Articles by Kevin Hepworth

The Lords of the Four Rings are expected to signal the start of an electric future with the unveiling of an electric R8 at next month's Frankfurt Motor Show. Confirmation of a high-end electric concept for the show, if not directly for an R8, came from Peter Schwarzenbauer, member of the board of management for Audi AG, during his visit to Sydney for the opening of the $50 million Audi Terminal company headquarters. "If you go back to the past all major new technology was introduced top down," Schwarzenbauer says. "I have a hard time understanding that the only discussion about electric cars is about small cars, understanding what the business case would be. "If you look around, a current battery package costs roughly 12-15,000 Euros. So if you take a smaller car that is also 12-15,000 Euros then you are effectively doubling the price of the car just by putting the battery in. I don't know how environmental you have to be to be convinced to pay double to drive electric." Schwarzenbauer says Audi believes that by adding the cost of the electric technology to a car that is at the top of the range makes it easier to assimilate the cost of the batteries without buyer resistance and effectively takes away the need for heavy government subsidies. "I think the electric car technology has to be introduced like all other technologies in the world, top down," he says. "I am not confirming it will be R8 but it will be at the top end and something very sporty that we are going to show at the upcoming Frankfurt show." Schwarzenbauer also quickly dismissed suggestions that any work Audi did on electric models would flow to others in the conglomerate such as VW, Porsche or Seat. "What we are showing in Frankfurt is for the Audi brand ... I am sure also that Volkswagen has something based around electric in Frankfurt but it is not my business to say what." One area that Audi does not see as the end game is hybrid technology, according to Schwarzenbauer. "Hybrid is a technology you have to get engaged in, not because you think it is a solution but because it is a step towards fully electric driving," he says. "If you are looking at only fuel consumption then you see that in Australia some of our competitors have one model offering as a hybrid. We have 21 models in the Australian market with a fuel consumption below 7L/100km." Schwarzenbauer says that at times the value and potential of more mainstream and traditional engine technology is lost in the rush to discover and write about things that are new and considered exciting. "I think sometimes that it is more interesting to write about the new technology, about hybrids, but the facts are different. The facts are that not one hybrid can really achieve what we can today with a modern TDi (turbo diesel injection) engine. "But of course in public perception that is old technology and people do not perceive how modern today's diesel engine is." He says that there is potential for further savings in economy and emissions in both diesel and petrol internal combustion engines. "That is why we have committed ourselves to reduce fuel consumption by another 20 per cent by 2012."

The company is closely guarding images of the new ix35 — the replacement for the Tucson compact SUV — until its official unveiling at the Frankfurt Motor Show next month but it will owe much of its styling to the sexy ix-onic Concept displayed at the Geneva show earlier this year. "It is really attractive and it is closer in reality to its concept than a lot of others I have seen," Hyundai Australia's director for sales and marketing, Kevin McCann says. "I think, in that segment, people are starting to look for aesthetics. "They no longer want the chunky styling anymore but are looking for something that is sleek and fluid and slim-lined. This car certainly offers that." The ix35 will also be the launch platform for a range of new technologies to Hyundai including stop and go engine management, a family of double-clutch gearboxes for the two- and four-wheel drive platform and at least one new 1.6-litre four-cylinder direct injection petrol engine with an impressive 130kW output. "They are all things that we are looking at, although not everything is available to us," McCann says. "For example, ISG (idle engine stop/start) is only made in the Eastern European factory for the European market. "We would have to guarantee the factory in Korea sufficient demand for those items to justify them being made there, but that is something we are working on." While McCann would not be specific about which engine, gearbox and drivetrain combinations would be offered in Australia he did confirm that the new generation engines were part of the planning along with the new generation of transmissions. The Tucson is the company's third-best selling model behind the Getz and the i30 and McCann knows there can be no mistakes with its replacement when it arrives towards the middle of next year. "The compact SUV segment is an important part of our volume base," McCann says. "We do very well there right now because we are at the lower end of the price band for those SUVs. I think there is a natural ceiling at which you can price a Tucson, but with the new ix35 we will be able to have a very solid entry-level competitor and the design of the car will enable us to offer a wider range across the price band. We will be able to richen our mix considerably with it." That is likely to mean upward pressure on the larger Santa Fe, a heavily revised version of which will also be unveiled at the Frankfurt show. "This (the Santa Fe upgrade) is quite significant," McCann says. "We are respecifying some aspects of the car but I can't really give you the details of that right now." If the highly-specified ix35 is moved up-market into a price-range currently occupied by an entry-level Santa Fe the outcome is likely to be an opportunity for Hyundai to offer the new Santa Fe in less models but with a higher level of standard inclusions. The ix35 styling comes from the same team at the company's European design centre near Frankfurt which penned the i30. Speaking of the ix-onic concept in Geneva, design boss Thomas Buerkle said: "This is a dynamic sculpture ... it is an urban nomad. It is the new generation of SUV; a car of contrasts for a world of contrasts." Slightly larger than the Tucson at 4.4m long, the ix-onic was designed specifically for the European market with the target of younger buyers.  

