Articles by Neil Dowling

In its new-found freedom, the country is also discovering customising and, with it, performance enhancements.  In a two-pronged approach to China's exploding car sales, Perth-based Sprintex Superchargers has completed five trial Honda Jazz models that it hopes will lead to a lucrative business. The cars have been supplied to the China-based Honda joint-venture manufacturer of the Jazz and are intended as precursors to either OEM (original equipment manufacturer) or after-market kits.  Sprintex business development manager Jay Upton says the supercharger boosts performance of the 1.5-litre Jazz engine but - more importantly - will deliver reduced emissions for a similar performance of bigger engines. He says the Jazz superchargers will initially be for export mainly to China, however the system will be offered in US and in Australia. No price has been fixed but expect about $3500.  "Whilst we did not really expect the local market to be excited by a hotter version of a Honda Jazz, we have been a little surprised by the interest from our home market," he says.  "It's not the car that I would pick to hide a supercharger."  Mr Upton says China is an attractive sale proposition.  "The China market produces more than 70,000 Fits (Jazz) a year and our partners there are projecting annual sales of more than 1000 systems for the car in China alone," he says. "We are expecting China to become our largest market and small cars to be the majority of that market.  More than 70 per cent of cars produced in China are 1.5 litre or less, hence the market for performance aids for smaller engines. The move to superchargers also follows similar product development in forced-induction and downsizing engines. China's biggest car maker, Geely, has three small-bore engines in 1.3 and 1.5-litre guises that go on sale in China next year with Eaton superchargers. Nissan will have a new Micra in Europe with an optional 1.2-litre three-cylinder supercharged engine that claims 40 per cent more power and about 20 per cent lower emissions than its 1.4-litre normally-aspirated sister. Mr Upton says the Honda Jazz trial unit in Australia - the other mules are in Asia - is a current model 1.5-litre V-Tec VTi model.  "The car uses the smallest current Sprintex unit, the S5-150, to increase power by about 40 per cent to 100kW, up from the standard 72kW," he says. "These are our measured figures, on our dyno, not Honda's stated outcome."  The alloy-bodied supercharger is the same base unit that is available as an aftermarket product for the Harley-Davidson Evo models and the Ducati Hypermotard. "In fact, the 150 - the figure means 150 litres a second of air produced - suits engines from 800cc to about 1800cc," says Mr Upton.  "The biggest we make suits engines up to about 4.5 litres, such as the bigger 4WDs. We have kits for those and are making additional kits for the new 4-litre V6 Toyota engine that's fitted to the Prado and Hilux. "We have a strong business supplying aftermarket kits to 4WDs and we see the move towards the smaller engines, such as the Jazz, as being our future. We have no intention of making units for the 5-litre or 6-litre muscle-car engines. "Our focus is on designing superchargers to make small engines maximise performance while minimising emissions and fuel use."  Sprintex also has supercharger kits for the Mitsubishi Magna/380 which are sold through Mitsubishi's TMR division.

