Articles by Gordon Lomas

Newly appointed Ford Australia president Bill Osborne brashly predicts that not only will the Falcon survive a threat to its existence, it will overtake the Holden Commodore as the family car leader. It's a big call as, aside from beating the Commodore by a few dozen sales in September 2003, the Falcon has not been a dominant force in the large-car segment for more than a decade.The FG Falcon arrives for duty in May, with the eighth-generation family car coming at a time when the segment has been decimated chiefly by those migrating to SUVs or downsizing in fuel economy and cabin space to medium and small cars.The market for large cars has dipped by as much as 20 per cent on year-to-date figures to the end of February. The Falcon is down 1288 while the Commodore has dropped 1495. Dark clouds continue to give the domestic family car bunch a gloomy future but Osborne remains optimistic the sales erosion will not continue.Ford says it has managed its run-out of the existing BF Falcon to the point where it will have a clean changeover with few run-out models remaining. Osborne doesn't expect the large car segment to rebound to a significant extent, although he says the FG will help rebuild Falcon sales.He says the FG will ultimately overtake the VE Commodore but won't nominate time frame or market-share figure.“I have no fear of comparing this product head-to-head with the Holden or the Toyota (Aurion) offering because I do believe it is world-class,” Osborne says.Ford's challenge is going to be spreading the message far and wide enough that people will come and drive the FG Falcon.“It's up to us to convince consumers we have the best product in that market and up to our dealers to get people in the vehicles and drive them head-to-head,” he says.“If you offer a product for a compelling and appealing price and tell enough people about it, eventually they will come.”However, Osborne says there is no silver bullet that will bring people back to large cars, saying that offering the best engineered sedan was crucial.“Our simple strategy is to offer the best-engineered and built sedan in the segment,” he says.“It's still an important segment for us and we plan to do well in the class.”In a year that heralds another milestone in the Falcon's history, the Falcon-based Territory faces its moment of truth. There is no upgrade for 2008 and the versatile wagon is now treading water in sales volume in a segment where business continues to soar, driven chiefly by Toyota's Kluger and solid Holden Captiva business. 

