Articles by Craig Duff

The previous luxury cabrio launched in 2006 and Bentley says the assertive stance of the new model has a more modern and muscular presence. The four-seater boasts a new, even more spacious and sumptuous hand-crafted cabin, with a choice of 17 leather colours and seven wood veneers to choose from. The 6.0-litre W12 engine is good for 423kW and 700Nm to ensure it lives up to Bentley's "wall of torque" reputation. Bentley has defied the market in the past 12 months to grow by more than 30 per cent. China has led the growth, with 1000 Bentleys finding a home there - or one in four of every Bentley made in the past 12 months.

The Volkswagen Up will sit under the Polo in the sub-compact segment and is a direct competitor to the hybrids and electric vehicles that populate the segment.VW product chief Dr Ulrich Hackenberg promises the biggest impact will come from the fuel efficencient engines, headlined by a natural gas-powered Eco Up with CO2 emissions of 79g/km and fuel use of only 4.2 litres.That will make it one of the most economical cars in the world and when it goes on sale in 2013.A petrol-powered Up will be on sale in Australia next year, priced under $15,000.

...as the Czech company continues to expand its model range.The MissionL is a compact sedan that will sit between the Fabia and Octavia in the Skoda line-up. It runs on a VW drivetrain but has its own sheet metal and interior design."This premiere kicks off SKODA's model offensive for the coming years," chairman Prof. Winfried Vahland says."This new compact model, along with other new products to follow, will enable us to accomplish our goal of increasing global annual sales to 1.5 million vehicles by 2018."We are going to present a new car approximately every six months over the next few years."The car will be on sale in India before year's end and will roll out globally in 2012.

... as the German company looks to capitalise on the move to small urban runabouts. The Audi A2 concept is smaller than the production Audi A1 and is powered by an 85kW/270Nm electric motor. "The Audi A2 concept is our solution to tomorrow's urban mobility requirements," Audi chairman Rubert Stadler says. "This vehicle is in front of its time, its our vision of how modern premium mobility should look like and the correct response to traffic in urban centres." The A2 concept is 3.8m long, 1.69m wide and 1.49m high. The concept is also running the latest in LED light technology. Known as matric beam, it used LED and microreflectors to reduce the glare of the light without affecting the spread or reach. Stadler also highlighted Audi's interest in motorsport as a forum to test innovations for production cars, before launching the facelifted RS5. "We've peppered it up even more with better electro-mechanical steering and it is truly a remarkable car," he says.

... shows even sports cars have to watch their drinking.The seventh generation of the iconic Porsche now uses 8.2 litres/100km and has CO2 emissions of 194g/km — the first time a Porsche sports car has made it under 200g/km.The Carrera generates 257kW from the 3.4-litre boxer engine, while the Carrera S has 294kW from its 3.8-litre mill, which equates to a 0-100km/h time around 0.3sec quicker than the base Carrera's 4.8 seconds.Both cars rolls on a 100mm longer wheelbase.The Frankfurt show will also mark the premiere of the 3.0-litre Panamera diesel. An 80 litre tanks and fuel use of 6.3 litres/100km give it a theoretical range of 1200km.The race-bred 911 GT3 RS 4.0 goes on show with the company's most powerful naturally aspirated engine — a staggering 375kW — and the limited edition Cayman S Black Edition will also be menacing showgoers this week.

The quickest production car in the world has turned to fine china to keep making an impact. The porcelain-blinged Veyron Grand Sport L'Or Blanc is the most exclusive coupe in the world. The car acclerates faster than a business jet but it wouldn't pay to prang this particular version. The estimated $2.5 million pricetag would make it a very expensive piece of china to break. The car was developed in association with Königliche Porzellan-Manufaktur in Berlin and is the first vehicle to use porcelain. Bugatti wanted to see how the material could be adapted to auto design and the 431km/h supercar will turns heads on the stand at the Frankfurt show. The exterior porcelain is applied to items such as the engine oil cap, wheel caps and fuel tank cap. Inside it is used on the dash and behind the seats and the glove box houses a porcelain piece with a diamond-cut finish, part of a picnic set dedicated by KPM to Bugatti.

The car used for the world's fastest one-make production car race series has been tuned for the street with the launch of the Lamborghini Super Trofeo Stradale. The 5.2-litre V10 is a 420kW/540Nm missle that hits 100km/h just 2.8 seconds after launch. Company CEO Stephan Winkelmann calls the combination of lightweight construction, edgy styling  and outright power "performance art". Exclusivity is guaranteed with only 150 examples to be built. If that's too common for you, the Sesto Elemento concept car has been confirmed as a low-volume production model. Low volume for Lamborghini is 20 cars ... with an estimated price of around $2.8 million each and a 0-100km/h time of 2.5 seconds. The Sesto Elemento (Italian for sixth element) uses the same engine as the Super Trofeo Stradale but extensive use of carbon firbe and kevlar trims weight by around 280kg.

The price is right for the VW Scirocco, even if the timing is three years late.