BMW can be first pick for people who aspire to automotive quality and, for entrants to the marque, the starting point is often the least expensive 1-Series range. And that's a shame. Because compared with the next step up - the commendable 3-Series - the junior models are spartan, cramped for room, not particularly refined and are overpriced.But it wears the BMW badge and that's generally what owners want their neighbours to choke over.  Don't think I'm discounting BMW. It is a master of blending performance with low fuel use and minimal emissions and its engineers are among the world's cleverest.It is just that BMW charges a big premium for its products and in many cases that isn't justified against rivals who can match - and often exceed - its quality levels.Take the 118d Convertible here. It's a small ragtop sedan with a manual gearbox and diesel engine. Technically, it uses the latest fuel-saving methods such as stop-go, a gearshift indicator and regenerative braking to boost the battery.Pricing and marketIt costs $52,900. For practical purposes, it rivals the Audi A3 2.0TSFI ($54,000); Ford Focus Cabriolet ($45,490); Lexus IS250 ($76,900); Mini Cooper Cabrio ($39,800); Peugeot 308CC automatic diesel ($51,490); Renault Megane CC ($46,490); Saab 9-3 diesel ($67,996); VW Beetle ($37,700); VW Eos diesel ($46,990); and Volvo C70 ($59,990).There's a lot of stiff competition there. Shaving the list back, the diesel competition is the Eos, the Saab and the Peugeot.  Why anyone in Australia wants to pay $50,000 plus for a diesel and a manual gearbox directly answers why we still hold referendums over daylight saving.In Europe, where drivers drive and maximising fuel has become a national sport, such a model is a no brainer. In Australia, you'd be regarded as cheap.DrivingBut though it has price and simplicity and a small cabin and a clutch pedal against it, the little 118d Convertible has a certain charm.  It is utterly relaxed on freeways and has gobs of torque to minimise gearshifts.The engine is modest in power yet is more lively than the equivalent Audi 2.0TDI and feels more free revving.  But the penalty is the slightly more fuel thirst. It averaged 6.3 l/100km, compared with the Audi's 5.7 l/100km.It is not an especially quiet car. The 2-litre turbo-diesel - it's not a 1.8 despite the badge - is a lovely unit with plenty of willingness and even some life above 3500rpm when other diesels start asphyxiating.  It is torquey and though may suffocate when under about 1500rpm, pulls like a locomotive above that engine speed.This prodigious torque makes for lazy gearchanges and habitually cog skipping, especially fifth to third when approaching a tight corner, and from fourth to sixth when joining the freeway. It is a relaxed engine that is easy to live with.The handling is excellent and the steering is pin sharp. The rear-drive layout is BMW's great marketing platform.  The manufacturer claims this offers technically the best handling and driving experience and yet fails to mention that it also robs the car of an awful lot of occupant and cargo room.BMW is correct - this rear drive car handles beautifully. The sadness is that most - and I mean a big most - of its owners wouldn't know it.They've bought a blue and white badge and on the life of their grandmothers would probably not know the difference between a front-wheel drive and a rear-wheel drive car.I suspect BMW engineers, quietly, think that's a travesty.  Though the ride is firmer than the rivals - attributed to the run-flat tyres - the thin seats are actually comfortable and reasonably supportive.There's good room for the front occupants but precious little in the rear, which is best left to children.  The rear seat's lack of room isn't helped by its uncomfortable near-vertical seat back.  The boot is also compact, despite the lack of a spare wheel.A lack of personal storage space - there's only one cupholder and it's so close to the gearshift lever that its awkward to change gears - combined with thin apertures in the door and a tiny glovebox is bloody annoying. I had water bottles rolling around on the passenger footwell because there was no other handy space.And I whinge and grizzle until I drop the car's fabric top. Then the car gains character. It becomes something more than just a small, expensive European.Then it doesn't matter about the small boot and the lack of legroom in the rear. The simple plastics that in assemblage make up the dashboard become insignificant compared with the sunshine and the smell of a West Coast winter morning.You don't notice the diesel rumble and forget to change gear by hand. The visibility issue disappears and you're starting to smile.It becomes a neat little car that you really start to enjoy. The pity is that all this disappears when the roof has to come back up.Rating: 82/100RivalsPeugeot 308CC HDi ($51,490) 84/100Saab 9-3 Convertible diesel ($67,996) 78/100Volkswagen Eos TDI ($46,990) 88/100BMW 118d CONVERTIBLEPrice: $52,900Engine: 2-litre, 4-cyl, turbo-dieselPower: 105kW @ 4000rpmTorque: 300Nm @ 1750-2500rpm0-100km/h: 9.5 secondsTop speed: 208km/hFuel: DieselFuel tank: 51 litresEconomy (official): 4.9 litres/100kmEconomy (tested): 6.3 litres/100kmGreenhouse: 129g/km (Corolla: 175g/km)Transmission: 6-speed manual; rear-driveBrakes: 4-wheel discs, ESC, ABS, EBD, brake assistTurning circle: 10.8mSuspension: Front _ MacPherson struts; Rear _ multi-link, coilsWheels: 17-inch alloy, 205/50R17 run-flat tyres; no spareLength: 4360mmWidth: 1919mm (w/mirrors)Height: 1411mmWheelbase: 2660mmWeight: 1475kgTow (max): 1200kgWarranty: 3yr/unlimited km, roadside assistService: 15,000km 

