CIRCULATING IN WANGARATTA, BENALLA, MYRTLEFORD, BRIGHT, MT BEAUTY, BEECHWORTH, YACKANDANDAH, RUTHERGLEN, CHILTERN AND DISTRICTS
NORTH EAST
September 5, 2014
available online - wangarattachronicle.com.au
PRINTED FORTNIGHTLY — VOLUME 456
Sporty Renault Clio GT Storypage3
MAZDA3 ASTINA TURBO-DIESEL: It has more to offer than simply good looks.
Mazda diesel turns out an unlikely hero H
ow things change. Touting a turbodiesel as a halo hot-hatch a decade ago would have been unthinkable but Mazda has done just this with the new Mazda3 XD Astina, planting the flag on the latest Everest for oil burners. This Mazda3 sets out to combine performance with fuel efficiency, with the new 2.2-litre SKYACTIV-D diesel engine, mated with either a six-speed SkyActiv manual or a six-speed SkyActiv automatic transmission, the auto diesel being a first-time offering on a Mazda3. The new turbo-diesel shows an improvement of up to 12 per cent in fuel efficiency over the previous engine. Engine stop-start technology and Mazda’s brake energy regeneration are partly responsible for this advance. The engine, which puts out 129 kW of power and 420 Nm of torque makes use of a two-stage turbocharger – one small, one large.
By DEREK OGDEN The small blower operates at low engine speeds, and alternates with the large turbo at mid-range speeds to maintain optimum boost. At higher speeds the large unit takes over to supply boost to the greater mass of air the system must handle. Optimum oxygen is thus applied at combustion. This, coupled with a low compression ration minimises exhaust emissions, while maintaining performance and fuel economy. SkyActive-Drive is a computer link between engine and transmission controlling engine torque in a way that balances smooth, quick gear changes with minimal shift lock. A further boost to fuel economy is supplied by i-stop which automatically cuts out the engine after the vehicle comes to a stop. When the brake is released, fuel is injected
into the cylinder to quickly restart the engine. Gear ratios have been fashioned to manage the heft of torque on tap at a low 2000 rpm, plus peak power at 4500 revs, resulting in snappy going off the mark, effortless overtaking and unfettered cruising at highway speeds. This was borne out by a responsive yet relaxed performance on typical Tasmanian terrain, something welcomed on launch after a meagre three hours sleep the previous night due to air travel disruptions. Mazda claims the XD is capable of getting down to diesel consumption of 5 litres per 100 kilometres on the combined urban / highway cycle, that’s around what many petrol-electric hybrid vehicles manage. Manual and automatic versions of vehicles came within a cat’s lick of one another, using 7.8 litres per 100 kilometres (manual) and 7.7 (auto).
These numbers are more than 50 per cent over the official numbers, a hefty increase although the test drive program during the media launch did include some hard driving on damp and dry country roads. The car sat low and steady on the road despite being put through some rapid and harsh manoeuvres, reacting to steering input with aplomb. Indeed, throughout the run, the XD Astina exhibited exemplary ride and handling characteristics, with tyre noise one of the few intrusions into a calm cabin ambience. Offered in hatchback form only, the new XD Astina carries the same extensive list of equipment as the petrol-powered SP25 Astina, with the newbie set apart by 18-inch alloy wheels, LED fog-lamps, black painted lower rear bumper, red accent around the front grille and black leather seats with suede trim.
Continued page 2
NORTH EAST
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CLASSIFIEDS 28 Foot Timber Cruiser. Displacement hull, 24hp MD11 Volvo Penta engine. Berthed at a marina in Western Port Bay. Equipped galley, twin berth, ready to ÂżVK RU FUXLVH 0XVW VHOO $12,500. Phone Luke (03) 5723 0115.
EZY TRAIL camper, off road model, electric brakes, swing out kitchen, water tank, gas bottle, jerry can holders. Reg U79595. $4200. Ph 5776 2249.
SOLD
HARLEY Davidson Fat Boy Lo, 2011 model, 12,000 km, new tyres, Vance & Hines pipes, Screaming Eagle tuner. $21,000. Ph Chris 0407 476 281.
95 NF Fairlane 5lt V8 exc cond 290,000km, Reg (ICO7WT), $3000 or $3500 with RWC. Ph 0438 217 103.
VW Tiguan 2009. (XCE653). $14,900. Diesel, 186,000 km. Excellent c o n d i t i o n . RW C provided. Contact 0408 573 904 if interested.
