After 15-months of waiting - the RHD Ford GT is finally here!
Good things come to those who wait - and this is a good thing indeed!
Members of the Supercar Club are now in an even more exclusive group - as this is 2nd of only 2 RHD Ford GTs - in the WORLD!
The mighty 550HP Ford GT supercar is finally converted, registered and ready to go. The team at Mustang Motorsport have done an amazing job in creating a perfect RHD version of this extremely special car.
To drive... it's a pussycat (albeit a very big one) as far as low speed driveability is concerned. Squeeze the throttle for smooth power delivery matched by an easy gearchange. Get it out on to some (wide) roads and push a little harder, and you feel every one of those 550-horses surging you forward - and what a noise!
Members will be contacted shortly about a familiarisation event that will allow them to feel more comfortable with the size, vision and lack of driver aids in the car. It's certainly not a car for the timid!
The GT is a 'must try' experience, and available exclusively to Supercar Club Members.
Please feel free to contact us with any enquiries about our Ford GT, Supercar Club Membership, or even purchasing your own RHD GT!
James Ward - Supercar Club - July 2008
Bugatti Veyron - Ownership for the price of a Boxster
Not content with having the latest Ferraris and Lamborghinis available to drive, The Supercar Club would like to announce an offer of fractional ownership in the most amazing supercar of our time - the Bugatti Veyron.
- 0-100km/h in less than 3 seconds
- capable of speeds in excess of 400km/h
- owners can enjoy this shattering performance on real roads in Europe
- price of a new Veyron to Australia is $2.7million
- 20 days use per year
- The ONLY car available to Australians
Ownership fractions of 1/10th are being offered at $179,000 plus an annual running cost of $9,000. There will be NO other costs. The opportunity is strictly limited. A maximum of 20 days per annum will be available with availability managed by The Supercar Club's online booking system.
The car purchased will have an interesting history, be it the one Top Gear ran to 407km/h on the VW test track, or the car that holds the highest recorded speeding fine in the Middle East... there will be more to the car than the car itself.
Initially the car will be based in Europe for use on the road. It will then be shipped to Australia for use by its owners on private tracks, roads and displays for a further 12 months. Ownership is fully transferable and The Supercar Club will guarantee the future value to 60% after 2 years, although we expect to retain much more. At the end of 2 years, owners will be offered either an exit or the chance to upgrade into a new car.
Please visit our special Bugatti website for more information and to register your interest - www.supercarclub.com.au/bugatti
First Australian drive: Jaguar XF
With a unique flavour, distinctive styling and impressive dynamics the Jaguar XF is the most enticing Jaguar in decades.
The minute you sit in the new Jaguar XF you know Jaguar has at least partly succeeded with its aim of revitalising the brand and standing out from the predominantly German competition.
Before you even start the engine the Jaguar XF wants you to know it’s ready for business. A red light in the Start/Stop button gently pulsates, simulating a heartbeat.
Then the gear selector knob gently rises to its driving position.
Okay, so some may accuse it of being gimmicky, but that’s a criticism that can be levelled at all manner of automotive design cues, from fake air intakes to large exhaust tips. And as Jaguar Australia general manager Dorian Lapthorne points out: “it’s great to show your neighbours”.
The point with the Jaguar XF’s many unique touches is that they’re different, something that at least injects some personality into a luxury car competing with the best in the world.
We were impressed with the new Jaguar XF overseas and our first taste test on Australian bitumen has confirmed those early impressions.
Our 250 kilometre sojourn with the entry level diesel version of the Jaguar XF took place on mostly wet roads in Melbourne and the Yarra Valley. It took in a selection of heavily trafficked city roads, flat freeways and undulating winding roads.
Driving the rear wheels, the sizeable sedan makes for a comfortable cruising companion easily lapping up the country miles. It’s impressively quiet in the cabin, with only a mild roar from the tyres evident once Australia’s coarser bitumen surfaces come into play.
The ride, too, is befitting of the XF’s luxury status – and its luxury $105,500-plus price tag. It’s not a cheap car, nor does it look or feel like one.
Mid-corner bumps do little to upset the poise of the Jaguar XF, which doesn’t falter during more aggressive driving. The XF is also confident and surefooted, living up to the sporting aspirations of the brand.
