Articles by Ashlee Pleffer

And what better place for a reunion and an anniversary celebration than the Australian Muscle Car Masters at Eastern Creek, where more than 500 of these powerful, historic cars will be raced and displayed.It's a step into the past as racing car legends such as Morris, Peter Brock, Allan Moffat, Leo Geoghegan, Harry Firth, John Goss and many more will be in attendance to meet fans and sign autographs.All the best cars from the 1960s, '70s and '80s will strut their stuff in Historic Touring Races and Hot Lap sessions. Morris hasn't driven that winning Torana L34 in almost 30 years, and is looking forward to his hot lap next Sunday, September 3."It was the very first Torana with a V8 engine and the car that we raced was the very first Torana L34 that was ever built off the production line," Morris said this week. "It was fantastic. I raced that car in 1975, also, and I drove with Frank Gardner that year and we came in second place. So it had a second outright and a first outright at Bathurst, and I don't know if that's been repeated."Morris says the 1976 victory was the highlight of his 20-year career, describing it as a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The piece of nostalgia that saw him to success now lives at the Bathurst Museum but will make the trek to Eastern Creek next weekend.In a contrast of fortune, also on display will be the Torana that captured all the 1976 pre-race publicity but crashed on the grid. The blue Torana due to be driven in that race by Jack Brabham and Stirling Moss jammed in gear at the start and was rammed from behind by a little Triumph Dolomite.Now, 30 years later, it too has been restored for display.More than 150 cars have already entered the race events with a range of Historic Touring Car events covering categories from the 1950s to the '90s. And there will be specific events, such as the biggest Torana race in the world and the best of the best.Racing driver Des Wall is looking forward to toeing the line next Sunday in the classic he bought at an auction last November.The Ian "Pete" Geoghegan Mustang, which has a story of its own, is worth quite a large sum. Wall claims it is probably the best car of its time."It's a significant car in Australian motor-racing history. It won three Australian touring car championships and it's been restored to the way it was in 1971," Wall says.Wall has been racing for more than 30 years and his son, David, has followed in his footsteps as a race driver.He says the Mustang performs surprisingly well, but differently, of course, to the newer Porsches and Chev Corvette he usually races."It's very good. It surprised me how competitive the car is for a car of that era," he says. "We drive current race cars also. The difference ... I expected it to be wider than what it is. Apart from the brakes not being what current cars have, the car is quite a substantial race car."Next Sunday's show is expected to draw big crowds, after the same event last year attracted more than 10,000 people, despite appalling weather."I think a lot of people who are motor-racing enthusiasts are getting more and more interested in the history, they want to see the cars that the heroes were in," Wall says."Some people love football and tennis and various things, we just love motor racing. It's our sport of choice, something we're very passionate about."Among the classic old touring cars on display that became famous in the golden Bathurst era of the 1970s and '80s will be the VK Group A Commodore that gave Allan Grice his first Bathurst win, in 1986. Also on show is the Allan Moffat/Jacky Ickx Falcon XC Hardtop that was involved in the dominant Ford 1-2 team win in 1977. The only man to win Bathurst and the Australian Grand Prix, John Goss, will display his 1974 winning Falcon and the 1985 winning Jag XJS. Kevin Bartlett will have his Chev Camaro in action.The event is also a major drawcard for car clubs. The 2006 Torana GTR and XU-1 Nationals are expected to attract up to 80 road-going machines.

