Articles by Craig Duff

and topped arch-rival HSV in the numbers game. The 5.0-litre V8 begins life as the US-sourced "Coyote" engine kit, but FPV engineers spent nearly $40 million to develop Australian-made inlet and exhaust systems and top it off with a Harrop Engineering-designed Eaton TVS supercharger fitted in the engine block. The resulting "Miami" mill is so good that Prodrive, which holds a 51 per cent stake in FPV, hopes to export it for use in high-performance Fords in the 'States, where it attracted interest while undergoing compliance testing as the newest member of the global Ford product line. The engine will be fitted to FPV cars from October in two specifications: a 315kW/545Nm version for the base GS model and a recalibrated 335kW/560Nm unit for the top-spec GT. That compares with 317kW/550Nm in most HSV models and 325kW/550Nm in the range-topping GTS, but the FPV models will undercut the Commodore-based cars on price. Prodrive managing director Bryan Mears says the GS will sell in the "mid-$50,000s" with the GT to come in "just on $70,000''. HSV's entry-level GXP sells for $61,900. "Just because we've got the greatest engine in Australia doesn't mean we've got the greatest price point," Mears says. He adds that despite holding a power edge, FPV won't indulge in a numbers war with HSV. "We're not about the numbers on the back of the car ... I don't think we're in a space where we're going to be chasing what our competitors are doing," he notes. He also dismisses suggestions more power will encourage hoon behaviour, while linking the engine's "bloodlines" to the legendary GT-HO. "I reject the notion that the people who buy these vehicles are irresponsible," he says. "If you look at some of the performance cars coming out of Europe, we are not out of step with the power figures or torque figures.'' FPV general manager Rod Barrett says potential owners are encouraged to learn how to drive their machines properly. "Everybody who buys an FPV will get a drive day with John Bowe Driving," he says. "A lot of our owners are the type who check the weather forecast before taking their cars out of the garage, so that gives a good idea of how they value their cars.'' NUTS AND BOLTS The Miami engine is the result of three years of research and development after FPV engineers determined it was too costly to make the outgoing 5.4-litre engine Euro IV-compliant. Marketing continuity means it will be sold with Boss badging to maintain the link, but that, and the eight cylinders, is where the resemblance ends. The alloy-block engine is 47kg lighter than the 5.4, even with the 13kg supercharger mounted between the banks. Prodrive powertrain and chassis head Bernie Quinn says a lower-tech but larger capacity engine and a twin-turbo set-up on the Coyote were both considered. "When we looked at the Coyote as a straight fit into the engine bay it ticked a lot of the boxes, but we came to the conclusion that engine in an 1800-odd kilo body (the base Coyote produces 307kW and 530Nm) was not going to tick the box of meeting FPV customers performance expectations," he says. "We didn't want to invest all the money that Bryan had allocated to us and have sand kicked in our face by our opposition in any way, shape or form, so we went down the route of forced induction.'' The meetings in the US involved some meetings with Ford Racing and it turned out Ron Harrop was already providing Ford Racing with blower kits. "Sitting in Detroit and finding out someone in Preston is supplying superchargers is quite ironic.'' Bernie Quinn says FPV worked hard to produce a distinctive V8 sound, which is one of the reasons why the sedan is fitted with an active exhaust system to comply with noise emission standards while still producing the meatiest allowable V8 burble. The intake system has been specially developed to eliminate resonance and excess whine from the blower, with tuned length intake runners and a high-flow cold air intake system. "It's an engineer's wet dream in terms of airboxes," Quinn says. But FPV officials writhe like "Dancing with the Stars" contestants when asked if the Miami engine could form the basis for a modern-day GT-HO. Prodrive boss Bryan Mears suggests the latest FPV will be a spiritual successor to the car that defines local muscle car performance, and is happy to draw parallels between the "bloodlines" of the iconic car and his latest toy, but steers wide of any talk of  a rebirthed HO. FPV chief Rod Barrett is more direct. "We've now got the tools, but categorically there's no plan for a GT-HO." It's just a hard comment to believe from a very smart marketer who's on record as saying he'd like to build just that car. And there's still no guarantee FPV will continue to build Falcons. Mears says the business plan to recover engine development costs is more than five years, but that's not to say the Miami engine won't slot into the engine bay of whatever large-car platform Ford decides to go with as part of its OneFord global strategy.

