Articles by Craig Duff

HSV is using the Australian International Motor Show to launch its SV Black Edition models. They’ll join vehicles from Porsche, BMW and Mercedes in earning a black label.

The 26-year-old Monash Uni graduate headed the team tasked with showing an Aussie take on the Colorado pick-up. The result will be on the Holden stand from 6pm today (Friday) and Last hopes it is the first step towards turning the Colorado - traditionally a carry-all for farmers, tradies and industry - into a family runabout. “We’ve seen in the ute market that a lot of owners go for the lifestyle approach - hard tonneau cover, bigger wheels and usually they’ve got the tray itself kitted out,” Last said during Holden’s reveal of the five new cars on show at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. “What we’ve tried to do with the show car is to personalise it to show what could be done.” “It’s fairly faithful to the production model - the mirrors and front bumper are different and the guards are more flared, but the basic proportions of the Colorado are all there.” Holden CEO Mike Devereux agreed. “One of the trends we’re seeing is a move away from utilitarian use to lifestyle vehicles,” he noted. “We’re looking to get in to that space with the Colorado the same way we do with Commodore SS utes.” The production version will go on sale early next year. Devereux won’t comment on specification or prices but did confirm the 2.8-litre turbodiesel under the bonnet of the show car will be one of the engines available.

….following the announcement today that Australia’s biggest fleet management company will soon begin trialling seven “proof-of-concept” electric-powered Commodores. Yesterday’s announcement sees GE, an advanced technology, services and finance company, join forces with a local consortium of partners, including GM Holden, the CSIRO and electric vehicle infrastructure and services provider Better Place, under the umbrella group EV Engineering. GE’s CustomFleet arm manages 120,000 fleet vehicles in Australia and globally the company plans to buy 25,000 electric vehicles by 2015. The first two electric Commodores will be on the road by September, EV Engineering CEO Mike McCleave said yesterday, at which time GE will being assessing them in its fleet operations and provide feedback based on drivers’ experiences. McCleave said the Commodores will have a range of around 160km but GE “ecomagination” director Ben Waters said the tie-in with Better Place meant range wasn’t an issue. “Range is not a concern to us because the battery is a replaceable item. It can be changed as quickly as filling up a car,” he said. GE sees fleet managers adopting electric vehicle technology as part of their company’s overall sustainability initiatives. “Motor vehicle fleet operations have the ability to contribute significantly to a business’ overall sustainability goals,” Custom Fleet managing director Jim Cock said. “As we move to a carbon-constrained economy we certainly expect to see interest from Australian fleet operators in an electric vehicle option as part of their portfolio of transport solutions.” GE and Better Place announced a global partnership in September last year under which GE will develop battery financing plans. The logic is to lower the cost of electric vehicle ownership by buying the car outright but then leasing the battery, which can account for a third of the cost of an EV vehicle , from Better Place. Introducing EVs into fleets is also a quick way to achieve “critical mass” for the technology and infrastructure. Better Place is already trialling its infrastructure in Israel and plans to have a major network of recharge points and battery swap stations in place by 2013.

Someone has put the boot into the Mini Coupe and that can only help buyers when the newest addition to the Mini range arrives in late October or November.The turbocharged 1.6-litre John Cooper Works version of the coupe is the quickest Mini in the stable, but it also has the biggest cargo area in the family at 280 litres, up from 160 litres in the hatch.It’s the first Mini to handle a set of golf clubs and BMW Australia spokesman Piers Scott said that boot space will be a major selling point.“The performance side of the car is one aspect, but a lot of Mini buyers buy the whole look and lifestyle,” he said. “Some people who just like the brand haven’t come across because they needed more boot space. Now they’ve got it.”The coupe is pitched against the likes of the Audi TT, Volkswagen Scirocco and Peugeot RCZ and will be priced accordingly, with prices expected to be just below $50,000 for the base model Cooper S, climbing to $60-something for the JCW. The oilburning SD (sports diesel) will slot between the two.Scott said the sporty focus of the coupe means the base Cooper model is unlikely to make it to local showrooms.The coupe will be given time to establish itself before the open-top Roadster arrives midway through next year.The stability control light is flickering, but the power drain on the Mini Coupe is constant as the two-seater squats and tries to squirt 155kW as it exits the corner of an Austrian racetrack.Hit the straight, push the button to the right of the six-speed manual gearbox to turn the stability control off and the JCW engine is let off the electronic leash.Traction control is still on (the button has to be held for three seconds to switch all the aids off) but it is intended purely to maximise grip by braking the inside wheel through the turns and there’s no sensation of losing grunt.That’s when the Mini’s character reflects its “backwards baseball cap” roof that is one of designer Anders Warming’s proudest achievements with the car.“It shows the character of this car,” he said. “This is about attitude, a little bit macho and about being street smart. And it goes like stink.”That it does. But straight line speed, despite a 6.4-second lap time from 0-100km/h, isn’t the best bit about the latest Mini. It’s the way it holds its line in the corners and the instant response to throttle and steering changes that makes this the nimblest Mini yet.Can it tackle a TT or stay with a Scirocco? Figures suggest it should and that means the 80 cars due to arrive this year are likely to be snapped up quickly.

