Articles by Paul Gover

The WRX is heading for the biggest makeover since it was created in the 1990s as part of the product renewal plan that's already seen the new Impreza on the road and will soon produce a next-generation Forester. But the workload at Subaru in Japan, including development of the BRZ sports car and then getting it into full-scale production, means there is no chance of an early update to the WRX."I don't know where talk of 2013 would have come from. The WRX has always been 2014," the managing director of Subaru Australia, Nick Senior, confirms to Carsguide. "The strategy that was put in place three years ago was that the WRX and STi would take on a life of their own. And the Impreza becomes a standalone model as well."From a timing point of view, Impreza was first cab off the rank, then the introduction of the BRZ as well. The timeline for WRX and STi slots into 2014." Senior refuses to discuss rumours of a radical remake of the WRX that turns it into a sportier compact hatch, despite persistent talk around the world and dozens of artist's impressions of how the car could look." It will be performance oriented, and a visually exciting car," is all he says. "I think the enthusiasts will not be disappointed. It has been a mandate from day one when doing this next generation that it is not to lose its edge." While the WRX is over the horizon, the new Forester is closing fast and brochure pictures of the newcomer have recently hit the internet.Senior says the car is locked for Australia and hints at a motor show appearance in the USA soon, either at Los Angeles in November or Detroit in January. "We'll have a new Forester in quarter one. They are working through the launch plan as we speak. They haven't decided where they will show it."Turning back to the WRX, Senior says he is not worried about the 18-month run-up to the arrival of the new-model. "The WRX has been oner of the most consistent performers we've had in the stable. Month-in and month-out, we are regularly around 150 to 170 cars in Australia."But it also reacts extremly well to special editions, and we sold over 300 last month with the latest Club Spec with organge and black colours. It's almost a sellout." He says there will be extra editions through 2013 but refuses to give any detail. "We're looking, obviously, at keeping it fresh with one or two special editions between now and the end of the model life. Short and sharp and sweet. "There is a lot of competition in that segment but the WRX is still recognised and admired.Iconic is an over-used word, but to have somethign that's been around since 1994 and still kicking along at 150-plus a month ... "We're not at the supersonic levels of the dot-com era, but a lot of people would like 150 units of a $40,000 sports car every month."And what about the BRZ, and hopes of getting extra cars for Australia?"We're tyring desperately without much success. We're out to July next year," Senior says glumly.

When I was a little bloke, a visit to the old Sydney Showgrounds was always a very special event.

The hot new hatch doesn't look at all menacing on the Volkswagen stand at the Paris show, where it only wears a 'concept' label, but a big change is coming. There will be two models of GTI for the first time in 2013. Even the cooking Golf has been upgraded to the level of the outgoing Golf R, with 350 Newton-metres of torque and a 0-100km/h sprint time of 6.6 seconds. It also has a handy 162 kiloWatts of power to feed to the front wheels through its six-speed manual and DSG gearboxes. But wait, there's more. Volkswagen has developed a Performance Pack that lifts output from the 2.-litre petrol engine, with turbocharging and direct fuel injection, to 169 kiloWatts. The 0-100km/h time comes down just fractionally to 6.5 seconds. But the big changes are in the driveline, where the PP GTI gets bigger disc brakes and a mechanical limited-slip differential. “We're looking at both models,” the spokesman for Volkswagen Group Australia, Karl Gehling, confirms to Carsguide. He hints that both are likely to make the trip, although not until the back end of 2013. “It will be late next year. It's not launched in Europe until the middle of next year.” There is no hint yet on GTI pricing, although the current model is priced from $38,990 as a three-door hatch and $49,490 with five doors. Despite the performance push, Volkswagen says the new GTI will also be the greenest car to wear the tag. Both GTI versions come with a stop-start system and satisfy the upcoming Euro 6 emissions standard, with fuel economy but by 18 per cent to as good as 9.65 litres/100km and CO2 emissions of 140 grams/kilometres. Both cars also come with variable-ratio steering and a flat-bottomed wheel for the driver. The package for the new car is slotted into the seventh-generation Golf body, which means reduced weight, anti-collision system and a high-end infotainment system. But it also gets predictable GTI tweaks including red-painted brake callipers, chromed 80-millimetre exhaust tips and smoked LED tail lamps. The Paris show car also has cloth tartan seats and a golf ball gear knob, although these are not likely to be standard in the production model.  As well as causing double trouble for shoppers forced to make a choice, the new GTI has the potential for mayhem in showrooms. The waiting time in Australia for the previous-generation GTI blew out to more than 18 months when the car first arrived and Gehling cannot promise any better in 2013. “We'll have to wait and see. With any new model there is likely to be a waiting list if demand exceeds supply,” he says.  