A saturated Phillip Island circuit is a long way from the Nurburgring, but for Nissan test driver Tochio Suzuki it's just another demonstration of how good the GT-R is.Suzuki set the production car lap record at the famous German track in 2008, but today he's chauffeuring journalists on a series of hot laps on Australia's best bit of bitumen in weather that even has the Cape Barren geese grounded.Hot laps in these conditions is a succession of high-speed drifts and even higher plumes of water as Suzuki prods ridiculous speeds from the twin turbo 3.8-litre V6, then overcomes the grip of the four-wheel drive machine with a flick of the wheel. The conditions are, frankly, crap, and it's in situations like this the GT-R proves its worth.There's already 270-odd Australian owners of Nissan's $160,000 supercar - 30 per cent above sales estimates - and the 2010-11 update has a host of small refinements to improve the experience.Chief among them are revised suspension settings which Nissan says improve steering stability and ride comfort. A modified exhaust system boosts low and mid-range engine response, though there's no change in the 357kW/588Nm outputs.The wipers now adjust according to the speed, the headlights are automatic, the navigation system is stored on a hard drive and the Nissan now accepts Bluetooth and USB/iPod connections.Nissan communications head Jeff Fisher admits the improvements are incremental, but notes so much work went in to developing the GT-R that there's little to be done."The MY10 GT-R is an update in line with Nissan's normal model evolution,'' he says. "Remember, we're talking about a car that has won 66 awards in the two years since it was launched. There isn't a lot of room for improvement with the current model."It's a sentiment echoed by the man responsible for creating the GT-R, Kazutoshi Mizuno, who says the project brief was to create a supercar literally from the ground up. Mizuno replaces marketing spin with maths and science as he explains how the car's weight (at 1470kg it's heavy by supercar standards) is a direct function of the need to maximise grip in all situations.Following the "give Godzilla grip" formula led him to install a V6 rather than a V8, 10 or 12-cylinder engine."The most important performance essence and a key element to car design is tyre grip force," he says. "Rear tyre grip decides front tyre grip, which decides weight centre... and then engine specification. Normally supercar designers decide on the engine specifications separately although I can't understand why.''Anyone who drives the GT-R, especially in the wet, will be inclined to agree with him.NISSAN GT-RPrice: from $158,800 (plus dealer delivery and statutory charges)Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbocharged 24-valve V6Power: 357kW@6,400 rpmTorque: 588Nm @3,200-5,200 rpmTransmission: 6-speed Dual Clutch, auto shift or full manualEconomy: 12.4 litres/100kmFuel: Premium unleaded, tank capacity 74LSusupension: Double-wishbone w aluminium upper arms (front), multi-link w aluminium upper links (rear)Brakes: Nissan Brembo 4-wheel disc brakes - 380mm front and rearDimensions: Wheelbase 2780mm, length 4650mmm, width 1895mm, height 1370mmWheels: Lightweight forged-aluminium wheels, 20" alloys in black or chromeTyres: Dunlop SP Sport 600 DSST (GT-R), Bridgestone RE070R (GT-R Premium)Safety: Dual-stage driver and passenger front and side-impact and roof-mounted curtain airbags, pretension seatbelts, front and rear crumple zones, Advanced Vehicle Dynamic Control, Anti-lock Braking System, Electronic Brakeforce Distribution, immobiliser and security System.

