Articles by Joshua Dowling

Swedish car maker Volvo has backed down from its bold claim that no-one would die in one of its new cars in the year 2020.The company that invented the three-point seatbelt – and saved more lives than any other car brand because it never charged rivals to use its seatbelt patent – has come to the realisation that while its intentions are good, it will be impossible to eliminate fatalities because "freak accidents do happen"."Not even the Pope is infallible," Volvo safety expert, Trevor Rourke, told media at the launch of the company's new flagship SUV in Europe this week.Mr Rourke said there are "of course random effects...you can't cater for everything".Volvo made the ambitious "fatality-free by 2020" claim in 2008Volvo made the ambitious "fatality-free by 2020" claim in 2008, the same year it introduced technology that scanned the road ahead and then automatically slammed on the car's brakes if the driver was distracted and about to run into the car in front.Similar technology is now used by other brands and works from higher speeds to avoid a crash, but Volvo was so confident it believed it may be able to eliminate crashes altogether."By 2020, nobody shall be seriously injured or killed in a new Volvo," said Volvo's lead safety expert in 2008, Anders Eugensson, who added that there was a "long-term vision to create cars that will not crash".But this week that mission statement was watered down to "we see our trend as going towards zero (deaths)", said Mr Rourke.We're trending towards zeroVolvo says it has counted the number of deaths and serious injuries in its cars globally since the 1970s.But when asked how many people were killed or seriously injured in Volvos globally last year, so that it could track its progress in the lead-up to 2020, Volvo experts were unable to provide any data to the media.It's a vision...that's what we're aiming towards"We're trending towards zero," said Mr Rourke. "It's a vision...that's what we're aiming towards."When asked why Volvo had watered down its initial mission statement about zero deaths, Mr Rourke said: "We're not taking a step back on anything. We've said this is our vision (that)...nobody will be hurt or seriously injured or killed in a brand-new Volvo in 2020. Our vision is to make it next to near impossible (to die in a new Volvo)."

Joshua Dowling road tests and reviews the 2015 Volvo XC90 at its international launch.

The Federal Government's recall website has urged drivers of certain Ford Falcons and Territorys to not adjust their steering wheel in case it causes the engine to shut down.

Korea's Genesis, a new face in the airport limo car park, takes on Holden's flagship. Joshua Dowling adjudicates.

Joshua Dowling road tests and reviews the Hyundai Sonata at its Australian launch.

Joshua Dowling road tests and reviews the 2015 Honda HR-V at its Australian launch.

Fans of the Honda Civic Type R hot hatch will be left waiting up to two years for the return of their favourite pocket rocket.The Japanese company has put the turbocharged Civic Type R on the backburner while it gives priority to getting the Honda NSX supercar into showrooms.Honda has put the turbocharged Civic Type R on the backburner.It means the new generation Civic Type R is still up to two years away from local roads, even though Honda teased fans with a concept car at the Geneva motor show almost a year ago.Even though Honda has unveiled a Civic Type R concept car and talked about its new turbocharged engine, there are still no firm on-sale dates, says Honda Australia director Stephen Collins.This is despite the fact the new Civic Type R goes into production in July this year for the UK market. Could Australian Honda fans really be forced to wait two years?“I think we will get it (Honda Civic Type R)," he said. "It has a rich heritage in Australia. But it's not yet confirmed. It won't arrive before the NSX and that means it could be as late as 2017 (before it arrives in local showrooms).” 

