Luxury Reviews

This is the one we’ve all been waiting for. When we tested the all-new Mercedes-Benz A-Class in Europe at its global launch 12 months ago

Mercedes-Benz sells a greater proportion of full-house AMG performance models in Australia than in any other market

Time in the gym, new powerplants and a diet give Audi’s small car more muscles.

BMW Z4 is a true roadster, with a very long bonnet, a stubby tail and seats all the way back, within a few centimetres of the rear wheels. We love the shape of this sporting little BeeEm, which has just been given a mild update with extra equipment packages.The model range for the new BMW Z4 is: Z4 sDrive 20i: $79,900 (automatic), Z4 sDrive 28i: $89,900 (automatic), Z4 sDrive 35i: $119,545 (automatic). Prices are virtually unchanged from the previous series and represent considerable savings when the added equipment is factored in.These prices aren’t likely to hold for long. Phil Horton, the MD of BMW Australia, admits they were set when the Oz dollar was close to its peak and that his company’s profits will be trimmed because of the recent drop in the dollar’s value.Upgrades for the 2014 model year include the installation of the BMW Professional satellite navigation system. There are several optional packages as BMW Australia is continuing its strategy of bundling items that had proven popular as individual features. The Design Pure Balance package includes sport seats, wood trim and leather upholstery to the seats.The M Sport Package is offered for the four-cylinder models and includes 18-inch alloys, sports seats, aluminium and carbon fibre interior trim, a leather steering wheel, M sport suspension, and an aerodynamics package.Finally, the new Design Pure Traction package, available across the range, features sports seats, Alcantara/leather upholstery, interior trim finishers in ‘metal weave’ design and an individual roof-liner in Anthracite trim.Styling changes to the body of the latest Z4 are minimal, with the headlights now having DRLs (Daytime Running Lights) running rings around the quad headlights; there are metal arches over the lights and more chrome around the front blinkers. Reshaping of the side ‘gills’ gives a tapered effect. New paint colours complete the picture.Inside the cosy cockpit a bolder effect has been achieved by using piano-black in several key locations, as well as mild revisions in style.Engines are all turbo-petrol units; choices are 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol in two stages of tune, 135kW and 180kW, and a 3.0-litre six-cylinder with a rip snorting 250kW. A big change from the previous BMW Z4 is the use of an eight-speed automatic transmission with the four-cylinder engines. The six has a dual-clutch seven-speed unit.During our road testing we fell in love with the 180 kW four-cylinder unit as mated to the new eight speed automatic transmission. It provides almost as much performance as the six-cylinder and its lighter weight adds to the already good agility of the Z4 in the twisty bits.Then again, the lower powered four-cylinder costs significantly less and still gives good push in the back. And when we floored the pedal in the six-cylinder model the smoothness and ease of acceleration was exhilarating. As you may have gathered, I couldn't quite make up my mind...On the road, the Z4 continues to be an excitement machine, with excellent chassis balance, huge levels of grip in corners and the ability to answer to steering and throttle inputs in a pure sports manner. Anyone who doesn’t come off a drive in the Z4 on mountainous roads with a big smile on their face hasn’t been trying hard enough.On the downside, there’s a lot of tyre noise on coarse-chip bitumen, to the extent that conversation can be difficult even when the roof is closed. Noise that, frankly, became rather wearing after an hour of cruising on sub-standard roads.As seems to be the norm at a media launch of any open top car, it rained on our parade; fortunately not to the extent of curtailing our driving pleasure for too long. In any case it gave us the opportunity to test the sealing of the folding hardtop. Which was, no surprises here, excellent.

