Just Cars #253 17-08

In February, Holden Special Vehicles (HSV) announced their range for 2017, which will be the final products to be based on the Australian-made ‘Zeta’ platform Commodore sedan and utility. While HSV will survive beyond the closure of Holden’s Australian vehicle manufacturing operations later this year, the MY17 range is the last opportunity for enthusiasts to grab a piece of Australian-made HSV history. This year’s range is spread across two fields: a “30 Years” anniversary collection of five models; and the “GTSR” range of three exclusive high-performance vehicles. The 30 Years lineup, production of which is already underway, consists of the Clubsport R8 LSA sedan, Clubsport R8 Tourer LSA (wagon), Maloo R8 LSA ute, Senator Signature sedan and GTS sedan. The GTSR range, which revives the nameplate used on the limited-edition…

The RF (Retractable Fastback) version of Mazda’s MX-5 roadster has arrived in Australia, offered in both standard RF and RF GT variants. Defining the RF - and separating it from the normal MX-5 soft-top convertible – is its fastback styling, with flying buttress rear pillars that form part of the four-piece electrically-folding hard roof. The roof itself, including the glass rear window, opens or closes in 13 seconds, and can be done at speeds up to 10km/h. With the roof down, the MX-5 RF has the look of a targa, rather than a true convertible, but the roof mechanism is compact, only taking three more litres of boot space compared to the regular convertible. Both the RF and RF GT variants are powered by Mazda’s SKYACTIV-G 2.0-litre petrol engine, which…

On the third anniversary of the sinkhole that opened up in the National Corvette Museum (NCM) and swallowed eight Corvettes, the NCM announced that restoration has begun on a 1962 Corvette convertible that was one of the victims of the event. When the 13.7 metre wide, 18.2 metre long and 9 metre deep sinkhole opened up in the NCM’s Skydome display on 12 February, 2014, the 1962 Tuxedo Black Corvette was one of the more lightly damaged cars, so the restoration should be relatively straightforward, but NCM representative Daniel Decker said that almost a year’s work will be required to bring the ’62 back to its original glory. The cost, estimated at US$25,000, is being covered by General Motors as part of a broader US$250,000 commitment to the NCM’s recovery…

After announcing back in 2013 that they will be ending their Australian vehicle manufacturing operations, Toyota Australia recently confirmed when that shutdown will occur. The last Australian-made Toyotas will be produced on Tuesday, 3 October, 2017, after which the plant in Altona will cease manufacturing operations, resulting in the loss of around 2,500 jobs. Toyota Australia said that the shutdown process will be gradual, with manufacture of the Aurion ending in August, followed by Camry Hybrid vehicles in September, with the last vehicle down the line in October to be a petrol-engined Camry. Both AM and PM shifts will continue until the closure date, ensuring the total volume production of 61,000 vehicles for the year, made up of 26,600 domestic and 34,400 exports, is met. Most of the Altona manufacturing…

This past January, Bonhams’ annual Scottsdale auction had something of an Aussie flavour when an English car with a long history in this country was the top seller. The car in question was a 1963 Jaguar E-Type “Lightweight”, one of twelve dedicated competition versions of the E-Type created by Jaguar for circuit competition. The Australian connection comes from the fact that the first owner was Bob Jane, who ordered the car in mid-1963 specifically for racing at circuits like Lakeside, Bathurst, Calder, Catalina Park and Sandown. Delivered to Jane in late-1963, Lightweight E-Type #10 arrived with several factory-fitted competition modifications, from the all-alloy 3.8lt six-cylinder engine to the transmission, chassis, suspension, brakes, wheels and even the pedals. Jane won in his first race in the new Jaguar – the Australian…

Marking 50 years since the first Shelby-badged “Super Snake” Mustang was produced, Shelby American has announced a special ‘50th Anniversary Shelby Super Snake’, with the birthday special officially unveiled at Barrett-Jackson’s Scottsdale auction in January. Limited to just 500 units worldwide, the 50th Anniversary Shelby Super Snake features a supercharged version of the 5.0-litre V8 found in the Mustang GT, outputting 670hp (500kW ), with optional supercharger treatment increasing this to over 750hp (560+kW ). Created in collaboration with Ford Performance, the anniversary edition delivers supercar-like performance, with a claimed 0-100km/h time of 3.5 seconds, quarter mile time of 10.9 seconds and up to 1.2g on the skid pan. Ford Performance also worked with Shelby American to sharpen the handling of the new Mustang’s fully-independent rear suspension, while collaborations with…