Articles by Peter Barnwell

Promise, we won't use the word 'quirky' any more for Citroen. It is, after all, one of the biggest selling brands in Europe. Now they've come out with a drop top cabriolet version of the cute little DS3, Citroen's version of the Peugeot 208, and it's a throw-back to the "legendary'' Citroen 2CV in some ways.DESIGNThough touted as an anti-retro car, the roof of the DS3 cabriolet is straight out of the 2CV book except for the fact that it's power operated and three layers of vinyl instead of a greasy piece of canvas. Oh and there are some rather funky colours and designs including one with the DS monogram imprinted. Tres cool.The DS3 cabriolet roof peels back leaving the side roof structure around the doors and can be set in one of three positions, intermediate, horizontal and total with the roof tucked up onto the rear window like a spoiler.This is the true interpretation of a "cabriolet" whereas most other cabriolets are infact convertible roadsters with no remaining roof structure when the top is wound back. It's a cheap and effective way to get some sun and wind in the car when you're driving. And the DS3 version looks pretty cute in a puppy dog sort of way. The roof opens/closes fully in 16 seconds at speeds up to 120kmh.Unlike other drop tops, the DS3 gains minimal weight (25kg) and therefore offers the same performance, fuel economy and feel as the tin-top hatchback. Citroen re-invented the boot lid for this car which features a pivoting, parallelogram style boot opening up to a letter box aperture to 'post' you luggage through.Tricky styling features include 3D tail lights that disappear into infinity. Inside is specified to a luxury level with seats for five at a pinch. The interior is technical and funky with easy to operate switches and a look like no other car including a flat bottom wheel and broad sweep of mock carbon fibre fascia. The three layer roof is hand-made at a factory in France to be benchmark for fit and finish.RANGE AND PRICETwo models are offered; the D-Style four-speed auto only and the D-Sport six-speed manual only with the former going for $30,990 and the latter $32,990.There's a big difference between the two in that the Style has a 1.6-litre, naturally aspirated, four cylinder engine with 88kW/160Nm capable of 6.7-litres/100km while the Sport has a 1.6-litre turbo petrol four-pot achieving 115kW/240Nm and 5.9-litres/100km.Both are a premium of $3200 on the DS3 hatch. Like Peugeot, Citroen Australia offers capped price servicing at $360 a pop for three years. Desirable options such as satnav and leather hike the price by $4000.DRIVINGForget all that French style once you get going... it wouldn't pull the skin off a custard and the four-speed auto is hopelessly inadequate when put under even modest pressure such as accelerating from low speeds up a steepish hill. Kickdown also means a big ratio jump which translates into higher than expected engine revs. It falls short on the sport side, but would perhaps be better being restricted to a town runabout role.The manual on the other hand is a decent thing with strong, flexible power and a comfy, controlled ride. It gets a bit of steering backlash at speed on bumpy corners but that's about the only criticism of the car's dynamics. Pity you can't get a six-speed auto turbo....VERDICTCute styling, stylish interior and generous features plus the price make the DS3 Cabriolet a tempting proposition. It's the second cheapest cabrio on the market to the awful Fiat 500 Cabriolet.Citroen DS3 CabrioPrice: from $30,990 (D-Style) $32,990 (D-Sport)Engine: 1.6-litre petrol or turbo petrol, 88kW/160Nm, 115kW/240NmTransmission: four-speed auto (D-Style), six-speed manual (D-Sport)Thirst: 6.7L/100km  (D-Style), 5.9L/100km (D-Sport) 

You've got to hand it to Fiat for having another crack at the Aussie market after a number of previous half-hearted attempts under private importers. They're serious this time with a factory owned local operation.First cab off the rank, the tiddler-size 500, recently came in for some "repositioning" (price reductions) and now the Italian manufacturer is re-introducing the Punto, a biggish light car now offered from a start price of $16,000 drive away for the base model Pop.Before the end of the year we'll see the practical little Panda coming in to compete against a rash of similar size small SUVs from left, right and centre. Fiat also has two light commercial vehicles