Articles by Neil Dowling

The Kia Picanto uses a tiny three-cylinder 1.1-litre engine that sips 3.5 litres of diesel every 100km _ less than a Toyota Prius hybrid and emits an eco-friendly 85 grams of carbon per kilometre. With the average Australian motorist driving 15,000km a year and diesel averaging about $1.40 a litre in most cities, the Kia would cost its owner some $700 or less a year at the pump. Its consumption and emission figures are up to half of those in most cars of the same size. The Picanto could be here as early as January price from as little as $13,000. If the tiny hatch is just a bit too small, the next size up Kia Rio is in line to get the ultra-frugal oiler. The current model was released n Australia last month priced from $14,990. Like most similar cars it uses small petrol engines that consumes just under 7L/100km. Kia's engine in Europe, Dr Joachim Hahn, said at the Frankfurt motor show these figures were "unachievable 10 years ago". He said car engines would continue to become smaller and run leaner and cleaner. "Downsizing is a strategy we see as being the future," he said. "For us in Europe, getting small car emissions down gives us the freedom to make bigger cars." Kia experimented with its Optima when it entered the US market last year by dropping the V6 engine in its predecessor and offering only four-cylinder engines. Many big family-sized cars use small, efficient engines. Even Ford's iconic Falcon is about to adopt it's first four cylinder engine. But Dr Hahn cautioned about taking the downsizing to far.

... but would you buy an Opel RAK-e concept? Opel says big changes are coming to the way we drive in the near future - and it’s not alone.The Frankfurt motor show revealed an unprecedented three working concepts for personal city traffic - vehicles built within a 1m width and capable of two occupants seated in tandem.“We expect radical changes in the design of city car,’’ says Opel’s vice president of design, Mark Adams.“I’m sure this is a new trend.’’Adams says the RAK-e represents a whole new classification of car segments.He says he picked up on the concept after Opel engineering sent him the brief of a working, electric-powered tandem vehicle.The car satisfies Opel’s seemingly impossible dream of creating a one-Euro car - that is, a car that will ravel 100km/h for the cost of Euro 1.Opel says it more specifically is a one-plus-one seater; is affordable (though no price is even hinted at); will cost Euro 1 in electricity to travel 100km; have a 10km range; be able to travel on the autobahn (in the slower lane);; and fulfil the needs of both individual youth buyers and inner-city dwellers.“The more we can expect sustainability in our lives, the more we will turn to electrification of our transport,’’ Adams says.“If cleaning up cities becomes environmentally and politically important, then these vehicles will come to market,’‘ he says. Quizzed about how close the RAK-e could be to production, he says “soon’’.“This is the same dilemma as what the electric car went through - everyone wants to have it but few are ready to make one,’‘ he says. “But it has to happen - the personal city car has to come. e may just be the first to dip our toe in the water. If we have to take the risk, we’ll do it.’ We just can’t wait.’’The RAK-e was brought to the Frankfurt motor show without Opel being aware that Volkswagen and Audi had a similar concept.It joined the Renault Twizy - an upright, tandem two-seat electric vehicle that comes in two electric power outputs  - the smaller of which is designed for teenagers.Renault will launch the Twizy in Europe in December, priced at about $8000 - which competes with some of the larger scooters.The RAK was the name for the first of two rocket-powered Opel racers dating from the late 1920s.

Big-engined family cars are marking time as carmakers find new ways to make tiny engines do the same work. Even engineers say the change over the past 10 years has caught them out. Few would have bet on a 2-litre, four-cylinder Falcon. Kia’s powertrain manager in Europe, Dr Joachim Hahn, says the move to downsize engines wasn’t predicted a decade ago but clearly makes sense. He is planning a 1.1-litre diesel engine for the Rio small car that will achieve a fuel economy of about 3.5 litres/100km - about half the current average for the small car class. “Downsizing is a strategy we see as being the future,’‘ he says. Even the GT (Kia’s new large-car concept) will work well and lose little of its sporty nature when fitted with a 2-litre, four-cylinder engine.’’ The 1.1-litre three-cylinder diesel claims 85 grams/km of CO2 emissions - a figure that Dr Hahn says was “unachievable’’ 10 years ago. “For us in Europe, getting small car emissions down gives us the freedom to make bigger cars - so maybe the GT can have a V8.’’ Kia experimented with its Optima when it entered the US market last year by dropping the V6 engine in its predecessor and offering only four-cylinder engines. “We held our breath,’‘ he says. But no one complained. We replaced the V6 with a turbocharged four-cylinder engine and we had better than expected sales and customer feedback.’’ But Dr Hahn cautiond about taking the downsizing to far. “There are many variables,’‘ he says. Some markets expect performance from the car and a small engine will have to work so hard to meet expectations that any fuel economy benefit will be lost. “For example, we could put the 1-litre, three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine into the Cerato. But it may not suit al customers in all markets.”

