Articles by Ewan Kennedy

Though their model numbers give the suggestion the Hyundai i40 and i45 are similar in size they are quite widely differentiated. So potential buyers are likely to find their individual choices easy to make.In an interesting marketing move the Hyundai i40 was initially sold only as a station wagon when it arrived in Australia in October 2011. A four-door sedan didn’t reach us for a further eight months.The Hyundai i40 sedan is the subject of this week’s review and we have had a chance to drive it extensively as two different business trips saw us in the seemingly endless traffic jams of Sydney then in a different i40 in Brisbane, around the Gold Coast during the V8 Supercars race and in the hinterland behind our home on the Gold Coast. Now that’s variety for you.Three model variants are offered in the new Hyundai i40 range: Active, Elite and Premium. As with all Hyundai models, the new i40 sedan has a five year/unlimited kilometre warranty. There’s free roadside assist for the same period provided the car is serviced by a Hyundai dealer.All i40 models have Bluetooth connectivity including audio streaming, as well as auxiliary and USB sockets. The Hyundai i40 Active has a single CD player, Elite and Premium have a six-disc changer with a more advanced audio system. Both systems can play MP3 and WMA discs. Elite and Premium models also use a proximity key with push button start/stop.Interior space in the Hyundai i40 has good-sized seats for those in the front. Rear seat passengers will be short on knee room unless those in the front are willing to give up a little of their legroom. Despite the sleek roofline, headroom is good front and rear, even with a sunroof fitted.Each model comes with the option of a 2.0-litre petrol or 1.7-litre turbo-diesel engine. Our test vehicle in Sydney was fitted with the diesel, it has peak power of 100 kW, and torque of 320 Nm between 2000 and 2500 rpm.The vehicle unit we used in our home grounds of south-east Queensland had the petrol engine that has up to 130 kW of power. It doesn’t reach its torque peak of 213 Nm until it’s at 4700 rpm. Many drivers will never rev the engine to these heights, but it does have a good spread of grunt from about 2000 upwards so we didn’t find it lacking.The entry-level i40 Active is offered with either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission; the Elite and Premium only come with the automatic. Both our cars had the automatic transmission.Standard safety features in all i40 models, sedan and wagon, are ABS brakes with electronic brakeforce assistance and brake assist. The system automatically activates the hazard lights when high brake pressures are applied. Active safety features include cornering brake control, vehicle stability management system and swivelling headlights.Additionally, the Hyundai i40 Elite and Premium have front and rear parking sensors, supplemented in the Premium with a reversing camera. Nine airbags are the biggest feature of the passive safety items.The diesel may be small in capacity but it’s a modern design and we were impressed by its strong torque and the fact that turbo lag is kept to a minimum. The added smoothness of the petrol is attractive, as is the absence of the smell of diesel.Ride and handling are both good, with a sensible balance between firmness and comfort. Cornering is nothing to get excited about, but the Hyundai i40 holds on securely and is well within its limits when driven in the manner likely to be used by the typical buyer.We would probably lean towards the petrol if it was our money, but the final decision is up to you the potential buyer.

