Articles by Neil Dowling

GOVERNMENT documents on the next Isuzu ute reveal Australia will get three body styles. The bad news is that Isuzu won't get its new D-Max ute range here until mid year after being stunned by the Thai floods. Holden and Isuzu shared the previous Colorado and D-Max - but now it's game on as they present two different products.  Or do they? General Motors and Isuzu actually remain allies, with the chassis and many body panels being shared under an ongoing joint venture agreement. The passenger cell, doors and roof are identical with Isuzu restyling the metal ahead of the windscreen and rear of the back doors. Holden has already released its Colorado and Isuzu is gearing up for a June launch. According to vehicle import information, Isuzu shows it has applied to expand its ute range with a single-cab and an extended-cab body (featuring rear-opening side-access panels) either in cab-chassis or ute trim.  The dual-cab body - previously the only D-Max offering in Australia - continues. No word yet, however, on the seven-seat SUV version that adds a roof over the ute's tray and slips in a third row of seats. This wagon - which competes with the Mitsubishi Challenger and Nissan Pathfinder - is available in Asia. Isuzu first showed the new generation D-Max at a function in Thailand in October last year.  Domestic demand meant the ute wasn't expected in Australia until early January but the Thai floods and tsunami pushed the delivery date out to about the middle of this year, says Isuzu Ute Australia spokesman Dave Harding.  The one-tonne ute appears as an evolution of the current model but in fact the body and most mechanical components are new. It gets a stiffer ladder-frame chassis that has a longer wheelbase - up 45mm to 3095mm - and electronic stability control, emergency brake assist and ABS are standard.  Other safety gear is front side airbags that deploy from the seats and curtain airbags, bring to six standard airbags within the cab. Externally the ute is bigger, leading to a more spacious cabin and longer rear doors for easy entry and egress to the rear seat in the dual-cab version. Rear access was previously criticised because of the small doors. There is a new dashboard, connectivity to iPod and USB, and Bluetooth. The dash is shared with the Holden Colorado. Isuzu has reworked its 3-litre turbo-diesel engine to punch 380Nm and 130kW. Australia will get this engine as standard and possibly bring in a 110kW/400Nm 2.5-litre turbo-diesel variant for a cheaper model.  This small-bore, high-torque oiler gets a six-speed manual or five-speed automatic transmission selection in Asia and some European countries. The company says the 3-litre's biggest change is the flat delivery of the torque through most of the rev range to make towing easier and aid drivability.  The engine is mated to a choice of a five-speed automatic - up from the current four cogs - and a five-speed manual transmission. The 4WD version drives through an electric-engagement transfer case. It has a 3-tonne towing capacity and a payload of up to 1-tonne.

It's more a renovation than a reconstruction, but the Indian-owned, Korean-built ute gets its 2-litre turbo-diesel engine a tweaking to broaden its torque band, and a 14kW increase in power to 114kW.The Actyon Sports ute comes in three versions - entry-level Tradie, mid-range SX and top of the range SPR - with the Tradie and SX available in 2WD or 4WD versions with a choice of a new six-speed manual transmission or a redesigned six-speed automatic.The SPR comes only as a 4WD automatic. Ssangyong says fuel economy and emissions are improved. The 2WD Tradie and SX manual models claim an average of 7.3 litres/100km and the 4WD manual has 7.4 L/100km. The automatic 2WD claims 7.6 L/100km and the SPR is 7.9 L/100km.Standard kit on all models includes Bluetooth, trip computer, USB/iPod connectivity, airconditioning, heated side mirrors and windscreen and a liner for the tray.But to get electronic stability control, buyers have to go to the SX or SPR models. These two also get alloy wheels, cruise control and a leather-bound steering wheel.The SPR model adds leather seats, climate control for the airconditioning, rear park sensors, 18-inch alloys, electric front seats, folding side mirrors, electronic dimming rear-view mirror, auto wipers and auto headlights, and headlamp levelling device.Externally the ute has some new panels and grille and is longer, wider and taller than its predecessor. The Actyon Sports Dual Cab Ute starts at $26,990 drive away and has a three-year or 100,000km warranty with three years roadside assist.

