Articles by Neil Dowling

But details are sketchy and the patient may be in for a long recovery period. Colorado-based clothing shop owner Ric Reed has bought the rights to the Studebaker car company that ended its life in 1966 after 64 years of vehicle manufacture. Reed plans big things for a car company that produced some stylish vehicles, particularly in the 1950s and 1960s. But first he must find funding and then embark on his six-step plan that proposes the company first put its name to a range of Chinese scooters before moving into vehicle manufacture with hybrids. But even before that starts, Reed says on his website disclaimer that "we are almost ready to sell Studebaker shirts and hats." Reed, who runs the Big Kahuna apparel company in Colorado, bought the rights to the Studebaker marque from his business partner. He says he wants to "revitalise Studebaker's classic labels like the Lark, President and Hawk." "As the entrepreneur at the helm of Studebaker Motor Company, it is my earnest goal to create vehicles that are in some way reminiscent of classic Studebakers, or in other words, definitively Studebaker, yet brought into the 21st Century, and again to see Studebaker Motor Company the American Icon it once was," he says. He says it is his dream to reopen the old Studebaker factories in Indiana and employ Americans. He also wants to make a hybrid car because he believes electric vehicles still need development - ironic given Studebaker's first cars in 1902 were electric. Despite the 46 year gap since the demise of Studebaker, the marque is popular with enthusiasts. The US Studebaker Drivers Club, for example, has 12,000 members.

Audi A4 Avant 2.0 TDI and Volvo V60 D3 go head-to-head in this comparative review.

Humans make mistakes - otherwise, most of you wouldn't be here - and it's ironic that only humans make devices that can prevent us from making mistakes. Subaru's see-all, tell-all driver assistant package - called EyeSight - ranks alongside Volvo's City Safety as a vital tool to reduce road fatalities and even vehicle damage. But unlike most safety technology, it's debut isn't just for the wealthy motorist. Subaru includes EyeSight in two models - Liberty 3.6R Premium sedan and Outback 3.6R Premium wagon - as standard equipment with prices starting at $51,990.VALUEConsidering EyeSight is included in the price of the six-cylinder premium Liberty and Outback vers ions, it represents very good value for money. There's no price sufficient for replacing or restoring life. Aside from this system, the $51,990 Liberty sedan tested is a sleeper. It's loaded with features, is quick, comfortable and blessed with fine handling while exuding quality. It's not short of rivals - VW Passat 4Motion ($57,990) being the closest but other Euros are all in there - but EyeSight gives it the edge.DESIGNSubaru really restrains itself when it comes to styling. It's in-house  designers are conservative and appear driven by US trends, so the Liberty has a rather anonymous road presence. But it's spacious within with rear-seat room for three adults, has a big boot and good use of personal storage space. Dash design is simple and uncluttered, though the use of hard plastics and the sketchy sat-nav graphics date it against Subaru's latest - and low-cost - XV wagon.TECHNOLOGYEyeSight takes all the kudos here (and is explained below) but the Liberty's skeleton alone de serves a few elephant stamps. The all-wheel drive improves safety - and even simplifies ascending wet driveways - while the 191kW/350Nm 3.6-litre flat-six engine is flexible enough to be a sublime cruiser and yet pushed hard to induce a smile. The auto is a conventional five-cog box rather than the CVT used on some smaller Subarus.SAFETYAll-wheel drive, a five-star crash rating, seven airbags and a comprehensive list of safety equipment are standard. Add to that a reverse camera and the EyeSight. The downside is that the spare wheel is only a temporary unit.DRIVINGBuyers may not need the six-cylinder engine (Liberty has a four-cylinder and turbo option) but it certainly enlivens the journey. It's an unobtrusive mill mated to an equally as subdued automatic gearbox, though stomp the loud pedal and flick the gearshifter paddles and it's a surprisingly quick sedan. Handling is neutral but push hard and nose-heavy engine can induce understeer. A supple ride, the comfortable pleated leather seats, the clarity of the McIntosh audio and the appearance of quality in the cabin enforce Subaru's reputation - at least on its top-end models - for quality.VERDICTEyeSight is the icing on a quality car that should be bought with long-term ownership in mind.EYESIGHT EXAMINEDEyeSight uses two windscreen-mounted cameras to "see'' objects ahead and attempt to avoid a crash or collision. Key features include:Pre-Collision Throttle Management: Helps avoid or reduce impact in car park accidents by disengaging the accelerator. Also reduces impact in situations when Drive is accidentally selected instead of Reverse.Adaptive Cruise Control: Maintains a safe distance from the target car in front irrespective of the varying speed of that car. It can bring the Subaru to a complete standstill and then resume moving when the lead vehicle moves off.Pre-Collision Braking: Applies the brakes when a vehicle ahead is detected slowing or stopping suddenly and the Subaru driver has failed to apply the brakes. Also has brake assist for maximum braking power.Lane Departure Warning: A lerts the driver if the car drifts across clearly marked lanes. Is disengaged if the indicator is used.Vehicle Sway Warning: Alerts the driver if the car starts to sway from one side of the road to another, which may occur with fatigue.Lead Vehicle Start Alert: When the EyeSight-equipped vehicle is stopped and the vehicle in front starts to move, the driver receives an audible reminder.