That’s Volvo’s plan as it begins to roll out a range of electric and hybrid cars. It is making its own four-cylinder engine and plans to turbocharge it and add it to hybrid drivetrains within a few years. That means the end of Volvo five and six-cylinder engines, says Volvo’ senior vice president for product, Lex Kerssemakers. Speaking to Carsguide in Frankfurt, Mr Kerssemakers says Volvo’s Chinese owners - Geely - have supported the Swede and allowed a fresh look at new product.Though Mr Kerssemakers was reticent on detail, he says Volvo was now ready to release a new S40 - and its wagon variant, the V50 - which would boast increased fuel efficiency. “We had to ook at what we were and what we represented to our buyers,’’ he says. “We have always been seen as a company that was very aware of its social responsibility - and that includes the emissions of our cars - through safety. “We have progressed to making very good looking cars. We also make very good turbocharged engines - we have been doing turbocharging for 30-odd years - so now we have the basis for a step into the future.’’Kerssemakers says the new four-cylinder engine will be available in power outputs from 110kW to 220kW and deliver up to 440Nm of torque. “Now, put that with an electric hybrid drive with 200Nm and you have a very fast car that is capable of very low fuel consumption,’‘ he says. “Instantly, you have a sports car. It’s a very clear choice for us - ditch the cylinders. “We are developing our own engine nd it will be available in a few years. There will be overlap from the existing engines but ultimately, we will be a four-cylinder car company with hybrid and plug-in electric capability.’’Volvo is trialling a fleet of C30 plug-in cars in Scandanavia and is expected to start rolling out hybrid models from 2012. Kerssemakers says while Sweden doesn’t offer government subsidies for private motorists who choose low-emission cars such as hybrids, he says the cost benefit to the owner was very significant. Kerssemakers expressed concern about the plight of Saab. He says the possible loss of the company from Sweden would be “devastaing’‘ to supplier companies and to Sweden itself. “It also affects engineering and design students coming through universities and in that way, erodes Sweden’s value as a supplier of intellectual property,’‘ he says.Saab is still fighting for financial survival and was absent at the Frankfurt motor show.

The new Lotus Exige S, launched at this week’s Frankfurt motor show and in Australia early next year, picks up the Evora’s supercharged V6 engine and shoehorns it into the refreshed Exige’s 1080kg body. But the engine - a major upgrade on the 1.8-litre base engine - is only one of the Exige’s highlights. “It’s a lot less like a toy,’’ says Lotus PR head Alastair Florance. The redesign has made it look bigger and more aggressive.’’ It opens the door to the Exige R-GT which is Lotus’ new rally entrant. “There is a need to go back to rallying,’’ Florance says. It is necessary. We’ve been so successful in every motorsport arena - Le Mans to Indy, Formula One to rallying.’’ The R-GT goes for a shake-down year in 2012 and is expected to hit the circuits in 2013. It will participate in the newly-formed FIA GT category of the FIA Rally Championship on asphalt in San Remo, Tour de Corse and Monte Carlo. It gets the same 3.5-litre V6 engine as the Exige S but Lotus has made “significant’’ changes to the gearbox and the restrictors in the engine, Florance says. Lotus also showed its Evora GTE and has been stunned by demand. “We had plans to build a road car off the back of the GT racer and so the GTE was born,’’ Florance says. We planned 25 units at about (the equivalent of) $150,000 each. Immediately, we had 114 orders from China. So we’ve raised the production.’’ Other Lotus cars on show included a new Elise CR (club racer) with a 1.6-litre engine and robotised manual gearbox with steering wheel paddles; the Elise S that picks up a supercharged engine for 165kW/250Nm and a 0-100km/h time of 4.6 seconds. But following some notes in Carsguide recently about the Evora’s perceived quality, Mr Florance says big steps had been taken to improve the car. The results will be seen in the next shipment to Australia, but essentially there were 140 changes. “They’re small, but in total make a big difference,’‘ he says. They include improved leather interior trim with extra padding in the door insets and the seats, contrasting double stitching of the leather dashboard and improved door mechanisms. Lotus also showed its fuel-cell London taxi on which it did engineering work. A few of the cars will do duty as a taxi during the 2012 London Olympic Games. There was also the Evora 414E hybrid that has two electric motors producing 310kW/800Nm fed by lithium ion batteries that are charged by a Lotus-Fagor range extender engine. Lotus has designed two Fagor-built engines - a three-cylinder as fitted to the 414E - and a new two-cylinder unit that is more compact and can be mounted in virtually any position to power a battery pack. The sole 414E is regarded as a demonstrator but Lotus says it is keen to get more built for the road.

