Articles by Neil Dowling

A wedge is being driven into Australia’s busy mid-size sedan market. Though the wedge is thin, Kia believes its Camry/Mazda6/Accord Euro rival, the Optima, has the goods. Kia has high hopes this is the car that will bring it elusive cachet. But it isn’t going to happen overnight."Optima is not going to be a volume seller - at least not at first," says Kia Australia spokesman Kevin Hepworth.It arrives in January in only one model, the highly-specified Platinum, with an expected $36,000 price tag. Not until late next year will the Platinum be assisted on the showroom by a smaller engined variant that aims to pick up the budget and fleet end of the business.Australia gets the complete list of accessories as standard in the Platinum - save only for sat-nav and that’s probably a temporary situation and remedied by the availability of local software. That means the Optima gets here with two sunroofs, 18-inch alloy wheels, a 530-Watt and eight-speaker Infinity audio, Bluetooth, rear camera and ark sensors, cruise control, dual-zone aircon, leather and vented/heated seats.For safety, there’s standard electronic stability control, hill-start assist, ABS on four-wheel ventilated disc brakes, six airbags and the promise of a five-star crash rating from Australia’s ANCAP.Australia also betters other markets by getting the best engine. In this case, a 147kW/250Nm 2.4-litre four-cylinder engine with direct-petrol injection. In Kia-speak, it’s called gasoline direct injection and marked by the acronym GDI.This engine will be mated to a six-speed sequential automatic with standard steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters. Kia says it’s good for a 0-100km/h time of 8.5 seconds. No fuel economy or emission figures are available. Kia says it is now finalising data.Australia is also the only market to get a retuned suspension. Worked on by former Toyota engineer Graeme Gambold - who also reworked the Sportage for local conditions - the Optima gets new High Performance Dampers (HPDs) made by esteemed European suspension makers ZF Sachs.The coil springs are also re-rated, the steering system - hydraulic, not the Korean electric system - is new and the brakes are bigger. Part of the change meant 18-inch wheels are standard.Externally, the Optima is a very attractive sedan. It is unlike any Korean - probably because it was designed by a European, former Audi stylist Peter Schreyer - and that will erase any preconceived ideas by prospective buyers.Inside it is even better. It is clever in its use of space and will seat five adults in comfort - first because of the excellent rear legroom but also because the central tunnel hump has been reduced to a mere bump on the floor.The boot is claimed to be the biggest in its class and the Australian-specced split and fold rear seat (most other markets get a fixed seat back) makes a versatile cargo area.The dashboard is designed with a sports-car theme, with the main instrument and radio area angled to the driver. Initial cars get foot-operated park brake but by the end of 2011, this will be replaced with an electronic park brake that consists merely of a dash button.Australia gets the pick of the Optima range but none of that went on show when the car held its international launch this week in Dubai. Basically, what was served up by Kia was the higher-spec body - which we will call Platinum - but without the Aussie-bound tauter suspension, tighter all-hydraulic steering and the 2.4-litre GDI engine. The test cars that we punted through the emir had the 2.4-litre non-GDI engine and standard soft suspension - both not on our shopping list.But on top-class bitumen ribbons that alternate from rifle-barrel straights through the moonscape dunes to squiggles up and down rocky hills devoid of vegetation, these pre-production cars showed that Kia is onto a good thing. Specifically, the six-speed automatic gearbox works very well with the base engine. t’s smooth and the ratios spread right out so 110km/h comes up at only 2000rpm.There is beauty in the exterior - and that will win sales - but there’s also a spacious and very friendly interior that has strong overtones of cars including Volkswagen’s Passat - a car Kia puts top of its list as the benchmark for its new Optima. The driving position is more like a sports sedan than a mid-size family car. Adapting to the driver’s seat is made easy by electric adjustment and tilt/telescopic movement for the steering wheel.Controls are well laid out, the stitched vinyl dashboard pad looks great and the Infinity sound system is a welcome addition to a car that I found both quiet and with a supple ride. However, the final ride comfort rating won’t b known until its January launch in Australia. Seat comfort is very good - despite the small width of the cushions - but the foot-operated park brake is old fashioned in this car, as is the red illumination for the radio and vent controls.It’s impressive and the downsides of this test (the engine could do with more pep and the steering was vague) will, says Kia, be addressed by the time the car hits our shores.