Preparing for a weekend away at the snow for five people, including three females who don't know the meaning of packing lightly, was never going to be easy. Along with four snowboards, it was clear we were going to need a roomy and comfortable vehicle. Plus, with fussy passengers, not just any car would do.The big, black, boxy and powerful Land Rover Discovery 3 came to the rescue. And by big, I mean big.Big windows, a big steering wheel, big body, big wheels and most importantly, a big engine.The Discovery towers over other cars on the road.At first it feels huge, and is a little daunting in peak-hour traffic. But once settling into the cosy interior and the car's good handling ability, it becomes a little less scary and is exciting to drive.The car tested was the $89,990 range-topping V8 HSE, which has a Jaguar-derived engine.With plenty of luxury features and space, it was more than adequate for our big adventure, delivering 220kW at 5500rpm and 427Nm at 4000rpm.On long stretches of highway, the Disco flies, despite its weight and baggage, and cruise control is needed to remind you to stick to the speed limit.The torquey V8 engine, which seems to always want to go faster, has good pull up hills as it digs deep for that extra burst of power, even with the excess weight.Around bends it becomes a little harder to control, especially with heavy winds and windows open, while travelling at the faster speeds. For its size, the Discovery has a comfortable turning circle and moves pretty easily around tight turns and grips the road nicely, absorbing the bumps.But with a big square back, it's hard to manoeuvre in tight car parks, which meant trusty passengers were often enlisted to assist and, alone, it's especially difficult. The parking sensors were handy but became a little irritating as they beeped constantly with plenty of distance still to move.Its inaccuracy also showed when cars travelling in the opposite direction set off the beeping.Inside the Discovery, there was plenty of room for all the gear and the lack of rear vision due to the luggage piled high in the back was adequately compensated for by the large external rear-vision mirrors.The Discovery 3 comes with a third row of seats, consisting of two fold-ups in the back. The versatility of the seating arrangement is great for transporting gear like snowboards, with the ability to fold down individual seats in the second and third rows.And those rear fold-up seats are more comfortable than expected. One passenger in particular took a liking to the large amount of leg room and facilities such as cup holders and a place to connect her much-loved iPod, all at her disposal.The Discovery is not short on storage space, with a double glovebox in the front. Both the driver and front passenger also get an armrest.Extra airconditioning controls are found in the middle row to control the climate for backseat passengers and when we finally found the switch to activate them, it gave this driver much ease from some whingeing companions. A cool feature on the Disco is the air suspension, which raises the car or lowers it as you wish, making exiting the car and low-level car parks much easier to tackle.It also has a Terrain Response system providing different settings for different conditions, such as snow, mud, sand, deep ruts and grass.The engine, transmission, suspension and traction settings all adjust for better driving.The Discovery was rather expensive to run, costing more than $100 to fill up, but that can be expected in such a large car. We recorded an average fuel consumption figure of 15.2l/100km, mainly on the highway.The test car had extras including satellite navigation, sunroof, rear airconditioning and parking sensors which would add about $15,000.Fast factsLand Rover Discovery 3Price: $89,990 (as tested $104,590)Engine: 4.4-litre V8, 220kW@5500rpm, 427Nm@4000rpmTransmission: 6-speed automatic transmission with tiptronicFuel: 86-litre tank 15.0L/100km combined claimed, 15.2L/100km as testedVerdict: Very bulky to drive, but offers a lot of space and great performance. AlternativesBMW X5 4.4iPrice: $111,500Engine: 4.4-litre V8, 235kW@6100rpm, 440Nm@3700rpmTransmission: 6-speed automatic transmission with SteptronicFuel: 93-litre tank, 13.1L/100kmVerdict: With a nice interior and smooth acceleration, the X5 offers a luxury cruise on and off the bitumen, but at a more expensive price.Mercedes ML500Price: $116,900Engine: 5.0-litre V8, 225kW@5600rpm, 460Nm@2700-4750rpmTransmission: 7G-Tronic 7-speed transmissionFuel: 95-litre tank, 13.4L/100kmVerdict: Similar performance figures to the Discovery and better fuel economy, but this also comes with a hefty price tag.

