Luxury Reviews

The versatile Discovery Sport typifies the brand's resurgence and, off-road, leaves the German rivals behindThe latest Land Rover is a discovery process for the brand and for buyers.The Discovery Sport is aimed at everything from top-end Subarus to BMWs, with a package that fits more in to the compact SUV than its rivals can match.That breadth of capability extends from its off-road ability to its seven-seat option and highlights the rapid improvements to the Land Rover line-up since it reinvented itself with the launch of the Range Rover Evoque.The Disco Sport is based on the Evoque platform but trades the Range Rover's fashion-led features for versatility.That will have Audi Q5, BMW X3 and top-end Asian SUV makers double-checking their features and honing prices in advance of the Disco sport's showroom touchdown in May.To enjoy a sporty drive, add $3470 to the list price of the Disco Sport.The active driveline that uses on-demand AWD and includes the very competent torque vectoring is a $1620 option; adaptive dynamics, which uses metal particles in the damper fluid to help keep the car flat through the corners and includes a "dynamic" drive mode is $1850.These are reserved for the high-output diesel and petrol engines.The vast majority of buyers will part with another $2500 for the nine-speed automatic. The auto is standard only on the $59,000 petrol model and that is sold only in Australia in base SE guise.It is the performance pick of the range, easily eclipsing its diesel stablemates in terms of sprint times.Not many will go for it — the take-up on the petrol is expected to be only slightly higher than those who want to shift gears for themselves.As Jaguar Land Rover spokesman Tim Krieger notes, "this is a diesel segment".Other options include a pair of third row seats at $1990 (air vents for those seats add another $1150), blind spot and reverse traffic monitor at $1150, metallic paint at $1300 — or if you must, "premium metallic" paint at $2600.The range starts at $53,300 for a manual TD4 turbo diesel. Stepping up to HSE trim level costs $57,900. Opt for the higher-output SD4 diesel and the price is $56,500 in base guise, HSE is $61,100 and ,top-spec HSE Luxury starts at $66,500.SE versions are fitted with a reversing camera, rear parking sensors, autonomous emergency braking, cruise control, leather upholstery, lane-departure warning, powered front seats, an eight-inch touchscreen with SD card satnav and the four-mode "Terrain Response" software that adapts steering, gearshifts, throttle response, the centre diff and braking.The HSE adds xenon headlamps, front parking sensors, 19-inch wheels, air-quality sensing climate control and ups the number and quality of the speakers.The SD4 HSE Luxury has higher-quality leather, Meridian 16-speaker audio with CD/DVD tray and digital audio and nine-spoke 19-inchers.First impressions: the Discovery Sport has more initial body roll than an X3 and whether in petrol or diesel is no match for the BMW rivals in a straight line.Then we hit the gravel and that tarmac tilt is forgiven and forgotten as the Land Rover serenely powers over corrugations that would have the BMW's occupants airborne.It is an extraordinarily capable backblocks blasterIt is an extraordinarily capable backblocks blaster and can confidently be driven at highway speeds on horrendous surfaces. The torque-vectoring can be felt helping the compact SUV to tighten its line around corners and the stability control unobtrusively kicks in when required. The electric power steering is direct and well-weighted and conveys reassuring feedback.Most buyers won't do more than travel down a well-graded gravel road but they won't miss out on a refined ride. Noise suppression is good and the nine-speed auto is slick heading up or down the cogs — using the paddle-shifters for manual changes isn't as convincing, with a moment of lag on shifts.And the nine cogs are effectively eight on road.Interior space is good in any seatFirst gear is reserved for low-speed off-road manoeuvring and, in combination with the hill descent control, will restrain the vehicle's pace down steep inclines. It works without fuss and can be overridden by using the accelerator if needed.Interior space is good in any seat, with the sliding rear pews ensuring plenty of legroom for 180cm travellers. Opt for the third row and there's room — just — to accommodate adults, providing the second row is fully forward. They're best left to smaller kids on longer journeys.Some of the interior plastics, such as the panels along the top of the doors and down the side of the centre tunnel, don't feel premium but there are soft-touch surfaces on the dash top and door armrests.One quirk of the model range is the fact the range-topping HSE Luxury makes do with the last generation infotainment set-up because the new version isn't yet compatible with the Meridian audio. It'll be fixed for the next model year but for now it's a case of second best for the best vehicle.

