Articles by Kevin Hepworth

Somebody in Mazda's product department has a sense of humour, or at least an appreciation of the ridiculous.  How else do you explain a naming protocol that has an MX-5 as a two-seater, a CX-7 as a five seater and a CX-9 as you guessed it a seven-seater.The numeric confusion aside, Mazda really does have its ducks in a row when it comes to getting the family around.  The CX-7, essentially a sports sedan on steroids, has long been a favourite (if you could forgive its lack of fuel economy something that has recently been addressed with a new engine). The bigger, roomier and more powerful CX-9 is just more of the same.Styling and space While the stylists have done their best to disguise the size of this big unit, using sweeping lines and upswept wedged glass there is no getting away from the CX-9's imposing dimensions.  At 5.1 metres and more than two tonnes it would be reasonable to expect that room within the cabin would be reasonable, something that is often not the case with vehicles boasting a third row for passengers.One of the nice things about the CX-9 is that you are not going to be disappointed too often. Space is something the car has plenty of.  Leg, shoulder and head room for the driver and front seat passengers is class leading while those in the second row have little to complain about with the possible exception of the runt of the litter who will be settled on one of those half-seat affairs that suffice for the centre seat.In the third row, while the long-legged may find knee space at a premium, the seats are generous to a fault with good bolstering and lots of width for those of a Rubenesque stature.  For a car first launched almost four years ago albeit fully refreshed with a classy interior makeover late last year the CX-9 still ticks most of the boxes, including one that is the focus of more angst for buyers of seven-seaters than any other issue: the lack of space behind the third row when the seats are deployed.In the big Mazda you can fit a good-sized family shop, a couple of suitcases or a golf bag with ease. When the seats are laid flat the load capacity behind the electric-close rear hatch is truly impressive.Engine and gearboxTo move a fully-loaded CX-9 is a considerable task, one Mazda has given to a quite refined 3.7-litre V6 with a handy 204kW and impressive 367Nm of torque. That sort of motive power, even coupled to a custard-smooth 6-speed automatic, is going to come at a cost.Mazda claims a 12.2 litres per 100km combined economy. During our time with the car admittedly all in the suburban and city grind the average fuel use hasn't dropped below 16L/100km. It sounds a lot, but in the world of seven-seaters that is very competitive.The fuel economy is not hurt by the AWD system concentrating on the front wheels until the slip sensors in the rear put out a call for a bit of action.  Overall, it works exceptionally well with the CX-9 giving the impression of shrinking around the driver, responding quickly and without fuss to steering input and acceleration.Fit-out and equipmentThe Grand Touring ($63,186) we are driving is the top of the CX-9 tree and has all the bells and whistles, including a very handy rear-view camera without which reverse parking would be a true test of nerves.  Safety is a given in the Mazda with eight airbags, including curtains for the rear seats, and a full dictionary of electronic aids starring the all-important dynamic stability program. Also included in the top-end package is satellite navigation, a good Bose sound system, keyless entry and start, and an air-conditioning system that is not only effective but feeds to all three rows without the need to have the fan on cyclonic.The most annoying thing about the CX-9 (and a couple of other Mazdas of recent acquaintance) is the Bluetooth phone setup. For whatever reason it does not like my Nokia a phone which has had no problems making friends with any number of other Bluetooth environments.Pairing is easy enough, it automatically connects when the car is turned on and then lies in wait until that first important phone call when the system disconnects. The really clever part of that strategy is that you can't reconnect while the car is moving, necessitating pulling over and then going through the connection a second time which seems to satisfy the beast.I really like the CX-9, so maybe I will just change phones to one it approves of. Bottom line: One of the better non-anorexic seven-seaters on the market.Mazda CX-9 Grand TouringPrice: $63,186Engine: 3.7L/V6, 204kW/367NmTransmission: 6-speed automatic, on-demand AWDEconomy: 12.L/100km (combined, supplied), 16.1L/100km (on test)Rating85/100RivalsNissan Murano ($55,890) 84/100Ford Territory Ghia ($57,890) 83/100Toyota Prado ($63,490) 84/100<-->

