Articles by Joshua Dowling

The end of Australian car manufacturing in 2017 after almost 100 years has some sections of the community – and the government – concerned prices will rise once we become entirely dependent on imported vehicles.But in fact a perfect storm is likely to see Australian car buyers spoiled for choice – and strong competition will continue to keep prices affordable.That's the analysis from the Paris motor show this week, the biggest European car show of the year. Customarily, the weird on wheel takes centre stage at Paris. But this year the talk was all about the market slowdowns in Europe and parts of the Asia-Pacific.Even though the car industry shut dozens of factories in Europe and North America in the wake of the Global Financial Crisis – to cut over-capacity – production levels have crept up and, once again, too many cars are being made for too few buyers.In the past month several big brands have announced temporary factory shutdowns, known as "down days", to try to match factory output with falling customer demand. However, problems abroad mean that Australia will continue to become the car industry's pressure valve, absorbing excess production – as long as our currency remains strong and exchange rates remain favourable.The other important factor in our favour: once Ford, Holden and Toyota no longer have to protect their locally-made cars, they will go all-out and get the best possible imported cars to make up for lost sales.Ford has been the most public and the most aggressive about its plans so far. Ford will have completely overhauled its showroom line-up by the time its Broadmeadows car factory and Geelong engine and stamping plants are closed in October 2016. And it's starting by introducing the iconic Mustang in Australia this time next year.Ford was the only one of the US car makers not to take its foot off the accelerator during the Global Financial Crisis. It was cashed up because it sold its foreign luxury-car brands and borrowed enough money to invest in a completely new global line-up just before the world's finance system collapsed.Given that it takes about five years to take a car from a sketch pad idea to a showroom, Ford is about to reap the benefits while the others play catch-up.Ford will have at least five SUVs in its showrooms by 2017, including the pint-sized EcoSport (designed for the city), the Edge (for young singles), the Kuga (for young families), the Explorer (the seven-seat replacement for the locally-made Ford Territory) and the Everest (a seven-seater for the outdoorsy types who really get off the beaten track).While Ford has some other surprises planned, insiders say the next generation Mondeo will replace the Falcon. Ford also believes it needs to attract a new generation of buyers if it is to remain successful."We have a very established customer base that is largely (centred) around established Australian families, but there is a dynamic element of new blood in Australia," Ford Australia spokesman Wes Sherwood told industry journal motoring.com.au this week. "But we've got to find ways to attract this newer, first-generation Australian (customer) who don't have a connection with the brand here."As with Holden, Ford also wants to make a dent on Toyota's 11-year sales dominance, "You're going to hear a lot more about us ... taking on Toyota or Mazda, because that's where customers' mindsets are. We've got to get on that shopping list," said Mr Sherwood.Holden, meanwhile, is about to transform its business and begin sourcing cars from all corners of the General Motors world. The company this week announced that at least one third of all new Holdens will come from its Opel affiliate in Germany, while the rest will come from Thailand, South Korea and North America.For now, Holden is still playing catch-up after its head office, General Motors, hit the brakes during the Global Financial Crisis and stopped or delayed key models. Much of the Holden line-up is long overdue for replacement and all-new vehicles are still a little while away. In the meantime, Holden has sharpened prices on existing stock and dealers are pushing hard to move metal.But come 2017, Holden will be a very different company to what it is today. As emotional as the Holden brand is, the end of manufacturing has given the company a chance to wipe the slate clean and cherry-pick the best models from the GM world, now there's no local factory to protect.The president of General Motors, Dan Ammann, admitted at this week's Paris motor show that Holden had lost focus on growing segments of the new-car market because it had spent the past decade trying to protect the Commodore as customer demand faded."If you looked over the last few years with the benefit of hindsight, having the strength that we've had in Commodore has probably taken the focus off some of the other areas where we could have been stronger and had more product in the market," said Mr Ammann.But General Motors had emerged from the Global Financial Crisis in 2009 with a new way of thinking and was planning to build more cars for right-hand-drive markets, he said.Left-hand-drive cars such as those sold in China, North America and Europe are left-hand-drive and account for 75 per cent of all cars sold globally. Customarily, right-hand-drive cars cost more to build on a per unit basis because they only account for 25 per cent of cars sold globally.But Mr Ammann said General Motors has started to integrate changes for right-hand-drive cars at the very beginning of the planning stages, to increase the number of right-hand-drive cars in its portfolio. It means Holden showrooms could stock the iconic Camaro muscle car and full-size pick-ups from the US within five years – in addition to cars from Europe, Korea and Thailand."We have all sorts of great cars around the world that we