...and buyers are already scrambling to get their orders in for what will be one of the automotive world's most super-exclusive, super-expensive status symbols. The Mulsanne, Bentley's peak luxury sedan, was unveiled this week at the Pebble Beach Concours D'Elegance and it is unlikely there will be much change out of three-quarters of a million dollars when it officially goes on sale in Australia next year. "I couldn't possibly comment on price at this stage but there has been huge interest in this car ever since it became known that the Arnage would be replaced," Bentley Motors' regional manager Ed Stiebig says. "The Mulsanne is a very distinctive, very bold design harking back to the history of Bentley yet on a completely modern platform and packed with the latest in technology." The flagship grand tourer is inspired by what many consider to be the crowning achievement of company founder W.O. Bentley, the 8-litre built in 1930. To emphasis that point the Mulsanne was unveiled on the Pebble Beach centre stage next to W.O.'s own carefully preserved 8-litre. Conceived, styled and engineered entirely at Bentley's headquarters in Crewe, England, the Mulsanne, with its completely new and unique platform, goes into production next year in a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility within the Crewe factory. However, precious few details of the new car were revealed along with its styling. "There will be a lot more technical details revealed when the Mulsanne goes on show at Frankfurt (Motor Show in September)," Striebig says. "As only the fifth all-new Bentley to be engineered in the company's 90 year history it is an ideal opportunity to engineer in all the latest technology that may have previously been unavailable." Dr Franz-Josef Paefgen, chairman and chief executive of Bentley Motors, says the challenge set for engineers on the new car was to create a car to stand at the pinnacle of British luxury motoring. "They have responded to this challenge with real passion and the result is a luxury grand tourer that sets new standards in terms of comfort, effortless performance and hand-crafted refinement the very qualities for which Bentley is renowned," Dr Paefgen says. Lead designer for the Mulsanne project, Dirk van Braeckel, says the styling was inspired by the tradition of grand touring Bentleys. "From the very first hand sketches in the styling studio ... we have sought to evolve this story for a new generation of Bentley enthusiasts," van Braeckel says. The Bentley Mulsanne will begin product early next year with the first Australian cars expected to be delivered in around 12 months. "Given the global scramble for limited supply I think it would be fair to say that whatever numbers we can secure for Australia will be less than demand," Striebig says.