Anything with the number ‘300’ on the speedo dial has to be a serious machine. Not that the needle of such a car, the new Audi S4, for example, will ever see speedo’s end.By agreement with government in Germany, its country of origin, the vehicle is electronically limited to 250 kilometres an hour. Still, the dial does have the heart racing at first sight.At $120,440, the S4 3.0 TFSI quattro S tronic sedan is shaded by the S4 Avant 3.0 TFSI quattro S tronic which adds $3500 to the bill.I loved the Audi pick of programmed music in the test vehicle. The $1550 Bang and Olufsen Surround Sound System with 10-channel amplifier and 14 speakers - a total output of 505 watts - brought out the best of everyone from Marvin Gaye to Lana del Rey. It even polished the primitive techno of Kraftwerk.Standard is a redesigned Sports steering wheel in S design, multi-function, wrapped in leather. Optional is a flat-bottomed tiller adding even more sporting cred to the car. Additional options include sport differential and damper control, dynamic steering, plus adaptive cruise control. It all makes for better ride, handling and happier passengers.In conjunction with the navigation system, an additional mode, ‘individual’, is also included, allowing the driver to specify, within limits, his or her own profile of preferred settings.The Audi S4 sedan we have been testing for the past week has had a facelift, with changes to headlights, bumpers, air inlets and the choice of colours. On the outside, the hexagonal single-frame grille, wedge-shaped headlights hooded by LED daytime running lights, LED rear lights, new bumpers and integrated boot-lid spoiler are all clues to the model updates.With spots for five occupants, the split rear seat backs can be folded in two steps without removing the head rests, doubling the cargo volume to 962 litres. Tie-down rings are sturdy chrome plated solid metal.The test car sported optional power S sport seats featuring extra-supportive side bolsters, integrated head restraints and embossed S4 in the seat backs. S4 badges also can be found on door sills, while aluminium-look shift paddles and pedals complete the picture.But, it’s the technical advancements that keep the hot Audi topping the charts. Most important are quattro drive with torque vectoring and electromechanical power steering, while the S sport suspension and 18-inch wheels give the new S4 added road grip.The S4 TFSI engine is a joy to behold. The supercharged V6 pumps out 245 kW of power and 440 Nm of torque between 2200 and 5900 rpm. The sedan sprints from zero to 100 km/h in 5.0 seconds and reaches an electronically limited top speed of 250 km/h, all the while dual twin tailpipes trumpeting a stirring fanfare from the finely tuned motor.Around town the fuel consumption of this very efficient engine usually sits in the 11 to 13 litres per hundred kilometres range, not bad for the performance it gives you. On the open road you can get it below eight litres per hundred without too much tip-toeing. That’s impressive.The S tronic seven-speed dual-clutch transmission sends the power to the quattro drivetrain with self-locking centre differential and torque vectoring. An electronic control system offers two types of operation - D (Drive) or S (Sport) – for drivers to shift between using the gear lever or steering wheel-mounted paddles.Powertrain apart, the Audi S4’s star turn is its steering. Well weighted to provide maximum feedback to the driver, it can be varied by up to almost 100 per cent from most direct in city traffic to much less so at high speeds where the system chips in to help the driver when cornering at the handling limits, if necessary, reducing both oversteer and understeer by means of load.Ignoring the top speed – please do not try it at home – it’s the sharp acceleration that comes to the fore when wanting to overtake. It’s merely a matter of tapping the downshift paddle to put the S4 in a position to pass with plenty of safety.Ventilated discs, 320 mm up front and 300 mm at the back, are worked on by black composite callipers, ensuring that heat is dissipated to maintain optimum braking efficiency, whether parking or putting in the ‘welly’ on the open road.The driver, at the touch of a button, is further blessed with Audi’s own Drive Select system, offering, through the accelerator, transmission shift points and power steering boost, the choice between ‘comfort’, ‘auto’, ‘dynamic’ and ‘efficiency’ modes.It had me sold.

When you have been building the world’s biggest selling sportscar for almost a quarter of a century it would seem like a good idea not to mess with the formula.The Roadster Coupe starts at $47,280 for the manual and $49,405 for the automatic and as you MX-5 fans out there will know, this gets you a 2.0-litre 4-cylinder engine which is more than capable of creating plenty of driving fun.Chief engineer of the MX-5 Nobuhiro Yamamoto, came to Australia for the launch of his new baby. His doing so is a big compliment to the local importers and a sure sign that head office in Hiroshima is impressed with the big sales being gained downunder.Yamamoto-san, who has had experience working in Australia with the Mazda racing team, explained that changes to the throttle and brakes had further improved the handling ability of a car already recognised as being a leader in its class.Mazda’s stylists have made bold changes to produce the final design shape of the third generation MX-5 prior to the all-new model that’s due in 2014. The result is a deep grille that’s shaped to give it a 3D effect. The foglights are made to stand out in appearance and the headlights have a gunmetal effect in their surrounds.The interior has also received a rework, albeit a relatively mild one, with the previous silver decoration panels and aluminium-finish steering wheel bezel being replaced by a glossy dark grey. Two-tone Recaro sports seats with leather and perforated Alcantara facings were featured on the MX-5 Coupe Sports versions we tested.As someone who is on the wrong side of 60, I have to admit that getting in and out of the Mazda MX-5 is somewhat of a struggle. You don’t have to be over 60 to find that the interior is on the tight side. The driving position isn’t too bad for legroom but I found that sitting in the passenger seat and not being able to straighten my legs made it pretty uncomfortable after a while.Sadly, a lack of interest in soft-top convertibles in Australia means that only the folding hardtops are being imported. I say ‘sadly’ because the lighter weight of the ragtop makes the MX-5 soft-top even more nimble. And the fact that it gives the car a purer appearance even when it’s closed is appealing to our eyes.On the road during an extended test we found the latest Mazda MX-5 to be as delightful as ever. We have been road testing this little roadster since day one in Australia in 1989 and have spent many hundreds of hours in each generation and sub-gen since then.The new MX-5 continues to provide driving in its purest form, with fast and precise control through the steering wheel and by way of the throttle pedal. We tested it extensively in the hinterland behind the Gold Coast and in the rugged northern areas of NSW, both regions are of the type just loved by true sports roadster drivers. Mazda MX-5 owners are sometimes simply in a cruisy mood, so we also toured the wonderful beachside strips after coming down from the hills.

