Articles by Paul Gover

It has styling that mimics the larger Insignia and is expected to break cover at the Paris Motor Show in September, although there is no confirmation - yet - for Australian sales.

General Motors has all-but confirmed it will launch a new Chevrolet SS Performance model next year and there are plenty of pointers to the upcoming VF Commodore as the donor car for the program.  The VF ticks the right boxes for American muscle car fans, and Nascar stock car racing as well, thanks to its V8 engine, large-car body and rear-wheel drive. The Commodore is also certified for sales with a left-side steering wheel thanks to the ambitious, but struggling, plan to win a significant slice of America's large-and-lucrative police car business with a tweaked version of the Holden Caprice. The former president of GM Holden, Mark Reuss, is now the head of GM operations in the USA and a known fan and supporter of the Commodore, but is dodging Carsguide questions on a link between the SS program and the Commodore. Holden chairman, Mike Devereux, also refuses to comment or even acknowledge the strengthening rumours in America which were first triggered by the announcement of a new Nascar racer for 2013 and then grew stronger with confirmation that a Chevrolet SS is in the product plan as a 2014 model. The high-profile SS Performance is expected to take over from the outgoing Impala as GM's Nascar flagship, and the company has already confirmed the bones of its plans. "Team Chevy will be racing a vehicle based on a new nameplate to the brand’s lineup. We are keeping the wraps on the new car for now and will continue to prepare for next season by testing camouflaged vehicles,” says Jim Campbell, vice-president of Chevrolet Performance Vehicles and Motorsports. Joining the dots has been easy for people close to the Detroit brand. "The smart money is betting on a civilian version of the V-8-powered, rear-wheel-drive Chevrolet Caprice PPV, which GM now imports for police fleets from its Holden unit in Australia," says Mark Colias, a reporter with Automotive News in the USA. The biggest challenge to the potential program is the strength of the Australia dollar, which has already culled Holden's exports to the Middle East and continues to make things tough for the Caprice PPV, which wins support from police officers but not their purchasing bosses. But the Commodore has a proven track record in the USA, winning friends and sales during the time the VE model was exported with tweaked bodywork as the Pontiac G8. The program only ended when the Pontiac brand was chopped - together with Hummer - when General Motors was forced into bankruptcy in the USA during the global financial crisis. The Chevrolet SS is part of a product renewal plan that includes the Impala and Malibu. Both cars were listed at Chevrolet's OnStar website for the 2014 model year, together with the SS, although the early leak of the 14 future models was quickly plugged in Detroit. "We're not ready to make any additional announcements or confirm or deny the name, platform or configuration," one GM spokesperson says.  

There anyone left in Australia who is not in love with some sort of SUV?Macho looking wagons are the family cars of the 21st century and nothing proves it more than the continuing boom in compact SUV sales. Every month the numbers go up, not just deliveries from dealerships but also the selection of showroom starters. When we decided to rate the runners, as we did last month with small cars, there were far more hopefuls than heroes.The Hyundai ix35 is under-done on styling and suspension, the Mitsubishi ASX is too much like a truck, the Suzuki Grand Vitara is best for the bush, and theToyota RAV4 is flat-out too old. They might be nice, but nice is not enough.So we came down to a four finalists as usual and they tick all the boxes. The Mazda CX-5 and Subaru XV are new and funky, the Kia Sportage still rules for value and local tweaking, and the Volkswagen Tiguan has the right badge for brand snobs.I have driven them all before so the comparison run is more like revision than starting from scratch, although there are still some surprises and lots to consider before final judgement.VALUEThis time we left the final four to you. We want to consider what customers are choosing,, not a set of dream machines, even if that means a disparate group that is something of a mis-match on price and equipment.Surprisingly, the Mazda is the cheapest in our field at $33,540 for the front-drive Maxx Sport, then comes the Subaru at $34,490 for the  