 316i. And surprisingly, so too is the F30 version of the 330d.

"At this stage, [it's] not in consideration for the Australian market," Croaker said of the 330d, which remains powered by an inline six. "We've previously had the 330d and we've got it in the current coupe/convertible, but we're not considering it for the new 3 Series..."

From July production, BMW will introduce to the 3 Series range an M Sport Package featuring M Aerodynamics Package with BMW Individual options. Examples of these options include branded door sills and footrest, high-gloss chrome exhaust tailpipes and a special instrument cluster. As additional options, buyers can specify the M Sports braking package and a choice of 18 or 19-inch alloy wheels. Croaker says that this will definitely be available to Australian consumers, but not those buying a 318d.

"First-build cars will be arriving September; that does exclude the 318d though..."

The 5 Series comes in for a minor update from July production also. A Bang & Olufsen 1200-Watt surround-sound audio system and a new multifunction instrument display will be available as options and contactless boot opening will be introduced as standard. The multifunction instrument display option relies on what BMW refers to as ' Enhanced Black Panel' technology to change with different drive modes.

"Essentially, what that means is it's going to be available as an option across the range of the 5 Series," explained Croaker, "but with the Drive Experience Control — when you change between Eco, Normal and Sport — the configuration of the instrument cluster will change to reflect the drive program that you've selected."

While the 550i Gran Turismo will be upgraded with a 30kW and 50Nm boost from July production, that model was dropped from BMW's Australian range late last year, according to Croaker.

"We found that obviously customers in that end of the segment were... going more for the 7 Series than the GT, so it... really wasn't relevant to our market."

However the 5 Series GT range will be expanded with the introduction of a new 520d variant. Powered by the TwinPower 2.0-litre diesel, the 520d will reach 100km/h in 8.9 seconds, thanks to the output of 135kW/380Nm. The car's respective fuel consumption and CO2 figures are 5.3L/100km and 139g/km.

In Europe the 530d Gran Turismo will migrate to a new, Euro 6-compliant engine from July, but we won't see it in Australia.

"The 530d with the Blue Performance technology, which gives it Euro 6 emissions compliance... won't be included in our 5 Series GT lineup. We'll still have the 530d, but not the 530d with the Blue technology."

Across the Aussie range the 5 Series GT will score electro-mechanical steering, auto-stop/start, Active Protection Safety Package and Driving Experience Control with ECO PRO. Another feature to be introduced from July, but as an option, is BMW Parking Assistant, which will park the 5 Series GT in any slot that exceeds the car's length by 1.2 metres, with the driver simply operating brake and accelerator.

Auto-stop/start is also introduced to the 6 Series range with effect from July. The large two-door models will also gain a new feature, 'no passing info', but Croaker says that will not be on the agenda for Australia. It's a new system that informs the driver when it's safe — and legal — to overtake, but it piggy-backs off the company's speed limit recognition technology, which has been discontinued in Australia due to our non-uniform standards across the country for speed limit signage.

Through BMW Individual the company will be offering the Z4 in contrasting roof colours from July. Buyers will be able to choose between silver or non-metallic black. And lastly, the X3 will offer buyers the options of a sports leather steering wheel with shift paddles or an M leather-clad steering wheel with shift paddles. BMW is also building the X3 with the 2.0-litre turbodiesel engine compliant with Euro 6, but that variant won't be coming to Australia.

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AIMS: Honda reveals release dates, sub-$30K pricing for Insight hybrid

Honda's pricing strategy for its second-generation Insight reflects the company's eagerness to remind hybrid buyers there is an alternative
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Honda has used the Australian International Motor Show to pull the wraps off its Aussie-spec Insight hybrid. Reflecting the strategy it's used in Japan and the US, the company is using razor sharp pricing to snatch buyers away from Toyota.

On the car's early December launch, the base Insight VTi will start at $29,990 – a full $10K inside the base Prius.

The upspec VTi-L, starting at $33,490, reflects a more prosaic approach to the top shelf than Toyota's Prius i-Tech, forgoing tour-de-force technology upgrades with commensurate hefty price premiums for a simple package of auto headlights, rain sensing wipers, foglamps, leather wheel, reversing camera and satnav.

