Articles by Gordon Lomas

Following in the mould of a swag of rivals, the new E93 3-series convertible has swapped its soft-top for a metal folding roof. A bold move maybe but technology has allowed such a move without the convertible suffering from obesity or the normal design trade-off of a frumpy rear-end. The fourth generation 3-series convertible is arguably the biggest design change to the model from the Bavarian brand which calls on over 70 years of experience in making droptop machines. It is claimed the three-piece roof opens and shuts in 22 seconds. There is a diesel four-cylinder convertible but it is unlikely to get a start in Australia. The Brisbane Motor Show will be the Australian preview for the ground-breaking hardtop only two weeks after the car was put through its paces at the international launch in Phoenix, Arizona. It will be available in showrooms here in March, soon after it becomes available in Europe and North America. Prices for the new droptop are $94,900 for the 325i manual ($97,500 automatic) while the red-hot 335i manual will cost $121,500 with the auto at $124,100. As in the coupe range there will be a choice of either the six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic. Breaking cover in Australia on BMW's Brisbane stand will be the rapid 335i twinturbo convertible along with a 325i version. There will also be a 323i which is the third and final variant to join the sexy 3-series coupe range after the release of the 335 and 325 last year. The preview of the 3-series convertible at the show is the second time BMW have used Queensland as a launching pad for important new models within the past six months. In a major shot-in-the-arm, the 3-series coupe press launch was held out of Brisbane before the car was shown at the Paris Motor Show. Other cars the blue and white badge has assigned for the show are a hot M6 convertible, the all-new X3 3-litre diesel, a Z4 M coupe and a 3-litre roadster, a 1-series diesel and a 750Li Individual. The awesome 335i will also be shown in a 3series sedan Individual.

The Epica becomes the fourth Korean-sourced product after the Barina, Viva and Captiva to join the local range.It is essentially a replacement for the Opel-built Vectra that was imported from Europe.The Epica will come with a choice of two in-line six-cylinder engines — a 2-litre or 2.5-litre CDX and CDXi.It comes from the General Motors plant in Bupyong in South Korea but extensive development was undertaken at Holden's Lang Lang proving ground outside Melbourne to tune its suspension for Australian conditions.While these highlight the arrival of Holden's first fresh product for 2007, the Melbourne-based manufacturer is also using the Brisbane show to launch a new Rodeo variant.The current Rodeo, which was launched at the Brisbane show a few seasons ago, will welcome a new turbo diesel powerplant.The 3-litre common-rail unit produces 120kW and is said to be the most powerful oil-burner to date in the Rodeo line-up.Another sure to attract its fair share of admirers is the Astra TwinTop, Holden's replacement for the convertible soft-top Astra.Following the trend set these days by the Europeans, Holden has moved to a metal folding top for the convertible Astra.It will share the limelight with the BMW 3-series convertible which makes its Australian debut in Brisbane less than two weeks after its international press launch in the United States.The Astra's metal roof, electronically controlled, takes 30 seconds to tuck away while the E93 model 3-series takes only 22 seconds.Holden says the new diesel Rodeo develops 25 per cent more peak power at lower revs and the new powerplant meets Euro 4 emissions standards.Along with the new oil burning engine there have been a few nips and tucks to its exterior with reworked front and rear fascias, a meaner induction bonnet scoop and updated fender flares.A comprehensive range of Holden's award-winning VE Commodores will dominate the stand including a cutaway display of the VE Calais V8 which won the CARSguide Car Of The Year in 2006.

