Articles by Gordon Lomas

Garth Tander validated his switch to the Holden Racing Team by completing a clean sweep as the V8 Supercar championship was turned upside down following the inaugural Hamilton street race in New Zealand on the weekend. Tander, who claimed the 2007 championship with the HSV Dealer Team, resumed the flawless form he displayed at the non-championship grand prix races in Melbourne last month to guide the No. 1 Commodore to a trifecta of wins in round three of the series. “I was relieved to get my first round win for HRT because it was playing on my mind a bit,” Tander said as he clasped his hands around the Mark Porter trophy. The victory continued the unbeaten run of eight consecutive wins by Holden in V8 Supercar rounds in NZ, but it was the first round victory for the Lion badge this season. Ford had to rely on Steve Richards (Ford Performance Racing) and James Courtney (SBR Jeld-Wen Falcon) to salvage something from a Holden whitewash as the pair filled the podium spots. For all the hype of the first race around the tight, bumpy and raw 3.4km street course, the racing was mostly processional although there were a few spot battles. None were more spectacular than Courtney's team mate Shane Van Gisbergen, who put the sword to Mark Skaife and Russell Ingall among others. Van Gisbergen, who turns 19 at the next round in Perth starting on May 9, pulled off some breath-taking passes, which were sadly lacking at the front of the pack, on his way to 10th position. The complexion of the championship underwent a major transformation, with leader Jamie Whincup missing in action after crash damage ruled him out of lining up in any of the three heats. He dropped down to fifth in the standings. Rick Kelly, fourth for the round, assumes the lead on 672 points, 46 ahead of Tander, while Lee Holdsworth remains third on 580. It was a miserable weekend for DJRs Jim Beam squad and Team Vodafone. Will Davison was in the wars with a faulty starter motor that caused a pit blockage for his team mate Steve Johnson before his bonnet popped and smashed his windscreen. The No. 18 DJR Ford ground to a halt after completing just eight laps. Craig Lowndes managed to guide his No. 888 Ford from 19th after the first heat to 15th before scrambling up to seventh spot in the final race.   Standings Round positions 1 Garth Tander (Holden) 2 Steve Richards (Ford) 3 James Courtney (Ford) Championship points 1 Rick Kelly (Holden) 672 2 Garth Tander (Holden) 626 3 Lee Holdsworth (Holden) 580  

BMW has always been strong at being able to produce compact cars with soul and spirit.It is a fine art, an art where engineering integrity generates the DNA that dictates whether a small car will be an all-round track and field star or purely a one-dimensional athlete.A newcomer to BMW's small car fleet, the 1-series coupe, is no one-dimensional squib nor is it a decathlete.This pretty two-door is a track performer that is flexible enough to cut it with the one-event stars and yet muster the strength and stamina to do the hard yards with the middle-distance types at the same time.The 135i reflects everything that has made BMW's values as engineering driver's cars.Starting with the time-honoured recipe of putting a large engine in a small car, the 1-series had a lot going for it before the chassis boffins began to weave their tuning magic.It runs with the fabulously strong 3-litre twin-turbo inline six-cylinder engine that is well matched to a sweet chassis, which gives it composure to tackle the smoothest, roughest and lumpiest black tops.The evocative coupe is a car for all conditions and all distances, where it is a cool place to be for a sprint along the coast or for a hike to longer distances for border crossings.The 135i rides on run-flats — not the most compliant tyre going — so in between a sports suspension and rock-hard tyre walls there is not a lot of plushness going on in the ride department.It is firm rather than a bone-jarring hard ride, but it nevertheless is quite tolerable at highway speeds around challenging mountain terrain. The run-flats have more compliance in the side walls and are more closely linked to the suspension tune than in previous generations.There is minimal turbo lag and the six-speed manual box is well gated and nicely matched to one of the most refined inline force-fed six cylinder engines on the market.Aside from a modicum of ride harshness, everything about the 135i feels just about right — from the close heel/toe savvy pedal placement, to the