...the Camry Atara R. Based on the Camry Altise, it adds more than $3000 worth of equipment and features, many of which were only previously available in the more expensive Atara models. Obviously aimed at tackling the soon to be released all-new Mazda6, the Camry Atara R has a sportier look than the standard Camry thanks to the use of a front sports bumper and grille, sports side skirts and a dual exhaust diffuser. It has 17-inch alloy wheels in place of the 16-inch, as well as front foglamps. Special-edition badges let others know you’re not in just any Toyota Camry. Inside, the Camry Atara R has a premium three-spoke steering wheel with audio controls, a 6.1-inch screen display audio and reversing camera with fixed guidelines. It features a trip computer and eco indicator, and six-speaker audio including auxiliary and USB input with iPod connectivity. Camry Atara R special edition is offered in a choice of exterior colours: Diamond White, Silver Pearl, Graphite, Eclipse Black, Wildfire, Magnetic Bronze, and Reflex Blue. This Camry is well equipped in the safety field, with seven airbags, vehicle stability control and traction control. All versions of the Toyota Camry were tailored to suit Australian driving conditions and the tastes of Aussie drivers from very early in the design stage. The windscreen pillars have been slimmed down and no longer hinder the front-three-quarter vision to the extent they did before. The front seats are spacious and provide good support. There’s plenty of knee-room and head space is better than average for this class. Seating is set up to provide good width for two occupants in back seats that are semi-individual in their shaping. The area between them is left for occasional use by adults or a child seat. An all-new 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine was developed for the latest Toyota Camry prior to its 2011 introduction. It’s mated to a six-speed automatic transmission for the first time. This powertrain provides strong torque across a wide range and fuel consumption and CO2 emissions have been reduced by around 10 per cent from those of previous models. Toyota Camry is generally smooth and quiet, though rough roads may result in a firmer ride than some owners will like. As always, check for yourself by road testing a car before buying. Camry Atara R special edition is priced at a very reasonable $31,820, plus on-road costs. Toyota Camry has the impressive record of being the number one seller in its segment in Australia for the past 18 years. This latest special edition seems sure to help it continue to remain in front for a long time to come.  

Until the introduction of the cute little Volkswagen up! the Polo was the smallest Volkswagen sold in Australia. As is often the way the Polo grew in size over the years and later models are similar in size to older VW Golfs. This means that a late model Polo can be used as a family car if the kids are in their pre-teen years.The Volkswagen Polo has a solid feel that’s not the norm in Asian competitors of this size. Owners love them and say they feel safe and secure within them.Sales of the Polo were slow in its earlier days in Australia, but picked up after significant price cuts. Better styling helped as well, the new model introduced in July 2002 was more stylish than some of the somewhat bland earlier versions. The 2010 model further improved the looks and Polo is starting to become a serious contender in the small car market in Australia.Most Polos sold in Australia are hatchbacks, with either two or four passenger doors, but a four-door sedan, tagged as the Polo Classic, was imported from China during 2004 and 2005. The latter wasn’t a success due to dubious quality control.Another interesting model is the Polo Open Air of 1998 to 2000. Though a five-door hatchback it had a huge sunroof that could let in plenty of fresh air when fully open. It wasn’t a success either, so is comparatively rare on the used-car front.Handling was nothing special in the earlier days, with too much understeer. It can show up in anything more than moderate cornering and is presumably in there to maximise safety in the hands of clumsy drivers. This was improved in Polos from 2002 onwards.Most Polos in Australia have petrol engines, however turbo-diesels have really started to sell in good numbers in recent years. Petrol engine capacities in the standard models are 1.4 and 1.6 litres. Performance from the smaller engine is better than you might expect due to the little VW's relatively light weight. The 1.4 engine from the year 2000 was a more modern unit than the one it superseded and has a good combination of economy and performance.Interestingly, the petrol 1.6-litre engine used in the Polo Classic has a twin-cam setup, whereas the others have a single-cam head. In both cases there are four valves per cylinder.Transmission options are five-speed manual and four-speed auto until the new model of 2008. The Polo Classic