Manufacturer of the year
Which manufacturer rattled your cage in 2008? The Carsales Network's editorial team had quite different opinions2008: the auto year that was
Locally, more and more carmakers fight for your attention and car-buying dollar -- this year coming they'll be 50 of 'em! Which one of the throng caught your eye -- for good reason or bad? Which manufacturer pleased you or had you punching the wall in frustration?
Just as we do every year, the Carsales Network editorial team interacted with the full spectrum of car marques in 2008 -- everything from driving their finished products to quizzing their engineers, designers and execs...
So, who do we think deserves the title of manufacturer of the year? Our opinions were varied...
Editor in Chief
BMW: Yes, I can hear the moaners now... Elitist, Euro lover -- blah, blah, blah... BMW might have its knockers, but when it comes to applying technology to afford real world efficiency solutions, even serial pests have to admit the company has delivered. The Bavarian's latest diesel engines are efficient and accelerative and are delivering executive-sized luxury saloons with hatchback fuel economy. Meantime, the company's direct-inject petrol engines are as good as spark ignition engines can get in terms of bang per gram of fuel. And now there's a significant part of the design world that's saying Bangle was right all along! BMW is entering a vintage period in this writer's opinion -- a perfect storm of technology, tactility, styling and substance. A city car or a supercar -- this is the one brand that can credibly deliver both...
News Editor
Ford Australia: Last year, I settled on Mitsubishi Australia because of their gravity-defying ability to continue producing the 380 locally [Ed: the kiss of death?].This year, I'm expecting to be a bit more prescient in saying that Ford, a company that continues to be kicked in the goolies for lacklustre sales of its Falcon, will maintain a manufacturing presence in Australia -- supported by the Focus -- and will provide the sophisticated R&D backroom magic the head office needs for such projects as the T6 LCV, the Indian B-Car and (hopefully) new Falcons and Territorys.
Despite the tears of terror on behalf of the Blue Oval, the company still has a strong future ahead of it, but in Australia that future might be more about exporting intellectual property than finished products.
Production Editor
Hyundai-Kia: Last year the Korean conglomerate got my vote for company to watch in '08, and the companies didn't disappoint. While somewhat quiet in terms of product release to Australians, we did, however, see more diesel (in Sonata, Grandeur) and even peoplemover/commercial options from the flying H brand. And really, this was a year to stay conservative.
Euro-threatening diesel plans and show specials like the V8 Genesis Coupe prove Hyundai's got some exciting stuff in the offing, too. Hyundai also came to the green party this year with its Blue Drive program, declaring in November it was aiming to become "the most fuel-efficient maker on the planet"... In fact, also see 'Company to watch in 2009'.
International Correspondent
Tata Motors: A no-brainer, in my book. In a year otherwise notable only for doom and gloom, India's Tata Motors posted a pair of significant milestones in contrasting fashions. On the one hand, it outlaid about $US2.3 billion in March to secure the iconic Jaguar and Land Rover premium brands from Ford. At the other end of the spectrum, Tata unveiled arguably the modern-day version of the VW Beetle -- the Nano -- conceived to put motoring within the grasp of the Indian masses.
The "one-lakh rupee" ($3100) car is a masterpiece of packaging ingenuity and it paves the way for rival offerings from the likes of Renault-Bajaj. The Nano seems the right car for these credit-crunched times, but time [Ed: and government funding?] will tell whether the Tata brains trust can make a solid business case for Jag and Landy.
Buying Used Expert
Ford Australia: I have trouble distinguishing company from products, so on the basis of the FG Falcon, it has to be Ford Australia. The supporting cast of new Fiesta, Focus, Mondeo and Territory look good, too. (But it makes you wonder what Ford is doing in the US, doesn't it?)
The Auto Industry's Angry (not-so) Young Man
Tesla: Having the nerve to offer a warmed over Lotus Elise that dumps the high-revving Toyota petrol engine and snickity-snick gearchange for an electric motor and single ratio, fed by an engine-bay full of laptop batteries (6831 in all, I know you wanted to know the number), is worthy of an award. Yet, more incredulously, they're charging the Poms ninety-two thousand pounds (c$225,000) for the privilege. Did I mention the batteries last just 60 months and cost thousands to replace?
Pricing quibbles aside, Tesla has actually done the job of bringing a sportscar to market that looks enough like an Elise to give it carpark cred, and sprightly performance to give it paddock parking cred, while at the same time qualifying as a zero emissions vehicle (ignoring the smokestacks at the point of electrical energy conversion). How's 0-100 km/h in under 4sec and a fast zap to 200km/h top speed, and 350km range, to fend off the gas guzzlers sound?
The lithium-ion batteries and engine add 450kg to the Elise's petite form, and take 14 hours for a full recharge, which could lead to a bad attack of static ownership, but good on ya's for getting off ya butts and doing something.
Want to know who we picked in 2007? Check out more here
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