Articles by John Carey

Huge, heavy... and hot, that's Dawn. She's the latest addition to the line-up of Britain's legendary luxury brand.

BMW's forthcoming X1 marks a major milestone in the career of Sydney-born Calvin Luk.

John Carey road tests and reviews the BMW X1 at its international launch.

Mercedes-Benz locking system engineer Santiago Pena Brossa touches his HTC smartphone gently against the door handle of the E-Class.The camouflage-covered sedan's indicators blink and its rear-view mirrors swing out. It's open, but not ready to drive.This car is still nine months or so from going into production. Which explains why this prototype's exterior is covered in an eye-baffling black-and-white pattern and its interior is hidden under rough-cut bits of what looks like black carpet.While the visuals will remain under wraps for some time yet, Mercedes-Benz is ready to talk about some of the new E-Class's innermost technical secrets.Mercedes-Benz will be the first to introduce the smartphone car key to marketIt's a glimpse into the not-so-distant future of driving, because where Mercedes-Benz goes, others inevitably will follow.The day the new E-Class goes on sale will be the beginning of the end for the conventional car key, it seems. In time it will go the way of the videotape, floppy disk and CD.Pena Barossa promises Mercedes-Benz will be the first to introduce the smartphone car key to market.The feature will be offered first as an option on the new E-Class, then spread to other models from the German carmaker.There are some obvious downsidesThe system relies on Near Field Communications, a radio technology built into newer smartphones and already in use in some countries by Visa and MasterCard for contactless payments. The ability to securely store encrypted data, either in the phone itself or its SIM card, is also required.According to Pena Brossa, the Mercedes Me website will offer a facility for customers to check whether their smartphone can be used as a key. At first it will be possible to install only four "keys" on a phone, but the next step will permit any number. Perfect for car rental companies, says Pena Brossa.There are some obvious downsides. A dead phone will mean not being able to get into your car. "You have a big problem," admits Pena Brossa, who points out that modern car keys are also useless when damaged.Then there's the affection many feel for the good, old-fashioned car key. "The traditional customers, they love it," says the engineer.

It's a brave move. The Bavarian brand is the first to move to triple power in the premium medium class.The turbo 1.5-litre engine will power the 318i, entry point for the facelifted 3 Series line-up due to reach our showrooms in about October. It will take the place of the sub-$60,000 316i, which has a turbo 1.6-litre four.Although smaller, the new triple matches the 100kW maximum power of the 316i.The 3 Series triple does come with a power pedigreeBut BMW's new triple is outclassed by the turbo fours of obvious competitors from Audi and Mercedes-Benz; maximum power of the base A4's 1.8-litre is 125kW, the C-Class's 2.0-litre produces 135kW. These numbers are likely to interest Australian customers more than the triple's sub-6.0L/100km fuel sipping figure.Still, the 3 Series triple does come with a power pedigree. In tuned-up form, this is the same engine that powers the rear wheels of BMW's swift and stunning i8 plug-in hybrid.Engines are the big story of this 3 Series update. Nearly everything in the range moves to BMW's newest engine family. As well as the petrol triple, there are new 2.0-litre turbo petrol and turbo diesel fours and a new 3.0-litre turbo petrol six. Only the turbo diesel six-cylinder, not offered here, is to be carried over from the current 3 Series.The new engines are built around common 500cc modules. They've been designed for manufacturing efficiency. As well as sharing of parts inside the petrol and diesel engine line-ups, there's also 30 to 40 per cent sharing between petrol and diesel.They've revised the basic standard and sports suspensionsThere are some new names to go with these new engines. The 320i badge is retained, but the current 328i four is to be replaced by the 5kW-more-powerful 330i. Likewise, the 335i six is to be replaced by the 340i. This facelift will also bring changes to front and rear bumpers, designed to make the 3 Series look more snarly, and a new headlight design. Full LED adaptive headlights will be an option for the first time, too.BMW engineers say they attempted to make the updated 3 Series a sportier drive. They've revised the basic standard and sports suspensions and have upgraded to two-valve variable shock absorbers in the switchable adaptive damping system.Their aim was to improve steering precision and reduce body roll while cornering, without killing comfort.BMW Australia isn't saying how much these new 3 Series models will cost until closer to their arrival date. But the prices need to be super sharp.Like Audi, BMW is being brained by Mercedes-Benz in the premium medium category.Check out Malcolm Flynn's video review of the BMW 3 Series:

