Luxury Reviews

The all-new Volvo V40 takes the premium hatchback to a new level. As well as arguably being the most stylish Volvo for many years, it’s undoubtedly the most intelligent and safe car in its segment. Indeed it can show many far more expensive cars a thing or two in these important fields.DESIGNAs well as the sleek body, Scandinavian simplicity and ergonomic design abound in the Volvo V40’s cabin. The T5 we tested had quality materials on sculpted R-Design sports seats with contrasting stitching; gearshift knob LED-illuminated from the inside and LEDs in the door panel storage pockets.If there’s anything we didn’t like it was the over-abundance of black inside our test car. The low roofline will have most occupants ducking to get in and out. A panoramic sunroof limits headroom. Legroom in the rear is adequate and shoulder space not overly cramped for three people of average build.TECHNOLOGYThe innovative Volvo Sensus infotainment system, in which information is presented on a five- or seven-inch colour screen depending on the model, in the upper instrument panel, makes it easy for the driver to keep his or her eyes on the road. All functions can be operated from the steering wheel or via controls located directly below the screen.Volvo My Car allows access to a wide range of settings, such as for City Safety, Collision Warning, Pedestrian Detection, Driver Alert System, Active Cruise Control, lighting, door mirrors, climate unit, central locking and the audio system.With the optional multimedia audio system, Volvo Sensus comes upgraded with a seven-inch screen that also displays information and images from the navigation system, phone, reversing camera, DVD player and more.A new digital instrument cluster directly in front of the driver uses a TFT (Thin Film Transistor) crystal display to present the most important information in any situation. The driver can choose between three graphic themes: Elegance, a traditional amber illumination; Eco, a green background illumination, designed to create an environmentally-inspired look.An Eco meter, plus current and accumulated fuel consumption figures are displayed. The driver gets a green light when eco-driving is optimal. The third theme, Performance, provides a sporting red background illumination.Vehicle speed is shown digitally in the centre of the display. The right display includes a power meter – a gauge that informs the driver how much power is available and how much power is being used at any time.Below the armrest is a storage compartment suitable for CDs and other small items, while the glove compartment includes space for two cans or bottles. The latter are cooled by air from the climate control system.SAFETYA major new safety feature is a world-first pedestrian airbag technology. Most serious head injuries involving pedestrians are caused by the hard structure directly under the bonnet, the lower edge of the windscreen and the windscreen pillars.Seven sensors in the front of the new Volvo V40 transmit signals to a control unit. When the car hits an object, the signals change, and if the car thinks the object is a human leg the pedestrian protection system reacts.The bonnet rear hinges are released and the bonnet lifts to get it away from the hard surfaces under it. The pedestrian airbag is activated. The airbag covers the entire windscreen wiper recess, about a third of the windscreen and the lower part of the A-pillars.Before this amazing technology springs into action, the V40 has already done its best to avoid the collision. The car ‘looks’ down for pedestrians and other risks and if need be applies full auto braking. This is part of the existing Volvo City Safety system and in its latest development it operates to avoid, or at least minimise, collisions at speeds up to 50 km/h.Keeping the car out of trouble are lane keeping aid with automatic steering, automatic road sign Information, park assist, active high beam headlights and a cross traffic alert radar system. These aren’t all standard in every model, contact your Volvo dealer for full specifications and optional charges.ENGINEThis high-performance Volvo V40 T5 R-design can cover the zero to 100 km/h acceleration test in just 6.1 seconds thanks to its five-cylinder 2.5-litre turbocharged engine putting out 187 kW of power and 360 Nm of torque.Interestingly, this powerplant is a relative of that used in the latest Ford Falcon with EcoBoost and there’s speculation Ford Australia may bring out a high-performance Falcon using an adaptation of the Volvo five-cylinder unit.In the R-Design Volvo the engine drives though a six-speed Geartronic automatic transmission, with a manual mode for sporting occasions. We feel it should have steering wheel paddles to add to the excitement.DRIVINGThe Volvo has smooth acceleration thanks not only to the design of the engine, but also because of impressively fast gear shifts. Steering is direct and produces positive feedback of the type that’s enjoyed by enthusiastic drivers.The Sport chassis, standard on the T5 R-Design, is 10 mm lower than the standard set-up. Springs and shock absorbers have a firmer setting, resulting in extra-responsive driving with sharper control.Steering has electrical power assistance and can be optioned in three ways: City, with a high degree of power support for easy manoeuvring; Normal offers more road response at higher speeds; and