Articles by Craig Duff

There's hope for Australian car buyers yet. In an era when a basic task like parking a car inside the lines at a carpark is apparently too technically difficult or just too tedious for many drivers, the Mazda 3 continues to be the first choice for new car owners. So they must appreciate some element of the driving

The A-Class isn’t as much a case of game on as it is game over. Mercedes is touting fashion-conscious new customers to the brand with all the guile and aggression of a carnie spruiker.The latest tech, the lithest looks and low pricing put rivals such as the Audi A3 and BMW 1 Series on the back foot. The first local launch is for the A250 Sport; a hot hatch that has been fettled by the AMG performance crew for handling but doesn’t have the manic performance bent of the full-house A45 AMG A-Class.VALUEThis is where the A250 Sport really makes ground. A $49,900 price includes bi-xenon headlamps, a reversing camera, parking assist software and a panoramic sunroof. BMW’s 125i is $49,177 but misses out on all of the above. Optioning them starts to get scary - bi-xenons are $2040, a camera costs $900, park assist is $675 … It’s another $4000 to specify the eight-speed dual-clutch auto to compete with the Merc’s seven-speed self-shifter. The Audi A3 quattro costs $53,400 and comes with a six-speed dual-clutch auto. A sunroof adds $2650, the park assist is $850 and bi-xenons are $1950 for a package that includes satnav. Options for the A250 Sport include a $2990 Comand pack that adds a bigger screen with satnav, voice control and a 12-speaker Harman Kardon sound system; a $2490 Exclusive pack with leather upholstery, electric and heated front seats and a dual-zone airconditioning with vents for the rear passengers..TECHNOLOGYMerc says it is chasing the “young at heart” with the A-Class and the technology reflects that. It earns the full suite of traditional safety software along with the latest iPhone integration to make the car an office on very potent wheels. The A250 Sport will reverse parallel-park and then drive the car out of the bay if driver competence isn’t capable of the task. Clever trick -- but if you need that level of assistance, hand in the licence. The mechanics are a front-driving turbo 2.0-litre engine good for 155kW/350Nm, running through one of the best-calibrated twin-clutch transmissions in the business.DESIGNThe court of public opinion voted in favour of keeping the concept A-Class’s diamond grille and it earns its first appearance on the A250 Sport. The multi-faceted design translates into a stand-out look against its more conservative competition. It’s the same with the interior lighting - open the door and the glowing Mercedes-Benz lettering in the sill is brand reinforcement and feelgood-factor in one.The dash is A3-esque in quality and attention to detail and the faux carbon weave and alloy-trimmed circular vents give it a more youthful feel. Ultimately it isn’t as slick as a top-range C-Class but at this price the car exudes more than a sniff of the premium features buyers covet in an entry-level prestige badge.The front seats are grippy, well-bolstered and easy to get comfy in, even if they’re not power adjustable. Rear space is restricted to two adults but Mercedes Australia deliberately took the higher-cost sports seats with a contoured-back to improved rear legroom and my 170cm frame has a reassuring gap to the roof.SAFETYANCAP hasn’t crash-tested an A-Class but sister outfit EuroNCAP gave it top marks, despite Euro models not having the pre-safe accident preparation software that’s standard here, along with nine airbags, an attention assist warning and Merc’s “Collision Prevention Assist” software that flashes and chimes a warning and primes the brakes according to the speed and distance if the driver is approaching a car ahead too quickly.The car is also built on the B-Class platform, which still holds the record for top marks with the Australian crash-test authority. Top-shelf gear, like adaptive cruise control, blind spot and lane-keeping assist, is a $2490 “Driving Assistance” option across the range.DRIVINGThe A250 Sport looks, feels and smells like a Merc, will monster most hot hatches and is priced to offend its prestige - and many mainstream - rivals. Off-the-line acceleration is brisk - officially 6.6 seconds - but it’s the back roads-reality of tight corners and shorter straights where premium hatch excels. The seven-speed auto that was short-shifting every cog in the default economy mode to help come close to the claimed 6.6-litre fuel economy has an rapid response to accelerator pressure and hangs on to gears up to the redline.The hand of AMG can be felt through all five wheels, with both the suspension and steering tweaked by the go-fast gurus. Some will complain about the resultant jitteriness over small corrugations on the 18-inch low profile (40 series) rubber.  I’ll forgive the comfort against cornering trade-off - that’s why there’s a Sports tag appended to the A250 name - when the urban harshness progresses into an absorbing ride with braille-like handling feel as the pace picks up.Stability control intervention is barely perceptible unless the driver has lost the plot, at which point it will brake a wheel with enough force to be felt. Back seat passengers cop a bit more bounce and tyre noise on coarse surfaces but they’ll survive an interstate run unless they measure up well north of 180cm. If that’s the case, Mercedes has this new B-Class …VERDICTThere is no better premium performance vehicle for $50,000. Carsguide’s Paul Gover says the yet-to-arrive VW Golf VII is also a game-changer but the GTI will need to be wickedly quick, given the Merc’s inherent equipment edge and the indefinable mystique attached owning a three-pointed star. Bring on the AMG A45.Mercedes-Benz A250 SportPrice: from $49,490 Warranty: 3 years/unlimited kmResale: N/AService interval: 12 months/25,000kmCrash rating: 5-star (EuroNCAP)Safety: 9 airbags, ABS with hill hold, TC, ESP, Pre-Safe, Attention Assist, Collision Prevention AssistEngine: 2.0-litre turbo 4-cyl, 155kW/350NmTransmission: 7-speed dual-clutch auto, FWDDimensions: 4.29m (L), 1.78m (W), 1.43m (H)Weight: 1445kgSpare: Inflation kitThirst: 6.6L/100km, 152g/km CO2

