Articles by Neil Dowling

It's one new development that will be joined by an expanded range of turbo engines as Kia lures an increasingly sophisticated list of buyers. Under development is the three-cylinder turbocharged 1.2-litre petrol engine that Kia's German-based power train manager Joachim Hahn says will soon replace units of 1.6-litre and higher. That indicates there's a new direction for Rio and, for some markets, even the bigger Optima sedan.He clearly lays out a path for Kia that is high on engineering sophistication and with concentration on petrol - rather than diesel - power for the future.  In arriving at the 1.2-litre, Mr Hahn - "it means 'cock','' he says by way of introduction - says Kia also developed a two-cylinder version."But though we could save a bit more fuel, it was noisy and had vibration problems,'' he says.  "To fix the vibration we would have to put in balance shafts and that would increase friction and cost so we would have found more benefits in a three cylinder.''He says Kia has made significant changes in recent years as it developed new engines.  "In the past few years we started quite strongly in diesels,'' he says.  But we found new technology in developments such as the 1-litre, three-cylinder petrol engine for the Picanto (small car) that uses variable valve technology to maximise power and minimise fuel consumption and emissions."Consumers won't accept a lack of power in a small car. They also won't pay extra for new technology because small cars are generally price sensitive. So that rules out turbo-charging for the lower end of the market because it's too expensive."Diesel engines are also too expensive for the Picanto market. It can add about $3000 to the cost and customers won't pay that.  "So, in the case of the Picanto's engine, it is a three cylinder with variable vales and a variable inlet manifold - this is relatively inexpensive technology that won't harm the price of the car.''The carmaker is also introducing bi-fuel - that's LPG and petrol - to its small-car range in some markets because it can slash missions.  A Picanto, for example, with a bi-fuel engine can achieve a very low 90 grams per kilometre of CO2.Kia will add turbo-charging to many of its engines destined for the more expensive end of its market.  "Turbo-charging is clearly on our road map,'' he says."Combined with direct-petrol injection, it is our new future.''  Kia makes a turbo-petrol engine for the Optima for the US market which has 200kW and a flat torque curve.Kia says that model will be considered for Australia but demand in major markets - such as the US - may push out its launch time.  He sees a different type of turbo-charging for diesels and new challenges for petrol-fuelled engines."We are looking at downsizing the capacity of diesel engines,'' he says. "Normally, it is petrol engines that get smaller.  Now we are looking at a smaller capacity diesel with two-stage turbo-charging. It's a high challenge but it s potential to further cut diesel fuel use and emissions.''One of the unexpected problems he sees for the near future is government regulation to reduce the amount of particulates - generally soot from an exhaust in a diesel vehicle - from petrol engines.  "Petrol engines do produce particulates,'' he says."Now we believe that these may be targeted and tat means we have to apply more technology to future petrol engines. Previously this wasn't an issue for us. "It's just another challenge.''

Porsche's Walter Rohrl today announced he would reunite co-driver Christian Geistdoerfer and the same 1981 911SC they campaigned in the 1981 San Remo world rally event. Rohrl didn't win there - the car expired on one of the last stages while wining - and come the 20th anniversary Targa next month (April 5-10), it will be the first time he's driven the car for exactly 30 years. The car was absolutely standard," he says.  "I never drove it after it broke down and I was told it had been sold and was gone.  It was only a few months ago that I learned it was still around and Porsche bought it back. "I now know t had a very hard life as a mule (to test new drivetrains and suspensions) in 1983, 1984 and 1985. It was in bad shape.'' It's in much better shape now, says Rohrl, whose only complaint is getting a good tyre selection for the now outdated 15-inch wheels. "The car is now on the boat on the way to Australia and I haven't made many tyre selections,'' he says. "It's probably a bit late now,' he laughs. Rohrl has done Targa twice before - the last in 2001 - and speaks highly of the course.  "Porsche will also bring down a 904 and a 550 Spyder - it's a great event for us,'' he says.