Sport, adds a dynamic character. Thank goodness for the body-hugging sports-style seats as it grips hard in all modes.The stiffer suspension works well on better bitumen surfaces, but supplies a harsh ride on surfaces that have seen better days. Recent heavy rain on the Gold Coast didn’t do the test car any favours, with pot holes and washouts jolting the body all too frequently.With a large C-pillar and small rear window reversing could be hazardous but for assistance from sensors all round the car. Auto dimming headlamps reduce glare for oncoming traffic, cornering lights are controlled by steering input.Daytime running lights, a safety feature invented by Volvo decades before the rest of the world caught onto the idea, provide improved visibility of the V40 to all other road users, be they drivers or pedestrians.VERDICTVolvo Cars is working towards its vision that by 2020, nobody should be killed or seriously injured in a new Volvo. A seemingly impossible target to our way of thinking, but the V40 certainly showcases the incredible amount of intelligent thinking the Swedish marque continues to put into safety.MODEL RANGEV40 D2 Kinetic 1.6-litre turbo-diesel five-door wagon: $34,990 (manual)V40 D4 Kinetic 2.0-litre turbo-diesel five-door wagon: $39,990 (manual)V40 D4 Kinetic 2.0-litre turbo-diesel five-door wagon: $41,990 (automatic)V40 D4 Luxury 2.0-litre turbo-diesel five-door wagon: $45,990 (automatic)V40 T4 Kinetic 2.0-litre turbo-petrol five-door wagon: $41,990 (automatic)V40 T4 Luxury 2.0-litre turbo-petrol five-door wagon: $45,990 (automatic)V40 T5 R-Design 2.5-litre turbo-petrol five-door wagon: $49,990 (automatic)Volvo V40 T5 R-Design 2.5-litre turbo-petrol five-door wagonPrice: from $49,990Engine: 2.5-litre 5-cylinder, 187kW/360Nm Transmission: 6-speed auto, FWD Turning circle: 11.7 mKerb weight: 1468 kgFuel tank capacity: 62 litresAcceleration 0-100 km/h: 6.1 secMaximum speed: 250 km/hThirst: 8.1L/100 km, CO2 189 g/kmBrakes: Ventilated discs (front); ABS with Brake Assist (BA), Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD), Traction Control (TRC), Vehicle Stability Control (VSC)Steering: Electric power assistedWheels: Alloy 7.5 x 18-inch IXION II R-Design

It's hard to believe the new Range Rover is only the fourth generation of the iconic premium off roader. It's been around for 40 years so the people at Range Rover obviously put plenty of thought into any new model before committing. They must have put an extra effort into the latest version because it's a huge step up over the previous (already impressive) model.Range Rover seems ready and willing to adopt new technology which abounds in the new model. It's all aluminium for a start shaving weight by some 420kg.As you can no doubt tell, this is an impressive vehicle as it should be pitched at a start price of $217,100. It bristles with multimedia communication options and has slick touches like the virtual instruments, auto high beam, adaptive cruise control with auto braking, expanded Terrain Response and now, wheels up to 22 -inches in diameter.The large format touch screen has a split screen function that enables the driver to see one set of images and the passenger to see something completely different. Digital TV is piped in on three screens (two in the back) and the sound system on the mid range test car pumps out some 850w of power.But this is all the frilly stuff around the edges because a Rangey must be the ultimate off roader as well as offering ultimate luxury.Power comes from a cracking good 4.4-litre, twin-turbo, V8 diesel with 250kW and 700Nm of torque from as low as 1750rpm. It drives the permanent all wheel drive system through an eight speed auto with paddle shift. This is sufficient to propel the 2360kg Rangey from 0-100kmh in a scant 6.9 seconds while consuming as little as 8.7-litres/100km.The poms have nailed it with this vehicle which can go pretty much anywhere a driver chooses on and off road. The multi-mode Terrain Response system takes care of everything simply by rotating a dial to the required setting for a given driving environment. You can raise and lower the vehicle on its adaptive air suspension or leave that to the auto mode.Sick of not being able to see what's coming when reversing out of a car park? Not a problem with this Rangey - it looks three ways for you, left, right and straight behind.The front seats are lounge-size and multi adjustable and the rears recline and offers sumptuous room. Then there's the large load space down the back with a full size spare under the floor - just as it should be.The entire roof is pretty much glass. We like the look from some angles. It's bluff fronted and too chamfered at the rear behind the wheel but still looks the goods - a real Rangey.On the highway it's superb, off road - equally as good with a supple, controlled ride from the air suspension and enhanced stability from the 21-inch wheels. The turning circle is tight, there's plenty of ground clearance up to 295mm, it will wade through almost 1.0 metre of water and can tow up to 3500kg braked.The test vehicle was more with selected options like the desirable adaptive cruise control with queue assist - yes, it will maintain your position in a queue automatically. Quite disconcerting at first. Would you take it off road? Hardly but that would be underutilising possibly the most capable luxury off roader on the planet.

