Articles by Neil Dowling

In Europe, it comes with 2-litre and 2.4-litre petrol engines or Honda's new 2.2 i-DTEC diesel. Australians have to make do with the 2.4.Honda Australia is pushing hard for the inclusion of the wagon for the local line-up. But even if it did appear it could trail the sedan version by at least 12 months.This is the eighth generation of the Accord (the first came to Australia in 1976), and with 16 million sold since, it has become a core model for Honda.It is one of the few Honda passenger cars manufactured in Japan since the company built factories in Thailand. Jazz, Accord V6 and CR-V are built in Thailand.The Accord Euro, which is only available with a four-cylinder engine to differentiate it from the bigger V6 Accord, has a higher level of features and safety over the current model.It comes standard with safety equipment including a new electronic stability control linked to the car's steering system, which helps the driver steer safely in demanding conditions.Options will include lane-keeping assistance (which alerts the driver when the car starts to move out of its lane); adaptive cruise control and a collision mitigation brake system to warn the driver of a possible accident and prepare the brakes for an emergency stop.The new Euro is bigger than its predecessor to boost cabin room. In styling, it is an evolution of the current model and shares some styling clues with its main rival, the Mazda6, which was also released as a new model.The Australian 150kW, 2.4-litre four-cylinder engine version drives either a six-speed manual or a five-speed automatic with steering-wheel paddle shifters.No prices have been announced ahead of its local launch, because the Mazda6 was released last month at an unexpectedly low price and it appears Honda will have to follow suit. Only a minor price increase over the existing model is expected.Meanwhile, Honda has announced an additional hybrid sedan and the fast-tracking of its stunning fuel-cell car to production. Honda president Takeo Fukui said a “dedicated” hybrid would go on sale in 2009 to support the existing Civic Hybrid.This new car is smaller and is expected to cost about two-thirds of the Civic price, making it the cheapest hybrid on offer in Australia.This sedan is confirmed for production but the news is slightly more blurred about Honda's cute CR-Z sports coupe that is also slated for a hybrid powerplant.The CR-Z, a successor to the popular CR-X of the mid-1990s, was first shown at last year's Tokyo motor show.Better news for Honda's medium-sized fuel-cell car, the FCX Clarity, which goes on sale in the US in June and in Japan in October. The FCX theoretically has a market in Australia, although Honda Australia spokesman Mark Higgins said an immature infrastructure for hydrogen would delay local sales.The FCX will be the first fuel-cell car to reach the global market though it is being hotly pursued by other manufacturers.Honda also released details of a sophisticated, low-emission 2.2-litre diesel called the i-DTEC. This engine will appear first in the European-spec Accord but won't come to Australia for at least two years.

Honda is adopting a brighter shade of green with the surprise announcement of an additional hybrid sedan and the fast-tracking of its stunning fuel-cell car to production.Honda president Takeo Fukui said a dedicated hybrid would go on sale in 2009 to support the existing Civic Hybrid. The new car is smaller and is expected to cost about 2/3 of the Civic price.The news is slightly more blurred about Honda's cute CR-Z sports coupe, also slated for a hybrid powerplant.Better news is for Honda's medium-size fuel-cell car, the FCX Clarity, which goes on sale in the US in June and in Japan in October. The FCX theoretically has a market in Australia, though Honda Australia spokesman Mark Higgins said an immature infrastructure for hydrogen would delay local sales.Honda also released details of a sophisticated low-emission 2.2-litre diesel called the i-DTEC. This engine will appear first in the European-spec Accord but won't come to Australia for at least two years. 

