Articles by Neil McDonald

The cost of ownership of new-generation alternative fuel cars has also been highlighted at a high-level meeting last week between 10 carmakers and the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries.The FCAI wants to fast-track a united front by the industry as it prepares car buyers for the rapid growth of green cars. The chamber's chief executive, Andrew McKellar, says there is an urgent need for infrastructure to be in place for electric cars, new-generation plug-in hybrids, ethanol and alternative fuels."There is a sense of urgency in the industry as we have a number of brands preparing to bring in cars with new fuel technologies," he says. "There is a roll for co-ordination across the industry to ensure that we're pursuing a more pro-active strategy to work with all stakeholders."The approach with electric vehicles needs to be seen as one element of a higher strategy that also relates to environmental and green vehicles."These technologies present an enormous global challenge, he says. "Around the world the challenge of achieving enhanced environmental performance is one of the most pressing priorities the car industry has," McKellar says. "In the case of electric vehicles we have one very practical example of an emerging technology that has accelerated in the past few years."Apart from infrastructure needs, the FCAI's electric vehicle working group will identify the types of vehicles expected to be launched as well as technical and registration requirements of new-generation hybrids and plug-in electric cars.Mitsubishi Australia, which hopes to have its i-MIEV electric car on sale soon, was one of the participants at the FCAI meeting. Spokesperson Lenore Fletcher says it is pleasing to see all parties ‘start to find our voice in terms of acceptance’. "We are coming to grips with the requirements of the new technology," she says.Apart from Mitsubishi, Toyota and Honda will soon introduce new hybrids. In addition to the new Prius, Toyota will introducing the hybrid Camry early next year. And GM-Holden is aiming to have its Volt ‘range-extender’ hybrid on sale here by 2012.Despite their emerging popularity, hybrids are still a small part of the overall car scene. Last year about 5200 hybrid passenger vehicles were sold in a market of more than 1 million.Subaru too has tested the electric current by showing of its plug-in Stella, while Mercedes-Benz hopes to have an electric version of its Smart on sale soon, which will be followed by battery-powered A-Class and B-Class hatches."We must ensure that Australia is ready for this technology," McKellar says.

The Melbourne-based company is weathering the current new car storm reasonably well despite the 20 per cent collapse of the new vehicle market.

After all, how exactly do you get a car all the way up to the 94th floor of one of the world's tallest buildings?Other carmakers have faced similarly tough tasks, but the luxury Porsche faced some very special preparation and organisation from a combined team of German and Chinese experts.The key was getting the $270,000 Panamera S to fit into the freight elevator at the Shanghai World Finance Centre in Pudong.By draining all the fluids out of the car and tilting it up at one end the Panamera slid into the lift with just millimetres to spare.But it still took a special pallet which allowed the car to be swung 90-degrees and secured safely for its 500-metre ride up to the 94th floor.At any other time debuting the car at Shanghai's World Finance Centre, known locally as the bottle opener because of the big square hole in the middle of it on the top of the building, would have been quite a coup for the moneyed folk of China.But, even during the global financial crisis, Porsche laid on a slick production with buckets of Moet champagne flowing and plenty of nibbles to keep the assembled media and prospective buyers well fed.Porsche chose China to launch the Panamera because it is one of the most vigorous growth markets for the brand.Its plan is to sell 20,000 Panameras a year with its main markets being North America, Europe, Russia . . . and China.

