Luxury Reviews

THE wheels are the first hint that something is different about this Volvo.  The two-door  Volvo C30 DRIVe hatch features futuristic plate-style wheel covers that are supposed to reduce air turbulence and improve fuel efficiency.And that is what this car is all about. Economy.  It sips fuel at a claimed 3.8 litres of diesel for every 100km, giving it a conceivable cruising range of up to 1300km on a single 52-litre tank while emitting 99g of CO2.The only car more economical on our roads is the diesel Fiesta ECOnetic. It beats any hybrid on the market and even the three-cylinder Suzuki Alto.PRICINGSo, as far as value is concerned, it's at least cheap at the fuel pump.  However, it's a Volvo so it also comes with a host of safety features, plenty of creature comforts and excellent build quality but a price tag to match.It's about $12,000 more expensive than the Fiesta but at $36,990 it's still one of the cheapest and best-value Volvos ever produced.TECHNOLOGYHelping it achieve its anorexic fuel diet is the increasingly popular stop-start technology that automatically switches off the engine when the vehicle is stationary, even for just a coupe of seconds.However, in diesel cars such as the Mini, this technology feels jerky as diesel engines shudder as they stop and start.  Volvo claims stop-start reduces fuel consumption by up to 8 per cent.If you find it annoying, you can always turn it off with the button on the centre console. But you will have to do that every time you start the car as it defaults to being switched on.The stop-start system's economy drive is aided by a regenerative system that charges the battery as soon as the driver brakes or lifts off the accelerator, relieving the engine of that function and therefore reducing fuel consumption.Technology in the DRIVe isn't limited to economic gains.  There are also a lot of creature features such as Bluetooth and MP3 connectivity and surprisingly for a car made in the cold climes of Sweden, the climate-control airconditiong goes down to a chilly 14 degrees. Just what you need to beat Aussie summers.DESIGNEven though it's now a few years old, the C30 is still a fresh-looking design that is destined to be timeless.  Making it a little more futuristic are the wheels which are aided in their wind-cheating ways by a deflecting panel behind the grille to improve airflow around the engine and an aerodynamically smooth underbody.Interior design is similarly practical and stylish without looking like a 1970s Swedish soft-porn film.  Take for example the innovative and stylish floating centre stack which is designed to look like a cross between a Nokia phone and Bang & Olufsen remote control.Consequently, even though there are a lot of buttons, it is intuitive and easy to use. However, it is not without its design faults.Because of the proximity of the centre stack to the gear shift, I inadvertently and prematurely ended several phone calls when my thumb struck the "exit" button as I engaged third or fifth gear.SAFETYAs expected in a Volvo, safety is a major focus with six airbags, adaptive emergency brake lights, whiplash protection seats, electronic stability control and traction control, and anti-skid brakes.Not only does the rear end have a unique look, but it is also provides good rear vision, while forward and side vision is similarly very good.DRIVINGI tried as hard as possible to reach the claimed economy figures of 3.8L/100km and failed, but only just.  I slipped it into neutral down hills, avoided hard braking and acceleration, changed up early as directed by the arrow on the LCD screen in front of the driver, turned off the airconditioning and kept the windows up.With just me in the car and in a mix of highway and city driving, the best I could do was 4.1L/100km.  When I gave up and drove the car as normal, it climbed to 4.9L/1200km, which is still quite respectable.But economy is no good if the car drives like a wet dish rag. Fortunately it doesn't.  The engine has good grunt for daily driving shores and highway overtaking.It pulls well from under 2000 revs, but runs out of breath quickly, requiring good use of the gearbox.  The clutch is light and the transmission is smooth and reliable for quick gear changes and throttling the most out of the engine when needed.It handles nimbly around the city, isn't thrown by choppy surfaces on B roads and is stable and very quiet on the highway.  Cabin comfort and room is good despite being a small two-door coupe.It is relatively easy to get in and out of the back with a wide opening door and front seats that quickly slide all the way forward. Even adults will feel comfortable in the two rear seats.While there isn't much space in the cargo area with two rear passengers on board, the rear seats fold flat and provide quite a large and usable cargo area for a small car.There are also plenty of handy cubby holes and storage areas around the cabin.VERDICTEconomic and environmentally conscious motoring doesn't have to be boring, ugly, cheap, nasty or unsafe.  This Volvo proves it.Volvo C30 DRIVePrice: $36,150Engine: Diesel, 1.6-litre, 4-cylinder turbocharged, dohc; with stop-startPower: 80kW @ 4000rpm.Torque: 250Nm @ 1750rpm.Transmission: Five-speed manual; front-wheel-drive.Fuel consumption: 3.8 litres/100km.CO2 emissions: 99g/km.Dimensions: 4266mm long, 1782mm wide.

