Articles by Daniel Bishop

Hot hatches are in high demand, and they include everything from warm hatchbacks with sporty details to boiling hot turbocharged terrors.

There’s a new brand determined to attack the market with a serious track car line up. It’s called Zenos and driving it is Ansar Ali – a British businessman who used to lead Caterham and Lotus. First off the production line next year will be the Zenos E10 – a mid-engined, rear wheel drive racetrack weapon with lightweight composite construction. Two more models, E11 and E12, are scheduled before the end of the decade signalling the company’s aspirations to rival established competitors. The segment has been flooded with options recently, with cars like the British Ariel Atom, Austrian KTM X-bow, Spanish Aspid GT-21, Mexican Vühl 05 and closer to home, the Australian Elfin T5 among others, all joining Lotus and Caterham in the search for dedicated track car sales. However Ali, who stepped down as CEO of Caterham last year after reforming the company, thinks there is still room for his new company, Zenos. Aside from leading Caterham and Lotus, Ali held senior roles in Ford Motor Company, giving the new brand serious credentials for success. Crucial to the E10 plan of attack is a modern monocoque carbon fibre passenger cell with an aluminium sub-frame that houses the engine – a similar construction to that used in high end supercars. This technology allows a high degree of structural rigidity while keeping the weight of the car down to a planned 650Kg. Powering this platform will be Ford’s familiar direct injection 2-litre Duratec engine, producing an expected 149kW and 210Nm torque. Delivery to the rear wheels is via a 5 speed transmission, with a 6 speed and limited slip differential also on the option list. In standard form, the car should sprint from standstill to 100km/h in well under five seconds, thanks to a power to weight ratio of 221kW per tonne. The car is set to deliver lots of cornering fun, with double wishbone suspension coupled with Bilstein dampers on all four corners. Alcon brakes take care of washing off speed for the next hairpin bend. Wide 16" front and 17" tyres on OZ rims on a 1600mm track, and a height of just 1010mm give it a wide stance and low centre of gravity too. Those seeking more power may choose to wait a little longer, with Zenos promising more performance in the E11 and its hard-top spinoff, the E12 projected to take on the 163kW Lotus Elise Supercharged and the newly released 178kW Alfa Romeo 4C. They will also face stiff competition from the Caterham Seven 620, which produces a blistering 231kWs with similar weight, and using the same Ford unit as the Zenos, albeit with a supercharger.  

As the Australian car sales race heads into the final quarter lap for 2013, most eyes are on what will be the top car. But further back in the field, there’s been a big improvement for several European models, which are posting sales lifts of up to 1000 per cent as a result of aggressive price cuts.Leading the charge is Fiat’s 500 which was slashed more than $10,000 in June, and now starts at just $14,000. This resulted in 310 buyers last month, compared to just 86 before the price drop. The little Italian car has increased in sales at the rate of 850 per cent every month since June, in a market that shrank by almost 15 per cent.Fiat as a whole is benefiting too, with the 1765 sales so far this year being more than a 500 per cent increase over the 328 at this stage in 2012. While the Fiat 500 is attracting customers, established competitors like the Holden Barina, Nissan Micra, Suzuki Alto and Swift and Toyota Yaris have meanwhile seen a decline in sales year-to-date.This means that for the first time, the 500 is outselling more than half its competitors. Meanwhile, Alfa Romeo’s small models, which also received price cuts recently, have returned positive results – albeit on fairly low numbers. MiTo has doubled in sales in the premium light car segment from 23 to 45, while its larger sibling, Giulietta – in a field that includes the Toyota Corolla, Holden Cruze and Mazda 3, found 324 new homes compared to just 88 before the new pricing strategy.The local HQ says the surge in sales is due to sharper pricing and specifications and more dealership support. “The success is a result of a combination of factors: an expanded and engaged dealer network, streamlined vehicle spec levels and sharper pricing – as well as strong and smart marketing support,” Fiat and Alfa Romeo spokesperson Karla Leach says.With the international launch of the new Alfa Romeo 4C sport car this week – estimated to cost somewhere around $75,000 when it arrives here -- the Italian brand is buckling up for the challenge of luring customers with a few more dollars to spend. Leach says Fiat and Alfa Romeo have serious intentions to keep strengthening their position here. “We have strong ambition for the continued growth of these brands in Australia,” she says. But it’s not just Italians aggressively tackling the entry level market.Renault last month introduced the cheapest Clio ever, firmly cementing the French brand into the budget light car segment with an entry-level price of under $17,000. Keen to be seen as a viable alternative, Renault has hit hard at competitors, offering five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty and fixed price servicing. Renault Australia managing director Justin Hocevar said at the Clio unveiling last month that the brand has high expectations of the car.“We have a fantastic value proposition in terms of a beautifully designed vehicle with high levels of personalisation, at an extremely competitive price.” he said. Traditional options like Mazda, Hyundai and Toyota still dominate the light and small car segments, but European rivals are fighting hard to gain credibility as mainstream brands.The big winners are the buyers, who may now afford to consider Italian design, French flair or German precision for the same price as more established mainstream manufacturers. The exception to the success story is Opel, which failed to accrue enough buyers in its very short stint in Australia. Despite competitive prices, the German brand disappeared in August, posting less than 1,000 sales this year between the Astra and Corsa small cars combined. 

