2006 Wheels Car of the Year: what will win in a very strong field?

[motorsportnerd]

Cars with one chink in their range have done well in CoTY before. i see no reason why this year should be any different.

Yes, you're right.
I've hammered on about the VE's weakness. Time to mention the Aurion's main weakness against the COTY criteria. Lack of engine and transmission choice. You can only buy it with a 3.5 litre V6 and six speed automatic. No manual trans option. No bigger/smaller engine option, espeically since the supercharged TRD variant hasn't been released yet.
This lack of engine/transmission choice looks particular pronounced when compared to the Commodore - which has three engine and four transmission choices. Not all the Commodore's engine/trans combos work as well as they should, but there is a choice offered to the consumer - and that's important.

[IBrake4Rainbows]

I've seen 2 Aurions in my area - Including a Presara (I think one of them was a Camry honestly) but around 10 - 15 Camry's. the 4 Cylinder, especially in todays petrol price climate, is doing well around here.

I honestly don't see what was wrong with making it like an Accord Euro/V6 Deal personally - the Camry name holds much more sway round these parts.

Since the Camry has been moved into a different market (there is no 4 Cylinder falcon, Commodore....) adding the sales together isn't really proving much. Even if Toyota believes them to be part of the same model family.

Best of luck to Toyota but I'm not an Aurion Fan - I just genuinely don't like the look and feel of the vehicle. I had a bit of a play with one at my local dealership and (maybe it's just me) but i didn't like much about it.

I think thats whats going to save the Commodore - it has a range of engines - some of which work beautifully - so the other models might be able to be not overlooked, but have whatever damage they cause minimized.

If the Aurion doesn't perform to expectations then it's likely that disappointment will be across the whole range.

[motorsportnerd]

With me its the other way around - the Aurion met my expectations, the VE in Omega form didn't. Did you drive the Aurion? Have you had a chance to drive the VE?
In some ways, the older Falcon fitted with a ZF six speed is still more than a match for the two newer cars.
Also, I agree with you about the Camry/Aurion names. Everyone knows what a Camry is - it has a strong reputation in the marketplace. No one knows what an Aurion is.
They should've kept the Camry nameplate on both cars. And fitted the Camry 4 with the suspension/steering from the Aurion - since that appears to be the Camry 4's main weakness.

[IBrake4Rainbows]

No drives but just a showroom impression would definately have lead me to asking for a VE Test drive - the Aurion looked cheaper, and just didn't get past my preconcieved "it's a Toyota" thing - a stigma that many australian buyers are likely to have.

I know it's a preconception that i shouldn't have - and i tried to approach the vehicle on it's merits. but even my father - out with me just casually browsing looking for something new and shiny - took one look at it and just sort of sighed.

It seems to be a vehicle - around his work anyway - you get when you know nothing about cars

[motorsportnerd]

I wouldn't buy a new Aurion either. Nor in fact would I buy a new six-cylinder Commodore, 380 or Falcon. Resale value is the main reason. If I was spending $36K of my own money - I'd be heading to my Mazda dealer (Mazda6 Classic or one of the deals they're doing at the moment on a 6Luxury or a Mazda3 SP23) or my Volkswagen dealer (a Golf 2.0 Sportline FSi with a six speed manual would do nicely).
On the other hand if my company said you can have a company car - and it can be a choice of any of the Aussie made cars under $36K - I'd probably take the Aurion.

[IBrake4Rainbows]

Given the Choice i'd probably go a Falcon Actually. Tried, true and old enough not to be flogged from the car park.

And for an extra $10,000 more i'd get a Fairmont Ghia. thats value.

[motorsportnerd]

And if it was your money and not a company car, sticking to the 36K limit that buys the base Aussie cars, what would you buy?

[IBrake4Rainbows]

Hmmm....Toughie.

Out of my own money none of them represent fantastic value.

Again i'd probably go Falcon - i'd be able to get a better deal on a not-so-far behind car. Free Aircon/Alloys maybe?

[motorsportnerd]

On a side note - a dealer just up the road from me has a 2003 Ford Fairmont fitted with the optional 5.4 litre V8. Its done just 43,000km and they want $19,990. Now, that's value - and I'll admit I was tempted. And its also a hell of a dive in retain value for the first owner - from nearly $50K new to just $20K now as a three year old car.

[motorsportnerd]

Hmmm....Toughie.

Out of my own money none of them represent fantastic value.

Again i'd probably go Falcon - i'd be able to get a better deal on a not-so-far behind car. Free Aircon/Alloys maybe?

You'd probably get the Falcon with free six-speed auto/alloys for way under $36K driveaway. Air-con is standard.
You'd also lose about 65 percent of its value in three years.
If you went for a Mazda or VW (or Accord Euro, or many of the other non-Aussie cars in that price bracket) you'd only lose about 35-40 percent.

[IBrake4Rainbows]

There advertising Ex-Govvie 2003 BA XT's here in Canberra for $10,000. Madness.

