Articles by Joshua Dowling

The Australian car industry might be dying but it is definitely not going to go quietly.Holden’s fast-car division is poised to add supercharged V8 power across most of its line-up to farewell the Commodore on a high from the end of this year.While Holden sales are at 21-year lows, V8 sales are up and now account for more than one-third of all Commodores sold.With enthusiasts now the driving force, Holden Special Vehicles has emptied out the big guns and by the end of this year will fit the supercharged V8 that was previously reserved for the $100,000 flagship GTS sedan and GTS Maloo ute, the world’s fastest pick-up.HSV has refused to comment on the plans but News Corp Australia has been told by well placed sources that the regular versions of the Clubsport, Maloo and Senator will get supercharged V8 power, due in showrooms about the same time as the Bathurst 1000 car race in October.HSV is understood to have capped the Clubsport and Maloo to about 400kWNews Corp Australia has been told that HSV was forced to introduce its “big banger” supercharged V8 engine to the more affordable models in its range because, later this year, Holden will fit to Commodore SS models the Corvette V8 that was previously exclusive to HSV.News Corp Australia understands that GTS owners will still retain bragging rights with the fastest and most powerful engine ever fitted to an Australian-made car.Contrary to inaccurate media reports, the HSV GTS is expected to retain its output of 430kW of power and 740Nm of torque when the Series II model comes out later this year.Instead, HSV is understood to have capped the power of the supercharged V8 engine for the Clubsport sedan and wagon, Maloo ute and Senator luxury model to about 400kW, to retain the GTS’s position as the flagship of the range. Only the HSV Grange limousine will miss out on supercharged power.It also means the HSV GTS Maloo, of which 250 were made, will retain its exclusivity as the world’s fastest ute.Meanwhile, Ford is also getting in on the high horsepower party, with two special editions planned of the XR6 Turbo and XR8 supercharged V8.Although Ford is yet to confirm the plans, both models are expected to wear “Sprint” badging from early next year, as the Falcon starts its 10-month march to extinction.

Independent research firm Roy Morgan, which surveys more than 5000 car buyers annually, has been measuring their "intention to buy" certain brands for the past decade.And the news is not good for our former favourites that for decades dominated the top two spots on the Australians sales charts.Holden is now ranking almost as low as Ford in buyers' mindsThe number of people intending to buy a Holden in the next four years has slumped by more than half, from a peak of 15 per cent in 2006, to just 7 per cent in the most recent survey (the 12 months to March 2015).To put this in perspective, Holden is now ranking almost as low as Ford in buyers' minds.The figure for people intending to buy a Ford has dropped from a peak of 12.1 per cent in 2005 to just 6.5 per cent in the most recent survey.In other words, both brands have suffered a similar fall from grace and both are now battling to get back on top.The new metal can't come soon enoughHolden says it has 24 new models due in the next five years. Ford says it has 20.The new metal can't come soon enough. However Ford looks as if it has a head start, with important new models around the corner including a refreshed Ford Ranger ute, all-new Everest SUV and sporty Mustang to add some gloss.Holden's revival plan is still some years off. The replacement for the ageing Captiva is at least 12 months away, as are the revised Colorado ute and the next-generation Cruze.Meanwhile, the age-old Holden versus Ford battle is set to return — but they're duking it out for No.4 and 5 on the ladder, not one and two.

Joshua Dowling reviews the Holden Insignia VXR with specs, fuel consumption and verdict at its Australian launch.

The Holden Insignia comes from Germany and has technology that can brake automatically to avoid hitting the car in front if the driver is distracted. It also has a rear-mounted radar to spot cars overtaking at a high speed, and headlights that automatically adjust their intensity in wet weather.But there is a catch: the Insignia VXR costs more than $50,000, as much as the dearest Commodore models on sale today, as Holden is only importing the flagship model for now.The all-new Insignia, due in 2018, will wear a Commodore badge and replace the locally-made sedan and wagon.It means the Commodore will have come full circle: the original 1978 model was an Australianised version of the German family sedan made by Opel.The shift to an imported Commodore means there will be no V8 sedan in Holden showrooms for the first time since 1968 and no passenger-car-based ute for the first time since 1990.The Insignia arrives as independent research shows Australians are falling out of love with Holden at rapid rate.A survey from Roy Morgan research of more than 5000 customers annually shows that the number of people intending to buy a Holden has halved in the past five years.Our market share is falling, are we happy with that? No. Are we going to grow? YesExclusive figures supplied to News Corp Australia show in 2010 about 14 per cent of new-car buyers had Holden at the top of their shopping list, but that figure has fallen to just 7.4 per cent so far this year.Against the odds, following Holden's lowest sales tally in 21 years in 2014, the company still has highly ambitious plans to overtake Toyota by the end of the decade, even though the Japanese company now outsells Holden by almost two-to-one and Holden has not led the Australian new-car market for 13 years.So far this year Holden has slipped to third place in the rankings behind Toyota and Mazda and is just 800 sales away from being overtaken by South Korean car maker Hyundai, according to figures from the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries."Intention to buy goes with market share. Our market share is falling, are we happy with that? No. Are we going to grow? Yes," said Holden executive director of sales Peter Keley.Holden says it will introduce 24 new models over the next five years"We all wake up every day to take a step forward to be number one. We are not getting up to be number two," he said.Holden says it will introduce 24 new models over the next five years but admits that most of those arrive after the factory at Elizabeth on the outskirts of Adelaide shuts down.The former boss of Holden Gerry Dorizas boldly claimed just two months into the job in February 2014 that Holden could overtake car giant Toyota, but he left the company barely six months into the role.The first Australian to run Holden in 25 years, Mark Bernhard, is due to start at Holden next month (July 2015).

