Articles by James Stanford

Volkswagen Australia has given up on its plan to import the German carmaker's Phaeton flagship. The Phaeton competes against the BMW 7-Series, Mercedes-Benz S-Class and Audi A8 in Europe with a small price advantage. Volkswagen Australia has been keen on importing the loaded limo since 2003. The plan had been put on hold, until the company came up with a new plan to bring the Phaeton to Australia. It is understood the Phaeton would have been cheaper than the model sold in Europe, aimed at the less expensive Mercedes E-Class, BMW 5-Series and Audi A6. Volkswagen Australia managing director Jutta Dierks says the Phaeton would have had a tough time in Australia if it was priced the same as it is in Europe. "The gap between Passat and Phaeton would have been too big," Dierks says. She says Volkswagen is missing out on customers who want something bigger than the mid-sized Passat but don't want to buy the all-wheel-drive Touareg. The decision for Volkswagen, which started producing the humble Beetle, to stretch out and build a large luxury car is a controversial one. Critics argued the brand, which also sells affordable city cars such as the Fox and Polo, didn't have the street cred to match Mercedes and BMW. European buyers agreed early on and sales struggled, but impressive diesel engines have seen sales lift slightly.

That might sound crazy, but by using both forms of boosting technology, Volkswagen is able to reduce the size of an engine and maintain healthy performance.The first engine to use this new system, which VW calls Twincharging, is only 1.4-litres, but produces 125kW and 240Nm.To put that into context, a non-boosted 2.5-litre four-cylinder that powers a US-specification VW Jetta generates 110kW and 230Nm. To top it off, the 1.4-litre four-cylinder TSI Twincharger as fitted to the Golf GT uses a meagre 7.2 litres of petrol per 100km of city and highway driving when tested to European standards. The less-powerful 2.5-litre engine uses considerably more.Australians should have their first chance to own a car with Twincharger technology late next year when the Golf GT is expected to arrive. Using a supercharger and a turbocharger is not new. Lancia fitted a double-boosted engine to its Delta rally car of the 1980s, but no serious production vehicles have used the technology until now.Volkswagen, which is at the forefront of diesel-engine technology, started to examine the potential of its Twincharger technology because it felt petrol engines were falling behind their oil-burning counterparts.It started by looking at turbochargers. Turbochargers work by using the force generated by exhaust gasses to force air into the engine, but they can take a while to get going. Volkswagen found that simply fitting a turbocharger to a smaller engine didn't work so well before the turbo started to wind up."At low speed, small engines don't have enough torque to work well with a regular turbo," TSI Twincharger development chief, Hermann Middendorf, says.Superchargers are driven by the engine's crankshaft, so they wind-up and provide boost quickly. So the Twincharger engine uses a supercharger for low-down grunt before the turbocharger takes over. The idea is to produce a torquey engine that punches hard all the way through the rev-range.Volkswagen chose its existing 1.4-litre four-cylinder engine as a base for the TSI powerplant, adding direct petrol-injection. The engineers also wanted to run a higher compression ratio (10:1), so instead of using a regular aluminium engine block, they designed one made of stronger cast iron.To maximise efficiency, VW also set-up the supercharger so that it only comes on if the driver needs it. If you put your foot down hard, the supercharger spins up. If you go easy with the right foot, the air intake simply bypasses the supercharger to save fuel.The same bypass valve is used when the engine switches off the supercharger as the turbo spools up. The Golf GT is available in Europe with a six-speed manual or six-speed DSG automatic driving the front wheels.Other models are expected to take up Twincharger technology and VW has already fitted a 103kW version to its Touran people mover, tuned more for economy than power.ON THE ROADA German Autobahn is a good place to test an engine. A smooth, wide road with no speed limit in many areas, minimal traffic and good weather allow us to push the Golf GT's Twincharger. The run between Wolfsburg and Dresden is an eye-opening experience.The first test is to see how it will pull in sixth gear from about 90km/h. You would expect a weeny 1.4-litre to cough and splutter, but the double-boosted engine responds quickly and pushes the speedo past 100km/h -- the needle moving easily all the way to 200km/h. That is seriously impressive. But how is that test relevant to Australia, where the only place you can legally do those speeds are the baked tarmac freeways of the Northern Territory?Well, it reveals just how much pulling power this special 1.4-litre