Starship Enterprise-like controls notwithstanding, the Insight is overall a simpler machine than the Prius. It uses Honda's power-assist hybrid powertrain, marrying a 1.3 litre i-VTEC four with Honda's Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) system putting power to the front wheels through a continuously variable transmission (CVT).

Honda claims a creditable 4.6l/100km combined, with emissions of just 109g/km.

The IMA is essentially an oversized starter motor designed to supplement petrol engine power and boost torque. Unlike full hybrids such as the Prius, it's not designed to get the car games off the line alone, although in this incarnation the package does deploy the Variable Cylinder Management (VCM) tecameshnology Honda uses in the V6 Accord to allow the ECM to shut down all four pots during low-speed cruising.

Honda has concentrated on reducing engine friction at every possible point and has substantially improved the electric motor, slimming it down to make the whole package smaller and lighter.

The Insight includes a driver-activated ECON switch, through which sends the car's management system into a ‘super economy' mode, monitoring driver behaviour and recalibrating its settings accordingly to reduce power, modify CVT and throttle actions, boost brake energy regeneration and reduce the air-conditioning system's incursion on the energy supply.

How do they do it for the price? A hint of an answer lies buried in the specs sheet. How long since you've seen a halo model from a primo brand like Honda sporting... rear drum brakes?

For our full coverage of the Australian International Motor Show in Sydney visit our minisite at carsales.com.au/aims

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AIMS: Holden Barina Spark – or fizzle?

Baby Holden gets $13,990 drive-away price but no automatic
discount new cars  » Get the best price on a new Holden Holden’s small-car sales revival may have had its handbrake pulled before it begins.

The highly anticipated Barina Spark, a Korean-made five-door designed to take on fellow Korean cars and the new wave of Chinese hatchbacks, has a sharp starting price of $13,990 drive-away. But you can only drive-away if you know how to drive a car with a manual stick shift. An automatic version is still 18 months away. Up to 70 per cent of buyers in the Light Car class opt for automatic transmission, although Holden disputes this figure.

“Our data shows us it’s a 50 per cent auto market,” the boss of Holden Mike Devereaux told the media at the Sydney motor show this morning.

Even on Holden’s estimates, this means the Barina Spark is missing out on half of potential car buyers in the Light Car class.

“We will still have a competitively priced Barina auto for those who want an auto,” he said.

Barina is an aging vehicle; including its previous life as a Daewoo it is more than 12 years old. The Barina Spark, however, is an all-new model.

And Holden will let you design your own Spark. The carmaker has enlisted the help of eight models as brand ambassadors, who are volunteering their services to the campaign in return for the exposure in the campaign. Charlotte Dawson from Australia’s top model helped unveil the car today.

The Barina Spark is powered by a 1.2-litre four-cylinder engine and comes with a five-speed manual transmission only. It is due on sale at the end of the month.

By contrast, the next generation full-size Barina is due mid-way through next year.

For our full coverage of the Australian International Motor Show in Sydney visit our minisite at carsales.com.au/aims

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AIMS: Petrol and diesel Amarok for launch

Volkswagen entrant into the Sydney Ute muster will beat Mazda and Ford to the punch - with a choice of powertrains
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Volkswagen's new Amarok one-tonne utility will beat Mazda and Ford's new beaut utes to the market by up to six months -- and will arrive with a choice of drivetrains.

Unveiled in Sydney today, the full-size utility is a key launch for Volkswagen in Australia. Though demand in initial launch markets including South America has delayed its Australian launch until March 2011, the upside for Volkswagen Australia is it will be able to offer both petrol and diesel powerplants from day one.

A range of 2.0-litre powerplants will power the solely dual-cab Amarok launch range. Volkswagen will offer a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine, as well as two 2.0-litre turbodiesels -- one a 120kW/400Nm twin-turbo version -- to local buyers.

All three engines will be matched to six-speed manual gearboxes. No automatic option will be offered on Amarok until 2012, Volkswagen Australia staffers revealed.