June is by far the biggest month for new-car sales as dealers push hard to close their books for the financial year.The devaluing Aussie dollar means the deals for all brands are not as sharp as in previous years — but if you know where to look you can still drive a bargain.Some models are in run-out, so there is an extra push on those, while other brands have taken the knife to the RRP because they're chasing volume for their overseas parent companies.Here are the 15 best deals for the end of the financial year plus a few tips on those either to avoid or to haggle harder on.Suzuki CelerioThe cheapest car from a mainstream brand isn't discounted — because it launched with such a sharp price: $13,990 drive-away with automatic transmission effectively makes this a $10,000 car plus on-road costs. Astonishingly cheap and giving plenty of reason to cheer. With a 1.0-litre three-cylinder engine, it'll run on loose change.VW Polo 66TSIRecent deals on the Toyota Yaris ($17,990 drive-away with auto) and Hyundai i20 ($14,990 drive-away with auto) have evaporated this month (still might be worth a try). The Holden Barina and Ford Fiesta deals are not that sharp either. Enter the Polo 66TSI at $18,490 drive-away with a seven-speed automatic gearbox. Its turbo 1.2-litre four-cylinder is powerful (for its size) and super-efficient. Stock is thin on the ground so be sure to shop around.Kia CeratoDeals on the VW Golf ($25,490 drive-away with auto), Toyota Corolla sedan ($23,990 drive-away with auto) and Mazda3 (you're invited to talk a deal) are not as generous as in previous months, while Nissan is offering $2800 of "extra value" but no driveaway deals on Pulsar SSS. No-one can compete with the South Koreans this month. The Cerato sedan or hatch with automatic is still an incredible $19,990 drive-away (with seven-year factory-backed warranty). At $4300 off, we called it deal of the decade — until...Hyundai i30Holy smoke. This wasn't a misprint: $19,990 drive-away — with automatic transmission — for the recently updated i30 hatch, with the new nose and standard reversing camera. That's more than $5000 off full price, eclipsing Kia's deal.VW JettaFancy some European flair? Don't mind driving a sedan? The VW Jetta is $24,490 drive-away with auto. That's $1000 cheaper than the Golf with which it shares its engine and underpinnings. And it has a bigger boot.Kia KoupTreat yourself to something a bit sporty — the Koup has European styling and a 1.6-litre turbo engine and can be had for $23,990 drive-away, about $6000 off full price.Holden TraxIt may not be the prettiest on sale, but it's one of the roomiest and best equipped for the money. Now $23,990 drive-away for the LS with free auto, and $24,990 drive-away for the Active with free auto. Both are about $6000 off the full RRP.Ford Kuga MkIIAn unsung hero of the compact SUV segment, it's good buying at $29,790 drive-away (about $3000 off). Don't be put off by the 1.5-litre four-cylinder in such a big car. It's turbocharged, so it has plenty of oomph, and the smaller capacity makes it more fuel efficient. Only blot: no rear camera.Mitsubishi ASXRecently updated, the ASX gets a sharp price: $25,000 drive-away for a manual or $27,500 drive-away for an auto. That price is for cash or via Mitsubishi's own finance deal — which has a catch. You must have a 20 per cent deposit.Mazda CX-9The CX-9 is nearing the end of its model life. Its petrol V6 isn't the most fuel-efficient but this is the biggest seven-seater for the money. The 2WD base model is a bargain at $39,990 drive-away (about $6000 off full price).Holden Colorado7 LTWant to get off the beaten track and don't mind a bouncy ride around town? The Colorado7, normally $47,490 plus on-roads (about $50,000 drive-away), is available until June 30 from $43,990 drive-away, about $6000 off — with five-year warranty and three years' free servicing.Mitsubishi ChallengerThe Challenger is fairly crude, even by heavy-duty 4WD standards, and ageing. Its replacement is due within months — which is why the price is a super-sharp $37,990 drive-away, about $10,000 off full price.Holden ColoradoThere are a couple of good deals, starting with $36,990 drive-away for the base model LS (auto adds $1000). The range-topping LTZ with all the bling is $42,990 drive-away for the manual (aim for $44,990 drive-away for the auto). This is a mega discount of more than $10,000. Holden includes a five-year warranty and three years' free servicing.Toyota HiLux SR5With a completely new HiLux due in October, discounts are steady on the run-out model. The SR5 crew-cab manual is back to its previous low of $47,990 drive-away, auto is $49,990 drive-away.VW AmarokJoining in the tradie discount war, VW continues its free eight-speed auto deal on all Amaroks. The base model crew-cab Core is sharp buying at $38,990 drive-away while the Trendline adds bigger alloys and some bling for $43,990 drive-away. Both are about $6000 off full price.

