Articles by Karla Pincott

It took just 1700km of local test driving for Kia to decide Australia wouldn’t like the new Sportage’s suspension. And to set about finding a different one.  When they did, it already had an Australian flavour.Having judged the suspension of the test Sportage sent out here in March as unsuitable, the Aussie Kia team set off with their ideal set-up on paper to match it with the components available in other markets.After some benchmarking, they settled on the UK suspension set-up – to which Kia Australia had originally contributed in the planning stages.  The steering was given similar attention with a calibration specifically our market.And Kia believes those local touches will be key for the popularity of the new Sportage, which will face strong competition in the growing compact SUV category.Pricing and variantsKia expects to sell about 300 per month, and to try and ensure there’s something for everybody, the Sportage has both two-wheel and all-drive versions, with three engines and two transmissions.  Prices start from $25,990 for the Si 2WD 2.0-litre with five-speed manual transmission ($2000 extra for auto).The mid-spec SLi AWD auto-only versions are $31,990 for the 2.4-litre petrol and $35,990 for the 2.0-litre turbo-diesel, while Platinum spec adds extra equipment to each of those for an extra $3000.Base models get a solid list of features including MP3-compatible six-speaker audio system, 17-in alloy wheels and foglights, with safety covered by six airbags, anti-lock disc brakes with brake assist and force distribution to help out in extreme situations, stability and traction control, plus hill-start assist and downhill brake control that slows the Sportage to 8km/h on steep slopes.Mid-spec adds extras like a rear-view camera, auto headlights, dual-zone climate control for the airconditioning and a swag of cosmetic and trim upgrades.  The Platinum bags you 18-in alloys, rear parking sensors, leather upholstery – ventilated on the driver’s seat – and daytime running lights among its extras.There’ll be some latecomers to the equipment list, with Bluetooth and the reach-adjustable electronic steering arriving in November, with Kia choosing to launch now rather than wait for them.While it’s based on the same platform as the Hyundai ix35, the styling is more conservative, with Kia saying their focus clinics voiced unanimous support for the Sportage styling over the ix35’s more detailed creasing and character lines.  It retains the sharply sloping windscreen and A-pillars of the Kia Kue concept show car, with a high belt-line pushing the coupe image.It looks lower than it actually is – and is already lower, wider and longer than the previous Sportage (by 60mm, 15mm and 90mm respectively) – with black protective cladding adding off-road hints and slimming the side profile.With that, there’s ample legroom front and rear, but headroom is compromised by that sleeker roofline, although it probably contributes to the more slippery body (and lighter weight) that help keep fuel consumption respectable.  But you can still carry 740 litres of luggage, stacking that up to 1547 litres with the rear seats folded.The base model’s 2.0-litre petrol engine develops 122kW of power and 197Nm of torque, getting to 100km/h in an official time of 10.4 seconds with the manual transmission and 10.6 seconds with the auto.  The 2.4-litre gives you 130kW and 227Nm, with slightly better acceleration showing in the 0-100km/h time of 10 seconds and the faster top speed of 188km/h.The diesel is the 2.0-litre version of Kia’s ‘R’ unit, offering 135kW and 393Nm, with the extra urge getting you to 100km/h in 9.6 seconds.  The AWD versions get an on-demand system with slip detection that can send up to 40 per cent of torque to the rear axle as needed, with a lockHowever long Kia spent tweaking the Sportage steering for Australia, it’s been time well spent.  And it took just a couple of minutes behind the wheel of the AWD for the better feel and response to prove itself. It’s a big move forward for Kia, but they forecast it’s just the start of more local specification in their cars.And it benefits from being partnered with the quite decent suspension - McPherson strut front, multi-link rear -- with the UK tuning.  The 2.4-litre petrol engine we briefly tested struggled slightly on steep slopes but was otherwise sprightly, although more so with the transmission slotted into faux manual mode.The advantage of more torque meant the diesel performed better, but the base model 2.0-litre petrol made harder work of most driving and is better suited to those who primarily want a city car.It also seemed to be noisier than its higher-spec siblings – suggesting that the levels of damping may be different in the variants. But otherwise, the cabins were quiet apart from wind rush around the wipers and wing mirrors.The mirror wind noise is due to their large size, but you’ll be grateful for that when you try reverse parking, with the elegant letter-box of a rear windscreen and the massive rear pillars making visibility a chore unless you’re up to the reversing camera spec.  Another annoying factor was the steering column being tilt but not reach, but Kia says this will be added when the electronic steering arrives in November.Hard plastics are here and there, but otherwise the cabin fit-out is sensible and pleasant – and we preferred the sporty black tricot upholstery over the slippery leather. The fabric seemed to fit better with the Sportage’s overall personality: sensible, comfortable and practical.