But everyone who's old enough knows you're talking about Datsun. Well, rejoice. The name is back. After being flung as signage from the corporate rooftops in 1986, parent company Nissan says the name Datsun will again be plastered on some of its cars. But the deal is the cars will be inexpensive and initially for emerging markets. Production of the boot badges starts in 2014 for Russia, Indonesia and India. Cars started wearing the Datsun badge in 1933 - 19 years after the first DAT car was made - and endured through Australian market cars such as the 240Z, 120Y and 180B before parent company Nissan in 1981 (1986 in Australia) put on its own moniker. The name change campaign lasted from 1982 to 1986. Datsun-badged vehicles had been progressively fitted with small Nissan and "Datsun by Nissan'' badges from the late 1970s. The announcement that Datsun would join Nissan and Infiniti nameplates came this week from Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn.  He says the resurrected name will strengthen Nissan's foothold in emerging markets by offering inexpensive, fuel-efficient vehicles. But no specific models have been announced. Nissan in 2011 sold 60,000 cars in the expanding Indonesian market, and forecasts that to swell to 250,000 by 2014. Nissan this week announced a new factory in Indonesia which will become one of Asia's biggest Nissan facilities. It will build some Datsun-branded cars.

If I drive down the street in my convertible, passers-by would - sometimes quietly - remark on my second childhood or mid-life crisis or even an egocentric grey-haired man.But if I travel that same caustic road with a group of 10 or 40 or, as was recently the case, 60 MGs, the adoration, smiles and waves would bring a hardened man to tears. Beyond the snide remarks of the solo road trip, people tend to bond with people en masse in sports cars.You wouldn't, for example, find the same cheery disposition from bystanders confronted with 60 4WDs. Convertibles incite the senses, sparking thoughts as diverse as race car competition and romantic evening coastal touring. Throughout our life, the convertible has set the scene for adventure on a range of levels.Movies are made from the goings-on in convertibles. Girl kisses boy for the first time in a convertible; Elvis Presley drives a convertible racer through the desert to win the prize and the girl; and if Rhett Butler had his way, it would probably be him driving a convertible over the Alabama horizon waving farewell forever to Scarlett. There have been convertibles for the dreamers and the rich, the romantic and the would-be racer.Most of us wanted, or want, a convertible. But things get in the way. Children, on-street parking, the everyday limitations of two seats and even the security of maintaining a car with a fabric roof. Which is why the people who predominantly drive convertibles are - lets say - free of the encumbrances that would keep the cars out of reach for most people.Two days as the guest of the MG Car Club of Western Australia for its annual Safety Fast pow-wow, and you see how 120-odd members of suburbia solidify under the umbrella of the ownership of an obsolete car marque. The Safety Fast event is the club's premier social outing, held by the MGCC in conjunction with the TC Owners Club and the MG Owners Club, and is now in its 20th year.Club member Don Wylie was unable to attend the event, but his pristine 1971 MGB MkII was available. The weather is unkind on the first day of the two-day Safety Fast event. Grey clouds and plenty of rain means the journey is with the roof up and a rag on the windscreen to absorb the leak while an errant drip from elsewhere coldly wets my right knee. Those rumours you heard about early model English convertibles and their propensity to share the weather with the occupants - they're true.But the car loves the cooler weather, keeping the temperature gauge around 160-degree F rather than the warmer day that can see the needle pinch the 190F numeral. The water temperature gauge and the oil pressure gauge always have your attention. Oily things can become susceptible to driving conditions and the simple truth of becoming weary after 40 years of use.The MG is, however, a surprise. Under acceleration it's unique exhaust note fills the cabin. The gearbox snicks light and easy and the clutch, while firm, is positive. The steering is heavy - heavy at speed and quite weighty when parking - though this car retains the original, large diameter steering wheel. It can be flung with confidence, helped by this car's original lever-arm dampers being replaced with hydraulic units.The roof is easy to retract. This is a later model MGB and has the two metal clips and two press studs atop the windscreen frame. Owners of earlier models