Young drivers banned from Cruze turbo

[csv8]

Young drivers banned from Cruze turbo
By Paul PottingerThe Sunday Telegraph11 March 2011

Thousands of young Australian drivers are to be banned from driving the new version of the Holden Cruze.

Although it has won the maximum five stars in official crash safety testing, the Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads has refused to allow learner and provisional drivers an exemption to drive the 1.4iTi Cruze because its small petrol engine is turbo-charged.

But the Department will allow inexperienced road users to drive the much more powerful Cruze 2.0 diesel manual, because turbo diesels are exempted from the ban. The 1.4iTi develops a mild 103kW and 200Nm; the diesel 120kW and a formidable 360Nm.

The Department’s equivalent bodies in every state and territory have agreed to exempt the Cruze from the blanket ban on turbo petrol models with a capacity greater than 700cc subject to applicants completing an online application form.

In NSW, the Roads and Traffic Authority was forced to make the exemptions available after heavy criticism by the State Opposition and media of the glaring inconsistencies in its banned list of supposedly “high-performance” cars.

But Holden spokeswoman Emily Perry says the Queensland licensing body could not be swayed. “It’s not boy racers we’re going for with this car,” she says.

[SteveJH]

Insanity. On the other hand, what output could you get from the engine with a tune?

[ray38l]

Originally Posted by SteveJH

Insanity. On the other hand, what output could you get from the engine with a tune?

no more then a new base model commodore or falcon which are legal for p platers

[Riksta]

Why don't they just do what they do for motorbikes, and work it on a power to weight ratio!

[flappist]

Remember if a public servant shows intelligence, ambition and the ability to think outside the square and judge each issue on its merit they are made redundent before they can actually threaten the "moron society" in the senior ranks.

Two ways to retain a management position:

1) work hard and excel.
2) assassinate any underlings that show potential.

When was the last time you saw a public servant work hard or excel.......

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by flappist

Remember if a public servant shows intelligence, ambition and the ability to think outside the square and judge each issue on its merit they are made redundent before they can actually threaten the "moron society" in the senior ranks.

Two ways to retain a management position:

1) work hard and excel.
2) assassinate any underlings that show potential.

When was the last time you saw a public servant work hard or excel.......

My old man has been a public servant since 1978, trying to work hard and excel is career suicide. He put a big managers nose out of joint a long time ago, long story short, he doesn't work in that district anymore.

I got a turbo diesel LV Ford Focus, 100KW, 340nm in 1300kg, legal on P plates, lol.

[Polyal]

You watch, just because this car is being built here by them the law will change....

[Yellow_Festiva]

Seems nothing has changed......

When this whole turbo thing was introduced you could drive a NA Porsche but not any model of Saab.

Even the mighty Dihatsu Copen was on the banned list at one stage.. perhaps it still is.

When they interviewed the minister on the radio, he didn't even know that every Saab was turbo charged... yet his spiel prior to saying that fact was that it was about safety etc etc etc blah blah blah...

[Windsor220]

Originally Posted by Yellow_Festiva

Even the mighty Dihatsu Copen was on the banned list at one stage.. perhaps it still is.

Thats the car I was thinking of when reading the OP.
43kw of 0.7 litre turbo power.

[jpd80]

Forrest Gump must be running Queensland Transport.

Stupid is as stupid does....

[MexicanBatman]

i remember years ago when i was on P's in VIC it was on power to weight 120kw a ton

but then they changed it and made it stupid...

you can still drive an E49 charger under the laws, (crazy shiz in un trained hands) even an aurion can rocket down the 1/4 faster than most older V8s yet the stupid government doesn't see it like that... oh it got a turbo, sorry its banned...

not all turbo cars are banned, gutless ones like the smart and the above mentioned daihatsu arent

me i couldnt care less as im licensed but it was a little bit of an issue when i had a 4.0L V8 soarer and the missus was going to get her license untill i talked her out of it LOL slower than a 4cyl hybrid camry, but banned LOL WTF, yep thats cos its a big bad V8

[DJM83]

They will just buy a commodore then....

[Franco Cozzo]

They have exemptions here in Victoria but its very hard to get one, and it has to meet certain criteria. Under 100Kw/Tonne, family car with 4 doors, stuff like ISOFIX mounts for child seats etc.

[Ben73]

Oh well. I'm sure young p platers can find better cars to buy.

[xisled]

I agree with the current laws, power to ratio is very very dangerous. When I was on my p plates around 5 years ago and the law was power to weight ratio, 2 of my mates had V8's. One was a VR SS and the other was an EL XR8.
Now both of the cars were legal to drive on P plates. Now in the wrong hands of a inexpirenced P plater and just a few mods, this could be dangerous.

The reason why they do not use power to weight, is that a person may have a car under the power to rate ratio, but has done work to it. How are they going to make sure everyone does not mod there car to increase the power. A person could start with a car that is under power to weight ratio, but may end up with something that they do not have the experience to control.

Also the fact that a older V8 may be slower than today's falcon or commodore, but toady's cars have airbags and more safety features. The risk of death or injury in a new falcon commodore is less by far than an older slower V8.

