Melbourne Motor Show

[Sport1vo]

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Edited May 8, 2005 by sport1vo

[MR22ZZ]

Just remember that most of the people manning the exhibits are just promotional models with a whole 1 hour brief on the ins and outs of whatever brand they are working for and which pamphlets go with which cars... but feel free to give it a try... A better bet would be to go down to Toyota HQ where the actual Toyota people are and do the same...

[Azza]

Just remember that most of the people manning the exhibits are just promotional models with a whole 1 hour brief on the ins and outs of whatever brand they are working for and which pamphlets go with which cars... but feel free to give it a try... A better bet would be to go down to Toyota HQ where the actual Toyota people are and do the same...

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You will actually find, well at the Brisbane show anyway, that most of the people on the stands are sales people from various local dealerships (I used to sell cars) and the promo models are usually only their to hand out the brochures - this is done so the sales people are available to hinder the visitors.....

But yeah, remember that these shows are not only designed to sell car, but to sell brand awareness and the Manufacturer's like to use them as a d**k pulling exercise, so my recommendation would be to let us all start writing to Toyota HQ here in Australia, and make repeated reasonable requests, remembering that while most of us would love to see this vehicle in Australia, how many of us are actually going to buy one.....;)

Edited February 28, 2005 by afyfe

[Nish]

Melbourne Motor Show

Toyota Corolla Sportivo Stand

http://www.motorshow.com.au

I will be attending this years Melbourne Motor Show.  I will also print out all relevant documentation for the Toyota Corolla Sportivo Compressor.  I will foward this to the stand and ask them to consider.  Especially that some Toyota heavyweights do appear from time to time at these shows.

Good luck ... but with the cars being made here in good old "Slow Africa" the chances are slim to none that it will happen !! :(

[Sport1vo]

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Edited May 8, 2005 by sport1vo

[QUICKSILVER]

good old "Slow Africa" the chances are slim to none that it will happen !!  :(

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You should be shot for that comment

What happened to being "Proudly South African"?

Manufacturer product lines are often dictated by demand and by a global supply chain management model. TSA are dictated by their Japanese counterparts. They are told what to produce and who to supply. The fact that South Africa or Audtralia or Greenland, for that matter, does not get a product, has got more to do with the bigger picture than your and my personal expectations.

[lucio_libre]

I dont think it has anything to do with South African manufacturing, more to do with the lack of sporting pedegree by Toyota Australia. I am sometimes still surprised that we get the 2zzge engines over here, as in the past none of the high performance engines came over here, i mean the pre-1999 celicas all had camry engines here

[QUICKSILVER]

I dont think it has anything to do with South African manufacturing, more to do with the lack of sporting pedegree by Toyota Australia. I am sometimes still surprised that we get the 2zzge engines over here, as in the past none of the high performance engines came over here, i mean the pre-1999 celicas all had camry engines here

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I think its got more to do with Toyota Motor Corporation's aspirations. I had an exten sive discussion with a senior manager at Toyota South Africa. Fact is, they're not in the business of making cars, but in the business of nmaking money. So whilst you and I and a host of other people thing that we need more performance orientated vehicles from TMC / TSA / TMCA, the fact is that the majority of Toyota buyers are quite content with what they've got.

In fact, I'm certain that TMC view the M3 as an automotive stuff up - thats right :o

They view the car as madly impractical, excessively noisy, over wheeled and very thirsty. Probably 5 percent of owners will explore the true capabilities of the car and the other 95 percent won't.

Don't get mne wrong, I love the M3 - I think that its one of the best sport saloon's available, but from a Toyota point of view, they believe that its a waste of money.

[lucio_libre]

Yeah spot on.

[mtbrider]

Maybe they will bring it in if they want to compete. Here's what Ford is bringing in

FORD FOCUS ST

FOLLOWING the Gen II Focus launch in Paris last September, Ford

will introduce an ST performance version at Geneva on March 3. And the

indications are that it will be a vast improvement over the current ST170

sold in Australia.

Expected here in 2006, the all-new ST discards the current 127kW 2.0-

litre inline-four for an altogether more interesting 2.5-litre fi ve-cylinder

Duratec engine delivering more than 160kW of power to the road via a

six-speed manual gearbox.

Full details are still to emerge, however the bright-orange three-door

borrows design cues from the Fiesta ST model sold overseas and sits on

18-inch fi ve-spoke cast-aluminium rims with low-profi le 225/50-series

rubber.

Other notable visual elements include the thickset front bumper

with inverted-trapezoid graphite-mesh lower grille, brushed aluminium

foglight surrounds, a wide tailgate spoiler, a venturi-effect rear lower

bumper and chrome-tipped dual sport exhaust.

