Articles by Mark Hinchliffe

However Nissan¹s entry seems to have stalled. The V8 engine for the Nissan Altima which the Kelly Racing Team will race next year has not even been bench tested yet. However, Nissan and the Kelly brothers, Rick and Todd, are not panicking. Nissan Australia motorsport general manager Jeffrey Fisher - one of the architects of Nissan returning to Australia¹s premiere racing category says he is not getting frustrated by the apparent lack of progress on a Nissan-powered V8 Supercar.“We always knew it was mega job they have to do,” he says. “They’re building a brand new engine from scratch and are building a car that is not even on sale here yet. “They’ve only just started to build the Altima in the US.” Nissan returns to Aussie motorsport next year with four cars built by the Kelly Racing Team for Rick and Todd, plus Karl Reindler and Greg Murphy.They will be driving cars with a five-litre V8 engine that is a “de-stroked” (shorter-cylinder) version of the Patrol’s new 5.6-litre V8 due in December. The car will be shaped like the “large-ish medium-sized Altima” which Fisher says will go on sale here in the second half of next year. “We always went into the race program with a vehicle that we would sell here,” he says.“We will be racing the Altima before we sell it, so it’s a great way to get some awareness for it.” Rick Kelly says he is not concerned that championship-leading team Triple 8 has already tested its first completed new V8 Supercar “Car of the Future” (COFT) for the 2013 season at Queensland Raceway. “Triple 8 doesn’t have the same issues we have,” he says.“Their car is the same shape and has the same engine but we have to design the whole thing from scratch and then get the aero package homologated by V8 Supercars,” he says. “It’s largely in the hands of V8 Supercars and whatever package Nissan is comfortable with.” He confirmed that the V8 engine was still awaiting parts and had not yet been bench tested.However, he said it would be ready for revealing early next month and the first completed new race car rolled out in October. While the double-overhead cam V8 Nissan engine should have better fuel economy than the Holden and Ford push-rod engines, Fisher says V8 Supercars will equalise the engines. “Every advantage that a team can garner they will have a look at,” he says.“The equalisation terms are pretty strict. V8 Supercars will do what they need to so there are no obvious advantages. “We already know that the car will need to run some extra weight to get it up to the minimum.” Fisher says Nissan owners are keen for the brand to re-enter the sport. “This is just the kind of tonic the brand needs,” he says.“There’s a latent fan base out there. “I’m sure it will be a more interesting competition next year.” Kelly says the 2013 series would be more level with all teams having to build new race cars to the new COTF specifications. “This year is unusual with two teams dominating, while last year we won three races,” he says. “Next year (COTF) will even everything out. “However, the teams that are doing well now with managing tyre wear will still be good teams next year so it’s not going to be a free kick for us.” 

V8 Supercar fans will see more passing and more of the road when the next-generation race cars hit the track at Adelaide next year. So says Triple 8 boss Roland Dane who initiated the "Car of the Future" (COTF) project back in 2008.  Yesterday he gave News Limited an exclusive look over the first validated COTF before its first shakedown at Norwell on the Gold Coast hinterland today (Wednesday). "This car will produce at least as good if not better racing and racing more often because they are easier, cheaper and quicker to repair," Dane said.  "The bigger brakes and 18-inch tyres will create different lines under braking into the corners with more passing opportunities whereas it's a very single lane at the moment. "The removal of the 'Larry' bar (diagonal roll bar across the windscreen named after driver Larry Perkins) will also give TV viewers a better view of the road."  Championship leader Jamie Whincup will get the honours of the first shakedown test today and teammate Craig Lowndes will do the first full test at Queensland Raceway on Monday following this weekend's round. Dane said the test driver roster was decided by a "toss of the coin". "From a driver's point of view there is more safety, less of a balance change as the fuel load gets low because the tank is in the middle and different handling characteristics with the independent rear suspension," he said. "It will handle more like a performance sports car," he said. From a constructor's point of view, the car will also be cheaper to build and maintain. The current car costs up to $450,000 to build, but Dane said the new model will cost less than $400,000. "The biggest cost difference is in the rolling chassis which is currently $338,000 plus GST.  This will cost $275,000 including the gearbox," he said. Dane believes there will be a full grid of the new cars at the first race of next season at Adelaide. "I'm very excited," he said. "It doesn't take away from the DNA of the current car's looks, noise and feel, but it does look great, doesn't it? "The biggest difference in the look is the larger tyres. It's amazing how much better they fill out the wheel arches." The car is the first of nine Dane's Triple 8 Race Engineering company in Brisbane will build for themselves and customers.  