endure the disassembly of a number of vinyl fabric pieces, metal straps and studs - an awkward manoeuvre made frustrating in times when speed is essential.Like a sudden onslaught of rain. The route is quiet country roads south-east of Perth, edging the Darling Range then entering the hills in surroundings of tall trees and picturesque dams. There is no rush and only a few of the more daring overtake a fellow member. A few of the MG contingent get lost. One lost his steering wheel after enthusiastically rounding a corner and waited for the roving specialist mechanic.But that's part of the fun. From the pleasure of owning an MG to the camaraderie in events such as MG Car Club of WA's Safety Fast run, there's just something magnetic about the enormity, the rareness, of a group of old cars with their different noise and smell and flapping fabric.HISTORYThe now 50-year-old MGB was built from 1962 to 1980 with total production reaching 386,789 units. Almost nine of every 10 cars made was exported, mainly to the US.It was the first unitary MG sports car, designed for high integrity without a roof.This toughness and reliability suited it to endurance sports events.Its successes included outright wins in the 1965 Guards 1000 race at Brands Hatch; 1966 Marathon du la Route 84 Hours at Nurburgring; class wins at Sebring in 1966 and 1967; 1966 Targa Florio and 1966 1000km Spa race.It also finished second place in class at each of the 1964 and 1965 Le Mans 24 Hour events.In 1965 the MGB GT was added to the range and by the end of production in 1980, 125,323 of the hardtops had been built.Unlike the convertible version, less than half of the GTs were exported. A total of 512,112 convertibles and GTs made the MGB the world's top-selling sports car of its era, the first to reach a half a million and the top British sports car of all time.The total UK market volumes were 49,810 tourers and 64,907 GTs - perhaps a reflection on British weather. Many MGBs were reimported to Britain from the US over the years as demand for classic versions grew.The term "Safety Fast'' has been the motto of MG since 1929 after it Oxford Bus Company vehicles - whose chassis had been built by Morris Motors - wore a "Safety First'' badge to promote their then novel four-wheel brake system. MG marketing picked up on the slogan, changing it to Safety Fast. It replaced "It Passes - and Surpasses'' and ``Faster than Most''. MG was unhappy that pencil-toting wags added the word ``bicycles'' to these slogans.CLUB DATARising new car ownership by new generations of motorists and the increasing age of the older cars should mean declining membership of single-marque car clubs. But despite most MGs dating back to the late 1960s, the MG Car Club of WA - in line with trends across Australia - is raising membership each year. It now numbers 250 with an estimated 200 MG cars on the club books.MG owners get regular outings, newsletters, access to member assistance when rebuilding or repairing, club meetings and ar displays. The cost is only $100 a year for a couple.THE OWNER AND HIS CARRetired motor mechanic Don Wylie (CORR) brought a tired MGB as "something to keep me busy''. It followed other projects by the Perth enthusiast, including a Midget and an MG GT, both rebuilt and subsequently sold. Now the red 1971 MkII is as original as when it left the factory - save for the replacement of the rear lever-arm dampers for hydraulic shock absorbers - and runs like a Swiss watch."It'll still do 100mph (160km/h),'' he says. Don and wife Renee have owned the MGB for four years though it's not alone. The garage is shared with a MGF - a car Don says is much maligned as it is "great'' to drive, though because of its mid-engine layout, difficult to repair. But that won't stop the couple taking the F out for a spin in this year's 20th anniversary Safety Fast Run.

... up to half their price two years ago.
The interest is fed by the strong Australian dollar's exchange rate with the US currency, and depressed prices for older cars in the US in the wake of the Global Financial Crisis and the current US recession.
Car transporter Cargo Online boss Steve White said there had been "a lot of movement'' since the Australian dollar rose to US80c and though imports are stabilising, his relatively small business is still moving 200 cars a year.
But he said while classic cars were still popular, new government rules on importing modified cars have seen a big drop in some muscle cars.
US-based specialist car dealer Lee Wolff of Vintage Motor Car in Ohio said he is "getting lots of inquiries from Australia.''
"The collectors that want great cars will pay fair market value. If it is something special they usually are not concerned about the exchange rate, if it is a vehicle they want,'' he said.
