Articles by Patrick Lyons

Audi is on the right track to boost sales in Australia with the 80 range which is topped at just under $60,000 by the 2.6E quattro.  The money for the quattro version buys you a satisfying blend of performance, safety and luxury which has no real direct competitor at anything like the same price.In fact, the Audi 80 2.6E quattro could be classified as a sports-luxury car because of its free-revving engine and the racetrack heritage of its quattro four-wheel drive.  While these attributes are aimed at the person who likes driving, the safety and luxury aspects are at the top of the luxury class.The car's safety package, in addition to the sure-footed quattro system, includes a driver's airbag and anti-lock brakes.  Standard equipment is impressive, s expected at this level, offering almost everything you will demand at this price - except leather trim and cruise control.Comfort and convenience items include air-conditioning, central locking, foglights, metallic paint and powered doors, windows and external mirrors.EngineThe 2.6-litre V6 has been introduced to the Australian market in place of Audi's 2.3-litre five-cylinder engine.  It is based on the 2.8-litre V6 also sold here, but the engine's capacity has been trimmed almost 200cc by shortening the stroke and maintaining the 10:1 compression ratio.Weight and cost have been saved by using a constant length inlet manifold rather than the 2.8's multi-path manifold.  Power output from the 2.6E is 10 per cent greater than the five-cylinder engine, and just 18kW short of the 2.8.  This puts the 80 2.6E quattro at the top of competitive four, five and six cylinder cars.Audi's new engine offers strong mid-range torque and free revving to almost 7000rpm in contrast to the five-cylinder's stronger bottom-end torque. A sprint to 100kmh takes a little over nine seconds. Top speed, where permitted, is 212kmh.Driving pleasureFor my money, I'd rather have the 2.6E with the security of quattro than the front-drive 2.8E at the same price.  The quattro system gives you a feeling of great confidence in all weather - especially when the roads are wet and greasy.Fitted with a Torsen differential and fully independent suspension, the 2.6E quattro provides incredible traction and adhesion.  Suspension t-up has largely eliminated nydive and pitch, allowing the 80 2.6E to be driven hard without unsettling the car.Gearshift throw and clutch action are good, but the space between the transmission tunnel and clutch pedal is not wide enough to slip a broad foot through to the footrest.  Audi's steering has been criticised in the past, but the feel of the 80 2.6E could not be described as vague or rubbery. The car has great brakes.In summary, the Audi 2.6E quattro offers a better engine package than the 2.8 or 2.3 plus the unrivalled certainty of four-wheel drive.The competitionStrictly speaking, the Audi 80 2.6E quattro really has no competitors in this segment of the market if you are looking for V6 power and four-wheel drive.  However, there are several European cars that compete on price.  The Audi 80 2.8E ($59,990) costs the same as the 2.6E quattro, but a bigger engine drives the front wheels through a four-speed automatic transmission.The Volvo 850 GLE/SE ($57,950) comes with a 10-valve 2.4-litre five-cylinder engine producing 103kW. This is a Volvo you can enjoy driving, but the GLE/SE is auto only.  Standard equipment includes an airbag, anti-lock brakes, climate control, alloy wheels, a six-speaker sound system, and power locks, mirrors and windows.The BMW 320i ($56,100) has a 24-valve 2.0-litre six-cylinder engine with the same power output as the 2.6E. Apart from four-wheel drive, the BMW's equipment levels fall short of the Audi's in relatively minor areas, but is an control, foglights and metallic paint. equally satisfying car to drive.The Saab 9000CD ($44,990) has virtually all the features in the Audi plus extras. lloy wheels, CD player, leather upholstery and a power sunroof. Power output from the 2.3-litre four-cylinder engine is identical to Audi's 2.6-litre V6, completing a great value package. It doesn't have foglights or four-wheel drive, but it has a $15,000 price advantage.The Mercedes-Benz 2.0 190E ($72,320) is always on the shopping list if you want a European car. The 90kW 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine offers the lowest power output of this group.Audi 80 2.6E quattroEngine: 2.6-litre single overhead-cam V6 petrol engine with electronic multipoint fuel injection. Manual transmission only.Related to the 2.8 V6, but with a shorter stroke. Remains a smooth and quiet engine despite the capacity being reduced by almost 200cc.Power: 110kW/5750rpm. TORQUE: 225Nm/3500rpm.  