Articles by Paul Gover

It's important to make regular returns and re-runs with benchmark cars in Australian showrooms. So here we are with the 2010 update of the BMW X5, the car that's been top of the prestige SUV pack since it first landed in Australia.The latest tweaks are a mid-life overhaul, just like the VEII Commodore, and, just like the Holden hero, BMW has concentrated on efficiency with the remake of the X5. It's also focussed on keeping an edge over everything from the Audi Q5 to the Benz ML - and perhaps even the giant ML - the all-new Porsche Cayenne and the massively improved Range Rover Sport.Changes to the X5 include three new models - xDrive35i, X5 xDrive40d and flagship X5 xDrive50i - improved engines with more power torque, better fuel economy and more emphasis on the Sport package which has been popular with so many X5 buyers."We have given the car the highest standard specification in the segment. Combined with its on-road performance, and a range of features that are not offered by our competitors, the BMW X5 looks set to continue its success story in Australia,” says the boss of BMW Australia, Stavros Yallouridis.VALUEThe starting price of $92,100 looks pretty good, but that's for the basic 3-litre diesel and you can easily run the X5 up to $133,400 - bottom line for the new 50i Sport - or even more for the M-built model. And BMW options are always there to entice, with everything from Sport packs to third-row seats, all sorts of light choices, leather and wood, and on and on and on.Maximising value in any BMW is about picking the right model and staying as close as possible to the standard specification, which is usually pretty good these days.Looking at some of its rivals, and concentrating on the mid-range 40d which looks to be the potential best-seller, the BMW lines up well against revised Q7s from Audi, although Benz starts a fair bit cheaper at $84,760 for a 3-litre ML.TECHNOLOGYThis time around the X5 improvements are focussed on the engines. It's possible to fill an entire Carsguide liftout with the detail, so lets concentrate on the 40d M Sport which arrives for testing. Its diesel engine is a significant step up from the previous 35d, with the inline six taking on twin-turbo and common-rail injection technology.BMW says output is up by 15 kiloWatts and 20 Newton-metres, the benchmark 0-100km/h sprint time is down to 6.6 seconds and fuel economy is 10 per cent better than the outgoing 35d at 7.5 litres/100km.The all-wheel drive system is unchanged but X5s move up to BMW's latest eight-speed automatic gearbox with speed-tuned Servotronic steering as standard.DESIGNThe '10 model is only a tweak, which means the nose has the greatest change. There are larger side intakes, more use of body-coloured paint, re-positioned foglamps and matt-silver body protection. The tail lamps are also new, with an L shape.The 40d comes with a  standard Sports package including a leather-wrapped wheel, a special anthracite roof liner, as well as stuff like bi-Xenon lamps, Bluetooth, a sunroof, leather seats and more.SAFETYA lot of SUVs feel like trucks but one of the safety advantages in the X5 - from day one - is its carlike driving feel. There is the usual suite of front and side airbags, ABS with brakeforce distribution, top-class ESP stability control and more.The 40d also comes standard with a rear-view camera, which should be compulsory now on every SUV, automatic high-beam cut, and the chance to add lane departure warning for $1400, adaptive headlights at $1000 and the latest active cruise control with Stop&Start for a hefty $4700.DRIVING - Paul GoverThe X5 has always been one of my favourite drives the latest model continues the appeal, mostly because of the way it drives but also because the 40d - even with a bottom line in the test car of $149,220 - has so much nice stuff.It's hard not to enjoy well-shaped leather seats, the sunroof, and even the lane-departure and rear-camera systems.The latest X5 seems bigger than I remember, and a bit beefier too, but the latest turbodiesel has more than enough muscle for the job. It does not feel as sweet as some of BMW's earlier turbodiesels, perhaps because of the latest high-pressure fuel injection, and there sounds to be more rattling at start-up. But the only other thing I can criticise is the lack of gearchange paddles on the steering wheel.The eight-speed auto is as wonderful as I remember from other BMWs and both responsive and efficient.The latest X5 is seriously quick, is great for family work, yet drives more like a car than a truck. If BMW can keep this up with the new X3 - which is actually similar in size to the original X5 - instead of straying into the middle of the X1 then it will be seriously tough to toss in the luxury SUV class.SHE SAYS - Alison WardIt's been so long since I've driven an X5 that I don't notice most of the changes. The car still drives well and has heaps of space, and I like little things like the pull-up sunshades to cover Mr Man in the back seat. It's a lot nicer in the X5 than the X1, which I still don't really understand.The performance is pretty good for something this size, which even has an optional fold-out third-row seat in the car we're driving. It's not going to be any good for adults but should be fine if there are extra bubs around.I've always liked the X5 but I've also been spoiled recently by the Mercedes GL. It's bigger, more cushy and, for me, a nicer drive. If I already owned an X5 I can see it would be worth upgrading, and there are lots of people who prefer its industrial-style design, but I've been won over by the GL despite the extra cost.VERDICT: Hidden changes and a few cosmetic tweaks are all worthwhile.

