Luxury Reviews

It's a year before it's due in Australia, but Volkswagen's baby Touareg.

How does it go?” is the first thing everyone asks when they see the new Mercedes-Benz CL63 AMG. “Like it looks,” is the best answer. Here is a large, sexy, sleek coupe capable of accelerating from 0-100km/h in the low four-second bracket with relentless thrust. Experiencing the CL63 AMG at full noise must be something like rocket sled pilots felt during the early US space program. The big Benz pegs you back in the seat and holds you there until the right foot is lifted. A relative newcomer to the range, the CL is essentially a two-door S-Class and as such features all the goodies available on Benz's big saloon. This includes night view assist that offers an infra-red view of the road 200m-300m ahead. It has a new control system that features one central dial similar to, but simpler than, BMW's iDrive system. Filled with safety equipment, the luxurious cabin features possibly the most electrically adjustable front seats on the market. The mind-boggling audio system links to a DVD player and TV, the satnav system is sophisticated and displayed on a large screen. That's all very well but the CL63 AMG is a fantastic car to drive, look at and be spoiled in. The AMG name spells performance and, in this sense, the CL63 is a winner. The DOHC 6.2-litre V8 may be good for 375kW and a titanic 630Nm, but it's dead smooth and barely audible at idle or cruise. Drive goes to the rear 20-inch wheels via a seven-speed auto with speedshift and steering wheel paddles. Thanks to the V8's instant response, they seem superfluous; leave it in drive and just think about steering the beast. Despite its size and hefty weight, it steers well. The adaptive air suspension takes input from many sensors to constantly alter settings for a supple ride and flat cornering. The booming exhaust is a perfect accompaniment to the big coupe and is difficult to ignore. You can't ignore the CL's sleek, muscular body. It looks ready to pounce and visually supports it $383,000 price. After a week in this car, we can't imagine what the smaller C63 AMG with the same powertrain must be like. Can't wait.  

Audi's oil-burning twin turbo V8 is a fantastic advertisement for what diesel has to offer. The big 4.2-litre common rail direct injection diesel generates 240kW of power and 650Nm of torque from a low 1600rpm. That's enough oomph to push Audi's flagship A8 from rest to 100km/h in a super quick 5.9 seconds. That's faster than the 3.2 and 4.2 petrol models. And, if the wind's blowing the right way, it even sounds like a V8 although somewhat subdued. The punchline, however, is that it can do this at the same time as using just 9.7 litres of diesel/100km. With a 90-litre fuel tank, that gives the A8 TDI a range of more than 900km. But it's not just about the economy, it's about the way the big diesel drives because, with all that torque, it delivers effortless performance. Each of the two turbochargers serves one bank of the V8's eight cylinders. The two intake manifolds are interconnected by means of a 'feedthrough' system, to equalise the pressure between the right and left cylinder banks. Audi claims this boosts cylinder charging and consequently enhances the engine's power output. We can't argue with that. Sitting long and low, the lightweight, aluminium-bodied A8 cuts an imposing figure. It looks like the kind of car you'd own if you had money, but didn't have the time to waste on some antsy pantsy sports car. At $210,000, the A8 4.2 TDI Quattro is at the top end of town. But even at this price it still falls a long way short of the $300,000 top of the range long wheelbase W12. The V8 is hooked up to a six-speed tiptronic automatic transmission with dynamic gearshift program and additional sports program. Let it change gears, or do it yourself via the gear shift or steering wheel mounted paddles. Power is delivered to all four wheels via Quattro permanent four-wheel, with anti-lock brakes and Electronic Stability Control. The A8 is 5062mm long, 1894mm wide and 1444mm high. It weighs in at 1945kg and sits on 19-inch alloys with 255/40 rubber. For a big car it responds quickly with strong performance across the range, doing a good job of living up to Audi's 'world's sportiest' diesel-engined passenger car claim. Topping off the package is adaptive air suspension, which allows you to dial in the kind of ride you want - from soft and cushy to firm and sporty. We could live without the wood (it does come in grey) but miss exterior mirrors that dip when reversing. The TDI's equipment list is as long as your arm. Leather, wood and plenty of airbags are standard, so is TV, Satnav and a cordless phone. But even at this price there are still plenty of options, from sports suspension to a reversing camera and adaptive cruise control.

