Articles by Paul Gover

An all-new, bigger and better Toyota Yaris has just been unwrapped in Japan. It promises a much tougher rival in Australia to cars such as the Ford Fiesta and Mazda2, but there are still plenty of questions through the countdown to its planning arrival in September.They include doubts over production at Toyota's Miyagi assembly plant, which is still offline following the Japanese earthquake. Various sources point to a production shutdown until sometime in May because of the difficulty in re-connecting essential services - including natural gas - to the factory.Toyota Australia also says there will be tweaking to the Yaris before it comes here, most notably the replacement of the CVT transmission popular in Japan with a regular four-speed automatic gearbox. The company is also promising a full five-star NCAP ranking for the basic Yaris three-door hatch.VALUEToyota has targeted top-line European rivals including the Volkswagen Polo - the reigning Carsguide Car of the Year - but it is still built to a price and some people will find marginalised features.The price of the Yaris currently starts at $14,990, or $16,590 as an automatic, and Toyota will be aiming to hold the line with the new model. It plans also to continue with its current strategy of using three and five-door hatchback bodies with either 1.3 or 1.5-litre engines. There will be three equipment grades.TECHNOLOGYThe most impressive thing about the new Yaris is the 1.3-litre engine's Smart-Stop Package. Taking just 0.35 seconds to restart after seamlessly cutting the engine at idle, the smart-stop works to improve fuel economy to an excellent 4.59 litres/100km.But, surprisingly, the start-stop is only offered on the 1.3 litre due to its hefty $750 pricetag. And, more strikingly, VSC and TRC traction controls, which are standard on the 1.3 litre, are not even offered as options on other models, although this will not be the situation in Australia with stability control now compulsory on all cars sold here.DESIGN"We need to stand out more. That is one reason why the new Yaris has grown in size and taken on an edgier look compared to it's predecessor," says deputy chief engineer Yoshinari Toyomura.Checking out the new Yaris on Tokyo streets, we immediately see what he means. The new B-segment bigwig is 85mm longer with a wheelbase that gains 50mm. The car does feel bigger, but the company's efforts to minimize costs while improving packaging have met with mixed resultsSAFETYToyota already gets a five-star NCAP rating with the five-door Yaris including the safety pack - with front-side-head airbags - and four stars for the three-door with frontal airbags.It promises better for the new model and Australian buyers can also expect the usual ABS brakes and ESP stability control to satisfy local regulations and consumers.DRIVINGTuned for optimum fuel economy and CO2 emissions, the 1.3-litre Yaris is adequate but not quick. Mated to a revised CVT transmission, it pulls sufficiently from around 2000 revs and stays strong enough through the mid-ranges, we think, because this car did not have a tachometer.Aussie cars will get a five-speed manual, and a tacho. To keep up with rivals, the Yaris has stiffened body rigidity, a more compliant ride and better weighted, more responsive steering. Local specifications will be crucial, really, to the potential success of the car in an incredibly tough sector of the market.The new Yaris is more spacious, does handle better than the old model and looks considerably smarter, but it feels like it's been short-changed on a few interior elements and performance is middling rather than genuinely impressive. It'll need those missing toys if it's to stand out from the crowd when it arrives here later this year.VERDICTBuilt to satisfy the bottom dollar, the new Yaris generates good first impressions, but leaves question marks with its packaging and potential impact in Australia.

