Luxury Reviews

Joshua Dowling road tests and reviews the 2015 Volvo XC90 at its international launch.

Ewan Kennedy road tests and reviews the 2015 Lexus NX200t.

Two-door coupes, or their four-door counterparts, are becoming increasingly sought after by the car buying public. Coupes of all classes are popping up in a bid to satisfy the appetite of those looking for a sleek and sporty vehicle.Mercedes-Benz has traditionally been a leader in this field at the luxury end, and with its new S-Class Coupe, continues to serve up attractive packages.Origins of the Mercedes-Benz big coupes lie in the early 1950s when the company came up with the 300 S Coupe spruiked as "a car for the world's elite". A horde of descendants culminated in the SEC coupes, based on the S-Class of 1981, of which around 74,000 were sold.The 1990s saw the arrival of the 12-cylinder S 600 Coupe which introduced Electronic Stability Programme to the automotive world. This coupe later was to become the CL-Class.The new S-Class Coupe – consisting of the S 500, S 63 AMG and S 65 AMG – continues this leading-edge technological development with a dazzling array of innovations.First to land in Australia is the S 63 AMG, recently wheeled out for media attention. The S 500 and S 65 AMG will follow midyear.The car races to 100km/h in a mere 4.2 seconds and on to a top speed of 250km/hMaking use of the most powerful member of the BlueDIRECT engine family, the AMG 5.5-litre V8 biturbo puts out 430kW – 30 kW up on the CL 63 AMG – and 900 Nm.Driving through a seven-speed multi-clutch automatic transmission, the car races to 100km/h in a mere 4.2 seconds and on to a top speed of 250km/h, while using a claimed 10.2L/100km on the combined urban/highway cycle.The sense of power and performance is passed on to the driver and passengers by means of flaps in the exhaust system that open and shut tailoring the note, from laidback to full-on feral, according to the manner in which the vehicle is being driven.Drivers can personalise the car's performance, selecting one of three modes – 'C' for Controlled Efficiency, 'S' for Sport and 'M', Manual.Smaller than the saloon in all dimensions but rear track, the S 63 AMG Coupe incorporates a world-first curve tilting function as part of Magic Body Control. This enables the car to lean into bends like a motorcyclist or skier. Lateral forces on occupants are reduced as in negotiating a steep curve and occupants sit more firmly. It works between 50 and 180km/h.On a launch drive over undulating, twisting terrain south of Sydney, the tilt function was hardly noticeable inside the car, but was quite discernible in an S 63 Coupe being followed through bends.Magic Body Control also incorporates Road Surface Scan and Active Body Control, which combine to act on the suspension to take in tilt and road conditions ahead of the vehicle and provide optimum ride and handling.The S 63 AMG Coupe, can be equipped with a ceramic high-performance composite brake system as an option. Stopping distances of the test vehicle were cut but the brakes tended to grab if the pedal was not treated with restraint. It would be a different matter on the racetrack.As in the S-Class saloon, no end of attention has been paid to passenger safety, with a number of new technological aids such as PRE-SAFE detection, Distronic Plus with Steer Assist and Stop&Go Pilot, Brake Assist, BAS Plus with Cross-Traffic Assist, Active Lane Keeping Assist, Adaptive High-beam Assist Plus and Night View Assist Plus.Also standard is Collision Prevention Assist Plus, which is brought into play when danger of collision persists and the driver doesn't respond. It uses autonomous braking at speeds of up to 100km/h, thereby reducing the severity of collisions with slower or stopping vehicles.At speeds of up to 50km/h the system also brakes in response to stationary vehicles, and is able to prevent rear-end collisions at up to around 40km/h.Unique headlamps with 47 Swarovski crystals are available for $5900The S-Class Coupe features a panoramic roof, 150 per cent larger than on the previous model, which seamlessly joins with the windscreen. Magic Sky Control, an option, can switch the transparency of the roof at the push of a button. When light, the roof is almost completely transparent and allows an open-air experience, even in the coldest weather; when dark, light transmission into the interior, falls to less than one per cent and can reduce heating in the vehicle by up to 10 degrees. The interior can be completely shaded by a roller blind.Also on the test vehicle was a launch-only Edition 1, in combination with the standard LED Intelligent Light System, unique headlamps with 47 Swarovski crystals are available for $5900. Seventeen angular crystals form the flared daytime running lamps, with 30 round-shaped crystals making up the turn indicators.Also included are Night View Assist, special design floor mats, Nappa leather trim, premium quality roof lining, black poplar timber highlights and a range of exclusive colours.Serious wind tunnel testing has resulted in the S-Coupe Class passenger cabin being given insulation that makes it among the quietest around, just the place to enjoy one of the three high-end audio systems on offer.All take advantage of an innovative Mercedes-Benz developed Frontbass system in which the woofers are mounted in the firewall and use the space within the cross-member and side member as a resonance chamber.With no woofers in the doors, annoying vibrations are eliminated. Mid-range speakers in the doors are relocated upwards, improving sound clarity and leaving additional stowage space. Jackie Wilson never sounded so good; Higher and Higher, indeed!The S 63 AMG should prove attractive to owners wishing to downsize from a luxury saloonS-Class Coupe prices start at $319,000 for the S 500, 3.4 per cent less than the previous model; $409,000 for the S 63 AMG, 2.6 per cent less than before; and $499,000, the S 65 AMG, which is 4.7 per cent down.

