Articles by Neil Dowling

In the Aussie corner is battler Rosco McGlashan, holder of the Australian land speed record of 500mph (800km/h) and in the other, world land speed record holder Andy Green of Britain who broke 763mph (1220km/h) in 1997. Now each is going out to break the 1000mph (1600km/h) barrier - equivalent to about one-and-a-half times the speed of sound.  "All I've ever wanted to do is set the world land speed record at 1000mph. It's my life,'' McGlashan, of Mullaloo, said. But one problem, said McGlashan, is what happens beyond the speed of sound. "We're not quite sure what happens when we pass the sound barrier,'' said McGlashan this week of the 768mph (1236kmh) threshold. "It could be that the air drag suddenly is a lot less, which could present problems with controlling the jet engine's 62,000 pounds (equating to about 150,000kW or 790 Commodore engines) of thrust. Neither of us wants to go too soon.'' McGlashan says he has "no idea'' when he'll take his 15m-long rocket-powered Aussie Invader 5R to a dry salt lake for an assault on Green's 763mph speed record that was set in the rocket and jet-powered Thrust SSC machine. "We still have a lot of work to do,'' he said. "The best way, as I see it and I think the Brits agree, is that one of us will beat the current (763mph) land speed record. Then the other would beat that, and so on. It's stepping stones to the 1000mph holy grail and it may happen over years.'' McGlashan said that the British team of project leader Richard Noble and pilot Green "are good mates of mine'' "They have good funding and a good track record but we have excellent technical and engineering support. But we still need more funds,.'' he said. McGlashan, for example, has engineers including fluid-dynamics experts from Curtin University in Perth. Dr James Jewkes has been brought in to try to make the 5R more aerodynamic at supersonic speeds. McGlashan also is pretty clear that his campaign will take place in the US. "I would love to break the record on Australian soil,'' he said. "But we don't have any infrastructure near our salt lakes and it's very, very expensive to set up camp on the edge of a lake here and support all the crew. "In the US, for example, Diamond Valley in Nevada, has a nearby town and a bitumen road leading to the salt lake. It's a lot easier.'' The Brits will run the Bloodhound SSC that has two engines - one rocket and one jet with a Formula-One racing engine used purely as a fuel pump - which is intended to reach 1075mph (1730km/h). Car enthusiast and talk-show host Jay Leno is one of three parties interested in buying Rosco McGlashan's 1994 land speed record chaser, Aussie Invader III. McGlashan said he'd been approached by Leno and was also in contact with two Australian museums - one an aircraft museum because of the car's Mirage jet fighter engine - but he's yet to seal the deal. The Kevlar-bodied car - good for 1035km/h - is in perfect working order and comes complete with a fully-equipped transport trailer. Cost is about $250,000 with the money going to fund McGlashan's current, and fifth, car, Aussie Invader 5R. The first turbine car to break 400mph (640km/h) was Donald Campbell's Bluebird in 1964. In 1994 Aussie Invader II broke the Australian Land Speed record with an official 500 mph (800 km/h) two-way pass. A week later the car broke through the salt surface while accelerating through 930km/h and was written off. Rosco was unhurt. Aussie Invader III returned to Lake Gairdner in South Australia in 1996 and peaked at 1029km/h - faster than Green's 1013km/h - but didn't qualify for the record.