Porsche has ended Audi’s five-year winning streak in the Le Mans 24 Hour race after a one-two finish headed by Formula One driver Nico Hulkenberg and former F1 ace, Aussie Mark Webber.The car that delivered Porsche’s first outright win at Le Mans since 1998 was driven by a pair of first-timers and a third driver who had never raced for line honours in the French classic.While they are experienced drivers, Germany’s Hulkenberg and his 24-year-old New Zealand teammate Earl Bamber had never raced in the Le Mans 24 Hour before, and Briton Nick Tandy, who rounded out the trio, had only competed twice before (in 2011 and 2014) in a slower category of cars.The race was closer than in previous years as the front-running Porsches and Audis had few reliability problems, and rain held off until the final minutes of racing.Just moments after Nico Hulkenberg took the chequered flag, a tearful Nick Tandy told reporters in pit lane: “It’s a bit overwhelming, it’s not a bad result for a farm boy coming to Le Mans.”Kiwi co-driver Earl Bamber said: “I cant believe it, it’s been an incredible day.”Nico Hulkenberg said he enjoyed the night racing segments of the Le Mans 24 Hour.“I really like the night,” said Hulkenberg. “That was the case in testing and it’s the same here. There is a special atmosphere at night that suits me and that feels great.”The 2015 result delivers Porsche’s 17th Le Mans win since 1970 while Webber’s second place is his best result in his four attempts at the great race.“Wow, what a day,” said an ecstatic Mark Webber. “It’s sensational to have Nico (Hulkenberg) and Earl (Bamber) win, it’s a brilliant day for Porsche. I can’t put it into words: one-two!”Last year Porsche didn’t even make the top 10 finishers, and Webber’s car conked out two hours from the finish, after leading several times earlier in the race.When Webber raced for Mercedes-Benz in the 1990s his car only made it 19 laps in the 1998 Le Mans event. And he didn’t start Le Mans in 1999 after his car -- and that of teammate Peter Dumbreck -- flipped in spectacular fashion in the lead-up to the race due to serious flaws in the car’s aerodynamics.The race was closer than in previous years as the front-running Porsches and Audis had few reliability problems, and rain held off until the final minutes of racing.The average speed of the winners in this year’s 83rd running of the endurance race since 1923 was 247.1km/h, covering 395 laps and a total distance of 5383.5km -- the equivalent of driving from Sydney to Perth in just one day, except the road isn’t as straight as the highway across the Nullarbor Plain.The Le Mans race cars eclipse 300km/h five times on each 13.6km lap, and top 340km/h on the longest straight.Webber led early in the 2015 race but was overtaken about one-third of the way through the enduro after his New Zealand teammate Brendon Hartley incurred a one-minute penalty for passing a car during a yellow flag caution period.Most of the Porsche drivers were behind the wheel for an exhaustive three hours at a time -- stopping briefly every 45 minutes for fuel -- because the team was able to stretch out time-consuming tyre changes every three hours.Porsche could hardly be accused of lacking preparation. After reliability problems plagued last year’s attempt, this year Porsche and its team of nine drivers did three 30-hour test runs at two different European circuits in the lead-up to the race.More than 15 engineers and 25 mechanics maintain each car, many of them don’t even get to see the race because they are tucked away in a control centre behind the pit garage analysing every aspect on their car via 60 large TV screens.The drivers also need to learn what the 26 buttons on the tiny steering wheel do when they need to make adjustments while on the move.Unlike Formula One which has strict rules, the Le Mans event allows manufacturers to use whatever engine they desire -- but limit how much energy they can use per lap.It makes the race more of an engineering challenge and, ultimately, more relevant to road cars as some of the technology eventually makes it way into showrooms in the years ahead.Audi matches a V6 turbo diesel engine to a hybrid system, Toyota uses a V8 petrol engine mated to a hybrid system while Porsche uses a small turbo four-cylinder engine matched to an even bigger hybrid system than its rivals.However, at these speeds, Le Mans racers use at least three times more fuel than the average car (guzzling about 36 litres per 100km), although it’s a little more than half what a V8 Supercar drinks around Bathurst -- in part because these 300km/h-plus machines are almost as light as a tiny Smart city car.The Audi cars which have won all but three races since the year 2000 finished third, fourth and seventh.The third of Porsche’s hybrid supercars finished fifth while the championship-winning Toyota hybrids finished sixth and eighth.Nissan’s experimental front-wheel-drive race car proved to be a disaster, with one catching fire and another finishing 40th after completing just 242 laps.Against racing convention -- and opposite to Formula One and every other outright contender in Le Mans history -- Nissan decided to drive its engine power solely through the front wheels, just like a Nissan Pulsar and most small hatchbacks on sale today.Not only did it earn the nickname of “The Batmobile” or “The Cuckoo Bird” for its ungainly appearance with such a long nose, the layout made the Nissan unbalanced in high speed corners and blunted acceleration out of slow corners.Because the front tyres did most of the work -- braking, steering and accelerating -- excessive tyre wear also became a problem for the Nissan while most other outright contenders made their tyres last for three of four driving stints between changes.The front-drive design was so flawed (all the other cars on the grid are all-wheel-drive or rear-wheel-drive) all three Nissan cars were forced to start last among the outright contenders because they failed to complete a qualifying lap within 110 per cent of the fastest car, an eligibility and safety requirement.Click here for the official results. 