HINTED and now proven to be true, Maserati has unveiled its Porsche Cayenne-chaser - an SUV now wearing the same name as its original concept, Kubang.Though Maserati initially denied the existence of the SUV, it wowed the Frankfurt motor show this week with a wagon that - despite some sharing with the Chrysler Group’s Jeep Grand Cherokee - has Maserati-made engine, suspensions, brakes, handling, performance and - claims the company - style.The engine is designed by Maserati and, like all Maserati engines, will be made by Ferrari. It will be mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission.The Kubang will also have specific performance settings such as suspensions, brakes, steering that will be developed in Modena for the Kubang by the Maserati Product Development Department.As expected, the merger of Fiat - parent of Maserati - and Chrysler will mean some vital chassis components of the Maserati SUV will be borrowed from the Chrysler Jeep Grand Cherokee 4WD.Maserati’s product development manager, engineer Benedetto Orvietani, was interviewed by Carsguide in July and was keeping very quiet about the SUV’s development.However, he then agreed that the vehicle is an important cog in Maserati’s range.The Kubang is expected to use Maserati’s 4.2-litre V8 petrol engine and probably the option of the VM Motori 3-litre V6 turbo-diesel. Both will be mated to the ZF eight-speed automatic transmission but is unlikely to have a transfer case like the Grand Cherokee.The suspension is also believed to be double wishbone front and multi-link rear with electronic adjustable air bladders.It is possible that demand for the high-end SUV would be sufficient to double Maserati’s sales. It’s hinted that annual production could be up to 6000 units a year - a massive figure given Maserati’s 2010 output of less than 6000 vehicles.That’s not possible at Modena, Maserati’s home town. But it is possible to add to the existing car production by outsourcing assembly - maybe to the US.

The GT is the first Kia to have a rear drive layout. It shares a platform with Hyundai and though just new to public viewing, has been in the works since November 2010. The sleek four-door, four seater has a turbocharged, direct injection 3.3-litre V6 engine generating 291kW and 534Nm. The transmission is an eight-speed automatic with drive to the rear wheels. A V8 is definitely in the planning. The Kia GT could be in Australian showrooms as early as 2013. It has been dramatically styled by Kia’s head designer Peter Schreyer and Kia’s European design chief Gregory Guillaume along Pininfarina lines, echoing a large GT such as Maserati’s Quattroporte. Though the GT is designed in Europe with the US buyer in mind, it is of significant importance to Australia. Here it will become the company’s flagship and become a vital to elevate all the other Kia products. The GT’s design is similar to the two-door coupe styling of the 2007 Kia Kee concept, also shown at the Frankfurt motor show. Its front doors and rear-hinged rear doors open outward at a slight upward angle. Though expensive to produce, the absence of a B-pillar is something that Kia head designer Peter Schreyer is keen to retain. He says the GT concept is less about design specifics and more about stance, proportion and balance which will influence Kia’s next project. “One of the great things about working on this project was that this is a very real car,” says Schreyer. “It felt good to be working on a car that could roll down the road tomorrow. Yes, it would be a dream to put this into production – it has a logical layout, with four seats, and good luggage space, and it’s also engaging and dynamic and makes a strong statement. It’s exactly the kind of car Kia should be making.” The GT is 4890mm long, 1890mm wide, 1380mm high and sits on a 2860mm wheelbase, 160mm longer than the wheelbase of the current Kia Optima.