The prestige GM Europe brand looks set to debut late next year as it talks about product for that timeframe, trailing off as the subject of Australian export timeframes for upcoming models is raised.Opel vice president for business and product planning Frank Weber won't commit to anything hitting our shores beyond the three-pronged debut with Corsa, Astra and Insignia."The only thing I can say is that we will start Australia with Corsa, Astra and Insignia, beyond that what we add depends on how it is developing and relative to the Holden portfolio," he says.Anyone who bought a Holden small car before Korean vehicle sourcing took hold might be tempted, with the Corsa's ancestors imported here as the Holden Barina.  The Astra's sales credentials in Australia are strong, but the Insignia and anything to follow are the unknown quantities.The company unveiled the Zafira concept at the Geneva motor show - a car that has a brief Australian history as a Holden - but that, Meriva, Agila and any plans for a pair of small SUVs are all listed as under consideration."All are under study, because it only makes sense to come to the market with a certain portfolio size and where you also different from what Holden has," he says.  Despite talking of avoiding conflict with the Holden range, there's a potential clash in the small SUV segment looming.Opel plans for its compact SUV strategy involve the Opel version of the Captiva, called Antara.  There's also plans for a second - smaller - SUV that might appear at the Frankfurt motor show prior to a 2012 production debut."The small SUV has a lot of potential in a lot of markets, many people still like and are interested in SUVs, robust and high seating, but now it has to be socially compatible as well.""We will have an Antara successor and a car that is smaller than that, dedicated SUV but they will have efficiency and car-like behaviour, the Opel Antara is currently Korean built but the replacement is yet to be decided," he says.Mr Weber says Opel was watching developments in the Australian market, which he suggested has an interesting mix, tending towards larger cars but with a European influence and growth in the smaller segments that could fit Opel's plans."In Europe there is a (small car) market developing looking for style and individualisation, we're talking about a new project called "Junior", a city car."Mr Weber says the four-million-plus unit European small segment - which includes models like the Polo and Fiesta - is developing a need for vehicles with more character."Something different, younger, more character, stylish with a robust driving behaviour, short but not narrow.  It's next to Corsa, under four metres, a foot shorter than Corsa - Junior is a four-seater, based on the Corsa platform and will also bring in an electric-only battery version, built in Germany and will be in RHD," he says."It is a very different, attractive car - we have added three cars to the portfolio that are image-enhancing and emotional, Junior is one of those cars - Opel character, young and different, with volume potential but an image generator as well," he says.Other vehicles that Mr Weber outlined - but stopped of short of confirming for arrival in Australia - include a production version of the Astra GTC show car from Paris Motor Show and a four-seater convertible to replace the Astra droptop, which could be linked to the rumoured return of the Calibra coupe."When you look at the emotional products, there's also emotion attached to four-seater coupe like the Calibra, a car like this could make sense, we are studying it.  I think coupes and convertibles are always a bit connected, aren't they? Theoretically, because of the dramatic rooflines there's a natural connection," he says.While the brand has history in Europe there's little in the way of brand awareness for Opel in Australia, but suggestions of a handicap on that front are brushed aside by Mr Weber, as is the need for any localisation tuning of Opel product.Mr Weber also joined the list of car company executives firing barbs at the Australian authorities over range-extender and battery-electric cars, infrastructure and subsidies in relation to the Opel Ampera's chances of joining the Australian line-up."Australia is one of those undecided markets for electric cars, I have not seen signals of extreme or very serious support.  You need clear signals for your planning horizons - US, Canada, UK, France, Netherlands, Denmark - that there is clear support to establish an electric market in a country," he says.Mr Weber believes there is room in the Australian market for Opel and Holden, although using a comparison with petulant toddler sibling rivalry to illustrate some of the concerns that Holden may have had over the Opel plans."All of our product decisions are made at a global level, not Opel versus Holden, the GM portfolio decisions are made at a global level - Holden is represented at global product decision meetings," he says."When you look at market and volume potential, there is room I think in Australia for something beyond Holden."

