Articles by Neil Dowling

Less than five months before its Australian debut Opel is swamped by rumours it will shut the plant in Germany and move the Astra production line to Poland. It comes as Opel Australia prepares to sell the small car -- and its siblings Corsa and Insignia -- on its German cachet and engineering quality. Financial losses in Europe by Opel and Vauxhall  both owned by General Motors  totalled $740 million last year. Moving production to plants with lower costs is seen as one way to stem the losses. Initially, at least Australia destined Astras will be made at Opekl's UK plant at Ellesmere Port, says company spokeswoman Michell Lang. "The Astra is made at a number of different places," she says. "We've always been quite open about that. The car remains German engineered." The UK plant makes Astras under the Vauxhall badge. Astra has been made at Russelsheim in Germany since last year. Previously the car was made in Belgium, and is currently produced in England, Poland and Russia. The German plant last year built 18,300 Astras of a European Astra production total of  328,900 units. European sales in 2011 of the Astra were up 2.7 per cent from 2010, according to market researchers JATO Dynamics. The Russelsheim plant will continue making the mid-sized Insignia sedan and wagon versions, also due here later this year. But Opel is putting on a brave face. Its CEO,  Karl-Friedrich Stracke, says Russelsheim - which is the only place building Insignias - is one of Opel's most modern sites. "We expect further improvements in efficiency, which would lead to additional investments," he says. GM executives are reported - in Automotive News Europe - as saying there is a glut of manufacturing capacity across the European auto industry and could consider closing "one or two plants in the region". Opel Australia will launch the Astra GTC, hatch and wagon, the small-car Corsa and the Insignia sedan and wagon in September.  

The one-off showcar from Italian design house Bertone - and named after Giuseppe "Nuccio'' Bertone, son of company founder Giovanni - was created to celebrate the company's 100th anniversary. Bertone design director Michael Robinson, interviewed at last month's Beijing motor show, says inspiration for the wedge shape of the Nuccio was inspired by the 1970s Lancia Stratos Zero concept. "The design uses extensions from the A-pillars that stretch across the roof,'' he says. "It's unusual because the roof is specifically designed to be a structural element of the car and, at the same time, be as light as possible.'' The diagonal indented lines through the roof are responsible for the increased strength of the panel while allowing lighter metal to be used. Robinson says the Nuccio was completed in time for the Geneva motor show in March this year - but the car at Beijing has a major difference. "This is a running car,'' he says. "The Geneva car was only a body. We built the body over a very expensive production car so it has all the performance of the donor yet within this distinctive design.'' Robinson wouldn't say what platform and drivetrain was used but the money is on a Ferrari F430. If that's the case, Bertone would have bought an F430 - think $460,000-plus - and stripped it back to use only the drivetrain and subframes. Robinson says the Nuccio took an estimated 15,000 hours from design to completion. Regardless of the sale in China, it is expected to be on display at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance in California in August.  Bertone was started by Giuseppe Bertone as a coachbuilder for horse carriages in Turin in 1912. His son, Nuccio, was born in 1914 and became CEO of the company. Nuccio died in 1997. Bertone - which styled hundreds of cars including the Lamborghini Miura, Ferrari 308 and Alfa Romeo GT - is controlled by Nuccio's widow, Lilli.  