Volkswagen will also offer a choice of drivetrains from launch. In addition to a road-oriented two-wheel drive version, Amarok will be available in two distinct all-paw variants. For heavy-duty offroad use a 4x4 version will feature a dual-range transfer case. For users requiring more general all-wheel drive ability, a full-time 4MOTION single speed version will be launched.

Amarok may beat BT-50 and Ranger to more than the showroom. The new Volkswagen is expected to be the first vehicle in its class to earn five-stars in ENCAP crash testing, although unlike the Mazda/Ford twins the German vehicle does not feature curtain airbags or a rear vision camera among its expected suite of safety aids.

For our full coverage of the Australian International Motor Show in Sydney visit our minisite at carsales.com.au/aims

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Toyota HiAce performance and safety gains

Stronger performance from the diesel engine and the inclusion of ABS are the key changes to the upgraded HiAce for 2011
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Toyota is facing stronger competition in the VFACTS van segment than it has in years. The company's perennial champ, the HiAce, is losing substantial market share to the Hyundai iLoad, so an upgraded model couldn't come soon enough.

That update has now arrived and provides buyers with plenty of reasons to reconsider the HiAce for their next purchase. There's the added power and torque from the 1KD-FTV turbodiesel engine, for a start. Now boasting peak power of 100kW, the engine is 25 per cent more powerful (an extra 20kW) and delivers 14Nm more torque, taking the new figure up to 300Nm.

Combined with changes to the diff ratio (raised from 3.909:1 to 3.727:1), the turbodiesel variants are now more frugal -- by as much as seven per cent. Toyota claims that the LWB variant with manual transmission has improved fuel economy to the tune of 8.0L/100km in combined-cycle testing -- versus 8.6L/100km previously. CO2 emissions are also reduced; a 15-gram improvement from 225 to 210g/km for this particular variant.

All HiAce models add standard ABS to the equipment list as part of the upgrade. A minor facelift distinguishes the upgraded van from its predecessor and principally consists of changes to the frontal styling (new grille, headlights and front bumper). Inside the HiAce, Toyota has specified Dark Grey interior trim in lieu of the previous Grey. The instrument binnacle has been restyled and automatic variants gain a revised bezel for the shift lever. Finally, buyers of the HiAce Commuter can now opt for an automatic door closer for the sliding door.

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Mazda CX-9 now leaner, lighter, brighter

A little more bling for Mazda's large SUV is offset by lower fuel consumption
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Mazda is establishing a tradition of knocking at least 800cc of the combined-cycle fuel consumption for its CX-9 model with each passing year. On its release three years ago, the CX-9 was rated at 13.0L/100km. An upgrade last year reduced that figure to 12.2L/100km and another upgrade announced yesterday has officially lowered the consumption again -- to 11.3L/100km. At this rate, it'll be a zero-emissions vehicle before the 2025 model year.

As Mazda Australia's National Marketing Manager, Alastair Doak was quoted in a press release saying that the CX-9 had sold over 12,000 units since it was launched in Australia, back in 2007, and has been "well received by Australian families".

"We're sure that these latest improvements will also be welcomed by those families who value style but also like to keep an eye on efficiency," he said.

The latest program of running changes to the CX-9 concentrates on "engine combustion control" on the overrun and at idle. Then too, the company has tweaked the four-wheel drive system, reduced friction in the six-speed automatic transmission and specified lighter wheels and tyres that generate lower rolling resistance.

The alloy wheels are new designs, in 18- and 20-inch diameters. Mazda claims that the sportier wheels are also lighter, enhancing the car's ride quality and reducing unsprung weight.

Other than the detail changes to squeeze more kilometres out of each litre of fuel, the CX-9 is mechanically unchanged and the 3.7-litre DOHC V6 continues to pump out 204kW of power and 367Nm of torque. Also unchanged are the CX-9's prices and three-tier model line-up.

