Luxury Reviews

The big, voluptuous, seven-seat GL500 4WD fulfilled their desires, dazzling them with its one-touch electric seat-fold feature and exhilarating them with some mud bathing in the bush. But there was some strident criticism as well. The most serious of these concerns third-row access to the luxurious American-built behemoth, which has not had its second-row seat-fold arrangements switched around to suit right-hand drive markets. Consequently, kids and parents alike are forced to use the potentially dangerous "traffic" side of the vehicle to (manually) fold and tumble the smallest portion of the bench seat to let people into the rearmost seat. The safer kerb-side section of the seat is heavy and cumbersome, folding flat but not tumbling forward for third-row access, while entering via the tailgate requires gymnastic feats – and a stronger luggage blind, which invariably gets used like a pommel horse. The kids discovered other issues, too. As they found with Audi's Q7 SUV, the electric tailgate (which has warning bells on the GL) can deliver a nasty blow to a curious onlooker before the impediment sensor kicks in. The mechanism that allows third-row passengers to exit the vehicle themselves can cause a hand injury if they fail to let go of the pull-strap. Vehicle sidesteps and grab-handles on the second and third pillars are also needed for better cabin ingress and egress. From the perspective of two primary school students and a pre-schooler, that is as bad as it gets in the otherwise splendid GL. There is an abundance of room in the two back seats, even for adults, as well as multiple-position headrests (suitable for tall people) and a couple of air vents and cupholders. Despite the absence of fore/aft movement, the second row is also spacious – and is fully catered for in terms of seat comfort, storage, stereo sound, reading lights, cup placement, power sockets and ventilation outlets and controls. Rear seat heaters are also included. Each third-row seat can be lowered or raised with a touch of a button from either the door or the tailgate area – again, both are on the undesirable right-hand side – and enable the luggage floor length to extend from 470mm to 1270mm. With the second row folded the cargo area increases to 1770mm, and with all configurations there is a flat floor created, tie-down hooks provided and the means to install a simple vertical cargo net. There seems to be another left-hand drive hangover for the driver in the cramped footwell (50mm narrower than the front passenger's), which, with the added burden of no footrest, can cause discomfort on long-distance touring. We're not fans of the foot-operated park-brake, either, or in the time it takes to master and use the central (Comand) interface for various onboard functions. Still, as should be the case in a $150,000 vehicle, there are features that settle the dust. These include an elegant cockpit area, sumptuous leather front seats, full electric seat adjustment (including bolstering), electric steering column adjustment, and DVD satellite navigation which can pinpoint the GL's location and the "road" travelled, even when deep in the bush on overgrown and almost impassable 4WD trails. Eight airbags, a sunroof and highly effective bi-xenon headlights (with a cornering function) are also standard on the GL500, however the third row is an extra $2900 (and 100kg) and a reversing camera $950. The latter is particularly offensive, especially in light of the GL's sheer size and its far too small exterior mirrors, both of which exacerbate the difficulties that can arise when parking and manoeuvring such a large vehicle. While city driving can be labour-intensive, the GL500 transforms into an effortless tourer on open roads outside the big smoke. Consciousness of the vehicle's size and 2.5-tonne kerb weight subsides, and attributes such as its exceptional refinement, inherent stability, ride comfort and strong engine performance come to the fore. Unlike the smaller ML-Class upon which the GL is based, the 500's V8 petrol engine used here is a new-generation 5.5-litre 32-valve V8 that produces 285kW at 6000rpm and 530Nm from 2800-4800rpm. It is a smooth, muscular, responsive and sonorous engine that combines in near-perfect terms with the seven-speed automatic gearbox – but consumes too much fuel. Our real-world test returned a 17.9l/100km average. As is now becoming the norm across the Mercedes range, the transmission lever is in the form of a steering wand, and manual shifts can be made via buttons on the back of the steering wheel. The latter can be awkward to use when steering lock is applied, although it works well in holding a selected gear without reverting back to drive and downshifting when the driver steps on the accelerator. Left to its own devices, the automatic's gearshifts come with smoothness and timeliness, although as we noticed in the ML it can, on occasion, produce some shift shock at low speeds. Also in a similar vein to the ML, the GL is a safe and predictable handler on winding roads, benefiting from a mechanical package which includes the proven 4Matic full-time 4WD, effective air suspension and adaptive damping systems, well-calibrated traction control nannies and, unique to the 500, 19-inch wheels on 275/55 R19 Michelin Diamaris tyres. Bodyroll is well contained in the heavy, high-riding SUV, the speed-sensitive steering is nicely weighted and accurate (if somewhat wooden), there's plenty of suspension control and comfort on rough roads (although the sports mode can be harsh here), braking performance is reassuring and the ABS bites into loose gravel surfaces with great effectiveness. We found the GL500 marched up inclines with assuredness, inched itself down steep hills with good control in either low-range or with the downhill speed regulation system (which can require some braking intervention), and crossed some heavily rutted and muddy terrain.