Elegance has evolved into elan in the E-Class range. The conservative creases on the outgoing model have been resculpted into contemporary curves that make Mercedes-Benz midrange models genuinely sexy.The E has always enjoyed the moral high ground; brilliantly built, prestige transporters with a focus on safety and occupant comfort. The staid styling, though, has seen younger professionals head to BMW and Audi. That should stop with this model, particularly when the adrenaline-added AMG models arrive later this year.For now the E500 sedan and coupe share top billing. The 5.5-litre V8 engines are carried over, but there's nothing wrong with sticking to 285kW and 530Nm.Mate that performance to a seven-speed auto and you have awesome midrange acceleration and a top end best tested on a track. Bury the right foot and the V8 emits enough of a growl to intrude into the cabin. With less urgency the Merc is virtually silent ... all the better to hear the startled inhalations from first-time passengers as the coupe hooks in to a hairpin.The E-Class is built on the C-Class platform, so it's not surprising the Merc handles like a more compact car. What is surprising is how tenaciously it hangs on with the suspension set to Sport, giving just a touch of understeer to warn when momentum is close to overtaking mechanical grip.Press on from there and the software safety suite kicks in with a flicker of amber lights on the dash, as the inside wheels are automatically slowed to get you around the corner.The Merc points where you want it to, but doesn't offer the same feel through the wheel of its German rivals — it's more insulated, but no more insecure.Take-off is the only time you'll find the classy coupe lagging. There's relatively little go until the engine has wound up so you won't be winning the launch off the lights. It does, however, make dawdling in traffic and car parks a much easier proposition, so I suspect it's an engineered effect.The interior has all the fruit you'd expect for $175,000, packaged in a layout that is as practical as it is polished. Every control is logical; most are intuitive. Press the buttons on the radio, for example, and the station change is instant; twist the dial and it scrolls through the frequencies. Nice.Boot space is cavernous and access to the rear seats is pretty straightforward. Lift a lever on the side of the seats and the motors roll it forward, so 180cm passengers can enter and exit without being gymnasts. They may, however, be a bit cramped once they're in: the sloping coupe roof on the coupe does limit headroom.If you're a genuinely enthusiastic driver, hold fire until the AMG arrives here early next year with the promise of a truly dynamic drive. Most people, however, will find the E500 more than a match for their driving, with luxury that you'd expect from a top-of-the-range S-Class. 

The carmaker is working flat-out to boost Falcon sales and bridge the gap to the top-selling Holden Commodore.Under-bonnet tweaking is boosting economy and efficiency of the basic Falcon six to match the pace set by the Toyota Aurion, but the work does not stop there.There will also be an E-Gas XR6 coming later in the year. And ESP stability control will be available on E-Gas models from next month.The latest tweaked Territory, despite very minor body changes, also picks up a major economy boost.The improvement to the Falcon looks minor — just 0.2L/100km improvement — but that is enough to give the family Ford equal top billing with the Aurion in the large car class.Ford says a base-model Falcon XT fitted with the optional six-speed ZF automatic now uses 9.9L/100km, a figure that is a full 0.7 better than a Commodore Omega fitted with the four-speed auto.But there is a catch, as ticking the ZF box will cost an extra $2000 and takes the XT's price up to $40,290 against $39,290 for a base Omega. The six-speed automatic can also be selected on the G6, G6E and XR6 models.The latest changes to the Falcon come as the Broadmeadows battler was outsold 3544-1990 by the Commodore last month, despite the obvious edge from the six-speed self-shifter."The fuel economy program is ongoing. We've improved the efficiency more than 13 per cent since the BA (Falcon)," says Ford's product communications manager, Justin Lacy."Our share in the (large car) segment has actually increased over the past year. Obviously, volume is off, but as a percentage we're up.”The economy effort is a big one, with Ford's president Marin Burela claiming the Falcon now matches a four-cylinder car."Falcon XT continues to outclass its direct competitor on all the key performance measures, delivering 11 per cent more engine power and 20 per cent more torque, while at the same time using almost seven per cent less fuel," Burela says.To achieve the improvements on the inline six, Ford has fitted a new catalytic converter, revised the engine calibration for improved cold-start performance and a improved the calibration of the six-speed transmission.The ESP update on E-Gas models means they will be eligible for a five-star NCAP safety rating, although it has taken 14 months to get the necessary work done. Changes had to be made to calibration of the throttle control and spark retardation for E-gas-powered vehicles.Lacy says having stability control will lift the appeal of E-Gas range."This gives fleets that require stability control the option of considering the Falcons in petrol or E-Gas versions, so it's another competitive advantage," he says.The large-car refresh has also extended to the Territory with the SY Mark II boasting a five per cent improvement in fuel consumption on the five-seat TX and TS rear-wheel drive models. That drops their official consumption to 11.6L/100km, down from 12.2.The upgrade, previewed at the Melbourne Motor Show last month, also brings more standard equipment, with the TX picking up side curtain airbags, cruise control, 17-inch alloy wheels and a colour-coded bumpers, door handles and mirrors, while the TS will also have a reverse parking camera, front fog lamps, leather-wrapped steering wheel, handbrake and gearshift, and a third row seat as standard.Ghia models include an Alpine rear DVD system, side steps, rear privacy glass and 18-inch alloy wheels.

