Articles by Chris Riley

  The 1969 car, known in the series as the “General Lee” and the nemesis of Sheriff Roscoe P. Coltrane in numerous chase scenes, was auctioned by actor John Schneider, who played Bo Duke in the long-running show. It is believed to be the second highest price ever paid for a car at auction after that of a 1931 Bugatti that was sold by Christie's in 1987 for $US11 million ($A13.4 million). Schneider is believed to have sold the highly modified Dodge to finance his latest film. Dukes of Hazzard screened for seven seasons between 1979 and 1985. The inspiration for the hit TV series was a 1975 film called The Moonrunners, written and directed by Gy  Waldron. The film was about a closely knit family determined to produce and sell moonshine despite stiff competition and marauding federal agents. Afterwards Waldron, who hails from the deep south, put together a proposal for a TV series loosely based on the script. The Dodge Charger was chosen for the role of the General Lee as it was well known to NASCAR fans in the southern state of Georgia, where it was filmed. It was painted bright orange, the number 01 added and a Confederate flag also added to the roof. The General Lee was billed as a 1969 Dodge Charger with a 440 cubic inch Magnum V8 and an A-727 automatic transmission. The cars used in the series apparently underwent surprisingly few modifications for their screen role. Each was fitted with a four-barrel Holley carburettor, aluminium intake manifold, and stiffer shocks and springs to firm up the handling, with inner tubes added to tyres as a precaution. The doors of the cars (there was more than one General Lee) were welded shut to stop them springing open and the parking brake lock removed so hand brake turns could be performed. The sealed doors explain why Bo and Luke were always seen sliding in and out of the windows. Interestingly, much of the driving we see Bo (John Schneider) and Luke (Tom Wopat) doing was actually performed by the actors. Schneider, in fact, attended the Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving. Any time the script called for the General to leave the ground, however, stunt doubles were called in. Many hours were spent planning chase sequences. The cars often became airborne and to keep them level during jumps, lead ballast was added to the boot to stop them nose diving. Legend has it that the General Lee's musical horn was the result of a chance discovery. A production crew on their way to a shoot passed a car with a horn that tooted the first 12 notes of Dixie. To cut a long story short, they chased after the driver and offered him cash for the horn which was removed on the spot. It turned out later that the same horn could be readily obtained through the J C Whitney catalogue, but the crew wanted it right away for filming. Quite a few cars were wrecked during filming of the show and so it had an almost insatiable appetite for replacements. Legend has it that more than 300 Dodge Chargers were wrecked during the filming of the show.

The new Euro IV compliant engine puts out 103kW of power at 6300rpm and 175Nm of torque at 3800rpm in manual form, up 11kW and 5Nm respectively.As well as producing more power it also delivers better fuel economy, down from 8.2 to 7.8 litres/100km for the four-speed auto.They’re modest gains but come at no extra cost because Holden has held prices for the new model at the current level.The bad news is that these figures are generated using premium unleaded petrol.Holden tells us the car will run on standard unleaded but could not supply figures for the reduced power output that will result.The previous engine dropped from 92kW to 90kW when run on standard.The Astra range starts with the entry level CD five-door manual hatch priced from $21,990, topping out at $47,490 for the 2.2-litre Twin Top coupe-cabrio auto.The auto adds $2000.It’s all part of a mid-life makeover for what is Holden’s second biggest selling model behind the perennial Commodore.Launched here in 2004, the Astra holds third place in its own segment, behind Corolla and Mazda3.Holden describes Astra as one of the most complete small car ranges in Australia.However, this overlooks the fact that there is still no sedan.What of a diesel wagon, fivespeed auto or standard electronic stability control? The latter is standard on Commodore, which leads its segment, and diesel Astra gets a sixspeed auto.Holden remains vague when asked about these possibilities, saying only that it is constantly reassessing the pricing and specification of its car in what is a very competitive segment.The engine upgrade is accompanied by minor styling changes with a revised front fascia, headlamp and grille.We were able to take the fourspeed auto for a quick run up to the Blue Mountains and back at the launch of the new model in Sydney.New engine or not, it’s still not going to set the world on fire but it will not disappoint the average driver.

