Articles by Paul Gover

...new naming game to the former 3 Series coupe, is obvious from this near-production car. It's likely to be larger than the 3 Series sedan and pitched primarily against the successful Audi A5. This reporter is on Twitter @paulwardgover  

Ferrari, Lamborghini, Rolls-Royce and McLaren each brought something special to the Geneva motor show, proving that worldwide economy gloom has not taken the shine off the motor industry.

...but testing has begun with early prototypes of the car that will eventually run up against the all-new Mercedes-Benz S Class that launches this year. This prototype steals body parts from the existing Seven but everything under the skin should be new and more eco-friendly. This reporter is on Twitter @paulwardgover  

The new French pocket rocket is accelerating into the gap between Renault's cooking cars and its runaway Renault Sport heroes. The Clio GT is already confirmed for Australia and is set for a similar job to the Commodore SS, which covers the space between regular Holdens including the SV6 and the true hotrods from Holden Special Vehicles. The Renault is officially the Clio GT 120 EDC, a name that reflects 120 horsepower - or 88 kiloWatts - from a turbocharged four-cylinder engine and its electronic dual-clutch transmission. Renault claims the car will set a new standard for affordable hot hatches, although it has yet to even hint about prices down under. Still, the car is coming as part of the rollout of the four-generation Clio and for the first time there will be a Renault Sport model in the baby boomer with five doors. "This GT is a first for us," the managing director of Renault Australia, Justin Hocevar, tells Carsguide. "It bridges the gap between our Clio Renault Sport and the rest of the range. Anything that brings the RS performance closer to the rest of the range is good. "Renault Sport cars are not for everyone. They are quite extreme cars. This will be more accessible. "With extra doors and transmission types it opens the door for many more people than the Renault Sport cars." The Clio GT is also coming as a wagon in Europe, but that version might not make it to Australia after a call for right-hand driver in the hauler was unsuccessful in France. "We're unlikely to see a right-hand drive version of the wagon. We have expressed interest but, sadly, the biggest right-hand drive market (Britain) didn't place much value on the vehicle," says Hocevar. Renault Sport's projects and product program director, Christophe Besseau, describes the Clio GT as a "warm" hatch. It picks up obvious RS cues including the grille, bumpers, 17-inch alloys and twin chromed exhaust tips. The car can also be ordered with special Malta Blue bodywork. The cabin, with grey trim and chromed highlights, has sports seats and steering wheel, gearshift paddles and special treatment for the dials. Standard equipment runs from touch-screen navigation with Renault's latest R-Link infotainment system, Bluetooth connectivity, a reversing camera and automatic aircon. Mechanically, the engine is a 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol package with direct injection and the dual-clutch six-speed transmission has multiple driving modes. The chassis has GT suspension settings, not as extreme as a Clio RS. On the economy front, Renault says the car runs at 5.2 litres/100 kilometres with CO2 emissions of 120 grams/kilometre. Hocevar is not setting a launch date or price yet but is hoping for an early arrival following Renault Australia's success with its RS models. "Last year we jumped from second to fifth in global Renault Sport sales, behind France but ahead of Germany, the UK and Japan. We've expressed good volume ambitions for other Renault Sport vehicles." And Hocevar says the Clio GT could be a pointer to a similar car in the Megane lineup. "I think a GT version in the Megane range, one day, would be quite good," he tells Carsguide. This reporter is one Twitter @paulwardgover  

A new SUV battlefield is about to open in Australia as Renault confirms local sales of its swish new Captur crossover. The Captur is smaller than the current compact contenders - including the Honda CR-V, Hyundai ix35, Subaru Forester and Toyota RAV4 - and the French brand believes it will also be a hit with younger shoppers. It is aiming for a sub-$20,000 starting price. Its most-likely rival is the Subaru XV, although Nissan is also coming soon with its funky Juke. The Captur is not a totally-done-deal yet, but everything points to sales early next year as the car is previewed in production form at the Geneva motor show. "The first half of 2014 is when it's looking likely for Australia," the managing director of Renault Australia, Justin Hocevar, reveals to Carsguide.  "Our business plan for Australia is looking very positive. We've still got a few hurdles to clear, but I don't think any are insurmountable. I had some very positive meetings last week in Paris." The Captur has been converted almost directly from an edgy concept car designed by its new styling chief, one-time Mazda man Laurens van den Acker. Its name has also been brought along for showrooms. Renault believes it's a city-focussed crossover and it definitely hits the same keys as the successful Range Rover Evoque, although the French brand is being more practical with a sliding rear bench seat, a multi-position boot floor, an 11-litre drawer-style glovebox and a range of infotainment systems including the R-Link approach to connectivity. It even weights the same as the latest Clio 3 to boost its efficiency. "As the brand's first urban crossover, Captur combined all the advantages of the MPV, SUV and family hatchback," says van den Acker. The Captur is based on the latest Clio compact so it's only 4.1 metres long and 1.7 metres wide, but it rolls on either 16 or 17-inch alloys and has jacked up suspension for the getaway look. Renault describes the cabin space as "generous". Keyless entry and hill-start assist are standard across the range, but Renault Australia is yet to confirm equipment including zip-off seat covers, a rear camera or the R-Link system. The mechanical focus at Geneva is on the EDC dual-clutch gearbox and turbo petrol 90 engine which gives 4.9 litres/100km, but there are two petrol and two diesel engines for the Captur. Hocevar is confident the Captur will open a new SUB category, based on its size and price. "There's not a lot there in that size, especially in Australia. It's a light-class crossover, smaller than a Nissan Dualis and more like a Nissan Juke or Opel Mokka," he says. "We haven't touched on the price yet. But, based on what's in the market, it's highly likely that the entry model will be in the very high teens or early $20,000s." This reporter is on Twitter @paulwardgover  

The classy new Volkswagen Golf has taken another big step towards a Carsguide Car of the Year crown in 2013. It has just claimed the European COTY title for 2013, scoring double the points of the runner-up Toyota 86-Subaru BRZ twins that claimed last year's Carsguide title. The Volvo V40 is third. The seventh-generation Golf is the most impressive car I drove in 2012, but it does not hit local showrooms for more than a month and that means it is the early favourite for this year's Australian awards season. The European award has been running since the 1960s and is decided by a panel of motoring journalists drawn from across the continent. Every Golf has finished on the podium since the original was runner-up in the European COTY contest in 1975, but you have to go back to 1992 - and the third-generation car - to find the last Golf that claimed the award. The Golf beat out seven other finalists for the 2013 award: Ford B-Max, Hyundai i30, Mercedes-Benz A-Class, Peugeot 208, Renault Clio, the Japanese sports car twins and the Volvo. This reporter is on Twitter @paulwardgover

...motor show, and now Carparazzi catches the upcoming wagon during cold-weather testing. There is very little camouflage which points to European preview drives in 2013, although it's unlikely to be sold in Australia until early next year. The pictures point to a bigger cabin but it's unlikely prices will rise much from the $26,990 starter of the current model. Here in 2014 for less than $30,000. This reporter is on Twitter @paulwardgover  

Lamborghini has stolen the show in Switzerland with a radical new coupe that's even more extreme than its Aventador flagship.

...Volkswagen Golf, which shares the mechanical package under the new German soft top.  

...by 2014 when this all-new model is ready for the road, the Korean brand might see a place for a super-frugal city car.