... has defied reports of its imminent demise and will be around for at least the next five years."We have plans in place to continue the Defender at least until 2014," says Murray Dietsch, Land Rover's product manager. "It is such an iconic model for us that there is absolutely no rush to see it off ... in fact there has been a considerable amount of strategy and planning invested in making certain it is around for as long as possible."Dietsch, an expatriate Aussie who worked on key engineering programs such as Territory for Ford Australia, says the steady demand for Defender is something he is constantly amazed at."Year in and year out we make and sell around 22,000 of them ... it is just a constant unchanging level of demand. The people who own Defenders are a very special group. They are not concerned with aesthetics or refreshes — they just love the cars as they are."The key to Defender's survival — and the likely architect of its eventual demise — is the increasingly stringent government regulations relating to emission levels and overall vehicle safety.The 2.4-litre diesel engine is currently Euro IV compliant and will also meet the Euro V regulations when they come into play in Europe in October. The crunch will come when the far more stringent Euro VI rules are enacted at the end of 2014."We can keep the engine compliant until the end of 2014 but that is when a whole lot of extra requirements start landing — and not just to do with emissions but general vehicle design and safety requirements such as airbags which require considerable investment."I really have no idea where we go then."Understanding why the Defender imbues such iron-clad loyalty amongst owners is difficult for an outsider. Since the launch of Series 1 in 1948 the boxy, no-nonsense workhorse has been unfailingly uncomfortable, cramped, functional and single-minded. Latte-sippers need not apply.Through four generations over 60 years the Land Rover Defender has sold almost 2,000,000 examples, won favour in 130 countries, fought for 60 military forces (sometimes on both sides), taken aid to the world's most desolate places and ensured explorers reached their destination and came home.A day bashing around Land Rover's legendary test and proving facility at Eastnor Castle in Herefordshire in a couple of 110s from the Land Rover Experience garage did nothing to diminish the impressions of capability — nor enhance those of any aspirations to comfort.Difficult mud and water terrain was dismissed as unworthy, the impossible became merely difficult.The functionality of the Defender's narrow, tall and boxy style something that has defied trends and the wind tunnel for all of its 60 years is only underscored as the cars slip through narrow overgrown path between trees that would turn aside many of the more luxurious off-roaders more favoured in polite society.However, evolution will not be denied and the bonnet now has what Land Rover, tongue firmly in cheek, refers to as a ‘power bulge’ to accommodate the taller Ford Transit-sourced 2.4-litre common rail turbo diesel (90kW and 360Nm) with high-mounted alternator and air intake.Also a victim of progress in the last update were the iconic airflaps under the windscreen — made redundant, says Land Rover, by an airconditioning unit that heats higher and cools lower with 40 per cent better efficiency.The door seals are still from a simpler time, something noticed as soon as the water crossings became deeper than the sills: water flowed in and water flowed out. It just seemed appropriate, somehow.Land Rover DefenderPrice: 110 wagon $48,990; 130 crew cab $50,990Engine: 2.4L/4-cylinder turbo diesel, 90kW/360NmTransmission: 6-speed manual; constant AWD dual-range with lockable centre differentialEconomy: 11L/100km (110), 11.1L/100km (130) 

What do you do with a 2.5 tonne off-road sportscar? If you are Land Rover you give it a little more flash and a lot more dash. The Range Rover Sport has always been a bit of an enigma a bulky, extremely capable off-roader that has pretensions of mixing it with the quick boys on the hard-top. Neither fish, nor fowl ... but tasty none-the-less.For the 2010 upgrade the Rangie Sport has been given a gentle exterior make-over to bring it into line with the new corporate identity three-bar grille and style cues for the full-fat Range Rover, two for the Sport and a single bar, or finger as Land Rover director of design Gerry McGovern likes to describe it, for the Discovery and a far more substantial going over for the interior and mechanical packages."It's a case of an evolution on the outside and a revolution on the inside," McGovern says. "The four key attributes of the Range Rover ... functionality, sustainability, premium and desirability ... are all there, but our customers believe less is more. They do not want to be challenged by complexity."To that end, the Sport's instruments and switchgear have been rationalised with the result that there is claimed to be 50 per cent fewer buttons with many of the functions now linked through a touch screen that is a close relative of the one in the Jaguar XF.The functionality of the satellite navigation has been greatly enhanced by running it through a 40gb hard drive that not only speeds up the various operations but allows for some fairly sophisticated graphics.Unlike in the Discovery, the terrain response dial has not been moved into the dash, which is a pity. But the Sport does win a major function change in the inclusion of a dedicated on-road setting for higher-speed driving. The Dynamic setting is designed to take advantage of the Sport's sophisticated new