The Force models are upmarket equivalents of the turbocharged Typhoon and V8 powered GT, minus the overt styling Instead of a big rear spoiler and loud paint job, you get a restrained, more conservative look – a Fairmont Ghia with the works.Our test car was the FPV Force 6 priced from $71,590, almost $10,000 more than the Typhoon. Finished in a chromatic dark green called Deja-vu, it looks almost black in some lighting conditions.We clocked up almost 2000km behind the wheel in a week-long Riverina odyssey. The fast Ford is a great choice for long distance slogs, with plenty of power, comfort and a big boot for luggage. But with sports suspension and low profile tyres, the ride can be harsh depending on the road surface.The Force 6 gets the same turbocharged 4.0-litre straight six as Typhoon, with an impressive 270kW of power and 550Nm of torque. It’s only available with the ZF 6-speed sequential auto (nothing wrong with that), which also gets you the adjustable driver’s pedals that go with it.Suffice to say the car goes like stink and is actually quite frugal if driven carefully. It takes premium unleaded as a minimum and with fuel economy, officially rated at 13.0 litres/ 100km, dropped to a low of 9.6 litres/100km after about 600km of steady driving.Interestingly, we decided to refill the car with E10 ethanol enhanced fuel after finding it’s cited as OK with its higher 95 RON octane rating. Subsequent economy, however, was 11.2 litres/100km, dropping briefly to 11.1. It goes to show that you use more of the stuff and doesn’t really justify the 10c a litre that we saved at the bowser.For a car that’s going to cost $75,000 by the time it’s on the road we expected a little more in the equipment department. You get leather, dual zone air as well as front and side airbags for the driver and front passenger.Traction control is fitted but it’s not as sophisticated as the dynamic stability control fitted to ordinary Falcons. Performance is supremely confident, with the ability to overtake at will – when and where you like.Lights, including fog lights, provide plenty of illumination for night driving in the country. Ultra low profile 35 series tyres make a din like rain on a tin roof on coarse bitumen.

They’ve been running cars on ethanol for years without incident in South America. But apart from adding a small quantity of the stuff to our unleaded petrol it really hasn’t taken off here yet.And even this small quantity has not been without controversy, with claims that it can damage engines.That could all change, however, with the arrival of Saab’s BioPower cars, designed to run specifically on ethanol – led by the Saab 9-5 BioPower.We’re not talking about 10 per cent, but E85 or 85 per cent pure ethanol, which is combined with 15 per cent unleaded petrol.While some engineering changes are required to run E85, Saab says it does not require any special technology. BioPower vehicles will run happily on either petrol or ethanol, but some modifications are required before you go sticking ethanol in the tank because of its corrosive nature.They include the addition of more durable valves and valve seats and the use of ethanol compatible materials in the fuel system, including the tank, pump, lines and connectors. In return you get a more environmentally-friendly fuel and one that delivers better performance, because of its higher octane rating. The trade-off is that you burn more of it.Ethanol is alcohol distilled from grain, cellulose or sugar cane. It has been produced from sugar cane for many years in Brazil and also from corn in the the US Mid-West.In Sweden, it is produced from wood pulp and forest residues, with feasibility studies to see whether it can be produced from lignocelluloses.As a fuel, the most important difference between petrol and ethanol is that ethanol does not add to global carbon dioxide (CO2) levels.This is because CO2 is removed from the atmosphere during photosynthesis by the crops grown to produce ethanol.The main thing, of course, that ethanol is renewable and oil isn’t.Currently Saab offers BioPower versions of its 2.0 and 2.3-litre turbocharged four cylinder engines.Our test vehicle was a 2.0-litre wagon with “Saab BioPower” emblazoned on the side. Normally this engine would produce 110kW of power and 240Nm of torque, but with E85’s higher octane rating of 104RON this figure is boosted to to 132kW and 280Nm.The wagon certainly has plenty of zip, but at the same time seemed to chew through a full tank of E85 quickly.We had barely travelled 170km before the 68-litre (not standard 75-litre) tank was reading half empty and at 319km the low fuel light came on.By 347km the trip computer was demanding we refill the car. If you are planning any long distance trips this could be an issue, as there only half a dozen fuel outlets in NSW that offer E85. At the time we refilled the tank, the trip computer was proclaiming fuel consumption of 13.9 litres/100km.However, the tank only took 58.4 litres of E85, which working out the maths put our consumption at 16.8 litres/100km – about the same as a hoary old V8.There are no official fuel consumption figures for the 9-5 BioPower, but in comparison the same car with a 2.0-litre petrol engine delivers a claimed 10.6 litres/100km.Of course this needs to be weighed up against the cost of E85 (85.9 cents a litre when we filled up), compared to unleaded which was selling at the same servo for 116.9 cents – 26.5 per cent less. However, as we were burning 58 per cent more fuel, that in fact puts us 31.5 per cent behind the eight ball.Saab meanwhile claims fuel consumption for the BioPower is about the same as a petrol model at constant cruising speeds. But in mixed driving conditions it is uses about 25-30 per cent more E85. Carbon emissions for the petrol engine are 251 grams, but there are no figures on ethanol.

