Articles by Kevin Hepworth

BMW's X5 3.0-litre diesel, the all new Mercedes-Benz C280 and Holden's latest rendition of the tradie's sportscar, the VE Ute SV6, today join the previously announced contenders in the run to the winn

In the automotive world, it is the ute that has enjoyed the sort of change Clinton's people were so famous for. It is a shame they never met ... I'm pretty sure Governor Clinton, at least, would have loved it.The ute in general — and the Holden Ute in particular — has garnered a mystic and a respectability far beyond anything its original designers could have imagined.From a utilitarian workhorse the ute has grown to be regarded as the tradie's sports car ... and more.In some ways, it is looked upon as representative of all things Aussie.A hard worker that likes to play just as hard yet scrubs up well enough to hold its place in any society. The truth lies somewhere in the middle ground.Increasingly, sales of utes are skewed towards the upper end of the model range. With a range of colour and comfort features at which a 1960s “chippie” would have turned up his nose, the modern ute is much more statement than work tool.Holden's latest VE range Ute is by far the most sophisticated the company has put on the road.There remains a little bit of “rough” about it so the boys can still knock back a schooner without feeling the urge to ask for a shandy.But by and large, the upper echelon of this range — the SV6 and the SS — are sportscars with really big boots.The cabin interior has been refreshed and revised to answer the storage questions that have long been asked of Holden.Access to the rear of the seats has been eased by the standard fit of a flip-down seat release that opens the 245-litre storage area.The jack and wheel brace sit neatly tucked away behind the driver but its functionality — particularly the winder — is open to question.Clever in theory, the practical application of removing the tyre from its retaining wire requires not only determination but a change of clothes.The illustrations in the owner's manual bear little resemblance to the actual positioning of the tyre necessary to release it from its retaining catch. The best solution would be to increase the length of the cable by enough to allow the spare to move further out from under the tray.Back to the positives, and the heavy-duty moulded cargo liner standard on all models is a winner — as are the improved tie-downs.In line with the acknowledgement that the utes are, after all, designed for work, they will carry full-size spares as standard across the range.Across the range, twin airbags are standard and Holden is working on a way to install curtain bags ... but it should be noted that is still some way off. Features on the top-of-the-range SS V include 19-inch alloy wheels, projector headlamps, Bluetooth phone connectivity, a 150W premium audio system, dual-zone electronic climate control, a sports interior, hero colour-keyed instrument panel and cluster, centre-console sports gauges, large, colour-screen multi-function display, full map satellite navigation availability, leather-faced seat trim and leather-wrap steering wheel.Not really the sort of environment you'd expect in a work truck.It is much more car than truck and that fits right in with the rest of the Ute's characteristics.The SS and SS V are powered by Holden's 6.0-litre Gen IV V8 with 270kW and 530Nm. The SV6 gets the 3.6-litre 60-degree V powerplant with 195kW and 340Nm — and, in truth, the smaller option suffers little for it. The Utes ride on fully independent suspension which saves the rear-end from the skittish behaviour of its forebears but pays a penalty in load capacity. The SS-V is certified for only a little over 600kg in the tray.The manners are further aided by the electronic stability program which comes standard. It is the first time such a system integrating traction control, anti-lock braking, electronic brake assist and electronic brakeforce distribution has been made a standard feature on an Australian-made ute.Driving the Holden Ute is a hoot. The general balance of the car is a credit to the engineers, with a nice neutral feel aided in no small part by a 50:50 weight distribution — something not easily achieved in a load-carrier.Inside the cabin it is easy to forget that this is not a Commodore. It is a little more coarse but the ride quality is good and the space is what you would expect from what is essentially the front half of a VE sedan interior.But it's not all light and brightness.The instrumentation can be difficult to read at a glance, although the central digital speed readout is a tremendous idea.However, the most disturbing fault is the lack of vision out the rear — and the rear-three-quarter blind spots.

