This week will be an interesting one for car enthusiasts in Australia, as several new cars are being released for the Australian Market. Mazda MX-5, the Volvo XC90 and the Audi Q7 are some of the latest models.
The Mazda MX-5 is a roadster that is now in the fourth generation. Customers will be able to choose both the Roadster and the GT specifications of the MX-5. Both specifications are available with two engines: a 1.5 liter gasoline engine or a 2.0 liter engine. The price of the popular roadster starts at $31,990.
The designers at Mazda put some effort in trying to redesign the car. Unlike the previous three generations, where the MX-5 kept the traditional look, the fourth generation of Mazda’s iconic roadster looks quite different. The MX-5 now has the sharpest and the most aggressive body outlook of all generations. The look has been achieved by a new design of the front wings that now mimic the pop-up headlight on the original Mazda MX-5 design. One interesting moment is that if you look at the car from “ant’s eye view”, the front actually smiles at you.
Volvo also launched a new model for the Australian Market, the XC90, an SUV that has both gasoline and diesel engines. Next year, the XC90 should also be available in plug-in hybrid version next year.
The entry model is the D5 configuration with 2.0 liter turbocharged diesel engine that can produce 221 hp. The entry model consumes 6.2 liters of diesel for 60 miles. The basic SUV can sprint to 60 mph in 7.8 seconds.
The top performance configuration is the T8, using a 2.0 liter gasoline engine that can produce up to 400 hp and sprints to 60 mph in just 5.6 seconds. The beauty of the T8 configuration is fuel efficiency, as the SUV consumes just 2.1 liters on the open road for 60 miles. The price for the entry model is $89,950 and goes up as customers choose more powerful configuration.
Audi offers just one configuration of the Audi Q7 for the Australian market. The large SUV is priced at $103,900 which is a lot more expensive than the previous generation of the Q7. The new generation of the Q7 is available with a 3.0 liter turbo injection V6 engine that is much more fuel efficient than the previous version. According to statistics from Audi, the new generation Q7 consumes 20% less fuel than the previous version.
Another key difference is that the new Audi Q7 can seat seven people inside. A major overhaul has been made to the cockpit, as Audi has placed a new 12.3 inches virtual cockpit that displays all the navigation, entertainment and driving information.
