Articles by Paul Gover

It's always hard in the car business to do a sequel off the back of a success story, and the latest Mercedes-Benz CLS proves it. The original four-door coupe is a sales winner and a category pioneer, converting people to the idea of a four-seat sedan with a curvy coupe roofline, so CLS II is more of the same.But...Benz has done a good job to improve the package and value, with a number of important new safety systems, but there are questions about the styling of the car that lands in Australia in the first half of next year. If the original CLS was as smooth and unruffled as Pierce Brosnan playing James Bond, then the new car is more like Daniel Craig.It's still 007, but harder edged, more brutal and threatening. Benz knows it is pushing the limit with CLS II and that it could polarize buyers, but there is a strategy. "I think the world is becoming a bit more obvious. There is a higher demand for showing your label, your brand," says Benz's chief designer, Gordon Wagener.He has definitely driven the CLS forward and there is lots of stuff inside his body to like, from a slightly roomier cabin to a driving   experience that's more planted and more refined.Mercedes-Benz Australia is also promising pricing for the new team - with V8, V6 petrol and turbodiesel engines - that will be almost line-  ball with the current stickers, which points to a starting price around $155,000."Mercedes-Benz would not be Mercedes if the second generation did not have more of everthing. We are convinced it will succeed on both the rational and emotional levels," says SLS program chief, Dr Michael Kramer.VALUEA lot of money has gone into the new CLS but it is not going to cost a lot more to buy. That's definitely a win.The engines are upgraded, and the V6 petrol is an impressive newcomer, while the CLS gets Benz's classy seven-speed automatic.  It's too early for Benz to confirm prices or equipment for Australia, but CLS II should come loaded and the company always boosts safety when it can. In this case that means nine airbags - there is now even protection for the front passengers' pelvis area - although the active lane and blind-spot assistance will likely be optional.TECHNOLOGYThere are four new engines, aluminium doors, more safety, active parking assistance, a full-LED light package, and all-new electronic   power assistance for the steering. It's a lot of stuff and shows how much Benz has in the melting pot for everything new it designs and builds.The most impressive things are the engines - more power, less fuel, lower emissions - the chassis work and the lamps. Switching to LEDs also cuts power drain, important with the extra needed for the electric steering.The active lane-change and blind-spot systems are claimed as big breakthroughs, braking the car - ESP style - to bring it back into line.DESIGNThe original CLS was elegant and impressive, despite comparisons with Ford's unloved AU Falcon. This time around, Wagener has gone tough. The front is blunt and sends   an 'outa my way' message, and there are chunky wheelarches and some edgy finishing to the body.It's not my favourite, but it's always important to let a car have some time to settle into the landscape. A former Benz design chief, Bruno Scacco, once told me any car you like straight away would date very fast and he is usually right. The cabin is more refined and user-friendly in the new CLS, although - despite the company's claims of more width and headroom in the back - you still have to be careful not to bang your head while getting into   the rear seats and headroom is not good.SAFETYBenz is the world leader in safety - despite Volvo's track record - and the CLS has those nine airbags, plenty of active safety systems to   get you out of trouble, and even the LED lamps for better night-time visibility. It's a certain five-star NCAP car and will get bonus points for its new technology.DRIVINGThe new CLS is a significantly better drive and it comes down to two things - chassis work and the new power steering. The car feels more relaxed in all conditions, even pushing hard with the V8 engine, and the steering is wonderfully tactic and rewarding.  It makes the car a dream drive, even on narrow, pockmarked Italian backroads. CLS II sits firmly on the road, has great brakes, and the latest engines - the V6 petrol is a real treat, although it needs some revving for its best - are up to the class of the whole package.I like the cabin layout, it's comfortable and quiet, and there is plenty of standard equipment and a mind-boggling array of extra stuff. But you still have to be careful sliding into the back seat, and I'm not a fan of the latest 'active' safety systems that take control away from the driver.No engineer can possibly predict every potential emergency or the driver's reaction, and that worries me. But there is no worry about the second-generation CLS, which will be a winner. It's not the best looking car on the road, but it easily beats the Porsche Panamera and definitely stands out in a crowd.VERDICTNot the prettiest new car, but a great drive