The A8 flagship has broken free this year and, despite a growing emphasis on spin-off cars like the A5 and A7, the German company is going all-out on the new A6.Test mules have been running for more than a year but now Carparazzi has first pictures of the real thing, running on the road in Germany.  Its sources point to a major shift for the next A6, which will cut its ties to the Volkswagen Passat. Instead, it is being developed on Audi's own modular aluminium chassis.The most-obvious visual change to the new A6 is a different treatment to the nose, with angular new headlamps, but the Carparazzi pictures also show everything from new door handles and side mirrors to a cabin with a more-rounded look.The camouflage stickering, similar to the design used by BMW on its prototypes, also cannot hide a slightly more aerodynamic shape to theA6 body.  The engine range for the new model should include the supercharged 3.0- litre V6 and a new 4.0-litre V8 Audi is currently working on. Sophisticated TDI motors will be part of the range, too.  Two new transmissions will also be fitted to the new A6 – an eight- speed automatic and a seven-speed dual clutch.Production of the A6 should begin in the first half of 2011 at Audi's Neckarsulm factory in Germany, pointing to Australian sales in the final quarter of next year at the earliest.

It will be revealed at the Paris Motor Show less than three weeks after the first of the breed, the DS3, goes on sale in Australia.The DS4 will be followed in 2011 by the DS5, which sits above the C5 range and is rumoured in Europe to contain Citroen's first diesel hybrid drivetrain.The DS4, like the DS3, takes the mechanical package of an existing Citroen model and gives it a major style tweak to create a sub-brand for fashionista around the world.Citroen describes the DS4 as a blend of creativity, dynamism, exclusivity and versatility. It sits slightly higher than the C4 with a premium cabin treatment including top-quality leather seats inside a giant panoramic windscreen.Although the car looks like a coupe it is actually a four-door that Citroen says can carry five adults."Reinterpreting cues opened up new possibilities, bringing practical and surprising solutions to automotive mobility," says the car's designer, Marc Pinson.It is already set for Australia, although Citroen is not talking about pricing beyond admitting it will cost more than the C4."The car will be coming here, in the third quarter of next year," says Citroen spokesman, Edward Rowe. "It's based on the C4, which will probably be in the second quarter. We're launching C3 and DS3 almost back-to-back this year, and the same with C4 and DS4 next year.""The cars the DS4 will be pitched against are the Audi A3, the Alfa Romeo Giulietta and BMW 1 Series. It's in the premium end of the category, where the C4 is up against the Golf and Focus."

