Articles by Mark Hinchliffe

Downsizing is the key to fighting the world recession, according to Suzuki’s Queensland base. Keith Williams CEO of Suzuki Auto Company said the Swift had been a major success for the Queensland importer and it would be joined in July by the slightly smaller Alto, the fifth and smallest in its fleet. "We have repositioned Suzuki with the Swift and we will continue with the Alto with good build quality and features in a compact fuel economical car that is at a good price," he said. "It pulls off some of the Swift selling features and puts it into something even more affordable and green." The bug-eyed and frog-mouthed Alto, which is the A Star from India, weighs less than one tonne. It is powered by a one-litre, three-cylinder engine producing 50kW of power and 90Nm of torque, sipping fuel at 4.5L/100km and pumping out only 103g of CO2 emissions per kilometre. Williams said the city car is also good on the freeway and had impeccable green credentials with 86.9 per cent of its components recyclable and 95 per cent recoverable. It will come in S and GLX trim levels in four-speed auto and five-speed manual. Alto will also be a leader in its class on safety with Electronic Stability Program as an option and six airbags (SRS dual front airbags, front-seat side airbags and dual curtain airbags). Much of the body and chassis is made of high-tensile steel to improve occupant safety. Suzuki in Queensland is 37.8 per cent down on last year, but Williams said they were still selling well. "Suzuki (Queensland) is unique because we had a meteoric rise in sales, quadrupling in four years," he said. "The market has come off about 25 per cent but we are still doing 300 per cent better than we were four years ago. "One year it went up 172 per cent mainly because of the Swift which is still a solid performer in the market several years later. "We've come down with the market but I think we are in a good position with small cars and the new Alto this year and the Kizashi coming next year." He said the mid-sized 2.4-litre Kizashi was another example of downsizing. "It was originally planned to come with a 3-litre V6, but that's been scrapped because of worldwide downsizing," he said. Williams said Suzuki would continue to concentrate on small-capacity, fuel-miserly, petrol-powered cars, but would not rule out other "green" powertrains such as hybrid. "Never say never in the auto industry, but more probably we will move into electric cars because of our work with electric wheelchairs and electric motorcycles," he said. "We have also done a fuel cell vehicle in collaboration with GM based on the SX4." Williams said Suzuki and Honda were the only two Japanese companies to make a profit last year. "That's mainly because of our involvement in India where they sold 750,000 cars last year," he said. "I think it (the Indian market) will roll up quicker than other markets because of the number of people there."

Cancer as a boy left him blind in one eye, but it hasn't slowed him down. The 51-year-old Gold Coast businessman has owned a host of performance cars from a Mini Cooper S to his current 400 horsepower Trans-Am Mustang and has raced since he was 40. Except for the years 1998-2001 when CAMS took away his race licence because of his sight.Rigon loves a good stoush, so he took CAMS to court and won and is now the only one-eyed driver licensed to race in national events. His first car was a 1968 Mini Cooper S former NSW police pursuit vehicle."The police had GTHOs, Chargers and Mini Cooper Ss back then," he explains. "It had great handling and was very quick, but I eventually blew the engine up driving it too hard."He then moved to a Mazda RX4 Coupe "rocketship", followed by several company cars, a GTV6 Alfa Romeo in 1989 and a Porsche 911 Carrera. "The Alfa stayed with me for some time and was picked up by a collector in Western Australia, an 81-year-old lady who had it fully restored it," he said. "Being Italian it never stayed together and spent more time in the repair shop than it was on the road, but it was a great car to own."His current everyday cars are a 2007 V8 SS Commodore and an ex-police Ford Typhoon F6: "I like to buy ex-police cars because they are looked after and have a few trick bits."Rigon was a late starter to racing at the age of 40 competing in the WA Formula Ford series against eventual winner Garth Tander. He's made up for it since with a host of race cars, including two Subaru WRX STIs. But the Trans-Am Mustang he bought early last year is his favourite."It's the most pleasurable car to drive because it is not as technical as a modern race cars which are very forgiving," he says. "Modern race cars take a lot of technology to make them run quick but there is a lot more driver skill required in old cars. They tend to go sideways quite a bit.""It's something about our age group. It was the car that always appealed to me. "I was heavily inspired by Steve McQueen in Bullitt and always loved American Trans-Am (1964 to '74 American V8-powered cars) racing series as well as the Australian equivalent with Bob Jane, Allan Moffat driving around in Mustangs and Comaros. That was the style of racing I could really identify with."He's now the treasurer of the fledgling Australian Trans-Am Series which, not surprisingly, doesn't operate under CAMS licensing. "The average age of the racers is 45 to 60 and those drivers wouldn't necessarily get a CAMS licence which can take a year to get a full licence," he says.The series has 24 members with about 12-14 cars lining up on the grid. "We believe that will grow to a full field of 24 in about six months and about 34 in 12 months at any race meeting making it the largest Trans-Am series outside the US."Needless to say, his dream machine is a race car. "One of those limited edition GT3 Porsches," he is quick to answer. "I have always had a love for Ferraris but Porsches can take a pounding. They are a bullet proof car. For my driving style - while I love Italian cars - they just don't stay together." 