Peculiar in that it is denuded of all the cars and characters that paint Mt Panorama a kaleidscope of colour when the 1000km V8 Supercar Classic shakes the mountain each October.This 6.213km ribbon of bitumen, shimmering on a sweaty 32C day is literally at the rooftop of Australian motor racing.Defined by high-speed straights, blind corners, sharp descents and a narrow queue of corners across the top that literally electrifies the body, Bathurst is a ballsy place that demands ballsy cars.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.Outside racing, the track has only been closed once for a car company was when Volvo did a launch there in 1984 with its 760 Turbo sedan.That was until the week before Easter when Mercedes-Benz came to Bathurst - population of 37,000 - with their range of hardcore AMG performance vehicles.It was the perfect location to unleash the C 63 AMG for the first time on Australia soil which interrupted normal service at Mt Panorama for a week-long thrash.The new addition to the family arrives at a massive $20,000 underneath the C 55 AMG which it outdates, coming in at $139,500.According to Mercedes-Benz Australia managing director Horst von Sanden the value pricing has sent a jolt through its direct rivals.The discrepency leaves BMW's M3 coupe at $157,000 and Audi's RS4 at $164,500, both heavy-hitting V8-engined rocketships, looking a little worse for wear on the price front.The fifth offering in the line of C-Class-based AMG models runs a 6.2-litre (the modus operandi for the 63 badge designation is to upsize on the cubic capacity figure in this case 6208cc) V8 which develops 336kW of power and a decent dollop of torque at 600Nm.On the numbers front, the C 63 hits the mark covering a standing start to 100km/h in 4.5secs, undercutting the M3 and the RS4 by .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 sensitivities 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 Manual mode the cogs shift up to 50 per cent faster.The auto tranny is a trick piece of work which features a blipping function where extra revs are automatically delivered on downshifts so you can sound like Schneider on a qualifier at the Nurburgring.Optimisation of the exhaust system gives it the soundtrack not dissimilar the DTM car from which the C 63 is based and which has won an 61 races from 116 starts in the German Touring Car championship.The C 63 is the first AMG to carry unique front suspension geometry.The suspension is 100 per cent firmer.Picking the C 63 from the rest of the C-Class crowd is a cinch with flared front wings unique body styling bonnet power domes, a DTM-like rear with a black diffuser with integrated chromed twin tailpipes each side.The nose is distinctive although the grille is based on the Avant Guard 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 this year.Australia will receive an initial batch of 350 C 63s with von Sanden convinced he could sell between 500-600 if he could leverage an extra quota from Germany.“'It is a big conquest opportunity for us,” von Sanden said.“I don't think we run the risk of cannibilising 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 carbon fibre trim.Unlike the M3 which offers motorsport brake pads for a $2378.95 premium option, the C 63 has no such option.It is equipped with fade-resistant AMG high performance brakes with 360mmx36mm discs at the front clamped by six-piston callipers with 330mmx26mm 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. On the roadFingers of flame reach outside the left front wheel and lick at the chrome spokes in a fiery protest at being abused for two laps.The fire from the brakes ignited seconds after a CLK 63 AMG came to rest at the entrance to the pit lane at Bathurst.Two laps earlier Bernd Schneider, Mercedes-Benz's long serving and highly decorated DTM and sports car racer, had taken some wisened motor scribblers for a scenic tour of Mt Panorama.Naughty Bernd didn't cool the brakes down like everyone else was instructed.“It's good to see you were kind on the brakes Bernd,” one quipped.“Well, you see, I had to warm them up just a little,” Schneider replied after circulating his first ever laps of the daunting 6.213km circuit at what mere mortals would term qualifying pace.Warm them up - man there was a veritable BBQ happening at the front of that C 63.Nonetheless it was a cool way to end what was a cool day in blazing early autumn heat.Earlier the family of AMG cars was available to drive with professional racing drivers offering valuable tutelage from the passenger seat on where to lift, where to brake and what lines to take, a crucial element particularly across the top.The focus of attention was the C 63 AMG which has just arrived for consumption in Australia.The master blaster of the C-Class range was at our disposal for a day of unpaced, unfettered laps on the most daunting piece of bitumen south of Germany's famous Nordschliefe.Bathurst was a fabulous place to gauge what makes the C 63 AMG tick.This big displacement V8 is quick - any car that disposes of one of the shortest and admittedly a more often than not irrelevant measurement (0-100km/h) in 4.5sec has to be rapid.The magic in the C 63 is in the palms of your hands, the tiller telling the story of supreme accuracy.There are simply no peers when it comes to steering feel, response and control.This is the most together AMG there has ever been, of that there is no doubt.What there is doubt on is whether it is better than BMW's M3 or the Audi RS4.Sure it is probably better in some areas where you don't need to back-to-back the trio to be sure, like torque no less.But to arrive at a final decision without such a high-powered comparo would err on the side of danger.What we do know is the C 63 is a compact stick of dynamite which delivers sledgehammer performance with go-kart handling qualities.The unique front suspension set-up aids the steering which has the most accurate feel of any modern-day hot rod sedan.Particularly at the straight ahead, the surety of the precision is a confidence-inspiring feeling especially when you approach the 250km/h speed restrictor down Conrod Straight.Around Bathurst the handling manners of the C 63 come under the microscope.After blasting up Mountain straight, the enormous reserves of torque, 500Nm of the full 600Nm are available from 2000rpm-6250rpm, put their hand up.Flexibility in this engine lifts it above rivals.Braking hard for Griffins and darting across for the apex there are at first traces of understeer which transfer to slight oversteer.But the whole process brings out a broad smile with the ESP only intervening after the rear has stepped out enough for the driver to feel a quarter of a turn of opposite lock.The 7G-Tronic AMG Speedshift Plus automatic gearbox has formed an intimate relationship with the 6208cc V8 engine.Shifts either via the gear lever or steering wheel mounted paddles are like lightning.Hug the left-hand apex at The Cutting, gently squeeze the throttle and the C 63 hunkers down, may be 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 and McPhillamy Parks and down to Skyline are the most exhilerating series of turns in Australia.Balance and body control of the C 63 are tested through 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 drop in descent, the C 63 steers obediently with some trailling brake down toward 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 nice and 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 lit flashes up in the instrument panel.The car's 1730kg kerb weight lightens considerably 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 hare toward the left for the apex and use the kerb on the right for a swift exit to the finish.We did 40-odd laps over the course of the day at Mt Panorama and the underlining 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.*FOOTNOTE: The best timed lap from one of the 35 professional drivers was 2min35sec. Snapshot Mercedes-Benz C63 AMGEngine: 6208cc V8.Power: 336kW @ 6800rpm.Torque: 600Nm @ 5000rpm.Transmission: AMG Speedshift Plus 7G-Tronic 7 speed with paddle shifts.Steering: speed sensitive rack and pinion with steering damper.Wheels: front - 8Jx18-inch, rear - 9Jx18.Tyres: front - 235/40ZR 18, rear - 255/35 ZR 18.Dimensions(mm): 4726(l), 1795(width), 1439(h), 2765(wheelbase).Kerb weight: 1730kg.0-100km/h: 4.5sec.Fuel capacity: 66litres.Fuel consumption: 13.4litres/100km (claimed).Top speed: 250km/h (electronically restricted.