ANOTHER grenade has been lobbed into the compact off-roader battlefield with the arrival of the Mitsubishi ASX.  The sector has boomed more than 30 per cent this year, with the likes of the Nissan Dualis and Suzuki Grand Vitara fighting for share with the recently arrived – and immediately popular – Hyundai ix35.The Mitsubishi ASX wants a big slice of that ground, and has been armed with a sharp and pointy price of $25,990 to do battle at the base level 2WD with manual gearbox ($2500 extra for the CVT). The 4WD is $31,990 and the top-spec Aspire is $36,990 – both with either six-speed manual or CVT transmission.Also in its arsenal are excellent quality and fit-out for that price, plus solid comfort and handling.  Mitsubishi expects to sell around 350 per month, but that number is limited by quota “The response from dealers suggests we could now do closer to 450 – if we could get them - but we’re constrained until the end of the year at least,” says Mitsubishi Australia’s sales vice-president Anthony Casey.He admits they underestimated demand for the vehicle, but says the global financial crisis was a strong factor in the decision.  “The problem is that you do these things 18 months out, and 18 months ago the world looked like it was going to hell in a handbasket - but that didn’t quite happen in Australia, of course,” Casey says.“But getting more than we’d originally planned for is going to be hard work.”  Casey says they’re not concerned that the ASX might poach buyers from the Outlander, but the Lancer hatch could fall victim.  If there is any cannibalisation, it will be on Lancer hatch - maybe 100 a month,” he says.The ASX has both diesel and petrol engines, with the latter being the 110kW/197Nm 2.0-litre, four-cylinder MIVEC petrol engine from the Lancer, mated to either a five-speed manual or a six-speed continuously-variable transmission (CVT) with paddle-shifters on the steering wheel.The diesel is an all-new – and all-Mitsubishi – 1.8-litre turbo unit, with 110kW and 300Nm being delivered via a six-speed manual transmission. The Outlander has donated its three-mode electronic four-wheel drive system, that allows you to switch between front-wheel, all-wheel and locked modes.The diesel manual 4WD is the economy winner at 5.8L/100km, with the 2WD using 7.7L in manual and 7.9L in CVT versions, while the 4WD with CVT comes in at 8.1L. Stop-start technology is available in Europe, with a brake regenerative system capturing energy for the battery during deceleration and braking.But it is tied to smaller engines than the ones we’re getting, and Mitsubishi product manager Craig Maxted says there’s little fuel economy benefit. “Over there, it’s been used mainly to improve emissions, and it doesn’t do a lot for fuel – about 0.2L/100km less is all,” Maxted says.The ASX was seeded from the cX concept that was unveiled in 2007 at Frankfurt motor show, and developed on the Outlander platform – sharing that baseline with the brand’s hero performer, the Lancer Evolution.It’s 34.5cm shorter than the Outlander and at around 1450kg is some 200kg lighter, but there are similar styling cues around the front from the Mitsubishi family face, however at the rear it has a much neater look, although it misses out on the sibling’s handy split-fold tailgate.Mitsubishi has put some effort into the cabin, which punches above its price point’s weight with quality plastics and a stacked equipment list. Standard kit includes telescopic steering column, stability control, hill-start assist, anti-skid brakes with brakeforce distribution and assistance for extra help.Mitsubishi expects to win five safety stars in crash-testing being done now, helped by a strong body with ‘crush box’ crumple zones and standard fitment of seven airbags, including a driver-knee one. The spare is a space saver, but there’s a full-size option available - although it cuts into the floor space.The ASX is designed for comfort rather than speed, and delivers on