It sounds so simple that it's a wonder car makers didn't think of it earlier. German specialist vehicle maker Rinspeed has found a way of attaching a "backpack" to the electric Smart ForTwo car which is being considered for sale in Australia. This bolt-on bustle contains extra batteries to give the Smart a longer range for times when you want to go further. It also offers extra room - either covered with a wagon shape or as a ute tray - for personal luggage or for commercial cargo. Like pizzas. "It creates mobility 'a la carte'," says Rinspeed. "The 'backpacks' carry out their assigned tasks depending on current need. They cleverly solve the much-debated operating range problem that electric vehicles suffer from - neither unnecessary space nor superfluous weight is being transported." Dock+Go is the work of Swiss car designer Frank Rinderknecht and his Rinspeed team. It goes on display at next month's Geneva motor show but has a good chance of production.

Announced in the UK, the V12 Zagato will be a limited production model of 150 examples that celebrates designer Zagato's 50th anniversary with Aston Martin. Aston Martin spokesman Marcel Fabris says the V12 Zagato - a specially-styled and hand made version of the company's V12 Vantage - will start production later this year. It will take over factory space left as Aston Martin completes its production of 77 examples of its $3 million One-77 supercar, one of which will be delivered to its sole Australian buyer in April. "Mechanically, the Zagato is identical to the V12 Vantage," Fabris says. "That made it quite easy for us to comply the car for Australia." Changes include an entirely new body - which takes 2000 man hours to build - and cabin, new wheels and retuned suspension to adjust for the Zagato's lighter weight. The Vantage will sell for 330,000 pounds sterling in the UK but rises to just under $1 million in Australia because of taxes and other charges. But Fabris says it's still ell priced compared with a few years ago. "When we announced the One-77 the Australian price was $4 million," he says. "Because of the strong Australian dollar, that price is now less than $3 million." The V12 Zagato will be publicly debut at next month's Geneva motor show. It is made of  hand-formed aluminium body panels with carbon-fibre features. Aston considers the Zagato as "the pinnacle of the Vantage range". "It is also the latest expression of a successful creative collaboration that has given rise to a series of striking GT cars over the last half-century, the original and most iconic of which being the DB4GT Zagato," the company says in a statement. "Not only does this masterpiece rank amongst the most desirable, collectable and valuable cars in history, its 50th anniversary provided the inspiration for the V12 Zagato." A concept of the Zagato was shown in May 2011 at the Villa d'Este concours in Italy where it won first place in the Concept Cars and Prototype class. The concept car and a second car made the V12 Zagato's world racing debut at the Nurburgring 24-hour endurance race where both cars finished. "After an overwhelmingly positive response from customers, the decision was made in July 2011 to build a strictly limited run of V12 Zagatos," the company says. "Since then, Aston Martin's design team has worked to refine the sports cars detailing and aerodynamic performance while staying faithful to the original design concept." Creating each V12 Zagato is a process that takes about 2000 man-hours to complete. Like the One-77, the new coupe is constructed from a combination of hand crafted aluminium and carbon fibre. The bonnet, signature double-bubble roof and doors are hand-crafted aluminium, while the front and rear fenders, door sills and boot lid surround are made from carbon fibre. It is then painted - there is a choice of four colours - with a process that takes about 100 hours to complete. The car's cabin is trimmed in "Seven Bridge of Weir" hides in semi-aniline finish to offer durability while preserving the natural texture of the leather.