If it passes the test in the US market, it is a candidate for Australia.Kia this week says its first electric-petrol hybrid, the Optima Ecodynamics model, will be sent into the North American market in the first quarter of next year. Production starts in December, says Kia’s Product manager, M Ji-Hoon Han.“It will have the 2.4-litre engine but not the GDI engine" he says. “That engine is too heavy - about 30kg too heavy - for the hybrid.’’However, if the touchdown for Australia is a few years away, Kia may consider using its lightweight 2-litre GDI engine as the petrol powerplant. That engine starts production next year and is earmarked for the Optima. Mr Han says the Optima Ecodynamics has been developed with right-hand drive markets in mind.Kia Australia spokesman Kevin Hepworth says it could get here as early as 2012. “We would be very, very happy if this car was offered in Australia,’‘ he says. “I suspect it will be 2012 at the earliest.“Having the new 2-litre GDI engine in the hybrid would make more sense for us. It will be the latest technology and would be something worth waiting for.’’ Kia wouldn’t release any details of the Optima Ecodynamics. t says it will reveal the car early in the new year before its US debut.

While I don’t go to bars anymore, to me they're not much different to a new car showroom. You know before you even reach the glass front door that you could exchange a lot of money for fleeting thrills. If it's a luxury car, that thrill could cost you upwards to $300,000 and the next morning's hangover would be $50,000-plus in depreciation. So you want to get it right.Consider the Audi A8, Jaguar XJ and BMW 750i.Compared with the Jaguar XJ, the A8 is unobtrusive. Compared to the BMW 750i, the A8 is feminine. Sashay into a dim bar after dark and you'd immediately lust after the XJ. There's no doubt that with the XJ absent, you'd flirt with the A8 at the bar. If it was the 750i, you'd be attracted but always wonder what's under the skirt. But looks aren't everything.VALUEIt’s unlikely Audi A8 buyers just won Lotto. This, like the BMW and the Jaguar, is an Amex trinket designed for the “love ’em-leave ’em” coolness of the corporate world. Value is, of course, subjective to how much you have in your wallet. Or the colour of your Amex.The A8 is top of the wozzer for high-tech equipment and is the only Audi sedan to get the 4.2-litre V8 engine and eight-speed auto box with all-wheel drive - undeniably an enticing package.Value? Hey, it's your money but there are some strong rivals (two above plus Mercedes and Lexus) so look around.TECHNOLOGYLet me impress you - the A8 is a wonder of aluminium castings and tubes over which is stretched 11 taut body panels, also made of aluminium. The engine is also aluminium and the bits that are left are leather, wool carpet, slices of trees and rubber. There's steel in there somewhere but it's not on show.The V8 comes standard - the 3-litre V6 turbo-diesel is an option - with its impressive eight-speed auto and chassis dynamics that let you dial in the air suspension's firmness and engine/steering response.It has a brilliant sat-nav system and TV, plus lots of buttons and strips of wood and perforated and quilted leather seats.DESIGNIt is contemporary but conservatively styled, appearing that the designer wanted to appease all possible buyers. During the drawing process, he somehow found himself stroll too far into an accountant's loungeroom. The sum of the exotically-made parts is a shape that is taut, trim and utterly efficient,­ but not seductive and doesn't portray the sticker price or the technology beneath its skin.Inside, it doesn't feel big and even the rear seat room isn't limousine class, though there's a long wheelbase version. But, and it's a big but, the workmanship is superb.SAFETYLots of airbags, heaps of electronic aids and the size of the A8 go a long way in attempting to preserve its occupants.There's nothing wanting here and, at nearly a quarter of a million bucks, there wouldn't want to be.DRIVINGOddly, it doesn't feel as big as the dimensions suggest. It sits snugly on the road and it's only until you hit undulations that there's a suggestion that the A8 is made for comfort. The electronically-controlled air suspension can, however, be switched through various degrees to achieve a firm-ish ride and to settle down any blancmange sensations through the corners. This chassis softness is probably precisely what the A8's audience wants, yet it is at odds with the noticeable growl of the V8 engine when the driver massages the accelerator.If you expect this car to leap away from the lights, it does. It's quick but that's not the whole story. The V8 is audible but the transmission's upchanges are almost invisible. All you feel is a slight tug as the next cog is fed through. Audi will let you play with the box, providing steering-wheel paddles to click up and down the ratios, but you may tire of this effort in a car made for serenity, not competition.VERDICTLovely job in terms of quality and technology but buyers may be lured more to the more stylish offerings, such as the Jaguar XJ.AUDI A8Price: $225,904Engine: 4.2-litre V8; 273kW/ 445NmTransmission: 8-speed sequential auto; AWDThirst: 9.5 litres/100km

