Luxury Reviews

It was a telling moment. Our striking red Ferrari Scuderia stopped to let two pedestrians cross the road on the outskirts of Maranello, and our view of this supercar changed forever. The low-slung two-seater's 4.3-litre V8 engine throbbed loud enough for the two young men to realise this was no ordinary Ferrari, if there was such a thing. They paused, stared and smiled, then waved the Ferrari through. As we passed there was a knowing nod of approval and one mouthed the word “magnifico”. We couldn't agree more. That's life in the Italian city of Maranello, Ferrari's spiritual home and global headquarters. Here, pedestrians give way to Ferraris, old people clap and youngsters smile. They never tire of seeing these supercars on their streets. The rumble from our car's twin exhausts, the smoky grey alloys, twin body stripes and discrete “430 Scuderia” badging on the tail signify this is no dressed-down F430. Discrete panels of carbon fibre adorn the body, a racetrack-ready aerodynamic splitter fills most of the space under the rear bumper. Behind the steering wheel your senses are alerted to the soft touch of the leather and alcantara interior, the grain of the almost industrial-look carbon fibre on the doors and dashboard, and the imposing controls. Directly in front of the driver is a bright red rev counter that redlines at 8500 revs. The 360km/h speedo is to its right. Bright red LED lights in the top of the thick-rimmed carbon fibre and leather steering wheel display revs. Our Scuderia also has trim from the Carrozzeria Scaglietti personalisation program, which means secure racing seats with four-point seatbelts, and aluminium footwells instead of carpet. The whole cabin looks as polished and precise as an Armani suit. We strap ourselves in, then get down to the business of driving. Turn the key, press the red “engine start” button and the V8 erupts like Mt Vesuvius. The Scuderia V8 develops 375.4kW at 8500 revs and 470Nm at 5250 revs, and 80 per cent of maximum torque is available at 3000 revs. With the V8 sed amidship behind the driver and passenger, you're always aware of the volcanic power. Even at low speeds the V8 strains on its leash. Blip the throttle and the V8 bellows, exceed 4000 revs and it roars, approach 8000 revs and it howls. Despite its racetrack credentials, the Scuderia can potter along at commuter speeds like a well-behaved BMW, thanks to its refined manners. But if you think Ferrari has gone soft, you'd be seriously mistaken. The prancing horse has been tamed ever so slightly, but unleash the V8 and it will still make your hair stand on end. On full song the Scuderia will hit 100km/h in less than 3.6 seconds and exceed 220km/h in less than 11.6 seconds. The Scuderia's new six-speed F1 transmission contributes to this lightning-fast acceleration. Above 4000 revs and with the accelerator more than 40 per cent depressed, the transmission automatically switches to superfast mode. Top speed? That's academic on Australian roads, but it will reach 320km/h. The Scuderia has been timed on the Fiorano test track at 1 minute 25 seconds, making it two seconds quicker than the standard F430 and equal to the lap time of the famous V12 Enzo Ferrari. Significantly, at 300km/h the car's fixed spoiler and ultra-clean underbody generate 330kg of negative lift over the front and rear of the car. We don't see those speeds, but even at 220km/h around Fiorano, the Scuderia feels like the hand of God is pushing down on the car. So where does the Scuderia fit in? Essentially it's a race car built for the road, the type of supercar that makes the hearts of even Ferrari aficionados beat faster. It makes no apologies for being a thinly disguised racetrack car using Ferrari's Formula One knowledge. Ferrari F1 driver Michael Schumacher had a telling role in the development of the manettino — the steering-wheel-mounted switch that alters the car's electronic brain and traction systems — and the tyres and suspension. The five-function manettino can be switched to low road-holding, sport, race, CT off or CST off. Low road-holding is for slippery conditions. The brave can turn off the traction control via CT to allow for some wheelspin, but it keeps the stability control on. In CST off, traction and stability control are switched off for maximum freedom and driving control on a racetrack. The addition was necessary because Ferrari believes 20 per cent of owners will do some serious track work in the car. Ferrari says the combination of the E-diff electronic differential and F1-Trac traction and stability control will increase the Scuderia's exit speed out of a corner by 40 per cent. The suspension uses the same magnetic ride system as that fitted to the Chevy Corvette and top-spec HSV cars. To help achieve its targets, the Scuderia lost 100kg off the F430's weight, bringing it down to 1350kg. Another part of the F1 equation is the car's gearchange. Called Superfast, it reduces changes to 60 milliseconds (an F1 driver takes 30 to 40 milliseconds). The new traction control system combines the E-diff and F1-trac into a single integrated system. At Schumacher's insistence, Ferrari added an adjustable damper setting late in the car's development. Dial in the soft mode and the Scuderia behaves with a level of compliance and ride comfort more fitting of a sports touring sedan. Ferrari Australia and New Zealand importer Ateco Automotive have taken orders for 40 Scuderias. With a price 20 per cent above the $440,000 F430, that means it can be yours for a cool $550,000.   Testing time at Fiorano Ferrari's Fiorano test track (left) is at the end of the appropriately named Via Dino Ferrari. However, the entrance is actually nearby on Via Gilles Villeneuve. Conveniently, several small streets end at the track's perimeter fence and Ferrari spotters armed with cameras and telephoto lenses can be seen every day of the week. Ferrari uses the 3km Fiorano track regularly for Formula One testing, and to try out its prototypes and normal production cars. The track was built in 1972 at the behest of Enzo Ferrari. The average lap speed is 190km/h, the peak speed of more than 300km/h being achieved down the straight. The trickiest corner is turn five, which is deliberately built off-camber and over a hump. Ferrari has a full garage, closed-circuit TV and a sprinkler system that wets the whole track in minutes.   Maranello's driving force Maranello, in the foothills of the Italian Apennines, began its love affair with Ferrari in 1929, when founder Enzo started Scuderia Ferrari. The depth of feeling is evident throughout the small town 18km from Modena. Streets are named after great Ferrari Formula One drivers. Today, you can stay at a four-star complex called Maranello Village, close to the factory. Each year thousands visit Maranello to watch trackwork at the Fiorano test track or dine at Cavallino restaurant directly opposite the Ferrari factory gates, one of three top spots to see F1 drivers. Enzo Ferrari is said to have dined at Cavallino every day. Other top-class Ferrari restaurants are the Montana and the Paddock. Enzo died in 1988 but his legacy is strong. And the locals don't forget he put Maranello on the map. Passions run deep in this part of the world.  