can bring in," said Mr Ammann. "We are totally committed to Holden." "As a company we haven't done a very good job about being systematic about right-hand-drive cars. We will be much more expansive in our thinking on that going forward." Mr Ammann said the changes "won't happen overnight" but "as we get into the next generation of these (vehicles) there will be more good things to come".Mr Ammann, originally from New Zealand, said Holden now had friends in high places in Detroit who would unlock the doors to a host of US and European cars that have previously been off limits to Holden.Former Holden boss Mark Reuss (2008 to 2009) is now in charge of global vehicle development, and his successor at Holden, Alan Batey (2009 to 2010), is now the executive vice president of General Motors in North America."A lot of the senior leadership in (General Motors) have an association and a strong affiliation with Holden," said Mr Ammann. "There is a disproportionate amount of emotional attachment to Holden. Watch this space. We have more to come."The next generation Commodore will be sourced from Opel in Germany. Holden has not confirmed this, but well placed sources say Holden executives have already driven early prototypes of the car. It is, essentially, the new generation Opel Insignia (also sold elsewhere in the General Motors world – China and North America – as a Buick).There is much debate about whether or not the car will be called a "Commodore". Holden apparently wants to keep the nameplate but diehard fans say it doesn't deserve the Commodore badge. The new model will be a front-wheel-drive car with four-cylinder or six-cylinder power. There will be a sedan and wagon, but no ute and no V8.Holden will also boost its SUV range with a new Captiva seven seater and an as-yet unnamed model to replace the Captiva 5 compact SUV.Meanwhile Holden will have a two-model strategy for small cars: the all-new Cruze sedan and wagon, and the European-sourced Astra hatch. The Holden Astra will return to local showrooms next year, starting with the performance variants and the Astra-based Cascada convertible.But selected models from the regular Astra range are due to follow in late 2015 or early 2016 as Holden winds down production of the locally-made Cruze small car. Holden is currently studying a business case to import the Opel Corsa (the same size as the baby Barina) but it may be difficult to price at the bargain basement end of the market given it will come from Europe rather than low-cost South Korea.Toyota is also well placed to respond with a wider range of models but, to be frank, Toyota has more to lose than gain because it already has the biggest range. Nevertheless, it won't stop Toyota from trying to fill every possible niche, such as the city-sized SUV concept unveiled at this week's Paris motor show.Meanwhile, although the Camry will be imported rather than made locally by 2018, Toyota will still actively chase fleet business. Toyota's biggest threat, however, is the Japanese currency. The Japanese government currently deliberately undervalues the Japanese Yen to boost exports. If that changes, so does Japan's advantage. And brands from other countries will be there to swoop.With 64 car brands on sale, Australia is the most competitive market in the world, given we only buy about 1.1 million new cars each year. The US has about 50 brands selling to about 15.6 million buyers annually. The passing of the Australian car manufacturing industry will be a truly sad day. Once it's gone, it'll be gone forever.But the fact remains that strong competition, a strong currency, weak overseas demand – and a lack of local factories to protect – will continue to put new-car buyers in the driver's seat. Literally.

The president of General Motors, Dan Ammann, says Holden can overtake Toyota by 2020 -- armed with a flood of US and European cars. The president of General Motors, Dan Ammann, has boldly backed Holden’s claim that it will overtake market leader Toyota in Australia by 2020 -- even though Holden hasn’t been number one for 11 years and has just posted its lowest sales in 19 years. The most senior man within General Motors made the comments at the Paris motor show overnight and gave an insight into the global cars that would drive Holden sales. It means Holden will have more European cars in its line-up (rather than sourcing solely from South Korea and Thailand) and could have the iconic Camaro muscle car and heavy duty pick-ups from the US in Australian showrooms within the next five years. “I think (being number one again) is achievable,” said Mr Ammann. “I think it’s the right plan for Holden to have and I think it’s important at this time, with the reconfiguration of the business down there, that we make a very clear statement about our intentions and that we’re going to be in the market with a total portfolio.” RELATED: Holden's bold plan to return to number oneMORE: Car factories could close early if funding cut VIDEO: Holden says we're here to stay Mr Ammann, originally from New Zealand, said Holden now had friends in high places in Detroit who would unlock the doors to a host of US and European cars that have previously been off limits to Holden. Former Holden boss Mark Reuss (2008 to 2009) is now in charge of global vehicle development, and his successor at Holden, Alan Batey (2009 to 2010), is now the executive vice president of General Motors in North America. “A lot of the senior leadership in (General Motors) have an association and a strong affiliation with Holden,” said Mr Ammann. “There is a disproportionate amount of emotional attachment to Holden. Watch this space. We have more to come.” Mr Ammann admitted Holden had lost focus on growing segments of the new-car market because it had spent the past decade trying to protect the Commodore as customer