in the Ducato and Scudo vans and there's also the Freemont people mover (aka Dodge Journey).But focus this month is on the rebirth of Punto, a model that's been around since 2006. The local Fiat outfit has opted for Punto in five door hatch configuration only in Pop, Easy and Lounge grades. All share the same naturally aspirated 1.4-litre petrol engine while the Pop is the only one to get a five-speed manual with optional five-speed Dualogic automated manual transmission ($1500)  standard on Easy and Lounge grades.The engine passes Euro 5 emissions regulations despite having a single camshaft and only eight valves. It's an old plonker for sure but sips 91 octane fuel lightly on the way to achieving a modest 57kW/115Nm output.This is adequate to push the one tonne Punto along at a respectable clip provided you don't expect anything remotely sporty. In Dualogic mode, it's even more relaxed and has the annoying trait of lurching between gear changes. Get the manual every day unless you want to turn into a nodding dog.Punto has auto stop/start, gear shift indicator and eco:Drive software to help drivers learn economical driving techniques.It's all adhoc stuff that skirts the real issue  a lack of powertrain technology to assist efficiency.Punto scores a five star ANCAP rating and comes with a reasonable amount of equipment in the base model including a multi-function wheel, Bluetooth phone, USB connector, decent audio, aircon, power front windows, remote headlight height adjust, daytime running lights, folding rear seats, full size spare and other stuff.But you only get plastic wheel covers for the cheap 15-inch steelies, a hard plastic dash, wind up rear windows, drum rear brakes and modest rear seat legroom.The Punto is old school hatchback, innocuous but not exciting at all. It looks a little like a Nissan Micra at the front and an earlier Ford Fiesta at the rear.  It won't offend anyone that's for sure. It's the same in the cabin -- small econobox, nothing flash but it's functional and has a pleasing appearance to the dash.We drove Punto Pop in a city environment and it proved quite a handy tool nipping through tight laneways, parking in small places and using as little as 7.4-litres/100km in the city. That drops to 5.4L on a combined city/highway circuit for the Dualogic cars.The ride is comfortable from a strut front and torsion beam suspension system and the electric steering is light and has some 'feel.' But you have to row through the gears to get it going with any purpose. With Dualogic, that means using the manual selector system.We kinda like the Punto because it's something different to the rash of Japanese and Korean cars in this segment. We'd have one over something like a (cheaper) Suzuki Alto or Mitsubishi Mirage every day because Punto has a proper four cylinder engine and doesn't look like a Noddy car. But it needs a turbodiesel engine option -- possible down the track.

A van driver's lot is getting better, with improvements coming thick and fast to safety, economy, performance, equipment and reliability. Suffering in silence in a dangerous and uncomfortable little box on wheels is mostly a thing of the past.Peugeot has recently upgraded its small Partner van with an extra airbag (passenger) and other goodies aimed at improving a delivery driver's working environment. No, it's not the driverless van (yet) but the new Partner wouldn't be a bad place to spend your day, hopping in and out, dropping stuff off and making a buck.ENGINE AND TRANSMISSIONOur test vehicle was a 1.6-litre turbodiesel with 66kW/215Nm output and there's also a 1.6 petrol. A five-speed manual transmission is the only one available with drive going to the front wheels.It has good performance with strong acceleration on the move and plenty in reserve for hauling up to 750kg payload in the back. Practical 15-inch steel wheels are fitted and there's a full size spare under the floor.RANGEPartner is available in two versions, short and long wheelbase. We had the long version and it's quite large offering up to nearly 4.0 cubic metres of load space as well as the handy variable front passenger seat that folds out of the way for longer loads. Six tie down hooks are provided in the load area floor which also features half height interior side protection.The small van gains a slight style revision this year with a new grille and other detail changes. Still looks the same to us but there is an extra side