Articles by Joshua Dowling

Ford Australia has set up a website to handle the orders for the new Mustang more than a year before it goes on sale.The new Ford Mustang is still a year away from Australian showrooms but the company has been so overwhelmed by demand that it has set up a dedicated website to take orders – even though the price is yet to be confirmed.Ford has received more than 15,000 "expressions of interest" and the national network of 200 dealers have taken more than 1200 firm orders for the first ever factory-built right-hand-drive Mustang in 50 years.The early orders alone are expected to account for almost a year's supply of cars.RELATED: Police could get Mustang highway patrol carsMORE: The new Ford Mustang is comingTo avoid a one-year waiting list once the Mustang goes on sale, Ford Australia will use the feedback gained from the pre-ordering system to secure more cars from the factory in Flat Rock Michigan.It is the first time Ford Australia has established a pre-ordering website, although Subaru did something similar three years ago for its BRZ sports coupe.However, the Subaru website was open to the public, the Ford one can only be accessed via a dealer. Ford Australia will import both the four-cylinder and V8 versions of the Mustang, in coupe and convertible body styles in November 2015.Price is yet to be confirmed but Ford has given an indication the range will cost between $50,000 and $70,000, putting it within price reach of the homegrown Falcon XR8 sports sedan which costs between $52,000 and $54,000."The Mustang is drawing people to Ford well in advance of its arrival, and we've reacted quickly to find a way to communicate with these new potential owners," Bob Graziano, the President and CEO of Ford Australia said in a media statement."With more and more customers coming forward each week, this new pre-ordering system will allow us to plan and cater to their specific requests from the outset."Ford also believes the Mustang may help sell other models in the range. Ford is currently on track to record its ninth year in a row of sales decline and executives say it could take 18 months to two years before there is a sales turnaround."In just the first few days since launching, Ford dealers already have registered 1200 orders, including 600 customers who already have put down deposits," said Mr Graziano.The website will also allow customers to choose their options and order the exact car they want.Fans may be surprised to find a four-cylinder in the options list but it is not the first time a four-cylinder has been offered.Ford made four-cylinder Mustangs from 1978 to 1993 but they were discontinued because the technology wasn't as advanced then as it is today.Ford's latest four-cylinder turbo engine to be used in the Mustang has more grunt than many V8s. It will also be much more fuel-efficient.Meanwhile all V8 models will come with a controversial "burnout" button, to be used at off-street drag races to warm the rear tyres.

It is almost impossible to describe the acceleration in the Tesla Model S electric car. It would be brutal except there is almost no noise, the leather-lined cabin is pampering and calm, and the ride over bumps so gentle and smooth.But it accelerates so fast it challenges the senses. The closest example I can think of is the start of a high-speed roller coaster.Your head hits the headrest behind you, your eyes push back into their sockets and you hang on.The difference is that the Tesla isn't on rails, you can steer it wherever you want to go. Well, almost.The maximum range in ideal driving conditions is 500km, and it requires a unique charging adaptor (to handle 40 amps), so you can't top up at home or work without a $1000 installation. Floor it like we did and maximum range suddenly drops to 160km.Which means, for now, it's one of the most amazing cars money can buy providing you don't venture further than between 80km and 250km from home, because otherwise you'd have to tow it back.Anyone who dismisses electric cars as the weaklings of the automotive industry need to go for a ride in one of these. Without exaggeration, it would give a supercharged HSV GTS – Australia's fastest and most powerful sedan – a bloody nose before it overtook a Mercedes-Benz AMG E63. And you wouldn't even hear it coming.We couldn't replicate Tesla's claim of a 0 to 100km/h time of 3.8 seconds, but it'll repeatedly complete the feat in a sub 5.0-second time with the same effort as brushing your teeth.Then there is the surprise and delight factor: it has the largest display screen of any car on sale. Forget tablet, it's more like a desk-top screen that has been fitted vertically.There are only two buttons inside: the glovebox and hazard light switch. The doors open as you approach the car, and lock as you drive off, blending in with the profile of the doors, so no-one could car-jack you if they tried.Some of the technology is genius, such as the memory setting for raising the suspension for steep drive-ways. When you slow down for the same drive-way next time, the car remembers the GPS position and does it automatically.The car turns itself off after you walk away, which is an eerie feeling and took some getting used to.It's the one electric car that looks like it's actually worth the price being asked. The Tesla Model S easily competes with other cars in the $100,000 to $220,000 price bracket (the price depends on the size of the battery pack and the number of options).But it's worth noting a car with all this technology is able to limbo to this price because a large chunk of it has been subsidised by a US government trying to reduce its dependence on oil. So the Tesla Model S is not exactly competing on a level playing field just yet.