We're back with Australia's best selling car this week. Not quite, maybe, because the car in the Carsguide garage is a Calais, but it's still part of the Commodore family and a subject of the latest VEII upgrade.It takes a bit to see the changes in the VEII, until you sit inside, but it's a worthwhile range of updates as Holden spreads its focus between today's showroom hero and the Cruze hatch that's about to go into local production for sales in 2011. The big news on VEII is E85 bio-ethanol engines, the next stage in the greening of Australia's locally-made cars.We already have the Camry   Hybrid, and Ford is heading towards a four-cylinder Falcon in 2011,   but this is Holden's first effort before things like hybrids and a local version of the range-extended, battery-powered Volt.The bottom line on the VEII is the same as always: a big car for a   value price. Holden has even held the basic price line at $39,990 despite the cost of the latest changes, and boosted value - mostly with the new 6.5-inch colour touch-screen infotainment system - across the range.It's hard to evaluate the biggest value change at present, because the cheaper E85 fuel used in the new Holden is not widely available. It's more than 30 cents a litre cheaper than premium unleaded but will be hard to find until Caltex delivers on its promise of 100-plus E85 stations. Even then, E85 fuel burns faster than unleaded gasoline and that means economy will be down and range will also be cut. But the engine changes have made the powerplants more economical on unleaded fuel, a good move.There is a lot of technology involved in the move to E85, but it's mostly hidden and irrelevant to Commodore owners. It doesn't make the car safer or nice, just allows the flex-fuel capability. But it is reflected in better emissions performance and a little more power for the 3-litre V6 and 5-litre V8, with the mid-range V6 scheduled for its tweaks sometime in 2011.The real improvements are in the infotainment system, which is a huge leap forward and even presented in an easier-to-use dashboard layout   that puts the colour screen up higher in the dash. It has Bluetooth, wireless, cable and USB connections for music and mobiles and is   capable of storing up to 15 CDs in its hard drive.The visual changes to the VEII are tiny.  There is nothing a regular Commodore buyer would pick, just a true fan, despite some inevitable   work on the lamps and wheels. There are some aero clean-up parts, but they are very small and mostly tucked away to do their work. The dashboard is cleaner and has the touch screen, with some   improvements to fabrics.The latest Commodore is a little sweeter and a little more enjoyable.  It's not light years ahead of the previous model, and it still doesn't   have the sporty chunky feel of the Falcon, but it's good. We started with a Calais and are running a 3-litre ute and an SS Sportswagon through the Carsguide test program, but don't expect to find much extra stuff to report.The SS will obviously grunt along, and the ute is good for tip runs, but the Calais shows the sort of work that's been done. The 3.6-litre engine does the job on the Commodore, even if we're waiting for the E85 work. It's a little smoother than I remember, and works well with the auto gearbox, but I cannot comment on the E85 changes without a long drive and some significant refueling in a 3-litre car.It's easy to pass judgement on Holden iQ, because it works so well.  The colour screen is great, the controls are easy to understand and use, and the satnav is finally up where you can use it. The VEII also feels a little smoother in most driving conditions, down to some engineering work on refinement, and does the job you want and need with minimum fuss. It would have been good if Holden could have fixed my two biggest   beefs - the undersized rear-view mirrors and the cheap-and-nasty handbrake and window controls - but I'm promised that the changes are coming. Eventually.It's great to have a big family car for a change. No worries about pram space in the boot, plenty of room in the back for the child seat, and you can still carry passengers in comfort. I'm not a huge fan of the Commodore or Falcon, as I much prefer cars like the Skoda Superb, but the new Holden drives fine and has enough   go for me. My only real complaint, and it's a big one, is the blind spots created by the pillars at the edge of the windscreen. They really are nasty   and sometimes, on tight corners, you cannot see if anything is coming.  This really needs to be fixed, and now.

