Articles by Neil Dowling

From the depths of German forests comes an SUV that is so explosive, so clinically good at its job that it will redefine what you think about family haulers. Yes, this one's for real - a wagon with all the versatility you want, with the luxury features you deserve and the head snapping performance you crave.The Audi SQ5 makes so much sense that it will make you sit up and say unashamedly: "Hey, maybe the wife is right - we need an SUV''. The first "S'' sports machine from Audi with a diesel engine adds another tempter - it will be cheaper than the S4 wagon - expected at about $110,000 - when it gets here in the second quarter of next year.Boasting 230kW/650Nm, the SQ5 is based - as the name suggests - on the revamped Q5 SUV. Australia starts getting the mid-life makeover Q5 in December.Expect about $110,000 for a machine that has many of the dynamics of the S4 and yet has a generous and flexible cabin - not to mention very well equipped - and you have a vehicle that has the best of two worlds. The price includes heaps of equipment - and Audi Australia promises it will arrive in standard form heavily clothed - but there's a few A4 sheets of paper loaded with tempting options.It comes with 20-inch alloys but there's 21-inch on offer, there's Drive Select that controls settings for the chassis, full leather upholstery and alcantara, real wood and aluminium laminate trim, brilliant sat-nav that can be upgraded to Audi's "Connect'' system that reaches into the internet and Google Earth, and so on. It's a feast - you just have to pay the entry fee.The Q5 has been around since 2008 and the shape is a benign expression of how Germans mix form with function. It's practical not beautiful. But the cabin is perfectly appointed and the size is more socially justifiable than the behemoth Q7.New for this mid-life makeover are a new nose and lots of LEDs. The SQ5 adds more aggressive body kit and sits 30mm lower than the standard Q5 range. The boot floor is flat and makes a lipless connection when the tailgate is open to ease loading. Australia gets a space-saver spare wheel but Europeans get a can of goo and a compressor.The engine is the heart of the SQ5, It also features in next year's A6 and A7. This bi-turbo V6 mates to ZF's eight-speed automatic with paddle shifters, then routes to all wheels.The steering is electromechanical to save 0.3 L/100km of fuel but the fact it's electric means it integrates perfectly into the Drive Select system that offers different settings for engine response, transmission function, the firmness of the suspension dampers and the weight of the steering.The package will push to 100km/h from rest in a mere 5.1 seconds, claim up to 7.2 L/100km (I got 9.5 L/100km) and basically scare the wits from unsuspecting traffic.The basic Q5 is the same as before so keeps its five-star crash rating. There’s a raft of standard safety gear but Audi will allow you to spend extra money on side assist, adaptive cruise control and lane assist.Standard is a rear camera and Driver Assist that monitors the driver's behaviour. For example, a nodding head or erratic road manners are deemed to indicate a tired driver, so visual and audible alarms are triggered.Few cars will get your full attention within seconds of getting behind the wheel. This is one. It's because it has few diesel characteristics. It sounds like a big-bore petrol V8 (thanks to a sound amplifier) and delivers on that promise.It has a deep-throated purr at low revs, and roars like a V8 at anything above 3000rpm. It will race - much to the driver's alarm - towards and past the 5000rpm red line. This is no diesel, well, not a diesel we're used to.The two turbos are different is size, so one simmers in the low revs and the other boils at the top. Yet they don't work separately and in concert will pour on the boost until the driver is exhausted. If you think that's good, try the box. The ratios bump in and out like a tuned dual clutch unit and seamlessly open the gates to the power flow.The handling is superb. Dial in the "dynamic'' setting and feel the steering firm and the suspension tighten. It will run an accurate arc through a fast corner without even blinking. Yet the ride is compliant and sure-footed.Basically,  I love it. I wouldn't buy a sedan or wagon with this engine because it's too much a one-horse device. But this SUV that runs with the wolves as easily as chilling out at chow time with the lambs, is my cup of tea.