USED car prices will spike in the coming months as supply disruptions from the Japanese tsunami reach Australian shores. Toyota Australia says it was told recently there would be a delay on vehicles destined for sale here. "There's been a delay on 10,000 cars for Australia and we're expecting there may be ongoing delays as production continues to return to full scale," says Toyota spokeswoman Laura Hill. Other Japanese makers concede there may be "minor delays" during July and August as existing vehicle stock runs out and they start to rely on supplies of new vehicles from Japan. Glass's Guide national sales and marketing manager Nick Adamis says this will be enough to push up prices of near-new used cars. "They've already started to rise," he says. "It's not enough to put a figure on yet, but we're certainly seeing increased demand for used cars. It will hit after July this year. Traditionally it's been a soft month when carmakers have run-out stock. This year there won't be stock to run out, so used car prices will go up." Adamis anticipates rises of $1500, as in the US and Japan. "It will come down to how much stock they can get and in what model mix," he says. Brands not affected by disruptions would "do very well after July", Adamis believes. Kia and Hyundai are expected to benefit, along with the locally built Holden Commodore and Cruze and Ford Territory and Falcon. Holden's Jonathan Rose says the company has had no supply constraints and isn't anticipating any. Kia spokesman Kevin Hepworth says the South Korean duo have no reliance on Japanese components. "We're pretty much inoculated," he says. "We've been very fortunate in what is a terrible situation for Japan." However, European makers are largely unaffected. Mercedes-Benz is the only maker to confirm supply problems. "There's a couple of specific paint colours we can't get access to for the next couple of months," says Mercedes-Benz spokesman Jerry Stamoulis. "But that's as bad as it gets."

The Tiguan faces fresh competition in the compact SUV market and Volkswagen has responded with a mid-life overhaul that brings the capable soft-roader back to the top of the class.The changes are much more than skin deep. There are now seven engines (three diesels and four petrols) with improved fuel use along with a suite of potentially life-saving technology that has flowed down from the luxury models in the VW Group.VW Australia spokesman Karl Gehling said the company is still evaluating which drivetrain combinations will make it Down Under, the only confirmed engine is the 155kW 2-litre petrol lifted from the Golf to replace the 147kW donk that now sits at the top of the range.As a result the company has yet to set prices for the cars, which will go on sale in Australia in October or November.VALUEGehling admitted VW is keen on an entry level front-wheel drive model to give it a direct competitor to the two-wheel drives from the likes of Hyundai ix35 and Toyota RAV4.That should translate into a $30,000 starter price. All front-wheel Tiguans and one of the AWD models will carry the BlueMotion badges indicating they're particularly fuel efficient thanks to features such as stop-start engine technology and regenerative braking.The inside is virtually unchanged from last September's local update that included the button-loaded three-spoke steering wheel. It's a typical VW layout - black plastics that feel better than most in the class and which past experience shows to be easy to keep clean. A few touches of chrome around the controls reinforce the understated look.The AWD Tiguan will still be the only car in its class sold in versions biased for on and off-road use. The road-focused car has an 18 degree front approach angle; choose the off-roader and that rises to 28 degrees. They're easy to spot - the off-roader ditches the deep air intake in favour of a smaller unit atop an engine bash plate.One thing that hasn't changed is the boot space. It's still not close to class-leading and will cost the Tiguan sales when growing families realise they'll struggle to load a double pram and the associated baby bits into the back.A deep tray under the cargo floor has pockets that will store wet and dirty shoes and clothes for the run home. It lifts out and can be hosed down. It's clever, but not particularly sturdy which may affect its durability - Ford's Territory does it better. It also replaces the spare tyre - there's a puncture repair kit in one of the side pockets.DRIVINGThe Tiguan has always been one of the more capable soft-roaders and the updates have improved the experience.The really good stuff, though, lies in the options catalogue - adaptive damping that firms the suspension for a quick fang or soften the bumps when the baby's asleep, systems that detect driver fatigue, warn when the car drifts out of its lane and can even park the compact SUV.Climbing 2.5km up the Grossglockner High Alpine Road in Austria proved the versatility of the 132kW petrol engine mated to the seven-speed DSG dual-clutch transmission.It never laboured though the 48km run, in constrast to the six-speed manual and 125kW turbodiesel Carsguide was driving.The diesel/manual combo couldn't keep up - the gap between second and third gears dropped the Tiguan out of the torque curve and meant it struggled to keep pace with its petrol sibiling.There wasn't any problem negotiating the 36 curves in either car. The steering is light, but carmakers obviously think that's right for this segment, because all soft-roaders drive like it.Body roll is another feature of the compact SUV class but the Tiguan has less of it than some rivals. It was noticeable but didn't upset the suspension and the cars either tracked true or progressively understeered with a whine of the tyres if entry speed was too high.At autobahn speeds the car was quiet and poised with only the distant rush of wind over the roof racks giving any indication we were travelling at 200km/h.The seating position isn't as upright as many in the class, which is a blessing and between the height and reach adjustable steering and height adjustable seat there was never an issue in finding a comfortable driving position.VERDICTClean styling and solid performance will give the Tiguan a deserved kick up the sales charts. Prices aren't set but it should continue the VW approach of tempting buyers with European cachet at Japanese and South Korean prices.VOLKSWAGEN TIGUANPrice: $29,990 (2WD, estimate)Warranty: Three years, unlimited kmService intervals: 15,000km/one yearCrash rating: Five starsEngines: Three 2-litre turbodiesels, 1.4-litre turbo petrol, 1.4-litre "twin-charge" (turbo and supercharged) petrol, two 2-litre turbo petrolPower/torque: Diesels: 81kW/280Nm, 103kW/320Nm, 125kW/350Nm. Petrols: 90kW/200Nm, 118kW/240Nm, 132kW/280Nm, 155kW/280NmTransmissions: Six-speed manual, seven-speed DSG autoBody: Five-door wagonDimensions: Length 4426mm (on-road) 4433mm (on-road); width 1809mm, height 1703mmWeight: 1641-1695kgThirst: Diesels: 5.3 litres/100km, 139g/km; 6.3 lites/100km, 167g/km; 6-litres/100km, 158g/km. Petrols: 6.5 litres/100km, 152g/km; 6.7 litres/100km, 156g/km; 8.5 litres/100km, 199g/km (132kW and 155kW variants).