A new flagship is waving the Saab flag again in Australia. The all-new 9-5 is the first newcomer since the Swedish brand was released from more than 20 years of suffering under General Motors, and comes with the promise of value pricing, impressive quality and styling that breaks away from the origami school of creasing in European design.Now, if only they could get the ride and handling right... The 9-5 is a good looking car that's noticeably bigger than any previous model to wear the badge, and a bottom line from $71,900 - helped by a Luxury Car Tax break for an eco-friendly diesel engine - will help to get it on shopping lists against everything from the BMW 5 Series and Benz's E Class to the Volvo S80.Saab Cars Australia is planning a slow burn on the 9-5 - and the rest of its comeback plan - and is only predicting around 100 sales this year. "Our brand is not something we shout about. We want to talk to people individually," says Steve Nicholls, managing director of Saab Cars Australia. He says the point of difference for the 9-5 is the way it looks."All our communciations are based around design. That's the key message. It's not about kilowatts or how much you can fit in the boot," says Nicholls, who flew global design boss Simon Padian to Australia for the introduction of the 9-5.VALUEThe starting price of the 9-5 is helped by a diesel that comes in at 6.8 litres/100km, but even the petrol-powered Vector is affordable - for the class - at $75,900. The flagship Aero Turbo6 XWD is priced from $94,900 with all-wheel drive and most of the good luxury stuff, although a back-seat DVD system is an extra-cost option.Good stuff on the Vector includes a head-up instrument display and chilled glovebox in addition to the usual satnav, an all-speaker Harmon-Kardon sound system, leather trim, bi-Xenon lamps and more. The top-line car is boosted by park assist, sports seats cornering headlights and more. Every 9-5 comes with keyless entry and the start button is in the console between the seats, the traditional location for the ignition key in any Saab. "We've created a big gap now between the 9-3 and the 9-5," says Nicholls.TECHNOLOGYWhen Saab was part of the GM family, the way the company was treated was basically just child abuse. That meant investment and development was always limited, so Saab is playing catch-up. Even so, its all-turbo engine philosophy is sound, it promises body strength and safety as good as anything in the class, and there is independent rear suspension - but not in the turbodiesel.Engine outputs are 118kW/350Nm for the diesel, 162/350 in the petrol four and 221/400 in the 2.8-litre V6, with all cars using a six-speed automatic gearbox. To put the 9-5 in its place, it's just over five metres in length with a wheelbase of 2837mm, has 513 litres of boot space and a full-sized spare.DESIGNThe shape and style of the 9-5 is a welcome move away from the creases-and-crunches, origami style of so many modern European cars. It even has a blacked-out A pillar to disguise the traditional bulk around the front of a car, and an aero-influenced curving windscreen."Because we're Saab we're allowed to be different. To be honest, I think if we followed the rest of the crowd we'd lose our soul," says Saab's chief designer, Simon Padian, in Australia to preview the 9-5."Saabs have always been durable, practical cars that are designed to be used. Our customers want cars that have meaning and substance." "The 9-5 is the result of a very conscious journey. We're always looking for a way to create more desirable products."So the body is smooth an distinctive, while the cabin has a driver-  focussed dashboard and the sort of quality final finishing you expect in a Saab.SAFETYThe 9-5 should easily clear the five-star bar at NCAP, but Saab says it wants more and is bringing everything from its 'black panel' dash - which blanks everything but the speedo on command to cut after-dark strain - to the head-up display. There are front-side-thorax-curtain airbags, ESP stability control and ABS brakes, as well as a rollover sensing system.DRIVINGThe look and feel of the 9-5 promises a lot. It's a classy car where you can see and touch the quality. The engines also respond well, from the quietness of the diesel to the pull of the V6, with a smooth shifting automatic - although there is no response to calls for a downchange when you tug the shift paddles in D, only in Sport.Based on a very short drive in a full range of cars, the 9-5 is fairly quiet - apart from some wind noise around the mirrors - the seats are very comfy and supportive, and the dash is well laid out with plenty of toys. The head-up display is the best we've seen but there is a silly extra display in the dash that means you can have three speedometers operating at once - main, head-up, and an 'altimeter-style' extra - and that's plain silly.The real problem with the 9-5 is the suspension. Regardless of the car, and despite running through 17-18-19 inch tyre sizes, the suspension is crude and fails to cope with Australian conditions. Saab says it wants a sporty feel, but the 9-5 crashes through potholes, is nervous on corrugations, and is generally not a nice place to travel. And there is torque steer and kickback, as well. The 9-5 is promises a lot but urgently needs to have its suspension fixed before it can be considered as a serious prestige contender in Australia.VERDICT: "Looks good, drives not so good."SAAB 9-5 ***1/2 

