Articles by Neil Dowling

Welcome to 2010 because that's wrong on both counts.  Shown at the LA Auto Show is Cadillac's Ultimate Luxury Concept.Designed in California, the baby hybrid competes in size with the Toyota iQ and yet - says Cadillac - has a cabin with all the company's renown luxury and space parameters.The four-seater ULC is 3835mm long, 1730mm wide and 1446 high and sits on a 2467mm wheelbase that really puts the wheels at each corner. It is shown with a pair of scissor doors which, if production becomes reality as is being mooted, would be replaced with conventionally-hinged doors.The cabin's dash features computer LCD screens and projected readouts instead of conventional gauges. Cadillac cabin trim includes wood and leather."While small in size, this concept is an exploration of what Cadillac could be in the future, as the brand continues to focus on redefining industry standards for advanced vehicle design and integrated technology,” says Don Butler, vice president for Cadillac marketing.The ULC has a hybrid powertrain with a 1-litre turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine - with stop start - and an electric motor to assist propulsion in the same mannr as the Honda Insight/Civic/CR-Z model. It has a twin-clutch gearbox and is claimed to be capable of 3.6 litres/100km on the highway and 4.2 l/100km in the city.

The long awaited FJ Cruiser - an expected sub $50,000 addition to Toyota's range - this weekend went through its paces in the hands of rally champion Neal Bates at the Toyota Land Cruiser Club of Australia's impressive Willowglen facility north of Canberra. The only FJ Cruiser in the country was shown no mercy - from water crossings to gnarly downhills, narrow hillside goat trails to rocky ascents - and proved it is likely to be more competent in the dirt than owners expect. "It's very capable - more so in most cases than the Prado," says Bates as he plunges the blue FJ Cruiser into the water.  "That's because of the very short front and rear overhangs - you can get it into places the Prado may not be able to. "The only thing it doesn't have is the Prado's downhill assist and a front diff lock. Many 4WD enthusiasts probably don't need downhill assist anyway." The FJ Cruiser is based on the Prado chassis and drivetrain and comes into Australia in March with pricing expected in the $45,000-$50,000 bracket.  Only one model will be offered - a 4-litre petrol V6 with five-speed automatic. Toyota Australia's product manager Greg Gardner says the Japanese-built SUV is aimed primarily at the US market.  "Japan and the US aren't markets for diesel, so only the petrol i available," he says. The FJ Cruiser carries over a low-range gearbox with manual engagement.  The cabin seats four adults with the rear two accessing the cabin by small rear-hinged doors, similar to the Mazda RX-8. Though the doors are small, access is good because there is no B-pillar to impede access and entry. The roofline looks low but headroom is sufficient thanks to low seat mounts. Because of its shorter length compared with Prado, boot space is less cavernous and is helped by the spare tyre mount on the rear swing-out door. Dash design is a clash of military and funky, with bold switchgear, alloy-look panels interrupted by flat surfaces that match the body colour, and highlights such as the knurled gearshift knob. Toyota Australia executive director Dave Buttner is aiming at 80 sales a month - "We'd be happy with that" - and doesn't see any cannibalisation of Prado sales. He sees the FJ Cruiser competing with the more trendy end of the 4WD-capable SUV sector, up against the Jeep Wrangler and perhaps Land Rover Defender 90. "We see it as a niche vehicle - much like Rukus - and aimed at the younger buyer," he says.  "It's not a volume seller but it certainly adds some excitement to our showrooms."