Power is up against the superseded 2.3-litre five-cylinder engine and just 18kW short of the 2.8 unit.Fuel consumption: 11.2 litres/100km average on test.  Fuel economy will vary depending on whether you drive it like a luxury car or sports sedan.Suspension: Independent. Front - McPherson struts; rear - double wishbones. Torsen differential.  Well-balanced set-up plus the sure-footedness of quattro four-wheel drive.Steering: Power-assisted rack-and-pinion.Brakes: Discs, ventilated at front. anti-lock brakes.  a1< Good stopping power and the anti-lock brakes work well in a variety of conditions.Wheels: 7x15-inch alloy. TYRES: 205/60 radials.Price: $59,990. The 2.6-litre engine is also available in front-drive versions of the 80 series from about $46,000.  A full list of features makes this price good value.

The first signs that the XR6 ute is anything but ordinary are the four round headlights, 38cm alloy wheels shod with 205/65 Michelin tyres and flesh colored front bumper.

Their demand has now been satisfied with the cult car's engine having grown from 1.6 to 1.8 litres, giving a useful boost in torque and mid-range power. Other changes have also been made which ever-so-subtly change the car's character, without sacrificing the essence of the MX-5.The Clubman model is the version for the purist sports-car driver and the model I tested. It has a Torsen limited slip differential and firmer suspension through Bilstein gas dampers. It takes a short time to adjust to the muscle power required to operate the manual steering: no wimpish power assistance in the Clubman! The only other clues to the bigger-engine are new alloy wheels and a brace bar behind the headrests.Other improvements have also been made to the fashionable two-seat sports car including a stiffer chassis, bigger brakes, larger clutch and driveshaft, and a fuel tank which has grown from 45 to 48 litres. Mazda has refined the independent double-wishbone suspension layout, and further boosted the car's impressive body rigidity with the brace bar and "performance rods" to stiffen the rear lower control arms.Other minor improvements include better shift quality for the manual, electric exterior mirrors, small pockets on the doors, a new seat fabric, and the attachment of the seatbelt buckle to the seat. Mazda's 1.8-litre engine gives a 14 per cent boost in power and an improvement of almost 20 per cent in torque over the 1.6-litre unit.But on-road performance does not improve at a similar rate because the MX-5 Clubman is 25kg heavier. Response has definitely improved in the mid-range when you are rolling along in second, third and fourth gears, but its off-the-line performance is only marginally better. Fuel consumption suffers about 10 per cent with the bigger engine and greater weight. Under-the-skin changes bring subtle differences to handling, making it want to behave a tad more conservatively.The saddest aspect of the Clubman is that its price, because of the strong yen, is now more than $40,000 once you pay on-road costs. Despite the price-tag, the MX-5 Clubman remains the pick of sports cars at the "affordable" end of the market.Mazda MX-5 ClubmanENGINE: 16-valve, double overhead-cam, 1.8-litre with electronic fuel-injection. A bigger engine has been the one demand of MX-5 owners.POWER: 98kW/6500rpmTORQUE: 155Nm/5000rpm. Extra power and torque are most useful in boosting mid-range acceleration.FUEL CONSUMPTION: 10.8 litres/100km average on test. 48-litre tank.STEERING: Rack-and-pinion. Manual steering requires good biceps, but you adjust quickly.WHEELS: 6x14-inch alloy.TYRES: 185/60 radials. The wheels look different, but rim and tyre sizes are unchanged.PRICE: $39,455. Depth of pockets must match desire for wind-in-the-hair motoring.WARRANTY: Three years/80,000km.