First photos of the model were released in Paris this month, ahead of the car going on sale in Europe early next year. Australian sales are planned for August 2008.Many of the sleek styling cues previewed as the C-Airscape Concept at the Frankfurt Motor Show last month, which has survived the production versions of the sedan and the estate.“The existing Citroen C5 has been an enormously important vehicle for Citroen in Australia and around the world,” Citroen Australia general manager Miles Williams says. “It has been central to providing 10 years of sustained growth for Citroen in Australia and provided Citroen with a strong presence in the large sedan sector.”Williams says Citroen's leading role in the introduction of diesel technology to Australian drivers will continue with the latest C5.“It (the current C5) has introduced a generation of Australian drivers to the advantages; economical and environmental; of Citroen's advanced diesel engines. With the C5 technology, safety and environmental compatibility are further enhanced.”The C5 engine range will include a 150kW V6 diesel, headlining a likely all-diesel model line-up for Australia. Some 85 per cent of C5 sales in Australia are diesel with almost all of the remainder the V6 petrol model.“With the new V6 diesel offering the power it does and the amount of extra torque, it mounts a very strong argument,” Citroen Australia's Edward Rowe says.Rowe says specification and pricing for the C5 range has to be finalised but insists it will not be below the standard of the current range.“There will be at least seven airbags and the safety, comfort and convenience levels of the current model will be further enhanced.”The C5 will come standard with cruise control, speed limiter, automatic electric parking brake and hill-start assist.To be confirmed is a parking space gap sensor that informs drivers whether an available space is big enough for the vehicle; spaces measuring less than 3m and more than 8m are ignored.A lane departure warning system is offered in Europe along with a passive headlight system linked to the steering input, which illuminates a lamp on the kerb side of the car to assist parking.If the vehicle is equipped with Xenon dual-function directional headlamps, it can also be equipped with dynamic AFS, a lighting system that improves visibility and safety on corners and at junctions. The C5s will bring Citroen's third generation of Hydractive suspension into the realms of the family car.Launched on the C6, Hydractive 3 Plus suspension comprises a double wishbone and linked hub carrier at the front and a multilink set-up at the rear with a drop-link longitudinal arm. The adjustable suspension offers two modes with adjustments to the springing and damping to take account of driver input and road conditions.A soft mode provides optimum comfort, while a firmer mode delivers enhanced driving sensations and greater body control.Controlled by sensors on each axle, the Hydractive 3 Plus suspension maintains the C5 at a constant height, regardless of the load.The C5 will be the second model in Australia to get the Citroen fixed-hub steering wheel introduced on the C4.While the fixed centre allows ease of use of the car's entertainment system and cruise control, it also allows for a full-sized driver's airbag, which will always be correctly positioned. 

However, as esoteric as the Taiki may seem at first glance, the car's flowing lines, two-seater configuration and new rotary engine give the strongest clues yet that, despite continued denials, the dream of an RX-7 revival is far from dead.The Taiki, unveiled at the Tokyo motor show last week, is the fourth in a series of “flow” design concepts Mazda has shown around the world in recent years, utilising styling inspired by the Japanese concept of “nagare” (flow) as found in the forces of nature.“We wanted the concept car for the Tokyo show to convey the beauty and power of nature, while emphasising the splendour of the environment,” says chief designer Atsuhikoi Yamada.The design team started with the idea of a set of “hagaromo”, the flowing robes that enable a celestial maiden to fly in Japanese legend. Converting the image to reality called for radical thinking, including soaking material in plaster and hanging it to dry while it flapped in the breeze.From that starting point came a design that is one of the automotive world's most aerodynamically efficient. The Taiki, with its heavily sculptured flanks, tapered shape and radical off-set covered rear wheels has a drag coefficient of just 0.25 — and zero lift.Under the bonnet is Mazda's next generation Renesis rotary, a 1.6-litre unit slated to replace the 1.3-litre 13B engine in the current RX-8 and an ideal starting point for a focused two-seater sportscar to revive the RX-7 badge.The