excellent driving position in relation to vision, console controls and the gear shifter.Out on the road the 135i turns in with typical BMW sureness and the whole affair feels for all intents like you are driving a 3-series, save for a lighter feel which translates to a more compact driving experience.Unfortunately BMW did not have any 125i coupes available for the press launch so there is no base to go on for the newest two-door on the block.On a drive from Albury up to Thredbo the 1-series coupe sucked 12.3 litres but the two-door worked hard for its money, getting a fair workout higher in the rev range.It is the only rear-wheel-drive in its class, so there is no opposition.If a British test is to be believed the 135i can give a Porsche Cayman, worth around $50k more, a licking on a track.There is no doubt the 135i performs well above its weight division, a genuine weight-for-age competitor that is throwing down the challenge to higher-end stuff like the Cayman.If the 335i coupe is a teenage M3 then the 135i is a juvenile master blaster.It is the modern-day version of what the 3-series was 20 years ago, so rather than cannibalise BMW's bread-and-butter car, it provides entry into crackling turbo performance at about $40,000 less than a 335i coupe.Just as the 2002 turbo coupe created a cult following in 1973, the 1-series coupe stands to replicate history 35 years down the track.There are no real visible signs of compromises on the launch drive.A rattle in the dash provided some annoyance and the one and only cup holder in the centre console cannot house a drink bottle without first unplugging the iPod and USB leads underneath the centre arm rest.It's nit-picking, we know, but it was frustrating all the same. Snapshot BMW 1-Series CoupePrice: $54,400 125i manual ($57,200 auto), $71,400 135i manual, ($74,200 auto).Engine: 2996cc inline six cylinder (125i), 2979cc twin turbocharged inline six (135i).Power: 160kW @ 6100rpm (125i), 225kW @ 5800rpm (135i).Torque: 270Nm @ 2500rpm (125i), 400Nm @ 5800rpm (135i).Transmissions: 6-speed manual, 6-speed Steptronic automatic.Dimensions (mm): 4360 (length), 1748 (width), 1423 (height, 125i), 1408 (height, 135i), 2660(wheelbase).Kerb weight: 1405kg (125i, manual), 1485kg (135i, manual).0-100km/h: 6.4secs (125i, manual), 5.3secs (135i, manual).Fuel consumption: 8.7litres/100km (125i), 9.6litres/100km (135i) combined city/highway.Fuel capacity: 53 litres.Boot capacity: 370 litres (815 litres with the 60/40 split rear seats down). 

Resale and battery issues aside, there has always been much conjecture about the virtues, environmentally or otherwise about petrol/electric hybrids, particularly as there are some small diesel cars around these days that weaken the case for buying a hybrid for reasons of fuel economy.Prime case is Citroen's C3 HDi.There is now a nifty 1.6-litre diesel nestled in the nose of the cute C3. It delivers quite a deal of punch once the revs rise beyond 2000rpm. It is armed with 66kW of power and a significant 215Nm of torque.Around town it is quite tractable, more torque at lower revs means fewer gear changes in the cut-and-thrust of the peak-hour commute.On a 700km test run trudging to and from the Gold Coast into Brisbane's CBD, the little French hatch was sipping a little over 4.6 litres per 100km (factory claim is 4.4 litres per 100km on a combined run).You can stretch your travel a long, long way on one 47-litre tank.As with the petrol versions, the diesel has a long list of equipment starting with the full package of front airbags as well as lateral airbags for the front occupants.There are digital readouts for the speedo and odometer and trip computer but in contrast there is an analogue strip-style rev counter.There is some degree of fuss with the trip controls.Typically the French like these incorporated into the steering wheel-mounted stalks; there remains a degree of guesswork in the location of volume controls for the stereo system, which are at the rear of the right-hand windscreen wiper stalk.Apart from fiddly ergonomics the interior is a fashionable place, funky and light.There is good comfort from the front seats and a large glasshouse for a small hatch offers superb all-round vision.This is worth consideration if you are interested in a little French flair mixed with some substance and a broad user-friendly appeal as a city commuter.On the options list there are auto lights and auto wipers, reverse sensors, electric sunroof, metallic paint, five-stack CD player and leather upholstery.