The Magentis is the first car to be launched by the new Kia Motor Australia, with the Korean manufacturer taking over the Australian distribution in March.The company acknowledges there's work to be done in improving the Kia reputation. High levels of standard specification as well as "segment leading value" are among its plans, and it starts with the Magentis.It's not exactly a standout in the looks and performance departments, but Kia's new family sedan has a good list of safety features and equipment and in a time of rising petrol prices, records good fuel economy.The Magentis, which takes over from the outgoing Optima, is available in three models, with two specification levels of a 2.4-litre, four cylinder engine, delivering 119kW at 6000rpm and 221Nm at 4250rpm and a more powerful 2.7-litre, V6 model, producing 138kW at 6000rpm and 247Nm at 4000rpm.It shares architecture with the Hyundai Sonata but has an all-new body with a longer wheelbase, a stiffer body shell and new suspension systems.Its average appearance is most likely to appeal to a more conservative market. Metallic paint spices things up, but only slightly and comes at an extra $250. The base EX model, priced at $25,990 for the five-speed manual or $27,490 for a five speed automatic, comes standard with cloth seat trim, air conditioning, 16-inch alloy wheels, an MP3 compatible radio/CD player with steering wheel controls, power door mirrors, power windows, cruise control and automatic headlights.The EX-Luxury, available with a five-speed automatic transmission as standard, offers leather interior trim, 17-inch alloy wheels, front fog lights, a leather covered steering wheel and shift knob, electronic controls on the driver's seat and full climate control. It's priced at $29,490. The range-topping EX-L V6, at $31,490, adds dual chromed tailpipes and V6 badging.On the interior, the different shapes and aluminium trim found on the luxury models makes it look a little basic and cheap in style.The dash is also quite short, offering the front passenger more leg room, but on the downside positions the centre controls further away than usual. In terms of safety, the Magentis is well-equipped and has ABS with EBD, emergency brake assist, electronic stability program (ESP) with traction control, dual front SRS airbags and side SRS airbags.Safety seems to be something Kia is particularly proud of in this car, and a quick test around the skid pan at Eastern Creek Raceway showed the benefits of driving with ESP.Kia positions the Magentis against the Mazda6, Subaru Liberty, Honda Accord VTi and Toyota Camry as competitors. While it won't undergo safety testing until the end of this month, Kia anticipates a four-star Euro-NCAP crash test rating for its newest vehicle, following in the fashion of the Kia Carnival.It records a combined claimed fuel consumption of 8.6 litres/100km for the four cylinder engine and a claimed 9.3 litres/100km for the V6, making it the most fuel efficient petrol V6 in the medium segment under $55,000. The 2.4-litre, four-cylinder engine feels more enjoyable to drive than the V6, and is where Kia believes most volumes will be sold. The V6 feels a little sluggish, taking longer to reach the desired speed, and not as exciting as a V6 should be.But the majority of Magentis owners will not be too concerned about the negatives, particularly the performance, but will accentuate the positives of this affordable family sedan.Added to that list of positives is the Magentis' five-year/130,000km warranty and a full-sized alloy spare on all models. So for a basic, reliable car on a budget, the Magentis is worth a look.

The market has fallen by 3.1 per cent, with a total of 560,722 cars sold for the year to date. That's 103 vehicles a day less than 2005. But Glass Information Services operations manager Chris D'Sousa says the second half of the year usually records better sales figures and he predicts the overall market will be consistent with last year, reaching its 980,000 sales target. D'Sousa claims the introduction of new cars in the large segment will be important in giving the market the boost it needs. He says: "We expect the large car segment to be very stimulating with the new Commodore making activity for the second half of this year." Similarly, the Toyota Aurion, scheduled to be launched in November, and the new generation of the BF Falcon, arriving in October, are also expected to contribute to a growth in the large-car segment and the overall industry. Holden spokesman Jason Laird, while not in a position to forecast the market at this stage, hopes the large-car segment will pick up, particularly with the new VE Commodore. "(It) will hopefully provide some stimulus in that regard," he says. "We're going to sit back and see how it goes. Obviously we've done everything possible to make sure it's going to reinvigorate the segment." The Commodore has experienced a 26.3 per cent sales drop this year. Similarly, Ford's Falcon has also experienced a drop in sales, recording 16.5 per cent less than last year. With the large-car segment currently the second-highest selling segment, holding 14 per cent market share, D'Sousa expects the sales of large cars to grow over coming months, with the abundance