Articles by Paul Gover

And Carparazzi artists have been busy on this sneak peak.They have stripped the camouflage away to show a car with a much bolder nose, in keeping with Benz's latest styling direction. But the new C also promises much more refinement and more cabin equipment to battle BMW and Audi. Here late 2013 at around $60,000. 

Work and family ute buyers now have even more choice to ensure they have maximum safety in a new pickup. The Holden Colorado has just been awarded a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating, joining the Volkswagen Amarok which which achieved a world-first five-star score, followed by the Ford Ranger-Mazda BT50 twins earlier this year. The safety boost comes just weeks after utes took three of the top 10 places in the June sales results, with the Toyota HiLux scoring its third straight month as Australia's showroom favourite despite a four-star safety score that will not be improved for at least another year. The Colorado joins the latest Hyundai i30 and the Subaru BRZ sports car - and, most likely, its Toyota 86 twin - with a maximum ANCAP score. But the result is far more significant than any passenger car, according to ANCAP boss Lachlan McIntosh. "It's satisfying to see manufacturers lifting the safety of light-commercial vehicle," he says. "Manufacturers have been incorporating greater levels of safety into passenger vehicles for some time now, yet the safety of LCVs has trailed. Pressure, not only from ANCAP but now big business, is encouraging  manufacturers to elevate safety as a priority." ANCAP figures show only 13 per cent of the light commercials sold in 2011 managed a five-star ANCAP rating, compared with more than 60 per cent of passenger cars. Holden welcomed the safety endorsement, even though it is already struggling to keep up with demand for its new workhorse. "Today's LCVs serve a dual purpose - they are a weekday workhorse but often perform the duties of an SUV at the weekend, so it was imperative that Colorado included increased standard passenger comfort and safety," says John Elsworth, executive direct of sales and marketing at GM Holden. The safety package in the Colorado includes twin frontal and side-curtain airbags across the range, a well as the now-compulsory ESP stability control and ABS braking, but with electronic brake force distribution.

...for three years. But the German brand is always looking for more improvements and the new lamps point to a refresh that could also bring more engine choices for Australia.  

...Maserati unveils its all-new Quattroporte.Until then, Carparazzi has caught a heavily-disguised prototype that points to a new rear-wheel drive package, a body with more aluminium and - perhaps - the all-wheel drive system from the Ferrari FF.

The Toyota HiLux topped Australia's official sales charts for the third straight month, powering ahead of the Mazda3, Toyota Corolla and Holden Cruze from the popular small-car class.