Ford chopping off two cylinders to make a four-pot Falcon is like being told your private parts are obsolete and by government decree will be removed.That will upset most men - but particularly those who are not married and still have a reason. Despite the launch of a 2-litre, four-cylinder engine Falcon model, Ford still has a reason to make a decent six-cylinder version, especially the turbocharged one that dumps 270kW/533Nm and makes most men weep tears of joy.The XR6 nameplate is old, dating back to 1993, but instantly and unmistakably signals performance. But if you really want your blood to pump, add the word "Turbo''.VALUE Ignore the cynics who term this a Plain-Jane Falcon with a turbocharger. It's actually one hot sedan that's idea for the family and can give you similar buzz to some Euro sedans costing three times the price. Easy to fix (which is just as well) and cheap to maintain (Ford's capped service is about $360 a year) it also can be reasonably frugal on standard-grade fuel.XR6 Turbo gets top-end infotainment systems with Bluetooth and sat-nav; reverse camera; sports seats (leather is $2100 extra); 18-inch alloy wheels; cruise control; and trip computer are among standard features. Build quality is adequate.DESIGN Adding plastic wings and skirts to an existing sedan is the time-honoured and el-cheapo way of adding a bit of visual fire. The XR6 Turbo is nicely done, but like a Can-Can dancer, never fails to completely cover what's under the trimmings.The FG MkII Falcon is a solid foundation, with heaps of comfortable cabin room, split-fold rear seats and spacious dash area with some simple - the radio bugs me, though - yet effective controls. Window switches on the driver's door are better than rival's centre-console buttons.TECHNOLOGYRecipe: To one warm conventional twin-cam in-line six just spin in one turbocharger and spice with a pinch of intercooler. Not really high tech but it's enough for a 0-100km/h in about 5.5 seconds which isn't shabby. XR6 Turbo adds sports suspension, 18-inch wheels (19-inch available) and sends power through the optional (in this test case) ZF six-speed auto and a limited-slip differential. It's a simple recipe. Enjoy the meal.SAFETY The Falcon rates very well, picking up the maximum five-star gong in crash tests and having six airbags, stability control and brake assist. The spare is a temporary unit though a full-size alloy is a $250 option. There's a rear camera, fatigue warning device, seatbelt reminders, reverse park sensors and follow-me-home delayed lighting.DRIVINGTurbo-power grins come at the expense of turbo-thirst sads. Fact is the sedan's power delivery is so linear and the 533Nm of torque maxxing out from a low 2000rpm that it can be driven as a shopping car by Mum during the week and handed over to Dad for spirited club events on weekends.Leave the foot flat on the go-pedal and it will rush seamlessly to the speed limit and drink like a parched Ford fan on a stinking hot day atop Mount Panorama. Handling is very good and precise - no electric steering here - and optional 19-inch rubber is unusually compliant. Brakes are claimed to be performance items but didn't relay much confidence at higher speeds.Perhaps the test car had a hard life. The seating position is high, so the steering wheel is low to make the big car feel small. VERDICT: XR6 and XR8 are justifiably sought-after Falcons but XR6 Turbo best balances the ownership costs and performance. Quality issues niggle the Falcon but the payback is a sensible, easy-to own and smile-inducing family car.Ford Falcon XR6 Turbo Price: $48,235Warranty: 3 years/100,000kmResale: 52 per centService interval: 15,000km/12 monthsSafety rating: Five starSpare: Space-saverEngine: 4-litre turbocharged 6-cyl 270kW/533NmTransmission: 6-speed auto; RWDBody: 5.0m (L); 1.9m (w); 1.4m (h) Weight: 1733kgThirst: 11.7l/100km; 91RON; 278g/km Co2

VW Polo 66TDI and Toyota Prius C go head-to-head in this comparative review.

Survey results show that defective tyres have been reported in 20 per cent of cars owned by Generation Y drivers.By comparison, the national average of motorists reporting receiving defective notices because of tyres is only 8 per cent. National vehicle crash test organisation ANCAP (the Australasian New Car Assessment Program) will now push for tyre-pressure monitors to be mandatory on new cars.The result of the national Canstar Blue survey indicates that of the 10 million cars on Australian roads, about 800,000 are travelling on substandard tyres that can lead to serious accidents."Tyre pressure monitoring is included in the safety assist technology (SAT) part of our Road Map plan to upgrade safety standards,'' says ANCAP CEO Nick Clarke. "The Road Map, which started last year, sets out the standards required for achieving ANCAP star ratings over the next five years. "It is reviewed annually in consultation with industry."We have high expectations about the role SATs will play in reducing the road toll.'' Mandatory tyre-pressure monitors in Australia would follow the European Union that from this year will require new cars to be fitted with the devices. A survey by tyre group Kwik Fit claims 68 per cent of cars on European roads have underinflated tyres.But it also found that less than half of motorists would recognise the tyre pressure warning light if it came on. Kwik Fit found that 34 per cent thought the image meant their coolant was overheating while some thought the light warned of a cattle grid in the road ahead.The Australian Canstar Blue survey found that Generation Y respondents were far more likely than any other generation to have had their car defected over bald tyres (at 20 per cent of respondents) compared with 11 per cent of Generation X and only 3 per cent of Baby Boomer respondents.The survey also showed 18 er cent of respondents lack the skills and knowledge to change a tyre. This figure comprised of 6 per cent of male respondents and 36 per cent of female respondents. Experts such as the automobile clubs say motorists who neglect to check their tyre tread for signs of wear could - at best - be at risk of poor fuel economy, and less responsive handling and braking.Car owners should make it a priority to ensure their tyres have ample tread which helps disperse water and grip the road, they say. They warn that, at worst, bald tyres can lead to tyre failure, punctures and can impact on your ability to steer and brake effectively and the potential to have an accident. Motorists are urged to check their tyres once a month and before long trips. 

