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GoAuto News www.fuchs.com.au May 16, 2018 Australia’s No.1 Automotive Industry Journal No. 924 70,000 Readers Weekly BT62 launch this month at Australia House in London Fusion’s hi-tech future Brabham supercar and emissions-free buses promise to revive ailing auto sector Components and sister company EXCLUSIVE Fusion have set about diversifying their By RON HAMMERTON business, including reinventing their automotive operations with a long-term THE all-new Australian-built Brabham aim of embracing technologies such BT62 supercar is the showcase as electrification, hydrogen power and for an Adelaide-based automotive autonomous driving systems. manufacturing group’s fledgling Former Tesla and Lotus Cars specialist vehicle production operation Electric Precision Bus manufacturing director Christian that has already built prototype electric Reynolds has been brought on board buses for trial with the South Australian winner David Brabham – son of triple to help mastermind the renaissance, government. world Formula One champion Sir Jack working with fellow directors Mat Fitch Hydrogen fuel-cell urban transport, Brabham – Fusion has financed the – proprietor of Precision Components – driverless shuttles and electric city cars operation and brought it to fruition in and lawyer-turned-commercial-director are also part of the long-term vision of secret over the past three years. Dan Marks. Fusion Capital – the company behind Fusion Capital grew out of automotive “From our side, we see ourselves as Brabham Automotive and its limited- parts supplier Precision Components in probably more of a mobility group,” Mr edition 522kW Brabham BT62 track the northern suburbs of Adelaide where Reynolds told GoAuto this week. car that will sell for a cool $1.81 its primary business was to supply Continued next page million when it goes into production components to the nearby, now-defunct INSIDE late this year. GM Holden factory at Elizabeth, as Although the supercar is the well as Toyota and Ford in Victoria. ROLLS-ROYCE brainchild of Brabham Automotive Faced with the demise of car CULLINAN SUV managing director and 2009 Le Mans manufacturing in Australia, Precision Glass’s - leaders in vehicle specification and valuation data, insights and RV forecasts - SUBSCRIBE FREE: www.GoAutoMedia.net John Mellor’s - SUBSCRIBE FREE: www.GoAutoMedia.net GoAuto News May 16, 2018 Page 2 Fusion’s hi-tech future Continued from previous page “We are looking at specialist vehicles within mobility, not necessarily the mass passenger car space.” The new-look operation started with Precision Buses – a joint venture with one of Australia’s leading bus manufacturers, Bustech, of Queensland. With Bustech supplying the base product and Precision Buses doing BT62 track testing at Phillip Island in Victoria the assembly in Adelaide, an order of 50 low-emissions, lightweight Euro 6 from the South Australian government, “We are having some conversations diesel urban buses is already underway the two prototype electric buses have with some people who have some for delivery to customers in Queensland already been built at the company’s interesting technology, interesting and New South Wales. Edinburgh Parks workshops in a new- concepts, and it is really a matter of Precision Buses is also vying for a look hi-tech automotive manufacturing when it is the right time to go deeper tender for a 10-year contract to supply hub that also includes the Brabham with those opportunities,” he said. Adelaide Metro buses for the SA Automotive facility and the specialist These include hydrogen fuel cell government, firstly with diesel buses but vehicle suspension manufacturer and autonomous driving technologies, ultimately – as long as current trials of SupaShock. although the Fusion directors say two electric-powered units are successful One of the electric buses is on trial the company has “no robust plan” to – battery-powered buses as well. with Adelaide Metro, but the other, after introduce these technologies at this With the help of a $2 million grant initial trials, is back at the workshop stage. being fitted with an upgraded Toshiba However, they say such technologies, John Mellor’s battery charging system capable of along with electrification, will be part delivering more than 1000 amps, which of future mobility. is sufficient to charge the big 216kWh Ultimately, Fusion sees opportunities GoAuto News battery from 15 per cent to 95 per cent in what Mr Reynolds describes as PUBLISHER: John Mellor EDITOR: Terry Martin in 15 minutes – nine times faster than a “last-mile solutions” – emissions- MANAGING EDITOR: Tim Nicholson standard charger. free local transport such as driverless JOURNALISTS: Ron Hammerton, Tung Nguyen, That “supercharger” is set to be shuttles and electric city cars suitable Robbie Wallis, Ian Porter, Byron Mathioudakis, Daniel DeGasperi, Haitham Razagui, Justin Hilliard installed at Precision Buses’ factory for downtown urban areas and similar PRODUCTION: Luc Britten, William Vicente, next