SPEED records are as old as time. Neanderthals used to race antelope across plains, Etruscans sailed sun-dial timed races around Mediterranean islands and Mayans were big on stair climbs.Though today the most cost effective way of getting quickly to places is commercial air travel, you'll have more fun in a Subaru WRX and possibly have the chance to set your own speed record on the race track. But for more street cred and a bit more technical sophistication, the race-ready STI takes all the anger of the WRX and makes it louder.VALUESubaru's race-oriented hottie comes as a sedan or hatch, manual or automatic for $59,990 - up a monstrous $20,000 on the WRX.  But the test car is an STI Spec.R which adds more fruit - but no more performance - for $65,990 which is $26,000 above the WRX.And that's a sticking point because the value tends to be diluted. It's still a single price for the hatch or more recent - and subjectively prettier - sedan fitted with automatic or manual, but it's still a lot of money.The STI Spec.R adds a sunroof, sat-nav with a touch screen, audio with 10 speakers, leather (not Alcantara) cabin trim and BBS wheels.  It's strange but the stuff that's added in the Spec.R is suited to an owner who commutes while the car itself is suited more to competition tarmac events. If you want a commuter, this may not be the best choice.TECHNOLOGYA simpleton would say the STI is a case of a biggish turbo engine in a small car body and that any fool can do it. The devil is in the detail here, as Subaru draws heavily from a dirt and bitumen race win history for a brilliant drive system that aims to maximise power delivery to all wheels. And it nails it. The system is adjustable from the driver's seat, with incremental torque allocation front and rear to adjust for varying road conditions that would affect - for example - oversteer and understeer situations.However, clever though it is, it takes a skilled driver to keep adjusting the torque split while working the wheel and gear shifter. For those who want to spend more time ensuring the scenery remains horizontal with the blue bit at the top, there's the "auto" button. Really, forgo the manual adjustment. Leave it in "auto". Otherwise, the 2.5-litre engine gets 221kW and 407Nm for excellent go and Brembos for whoa. Again, it's more suited to track than street.DESIGNThe sedan version of the STI is a recent addition to the hatch. It harks back to the original STI rally cars and looks better balanced. It has a big boot, to boot. Lots and lots of Tupperware and blistered fenders give the car muscle, while black-out war paint with silver accents dress up the nose and the traditional STI wing stands tall above the boot lid.It looks hot when its standing still and this clearly is where the STI holds appeal. At least with men. It can be a difficult creature in the city but at least it draws attention.Inside it's a different story. The dashboard is all hard plastic and scratchable silver plastic trim. The touchscreen is excellent but the sat-nav's map image looks like some kid drew it in crayon at pre-school.The STI seats four but though there's reasonable cabin room, this is a car that is focused on catering solely for the driver.SAFETYThe STI picks up all the good safety news of even the base-line Impreza. That is, a five-star crash rating, six airbags, stability control and ABS brakes.DRIVINGThis is not a car that appreciates commuting. It will baulk at the frequency of traffic lights, frustrate its driver with low-speed suspension jarring and constant clutch feathering and worry the wallet with a habitual yearning for high-end fuel. That's a serious series of complaints. For a buyer of an STI to run on the road, they must be incredibly tolerant and unusually wealthy.The more the STI is driven the more you start thinking an WRX is a whole lot better for the street.  The STI for the track. Which is where this car was pointed.The RAC driving centre sits under the flight pattern of Perth's irregular flow of commercial aircraft. It's so close that by the time you look up, the planes have their wheels down and you can see faces in the windows. The noise is equally as tangible. But not this day. With the tacho needle jumping off the redline like a sugar-infused kid in a bouncy castle, the STI isn't a quiet car.There's the off-beat mechanical anger of the horizontally-opposed engine, the subdued fan noise of air being sucked into the turbocharger, lots of throaty noises from the exhaust pipes and the chirps and screams of the Dunlop tyres.Jets pass overhead in silence.  Everything is different above 3000rpm. The gearshifts, often tight and requiring a firm hand, introduce the next cog with slippery ease.Though there's a meaty 407Nm of torque, the STI always feel it could stall off the mark. That's why it can be a bit messy in traffic. But here, on the track, you're living in the 4000-7000rpm band and it's a different car.The clutch doesn't have to be feathered and so though the driver can produce jerky gear changes, out there on the bitumen paddock there's no one to complain. The fast-ratio steering remains as before, so this is a point and shoot machine that can be pushed hard across the track and then swung into the corner to chamfer the arc. Sometimes, with the traction control off, it will casually adopt a four-wheel drift but unless you've cooked the corner, there's no sense of drama.The STI just feels so very confident. Helping that is the sports seats that keep the body anchored. They're even comfortable on the street, despite a thin wall of foam.VERDICTAddictive car that just happens to seat four adults and room for a pram but fails the value stakes in favour of its budget WRX sister.

