Citroen’s DS4 was first released in Australia without the option of an automatic. Now the company has released the coupe crossover with a more powerful engine and matched it to their six-speed automatic gearbox.   The brand are claiming that the DS4 with the full automatic loses none of its performance as the state of the art six speed automatic and the new THP 120 engine are tuned specifically to match each other’s characteristics. The new engine boasts an additional five kilowatts and this, added to the punchy 240 Nm of torque, means that the DS4 THP 120 automatic actually has a better 0-100kmh time, down from 9.9 to 8.6 seconds, more than maintaining the DS4’s sporting credentials.   Citroen Australia expects the new DS4 DStyle THP 120 kW to be the dominant variant in the Citroen DS4 range, but adds that it also complements the existing variants, each of which is tailored to specific customers from the advanced environmental credentials of the micro hybrid e-HDI to the performance of the THP 147, providing a DS4 variant for all.   Citroën now has four different models in a market area in which it previously had just one body with a choice of three or five doors. By offering separate models, rather than variants of one model, the four new models are able to be tailored much more accurately to the market areas they serve and are not limited by compromises.   The new Citroen DS4 DStyle THP 120 kW automatic slots into the DS4 range at a recommended retail price of $35,990, with the advanced micro hybrid Citroen DS4 DStyle e-HDi at $36,990, while the Citroen DS4 DStyle THP 115 kW opens the DS4 family at $35,990 and the DS4 DSport THP 147 kW tops the range at $49,990, all excluding statutory charges, delivery and dealer costs.   The two mainstream models are the Citroën C4, which covers the traditional five door small car market sector and which, in its latest incarnation, offers more comfort and space, and the Citroën C4 Picasso, which, freed of the requirement of sharing a floor pan with the C4 hatchback, is a versatile, flexible and high capable seven seat people mover. The Citroën C4 AirCross, enables Citroën family of ‘4’ models to cross over into the all-wheel drive market. The Citroën DS4, meanwhile tackles the premium and prestige sections of this market sector.   Occupying a unique position in the premium lower medium segment, DS4 offers a stylish coupé design that doesn’t suffer the negatives of long, heavy front doors, limited access or compromised versatility.   The DS4 is a new proposition that will appeal to free-spirited drivers looking for a vehicle with dynamism, sophistication and a premium character.  The car’s distinctive styling blends dramatic coupé lines with versatile hatchback functionality, together with the raised-stance of a cross over.   The Citroën DS4 is positioned at an intersection of different competitor types – such as three-door coupés (e.g. VW Scirocco, Renault Mégane Coupé), 3 & 5-door hatchbacks (e.g. VW Golf, Honda Civic) and Crossovers (e.g. Mini Countryman).  The DS4 is expected to attract attention from buyers in these segments.  Key rivals also include five-door premium and semi-premium hatchbacks that offer a similar blend of status, dynamism and versatility, such as the Alfa Romeo Giulietta, BMW 1-Series and Audi A3 Sportback.   Citroën’s target of providing enhanced style, design and exclusivity with the Citroën DS4 is already well on its way to being met with the DS4 having already been voted “Most Beautiful Car of the Year” by more than 60,000 web users in 62 countries, a jury from the worlds of design, sport, culture and the media presented the DS4 with the “Most Beautiful Interior” prize at the 26^th International Automobile Festival and the DS4 has been honoured at the 2011 Auto Bild Design Awards in Germany where it was named “Most Beautiful Car” in the City and Compact Car class.   The DS4 combines head-turning good looks with an unrivalled driving experience – both fundamental to the DNA of the DS line.  By abandoning the norms of conventional design, Citroën have created a pioneering and singularly desirable addition to the DS range.  Designed first and foremost as a sleek coupé, but with 5-door flexibility and a commanding, raised stance, the DS4 takes ‘Créative Technologie’ to a whole new level.   The DS4 is dominant, confident and powerful – a perfect sequel to the multi-award winning DS3. The DS4’s striking profile immediately portrays presence and prestige.  Its eye-catching lines are enhanced by a chrome-finished waistline and dark tinted windows.  Sculpted wheel arches emphasise the stylish alloys. The taut roofline and rear spoiler add extra prowess.  Striking ‘always on’ light signatures at the rear and around the front fog lights ensure that the DS4 stands out from the crowd.   The DS4’s defined coupé physique belies its versatile 5-door layout.  Three full-size rear seats are accessed via seamlessly integrated rear doors with handles encased in the car’s extended window frames.  When open, these rear doors reveal their angular shape as a uniquely elegant design touch.   A sophisticated and well-appointed cabin offers exquisite comfort in a premium environment.  The interior exudes a sense of status, innovation and finesse through meticulous attention to detail.  