that promise. While they’re on the flattish side, the seats are firm but supportive. And the interior is filled with quality soft-touch finishes that lend an almost premium hint – and shame one or two of its higher-priced rivals.The cabin is quiet and well-isolated from all but the worst bumps and vibration. There’s some air rush around the windscreen at highway speeds, but aside from that no noise intruded except over the kind of coarse-chip bitumen that no amount of noise damping can save you from.The diesel has the better torque, but is a bit clattery from idle, although that improves as you wind it up. Our vote went to the 2.0-litre petrol, but with the CVT automatic transmission, you need to keep the revs up above 3000rpm to stir it along with any real urgency, but the steering wheel paddles make this an easy task.The manual naturally has more luck in keeping the engine stirred up, but while it was a fairly smooth shift we couldn’t get to like the touch of notchiness – and the stretch for fingers trying to reach for the reverse ring on the shaft. Mitsubishi is confident that the female buyers (towards whom it believes the sub-compact class is skewed) will head for the automatic transmission.Although the ride is remarkably comfortable, the ASX doesn’t feel sluggish, with good turn-in from decently-weighted steering. While the suspension is set up to aid comfort, there’s far less body roll than in some of its rivals, and the brakes pull it up neatly.  Overall, it’s a stable and confident performer, and is kitted out far better than you’d expect for the price.

The event was a landmark for endurance rallies in Australia and also for the French carmaker, whose little 203 model driven by Ken Tubman won the 10,500km slog around the country - a great deal of which, in those days was just a collection of tracks through remote areas.But bitumen roads will greet the two stock standard Peugeot 3008 compact all-wheel drives that take off this Friday to re-run most of the 1953 trial in the Redex Tribute as part of their 200th anniversary.Powered by a 80kW/240Nm 1.6 litre turbo-diesel mated to a six-speed semi-automatic transmission, the cars will travel from Sydney to Brisbane, then Bundaberg - Rockhampton - Mackay- Townsville - Mount Isa - Tennant Creek - Alice Springs - Adelaide- Melbourne - Albury and back to Sydney, missing only a side leg up to Darwin.Drivers in the 1953 trial included some that became household names, such as Sir Jack Brabham and Jack 'Gelignite' Murray, but Tubman's win became legend - and caused such a sales run that every new Peugeot in Australia sold within a week of the finish."It wasn't slick marketing - it was about the ability to demonstrate that the cars could cope with lots of pretty rugged conditions back then," says Peugeot Australia general manager Ken Thomas. "Australian roads outside Sydney and Melbourne were pretty ordinary in 1953 - they were just goat tracks."Thomas admits that the Peugeot cars of several years ago, beset by a spate of quality problems, may not have lived up to the reputation of the 1953 legends. But he says that the last two years have seen a return to high standards."There was an era where the quality wasn't up to our standard - and we had to deal with that," he says. "I think Peugeot themselves got a bit of a fright when they were experiencing issues not only in Australia but in the UK - particularly with electronics. We weren't alone. Mercedes was suffering and so were other brands. But in the last two years, it's been outstanding. Warranty costs are dropping like a stone... the costs for how many parts we import under warranty are the lowest they've ever been."Thomas says the 3008 model that will be doing the Redex rerun is an 'outstanding example' of a well-built car and will have no problem with the 8500km 15-day trek."We are approaching this in a way to prove that the 3008 is not an urban show pony - that it can emulate what its forebears did in the 203."

