Articles by Neil McDonald

Earlier this week it revealed holiday snaps and personal details of the new head of the British intelligence service MI6, Sir John Sawer. Now it's Alfa Romeo's turn.An enterprising soul has posted what appears to be early production models of the new 147 replacement, the Alfa Romeo Milano, taken with a phone camera. The white cars are minus name badges, but the Alfa Romeo logo is clearly evident as the cars are grouped together in one of Alfa's factories.The Milano is clearly a stylish hatch with cues from the just-launched locally MiTo and even sharing some curves from the 8C Competizione. Some MiTo touches, like the headlights and grille, as well as the round LED tail-lights will appear on the Milano when it is launched early next year.As the rear shot shows though, the tail-lights are extended across with rear, with the reversing lights integrated into the reflectors. Like the 147, the Milano's rear doors have the handles set high into the C-pillar, creating an almost-coupe look.The hatch is expected to have grown in length and width, with insiders saying it is close in size to the previous generation 156. The Milano will be available as a five-door hatch initially but a three-door, as well as performance GTA models are tipped to follow.Petrol power is expected to come from a range of both 1.4 and 1.7-litre turbocharged engines, delivering between 90kW and 120kW depending on specification. A high performance 198kW V6 engine is expected to be slotted into the range-topping GTA. A range of turbo-diesels will also be available.When the giant Fiat group — which owns Alfa Romeo — assumed control of Chrysler recently, details of Alfa's future naming strategies emerged in plans Fiat presented to the Chrysler board.It showed that the 147 replacement could be called the Milano and the 159 replacement the Guilia.

The Federal Government's small business stimulus package is credited with having a positive impact on vehicle sales, despite the fact that the half-way mark is customarily a strong retail month.

