Articles by Chris Riley

But if you're not fazed by these factors, read on because BMW's huge 750Li is a Lear jet waiting for a pair of wings.The V8-powered, long wheel base version of BMW's flagship 7 Series will set you back a whisker under $230,000 - that's before options and on-road costs.For those not familiar with the car, it is a favourite with hire car operators, bigger and more powerful than a Holden Statesman but more than three times the price.The sheer size of the car becomes apparent when parked shoulder to shoulder with something like the Statesman which we just happened to have at the same time.The long wheel base version is a shade under 5.2m, designed to seat five at a pinch and gets 138mm more leg room in the back.It is targeted at the chauffeur driven set, although truth be known most Aussies prefer to drive themselves.The 750 series was offered previously only with a 6.0-litre V12 engine.But this is now restricted to the top of the range 760Li.The previous 4.4-litre V8 has been sup-planted by a 4.8-litre unit that powers the 750Li.It delivers 270kW of power at 6300rpm and 490Nm of torque at 3400rpm, an 10 per cent increase in power and nine per cent increase in torque.For a big car, weighing in at just under two tonnes, it certainly gets mobile quickly.The 750Li is able to spring from 0-100km/ h in six seconds flat and on to an electronically governed top speed of 250km/h.Impressive figures, but not nearly as impressive as the fuel consumption which is a claimed 11.4L/100km.We clocked up more than 900km behind the wheel at a rate of just 12.8L/100km, which is simply outstanding for a car this size.Power is fed through a six-speed sequential automatic transmission to the rear wheels.We're not big fans of the steering wheel mounted shift lever either.You get change buttons on the steering wheel, but they do not lend themselves to enthusiastic driving.A separate button is used to change between auto, sport and manual modes, but you can't switch transparently between modes just by hitting the gear change buttons.The 7 Series copped a lot of flak when it was launched a few years back, most of it directed at the raised boot lid section and tail light design.The raised section became known as the Bangle Bustle after designer Chris Bangle.Thankfully, this has been scaled back with the current model and in our view is no longer an issue.The "iDrive" computer system which can now be found in other models has also been a sore point.With this system, a large, round joystick-like knob, mounted prominently in the centre console, is used to access and control various functions of the car.These range from the sound system, to the phone and on-board data like fuel usage.While iDrive has been refined, it's still way too complicated for the average person in our humble opinion.Apart from the switch to a large V8, the new 7 Series benefits from improvements to the all- aluminium suspension which sees a 14mm increase in rear track.The 750Li features adaptive, self-levelling suspension to reduce body roll in corners, with fully variable front and rear anti-roll bars.The luxury equipment list is a long one, suffice to say rear seat passengers get their own fold out monitor on which they can watch movies or digital TV, in addition to the dash mounted screen.

The second generation Distronic cruise control system employs not one but two radar systems to automatically brake the car when the active cruise system is activated.One radar focuses on traffic directly in the lane ahead while the other scans the lanes on either side on the lookout for vehicles entering the car's path.The trouble is the second, long range radar operates on the same 77Ghz frequency that astronomers use for their radio telescopes - and herein lies the problem.Until Benz gets permission, it is not able to use this frequency and so the first cars offered for sale here will only have the old single radar system for which the company already has approval.This short range system operates in the 24Ghz band.Benz applied for government approval two months ago but it could be several months before it gets the go ahead.But the kerfuffle doesn't seem to have phased buyers as company executives say their is still strong demand for the car.The S Class is the biggie of the Benz range and goes head to head with the likes of BMW's 7 Series and Audi's A8.However, it has a big reputation to live up to as it is regarded as the world's best mass produced car.As such the S commands a premium, with prices starting from $187,900 without any options - and no one, but no one, buys one of these cars without ticking a few options.Models range from the 3.5-litre V6 S350, to the 5.4-litre V8 S500 and top of the line twin turbo V12 model that goes for a whopping $363,900.A V6 diesel is also in the pipeline.In comparison, prices for the BMW 7 Series kick off at $181,000 and for the Audi A8 at $169,000.Resale value for the S Class is best in its class.First cab off the rank for the Australian market is the S500, the long wheelbase version of which we got to put through its paces this week in Victoria.At just over 5.2 metres and weighing in at close to two tonnes, this car is no shrinking violet.The 5.4-litre V8 delivers 285kW of power and 530Nm of torque, capable of catapulting the car from rest to 100km/h in just 5.4 seconds.Power is fed through a seven-speed tiptronic auto to the rear wheels and the car rides air suspension, with 17-inch 235/55 wheels and rubber.A host of electronic aids are standard to keep you and the car on the road.Fuel consumption is a claimed 11.8-12.0 litres per 100km.To give you an idea of how advanced this car is, a 108-page document is needed for the technical highlights.However, the proof as they say is in the pudding and we make these observations after several hundred kilometres behind the wheel.It's not as quiet inside as the BMW, nor for that matter the library like Lexus LS430, with plenty of road noise penetrating the rear passenger area from the Continental tyres fitted to our test car.Although the rear seat has seatbelts for three passengers, it is designed to carry two outboard passengers in absolute comfort, with individual seat adjustment for each.Number three passenger gets the narrow bit of seat left over in front of the fold down armrest, but this is the market for which Benz is catering.Like the BMW, the transmission shift lever has been moved to the steering column, freeing up space for a covered phone kepad.Guess the designers feel that the well heeled owners will make more use of this more than a floor shift.Having said that, we're not huge fans of the column shift in either car, nor for the matter the steering wheel mounted button change system.Surprisingly, an alarm system is not standard but we gather is not a high priority option among buyers. 

It costs almost $9000 less than the top-of-the-range GT but has the same sporty flavour and comes with most of the same equipment.The power train consists of the same 3.8-litre V6, they share the same five-speed auto (although its optional with VR-X), both get sports suspension and both are also fitted with 17-inch alloy wheels, although of a slightly different in design.You've really got to sit down and pore over the details to separate the two cars, on paper at least.Our test VR-X was fitted with the optional five-speed auto which adds $1500 to the cost, as well as optional leather upholstery. We're not big fans of leather which always seems to get baking hot in summer and icy cold in winter, but we'd definitely pop for the five-speed auto.A five-seed manual is standard, but the auto is a sequential so you can change gears manually anyway, making it much a better proposition for day-to-day city traffic.Both manual and automatic transmissions have been adapted from Magna.The auto is the same five-speed automatic transmission with sequential gear shift.However, a new control unit, working with the engine management system, optimises shift speed and quality, adapts to driver style, and automatically compensates for component tolerances and wear.Although the VR-X and GT share the same power train, the GT we drove appeared to be geared more aggressively, although this is probably just a reflection of the its adaptive ability.The 3.8 litre 24-valve SOHC V6 engine that develops 175kW power at 5250rpm and 343Nm of torque at 4000rpm. Brakes are the same across the range, with 294mm front discs with two-pot calipers and 284mm rear discs one-pot calipers. ABS with electronic brake force distribution optimises braking effort between front and rear.Mitsubishi claims the 380 is quicker from 0-100km/h than either a Falcon or Commodore, using either standard or premium unleaded fuel.Fuel consumption, meanwhile, is a claimed 10.8L/100km, better than the manual at 11.4L/100km. Apart from leather and the auto, VR-X misses out on a sunroof, rear park assist, an auto dimming interior mirror, blue tooth hands-free phone system and illuminated vanity mirrors. The power operated driver's seat is only six-way adjustable compared to the GT's 10-way seat.On the road the VR-X is an easy car to drive and to live with as a daily means of transport.