More accurately, under its “Vision Zero” plan it proposes no fatalities in Volvo cars. This is the task that falls on the shoulders of Volvo's safety strategies manager, Jan Ivarsson, who runs the company's safety centre at Gothenburg.“Yes, I think we can build the uncrashable car,” he says. “It has been acceptable that people die in cars. In the future, I don't think this attitude will be socially acceptable. You parallel that with aircraft accidents from frequent deaths in the earlier years to very low fatalities today. We no longer accept aircraft collisions.”Last year, 1.2 million people died in car accidents around the world. The data — from intense research by Volvo, which it makes available to its parent company Ford — starts by isolating the actions of the driver.“If you ensure the driver is awake, alert and sober, you have a very good start on the way to minimising car crashes,” Ivarsson says. “Then the driver must have information of the driving environment. This includes making the right road choice for the journey, staying in the right lane, travelling at the right speed, and so on.”But humans can and do make mistakes. Here, Volvo sees that drivers need some assistance.Clearly Ivarsson believes that to attain Volvo's ambitious “Vision Zero” crash-victim plan, the car will have to take over many driving tasks.“Think of it like an auto-pilot in aircraft,” he says. “We would like to have the driver in the loop but in the future, it could be that it is the car that is in control. We make dynamic cars that are fun to drive and a lot of our customers thoroughly enjoy driving. But we recognise that a lot of things start with the driver's attitude and experience.“We shouldn't forget that the factors involved in a crash, however, also involve authorities (road builders, government driver licensing departments, police, etc) and carmakers. We all have a role to play and a duty to perform to minimise car fatalities.”So is Vision Zero workable by 2020? “It's very challenging,” Ivarsson says.That aside, in its path towards Vision Zero, Volvo this week unveiled a raft of sophisticated safety features. Most will be encapsulated in the company's new compact crossover wagon, the XC60, which launches in Europe in October and Australia early next year. Some of the XC60's features are pointers to achieving Vision Zero.The most radical is a low-speed crash avoidance system called City Safety. It will be standard equipment on the XC60, primarily because Volvo is concerned buyers will ignore it as an expensive and seemingly trite option.Consisting of sonar hardware and algorithm-based software, City Safety prevents a car crashing into the back of another at speeds of less than 30km/h. Small fry? Not at all. Using data from 6.3 million police-reported crashes, Volvo found 29 per cent were rear-end prangs.Within those crashes, a huge 75 per cent occurred at less than 30km/h. Put the two together and you see why Volvo is occupying its research and development — or a significant slice of it — at the lower end of the accidents.The reason is that such crashes are expensive to repair, costly when added to time spent by vehicle owners, expensive to administer and police, and perhaps more importantly, can cause injury through whiplash. City Safety eradicates all of that. It could even save the owner money.Volvo, spurred by research by Australian car clubs that spelled out the very high cost of low-speed crashes, is now in discussions with Australian insurance companies. It is quietly confident that owners of Volvo XC60 models can, from next year, get significant premium discounts at selected insurers.Volvo is the first company to devise the system and, after protecting its investment for the next 12 months, will then offer it to other carmakers.It will also roll it out to other Volvo models, and into the Ford group.“It is a very important safety feature,” says Ivarsson. “It rates alongside our other world firsts, starting with the three-point seatbelt in 1959, the catalytic converter with lambda sond (oxygen sensor) in 1976, the seat whiplash system and inflatable curtain airbag, both in 1998. It also reflects our shift from passive safety to preventative safety — it's all about getting it right before the crash.”Volvo officially unveiled the XC60 this month claiming it is “the safest Volvo ever.”This is a car for the family that has all the high-end luxury features in a nimble, attractive package. Though it appears to hit the spot, it soon won't be alone in its market segment.It will rival upcoming compact luxury SUVs including the Volkswagen Tiguan, Audi Q5, new BMW X3, Mercedes-Benz GLK and even a baby Lexus. The market already has the Mazda CX-7, Toyota Kluger, Ford Territory, Nissan Murano and others, so there's plenty of choice.It is 20mm shorter than its sister, the