Technology bundles itself up within Audi's mid-life, five-engined model range that promises more economy, more luxury for only a little bit more money.The most popular single Audi model on sale in Australia, the Q5 continues to win tight fights with rivals and now takes technology into battle. Now revised for, perhaps, another five years, it goes on sale in Australia in December priced from about $65,000.High on the list of changes is the introduction of clever safety and infotainment systems that sit beneath Audi's smart Connect system. Prices are likely to remain about the same as before but Audi Australia spokesperson Anna Burgdorf says it's likely that local customers will get more features for the price.For example, options such as a rear camera and the adjustable drivetrain system, Drive Select, could be bundled into the price of the V6 models, while the four-cylinder models could get extra features such as bigger alloy wheels, keyless entry and dtart and Drive Select.Ms Burgdorf says pricing is still being worked on. The model that will get a lot of interest is the 3-litre V6 supercharged petrol TFSI - a new engine from Audi that replaces the 3.2-litre V6 petrol.VALUE Given Audi Australia's stance on remaining highly competitive, the updated Q5 range looks good. A final opinion will come when the car is launched but for now, the model sits well with market demands for a prestigious SUV with very high build quality and a remarkable drivetrain mix.The new supercharged V6 petrol will cost about $75,000 - based on the price of the outgoing 3.2 - which is at the top of the food chain aside from the new SQ5 sports SUV. It gets extras over the outgoing model including an eight-speed automatic and better fuel consumption while being faster. Rivals are keen not to let this one get too far ahead but on drivetrain technology alone, this SUV has an edge. DESIGN Changes for the new series are minimal. Overall, the Q5 has xenon headlights and LEDs listed as options though the supercharged engine may - indeed should - have these as standard. Cabin trim is typical Audi and the quality has not been compromised even though prices have barely altered. There are subtle body tweaks but you have to look hard. For example, the dual tail pipes have flattened bottoms.TECHNOLOGY There are changes to the existing engines plus the new electric-mechanical steering system that is designed to save engine load (and therefore improve fuel economy) while making it easy to integrate into the Drive Select system.The supercharged engine boasts 200kW/400Nm (up 5kW/70Nm on the 3.2) yet slashes one second in the 100km/h sprint to 5.9 seconds and reduces fuel use to an average of 8.5 L/100km. There is also an eight-speed automatic gearbox with shift paddles.All engines in the Q5 range are boosted - either turbocharged or supercharged - starting with the 2-litre pair of the TFSI and TDI. Audi sells a hybrid Q5 in Europe, China and the US but it's a no show for Australia. Just as well for its fuel use is similar to the 2.0 TFSI.There are other interesting bits such as the Connect infotainment system that picks up on Google Earth and has internet access for rear-seat passengers. Audi's optional MMI navigation now has just four fixed keys for the navigation, telephone, radio and media functions. Also, only one button is needed to operate the Drive Select system.SAFETY The Q5 range carries over the five-star crash rating of the previous model. It also has a similar airbag count and electronic aids. Australia gets a space-saver spare.DRIVING The supercharger's performance is impressive in terms of its acceleration and on-tap power, but it misses the aural theatre of other engines with a booster. For one, I miss the subtle whine as the supercharger winds up. But maybe modern families want peace and quiet - a feat the V6 does well even at 200km/h plus speeds on the German autobahn.But though very strong from idle and with immense muscle in the mid-range of the tachometer dial, its deliver is almost equal to the remarkable performance of the 2.0 TFSI version also driven on this launch. This is a much modified small-bore turbo-petrol that is worth a long hard look. Okay, back to the supercharged V6 that adds solidity on the autobahn with accuracy through the bends.Enthusiasts must opt for Drive Select (if it's an option) to tailor their driving demands. The SUV remains roomy, comfortable and flexible but the choice of engine is critical for the owner to get the best from the car. In this regard the V6 is really, really nice but unless you are towing, the 2-litre TSFI is probably better (and certainly cheaper) while the diesels cover all ground.Audi Q5 V6 TFSIPrice: est. $75,000Warranty: 3 years/unlimited km, roadside assistResale: n/aService interval: 15,000km/12 monthsSafety rating: 5-starSpare: Space-saverEngine: 3-litre V6 supercharged petrol 200kW/400NmTransmission: 8-spd Tiptronic auto, AWDBody: 4.6m (L); 1.9m (w); 1.6m (h)Weight: 1845kgThirst: 8.51/100km; 98RON; 199g/km Co2

Audi has stunned with a massive $13,500 reduction in its hot-headed RS 5 Coupe.

Battle lines are drawn in the luxury car market as Audi stuns with a massive $13,500 reduction in its hot-headed RS5 Coupe. Audi Australia spokesperson Anna Burgdorf says it’s all about being competitive. “We need, in Australia, to be competitive - everyone is doing it,’’ she says. “There is no question how competitive Australia’s car market has become. If we’re not flexible (on price and equipment), then we run the risk of losing sales to rivals - and we’re not going to do that." The heavy-hitter philosophy party answers why Audi has such a huge model range - “we have to offer the customer whatever they want," Burgdorf says - and why models such as the RS 5 are so important as halo cars. The RS5 presents a new concept for Audi - electromechanical steering - and standard equipment including Attention Assist (a driver alert system), a flat-bottomed steering wheel and an upgraded MMI central control now with Bluetooth streaming. There are some body highlights to identify this mid-life makeover, but the drivetrain remains the same - a 331kW/430Nm 4.2-litre V8 petrol attached to a seven-speed dual-clutch auto then driving all wheels. Neil Dowling is testing the car in Germany now and will report on its road manners later.  