The updated Nissan adds 33kW/24Nm on the challenging all-wheel drive coupe that shook the European exotic car makers when launched in Australia 18 months ago. Expected to be priced at around the $170,000 mark, the 2011 model goes even further than its predecessor to put down 390kW/612Nm and pick up improved handling, fuel consumption and better after-sales support. Nissan Australia will market only one GT-R, chopping the previous base model GT-R and aligning price to the existing Premium model's $162,800 and its features with the European-spec GT-R Black. Nissan spokesman Jeff Fisher says pricing is yet to be fixed. He expects a premium on the existing model given added features and upgraded drivetrain specifications. "Japan has some variations on the GT-R theme but we won't do that. There will be one specification only and it will be closest in spec to the European 'Black' model." Mr Fisher says the 2011 GT-R is expected to sell at the rate of 150-200 a year, down on the 260 it did in its first full year. This year to September, Nissan has sold 66. The 2011 model's engine remains at 3.8 litres but gets 390kW at 6400rpm and 612Nm at 3200-6000rpm thanks to more turbo boost, some valve timing revisions and bigger intake and exhaust pipes. Power is up but emissions and fuel consumption are down. Nissan quotes a 12 litres/100km average, down from the current 12.5 l/100km. Externally the 2011 model is identified by a bigger bumper and intake openings that increase downforce by about 10 per cent and reduce the coefficient of drag to 0.26 from 0.27. Chassis changes - including a carbon strut brace under the bonnet and one behind the passenger-side dashboard - result in greater body stability and strength. Inside the GT-R gets a new instrument panel design and sat-nav display, some black-chrome trim to the console and air vents, and seats with more support.

It will recall 1.53 million vehicles - 600,000 from Japanese factories and 740,000 in the US - for a brake fluid leak that cuts across a swath of Lexus and Toyota models. Toyota in Japan claims 30,000 affected Australian cars but the Australian office suggests a lesser amount. The problem is not yet classed as a recall in Australia, though spokesperson Laura Hill says that may change after investigating the issue. “We are still considering our action,” she says. “We’re not in a position now to make that decision - that will be done tomorrow.’’ Toyota Australia has been aware for two days of the slow leak of brake fluid in some Lexus and Toyota models but was believed to be awaiting an investigation in Japan. Cars affected include some Lexus IS and GS models and possibly the Toyota Aurion and some SUVs. The production dates of these vehicles are not known. In a statement from Japan, the company says: “In some cases, a small amount of brake fluid can leak from the brake master cylinder and as a result, braking performance may gradually decline.’’ The potential recall in Australia comes only months after Toyota recalled 116,000 Hilux models to repair tail shaft mountings, and the gobal recall of 8 million models with alleged accelerator pedal jamming. In July, 1120 Lexus models were recalled in Australia for faulty valve springs in the engine.