engine has.Perhaps more practical is how the engine responds around town or on twisting roads, with a manual. With supercharger and turbo working away, you can leave the engine in a higher gear and forget about it. You don't need to keep shuffling between gears, because either one will do much of the work for you. The supercharger, if enacted, provides the boost up to about 3500 revs before the bypass valve is switched on.It is about this time that the turbo has gained enough speed. It's all pretty much seamless. You can hear the slight metallic whine of the Roots-type supercharger and some turbo woosh, but only just, and only if you are listening for it. That's not to say the engine is perfect. In some driving conditions you can re-apply the throttle and the engine takes a moment to provide some form of boost, but this doesn't happen often.The best thing about the Twincharger is the width of the powerband. A comparable diesel only gives you a burst of power in a very narrow band, but the Twincharger has impressive urge from down low to about 6000revs. Fuel consumption has not been tested to Australian conditions.That and the price will be revealed closer to launch. The figure we gain in Germany, an average of about 9L/100km, is not representative because the engine spends a lot of time at 5000 revs or more as we push it hard. Still, many people who push a boosted performance engine hard would be happy with that kind of consumption. The Golf GT test cars are all manuals, so we can't tell you what it is like with the auto. VW Australia is yet to lock in the local specifications.The European models come with a nice sprinkling of premium gear, including heated sports seats, dual-zone climate control airconditioning, leather steering-wheel cover and metal trim on the wheel, around the gearstick and across the dashboard. But whatever kit it has, Golf GT's TSI Twincharger engine will be a star, and a win for petrol lovers who want performance and economy without going to diesel.FAST FACTSVolkswagen Golf GTPrice: to be announcedEngine: 1.4-litre, 4-cylinder with supercharger and turbocharger, 125kW@6000rpm; 240Nm@1750-4500rpmTransmission: 6-speed manual or 6-speed automatic

The rotary engine is here to stay, but perhaps not as we know it.Mazda says it is committed to petrol rotary engines, but there is a question mark hanging over the long-term future of high-revving powerplants due to their thirst and high emissions.Regardless of what happens to petrol rotaries, Mazda is determined to keep the rotary engine spinning well into the future.It is pushing on with plans to introduce an environmentally friendly rotary engine that runs on hydrogen instead of petrol.The engine could be linked to an electric motor, which can recharge on the run.This is not a pie-in-the-sky plan, though there are few places you can fill up on hydrogen, Mazda plans to introduce its first hydrogen-powered rotary in 2008.The first model to use the technology will be the family friendly Mazda5 mini-people mover, a model that will not be coming to Australia.Mazda president Hisakazu Imaki, who visited Melbourne last week, says the special Mazda5 will be able to run on hydrogen or petrol."If you are on the motorway, you press a button and you can convert from petrol to hydrogen and you hardly notice the change," Imaki says.He says regular combustion engines are not well suited to running on hydrogen, but rotaries, which use rotors instead of pistons, are because the combustion area is not as hot.This means Mazda engineers don't have to do much to ensure the rotary can run on hydrogen."The conversion from petrol to hydrogen is relatively easy," he says.Imaki says the company could have developed a petrol-electric hybrid powerplant as an alternative, but it would not have been as green as the hydrogen rotary."The combination of a regular piston or rotary engine with hybrid (motor), makes not so much of a difference. The difference is in using hydrogen as a fuel," he says.As for the future of the petrol rotary engine, which faces a tough fight as emission rules become stricter, Imaki says he has a team working on making that engine greener."That very topic came up in internal discussions. I understand our R&D people are doing a lot of improvements. All I can say is that I will be looking forward to future developments."The Mazda RX-8 sportscar is the only model in the Mazda range to be fitted with a rotary powerplant, but Mazda says the engine is important to the company."I know the public and also the media views the rotary as a brand icon of Mazda," he says.Mazda has no plan to fit a rotary engine to the MX-5, even though the light, high-revving engine may suit the roadster.MX-5 program manager Takao Kijima has ruled out a rotary engine and even a turbo boost for the convertible sportscar.He says it is more likely the car may be fitted with a slightly larger engine, probably a 2.3-litre four-cylinder with direct injection technology to give the car a mid-life boost.