WRAP yourself in Porsche's latest coupe and the feelings better than a warm blanket on a winter's morning.  The analogy isn't wasted on Porsche's Cayman R - the coupe that outdoes its honourable siblings to become the company's "best balance car - ever''.That's pretty tough words - these from Cayman R product manager Jan Roth - but it's all meat in the slickly-styled offering.  Cayman R outsprints Cayman S in power, acceleration, weight loss and even fuel economy.It is probably the last derivative of the Cayman success package - including the Boxster that saved Porsche's financial life - before the new generation that's due in 2013, almost a year after the all-new 911.Porsche did relatively simple tricks to make the Cayman R so spectacular.  There are bigger header pipes for the exhaust and some revised engine computer mapping.Technically, it doesn't seem a lot. But emotionally, it draws so much tighter the strings between the car and its driver.  If you love the Cayman, desire the Cayman S, then you'll be swept away by the R.There is, unfortunately, some bad news. The R isn't cheap and you will note it has been relieved of a couple of comfort and convenience features.Porsche Australia spokesman Paul Ellis says the car comes at a whopping $17,500 premium over the Cayman S on which it's based.  Pragmatic buyers - if indeed they exist within the Porsche customer database - will scoff at that premium in a car that removes some expected features yet adds - ostensibly - only 7kW.But the devil's in the detail.  That power increase comes almost at the top - 7400rpm - of the rev range that closes down at 7600rpm."We wanted to give the engine more breathing space for drivers to enjoy the entire rev range," Roth explains.  So while the power step is relatively imperceptible - especially given these's no torque upgrade - it gets to have fun in a bigger playground.The six-speed manual gearbox (PDK dual clutch is a $5300 option) has short-throw mechanicals that further tightens the package. That's on top of a body that gets shorter coils and re-rated dampers for a 20mm lower stance than the Cayman S, fatter rubber and honed aerodynamics that include the fixed rear spoiler.Then there's the diet. Porsche shaved 55kg off the cars driven at launch in Spain's big island, Majorca. That was achieved, quite simply, by deleting things it saw may be unnecesary - things like the airconditioner, radio, standard seats, cupholders, door handles and door trim.Overweight drivers, it seems, isn't in Porsche's control.However, Australia gets a reprieve. For the entry-level $165,000, we get a six-speed manual model with aircon and a radio. True, you won't visit McDonalds for a thick shake because there won't be a hole in the console to accept it. Your maps won't find a place in the door pockets and your girl will be opening the door by pulling on a nylon strap.But compared with your European and US counterparts, you'll be cool and there'll be music. And you'll still revel in a car that weighs 40kg less than Cayman S and even further embraces the driver's whims.Options still apply to this model, including Sports Chrono and ceramic brakes, but some may miss the point of the lightweight concept.  Porsche Australia says the Cayman R won't nibble at Cayman and Boxster sales and expects only about 20 R sales a year.DRIVINGIt's the seats that get you first. The thin-walled sports seats that hold the body tight and put the driver up against the alcantara-rimmed steering wheel and poised above the gear shifter.It's all hard-edged and purposeful but never intimidating.  Treat the Cayman R gently off the mark and it's a benign two-seater, trundling with the muffled beat of its six-cylinder engine nestled low behind the driver's hips.Find the open road and it can be urged through a linear power delivery that ends with the bass resonance of the exhaust barking off the mountain faces of the Majorca test route.Black ice - unexpected in a moment of sheer terror on the mountain-edged road - repeatedly flicked the tail before the traction control took hold. Yet the car held firm.On drier roads the superb steering and brakes worked with the near perfect weight balance to lure the driver quicker into corners to the point where car confidence and driver ability discovered understeer.Yet it wasn't as unpleasant as some experiences in other cars.  Ride comfort was also a surprise with sufficient suppleness absorbing rather than relaying some rutted Spanish asphalt.But it's still not the quietest car. If the exhaust bark doesn't annoy you, then the tyre roar over coarse bitumen - common of course in Australia - will make you turn up the radio. Which is just as well we get that as standard.Like the other Cayman models, the R gets two boots - a deep one in the nose and a shallow effort over the drivetrain at the back - but precious little cabin storage.  But that's not what this car is about. It's for the purist and will reward them precisely.Porsche Cayman RPrice: $165,000On sale: nowEngine: 3.4-litre flat-6Power: 243kW @ 7400rpmTorque: 370Nm @ 4750rpm0-100km/h: 5sec (manual); 4.9sec (PDK)Economy: 9.3 l/100km; 228g/km CO2Transmission: 6-speed manual or 7-speed dual-clutch PDKDrive: RearSuspension: Front and rear - MacPherson struts, wishbonesBrakes: Ventilated discs, 4-piston calipers, ESP, ABS brake assistWheels: 19-inch alloysTyres: Front - 235/35ZR19; Rear - 265/35ZR19Dimensions: 4347mm (L); 1801mm (W); 1285mm (H); 2415mm (WB)Weight: 1295kg (man); 1320kg (PDK)