Less than a handful are in showrooms, and not much more than a handful have been sold, although that's going to change.Eventually it will change fast as governments force the pace of plug-in development in a push for greener motoring, a switch that is already happening in Europe and gathering momentum in the USA.Some forecasters predict electric cars will account for 10 per cent of global sales in 2020 and others are even more aggressive, with Tesla Motors chief Elon Musk predicting a 50 per cent share as he pushes for acceptance of his new Model S luxury electric limousine.But Europe is still the focus of electric car development and no-one is pushing harder than BMW, which is even creating an electric sub-brand - BMW i - to house its plug-in and range-extender electric models in coming years.The first of the sparky newcomers, the i3, is just around the corner and testing is currently focussed on a fleet of 900 very special BMW 1-Series cars that carry the power pack that will be transplanted next year into the back of the i3.I am driving the ActiveE in an Australian exclusive, searching for answers around BMW HQ in Munich but also keen to see if electric cars - following my drive time with the Nissan Leaf and, more recently, the Smart ED - really can be a workable and enjoyable future.VALUEHow do you put a price on the future? You cannot actually buy an ActiveE but, if you could, it would probably have a showroom sticker somewhere around $250,000.Why? Because the basics of the car are a BMW 1 Series coupe and, in Australia, that means at least $47,400. By the time the engineers and assembly line workers have done their regular jobs, and then the boffins have completed the switch to sparks, the price has soared into the labratory-on-wheels range where cost is not a major worry."It would be expensive still, clearly, because it's prototype development," admits Ian Robertson, who heads worldwide sales and marketing for BMW Group. But the ActiveE morphs into the i3 next year and, even though Carsguide would much prefer a pricetag in the affordable $35,000 range, it's likely to be around $60,000.That's still a lot for a car you cannot drive from Sydney to Melbourne, but it shapes up pretty well against the Mitsubishi iMiEV at $48,800, the Nissan Leaf at $51,500 and the upcoming Holden Volt at $59,990 - particularly with the regular strengths that come with a BMW badge.TECHNOLOGYThe ActiveE is developed from BMW Group's original electric testbed, the MiniE - the most impressive electric car I drove until the Leaf - and builds on that package. For a start, there is a back seat . . .The ActiveE is a totally battery-powered electric car that is powered by a permanent-magnet, hybrid synchronous motor rated at 125 kiloWatts and 250 Newton-metres. The battery has a 32 kiloWatt-hour capacity and weighs 450 kilograms, complete with liquid cooling.BMW says the ActiveE will zap to 100km/h in 9.0 seconds with a top speed of 145km/h, performance that's way better than the Smart ED electric runabout I drove in Stuttgart last month and compared to my first car, a 1959 Volkswagen Beetle.The range is 145 kilometres, something I don't get to seriously test but which seems realistic. BMW says the car's new power pack weighs less than 100 kilos, which is good news for the i3. The ActiveE has a total weight of 1800kg but BMW is aiming for about 1200 for the showroom i3, which will retain the company's traditional rear-wheel drive.The ActiveE package includes a bunch of other tricky stuff, from a 'coast' mode that allows you to save energy when you lift off the accelerator at highway speeds, very impressive regenerative braking - it's so powerful that it trips the brake lights because of the deceleration at city speeds - and even stability and traction control adapted for the electric world.DESIGNThe ActiveE almost look like every other 1 Series coupe. The big giveaway is not the special graphics package on the sides but the 'power' bulge in the bonnet. Traditionally, this sort of thing is used to help ram air into a combustion engine, or clear space for giant fuel injection inlets, but in the ActiveE the bigger bonnet - like the one on BMW's X6 hybrid - is to clear the complex engine control system where the engine once lived.Inside, it's all 1-Series. The only visible change is a dashboard readout of battery life and instant energy use - and regenerative recovery. "The ActiveE has proven that you don't have to have the compromises that most of the vehicles have out there at the moment. It has a proper back seat and a boot," says Robertson.SAFETYIt's impossible to rate the safety of the ActiveE, because none has been publicly crash tested. But it has the airbags, stability controls and ABS brakes of the regular 1 Series coupe, although stability is not as good with 1800kg to stop and heft around obstacles.The real safety test will come with the arrival of the i3 next year, and BMW is - not surprisingly - promising a five-star NCAP result.DRIVINGI could easily live with a BMW ActiveE. It's not as rorty or responsive as an M3, or as luxurious as a 7 Series, but it really gets the job done and is a genuine BMW with an electric twist. As I hit the stop-start commuter snarl on the road into Munich I'm surprised at how well the ActiveE copes. Actually, it's easier to handle than an internal combustion car, as there is no clutch to worry about, no driveline shunt or grumble, and a relaxing absence of noise.The ActiveE easily keeps pace with stop-start city traffic, jumps to 80km/h, and easily holds a 140km/h cruise on a section of unrestricted autobahn. No-one picks it as an electric car and I have to keep reminding myself that I'm driving on battery power alone.There are some giveaways, such as the incredibly low noise levels. There is a buzzing whir from the driveline - it must be like tinnitus - but mostly there is the sound of near-silence until the wind noise builds up around 100km/h. There is also the regenerative braking. Basically, unless you're at highway speeds - when the car goes into the impressive, energy saving 'coast' mode - the ActiveE harvests energy from braking to recharge the battery.Except you don't actually have to apply the brakes. It's all done with electronics and, after about an hour of driving, I find I can roll easily to a predictable traffic-light stop without braking at all.I drive more than 140 kilometres over a day-and-a-half in all sorts of conditions and I find I really, really like the ActiveE. Alright, the 1800kg works heavily against it in corners - where it misses the usual BMW fun factor - but otherwise it's great to drive and a wonderful pointer to the i3.But. There are two big buts. The first is the inevitable 'range anxiety', as I'm never really sure how far I can run without access to a battery top-up. BMW plans to answer this one with a Volt-style range-extender combustion engine to top-up the battery, although it's not clear yet if this will be in the i3 or only the larger and sportier i8 that follows.The other is the source of the power. Munich is relatively green, with lots of wind generators about, but in Australia there is no such thing as 'zero emission' cars if they're plugging into a coal-fired grid. So there are still questions and doubts, but the ActiveE is a ripper car and has me really excited to jump into the production i3 in 2013.VERDICT AL Gore and his friends got it wrong. The electric car is not dead and, in fact, it's accelerating rapidly towards a driveway near you.BMW ActiveEScore: 8/10Price: Not for saleBody: BMW 1 Series coupeEngine: hybrid synchronous motor, 125kW/250NmBattery: 32kWhRange: 160kmPerformance: 0-100km/h, 9.0s; top speed 145km/hConsumption: 0.12kWh/km