From the carefully tailored acoustics to the premium cabin materials, the DS4 projects an air of confidence and sophistication.   A large panoramic windscreen offers enhanced occupant visibility and illuminates the driver-focused cockpit, creating a bright and welcoming environment.   In keeping with Citroën’s focus on ‘Créative Technologie’, the interior is home to a range of clever storage solutions for maximum convenience.  The intelligent cabin design includes a raised centre console (available on models fitted with the EGS gearbox) with a cooled, illuminated and protected compartment that holds up to four 500 ml bottles and houses a connectivity area with a USB port and a 12-volt socket.   With its raised, taut and agile stance, the DS4 is tuned for dynamic performance that will set the heart racing. The suspension and steering are engineered to be highly responsive and smooth, with exemplary control.   Citroën’s new DS4 is powered by a range of four Euro 5 compliant engines, delivering refined performance with optimised fuel and CO₂ efficiency.  There are three petrol engines with a choice of 115, 120 or 147 kW and the 82 kW e-HDI is fitted as standard with Citroën’s micro hybrid system.   The spirited 147 kW THP dispenses thrilling power and performance with a top speed of 235kmh and 0-100kmh time of 8.5 seconds.  Efficient, this engine returns 6.4 l/100 km over a combined cycle with low CO₂ emissions of just 149g/km.   The Citroën DS4 e-HDi  boasts  Citroën’s innovative micro-hybrid technology, with second generation Stop & Start, boosts fuel economy by up to 15 per cent in city driving conditions and lowers the model’s official CO₂ emissions to just 114g/km, while offering a combined fuel consumption figure of just 4.4 l/100 km.   One of the safest vehicles in its class, DS4 has been awarded a maximum 5-star Euro NCAP safety rating with a 97 per cent score in the ‘Safety Assist’ category.  An extensive range of safety features are available as standard, including ESP with Intelligent Traction Control, ABS with EBD and EBA and six airbags. Other safety enhancing technology includes programmable cruise control with speed limiter and Citroën’s new blind-spot monitoring system.   Both trim and equipment versions of the DS4, the DStyle and DSport, are comprehensively well equipped with all the features expected in the premium end of the market as well as unique Citroën touches such as the extra-large windscreen that has become a Citroën touchstone, drinks coolers, a rechargeable torch and elegant interiors.  

The up! is an all-new city car from Volkswagen. With its pure design, maximum space on a minimal footprint, quality and attention to detail as well as affordable innovations it embodies the core values of the Volkswagen brand. The up! has come to market at just the right time for Volkswagen as almost no other vehicle class is set to grow as much in the coming years as that of the sub light segment. The up! is built at the Volkswagen plant in Bratislava, Slovakia and is available in 3-door and 5-door. The up!’s dimensions are key to its city car status. At 3,540mm in length, 1,641mm in width and 1,476mm in height, the up! is one of the smallest four-seater cars available. Its overall length consists of short body overhangs and a long wheelbase of 2,420mm. Thanks to these dimensions the turning circle of the up! is a compact 9.8 metres. Use of space inside the car is exceptionally good with room for four adults. This is due to the wheelbase, which is one of the longest in the segment, combined with an engine that is mounted well forward. The 251-litre boot is also significantly larger than is typical in this class. When the rear seat is fully folded, cargo space increases to 951 litres. Powering the up! is a new generation three-cylinder petrol engine with an output of 55kW. Combined fuel consumption is a low 4.9 L/100km on the combined cycle with CO2 emissions of 114 g/km. The entirely new up! is also the first car in its class in the world to have a City Emergency Braking function, which at speeds of between 5km/h to 30km/h detects the risk of an impending collision and can reduce accident severity by initiating automatic brake interventions that can even avoid a crash. So far, the up! is the only vehicle in the segment to be offered with this function. Another entirely new feature appearing for the first time in a Volkswagen is the Maps + More system – a portable touchscreen module. It contains a navigation system, hands-free telephone unit, display of factual information related to the vehicle and a media player. In addition, it will now be possible to use apps to tailor Maps + More to a driver’s highly individualised personal requirements profile. Maps + More are clicked into place above the centre console where it interfaces with the electronics network of the up! In the economically priced up!, a system was developed for organising the areas of navigation, telephone, information and entertainment that is just as economical. The portable device was also designed so that it could be brought up to the latest software levels via a simple update. In cooperation with Navigon, one of the world’s leading suppliers of portable navigation systems, the special solution Maps + More was created; it is tailored to the up! and is affordable for all buyers.