Getting Skoda circa-1970 mixed up with Skoda 2010 is like mixing up your restaurant table and sitting down with Margaret Thatcher instead of Monica Bellucci. The brand is owned and run by Volkswagen, is the most profitable arm of Volkswagen and regularly gets quality car and value car awards. What kicks it in the nether regions is a belief that it's a discounted Volkswagen and should be cheap. Rubbish!VALUEThe bad news is that someone probably said that Skodas should be cheap because they're made in the Czech Republic. More rubbish. The tech-savvy nation - also known for pilsner and its citizens' ability to drink it in volumes - knows how to build things. If it wasn't for those crazy Russian occupiers in 1968-1990 and their slap-happy assembling technique, Skoda would have always had a quality name.The Octavia wagon here costs $29,290 as a seven-speed DSG automatic. That's not cheap but Skoda has refrained from stripping out the car, including alloys, cruise, eight-speaker iPod-compatible audio, trip computer and for those cold mornings, heated mirrors.As a hauler, the wagon is Tardis-like, being relatively compact on the outside and roomy on the inside.TECHNOLOGYIt doesn't break the automotive mould - having four wheels, an engine and steering wheel - but it has some tricks.The engine is a weeny 1.4 litres but delivers the goods thanks to a turbocharger and, as a $2300 option, the direct-shift gearbox (DSG) transmission that makes the car more fuel efficient than the manual version. The drivetrain comes from Volkswagen's Polo and claims a miserly 6.5 litres/100km (I didn't try and got 7.2 l/100km) with low emissions.The rest of the car is, well, a car.DESIGNYes, the Russians did leave a legacy. Conservative is a word that springs to mind about the wagon's looks. It's functional, unobtrusive but doesn't get your attention in the way that, say, a Kia Sportage drags the eye.Inside it's simple, utterly workable and beautifully assembled. There are hiccups - some switchgear has illegible markings - but the impression is solid, durable and resoundingly one of quality.As mentioned, it's big on the inside with a boot that will accommodate vast volumes of luggage. This massive boot still has a bit left over for a full-size spare - can every other carmaker hear this?SAFETYNo scrimping when it comes to family safety, too. The 90TSI gets six airbags, electronic stability control, four-wheel discs and ABS, electronic brakeforce distribution and anti-slip regulation. It's all gobbledygook, of course, but it means the Octavia is up there in the safety department with the big boys.Its predecessor has an ANCAP four-star crash rating that appears to have been done before curtain airbags became standard. The test has yet to be repeated.DRIVINGYou wouldn't know this has a 1.4-litre unless you start pushing very hard. The wagon, at 1425kg dry, isn't particularly light but it gets along very smoothly and surprisingly briskly. It will perform well despite four adults aboard - a feat achieved primarily by the low-end performance of the turbocharger and the ratio spread of the gearbox's seven cogs.Most notably, it feels very solid. The feedback through the steering wheel is positive and lacks the vagueness of many similar electro-hydraulic systems. Bumpy roads transmit virtually no noise and fail to produce any hint of body flex. This all results in a wagon that has surprisingly high levels of road adhesion and defies its rather bland appearance by being a bit of a fun car.VERDICTMakes sense for people who want durability, versatility and frugal ownership costs and less of the pizzazz and baubles of some modern cars. It's probably the next best thing to a Peugeot 404 or 504 or Renault 16 of the 1970s.

To close demand for a quality sub-small car, Volkswagen Group Australia is pushing for the baby Up city car to boost its line up.VGA managing director Anke Koeckler, speaking at the Australian International Motor Show in Sydney, says the Up would arrive by 2012 and sit under the Polo in size and price.That means the tiny hatchback will have to slip in under the Polo's $16,690 net price and become the first European in the Asian-dominated sub-$16,000 segment.It could be rivalled, however, by the possible importation of the Peugeot 107 and/or Citroen C1.Ms Koeckler says the move to go Up was spurred by the strength of the Australian dollar over the past few months - and particularly its recent parity with the US dollar - and Volkswagen's decision to make the car in right-hand drive.Volkswagen is setting high standards for the 3.84m long Up.The car, born as a concept and first shown at the 2007 Frankfurt motor show, will mirror the safety gear of the Polo - that's at least six airbags and electronic stability control. It is likely to arrive as a three-door though it is expected that a five-door - on a stretched wheelbase - could follow.More body styles are possible. Rumours suggest the platform could become a convertible - creating a baby Beetle - and city delivery van.Engine choices were initially limited because the concept has a rear engine placement.But now Volkswagen has changed that to a front-engine/front-drive layout and is able to pick up the drivetrain from the Polo.That can include Polo's three-cylinder 1.2 FSI engine and the 1.2 TSI four-cylinder turbo-petrol.It could even include the Up Lite concept's 0.8 litre two-cylinder turbo-diesel (it's a 1.6 TDI cut in  half) mated to an electric motor for 2.44 litres/100km and 65 grams per kilometre of CO2.An all-electric Up has been promised by Volkswagen and will debut in Europe in 2013. It hasn't been ruled out for Australia.