A tax cut, low ownership costs, outstanding performance and luxury accommodation for five people. It's not a negatively-geared property but one of the most comfortable, fastest and longest point between two fuel stations.It's a win-win situation. The only catch is the $148,600 for the Audi A7 Bi-Turbo diesel to start the ball rolling. This is Audi's third, and most expensive, A7 with the extra dollars supporting an extra turbocharger for the V6 diesel engine, extra chassis components to compensate for the extra oomph plus a higher equipment level.VALUEDistinction has its price. The A7 is no cheapie and even the frugal fuel economy and the tax savings - it avoids luxury-car tax because of its low fuel consumption - will take some time to compensate for the $5000 premium over the A7 petrol model.The A7 is mainly a styling exercise - see also the Mercedes CLS and BMW GT models - and canny buyers realise the equivalent bi-turbo A6 is about $30,000 cheaper. The change could buy an extra car.DESIGNThis is a big car, its swoopy lines making it hunker down to 1.4m high and stretching to 5m in length. It's not the easiest car to enter and exit and rear seat headroom won't take anyone higher than 1.8m.The rear seat was built for two but recently changed to three, so the centre is a rather uncomfortable perch. Boot space is excellent in length but shallow as the tail slopes down towards the bumper.Dash treatment is superb with easy-to-rear screen and switches. Quality is brilliant and little touches like the four ventilation outlets for the rear passengers shows thought.TECHNOLOGYThis is more than just bolting on another turbocharger. Now the smaller turbo pumps until 2500rpm, then starts handing over the boost duties to the big turbo that takes over from 3500rpm.Peak torque of 650Nm is from a very low 1450rpm and flat to 2500rpm, while the 230kW of power hits at 3900rpm and assists in the sparkling 0-100km/h time of 5.3 seconds - about a second quicker than its rivals.This engine is also in next month's SQ5 SUV. There's all-wheel drive, big 19-inch wheels and a sophisticated multi-link suspension set up.SAFETYA five-star crash rating, lots of electronic aids, constant all-wheel drive, 10 airbags, reverse camera and park sensors, heated mirrors, xenon headlights though the spare is a space-saver.DRIVINGIt sounds meaty at idle, without the typical diesel clatter, but squeeze the accelerator pedal and this transforms into a guttural roar.Audi has upspecced the exhaust with a loudspeaker so it sounds nothing like a diesel and more like a big-bore petrol V8 that is tuned to within a millimetre of its life. It's an addictive sound that may cause owners to become unwary fodder for speed cameras.You have been warned. It's such a responsive machine, from the locomotive torque of the engine to the rapid upchanges of the torque-converter auto to the firmness of the electric-assist steering.It boasts excellent handling, ride comfort that is compliant rather than plush, and it quickly endears itself to the driver. The downside is its size and limited driver visibility, though the sensors do help.VERDICTDistinctive car for the individual owner. Sensational performance and features but the A6 equivalent is the better buy.Audi A7 TDI Bi-TurboPrice: $148,600Warranty: 3 years/unlimited, roadside assistCapped Servicing: NoService interval: 12mths/15,000kmResale: 47%Safety: 10 airbags, ABS, ESC, EBD, TCCrash rating: 5-starEngine: 3-litre V6 bi-turbo diesel, 230kW/650NmTransmission: 8-speed auto; constant AWDThirst: 6.4L/100km; 169g/km CO2Dimensions: 5.0m (L), 1.9m (W), 1.4m (H)Weight: 1850kgSpare: Space-saver

Why don't wagons attract an Aussie audience? It's a mystery worthy of a CSI episode. Yet we line up like sheep to get into a five-door load-lugger if it's got more than 180mm of ground clearance (ie, a compact SUV), even if we're no more likely to drive it on dirt than through a combat zone.The latest wagon from BMW's top-selling 3 Series range provides yet further evidence that SUVs aren't the duck's guts for shifting offspring and their gear. The Touring (as BMW labels its wagons) is lighter than most soft-roaders, better looking to boot (so to speak) and outperforms them.VALUEMost of the Touring's features carry over from the sedan range, which has been on sale for more than a year. The petrol versions - 320i and 328i, running differently tuned versions of the same turbo petrol engine - join the diesel 318d.The Touring comes at a $2500 premium over the corresponding diesel sedan and $4000 over the equivalent petrol sedan. Pricing starts from $58,900 for the 318d which has three upgrade options, from $3768 to the $6000 M Sport pack. Petrol versions start from $62,600 for the 320i with $3152 for Luxury, Sport or Modern packs. For some reason M Sport is even dearer at $6385.At least the petrol models have paddle shifters for the eight-speed auto transmission, which is standard on the range, with stop-start function. All versions get an automatic tailgate as standard. A reversing camera is standard on the two petrol models.Rolling off the production line from this month is the 328i priced from $69,900, with the upgrades adding $1538 or, for the M-Sport, $5000. It too sits on 17-inch alloy wheels but gets electrochromatic mirrors (with folding function for the exterior), "fine-wood burled walnut" interior inserts, Dakota leather trim and top-spec satnav and audio.The Sport Line option pack adds high-gloss black exterior trim bits, 17 or 18in alloys, black and red accents in cabin, red stitching on the sports steering wheel and standard leather upholstered sports seats.Those looking for the finer things can tick the Luxury Line box - high-gloss chrome exterior trim bits and wood trim inserts for the interior, 17 or 18in alloy wheels and model-specific leather upholstered seats are among the highlights.The Modern option pack adds satin-finish aluminium trim, 17 or 18in alloy, a light-coloured dashboard and a steering wheel in dark oyster, leather upholstery in oyster or black and a choice of four trim strips in pearl-effect chrome or optional wood surface in three-dimensional structure.The M Sport package has aerodynamic add-ons, 10mm lower sports suspension, an optional brake upgrade, as well as the exclusive optional exterior paint shade Estoril Blue' metallic, 19in M-design alloy wheels, an M leather steering wheel and aluminium hexagon trim.TECHNOLOGYDiesel power propels the entry wagon. The 318d Touring has a 2.0-litre turbo diesel producing 105kW/320Nm. It gets to 100km/h in 9.2 seconds but also sips 4.7L/100km.The 320i and 328i share a turbo direct-injection four-cylinder, which in the mid-spec model has 135kW/270Nm and gets to 100km/h in 7.5 seconds for a 6.2L thirst. The 328i develops 180kW/350Nm, cutting the sprint