Walkinshaw Performance works their magic on a Ford Kuga SUV. A Ford Kuga, even a lowered one, doesn’t normally turn heads. One with Walkinshaw Performance badging does the trick though.  The tuning house is spreading the love with its aftermarket affections and has chosen the Blue Oval’s base product to showcase its wares. That’s a role reversal for a company traditionally associated with go-fast Holdens but Walkinshaw Performance general manager Tony Harris is adamant it’s not sacrilege so much as strategic positioning. “We aren’t just about Holden or Commodore,” Harris says.“Walkinshaw is a full-house performance shop and we intend to keep growing the business. GMH will still be a major part of that but the SUV market is where all the movement is and like the Captiva, the Kuga shows that we can work on any vehicle that fits in with our criteria.”Those criteria include having a sporting focus, delivered in this case by the five-cylinder turbo engine, solid driving dynamics and a premium European look.“Kuga buyers have already chosen something different, we’re now giving them the option to take it up a notch. Taking a car to the next level while still delivering a full warranty is an untapped area and one that Walkinshaw sees a lot of potential in,” Harris says.It costs $5750 to transform the donor $44,490 Kuga Titanium into a WP edition. The kit was developed by Irmscher in association with Ford in Germany and is primarily intended to improve the look and handling of the mid-sized SUV.The WP model rolls on 20-inch Irmscher rims, and a lowering kit reduces the ride height by around 40mm. A set of polished sidesteps completes the dress-up package. The engine hasn’t been chipped or remapped - given there are only going to be 80 vehicles, it wasn’t cost-effective - but the throttle response module has been sensitised to the point where it’s touchier than a first night lap dancer.Imrscher is a core supplier for Walkinshaw Performance and the two share common traits. Both aspire to develop products to original equipment standards and both have a history of developing aftermarket gear for General Motors vehicles. Just as Walkinshaw sees a future beyond Holden, so too has Irmscher looked farther afield than its traditional tie-in with the troubled Opel/Vauxhall brand.The German tuners have developed an RC Line for Peugeot owners and are now selectively courting Ford buyers in segments where the Blue Oval doesn’t have its own halo cars. The One Ford global platform policy lets Walkinshaw apply that expertise to local vehicles.A beefy set of wheels always accentuates a car’s look - it’s the same reason that concept cars generally have rims that fill the entire guard. It works well on the Kuga, toughening up the already smart styling and giving the SUV a more purposeful stance on the road. The sidesteps are a highlight and make you wonder why Ford doesn’t have a set in its accessories catalogue.WP hasn’t touched the interior and it is here the car’s 2008 origins are starting to show. The switchgear is still good, but the alloy centre-stack is button-heavy compared with its competitors. As you’d expect from a mid-$40,000 vehicle, the fitout includes leather upholstery, soft-touch plastics on the dash and doors and a panoramic sunroof.The Kuga is a five-star car but far from top of the class. ANCAP noted that protection for the driver’s legs in the offset front crash was marginal and rated the car at 32.69/37. The more modern design of the Honda CR-V and Mitsubishi Outlander both earned higher marks.The Kuga makes good use of what it has in the real world, though, with great grip and handling backed by ABS brakes with brakeforce distribution to help avoid a crash and then six airbags if things do go pear-shaped.The 40mm trim in ride height improves the road-holding as much as it does the looks. Given the donor car was already a pacesetter, it puts the WP Kuga well ahead of the SUV pack in terms of driving dynamics. Less movement in the suspension and the tyre sidewalls makes the ride firmer but not to the point of bouncing the occupants around.The Toyo rubber also has prodigious levels of adhesion, wet or dry and makes this one of the few fun SUVs to drive. The recalibrated throttle also gives the impression this car has more toe than the standard Ford. It doesn’t - outputs are still 147kW/320Nm - but it doesn’t take nearly as much movement of the accelerator to access that grunt.Gran probably won’t enjoy feathering the throttle around the carpark but will appreciate the off-the-line surge. There’s still room for five and the two-piece tailgate makes loading a breeze, even if it does need a motor or bigger struts to make opening/closing less of a chore.