new motor is more powerful — although Mazda is giving away no figures — with higher torque output.It is more efficient because of the use, for the first time on a rotary engine, of direct fuel injection and the greater use of aluminium.The engine drives through a new seven-speed twin-clutch automatic in the style of VW's DSG, a development Mazda is certain to push through to the RX-8 to counter criticism of the traditional automatic's poor performance when coupled to the rotary engine.In keeping with the art-meets-function theme, the interior of the Taiki is striking and simple. The passenger side features white leather and the driver's side black; Mazda says the contrast is a representation of the forces of yin and yang. The seats are painted with Zen calligraphy and styling to emphasise flow of the wind.Also on show from Mazda is the latest evolution of the company's hydrogen rotary-engine strategy. The Premacy Hydrogen RE Hybrid will next year join the RX-8 Hydrogen RE on a program of leasing to corporations and local government bodies.The Premacy, in common with the RX-8 Hydrogen RE, which has been leased since 2006, can run on both hydrogen and petrol. Mazda claims the new car will have an extended range due to improvements in the hydrogen rotary giving it a 40 per cent increase in efficiency — and a more refined hybrid system. The hybrid system, which converts energy from hydrogen combustion into electricity to power the electric motor, is aimed at solving the issues of low torque and poor combustion efficiency in the conventional hydrogen rotary engine.The new system overcomes both of these problems and, combined with increased hydrogen capacity, extends the hydrogen-fuelled range to about 200km — or twice that of the RX-8 Hydrogen RE.The new Premacy is also a showcase for Mazda's newly developed, plant-sourced bioplastic suitable for extrusion-moulded automobile interior parts. The research also came up with a biofabric made of polylactate fibres with wear, fire and weather resistance properties suitable for use in car seat covers.

After six years of teaser concepts and prototypes; and a week of embarrassing media leaks; Japan's newest supercar took its official bow at the Tokyo Motor Show.

A first Australian drive of the beefed-up CooperS showed just what a few thousand dollars and some relatively minor enhancements can do for what was already an impressive fun machine.The engine kit; larger airbox, free-flow twin exhaust and enhanced ECU programming; will set you back $3800 plus fitting by a Mini Garage specialist but brings a 10 per cent boost in power, lifting output from the twin-scroll 1.6-litre engine to 141kW as well as adding an additional 10Nm of urge.Unlike the previous generation of supercharged engines the JCW kit does not include a cylinder head swap.A sports suspension package which firms the damper rate and lowers the Mini by 10mm adds $1460; while the aero body kit ($2696), performance brakes ($2015) and 18-inch wheels with 205/40 run-flat rubber ($5100) all but complete the external enhancements.If you really want to stand out there is a carbon-fibre roof-mounted rear wing yet to be priced.Inside the Cooper S, the usual main opportunity is a set of extremely comfortable and supportive Recaro sport seats at $7000 a set.Unlike some sports seats the Mini buckets retain their side airbag protection through a not particularly attractive mounting on the outside of the seat; with the activator tucked away between the seat and the transmission tunnel.While the full enhancement kit on the JCW model built up by BMW runs to something more than $22,000 over and above the cost of the Cooper S, the company doesn't expect it to hinder sales.“I expect that we will sell a lot more of the engine kits by themselves than the engine and body kits together,” Mini's Alexander Corne says.“From the experience of the first generation of John Cooper Works sales where about 10 per cent of Cooper S buyers added the engine enhancements it is likely to be around the same this time.“These are people who want the extra performance to go with the show.”Corne says Mini buyers, on average, will add about $4000 worth of custom options to their new car.“These are not people agonising over a $19,990 car,” Corne says.