Cars will soon have technology that will notify the dealer when something is wrong, and then check itself in to get fixed.Car companies are in a technology race to take the grime and uncertainty out of vehicle servicing -- and lure customers back to dealerships. Ford has begun distributing more than 1000 iPads across its network of 200 dealers nationally, to streamline the service check-in process by emailing owners a fixed quote before they hand over the keys. But Chrysler-Jeep plans to take the process one step further, and have the car diagnose itself and make an appointment on your behalf. The company already has more than 1 million cars on US roads that self-diagnose any problems and alert the driver that a service is required. More than a simple service reminder, or an engine warning light, the system operates over a built-in wifi network that communicates between the vehicle and the dealership. Chrysler-Jeep says in the near future its cars will automatically know what’s wrong with them and when it’s time for a repair beyond a routine service. A unique telematics system means mechanics won't even need to plug a device into the car to find out what’s wrong: simply drive into the service centre driveway and the car will “dock” into the local wifi network and tell the dealer what needs attention on the car. All before the driver has unclipped their seatbelt or handed over the keys.  “When you show up at a service lane in the very near future we’ll be able to, on an iPad device, determine (who) just showed up, the vehicle history, what service it’s ready for, or if it has any fault codes,” says Patrick Dougherty, the newly-appointed boss of Fiat Chrysler Australia. He said the technology was ready in the US today, on vehicles such as the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Chrysler 300, and will be in Australia within a few years. Two years ago Toyota’s luxury division Lexus introduced a similar wifi system at dealerships in the US; it identifies the car and the owner and helps the service check-in process but doesn’t yet diagnose the car. The technology push comes as the industry review continues into how much repair data car makers are prepared to share with independent mechanics. Meanwhile, for those concerned about the protection of their privacy, given that the technology on this and other brands of cars can track where and how the vehicle was driven, much like an aircraft “black box” data recorder, Chrysler-Jeep says “we don’t share the data with anyone else”.

Are you tired of getting stuck behind an SUV? If you can’t see through them, you may want to join them.Australia is going to be crawling with a new type of SUV from next year: city-sized soft-roaders. Or as we like to call them, faux-wheel drives.They have the same tall driving position as a full-size SUV (to better navigate the traffic rather than the great outdoors) and yet have the economy of a small car because often they don’t even have all-wheel drive. Handily, they also fit in the same size parking space as a Toyota Corolla.The Suzuki SX4 (now known as the S-Cross) in many ways pioneered this segment; Holden and Nissan followed with pocket-sized high-riding hatchbacks with unusual designs.But Mazda’s CX-3 is the first one that appears to look just right. Due in March, it will soon be joined by the Honda HR-V, Fiat 500X, Jeep Renegade, Renault Captur and the reborn Suzuki Vitara (a sign of the times, now with car-like underpinnings rather than a 4WD chassis).Most of these vehicles will be priced between $20,000 and $30,000, the heart of the new-car market — and put SUVs in the driveways of those who want one but, until now, couldn’t afford it.If you thought it was already difficult to choose a new car in the world’s most competitive market, it’s about to get even tougher.