The top dog in the Porsche pack is about to be taken down a peg.The Cayenne has ruled on the sales charts since it first arrived — even saving the 911 and Porsche's other sports cars from potential extinction — but is about to be overtaken by the Macan.That's not to say Porsche is going soft on the Cayenne as it continues to do good things at the top end with the GTS.Now comes an updated Cayenne Diesel.There is nothing really new to see, although the CarsGuide test example has a nice sunroof and show-off Porsche logos embroidered on the seats (at a cost of $490). However, the 3.0-litre V6 turbodiesel is significantly changed.Most importantly, it now complies with the latest Euro6 emission standard and that's a big deal for a diesel. One other major car maker, let's call it Mercedes-Benz, once predicted that the tougher new European emission standard would mean the end of diesels.But Porsche has cleared the bar, increasing outputs (by 13kW and 30Nm) while reducing the 0-100km/h sprint time by 0.3 seconds and making a 5 per cent improvement in fuel economy.The Cayenne is big and heavy but justifies the Porsche badgeThe feel in the latest Cayenne is a little sharper than I remember, especially if I take manual control of the transmission via the lever or the paddle-shifters.There is no chance to check the fuel economy, but I have no reason to complain.The Cayenne is big and heavy but justifies the Porsche badge with great brakes, good cornering balance and lots of driving feedback.It's classy in the cabin and the latest steering wheel looks and feels great (although I would never pay for embroidered badges or, honestly, a sunroof).This car is sharp and responsiveMy most recent spell in the Cayenne completely erases the nasty memories of my first time with a Porsche SUV.The first-generation Cayenne had really lousy assembly quality and wobbled around so much that I wanted to turn back to the dealership after 10 minutes.This car is sharp and responsive, with truly great headlamps and punchy audio. I'm not a fan of the electric handbrake, which is counterintuitive to operate and does not have the "auto off" function of many cheaper cars.What else is not to like? Well, I wonder how many people are buying the diesel Cayenne for the engine, when it's really about the starting price. My personal favourite is the GTS, although it adds a $50,000 slug to the bottom line, because it is beautifully equipped and great to drive.I also wonder about the car's safety rating, though if ANCAP had the cash and commitment to crash it, almost certainly it would earn five stars.

Ewan Kennedy road tests and reviews the BMW i3 REX with specs, fuel consumption and verdict.

Ewan Kennedy road tests and reviews the 2015 Audi A6.

Jaguar XK is a large, powerful sports machine. More GT (grand tourer) than sports car it returned to Australia in October 1996 after an absence of many years.Our preference is for the all-new model XK launched in May 2007 as it's considerably lighter than the older one thanks to its all-aluminium body. It's till not exactly nimble but holds the road well and provides plenty of driving pleasure.Generally these cars are fine on Australian roads, but aren't always happy on the really rough stuff. Try it for yourself if you live in an outlying region.Older Jaguar XKs are showing signs of becoming a cult car but are still very reasonably priced. This could change over the next few years so now might be a good time to buy. No promises, though...The shape of the Jaguar XK is unashamedly based on that of the famous Jaguar E-Type. From the nose, with its big oval opening, to the rounded tail this design works exceptionally well.The convertible has a soft-top in the traditional manner. We love thatThe dashboard uses a traditionally styled, timber-faced design with smallish, round instruments it looks just right in these big British sports machines.Jaguar XK is sold as a closed coupe or a convertible, the convertible has a soft-top in the traditional manner. We love that - folding hardtops don't have the same pure feeling as a rag-top.Power comes from a V8 engine, interestingly, the first engine of this configuration ever used in a Jaguar as the company had made its name building beautiful looking straight sixes. Initially the V8 had a 4.0-litre capacity. That was raised to 4.2 litres when the engine was heavily revised in 2002. Further changes with the new model of 2007 improved it again.Even better is the 5.0-litre V8 first imported to Australia in January 2010. It is offered in natural or supercharged aspiration.At the top of the performance tree sits the 'Jaguar XKR with R features'. With semi-race suspension, Brembo brakes and an emphasis on serious motoring it's a car to dream about from a Jaguar enthusiast's point of view.The older automatic transmissions use Jaguar's clever J-gate mechanism to allow a fair degree of 'manual' control over it. Good as that system was in its day it feels a bit old fashioned when compared to the latest generation of paddle-shifting automatics.Some bemoan the lack of a manual option in a sports car, but Jaguar's market research had shown fewer than five percent of buyers would have opted for it.Jaguar's dealer network in Australia is long established and operates efficiently. Spare parts aren't cheap, but we've seen worse.Better built and more reliable than older Jaguars, the latest Jaguar XK models are complex cars and servicing and repairs should be left to the professionals.A professional inspection should be regarded as essentialInsurance isn't overly expensive - provided you have a good driving record and live in an area where theft is seldom a problem. There are likely to be higher charges for the supercharged engines.A professional inspection should be regarded as essential. You may wish to do some initial checks to save racking up too many inspection bills, but don't fall into the trap of making your own decision to save a few dollars.Be sure the engine starts promptly, idles smoothly and does not blow smoke from the exhaust when the big Jag is accelerated hard.Be sure the automatic transmission goes into gear within about a second of the selector being moved into Drive or Reverse. Check the 'manual-gearbox' functions work correctly.Look for rust in the lower areas of the body. It is not normal but can be expensive to repair. At the same time look for signs of previous crash repairs, such as mismatched paint or ripples in the finish.Check the condition of the interior trim, carpets and dash-top for excessive wear and/or rough treatment.Also look at the condition of the boot. Hard driving can slide luggage around and cause tears and scratches.If are water stains on the convertible's seats ask the seller to remove the carpets so you can check underneath.A genuine Jaguar battery should be fitted as other units may not provide enough power and the electrical relays may not work.