A week behind the wheel of the Renault 19 RT was 100 per cent pleasure - once certain drawbacks were overlooked. Its looks hardly reach the pinnacle of French flair, but they are inoffensive and the Renault badge always raises the interest of a motoring public suffering an overdose of Japanese cars.Compact dimensions limit comfortable seating to four adults, although there are belts for three people in the back. Rear headroom is minimal. Probably the worst aspect is the seating position for the driver with its "Labor" steering wheel - it's left of centre. As a result, I found my left leg interfering with the steering wheel unless I adjusted the wheel height to an uncomfortable position.Big points in favor of the 19 are the supportive front seats with their well-placed side bolsters, and the analogue dials which are classic white-on-black and easy to read. The radio/cassette player is heard through four speakers and can be removed from the car, an old-fashioned anti-theft strategy that has been superseded by security coding. The cavity is hidden from view by an annoying piece of plastic.Remote-control central locking is convenient and includes a button on the dash to lock (or unlock) all doors in an emergency. Front seatbelts have height adjustment for the shoulder straps.Headlights, horn and indicators are operated by the left-hand stalk on the steering column while the right-hand stalk controls the front and rear wash/wipers. Front windows are electrically operated while the external rear-view mirrors are manually adjusted.The 19's performance is hardly going to make you wish you'd bought a G-suit, but you can enjoy your motoring. Power is a modest 68.5kW at 5250rpm and torque peaks at 140Nm at 3000rpm. The 19's compact size helps make a routine trip become enjoyable, moving easily through heavy traffic and slipping around parked cars.When cornering, it turns in so quickly and accurately that it's hard to remember it's a front-drive car. You will have to push extremely hard to defeat the strong grip and impressive handling.Despite its driving credentials, an asking price that gives you just $10 change from $26,000 is a bit steep.Renault 19 RT hatchbackENGINE: Transversely mounted, single-cam 8-valve 1.7-litre with multipoint fuel-injection. Adequate for enjoyable driving.POWER: 68.5kW/5250rpm.TORQUE: 140Nm/3000rpm. Modest output, but the car's secret is its handling.FUEL CONSUMPTION: 9.2 litres/100km average on test. 55-litre tank.SUSPENSION: Independent. Front - MacPherson struts, coil springs, lower wishbones, anti-sway bar; rear - trailing arms, torsion bar axle. Faithful communication between the road and driver through the steering wheel.BRAKES: Ventilated discs/drums. Stopping power retained after repeated hard braking.PRICE: $25,990 (manual sedan or hatch), auto $27,850. Add $1500 for airbag and rear headrests. Expensive when you consider this money will buy you a much bigger Falcon or Commodore.

But thinner development budgets and reliance for survival on big sales in the United States have turned Honda into a cautious company - too cautious in my book.Look no further than the new Accord for evidence of the constraints imposed by unavoidable spending cuts and an all-too-keen eye on US customer research. The Accord has been designed with strong input from middle America - Honda's research and development centre in Ohio - and joins the mob of curvaceous medium-sized family cars.Half the components have been retained from the previous model, including the 2.2-litre engine in the base-model EXi, although it has had some improvements to mid-range torque and fuel efficiency. Lacking a V6, Honda has opted to boost performance for the other two Accord models - VTi and VTi-S - by adding what it calls "balanced VTEC", a middle-of-the-road single-cam version of Honda's variable valve timing and electronic lift technology.The VTEC operates only on the inlet valves and the engine slots between the rip-snorting twin-cam VTEC (Integra, CRX and NSX) and the fuel-sipper version (Civic VEi), offering fuel-efficiency at lower revs and better performance as the revs build up.I have tested the EXi and VTi-S, both with Honda's impressively smooth four-speed automatic transmission - although a manual gearbox would be my choice.In the VTi-S, performance is rather sedate as you start to accelerate because one of the inlet valves on each cylinder is virtually closed and the other has a low-lift short-duration cam profile. While initial acceleration is lazy, the Accord moves along