Articles by James Stanford

The crossover hatch is practical and compact, though the exterior styling can be a compromise. James Stanford appraises a safe and spacious pair.

James Stanford road tests and reviews the 2015 Audi TT Coupe at its Australian launch.

The final chapter in Ford Australia's muscle-car story is a supercharged, track-focused V8 hot rod. Blast hurrah.This is what you call going out with a bang. The XR8 was finally reinstated to the struggling Falcon line-up last year after it was dropped back in 2010.The supercharged V8 hero arrived too late to save the Falcon, with Ford's local production set to end in October next year, but it will at least give Ford fans something to smile about.The XR8 is essentially a reborn FPV GT-RSPEC, a track- focused muscle car, which has been updated with new styling and some fresh technology.The XR8 is effectively an FG Falcon with Ford's latest corporate designed nose and tail.It looks like the soon-to-be-released Mondeo (sold as Fusion in the US), with a little bit of Mustang mixed in.It has a subtle raised bonnet, instead of the bold power bulge of the FG model, and W-shape LED lights that give the car a more aggressive look.The interior is updated slightly, with a new-look screen, instrument cluster and fresh leather trim (with new seats).It looks neat and clean and everything is within reach, but it also looks very dated.The eight-inch touch screen looks good and has the latest Sync 2 system, which, among other things, means the car can call for help automatically in the event of a crash. There are two USB charger points in the centre console too.There is plenty of room in the cabin and the leather seats are very comfortable. The driver's seat is still too high, even though the cushion has been recut to lower the seating position.The XR8 has satnav and a reversing camera as standard. Unlike the SS-V Redline Commodore, it doesn't get self-parking, but that's unlikely to bother the target market.The XR8 is a snorting muscle carThis is a muscle car, made for people who enjoy their driving. More importantly, the XR8 misses out on a heads-up display, which is a notable omission in a car that requires close attention to the speedo. There is no option of any automatic emergency braking either.The XR8 is a snorting muscle car, but is actually quite refined around town, when driven smoothly. The optional automatic is the best choice for anyone who is going to spend most of their time in the traffic, as the manual is fairly clunky.The XR8 has a stiffer suspension package; the old cars would slump into a corner and float around over bumps.This car is well tied down, and feels sharper and more responsive through corners, helped by its precise, well-weighted steering. The penalty, on bumpy roads, is a jittery ride, bordering on harsh.Wider rear tyres now mean the XR8 is less of a handful and can sling out of corners fast, instead of sliding about.The transmission also helps with the driving experience, intuitively adapting to more enthusiastic driving and extracting the most out of the big V8.This engine is an absolute gem.Not satisfied with a 5.0-litre V8, FPV threw a supercharger into the mix as well.It has a wicked soundtrack, a mix of supercharger whine and exhaust thunderOfficially, it has 335kW, but it actually produces 375kW thanks to a supercharger overboost function that operates almost all the time in all gears, except first. That makes the SS Commodore's 270kW (260kW as an automatic) look and feel paltry. It is a thrill to accelerate and has way more torque than you need in any gear.Buyers should do the odd track day to unleash this beast.It has a wicked soundtrack, a mix of supercharger whine and exhaust thunder, with some cracking and popping thrown in.It is a thirsty beast and expect it to go well above the official fuel economy figure of 13.6L/100km, but hey, this is a hot rod that probably won't be used for commuting.

James Stanford road tests and reviews the Mazda 6 at its Australian launch.

The South Korean company rolled out the Santa Cruz concept, a car-based ute that could arrive here in about three years' time.It probably won't generate the kind of sales of a workhorse body-on-frame ute such as the Toyota HiLux, but the city-friendly Santa Cruz could soon have a cult following of its own. History certainly suggests it could find plenty of fans in Australia.If the Santa Cruz does lob in 2018, it will arrive here just months after Australia's last car-based ute rolls off the Holden production line in Elizabeth, South Australia.The Commodore-based ute will die in 2017, a year after the Falcon-based ute is killed off.These two once represented some serious sales volume for the two brands, but they are not the only car-based utes that have been loved by locals.Subaru's Brumby put the company on the map after it was introduced here in 1978.It was sold in the US as the Brat and gained a solid following there — president Ronald Reagan even used one for a decade on his ranch in Santa Barbara.Subaru Australia spokesman David Rowley says: "It was huge in terms of building our all-wheel-drive brand as were the other niche vehicles Subaru came up such as the Forester, the WRX and Outback."The Brumby was discontinued in 1994, but Rowley says he still gets the odd call from Brumby owners asking when Subaru plans to release a new one."I have let them down gently and explain there are no such plans," he says.Rowley attributes the Brumby's appeal to its durability, especially the body, the fact it had 4WD and its keen pricing.Hyundai reckons there is fertile ground for its new offeringIt might be a long way away from showrooms, but the Santa Cruz looks like it could well emulate some of the Brumby's success, even if it does appear aimed more at city slickers.Australia's love of car-based utes even extended to the Proton Jumbuck, a cheap hauler based on the small Persona, that was introduced in 2003.It was front-drive, could only carry 550kg and the quality was ordinary, but it still sold in reasonable numbers and was Proton's best selling vehicle until it was killed off in 2010.There were plans to replace it with another car-based low-cost ute, but nothing has surfaced yet.Ford and Holden both shifted as many as 2000 Falcon and Commodore-based utes per month a decade ago before sales started to slide as more customers moved to the ever-improving workhorse utes such as HiLux and Ford Ranger. While the VFACTS numbers suggest Australians are falling out of love with car-based utes these days, with monthly sales of the Holden Commodore Ute down to 466 and monthly Falcon Ute sales slumping to 232, Hyundai reckons there is fertile ground for its new offering.Hyundai Australia chief operating officer John Elsworth says: "We see great opportunity going forward for car/SUV based utes locally."We know it will be a hit with Australians if the vehicle does make it into productionHe says the car could create a new segment of crossover AWD utes."Twenty years ago a market didn't exist for crossover 4WDs, now SUVs are common place on Australian driveways. Likewise the crossover ute has the potential win over Australians with its versatility, a one vehicle for all occasions philosophy," Elsworth says.The ex-Holden executive has no doubt the Santa Cruz would be a success should it be approved by Hyundai's top brass."We know it will be a hit with Australians if the vehicle does make it into production," he says.