Both attract glances from all angles and leave you feeling good about yourself from behind the wheel. Volkswagen's latest offering provides the best of both worlds in one package, a hard-top convertible and a coupe. And it's an affordable one at that. The new Eos has a convertible, sliding coupe roof and is priced between $47,990 and $52,290, depending on whether you want to stick to the traditional petrol or give the diesel a try. And with a 2.0-litre turbo on offer in both modes, the Eos, which is named after a goddess, is competitively priced for the segment. On a first drive, there even seems to be more on offer for your money than with the more expensive Volvo C70, which starts at $69,950 and the diesel Saab 9-3 for $67,400. The 2.0-litre turbo diesel is the entry-level model for the range, with 103kW developed at 4000rpm and 320Nm from as low as 1750rpm to 2500rpm. It's priced at $47,990 for the manual, and $50,290 for the DSG gearbox. While the DSG gearbox is impressive, and allows you to drive in three modes, manual shifting with a light touch of the gear lever, Sport or the easier Drive option, the manual is a more enjoyable drive. With tall gearing, it was a quick shift into third as we easily tackled the winding Great Ocean Road in Victoria. The diesel is a good ride and it doesn't seem to possess past diesel traits, such as a noisy engine. During our test, mother nature wasn't so kind, so unfortunately we couldn't test it with the roof down. But when driving with the roof closed, you barely notice you're in a diesel in terms of noise. The alternative is a 2.0-litre turbo petrol model, with 147kW from 5100rpm to 6000rpm and 280Nm of torque delivered at 1800rpm to 5000rpm. The petrol has a price tag of $49,990 for the six-speed manual and $52,290 for the DSG. This is a little more expensive than the Holden Astra Twin Top at $45,490 and the Peugeot 307cc at $47,990, but its performance also exceeds those models. The turbo has the benefit of responsive and smooth acceleration, the torque always on hand. The bad weather held off long enough to test the topless option in the petrol model. The car has to be stationary to remove the roof, which takes 25 seconds to retract and folds into the boot. With the roof down, there's still 205 litres capacity (enough for two bags). It has 380 litres when the roof is up. The Eos is the first car to have a sunroof fitted into a retractable hard top, so you can still pull back the inside of the roof to reveal the glass top and the beauty of the sky, storm or no storm. And the design of the car is in line with its goddess origin. She's a good-looking model, with the smooth shape and space-like encapsulated shell. The Eos borrows some attributes of other Volkswagen models, including the suspension based on the Golf and Jetta and the petrol engine, which was first deployed in the Golf GTI. But its platform is new. The back surprisingly has decent head and leg space, even with the roof up. The suspension felt light on the road when we were testing the petrol model, not quite taking the corners with the firmness you'd like. But the problem was solved when we stepped into the diesel model, fitted with the optional 18-inch wheels and sports suspension, which comes at an extra $2490. It's well worth it for that extra grip and a more dynamic ride. The Eos comes standard with a rollbar system, ABS, ESP, four airbags working as six, parking sensors, 17-inch alloy wheels, a six-disc CD changer with eight speakers, rain-sensing wipers and that first-of-a-kind five-piece Convertible Sliding Coupe roof. Leather interior is extra. In Greek mythology, the Titan goddess of dawn, Eos, rose from the edge of the ocean to awake her brother, Helious the sun. So perhaps jumping in your Eos at dawn and stretching her legs on the road would ensure the rising of the sun, allowing the full benefits of her convertible form. It didn't really seem to work for us, but then again, there was no getting up at dawn for these journalists, even if a goddess was awaiting.