Richard Blackburn road tests and reviews the 2015 Lexus RC F.

If Nike made a hi-top running shoe, would you buy a pair? Not everyone would, but if it looked fast and helped you sprint like Usain Bolt it would certainly earn a place in a few wardrobes. BMW’s automotive equivalent will return to Australian showrooms in April, with the second-generation X6 M promising pace that would leave Mr Bolt for dead.Standing on the brakes at more than 200km/h approaching Turn 1 of the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) racetrack in Texas, you’d expect the complex uphill harpin that quickly drops away after the apex to send a 2.3-tonne SUV porpoising into the runoff. Not so the X6 M, which harnesses M chassis knowhow to reign in its heft, point where it’s steered and rocket out the other side.You’d expect the complex uphill harpin to send a 2.3-tonne SUV porpoising into the runoffM-purists may look at the X6 M’s Sports Activity Coupe shape with cynicism, but the SUV-coupe packs plenty of M-specific tweaks beneath the skin and beyond the engine bay to justify its many M badges.BMW M design boss Krzysztof Szews describes the X6 M as “combining the extrovert personality of X6 with outstanding performance of a BMW M vehicle.”Starting with a tweaked version of the previous twin-turbo 4.4 litre petrol V8 and M Steptronic eight-speed ZF torque converter auto, BMW has boosted theX6M’s outputs by 15kW and 70Nm to a monstrous 423kW and 750Nm.The exterior is distinguished by more aggressive front and rear bumpers, with larger inlets up the front to help cool its 10 radiators and M-trademark quad exhausts poking out the rear. The examples we drove were fitted with 21-inch alloys that fit its giant wheelarches well.Underneath, the X6 M’s sharpened dynamics are aided by redrilled upper control arms with more camber, stiffer composite bushings and a 10-15 per cent faster steering rack. With a claimed 0-100km/h figure of 4.2 seconds it will share with its upcoming X5 M mechanical twin, the X6 M is bettered only by the Porsche Cayenne Turbo S’s 4.1 second claim in the world’s fastest SUV stakes.The X6 M is bettered only by the Porsche Cayenne Turbo S in the world’s fastest SUV stakesLike all M models, M GmbH refuse to quote an official Nürburgring time for the X6 M, but admit that it will match the previous E92 M3’s 8:05 lap. This is a full nine seconds faster than the 8:14 achieved by the Range Rover Sport SVR, but ultimately toppled by the 7:59.74 of the Cayenne Turbo S.On top of these performance gains, M has managed to improve the X6 M’s combined fuel consumption from 13.9L/100km to an impressive 11.1L/100km on the European cycle. The interior of our test examples were trimmed in a baseball mitt tan leather, with carbon fibre and aluminium trim and contrasting stitching that lifts the cabin ambience to exotic levels. Unlike most exotics, the X6 M retains the pragmatic five-seat layout of the rest of the X6 lineup, with plenty of room for average height adults in the rear, plus 550/1525-litres of cargo storage.Before being unleashed onto the COTA tarmac, we took the X6 M on a lengthy route through the flat Texan countryside. Cornering opportunities were few and far between, but plenty of broken bitumen and stop/start driving gave a good idea of what the X6 M would be like to live with every day.Even with the adaptive dampers set to their most comfortable, there’s no hiding its M roots. The big 21-inch wheels communicate any surface irregularities and the huge 285mm front/325mm rear tyres do generate significant road noise. It’s rarely harsh, but you know you’re driving an M at all times.  It’s rarely harsh, but you know you’re driving an M at all times.   With max torque on tap all the way from 2200-5000rpm, overtaking is a cinch, and a surprisingly M3/M4-like bark can be heard from the quad exhausts under heavy throttle.COTA has plenty of opportunities to highlight the X6 Ms dynamic prowess, and like other current M’s the X6 M gives the driver individual control over steering, suspension and throttle response.Your preferred combination can be stored within the M1 button on the steering wheel, and an M2 button unleashes MDM mode - the most track-focused combination of the three, which also extends the traction and stability-control envelope.Working our way from the softest settings through to MDM, the X6 M changes personality from a quick but safe handler, through to a surprisingly sharp menace. MDM also takes advantage of its infinitely variable torque split to enable easily controlled oversteer with a prod of your right foot.The X6 M changes personality from a quick but safe handler, through to a surprisingly sharp menaceThe X6 M comes with the excellent steering wheel found in other recent M models, and the steering feel and sharpness are a significant step ahead of the regular X6, regardless of mode. For a relatively tall beast with plenty of suspension travel, bodyroll is well contained, although there is still plenty of pitch under heavy braking. The six piston front brakes grab 40 percent larger two-piece front rotors, and held up well after our handful of hot laps.Left in the default modes, the X6 M is as idiot-proof as you could hope for a car that boasts such performance, and the engine’s torque will deal with even the most ham-fisted of manual gear selections. This is an M that can make any driver a hero.