The Virage, to be officially launched at the Geneva Motor show this week, is touted by its maker as a "perfect balance of opposites" and is expected to carry an imperfect $400,000-plus price tag. The 10th Aston Martin model is now on sale - with a three month delivery time - as Coupe or Volante convertible styles. Though based on the DBS's VH architecture - with a bonded aluminium chassis, magnesium and composite body panels - the shape is new. Externally, the Virage sits lower and wider than the DBS and wears a new aluminium grille inspired by the One-77 with five horizontal vanes chamfered to create an aerofoil profile. The front fenders carry Aston Martin's iconic side strake design with six LEDs to form the side indicator repeater lights. Each Virage will have 70 man hours of craftsmanship lavished on the interior alone and includes seven hides of Bridge of Weir leather. It gets the familiar 365kW/570Nm 6-litre V12 and standard six-speed automatic rear-placed transmission transaxle. Aston claims a 0-100km/h sprint of 4.5 seconds and exhaustion at 298km/h. The suspension is double wishbone with standard Adaptive Damping System (ADS) with Sport mode, Pirelli P Zeros on 20-inch alloys and - surprise - carbon-ceramic disc brakes all around with six-piston calipers up front and four-pot units at the back. The Virage gets a new ADS with five stiffness settings within normal mode, and a further five stiffer settings within sport mode. Further, a "Sport" button selects a sharper throttle response, faster gear changes and will hold the gears without upshifting on the rev limiter. Aston Martin says more than 200 man hours will be spent handcrafting the Virage at the company's global headquarters in England.

THE Volkswagen Beetle was once the world's most popular car until technology made it obsolete. Now it is the Toyota Corolla that has the mantle. More than 37 million have been sold since 1966 and the formula of simplicity, value for money, high resale prices and reliability is as integrated into its latest 10th generation as it was 45 years ago.But the competition has become sharper. Compared with the Corolla, the style of its rivals is more athletic and better dressed. The opposition more readily embraces the latest technology and with it comes new economies in fuel use and ownership costs. And their value for money - predominantly through competitive prices and a soaring feature list - is eroding what once made the Corolla great.VALUEThe $31,490 Ultima automatic sedan tested gets a bigger 2-litre engine, leather interior, xenon low-beam headlights, reversing camera and rear spoiler for only $800 more than the previous 1.8-litre model. That puts it hard up against other key players from Mazda, Mitsubishi, Hyundai, Kia and Subaru and into an extremely competitive market.Like Mitsubishi's 2.4-litre Aspire version of the Lancer, the Ultima bridges the price and performance gap between its less expensive, high-volume versions and the manufacturer's bigger car models - in this case, Camry.TECHNOLOGYThe bigger 2-litre engine promises more power and performance but is hamstrung by the Ultima's extra weight - up to 50kg more than the 1.8-litre Corolla models - and retention of the uninspiring four-cog, non-sequential auto. This auto is actually a new unit but has a tough time against the five and six-speed autos used by rivals to enhance economy and performance.The engine produces barely any more power and torque than the 1.8-litre version - disappointing - but is one of the very few on the market with a zero-maintenance camshaft drive chain.DESIGNThe Ultima comes only as a sedan and looks neat - albeit conservative and with an unfortunate strong resemblance to its big sister, the Camry. It sits on the same wheelbase as the 2000 model yet the car's body is now longer, so no real advantage to cabin space.The rear spoiler does nothing but defines the bootline. Women, apparently, like it because it looks sporty. So do I in Adidas shorts but believe me, the sight is appalling and hides the fact I couldn't run a warm bath.Cabin style is simple but works