time to 6.0 seconds and raising consumption to 6.5L.The range gets the fuel-saving stop-start system, brake energy recovery and the Eco Pro mode, which encourages economical driving and claims up to 20 per cent improvement in economy by way of "intelligent energy management" engine systems.DESIGNFrom the nose to the front occupants' shoulder at the door pillar, the Touring mimics the sedan. It's longer and roomier than the superseded 3 Series wagon. The cargo area is 495 litres with the rear seats up, on par with most big sedans. This trebles when the seats are folded flat.Access is via an electric-opening tailgate (which works via remote or by “kicking'' underneath the rear bumper when the key is in range), which also has a glass-only opening function, with extra clever underfloor storage in the cargo area.SAFETYThe European NCAP program ranked the sedan five stars so the wagon will surely win full marks too. The active electronic driver aid list is long stability and traction control, anti-lock brakes, cornering and dynamic brake control, as well as brake drying and electronic "limited-slip" for the rear differential, activated when the "DSC Off" function is employed.Also fitted standard is the Active Protection safety package, which readies the car's myriad safety systems if it detects a imminent impact. The options list has the obligatory raft of choices, including active cruise control (with stop-go function) and head-up display, surround-view camera system and high-beam assist.DRIVINGThe 320i's engine is willing, smooth and works well with the eight-speed auto. It hesitates a little when exiting corners, but is fuss free in fast open country running.Fans of older BMWs will miss the six-cylinder engine soundtrack, but they'll welcome the new car's Sport Plus mode and its steering wheel paddles for changing gears manually. A highlight is the ride afforded by the optional adaptive suspension it remains settled and unperturbed through mid-corner bumps.Switching to the diesel is anything but a stepdown. Its torque is reasonable and the noise intrusion minimal. The noisiest thing on the diesel drive was the climate control's fan. The diesel doesn't get the paddleshifters but has little need for them with the two sport modes offering clever shift patterns, but the more powerful petrol engine is our choice.VERDICTA versatile wagon that offers chassis balance, ride comfort and driving ease. A serious rival for an SUV.BMW 320i TouringPrice: From $62,600Warranty: 3 years/ unlimited kmCapped servicing: NoResale: 54% (Glass's Guide)Service interval: 12 months/25,000kmSafety: 5 starsEngine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo petrol 135kW/270NmTransmission: 8-speed automatic; RWDThirst: 6.21/100km,Dimensions: 4.6m (L); 1.8m (w); 1.4m (h)Weight: 1495-1595kgSpare: None

You might as well skip this. You're going to buy the CLA no matter what the likes of me say. Such a meeting of relative affordability and outright desirability has seldom been seen. The CLA will, as one observer pungently put it: "Sell its tits off," when it arrives for Christmas.For what it's worth, you're unlikely to regret investing in the cheapest ever Mercedes four door. Though at some $50,000 it's a good deal dearer than the same under the skin A-Class hatchback, the CLA sedan - or four door coupe as it is styled - is a good deal more evocative and cooler than something so utilitarian as a hatchback.VALUEWe're barely used to the reality of a fully equipped, good to drive Benz priced substantially under a basic Commodore. Such is the entry A-Class. Carsguide has gleaned that this new and madly stylish departure will start just north of $50K - eight grand under the ridiculous luxury car tax and nine under the Mercedes C-Class, which sells its chest assets off despite it.Benz has been here before, albeit with the two door and too poor CLC, a device to give hairdresser's cars a bad name. The CLA is cut of a very different cloth, essentially an A-Class in a classier suit, but with all that's substantial about that landscape altering model.Standard is a seven speed twin clutch automatic transmission driving a choice of four cylinder turbo petrol or diesel engines and multimedia screen possibly with satnav. The probable starting price is higher than we expected, but Mercedes promise a bountiful kit level, though the desirable options will be plentiful and costly.Initially we'll see the two turbo petrol variants - the entry CLA 200 and the stove hot 250. The former can be optioned with sports suspension and 18-inch wheels to match the latter's handling if not its punch. A diesel follows next year if you must go that way, as does the CLA 45 AMG with all-wheel-drive and blistering performance. You'll go that way if you can.TECHNOLOGYOf the opening lineup, the 250 is that which all with petrol in their veins will desire. The 200 is the one almost everyone will buy and feel satisfied by. Both have a three mode drive system that at a button's push shifts engine response between normal, sport and manual which is operated within strict limits by shifting paddles.While most Mercedes except SUVs remain rear wheel drive, its latest models suffer little from the fact of the one end doing both the steering and driving. All variants get Direct Steer which is smart enough to react to changes in grip, gradient and gratuitous driving.Few cars punch so cleanly through the air. The term "drag co-efficient" may mean nothing to you; suffice that the sharp angled CLA's is one of the lowest of any production car and a major contributor to its exceptionally low fuel use and emissions.The newest versions of Merc's multi-media system brings photo realistic map display, an additional Bluetooth profile to enable net access via iPhone and real time traffic data. Connoisseurs need to know that while the A250 Sport was developed from the get go with the input of that mighty tuning arm AMG, the top CLA lacks that. Mind you, we who drove between Marseille and St Tropez reckon that counts for close to nothing, so adept is the newcomer. Anyway, CLA 250 Sport to sit beneath the full on AMG model is on the way.DESIGNBasically this is the A-Class in a shell sculpted down from the imposing CLS, the model that started the mania for so-called four door coupes. The effect of those accents concentrated in a smaller shape - though one longer than the current C-Class sedan - is confronting."Aggressive" is invariably used to describe the styling of sporting cars - for once the adjective is warranted. Seen live in the metal the CLA is stunning. The shapely nose mirrors that of the hatchback, but we're assured that not a panel is shared.The inside story is, to our eyes, yet more successful even with the lurid and mercifully optional yellow stitching and striped seats