At least the inclemency allowed us to test the efficacy of the lid on BMW's updated 6 Series Convertible during a 250km autobahn and B-road ride through Bavaria last week. Maybe we should tour it through the worst drought zones when it arrives in Australia a few weeks before Christmas. At a time when the lids of many convertibles are hardening up in the form of folding metal or composite jobbies, the revised 6's top stays soft. Suffice to say it works in the grimness of a central European autumn and if you want something more substantial there's the considerably cheaper (but still prohibitively expensive) Coupe, which is to be relaunched alongside the ragtop. The 650i is a quintessential German grand tourer, as relentlessly effective consuming freeway kilometres as it is comfortable and compliant when cruising a country road. Really, the only time the softness of the top is apparent (and with us, it's always up) is with wind noise that comes with the sort of speeds that would get you summarily executed in Australia. To a (too) great an extent the 650i's resonant 270kW/490Nm V8 will be wasted on us. Oh, the joys of driving in Germany, where cars are cars and the people are taught to drive them ... Still, the revised line-up hardly lacks for readily appreciable additions that bring the big two-doors into line with the more recent iterations of the X5 and 5 Series. Tactile touches include sun-reflective leather upholstery and a new colour choice of saddle brown, chrome-grey gauges, reshaped and more powerful LED headlights, restyled boot, plus comfort access and soft-close doors. Technical tune-ups run to DSC with Active Cruise Control and Stop/Go function, driver's heads-up display, the less fraught version of i-Drive and a night-vision option. Best of all is the automatic sports transmission controlled with the X5/5 Series electronic gear selector that might have been modelled on a computer's joystick. While a six-speed manual is available via special order there can be few complaints about the rapidity of the auto's gearshifts and the seamlessness with which it transmits power to the rear wheels. Manual mode is engaged conventionally enough by slotting the gearstick to the left of Drive, though the most satisfactory method of changing for yourself is via the paddle shift which allows temporary manual over-ride. You can engine brake into sharp bends, accelerate out and allow the Drive mode to resume automatically. Touching off the sport mode button noticeably sharpens cog swaps and throttle response. Even when its power is not being tapped, the Bimmer feels potent, as though it wants to spring forth. In rapid deployment it just piles along, reaching 100km/h from standing in an improved time of 5.6 seconds, keeping overtaking exposures to a minimum. Relentless and poised on the wide, open tarmac, the 1800kg plus 650i is a blunter instrument on back roads. It's able, however, to keep a correct line longer than most would be willing to push it. The Active Steering that wouldn't be so welcome on a sports coupe is as perfectly suited to the 6 Series as the auto, underwritten by Cornering Brake Control. The stoppers are hydraulically controlled swing-calliper numbers with inner vented discs that scrub speed emphatically but with a feel and progression that suit them equally to low-speed urban and triple-figure open-road stopping. The 650i's everything expected from a big Bimmer, delivering satisfaction that increases incrementally with the steerer's ability, but accessible and rewarding even to the meek. Visually the optional 19-inch alloys shod in low-profile Pirelli runflats are a happy match. But Bavaria's roads ain't ours, so stick to the 18s. These shoes should serve you as soundly as the Bimmer's soft hat, come rain or shine. Though we can only guess about the latter...   BMW 650i Convertible Price: $228,800 (Coupe $212,000) Engine: 4.8L/V8, 270kW/490Nm Economy: 11.9L per 100km 0-100km/h: 5.6 seconds  

Audi has attained a level of luxury and sophistication so envied by many of its rivals. There have been many notable milestones down the years for Audi, one of the world's oldest automotive names, all contributing to redefining the very DNA of the third German brand. From the introduction of quattro drive to the switch to lightweight aluminium for construction and components to the pioneering use of high-tech equipment like low-energy LED lights; and soon the launch of one of the world's greenest diesels; the brand has been winning many fans in the desirability stakes. Audi has been placing emphasis on sporty and sophistication; and it's winning hearts as a result. But if Audi wants to successfully don the 'driver's car' mantle worn by the likes of BMW then it has to earn its rightful place. Some mainstream models to date have shown the Audi recipe hasn't quite been perfected; some vital ingredients have been provided in only three-quarter measure. There's no question Audi has the styling to turn heads; look at the sexy TT; and it has the power to impress; drive the just-launched RS8 or the more affordable RS4 and you'll come away smiling. And Audi has attained a level of luxury and sophistication so envied by many of its rivals; you only have to look at the flagship A8. But missing in its mainstream models has been balance and handling, something Audi has made a serious effort to address in the latest version of its biggest selling model, the executive class A4, which will hit the Australian market in April as a rival to the 3-Series Bimmer, C-Class Benz and the likes of the Lexus IS250 and Honda Accord Euro. Under the skin, the A4 is very much a new beast, and carguide's first drive over Sardinia's mountainous roads proved it now handles as well as its redefined and distinctive looks. The success of the A4 can't be understated for Audi Australia. While niche models like the RS8 supply the sauce, it is models like the A4 which add the meat to its sales story. The A4 has played a cornerstone position in Audi Australia's remarkable growth, with sales for the year up 39 per cent over the same period last year and the brand well on track for its fifth consecutive year of market growth. But Audi Australia is hungry for further expansion and its wish list is lengthy. “If we can get the models we want for the right price and there's a market, then we'll take them,” Audi Australia spokeswoman Anna Burgdorf said. That wish list includes the sporty S4 variant, a new RS4, the practical A4 wagon (expected at the Paris Motor Show next September), the A4 cabriolet and the Q5, the smaller brother to the SUV Q7. While they don't like to talk about it openly at Audi, the hands are up for future models like the A4 sports hatch and the baby twins, the A1 and S1, designed to take on the likes of the Mini Cooper. Meanwhile, the immediate focus is on the A4, which shares much in common with the just-launched A5 coupe as well as borrowing technology from the luxury A6 and A8. The A4 Audi will continue with its now well-proven direct fuel injection technology for both petrol and diesel engines, a system which boosts power and lowers fuel consumption. Four versions of the A4 will be presented in Australia in April; two petrol and two diesel. Pricing is still being finalised, but Burgdorf says the entry model, the well-equipped 1.8-litre turbocharged FSI petrol, will come in at somewhere between $50,000 and $55,000 and will be the volume seller. The existing 1.8 sells for $56,150 while the cheapest model in the current line-up is the 2-litre naturally aspirated sedan at $50,450. Also in the first wave will be the direct fuel-injected 3.2-litre petrol, a turbo 2-litre diesel and the larger 2.7-litre diesel. Other versions, including the 3-litre 176kW diesel, which packs 500Nm of torque, is a given. Next year, Audi will boost its green credentials by offering an ultra-low emission version of this motor, promising it will be one of the cleanest oil burners in the world, meeting emission standards which won't be in force in Europe until 2014. It will feature sensors within the combustion chamber to manage the injection system and use an additive injected into the exhaust, which cuts the emissions of oxides of nitrogen by as much as 90 per cent at the tail pipe. The additive, also being adopted