BMW has put five of its "C evolution" prototype scooters to the test in London's city centre traffic until August 12 when the trials will continue in other European cities. The German car and bike manufacturer says the scooters are high performance maxi-sized e-scooters that might "soon go to market". The e-scooters are being operated in real conditions to explore the infrastructure, such as establishing a network of e-mobility providers which might include vehicle rental companies and car-sharing firms. Rather than the current batch of puny electric scooters available around the world, the Bavarian scoots have 35kW peak power and a top speed of 120km/h ad range of 100km. They are driven by an electric motor on the swingarm with a liquid-cooled alternator, tooth belt and planetary gear. The air-cooled 8kWh battery uses the same lithium-ion storage modules as in BMW's i3 electric car. It's backed up by intelligent power recuperation that recharges the battery in coasting mode and when braking. The battery will fully charge from flat in less than three hours via a car-type charging socket at a household outlet or charging station. BMW claims the chassis will provide agile handling due to low centre of gravity. The e-scooters will also feature ABS as do all of their two-wheeed products. They run on 15-inch lightweight Metzeler Feelgreen tyres and have low-draw LED daytime running lights. BMW claims the scooters will compare in performance with current petrol-powered maxi-scooters of 600cc or more and will easily accommodate a pillion. BMW Motorrad Australia marketing manager Miles Davis said he could not comment. "Apart from the fact that I have spoken to people who have ridden prototypes and they sound very exciting," he says. "We don't have any information on timing for a production model at this stage." Meanwhile, BMW's first scooters available in Australia will arrive in October. Motorcycle boss Tony Sesto expects to sell about 40 of the petrol-driven C600 Sport and C650 GT maxi-scooters this year and up to 120 in a full year. Sesto doesn't believe scooters will dilute the brand despite the older demographic they will appeal to. "It will give us another dimension," he says.  

Stovepipe-trouser-wearing George Kiprios died in 2009, aged 82, after becoming a Brisbane icon, driving his white-wall-tyred 1952 FX Holden around the city for almost four decades. His faded cream car was bought in 2010 by Hutchison Builders chairman Scott Hutchinson, restored and is now on show at the Queensland Museum. But Hutchison wanted the dream kept alive on the streets of the city, not just in a museum, so he had an exact replica built. "We're not pretending it's the real one," he said. "The real one is in such bad nick, but the experts said we can't do anymore to it because it's too historically and culturally significant." The replica is a faithful reproduction from the girlie stickers and baubles on the windows right down to the fake stick-on white walls that Kiprios had. Main Roads also came to the party with the same numbers and letters as the original number plate. It was restored by Shaun Rogen from a 1952 Brisbane-built FX just four months older than the original. Hutchison said it cost up to $40,000 to restore to running order, but wouldn't say how much the original had cost to buy from the family and restore. "An original FX cost 300 pound; the same price in 1952 as a house in West End," he said. "His mum bought it for him for giving up rugby league. We still keep in touch with the family." Hutchison remembers seeing Kiprios in Queen St in his youth and calling out "Rock and roll". "Sometime's he'd abuse you, but sometimes he'd smile and wave," he said. "His car was significant in our history. Every adult our age has seen this car. The affection for it is huge. We have had it in our offices in Toowong and people come in and start misting up." "It represents my love for everything Brisbane." Hutchison said he regularly drives the replica around Brisbane streets and attracts a lot of attention."When you drive it you realise just how far cars have come," he said. "There are no seat belts which feels strange and it's an absolutely pain in the arse to drive." Hutchison's replica will be on show on Sunday at the three-day annual GreazeFest Kustom Kulture Festival at Rocklea Showgrounds. GreazeFest runs from August 3-5.   

Mazda6 Touring Sedan Auto and Suzuki Kizashi Touring Auto go head-to-head in this comparative review.