I remember Jaguar umming and ahhing about whether to stick a diesel in its big limmo. That's to say whether its well-heeled clientele would take to the idea or whether it was a strictly V8-or-nothing market. Fortunately, it decided to take the plunge because with lots of lazy, low down torque, the diesel lends itself perfectly to the role of cruiser. If the words 2.7 litre twin-turbo diesel sounds familiar, that's because they are. The engine developed jointly with PSA Peugeot Citroen debuted in Jag's S-Type and is also found in Peugeot's 407 and Citroen's techno tour de force, the C6. The twin-turbo common rail V6 diesel produces 152kW power at 4000rpm and 435Nm of torque at 1900rpm. Impressively it accelerates from 0-100km/h in 8.2 seconds, with a top speed of 225km/h. Fuel economy is rated at 8.1 litres/100km (we got 8.5) - it means you can have a big car without the penalty. For such a big car it feels surprisingly nimble. That's because the one piece body/chassis is constructed of lightweight aluminium, giving the car a distinct weight advantage. Electronically controlled, self-levelling air suspension is standard that lowers the car as speed increases. Electronically controlled engine mounts designed to reduce vibration at idle. It is still a bit wood-and-leathery for our liking, but then that's the market the big Jag is playing to. Long wheelbase means you have to keep an eye on those rear wheels and make sure you don't cut corners. Physical size makes negotiating winding car park ramps tricky. You can set the computer to fold the external exterior mirrors when the car is parked, but try as we may we couldn't get it to work. Misses out on one touch indicators (one touch/three flashes). Jaguar has done a terrific job. Big, comfortable car that turns heads, particularly those of Mercedes owners. Build quality is excellent, nice and quiet inside and we like the touch screen computer display. Much easier than fiddling with silly little knobs. We love it, except that is for the $154,900 price tag.

According to the most recent monthly market bulletin, sales of soft-roaders are going off to an extraordinary extent, up by more than 40 per cent year-to-date in some categories in 2006. It would be pleasant to think the commercial success of vehicles designed to provide facility and comfort at the expense of any driverly satisfaction, indeed any sensation at all, was a temporary aberration. That we can't get enough of these cosseting, anodyne, soccer-mum mobiles marks us as self-obsessed, complacent and essentially disinterested in driving. We've had cause to expound on this grim fact of modern life more than once in the past week or so; as we came close to oblivion at the hands of yet another lane-barger automatically piloting the urban shopping vehicle. There might be some small excuse for an SUV owner (as opposed to 'driver') failing to see our low-slung and diminutive Lotus Elise S. But the bovine look on the dials of most we've been obliged to upbraid suggested they'd have been unaware of an Abrams tank. Wing mirrors, it increasingly appears, are considered useful primarily to assist reverse parking. If the greatest caveat to Lotus ownership in the automotive Sleepy Hollow of this metropolis is a very real danger of becoming a speed bump for an SUV, against that is the immense satisfaction of eschewing the prevailing decadence. A Lotus, especially the ultra-light entry-level Elise S, remains one of the most unadulterated, one of the purest, public road-going vehicles available. If you've the least sniff of petrol about you, you owe it to yourself to have a go at a Lotus at least once. Even if you're not so disposed, perhaps especially if you're not, then you ought to at least stick your head inside one. Then you'll see that it's possible to not only survive without the plethora of extraneous and distracting comforts with which most modern passenger vehicles are burdened, but to actually thrive in a way you've probably never considered. Not that Elise does without niceties. Unlike the hardcore Exige S, the rear-view mirror is made useful by there being a rear window you can see out of. There's also a stereo, twin Probax seats and even electric windows. It's just that there's no danger of mistaking the interior for a Mercedes-Benz SLK. Or even a Mazda MX-5. Unlike these, there's no push button to fold the roof away, it has to be manually disassembled and stowed. And, as with the most full-on Lotus, you lower yourself over a sill into what is a cockpit, not a cabin. The air of spartan functionality is relieved only by such inner door padding and dash materials that won't add to the weight. You need to be on good terms with your passenger who, if he or she is tall, will need to mind their knee and elbow so you