In a move likely to shock diehard Porsche fans -- and give Toyota Prius drivers something to grin about -- the iconic 911 is destined to get plug-in hybrid power by 2020.The 911 of the future will still have a petrol engine for open road driving, but it will also be able to do city commuting on battery power alone.Porsche has all but confirmed a power cord will become an accessory on one of the world’s most famous sportscars after experimenting with the technology on Porsche’s mainstream sedan and SUV models, and its million-dollar 918 supercar.“I expect we’ll end up with every model line with a plug-in hybrid,” the chief engineer for Porsche’s first hybrid supercar, Dr Frank-Stefan Walliser, told News Corp Australia at the 2015 LeMans 24 Hour where Porsche is fielding three hybrid race cars.“Most people believe hybrid is Prius … slow and no fun to drive. (Porsche) is different. I love hybrids, if they are powerful,” said Porsche’s research and development chief, Wolfgang Hatz.It has to feel like a Porsche and like a 911. It must drive like these cars always drive.While hybrid technology was initially developed to save fuel in slow moving traffic, the world’s performance car brands are warming to the concept after discovering electric motors deliver instant acceleration from low speeds.When asked how long it would be before Porsche introduced hybrid power to the 911, Mr Hatz said: “For sure an all-new 911 we need the opportunity to do that (add a hybrid model). I am convinced of the concept.”With an updated version of the 911 due later this year, the next all-new, hybrid-ready model is still at least another three years away.“Personally I'm a strong supporter of hybrid technology. That is the reason I push hard for this. If it improves performance, then we need it on our sports cars, if it’s fun to drive people want to have it,” said Mr Hatz.Dr Walliser added: “It has to feel like a Porsche and like a 911. It must drive like these cars always drive.”Australia’s former Formula One ace -- and Porsche LeMans driver -- Mark Webber is also a convert of the technology.When asked if customers would embrace hybrid technology, Webber said: “Definitely. They will, because we’re not easy to convince, as racing drivers, with this technology.”Webber said hybrid technology was inevitable as strict European emissions standards forced the introduction of smaller petrol engines.“When you see the massive downsize in engines and … awesome turbo tech, consumption is low and you’ve got the interface of the hybrid side,” said Webber.“The options available off the back of this (LeMans) program, it’s some good stuff.”One of the 911 models under consideration for hybrid power is the all-wheel-drive Carrera 4 -- using electric motors to drive the front wheels and a non-turbo petrol engine to drive the rear wheels.“A Carrera 4, why not?” said Dr Walliser. “With four-wheel drive what you can do, the freedom you have how to use the traction, you’re not (restricted by) the speed between the different axles.”Electric motors are a good fit in hybrid cars with non-turbo engines because they deliver instant acceleration at low speeds while regular petrol engines develop power at higher revs, he said.Porsche was the first mainstream brand to introduce a showroom-ready plug-in hybrid car, the Panamera sedan in 2012. It followed the release with the Cayenne e-Hybrid in 2013 and the plug-in hybrid 918 supercar in 2014.“Our first plug-in hybrid was in 2012 … we now know a lot more (about) what we can do with a hybrid,” said Mr Hatz.