XC70, and lower than its bigger sister, the XC90.It's quite heavy, with a range of 1825kg to 1990kg depending on the model and the fittings, which is on par with the XC70.There will be three engines, starting at the top with Volvo's three-litre in-line six-cylinder turbocharged T6 petrol unit.There are also two five-cylinder turbocharged diesels; the D5 with 136kW and 400Nm and the 2.4-litre 2.4D, with 120kW and 340Nm.There is no four-cylinder option and none will be offered in the near future. However, Volvo says it will launch a hybrid within five years, which is likely to use a four-cylinder engine and be inserted into an SUV model. How a sensor will stop you crashingCity Safety is obvious externally only by the peepholes at the centre top of the windscreen. These give the laser sensors their view of the road ahead and can detect vehicles and other objects up to 10m from the car's front bumper.The sensors use a complex computer software program that has access to the car's brakes, therefore overriding the driver. At its safety centre south of Gothenburg on Sweden's wintry west coast, the demonstration involved an inflatable “car” parked ahead of the test car — you can't be too sure about new technology.You are told to pretend you are in traffic and to drive forward at 30km/h, which is surprisingly fast, and aim for the 'car.'Closer and closer, I'm desperately preventing a jump on to the brake pedal. At a point that feels too late to stop, the brakes suddenly grip hard. The noise of the system as it engages its ABS brake system shocks me. Combined with the sudden stop, I'm quickly alert and move my foot to depress the brake pedal.The system will only hold the car for 1-2 seconds, figuring correctly that I'm now awake. The abruptness and noise is deliberate.It stops the car quickly and ensures the driver knows exactly what's going on. If it was a graduated process, I'm told, the driver would become complacent.It will be standard on the XC60 early next year and other Volvos later. SnapshotVolvo XC60On sale in Australia: March 2009Price: TBA — expected in the $49,000-$62,000 rangeEngine: T6 3L/6-cylinder turbo 210kW/400Nm; 2.4L/5-cyl turbo-diesel D5 136kW/400Nm, 2.4L/5-cyl 2.4D 120kW/340NmEconomy: 0-100km/h: 7.5sec (T6); 9.9sec (D5); 10.9sec (2.4D)

It takes a step up from the current Fiesta model and follows the cheeky styling of the Mazda2 — not surprising, really, given Mazda is an associate company of Ford and both are on the small-car platform.Ford decided to retain the Fiesta name, instituted 32 years ago, after speculation it would be called the Verve, used when the Fiesta concept car was first shown last year.The styling — Ford calls it Kinetic — follows the same theme as the bigger Mondeo and even the latest Ford Falcon.The nose is dominated by a huge, low-slung grille that resembles a mouth. Much of the Verve's features have been carried over, which Ford Europe's CEO John Fleming said was important to maintain momentum in buyer interest. “The Verve concept produced amazing response,” he said.“This led to the design becoming the blueprint for Ford in the future.“All C-cars (C represents the small-car segment) will be like the new Fiesta — smaller, lighter and greener."“By 2010 it will extend out of Europe and into the US and then around the world.”Fleming said the Fiesta was one of 20 new models that would be launched by Ford in 2008. “That's a record, because the previous best was 14. This (new product roll-out) is very important to us. It will lead us to report a profit by 2009.”Ford has reported huge losses over the past five years, which led to the offloading of Aston Martin in 2007. It is currently in negotiations to sell Land Rover and Jaguar to the Indian conglomerate Tata.It retains Volvo and Mazda.Fleming said a four-point plan would be followed to restructure Ford and return it to profit.“This would involve delivering new product, corporate restructuring and bringing the company together to leverage the strength and avoid duplication.”Fiesta will come to Australia later this year as a five-door hatch, though may also be introduced as a three-door, just as Mazda had introduced a three-door Mazda2 to complement its five-door version.Ford said the Fiesta would showcase low-emission technology, including a model with less than 100g/km of CO2, as well as one that would operate on E85 ethanol fuel.The Fiesta, which is Ford's second-biggest seller after the Focus, is being built in Germany and Spain though will also soon go into production in China and, from 2010, in the US.Meanwhile, Ford has debuted its new small SUV, the Kuga, based on the Ford Focus, to go on sale in Europe in June.Ford Australia spokeswoman Sinead McAlary said they had shown some interest in the Kuga crossover but a business plan was still a “work in progress.” 