“These are people who want individuality in their cars. They are saying, how can I make this car mine?.”On the road the JCW-enhanced Cooper S is all about expanding the envelope for the Mini's go-kart-like performance.The twin-scroll turbocharger unit, which replaced the previous supercharged model is only improved by the ECU tweaks in the JCW tuning.There is no breathtaking improvement but the same table-flat torque characteristic from just a tick over 1600rpm right through to 5000rpm is present and accounted for; with just that little extra.The 250Nm in the JCW-enhanced vehicle may only be an increase of just over 3 per cent but it improves not only the 0-100km/h sprint time but the all-important 80-120km/h times in fourth, fifth and sixth gears.The elastic nature of the little turbo makes the Mini a delight to punch along, enhanced even further by the slick six-speed manual box. With the suspension wound off to improve the ride quality in the basic Cooper S, the JCW suspension pack effectively replaces what had been lost.In spite of the lower ride height, sharper damper rates and low profile run-flat tyres the ride is anything but harsh.Traditionally, the Mini has never met a corner it doesn't like.As far back as Alec Issigonis's original “brick on wheels” the core of a Mini has been its uncanny ability to suck up the road and slide around corners.The enhancements simply work to make it even more defiant of physics. SnapshotMini Cooper S JCWFrom: $43,790Engine: 1.6L/4-cylinder twin-scroll turbochargedPower: 141kWTorque: 250Nm (270Nm on overboost)Transmission: 6-speed manual, 6-speed automatic; front-wheel drivePerformacne: 0-100km/h 6.8sec (manual) 

The owner of a Ford Falcon GTHO Phase III passed in for $620,000 at auction, confident the muscle car classic will sell on the private market.“I'm a little disappointed but the up side is that I get to keep the car for a little longer,” owner Steve Ribarevski said after the Shannon's Australian International Motor Show Auction at Darling Harbour.“The bidding wasn't very far away from the reserve so I think we will hear from the potential buyers pretty quickly.”The immaculate Monza Green 1971 XY was expected to beat the $683,650 record price, which a Queensland buyer paid for a similar car earlier this year.However, after starting at $560,000 bidding was restricted to a couple of buyers and quickly stalled at the $620,000 mark.Ribarevski, 30, bought the fully-restored GTHO for $200,000 three years ago saying it was a promise he had made to himself years earlier.“I was told by everyone at the time that I was the biggest goose in town for paying that much money for the car but I had promised myself I would own one before I was 30,” he said.“I don't look that silly anymore.”Also passed in at auction was number plate “6,” which had been expected to sell for more than $1 million.Confusion reigned when the winning bidder withdrew his $910,000 offer and the underbidder had hung up the phone and couldn't be contacted.The plate was put back to auction again but it failed to reach its undisclosed reserve, stalling at $895,000.It was only the second time since the number was issued to the Tramways Department in 1915 that it had come up for auction. The first was in 1983 at the first RTA number plate auction when it set the then record price of $50,500. 

Essentially a five-door version of the Elantra, the stylish i30 hatch is the key to Hyundai Australia; realising a 2007 sales target of 50,000 new cars. It is priced from a particularly sharp $18,990. However, almost before it is in showrooms the company is conceding that supply is an issue. “We have worked very hard to get this car and have succeeded to the extent that we are the only market in the world outside Western Europe and Korea to have it available,” Hyundai Australia's chief executive Steve Yeo says. “However, we are only going to be able to get about 2500 cars before the end of the year.” Yeo says the supply constraints will not be solved in the short term as production capacity at the Korean plant is already at the limit. “There is a new plant being built in the Czech Republic that will increase production but it will not be operating until about 2009,” Yeo says. The i30 was styled in Germany and benchmarked against the best Euro small hatches, including Ford Focus, Opel Astra and VW Golf. In Australia it is expected to attract buyers shopping the Toyota Corolla and Mazda3. The car has been localised for Australia with bespoke damper settings, spring rates and steering tune after severe criticism of the original Elantra. The i30 will be available in three trim levels, with a 2.0-litre petrol (105kW and 186Nm) and a 1.6-litre commonrail diesel (85kW and 255Nm) available from launch. A five-speed manual and a four-speed automatic are offered on the petrol engine. The diesel comes with a five-speed manual and will add the automatic option around December. Pricing starts with the SX petrol manual starting at $18,990 with a $2000 premium for the automatic. The base diesel model is $21,490. The mid-range SLX manual is $23,490 in petrol and $25,990 for the diesel, while the range-topping SR comes in petrol only at $26,490 for the manual. Equipment levels in the cars are generally high with standard fare in the SX including ABS, dual front airbags, anti-whiplash front headrests, power