But now with a new owner and the expectation of a fresh Korando SUV priced from under $27,000 for Australia in January, things could - at last - begin to look up. The Korando, launched this month in Britain, is a new start for Ssangyong.  It is the first time it has made a monocoque vehicle - all predecessors were built on a ladder chassis - and is the pointer to new SUVs and even passenger cars. The five-seater wagon will also come as an optional price-cutting 2WD that could start at about $28,000.  Ssangyong Australia spokesman Paul Hare is predicting a strong future for the brand after it was bought this month by Indian conglomerate Mahindra. "There are replacements for some SUVs and we're talking about passenger cars as well," he says.  Ssangyong terms its new Korando - which was previously known inhouse as the C200 - a crossover vehicle, marking a distinct departure from its rugged 4WD products of the past. It is styled by Giorgetto Giugiaro and even the 2-litre turbo-diesel engine, with an electronically variable-geometry turbocharger, was designed in Europe. The engine is rated at 129kW at 4000rpm and 360Nm of torque at 2000rpm, averages 6 litres/100km and 157 grams per kilometre CO2 to meet Euro-5 emission standards.  In Australia the Korando will get the choice of front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive and six-speed manual or automatic transmissions. Mr Hare says the Korando will come with a full suite of the latest safety equipment including ESC that integrates active rollover protection.  It also gets four-wheel disc brakes with ABS, electronic brake force distribution, brake assist system, traction control and hill-start assist. Standard gear will be six airbags, electronic active head restraint for the front seats and multi-load path body construction to distribute collision energy. Final specifications for Australia are expected to be top shelf. They will include a choice of leather or cloth trim, premium audio and convenience features, electric adjustment for the driver's seat and a 60:40 split fold rear seat with a folding centre armrest. Ssangyong claims the boot space is bigger than most of its compact SUV rivals.  The company is expected to follow up the Korando within 2011 with a bigger SUV to compete with the Hyundai Santa Fe and Kia Sorento. This wagon, which replaces the Rexton and may resurrect the Musso name, is expected to use a ladder-frame construction and likely to become available as a 2WD or 4WD.  It is believed to use a bigger 2.2-litre version of the Korando's turbo-diesel engine. A petrol engine may also be offered. Ssangyong Korando 2.0d 2WD Price: $28,000 (est) Engine: 129kW/360Nm 2-litre turbo-diesel Transmission: 6-speed manual 0-100km/h: 10sec Economy: 6 l/100km (claimed) Emissions: 157g/km CO2 Weight: 1591kg Rivals: Kia Sportage ($25,990); Hyundai ix35 ($26,990); Holden Captiva ($27,990); Mitsubishi ASX ($25,990); Nissan Dualis ($24,990); Renault Koleos ($28,490); Toyota RAV4 ($28,990)

The phone rings and the bloke on the other end asks for Lisa. There's no Lisa at my place, but he didn't know that, so I said "speaking". Obviously, I'm not Lisa. I'm not even female. But for a second, he baulked. He had doubts about his question and doubts can be dangerous.Like the time I suggested a friend look at a Honda Accord Euro as a potential purchase. My friend came back to me happy with the car he bought. But it wasn't an Accord Euro, it was an Accord. These are both cars but they're quite different and shouldn't be mixed up. Like Lisa and Neil. So be very careful what you ask for.The Accord Euro is subjectively Honda's prettiest sedan. It's now in its second generation and though bigger, retains the neatly creased panels and compact dimensions. It's a four seater - three children in the back is okay - with reasonable leg and headroom and a decent boot with split fold-down rear seats and a full-size spare under the floor.The cabin in the cheapest Euro, tested here, is attractive in an simplistic way but has to much black and charcoal-coloured plastic to lift the spirits. Yes, it's a nice-looking and inoffensive car but, like the Corolla, can be invisible in the traffic.Honda's Euro was always seen as a premium product with a high price but the $31,490 entry price for the base manual here is a really good deal. It's only about a grand off the Thai-made Civic. The price