of our test 200. The cabin is otherwise a model of class and taste, from the bare centre console and largely unadorned but quality expanses to your front.The five circular vents are the more effective, both functionally and in form, for standing out. It isn't classist to say this defines the difference between a try hard car from the lower orders and a true patrician. It just is. Now to the caveat. No one standing more than 180cm in height will want to sit in the back. In fact, they can't.There's also the minor matter of the driver being barely able to see out the back, so thick are the pillars and small the rear portal. Blind spot alert had better be standard. But this is, of course, a coupe, albeit one with two extra doors than usual and if functionality is too impeded for your liking, Mercedes will sell you a mechanically compatible hatchback.SAFETYWe do tend to go on about active safety and so we should. By that we mean the ability of the car to co-operate with you in not making necessary all those airbags and crumple zones. While the five star cars rating of the A-Class will surely carry over, it's the CLA’s inherent balance and instinctive drivability that will do most to save you from yourself.DRIVINGThere has been considerable disquiet among the petrol sniffing fraternity as Benz and soon, BMW, moves away from the holy rear-wheel-drive paradigm. Likely buyers (ie: real people) are hardly likely to be bothered and even the doom mongers will be hard put to complain.The 200, running the smaller turbo petrol engine, is going to be more than enough for most of us. Never mind that its 0-100kmh time of 8.6 seconds is more than two ticks of the clock behind the guts and glory 250. We talk about torque for the damn good reason that it's far more important than power in most modern driving situations.This is another compact turbo petrol engine that summons all the torque has almost immediately both for efficiency in general running and rapid response when overtaking. That responsiveness is allied to refinement fully in keeping with one of Merc's luxury saloons - the CLS for example.Hastily leaving a toll booth on the test drive (at that point it's a rat race in France) the guttural growl of the engine is almost shocking, so quiet was it till this moment. Mercedes might be after younger buyers, but it's not about to forsake its traditional virtues.That applies to the driving experience as a whole. The 200 is not the sportster of the lineup, though the optional suspension keeps it in that ballpark. It is, however, recognisably of Mercedes DNA. You can well imagine a CLA owner for whom family responsibility has come either trading up to a C-Class or getting an A- or B-Class as a second car to fulfil life's grimmer tasks.Once you've had a Benz in the driveway, you're not willingly going back to the farm. On the first world roads in the south of France, the CLA 200 is to all intents and purposes faultless. The ride won't thrill a traditional Benz buyer, but even on sports suspension it is absorbent without losing dynamic poise.By no means the most involving drive (the manual mode is too apt to block selections - you're best to leave it to pick its own gears in the sport setting), it points and goes where it should when you want it to abetted by completely linear steering.It's looking looking likely that Benz Australia will take a CLA 250 Sport over the 250 with sports enhancements we drove. That means the quicker steering, rorty exhaust and stabiliser bars of the equivalent A-Class added to an already formidable package. The 2.0-litre turbo four puts out a stonking 155kW/350Nm, the latter all from low 1200rpm.It gives the CLA a knockout punch over the deft jabbing 200. Although the transmission's tendency to scale the gears quickly can exasperate, we'd give it an extra half star to add to lesser car's four.VERDICTStill with us? Looks as though you were right in the first place. Where's mine?Mercedes-Benz CLA 200Price: From $50,000Warranty: 3 years/100,00kmCapped servicing: NoplppResale: N/AService interval: 12 months/15,000kmSafety: 5 starsEngine: 1.6-litre 4-cylinder turbo petrol; 115kW/250NmTransmission: Seven-speed auto; FWDThirst: 5.5L/100kmDimensions: 4.6m (L); 1.4m (h); 1.7m (w)Weight: 1395kgSpare wheel: none

Vlad Manu road tests and reviews the Mazda 2 Neo, with specs, fuel economy and verdict.

Carsguide will next week head to South Australia to drive BMW's new 3 Series Touring. OK, the wagon is a marginal seller in this part of the world, but it’s been 13 months since the sedan lobbed and that’s quite a wait for a family friendly car that promises to be a good thing.Carsguide has just driven BMW's new 3 Series Gran Turismo, a car that redefines marginal. And mongrelised. Not a sedan, not a wagon, not a hatch, not a coupe, not an SUV - though it has elements of all - the so-called GT is coming our way in late June.    VALUESeldom has this question been so much in the eye of the beholder. You might consider that you're getting three cars for the price of one. Equally you could see it as too much money for not enough of anything.BMW is yet to finalise GT prices beyond saying it will come at premium on the wagon, which in turn is priced above the sedan. That means a price range of $70,000 to $76,000.Aside from Audi's A5 Sportback (a reinvention of the elongated lift back style which was also popular on the last Mazda6) there are no direct rivals, which says something in itself.While the GT ought, at that premium, to provide more, it provides only difference. Four cylinder engines and trim choices mirror the rest of the 3 Series range. The Sport line package - a monochrome interior partially enlivened by silver accents - is most popular. An M-Sport kit comes in late in the year with big wheels and sports suspension.Likewise the 320i with its fast but frugal turbo petrol engine. Yet that was not available to drive in Palermo. The X3 SUV, which has the GT's elevated driving position and storage uncompromised by a whimsical shape, starts at $59,200.The 320i and the diesel 320d open the local batting with the fully tuned 328i lobbing later.Our 3 Series sedans, with the exception of the hybrid, are made in South Africa. The interior quality of these has not impressed. The GT comes from Germany. Would that the proportion were inverse.TECHNOLOGYAs per the 3 Series sedan it’s a tech tour de force with class leading turbo engines and eight speed automatic transmission. The 320i is a case in point, smaller in size than the six cylinder engines for which BMW is famous, but as rapid and more efficient - so much so you wouldn't bother with diesel.Riding on a longer wheelbase version of the wagon platform, the GT requires the same optional enhancements to make it ride decently. It strikes a discordant note that