Auto Industry News – Q2 2017
We review all the major news events in the automotive industry from the second quarter of 2017.
Small Is Beautiful Says Kia and Hyundai
Stonic. Kona. Not exactly names that fall easily to speak of but they’re the names to watch from Korea. Aimed squarely at yet another SUV segment, the B-SUV, it’s a segment forecast to see annual sales of two million in Europe by 2020, up from just over 1.1 million now.
Michael Cole, Chief Operating Officer of Kia Motors Europe, comments: “By volume, the B-SUV market is expected to overtake the C-SUV segment by 2020, when more than 1 in 10 new cars sold in Europe will be from the Stonic’s segment. The B-SUV segment attracts buyers from across the spectrum, with 21% of all customers upsizing from a supermini, and another 15% downsizing from their family hatchbacks. Cars like the Stonic also appeal to those looking to replace their compact MPVs. The Kia Stonic will be one of the most compelling new cars in this rapidly-expanding class, backed by Kia’s unique warranty, and the brand’s reputation for reliability, quality and contemporary design. As the segment expands, the Stonic looks set to become one of our best-selling cars.”
2018 BMW X3 Due To Land In Oz
Mid sized SUVs are plentiful nowadays however they barely existed in the early noughties. Enter BMW and their X3. The challenge was thrown out and continues to bring to the masses plenty of choice. But never one to sit on their backsides and think that’s all they had to do, BMW has updated the X3 for 2017 to add to the 1.5 million or so already sold since 2003. Here’s how it shakes down.
You’ll be able to choose from three levels, being xLine, MSport, and Luxury Line. The third is a new addition offering more choice from a starting point. There’ll be two diesel and three petrol engines to choose from.
The 265 kW/360 hp BMW X3 M40i is front and centre with combined fuel consumption being rated at 8.4 – 8.2 l/100 km and with emissions rated as combined CO2 emissions 193 – 188 g/km gives the X3 range its first M Performance Automobile. It’s joined by a second petrol model in the shape of the BMW X3 xDrive30i producing 185 kW/252 hp combined fuel consumption: 7.4 l/100 km and combined CO2 emissions: 168 g/km.
The two diesel models are the BMW X3 xDrive20d with 140 kW/190 hp (combined fuel consumption: 5.4 – 5.0 l/100 km); combined CO2 emissions: 142 – 132 g/km, and the BMW X3 xDrive30d developing 195 kW/265 hp (combined fuel consumption: 6.0 – 5.7 l/100 km with combined CO2 emissions: 158 – 149 g/km)
The BMW X3 20i with 135 kW/184 hp (combined fuel consumption: 7.4 – 7.2 l/100 km has combined CO2 emissions: 169 – 165 g/km and a choice of all-wheel drive or rear-wheel drive will follow shortly after the launch of the new X3. All the engine variants will team up as standard with an optimised version of the eight-speed Steptronic transmission.
Rolling stock moves up an inch in standard size to 18 inches, and allows a new buyer to dip into the options list for wheel diameters of up to 21 inches. Along with that, there’s a raft of extra improvements for the X3. Consider acoustic glass for the windscreen and optionable for the front side windows, LED headlights and foglamps, and auto tailgate. To ensure great handling, there’s a 50:50 weight distribution. Inside you can option a full colour head up display, take advantage of larger sized storage areas such as a revamped centre console, a 10.2 inch touchscreen as standard and optionable instrument panels.
Cargo wise, there’s a pretty handy 550L of space as standard. Drop the 40:20:40 rear seats at the press of a button and that jumps to a huge 1600 litres, plus there’s extra storage under the rear floor. To help with locking down the week’s shopping, BMW have fitted rails for what they call an Adaptive Fastening System. The room inside is courtesy of a 4708 mm length and 2864 mm wheelbase. Across the front seats theres 1522 mm of room, whilst rear seat passengers have 1477 mm.
Weight has been reduced by up to fifty five kilos and aero has been improved to a class leading drag coefficient of 0.29. This adds to the standard features inside and out for the new range. The three will be distinguished by exterior highlights, with the xLine’s grille and window frames receiving a matt aluminuim look, the Luxury Line gains chrome, whilst the M Sport gets bespoke brakes, suspension, exterior trim highlights, and black leather seats with blue piping.
Register your interest at www.bmw.com.au
The Sounds Of…
Much of the appeal of any new car – apart from factors like practicality and power – lies in the visual 
and tactile arenas. We admire the sleek lines or the bold aggressive chunkiness. We smile at the bug-eyed appeal of round headlights, such as those on the VW Beetle, or appreciate the clever styling achieved with pretty daytime running lights – or the classic Ring of Fire tail lights of an HSV. Chrome, interior lighting packages, exterior paint colour… it’s all visual. The interior styling also tends to cater to our senses of touch and comfort (kinaesthetics) with leather-wrapped this and that, lumbar support, heated seats and the like. Even a car with powerful acceleration and superb handling around the corners appeals to our kinaesthetic – it’s a human thing to enjoy the sensation of G-forces during acceleration and cornering.
We don’t tend to give the sense of sound much thought when picking out a new vehicle or even when driving, apart from what the sound system’s like (number of speakers, location and quality of speakers, input type…). However, we use our sense of hearing quite a lot when we’re in and around cars, although we’re less aware of it.
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