There are plenty of deals on wheels in the race to the end of the year.The two best-selling cars in Australia -- the Toyota Corolla and Mazda3 -- are in a neck-and-neck race to become Number One for the year.The Corolla leads the year-to-date tally and Toyota as a brand is trying to eclipse 200,000 sales for the 10th time -- as market leader for a record 12th year in a row.The reigning champion Corolla overtook the Mazda3 in the year-to-date tally in July by just 21 sales -- but the pair have swapped the monthly lead three times in the past four months.The Mazda3 landed the most recent punch, outselling the Corolla in November and closing the gap to top spot and now either brand could win for the year. In decades of Ford versus Holden rivalry the finish was never this close.Even if these two cars are not on your shopping list this is still good news because their discounting has dragged other brands into the battle, giving buyers more bargaining power than usual.December and January customarily make for sharp buying because dealers are trying to clear 2014-built stock.But the tight battle at the top of the charts has increased the pressure in the biggest segment of the market. Here are the best deals we found this week, in order of each car’s popularity on the 2014 sales charts.Toyota CorollaThe discounts are hard to find online but they’re available at the dealer if you go in with a reasonable target price rather than a made-up one.Toyota is trying to walk customers up to the Ascent Sport ($23,990 drive-away for manual and $25,990 drive-away for auto) but the best deal is still on the most affordable model.Aim for $21,990 drive-away for the Corolla Ascent hatch or $22,740 drive-away for the sedan. Both come with seven airbags but the sedan gets a standard rear-view camera and parking sensors.Mazda3Mazda is being discreet with its discounting and dealers will try to upsell you to the dearer models. Once again, the cheapest models are the best buying. The website says "free on-roads", which effectively means you can take the RRP and turn that into a drive-away price. Aim for $19,990 drive-away for a manual and $21,990 drive-away for an automatic.Hyundai i30The Hyundai i30 hatch comes with a $1000 EFTPOS card, but you can turn that into a $1000 discount. Aim for $19,990 drive-away for a manual or $22,540 drive-away for an auto -- if you don’t take the spending card. There’s also a finance offer: no deposit or repayments until 2016, but be sure to check the interest rate.Holden CruzeThe Australian-made Holden Cruze is struggling, sales are down, and it is on track to go out of production at least one year before the Commodore (when Holden will import the new generation Cruze). Which is why Holden has an epic deal: $19,990 drive-away with automatic transmission plus a five-year warranty. The only catch: metallic paint is $550, the dearest of the mainstream brands.Vokswagen GolfThe German brand wants to overtake Toyota for global sales leadership by 2018 and is dropping Golf prices the world over. At $22,990 drive-away for the manual and $24,990 drive-away for the automatic it is about $4000 off the full RRP. But the best buying is the Jetta sedan (an updated model is due early next year). The price is an unbelievable $19,990 drive-away for a manual and $22,990 drive-away for an auto, about $7000 off the full RRP.Ford FocusThe Ford Focus Ambiente sedan and hatch have been trimmed to a super-sharp $18,490 drive-away for a manual or just $19,990 drive-away for an auto -- once you take up the $1000 discount or “cash back” offer funded by Ford.Nissan PulsarThe Nissan Pulsar is the sharpest buying in the small car class: $18,476 drive-away for a manual or just $19,476 drive-away for an automatic if you ask politely. There is just one catch: Nissan wasn’t very good at clearing stock this time last year, so these deals are on 2013-built cars.Even though they’ve been sitting around for at least a year, the dealer will prep them so they’re as good as new and the three three-year warranty starts the day you take delivery. But it’ll be marked down slightly at resale time because you’re trading in a 2013 model, not a 2014.Mitsubishi LancerGiven that the Lancer is one of the oldest cars in the class (it has been with us in this guise for seven years) its discounting could be a little sharper than this: $18,990 drive-away for a manual and $21,490 drive-away for an auto -- once a $1000 cash back is taken into account.Hyundai ElantraRecently given a freshen up the Elantra can be had for the same money as the Hyundai i30 hatch: aim for $19,990 drive-away for a manual or $22,540 drive-away for an auto if you don’t take the $1000 spending card. Not the sharpest deal around but not the worst.Kia CeratoLast but certainly not least, the Kia Cerato is among the sharpest deals out there, especially when you consider the market-leading seven year warranty: $19,990 drive-away for a manual or an automatic (yes, same price for both), about $4000 off.