the "sheer driving pleasure" brand no longer comes with an acceptable default setting.DESIGNWe’ve suggested Walter da Silva, the designer of the A5 Coupe was backed over by an outgoing 3 Series Coupe. Certainly its rear end made an impression on him.In designing its belated riposte to the A5 Sportback BMW can't be accused of knocking off anyone else’s work. They've  considered the Audi's appeal and taken the polar opposite approach. It isn't as overwhelmingly ungainly as the 5 Series GT, but that's only because it's a bit smaller.The Gran Turismo is slightly longer and taller than the 3 Series wagon. The front and rear passengers sit higher than those in the sedan but the swooping coupe roof compresses head room. Yet the backseaters can stretch their leg. So again, no real advantage, just a point (and not a very good one) of difference.The tailgate is another of the new wave that responds to a sensor in the proximity key fob. You open it by waving a foot under back end. Great if you're hands are full of shopping or a mountain bike. It's cleverly laid out too with extra under floor storage and space to stow the cargo covers.If only there was more space. Constricted as it is by the funky or fugly shape (take your pick) most self-respecting wagons or SUVs match its load capacity.  You can drop the rear seats, but that's so of any hatchback and doing so means you also drop three passengers. Again, the point is elusive.Are we making too much of this? I don’t think so. The GT demands to be judged on its design. Just as BMW has diluted the driverly virtues that distinguished the 3 Series, the GT suggests they've forgotten what one should look like.The shudder felt on seeing the malformed X6 quasi-SUV now seems premonitory. Far from being a elaborate practical joke that eluded only the Americans who build them and largely buy them, its malign influence has spread. Presumably the 3 Series GT is also aimed at them.Why then build it in right hand drive? Because more models means more sales? Good luck - the Yanks are ignoring the 5 Series GT in the same proportion as Australians. Releasing a new niche variant every five minutes works for Audi because although its entry models aren't much to drive, they look pretty good. At any rate they don’t look like this. The GT falls short on form and function.       SAFETYThe five safety stars earned by the sedan extend to this, although it’s customary to test crash cars by the front end not the back as seems to have occurred here. Indeed, such unfortunate serendipity might explain its shape.Standard is a reversing camera, optional is the full surround camera and head up display.  As ever with BMW there is no spare wheel, only run flat tyres, because driving conditions in Australia apparently mirror those of Germany.DRIVINGOf the available test cars only the diesel 320d is of interest to us. The same engine and transmission runs the 520d, to which we've awarded two stars from five.The 3 Series GT is by no means as poor as the marginally bigger, far heavier and more expensive model, but then it couldn't possibly be. On rutted Sicilian roads, all too like those at home, the GT was no more comfortable than any 3 Series without the expensive addition of M Sports suspension. Eight centimetres might not sound much, but that extra height over the sedan is felt when cornering.Still, it does get closer to behaving as a buyer has very right to expect from a car with this badge. Sending all the drive forces to the rear wheels leaves the front free to steer and this simple formula, of which BMW remains one of the few remaining practitioners, works in the form of fluency on back roads and a tight turning circle in town.The eight speed auto isn't easily caught out. It's almost always in the right gear, plucking the optimum from a great, grunty engine that is exceptionally refined and at its best doing highway cruising speed If you associate diesels with coarse agricultural devices, think again. You really ought to drive the 320d next to a 320i.But in another model line perhaps, because if you associate 3 Series with great driving and graceful design, this is not the 3 Series for you.VERDICTBuy the 3 Series wagon or X3 SUV. Or an Audi A5 Sportback.BMW 320D GTPrice: From $70,000Warranty: 3 years/100,00kmCapped servicing: NoResale: N/AService interval: 12 months/15,000kmSafety: 5 starsEngine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo diesel; 135kW/380NmTransmission: Eight-speed auto; RWDThirst: 5.8L/100kmDimensions: 4.8m (L); 1.48m (h); 1.8m (w)Weight: 1540kgSpare: none

If you buy a Porsche 911 you want the phat one. That would be all-wheel-drive Carrera 4 models with the rear flanks flared by 22mm a side to house a wider track and 10mm bigger rubber. The C4 and C4S account for 85 per cent of 911 Carrera sales. They’re sexy, swift and - in less than ideal conditions - more surefooted than their rear-drive counterparts.VALUEThe C4 coupe costs $255,400 for a 3.4-litre flat-six engine with 257kW/390Nm matched to a seven-speed manual. The 3.8-litre 294kW/440Nm S model starts at $289,400 for the manual, while the cabriolet C4 and C4S are $280,900 and $315,000 respectively.Only 20 per cent of buyers go for the traditional shifter even though it now rev-matches, or blips, on downshifts in Sports mode. Most stump up another $5950 for the seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.Standard gear across the range includes an auto-deploying rear spoiler, bi-xenon headlamps, a 12-speaker Bose sound system, satnav, cruise control (adaptive is an option) and a seven-inch touchscreen. S models add six-piston front brakes, a rear diff lock and active suspension with a 10mm lower ride height.TECHNOLOGYA digital display of how the torque transfer system is feed front and rear axles now features on the instrument panel. It’d be handy in the real-world but on the newly resurfaced Phillip Island layout, most of the momentum was achieved down back.Until things get way untidy or you’re accelerating off the line, the C4 and C4S have been engineered to behave like rear-drivers. All transmission s include an auto stop/start setting and the dual-clutch auto adds a coasting function. DESIGNThe wide-bodied 911 fuses form and function into one of the most distinctive and desirable shapes in automotive history.  