adaptive damping and not inconsiderable suspension tweaks.DrivingAt speed on the highway -- and the Sport is capable of considerable speed -- the new supercharged V8 (the only model on which the adaptive damping is standard) is by some considerable margin more settled and refined than the outgoing model. The ride quality over general lumps and broken surfaces is excellent and although there was no opportunity to test it on the launch drive the engineers insist that the issue of resonating bounce over corrugations has been addressed.The downside of the new suspension architecture is that the chassis tuners have been forced into a slight compromise on steering at least on the supercharged model with adaptive damping. Nobody at Land Rover will go on record but one chassis engineer conceded privately that the steering is a little less sharp on turn-in and slightly more vague off-centre than had been targeted shortcomings dictated in part by the Sport's need to be both sportscar and mud-walloper.DrivetrainsUnder the bonnet the Sport gets a trio of new engines and retains an old favourite. The hero engine is destined to be the 3.0-litre sequential twin turbo diesel, a 180kw and 600Nm unit Australia will also see in the Discovery 4.The parallel sequential turbo system differs from twin in-line turbos in that for much of the time only a single turbocharger is employed. However, with the two turbos effectively eliminating lag the diesel's huge urge is on tap from near the bottom of the rev range through to peak power. However, if it is good off the line it is brilliant in the mid-range where the big car positively leaps at any opportunity to overtake.The high-performance card in the engine deck is the all-new 375kW 5.0-litre supercharged which replaces the outgoing 4.2-litre unit bringing 29 per cent more power and 12 per cent more torque (625Nm) while reducing fuel consumption by 6.9 per cent and emissions by 7 per cent.As aggressive as it is, the supercharged eight is still a smooth unit with a nice line in induction tuning for those who like to hear their supercharger dollars working.As a pair with the naturally aspirated version of the engine (276kW and 510Nm) the V8s feature a couple of industry-first technologies with central spray-guided direct injection and torque-activated variable timing on all four camshafts.All three of the new engines are coupled to a revised ZF six-speed automatic.Rounding out the engine portfolio is the carry-over 3.6-litre V8 diesel with an unchanged 200kW and 640Nm.EquipmentDepending on the trim level there is plenty of fruit in the Range Rover Sport. On the menu is climate control, bi-xenon lights, active cruise control, 20-inch rims, Bluetooth, five external cameras for panoramic surround views of the car, keyless entry, leather, satellite navigation and a nine-speaker Harman/Kardon audio system.That's just the luxury stuff. The functional off-road gear includes the dial-a-situation terrain response, hill descent control, air suspension and low-ration gearbox all available at the twist of a knob or push of a button.The ‘off-roading for idiots’ programming of the terrain response means that with just a moderate amount of commonsense and a few simple rules of thumb there are precious few places where a Range Rover Sport will not take you in comfort and confidence.During the launch drive in Scotland, albeit under the watchful eye of the Land Rover Experience team, the Sport utilising the new 3.0-litre twin turbo diesel tackled glutinous mud ruts, a bonnet-deep river crossing, seemingly impossible climbs and descents and rock crawls without a moment of concern. Impressive stuff.Range Rover Sport Price: TBA but expect from $100,000Engine: 5L/V8 supercharged 375kW/625Nm; 5L/V8 276kW/510Nm; 3L/V6 twin turbo diesel, 180kW/600Nm; 3.6L/V8 turbo diesel 200kW/640NmTransmission: 6-speed automatic; all-wheel driveEconomy: 15L/100km (V8 supercharged), 13.9L/100km (V8), 9.2L/100km (V6 diesel), 11.1L/100km (V8 diesel) 

Land Rover has spent up big on the newest generation of the Discovery unveiled in Scotland this week.While the exterior changes have been all about easing the visual impact of the car — more horizontal lines rather than vertical, less contrast in colour tonings, a bit more bling and jewellery to suggest form rather than function — it is in the platform engineering and the interior styling where the big effort has gone.A long day spent bashing through a variety of conditions — ranging from motorway cruising through negotiating twisting highland back roads to deep river fording and clawing through some of the slickest stickiest mud in creation — gave the Discovery 4 every opportunity to fall short of the target, but it didn't.EnginesAt the heart of the engineering revisions are a pair of new in-house designed engines, a spanking 5-litre direct injection V8 with 276kW and 510Nm and a sublime sequential twin turbo 3.0-litre diesel V6 with 180kW and a monstrous 600Nm of torque delivered with lag-free efficiency.Both engines will make it to Australia, the V8 replacing the current 4.4-litre at the top of the model range while the new diesel will be offered in both SE and HSE trim while the current 2.7-litre diesel will be retained in the model line-up as the entry-level offering.The new V8 was not available to drive at the launch event but after a day spent in the company of the diesel it became increasingly difficult to mount an argument as to why you would favour the big petrol engine.SuspensionGetting the new engines' performance to the road was a priority during development with the result that a raft of refinements to the