Newly appointed Ford Australia president Bill Osborne brashly predicts that not only will the Falcon survive a threat to its existence but it will overtake the Holden Commodore as the family car leader.It's a big call as, apart from beating the Commodore by a few dozen sales for the month of September 2003, the Falcon has not been a dominant force in the large car segment for more than a decade.The FG Falcon arrives for duty in May with the eighth-generation family car coming at a time when the segment has been decimated chiefly by those either migrating to SUVs or by downsizing in both fuel economy and cabin space to medium and small cars.The market for large cars has dipped by as much as 20 per cent on year-to-date figures to the end of February. The Falcon is down 1288 while the Commodore has dropped 1495.Dark clouds continue to give the domestic family car bunch a gloomy future but Osborne remains optimistic that the sales erosion will not continue at such a rapid rate.Ford says it has managed its run-out of the existing BF Falcon to the point where it will have a clean changeover with few run-out models remaining.Osborne warns that he does not expect the large car segment to rebound to any significant extent although he says the FG will help rebuild Falcon sales.He says the FG will ultimately overtake Holden's VE Commodore but did not nominate a time frame or specify a market share figure."I won't give you market share predictions at this point but I do believe it (Falcon) will ultimately attain market leadership," Osborne said."It's something that's not going to be accomplished overnight."But I think it is head and shoulders above our principle competitors in the market and I say that without apology."I have no fear of comparing this product head to head with the Holden or the Toyota (Aurion) offering because I do believe it is world-class."Ford's challenge is going to be spreading the message far enough and wide enough so that people will come and drive the FG Falcon."It's up to us to convince consumers we have the best product in that market and up to our dealers to get people in the vehicles and drive them head to head."If you offer a product for a compelling and appealing price and tell enough people about it, eventually they will come."However, Osborne says there is no silver bullet that will bring people back to large cars, saying that offering the best engineered sedan was crucial."Our simple strategy is to offer the best engineered and built sedan in the segment. It's still an important segment for us and we plan to do well in the class."In a year which heralds another milestone in the Falcon's history, the Falcon-based Territory faces its moment of truth.There is no upgrade for 2008 and the versatile wagon is treading water in sales volume in a segment where business continues to soar.It is chiefly driven by Toyota's Kluger and solid Holden Captiva business, while Mazda's stylish and functional CX-9 seven-seater has provided incremental growth."I wish we had a freshened (up) Territory," Osborne said."We will be examining how we go to market with Territory for the rest of the year."It continues to be a very important vehicle for us and I would describe it now as holding its own."Ford has learnt valuable lessons in take-up rates following its failure to detect potential demand for the diesel variant of the new Mondeo medium car. The mix is up to 40 per cent for the diesel, a figure Ford undersold by 100 per cent, which has constrained sales performance."We are working to fix that. We undercalled the diesel mix at introduction and did not have enough diesel stock at the launch," Osborne said."I don't think we will make that mistake again." 