Toyota says the limited edition of about 2000 units has more than $5000 of extra equipment compared with the 200-Series GXL on which it's based.Dealers have strong interest in the edition because previous Anniversary models are highly-prized on the used-car lot. Many orders are from owners of 40th and 50th Anniversary specials.Added features include leather cabin trim, bluetooth-compatible touch-screen satellite navigation with a four-CD changer, leather-trim steering wheel and gearshift lever, silver roof rails and 60th anniversary badges.The V8 bi-turbo diesel model goes up in price by $76 because it also gets the Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System (KDSS), which is normally a $3250 option. All V8 petrol Land Cruisers have KDSS as standard.Prices for the 60th Anniversary petrol model start at $79,990 and the turbo-diesel is $90,990. The ratio of diesel to petrol versions to go on sale is as much as seven-to-one because Toyota sees diesel buyers as the primary market.Paint colours feature the new Shimmer Blue which is unique to the special-edition model. Also available is Crystal Pearl - previously only on the Sahara model - or Graphite.All new Land Cruisers, including the 60th Anniversary edition, are covered by Toyota Service Advantage, which caps the price for a standard scheduled service at $210 during the first three years or 60,000km.

The updated Nissan adds 33kW/24Nm on the challenging all-wheel drive coupe that shook the European exotic car makers when launched in Australia 18 months ago. Expected to be priced at around the $170,000 mark, the 2011 model goes even further than its predecessor to put down 390kW/612Nm and pick up improved handling, fuel consumption and better after-sales support. Nissan Australia will market only one GT-R, chopping the previous base model GT-R and aligning price to the existing Premium model's $162,800 and its features with the European-spec GT-R Black. Nissan spokesman Jeff Fisher says pricing is yet to be fixed. He expects a premium on the existing model given added features and upgraded drivetrain specifications. "Japan has some variations on the GT-R theme but we won't do that. There will be one specification only and it will be closest in spec to the European 'Black' model." Mr Fisher says the 2011 GT-R is expected to sell at the rate of 150-200 a year, down on the 260 it did in its first full year. This year to September, Nissan has sold 66. The 2011 model's engine remains at 3.8 litres but gets 390kW at 6400rpm and 612Nm at 3200-6000rpm thanks to more turbo boost, some valve timing revisions and bigger intake and exhaust pipes. Power is up but emissions and fuel consumption are down. Nissan quotes a 12 litres/100km average, down from the current 12.5 l/100km. Externally the 2011 model is identified by a bigger bumper and intake openings that increase downforce by about 10 per cent and reduce the coefficient of drag to 0.26 from 0.27. Chassis changes - including a carbon strut brace under the bonnet and one behind the passenger-side dashboard - result in greater body stability and strength. Inside the GT-R gets a new instrument panel design and sat-nav display, some black-chrome trim to the console and air vents, and seats with more support.

LIKES: Cute Yeti SUVDISLIKES: Unremarkable other models The long-awaited Skoda Yeti SUV hit the show in a cage and under attack from a, well, yeti. Or more likely, a person dressed in a suit that someone assumes a yeti would look like. But that’s no to dismiss the Yeti’s visual appeal. Its compact size - think RAV three-door length with a five door body - will suit city commuters and a family of young children. But its versatility stretches to young singles and even a pair of retirees. The Yeti will be priced around $30,000 when it gets to Australia, and be in two-wheel drive or all-wheel drive and in turbo-diesel and turbo-petrol. Aside from the grossly understated Superb models, and the promise of a dual-clutch auto transmission for the Octavia-based Scout 4x4 in the first quarter of 2011, there wasn’t a lot of news. Skoda says sales are expected to finish 2010 up 50 per cent on 2009 and while that’s a pleasing sign, it doesn’t translate into big volumes.