The good is that Holden's share arrangement with Daewoo seems to have worked splendidly on the quality and refinement front with the Captiva — a huge relief since the same can't be said for the little Barina and Viva cheapies.The bad is that there is a confusing number of trim levels which stand at four with a diesel to join the stable this year.The ugly is that it is questionable whether the so-called range leader, the Captiva MaXX, is really justified in topping the prices at $42,990 when the LX is arguably more tasteful in luxury decor and appearance for $1000 less.Anyway, to each their own but from a product planning viewpoint, the positioning of the variants is rather perplexing.So as for how the MaXX stacks up in functionality and on-road application, it really is quite a good effort.Where it does differ, apart from clear design cues (see below for more details), is dynamically it is a little sharper in the steering and handling, which is more slanted toward European sportiness.The ride quality is a little jiggly at times but overall dynamics probably just shave what is expected of a modern SUV.The powertrain of the 3.2-litre Alloytec V6 from Holden's global engine plant in Melbourne and the Japanese-built Aisin five-speed automotive is quite a strong collaboration.There is none of this lack of response on kickdown as has been criticised by some testers on other variants. It is quite sharp and obedient in that respect.Overall fuel consumption was a tick over 12litres/100km on this test - a bit of Sunday driving in the hinterland, breaking up predominantly freeway and slower city work through the week.As a package, this five-seat MaXX was on the pace, stacked with equipment and adds all the electronic safety hoo-ha as well as Hill Descent Control.This model, like all the others, has no reverse camera, which can be an issue with some buyers.The leather-clad seats offer good side and lateral support and the dash and console is ergonomic and is pretty much straight out of the Astra and is easy to interpret and operate.Underneath the rear floor area, a full-size spare is housed, which won a few extra brownie points from this tester.Unlike the CX ($38,990) and LX which have three rows of seats standard, giving them seven-seat capacity, the MaXX comes off the showroom floor as a five-seater.A bit of room is wasted in the rear with the intrusion of the rear wheel arches, although this is a sufficient enough package all-round for a one- or two-kid family seeking a little weekend escapism.The MaXX is refreshingly refined and gives little hint as to its Korean origin with quality interior fittings.When it comes to laying money on the table, personally, I'd swing toward the seven-seat LX for purely subjective reasons.

The chief rivals from Munich, Stuttgart and Wolfsburg have a massive head start which in some cases can be measured by the length of an entire model life.And that's good and bad.Good in that Audi should have capitalised on any of the shortcomings of BMW's X5, Mercedes's ML-Class and the Volkswagen Touareg.And bad in that if you are a died-in-the-wool Audi worshipper, in terms of the waiting game, it's been a bit like a seven-year itch.Seven years! That's how long the ML-Class has been out and about.So Audi is off and running with the Q7, a big wagon that was the centre of a big launch in September. It was a big deal running a fleet of 15 Q7s the breadth of Australia from east to west — a trans-continental crossing of monumental proportions.This adventure was loaded to the brim with bravado by Audi having faith in the product stacking up to Australia's harsh Outback.But you don't need a Rhodes Scholar to tell you the most dust many Q7's will collect will be sawdust from the next door neighbour who is renovating their palatial suburban abode.So we put our first Q7 road test car, a TDi, through its paces in the real world — out and about in Brisbane and down the coast for the cafe cruise.The turbo diesel we acquired was loaded with kit and the third row option and you could feel every bit of its bulk. It is a little unwilling off the line but once it gathers pace, it runs hard and strong.This is quite a competent truck, good all-round vision and the reversing camera to keep you from backing over something you cannot see in the rear vision mirror.Downtown the diesel was running into the 13-14litres/100km range, although it was closer to 10litres on freer runs on the highway.There are little touches here and there that separate the Q7 from the crowd and a highly functional cabin that hits the ergonomic button where others have tended to miss the mark.It handles quite well for something which stretches the tape further than a LandCruiser in length and width but not height.But where the Q7 really shines is ride quality. It spoils occupants with the sweetest ride among the premium soft-road brigade.No surprise then that the 4.2-litre V8 version offers a lot more urge down low, the mumbo you would expect from an eight-pot howler.It is the business, the V8, and it also demonstrates the engineering prowess of the Q7 chassis that copes with all of this energy as if it were a regular sedan.The V8 was chewing through about 13litres/100km on this test with strict adherence to signposted speed limits but running the revs up from a standstill every now and then.Given that we deliberately did not take the Q7 on the gravel we didn't have to worry about testing the integrity of how the twin intercoolers in the TDi stood up to punishment from stones.They are vulnerably placed behind the vents either side of the front spoiler.If we were to give one piece of advice it would be to install mesh to these vents to prevent anything spearing the intercoolers if you plan to go on the gravel let alone on a trans-continental expedition.Not that any were reported to have been pierced on the east-west crossing launch run but it is better to be safe than sorry.A lot of people, colleagues included, have questioned the existence of such an animal as the Q7.But here's the rub.One of the many reasons why it has been built is to tap a market where Audi traditionally has not been in the game — the United States.And Australians are warming to the interlocking rings brand with a vengeance.So it is better that the Q7 is here now, late, than not at all.