It has ruled out any chance of a four-pot price-fighter to cut the entry price for the Porsche family, despite recent rumours from Europe.Any talk of the next-generation Boxster in 2012 taking on a turbocharged four in the tail was strongly denied by Porsche's executive vice-president for research and development, Wolfgang Durheimer.In China to help launch the luxury four-seater Panamera, Durheimer says Porsche is chasing better fuel economy and lighter weight across all its models but a four-cylinder is not part of the plan, at least at present."A lot of people are around hinting about what we could do," he says."Of course, in the past we had four cylinders but at present we don't have a project under development."Despite Durheimer's denials, Porsche's own engineers say the six-cylinder boxer engine can be converted into a four cylinder without too much trouble, giving an engine capacity of 2.4-litres.Despite his denials, the Porsche engineering chief admits some of the ideas used in Volkwagen's smaller twin-charged turbocharger/supercharged engines have merit. And, since Porsche owns VW, there is room for collaboration."Together with VW we have a very bright future ahead of us, we have the chance to share forces," Durheimer says.But he says any transfer can only happen if VW and Porsche are not direct competitors.Porsche last had a four cylinder in the 924 and 944, a series built built between 1976 and 1988.The 924 was originally designed as a VW sports car but Porsche took it over as a replacement for its mid-engine 914.If Porsche does decide on a four-cylinder model it can gain some inspiration from VW's own BlueSport roadster concept, which was shown at this year's Detroit Motor show. The performance two-seater sports car has hybrid-like economy but uses a mid-engine 2.0-litre turbo-diesel.The BlueSport uses light-weight, high strength steel, tipping the scales at just 1200kg.While denying a four, Durheimer is strongly in favour of Porsche hybrids. The company has already confirmed it will use a petrol-electric drive-train in the Cayenne SUV and Panamera in 2011.Durheimer says hybrids will be around "for a very long time" and present a solid case to bridge the gap between fuel economy and performance.However, diesel and petrol engines are also becoming more efficient, he says."Petrol and diesels are getting more and more efficient but hybrids will help bridge the gap," he says. 

Based on first impressions and the reaction at this week’s Shanghai Motor Show, the latest Porsche, like the Cayenne, is destined for success.And who can remember when Porsche aficionados criticised the Cayenne for not being a true Porsche?The Panamera has also coped some criticism for moving the brand away from its so-called core values but Porsche is moving with the times.We’ll have to wait several months for the first official drive of the sleek V8 but Porsche insiders say it handles as well as a 911, yet provides a luxury car ride through its adaptive suspension.After its official reveal, showgoers six-deep poured over the car, particularly the rear seat and luggage area and throughout the opening day Porsche executives wore smiles a mile wide as the Panamera clearly became everyone’s favourite.In the flesh, the car is best viewed from the front three quarter, where it looks not surprisingly a lot like the 911.Perhaps the least flattering views are in profile and from the rear, where the car’s high shoulder line and rump tend to give the big sedan a bulky feel.But there’s no denying the roomy cabin.As chief designer Michael Mauer says, the car was designed from the inside out.“It needed to be roomy and I think we’ve achieved those objectives,” he says.Porsche has taken great pains to give the car respectable rear seat leg and headroom. It has succeeded.Slide into either of the two comfy leather rear seats and the overall impression is one of excellent quality and surprising amount of space.The centre console reaches from the dashboard right through the centre of the car, running the full length of the cabin, which means this Porsche is not a five seater.Nor will it ever be available with a conventional rear bench seat, according to Mauer.“If you want a five-seater we have the Cayenne,” he says.The centre console controls around the gearshift have a distinct look of modern mobile phone controls yet the dials are distinctly Porsche with a large rev counter directly in front of the driver.Despite the mark down as a five seater, the two rear seat passengers are pampered with individual heating and air conditioning controls and electrically adjustable seatbacks on the Turbo.Both rear seats flip forward to provide an almost flat load area and the luggage area is big enough and deep enough to hold four suitcases. The large rear hatch is wide and deep, which should allow easy access.Like many upper end European wagons, the Panamera can be specified with an automatic opening and closing boot.Most rear seat occupants up to 2m in height will find the space agreeable and even with a tall person in the driver’s seat there is still plenty of legroom.However, the car’s high shoulder line, although providing a cocooning feel, reduces visibility and the car’s rear three quarter visibility could be a problem for parking.As with all Porsches, the Panamera feels classy and even a cut above even the 911 and Cayenne.It will need to be as one of the big sedan’s key rivals is the lavishly equipped Maserati Quattroporte.Porsche expects to sell about 20,000 a year.But if first impressions are any guide, the Panamera may well break through this barrier.Recession or no recession, they have another winner on their hands.We can’t wait to drive it.