The successor to Japan’s original Ferrari-fighting supercar is still at least a year away from Australian showrooms even though it has been unveiled and is gearing up for production.The new generation Honda NSX will make an appearance in concept car form at this year’s Australian Formula One Grand Prix in Melbourne next month, and is confirmed for sale locally, but Honda still does not know when it will arrive and how much it will cost.“We’ve asked our dealers not to take orders (on the new Honda NSX) until we have a clearer idea on timing and pricing,” said Honda Australia director Stephen Collins. “We think at this stage in will arrive in the second half of 2016, but it’s yet to be confirmed.”We think at this stage in will arrive in the second half of 2016, but it’s yet to be confirmed.Honda Australia also wouldn’t speculate on price. “I can honestly say I have no idea where it will end up,” said Mr Collins.In the US, the new Honda NSX is tipped to cost about $150,000 plus taxes and delivery charges. But it will likely cost more than $200,000 when it arrives locally.The original Honda NSX went on sale in Australia in 1991 for $160,000 but the price quickly rose to $220,000 in 1995 and had climbed to $256,000 when it was discontinued in 2005. About 160 Honda NSX supercars were sold locally from a global production run of 18,685 vehicles.Honda Australia says only a handful of its national network of 107 dealers will sell and service the NSX, just as Nissan appoints a limited number of outlets to handle the GT-R.Honda’s mid-engined supercar will be built in Ohio, North America rather than Japan, the birthplace of the original model made from 1990 to 2005.It will be powered by a twin turbo V6 matched to a hybrid system and a nine-speed twin clutch transmission. Power and performance figures are yet to be released.But it’s safe to assume it’ll have more get-up-and-go than the original. The first Honda NSX from 1990 was powered by a 3.0-litre V6 with 201kW of power. Today, a Holden Commodore V6 has almost as much power (195kW).In what appears to becoming a tradition among Japanese supercars, the Honda NSX is a long time coming, just as the latest Nissan GT-R took almost a decade to reach production.Honda unveiled a show car in 2007 and forecast that it would have V10 engine power and be in showrooms by 2010. But then the Global Financial Crisis hit and the NSX was put on hold. For almost nine years.Meanwhile, the news is not so good for fans holding out for the Honda Civic Type R. It is still up to two years away from local roads.Even though Honda has unveiled a Civic Type R concept car and talked about its new turbocharged engine, there are still no firm production plans, says Honda Australia director Stephen Collins."I think we will get it (Honda Civic Type R)," he said. "It has a rich heritage in Australia. But it's not yet confirmed. It won't arrive before the NSX and that means it could be as late as 2017 (before it arrives in local showrooms)."

Holden has appointed its first Australian-born boss in 25 years -- and its sixth boss in six years.Executive Mark Bernhard, who has worked for General Motors in senior in Australia and overseas since 1986, and who helped navigate Holden through the Global Financial Crisis as chief financial officer, will return home after a three-year appointment in China.There is just one catch: Mr Bernhard won't start his new job until June at the earliest because he is still working in his current role in China.General Motors’ head of international opertions Stefan Jacoby made the announcement in Sydney at 4:30pm on Friday after addressing Holden’s national dealer conference.“Mark’s knowledge of GM Holden, our region and GM’s global operations will serve him well in his new role,” Mr Jacoby said in a media statement.“He will champion the ongoing transition of GM Holden to a national sales company and the repositioning of the Holden brand for long-term growth and profitability.”A media statement from Mr Berhard said: “It’s wonderful, and quite humbling, to be returning to Holden to lead the company where my career started. I am a Holden man, always have been. Managing Director of this company has always been a dream job.“While I know that the company is going through a very challenging transition, I also know that it is has a very bright future. I understand that the transition from being a manufacturing company to a National Sales Company is not easy. We need to ensure that those that leave us as a result of this change are treated with dignity, respect and most of all, support. “As exclusively reported by News Corp Australia last November, Mr Bernhard was the front-runner for the position after the former Holden boss Gerry Dorizas left suddenly, barely six months into the role and after boldly claiming Holden could overtake car giant Toyota by 2020.Mr Bernhard will oversee Holden’s factory shutdowns in 2017 and transition the company to an importer of cars.Mr Bernhard began his career at Holden in 1986, when he worked in various finance roles under the last Australian to run Holden, John Bagshaw, who ran the company from 1987 to 1990.Since then, Holden has been run by General Motors executives from North America, Britain, Canada, and Germany.The former Holden boss, the Greek-born Mr Dorizas, a former Volkswagen executive, was the first Holden boss in the company’s history hired from outside General Motors.General Motors initially favoured candidates outside the company to inject “fresh talent” into the business. But the company has reversed its strategy and decided to hire from within for its latest appointment.Mr Bernhard has risen through the ranks at General Motors after a number of overseas postings.After working for Holden from 1986 to 1996 he joined General Motors Europe, based in Zurich Switzerland.In 1998 Mr Bernhard became a finance executive with General Motors’ international operations, based in Detroit, before the role moved to Singapore in 1999.In July 2002, Mr Bernhard became vice president and CFO of Shanghai-GM.In May 2007, Mr Bernhard returned to Australia as CFO and executive director of finance for Holden before becoming vice president and chief financial officer of Shanghai GM in Shanghai in November 2011.Mr Bernhard received his Bachelor’s Degree in Business Accounting from Monash University in 1985 and his Master’s Degree in Business Administration from Deakin University in 2002.

Joshua Dowling road tests and reviews the Lexus NX200t with specs, fuel consumption and verdict.