There is more value in extra equipment, and more flexibility on fuel thanks to ethanol compatibility, but less thirst with an update to the petrol performance of the family wagon's four-cylinder and V6 engines.Sales of Captiva have been booming this year, with delivers of the Captiva 5 up by more than half and a 2.5- per cent lift on the Captiva 7 despite shortages of diesel-powered cars. "We are very happy with how Captiva is going. Medium SUVs are very popular and it's great to have a solid performer," says Emily Perry, spokesperson for Holden.The company is also looking ahead to the arrival of its big-and-little SUV additions, the Trax and Malibu, next year. "The SUV segment is up nearly 60 per cent and to have great new entries will be good."The Captiva 5 and 7 join the V6 and V8 Commdores with ethanol compatibility, but Holden says it is not planning a full-scale switch to E85 engines across its lineup.The flex fuel is not compatible with its top seller, the compact Cruze, or any of the other import models in its current lineup."It's partly a chicken-and-egg thing. If the market says there is a demand then we go for it," says Emily Perry, spokesperson for Holden. "Apart from the Captiva, it's really only the V6 Captiva and the V6 and V8 Commodores. We're looking at it on a case-by-base basis. It's about where we go with the powertrains."It's about providing solutions for different customers. Not everyone wants or needs flex-fuel capability. It's more a wait-and-see on our other models." The E85 package means new Captiva owners can refuel with bio-ethanol fuel, E10, unleaded, premium or any combination of the fuels.But petrol-powered Captivas are now being delivered with fuel economy that's improved by up to 10 per cent thanks to re-calibration work on the engines and drivetrain. That cuts the official economy of the 2.4-litre petrol from 9.1 to 8.8 litres/100km in the Captiva 5, with the 3-litre V6 in the Captiva 7 down from 11.3 to 10.1 and other improvements across the board including diesels.There are no visual changes to the latest Captivas, but the 5 gets a new body colour and there is rear parking radar USB input and a 2000-kilo tow rating across the Captiva 7 range, with the LX picking up heated front seats and front parking assist. Holden is also sweetening the deal with driveway prices from $27,990 and $33,990, as well as a sunroof and 18-inch alloys on the 5 and a sunroof and side steps on the 7. "Captiva is a great model for us. Any time you can create better value is a good thing," says Perry. But she admits the changes to the SUVs are relatively minor. "There are no cosmetics. It's improved fuel economy. It's an ongoing update rather than a mid-life refresh." 