nicely and its tried-and-true double wishbone suspension provides the comfortable ride expected in a family car. Cornering is precise with mild understeer when pushed.The automatic VTi-S costs almost $45,000 and comes with an impressive array of equipment, although a manual gearbox would save you $2000. For an extra saving of $6000, you can have exactly the same car without the airbag, anti-lock brakes and leather trim. That's the VTi.Do away with cruise control, the sunroof, two of the six speakers, alloy wheels and VTEC, and you can keep a further $4000 in your pocket by choosing the EXi.Honda Accord SedanENGINE: 16-valve, single overhead camshaft, multipoint fuel-injected 2.2-litre, four-cylinder, front-drive. VTEC for VTi and VTi-S. Carry-over engine with the step up to VTEC technology which provides a mild boost.POWER: VTEC, 107 at 5500rpm, torque 198Nm at 4500rpm. This car misses a V6 engine or more-powerful four when stacked up against its competitors.SUSPENSION: Independent four-wheel double wishbone with front and rear stabiliser bars and gas-pressurised dampers. Can't quibble with that set-up; it provides the comfort needed for a family and the handling demanded by Honda owners.WHEELS: 15-inch alloy.TYRES: 195/60 radials. The wheels are big enough, but the tyres could be wider.PRICE: EXi $32,650; VTi $36,700; VTi-S $42,800. Autos: add $2000. All Japanese imports are pricey, but value for all Honda models has been improved in the past year.

According to Ford's public relations person, it's the Falcon XR ute and, after driving one at high speed around Ford's proving ground test track, there was only one conclusion.

The new Bluebird shares the swoopy shape of other modern cars and slots in size and price between Pulsar and Maxima. Although the Nissan Design Institute conceived the shape, Australian cars are fully imported from Japan.My test car was the sporty SSS model which comes with power steering, four-wheel disc brakes, air-conditioning, central locking, CD player and alloy wheels. The SSS also gets more supportive seats, fog lights and a head-up display. All models have a space-saver spare tyre, and none have anti-lock brakes or a driver's airbag.Bluebird's curvy roofline provides good headroom in the front, but in the rear my head was jammed against the roof. The 16-valve twin-cam 2.4-litre four-cylinder engine outguns all its four-cylinder competitors - Mazda 626/Ford Telstar, Mitsubishi Magna, Toyota Camry, Mitsubishi Galant and Subaru Liberty. It also has enough grunt to leave behind the Galant V6, and is just behind the 2.5-litre V6 in the Mazda/Ford.The independent strut suspension is mounted on separate sub-frames to insulate it from the body, and includes anti-lift and anti-dive geometry which give impressive stability under hard acceleration and braking.Nissan's Super Toe Control, a passive rear-wheel steering system, generates a toe-in alignment on the outside wheel and a toe-out alignment on the inside wheel to produce better control when cornering aggressively and during lane changes.A first for Nissan in Australia - and a feature the neighbors will queue to see - is the head-up display which is only on the Bluebird SSS. The technology involves projecting a special vacuum fluorescent display on to a special patch on the windscreen.Speed, indicators, handbrake, door warning and a master warning are all shown by the display on the bottom right-hand corner of the windscreen. The dash also has conventional dials.But, while it scores full points for "gee-whiz" technology, I would rather spend the money for head-up on something like anti-lock brakes or a driver's airbag - items that definitely contribute to safety.Nissan BluebirdENGINE: 16-valve, double overhead camshaft, electronically fuel-injected 2.4-litre four-cylinder, front-drive. Smooth and punchy engine with a fuel-injection system that sprays two jets of fuel into two inlet port tracts.POWER: 112kW at 5600rpm, torque 210Nm at 4400rpm. Outguns the rival fours and can mix with small V6s.SUSPENSION: Independent all-around by MacPherson struts, coil springs and anti-roll bars. Toe alignment control for rear wheels. Strut suspension gains its sophistication from clever insulation and geometry.BRAKES: Discs, ventilated at front, tandem booster at rear. Surprisingly, no anti-lock brakes.WHEELS AND TYRES: 15-inch alloy wheels with Dunlop D62M 205/60 radial tyres. Big wheels, and tyres chosen for good ride and low road noise.PRICE: $34,675 Cost of HUD would be better spent on anti-lock brakes.