sliding door on the short wheelbase model and other interior changes.FEATURESYou get Bluetooth, ESP, aircon, stability control, three button remote controller, rear park assist, heated exterior mirrors, cruise control, OK audio, trip computer and storage options all over the place including overhead. It needs a reversing camera first and foremost. All vans do.DRIVINGOur turbodiesel test can proved to be very economical to run, and we achieved close to the manufacturer's claimed 5.5-litres/100km. It's all grey inside the cabin and pretty hard but undoubtedly resilient in a working vehicle. The dash-mounted gear shift is easy to reach as is the hand brake to the left of the driver's seat squab.But you can get your feet tangled down in the driver's footwell. As long as you can get the right adjustment for the driver seat (we couldn't) It puts you in a sit up and beg position that wears you down after a while behind the wheel especially for taller drivers with limited seat backrest movement.But that's because there's a cargo barrier behind. There's a price to be paid for safety this far down the pecking order in vanland. Perhaps we needed to persevere and fiddle with the adjustments a bit more.We appreciated the remote headlight adjustment which comes in handy when the rear of the Partner is fully laden and squatting on its coil spring rear suspension. We also like the three passenger capacity afforded by the dual second seat (with belts).

The evolution of Mercedes-Benz E-Class AMG started years ago and has progressed to the latest and greatest E 63 AMG S model -- now with a colossal 430kW/800Nm from its twin turbo (bi-turbo) petrol V8 engine. It's sufficient to push the 1900kg plus four door luxury projectile from 0-100kmh in about 4.0 seconds and blatt on without let-up to its arbitrarily set terminal velocity.AMG has fully fettled the beast and installed a swag of special components designed to deliver the goods when it comes to sporty driving. The brakes are huge multi-piston units, the suspension has adjustable damping, the steering is super responsive and even the transmission offers four modes as well as race start - all courtesy of AMG.But the heart of the E 63 is its 5.5-litre, direct injection V8 with twin variable geometry turbos, variable cam timing and other engineering trickery to help deliver awesome performance and impressive fuel economy along with ‘green' credentials all at the same time.Where the previous model was offered with a Sports Package for extra power and kit at extra cost, the latest is only available in ‘S' spec - with all the go fast bits included. The price is $249,900.Included is the locking diff' that the E 63 deserves but which few optioned previously. It has a big influence on how this monumentally powerful rear drive sedan puts its power to the ground and why it behaves so well under pressure. All wheel drive E 63s are available overseas but not here. Something else pretty special is the seven-speed dual clutch transmission with paddle shift and four modes.The interior is at luxury car level and includes premium audio, full media connectivity, Nappa leather, sports wheel and a 360 degree safety camera. ‘Intelligent' LED headlights complete with selective aiming aid night driving. Driver assist kit includes nearly the full suite of Benz ‘help' as well as active park assist for parallel and nose to kerb parking.This amount of power is rare in a road car with V8 Supercars cranking out not much more in the way of kilowatts -- and certainly not as much torque. But you can't compare this car with a ‘coarse' V8 racer, the E 63 is a much more refined beast  - a veritable iron fist in a silk glove as it offers superlative levels of luxury in a stylish and practical package.We had a bit of a crack in the latest E 63 at Sandown race track where the largish Benz happily carved up the tight bits and blasted down the straights like a real race car. We were too chicken to go the whole hog and switch everything to off or full manual control on the track but even with one notch to go, the E 63 still delivers the required drive feel sought by enthusiast drivers complete with a measured amount of rear wheel slip and tail-out oversteer. Acceleration is brutal.The sound burbling out the back is good but nowhere near as stirring as the earlier, naturally-aspirated 6.2-litre V8 (still in the C 63). The look inside is understated and classy, much like the exterior treatment.

