Luxury Reviews

I could be suffering from 'F' lag. It's like jet lag, but you get it from spending too much time in a Ferrari. A couple of days is all right but any longer than this and you simply won't want to give it back.It leaves this horrible, gnawing feeling in the pit of your stomach  an emptiness that just can't be filled. I started to feel this way shortly after handing back the keys to the fabulous 458 Spider on Friday afternoon. The first day you're too cautious to enjoy the experience, the next day you start to get the hang of it and by the third day you and the car begin to bond  then just as suddenly it's over . . .VALUEBig breath. It kicks off from $588,000 with various carbon fibre bits and pieces extra for ludicrous amounts of money. Not even my surgeon mate who owns a Porsche can afford one of these babies. This is a bloke who works 90 hours a week and can remove a brain tumour through your nose. In which case, what the hell hope is there for a paper bagger like me?DESIGNIt's incredibly low and wide, almost too wide for our driveway gates which in part contributes to its fantastic handling. Push the button and the Pininfarina styled, mid-engined sports car magically transforms into an open topped roadster, with two seats  one for you and anyone game to be your passenger.There's a penalty for this convenience because you lose the transparent engine cover of the hardtop. Most people comment on how quiet the car, that is until the baffles open and the exhaust gives full vent to the V8. Then you can hear it coming from a block away.ENGINEIt's powered by a 4.5-litre naturally aspirated V8 that delivers 419kW of power at 9000 revs and 540Nm of torque at 6000 revs, enough mumbo to propel the mid-engined Spider from rest to 100km/h in a withering 3.4 seconds. The old 'quarter mile' takes 11.4 seconds and it has a top speed where permissible of 320km/h.The state of the art V8 features direction injection and a dry sump, with fuel consumption of 11.8 litres/100km from the 86 litre tank. Although it has a trip computer, the one thing it doesn't tell you is average fuel consumption  suffice to say we got just under 500km from the 86-litre tank. But, as the service manager pointed out, if you can afford to own one, you're not going to be too concerned about how much fuel it uses.DRIVINGWe were tentative, very tentative at first. But the Spider is actually very easy to drive once you get the hang of it. Several "take me for a rides" later, we were banging through the gears like a pro. The V8 is hooked up to a seven-speed twin clutch Getrag transmission that operates as an auto, or you can change gears with the large, steering wheel mounted change paddles.Doing so elicits a much more satisfying response, with a jolt each time it changes up  bang, bang, bang! The sound is to die for. Various drive modes are accessed through the Manettino flip switch affixed to the steering wheel, from wet to sport to full off for the traction system.Reverse is engaged via a button at the the foot of the centre instrument console and there is even a button for raising the front of the car so it doesn't scrape over driveways. The JBL audio system is secreted somewhere behind the dash and the controls are accessible only though the right hand of the two computer screens which doubles as a huge digital speedometer.VERDICTIt's a cruel world. How can something so spectacularly good remain so impossibly out of reach. Then again what is the point when the speed limit is 110km/h and it can do 320km/h, with plenty of cops wanting nothing better than to put your red feather in their cap   the disconnect is enormous.Ferrari 458 SpiderPrice: from $588,000Engine: 4.5-litre V8 , 419kW/540NmTransmission: seven-speed twin clutch auto, RWDThirst: 17.2L/100km (as tested), 11.8L/100km combined cycle0-100 km/h: 3.4 seconds 

Let’s get the numbers out of the way first: 412kW, 700Nm, 3.9 seconds and -- if you tick the right options box -- 305km/h. Those are the big stats on the RS6 that, when it arrives locally in October, will be the most powerful Audi in the line-up.And that’s with a brick-like wagon body – the only choice we get in the new RS6 – so you can shift furniture with it too. Moving house has never been so much fun.VALUEAt $225,000, it’s nearly triple the price of the entry $81,800 A6 2.0 TFSI Avant, but you’d need to spend $366,900 on the 386kW/530Nm R8 V10 Coupe to better the RS6’s acceleration with a 3.6 second 0-100km/h figure.The RS6’s closest rival is the $265,145 430kW/800Nm Mercedes CLS 63 AMG S Shooting Brake, but you might also glance at the sedan-only $311,500 423kW/680Nm BMW M6 Gran Coupe with the new Competition Package and its $229,900 M5 mechanical twin.And the RS6 all-wheel drivetrain trounces that group for acceleration, hitting 100km in that 3.9 seconds against the Merc’s 4.2 and the Beemers’ 4.1 and 4.2.  And against their prices, it’s a value buy, if you’re at that end of the market.It’s lavishly equipped with everything you could want under a powered panoramic glass roof, but in true Audi fashion there are plenty of chances to spend more. The standard Bose audio not enough? Splash $12,000 on some Bang & Olufsen kit. Fancy stronger anchors? Grab the options pack with carbon ceramic brakes, coil springs with adaptive shocks, variable ratio steering and that 305km/h speed limiter extension for $25,840 – or about the price of a VW Polo GTI.DESIGNIn RS tradition, the wheel arches are pumped – and house 21-inch monsters -- the twin exhausts are firehose-sized and the gaping front maw looks ready to munch on any supercar pretenders that appear in the angry glare of full-LED headlights.The cabin carries five in the menacing luxury of honeycomb-quilted black leather, set off by hardcore carbon fibre and aluminium fittings. But it will also freight a hefty 1680 litres of cargo with the back seats folded, and tow 2100kg -- mocking the triviality of conventional supercars.ENGINE AND TRANSMISSIONThe newcomer has lost 14kW but gained 50Nm over the last RS6 we saw here three years ago with a twin-turbo 5.0 litre V10. But the return brings a similarly twin-boosted 4.0-litre V8 that shaves 0.7 secs off the 100km/h sprint, and 30 per cent off the fuel burn. It claims 9.8L/100km – helped by a 100kg drop in weight, stop-start and cylinder deactivation (with active engine mounts to counter the sleeping cylinders).So yes, it may be less powerful, but it’s lighter, quicker and far more fuel-efficient -- and without an electric motor or high-tech diesel in sight. The twin-turbos nestle within the engine’s ‘V’ (like the Beemer M5/M6) for responsiveness and thermal efficiency, which also gets a leg-up from nine individual radiators and six separate coolant pumps. Direct injection meticulously blends boosted air and fuel to the point where the RS6’s 700Nm torque peak is available all the way across a battle-ready 1750-5500rpm.Unlike most current performance Audis, the transmission is not a dual-clutch S-tronic unit, but rather a version of the ZF eight-speed torque converter unit used elsewhere by Audi, and a litany of other manufacturers to great effect. In RS6 guise, it’s paired with the same array of shift modes, manual selection and paddle shifters we’ve come to expect from modern performance autos. The quattro all-wheel drive system splits drive 40/60 front-rear under normal conditions, but can send up to 70 per cent to either end when needed, thanks to the standard sports differential.SAFETYThe RS6 backs up its performance potential with a long list of safety features, including dual front airbags, side airbags front and rear, and full-length curtain airbags. There’s also ABS, traction and stability control, with the $10,375 packaged option of pedestrian-detecting night vision, active lane and side assist, active cruise control and driver alert, and a self-parking