Alfa Romeo 2000 Reviews

As humans we are cautious, even violent, towards mutations of our species. It's part of being a human. Ironically, we are mutants and books describing the origin of the species discuss the intervening years that eventually made you look like you and me like Brad Pitt. But we accept minor variations on our theme, placing as much blame as necessary on our parents and the irregularities of DNA.Cars are no different. There is, for example, a lot of Lancia in the Alfa Romeo Mito. For those who came in late, Lancia has a rich history of innovation and racing success but has more recently plunged to become a directionless division of Alfa Romeo's parent, Fiat. In the past few years Lancia has made a saloon for the Pope and sold some baby cars with a funny grille to compete with Fiat. It's all rather pointless.Or it was until Alfa stumbled over the Lancia concept of pregnant styling in a compact car enriched with chrome trimmings and a funny grille. This is the Mito. It is Alfa's smallest car in recent history and in size and price, rivals the family Fiat's 500 and Punto plus it attempts to lure people who are also looking at the Mini, Fiesta, Mazda2, Jazz, Peugeot 207, Volkswagen Polo and Toyota Yaris. That's stiff competition.Charming looks In styling, the Mito also shares a lot with the forthcoming Alfa 149, replacement to the current 147, with its tiny rear hatch and a profile like a badly drawn animal with its nose longer than its tail. However this imbalance, and the fried-egg shape of the polycarbonate headlight covers, give the Mito its distinctiveness and with it, a likeable charm. Onlookers were intrigued by its design though awkwardly guarded when asked to comment.Drivetrains Though it's an Alfa, it doesn't feel like an Alfa. The exhaust doesn't make the same sound as the 147 hatch and there's no distinctive Alfa perfume emitting from the cabin's fabrics. But it retains the urgency of an Alfa. The engine is always willing and even if it needs a hefty prod, it comes to the party with eagerness.The Mito borrows the Fiat Punto's 1.4-litre engine and delivers it in two guises — an 88kW for the Mito tested and a 114kW version in the Mito Sport. Both are turbocharged and, aside from the Sport getting one more cog to give it a six-speed transmission, it's really only electronic engine management changes that splits the two.Variants and pricing There's $6000 difference in price between the Mito and the Mito Sport and only a weeny 0.8 seconds separates them on the 0-100km/h dash. Is that worth $6000? Truthfully, there are quite a lot of extra things that make the difference and you'd be better off paying the extra. As it stands, the base Mito offers little for its price compared with some excellent rivals — VW Golf, Peugeot, Audi and Volvo among them.InteriorThen there are other issues. Like the seating position that suits tall people because the steering column sits unusually high. Though there's a telescopic and tilt adjustment, the wheel still never feels low and sporty. Only high and bus-like.This, combined with the expansive dashboard and the large distance to the windscreen pushes the driver back towards the centre of the car. It doesn't do a lot for rear seat passengers. At best, only children will fit. But the rear seats do split and fold down to boost boot space and it's more likely the Mito will — like the Mini — become just a two seater.Driving On the road, the Mito doesn't disappoint its illustrious ancestors. Though the engine gets a lot of attention because of its eagerness, it is the suspension that quietly reflects how the Italians can, sometimes, get it right with a balance of comfort and fine cornering.There is some sharp reaction through the suspension to potholes but generally the Mito is a confident handler. The steering is initially offputting because it is electrically-assisted and feels vague and lifeless. But it becomes familiar and ultimately a joy to steer. But this is not my favourite car. The VW Golf is far too sophisticated and perfectly built for the Mito to challenge.Verdict: 76/100Alfa Romeo Mito Price: from $31,490Engine: 1.4-litre, 4-cylinder, turbochargerPower: 88kW@5000rpmTorque: 206Nm@1750rpmPerformance: 0-100km/h in 8.8 seconds, top speed 198km/hTransmission: 5-speed manual; front-driveEconomy (official): 6.1 litres/100km, (tested): 7.5 litres/100kmEmissions: 145g/km (Corolla: 175g/km)Rivals Audi A3 1.6 ($35,400) — 84/100;Mini Cooper ($33,450) — 68/100;Peugeot 308 1.6 Turbo ($31,590) — 86/100;Volvo C30 2.4 ($36,450) — 81/100;VW Golf 118TSI ($30,490) — 88/100

The Frankfurt Motor Show literally roared to life this morning when a classic BMW 507 roadster ran laps of a custom-built oval track inside the German carmaker's $30 million stand.