Dan Bowden of Bowden's Own museum which is restoring the car invited race fans to hear the engine fired back into life at the Pacific Ford FPV dealership in Maroochydore next Wednesday (MAY 20) at 6pm."It's raucous. It sounds fantastic," he said."We had it running for the first time yesterday and it just sounds gorgeous."It has a very distinctive note to it; very masculine""We had one of his V8 Supercars next to it and kicked it over and it sounds nice, but we kicked this over and we had our next door neighbour coming round."I'm not sure if the dealership quite understands what it sounds like, but they'll get over it ... eventually."Bowden said reviving the engine was the first stage in the full restoration of the original vehicle.The TruBlu race car was built with the money received from well wishers and Ford Motor Company after Dick Johnson famously hit a rock and crashed out of the Bathurst lead in 1980.Johnson and co-driver John French had a fairytale Bathurst win and the Australian Touring Car Championship the next year in TruBlu."Hopefully we can get Dick and Frenchy back together in it when it's completed," Bowden said."The way we see it, it's not finished until the driver gets back in the car."The Bowden family bought the car and Johnson's other old race cars two years ago after the legendary racer had a sponsor pull out."He needed to sell his cars so Dick contacted my father (David) and did the deal."Part of the deal is we always have cars on display at his workshop museum in Yatala."The most recent Bowden restoration of an ex-Johnson race car was the 1984 Australian Touring Car Championship-winning Greens-Tuf Falcon which is now back at the Dick Johnson Racing Museum.It features the engine from the 1983 XE Falcon destroyed at Bathurst during a dramatic top-10 shootout crash at Forest Elbow.The TruBlu race car has been in the Bowden workshop for the past two months for mechanical restoration."The engine restoration was a big job," Bowden said."All the fuel had gone off, brake linings and everything."This is the problem when you leave them sitting around."The next stage of the restoration is the bodywork."It's very important to restore the car sympathetically and keep it as original as possible," Bowden said."I've seen to many race cars restored and they look like a show car which is not how they were."It's important to retain the integrity and authenticity as well as having it presentable."Bowden said the fully restored vehicle would be displayed and driven at historic race events around the nation."That's the plan with all our cars," he said."We're looking at different historic events, but nothing is yet planned."Bowden said he could not put a figure on the cost of the restoration project."Let's just say it's not cheap. With these cars parts are hard to come by, particularly on race cars," he said."We have to fabricate some of the components and that's where the dollars add up."We've been doing this over 10 years and we have it pretty down pat and if we can't do it here we know someone who can."Bowden said Johnson had been helpful with technical and historical information about his cars, which helped with the restoration."Dick is very emotional about his cars and he's very sympathetic," he said."He cares about the history of motorsport, unlike some drivers."We're lucky that he's that appreciative of the old cars. It's a pleasure to work with him."Bowden said he would ask his father to contact Johnson to invite him to the firing-up ceremony on Wednesday."He's so very busy with his V8 team and they are going well this year, so we don't know whether he will come along," he said.Web: www.bowdensown.com.au  SIDEBAR The Greens-Tuf Falcon is one of six historic Dick Johnson race cars at the DJR museum, at 10 Emeri St, Stapylton.The museum also houses trophies back to 1980, race suits, pictures, posters, laurels and car parts.Entry to the museum and race shop is free.Visitors can also book in for a one-hour workshop tour conducted on Thursdays and Saturdays at 11am.Workshop tours cost $15 for adults, $7.50 for school children and concessions.