A defining car for Nissan in the past, the Pulsar SSS, has made a welcome return and promises to reignite the passions of many budget conscious young and not so young sporty hatch drivers. The segment is well provisioned with choices ranging from high cost European models that all have huge appeal through to the likes of Holden's new Cruze SRi-V.The latter is a direct competitor for Pulsar SSS albeit with slightly less power but more kit. The arrival of a new SSS at sharp pricing may make buyers think twice given the performance levels on tap.Pulsar SSS was last available here back in 2000 having earlier sold up a storm particularly with a generation of young males who fitted loud exhausts, bigger wheels and even went so far as turbo-charging and other modifications to boost their pride and joy's performance and appearance. The standard SSS was pretty much a cosmetic upgrade sharing the same underpinnings with garden variety Pulsar but that didn't seem to matter.The latest SSS (and cheaper ST-S) have a completely different powertrain to other Pulsars along with other tweaks befitting their sporty intent. The SSS rides in on the back of a new Pulsar hatch range complementing the sedan that lobbed a few months back. It's available with a six speed manual transmission or optional CVT sports shift with manual mode.Nissan pitches the new SSS, indeed the entire new Pulsar range at the affordable end of the spectrum. Value for money is high with generous standard equipment across the range.Where the ‘normal’ Pulsar hatch has the same 1.8-litre engine as the sedan the SSS (and ST-S) are powered by a 1.6-litre DIG (Direct Injection Gasoline) turbo engine with variable valve timing. It's capable of returning 7.7-litres/100km fuel economy. The single scroll turbo-charged engine is good for 140kW/240Nm output.Refinement is boosted by many low friction techniques used inside the engine. These include a diamond-like carbon (DLC) coating for the valve lifters and mirror finish camshafts. Low tension piston rings with a hard ceramic coating are used along with low friction engine oil.Sodium filled valves lower temperatures to reduce engine knock, while the valve springs themselves are of a novel lightweight ‘beehive’ design, fatter in the middle than at either end.Filling the wheel arches are sharp 17-inch sports alloy wheels on ST-S and SSS. But differentiation is assured on the SSS with a fully integrated sports body kit, comprising front and rear spoilers and side skirts. Dusk-sensing xenon headlights with auto levelling and washers finish the sporty frontal design of the car. A full-size spare wheel is provided.Pulsar Hatch SSS is priced from $29,240, with standard kit including dual zone climate control, air-conditioning, cruise control, premium six speaker audio, Bluetooth phoned and audio, power windows, remote central locking with keyless entry, front fog lights, body aero kit, leather accented sports seats, auto xenon headlights, 5.8-inch integrated colour display with touch screen and steering wheel-mounted controls, satnav with 3D mapping, rear-view camera with distance guidelines and push button start.The drive feel isn't in the same league as the likes of a VW Golf GTi or Ford Focus ST but is halfway between one of these really sporty hot hatches and a run of the mill car. By far the most impressive aspect of the new SSS is its engine which delivers strong, smooth and economical performance. The rest of the car has more in common with other Pulsars in terms of ride and handling.