The Swiss show this week turned a significant corner, brushing aside traditional glitz and glamour to tackle the more sombre environmental issues.The show's displays confronted visitors with the speed and breadth of low-emission vehicle development.The change that is sweeping Europe and is relentlessly marching on other markets, including Australia, is spurred by consumer demands for low-emission cars and future European legislation that will dramatically curtail exhaust pollutants.Ford Europe's vice-president for environmental affairs, Wolfgang Schneider, said there was a global move to reduce emissions and create energy independence through minimising the use of fossil fuel.But rather than make hybrids, or wait for fuel-cell vehicles that use hydrogen, European car companies are seeking less radical and less expensive options.“The mainstream solution is to take conventional technology and turn it green,” he said.“Consumers want what they have now — cars that are well priced, have sporty driving manners, are comfortable and affordable to run — but they want to be environmentally aware. More importantly, they don't want to pay for it.”Ford released its new Fiesta small car that emits less than 120g of CO2 for every kilometre, the future legislated threshold proposed by the European Union.“We can do this by using current engineering — that is, to reduce the vehicle's weight, make the car more aerodynamic, and use low-friction lubricants,” Dr Schneider said.“The Fiesta, with 99g/km, equates to a fuel economy of 3.8 litres/100km. As long as we can get these low emissions and low fuel consumption by existing technology, the less need we have to rush into building hybrid vehicles.“If we decide on a hybrid, it will immediately add about $6000 to the car's price. Customers won't pay that.”Ford in Europe also offers one Flexifuel version which runs on biofuel for every model. But the pick-up is poor compared with diesels.Volvo, which sits under the Ford umbrella, offers biofuel models, but believes high-efficiency diesels are the best option.Volvo chief Steven Armstrong said his company would soon offer a high-efficiency version of its C30 three-door hatch that emits less than 120g/km.He said it was also developing a plug-in electric C30 version.The battery is charged by plugging the car into a power source, usually overnight. The battery runs four electric motors, each within the wheel hubs.When the battery runs low, a small four-cylinder, ethanol-fuelled engine is automatically started to run a generator to recharge the battery.Volvo insists that the power source to charge the battery must be sustainable, preferably solar or wind-generated.“We will have a hybrid of the XC60 (a small SUV released this week and expected in Australia later this year) in 2010 and other hybrids may follow,” Mr Armstrong said.“Hybrids are great for the city where there is low-speed operation, but we believe that an efficient diesel is far, far better for the environment.“We will have an XC60 diesel with 170g/km CO2 on the market within 12 months.”Many manufacturers at the Geneva Motor Show displayed diesel-fuelled vehicles that use an ammonia-based liquid that results in extremely low emissions of nitrogen. Companies such as Mercedes-Benz call it BlueTec.But it's not on the way to Australia, certainly not this year.Volkswagen has a similar system called BlueMotion that could be here as early as late 2009.Volkswagen showed a concept diesel-hybrid that it claims will consume only 3.4 litres/100km.One further way many car makers are minimising fuel consumption and reducing emissions is by offering models with smaller engines.This “downsizing” is being adopted by Volvo (it has a two-litre, four-cylinder engine option for its S80 luxury sedan) and Ford (1.6-litre engine for the medium-size Mondeo).The legislation on emissions will come into force from January 1, 2012.However, the rush to clean up the current fleet of cars is also being pushed by new US emission legislation that will come into effect about the same time as Europe.When introduced, both sets of legislation will affect the vehicles available to Australian buyers. 