The heftier rear is an elongated power bulge reflecting the improved grip that comes from a wider track. The grippy leather seats are classic, pampered Porsche and while there’s a bunch of switches to learn, the important ones are below the shifter. Cabriolet owners can raise or lower the soft-top hood in 13 seconds at speeds up to 50km/h.SAFETYSpending $250,000 to throw a relatively low-volume car at a wall doesn’t appeal to EuroNCAP or ANCAP, so the 911 doesn’t have an official score. What it does have is Swiss-watch steering, the mechanical grip of an octopus and a beefy set of brakes overseeing a smart software suite.DRIVINGThere’s a directness to driving a Porsche that that isn’t hurt by the reassurance there’s all-paw grip to help hang on to the black stuff. It’s a dance on wheels and pedals as driver inputs initiate a chain reaction of changes to the vehicle’s poise and pace. They’re transmitted back through the spot-on electric steering, the seat of the pants and the rising pitch of the tyre whine.It’s an engaging driver’s car, pure and simple, and will continue to obsess designers and drivers alike. Yes there are quicker cars for the price but performance is more than sprint times. The C4S officially hits 100km/h in 4.1 seconds. It doesn’t need to slow down for much beyond hairpin turns after that. The engine was built to rev and it demands track days to see anything close to its potential.VERDICTThe 911 has engineered performance into a pedigree with more repute than most European royalty. This generation of the C4 range upholds that tradition with aplomb. Unlike royalty, it is still entirely relevant to modern life.FACTOIDA skid-pan exercise with the C4 and C4S models had to be abandoned after the all-paw cars found too much traction to slide on the wet concrete, even with the stability management software switched off.Porsche 911 C4, C4SPrice: from $255,400-$315,000Warranty: 3 years/unlimited kmResale: 64 per cent (three years, Glass’s Guide)Service Interval: 12 months/15,000kmEngines: 3.4-litre flat six, 257kW/390Nm; 3.8-litre flat six 294kW/440NmTransmission: 7-speed manual, AWDDimensions: 4.49m (L), 1.85m (W), 1.3m (H)Weight: 1430kg-1515kgSpare: Tyre inflation kitThirst: 9.3L/100km (98 RON), 219g/km CO2 to 10.0L/100km (98RON), 236g/km CO2

Yes, it comes in yellow. It might be called the Black Series, but the Gullwing Benz with all the belter bits looks absolutely stunning in hi-viz yellow.Not just that, but the SLS 63 AMG looks even better when you're hotdogging around Phillip Island -- in a car that would normally cost $639,000 to park in the driveway.This is a very special day in a very special car. Only 10 copies of the latest Black Series hero car from the AMG hothouse in Germany are allocated to Australia. Eight are already sold, with two available for the cashed-up contenders jockeying for the final slots. But this car is not a customer car, it's the AMG demonstrator that's been air-freighted in to star at the Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park. Because Australia has the largest per-capita appetite for AMG cars in the world, the SLS is on a whistle-stop tour that includes a handful of laps with the Carsguide crew in the relative safety of the Island circuit that's home to MotoGP and also hosts the V8 Supercar crowd.Measured against that standard, the SLS Black comes up surprisingly well. In fact, it's the only road car where I've backed out before the car gave up. Unless you count the Bugatti Veyron at Sandown Park a few years ago, but the Veyron is more of a science experiment than any sort of road car.The SLS Black looks like a racer, sounds like a real racer, and also has racer responses, but you can register it. It's not a car I would like to dribble through the traffic to the office, and I'm certain it is way too harsh for on-road enjoyment, but it's just the sort of weapon you need to carve out some special time at Phillip Island.AMG has a history with Black Series cars that runs back to a hotrod SLK and now includes the fantastic C63 Coupe and the silly-fast twin-turbo V12 SL65. This time, though, it's different. The SLS is the first complete car developed by AMG and not modified from a Benz original.The Black Series package obviously includes a giant rear wing, aero 'flicks' ahead of the front wheels, and bigger forged alloy rims, but the development work goes a lot deeper. The car is 70 kilos lighter than a cooking gullwing and the engine makes 464 kiloWatts and 635 Newton-metres, so more power but less torque. And it revs all the way to 8000, with a seven-speed gearbox that's been tweaked for much quicker shifts.Digging into the detail, the engine sits lower, there is carbon fibre strengthening and a carbon fibre torque tube to the transaxle gearbox, an electronic limited-slip differential, and the front end has different steering knuckles and far less rubber.What does that all mean?Well, apart from the stratospheric price and Mick Doohan's demonstration laps on Sunday at the AGP meeting, it's a damn fast car. As I slide into the driver's seat - on the left-hand side, since the car is not staying in Australia - I can sense that it's a special occasion.The seat is a hip-hugger race bucket with no electric adjustment and there is a race driver - Dave Russell - already installed on the passenger side as my ‘coach’. Normally these blokes are a handbrake but he is a ripper guy who just wants me to go fast and enjoy the car.Then I turn the key. And I do. A regular SLS gullwing sounds chubby, but this one has the harsh brassy edge of greatness. It's a V8 that's born to run. As I roll down the pit lane, I can feel that the suspension is much more taut than a regular SLS - or something as humble as an HSV Holden - with all the bumps feeding straight back through the steering.Then I stomp on the gas and …. whoa, this thing is seriously seriously fast. Phillip Island is a fast track that demands respect, and so does the Black in yellow, but I'm rapidly approaching the sort of speeds and grip levels that are normally reserved for race cars.Compared with a ‘cooking’ SLS, this stove-hot rocket has much better ceramic brakes, turns like a soldier on parade, and has more power than I can use. I need to stop and think and download Dangerous Dave's eager coaching. While I wait, I soak up the details of a car that takes AMG and Benz into a world that's normally reserved for Ferrari and Lamborghini. Yes, it's that fast. For my second sprint, I quickly lift the pace and relax to enjoy the ride. Except...Except the car is so, so good that I'm struggling to stay ahead of the action. The back is a little unsettled in a couple of places, particularly into the left-hander at Siberia Corner, and the brakes are grabbing me down from more than 200km/h at three places on the track. I'm enjoying, but I am working hard. The car? I'm sure it has plenty in reserve.So I park and smile and laugh and hit the rewind button in my head to enjoy a very, very rare treat in a very rare car. The Black Series SLS is as focussed as anything I've driven at Phillip Island, and that includes a V8 Supercar and a Nissan GT-R, and as brutally fast as you could want or hope. It's silly money, and it would be stupid as a commuter car, but for one special day I'm living a dream.