system.DRIVINGOur Northern Territory test route had the lure of the current highest legal speed in the land: 130km/h -- barely half the RS6’s top speed capability in standard guise, but it was the closest thing to a German autobahn on offer. Therefore, the usually annoying stops for driver swaps, photography and bladder draining gave us several chances to legally storm from 0-130km/h, revelling in the ease in which the RS6 picks up its skirts and gets going.Even from idle, the engine ignites as though it were triple its capacity and dumps its outputs into the 285 section rubber on each corner. Stomp and steer performance in the extreme. We went out of our way to give the 390mm six-piston standard brakes a good guernsey from 130km/h too, and they were well up to the task of stopping the 2010kg RS6 from those speeds. Australian-spec RS6s come standard with the sports exhaust that’s still optional in Europe. Tootling about at carpark speeds produces a guttural purr, warning of its presence. Accelerate, and it erupts into a solid V8 blast, then settles to a subdued rumble at cruising speeds. On overrun, the exhaust cackle is satisfyingly naughty.At a steady 130km/h, the engine trickles along in the dash-indicated four cylinder mode, and reawakens the other four cylinders with no perceptible delay. With the Audi Drive Select system set on full comfort, our test car’s standard adaptive air suspension disguised that we were riding on the 30 profile rubber on some very remote outback roads, despite the reminder of regular cattle grids.  As aggressive and Lambo-like as the seats may appear, they’re still broad and gentle enough to cosset real humans over long distances. Flicking the Drive Select over to Dynamic tightens up the steering assistance and throttle response, stiffens the suspension, and incites more aggressive shift behaviour. This shifts the RS6’s personality to proper aggro, but it was pointless on our relatively straight and flat journey across the outback. The dynamic settings would no doubt be a real hoot over a mountain pass, when you could dip into the RS6’s potential for personality change.VERDICTIf there’s one word to describe the RS6, its 'easy.' It’s very easy on the eye, easy to extract its monstrous performance potential, and easy to drive every day, over long distances. For Audi’s fastest RS so far to cloak its brutality in such smooth civility is a double-edged indulgence, and a sharp one at that. But with our nanny speed limits, you’re missing out on the true edge of the RS6’s engineering. AUDI RS6 AVANTPrice: $225,000Warranty: 3 years/unlimited, roadside assistCapped servicing: NoService interval: 12mths/15,000kmSafety: 10 airbags, ABS, ESC, EBD, TCCrash rating: TBCEngine: 4-litre V8 twin-turbo petrol, 412kW/700NmTransmission: 8-spd auto; constant AWDThirst: 9.8L/100km; 98RON; 229g/km CO2Dimensions: 5.0m (L), 1.9m (W), 1.5m (H)Weight: 2010kgSpare: spacesaver

In the course of a few crowded hours one afternoon this week we charted the extremes of the passenger vehicle spectrum.Leaving the smooth tarmac of South Wales we swept along gravel surfaces that could belong to a stage of the World Rally Championship. There followed a dissection of B to C hardtop that could hardly have been incised more sharply in a roadster.Then, on England's original off road torture ground, we descended a slope so towering and precipitous that it can't be walked. That behind us, we sauntered to day's end along the motorway at 150km/h, the supercharged V8 barely ticking over.  The next day we drove up into, through and out of a 747. But that's another story. All of this was accomplished in one vehicle (and on one type of tyres).The top line variant of Range Rover's new Sport is a polymath, a renaissance figure, one whose breadth of fully realised abilities should not be possible in a single SUV. There are undoubtedly rivals that perform some or even most of the Sport's feats, some of these with marginally more competence.None bring off the lot with the Sport's all-pervading sense of driver cosseting ease. The second generation Sport needed to stand further apart from its senior sibling than did the first. It does so and writes its own ticket for any form of journey you care to undertake.On sale in November, prices are up by some one per cent for an altogether better car. The turbo diesel line-up starts at $102,800 for the TDV6 SE, powered by a 190kW/600Nm 3.0-litre turbo-diesel V6. The SDV6, with a 215kW version of that engine, is $113,600. The higher spec HSE is $125,800 and the flagship Autobiography $145,500.If diesel doesn't do it for you, the HSE grade also comes as a 250kW/450Nm 3.0-litre supercharged petrol V6 for $123,100. The gloriously excessive 375kW/625Nm 5.0-litre supercharged V8 is $161,600 in HSE Dynamic grade and $182,400 as Autobiography Dynamic.It's a gaping price range for what is essentially a variant of the Range Rover "proper" (the previous Sport was built off Land Rover Discovery underpinnings) yet in keeping with the diversity of this Rangie's range. The base car, which is priced at the level of an over optioned Evoque, gets as standard 19-inch alloys, leather trim, six-way driver and four-way passenger electrically-adjustable front seats, rear parking sensors with rear camera, dual-zone climate control, and eight-inch touchscreen with hard disc drive and satellite navigation.To that the spicier SDV6 adds high- and low-range gearing, adaptive suspension, Terrain Response and 20-inch alloys. It's here that the Sport lineup really begins. HSE spec chucks in paddleshifters, xenon headlights, nicer leather, yet further adjustable front seats and steering column, aluminium tread plates and front parking sensors.The fully blinged Autobiography raises the player's game to 21s, high-beam assist, 18-way electrically-adjustable front seats, front seat cooling and heating, mood lighting, centre console fridge and Meridian audio. The V8 Supercharged variants cop amazingly enabling dynamic suspension and torque vectoring with an active rear locking differential. Elsewhere it adds $8100.Indeed, in keeping with being a serious rival to top end BMW X5s and Porsche Cayennes, the Rangie doesn't stint on big priced options - try $1420 for the blind spot monitor that can had on a $50K Commodore, $3,200 for climate control and an outrageous $4200 for premium metallic paint. Transforming this five seater SUV to seven costs a further $3700 for all grades. A hybrid diesel is en route.There's so very much of this, a tech four de force. Yet the Sport's coolest aspect is in rendering you largely ignorant that this vast battery of trickery is at work. It's this seamlessness - from the eight speed ZF auto to big brained automatic terrain selector - that makes the Sport the luxury vehicle of the 2013.Yet possibly the most impressive aspect is what's not there; as much as 420kg and at least 230kg in weight saved over the previous model, reducing acceleration times and fuel figures alike, an equation in which the all aluminium platform is chief denominator. The drive enhancements take the Sport, indeed Land Rover a whole, into a new realm.Retaining and even enlarging upon Land Rover's traditional offroad competencies, the Sport thoroughly deserves that much abused appellation. The steering is direct at three turns lock to lock. It's a new system, as is the four-corner air suspension which delivers greater than average travel.Upper variants get a dedicated Dynamic mode in the Terrain Response system, tying down the body and reducing roll when the hardtop corkscrews, abetted by slotting the gear shifter into sport. But left to its own devices, the auto selector is adept enough to identify and adapt to conditions. Dynamic Active Rear Locking Differential combines with torque vectoring to keep nose and tail in the designated direction under intense duress.One bespoke tyre suffices for the Sport's multitude of tasks - Pirelli Scorpion Verde. No need to risk a manicure changing rubber between rock crawling and B road hauling. Very roughly speaking, the Sport's a visual blend of the Evoque and the senior Range Rover. Longer than its predecessor at 4.8m, it's still shorter than comparable SUVs and most of the big luxury sedans it's going to blow away sales wise.A black pack, which eliminates shiny bits, is pretty mean looking on an icy white Sport. The cockpit is a masterpiece, distinctly Rangie but it's own thing too. It is, yes, sporty.Love that gear shifter, hand fillingly functional but cool. The rotary dial is still there, but confined to selecting drive modes. Thumb operated toggles on either side of the steering wheel control ancillary functions.There's limo like legroom for rear seat passengers, the outside two of whom are cosseted in buckets as supportive and comforted - indeed as heatable or coolable - as the front. Optional is a powered third row occasional 5+2 'secret' seating, which folds away into the floor. As a five seater it will take that many adults and suitcase for each.  