The eighth-generation A4 is ready for showroom action among Audi's 30-strong Australian dealer network from early next month.Many in the industry have been asking why it has taken so long for Audi to produce a product that can hold its own with BMW's 3-Series and the Mercedes-Benz C-Class.This car is now primed to go the distance but whether it can ultimately score a TKO over the proven stars from Munich and Stuttgart is a moot point.Sure, there is a lot to like about the car with its improved steering, handling, braking and ride. That said, up to 64 per cent of people who have bought an A4 say they do so primarily because of its design.A great deal of plough-on understeer has been dialled out of the front-drive models, but the rear-drive opposition from Mercedes and BMW still has the edge.The axle has been pushed further towards the front, reducing the overhang and allowing the firewall to be moved further back.On first impressions at the wheel of an entry-level 1.8-litre turbocharged four-cylinder with the Multitronic transmission, the A4 offers strong on-road composure, fresh cabin ambience, comfort and excellent ergonomics.The steering is much sharper than previous models, the brakes a little touchy in the city but felt better out on the open road.There is decent rear seat room, which has been an issue in this class previously. You need to keep working on the throttle to keep the little unit on the boil.This example was lavished with almost $7000 worth of options, blowing the price as driven to $60,400.The extra boxes ticked were the Comfort Pack, which for $2600 you gain electric seats with lumbar support, tri-zone climate control airconditioning and Bluetooth preparation, although the adapter for the mobile phone is a separate purchase.It also had metallic paint, a $1600 price hike across the range, and $1900 for larger 17-inch wheels.All up, the A4 is a better performer, using under 7 litres/100km around town, which blew to 8.5 litres/100km when the little four-cylinder was worked hard.Moving to the two-litre turbo-diesel, the driving experience was an entirely different affair.For starters, the diesel, which weighs more than the petrol engine, is slower to turn into corners, a little blunter in the steering department but is otherwise an attractive package.The two-litre delivers smooth torque, easily taking care of any hill in its path with a modicum of revs.This car had almost $10,000 of extras, including the 17-inch wheels ($1900), the Xenon headlight package ($2100), rear park-assist sensors ($850), the Audi Side and Lane Assist ($2400) and the Comfort Pack ($2600), that lifted the price to $64,750.Audi says the 1.8-litre will account for 70 per cent of sales while the two-litre diesel will attract only 10 per cent of the A4 volume.However, the entry-level diesel is an attractive package for $54,900 without extras and there are concessions from Audi that a more realistic slice of the action could be anything up to 30 per cent of sales.The cabin architecture and build quality assumes Audi's class-leading standard, although the aluminium look panel and console inserts, which Audi calls “micrometallic platinum inlays” may not wear all that well down the track. 

Victoria's intention to mandate electronic stability systems and head airbags in all new cars from 2011 is an extremely noble and morally forthright move.

It is a bullish forecast on the back of a sales surge that has seen Audi double its business in Australia since 2004, including 7200 vehicles sold last year.The A4, coded the B8 in the model's family tree, is seen as Audi's last big hope to join the pacesetters of the flourishing premium compact segment.Over the years this patch has been dominated by BMW's ethereal 3-series and the spiralling growth of Mercedes-Benz's C-Class. Some observers claim this new Audi is the missile it needs to capture a share of the market outside Europe.It is a completely new and bigger car, with more dynamic refinement and technical innovations, but whether it will be enough to justify Audi's bold predictions is open to conjecture.Since 1972, when the B1 — the A4's forebear — was born, the model line has been the backbone of Audi's business, selling more than 8.5 million. In 2007 it accounted for 41 per cent of the Ingolstadt manufacturer's international sales that topped 960,000 units.Audi is cocky about the Australian prospects of the latest A4, claiming part of the success will come from improved resale values — one of its weaknesses against the traditionally strong BMW residuals.The latest A4 arrives here with a string of awards from Germany. But it is up against not only the selling might of the rear-drive 3-series but also the burgeoning Mercedes C-Class, the current Wheels Car Of The Year.And then there is the Lexus IS250.Audi risks alienating its highest-spending A8 saloon customers by suggesting that the company aims to introduce breakthrough technology on the A4.Of course Audi's famous quattro all-wheel-drive layout was fashioned on the Audi 80 in 1982 and later that decade direct-injection TDI diesels were launched with the Audi 100, both important cogs in the A4 lineage.So it is aiming to use the A4 again as the launch bed of technical breakthroughs.Among the interesting additions on the new A4 are the side-assist warning and the lane-assist device.The side-assist is essentially the same as the BLIS system, which was pioneered by Volvo.The lane-assist operation uses sensors that detect if the car is going off-course by triggering a vibration through the steering wheel, akin to running over audible rumble lines on some freeways. Together these two