Audi was really the first to bring all-wheel drive quattro systems to their cars, wagons and SUVs, with others following suit, particularly Subaru. The first quattros soon dominated world rallying and the all-paw systems were quickly adopted by other manufacturers.Today Audi and Subaru are among the few offering a wide range of all-wheel drive vehicles in their ranges from small cars through to large SUVs. While the A4 is also offered in front drive, it is a better car with the quattro.VALUESales of the A4 are up 30 per cent this year but still behind the Mercedes-Benz C-Class and BMW's 3-Series. It's a good start to 2013 after sales fell 11.6 per cent last year.The A4 was updated last year with the review car, the 2.0 TFSI quattro coming with satellite-navigation, Xenon headlights with LED daytime running lights, keyless entry and push start button, electric front seats and 18-inch alloy wheels.Other goodies are front and rear parking sensors, 10-speaker sound system, automatic lights and wipers, cruise control, electric front seats, power windows, mirrors and steering, leather upholstery and steering wheel, Bluetooth and climate airconditioning.Options on the car included very expensive metallic paint ($1650) and a $5800 S-Line sports package with sports suspension and front seats, special alcantara fabric and five-spoke alloy wheels. On the road it is $78,973 as tested.TECHNOLOGYThe 2.0 TFSI quattro is the pick of the range. Audi lopped a nice $8000 off this variant and, while the engine is unchanged, its 155kW/350Nm outputs were hardly an issue.For the extra outlay over the base model you get the rear-biased quattro all-wheel-drive system and, as good as Audi's front-drive system is, the four-wheel-drive set-up feels safer, with tenacious levels of grip when the going gets trickier.The turbocharged engine is a gem and the double clutch gearbox is a delight except at low speeds. The quattro should return 8.8L per 100km. I saw 10.3 in a mix of spirited driving, highway cruising and around town.All A4s are now fitted with an electro-mechanical steering system that cuts fuel use by a claimed 0.3 litres per 100km. While the improvements to economy are great, the steering is still too light at lower speeds around town.Also on board is is the good S tronic dual-clutch automatic, which is much better than the "multitronic'' CVT, always revving to the redline in sport mode and changing down when braking hard into a corner.But there are still moments of hesitation at low speeds, particularly when reversing out of angle parks and the fear the car will slide into the kerb until the transmission engages.DESIGNThe A4 is a handsome and contemporary sedan with subtle changes inside, including new headlights with LED daytime running lamps incorporated in the design.Up front, the A4 is roomy and the driving position comfortable, but it's tighter in the rear seats for tall people, although about standard for the segment. Boot space is voluminous.SAFETYOn the safety front it's packed with passive and active systems, including eight airbags, stability, traction and various braking electronic devices, ABS brakes, an electronic parking brake and tilt and reach adjusting steering wheels.DRIVINGOn the open road it's better, with more weight and artificial feedback dialled in, while levels of grip from the surefooted quattro drivetrains proving confidence-inspiring on twisting and soaked roads such as the Kuranda and Rex ranges. It sits flat on the road.On my favourite piece of tarmac between Walkamin and Oaky Creek Farms the Audi quattro was fantastic and I was able to string together a series of the bends well, with plenty of grip and grin. In fact, the chassis could do with more power. Bring on the S4.The suspension is pliant, and road noise is subdued on most surfaces except coarse bitumen. Engine noise is low as is wind roar.VERDICTThe Audi 2.0 TFSI quattro is a nice all-round package offering sportiness, luxury and practicality. It can be driven hard and be a lot of fun or a pleasant cruiser. At just under $80K as tested it's a competent and quality package.Audi A4 2.0 TFSI quattroPrice: from $64,500Warranty:  3 years/unlimited kmService interval: 12 months/15,000kmEngine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo, 155kW/350NmTransmission:  7 speed double clutch auto, AWDThirst: 7.0L/100km, 159g/km CO2Dimensions: 4.70m (L), 1.82m (W), 1.42m (H)