They didn't have to ask twice. We'd take the "family wagon" no worries. Ha, who is kidding whom? A family wagon with near supercar performance and stunning looks makes a great combination. This is the car that has spurred the other two German super sedan makers to up the ante with their next 'bahn blasters - the Benz C63AMG and the new BMW M3, both of which are V8 powered. Audi now offers three variants of the RS4 with a cabriolet coming online about now. All have the same powertrain and similar chassis and all are equipped to luxury car levels. The Avant costs a cool $168,100 and is one of the quickest carry-alls on the market alongside the Chrysler 300C SRT8 that offers similar straight line performance but lacks all wheel drive. It sells for a lot less than the RS4 though. But what we have here is quality - quality engineering, manufacturing, design, pretty much everything you want in a modern mass produced car. The thing absolutely hammers and is capable of despatching the 0-100kmh spring in about 4.8 seconds. It has a six speed manual gearbox with a slick shift and lovely long runs through each gear thanks in part to the 8250rpm redline of the 4.2-litre V8. This engine, a joy to behold under the aluminium bonnet features direct injection and variable valve timing but is not turbo charged like previous Audi RS models. It deoesn' need it. With 309kW an 430Nm rumbling out of the engine bay, the power to weight ratio is well and truly in sports car territory. Aluminium is used throughout the vehicle in key locations - the bonnet, front guards, much of the chassis, the suspension, massive 19in wheels. It pays dividends in fuel efficiency, handling and performance. But going is only part of the RS4 Avant story because it also stops like few other mainstream cars and handles with the best of them despite the engine being positioned well in front of the front axle. The 365mm front brakes are something to behold. There's a Sport button on the multi-function wheel that opens up the dual outlet exhaust for a deeper rumble and also tightens the seat side bolsters to hold you more firmly in place. The Avant brings with it a degree of practicality but interior room is compact and the load space is relatively small. But the rear seats can be folded flat for a large load space. The Avant looks sensational with its muscular pumped-out guards, aero devices and low ride height. The alloy roof rails add an element of sensibility to the overt styling. Driving the RS4 Avant is a rare treat. It has all the right stuff, makes the right noises and really puts a smile on your dial.

The national launch for the Q7 last year involved a trip across Australia, including the Simpson Desert. And there is a switch inside the behemoth SUV which simply says "car" and takes you to the pneumatic suspension settings which you can vary according to your circumstances. While most owners may ride around on "comfort" settings, there is also the option for "offroad" and "lift" which takes you to dizzying heights. Now this may be intended so you can cross swollen creeks and maybe even dig out underneath if you get bogged on a big sand dune, but I know what it's really going to be used for. Speed bumps. Let's face it, the $85,700 kid carrier is rarely going to see dirt, sand, creeks or such. Its main duties will be ferrying the kids to school and in the seven-seater option it can also take a basketball team to the Saturday morning game. That means negotiating the gnarly urban terrain with its many potholes, speed bumps and sloping gutters. There is a little rat-run I sometimes take on the way to dropping off my daughters at school. It involves no fewer than seven sharp speed bumps in less than 500m. Ridiculous, isn't it? In one low-slung sporty street racer, I was forced to attack the bumps on an angle so as not to return the vehicle to the car company minus several kilos of plastic front spoiler. But with this beast, all you do is hit "car", rotate the knob to "lift" and punch the button. Up she goes and over you go, no stopping. And I think the local residents are thankful that I don't hit the brakes, then roar away as most other drivers do. I know the noise of sudden braking and acceleration would annoy me if I lived near one of these suspension busters. Anyway, back on track. The Q7 I drove was the lusty three-litre diesel. Except for a flat spot just off idle, the car is a torquey monster with more go than Paris Hilton on a weekend in Sydney. From the outside, it looks a lot like a beached three-tonne whale, but I imagine it is difficult to design something this big and make it look like anything else. However, the interior is up to Audi's magnificent stylish standards. Sumptuous leather, brushed aluminium, gadgets galore, wood trim. It's all here. Passengers are also well catered for with separate airconditioning controls. The third row is handy, but only for temporary tenants, amputees and small children. At least there is some room behind it for luggage. When the third row is folded away, the cargo area is cavernous. I didn't just drive this one to school and back. I took the family on a trip to the Gold Coast hinterland, up to O'Reilly's and down the four-wheel-drive-only Duck Creek Rd to Beaudesert where I lashed out on a Sunday roast special at the "Beauy" hotel. It was yet another great off-road adventure straight out of the pages of Brad McCarthy's Dirty Weekends book. There were no swollen creeks to cross, but the big SUV straddled the rocky path and descended the steep drive with aplomb. You barely knew you were on a dirt road. However, the air suspension did make one passenger in the second row car sick. Air suspension tends to do that. It has a floaty feel. On the return trip, I screwed the air suspension down and there were no complaints from the crew that hunkered down and went to sleep in the luxurious and quiet cabin. With a combination of school runs, highway and even some four-wheel driving, the big diesel drank only 10.5L/100km, which is exactly the factory claimed economy figure. The only problem was that when I went to fill up at an Ipswich servo, it had only one diesel pump and the nozzle was too big.