The giant off-road icon promises to star in Sydney but no-one will be able to buy one for 12 months, perhaps even longer.Even Nissan Australia had to buy a left-hand drive Patrol from the Middle East to get it into the show, then into action for a series of dealer, customer and media preview drives."So, why did we bring it to the show? Because it's real, because it makes a statement, says the managing director of Nissan Australia, Dan Thompson. "We want to start to build the anticipation. The car is so good that people will be prepared to wait. We're confident this is the right time to pull the skirt off it and starting talking about it."The left-hand drive Patrol is a fully-loaded TI that finally brings Nissan's four-wheel drive flagship into the 21st century.But the current Patrol is set to continue beyond its arrival, partly to satisfy diesel demand and partly to maintain a price position against Toyota rivals. The Australian delay on the Patrol, which is already on sale in the Middle East, means the current model will run for 10 years in showrooms - possibly a record.But Thompson is hard-pressed to defend the delay because the decision was out of his hands. "Australia was the only right-hand drive market that wanted this vehicle, and the only country that wanted diesel," says Thompson. "We were fighting a massive uphill battle, right in the middle of the GFC, just to get this vehicle."

If they can make the right numbers for an upgraded Cruze then the car is likely to get a go-ahead to join the Commodore in the HSV family.

The world's oldest carmaker is back-pedaling over a steering problem that could cause some current-model C-Class and E-Class cars to lose the power assistance for their steering.The first hint of trouble is a whining noise, then heavy steering during parking.More than 150,000 cars are being recalled worldwide for a repair that should take around 30 minutes."We take safety seriously," the spokesman for Mercedes-Benz Australia, David McCarthy, said. "There is no reason for people to be concerned. We're on top of it."Some of the recall cars in Australia have not been sold and will be fixed before they are delivered, while owners will be advised as soon as possible.The problem is caused by a fault which can allow the power steering fluid to leak. "It does not affect the ability of the vehicle to be steered. The steering just gets heavier," McCarthy said."We've had no reports of problems in Australia."The last time Mercedes-Benz had a safety recall in Australia was in 2009, for a rear-end water leak which could affect the automatic tailgate on its M-Class SUVs.

THERE always seems to be room for one more in the compact SUV class. Every time the family fight seems full, something new comes along and this week we have the Mitsubishi ASX.It's a compact crossover from a company that made its name in SUVs with the Pajero, as well as in passenger cars with the Lancer Evo. So it's something between, with the front-end styling of an Evo and the practicality of a Pajero.Or is it? The ASX - a silly name which stands for Active Smart Crossover, whatever that is - drops into the Mitsubishi lineup as a family car for young singles and small families. It's intended to do the job for people who like the look of an SUV, but don't need an off-road battleship or a seven-seater cabin.The ASX comes in a variety of configurations, from a petrol-powered   front-drive price leader to a diesel-engined four-wheel drive. The price spread is $25,990 to $36,990 and Mitsubishi says the ASX is its first diesel passenger car."The all-new ASX will provide a logical bridge between our popular Lancer and Outlander line-ups," says Masahiko Takahashi, managing director of Mitsubishi Motors Australia. "Significantly, the ASX will enable us to compete in the new, fast-growing two-wheel drive compact SUV market segment, and allow us to attract new customers to the Mitsubishi brand."The ASX is smartly priced at the bottom end, as its $25,990 starting sticker sits well against front-wheel drive rivals such as the Nissan Dualis (from $24,990), Kia Sportage ($25,990) and under the RAV4 ($28,990). It's a good looking car and well equipped at all levels, as you expect in a Mitsubishi. Sales are likely to be sharply split between the front-drive base car and the diesel models, especially the CVT automatic, which will appeal   to people who do more long-distance work.The ASX is based on the Outlander SUV, which means it is a genuine four-wheel drive when you need it. But the front-drive model is what more and more SUV customers are buying, which means it's an easy disconnect