by rival brands and even the trucking industry, converts into ammonia under high temperatures, which in turn breaks down the oxides of nitrogen in the exhaust into harmless nitrogen and water. Internationally, Audi has launched the A4 with a range of five more powerful but more frugal engines and a choice of three transmissions, including an eight-speed CVT. The petrol engines, all with high-compression direct fuel injection (FSI), gain an average 13 per cent reduction in fuel usage. The naturally aspirated 3.2 V6 has 195kW (up from 188kW) and now features variable valve lift for better flexibility. Maximum torque of 330Nm is available from 3000 to 5000rpm. Audi says the quattro version, with a six-speed manual, can do the zero to 100km/h dash in a respectable 6.2 seconds. Maximum speed is governed at 250km/h. It will also be available with a six-speed tiptronic auto box. The turbocharged four-cylinder 1.8 is good for 118kW with peak torque of 250Nm, with most of it on tap from 1500 to 4500rpm. Audi quotes a zero to 100km/h time of 8.6 seconds for the front-wheeler. It will come with a manual or CVT Multitronic transmission. Reflecting just how far engine technology has advanced, the four-cylinder now develops as much power as a V6 did only a few years ago. The diesels are a win-win story; they come with common-rail fuel injection with piezo injectors and benefit from an average 6 per cent cut in fuel use and are quieter as well as being Euro 5 emission compliant. There are two V6s and a four-cylinder in the mix. The pick is the quattro 3-litre turbo; which now develops 176kW (up from 171kW) with a massive 500Nm of torque (was 450Nm) spread from 1500 to 3000rpm. The diesel is good for a zero to 100km/h sprint in an impressive 6.9 seconds. It comes with a six-speed manual. The line-up also includes a 2.7-litre diesel with 140kW (up from 132kW) and 400Nm on tap and a promised fuel consumption of just 6.6l/100km. The baby of the diesel range is the cheap-to-run 2-litre turbo with 105kW and 320Nm. With a six-speed manual, Audi says it's good for just 5.5l/100km. It also will be available with an eight-speed CVT transmission. Standout features of the A4 will include Audi's optional innovative multimedia centre (a much more intuitive and easier-to-operate system than BMW's iDrive), and a three-zone automatic airconditioning system. The quirky looking LED running lights, resembling the horns of a bull, which underscore the headlamps are for daytime use and will be included in the Australian models. They are the handiwork of Spanish designer Andreu Sola who came to Audi from SEAT and give the A4 its focal point. Like the A5/S5 coupe, the sedan is built on Audi's new and flexible Modular Longitudinal-mounted engine Platform (MLP), which will also be the architecture for the next generation A6, the Q5 and the next A8. The platform has been designed to accept interchangeable modules for the drive trains, suspensions, axles and electronics, cutting production costs. The A4's design revolution includes a logical repositioning of the engine components (first tried on the A8) to give the car better balance. It neatly overcomes the previous model's handicap of being too front-heavy, creating understeer. It has also allowed a stretching of the wheelbase and bonnet while the new A4 is also slightly wider and the huge overhangs have disappeared. That all adds up to a big improvement in cabin and boot space, especially in the backseat. The rebalancing act was achieved by swapping the position of the front differential with the clutch and torque converter. That allowed the front axle to be shoved forward by a massive 15.4cm. Other changes include an all-new alloy front suspension, a revamp of the rear set-up, and on the quattro versions the torque split now favours the rear with a 60/40 bias; the same as used on the current RS4. Chopping off the A4's ugly front overhang has improved its appearance and stretching the wheelbase and bonnet make the car look bigger than its actual size. The styling job gives the A4 a more muscular, purposeful stance. The rear end looks chunky and there's a more sculptured look to the profile. On the technology front, the A4 showcases the new Audi Drive Select system, similar to BMW's, which allows the driver to tailor the throttle, damper, variable steering and gear shift patterns to suit their driving style or road conditions. And there's a raft of electronic goodies like an optional Bang and Olufsen sound system, tyre pressure monitors, Bluetooth capability, parking sensors, adaptive steering, adaptive cruise control and a lane change collision warning system similar to that used by Volvo. But pick of the techno bits is a warning system which tells a driver they are wandering out of their lane by vibrating the steering wheel; an idea already used by Citroen. It works by using a small forward-facing camera mounted on the windscreen, which looks at the lane markings and works out if the car is about to cross them. The system only works at speeds greater than 65km/h and can be cancelled by using the traffic indicator. The most important safety innovation is the new adaptive steering system. Using a small electric motor, the system works away in the background and can make slight but rapid changes to the car's steering ratio based on road speed (without the driver being aware of it) to help overcome both under and oversteer at high speeds or instability while heavy braking on uneven surfaces. It works in tandem with an electronic stability control system but Audi says it can react and make changes to the car's direction up to three times quicker; than by just relying on ESP utilising the car's brakes to regain control. There are up to eight airbags, with Audi using sensors in the seat to determine the weight and position of passengers to tailor the inflation of the bags for maximum effect.   Road test BMW should be considered the benchmark for building true driver's cars, be alarmed or just alert at the effect the Audi A4 could have on its grip on the executive car market? Alarmed, possibly, but alert? Certainly. The A4; even the base 1.8-litre petrol version, expected to be the volume seller in Australia; delivers a convincing argument that Audi now has the credentials to play in BMW's own back yard. Until now Audi hasn't been much of a serious threat to its German rival, but the A4 is different; big on performance, with a big dose of fun factor as a bonus. When the current A4 was launched in 2004 it was more of an evolution of the model, even though it had been given a design makeover. But it was flawed; not seriously, but flawed nevertheless. The new A4 is a revolution, adding well-mannered handling to its credentials, and in doing so positions itself much closer to its German rivals, especially the prowess of the BMW 3Series. The previous A4 was likeable and civilised but demanded concentration and effort if driven with spirit. It lacked poise. Being nose-heavy, it had a propensity to understeer; all easily controlled, but the driver had to work hard. A day's driving of the new A4 over the twisty mountain roads of Sardinia; quickly confirmed that Audi's efforts to transform the sedan have worked a treat. This is an imposing car from most angles. Its high belt-line and dashboard tends to envelop you in the cabin, but the A4 is comfortable and now comes with more rear legroom, while the cockpit has been angled more towards the driver. And the new MMI; that's Audispeak for Multi Media Interface; which works very well. The MMI is a one-stop shop to control the car's settings, audio and navigation systems and is much easier and more intuitive than BMW's often-criticised iDrive. Look around the cabin and you will find a lot of technology handed down from the A8 and A6, like the smart-key transponder and the designed-for-America electric parking brake. But the really impressive stuff is under the skin, thanks to Audi's tinkering with the car's balance and suspension. Handling in the front-wheel-drive models has become crisper, with better turn-in, while the Quattro, thanks to the change in torque split putting more emphasis to the rear, now feels closer to BMW in dynamics, with the added advantage of all-wheel-drive traction. Rebalancing the car's mass was a logical