The Suzuki SX4 has been the baby of the small car SUV segment since its launch in 2007. The front-wheel drive version is the smarter choice, though. It cuts out the cost and complexity of the AWD system to be a good-looking and reliable hatch and it is being run down by the latest models from Asia. Queue equipment upgrades and price trims.VALUEThe latest update sees the front-wheel drive models start from $18,990 and the switchable all-wheel drive version at $21,990. The 2WD has picked up the flared arches that were previously reserved for the all-paw versions so there is externally no difference in styling. That should make the front-hooker the more attractive buy for most.I'd tip the $3000 into the higher-spec S model, which, no surprise, costs the same and brings with it cruise control, climate airconditioning, fog lamps, rear spoiler and a nine-speaker sound system. Nissan's Tiida hatch undercuts the SX4 by $1000 but has four airbags to the Suzuki's six, making the Kia Cerato its closest competitor at $19,640.TECHNOLOGYThe 2.0 litre engine in the SX4 was a work of art four years ago. Now its power and torque figures (112kW and 190Nm) are matched by the opposition, but it still has the edge in fuel use, especially with the six-speed manual. The continuously variable auto doesn't come close. It uses more fuel and is less fun but at least the drone under acceleration will encourage owners to ease up on the right foot.The suspension is MacPherson struts up front and a torsion beam rear and it does a decent job of keeping the Suzuki on track. Hit a big enough pothole at speed, though, and the rear end will thump and jump.DESIGNRoof racks are now standard across the range and help raise the Suzuki's profile, while the flared guards lift it a touch above the average inoffensive hatch/SUV shape. The interior is functional rather than fancy: the hard plastics aren't class-leading, the seats are supportive but could do with more padding and the 250-odd litres of luggage space is what you'd expect in this segment.It looks roomy from the outside but the rear seat is limited to two passengers on a journey of any decent length. Keep it to a foursome and the upright seating position at the front not only help get in and out of the car but mean the seat can be sli d forward to give rear passengers legroom.SAFETYSix airbags and the usual software give the SX4 solid safety credentials. It was tested when released in 2007 and earned four stars from Euro NCAP. The brakes bite hard and don't fade, probably because the Suzuki's 1200kg weight isn't too much of an ask. The ABS system is fine on tarmac - with the 2WD model, Carsguide didn't play with it off-road - and the tall(ish) body doesn't affect its stance through corners.DRIVINGThe SX4 punches above its weight on the road and can be a reliable runabout during the week and still provide some entertainment on weekends. The steering is super-light at carpark speeds and helps make the Suzuki one of the best of the bunch to park. The response stiffens as the pace picks up and while it's never going to be a precision weapon, it is up to the job of pointing the car in the right direction.It can't rival the latest crop of cars for refinement, though. The engine/auto transmission matches on vehicles such as Hyundai's i30 and the Toyota Corolla are better - and the auto will be the preferred choice for most buyers in this class - and the Suzuki also lags on the quality of the interior plastics and the way they've been put together.VERDICTThe SX4 is a good car in a field of great new ones. As an entry level car in the small car class it does the job but needs a new automatic and improved interior to be a class leader. The price cuts/equipment upgrades make it a better buy but it is a common tactic for mid-life models and Suzuki's rivals are playing the same game. The good news is that gives buyers cause to bargain hard.SUZUKI SX4 HATCHPrice: $18,990 (SX4), $20,990 (auto)Warranty: Three-yearsResale: 58 per cent after three yearsService intervals:Engines: 2.0-litre four-cylinder, 112kW/190NmBody:  Five-door hatchWeight:  1215kg (manual), 1255kg (auto)Transmission: Six-speed manual, continuously variable auto; front-wheel driveThirst: 7.3 litres/100km, 170g/km CO2 (manual), 7.6 litres/100km, 178g/km CO2 (CVT)"It wins on the performance/economy equation but the interior is dated"

A new entry-level price of $26,490 will put the Volkswagen Jetta on the radar of potential Holden Cruze and Mazda2 buyers. And it’s no longer a “Golf with a boot”. The new car runs on its own chassis and shares no panels with its small car stablemate. The range has also been rationalised, with the entry level 77kW diesel dropped for a 118kW “twincharge” 1.4-litre petrol unit. The base 118 comes with a six-speed manual; the DSG twin-clutch automated manual transmission is a $2500 option. Step up to the Comfortline models and the same engine sells for $32,490 with the 103kW 2.0-litre turbodiesel another $2000. All Comfortlines pick up 16-inch alloys, rear parking sensors, tyre pressure monitoring and automatic headlights and wipers. The range tops out at $37,990 for the 147kW Highline 2.0-litre petrol model boasting 17-inch alloys, a 6.5-inch touch screen, leather upholster and heated front seats. Bluetooth and iPod/USB connectivity is standard across the range and the Jetta comes with a full-size spare. VW Australia managing director Anke Koeckler admitted the base manual vehicle will do limited numbers — “maybe five per cent” and expects the Comfortline range to account for most sales. She won’t predict numbers but said VW plans for the Jetta to sit alongside the Golf, Tiguan and Polo as one of its four volume pillars. That would mean sales will have to match its record of around 4000 in 2007. Sales have been declining since but Koeckler believes this is the time — and the car — to reverse that trend. “This market has always liked small cars with a boot and the Jetta will definitely appeal to young families or those coming down out of a large car,” she said.