THERE have been some mad, bad BMWs in the past that had more in common with American muscle cars than sober ``ultimate driving machines''. Exhibit A: the M Coupes and Roadsters offered during the previous decade. Rather than the balance of attributes in an M3, the performance version of BMW's junior executive, the M Coupes and their relatives prioritised ballistic power.I never spent much time in any of them and when I did, their reputation for handling like greasy eels made me very wary.I was expecting this Z4, the fastest and most expensive variant of the roadster range launched last year, to lay down rubber in the same direction. It comes from the same model line as M Coupes and Roadsters, which were the heady pinnacle of previous Z ranges. Like them, the 35is has a straight-six cylinder engine and with 250kW, almost identical power.The new car is even quicker to 100km/h, with a quoted time of 4.8 seconds, than the last of the crazy Coupes. It's as quick, in fact, as BMW's current M3 with a manual gearbox. And that's pretty quick for something that lacks the imprimatur of the brand's M tuning division.BMW says there are no plans to make an M version of this Z, although, like most car companies, BMW denies everything right up to the moment when it confirms what everyone suspected all along. There's scope to do it here because, compared with previous top-shelf Zs, this one is completely sane. The name should have been enough of a giveaway.Over the years, BMW's naming strategy has become increasingly convoluted to the point where it's now a crime against nomenclature. ``Z4 sDrive35is'' has all the legibility of a DNA sequence and you'll need a centrifuge and a microscope to spot that the only difference between this and its nearest neighbour is the ``s'' tacked on the end.That's how it feels from behind the wheel, too. For another $13,000 it's quicker than the Not-s model by 0.3 seconds to 100km/h, thanks to reprogramming of its twin-turbo engine for more boost. It needs a few more revs to deliver, but on tap is 25kW more power and 50Nm more torque. There's even an overboost function that briefly delivers 500Nm, which is enough to pull a plough. It's a fabulous unit that remains unflappable however hard you work it and emits a tuneful deep, throaty sound.But it doesn't feel like a leap into supercar territory. I'm not even convinced that I'd be able to pick this car from the Not-s unless I drove them back to back. Perhaps expectations are playing tricks on me here. This version is respectably fast, but given the numbers I thought it would have a scary turn of speed that takes your breath away.It's a little unclear, too, why BMW has retained this engine in this model. Elsewhere it's being replaced by one with a single, twin-scroll turbocharger that's better for fuel economy (see below). It's still early in this Z's model cycle, so perhaps that will come.There are other remnants of earlier thinking, too. The seven-speed double-clutch gearbox, optional in the Not-s but standard here, is a good example of the type but BMW has stuck with its idiosyncratic shift paddles on the wheel, which need to be pushed for down, pulled for up. Virtually everyone else has abandoned brand-specific solutions for the industry standard of left paddle for down, right for up. There's a reason why: it's better.Aside from the engine, the other main engineering upgrade is adaptive suspension. This lowers the car and adjusts to road surfaces on the move. Apparently, when the front wheels hit a bump the system is quick enough to alter the rear suspension set-up in time for the back wheels to be prepared. It copes well with rolling dips and crests but less well with sharp bumps and potholes, where it lacks the brilliant initial compliance of most BMWs. The ride quality can be abrupt.At the same time, even on the firmest setting there's a fair bit of body roll and the suspension seems to exhaust its range of movement quickly. It can be caught out.On a twisty road, this Z4 is capable but, unfortunately, not engaging, and nowhere near the best that BMW can offer. The electric steering has been tweaked for better tactility but still felt remote, an impression magnified by the long bonnet that ends who-knows-where. From the driver's seat, the steering wheel is offset slightly to the left and that doesn't help matters either.Read more about prestige motoring at The Australian.

The new roadster has plenty of M stuff, and the performance to match a manual M3 coupe, but BMW Australia says it's not a true M car and not entitled to the badge which brings ultimate BMW bragging rights. Instead, in the confusing BMW world of 2010, the rapid twin-turbo Roadster is called the sDrive35is.To translate into the stuff that matters, it has a force-fed six that makes 250kW/500Nm, a seven-speed double-clutch sports auto gearbox, adaptive M suspension, 18-inch alloys and a unique bark from its twin- pipe exhaust.The car is priced from $129,900 and aimed straight at the Porsche Boxster, although BMW Australia concedes there could be some people who will shop it against an Audi TTRS, something AMG from Benz, or even a Nissan 370Z.The change away from a true M-car in the Z4 range shows the work pressure on BMW's hot shop, which has only just finished the X5 and X6 and is now deeply into the next V8 turbo M5, as well as a slight direction change for the two-seater convertible. It's not as extreme these days.The price hardly matters because BMW Australia only has 25 cars for the rest of the year and is expecting a similar tight supply through 2011. But it's $129,900 without an - inevitable - extra dip through the optional-equipment list.That puts it straight up against the Boxster, which starts at $105,000 these days, and it even undercuts the Boxster S which is the real choice for keen drivers. Then again, there will be an all-new Boxster next year which promises a lot more - including space - than today's car."It's the Boxster that we're really got in our sights. It raises the perfomrance to the standard of the Porsche," says Piers Scott, spokesman for BMW Australia. He touts the changes and particularly the unique-design alloy wheels, M logos on things like the steering wheel and scuff plates inside the wheel, as well as the lower ride height and the unique exhaust note.But he also concedes the Z4, across the board, is not a big seller in Australia. This year's running sales total is 188 against 126 in 2009, despite the arrival of an all-new model. "They are not flying out the door. Globally it has been a huge success story and leads the segment by far, but in Australia it is still to find its feet," he admits.The key to the car is the twin-turbo six, which uses one turbocharger each for three cylinders, to deliver peak torque from just 1500 revs and overboost of 500 Newton-metres under high-load conditions. Peak power comes at 5900 revs, relatively low against M cars with redlines around 8000.The double-clutch gearbox is the right choice for the car, although it still has the silly auto-style shift levers of the cruisey BMWs, and the adaptive suspension is set lower with the ability for more firmness and grip. The driver assist systems are also switchable to ensure maximum fun."For the pure enthusiast, it's a performance car that's track capable," says Scott.As for the exhaust note, it's not a pure M system but has been tuned to give a better note.The latest Z4 is slightly bigger and slightly more rounded, with more cabin space than before. It still has a folding hardtop that works quickly and easily, with a cabin that has the right stuff in the right places.The changes for the M upgrade are minor, but enough for BMW enthusiasts to know the difference.The second-generation Z4 came with more poise and balance than the previous car, which makes it better for an M-style upgrade. It copes easily with the extra power and torque, instead of turning into a bucking broncho, and never feels to be stretched beyond its limits. The nose will push wide if you get onto the power too hard or too early in a tight bend, but generally it just tracks around a curve and invites you to dip into the loud pedal.When you do there is a very sweet thump from the exhaust, although it's not the same as the howl from a non-turbo six or V8 from the M-car menu.It is an extremely rapid car at all times on all types of roads, but is not lairy or overdone. In fact, it's remarkably refined and that should work for people who are considering a Boxster. The gearbox is terrific for maintaining swift motoring, although the engine will drop below ideal boost in tight corners as second is a bit too tall. It recovers boost quickly, but is something you notice. The ride is firm but not shaky, the seats are great, there is good feel to the suspension and the brakes never feel troubled, even at fairly rapid speed.The Z4 hero is a true hero and definitely capable of challenging the Porsche Boxster, but you have to wonder if people with the right money would also want the right badge - an M - to tell people what they have in the garage.