A lot of things, including the words on this page, would be a blur.What wouldn't be clouded by the experience is the allure of a Porsche.Standing still, alongside the curb in a leafy street, it arrestingly melds delicate beauty with coiled ferocity, like a caged animal ready for a meal.At speed it is athletic, running lightly on its tyres and even when pushed hard, feels relaxed, confident and capable. It even makes me look good.This is the 997 version of the enduring Porsche 911, the model that is regarded as the company's flagship. Think Porsche, think 911.Unfortunately, that is no longer the case.Porsche nationally sold a respectable 183 cars in January but more than half — 74 were Cayenne SUVs.It frighteningly reflects that if Porsche hadn't introduced an SUV, arguably the company today would barely be profitable.I could dwell on the glum outlook but the corner is coming up. Squeeze the clutch, click the lever back from third, pressure the accelerator before the apex and power through.The steering is perfect, as is the weight of the clutch and even the slight rubbery vagueness of the gear change feels comfortable.The tyres — whopping 305 Michelins at the rear — sing softly and there's a bit of movement from the tail. But I'm not stupid and stability control remains switched on.Even with this control, the rear can be tempted to step out a fraction and the nose can be pushed to understeer. The control is almost intuitive, letting you have a bit of fun yet always ready to pull you back to safety.What is changed is the button to wake Porsche's Active Suspension Management (PASM).Promptly the ride firms but this system is more about constant monitoring and altering the suspension to maximise grip and minimise roll.There are a host of bits and pieces under the chassis like this and they're all there primarily to keep the car on the road.Their secondary task is to try to defeat the laws of physics.For the iconic 911 carries in its DNA a potentially nasty trait — it has its engine hanging out the back, behind the rear wheels.What we have here, dear reader, is a pendulum. Rush it hard into a corner and it will attempt to swing its tail out. With a bit of momentum, it can spin wildly.That was a problem with many of the original 911 models, starting in 1964. Today, the 997 uses every trick in the book to thwart what Einstein and others wrote as fact.Such is Porsche's engineering expertise that you will have to be very silly to get the 997 in a position where it will let you leave the road sideways or backwards.Tempting you to this end, however, is Porsche's biggest flat-six engine. The Carrera S gets a 3.8-litre version of the 3.6 unit available in the other cars.Compared with a Carrera 3.6, the S variant is easier to drive and can lull the driver into near lethargy with its docile manners.Drive to the shops, putter along the Freeway in the morning and idle along in the city — the 3.8 is more comfortable and obliging than the slightly peakier 3.6.It is so easy to drive that it's almost on par with a Corolla.But the Cabriolet — desirable as it is to those who like the wind ruffling their greying locks — has issues with rear visibility when closed. It's also noisier than the steel-roofed Coupe. But with the fabric roof electrically retracted it provides marginally more comfort for the two children shoehorned into the rear.Finally, it's not cheap. At $247,800 it's less than $10,000 away from a red hot GT3 version. Or a small apartment somewhere near the coast.Snapshot Porsche 911 Carrera S CabrioletPrice: $247,800 ($255,930 as tested)Engine: 3.8-litre, flat-6Power: 261kW @ 6600rpmTorque: 400Nm @ 4600rpmAcceleration: 0-100km/h 4.9sec; top speed 293km/hFuel: PULP, 64-litre tank, 11.6l/100km (claimed), 14.8l/100km (tested)CO2 emissions: 277g/km (Corolla: 175g/km)Transmission: 6-speed manual; rear-driveBrakes: 4-wheel vented, cross-drilled discs, ESC, ABS, EBD, brake assistTurning circle: 10.9mSuspension: MacPherson struts, electronically adjusted dampers (front); multi-link, coils, electronically adjusted dampers (rear)Wheels/tyres: 19-inch alloys; front 35/35ZR19, rear 295/30ZR19, no spareDimensions (MM): 4427 (l), 1808 (w), 1300 (h)Weight: 1505kgWarranty: 2yr/unlimited km, roadside assistService: 30,000kmFeatures: airconditioning, 10 airbags, 6-disc CD/audio, trip computer, electric hood, cruise controlOptions: test car fitted with 19-inch Carrera sports wheel with 235/35ZR19 front and 305/30ZR19 tyres ($2080) 

