Articles by Paul Gover

The current lineup of hotrod Holdens is already locked in place and management chiefs at both HSV and GM Holden confirm it's "business as usual" at the Clayton-based operation in Melbourne.

The same fight that has put the fire into Formula One for more than two decades will ignite on Australian roads this year when McLaren goes up against Ferrari. The British grand prix company is close to rolling its first in-house supercar onto the road, starting a new era in McLaren's history and severing its last ties to Mercedes-Benz and the ill-fated Mercedes- McLaren SLR project.McLaren already has more than a dozen orders for its all-new MP4-12C coupe from Australia despite an unknown pedigree and a $500,000-ish pricetag. The super-quick 12C coupe is into final testing in Europe and, with a global sales rollout set for the second half of 2011, it has partnered with Trivett Prestige to handle its business in Australia.Trivett already holds the local agencies for Rolls-Royce and Aston Martin in a diverse portfolio that includes everything from Harley- Davidson motorcycles to the 400km/h Bugatti Veyron. The McLaren plans begins this year in Sydney but, as the British lineup grows, Trivett expects to grow everything in the operation."The first showroom in Sydney will be opening around July, to be followed next year in Melbourne and then in other capital cities as appropriate," says Greg Duncan, executive chairman of Trivett.He reports strong interest in the car with firm orders for a number of cars, with the first deliveries in November. "There are approximately 15 and growing. There's very strong interest in the car," Duncan says. "The Australian price has not yet been confirmed but I anticipate it will be around $500,000 RRP, drive away."He admits the McLaren will be shopped against the Ferrari 458 but is not worried by any comparisons with the benchmark Italian beauty. "I don't see this as a battle. The MP4-12C is an amazing car. It's already exciting everyone who loves cars, especially high performance sports cars," says Duncan. "This car is more for enthusiasts than extroverts. Also, it is McLaren's business plan to produce less cars than Ferrari so not only will it perform better but it will be more exclusive."Even so, McLaren intends to grow quickly. It is finishing construction of a purpose-built manufacturing operation at its headquarters outside London and is working on two additional models to follow the MP4-12C."McLaren has announced that it will build up to 1000 12Cs in its first full year and this will increase to around 4000 McLarens of all models annually. So the long term looks very bright for the Australian market."

Kia's KV7 and the Hyundai Curb were two of the more radical vehicles by mainstream makers and both gave pointers to the future directions of the brands.They also showed the next battle for customers' cash will be based as much on software suites and internet access as engine performance and styling.All of the carmakers - and most of the parts suppliers, from Denso to HarmanKardon - at the US show were touting their approach to telematics and web access, but the South Korean duo took it to the extremes.The KV7 was purely a concept vehicle - wooden flooring and swivel seats don't usually make the transition into production - but the boxy activity van showcased a range of ideas that could soon be seen on regular models.Leading the way was a PC-powered software suite that controlled the on-board infotainment system and acted as a wi-fi hub. That gave the trackball-controlled front screen and huge rear tabletop touch screen internet access as well as ensuring all passengers can connect theirAndroid mobile phones or iPhone/iTouch to the web.PC-powered systems have been standard fare on the aftermarket and custom car circuits, but it is unusual for a carmaker to fit such devices in its vehicles.The boxy style of the KV7 is based on the Soul but uses a passenger-side gullwing door for easy access to the rear seats. The concept was powered by the new Theta II 2-litre turbocharged direct-injection engine which is good for 213kW and Kia says fuel use is only 7.8 litres for 100km based on the US highway test cycle.Over at the Hyundai stand the Curb had a conventional two-door exterior, though with cameras replacing the side mirrors and the machine rode high on massive 22.5-inch rims.Company reps insisted on calling it an "urban activity vehicle" which translates as saying they seeit being a city runabout.  But it was inside where most attention lay, with an acrylic touch screen flowing from the dash cluster to the centre console and across into the passenger area. It was paired with monitors in the back of the headrests.A heads-up display projects navigation onto the screen and are linked to the exterior cameras.  The screen can also show vehicle diagnostics, download apps and act as a video phone, using a touch sensor control strip provided by Methode."The goal was to make sure passengers felt connected to each other and the urban environment around them," Bradley Arnold, Curb interior designer, says. "We wanted to empower the passengers with information and make them feel that the exterior was connected to the interior."The Gen-Y targeted machine uses Hyundai's Blue Link software to provide in-car social networking. Calls from friends can be received and the system then shows their location on the satnav. A press of a button then provides guidance to that location.More mundanely, the system enables remote locking and unlocking of the car, notifies the driver when the vehicle's disagnostics detect a problem and can be set to create a speed alert and connect to the internet to access traffic updates and nearby points of interest.