THEY say Aston Martins all look the same, and they have a point. When you spy one you immediately know it's an Aston -- they're that distinctive -- but was it DB9 or a DBS? A V8 or a V12? You seldom see two together, so it's hard to tell.However, I'm at Phillip Island race circuit surrounded by more than 40 examples representing every facet of the line-up. It's the first track day organised by the company in Australia and could be the largest gathering of Astons down under.Many owners have driven their cars interstate to be here, and some have flown in from New Zealand. When they're all together like this -- the cars, that is, not the owners -- it's surprising how the differences leap out at you. They're at least as different from each other as, say, Porsches.The Aston range has just been expanded by one and it's the most different of the lot. The Rapide is Aston's first four-door sportscar after it joined the rush to design slinky sedans. This segment, pioneered by the Mercedes-Benz CLS and Maserati Quattroporte, is growing rapidly. The Porsche Panamera is another newcomer while Audi and BMW both intend to make ``four-door coupes''.DESIGNSo far, the Rapide is the one that has made the transition from two doors to four with the fewest compromises on shape. A Panamera is more commodious in the rear but looks ugly from behind and bulky all over. Aston struck a different balance.The Rapide sticks to the concept that surprised the Detroit motor show in 2006, which looked like a stretched DB9. Side by side, it's obvious there was a bit more involved than that.It's bigger in all dimensions to the brand's pin-up 2+2, but most obviously longer, by 30cm. The Rapide retains all the brand signatures, including ``swan'' doors that swing upwards slightly to lift them clear of kerbs. But every panel is different while ingredients such as the headlights and side strakes are longer. It also gets a unique face with a grille on the lower air intake and main-beams garnished with a string of LEDs.Aston says it's the most beautiful four-door sportscar, and it's hard to disagree. Some of the effect relies on visual tricks. The rear doors are much larger than the actual openings; some of what they conceal is structural. It's a squeeze to get in and, once there, it's tight but bearable for full-sizers, better for children. The rear seats fold for carrying long stuff, which is just as well because cargo space is a relatively miserly 317 litres.One question mark concerns the car's assembly, which is being done away from the English Midlands at a special facility in Austria. Transplanting the brand's craft traditions appears to have worked; the car I drove was beautifully hand-finished to a high standard. As usual, what appears to be metal is metal, including the Bang & Olufsen speaker grilles and magnesium gearshift paddles behind the wheel. The Rapide just seems a little more lavish.TECHNOLOGYThere are no dud notes here, although the centre console, which is borrowed from the DB9, has fiddly buttons and the control system is rudimentary compared with the best of the Germans.In technical terms the Rapide follows the DB9, with the same engine and six-speed automatic transmission located at the rear axle. As with the two-door, most of the Rapide is aluminium and Aston claims the bonded chassis has been stretched without compromising rigidity. Weight increases are the penalty, with the Rapide 230kg heavier than a DB9 at a whisker under two tonnes.The Rapide chalks up a few firsts for the brand, including an electronic park brake and dual-cast brake discs in cast iron and aluminium. It also installs adaptive dampers from the DBS to its double wishbone suspension.DRIVINGAs well as being the largest and heaviest Aston, the Rapide is also the slowest. At 5.2 seconds to reach 100km/h, it's 0.4 seconds slower than a DB9. It gives up sooner, too, with a maximum speed of 296km/h, 10km/h less than a DB9. However, among four-doors these figures are no disgrace.With a starting price just $13,000 more than the DB9 Coupe automatic, Aston executive Marcel Fabris expects to sell 30 Rapides by the end of the year. Globally, the company will deliver 2000 a year.My first drive is a delivery run of sorts. The night before the track day, the Rapide needs to be relocated from the brand's Melbourne showroom to Phillip Island so that it can be shown off to owners and a score of invited prospects. I've driven these 140km before and they are not very exciting. It's already dark and raining, so I focus on negotiating Melbourne's home-bound crawl and getting there without drama.It's easy to get comfortable and the steering makes a favourable impression immediately. It's direct, precise and terrifically weighted. It makes shuffling this 5m-long, highly visible piece of exotica through tetchy traffic a breeze.Cabin quietness and ride quality are better than expected, too, and the days when Astons came without cruise control have long gone. All the comforts and conveniences are here, including heated seats. If there's an irritation it's the control system and its small buttons, which make finding a suitable radio station a chore.That's not an issue at the circuit the next day, when the weather has cleared and Aston owners are patiently sitting through driver briefings. More than just a chance to experience their cars at speed, this event is modelled on ones in Britain, Europe and the US in which professional race drivers ride shotgun with owners to coach them on getting the best from their car. Three instructors have come out from Britain, where the brand has been offering performance driving courses for a decade. The rest are locals with years of motorsport experience.Under the expert guidance of Brit Paul Beddow, I take the Rapide out first. I've never driven an Aston on a circuit before and the experience is something of a revelation. The Rapide doesn't feel like a sedan but something smaller and more agile -- you could almost be in one of the coupes. The steering I liked on the road is even better here, while the brakes are excellent and gearshifts quicker than expected. This V12 engine is a lovely unit that doesn't mind working hard. It may not be the quickest Aston, but the Rapide doesn't feel slow.During the course of the day there's a chance to sample the rest of the Aston range, and when you drive them back-to-back, as when you see them side-by-side, it's the differences that stand out. The Rapide is the refined and civilised member of the range, surprisingly relaxing to drive even on the track, yet strong and capable. Grip levels and cornering speeds are high.VERDICTThe Rapide bookends the renewal that began with DB9. That car helped Aston break its habit of borrowing parts from previous owner Ford, and trading on a reputation that was part racing history, part Hollywood action hero.After expanding its line-up with the less expensive Vantage V8, Aston's ownership base has increased enormously. It's now large enough in Australia to make events such as the one at Phillip Island possible. Most of the owners were experiencing their car on a track for the first time. And most I spoke to would do it again in a flash.The Rapide should help expand the reach of Aston even further. The least likely circuit warrior in the line-up will make future track days more likely, not less. And when the owners turn up to put a Rapide through its paces, they will be pleasantly surprised.While for Aston trainspotters, at last there's an easy one to pick.ASTON MARTIN RAPIDE - $366,280 plus on-road costsVEHICLE: Luxury sedanENGINE: 5.9-litre V12OUTPUTS: 350kW at 6000rpm and 600Nm at 5000rpmTRANSMISSION: Six-speed automatic, rear-wheel driveRead more about prestige motoring at The Australian.