And have done for a very long time. But there are always buyers looking for something that avoids the clichés associated with the popular players. And for them, the Alfa Romeo stable has the attraction of being the ‘other’ desirable badge.Leading the charge for Alfa in the mid-sized sector is the 159 - the successor to the 156 that is credited with turning around perceptions about the Italian carmaker. Rather than being a marque for the brave - or at least those brave enough to defy the earlier reputation for poor quality - people started to buy the badge with more confidence. That continued as the 156 turned into the 159, and Alfa’s presence continued to grow, both overseas and here.The 2.4 litre JTD diesel tested here has consistently been the most popular version of the 159. Now, with a revised engine, more power and improvements to refinement and comfort, there’s a good chance it will remain at the top of the heap.Engine The upgraded 2.4 litre, five cylinder, JTDm turbo diesel DOHC engine puts out 154kW at 4000rpm and 400Nm at 2000rpm. A six speed-speed manual - or the six-speed Q-Tronic transmission in our test car - gets power to the wheels. Both the manual and the Q-Tronic do the 0-100km sprint in 8.4 seconds but the manual pips the Q with a top speed of 228km/h, over 224km/h.Around town the Q-Tronic – at 11.9l/100km - is quite a bit thirstier than the manual at 9.4l/100km. But on the open road the figures drop significantly for both vehicles; Q-Tronic 6.0l/100km, and manual 5.6l/100km. The Q-Tronic emits 215g/km of CO2 while the manual releases 179g/km.Exterior All changes to the new 159 are under the skin, such is the confidence Alfa Romeo has in the current Giorgio Giugiaro design - and it’s well-founded.There’s no mistaking an Alfa from the outside and the 159, which spawned the beautiful Brera, is probably the most obvious of the lot. Its strong smooth lines and gently angled creases give it a timeless shape that needs little modification.New 19-in alloys with big red Brembos showing through the spokes, and low profile tyres, speak the visual language of performance and agility.InteriorThe Ti, or Tourism International package brings with it a host of features for the 159, steered towards a sporty feel.Black leather with red stitching flows through the cabin, on the seats, steering wheel and gear stick. In normal Alfa fashion the dash is mostly brushed aluminium with round holes for the sunken dials. Alfa Romeo badges on the electric seats, red instrument highlights and drilled sport pedals are standard, as is Bluetooth capability and a USB connection point.SafetyOn top of a comprehensive airbag package, the 159 2.4 JTDm comes with anti-lock brakes, rear park braking sensors, electronic brakeforce distribution, variable dynamic control and child safety locks.PricingThe manual version of the Alfa Romeo 159 Ti JTDm 2.4 is available from $59,990 and the Q-Tronic from $62,990, plus dealer and statutory charges.DrivingThe 159 is a classic Alfa Romeo. It’s a beautiful car with a handsome, timeless shape. The Giorgio Giugiaro design hasn’t been touched and really doesn’t need to be. The interior again, is classic Alfa with gorgeous hand stitched dark leather and brushed alloy.The diesel engine has a nice quick jerk free pick up with enough stones to heave you back into your seat, and without even using the paddle shifters, changes - on sharp winding roads - are swift and appropriate.Fabulous weight distribution means negligible body roll and the big wheels and Brembos together with the double wishbone front and multi link rear suspension, help the 159 to stick nicely to the tar.Unfortunately it took everything we had to get past the fact that it sounded like a John Deere 6030 Series utility tractor with Pig Flu. Sure, it’s light on the juice but come on … seriously.Gorgeous car, but what a racket.Verdict: 7.9/10