can manipulate the gear stick freely. To look on it, the Elise is a desperately sweet little thing. Indeed, in the gleaming alloys shod in 16-inch Yokohama Advan Neon rubber at the front and 17s on the back, it's as cute as any number of buttons. If you're not beguiled by the Elise, you probably hate puppy dogs too. Turn the key, switch off the immobiliser and stab the start button and you'll notice that not only is there not much by way of sound deadening to mask the engine noise, but the engine is mid-mounted right behind your head. The impression forms that this is going to be a ride to make your normal daily conveyance seem like a Jason Recliner Rocker. The remarkable thing is that the engine chosen for this piece of relatively affordable exotica is actually derived from something so humble as Toyota's Celica. The 1.8-litre VVT unit delivers only 100kW/172Nm, but that is enough to get the Elise to 100km/h from standing in a Porsche Boxster S-beating 6.1 seconds. And the latter costs $140,000 ... This is what happens when extraneous items are discarded to achieve the lightest kerb weight of any car on Australian roads. At only 860kg the Elise is positively anorexic. Yet it's an almost benign daily proposition. For the rarefied nature of the beast in question, the combination of Eibach springs and Bilstein telescopic dampers is inspired. The Elise rides the worst the road can throw at it with, if not ease, then disciplined composure, without compromising those crucial Lotus values of intimate body control and utterly intuitive handling. The rigidly mounted rack and pinion steering is, of course, wonderfully unassisted and thus full of feedback. A 2.8 turns lock-to-lock, it's also instantly responsive and direct, so that when you're properly on the thing, changing direction seems to be a matter of osmosis. While maximum power, such as it is, occurs near top revs at 6200rpm, all the torque is at 4200rpm, making all the mid-range you need and even allowing for occasional use of fifth gear. There is no sixth gear, but you won't feel the want of it. To rev the Elise up past 5000rpm as the good Lord intended, though, is to reap a whirlwind of sharpened acceleration and shrieking exhaust note until the warning light flashes on just shy of redline. This surfeit of feel translates to the stop pedal which has just the right amount of retardation built in before the ABS threshold is breached. The Elise experience is visceral in a way that the cars we've chosen as ostensible 'rivals' have been plucked out of fairly thin air. Each are abundantly rewarding in their own ways, but none emulate the immediacy and rawness. Seldom has being so 'un-Australian' been so cool. If $70,000 seems steep, remember that you can also buy a hatch as well for getting the groceries and still have change from $100,000.

So, just what does 'sporty' mean any more? Tack a spoiler, decals and some bling rims onto the humblest Korean econo-device and the thing boasts a 'sport pack.' Honda's CR-V automatic, a vehicle from which every scintilla of driver involvement has been meticulously removed, comes in an iteration known quite without irony as 'The Sport.' It's taken as read these days that 'sport' pertains to appearance as opposed to performance in the same way most tracksuits are sold not to athletes, but the obese. With its new C-Class, however, Mercedes-Benz have taken semantics to the next level. Instead of handing down the same, conservative device for wannabe junior executives, they've done two entirely different versions. That's to say two versions whose difference is entirely visual. There's the Classic and Elegance models (ie, more traditional Merc shape and trim) and then the so-called Avantgarde models, with three-point star slapped on the grille in a manner intended to evoke Merc's, ahem, 'sportier' models. This gambit in the most popular Merc model line-up is considered necessary in order to reel back the average age of the marque's buyers. Indeed, the Avantgarde is felt to be more attractive to those under 50. This demographic had to be conquered without alienating the hugely profitable core of constituents who go for cars with the three-pointed star not because they want to get around corners quickly, but because they want everyone to see that they own a Mercedes-Benz. Certainly, this line has worked to the extent that you'd find few published reports that have not obligingly called the Avantgarde 'sportier.' One game chap managed it several times, further distorting the auto world's most misused adjective by applying it even to the instrument panel. What next, pray? A racier glovebox? A performance-enhanced 12-volt socket? We got to grips with the top of the currently available line-up, the $84,974 C280 Avantgarde. The only