Australian International Motor Show Preview

Motoring Channel Staff - 24/Oct/2006

Sydney, Australia — The Australian International Motor Show will open it's doors to the public at 5:00pm on Thursday the 26th of October at Darling Harbour in Sydney, right after the media get their first look at the unveiling of new vehicular product.

Australia's biggest motor show will be the first chance for many motorists to check out Holden's new VE Commodore range up close, plus the spin-off HSV range, that includes the imperious GTS.

It will also be the first time the Australian public can see, touch and feel Toyota's new Aurion V6 in the flesh, and other vehicles like the just-released Audi R8 mid-engined sports car and even a range of motorsports race cars will be on display to whet the appetites of interested folk from right around Australia.

And for those that can't make the show, don't despair: we'll be covering the show from later in the week, so stay tuned for all the news.

Concept Cars:

Like all good international motor shows, there will also be a number of high-gloss concept cars, including the impressively economic Saab Aero X, which as well as using bio-ethanol fuel also showcases a dynamic new styling direction for the Scandinavian brand.

Honda's futuristic Sports 4 Concept will also be on display at Darling Harbour in 2006, which is said to point towards a new style of Accord, perhaps a special 2-door sports model? Hyundai will also show off its Arnejs concept car, which we recently covered from the Paris Motor Show. This Korean concept car (pron: Ar-nez) builds on design elements first seen in the Genus concept at 2006 Geneva Motor Show earlier in the year and it marks a further significant milestone in Hyundai's development of a stronger brand identity.

Nissan will present the Foria Concept, a small 2+2 sports coupe with a curvy exterior, while Mazda will be attracting show-goers with the fancy Kabura concept, which some say could be the germination of the next generation RX-7 sports coupe.

Convertible Cars:

The Australian International Motor Show (AIMS) will also be a showcase for a great number of convertible models, which is perfect timing with the southern Summer beckoning Australian drivers.

Using the AIMS as a launching pad, a number of glamorous vehicles will make their Australian debut, including the Volkswagen Eos, Volvo's second-generation C70, BMW's new M6 Convertible, and the Alfa Romeo Spider.

"Australia's deepening love affair with convertibles reflects the strong growth of the market segment," explained FCAI chief executive Peter Sturrock.

"The Australian International Motor Show is the perfect forum for the latest convertibles to hit our shores - to showcase to the public their individual advances in technology, styling and performance," he said.

Volkswagen is setting a world first with its new Eos - a 4-seater with a five-section CSC hardtop convertible roof. Together with its length and height, the vehicle's width lends the Eos a powerful stance that contributes to the car's extra agility and safe handling.

The motor show will also see the return of the Alfa Romeo Spider in a new-generation form. The rear of the new version of the classic Italian 2-seater sports car has been redesigned to focus attention on its open-top character.

Customers of Harry's Café de Wheels enjoyed a sneak preview of the new Alfa Romeo as it was being photographed for pre-motor show publicity outside the iconic take-away shop in Sydney's Woolloomooloo Bay recently.

Another 4-seater to be revealed at the motor show is BMW's new M6 Convertible, featuring its internationally acclaimed 5.0-litre V10 engine. Producing a massive 373kW, the M6 engine accelerates from 0-100km/h in 4.8 seconds. This is one of the quickest drop tops in the world, and will no doubt light up the BMW exhibit.

Volvo's much anticipated second-generation C70 convertible, to be unveiled for the first time in Australia at the motor show, features a three-piece folding hardtop, which converts the car from coupe to convertible in less than 30 seconds. It seats four passengers and being a Volvo will display a number of advanced safety features to distinguish itself from the pack.

Sports Cars:

Just a few of the sports car to make their way to the AIMS will include vehicles from Ferrari, Alfa Romeo and Audi. First and foremost is the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano, which is the Italian marque's most powerful V12-engined production car of all time. The 599 GTB Fiorano is the latest interpretation of a theme that the Prancing Horse company has used to great effect in such classics as the 250 GT, the 275 GTB and the 365 GTB4, though some purists are not happy with the current crop of modern Ferrari's, such as this model and the F430.

Still, anything that can surpass 300 km/h and can accelerate from 0-100km in 3.7 seconds is pretty cool. 

Over on the Audi stand, the German brand will show off it's brand-new R8 sports car, fresh from its Paris Motor Show debut. Powered by a 4.2-litre V8 with an output of 309kW, this mid-engined sports car is expected to be one of the stars of the show, with its engine in plain view at the rear of the car behind a glass laminate window.

Another show-stopper will be the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione, also seen at the recent biennial Paris Motor Show. Featuring a flamboyant and partially retro style, the new car is powered by a 4.7-litre V8 built by Ferrari. It drives the 8C's rear wheels to the tune of 336kW of power and 470Nm of torque, which is expected to give it incredible straight line speed.

Large Cars:

Expect some fireworks from the large car makers, Ford, Holden, Toyota and Mitsubishi, as they all compete for attention at the AIMS in Sydney. The new VE Commodore will on display, alongside the long-wheel base models - Statesman and Caprice - which will be the first time that many viewers get to see the VE in the flesh. The Blue Oval will be exhibiting its BF MkII model Falcon and Fairlane for Ford fans to spot the differences between the original BF models, while Mitsubishi will have it's ill-fated 380 on display. 