The new, big sister to the 458 Italia aims to put down about 525kW from its 6.2-litre, direct injection V12 engine borrowed from the four-seater FF. But the front-engined coupe won't get the FF's all-wheel drive system - rather will keep the weight (and price) down with rear-wheel drive through a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. It won't even expand on Ferrari's carbon-fibre program, sticking with an aluminium chassis and body panels. It follows the limited-edition track-only 560kW 599XX launched in December that traditionally signifies the tail-end of a model series. The new car is known inside Ferrari as the F152 but has more recently been dubbed the 620. Ferrari Australia says the 620 name is just - at this stage - speculation, though carries some logic. It would signify a 6.2-litre engine with a superfluous "0'' to hint at its engine.  But Ferrari seems intent on keeping names as unpredictable as possible - the FF carries no numbers; the 458 indicates 4.5 litres and eight cylinders but is actually a 4.8-litre unit; the "F'' prefix is added and removed at whim - such as F360 but 458; and after Maranello, Modena, California and Italia, Ferrari is running out of choice geographical names. The 599-replacement (which is the most accurate name to date) goes on display at next month's Geneva motor show. It will stabilise the range at four models, adding to the 458, California and FF.

THERE is a very simple solution to worrying global overpopulation: Stop having sex. But that's not going to happen. Instead, we build congested cities with rabbit-warren accommodation, invent two-storey trains and prams with tiered seating, and play computer games in the living room because there's no playgrounds downstairs.Thankfully, you can escape all this by buying cars with as much space as a family apartment. The Mazda CX-9 will seat - and possibly sleep - seven people. You won't have room for sex, though.Multi-seat vehicles are usually inflated tissue boxes with the aerodynamics of a brick and the driving thrill factor of diazepam.The US-inspired CX-9 seats seven and is loaded with features, cupholders, storage spaces, cupholders and some extra cupholders. It's big, comfortable and at $56,225, affordable - even more if you forgo the all-wheel drive and save $4500.The CX family - now with its third member, the CX-5 - has clear genetic links and even telling the CX-7 from the CX-9 can be difficult. It's a no-fuss, attractive and large wagon that boasts more room than rivals Kluger and Territory.Big points for the sliding centre row, easy-fold third row and split-seating so versatility is practically unmatched. The spare wheel is under the body.Simple stuff here, with the 3.7-litre petrol V6 transversely mounted under a wedge-shaped bonnet. The AWD gets on-demand drive to the rear wheels.There's no manual transmission available so the CX-9 gets a six-speed automatic and even hydraulic steering remains while many rivals have sought the fuel saving benefits of electric-assist steering. Probably a good move by Mazda.Hmmm. No Australian crash rating for this car. The US crash testers rates it five stars but ANCAP and the European NCAP haven't shot it into a concrete wall to test it out. But the CX-9 has six airbags, mandatory electronic stability control with brake assist, and has a roll-over mitigation system.There's also a rear camera, the seven seats all have lap-sash belts and the spare is near full-size rubber but rated only as a temporary wheel.Vast cabin room makes for a comfortable, loungeroom-feel driving position that's ideal for long journeys. The V6's 204kW/367Nm looks potent on paper but the figures arrive very high in the rev range and inaccessible to most owners. Obviously, push the 2-tonne wagon hard and fuel consumption soars.It's built for hauling seven people in comfort and serenity but the high stance and body mass clip its wings through fast corners. It will take to firm sand trails and gravel roads, but it's no offroader and best steer clear of boggy stuff.