The makeover could play a part in the Chinese vehicle maker smartening up its Australian presentation. The most successful Chinese import, with almost 3000 sales in the first three months of this year, showed off a new Volkswagen Amarok-look nose at last month's Beijing motor show. The effect is a pleasant transformation from the current simple but dated nose worn on the Great Wall V240 dual-cab ute. But spokesman for importer Ateco, Daniel Cotterill, says the final decision on Australia picking up the fresh look has yet to be made. "If it was to come here it would not be for 18 months or so," he says. The new look was shown at the Beijing motor show along with variations on the V240 ute and X240 wagon theme.

But the amusing term for diesels isn't making government officials smile.For them, squid cars - diesel-engined cars which squirt out black emissions - mean pollution and that's something that embarrasses China as it rockets towards a modern future and capitalist consumerism. And clean air.So they're banned and with it, the hopes that China's enormous car-consuming citizens will insist on fuel-efficient vehicles. The problem is huge. China sold 18.5 million vehicles last year and is looking at 20 million sales this year. Only a small portion are for export.More vehicles equals more pollution and in Beijing last week for the city's motor show, the air was so dense that clear visibility ended at 200m. Government officials seeded the clouds to produce rain - a bit too much as it eventuated - to clear the air because international ministers were due in town. Visibility improved to about 500m.A good friend who pilots a Qantas 747 says on flights to Hong Kong from Australia he picks out Beijing's location from the air by its pink-brown stain. So can removing diesels from the streets improve air quality. The short answer is yes but the long answer indicates that low-emission Euro-5 diesel engines and the latest exhaust catalysts - as used now in Europe - can get visible diesel emissions down to 50 parts per million (ppm) - which is near invisible - while combined hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides to 0.23 grams/kilometre, carbon monoxide to 0.5g/km and pure nitrogen oxides to 0.18g/km.It's just that China hasn't adopted the latest emission standards as used in Europe. Otherwise, the locations of Paris and London and Frankfurt and Rome would similarly be marked from space as stains on the clouds. Petrol-fuelled engines with today's Euro-5 levels dump out some different pollutants but, as a comparison, the pure nitrogen oxide emission level is 0.06g/km, carbon monoxide is 1.0g/km (twice the diesel), hydrocarbons are 0.10g/km and non-methane hydrocarbons add 0.068g/km.Euro-5 levels are standard in Europe and the US but not in China, which is still at Euro-4. The difference between Euro-4 and Euro-5 in diesel engines is that the amount of particulate in the exhaust - the visible soot - drops to one-fifth.So if China adopts Euro-5 for diesels, new vehicles have the potential to dump only 20 per cent of soot into the air compared with the old engines. Will that happen? Eventually, but in a country that is already crowded with cars and with a potential turnover of eight years, it will take almost a decade to get low visible exhaust emissions from diesel engines.In the meantime, China does what only China can do - it has banned the ownership of diesel-engined passenger cars in its major cities. It also now bans trucks from entering cities during daylight hours and, in fact, limits truck access to only a few hours during the night.If you think electrification is the answer, I have some sad news.China is the world's biggest consumer of electric vehicles. It sells twice as many electric vehicles as it does vehicles with internal-combustion engines. But because China sources its electricity to ``fuel'' these electric vehicles - the majority being electric scooters and bicycles which in the past decade have sold more than 100 million - from coal-fired generators, the power plants emit far more fine particles (soot) at a far greater rate than petrol-fuelled engines.A University of Tennessee research paper by assistant professor in civil and environmental engineering, Chris Cherry, and graduate student Shuguang Ji, analysed the emissions and environmental health impacts of five vehicle technologies in 34 major Chinese cities. The paper shows that 85 per cent of China's electricity is produced from fossil fuels and 90 per cent of that is from coal.For that reason, Cherry and his team found that electric vehicles cause much more overall harmful particulate matter pollution than petrol vehicles. Major changes will have to occur in China to reduce air pollution and it's not as simple as electric cars. The lesson shouldn't end in China. 