systems are a $2400 option.Audi is offering a range of engine choices, starting with the 1.8-litre turbo from $50,900 for the manual and $53,500 for the Multitronic.From there the range steps up to a 2.0-litre Multitronic turbo-diesel ($54,900) while the 3.2-litre V6 quattro petrol vehicle tops the range at $88,500.Joining the crowd in June is a 2.7-litre turbo-diesel at $67,900, while a 3-litre turbo-diesel from $89,500 is scheduled for October, two months after the Avant wagon arrives.Dimensionally, there are significant changes with the new car that comes off the already launched A5 coupe platform.It has been stretched a further 120mm and is 50.4mm wider, while the boot gains 20 litres which swells to a cavernous 480 litres.The quattro, which is not accessible until you stretch to the 3-litre diesel and 3.2-litre V6, has a 40/60 front/rear torque split.The A4 is 4703mm long and wins out over the 3-series (4520mm) and the C-Class (4581mm).BMW and Mercedes-Benz also have a shorter distance between the axles, with the Audi running to 2808mm against the 3-series's 2760mm and the C-Class (2760mm).The A4 has more front headroom than both of its German rivals but the 3-series and C-Class win out in front and rear shoulder width.Other key optional extras for the A4 include the drive select with adaptive dampers for $3200. You can add dynamic steering to that package, which blows the price to $5500 and is available only on the 3.2-litre V6.Then there is the Xenon Plus package (standard on the 3.2-litre V6) which adds the curvy LED daytime running lights for $2100. SnapshotAudi A4Price: from $50,900 to $88,500.Engines: 1.8-litre four cylinder, 2-litre turbo-diesel, 2.7-litre turbo-diesel, 3.2-litre V6 quattro, 3-litre turbo-diesel quattro.Transmissions: 6-speed manual, Multitronic, 6-speed Tiptronic (3.2-litre V6).Power: 118kW (1.8), 105kW (2-litre TDI), 140kW (2.7-litre TDI), 195kW (3.2-litre V6).Torque: 250Nm (1.8), 320Nm (2-litre TDI), 400Nm (2.7-litre TDI), 330Nm (3.2-litre V6).Safety: Eight airbags (standard), ESP and associated brake and skid assist programs.Fuel consumption: 7.1litres/100km (manual 1.8), 5.8litres/100km (2-litre TDI), 6.6litres/100km (2.7-litre TDI), 9.3litres/100km (3.2-litre V6).Emissions: 169g/km (1.8), 154 (2-litre TDI), 176 (2.7-litre TDI), 220 (3.2-litre V6).Standard Equipment: 6.5inch screen, automatic aircon, Milano leather seat upholstery and head restraints.Optional equipment: adaptive cruise control, adaptive lights, advanced key, various parking systems, Audi drive select with adaptive dampers, lane assist, side assist, dynamic steering, 14-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system, Bluetooth, 3-zone automatic aircon, driver information system with monochrome display, navigation system with DVD including MMI (multi media interface), Comfort package, Symphony radio, TV reception, Xenon Plus headlight and daytime LED driving lights, gearshift display, Valcona leather. 

And it's reassuring to know you are cocooned in one of the safest vehicles in the world.Volvo has made the third-generation V70 wagon an even safer proposition. There is greater side protection and curtain airbags extend a further 60mm to cover smaller passengers in the rear seat.It is a departure from previous models in that it gains a six-cylinder engine for the first time and is enhanced with more luxury features. Performance and sophistication were the goals for the V70 that is powered by a fresh 3-litre V6 boosted by a twin-scroll turbo.For those who want to tow, there is a generous 400Nm available across the 1500rpm-4800rpm rev range.There is spirited performance in a competent chassis which rides, steers and handles diligently.In fact, you can tailor the car to steer, handle and ride to suit individual tastes.There is the Four-C continuously controlled chassis as standard where you can set the damping to three settings — comfort, sport and advanced.For a $750 premium you can add the adjustable power steering that can be set to one of three levels — low, medium and high. It works at low speeds such as in parking areas where assistance is most needed.On the highway the steering feels quite neutral and the ride, even in Advanced mode for better body control and firmer damping, is reasonably compliant.The clarity and quality of the interior layout and trim, red leather in the ilk of an Italian sports car rather than a Swedish wagon, is top shelf and up there with the highly praised Audi architecture.The seats are a hallmark, one of Volvo's strong points, where it is easy to consider occupying a pew on an inter-city haul or a long driving holiday.On the launch drive from Adelaide, through the hills and down to Goolwa and back, the fuel consumption was 12.6 litres/100km, overshooting the factory claim of 11.3.The V70 feels bulky, a substantial vehicle in mass and on-road presence.There's a long list of standard features although the list of options runs up a princely sum.Among the items you can add are ventilated seats ($3200), electric sunroof ($2150), satellite navigation ($3950) and reverse camera ($1200), adaptive cruise control and collision warning with auto brake ($3950), integrated telephone ($2900) and Blind Spot Information ($1200).This is a fine package that successfully harnesses performance, luxury, packaging and safety.Just as BMW are the kings of the compact premium sedan genre, Volvo is the king of the wagon market.The V70, while initially it may be seen as a low volume seller, is ready to catch any fall-out from the luxury SUV crowd.A word of warning — don't lose your Personal Car Communicator (the key) — it's at least $270 to replace.