demand faded. “If you looked over the last few years with the benefit of hindsight, having the strength that we’ve had in Commodore has probably taken the focus off some of the other areas where we could have been stronger and had more product in the market,” said Mr Ammann. But General Motors had emerged from the Global Financial Crisis in 2009 with a new way of thinking and was planning to build more cars for right-hand-drive markets, he said. Left-hand-drive cars such as those sold in China, North America and Europe are left-hand-drive and account for 75 per cent of all cars sold globally. Customarily, right-hand-drive cars cost more to build on a per unit basis because they only account for 25 per cent of cars sold globally. But Mr Ammann said General Motors has started to integrate changes for right-hand-drive cars at the very beginning of the planning stages, to increase the number of right-hand-drive cars in its portfolio. “We have all sorts of great cars around the world that we can bring in,” said Mr Ammann. “We are totally committed to Holden.” “As a company we haven’t done a very good job about being systematic about right-hand-drive cars. We will be much more expansive in our thinking on that going forward.” Mr Ammann said the changes “won’t happen overnight” but “as we get into the next generation of these (vehicles) there will be more good things to come”. Mr Ammann said Holden was “well progressed” with the car that will replace the Commodore in 2018. “We have decided (where the Commodore replacement will come from), it’s progressing well, and I can’t tell you much more than that,” said Mr Ammann. “There won’t be any huge surprises I’d say, (but) it will be a world class product.” Holden has not confirmed where the Commodore replacement will be sourced from. But insiders have confirmed to News Corp Australia that, after initially planning to source the Commodore replacement from China, it will now come from Opel in Germany. It means that the Commodore will have come full circle, as the original Commodore launched in 1978 shared its DNA with the Opel sedan of the time. Meanwhile, the boss of Opel in Germany, Dr Karl-Thomas Neumann, told Australian media at the Paris motor show overnight that Holden will eventually source about one-third of its cars from Europe. “The Australian market and the Holden brand is important to General Motors,” said Dr Neumann. “It will be of the responsibility of Opel to supply certain cars for Australia.” Holden has already confirmed certain models from the Astra range, as well as the Insignia sedan and wagon, and Cascada convertible are coming next year. But other Opel models such as Corsa city car are expected to follow.“(Opel cars) will be about one third of the portfolio of Holden; it is an important export business for us,” said Dr Neumann. It means that Holden will likely sell some Korean-sourced small cars and SUVs alongside those from Opel in Europe, giving the brand a greater selection of models and price points. 

Australia's most powerful police car -- the Ford Falcon GT-F -- has been tuned by racing legend Dick Johnson and now has 800 horsepower.It has more power than any of the V8 Supercars at this year's Bathurst 1000.It can detect stolen cars in milliseconds, and spot speeding drivers from up to a kilometre away.It's not a bird, it's not a plane. It's Australia's most powerful -- and most technically advanced -- police car.The NSW highway patrol have taken delivery of one of the last ever Ford Falcon GT sedans -- which, in a one-off special, has a supercharged V8 tuned by racing legend Dick Johnson to a staggering 800 horsepower, or 600 kilowatts in modern terms.RELATED: Australian police could get Ford MustangsMORE: Police take delivery of a supercharged Falcon GT Not only does this police car's power eclipse the V8 Supercars on the grid at next weekend's Bathurst 1000 (which each have about 600 horsepower or 450 kilowatts) it has almost twice as much grunt as a standard Ford Falcon GT.The high-powered and high-tech police car was funded by the NSW Centre for Road Safety and joins two other special models -- a HSV GTS and an earlier Ford Falcon GT -- to target hoon drivers.The police super-computer in a super-car is due to be unveiled today at the launch of the long weekend double demerits road safety campaign and will make its first official public appearance in the spectator areas of the Bathurst 1000 car race.Since double demerit points were applied to speeding and seatbelt fines in 1997, figures show there has been a 20 per cent reduction in fatal crashes over the relevant holiday periods.While the new police car is equipped with the latest technology to catch high-speed crooks and banned drivers, it will spend most of its time parked at shows and community events."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."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."Since NSW Police fitted number-plate reading technology to its fleet of 400 highway patrol cars in November 2009, the cameras have detected 141,000 unregistered cars, 20,000 unlicenced drivers, and 5600 wanted criminals. The roof-mounted cameras also helped police detect 47,000 other driving offences.Figures show unregistered cars and unlicenced drivers are involved in 25 per cent of all road deaths, even though they only account for about 1 per cent of all cars and drivers on the road.Police regularly use high-profile cars to attract attention rather than write tickets.Police in North Sydney's Harbourside Area Command have just been loaned their third Porsche in as many years.Queensland police have previously had a fleet of 10 hotted-up Holden Monaros and currently have a fleet of five HSV Clubsport V8 sedans; known as the "Fatal Five" they're used to target trouble spots.Victoria police have previously had a HSV GTO V8 coupe