Vehicles such as Mazda's new MPV are a cross between a minibus and a family wagon, but the MPV's strength is that it drives like a car.While the MPV is new to Australia, it's not new to the world market. It was introduced to the US in late 1998 as a 1989 model-year vehicle and a replacement is due in another year or so. It's not as stylish as the Toyota Tarago, and it's not as box-like as the Volkswagen Caravelle. But it's the only vehicle of its type that has four outward-opening doors like a conventional car. The doors open almost at right-angles to reveal two bucket seats in the front, a two-seat bench in the middle and a three-seater at the rear which folds forward easily to provide a large cargo space.Mazda's MPV comes as a single model with no options. Standard features are impressive - automatic transmission, air-conditioning for the front and rear, cruise control, electric antenna, and anti-lock brakes on the rear wheels only.The 3.0-litre V6 engine, basically the same engine which propelled the old 929, provides enough power and torque to shift with ease the MPV's kerb weight of 1722kg and a full load of people and their luggage.Probably the worst aspect of the car is the automatic transmission with the lever mounted on the steering column. It's almost impossible to hit the chosen gear at the first attempt - moving from park to drive, it will usually slip past the "D" into second gear which is a damn nuisance. When you eventually get it into drive, the shifts are smooth.The big engine and stirling performance of the MPV has its penalty in fuel consumption, using about 14 litres for every 100km.On the road, the MPV's suspension is on the soft side for absorbing bumps and, even with the live rear end, rides well over the rough stuff. Mazda has endowed the MPV with four-wheel disc brakes plus an anti-lock system (ABS) which operates on the rear wheels only due to the cost five years' ago of developing a full ABS.Overall, the MPV provides smooth and pleasant driving with the convenience of outward-opening doors and good specification. Pity about the auto and I'd prefer three seats in the middle row.Mazda MPV People MoverENGINE: 18-valve, single overhead camshaft, fuel-injected 3.0-litre V6 which drives the rear wheels. This engine has stood the test of time, coming from the old 929.POWER: 115kW at 5000rpm, torque 232Nm at 4000rpm. Enough to transport seven people and luggage.SUSPENSION: Front - struts, coil springs, anti-roll bar. Rear - live axle, coil springs, trailing links, Panhard rod, anti-roll bar. Supple settings soak up corrugations and patched roads.BRAKES: Front power discs, rear discs. Anti-lock system on the rear. Anti-lock system helps, but shows the vehicle's age.TYRES: 195/70 radials. Normal at this level.FUEL CONSUMPTION: Average 14.5 on test. 74-litre tank gives theoretical range of about 500km.PRICE: $42,990. Beyond the price-range of most families.