fix to the problems associated with the previous model, but the outcome is nevertheless a surprise, considering there's still a great lump of motor ahead of the front axle. The A4 can be three cars in one. Alter the car's dampening rates and level of steering assistance using the optional Drive Select; you get a choice of switching between comfort, dynamic and letting the car make its own mind up; produces vastly different handling characteristics. The comfort setting may be a tad too soft for Australia's roads and the steering provides only a modicum of feedback. The dynamic setting brings it closer to a true sports saloon. There's less steering assistance and you can feel the steering loading up in the twisty stuff; it's more direct and accurate. The downside is that the firmer ride on uneven surfaces can feel fidgety. What was impressive was just how much meaty torque is available over a wide rev range from both petrol and diesel versions. In the diesels especially there's plenty of reassuring pulling power for passing . At mid revs the A4 hunkers down as the rush of torque comes into play. Push the car hard over sweeping roads and the handling feels reasonably neutral, with little sign of torque-steer in the front-wheel versions. The Quattro, on the other hand, is simply awesome. The performance of the 2.7-litre diesel in particular impressed, acting more like a petrol than an oil-burner. But the big surprise was the entry-level 1.8-litre petrol; which acted as though it had a larger engine under the bonnet, and being lighter than the V6s gave it great agility. But Sardinia's smooth roads worked both for and against the A4. They highlighted the car's suppleness but also masked its ability to cope with uneven and rough chip surfaces typically found in Australia. When it did face the rough patch it showed the cabin wasn't isolated from suspension clatter and noise. At times there was a feeling the redesigned front suspension, whic was too hard and the rear just the opposite, being spongy. Only testing Down Under on more familiar road surfaces will prove if this is an issue. The A4 has been transformed into a classy act and its handling is now as good as its bold styling. Perhaps BMW should be alarmed after all.  

More recently, Bimmers have come in the form of fat SUVs, a wedge-shaped roadster and a coupe with a bulbous rear; most of them made in America, mainly for Americans. Now comes a device, derived from a misbegotten two-plus-two, whimsically presented in hatchback form mainly for the European market. We take a back seat to no one when it comes to deriding the 1 Series, not least because no one can fit in its back seat. Now, a derivation of the 1 Series (conceived, ironically, for the hatch-allergic American market) is upon us. Due to reach here in June alongside a cabrio cousin, BMW's 135i has to have an early shot at being one of the cars of 2008. Yep, the 135i is an excellent compact performance coupe; the sort of thing BMW hasn't done for far too long amid that plethora of profitable, but not so pure, products. Indeed, this range-topping pocket rocket evokes the 1972 2002 Tii, an iconic two-door road rocket. It's the sort of car that has, as BMW doesn't mind saying itself, long been among the marque's core competencies. Packing the same 225kW/400Nm three-litre, bi-turbo inline six introduced last year on the 335i coupe, the more petite 135i transcends the merely competent bythe width of its torque band. We were introduced to the newcomer on the Swedish island of Gotland last week, driving it on public roads and the tight, twisting local racetrack. “BMW is the only one doing this,” chief designer Adrian van Hooydonk told us. Hooydonk, whose Concept CS has starred at the Australian International Motor Show, was standing before a pristine Tii and a 135i painted in a similar shade of burnished red. “We didn't want to do a retro car, but because of the 2002 we were more willing to do the 135i.” The 135i's planes and creases succeed in the metal to a far greater extent than printed images imply. The traditional BMW style cues work with a high, muscular shoulder line, flared wheel arches and the standard-fit M Sports kit, including lightweight 18-inch alloys. Although markedly shorter in the wheelbase and smaller in dimensions than the 335i, the 1485kg 135i is only 50kg lighter. Within, it's a legitimate four-seater. A burly six-footer can survive the rear pews comfortably with just a little consideration from those up front as they sit among one of almost 200 trim combinations. The work station is generic BMW, with the perfect driving position readily obtainable and a short-shifting gearstick readily to hand. There's 370 litres of boot, or more than 800 litres with the split-fold rear seats folded flat. Bluetooth and the now slightly less enigmatic version of the i-Drive multi-media system are among the options, as will be a six-speed Steptronic auto transmission. When the 135i comes our way, it will be launched with its drop-top equivalent and the 125i, a circa $60Kmodel using BMW's 2.5-litre atmo six. But the impressive-sounding diesels aren't for us. With a claimed zero-to-100km/h capability of 5.3 seconds, the 135i outdoes the 3 Series in a straight line by a good few tenths. It's not the relatively affordable, shrink-wrapped version of the 335i we half-expected, but a hugely gratifying car with rewards of its own. Utterly devoid of lag, the twin-turbo unit accesses all its towering 400Nm from an exceptionally low 1300rpm. Beautiful match with a paddle-shifted ZF auto that it is, it will, when open-roading in the manual, pull so emphatically in sixth that you almost believe you're in fourth. Linear, lag-free performance is a given. What the 135i brings to BMW's rich table that's uniquely its own; is handling that befits a compact performance coupe, a species of which this is the only extant example. Electric power steering provides feel to complement the trademark combo of rear-wheel drive and almost 50/50 weight distribution. This coupe is decidedly more at home on a winding B-road than the track, where its still-hefty weight and tall gearing can hinder progress. That said, where the 135i succeeds brilliantly is in its performance and handling capabilities being so readily accessible while its demeanour remains extraordinarily forgiving. If the dynamic envelope is rigidly defined, there's acres of room in which to roam before tearing point. Purists may sniff that the 135i isn't all it could be: not as lithe, nor quite so focused. That misses the point, which is that it's absolutely what BMW customers want. And if the show stand reminded us that there's a BMW for most shapes and circumstances, here's one that'll win both hearts and minds.   Snapshot BMW 135i COUPE Price: $80,000 (approx) Engine: 3.0L/6-cylinder turbo, 225kW/400Nm economy: 9.2L/100km (combined) 0-100km/h: 5.3 seconds  

The French have turned seduction into an art form in movies, theatre and songs. French carmaker Peugeot also seduced motoring enthusiasts with its sharp-steering, limousine-riding cars that proved as durable in the bush as they were luxurious about town. However, this art of seduction was diminished with the arrival of some of the modern-day Peugeots. They were capable yes, but not quite in the same mould as the old cars such as the 504 and 306. Now Peugeot executives believe the company may have redeemed itself with the 308, which arrives in February. The 308 adopts a softer evolution of the in-your-face 307's MPV-type styling, echoing styling traits of the 207 with its big, shark-grille front. The newcomer replaces the 307, which is one of the most successful Peugeots of all time, selling more than 3.2 million models globally since 2001. The 307 also represents more than 50 per cent of Peugeot sales locally so a lot is riding on its replacement. The 308 uses the same suspension as the 307 but has new petrol engines, vastly improved quality, electronics and tweaked dynamics. Peugeot Automobile Australia's marketing chief, Chris Brown, believes the 308 will rekindle the memories of the 306, which was renowned for its road-holding, steering and ride comfort. Like the 307, the 308 line-up is tipped to consist of the XS, XSE and a higher-equipped XSE-Plus. A 130kW model