Where the PC brigade would have us pottering about in micro-engined hybrid machines, Range Rover has simply puffed out its corporate chest, added another couple of hundred kilos of luxury and performance — and defiantly sucked another slurp of fuel through the supercharger. While a morally sustainable argument certainly lies somewhere between the two, it is difficult not to crack a smile — albeit racked with guilt — from behind the wheel of the "little" Rangie. At a tick over 2.5 tonnes, the Rangie hero model boasts the heart of a sportscar — a cracking 4.2-litre supercharged V8 — under its clamshell bonnet. It would be reasonable to assume that large lumps of the engine's 287kW and 550Nm would be eaten away in just getting — and keeping — the Sport's not inconsiderable bulk up and running. That would be an inappropriate assumption. With the majority of the urge on tap from just over 1500rpm, the Sport is quite spritely. It can put the 100km/h mark behind in around 7.2 seconds and keeps on giving for a considerable time on its way to a claimed top speed of 225km/h. A large part of the Sport's on-road ability — nimbleness, for such a large car — is the array of technical wizardry with which it has been imbued by Land Rover's engineers. Air suspension is standard on the supercharged Sport, as is Dynamic Response — an active anti-roll bar system computer controlled to stiffen and relax — to the point of disengaging to allow full wheel articulation over rough ground. The bars produce a surprisingly taut and controlled ride when the car is pushed on tarmac. It is difficult to think of the Sport in any manner other than a huge sports car. There are plenty of quicker cars with sharper handling and higher terminal speeds on the road. However, few that match its bulk can come anywhere near it for performance. Beware, however, as driving the Sport hard comes at a price. Punched out on the open road you will see fuel consumption in the low to mid-20L/100km range. More moderate performance can bring the average down to around 17L/100km — certainly no fuel-efficiency pin-up but still within a range that doesn't require constant public apology. Off the road, the breadth of the Sport's all-around ability is highlighted by a certain knowledge that it is up for almost any challenge you would care to throw at it. With the brilliant Terrain Response AWD selector at your fingertips, off-roading for dummies has well and truly arrived. First made available on Discovery III, Terrain Response allows a simple dial-in choice of various conditions from dry roads through to sand, rock and mud. The system then sets optimum ride height, traction, engine, throttle sharpness and differential lock settings. Inside the Sport, the Range Rover heritage of wood and leather is faithfully paid homage. Equipment levels are high with standard satellite navigation — an easy to use touch-screen variety — and a quality sound system leading the way. While still set high above most traffic, the driving position is more car-like than most SUVs, with a large range of height and reach adjustment available. Space is at a little more of a premium, the roof is lower — particularly with the optional sunroof ($3000) — and the rear-seat legroom is more restricted. The tailgate is a departure from standard Range Rover practice in that while the rear glass can be lifted independently, the full tailgate raises when opened rather than splitting horizontally. Mindful that most owners will deploy their Sports in a city environment rather than off-road, the design is one intended to live with other road users. Low-mounted bumpers and low-collision load path are designed to minimise damage to smaller vehicles in an accident by making the initial contact at a level where their passive safety systems are most effective.