of new larger models predominantly going to fleet markets. Toyota spokesman Mike Buttner also expects the market to be fairly strong in the second half of the year. He agrees the new, larger models, including the Commodore and Aurion, should improve the large-car segment, but warns it won't go "back to levels it historically ran at". He says the recent launch of Toyota's Camry, popular with fleets and private buyers, should also assist in reviving the market. Buttner says the V6 Aurion will be the most powerful six-cylinder but also the most fuel-efficient. Carmakers will also introduce new and refined vehicles in the SUV segment this year. D'Sousa believes this segment is becoming more popular as baby boomers chose their vehicles for a luxury lifestyle. The new Mitsubishi Pajero and Outlander, the Holden Captiva, the Mazda CX-7 and the Subaru Tribeca will all reach Australia before Christmas. The highest-selling small car segment, which accounts for about 22 per cent of the market for the year to date, is also expected to continue its strong sales as fuel prices increase. "Fuel doesn't become such a big issue for a business fleet. It's certainly a major issue for private buyers, who tend to turn towards smaller cars," D'Sousa says. The Toyota Corolla is the most popular small car and outsold its nearest competitor by nearly two to one last month. Updated models just released in the small segment include the new Mazda3 and Mitsubishi Colt ranges. A Colt Cabriolet will join the line up in October. Mazda spokesman Alastair Doak says the company is confident heading into the second half of the year. "With Mazda, most vehicles are four-cylinder engines. We're not in the large-car segment and the segments we are in are still strong," he says. Motoring and consumer groups this week predicted petrol could reach $1.80 in the next few months, the result of tensions in the Middle East and the closing of an Alaskan oil field. And D'Sousa says if fuel prices continue to rise, it will certainly have a further impact on the large-car segment. Fuel prices will also affect the types of cars introduced this year, as diesel models become more popular. In July alone, 1004 private passenger diesel cars were sold, compared to the 394 diesel vehicles sold in July last year. And for the year to date, 5226 diesel cars have hit our roads. A Mazda6 diesel, Kia Sportage and Sorento diesels and the Santa Fe diesel will also be launched before the end of the year. Peugeot will expand its 307 HDi diesel range, releasing the fuel-frugal 307 hatch and touring models with an automatic transmission. Lexus, too, will introduce a new hybrid vehicle, with the RX400 to be launched in September. But for the rest of the year, the focus for the majority of car makers will be on larger vehicles, with only a few smaller vehicles being launched. And while medium-sized cars may record a slightly better fuel consumption than their larger counterparts, D'Sousa says the difference isn't that noticeable, saving car owners only a couple of dollars a week. What's in store at the showrooms New models due later this year include: ALFA ROMEO Spider convertible in November. AUDI Q7 4WD in September; RS 4 Avant in October; A8 4.2 FSI in October; S6 in November; S8 in December. BMW 3 Series coupe in October; X3 small SUV facelift is due in December; Z4 coupe in October priced at $87,900 for the 3.0-litre and reaching $127,200 for the M version coupe; The M6 convertible is expected to cost $290,000-$295,000 and arrive in December. CHRYSLER Dodge Caliber from under $25,000, this month. CITROEN C6 in October, up to $90,000. FERRARI 599 GTB Fiorano at the Australian International Motor Show in Sydney, priced from $650,000. FORD BF Falcon II in October. HOLDEN Captiva 4WD, later this year; Statesman in September. HSV VE range later this month. HONDA Legend luxury sedan in September. HYUNDAI Elantra sedan at the end of this month; Santa Fe diesel in October. KIA Sportage diesel, Sorento diesel and short wheelbase Carnival before the end of the year. LEXUS RX400 hybrid 4WD in September; LS460 sedan featuring world's first eight-speed transmission and a 4.6-litre, V8 engine in November. MAZDA MX5 Roadster coupe, under $50,000 in October; CX-7 two models, under $50,000 in November; Mazda6 Diesel in November. MITSUBISHI Colt Cabriolet in October; Pajero in October; Triton 4x2 in October; Outlander later this year. MERCEDES E-Class in September. The E500 range will get a new V8 engine and the 63, AMG's new performance engine will replace the 55 across the range; GL-Class large 4WD in November; ML280 diesel 4WD due in September. PEUGEOT 307 HDi automatic this month. Automatic hatch will be priced at $34,790, while the Touring will be $36,490. PORSCHE 911 turbo in August, priced at $327,000; GT3 will follow priced at $253,200; 2.7-litre Cayman is expected around October at $118,000. SUBARU Liberty in September; Outback in September; Tribeca large 4WD in November. SUZUKI Swift Sport in September. TOYOTA Aurion V6 in November. VOLVO XC90 diesel this month followed by 4.4-litre V8 petrol version in October; C70 hard-top convertible in October priced from $69,950; C30 baby car early next year. VOLKSWAGEN Touareg 4WD due later this year.