It looks a little old-fashioned, and it only has a four-cylinder engine, but the latest Type 5 is more than capable of embarrassing a Porsche or Lotus on your favourite piece of twisty tarmac.And it will be doing the same thing in Britain as part of a renewed export drive by Lotus.Elfin was brought back from the dead by its V8-powered MS8 and Streamliner but it is the Type 5, with a sharper edge and a nicer price, which has the real potential.Its power-to-weight ratio is better than most supercars and makes acceleration a race against the rev-limiter.But it's the corners that really reveal what the Type 5 is about.The steering is so direct it resembles a road-going go-kart and, like a go-kart, you can also steer it with the throttle.The Type 5 is ideal for the sort of track-day action which is growing in popularity in Australia, as I discovered with some hot laps at the Broadford circuit close to Melbourne. That's where the Type 5 emerges as a giant-killer and more like a 1950s clubman racer than anything modern.It is a car which loves to be hustled.The brake pedal is a touch wooden on the first prod but, even as I notice it, I've already dropped 80km/h for the first turn at Broadford. So I turn. And I'm almost around.It's then just a case of putting in the laps to find where my limits and the Elfin's co-exist. Find a happy medium and it's probably time to upgrade the suspension to add spring seat and rebound adjustment to the standard camber, toe and bump settings.Unlike its V8-powered stablemates the Type 5 is, according to Elfin's general manager John Clark, a modern-day clubman."When we launched the V8s, there was a bit of feedback along the lines of `why don't you develop a true modern clubbie', so we have," Clark says.Clark is justifiably proud of his new toy — and I use the term correctly.The Type 5 isn't a practical weekday vehicle. There's no roof unless you remember to fit the optional canvas cover before you leave the garage and storage space is limited to what you can fit on the passenger seat and floor.It will also pay to apply industrial strength hair gel before you leave home — or pull on a helmet — because this car embodies the carefree "wind-in-your-hair" approach from a time when driving was still about enjoying yourself with the elements.Development of the Type 5 has been underway for more than 18 months and full-scale production will ramp-up in 2009.Elfin is part of the Walkinshaw Performance group which also owns Holden Special Vehicles and that mean access to the GM catalogue which provided the engine from a Pontiac Solstice in the USA. Many other components wear a GM label, such as brakes from the VE Commodore."You can walk into your local Holden service centre and order most parts off the shelf," Clark says.The Type 5 is priced from $64,950, though most owners will spend at least $70,000 optioning and personalising the car. To that end, the paint colour choice is virtually unlimited."We'll paint it whatever colour the customer wants," marketing executive Gary Beer notes.Elfin plans to build 100 Type 5s a year, with 65 allocated for sale in the UK. That leaves 35 for Australians who appreciate being part of a select club and enjoy the challenge of driving a car that is more than just a piece of suburban transport. SnapshotElfin Type 5Priced: from $64,950Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinderPower: 194kW at 5300 revsTorque: 351Nm at 2500-5300 revsTransmission: five-speed manual 

Forget about being caught in the car headlights; this is like being subjected to scrutiny from the Hubble telescope. It's a trait the quietly spoken 26-year-old supercross racer shares with fellow riders Casey Stoner and Mick Doohan and reflects a level of concentration few can muster. That concentration has already earned Reed two American Motorcycle Association supercross titles, the respect of his peers and a tidy $25 million in the bank, according to the latest Business Review Weekly rich list. Reed sees the money as a by-product of his competitiveness. "I'm not gonna lie and say I don't want it," he says of the financial rewards that come with being the best in the US, "but I don't race for it, it comes with the race." That said, Reed wryly admits you soon adjust to the lifestyle. "I've sold the (private) jet," he laughs. "I found I was leaving home later and later - pushing the envelope - because you know the plane's not going to leave without you. "The money's great when it can help with experiences. I flew my mum and dad out when I won the championship this year and turned it on - first class all the way. "They were blown away and that's what makes having the cash worthwhile." Reed still splashes