Indeed, the sheer weight of its standard kit list is part of the reason the various IS250 models weigh appreciably more than the similarly priced — but under-equipped and underpowered — four-pot 3 Series, C-Class and Audi A4. Of course, we knew that 15 months ago, when the new-generation baby Lexus arrived to thrust a thorn into the side of this smug and complacent bund. Revisiting it is also to be reminded — refreshed, even — by the IS250's amiable daily disposition and its ability to step up in recreational driving. No matter the price ($54,390 for the manual Prestige model up to $79,000 for the Sports Luxury), every IS250 has the same 2.5-litre, quad-cam, multi-valve, direct-injection V6. With 153kW and 252Nm, it's an adequate unit that gets the fully fruited Sports Luxury we drove to 100km/h in a respectable, if not rapid, 8.8 seconds. Lighter, lesser versions shave almost half a sec off that. The choice between six-speed manual or Aisin auto is no choice at all, given that the working quality of the former rhymes with "shift", exacerbated by an awkwardly placed gearstick. So if it's an automatic choice, it is so by default, because, left in Drive, movement off the mark is sluggish. The tall-geared box will hunt before kicking down with a lack of grace that really isn't in keeping with a luxo six-speeder. And so the manual mode comes into its own. You can't override Drive with the steering wheel-mounted paddles — a la the systems used by Audi — but when the gearstick is shifted into sport mode, the Lexus respects your gear selections, holding to meltdown. With most of the IS250's bulk placed between its axles, you have balance and rear-wheel-drive dynamics to rival BMW's 3 Series — aspects that are readily appreciable when pressing on. Its appetite for bends is keen, with steering that firms up nicely when it most needs to and a feeling of agility in keeping with something lither and smaller. Aurally, the usually subdued engine acquires some throatiness in the upper rev range, though you could live without the beeping of the traction control, one of rather too many censorious sounds the Lexus is apt to make if you displease it. If the quick part of the IS250 equation isn't what is attracting buyers, it isn't hard to see where its charms lay. It drew more admiring comments and enquiries than anything we've had this side of exotic or mad money. Save for some slight awkwardness around the C-pillar — where it's more Hoffmeister Klutz than Kink — this least Lexus is the marque's sharpest looker. True, it's tight within, but far from intolerably so. DINKS or those with smaller offspring won't be bothered by the rear accommodation, nor that it's more cockpit than cabin up front. Actually, it's the inside story that persuaded us that the less you spend, the more convincing a buy the IS250 is. There are no options at all on the Sport Luxury version, and those on the cheaper variants aren't indispensable. On NSW goat tracks, you don't want bigger wheels — 16s would be fine. As good as the the touch-screen multimedia/satnav system is, it's hardly vital, and I'd pay extra not to have the headroom-eating sunroof. So far as options go, though, it's tough not to love seats that can blow either cool or warm air where the sun don't shine ...