Ford director of product development, Russell Christophers, says the company is moving toward simplifying the number of platforms to improve economies of scale, which points to the move toward the Focus-based Kuga. However, Christophers points out that the Escape had the price advantage of being made in Thailand where production costs were lower and the free trade agreement with Australia benefited imports. "I'm not saying yes or no to the Kuga, but what the company needs to do is decrease the number of platforms," Christophers says. "The Focus C car platform can be used for a sedan, hatch, wagon, people mover and an SUV. You want to have a global platform for economies of scale, but you want to build them in the right place for the right market." The Kuga comes with two diesel options in Europe with plans to introduce the 2.5-litre turbocharged five-cylinder petrol engine from the XR5 Focus and Mondeo. Christophers said Australia could also start to see some of Ford's ECOnetric fuel-miser vehicles later this year. Apart from smaller, forced-induction EcoBoost engines, the ECOnetric vehicles come with a variety of fuel-saving measures such as higher-geared transmissions, lowered suspension to reduce drag, aerodynamic body kits, low-resistance tyres and low-viscosity transmission oil. ECOnetrics is used in Europe in Mondeo, Focus and Fiesta models. Christophers would not say which models would benefit from the technologies first. "It provides customers with a fuel efficient car, but sacrificing some attributes such as performance because of the taller gearing etcetera," he says. "We will look at bringing them in, but I can't say in which vehicles yet."

And Ford admits the minor update is intended to maintain interest in the vehicle until the next model.Ford director of product development, Russell Christophers admits the changes are few and that there are no mechanical modifications."This is a fairly minor change that just freshens the product," he said. "We will do something more dramatic when we do the new Territory model."The Territory SX was launched in 2004, then updated as the SY and now comes the SY Mk II with more airbags, more standard features, minor interior and exterior styling changes and between $500 and $1000 more on the price tag.Drivetrains The base model Turbo has also been dropped from the range because Ford found most turbo buyers wanted the luxury of the Turbo Ghia which has been retained.This leaves the Territory with the 190kW/383Nm 4.0-litre six-cylinder and the 245kW/480Nm turbo 4.0-litre six-cylinder engines, mated to the choice of either a four-speed automatic transmission or the six-speed ZF sequential transmission.Appearance and equipment Outside, the SY Mk II Territory gets a remodelled bonnet, grille, lower grille, fog lamp bezels, headlights, bumper, body coloured mirror and door handles, tail lamps and new wheel designs.The Ghia also gets indicators incorporated in the mirrors and larger, 18-inch alloy wheels.There are four new exterior colours: Velvet (brown), Harmony (silver), Mystic (green) and in September Ford will add Serenity (gold). Inside, there are new darker trim options in some models.Territory TX now comes standard with side curtain airbags, cruise control, 17-inch alloy wheels and a body colour package for the bumpers, door handles and mirrors.Territory TS also gets the body colour package plus a reverse parking camera, front fog lamps, leather-wrapped steering wheel, handbrake and gearshift, and a third row seat as standard.Ghia gains a third-row seat as standard, an Alpine rear DVD system, side steps, rear privacy glass and 18-inch alloy wheels, while the Ghia Turbo adds a new 18-inch alloy wheel design.Wagner said the SY Mk II offered better value for money.Pricing The TX costs $1000 more and all other models an extra $500. Ford claimed the extra standard equipment was valued at between $3600 and $6600, depending on the model.Ford SY Territory prices Model - Old price - New price - (extra standard features)TX (RWD) $38,490 $39,490 $3600TX (AWD) $43,490 $44,490 $3600TS (RWD) $43,990 $44,490 $4800TS (AWD) $48,990 $49,490 $4800Ghia (RWD) $51,990 $52,490 $6600Ghia (AWD) $56,990 $57,490 $6600Ghia Turbo $65,920 $66,420 $5600Fuel economy Christophers says the fuel economy on rear-wheel drive Territory models has been improved by 4.9 per cent or 0.6 litres per 100km. The Ghia and all seven-seater models had a 1.6 per cent or 0.2L/100km economy improvement.Christophers says this was achieved by new global calibrations to the engine, transmission, catalytic converter and other elements of the drive train. He ruled out LPG or diesel engines until the next model Territory.Driving With no mechanical changes in the updated Ford Territory, there’s not a lot new to report.The Territory remains a quiet, refined and civilised way to eat up the vast distances of Australia in comfort.It comes with a choice of six and four-speed automatic transmissions and obviously the six is the pick. However, the four feels like a sturdy box with a good selection of gears and little hunting around until you are really pushing it or driving through hilly country or a series of complex corners.Both boxes are well matched to the lusty and torquey engines, which pull even seven passengers and some luggage with ease and without a lot of audible grunting and groaning.Brakes bring it all to a halt without too much drama, although we have known the rear end to feel loose when the vehicle is loaded and you are really stomping on the pedal.Overall handling is very car like for a two-tonne vehicle. The third row of seats creates a slight tail-heavy handling feel, but the Territory still feels right at home blasting down the highway, twisting through the hills or rollicking down some country gravel track.The all-wheel-drive models are obviously more adaptable to rougher and more slippery conditions. And over several unsurfaced country tracks the cabin remained dust free.Inside, the feel is utilitarian and slightly austere. The new fabrics and trim don't change that effect. However, it's a functional environment with a host of handy little storage spaces for drink bottles and other items.