They've fixed the hawkish looks of the previous model, provided some decent engines to chose from and even thrown in a six-speed CVT auto for good measure.It even comes with a lockable centre diff that gives it an edge over some competitors when it comes to going off road.Dynamically there's no doubting new Outlander is very good.If only Mitsu had done something more to dress up the interior, with its generic grey felt and thinly disguised hard plastic surfaces.Our test vehicle was the base model, four cylinder five seat LS priced from $31,990.That includes an auto and you can add in a third row of seats, but that's going to cost you another $2800.The LS is powered by a new 2.4-litre 16-valve DOHC four-cylinder MIVEC engine, with variable valve timing.The four cylinder engine develops 125kW of power at 6000rpm and 226Nm of torque at 4100rpm.Fuel consumption is rated at a creditable 9.5 litres/100km, thanks to the CVT.But in reality it used well in excess of that during testing.For those wanting more power, there's a 3.0-litre V6 model.The 2.4-litre four is hooked up to a new INVECSIII Sport Mode 6-speed Continuous Variable Transmission (CVT).The continuously variable transmission incorporates six manual change points but is designed to optimise economy and perform- ance.Outlander can be driven in two or four wheel drive depending on terrain and weather conditions.Or you can simply leave it in auto mode which makes the decision for you.V6 models also get electronic stability control.The advantage of being able to select two- wheel drive is better fuel economy.You can chose from two-wheel, four-wheel drive auto and four-wheel drive lock via a large round knob located between the front seats.With the auto setting torque is allocated to each of the four wheels individually according to their traction on the road surface.Performance from the CVT transmission is deceiving.You don't get that surge of power near the top end of a gear that you normally get with an auto.It's just one long zoom as the transmission continuously adjusts, giving the impression it is taking forever to change gear - there's also no drop off in performance that normally accompanies a change.Two airbags and ABS with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD) is standard across the range.Standard equipment includes air conditioning (with ducting to the rear compartment), power windows and mirrors, cruise control, steering wheel mounted audio controls, integrated fascia with AM/FM audio with CD, MP3 and WMA, leather-wrapped steering wheel, gearshift knob and handbrake lever, and a multi-function information display.The 60/40 split rearseat tumble and folds automatically at the touch of switch, one for each side either side at the rear.Too bad it doesn't return the seats to their upright position again. 