this month was dropped by $2000 and it immediately lifts the Euro up the shopping list. This is one of the few Hondas made in Japan - the others are from the UK or Thailand - so there's a perception of quality. But that wasn't necessarily the case.Standard gear is very good, starting with the safety of six airbags and stability control. Comfort features include trip computer, cruise control, iPod-friendly six-CD audio with 10 speakers, dual-zone climate airconditioning and excellent personal storage areas.It's up against the Mazda6, Hyundai i45, Toyota Camry and Skoda Octavia - amongst others - though its price and compact dimensions also make it appeal to prospective buyers of the Mitsubishi Lancer, Mazda3 and Subaru Impreza.Honda's variable-valve system gives the engine a wide power range and only harms fuel economy when you live in the upper reaches of the tachometer's dial. This beautifully made and fuss-free engine is a tad complex and that accounts for the wallet-lightening 10,000km service intervals - rivals are generally 15,000km - and expensive liquid diet of premium-grade fuel.The Euro is traditional in its design, departing off the beaten track ever-so slightly with double wishbone suspension. The retention of a full-size spare wheel and the fact it makes minimal difference to boot space shows clever thinking.There's no solid thunk when the doors close and the boot rattles when slammed. That's not a great look and jarring compared with the superior door action of the $19,000 Volkswagen Polo I had driven just prior. On the road, the electrically-assisted steering is vague around the straight-ahead position and hesitates for a fraction when turning off centre - all a bit disconcerting. But the ride comfort and quietness is excellent, as is the handling (steering aside) and the willingness of the engine.Typically of the class, the more people you stuff inside the cabin the more the performance suffers. But given this is a two-person or one adult, two kids type of car, it's not a problem. I love the manual gearshift - even knowing most of you will opt for the automatic - for its crisp changes and the way the six ratios make the most of the engine's delivery. Perhaps I was too light on the accelerator because my 8.1 litres/100km average was well down on Honda's claimed 8.9 l/100km.It's simple but sensible and elevates itself because it's a nice drive with a keen price.

Life with a Lamborghini is like having something alien and alive under your skin. Every move it makes is felt in your body. Its exhaust and engine noises shout and bark and roar in your ears like getting nagged on a bad day by the mother-in-law of your nightmares.Through a layer of Alcantara, there are subtle vibrations from the steering wheel and seat that tingles the fingertips and your butt. A variation on a Thai massage. Vision is blurry because the vehicle picks up speed and changes direction at a pace that initially shocks the brain. Think absinthe in a pint glass.Then there's the squashing. First the car's acceleration will crush you in the seat and then the corners will press against your hips and head, pulling your arms to be free of the steering wheel and your legs off the pedals. World Wrestling Entertainment in your bedroom.VALUEYou've got to be kidding.TECHNOLOGYTechnology costs. This is about $550,000 to buy and register so you get lots of carbon fibre(body and cabin), aluminium (chassis and body), Alcantara and leather (cabin) and forged alloy (wheels). The V10 engine now has direct-petrol injection for an instant hit. Fuel consumption is decreased, now 13.5 litres/100km average down from 17 l/100km.The 5.2-litre V10 pushes 419kW at a glorious 8000rpm and torque of 540Nm at 6500rpm. The extra 7kW over the LP560-4 is achieved primarily by remapping the engine management system.The six-speed automated manual e-gear transmission is now improved. Which is like saying being run over by a truck is much better today than 20 years ago thanks to advancements in tyre design. The original e-gear fitted to the Murcielago was a harsh and jerky affair that made you look bad in front of your mates. The new one is much smoother. The LP570-4's e-gear is operated only by the steering wheel paddles - but of more interest is the choice of full automatic, Sport and Corsa.Basically, the auto is for getting to the shops, Sport is for making it to work on time and