from the back wheels with a choice still of a five-speed manual gearbox or a six-speed CVT with 'virtual' gears. The car has a rigid body and fully-independent suspension, big brakes and 16-inch alloy wheels. But you can tell it's not designed for bush work from the space-saver spare tyre in the tail.The ASX is one of the best looking crossovers around, combining the'jet fighter' front end of the EVO with muscular haunches and a reasonably roomy cabin. The dash is car-like and easy to use, there is space for five adults - with adjustable backrests in the rear - and the design work matches the quality finishing.Mitsubishi says the protection package in the ASX starts with a very rigid chassis but the car also comes with a full complement of airbags including one for the driver's knees. It also has ABS brakes with assistance package, the usual pre-tensioner seatbelts and the promise of reasonable active safety with ESP. But there is no ANCAP test result yet.THE new Mitsubishi looks good, and looks good on paper, but is not great to drive. The basic front-drive petrol ASX is underwhelming in performance, cornering grip and general balance.The motor feels to struggle too much of the time, even if you toggle the CVT into manual mode, and there is a slightly tipsy feeling in corners. It's way, way better than the Outlander - which did not win many friends at Carsguide - but the ASX is a car you must measure against a range of rivals and it comes up short against the Dualis.Yes, it looks chunky and more fun than the Nissan but cannot convert on the road. Still, it's a relatively practical vehicle that will work well for active singles and it does well in things like fuel economy and emissions, as well as coming with plenty of standard equipment.It's a pity that Bluetooth and parking sensors only come in a pack of optional equipment, but the basics will be good for a lot of people. There has been a lot of interest in the ASX and Mitsubishi has done some good work, but it's just not as good as it looks.I know that a lot of people like the idea of an SUV, and sitting up high, but I don't think the ASX is as good as some of its opposition.  It definitely looks good and a lot of people ask about it, but I'm not sure I would pick it over something like a Toyota RAV.The engine feels chuggy to me, where the RAV has more guts. I like the seats and the design of the cabin but, for someone who has a toddler and a pram, the boot is too small.The back seat is nice and the doors give good access, but the good stuff is always balanced by something not so good. I also find the ASX isn't great to drive, because it feels a bit tippy in corners. Some of the other SUVs I've driven, like the Dualis, are more like a car and that means they are better to drive.For ANCAP vehicle safety ratings, go to howsafeisyourcar.com.au

An all-new ST is also on the way as the successor to the XR5 Turbo, although the full-house RS500 is no chance Down Under as it is a European sellout.  The all-new ST is previewed at this week's Paris Motor Show, almost glowing under lights with its outrageous Tangerine Scream bodywork, although it is not coming to showrooms until 2012.  It is set to take the local place of the XR5 turbo although there is little detail yet from Broadmeadows.  "The thing we're looking at now is another Focus ST, which is the XR5 here in Australia," says says Beth Donovan, vice-president of marketing and sales for Ford Australia. She says Ford Australia has enough supplies of the XR5 for 2011, until the ST takes over as one of the first One Ford global products.  "The XR5 is under-stated, where the RS is overt. I think if we have an opportunity to have vehicles that enhance our brand, then those opportunities expand where we are with One Ford," Donovan says. The basics of the ST are impressive - a new four-cylinder EcoBoost engine with 10 per cent more power and torque but 20 per cent lower emissions - with a new chassis, 19-inch alloy wheels, bigger brakes and a six-speed close-ratio gearbox. The engine replaces the Volvo- designed five-cylinder turbo in the XR5 and comes with 186 kiloWatts. Work on the car is shared between engineers at Team RS in Europe and SVT in the USA, who are upgrading the basic Focus with lowered suspension and a bolder body kit. “The new Focus ST will be our first true global performance says Jost Capito, director of global performance vehicles.  Like the ST and RS models before it, the Focus ST will be the result of painstaking tuning around the curves of the Nürburgring, along high- speed German autobahns, and down classic British B-roads."  