You've got to be kidding I thought as the low riding coupe crunched its way over yet another irregularity in the road surface.The only thing soft about this car is the extra 5.5cm it concedes top and bottom of the doors that allows big boofheads like myself to squeeze in and out more easily.Nah, soft is certainly not the term I'd apply to this road going rocket.Softly, softly perhaps . . . because that's the approach newcomers need to adopt when slotting behind the wheel for the first time.It's a whole new world down there and unfortunately Lotus probably doesn't command the respect it deserves from other drivers.Yes, it turns heads and, yes, the Lotus badge is recognised for its British racing heritage, but beyond that the average driver has little or no respect for the car's capabilities.Priced from $109,900, like the rest of the Lotus family, the Europa S sits small, compact and extremely low to the road, with limited vision to the rear and sides.It's easy to feel vulnerable down there, even a little claustrophobic and the first steps are normally tentative ones.After you get the hang of it, however, it's simply a case of hanging on tight to the tiny non-power assisted wheel as the turbocharged tyro punches from corner to corner, with the ease of a slot car.Lotus freely admits the GM-powered Europa was designed principally as a road car (not for the track like other models) .In fact, it boasts the highest level of equipment of any modern day Lotus.But it makes no apology for the exceptional ride and handling which is still the principal insipiration behind the company's design philosphy.In fact, it claims none of its perceived competitors come anywhere near the car in terms of handling, boasts Lotus boss John Stretton.That includes Porsche's Cayman, Cayman S and the BMW Z4 M.Europa S is powered by a 2.0-litre 147kW GM engine, the same engine in fact that powers Holden's turbocharged Astra.But unlike the Toyota engine that powers the Lotus Exige that we drove recently, the GM engine retains its original engine management system.Lotus opted for the GM unit because its higher torque output was better suited to the Europa, but it reveals that retaining the system was part of the deal.Having said that, the 147kW engine is not limited in anyway which gives it a less linear torque curve.With 147kW of power and 272Nm of torque on tap, the 995kg Europa can sprint from 0-100km/h in just 5.8 seconds and on to a top speed of 230km/h.Modest figures perhaps, but there's nothing dull or boring about the way it drives or responds to the throttle.Bridgestone tyres are fitted which don't provide quite as much grip but they deliver a quieter more refined ride.Fuel economy meanwhile is rated at 9.3 litres/100km.Although the Europa S will appeal mainly to men, Lotus recognises the importance women play in the purchase process.Amd with Europa's concessions to comfort, it is hoping to kick a few more goals in this department.The original Europa (I remember one of my teachers having one) was built between 1966 and 1974, with early models powered by a Renault engine.

Fewer still can say the first car they owned was one of them.And I'm not talking about a garden variety Ford or Holden, but a little known British marque that has not been seen here for over 50 years.As a motoring scribe I was tickled pink to find out that my my old man's first car was in fact a Riley sports car.How cool is that?Kevin bought the car at age 19 from a girl in Goulburn for 90 pounds, using money he'd had saved as a professional singer and performer.My father I should explain was a man who changed cars almost as frequently as he changed his undies.As a child I have fond memories of the endless stream of treasures that graced our driveway, my earlier memories being of a huge slope backed Peugeot.I guess my father's love of cars must have rubbed off on me.Kev has fond memories of his 1929 two-seat Riley 9 Tourer which also came with a pop up "dickey" seat.There's a couple of stories that go with the car, like the time he rescued his girlfriend from falling out by grabbing her hair in the nick of time as the door swung open going around a corner.Or how about the time the car caught fire in the middle of crossing the Sydney Harbour Bridge.The first Riley automobile - a small voiturette with a single-cylinder engine - was made in Coventry, England in 1898.Production however didn't commence until around 1905.Riley automobiles were marketed under the banner "as old as the industry, as modern as the hour".Percy Riley, who was responsible for the first Riley, patented many engineering features later incorporated by other manufacturers, and designed the famous Riley '9' engine first seen in 1926.He also patented detachable wheel used universally today which meant in the event of a puncture the wheel could be changed for a spare (in the early days of motor transport wheels were a permanent fixture).The wheel caught on quickly and Rolls- Royce took out a license to manufacture it, along with at least eight other manufacturers.Lord Nuffield bought the company after it went into receivership in 1938 for 143,000 pounds.He immediately sold it to Morris Motors which soon became the Nuffield Organisation - a combination of Morris, MG, Wolsley and Riley.Earlier Rileys of the 1920s and 1930s were noted for their flowing, sporting lines as well as sprightly performance which earned them such an illustrious competition career.Production of Riley's continued into the 1960s but later cars were Rileys in little more than name only, with the Riley griller and higher level of specification.BMC even produced upmarket Riley ver- sions of the Morris 1100 called the Kestrel and, get this - a version of the Mini called the Elf, the latter billed as "magnificent motoring in miniature".Don't know what ever became of Dad's Riley?He said he sold the car to two brothers who had plans to convert the roadster into a utility of all things. 