Somewhere in the world, today probably, some clown is filling up the stonking Audi A8 4.2-litre V8 TDI's fuel tank with petrol.That's because the filler has yet to recognise that this near silent, elegant, rapid and authoritatively-styled German is powered by a diesel engine. Getting out the petrol, flushing the fuel lines and replacing a few injectors and filters will be expensive.Very expensive. But doubtless Audi service centres around the world are well practised. How can one blame the guy who filled it up? The A8 4.2TDI idles with almost inaudible assurance, responds instantly to a touch of the accelerator and cuts through freeway traffic with so little fuss and bereft of noise that the clink of Armagnac flutes from the rear seat can clearly be heard.VALUE All this doesn't come for nothing. The limousine will cost $238,500 before it's ready for the road. It is loaded with equipment that will keep you amused for hours - possibly days. If you let children loose in here, you may not see them for months.All this before you turn over the engine. Standard kit starts with the best materials and finest construction ever to grace the cabin of a sub-$500,000 car. It's brilliant.There's also a superb audio and sat-nav system, a touchpad with handwriting recognition, wireless for your iPad/iPhone or Android and Audi's Multi Media Interface that does everything from alter the drivetrain characteristics to help lower fuel consumption.DESIGN It's a lavish and expansive saloon with its hard bits built predominantly from aluminium - it weighs about 40 per cent less than a comparable steel body - and the soft bits from leather, padded vinyl and wool-blend carpet. It has family lines but while its possible to mistake it for an A6 on a damp night, it is clearly too much a limousine to be an A4. There's more room than most people deserve and even the boot is big enough to carry sufficient cash to buy a small country. TECHNOLOGYThe A8 rides on adaptive air suspension and the bi-turbo V8 diesel drives all wheels through an eight-speed sequential automatic. Remarkably, the 4.2-litre engine pumps 258kW/800Nm - that's not a mistake - and yet can get 7.6 L/100km.Not when you max it out over the 0-100km/h spring, however, which can be dashed in a mere 5.5 seconds. Not bad for a 2-tonne, 5.1m top-notch four-door sedan. The MMI also gets a nod for its technological excellence. SAFETY This should go without saying but the A8 is the pinnacle of Audi's safety program. Some of the equipment is optional - and no surprise here but it's expensive - but the standard lifesaving aids should be more than adequate. The A8 previews Audi's pre-sense safety system for avoiding accidents and minimising the consequences, and gets night vision assistant with pedestrian marking and adaptive cruise control with "stop and go'' feature.DRIVINGForget the word diesel and immerse yourself in 800Nm of torque flowing seamlessly to all wheels through a silky ZF eight-cog auto. Wet corners at night dissolve as a dry corner in day with the limpet grip of the tyres and AWD and the canny electronic aids. The quietness is so unnatural that the experience of cruising country highways is almost surreal.Back to reality quickly, though, when overtaking and feeling that torque thrust the car forward without a murmur. Practical car for the city? Probably not. Perfect open-road tourer - also a maybe given it has no proper spare wheel. But the liquidity of its forward motion and readiness to spring to life without flinching, is magic.Audi A8 4.2 TDIPrice: $238,500Warranty: 3 years/unlimited km, roadside assistResale: n/aService interval: 10,000km/12 monthsSafety rating: 5-starsSpare: noneEngine: 4.2-litre V8 bi-turbo diesel 258kW/800NmTransmission: 8-spd auto, AWDBody: 5.1m (L); 1.9m (w); 1.5m (h)Weight: 2070kgThirst: 7.6 1/100km; 199g/km Co2