The British brand launched the new platform, codenamed iQ[Al], with the C-X17 soft roader concept at the Frankfurt Motor Show.

Formula One has moved into turbo charged engines – and so will Ferrari road cars

Land Rover has launched the world’s first hybrid production offroader. We’ve seen several hybrid soft roaders before, but this is the first one with serious offroad ability.The British manufacturer has built the hybrid technology into its two flagship models: the Range Rover Vogue and the Range Rover Sport – both of which will arrive in Australia in the second quarter of 2014.Until now, hybrid technology was problematic in offroad vehicles because water and mud could harm the electric motor and batteries. But Land Rover says significant work has gone into protecting the hybrid technology from damage, and that the hybrid Range Rovers are as capable as their conventional siblings.Mounted below the front passenger compartment, the motor and batteries add 170Nm and 35kW, bringing the Rangie to a total of 250kW and 700Nm – matching the new 4.4-litre V8 turbodiesel also launched as part of the new line-up.Unlike previous petrol-electric SUVs where the electric motor only powers two wheels, the Range Rover’s unit is integrated into the ZF eight speed gearbox, meaning all four wheels are powered by the same source. This ensures that consistent wheel speeds are maintained on surfaces with poor traction.In addition, Land Rover has further departed from traditional petrol-based hybrids by making the Range Rovers diesel-electric – offering the extra range, towing capacity and torque that offroad enthusiasts prefer. The combination of electric and diesel power has resulted in a torque curve that peaks from 1500rpm to 3000rpm.This means that both models offer plenty torque from almost idle speeds, which will assist with towing, tackling challenging obstacles and carrying weight. This also results in a fuel consumption of 6.4L / 100kms, and a reduction of CO2 emissions to 169g/km.Despite the 120kg increase from the hybrid system, the Range Rover Sport has a claimed 0-100km/h time of just 6.7 seconds, with 0.2 seconds more for its bigger brother, the Vogue. That’s considerably ahead of the Lexus RX400 hybrid’s claimed 7.8 seconds – coming from a 221kW 3.5-litre V6 petrol-electric hybrid system. However, the latter trumps the Rangies on fuel economy by 0.1L/100km.The Range Rovers’ spritely performance is partially due to lightness of their aluminium structure  -- part of a platform shared across both models for the first time – which has shaved over 400Kg from the weight. Importantly for offroaders, the location of the hybrid system also means a full size spare wheel is still included, and the Range Rover Sport maintains its ability to carry seven passengers, if you forgo the full size spare in favour of a space saver.The trade-off is that the small battery pack in the Range Rovers will mean the car will only travel close to two kilometres in electric-only mode. However, regenerative braking means the batteries will be topped up on the go. 