Another day, another diesel. The CARSguide team has tested so many oil-burners in the past few months that you would think diesel was the dominant fuel in Australia.Well, it isn't and car companies still face a big battle to convince Australians that paying a premium to buy a diesel is worth it.The image of diesel has moved forward from the days it was associated with smoking four-wheel-drives, but it still has a way to go.Hoping to help change the image, several premium brands are importing diesel engines for some of their most expensive models, including 4WDs and sedans.Audi is even importing a diesel version of its range-topping A8. This is the model that takes on the cream of the German limos, including the Mercedes-Benz S-Class and the BMW 7-Series.The A8 range starts with a 3.7-litre petrol V6 for $169,950, then jumps to $204,500 for the 4.2-litre petrol V8.So where does the diesel A8 sit in the range? Right on top of the regular models at $210,000.Only the stretched A8s are more expensive. That is a lot of cash to cough up for any car.But this diesel is different. It's not designed with fuel savings in mind. After all, the type of high-rollers who might buy this are about as interested in fuel prices as they are about price rises for a slab of VB.The diesel donk in the A8 is about sheer force. It has 4.2-litres and eight cylinders assisted by two big turbos that spool-up to produce a healthy 240kW at 3750 revs — quite incredible for a diesel.What is more impressive is the torque total — a whopping 650Nm.To put that into context, the new 6.0-litre V8 in the Holden SS Commodore produces 530Nm and the Ford Falcon XR6 Turbo churns out 480Nm. This poke allows the big A8 limo, which weighs 1945kg, to dash from 0-100km/h in 5.9 seconds.All the urge runs through a six-speed automatic and is fed to all four wheels.Though the Audi boffins designed the engine with performance in mind, the fuel economy is also good. The official figure is 9.7 litres for 100km of city and highway driving.This means owners could drive for 950km without having to stop for fuel.Just as you would expect for a car that costs six-times the price of a base Commodore, the A8 TDI comes fully loaded.It has all the safety gear with all the electronic assistance and a full-suite of airbags, as well as luxuries including a 17cm colour centre information screen with satellite navigation and TV tuner, eight-speaker premium sound system, leather seats, sunroof, xenon headlights that swivel to point around corners and a keyless start.Another feature to delight the tech-heads is a fingerprint ID system that allows the car to recognise the driver and adapt accordingly.ON THE ROADTHE engine in the A8 is the best diesel we have driven. The burst of torque from the bottom of the rev range is simply brilliant.It slings the A8 forward with such force that you look forward to the next stop, so you can go through the acceleration process again.With the tricky variable geometry turbos working hard to smooth out the power delivery, the diesel surge runs all the way to the red-line.The turbos pause only slightly before turning on the punch, a long way from the turbo lag that some smaller diesel engines still have.Fuel consumption is not fantastic compared with many smaller diesels, but is excellent when you consider how potent the engine is.The fuel economy figure we achieved on the test ran from about 8.5 litres/100km on the highway to 11 litres when pushed.The automatic transmission is well suited to the punchy diesel and you hardly notice it.You can, of course, use the paddles on the steering wheel, which shout "gimmick". The paddles are next-to-useless because the gearbox over-rides the driver and changes up anyway, even when the automatic is flicked into manual mode.And with 650Nm of torque on tap, it is not as though you are going to have to work the gears to extract enough punch from the engine.The A8 has exceptionally light steering, which is nice when you are cruising around town or trying to park in tight spaces. The downside is that it is too light if you ever feel like getting sporty on a twisty road, and there is virtually no feedback through the wheel for the driver.The big German's adaptive air-suspension works quite well. It depends on your taste, but we found the standard suspension setting a touch too firm and the Luxury setting was too soft over any types of bumps.The system absorbs most bumps with ease but, strangely, some small things such as cats-eye reflectors seem to send a jolt through the aluminium body.When it comes to creature comforts, the A8 excels. Lots of things help out in everyday driving but many are there just to be shown off to friends.The centre control screen is super-crisp, thanks to high-resolution colour graphics, and the MMI (Multi Media Interface) is the best control system in a luxury German car.Seat comfort is excellent and there is a mass of interior space, including in the huge boot. The only thing missing from the cockpit is heated seats. They are optional, but should comes standard on such an expensive car.THE BOTTOM LINEThe storming diesel engine is simply stunning and makes diesel make sense, and we'd pick it over the V8 petrol.SCORE: 80/100FAST FACTThis is the first time Australian customers can order an A8 with a diesel.SPECS$210,000 as