Hyundai installs Australia's first hydrogen refuelling point since 2007.Toyota and Honda may have just unveiled their hydrogen-powered cars of the future, but Hyundai's is here today.Hyundai is installing Australia's first hydrogen-refueling point for passenger cars at its Sydney headquarters, and it has just imported its first hydrogen-powered car.But rather than the spaceship looks of the Toyota and Honda sedans, Hyundai's hydrogen car is based on a family-friendly SUV.The first hydrogen-powered Hyundai ix35 arrived in Australia two months ago and the company has commenced the installation of a local refueling point.However, hydrogen cars are a long way from showroom reality in Australia as there are currently no other refill stations.Hyundai's will be the first hydrogen refuelling point in Australia since the three-year hydrogen bus trial in Perth ended in 2007."We are excited by hydrogen technology and what it could mean for the future of transport, said Hyundai Australia boss Charlie Kim."However, the challenge of creating and distributing hydrogen through a viable, sustainable network is a significant one."Hyundai says government intervention is required to develop a hydrogen highway."We are not a political entity, nor are we aligned with any political party. However, we have seen in other countries that governments play a crucial role in developing hydrogen refuelling infrastructure," said Mr Kim, whose company has been in discussions with the federal government for two years."The reaction has been very positive. Maybe one day we'll see a 'Hydrogen Highway' built in Australia, like those already in operation overseas," said Mr Kim.Hyundai says, for example, "the 'Hume by Hydrogen' could link Australia's two largest cities via the nation's Capital. It would require four refuelling stations – in Sydney, Canberra, Albury and Melbourne – and could see hydrogen vehicles – including buses – running in and between these cities emitting nothing but water vapour."Experts believe electric and hybrid cars are merely a stepping stone to hydrogen-powered vehicles.They can be refueled in five minutes and can travel about 450km on each tank – both about the same as a petrol car.In ideal conditions,driving purely for efficiency, the Hyundai has travelled 700km on one tank during a test in Sweden.Hydrogen cars have been leased to specialist customers in Japan, Europe and North America, where the refueling points are more common, albeit still growing in numbers.In such cars hydrogen is used to power a "fuel cell" to generate electricity which is then used to either power the electric motor or charge the battery, or both. The only emissions from the tailpipe is water vapour from the fuel cell.In the case of the ix35, the only difference between the hydrogen-powered version and the regular model is that it loses the underfloor space in the boot that usually houses the spare tyre (to house part of the hydrogen system).The Hyundai ix35 went into mass production in South Korea earlier this year and is made on the same production line as the regular model, but is being sold in limited numbers.The car is unlikely to go on sale in Australia as it is left-hand-drive only for now but the company is gauging interest in future models.Hyundai's hydrogen refueling point is due to open early next year and the company says it is happy to allow other brands to use it.At last month's Los Angeles motor show, Honda and Toyota unveiled futuristic-looking hydrogen cars due in showrooms in the next two years, but neither are planned for Australia at this stage. Hyundai's refueling point could change that.

Just when you thought the car world had enough SUVs, stand by for a flood of new models that will soon squeeze their way into our busy lives and cramped parking spaces.A few big brands have toyed with the idea of a pint-sized SUV before, but few have come up with the right formula.The Holden Trax has ungainly Dumbo Elephant looks even though it is nice to drive and has an exceptionally roomy and practical cabin.The Suzuki S-Cross, one of the pioneers of the segment, looks more like a hatchback than the SUV appearance buyers crave.The Ford EcoSport looks the part (it even has a spare wheel mounted on the rear cargo door, just like a heavy duty 4WD) but isn’t backed up by the right choice of engines and transmissions for Australia, and not everyone is a fan of its Made-In-India build quality.Meanwhile the daring Nissan Juke, with its ‘crocodile eyes’ headlights, clearly doesn’t know if it wants to be a hatchback or a Jeep.So you can imagine when one car comes along that looks like it has nailed the city-sized SUV formula, there is an element of excitement. Especially when it is the fastest growing segment of the new-car market (there are six all-new entrants next year alone).According to Mazda insiders, when upper management was