The little SUV for which BMW has big plans – the X1 – has hit Australia. The two models available at launch will both be AWD and powered by a pair of 2-litre turbo diesel four cylinder engines. The hero model is the twin turbo 150kW and 400Nm xDrive23d coupled to a six-speed automatic ($59,280) while the single turbo xDrive20d with 130kW and 350Nm is available at $52,700 for the six-speed manual or $54,900 for the six-speed automatic.The $43,500 sDrive (rear-wheel drive) models will all arrive in June starting with the 18i (manual and automatic) and adding a two-wheel drive version of the 20d ($49,300 manual and $51,500 automatic) as well as an all-wheel drive petrol V6, the 25i, in automatic only for $56,800.The X1 is already a success overseas, with world-wide demand exceeding BMW's initial expectations to the extent that the launch of the car into the US has been delayed to allow production from the Leipzig plant to satisfy other markets, including Australia."We have already increased our initial orders and look likely to still fall short of local demand," BMW spokesman Toni Andreevski says. "Worldwide, one in every five BMWs sold is an X model... in Australia that is one in three."Fit-out and equipmentAll the cars have regenerative braking that helps recharge the battery, while the manual models will add a switchable stop/go function. Standard equipment levels on the X1 are reasonable - 17-inch alloys, single in-dash CD with five speakers, cruise control, two-zone air-conditioning, Bluetooth phone preparation and the full suite of safety gear with airbags, ABS and dynamic stability control.A major improvement within the cabin is the number of storage nooks and crannies for everything from a mobile phone to a laptop which can be stored out of sight beneath the rear luggage compartment.In what has become standard practice for BMW there are plenty of option boxes to tick, including 18-inch alloys, panoramic sunroof, satellite navigation, reversing camera, bi-Xenon adaptive headlights, premium sound system, metallic paint, electric front sport seats, heated seats and voice command to name but a few.DrivingOn the road the X1, at least the two all-wheel drive versions available for testing at the Australian launch, offers strong justification for BMW's bullish hopes for the SUV. Developed off the 3 Series platform, the dynamics of the chassis have not been compromised by the more upright styling of the little SUV, allowing for a degree of enthusiastic driving not associated with many of the available SUVs.Steering and braking are as you would expect from a BMW - sharp and repeatable. Ranging from 1575kg up to just over 1600kg (the rear-wheel drive models will trim 85kg from this), the X1 is not a particularly heavy car and that shows in its lithe handling.All of the launch cars were fitted with the optional 18-inch alloys and lower-profile runflat tyres and suffered from a harshness of ride on broken surfaces that may not have been the case on the standard 17-inch rims and less aggressive 50-profile rubber. They were also all fitted with the trick Performance Control software (a $400 option) which mirrors the system from the far more expensive X6 where cornering ability and stability is enhanced by the gentle braking of the inside rear wheel while drive is increased to the outside wheel. It would appear to be an infinitely better investment than a set of the larger rims.Space in the cabin is excellent with generous room for the front seat passengers and perfectly adequate accommodation for the rear seat passengers - at least for two of them. BMW calls the X1 a 'genuine five-seater' but in the manner of most modern cars the rear centre seat is for children or as a short-term solution for a small adult.Luggage space is, for a small wagon, reasonable with between 420 litres and 1350 litres available depending on the configuration of the 20:40:20 foldable rear seats. The ability to adjust the rake of the rear seats from a comfortable incline to ramrod straight is also useful in helping accommodate a load of boxes or packages without giving up seating capacity.The twin diesels are not new to Australia, the 20d is a fixture in the 1, 3 and 5 Series while the spanking 23d twin turbo has been introduced in the 1 and 3 Series models. Both are excellent powerplants with very different characteristics.The 23d is about