suspension architecture — a new knuckle design to improve roll rates and cornering stability, stiffer anti-roll bars, new bushes and dampers to improve ride quality — a redesign of the steering rack to give a more direct and car-like feel at highway speeds and more precision for low-speed off-road applications, and a much more effective and linear brake package upgraded to a size that matches the outgoing Range Rover stoppers.The brilliant Terrain Response system — first introduced on the outgoing model as off-roading for dummies — has also come in for refinements. There are still the five settings for on-road, grass and snow, mud and ruts, sand and rock crawling but there have been a couple of key improvements.A launch function has been built into the sand settings to eliminate the need to feather the throttle when driving away and lower the risk of digging in while a gentle background braking application has been incorporated into rock crawling below 5km/h in first gear or reverse to increase stability.Driving On the open road the Discovery 4 is more settled, composed and a great deal quieter in the cabin than the outgoing model. There is less nervousness abolut the steering and subsequently greater confidence to allow the car to flow through sections where previously the body roll and steering vagueness would have given cause for pause.Off the made surfaces the Discovery still displays the no-nonsense abilties that have built the legend of the badge but without some of the rougher edges. The dial and drive capability of the terrain response system is nothing short of magic. The vehicle's dynamic response to varying conditions are effectively built-in and all the driver need do is use a degree of commonsense to look like a life-long off-road expert.Inside the revised instrument and dash layout is functional and easy to take in. All the key control points come easily to hand, the terrain response control dial has been shifted forward, the gear-shift placement adjusted and the dash console inclined more towards the driver.There is a new seat design with an extended front cushion and height adjustable head restraints. That change is going to disappoint some traditionalists as it comes at the cost the seat-mounted grab-handles.For the first time the Discovery comes with keyless start and it also wins a larger touch-screen navigation system, some extra storage bins and full i-Pod connectivity with full control through the centre console or steering wheel-mounted buttons. That is all very nice — and friendly — but Land Rover's core value is its ability to go almost anywhere and get back again. The Discovery 4 has lost none of that.Pricing and local specifications will be confirmed closer to the car's local release later this year.

Without fanfare the Indian-built Tata Nano has taken some giant strides towards silencing critics of its safety and possibly finding a home in Australia by passing a series of Euro crash tests with flying colours. While the car is still some way away from being certified for sale in any markets outside of India the company chose to subject a Nano to a round of frontal offset crashes at England's MIRA vehicle research centre under the supervision of Great Britain's Vehicle Certification Authority. Tata spokesman Debasis Ray says the decision to put the Tata through the test process was to signal to the rest of the world that the company was serious about taking the tiny five-seater outside the Sub-Continent. "The purpose of the tests that we subjected the Tata Nano to at MIRA was to demonstrate that the vehicle structure is appropriate for European legislation," Ray says. "The tests indeed proved that. "Tata Motors has already developed a model for Europe, the Tata Nano Europa, which is expected to be launched in the continent in 2011 and the company is also developing a model for the US, expected to be launched after Europe." While Ray stopped short of confirming a development program for Nano sales to Australia he did say that overseas sales would not stop with the giant European and US markets. "There are indeed plans to market the Nano in other countries as well, but specifics on markets and timelines are yet to be concluded." What makes the MIRA tests more impressive is that the car which passed the 56km/h 40 per cent offset frontal and side impact tests was not the one under development for Europe but rather a slightly modified Indian domestic model with a drivers airbag and an extra front strengthening member behind the front bumper. The next step for the Nano is to undergo full Euro NCAP testing on the more luxurious Europa model, something the company hopes to do soon with an expected four-star outcome. Launched earlier this year to runaway demand in India the Nano's designers used a range of innovative cost-cutting measures to ensure the entry-level car met its stated 100,000 rupee ($2500) price. The Nano's boot doesn't open, with access gained to the luggage compartment by folding the rear seats down from inside the car, there is no power steering, a single windscreen wiper, one side mirror instead of two and three nuts instead of four or five on the wheels. There is no airbag or ABS and the tiny two-cylinder rear-mounted engine puts out just 24kW and 48Nm with a claimed economy of less than 4.0 litres per 100km. In the Indian home market there is a mid-specced model with air-conditioning while the luxury LX (170,000 rupees) adds power windows and central locking. The models being developed for overseas markets are expected to be slightly larger with a bigger three-cylinder engine, ABS and at least two airbags.