testedENGINE: 4.2-litre V8 turbo-diesel with two VTG turbochargersPOWER: 240kW at 3750 revsTORQUE: 650Nm at 1600-3500 revsTRANSMISSION: Six-speed automatic with sports shift, all-wheel-driveBODY: Four-door sedanSEATS: FiveDIMENSIONS: length 5062mm, width 1894mm, height 1444mm, wheelbase 2944mm, tracks 1629/1615mm front/rearSTEERING: Speed-dependent rack and pinionFUEL TANK: 90 litresFUEL TYPE: DieselFUEL CONSUMPTION: 9.7 litres/100kmWEIGHT: 1945kgSPARE TYRE: Full-size spareBRAKES: Discs all roundTYRES: 255/40R19SAFETY GEAR: Anti-skid brakes, electronic stability control, eight airbagsWARRANTY: Three-years/unlimited kmSTANDARD FEATURESAirconditioningCruise controlAlloy wheelsClimate controlLeather seatsParking sensorsAutomatic wipersHOW IT COMPARESMercedes Benz S500: 79/100 (from $253,900)BMW 750i: 73/100 (from $213,500)Audi A8 4.2 (petrol): 78/100 (from $203,000)

Fresh from a final-lap shootout at Sepang last Sunday, Valentino Rossi will naturally start favourite. He has not been beaten at the sea-side track since 2000, his first year on a 500cc bike, when he finished 0.29sec behind winner Max Biaggi. But the man he beat after an elbow-to-elbow fight that lasted for most of the Malaysian race could be the biggest threat to Rossi taking his sixth consecutive Phillip Island victory. At 33, Loris Capirossi might be old by MotoGP standards, but he is riding better than ever on his super-fast Ducati. The Italian blitzed the field at the Czech Republic Grand Prix at Brno last month and came close to beating Rossi in a classic duel at Sepang. Capirossi has little chance of winning the world championship and will be going flat-out for wins. "I know the bike and tyres are good and I know I am strong enough to fight with Valentino," he said. "I'm not thinking about the championship, I will just do my best and then we'll count the points. I am really looking forward to Phillip Island." Rossi may have won the Sepang battle, but he said he would have been happy coming second because he enjoyed the dicing so much. "It was another legendary battle between myself and Loris, very hard but also very fair," Rossi says. "I enjoy racing with him so much because there is a lot of respect between us and a great trust. He is probably the hardest rival I have ever had but also one of my best friends in the paddock." Rossi needs to beat Capirossi and everyone else at Phillip Island to give himself a real chance of winning the world championship. The Italian is 26 points behind Honda's Nicky Hayden and four points behind Hayden's teammate Dani Pedrosa with four rounds left. Pedrosa finished third in Malaysia and Hayden fourth. Rossi knows both are going to be competitive at all the tracks and knows exactly what he needs to do. "All I can do is keep winning races so that is what I will try to do." Pedrosa fought hard in Malaysia, riding with the help of a painkilling injection after he gouged his knee in a crash in Friday practice. Many people in pitlane didn't expect him to finish the race, let alone make it on to the podium. Pedrosa, who struggled to stand on the podium, revealed after the race that he wasn't sure whether or not he would race. "The big decision . . . was whether or not I would race, and until the last moment I was still in doubt about it," he says. "We chose to race and they gave me one injection to take away the pain. Though I felt the stitches pressing under my leathers, the pain on my knee was gone." Hayden is frank about his run at Sepang, explaining that he simply wasn't fast enough. But the American vows to fight back at Phillip Island to keep his championship lead. "We're definitely still in it, and we'll keep working hard," Hayden says. Casey Stoner finished eighth at Sepang after fading with exhaustion and back pain, and Chris Vermeulen ended up 11th. Practice starts at Phillip Island today, practice and qualifying will be held tomorrow and 125cc, 250cc and MotoGP races fire up on Sunday. Adult ticket prices start from $35 today, $59 tomorrow and $77 for Sunday. You can buy tickets at the gate or www.ticketmaster.com.au   CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS Nicky Hayden 214 Dani Pedrosa 192 Valentino Rossi 188 Loris Capirossi 171 Marco Melandri 168 Casey Stoner 109

Nothing stands out more than a Hummer — except a Hummer that has been stretched to measure 11m from nose to tail.The four-wheel-drive mud-plugger has been transformed into a luxurious party truck that is more bold than beautiful at twice the length of a standard Hummer.Operated by Melbourne-based Krystal Limousines, it will ferry the rich, the famous and anyone else chasing a slice of Hollywood glitz.So CARSguide convinced its owners to take the chrome-encrusted cruiser to Bungaree, a small town 10km east of Ballarat to test its wow factor.We have tested a lot of cars through the years, but nothing causes as much of a fuss as the Krystal Hummer.Drivers slam on brakes, passengers hang out of car windows with camera phones and pedestrians stare with wide eyes and open mouths.It's safe to say Bungaree has seen nothing like it.First stop is Bungaree Primary School.We want to ask the kids what they think of the super Hummer and see if we can fit an entire class in the back.There is enough space to fit half the school in the limo at once, comfortably.Sure, the school