Ford has announced it is returning to the Le Mans 24 Hour race in 2016, exactly 50 years after its maiden victory at the famous French circuit.Bill Ford, the great-grandson of the company’s founder Henry Ford, jetted to Le Mans for the historic announcement on the eve of this year’s race which starts Saturday afternoon local time.But there is just one catch. Although Ford will return with a modern version of the GT supercar that defeated Ferrari with a 1-2-3 finish on home turf in 1966 (and went on to win the following three years in a row), it is not competing for outright honours next year.The front-runners in the modern Le Mans era are mega-dollar teams with budgets bigger than Formula One.Ford says it is making the historic return because motorsport is still important to the brand’s image.At this weekend’s race, Audi is aiming for its 14th win since 1999 (all of them with hi-tech diesel power since 2006) and the sixth year in a row, while Toyota and Porsche are racing hybrid supercars. Nissan, in an unusual move, is experimenting with a front-wheel-drive car (as in, all the power of the engine drives the front wheels, just like a Nissan Pulsar; the exact opposite of the world’s fastest race cars which send power to the rear wheels or, in the case of Le Mans, all four).Instead, Ford will race in the Le Mans 24 Hour category for modified road cars, in which Porsche 911s and Corvettes compete.But Ford says it is making the historic return because motorsport is still important to the brand’s image.“When the GT40 competed at Le Mans in the 1960s, Henry Ford II sought to prove Ford could beat endurance racing’s most legendary manufacturers,” said Bill Ford, executive chairman, Ford Motor Company. “We are still extremely proud of having won this iconic race four times in a row, and that same spirit that drove the innovation behind the first Ford GT still drives us today.”Ford plans to introduce 12 new performance vehicles between now and 2020.Although the road-going version of the Ford GT was designed by an Australian, the car will not be sold locally as it is not being built in right-hand-drive.The road-going version of the new Ford GT is not due on sale until next year but the company has revealed it has more computer power than a fighter jet.Instead, once the locally-made supercharged Ford Falcon XR8 goes out of production in October 2016, local Ford performance fans will have only the Mustang to choose from if they want a V8 with a Ford badge.

Cars equipped with futuristic technology that can save lives by braking automatically are being recalled in Australia and overseas because their latest safety systems are on the blink.Japanese car makers Subaru and Honda have issued two separate recalls involving technology that is designed to prevent rear-end crashes and/or avoid hitting pedestrians.Subaru is recalling more than 5000 of its latest Outback wagon and Liberty sedan models equipped with its “Eyesight” system that uses two cameras behind the windscreen to scan the road ahead.A sign of just how complex modern cars have become, Subaru has discovered a seemingly unrelated brake light fault can disable the vehicle’s automatic emergency braking system.A statement from Subaru said: “The (Eyesight) system may not operate as intended in an emergency braking situation (where the driver has failed to apply the brake), or may fail to properly engage the brakes when the vehicle has been placed in (automatic cruise control) mode. This is due to a software programming issue.”Subaru says the fault “does not affect the performance of the brakes when engaged by the driver” and no incidents have been reported in Australia or overseas.See full details on the Subaru recall here.  Meanwhile Honda Australia is recalling more than 2000 examples of its latest Accord sedan and CR-V that are equipped with similar automatic emergency braking technology.Rather alarmingly, in the case of the Honda fault, the automatic braking system can be activated when it is not supposed to.“In certain driving conditions, the Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS) may unexpectedly activate while operating the vehicle,” the Honda recall statement says.“In rare cases, the system may interpret certain roadside objects, such as metal fences or guardrails, as obstacles and apply emergency braking.”See full details on the Honda recall here and here.The faults come as the car industry is debating how much technology should be introduced in modern cars, and how much control should be taken away from the driver.Car giants Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz, and technology companies Apple and Google, are all experimenting with driverless cars that rely on cameras, radars and other sensors to navigate their way through traffic with limited or no input from the driver.But the latest recalls show that the technology still has a long way to go before it becomes failsafe.

Joshua Dowling reviews the Kia Sorento at its Australian launch