The $500 million plant builds the V6 for the Adelaide-built Commodore as well as GM-Holden's export markets.But the Adelaide production cuts announced yesterday are expected to have a knock-on effect for the engine plant as well as Victorian-based component suppliers."There is no doubt there will be an impact," GM-Holden spokesman, Scott Whiffin, said."But what that will be we don't yet know."We are measuring the situation."The Industry Minister, Senator Carr, said the government would assist individual suppliers and work with unions to help alleviate any problems.He admitted that there were "serious problems with regard to liquidity for a number of firms"."There are also serious issues with workers about job security," he said."We'll talk to individual firms and work with companies and unions to ensure they move through this process as quickly as possible."GM-Holden has already announced that its four cylinder engine production at Fishermens Bend would cease at the end of this year, leaving about 400 workers without jobs.Senator Carr said he remained confident GM-Holden would rebound by 2010, particularly when Holden's new four-cylinder sedan started production later this year.Carr said he was confident that parent General Motors would not pull out of the new four cylinder car production because of its own economic woes."I'm very confident that the plan will proceed," he said.Senator Carr said GM-Holden's decision is "about jobs is about keeping people on the payroll""It's about maintaining capability and ensuring the livelihoods of Australians."Everyone would prefer that these actions were not necessary but they will help preserve long-term employment at Holden."GM-Holden's decision to reduce pay and working hours for its 3150 plant workers at its Elizabeth plant comes as new vehicle sales slumped 17 per cent last month.The VFACTS industry figures show that 75,650 new vehicles were bought last month, down 15,635 vehicles for the same month last year.Despite being the best-selling vehicle last month, Holden Commodore sales were down to 3544 for the month as buyers switch to smaller, fuel-efficient cars.However, despite the change in buyer patterns, GM-Holden chairman, Mark Reuss, said yesterday the company would continue to build its V8 Commodores despite rumours that the engine faced the axe."We're going to keep making V8s," he said.GM-Holden has sold 9188 vehicles this year, down 20 per cent compared to the first three months last year.Commodore sales are down 13 per cent for the year.When the new VE Commodore was launched in 2006 the company expected to sell around 5000 a month.The V6 engine plant was designed to build up to 900 engines a day or 240,000 engines a year.Last year 99,500 V6s were built, of which 28,000 exported. 

The hatch been on sale in the UK since 1996 but until now exchange rates have prevented the stylish front-driver from lining up in local Honda showrooms.To be called the Si hatch, the five-door complements the hotter Type R but has a smaller 1.8-litre four cylinder engine shared with the sedan.With prices opening at $38,990 for the six-speed manual, rising to $41,290 for the five-speed auto, the Si is batting in some serious European territory and even facing up against the Subaru Impreza WRX and Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart hot all-wheel drive turbos.The Civic Si hatch gets the same edgy body shape as the hot 2.0-litre Type R, but its 1.8-litre four cylinder does not pack as much punch.The 1.8-litre engine develops 103kW at 6300 revs and 174Nm at 4300 revs.The engine reaches 100 km/h of 8.6 seconds and delivers a combined fuel economy figure of 6.9 litres/100 km for the manual.Like the Type R, the Si is built at Honda's Swindon plant in the UK and gets a five-star crash rating.The car has been designed with European drivers in mind.The Si has a wide track and comparatively long wheelbase to aid handling.The front suspension uses MacPherson struts with a front subframe to isolate noise and harshness.The rear suspension is a torsion beam setup.Like the Type R, the Si gets electric power steering, anti-skid brakes with brake assist and electronic stability control.Passive safety gear runs to a rear seatbelt reminder system, dual front, side and curtain airbags.Despite its compact dimensions the Si boasts the same rear “magic” seat setup as the Jazz.The rear seat cushion can fold up for extra storage and the seats have one-motion, dive-down feature that creates a flat load area.The front passenger can be reclined to accommodate objects up to 2.6m long and the rear seatbacks split 60/40.The luggage area has 415 litres of space with the seats up. 