performance and aggressive punch with its 400Nm of urge arriving in a relatively narrow (for a turbo diesel) band of 2000-2250rpm. There's a good degree of maximum torque available much earlier in the rev range, but to get maximum effect the automatic gearing concentrates on the narrow band. This gives the engine a pleasant peaky character, while maintaining a fuel economy of 6.3L/100km.The single screw version of the 2-lt diesel has a much wider delivery span for its peak 350Nm (1750-3000rpm) which displays a more relaxed athletic ability and an impressive fuel economy of 5.8L/100km.BMW X1Price: from $43,500 to $59,280Engine: avail. at launch - 2L/4-cyl. 130kW/350Nm turbodiesel (xDrive20d), 2L/4-cyl. twin-turbo diesel, 150kW/400Nm (xDrive23d)Transmission: 6-speed auto (20d, 23d), 6-speed manual (20d)Economy: 5.8L/100km (20d), 6.3L/100km (23d)RivalsSubaru Forester XT Premium (from $44,990)Honda CR-V Luxury (from $42,790)VW Tiguan 103 TDi (from $36,690)

Mercedes-Benz has drawn a full house for its E-Class family with the arrival of the soft-top convertible. The final member of the E stable joins the sedan, coupe and wagon to give those who enjoy open-top touring an option that doesn't involve any risk to a loose-fitting toupee.Like the Coupe, the Cabriolet owes a good deal of its DNA to the C-Class platform rather than the larger and newer E-Class underpinnings. However, again like the Coupe, there is little lost in the exchange and in the case of the drop-top much gained by way of new comfort features.The headline technology for the Cabriolet is the all-new Aircap which joins the company's proven Airscarf system to keep occupants snug and unruffled through even the coldest weather. While the Airscarf (unveiled in the SLK a couple of years ago) blows warm air across the back of the neck from vents in the top of the seats, Aircap works by creating a virtual roof with directed airflow from the top of the windscreen over the passenger compartment. This is facilitated by a mini wing which rises 6cm from the top of the windscreen at the touch of a button to ensure cold external air is forced up and over the passenger compartment.An additional benefit is that the less disturbed air flowing through the cabin reduces wind and road noise, making it easier for occupants to carry on a conversation.Mercedes-Benz Australia spokesman David McCarthy says the decision to develop the E-Class Cabriolet with a soft-top rather than the more up-market folding metal roof, pioneered by Mercedes-Benz six years ago and now favoured by many manufacturers, was driven by customers."Customers told us that they wanted a soft-top to differentiate the car more clearly from the Coupe," McCarthy says. "The customers wanted it and we wanted to satisfy those needs."The four-layer roof developed for the E-Class is as good, if not better, than any on the market. Noise insulation is excellent, the styling in no way detracts from the look of the car with smooth flow lines across the roof and an elegant storage solution into its own compartment behind the rear seats that allows a couple of airline roll-on bags and several soft sportsbags to be comfortably stowed in the boot. At 20 seconds to stow or deploy it is not the quickest available but it can be operated up to 40km/h.Across the range the cabriolet is serviced by a brake package that is both strong and durable. A run through Victoria's twisting alpine roads showed that even in the nose-heavy V8 the last application of the brakes was as effective as the first.The speed sensitive rack and pinion steering in both cars has a nice meatiness and a comforting directness that transmits input from the driver to the wheels in as timely a manner as feedback is sent in the other direction. It is not as sharp as the BMWs but more than adequate for what will mostly be a boulevard cruiser.On the safety front the Cabriolet wants for nothing with a full suite of active and passive acronyms. There are nine airbags, electronic stability control, brake assist, adaptive brake lights (which glow brighter in an emergency stop), Pre-Safe (which prepares the car for a collision when sensors deem one unavoidable), adaptive high beams and distronic plus cruise control.Not a personal gripe, but some drivers with smaller hands may find the steering wheel a bit chunky.Mercedes will launch the E-Class Cabriolet in Australia with two models, the 285kW and 530Nm 5.5-litre V8 E500 ($186,950) and the 200kW and 350Nm 3.5-litre V6 E350 ($139,950). A 1.8-litre turbo four-cylinder petrol version, the 150kW and 310Nm E250 CGi will arrive in May