James Bond's last ride has finally made it to Queensland. Described as a DB9 on steroids, the DBS was unveiled at the Sunshine Aston Martin dealership at Southport, Queensland's sole outlet for the brand, last week. Four DBS vehicles have been sold and the dealership's next allocation is not expected until late next year. The DBS is the car which made a fleeting but record-breaking appearance in the last 007 film, Casino Royale in 2006. The production version made its global debut at the famed Concours d'Elegance at Pebble Beach in California last year. In the movie the car made a cameo appearance — on screen for a matter of seconds — but it made an impact and entered The Guinness Book of World Records by rolling seven times in the air before it crashed. The road car is one rung down from the DBR9 sports car, a rocket ship which won the GT1 class at the Le Mans 24-hour last year at the hands of Australian David Brabham, Rickard Rydell and Darren Turner. For $520,000 fully optioned including all on-road costs you get the most technological Aston ever built, full of space-age materials and lashings of carbon fibre. Under the V-shaped bonnet, which can be lifted with your little finger, hides a 6-litre V12 that screams to 6500rpm and maxes out at 380kW of power and 570Nm of torque. Acceleration is not for the weak-kneed as it tackles the 0-100km/h measurement in a supercar-qualifying 4.3 seconds. There is carbon throughout the car, including the front wing lip, the rear diffuser, the wing mirror joins and door surrounds that amount to a considerable slimming of overall weight. A complex Adaptive Damping System uses two valves to adjust the dampers to five different settings. The DBS is shod with specially developed Pirelli P-Zero 20-inch rubber. Huge brakes made of a carbon/ceramic composite are 12.5kg lighter than conventional materials. Up to 300 have been earmarked for global production. Sunshine Aston Martin sales manager Chris von Oppeln says the super sports coupe has attracted a wide demographic group. “The demographics on the Gold Coast vary from property developers, medical people, earth-movers, horse breeders and those from the mining industry,” he said. The next challenge for the Southport Aston Martin dealership is the arrival, possibly in late 2009 or early 2010, of the Rapide four-door super saloon. “We have had an enormous amount of interest in the Rapide,” von Oppeln said. “It will bring in people who have not previously considered an Aston.” A convertible version, the DBS Volante, was captured in development testing in Europe earlier this year.   Snapshot Aston Martin DBS Body: 2-seat coupe made from bonded aluminium VH structure Engine: all-alloy quad overhead cam 48-valve 6-litre V12 Layout: front mid-mounted engine, rear-wheel-drive Power: 380kW @ 6500rpm Torque: 570Nm @ 5750rpm 0-100km/h: 4.3secs Max speed: 302km/h Transmission: rear-mid-mounted 6-speed manual Wheels: 8.5x20-inch (front), 11x20-inch (rear) Tyres: Pirelli P Zero 245/35 (front), 295/30 (rear) Steering: rack and pinion with servotronic speed-sensitive power assist, 3 turns lock-to-lock Suspension: independent double wishbone (front), independent double wishbone (rear) Dimensions (mm): 4721 (l), 1905 (w), 1280 (h), 2740 (wheelbase) Brakes: 398mm ventilated carbon ceramic discs with six-piston calipers (front), 360mm ventilated carbon ceramic discs with four-piston calipers (rear) Price: $466,600 (list price), $520,000 (optioned and on road)  