sedan, pre-2010 GTI, and TDI diesel are only sold with the manual. From 2008 a six-speed automatic was installed, this expanded to seven speeds in 2010. Manuals remained at five-speed units.Polo GTI in its early versions wasn’t the pocket rocket its name might suggest, chiefly because the turbocharged 1.8-litre engine is running only modest boost. However, it works very nicely in mid-range torque. The real strength of the Polo GTI is its nimble handling. Firmer suspension and added precision through the steering means it gives you a lot of driving fun at a pretty modest price.Engine power in the latest Polo GTI, launched in November 2010, was increased from 110 kilowatts to 132 kW thanks to a new TwinCharger (supercharged and turbocharged) engine. Finally the Polo GTI had the grunt to back up its name.Volkswagen has undergone a revolution in Australia in recent years thanks to a smart new management team. This has led not only to better sales results, but also an increased number of dealerships, many with impressive high-tech facilities.Service and repairs are moderate in price, though they can be higher than for equivalent sized Asian cars. We have heard of no real complaints about the cost or availability of spare parts.A good amateur mechanic should be able to do a fair bit of their own work as the Polo has a simple mechanical layout and the underbonnet area isn’t too crowded. Have a repair manual at your side, and keep well clear of repairs that could affect the car’s safety.Insurance costs are about average for a car in this European class although you are likely to be charged extra, possibly substantially extra, to cover the Polo GTI because of its turbocharged engine.WHAT TO LOOK FORThe VW Polo is generally well built, however the quality of assembly on the Polo Classic sedan left something to be desired. Check the interior as it can be on the rough and ready side. Ensure the engine starts quickly and idles reasonably smoothly immediately it fires up.Older VW Polo engines aren't the most refined of units, but if one seems too bad it may be due for major repairs. Gearchanges should be light and easy, with no crunching when you shift down quickly. The clutch should be smooth and predictable in its operation. Look inside the boot for signs of harsh treatment as cars in this class sometimes get treated as small trucks by inner-city residents carting things around.Interior trim that has been continuously scorched by the Aussie sun through lack of undercover parking may fade. The dash top and luggage cover will be the first to suffer, look and feel for cracks, as well as for a dry feel in the plastics.CAR BUYING TIPTry to do any test drive with the car in stone-cold condition, after an overnight stop is ideal. Mechanical problems are often aggravated by cold weather.

Australians love Corollas and have done so for the last 46 years. Ours was the first market outside Japan to receive the car, Corollas were built here, in Melbourne, for many years and on average Australians buy almost 10 times more Corollas than the global average for the car. Corollas have long had a reputation for

So important is the Australian market to Mazda that the 2012 Sydney motor show saw the global debut of the revised CX-9 model. The Japanese marque with a reputation for quality is going gangbusters in Australia at the moment, having recently moved into third place overall in the sales race. The Mazda3 has been the number one selling car several times in the past 12 months.The most obvious feature of the latest version of the Mazda CX-9 is the huge grille that transforms it from looking like a sensible people mover into a standout model with plenty of road presence. But there’s a lot more to the large seven-seat Mazda than simply it’s bold new frontal look.It has been upgraded inside and out and carries minor refinements to the engine and its ancillaries that are said to have reduced its fuel consumption. For example, the Mazda usually only charges its battery when the load is off the engine, such as when it’s slowing down or running downhill, thus avoiding fuel use when that can be done.The previous Mazda CX-9 did like a drink, we are yet to carry out a road test on the latest update to the CX-9, so will measure the consumption for ourselves. The infotainment system in the big Mazda SUV has been upgraded and now features the latest audio, navigation and speech-recognition systems in what Mazda calls it’s HMI (Human Machine Interface).Mazda Australia is very strong on safety, so the CX-9 has had electronic stability control and rollover protection to help prevent crashes since its introduction in 2007. The suite of safety features has been greatly expanded, particularly in the crash avoidance field. Forward Obstruction Warning (FOW), Lane Departure Warning (LDW) and High Beam Control (HBC) anticipate danger and help the driver avoid it.Though it’s technically a Japanese vehicle, Mazda CX-9 is aimed at the American market. This