2013 models will be hitting the streets in the coming months if not already out and one vehicle to get a plethora of new standard features is the Volkswagen Touareg. The upgrades affect the entire range with the entry point into the Touareg line-up, the Touareg 150TDI treated to a range of exterior and interior upgrades as well as new technological features. Rear view safety is improved with the inclusion of a standard Rear View Camera (RVC Plus) which adds confidence for drivers by displaying static and dynamic guidance lines on the 6 ½ inch display of the radio unit. This feature significantly assists in manoeuvring the vehicle while offering improved rear visibility to identify potential obstacles. On the exterior, Bi-xenon headlights with LED daytime driving lights as well as the bigger “Karakum” 18” alloy wheels with 255/55 R18 tyres will respectively increase driver safety as well as the visual impact. On the interior, the upgraded Vienna leather appointed seat upholstery adds a sense of luxury for all passengers. The driver and front passenger also get treated to comfort seats with 12-way electric adjustment and electro-pneumatically adjustable backrest side bolsters. The new safety optimised front head restraints also allow for height and longitudinal adjustment. The rear backrest can now be split and folded 60:40 remotely from the luggage compartment creating more convenient solutions for transporting bulky items. The Touareg V6 TDI offers support to the driver with these standard features but receives distinctive upsized 20” “Pikes Peak” alloy wheels with 275/45 R20 tyres which are eye catching and complement the air suspension with adaptive dampening control, which now is part of the standard equipment. In addition to the upgrades to the Touareg V6 TDI some extra adjustments have been made to the Touareg V6 TDI 4XMOTION to suit drivers of this particular model. The Touareg V6 TDI 4XMOTION is now adapting the same visual exterior design as the other variants incorporating the body coloured lower side and bumper trims with chrome mouldings as well as the dual chrome triangular exhaust tips on either side. The previous off-road styling existing of grey and silver coloured lower body side and bumper trims as well as oval chrome exhaust tailpipes is now being offered as an option at no charge for those who intend to put the Touareg’s off-road credentials to the test. The entire Model Year 2013 Touareg range also benefits from Volkswagen’s acclaimed Driver Fatigue System as a standard feature. This system detects waning driver concentration and warns recommending that the driver take a break. If the driver does not take a break within the next 15 minutes, the warning is repeated. Right at the beginning of each trip, the system analyses the driver’s characteristic steering behaviour and then continually evaluates signals such as steering angle, use of pedals and transverse acceleration. If monitored parameters indicate a deviation from the steering behaviour recorded at the beginning of the trip, then visual and acoustic warnings are made to alert the driver. The optional Driver Assistance Package now also contains the added City Emergency Braking function. The City EB function is active below a speed of 30 km/h and also reacts to stationary vehicles; if necessary, it automatically initiates a braking manoeuvre, thereby contributing to avoidance of an impending front end collision or at least minimising the resulting damage. The Touareg V6 FSI has been discontinued and is no longer part of the Touareg range.

Touareg 150TDI 8-speed Automatic	$62,990
Touareg V6 TDI 8-speed Automatic	$78,990
Touareg V6 TDI 4XMOTION 8-speed Automatic	$83,990

The first Model Year 2013 vehicles are scheduled to arrive in from September 2012.  

Three years have gone since the Volkswagen Passat CC made its Australian debut. Then it was the world’s first four-door coupé in its respective price range and offered quality and comfort. From this niche, a new segment quickly grew and to date, nearly 320,000 people around the globe have chosen the Passat CC. Private and business customers alike enjoyed the alternative to the classic sedan and drivers loved the Passat CC’s timeless elegance, yet valued the space, comfort and convenience of four-doors. The distinct Volkswagen styling of the Passat CC resonated further than the general public, making an excellent impression with the experts both here, and around the world. In 2009 alone – in its first full year on the market – the Passat CC won the Australian ‘Design Award’ (Australian International Design Awards, Sydney), the ‘iF Product Design Award’ (iF Industrie Forum Hannover), the ‘red dot Design Award’ (Design Centre of North Rhine – Westphalia, Essen). Now, Volkswagen is presenting a technically advanced and visually enhanced coupé, the new Volkswagen CC. Standing still is a step backwards, which is why the team, led by Volkswagen chief designer Klaus Bischoff, has launched the Volkswagen CC into the future. Adopting Volkswagen ‘design DNA’, the new Volkswagen CC receives completely redesigned front and rear sections, giving them more precision and fluidity. As a result, the car has an even more sophisticated and dynamic overall appearance, making a bold move into the luxury class. Volkswagen CC’s comprehensive list of standard equipment now includes such features as the innovative Driver Fatigue Detection system; RNS510 Satellite Navigation; rear view camera; stainless steel door sill plates and front comfort head restraints with additional front-rear adjustment. New assistance systems are now available on the Volkswagen CC as well. They include optional technologies such as those found in the Driver Assistance Package – Side Assist and Lane Assist, which warns of vehicles in blind spots and supports the driver via steering intervention, Adaptive Cruise Control with Front Assist and City Emergency Brake function. Meanwhile, the optional Active Climate Control front seats are now integrated with a gentle massage function, optimising driver comfort (available only in conjunction with Black Nappa leather appointed seat upholstery). The Volkswagen CC can be powered by either a petrol direct injection (FSI) or diesel (TDI) engine and is equipped with BlueMotion Technology offering a Start/Stop system and battery regeneration, along with the frugal Coasting Function, all as standard equipment. The 2.0 litre TDI engine has a power output of 125 kW at 4,200 rpm. The 3.6 litre V6 FSI engine of the Volkswagen CC develops 220 kW of power at 6,600 rpm and is paired with the 4MOTION drivetrain. Both the TDI and the FSI engines are paired with Volkswagen’s 6-speed Direct Shift Gearbox (DSG) including Sports Mode and Triptronic Function. Those considering the V6 FSI Volkswagen CC will receive 4MOTION all-wheel drive technology as standard. Both state-of-the-art engines of the Volkswagen CC are designed to maximise efficiency. The frugal 125TDI is a prime example: it consumes just 5.7 l/100 km – which is very little fuel for a long-range sedan.