and once had a turbocharged Falcon ute to line up against hoons at off-street drag races.Meanwhile, the highway patrol in all states and territories are unsure what will replace their trusty V8 Holden Commodore and turbo Ford Falcon pursuit sedans once Australian car manufacturing ends in 2017.The Falcon and Commodore are due to be replaced by imported front-wheel-drive four-cylinder and V6 fleet cars similar to the Toyota Camry and Mitsubishi Magna.High-powered BMWs and Mercedes-Benzes used by German police are deemed too expensive in Australia -- costing at least twice as much as a Falcon or Commodore.It means the highway patrol could end up like real life Mad Max-style cops in Ford Mustangs, which is expected to cost the same as a Ford Falcon V8.Police in Victoria, NSW and Queensland regularly used V8 coupes -- such as Valiant Chargers and Falcon coupes -- in the late 1970s.The only V8 car confirmed for Holden and Ford showrooms so far is the new Mustang. Holden does not yet have a V8 model of any description confirmed beyond 2017.Fast facts:Ford Falcon GT-F: most powerful police car everSupercharged 5.0-litre V8 enginePower: 600 kilowatts in modern measurements or 800 horsepower in old-school numbers (up from 351kW or 470hp)In modern terms, the Falcon GT-F's power has increased from the standard output of 351kW to 600kW, hence the ‘600' plaque next to Dick Johnson's name under the bonnet.Racing grade Brembo brakes front and rearDunlop high-performance tyres (wider at the rear than at the front to improve grip)Technology: how fast are you going now?On-board tablet computer to check licence status, outstanding warrants, photo ID the driver (mobile fingerprint technology being rolled out)Front and rear cameras record non-stop footage to a fireproof and tamperproof safe in the bootThese two cameras can beam live images to the police operations room to monitor critical incidents (other cars will eventually be upgraded)Three automatic number plate recognition cameras can detect unregistered cars -- and cars likely to be driven by wanted or banned drivers -- day or nightDrug testing equipment joins the latest breath test units with GPS so police can track where the high alcohol readings are, and target those areasDigital encrypted radio; earlier police radio systems could be heard by scanners bought cheaply at electronics stores, today's radio network is more secureLong range radar can detect speeding vehicles up to 1 kilometre away on the open roadHandheld laser units can pinpoint individual cars in traffic, zooming in on an area the size of a number plate. The latest laser unit also records vision for evidence in court to prove the police stopped the right carNew LED blue and red emergency lights are brighter than before and have complete 360 degree coverage to be easier to spot in intersections; more powerful ‘takedown' lights beam directly into the back windows of cars stopped by police

Kia's announcement of an Australian-first seven-year, unlimited kilometre warranty could benefit buyers of others brands as they try to match it.One of Australia's fastest growing car brands, Korean company Kia, is about to upset its big name rivals by announcing a seven-year unlimited kilometre warranty, the longest in Australian automotive history. Kia’s sister brand Hyundai was the first company to offer a five-year, 130,000km warranty in Australia 15 years ago -- in 1999 -- as a response to quality concerns over a bungled safety recall the year before.Hyundai then increased its warranty coverage to five years and unlimited kilometres in 2006.RELATED: Small car price war about to heat upFrench car maker Citroen then raised the bar in March this year, offering new-car buyers an unprecedented six-year, unlimited kilometre warranty.Kia's new benchmark of a seven year, unlimited kilometre warranty will put the market leaders under increasing pressure given brands such as Toyota, Holden, Ford, Mazda, Nissan, Volkswagen, Subaru, Honda, Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz only offer three years coverage. It means buyers of most mainstream brands will eventually be the winners as they try to raise their level of warranty coverage to either match or get closer to Kia's seven-year stretch. But none are yet to react.The longer warranty period will likely boost the resale value of Kia cars at trade-in time because used-car buyers will get the balance of the new-car warranty.Most new cars are sold after four years, according to industry figures. This means a typical secondhand Kia would give used car buyers three years of factory-backed protection against faults.The Kia warranty is part of the company's ambitious sales push in Australia after a decade of weak results.Kia is just outside the top 10 sellers but its sister brand Hyundai -- which sells, in effect, the same cars under the skin but with different body styles and different branding -- is in the top four.It is the largest gap between the two jointly owned companies in the world.Kia recently poached Hyundai Australia's sales and marketing boss Damien Meredith to head the Kia division locally and this is his first step towards doubling sales within four years."This is a watershed moment," said Mr Meredith. "Kia customers now have a peace of mind that can't be matched in the Australian new car market."The deal includes free roadside assistance for seven years -- if the car is serviced at a Kia dealer once a year.Kia has also extended its capped price servicing program to seven years -- one of the longest in the car business -- and that prices of routine maintenance will remain the same as before."The two year increase in warranty, capped-price servicing and roadside assist is absolutely transparent and we will not be asking our customers to dip into their pockets to fund the extra benefits," said Mr Meredith.