Alistair Kennedy road tests and reviews the Peugeot 508 at its Australian launch.

Mark Webber is a magician in a Porsche 918.Me? I'm rubbish.When Webber took me for hot laps at Albert Park during the Australian Grand Prix he dug deep into the incredible power and grip and technology of the $1.5 million Porsche hybrid hero, cranking up to 260km/h down the pit straight and hustling it through the corners at speeds to make a V8 Supercars driver worried.I will never forget the first uppercut of 650 kiloWatts as we came out of the Albert Park pitlane, or the moment when we went off-course at the high-speed flip-flop when Webber mis-judged his braking because he felt like he was back in his Red Bull F1 car. For a second I thought I was heading for hospital.But when I get to Phillip Island, and slide from the passenger seat across to the action station, things are very different.It makes an everyday driver look like a superstarThe car is the same one, and still brutally fast in a way that's hard to explain beyond a 0-100km/h time of 2.6 seconds and a top speed of 345km/h, but I cannot believe how easy it is to drive.It makes an everyday driver look like a superstar, and I find it easy to romp to 250 on the pit straight and corner at speeds that make a Porsche 911 GT3 look pedestrian. I have the controls, but it's the 918 that has the control.It's an absolutely brilliant car that currently sits at the top of world motoring alongside the McLaren F1 and Ferrari LaFerrari. All three are hybrids, but instead of using their electric motors to green the world they are fitted to give the effect of a battery-boosted supercharger.In the case of the 918, there are three electric motors which integrate seamlessly into an all-wheel drive package an a seven-speed PDK manu-matic gearbox with paddle-shifters and one of the most intuitive automatic systems I've struck in any car. It is far better at redline upshifts when the V8 petrol engine spins to 9000 revs and makes brilliant downshifts for hot laps.Yet the 918 will also run for 31 kilometres on pure electric power, while retaining a 6.2-second sprint time and a top speed of 150km/h.The car is only built in left-hand drive and it costs $1.5 millionThere is a lot to like about the ultimate Porsche, and some things to love, but it's not all good news.The car is only built in left-hand drive and it costs $1.5 million. It's also noisy, pretty cramped in the cabin, and takes some learning with all the electronic complications.I've only got three driving laps at Phillip Island, but Porsche is preparing me well with track time in both a 911 Turbo and GT3 ahead of the ultimate roller-coaster ride. Both cars feel lovely and fast, with the GT3 a fair bit sharper around a track with an average speed that tops 150km/h.But the 918 Spyder is something else again, which is why Matthias Hoffsuemmer - chief driving instructor on the car, with more than 40,000 kilometres of seat time - has taken over from Webber as the lead driver. He has flown from Germany to demonstrate the car, but also to ride shotgun to ensure there are no mishaps.He starts gently, showing how the car performs in full electric mode, before uncorking some of the performance I know from the Webber laps at Albert Park.The 918 is other-worldlySo I'm ready, but should perhaps give some extra background. After all, I've previously driven a wide range of supercars, from a Bugatti Veyron to a Lamborghini Aventador, and I've tackled both a Nissan GT-R and a Black Series version of the Mercedes-AMG SLS Gullwing around Phillip Island.But none of them are as whack-me-back as the 918. Or as impressive under brakes. Or capable of building such incredibly high speeds in such a short time and distance.The 918 is other-worldly. It's so, so, so fast and yet so easy to drive. Goodness knows what would happen if you strapped on slick racing tyres...To keep me properly in check, Porsche has provided a pace car for my hot laps. It's not just any car but a Carrera Cup racer, with champion driver Craig Baird driving.It's quickly clear that the 918 is faster than the Cup car in lots of conditions, as I'm able to outbrake Baird and pull alongside as we accelerate down the straight. And he's in a full race car.To be honest, I'm struggling to keep pace with the Porsche. It's so darned fast that I'm wrung out after three laps, trying to keep my eyes down the road and my reflexes tuned to the speed.Then I slow, and realise the 918 can also go slow. It's not nearly as much fun, but as my heart rate slows to something more normal I can appreciate the quality of the cabin, and the brilliant dials, and the comfort in the race-style seat, and the incredible visibility.To finish the day, I get a hot lap alongside Hoffsuemmer. If anything, the car feels quicker than it did with Webber, because I can relax and watch instead of hanging on and screaming inside.To prove the car's pace, he uncorks a lap in 1 minute 38.02 seconds. For clarity, the Porsche is on road tyres and the track is hot, and the V8 Supercar lap record belongs to six-time champion Jamie Whincup at 1:32.02.Then it's over. And I'm done.The 918 Spyder is a 21st century speed machineBut I cannot resist hitting the re-wind button and comparing it with the Porsche Carrera GT, the Germany company's previous supercar. I also drove it at Phillip Island, ten years ago.The GT was a fast, flighty, nervy car with a hair-trigger clutch and a temperamental engine. I never felt I got remotely close to exploiting its strengths, despite the speed.In sharp contrast, the 918 Spyder - did I mention the lift-out carbon roof panels, the active aerodynamics with a giant rear wing, or the top-exit exhaust pipes? - is much quicker but much, much easier to drive. And far more rewarding.There is a decade between the cars but, really, it feels like a century.