windows and heated exterior mirrors, remote central locking and reach and rake-adjustable steering wheel. There is also a height-adjustable driver's seat, air conditioning with pollen filter, integrated iPod and USB connections, four-speaker stereo and 15-inch steel wheels. Neither the base nor the mid-range models offer standard stability control but it is available as part of a Protectz pack at $1790 for the SX (ESP, side and curtain airbags) or $990 for the SLX which already has the extra airbags. The SLX also has standard 16-inch alloys with wider 205/55 rubber, foglamps, steering-wheel-mounted audio and cruise controls (on petrol models only), automatic climate control, trip computer, two additional speakers and leather-trimmed wheel and gear lever. The top of the range petrol-only SR offers ESP and traction control as standard, 17-inch bright-finished alloys with 225/45 rubber, body kit of side skirts and rear spoiler, premium radio with in-dash six-stacker CD and leather-trimmed seat bolsters. Cabin materials are of a good standard with soft-touch dash and door trims lifting the feel of the interior. Styling is excellent with a rich feel from the curved surfaces. Well-thought-out controls placement offers both comfort and functionality. And the i30 utilises the proven Euro-hatch formula of long wheelbase, wide wheel stance and short, high rear overhang, maximising interior depth. That keeps the overall car short for easy city use while maximising interior and boot depth. At 4245mm the i30 is 260mm shorter and 10mm narrower and lower than the Elantra sedan but retains the same 2650mm wheelbase. The long wheelbase and internal width, combined with clever interior packaging; there are no fewer than 20 storage compartments around the car; the cabin's  front and rear legroom and headroom is well above the class average.  

Officially unveiled as one of the stars of the Blue Oval stand at the Australian International Motor Show, the 400 Cobra GTs and 100 Ute stablemates have all found homes. “I had 400 sedans and 100 Utes that were allocated to dealers and every dealer took their allocation,” says FPV general manager Rod Barrett. “I don't have figures on the retail numbers but from what I have heard they have gone quicker than free beer.” Barrett says there is no possibility that any more than the strictly limited 500-car production run will ever be built. “Then they wouldn't be a limited-run special, would they?” The limited-edition GT Cobra harks back to a generation of Cobra muscle cars sparked by the famous XC hardtop 1-2 finish at Bathurst in 1977. That victory led to the release of the limited-edition Cobra XC hardtop the following year. “The Cobra name invokes passion among motoring enthusiasts,” says Barrett. “The new FPV GT Cobra combines the original XC Cobra's bold styling with the latest in FPV engineering and total performance." “While the vehicle's exterior features the same blue racing stripes and coiled snake emblem that Cobra is famous for, the vehicle will be powered by FPV's latest high-performance Boss 5.4-litre quad-cam 32 valve V8 engine, which now produces 302kW.” Like the original XC hardtop, the GT Cobra is designed to lift the excitement quotient for a model that is essentially heading for the exit. The new Ford Falcons (codenamed Orion) are due to be launched in April next year but until then, FPV needs to keep sales of the current GT ticking over. Both the GT and the Ute Cobra will be powered by a specifically tuned Boss 302 V8 fitted with FPV stainless steel-fabricated exhaust manifolds and a high-flow dual-exhaust system. FPV programs manager Paul Cook says the revision of the Boss targeted an increase in peak power and torque in the mid- to upper-rev range; without penalising exhaust emissions and urban fuel economy. “The increased performance, including improvements to the volumetric efficiency of the engine above 3750rpm, has been achieved by a new inlet and exhaust camshaft profile to increase inlet valve lift and duration,” Cook says. Engine calibration has been extensively revised while improvements have also been made to improve accelerator response. It is no accident that the 302kW output (with 540Nm of torque) was the capacity in cubic inches of Ford's small-block V8 engine and is also exactly double the 151kW output of the 1978 Cobra's 4.9-litre V8 engine. The GT Cobra has a limited slip differential and is available with either a close ratio six-speed manual transmission; with a high torque clutch or the ZF six-speed automatic transmission with Sequential Sports Shift. FPV's R Spec handling package is fitted as standard to the GT Cobra; as are Cobra-logoed leather seats and specific 19-inch alloys. The white exterior features blue striping across the bonnet, roof and rear deck lid and is