And yes, I am talking about a car; the Alfa Romeo 159, to be precise.

So putting my life in the hands of two guys I had never met before, as they took me around a racetrack sideways, was a little challenging, to say the least.It all started when I saw the film, Fast And The Furious: Tokyo Drift, and jokingly said that I would like to try it. The next thing I knew, I was preparing to go drifting.I arrived at Eastern Creek Raceway this week feeling surprisingly few butterflies — but they were there. Watching my two drivers for the day, Andrew Parissis and Fernando Wiehrl, do warm-up laps, left me just about ready to head to my own car for a quick getaway.But these guys are professionals, and to be honest, I kind of wanted to experience that rush.So, I jumped (well, it was more like a crawl) into Parissis' Nissan 200SX S15, with my helmet and seatbelts strapped very tightly.With my left hand clenching the roll cage and my toes curling in my shoes, we were off.The first lap had me thinking, "this isn't so bad", but then Parissis put his skills into action.Quick manoeuvring and what seemed like a routine run-through of technique, left the rear of the car flinging from left to right. I felt like I was in a movie, with the car heading sideways towards a barrier, almost in slow motion, anticipating the collision, not to mention the ensuing carnage.But my reliable driver gained control and sent us flying in the other direction. And after the first slide, I knew I was in good hands, with the manner of control and skill that Parissis demonstrated.While the older generation may see this sport as simple hooning, sitting in that passenger seat proved it was so much more. These drivers know what they're doing, and I'd be willing to trust my life with them ... oh, hold on, I did.We went out on a smaller warm-up track and only reached speeds of about 60km/h. But that was enough for me. In competitions, such as the Australian drift series these guys will be competing at Eastern Creek next weekend, drivers reach speeds of up to 160km/h.And in a competition, two cars will hit the track in a cat-and-mouse scenario, where one car leads and performs slides and handbrake entries through a series of turns and the second car follows. In a second battle, the follower takes the lead and the judges award points for speed, the angle of the slide and the car's ability to produce tyre smoke.But I'm getting ahead of myself, I'll build up to that for next time.I smiled hugely as I was flung from side to side, while my drivers performed feint drifts, handbrake entries and clutch kicks. You're strapped in so tightly, but your body still gets thrown around and the rush even led to a couple of embarrassing "Woo-hoos".Despite my apologies in advance for screaming, I didn't feel the need.After a few laps of jolting round the track, my hands made their way from their tight squeeze of the roll cage to almost above my head and flowing in motion with my body. A little "uncool" perhaps, but, hey, I was enjoying the ride.We headed for the gate, so I could make a swap into a Nissan 180SX, where my next talented driver, Fernando Wiehrl, awaited.So excited by my first dabble in the sport, I jumped into Wiehrl's car, ready for him to show me what he could do. Also a very capable driver, he gracefully spun us from left to right and even spun us round in a circle, just like in a scene from Tokyo Drift.Wiehrl seemed to create more smoke than Parissis, which seeped through into the cabin, and left me choking just a little. But even that couldn't wipe the smile off my face.These guys go through about 20 tyres in one competition and after our hour or so at the track, Wiehrl's tyres were completely bald.So, I'm hooked. I'm now a drifting fan. The feeling was just incredible as I allowed the excitement to take over. The force at which the car moves, and the angles in which they slide around the corners while following what would normally be considered the traditional racing line, felt truly amazing and it was an unforgettable experience.The cars felt like they were almost dancing on the track. I can see this taking off as a celebrity reality program a la Drifting With The Stars.So, what's next? Skydiving? Bungy jumping? Becoming a drift driver myself? Well, I think I'll live off this high for a while and let my mum sleep a little easier at night. Fast factsToyo Drift Australian Series, Round 3When: Next weekend (July 29, 30) 9am-5pm both daysWhere: Eastern Creek RacewayPrice: Saturday, $15; Sunday $25; weekend pass $35; children under 12, freeDrifting techniques include:Feint drift: Flicking the car from one side to the otherHandbrake entry: A pull on the handbrake on the way into a corner to initiate a slideClutch kick: When a driver turns into the corner and clicks the clutch to give a sudden jolt and break the traction.