Styled by Italian design studio Pininfarina, the Colt Cabriolet is at once stylish and goofy looking, particularly in profile with the roof up.The rear deck is too flat and long and the bubble shaped cabin too large and bulbous, creating an unbalanced appearance.With the roof down, however, the car looks like a million bucks.One thing's for sure, it's certainly got some get up and go with the 1.5-litre turbo aboard.Pininfarina has been responsible for a range of diverse and iconic designs over the years, including the Jaguar XJS, Peugeot 206CC and recently released Volvo C70 coupe/cabriolet.The company specialises in soft and hard topped roof solutions and its expertise is employed by many manufacturers.Mitsubishi says the roof system was the first thing that Pininfarina developed for the Colt Cabrio during the design phase.The roof was engineered and tested in its wind tunnel at Grugliasco, to guarantee the highest standards of safety and functionality.The fact Pininfarina engineered both the Pug and Mitsubishi cabrios is a point of interest, as the two are rivals, with a new Pug set to heat up things shortly.Our test car was certainly an eye-catcher finished in burnt metallic orange, but with a pair of the tiniest back seats that we have ever laid eyes on.There's little or no legroom for rear seat passengers and you've got to wonder why they bothered?The turbocharged engine develops 110KW of power at 6000rpm and 210Nm of torque at 3500rpm, slightly less power than the Ralliart Colt.In comparison the cheaper naturally aspirated model delivers 80kW at 6000rpm and 145Nm at 4000rpm.The force fed engine features a weight- saving hollow camshaft.Other changes have been made to accommodate the higher power output, with stronger engine and gearbox mountings, plus higher spring rates to cope with the demands of more harder acceleration and spirited handling.The turbocharged engine is mated to a five- speed Getrag manual transmission, with a revised gear set - there's no auto.Rounding off the package are 16in alloys fitted with 205/45 rubber.The end result is a car that's a bit of a tearaway, able to spin the wheels off the line, and again when changing to second gear and one that is something of a handful in the wet.Weighing in at 1200kg, it can sprint from 0 to 100km/h in 8.4 seconds and has a top speed of 205km/h.Fuel consumption from the 47-litre tank is rated at 7.2 litres/100km.We found the turbo a fun car to drive, but not exactly what you'd call cheap motoring at $37,990 plus on-roads.The roof is easily removed, with a locking clamp at each corner and luggage screen in the boot that must be extended before the roof will operate.Too much luggage and the roof will refuse to open.There's some body flex with the roof open, particularly on bumpy secondary roads - but not too much.The top of the windscreen is quite high and this minimises wind intrusion.The power-operated windows can be tricky, as one set of controls operates both front and rear windows, with a pause required between the two.You get leather and heated front seats standard, but the finish inside smacks of plastic and the sound system failed to impress.Handling is generally good, but we were wary of executing any fast cornering in the wet.It's reassuring to know that Active Stability Control (incorporating Active Traction Con- trol) is fitted along with anti-lock brakes to stop things getting out of hand.Strong front pillars and windshield frame are designed to support the car in a roll over accident, without the need for rear roll bars.Driver, passenger and side airbags are also fitted.

