Articles by Karla Pincott

Hot on the heels of the Volkswagen People's Car project comes Citroen revealing the result of its own crowdsourced design. While Volkwagen’s project looked at entire vehicle designs – and was flooded with submissions from 119,000 keen Chinese participants – Citroen has restricted their crowdsourcing to just the C1’s spec and fit-out details. More than 24,000 Citroen fans submitted ideas for the little car, using a special configurator app on the French brand’s UK web page. The result is the C1 Connexion that has been revealed as an image – but Citroen says will be built and sold. There were also about 10,000 entries in a competition to win one when it does hit the showroom floor. The app incorporated a virtual ‘factory floor’ that allowed entrants to choose body styles, details, colours and accents for the C1 connexion, which will be built on the new Citroen C1 1.0i manual-transmission city car sold in Europe. The most popular result was a three-door body in Caldera Black with Scarlett Red accents and more stylish alloy wheels, adding to the C1’s existing trim that includes LED daytime running lights. However, don’t expect to see the C1 here. Citroen importer Ateco Automotive has already said there is no chance of seeing it here, partly on its size but also because government policy makes the car too expensive. “There isn’t a market for a car at that size at the price we’d be able to offer it,” Ateco spokesman Edware Rowe says. “It’s a very small car by Australian standards and because Australia has no tax rebate based on carbon emissions, it would be just as expensive as larger cars like the Citroen C3. In Europe, buyers enjoy enormous tax advantages offered to low emissions cars, and of course none of that applies here at all. Rowe says the Australian government stance needs to change for “a while host of reasons”, pointing out that Australia is the last mature market in the world not to have a tax system based on emissions, fuel economy and engine size. “Essentially what that says quite clearly is that the government hasn’t thought through an integrated car taxation policy with an emissions policy, and the effect of that is two-fold. “On one hand there’s no encouragement to buy cars with better fuel economy, but equally it stops high technology vehicles with better fuel economy and lower emissions coming to Australia. Carmakers build more expensive technology in the knowledge that the tax benefits in other markets will make them affordable for the buyer.” Rowe says the Australian government stance prevents that technology being available to the Australian public, and the Gillard government’s carbon tax will not help the situation. “The carbon tax does absolutely nothing to encourage people to drive fuel-efficient and lower emission cars. What Australia is crying out for is a graduated tax based on economy and CO2 emissions.”  

Since it was launched at the show, the electric line-up that included the Smart ebike and fortwo electric coupé and a convertible cars has nabbed a swag of awards, including a prestigious red dot international design gong for 'best of the best'. Smart has decided to reward the little city scooter's contribution towards that by putting it into production, with a launch date in 2014. "With this step, we are adding a further important component to our smart mobility concept for urban mobility in the future," Mercedes-Benz executive vice president of sales and marketing, Dr Joachim Schmidt says. The escooter will follow in the footsteps of the ebike which is rolling out now in Europe and the Smart fortwo electric car, which has just been test-driven by Carsguide and goes on sale in Europe shortly. Mercedes-Benz says there will be more development of the escooter motor show concept before it is launched. In Europe a license will not be required for the scooter, targeting the younger buyer who is not looking at cars. “Anyone who thinks of urban mobility has to think of smart,” says Dr. Annette Winkler, the head of smart. “We offer the perfect zero-emissions vehicle for every requirement, and with our products, electric travel is a lot of fun too.” Will we see it bring all that 'urban mobility fun' here? It's not being ruled out, according to Mercedes-Benz Australia. "I wouldn't say no but it's too early to talk about the scooter and the bike," spokesman Jerry Stamoulis says. "But we certainly wouldn't say no, and will be investigating the case for both of them." "One of the main reasons is that we want to help give the Smart brand a lift in Australia and this could form part of our strategy. So if the technical case is good, we've got a business case to look at."  

The Infiniti compact car -- to go into production in 2014 -- could take its cues from the Etherea motor show concept, but will be built on the versatile Mercedes-Benz MFA front-drive platform used for the Merc A-Class, B-Class and coming GLA compact SUV. That would mean the potential for both petrol and diesel engines, with Mercedes-Benz continuiing a march towards higher performance and better fuel economy in small units. The car will be built in Austria by independent manufacturer Magna Steyr -- who also turn out the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, Peugeot RCZ and Mini Countryman. It is too early to predict when the compact car will eventually join the Infiniti line-up being launched in Australia later this year. But Infiniti's local HQ has previously indicated their initial roll-out of three model lines -- the FX 50S SUV; the M sedans; and the G sedans that will follow in 2013 -- will later be joined by a luxury hatch, possibly some time in 2015. Infiniti's Australia general manager Kevin Snell says the local HQ is very keen to see the hatch arrive, and says there is already interest from buyers. “This Infiniti C-segment model is vital to our local market plans and we can’t wait to add it to our Australian catalogue,” Snell says. “This car will be a cornerstone in achieving our long-term plans. As with our yet-to-be-released all-new Infiniti G sedan – due here next year – we already have prospective customers enquiring about it.”          