Hype or hope, giant killer or weed killer? Question everything that the master of marketing, Toyota, dishes up and the 86 is either the second coming of the Lotus Elan or the best two-door bargain to hit the nation since the 1984 Celica. It's easy to see where the cynicism stems.The $29,990 entry-level price is at odds with the styling, the marketing and the alluring style of the Toyota 86. It's as cheap as a Corolla, almost a third of the price of a front-wheel drive Audi TT and claims the economy of a Camry.The clanger - the unmentionable Subaru flat-four engine - has no turbocharger and fans realise that they'll have to actually drive the thing around corners to get the best from its 147kW. It's not for drivers who's contribution to performance driving consists only of extending their right foot.The 86 can be hard work to push quickly but very few cars - and none at its $29,990 entry price - will produce so many smiles. The next shipment is due in March.VALUEThe GTS is $35,490. The extra $5500 buys better seats, wheels, brakes, cabin trim and features such as the LED daylight running lights and sat-nav. Buy this one unless you're planning a weekend racer.DESIGNEveryone that sees it, loves it. Yet to be fair, it's not as cutting edge as sort-of rivals such as the Scirocco or Veloster, but more softened like the BMW 1-Series coupe and the Nissan 370Z. Truth is, the 86 has no direct rivals based on price, seating and drivetrain.TECHNOLOGYThe 2-litre aspirated Subaru engine - which prints its name alongside Toyota on the engine's intake plenum - is the latest mill also seen in the Impreza, but Toyota adds direct petrol injection and new variable-valve timing. The exhaust and ECU are all new, too, and though the engine's at the front and drive is to the rear, there's no way this can become an AWD because that engine is set well back in the bay. GTS gets bigger brakes than the GT.SAFETYTicks all the boxes and seven airbags is a surprise in a car that really is good for only two people.DRIVING The acid test. Perth's RAC Driving Centre is designed to teach newbies and failed motorists how to get it right. It also has a tight ribbon of perfectly horizontal bitumen used by clubs on weekends.It's not big but many sports cars get to 160-plus on the straight and the first corner sorts the boys from the men and requires changing more than an attitude. The GTS will howl to almost 160km/h from rest on this strip and the first big shock is that the first left-hander could have been done a lot quicker.The same with the second, a tighter left, then the sweeping right which is so long it almost comes back on itself and is difficult to pick its apex. Consistently, the most notable character of the 86 is its balance through the bends and specifically the ideal ability of it to be driven on the throttle, squeezing to induce a touch of oversteer and backing off to bring it back.The electric-assist steering has a hint of vagueness at a few degrees off centre before the system works out what you want, but generally it has very good feel. Under the curves is a simple suspension set up that works very well. There's sufficient compliance for onroad comfort but firmness to keep the car flat through the bends.The low seating position - practising yoga enthusiasts will rejoice but less limbered bodies will suffer - and the horizontally-opposed engine both keep the centre of gravity low. The brakes are bigger than the 86 GT and while capable, the track's tightness caused some softness in the pedal and the rich aroma of grilled pads.Nothing to get scared about because the brakes never reached the point of surrendering. I liked the seats - in fact, the alcantara (nylon suede) centre insets do a great job at keeping the body in situ - and the visibility, the location of the pedals and gearshifter and even the simplicity of the gauges.And, over time, I even enjoyed the engine. But it took time. Initially it felt doughy off the mark, like there wasn't sufficient torque to make the clutch bite at the right time. But it's a learning process and clean starts need a minimum of 2000rpm - more if you don't have traffic all around you.The spin-up is smooth (but aurally unmistakably Subaru) but about 3500rpm there's a flattening of torque then it has a second bite at about 5500rpm and maintains the heat past the 7000rpm mark. The engine will live around 6000-7000rpm without fuss and this band becomes the most workable to wring the maximum from the engine while suiting the drive to the wheels.The gearbox - from the Lexus IS250 - is just right. It feels perfectly notchy, like an MX-5, and snicks easily. Which is just as well. The end of the day reckoning was that a turbo would be nice but probably too much - it would add more weight to the nose and put that weight higher and then affect traction.And it would cost a lot more to buy and invite heaps of speeding tickets. Nah. Toyota and Subaru have got it right. This is just a beautifully balanced machine. The price is the icing.VERDICTJust do it.

