Porsche has launched its Porsche Impact program in Australia. It offers owners an emissions calculator that allows them to determine and offset their personal Porsche carbon footprint.
Using an online calculator, owners can estimate the CO2 footprint of their Porsche and financially support environmentally friendly Australian projects. The contribution is based on consumption, annual distance travelled and the selected support project.
For example, for a Porsche vehicle that has driven 15,000 kilometres with an average fuel consumption of 12 litres per 100 kilometres an owner’s financial contribution is approximately AUD $117 per year.
Contributions by Australian owners go to Australian projects. As a result of Porsche’s partnership with with leading project developer and global climate action expert South Pole, Porsche owners can choose between two certified local projects.
The available initiatives focus on sustaining the biodiversity of local flora and fauna, revegetation and Indigenous land management. The projects are part of South Pole’s award-winning EcoAustralia credits, where an Australian biodiversity project is matched with an international Gold Standard emissions reduction project.
The first project is Mount Sandy, located between the Coorong National Park and Lake Albert in South Australia. It is a pocket of intact native vegetation in a region dominated by farmlands, Mount Sandy brings together Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians to promote land conservation methods that have been used by the Traditional owners of the land, the Ngarrindjeri people, for thousands of years.
The 200 hectare site ensures permanent protection for all biodiversity, which is a mix of coastal shrub lands and saline swamplands. The site provides habitat for iconic native wildlife, such as the short-beaked echidna, purple-gaped honeyeater and elegant parrot.
The second local initiative is the Myamyn project at Annya State Forest, located in south-western Victoria. The habitat is home to numerous vulnerable and endangered plant and animal species. The Myamyn project works to protect and rehabilitate the site after clearing and the introduction of an invasive eucalyptus species occurred in 1997. So far 20 hectares of cleared land have been rehabilitated with a total of 200 hectares protected against further clearing.
Porsche considers the entire value creation chain: from suppliers, to the product, to after sales and recycling.
Today, Porsche uses 100 per cent green energy for production and rail logistics. In Australia, Porsche also prioritises other sustainability measures like solar power and tyre recycling.
“Sustainability is an essential pillar of our corporate strategy at Porsche,” said Sam Curtis, CEO & Managing Director, Porsche Cars Australia.
“The global approach to sustainability at Porsche is holistic, working in all fields of action: ecological, economic and social.”
NEWS
MERCEDES-BENZ E-CLASS REVISED
By EWAN KENNEDY, Marque Motoring
CAPTION: Mercedes-Benz E-Class has long been popular in Australia.
BODY COPY
Mercedes-Benz E-Class has received a series of midlife changes to its appearance, but the biggest news is the major upgrades to its technology. The E-Class is sold with sedan, coupe and cabriolet bodies. Mercedes-AMG also receives these revisions.
The headlights, radiator grille and front bumper are changed on all variants. Only the sedans have revisions at the rear, with sleek taillights, rear bumper and boot lid restyled.
All models now have the sports-themed AMG Line exterior treatment. There are 19-inch AMG 10-spoke alloy wheels on E 200 and E 300 e models, while the E 300 model sports 20-inch AMG Multi-Spoke alloys.
Each model now comes with a comprehensively digitalised generation of steering wheel. It is the high-tech command centre of the E-Class, which enables the driver to steer precisely and, at the same time safely operate many comfort and assistance systems via capacitive touch panels.
The Mercedes-Benz E-Class is now equipped with the MBUX multimedia system, which can be actuated via spoken commands, using the centre 12.3-inch digital touchscreen in the widescreen cockpit array, via a swipe-and-tap controller embedded in the steering wheel, or using the touchpad between the front seats.
MODEL RANGE
E 200 Sedan: $96,900
E 200 Coupé: $101,900
E 300 Sedan: $117,900
E 300 Coupé: $117,400
E 300 Cabriolet: $130,900
E 300 e Sedan: $121,400
E 53 4MATIC+ Sedan: $159,900
AMG E 53 4MATIC+ Coupé: $162,400
AMG E 53 4MATIC+ Cabriolet: $170,900
AMG E 63 S 4MATIC+ Sedan: $250,400
Note: These prices do not include government or dealer delivery charges. Contact your local Mercedes-Benz dealer for drive-away prices.