Big cars normally frighten me. Put me in one ahead of a long and winding, rutted country road with broken shoulders and I’d rather partner Molly Meldrum on Dancing With The Stars.Thankfully, gowning up with Mr Meldrum won’t happen because this week there was a big car that could dance its alloys off on roads that only a NSW taxpayer would defend.  At 5.1m long in standard wheelbase, Jaguar’s latest XJ flagship is clearly a big car.What makes it take to gnarly roads with such unexpected aplomb is a combination of chassis dynamics and darn good suspension. But, more than anything else, it’s because despite its physical presence on the road it weighs not much more than a Commodore.Aluminium body panels, magnesium castings, rivets and epoxy glues make the XJ diet to as low as 1755kg for the 5-litre V8 – about the same as a VE Calais V6 automatic.Jaguar offered test cars with three engines and two wheelbases for a run through roads inland from Tweed Heads – a 3-litre bi-turbo V6 diesel, 5-litre petrol V8 and the supercharged version of the V8.First impressions are its quietness. Even the turbo-diesel was ridiculously quiet for an oiler. Double glazing makes a considerable difference to keeping the noise of road, wind and envious fans away from the inside while keeping the extraordinary breadth and depth of music soothing from the 20 speakers of the optional Bowers and Wilkins 1200-Watt audio.All XJ’s have steering column paddles to pluck the ZF’s choice of six cogs. Many drivers may not wish to interrupt thoughts of corporate takeovers with the tedium of flicking alloy levers but I loved it.That’s because the XJ doesn’t quite feel like a limousine should. There were many times that I’d forget that behind my head, I was towing three seats and a commodious boot. It felt like a coupe, or at least a smaller sedan, as the car dived into a corner. Where there could be that lurch as the mass finally figured out there was a major directional change in progress, the XJ showed no indecision.Where a big car may lean nervously through a tight bend, the Jaguar remained flat. And where some steering systems were uncomfortably vague and without transmitting direction, the XJ knew where it was going and was continually letting the driver know.So good is the steering – in relative terms – that it exceeds the confidence, precision and firmness of the XF Jaguar. The fact that it is similar to the more dynamic XFR version is because the steering rack is the same.I enjoyed the mid-range kick in the pants of the diesel and its ability to keep shovelling on the torque as the car wound its way through the hills. The V8 petrol was wonderful for its speed and engine note – deliberately a product of an engine-mounted diaphram aimed at the cabin – and the supercharged version for its total disregard of the XJ buyers’ luxury ideals. Opt for the even more explosive Supersport engine – available later this year and not tested this week – and you’re well into Panamera/Quattroporte/Rapide territory.Clever in engineering detail, this big cat also comes with something that its nearest rival – BMW’s 7-Series – doesn’t have: Looks.  This is a very pretty car. OK, one could point to some conflict with the rear flanks where the screen wants to wrap but is stopped by the big chrome C of the back door’s  window frame. The rear window’s high brake light could look a tad stuck on. Admit it. You’re being to fussy.On the road, everybody stares. Park it at the side of the road for a driver stop and girls in bikinis would fill less eye sockets.  It’s not just because it’s new. It’s size dominates the road and its fluid shape and arresting colours – tested in black, silver and a beige that sounds yuk but looked great – caught eyes that missed the car first time.Occupants are equally in awe. The cabin is fresh yet there are quaint touches of the past that are topped by the cabin-edged sweep of timber that Jaguar calls reminiscent of a Riva boat.The instrument panel is virtual – all electronic Playstation readouts but displayed as a conventional three-dial unit – that is glare-free and can be tailored to relay specific data. All Jags get a big touchscreen for most audio, ventilation, sat-nav and comfort adjustments and it doesn’t take to long down the road to see how these are quicker, safer and easier to use than central controllers such as BMW’s iDrive.There are, as you’d expect in a car of this class and price, a lot of switchgear and readout options but there is a sense of logic to the XJ’s layout that doesn’t confuse the driver.It is surprisingly easy to drive. It has everything a mortal should want in a car and above all, it has shown that a small car maker like Jaguar can adapt to a buyers profile very different to the one 42 years ago when the first XJ was unveild.Once there were limousines that chauffeured their owners.  It’s now a different world. Chauffeur-driven rides are for children and guests as a more driven species of executive opts for - and will pay for – the privilege of getting behind the wheel.In Jaguar’s case, luring the owner combines a teasing of luxury, opulence, silence, a sophisticated array of electronic wizardry, stunning performance, loungeroom comfort and space. It’s a big ask. But the XJ delivers.