Skoda returned to Australia last October with a range of well-equipped models. They are not essentially bad cars, borrowing bits from Volkswagen's huge buying power, but the execution has perhaps not been as perfect as it could have and the pricing in certain offerings leaves us a bit cold.We drove several models, both the basic Ambiente trim and Elegance.Basic trim levels are good with reasonable features, while Elegance adds a comprehensive list of extras including auto lights, auto wipers, reversing sensors, cruise control, faux carbon fibre trim and trip computer. Our test cars included the basic models up to the RS.You can also add various options such as those added to the Elegance sedan that blow the price out. It was tuned with sports suspension, had a wheel package added, satnav and a sunroof which took the normal $33,290 price up to more than $45,000.For all the froth and bubble, the bottom line is that on first appraisal the Octavia, in its many forms, feels like a $25,000 car.Allowing for all the kit, the Elegance sedan really is over-the-odds on price.This German-owned Czech brand remains hobbled by a fair degree of invisibility to most potential buyers.Now we may be wrong but in this mid-sized segment which the Japanese own through the Toyota Camry/Aurion and the Mazda6, Skoda would hardly register on the radar.Allowing for all that the Octavia does have redeeming features. The liftback model is very versatile. Fold the rear seats flat and there's enough room for furniture. The boot alone is 560 litres and pumps out to a whopping 1420 litres with the seat down.The warranty is a respectable three years/unlimited kilometres with roadside assist and service every 15,000km.All transmissions are smooth but the six-speed automatic direct shift gearbox (DSG), direct from VW and Audi is the pick of them.The two-litre petrol engine is a bit of a screamer, and both turbo-diesels have annoying initial lag, then a substantial boost from just off idle that tugs at the steering wheel. The 1.9-litre diesel runs out of breath a little early, while the 2-litre pulls further up the rev range.While the ride is quite compliant even with the optional firmer suspension, there are seemingly ever-present traces of engine, suspension and road noise filtering into the cabin.The front-wheel drivers have crisp handling, although there is a little more understeer on the diesels with their heavier steel engines up front. The interior is quite smart, and everywhere you look there are switches and buttons and dials from the Audi and VW spare parts bin. Nothing wrong with that either.Fuel economy on our tests was close to the claimed figures for each model, even though we gave some a few spirited charges.Apart from awareness, the biggest issue Skoda has with the Octavia, which incidentally is coming to the end of its model life with an all-new car coming next year, is price. It does not seem to be right.And while there is a little bit of an improvement at both ends of the range — the 1.9-litre diesel and Octavia RS wagon — there still seems to be something missing from the menu.Yes, it has a bit more grunt and is a little bit flashy here and there but it remains a little soft compared with a hot Audi or VW.While they were all a pleasurable drive, there was a distinct lack of wow factor.Even the RS seemed a little tame to be sporting such a badge. Nothing really hits you in the face in terms of flash badging in the cabin, either.In fairness the RS wagon is a tidy package for a tick under $40,000 and a whole lot cheaper than buying a turbo Audi A4 wagon.If you have your hearts set on one you can do a lot worse.But then there is the issue of resale down the track.What price you will get in two years is anyone's guess, although the diesel models are bound to attract better residuals.