2.0i-L, followed by the Tiguan 132 TSI Pacific at $35,990 and then Sportage Titanium at $39,720.But it's not just about price, as the Kia ticks all the equipment boxes and also gets a diesel engine, while the Volkswagen runs up short on some stuff - including a rear-view camera - that should be standard in 2012. As always - at least until the BRZ sports car - the Subaru only comes with all-wheel drive and the CX-5 choices reflect its place as Mazda's new SUV hero and the replacement for the larger CX-7.To put things into sharper focus, the CX-5 range runs from $27,800 right up to $48,190, you can buy an XV priced from $28,490 to $34,490, Tiguan stickers span from $24,490 to $42,990 and the cheapest Sportage is the front-drive petrol car at $26,730.Of course, the Kia scores with its five-year warranty , but running costs also favour the CX-5 with Skyactiv technology that gives it fuel economy of 6.4 litres/100km.TECHNOLOGYThe latest Sportage Platinum finally picks up the satnav promised from day one in Australia, complete with traffic warnings. But there are now two clocks and no temperature display, while the Bluetooth audio streaming as not as good as it was. Hmmm.It's diesel engine means top torque, but surprisingly - perhaps it's down to size and weight - it trails the leaders on fuel efficiency. Dig deeper than the trinkets and it's all about the Skyactiv stuff in the CX-5, which brings a very efficient 2-litre petrol engine and six-speed auto complete with stop-start. That's good because the Mazda is a little drab compared with the Hyundai, and some of the costlier cars in the range.The Subaru looks newest and is well equipped, but its engine - despite stop-start - is lacklustre. It is missing any real verve and the manual gearbox can be a little difficult. It's a good thing it has cushy, lovely suspension.The Volkswagen has a great reputation but there is no reversing camera and no satnav, not even a big display screen in the dash. People who expect to be impressed when they first slide into a Tiguan will be disappointed. They will also be disappointed by the worst economy in the group, although this is partly offset by maximum power.DESIGNThe Tiguan looks old and boxy. There is not getting away from it. And, inside, it's black and drab and proof that the substance-over-style approach of the original Beetle still lurks in Germany. The Volkswagen might do the job, and the boot is easy to load, but efficiency comes well ahead of kerb appeal. The CX-5 is a modern update of the Tiguan look, still built around a basic box but with some nice tweaking and trimming. It's the car the women in the Carsguide crew rated tops, although they could have been influenced by the badge and a classy cabin that is nicely styled and well finished.The Kia has a different shape and that's both good and bad. It steps it away from its Hyundai clone and helps it make an impact in traffic. The cabin reflects some smart thinking but the finishing is not as good as the Mazda, despite all the nice bells and baubles.Which brings us to the Subaru. It's a genuinely youthful shape, looks great in the XV's Subaru orange, and turns more heads than the other three combines. But the XV is a bit plain inside and the design work leaves it short of back-seat room and luggage space, especially compared with the Kia and Mazda. The boot is more like a Mini and nowhere good enough for pram people.SAFETYFive-star safety is what you expect and what you get here. Ok, we're still waiting for the official ANCAP rating on the CX-5 but the Mazda has been chosen as a top safety pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety in the USA. There are three child seat anchors in all four, they each have ABS brakes and stability control, with six airbags on three and the Subaru going to seven with knee protection in the XV.Mazda adds a tyre-pressure warning for the CX-5, and has lane departure warning available on some models, while Kia shows an off-road bias with downhill brake control in addition to hill-start assist. The VW has a rollover protection system but the lack of a rear camera is a glaring shortcoming in this field. The Subaru and Kia also score with full-sized spares, not space savers, although this decision really hurts boot space in the XV.DRIVINGIt's hard to make direct comparisons, but here I go. The Kia has the biggest cabin and the most equipment, which makes driving nice. It also rides well, is relatively quiet, and has a really punchy engine.The Volkswagen is nothing special, and that's a surprise with some many impressive models