six-cylinder at the moment, it's chief rivals are BMW's 325i, the Lexus IS250 Sport Luxury and at a stretch, Audi's A4 3.2 FSI quattro. True, the Avantgarde does represent a marked visual departure from the Classic and Elegance models, though still obviously within the perceived idea of what a Merc should look like ... and drive like. Within, it's more spacious than the previous generation. Rear passengers are better served. Though this is the allegedly sportier version, those up front will do a good deal of sliding about on wide, unsupportive seats when cornering gets physical. Still, it'd be a rare physical specimen who couldn't find a perfect driving position with two-way adjustable wheel and a throne that adjusts seemingly endlessly. No lumbar support, though. The stop and go pedals are offset slightly to the right to accommodate the foot-activated parking brake Mercedes persists on using. Most of all, the cabin looks and feels better than before, even the plastics having been imbued with an almost tactile quality. The multimedia system is all too similar to BMW's rightly loathed i-Drive, but surpasses it for ease of use, even without the latter's recently acquired idiot buttons. At activation, a warning message flashes on the screen, which has emerged to sit atop the dash, not to allow it to distract you. It's a bit like giving a kid a loaded paintball gun for his birthday and asking him not to shoot his guests. The C-Class has all the surety of Mercs' Pro-Safe crash avoidance and safety set-ups as standard. Active measures include ESP, Adaptive Brake (ABS, EBD, EBA et al) and Pre-Safe, which readies airbags and seatbelts should on-board sensors detect an imminent bingle. A five-star NCAP rating is surely inevitable. In terms of wattage, if not Newtons (the diesel C220 CDI has a whopping 400Nm), the C280 is the most potent new C-Class to be had with its 170kW/300Nm V6. At least, it's rumoured to have an engine, for the most part, the thing is almost hybrid-quiet. Even when attempting to emulate Merc's claimed 7.2 0-100km/h sprint time, the engine's note is more refined than ferocious. Driven through the marque's seven-speed automatic transmission, a combined cycle economy figure of 9.6 litres of premium unleaded per 100km is claimed, but not likely if your right foot is heavy. Off the mark, it's handily responsive, quite able to bemuse one thrusty Commodore SV6 owner. The ride/handling compromise is markedly in favour of the former, there being no greater contrast than the absorbency and composure of the Merc's suspension on the very same roads that so rattle the BMW with its run-flat tyres. While no sports suspension option is available, the C280's inherent balance makes for predictable and accessibly enjoyable handling that can be enhanced on a winding B-road by making use of the transmission's manual mode. Driving an E350 to pick up our C280 was instructive. The impression that the latter is something of a junior E-Class comes right on home with steering that, while dead accurate, is pretty much devoid of feel. There's a good deal more body roll than with any of the more rigid rivals we list. But then Merc's remit is different. The marque's marketeers know on which side its bread is buttered — or rather on which side the sourdough is slathered in extra-virgin olive oil. There's nothing about the C280 to frighten the horses or, as we've said of the E-Class, the horsy. The difference is merely size and displacement. Of course, if it absolutely has to be a Mercedes-Benz, then nothing else will do. And the C280 will do just what you'll want.   Snapshot C280 Avantgarde Price: $84,974 Engine: 3.0/V6, 170kW/300Nm Economy: 9.6L/100km 0-100km/h: 7.2 seconds The rivals Audi A4 3.2 FSI Quattro Price: $86,700 Engine: 3.2L/V6, 188kW/330Nm Economy: 10.8L/100km 0-100km/h: 6.9 seconds   BMW 325i Price: $76,400 Engine: 2.5L inline six, 160kW/250Nm Economy: 9.0L/100km 0-100km/h: 7.7 seconds   Lexus IS250 Luxury Price: $78,974 Engine: 2.5L/V6, 153kW/252Nm Economy: 9.1L/100km 0-100km/h: 8.8 seconds  

Wagons, or more specifically Touring in Munich language, are still in fashion despite the assorted SUV raiders including BMW's own X3 and X5. The 5-series touring still wins friends because of its flexibility, practicality and genuine car-like handling for those who want a driver's package to boot. There are arguments that the SUV's of this world can do the job but as the saying goes, once a truck always a truck. A long-time owner of a 5-series Touring, who had the M-sport package kitted out on his vehicle, had a dog and a young child and yet wanted a vehicle, which could also offer driver enjoyment whenever his family and dog were not being ferried around. He didn't believe the X5 could do that, something that can be debated until