"The prices in the US collector car market are generaly lower than in recent times, but good quality cars continue to stay strong. 
"It is always better to purchase a good quality car that has been restored as the cost of restoration is so high.''
Perth enthusiast Reg Toohey is just one who found a bargain in the US.
 His 1956 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz Convertible was bought for about $100,000 and arrived from New York to Perth just before Christmas. Mr Toohey said the price was about half of what a similar car would have fetched 10 years ago.
"The car had been totally restored - down to each nut and bolt - and had travelled only 1600km since,'' he said. 
"It is in immaculate condition. I was lucky that the Vintage Motor Car company I dealt with in Ohio had an honest appraisal of the car.
"I never wanted an older car because I thought they would be unreliable. But I participated with a business associate in the Peking to Paris race in 2010 in a hastily-bought 1935 Bentley and over 15,000km, it had no mechanical faults and only one puncture.
"So I got hooked on old cars, looked for a 1959 Cadillac - the one with the huge fins - and found this fully restored 1956 Biarritz.
 "You have a lot of fun with your family in these. Everyone from bikies to little old ladies love to see these cars. I know I'm just this car's caretaker - I hope it will go to other people after me who will enjoy it as much as my family does.''
Mr Wolff said Australians especially like limited editions from around the 1950s, he said.
 "Any good quality car is a candidate but Aussies like cars that were made in limited production.
 "The Cadillac Biarritz is a perfect example. The `56 Cadillac is a limited production convertible. It is 6m long and is sought after worldwide.
"They were mostly special ordered from the General Motors dealer for movie stars, sports figures and dignitaries. ''
Though rare, the Biarritz is the second in Perth - the other is a 1958 model owned by a private collector - and typifies a flow of American classics out of America.Of the 84 known surviving 1956 Biarritz cars, 50 are outside the US.
Mr Toohey said enthusiasts should spend time researching cars and costs.He was surprised that though the government charges no duty for an imported car, there were GST - at 10 per cent - and Luxury Car Tax (at 33 per cent) charges in addition to the cost of freight.He estimates it cost almost $30,000 above the car's purchase to have it parked in his driveway.
Department of Infrastructure and Transport data shows more than 11,000 vehicles were imported in 2010, the most popular being Ford Mustangs.However, showing that Australians aren't interested only in class cars, within the top five vehicle list was the Piaggio Vespa scooter.
 

Australians are gettng the chance to use their mobile phones to authorise a parking spot. European-born Parkmobile - which lets your mobile phone authorise a parking bay and pay the fee without using a meter - starts in Sydney this week after success in Melbourne.NSW was initially excluded from the concept because of a clause within government legislation that prohibited payments by a mobile phone. NSW Roads minister Duncan Gay, who instigated the change to the legislation, said:"It was clear to us that there was a need to adapt with the times and allow councils and parking authorities to provide an easier way for residents and businesses to park in their area''. Parkmobile's managing director for Australia, Michael Doherty, says more than 5000 Victorian motorists have signed up to use the system. He says growth is daily and he's expecting a similar response from Sydney."Together with the relevant council, we make a number of carbays available on the street or in parking centres,'' he said. "The motorist who's registered with us simply parks in a designated bay, uses the mobile phone's app to confirm the bay and then the payment is deducted direct from the motorist's credit card account.'' Traffic wardens can check the car is legitimately parked by accessing Parkmobile's database through the council-provided hand-held device."There's no extra cost to the motorist - even registering with us is free - as our cost is paid for by the council,'' Mr Doherty said. "The benefit to the motorist is quick and easy parking while the council gets easier policing, lower maintenance of meters and control systems in major carparks.'' Mr Doherty said that Parkmobile, which started in the Netherlands in 1999 and expanded to the US in 2008, has future plans for road sensors that detect a car's identity in a car bay.He said in the future, councils will be able to remove ticketing meters and control gates in major carparks and on streets as more people elect to use Parkmobile's pay-by-phone system.