The overall enthusiasm of shoppers took the showroom total last year to 1,035,574 vehicles, the second-highest on record and only the third time the ticker has flicked past one-million sales. The Holden Commodore continued its 15-year reign as Australia's favourite car while record numbers of buyers flocked to small cars and SUVs, the two boom classes these days with downsizers and families looking for more value and flexibility in their garage. But Maybach finished the year with a zero. No sales. It was the only brand that failed to trouble the official scorekeepers at VFACTS and the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries. In contrast, Rolls-Royce managed 25 deliveries, up from nine in 2009 for a 177.8 per cent boost in its result, despite a similar $1 million-plus bottom line to the Maybach. Cashed-up Australians indulged their tastes for top-end cars last year, with Lamborghini, Aston Martin and Bentley all selling at least half as many cars again as they did in 2009. Hyundai had the biggest improvement in volume as the South Korean company continued to win over Australian buyers. The brand's 80,038 sales were up almost 17,000 vehicles on the previous year. Standout performers were the i30 - the 2008 Carsguide car of the year - the new i45 mid-sized sedan and the Santa Fe SUV, along with its iMax and iLoad vans. Sister company Kia also made an impact as its Cerato and Sorento models contributed to a 22.9 per cent rise in sales. More than 23,800 Kia-badged cars hit the roads last year, reinforcing the rise of the South Koreans in the local motoring landscape. The VW Group's performance in Australia was extraordinary with a 26.4 per cent improvement for VW and a 31.9 per cent growth in Skoda sales. The Golf continues to be its best-s elling car with 15,425 buyers signing up for the 2009 Carsguide car of the year. Supply constraints are the only thing holding the Polo back, but 3195 cars still found homes in 2010. The Octavia is Skoda's staple seller with 1174 sales, followed by 355 for the Superb, but the Roomster's quirky styling still hasn't endeared itself Down Under and only 26 vehicles left dealerships last year. Toyota's dramas in the US weren't felt locally and the Japanese giant improved sales by 6.8 per cent to lead second-placed Holden by more than 81,000 cars. Brand T's established players - the Corolla, Hilux and Prado - drove growth, but the Prius hybrid is yet to endear itself to Australians, with sales falling from 3040 cars in 2009 to 1611 last year. That's in contrast to its acceptance in its home market where the Prius has just been declared the top-selling car in Japan with 315,669 sales. That beat Toyota's own record for yearly sales of a single model, set by the Corolla 20 years ago. Part of th e reason is that, unlike Australia, Japanese sales are boosted by generous government tax breaks. Toyota showed off a pair of Prius concepts at this week's Detroit Motor Show - a sporty Yaris-sized Prius c the company says will have the best economy of any petrol-electric hybrid and a seven-seater Prius v - that it says will extend the model's appeal with young buyers and families respectively. The Commodore continues to defy the trend away from large cars with the big Holden improving sales by 1500 cars over 2009. The compact Cruze was the Holden hero last year, though, almost doubling sales to 28,334 cars and that's before local production starts at the company's Elizabeth factory in South Australia later this year. Ford's Falcon couldn't match its locally built rival's growth and sales of the rear-wheel drive car fell by almost 5 per cent to 29,516 vehicles, ranking it a relatively low sixth in outright terms. The Territory continues to do well, though and sales of the Fiesta and Escape also give the Blue Oval brand cause for optimism and kept it at number three in the overall sales race, more than 10,000 vehicles clear of Mazda. SUVs of all sizes continue to outperform the market led by the compact segment where growth was a staggering 36.6 per cent. The Subaru Forester topped the standings with 14,644 sales, just ahead of the Toyota RAV4 on 14,597 and the Nissan X-Trail with 9792. Even the prestige SUVs enjoyed a 16.9 per cent rise headed by 3105 BMW X5 sales. The Mercedes-Benz M-Class was second with 2589 units to edge out the Lexus RX on 2534.  