 As cars have been stockpiled on grass in recent weeks, and Falcon sales have failed to recover from a massive slump in January, the company has been forced to act to match its supply to showroom demand. It is reducing daily output at Broadmeadows from 260 to just 209 cars - equivalent to 45,000 a year - and the workforce is being reduced to match the load. Ford says it will re-deploy as many workers as possible, with the remainder to be offered voluntary redundancy packages. But Ford insists there is no threat to its local manufacturing operation. "We are committed to the Ford brand and continuing to produce vehicles in Australia," the chairman of Ford Australia, Bob Graziano, said yesterday. He also insists the company is hard at work on the scope and design of the next Falcon. Ford's production cut is a permanent reaction to a showroom slide which has seen large-car sales in Australia dropping consistently over the past 10 years. The Holden Commodore is still the country's favourite car, but has occasionally been trumped in monthly sales totals by the Toyota Corolla and Mazda3 over the past two years, as overall sales in the class have dropped by 53 per cent over the decade. Ford has been using 'down days' to reduce its production over the past six months but is now acting on a permanent cut, even though it is expecting more demand soon for its updated - and finally diesel-  powered - Territory SUV. "Ford is committed to making the necessary changes to ensure we are producing what Australian drivers want and value, which drives the viability of our business," Graziano said. Ford is trying to highlight the potential upside for both the Territory and Falcon, which will get a new LPG engine later this year and a four-cylinder EcoBoost motor in the first quarter of 2012. But the potential boost in showrooms is too far into the future for Ford. "We've been investigating this for the last few months. We've been looking at the segment and where it's been going," said Ford spokesperson, Sinead McAlary. "It's not just us doing it. Toyota and Holden are also using 'down days'." The redundancies at Ford are the first since the end of 2008. "We copped a fair amount of flak then but it was the right thing to do, and it allowed us to return to profitability in 2009," McAlary said. Ironically, Ford's move comes in the same week that Toyota is reducing its production at Altona in Melbourne and after Holden reported a $112 million - and a $223 million turnaround - in its financial results for 2010.

As you approach a close neighbour's house you see someone lurking in the shrubs who looks as if they are planning something illegal. They are carrying what appear to be house-breaking tools - crowbars and such - and are dressed totally in black with a black beanie.So you stop and, gently, suggest that a break-and-enter might not be a good idea. You remind the person that you have seen them, you can help the police if there is trouble, and that there probably isn't much worth stealing at your neighbour's house in any case.This would be considered a good deed. It is stopping a potential crime. So what's the difference if you use your headlamps to warn about a   speed trap? A fine, for a start, if you're caught.Flashing your headlamps in Australia is considered counter-productive in the battle against the road toll, and an inappropriate use of the high beams in a built-up area.Yet a new survey shows that most of us are happy to flash a warning and the practice is most widespread in Victoria, which is also the state with the toughest speed enforcement regime. There are laws against flashing in some states but most people don't seem to care. They are more worried about helping a fellow road user and - arguably - helping in the battle against speed.If speed cameras really are used to combat the road toll, and not just for revenue raising, then surely the idea is to eventually have zero   camera fines. If there were no fines it would mean everyone was obeying the speed limit.That would be bad news for state government income across Australia, where speed cameras now raise hundreds of millions each year, but good news for the road toll.So anyone who flashes is potentially helping the battle against the toll, because it's a way to get people to slow down. It might not bring a cash bonus from a speeding fine, but it achieves the same result.

The baby 9-2 will have separate parentage and could easily be fostered by BMW Group, but everything else will be Phoenix under the skin. The news comes as the Swedish maker gets serious about an Australian comeback with its flagship 9-5, a classy looking prestige sedan that's priced from $71,900 and only let down by shonky suspension. "Phoenix is the future of Saab. It's the mechanical platform for everything we do, except for the small car. It's demonstrating our independence and capability to survive by ourselves," Steve Nicholls, managing director of Saab Cars Australia, tells Carsguide. Saab has already previewed Phoenix with a concept car of the same name at this year's Geneva Motor Show. It was cartoonish in some ways, but strip away the outrageous body bits and you reveal the 9-3 underneath. "The big news comes in 2012, probably quarter three, with the launch of the all-new Saab 9-3. That will be based very much on the Phoenix car that was shown in Geneva. The underpinnings we showed in Geneva are pretty much the car," Nicholls says. Saab will soldier through until then with a lineup of current 9-3 models and the 9-5, as the 9-4X SUV is twinned with a Cadillac for the USA and is not available in left-hand drive. Nicholls says Saab has limited sales aspirations at present as it rebuilds support in Australia and expands a dealer network that has shrunk to just eight outlets. "Our job is to tick over and then gradually grow. We've got our first few batches of 9-3 on the ground and the 9-5 launch stock is here." He admits he is also fighting perceptions of problems following a factory shutdown in Sweden last week and overseas reports of financial trouble for a company that is not long out of General Motors' ownership. "Would I have chosen to have this happen? Of course not," Nicholls admits. "The funding is there, but the cash flow isn't. We've had a couple of unfortunate hiccups. "We've had losses, but they were within the parameters of the business plan. Hopefully we'll be in a profit making situation in 2012. Once we have the new 9-3 we should be making money. "We're here to stay. Saab has invested to be in Australia, it's a significant market for us and we were always one of the top 10 markets in the world. The fact that we've set up as a factory distributor, and not gone with an importer, shows we're taking this seriously."