[burnz]

Originally Posted by xisled

I agree with the current laws, power to ratio is very very dangerous. When I was on my p plates around 5 years ago and the law was power to weight ratio, 2 of my mates had V8's. One was a VR SS and the other was an EL XR8.
Now both of the cars were legal to drive on P plates. Now in the wrong hands of a inexpirenced P plater and just a few mods, this could be dangerous.

The reason why they do not use power to weight, is that a person may have a car under the power to rate ratio, but has done work to it. How are they going to make sure everyone does not mod there car to increase the power. A person could start with a car that is under power to weight ratio, but may end up with something that they do not have the experience to control.

Also the fact that a older V8 may be slower than today's falcon or commodore, but toady's cars have airbags and more safety features. The risk of death or injury in a new falcon commodore is less by far than an older slower V8.

but this very site has the old not so slow V8!!

[FPV8U]

Another great success in the fight against P-Platers in high power cars..

[TUF_302]

My question is what kind of p plater would want a cruze?? Lol!!

[Bossxr8]

How will the Ecoboost Falcon go?

Will it be banned too?

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

How will the Ecoboost Falcon go?

Will it be banned too?

Chances are in Victoria, yes, its a family car but I reckon its going to breach 100Kw/Tonne.

[Yellow_Festiva]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

How will the Ecoboost Falcon go?

Will it be banned too?

Good point. But the cars target 2 very different buyers IMO.

Still, if the Turbo Cruze gets an exemption then Ford can argue the same for the Eco Falcon.

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

How will the Ecoboost Falcon go?

Will it be banned too?

To Queensland Transport, anything with a petrol turbo is bad.

To the officials you may as well have Dick Johnson's 600 hp Sierra turbo engine under the bonnet.

[dave351cid]

i havent had anything to do with the "cruz" but the other day i was walking past hire car one parked in the street and as i got to the back of the car i seen a young bloke (mid 20s) down looking under the car.

i asked if everything was ok? and he answered... " yeah, all good. i was just looking for the ancor. this is the slowest thing i have ever driven. "

........lol, apparently he wasnt impressed with it.

[Mick K.]

Is this another Holden marketing tactic? Picture the advert - "Holden Cruze turbo - so powerful some states have banned it". Then see on A Current Affair Qld P platers crossing the border to buy from unscrupulous northern NSW dealers!

[fat4D]

Originally Posted by Mick K.

Is this another Holden marketing tactic? Picture the advert - "Holden Cruze turbo - so powerful some states have banned it". Then see on A Current Affair Qld P platers crossing the border to buy from unscrupulous northern NSW dealers!

The problem here is dealers don't care if your on your p's. before buying my car I test drove a hand ful in nsw and showed a nsw p license, as long as they sell the car they don't care if you can legally drive it. One even suggested that if I just took the turbo badge off average cop wouldn't pick it

[svo supporter]

Without sparking a big uproar over safety features, new car vs old car, it doesn't matter which car an inexperienced driver is at the wheel. If they are going to be an idiot behind the wheel, they're going to kill themselves in a car.

So these laws the gov't bought in are pathetic. Even a power to weight ratio won't work. What really needs to happen is to teach young drivers how to drive properly. Not the pathetic way it's done now.

[chevypower]

Outdated mentality, many global manufacturers are looking at downsizing engines with turbos and direct injection as a way to get better fuel economy and meet tougher emissions requirements.

[dave289]

Are you sure its for L platers too? I have let my 17 year old drive my cv8 monaro which is legal to do so in nsw.

[GS608]

Originally Posted by dave289

Are you sure its for L platers too? I have let my 17 year old drive my cv8 monaro which is legal to do so in nsw.

Yeah i don't think any state has restrictions on L drivers, you can drive a F430 if you wanted.

[flappist]

There is not much of an issue with a learner in a powerful car.

The main problem with low experience young drivers on their own are:

1) recognising a potential problem early enough avoid it
2) reacting correctly to an event
3) doing silly things as emotion over rides logic
4) innate belief in their own ability and immortality
5) difficulty in separating reality from fiction (the TV/Playstation generation)

Having an older more experienced person (who usually owns the powerful car so is familiar with its capability) sitting in the left seat providing or teaching "correct" decision making is a major safety asset.

But as far as the "turbo cruise" issue.

Unfortunately in most of these situations the decisions are make by people who have very small grasp on reality outside their own little worlds and just want to make the issue someone else's problem.

Look at some of the stupidity that has been forced on us:

Turbos and V8s are dangerous therefore everything else is safe.
Alcopops cause binge drinking, beer wine and spirits don't.
Semi-auto guns kill people so other guns are perfectly safe.
All Muslims are terrorists therefore everyone else is not.
Anyone who has anything to do with children is a paedophile unless unequivocally proven otherwise (and then still suspect)
Exceeding a number on a sign is instant death, driving 10km/h under is safe.
Cutting down a tree is a bigger crime than breaking, entering and stealing.
Feeding a Dingo on Fraser Island is a greater crime than drink driving causing death.

And it goes on and on.......

While we keep voting in the idiots who allow this to happen then it will keep happening. This is not party specific it is just as bad in all of them.

And the really scary bit is that no matter who you put in power, unless they give the public service and the "academic expert advisory boards" regular enemas the same sloppy mess is going to keep seeping out all over us..........again and again and again.......