It's the make-or-break Chrysler 300C that cost the bankrupt corporation more than $1 billion and must work to give Chrysler some much-needed leverage in its global partnership with Fiat.The 300C will eventually also wear Lancia badges in some countries but, as it is revealed today in Detroit, is a new hero for Chrysler.  It looks good and tough, is suitably lightweighted and technologically loaded, and is promised at value prices.The bad news for Australia is that right-hand drive production is a low priority and the new 300C will not land until 2012. Until then, Chrysler Australia has 12-months' stock of the outgoing car.Chrysler has a totally new take on the 300C, which retains some of its gangsta impact but is more modern in everything from the front-end styling to slimmer pillars and windscreens that drop away much more dramatically than the upright glass of the current car.It retains rear-wheel drive but has much-improved suspension and steering, the key engine is the new-generation Pentastar V6 already fitted to the Jeep Grand Cherokee, and pricing in the USA starts as low as $27,995.  Chrysler has done a lot of work on touchy-feeling stuff, from better shaping in the seats to heated-and-cooled seats and cupholders, a 20cm touch-screen infotainment system and a dual-plane sunroof.The new 300C can roll on 20-inch alloys and there is more than two metres of acustic insulation and underbody paneling to smooth airflow and cut drag and fuel economy.The new 300C is displayed at Detroit alongside a revamped Voyager minivan and massively-updated 200 sedan that both reflect the new styling direction from Chrysler's hero car.

The Civic Si Concept coupe and the Civic Concept sedan foreshadow the styling direction to come for the ninth generation 2012 model.Both the sedan and coupe show off clean lines, steeply raked windshields and wide stances – all part of what Honda calls “a more substantial high-energy appearance”.While the Civic Concept sedan gets a more sophisticated look with a redesigned front grille complete with chrome Honda emblem, the Civic Si Concept coupe comes off looking more aggressive and angular front with a mesh grille. From the back the coupe has a centre-mounted exhaust and rear lid spoiler. Both come with 19-inch alloy wheels.In line with Honda’s company vision of “a Civic for all people” the 2012 Civic range will boast a range of variants including petrol, Hybrid and LPG.   Under the bonnet the Civic family of power plants come with Variable Valve Timing and Life Electronic Control – said to be more efficient for 2012.Safety-wise the Civics will be equipped with Vehicle Stability Assist as standard.

The gorgeous new coupe, which is expected to eventually spearhead Porsche's return to the Le Mans 24-hour race, is the first of more than 50 unveilings at the North American International Auto Show today and tomorrow. It also moves the 918 a step closer to full-scale production.  Porsche has already confirmed a limited-edition run of 918 plug-in hybrid roadsters, but the RSR picks up the same racing V8 engine with a new flywheel-based kinetic energy recovery system. Developed by Williams Grand Prix and raced last year in a Porsche 911 at the Nurburgring 24-hour race, the technology involves storing power from its own dynamics when braking. This power is sent to the RSR’s front axle where the wheels have their own electric motors, both of them producing 75kW each. That’s an extra 150kW added to the already whopping 420kW produced by the 3.4-litre V8 – a total of combined output of 570kW.    The 918 celebrates the 40th anniversary of the classic Porsche 917's first victory at Le Mans but is presented in Detroit in the German company's new motorsport colours, with silver bodywork and twin orange GT stripes over the upper bodywork. It is described as a "race lab" by Porsche chairman, Matthias Muller.  "At the same time, it demonstrates the passion of our engineers and designers for developing the world's most advanced - and best looking - sports cars," he says. Built around an ultra-light, carbon fibre-reinforced plastic monocoque there’s no doubt the 918 RSR’s destiny is the race track with wing doors, an air in-take in the roof, aerials for pit radio and front winglets.  Inside the interior is the way a race car should be – practical and clean. The brown leather “gentleman driver” seat is as luxurious as it gets.  Apart from the RSR, Muller promises a number of new models from Porsche led by diesel and hybrid versions of the four-door Panamera.  "We are working non-stop on our future product strategy. We also have a few surprises up our sleeves when it comes to our sports cars," Muller says.  