will suit Australian buyers as we tend to lean more to the American automotive culture than to the Japanese one. This is a large vehicle with good interior space and plenty of punch from a large 3.7-litre V6 engine. Mazda CX-9 can certainly be used in light-duty running on forest trails, perhaps even at the beach, but almost all owners will use it as a spacious people mover.There's room for seven adults without them being overly cramped, though four adults and three children is more realistic. The centre set of seats can slide back and forward to let you vary the amount of legroom available in this seat and the third row seats. With the centre seat in its rearmost position there's almost limo-like legroom.The third row of seats fold flat very simply to give a useful increase in luggage space. Even with the seats in use there's still space for a couple of fair-sized suitcases. Though it’s similar in overall dimensions to large 4WDs like the Nissan Patrol and Toyota LandCruiser the Mazda looks smaller and less intimidating. However, parking it in tight spaces can be tricky at times. To its credit, this big Mazda has a good turning circle for its class and this can be a real help.Suspension and steering haven’t been altered in the new model. Though Australian imports have slightly more dynamic settings and firmer steering than the American models, the CX-9 is still relatively soft. In previous road tests we have commented that steering feel isn’t bad for a big people mover and there's little understeer until it’s going quite hard at bends. We will check this out when we carry out a full road test. 

Back in 2009 Australian tourists in Germany may have noticed an all-new Allroad Audi on many roads in the company’s fatherland. Those Aussies who already owned an Audi A6 Allroad quarto, and were keen on buying a smaller version of their versatile wagon would have seen A4 badges on an all-new Allroad model. Their eyes would have lit up in anticipation of getting into an A4 Allroad quattro. But their hopes would have been dashed on their return home, when Audi Australia apologised and said the A4 wasn’t on sale here. The reason was simple, in 2009 the A4 Allroad was only sold with a diesel engine and a manual gearbox. European drivers love the added control obtained by using a manual, and also appreciate the fuel savings it can offer. Down under, most buyers prefer the car to do its own gear changing and in our land of low-cost petrol (true!) saving a few per cent at the pump didn’t really add up to a lot of dollars. The Audi A6 Allroad quattro has been on sale in Australia for more than 10 years and had gathered a loyal brand of followers, so the local importer put pressure on head office to come up with an automatic transmission for the A4.Long story short; the Audi A4 Allroad quattro is about to go on sale in Australia – with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. Audi Australia initially plans to import 150 vehicles and can therefore (almost) justify it as being a limited edition. Just in case imports do cease after that 150 have been retailed it might be worth getting to your local dealer quickly.VALUEImpressively the engine’s official fuel consumption figure is just 6.0 litres per hundred kilometres. That low fuel number pushes it beyond the standard threshold of the Luxury Car Tax, helping Audi Australia to keep the price of the A4 Allroad down to a very reasonable $69,900. This is a considerable saving on the LCT-inflated price of the Audi A6 Allroad quattro.TECHNOLOGYAs in 2009, it’s still only offered with a 2.0-litre turbo-diesel engine, but Australian buyers have come to appreciate the high torque and low consumption of these oil-burning engines so that’s no longer a hassle on the sales front. In any case, the A4’s diesel is imported to Australia in its highest state of tune, putting out 130 kW of power and 380 Nm of torque.DESIGNOn the appearance front the new Audi also makes the grade. The big single-frame radiator grille carries chromed highlights, the body has been raised by almost 40 millimetres - to 180 mm - for better ground clearance. The lower sections of the body are done in a neat two-tone treatment and there are protective grey-coloured plastic wheel arch extensions to add to the sporty look at the same time as they minimise damage.The rear bumper has a diffuser look. Up top there’s a handy set of roof rails. Obviously the A4 is smaller than the A6, but during our introductory drive program in south-east Queensland we found it had plenty of interior space in the front seats, and that the back seat can be used by adults with a minimum of compromising with those in the front. Children will be fine in the back. Luggage space in the rear of the A4 Allroad is 490 litres, which compares favourably with the A6 Allroad’s 565 litres.SAFETYNumerous electronic safety aids help the all-wheel-drive Audi A4 to stay out of trouble both on sealed and unsealed surfaces. Up to eight