That's the vision of Griffith University robotics researcher Dr Jun Jo who is about a year from completing the first self-driving car using a smartphone. While car manufacturers such as Audi, BMW, Ford, Honda and Volvo have built expensive prototype "robotic" cars and Google has created an autonomous car that uses its navigation software, Dr Jo's system will be cheap and transportable to other cars. "Ours is a vision-based system which is very economical," said Dr Jo who is president of the Australian Robotics Association. "When you get into a car, you will place your smartphone on the dashboard, facing the camera lens to the front. "You can tell the smartphone where to go and make it automatically pay for the usage of the car when you get off." The system will use technologies which already exist in a variety of cars as cheap as the Ford Focus. They include lane detection systems and a laser detection and ranging sensor to detect still or moving objects around the car. "We will make the control system safe and stable, using both a PC and a smartphone," Dr Jo said. "Smartphones these days come with quad-core processors, which operate fast enough for vision analysis and car control. A PC runs the same program as well as the smarphone for safety backup, just in case the smartphone malfunctions." Dr Jo said the system would allow drivers to personalise their driving experience by varying the settings on their phone. "My smartphone is like my secretary. No other device knows more about me," he said. "It knows where I live and where I'm going to go and what's my favourite driving style, fast or comfortable." A recent US study found one in three drivers would be happy to use an autonomous car if it was safe. "As our system detects objects, road lanes, the movement of other objects, in terms of speed and directions, it can give alerts to the driver or stop the car if urgent," Dr Jo said. "For example the car could drive very fast, 10cm apart at 110km/h and if any accident happens, all the cars would communicate to each other and reduce the speed properly and avoid big accidents. "Also, if there is congestion it sends messages to other cars and they solve the traffic problem themselves. "In the future we won't need red, yellow and green traffic lights any more. When the cars meet at an intersection, they will communicate and say who will go first." Dr Jo believes cars will become shared properties in the future, rather than personal belongings. "Today, we spend a lot to buy and maintain our cars," he said. "However most of the cars run less than 10 per cent of a day and are parked in garages or on streets for the rest of the time taking a large amount of unnecessary spaces. "In the future, cars will be driven automatically and you call and catch a car, which is close to you. You will release it when you arrive at your destination. This idea would solve parking problems." He believes he and his team of eight researchers will have their electric prototype car ready for testing on public streets in a year. The aluminium prototype car was built by Helensvale State High School teachers and students. An autonomous driving system would be commercially available in a decade, he said. "But first governments need to agree on a standard protocol for robot cars," he said.  

Lowndes changes gears 30 times a lap around Mt Panorama and thousands of times a year in racing and testing. So it comes as little surprise that when he updated his Holden Colorado for the new model, he picked the six-speed automatic LTZ flagship. "I looked at the power figures between manual and auto and the automatic has more torque (30Nm) for towing," he says. "The updated auto now has six speeds and it changes quite seamlessly. It's really nice. "It also has tiptronic so you can push across and manually change it if you really want to." Lowndes often uses his Colorado to tow his Kratzmann caravan to race meetings. "I towed 2.8 tonne with the previous model and it was on its limits pulling our caravan, but now with the towing capacity increased to 3.5 tonnes I can basically tow anything we own whether it's the caravan or motorbikes in a trailer. "I'm hoping to head off to Bathurst again this year with the caravan in tow." This October he is expected to tow Kratzmann's first "toy hauler" caravan where the rear wall is a tailgate that allows motorcycles and other toys to be wheeled in and stored for transport. Lowndes won his first Australasian Safari in 2010 in a special Colorado rally prototype developed and co-driven by Kees Weel of the Gold Coast. He was unsuccessful in his second attempt last year and says he doubts they will compete this year because of scheduling and sponsorship issues. However, he is sold on the new Colorado which comes with electronic stability control and a five-star ANCAP safety rating. "I often have the kids in the back, so safety is very important to me," he says. "My first impression is that it feels bigger, which it is. It's a much nicer car. They've obviously put a lot of thought into this model." Although he drives a Commodore race car with more than 600 horsepower (447kW), he is content with the 132kW in the dual-cab ute. "It has a much nicer power delivery with the 2.8-litre turbo diesel and it's quieter and smoother with less road noise," he says. "The new coil-over front suspension takes the kickback out of the steering wheel and it rides better with more grip from the Bridgestone Duellers." He says there is also plenty of comfort in the cabin. "It's got some more comfortable seats, the rear doors open wider for better access for the kids and there are heaps of little cubby holes inside to store things. "I like the interior design and the fact that the instrument binnacle comes from the new Camaro. "It's slightly bigger everywhere so there is more space inside. "The tub is also longer and deeper and our bikes fit better than before." Lowndes says he gets 950km of range from the 76-litre tank, averaging about 7.9L/100km on the highway. His only criticism is that the LTZ doesn't have hill decent control like his previous model. Holden Colorado LTZ auto Price: From $51,990 Warrenty: 3 years/100,000km Resale: 53 per cent Service interval: 12 months/15,000km Safety rating: 5 stars Engine: 2.8-litre 4-cylinder turbo diesel, 132kW/470Nm Transmission: 6-speed automatic RWD/AWD Thirst: from 8.1L/100km Dimensions: 5.1m (L), 1.9m (W), 1.8m (H) Weight: 2053kg Spare: Full-size alloy  