Are you tired of being stuck behind an SUV? If can’t beat em, join em. Paris motor show previews the next big thing on four wheels: pint-sized SUVs for the city.The world’s car makers are rushing to release high-riding hatchbacks that have the commanding view of a family-sized SUV -- but fit in the same size parking space as a Toyota Corolla.SUVs are second only to small cars when it comes to new vehicle sales, and the big brands are finding new ways to fill every possible niche.That means we can expect to see a bunch of tiny-tot SUVs designed for the city, even though they will be dressed up with rugged, go-anywhere looks.Indeed, most city SUVs won’t even have a four-wheel-drive system because they’ll never leave the tarmac.So why are car makers so desperate to get their small SUVs into showrooms? Because buyers are happy to pay a premium for them even though they cost only a fraction more to build than a regular hatchback.Japanese car giant Toyota, the world’s biggest automotive brand, will unveil a city-centric SUV inside enemy territory at this week’s Paris motor show.Even though Toyota is one of the biggest sellers of SUVs on the planet, it has completely missed the march to city-sized softroaders, or “faux-wheel-drives”.Toyota’s swoopy looking “C-HR” concept car is a rather large clue as to what the showroom version will look like when it arrives next year, although no-one knows what ‘C-HR” stands for. “Compact High Rider” perhaps?Even the French, which once revolved against the SUV and vandalized them in the street less than a decade ago, has joined the party.Citroen is poised to unveil the oddly but honestly named “C1 Urban Ride”. It’s a version of its smallest car but with bulging bumpers and slightly taller suspension to give it a macho appearance.Maybe that’s why they’re becoming so popular: blokes need peer approval to buy small cars. Is a Bear Grylls bumper bar enough to get them over the line?Then again, Citroen also released a compact SUV called the Cactus, complete with plastic side mouldings so you don’t get door dings in the shopping centre car park.The Cactus might be made for the urban jungle but it’s not exactly the type of name that would make you want to boast about it.Australians have been at the forefront of the swing to super-small softroaders.Already on sale locally are the Suzuki S-Cross, Holden Trax, Ford EcoSport and Nissan Juke, all priced between $20,000 and $30,000 (when the cars on which they are all based start at less than $20,000).Around the corner are the Honda HR-V and Fiat Panda Cross. Next month Mazda is due to unveil a SUV to slot under the top-selling CX-5.South Korean car maker Hyundai is also working on a super-small SUV, which should be in showrooms in 2016.Meanwhile, for those who think motor shows should always be about high performance exotic supercars, fear not, although the definition of supercar has changed slightly.Lamborghini is preparing to unveil its first ever hybrid sports-car, while Porsche is about to unveil its first ever plug-in hybrid SUV.Porsche’s two-tonne luxury SUV sips less fuel than a Prius -- providing it has enough charge to travel the first 50km on electric power alone before the petrol engine takes over.More affordable eye candy, however, will come in the form of the first ever motor show outing for the new Mazda MX-5 (the world’s top-selling two-seater roadster), and Jaguar XE sedan (no relation to the Ford Falcon from the 1980s of the same name).