For Jaguar, the 120 gram per kilometre CO2 fleet limit that becomes effective from January 1, 2012 will be difficult but – thanks to the diesel and micro-hybrid models of sister company Land Rover – not impossible. But that hasn't stopped Jaguar developing its own low-emission answers. At the launch this week of the Jaguar XJ, project chief engineer Andy Dobson said trials were continuing on a new XJ car with a three-cylinder petrol engine driving a generator that powers electric motors. Mr Dobson said hybrid Jaguars would be the first low-emission models to be launched and expected delivery in 2012. "We see a better future in starting with hybrids and perhaps later into full electric cars," he said. "I don’t see hydrogen or ethanol as being fuels with the best answers. But a move into stop-start technology, hybrid technology and electric vehicles offer better solutions for us." Jaguar sees itself as already making inroads into reducing fuel use and CO2 emissions by using the light weight benefits of an all-alloy construction in its latest XJ saloon. It has not dismissed using the same body material for the next generation XF model which is currently predominantly made of steel. Mr Dobson said Jaguar was using expertise for its electric and hybrid future both from in-house development and through aligning itself with specialist suppliers. Now owned by Tata of India, Jaguar can no longer use the technology of its former owner, Ford.

The Jaguar saloon, priced from $198,000, aims to hit hard at the BMW 7-Series and Mercedes-Benz S-Class Australian market after crunching its rivals on the UK and China showroom floors. Jaguar Australia boss Kevin Goult says he wants 120 sales in 2011 and expects the six months left in 2010 to attract at least 60 buyers. The first Australian delivery is later this month. In Jaguar’s 75th year, the XJ appears as a fluid extension of designer Ian Callum’s 2009 Jaguar XF model – despite the XJ being penned before the XF – and so presents as an extremely attractive car that shines over the more masculine shape of the 7-Series. "We are getting a lot of interest from existing Jaguar owners but more importantly, a very big audience from BMW, Audi and Mercedes drivers," Goult says. "I expect it to reproduce the success, but on a slightly smaller scale, of that in Britain and China." While its bread-and-butter rivals include the BMW and Mercedes, Jaguar believes the high-performance 375kW Supersports will also appeal to buyers also looking at the Porsche Panamera, Aston Martin Rapide and Maserati Quattroporte. Goult says one of the XJ's biggest attractions is its ability to be customised. "Even the badge at the centre of the cabin's dash, can be individualised to be inscribed with your name, your wife's name... anybody’s name,"’ he says. "The version shown at the car’s launch this week on the Gold Coast had designer Ian Callum's signature. You can have what you want. It's your car." DRIVETRAINS The XJ initially arrives with three engines and will be boosted later in the year with the awesome Supersports 375kW/625Nm supercharged 5-litre V8. There is also talk of the XF’s 3-litre V6 petrol coming later as Jaguar prepares this engine for the diesel-hating US market. The three engines for Australia now are the 202kW/600Nm 3-litre V6 turbo-diesel; 283kW/515Nm 5-litre V8; and low-boost supercharged 5-litre V8 with 346kW and 575Nm. The engines all mate to ZF six-speed automatics with three driver modes and steering column-mounted paddle shifters. Jaguar then bolts these drivetrain choices into standard 3032mm wheelbase and long wheelbase (3157mm) aluminium bodies that weigh as little as 1755kg – a far cry from many of its steel-bodies rivals and remarkably around the same weight as its sister XF models. JAGUAR XJ AT A GLANCE Pricing V6 turbo-diesel Premium Luxury SWB $198,800 V6 turbo-diesel Premium Luxury LWB $206,800 V8 petrol Premium Luxury SWB $251,000 V8 petrol Premium Luxury LWB $259,000 V8 petrol Portfolio SWB $274,000 V8 supercharged Portfolio SWB $311,000 V8 supercharged Supersport SWB $354,800 V8 supercharged Supersport LWB $367,000. Standard features Cruise control Dual-zone climatic airconditioning 600Watt 1-CD/iPod 12-speaker audio Bi-xenon headlights with washers Heated front and rear glass Rain-sensing wipers Metallic paint Rear park sensors/camera Electric boot open/close Panoramic glass roof Keyless entry/start Virtual instrumentation