A television advertisement featuring the new Nissan Maxima provides us with an unexpected slice of reality.The big six sedan is shown crawling through peak-hour traffic, which, if we're honest, is where we spend most of our time driving.The object of the 30-second ad is to reinforce the point that handling and performance are not the most important criteria for people buying a new car.Ultimately though, if that was the case we'd all be wearing cardigans and driving bland white budget cars.But Nissan is sending a message that its car not only has the performance but is a comfy place to cope with the daily commute.Visually, the Maxima, which shares its platform with the Murano, has sharper looks in keeping with its refined mechanical package but most people will be hard pressed to spot the difference between the old car and the newcomer.Although the car sits on the same 2775mm wheelbase, it has grown between 5mm and 15mm in length, is 15mm taller and has 30mm wider front and rear tracks.Nissan has also used ultra-high-strength steel in the body to deliver a stronger and safer car.With the newest Maxima, Nissan has broadened its appeal by adding another smaller capacity 2.5-litre V6 to the line-up.The entry $33,990 2.5-litre V6 ST-L joins a larger 3.5-litre V6 available in the $37,990 ST-S and range topping $46,990 Ti.Nissan is clearly aiming the 2.5-litre at some of the four-cylinder Japanese competition from Mazda, Honda and Toyota.The entry ST-L's 2.5-litre V6, like the bigger engine, is mated to a continuously variable X-tronic transmission with six-speeds. It develops 134kW at 6000 revs and 228Nm at 4400 revs.The larger V6, available in the mid-range $37,990 ST-S and range topper $46,990 Ti, has grown in power from 170kW to 185kW at 600 revs, but torque is marginally down from 333Nm to 326Nm at 4400 revs.Standard kit on the ST-L includes leather, dual-zone climate control, front, side and curtain airbags, electric front seats, multi-function steering wheel, a six-CD six-speaker stereo, push-button start, 17-inch alloys, xenon headlights, LED tail-lights, stability control, load-through ski-port but no split-fold rear seats.The ST-S sports model adds a rear spoiler, "intelligent" ignition key, rear parking sensors and heated front seats.The range-topping Ti ups the ante with a rear spoiler, sunroof, electric seats with memory, satellite navigation with a large colour screen, Bluetooth, reversing camera and a DVD-capable high-end 11-speaker Bose surround-sound system.The Nissan Maxima has always promised so much, but never really delivered. It was a car bought by retirees and an older demographic who loved the hush-hush cabin, standard features, Nissan reliability and that silky V6.However, it was never a standout against some of the sharper handling Japanese competition. But Nissan is hoping to change that.Out is the softer roly-poly marshmallow ride of the old Maxima. In its place is a sharper, crisper suspension with better control and less pitching.Don't think that for one moment that it has been transformed into a sports touring sedan.The ride remains supple and composed, but the changes to the suspension have delivered a more resolved ride and better rebound control from harsh bumps.The steering feels tighter and the extra body rigidity aids the whole car's dynamics when you do start to push it harder.In sharp corners the Maxima will wash off speed with some understeer but overall it is reassuringly competent on a windy mountain road, which could not be said about the previous car.In our eyes the design is crisper but Nissan has been too conservative with its styling.The swept-back standard xenon headlights and LED tail-lights smarten things up but few people will notice it on the road.This is a pity because at the heart of the Maxima beats a beautiful V6 engine mated to a continuously variable transmission.Nissan's V6 has won accolades for years and it's easy to understand why. It's smooth, quiet and very responsive.It is also surprisingly frugal when you drive with economy in mind. We managed high sevens on the highway and 10.5 litres/100km around town.The CVT works far better than we remember too. There's a distinct kick-down feel now when you prod the accelerator hard to overtake and the gearbox will mimic a conventional changedown when slowing down a hill.There is none of that slurring or slipping clutch feel in the new CVT.The Ti's leather-trimmed cabin is well executed and has an appropriate quality feel.Equipment levels are appropriate for the price with sat-nav controls that are intuitive and easy to use, cushioning leather seats and a sunroof.But there are some minor niggles.The sat-nav and in-car information graphics provided by the system are a little low-rent when compared to some other local and European systems.There are other quirks around the cabin, evidence either of some cost cutting or just a lack of design forethought.The foot-operated park brake might be okay in North America but it is a inadequate in a car with high-end aspirations in this competitive segment.The steering wheel is also not reach adjustable, there are no rear door pockets while the ones at the front are impossibly narrow to be of any real use.The heated front seat switches in the Ti are hidden under the centre console lid. Why? We don't know. There seems to be plenty of room on the console but Nissan has chosen to put them out of sight and in doing so made them difficult to access.Some owners may also be put off by the narrow opening of the boot. Large objects will need to be juggled to fit. The Ti's DVD and audio gear, which is positioned under the rear parcel shelf in the boot, may also foul luggage if you're not careful.We've complained previously about the Maxima's front seats lacking support and comfort.This time around Nissan Australia took a closer look at the seat design and they now have better cushioning and improved back support.Significantly, they remain comfortable after a long stint at the wheel.Minor niggles aside, Nissan has addressed some of the dynamic flaws with the old car to deliver a better handling big sedan.But the Maxima Ti's biggest problem are its rivals.There are still more engaging cars for the price in both the growing medium segment and established large car segment.The Ford Falcon G6E and Holden Commodore Calais come to mind.Many buyers will also cross-shop against the competent Honda Accord V6 Luxury and Toyota Aurion.Continuous improvement has delivered a refined and capable car but is that enough against today's competition?

Well that's one of the rumours coming out of Europe as BMW's M division moves into top gear for the next-generation M5. Unlike typical regenerative braking systems, KERS uses the stored energy for extra power and the touch of a button. The next-generation 5 Series upon which the M5 is based is expected to be shown at this year's Frankfurt Motor Show with the M5 expected to follow late next year or early 2011. BMW Australia's Toni Andreevski says he's not aware of the next-generation's M5's specification, or powerplants. Some reports have suggested BMW will downsize from the massive V10 to a twin-turbo V8 while other sources are suggesting the V10 will grow in capacity to 5.5-litres developing around 410kW and introduce direct injection and turbocharging. "Whether or not the new M5 would have a smaller overall capacity or less cylinders, I guess the first priority is to make sure the performance meets what an M5 buyer expects," Andreevski says.