The Golf is back to its best with the arrival of the seventh-generation German baby. A road-up re-work has brought everything from a bigger new body to a three per cent boost in showroom value. The seventh-generation Golf drives like a shrunken luxury car, not a traditional tiddler, and is going to make life tough for anyone shopping in 2013.They will have to judge it against the all-new Toyota Corolla that's just around the corner as well as all the value contenders, including the locally-made Holden Cruze. The new Golf is not as sharp to drive as the Ford Focus, and it wil not have a $19,990 driveaway pricetag, but it is loaded with technology and comes with the promise of a 100-kilogram weight loss and up to a 23 per cent economy improvement.The Golf is more than just a car, too, as it signals the arrival of a new 'toolbox' for model development inside the Volkswagen Group. Around 40 individual models will eventually be spun from the MQB mechanical package that provides the foundations for the newcomer, some as small as Polo and others as big as Passat.More than 95 per cent of the parts in Golf 7 are new, a contrast to the outgoing car which was more like a 5.1 update than a true sixth-generation Golf. "This is the most important car for brand Volkswagen," says Albert Meltzow, head of the Golf project. "It is important that it is a practical everyday car. Every year we sell around 700,000 Golfs."Volkswagen applies predictable spin at the press preview of the car in Sardinia, with only two engine choices - a 1.4-litre turbo petrol and 2.0-litre turbodiesel - and cars fully loaded with infotainment, luxury and safety equipment. That makes it tougher to be judgemental, but the first impression is good. Very good.VALUENo-one is talking yet about the starting price for the Golf in Australia. But global marketing boss Jurgen Stackmann confirms to Carsguide that European prices have been held steady at the level of Golf 6, with a value boost of three per cent thanks to extra standard equipment.The pricing has already sparked a round of discounting by rival brands in Europe, as they rush to convert customers before production of the Volkswagen flagship gets up to speed. Australian deliveries will begin in the second quarter of next year, but there is no detail yet on pricing, equipment, or even the engine choices. The Golf will definitely continue as a five-door hatch, with the three-door body reserved for the GTI and the R model that will follow."We'll try to keep the price as close as possible to the current car. But there is a significant increase in the standard equipment," says Karl Gehling, spokesman for Volkswagen Group Australia.TECHNOLOGYThe heart of Golf 7 is the MQB - translated as Modular Transverse Matrix - that provides the mechanical package for a car that is both bigger and lighter. It's not a traditional mechanical platform, but a range of parts that can be built - almost Lego style - into a range of different cars.But there are also all-new engines, lightweight suspension - although a basic rear axle is still fitted to cheapie Golfs - stop-start fuel saving, an electronic parking brake and a lot more. Infotainment is a major component for the Golf, with everything from iPhone-style 'swipe' controls for the TFT display screens to a driver-adjustable display layout. The engines at the press preview drive are the 1.4 petrol with 103 kiloWatts/250 Newton-metres and the 2-litre diesel with 110/320, promising economy of 5.0 and 4.1 litres/100km.DESIGNThere is nothing radical about the look of Golf 7. You can easily pick it as a Golf from 200 metres away, thanks to the DNA that carries through from earlier models, but it's not until you get closer that you see the fastidious detailing and restrained panel work."There are cues that are hallmarks of the Golf," says Stefan Wallburg, exterior designer. "Compared to the outgoing car, I think this is an evolution. If you compare them side-by-side, you will see the changes." Inside, even the switches are new and there is more obvious quality in the look and feel of all the materials.The new design brings a payoff in the cabin, where a longer wheelbase has liberated an extra 14 millimetres of rear knee room and another 30 litres for the boot, while head clearance is also improved despite a lower roof and Volkswagen claims improvements for shoulder and elbow clearance.SAFETYThe Golf will be a five-star ANCAP car. It gets six airbags and the regular ESP/ABS combination, but there is also a huge range of extra safety equipment starting with the multi-collision braking system that automatically applies the brakes to prevent secondary impacts.The package for Australia is still being decided, and there is likely to be an extra cost for the extra gear, but the range of safety stuff available includes lane-assist and anti-fatigue system, radar cruise control and city emergency braking. The press preview cars have a space-saver spare tyre but there is no decision yet on puncture protection down under.DRIVINGThis is a very mature, very refined car. That much is obvious from the first kilometre at the wheel. Golf 7 is extremely quiet, it absorbs bumps like a costly luxury car, and you can see and feel the extra space and luxury equipment.It's the sort of car you would happily drive from Sydney to Melbourne, or just down to the shops, knowing it's going to cause minimum fuss and reward you with impressive efficiency and minimum fatigue. Tackling a wide range of roads and surfaces in Sardinia, the new Golf refuses to be unsettled. It turns light and easy, has good cornering grip, is easy to park - there is, of course, an optional auto-park package - and generally just gets the job done.The boot is roomy and flexible with a low loading lip and an easy-close hatch, there is plenty of space in the back seat, and everything fits nicely. There are a couple of glitches on some test cars, with wind noise on one and a recalcitrant infotainment system in another, but these are some of the first Golf 7s to come down the line. What's not to like? I'm still not convinced about DSG gearboxes, and there is still some shunting during three-point turns with variable shift quality, and it's impossible to really rate the engines or suspension so far from home.Also, without a pricetag there is no way to say how it will line up against the new Corolla, or even the Mazda3, Cruze, Mitsubishi Lancer and the rest. But I know the new Golf is an utterly competent and very impressive car. The overall refinement is incredible. Volkswagen has hit all its targets and that means Golf 7 should now be the first choice for anyone shopping for a small car.VERDICTThe new Golf is the new benchmark for the small-car class. It's the car to recommend to your family and friends.