Inside, the ST has a unique instrument pod showing turbo boost pressure,

oil temperature and oil pressure and redesigned main instruments. Black

trim, brushed aluminium detailing, a thick-rimmed tiller, leather-trimmed

gearstick, well-bolstered front seats and cast aluminium pedals work the

sporting theme further.

[CAP]

True, but this attitude is changing.

TMC is now focusing on making more enjoyable cars rather than the regular white goods they normally produce, with a view to capture the youth market ( Capture a customer at a young age and they're like to continue buying your products as they grow older ).

This is why they went into F1, to change their image on a global scale.

So in years to come, they will produce more sporting vehicles.

[MR22ZZ]

Toyota needs to get back into Rallying too I reckon... and not rely on the Bates prototypes, the ice racers and the Run-X series... but real racing. I'm sure they can develop an Echo for super 16's to start with and go from there. A company with such a rich rally history and 4 years away from the top level is TOO long.

But the JGTC TOM's supras are still running brilliantly well, a little off the pace though but competitive. Can't wait to see what they will do in the future...

[Nish]

good old "Slow Africa" the chances are slim to none that it will happen !!  :(

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You should be shot for that comment

What happened to being "Proudly South African"?

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Hey Quick ... its got nothing to do with being "Proudly South African" ... its about being dissapointed that we dont get these sort of performance models. I hear what you say about the big picture ... reality of the situation is that there is probably no chance we will get the model.

I did read somewhere that we would be offered the "Supercharger" parts as some sort of upgrade kit (read in a car mag) ... but after chatting to some local Toyota dealers, even that doesn't seem like it wil happen. Now that just flat out sucks

[CheekySportivo]

Did anyone get to check out the new '05 Sportivo @ the Melbourne Motor Show?

Details please!

Still no word from any dealers here in Sydney :(

[lucio_libre]

I was there last nite, got a rally poster signed by all the corolla drivers and co. The new corolla looks very similar, however i was impressed by the new astra SRi turbo, looked really good, as well as the VW golf GTi turbo :) . The Astra still has the same 2.0 147kw turbo, as will the new golf.I'll post some pics later.

[lucio_libre]

I forgot to mention, i asked about the Supercharger for the corolla, Neal Bates doesent think it will make our shores as he planned to import them. :(

[shaohaok]

those wheels are 18" and should come standard when they are sold somtime in the last quarter this year.

it also comes with IDS (Interactive Driving System) and CD (Continuous Damping Control). this allows the driver to select a 'sports' mode which will stiffen the suspension and also adapt the response of the accelerator and the steering wheel. although power and torque is the same as the old astra, the new astra is heavier and accelerates from 0-100 at around just over 8secs.

Edited March 4, 2005 by shaohaok

[shaohaok]

Maybe they will bring it in if they want to compete. Here's what Ford is bringing in

FORD FOCUS ST

FOLLOWING the Gen II Focus launch in Paris last September, Ford

will introduce an ST performance version at Geneva on March 3. And the

indications are that it will be a vast improvement over the current ST170

sold in Australia.

Expected here in 2006, the all-new ST discards the current 127kW 2.0-

litre inline-four for an altogether more interesting 2.5-litre fi ve-cylinder

Duratec engine delivering more than 160kW of power to the road via a

six-speed manual gearbox.

Full details are still to emerge, however the bright-orange three-door

borrows design cues from the Fiesta ST model sold overseas and sits on

18-inch fi ve-spoke cast-aluminium rims with low-profi le 225/50-series

rubber.

Other notable visual elements include the thickset front bumper

with inverted-trapezoid graphite-mesh lower grille, brushed aluminium

foglight surrounds, a wide tailgate spoiler, a venturi-effect rear lower

bumper and chrome-tipped dual sport exhaust.

Inside, the ST has a unique instrument pod showing turbo boost pressure,

oil temperature and oil pressure and redesigned main instruments. Black

trim, brushed aluminium detailing, a thick-rimmed tiller, leather-trimmed

gearstick, well-bolstered front seats and cast aluminium pedals work the

sporting theme further.

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judging from the specs of that engine, i daresay that it's most probably the same, or a very similiar engine, to the one found on the new S40 T5 volvo. which is also a 2.5L 5cylinder turbo that pushes out 160+kw. minimal turbo lag, effortless torque. makes a wonderful warbling sound, almost like a 1zzfe with a TRD CAI

[Sport1vo]

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Edited May 8, 2005 by sport1vo

[shaohaok]

Astra Turbo

Cost $7k more than the stivo with two less doors.

I know I spent my money wisely, Rolla Stivo Rules.  Same applies to the Focus.

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yeah well, we ARE on a corolla forum, wat could be better? :P