This 6.213km ribbon of bitumen, shimmering on a 32C day, is at the rooftop of Australian motor racing. Defined by high-speed straights, blind corners, sharp descents and a set of narrow corners across the top, Bathurst is a track that demands the most from cars and drivers.While it has been in regular use for car racing for more than 40 years and was once home to the notorious Easter motorcycle races, the circuit carries regular commuter traffic for much of the year.Apart from racing, the track has been closed only once for a car company, when Volvo launched its 760 Turbo sedan in 1984.That was until the week before Easter when Mercedes-Benz arrived in Bathurst – population, 37,000 – with its range of hardcore AMG performance vehicles.It was the perfect location to unleash the C 63 AMG for the first time on Australian soil in what proved to be a week-long speed fest. The C 63 is priced at $20,000 under the C 55 AMG it outdates, coming in at $139,500.According to Mercedes-Benz Australia managing director Horst von Sanden, the value pricing has jolted its direct rivals, with BMW's M3 coupe priced at $157,000 and Audi's RS4 at $164,500, both heavy-hitting V8-engined vehicles.The fifth offering in the line of C-Class-based AMG models runs a 6.2-litre V8, which develops 336kW of power and 600Nm of torque.On the numbers front, the C 63 hits the mark covering a standing start to 100km/h in 4.5 seconds, undercutting the M3 and the RS4 by 0.3sec. It runs a new version of the 7G-Tronic Speedshift Plus gearbox which, in the words of five-times Mercedes DTM champion Bernd Schneider, eliminates any need for a manual.Unlike the M3 where the driver can program different settings for the steering and throttle, the C 63 is set although there is a newly mapped three-stage ESP arrangement and there are three driving modes.Sport mode shifts gears 30 per cent quicker than in Comfort, while in Manual mode the cogs shift up to 50 per cent faster.Tuning of the exhaust system delivers a soundtrack not dissimilar to the DTM car on which the C 63 is based, and which has won 61 races from 116 starts in the German Touring Car championship.The C 63 is the first AMG to carry specially built front suspension geometry, which gives a far firmer ride.Picking the C 63 from the rest of the C-Class crowd is easy; it has flared front guards, power bulges on the bonnet and a DTM-like rear with a black diffuser and integrated chromed twin tailpipes each side.The nose is distinctive although the grille is based on the Avantgard while the dark-tinted headlights give it a sinister look.An order-only C 63 AMG wagon, priced at $141,300, will be available from the third quarter of the year.Australia will receive an initial batch of 350 C 63s with von Sanden convinced he could sell between 500 and 600 if he could get an extra quota from Germany."It is a big conquest opportunity for us," he said. "I don't think we run the risk of cannibalising our products because of the price. AMG customers are less likely to be driven by price alone."The options list is limited to an electric roller blind for the rear glass, a keyless-go driver authorisation system and AMG carbonfibre trim.Unlike the M3 which offers motorsport brake pads for a $2378.95 premium option, the C 63 has no such product. It is equipped with fade-resistant AMG high-performance brakes with 360mm x 36mm discs at the front clamped by six-piston callipers with 330mm x 26mm discs with four-piston callipers at the rear.The C 63 will help total AMG sales to reach a predicted 1000 for 2008 with Australia in the top five countries globally for AMG sales per capita. How the C 63 handlesThe whole process brings out a broad smile with the ESP intervening only after the rear has stepped out enough for the driver to feel a quarter of a turn of opposite lock.The smooth 7G-Tronic AMG Speedshift Plus automatic gearbox is a good match for the 6208cc V8 engine.Shifts either with the gear lever or steering wheel-mounted paddles are ultra-quick.Hug the left-hand apex at The Cutting, gently squeeze the throttle and the C 63 hunkers down, with perhaps a trace of rear-wheel slip if you are too early on the power, and then settle it for the relative fast run into Reid Park.From here the next five corners through Sulman, McPhillamy Parks and down to Skyline are the most exhilarating series of turns in Australia.Balance and body control of the C 63 are tested here with the balance quite neutral and the entire affair pinned down neatly and tightly.Attacking the left-hander into Skyline, again it wants to understeer momentarily.Hard on the brakes for the first descent, the C 63 steers obediently with some trailing brake down towards The Dipper.Squeezing the throttle for the run through some quick changes of direction and into the second-gear Forest's Elbow the C 63 remained composed.It is stable under heavy braking and the handling remained remarkably controlled.Full throttle down Conrod, it hits the hump before entering the kink into The Chase and the ESP symbol flashes up in the instrument panel.The car's 1730kg kerb weight feels considerably lighter here, triggering the stability system into action.Through the left and right of The Chase the C63 remains balanced but wants to break loose if you are too aggressive on the throttle on the exit.Hammering the brakes into Murray's corner the rear squirms to a degree before it settles down as you head towards the left for the apex and use the kerb on the right for a swift exit to the finish.We did some 40 laps over the course of the day at Mt Panorama and the underlying message from the C 63 was that it was an effortless yet razor-sharp pocket rocket.There was no road drive so we'll have to wait until the test car arrives to accurately gauge the virtues of its ride quality in the real world.But for now the C 63 is very much a sleeping giant of the compact high-performance brigade.