And like the ultimate survivor - the cockroach - it now seems that anything short of a nuclear holocaust will not be enough to put an end to the vehicle. All but dead and buried earlier this year when United States media outlets quoted then Chrysler president Tom LaSorda as confirming the end of production for the little sedan, the hot-rod look-alike bounced back this week with news that production would continue unabated.As happened to the previously-condemned Dodge Viper, the PT Cruiser has been spat out at the end of the Chrysler bankruptcy restructuring as a car with a future - and quite a past.Almost unchanged since its launch in 2000, more than 1.3 million PT Cruisers have been sold in 60 countries - including 7000 in Australia.Chrysler Australia spokesman Jerry Stamoulis says that while sales of the PT Cruiser have been "quiet" and "supply affected" recently the car will continue to be offered as part of the Australian model range."It is still a model we have demand for and we will continue to offer it," Stamoulis says. "We have been given no indication at this stage on what sort of supply we can expect but the news that the PT Cruiser will continue to be built is all good."In June only nine PT Cruisers were sold in Australia, compared to 41 for the same month the previous year while first half sales this year plunged to 49 against 191 for the same period in 2008."Our strongest interest is still from the small business sector where the car is still enough of an attention grabber to perform strongly as a mobile advertisement," Stamoulis says. "The Cruiser may be eight years old but the original design is still flexible enough to do duty as a functional sedan or a small delivery van."Stamoulis says there is also an extremely strong loyalty factor amongst original PT Cruiser owners. "We are now finding that people who bought the car when it was first released here are now coming back to upgrade to a new car. The loyalty is amazing and that is also shown in the strength of the PT Cruiser owners clubs."There was no indication in this week's announcement of any styling or engineering updates for the PT Cruiser which will continue to be built at the Toluca (Mexico) assembly plant.The PT Cruiser is available in Australia in three specification levels - Grand Tourer, Limited and Touring with a single choice of a 1.5kW 2.4-litre four cylinder engine coupled to a four-speed automatic or five-speed manual. Pricing starts at $31,990 topping out at $37,690.

"What you are going to get is 310kW and 565Nm in something that looks like a 5 Series BMW," Ford Performance Vehicles boss Rod Barrett says. "When you put your foot down it is going to go ... and at a pretty good price advantage. "This really is our Euro competitor."At $79,740 the F6 E - built off Ford's award-winning G6 E Turbo at a price premium of $23,000 - slips into the FPV range alongside the V8-powered GT-E."I think it is more about choice," Barrett says. "We make these iconic go-fast cars like the F6 and the GT and that is the base of our range ... it's what our core business is about. But there are some people that we do not cater for in that range that want a bit more luxury and refinement."They don't want stripes and big wings and black wheels. They want a bit more leather and woodgrain and chrome and I don't want to lose them."Barrett says the overwhelming success of the F6 and the demand for the G6 E Turbo was enough for FPV to shift plans for the F6 E off the back burner and give it some exposure as a concept car at the Melbourne Motor Show earlier this year."It was obvious that there is a demand there for it - not significant, but a demand," Barrett says.The F6 E will be built as a limited production vehicle with plans for ‘less than 50’ this year."It is not a limited edition just a limited production run," Barrett says. "If it were to take off and there was demand for 100 or a 150 then we just keep building them - it's there to be built."Barrett says the F6 E is another model in the FPV range against which rivals HSV cannot set a direct competitor. "They have the Senator in V8, which I would say is our GT E competitor, but they don't have a turbo six and this is the luxury version of that F6. I really think the top end of town will take to this car ... it will cater for the non-V8 crowd."The F6 E is powered by Ford's proven 4-litre turbo-charged DOHC 24 valve in-line six coupled to the ZF six-speed high-torque automatic transmission with Sequential Sports Shift.In keeping with the luxury theme the cabin features seats in shadow leather with the F6 E logo embossed on the headrests, a dark walnut woodgrain finish on the dashboard and doors, sports leather steering wheel with cruise control and audio mounted switches, dual-zone air conditioning and memory on adjustable pedals.Dynamic stability control, side curtain airbags, reverse parking camera and reverse sensing system, electronic brakeforce distribution and ABS are also standard.Barrett says FPV sales have held up better than the industry-standard large cars numbers with 911 sales year to date against 1154 for the same period last year."Under the circumstances I will take that ? especially when you consider last year we were launching new models and had the Cobra sales," Barrett says.