A new Ford Ranger Wildtrak hero model has hit the showrooms.The 4x4 Wildtrak Crew Cab three-litre diesel leads a re-styled Ranger PK line-up that includes seven extra models, more standard equipment and price rises up to $2500.There are no mechanical changes to the Thai-made PK series.The three new 4x4 models are the manual and auto Wildtrak and an XL 3.0-litre TDCi Crew Cab auto.The four new 4x2 models are a 2.5-litre TDCi XL Cre Cab pick-up auto and a Crew cab chassis auto, and the XLT crew cab pick-up in manual and auto.Ford product marketing manager Christine Wagner said the new XLT and Wildtrak were introduced because of the growth in the sector of the market since its launch in early 2007.“Most growth has been in the high-end vehicles because these are dual-purpose vehicles people can use in their trade and their leisure,” she said.“The XLT model has been our best performer.”The PK Ranger, which replaces the PJ model gets a restyled front end, new seat trim and extra features.The front end features a bolder three-bar chrome grille from the F150 truck, a power bulge on the bonnet, reshaped headlights, restyled front bumper, indicators integrated into the body, new XLT alloys and flared rear fenders.Cruise control and side airbags are now standard on the XLT and Wildtrak and optional on the XL.An auxiliary connector for iPod or other MP3 players are standard across the range.Wagner claims there is $3000 worth of extras in the XLT for the extra $1000.The XL price rises $2500 for the 4x2 2.5-litre single cab chassis, $1500 on the pick-up and $400 on the crew cab pick-up.Wagner said the price rise on these base models was due to exchange rate fluctuations and keeping pace with other manufacturers’ pricing.“However, the net affect is less on the cab chassis because the factory option tray was $1540, but it’s now $1000,” she said.The Wildtrak adds 18-inch alloys, a sports bar, box rails, roof rails, aluminium side steps, mirrors with integrated LED indicators and Wildtrak decals.Inside there are alcantara leather seats, steering wheel and gearshift, a premium lighting system and a multi-meter that shows inside and outside temperature, tilt level and compass bearing.Despite the updates, the Ranger cabin appears much the same and Ford has persisted with the ungainly umbrella-stick handbrake while the steering is still only adjustable for height, not reach.Ranger has a jittery ride with no load in the back; more so than the Nissan Navara and less than the Toyota HiLux.On the corrugated unsurfaced roads of the NSW central coast hinterlands, the back end sidestepped and clawed for traction.Slipping the all-wheel-drive model into 4H (high-range four-wheel drive) on the move suddenly tamed the rear end and sharpened turn-in.The Wildtrak model rides better on its 18-inch wheels with more grip and even more responsive turn-in.Engine noise is quite intrusive until you are purring along the highway at low revs, while the lack of double insulation in the doors does not seem to allow any dust to permeate the cabin.    

This is despite Ford recalling Territory models with similar problems.