for $105,950 while a 150kW and 500Nm 2.1-litre four-cylinder turbo diesel completes the engine linup when it arrives in July."Demand for the diesel engines is definitely growing," McCarthy says. "In the SUV models diesel makes up the majority of sales while for the passenger vehicles it is up to almost a quarter of all cars sold."At the first Australian drive of the Cabriolet in Melbourne this week the Cabriolet's new comfort technology was given a stern test on a cold and wet Victorian morning. It passed with flying colours. There is a noticeable decrease in wind buffeting within the cockpit with the window-mounted deflector deployed and a consequent improvement in the ability to hold a conversation. It is not quiet, but it is quieter.While the comfort factor of the roofless E-Class is the wow factor being pushed by Mercedes, the driving synamics of the car are being allowed to slip quietly through ... and that's a mistake because this is one of the best examples of just how to make a convertible behave like a coupe.A coupe-like construction philosophy for the body — strength and more strength with a traditional b-pillar construction up to the waistline of the car, extra stiffening of the windscreen frame to rollover standard — which works in concert with the pop-up rollbars behind the passengers, and stronger chassis cross-bracing all culminate in an ability to toss the E-Class freely into corners without fear of body or chassis torque threatening to unload the wheels.The only engines on hand for test this week were the V6 and V8, of which the eight is certainly the pick for any with a need for power and deep pockets to match. The seven-speed automatic box is a good match to both engines, for differing reasons.In the V8 fat torque curve means that maximum attack is never too far away and the ability to dump a couple of ratios quickly gives the cabriolet a lightness of being that belies its rather hefty 1840kg kerb weight. In the V6 the call to action is not as immediate but the ability to cruise effortlessly in the higher gearing does mean the hit at the bowser is not as severe with an average combined economy of 9.8 litres per 100km seemingly very achievable.

That same 1932 Chev truck is still part of the Powe family business is shining again after a decade-long restoration that has seen it returned to its original glory.  "Our grandfather bought the truck new when he used it for transporting goods for the Heinz food company," Stephen Powe, who along with his brothers Darin and Paul have overseen the restoration project, says."Around the same time he had a chook farm out here (at Oakville outside Sydney) and he moved the operation out to that in about 1933. It was just too much travel to be driving into town every day and then doing the carting business."  The old Chevvy was decommissioned as a road vehicle almost 45 years ago but it had not been enjoying a quiet retirement until just on a decade ago when it was driven into a shed and the restoration project begun."When we started the restoration about 10 years ago she was still a runner being used around the farm for this and that," Powe explains. "It was pulled off rego in 1965 because it had cable brakes but we kept using it around the farm, just moving stuff around, right up to when we started restoring her.  I used to belt her around the paddocks carting peat moss when I was about 16 ... she got plenty of use."The original 194 cubic inch (3.2-litre) straight six engine in the truck was the first mass-produced six-cylinder engine from General Motors and featured overhead valves and, from the 1932 production, a balanced forged steel crankshaft.  Up until 1932 the engine was good for 50hp (37kW) but that was boosted to 60hp (45kw) when a 5.2:1 compression ratio was introduced along with a four-speed gearbox.The Powe family, now producing mushrooms and mushroom compost at the original chook farm at Oakville, are looking forward to the old truck's second coming.   "We are not doing it (the restoration) personally but we have a good mob looking after it," Powe says. "She's now got a rebuild of the original wooden tray and is not far off being finished ... there's just a bit of electrical wiring needed to complete the job."The cab, the diff, the engine and the gearbox are all the originals.  We actually had a bit of trouble getting the wood for the tray right and in the end we had to get a carriange builder in because there is a mix of wood and metal.  She still has the full intrumentation  oil pressure, voltmeter ... the only thing she doesn't have is a tacho."