The frenetic family-oriented SUV field gets a competitive contender with the new Skoda Yeti 112TSI - sister to the existing all-wheel drive diesel and the more city-focused front-wheel drive models - which balances price, fuel economy and performance. It will only be available with all-wheel drive and, from this week, opens the can with a competitive $32,990. Skoda Australia says it's a ``critical'' car that hits at the heartland of the nation's compact SUV market. "This sits right in the most popular section of the segment - it's priced and equipped to be competitive,'' says Skoda spokesman Karl Gehling. "It will undoubtedly be our top selling Yeti, significantly lifting our sales.'' The new Yeti starts at $32,990 for the manual and to $35,290 for the six-speed dual-clutch DSG  auto model. The 112TSI is identical externally, internally and drivetrain (less the engine) to the 103TSI turbo-diesel version but is $2700 cheaper. Fuel consumption is a claimed 8.4 L/100km for the manual - and a more thrifty 8.2 L/100km for the auto - against the diesel Yeti's 6.2 L/100km. High-distance buyers may find it more cost-effective to opt for the more fuel-efficient diesel though city buyers are probably best staying with petrol. Interestingly, the Skoda 112TSI competes with its cousin, the Volkswagen Tiguan, with only $500 between them. However, Skoda buyers may appreciate the extra space of the Yeti - 1665 litres of cargo room compared with the Tiguan's 1510 litres - and its clever Varioflex versatile seating system. That's the key to Skoda philosophy in general and Yeti in particular. The Yeti is distinctive, practical and very roomy. There's clever little things in the Skoda range to make life a bit easier for the owner - hooks for the handbag or shopping bags, tie-down hooks, luggage nets, extra personal storage space and so on. The Yeti's face goes against car trends - round driving lights alongside sweeping headlights - but it works. Inside it's neat, interesting and always easy to use. Quality is Volkswagen standard so no complaints, while seat design initially appears too narrow yet is snug on the body and eases stress over long distances. Flip, fold or remove rear seat is fabulous. This Yeti gets Volkswagen's lovely 1.8-litre turbocharged petrol engine with some fine tuning to make the power and torque suit the all-wheel drive system and the vagaries of bitumen and dirt roads. The automatic model has 112kW/250Nm and the manual gets 118kW/250Nm, the discrepancy to allow a more progressive power flow through the six-speed dual-clutch DSG transmission that isn't normally known for its smoothness.

Mercedes is bursting into the luxury roadster ring with its half-million dollar slammer. The 463kW/1000Nm 6-litre V12 SL65 comes hot on the heels of the V8-engined SL63 and the SL500, earlier tested for the first time by Carsguide in Spain. The Mercedes-AMG SL65 takes on convertibles such as the Porsche Turbo S Cabriolet ($442,800); Audi R8 V10 ($380,200); Jaguar XKR-S ($364,000); Ferrari California ($459,650); and Lamborghini Gallardo ($515,000).  Mercedes Australia spokesman Jerry Stamoulis says though the new SL will make it's Australian debut in September, the first SL65 AMG vehicles won't get here until early 2013. "Pricing will be announced in September, but you can expect similar pricing to the outgoing model,'' he says. PRICE The existing SL65 is $513,760. Mercedes-AMG says the roadster blends the exclusivity of V12 dynamic performance with the luxury and refinement of a saloon. "We have developed an incomparably exciting high-performance vehicle for the small but loyal community of fans,'' says the company's CEO, Ola Kallenius. WEIGHT AND THIRST Like the SL500, the V12-engined AMG version has an all-aluminium body that trims weight down to 1950kg - about 170kg less than the previous model. Fuel thirst is claimed to be 11.6 litres/100km, down 2.7 l/100km (or 17 per cent on the outgoing SL65) thanks to the weight reduction and the seven-speed automatic gearbox's wide-spaced ratios and the stop-start system. PERFORMANCE The improved fuel economy hasn't comes at the detriment of performance. The bi-turbo engine has 463kW (up from 450kW previously) and 1000Nm of torque for a 0-100km/h sprint time of 4.0 seconds. It gets to 200km/h in 11.8 seconds, less time than many cars get to 100km/h. Mercedes-AMG says the engine is based on the previous model but has been revised with new turbochargers, new manifolds and a new exhaust system. This exhaust is 3.2kg lighter than the old model. TECHNOLOGY The gearbox can be switched through four modes from "controlled efficiency'' to "sport'', "sport-plus'' and "manual''. The transmission also automatically blips the throttle during downshifts and provides some theatre ``through the brief, precisely-defined interruption of ignition and fuel injection during upshifts under full load''.  Standard equipment includes the ABC active suspension system with two ride choices - sport and comfort - and AMG-developed electro-mechanical steering. The brakes are steel rotors but the SLS's ceramic discs are on the option list. Options also include the "magic sky control'' glass roof that can be switched from light to dark at the push of a button.  The "airscarf'' neck heated air system, active park assist, Bang & Olufsen audio, "Comand'' online communication, power door closers and automatic, pop-up roll-over bars are standard.