Ford director of product development, Russell Christophers, admitted the changes were few and that there were no mechanical modifications.“This is a fairly minor change that just freshens the product,” he said.“We will do something more dramatic when we do the new Territory model.”However, he and other Ford executives at the “launch” of the updated Territory this week in Coffs Harbour would not elaborate on when the next model Territory would be released.“We’re not ready to talk about new Territory yet,” he said.“We have a product cycle plan for Territory but we are not ready for that yet.”He said the minor update was intended to maintain interest in the vehicle until the next model.The Territory SX was launched in 2004, then updated as the SY and now comes the SY Mk II with more airbags, more standard features, minor interior and exterior styling changes and between $500 and $1000 more on the pricetag.The base model Turbo has also been dropped from the range because Ford found most turbo buyers wanted the luxury of the Turbo Ghia which has been retained.Outside, the Territory gets a remodelled bonnet, grille, lower grille, fog lamp bezels, headlights, bumper, body coloured mirror and door handles, tail lamps and new wheel designs.The Ghia also gets indicators incorporated in the mirrors and larger, 18-inch alloy wheels.There are four new exterior colours: Velvet (brown), Harmony (silver), Mystic (green) and in September Ford will add Serenity (gold).Inside, there are new darker trim options in some models.Product marketing manager Christine Wagner said the Territory was launched in 2004 with a lot of options.“We know which ones worked so we have simplified the choice with more standard gear,” she said.Territory TX now comes standard with side curtain airbags, cruise control, 17-inch alloy wheels and a body colour package for the bumpers, door handles and mirrors.Territory TS also gets the body colour package plus a reverse parking camera, front fog lamps, leather-wrapped steering wheel, handbrake and gearshift, and a third row seat as standard.Ghia gains a third-row seat as standard, an Alpine rear DVD system, side steps, rear privacy glass and 18-inch alloy wheels, while the Ghia Turbo adds a new 18-inch alloy wheel design.Wagner said the SY Mk II offered better value for money.The TX costs $1000 more and all other models an extra $500. Ford claimed the extra standard equipment was valued at between $3600 and $6600, depending on the model.Christophers said the fuel economy on rear-wheel drive Territory models had been improved by 4.9 per cent or 0.6 litres per 100km.The Ghia and all seven-seater models had a 1.6 per cent or 0.2L/100km economy improvement.He said this was achieved by new global calibrations to the engine, transmission, catalytic converter and other elements of the drive train.He ruled out LPG or diesel engines until the next model Territory.

Land Rover Australia spokesman Guido Schenken said they had offered some courses in NSW last year as a "prospecting tool for new and existing owners to get to know their vehicles"."The Land Rover Experience is a franchise and we're not up to that level yet," he said."The current plan is to relocate and develop this trial in other states throughout 2009.""Our aim is to expand the program over the next couple of years and our ultimate goal is to get a franchise running.""Potentially it would be a roaming centre so we could move to the different states depending on demand.""If you look at the model of other driving programs, they have struggled when they are in one place."An example is BMW which owned Norwell on the Gold Coast hinterland, but now operates a roaming course in several states.Land Rover Experience has been operating for 25 years and now has 35 franchises around the world.Veteran Land Rover tester and the company's longest-serving staff member Roger Crathorne, 62, spends 100 days a year training drivers at Eastnor Castle."It means I don't have to work too many weekends and can spend more time with my family," he said."My wife is very understanding. She has always thought I was married to Land Rover anyhow."Crathorne has trained journalists, rally drivers and even members of the British Royal family in off-road driving."The Royals have always been very attentive, but the SAS has been the most interesting to work with," he said."They have a totally different focus. For them it's probably a life and death matter and they don't relax; they are focussed on the training."Crathorne is an enthusiastic advocate of Land Rover's Terrain Response system, which he claims can get anyone out of just about any sticky situation."Even though you think you have it going, the traction aids can ride it better than you can," he said."You just won't spin the wheels."As soon as the system recognises you have momentum it will start to pull the vehicle."