French cars are obvious successes, led by long-distance Citroens, and Volkswagen is going well with Golf, Passat and Touareg. Now BMW X3 joins the list. The compact all-wheel-drive has just had a tickle for the second half of its life, as well as some significant upgrading. I am impressed. The cabin improvements alone are worth a second look at the X3. It also lives up to BMW's promise of a sporty drive and there is lots of go with its 3.0-litre petrol six. Power is up in both the 2.5 and 3.0-litre petrol motors, and economy has improved. The changes are concentrated on the engines, interior and equipment levels, but there is more electronic trickery than before — mostly to make the car safer — and more outright safety equipment, including brakes that keep themselves clear of water and primed for action. BMW also has put more emphasis on the diesel engine in the X3 and it is now bolted to a slick six-speed automatic gearbox. The variable-vane turbocharger and common-rail fuel injection ensure good response and a broad spread of power. The changes do not look like much. The lamps and bumpers are new, with deep-set foglamps in the nose, and there seems to be less cheap-looking black plastic. Inside, BMW has gone all-out with new seats, a new wheel and instrument panel and an improved centre console. There also is Bluetooth for mobile phones, more storage spots, and bigger bins in the doors. Dig deeper and you'll find everything from twin-chamber airbags for improved side protection to parking radar at both ends. There is still only a compact spare, something that concerned one tester who had a flat last year and faced several hundred kilometres of gravel roads. In the driveline, BMW has linked the X3's intelligent AWD to its stability control and engine-management system. The electronic assistance runs from stability and traction control to descent control and even cornering brake control. Acronym addicts must love BMWs.   ON THE ROAD MY ORIGINAL experience with the X3 was unconvincing. It felt underdone after the larger BMW X5 and overpriced after the Toyota RAV4. This time, driving the latest X3 diesel revealed a car that is better finished, more welcoming and — though I did not push the edges — promises to be safer in a range of situations. And it's a nice drive, sporty and taut yet still good for carrying a family or doing the shopping. The diesel has 160kW in the X3, together with a punchy 480Nm, which means it will jump to 100km/h in 7.9 seconds. That is pretty respectable for a middle-weight AWD, though I had no need to check the top of 210km/h. The diesel also has excellent overtaking punch and, with the six-speed auto and the chance to take full manual control, can be fun on twisty roads or when you just feel like a bit of gear changing. It is easy to keep percolating from about 2000 revs and will also pull hard to the redline in a most un-diesel style. I also got 8.4 litres for 100km, better than BMW's fuel economy claim, despite some hard driving. So with a 67-litre tank, it will go a long way between stops. The ride and handling is also good, with a solid feel and good response. The X3 turns well, does not roll much and generally feels more like a car than an AWD. The facelifting work has made the X3 a little more stylish and far more user-friendly. The cheapie look inside is gone, the seats are more supportive and the storage is better. Even the leather seats and new steering wheel in the test car were classy and contributed to a much better verdict on the cabin. The X3 is still versatile and easy to use, will do the job in any road conditions and — thanks to all that electronic stuff that would take a book to understand and explain — always feels safe and sure-footed. It is hard to find direct rivals to the X3 because of its compact size and premium price. It is more costly than any Korean AWD wagon and sits above the popular Japanese contenders, but is not as big as the prestige Japanese and European wagons. It is listed as a luxury AWD, which means it must compete with everything from the Audi Q7 at $85,700 to the Volvo XC90 V8 at $84,950, even though the 2.5-litre six starts at $65,900 and the diesel is from $75,900. So it sits on its own. But I have tested the all-new Land Rover Freelander— which buries the current under-performer — and it will run the BMW close when it gets to Australia. For now, the X3 is a definite winner.   THE BOTTOM LINE WORTHWHILE improvements make the X3 better and look fresh, particularly as a diesel. 76/100

The trident logo on the grille and the hefty proportions – five metres from tip to curvaceous tail – give it the look of some sleek speedboat that’s grown wheels. Inside, it’s a lush millionaire’s playground, with more black and red leather than a bordello and enough carbon fibre to make an F1 geek weep. Beneath the prow – sorry, the bonnet - lies a loquacious 4.2-litre V8, good for 294kW and 451Nm of torque. The sheer size and 1863kg weight of the thing – not to mention the weight of the $258,000 pricetag – initially put you off having a genuine go. But the way the car’s superlative Skyhook suspension dismisses bumps and keeps you in touch with the road, the way it turns in, the Ferrari-like feel of the steering and the willingness of the engine eventually tempt you. It is then that you discover that not only is the rich band of torque available low down in the rev rage – for easy cruising – it provides a real shove through the top end as well. There’s even a big, fat pocket of power that waits in the shrieking 5000-7000rpm redline rush. Of course, if you’re exploring that part of the engine’s abilities, you’re probably breaking several laws at once. Then again, you’ll probably still have a massive smile plastered across your face by the time the police catch up with you. Get to know it, and the Quattroporte can provide some serious thrills – yet all the while your passengers, including the two in the back – are lounging around in louche luxury. The massive brake pedal has plenty of feel, but it seems like you need to really squeeze the stoppers at times. Of course, pulling up nearly two tonnes of expensive metal is a lot of work. If you leave the gearbox in D, it is smooth enough – although still not as seamless as a conventional six-speed auto (luckily Maserati has one of these on its way here soon). If you put it in Sport mode, however, the D-option really starts to feel shunty, and not very executive class at all. The best option, obviously, is to change the gears yourself, using the Rolex-feeling paddles behind the steering wheel. The bits where your fingers touch the back of the flappy bits is even lined with soft material. Nice. The DuoSelect transmission’s changes are fabulously quick and effortless, but the whole effect was spoiled for me by the fact that the paddles don’t turn with the wheel, so if you want to change a cog mid-corner, you have to take one hand off the tiller. Other car-makers fix this problem by having the paddles attached to the wheel, so they’re always near your fingers. Of course, it’s the kind of thing you’d only really notice if you’re pressing on. And most buyers of the Quattroporte don’t want to drive it like it’s a Ferrari. If they wanted a Ferrari, they’d buy one of those, too. The Maserati is a magnificent boulevarde cruiser and it eats up freeway miles with the kind of effortlessness a cheetah displays at a slow jog. But this super saloon has so much sporting heart that it seems a shame many owners will only ever trundle from yacht club to golf club in them. Every time there’s a Maserati sold to someone like that, there’s a group of engineers in Italy who go down to the café and cry quietly into their coffees. Then they go out, get drunk and be sick on their shoes.