The Italian brand is forecasting an unprecedented ten-fold increase in local deliveries in just three years. The prediction comes as Maserati confirms Levante as the name for its upcoming SUV, previously displayed at motor shows as the Kubang. It comes from via Emilia Levante, a street in Bologna where the Maserati brothers first dreamed of their car company. It has also confirmed the continuation of the Quattroporte name and position, but announces the decision to build a new four-door prestige sedan that renews the Ghibli name used in the past. "We're looking for a massive increase in volume. Over the next three years we see massive growth," the head of Maserati in Australia, Neville Crichton, reveals exclusively to Carsguide. "There is a new SUV, a new Quattroporte, and the new E Series. That will grow probably mean ten-fold growth over three years." Maserati used the Paris show to unveil its latest hotrod, the GranCabrio MC, but all the talk is about future growth as the company predicts a volume increase to 15,000 cars by the end of 2015. "Our target is we're going after Mercedes customers and BMW customers," says Crichton. "We'll have much better cars. It's going to compete seriously with Mercedes. Our competition will clearly be mainstream competition, Mercedes and BMW. We're not going after Bentley, we sell double Bentley now. We're not going after Aston, we sell treble Aston now." The Ghibli is set to debut in 2013 and the Levante will arrive in 2014 as part of the company's centenary celebrations. The Ghibli name was first used by Maserati on a two-door GT in 1967, then returned on another two-door in 1992. Crichton dismisses fears about Maserati's quality and also confirms a major dealer development in Australia. "We're not having problem . We have no problems with warranty now with Maserati. Nothing," he says. "The earlier cars, with the older transmissions, they're gone. They're history. The new cars have an eight-speed transmission. "On the dealer side, we'll be putting an additional dealership into Sydney, on the north shore, and an additional dealership at Brighton in Melbourne. We've just appointed a new dealer in adelaide. Perth and Brisbane can only accommodate a single dealer and I think they're doing a good job for us."  