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Renault sparks iAd assault

Renault has created a motoring first with specialist iAd electroinic advertising for its electric car games
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Renault is looking to electrify its advertising for the new 100 per cent EV tandem-style city car, the Twizy, by launching Europe's first iAd campaign.

iAd is Apple's new advertising platform for the now ingrained population of iPhone and iPod Touch devices on the market. Specifically it allows application developers to insert advertisement hooks into their code, which in turn allows advertisers to run dynamic campaigns across multiple applications.

Renault's plan? To target young 'early adopter' urbanites, the proposed demographic for the Twizy, an electric two-seater vehicle with four wheels and a steering wheel.

Renault say by launching Twizy's mobile marketing with iAd, it is "acknowledging Apple users as being at the forefront of mobility". Without having to exit the app they're using, Renault says iPhone and iPod touch users can explore -- and explode -- the urban myths about electric vehicles.

According to Renault the iAd has many engaging features including calculating how much a Twizy can charge up while doing activities from getting a haircut to working out, shaking your iPhone or iPod touch to check out various Twizy designs, even pre-reserving a vehicle of your own.

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Price of electric cars to halve in five years

EVs that are $70,000 today could be $35,000 tomorrow, says Mitsubishi, with prices set to tumble as the cost of technology drops
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Mitsubishi, the maker of the first electric car to be sold in Australia, predicts the cost of electric vehicles will halve in the next five years.

Speaking at an end of year function in Melbourne yesterday, the president and CEO of Mitsubishi Australia, Masahiko Takahashi, told the media that the cost of battery technology was improving at a faster rate than the automotive industry had predicted. This means that the second generation of battery-powered electric cars could be a fraction of what they cost today, he implied.

The Mitsubishi i-MiEV electric car costs close to $70,000 once the lease cost is accumulated over a three-year term – and even then the car must be returned to Mitsubishi at the end of the agreement.

"Look at plasma televisions. When they first came out they were outrageously expensive but they fell in price very quickly and that's what will happen with batteries [for electric cars] as well," said Mitsubishi Australia product planner, Chris Maxted.

When asked how long before electric vehicles would be similarly priced to petrol cars, he said: "Five to seven years is about the right timing.

"We can't underestimate how much money is being spent on battery technology. The finance industry has seen it before the auto industry has and they're throwing big money at battery technology. With billions of dollars anything can be achieved," Maxted opined.

The Mitsubishi exec said that cost, driving range and charging time will all improve with the second generation battery technology.

"It all comes down to economies of scale. With volume, anything can be achieved," he said.

Production of the i-MiEV topped 5000 in Japan last month, but the company said sales of its electric car would increase to 40,000 a year within two years – plus it will make 100,000 cars per annum for French carmakers Peugeot and Citroen.

"This has all been down to bring cost down. By dramatically increasing economies of scale you reduce the cost of the technology," he said.

Meanwhile, Mitsubishi also announced it will install Australia's first fast-charger for electric cars in Adelaide later this month. The Fast Charger will top-up i-MiEV's Lithium-ion battery to 80 per cent capacity in just 30 minutes and a 50 per cent charge can be completed in less than 12 minutes. The battery can also be charged from a normal 15 amp domestic household power supply, taking about seven hours to reach full capacity.

Maxted said price and driving range were the biggest hurdles to be overcome by electric cars but the technology is changing rapidly.

"Our longer term strategy over this decade is to get to the point where an electric car is a drivetrain option as simple as choosing between diesel, petrol or EV," he said.

"It is a technology that can be applied to anything. An electric car is just a car. It's not just city cars. The technology is appearing on city cars first but it can be applied to all types of vehicles from sports cars to 4WDs."

He said the car industry needed to remove all compromises from EVs before buyers would embrace them in large numbers.

"Environment is a bit like safety," he said. "Everyone wants it but how much are people prepared to pay in terms of dollars and to change their lifestyle? Probably not much in terms of dollars and they don't want to change their lifestyle, so it's up to us to give them a vehicle they want."

Maxted said there will be hybrid or electric SUVs on sale before the end of this decade.

"SUV buyers in five six or seven years hopefully won't be seen as environmental vandals that some people like to make them out to be," he said.

"If you recharge from renewable energy sources, electric cars are completely clean."