population is on the small side at 32, but that's still a good effort.On the road, the super-sized Hummer can legally carry 14 adults and one driver, all with seatbelts, on soft leather seats.It could carry more, but considerable space is taken up by the two bars, complete with ice buckets full of drinks, including champagne magnums.There are 14 cupholders, because, for some reason, limo passengers seem quite concerned about staying hydrated.The interior has all the subtlety of a Las Vegas casino. Strobe lights flicker below the seat cushions. Neon strips on the bar and the roof pulse in different colours.More than 2000 tiny fibre-optic lights in the roof flash in different colours in tune to music that rocks the interior with the firepower of 12 speakers and three thundering subwoofers.The windows are extra thick and dark so you can party in private, but occupants can see everything happening outside.If they tire of watching accidents being caused by goggle-eyed motorists, they can watch one of three video screens in the huge cabin.Passengers in the back of the truck can even use a wall-mounted phone to talk to the driver — the Hummer is that big.The Krystal Hummer, which weighs about 4500kg, draws a crowd as it sits outside the Bungaree school."You couldn't do circle work in that, could you?" jokes one onlooker.The kids, who are further dwarfed by the imposing machine, are impressed."I reckon that if I had a chance to buy that or a house, I'd buy that," 11-year-old Tyler says.Ten-year-old Zac justifies the purchase of such a car by suggesting an owner could save on holiday costs."You wouldn't have to go to a five-star hotel. It has a mini-bar and the stereo is so loud."The kids aren't allowed any champagne, but its very presence impresses one of the pupils."I liked the mini-bar and the alcohol," says an eight-year-old girl.The most popular description of the Krystal Hummer is "awesome" and the "the coolest car in the world".Asked which celebrities would ride in a stretched Hummer, the kids suggest Britney Spears, Kylie Minogue and Madonna, before a young boy pipes up:"I reckon Tom Cruise would have one because he's crazy."Well, the slightly eccentric are known for their love of stretched Hummers — the Osbourne family get about in one.Krystal Limousines expects some celebrity bookings, but also offers the Hummer for debutante balls, graduations, weddings, parties — pretty much anything.Pricing depends on how long you need it and where you go, but a full load of passengers could pay about $50 each for an hour with a reduced hourly rate after that.It's not cheap, but the company has already had several wedding bookings for couples keen on a bit of Las Vegas glamour.The special Hummer is an expensive machine and a fair chunk of the $300,000 it owes its owners was spent on shipping.The Melbourne-based partner of Krystal Limousines, Steve Nogas, bought a standard Hummer H2 SUT in the United States and shipped it back to Australia.He had it converted from left-hand drive to right-hand drive then shipped it back to California so it could be stretched by Krystal Enterprises, a big operator that customises several Hummer limos every week.The car was then brought back to Australia.The process was so convoluted because red tape meant the car had to be imported as a road-legal machine.The Hummer is relatively easy to stretch because it has a separate ladder frame.The drive-shaft is made up of five sections and the Krystal Hummer retains its fully functioning 4WD system, even if it isn't so good for off-road work any more.It has a heavy-duty suspension and brakes, but runs a standard 6.0-litre V8 and five-speed automatic.The owners are yet to measure the custom Hummer's fuel economy, perhaps out of sheer terror.We cruise up to the Bungaree general store, where the Hummer's arrival interrupts Tilly the Pug's blissful slumber.The dog poses for a photo in front of the Hummer that dwarfs her owner's shop.It seems everyone wants to be photographed in front of the gleaming limo — though we expect Tilly was doing it only because of the food we promised.Nogas is amazed by the number of photos that have already been taken of his 11m baby."The reaction is incredible. The cameras started clicking the first time we took it out," he says.Krystal Limousines partner Perry Webb agrees, noting "a lot of people do a double take when the huge Hummer rolls past"."People see it and rub their eyes and look again. You can see them thinking, 'Is that what I think it is?'LONG HISTORY OF CONVERSIONSPEOPLE have been stretching cars for a long time.Almost as soon as cars were created, they were turned into long limos.Stretched open-top machines appeared in Australia as early as 1918, when this machine was snapped on King William St in Adelaide.Luxury sedans such as the Ford LTD, Lincoln Town Car and Chrysler 300C are popular models for modern conversions, but keep your eyes peeled for rarer lengthened cars.Stretched versions of two-stroke Trabants can be spotted in the Czech Republic, lengthened Ladas have been seen in Russia and an Australian has even stretched a 1970s Beetle to 9m — we don't know why.Stretch limos are everywhere in the United States and some have rear-mounted spa baths.One American, with far too much cash, has even stretched a Lamborghini Diablo — oh, the humanity.