Hyundai has broken away from the boxy mainstream of affordable small cars, and a declaration of its independence is the company's ‘fluidic sculpture’ design language. The creases, folds and character lines of the styling that is spreading across the carmaker’s range are what give the company's new ix35 SUV -- the replacement for the plain-Jane Tuscon -- its stand-out looks.However, such styling often splits opinion, and such would appear to be the case here. A very unscientic 50 per cent of comment on the test car was less than complimentary while other 50 per cent were positively enthralled. In fact, if nothing else the ix35 Elite in its pale green livery does elicit strong feelings. It was love it or hate it.  Personally, I love it. The look, at least.Having swapped out of the company's revised Santa Fe with the punchy 2.2-litre diesel it was something of a shock taking off in the petrol ix35.  The petrol car is certainly quieter than its larger oil-burning cousin and in its own small way, quite refined. In the manner of Hyundai's small petrol engines, however, the 4-cylinder, 2.4-litre Theta II coupled to the six-speed automatic feels a little dozy.On paper there is no reason why it should. There is 130kW of power --quite adequate for highway cruising -- and a reasonable 227Nm of torque. The problem appears to be in the rather high revs needed to get enough of the torque in the game to get the ix35 up and moving.  It's not a dealer-breaker but does give the impression the little SUV is a touch lazy.The lockable AWD system still gives the option of getting a little down and dirty at weekends or that extra safety envelope on slippery roads although it won't do anything for your fuel economy. As a 2WD around town the ix35 has been getting close to its claimed economy of 12.4L/100km.  An experiment running it with AWD locked on saw that figure a distant memory with a week's worth of running averaging out at closer to 14.5L/100km.Ride in the ix35 is comfortable without being plush and, pleasingly, the steering has a more lively and responsive edge to it than is the case with some other models wearing the badge.  The AWD is a touch lower than the previous Tucson model and while that may disappoint some who fancy their off-road chances it has done no harm to the car's city manners. The only real disappointing is that the development budget didn't stretch to adding reach to the adjustments on the steering wheel, but with the good range of seating adjustment it can be compensated for.Like the exterior, the cabin has a fresh feel to it and Hyundai continues to use a better quality of material than many of its competitors. Softer-touch plastics and metal highlights give the ix35 a richer feel than the outgoing Tucson and equipment level are generous.There is six-way power adjustment for the driver, good space in the high cabin and even in the rear seats the passengers are not cheated for leg or head room. However, that does have a cost in that the extra space for sentient beings does restrict room for their luggage.  Space with the rear seats in place is sufficient for a moderate shop or a couple of smallish travel bags. Drop them and that more than doubles to a very useable boot.Storage options for drinks and bits and pieces around the cabin are generous and cleverly placed to actually be of use to passengers.  The Elite has, as standard, an iPod compatible sound system operated from buttons on the steering wheel, cruise control, proximity key and push-button start meaning the keys need never leave your poscket, 17-inch alloys with a full-size spare.With the ix35 Hyundai has continued its push towards fitting as much safety kit as possible into its value cars. Electronic stability control is standard as are six airbags, ABS with brake assist and hill start assist.Value, if not performance, to burn.

It is one of the enduring mysteries of modern diesels.

The decision to run with the alpha-numeric nomenclator is a victory for commercial commonsense and will allow Hyundai to leverage off the huge buyer goodwill already created by the award-winning i30 small car."There has been a great deal of discussion with Hyundai head office over how we would market the YF (Hyundai's internal designation of the new model) in Australia and while we don't see this as any sort of victory we are very pleased with the outcome," Hyundai Australia's director of marketing, Oliver Mann, says."I can't speak for other markets around the world but I would expect that the i45 name will at least flow to New Zealand."  With the i45 nameplate settled the Sonata replacement will join i20, i30, ix35, iMax and iLoad as the latest member of the new-generation Hyundai family."I see the i-cars as the definition of the new Hyundai models, particularly the i45 which shares the fluidic sculpture design language with the ix35," Mann says.  Hyundai hopes to have the i45 in showrooms by June, just weeks after the arrival of the i20 light car."It may well work out that the two cars arrive almost together," Mann says. "It is about production and availability. We are very confident of having the i20 here by May but the timing on the i45 is less certain although we would certainly hope to have it here by the middle of this year."Launched in the US at the end of last year as the Sonata, the car has been enjoying rave reviews and creating huge demand.  The coupe-like sedan was first unveiled for the Korean market in September and then put on show in LA. It is an attractive four-door with high-end European looks that came out of Hyundai's California design studio.In contrast to most of its competitors the i45 launched in the US and Korea as an all four-cylinder engine range with the most likely choice for Australia the new 2.4-litre Theta II direct-injection unit boasting 150kW, 245Nm and fuel economy of around seven litres per 100km.Drive will be through a pair of new six-speed gearboxes. To date there is no word on the double-clutch automatic that Hyundai has been developing and highlighted in a concept at the Geneva motor show last year.By the end of next year there is also expected to be available in the model line-up a two-litre direct-injection turbocharged diesel and a Hybrid Blue Drive -- a conventional parallel hybrid system but using the latest in lithium-ion battery technology from the company's association with LG.Hyundai Australia is remaining tight-lipped on the possibility of a second stream of the Sonata replacements joining the i45, possibly early next year.  A parallel development program has been running for the European market with a sportswagon-style model which is expected to be badged an i40 when it launches there towards the end of this year.That i40 badge for the different yet similar model could explain why the Australian YF has been given the i45 naming rather than the i40 which was originally expected.  "I really don't know anything about that," Mann says. "We are just happy at the moment to have the i45 confirmed."UPDATE: Read our first drive review of the i45 here.