Audiences for the coming Cirque de Soleil show – Ova -- will be the first here to get close to the brand’s product, with cars being showcased as the tour rolls around the country, starting with Brisbane in mid-July. With Cirque’s gymnastic expertise, you can expect to see the Infiniti cars presented in a way that jousts with the laws of physics. Hanging from a trapeze, posed with each wheel on a different-sized sphere, perhaps even balanced on one corner – anything’s possible. “There are a number of ideas that are all workable,” Infiniti spokesman Peter Fadayev says. “It will be a spectacular introduction for the brand, and it fits with everything we follow along the lines of our brand tag which is inspired performance. And when it comes to inspired performance -- you couldn’t ask for much than Cirque de Soleil, could you.” The Cirque showcase will aim to help overcome what Infiniti general manager Kevin Snell says is the biggest hurdle facing the brand in Australia – raising the profile of an almost locally-unknown brand.  “I think the biggest challenge we’ve got is building awareness that there is another choice out there – a new alternative to the established German players that dominate the market at this stage,” Snell says.  “But (as a luxury brand) it is certainly easier in that we can be much more targeted, so we don’t need the mass awareness from day one.  We focus on a demographic we think are most suited to our brand and cars: people who consume luxury products, but are looking for something different to the rest of the crowd.” Snell says the luxury market is no longer the sole province of the traditional brands, and particularly so since the global financial crisis. “Luxury has fragmented in the last few years, and our research shows that luxury consumers are looking for brands and product that are less obvious signs and status symbols,” he says.  “In the automotive we still see three brands (Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi) dominate, but those three brands tend to offer pretty much the same in terms of status and value so there is not a great difference between them.” Snell says Infiniti plans to take advantage of that similarity, by highlighting differences that will appeal to a younger buyer.  “Our research showed the younger luxury car buyer wants three things. They want a brand that engages and reflects their values and personality, they want a car that excites them with design, performance and technology, and they want a brand that respects them with personal service and care,” Snell says. “The overwhelming insight from that research was that the existing brands -- none of them -- do those three things. Some do one, others might do two, but none of them do all three. That’s the clear space into which Infiniti fits.” Infiniti will initially bring three product ranges to Australia: the FX 50S SUV; the M sedans; and the G sedans that will follow in 2013. They will be joined in 2015 by a luxury hatch and electric car based on the Nissan Leaf. The FX 50S will have a performance focus, and be sold with a V6 turbodiesel and V8 and V6 petrol engines. The M range – based on the same monocoque platform as the Nissan 370Z -- will come in diesel, petrol and hybrid variants, with the M35h’s 0-100km/h time of 5.5 seconds holding the current Guinness World Record as the fastest production hybrid. The G coupe and convertibles will make a showroom of eight vehicles through 2013. Of those, Snell believes the high-performance FX crossover will make the biggest splash for the brand. “The FX will have a huge impact. It goes into the largest and fastest growing segment, it has a bold and progressive design and styling, enormous presence and drives like a sport car. It really does a good job delivering what our brand promises.”  

The Hornster has gone on sale in the UK as the ultimate – and certainly the loudest -- bicycle accessory.It can deliver an ear-shattering 178 decibels at a distance of one metre, and 140 decibels at 18m.  That’s more than an F-14 fighter jet taking off, which can only manage 130 decibels at 18m. The average semi-trailer horn will give you 110 decibels at 30 metres.Priced at £4,995 ($8000) the bicycle-mounted blaster is a triple air horn developed from an Airchime KH3A locomotive horn and adapted to run off a scuba cylinder.It’s the invention of Yannick Read – previously known as the person behind the flamethrower-equipped BOND bike and the world's smallest caravan (QTvan).He developed the Hornster in cahoots with the UK’s Environmental Transport Association to highlight the dangers cyclists face in traffic."The same quietness that makes bicycles such a civilised way of getting around makes them vulnerable to inattentive motorists - the Hornster is a wake-up call for drivers who don't pay attention to bikes,” Read says.We can’t help wondering how many cyclists are prepared to shell out $8000 to upgrade their bicycle bell – or to risk their own eardrums by using the Hornster. 