out on himself occasionally, as evidenced by the new Maserati Gran Turismo S garaged at his house in Tampa, Florida, but he sees money as a means to an end. And there's no end to his ambitions. Having conquered the US, he's returned home to impress Australians with the supercross spectacle. Being Reed, he's not doing things by halves. He and partner Mike Porra have invested $5 million to transform the national supercross title into Super X, a seven-round series tailored to provide non-stop action. The traditional 20-lap final has been overhauled with formats like man-on-man, super sprints and survival designed to provide quicker, more intense racing that appeals to fans and television producers. The riders are catered for with $200,000 in prizemoney - three times as much as previous years - and they get a chance to race against Reed himself. Reed says he's been working on the Super X deal virtually since the day "I packed up two suitcases and my girlfriend and left home at 18 to race overseas". The girlfriend is now his wife, Ellie, and Super X is a reality, but it's only the first steps. "I've been working on this for years," Reed says, so matter-of-factly you . "It's a win-win. We've got great riders in Australia and I'm bringing in proper US-style tracks and hopefully a few US riders will come back with me next year. "That's going to lift the local level and give more young guys an idea of how well they go and hopefully get a few more of them racing overseas." "The worst part about Super X is every time I come home it's harder to go back. Now we've got an apartment at Newcastle overlooking the beach and Ellie's loving it, so it's a tough place to be," he jokes. Strip away the helmet, boots and body armour and Reed is as much savvy businessman as street-smart supercrosser. Shirts and caps emblazoned with his No. 22 are must-have merchandise for fans - and a recurring revenue stream for sponsors. Suzuki Australia motorcycles general manager Perry Morison confirms Reed is a professional on and off the track. "In our dealings with Chad he's been terrific," Morison says. "He's the complete package - he's smart, speaks well and actively promotes the brand." Like Stoner, Doohan and any top motorbike rider, being the "complete package" involves riding through pain. Reed's career is littered with broken bones, but he considers a crash in April as one of the defining moments. He was leading the championship when a fall in practice for the Detroit round left him in agony and vomiting blood. Surgeons diagnosed a broken shoulderblade and bruised lung. Reed ignored the medical advice, discharged himself from hospital and returned to the stadium to race. He finished 12th, but minimised the inroads into his championship lead. So impressive was the feat that some doubted he'd done it and Reed had to endure whispers he wasn't as badly hurt as he'd claimed. "I was proud of the fact I got back on the bike that day - I was pretty busted up," he says. "But the championship was at stake and you do whatever you have to do to to win it. For sure some people questioned how badly I was hurt, saying I shouldn't have been able to ride, but TALENT ON TAP Whatever's in the water in the New South Wales country town of Kurri Kurri should be our latest export. International racers Chad Reed, Casey Stoner and Broc Parkes all hail from the Hunter Valley area, but Reed's at a loss to explain how the small community continues to produce such a disproportionate number of motorcycling superstars. "I can remember catching the bus with Casey," Reed says. "And I raced against Broc in the juniors. It's a country area and most of the kids had bikes, so we were always racing, but I can't explain why we got so good. "I was on bikes from the time I could reach the bars and I think they were too, so we all kinda grew up riding. "But there's plenty of kids who do that without going on like we have, so it's just one of those things." SUPER MEN For the uninitiated - and Chad Reed aims to ensure there's few of those - a supercross track is a man-made series of spine-shattering stutter-bumps and huge jumps connected by 180-degree corners, usually purpose-built in a stadium. It's a brutal ballet on bikes, with the machines spending almost as much time off the ground as on it. When it all goes right and bike, suspension and rider work together, it looks so spectacular it's almost choreographed. Get it wrong and it all comes crashing down - literally. Momentum catapults you into the compacted earth that constitutes the track - collarbones are a common victim. Survive that and you still have to avoid the oncoming pack - and it's hard for them to dodge when they're in mid-air.  