Corsa is there to put a big grin on your face on the way home.The all-wheel drive uses a central viscous coupling and a 45 per cent rear LSD. Normally, power is channelled at the ratio of 30:70 front to rear and hit the ground via Pirelli P Zero Corsa tyres - 235/35ZR19 at the front and 295/30ZR19 at the rear - mounted on forged alloy wheels with titanium bolts.The wheels save a total of 13kg over the LP560-4. Every gram helps.The chassis is aluminium spaceframe with an aluminium and carbon fibre skin. In comparison with the LP560-4, only a liberal use of carbon fibre in the cabin shows the Superleggera has been designed to shave weight in order to get there faster.Carbon fibre is also used for the engine cover, bumper panels, spoilers and wing mirror housings. The rear spoiler, which is the easiest way of identifying the Superleggera, is actually a $15,000 option. All of the four cars already sold in Perth have this carbon-fibre wing.Carbon fibre is important in creating this coupe's character. The material is responsible for 40kg of the 70kg weight saving. The seats are covered in lightweight Alcantara instead of leather, however the car retains airconditioning and electric windows. The rear window and side glass are made of polycarbonate, as is the window over the engine bay.DRIVINGThe LP570-4 is making animal noises as it brakes and pitches and accelerates around the Wanneroo V8 Supercar circuit. Fresh from Italy and unlicensed for the road, the Gallardo LP570-4 Superleggera enjoys stretching its legs after such a long plane flight and revels in the warm air and empty track.At 1340kg, the Superleggera - simply, lightweight - is 70kg lighter than the LP560-4 coupe on which it is based and is the lightest road-going model in Lamborghini's range. Light is quick is economical is (more) environmentally friendly.It has a 0-100km/h time of 3.4 seconds and clearly - and unashamedly - is designed to match the Ferrari 455 in acceleration. More startling, however, is its 0-200km/h blast of 10.2 seconds and its top of 325km/h.All this technical data goes out the polycarbonate window, replaced with the need to concentrate so hard to ensure it tracks neat and smooth around the circuit. Thanks to the e-gear automated manual, it's not particularly hard to drive. But it is particularly hard to perfect the corners while getting used to its width and the razor-sharp response of the engine.Start the circuit in the transmission's "automatic" mode, build confidence and switch on the run to Sport, and then, a lap later, press the centre console's Corsa button. Which is like riding a feral beast and then stabbing in the neck. Pull on the right-hand steering wheel paddle and the car jumps sharply, the next cog rammed in and the engine howl drops an octave or two.Up two more for the straight, down one, then two for the right-hander. The ratios plunge instantly and the tail gives a little squirm, the steering wheel turns slightly and the back settles for the corner. It seems to know what to do and even pretends to become friendly.If it didn't cost half a million dollars and didn't have the fuse-lit explosion of 419kW hanging over the driver's head, it could be a fun car. Which is why - unlike many of its peers - you can flick the Gallardo's engine mapping switch back to automatic mode and, literally, go shopping.Lamborghini last year has a similar track day when the limited-edition two-wheel drive Valentino Balboni model, plus a LP560-4, came to Perth.I was more enthusiastic about the Balboni, with the 40kg weight saving of the front drive mechanicals creating a coupe that boasted lighter and more responsive steering and far less understeer than the all-wheel drive model.Despite sharing drivetrains, the Superleggera's weight loss has removed that hint of understeer and made it feel as nimble, confident and as easy to drive as the Balboni. Plus, of course, it has all-wheel drive for particularly slippery conditions.OTHER MODELSAlso shown on the track day - but not driven - is the LP550-2, the car that evolved from the limited edition Valentino Balboni car that celebrated its former works driver with a lightweight, rear-drive chassis. It is identical to the 250 Balboni cars save for the lack of the trademark centre-body stripe and identification badges.The LP550-2 weighs 1380kg, runs 0-100km/h in 3.9 seconds to top 320km/h, has 405kW and 540Nm and