The cat car with the 380 kiloWatt supercharged V8 has been on sale since 2008 and Carparazzi has caught a camouflaged update on trial.The big change is inside the cabin, which is completely disguised with curtains over the dashboard and centre console. The secrecy points to   a major update, perhaps to bring the XF more into line with Jaguar's latest XJ flagship.Externally, BMW-style swirling camouflage paint covers the nose and tail of the upcoming XFR to deflect close examination of the grille, lamps and panels. Carparazzi believes changes for the 2012 model year, on sale in 2011, will bring the XFR more into line with the XJ with sleeker headlamps, changes to the grille and bumper, and daytime LED running lamps in the nose and LED tail lights in the tail.It also hints at some updating of the engine and transmission in the Jaguar. The XFR prototypes were caught on trial in the USA, possibly because of Jaguar's ongoing links to Ford for its engine and component supply despite its sale to Tata Motors of India.

Belter. It's the word that sits best against the Ford Focus RS. The last time the Carsguide test team was this surprised and impressed by a turbocharged pocket rocket was when the Subaru STi first hit the road in Australia.The go-fast Focus has everything we like in a compact speed machine, even without the all-wheel drive grip and security net that comes with   Subaru's WRX family and the Mitsubishi Lancer Evo. It is a massive step up from the XR5 turbo, which was the hero car in the Focus family until the RS arrived.The RS is a car that makes every trip a fun run, although you must adjust to turning heads everywhere you drive it. Its turbocharged five-cylinder engine turns the front wheel and does it with plenty of theatricals, from the whoost and chatter of the turbo and wastegate to the way its front wheels scratch for grip under full throttle.The worst thing about the RS is that only 315 cars have come to Australia and almost every one is already with its new owner. There is talk of another RS when Ford does a complete model change on the Focus, as well as a Fiesta RS to tap the 2011 challenger in the World Rally Championship, and we cannot wait.VALUEThe price of the Focus RS is just about irrelevant, since all 315 cars were pretty much pre-sold. There could be a couple still lurking in Ford dealerships, but almost every one went straight to owners. That's proof that the price was right, even if $59,990 seems a lot for a front-drive car against a WRX from $39,990 and a Renault Megane RS at $41,990.TECHNOLOGYThe heart of the RS is the upgraded five-cylinder Duratec engine also used by Volvo and in the Focus XR5. The difference is big, though, and not just the boost to 224 kiloWatts. There are major hardware changes inside the engine and the turbo also gets a tweak. The key to putting so much power on the road is the Quaife-brand torque sensing differential, as well as RevoKnuckle front suspension and 19-inch tyres and rims.The RS also gets bigger brakes, tweaked stability control and a couple of convenience features including rear parking radar and excellent   Xenon headlamps.DESIGNThe RS is still a Focus, but the body bits make a massive difference to the way it looks. For our money it easily trumps the STi from Subaru and makes the Evo look a bit plain.There is a giant front spoiler and a substantial rear wing, but the WRC-inspired body changes include everything from the spoked alloys to a fake venturi under the rear bumper and meaty exhaust tips. Inside, the giveaway to the sports focus is the Recaro bucket seats and a meaty steering wheel. The look is not for everyone - and the kermit-green hero colour works best for people who like to wear their baseball cap backwards - but it makes the RS unique and desirable.SAFETYSome people think cars like the Focus RS are inherently less safe because of their potential for pace, but things like the bigger brakes and grippier rubber actually give them an edge. The basic Focus is a five-star car and it's the same for the RS, which also gets a full set of electronic safety gear - traction control, stability control, ABS brakes with brake assist. It also has six airbags.DRIVING - HE SAYSPaul GoverThe Focus RS is a hoot. It belts along whenever you uncork the turbo engine and shows how much is left in the Focus package beyond the XR5. It's a bit over-the-top in styling, but that clearly works for customers. And it is a car that makes you smile as you trip the central locking for another fun run.The response from the engine is great, with real meat from 1500 revs   and a sustained push to the dline in all the lower gears. It's even enjoyable to upshift early - rally style - to keep it right in the torque band.The five-cylinder engine has always had a special beat and the RS upgrade also brings the sort of whooshing and chuffing from the pipes and turbo that confirms a serious force-fed engine. The suspension is firm but not harsh, the steering response is instant and the brakes are great.The Recaro sports buckets are firm but well shaped, although make it tough to get in and out. The huge turning circle is a disappointment and access to the back seats is poor, and rear vision is also limited by the giant wing. But the Focus RS is a special car and one that makes a WRX seem pedestrian.Even the Lancer Evo suffers by comparison with the classy Ford, not on the performance front but because the RS is a taut package that does everything well and has impressive final finishing.SHE SAYSAlison WardThis outrageous Focus is not a family car but it is one of the most   enjoyable cars I have driven in 2010. It is speedy around corners, has great visibility, has easy handling and is easy to drive. Except for the over-large turning circle.I like that it's a hatch, and not just another WRX try-hard car. It's definitely punchier than the Subaru STi automatic we had in the driveway for a week. It's not easy to load a youngster into a car seat, but I like the comfort of those Recaro seats and the quick gearshift. I was sad to see it go.VERDICTA winner. The RS is a great driving car that is certain to be a collector's item. FORD FOCUS RS Price: $59,990Engine:  2.5-lite Duratec five-cylinder with twin-overhead camshaftsOutput: 224kW/6500revs; 440Nm/2300-4500revsThirst:  10.4-litres/100kmEmissions:  246g CO2/kmTransmission: six-speed manualBody: three-door hatchback SEATS : Four, Recaro front buckets and two-seat rear benchDimensions:  Length  4402 mm, Width 1842 mm, Height  1497 mm,   Wheelbase  2640 mm, tracks front/rear  1586 mm/ 1587 mm STEERING: power-assisted rack-and-pinionSuspension: fully independent with front MacPherson struts and rear   control blade multi-link systemFuel tank:  62 litres Wheight:  1492 kgWheels: 19x8.5 alloy Tyres : 235X35 R 19Safety: ABS with electronic Brakeforce Distribution, Dynamic Stability Control, Traction Assist, Emergency Brake Assist, driver and   front passenger airbags, front and rear curtain airbags, pyrotechnic seatbelt pre-tensioners (front and rear)