Beijing Automotive Industry Holdings (BAIC) is one of the latest to pick up Italian stylists and its C90 concept - due for production next year - has the Audi A6, BMW 5-Series and Mercedes-Benz E-Class in its sights. Shown at last week's Beijing motor show, the C90's exterior was shaped inhouse by BAIC but the luxurious cabin is the work of Turin-based Fioravanti, run by former Pininfarina designer Leonardo Fioravanti and his sons Lucca and Matteo. Fioravanti worked with Chinese engineering company Eastone to develop the C90 and the project involved 15 staff in Italy and 70 in Shanghai. Matteo Fioravanti says he is based in China for month-long intervals and describes the country as being rich in work. "There's a lot more work here than in Europe,'' he says. "It's the place we have to be.'' Though the C90 was the feature car for BAIC's expansive Beijing motor show stand, there were two BAIC vehicles from other Italian design houses Bertone and one from Pininfarina. Bertone styled the C51X SUV and C70G which were shown as concepts. However, a BAIC spokesman says both will go into production, possibly late next year, and both are possible export material. Bertone's design director Michael Robinson agrees with Matteo Fioravanti's view. "Interest in new cars is explosive here,'' Robinson says. "There is just so much work and the Chinese are great to deal with.'' Pininfarina was responsible for a C70 derivative, the B70, while Fioravanti also designed the C80 sedan. But while the shapes are new, BAIC uses some old drivetrain and chassis technology. Bertone's SUV uses the underpinnings of the old Saab 9-3, while the C70's shape hides the previous generation Saab 9-5 skeleton. The C70 and B70 are also based on the Saab 9-5, while the C90L show car is a Mercedes with a 6-litre V12 engine.  And before you start reaching for the cheque book, the C90 will actually come to the market with a Saab-derived 2.3-litre turbocharged four cylinder. The Saab tie-up goes back to BAIC buying Saab technology as the Swede imploded and became linked to Swedish exotic carmaker Koenigsegg.  BAIC bought the tooling and design rights to the outgoing Saab 9-5 and became a minority shareholder in the Koenigsegg Group, which in 2009 was attempting to buy Saab from General Motors. The 9-5 technology now owned by BAIC includes the platform and Saab's slant-four turbocharged petrol engine. But the $200 million deal also included old 9-3 technology. GM, which prevented another Chinese group from buying Saab technology, has no qualms with BAIC because the assets pre-date GM's involvement. In other words, it was outdated. BAIC is also in production joint-venture partnership with Daimler (Mercedes-Benz) and Hyundai. The state-owned BAIC - not related to Shanghai Automotive (SAIC) or Beijing Automobile Works (BAW) - doesn't yet have an Australian distributor.  

...unless it's been specifically designed and trialled over such tracks. Cub Campers has hard-floor, easy wind-up opening off-road models from as little as $19,990 and despite the price, are capable and durable enough to take on some of Australia's worst outback conditions. The fact is, you may not want to go camping on the Gibb River or drive to Birdsville. Nice to know, however, that your camper-trailer will survive. The managing director of Perth-based Camper Trailer Warehouse, Andrew Fardon, says the Cubs are very strong, very reliable and excellent value for money. "They're also made in Australia - with Australian steel, fabric and equipment," he says. "Cub is a family-owned business that has been going in NSW since 1968. We've never had any problems with their camper trailers and we use them ourselves - without modification - when we go on extended outback holidays." There are 35 models in the Cub range and can be priced down to the Kamparoo Junior's $9000-odd or up past $50,000 for a fully-optioned Spacevan Drover that is more than enough for a family escape in the bush. Cub products are divided into four styles - Kamparoo, Supamatic, Spacematic and Spacevan - each with five models, and then there are specific sub-models and of course, the options list. All have a fold-over roof that becomes the hard floor, and a simple hand winch arrangement to erect and collapse the unit. "It is designed to be easy to assemble and collapse for campers of all ages," Mr Fardon said. Cub can also customise units for specific needs. "We have recently made a Spacevan for a large family that has a longer drawbar on which we fitted two boxes - one for the fridge and a second for additional storage. "We have also built one that has room for a quad-bike on the drawbar and a dingy on the top. Almost anything is possible." The Cub Weekender is one of the smallest in the range and, at 450kg in weight, can easily be towed by a Toyota RAV4 or Subaru Forester. "It's the smallest but still has good room for a couple or small family. And it's light so it's easy to tow and doesn't affect the car's fuel consumption too much. "Models such as the Spacevan have the option of an inside or outside kitchen, but if you want, have both - the outside one as a barbecue for the warmer weather, for example. "The double bed can be turned sideways to make room for children's beds on the upper level. It's whatever the buyer wants." One of Mr Fardon's favourites is the Supamatic Drover in off-road trim. "It has everything you want - it's tough, roomy, easy to erect and the hardfloor's a bonus to keep dirt or water out of the interior. "It weighs 790kg so it's suitable for an SUV like a Kluger. A Toyota Prado, for example, would be more than enough. "This is the model I use when my family goes away." Mr Fardon says buyers should ensure they buy quality and get the right camper trailer for their vehicle. "The towbar download weight is critical," he said. "You must check that out before selecting a camper trailer. I have seen one particular compact SUV that has completely different download weights for its automatic model and its manual transmission model, and different again for petrol and diesel versions.  "It makes such a difference that the diesel model with automatic transmission could only tow the very smallest camper trailer."  