really well and incorporates features that will make your life easier - the rear camera with its screen within the rear-vision mirror is borrowed from the Koreans yet is so effective it should be mandatory.The boot is big, the rear seats split and fold down (not quite flat) and there's a full-size spare wheel. Two adults can fit in the back seat and thanks to the flat floor, you could persuade a third occupant of smaller stature to come along for the ride.SAFETYSeven airbags, electronic stability control and a five-star crash rating. All good news.DRIVINGBig advances have been made to quieten the mechanicals and resist ambient noise. The ride also feels more supple than my 2000 Corolla Ultima. But I expected more zing. There is an improvement in low-end torque which helps the car get of the mark and allows the four-cog box to flick quickly up the ratios.Annoyingly, hitting the accelerator to downshift when overtaking drops one extra the gear but makes the engine scream. A manual mode would greatly help the driving experience, even if that function is only needed in extreme circumstances.Performance isn't its middle name. Punching out only 3kW more than my 1.8-engined Corolla, yet weighing heaps more, means it'll run around the same (uninspiring) time to 100km/h.But drive it more cautiously and the car makes a lot of sense. The controls are perfectly placed, the steering feel is actually quite good and if you don't hammer the accelerator the journey is quiet and relaxed.Fuel economy could be better. Around the suburbs the test car returned up to 8.5 litres/100km on the same route my Corolla gets 7.4 l/100km and a diesel Golf sucks only 6.1 l/100km.VERDICTIt's well built, practical and durable. But it's simple and conservative in a market that wants - and is prepared to pay for - fresh meat.TOYOTA COROLLA ULTIMAOrigin: JapanPrice: $31,490Engine: 2-litre, 4-cylPower: 102kW @ 5600rpmTorque: 189Nm @ 4400rpmFuel: Standard unleadedFuel tank: 55 litresEconomy: 7.7 litres/100km (official), 8.2 litres/100km (tested)Greenhouse: 181g/km (1.8 Corolla: 174g/km)Transmission: 4-speed automatic; front-driveBrakes: 4-wheel discs, ESC, ABS, EBD, brake assistTurning circle: 10.2mSuspension: MacPherson struts (front); multi-link, coils (rear)Wheels: 16-inch alloy, 205/55R16 tyres; full-size steel spareDimensions: 4545mm (l), 1760mm (w), 1470mm (h)Wheelbase: 2600mmWeight: 1360kgTow (max): 1300kgBoot (seat up/down): 450/1121 litresWarranty: 3yr/100,000kmService: 15,000kmFEATURESDual-zone climate airconditioning6-speaker 6-CD/iPod/USB Bluetooth audio7 airbagsRear cameraLeather

Prestige car buyers are being drawn to the 125-year-old Mercedes-Benz with a steam roller list of new and revised models that aim to cement it as Australia's premier luxury vehicle maker.  The plan for 2011 follows a commanding 2.6 per cent passenger market share in 2010. "It's a very busy year ahead," understates Mercedes Australian boss Horst von Sanden.  Fresh from this week launching a new S-Class line-up that includes a new V6 petrol and an ultra-clean turbo-diesel, he expects further sales growth on the back of it topping the prestige sector in 2010. The German starts running out of the block in March with two versions of the heavyweight G-Class 4WD wagon.  Australia gets a G350 BlueTec turbo-diesel - the first market to get this engine variant - and the bi-turbo V8 G55 AMG. In the same month the company launches a V6 turbo-diesel version of its five-star people mover, the Viano, and the biggest GL version, the 450CDI turbo-diesel. The updated C-Class range is here in May and aside from an external makeover, enhanced safety equipment and a revised interior, will add a seven-speed automatic gearbox to all its four-cylinder variants. It will also debut a Euro-5 V6 turbo-diesel. The new CLS and SLK - both sporting Mercedes new corporate grille - arrive in June and then the C-Class Coupe and its 6.2-litre V8-engined AMG derivative get here in the third quarter of the year. The C63 will be officially launched at the Classic Adelaide Targa.  "We would like to import the S400 Hybrid, but its not yet made in right-hand drive," Mr von Sanden says. "We have also looked at the S250 CDI - rated at 5.4 litres/100km - but we've not made a decision for Australia."  Diesels are big on Mercedes' list but they're not finding favour with luxury car buyers. "We want to get a greater level of acceptance for the S350 BlueTec before we expand into other diesel engines for the S-Class models," Mr von Sanden says. "We have less than 10 per cent take up for diesels in our luxury sedan models.  "The SUVs are no problem - but buyers of luxury cars just don't get the advantages of diesel engines." Despite that, he's optimistic.  "I think the S350 BlueTec is the type of car that can change that."