First drive of the new Ford Mustang V8 ahead of its arrival in Australian showrooms in 2015.To paraphrase Crocodile Dundee, now that’s a Mustang. Having tested the four-cylinder version of the 2015 Ford Mustang earlier in the day, it was time to get behind the wheel of the ‘real’ one: the 5.0-litre V8.I can’t repeat in front of a polite audience the exact words that came out of my mouth having floored the V8 Mustang for the first time, but suffice to stay I said it a lot.It’s a good thing Ford put big brakes on the new Mustang because you use them quite a bit to slow down -- just so that you can floor it back up to the speed limit again.I initially thought the output of the V8 was a bit ho-hum on paper. The power rating of 325kW (a bit over 400 horsepower in the old money) and the torque rating (the measure of an engine’s ability to overcome resistance, or pull a stump out of the ground) of 540Nm also didn’t look like much.That’s because the V8s we have back home in Australia -- in the Ford and Holden camps -- have more than this, so I went in with low expectations.But the Mustang is relatively light for a V8 muscle car (even if it is between 3kg and 40kg heavier than before) and boy does this thing haul.Better still, once the revs rise to 4000rpm, with its lungs full of air, the engine absolutely belts. It gets better the more you keep your foot into it.Follow me for a moment: it accelerates harder and more quickly the higher the revs go. Customarily, V8s have asthma attacks. Not this one. This all new 5.0-litre V8 is a bit special, regardless of its ho-hum numbers.We don’t have the 0 to 100km/h times yet because Ford doesn’t publish them. (It rightly argues that results vary too much between driver techniques, and road conditions).But it feels as quick as a Falcon GT. And that’s supercharged, the Mustang is not.Admittedly, this is a seat-of-the-pants feeling only. We’ll put timing equipment on it when it goes on sale in Australia in the second half of 2015.In the meantime, I’ve got some winding mountain roads behind the city of Los Angeles to enjoy.That said, ‘enjoy’ is a relative term. After just five minutes of enthusiastic driving I’m getting a sweat up, as if I’d just run up a flight of stairs.The Mustang V8 is a little heavier than the four-cylinder, especially over the nose, so you’ve got to work it harder to get around a bend.Don’t get me wrong: the chassis is brilliant. The North American press have declared it a revelation since it finally has independent rear suspension. Previous Mustangs had a rear end that could without exaggeration be traced back to the horse and cart.But it’s not as light and nimble on its feet as the four-cylinder Mustang. To be fair, we tested a four-cylinder with sport suspension, and a V8 with comfort suspension. Nevertheless, there was a stark contrast.Which means choosing between the four-cylinder and the V8 Mustang is going to create a dilemma almost as difficult as choosing between an iPhone6 and an iPhone6 Plus.It depends on whether you want to go quickly in a straight line, or have superior cornering ability.The diehards will buy the V8 no matter what. They’re the people that probably will buy a really big phone, even if it bends, just because it is a really big phone.But I can’t blame them. The sound of the V8 alone is glorious. If only Ford could make the four-cylinder to sound like that.

Joshua Dowling tests the new four-cylinder Mustang in the US before it goes on sale in Australia next year.Push the 'start' button on the new Ford Mustang and you expect the rumble of a V8. But what I have here is an eerie silence. I've grabbed the keys to a four-cylinder Mustang. And I can barely hear it.That's right. A four-cylinder Mustang.Ford has added a four-cylinder to the Mustang range to broaden the car's customer appeal and to meet strict fuel economy targets in Europe. Australia will get both the four-cylinder and the V8 when it arrives in showrooms in the second half of 2015, but I've grabbed the keys to the four-cylinder first because that's the one everyone is most curious about. Australians have had an aversion to large cars and four-cylinder engines since the asthmatic four-cylinder Commodore from the 1980s. Holden chopped two cylinders off the red six to create the Starfire four in a kneejerk reaction to the fuel crisis in the 1970s; in the end the four-cylinder used as much fuel as the six-cylinder because it had to work so hard to move the Commodore's weight. But times have changed and so has technology. The four-cylinder in the latest, sixth-generation Mustang (Ford also fitted four-cylinder engines to the Mustang in the US between 1978 and 1993) has new turbocharger technology and has almost as much power as the previous V8. BMW and other German car makers are also now getting epic performance from turbocharged four-cylinder engines. But this is a Mustang. Can you get away with four-cylinder sacrilege in an American icon? On first impressions, the answer is no. In stop-start Los Angeles traffic the four-cylinder sounds, well, ordinary. It sounds like a small French van, and not at all like a Mustang should. The side mirrors are also too small (here's hoping Ford Australia fits convex mirrors on both sides), making it hard to pick your way through the bump and grind. The bland standard seats are designed more for broad behinds rather than comfort and support. And you can forget the back seats; their only purpose is to somehow convince your life partner than you might, just might, be able to squeeze the kids in the back there. The Mustang suspension is too firm and busy over even modest bumps at suburban