He said the latest estimates predicted driving ranges of up to 800km by the end of this decade.

"I'm not convinced recharging is such a big issue in Australia. As battery performance improves the need for recharge infrastructure diminishes. How many petrol stations would we need if we all had a petrol bowser in our driveway? Electricity is more widely available than petrol."

Meanwhile, Mitsubishi is poised to introduce a Toyota Prius-like plug-in hybrid mid way through next year – but details on the type of vehicle and cost were yet to be announced.

"In many ways plug-in hybrid technology is a stepping stone to full electric cars but we will be in that market as well," Maxted said.

"We hope to have our second generation products out there when others have their first generation electric cars and plug-in hybrids out there," he said.

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Volkswagen engines to heat your home

German energy supplier LichtBlick's deal with Volkswagen bears first fruit with the rollout of a smart new low-emissions sub-grid
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German energy supplier LichtBlick begun rolling out its Volkswagen-powered domestic generator network in Hamburg in what it describes as an "innovative, intelligent power and heat supply concept".

Using a modified version of the 2.0-litre petrol four used in Volkswagen's Touran and Caddy models, the system is designed to store heat, a natural by-product of internal combustion, for room and water heating. LichtBlick's calculations show the heat demand threshold to make such domestic power plants viable is about 40,000 kW/h. A single plant would comfortably service a very large home, a building with several flats, small commercial premises and public and social facilities like schools or churches.

The deal with customers is a kind of win-win: LichtBlick retains ownership of the plant and rents 'boiler-room' space from the customer, who stumps up an installation fee 'starting at 5,000 euros'.

If that sounds like a lot of money, it's worth noting LichtBlick estimates their energy consumption will drop by up to 40 percent over a conventional old system. It also buys removal of the old gas heating system, the installation of the new power plant and all servicing, maintenance and repairs.

The company is keeping the early rollout phase close to home in Hamburg – by year's end, it will have about 30 plants operating in and around the city. The early customer base is made up of private building owners and Hamburg's city cleaning department. LichtBlick has already signed deals with a major housing association and a child-care group, and will begin installing plants in their facilities in early 2011.

The company's long-term plan is to network 100,000 of the plants into a massive decentralised virtual power facility with the capacity to match two atomic power plants – a low-emission top-up to mitigate fluctuations power from wind farms and solar facilities.

To that end, its sales and marketing people are already pitching to the cities of Berlin, Bremen, Essen, Leipzig, and Stuttgart, and the wider regions of Braunschweig, Wolfsburg and Salzgitter. The latter two shouldn't be too difficult: Volkswagen is headquartered in Wolfsburg and the engines are produced in Salzgitter, where VW has had a 25-unit test network in operation since the beginning of 2010. If all goes according to plan, other areas will follow from 2011.

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MOTORSPORT: Weekend of the giantkillers

Amid amazing race and team turmoil, James Courtney clinches the V8 Super car games crown at a final round in Sydney that tossed up different faces in the winner's circle

So a new V8 Supercar champion, two thrilling races to end the season and a couple of different race winners.

James Courtney has dethroned Jamie Whincup. Another title has been won in a Ford -- although now Courtney is off to drive a Holden next year,  as happened with Whincup (and Craig Lowndes) a year ago.

Even now, Courtney's still not confirming it, but it's a certainty that he will line up with the Holden Racing Team next year. And he will do it with a credibility with the fans that he didn't have in his early years in V8 Supercars.

Now he's much more than the guy who danced to celebrity on TV, the former karting and openwheeler ace. Although he won less races for the season than Whincup -- five compared with nine -- he scored points at every one.

There was an ounce of luck in it at the end -- especially getting back out on the track just in time late on Saturday, while Whincup (or his crew) was a fraction later, and that his wheel nut problem on Sunday and the dented nose of his Falcon didn't retard him more -- but there were plenty of hurdles overcome along the way.

Most amazing is that the crew at Dick Johnson Racing remained so focused, professional and disciplined amid all that was going on around them in recent months from the ownership turmoil -- which was finally sorted on the eve of the Sydney Telstra 500.