They are sought by young, first-car owners, parents seeking a second zippy machine and everyone else who wants an efficient but cheap vehicle in a time of rising petrol prices.This market provides the opportunity to own something cute and reliable, that doesn't necessarily come with ageing appearance, kilometres clocked and pre-loved baggage.At $16,880 for the 1.6-litre, four-cylinder, three-door model, the Hyundai Getz is a reasonable deal, if of course you arrive at the dealers with the right expectations.The Hyundai Getz is the second bestseller in the light car segment, of small cars under $25,000, with 10,408 sales for the year to date, behind only the Toyota Yaris and beating the Holden Barina and Suzuki Swift.The Getz comes with some accolades to its name. The 1.6-litre was named Australia's Best Small Car for 2005, judged by Australia's auto clubs, and was also declared as the most affordable light car to own and run by NRMA Motoring and Services.But don't expect this little package to present anything too surprising.It's your basic small, get-around car, producing 78kW of power at 5800rpm and 144Nm at 3200rpm. The real ability of the engine takes a while to kick in and drivers have to rev it hard to get it moving.The four-speed automatic version tested felt flimsy with the delayed response and while it was suitable for city and suburban driving, it struggled a little on highways. A manual model, giving drivers greater control over their travels, may be a better option.Just because this South Korean baby is a smaller, cheaper car, it doesn't mean safety has to be sacrificed.The car we tested came with the Protectz package, which adds $1290 to the price of the 1.6-litre model, but is not available on the base 1.4-litre versions.The Protectz enhanced safety pack adds dual front side (thorax) airbags and electronic stability program (ESP) to the standard safety features on the 1.6-litre Getz models, which include an anti-skid braking system (ABS) with electronic brakeforce distribution (EBD), four-wheel disc brakes and soft deploy driver and passenger airbags.As with most cars in the small segment, the Getz has that fun appeal to it.Its tall but skinny-ish body looks good from the exterior, but step inside and it's all a little disappointing, really.The dash has a plastic look and is rather unfashionable and basic, while the console panel appears bulky.The front seats leave the driver feeling tall and in an unusual position to the steering wheel, due to the low dash and high seats.The seatbelts in the front are located too far behind the seats, making the driver and passenger reach for them. Space can be, as is to be expected in this sized car, cramped at times in the back, but tolerable in the front.It has adequate storage room for phones and accessories, but more would be useful.It comes with features including airconditioning, power windows, keyless entry, central door locking, steering wheel audio remote controls and MP3/CD player. Metallic paint is $275 extra.The Getz can get more "sexy" if budget buyers have extra cash for the SXi version, which gives pizazz. It adds a rear spoiler, 15-inch alloy wheels and front fog lamps.The SXi also has a better looking interior, with hot red trim on the seats and doors. This is $18,380 for the SXi automatic, and $19,670 including the Protectz package.

The 21-year-old Sydney fitter and machinist beat seven other finalists from around the nation.He will now undergo further training before heading to Canberra for the NSW Clubman Rally Championships on August 4-5. He will drive the 1.5-litre, 82kW-engined Mazda2 rally rocket specially built for competition by Mazda.At the training day at Oran Park last week, Long drew on his past experience in rallying to come away from the competition victorious.He says: "I have been into rally driving for about three years, at club-level. My rallying has been in an old Datsun. It was an experience to get into a new Mazda and take it for a run."The eight finalists had expert training from drivers Rick Bates and Jon Waterhouse. Two had never driven a rally car before.That included NSW's other finalist, Cheryl Chan. According to Mazda spokesman Allan Horsley, she improved enormously.