airbags can be triggered in different stages should an unfortunate driver still manage to get into strife.DRIVINGEngine performance is excellent, with strong torque at low to midrange revs and we loved the rapid response to the ‘throttle’ and the way it picked up speed to overtake as safely as possible. As is usual in today’s best turbo-diesel engines, the Audi unit was only really recognisable as being a diesel when cold, when there was some clatter, and accelerating hard. Other than that it may well have been a petrol unit. We really like it.Handling feels nimbler in the A4 Allroad quattro than in the A6 we also tested on the day. The lighter weight obviously helps but the new wagon is aimed at a younger, sportier buyer and its steering and suspension have been tuned to suit. Not visible, but very much appreciated in the rough, is underfloor protection that means the A4 Allroad quattro can be used in moderate to medium all-road running. This certainly isn’t intended to be a bush basher, but the versatile wagon can go exploring in areas not available to conventional station wagons.VERDICTAll-in-all the new Audi A4 Allroad is an impressively versatile package that deserves to sell well.Audi A4 AllroadPrice: from $69,900Engine: 2.0-litre diesel, 130kW/380NmTransmission: 7-speed S-Tronic dual clutchThirst: 6.0L/100kmAudi A6 AllroadPrice: from $117,900Engine: 3.0-litre V6, 180kW/580NmTransmission: 7-speed dual clucth, AWDThirst: 6.3L/100km

Ford's Falcon is a rugged family car that copes well with rough and ready Australian bush roads so are very popular out there. They can be on the large side for close city work but have good outward visibility and a reasonably tight turning circle so aren’t too hard to drive in confined spaces.The radical styling of the AU was years ahead of its time when it was introduced in September 1998 and many conservative buyers didn’t like it. Facelifts to create the AU Falcon Series II in April 2000 and to the AU III in November 2001 helped a bit. However, it wasn’t until September 2002 that a major facelift to produce the BA Falcon started to put the Falcon back into buyers’ minds again.The BA Falcon was further upgraded to the BF Falcon in October 2005. Visual differences are minor, but there were significant changes to the transmissions at this time – more about them later. The introduction of the new FG series Falcon in May 2008 lifted awareness, but its shape was on the conservative side (it’s hard to please people…) and sales didn’t return to the record levels Falcon had enjoyed in the past.Falcons have seating for five adults, though four makes more sense because the use of rear-wheel drive means the transmission tunnel takes up a lot of foot room in the centre-rear position. Legroom and headroom are ample for all but the largest adults.Some find the relatively steep slope of the roof in the AU to BF series makes it awkward to get into the car. This applies to both front and back seats in sedans, naturally the back seat of the wagon doesn’t have this hassle. Comfort is very good and passengers can step out of a Falcon after a trip of hundreds of kilometres still feeling fresh and relaxed.The boot in the sedan is rather shallow in the older models and the slope of the bootlid on the AU reduces its practicality. It’s easy to load thanks to a good-sized opening. The BA is noticeably better, though still on the shallow side. Falcon station wagons are great load carriers as they are built on a longer wheelbase than the sedan so they have a long, wide, practical cargo area.The rear end of the BA is virtually identical to that of the older AU. Ford chose not to do an FG variant of the wagon. Instead, it created a Series III BF model to sell alongside the FG sedans. It wasn’t a success and was discontinued in 2010. Handling is surprisingly good for a car of this size and mass. You wouldn’t call it agile, but Falcons hold on when cornering at speeds far above those likely to be attempted by most drivers.Ford's six-cylinder engines all have a capacity of 4.0 litres but come in several formats, including one with a turbocharger. An interesting variant on the six-cylinder is a dedicated LPG engine. These are very common in taxis, but less so in private cars, with the exception of Victoria, and the engine is all but indistinguishable from a petrol unit to drive. It’s quite a bit thirstier than the petrol, so fuel range suffers.The standard AU six-cylinder unit is good enough, but the BA’s six-cylinder is noticeably smoother and offers even better performance. Ford fitted a 5.0-litre V8 to the AU, but it didn’t have a lot more performance than the six-cylinder units and was on the thirsty side. Much better were the BA bent eights: there was a choice of two, each with a capacity of 5.4 litres, one with a single-cam cylinder head, the other with a twin-cam setup.An impressive four-cylinder turbocharged engine was introduced midway through 2012. It has plenty of power and torque and