"The guys in the garage worked their arses off in preparing me the perfect package in the most turbulent of times," Courtney said.

It's a seventh Australian touring car title for Dick Johnson Racing -- the first five of them won by Johnson himself, another by John Bowe 15 years ago, and now this success by Courtney.

"It's good to see that a small family team can still topple the giants," Courtney said. "The team at DJR deserves this, as they spend every penny wisely.

"I won this for Dick and Ford."

The irony will be that Courtney now leaves Johnson and Ford for HRT.

And the largely overlooked hero is Charlie Schwerkolt, the forklift entrepreneur who came to Johnson's rescue a couple of years ago and kept the sport's oldest team alive and provided the spark for its revival. Schwerkolt's exit was sealed in the deal done just before this event.

Courtney had proclaimed for two months, since before Bathurst, that he was going all out to win races in his first big tilt at the championship.

In reality he combined aggression with craftiness -- able to see at times, and not just on Sunday, that there were occasions when it was best to settle for a bundle of points than risk everything.

As much as Courtney is a worthy champion, Whincup can count himself dreadfully unlucky not to have won a third straight championship. It was through no fault in his driving, but the mistakes of his usually perfect Triple Eight Race Engineering crew in the latter part of the season.

Triple Eight boss Roland Dane felt Courtney was allowed back on to the track in the closing stages of Saturday's race in a car that should not have been allowed, while his team penalised itself by stricter attention to detail.

For the good of the sport Dane did not pursue that line with officials, because thems the breaks and the history books don't allow room for explanations of how championships were lost -- only who won them.

Whincup is taking his dethroning hard, but not unsportingly.

"It was ours for the taking and we lost it," he said. "We had all the ingredients to do the job and we just didn't do it.

"I feel like someone's stolen our plate."

Even at this early stage, Whincup must be the favourite for next year's title -- especially as Dane has recruited Adrian Burgess, the crew chief who has just steered Courtney to glory at DJR.

While the championship outcome was the big picture at the weekend, it was refreshing to see a new winner on Saturday -- youngster Jonathon Webb, at his last round in a DJR-prepared car after the mayhem that erupted in the rain -- and Lee Holdsworth back on top of the podium for the first time this season for Garry Rogers Motorsport on Sunday.

Holdsworth could loom as a title challenger next season.

It is a remarkable achievement that DJR and GRM have finished second and third in the teams' championship against the might of the bigger, better funded teams.

Dane's Triple Eight was the top dog again on that scorecard, with Craig Lowndes contributing strong results as well as Whincup, but DJR and GRM relegated Ford Performance Racing to fourth, while HRT has ended the season only seventh -- behind the Kelly Brothers and Stone Brothers as well.

Young Kiwi Shane van Gisbergen almost notched that elusive breakthrough victory Sunday but the Stones' fuel gamble backfired.

However, van Gisbergen still salvaged a podium behind Holdsworth and Steven Richards, in his last drive for FPR.

So an exciting end to the championship, made more so by Saturday's weather and the unforgiving concrete walls around the Homebush street circuit.

The three-day attendance announced of 166,723 was down on the 180,000 claimed for the first Sydney Telstra 500 last year.

On television, the V8 Supercars thrashed the Australian Open golf but trailed well behind the Test cricket in Adelaide.

The average audience in the five major capital cities for Saturday's race was 360,000, down 11 per cent on last year, while Sunday's 421,000 was a 5 per cent improvement on last year, when the title had already been decided in Whincup's favour.

The Melbourne numbers were particularly soft this time -- 51,000 on Saturday and 67,000 on Sunday, lower than Adelaide both days.

While the quality of racing at the end was high -- the best two races of the season other than the Sunday race at the Gold Coast -- there's scope for it draw better audiences than these.

Might the Sydney round be better at the other end of the season -- on the Australia Day long weekend perhaps, like the old Triple Challenge?