In the simplest of terms, an automatic gearbox means more women customers are likely to get behind the wheel of a Maserati. And that's worth investing time and money in. "We have a lot of potential customers who are not jumping into Maseratis because the DuoSelect (gearbox) doesn't suit them," Maserati head of vehicle engineering Paul Fickers says. "People are used to finding performance cars with an auto gearbox." But protecting the marque's dynamic, performance-car image was equally important to Maserati — and that's what prompted a long development program that last week delivered to the world stage the new Maserati Quattroporte Automatic. Granted, the princely price tag for this auto Maser isn't so out of place in Monaco, where the car was launched. And Australians can actually think themselves relatively lucky that Maserati will keep pricing of the auto Quattroporte at about the same level as the Quattroporte with DuoSelect gearbox. It's a generous gesture, considering the significant engineering changes hidden beneath that stylish skin ... which, if you're looking to for something different, you won't find. The Quattroporte's face remains the same, but throwing a new ZF six-speed automatic gearbox into the mix presented quite a challenge to Fickers and his team. "For starters, the gearbox is mounted at the front of the car instead of the rear to achieve the right weight distribution. And that makes for some quite massive changes to the car," Fickers says. The ZF gearbox — the same as is found in Ford Falcons and versions of the Territory, albeit with significantly different calibration — has been modified to handle the high revs required by Maserati, reaching 7200rpm before shifting up. It delivers a smooth driving experience while keeping unchanged the sporty behaviour of the Maserati V8. With a top speed of 270km/h and zero-to- 100km/h acceleration in 5.6 seconds, this is one quick automatic sports saloon — much more than a nice little accessory for the ladies. Manual changes can be made with the stick located on the central tunnel, which now also features two cupholders — a small thing, perhaps, but crucial for Maserati, which sells almost half its cars in the US. Paddle shifts are also an option on the Quattroporte and Executive GT models, but come standard on the Quattroporte Sport GT version. The challenge to Maserati engineers when developing the auto version of its best-selling model centred primarily on weight distribution, which is the key to the saloon's sporty handling. The DuoSelect model features a transaxle layout, with a rear-mounted gearbox rigidly connected to the engine. In contrast, the automatic transmission, with its hydraulic torque converter, is directly connected to the V8 engine. Weight distribution in the auto is 49per cent front and 51 per cent rear, compared with the DuoSelect, which has 47per cent of its weight over the front axle and 53 per cent over the rear. More weight on the rear wheels equates to more grip on the driving wheels, leading to better acceleration, improved winter-driving capabilities and better braking. Maserati has also overhauled the 4.2 litre, 295kW bent-eight engine in the Quattroporte for the auto version. It has adopted a wet-sump lubrication system and offers lower fuel consumption and increased torque levels. Peak torque of 460Nm is reached at 4250rpm, and fuel consumption is down, on average, by nine per cent, Maserati says. Another new feature on the automatic is an electronic parking brake, which not only makes room for those all-important cup holders but engages automatically when the engine is switched off. Naturally, Maserati is out to make a statement with its flagship vehicle. So, even though there are no changes to its flesh, the Quattroporte can be dressed up with two new colours — Blu Oceano and Grigio Granito (a very dark grey) — a new woodgrain interior feature, Tanganyka, and a new interior trim, Grigio Ghiaccio. More weapons to win over the women, perhaps?