Interactive voice command, Bluetooth Leather upholstery. Optional 1200-Watt Bowers & Wilkins 20-speaker audio Active ventilated front/rear seats Adaptive cruise control. Specifications Body: four-door aluminium/magnesium saloonEngines: 3-litre V6 202kW/600Nm bi-turbodiesel; 5-litre 283kW/515Nm petrol V8; 5-litre 346kW/575Nm supercharged petrol V8; 375kW/625Nm supercharged petrol V8 SupersportTransmission: 6-speed ZF automatic; steering column paddles; three-modesFuel economy: 7.0 l/100km (diesel); 11.3 l/100km (V8); 12.1 /100km (supercharged V8)0-100km/h: 6.4sec (diesel); 5.7sec (V8); 5.2sec (s/c V8); 4.9sec (Supersport)Dimensions: length: 5122mm (SWB), 5247mm (LWB), width: 2110mm (inc mirrors), height: 1448mm, wheelbase: 3032mm (SWB); 3157mm (LWB)Weight: 1796kg (diesel SWB); 1755kg (V8 SWB); 1892kg (s/c V8); 1915kg (V8 Supersport LWB)

Lexus' image has been battered this week by engine and steering problems in a year of rolling quality concerns over its cars and those of Toyota.  In Australia, Toyota says problems with the Lexus V6 and V8 engines were not subject to a recall "but that may change next week". Customers in Japan have reported that the engine stalls and is hard to restart. Lexus says the problem is with the engine's valve springs. It affects about 1200 Lexus cars in Australia.  The second Lexus issue is an official recall over steering problems on two models, including its $244,000 LS600h hybrid flagship. Lexus reports that the there was a problem with the car's computer system that controls the steering. It says no accidents had been reported relating to the issue but on this issue alone it was recalling 11,500 cars globally and 37 in Australia.  Lexus says the problem centres on the computer-controlled, variable power steering unit. It says some owners reported that after manoeuvring at low speed with the steering wheel in full-lock position, the steering wheel remains in an off-centre position even though the front wheels are straight.  The company says that this phenomenon is resolved automatically in a few seconds and the driver may notice this correction as the steering wheel centre moves slowly by itself to the centre position. Toyota admitted the issue had been under internal investigation since March after recieving 10 customer complaints from Japanese owners.  It follows the announcement that some V6 and V8-engined models may have an engine problem that could lead to stalling and a dificulty in restarting. "Improperly functioning valve springs have been found in some Lexus engines and there is a small possibility that abnormal engine noise or unstable idling may occur," it said in a statement.  "In very rare instances, there is a chance that the engine may stop. There have been no reported accidents related to this issue." Models affected are the Lexus GS450h, GS460, LS460 and LS600h models that range in price from $127,000 to $244,000.

The Toyota Auris (Corolla) Hybrid uses the Prius drivetrain and betters its miserly economy, but is more than $3000 cheaper than the base-model Prius. It will cost the equivalent of about $31,700. The UK-made Auris Hybrid, which is only available as a hatchback, claims fuel economy as low as 3.82 litres/100km which edges out the Prius at 3.9 l/100km.  Toyota Australia says there are no plans to introduce the new hatch into Australia, partially because of the cost of importing the car from the UK and also because of perceived market demand. Its spokesman, Mike Breen, says there are no plans in the near term to bring in the hybrid. There was also no plan to reintroduce the Corolla to Australian manufacturing - a move that could have allowed parallel production of a Hybrid Corolla in a similar fashion to the current joint production of the Camry and Hybrid Camry models in Victoria. The Auris Hybrid, which has a 1.8-litre petrol engine mated to an electric motor, is claimed to be more fuel efficient than the Volkswagen Golf 2.0 turbo-diesel which records 4.8 litres/100km. Both cars produce 100kW. Toyota says the Auris also produces less emissions at 89 grams per kilometre CO2 - compared with the Golf's 126g/km CO2 - and is $3000 cheaper than the Golf.  More important to UK buyers is that the Auris Hybrid will attract zero annual road tax because it emits less than 100g/km CO2. Company car drivers also get a 10 per cent car tax benefit and qualify for a 100 per cent Corporation Tax write-down in the first year.