This is the Italian manufacturer’s best-selling car in full-thrust mode at its international launch on the volcanic Spanish island of Tenerife off the coast of Morocco last week.The locals don't get to see a lot of super sportscars on the tiny tourist island, so the appearance of the Gallardo Spyder, named like all Lambos after a famous Spanish fighting bull, elicits cries of Dale cana which means step on it.We oblige and the Spyder rockets to 100km/h in just four seconds, down an imperceptible 0.34 seconds on the previous model.The convertible will arrive in Australia in July costing $502,000, which is $47,000 more than the coupe.For that you get a powered soft top in black, blue, grey or beige that goes up or down in about 20 seconds, allowing the driver and passenger to more fully appreciate the unique wail of the 5.2-litre V10 engine it shares with the coupe.The new driveline, featuring Iniezione Diretta Stratificata direct fuel injection, reduces fuel consumption with CO2 emissions down 18 per cent, but still an unhealthy 330g/km.Power is up 29 kilowatts to 412kW or 560 horsepower, hence the models name, while weight is down 20kg.Automobili Lamborghini: research and development director Maurizio Reggiani says this improves the all-important power-to-weight ratio."The key ingredients of this car are four-wheel-drive traction, a low power-to-weight ratio and its easy to drive with energy efficiency," he says.Brand director Manfred Fitzgerald says it is an "extreme car" with an "extreme set-up" and is not a daily driver.Company president and CEO Stephan Winkelmann disagrees."This is a daily driver even though our customers dont buy it for an everyday car," he says.They are both right to some degree.DrivingAround the narrow town streets, the Spyder feels too wide yet ambles along nicely in full automatic transmission mode.On downshifts it blips the throttle giving the impression of a talented driver behind the wheel and exciting the excitable locals with its throaty F1 growl.The suspensions extreme set-up requires judicious approaches to traffic calming so we set the optional front axle suspension lift system to the highest setting.This only works up to 70km/h, as we soon find out on the steep and twisty hillclimb to the 3000m crater of El Teide, the volcano which dominates the island of Tenerife.With the top down, I begin to get an ice-cream headache from the cold and dizzying heights as we hurtle upwards on the billiard-table smooth road surface.Suddenly the road resurfacing funding runs out and it becomes bumpy. The extremely low front spoiler immediately bottoms out with a sickening scrape, leaving a nasty gash, and we back right off.This may be an easy-to-drive supercar, but its extreme set-up takes it out of the realms of a daily driver.Like the coupe, the convertible features 4WD with a 30-70 per cent torque split front to rear at constant speed, a mechanical differential on the rear axle which provides up to 45 per cent limited slip, and an electronic differential lock at the front.All this serves to increase lateral force and provide maximum thrust, Reggiani says.The hairpin turns on the volcano hillclimb are a perfect testing ground for his claims of lateral force.The Spyder complies by sticking to the road with neutral manners and almost none of the usual flex and scuttle shake associated with convertibles.The low-assistance steering provides an almost go-kart feel of direct connection to the front wheels.True to Lamborghini’s claims, the open cockpit presents little buffeting, even up to 160km/h with the rear glass windscreen and side windows up.For safety, it features two spring-loaded rollover bars behind the seats which deploy in 250 milliseconds in a roll-over while the seat belt tensioners spring into action.We avoid testing this function and finally reach the volcanos crater where tourist groups have milled to photograph the stunning moonscape scenery. As we arrive, the lenses are re-focused on the origami-style Spyder instead and the tourists ask us to photograph them standing beside the car.It is a real head-turner in any colour, but the new and expensive optional matte black, white and brown are the standouts.On the downhill run the steel Brembo brakes get a solid workout and although there is no hint of fade, the pedal feels a bit soft with a lack of initial bite which is unusual for a supercar.An obvious drawback for the rear-engined Spyder is the limited 110 litres of front cargo capacity; just enough for one medium-sized suitcase or a couple of back packs.The hip-high car is also difficult to access and step out of.I found the cockpit rather cramped for leg space and with the seat all the way back the leather created an annoying squeak against the rear bulkhead.The sport seats are nicely contoured without being tight, although they are too narrow at the shoulders and are very hard on bony backsides.Fitzgerald says Spyder customers are 95 per cent male, but more women are attracted to the convertible.It is also the most important product in their two-car stable.Murcielago accounts for 25 per cent of sales, while Gallardo accounts for the other 75 per cent with 60 per cent of that being the Spyder.He says 95 per cent preferred the e.gear auto sequential transmission which features a standard program, a sport mode with shorter shift times and a racetrack-oriented corsa program.Electronic stability is active in all drive programs, engaging later in the sport and corsa modes and reducing the impact of the traction control. The corsa mode also permits greater drift, however close rock walls on the narrow roads put a stop to any intentions of drifting.At speeds of more than the sign-posted 120km/h highway, an automatically-deploying rear spoiler increases the down force on the rear wheels.We flow with the traffic which seems to disregard the posted speed signs and allow the spoiler to work its magic.The Spyder comes standard with driver, passenger and side air-bags; dual-zone climate control with sun regulator; stereo system with USB interface; sports seats with electrically adjustable back rests; leather upholstery and bi-xenon headlamps with LED daytime running lights.Options include a navigation system, a hands-free Bluetooth mobile phone connection, anti-theft device, a rear view camera, the front axle lift system, ceramic brakes.PRICE: $502,000ENGINE: 5.2-litre, 4-valve V10POWER: 412kW @ 8000rpmTORQUE: 540Nm @ 6500rpmTRANSMISSION: 6 speed manual, or 6-speed sequential e.gear automaticECONOMY: 14 litres/100km (combined)CO2 EMMISSIONS: 330g/km