TOYOTA Prado Grande 2004 model, 7 seats, unleaded, 180 litre dual tanks, black, 138,000kms, always garaged, no off-road work, 2007 SNYPER alu- leather and wood grain interior, sunroof, near minum tinnie, 4.35 mtr, new tyres, great condi30 hp Yamaha 2 stroke, tion. Rego (EMMA72) new tyres and suspen- (custom plates not insion, great stable boat. cluded). RWC Includ&DQ ÂżVK IRXU DGXOWV ed. $27,500 - genuine Reg CL1765. $5500. enquiries only. Ph 0412 Ph Chris 0407 476 281. 182 737.
Selling your car has never been easier or cheaper!
SOLD
HOLDEN Jackaroo SE 1998, petrol V6 3.5L, green and silver, 301,000 kms, excel cond, reg ’til 15/10/14 (TDT883), to be sold without RWC. Manual. Service records, clean vehicle, good tyres. $3000. Ph. 0429 072 340 or (03) 5755 1414.
1997 750 Honda Shadow, American Classic Edition, 6700km, (CM525). $6500. Ph 57276316.
CLASSIFIEDS 5723 0101
September 5, 2014
H O L D E N Commodore Series 11 auto, NSW reg (AYN21Z), June 2015. New tyres, reg service. 250,000 km. $5500 ono. Mobile 0417 212 022.
PARAMOUNT Classic 2009 model, 21' 6", full ensuite, dbl bed, many extras, EC, $46,000. Ph 0427 264 702.
REDUCED TO SELL Holden Rodeo 2004 4WD space cab, 3.0 lt turbo diesel, 5 sp man, A/C, power steering, CD/radio, steel tray and side steps, towbar, local owner since new, EC, gen 146,000 k's, rego to May 2015, SVV507, any test welcome, RWC. $10,900 ono. Ph 0427 250 035.
HOLDEN Commodore Omega VE 2006, towbar, electric brakes, spoiler, serviced regularly, excellent bodywork, RWC, (XJN316), $12,000 neg. Ph 0408 539 807.
FORD Falcon Gli station wagon 1996. Petrol/gas, 6 seater, 285,000km, a/c, cassette/radio, central locking, cruise control, towball. (OBW916) $3600 ono. Ph 0447 223 353.
2007 Ford Ranger ute Space Cab 4x4, tray with sides, 132,000km, serviced and detailed. For sale. Full service history. 3 litre diesel, 4 new tyres, reg (WEN935) with RWC. $16,250 ono. Ph (03) 5729 5565 Carboor.
Mazda diesel turns out an unlikely hero
14ft x 5ft Dolphin punt, 30hp motor, decked with mounted seats, cover and extras. Boat and trailer registered, $4000. Phone Chris 0429 007 318.
„ From page 1
HONDA Accord, 1988, good running condition, with all electric acs, cruise control, good tyres, 6 months reg (SSW166), ideal first car, $1600 roadworthy. Call on 0434 237 976.
In addition to a full complement of safety features including airbags, reversing camera, Dynamic Stability Control, Anti-lock Braking and Electronic Brake-force Distribution, the XD Astina is also fitted with the full suite of technologies including Blind Spot Monitoring with Rear Cross Traffic Alert, High Beam Control, Lane Departure Warning, Radar Cruise Control, Smart Brake Support, Forward Obstruction Warning and Smart City Brake Support. The present Mazda3 introduces head-up windscreen display to the company’s product for the first time. This projects driving information onto the windscreen directly in front of the driver. The focal point is about 1.5 metres in front of the driver’s eye point and requires minimal eye movement to focus. Info displayed includes vehicle speed, automatic cruise control speed settings, navigation turn-by-turn, plus various safety alerts among other things. Also aboard a Mazda3 for the first time is commander control, which offers the driver complete control over vehicle systems with minimum distraction via a knob and cluster of switches on the centre console linked to the 7-inch display screen on the central dashboard. Operation requires minimum hand and eye movement from the driving position and many of the functions also come with voice control. The Mazda3 XD Astina is priced from $40,230 (manual), a hefty $4000 premium over its petrol-powered counterpart, the SP25 Astina 2.5, which could cause some resistance from potential buyers. Time will tell.