The McLaren P1 was the standout at this year's biggest European show, promising to re-write the rules for supercars and taking the fight right up to Ferrari and Lamborghini, and even challenging Bugatti. McLaren is holding back on exact performance details for its new car, but the name tells you everything. It's called the P1 because in Formula One shorthand that stands for Position 1. "Twenty years ago we raised the supercar performance bar with the McLaren F1 and our goal with the McLaren P1 is to redefine it once again," promises McLaren supremo, Ron Dennis. The P1 is a much more radical looking car than McLaren's first serious road-car effort, the MP4-12C, and it also incorporates F1-style aerodynamics that promise racecar grip and cornering levels. The car is expected to be powered by a upgraded version of McLaren's existing turbocharged V8 - perhaps with around 550 kiloWatts - and to hit at least 350km/h, but no-one is confirming anything. The 1980s F1 was the world's fastest road car at the time but McLaren says its targets have changed. "Our aim is not necessarily to be fastest in absolute top speed, but to be the quickest and most rewarding series production road car on a circuit," says Antony Sheriff, managing director McLaren Automotive. "It's the true test of a super car's all-round ability and a much more important technical statement." The P1 is known to be a two-seater with a fresh take on the McLaren carbon fibre chassis already used in the 12C, and it’s fitted with an F1-style drag reduction system to improve its top speed while generating massive cornering grip using an adjustable rear wing. But it will not be cheap. "Pricing is still to be confirmed. We expect the UK pricing to be in the 700,000-800,000 pound range, plus taxes," says Greg Duncan, who is responsible for McLaren in Australia. That points to a local pricetag in the $1.5 million range, or even higher, but he refuses to be drawn. "Australian prices are unknown. An announcement should be made by the end of the year," Duncan says. But there is no shortage of interest. "We have many hundreds of people on the list and we’re having a solid stream of visitors coming in and we’ve already started to take significant deposits," says Duncan. "We have some very keen interest. Some have already been to the factory and were blown away." McLaren has yet to confirm timing for its first deliveries but Duncan is hopeful. "The P1 is going to go into production next year and we’ll have something the year after that - but I can’t tell you about that yet."  

After earlier XIV and KEV concepts, it has the e-XIV - for electric exciting user interface vehicle - to show its thinking on a range-extender vehicle, complete with a solar roof panel to power the car's auxiliary electrical systems. It uses a combined 1.0-litre petrol engine and electric power pack to provide a range of 600 kilometres, similar to the Audi range-extender system also on show in Paris. The e-XIV also shows Ssangyong's latest design direction in a mid-sized SUV, although there is no confirmation yet of any plan to take the vehicle - or its mechanical package - forward for production. The Korean car brand is being primed for a renewed push in Australia. A new importer is promising big things for a brand which is best known for its blunt-but-effective four-wheel drives and a one-time tie-up with Mercedes-Benz. Ssangyong is working hard on the home front, including a range-extender hybrid concept unveiled at the Paris motor show, and Neville Crichton says there is plenty of untapped potential in Australia. "I think the product is good. I think it's been badly represented. And I think we've got quite a good future with it," Crichton reveals to Carsguide at the Paris show. The chief of the giant Ateco import group - which holds local rights to everything from Ferrari to Chery - has just taken on Ssangyong after losing its Fiat-Alfa Romeo and Citroen franchises. "We needed something to take up the loss of Citroen. But it is totally independent of Ateco. I own the company, but it's outside of Ateco," Crichton says. "At this stage, we're putting a staff together right now." He is sticking with the current Ssangyong lineup - Korando and Actyon SUVs, Actyon ute and Stavic people mover - and believes they can get the job done. "I think it's got upside. It's not going to be Hyundai or Kia, but it's got upside," Crichton says. "The positioning will be above the Chinese and a little below the Japanese. It will be mainly the old product range. "I don't think it's been done right, and I've thought that for quite some time. I talked to Ssangyong years ago about the UK market. The official changeover occurs on November 1 but Crichton say things will not get into top gear until February of next year. The brand has already recorded a 22.4 per cent sales improvement through August this year and Crichton has a proven track record with Korean companies after taking Kia from 5000 to 26,000 before selling the rights back to the company.  