The sales total for the coming year is already forecast to top the one-million mark reached in 2011 after a 5.9 per cent lift in Roy Morgan Research returns. A total of 648,000 people are planning a new-car purchase in the next 12 months, says Morgan in the Car Buying Intention report released today, well up from the short-term average of 612,000 that has driven recent demand. "In relative terms, cars are now very cheap. As long as this continues, and interest rates remain low, we see new cars as being a very popular choice over the next four years at least," says Norman Morris, communications director of Roy Morgan. The company's prediction comes as the Reserve Bank holds steady on interest rates and consumer confidence, as measured by Morgan and the Westpac Melbourne Institute rises. Confidence is now at a solid 117 points, compared to the most recent high of 130 in 2009. Even though the confidence is not reflected in housing starts, Morris says the trend for new car sales is up. Surprisingly, he predicts that Ford - which has been badly hit by falling sales of its locally-made Falcon - will be a big winner together with Volkswagen and Toyota, which has dominated car sales for more than a decade. "Ford's Fiesta and Focus, for example, are seen as fresh products that people want to own," said Morris. "There's also more product coming from Ford. In general, I'd say there's more happening at Ford and that's attracting buyer interest "Volkswagen, similarly, has a range of new models and has recorded strong growth in 2011." The report notes that sales of SUVs is continuing to strengthen at the expense of the medium-sized, large car and sports car segments. "SUVs are seen as flexible and versatile rivals to traditional sedans. Plus, there's so many models for the buyer to choose."

A Roy Morgan Research survey says Ford joins Volkswagen and Toyota as having products that private motorists prefer and intend to buy over the next year.The comprehensive survey also reveals that car sales will accelerate this year and create another bonanza for manufacturers and dealers.The researcher's "Car Buying Intention" survey, released this week, says an estimated 648,000 Australians intend to buy a new car in the next 12 months - a 5.9 per cent increase on its short-term average of 612,000 - and that vehicle sales will exceed 2011's 1.008 million.Roy Morgan communications director Norman Morris says Ford's inclusion was probably attributed to its new model range."Ford's Fiesta and Focus, for example, are seen as fresh products that people want to own," he says. "There's also more product coming from Ford. In general, I'd say there's more happening at Ford and that's attracting buyer interest."Roy Morgan surveys 55,000 Australians and 15,000 New Zealanders during the year.Mr Morris says 2012 looks likely to be a potential record year for the industry."For the fourth consecutive month, long-term new car buying intentions have improved, finishing the year on an all-time record high," he says. "More than 2.26 million private-buyer Australians are in the market for a new car in the next four years. These are private buyers - not fleet or government buyers."The good news comes hard on the heels of a difficult year in 2011 when natural disasters in Japan and Thailand resulted in supply problems."But despite this, the Australian automotive industry still managed to exceed one-million new vehicle sales for only the fourth time in history," Mr Morris says. "This year looks likely to be a potential record year for the industry with both long and short term intentions finishing the year on a positive note."In addition to the refreshed product hitting the showrooms, buyers are being lured to owning a new car because of cuts in the interest rates.Mr Morris says "the automotive industry appears to be one industry benefiting from these decisions."Mr Morris says of the mainstream brands, Volkswagen and Ford have shown the greatest improvement over the past 12 months."Both manufacturers posted improvements of at least 20 per cent year on year," he says. "BMW and Mercedes-Benz look likely to continue their struggle in 2012 to be the top luxury passenger vehicle seller, with both brands posting strong improvements."

Instead, the Invitation concept hatch - to be shown at next month's Geneva motor show - will become the replacement for the long-standing Europe-only Nissan Note hatchback. Nissan Australia spokesman Jeff Fisher says the Invitation will remain in its European envelope. "We have the Pulsar and Dualis and Micra here - we don't have a reason to import a car like the Invitation," he says. "We have previously done a lot of work on the Note to see if it would fit in our Australian line-up, but it doesn't work. So we haven't identified the concept car as joining our range." The Invitation, which looks extraordinarily like a Honda Jazz, will be powered by one of Nissan's new low-emission engines under the Pure Drive label. Pure Drive is the company's name for high-efficiency systems and is the equivalent to the ECO2 range offered by associate company Renault. Nissan will use the name to identify vehicles that emit less than 140g/km of CO2, including the 1.2-litre petrol and 1.5-litre diesel engines fitted to the current Note and Micra in Europe.