No surprises that it's French and no longer in production. Renault's chiselled Avantime grand tourer - one of the few concept cars to go within six months from the motor show stand to production with barely any changes - only lasted about a year in production but in its 10th anniversary of sale in the UK, remains as eye-catching as its designer intended. The guy who penned the Avantime, Patrick le Quement, said at the time that he wanted someone walking around the car to be continually astonished. Ten years later, we're still astonished.  The expensive Avantime - French for 'ahead of time' - was shown at the 1999 Geneva motor show as a concept and then as a production car at the 1999 Frankfurt and London shows. It was lauded for its combination of performance and the luxury of interior space and comfort aided by the panoramic glass roof. The drivetrain was initially a six-speed manual gearbox linked to a 155kW 3.0-litre V6. Renault aimed it at buyers who wanted to travel quickly over long distances and claimed a top speed of 225km/h. A 2-litre, four-cylinder turbo-diesel and an automatic transmission for the V6 were later offered. Production only lasted 12 months because coach builder Matra was unable to find a replacement model for Espace III production that was coming to a close leaving them with too much excess capacity. In the UK and fancy seeing the Avantime? The UK Avantime Owner's Club 10th anniversary meeting takes place at the Coventry Motor Museum on Saturday, April 7. More details on www.avantime-owners.com

The brand will turn all its attention to passenger cars, and stop building commercial vehicles.  Facing a huge annual loss - estimated at about $1.2 billion - Mazda is poised to end development and production of new commercial vehicles for the Japanese market.  Mazda's workhorse models have dwindling demand in Japan and new vehicles will mean a major financial investment. Mazda, which is expected to announce next week its financial loss for the March 2011-2012 period, rebadges trucks made by Isuzu, commercial vans from Nissan and small commercial vehicles from Suzuki.  However, Mazda made no mention of discontinuing commercial vehicle sales outside of Japan. Mazda Australia spokesman Steve Maciver says there are no plans to stop BT-50 - a joint venture vehicle with Ford's Ranger made in Thailand - production of sales. "It doesn't have any effect on Mazda Australia as the BT-50 will continue to be sold,'' he says of the plans in Japan. Mazda plans to focus on passenger vehicles and expand its fuel-efficient Skyactiv technology across more car models. Skyactiv is currently in the Mazda3, CX-5 and later this year in the replacement Mazda6.

Insiders suggest it could be a year before Chinese-made MG cars are on the market in Australia. The stringent Australian Design Rules compliance is the biggest stumbling block. It is understood that testing for this compliance and the appointment of a national distributor are yet to be started. It is believed WMC Group - which imports trucks and light commercial vehicles from China under the JAC, Foton and Maxus names - is a contender as the MG importer but the company refused to comment. Ateco Automotive, which imports Great Wall and Chery products from China, says it is not involved in MG and even the New Zealand distributors for MG - where the MG6 is now on sale - says it has no involvement in an Australian agency. The company that owns MG, the Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC) which is China's biggest vehicle maker, had representatives in Melbourne last week to launch the Maxus commercial van range through Australian distributors, WMC. At that time SAIC said a distributor for MG had yet to be appointed. SAIC makes the MG6 hatchback - a five-door about the size of the Holden Cruze - in China for export markets including the UK, New Zealand and South Africa. These markets have less stringent design rules than Australia. It also makes Rover (called Roewe in China) cars - including the 75 - and the MGF (as the MG TF) in China and plans a smaller MG5 model and an SUV about the size of a Toyota RAV4. The MG TF is assembled in SAIC's plant in the UK and is sold only on customer demand.