Audi is turning its design world inside-out, starting with the Crosslane Coupe concept car at the Paris motor show.

The A3 Sportback five-door has just been revealed in Europe, and is confirmed for Australia in 2013, but now comes news of a radical departure for the sedan. Audi is taking the car upmarket and picking up the plan from the good looking, bright red concept car it displayed at the Geneva motor show in 2011. "The new sedan is giving a very strong, powerful entrant into the US market," says Josef Schossmacher, of Audi marketing, at the Paris motor show. He says Audi is taking a new direction for the A3, because of the arrival of the baby A1. The smaller car has already sounded the end for a three-door A3 in Australia, because of competition from the A1, although the A3 family will still be expanded with an S3 and the sedan. "The A3 three-door was once the basic model to have a first Audi. But now you have the A1 and the Q3," says Schossmacher. He believes the change means more opportunity for an A3 sedan that steps up and away from youthful hatches. "The A3 was a very successful project. But it's the third generation now. So it's better to have an evolutionary design than to make a revolution. "With the limousine it will be different. It will be the first A3 sedan. Like a study from Geneva show last year." Schossmacher says the four-door will benefit from a technology and quality lift that is helped by switching to the MQB mechanical package, which means more flexibility but a reduction in the cost of hidden components. "Now, what you see and what you feel is Audi. It is all specified for Audi. Even the indicators are different. The next relative in terms of quality to the A3 is the A6." Nothing is firm on an A3 sedan for Australia, particularly as there is no public production plan, but it is a potential starter down under. "We'll definitely look at it. There could be some potential in the car," says Shaun Cleary, spokesman for Audi Australia.  

The new concept coupe is clearly a pointer to next year's replacement for the compact IS four-door sedan but, even more, the pumped-up look and a high-performance hybrid power pack point to a bigger target.“This is the concept for the coupe that we want to launch as soon as possible in the near future. One or two years,” the president of Lexus International, Kiyotaka Ise, confirms to Carsguide at the Paris motor show.He laughs when the talk turns to a Lexus rival to the M3, but there is no denial. “Steadily I think the driving performance is going up. In terms of driving performance, people are looking for and wanting a more aggressive driving performance.”And what about the size and design future of the IS, as reflected in the LF-CC? “This is a similar size type to an IS,” Ise admits. “We're not really in a position to say anything, but we're not denying it. It's not an IS coupe but I think it will meet your expectation.”Earlier this year Carsguide was told of a plan for TMG, which produced Toyota's latest hybrid Le Man racer, to expand its German base into a facility to rival Mercedes AMG and BMW M. The announcement was made by the head of TMG, Yoshiaki Kinoshita. But Ise denies any plan and is defiant on Kinoshita's announcement.“I don't care what he says. We don't have any plans to have TMG be like AMG.” Even so, he says the technology in the Lexus V10-powered supercar, the LF-A, is tricking down through the range and the company is looking to boost its following with luxury buyers.“For our competitors, Mercedes-Beznz, BMW and Audi, driving performance is very important. We want to have an emotional driving connection,” he says. “I think when the car reaches a certain level, it's not whether you win or lose. It's the preference.“I think it's more a matter of taste for the driver. But I think we've reached the top.” In the case of the upcoming IS, the focus is switching to hybrid power. The LF-CC concept is fitted with a car that combines a 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol with electric power, aiming for CO2 emissions of less than 100 grams/kilometre.But it's still a performance pack, and the engine combines an Atkinson combustion cycle with direct fuel injection. The concept is also rear-wheel drive. “I think it's actually an advantage for us,” says Ise, who also believes Toyota still leads on hybrids. “In technology, volume and quality we are superior.”