Free M suspension and dress-up bits will help maintain BMW’s average of one in every two cars being sold with an M Sport pack.Anyone who picks up a 5 Series or Z4 between now and March 31 will get a free M Sport deal, which runs from stiffer suspension, lightweight wheels and an aero package to sports seats, alloy interior highlights and a leather-wrapped sports steering wheel. That’s a saving of up to $7900 on the entry level BMW 520i.Buyers of a 1 or 3 Series coupe and convertible will gain the same tweaks, along with differing alloys and gloss-black kidney-bar grilles rear light surrounds and for 1 Series buyers. Step up to a 3 Series and the deal includes chrome kidney-bar grilles, metallic paint as a no-cost option, sports seats, alloy pedals and black-backed exterior mirrors.BMW has dubbed the promotion the “Festival of M” and says the savings range from $2500 to $7900. BMW spokesman Scott Croaker says it isn’t so much of a run-out as it is a value adjustment as the model dates.“The 1 and 3 Series coupe and convertible won’t be run out until the end of the year and the upgrades reflect the corporate policy of adding value as the vehicles near the end of their production run, Croaker notes. “The specific M Sport offer recognises that 50 per cent of our customers already take the option and reacting to that.”BMW is also selling a new X5 M Sport Limited Edition based on the three-litre turbodiesel. The pack costs $99,000 driveaway against a regular $72,600 price for the 30d and adds a body kit, 20-inch alloys, chrome tailpipe, auto tailgate and bi-xenon headlamps with high-beam assist. BMW says it adds more than $15,000 to the donor car.

The stunning Honda NSX mid-engined supercar is still two years away from being production ready and has yet to be confirmed for local sales. The Acura NSX concept uses a hybrid all-wheel drive system with a pair of 20kW motors driving the front wheels and a 30kW motor integrated with a 230kW V6 engine to power the rear axle. Honda says the system ensures instant torque feed or retardation to the front wheels during hard cornering to “achieve a level of driving performance unparalleled by current AWD systems”. The 2013 concept differed from the one shown last year in finally having a complete interior, which has a T-shaped layout a high centre console trimmed in carbon fibre separating the driver and passenger. "This further evolution of the Acura NSX Concept design is remarkably true to the original concept styling," US vice-president of marketing Mike Accavitti says. "We're making great progress in delivering on the expectations we created a year ago, with advanced technology that will bring new levels of performance and a unique, dynamic experience to the exotic sports car market." The car will be built in Ohio and badged as an Acura, which is Honda’s premium brand in the US.  That left-hand drive focus is one reason why Australian sales have yet to be confirmed, though Honda president Honda President Takanobu Ito says it will be sold globally in the next three years, making a right-hook version likely soon after the US plant satisfies initial demand for North American vehicles.  