In its 100th year, Alfa Romeo has revived the once famous Quadrifoglio Verde badge (four leaf clover comes closest in English - or just QV) and slapped it on its MiTo super-mini.That's a nice acknowledgement of history from a marque whose "sporting heart'' reputation has from too long been the stuff of the past rather than the present. The fun but flawed MiTo is a case in point, but the new version in the re-priced line-up points to a promising immediate future for Alfa, not so much because of the badge, but what lurks beneath the bonnet.VALUEThe QV is $34,990, nearly $3000 less than the now deleted MiTo Sport. The entry model kicks off from $29,990.  While that's done mainly to make room for a forthcoming 135bhp MiTo, the first fitted with the Fiat groups's TCT twin-clutch automated transmission), it means that in the QV you get a more powerful car than the Sport for less money.The QV gets dual-zone aircon, lumbar control in the front seats, adjustable headlights and automatic windscreen wipers. Wing mirrors, headlights and tail-light surrounds have a titanium finish, the inside is faux-carbon fibre. The parking sensor is crucial.  The question of value hinges on the store you set by that badge and whether you're up with the idea of a premium small car.TECHNOLOGYUsing a combination of turbo induction and precise electro-hydraulic valvetrain control, the QV's 1.4-litre four-cylinder engine packs 125kW and 250Nm for a 7.5 second 0-100km/h time.  But maximum output is conditional on the DNA switch being in Dynamic mode. In Normal, it manages 230Nm, though it hardly feel it. There's also an all-weather mode which might be useful in an alpine blizzard.So why bother with a switchable system to control suspension and output at all? Because the all-important (in terms of Europe's tax regime) consumption and emission figures _ 6L of premium unleaded per 100km and 139g Co2 per km _ are achieved in Normal.  Cute, yet somehow irritating, unlike the Q2 electronic differential, a boon on a powerful front wheel drive car.DESIGNEvoking Alfa's 8C supercar - which we don't get here - in a Mini Cooper S competitor either beguiles you or it doesn't. If the look's a bit try-hard, the language is at least Alfa's own. You know what it is when you see it and that's no little thing.It's other little things, however, that grate. To too great an extent the cabin plastics suggest plebian Fiat rather than patrician Alfa. Fit and finish don't inspire confidence as to the long term.The driving position is almost a reversion to the dreaded short-legs-long-arms Alfa default of old. All-round visions is hardly a priority with this design, but you'll need to be hyper-vigilant about traffic in your rear-three quarters. And while we don't expect an especially useful boot, why is the lip so high?SAFETYAll MiTos have a five star NCAP crash safety rating, seven airbags, double pre-tensioners on the front seatbelts, anti-whiplash front seats with self-aligning headrests and seat belt reminder alarm. The active measures include  Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) with hill holder, traction control, assisted braking and Q2.DRIVINGThe DNA selector is undoubtedly clever - a budget version of the Ferrari's manettino switch - but unless you're entire driving life is spent in supermarket car parks, your first act on the turning the ignition key will be to flip the switch into Dynamic.  Do it on the run with the go pedal pressed and the QV surges forward as though stung.Even in traffic Normal feels chloroformed by comparison. Dynamic imbues the engine with a rorty note, missing from recent petrol engine Alfas, that encourages you to press on. Q2 abets tight cornering almost seamlessly, partially transferring torque to the outside wheel, not only reducing understeer but almost hauling you around the bend. It's seems more focused and more rewarding then the old Sport, the steering livelier and the six-speed manual shift more purposeful in is action.Of course the QV requires a near-perfect surface to display it's talent and the rear and front ends don't always seem to be on speaking terms. Nor will you and rear seat passengers after a bout of rough roads.VERDICTThe best MiTo to date with an engine to die for. ALFA ROMEO MiTO QVPrice: from $29,990Engine: 1.4-litre turbo petrol; 125kW/250NmTransmission: 6-speed manual; (twin clutch coming)Thirst: 6L/100km (claimed)

It takes a while for BMW to effect a mid- model change because they are staggered to happen over a period of up to two years. That's why we are only seeing the mid-model upgrade to the 3-Series Coupe and Convertible now while the sedan model went through its changes about 18 months ago.And essentially, the sedan changes are reflected in the 3-Series Coupe and Convertible.  That means a new visage - new grille, lights with eyebrows, bumper changes and something similar at the back. Changes have been made to character lines on the body and the car's overall appearance has been lifted with new colours and wheels.MechanicalIn line with the modest exterior changes are a range of engine upgrades that yield better fuel economy and more power.  Across both Coupe and considerably more expensive Convertible ranges there are two turbo diesels in 2.0-litre four and 3.0-litre six cylinder while the petrols are a 2.5-litre naturally aspirated straight six and a 3.0-litre twin-scroll turbo six in the 335i Sport that replaces the earlier twin turbo engine.This engine has the same power (225kW) and torque (400Nm) as the twin-turbo but delivers maximum torque at a low 1300rpm and uses less fuel into the bargain.  The 335i Sport only comes in M Sport spec' and is available with a seven-speed double clutch "manumatic" transmission as well as the standard six-speed manual.The entry level diesel 320d Coupe ($65,600) gains 5kW to 135kw and 30Nm to 380Nm and is available with a six-speed manual or optional six-speed auto with sequential change.  Other engine have been tweaked for improved economy and lower emissions but are essentially the same as before.Suspension changes offer a new damper with softer initial ride qualities increasing stiffness as more demands are made on the car.  Upholstery upgrades include a sun reflective treatment on the Convertible's seats that keeps them cool on hot days in direct sunlight.Drivetrain and PricingVarious option packages are available across both Coupe and Convertible ranges that include the Innovation Package and the M-Sport Package.  We drove most of the new variants last week and all have characteristic BMW traits like sporty dynamics and a solid feel on the road. The 335i Coupe is approaching earlier six cylinder M3 performance levels and is capable of putting away a 0-100kmh sprint in the low 5.0 second bracket.It has impressive throttle response from extremely low in the engine rev range and sings sweetly up to the 7000rpm redline.  Even the 330d is good for a low 6.0 second split.  