lower fuel consumption than the big engines. The four’s lighter weight gives the big car a nicely nimble feel during cornering. Automatics were all four-speed units until the launch of the BF, when a sophisticated six-speed ZF unit was installedlpgThe ZF was originally only fitted in the topline variants, with the rest of the range using the four-speed. With the introduction of the FG Falcon in May 2008 all received the six-speed auto, with the exception of the LPG power models, which stuck with the old four-speed unit. A six-speed auto was finally installed behind the new design of LPG engine in July 2011.Manual gearboxes are rare and probably best avoided in all but the sporting XR6 and XR8 as they can affect resale value. The manual was a five-speed until the October 2005 BF series, when a six-speed was installed. Prices for spare parts, servicing and repairs are very reasonable and there are Ford dealers just about everywhere in Australia.Most spare parts for the Falcons covered here are readily available, although a few bits on some older cars may have to come from a wrecker. These are very simple cars to work on, with plenty of underbonnet and undercar space. We recommend having a workshop manual at your elbow before starting the work.Insurance prices are generally very reasonable and premiums for the everyday models are invariably at the lower end of the scale. It will generally cost more to cover a V8 Falcon than a straight-six, and be dearer again for a turbo six.WHAT TO LOOK FORRust is far less of a problem in these newer Falcons than old ones. To be on the safe side, check the door lower corners, door sill panels, mudguards and bootlid. If you do find serious rust the car may have been badly repaired after a crash.Many thousands of used Falcons will have been taxis at some time in their life. Be wary of one running on dedicated LPG, while these are quite common in Victoria, they are rare anywhere else in Australia. Signs of an ex-taxi are vinyl, rather than cloth, upholstery, severe wear both inside and out, holes where signs and a taximeter have been removed, and possibly a paint respray.Engine wear is indicated by a reluctance to start and by smoke from the exhaust and/or oil filler cap when the engine is revved. Four-speed automatics can cause problems on hard driven cars, especially the older models. Check they change gears cleanly and don't hunt up and down through the ratios. Be suspicious of any automatic that’s slow at going into gear from Neutral or Park.Listen for a whining differential when driving at around 60 to 90km/h. Check the cabin for damage caused by wild kids. In station wagons have a good look at the load area for signs of commercial use.CAR BUYING TIPNo matter how good a car looks on the surface it may have problems under the skin, never buy without a full inspection. 

Audi has added appeal to its big four-door A7 coupe by developing a high-performance S7 to the range. The German marque has long been regarded as a big mover in fast cars in its home market and its products are regular residents of the fast lane on the country’s high-speed motorways.DESIGNThe bold grille, big wheels and added details in the luxurious cabin leave no doubt this is the high-performance version of Audi’s biggest coupe.TECHNOLOGYNow the Audi S7 is available for the throng of happy drivers over there. Though decent speeds are not possible in Australia, buyers here will appreciate the extra urge from the tuned V8 engine and the sporting feel given by dynamic suspension and steering settings.Audi is using an all-new version of its efficient twin-turbo V8 engine to power the S7. The V8 drives through a seven-speed double-clutch automatic transmission.The chassis dynamics are offered in several stages by courtesy of a sophisticated electronic air suspension system so the driver can opt – by way of the MMI infotainment system – for the ideal setup for their personal mood and the condition of the road.DRIVINGOur initial test drives in the hinterland behind Queensland’s Sunshine Coast showed the sleek big four-door sports coupe to have plenty of engine power and an abundance of road grip.The S7’s scintillating performance is backed up by an engine note that’s great to listen to and on more than one occasion we found ourselves slowing down and dropping the transmission down a few gears so we could enjoy the push in the back acceleration and the quality of engine sound.The double-clutch gearbox wasn’t happy at very slow traffic speeds when Sport was selected, but performed beautifully in the normal setting. So if you’re out for an enthusiastic drive, make sure to juggle between the two settings when you reach town.VERDICTThe new high-performance Audi coupe is pretty well priced and seems sure to attract those looking for an excellent blend of sporty and elegant motoring.Audi S7 SportbackPrice: from $179,900Warranty: 3 years with unlimited kilometresEngine: twin-turbo V8, 309kW/550NmThirst: 9.6L/100km