Although production of the big Benz does not begin until next year, its maker is already talking up its advanced abilities."From a technological standpoint, we're upgrading Business Class to First Class," says Michael Hafner, the company's director of driver assistance systems and active safety.Equipped with multiple cameras, radars and ultrasonic sensors, plus a powerful computer, the E-Class will be able to automatically follow the vehicle ahead at any speed from standstill to 200km/h.Unlike the last generation of Mercedes' Intelligent Drive technology, introduced in the S-Class limo only two years ago, the E-Class will be able to drive itself on roads without clear lane markings at up to 130km/h. But it will still only be a semi-autonomous car.Authorities around the world, including Germany's own VDA, still have rules requiring the driver to keep their hands on the wheel at all times. So law-abiding Mercedes-Benz uses a steering-wheel sensor to shut down its most advanced technology if the driver's hands leave the steering wheel for more than a few seconds.Motorway driving is an ideal scenario for the autonomous carBut Mercedes-Benz will be ready to move the moment such laws are amended to accommodate autonomous cars.This will make it possible, for example, for drivers to hand over control to the car for tedious motorway driving.Mercedes driver assistance systems engineer Alexander Schaab confirms that motorway driving is an ideal scenario for the autonomous car. With no oncoming traffic, it's a relatively simple environment for sensors and software to cope with, he points out.Thinking ahead, Mercedes is already working to develop protocols for the car to hand control back to the driver, he says. With today's hands-on laws, this is simple he says. But when the car has been in control for an extended period, the driver can obviously become deeply involved in other tasks. Making sure they're ready to resume driving, say at the end of the motorway, is something requiring absolutely foolproof technology.Schaab says Mercedes will be ready when laws change to permit autonomous driving."We will be coming very quickly with a solution," he promises.It will be able to park itself even with no-one in the car from the time of launchWhile the next E-Class must wait for lawmakers to catch up when it comes to motorway driving, it will be able to park itself even with no-one in the car from the time of launch.Using a smartphone app it will be possible for an E-Class owner to park their car while standing outside it.Once the manoeuvre is selected on the phone, the driver must continuously confirm they want the car to keep moving by making a gesture on its touchscreen that's like twirling the thumbwheel of an iPod.As well as being able to handle nose-in, reverse-in and parallel parking, Mercedes' new Remote Parking Pilot also features a mode called Explore, which allows the driver to remotely move the car forward or backwards up to 10 metres, into or out of a very narrow garage, for example.

John Carey road tests and reviews the Mercedes-Benz GLE 350d with specs, fuel consumption and verdict, at its international launch.

Elbowing Audi aside, Mercedes-AMG has reclaimed its place at the front of the hot hatchback pack.

John Carey road tests and reviews the Citroen Aircross Concept in France.

The GLC, a good-looking competitor for the strong-selling Audi Q5 and BMW X3, was unveiled in Stuttgart last week. It goes on sale in Europe from September but won't be here until December at the earliest.In Europe and elsewhere, the GLC will replace an existing model. The GLK, introduced in 2008, became Benz's best-selling SUV worldwide. But the company designed it only for left-hand drive. This, officials admit, was a bad blunder.The new SUV's name makes clear its close relationship to the fine C-Class sedan and wagon.Initially, the GLC will be four-cylinder only and Australia will get 2.1-litre turbodiesels (125kW and 150kW) and a 2.0-litre turbo (155kW), teamed with a Mercedes-made nine-speed auto and 4Matic all-wheel-drive.It's expected to outsell its obvious German rivalsThe technology and performance top-liner is unlikely to make it to Australia. The GLC 350 e is a plug-in hybrid, with an electric-only driving range of 34km and an 85kW electric motor to work with the 2.0 turbo.Combined power output of 235kW can push the SUV from rest to 100km/h in just 5.9 secs, yet the vehicle also has a scooter-like thirst: 2.6L/100km.Mercedes-Benz Australia will almost certainly wait for the even faster and much thirstier GLC 450 AMG, powered by a 3.0-litre V6 turbo (270kW), to top its range. Already used in other models, this smooth, strong performance engine will have strong appeal in Australia.With its elegant exterior and broad engine choices, it's expected to outsell its obvious German rivals. Mercedes-Benz Australia spokesman Jerry Stamoulis says the GLCs will be priced accordingly.There will be a less useful version of the GLC in 2016. It will be a production version of a concept recently shown in China. "There will also be two variants," says Benz SUV boss Wolf-Dieter Kurz, the first being the wagon-like version in a couple of months. "In 2016 it will be followed by the extra sporty Coupe, which we showed as a study at the Shanghai motor show." The GLC Coupe is likely to go on sale in Australia later that year.