called Feline in Europe is also tipped for Australia, where it could wear a Sport badge. Brown expects pricing to be close to the current range, with an entry point of $25,490, rising to about $35,000 for the top-spec Touring wagon. The five-door hatch will be available with the choice of four engines, two petrol and two HDi diesels. The Touring is expected late next year. The 308 may look similar to the 307 but it is in fact 74mm longer, 85mm wider and 12mm lower. It is also about 60kg heavier, thanks to a stronger body and improved crash safety. Under the bonnet the same 1.6-litre and 2.0-litre HDi engines carry over but two new petrol 1.6-litre fours join the line-up. The petrol engines are the result of the joint PSA-BMW joint-venture engine program and are shared with the Mini Cooper and Cooper S. The 1.6-litre petrol fours come normally aspirated and turbocharged. The 1.6-litre turbo will replace the 2.0-litre four and although smaller in capacity has 7kW more power and 40Nm more torque. The base car is expected to come with a five-speed manual and optional four-speed automatic, the 1.6 HDi a five-speed manual, 1.6 turbo a five-speed manual and the 2.0-litre HDi the choice of a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic. A six-speed clutchless semi-automatic manual is also on the cards in some models. Brown says the loss of the 2.0-litre should not hurt sales. “I don't see it as a hurdle for buyers because of the improvement in power and torque compared to the 2.0, as well as better fuel economy,” he says. European models get up to nine airbags but Australian cars will have a minimum of six, with standard anti-lock brakes. Electronic Stability Control may be on upper-end models. The car's centre of gravity is 5mm lower than the 307, contributing to the car's handling. Both front and rear brakes are also larger for better stopping power. Peugeot is confident of a five-star EuroNCAP crash test result. The French have also rediscovered plush seating, once a trademark of Peugeot of old. Boot space has also increased to 430 litres with the rear seats in place and up to 1398 litres with the 60/40 split-fold seatbacks folded flat. After exiting the first high-speed corner, it is clear the 308 is no 307. There's a crispness to the chassis that brings back memories of the 306. The electric power steering turns in crisply and it has a linear, progressive feel while the low-speed suspension sharpness of the 307 has been replaced with more compliance and a lush-riding big-car feel. The torsion beam rear end still gets caught over lateral bumps but the compliant ride and suppleness of past Peugeots is back. We will have to wait a final appraisal on Australian roads but the prognosis is good. Ergonomically, the 308 is a big improvement. The trip computer has moved from the top of the dashboard, which was awkward to see in Australia's harsh light, to between the speedo and rev counter in the manner of some German hatches. All engines, bar the entry 1.6-litre, perform strongly. The 1.6-litre turbo will replace the current 2.0-litre four but few owners will lament its passing. The turbo has strong low-down torque, revs willingly and quietly and the five-speed gearbox is a joy. The six-speed 2.0-litre HDi is also a strong performer. Even without the laminated side glass on the HDi models, optional in Europe, all the 308s we drove were eerily quiet and composed at high speeds.   Snapshot Peugeot 308 Price: from about $25,490 Body: 5-door hatch Engine: 1.6L/4-cylinder 88kW/160Nm, 1.6L/4-cyl turbo 110kW/240Nm, 1.6L/4-cyl turbo-diesel HDi 80kW/240-260Nm, 2.0L/4-cyl HDi 100kW/320-240Nm Transmission: 5-speedmanual (1.6, 1.6 turbo, 1.6 HDi), 6-speed manual (2.0 HDi), 6-speed clutchless semi-automatic manual expected to be optional  

We are adrift in a raging sea of numbers. We're at the briefing for the newest of the countless models Audi has unleashed since 2004, and its very name is half numerical. The S5 is a fresh departure for Audi, built on an all-new platform. And, as with most Audis, the sum of the S5 is somewhat less than its parts. The S5 is the S-for-Sports model of the A5 coupe range that will roll out over the next six months or so. Eventually it will consist of five main variants. All feature a direct-injection petrol engine; there's also a turbodiesel; and a choice of six-speed manual, tiptronic or CVT transmission. Some have quattro all-wheel drive, others don't. Here are more numbers. The S5 packs Audi's powerful 4.2 FSI V8, with 260kW/440Nm driven through a slick six-speed manual. (The auto arrives later.) Riding on low-profile 19-inch rubber, it benefits from the latest version of quattro with a default torque split of 40-60 per cent front to rear. This equation adds up to a 0-100km/h sprint time of some 5.1 seconds. These, we can agree, are nice numbers. Like most Audis, they look good and feel good, but always only up to a certain point, because they're undone by yet another two numbers. This new platform will provide the basis for the next generations of Audi, most significantly the A4. Yet despite the front axle being moved as far forward on the stretched wheelbase as is feasible in a configuration where the front wheels drive, the S5's weight distribution is still a decidedly unbalanced 56:44 front-to-rear. That's an improvement on Audi's hooter-heavy and sharp-riding norm. It ensures the S5 will understeer on the same fast stretch of twisting tarmac that a 335i, for instance, would gobble up before asking for more. Yet for all that; actually, partly because of that; the S5 is just about the perfect GT coupe for the time, place and buyer. Audi's quite phenomenal year-on-year growth is all the evidence required that 'sheer driving pleasure,' at least in terms of charting dynamic extremes, is not nearly so important as a superbly appointed cabin, designer looks and an engine note that talks the talk. Audi leaves the envelope stretching to the superb RS4 and startling new R8. For their part, the S5/A5 speak the sort of language Audi's target market wants to hear. The range should also speak to those who've reflexively bought a BMW coupe because the badge is right, but then wondered why it rides like a billycart. (Hint: it's the same reason you have no spare tyre.) It says things that even a must-have-a-Merc merchant might understand, at least those few Benz buyers young enough not to require hearing enhancement. So if this reads like a marketing rave, then the people with designer glasses who work in ateliers have had at least as much to do with this coupe as those with engineering degrees. Having met the S5 with its milder family members earlier this year in Italy, we re-encountered it this week at Phillip Island raceway and on a back-road run outside Melbourne. If it was far more comfortable on the latter, the improvements brought by this new platform were at least evident in the former environment. Turn-in is sharp, almost too sharp for the typically lighter-than-air steering. You wait for the nose to begin pulling wide when pushing through a fast corner, but there is plenty of room to move in before that and a responsiveness that inspires confidence. Firing out of corners, the S5 goes like an Olympic sprinter. Traction is immense, backed up by a tolerant ESP and brakes that have a progressive feel to match their tremendous stopping power. Aside from its always joyous note, the V8 is possessed of a tractability that often removes the need to downshift with the short-throw and easy-shifting manual. Much has been made of the look of the thing, not least by its designer, Walter de Silva. He might at least thank the boffins whose platform reduces the old Audi front overhang to almost pert proportions. The thing is striking rather than beguiling, making an undeniable impression as it fills a rear-view mirror, daytime running lights aglow. It seems almost churlish to mention that high-set sills make it a right bugger to judge where your nose is in relation to the object in front. Rear vision is aided, but not perfected, by enormous wing mirrors that create wind roar when you're in sixth gear at freeway speeds. The thing, of course, is not that you can see out but that people will look at you when you drive by. And in that respect, the S5 does the maths.    