in the family. It just feels old, from the drab cabin to the response from the DSG gearbox, although it does everything I ask without complaining.The Subaru wins me with its looks and supportive seats, but the cabin is too small against these rivals and the engine and gearbox are less than impressive. Fair but not good. Then again, I love the suspension, with the plush ride and quietness it brings.The Mazda? Very nice, but. It gets along pretty well, the driving position is good, and I just know that it's making the most of every litre in the tank. But I remember the arrival of the CX-7, and how it felt as more like a sports car than an SUV. And this time the CX-5 has not moved forward enough when everything new is expected to bounce out ahead of the pack.When we head out for some gravel road and dirt-track kilometres, just to check if the SUVs will survive out of the city, we quickly discover a lack of front-end clearance in the Mazda. The torque of the Sportage is great for hills and the Subaru has wonderful suspension that reflects quality engineering.But then we get to loading, and the boot is the XV is a fail. The Tiguan is good, the Mazda is really good, and the Sportage does all we ask despite a full-sized spare beneath the floor. When it comes to parking, the Tiguan suffers without a camera and the rear corners of the Sportage create nasty blind spots.The Mazda is noisier than I expect on coarse bitumen roads, I worry about the economy in the Kia, and the Volkswagen leaves me cold.But driving is not everything, and I also have to consider the badge appeal of the Tiguan, the rock-solid quality and dealer support of the CX-5, the all-wheel drive security and long-term Subaru reputation of the XV, and the equipment and warranty of the Sportage.VERDICTThe winner? It has to be the Kia. The Sportage is still as impressive as when it finished runner-up in our 2010 Car of the Year contest and comes fully loaded, just the way Aussies like it. It has a huge cabin, drives nicely, gets lots of kilometres between stops with that diesel engine, and has that five-year warranty to provide security for shoppers.The cabin quality trails the newer Japanese SUVs, and the steering still feels a bit wonky for the first 10 minutes, but it is truly the one you would be happiest driving home to the family. The CX-5 is a very close second and would probably have been first with more equipment and an engine swap. I drove an all-wheel drive CX-5 diesel auto straight after the comparison closed and it got me thinking.But you cannot judge what you do not have and, just as a CX-5 with the lot would have been punchier and more appealing, the Sportage would still finish on top if we slapped the badge on a Porsche Cayenne for the same money.I like the quietness and comfort of the CX-5, as well as the cabin quality, but it's not the great leap forward I expected from Mazda. It's doing a lot with Skyactiv but, just like BMW with its overdone emphasis on EfficientDynamics, the mechanical stuff only counts at the pumps and for dinner party bragging.The XV is a coulda, woulda, shoulda sort of car. And third. It's more youthful and has a lovely ride, but it falls short on space and performance. Some people also find the cabin is too drab and underdone, particularly compared with the Sportage.And the Tiguan? I expected more, but wasn't really surprised.Fourth place is a reflection of its ageing design, and the focus on SUVs that has made Japanese and Korean cars so popular, and on reflection perhaps we would have done better with a RAV4 in the field. But you cannot judge what you don't have. So the Sportage gets across the line by a short-half-head in what is really only a three-SUV contest, proving that the Korean carmaker is more than just a dollar dealer in 2012.

The Audi is nearly ready for showrooms as this production prototype proves, right down to the giant stickers down the side.But don't get too excited, as only 1000 are being built and they will all stay in Europe.The e-tron speedster looks almost identical to the regular R8s, although there are no exhaust pipes and the engine cover is opaque.The car's numberplate, HOCHVOLT, is German for high voltage. THe Audi R8 e-tron will cost more than $300,000 but is unlikely for Australia.

It's a very mild job, mostly changes around the nose, to bring it into line with the latest Opel corporate look.

James Bond's next ride could be called DB10 or DB11 but the 2013 newcomer is one of six new models on the drawing board and the VH500 holds onto a V12 engine and lightweight construction.