averages 13.3 l/100km. It's also about $140,000 cheaper. Lamborghini sells four Gallardo models in Australia - LP560-4 coupe and Spyder; new LP370-4 Superleggera; and the LP550-2.The Murcielago has stopped production and its replacement, the sub-3 second 0-100km/h Jota, is expected early next year.PRICINGThe Superleggera is $541,500 (add $27,204 for e-gear) and the LP550-2 is $399,990.VERDICTLousy visibility in traffic and a price tag Olympic/Commonwealth gold medallist Steve Hooker couldn't pole vault over fail to dent the allure of its tremendous performance.LAMBORGHINI GALLARDO LP570-4 SUPERLEGGERAOrigin: ItalyPrice: from $541,500Engine: 5.2-litre, V10Power: 419kW @ 8000rpmTorque: 540Nm @ 6500rpm0-100km/h: 3.4 secondsTop speed: 325km/hFuel: Premium unleadedFuel tank: 90 litresEconomy (official): 13.5 litres/100kmGreenhouse: 319g/km (Corolla: 175g/km)Transmission: 6-speed e-gear automated manual, sequential, paddle shifters; constant 4WDBrakes: 4-wheel vented discs, 8/4-pot front/rear calipersSuspension: Front/rear _ double wishbones, coilsWheels: 19-inch alloyTyres: Front  235/35ZR19; Rear  295/30ZR19; no spareLength: 4386mmWidth: 1900mmHeight: 1165mmWheelbase: 2560mmWeight: 1340kg

Confirmed for production is BMW's Vision EfficientDynamics hybrid coupe which, when it hits the road in three years time, promises to match the M3 in performance to become one of the company's quickest cars. Until this week, Vision was an 18-month old concept hybrid first shown at the 2009 Frankfurt motor show.  Now, despite a long-lead pre-production schedule to 2013, it's the hottest eco-friendly project on the market and one that BMW Australia is trying to bring down under.It's early days, says BMW Australia's Piers Scott, but the local company's hand is up. "There is no specific word yet on production format, or market availability, but it is a car we would be excited to bring to this market," he says.The carbon-fibre Vision was shown at Frankfurt with a 1.5-litre, three-cylinder diesel engine with an electric motor driving the rear wheels, aided by a second motor driving the front wheels. It can operate as a rear, front or all-wheel drive. It is a plug-in hybrid with the engine being a range extender by charging the lithium batteries.  The result is a total power output of about 240kW and 600Nm of torque for a 0-100km/h time of less than five seconds. BMW claims fuel economy of 3.76 litres/100km and a CO2 emission of 99 grams per kilometre. The two-door, four-seater Vision was intended to demonstrate BMW's future in hybrid and electric technology, and showcase its involvement in carbon-fibre as a lightweight construction alternative to traditional metals. BMW plans the Vision to go on sale in Europe and the US from October 2013 and rival electric and hybrid supercars such as the Audi E-tron, the Mercedes-Benz SLS E-Drive and the Porsche 918 RS Spyder. Vision is to date the third vehicle under BMW's Project "i" umbrella. The others are the carbon-fibre all-electric city car, the MegaCity (expected in early 2013), and the electric ActiveE (early 2011) that is based on the 1-Series Coupe. BMW plans to lease the MegaCity and ActiveE but may put the Vision up for sale.  If so, it won't be cheap. BMW's head of research and development, Klaus Draeger, indicates that Vision would be the company's most expensive car.  In Australia, that means it will exceed the 760Li's $386,000 entry price with Draeger saying: "Technology doesn't come cheap, and this car is packed with everything we know about alternative drive systems". BMW's Piers Scott says it's to early to talk price or leasing options in Australia.  "It will potentially also involve a new retail approach with more flexible ownership arrangements to suit these next-generation vehicles," he says. The first Vision test bed car copies the 2009 concept by using a diesel engine with electric motors.  However, Mr Draeger says it's possible that the Vision's diesel may be replaced with a petrol engine for the US market. It is believed the 120kW 1.5-litre turbo-diesel will also be offered in conventional road cars, the first being the 115d expected in 2014.  This engine acts as both a generator to charge the batteries on the run, and as a direct-drive unit operating through a six-speed dual-clutch transmission to the rear wheels. In the Vision concept, the diesel complements a rear 39kW electric motor and a 82kW motor at the front wheels.  The lithium-polymer rechargeable batteries are within the chassis spine and BMW claims full charge in only 2.5 hours. The batteries allow 50km of zero-emission driving and the 24-litre diesel fuel tank extends the range to 700km.  BMW has completed more than 60,000km of testing with in diesel-electric form. The Vision will be built at BMW's Leipzig factory - also to produce the MegaCity and ActiveE - with carbon-fibre body parts coming from its plant in Seattle in the US state of Washington.