Big and comfortable coupes built for cruising are rare these days. Most cars with two doors are sporty, and are usually set up too firm for a nice loping drive in the country. But the Peugeot 407 Coupe is a stylish cruiser that won't damage your vertebrae when you run over bumpy tarmac. Though it is built off the same base as the 407 sedan, every panel on the Coupe is unique. Engines include a 155kW 3.0-litre petrol V6 and the impressive 150kW 2.7-litre twin turbo-diesel fitted to our test car. The big Peugeot diesel is not cheap, coming in at $72,500, but it is loaded with gear. The goodies include heated leather seats, xenon headlights that point around corners, front and rear parking sensors, dual-zone airconditioning, JBL premium sound system, rain-sensing wipers and tyre pressure sensors. The leather seats are supportive, but there is not much room for those in the back. Another downside is the length and weight of the doors, which hinder getting in and out. The twin turbo-diesel is a cracking engine and is pretty quiet. With 440Nm from as low as 1900 revs, it pulls the car around with little effort and even emits a sporty note when pushed. It combines well with the ZF six-speed automatic, which changes smoothly. All this is achieved with an average of just 7.5 litres for 100km, dropping to 6 litres cruising on the highway. The 407 Coupe has plenty of punch, but it's not really a sports car. It is a bit clumsy in tight turns, with woolly steering feel and a fair amount of body roll on uneven surfaces.

Ford Australia will switch its mix of petrol and LPG models as orders rise following the Federal Government's announcement of a $1000 grant for any new car fitted with LPG and $2000 for any existing petrol model converted to LPG.The new grant means an LPG Falcon costs just $400 more than its petrol equivalent.Ford will boost LPG model production from 80 cars a day to 120.The company would have liked to increase its LPG production earlier, but its gas tank supplier needs time to boost its own production to meet Ford's needs.The increased demand for LPG Falcons has also pushed Ford to re-examine the possibility of producing an LPG version of its Territory wagon.Ford demonstrated the value and practicality of its LGP Falcon with a 14,000km lap of the Australian mainland that finished last week.The fuel bill for the trip was just $997.55 and the car had enough gas left to travel another 350km.Ford estimates the same trip would have cost at least double on petrol. Ford Australia president Tom Gorman says the trip proves how economical an LPG Falcon is."Australians are constantly worrying about fuel prices and there has been a lot of talk about a movement from large cars into smaller vehicles," Gorman says."We wanted to show Australians that you can have all the performance and package benefits of a large car while enjoying the refuelling costs of a much smaller car."Ford also wanted to prove it is possible to refill with LPG away from major centres.Unlike dual-fuel cars, LPG Falcons run only on gas. While this means the engine is optimised to run on LPG, some customers are put off because LPG is not available in some remote areas of Australia.