Cabin quality has to be felt to be appreciated.Yet to be crashed, and unlikely to be, it's reasonably assumed the Range Rover's five star NCAP rating applies here. New items reflect the polar extremes of the Sport's ability - traffic sign recognition, perpendicular park assist, depth sensing for wading a creek, and active lane assist. Flank guard alerts you to the imminence of a car park scrape. Vast Brembo brakes provide awesome stopping power, augmented by tremendous feel through the pedal. More mundane, but crucial, the spare tyre is full size.Again, you have to ask can the same car be so variously outstanding? Dynamically, the supercharged Sport V8 keeps pace with a Porsche Cayenne - some five seconds from to 100km/h from standing makes it by same distance the fastest ever Land Rover model. Yet it crawls on rocks and wades a creek to almost a metre's depth as readily as the doughty Discovery.The company calls it the "fastest, most agile and responsive" vehicle in its history. This is possibly an understatement. The narrow, sheep infested mountain roads of Wales would keep one of Audi's or Benz's faster grand tourers honest. I doubt any would handle these with the aptitude of Sport V8. Such body roll as there is hardly any more noticeable than the RS4 wagon we'd driven the previous week, despite the Sport being some 500kg heavier.Its immense output goes to the ground as immediately as you wish, and seemingly in any cornering attitude, seldom activating the electronic safety nets. It just shouldn't be this adept - especially when a little over an hour later it is descending a 45 degree dirt gradient like a lushly upholstered mountain goat with minimal driver input.Yet while performance reaches new highs for an SUV with this badge, ride remains that of Range Rover - cosseting and unruffled, even while tastefully tuned note of the bent eight is roaring. Driving the top diesel in similar conditions the next day should be a massive anti-climax and in truth anything feels underdone after the visceral punch of the supercharged petrol monster.That it isn't a bum note has much to do with it sounding hardly at all like a diesel. Or feeling overly like one. Launched on a runway drag contest it cannot scale the top model's heights but it's speed rises steadily and surely, born along by almost equivalent torque. In the real world, the SDV6 will leave little cause for complaint.Only the extra ask for items that should be standard on a car of this stature prevent a full five star rating for the V8. It is an exceptional achievement and surely the luxury car of the year.

A plastic electric car is just about the last thing you'd expect from the company that builds the stonking M3, the X5 family hauler and the luxury 7 Series. It sounds much more like a kiddie's toy than a breakthrough new BMW that is heading down the road to the future. But the i3 is not just a car.It's a new take on 21st century motoring, from its body design to the plug-in power pack and the way it's built, and is seriously impressive. The i3 is roomy, classy, perky, fun, and almost certain to go into the history books as a landmark car.The new-age electric car has a 200-kilometre range that grows to 300 if a buyer adds a tiny motorcycle engine for battery top-up charging and pioneers a new production process that could see plenty of body designs sitting on the same rolling battery pack.After spending time with the brilliant dinosaur called the Mercedes-Benz S-Class - one of today's glorious apex predators - my first drive in the i3 is like discovering the first mammal on the evolutionary road. So the S is brilliantly now, but the i3 is futuristically promising.I've got less than 10 kilometres and three hours to dip into the i3, at the first press preview drive in Munich, but it's enough. For now. The big questions will come for home-ground use from the middle of 2014, where things like the cost of plug-in coal power and the real-world range on Australian roads will be answered.Next year is also when we will know the driveaway pricing, the support system - which sets a new standard in Europe - and the ongoing warranty and service costs. For now, BMW Australia only admits the i3 will cost more than $50,000 and less than $70,000 and that it's doing its best on a dealer network that will sit inside but outside its regular system.The dealership differentiation is because the i3 is not just a car. Apart from the landmark construction process, where its carbon fibre-reinforced plastic body is bonded to a skateboard-style mechanical package like a life-sized Airfix kit, the i3 is the start of a new BMW Group sub-brand that's been created in a similar style to Mini. It will be closely followed by the i8 super coupe and other electrified newcomers.In Europe, the i line means everything from cheap energy deals to special home charging units and a satnav system that's all about finding the next plug-in spot and plotting routes that get maximum range from the lithium-ion battery pack under the floor.“BMW is playing an active role in changing the face of urban mobility. We come another step closer to reality,” the head of planning for Project i, Dr Martin Arlt, tells Carsguide, ironically, at a former World War II airfield.“Our development work has spawned a car that differs significantly from the current automotive industry norm in many ways. We haven't reinvented the car, but we have totally re-defined the basis on which it is created.”There is plenty to see, touch and hear about the i3, but this time it's all about driving. The technology can wait. There are four i3s ready to go, with only a small strip of silly camouflage on the bodywork but big cloth patches covering the cabin detail. Each is fully charged for driving on a course that's laid out to put the emphasis on acceleration, braking and cornering.So I jump onboard, stepping over the wide plastic door sills and through clamshell doors that give great access to the back seat, and slide in behind the wheel. Reassuringly, there are still two pedals on the floor, the wheel is nothing new, and - when I pull back the covers for a sneak peek - there are two big TFT screens to handle the gauges and infotainment.There is no key, just a press button, and once the dash lights up I flick a small switch into D and off we go. Select R and it spins the electric engine, which turns the rear wheels, the opposite way in the single-speed transmission.There is instant and eager response to the accelerator and I can easily believe BMW's claim of a 7.2-second sprint to 100km/h - which compares brilliantly to the 11.9 for a Nissan Leaf. There is no need for braking at first, thanks to a powerful regenerative system to top