If there's a car-buying group called SINKs, then this car fits the bill. ‘Single Income No Kids’ - perhaps the target market for Alfa Romeo's latest bambino, the MiTo (pronounced me-tow).Despite the company's efforts to distance the new little Alfa from its Alfasud ancestor, the comparison is easy to make.A cute, lightweight, spunky little three-door Italian upstart - but the Alfa jokes of old (you can hear it rusting, etc) don't appear to have much currency now.The looks are distinctive - inspired by the raucous 8C Competizione ? it appears startled from the front but taut and lithe from the rear. However, but there's no doubt as to its heritage.Drivetrain This is the base-model and there's a flexibility that belies the size of the powerplant - the lower-pressure turbocharged 1.4-litre engine, which provides 88kW and 206Nm to haul 1145kg.As the revs rise there's not quite the hair-raising note that some might expect from a fiery little Euro-hatch, but the MiTo gets along at a decent clip.The $31,490 MiTo does the job with admirable vigour, even before we've started playing with the Alfa Romeo DNA system.No, we're not cloning little Italian hatchbacks - it's a three-position (Dynamic, Normal and All Weather) switch that sharpens throttle and steering.There's some difference to be experienced by the changing of the settings but it's not a massive change in character. Alfa Romeo has also fitted the MiTo with an electronic Q2 limited slip differential, one of several active safety systems. Whatever the acronyms, the MiTo is a pert and entertaining little machine, but there are still things not to like.Safety For a little car, the crashworthiness is good - it gets a five-star Euro NCAP safety rating, with seven airbags (front, side, curtain and driver's knee), with anti-lock brakes and stability control to help avoid the impact in the first place.Equipment The features list also includes a trip computer, airconditioning (Sport has dual-zone climate control), remote locking and boot release, steering wheel audio controls, cruise control, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, hill holder, front power windows and a premium six-speaker sound system.Driving Despite the clever drivetrain there's still some torque steer to be conquered - not as much as some more powerful front-drivers but it can still dart off and be wayward on tighter corners.The beauty of the little Italian upstart is that it's light - just over 1.1 tonnes - and that number translates to it being light on its feet. Darting through traffic, the little powerplant has enough punch to put the little three-door through gaps without thinking twice.It is also easy to park, being light in the steering at parking speeds.The gearshift is not the sharpest cog-swap on offer in the segment either; the MiTo feels a little rubbery, with first sometimes tough to engage, as well as the odd mis-selected cog. You would think the lack of an automatic variant in the Australian market - which seems to love automatics - would have slowed sales.But the little Alfa has a two-month wait if you ask for something specific in colour and equipment; a double-clutch transmission is on the cards for early next year.The ride quality is a little crashy on some broken surfaces as well - it's not that bad that you can't live with it, but perhaps the standard car with 16in alloys could have had a little more compliance, leaving the $37,490 Sport model (shod with 17in alloys) to go harder.Taller drivers are going to have issues, because despite reach'n'rake adjustable steering and a height-adjustable seat, anyone over 180cm is going to succumb to the short-leg, long-arm set-up behind the wheel.The other driving position issue is the rear-vision mirror, which sits low on the windscreen and can't be raised because of the - admittedly-worthwhile - seatbelt monitor.The result is a stooped driving position that eventually resulted in a crook neck from trying to look under the mirror at traffic on the left.The SINKs acronym could also refer to the boot, which is not bad for the segment but won't take a folded stroller and nappybag without removing the parcel shelf/boot cover.For all the ergonomic complaints, the little MiTo has some character about it - more than a few small car drivers (behind the wheel of Japanese, Korean and European machines) craned for a better view of the spunky little Italian, which speaks volumes for the MiTo's appeal for the fashionably-chic.Alfa Romeo MiTo Price: from $31,490 plus on-road costsEngine: 1.4-litre 16-valve turbocharged four-cylinderTransmission: five-speed manual, front-wheel drivePower: 88kW @ 5000rpmTorque: 206Nm @ 1750rpmPerformance: 0-100km/h 8.8 seconds. Top speed 198km/hFuel consumption: 6.1litres/100km, on test 8litres/100kmEmissions: 145g/kmRivals:Mini Cooper, from $33,450.