The Mini Ray comes as GM Holden unleashes a special Thunder Commodore ute, Nissan boosts value on its 370Z, and Honda works to cash-in on a value boost to the Civic Hatch in March. Renault has also stretched its appeal with the first five-year warranty deal on a European car, while Toyota is preparing a retail sales attack for May across its range and BMW has slashed up to 11 per cent from the showroom stickers on its 3 Series bedrock models. The bottom line on the Ray has dropped all the way to $25,500, but Mini is protecting its mainstream models from erosion by limiting supply to just 300 cars and fitting hubcabs. The Ray also drops to a 1.6-litre engine with a meagre 72 kiloWatts, against 90 in a Mini Cooper, although the compensation is fuel economy of 5.4 litres/100km. The Ray move is copied from Italy, where it worked well for the brand. Mini says the car still has six airbags, a six-speed manual gearbox and denies any dilution of the brand. At the opposite end, Renault is looking to boost its brand with a new flagship called Latitude. It takes the place of the unloved Laguna with a starting price of $36,990 and targeted rivals including the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord. "We are ready to demonstrate our commitment to Australian customers," says Renault boss, Justin Hocevar, confirming the five-year warranty that applies to the Latitude and all passenger cars in the brand sold since April 1. For Holden, the Thunder ute revives a package last seen on the VZ Commodore and claimed to celebrate the 60th birthday of the first Holden ute. It's a $3000 value boost on the SS and SV6 that only adds alloy wheels, leather seat bolsters, sat-nav and - predictably - special stickers. Nissan has done more with the 370Z, although it has also lifted prices by $650 for the coupe and $800 for the roadster - despite the strength of the Australian dollar - and says the offset is a new sound and satnav system, a reversing camera, a cargo blind for the coupe, climate-controlled seats for the roadster, and wide-angle mirrors. The 3 Series action at BMW is focussed above the starter car, but amounts to a $9100 reduction on some 325i models and even more than $3000 across the M3 collection. BMW Australia paints the move as a celebration of the five generations of 3 Series, but has done nothing on the basic 320 and 323 models.

It's the smell that comes from the ioniser built into the dashboard of its new flagship model, the $42,490 Latitude Luxe. The high-tech air freshener leads a long list of standard equipment that also runs to a massage seat for the driver in a car that takes the lead at Renault from the unloved - and unsuccessful - Laguna.Renault has already re-positioned its Megane line-up with a major price cut and believes the Latitude move can work, thanks to the value that comes partly from a French car that's twinned with Nissan and built in Korea. "The brand has had some stigma in the past and we don't think that's warranted any more," says Justin Hocevar, managing director of Renault Australia.The Latitude approach is a two-level attack, with a price leader at $36,990 including everything from automatic air-con to leather seats and alloy wheels. The car is intended to go against a range of rivals including the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord and even the Kia Optima."We believe we are delivering a car that's well suited to the market. It's a segment where rational decision making is king. Comfort and refinement are its real strong points," says Hocevar.

The Thunder, last seen in the days of the VZ workhorse, has been brought back to combat all the attention Ford is getting with its updated Territory and revamp plans for the Falcon. The official excuse for the Thunder ute is the 60th anniversary of the first Holden ute, produced in 1951 and officially known as the 50-2106 Coupe Utility.  The Thunder run comes with a claimed $3000 worth of extra value, thanks to charcoal-finish 19-inch alloys, satnav, leather seat bolsters and - not surprisingly - Thunder badge. “Over 60 years of production, the Holden ute has evolved from typical tradesman’s transport to two-door sports machine with a practical edge - that’s epitomized by the Thunder range,” says GM Holden's executive director of sales and marketing, John Elsworth. The Thunder pack is available on the SV6 and SS utes, with driveaway pricing of $34,990 and $39,900 for manual models. Add $4500 for the the automatic versions.