Ferns, sheep and car models - New Zealand has probably more of these than most countries and thanks to liberal import rules, is just the place you'd expect to find rarities like the MG6. The Cruze-sized hatchback is available from 12 dealers in New Zealand and distributed through British Motor Distributors.It will be practically identical when - or if - it comes to Australia and on a comparative basis, it could be priced around $25,000 - about $5000 less than a similarly-equipped Cruze.The MG6 Turbo here may be about $38,000. Note that this article should only be seen as a guide to the MG6. If the model comes to Australia there may be changes to the features and drive review.VALUEThe big news is space. For the bucks - and we're talking $30,000 in New Zealand currency as a base - it's a surprisingly long car that translates into a spacious cabin and, especially, a long and useable boot area.In fact, space equates to a Skoda Octavia - and that's big! Equipment in the NZ model includes 17-inch alloys, iPod/USB audio, electric sunroof and a one-touch engine start button - and this is the base model.Pay more and the kit adds rear parking aids, cruise control, tyre-pressure monitoring, sat-nav with a colour screen, leather upholstery and heated front seats with electric adjustment for the driver.DESIGN The shape is neat with styling overtones of Europe. It's 4651mm long and sits on a 2705mm wheelbase and hence has heaps of legroom. The boot is a generous 472 litres with the rear seats up and a cavernous 1268 litres when folded down.Cabin treatment is generally good though falls down in appearance with the leather-trimmed version looking like its upholstery is made of vinyl, small instrument gauges and a handbrake that is badly positioned and requires a lot of effort to engage.The high rear tail looks good but begs a rear camera or, at least, park sensors - both are available in the top-spec NZ model while sensors are on the mid-spec car.TECHNOLOGYThe MG6 Turbo comes with a 118kW 1.8-litre turbo-petrol engine which is a revamp and blown version of the Rover K-series unit fitted previously - an infamously - to the Freelander Mk I and MGF. It was a temperamental engine that hated the Australian summers and displayed its discomfort by blowing head gaskets.It's been overhauled - now known as the N-series - since the company established in China but hard to say how it'll behave on its return to our warmer climes. There's only a five-speed manual gearbox in NZ but an auto in planned for the future, possibly in time for an Australian launch. Fuel economy is 7.9 L/100km with a 184g/km CO2 emission. The suspension is common MacPherson struts at the front and multi-link at the rear.SAFETYThis has a four-star crash rating in the European NCAP tests. It also has six airbags, ESC and a full-size spare.DRIVING A short sprint shows the MG6 is well behaved, pleasantly free of surprises and has decent roadholding. Basically, it's a simple and predictable hatchback and even the turbocharged engine holds no surprises. Power delivery is smooth and linear to the point where it feels more like a normally-aspirated 2-litre than a turbocharged 1.8. It won't scare any drivers.The fact it comes initially only as a manual will deter many buyers but the clutch and gearshift arrangement are light and easy to use. Less so the steering which feels too heavy at parking speeds.MG6 TURBOPrice: est $38,000Warranty: TBAResale: n/aService interval: TBASafety Equipment: six airbags, ABS, EBD Crash rating: 4 starsEngine: 118kW/215Nm 1.8-litre 4-cyl turbo-petrolBody: 5-door, 5 seats Dimensions: 4651mm (L); 1829mm (W); 1478mm (H); 2705mm (WB) WEIGHT: 1495kgTransmission: 5-spd manual; front-wheel driveEconomy: 7.9 l/100km; 184g/km CO2BREAKOUTIn 2005, MG Rover went into liquidation and was bought by China's oldest carmaker, NAC. NAC soon after merged with Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC), China's biggest carmaker. MG Rover became one of 10 SAIC-controlled vehicle companies.To maintain the UK link, many MG Rover parts were engineered in the UK and then made in China. Cars would be assembled in the UK and at SAIC's new Lingang plant near Shanghai. Under the Roewe badge (the Rover name couldn't be used in China), AIC makes three models in China - the 350, 550 and the 750 (the old 75) - while the MG6 is made in both Britain and China.The MGF roadster is known as the MG TF and is assembled in Britain from parts made in China. SAIC is on record as planning a front-engined rear-drive roadster in the ilk of the MGB.