You may find this difficult to believe but the Land Rover Defender has quite a bit in common with the Porsche 911. Land Rover and the Porsche 356 each started life in 1948. Fast forward to 2013 and the latest Land Rover Defender and the Porsche 911 are immediately identifiable from the shapes of those 65 year-old

The noise hurts. The exhaust note pounds the eardrums and the shockwaves turn my chest into a kettle drum in the hands of some musically-challenged maniac.All I have to do to make that noise -- that vibrating air -- disappear is to turn the console switch from "sport" to "strada" (street). That changes the engine settings, diverting the exhaust gases away from the optional performance-tuned extractors.But I can't. It's addictive not just to me but to the occupants of the cars alongside me at the traffic lights, to the cyclist I just passed a kilometre or two back down the road and to the now slightly-shaken shoppers wandering the narrow city streets. At least I presume they are equally in awe of the music as they are of the sharp-edged, hexagonal-trimmed wedge that is Lamborghini's Aventador Roadster.It is a car that shocks the senses with more than just its sound, with its razor-edged lines that defy the organic lines of contemporary transport and in its disproportionate dimensions that exaggerate its 2.3m width against a tiny 1.1m height.PRICEAnd if all that doesn't get you in, then the entry-level price of $795,000 - incidentally including about $300,000 of government taxes (so who says wealth is obscene) - is a reality check and the $929,000 on-road cost of the test car is just an impossible Monopoly number.Few cars - at least those capable of being licenced in Australia - will make your driveway look as good as this. Remarkably, it will make the driver look fantastic as well and do wonders for the person in the passenger seat.If you're introverted, drive a Pulsar. If you're here to be noticed, it's a Lamborghini and certainly one like the Aventador Roadster - there is also the Gallardo Convertible - that without its roof will make you a sunburnt star.If you've got it, flaunt it! Ferruccio Lamborghini (1916-1993), who started the company, reputedly said once about the high price of his cars: "The engine costs $150,000 - the rest you get for free."DESIGNThe hexagons that make up a large part of the Roadster's shell design - and incidentally are absent in the Aventador coupe - are a tip of the hat by Lamborghini to the element of carbon. Carbon fibre, you see, forms the bulk of the car's bodywork. The rest is jagged euphoria.The test car gets 20-inch front and 21-inch rear wheels (a $10,350 option) and glass-panelled engine cover ($14,985), a carbon-fibre fillet in the centre of the engine's vee ($4995), and metallic paint ($4875). Signs of parent company Audi are visible in some switchgear - not a bad thing, really.TECHNOLOGYToo much for this space but the engine can cut off six cylinders when coasting and the Aventador has stop-start with a capacitor - same as Mazda6! The AWD system sends power out of the front of the engine, into the gearbox between the seats, then uses one prop shaft to the rear wheels (alongside the right of the engine) and sends the other forward through a Haldex diff to the front wheels. The complexity ranks alongside Nissan GT-R's power transfer.SAFETYIt doesn’t have an Australian crash rating. If you've got $929,000 then buy one of these and give it to ANCAP and they'll crash it for you. Let me know how it fares.DRIVINGSomeone once described the acceleration of this as horizontal bungee jumping. I can't argue. Nothing comes closer to the slingshot immediacy of the Aventador with a claimed 2.9 second blink from rest to 100km/h.The first lesson is: Be very prepared when you play with the accelerator pedal. From start there's a click of the right-side paddle shifter into first gear, then a squeeze on the accelerator pedal. Then more of a squeeze and so on until I believe that the gear hasn't engaged. It has, it's just a few more hundred revs around the dominating, multi-coloured single tachometer dial before the electronic clutch bites.Then 515kW lurches forward. Leave it in "strada" mode for general street use and the exhaust note is tame and the automatic mode of the robotised seven-speed manual is almost domesticated - certainly a far cry from the early "e-gear" box in the first Gallardo that was like trying to appease a grumpy Collingwood supporter after a lost game.Depending on accelerator pressure, the box will either hold the gears back and fling them upward around 3000rpm, or roll up the cogs quickly. The steering is firm, almost heavy, and while visibility to the front is clear, the rear view is little more than a letterbox slit and to the sides - well, forget it.The car isn't hard to drive. It's the fear of failure that grips me. I drive haunted by thoughts of one tiny corner miscalculation resulting in doom in a financial vacuum yet, at the same time, the sheer exhilaration of pedalling a remarkably simple, shatteringly quick piece of hand built Italiana.Change the console-mount button the "sport" and that exhaust note erupts. There is an urgency that doesn't mix well with the lazy mid-week traffic on the coastal route. The "corsa" button keeps the exhaust bark and wail the same but turns off the electronic nanny - a move made by the brave or foolish. It also firms the steering and the gearchanges alter from abrupt to violent.Traffic lights disappear and the road sweeps and flows and traffic reduces, so the car can be moved with less restriction. Here, on the open bitumen, is where the Aventador starts to shine. Sure, it is upset by uneven bitumen that makes the suspension jiggle and the chassis jump and coachwork exhibit the occasional small squeak.But its hunger is insatiable. It eats the road and the faster - academically to speeds even intolerable in northern Italy - it goes, the more it hugs the bitumen and becomes locomotive solid. Roof up, the car is taut and quiet from wind - not road or engine noise, however - but with the two targa-type panels removed and the bevel-edge window glass down, it twirls the wind through the carpet and the leather and my remaining hair.These two targa panels, made of a composite so they're remarkably light at 6kg each, are suitably numbered so amateurs like myself can find how they slot into position beneath the shovel-shaped bonnet. Be warned: Once in place, there is no room for luggage. None. The seats - optional here in a Roadster-exclusive Elegante pack ($4440) with Lamborghini branding (add $2070) - look tiny but are supportive while being easy to access.The scissor doors are made of carbon fibre and perfectly balanced so they open and close as a two-finger exercise, far removed from the heavy hand needed for the Murcielago.VERDICTThe best Lamborghini to date.Lamborghini Aventador RoadsterPrice: from $795,000 ($929,000 on-road as tested)Warranty: 3 years/unlimited km, 3yr roadside assistCapped servicing: NoService interval: 12mths/12,000kmResale: 54%Safety: 8 airbags, ABS, ESC, EBD, TCCrash rating: Not testedEngine: 6.5-litre, V12 petrol; 515kW/690NmTransmission: 7-spd automated manual; AWDThirst: 17.2L/100km; 98RON; 398g/km CO2Dimensions: 4.8m (L), 2.0m (W), 1.1m (H)Weight: 1690kgSpare: None