the cows come home. In any case the overall message is that Touring wagons have survived the onslaught of SUVS in this country because of the aforementioned reason. In the CARSguide garage for a week was a 530i Touring, which did some weekend haulage work between the usual obligatory visits to the normal retail outlets. Short of carrying a queen-size bed home with the rear-seats folded down, it is possible to stash a good payload into a Touring. It's practicality is unquestioned and by virtue of its run-flat tyres, like them or lump them, there is no spare so there are a whole heap of individual compartments where you can stash stuff underneath the cargo floor. Hmm, run-flats. They have never been CARSguide's cup of tea. They might now be in their third or fourth generation but it doesn't matter. By the nature of their construction with almost bullet-proof sidewalls, the ride quality is compromised. A Volvo S80, set on the comfort setting admittedly, was in the shed at the time the 5 Series Touring was around and the big Swede played it off a break. In the owner's manual (very unmanly of us to even contemplate a look, we know) the recommendation from the manufacturer is that new tyres be fitted after not more than six years regardless of wear. Why? Because most tyres, run-flats are no different, become brittle with age and the run-flats must be replaced rather than repaired is the message. Furthermore there is also a recommendation you do not rotate the tyres between the front and the rear because, the manufacturer advises, it might impair handling. Maybe, maybe not. It might be more of a case of trying to coax drivers into shelling out for tyres before they otherwise should. The 530i Touring needs a bit of urge down low but once it's spinning the luxury wagon is agile and responsive. Vision is excellent and the seats are firm, supportive and can easily be set to a position to suit all shapes and sizes of occupants. On this drive of more than 800km average fuel consumption stood at just under 13litres/100km. This wagon has a lot of virtues and still carries plenty of on-road presence. And obviously there is still demand for such body styles from luxury car makers despite the seemingly insatiable appetite for SUVs.

There is something about the style and the fact that a fabric roof defies the elements that gives it appeal. For years, Saab has steadfastly stuck with a soft-top for its convertible but today's soft top is a piece of high-tech kit. It is fully lined, for starters, and effectively mutes wind and rain noise as well as being true to the sports convertible philosophy. What isn't true is its diesel engine. Sports convertibles and diesels seem like chalk and cheese. Now there are two: the Saab 9-3 and the Volkswagen Eos. Saab's diesel convertible, the TiD, starts at $68,000 for the Linear with Sport adding $2000. Auto is more. It is powered by a 1.9-litre, common rail, twin cam turbo diesel good for 110kW and 320Nm. This engine is also used in Holden Astra diesels and the design is originally from Fiat and Alfa. A six-speed manual or optional six-speed automatic transmission is available with drive going to the front wheels via various electronic modulators. The diesel offers surprisingly strong performance coupled with excellent fuel economy rated at just 5.8-litres/100km. It also generates a relatively low 166g/km of carbon dioxide and features a particle filter to knock out any exhaust nasties. Though smooth and quiet on the road, the diesel is audible at idle and generates some vibration but nothing that really intrudes. It will take the convertible at least 1000km on a tank, possibly more if you drive frugally. That is impressive. The six-speed manual we drove was excellent on the highway, loping along in fifth or sixth with instant acceleration on tap. The difference between petrol and diesel under these conditions is imperceptible apart from slightly stronger acceleration from the diesel. As expected, the convertible is fully loaded with goodies like heated seats, leather, premium audio, climate control and cruise control. The 16in alloys look a little small for the car but there is a full-size spare. Safety equipment includes active roll-over protection, multiple airbags, stability control and five three-point seat belts. Driving the car is a buzz, especially with the roof down. It was cold during the test drive but we cranked up the heater and heated seats but didn't feel a thing. While it couldn't be considered a sporty handling car, the convertible is composed and comfy. It is easy to get into the front seats but a little more difficult in the back. The boot is a good size even with the roof down. We like the look of it especially around the flanks, but the front is a pretty generic Saab.  