The cars have superb dynamics even in Convertible form which bears a weight penalty of up to 150kg.The segmented hard roof on the Convertible takes less than 20 seconds to retract or deploy and when place, looks almost the same as the Coupe model.VerdictPerformance from the other models is similarly impressive - they are great to drive While it would be great to have the 335i in your garage, the reality is that the entry level 320d in auto would do the job just as well around town with the added benefit of being able to cover 1000km on a tank driven carefully and it's a decent performer too.  It's the one we'd buy.BMW 3 Series Coupe and ConvertiblePrices: 320d $65,600 (coupe), $78,500 (convertible); 325i $84,900, $98,700; 330d $94,700, $107,700; 335i M Sport $116,700, $129,900; M3 $158,300, $176,700; ($2965 for 6-speed auto on 320d and 325i, standard on 330d; $3500 for 7-speed double clutch option on 335i)Engines: 1995cc 4-cylinder turbo diesel (320d); 2497cc straight 6 petrol (325i); 2993cc straight 6 turbo diesel (330d); 2993cc straight 6 petrol (335i); 3999cc V8 petrol (M3)Transmissions: 6-speed manual with auto stop-start (320d, 325i, 335i, M3), 6-speed automatic (320d, 325i, 330d), 7-speed DCT (335i, M3 with auto stop-start).

THE previous Audi A8 had a hi-tech system you don't find in other cars: a fingerprint reader like the ones on business laptops. It could authenticate a driver and then load their preferences for seating, mirrors, aircon and audio. When the car emerged in 2002, this was very novel.TECHNOLOGYIn the new A8, which goes on sale next month, the fingerprint reader has disappeared but there's something else that's exclusive to Audi: a touchpad that allows the driver to input letters or numbers by tracing them with a finger. You might use it to set a destination on the sat-nav or call up a number on your Bluetooth-linked mobile.Audi doesn't say why the fingerprint reader has disappeared; it was presumably not as useful as it seemed. Where a car is used by different drivers, their preferences can be stored on each individual's key. If buyers were demanding it, other carmakers would have followed suit. But they didn't. The fingerprint reader turned out to be a technological cul-de-sac in the car market.Even though it's only just arrived, I suspect the touchpad will go the same way. Each letter must be traced as a capital and confirmation given by the system before moving on to the next. Once you get the hang of it, it's reliable -- except for the letter A, awkward for a company called Audi -- but slow. In right-hand-drive markets such as Australia, you must write with your left hand, the wrong one for most people. Voice recognition is quicker and you don't have to take your hands off the wheel.The touchpad will no doubt appeal to some buyers, but ultimately it's a bit of a gimmick. In the context of the new A8, though, it does the vital job of keeping up appearances. Audi, in common with most carmakers, uses its flagship luxury sedan as its technology spearhead.The A8 is positively packed with new technology. For the first time it has an active cruise control system that can brake to a halt, then get going again without any driver intervention. There's night vision that can recognise and highlight pedestrians, and a system that detects an imminent collision and applies the brakes. There are “intelligent” LED headlights and clever ambient strip-lights in the cabin.These are sophisticated systems that have been finessed to a high level in the A8. However, all of them have already been offered elsewhere. In the equivalent Mercedes, BMW or Lexus, some of this technology has been available for four years or more.Except, of course, for the touchpad reader. Audi has that to itself.This doesn't make the A8 less desirable. But it does make Audi a follower, rather than a leader, in top-end technology. And that runs counter to the brand's carefully cultivated image. The touchpad is the cherry on top of a splendid gateau that's not quite as fresh as it appears.DRIVEThere's a similar problem with another a key claim for the car. “The A8 is the sportiest sedan in the segment,” says Audi Australia's managing director Uwe Hagen. That's a big call against the new Jaguar XJ, BMW 7 Series and even the stately Mercedes S-Class.On vital statistics, the A8 compares fairly well. It's a bigger car all around than before, but weight gains have been minimised by aluminium construction, which Audi pioneered in this segment in the mid-1990s. The 4.2-litre V8 under the bonnet has been made 13 per cent more fuel efficient -- helped by a new eight-speed automatic transmission -- but can still propel 1.9 tonnes to 100km/h in 5.7 seconds.The all-wheel drive system splits torque 40:60 front-rear, in common with most upmarket Audis. The aluminium suspension features adaptive dampers and a sports differential, which can divide torque between the rear wheels.Audi always makes sweet-sounding engines and this V8 plays a typically enticing tune, with the volume turned down a bit for the sake of refinement. The pace doesn't feel electrifying, but it's sufficient. It's as quick as the 5.0-litre V8 Jaguar XJ, which is lighter, but a half-second slower than the 300kW BMW 750i.The launch drive in Queensland, up a winding road to the Atherton Tablelands, made the most of the Audi's strongest dynamic virtue: grip. The all-wheel drive system hangs on tight and makes the car secure at speed through tight corners. In wet weather on tricky roads, it would be a boon.For the purist, though, rear-wheel drive will be more involving and, unfortunately, Audi's claim of sportiness comes unstuck elsewhere. The body rolls around quite a lot, even on dynamic settings, and the weight transfer side-to-side or front-rear isn't as controlled as rivals achieve.The steering is inert and it's hard to dial in a corner without lots of little adjustments, while bumps send shudders through the wheel. The brakes are easy to modulate -- they often feel over-assisted in Audis -- but they're a highlight in an otherwise less-than-engaging experience.The same engineering that makes the A8 a place-getter in the sporting stakes also handicaps its bid for luxury supremacy, with a ride quality that's too floaty in comfort setting and too jittery in other modes. Despite these qualifications, the A8 is undeniably a lovely car, fitted and finished to Audi's exemplary standards. If it's optioned to the max, you will want for very little.DESIGNThe cabin, especially with satin metal trim, is one of the most appealing at this level. The seats are excellent and the range of adjustment is the most comprehensive I've seen. You could probably fold the front pew into an origami animal, with enough patience. Audi has overhauled its control system for the car and aside from the aircon, which still requires too many button-presses for simple functions, it's first rate.The A8 is also competitive