It is generally a given that the godfather of small cult cars over the past 15 years is Subaru's WRX.

Travelling two-up in the back of a chauffeur-driven W12 A8 limo, the silence was broken by the distinctive scream of an Italian engine followed by a blur on the left side of the Audi."What was that?" my fellow passenger squawked with a crinkled face that was mixed with horror and intrigue from his position seated in the right rear.The object that came and went in a flash in the fast lane on the Autobahn between Ingolstadt and Munich was a stonking great Ferrari 575M Maranello F1.Our chauffeur was on cruise at 230km/h which would have put the pilot in the Italian jigger at close to 300km/h in what was pretty much just another day on the ballistic ribbons of bitumen in Germany.That was in June and in hindsight we wish we were driving not so much a whopping W12 (two vee sixes fused together) but Audi's latest lightweight RS 4 that packs a heavyweight wallop.Audi has fully exploited the time-honoured concept of taking a compact, lightweight car and marrying it to a dirty big donk.Well, in fairness, it is not really that big an engine, it's actually a 4.2-litre V8, rather compact in its overall dimensions.And it fills the space, which would be a snug fit for a four-cylinder power plant, to the gunnels.Could you imagine a V8 somehow squeezed into the front of a similarly-sized (8mm shorter wheelbase) Mazda3!No. You can't.. And it makes all the more reason for Audi to feel good about cranking up the bar with the RS 4.It's no wonder the product direction over at BMW has gone the way of turbo boosting for the 3-series coupe and V8 power for the next generation M3 due here late next year.The RS 4 engine produces numbers that makes you drool.Try a 0-100km/h time of 4.8sec.Car nuts worth their salt will tell you anything below 5sec is normally reserved for the whiz-bang exotic super coupes.Now Audi has chimed in with its compact A4-based sedan that has essentially become a street legal racer but a race car you can live with every day. And a drive of the RS 4 makes every day feel like December 25.This car is a missile in a straight line and backs up its sprinting dash with stunning handling, perfect steering feel and brakes.Eight-piston calipers up front and four pistons behind make these brakes outstanding stoppers for road use.Such is the engineering refinement of the chassis, you can literally throw the RS4 around twisties like there is no tomorrow without fear of it spitting you out and arrowing you into the never-never.This engine spins and spins - all the way to 8250rpm if you push it — which is unusually high for an eight-cylinder.A bit of the technology which Audi used to brutal effect on the multiple R8 prototype Le Mans winner has found its way into the RS 4 with direct fuel injection helping a more efficient combustion process while the technology has also allowed compression to be increased.It does great work from nothing, really great work mid-range but it is not until the baffles in the drain-pipe wide exhausts open and the engine screams past 5000rpm that the RS 4 turns into a mega drive.There is 309kW of power from 7800rpm and there is nothing artificially helping this but good old fashion natural aspiration.But that's not the crunch figure.What gives this engine character and might is its broad band of torque.Up to 90 per cent of the 430Nm of torque can be accessed from 2250rpm to 7600rpm giving this engine tremendous flexibility.It is restricted to 250km/h but the speedo indicates 310km/h and have no doubt — it could stay all day with one of those 575M red rockets.Mated to the sweet-shifting 6-speed manual the quattro RS 4 can be as overwhelming as it can be comforting.Despite riding on a sports suspension (stiffer springs, larger anti-roll bars and 30mm lower than a bog standard A4) and super low profile high performance Pirelli P Zero rubber (255/35 R19) the ride quality is tolerable.Audi employs what it calls DRC, (yep another acronym we need to decipher) which stands for Dynamic Ride Control, that keeps the lid on body roll and pitch via diagonally connected dampers via a central valve.It is something which has been handed down from the RS 6 and seems to work quite effectively.The cabin is tidy and ergonomically on the money but is rather understated for a German hottie.That is to say aside from the flat-bottomed steering wheel which uses a mix of aluminium (bottom half and leather) and features the S