But the BlueSport roadster, first shown as a concept in January 2009, still has a long way to go and even Europe doesn't expect it before 2013. Volkswagen Australia is keen to get the car, seeing it as a valuable addition to its range. But, says spokesman Karl Gehling, the car is still a ‘long way off’.The mid-engined two-seater - which revives the spirit of the Porsche-VW joint venture 914 targa-top of the 1970s - will go into battle against the Mazda MX-5 and upcoming Renault Wind, Honda CR-Z and the as yet unnamed Toyota MR2 replacement.The Volkswagen roadster's appearance won't change much from its 2009 concept version.  Beneath the taut body the car uses many Golf components but has a unique aluminium chassis. This, combined with a fabric, manually-operated roof, is expected to keep the weight down around the MX-5's 1200kg.It will reportedly get the option of the Golf's 2-litre turbo-diesel engine and DSG transmission, plus the availability of a conventional six-speed manual gearbox and the 1.4-litre supercharged-turbocharged petrol and 2-litre turbo-petrol engines.Auto Express says performance from the diesel version is expected to be rapid, with a 0-100km/h time of about six seconds and a 6.3 litre/100km average fuel consumption and sub-120g/km CO2 emission.

YOU may not be familiar with the name Fritz Tscherneg. In fact, unless you live in Graz, Austria, he is to the world an anonymous collection of 14 letters.  But Mr Tscherneg's name is under the bonnet of an Aston Martin Rapide in Perth, carrying on Aston's tradition of identifying the engine builder. So you can ring him up and go off your nut if anything goes wrong, presumably.But the Rapide breaks Aston's tradition in one important way: it's not made in England like its ancestors but in Graz, hence the sudden prominence of Mr Tscherneg.A handful of trainspotters picked up on his name in the tiny Benedictine town of New Norcia, 120km from Perth and 13,246km from Graz, as Australia's first Rapide opened itself up in WA's countryside.Body and appearanceThis is Aston's first four-door for almost four decades – and it is everything you expect from Aston but with a slightly different spin.  For those who go weak at the knees at the sight of an Aston Martin, they will be similarly enamoured by the Rapide. The most striking and unexpected - feature is the integration of four doors within the familiar and beautiful C-pillar, flanks and boot line.  It is a remarkable job and at first glance, could be mistaken for a two-door Vantage or DB9 coupe. The style leads to comparisons with the Porsche Panamera that, side by side, looks bustle-tailed, awkward and heavy from the same rear three-quarter angle.The Aston is all about aesthetics. The Porsche is about purpose.  Porsche applies a clinical technique to its products. There is almost an arrogance in its relationship wit the buyer, captured in the 1970s by serving up its 911s is a rather uncomplimentary colour palette from baby-poo brown to Kermit green and traffic light orange. Later, it unveiled the Cayenne SUV.Aston Martin doesn't share its rival’s philosophy. It is, by comparison, a very small company that is privately held. It is acutely aware that the risks of travelling the less-worn path in car design could wipe it out.So, like Jennifer Hawkins, its look is its fortune. For that reason, the nose cone and the forward section of the turret are DB9. The signature C-pillar and shoulders that brood over the massive 295mm wide Bridgestone Potenza rear tyres are also lured from the pen of the DB9 designer.  The boot lid is long, creating a hatch as in the Panamera, though its yawn isn't as obviously large when snub tailgate is closed.It would be easy to say the Rapide is a DB9 that has been stretched. It isn't. It sits on a new platform incidentally about 250mm longer than the DB9 - that shares its extruded aluminium design and some suspension components.Interior and fit-outBut sit in the driver's seat and what is ahead of you is all Aston DB9.  