The previous Falcon beat the old Commodore in our last sanctioned big Aussie car battle, but the Holden has since been rejuvenated at a cost of $1 billion. It has been in serious training for five years.The BF Falcon was boosted with mechanical upgrades late last year, but it is much the same as the 2002 BA model.It will be given a styling tweak and some other adjustments in October, before a new model hits in 2008.We let the cars do battle in an extensive test on challenging Victorian roads, dirt tracks and highways.We picked the most popular family models, the $39,175 Falcon Futura and the $40,240 Berlina.ON THE ROADWITH $1 billion spent on developing the Commodore, you would think the VE Holden would easily beat the ageing Falcon. If you did, you are wrong. This fight goes all the way to the last round.ENGINE AND TRANSMISSIONTHE Falcon is the winner when it comes to punch. Torque is the key. It shouldn't be a surprise, given the Ford has 53Nm more on tap.The last Commodore didn't need as much grunt because it was lighter. Now it is 11kg heavier than the Ford and you feel it.The Berlina isn't a slug, but the engine does have to work a lot harder.Going uphill, the Berlina's four-speed transmission has to drop down one or two gears more than the Ford equivalent, meaning the engine revs higher to maintain momentum.That said, the Holden engineers have done a great job improving the refinement of the Alloytec V6.It was pretty rough when it was introduced in the VZ model, with nasty noises and vibrations, but it is much smoother now.At idle, the Holden engine is so quiet that sometimes we are not sure if the engine is turned on.The Ford is not as smooth at idle. It vibrates a bit more, especially when switching the airconditioning on or off.The Futura's engine does emit a rortier engine note, which adds to the sporty feel.Its automatic transmission works better than the Berlina's, with smoother changes, but the difference is not huge.Like almost all new cars, the Futura's automatic has a manual shift mode, but the Berlina misses out.FUEL CONSUMPTIONYOU might expect the Futura to be thirstier than the Berlina because of its performance edge, but that's not the case.In fact, the Ford is lighter on fuel than the Holden. We are probably harder on the cars during the test than most owners would be, but we drive both cars in exactly the same way.The Berlina uses an average of 10.9 litres over 100km and the Falcon uses an average of 9.8 litres/100km.Based on those figures, an average driver would spend an extra $6 a week to run the Holden at current fuel prices.RIDE COMFORTTHE Berlina is the winner when it comes to ride comfort.It is set softer than the Falcon and is nicer to ride in on smooth roads and most city streets. The Berlina's suspension might be too soft for some. It can float a bit when running over big bumps on broken country roads.The Falcon set-up is firmer. It is still fairly comfortable, but not as nice as the Berlina. It is more lively and you feel more of the bumps.The comfort level in the Berlina is aided by a quiet interior. We can feel the serenity.The Futura is a pretty quiet car, with BF upgrades reducing noise levels, but the Berlina is quieter.Intrusive tyre noise experienced on the Commodore launch early this month, particularly in sporty models, was not evident during the test.HANDLING BOTH cars have excellent road-holding ability. The Futura and Berlina both hang on well on dry tarmac, wet tarmac and slippery gravel.Both have the advantage of traction control, but the Holden has the added safety of electronic stability control.The Futura gives the driver more feel when pushing hard, both through the suspension and the steering, which is more solid than the Berlina. The VE Holden's steering is much lighter than the previous model, which was not good. The new system is very light on centre, but loads up as you turn.It takes a while to get used to, but the lighter system is much less taxing when you are negotiating tight turns in places like car parks.The Holden's driving position is much better than the Ford's and it is easier to get comfortable behind the wheel.You feel as if you are sitting lower in the Berlina, but you still have good visibility.The door line is higher and the driver feels more secure.In the Futura, you feel you are sitting up higher.INSIDE APART from a rotten slab of plastic stuck on the dashboard that we think is supposed to imitate woodgrain, the Berlina's interior is very good.A lot of time and effort has been spent creating a functional and attractive layout.The buttons are all visible to the driver, unlike the pokey buttons for things such as the fuel cap release that are hidden behind the Futura's steering wheel.The Berlina's sound system, which copies Ford's piano-key buttons, has a lot of bass and a cool green-coloured screen.Dual-zone climate control in the Holden is a welcome feature, as is the Bluetooth that beams your phone calls through the car speakers, as long as you have the right phone.We don't like the Berlina's handbrake, which is part of the centre console. It looks cheap and is clumsy to use.The leather-wrapped steering wheel in the Berlina is a nice touch and the cloth trim looks fine, but we are not convinced the cloth fabric will endure the rigours of family travel.The familiar Futura interior is starting to look dated.Its plush felt seat trim is nice, but the dashboard is fairly plain and the centre control screen has been surpassed by the Berlina.The plastic steering wheel doesn't match the Berlina's and the instrument panel doesn't look as classy.Still, most of the controls are well laid out, especially the climate-control dials and radio controls.The cruise control of both cars works well, but we prefer the steering wheel-mounted Ford system, rather than the stalk system of the Holden.OUTSIDE THERE is no competition when it comes to exterior styling. The Berlina looks so much better than the Futura, which is a now a plain Jane.With its flared wheel arches, coupe-like roof line and 17-inch wheels, the Holden wins the fashion battle.PRACTICALITY APART from a silly decision to not include a split-fold rear seat, Holden has done well with practicality.Things such as door bins for the rear-seat passengers, doors that open wider than the Futura's and a huge, flat-bottomed boot all add up.Both cars offer lots of rear legroom and headroom, but the Berlina is easier to get in and out of.Holden fitted the test car with the optional full-size spare tyre ($250), despite arguing that punctures are a thing of the past. We suggest owners do the same. The full-size spare takes up no more room in the boot.THE VERDICTThis is close as both cars are world-class.If you want to tow, the Futura is the car to have. It is also the car we would pick for a fun run on a twisty road.The Berlina's fuel-drinking problem is a concern and could put off quite a few potential buyers.For us, the Holden is the better car for everyday driving. It needs more torque, but is more refined, quieter, is more comfortable to ride in on most roads and looks to be a prestige car.There is more useable boot space, the driving position is better and it has electronic stability control as standard.The Berlina wins this fight - just - but we would jump either way depending on which brand offered the best discount.