Physics tells us that even a Ferrari pushed to the extreme will eventually lose its grip on the road, often with cataclysmic results.It happens when the gravitational force acting on the car exceeds the driver's desire to go in the other direction.We know because we found the limits of the bright yellow Porsche Cayman that we were driving on Dubai's $150 million grand prix circuit last week.The beauty of race tracks, at least modern ones that is, is that they are designed for this eventuality, with run off areas where cars can slide harmlessly to a halt without hitting anything.My little "off" happened on a section of the circuit doused with water, part wet and part dry, to make things that little bit more challenging.Reaching the apex of the corner, I applied too much throttle too soon (at least that's the way I remember it) forcing the rear of the car to flick sideways.I watched as the Porsche in slow motion described a full circle around me before coming to a rest.Intact, but with a slightly bruised ego, I was able to drive off again, hardly missing a beat.In fact, it was over so quickly, that no one realised it had even happened - but they say confession is good for the soul.We were in the United Arab Emirates at the invitation of Pirelli tyres to test their new high performance P Zero.The Italian manufacturer reckons the P Zero is the best performance tyre in the world and it is a claim I find difficult to dispute.The Dubai circuit was divided into a number of areas, each with a different exercise designed to highlight the advantages of the tyre.At each stop there was a smorgasbord of cars from which to chose, but before we got started we treated to some hot laps in the V10 Lamborghini Gallardo,At full noise, in the hands of a professional driver, it's an experience one is not likely to forget in a hurry.As a matter of fact, I recorded the event and it is destined to live for evermore as a ring tone in my mobile.The most telling exercise of the day was one where we drove around and around in a tight circle on a wet and slippery section of track.Two Audi TTs were provided for the exercise, one fitted with P Zeros, the other with a competitor's tyre.At the risk of sounding like an advertise- ment, they were like chalk and cheese - the P Zero had appreciably more grip.We were able to drive a number of different cars on the day, not all of them fitted with Pirellis.They included Audi's S8, Porsche Carrera and Cayman and Boxster and Benz's S 65 AMG, CLS 63 AMG and CLK 63 AMG - to name a few.Although by no means the most powerful of the group, the Porsche Boxster shone on the track, with its sharp handling and responsive six pack.Pirelli is marking the launch of the new P Zero - the fourth since the birth of the original back in 1987 with the Ferrari F40 - with the release of a short film.Called Mission Zero, it's directed by Kathryn Bigelow and starring Uma Thurman and is a kind of a car chase minus the rest of the movie.It features a yellow Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder - finished of course in Kill Bill Yellow.

It may be a familiar face, but there's nothing wrong with the underlying package – nothing that a nip here and tuck there can't cure.The changes that Ford has introduced with the BF Mark II are subtle, but combined with attractive pricing and packaging make an appealing proposition. You'd be forgiven for not being able to pick the new car from the previous model.However, Ford watchers will be able to spot the changes straight away.Reflecting the rising cost of fuel, LPG, or E-Gas as Ford calls it, is now available virtually across the range apart from Fairlane and LTD.Mark II features a new tapered bonnet, combined with a new grille and aggressive re-styled front bumper, sporty new headlights and revised rear bumpers on the sedan.Most notable are the changes that have been made to Fairmont, which is looking decidedly more sporty these days.Why bother, we wondered, when we saw that Fairmont was the thrust of Ford's new advertising campaign.We thought everybody wanted a jellybean-coloured XR6 anyway. Apparently not and, after driving the new V8-powered Ghia (a competitor for Holden's Calais), we have to say we were immediately impressed.It's quiet, it’s powerful and it's classy.There's no rear wing for the boy racers but side skirts, a splash of chrome and the redesigned front grille give a sleeker, more sophisticated and sporty appearance.Our test car was the top of the range V8-powered Fairmont Ghia priced from $51,490 – $7000 less than Calais V.It leads the way with what Ford describes as a new Europeaninspired sports luxury exterior look.It's highlighted by black boardered lights, redesigned chrome grille, jewelled fog lights, plus new front bumper finishes and new-look 17in sports alloys.An exposed chrome exhaust, XR-style side skirts and rear bumper together with updated badging completes the package. The single overhead cam Barra 230 V8 engine delivers 230kW of power at 5350rpm and 500Nm of torque at 3500rpm.Ghia gets the six-speed tipshift auto and dynamic stability control as standard.Sports control blade rear suspension is also standard.The smooth shifting, responsive and fast changing ZF transmission is a perfect match for the V8, delivering an excellent combination of power and economy.The Ghia is a consumate performer, the only downside the intrusion of tyre noise on coarse bitumen.Claimed fuel economy from the V8 is 13.2 litres/100km, but we were getting 12.4 – not bad for a V8.Inside, a sporty new leather and alloy insert steering wheel complements the glossy black instrument console and black chrome instrument cluster with not a sign of wood in sight.A range of dark and light colours serve to break up the interior trim, giving the interior a light, airy, inviting appearance.