The baby Picanto is being assessed for a starting spot in Australia as the next Rio, currently priced from $14,990, is moved a little higher in the line-up. The Picanto would likely have a $13,000-ish bottom line with the larger Rio moving up beyond $15,000 with more safety and luxury equipment as standard. "We're looking at it. It's not off the table," says Kia's Australian spokesman, Kevin Hepworth. The five-door Picanto hatch is called a 'city car' by Kia and is revealed this week from Seoul ahead of its full-scale unveiling at the Geneva Motor Show in March. Pictures from Kia show a car with the funky style that is becoming typical of the brand, with a chiseled nose and a compact body. "New Picanto features significant sculpting and a very prominent rising character line. The result is a layering of light and shadow and this breaks up the height, giving the car a more sure-footed stance," says Kia's charismatic chief designer, Peter Schreyer. Mechanically, the car is based on the Hyundai i20 that is already on sale in Australia. The i20 is priced from $15,490 with a 1.4-litre engine. Kia says the Picanto is substantially different to the i20, and a significant improvement over the previous-generation Picanto that was passed up for Australian sales. It is larger than the earlier Picanto and is only likely to come as a five-door hatch, although there are plans for a three-door sporty model in Europe. If the Picanto comes to Australia it will be built in Korea, but there is no hint yet on the mechanical package. The car is being built with both 1.0 and 1.2-litre engines, with LPG bio-flex and flex-fuel systems fitted for some countries. Hepworth says Kia will make an early decision on any Picanto plan. "If a decision is made to go forward with the vehicle, we would take it at the first opportunity. Possibly by the end of this year," he says.