The baby Opel Adam, dubbed Junior in the lead-up to its showing in the UK this week, presents as a smaller Corsa with a similar Opel family face.It will be publicly shown at this year's Paris motor show in September and go on sale in Europe as a Vauxhall and Opel Adam. The timing clicks with the Australian launch of the Opel brand but, says Opel Australia's managing director Bill Mott, the Adam is a long, long way down the track."We are putting all our efforts into the Opel brand launch here,'' he says. "The Adam is not even under consideration - we're not even thinking about it yet.'' Opel will follow the Mini theme by offering Adam in a huge range of combinations of colour, materials, fittings and drivetrains. It will get a new-generation drivetrain including three "ecoFLEX'' four-cylinder petrol engines from the European launch.These are a 52kW 1.2-litre; and two 1.4-litres at 65kW and 75kW. All will be available with stop-start technology and will be mated to a five-speed manual gearbox.But this is a temporary fix as the model will later be available with a three-cylinder, direct-injection turbo-petrol engine mated to a six-speed manual gearbox.Adam is styled by Opel's vice-president of design, Mark Adams and his team in Europe. It is distinguished by a "floating'' roof that is visually disconnected from the body - achieved by using blacked-out pillars and contrasting body and roof colours.Overtones of other Opels include the body crease around the door handle (from the GTC); wing-shaped chrome grille bar (Astra) and the blade shape in the lower doors. It will be available in three trims from launch - JAM fashionable/colourful), GLAM (elegant/sophisticated) and SLAM (racy/sporty).It is promoted as a car that customers can make their own with almost unlimited visual combinations. Customers can even choose their headlining, including an LED-lit starlight roof trim. Also available is a sophisticated infotainment system designed to support new media sources, including Bluetooth, as well as connectivity for smartphones with Android or Apple iOS software.This enables access to internet-based applications, including GPS navigation. It uses a seven-inch, full-colour touch screen. Opel says Adam will break new ground in the A-segment by offering technology normally only found in higher-end cars.An example is the Advanced Park Assist II system, which automatically steers itself into a parking space with the driver only needing to control the brake, clutch and gears. The car is nearly 3.7m long, 1.72m wide and a 2311mm wheelbase but has a wide track. Its size equates to the Holden Barina Spark. 

BMW 120i coupe and Toyota 86 GTS go head-to-head in this comparative review.

Jaguar's capacity reduction program matches similar moves made by Audi and Mercedes-Benz - and even Ford with its Falcon EcoBoost - and aims to reduce fuel consumption while matching the performance of bigger engines. In fact, the new supercharged V6 in the XF is 14 per cent more fuel efficient than the 5-litre V8 it replaces. This V6 will also be used in next year's F-Type. New from November is a 2-litre, four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine and a 3-litre V6 supercharged petrol for the mid-size XF and luxury XJ. The small-bore four is a new addition but the 177kW/450Nm blown V6 replaces the existing normally-aspirated 3-litre V6. The new V6 will also replace the 5-litre V8 - which gets dumped - in the XF but will become an addition to the engine options in the XJ. All come here with stop-start systems and eight-speed automatic transmissions. Jaguar will slot the XF's 2-litre four into the XJ primarily for the Chinese market - though some may be available in Europe - but there are no plans for this combination to reach Australia. Jaguar Australia brand manager Kevin Goult says the new turbo-four and blown V6 will debut at the Sydney motor show in October and expects them on the showroom floor by early November. "Cosmetically, the XF and XJ will remain the same,'' he says. He's not giving away pricing however one expects the V6 supercharged in the XJ to come in at about the same price as the existing V8, which has a drive-away sticker of $195,000. The same V6 in the XF should about match the 2.2-litre turbo-diesel version at about $79,000. Prices will be confirmed by Jaguar at the Sydney show. Jaguar's XF petrol engine line up in Australia come November will be the 177kW/340Nm 2-litre turbo-four; 250kW/450Nm 3-litre supercharged V6; and the 5-litre supercharged V8 in two output versions. Turbo-diesels are the 147kW/450Nm 2.2-litre and 202kW/600Nm 3-litre V6. The XJ petrol engines are the supercharged V6; 283kW/515Nm 5-litre V8; and the 346kW/575Nm and 375kW/625Nm versions of the supercharged 5-litre V8. There's also a 202kW/600Nm V6 turbo-diesel. Fuel consumption of the new four and V6 are claimed to average 8.9 L/100km and 9.4 L/100km  respectively in the XF. Jaguar's aluminium XJ models will also pick up the tauter and more sophisticated suspension previously available only on the XJ Ultimate model. The suspension features re-calibrated spring and damper tuning with remapped damper software to ``enhance'' - Jaguar's words - passenger comfort. The Portfolio and Supersport XJ models will come with an upgraded 825W Meridian DAB audio with 20 speakers. It will be optional on other models.  

The idea is simple - make as much cargo space inside the van's perimeter as possible. Simple stuff, really, but then it gets hard. Make the van safe - preferably with a five-star crash rating like the Mercedes Vito. Load it with passenger-car features, make it flexible with seating, ensure ride comfort and