for sport button which makes the engine growl louder, sharpens throttle response and makes the seat bolsters (side and squab) tighten.The other buttons on the steering wheel spoke allow the driver to cycle through the various on-board computer information such as fuel consumption, time travelled, distance to empty etc.On the topic of drinking habits the RS 4, as you could easily guess, is not subtle.Almost exclusive highway use over several hundred kilometres netted a tick over 11 litres/100km which on paper looks reasonable but that was done in top gear and low revs. Try darting around town and the RS 4 reverts to what predictably is a prodigious thirst of around 15 litres/100km.Then open up the taps and go for a whiz on quiet back roads and the computer will give you a figure approaching 20 litres/100km.Aside from the long list of safety features including the familiar electronic ESP, traction and stability systems and airbags all round, there is a fair bit of kit for your $164,500.There is a CD changer in the glove compartment which is attached to a 10-speaker BOSE sound system, SatNav with TV, dual-zone automatic climate control with sun sensor and pollen filter, trip computer and xenon plus headlamps with swiveling headlight function.This is a thoroughbred, from top quality Ingolstadt stock where the RS moniker stands tall among the mightiest performance cars.It's far from perfect this RS 4 with foibles here and there but it's an infectious ride.FAST FACTS$164,500ENGINE: 5/5 starsIt's enough to make any V8 nut drool.TRANSMISSION: 4/5 starsSlick and fast. A perfect match to the V8.ECONOMY: 2/5 starsYou don't buy an RS4 for good fuel economy. Audi quotes 13.7L/100km as an average, but you just know you'll be a devil and get worse figuresHANDLING: 4/5 starsRuns like it's on rails. Rides a bit like it, too, but you would expect a compromising ride in a sporty car like this.SAFETY: 4/5 starsSuitably long list of safety features to match the performance level.VALUE: 4/5 starsYou can't buy a new BMW M3 CSL and it's cheaper than a C55Tech SpecsENGINE: 4.2-litre petrol V8 with direct injectionPOWER: 309kW @ 7800rpmTORQUE: 430Nm @ 5500rpmTRANSMISSION: 6-speed manualDIMENSIONS (MM): 4589 (L), 1816 (W), 1415 (H), 2648 (wheelbase)KERB WEIGHT: 1650kgWHEELS/TYRES: 9x19-inch alloy, 255/35 R19 Pirelli P ZeroSTEERING: Rack and pinionBRAKES: 365mm ventilated discs with eight-piston callipers (front), 324mm ventilated discs with four-piston calipers (rear)SAFETY FEATURES: two-stage airbags for driver and front passenger, head airbags for front and rear passengers, side airbags for rear passengers, ESP, ABS, ASR, Brake Assist, all-wheel-drive, tyre pressure monitoring systemFUEL: 98RON octane PULP, 63L tank, 13.7L/100kmWARRANTY: 3 years/unlimited kilometresVerdictFOR: Power and handlingAGAINST: Conservative interior and poor economyFINAL: No one needs one but lots of people want oneCOMPETITORSMercedes-Benz C55 AMG5.5 litre V8270kW, 510Nm$160,490BMW M3 CSL3.3 litre straight 6265kW, 370Nm$161,000(2nd hand)

Chris Bangle had just demonstrated how to make a perfectly symmetrical origami-style dinghy out of a sheet of paper when he glanced over his shoulder to gaze at one of Australia's most recognisable structures."That building, design, shape and form is an icon," Bangle says of the Opera House from his vantage point on the far side of the Quay. "Look at some of the other buildings on the Sydney skyline: they haven't the same effect or lasting design."The Opera House was a huge departure from conventional design, the striking spherical shells making it one of the most prominent designs of the 20th century. When it opened in 1973 it was widely accepted as an iconic structure; quite the opposite to the impact Bangle had on the car world with his radical design direction at the once ultra-conservative BMW at the start of the 21st century.Bangle, the world's pre-eminent car designer, was in Sydney last week for the motor show. And there was intense interest in him for causing the greatest stir in recent automotive history. Bangle rose to fame or infamy — depending on which side of the fence you sit — with his self-proclaimed "flame design", first shown to the world with the arrival of the E65 7-series in 2001.It was revised last year with the E66 sporting a smoother rump, the infamous "Bangle Butt" having some cosmetic surgery.Bangle-hate websites have sprung up since he headed off in his radical mish-mash of concave and convex lines that