Melbourne show off to Superb start

SKODA’S Superb flagship is the latest new model to be confirmed for the 2009 Melbourne International Motor Show (MIMS), for which online ticket sales are 51.9 per cent ahead of last year.

While Volkswagen’s Czech brand has made no secret of its plan to sell the second-generation Superb in Australia – indeed, it said it would when the all-new Passat-based model was first revealed globally in December 2007 – GoAuto has learned the company will announce full pricing and an on-sale date at Melbourne.

Expected on sale in April (the same month the brand’s facelifted Octavia range hits dealerships), the redesigned Superb made its global public debut at Geneva last March and will be powered by either 118kW/250Nm 1.8-litre TSI turbo-petrol or 125kW/350Nm 2.0-litre TDI turbo-diesel four-cylinder engines.

The Commodore-sized Superb liftback, which should kick off here from about $35,000, will be joined by a five-door wagon derivative early next year.

Before then, expect Skoda to stage local launches of the upgraded Octavia RS and Scout, plus the redesigned Fabia small car.

The Superb joins a host of new models for the 2009 MIMS, including Lexus’ redesigned RX luxury SUV, which will be shown in both 204kW 3.5-litre petrol V6 and RX450h hybrid guises ahead of the RX350’s Australian launch in mid-February.

Sales of the petrol-electric RX450h, which also made its global debut at the Los Angeles motor show last November, will follow.

As previously reported, the RX will be joined on the Lexus stand by the V10-engined LF-A Roadster, while other confirmed debuts for the 75th Melbourne motor show from February 27 include the facelifted Octavia, Volkswagen’s RPU (Robust Pick-Up) utility concept, BMW’s M1 Homage concept, the Lotus Evora and Audi’s Q5 compact SUV, which goes on sale here in the second quarter, priced from under $60,000.

Also previously confirmed are the Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4, Honda Insight, Bentley Continental GT Speed, Toyota Prius MkIII, Mitsu i-MiEV, Subaru Stella EV and Peugeot 308 CC.

Hyundai’s i30cw (crossover wagon) will also make its Australian-specification debut in Melbourne, before it goes on sale here in March. Based on the acclaimed i30 hatchback, the German-designed wagon is 230mm longer and 40mm taller, liberating extra rear legroom and luggage capacity.

MIMS director Russ Tyrie, who describes the show as Melbourne’s biggest annual indoor event, said online bookings had increased since MIMS organiser/promoter the Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce (VACC) introduced its own in-house online ticketing system three years ago.

“Patrons who buy their tickets online have a dream run getting into the show – they just print out their bar-coded ticket at home, get it scanned at the entry door and they’re in,” he said.

“It also reduces the number of people buying their tickets at the venue instead, which means shorter queues – and the online booking process is quick, easy and secure.”

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