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N O R T H E AST V I C TO R I A
JUNE 1 - 7 | 2018
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SUBTLE: Styling of the Infiniti QX has been toned down and is now admired by many.
2018 Infinity INFINITI’S extra-large QX80 has had a major facelift and a number of stylish interior updates. Previously the shape had been a bit - dare we say - Japanese and wasn’t always to the taste of Australians or Americans. Most sales are to these two nationalities so the changes are likely to make it more appealing in this country, and perhaps increase sales, because they have been rather slow to date. STYLING This is more than your routine facelift, everything forward of the windscreen has been revised, not just the easy-to-reshape plastic bits. The bonnet is 20 mm higher and has been extended forward by 90 mm, the grille is
By EWAN KENNEDY taller and broader. The tailgate, taillights, chrome bar and rear bumper have also been redesigned. The QX80 sits on large new-design 22-inch forged aluminiumalloy wheels, up from 20s on the old model. Overall, the look is certainly different and not as challenging as previously. Those who commented on our test car all liked the new look. INSIDE The topline Infiniti has an updated instrument panel as well as the centre and rear-centre consoles. Seat and door trim quilting, stitching and piping have been refreshed, and there is now a contrasting
coloured double-stitch design on the centre arm rest. INFOTAINMENT The Japanese SUV has Bluetooth connectivity. We loved the output from the Bose Surround audio system. The rear entertainment screens have been increased from 7.0 to 8.0 inches as part of the QX80’s makeover. The large symbols on the central screen minimise the time you have to take your eyes off the roads. POWERTRAIN Infiniti QX80 is powered by a large 5.6-litre V8 petrol engine. It has an impressive 298 kW of power and 560 Nm of torque. That’s good old fashioned grunt.
Power is sent to all four wheels by way of a seven-speed automatic transmission and Infiniti’s All-Mode 4WD system. Towing capacity is listed at 3500 kg. SAFETY The big Infiniti does not have an Australasian NCAP rating, but being aimed primarily at the market in the USA there’s a big emphasis on safety. Major items include Blind Spot Monitoring, Forward Emergency Braking and Lane Departure Warning. All of which will intervene if the driver isn’t paying attention. There are only two IsoFix points, on the outer seats of the second row. You would expect three, even four.
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June 1 - 7 | 2018
The Queen and I 2018 Infinity QX80 From page 1 Normally you may not think of an Intelligent Parking System as being a safety item, but when you want to fit about half an acre of SUV into a normal Aussie-sized parking spot the semiautomatic parking system is certainly useful. Cleverly QX80’s Rear View Mirror system has its camera mounted to the top of the rear windscreen, rather than low as in many other vehicles, so there’s less chance of it getting dirty. DRIVING Infiniti has revised the QX80’s suspension to reduce complaints from enthusiastic drivers that it isn’t particularly agile. It hasn’t lost any comfort because of this to our way of thinking, but then we didn’t do an old-versus-new test. The typical buyer who is far more interested in peaceful progress than in attacking favourite hilly bends will find the largest Infiniti smooth, quiet and relaxing. It’s hardly a secret that very few people buy SUVs to go off-road into tough conditions. So the fact that the side steps have been extended outwards by 20 mm to make it easier to get in and out makes sense. But side steps are often the first components to be damaged if you tackle serious off-road driving. Your call… All our testing was done on-road and the side steps certainly made it relatively easy to get in and out. However, it is a long way up and some may find it awkward at times. The rearmost seat is probably best left to the kids in this respect. Inside, the big comfy seats with their diamond pleating certainly gained plenty of positive statements. Loading the huge boot (when in five-seat configuration) is simple. The big old-style V8 is a delight to sit behind. It is smooth as silk, has plenty of punch off the line and when you need to overtake safely. There’s no lag as there’s no turbo to cause it. Fuel consumption on motorways was in the nine to eleven litres per hundred kilometres range, around town it rose markedly, to 14 to 17 litres per hundred. There’s no diesel option as our cousins on the other side of the Pacific don’t like diesels in passenger cars. SUMMING UP If you’re looking for quiet comfortable cruising in the great Aussie continent this Japanese Infiniti SUV is certainly worth a look. The QX80 is bargain priced for its class. The recommended retail is $110,900 (plus on-roads) putting it about $40,000 to $100,000 under that of large premium SUVs from Lexus, Mercedes and Range Rover.