The big news will be Toyota with its Aurion V6. With more than 200kW of power it rockets to the top of the large car table in terms of power, but will the car buying public be open to a front-wheel drive large car? If the front-wheel drive V6-powered 380 is anything to go by, Toyota may need more than the biggest advertising budget in Australia to win over new buyers...

Small Cars:

Brand new small cars appearing at the AIMS come largely from Europe. Peugeot will be touting its new 207 as the next big thing in small cars, and it could be on to something, as the GT models will share the Mini Cooper S's 1.6-litre turbocharged engine. The French car company will also have the 307 Hybride HDi concept car on show, which is a hybrid diesel-electric car, that is expected to hit the market by the turn of the century, offering fuel consumption in the 3.5L/100km range.

Volvo will reveal its new C30 to Australian punters, which is a slightly more upmarket small car that will rival vehicles from BMW and Audi more than Toyota and Holden.

Sports Utility Vehicles:

Like the rest of the world, Australian motorists have taken to SUVs (aka 4WDs) and the AIMS will be home to quite a number of these tall-bodied, wide, and generally massive vehicles. Audi launched its Q7 earlier this month, and it's luxury SUV will be making quite a commotion at the Audi exhibit.

Mazda will show off the CX-7, which is more of a Ford Territory-inspired crossover vehicle than a flat out bush-basher. This attractive new vehicle from Mazda is expected to garner quite a bit of support in Australia, likewise the Subaru Tribeca. Subaru's AWD crossover vehicle will be competing with Mazda's CX-7 for the 'most intrepid design' award with its bulbous nose, and will no doubt pique the interest of current Subaru Forester owners who want more room and more style.

Volvo will unveil the local V8 and diesel models of the large XC90 at the Australian International Motor Show, while Mitsubishi will launch its all-new Pajero alongside the Pajero Evo Dakar rally car. Fans of the big German brand, Mercedes-Benz, will also be happy to hear that the new GL Class will be on show, allowing the public to have a look at what is Mercedes' largest vehicle. It seats seven passengers and comes with a range of engines and even an off-road pack for some serious desert dueling.

Race Cars:

Motor racing enthusiasts have a lot to look forward to at this year's Australian International Motor Show with an impressive line-up of rarely seen race cars and appearances by star drivers. To start with,Audi, Citroen and Suzuki will debut proven race winners and new entries in the rally scene.

And Audi will show off its diesel-engined R10 prototype, which was unleashed at the 24 Hour Le Mans race in June. This 5.5-litre, twin turbo, 12-cylinder engine won the Le Mans race on debut and was the first diesel powered car ever to win the event.

The Audi R10 Le Mans Prototype boasts over 650 horsepower and more than 1100Nm of torque, significantly exceeding the power produced by most Audi racing cars - including the R10's victorious Le Mans predecessor, the R8.

Citroën Sport, the winner of three consecutive World Rally Championship Manufacturers' crowns between 2003 and 2005, recently unveiled the new C4 WRC at the Paris Motor Show and has flown it straight to the Sydney show as well.The C4 WRC features a 231kW (315hp), 2.0-litre, turbocharged engine attached to a cross-mounted 6-speed gearbox.

The new Citroen is set to make its rallying debut at the start of the 2007 season in Monte Carlo where it will be driven by current WRC points leader and reigning World Champion Sébastien Loeb.

Suzuki's first WRC car will also be displayed for the first time in Australia at the Australian International Motor Show in Sydney.

Suzuki will enter the World Rally Championship in early 2008 with a turbocharged, 2.0-litre, 4-cylinder, 235kW (320hp) engined version of its new SX4 hatch - a new model that Suzuki will release onto the Australian market in the first quarter of 2007.

As well as motorsport product, race car drivers will also attend the show for autograph and chat sessions, including Ford's Bathurst winners Craig Lowndes and Jamie Whincup on the 4th of November. Meanwhile Holden's Greg Murphy, Mark Skaife and Paul Dumbrell will be on hand on the 27th of October for meet and greet sessions.

Toyota's Australian Rally Champions Simon and Sue Evans will be attending the Australian International Motor Show the weekend of 4-5 November for those interested in the local rally scene, and team-mates Neal Bates and Coral Taylor will be attending on the weekend of 28-29 October, where they will perform a rally demonstration on the stand, which should be quite the attraction.

For some show-goer interaction, and in conjunction with the racing car theme at this year's AIMS, radio-controlled car races will be staged at lunchtimes in Martin Place in downtown Sydney from the 30th of October to the 3rd of November, and these high-powered miniature replicas of real racing cars can reach in excess of 60 kilometres an hour.

The Australian International Motor Show is held at the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre and runs from 5:00pm on Thursday 26 October until Sunday 5 November.

We'll be covering the Australian Internation Motor Show on Thursday, so stay tuned to the Motoring Channel for full reports on the comings and goings directly from the motor show floorspace.

Related articles:
- 2005 Australian International Motor Show (AIMS) - Holden | Ford | Honda | Nissan
- 2004 Sydney International Motor Show (SIMS) - Holden | Ford | HSV
- 2003 Sydney International Motor Show (SIMS)
- 2002 Sydney International Motor Show (SIMS)