Action hero Mickey Rourke, supermodel Naomi Campbell, former Queen guitarist Brian May and actor Stephen Baldwin all turn up to help generate excitement around five stunning new models. Lotus is heading into a new era, targeting a direct confrontation with Ferrari, and it dazzles with a giant event that positions the company as Britain's new supercar maker. But things could change quickly if former Ferrari boss Dany Bahar does not get the money he wants. He already says Lotus will move its manufacturing base to Magna in Austria, taking 1200 jobs from the UK, if he does not get around $100 million in government loans. The total investment in the Lotus plan is more likely to be $800 million, with Proton of Malaysia - owners of Proton - promising to underwrite any losses over the next three years. That's the time it will take to get the Elite, Esprit, Elan, Elise and Eterne into production. All five are shown at Paris - against a preview of the Elite alone in the run-up to the event - but none is a full production car and estimates for on-sale dates range from three to five years. The born-again Esprit supercar was rumoured to be first into action but has been overtaken by the Elite as Lotus positions itself for the future. Still, the question of how a tiny company that currently has only a handful of models and a small budget will now be able to develop so many high performance models is not answered in Paris. It is also odd for Lotus to uncover so many proposed models, revealing so much of its future line-up, so far out from production. The most enticing of the cars presented is the Esprit, which is also the most likely to make it into a showroom near you and is due in 2013. A remake of the former wedge-shaped classic, the new Esprit will take on Ferrari with a mouth-watering and mid-mounted 5.0-litre V8, which is ‘pressure charged’ and even has an optional KERS hybrid assistance system. The combined power output is 456kW. The engine will be linked to a seven-speed dual clutch automatic transmission for super fast shifts. Lotus says the car weighs just 1295kg which means a power-to-weight ratio that allows it to make the dash from 0-100km/h in just 3.4 seconds. All the other models presented share the Esprit’s sharp front-end styling and wedge body design, including the Elan, another remake of a Lotus classic. It is a two-seater with a pressure-charged 4.0-litre V6 that makes 331kW and weighs the same as the Esprit. It’s due at the end of 2013. The Elite is a grand tourer and has the same engine as the Esprit, but it is front-mounted and the car is due in 2014. It has a retractable hard-top and weighs 1650kg. Lotus also presents a new lightweight Elise, which is not due for another five years, which takes up the same styling cues as the other new concepts. It also rolled out the Eterne, a four-door model aimed at the growing four-seat grand tourer market. Lotus says this model, also five years away, runs the same V8 as the Esprit and Elite, but is also available with an optional all-wheel-drive system. But that's not all. Tucked away at the back of the Lotus stand is a tiny City Car Concept. It's a little like the Aston Martin Cygnet, which means it will be used to offset the heavy CO2 emissions of the supercars and also give buys a little fun for city runs. Meanwhile, Lotus is headed in a new direction in Australia. It is expected to become part of the Ateco empire at the start of 2011 in a major shake-up of sales across the Asia-Pacific region. Ateco boss Neville Crichton is on the Lotus stand at the Paris Show for a champagne celebration, although he refuses to confirm any deal. "We talk to everyone. I talked to a lot of people at the show," Crichton tells Carsguide. Ateco is already the Australian importer for Ferrari and Maserati. The new Lotus family Elite: Set for sales in 2014 at the start of the new Lotus generation. A 2+2 grand tourer to rival the Ferrari F599. Eterne: The first true four-door sedan with a Lotus badge, but also gets a supercharged V8 and F1-style KERS hybrid pack. Elise 2015: The lightweight sports car continues into a new generation with a sexy new look. Elan: Claimed to be the heart of the new Lotus lineup, taking over from today's Evora as both a two and four-seater in 2013. E sprit: Originally intended to be the first of the new-age Lotus models but now pushed back to 2013 with a supercharged V6.