The move comes after winning a court battle against local manufacturers and dealers using their brand name.Sydney-based Knott Investments Pty Ltd has been making Winnebagos RVs for more than 30 years, but the original American company, established in 1958, challenged the Australian company's use of the name in 2010 after deciding it wanted to export its product to Australia.The Federal Court has now ruled that Knott and 11 Winnebago dealers around the country had contravened the former Trade Practices Act and the current Australian Consumer Law by using the American Winnebago name and logo. Costs are yet to be decided, but the Australian company, trading as Winnebago Industries, has been given time to re-brand itself. Director Samantha Binns, daughter of founder Bruce Binns, has refused to comment on the court's decision. Winnebago Industries last year built a second factory on its Emu Plains site in Sydney doubling capacity to cope with the wave of baby boomer retirees. The 47-year-old family-owned company now produces one motorhome every three hours with a staff of 250.Company spokesman Max Mayo said earlier this year that Australia's biggest motorhome company expected to record its second successive record financial year after topping 600 sales last year. Meanwhile, the big American motorhome company plans to move into the Aussie market with its behemoth homes on wheels.Winnebago RVs have featured in Hollywood movies for several decades, including Lost in America (1985), Spaceballs (1987), Independence Day (1996), About Schmidt (2003), Terminator 3 (2003), Talladega Nights (2007), Wild Hogs (2007) and Race to Witch Mountain (2009).The very name Winnebago has become synonymous with monstrous motorhomes. The biggest motorhome company in the world is based in Iowa and named after the local county, river and original American Indian tribe of the region. 

Honda has won the title of the most reliable brand for the seventh consecutive year in the annual What Car? magazine and Warranty Direct study.It also found that expensive premium cars such as Audi, BMW, Porsche, Jaguar and Mercedes-Benz break down more often. Honda has a one-in-10 chance of breaking down over a 12-month period, closely followed by Toyota and Lexus with 17-18 per cent failure rate, according to the British research based on 50,000 warranty policies on cars aged three to 10 years old.Land Rover is the UK's least reliable manufacturer, with 71 per cent of cars breaking down at least once every year. An earlier study by Warranty Direct found the most reliable family car in the UK is the Toyota Corolla, followed by Honda's Civic and Accord. Australia's most popular car last year, the Mazda3, was the fourth most reliable car and the Toyota Prius was the only hybrid in the top 10.The least reliable car was the Renault Espace, followed by the Mercedes R-Class. French manufacturers produced five of the 10 least reliable cars. The most common failure was in the axle and suspension thanks to potholed roads, accounting for one in four breakdowns. Electrical gremlins are the second most likely cause of an unwanted garage bill, with slightly less than one in four drivers reporting problems.Warranty Direct boss Duncan McClure Fisher says cars are becoming increasingly complex, with lots of electronic gadgets, especially on executive models. "Owners of these cars pay over the odds for the premium badge, but our study shows they could also be paying over the odds just to keep the car on the road," he says.Car brand reliability(Failure rate)1. Honda 10%2. Toyota 17%3. Lexus 18%4. Suzuki 19%5. Subaru 20%6. Hyundai 21%6. Mazda 21%6. Mitsubishi 21%9. Chevrolet 22%10. Nissan 25%11. Kia 26%12. Ford 31%12. Skoda 31%14. Citro#adien 32%15. Peugeot 35%15. Daewoo 35%15. Smart 35%18. Mini 37%19. Fiat 38%20. Seat 39%20. Volkswagen 39%20. Volvo 39%20. Porsche 39%24. Vauxhall 40%25. BMW 41%26. Audi 42%27. Rover 43%27. Jaguar 49,630 184 43%29. Mercedes-Benz 53,386 215 45%30. MG 45,005 197 48%31. Saab 56,149 161 50%31. Chrysler 51,110 207 50%33. Renault 47,194 137 52%33. Jeep 49,084 228 52%35. Alfa Romeo 52,370 202 55%36. Land Rover 55,451 300 71% Top 10 most reliable Top 10 least reliable 