A commitment of $17 million and two years construction has realised a new Audi Centre Perth that owners and joint dealer principals David Collins and Peter James expect will help sell up to 1800 new Audis a year. Audi sales lag behind BMW in WA though nationally, it outsells BMW. Audi Australia said about $250 million has been spent on new and refurbished showrooms for the brand around Australia over the past two years. A similar amount is estimated to be spent by competitors BMW and Mercedes-Benz to retain - or gain - prestige-car market share. Collins and James took on the first Audi centre on an adjoining property in 1999, selling less than 20 cars a month. In the start of their seventh year as WA's sole Audi agents, they now sell about 100 a month. In WA, Audi sales in 2012 year-to-date are 186 units, behind BMW's state figure of 226 for the same period. Nationally, however, Audi is 100 units ahead of BMW with 2534 sales in the same period. James says that sales position in WA will change. He says the investment in the building is "absolutely necessary'' to make the business more efficient and increase sales. "It's built to grow. We see a lot of growth in our market share in WA, especially with the launch of models such as the Q3 and the five-door A1. We see 200-plus sales in those two for the year and future models - including electric cars - just add incremental growth.'' "We ran out of space,'' he says of the need to upgrade. "People probably don't realise that our business is all about space - we service 50 cars a day, for example, so we need 50 parking bays. The need for space continues to the showroom, the admin area and so on.'' The 8000sq.m rectangle - boxed in Audi's patented brushed aluminium, folded honeycomb cladding - includes a 20-car showroom, expansive training rooms and a 15-hoist service centre that is double the old - and now adjoining - building. "The new service centre will halve previous customer waiting times and we expect throughput to increase by 40 per cent,'' James says. Collins says the industry continues to change, both from the inside and from outside influences. "Dealers have a lot more work to do on compliance - taxes, customs and excise, licenses and so on - which take more time than before,'' he says."We have four people who just work on compliance issues. One of the biggest changes is people's understanding of cars. "We have to get better and better at knowing our products because prospective buyers now have the ability - through the internet, newspaper motoring articles and so on - to research cars. ``We are much better at understanding our products because of that.'' The owners will now modify the old building to become a prestige used car showroom, housing 16 cars under cover and about 100 in a dedicated yard. "The point of difference is that we will give used-car customers the same level of attention as new-car buyers,'' Collins says. "That includes a similar warranty to a new car.''

Indian-owned Jaguar Land Rover have signed a joint-venture deal with Chery Automobile as a foothold into the world's fastest-growing car market. Jaguar Land Rover, owned by India's Tata Motors, and Chery are seeking regulatory approval for the $2.8 billion venture in eastern China, says Reuters.  The joint venture will manufacture Jaguars, Land Rovers and new Chery-badged vehicles and engines. It will also establish a research and development facility and have car dealerships to sell the vehicles produced by the joint venture. The two companies now will follow the official process to form a joint venture company in China. In a joint statement, Jaguar Land Rover and Chery say they will leverage research and development, technology and manufacturing knowledge. "Demand for Jaguar and Land Rover vehicles continues to increase significantly in China and we believe that JLR and Chery can jointly realise the potential of these iconic brands,'' Jaguar Land Rover CEO Ralf Speth and Yin Tongyao, chairman of Chery, said in the statement.

Revealed in its Chevrolet Trailblazer version, the Holden Colorado 7 - a 4WD SUV based on the new Colorado ute - is due here in June. The long-awaited replacement for the Jackaroo has the same drivetrain and underpinnings as the next Colorado ute, except for a new rear suspension. The SUV gets a coil-spring rear end but retains the ute's three-tonne towing capacity. It will rival the Mitsubishi Challenger ($41,490) and Nissan Pathfinder ($48,490) and compete with its cousin, the Isuzu wagon which is yet to be confirmed for Australia. The Thai-made SUV is expected to be priced around $48,000 when it hits Australian showrooms late this year. It will follow the mid-year launch of the second-generation Colorado ute on which it is based. The SUV was shown today in Thailand as the Chevrolet Trailblazer ahead of its public debut at the Bangkok International Motor Show from March 28. When it comes to Australia it will be the first heavy-duty 4WD SUV to wear a Holden badge in almost a decade. Holden Executive Director Sales, Marketing and Aftersales, John Elsworth said the growing popularity of SUVs in Australia would ensure the new Colorado 7 had a ready-made fan base when it is launched at the end of 2012. "Australians are buying more SUVs than ever before, and we've seen this demand reflected in the growing popularity of our Series II Captiva range,'' Elsworth says. "The Colorado 7 will be a perfect fit for customers looking for the increased packaging flexibility and lifestyle benefits of clever interior storage, seven seats and rugged off-road performance. Developed to deliver everything Australians could want from a tough 4WD, with coil-sprung five-link rear suspension and competitive three-tonne towing capacity the Colorado 7 will be an impressive addition to our SUV line-up. Its heavy-duty 4WD credentials and refined driving characteristics make it equally at home in the suburbs and off the beaten track.''