Certification of the new EcoBoost Falcon was done with premium 95-octane unleaded fuel but the car can happily run on a more basic brew.  Standard 91-octane petrol is fine for the car and will potentially save around $150 a year at the pump, based on Carsguide figures.  Although it does take the edge off the performance very slightly, the man who led EcoBoost engine development work for the Ford fighter says only a tiny number of people would notice. "The difference is less than five per cent. It's less than a customer would pick," David Mitchell, who heads powertrain development at Ford Australia, reveals to Carsguide. He also says he would be happy to run an EcoBoost Falcon on standard unleaded. "I'd stick 91 in it. Every time. I's absolutely engineered for 91," he says. The EcoBoost Falcon is the latest in a growing global range of green cars from Ford that put an efficiency twist on small-capacity turbocharged engines. BMW and Fiat also have their EfficientDynamics and MultiAir green leaders, but Ford eventually plans to have an EcoBoost engine for every model from the baby Fiesta - which has a 1.0-litre EcoBoost in Europe that's also coming to Australia - through to the hulking F-Series truck, which has a 3.6-litre V6 EcoBoost engine that's the most popular choice today in the USA. The 2.0-litre EcoBoost engine in the Falcon is already fitted to a wide range of models in Europe - from the Ford Mondeo to the Range Rover Evoque and Volvo XC60 - but there has been extensive local development work including durability testing in the USA. The final result - using 95-octane unleaded - is 179 kiloWatts of power and 353 Newton-metres of torque, with a combined fuel economy figure of 8.1 litres/100km. Dropping back to 91 unleaded only costs 2.5 kiloWatts and three Newton-metres, although the torque peak of 350 Newton-metres rises from 2000 to 3000 revs. Mitchell says Ford  was obliged to do its certification work on the EcoBoost Falcon with premium unleaded and all the press, promotional and advertising figures are based on the results. However, he is a strong advocate for 91 unleaded in the car. "You do ge a small benefit in performance with 95, but 91 is still regarded as a cost-effective choice," he says.  

Ford is rolling the dice on a last-ditch effort to win a stay of execution for its homegrown Falcon.  It has installed a fuel-efficient four-cylinder engine in the nose of the car that was once Australia's favourite but is now spiralling downwards on the sales charts as buyers flock to new-age SUVs and abandon old-style Aussie family cars. The Falcon EcoBoost promises impressive fuel economy and performance that almost matches a traditional six-cylinder engine, with parity pricing starting at $37,235 despite the extra cost of the imported powerplant. The EcoBoost package is more than just an engine, as Ford has overhauled its green leader with everything from improved aerodynamics and smoother suspension to a quieter cabin.  Ford denies it is too little or too late, even though it is only committed to the Falcon until 2016 and the successor is likely to be a global car with minor local tweaking and a Falcon badge for the Ford faithful. "I don't think it's make-or-break for us, but EcoBoost continues to fill out the portfolio," says Bob Graziano, president of Ford Australia. "The timing is right. There are people who want four-cylinder cars and this provides us with an advantage, so hopefully we'll get onto some buy lists."  He says Ford is being deliberately conservative in its EcoBoost planning, only targeting 2000 sales by the end of the year despite the seachange switch in a car that has always been a six-cylinder and V8 staple. "We're continuing to improve the Falcon. The efficiency, the performance, and moving with customer expectations and demands," says Graziano. "It's a very important launch for us. If you look at what customers want, EcoBoost is another tool in the toolkit."  The raw numbers are impressive, from the pricing to 179 kiloWatts of power and fuel economy of 8.1 litres/100km that is a huge improvement over the 9.9 of the Falcon six and 12.3 for the LPG-fuelled Falcon. But there is no four-cylinder engine for the Falcon ute or XR models, and towing capacity is down, although Ford says the engine will run happily on standard 91-octane unleaded petrol.  "It does provide us with an advantage. It also hopefully gives us an opportunity to talk to some folks that we haven't been able to with the existing powertrain lineup," says Graziano. He will not reveal the cost of the EcoBoost program, but says funding came from a $232 million local investment package announced in 2009.  Ford won another $103 million at the start of the year to continue improvements on the Falcon through to 2016, but it still amounts to another appeal for a car that's sitting on death row.  