The elegant newcomer faces a huge challenge in rebuilding confidence and sales, but has a lot going for it - including a starting price of $71,900 with a turbodiesel engine. There are three models in the lineup - two Vectors and the flagship V6 Aero Xwd from $94,900 - and they join the 9-3s which have already being providing trickle sales during the start-up phase of Saab Cars Australia. "We're here to stay. Saab has invested to be in Australia, it's a significant market for us and we were always one of the top 10 Saab markets in the world," says Steve Nicholls, managing director of Saab Cars Australia. "The fact that we've set up as a factory distributor, and not gone with an importer, shows we're taking this seriously." The 9-5 is a very serious car, slightly bigger than an E-Class Mercedes-Benz, and loaded with standard equipment from a six-speed automatic gearbox and leather seats to a head-up display for major instruments. In classic Saab style, the new-age push-start button is located in the console between the front seats, the traditional location for the company's ignition keys. The design of the 9-5 finally breaks away from the origami-style angles and creases favoured by so many European carmakers, with a number of smart visual tricks including a huge wraparound windscreen, a prominent grille and a wide-opening sedan boot. Cabin space is good and the final finishing work is what you expect in a Saab. But the 9-5 runs into some tough opposition in Australia, from the E-Class and BMW's brilliant 5 Series to the new Audi A6 and the Jaguar XF that's doing so well in Australia. Saab has had problems at its Swedish factory this week, culminating in a temporary shutdown at Trollhatten to sort problems with some suppliers, but Nicholls says it is only a hiccup. "We've got the funds we need. The company is well funded into the medium term. Cash flow is the problem.  This week we've been stopping and starting. So we've decidd to stop the factoyr this week, sort everything out, and start again next week," he says. Saab is targeting around 100 sales of the 9-5 this year, with 25 already on the ground of its small network of eight dealerships - although this will grow - and a similar number on a boat to Australia. The first Saab after the General Motors' disaster - first 20 years of neglect, then a fire sale - promises a lot.  The 9-5 looks good, is roomy, nicely designed and well finished. The diesel and four-cylinder Vectors are well equipped, and the flagship V6 has everything you expect at nearly $100,000.  There are some nice touches, too, including an effective head-up display - although this means you can actually have three different speedo readings from the regular speedo, head-up system and a rolling 'altimeter' that's a bit of a gimmick. All three cars get along well enough but there is a giant flaw - ride comfort.  Saab says it has always had a slightly sporty suspension tune but the 9-5 is harsh and jiggly on any surface, regardless of the suspension or tyres. Carsguide tried 9-5s with 17,18 and 19-inch tyres and standard and adjustable suspension, but nothing helped. There is also kickback in corners and some torque steer.  The suspension is a real pity because it is a nasty shortcoming in a car that otherwise does a good job. SAAB 9-5 2011 Price: from $71,990 Warranty: 3 years/100,00km + Roadside assist Engines: 119kW/350Nm (Vector TiD4), 162kW/350Nm (Vector Turbo4), 221kW/400Nm (Aero Turbo6) Body: Four-door sedan Weight: 1725-2065kg Transmission: 6-speed auto Drive: Front or All-Wheel-Drive Thirst: 6.7-11.3L/100km Fuel: Diesel or +95RON CO2: 177-262g/km

This time the baby brand that's being pushed and pulled in all directions has come up with a second droptop.  The difference between the upcoming Mini Roadster and the existing Cabrio is obvious from the rounded lines and a shorter roofline that covers a smaller two-seater cabin.The car is caught by Carparazzi without any major disguise - apart from the silly swirls on the tail - and is clearly developed from the Mini Roadster Concept from the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show.The Roadster has a swept-back windscreen and a Porsche-style retractable rear spoiler, but we'll have to wait until later this year- perhaps the next Frankfurt Show - for full details and the on-sale date.