Shod with new low rolling-resistance tyres, the Alto’s fuel consumption has dropped to 4.7 litres per 100km with the manual transmission, a reduction of 0.1 litre. The tyres have also reduced the bowser burn for the automatic version, which has dropped 3.9 per cent to 5.3L/100km. Suzuki says the figures are particularly impressive, given the price, because from $12,490 the Alto is nearly a third of the price of any hybrid on the Australian market. And the new fuel figures – coupled with stronger supply -- should help the Alto have a bumper sales month in July, says Suzuki Australia spokesman Andrew Ellis. “We were a bit hamstrung the month before distribution-wise” Ellis says.  “But we’re expecting our best month yet for July.

For 10 years, the carmaker has supported the AIDS charity event with decorated Minis that were auctioned as fundraisers. This year, they've handed the keys to three high-profile designers: Calvin Klein, Kenneth Cole and Diane von Furstenberg.Cole has gone for a post-punk look, with the body covered in studs. "In our collection we always aim to bring fashion and function into harmony. And that is precisely what the Mini Convertible stands for," Cole says.Diane von Furstenberg's red Mini is sprinkled with colourful lips and features a white roof and alloys. "I wanted to create something that celebrates life and reminds us of the importance of health," she says. "The red colour of the Mini expresses the awareness of HIV/AIDS, the lips represent Diane von Furstenberg. This car is bursting with life and love."Calvin Klein designer Francisco Costa went for self-assured minimalist style. His crossover Countryman features an understated matt black body, and bears the hallmark CK signature in reflective rubber on each of the front doors.The cars will be auctioned at the amfAR Gala in Vienna on 17 July.

But the name is not a new one for the brand, which produced the small Korando SUV -- and Musso -- from the mid-80s until 2006, using the older Mercedes-Benz ML platforms and drivetrains as a starting point. The Musso was sold here badged with the three-pointed start, for a short time, through Merc's dealerships. Arriving in the last quarter of this year, the new Korando comes at a time when compact SUVs are booming in Australia, helping drive a record sales month for June.  The Korando will be the first vehicle from the Korean carmaker to use a monocoque body. It will be powered by a 2.0-litre common-rail turbo-diesel that meets Euro V emissions standards, and which will spread across the Ssangyong range, appearing next in the update for the Actyon Sports Ute next year. The German-designed engine has an electronically controlled two-stage turbocharger, high-efficiency exhaust gas recycling (EGR) intercooler and optimal air-intake system to reduce emissions and increase engine efficiency, Ssangyong says.  The new technology gives outputs of around 130kW of power and 450Nm of torque --  30 per cent and 50 per cent more respectively than the brand’s current 2.0-litre turbo-diesel (104kW and 310Nm). Ssangyong says the Korando’s ‘stylish new compact SUV look and spacious and luxurious European-inspired interior’ should prove to be popular with Australian buyers.  “Korando C is a great looking compact SUV that will win plenty of hearts while satisfying the demand for fuel efficient and clean diesel power,” the brand’s Australian general manager Jeff Barber said in a statement announcing the new vehicle. Barber said the Korando C would be the turning point for Ssangyong, and “will deliver mass appeal to the marque with a package that is competitive in the rapidly expanding compact SUV market”.  “It is a smart, contemporary design that will hold its own against any compact SUV on the market today. “We see Korando C as being the most significant model ever launched by Ssangyong. Korando C will fit into a very large and growing part of the market and its design, being a cross between a hatch and a small SUV, is something taking the interest of many manufacturers and proving already, via the equivalent Hyundai, to be finding appeal among buyers. “I’ve seen the final design and been round the proving track in the vehicle and I’m very happy with what we’ll have to offer later this year,” he said.  The diesel Korando will be followed by a hybrid and an electric version, using powertrains showcased by Ssangyong at the recent Pusan motor show. The Pure EV Korando C at Pusan carried a 100kW electric motor and a 30kWh, 300V high-voltage lithium-polymer battery, which Ssangyong says will give it a range of  up to 180km at 150km/h.  In the meantime, Ssangyong is giving its Rexton seven-seater a cosmetic update, and says the cleaner styling will add to the appeal of the vehicle’s value, with the entry price of $36,990 for the manual version. “We have concentrated on ensuring Ssangyong buyers get value for money, stronger styling as well as high equipment levels, versatility, safety and performance and I believe we have achieved just that,” Barber said.  “Rexton is a good looking SUV and this has been enhanced with the minor facelift which has given it cleaner and tidier styling that will broaden its appeal.”