The thoroughbred Holden and Ford tourers will run on E85 ethanol fuel in a move driven to push the environmental message.Team owners Larry Perkins and Ross Stone will head a sub-committee on the move, which offers some technical challenges in terms of fuel lines and bladders and associated components as well as safety revisions.Saab is the only car company, which sells a new car capable of running E85 fuel in this country, and there are only limited amounts of dedicated E85 bowsers in Australia.It is doubtful whether the majority of the massive V8 fan base in Australia will give the move a second thought.Recent surveys suggest that what is on the priority list for fans is that the formula remains purely Holden and Ford and for the rear-wheel-drive V8 powertrains to be continued.V8 Supercars chairman Tony Cochrane admits the move may have little relevance to the paying V8 public but the underlying message is for the sport to be seen to be socially responsible.“It may take 10 or 15 years for E85 pumps to be available everywhere but we've got to start somewhere,” Cochrane said.“We want to try to get on pole position in this argument.“We want to be seen as a community leader.”Full investigations into the move to E85 will be undertaken over the next 10 months when the project will be fully evaluated.“In the hands of Larry (Perkins) and Ross (Stone) I'm sure that everything will be looked at and investigated,” Cochrane said.The plan follows the V8 Supercars Racing Green tree planting program, which was implemented last year to offset the carbon footprint of the sport.“We see it as a highly responsible way forward and the ethanol industry is really starting to crank up in this country,” Cochrane said.An ethanol plant is close to completion at Dalby, west of Toowoomba.Cochrane says governments, particularly Queensland, are pushing the ethanol message.“The government is keen to see ethanol gain a foothold and we want to be seen as a community leader,” he said.“As for the future I can assure you that every (V8 Supercar) board will look at what we can do to be more community responsible whether it be the environment or whatever it may be.”Indy Cars from the Indy Racing League in the United States, which reunited with Champ Car last week after a 13-year split, run on 100 per cent ethanol.The Champ Cars continued to use methanol but it is likely that under the new unified front for 2008, the American open wheelers will run on ethanol. 

New V8 Supercars driving standards observer Tomas Mezera will be under pressure to keep a lid on tempers in round 2 of the Championship Series at Sydney's Eastern Creek, starting on Friday week.Several collisions and controversial passes triggered an unprecedented level of trash talk among drivers and team owners at the Clipsal 500 at Adelaide last weekend.The normally measured David Richards, team principal of Ford Performance Racing, was seething after his driver Mark Winterbottom's race ended when he was an innocent victim of the Craig Lowndes and James Courtney incident.Stewards investigated the incident between the pair at turn 10 and declared there was no breach of the rules.Mezera, at his first V8 meeting in the role, had been unfairly blamed for letting Clipsal winner Jamie Whincup's forceful pass on Winterbottom in Saturday's opening 250km race go without reprisal.Most thought Whincup's move, which resulted in minor side contact forcing Winterbottom wide, hard but legal.“This mess was endorsed on Saturday,” Richards fumed.“It leads to someone getting seriously hurt and that is a disaster for the championship and we are all victims in this at the end of the day.“The sponsors don't want it and the car manufacturers don't want to see their cars smashed up every day.”Richards plans to approach Mezera, who has stepped into the policing role this year to replace Colin Bond, to address the driving standards issue.Points: 1 Jamie Whincup (Ford) 300, 2 Lee Holdsworth (Holden) 258, 3 Rick Kelly (Holden) 192, 4 Steven Johnson (Ford) 186, 5 Todd Kelly (Holden) 180. 