the battery, as a slight ease on the accelerator has it slowing fine for the first slalom.The i3 responds eagerly to the wheel and is well balanced without too much roll, but the tyres - just 155x19s in the interest of low rolling resistance - start to hum and then squeal long before the chassis reaches its limit.There are three driving modes - Comfort, EcoPro and EcoPro+ - but the difference is about range, although extracting maximum range does dull the response to the accelerator. There is a predictable whirring noise from the electric motor in the tail and a slight wibber-wibber-wibber harmonic at times which is apparently an aberration that will be removed before full-scale production.So I head back to a series of workshops in an aircraft bunker that fill in the detail. BMW claims the i3 is the world's first premium electric car and is intent on lifting any barrier that allows a showroom shopper to say “No thanks, not for me” to a plug-in electric car.There are already other nice electric cars including the Nissan Leaf and Renault Zoe, but not the awful Mitsubishi iMiEV, and the range-extender Holden Volt is also leading on the road to electrification of motoring. But they are really just converted petrol projects, not a ground-up electric deal that's already been tested using converted 1-Series ActiveE cars that have covered vast development kilometres.I've tried the ActiveE and found it great, if overweight, while the Leaf is nice for a while and the Volt is good for long trips but very cramped in the back and boot. The Zoe will be better but not an i3.What makes the BMW different is a rear-wheel drive layout, lightweight construction that means it weighs just 1195 kilograms, and a no-compromise approach that even means the plug-in port is in the right-rear corner of the car - where you would normally find a petrol point - because it cuts the length of cable needed to feed the battery.Engineers have cleverly sited the 125 kiloWatt electric engine at one side of the multi-link rear suspension, leaving a balancing void on the other side that can be occupied by the range-extender motor. Moving to create comforts, BMW has left the wood in the cabin unvarnished for a motor natural look, there are hemp-fibre door trims, and the lights are low-drain LEDs.In the past, BMW has rushed new technology to the road before it was really ready - I can still recall the original iDrive disaster - but the company is taking no chances with the i-car division. It's promising 30-minute fast charges, affordable eight-hour charging at home, an extended battery support package, and has even created a range of new buzzwords - like eDrive.The full production version of the i3 will be unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September, when we're also expecting firmer news on pricing and the dealer network for Australia. But, right now, the i3 looks impressive and headed for success.BMW i3Price: estimate $60,000Engine: 125kW/250Nm hybrid synchronous electric motorBattery: 360 volts, lithium-ionCharging time: 30-minute fast charge, 8 hours at domestic socketDrive: single-speed, rear-wheel driveSuspension: front MacPherson struts, rear multi linksTyres: 155x19Performance: 0-100km/h, 7.2s; top speed 150km/hRange: 130-300km

The sporting prowess of BMW's mid-sized coupe is coming to the fore. The Bavarian carmaker has altered the nomenclature of its popular two-door range to 4 Series to differentiate it in price and performance from the 3 Series sedans and align it with the even-numbered naming convention already applied to the two-door 6 and 8 Series models.  Beyond the name, the ride and handling have been sharpened to match the coupe's edgier looks.VALUEThe 4 has more bang for the buck than the outgoing 3 Series Coupe, reflecting the changes in the market (read Mercedes-Benz's new C-Class). An eight-speed automatic is now standard (a six-speed manual is an option) in place of the six-cog self-shifter and the array of techno-toys is also up a couple of generations.BMW spokesman Scott Croaker says Australia is still determining final spec ahead of the local launch in mid-October. “It'll definitely be loaded with more standard features but I don't expect the price to be too far from the outgoing 3 coupe,” he says. Based on 3 Series Coupe costs, that points to a starting price in the low $70,000s for the 420d, rising to around $85,000 for the 428i and $110,000 for the 435i.TECHNOLOGYThe three engines available at launch are lifted from the 3 Series - a 2.0-litre turbodiesel four; 2.0-litre turbo petrol four and 3.0-litre turbo six. Outputs are unchanged and all engines are paired with auto stop-start and brake energy regeneration to minimise fuel use.The list of options is exhaustive, from Navigation System Pro, which uses a high-resolution display to project the satnav details on the 8.8-inch central display screen and is complemented by a touchpad on top of the iDrive controller that lets occupants write the letters of their destination with their finger. The system uses optical character recognition to read the result and copes well with abysmal handwriting.A Driving Assistant Plus pack adds forward collision and pedestrian warnings, adaptive cruise control, LED headlamps with auto-dipping function, head-up display and a surround-view camera are but a few of the options.DESIGNThis is the best-proportioned BMW in the range. Dropping a low, coupe body over a stretched 3 Series sedan chassis gives the 4 a meaner, leaner stance. The rear track is a full 80mm wider than the 3 Series but it avoids the flared-guard “boy racer” look by gradually extruding the entire rear quarter panel.That width is emphasised by the elongated rear tail lights and the front air intake that extends across the car's nose. The vents - officially known as Air Breathers - just behind the front wheel arches have a Jaguar-esque look that BMW says is the optimal design to lower drag around the wheel arches.The air intakes adorning the front apron are likewise reminiscent of the Benz “A-wing” and similarly reflect the latest aero efficiency, rather than being derivative. Inside, the regular 3 Series layout is lifted by a full leather interior. Rear legroom is more than adequate for lanky adults, though 180cm-up passengers will need to slouch to avoid their hair brushing against the tapering roofline.SAFETYNo one has crashed the 4 Series yet so it doesn't have an ANCAP rating. Given it is based on the 3 Series, it's safe to assume a five-star result. Six airbags are standard fare and the inherent safety of the brakes and suspension are reinforced by a range of optional software designed to protect the car, its occupants and other road users.DRIVINGThe 4 Series coupe is all the sedan aspires to be, minus a rear seat. The handling - on the 435i launch cars fitted with the adaptive suspension that can be set for comfort or sport - is as crisp as a fresh-cut chip. Put that down to revised suspension and an extra brace from the front suspension mounts to the body to help keep the wheels flat and on track.As the car rolls over the pockmarked cobbled roads of a Portugese village the most noticeable sensation is a muted thrum from the low profile 19-inch tyres. That level of insulation continues over a variety of road surfaces and while Australia's coarse-chip bitumen will be more demanding terrain, it shows refinement hasn't been sacrificed to achieve a sporty drive.There's no more power from the trio of engines it shares with the 3 Series but there doesn't need to be - even the 420d will hit 100km/h 7.3 seconds after launch, while the 435i does it in 5.1 seconds. All-wheel drive models will be sold overseas with BMW's xDrive moniker but Croaker says there is no plan to bring them to Australia “at this stage”.VERDICTThe coupe has the looks and the legs to be a stunningly good proposition.