Long-distance touring requires a good mix of comfort and effortless power. Triumph combines these in the Sprint GT 1050 which is more touring oriented than the Sprint ST.VALUEWhen it was launched in late 2010, it was priced at $15,990 without on-road costs or panniers. It now comes at the same price, but includes on-road costs and panniers, so it's exceptional value. That also makes it the cheapest of the over-litre touring bikes on the showroom floor. Yet dealers claim it's often "overlooked and undervalued''.TECHNOLOGYPower and torque have been increased to match the 1050 Tiger with 96kW and 108Nm achieved at 1200 revs less than before for a better spread of grunt through the low and midrange. Performance improvements, as well as a slight fuel economy improvement, have been achieved by new cams, mapping and the exhaust system. The gearbox is now less clunky and noisy.DESIGNThis bike is designed for long distances so the ergonomics are comfortable with a slight lean to the bars and a protective full fairing, although the windscreen is more on the sporty side. An optional touring screen is available. Styling changes were made as a result of customer complaints, such as the hot underseat exhaust which has been replaced by a single triangular muffler that has ground clearance in corners.It also allows underseat storage and doesn't interfere with the enormous 31-litre panniers, which are the same size on both sides of the bike and will fit a full-sized helmet. Storage is bolstered by a glove and mobile phone compartment in right fairing and an optional 55-litre top box that will store two full-size helmets. It includes a 12V outlet to charge your iPod or phone and an optional pillion backrest.Complaints about the hot cockpit have been addressed with better airflow, although your right shin will still get hot and previous complains about vibrating mirrors have been fixed with new mounts. Pillion comfort has been improved with a lower seat, bigger grab rails and a longer reach to the pegs, although they are a little close to the rider's pegs.They have also added helmet hooks on the rear subframe after rider complaints. Riders now get a 5mm lower seat for easier reach to the ground and an optional 10mm lower perch.SAFETYThe brakes have received a workout with lighter 320mm front discs, revised rear pads and ABS, which previously cost an extra $1000, but are now standard. Concerns about the headlights have been fixed with two lights at low beam and a better spread. The swing arm has been extended for improved high-speed stability.RIDINGComfort and endurance riding are the focus of this bike, not nippy handling and sprightly performance. Still, the engine pulls strongly from under 2000 revs even with a pillion and loaded panniers and it leans neatly into corners. On the highway, where it will spend much of its life, it's as stable as a rock, although it does get tossed around by cross winds, thanks to those big fairings. Gears are smooth and well spread with neutral easy to find, but I caught too many few false neutrals between fourth, fifth and sixth. Riders will have to be careful in tight spaces as the massive panniers sit out about 7cm wider than the handlebars.VERDICTThis is the bike to buy if you have a limited budget and want to do a lap of Australia in style and comfort.Triumph Sprint GTPrice: $15,990Warrenty: 2 years/unlimited kmResale: 58%Service interval: 10,000kmEngine: 1050cc liquid-cooled, triple, 96kW/108NmTransmission: 6-speed, chain drive, wet clutchDimensions: 2260 (l), 760 (w), 1210 (h), 815 (seat)Fuel tank: 20 litres (320km range)Wet weight: 268kgTyres: 120/70 ZR 17 (front), 180/55 ZR 17 (rear)Colours: blue, silverAccessories: high touring windscreen, tank and tail bags, gel seat, low seat, heated grips, top box and inner bag, colour matched mirrors, paint protection kit.