V8 Supercar Championship final driver standings - James Courtney 3055, Jamie Whincup 2990, Mark Winterbottom 2729, Craig Lowndes 2669, Garth Tander 2466, Shane van Gisbergen 2391, Lee Holdsworth 2387, Rick Kelly 2347, Paul Dumbrell 2232, Steven Johnson 2006, Michael Caruso 2004, Russell Ingall 1967, Jonathon Webb 1852, Jason Bright 1642, Steven Richards 1630, Tim Slade 1595, Jason Richards 1547, Todd Kelly 1435, Greg Murphy 1432, Tony D'Alberto 1325, Alex Davison 1317, Will Davison 1236, Fabian Coulthard 1229, Jason Bargwanna 1208, Dean Fiore 1070.
V8 Supercar teams championship - Triple Eight Race Engineering 5659, Dick Johnson Racing 5071, Garry Rogers Motorsport 4486, Ford Performance Racing 4369, Kelly Brothers Racing 3797, Stone Brothers Racing 3753, Holden Racing Team 3702, Paul Morris Motorsport 3455, Brad Jones Racing 3207, Rod Nash Racing 2232.

CAMS-AGPC agreement gives F1 event green light
Amid all the attention on Homebush over the weekend, the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport quietly announced a belated settlement of its long-running dispute with the Australian Grand Prix Corporation.

The parties have reached an agreement that smoothes the way for the Australian F1 GP to proceed next March 24-27 as scheduled.

CAMS has won some concessions, including discounted GP tickets for members of CAMS-affiliated car clubs.

The winners of CAMS national championships this year also will be acknowledged with a parade lap at the GP.

New CAMS chief executive David Morgan said the agreement "ensures that CAMS is compensated for its direct and indirect costs and avoids any need to dip into CAMS reserves".

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VFACTS for November: Million plus market in the bag

Light commercial vehicle sales declined last month, but the shortfall was more than counterbalanced by passenger cars and SUVs

Myer and David Jones may have their collective fingers crossed for a late rush of pre-Christmas spending, but for the automotive industry Christmas is already here.

According to VFACTS figures for November, sales rose 1.8 per cent over the same month last year, for a total of 87,342. Passenger vehicles (49,405) were up 2346 units for the month and SUVs (20,806) improved by 2446 sales. Light commercial vehicles (14,668) fell back by 3246 units.

Despite the lack of federal government tax breaks this year, the year-to-date total for 2010 is 948,987 -- setting up the market for an easy coast through December to achieve the magic million. The total for 2010 so far is over 100,000 units (11.8 per cent) ahead of the same point in 2009, which was a year that got off to a slow start, thanks to fears of a GFC-driven recession that never eventuated.

"These figures show new car sales continue to outperform other economic indicators, including retail spending and business investment," FCAI Chief Executive Andrew McKellar said.

"Much of the strength of the market can be attributed to the affordability of new vehicles, evidenced by the healthy sales to private buyers (up 9.6 per cent in November).

"It is now clear that total sales for 2010 will safely exceed one million units -- only the third time this will have been achieved."

As indicated by the increased sales of passenger cars and SUVs, private buyers continue to support the market strongly, partly explaining perhaps why the upswing in these two class of vehicles is mostly centred around smaller, more fuel efficient vehicles (light, small passenger vehicles and compact/medium SUVs). After all, if you're spending your own money on fuel -- and not the company's -- you want it to go as far as possible. But there's more to the mood of the market than just typical bargain-hunting buyers on a post GFC shopping frenzy.

Take Mercedes-Benz for example. The prestige importer has revealed that its C-Class range (C 250 CGi pictured), in year-to-date terms has outsold every medium-segment passenger car other than the Toyota Camry and the Mazda6. For the month of November, the Benz even overtook the Mazda -- and the C-Class usually numbers cars like the BMW 3 Series among its competitors, not the volume sellers from mainstream importers.

"We are not surprised as we have continually focused on keeping the C-Class fresh with product enhancements," said Benz MD, Horst von Sanden. "What does surprise us is that the C-Class is actually the third biggest selling medium car in the Australian market regardless of segment."

It's a similar story with the E-Class, which is a large car competing in the above $70,000 tier, but the sedan models have outsold Nissan's altogether more affordable Maxima and the Skoda Superb, both in year-to-date numbers and sales for last month. The surprising result comes on the back of a 30 per cent pick-up in sales of the E-Class for 2010.