Statistically, however, that is no longer replicated in the sales leadership once enjoyed by Jeep.It's not as if dedicated four-wheel drivers have deserted the brand. They haven't. It's just that the competition has become more savvy at attracting a softer audience.Clawing back its iconic reputation is a new Jeep, the third-generation Cherokee dubbed KK that replaces the bug-eyed KJ.Bigger - as all things seem to be becoming - with more refinement and features, the KK's evolution hasn't come at the loss of any offroad prowess.In fact, going bush has been made safer, easier and more comfortable than the outgoing KJ model.Jeep is confident it has a solid future with the latest Cherokee and a lot of that has to do with styling.It sold 18,644 of its square-rigged XJ model that ran hard from 1994 to 2001. It's no-nonsense looks oozed a sense of offroad capability.Then came the KJ (2001-2008) that attracted 12,747 Australian buyers but though that's an impressive sales figure, the round-eyed and curvaceous Cherokee didn't quite hit the mark.Chrysler Australia managing director Gerry Jenkins said the new KK launched this week was reminiscent in styling to the macho XJ _ a feature that research found was lacking in the KJ.“Cherokee is the iconic Jeep and since 1984 is responsible for one-third of our business,” he said.“The KK brings back the look of this original model.”A lot of died-in-the-wool Jeep owners will love him for that.The KK arrives as a chunky, purposeful and imposing 4WD that is a big step forward from the cutesy look of its more female-oriented predecessor.It now sits on a Dodge Nitro platform, increasing its wheelbase over the KJ by 45mm.Yet the new model's length shrinks by 3mm, a product of moving the spare tyre from the back door to beneath the chassis.Meanwhile the interior room increases in length by 250mm to primarily benefit rear passengers and, to a lesser degree, boot space.The KK also has a wider track - up 26mm - for improved stability.Other good news includes a tighter turning circle that drops to 10.4m from 10.8m.A penalty is weight that grows by 106kg in the V6 petrol and 32kg in the turbo-diesel. Both now hover around the 2-tonne mark, quite portly for a medium-size 4WD.To compensate, the two engine choices move up in power and torque output thanks to some tweaking.The 3.7-litre V6 petrol adds a mere 1kW - barely quantifiable - to 151kW and has 7Nm more torque at 314Nm.Fuel economy improves by 0.5 litres/100km to a claimed 11.7 l/100km.Better news for the Wrangler-derived 2.8-litre turbo-diesel that gets 10kW more at 130kW. It adds a powerful 60Nm to 460Nm delivered at 2000rpm though 80 per cent of that is on tap at 1000rpm.The turbo-diesel gets a 0.6 l/100km improvement in economy to average 9.4.No Cherokee is available with a manual gearbox. Jeep said poor demand didn't justify its inclusion, though certainly the restricted driver footwell in right-hand drive form would have been a factor.The V6 petrol has a five-speed auto shared with the Chrysler 300C sedan and the bigger Grand Cherokee 4WD and the diesel continues with a six-speed auto unit.New for 2008 is the electronic transfer case that replaces the awkward manual-shift system in the KJ.The Cherokee is a 2WD vehicle though no can switch from 2WD to 4WD High at any speed. It still requires the vehicle to be stationary to engage 4WD Low that locks drive 50:50 front to rear.The 4WD High mode activates a multi-plate centre clutch to allocate 42 per cent of power to the front wheels and 58 per cent to the rear. There's a Neutral mode for towing the Jeep behind a mobile home - remarkably, quite a sought-after feature.On top of all this is an active traction control system that brakes a spinning wheel to transfer power to the wheel or wheels with traction.It's an aid for slippery on-road conditions though primarily benefits off-road activities.For going bush there's a switchable electronic stability control (ESC). But unlike many systems, this is dormant and will automatically engage ESC at speeds above 56km/h. Drop back under that speed and it will return to its dormant state.The KK gets hill start assist _ basically the brakes automatically engage for two seconds to minimise rollback in forward or reverse _ and hill descent control. Both are standard features.Clearly it's not a soft roader. Jeep claims a 38.2-degree approach angle when the small lip spoiler is unclipped, and a 30.3-degree departure angle. It will ford a stream up to 510mm deep and tow up to 2270kg.There are two models - Sport and Limited - with the petrol V6 or turbo-diesel and with prices that start at $39,990 and rising to the Limited diesel's $49,990.Standard equipment on the Sport includes a lift-up rear glass section within the hatch; a removable cargo floor panel that is a reversible waterproof tray; fold-down rear seat that actually folds flat; a flip-back front passenger seat to further