on boot space, although one surprise was less-than-generous space in the rear of the cabin. This is odd given the car's additional length, although it's probably explained by the fact the A8 will eventually be offered as a hybrid. Some of the extra real estate has been set aside for the electric gubbins. The hybrid is unlikely to be offered in Australia, but a 184kW turbo-diesel V6 will join the V8 towards the end of this year.The exterior of the A8, while obviously new, works within the brand's design parameters. That's enough to make it feel attractively modern, if oddly conservative. In design terms, Audi is the strongest of the German carmakers and the A8 reinforces this reputation through consistency rather than innovation.VERDICTThe A8, like its predecessors, arrives as a contender in the top luxury segment rather than its heir apparent. Most Australian customers at this level go for the other Germans, with a new Mercedes S-Class selling as many in one year as the previous A8 achieved over its entire life cycle.This is unlikely to change, even though this A8 is both more efficient and less expensive than its rivals. The A8's real significance is this: having unveiled a lot of technology for the brand, Audi can quickly move it into other models.In the race to make premium cars in as many niches as possible, Audi has been streaking ahead. In the eight years since the previous A8 appeared, it has added multiple new model lines, including the A5 junior executive, the R8 supercar and two SUVs, the Q5 and Q7. Within a year or two, we'll see an A1 entry model below the A3 hatchback, a smaller Q3 compact softroader and much more.Once the A8 has done its job as master of ceremonies for new technology, Audi can fit it into the smaller premium segments where it will wow the young, fashion-conscious buyers it's chasing most effectively. Because at this level, there are few extra sales to be had.AUDI A8 - $225,904 plus on-road costsVehicle: Large luxury sedanEngine: 4.2-litre V8Outputs: 273kW at 6800rpm and 445Nm at 3500rpmTransmission: Eight-speed automatic, all-wheel driveRead more about prestige motoring at The Australian.

While there are subtle interior and exterior design changes, there is also a host of extra features and some improvements in engine performance and economy.Price and positionPrices start from $65,600 and are up as much as $1440, but BMW Group Australia corporate communications manager Piers Scott says that is due to the extra features. Scott expects diesel uptake to increase "substantially" across the coupe/convertible range."Sports coupes and convertibles are the last bastion for diesels, but the exhaust note on this is so good, it will attract people," he says.MechanicalThe top-of-the range 335i coupe and convertible are the latest models to switch from bi-turbo to single twin-scroll technology, leaving the Z4 35is and 35i as the only BMWs still with bi-turbos. Power and torque remain the same at 225kW and 400Nm, but there is an eight per cent reduction in fuel consumption thanks to the twin-scroll turbo.The 335i models now get the M Sport package as standard equipment. It was previously a $2760 option. For those who don't like the hard suspension, it can be deleted at no extra cost. BMW Group Australia 3 Series product manager Alan Swanson says the coil spring dampers in the M Sport suspension package have been replaced by disc spring valve types for a more compliant ride. It makes a difference and overrides the harshness of the run-flat tyres that are standard across the range.Unfortunately, the new dampers don't come with the M Sport suspension package in the convertible, which is the body style that most needs a more compliant ride to reduce scuttle shake.The M sport package is also available in the 320d, 325i and 330d as before, with largely the same inclusions, but slightly different trims. The new 320d models are now available with a manual transmission and all manuals across the range feature stop/start technology as well as the M3 with double-clutch transmission.BMW claims the technology delivers fuel savings on the 320d manual coupe of 0.8 litres per 100km. That is despite the diesel engine pumping out an extra 5kW of power and 30Nm of torque (135kW and 380Nm).Scott says they were unsure how many customers would opt for manual transmission to get the stop-start feature. "It may be a surprisingly high proportion, but we don't have an exact target as yet," he says.Equipment and designStyling changes are minimal and only the BMW anorak will notice. And while there is the same number of models available as before, there is now an Innovations Package available for the 320d, 325i and 330d that includes a range of LED light features, adaptive headlights and satellite navigation, while the 325i and 330d also get voice control anti-dazzle mirrors and a better audio system.Swanson says savings on the package are greater than 25 per cent and he predicts more than 60 per cent of customers will take up the option. While Dakota oyster-coloured leather is now standard, there is a variety of options available to personalise the vehicle.There are now three new metallic paint options lifting the choices to 15, an extra interior trim choice (bamboo grain anthracite) making it six options and nine wheel designs - four of them new - across three wheel sizes (17, 18 and 19-inch). There has been no change to the operation of the hard-top folding roof. It still goes up or down in about 22 seconds and will only operate when stationary. The only change to the M3 are redesigned rear lights, white metallic exterior paint, stop-start on the DCT, and slightly better economy and CO2 emissions.DrivingBMW supplied only the most altered models, the 320d and 335i, on the national launch through the Brisbane hinterland this week (August 4-5). There has been a slight performance boost in the 320d and I would be lying if I said it was noticeable.However, I can say it is a remarkably lusty performer at low revs which means a driver can hustle it along and still feel calm. I harassed the rear end of a 335i going up the twisty hotmix on the northern approach to Mt Mee and when we arrived at the next stop my nerves were at peace while the other driver got out of his high-revving 335i with his trousers on fire.The 320d rewards a lazy driver. The 335i mainlines caffeine into its pilot. The main difference to be felt on the test drive was in the new M Sport suspension.BMW's damper tweaking has been very effective, taking the harsh bang out of sudden jolts, while keeping the car sitting flat and unrattled. The cars felt composed over the craggy tar that runs around Somerset Dam and our kidneys and the fillings in our teeth were still in place at the end. While the four-cylinder diesel engine sounds less raucous, the real advantage in the manual convertible is that auto stop-start completely silences it when you are stopped at the lights.