Class-leading rear legroom and boot space are the obvious improvements to the Lexus IS sedan range that will arrive in Australia in the third quarter of this year. A four-cylinder petrol-electric hybrid will also join the pair of V6 engines already used in the range and promises fuel consumption of less than 4.3 litres/100km and emissions of less than 100g/km CO2.The new IS models were officially launched at the Detroit motor show and Lexus Australia spokesman Tyson Bowen says the changes will transform the way people look at the car as a competitor to the likes of BMW’s 3 Series and Audi’s A4. “The wheelbase is 70mm longer and the front seats are a slimline design, which saves 15mm and all of that has gone into the rear legroom,” he notes. The boot is also 20 per cent bigger and while the space may have risen dramatically, the pricing isn’t expected to follow. That should mean a starting price for the base V6 IS250 under the $59,133 luxury tax threshold, rising to $80-something thousand for the range-topping IS350 F Sport models. Visually the cars are easy to identify by the new spindle front grille. Regular models have horizontal slats inside the spindle; the F Sport versions use a dramatically deeper spindle with a mesh design. The L-shaped daytime running lamps have been separated from the headlamp cluster and the exhaust on the hybrid version is now hidden to differentiate it from its purely petrol-powered siblings. Carsguide previewed a prototype of the IS late last year and reported that the driving dynamics have grown with the car, which is based on the new GS platform. Providing an improved drive and more space was a major focus for Lexus. IS chief engineer Junichi Furuyama says driving enjoyment was the key theme. “Every aspect of the new IS has been engineered with a renewed focus on the sporting performance, agile handling, accurate response to driver input and highly communicative feedback,” he says. Features such as adaptive suspension will be available on selected models, along with a variable gear steering ratio. F Sport models have a tauter suspension tune and more aggressive look inside and out. The IS range is rear -wheel drive and uses a variety of transmissions. The IS250 runs a six-speed auto to handle 154kW/253Nm, the 350 picks up an eight-speed self-shifter to cope with 233kW/378Nm and the IS300 hybrid uses a continuously variable transmission to manage a combined engine-motor output of 162kW/215Nm. 

The Jazz-based baby SUV is 4.3m long, or 228mm shorter than the CR-V, which Honda says makes it “the ideal size for navigating both crowded city streets and open mountain roads”. Honda Australia general manager Stephen Collins says the small SUV segment is a growth area and would be an ideal addition to the company’s fleet.  “This vehicle is high on our wish list however we have no timeframe for its introduction to Australia," Collins says. Honda has announced the car will go on sale in Japan by year’s end and will then be progressively rolled out around the globe, but hasn’t announced timing for right-hand drive models.  The vehicle will be sold with petrol, diesel and hybrid powerplants and forms part of Honda's Global Compact Series line-up, which includes the Jazz hatch and City sedan. The Urban SUV adopts the central fuel tank layout used on the Jazz and will use the “Magic Seat” set-up that maximises passenger and cargo configurations, including a fold-flat mode to maximise carrying capacity.  The all-new model will also feature next-generation telematics and a modern interior. Honda America’s sales executive vice-president John Mendel says the “fuel-efficient and fun to drive small cars” like the Urban SUV Concept will play a major role in meeting customer demand.  “No one has had greater success with small cars than Honda, and this Urban SUV Concept will create new value in the growing small-SUV segment.” The car will be priced and positioned below the CR-V and will be fitted with the latest telematics and a modern interior, though blacked-out windows on the show car prevented a look inside.  The front end borrows styling cues from the new CR-V, though the dramatically swept back headlamp design is unlikely to make it into production. The rear door handles are hidden and the car’s chunky looks are offset by a curved, coupe-style roof and prominent character line tapering from the front guards to the base of the rear windows.

The five-seat SUV is around 50mm longer than the current Murano

Our chance of having the real thing was scotched when a GM exec over-ruled boss Dan Akerson, who'd told us the Corvette would be built in right-hand drive and come to Australia.However the deal between Corvette and PlayStation means the virtual car has been released via the PlayStation Store just one day after its global launch at the Detroit Motor Show.Almost 500,000 Gran Turismo players have already driven the camouflaged Stingray prototype since it was introduced to the game last November.Game creators Polypony are famous for adhering to the physical and performance characteristcs of the real car and had extensive access to the Corvette to program its acceleration and handling characteristics and even the shift points for the seven-speed manual gearbox. 

Audi has upped the ante in the battle to claim four-door coupe owners with the launch of a 305km/h RS7 Sportback in Detroit.