speeds. On the bigger bumps it almost made me motion sick. Fortunately, the traffic eventually clears and we find ourselves on the winding mountain roads behind Hollywood and into the great blue yonder. In another twist of fate, we don't have any traffic ahead of us, save for some aspiring Olympic cyclists on a morning hill workout. Only then does the four-cylinder Mustang start to shine. Rev the engine above 4500rpm and the small French van sound starts to develop some character, with a subtle engine growl. A small dose of the exhaust note from the Renault Megane RS275 or Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG would be a welcome improvement. At this point, I'd prefer to hear nothing at all than a weak attempt at an engine note. But all is quickly forgiven after the first series of twists and turns. The four-cylinder Mustang steers beautifully. Because the four-cylinder engine weighs less than the V8, there is less weight over the nose and better overall balance in the car front-to-rear. (For the tech heads, the weight balance is a near-perfect 52:48 for the four-cylinder and 55:45 for the nose-heavy V8).The suspension that was too firm around town is in fact just right once you hit the open road. It's nothing short of superb. Power delivery across the rev range is the other surprise. The power is there and ready, whenever you need it.Ford does not publish 0 to 100km/h times, but the four-cylinder is said to be only slightly slower than the V8. It certainly feels quick enough for most tastes. (We'll know for sure when we test it in Australia next year.) With less weight to bring to a stop (compared to the V8) the brakes have a sharp, responsive and reassuring feel. The Pirelli tyres on the "Performance Pack" model tested stuck to the curves like chewing gum to a thong on a hot summer's day. Before I know it, I'm grinning like a kid with a new toy. And I've forgotten what engine is under the bonnet. In fact, once you're on the move there almost no way for anyone else to pick the difference between the four-cylinder and the V8 versions of the Mustang. They both get dual exhaust pipes and the same good looks. For the anoraks among us, though, the V8 grille has a pair of vertical 'blades' and a GT badge on the rear, while the four-cylinder gets the Mustang 'pony' badge on its rump. Both models get the super-cool three-step indicators in the tail-lights, that light up from the inside out, one vertical bar at a time. Another piece of trivia: this car may be Ford's most recognised model globally, but it doesn't have a Ford badge on it anywhere. There's a tiny Ford logo stamped in the shaded area of the windscreen. With a car this good, Ford deserves to put a badge on it. Regardless of what engine is under the bonnet.

New Mustang to cost the same as a Falcon, will have four-cylinder or V8 power -- and a burnout button on the V8 models. The new Ford Mustang will cost the same as a Falcon when it goes on sale next year -- and there are already 13,000 Australians queuing to buy the American icon. A top secret dealer bulletin obtained by News Corp Australia says the Mustang will cost between $50,000 and $70,000 in Australia, making it significantly cheaper than the outgoing Falcon GT which cost $80,000, and in line with the price for the last series of V8-powered Falcon XR8 sedans to be built at Broadmeadows. The Mustang is due to fill the V8 performance-car void in Ford showrooms once the Falcon goes out of production in October 2016, but in a shock to diehard fans a four-cylinder version will also be available. VIDEO: 2015 Ford Mustang burnout mode explainedRELATED: How we broke the story on the Mustang's returnMORE: Police could become Mad Max cops with new MustangIt’s not the first time the Mustang has had a four-cylinder engine -- an economy version was sold in the US from 1978 to 1993 -- but it is the first time a four-cylinder Mustang will be sold in Australia. Before fans scoff, Ford points out that the new generation turbocharged four-cylinder engine has almost as much power as the old V8 and sips a fraction of the fuel. Ford reintroduced the four-cylinder option this time around to appeal to fuel misers and to meet stringent fuel economy targets in Europe. At the other end of the performance scale, the V8 version of the new Ford Mustang is the first mass-production car in the world to come with a “burnout” button. Press a button and the front brakes will lock but the rear brakes will not. Floor the throttle and the tyres quickly smoke up. Ford says the system is designed to be used at off-street drag racing meetings, a popular hobby for many Mustang owners in the US. This is the first time in the muscle car’s 50-year history that the Mustang will be made in right-hand-drive on a Ford production line. The Mustangs sold in Australia in the 1960s and early 2000s were made in left-hand-drive and then converted locally. The latest models will be made in Ford’s Mustang factory in Flat Rock, Michigan. The Mustang is already on sale in the US and is due in Australian showrooms -- and 25 other right-hand-drive countries, including Japan, the UK and South Africa -- by the middle of next year. In Australia, the Mustang will be sold in coupe and convertible body styles with a choice of four-cylinder or V8 power. Fast facts: Ford MustangPrice: $50,000 to $70,000Engine: 5.0-litre V8 or 2.3-litre four-cylinder turboPower: 325kW/540Nm (V8), 230kW/430Nm (four-cylinder)Fuel economy: 12.3L/100km (V8), 9.0L/100km (four-cylinder)On sale: In Australia 2015*All power and consumption figures are approximate and based on US testing standards. Australian figures may vary.