Then the Sheikh - the last of the original magnificent seven who created the UAE - died and all the music stopped.  The beer ran out, Ferrari World didn't open, the parties were cancelled and a sombreness closed in as depressing as the dust storms that swirl Dubai's heaven-reaching buildings. Later that day, at a post-launch dinner, two tables were empty.  The Chinese journalists, I was told, were shopping. "Really?"  "No, not really," came the response.  "They're in gaol." Welcome to Dubai. A city or a kingdom or a country or a shopping mecca. You decide. Dubai can be a lot of things to a lot of people but it comes with silent warning tags.  It reminds me of the US. Complex and brash, excesses of poverty and wealth all topped by a thick coating of hypocrisy. You don't show affection when walking with your wife/partner/girlfriend in Dubai. You don't show emotion of any kind, really, except to recognise you are in another person's country and you do as they do. Wear what they wear, drive like they drive. When it comes to the car, they drive pretty much like what we drive. There's a lot of Altona-built Camrys and Elizabeth-sourced Commodores.They're not big on luxury Europeans. In 300-plus kilometres, I counted four Audis, about the same number of BMWs though there were a few more Mercedes. And four motorcycles. Commodores with Chevrolet badges were relatively common, though Hyundais were dominant. The deserts crowd the city but SUVs are few and the only 4WD of note was the Toyota FJ which we get in March. They drive on the other side of the road and tend to disregard speed limits, though just recently the police - who, you will learn, are not to be argued with - were issued with hand-held cameras and the revenue is soaring, according to a taxi driver on the windswept trip to the hotel from the airport. On the road test in Kia's promising Optima, the bitumen through the sand was impressive in quality. You can build up a bit of speed out here, too, but the car moves around a bit when the winds whip the flanks and the steering gets uncomfortably light. Caution, too, for the camels. Australians may be practised at screening the rural horizon for kangaroos and this augurs well for a blast across the sands towards Abu Dhabi. Camels are the same colour as kangaroos are the same colour as the sand, so can easily become invisible save for the fact they prefer to walk on the road. Where you are. At 120km/h or more. It's all good for the heart.  Wadis (oases) come and go in a blink of palm leaves and the road finds interest as it climbs towards Hatta through rich red rocky earth piles that show no vegetation. Further, at Kalba, the road skims the edge of the Gulf of Oman with its flat, pale water and distant oil rigs.  The car is very comfortable, notably quiet and the features and fittings reflect a thoughtful and careful methodology. It should do well, even though the car wasn't exactly the one bound for Australia in January. On the return to Dubai, a coffee stop filled us with sticky buns and Nescafe from a jar at a wadi with beige buildings and beige dust interrupted only by a few green palm trees and a black bitumen highway. I expect Dubai's 850m-odd high Burj Khalifa to become the lighthouse to guide me back to the hotel but it's clouded by dust.  It is an uninspiring return, repeating the almost full stops over countless speed humps - yes, on the freeway - and the tedium of dozens upon dozens of roundabouts. At dinner, with Kia bosses, talk moved from the death of Sheikh Saqr to the postponement that day of the Ferrari World opening to new cars to free trade to Chinese journalists.  "Why are they in gaol?" "They were arrested after photographing the police station. You are not allowed to photograph public buildings in Dubai. The Chinese were photographing everything." "Are they still there?" "I don't know."