increase cargo room; cruise control; climate airconditioning; rear park assist (a camera is under development for future models); 16-inch alloy wheels including the spare (18-inch on the Limited models); and options including Bluetooth and the 20-gig MYGig infotainment system.An appealing `Sky Slider' full-length fabric roof opens either forward or backwards and claims low wind noise. It costs $3000 but is only available on the Limited.Similarly, MYGig costs $3000 but only comes with the Limited model.As expected, the V6 petrol is smooth, responsive and quiet while the diesel is harsher, stronger in the low rev range and a little hesitant to abrupt throttle prods.Sweeping bitumen roads show competent handling though the steering jerks at mid-corner bumps.The ride, however, is supple and comfortable despite the rather simple live-axle rear suspension.Visibility is very good, mainly because of the KK's boxy shape.Despite the vehicle's size increase, the Cherokee's cabin isn't expansive. It suits four adults but entry to the rear is still a squeeze and legroom is only marginal. No complaints, however, with the generous headroom.In the dirt the diesel's relentless clatter produces impressive performance.It's naturally a more responsive unit when driving through the low-range system, able to pull unfussed from 800rpm and yet rev towards 4500rpm when needed.The diesel, when tested this week on Fraser Island, was almost unstoppable. It did, however, come to grief when the underbody sound deadening panel jagged itself on a tree root and cleanly ripped off. Four other diesels on test met the same fate.The V6 petrol's offroad manners were very similar, though there was no underbody panel to prise loose.The main difference was the petrol's wider operating rev range which gave it more flexibility.It also endeared itself with smoothness and quietness _ all strong arguments to override its thirstier fuel habit.The KK is an impressive unit but may find greater fortune with the more enthusiastic off-roader.It sits in a busy price segment that includes similarly off-road competent Prado, Pathfinder and Pajero though fights the established soft-roader group including Territory, Captiva, Kluger, Santa Fe and Sorento.

Aside from the purchase price, it would be expensive to insure, fuel, maintain and repair. But while the Aston costs the same as some other desirables, it simply isn't like the others. The DB9 needs a learned hand, a vacant road and a cool head to find respect.Otherwise it is a migraine.It is not an easy car to drive — especially in comparison with its step-sister, the Jaguar XK coupe — and nor is it especially comfortable, despite Aston clearly marketing this as a fully fledged Grand Tourer.The GT name fits, as long as the road surface is smooth — as it is in the important markets of Europe and the US but fairly rare in the antipodes where precious road tax is used to pave votes, not roads. In saying that, the DB9 isn't uncomfortable in the same way as crossing the Nullarbor by dray. Leather-wrapped seats with pedantic hand stitching are form-fitting so extended kilometres don't cause muscle pain.The steering wheel falls perfectly to hand, and the foot wells are unexpectedly wide, a product of Aston putting the engine at the front and the gearbox at the back. The instruments are big and clear and the switchgear is man-size, and suitably identified in simple language.But there is precious little personal storage space. Aston Martin's owner's manual is only 75mm deep, not because it looks chic but because it's the only size that fits in the envelope laughingly called the glovebox. The boot will take a soft overnight bag and another one for the make-up.Be happy with that because Aston has dispensed with the spare wheel.Puncture? There's a 1800-number to ring and someone will be right along. In the meantime, there are issues to discuss like when the children come along for the ride. Like, where to store their lower limbs.My daughter played origami in the back seat, buckled and bowed behind a passenger seat firmly forward and with her head forced forward because of the low roof height. She's 15.Clearly, the superb leather trim has clearly been wasted in the twin scalloped portals at the back.Best they simply become much needed storage space.I will also whinge about the ignition key that must be slide into a barely visible hole in the steering column. It's only partially over because it is extremely awkward to twist given the proximity of the fascia.Once clicked over, with a modest assembly of panel lights for consideration, it's over to the centre console for a stab at the start button.And here's where the fun starts. Here's