1987 Jayco Swan campervan, sleeps 6, fully reupholstered inside, full annex and bed ends, comes with microwave and camp kitchen, vgc, $8500. Ph 0400 217 273. SEAJAY 3.7 metre tinny, full floor with marine carpet, lock up front, swivel chairs, oars, new Garmin depth ďŹ nder, near new 25HP Mercury motor, life jackets, 2 fuel tanks, new boat trailer, selling due to ill health, $6000 ono. Ph 5766 2238 or 0427 936 630.
SOLD
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HARRISON & SOLIMO PANELS
NORTH EAST
September 5, 2014
3
Sporty Renault Clio GT BY EWAN KENNEDY
R
enault Clio GT sits below the hot-hatch Clio RS in price and performance, but is no slow coach. It’s an important component in the ever increasing range of high-performance machines from the French giant that has a long history in motorsport. With a starting price of just $25,290 (plus on-roads) the Clio GT significantly undercuts the Clio RS hot-hatch which starts at $29,290. A further cost saver is Renault’s capped price servicing of $299 per calendar year for the first three years. These days more and more hot-hatch buyers are demanding the practicality of four passenger doors instead of two. The designers have aimed to give the shape coupe characteristics by using hidden rear-door handles. We will let you decide on the success or otherwise of this ploy. The new Clio comes in two specification levels – GT and GT Premium – both powered by the same 1.2-litre four-cylinder engine. A long list of options can be added to the GT, while the GT Premium is already well specced with such things as 17-inch anthracite alloy wheels, rear lip spoiler, side sills, rear diffuser, front and rear bumpers including GT bumper, steering column mounted gearshift paddles, GT badging for sports seats, leather steering wheel, RenaultSport kickplates and hands-free keycard. Sitting lower to the ground than the standard Clio, the GT looks to the hot RS for its appearance. Prominent are pronounced shoulder lines above the front and rear wheel arches, a steeply raked windscreen and
high-set side windows. The Renault diamond dominates the front and is cut into the radiator grille, the front bumper incorporates wide-set LED lights, there’s a sporty rear bumper, chrome twin exhaust tailpipes, and body-colored side protective mouldings with satin grey inserts. The satin grey is also carried into the door mirror housings, privacy rear windows. Exclusive GT badging is very visible on both the front and rear of the vehicle. Sporty styling goes indoors with bolstered sport seats, upholstered in an exclusive GT finish with GT embroidery on the head rests. The upper part of the softtouch dashboard features a speckled grey finish. The leather-trimmed sports steering wheel carries GT badging and dark metal gear shift paddles are in a fixed position behind the steering wheel. Storage includes a 1.2-litre tray above the glove box, two cup holders and additional storage for small items between the front seats, while each door has a bin that can carry a 1.5-litre bottle. Renault Clio GT features the MediaNav system with a seveninch touchscreen that provides basic multimedia functions. Standard on the Clio GT Premium (and optional on the GT) is Renault’s R-Link system, again with the seven-inch screen; it has voice commands and a home page that can be personalised by the user to minimise driver distraction. A menu with six icons provides access to navigation, multimedia, phone, vehicle, services and apps. A quirky app, the R-Sound Effect, enables occupants to choose from a series of engine sounds: including a RenaultSport racing car, and a Renault V6
RENAULT CLIO GT: It is a five-door hatch carefully styled to give it a sporty three-door appearance.