... when the soft-top models go on sale later this year.VW teased fans at this week's 30th annual Worthersee car show in Austria with "concepts" of the two cars that look ready to roll off the production line tomorrow.They were joined on the massive VW stand by what the 30,000 devotees of VW Group products, and specifically the GTI, had hoped to see, a 35th anniversay model fitted with the 2-litre direct-injection engine usually found under the bonnet of the Golf R.That gives the Golf GTI Edition 35 an 18kW lift over regular GTIs to 173kW, while torque is up from 280Nm to 300Nm.VW said the car will use 8.0 litres of fuel for 100km with either the six-speed manual or six-speed DSG twin-clutch automatic transmissions and a 0-100km/h time of 6.6 seconds.Externally the special edition GTI runs unique 18-inch wheels, a revised front spoiler with winglets on the lower edges to improve airflow and black mirror housings. Inside the "golf ball" gearshift knob recreates the look of the first generation GTI and both the door sill plates and front headrests carry a "35" logo.VW Australia spokesman Karl Gehling said limited numbers of the special edition will make it Down Under. He touted the company line that the cabrios were purely “concepts” but admitted there will be a receptive audience for the roofless performance pair."The GTI has always been the halo car in the Golf range and I’d expect the cabrio versions to have the same impact," Gehling said.VW Group stablemates Audi and Skoda also previewed one-off concepts in the form of a track-ready A1 Clubsport quattro and a vRS 2000 speedster respectively.The 370kW/660Nm A1 uses a wildly worked version of the the 2.5-litre five-cylinder turbo engine found in the TT RS. It also inherits the TT’s six-speed manual gearbox and quattro all-wheel drive system. That gives the A1 quattro a 0-100km/h time of 3.7 seconds, helped by the removal of most of the interior features from the sound system to the rear seat.The Skoda concept is based on the Fabria RS hatch, but engineers lopped off the roof, widened the track to match the Skoda S2000 rally car and created a glasshouse that slopes down to the rear to give the car a slick, clean look. Unlike the VW “concepts” the Audi and Skoda models aren’t expected to make it to showrooms.