The best part of a decade ago, Audi's second generation A8 was the car that had heavyweight German rivals BMW and Mercedes-Benz looking over their shoulder in 2003.A fresh challenger with a technological tour de force that included an aluminium space frame construction and a brilliant interpretation of BMW's own iDrive system -- so good that BMW borrowed facets of it back for their later generations of the interactive system -- the A8 seemed worthy of its place in elite company.While that challenge didn't quite live up to early expectations, here's an early tip for the super-luxury segment leaders: take another good look behind -- because the third generation of Audi's limousine is closing fast.  For their latest offering, Audi has kept the best and improved the rest to produce a car that pleases the eye nearly as much as the senses.DrivetrainsFor Australia, the A8 will arrive for its July launch party boasting a pair of 4.2-litre V8 engines -- a 258kW and 800Nm turbo diesel and a marginally less brutal FSI petrol offering with 273kW and 445Nm. Both engines, driving all four wheels through a standard eight-speed gearbox, are more powerful than those in the outgoing models and yet up to 22 per cent more efficient the TDI boast an impressive 7.6L/100km on the official ADR test cycle while the petrol is an equally frugal (for its size) 9.5L/100km.A 3-litre V6 TDI version will reach Australia by the end of the year, but unlike the front-drive European eco-leader the Aussie car will have quattro AWD and boast fuel economy of 6.6L/100km enough to benefit from the government's sub-7L/100km tax incentives.Pricing and equipmentPricing and specification for Australia have not been finalised but given the likely level of new equipment and the new engines it would be fair to expect some price increase over the $206,600 (FSI) and $211,400 (TDI) of the outgoing models.  Favoured as standard equipment along with the usual raft of safety and comfort technology expected in any luxury car approaching a quarter of a million dollars by the time you get it in the garage are a couple of delight features that will set the A8 apart.Once again, the techno think tank at Audi has taken the MMI (multi media integration) to a new level with the inclusion of a human-machine interface scratchpad that allows phone dialing and navigation instructions to be delivered by writing on the pad with a finger. The integration software recognises the character or numeral and then offers a voice confirmation before accepting the next character.Also expected to be standard on the Australian A8s are adaptive air suspension, comfort seating with 22-way adjustment, the playful ambient lighting which allows for a choice of three mood settings for the interior, parking system with rear camera, adaptive Xenon headlights and 19-inch alloys.If you still have some change left there will be a good range of optional extras including LED headlamps, Google-map ready adaptive cruise control with stop and go function, night vision, lane assist, side assist (which clearly warns of a car in the blind spot), a spanking 19-speaker sound system and rear seat entertainment.DrivingThe A8 is a big car… and you can't help but notice that as you walk around it. Sit inside it and the space equation is again driven home.  There is room to spare, front and rear ... and all of it in an environment of quality luxury styling and trim that lifts this car to the benchmark of anything sub-Bentley. It is quite simply a beautiful execution.Yet, the real magic of the A8 is that it does not drive like a limousine. There is all the refinement at speed and isolation from just about any noise intrusion that you expect from a true luxury vehicle, but the feel of the car and the driving dynamics are that of a sports-oriented mid-size sedan.There is no doubt that the big Audi benefits from its aluminium construction … a claimed 200kg weight saving over a similar-sized steel chassis car is no small thing. But it is more than that.  The chassis and suspension teams have performed a minor miracle in getting a balance of ride quality and connection with the road almost in spite of the adaptive air suspension, a system which across any number of marques has been acknowledged to average off driver's-edge performance for comfort.There is a similar fuzzy definition between the A8s basic comfort settings and the dynamic mode. Ride stiffness and steering feel are ... different ... in the dynamic setting, but not necessarily a great deal more engaging. Where the A8 wins is that even in the basic armchair setting there is still a grand degree of driver engagement rarely found in the limousine class.We simply left the system on automatic and allowed the computers to make their own choices. It didn't diminish the enjoyment of the drive.  