THERE'S an old chestnut about Formula One cars generating so much downforce that they could drive upside down if they went fast enough. The idea inspired a stunt by British TV show Top Gear, using a tiny Renault, and a more convincing effort by Mercedes-Benz, scoring big hits on YouTube, featuring its latest sportscar.The footage shows the SLS racing into a tunnel, up a ramp on to the walls, over and down the other side for a complete 360. Local executives say the stunt, a sort of upmarket viral ad for the SLS, was done without special effects. The Germans found a suitable venue in the US and calculated that the SLS would need to hit 148km/h. At the end the driver is revealed as Michael Schumacher. Perhaps he's not past it after all.Even without this sort of stuff, the SLS is the sort of car unlikely to escape notice. It is based on one of the most famous Mercedes models, the 1950s 300SL Gullwing, which helped re-establish the brand's reputation after World War II. Named for its dramatic roof-hinged doors, a racing version spawned a production car that was the fastest in the world in its day and which has become a collectible classic.The SLS aims to harness that heritage and re-establish Mercedes credentials in the top division. Its previous supercar, the $1 million SLR, failed to win buyers despite blistering performance. Built by McLaren in Britain only in left-hand drive, it never achieved its 500-a-year sales targets.This time Mercedes handed the project to its captive tuning house, AMG, which in the SLS has developed a model from scratch for the first time. Half the price of the SLR, the SLS aims to sell 10 times as many -- 5000 a year -- with right-hand drive markets such as Australia about to get deliveries.The original Gullwing doors were forced upon designers because normal doors were incompatible with the 300SL's tubular structure, or spaceframe. Since it's built in a similar way, the SLS might have encountered the same problem. But it didn't. Mercedes set out to re-create those doors in what is the first retro supercar.As well as those happy apertures, the curves of the new car are a modern echo of the 300SL. What it lacks in originality it makes up for with stunning road presence and some great angles. It's wider than you expect, at almost 2.3m taking in the wing mirrors, but also lower and shorter. At 4.6m, it's not even as long as a C-Class, the junior executive Mercedes sedan.The layout is pure race car: a naturally aspirated V8 mounted behind the front axle, transmission at the rear axle for balanced weight distribution, and double wishbone suspension all round. The engine is a reworked version of AMG's stock 6.2-litre item (badged as 6.3), with dry sump lubrication and 120 new components lifting output to 420kW. It drives through Mercedes's first double-clutch transmission with seven ratios and five levels of shift aggression.Almost the entire car is made from aluminium, with some magnesium and carbon fibre components. Only 4 per cent is steel, concentrated in areas which need extra strength such as the windscreen pillars. So the SLS tips the scales at a relatively modest 1620kg, or nearly 150kg less than the carbon fibre SLR.Although the SLR's supercharged 5.4-litre V8 develops another 40kW and 130Nm, these are negated by its extra mass. The two cars record identical zero-100km/h times -- 3.8 seconds. And the SLS goes on to hit 317km/h.Braking performance on the SLS is no less impressive, with stopping distance from 100km/h a mere 32m. That's without carbon ceramic brakes, which are an option along with bucket seats, extra carbon fibre trim and a new paint finish called Alu-beam, which looks like liquid metal. Tick all the boxes and the on-road price can reach $600,000 -- that's in Ferrari territory.Notable absentees from the options list or spec sheet are adaptive suspension, active anti-roll bars and myriad technologies designed to enhance a car's dynamics that are now commonplace at this level. With the SLS, Mercedes has adopted a traditional approach that relies on the quality of the engineering and components. If you want firmer springs and dampers, then the sports suspension must be ordered from the outset.That's not a decision to be taken lightly. Even Mercedes acknowledges that the sports suspension is best avoided unless the SLS has been bought for track days, where it can make the most of a smooth surface. On the drive event in NSW one of the three cars available was fitted with sports suspension, and that's the car I drove first. On Australian roads, it's impossibly firm.It may have coloured my view of the standard suspension, which felt like blessed relief by comparison, because others were grumbling about it. The softer set-up retains disciplined control of the body -- the long bonnet lifts just a little under a firm throttle -- but overall composure is much better on torn-up country roads for both ride and handling. There's nothing lush about it, but it is recognisably a Mercedes.In the absence of active dynamic systems, the drive experience is accessible and engaging at any speed. Mercedes says the SLS is an easy-to-live-with supercar that can be used ever day.But it's more than that. The chassis, steering and brakes keep the driver in touch with the car even on a gentle commute. The engine is constantly engaging too, with one of the best V8 soundtracks around. It is a lazy, slow rumbling that has something in common with American muscle cars. I found myself tickling the throttle unnecessarily at low speeds just to trigger a bit of chortling over-run.So slow speeds in the SLS aren't anaesthetic and glimpses -- only glimpses, unfortunately -- suggest that it has plenty of higher pace potential, with excellent stability and ultra-quick turn-in to corners. The SLS feels like a balanced result next to some AMGs, which deliver more power than dynamic ability.The automatic gearbox was a standout, anticipating the need for shifts with precision, and I left the paddle changers alone most of the time. They sit behind an attractive steering wheel in one of Mercedes's better recent cabins. The seats are first-rate and there's a surprising amount of room thanks to the car's width. In a clean design, leather covers almost everything but pleasing details, such as the vents, are rationed. The thick A-pillars have been cleverly shaped so that they don't obstruct forward vision, and it is easier to see out of the SLS than many other supercars.If there's a let-down, it's the dreary centre console arrangement of buttons, the same layout as in every Merc. It looks cheap. The car wasn't free of creaks and groans either, and while these are common enough in super-rigid supercars, one or two pieces of loose insulation rubber suggest Mercedes was still finessing production when the launch examples were built. The doors would certainly present special difficulties to an assembly line.Thanks to those doors, the 300SL also had a reputation for being difficult to get into, with wide sills and low seats compounding the awkwardness. Happily, the SLS presented no such problem to this average-height driver. It's a slight stretch to reach a door handle when it's open, but the action is light and I quickly got used to stepping out without banging my head.The doors need less space alongside the car to open than the long doors on most coupes, although I did wonder about low garage ceilings.Read more about prestige motoring at The Australian.