The push-button selection for six-speed auto gearbox is above the cente of the dashboard. Minor switchgear is similarly familiar, as is the gauges and console.Turn around and there's a repeat of the front cabin. The seats are the same deeply scalloped buckets, though the backrest is split halfway to fold to boost the modest luggage capacity.The centre console extends, rising between the front seats to create individual vents for the rear passengers. Those in the back get separate airconditioning controls and volume for the Bang and Olufsen Beosound 1000-Watt audio, cupholders, a deep centre storage bin and DVD monitors with wireless headsets - set within the head restraints of the front seats.More importantly, they get room. The shape of the Rapide doesn't accurately reflect the available headroom good enough for a 1.8m passenger and though the legroom is at the whim of the front seat occupants, only tall people may feel constrained.  Rear seat comfort, however, is unlikely to be top criteria for owners.Driving This is a car to drive. The doorstop-heavy glass key slides into the gap in the centre console, just below the gear selector buttons. Press hard and there's a pause, like a conductor's hesitation before his baton is struck down and the orchestra erupts in full noise.There's 12 angry pistons sliding in 12 honed cylinders and their concert puts out 350kW and 600Nm of torque and lots of booming, staccato bass background.  You select either the D for drive button or pull on the steering wheel's right-hand paddle shifter.And despite the near two-tonne mass, the Rapide jets to 100km/h in a respectable five seconds in a blur of exhaust roar.  That's not as quick as the DB9's 4.8 seconds and the specs show that while they share power and torque, the Rapide's extra 190kg trims back its acceleration just a touch.p>Not that you'd really notice or care.  It's a beautiful power delivery, full of noise and torque. The speedo and tacho needles swing in opposite directions, so it's not an easy set of gauges to glance at and get a feel of what's happening beneath the bonnet. It's that mix of engine and exhaust noise that'll guide the driver.But it's not just the engine. The gearbox is a simple six-speed automatic unit no clutchless manual here that gets the power down smoothly and relatively quickly.The steering is well weighted, so it transmits the feel and contours and all the irregularities of the road to the driver's fingers, so the driving experience becomes tactile.And the brakes are colossal, firm to press but responding with confidence.  It doesn't take long to dismiss this as a four-door, four-seater express car. It feels like a two-seater coupe.The balance is lovely and the ride is surprisingly compliant and except for tyre roar on coarse-chip road sections very quiet. Communication with the rear passengers is absolutely no effort, even at the legal road speed.Where it shines on the open road there are some dull points in the city. It is a long car and it's low, so parking requires patience and familiarity. The turning circle is large, so it's not a nimble car.Live with it. For a car that bore snickers and sneers when showcased as a concept, the Rapide shows that simple, traditional cars can find a place and that bespoke manufacturers can win the throw of the dice.ASTON MARTIN RAPIDEPrice: $366,280Built: AustriaEngine: 6-litre V12Power: 350kW @ 6000rpmTorque: 600Nm @ 5000rpm0-100km/h: 5.0 secondsTop speed: 296km/hFuel economy (tested): 15.8 l/100kmFuel tank: 90.5 litresTransmission: 6-speed sequential automatic; rear driveSuspension: double wishbone, coilsBrakes: front - 390mm vented discs, 6-piston calipers; rear 360mm vented discs, 4-piston calipersWheels: 20-inch alloyTyres: front - 245/40ZR20; rear 295/35ZR20Length: 5019mmWidth (inc mirrors): 2140mmHeight: 1360mmWheelbase: 2989mmWeight: 1950kgScore: 90/100RivalsMaserati Quattroporte GTS ($328,900) 87/100Porsche Panamera S ($270,200) 91/100Mercedes-Benz CLS 63 AMG ($275,000) 89/100

Barbie is, arguably, the world's most beautiful woman and has since the 1960s been the perfect women for men who have disproportionate ideals and have an unhealthy interest in plastic. The Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione is, arguably, the world's most beautiful car. It is the sum of its parts that, like Barbie, combine to make something quite extraordinary.Naturally, a carmaker who builds a $300,000-plus car like the 8C wants to capitalise on its beauty - and its expense - by translating the appeal into its cheaper line of models. Albeit in the case of the Alfa Romeo Mito, prices are from $31,490.The problem is that Alfa has taken the best bits of the gorgeous 8C and stuck them on a rather nose-heavy, short-tailed love-me or