It’s official: the updated Falcon and Territory can save your life in one phone call to Triple Zero. .Ford has confirmed that the last ever Ford Falcon and the refreshed Ford Territory SUV will come with lifesaving technology that will automatically call 000 immediately after a crash. If the airbags deploy, the car will automatically call emergency services, providing a mobile phone is already connected via Bluetooth and is in range. The line will stay open -- and block all other calls -- until the emergency operator can make voice contact. If there is no response, the operators at Triple Zero can send police and ambulance crews to the scene because they have the exact location thanks to the GPS co-ordinates sent by the phone. There are no costs or subscriptions associated with the service; it will be free on every new Falcon sedan and ute and Territory SUV from later this year. The technology has been available on some imported Ford models for about a year but this is the first time it has been fitted to an Australian-made car. Ford says the technology will be on all Ford vehicles sold in Australia by 2017. “Ford’s Emergency Assistance has already proved itself as a life-saver overseas and we expect our Falcon and Territory customers will appreciate the reassurance that comes with this technology,” said Ford Australia Vice President of Marketing, Sales and Service, Graeme Whickman. 

Chinese made Great Wall V200 ute scores three stars for safety as sales continue to fall. The reputation of Chinese utes has taken another hit as the latest crash tests award just three stars out of five for safety -- and sales continue to freefall after the asbestos scare of 2012. The Great Wall Motors single-cab ute is one of the cheapest workhorse vehicles used by tradies, with a starting price of $18,990 drive-away. But according to independent crash test authority -- the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) -- the Great Wall Motors single-cab trayback ute scored a “poor” three-star rating out of a possible five. This is a modest improvement from the two-star rating scored for other Great Wall utes in 2009 and 2010, in which the airbags proved ineffective at improving the safety score. In the latest crash test at 64km/h the Great Wall ute’s “compartment lost structural integrity, accelerator pedal movement was excessive, and steering column components were a potential source of knee injury for the driver”, said the ANCAP report, which awarded just 6 points out of 16 for the offset test. The safety of trade vehicles has historically lagged behind that of passenger cars, even though utes are now the third-biggest vehicle category after small cars and SUVs. However, under new Occupational Health and Safety guidelines, many companies are now enforcing a five-star policy when purchasing utility vehicles. The Volkswagen Amarok was the first ute to be awarded a five-star safety rating in Australia, in 2011, but several other brands have followed since, including the Ford Ranger, Holden Colorado, Mazda BT-50, and certain Toyota HiLux and Isuzu D-Max models. The Nissan Navara and Mitsubishi Triton score four stars for safety but are due to be replaced by all-new five-star models next year. The poor safety result for the Great Wall Motors ute comes as sales figures show Chinese vehicles are no longer a threat to the established brands. Sales of Chinese vehicles have been in freefall in the two years since 21,000 Great Wall utes and SUVs and 2250 Chery passenger cars were recalled for having engine parts containing asbestos. At their peak in 2012, more than 12,100 Chinese vehicles were sold locally. But so far this year just 2500 Chinese vehicles have been sold, a dramatic drop of 54 per cent from the same period last year. There are now at least seven Chinese automotive brands on sale in Australia but Great Wall and Chery are the largest; the others are yet to publish sales figures. A spokesman for the Australian distributor of Great Wall Motors, Chery and Foton said the established Japanese car makers had come down in price, putting pressure on Chinese brands. “The massive devaluation of the Japanese Yen … has meant that well established Japanese vehicle brands are able to be much more competitively priced in the Australian market than was the case when Great Wall launched here in mid 2009,” said spokesman Daniel Cotterill. He said emerging brands traditionally compete on price, but that price advantage had all but evaporated over the past two years. “Where once a Great Wall ute might have had six or seven thousand dollars of price advantage over an established Japanese brand, that is not the case at the moment in many instances,” said Cotterill. “Currency fluctuations are cyclical and we remain optimistic that our competitive price position will return.” The Chinese car sales downturn comes as another division of Great Wall Motors has signaled its intention to set up in Australia under the Haval brand name. However, the all-new Haval SUV that was due in Australia this year has been delayed indefinitely after it was withdrawn from sale in China twice because of build quality concerns.