"We're getting serious about small cars," says Mercedes-Benz Australia managing director Horst von Sanden.  The all-new B-Class is expected in 2012 followed closely by its smaller sister, the A-Class. Further, confirmation has been received that the platform will soon - possibly next year - spawn a convertible, a coupe and a baby SUV.  The small coupe is seen as important as Mercedes plugs some product gaps. It will, for example, offer a sub-$50,000 coupe - and possible a convertible for that price - to replace the departure of the budget-priced CLC.The new C-Coupe that effectively replaces the CLC is out of the budget league, being priced above $50,000. Likewise, the small SUV - no, not the GLK - is gunning for buyers of similar concepts including the Volkswagen Tiguan and BMW X1.  The A and B models will get a new platform that reverts to a monocoque body, departing from the sandwich floor of the current B-Class and exiting A-Class. The new B will have similar styling to the Mercedes F600 concept five-door hatch of 2006.  But Mercedes won't bin the innovative sandwich floor design. That will be used in the forthcoming fuel-cell models, three of which are currently driving around the world to celebrate the company's 125th anniversary and showcase the durability of the new powerplant. Outside of its branded models, Mercedes plans a new range of Smart cars with an alliance with Nissan to share architecture on the MFA platform.  The first hint of the MFA-based Smart will be as early as the Frankfurt motor show later this year. But there are tricks with the new Smart. In the US will be a four-door version that is based on the Nissan Micra - not the newer MFA architecture.  In Australia, Smart is selling at the rate of a mere 290 a year, says Mr von Sanden. "It is small volume but we're not going to let it go," he says.  "We have seen what's ahead - it's very exciting - and we're staying with the brand for the long run."

ARE you having guilty dreams of luxurious, spacious and performance-oriented saloons and want to wake up? Mercedes-Benz this week rang the alarm clock on its new limousine that beats the Corolla at the bowser and most other cars in a traffic-light sprint.It claims its new S-Class addition - the S350 BlueTec - gets a fuel consumption average of only 7.0 litres/100km and CO2 emissions of 185 grams per kilometre. It is the first car in Australia to better the ultra-stringent Euro-6 emission regulations - and I mean stringent because Australia is yet to even confirm adoption of Euro-5.Yet the V6 turbo-diesel is satisfyingly quick, running to 100km/h from rest in only 7.1 seconds.  But it has another ooh-aah moment - it's the cheapest S-Class simply because its fuel economy figure puts it in a favourable tax bracket.Its 7 l/100km economy means the Federal Government's 33 per cent luxury car tax doesn't kick in until the $75,000 mark. Cars that don't meet that target get the LCT hit from about $57,000.Mercedes-Benz Australia boss Horst von Sanden says that cuts $7122 off the price. Yes, at $213,428 the S350 BlueTec still isn't cheap. It's just that while buyers warm themselves in the knowledge that they're doing their bit for the planet, they've also reduced their payout and took a financial swipe at the government coffers.Mr Von Sanden expects the S350 BlueTec and its petrol-fuelled sister, the S350 Blue Efficiency that has an all-new engine, will boost S-Class sales by about 10 per cent this year. Last year, about 240 S-Class cars were sold.VALUEThe launch of the 2011 model S-Class includes the two 350 models plus the 320kW/700Nm 4.7-litre bi-turbo V8 S500 (from $296,975) and 380kW/830Nm 5.5-litre bi-turbo V12 S600 (from $412,000) plus the even more awesome S63 and S65 machines.TECHNOLOGYIn the scheme of