The original was launched here in 1994 and helped establish the company's credentials in the mini-van people mover market.However, by the third generation, the people mover also morphed into a more stylish interpretation of a family carrier with better, car-like dynamics.The newest fourth-generation Odyssey is an evolution of that car and does not mess with the proven formula.However, prices have risen sharply by $4700 and $4200 for the two model lineup partly because of exchange rates and also the lift in specification.The Odyssey opener now starts at $43,990 but still remains competitive against the Chrysler Grand Voyager, Toyota Tarago and VW Caravelle.The Hyundai iMax, Kia Carnival and Citroen Picasso undercut it.For the extra money, the Odyssey gets a more powerful 2.4-litre i-VTEC four-cylinder engine and five-speed automatic, better safety, visibility.The safety gear extends to six airbags and Honda's version of electronic stability control.All passengers get three-point seatbelts in all seven seats and active front seat headrests.Height and reach adjustable steering and double wishbone suspension improve function and driveability.At 4810mm long, the newcomer is 30mm longer yet sits on the same 2830mm wheelbase of the old car.By comparison a Ford Territory is 4856mm long.Front and rear tracks remains the same at 1560mm.Visually the Odyssey continues the low-lean look, which also contributes to a low centre of gravity.The car's low floor is made possible by the design and layout of the fuel tank, rear suspension, exhaust and other components.With an overall height of 1545mm, the cabin is 5mm lower but passenger room has been improved, particularly for third-row occupants.Honda has spent a lot of time making access easier to the back.The C-pillar has also been made 40mm thinner for easy access to the third row.When not in use, the third row stows flat into the floor.Comfort in the second row has been improved with the belt anchor built into the pillar, 20mm greater head clearance and bigger centre armrest.The second row also has a one-action lever to tilt them and slide the seats forward 320mm.The rear hatch is now wider and thinner to improve luggage space.In its five-seater configuration the Odyssey has 708 litres of luggage space and 259 litres with seven-seats in use.Inside, the car's V-shape seating layout gives all passengers a clear view forward by positioning the second and third rows closer to the centre of the car.Like the previous model the driver has a panoramic view of the road.Honda has slimmed down the A-pillars by 30 per cent without affecting the car's strength by using ultra high-strength steel.High-strength steel and more sound deadening have also helped reduce cabin noise.Electric power steering is also standard.Power remains the proven 2.4-litre i-VTEC four cylinder but it gets an extra 14kW while torque remains the same. It will run on 91RON. SpecsPrice: $43,990 and $49,990 (Luxury)Body: five-door wagonEngine: 2.4-litre four cylinder i-VTEC front wheel drivePower: 132kW at 6500 revsTorque: 218Nm at 4500 revsTransmission: Five-speed automaticFuel economy: 8.9 litres/100km (combined), 12.1 litres/100km (city), 7.1 litres/100km (highway)Co2 emissions: 212 g/km 

Looking like a cross between a Lexus and a Holden Epica, the newcomer, known as the Legacy in North America, makes its debut at next week's New York International Auto Show.Australia will have a different version of the car, based on the Japanese domestic specification model.The big difference between the US-built Legacy and the Japanese-made cars that will come to Australia, is size.The American cars are slightly wider again to suit local tastes.However, even the Australian Liberty will be slightly wider and longer than the existing model with more luggage room.This translates to more rear legroom, which has been one of the main complaints about the current car.The Liberty goes on sale here in September.It will be available with several new technical innovations, including ‘Lineartronic’ continuously variable transmission and six-speed manual gearboxes on some variants, plus the choice of a 3.6-litre six-cylinder horizontally opposed boxer engine on the range-topper.The car is built on an entirely new platform.Subaru Australia managing director, Nick Senior, says safety, performance and style are all key ingredients in the new-generation Liberty mix."Combined with the high-quality engineering for which Subaru is renowned, it represents a formidable package," he says. 

The only bright spot for General Motors is that GM-Holden's local Commodore, again remains the number one seller.However, the Commodore's local success is likely to do little for the woes of the parent company in Detroit.GM-Holden is believed to be close to making a decision on its immediate future with a full audit of its operations and staffing levels.A decision could be announced as soon as next week.In the past three months GM-Holden has slashed production days and further down days could be on the cards as demand for the Commodore stagnates.The company has fast-tracked production of its new small four cylinder car as buyers move to smaller cars.Senior management at the company, including boss, Mark Reuss, have already taken pay cuts of up to 10 per cent to protect jobs.Last month's VFACTS sales figures due out tomorrow are expected to show that about 3500 Commodores were sold last month, beating the popular Toyota HiLux.Despite the Commodore's success, GM-Holden and other car brand sales are tipped to be down again.However, Toyota is expected to remain market leader but its sales have also taken a battering.March sales are down about 17 per cent across the board compared to March 2008.About 75,000 vehicles were sold last month, compared to the 91,285 vehicles sold 12 months ago.But as private buyers desert showrooms, there is still some strength in the light commercial business end of the market.One analyst said most carmakers are positioning their brands for a tougher market this year."Sales this year will, in effect, be down to 2003 or 2004 levels, which is hardly disastrous and still better than some overseas markets," he said. Top 101. Holden Commodore 35002. Toyota HiLux 32003. Toyota Corolla 30004. Mazda3 28005. Ford Falcon 19006. Toyota Yaris 17007. Hyundai Getz 16508. Hyundai i30 16259. Toyota Camry 160010 Mitsubishi Lancer 1400* approximate figures