Traditionally a car company will build a hard top sports car and then leverage that by knocking off the top and charging a lump extra for the privilege of having the convertible version of whatever that car may be.Porsche — as is their wont — did it differently. Not only did they build the soft-top version first but when they stuck the roof on they charged a lump extra for that. Also, true to form, Porsche did a damn fine job of building that hard-top car.Starting with the Boxster's sweet chassis and mid-engine layout Porsche's stylists went to work to produce a car that was different enough to look at that some casual observers still believe it to be a model in its own right, and took it to the market as the Cayman.PricingFor the privilege of having a solid roof the Cayman S — the upper tier of the range — starts some $15,000 above the equivalent Boxster and at $155,300 there is some debate over whether this two-door sporty is any sort of bargain at all. The popular defence to that is that while it may be more expensive than the drop-top Boxster it is far less so than the hard-top 911 against which it has claims for handling and performance. Not sure where I stand on that debate, I just know that if the readies weren't a problem there would be a Cayman S in the garage.Drivetrain The 3.4-litre engine has the distinctive busy sound of the flat-six. There is no gentle rumbling of a big-bore engine waiting to be ignited but rather an impression of noise that quickly becomes a crackling howl when the whips are produced.Punch the throttle and the Cayman comes to life, happy to put the horizon behind at a rapidly increasing rate or throw itself at the next corner with an inspiring surety. The Cayman is not a selfish car, happy to share its dynamism with drivers of many and varied abilities.The test car came with Porsche's sublime 7-speed PDK double-clutch automatic, a $5500 option. So sharp are the changes and so intelligent the programming that you are going to quickly forget how deeply you were gouged to have this gearbox. The beauty of the PDK is that it really is a set-and-forget performance hero. The shifts are razor sharp and there is rarely a time when urge is not in the meat of the 370Nm available across a very usable rev range.Vary the throttle agression and vary the shift agression ... it's that simple. If all you want to do is shift quietly through traffic then the PDK is there make it as seamless as possible. Attack the road and there is a whole new character to the box as it skips gears to get to the most effect ratio for maximum torque — and then holds hard like a hungry dog to a bone.If you really must you can self-select the changes but its is going to be a happier relationship if you sooner rather than later come to terms with the fact that left to its own devices the PDK in full auto can do a better job than you can.DrivingIt is a masterclass in automotive engineering. Packaging feel, balance, excitement, a goodly degree of refinement and within the bounds of what it is a surprising amount of space and comfort into a low-slung two-door sportscar is no small feat.Whether trundling through city traffic or attacking the open road the Cayman cabin is a lovely place to be. Around town the Cayman is docile, with the light yet precise steering seemingly immune from tramlining over road imperfections and a ride compliant enough to take the very worst out of Sydney's awful road surfaces.The cargo space — split front to rear — is not generous but there is enough to get away for a weekend or get the (small) family shopping in. Still, load carrying and domestic duties are not what the Cayman S is about. This is a thoroughbred sportscar and given the chance it will behave as such. Accelerate strongly, stop positively and turn in with the balance of a dancer. What more can you ask of a car.Bottom line: Yes please!Porsche Cayman S Price: as tested $174,250 ($155,300 base)Engine: 3.4L/flat 6, 235kW/370NmTransmission: 7-speed PDK auto, rear-wheel driveEconomy: 9.2L/100km (supplied), 9.8L/100km (as tested)Rating: 92/100Rivals BMW Z4 35i from $116,900 87/100Nissan 370Z from $67,990 82/100Mercedes-Benz SLK 350 from $115,637 86/100Audi S5 from $138,600 88/100