There are classic oxymorons that keep garden-variety morons like me awake at night. Think about 'military intelligence', or 'a little big' -- or even perhaps 'adult male'. Among those brainbenders is the term 'sporty SUV'.But our first drive of the 2014 Land Rover Range Rover Sport in sunny Welsh countryside proved the label's validity. We strafe a lightly used airport runway at 240 km/h in the Sport, before running it through half a meter deep river of muck. Could you do that in a Cayenne, an X6 or an ML? Possibly. Would you ever consider it? Unlikely.Relatively long story short, the confusingly accurate "sporty SUV" label isn't just stuck on the Range Rover Sport--it's earned.Here's the even shorter story on how the Range Rover Sport's grown better: Range Rover. The first-generation car was a steel body on a frame; now it's an aluminium spin-off of last year's brand-new Range Rover, with just a few inches of height and length subtracted to suit it for a differently shaded personality. The same crash diet that shaved 318 kg from the bigger ute nips about 363 kg from the Sport. In performance terms, that's like kicking out four adults before hot laps.In essence the Sport's a slice off the Range Rover, but there's plenty of influence from the smaller Evoque in its profile. It's almost pure Range Rover from the doors forward, save for a slimmer nose and winged headlamps, but the roofline picks up the Evoque's sleekness and its rounded rump. The cockpit? It's all Range Rover, with calm stretches of leather and wood devoid of the busy clusters of buttons that had cramped the Sport's style.Two drivetrains are on tap this time, and they divide camps neatly, into nicely done and awesomely hot. A new supercharged, 250 kW 3.0-litre V6 engine is the new base engine, delivering a nice 90-degree V6 snarl and sub-7-second acceleration, in tandem with a sweet paddle-shifted ZF eight-speed automatic.The supercharged V8 comes from a different planet entirely, one maybe with a timeshare in the American South: it barks out 375 kWr with NASCAR authority, ripping off 5-second runs to 100 km/h.With either, the Sport's ride/handling worldview tilts firmly to sport. The bigger Range Rover specializes in coddling; the Sport's air dampers and variable-ratio steering quicken up the pace, and with the V8's Dynamic setting, dial out much of the innate lean and scrub dictated by its height and weight. It's much closer now to the benchmarks set by the uber-utes from Germany.At the same time, it's an incredibly capable muckraker, with either the base Torsen four-wheel-drive setup, or the more advanced dual-range system, with its active rear locking differential. With more ground clearance than ever, the Sport can extract itself from almost anything the bigger Range Rover can, and its slight size advantage might let it squeeze through where the executive-class Landie might not--say, an abandoned 747, like the one we were guided through carefully, from cargo hold to a first-class arrival through the nose.The Sport's cabin has never looked better, and extra room in almost all dimensions solves one of the least happy aspects of the first-generation ute, though the second-row seat isn't quite as supportive as the Range Rover's. These are the sacrifices, folks. If you're an occasional user of a third-row seat, the Sport gives in to convention with a pair of semi-usable jump seats that fold away tidily when not in use. We suggest if you're beyond Highlights for Children, you don't try to clamber in them.All 2014 Range Rover Sport models come nicely equipped, including custom Meridian audio systems (three in total, ranging up to 1,700 watts and 23 speakers); advanced safety systems aided by cameras; an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment interface that frankly could use a couple of Palo Alto software geeks and a quick reskin; and of course, the latest generation of Land Rover's Terrain Response 2 traction management system.The Range Rover Sport shares nearly all its structure and powertrains with the bigger Range Rover, and it shows--on the scale, on the way it keeps an even keel when it's sunk knee-deep in mud.The new 3.0-litre supercharged V6 is an assertive-sounding engine at full throttle, with a hearty snarl that subdues quickly as the Sport flicks into higher gears, back into a more relaxed part of the powerband.But it's really the 5.0-litre supercharged V8 you want, if only for the NASCAR intake and exhaust riffs that were frankly the inspiration for its soundtrack. It's scored at 375 kW and 624 Nm of torque, and ripping off a 0-100 km/h run in 5 seconds is in the realm of Cayenne Turbos and Grand Cherokee SRTs.Top speed is 225 km/h, unless the Dynamic pack's specified--it's lifted to 250 km/h. Either way, the Sport's stick shifter is in control--it's not a rotary like the control in the Range Rover or Evoque--unless you flick the paddle shift controls, letting the ZF automatic do what it does best, click off clean shifts without any drama.The Range Rover Sport's more obviously, and vastly, better on pavement than it was in its first lifetime. A procession of electronic assistants get tuned for more focus and more grip than they do in the bigger Range Rover. If you don't see as much daylight between the bigger ute and the Sport, you'll feel it, particularly in the V8 versions.The Sport's stock and trade are some of the same air suspension and electric-steering bits as in the Range Rover, but that flagship's setup is deliberately set for a more relaxed feel. The Sport's most neutral state, when its ride height is set to normal via a console-mounted switch, and its Terrain Response system dialled into street driving, still yields quicker steering responses with more deliberate counterweight and a much calmer ride than the first-gen Sport.The extra technology in the V8 Sport crafts a handling personality that's strikingly different from the base Sport, from the Range Rover, and about as deft as the other ultra-powerful SUVs (even if the SRT Jeeps and Cayenne Turbos are still ultimately, slightly, quicker).If it's not quite the thunderclap that is the Cayenne Turbo or the SRT Jeep, the Range Rover Sport makes up for the tenth or two of acceleration with unbelievable off-road talent. The basic, lighter-duty setup  is a new four-wheel-drive system with a Torsen limited-slip differential and anti-lock brakes limiting wheelspin, and a 42:58 torque split that can shift to 62 percent front, or up to 78 percent to the rear.It's offered only on the V6, and wasn't ready in time for our first drives. The more rugged version, standard on the V8 and optional overseas on the V6, has a low range and locking differentials, with a torque split of 50:50 that can switch to 100 percent, front or rear wheels, as traction suffers.We spent the better part of two days in Welsh hills and English river beds, letting Terrain Response's Auto mode do all of the work some of the time, and opting for its individual modes (Grass/Gravel/Snow, Mud/Ruts, Sand, and Rock Crawl) as we trudged through the countryside without the benefit of pavement.The Sport's slight size benefit versus the Range Rover isn't so noticeable, but the increased ground clearance over its last-generation edition is. It's up to 28 cm, and the air suspension can extend itself another inch and some change when it needs to extract itself from especially difficult off-road scenarios.With nearly 55 cm of cross-wheel articulation, that doesn't happen too often--but when it does, the Sport can isolate its roll bars, and make the most of its wheel travel. It can even deploy that additional reserve of ground clearance when it's wading close to its 85 cm maximum, and seconds later, lower itself almost silently down a steep grade thanks to a much quieter hill-descent control system.We think the Sport's tugged and stretched its performance wrapper in the right directions. 