Porsche is rumoured to be involved in a three-way tie-up with Volkswagen and Audi which would result in a sub-Boxster runabout for the brand and similar-sized sports convertibles for its German partners.  But Porsche says it will definitely not go down the road of the Aston Martin Cygnet - which is a tweaked and re-badged Toyota iQ city car.  "From a marketing point of view, (the Aston Martin Cygnet) is a very good idea," admit's Porsche's Eckhard Eybl.  But he quickly adds that re-badging is not a Porsche solution.  "Whatever we will do in the future, it will always have to be a real Porsche. Then the customer can really trust all the mechanical parts - that it will be a Porsche," Eybl says. Porsche is already monitoring the introduction of the Audi A1, the prestige brand's new baby, and admits respect for its previous work on the aluminium-bodied A2 economy car.  "Porsche is part of the Volkswagen company, and if you remember, a few years ago there was the perfect small car, which was the Audi A2," Eybl says. "But it didn't sell, because customers had not been used to this kind of engineering, to this shape and to this special kind of cars.  And it was really a pity because in many terms it was a very advanced car. In terms of materials and aerodynamics - and in small engines, with a 1.4-litre." Times have changed, and Ebyl thinks the Audi A1 will do much better.  "We are looking forward and I think the car will be a big success because on one hand you have the Mini which is a very trendy car but it's not an answer for the cars in the mega-cities.  And if you do a retro car, you always have the problem of what is the next step." So what about Porsche following Audi and developing their own small car?  "I think it would be a very good idea, but we have to wait to see how the A1 will go in the market," Ebyl says. "But this will not be the next step - maybe three or four steps away.  We'll see. But not within the next few years. It's not possible to start a project like this and be in the market within a few years, but if development goes in this direction then being part of this big company (VW) will make it quite possible. "I think it's possible to do a very, very good design if you have the heritage of a very clear brand design. And if you are then free to realise the vision."

The Evoque is possibly the most important model for Range Rover since ... ever. Based on the Land Rover-badged LRX concept, the car will mark a move away from the land barges (admittedly luxurious) the badge is known for, and a new focus on tidier, greener and more frugal vehicles. Going on sale mid next year in the UK, the Evoque will be available in both two-wheel drive -- the first for the badge -- and four-wheel drive, and has been promised to raise the range's green credentials with an emissions figure of less than 130g/km of CO2. That's likely to be achieved with stop-start technology being added to a diesel drivetrain, but there will also be a six-cylinder petrol version. That is tipped to be followed by a hybrid with electric drive to the rear wheels. Like the LRX concept at the 2008 Geneva motor show, which it still bears a strong resemblance to, it's a three-door coupe. And the big question will be... will it stay with just that many doors? The concept was a sleek number with just three. But Range Rover's market is used to five, so it's a fair bet that there will be a fiver in the range. The Evoque will be built at the brand's Halewood plant in Merseyside. Introducing the Evoque, Range Rover managing director Phil Popham said it was 'an important step for the future continued success and growth of the brand'. "Customers can be confident that the new car will be premium, luxurious and just a special as the other Range Rover models. Its sporty looks and unique qualities will open the brand to new customers." The new Rangie will be officially unveiled at the Paris motor show in September, but was given a preview last night in a joint event with high-fashion mag, Vogue, which fits right in with the brand's target market of moneyed style. There's also a history there, with the Range Rover Vogue being named in 1983 after a vehicle appeared in the pages of the magazine two years earlier. And the brand's reputation as a favourite with WAGS -- and particularly Brit footballers' wives -- shows little sign of diminishing, with the unveiling including an announcement of future design collaboration with Victorial Beckham, the plasticised pop tart married to England's former captain. Carsguide will have more details of the car for you as they're revealed, including price and Australian prospects. Stay tuned...

