Luxury Reviews

Designing a new Mini isn't easy. As with the Porsche 911, Fiat 500 and VW Beetle, a new Mini must not stray too far from the original.

The 2015 BMW i8 plug-in hybrid sports coupe is a striking design that draws attention wherever it goes.

What constitutes a luxury car? In days gone by it was lashings of leather and wood grain trim. The new Lexus CT200h has neither, at least in entry grade “Luxury” form

The beauty of this car is the big rear seat. There's oodles of room back there even for tall people with long legs. With more than a metre of rear legroom we even managed to accommodate the needs of a friend with an artificial leg. Rear seat occupants are cosseted with leather-accented seats, NanoeTM-enabled climate control for added comfort and electric rear sunshades as standard equipment.Lexus ES is available in two flavours as a V6 or Hybrid, in Luxury and Sports Luxury grades. Standard features include leather-accented interior, dual climate air, satellite navigation, reversing camera, parking sensors, blind spot monitor, sun roof, 10 airbags, eight-speaker audio, smart entry and start, digital radio, plus Lexus Remote Touch and Drive Mode Select.The Hybrid is $63,00. the V6 is $65,000, the Sports Luxury version of the hybrid $72,000 and the top of the line Sports Luxury V6 tips the scales at $74,000.The hybrid powertrain combines a 2.5-litre four cylinder petrol engine with a 105kW electric motor. The combined output is 151kW with drive to the front wheels, unlike most Lexus cars which are rear wheel drive.The hybrid employs a CVT style auto transmission and can sprint from 0-100km/h in 8.5 seconds. It can operate on electric power alone in reverse and at speeds up to 45km/h in a forward direction. Fuel consumption is rated at just 5.5 litres/100km with standard unleaded.The primary focus was on creating a spacious, comfortable and quiet sedan. But Lexus recognised the previous model was lacking in terms of dynamic ability and engineered a new platform that is more rigid, lighter, longer and lower than what had previously been planned. The overall result is a higher level of comfort and straight-line stability but also a more rewarding experience for the driver.It's designed to get five stars and scores highly in US tests but is yet to receive a rating here. But with 10 airbags and a multitude of safety and driver assistance systems, there's little doubt it will get the maximum five stars. We should point out however the base model hybrid misses out on Active Cruise and the Pre-Collision Safety System that are bundled as a $3000 option pack.Almost ran out of fuel the other day. Got to the servo only to find we'd misplaced our wallet. The low fuel warning light was already on but we had no option other than to return home and get it. Our little adventure had an upside however because we can report that driven normally the car is capable of achieving 850km from a single tank (at the end it was almost dead empty).The ES offers a smooth ride and extremely quiet interior, quiet enough to make conversation easy between front and rear passengers. And while it’s a large interior in which to set the climate, tri-zone airconditioning allows front left, front right and rear seat cabin temperatures to be controlled independently.

The first shipment of the all-new Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class crossover SUV had finally reached the docks in Australia and big celebrations were underway.

The words family and Ferrari do not belong in the same sentence. Yet there is a Ferrari, the FF, which is surprisingly fine as a family friendly four-seater.

...each one personally signed by chief Horst von Sanden. Letters like this are often about a safety recall or mechanical drama. Not these.They are a personal apology because Benz cannot supply cars to the 500 Australians on the waiting list for its A45 and CLA45 AMG. It's not good news for the frustrated buyers, but it's a reflection of the way Benz has changed from an elitist brand for the right people with no crowding to a prestige company that's running and growing close to the mainstream.Benz still does ultra-luxury and ultra-costly cars like its S-Class limousine and the SLS gull-wing supercar, but more and more people are shopping the brand against a VW Golf or a Holden Calais or something from the middle-class mainstream. So you're more likely to see a three-pointed star on the road, a giant change.There was a time when that emblem on the nose was worth about $15,000 to the group, and a similar bonus for the owner at second-hand time. That's different now, with starting prices from $35,600 for an A180."Think Mastercard. Priceless," company spokesman David McCarthy says of the current value of the Benz badge. "Luxury is not just about price. It's about how the product makes you feel, how well it's made and how well it works." He argues the company is still a prestige brand, even though Mercedes-Benz is currently ranked 12th overall among the 60-plus makes selling in Australia."We are a premium brand in every way. That means premium equipment, premium safety and premium performance. Does that justify a premium? Yes," McCarthy says. "Luxury car buyers in Australia choose Mercedes-Benz more than any other brand, and there is a reason. It's because of the product we offer and where we are positioned. I don't accept that premium and some volume don't go together."How many seats on a plane are first class? Two or three per cent. That's about where we sit, too. We're premium, not premium economy." Lots of top-end stuff technology trickles down through the range after starting life in the S-Class flagship. That's already true of the impressive E-Class, which got a major update in 2013.But it's also true someone driving an S63 AMG that cost $385,000 - before dipping into the extras - is unlikely to be totally happy about the number of three-pointed stars hitting the road in Australia. "I don't agree it's devalued. Someone buying an S-Class might not be in market for an A-Class, but there could be someone else in the family who wants one," McCarthy says.And there is one other point, which also works for the company and its customers. Back in the 1990s, the average age of a Benz buyer was 57 and many had one foot in the grave. These days the average is in the 40s and there are plenty of 20 and 30-somethings in the A-Class family. "Our customers have the choice of luxury, and the luxury of choice," McCarthy says. Price: from $74,900Star rating: 4/5Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo, 265kW/450NmTransmission: 7-speed twin clutch auto; AWDThirst: 6.9L/100km  THE LOWDOWN Carsguide's Prestige Car of the year is fun at every level. Though powered by the usual AMG V8, but its turbo four is hugely impressive and the go-faster division has tweaked almost everything to ensure it sits comfortably in the range with cars like the C63 and SLS gull-wing. Price: from $59,990 (C200)Star rating: 4/5Engine: 1.8-litre 4-cyl turbo, 135kW/270NmTransmission: 7-speed auto, RWDThirst: 6.8L/100km  THE LOWDOWN You can get a great deal on the current C-Class and it tops the 3 Series from BMW without much trouble despite hitting its run-out period. But it's the new one you really want. The new C is a condensed S-Class and that means it will easily lead its class as well as delivering more luxury than anything ever seen for its size and price. Price: from $82,900 (M250)Star rating: 3.5/5Engine: 2.2-litre 4-cyl turbo diesel; 150kW/500NmTransmission: 7-speed auto, AWDThirst: 6.4L/100km  THE LOWDOWN When Benz dropped the price of its M-Class starter into the $80,000 range it made a BMW X5 look pricey. The BlueTEC diesel engine loses nothing in performance and provides remarkable economy, while the rest of the package is exactly what you'd expect in a Benz.SECOND-HANDAUSTRALIANS love SUVs, but the best bet in a second-hand Benz is a wagon. The C-Class and E-Class haulers have been remarkably good cars for decades and the latest models bring everything from AMG go-faster ability to a seven-seater cabin in the E-Class.The choice is not as broad because fewer people buy them new, but the rise of SUVs also makes a second-hand wagon a good-value buy. Best of all, when you're driving one you would never know you were driving a wagon and not a sedan - until you reach the supermarket or go to load up the kids' bikes.

The line between Audi’s high performance RS and the "lesser" S models seems to be blurring if the new S3 Sportback is any guide

Lexus has given its CT200h hybrid a major facelift, tightened up the body to improve noise and vibration suppression, but, surprisingly, hasn't changed the drivetrain components.

The third model in the A3 line-up initially comes Down Under with a choice of three engines – two petrol and one diesel, all turbocharged