things, the S-Class is small bickies. But the model is a vital role model for the rest of the Mercedes Range. What big brother S-Class gets as standard equipment - from life-saving technology to clearer audio speakers - flows down over time to the lesser models.That BlueTec engine technology - with its weeny emission level and uncompromised balance of performance and fuel efficiency - is destined for lesser things within models including the new B-Class (next year) and the staple C-Class range.The technology is simple: It adds ammonia via a 27-litre tank to the exhaust system. This reacts with the outgoing nitrogen oxides to produce water and nitrogen gas, ridding the air of nitrous oxides and the diesel's visible hydrocarbon soot.  Mercedes says the ammonia tank lasts 20,000km-plus and is topped up at each service. "The S-Class remains at the pinnacle of technology," von Sanden says.  "It is the technology leader and there's no way we will change that.  But despite reducing emissions and fuel consumption, we are not sacrificing any other of our hallmarks including performance and comfort."DESIGNInside and out, the S-Class retains the almost aloof lines of the flagship Mercedes Benz. It is a restrained style, one that doesn't quite turn heads yet carries a subtle message of wealth. People who need to know that you carry a bit more than a blue Visa card will get the message.Standard equipment across the board now includes active lane keeping (warning via steering wheel pulses if the car touches the road lines), active blind spot assist (warns of vehicles in the driver's blind spots); minimum of 19-inch alloy wheels and included among the options, the traffic update system SUNA that starts this month.DRIVINGThe S350 BlueTec turbo-diesel shows virtually none of the signs of being an oil burner. It is unerringly quiet at idle and rises up the rev counter with such smoothness and silence that it is extremely unlikely anyone would pick its engine type.It gets a seven-speed automatic with paddle shifters for those who need something extra. But the car doesn't need much extra.  Despite its near-2-tonne weight, it is agile and responsive. Shown a fast turn in the country it will bite down on its air suspension and pick its line with a flat body stance and firm yet uncomplaining steering feel.Impressive is the way the 620Nm of torque can be fed through to the rear wheels at mid corner, producing a forceful push as the car exits.  The torque peak arrives at a mere 1600rpm and starts to drift downwards only from 2400rpm, leaving a fat margin in which the big car delivers its best and most enjoyable performance.Above that, it is so comfortable. Mercedes seats are firm yet supportive - note that the rear seats feel softer - and that keeps the body intact while having fun through the bends.The S350 Blue Efficiency - that's the 3.5-litre V6 petrol - gets an all-new engine. Technically there have been huge changes. On the road these translate into improved quietness and smoothness.  It's better again than the diesel, but not by much.Notable was that despite its cleanly delivered power, it couldn't come near that locomotive thrust of the diesel when driving through hilly country.  City folk who potter around the town would probably stay with the petrol version, probably through habit because the diesel offers so much more including its huge range before refuelling.MERCEDES-BENZ S-CLASSModels: S350 BlueTec; S350 Blue Efficiency; S500; S600 Prices (respectively): $213,428; $220,650; $296,975; $412,000Engines: 3-litre V6 turbo-diesel; 3.5-litre V6 petrol; 4.7-litre V8 bi-turbo petrol; 5.5-litre V12 bi-turbo petrolOutput: 190kW/620Nm; 225kW/370Nm; 320kW/700Nm; 380kW/830NmEconomy: 7.0 l/100km; 9.0 l/100km; 10.5 l/100km; n/aTransmissions: 7-speed auto