Red moons don't come along very often and neither do Aston Martin convertibles. Apparently this new Vantage V8 Roadster is the 14th example since 1950, but you almost never see one on the road and I wouldn't be surprised if I'd witnessed more lunar eclipses. Watching this week's ochre orb rise over a splendid powder-blue example, one of the first in Australia, was a rare alignment of stars indeed. This soft-top version of the Vantage Coupe is unlikely to be a common sight, even when Australia's full quota, a couple of hundred, perhaps, have been handed over to buyers. But in Aston terms, it will be relatively high volume. The company is currently building more cars than at any time in its history, 7000 last year, or about one-third more than Ferrari. The recent sale by former owner Ford now means development work is going full-throttle under new shareholders. Annual production is expected to hit 10,000 when the Rapide four-door joins the line-up in 2009. Convertibles account for more than half current output and the majority of those will be the V8 Roadster. The larger V12-powered DB9 Volante is nearly $100,000 more expensive, and you need a blue moon for that one. For such an exclusive brand, the Aston appeal has remarkable cut-through. Some badges inspire unprovoked hostility in passers-by, but an Aston is greeted with almost universal admiration that even envy cannot dilute. Aston expects this car, of all its models, to attract more women buyers, but judging by the response merely to a mention of the brand, it already has a fair bit of appeal. The V8 Roadster, like other Astons I've driven, has an extraordinary ability to cross the gender divide. The Roadster commands a $24,000 premium over the coupe and shares most of its engineering, including aluminium underpinnings, lightweight bodywork, 4.3-litre V8 and six-speed manual transmission (or the option of a two-pedal, auto-clutch version of the same gearbox). With a starting price of $269,000 it's pitched against a formidable line-up of premium convertibles including the Porsche 911 4S Cabriolet, Mercedes-Benz SL 500 and Jaguar XKR. None of these cars is a slouch when it comes to looks or performance. But with a 0-100km/h time of just 5.0 seconds, the Aston is competitive against all but the quickest. To this non-objective observer, it has the edge in terms of beauty and cabin ambience. The Roadster manages the neat trick of looking good even with the roof up, which is not the best angle even for expensive drop-tops. Sharply raked A-pillars mean the fabric forms a low, taut cabin line (almost) as persuasive as the smooth hardtop. The convertible also retains that car's grille, headlights and wrap-around tail-lights with their appealing LED details. The same pronounced style crease flows from the signature side vent, and the shapely form of the wheel arches turns the flanks into an almost sexual statement. It's gorgeous, but if it's gorgeous with its roof up, top-down it's irresistible. The three layers of fabric which make the cabin feel well insulated when in place, fold in a swish 18 seconds. The roof is slickly packaged behind the cabin, avoiding any suggestion that it's an awkward piece of cargo, while the boot space, which is weekend-for-two-in-a-warm-location size, stays the same regardless. Nice touches include the fared-in headrests and concealed fuel-filler cap, which can be hard to find unless you know where it is. The car's lines come into their own now, and the cabin can show off an expanse of contrast-stitched leather punctuated by gun-metal coloured plastic and metal for the functional bits. The switchgear and control placement mirrors other Astons and has some endearing quirks, such as the high-mounted buttons used to select D, R or N in the automated manual version I drove. The counter-rotating dials are also unique, with the speedo describing a conventional arc but the rev-counter needle flicking anti-clockwise. There's no redline marked and an almost complete lack of ornamentation, save for a little analogue clock. The seats are a highlight both to look at and to occupy. Set appropriately low, the driving position is marred only by excessive reflections off the top of the dash into the front glass, and a complete inability to see the end of the long bonnet. Aston has a minimalist approach to standard equipment and in the Roadster it's sparse, which means the starting price really is where you begin. Sat-nav, heated seats or Bluetooth compatibility are just a few features you might expect at this price, but they're extra. So is cruise control. I'd do without most of them. The cheap steering-wheel buttons for cruise and stereo are about the only jarring note in the cabin — and the volume control didn't