Mercedes-Benz GL350Price: from $129,900Warranty: 3 years roadside assist Engine: 3-litre 6-cylinder, 190kW/620NmTransmission: 7-speed auto, 4WD Thirst: 7.7L/100Km 199 CO2g/km

The 3-Series was once the model that opened the bidding for the BMW brand. It was the model you bought if you sought the prestige that comes from driving a well-respected European brand on a budget, but as the 3-Series grew in size, equipment and refinement it became more aspirational and less affordable.NEWBMW thus needed a new entry-level model below the 3-Series and that was the 1-Series the company unveiled in 2004. It was still a prestige model that fitted into the small car class at the top end, but it was a more affordable model for those for whom the 3-Series was now out of reach.Within the 1-Series range was a host of models, from economical hatches and frugal diesels to sexy convertibles and sporty coupes. There was a range of four-cylinder engines ranging from a modest 1.6-litre to a free revving 2.0-litre that was the pick of the bunch for most people.For more zip you could opt for a six-cylinder engine and BMW offered two: a 3.0-litre and a more powerful twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre for those who wanted the ultimate in performance. On top of that there was the choice of a couple of diesels for those who wanted to stretch the interval between visits to the service station and who appreciated the strong mid-range performance a diesel offers.Like all BMWs the 1-Series chassis was well balanced, sure-footed and agile on the road, and being rear-wheel drive it had an engagement others struggled to match. The ride was firm, accentuated in some models by the use of run-flat tyres. The appeal of the 1-Series is that it looks like a BMW from all angles, and one of the good things about the brand if you value badge prestige is that their cars are always readily identified as being BMWs.The 1-Series shape is attractive, the lines well developed and there's the familiar kidney shaped grille. It all spells BMW. The cabin was a bit of a squeeze, particularly in the rear and the boot wasn't the biggest going around. But all models were well equipped, as you would expect for a premium model.NOWThe 1-Series is a solid all round performer with good build quality, but that doesn't mean a trouble-free run is guaranteed. BMWs do breakdown, like any car, but when they do you can expect to pay more for the repairs and the parts, particularly when you have the work done by a factory BMW dealer.It's strongly recommended that you have your BMW serviced by an independent mechanic who knows the brand intimately and has a source of more affordable parts. Smart mechanics are now buying parts overseas at prices we can only dream of here, and they're genuine factory parts.Servicing is vital for your car's good health; regular oil changes keep the engine ticking over sweetly. Failing to change the oil will eventually lead to a major rebuild after the oil galleries have become clogged with sludge and no longer allow the oil to get to the parts of the engine it's needed. Check the service record carefully to make sure all has been done according to the book, even when someone other than a BMW dealer has done it.Over time the plastic fittings BMW uses in the engine bay become brittle and break up. Once one goes they might as well all be replaced because they will all go and it's cheaper to do them all at the same time than do them one at a time as they fail. Look for oil leaks, listen and feel for sloppy suspension bushes, and expect faster brake wear, pads and discs, than on other cars.Some owners of cars fitted with run-fat tyres were so appalled at the ride