The deal gives Geely access to Volvo's hybrid technology and small-car platform design, while Volvo gets Geely's buying power and allows it to share components.  Does this cheapen Volvo? "No'' is the blunt answer from Volvo product planner Lex Kerssemakers. He indicated at the Geneva motor show earlier this month that Volvo needed a technology partner to share costs. The unusual move of aligning with Geely is that since 2010, Geely owns Volvo. This week's technology deal stitches the companies closer and allows the sharing of manufacturing.  Mr Kerssemakers said at Geneva that "Volvo won't renew our technical partnership with Ford''. That means the end of a partnership with Ford - who until two years ago owned Volvo - and created the S40, V50, S60 and other models that shared platforms, components and drivetrains with Ford. "We have to have alliances,'' Kerssemakers says. "We're talking to some companies and we may look to share engines in the future with a partner. "Anyone who makes a C-platform (Focus size) is a possible partner.''  Kerssemakers admitted at that time that Volvo is talking electrification and safety with Geely. "We are a bit ahead of China (in electrification),'' he says. "They look to us. But China is good at low-cost platforms and we could use that.''  Kerssemakers says "there's nothing wrong with (China's) quality. It won't diminish Volvo's quality. Customers aren't interested in where a car is made - they want good quality at a fair price.'' Under the deal, Volvo and Geely will jointly develop small engines, a small-car platform, and alternative energy vehicles such as electric cars, conventional hybrids and plug-in hybrids. Geely will get all of Volvo's safety equipment. Volvo will get the ability to buy parts together with Geely, making the parts cheaper. They can share production lines and even share platforms.  This will allow Volvo to reduce production costs in China, where it makes the S40 and S80 long wheelbase models - and soon, the V40 hatch - for domestic sales. The deal also ensures Geely and Volvo will be kept separate in marketing and sales.

The production version will be launched in various body styles including five and three door, coupe and an extended body version.The XIV-2 is a premium convertible CUV (crossover utility vehicle), and follows in the tracks of SsangYong's XIV-1 show car, first shown at Frankfurt last eyar.Evolving the idea behind the first generation concept, XIV-2 (eXciting User Interface Vehicle 2) has been developed into a vehicle that offers `a special experience with fun'.Central to that fun element is an advanced convertible roof to give driver and passengers a rich `wind in the hair' experience whether travelling on or off road.XIV-2 has harnessed every element of the company's design and engineering expertise from its inception. B segment in size, this CUV retains at its core a dynamic, robust SUV and has been tailored through global design clinics to appeal to young drivers in their twenties.Environmental considerations are also at the heart of the design, and the car will be equipped with various highly fuel efficient, low CO2 technologies including: EuroVI compliant 1.6-litre petrol and diesel engines, efficient six-speed manual or automatic transmission and idle stop and go.SsangYong is gaining a reputation in Europe for creative, futuristic and advanced designs.

And before you reply, understand that this Swede is big on playing with steel and engines - kinky! For the first time, Volvo is openly hawking partners to take it to the next stage and inject capital to ensure it remains a stand-alone business.Volvo product planner Lex Kerssemakers says the company's owner, the Chinese conglomerate Geely, wants Volvo to be a stand-alone operation "so we can fund our future and continue making new products''."We aren't in a hurry. We can live without an alliance for a few years yet because we have the C-platform of the V40 to work on," he says, adding however: "Volvo won't renew our technical partnership with Ford.''That means the end of a partnership with Ford - who until two years ago owned Volvo - and created the S40, V50, S60 and other models that shared platforms, components and drivetrains with Ford.The Ford Focus, for example, shares the platform with the S40 and V50 while the S60 is on the same base as the Ford Mondeo.Engines and transmissions are also common, with Volvo sharing Ford's six-speed dual-clutch automatic and the turbocharged four-cylinder engines including the 2-litre EcoBoost now in the Ford Falcon."We have to have alliances,''Kerssemakers says. "We're talking to some companies and we may look to share engines in the future with a partner. "Anyone who makes a C-platform (Focus size) is a possible partner.'' But though the relationship with Ford has ended, Kerssemakers says that doesn't mean it wouldn't forge another deal. "We're very happy with Ford - always have been,'' he says. "We could make an alliance with them work. You can't rule anything out today - everyone is talking to everyone else - just look at the PSA Peugeot and General Motors alliance.'' On the flip side, Kerssemakers says Volvo has a lot to offer in a relationship. "We are one to two years ahead of the game when it comes to plug-in technology,'' he says. "We can share that, depending on price. Were also talking electrification and safety with China. "We are a bit ahead of China. They look to us. But China is good at low-cost platforms and we could use that. There's nothing wrong with their quality.'' Kerssemakers says plug-in hybrid technology was "very, very expensive''. "It's only for diesels at the moment but we see huge benefits because it offers the best of two worlds - performance and economy. "It's ideal for a partnership.''

