Autoblog

Click image for a hi-res gallery of the Mitsubishi "Panther" Concepts

In addition to bringing the good stuff (Lancer Evo, Ralliart) to Melbourne, Mitsubishi has some schlock on hand to counterbalance the awesome. We're talking about the automaker's "Panther" concepts, which leverage bling, decals, and that whole "dealer-installed accessory" vibe to create all-show/no-go machines of questionable taste. We find those "panther scratch" stickers to be particularly egregious -- they'd look right at home on a busted-up Paseo with 15-inch spinner hubcaps. Check out the attached gallery to see what you like most or least about the five Panther concepts. We think the Pajero fares the best of the bunch, and while we'd love to have the Triton pickup in general, we could do without the 22-inch cartoon wheels and graphics. The other three victims are the Colt (not too bad), Grandis minivan (above) and Lancer ES, whose Panther makeover begs the question, why do this when you can simply buy a GTS? They may wear the name of a predator, but these "Panthers" look like they'd be happier noshing on Friskies than fresh meat. Mitsubishi's excuse explanation for them follows after the jump.


[Source: Mitsubishi]

Click above to view over 40 high-res photos of the Holden Coupe 60

We're elated when an embargo doesn't break or official images don't somehow manage to find their way to the wrong people ahead of time, because then we're totally surprised by things like this: the Holden Coupe 60. Unveiled today at the Melbourne Auto Show, the Coupe 60 honors Holden's 60th diamond anniversary in the car building business. Removing the two rear doors has allowed designers to make the sports coupe concept a full 60 mm shorter than the VE Commodore sedan that shares the same rear-wheel-drive Zeta platform, but the coupe's long wheelbase remains identical to the sedan.

The Coupe 60 looks absolutely brutal sitting on its 21-inch wheels that can barely be contained by the car's swollen fender flares. While the VE face up front is familiar, the design as a whole is decidedly clean thanks to a lack of wings, scoops and other superfluous paraphernalia. The only aerodynamic assistance is provided by a serious looking air diffuser in the rear apron, a rear deck lid spoiler and completely flat underbelly. Finally, Holden dipped its coupe concept in a one-off paint color called "Diamond Silver" that references the brand's diamond anniversary.

The Holden Coupe 60 is powered by a 6.0L flexfuel V8 sending power to the rear rubber through a 6-speed manual transmission, though Holden has withheld exact horespower and torque numbers. Brembo brakes bring the whole affair to a hault, while side-exiting exhaust tips add just the right amount of cool. The interior has also been heavily modified with one-piece carbon fiber seats, a flat-bottomed steering wheel, lots of suede and an LCD instrument cluster that looks lifted straight from a race car.

Production? Yup, totally a possibility. Holden provided a number of quotes in its press release after the jump that say as much, though our favorite is, "With Coupe 60 we think we have designed a car that has the potential to write another chapter in the book of Holden icons." Somebody get this car a pen! Be sure to check out the dozens of high-res photos in the gallery below. Every single one is worth a peek.


[Source: Holden]

Click above to view more high-res pics of the Toyota FT-HS Concept

Usually we would have no reason to report on a concept that we've already seen debut. Hence, the Australian debut of Toyota's hybrid FT-HS sports car concept at the Melbourne Auto Show isn't really news. It becomes news, however, when a suit from Toyota Australia makes a veiled comment about the next Supra and its possible ties to the FT-HS. Peter Evans, corporate manger of product planning for Toyota Australia, said "To really appreciate the FT-HS, think of it as a 'Prius on steroids'. Alternatively, it could be a vision for a Toyota Supra of the future." Whaa?

Had this quote been given on the show floor amidst a throng of journalists, one might be able to pass it off as a slip of the tongue. The quote, however, appears in Toyota Australia's press release for the FT-HS debut down under, which can be read in full after the jump. This means it passed by the eyes of countless PR people whose job it is to vet press releases for embarrassing mistakes. This suggests that the quote is not a case of Evans opening his mouth and inserting foot, but rather was meant to be there, perhaps to whet our appetites, stoke our interest and get us all talking. Job well done, Toyota, because otherwise we would have completely ignored the umpteeth debut of the FT-HS in another country.


[Source: Toyota via Motor Authority]

Click the image above for a high-res gallery of the E-Vade.

We've had a hard time keeping tabs on all the different track rats popping up over the years. The Se7en used to be the benchmark by which all other barely road legal rods were measured by -- then along came the Ariel Atom. After that, it was the KTM X-Bow and in the wake of those two open-air menaces, the floodgates began to open. So it's with a certain amount of relief that we've found a track toy that won't be for sale anytime soon, despite its official unveiling at the Melbourne Motor Show next month.

The E-Vade is the pet project of David Walter and his wife, Peta, who have been working on the wee beastie for the last six years. The E-Vade is a two-seat roadster with a twin-turbocharged Nissan 3.5-liter V6 mounted longitudinally amidships and producing 405 hp. The former naval Commander also plans on producing an even more minimalist version of the E-Vade that drops a few pounds and gets a bump in output to around 680 hp!

So far, the styling isn't anything to get hot and bothered by, but the built-in hydraulic jack and the 2,200-pound curb weight has us envisioning bombing Bathurst with only a helmet and a prayer. Again, Walter asserts that the E-Vade isn't meant for public consumption, but he says that if they do end up taking a few orders "then that's something extra."

[Source: World Car Fans]

click above for a high-res gallery of the Holden Efijy concept

Despite several automakers opting out of this year's Melbourne Auto Show, there's going to be a brawl on the floor for the hearts and minds of the masses. Ford is planning to unveil its full portfolio of new Falcons, something that's been almost ten years in the making. But Holden will attempt to eclipse the Falcon's reveal with a concept that might up the ante over the Efijy concept that debuted back in 2005. According to Bob Lutz, who spoke with Drive.com.au at the NAIAS, the Holden concept will "knock everybody's socks off."

Along with the concept, Holden's in-house tuner HSV may show off an amped up version of the SportWagon and a 7.0-liter V8-powered flagship sedan. None of this is good news for Ford, which has seen market share drop in Australia over the last few years as the top-selling Falcon has rotted on the vine.

[Source: Drive.com.au]