Tuned BMWs have moved closer to their Mercedes and Audi rivals. If time is the ultimate luxury, then performance cars are a paradox. Flat out, even cars with modest performance ambitions can hit 100km/h in six or seven seconds. That used to be the supercar zone. Now, the quickest Italian exotics can hit the legal limit in less than half that.When the Bugatti Veyron achieved a sub-three second sprint time almost a decade ago, it looked untouchable. Surprisingly quickly, its rivals have caught up.The paradox arises because if you want to enjoy that engine and decide to give the throttle pedal your undivided attention, then in a matter of moments you'll have to ease off. All the fun comes in one quick blat. Premature acceleration, if you like. Keep going and you may end up serving time measured in months rather than seconds.Of course, there's more to luxury and performance than outright pace. That's the province of muscle cars and Friday night drag racers.On price, the M6 Gran Coupe sits above the M6 coupe but below the convertible, at $299,500. Rivals include the Aston Martin Rapide, Maserati Quattroporte, Mercedes CLS 63 AMG, Porsche Panamera and upcoming Audi RS 7 and Jaguar XJR. Compared with other Gran Coupes, it's a $60k premium over the 650i with a lesser version of the same engine and $115k more than the 640i, which has a turbocharged inline six.If a car can handle its socks off and rewards a driver, then pace per se becomes secondary. An example is the upcoming McLaren P1, spiritual heir to the maker's landmark F1 supercar from the 1990s. It does not claim to be the quickest in a straight line but the fastest around a track. Any track.There's a trade-off here between the sorts of fittings you may expect in a car costing hundreds of thousands of dollars and handling. Luxury materials and gadgets add weight, the enemy of agility. The most extreme supercars are stripped of all that stuff to mimic, albeit in a more manicured way, the rawness of race cars.Another type of performance car, though, where everything from the splendid cabin to the equipment to the engine are maxed out. These are epitomised by the tuned versions of mainstream cars produced by AMG for Mercedes, M for BMW and Quattro for Audi.Here, the point is to give the ultimate luxury statement a fitting level of grunt, so that the big engine under the bonnet is an engineering match for the 20-speaker megawatt sound system.These cars are increasingly popular, especially in Australia, which buys more of them per capita than just about anywhere else. Their success has spurred proliferation, with nothing too absurd to pimp. It's why the Mercedes G-wagen, a hardcore military offroader, is offered with a 400kW+ V8 in the G 63.In that car, the engine is way out of kilter with the vehicle's dynamic ability. It's a case of having more because you can. To a lesser extent, though, that's true of all these cars. One example is BMW's 6 Series line-up, which has an M variant for each of the three body styles offered: coupe, cabriolet and sedan.The M sedan, called the M6 Gran Coupe, has just arrived. It's one of those low-slung sedans makers like to refer to as a “four-door coupe”, hence the name. It's longer than the real coupe by more than 100mm and all of that is between the wheels to provide adequate seating in the rear. Unlike the coupe/convertible, it can carry five and offers decent legroom all round. In effect it's a 7 Series limo in a wetsuit, with all the bulges compressed out.In other respects, it is virtually identical to the M6 coupe/convertible and the M5, with the same turbocharged 412kW 4.4-litre V8 and seven-speed, dual-clutch transmission driving the rear wheels. It weighs 25kg more than the coupe but can reach 100km/h in an identical 4.2 seconds.Compared with the standard Gran Coupe, apart from the engine and transmission, the M treatment includes a high-performance chassis with unique axles, active dampers and an M differential to help put power down. It also gets a superb interior, with contrasting leather and Alcantara, a huge control screen and all the toys you can think of, including BMW's excellent head-up display.The M6’s exceptional level of spec extends to front-side and curtain airbags, multi-stage stability and traction control, anti-lock brakes with six-piston front calipers, cruise control with braking function, active front head restraints, auto-dimming mirrors, several cameras, parking sensors, lane departure warning, tyre pressure monitoring, heads-up display and auto high-beam function. Carbon-ceramic brakes are also available for an extra $24,000.The latest M5 and the M6 trio mark a change in direction for BMW M cars compared with the ones that came before. Typically, the M treatment produced a more focused result than its rivals at Mercedes and Audi. They traced their lineage back to race cars. An M3, for example, felt more at home on a track than the equivalent Mercedes C 63.The price for that was commitment; driving on the daily commute did nothing to reveal its depth of ability and could be uninspiring. The C 63, by contrast, would snarl and rasp its way along at any speed. The latest M5/M6 change to fall into line with their rivals. The defining characteristic of these cars, unlike previous Ms, is an excess of power.The M6 Gran Coupe is the same; it spins its wheels, finds grip momentarily, then spins them again in the next gear. On the road, particularly the damp and twisting back roads between Healesville and Phillip Island on the test drive route, that meant delicate throttle applications. Even then, the traction control light blinked non-stop.The power itself is impressive. Once the engine reaches its torque peak, not far above idle, it just keeps going without respite. Some of it, thanks to the electronics, results in forward motion. It sounds snarly too, especially in low gears. However, it lacks the soaring character of the V10 unit in the previous M5/M6, which meant it had to be driven with the revs in mind. Here, power is on tap and delivers constant excess.The result is a car that lacks a distinctive point of difference. The Gran Coupe, thanks to its length, is less agile than the coupe/convertible but I'm not sure I could tell the difference blindfolded, so to speak. The body feels rigid and the suspension firm, but on our country roads all that stiffness can unsettle the car and the ride is unbearable in anything except comfort mode.On a track, by contrast, even in Sport+ mode you are aware of the weight transfer in directional changes and how much of the car's ability depends on super-wide rubber. When it comes to braking, even with huge stoppers you notice all two tonnes. After a couple of laps the brakes are smoking and starting to lose some of their force.There are other downsides for the driver. The angle of the A-pillars means vision is restricted through corners and the rear window is a narrow slit, with fixed headrests no help.The 640i was a car I enjoyed a lot when I drove it last year and I expected to like the M6 Gran Coupe more. But the 640i is a more balanced result.No question, as a luxury statement the M6 Gran Coupe is right up there and the engine does its bit. But it shows BMW's M cars have joined the pack. Now I'm worried about what they'll do to the next M3. 