… when BMW starts talking about oil-burners in the same breath as its performance petrol engines.Currently five BMW models are available with turbo-diesel powerplants and more are coming, according to BMW Australia spokesman, Toni Andreevski.The 730d has just landed and the 330d, sharing the same 3.0-litre turbo-diesel as the 730d, arrives next month.Andreevski says the German carmaker may also add a 118d, along with diesel 3 Series coupe and convertibles, which are on the agenda for next year.The 118d model will sit under the 120d with a pricing around $45,000.It shares the same 2.0-litre turbo-diesel as the 120d but in a detuned form, developing 105kW/300Nm compared to the 120d's 125kW/350Nm.Andreevski says the key to the 118d is its combined hybrid-busting fuel economy figure of 4.5 litres/100km and CO2 emissions of 119g/km.It will feature fuel saving ideas like stop-start and brake energy regeneration."We're still considering it but it is a compelling argument based on its fuel economy and emissions," Andreevski says.BMW will get a better idea of where the 1 Series diesel strategy is going once the six-speed manual version of the 120d beds in, he says."We want to get a better feel for what's happening with 120d manual and whether a BMW, with fuel economy at 4.5 litres, would be appealing to people without sacrificing acceleration and performance," Andreevski says.However, Andreevski has ruled out diesels appearing in the head-lining Z4 sportscar to go up against the Audi TT diesel."BMW equips models with diesels only if it detects sufficient customer demand for the efficiency offered by these powerplants and if it is confident the engines exceed the performance expectations of buyers," he says.For a brand that did not sell diesel-powered vehicles here before March 2003, BMW has become a big advocate of oil-burners.Diesel BMW now account for about 34 per cent of all its local sales.Twenty per cent of 1 Series and 3 Series sales are diesel and 35 per cent of 5 Series are diesels with the bulk of X5 sales being diesels."Individually the most popular engine in the 5 Series is the diesel, the 520d," Andreevski says.Luxury diesel sales are up 18 per cent overall this year, with BMW leading fellow Germans Audi and Mercedes-Benz."Our diesel strategy was to target four-wheel drives first and move down," Andreevski says.He expects the popularity of diesels in BMW's luxury sedans and hatchs to continue to increase, even though diesels still represent a relatively small number of overall vehicle sales in Australia."People are now migrating to sedan-based diesels in bigger numbers," he says.

BMW Australia says its in-car system could be available on its high-end 7-Series early next year but is also likely to filter down to its cheaper models.Company spokesman, Toni Andreevski, says he expects the speed warning system to be optional but at a "nominal cost" to buyers."I don't imagine it will be expensive," he says.The speed system is expected to be linked into the car's optional lane-change warning technology.The BMW system uses a camera fitted near the interior rear-vision mirror that scans the road ahead.It "reads" signs along the roadside and then relays the information to the instrument cluster or the car's heads up display on the windscreen.Andreevski says it can read both normal roadside signs, digital displays and even temporary roadside signs near road works."The design of speed advisory signs are common globally so the system's recognition protocols are the same in Australia," he says.Andreevski says system will not slow a car to the posted speed limit though."It is purely an advisory function, informing the driver of the speed but it does not take control of the car," he says."The aim is to provide the driver with added information and they can choose to ignore it if they wish."It just helps drivers keep tabs on road speed."BMW engineers from Germany are soon to calibrate and trial the system throughout Australia."We've got two German engineers arriving here soon to test the system," he says.The engineers are expected to cover about 5000km of local urban and outback roads to make sure the system functions normally."We are field testing it like we do in other BMW markets," Andreevski says.Apart from BMW, Opel, Audi and Mercedes-Benz are also developing similar systems for global markets.Ultimately these devices could be forerunners to ‘intelligent’ speed limiting systems that automatically correct a vehicle's speed to the signposted speed.However, these systems would still be allowed to be switched off to allow drivers to overtake. 

June's VFACTS industry figures show 102,847 vehicles were sold last month.

But now the world's most famous convertible specialists, Karmann, has filed for bankruptcy.However, its cash woes are not expected to impact the luxury brands like Mercedes-Benz and BMW, which had deals with the company for the supply of convertible roofs for a range of their cars.Karmann built its last car, a CLK convertible for Mercedes-Benz, last week.Mercedes-Benz Australia spokesman, David McCarthy, says the company's contract with Karmann ended when production of the CLK convertible end."I haven't heard whether the next-generation E-Class cabrio will be in-house," he says."I suspect Mercedes will have taken steps to ensure production though."The Stuttgart-based carmaker has some time to find a new supplier as E-cabrio production does not start until next year.Karmann also supplied roofs for the Mini Cooper Cabrio and BMW 1 Series convertible but BMW Australia spokesman, Toni Andreevski, says he does not think supply will be affected by the Karmann decision.Apart from supplying roofs for the Mini and 1 Series, Karmann also assembled and supplied convertible roofs for the Spyker C8 convertible, Pontiac G8 convertible, Volkswagen Beetle convertible, Renault Megane convertible, soft-top Chrysler Crossfire Roadster and Audi A4 cabrio.After restructuring its German operations, Karmman will concentrate on building car components.Made famous for building the VW Karmann Ghia, the company is being forced to restructure against the backdrop of the global car industry slump."We could no longer avoid shutting down the vehicle assembly line because auto manufacturers strategies have changed," the company's administrator, Ottmar Hermann, told German media last week.The Karmann Ghia used the durable VW Beetle's mechanicals with a body styled by the Ghia studio in Italy.The result was an enduring two-door body available in both coupe and cabriolet models.The specialist company has made more than 3.3 million convertibles since 1949.More than 2000 people work for the firm in Germany, based in Osnabrueck, and the company has about 8000 employees globally.Relations between German management and unions have soured in recent months.A row broke out between management and unions over why the company collapsed and how some of its worker pay and entitlements would be paid out.However, Karmann's North American division, based in Detroit, will continue to provide convertible roofs for Ford, Chrysler, General Motors and Volkswagen.Karmann USA says the restructuring of the German operations and closure of its assembly line in Germany will not have a big impact on the company's North American operations.