While the focus at Benz has shifted to the new, small A-Class, the larger E-Class four door sedan and wagon is the "core" of the company. They've been making E-Class for decades to the point where it's everywhere, in just about every country.For the latest model, Benz asked owners what they thought and implemented many of the suggestions that included a styling tweak, more power, improved economy and safety, more driver assistance features, better value.Benz has delivered on all scores with the mid-life update to the E-Class. The value equation sees prices reduced and some are down by 20 per cent compared to a similarly spec'd previous model. It has the Gorden Wagoner prominent nose with a "four eyed" face, three bar grille with large Benz emblem and more style lines along the body capped with a pair of large tail lights.VALUEThe entry level E200  goes for $79,900 and rolls on 18-inch wheels, gets park assist, blind spot warning, collision warning, sports pack and LED headlights and tail lights.The range goes up to the E400 V6 biturbo at $128,900. It replaces the previous E350 and E500 models. An AMG 63S version arrives later in the year at $249,900 complete with 430kW/800Nm V8 petrol power and all the goodies associated with the AMG brand.Estate (wagon) variants are available in a number of powertrain choices. All offer seven seat capacity. Some of the new E-Class range fall under the 7.0-litre/100km Luxury Car Tax reduction trigger point with commensurate price reductions.DESIGNThe classy interior is better than before with a sports multi function wheel, analogue clock, decorative features and a choice of three two-tone colour schemes. It's simpler to operate, better looking and has more features.TECHNOLOGYFrom the E250 up the cars get adaptive LED headlights while all variants score the exterior sports package popular on the previous model, direct control suspension, cross drilled discs and splashes of chrome inside and out. Technology improvements see 'Command III' make an appearance in E-Class, a system that integrates with the iPhone 5 or Android equivalent for direct internet connectivity.Under the bonnet, the base engine moves from a 1.8-litre turbo petrol four to a 2.0-litre with EU 6 credentials. In the entry level E200, this engine is good for 135kW/300Nm output while in the 250, it's uprated to 155kW/350Nm.Standard transmission across the range is a seven-speed auto driving the rear wheels. The E250CDi diesel retains the strong 2.1-litre turbo diesel engine from before. An E400 twin-turbo petrol V6 is coming soon as a replacement for the previous V8 model. It has a similar output but uses less fuel and generates fewer emissions.There's also an E300 'Bluetec' hybrid with an in-line electric assist motor and a lithium ion battery pack capable of super low fuel consumption. E-Class Bluetec has multi modes including the interesting `sailing' when the car is on electric power alone at freeway speeds.SAFETYDriver assist functions abound and include attention assist, high beam assist, and Distronic cruise control with lane keeping function. It uses a stereo camera to monitor the driving environment, altering the car's dynamics to suit, even to avoid pedestrians or potential cross street collisions. Active park assist makes an appearance for parallel and end on parking. DRIVINGWe drove the first three variants to arrive, E200, E250 and E250CDi. We would be happy with any of them with the sporty E250 petrol a stand out. The new E-Class has poise and control on the road, is quiet and sophisticated and can be super economical.There's plenty of room inside and a large boot. Even the base car will please in performance terms thanks in part to the willing new 2.0-litre engine and slick seven-speed transmissionVERDICTStill the benchmark in the medium large premium Euro segment. Looks better, goes better than the competition  and with price reductions and  extra kit, makes the proposition even more tempting.The complete 2013 Mercedes-Benz E-Class sedan and wagon range is:E 200 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four-door sedan: $79,900E 220 CDI 2.2-litre turbo-diesel four-door sedan: $82,400E 250 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four-door sedan: $97,400E 250 CDI 2.2-litre turbo-diesel four-door sedan: $99,900E 300 Hybrid 2.2-litre turbo-diesel / electric four-door sedan: $109,900E 400 3.0-litre bi-turbo petrol four-door sedan: $129,900E 63 AMG 5.5-litre bi-turbo petrol four-door sedan: $249,900E 200 Estate 2.0-litre turbo-petrol five-door wagon: $86,900E 250 CDI Estate 2.2-litre turbo-diesel five-door wagon: $107,700E 400 Estate 3.0-litre bi-turbo petrol five-door wagon: $137,700Mercedes-Benz E200Price: from $79,900Warranty: 3 years roadside assistEngine: 1.8L four-cylinder, 135kW/270NmTransmission: 7-speed automatic, RWDThirst: 6.6L/100Km, CO2 154g/km

We recently jumped out of the stunning Audi A6 3.0 Tdi (diesel) biturbo performance sedan, now this... Audi's SQ5 medium size SUV with the same engine.Like the sedan, the SQ5 is quick -- the quickest production diesel SUV on the planet to be exact and capable of stopping the clocks in around 5.1-seconds for a 0-100kmh sprint.That from a fully equipped luxury vehicle tipping the scales at nearly 2.0 tonnes. And it's pitched at a tempting $89,400.The engine is a V6 with two turbos, a smaller variable geometry unit and a larger single scroll helping it achieve 230kW/650Nm, the latter from a low 1450rpm. It makes light work of propelling this chunky but handsome looking customer off the line or pretty much anywhere else simply by pressing the right foot. Instant go --  like a rocket sled with no discernible peaks or troughs.The feeling could almost be marketed as a sideshow ride. And if that's not enough, you won't be bothered by incessant visits to the servo to refuel because this genuine performance vehicle is capable of returning 6.8-litres/100km. Try getting that from your HSV or FPV with which the SQ5 shares a similar performance potential -- more, thanks to that mountain of torque.Sub 7.0-litres/100km fuel use means the SQ5 qualifies for a reduction in the Luxury Car Tax which partially helps the price. That impressive economy is due to technology such as energy recovery, engine stop/start and a regulated oil pump that only operates on an as needed basis. Audi also utilised clever thermal management under the bonnet to further cut fuel use.Adding icing to the cake is a sound actuator in the exhaust system that bestows the SQ5 with a deep baritone voice unlike any other diesel we have driven. No rattle, no clatter, no turbo whistles, just a raunchy growl. Great stuff.Drive goes to all four wheels (quattro) via an eight-speed auto transmission with paddle shift. Stiffer S sport suspension lowers the body by 30 mm, and 255/45 tyres are mounted to the 20-inch wheels.Multi mode drive select is part of the package offering calibrations for comfort, dynamic, auto and individual. The SQ5 looks a lot like other Q5 -- with more attitude and a purposeful stance. Big wheels and tyres, subtle body add ons, some body brightwork and a different grille set it apart. Still gets the attention grabbing LED daytime running lights along with a raft of other lighting systems.Inside is a study in leather and good Germanic taste. The superb dash, dash not only looks the biz but is totally functional in a way other luxury vehicles fall down due to over complexity.Heck, we could actually use the myriad functions that include MMI plus navigation and media system, voice control and Bluetooth phone and audio. Driver assist features include a rear camera, hill descent control and park assist, tyre pressure monitor along with the drive select system.Our 300km drive of the SQ5 was punctuated by repeated use of the extraordinary roll on acceleration. It's an addictive feeling. The vehicle is just the right size too -- fits easily in the average garage and there's plenty of luxury kit to make you feel good. It goes around corners like a sports car and with the drive select system, you can dial up ride quality, steering feel and throttle response.A launch package is available for a snip under $15 grand that includes many desirable options including the recommended dynamic steering.Look out BMW and Merc. And everyone else, for that matter.