And it’s doing duty in the one place where you wouldn’t mind waiting for a taxi. The Jaguar move echoes the BMW ‘Ring Taxi that runs from April to October – and this year updates to the F10 BMW M5 – offering hot laps of the Nurburgring. Ring queen and BBC Top Gear star guest Sabine Schmitz used to be among the BMW drivers, but the wheel is now taken by BMW Driving Experience instructors.  The BMW M5 Ring Taxis carry a 418kW/681Nm bi-turbo 4.4-litre V8 engine, mated to an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission. The M5 claims a 0-100km/h time of 4.4 seconds, and a top speed of 305km/h with the optional hi-po package. That kind of performance cred makes the long-wheelbase limo XJ seem a strange starting point for the Jaguar Ring taxi, but that’s exactly the point, according to the Brit brand. "We found it's the XJ Supersport that most often surprises journalists with its speed simply because they perceive it to be a large luxury car,” global head of communications Frank Klaas says. “The XJ is both those things, of course, but its aluminium architecture means it's rigid and lightweight too, which make it a very good car on track. To underline that fact, our engineering team created this special Nürburgring taxi version in which our trained drivers can safely take passengers on very hot laps." The Jaguar Supersport Ring taxi is fitted with the optional Sport and Vmax Speed packs, which add aerodynamic kit, bigger wheels and brakes – and tuning for the 375kW/625Nm engine that raises the top speed from 250km/h to 280km/h. Taaaaxi!  

Who can resist a pinball machine with its bells, buzzers and …err, bumper crunches.Ford took the game to a whole new level by turning a tight Paris parking spot into an oversized pinball game, with bumper-bumps and scores registered on a huge screen via hidden cameras.Unaware of the set-up, French drivers – used to fighting hard for any space in the crowded city – touch-forced their way into the parking spot, while amused onlookers watched the score rise on the screen.Ford used it as a markeing ploy to promote the self-parking feature on their Focus. And if you think the parking attempts in the video are a bit harsh, remember this is a city with one of the most frenzied roundabouts anywhere: the Arc de Triomphe, on which any accident (by law) shares the blame among every car touched, no matter which one caused it.Frankly, there are places in our own cities where this would go down well. And we love an old-school game, so hopefully some other carmakers will get in on the idea. Holden Barina pong, anybody? Or perhaps a round of Suzuki Swift space invaders. Game on. 