With deliveries due to start in before Christmas, BMW Australia spokesman, Toni Andreevski, says dealers are already fielding inquiries."One of the reasons the company had to confirm the car early is that customers are already making inquiries," he says."Our dealers are already trying to work out when their allocations arrive."Andreevski says pricing and specifications will be announced next month, but the hotter X6 is tipped to be more than $200,000.Powering the brawny four-wheel drive "coupe" will be a new twin-scroll twin-turbocharged 4.4-litre V8 developing 408kW/680Nm, providing the car with a zero to 100km/h sprint time of just 4.7 seconds.Visually the car gets massive 20-inch wheels, quad exhausts and huge bumper level air intakes.It is 10mm lower than the standard X6, incorporates stiffer springs and air suspension.The X6 M comes with a host of driver-oriented technologies, including M Dynamic Drive, electronically adjustable dampers and active roll-control.BMW's ‘EfficientDynamics’ system will be standard. This incorporates brake energy regeneration and on-demand control of the electrical fuel pump and detachable compressor when the air conditioning is switched off.The X6 M gets a six-speed sports automatic gearbox, steering wheel shift paddles linked the precise Servotronic steering system.Andreevski says the X6, despite its niche classification, has been a surprising hit locally with 545 sold since it went on sale 10 months ago."V8 sales are running twice the amount of the X5," Andreevski says."It's clear the X6 is attracting a more sports oriented driver so the X6 M will extend that one step further."Andreevski says about 40 per cent of X6 customers are new to the brand, switching from a competitor luxury brand, and many buyers stepped up from a traditional two-door coupe.He says the X6 has outsold its closest competitor, the Porsche Cayenne, by almost 20 per cent.Globally, BMW has sold more than 35,000 X6s. 

The experience will go swimmingly for the brand, or it will backfire and become an embarrassing mistake. So when V8 Supercar driver, Mark Skaife, got behind the wheel of a Proton Satria recently for his stint as a celebrity driver on the local version of the UK hit Top Gear, Proton Australia company executives were justifiably nervous for their car. However managing director, John Startari, says the whole experience was a pleasant surprise. "When you get people like Mark Skaife commenting on how good our car is, that's been beneficial," he says. "We are happy to sign on for the next series." Apart from Skaife, Startari appreciates the feedback from the other celebrity drivers who have completed the track drive. The Top Gear Satria has sailed through its various track challenges without missing a beat, apart from a few minor scrapes. "Again, that's good news," Startari says. Startari says that he was initially sceptical about supplying a 1.6-litre Satria for the show, based on the experience of the UK show, which used a Suzuki Liana and in recent episodes a Chevrolet Lacetti, sold here as the Holden Viva. "I was a bit concerned about how the car would be portrayed, based on how the UK show treats its car," he says. "But the producers reassured me that it would be fairly treated and used appropriately." But the positive exposure has been a good thing and is helping Startari build the case for a GTi version of the Satria. With the aide of Top Gear, Startari is keen to reignite interest in a Satria GTi and get them into showrooms next year. "We also want to leverage our Lotus relationship after we build some market share," Startari says. But Startari says the company needs the right engine, whether it be a four cylinder turbocharged unit or high-performance naturally aspirated engine. The company showed off a tricked up Satria "Desire" concept at the Sydney Motor Show two years ago but until recently progress on the GTi had stalled. The Top Gear exposure may have been just the ticket to kickstart discussions with Malaysia and get the car back on track.