work. But that was the exception in a car that felt tight, well-built and nuggetty solid. Aston claims exceptional rigidity for this Roadster, and it's not difficult to believe because it is substantially heavier than its Porsche and Jaguar rivals. It's the length of a hatchback but weighs as much as the larger DB9 Coupe. On the road, it has the hunkered-down feel of a small car running big rubber. The 1.7 tonne weight is extremely well disguised because the mass sits low to the ground and the car responds to inputs cleanly. After a few hundred kilometres I found myself braking and turning in earlier for corners, but carrying more speed. The steering wheel and pedals are all pleasing to use with vestiges, at least, of an unmediated sportscar just beneath their civilised surface. It turns in with poise and alacrity and the brakes are strong. The ride quality is firm but acceptably so, and Aston eschews adaptive suspension and other trickery, such as variable-ratio steering. The road noise thrown up by tyres is the main detraction from refinement. One complex piece of technology is the Sportshift automated manual gearbox, a development of systems used by many of the exotic brands. The difficulty of low-speed manoeuvring we've encountered with these gearboxes has been addressed with a 'crawl' function, which edges the car forward or back for parking just like a conventional torque converter automatic. In D, the shifts are sufficiently smooth and around town it's the default choice, although the best way to learn this transmission is to use manual mode, changing gear via the steering wheel paddles, all the time. Slight throttle adjustments can make all the difference to shift quality and timing. In a nice touch, the numerical gear display turns red as the upshift point approaches, although the system will allow revs to be held at maximum without changing up for you. On an open road, manual mode is clearly superior and not just because it blips the throttle and swaps ratios faster than any pro. Automatic can choose strange times to change gear- mid-corner on a couple of occasions. It's unclear whether the software would eventually learn a driver's style. And with your fingers on the paddles, you can control the engine note. Like the coupe, the stainless steel exhaust system opens up all the stops at 4000rpm and sounds like the brass section of big band. But unlike the coupe, in the convertible the volume is turned up to full, and it's like you're in the dance hall rather than listening to the recording. This V8 engine doesn't feel quite as quick as its vital statistics suggest, it can even go off the boil a little on inclines with the tacho showing less than 3000rpm, but it spins very enthusiastically and the sound it makes has a slightly  feral quality that's extremely addictive. This Aston doesn't need a full moon, red or otherwise, to reveal the beast within.   Snapshot Aston Martin V8 Vantage Roadster Body: Two-seater soft-top convertible Engine: 4.3-litre V8 Outputs: 283kW at 7000rpm; 410Nm at 5000rpm Transmission: Six-speed manual or six-speed clutchless manual Performance: 0-100km/h in 5.0 seconds Price: $269,000 On sale: Now  

In their infinite wisdom, Italians have had a fetish for fussy transmissions. Not just automatic or manual or straight up and down sequential deals; but these fiddly operations that don't do any of the aforementioned smoothly, quickly or with any degree of finesse. Alfa Romeo has been a classic example with its Q-system tranny. Convoluted they are and Maserati's automated manual DuoSelect system is a quirky affair not suited to everyone's tastes or needs. So it is to a warm welcome that Maserati has added a conventional sequential box to the biggest and most refined car in its streamlined range. Maserati's move to add the highly decorated ZF 6-speed automatic transmission to its cracking, great big Quattroporte saloon, which has used the DuoSelect system since the 2003 launch, was always going to be a masterstroke. The only challenge was that it needed reasonable engineering changes to the 4.2-litre V8 and the floorpan to install the ZF. This auto box is on the back of the engine at the front of the car as opposed to the manual's location longitudinally mounted on the rear differential. The engine has also switched from dry to wet sump lubrication. Well balanced yet sporty, the rear suspension also came in for a rejig. There is a slight shift in the weight distribution with a 49/51 front/rear split as opposed to the DuoSelect's 47/53. Torque has risen 9Nm to 460Nm, of which 75 per cent is available at 2500rpm while the power output of 295kW is reached at a howling 7000rpm. The Sport GT version, priced from $288,000, is dressed in 20-inch wheels with fatter