The car was previewed as the Prius G at the Tokyo Auto Salon in January and is now headed for full-scale production. The Prius G has a 30mm lower ride height and outrageous aero parts for a slipperier profile as well as bigger brakes and 18-inch wheels. In an attempt to appeal to a different and younger type of customer, expanding the Prius’s overall appeal, this G will also incorporate stiffer suspension and lose 20 kilograms in kerb weight, with some subtle detailing inside including a red gear selector. Expected in Japanese showrooms by the middle of next year, but with no news on sales in Australia, the G pack will cost around $3500 more than a regular Prius.  

as Holden shifts its focus entirely to Caprice in the long-wheelbase world. It has added a Caprice V at the top end of the Commodore range, mirroring the earlier work with the sportier upmarket SS-V and Calais-V which have brought more customers - and better profits - to Holden. The Caprice V picks up a sunroof, full Nappa leather trim, a dual-screen rear DVD system, Bose audio and a three-zone aircon system. "Market research consistently told us that the Caprice nameplate, with its definite sports luxury character, appealed to a far broader customer base," says Holden's executive director of sales, marketing and aftersales, John Elsworth. The Statesman name was first used by Holden in 1974, three years before the Caprice nameplate was introduced, although both were 'retired' between 1985 and 1990 after production of the Kingswood-based luxury cars ended. The long-wheelbase Commodores came in 1991, as the VQ, sharing their extra length with the station wagon.

A 6.5-inch colour touch screen infotainment system is now standard in every Holden Commodore, part of the VE Series II upgrade that also includes flex-fuel V6 and V8 engines for the first time in a locally-made car.  But Holden is making the move without the Statesman, a name that is being dropped in 2010.There are only minor body and cabin changes for the VEII, as GM Holden concentrates its spending on customer benefits and equipment that will give it a showroom advantage. It claims fuel economy improvements up to 12 per cent - on the 6-litre SS-V manual sedan - and CO2 reductions up to 11.5 per cent - on the 3-litre V6 Omega ute.The infotainment system - called Holden-iQ - operates with Bluetooth, wireless, cable and USB connections for music and mobiles and is intended to give the red lion a competitive advantage.The same applies to its flex-fuel, bioethanol engines, although the 3.6-litre V6 will not run on the greener E85 - 85 per cent ethanol, 15 per cent petrol - mix until 2012.GM Holden says E85 will be available from around 100 bio-ethanol service stations nationally in 2011.  It is keeping pricing and final specifications secret until the official press launch of the latest model on September 10, but is teasing today with pictures and some early information.Company chief, Mike Devereaux, denies the update is influenced by the tight financial situation in Australia and at General Motors through the VEII development period.“Our approach to Commodore has been about making a great car even better,” Devereux says.  “It’s about introducing more improvements more often and getting technology into the car that our customers need and want."The only all-new model in the VEII line-up is a V-Series version of the long-wheelbase Caprice, which picks up the same extreme sportiness which has worked so well on SS and Calais V-Series models. The Caprice V picks up a sunroof, full Nappa leather trim, a dual-screen rear DVD system, Bose audio and a three-zone aircon system.“Market research consistently told us that the Caprice nameplate, with its definite sports luxury character, appealed to a far broader customer base,” says Holden's executive director of sales, marketing and aftersales, John Elsworth.Looking across the VEII range, aero work to cut drag - and boost economy - includes extra smooth below the sedan and Sportwagon except Omega, reduced trim height on Omega and Berlina sedan, rear-wheel air deflectors on Omega, Berlina and Calais, a re-designed bootlid and front undertray. Mechanical changes include a clutch on the aircon compressor and an engine idle speed reduction on 3.6-litre engines.Visually, VEII cars get a new frontal treatment, there are new-design alloy wheels from the Berlina upwards, and the dashboard has been smoothed and given more soft-touch plastic with a new centre console surround and new controls for the aircon."Our customers have been telling us they want to see our models refreshed with greater  functionality from Omega to Caprice," says Deveraux.“We have listened and responded in a way that continues to position Commodore as the smart choice for Australian motorists.”