completed by the unique Cobra badge on each front fender. The GT Cobra will also include RSpec badging. The official pricing for the GT Cobra sedan is $65,110, just a tick under $3000 more than the basic GT. The Ute is $61,200. The original Bathurst Spec XC Cobra Hardtops bring up to $150,000 on the open market, while a 'standard' XC Cobra from the limited 400-car run will sell for between $80,000 and $90,000. FPV's second show hero was one of the worst-kept secrets in Australian motoring; the fully-worked turbo-charged performance Territory. Badged as the FPV F6 X, the full-blown Territory is the first non-Falcon model to get the Ford Performance Vehicles treatment. “FPV has always had the goal to extend the brand beyond Falcon-based product,” Barrett says. “The F6 X is designed for the family that enjoys performance-vehicle motoring and appreciates a true sports luxury feel.” Built off Ford's Territory turbo, the F6 X is powered by the 4.0-litre in-line F6 270 Turbo from the FPV Typhoon models with the same 270kW and 550Nm output. Drive is through a ZF six-speed automatic transmission and a full-time AWD system. Standard equipment on the F6 X includes; dynamic stability control, traction control with side curtain airbags and dual-stage driver and front passenger airbags. To match its performance the F6 X's brake package has been enhanced with Brembo six-piston front calipers and a new FPV calibration for the ABS and DSC systems. Specific damper and spring rate tuning has given the F6 X a firmer sports feel and greater body control when pushed along. Unique F6 X exterior styling cues include a front mesh grille insert, rear spoiler, alloy running boards, bonnet air scoop and unique 18-inch five-spoke alloys. The FPV F6 X is due to go on sale early next year.  

Toyota announced at the Australian International Motor Show, that a near stock-standard Aurion TRD will tackle Australia's premier tarmac rally in 2008.News of the competitive future for the locally developed performance car follows the announcement the TRD Aurion will go back on sale next week, after being withdrawn three weeks ago while the company investigated an engine failure in one car.The Toyota Racing Development-designed-and-built 3.5-litre supercharged V6 Aurion, which has been prepared for Targa by the Neal Bates Motorsport team; the same group behind Toyota's multiple-championship-winning TRD rally outfit.Former Targa winner Bates was an integral part of the TRD Aurion's development; and believes the car has the potential to knock off some of its race-bred competitors on the 'testing Tasmania roads.'“We have only made minor modifications to the standard car, like fitting a roll cage, racing seats and safety equipment,” Bates says.While the TRD Aurion may have supplied the flash and dash of Toyota's motor show presentation, the most significant event was the world premiere of the next-generation 200 Series LandCruiser.Toyota's senior executive director for sales and marketing, David Buttner, says the LandCruiser has been a pivotal part of the company's history in Australia.“New LandCruiser has been tested and evaluated here for several years over more than 200,000km,” he says.The all-new 200 Series LandCruiser features a twin-turbocharged V8 diesel engine; with more than 600Nm of torque, and will also be a delivery platform for some of the world's most advanced off-road technology.High on the features lists are the Australian-designed Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System (KDSS), which provides greater stability on all surfaces and an extended suspension stroke in off-road driving.The LandCruiser will also feature the world's first 'crawl control' system for negotiating surfaces such as rocks, sand or steep hills (petrol models only), a Torsen limited-slip centre differential and a multi-terrain anti-skid braking system.Safety advances include a stronger body structure, standard vehicle stability control and up to 10 airbags; front, side and knee airbags for the driver and front passenger, side airbags for the outboard second-row seats and curtain shield airbags for all three rows.For the first time in Australia, LandCruiser 200 has four-zone climate-control airconditioning at the top of the range. This system gives first- and second-row passengers access to individual climate controls on both sides of the vehicle with air being distributed through 28 vents.Toyota also announced the arrival of the RAV4 V6 which is now on sale in dealerships.The new model continues the growth of what was once Toyota's small off-roader for the funky-inclined. “Last year, we launched a new RAV4; and this month we add more than 200kW of V6 power to the range,” Buttner says.The company also confirmed that the second TRD-badged Toyota will be the 4.0-litre supercharged HiLux.