When it was introduced a few months ago, the five-door Charade CS cost less than $15,000 before on-road costs. Now, thanks to the strong yen, it is not far away from $16,000.But the Charade is not on its own. It was not so long ago that this sort of money bought bigger cars such as the Ford Laser, Toyota Corolla/Holden Nova or Nissan Pulsar. However, today you will have to pay over $20,000 to get even the cheapest versions of these Japanese-based cars on the road. If your budget will not stretch this far, and a compact car is adequate for your needs, you should seriously consider the Charade.It is powered by a 1.3-litre four-cylinder engine which is largely carried over from the previous model, but with significant changes. More than half the fuel-injected engine's components have been re-designed and it includes revised cam profiles and intake arrangement. With four valves per cylinder, it develops more than enough power and torque to shift a car that weighs less than 850kg in the no-frills CS guise.Getting the most out of the engine through the five-speed manual gearbox means keeping the revs high, but that does not mean you will be forced to wear ear muffs. Daihatsu has made noticeable improvements in the sound deadening, with the cabin surprisingly well insulated from engine and road noise.Steering is better and, despite the lack of power steering, you don't need super-human strength to slip into parking spots. The Charade's handling and good adhesion encourage the driver to push hard, and it eventually develops understeer which can be easily controlled by the throttle. A good balance between handling and comfort comes from the MacPherson strut suspension. Fuel economy is a strong selling point for the Charade, with the manual CS averaging 7.5 litres/100km during a week's driving.Inside, the driver's seat needs a longer squab to support the thighs properly, especially over longer distances. Rear-seat passengers have good legroom for this size of car, but the luggage area behind the hatch is small.The CS price does not include power windows or electric adjustment for the external mirrors. But, overall, the Charade has more appeal than most of its rivals.Daihatsu CharadeENGINE: 16-valve, single overhead camshaft, 1.3-litre in-line four-cylinder, electronic fuel injection. 55 per cent of parts are newly designed, with revised cam profile and intake arrangement.POWER: 62kW at 6500rpm, torque 105Nm at 5000rpm. Increased torque at low and medium revs, and higher geared top gear.SUSPENSION: Independent by MacPherson struts with stabiliser bar at rear. Reduced steering effort for cornering, improved feel for straight driving.BRAKES: Front discs, rear drums. Standard in this price range.FUEL CONSUMPTION: Average 7.5 on test. 50-litre tank gives range of 600km+ highway driving.PRICE: $15,945. (Auto $17,810).OPTIONAL EXTRAS: factory air $1657, metallic paint $200.

A brief test drive at the Japan Automobile Research Institute test track near Tokyo confirmed the car has the engineering and dynamics to make it one of Australia's most popular driver's cars. Mazda calls it the Lantis.Styling is bold, incorporating the best elements of Mazda's dream run of great-looking cars including the MX-5, MX-6, 626 and Eunos 30X (MX-3 in some markets).When you hop into the hatch or sedan, you immediately notice the extra space. It comes from a 105mm increase in the wheelbase and shorter overhangs, particularly at the rear for the hatch.But the big revelation comes when you switch on the ignition and put your foot on the accelerator. The test cars were all powered by Mazda's potent 2.0 litre 24-valve V6 with a healthy 125kW power at 7000rpm and 180Nm of torque at 5500rpm.When the cars come to Australia, Mazda will also offer the current 1.8-litre 16-valve four-cylinder engine with power lifted 8kW to 100kW at 7000rpm and torque up 5Nm to 160Nm at 4500rpm. Mazda is also likely to retain its price-leading 1.6-litre engine.But the V6, essentially the unit from the Eunos 500, is the engine that people will talk about. It provides scintillating performance when matched to the lighter body of the 323. Acceleration is impressive from this willing engine. Top speed in Japan is electronically limited to 180kmh, a speed quickly reached by the manual hatch and achievable with the automatic.Japanese cars usually have a softer suspension than the cars sent to Australia, but the Lantis/323 gives no hint of its more supple settings. The suspension arms have been extended to avoid big changes to the geometry, and the front dampers include built-in rebounding springs for stability and drive comfort.For the V6, 16-inch alloy wheels with low-profile 50-series tyres provide the strong grip required by this level of performance. On-road agility is appreciably better than the current 323 models, and cornering is precise with improved feel to the steering.Mazda has upgraded the car's body rigidity which, combined with the light weight and short overhangs, produces sure handling with minimal noise and vibration. Disc brakes all-around are standard while anti-lock brakes, driver's and front passenger's airbags, and a glass sunroof are optional.Although the V6 version will not be cheap when it arrives in Australia, it will provide an alternative for those whose budget does not quite stretch to the V6powered 626.