As the year draws to a close, it's proving to be all peaches and cream for Mercedes-Benz. In addition to the strong showing from the C and E-Class models, the company's strategy to reposition the B-Class and drop the A-Class is bearing fruit. Year-to-date sales of the B-Class have reached 1792 -- nearly 50 per cent better than full year 2009 sales of the A- and B-Class models combined. And that's not counting the projected December 2010 sales.

At the other end of the market, the entire 2010 allocation of the SLS AMG has been sold and 40 vehicles have already been delivered.

Other highlights for the month included Subaru's new November sales record of 3378 vehicles, buoyed by the Impreza's performance of 1260 units for the month -- nearly 50 per cent better than Impreza sales during November 2009.

Last month was also the best November in Suzuki's history and the Japanese importer is supremely confident of another annual record for 2010. Most of the company's gains can be traced back to the newly-launched Kizashi mid-sizer and the recently upgraded and repackaged Alto -- which sold double the number of vehicles last month as it did in November 2009.

Yet another November record was broken by Hyundai, the company selling 6220 vehicles last month -- its best result for the penultimate month since launching in Australia back in 1986. Based on year-to-date figures, the importer is 25 per cent ahead of its 2009 tally. Getz managed to secure second spot in the light-car segment, despite the introduction of the i20, which nominally competes for the same sales.

With sales up 11.4 for the year to date, the Mazda3 is setting a cracking pace and has already broken its own sales record -- even without the December sales numbers. The small car's performance is credited with helping the brand on its way to a new annual sales record. For December, the importer only needs to sell 2039 vehicles to break the previous (2008) record of 79,826 vehicles for the year.

The top ten car companies for the year to date are: Toyota (193,778), Holden (122,479), Ford (88,065), Mazda (77,788), Hyundai (74,161), Mitsubishi (57,327), Nissan (57,115), Subaru (37,285), Honda (37,096), Volkswagen (35,269). Barring Honda, all companies have increased sales from last year.

The top ten-selling cars for the month were: Toyota Corolla (4536), Holden Commodore (3771), Toyota Hilux (3241), Mazda3 (2980), Holden Cruze (2721), Ford Falcon (2368), Toyota Yaris (2270), Toyota Camry (2232), Hyundai i30 (1772), Nissan Navara (1733).

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GM back on track – maybe

Bruised US auto giant is looking at lifting its European product image via increased motor sport involvement – perhaps including the WRC

General Motors is reportedly close to making a decision that it will put more focus on motor sport as a means of toughening up the image of European brands Vauxhall and Opel.

The recently bailed-out American giant is tossing around the pros and cons of upping its presence in touring car racing, where it already has some involvement, and maybe competing in the World Rally Championship -- although it is reported at this stage that the latter is currently the less attractive option because of higher costs. If it happened, a return to rallying on the world stage would end a 20-plus years' absence for GM.

In circuit racing GM has been enjoying a measure of recent success with US brand Chevrolet. Chevrolet's Cruze took out both the World Touring Car Championship (pictured) and the British Touring Car Championship this year, encouraging the top brass to consider future involvement in the German touring car championship -- the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters -- as well.

In an article published in The Detroit News, GM's president of European operations, Nick Reilly, said touring-car successes have had a beneficial effect on the Chevrolet brand image.

According to The Detroit News, the concept of a more concerted motor sport effort is underscored by entirely practical considerations: The asking prices of Vauxhall and Opel cars. The company's view is that the image is not as strong as the actual product, which places limitations on how much customers expect, or are prepared to pay. And how much unit profit is pocketed by GM.

GM arch-rival Ford has a long-term involvement in the WRC series, and next year will be fielding a new Fiesta model developed in conjunction with its rally partner M-Sport to replace the Focus RS. Ford says the RS has made it the "most successful manufacturer in world championship history" having scored 75 victories at WRC level.

Ford and Peugeot are currently the only two car manufacturers directly involved in the WRC. Undoubtedly the WRC would be happy to embrace a third.

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