Only a handful of buyers have been enticed to the full-sized, full- service, full-luxury flagship despite an affordable starting price of $39,990 with a V6 engine. But Hyundai has plans to make the Grandeur bigger and even more luxurious as it continues its global new-model attack. The all-new replacement for the Grandeur is testing in northern Scandaniva, where Carparazzi caught a car that - despite plenty of armoured camouflage to deflect camera attacks - is clearly bigger than the current model. The Grandeur sits globally above the Sonata - now the i45 in Australia - and the left-hand drive Genesis, and sources believe it will become much more like the i45 in a makeover that will make it far less Korean- centric in design. The new model is expected on sale in late 2011, probably after a Korean motor show preview early next year, with a choice of 3.3 and 3.8-litre V6 engines. The engine for Australia is not set yet, but the 3.8 is currently used and will be upgraded with a new six-speed automatic gearbox.

The new roadster has plenty of M stuff, and the performance to match a manual M3 coupe, but BMW Australia says it's not a true M car and not entitled to the badge which brings ultimate BMW bragging rights. Instead, in the confusing BMW world of 2010, the rapid twin-turbo Roadster is called the sDrive35is.To translate into the stuff that matters, it has a force-fed six that makes 250kW/500Nm, a seven-speed double-clutch sports auto gearbox, adaptive M suspension, 18-inch alloys and a unique bark from its twin- pipe exhaust.The car is priced from $129,900 and aimed straight at the Porsche Boxster, although BMW Australia concedes there could be some people who will shop it against an Audi TTRS, something AMG from Benz, or even a Nissan 370Z.The change away from a true M-car in the Z4 range shows the work pressure on BMW's hot shop, which has only just finished the X5 and X6 and is now deeply into the next V8 turbo M5, as well as a slight direction change for the two-seater convertible. It's not as extreme these days.The price hardly matters because BMW Australia only has 25 cars for the rest of the year and is expecting a similar tight supply through 2011. But it's $129,900 without an - inevitable - extra dip through the optional-equipment list.That puts it straight up against the Boxster, which starts at $105,000 these days, and it even undercuts the Boxster S which is the real choice for keen drivers. Then again, there will be an all-new Boxster next year which promises a lot more - including space - than today's car."It's the Boxster that we're really got in our sights. It raises the perfomrance to the standard of the Porsche," says Piers Scott, spokesman for BMW Australia. He touts the changes and particularly the unique-design alloy wheels, M logos on things like the steering wheel and scuff plates inside the wheel, as well as the lower ride height and the unique exhaust note.But he also concedes the Z4, across the board, is not a big seller in Australia. This year's running sales total is 188 against 126 in 2009, despite the arrival of an all-new model. "They are not flying out the door. Globally it has been a huge success story and leads the segment by far, but in Australia it is still to find its feet," he admits.The key to the car is the twin-turbo six, which uses one turbocharger each for three cylinders, to deliver peak torque from just 1500 revs and overboost of 500 Newton-metres under high-load conditions. Peak power comes at 5900 revs, relatively low against M cars with redlines around 8000.The double-clutch gearbox is the right choice for the car, although it still has the silly auto-style shift levers of the cruisey BMWs, and the adaptive suspension is set lower with the ability for more firmness and grip. The driver assist systems are also switchable to ensure maximum fun."For the pure enthusiast, it's a performance car that's track capable," says Scott.As for the exhaust note, it's not a pure M system but has been tuned to give a better note.The latest Z4 is slightly bigger and slightly more rounded, with more cabin space than before. It still has a folding hardtop that works quickly and easily, with a cabin that has the right stuff in the right places.The changes for the M upgrade are minor, but enough for BMW enthusiasts to know the difference.The second-generation Z4 came with more poise and balance than the previous car, which makes it better for an M-style upgrade. It copes easily with the extra power and torque, instead of turning into a bucking broncho, and never feels to be stretched beyond its limits. The nose will push wide if you get onto the power too hard or too early in a tight bend, but generally it just tracks around a curve and invites you to dip into the loud pedal.When you do there is a very sweet thump from the exhaust, although it's not the same as the howl from a non-turbo six or V8 from the M-car menu.It is an extremely rapid car at all times on all types of roads, but is not lairy or overdone. In fact, it's remarkably refined and that should work for people who are considering a Boxster. The gearbox is terrific for maintaining swift motoring, although the engine will drop below ideal boost in tight corners as second is a bit too tall. It recovers boost quickly, but is something you notice. The ride is firm but not shaky, the seats are great, there is good feel to the suspension and the brakes never feel troubled, even at fairly rapid speed.The Z4 hero is a true hero and definitely capable of challenging the Porsche Boxster, but you have to wonder if people with the right money would also want the right badge - an M - to tell people what they have in the garage.