Like many other manufacturers Audi is trying to second guess which way automotive propulsion systems will go. "Engines" will inevitably change due to ever tightening environmental restrictions and other influences.Plenty rides on the outcome — which engine comes to dominate. Get it right and you’ll reap billions, get it wrong and you will do your dough. Audi has a whole bunch of irons in the fire including hybrid petrol/electric cars, methane gas powered cars and plug in full electric vehicles.Full EVs still have a way to go on two fronts, cost and range. Batteries have not come down in price to the expected low level and even good plug in EVs can go perhaps 250km best case scenario.Which leaves Audi’s A3 E-Tron petrol-electric hybrid as the most likely contender for the near future from the big German. It is one clever piece of kit due, here in about 18 months at a possible 10-20 per cent premium over a similar spec’ conventional A3FUEL ECONOMYThe E-Tron promises fuel economy as low as 1.5-litres/100km when the 50km battery range is factored into the economy figures of the petrol engine. Unlike other petrol electric hybrids on the market, the A3 E-Tron can be put in "generate" mode to recharge the battery when driving.It can also be plugged into either a domestic or three phase commercial power outlet to recharge the battery system in as little as two hours.And it doesn’t look whacky in the slightest. No goofy styling from Audi thank you very much. The E-Tron looks the same as any other A3 inside and out until you open the bonnet or look under the boot floor.MOTIVATIONThe car we saw in Germany last week -- and which will be the same as the one we’ll get here -- was powered by a 1.4-litre, TFSi petrol engine with 110kW/250Nm output boosted by an in line 75kW electric motor neatly integrated into the six speed dual clutch manumatic transmission.It drives the front wheels, which harvest regenerative power from brake application and deceleration. This set-up is sufficient to push the small Audi from 0-100kmh in a sharpish 7.6 seconds which is better than most of the conventional A3 that just arrived here.It runs a 96 cell, 250-400 volt lithium ion battery system that helps the E-Tron achieve up to 1000km range on one 40 litre tank of petrol. The system is complex as it has a cooling system to extend the battery’s service life as well as an electronic control system.PRACTICALThe battery system is mostly under the rear seats forcing the pressurised petrol tank behind the rear axle which could create problems in some countries for safety reasons. Cargo capacity is unaffected by the electric drive system and is 280 litres with the rear seats in place, 1120 litres with them folded.The engine is familiar being in many Audi/VW vehicles but this is the latest and greatest version featuring full aluminium construction, internal anti-friction coatings, clever thermal management that optimises efficiency and even an oil quality sensor if the car is used for months at a time simply as an EV without starting the petrol engine.The powertrain delivers strong performance from a standstill with no lag at all thanks in part to the torque instantly available from the electric engine.MODESThe A3 E-Tron can be driven in one of four modes; EV, Hybrid auto, Hold and Charge modes. In Hybrid auto mode the car determines the best strategy for optimum fuel efficiency. The A3 E-Tron will also get Audi’s excellent Drive Select system offering different dynamic set-ups including Normal, Comfort, Individual and Dynamic.CLEVERClever stuff includes 50 per cent of braking using the regenerative system before initiating the conventional brakes, a glide function to reduce fuel consumption and boost mode with both engines running at full capacity for maximum acceleration.The A3 E-Tron gains all the interior goodies that came with the recently introduced new model A3— Audi Connect online services, a range of apps, the ability to dictate texts and have info read to you, and if you have a smartphone you can program it to tell the car to perform functions from a distance such as start the engine and adjust the air conditioning.

By international standards Volvo is a small carmaker

The Kawasaki Z750 has been taken out to 806cc and adding extra power, torque and kit.So called “street fighter” style bikes without fairings are booming both here and overseas as riders seek an unadulterated wind in your face riding experience as well as trying to reduce potential crash repair costs in a moderate bingle. Damage the bodywork on a fully faired and it can cost a bomb to fix.Power for the Z800 comes from a traditional inline four cylinder donk bored out this year and with larger throttle bodies, shorter gearing and revised fuel mapping. Kawasaki has been using this engine format for over 40 years producing some with near legendary reputations.The chassis is tweaked for better responses and dynamics. Stronger four piston front brakes are fitted along with sports ABS. Other chassis details have been recalibrated for a sportier feel.A restyle gives the bike more presence on the road and the new instrument pod is easier to read as well as being better looking.The Z800 is no lightweight at 231kg wet but there's plenty of poke from the compact engine to push things along. It achieves some 83kW at 10200rpm and 83Nm at 8000rpm, the former an improvement of 5.3kW on the Z750 and the latter a 5Nm improvement. Redline is 12000rpm.It has a six speed transmission and is good for 6.5-litres/100km. The ride feel is a blast offering up sharp steering and tenacious cornering thanks to the rigid chassis and large tyres.It's an ideal mount for city and country riding though the lack of a screen will wear you down on a long touring ride at high speed. Kawasaki describes the Z800 as a cage fighter of a bike and apart from the quiet exhaust, we couldn't agree more.