AUSTRALIAN Will Power slammed his Penske car into the wall at Homestead, Florida, in the final IndyCar race of the season at the weekend handing a record-tying third championship to Scotsman Dario Franchitti.  Power held a 12-point lead before the race, but limped into 25th with broken rear suspension allowing the defending champion to claim the crown with an eighth place finish and a five-point title margin.  "We definitely weren't quick enough," a disappointed Power said. "The championship's won over 17 races not in one.  Power won five races in the season and with four races to go was 59 points in front of Franchitti.  "This has been the best season of my career in motorsport, and I've learned so much. We'll be coming back to win this thing next year," he said.  In the final race, the Queenslander dropped down the order, but clawed back to fourth before hitting the wall in a passing move with less than 70 laps to go.  Franchitti started his Ganassi car on pole and led for most of the 200-lap race but was shuffled down the order late in the event by New Zealand teammate Scott Dixon who won from Danica Patrick and Brazilian Tony Kanaan.TOP V8 Supercar teams have started revealing their driver pairing strategies for the Gold Coast, 600 on October 22-24. TeamVodafone, Jim Beam Racing and Orrcon Steel FPR will have the same strategy of pairing their highest points driver with their regular partner and pairing the guest international driver with the other driver. That means World Touring Car Champion Andy Priaulx will drive with Craig Lowndes, IndyCar Series leader Will Power will pair with Steve Richards and current IndyCar champion Dario Franchitti with Steve Johnson. Jamie Whincup stays with Steve Owen, Mark Winterbottom with Luke Youlden and championship leader James Courtney will share with regular co-driver Warren Luff.ELECTRICAL problems played havoc with Marcos Ambrose's NASCAR Camry at Kansas Speedway at the weekend, dropping him down 10 laps and into 34th place. He started the race from the rear of the field, after an engine change in Friday's practice. Despite the setbacks, Ambrose is confident of a strong finish to the year. "It's been a tough year, but the races on the run to the end of the season are ones that I like," he said. Greg Biffle drove his Ford to victory at Kansas ahead of title leader Jimmie Johnson in his Chevrolet. Johnson is hoping for his fifth straight title but leads by just eight points from Den ny Hamlin in a Toyota.PRODUCTION car endurance racing will return to Australian circuits next year. The new Australian Endurance Championship will run under AASA regulations and will include cars not previously eligible under CAMS rules. Each race is a day/night six-hour enduro starting at Calder in April. The 4.216km road/oval circuit was last used for the 1987 500km World Touring Car Championship. Organisers say there are five manufacturers interested in competing in the low-cost series. Other rounds are at Winton in June, Queensland Raceway in August and Wakefield in October. All rounds will be conducted over three days, with qualifying and a top 10 shoot-out on the Saturday.FOUR-time Australian Rally Champion Neal Bates will drive a Chevrolet Corvette in the Bathurst 12 Hour in February. He is the first competitor to officially enter. Australian GT Championship driver Paul Freestone will partner Bates in the Hayden Pullen team. Bates is no stranger to the mountain while Pullen has driven there in the Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series. The 7000cc Corvette will be entered in Class C for cars in Australian GT Production class potentially tackling vehicles such as the R35 Nissan GT-R, Aston Martin V8 Vantage and Porsche's 996 GT3.AFTER protests from groups of Tweed Valley residents and greenies, Rally Australia, Australia's round of the FIA World Rally Championship, has been shifted to Coffs Harbour from next year. Coffs Coast has hosted stages of the International Southern Cross Rally in the 1960s and 1970s and a round of the Australian Rally Championship. The date of the event is yet to be finalised, but it was originally planned for September.FRENCHMAN Sebastien Loeb clinched a record-extending seventh consecutive World Rally Championship title with his 60th career win and his sixth for Citroen this season in France at the weekend. Loeb established a 40-second lead in the first half of the rally before easing his pace and driving carefully to protect his advantage. The rally ended in Loeb's home town of Haguenau. "To win the title here is the best thing that could happen this year," he said.AUSTRALIAN David Brabham has claimed his second second consecutive American Le Mans Series title at the weekend with a class win and fourth overall in the annual Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta in the US. He shared the drive with Frenchman Simon Pagenaud and Scotsman Marino Franchitti. Brabham will race in this weekend's Bathurst 