Sexy, very clever, Italian and honest to the point of being brutal.Meet eco:Drive, your personal driving coach that comes with Alfa Romeo's latest baby, the MiTo Sport. The eco:Drive function is part of the windows-based Blue and Me telematics system pioneered by Fiat and now finding its way into the range-topping model of the little MiTo 3-door ‘super mini’ from Alfa Romeo. When prompted the eco:Drive software will store key features of a driver's style including throttle application, gear changes, clutch behaviour and more over a minimum five-day period."Essentially the onboard software is a data-gatherer which you can then download to a memory stick and transfer that to a computer," Alfa Romeo Australia's Edward Rowe says. "The software at the eco:Drive website will analyse that data and make recommendations of how to adjust your driving style to be more economical."Rowe says that aggregated information collected from drivers using the software shows that the average savings over more than 10,000 users has been 10 per cent. "While there is nothing especially new about the driving tips what the software can do for you is benchmark your starting point and then coach you over time so that you can see an actual return from the changes you make."While Blue and Me and eco:Drive are only a small part of the MiTo whole, the techno-clever systems are just part of the net Alfa Romeo has cast in search of new and younger buyers.PricingPriced from $31,490 for the entry level model and $37,490 for the MiTo Sport, the little Alfa is aimed squarely at BMW's legion of Mini faithful with dreams of drawing the young and well-heeled away from the German manufacturer and across the border to Italy."I am comfortable with our prediction that 80 per cent of MiTo buyers will be new to Alfa Romeo while 45 per cent of buyers will be under 30 years of age (currently only 5 per cent of Alfa buyers fall into that demographic)," Alfa Romeo Australia general manager Edward Butler says. "We have to accept that there will be some Alfa owners moving from the 147, in particular, but most buyers will be new to the brand."Alfa is also hoping to swell its ranks of female buyers from the current 12 per cent, but Butler concedes that is unlikely to happen until the arrival of the robotised manual (DSG-style) automatic next year. "At the moment we are calling around 35 sales a month but when that gearbox is available, early next year, I wouldn't be surprised to see that double," Butler says.Drivetrains From launch the MiTo is available in two trims, both running a turbo-charged 1.4-litre four-cylinder engine, with the base car producing 88kW and 206Nm while the Sport is boosted to deliver 114kW and 230Nm.Both cars have the same MacPherson independent front, and torsion-beam rear, suspension set-up. But MiTo drives the front wheels through a 5-speed manual while the Sport gets a slicker 6-speed box.Alfa Romeo is claiming a combined fuel efficiency of 6.1-litres per 100km for the less powerful engine and 6.5 on the same combined cycle for the Sport. From the launch drive experience it is not unreasonable to assume that with careful management they are achievable numbers.DrivingOn the road the MiTo twins are two very different cars. The Sport is as it suggests, a sharper and more aggressive character with a willingness to spin up towards the 6000rpm peak before getting breathless. The car has good, strong mid-range torque and a nice rorty note when booted and Alfa claims a 0-100km/h sprint of 8 seconds — not that impressive on paper but it feels nice and aggressive on the road..There is good feedback from the steering, even if at times there is a little too much of the road surface imperfections transferred to the steering wheel. The front suspension is a little nervous and can be unsettled by broken surfaces but not to any alarming degree.At the entry level the engine is still a willing worker, if a little less athletic (8.8 seconds for the 0-100km rush), but the softer suspension settings take away a degree of the sportier car's directness and steering feel.The ride quality from both cars is surprisingly good for what is a small car with very short wheelbase. Less pleasing are the seats which are not up to Alfa's normally high quality. There is little bolstering on both the squab and the back and the fiddly back angle adjustment is an annoyance, although the presence of an anti-whiplash headrest system is a plus.Alfa's take on selectable driving modes is the quaintly-named DNA (Dynamic, Normal, All-weather) settings which act on the engine mapping, steering, suspension and gearbox to match the driving aggression to conditions and the driver's preferences. The system works well and combined with the rather trick Q2 program: a torque and brakeforce distribution protocol that mimics the presence of a self-locking differential provides a comforting surety of drive through the front wheels.Equipment levels in both cars are good, naturally enough better in the Sport, though trim materials in both show evidence of cost cutting with hard-touch surfaces abundant. One area in which there has been no cost cutting is safety, with seven airbags standard, an early crash sensor to ensure fast inflation of the two-stage front bags, VDC (stability control), cornering brake control and anti-lock brakes with electronic brakeforce distribution.Boot space in the MiTo is commensurate with the size of the car and while not expansive it is useful. Less so the rear seats which, in line with most cars in the sub-compact segment, are not somewhere any fully-grown and fully-limbed adult will want to spend much time.

Earlier this week it revealed holiday snaps and personal details of the new head of the British intelligence service MI6, Sir John Sawer. Now it's Alfa Romeo's turn.An enterprising soul has posted what appears to be early production models of the new 147 replacement, the Alfa Romeo Milano, taken with a phone camera. The white cars are minus name badges, but the Alfa Romeo logo is clearly evident as the cars are grouped together in one of Alfa's factories.The Milano is clearly a stylish hatch with cues from the just-launched locally MiTo and even sharing some curves from the 8C Competizione. Some MiTo touches, like the headlights and grille, as well as the round LED tail-lights will appear on the Milano when it is launched early next year.As the rear shot shows though, the tail-lights are extended across with rear, with the reversing lights integrated into the reflectors. Like the 147, the Milano's rear doors have the handles set high into the C-pillar, creating an almost-coupe look.The hatch is expected to have grown in length and width, with insiders saying it is close in size to the previous generation 156. The Milano will be available as a five-door hatch initially but a three-door, as well as performance GTA models are tipped to follow.Petrol power is expected to come from a range of both 1.4 and 1.7-litre turbocharged engines, delivering between 90kW and 120kW depending on specification. A high performance 198kW V6 engine is expected to be slotted into the range-topping GTA. A range of turbo-diesels will also be available.When the giant Fiat group — which owns Alfa Romeo — assumed control of Chrysler recently, details of Alfa's future naming strategies emerged in plans Fiat presented to the Chrysler board.It showed that the 147 replacement could be called the Milano and the 159 replacement the Guilia.