He is - or was - Hirotaka Ono - a visionary who re-invented the Japanese brand and changed everything, from boosting the quality of its cars to creating the can-do attitude among senior managers that's essential for the success of any car company. Ono had a giant advantage because he was married to the daughter of company founder, Osama Suzuki.He was able to use his family connection to ramrod a range of changes which would have been impossible for anyone else, especially a 40-something revolutionary in a country which usually puts age and experience ahead of youth and enthusiasm. Even so, he still had to walk the walk on everything from design and driving enjoyment to bottom-line financial deals.The award winning Suzuki Swift is an Ono car, so too is the current Grand Vitara, as well as the Kizashi. His track record also includes the less-successful second-generation XL7, thankfully only sold in the USA, but everyone makes an occasional mistake. Ono died too early at the end of 2007, but not before he inspired the cars coming through Suzuki today and forecast the global financial crisis - as well as planning the way his company would react to the challenge."Thanks to Mr Ono we have learned what we can do. He inspired us," says Tak Hayasaki, managing director of Suzuki Australia. Hayasaki has his own challenges in trying to lift Suzuki's share of Australia's annual car sales from its current 2.4 per cent to around six per cent, but he knows he has the strongest lineup in the company's history.The Alto is too small for a lot of people, but a $12,990 driveway bottom line makes plenty of sense with six airbags, ABS and ESP, as well as alloy wheels. The Swift is getting very old but is still a good car, the Grand Vitara is a safe choice and the SX4 does a good enough job.Kizashi is the game-changer for Suzuki, the same as the first Mazda6 and Accord Euro were for Mazda and Honda, combining Euro-type driving enjoyment with Japanese quality.This week the company is adding an all-wheel drive car to the Kizashi line, the Sports, and believes it can boost its sales by 100 cars a month. That's 50 per cent of the current volume. It's a big call for a car which already goes head-to-head with Mazda6 and Euro and now faces up to the might of the Subaru Liberty, the car that convinced Australians about all-wheel drive.As he looks forward, with a new Swift before the end of the year - not   that you would pick it as all-new from pictures - Hayasaki knows where the credit goes. "I have to thankyou to Mr Ono for what he has given us. He proved that we can do it."

The POP tart is being revealed at the Paris Motor Show in September but Kia cannot resist an early tease.  It has released pictures which show a futuristic, rounded little city runabout.But the POP is more than just a teaser, as Kia chief Hank Lee recently revealed to Carsguide that his company intends to have a plug-in electric car on sale in Korea inside 18 months.So the POP could easily be built over the battery powerplant intended for the production.  Kia is not revealing any detail on the Paris car, beyond its three-metre size, a three-seater cabin and its zero-emission drivetrain.But it was designed in Europe, at Kia's design centre at Russelsheim in Germany.  "It looks like a bit of old-fashioned motor show fun," says Kevin Hepworth, spokesman for Kia in Australia."Of course, in a congested city environment such as one you may find in Asia or Europe, a car of this compact styling could prove practical, particularly a zero emission one."