Across motorways and dauntingly narrow, steep and twisting mountain roads the A8 rode and reacted with a confidence-inspiring assuredness and the aplomb of a true aristocrat.Power delivery from both the FSI and TDI engines is excellent but there is no doubt that the pick is the diesel which boasts better urge across a wider rev range that, when coupled to the eight speed auto, delivers a seamless willingness to reach for the horizon.The enjoyment of the drive is helped in no small part by the power split through the quattro system that leans towards the feel of a rear-wheel drive giving the confidence to tip the car into even the tightest of corners with the capability of balancing it on the throttle.  What Audi has done for the generational change in the A8 is extraordinary.Whether it will be enough to unseat the reigning segment champions is problematical. What is beyond question is that if you are planning on spending more than $200,000 on a sedan, this car must at least be on the shortlist.Audi A8Price: from $210,000 (est)Engine: 4.2L/V8 FSI, 273kW/445Nm; 4.2L/V8 TDI, 258kW/800NmTransmission: 8-speed automaticEconomy: 9.5L/100km (FSI, supplied), 7.6L/100km (TDI, supplied)RivalsBMW 750i ($274,200)Mercedes-Benz S500 ($289,900)Lexus LS460 ($191,250)

Things have changed at BMW and nothing reflects it better than the all-new, mid-sized 5 Series car.  The design of the new Five is a massive departure from anything over the past 10 years and shows the German making is moving on from the radical work done under former design chief Chris Bangle.The sixth-generation Five will bring new and more-efficient engines, greater safety technology and better value to Australian buyers when the car launches Down Under in June. It shares much of the hidden stuff with the latest 7 Series flagship.  But it is the styling that sets the standard.It has been refined and defined by a new generation of visionaries across the seven years it took to bring the car codenamed F10 5 to fruition.  In a ruthless process of last-man-standing, 20 exterior and a similar number of interior designers drew, refined and presented their interpretations of a modern 5 Series to senior management at three-monthly elimination competitions.A large part of the challenge for any new BMW _  but especially a 5 Series _ is the demand that the car walk a thin line of being both dynamic and sporty yet refined enough to lay fair challenge to its key rivals, the Mercedes E-Class, Audi A6 and Lexus GS.Styling aside, the new generation 5 Series will bring new more efficient engines, greater safety technology and better value to Australian buyers when the car launches Down Under in June.  "We are actually getting the car ahead of the United States and just weeks after it launches in Europe," BMW Australia's Toni Andreevski said. "We will launch with three petrol engines initially and follow that within about three months with the diesel 520d."Engines and variantsInitially the June 3 launch choice for Australian buyers will start with the naturally-aspirated 190kW inline-six 528i ($99,900), move on to the 535i ($128,900) featuring the new 225kW twin-scroll turbo in-line six and top out at the 300kW V8 550i ($178,900). The only confirmed diesel for the Australian market is the 2-litre four-cylinder 520d which has yet to be priced for its expected launch in September. The manual 520d — not confirmed for Australia — will introduce stop/start technology to BMW at its European launch.The entry-level 3-litre 528i offers power gains of 30kW and 60Nm over the superceded 2.5-litre 525i and will also pick up a swag of equipment including heads-up display — standard issue on all new 5 Series models — 18-inch alloys, front and rear park assistance, bi-Xenon headlights, brake energy regeneration and an active bonnet to improve pedestrian safety.At the heart of the new 535i is the company's revised turbo strategy for its six-cylinder cars which sees an end to the twin turbocharging philosophy in favour of a twin-scroll single turbocharger which matches the twin turbo's 225kW and 400Nm output but does so while sipping 7 per cent less fuel.At the top of the power scale, at least until the arrival of the new M5 around the middle of next year, the 550i shares