The arrival of the stylish MiTo and 8C Competizione started the ball rolling and now Alfa is close to finishing off its 147 replacement, which is expected to borrow heavily from its stylish relatives.The MiTo's design has been a hit in Europe and Alfa is keen to capitalise on this success.Under the heavy black cladding the new 147, which could be known as either the 149 or Milano, gets the MiTo and 8C Competizione treatment.Some MiTo touches, like the headlights and grille, as well as the round LED tail-lights will appear on the Milano production car when it is launched early next year.However, despite the heavily disguised rear door, it may also carry over the 149's high-set rear door handles.The five-door prototype was caught testing at the famous and challenging Nurburgring, where carmakers go to finesse ride and handling.With an overall-length of 4300mm, the hatch has grown longer and wider but is lower and very close in size to the previous Alfa 156.The Milano is expected to be available as a five-door hatch initially but a three-door, as well as performance models are tipped to follow.Petrol power is expected to come from a range of both 1.4 and 1.7-litre turbocharged engines, delivering about 90kW and 120kW with a high performance 198kW V6 engine expected for the range-topping GTA.Alfa's 1.9-litre turbo diesel is also expected to be available, .Like the MiTo, the new 149 will receive a six-speed manual gearbox with an automatic available as an option for some engines.Prices are expected to be close to the current car, starting around $35,000 and rising to more than $40,000 for the GTA.The hatch will be based on the same platform as the Fiat Bravo, called the Ritmo here.Alfa Romeo is known to be toying with the Milano name for its Volkswagen Golf competitor as the company starts to move away from numerical model names.Details of Alfa's future name changes were outlined in the Chrysler restructuring plan earlier this year.It showed that the 147 replacement could be called the Milano and the 159 replacement the Guilia.The newcomer will be aimed right at the hearts of the typical Alfisti, statistically aged between 27 and 40.

Where will it all end? Australian automotive manufacturers and importers are hoping the answer is: right here, right now.For the first time in months, there's a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel that may not be another oncoming train.The Federal Government's cash handouts have helped the Australian economy dodge a recession on a technicality, consumers are spending again and car showrooms are beginning to fill with a whole lot of shiny new offerings.With a fresh financial year dawning, something in the order of 60 all-new or refreshed models are waiting in the wings before the end of 2009.Ranging from the first of the Chinese invaders to a couple of machines from the supercar stratosphere, these are the recession-busters the automotive industry is relying on.Here are a handful of the key players in this revival.Great Wall Motors AFTER what seems an age of yes-we-are, no-we-aren't games, the first of the Chinese-made brigade will be in showrooms next month.A pair of workhorse utes — the 4x4 V240 (known as the Wingle in China) and the 4x2 SA220 — will come as single-specification models with prices expected to be "around two-thirds of their logical competitors".That could mean a starting figure of $17,000 to $19,000.Alfa Romeo MiToTHE classic Italian marque's new baby, which arrives next month, has the task of taking on BMW's iconic Mini in the quest for buyers with more cash than responsibilities."It's a growing market as people downsize their cars to achieve better fuel economy but don't want to give up performance or style," Alfa Romeo Australia's Edward Rowe says."Our aim is to beat the Mini on both price and equipment."To that end, Rowe says the newcomer — which sits on a Fiat Punto platform — will launch as two models: the 88kW MiTo and a sparkier, 114kW MiTo Sport.Both have turbocharged, 1.4-litre petrol engines with six-speed manual gearboxes. Expect a starting price in the low $30,000 range.Hyundai i20AFTER the success of the i30 hatch and wagon, Hyundai has high hopes for its German-designed, Indian- made small car.Expected to hit showrooms towards the end of this year, the three-door and five-door i20s will sit at the higher end of the light-car segment, beginning at $16,000 to $17,000.This will leave the popular Getz as Hyundai's entry-level model, but will likely spell the end of the Accent.VW Golf GTITHE sixth-generation Golf GTI arrives in October with all the shiny new technology seen on its more mundane stablemates but lots more go.With 155kW driving through a new limited-slip differential, it promises all the attitude of its predecessors wrapped into a more refined package."It has all the safety and enhancements of the Golf VI and more power than the outgoing GTI, yet it's quieter and more efficient," VW Australia's Karl Gehling says.Pricing isn't yet set, but should be close to the outgoing model's $39,990.Holden VE CommodoreTHE first mid-life makeover for GM-Holden's "billion-dollar baby" is likelyto be remarkable for what ishappening under the skin rather than for any cosmetic body changes.A founding member of the Large Family Car segment — the hardest- hit sector of the industry over the past couple of years — the Commodore will celebrate GM's survival with a much more focused and fuel-efficient engine package.Although a four-cylinder option isn't on the cards, a smaller V6 is. That could be a three-litre or even a version of the 2.8-litre that has recently been shipped to Mexico for the Cadillac SRX.Expect to see it around October.