To be fair, we haven’t tried the Jaguar XF on bumpy, second grade roads, so we’ll reserve final judgement of its dynamic abilities till then. The 2.7-litre twin turbo V6 diesel engine musters a modest 152kW of power. But it’s the more muscular 435Nm of torque available from just 1900rpm that gives the diesel its character and easy going driveability.
On a wet road, the sudden surge of torque – or mid-range pulling power – from the diesel V6 can occasionally trip the traction control into action. The electronics do a good job of keeping the Jaguar XF pointing in the direction the driver intends.
In a straight line the diesel is also no slouch, hitting 100km/h from rest in 8.2 seconds, a whisker less than the identically priced 3.0-litre petrol V6 version of the XF. If you want genuine performance, though, you'll have to splash out tens of thousands of dollars more for one of the V8 versions of the Jaguar XF. And you'll pay more for fuel; the diesel uses an average 7.5 litres of fuel per 100km travelled, which is more palatable than the XF V6 (10.5L/100km), XF V8 (11.1L/100km) and XF SV8 with its supercharged V8 (12.6L/100km).
Despite its low slung appearance, the Jaguar XF is generous inside, with decent headroom and seat adjustability up front. The XF also has the largest boot of any Jaguar. While the Jaguar XF has a fresh interior, there’s the occasional reminder of older Jaguars, including the stalks protruding from the steering column. The distinctive clicking of the indicator is also a reminder that Jaguars are different.
All up, the XF is the most convincing Jaguar in a long time, although it’s up against more impressive competition.
Toby Hagon, drive.com.au, April 29, 2008
Auction houses have seen an influx of vehicles selling for astoundingly low prices, but unsuspecting buyers thinking they’ve got a bargain may have a flood-damage car instead.
The vehicle may look good but water damage can raise its ugly head months or years later, according to David Carr, Manager of Motoring Advice for NRMA Motoring Services.
“Flood water can cause corrosion in the electrical connectors leading, in severe cases, to short circuits,” David told Open Road.
“These faults may not be apparent at the time of purchase and can be difficult to locate and repair”
He said flood-water corrosion could also cause moving components to rust together, making repairs dearer.
“Water can also damage the Engine, transmission and final drives and without dismantling the units, this is difficult to diagnose,” said David.
Health problems could arise though dampness, mould and excessive condensation.
With auctions the main market for these vehicles, followed by private sale, buyers should be wary of anything selling a car that has recently been bought at auction, or whose bark yard look like a car yard.
Watch out for cheap cars that may or may not be registered and newly registered cars that have been cheaply repaired. The RTA, alerted to write-offs though the Written Off Vehicle Register, determines whether such a vehicle can be repaired. Those deemed irreparable have their VIN removed and cannot be re-registered. Repairable vehicles must have the necessary work done and be declared roadworthy by the RTA before re-registering.
The buyer of a vehicle that has been reported to REVS as a repairable write-off may have difficulty re-selling later or getting the price desired – after spending thousands of dollars repairing it.
NRMA
Off Road Magazine
Top Gear down under
Yes, it's true, SBS will produce a completely Aussie version of the top-rating motoring program Top Gear, to air in 2008.
Australia is the first country in the world to secure the rights to make a local version of the much loved show. "This is fantastic news for SBS, for Top Gear fans and for Australian audiences," SBS director of content Matt Campbell said of the show that has become one of the BBC's biggest worldwide hits.
Top Gear's manic and breathtaking test driving and brutal appraisals of the world's most popular cars have made the show's presenters Jeremy Clarkson, James May, Richard Hammond and The Stig TV legends.
The Australian version will feature local hosts, and won't simply replicate the UK series. SBS plans to make a program that is uniquely and quintessentially Australian," Matt Campbell said.
SBS has screened Top Gear since 2005 and will broadcast the series as long as the BBC keep making it.
Top Gear' Jeremy Clarkson said he is delighted that Top Gear is going to Australia. "Maybe the first guest could be Jonny Wilkinson," Clarkson said, in a cheeky reference to England's World Cup hero.
The series will be produced by Freehand Productions, BBC Worldwide's Australasian partner