If i didn't have to buy a big 6 i'd probably head to a VW showroom. That or go used.

[motorsportnerd]

It is madness. My EL may get traded for an BA later this year or sometime next. Won't cost that much to upgrade either based on $10K for a BA and EL's still fetching about $6K.

[IBrake4Rainbows]

EL's have always fared reasonably well - people bought them instead of AU Fortes

it's like the Square Jeep Cherokee - the last models are fetching just as much money, if not more, than there younger counterparts coz no one likes the round one

[nota]

.. the Omega is really let down by its engine/transmission. I mean, really, really let down. Yes, its got excellent dynamics. But the engine is coarse, unrefined, not particular smooth and and barely adequate performance.

Adequate doesn't cut it when two of its main competitors absolutely slaughter it on the engine/transmission front (yes - the Falcon leaves the Commodore Omega for dead there too..). I wonder how long before Wheels admits how bad the engine/trans combo is in the Omega?

Just for my interest MSN, how does the Omega powertrain compare to that of your (later '90s) EL Falcon?

Oddly, the (admittedly few) US mag tests I've seen of Cadillac CTS (RWD) heap praise on its smooth donk, which is a 3.6 litre Global V6 similar to Commodore

I have to agree with both you guys (IBR & MSN) about buying new vs used, especially local cars, and was musing about just this subject the other day. A 3 y/o Falcon for $10k is indisputably great value; it's like the used-car market is compressing down into a narrowing price-width, if you get my drift. No wonder the once-loyal private buyers have deserted the new Aussie-car market, these buyers were once the backbone of local manufacturing, but no longer. In their wake is an ever increasing ratio of uninspiring base model ex-fleet-specs flooding the market, in an ever downward resale spiral. Spells an ominous future for Ozzie cars?

However, on the bright side have you checked/compared the value-plunge for local cars against typical off-lease prestige euros like BMW or Ordie etc? http://www.drive.com.au/Editorial/Ar...rticleID=21029 .. eg a four-year value loss of around $80k!
Academic percentages be damned, that's real money

Regards the 5.4 Fairmont, I've previously told about the mate's '03 BA XT V8 auto, an ex-cop unit bought two years ago for $21k. Great to drive, lots of twist right from idle & gets low 20s in mpg around town. Had new rotors fitted but no other real issues, a few crap plastic clips broken. I think it's now done 90k kms? Btw an aftermarket V8 LPG kit is available. From memory those rare 5.4 manual XTs equal-peg XR6Ts to 100km/h - not bad for a low-profile insurance cheater

[SlickHolden]

I'm amazed that Wheels hasn't highlighted the real problem with the VE Omega (yes - I've read the yearbook). As I've pointed out many times (yes I've driven it), and as others have pointed out, the Omega is really let down by its engine/transmission. I mean, really, really let down. Yes, its got excellent dynamics. But the engine is coarse, unrefined, not particular smooth and and barely adequate performance. The rest of the car, particularly dynamics is of above average quality. The engine is barely adequate. Yes it does the job, but no more.
I'll compare it with the Aurion again (I'm driving a Aurion again for a week at the moment). The Aurion's trump card is its engine/transmission combo. If the Omega rates a 4.5/10 for its engine/trans, the Aurion rates a 8/10. Yet, Wheels (and many other motoring writers) have overlooked this.
The Aurion doesn't, quite, have the dynamic capabilities of the Omega VE. Lets say the Omega gets a 8.5/10 for dynamics whereas the Aurion scores a 7/10. The gap dynamically between the two is smaller than the gap between the two for engine/transmission.
In day to day driving, the Aurion's engine/transmission makes it a far better prospect than the Omega VE. And on the rare occasions where you get to enjoy a twisty road, the Aurion is capable enough.
The Omega VE's engine/transmission combo would drive me absolutely nuts on a day to day basis - it just isn't good enough.
The way I see it is that engine/transmission smoothness, performance and refinement is a more important criteria in a car's liveablilty than dynamics.
However, Wheels definitely places dynamics as the number 1 criteria.
I'll not be surprised if the VE is awarded COTY - and the V8 variants such as the Calais and SS deserve it. And the glory will rub off on the Omega.
However, lets not kid ourselves into thinking the Omega deserves it with that engine. Adequate doesn't cut it when two of its main competitors absolutely slaughter it on the engine/transmission front (yes - the Falcon leaves the Commodore Omega for dead there too..). I wonder how long before Wheels admits how bad the engine/trans combo is in the Omega?

They really need too highlight this so they can move there bums and fix it.

World Class car. With world class **** ups for engine and transmission.
Some have bagged the 5 speed auto, I really loved it it made my transmission feel old and it's still under 12months old and doesn't slip bang or have sloppy changes like the omegas does. But after driving the Calais my shifts felt hard and ruff all of a sudden, It's taken some time too adjust again. These kickdown cables suck! when they are out because i removed the bellmouth and cables shifts are a little ruffer need too adjust it again.

Look what uncle slick found.