Teenage motocross sensation Kade Mosig is hoping home-crowd support can spur him to championship success this weekend. The Australian Motocross Championship is in Gippsland, at Newry, this Sunday, where Mosig grew up. The 18-year-old Mosig is third in the Pro Lites class, only 12 points behind series leader Luke George, with 100 points on offer over the final two rounds. “With two rounds to go it's definitely possible to win the championship,” Mosig says. “It's good to have it close to home this weekend. I grew up riding the track. I won a junior title there in 2001. “I've grown up riding against Adam (Monea, second in the title points) and Luke. We've been battling since we were eight years old. It's going to be a battle right to the end.” Mosig is in this third full season in the national championship and is a member of Honda's factory team, alongside 12-time national champion Craig Anderson. Big things are expected of Mosig and a future racing in the high-profile US championship is his goal. Honda is helping by arranging for him to spend the post-season training in the US later this year. “I'm heading to America to do some testing with the Honda factory team over there. Just to see what it's like and learn more before I go and race over there,” he says. But he won't have long there because he will be back in Australia in October for the new SuperX series. It is the relaunched supercross series being masterminded by Crusty Demons leader Mike Porra and Australia's world supercross champion Chad Reed. “Chad's been my idol growing up in racing. It will be good with this SuperX series to try and get to know him,” Mosig says. But he won't be competing against Reed in SuperX. Reed will race in the 450cc Pro Open class, but several US riders are expected to give local riders a hurry up in the 250cc Pro Lites.  

The name's a misnomer (see panel), but the latest version of the F650 deserves its GS badge. The GS, or enduro, label is responsible for about half of BMW Motorrad's Australian sales.And with the 2008 model's $13,650 price, it provides more incentive than ever to throw a leg over a BMW.The parallel-twin has been tuned to produce a modest 52kW and 75Nm. The trick is they're all usable, so you don't have to work the gearbox as hard as you would if the engine had a peak.On the road that — and the well-matched gearing — provides a great bottom-end surge and constant acceleration. It's a competent commuter, and BMW says it can reach 185km/h if required.The narrow body is a delight in tight traffic. Open it up and the bike tracks precisely where you point it, through anything from a 20km/h hairpin to open sweepers.A truncated off-road session still showed the bike's potential in the bush. Even with the inevitable compromise tyre compound and tread pattern, the F650 was stable and reacted instantly to changes of power or brake input on well-packed gravel roads.Any gear from second to fourth would do at speeds from 30-70km/h, as the twin torqued up and propelled the lightweight bike down the trail.This is an entry to two-wheeled BMW ownership. The price reflects the importance BMW is placing on this model to bring in the next generation of riders.BMW claims fuel consumption of 5.2 litres for 100km at a constant 120km/h, dropping to 3.7 litres at 90km/h. With a 16-litre tank mounted under the seat, that gives you a touring range of more than 300km/h. A BIG SECRET Let's get this straight. The F650 GS is an 800cc-powered motorcycle badged as a 650.BMW's “logic” behind this illogical model designation is that the engine has been tuned to produce similar performance to the superseded single-cylinder F650.“Our research found a lot of riders in this segment were put off by bigger capacity bike,” BMW Motorrad general manager Cameron Cuthill says.“This bike is an improvement on the old model, but still fairly close in terms of the riding experience.” INSIDE VIEW BMW F650 GSPrice: $13,650ENGINE: 798cc liquid-cooled parallel-twinPower: 52kW at 7100 revsTorque: 75Nm at 4500 revsTransmission: Six-speed constant mesh, chain driveFuel tank: 16 litresSeat height: 820mm (790mm seat a no-cost option)Weight: 171kg (dry) 