and lower profile Pirelli P Zero tyres fitted at the rear than the front. This version has a split personality that is far from being frowned upon is welcome with open arms. In sports mode the engine sounds angrier, the dampers firm up, the revs rise and gears are held for longer. And you can pick gears on average a massive 35 per cent quicker than in normal mode. This is possible through a bit of tinkering with the electro-hydraulic transmission system's CPU. It is also louder and prouder,  the aural experience more than anything piques your senses and lifts the heart-rate. Use the giant paddles integrated on the sports steering wheel and in this guise the Quattroporte is a blast. Pressing the sport button, one of several in a vertical line on one side of the centre console screen, gives you instant attitude with the sound spewing out of the quad pipes going from a delightfully gruff rumble to a wilder, more manic tune in keeping with its Ferrari roots. On the road the ride is reasonably compliant although there is some compromise over harsher surfaces with the 20-inch wheels (standard with the Sport GT) hanging off each corner. This is but a blip to the overall package. For such a big car, the new Quattroporte with the ZF tranny steers and handles remarkably well. There is a nice balance to the weight of the tiller and it is fairly sharp, while the body remains composed with the active suspension, which Maserati famously calls Skyhook helping to keep a solid contact patch with the road. There are other driving settings to play with like normal, winter and ice but with the latter not conducive to Queensland and normal designed to be employed if you've lost the desire to be entertained, Sport was given a fair workout on this test. If you prefer everything to be less edgy, racy and not as primed, then normal mode does a nice job of giving you the performance and comfort to transport you and passengers to a fine Sicilian restaurant in cosseted luxury. There are enough safety systems to cope with the performance of this piece of Italian exotica with MSP stability and traction control and six airbags and massive brakes. And there is a fifth three-point seatbelt for the middle passenger in the rear seat. A gentle dab on the brakes gives you enormous confidence. These anchors are powerful and the pedal feel is finely modulated. The Quattroporte, like Bentley's similarly aspirational Flying Spur, offers a point of difference, to the traditional German large sedan crowd. What you don't get is a whole lot of boot space, which is compromised and what's more there is no spare to swallow up any room either, although there is a little bit of storage room underneath the floor. Officially the combined city/highway drinking rate of this Quattroporte is 14.7litres/100km. On travels between the Gold Coast and Brisbane in peak hour, our consumption was a little kinder, sitting at 12litres/100km. Some of the controls are a bit cumbersome but then again if you owned one for longer than a week you could probably operate switches and dials blindfolded. Maserati has evolved the Quattroporte, courtesy largely of the ZF box, into a fabulous package. The prediction is that the automatic will quickly account for 80 per cent of sales and after sampling this offering over 400km it is not hard to see why. It feels special, drives exceptionally well, has killer looks and sounds as commanding as an opera in Verona's famous Arena. The QP is not part of the mundane luxury crowd. That's what makes it such a hot package.   Snapshot Maserati Quattroporte Sport GT Price: $288,000 Engine: 5 stars Loud and proud yet blissfully smooth Transmission: 4 stars The 6-speed ZF is a winner, programmed to perfection with the Ferrari-sourced V8 Handling: 4 stars Meaty steering and its nimbleness defies its aircraft-style carrier bulk Safety: 4 stars Ticks all the boxes with a good dose of electronic brake, stability and suspension aids as well as six airbags. Value: 4 stars Easier to justify with its gorgeous styling and Ferrari engineering flavour than a German number which could have come off a limo fleet   Tech specs   Body: four-door saloon Engine: 4244cc 90-degree, quad cam 48-valves, wet sump V8 Transmission: 6-speed ZF automatic/sequential Power: 295kW @ 7000rpm Torque: 460Nm @ 4250rpm Tyres: front - Pirelli P Zeros 245/35 ZR 20; rear - 285/30 ZR 20 Dimensions (MM): 5052 (l), 1895 (w) 1438 (h) 3064 wheelbase Fuel consumption: 12l/100km (as tested)0-100KM/H: 5.6s Verdict for: Exquisite styling, fabulous powertrain, sharp handling Verdict Against: Some of the onboard controls are a bit tedious, cramped boot. Overall rating: 4 stars Has a spirit that fuses red-blooded touring car performance with six-star pampered luxury