that first dousing in the waters of fear as 12 pistons start their roaring, journey in the hot cylinders of hell.Prod again at the row of transmission selection buttons on the dash. But wait, there's more.Now release the right-side handbrake and firmly twist the steering wheel while applying judicious weight to the accelerator. Familiarity brings exploration and you find the Sport button — basically hell with an extra serving of cayenne pepper — then the paddle shifters behind the steering wheel rim.You will tempt fear by coaxing the engine on a bit further to revel in its seamless power-delivery set.It starts with a hollow, lonely cry as the engine passes through 3000rpm then takes on a deeper note hitting 5000rpm, then it's a gutteral scream of as the tacho swings towards 7000rpm.Being inside this can while the mechanical bits are going berserk is akin to being strapped naked, wearing only spurs, to the back of a peckish lion and then digging your heels in.The rush of speed, usually the most dominant of adrenalin-pumping senses, gets overwhelmed by the ear-thrashing roar of raw, raging power.This is James Bond's ride so Aston doesn't hold back, cutting the rope that once civilised 450 horsepower (it sounds a lot more menacing than 335kW, doesn't it?) to sling its aluminium-can body down the bitumen at speeds of up to 300km/h.SNAPSHOTDB9 COUPEPRICE: $245,500ENGINE: 6.0L/335kW/570NmPERFORMANCE: 0-100km/h 5.1 seconds, top speed 300km/hECONOMY: 16.5L/100km official; 16.8L/100km tested 

The countdown has begun and decisions must be made soon on the mid-life update and upgrade of the 380, and any car that will follow it into production at the Mitsubishi Motors Australia factory in Adelaide.Company chief Rob McEniry has just been in Japan for an extensive series of meetings, including planning work on the 380, and expects to have the car's future clarified by head office soon.He is reluctant to talk about a likely replacement for 380, which is struggling against its big-six rivals the Holden Commodore, Ford Falcon and Toyota Aurion, but admits the car's future will be determined next month or early next year.“As I said last year, at the end of 2007 Mitsubishi would be going through its normal model cycle and mid-term planning phase and that's when we'd look at replacement or potentials for the 380, and that's exactly where we are,” McEniry says.Mitsubishi remains committed to local manufacturing and has several options for the future including a replacement for the 380 based on the Concept-ZT, and possibly a smaller car.However, details are yet to be assessed.Though the 380 sales results are well below original predictions, the Adelaide-based operation has underpinned its future with strong sales of its imported range.The Triton, Outlander and Pajero off-roaders are popular and the just-launched two-litre Lancer sedan; is expected to gain a strong following based on its $20,990 price and standard inclusion of electronic stability control.Mitsubishi plans to fit stability control to the 380 by mid next year.Despite the struggling 380 sales, Mitsubishi executives describe it as “approaching the segment average” for private sales.Results of only 1000 a month are putting pressure on the car's viability and a large portion of the car's sales have been to fleets. However, McEniry denies Mitsubishi is building only for fleet orders and says the 380 special editions such as the Platinum and Sports models had been popular with private buyers.Mitsubishi hopes to sell more than 10,000 380s this year. So far it has built 8170, down from 9603 for the same period last year.McEniry says the 380 can continue despite its low build rate. 

That is, until now. The new Lancer - possibly for the first time in the badge's history - appeals to a very broad market, collecting the ladies'  vote for its neat, well balanced lines and that of the men for its purposeful stance.It works better inside as well, with a more spacious and attractive cabin that lifts the car from mundane and puts it onto the shopping list of anyone looking for a mid-sized sedan.The engine size decreases to 2.0 litres from 2.4 but you wouldn't know it, and there's the option of a more efficient CVT gearbox in place of the old automatic. Best of all, it's safer with a stronger body and comes with standard electronic stability control and ABS brakes.Lancer is now right on the money for buyer appeal and was a no-brainer to get nominated as one of this year's Car of the Year finalists.Check out the video below and let us know if you think this is a worthy Car of the Year nominee.For all the latest on the carsguide Car Of The Year each week go to www.carsguide.com.au/car-of-the-year