filtered through to the 5-series and Z4 roadster and coupe. They're full of nasty stuff, some personally attacking American-born Bangle, others calling for his axing from the Munich maker.Bangle acknowledges the wave of protest, admitting he looks into the often murky world of the worldwide web."I look at them. I don't bathe myself in them but I certainly look," Bangle says."You know Andy Warhol said everyone will have their 15 minutes of fame in the future and it's just that I got in before a lot of people," he chuckles."But seriously (websites) are like the faceless media, its a one-way discussion and it's like a wall coming at you."I think in the future everyone is going to have their own hate website and we're just seeing the beginning of it."Bangle qualifies his response by saying he is not immune to criticism."I think criticism is OK, it's healthy as long as there is open dialogue," he says.The car world has to some degree lessened its dislike of the so-called Bangle angles.And Bangle, 50, is very much in-demand on the speaking circuit. In Melbourne recently, Bangle addressed a gathering at the national design centre at Federation Square.He says Australia has a lot to offer the world from a design point of view."You know a lot of the magazines I pick up in Europe say that Australia is the most influential place for residential architecture."I hope to pick up some ideas from my first visit here and take them back and maybe put them to use in the car world," Bangle says.As with most designers in the game, Bangle is totally absorbed by cars. But he is more than simply a one-dimensional character.He used his 50th birthday on October 14 as a premise to throw a party around his personal art exhibition in Munich."I showed 130 pieces of my art collection from portraits and sculptures and had 270 people show up," Bangle says.Among three pieces auctioned on the night with money going to Medicins Sans Frontieres was a steel sculpture reflecting Bangle's trademark flame design.Age has given him a new urgency as one of the most powerful figures in car design: "I guess my sense of impatience has increased in terms of where the industry's going."Bangle's unconventional designs have polarised opinion on the BMW family's looks.He does not see the revision to the 7-series last year as an indication that his styling went too far. "It was half-time in the model cycle and a time for second helpings," Bangle says. "You use those moments to harmonise the whole family and the 7-series is now that much more elegant."

BEST QUOTE"The fans in Canada like to drink their beer and go to sleep and in Australia they like to drink their beer and fight" Paul Tracy describing the intensity of race fans.BEST MOVEAJ Allmendinger hounded Oriol Servia before taking him in a daring move under braking going into the first chicane at the start of lap nine to take seventh. He then picked off another two cars in quick succession.BEST LAPWill Power's stunning Friday time of 1:31.403sec which had established stars Sebastien Bourdais and Paul Tracy running into concrete walls.BEST BINGLESebastien Bourdais's heavy shunt into a tyre barrier during Saturday qualifying ripping the entire left side off his Newman-Haas Lola. Champ Car ruled he could not start his primary car and yesterday raced the back-up Lola.BEST EXCUSEAfter giving himself a great chance of winning Will Power was cruelly taken out by a desperate and out of control Sebastien Bourdais on lap 28.BEST BLOW-UPPaul Tracy, screaming down his on-board radio after being ordered to let Alex Tagliani through for a podium.BIGGEST BLUNDERForsythe after a nasty flash fire in the pits on lap 15 when they serviced AJ Allmendinger who drove away with the fuel hose still attached. Only a handful of laps later AJ was into the wall realising his faint championship hopes crumbled along with his Lola.BEST WINNelson Philippe, who kept a cool head while the more experienced drivers around him crumbled in the heat of battle.BIGGEST MOVERNick Percat who came from stone motherless last (39th position) to win the 6-lap CARSguide Aussie Car race on Saturday.BEST BEHAVIOUREx-Minardi F1 team owner Paul Stoddart, who is angling to own a Champ Car team, refused to buy into criticising F1.BEST STATSNewman-Haas with five wins (Bourdais 2005, Junqueira 2004, da Matta 2001, Tracy 1995, Mansell 1993; seven poles (Servia 2005, Bourdais 2003, da Matta 2002, Michael Andretti 1995/1991, Mansell 1993/1994) and nine podium finishes.