China is turning up the quality and performance wick, judging by the Maxus van. SAIC's Maxus brand - barely a year in production at a brand new factory at Wuxi about 180km out of Shanghai - hits the nail with quality and performance.On expectations, the price of about $32,000 could wound its immediate rival, the Hyundai iLoad and iMax duo and dent more expensive players. "It's a bigger van than the iLoad so the price will be a bit above Hyundai,'' says Maxus spokesman Jon Thomson on behalf of Australian importers WMC. "But it will be below Volkswagen and Mercedes Benz.''Maxus will have about nine models of the V80 here in October, ranging from delivery vans and nine to 16-seater passenger versions in short, medium or long wheelbases and with low, medium or high rooflines. An expected 15-20 per cent of Maxus sales will be the passenger versions.The Maxus V80 is a UK-developed vehicle from the now deceased Leyland-DAF venture (LDV). It was one of the assets grouped within collapsed vehicle marques including Rover and MG that were onsold to Chinese interests.Most have been revised under ownership of China's biggest car company, SAIC (Shanghai Automotive), which has huge joint venture factories with companies including Volkswagen and General Motors, and a string of its domestic vehicle makers each with their own factories in China.The Maxus retains the UK-designed and developed 100kW/330Nm 2.5-litre common-rail turbo-diesel four-cylinder engine, now driving the front wheels through a five-speed manual transmission. Thomson says Australian demand for automatic transmissions will see a five-speed Aisin gearbox added "soon''.SAIC testing claims 9 l/100km average for the van but Thomson says he won't confirm that figure until tests have been done in Australia and to the Australian standard. The monocoque chassis is conventional with MacPherson strut suspension at the front and a solid axle arrangement with leaf springs at the rear.The brakes are four-wheel discs with standard ABS, EBD and brake assist. There is no electronic stability control, even as an option. The van version has cargo space ranging from 6.9 cubic metres (3100mm short wheelbase, low roof) to 11.6cu.m for the 3850mm long wheelbase high roof version.Payload can go up to 1.8 tonnes - depending on the van variant - with a maximum interior ceiling height of 1.925m. It gets barn doors - which open to 180-degrees - and either double or single side sliding doors. The van will be joined by a cab-chassis single-cab model - using a ladder-frame subframe for the rear - later this year, and a smaller van in early 2015.DRIVINGTwo passenger vans were offered for a brief drive around the factory block. The LHD model was new, reflected in its engine tardiness. The 3000km-plus RHD tester was one destined for South Africa or Malaysia and typifies what Australia will get.The good news is that the van is taut with a body that didn't creak or feel flimsy. The engine was surprisingly responsive - potentially belying the lethargic 22-second 0-100km/h acceleration claim - and the short-through gear shift was accurate and light. The basic rear suspension surprised everyone because it was compliant and didn't jar or thump over damaged bitumen. The steering, however, was vague and the brakes felt like a sponge.It's a basic, yet honest van. The materials and fit and finish were good - certainly up to the Ford Transit that's built in Turkey - and the colours chosen for the plastics were creams and browns which hinted more at a European vehicle that one from China.A third Maxus van - this time a deluxe, leather-trimmed model - was used for the 180km road trip to the Shanghai airport and proved as quiet, comfort able and as neatly-fitted as any of its rivals. The airport chauffeur also didn't spare the van, sitting on 120km/h-plus at less than  3000rpm and with very little drivetrain noise intrusion.Chinese SAIC Maxus vanPrice: $32,000Engine: 2.5-litre common-rail turbo-diesel four-cylinder engineTransmission: five-speed manual transmissionOutputs: 100kW/330NmThirst: 9L/100km