The Carsguide diary has been full for more than a year with the latest and greatest from the 40-plus brands with showrooms in Australia, but June is quiet. And it's not just the winter chill.We're seeing things go quiet as all the big brands concentrate on doing big numbers through one of the two biggest months of the year. They know June is the time to cash-in on end-of-financial-year splurges, boosted this year by the Federal government's 50 per cent investment allowance.June is also the time to take stock and plan for a second-half splurge, with Toyota and Holden planning major back-end action on the Camry and Commodore and everyone from Alfa Romeo to Volkswagen — the MiTo and Golf GTi — promising something good before the end of 2009.We're also moving into the mid-summer launch season in the northern hemisphere, and will be reporting soon on everything from the new Kia Sorento coupe to the Porsche Panamera and BMW's super SUV, the X6.And then there is Great Wall, which is just about to preview the first Chinese utes and cars to be sold in Australia.So it's quiet now but the chill will fade fast in coming months.

Cancer as a boy left him blind in one eye, but it hasn't slowed him down. The 51-year-old Gold Coast businessman has owned a host of performance cars from a Mini Cooper S to his current 400 horsepower Trans-Am Mustang and has raced since he was 40. Except for the years 1998-2001 when CAMS took away his race licence because of his sight.Rigon loves a good stoush, so he took CAMS to court and won and is now the only one-eyed driver licensed to race in national events. His first car was a 1968 Mini Cooper S former NSW police pursuit vehicle."The police had GTHOs, Chargers and Mini Cooper Ss back then," he explains. "It had great handling and was very quick, but I eventually blew the engine up driving it too hard."He then moved to a Mazda RX4 Coupe "rocketship", followed by several company cars, a GTV6 Alfa Romeo in 1989 and a Porsche 911 Carrera. "The Alfa stayed with me for some time and was picked up by a collector in Western Australia, an 81-year-old lady who had it fully restored it," he said. "Being Italian it never stayed together and spent more time in the repair shop than it was on the road, but it was a great car to own."His current everyday cars are a 2007 V8 SS Commodore and an ex-police Ford Typhoon F6: "I like to buy ex-police cars because they are looked after and have a few trick bits."Rigon was a late starter to racing at the age of 40 competing in the WA Formula Ford series against eventual winner Garth Tander. He's made up for it since with a host of race cars, including two Subaru WRX STIs. But the Trans-Am Mustang he bought early last year is his favourite."It's the most pleasurable car to drive because it is not as technical as a modern race cars which are very forgiving," he says. "Modern race cars take a lot of technology to make them run quick but there is a lot more driver skill required in old cars. They tend to go sideways quite a bit.""It's something about our age group. It was the car that always appealed to me. "I was heavily inspired by Steve McQueen in Bullitt and always loved American Trans-Am (1964 to '74 American V8-powered cars) racing series as well as the Australian equivalent with Bob Jane, Allan Moffat driving around in Mustangs and Comaros. That was the style of racing I could really identify with."He's now the treasurer of the fledgling Australian Trans-Am Series which, not surprisingly, doesn't operate under CAMS licensing. "The average age of the racers is 45 to 60 and those drivers wouldn't necessarily get a CAMS licence which can take a year to get a full licence," he says.The series has 24 members with about 12-14 cars lining up on the grid. "We believe that will grow to a full field of 24 in about six months and about 34 in 12 months at any race meeting making it the largest Trans-Am series outside the US."Needless to say, his dream machine is a race car. "One of those limited edition GT3 Porsches," he is quick to answer. "I have always had a love for Ferraris but Porsches can take a pounding. They are a bullet proof car. For my driving style - while I love Italian cars - they just don't stay together."