The evolution of Mercedes-Benz E-Class AMG started years ago and has progressed to the latest and greatest E 63 AMG S model -- now with a colossal 430kW/800Nm from its twin turbo (bi-turbo) petrol V8 engine. It's sufficient to push the 1900kg plus four door luxury projectile from 0-100kmh in about 4.0 seconds and blatt on without let-up to its arbitrarily set terminal velocity.AMG has fully fettled the beast and installed a swag of special components designed to deliver the goods when it comes to sporty driving. The brakes are huge multi-piston units, the suspension has adjustable damping, the steering is super responsive and even the transmission offers four modes as well as race start - all courtesy of AMG.But the heart of the E 63 is its 5.5-litre, direct injection V8 with twin variable geometry turbos, variable cam timing and other engineering trickery to help deliver awesome performance and impressive fuel economy along with ‘green' credentials all at the same time.Where the previous model was offered with a Sports Package for extra power and kit at extra cost, the latest is only available in ‘S' spec - with all the go fast bits included. The price is $249,900.Included is the locking diff' that the E 63 deserves but which few optioned previously. It has a big influence on how this monumentally powerful rear drive sedan puts its power to the ground and why it behaves so well under pressure. All wheel drive E 63s are available overseas but not here. Something else pretty special is the seven-speed dual clutch transmission with paddle shift and four modes.The interior is at luxury car level and includes premium audio, full media connectivity, Nappa leather, sports wheel and a 360 degree safety camera. ‘Intelligent' LED headlights complete with selective aiming aid night driving. Driver assist kit includes nearly the full suite of Benz ‘help' as well as active park assist for parallel and nose to kerb parking.This amount of power is rare in a road car with V8 Supercars cranking out not much more in the way of kilowatts -- and certainly not as much torque. But you can't compare this car with a ‘coarse' V8 racer, the E 63 is a much more refined beast  - a veritable iron fist in a silk glove as it offers superlative levels of luxury in a stylish and practical package.We had a bit of a crack in the latest E 63 at Sandown race track where the largish Benz happily carved up the tight bits and blasted down the straights like a real race car. We were too chicken to go the whole hog and switch everything to off or full manual control on the track but even with one notch to go, the E 63 still delivers the required drive feel sought by enthusiast drivers complete with a measured amount of rear wheel slip and tail-out oversteer. Acceleration is brutal.The sound burbling out the back is good but nowhere near as stirring as the earlier, naturally-aspirated 6.2-litre V8 (still in the C 63). The look inside is understated and classy, much like the exterior treatment.

A hybrid, running on electric power, with a throaty V8 growl? It’s one of a bagful of features in the Lexus IS 300h, the luxury brand’s first hybrid in its sports IS range, newly uprated to give its trio of Teutonic rivals some real trouble.The car is an attention-grabber with a bigger, three-dimensional spindle grille, wider stance and dramatically swoopy rear end styling. A 70mm longer wheelbase has given it greater interior space, the seating is lower and sportier and the driver-oriented cockpit is derived from the Lexus LFA supercar.The hybrid has 60/40 split-fold rear seats and its battery pack is mounted low, under the boot floor, so there’s 450litres of cargo space, just 30litres less than the petrol-powered models.The IS 300h joins the IS 250 and IS 350 models in the model’s just-launched third generation, with prices starting from $55,900. The 300h is quite a performer, with a combined output of 164kW from its 2.5litre four-cylinder petrol engine and electric motor. It runs just as well as the 153/252Nm V6 IS 250, and uses only about half the fuel.IS 250 Luxury is $55,900, the F Sport from $64,900 and Sports Luxury from $77,900. The IS 300 hybrid starts from $58,900 and the F Sport is from $67,900. IS 350 Luxury is $65,000, with the F Sport from $73,000 and Sports Luxury from $84,000.Despite being dubbed ‘all new’ the 250 and 350 have not altered their existing V6 motors. However, transmissions have changed in that the 233kW/378Nm 3.5litre V6 now has an eight-speed auto. The 250 retains its six-speed auto and the 300h gets a six-stepped CVT.The 300h is the first Lexus to use a Atkinson Cycle 2.5litre petrol electric/hybrid powertrain, which apart from lots of pep, makes it a sensation in the economy and clean air section, consuming and average 4.9litres/100km and emitting 113g of CO2/km. By comparison, the IS 250 data is 9.2litres/100km and 213g/km and the 350 uses 9.7litres and emits 225g/km.Lexus says the hybrid’s figures are unmatched by any rival petrol, diesel or hybrid vehicles in the segment, and expects growing awareness of fuel prices and exhaust emissions to lift its hybrid sales  from their present 18per cent to close on 50 per cent.There’s the expected suite of electronic driver aids, plus eight airbags (10 of them in Sports Luxury models), a reversing camera and tyre pressure monitoring. Option packs add Automatic High Beam, Lane Departure Alert, Blind Spot Monitor and a Pre-Collision system. The cars also have a bonnet that pops up to minimise pedestrian injury. Lexus says it’s confident of a five-star safety rating.The standard Luxury models all have powered, ventilated front seats, keyless entry, satnav, dual-zone climate control, digital radio, Bluetooth with audio streaming, bi-xenon headlights with daytime running lights, reverse-view camera, 7-inch colour media display, and Drive Mode select.A telematics system called Enform, will be available late this year, offering a vast range of data, including customer care, internet search, fuel station finder with fuel prices, weather, plus downloadable destination guides.We were able to compare an existing IS 350 with the latest one on the famed Phillip Island racing circuit, and the improvement, especially in grip, was immediately evident.Smoother lines and a stiffer body gave the newie better balance and its fast-shifting gearbox, complete with auto-blipping, was a delight. The rear-wheel drive IS has super balance – close to 50:50 front to rear – and that translates to very sporty road manners.However there’s no masking the considerable weight of the vehicle, and that undermines both off-the-line acceleration and cornering. Doesn’t destroy it completely, but leaves you with the wish that it could just make that extra leap to true performance characteristics.But it’s not performance most Lexus IS buyers will be looking for – it’s luxury and refinement. They won’t be disappointed. Cruising on public roads in various models, every kilometre was a pleasure. As for the burbling engine sound from the hybrid, it’s from something called Active Sound Control, presumably to counter the comparative silence of hybrid power. It can be customised or switched off, but we thought it hilarious.Passengers would never know the snarl came from under the dash, and if they didn’t see the ‘h’ badge on the tail, they’d never know the car was a hybrid.Given that few Lexus owners will venture onto the race circuit, we’d make the 300h our pick. It has all the prestige and luxury of the others, with phenomenal savings in running costs. And switchable joy sound.