shown a clay model of the CX-3 two years ago, the designers were immediately told: “build that, don’t change a thing”, or words to that effect in Japanese.Rarely does any car gain such universal approval so high up the food chain so early in the crippling and bureaucratic development process.Even more rare: management and marketing executives resisting the urge to help style the car over the designer’s shoulders, even after approval has been given.The anticipation of Mazda’s next big hit possibly explains why the company air-freighted two cars from Japan to give Australian media the world’s first test drive this week.The two CX-3s -- one petrol, one diesel -- had barely cleared customs when Mazda threw the keys to local media to put the CX-3 through its paces inside a private vehicle testing facility that is customarily designed to break cars or highlight their flaws.The Australian Automotive Research Centre in Anglesea, about 125km south west of Melbourne, near Geelong, is much like the proving grounds owned by Ford and Holden, with sections of punishing road, as well as copies of the pavement found in the real world.Mazda also sent five senior executives with the cars, including the chief engineer and chief designer. Australian test drives rarely gain such attention.Mazda is a relative minnow in Japan but it is poised to overtake Holden as the second-biggest brand in Australia next year.Holden has never been outside the top two sellers in its 66-year history. But this sharply-styled up-start is the car that will likely get Mazda over the line.Not convinced? It was the Mazda3 small car that ended the Holden Commodore’s record 15-year winning streak three years ago.The Mazda CX-3 may look big, but it is in fact based on the baby of the range, the Mazda2. Even the dashboard is the same*.It is longer and wider than a Mazda2, bit will fit in a smaller parking space than the Mazda3.Its boot (264L for the pedantic) is bigger than a Mazda2’s (250L) but smaller than a Mazda3’s (308L) and, of course, smaller than its big brother the CX-5 (403L).The driving position is tall like an SUV (one of the big reasons behind their popularity) and the back seat has more headroom than the Mazda3.It’s roomy and comfortable and one of the most efficient uses of available space in the new-car market, let alone its class. You get the feeling it would be easy to spend the daily grind in this car.The dashboard and centre console may be carried over from the Mazda2 but extra attention has been given to details such as the stitching in the seats and the pattern of the doors.Price and equipment won’t be announced until the CX-3 goes on sale from March next year (priced from about $21,990 to $33,000 we hear) but expect a choice of petrol or diesel power, 2WD and AWD, and (we hope) a rear view camera on all models as standard.First up was the diesel which has an on-demand all-wheel-drive system. None of the testing required all-wheel-drive (there was only 300 metres or so of gravel) but it was a great insight into the power delivery of Mazda’s all-new 1.5-litre turbo diesel engine.If 1.5 sounds lethargic, that’s because, in a way, it is. Buyers chasing fuel economy won’t mind though (Mazda says it’ll sip less than 5L/100km), and once it’s on the move it’s fine. But from rest it’s a little slow on the uptake.Mazda has certainly found an excellent balance between a nice steering feel and comfort over bumps, even though the top-of-the-range model tested had large 18-inch wheels and tyres.The CX-3 drives with the same confidence as a hatchback and doesn’t have the topsy turvy feeling of some SUVs.First impressions are that Mazda is onto another winnerNext up: the 2.0-litre petrol front-drive. It felt like a missile in comparison, even though it promises fuel economy in the 6.0L/100km bracket.Little wonder: it’s the same engine used in the bigger and heavier CX-5. A colleague asked if Mazda was considering a performance version of the CX-3. But I think Mazda may already have it in the standard petrol model.The car tested was in 16-inch wheels and tyres which gave a noticeably more compliant ride over bumps and the steering felt sharper (possibly aided by the lighter petrol engine than the diesel).Faced with a choice between the two, for me there would be no choice: petrol power all the way. Besides, it’s almost as efficient as the diesel any way (and will be thousands cheaper to buy).Downsides? There aren’t many. Road noise is a common bugbear of Mazdas and the CX-3 has its fair share, but after the brief encounter I would rank it average rather than poor.The anti-lock brakes took longer than usual to stop on gravel (compared to other vehicles on the same type of surface) but the stability control was well sorted, even on loose rocks (although the ESC on the petrol model was more abrupt than the smoother intervention of the diesel).