For over 30 years the ‘GTI Meeting at Wörthersee’ has been a holiday in the calendar of fans of sporty Volkswagen vehicles. In 2012 this event will also see fans from right across Europe coming to the largest GTI meeting in the world in Austria. At this show of the superlatives, besides the Golf GTI Cabriolet, Volkswagen and Volkswagen Motorsport will be presenting the Polo R-WRC, the Polo WRC Street special edition model plus two further Golf GTI concept cars. Following the Golf GTI Cabriolet’s world premiere at the Geneva International Motor Show, GTI fans visiting the legendary Wörthersee event will have the chance to experience close up the dynamic advantages and sophisticated equipment features of this sports car from Wolfsburg. The key component of this highly dynamic soft top Golf is the 2.0-litre engine fitted for the first time in the Cabriolet. It is available with two engine/gearbox versions: as a manual gearbox or with the fast-changing dual-clutch gearbox (DSG), each with 6 speeds. A standard feature for the sporty Golf GTI Cabriolet is the XDL electronic differential lock on the front axle, which ensures perfect traction, enhanced agility and the utmost driving stability. To complete the picture, this hot hatch is fitted with 17-inch alloy wheels of the type ‘Denver’ (18-inch wheels of the type ‘Detroit’ are optionally available) in addition to a new diffuser with chrome tailpipes. From motor racing to the street is the motto of the Polo WRC Street concept car. At Wörthersee, Volkswagen will be presenting for the first time a preview of an extremely sporty small series, which is due to be launched in late 2013. With its highly unique and distinctive design, this model cuts an impressive figure with its rear spoiler, diffuser, sports suspension and an inscription with R-WRC logos. A powerful 2.0-litre TSI engine produces motorsport-like performance. With the newly developed Polo R WRC, Volkswagen Motorsport is presenting a road-going prototype for the FIA World Rally Championship. The “hottest Polo ever” – as it was called by Volkswagen Head of Development Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg even at its first official airing – will be starting its tour around the globe from 2013 at numerous WRC races. At the heart of this racing version beats a 1.6-litre TSI engine with approx. 221 kW power output, which ensures impressive acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.1 seconds. Black as the night, with a red/black colour concept and lowered sports suspension, the ‘GTI Black Dynamic’ will be making an appearance at Wörthersee. Since October last year, nine Volkswagen apprentices – four young women and five young men – have been working on their ‘Apprentice Golf GTI 2012’. Their objective: vehicle concept design, styling, engine version and numerous details are meant to convey their interpretation of a classic sports car. Elegant and simple but with numerous stylish details, the ‘Black Dynamic’ is a real head turner.  It also features a 1,800 Watt sound system with nine loudspeakers, which takes up the entire boot space. This year’s ‘Golf GTI Black Dynamic’ is the fifth vehicle project to make its debut amongst the petrol heads in Austria. The attractive design study Golf GTI ‘White Concept’ is characterised by its remarkable ‘Oryx White matt’ paintwork. The vehicle interior affords an exciting black/red contrast. In addition to the sports seats in Nappa leather, red contrasting stitching adorns numerous details such as the steering wheel, handbrake lever and door armrests. A door sill trim – with the GTI logo and honeycomb pattern in White Matt and Aluminium – go to complete the unique appearance of the Golf GTI ‘Concept White’.