Showrooms are expected to next year be dotted with sub-light cars - the best example being the Suzuki Alto - as Australian cities increasingly succumb to traffic and parking congestion, consistently strong fuel prices and creeping car maintenance costs.Kia hinted this week that the Picanto - a sub-light category five-door - could take on the recently launched Holden Barina Spark in this segment and lay the ground rules for future like-sized imports.The current Picanto is targeted at European buyers but the 2011 model is predicted to have wider appeal, says Kia product manager Ji-Hoon Han.Kia Australia is keen. It says while the current Picanto is off the radar, it is playing a wait-and-see game with the next car. "The new model could change the dynamics of placing the car into the Australian market," says Kia Australia spokesman Kevin Hepworth. “We are certainly looking at it and how it will fit here, both in terms of its features and pricing."Kia next June launches its all-new Picanto and Rio, with debuts expected at the New York and Geneva motor shows.The possible introduction of the Picanto into the small end of Australia's car range indicates that the new Rio may stretch out in size and features.Kia - at the launch of its mid-size surprise sedan, the Optima, in Dubai last week - states it is easing out of the budget segment and aiming upmarket as its products mature."The Sportage and Optima are the latest examples of our maturing and high quality range," says Mr Han. "We are now positioning ourselves as a maker of cars with value, rather than cars that meet certain price levels."The next Rio has to be good. It will arrive as a five-door hatch and then three-door and sedan to take its fight into the light-car brigade that includes the Hyundai Getz (and i20), Mazda2, Ford Fiesta, Nissan Micra and Toyota Yaris.The new Rio will sport a 1.4-litre and 1.6-litre engine choice - well above the 1-litre to 1.2-litre powerplants of the sub-lights such as the Picanto.

Kia this week says New Zealand will become the first country to get a diesel Kia Optima before it moves to other markets, including Australia. The 1.7-litre turbo-diesel - an overbored 1.6-litre turbo-diesel as fitted to the Soul - with about 90kW and 320Nm has been chosen for the Optima, based primarily on its weight. Kia Product manager Ji-Hoon Han says the 1.7 is one of the R-Series diesels and is from the same family as the 2-litre and 2.2-litre engines fitted to Kia’s Sorento and Sportage plus Hyundai’s Santa Fe. He says the 1.7 was smaller and lighter than the 2-litre and, because it produced the same 320Nm of torque, was the ideal powerplant for the 1.5-tonne Optima. New Zealand will, like Australia, get the 2.4-litre GDI Optima early next year. It will receive the diesel in June but it won’t get to Australia either later in 2011 or early in 2012. Part f that is due to demand in Australia for diesel sedans, says Mr Han. “Australia’s interest in diesels for cars isn’t as big as some other markets,’‘ he says. “So we will start with New Zealand and then the UK before we look at Australia.’’ Kia is expanding its diesel engine factory in Korea, expecting the majority of work to be ready in April. It says the expansion was attributed to growing global demand for the diesels.