The major brands are keen for a good start to 2015 and that means a lot of sharp deals for the first two months of the year.Low profile brand Citroen currently has a hot deal on its Berlingo compact hauler, offering the 66kW diesel manual long body version for $25,990 drive away. It has also thrown in an extended warranty, covering it for five years/200,000km.Volkswagen has two limited edition vans available now, with special drive-away pricing.They are called Runner models and are effectively entry-level models.The Caddy Runner is based on the TSI 160 petrol version of Volkswagen’s small van. It is not loaded with gear, but does have airconditioning as well as stability control, and costs $23,990 drive away.The Transporter Runner, based on the TDI 250 diesel, is not completely void of features either and has just picked up Bluetooth phone connectivity and cruise control in addition to AC and stability control.Volkswagen is currently offering it for $32,990 drive away.Renault is receiving initial stock of the new Master large van, but there are a fair few of the old one left and that means bargains are to be had.The company hasn’t locked in incentives with the dealers, instead asking them to check in when someone is interested, so it might well be worth asking.The company does have an extended warranty offer in place at the moment to help its Kangoo compact van, which covers it for five years or 200,000km.Ford is offering two special deals with price cuts and extended warranty deals for its front-drive Transit Custom vans.The first is a short wheelbase model at $38,990 drive away and the second is the long wheelbase version for $40,990 drive away.These are keen prices, especially as Ford has now introduced an extended warranty that lasts for five years/200,000km.Both models are standard, but the Transit is very well specified and each van has a five-star crash safety rating, stability control, cruise control, Bluetooth connectivity, a bulkhead and even heated seats.There is only one transmission, a six-speed manual, as an automatic is still being developed, and only one engine, a 2.2-litre turbodiesel.Fiat is not doing any special deals on its just-introduced Doblo and Ducato vans, maintaining the strong pricing structure from the launch, including the well specified Doblo compact van from $22,000 for the petrol 1.4 and the larger Ducato with a 3.0-litre diesel from $38,000, but neither price includes drive-away costs.

There's more than one way to skin a cat. James Stanford looks at two very different people-movers.

As another bumper weekend of cricket looms, James Stanford asks if a four can ever be better than a six.

It's the second-generation version of the Raptor, an off-road performance model that has gained a cult following since it was first introduced in 2010.Only a handful of first-generation Raptors made it to Australia because the vehicle was only made in left-hand drive and interested customers had to have them converted.The new Raptor has an even bolder and chunkier look than the first.Sadly, the story is the same this time around, with no plans to build the new Raptor with the steering wheel on the correct side of the dashboard.Interestingly, many Australian Ford Ranger ute owners have shown their love of the Raptor by fitting Raptor-style grilles with FORD printed in big letters.The new Raptor has an even bolder and chunkier look than the first.It is all-new and brings some interesting new technology to the sport truck class.The most striking is the high-output turbocharged V6, which replaces the previous generation V8.A 6.2-litre eight propelled the old Raptor, generating a handy 307kW and 588Nm of torque.Ford did not reveal the power and torque figures of the new vehicle's 3.5-litre turbo V6 when it rolled out the car at the Detroit motor show earlier this month, but did say it would generate more power and torque than the V8 it replaces.The company also said the Raptor engine would be linked to a new 10-speed automatic transmission.Another radical change is the new body shell that is made from aluminium instead of steel. Ford says this change alone saves 227kg.The aluminium-bodied Raptor comes just months after Ford introduced the new-generation F-Series, which also features an aluminium shell.The Raptor features new Fox Racing shock absorbers developed for fast off-road driving, and has improved travel over the last generation truck.

Mitsubishi launched the new-look next generation Triton in Thailand last month and the all-important workhorse is due to land in Australia mid-year.Sales of ageing models can start to drop off when the successor has been unveiled and car makers normally react in one of two ways - cut the prices or produce limited editions.Mitsubishi has been doing great deals on Triton for months and now it has released a loaded special edition called the Warrior, based on the GLX-R.Officially, the GLX-R costs $45,740 (dealers often sharpen this price) but the Warrior special edition costs $43,990. Even better, this is a drive-away price.The Warrior gets all the same gear as the GLX-R and adds a range of additional kit. This includes black leather seats, black interior trim, six-way power adjustable driver's seat, multi- function screen, eight speaker sound system and a powerful amplifier.On the outside, the Warrior gets distinctive 17-inch alloy wheels, factory-made alloy nudge bar and fabric tonneau cover. The only mechanical upgrade is a rear differential lock.Mitsubishi will make 300 Warriors and they will be available in four colours. The Warrior is based on the GLX-R, which gets Bluetooth with audio streaming and phone connectivity, which can be controlled via the steering wheel or voice recognition system.The 2.5-litre four-cylinder turbo diesel (131kW/400Nm) turns part-time four-wheel drive system via a five-speed manual transmission. Five-speed auto transmission is a $2000 option.