The potent Porsche GT3 RSR has received aerodynamic upgrades for 2008. Only 35 of the thoroughbred coupes are being released globally.At a price tag of $600,000 a pop, the GT3 RSR is very much at the top of the 911 pecking order.Some of the upgrades run off the back of Porsche's highly successful RS Spyder program, which was raced to devastating effect in the American Le Mans Series last season under the leviathan Penske Racing organisation.There are some aerodynamic refinements, a more optimised suspension and a clever new sequential transmission with software passed down from the RS Spyder LMP2 prototypes.The GT3 RSR has a new front end and is unmistakable with its over-the-top 'flicks' on the front bumper.Newly designed side air outlets give the car more stability through less drag and better down force.It is more the scientific improvements that have embellished the RSR as the nerve centre remains the same with the 3.8-litre boxer engine remaining at 342kW of power at a screaming 8000rpm with 430Nm of torque at 7250rpm. The rev limit is set at 9400rpm.Among other changes the sequential gearbox is said to be considerably lighter than the one it replaces.The GT3 RSR comes out of the Weissach facility in Germany which also produces the awesome RS Spyder, 911 GT3, 911 GT3 RS, 911 GT3 Cup car and the yet-to-be-released 911 GT2.Among its more notable exploits on the racetrack the 911 GT3 RSR's resume is headed by a win at the Le Mans 24-hour last year in the GT2 class and in the Nurburgring 24-hour. Porsche 911 GT3 RSREngine: six-cylinder boxer, water cooled, 76.4mm stroke, 102.7mm bore, dry sump, individual throttle butterflies, four valves a cylinder, electronic MS 4.0 engine managementPower: 342kW @ 8000rpmTorque: 430Nm @ 7250rpmTransmission: 6-speed sequential jaw-type shift, single mass flywheel, three-plate carbon fibre clutch, rear drive, limited slip differential 45/65 per centBody: basis is GT3 RS of monocoque of hot-galvanised steel, optimised front and underfloor aerodynamics, adjustable rear wing, 90-litre safety fuel tank with fast filling function, air jack, welded safety cage, bucket racing seat on driver's side only, six-point safety harness which can accommodate the HANS (head and neck support) device, electric fire fighting systemWheels: front, 3-piece BBS light alloy (11j x 18-34) central bolt; rear, 3-piece BBS light alloy (13jx18-12.5) central boltWeight: approximately 1225kg complying with ACO (Le Mans rulemakers) regulations, 1200kg complying with FIA (world motorsport body) regulations 

If it gains five stars it will have massive repercussions and give Ford the opportunity to tell a magic marketing story.Click here for more of the latest news on the new Ford Falcon.A maximum five-star rating will see it outdo the Holden Commodore and Toyota Aurion which both carry four stars.No one at Ford Australia, despite persistent questioning, would say whether they expect the FG Falcon to return a five-star result.That would be akin to digging themselves a very large hole.Trevor Worthington, vice-president of engineering at Ford Australia, proudly says the FG Falcon is “the safest car, by a significant margin, we have ever made.”But he was careful in commenting about what to expect from the independent crash test."It's not up for me to decide and I can't say what Australian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) will award it but we have improved this car not just in passive safety, body structure and airbags but safety related to trying to avoid accidents in the first place.”While it does not affect ANCAP's findings, there was some concern shown over the rear-seat headrests.The headrests are part of the seat back and are not adjustable and they offer questionable support against whiplash on people of average height (170cm).There is no centre rear headrest. However, Ford says that based on legal requirements and customer feedback they have exceeded all the safety standards.“'We're good to go with what we've got,” Worthington said.“In terms of customer and legal requirements the backseat exceeds those standards.”Worthington admitted that to replace the rear seat and incorporate higher adjustable headrests would add some complexity but stopped short on talking about how much it would cost. 

Ford has ignored the death rattles of Australia's declining family car market to unveil its new eighth-generation Falcon in a pitch for the nation's motoring dollar.

The German, 25, who has replaced Ralf Schumacher in the hot seat. Toyota must put some runs on the board, which Timo Glock has played down a comment made by his new boss. John Howett, president of Toyota's F1 team, was recently quoted in a UK magazine as saying Glock compares favourably with Hamilton, who went within an ace of winning the F1 title in his maiden season last year. Glock comes in for a second bite at F1 after becoming the GP2 champion last year. In 2004, Glock was a snap replacement at the Canadian GP for Giorgio Pantano who was in a wrangle with the Jordan team. There is a lot expected of Glock but it is known that any improvement Toyota may show could come later in the season rather than sooner. Hamilton arrived in 2007 amid tremendous fanfare after a stunning season in GP2; when he won the championship before Ron Dennis summoned him to McLaren's grand prix team. When asked what he thought about Howett's comments, Glock smartly hosed down the comparison with the driver believed to be on the fast road to becoming the biggest earner in the sport. “I raced against Lewis in 2006 and we had a good fight," Glock said. “He beat me and I beat him sometimes but I mean it would be quite difficult for me to repeat this (referring to Hamilton's stunning F1 debut)." Glock comes in to join the experienced Jarno Trulli at Toyota in a year the German-based squad must emerge with results. Toyota has built a new car with the TF108 a complete departure from the car it has fielded with disappointing results over the past two seasons.

A softer 2-litre diesel engine is available now but has less power and torque than the current 105kW oil-burner that arrived for the Mazda 6 last year.