Good news. It’s game on among the German luxury brands, with a fierce contest for hearts, wallets and top global position.Mercedes-Benz is determined to reverse its slide from global second to third spot in 2011, overtaken by Audi – who have their eyes on the top spot BMW stole from Benz a few years back. That’s great for buyers, as the battle plans means prices will be sharpened and models stacked with equipment until the seams start to bulge.The Mercedes-Benz ML-Class launched this week is a textbook strategy – revised, refitted, re-engined and repriced to undercut the competition in the large SUV class.The opening salvo is the ML250 BlueTEC at $81,400, with a 150kW/500Nm 2.1-litre four-cylinder turbodiesel mated to the standard seven-speed automatic transmission with paddle-shifters on the steering wheel. The big news is fuel economy improvements across the range, with the ML250’s official figure of 6.4L/100km startling for a large SUV. It also has a 3000kg braked tow capacity (the rest are 3265kg).And the base model is no stripped-out package either. Standard goodies include voice-control for the 17.8cm colour-screen satnav and 40GB hard-drive infotainment system, reversing camera, park guidance, selective suspension damping, 19-in alloy wheels (18-in are optional for those who want to go offroad) and – finally – an electric parking brake instead of the clunky foot one.The ML350 BlueTEC has a 190kW/620Nm 3.0-litre turbo diesel V6 and returns fuel economy of 7.3L/100km. Priced at $99,900, it scatters extra power, heat and lighting systems around the cabin, but possibly more importantly adds extra safety equipment.The rivals for the two BlueTECs are the BMW X5 30d and Audi Q7 3.0TDI. The BMW is priced from $92,100 with a 180kW/540Nm 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbodiesel and eight-speed auto, delivering fuel economy of 7.4L/100km. The Audi is $90,500 with a 176kW/550Nm 3.0-litre V6 turbodiesel – again with eight-speed auto and 7.4L/100km.With the same spec and price as the 350BlueTEC, the ML350 BlueEfficency gets a 225kW/370Nm 3.5-litre direct-injection petrol V6 with stop-start system, and gives you 8.9L/100km. Against that, Audi has a $95,700 tag on its 245kW/440Nm 3.0-litre petrol Q7 and BMW wants $103,900 for the 225kW/400Nm 3.0-litre petrol X5.The ML500 has a 300kW/600Nm 4.7-litre direct-injected bi-turbo V8 that returns 12.3L/100km. At $119,000 it adds keyless start, powered tailgate and air suspension and adaptive damping. Audi drops out of the game here, but the BMW has the X5 50i at $134,000 with a 300kW/475Nm 4.4-litre eight-cylinder.The ML63 AMG carries the larger V8, a 386kW/700Nm 5.5-litre direct-injected bi-turbo unit with stop-start that helps it get 11.8L/100km. At $178,500 it gets a complete AMG fit-out, including sports transmission, top-shelf everything and premium audio system. Up against that, BMW offers the X5 M at $178,200 with a 408kW/680Nm 4.4-litre eight-cylinder.The designers haven’t gone all-out, but the restrained changes here and there result in a sleeker overall style, with less boxiness – camouflaging the ML’s taller, longer and wider measurements. The size has grown but the weight has dropped, with the help of aluminium front fenders and bonnet. Rear design gets a more cohesive look, with a new wide taillight cluster and metal-look undertray the main changes.The cabin gives plenty of elbow and legroom with the test vehicles’ two seat rows, and a larger colour screen now also sits higher in the dash, making it easier to see. But the cruise control and indicator stalks behind the left side of the steering wheel are still annoying so close together, and the column shift on the right is an unsatisfying way to change gears.Saddle-stitched ‘pleather’ and metal accents everywhere add a hint of business-class, while the second row shares some of the pampering with adjustable backrests.No prizes for guessing it gets the top rating, with nine airbags, high-tech anti-lock brakes with all the electronic helpers - including one that coordinates with the transmission for driving up and down slopes - active bonnet pedestrian impact protection and a host of the best safety technology around, including a drowsiness alert.Weight loss and well-sorted engines are a winning combination. Both the ML250 and ML350 BlueTECs we tested felt lighter than most SUVs could ever hope, and there was never any sense the engines were straining to cope with the load.We would have noticed, because both the engine and cabin are so quiet you could easily hear approaching traffic, even on the highway. They move well from standstill, and there’s more than enough torque for extra acceleration in the 80-110km/h overtaking stints - or to lug a horse float, which is going to be on the cards in view of both the tow rating and the target market.And those buyers won’t be concerned by the steering’s light touch and lack of feedback, which will serve them well in city traffic and the inevitable parking battle of school drop-offs and carparks. They’ll possibly also enjoy the firm suspension’s handling of smooth corners, where the system keeps things on the level.But the penalty is the lack of composure over rough and undulating surfaces, particularly noticeable on the 20-in wheels of the ML350. Hitting rough patches in corners unsettles it, and even in straight stretches there’s still enough movement to mean you’ll be banning food - and food-stuffed kids -- from the cabin.   

The Range Rover Evoque landed with a splash – and has kept on making waves.

That put Audi in second place behind BMW, who wrestled the crown from Mercedes in 2005 and have held it since. Merc CEO Dieter Zetsche has signalled an aggressive campaign to get back to the top, and plans to roll out an arsenal of new product to arm the assault. That includes 10 new models by 2015, including the new A-Class and B-Class being rolled out, a SLC missile aimed at the Porsche 911 and the small crossover that will appear as the GLA.The Center of Automotive Research (CAR) at Germany’s university of Duisburg-Essen in Germany has released a report predicting that Mercedes-Benz will be back in second place in 2015.CAR forecasts that BMW will still top the global sales charts with 1.76 million in 2015, with Mercedes-Benz on 1.68 million and Audi on 1.63 million.In 2011, BMW sold 1.38 million with a 12.8 per cent increase in sales, Audi - logging yet another year of double-digit growth with a whopping 19.2 per cent increase - was close behind on 1.3 million and Mercedes-Benz was at 1.26 million, having risen 8 per cent.And the positions won’t change without a fierce struggle. Audi has worked hard to get to number 2, and still plans to fulfil their standing goal of moving to number 1. And BMW presumably has little intention of handing over the throne without a fight.Expect to see some highly-competitive, equipment loaded and price-vigilant cars rolling out in the luxury showrooms as they compete for our wallets.