The SH150i does just that, despite vital statistics that don't set the heart racing.The single-cylinder 153cc engine produces a paltry 11kW and 14Nm. I have household appliances that generate a better output.The SH150 is more than just the sum of its numbers though. The fuel-injected engine isn't going to rip strips off the tarmac, but it will get along at a decent clip in city traffic.That's good, but no different to hundreds of other scooters on the road. What makes it stand out from the crowd are the 16-inch alloy wheels. They're huge for a scooter, especially one as small as this. They also contribute to great road manners. The Honda will tip as far as you dare, albeit at a moderate pace.It also handles ruts and potholes with far more poise than a 12-inched scooter, and that's an important consideration when it's your backside on the line.This is urban transport but can handle occasional trips on the freeways and ring roads.The SH150 is a competent performer at these speeds. What passes for hills can be taken at a steady 100km/h.It would have struggled to pull 105km/h on some of those inclines and 110km/h is about the limit, but it steadily winds itself up to those speeds at a pace that won't have you looking over your shoulder for traffic bearing down on you.It's the same joy around town, with the continuously variable transmission providing fine takeoff from the lights.The fuel tank's a tiny 7.5 litres, but that was still good for 200km with the right grip usually wound out to the stops. That's pretty good when you consider the performance and price ... $5690 for a vehicle that will happily commute from a long way out.Pick up a passenger and you pay a penalty, but two-up on 80km/h roads is a breeze.The brakes are up to the task, with Honda's combined braking system effective at slowing things down.The styling turns heads and you'll happily sit on it for 50km jaunts.Longer trips aren't out of the question, providing you factor in a few rest stops. Inside viewPrice: $5690Engine: 153cc four-stroke single-cylinderPower: 11.6kW at 8500 revsTorque: 14Nm at 7000 revsTransmission: Continuously variableFuel tank: 7.5 litresSeat height: 790mm 

Bayliss has previously declared his interest in V8s and hinted last week it could be an option, but the topic was off the agenda during his final world superbikes outing at Phillip Island at the weekend.A reportedly impressive test-drive in an Aston Martin sports car in Europe earlier this year has only fuelled the speculation.Bayliss, 38, has announced he will leave superbikes at season's end, but is adamant his racing days are not over.“I don't think I'm finished with racing. All I know is I've had enough of racing world superbikes,” he said yesterday.“I love touring cars . . . I'd rather watch touring car races than any other racing. It's close and it's full-on, just like superbikes.”Bayliss, plans to base his family on the Gold Coast from next year, and he has the cash and talent to be competitive either as a driver or by buying a Supercar team.“I'm still going to be involved in motor sport in some shape or form,” he said.“I'm not sure what exactly, but it won't involve too much travel.”It was the constant travel, rather than age or injuries, that triggered his decision to retire.“I'm over planes,” he said. “The travel, the time away from family . . . I've had enough of all that."“That said, I'm still going to work with Ducati and I'll probably go to four or five events a year."“The difference is it will be as it suits both of us.”Bayliss's Phillip Island win has given him a 27-point championship lead over Spaniard Fonsi Nieto (61 points).Championship officials will review the Ducati 1098's performance after the next round — and the team could be handicapped if it has too much of an advantage over the 1000cc Japanese bikes.