The students – who study an automotive certificate at the remote town's Western Cape College – will come to Townsville as guests of the FPR team, whose sponsors Orrcon Steel have donated both tickets and the use of the corporate hospitality suite on the Friday.There's something of an alumni link between the college and the V8 Supercar race team, with driver Steve Richards' number 1 mechanic David Moris-Fontes being a previous graduate.The success of the course has boosted its popularity – and its number of enrolments of both indigenous and non-indigenous students.Due to their geographic isolation, the students have rarely seen the world outside their own community, except on television. This will be their first chance to see a V8 Supercar ‘in the metal’, with the race car being a far cry from the diesel 4WD vehicles – and occasional petrol passenger cars – they mainly work on.

As the senior engineer in the Honda's European research and development facility, Brachmann is a fan of fuel cell vehicles like the Honda Clarity, but he doesn’t have much time for battery-electric cars like the Mitsubishi iMiEV and Nissan Leaf. Especially for a hot climate like ours, which presents a lose-lose situation because heat undermines a battery’s ability to take on full charge. And to keep it cool, you have to draw on its reserves of that charge – and of range. "It’s first of all a waste of money to buy an electric car, because the hotter it is, the more auxiliaries you have – the airconditioning, everything is running on electricity," Brachmann says. "And the more you demand, the more is consumed, and the less range you have. "For one specific electric vehicle already on the market and maybe also sold in France, ranges have been measured in the one car between 37 and 100km, depending on conditions." Brachmann thinks the heat poses a severe limitation for the vehicles in Australia, especially in our summer months – or for anybody who has to park outside. "The optimum temperature range the battery would most like to live in is between 10 and 35-40 degrees maximum," he says. Anything outside that, and you start losing efficiency in charging – or have to chew into the charge to aircondition the battery’s surroundings. "If you park your car in an area where the battery can heat up, then you have to take measures to protect the battery," Brachmann says. "Either it has to be under cover, or the system has temperature sensors and initiates its own cooling – but draws on its power reserve to do so." He says that means either a roof of solar cells, or having to stay plugged into a charging source while parked so a cooling system can keep the battery in shape. Brachmann says our climate will also make any visions of quick-charging infrastructure equally difficult. "For the quick-charging systems one has to also understand that quick-charging requires quite temperate battery," he says. "The temperature of the battery should not be too high, otherwise it does not pick up any of the additional energy from the grid – or quick-charging turns out to be slow-charging. There are ideas existing that you drive to the next filling station where you can recharge your car on fast-fill, go for a coffee (while you wait) and then you can continue for another 100km. But it will happen that one coffee will become three coffees or four or five..." And Brachmann says the alternative 'refueling' system for battery-electric cars – the battery swapping station – is not a convenient solution either. "Battery-swapping infrastructure is not so easy because then all carmakers have to agree on one battery format," he says. "Or a dealership is providing the swapping and that requires quick connectors – half an hour is the maximum we think a customer would be happy with." But he says most of the batteries being designed for battery-electric cars will take much longer than that to swap over. "You can have a fast-swap system if you have a battery that requires a cooling circuit – if it is air-cooled – this would not be a problem. But none of the energy density batteries (planned for future electric vehicles) will be air-cooled."