Craig Duff road tests and reviews the Ferrari FF with specs, fuel consumption and verdict.

It takes a very special car to make a Carrera Cup racer look slow.The Porsche 918 Spyder is that car.Not just that, but the 918 can make an ordinary driver - let’s call that me - look good against a champion racer called Craig Baird.As we hot lap at Phillip Island, a track where the 918 will wind around past 280km/h with ease and generate race-car grip on road-car tyres, I’m having no trouble at all in keeping pace with Baird in the Cup car.The 918 can make an ordinary driver look good against a champion racer.The 918 gobbles him up out of every corner, keeps pace through any turn, and can brake much, much later than the track-only 911 while also offering the chance of full electric driving for 31 kilometres at up to 150km/h.This is a car that’s all about the car. I’m just along for the ride, even when I have control of the steering wheel and pedals.It’s so easy to go quickly that I have to suppress the sort of five-year-old enthusiasm I have not felt in years. It’s woo-hoo fun, and so, so, so fast.Yet the 918 is also a new-age hybrid that can run for 31 kilometres on pure battery power, and also accelerate up to 150km/h - with a 0-100 sprint time of 6.1 seconds - without dipping into the onboard batteries.If you could buy a 918 in Australia it would cost $1.5 million. But that’s irrelevant, not just because it’s only left-hand drive and cannot be registered but also because all 918 cars already have customer names against them.This 918, with the Weissach package, is in Australia for a whistle-stop tour that included hot laps at the Australian Grand Prix and a couple of very special days at Phillip Island.That’s where I get my chance to drive, and have all my benchmarks for a road car comprehensively re-set.It’s the same track where I drove a Porsche Carrera GT a decade ago, and also where I’ve sampled flat-out laps in a Nissan GT-R and a Black Edition Mercedes-AMG SLS, although my (very) brief time in a Bugatti Veyron was at the Sandown race course.For comparison, the Carrera was fast but nervy, with a trigger-action clutch; the GT-R was ballistic quick but awful on public roads; the Black beast was fast but felt very heavy, and the Veyron was awesome in a straight line but not a car I’d like to own.The 918 can really only be compared with its current supercar rivals, the LaFerrari and McLaren P1, but there are none in Australia. And I’ve yet to drive them.So it’s me and the 918 at Phillip Island, with a warm-up in the 911 Turbo and GT3 road car to get my brain (partially) calibrated for the challenge to come.When it comes, it’s almost too much.The 918 is nicely quick in full electric model and easily quicker than the Turbo and GT3 in Sport model. Then I turn the switch to RACE and it’s like hitting the afterburner switch.The car now accelerates far quicker than the Cup racer and can brake far, far later. It’s incredible to think that is a road car on road tyres.Yes, there are some downsides. Apart from the price, the legroom is not great and it’s very noisy at any speed.But I cannot help falling in love with the way it fires down the road whenever I touch the throttle, how it challenges me through the corners, and how it stops like I’ve dropped the blade on a bulldozer.It’s also incredible to feel the way so much technology - remember there is a petrol engine, a battery pack, three electric motors, and four-wheel drive - is seamlessly integrated.Would you believe it’s also at its best as a fully automatic. There are flappy paddles for the seven-speed PDK gearbox, but I don’t use them and it doesn’t need them.

Plug-in hybrids are about as popular as parking inspectors in Australia but a version of Australia's best-selling private sedan aims to amp up the interest. The Mercedes-Benz C350e will go on sale locally late this year as part of a three-pronged bid (along with the GLE soft-roader and S-Class limousine) to convince