It is, after all, a conveyance that all too clearly shows you've done all too much of that sort of thing at an earlier stage of life. Why else would you be steering what is essentially a warning for contraception? It's sobering to think that when Toyota started the whole MPV thing almost 24 years ago, John Howard was merely a failed treasurer, our cricketers were lucky to get a result against England — and you were much the same age as those little replications of yourself that now necessitate the purchase of a Tarago. This expanding clan has already put paid to any sport sedan ambitions, two-door notions having long drifted into the realms of fantasy. Yet one of the best things about the luxury models in the newly beefed up Tarago range is that it allows you todream. Simply flatten one of the rear seats, move the one in front to allow deployment of the ottoman, and you're off to nod in a comfort that rivals Qantas business class, with as smooth a ride, though considerably less engine roar. And without the endless sitting on the tarmac and the useless in-flight entertainment system. You can have a seven-seater with four of them in arm-resting captain-style and you can have them in leather if you like. Or, in the cooking model, have an eight-seater of which six of them are on benches. All fold flat to allow almost as many alternative configurations as there are drink holders and compartments in which food wrappings, rotting apple cores and snotty tissues can be deposited. This is all offspring-friendly, no doubt, but what's rather more interesting — what could, indeed, almost redeem your life as designated driver of the family bus — is in front of you. The previously anodyne four-cylinder Tarago range has been invigorated by the Aurion's excellent 3.5 bent six married to the same sedan's near-seamless six-speed automatic transmission. It's a combination that elevates the Tarago — a synonym for people mover in the same sense that Hoover is for another household device — beyond the blandly adequate. Starting at $54,690 for the GLi — an entirely reasonable $3700 premium over the exxiest four-potter — and rising to just shy of $70K for the legitimately luxurious Ultima, the V6 Tarago's a bit more than just a depressingly practical means of getting a bunch of people across the landscape. The VVVT-i six is good for a class-devouring 202kW at 6200rpm and 340Nm at 4700rpm if it's on 95 RON juice. The base GLi consumes this at 10.2 litres per 100km, the fruitier GLX and Ultima using a mere 200ml more — claimed figures that, on the basis of our introductory drive, appeared easily achievable. All three V6s get ABS stoppers with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution and Brake Assist, Vehicle Stability Control and Traction Control. Passive safety runs to seven airbags and Toyota's Pre-Crash Seat-belt system, which tenses when it feels skidding or hard braking. Spend more and the wheels grow by an inch to 17, the seats become comfier, sixCDs are swallowed, air passes through the cabin more readily, side doors slide electronically, the dash and steering wheel turns to wood and the roof sprouts rails. And the driving (yes, we can speak of driving) is about perfect to the prescribed purpose. While the six-speed auto is worked to its best advantage in quasi-manual mode, it will seldom put a cog wrong when left in drive. Weighing in from 1800-1930kg (depending on the model and spec level), it reaches freeway speed without fuss and cruises there so effortlessly and quietly that miscreants in the rear row of seats will clearly hear your voice without it being raised. Inevitably, the claim of "car-like dynamics" is made and it's true to the extent that placing "dynamics" in the same sentence as "Tarago" isn't cause for laughter. In this respect, a V6 Tarago might surprise, if not delight, you. It's difficult to find a serious relevant criticism of Toyota's enhanced MPV — which is gratifying from this end given that we expected to fill this page with stuff like "seldom have we been so captivated by an instrument cluster". Not that this, too, is not very good. Housed in a sort of alcove atop the dash, it's easy to read though almost novelly designed, and cloistered from harsh summer glare. And cloistered is what you and yours are in a Tarago V6. Indeed, it's easy to imagine the clan lulled to sleep as you drive it down life's highway, leaving you to watch wistfully the sort of cars that could have been. It's just that now they won't leave you behind so easily.