"There's something wrong with the engine, it sounds sick," she says.When told it is a diesel, there is a puzzled look followed by the question: "A diesel in a Jaguar?"Yes, Jaguar has released a diesel-powered car.It is the latest move from a company that has continued to challenge its brand image since Ford bought it in 1990.First there was a front-wheel-drive and even a wagon.The only thing left is a hulking Jaguar four-wheel-drive designed for Americans -- we hope that never comes.The switch to diesel is logical. It is the fuel of choice in much of Europe and more refined turbodiesel engines are now available.The first diesel Jaguar in Australia is the S-Type, a rival to the BMW 5-Series and Mercedes-Benz E-Class that both have diesel offerings.With a price of $101,490, the diesel Jag slips into the S-Type range above the petrol V6 at $89,990 and below the $124,990 V8 and $169,990 supercharged V8.When you take into account the gear that comes standard with the diesel S-Type, it most closely matches the $99,990 petrol V6 Luxury model. So the diesel engine adds about $1500 to the price.Jaguar says owners can expect to recoup the extra cash within three years thanks to its economy, but expects many customers will be attracted to the diesel because of the way it drives.It is a sweet diesel engine. The twin-turbo V6 is the same hi-tech powerplant used in the Peugeot 407. The motor was developed as a joint project between the French carmaker and Ford's Premier Automotive Group.It pumps out 153kW, which is impressive, but it is the figure of 435Nm that really stands out.The torque tally is higher than the petrol V8 and yet the official fuel consumption figures suggest the diesel uses 47 per cent less fuel than the eight-pot engine.Still, the V8 is faster -- able to dash from 0-100km/h 2.1 seconds quicker than the diesel, which takes 8.6 seconds.The S-Type is a fairly heavy beast at 1790kg, which doesn't help when it comes to performance.The diesel is at its best low down in the rev range, with 80 per cent of its torque available from 1500-4000 revs.You can tell it is a diesel when idling and sometimes at low revs, though it is a very quiet diesel. When it revs higher, it doesn't sound like a diesel and even emits a sporty note.But it is still noisy from outside the car or inside with the window down.The official fuel economy figure for the S-Type diesel is 7.8 litres/100km for the combined city and highway cycle.It can drop to 6.8 litres/100km on the highway and rise to 8.8 litres around town, which is still good.The engine works well with the six-speed ZF automatic (which is also used in the BMW 7-Series and Ford Falcon), though you sometimes miss being able to rev it nicely like a petrol engine.So the diesel engine is a good thing. But what about the rest of the car? A new S-Type is due some time next year and it couldn't come soon enough.There is nothing glaring that stands out with the S-Type. It's just that the whole package is disappointing and feels out of date.It looks big on the outside, but feels much, much smaller on the inside.There is little leg-room for rear passengers and the boot is so shallow that it is hard to carry bulky items that slip into other sedans of this size.It is impossible for a taller driver to really get comfortable because the steering wheel doesn't extend out enough.T HE interior is loaded with wood and sumptuous leather trim, which is a nice touch, but all the work is undone by dated brown dashboard plastic.At least the touch-screen sound system and satellite navigation screen is easy to use.There is more tyre noise and wind noise than you would expect and the ride quality doesn't match its rivals.The standard parking sensors are useful, but those fitted to the test car are temperamental and sometimes beep repeatedly in slow-moving traffic.The nice diesel engine might tempt some into the current S-Type, but most would do better to wait for the new model.