2003 Sydney Motor Show: Australian Rules

By Feann Torr

The Sydney Motor Show is always a grand event, heralding the arrival of celebrities, sexy new vehicular product and let's not forget the plethora of brand new models that the big four Aussie marques always pride themselves on saving for the local automotive gala.

Being a red-blooded Aussie company ourselves, we love seeing what the locals come up with, and the 2003 exhibition didn't disappoint, with HSV's amazingly attractive Coupe 4 without a doubt the standout appearance.

And though the dominant 'theme' for local manufacturers Toyota, Mitsubishi, Ford and Holden was the push towards an AWD Australian motoring landscape, there was plenty of exciting and somewhat eclectic designs that provoked plenty of thoughtful discussion, least of which was Toyota's new Self Parking Prius.

For detailed information and imagery from the Sydney Motor Show, click the links below.

->> Toyota

->> Mitsubishi

->> Ford/FPV

->> Holden/HSV

Toyota was also pushing its powerful new 3.3-litre V6-powered Kluger 4x4, which can seat seven, won't cost the world and doesn't adhere to Toyota's usual bland design ethos.

Mitsubishi had a distinct 'tour de force' vibe going on, with its highly lauded Pajero being gifted with an upgraded 3.8-litre V6 for 2004, pumping out more power and torque to all four wheels.

The maniacal - yet brilliantly balanced - 202kW Evolution VIII was also present, readying for an Aussie showroom debut early in the second quarter of 2004, and Mitsubishi's ever-developing Pajero Evolution 2+2 concept really turned heads with sophisticated new styling cues and the first big V8 for a Mitsubishi 4WD.

The Blue Oval - continuing what has been a record-breaking year thanks largely to its refreshing BA Falcon - previewed its 2004 range in Sydney.

The attendance of the hot little Festiva, which is shaping up very much like a Peugeot 206-esque cornering phenomenon, will add another feather to Ford's cap, and compete against Barina, Mazda2 et al.

Ford's also confident its new 4x4 Territory will outclass Holden's equivalent AWD wagon, the Adventra, with more technology, safety, more room and a completely new design.

Also in SUV-land was a new 2.3-litre 4-cylinder engined Ford Escape, which will appeal to buyers of Subaru's Forester and Honda's CR-V soft-roaders

While HSV's arch-nemesis, Ford Performance Vehicles, didn't show any new models (we were hoping for an FPV-badged XR6 Turbo - perhaps in March at the Melbourne Motor Show), it did present a new colour scheme entitled Lightning Strike, which can be matched to orange GT stripes in a tip of the hat to the 1970s Falcon GT.

Holden's new Cros Trac AWD system was the flavour of the month, with the Crewman Cross8 and Adventra attracting lots of attention.

HSV's exhibit was turning more heads than most, with the ridiculously sexy four-wheel drive, 270kW Coupe 4 and also its new 5.7-litre V8-powered Adventra-based Avalanche AWD power monger, looking to give BMW's X5 and Porsche's Cayenne a good drubbing.

Besides the solid showing from the local boys, and from many European and Japanese car manufacturers (see our daily-updated news section for other Sydney Motor Show exhibitors over the next few weeks), the show wasn't without controversy.

For starters, the highly-anticipated Alfa Romeo Brera has been delayed by highly rigorous security checks that are now being made on all cargo transported on aircraft.

Meanwhile, luxury automakers Land Rover, Aston Martin, Porsche and Jaguar snubbed Australia's biggest car show, held at the Darling Harbour Exhibition Centre, though German tuning specialists did offer some respite in the form of modified/tuned cars.

Best summed up by Porsche's marketing manager (Michael Bartsch), he cited increasing costs for the no-show, despite records sales of the Porsche brand in Australia, stating: "The motor show situation in Australia is an absurdity and overkill. It is ridiculous that there are two so-called international shows each year in Australia when most other countries can do with one every two years."