It has never been the biggest, the fastest nor the most expensive, yet during the past 20 years the BMW M3 has become one of the most desirable of the “real world” performance cars. Just what has made the M3 so special is something of a moving feast. What has remained constant is the unwavering insistence that M cars would never be run of the mill. Engineering over marketing. For this, the fourth iteration of the M3, the motorsport engineering division responsible for the sanctity of the M badge has elected to back revolution over evolution, retiring the brilliant straight six, which has won universal praise in the last two generations of the car and in its place shoehorning in a 4.0-litre V8. “Of course there was going to be comment on the move because of the iconic status of the six,” BMW Australia's Toni Andreevski says. “It was the same when we went away from the original four-cylinder engine. People screamed that it was sacrilege but it didn't take too long before the engine was all but forgotten and the straight six was regarded as a classic. “I believe it is going to be similar with the V8.” The engine is a spanker with power output of 309kW at 8300rpm and maximum torque of 400Nm peaking at 3500rpm and hanging around right through to almost 7000rpm. The raw power and readily available urge through a six-speed manual; the seven-speed double-clutch automatic that BMW will not confirm, it is expected around the middle of 2008; giving the M3 a Jekyll and Hyde character. Power is fed to the rear wheels through an M limited-slip differential ensuring the 18-inch light alloys, shod with 265/40 ZR18 rubber, get the maximum opportunity to transfer the power to forward momentum. The single piston calipers working on vented and cross-drilled discs do an outstanding job of dragging speed off the car. The full suite of electronic minders are standard as are leather sports seats; disappointing in the lack of contouring around the upper body, which needs all the help it can get. In raw performance numbers the M3 is impressive. It does the 0-100km/h sprint in 4.8 seconds, can respond to the need of mid-range attack with an 80-120 overtaking run in 4.9 seconds in fourth gear, and is only restrained at top rack by the convention of a 250km/h limited. Stroke it gently and the car will play happily in city traffic, burbling along in company with the daily grinders. Stir the pot and hang on tight. The siren song of the engine and exhaust in concert will draw many an enthralled driver beyond the boundaries of Australia's speed limits. In the right environment, a racetrack perhaps, the M3 will allow as much or as little fun as the driver can stand. In full minder mode the car is frighteningly quick in a straight line but the electronic interventions step in to modify areas the driver won't, or can't, take under control. Sharpen the electronic damper control; the first time an M3 has had such technology; and take on the sport mode for sharper steering and more aggressive throttle, the M3 becomes less of a granny and more the wide boy. There are several layers of traction and stability control working feverishly away but, like the duck on the pond, it's going on below the water while the casual observer there is an air of calm control. If your confidence is up, then the M button, with factory settings or self-loaded, may be just the ticket. A press of the steering-wheel mounted button engages the pre-set parameters, mostly having to do with getting the car into a maximum attack frame of mind, which can be all the way to having every electronic minder take a nap. It would be a brave driver who, having tipped in the $157,000 purchase price, took the maximum route; even BMW leave the stability control functioning, if only in a mild form. Pleasingly, BMW has not ignored the less adrenalin-inducing aspects of the new car. Despite representing the peak of 3 Series evolution, the M3 shares a miserly 20 per cent of common parts with its less exotic siblings. Apart from the glass and some lesser body panels the exterior is unique to the M3. It may look similar but isn't and the story is the same under the skin. The differentiation from the previous M3 is dramatic. BMW says the only part shared by the two cars is a single lower trailing arm on the rear suspension. Surely the zenith of trailing arm (lower) engineering. If you are determined to undo the work of the M Division engineers you can specify the no-cost option of a sunroof, replacing the sexy, functional carbon-fibre roof and add 20kg. It is like putting sunglasses on the Mona Lisa; unnecessary. See this car at the Australian International Motor Show      

Audi's first crack at a mid-engine exotic sportscar; the province of legends like its stablemates Porsche and Lamborghini; is a stunner that performs even better than it looks. Hardly surprising, given its genes, with donations of basic underpinnings from the Lambo Gallardo and a whole slew of ideas from Audi’s Le-Mans blitzing race car. It’s also nicked the RS4’s amazing 4.2-litre V8 engine, mated to a six-speed manual for $259,900 or a six-speed 'R-Tronic’ sequential for $274,900, putting the energy to all four corners with Audi’s quattro all-wheel drive. The German carmaker prides itself on its understated styling, and for the R8, head designer Walter de’Silva has delivered a body that is delicious from every angle, without screaming for attention. Which is not to say that it melts into the traffic. But drive one without the contrasting side panels, and the looks you get are generally a double-take as the car takes a second to lodge in the cortex. Once you do register it, though, it’s hard to tear the gaze away. And with this being one of the few designs around that is even more attractive from the rear, the R8 risks picking up a trail of fans every time it ventures out. The car is also one of the very few that we think looks best in white, accentuating the sculpture of air intakes and swelling haunches, and the jewelry of LED lights, quad exhausts, black gills, honeycomb mesh grille and spoiler and those air-deflecting sideblades. In the cabin, everything is focused so much on the driver that one passenger complained that he had nothing to play with except the window. However he declined the offer to pull over so he could get out and walk. The driver sits ensconced in a cockpit area created by the high transmission tunnel and delineated by the `monoposto’ arc that sweeps around the instruments. The arc is available in tasty piano black or carbon fibre, and most of the other interior finishes are superb; soft leathers and Alcantara suedes, and brushed aluminium accents; but the test car had a nastily silvered hard plastic for the bezel around the satnav cluster and inserts on the doors. Despite the jazzy flat-bottomed steering wheel giving greater clearance to jack up the seat height, plus the multiple adjustment of driver’s seat and column, we couldn’t easily find a perfect position, although this may just need spending more time fiddling with the combinations. The fit is sports-car snug, but despite the fast roof line there’s enough headroom unless you’re very tall. However we can’t agree with Audi’s claim that you can get two golf bags behind the rear seats unless you stack them high enough to completely wipe out rear vision. At this level you expect a lot of equipment, and you expect it to be first class. And the R8 doesn’t disappoint, with a list that includes rear parking camera, six-stacker CD audio system, electric adjustment on both sports seats, DVD satnav with colour screen and Bluetooth. Safety is covered with dual-stage twin front and head/thorax airbags, and stability program with traction control, electronic differential lock and anti-skid brakes with brake assist. But there’s a lengthy options list; and some of the things on it are features that you might think would be standard at this price. A pack of storage nets and compartments will set you back an extra $800, hill hold assist is $300 and tyre pressure monitoring is $950. Once you’ve ticked all those, you can move on to the carbon sideblades at $5050, matching engine compartment cover at $7850, upgraded bucket seats with width adjustment; presumably in case you spend so much time in them that your derriere starts spreading for $10,700, Nappa leather pack for $13,450 … and much, much more. You don’t have to have it all, of course, but it would be very easy to bounce the price tag over the $300,000 mark. None of which is going to deter the kind of buyer this car is aimed at, or lessen the already healthy bank of orders for it. Waiting lists are likely with the factory building and some of it hand-building only 20 cars per day. Audi Australia will get just 25 of those by the end of this year, and has confirmed 80 for 2008, with 70 per cent of those expected to be the R-Tronic version. On the road The R8’s widespread stance, coupled with the rigid, weight-saving Audi Space Frame alone would give the car fantastic poise. But adding the body’s airflow downforce helped by automatically extending spoiler; and the thing is virtually suctioned to the bitumen. And while there’s been quite a bit of recent comment from another German marque about whether an all-wheel system can be the basis of a truly sporting drive, sceptics should try the R8’s version with its viscous coupling splitting the torque to deliver a rear bias from 65:35 up to 90:10. This means that, especially with the ESP switched off, you’re able to dial up enough oversteer to emulate the agility of a classic rear-wheel drive going into corners, but the R8 never threatens to get out of control. There’s an entrail-stirring snarl from behind your ears as the powerplant delivers its 309kW of power at 7800rpm and 430Nm of torque between 4500 and 6000rpm. And if those revs seems high, it’s because this engine loves and almost encourages the upper end of the tacho, and is happy to rev right up to the 8000 line with seemingly little effort. Performance is posted at 0-100km/h in 4.6 seconds and a top speed of 301, 200km/h in 14.9 and a top speed of 301km/h. The sequential transmission was a smart bit of tech, with well-placed F1-style paddle shifters on the wheel as well as the conventional stick on the centre bump. But even though Audi says the system changes `faster than a practised driver’ our high expectations were dashed with an exasperating lag that you’d forgive in the mechanics of a manual. And it was the six-speed manual that won our hearts, with its retro open gate. Although we found it notchy and during the early part of the test drive, it didn’t take too long for us to work out how it wanted to be treated and we settled into a relationship that was marked by satisfying `snicks’ at each slot change. But during the day we never quite came to terms with the grabby brakes. The test car had done about 1000km, so they must have been well seated in, but still needed a featherlight touch; although undeniably able to pull the R8 in very short order. The steering was direct and more communicative than in any Audi we’d driven; (as you’d expect for its new hero) but there was still the nagging impression that it could offer even more feel if the engineers put their minds to it. However one aspect we couldn’t fault was the capability offered by the magnetic damping system, with switchable modes that effectively turned the R8 into two distinct cars. Set it for normal and you get a firm but compliant ride for cruising around town. But change to sport and the result is a very noticeable stiffening that on rough surfaces will tell you the shape of each individual piece of blue metal embedded in the bitumen, but also give you the kind of serious handling skills that will do you proud on a track day. And it’s this split personality that apart from all its other good points, will be the main lure of the R8. This is a true exotic without the temper tantrums and intractable nature. See this car at the Australian International Motor Show 

We could rave on about the new V8 or we could wax lyrical songs about the car's impressive levels of power and grip. Then of course there's the throaty roar from the four tailpipes as the car high tails it down the road. But perhaps the most telling comment about BMW's new 'V8-powered' M3 was the one delivered by a woman last week at Victoria's Phillip Island race track. We had flown down to the Island to put the fabled M car through its paces under the watchful eye of race driver Geoff Brabham and the BMW Driver Training team. That was before hopping across Bass Strait for some quality time the next day on some of the Apple Isle's less frequented roads. The woman, wife of a current and obviously proud M3 owner, had just stepped out of the new car after a hot lap with a restrained Brabham. “Wow!” “That's better than sex?” she exclaimed to all and sundry. “She means, that's better than sex with me,” her husband quipped. The woman turned to her husband. “When can we get one?” she asked. The answer was not as you might guess; right away (although it wasn't a question of money, even at $157,000). The 50-something businessman was more interested in when he could get his hands on a self-changing box, instead of the standard six-speed manual. Their car was the SMG version, sort of a automatic manual that accounted for 60 per cent of sales. The answer to the question is sometime next year, although it won't be an SMG. It's not going to be an auto either, BMW's Toni Andreevski said, but more likely something such as the acclaimed “DSG” double clutch gearbox pioneered by Volkswagen. Still, that's not going to worry BMW too much, because it's already sold all 120 of its first shipment of M3s. The move from a six to a larger, more powerful V8 engine in this the fourth generation M3 has left some owners misty-eyed. The 3.2-litre straight six is regarded as one of the motor world's true masterpieces and one that no doubt will be sorely missed. Then again, the company met with a similar reaction when it moved form a four to a six pack back in the early 90s. Any lingering doubts about the new 4.0-litre V8; however are soon dispelled after a few minutes behind the wheel. With 309kW of power at 8300rpm (up from 252kW) and 400Nm of torque from 3900rpm (up from 365Nm), the new M3 goes hard and stops faster, despite putting on 85kg in weight. It also quicker from 0 to 100km/h, at 4.8 seconds compared to 5.2 for the previous model. The engine itself is 15kg lighter and the block comes from BMW's light-alloy foundry in Landshut that builds the blocks used in Formula One by BMW Sauber. The new M3 introduces some firsts to the segment including brake energy regeneration and a weight-saving carbon fibre roof, to go with the lightweight aluminium bonnet. Despite its obvious girth average fuel consumption remains a respectable 12.4 litres/100km, depending how you drive. On the track the new M3 is just superb. With perfect 50:50 weight distribution, it exhibits poise and balance, easily controlled at the limit with slight corrections by the driver. In fact, one of the hallmarks of this car is just how easy it is to drive, with a raft of electronic aids that 'aid' the enthusiast instead of getting in the way as is so often the case. The V8's extra torque comes into its own pulling out of corners, with the car able to remain in a higher gear and get into its stride more quickly, exiting the corner more rapidly as a result. On the open road the M3 is ridiculously quick. Full power is always available but drivers get to choose how that power is delivered, thanks to the Mdrive button located on the steering wheel, with sharper or softer settings available. The difference between the standard 18 inch and $3800 optional 19 inch wheels is apparent, but more so on the track than on the road. They allow the car to carry a more speed through corners. The car is not fitted with run flats nor is a spare tyre supplied, but a reinflation kit with compressor instead. Only 20 per cent of components are shared with the 3 Series Coupe and only one suspension component. Highlights include the newly developed chassis with special, weight-optimised components, plus Electronic Damper Control (EDC) and the Variable M diff lock. Competitors include Audi RS4, Lexus IS-F and Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG.  