The fuel-saving hybrid sedan from Korea could take on the Camry on Australian streets within two years. Kia is pushing hard for the Optima Hybrid - available in the US - to be built in right-hand drive and take on the successful Camry in Australia. The location of the steering wheel is the only stumbling block, says Kia Australia’s CEO MK Lee. “I’d like to bring it in now but it may take two years for it to be made as a right-hand drive,’’ he says. It’s certainly in our plans to have it join our range.’’ Lee says it is “frustrating’‘ that the Hybrid is unavailable. It’s not Kia Australia’s only annoyance - supply issues have slashed the true potential of the diesel Sportage and the new Rio. It was also impact on the three-door Rio, just launched at the Frankfurt motor show. Lee says he expects Kia to sell about 25,000 units this calendar year, though indicates that a more reliable flow of supply could push that to 30,000. Kia’s Powertrain Engineering manager, Dr Joachim Hahn, says hybrid development was ongoing and parallel to research on fuel cells and plug-in electric cars.

 It’s all downsizing at Ford as it aims to plunge its fleet emission average below 130 grams/km CO2 and lure buyers with roomy cars with miserly fuel consumption. Many won’t come to Australia but some - including the economical versions of the Focus and Fiesta - will find a ready market with motorists aiming to trim back fuel bills. Ford CEO Stephen Odell at a function on Monday night in Frankfurt rolled out Econetic versions of the Fiesta - which chops emissions back to 87g/km CO2 - and a five-door Focus that gets 3.4 litres/10km and a CO2 output of 89g/km to become the most efficient non-hybrid or electric vehicle in its class. The Fiesta has a small turbo-diesel but the Focus will have the option of a 1-litre three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine.“There will be two versions - 75kW and 89kW - with automatic stop-strat technology, regenerative energy systems and an eco-mode transmission,’‘ Odell says.“In Europe next year, more than half of Ford cars will wear the Econetic badge. "By 2013, we will have five battery-electric or hybrid or plug-in electric models on sale. And by 2014, Ford will - globally - have 25 new models or refreshed models on sale.’’ But it’s not al about saving fuel. Ford threw in some fun at Frankfurt, showing the new Focus ST in both hatchback and wagon versions.The ST - with a four-cylinder Ecoboost engine rated at 186kW/360Nm - is confirmed for Australia by mid-2012. “We did the hatch version and found it irresistable to follow through with a wagon,’’ Odell says.The ST will extend to the Focus ST-R which is an “off the shelf’’ racer designed for US circuits but capable of being eligible for race events around the world, Odell says. “We’re renewing our association with motorsports,’’ he says.“There will also be a new Formula Ford (single seater) for racers.’’ To cap off the private invite evening, Ford showed its Evos concept car with four gull doors and technology including Cloud networking. The plug-in hybrid will show some of its design features in Ford models as early as four months.

But Ford fans will want an answer about the car’s future in Australia -- which remains a mystery. Ford’s design chief and group vice president, J Mays, treads carefully around the subject of the Falcon’s future of a new front-wheel drive replacement based on the Taurus. “You have to wait,’‘ he says. “It won’t be too far away,’‘ he says, speculating that the Falcon’s future may be revealed at the Geneva motor show in March 2012. Mays unveiled the Ford Evos concept saying that elements of the four-door, four seat sports car would carry over in future models, including the ultra-slim headlights. Ford has been juggling with how the front-drive Taurus, designed for the global market, will fit in with the Falcon in Australia. The Falcon is one of Ford’s last rear-drive platforms. Mays and another Ford executive both confirmed that the Falcon was “important’’ to its business in Australia and assured me that “you won’t be disappointed’’ with the announcement, pegged for March. What do you think? Will the Falcon survive as an Australian-built, rear-drive sedan or will it be pensioned off in favour of a US-designed front-drive car?