Mini recently gave a global green light to the cute Clubvan concept, and has also cleared the way for full-scale production of the Paceman.The production version of the Paceman should be unveiled at the Paris motor show in September and the first Australian deliveries are likely around April of 2013. Pricing is yet to be set but, since the Paceman body sits over the mechanical package of the Countryman, it's likely to have showroom stickers starting around $45,000."Yes, the Paceman has been give a go-ahead. We'll get it early next year," confirms Piers Scott, spokesman for Mini in Australia. "Production is slightly delayed. So it's end of quarter one, start of quarter two, for us."The Paceman is the latest in a long series of successful motor show teases intended to stretch the Mini brand. But it's not the start of something new on the size or mechanical front, as originally believed, just another stretch of the existing Mini package.It's the seventh individual model in the current Mini family, although there is no chance of the Clubvan making it to Australia because of the cost of 'Australianising' the cargo barrier set permanently into the space behind the rear seats. This has now emerged as the 'homologation' drama blocking any local certification, although dealers were also only prepared to commit to fewer than two-dozen sales."Clubvan is definitely not on the radar for us," Scott repeats to Carsguide. "We believe we would only sell a very small number here. It doesn't warrant the cost associated with local homologation." The Paceman plan is much more aggressive for Australia because of its sporty looks and, thanks to the Countryman chassis, two adult-sized rear seats.It's upscale position means it is only likely to be sold in Australia with the Cooper S and John Cooper Works engine packages, together with sports chassis tuning. "It's a sportier two-door model. It's based on the Countryman, with the longer wheelbase, but with very sporty tuning. "Yes, it will have a slight price premium over an equivalent Countryman," Scott says.He says Range Rover has proven, with its city-focussed Evoque, that there is a strong customer base for two and four-door versions of the same basic body. "In the case of Paceman, there will be greater visual differentiation from the Countryman than is the case with the land Rover models. It's wider and squatter."So, who is a potential Paceman buyer? "Where Mini customers in the past were constrained by size, we're now able to tick all the boxes for driving and the ability to put two people in the back or chuck a surfboard on the top. It meets the lifestyle needs. We're taking it into more sportier territory than the Countryman," says Scott.And what about engine choices? "There will certainly be more than one engine, but the engine line-up is yet to be confirmed. We see the main demand in the sportier models, so in a Cooper S and JCW package, if those are made available." 

Development of the next Corolla is being led from Europe and so the edgier new Auris points clearly to the car that's coming to Australia in November. There's lots of camouflage but the basic shape is obvious, from a longer nose and lower roofline to a layout that promises snappier handling.

The  all-new Clio coming from France will sit at the bottom of a revitalised range that's already delivering record results in showrooms. The new Clio reflects the latest design direction from Paris, as well as a renewed commitment to a light-class car where it will go head-to-head with everything from the Toyota Yaris and Mazda2 to the Volkswagen Polo and Skoda Fabia with a likely starting price below $20,000. The Clio was withdrawn from Australian showrooms back in 2007 after a period of dismal sales with a car which was under-done and over-priced for Australia, eventually failing to even win worthwhile support as a cut-priced rental car. "It's a no-brainer that we need the new Clio. It's definitely coming," says Emily Ambrosy of Renault Australia. "It's going to get people into the brand, and it's the latest design statement for Renault. We're going to have a full range of models up to the RenaultSport Clio. "At the moment we only have the RenaultSport version of the Clio. It's doing well, but it's getting close to the end of its life. She says the Clio will have a very different role under the new regime at Renault Australia. "A lot has changed. Renault Australia has changed, and we're on a trajectory of growth. We had our biggest month ever in June, which was 540 cars. And we see Clio as being fundamental to continuing that growth in the future."  The new Clio has just been revealed in France and will be seen publicly for the first time at the Paris motor show in September. It will be nearly a year before the first cars reach Australia, with the hotrod RenaultSport model unlikely until the final months of 2013. "It will be here around the middle of next year. The regular models will come first, and then the RenaultSport cars about six months later. That's the same staggered timing as Europe, with RenaultSport Clio coming later." The Clio has been part of the Renault bedrock since 1990, with more than 11.5 million sold in more than 115 countries, but the newcomer is more stylish than in the past. "New Clio is set to make a real mark. In addition to an unprecedented package of innovations, it's design marks a major shift from that of previous models," says Carlos Tavares, chief operating office of Renault. The design of the car is much edgier, and is the first work of new styling chief Laurens van den Acker - formerly of Audi, Ford and Mazda - to his the road. Renault describes the shape of the Clio as 'voluptuous curves' and promises a cabin that is 'safe, protective and refreshing'. The technology package - not confirmed yet for Australia - includes an 18-centimetre touch screen and access to what Renault claims as the world's first automotive App store for its R-Link system. There is even a potential choice of six engine noises that can be piped into the cabin through the sound system. Mechanically, the headliner is a three-cylinder 900cc turbocharged petrol engine with the promise of 99 grams/kilometre of CO2 emissions. Renault Australia is already committed to the baby engine and the full package of models and equipment, but pricing is a long way from settled. "We are going to have the full thing. We'll have entry-level cars, petrol and diesel, manual and automatic. We see it as being one of our biggest models," says Ambrosy. "We haven't got the pricing yet. But it's a heavily competitive segment and we need to be sharply priced."