I don't own one. Not sure if I would, since the quality seems pretty mediocre, but the few that I've rented out West were great fun (even for a 1500 mi each way road trip!).

That makes sense, the Australian market is pretty small and import duties have progressively gone down. In a few years, I would find it hard to justify any domestic car market there.

__________________
With best regards

Al

Or they could set up some import duties to encourage domestic assembly of foreign makes. Kind of like the reason so many U.S. market Hondas are assembled in the U.S.

__________________
Whoever said there's nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes never had a cheap Jaguar.

83 300D Turbo with manual conversion, early W126 vented front rotors and H4 headlights 400,xxx miles
08 Suzuki GSX-R600 M4 Slip-on 22,xxx miles
88 Jaguar XJS V12 94,xxx miles. Work in progress.

Yeah, but that's not what's happening, and even when import duties were really high, it still didn't make sense. It makes sense here because the US market is 15 times bigger then the Australian market.

__________________
With best regards

Al

If its priced too high it will not sell with us skinflinted diesel heads here in the US.

__________________
[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

Many are saying that. Ford has anounced that they are pulling out of manufacturing cars in Australia in a couple of years. That will leave GM (Holden) & Toyota. The high Australian $ has killed car manufacture in Australia. When the $ was low we had several export markets.

__________________
Grumpy Old Diesel Owners Club group

I no longer question authority, I annoy authority. More effect, less effort....

1967 230-6 auto parts car. rust bucket.
1980 300D now parts car 800k miles
1984 300D 500k miles
1987 250td 160k miles English import
2001 jeep turbo diesel 130k miles
1998 jeep tdi ~ followed me home. Needs a turbo.
1968 Ford F750 truck. 6-354 diesel conversion.
Other toys ~J.D.,Cat & GM ~ mainly earth moving

It's a shame though, my first car was a MKIII Ford Cortina (UK Car). From what I understand, the Australians had the same car on steroids.

__________________
With best regards

Al

BMW 328d coming out later this year, how's that for a combo of luxury and fuel efficiency. Or if they would bring back the Jetta TDI cup.

Let's hope it does better than the 335d, one car I've been drooling over...

__________________
TC
Current stable:
- 2004 Mazda RALLYWANKEL
- 2007 Saturn sky redline
- 2004 Explorer...under surgery.

Past: 135i, GTI, 300E, 300SD, 300SD, Stealth

TW's FF has a cortina motor.
The later ones over here had a 250ci 6 in them. The bodies were not strong enough.

__________________
Grumpy Old Diesel Owners Club group

I no longer question authority, I annoy authority. More effect, less effort....

1967 230-6 auto parts car. rust bucket.
1980 300D now parts car 800k miles
1984 300D 500k miles
1987 250td 160k miles English import
2001 jeep turbo diesel 130k miles
1998 jeep tdi ~ followed me home. Needs a turbo.
1968 Ford F750 truck. 6-354 diesel conversion.
Other toys ~J.D.,Cat & GM ~ mainly earth moving

Yes. Cortina indeed. In the usa it was used in Pintos and Capris also. Its a nice robust, simple motor.

__________________
[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

Define; "priced too high?"

GM was a huge FAIL (scr#wed-the-pooch) on diesel cars here already......

Anyone old enough to have witnessed GM's scr#wing-up of the passenger car diesel so badly in the late 1970s would never be a willing victim now......

Cruze has a (relatively) tested engine, not a poorly Dieselized 350 ci gasser V8. The 70s GM cars were messed up in a way that the Cruze could never even hope to be.

Does it come with an EPA mandated exhaust particulate filter?