Nissan Z fans rejoice – your new hero is almost here. A new smaller, lighter, faster replacement for the 370Z is on its way to the Tokyo Motor Show. Nissan executive vice president, Andy Palmer said in an interview with Auto Express about the Z car: “Do I know what it looks like? Yes I do. Have I driven it? Yes I have. When will you see it? Come to Tokyo.”Nissan is expected to release the production version of the next generation sports car, codenamed Z35, around this time next year. This makes the Japanese motor show in December the best opportunity to showcase a close to production concept version.For the first time in its 45 year history, the Z car may feature less than six cylinders, relying instead on turbocharging to beat its predecessor. The Z35 could even benefit from Nissan’s significant investment into hybrid and electric sports car technology. Recently, Nissan revealed what it claims is the world’s fastest electric car, the 300km/h ZEOD RC which will make its debut at the 24 hour LeMans race.Nissan has been keen to promote its credentials as an electric performance car manufacturer, and first signalled its intentions to electrify the Z car with the Esflow concept in 2011. The all-electric sports car featured Zed-esque body styling, opening the options for an electric future. Reports suggest that its larger sibling, the flagship GT-R will also have a hybrid system, but that won’t be due until 2015.Until the Z35 is revealed in Tokyo, Nissan will continue furthering its performance focus with a NISMO version of the Z35 also under way. NISMO is Nissan’s motorsport and performance division, created in 1984 to enhance the company’s racing credentials.  Since then it has become one of the most respected nameplates amongst fans of Japanese sports cars.  

A new king of the ring has been crowned. For a long time, the Nurburgring has been the battleground where car manufacturers go to sort out the best from the rest in a gruelling, hot lap, tyre-smoking speed war. And Porsche has just grabbed McLaren and Ferrari by the scruff of the neck and put them on notice, achieving the fastest lap ever recorded in an unmodified production car: 6 minutes and 57 seconds – thrashing 14 seconds off the previous record set by the Gumpert Apollo in 2009.However, the Porsche reign might be shortlived, with McLaren boss Ron Dennis promising the coming P1 will also post below the seven-minute bar. Game on, then.To achieve its record, Porsche utilised the full output of the 918 Spyder’s  447kW 4.6-litre V8 petrol engine and two electric motors, driving all 653kW through the standard Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres. Porsche also optioned up the car to the “Weissach package” which drops 40kg from its kerb weight.The German hyper car has been in battle with McLaren’s P1 and Ferrari’s LaFerrari, with all three running petrol engines combined with high powered electric motors, delivering astonishing performance figures.The Italian and British rivals have eclipsed Porsche’s outright power figures, with 708kW and 673kW on tap respectively. But the German supercar has fought back with 1275Nm torque output, compared to both rival’s 900Nm, attributed to the dual electric motor setup in the Porsche.All three hyper cars have impressive figures to brag about. Power, outright speed, acceleration and even efficiency figures have all been fired at their opponents, claiming absolute supremacy by the numbers. But until now, the war has never left paper, as the three cars are yet to go head to head. Porsche however, has set the precedent, proving that a new generation of hybrid powered track monsters is here for good. The famous 20.6km Nordschleife circuit combines enormous elevation changes, tight and open corners and long straights. It requires both enormous speed and utmost dynamic competence, making a record time around the ring one of the most well respected achievements a sports car can gain.In 2009, Nissan’s GT-R trumped Porsche’s 911 GT2’s record by completing the lap in 7:29.03, declaring a full-scale war on the German manufacturer’s bragging rights. Since then, Porsche, Ferrari, Nissan, Lexus, Dodge and a myriad of brands have taken their top efforts to Germany to out-gun their opponents.Both LaFerrari’s and Porsche 918’s predecessors have been beaten by Nissan’s giant killer at the Nurburgring, although partially wet conditions prevented it from out-gunning Porsche’s GT2 RS by a narrow margin. McLaren’s predecessor, the F1, did manage an unofficial time of 7 minutes 11 seconds, safely ahead of the Nissan. Nissan’s top effort relies on a 404kW V6 twin turbo engine to power a similar 1.6 tonne weight to the 918 Spyder at a similar claimed speed, but ultimately lacks the outright power – and price tag – of the three hybrid monsters.Armed with hybrid performance, Porsche, Ferrari and McLaren should have Nissan off their shoulders to focus on the hybrid war at hand. That is, until Nissan’s next-generation GT-R is launched, widely speculated to feature hybrid technology.Those who want to accuse Porsche of using hybrid technology for evil, not good, may be interested to know the record-breaking monster is looking to set other standards as well. At the flick of a switch, the 918 Spyder will consume just 3.3 litres per hundred kilometres, with less than 80 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometre – undercutting the benchmark hybrid Toyota Prius with its 3.9L/100km and 106gm/km. In fully electric mode, the Porsche will coast along for up to 25km using 12.5-13kW/h per 100km until it needs to be plugged in again.However, Prius owners may be consoled by the fact the Porsche does cost a bit more, with an expected base price considerably more than the US $845,000 ($909,000). Still … maybe less than the estimated $1.5 million McLaren and Ferrari rivals.Watch the video here. 