1000 with Alex Davison in an Irwin Racing Ford Falcon. The Petit Le Mans was won by the Peugeot 908 of Stephane Sarrazin/Franck Montagny/Pedro Lamy ahead of the Peugeot 908 of Anthony Davidson/Marc Gene/Alex Wurz with the Audi R15 of Allan McNish/Dindo Capello/Tom Kristensen in third. the Audi was leading until Capello's balaclava slipped over his eyes, briefly blinding him.VICTORIAN Luke Ellery had mixed fortunes in his first USF2000 race at Road Atlanta, Georgia, at the weekend. The 21-year-old qualified second in the first race and passed pole sitter and current Championship leader Sage Karam only to be forced out on the first lap with an overheating engine. He started in seventh for the second race and stormed to an unexpected third in the 19-lap season finale, winning the Hard Charger award. Karam won the final race and the title with nine wins from 12 races. The series is part of the Road to Indy and MazdaSpeed Motorsports driver development program. Ellery hopes to return next  year.QUEENSLANDER Tony Quinn is hoping for better luck than last year when he heads to Bathurst this weekend for the penultimate round of the Australian GT Championship which is one of the support categories for the V8 Supercar Bathurst 1000 endurance race. Quinn will again campaign his Aston Martin DBRS9 in which he set a GT lap record of 2:10.0277 last year, finishing 11th and second. His main competition will come from current champion and points leader David Wall in a Porsche GT3 Cup S. Other exotic sports cars competing include Peter Hackett's Lamborghini Gallardo, Dean Grant's Mosler MT900 and Greg Crick's Dodge Viper. The all-Porsche GT Challenge division is being led by Shane Smollen with a one-point gap from Michael Loccisano.NINE Australian Champions were decided at the Australian Junior Motocross Championship at Lake Macquarie last weekend. Victorian Dylan Long won the 100-150cc two-stroke 15 years class; Luke Clout, of NSW won every race in the 150cc 14-16 years class; Queenslander Hunter Lawrence took out the 9-12 years 150cc; Scott Mann, Queensdland, the 85cc two-stroke 14-16 years; Wilson Todd, Queensland, 65cc 11-13 years; and Rhys Budd, NSW, 65cc 7-9 years winner. Female class winners were Meghan Rutledge, NSW, and Courtney Duncan of New Zealand.

As Daimler of Germany closes on a celebration of the first 125 years since it put the world on wheels, the company is confident the automobile has a long way to run. "I'm convinced that in 125 years people will not want to rely on their legs," says Dieter Zetsche, head of Daimler and the top man at Mercedes-Benz.  Zetsche laughs a little as he says it, but his eyes are blue steel and he is dead-serious about the need for cars of some sort into the foreseeable future. "It seems that to me that individual mobility is a very important thing to people. Nor do they want to be packed into a form of combined carriages, either," he says. Zetsche is speaking to Carsguide on the first day of the Paris Motor Show, the biggest motoring event of the year. All the major brands have something special to show in the city of lights, from baby Kia concepts and new compact contenders that will wear Holden and Ford badges in Australia right through to the latest Mercedes SLS four-door coupe. The mood at Paris is bouncy and upbeat, with technology talk on every stand as carmakers accelerate development on everything from the inevitable electric cars and hybrids to new-age petrol engines, baby diesels, active aerodynamics and lightweight materials. Every brand is doing its best to cut fuel use and CO2 emissions without hurting themselves in showrooms.  The results from Paris will not be known for some time - not even the new-era cars from Ford, Mini and Citroen that will compete for next year's World Rally Championship - but there is a lot to see and a lot to like. Even Saab has news from the show of an Australian comeback.  But Zetsche has a much broader brush and he is painting a big picture for the automobile as Daimler builds towards its next big anniversary on January 29 next year. It's the date when Karl Benz filed the papers for its patent wagon in Berlin a full 125 years ago, starting the automobile age. Today's Daimler boss talks bullishly about the future of cars, even though he admits he is short on detail for the year 2135. "What technology we have, whether it's on wheels or whatever, I don't know," Zetsche says.  "But I'm sure that people will want to to move from A to B in a way that's fast and enjoyable. And they they are in a closed-up space where they are somewhat protected." Once Paris is done the German brand intends to finalise its plans for January, including a move to have January 29 turned into Automobile Day across the world And there is more, with the promise of something special to celebrate the 125th anniversary in 2011. "We have another patent that is just as important as the first one," Zetsche says, teasing and promising at the same time.