This should have been a review of the Hyundai i20. The Korean baby boomer is up next for a Carsguide test but, when it failed to front this week, we have to switch to Plan B. In this case, B is more like Z, since that's about the distance from a $14,990 price fighter to a $318,500 Maserati GranTurismo.But GT time is fine while we wait for the i20, and it's good to sample a little of what's happening at the top end of the car business. There are lots of new supercoupes and the choice in four-seater grand tourers has exploded with the Porsche Panamera and Aston Martin Rapide.The latest Maserati is a tweak on familiar shape and recipe, combining the latest 4.7-litre Ferrari-built V8 with an MC supershift gearbox, essentially the robotised manual previously fitted to the Ferrari F599.The Maserati GT is one of the best looking cars on the road today and, even if it only has two doors, there is space in the cabin for four real adults and you can get golf clubs in the boot. The cabin is also wrapped in the finest Italian leather, it has satnav and Bluetooth, and giant wheels to make an impact.But the Italian GT is about driving, which is why there are 323 kiloWatts and 429 Newton-metres on tap, with driver-adjustable fully-independent suspension, giant disc brakes and a six-speed gearbox that promises full auto ease with full manual control on demand.The GranTurismo is surprisingly big and fairly hefty too, at nearly 1900 kilograms, but that's par for this course.And remember that, since Ferrari and Maserati sit under the same ownership, the GT is planned to sit alongside and below the sports car brand with a little more comfort and family focus. Not that the Maserati is the sort of car for long-distance family trips.Next week, definitely, will be i20 time. And, seriously, I cannot wait.DRIVINGThe Maserati is a hoot. And relatively friends and family-friendly at the same time. It's never going to match a Kia Carnival for space with lots of kids, but it's a supercoupe you can actually use.We've tried the GranTurismo coupe in the past but this is the first time with the 4.7 V8 and supershift, a robotised manual change. So computers and gizmos can make it fully auto or you can take manual control.The Maserati comes with driver adjustable settings for the suspension, gearbox and even the exhaust note. The car always gives a raspy rev on start-up but gets seriously loud at full throttle, unless you touch the Sport button for loud all the time. It's not a nasty loud, either, but the sort of melodious V8 rumble most people love.The performance of the GT is solid and on tap all the time. The V8 is tuned for bottom-end thrust and it delivers at all speeds, especially for overtaking. The brakes are great and the suspension is surprisingly compliant. It's firm but not thumpy. The steering is heavy in Sport mode but fine on the basic setting.But... and here we go. The self-shift side of the gearbox is too slow and baulky unless you switch to Sport, and then it's still not as smooth as rival brands. Including Ferrari, with the double-clutch system in the latest California. It's fun as a full manual but I find it is still flawed and not as commuter friendly as a full auto.The seats don't fit me at all, with far too much lumbar push and not enough side support; it's hard to fit a child seat in the back, and the electronics don't want to help with mirror adjustments or setting the seats but still leaving enough space to get people in and out of the back.Still, there's a sense of occasion when you drive the Maserati and that's what makes it so special. It's not my favourite but it's a serious class contender and better than any Maserati I've driven in the past.SHE SAYS Alison WardIf only this car wasn't so expensive... I think it is fabulous. It may not be a Ferrari with its sports car handling and showmanship, but what it lacks there - by only by a little when I'm driving - it makes up for in practicality. I am a lover of cars that you can share with your mates. Solo driving in shopping carts is all very well, but you can't strike up much chatter with your groceries.So the Maserati not only accommodates you and three passengers, but it does it comfortably and with superb style and sophisticated technology.I love the sounds of this car. It can be the exhaust bark while burning down my street, the awesome audio system or the leather trim moving under your rear. It just fits a small pram in the boot, which is surprisingly big for the type of vehicle. I find getting the toddler in and out a breeze thanks to the automatic seats, too.But I feel duped that a rear camera isn't installed as its almost a given in most models of this price tag. This car is the family car we all dream about but with the class only a few can afford. It's a pity really...THE BOTTOM LINE: A very special drive with that special Italian flair.MASERATI GRANTURISMO - AutomaticPrice: $318,500Engine: 4.7-litre v8Power: 323kw at 7000 revsTorque: 490nm at 4750 revsTransmission: robotised six-speed manual, rear-wheel driveBody: two-door coupeSeats: fourDimensions: length 4881mm, width 1915mm, height 1353mmWheelbase: 2942mm, tracks front/rear 1586mm/1590mmSteering: rack-and-pinion power steeringSuspension: fully independent with front and rear wishbones and coil springsFuel tank and type: 86 litres, premium unleadedFuel consumption: 16.6l/100km combinedWeight: 1880kgSpare tyre: space-saverBrakes: anti-skid all-round discsWheels and tyres: 20-inch alloys, 245x35 front, 285x35 rearSafety: dual front/side/curtain airbags, electronic stability & traction control, anti-skid brakes, brake assistCo2 emissions: 168g/km.