A new transmission and classier interior have transformed Mercedes-Benz’s mid-sizer from a good car into a great one.The seven-speed automatic linked to a stop/start system is the best bit of a 2000-part overhaul C-Class that is intended to future proof the class-leader against a double challenge from BMW’s 3 Series.The W204 C-Class already enjoyed a massive lead in the luxury segment but some customers reckoned the quality of the interior had slipped - particularly the display screen which was criticised for being “tacked on” to the dash.That’s now fixed. The latest generation telematics system is integrated under the instrument binnacle, with a separate TFT screen housed inside the circular speedo markings.Opt for the larger Comand system and there’s a 10GB hard drive to rip music, Suna traffic advisory for the satnav and internet connectivity, though only while the car is still.DRIVETRAINS AND PRICEThe four, four-cylinder models - two 1.8-litre petrols and a pair of 2.1-litre diesels - are on sale now ahead of the arrival of the six-cylinder engines around September. That’s also when the first high-performance AMG-enhanced C63 models should hit showrooms.The starting price is unchanged at $58,900 for the petrol C200 and tops out at $67,900 for the C250 turbo or diesel engines. The wagon adds $2000 and the options list is huge if owners want to “individualise” their vehicles.The only thing that may slow sales of the new models is a Merc itself - the C-Class coupe is due in July and the curvier roofline and two-door styling is certain to convert some sedan owners.ON THE ROADSerene best describes the C-Class drive. It’s as though Mercedes has taken the acoustic tuning used to give its diesel engines some aural character and applied it right across the cabin to dial out surplus sounds.So there’s a distant “whoosh” as the wind slides off the slippery sheet metal and a faint drone as something mechanical - it’s genuinely hard to pick the diesel from the petrol when cruising - generates the locomotion. The steering weight varies according to speed: there’s virtually no resistance at city limits, with the response becoming more direct as the pace picks up.Right now, the C-Class is the benchmark prestige mid-sizer. BMW gets a one-two hit in the form of a facelift for the 3 Series in the coming weeks and a new model next year. Both will have to be right on the chin in terms of pricing and performance if it expects to make a mark on the segment champion.INSIDE VIEW 

Ed Ordynski drove 1000km using 3.3 litres/100km in Volkswagen Golf's latest slow-sipping diesel

It was a good little hardtop convertible before, and now the Volkswagen Eos has more to offer with a new facelift and extra goodies in the cabin.VALUEThe new Eos comes at a $500 premium to the existing models, putting the 103kW/320Nm turbodiesel at $49,990 and the 155kW/280Nm petrol donk at $51,990. Standard gear includes an alarm system, leather upholstery, dual climate-control, airconditioning, rain-sensing wipers and rear parking sensors. And now also Bluetooth and multimedia connectivity.TECHNOLGYVW says it takes the electro-hydraulic roof system just 25 seconds to raise or lower. The Eos was the first car to feature a five-piece hardtop with an integrated tilt/slide glass sunroof, and in day-to-day use it gives owners the choice of near sedan comfort with the roof up, or going all the way and dropping the top - but the in-between with just the sunroof open can be noisy so go for either one extreme or the other.DESIGNThe Eos front is unmistakably VW, with the wide, three slat grille running into wrap-around halogen headlights. It has a refined arched-roof coupe look with the roof up without being overtly sexy, but the convertible look has too many flat planes, even if that is the latest trend. The chrome strip around the waist helps break up the look a little - and advertises to 5500 existing Eos owners that you've got the latest model.SAFETYThere's only four airbags on the Eos. It's a bit hard to pack too many into a car where the roof comes off, but it still misses out on the knee bag that is available on the VW Golf. The Eos does have the latest software, though, with ABS brakes backed by brake assist and hill start assist, ESLP and an electronic diff lock (the system brakes the inside wheel when it detects imminent spin). A pair of rollover protection barriers are hidden behind the seats and the active head restraints are designed to minimise whiplash.DRIVINGThe Eos flexes enough to be unmistakably a convertible, but the chassis still sits flat on the road. The petrol engine is well ahead of its diesel counterpart, posting 7.8 seconds from 0-100km/h against 10.3 seconds. The tradeoff comes at the bowser where, while both engines are down by 0.2litres/100km on the previous model, the petrol still 7.7litres/100km against the diesel's 5.9litres/100km.The manual version has vanished in the update. VW spokesman Karl Gehling said only 15 per cent of buyers had opted for a clutch, so it was tossed out. That makes the six-speed DSG semi-automated transmission the only choice, but it's not a bad one. The ride can bash over larger bumps, but at highway speeds it's unlikely you'll shake up the chardonnay on that picnic drive.VERDICTFor those who like the occasional run in the sun but don't want the compromise to comfort that comes with a cloth roof, the Eos will continue to be a breath of fresh air.