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Five Star FG Falcon at Jarvis Ford
The all-new FG Falcon has become the first Australian-built car to receive a 5 (five) star rating from the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP). The petrol FG Falcon sedan range was awarded the maximum 5 (five) star safety rating rating with a total score of 34.6 points (out of a possible 37 points), giving it the highest score ever recorded by a locally produced car in Australia by a significant margin. Read more>
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 16/11/2008
Team TRD Rally's Neal Bates has secured an historic fourth Australian Rally Championship following a measured drive in tough conditions in Heat 1 of the Coffs Coast Rally.
Bates and co-driver Coral Taylor finished eighth for the Heat and scored enough points to take the title on the penultimate day of the season.
However, heavy rain during the last two stages meant an anxious wait for the now four-time champions as they battled their way through the slippery, clay-based roads of the Coffs-area forests.
"I am absolutely over the moon," Bates said. "It has been 13 years between championships and overall it was a very tense day as we were listening out for every noise and squeak, but the S2000 Corolla has been faultless all year and it was again today.
"We were very conservative but I wasn't going to throw it away after 13 years. I didn't enjoy driving that way, but the end result is what we came here for. It is the first time an S2000-spec car has won the ARC and it is a real credit to the entire TRD team.
"Probably 80 per cent of the work in rallying is done before you get to an event so it is a big thanks to our incredibly smart bunch of guys in Canberra that have made this championship happen.
"Because it has been so long between drinks this feels pretty special. Your first championship is always the best, but we will really cherish this one when it is all over tomorrow."
Co-driver Taylor was equally happy with the result and was relieved they had finally secured the title.
"It is pretty amazing," Taylor said. "I am not really sure where the last 13 years has gone since our last title but it is wonderful to win it again.
"It has been the longest day ever as it is easier to fight for the outright win than it is to just get to the finish, so I am relieved the day is over.
"However, we really need to thank Toyota who we have worked with for an extremely long time and have always stuck by us. They have also supported the ARC for a long time so we are very grateful for that."
The Corolla has now secured the last three ARC Drivers' and Manufacturers' Championships and has recorded 12 consecutive outright victories extending back to the end of the 2006 season.
Bates has little time to celebrate as Heat 2 of the Coffs Coast Rally gets underway tomorrow morning where crews will tackle the same nine stages as Heat 1, but with more rain expected overnight, conditions could be challenging from the outset. |
Industry News
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Toyota first to export 100,000 cars |
19/12/2008
Toyota Australia is set to become the first Australian carmaker to export 100,000 vehicles in a calendar year.
The milestone car is due to be shipped from Melbourne on Christmas Eve, bound for the Middle East.
It will be among more than 2,100 Australian-built Toyota cars leaving Australia that day aboard the Positive Leader. |
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