The Falcon four-cylinder works. It's lively and responsive, cushy and quiet, and it has the right numbers for the 21st century.The new EcoBoost mechanical package scrapes the barnacles off the homegrown Falcon and could - should - at least slow the showroom death spiral which means Ford Australia is only committed to its homegrown hero until 2016.A 2.0-litre four in the front of the Falcon would have been craziness just a handful of years ago, but the blue oval brand's global focus on EcoBoost technology in everything from the Fiesta up to the F-Series truck brings big benefits for Australians.Now, if Ford can just get people to take a test drive... "I think it's a landmark car in the history of the Falcon. It changes the perception of what people expect in a Falcon," the president of Ford Australia, Bob Graziano, tells Carsguide.The EcoBoost Falcon is not as punchy as the regulation inline six, and it pays a penalty in towing power, but the green-focussed turbo motor does the job with power of 179 kiloWatts, torque of 353 Newton-metres, fuel economy of 8.1 litres/100km, the ability to run on 91 unleaded and parity pricing that starts at $37,235. And, before you ask, it cannot be converted to run on LPG.VALUEThe EcoBoost engine package costs more than the inline six, and it has to be shipped from Spain instead of rolling down the road from Geelong, but Ford has decided on line-ball pricing for the new Falcon fighter.That means a $26,990 kick-off for the Falcon XT and a top end at $46,735 for the G6E model, which now seems a little strangely named with a six in the badge and a four in the nose. Ford has its global EcoBoost boss in Hobart for the Falcon launch and he is clear on the objectives. "One common theme ins around the globe - customers are concerned about the cost of ownership," says Andrew Fraser.The EcoBoost cars benefit from the FG Series II upgrade at the end of last year, which means plenty of standard equipment and genuine luxury in the G6E. But value also means what you pay at the pump, and the Falcon four makes a big breakthrough with a truly economical engine that's not a compromise on performance. The car also picks up the capped-price servicing package introduced by Ford last year. Against its rivals, it has an obvious marketing advantage over the basic Commodore with 3.0-litre six, as well as better numbers, and Ford sees it doing well also against the latest Toyota Aurion and the ageing Honda Accord V6.TECHNOLOGYSwitching from a six to a four is not a simple as it sounds. The EcoBoost transformation - and it is just that - means a lot more than a straightforward engine swap.The shorter four goes in easily enough, and brings a 74-kilogram weight advantage, but there is a lot of plumbing to be changed - intercooler, piping, exhaust and more go in - as well as complicated stuff in the suspension and even low-rolling resistance tyres and an 'acoustic' windscreen to cut noise.The end game is more than just a nice number for fuel economy. "We see ourselves as an enthusiast brand. So it must be fun to drive," says Fraser. So the suspension has had a lot of tweaking, the calibration of the six-speed auto has been adjusted - with help from the variable valve timing - to virtually eliminate the dreaded 'turbo lag', and even the exhaust note has been tuned to prevent the car sounding wheezy or overworked."We did not want this to seem like a busy four-cylinder engine in a big car. We wanted six-cylinder performance with four-cylinder fuel economy," says David Wilkinson, who is the Falcon project leader at Broadmeadows.DESIGNHow do you pick the Falcon four? Look for the EcoBoost badge, because that's the only hint. The EcoBoost model sits a little lower, but it's only a little. And that's it. Still, the latest Falcon has a solid stance, looks more classy than a taxi, and the cabin is loaded with features. But, as a Carguide reader recently told us, the dashboard fits in the Falcon are not as tight - or as consistent - as you would hope and it's definitely not as good as an Aurion on the overall quality front.SAFETYThe EcoBoost Falcon is a five-star car, and there are six airbags with the usual ESP and ABS. Ford has tweaked the stability control to take account of the changes to the weight balance and suspension tuning and chassis chief Alex de Vlugt says the low rolling resistance tyres still have proper grip and don't compromise the car.But we now wonder how long it will be before Ford Australia fits Isofix child seat mounts - since the system is now finally approved for local use - to boost the safety of kids in its local car.DRIVINGThis is where the EcoBoost story comes to life. Turn the key and the first thing I notice - or don't - is the flat, farty exhaust note of the regulation six-pack. The Falcon four is quiet and refined. Slip the car into drive and it eases away, tip into the accelerator and it gathers pace without fuss or bother. Most people, I'm sure, would not pick the four in the engine room.Kick down for a lane change or stoplight sprint and the EcoBoost responds eagerly, with plenty of pull from as little as 1500 revs and a solid spin to the up change point at 6500 revs. It does not have the instant midrange thump of the six, but that's the only thing missing. Head out of