The world's best car is new again for the first time in a decade. The Mercedes-Benz S-Class has just had a complete overhaul, from road to roof, incorporating breakthrough safety and comfort systems that will eventually be commonplace in lesser cars around the globe.At one end the new S-Class is easily capable of driving itself and at the other it provides five different cabin packages with sumptuous goose feather-filled rear headrests.The basic package for the car is still the same - it's a giant, cosseting lounge room on wheels - and it's not going to be any cheaper with starting prices on the far side of $200,000, but it shows what the world's oldest carmaker can do when it unleashes a super-skilled engineering group with a budget that probably tops $1.5 billion.The Benz flagship has been so comprehensively hyped and previewed that it's difficult to write something genuinely new, because we've seen the shape, been lectured on the technology, have trialed most of the safety systems, and are familiar with a range of short and long-wheelbase models that runs from the S 350 BlueTEC diesel up to the S 63 AMG V8 - with detours including an S 500 plug-in hybrid with claimed economy of just a tad over 3 litres/100km.So today, driving out of Toronto into the Canadian countryside, sampling the S 350 and S 500, it's all about the car and the star score for the latest S-Class. "We believe this new S-Class is the best car in the world. Promise delivered," the spokesman for Mercedes-Benz Australia, David McCarthy, tells Carsguide bluntly.There is no plan to change the starting price of $213,428 for the next S-Class. That's the showroom sticker for the current 3-litre BlueTEC diesel, and things ramp up sharply from there to just on $500,000.But there will be compensation when the first of the new cars arrive, in the final quarter of this year. "There will be more standard equipment," McCarthy says. He is not going into details but there is plenty to promise, especially on the safety front with so many active systems including a world-first stereo-camera system than can 'read' the road ahead and then set the suspension to defeat the sort of bumps and railway crossings that normally rattle cars and their occupsants.The range will start with both long and short-wheelbase cars, but the grand plan runs to petrol and diesel hybrids, a plug-in hybrid with fuel economy right down near 3 litres/100km, and then S-Class based coupes and even a six-door super-long Pullman limousine. The only definite non-starter for Australia is the twin-turbo V12-powered S65 from AMG.Where do I start and where do I finish? It would be easy to write a book on the S-Class, as Benz has done, and different people will score different things in different ways. The big emphasis is on safety technology, from that Magic Body Control system to active night vision that can pick people out of blackness - and then illuminate them with a spotlight strobe that knows not to disturb animals - and a range of anti-collision radars that cover the front, sides and even set the pre-safe safety systems for a rear impact. Back-seat passengers are also protected by inflatable airbag belts.There is also a pair of giant TFT display screens in the dashboard, all sorts of mood lighting, sound systems as good as anything you find in a home, and a lighting system - from the headlamps through the cabin to the brake lights - that is completely LED powered.The S-Class has the sort of chunky presence you expect of a high-end luxury car, but it's better resolved than the outgoing car. It's still chunky, and you won't mistake it for anything else, but it shows where Benz is going with its new family of cars and has a strong visual link down to the new A-Class.The nose is helped - ironically - by the latest pedestrian-protection rules, since the grille is now more prominent and more upright. It helps to cushion any impact but it also gives the car more impact.Inside, the design emphasis is on the sort of quality you expect - and deserve - when you pay S-Class money. The leather work is fantastic, the seat styles and shapes - from the basic bench through to the Business Class recliners - is sumptuous and everything you touch has a quality feel.The designers have also freed more space for every occupant, from front-seat head room through to back-seat knee room. And the boot is huge, unless you plan a hybrid with a big battery in the back.The new S-Class must be the world's safest car, and runs well ahead of any NCAP testing. There are airbags and ABS and ESP, of course, but it's all the active safety systems - including the amazing night vision - which make a critical difference. And which must, inevitably, migrate through the Benz family and then out to lesser brands. Mercedes-Benz wants us to call it Intelligent Drive and, for once, that's a fair concession.The new S-Class is very, very quiet. It's also cushy and comfortable. And the technology bends reality in a range of new directions. Both the S350 diesel and the V8-powered S500 get along nicely, with the bigger engine obviously giving a bigger whack away from the lights. And I know they are much more fuel efficient than ever before, rivalling cars at least two size classes smaller.A series of driving demonstrations shows how smart it is, from the anti-collision systems to the way it shines light after dark to the way it can crush a road with Active Body Control. It's absolutely brilliant to relax in the back like some sort of minor five-minute celebrity, too.And, when all the technology is working together, it's easy to see that the S-Class is very close to a car that can drive itself. It still needs line markings on either side, but it can already take the wheel for up to 10 seconds and hold its place in a lane, while keeping a radar-paced gap to the traffic and sitting ready for automatic braking in an emergency. For what it is, the S-Class is brilliant. But then there is the but.That's because it's still a giant dinosaur, even if its dimensions and derivation are cleverely disguised behind multiple layers of technology. It's an old-fashioned car that continues an old-fashioned idea of luxury motoring, and that means it cannot be best of the best.It is clearly better than anything from Audi, BMW or Jaguar, and a true rival for a Rolls-Royce at the top end of the luxury world, and it is going to be a success everywhere in the world. But, these days, we should expect more. Benz has played well, and played hard, but it has still played safe.