Ford is about to overhaul its model line-up, but isn’t sure when its sales will turn around after nine years of decline.Ford will introduce 20 new models by 2020 -- including the second-biggest range of hybrid cars after Toyota -- doubling the range of 10 vehicles it sells today.But executives stopped short of saying the brand would overtake Toyota and admitted it could take another two years before Ford Australia sales turn around after nine years in a row of decline, and the closure of the Broadmeadows production line in October 2016.“This will be the biggest model revitalisation in our history,” said Ford Australia boss Bob Graziano.Success isn’t overtaking ToyotaWhen asked when Ford would begin to post a sales increase, the head of sales and marketing Graeme Whickman said: “When you look at the quantum of vehicles we have coming … you would expect (sales growth) in the next 18 to 24 months”In recent months Ford has boldly tackled market leader Toyota head-on with “attack” advertisements that pitch Fords directly against its rivals. It is a common tactic in the US but rarely used in Australia.In one advertisement Ford offers customers $200 if they buy a rival vehicle after testing a Ford; in another advertisement a Ford utility tows two Toyota HiLuxes.When asked how effective Ford’s attack ads against Toyota were, Mr Whickman said: “It’s in an early stage, we’re not trying to come across as arrogant or pump our chest. I wouldn’t call it arrogant, I’d say it’s challenging. We’re trying to come across as optimistic and confident at the same time.”Mr Whickman said the Ford advertisements were not designed to get customers off-side or offend loyal followers of rival brands.“You’ll notice we don’t talk about the other products in a derogatory tone … what we’re saying is ‘take a look at our product, you may not have in the past, give us a chance to consider us’.”RELATED: Ford throws down a $200 test drive challengeMORE: Holden to overtake Toyota by 2020Unlike Holden, which boldly claimed earlier this year it would overtake Toyota by 2020, Ford says it has no plans to topple the market leader for the past 11 years.“Success isn’t overtaking Toyota,” said Mr Whickman. “We’re not going to measure ourselves in that way. While Toyota is a sales leader, we don’t necessarily see them as a product leader.”In the same briefing outlining its future plans at the Broadmeadows head office today, Ford also announced a lifetime capped price servicing scheme guaranteeing the service cost of every Ford built since 2007.It follows Hyundai’s announcement in August that it will offer lifetime capped priced servicing for all 1.1 million vehicles sold since the South Korean brand was established locally in 1986.

Mercedes-Benz C-Class wins CarsGuide 2014 Car Of The Year award as sales figures show it outsold the Ford Falcon by almost two-to-one last month.

NSW Police take delivery of Australia's toughest police car, the Ford F150 Raptor.NSW Police have taken delivery of Australia's toughest highway patrol vehicle: a V8-powered Ford "monster truck" from the US.The Ford F150 Raptor, funded by the NSW Centre For Road Safety, will be shown publicly for the first time at Friday's opening of the V8 Supercar championship street race finale at Homebush Bay.The menacing black Ford pick-up will be used to work with the police trail-bike team and will be displayed at community events as the flagship vehicle for the highway patrol's "high visibility" road safety campaign."It's about talking to car enthusiasts on their level and having them understand the technology we have available," said John Hartley, NSW Police Assistant Commissioner and Commander of Traffic and Highway Patrol.RELATED: Australian police could get Ford MustangMORE: Police take delivery of a supercharged Falcon GTThe black beast pick-up truck imported from the US and converted to right-hand-drive locally is powered by a massive 6.2-litre V8 and is estimated to be worth close to $140,000.It is believed to the first vehicle of its type used by law enforcement anywhere in Australia.The Ford F150 Raptor, originally designed for desert racing in the US, joins a fleet of high profile vehicles that police use to "start a conversation" with young drivers that don't usually engage with police."The vast majority of motoring enthusiasts are safe drivers who do the right thing … but once more people realise how much technology we have to detect dangerous drivers, hopefully they'll be less inclined to break the law," said Assistant Commissioner Hartley."(The F150 Raptor) will be used at community events at regional and metropolitan locations. The aim of the vehicle on display is to bring motoring enthusiasts and police together … and initiate discussion about road safety."With its heavy-duty, desert-racing suspension and go-anywhere four-wheel-drive ability, the Ford F150 Raptor can also be used as a support vehicle for the police trail-bike team that will crack down on illegal use of unregistered motorcycles over the summer break.Fast facts: Ford F150 RaptorPrice: $140,000 (estimated)Engine: 6.2-litre V8Power: 306kW/588NmTransmission: Six-speed autoSuspension: Heavy duty Fox Racing shock absorbers0 to 100kmh: 7.1 seconds