Mazda has dropped all three variants of the Mazda 2 -- Neo, Maxx and Genki – replacing them with two new ones: the Neo Sport and Maxx Sport. But buyers who expect handling or performance upgrades to match the new name will be disappointed.The Sport moniker is simply to differentiate the new range from the previous one. Unlike rivals such as the Suzuki Swift -- where the Sport name brings more power, reduced weight and upgraded suspension and braking --  the Mazda 2 Sport models offer only cosmetic and equipment changes.Under the bonnet is the same 1.5-litre 76kW unit as before, attached to either a 5 speed manual or 4 speed automatic. The entry-level Neo Sport matches the outgoing model's entry level price of $15,790 price for a manual or $17,440 for the automatic, but now includes 15-inch alloy wheels.The big winner is the Maxx Sport, which builds on the old Maxx equipment list and adds fog lamps, chrome exhaust and trip computer. A refreshed interior has also been added, with red stitching on the seats, and red leather steering wheel.Opt for the manual and you’ll also get a leather gear shift knob. The Maxx Sport also scores standard climate control, and an ambient temperature readout in the instrument cluster.The extra equipment on the Maxx Sport represents $1200 worth of value over the old Maxx model. To further sweeten the deal, Mazda has priced the Maxx Sport $760 lower than the outgoing Maxx. This brings the new range-topper’s price down to $16,930 for the manual and $18,580 for the automatic.The now discontinued $20,495 Genki ($22,145 for the auto) was the last Mazda 2 to feature automatic rain sensing wipers, side skirts, 16-inch alloy wheels and automatic headlights. Of these, only the side skirts are now available as optional equipment, with the rest of the equipment now discontinued from the range.Mazda sold 1106 of the Mazda 2 in July; 156 units behind the top-placed Hyundai i20, and just 50 behind the Toyota Yaris. Mazda hopes the refreshed range will help it claw back to the top of the sales ladder - a position it held until earlier this year.To help achieve this task, the Mazda 2 has also borrowed two new colours from its recently introduced bigger sibling, the Mazda 6. Available across the range at no extra cost are Jet Black Mica and Blue Reflex Mica, bringing the total colour choices to eight. 

Mitsubishi has repositioned the price tags of several ASX models, and boosted their spec lists to sweeten the deal. The entry level 2WD ASX now costs $24,990 for a five speed manual or $26,990 if you opt for the automatic CVT gearbox. This represents a $1000 and $1250 saving respectively over the outgoing model.Those looking for extra traction can choose the all-wheel drive model at $33,490 for the CVT, saving $1000 over the outgoing model. Additions across the range are 17-in alloy wheels, chrome grille, reverse parking sensors and reversing camera with parking referencing lines. The entertainment system has been upgraded too, featuring a 6.1” colour screen and voice controls for Bluetooth.Mitsubishi has also upgraded the shape of the cushions in the back seat, and updated the suspension aiming to deliver a better ride quality. Tweaks have been made to the cabin in a bid to reduce road noise too. Modest fuel economy improvements are claimed on petrol models. This is attributed to a new manifold catalytic converter and air flow sensor and injector, bringing fuel consumption down by 0.1L/100km in the manual and 0.2L/100km in the CVT.Buyers looking for a little extra equipment can chose the ASX Aspire, with the 2WD now scoring roof rails and a panoramic roof (previously only standard on AWD Aspire models). Also on the new standard list is the Multi Communication System – which adds a 7” colour screen, 3D navigation mapping and an SD card input.Mitsubishi spokesperson Caitlin Beale says the MCS is worth about $2000. Previously, the system was part of an option pack worth $2995 that also included a Rockford Fosgate sound system with 9 speakers. Aspire models get four speakers and two tweeters as standard instead. Savings of $1500 apply to the Aspire 4WD model which now costs $33,490. The Aspire 2WD is the only model to receive a price increase of $250, now listed at $31,490.Those looking to select their own gears to save $2500 on an Aspire will be disappointed to know the slow-selling manual transmission can no longer be had in the 2WD Aspire – an option previously available for $28,990. The recently launched 110kW, 2.2-litre turbodiesel mated to a six speed automatic and all-wheel drive retains its $31,990 price, and the top of the range Aspire diesel remains at $36,490 as well.