Someone needs to rewrite the book on German pocket battleships. So, let's start here, with the all-new Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG. History twisted earlier this year when BMW dropped a V8 engine into its hotrod M3 to create a new German muscle monster, pushing the edge on a class that already included the high-calibre Audi RS4, but now Benz has really fired. Its new compact cannon has just become the car to beat, thanks to a thumping V8 and the sort of chassis development that has been missing from almost everything that has worn an AMG badge over the past 40 years. The German hot shop has done a great job on cruisers with straight-line muscle, but things got tougher and eventually turned to torture if the road started to take any serious twists. Power was king and V8 engines ruled. But not in the C63, which takes the seriously impressive basics of the new compact C-Class and twists them into a Porsche-fighter with four doors and luggage space. It is almost certain to trump the M3 and RS4. A local shoot-out won't happen until sometime after next March, when the C63 sedan (there will also be a special-order wagon) lands, with a price tag lined up close to the M3 in the $150,000 region. What makes the C63 so special is more than just 336 kiloWatts and 600 Newton-metres fed through a seven-speed auto to the back wheels. Or the 18-inch alloys and paddle shift and a 4.5-second sprint to 100km/h. Mario Spitzner, an AMG-Mercedes veteran who heads the company's worldwide marketing work, sums it up very simply. “It's the AMG go-kart, with this new V8 and also real comfort,” Spitzner says. The C63 follows a series of C-Class hotties but has a different approach born from extensive market research and (although no-one admits it) the strengths of the M3 V8 and RS4. “Performance is the overall concept. We wanted to get more emotion. Make it more involving,” Spitzner says. “The C-Class customers wanted it to be more aggressive. They wanted to show off what they have. And more sporty, and with real handling.” Spitzner even admits the shortcomings of the previous C-Class battleship, “In the C55, the engine was perfect but it was for the challenges of the straight road.” So the C63 is different, and AMG even detuned its V8 engine from the 386kW in the C63 because the extra power was unnecessary. Anyway, the power-to-weight ratio is better. It is wider in the track, the front end has been beefed to handle the V8 weight but retain suspension stiffness, the brakes have been tweaked and there are those giant alloys. Another key is the automatic gearbox, previously a weakness against rival companies' manuals, the SMG auto in the M3 and its upcoming twin-clutch manual. AMG now has three settings, with shifts speeded by 30 per cent between cruise and sport, and another 50 per cent into the 80-millisecond range; for full manual control. And Mercedes has, finally, given the driver control over traction control. They can choose to wind it back or dump it completely, although there is a safety over-ride that restores full electronics if the driver hits the brakes during a slide. Inside, the C63 obviously has sports leather bucket seats, paddle shifts for the transmission, a brilliant sports wheel and usual Benz luxury stuff, including satnav and auto aircon. A decision has not been taken for Australia, but a sports pack is also available for the C63; 19-inch alloys, ceramic brakes, limited-slip diff and a carbon fibre pack; inside and out. You know you are driving something seriously fast; when you can pull out and pass a Porsche with two gears to go and the speedo twisting fast beyond 200km/h on a de-restricted German autobahn. Okay, it was only a Boxster, but the C63 made it look like a Hyundai Getz. On the road the C63 is the real deal. It can do everything, from a gentle 30km/h rumble to a redline run to the horizon at 250km/h. But it does not feel compromised in any area, and that is a big breakthrough for an AMG car. The C63 is crisp, youthful and damn fast. Floor the throttle from a standing start and the traction-control light will flash as the car struggles to put its power to the road; do it at 80km/h and it is rolling thunder that makes overtaking a laugh. The engine is a thumper, but still refined and with torque and power that slams into action from just over 1500 revs. Unlike the M3, which needs a good rev to do its best, the hand-built AMG motor is always in range. The engine pulls happily to 7000 revs and makes maximum torque at 5000, but the real delight is that it makes big numbers almost all the time. And at 110km/h it is barely ticking over, which should be good for economy and emissions. Auto transmission is surprisingly sharp, the brakes are great, the quality basics of the new C-Class are reflected in all-round refinement and a cabin that stays quiet well beyond Australian speed limits. The suspension is firm but it's not sharp or intrusive. And, probably best of all, the C63 is a balanced package. You can arrive at a tightening corner and keep tracking without fuss, instead of pushing ahead in an earlier AMG car, which felt more like a lead-tipped arrow such as the six-cylinder Ford Cortina of the 1970s. What is not to like? You sit a little too high, although AMG is revamping the seat cushions to drop the driver a bit, and the giant alloys are going to be covered in brake soot very quickly. But that's about it, and even the exhaust has been tuned to give a rumbling snuffle when you lift the throttle. Because AMG can. Now we cannot wait to drive it on home roads for more than just a couple of hours, and to train its firepower on an M3 and RS4.   Snapshot Mercedes C63 AMG Price: estimated $150,000 On sale: early 2008 Body: 4-door sedan Engine: 6.2L/V8 336kW/600Nm Transmission: 7-speed automatic Performance: .... 0-100km/h, 4.5secs, top speed 250km/h (limited)   The Rivals Audi RS4 Price: $164,500 Engine: 4.2L/V8, 309kW/430Nm Economy: n/a 0-100km/h: 4.8 secs     BMW M3 Price: $157,000 Engine: 4.0L/V8, 309kW/400Nm Economy: 12.4L/100km (claimed) 0-100km/h: 4.8seconds