Malcolm Flynn road tests and reviews the new BMW 2 Series Convertible at its international launch.

The Lexus NX 300h hybrid is more of a city gent than a country squire.

Derek Ogden road tests and reviews the 2015 Volkswagen Tiguan 130TDI, with specs, fuel consumption and verdict.

If a real sports car needs a manual gearbox then the F‒Type Jaguar finally qualifies.The classic British belter is finally picking up a slick ZF six‒speeder with a clutch for its 2016 model update, as well as all‒wheel drive for people who worry that too much fun is more than enough on slippery surfaces.Jaguar expects between 20 and 30 per cent of F-Type buyers to go for the "stick" globally, although that number could be slightly lower in Australia when the updated F‒Type coupes and convertibles arrive in May.Before then, and well in time for winter weather, the F-Types with added front-end traction land in March.The 2016 update, which seems awfully early at the start of 2015, also includes a switchable sports exhaust on all models, a parking pack on V6S and R versions, and memory electric seats on the R cars.Just like Porsche with its 911, Jaguar has also fitted electric power steering — mostly for the economy and emission benefits it brings.Globally, there is extra stuff, including a smartphone app that allows you to start the car remotely and fire up the aircon, but the final specification for local cars is still being confirmed.The manual F-Type will not be cheap, with pricing from $119,470 with a V6 engine, but there are already people with cash to splash. And Jaguar believes it will give the brand a more competitive car against Porsche, which sets the benchmark with its Boxster/Cayman/911 triple act."There have been inquiries about availability of a manual version since launch, and since the announcement that we will be introducing a manual version the dealers report that inquiry has increased," says James Scrimshaw, Jaguar spokesman for Australia.He says 168 F-Types were delivered through 2014 and there is a considerable order bank for cars, as the production line in Britain is working at full capacity."We expect these new derivatives to perform well and increase overall F-Type volumes in 2015," he says.The clutch is light, and the gear ratios work with the force-fed V6 engineThe new F-Types were rolled out for a track-based preview in Portugal during the teaser program for Jaguar's landmark XE compact sedan. There was a wet handling course with track laps and a short road loop. The cars ran from the manual V6S coupe on the road to the AWD V6S in the wet to the AWD V8 R on the Estoril circuit, a grand prix track built back in 1972.The manual F-Type was the pick, but there was nowhere near enough time to get to know it well. I can say that the clutch is light, and the gear ratios work with the force-fed V6 engine, but not much more.Well, apart from the location of the lever. For me, it's awful.Jaguar says it has put the "stick" in the best location available, and also shaved the top of the centre console to clear elbow room, but that did not help. I had to cock my wrist awkwardly to shift in the 2-4-6 plane and I never felt comfortable.It's a good thing that, like the vast majority of Australians, I'm happy with a crisp paddle-shift automatic in most cars.The V8 F-Type was a delight with all-wheel driveThe wet handling track proves that the F-Type has the chassis balance and all-wheel drive system to suit a sport car. Most people would never know it's feeding so much power to the front wheels and it's possible to give full throttle on a soaked road without worrying about the steering wheel tugging or the back stepping out.On the Estoril track, one of the fastest used by carmakers, the V8 F-Type was a delight with all-wheel drive. There was no sign of a manual box, because even the ZF cannot handle the extra torque and that's why the ratios and tuning were optimised for the V6 S.There was a little front-end push in slow corners, and also at better than 140km/h on a very long right-handed sweeper, but most of the time the car stayed planted and obeyed my instructions. Once again, there was no hint of the all-wheel drive package as the car is tuned to stay rear-drive until the tyres reach overload and then to feed drive forward.On the steering front, I could not detect any loss of feel with the switch to electric assist.

Joshua Dowling road tests and reviews the Lexus NX200t with specs, fuel consumption and verdict.