hate-me three-door hatchback that has overtones of the Daewoo Lanos. They call it the Mito. It carries with it the 8C's teardrop headlights, roundel tail lights, ‘exclamation mark’ grille and the pretty, spidery alloy wheels… which, attached to the 8C, define the car as something special.Applying these parts to the Mito - Alfa's ‘cheap’ car line - results in the automotive equivalent of Mr Potato Head. Like transplanting Barbie's legs, arm and face on Miss Piggy. But, at least, you won't miss the Mito in your rear vision mirror.This is my second run in a Mito. The first time wasn't enjoyable. The driving position felt unusual, the engine needed a lot of coaxing and there wasn't much pragmatism to the hatch to align with the emotion.Maybe it's osteoporosis or a few collapsed discs in the spine or weary muscles that control my posture, but the Mito seemed to fit me better this time around.The shape of the car eventually grows on you. There's not much room in the rear seats and the two-door arrangement makes getting into and out of the back an awkward exercise. The boot is narrow and short and the spare wheel is a space-saver. But if you're not carrying people in the back, the rear seats fold down and with your eyes squinted, it becomes a neat little two-seater coupe.It has all the right safety gear and is children friendly with ISO-certified seatbelt anchors and little storage spaces in the back. The doors are long and wide and make entry easy for the front occupants, though park too close alongside another car and you'll be in for a tight squeeze.Italians are enthusiastic masters of design but the stars in their eyes cloud some practicalities. The Mito isn't the worst example of dashboard design gone mad, but then again it is streets away from Audi. It takes time to become familiar with the placement of the switches and possibly a new set of spectacles to clearly see the red numerals.That seating position places the steering wheel quite high and the height adjustment is over a small arc. There is no telescopic adjustment- which can force you to get close to the steering wheel because the floor pedals are so far away - but the driver's seat will go up and down. The rear window is tiny and the relatively long nose invisibly curves off into the distance, so familiarisation is also needed to preserve the panel work when parking.But, though at this stage you’re thinking this is the most illogical, expensive and cautiously-constructed small car to reach Australia, you turn over the engine. The 1.4-litre engine remains, but the Sport model had a lot more verve thanks to a ‘dynamic’ switch at the base of the gearlever. So it went better, too.It may be small but the 1.4-litre is willing and carries its exhaust note like a triumphant battle cry. Well, that's probably a bit too enthused. I mean that if you turn the three-mode engine management switch to dynamic, the engine's turbocharger will turn the Mito into an Alfa.It becomes so beautifully sensitive to the accelerator pedal that it can be placed perfectly into a corner and made to slingshot out. Its responsiveness encourages much flaying of the gearlever to arouse the six cogs and promotes last-second pounding of the superb brakes.The Mito becomes an Alfa in spirit. Its only downfall is the over-power assisted electric steering system that gives no road feel.Keep the engine management switch in normal and you may as well drive a Daewoo Lanos. Clearly made to maximise economy, it places electronic hands around the Mito's neck and squeezes, shutting out all sense of life. It stops being an Alfa.There's the third switch which is for snow. Because it doesn't snow much in my street, I didn't turn it on. Also, I didn't turn it on because this switch position was lower than normal. If normal was so lethargic, I feared what retardation would be on hand if I chose the third option.Unless you're new to cars, history records that Alfas are emotional purchases and may or may not have a wonderful record for durability. I've driven Alfas on and off for nigh on 40 years and they appear to be getting a lot better. We're coming off a low base, but they are improving.They're made for people who are like the car - enthusiastic, passionate, individual, mechanically competent but without a certificate, perhaps even a bit unhinged, in the nicest sense of the word. And, just sometimes, beautiful.