An ungainly yet sure-footed 4WD van, the Crafter 4Motion is a serious tilt at tour operators, mining and construction firms, the military, emergency services and people wanting an extreme machine for outback camping or hauling dirt bikes. The target market in Australia is small but the price is definitely not. Volkswagen Australia spokesman Karl Gehling says "it's a very expensive system''. "We see it as suiting the premium end of our Crafter customers.'' In Europe, Volkswagen has a burgeoning market. It plans to sell the Crafter 4Motion through dealers who will then send the van to drivetrain specialist Achleitner in Austria. The dealer bills for the van and Achleitner adds about $25,000 for the 4WD conversion. It is that steep price that will trim buyers in Australia, but Volkswagen Australia reckons there are very few rivals. "Most of our competitors for Crafter 4Motion are based on light trucks,'' says Gehling. "Crafter is specifically designed for maximum load capacity and yet is more car-like in comfort and safety."The 4WD system makes it just as - or possibly more - effective off the road.'' If Australia can copy the European conversion price, it means the showroom sticker will read from about $90,000 here, depending on the model.Volkswagen Australia expects to start getting the Crafter 4Motion early in 2013. The Crafter is a shared vehicle. It is sold globally by Mercedes-Benz as a Sprinter. But Volkswagen says Mercedes has no plans to offer a similar 4WD system.Tested in a specialist 4WD track on mountains near Spain's Marbella, the Crafter 4Motion proved an exceptionally capable machine. Despite the small engine capacity, it wasn't wanting in steep climbs up the side of the mountain. It appears as an ungainly box-on-wheels but Achleitner engineer Andreas Reich says it will  drive with a side angle of 43-degrees before tipping."It is as capable in off-road situations as a genuine 4WD,'' he says. He says European customers demanded the vehicle because of the need to carry high-weight payloads over rough ground. The Achleitner system was chosen over Volkswagen's existing 4Motion drivetrain because it is stronger. Achleitner's modifications include strengthened suspension that increases ride height by 100mm. The drivetrain adds a pneumatically-operated system to control two differentials - centre and rear - with the option of a front differential. The air-operated system also engages the low-range gearbox.On the test in Spain, it wasn't revealed that if the engine stalls the air locks have to be reset - which made for a particularly dusty hill to become particularly difficult to climb until the error was rectified. With all diffs locked, the Crafter simply idled up the incline. Mr Reich says that when all the differential locks are engaged, any wheel can take up to 100 per cent of the engine torque. The only engine available is a 120kW/400Nm 2-litre bi-turbo diesel - also fitted to the Amarok - though Volkswagen may plan later to offer a 132kW version on all its commercial vehicles. It has a six-speed manual. Mr Reich says it's impossible to adapt an automatic transmission to the drivetrain. "The front suspension and front drive don't have sufficient space for an automatic transmission to fit,'' he says. The Crafter 4Motion will be available in short, medium and long wheelbase versions, as a single cab, dual cab, van (with or without windows) and as a cab-chassis for custom bodywork such as fire tenders and military applications. Payloads range up to 2.5 tonne and load space for the closed van models range from 7.5 cubic metres to 17cu.m. The long wheelbase van with the extended roof height has a whopping interior cargo space of 7.34m long by 2.99m high. This model can take five Euro-size pallets. Volkswagen indicates that the Crafter can be customised with a variety of seat options for up to 12 people. There are even 11 ventilation, heating and cooling options.