"Volvo-driving soccer mums" comes to mind, and even I must confess to uttering the words "bloody Volvo driver" in a moment of motoring anger. But it seems Volvo is shrugging off that unfashionable image and after spending a week in an S40, I've found driving a Volvo doesn't necessarily have to come with a roll of the eyes, although it hasn't quite broken the stereotype when it comes to performance.The S40 falls under the prestige and luxury category and, while it may not have the complete elegance of a new BMW or Mercedes, it does have style.And it won't cost you an arm and a leg.The base S model, tested here, starts at $39,950 and does enough to be a classy experience. Its curved body and flat back challenges original misconceptions.The metallic blue paint is a nice addition, but you have to really want it for an extra $1350. The base model doesn't sport the more luxurious leather seats of the LE and range-topping T5 models and you have to settle for the black synthetic trim. But it's not too much of a disappointment, still providing a firm but comfortable journey and a sleek, sporty feel.The leather interior comes as an option for an extra $3600. However at this price, it probably makes more sense to instead move up to the LE model, which is valued at $44,950.The silver display panel where the radio and dual climate controls sit is simple but effective. It has a futuristic feel, with storage space behind the panel and unusual diagrammed buttons. The single-stacker CD system produces good sound and you can program up to nine radio stations.Storage space in the front is minimal and the unique ignition is repositioned to the left of the steering wheel on the dashboard, which may seem trendy at first, but it's hard to break the habit of instantly going to the normal ignition area.As far as space goes, the S40 is sufficient, but could use more room in the back seats. For those with small kids and looking for a family sedan, this Volvo will do the job. But with three adults in the back, I guarantee you will have at least one person complaining they're a little too close for comfort.The rear end is deceiving, with a small boot lid, but a surprisingly deep storage space.The S40 is stylish, but when it comes to performance, you may still find yourself in the slow lane. The 2.4-litre, five-cylinder engine has an average performance.It is adequate for city driving, as it trots along, testing the limits before shifting into a higher gear. The 125kW at 6000rpm and the 230Nm at 4400rpm feels a little sluggish and doesn't quite have the power some may desire.Those after a better performance and who can afford the bigger pricetag, could try the T5 model, which at $54,950 comes with a turbocharged engine.On the car tested, the brakes would creak a bit when slowly taking your foot from the pedal at a standstill.The S40 range has no price difference between automatic and manual transmissions. The automatic of the base model produces a reasonable fuel consumption of 9.2-litres/100km, combined claimed and the manual records a little better with 8.7-litres/100km.While the performance of this model won't exactly win it a major role on the set of the next Fast and the Furious film, its safety features are a major plus and in the Volvo tradition, it is very reliable.The S40 comes standard with front and passenger dual-stage airbags and side impact protection system, whiplash protection system, ABS anti-locking brakes with EBD and stability traction control.The extra technology in the S40, even the base model, is fine and would be particularly useful for people with young children.When passengers remove their seatbelts while the engine is still running, a beeping alarm, lights and a message on the display panel lets the driver know. Mischievous youngsters or annoying adults will be caught out very quickly.The doors automatically lock and when exiting the car, the handle must be pulled twice before it unlocks, which makes you feel secure and safe late at night, although it does become a little irritating when you're seeking a quick departure.Volvo's S40 is a decent package and its design should attract a younger audience, rather than being a brand associated with rapidly greying retirees.

The sneak peak of the only four-cylinder car built in Australia was part of the line-off event at the Altona manufacturing plant, where more than 2000 employees celebrated completion of the new vehicle. The fifth-generation Camry will be launched on July 25 and prices and specifications will be revealed closer to that date.It will go on sale in early August.The current 2.4-litre, four-cylinder Camry starts at $27,650 and reaches $31,650 for the range-topping Sportivo model. Toyota spokesman Mike Breen says the current Camry model is in runout mode and Toyota doesn't have enough stock to meet the demand."That's why sales are down: we can't deliver them. We're building up for the new model," he says. Toyota has invested $450 million to prepare for the new Camry and Aurion models.Most of this money will be used for new and updated facilities and equipment at Altona.Toyota Motor Corporation Australia President Ted Okada says: "It is our intention to grow the business, increase domestic market share and develop new export markets, so the logistics of manufacturing and shipping are vital to our efficient operation in Victoria."The six-cylinder Aurion sedan will arrive later in the year.