month for testing before being confined locations. Haitham Razagui, Spencer Leech offered to Adelaide Metro to trial at one “So, at some point we expect to Produced by GoAutoMedia: Ph: (03) 9598 6477 [email protected] of its bus depots. see that to become an opportunity for According to Mr Marks, the Toshiba engagement,” he said. “Fixed-route, collaboration is typical of the alliances last-mile (transport) is where we at the cornerstone of Fusion’s plans will see those driverless shuttles first SUBSCRIBE FREE: www.GoAutoMedia.net to develop and build vehicles for a deployed.” changing market. Continued next page On the Same Page When you understand your customers, you can serve them above and beyond their expectations. Auto-IT’s smart technology gives you the power and mobility you need. Join Australia’s most modern DMS company. | auto-it.com.au John Mellor’s - SUBSCRIBE FREE: www.GoAutoMedia.net GoAuto News May 16, 2018 Page 3 Nissan Australia pulls pin Hi-tech future on Supercars racing By TUNG NGUYEN NISSAN Australia will exit the Supercars Championship at the end of this year’s season after six years of racing, having joined the series in 2013 with its now-discontinued Altima sedan in a partnership with Kelly Racing that was rebranded Nissan Motorsport. Speaking to journalists at the announcement on Tuesday, Nissan Australia managing director Stephen Credit: AEVA (SA)/Eric Rodda AEVA Credit: Lester said the choice to pull out Continued from previous page German-owned car component supplier was not due to finances or resources, Fusion’s Precision Bus and Brabham ZF Lemforder which, like many other but a realignment of the company’s Automotive operations are already suppliers, closed its local operations focus. having beneficial knock-on effects for with the demise of Holden, Toyota and “Strategies have changed, and our some other automotive parts suppliers Ford manufacturing. focus has shifted to other priorities, devastated by the closure of the The Brabham factory is expected to be in particular EVs, SUVs and Nissan Australian car industry over the past ready to start full operations in the second Intelligent Mobility,” he said. two years. half of this year, with a manufacturing “We took a long time to come to Some parts-makers have been system similar to a Formula One racing this decision … it wasn’t an easy engaged to supply bits and pieces for car workshop. This involves a system of decision to come to, the reality was the vehicles, especially the buses. stalls, each with a car under construction. that, since my arrival, we’ve taken Mr Reynolds said there was even Six can be built at a time. stock of the market and what the core some synergy between parts supply for The carbon-fibre components of the priorities of the business will be, what the buses and the Brabham supercar, in BT62 are being sourced from a mixture the opportunities will look like going areas such as wiring harnesses. of Australian and European suppliers. forward, and together as an executive Brabham Automotive is currently The normally aspirated 5.4-litre V8 team we made the decision.” fitting out its factory at Edinburgh Parks engine – based on a production unit in a building formerly occupied by from an unnamed mass manufacturer FULL STORY: CLICK HERE that some pundits speculate is Ford – is being rebuilt to Brabham’s high- performance standards in Australia by an interstate supplier. The production run of track-only BT62s will be limited to 70, but the company hopes to expand into road supercars and racing machines to tackle Eric Rodda the Le Mans 24 Hour classic in France. Distributor Opportunities - PERTH BUSINESS SALES MANAGER AREA SALES MANAGER • Corporate & Government • Dealer Sales Management • Rental & NFP Business • Inventory Management • Dealer Fleet business • Dealer PMA Marketing Call Craig - 0417 248 884 Call Craig - 0417 248 884 Brooke Jones Craig Warren 0438 533 699 Apply online 0417 248 884 [email protected] www.automotivepersonnel.com.au [email protected] Search Automotive Personnel & Follow us now on @AutoJobsAus 02 9331 3477 John Mellor’s - SUBSCRIBE FREE: www.GoAutoMedia.net GoAuto News May 16, 2018 Page 4 Cullinan high Roller out $685K driveaway pricetag set for Rolls-Royce’s first SUV on sale early in 2019 By JUSTIN HILLIARD TOUTED by the hallowed British marque as “the most anticipated car of 2018 and, quite possibly, the most anticipated Rolls-Royce of all time”, the Cullinan super-luxury upper-large SUV has been revealed ahead of Australian exceptional ‘best-in-class’ functional of its rivals. deliveries that start in the first quarter performance on rough terrain whilst The Cullinan is also the first Rolls- of next year. offering better ride comfort”. Royce model to employ an all-wheel- According to Rolls-Royce Motor As such, Rolls-Royce’s signature drive system, which is complemented Cars regional sales manager Ian Grant, ‘Magic Carpet Ride’ has been applied by four-wheel steering to ensure the Cullinan is indicatively priced from to an off-road vehicle for the first time, nimble handling.