BMW's new TwinPower turbo philosophy putting out 300kW and 600Nm — that's a 30kW and 110Nm boost over the previous model.Dynamic equipmentRide and handling will be assisted by the Dynamic Driving Control and Dynamic Damper Control (DDC) programs. The former will be standard across the range for Australia while the latter is standard on the 535i and 550i and available as a $2650 option on the 528i.While the DDC varies steering, throttle, gear-change points and traction control settings across a driver-selected range of normal, sport and sport-plus options it is the damper control that lifts the car's comfort levels beyond the ordinary. The electronics continuously vary both compression and rebound settings with such rapidity that when a front wheel strikes a pothole the damping will have been adjusted to counter it by the time the rear wheels strike the same road imperfection.OptionsBMW Australia will offer a couple of new — at least to the brand — technologies as options. Parking Assistant ($1600) uses sonar to identify a suitably-sized parking space and then reverses the car into the park while the driver modulates the brake and throttle. Surround View ($1300) uses four external cameras to provide a virtual birds-eye view around the car to assist with manoeuvring through tight spaces or in crowded environments.DrivingOn the road there is plenty to like about the new 5 Series, a not entirely surprising thing considering it shares as much as 70 per cent of its componentry with the recently released 7 Series.  The first impression is that the emphasis inside the cabin is back on the driver. The design, while still recognisable as a luxury environment, has been subtly altered to move the focus back to the driver.At the launch drive, the only Australia-bound engine available was the 535i, but what a fine thing it is. The power delivery, while not quite as sharp at the bottom end as the twin-turbo unit currently in the 1 and 3 Series, is creamy smooth and coupled to the eight-speed gearbox is willing to find urge over a huge span of the rev range. And it is as quiet and refined as it is strong.The ride quality on the test drive cars — and it is difficult to image a more thorough testing environment than Portugal's mix of rutted minor roads and hotmix highways — was enhanced in no small part by the dynamic and damping control programs.The new electric power steering on the 5 Series has a pleasing amount of feedback and feel with a meaty weighting that has not been a feature of the model for some time. With a 50:50 weight balance, the 5 brings a dynamism back to the class that will have the marque's rivals looking to their merits.It also has to be said that the latest generation of the run-flat tyre technology so favoured by BMW has reached a standard where the vast majority of drivers will not easily notice any shortcomings.  Ride and road noise are excellent and while a wet track still found shortcomings with grip under more enthusiastic driving, performance at everyday road pace was more than acceptable.BMW 5 SERIESPrice: from $99,900Engine: 3-litre inline six to 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8, 190kw/310Nm-300kw/600NmTransmission: eight-speed automatic, rear-wheel driveEconomy, CO2: 187-243g/kmRIVALS:Audi A6: from $71,600Lexus GS: from $94,900Mercedes-Benz E-Class: from $93,900

The launch of the GranCabrio was timed to coincide with the opening of the new $32 million Ferrari Maserati Sydney headquarters, described this week by Maserati's commercial director, Raffaele Fusilli, as the ‘most beautiful’ in the world. "We are already holding 40 customer orders for the GranCabrio and I am confident that for the full year we will be able to sell at least 45,"  Ferrari Maserati Sydney dealer principal Edward Butler says of the $338,000 convertible. "We are predicting overall sales this year of 165 cars with all the growth coming from the GranCabrio."  Butler says he is confident that the new convertible will not draw buyers away from the GT car, but rather from key rivals BMW, Mercedes and Aston Martin. "With the traditional soft-top the GranCabrio is quite different to the Coupe and will appeal to a very different buyer ... that may not have been the case if it had a folding metal roof." Butler believes a key point of attraction for the new car is that there is a useable amount of legroom for the two rear-seat passengers.   "This is a car in which four people can comfortably sit ... it is not compromised in any way as a four-seater," Butler says.