ONE’S FAVOURITE WHEELS: The Queen’s specially-built Bentley limousine. By EWAN KENNEDY WATCHING the royal wedding and the arrival of the Queen in her special Bentley reminded me of an Opinion piece I wrote several years ago. It is repeated here for your enjoyment: One reason for writing a column voicing my opinions is to find out what other people are thinking. Many agree with what I write, some disagree and say so, at times in quite a vehement manner. All of which is good fun. But I must admit to being surprised when I did an opinion piece some time back saying I didn’t like leather trim in cars. I found it too hot or too cold, too sticky, too slippery – and anything with that many
‘toos’ in its description doesn’t make sense to my way of thinking. People tut-tutted, even shook their heads at me, saying I simply didn’t understand what leather trim was all about. That the smell and feel and the ambience created by leather made it a very special material that enhanced any car. Though I made the point that I dearly love the leather lounge suite in my home, I simply didn’t see the sense of leather in a car. I could find no one to agree with my point of view. Until now. Chatting to some of the chiefs at
Bentley Motors the other day, the subject of Her Majesty the Queen’s Bentley came up - you may remember the specially commissioned hand-crafted limousine that was given to the Queen by the British Motor Industry for her Golden Jubilee in 2002. The Queen and her husband spent quite a bit of personal time talking to Bentley during the design stages of the grand car. And, guess what? She declined the offer of leather trim, preferring the comfort of cloth upholstery. So, take that, all you doubters of my sanity. If Her Majesty shares my point of view I must be right.
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June 1 - 7 | 2018
Lexus crafts By EWAN KENNEDY LEXUS has introduced a VSHFLDO HGLWLRQ RI LWV 5; ² YH seater SUV. Based on the RX Luxury grade the Lexus RX Crafted has black coating on its 20-inch alloy wheels and black accents for the grille, foglamp surrounds, door mirror caps and the rear bumper. Added features are a moonroof, colour head-up display; an extra large 12.3-inch KLJK GH² QLWLRQ LQIRWDLQPHQW screen and a premium 6SHDNHU 0DUN /HYLQVRQ sound system with Clari-Fi technology. The standard Lexus RX Luxury is not short of features: leatheraccented trim, heated and YHQWLODWHG IURQW VHDWV GXDO zone Lexus Climate Concierge, keyless entry and start, a powered tailgate, Bluetooth PRELOH SKRQH FRQQHFWLYLW\ wireless charger, USB and Aux inputs. 7KH ² YH VHDW /H[XV 5; Crafted is offered with three powertrains: RX 300 turbo, RX 350 V6 petrol and RX 450h hybrid. Its recommended price LV DERYH WKH 5; /X[XU\ grades. Only 300 of the specialedition models are coming to Australia.
„ LEXUS PLUS: Blacked out exterior features provide visual enhancement to the special edition Lexus RX Crafted.
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MOTOR VEHICLES
1984 Mazda Camper T3500, (RBC725), reg until October 2018, 274,000km, many extras, $14,000 ono. Ph 5744 2542. 2007 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sports MOTOR VEHICLES for sale, 6 speed 4x4 manual, $16,000 ono, RWC, well maintained vehicle, 4 door, 5 seats soft top, great vehicle, (UTE947). Contact 2005 Pajero Exceed, Andrew or Chantal 0428 diesel, 313,000km, 167 843. new battery, tyres, all ÂżOWHUV VKRFN DEVRUEHUV excellent condition, (1DC1PE), $12,500 ono. 3K
2007 Ford Falcon BF MK11 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; XT 4 litre. Ford factory built dedicated gas. 680K full tank â&#x20AC;&#x201C; country range. Cruise, electric windows and mirrors, central locking, automatic transmission. Reg. Aug 18. (UXX065) with RWC. Reduced from $5300
now $4800 Ph 0402 746 434
SOLD
MOTOR VEHICLES
MOTORCYCLES
2015 Jeep Cherokee Sport, silver, 9sp auto, 2.4 petrol, 12 months rego (1FY5NP), window tint, tow bar, 29,900km, immaculate, $26,250. Ph 5727 3831.
2011 Hyosung Aquila 650 Classic, Vic rego (1D1CU), Lams approved with many extras, only 4000km, suit new buyer, $4500 ono. Ph 0418 573 084.
AUDI, 1.8ltr, 2004, current R.W., black, 160,000km, petrol, auto, 2002 Ford Laser sedan, (1MD9TL), $3200. Ph automatic, 177,000km, 0435 067 689. in great nick - two owners only, would make great NISSAN Pulsar 1999, ÂżUVW FDU RU UXQ DERXW IRU 2 4 8 , 0 0 0 k m s , r eg o in town, registered to (QIF328), new tyres, August 2018 (SHS751), excellent condition, serviced and has current manual. Good learners 5RDGZRUWK\ FHUWLÂżFDWH ďŹ rst car, $2800. Ph 0411 $3500. Ph 0418 377 622. 635 818.
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