Brisbane has been confirmed as the new host of Rally Australia following the FIA World Motor Sport Council meeting in Barcelona yesterday.It is the first time a World Rally Championship calendar has been finalised so far in advance.Garry Connelly, who will stand down as Australian Rally Commission chairman at the end of the year, said more details on the new home of the Australian leg of the WRC would become known during Rally Australia in Perth on October 27-29."We will make an announcement during Rally Australia and all the fine details will be released," Connelly said.Australia will be missing from the World Rally Championship calendar next year with the final WRC round to be staged in Corsica after being based out of Perth since the late 1980s.WRC commercial rights holder David Richards says it is good news that Australia will return to the championship in 2008 and he has endorsed Queensland as an ideal venue.There remains a degree of mystery about IQG Rally Events Australia which has been appointed as the promoter of the Queensland event.The only thing known is that the WRC round will be held within a 50km radius of Brisbane, using forestry roads much closer to the state capital than the long-running Australian Rally Championship round based around Imbil near Gympie.Richards, who runs the Prodrive racing operation out of Banbury in England which fields the Subaru World Rally Team, is delighted that Gold Coast ace Chris Atkinson has been signed for a third season with the team in 2007."He's done a really good job and we think we've found the main handling problems with the car that have dogged our progress in the WRC," Richards said.It is known that Suzuki has chased hard to sign Atkinson who has done a tidy job against the world's best along with his co-driver Glenn Macneall.WORLD RALLY STANDINGSAfter 13 of 16 rounds1 Sebastien Loeb (Citroen) 1122 Marcus Gronholm (Ford) 873 Mikko Hirvonen (Ford) 474 Daniel Sordo (Citroen) 435 Manfred Stohl (Peugeot) 34Last Rd: Winner Marcus Gronholm, Turkey, Oct 15.Next Rd: Perth, Oct 27-29.TV: Ch 10: Oct 29, 2pm.

Helped by the exceptional driving of his Triple Eight Ford teammate Jamie Whincup, the pair won the first Bathurst following the death of nine-time winner Peter Brock early last month.Lowndes reached the pinnacle of his career 10 years after his previous victory with Greg Murphy in a Holden Racing Team Commodore.It was a win that Lowndes steeled himself to pull off to pay the ultimate tribute to Brock, who carefully guided and moulded the 32-year-old into one of the most accomplished drivers in the world.But minutes before the 1000km race blasted away, Lowndes was so choked up with emotion that Roland Dane, the team principal of the Brisbane-based Triple Eight squad, gave him the option of standing down from starting and letting Whincup take the helm for the opening stint.Lowndes rejected the offer and started the race which was marred by a succession of crashes and a record number of 10 safety cars.Thirty-seven of the 161 laps were run under yellow-caution conditions.Lowndes and Whincup were chased hard by the eventual runners-up, brothers Todd and Rick Kelly in the Toll/HSV Holden.Former Formula One test driver James Courtney pulled off an ironman performance in the Jeld-Wen Ford he shared with Glenn Seton, finishing third after doing a double stint.Courtney fought a cramping left hand over the final 10 laps to keep the Stone Brothers Ford ahead of his more accomplished teammate Russell Ingall, who was a fighting fourth with Luke Youlden.It was a day when $1 million-a-year driver Lowndes earned every cent of his pay packet, along with the much more conservatively paid Whincup."It was always going to be special to be the first one to have their name on that trophy," Lowndes said as he fought back tears in reference to the Peter Brock Perpetual trophy commissioned in the last few weeks following the legendary driver's death."It was always going to be emotional and we knew the press would focus on the Brock side of it so the best way I could pay my respect was to put my name on the trophy.""In many respects I think this weekend will hold as the No. 1 result for me."Whincup, who starts contract negotiations next week, may have just raised his value considerably, particularly as he blistered across the top of the mountain in the second sector consistently quicker than Lowndes.And it was Whincup who flung the Triple Eight Ford into the lead, sneaking underneath Todd Kelly on lap 110 just after a restart.The Triple Eight crew performed faultless pit stops in a race that lasted a few seconds short of a marathon seven hours.The worst of the string of crashes was by Team Kiwi Racing's Paul Radisich who was trapped in his mangled Commodore for 20 minutes before being freed. On lap 73, Radisich ran off the road and head-on into the wall near the GMC bridge.Rescue teams cut a whole in the roof of his car to extract Radisich from the wreck. He was lucky to escape serious injury.Pre-race favourite Mark Skaife, starting from pole, crashed out on the first lap.The Holden Racing Team driver was struggling for pace and was running off the racing line on the climb up the mountain when rookie Jack Perkins smashed into him from behind.