that they swapped the rubber for regular tyres. The cars with run-flats never had spares in the boot, just a repair kit, so if your car was originally fitted with run-flats and now has conventional tyres check for a spare.BMW recalled the 1-Series to fix an electrical connection with a battery cable that could affect the operation of the door locks and prevent the car from starting. In extreme cases the engine may stall and lose power steering.SMITHY SAYSHas the badge, but hard ride, modest performance and tight cabin make it a compromise.BMW 1-Series 2004-2010Price new: $34,900-$62,000Engine: 1.6-litre 4-cylinder, 85 kW/150 Nm; 2.0-litre 4-cylinder, 95 kW/180 Nm; 2.0-litre 4-cyinder, 110 kW/200 Nm; 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo-diesel, 105 kW/300 Nm; 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo-diesel, 115 kW/330 Nm; 3.0-litre 6-cylinder, 160 kW/270 Nm; 3.0-litre 6-cylinder, 195 kW/315 Nm; 3.0-litre 6-cylinder turbo, 225 kW/400 Nm.Transmission: 6-speed auto, 6-speed manual, RWDEconomy: 7.3 L/100 km (1.8), 7.9 L/100 km (2.0), 9.2 L/100 km (3.0), 6.6 L/100 km (2.0TD), 8.7 L/100 km (3.0), 9.6 L/100 km (3.0TT)Body: 5-door hatch, 2-door coupe, 2-door convertibleSafety: 5-star ANCAP 

Limousine operators are lucky people because they will be among the privileged few who will get to enjoy driving a car such as the BMW 750i. Second thoughts, they'd probably go for the diesel or the ActivHybrid model because of (marginally) less fuel use than the twin turbo petrol V8 750.So who gets to own and drive a 750i? Don't ask us. This is almost certainly a chauffeur car which is a pity because it's also a superb driver's car.ENGINE AND TECHNOLOGYThe 750i direct injection V8 was seriously reworked for more power and torque. It's good for an impressive 330kW/650Nm output while sipping a scant 8.6-litres/100km. The 0-100kmh sprint passes in 4.8 seconds. Drive goes to the rear wheels through an eight speed auto with paddle shift.The rear suspension has air springs and is adaptive and self-levelling. Efficient Dynamics helps the 750 achieve these excellent performance and economy figures through regenerative braking, auto stop/start and a range of driving modes including EcoPro that allows the big Bimmer to coast using no fuel at all when the throttle is on over-run.DRIVINGThe BMW 7-Series was upgraded earlier this year with more of everything -- luxury, technology, performance and an average of 25 per cent better fuel economy across the range. The drive experience is enhanced with a dizzying array of luxury and driver assist technology, much of it centred around what BMW calls Connected Drive which networks things like internet, phone, satnav, audio and the hard disc.The 750 is one tick down from the V12 760 which, in reality, is over the top. Who needs a turbo V12 when there's the twin turbo petrol V8 with just as much oomph and lower fuel use? Not only that, the 12 doesn't sound as good as the V8. So, put that extra hundred grand back in your wallet and cough up your $281,100 for the 750i and be a happy Vegemite.The driver also has five drive options selected by pushing a button - Comfort, Comfort+, Sport, Sport+ and EcoPro. What we really like are the new seats which offer heating, ventilation and electric adjustment. And we give a big tick to the large info screen and metres of luxury leather interspersed with real timber inlays.VERDICTMain Competitors are the Benz S-Class, Lexus LS460 and 600 and the Audi A8. The big Bimmer comfortably outpoints all of them.BMW 750iPrice: from $281,245Warranty: 3 years roadside assistEngine: 4.4-litre 8-cylinder, 330kW/650NmTransmission: 8-speed auto, RWDThirst: 8.6L/100Km, CO2 199g/km