AtaGlance MODEL RANGE, WITH PRICES (EXCLUDING DEALER AND GOVERNMENT CHARGES) IS: GT 1.2-LITRE TURBO-PETROL FIVE-DOOR HATCH: $25,290 (AUTOMATIC) GT PREMIUM 1.2-LITRE TURBO-PETROL FIVE-DOOR HATCH: $28,790 (AUTOMATIC) CONTACT YOUR LOCAL RENAULT DEALER FOR DRIVEAWAY PRICES. FEATURES STANDARD IN BOTH MODELS: ABS BRAKES; AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION; CRUISE CONTROL; DUAL FRONT AIRBAGS; FRONT SIDE AIRBAGS; ELECTRONIC STABILITY PROGRAM; REAR PARKING SENSORS; USB/AUXILIARY AUDIO INPUTS; BLUETOOTH;
engine, a Tardis-like tone of the future with the engine’s speed and are played through the vehicle’s speakers. The Clio GT is powered by the Renault TCe 120 horsepower 1.2-litre direct-injection turbopetrol engine running through a six-speed double-clutch Getrag automatic transmission. With a maximum 190 Nm of torque, zero to 100 km/h is achieved in 9.4 seconds on the way to a top speed of 199 km/h. The Clio GT puts out a classlow 120 grams/km of carbon dioxide. Renault was the first car maker
ever to receive a European fivestar crash safety rating and Clio continues this excellent tradition. A reinforced body and suspension, plus driver and passenger chest and head airbags, seatbelts with load limiters and, for those in the front, pretensioners protect occupants in a crash. Headrests have an antiwhiplash design and front and rear seats are shaped to reduce ‘submarining’ under the belts in a crash. Every version of new Clio is equipped with electronic stability control, traction control, ABS anti-
locking brakes with emergency brake assist. Standard hill start assist helps when taking off on steep inclines if you’re not into left-foot braking. Occupants will find the high quality materials putting them in mind of a more expensive, premium vehicle. Front seats have good space and semi-sporting design, some wider folk may find the backrest too narrow. The rears are probably best left to children but if the tall folks in front are willing to give up a little of their legroom then grownups can get fairly comfortable in back as well. Fire up the motor and you will find it’s quiet and responsive in traffic, but sounds much more interesting when you get stuck into the pedal on the right. The automated manual has some lag in downshifts, something which could be rectified by offering a ‘proper’ manual gearbox. Hint, hint, Mr importer… With a suspension tuned on the sporty side, the Clio GT’s
ride can be choppy on uneven country road surfaces. Most will love it, but if you value comfort ahead of sportiness perhaps you should go for another model in the range. The French have long been past masters at chassis design and it comes as no surprise that twists and turns present few problems to the advanced chassis design. If you enjoy driving you will love the cheeky little Renault Clio. Competent braking and wiper systems took any potential stress out of driving during the wet weather that greeted us at home on the Gold Coast on the week we had the hot-ish little Renault GT on test. Fuel consumption is in the five to seven litres per hundred kilometres range in easy driving, rising to nine to ten litres if you screw the hot little engine to get the best in driving pleasure from it. Renault Clio GT fetches French fun and flair with minimum damage to finances - fantastique.
SEPTEMBER September is Sales Month at One Mile Motors
ONE MILE
MOTORS ABN 44 048 105 609 LMCT 1060
10 Templeton Street, Wangaratta Paul Davenport 0408 057 837 Michael Henderson 0418 512 531
(03) 5721 5677 www.onemilemotors.com.au c/21d09271-v13/3614
RENAULT VANS EUROPE’S NO.1 RANGE
AWAY* TRAFIC SWB FROM $32,990 DRIVE
AWAY* MASTER SWB FROM $39,990 DRIVE
Renault light commercial vehicles are Europe’s number one selling range of vans. Take a closer look and you’ll see why. The Trafic SWB is one of the most versatile in its class with a load space of 5m3 and a towing capacity of 2,000kg. The turbo-diesel Master boasts a load space capacity of 8m3 and has been designed for maximum manoeuvrability without compromising on space or capability. ENDS OCTOBER 31. VISIT ALESSI RENAULT TODAY.
ALESSI RENAULT 609 HUME ST, ALBURY 2640 PH: 02 6041 0840 *Recommended drive away prices for the Trafic L1H1 SWB manual and Master L1H1 SWB manual, each with non-metallic paint. Valid for vehicles ordered between 01/09/2014 & 31/10/2014 while stocks last. Renault reserves the right to vary, extend or withdraw this offer. Offer not available for Govt. buyers. ABN holders only. †Warranty valid for 3 years or 200,000km (whichever comes first) from new. Demonstrator vehicles receive balance of new vehicle warranty. Roadside Assistance terms and conditions apply. Call our Customer Service Team on 1800 009 008 or view the Terms and Conditions statement at www.renault.com.au/drivingpeaceofmind for details. Scheduled services capped at $349 per service for 3 years or 45,000km (whichever comes first) on new or demonstrator Trafic models only and 3 years or 90,000km (whichever comes first) on new or demonstrator Master models. Offers based on standard scheduled servicing from new and normal operating conditions. If the vehicle is not presented within three (3) months of the due date for the scheduled service, the vehicle forfeits the right to that capped-price service under the program. Europe’s No.1 based on LCV range DL7659 sales in Europe, 2013. j/37d04242/36-14