town, which is easy with the EcoBoost fleet running from Hobart, and the car feels quieter than any other Falcon, also lighter on its suspension and with lighter steering.Basically, it feels like a smaller car. That's good for the driver in all conditions, but especially on a twisty road where the car is more eager to turn and feels more like an Accord Euro than a LandCruiser. If you think I'm a fan, you're right. But I'm not the only one, as the editor of Wheels magazine keeps saying "This is a good car, no a great car" from the passenger seat.He's right, and it is. Actually, the EcoBoost Falcon is a reminder that Australian engineers can still do world-class cars when they have the the right tools and funding for the job. So it's such a pity that so few people are expected to be won to the new-age Falcon, and that it really won't influence the long-term future of the car or company in Australia.The final kicker comes on a quiet highway cruise back to Hobart, as the fuel economy readout  in the trip computer settles at 6.9 litres/100km with the speedo sitting on 100km/h. Last week I go 6.6 in a Subaru Impreza, and that is in a different class completely.VERDICTIt's a winner. I would happily welcome an EcoBoost Falcon as my new company car and will recommend it to friends. It's a sweeter car than the Falcon six, more impressive than the 3-litre Holden Commodore, and finally drives the big Aussie battler out of the rust belt at a time when Ford desperately needs another hero. Take one for a drive and you won't be disappointed.Ford Falcon EcoBoostPrice: from $37,235 (XT) to $46,735 (G6E)Warranty: 3 years/100,000kmResale:  53 per centService interval: 15,000km/12 monthsSafety rating: Five starEngine: 179kW/353NmTransmission: six-speed sports automatic, rear wheel driveThirst: 8.5 / 100Km 

SUV surrender flags are flying around the world and Lamborghini is the latest to run one up its flagpole.  Lamborghini's capitulation comes in the shape of the Urus, a futuristic family-sized SUV it believes will sit comfortably alongside an Aventador or Gallardo supercar in upscale garages around the world. And potentially add another 3000 sales a year to its bottom line. It's no surprise to see the Urus starring for the Italian company this week at the Beijing motor show, as wealthy Chinese actually see a need for serious rough-road ability on the country's lousy roads and high-priced SUVs are firm favourites. The Urus comes following Maserati's confirmation of the Kubang and Bentley's announcement in March that it is to join the SUV stoush, although its ugly EXP 9F will need some tweaking before it hits showrooms, leaving Jaguar as the only upscale hold-out as Aston Martin is also working on a vehicle to bring the Lagonda name back from the dead with Mercedes-Benz ML mechanicals. Lamborghini describes the Urus as "the ultimate super athlete", although it is yet to give engine details or a timetable for production.  It's most likely to have a tweaked V12 engine because of its heft, although Lamborghini is promising 440 kiloWatts with best-in-class C02 emissions which would mean significant changes from the powerplant in the Aventador. It's also promising supreme luxury for just four passengers, as well as plenty of its signature carbon fibre to reduce weight below its rivals - the Aventador has a full carbon chassis - and even variable ground clearance to go with its all-wheel drive grip. Lamborghini should have no problem on that front, as Audi is its parent company and versions of its quattro drive with double clutch gearboxes are used in both the Gallardo and Aventador.  "The Urus is a very concrete idea for the future of Lamborghini - as a third model line and as the perfect complement to our super sports cars," says Stefan Winkelmann, CEO of Automobili Lamborghini.  "The Urus is the most extreme interpretation of the SUV idea. It is the Lamborghini of SUVs." But he also knows that Lamborghini needs sales and cash from the Urus, just as Porsche did when it brought the brand-saving Cayenne SUV - which put the company back into profit - to life alongside its sports cars. "The Urus means that a Lamborghini can now be used by a household as its primary car." The Urus is close to five metres in length but only 166 centimetres tall, well belong its rivals and a reflection of the edgy design work on the body. The bright red Urus in Beijing rolls on giant 24-inch alloy wheels, has active aerodynamics with an adjustable front spoiler, and a full battery of LED lights at both ends. Australian buyers probably face a long wait for the Urus, although a local plan is still being developed. "It's probably three years away from us, although we'd like to get it sooner," says Martin Roller of Lamborghini. "We're pretty excited about the car. The demand for SUVs in Australia is incredibly strong. "It's big news. To have a third Lamborghini model, and especially, an SUV, is a big deal. We've only known about it for a day and we're already got people asking about it." And the name? Lamborghini traditionally names its sports cars after Spanish fighting bulls, but the Urus goes back further to the roots of the breed. Wild Urus bulls, also known as Aurochs, were the distant ancestors of domestic cattle and could stand up to 1.8 metres tall.