It’s only been a few months since Volvo launched the new V40 small hatchback -- a handsome little devil if ever there was one. Now, they’ve added to the line-up and brought back the Cross Country name -- all in one package in the new V40 Cross Country. And no, it’s not an XC, that moniker is reserved for more purposeful, dirt-capable Volvo SUVs.DESIGNIt’s a five seater with 60/40 folding rear seats for additional luggage space but you can configure it as a four seater using the centre armrest as a seat divider. It’s a V40 hatch in high heels with the ride height jacked up by about 40mm, sundry body cladding and `skid plates’ in a more rugged style. Other styling tweaks include a honeycomb grille, dual oval exhausts, some body hardware blackouts and LED driving lights. Inside, the Cross Country is equipped to V40 luxury standard with leather, an illuminated gearshift knob, adaptive digital display, theatre lighting and plenty more.PRICES AND MODELSTwo models are offered each with auto stop start and regenerative brake system. The D4 front wheel drive, 2.0-litre turbo diesel five cylinder at $47,990 and the all-wheel drive T5 turbo petrol five cylinder at $52,990. Both get a six speed automatic transmission but no paddle shift. Engine outputs are impressive with the diesel achieving 130kW/400Nm using 5.3-litres/100km and capable of an 8.3 second 0-100kmh sprint.The petrol cranks out 187kW/360Nm using 8.4-litres/100km and clocks a 0-100 sprint in 6.4 seconds. The desirable driver support pack with advanced driver assist systems costs an extra $5000.Among other things, the support pack has adaptive cruise control with auto brake, blind spot warning including cross traffic alert for seeing both sides when reversing, park assist pilot, active high beam and roadside info that recognises signs and informs the driver. It’s all really useful stuff that arguably should be included as standard kit.SAFETYHowever, plenty of advanced safety technology is provided like city safety with auto brake at speeds up to 50kmh, pedestrian air bag, forward collision warning, lane keeping alert and pedestrian and cyclist protection using auto brake. Five star crash safety is a given in the V40 Cross Country.DRIVINGWe had a crack at both models over some searching roads out of Canberra. First up was the T5 with Driver Assist Pack. It’s firmer than expected especially over rougher roads and has a distinct sporty hatch feel that is slightly incongruous in a Cross Country vehicle.But it goes like the clappers and has strident roll on acceleration virtually at will accompanied by a nice bark to the exhaust. Cornering is a strong point enhanced by the all-wheel drive and a torque vectoring system that applies the inside brake on a tight corner taken at speed. Both models get this feature and responsive electric power steering. We groped for a paddle shift on some tight roads but it’s not there -- which is annoying. The car has a stylish interior brimming with luxury kit that engages driver and passengers. Communication and entertainment technology is high end. Love the 18-inch alloys, 7-inch navi screen with voice control functions.The diesel offers a similar drive feel with a little less urgency but plenty of kick at most speeds and it’s just as quiet cruising as the petrol. We reckon it has a lighter feel too, which is probably traceable to the all-wheel drive system on the T5 petrol. We’d go the diesel every time – costs less, uses less fuel, just as refined in the cabin, plenty of performance and looks the biz. Volvo could be a tad optimistic with the pricing.VERDICTThe Cross Country is truly a 'soft roader' in that you can possibly drive it on gravel roads with better results than a standard road car.Volvo V40 Cross CountryPrice: from $47,990 (diesel)Warranty: 3 years, unlimited kmWeight: 1561kgEngine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbodiesel, 130kW/400NmTransmission: 6-speed-auto, FWDThirst: 5.3L/100Km, 139g/km CO2