Articles by Peter Barnwell

We have been waiting for a while to drive this little car, which Volkswagen is adding to the city light-car field.

The new V40 is a good looker - the equal of competitor offerings and has an edge in the safety department.Essentially a slightly condensed five door hatchback version of the S60 sedan or a scaled up C30, the V40 is Volvo's big news for 2012.It's due to go into production soon but Australian deliveries aren't likely until next year. In addition to a bevy of safety equipment, V40 boasts plenty of high-tech features and `big car' thinking.The clean and elegant lines display a high-end fit and finish and meticulous attention to detail.The interior is designed with a strong emphasis on ergonomics, comfort and an engaging driving experience. Key features include an optional fixed panorama glass roof that stretches from the front windscreen to the backrest of the rear seats.It is tinted and designed to reduce infrared radiation into the passenger compartment; The V40 features Volvo's ultra-slim centre stack, now in a more sculpted version than before;The interior lighting is designed to give a 'theatre lighting' feel. LED lamps are used to light up strategic areas. The driver can enjoy a red-to-blue setting that adapts the light to the interior temperature  or choose between another seven mood themes. The reading lights front and rear can also be dimmed.Leather surfaces are chrome-free. The "Clean Compartment" scheme is recommended by the Swedish Asthma & Allergy organisation; The fuel-filler pipe is self-closing  a smart design that makes refuelling easier since there is no longer a need for a fuel-filler cap.V40 adds several class-leading features to a full deck of safety and driver support systems, making it the most "IntelliSafe" Volvo yet. It has as standard, Pedestrian Airbag Technology which is designed to mitigate a collision with a pedestrian.V40 will feature the updated City Safety technology  now active at speeds up to 50km/h (previously 30km/h) as standard and offer Volvo's ground-breaking Pedestrian Detection with Full Auto Brake for the first time to buyers in this segment.Other driver support systems are available. With a renewed focus on driving pleasure, the chassis in the all-new Volvo V40 has been designed to offer a responsive, agile and connected driving experience.A range of engines and transmissions will be available including plug in EV technology, hybrid diesel, diesel and petrol turbo models.

It could very well alter the face of endurance racing and is arguably the most radical motorsport project of its time. The DeltaWing will be powered by a highly-advanced and efficient 1.6-litre engine when it fires its first shot in anger at the legendary Le Mans 24 Hours (16-17 June).  But it will not be classified this year because the rules are behind the times. Nissan is instead looking to showcase the pioneering technology that will show one potential direction for the future of motorsport. It will feed into the research and development of future technologies that then filter down to Nissan's road car product range. The race-prepared, 1.6-litre, four-cylinder engine features direct petrol injection and a turbocharger. The car itself is half the weight and has half the aerodynamic drag of a conventional racer. Nissan was invited into the DeltaWing family by the existing group of core partners US-domiciled British designer Ben Bowlby, American motorsport entrepreneur Don Panoz, the All-American Racers organisation of former US Formula 1 driver Dan Gurney, Duncan Daytons two-time championship-winning Highcroft Racing team and Michelin Tyres North America.The engine, badged DIG-T (Direct Injection Gasoline Turbocharged), is expected to produce around 300hp, sufficient to give Nissan DeltaWing lap times between LMP1 and LMP2 machines at Le Mans, despite having only half the power of those conventional prototypes. It features the same technology found in Nissan road cars.As motor racing rulebooks have become tighter over time, racing cars look more and more similar and the technology used has had less and less relevance to road car development. Nissan DeltaWing aims to change that. DeltaWing embodies a vast number of highly-innovative ideas that Nissan can learn from. Nissan DeltaWing concept originator and designer, Briton Ben Bowlby, said "Nissan has provided us with our first choice engine. Its a spectacular piece.We've got the engine of our dreams: its the right weight, has the right power and its phenomenally efficient. Nissan DeltaWing is unlike any other racing car currently on track.The driver sits well back in the car, almost over the rear axle and looks ahead down a long, narrow fuselage to narrow twin front tyres, specially created for the car by tyre partner Michelin.With a rear-mounted engine, the car has a strong rearward weight bias, which makes it highly manoeuvrable, while its light weight and slippery shape make it far more efficient.The Automobile Club de lOuest (ACO), organisers of the famous Le Mans 24 Hours, invited the car to run in this years race from Garage 56, the spot in the pitlane reserved for experimental cars.As it doesnt conform to any existing championship regulations. The first two Nissan DeltaWing drivers to be confirmed are British Sportscar racer Marino Franchitti and Nissans reigning FIA GT1 World Champion Michael Krumm.The car will make its first public demo laps at Sebring, Florida, at 12.30pm local time on Thursday, March 15.

Granted the recent resurgence in popularity of the station wagon is not always centred around the sleek and super-sexy end of the spectrum inhabited by the XF Sportbrake. But you can see there could be a business case for it. The Sportbrake is set to capitalise on the popularity of the XF sedan, the best thing to come out of Jag's Birmingham factory in a long time. Global Brand Director, Adrian Hallmark, said the XF epitomises the Jaguar sporting dynamic with its combination of innovative, seductive design and performance. "In the XF Sportbrake this is complemented by a no-compromise approach to practicality and versatility," he said. The XF Sportbrake is entirely new from the B-pillar backwards, endowing it with a very different aesthetic, exemplified by the tautly-drawn elegance of the side-window line and highlighted by its polished finish. The conjunction of flowing rear window graphic, rising waist and estate roofline lends the XF Sportbrake a dynamic, broad-shouldered stance. The design-led approach that created the XF Sportbrake's exterior has been achieved in tandem with the goal of maximising practicality. The extended roofline affords rear-seat passengers an additional 48mm of headroom and the seats offer both a 60:40 split fold function and integral ski hatch. Remote-fold levers inside the load-space opening allow the seats to be stowed flat quickly and easily, creating a cargo volume of up to 1675 litres. Befitting the XF Sportbrake's perfect balance between usability and beauty, it is powered exclusively by Jaguar's range of powerful, refined and efficient diesel engines, driving the rear wheels via an eight-speed automatic gearbox. The 2.2-litre engine is fitted with Jaguar's Intelligent Stop-Start system, making it the company's most efficient powertrain to date, while the 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 is available in two states of tune, with 202kW in the range-topping Diesel S. Jag says the Sportbrake is under review for the Australian market. "We're looking at the business case at present and establishing a pricing structure," boss Kevin Goult said. "Potentially we could see it here Q4 2012. We're still working on the pricing as this hasn't been confirmed for Australia from head office but we are hoping we'll only have a small percentage incremental for this vehicle, possibly around 7 per cent depending on trim level but further pricing information will be announced nearer launch. "We won't hold the car in stock in Australia, it'll be a retail order only at this time," Goult said.

We'll see three new entrants due to lob within the next 12 months, including Mercedes-Benz's new A-Class.It will be joined in the fray by Audi's new A3 and the new Volvo V40, a shorter, hatchback variant of the S60 sedan for want of a better description.All are five door hatchbacks with front wheel drive. BMW's stylistically challenged 1-Series is the only rear wheel drive. Although some manufacturers are reluctant to admit it, the main competition for all players is VW?s super popular Golf.CLEAN SHEETThe Benz is a clean sheet project having nothing at all in common with the previous A-Class mini people mover. That job has been ceded to the new Benz B-Class and it's an effective device for everyday family motoring. New A-Class is taking Benz in a totally new direction that will open up a wider and younger customer base to the three pointed star. Early kick-off price guesstimates are in the $35,000 range.DIGITAL NATIVESIt's a car precisely targeting the Gen Y and Xers (so called Digital Natives) replete with a full array of connectivity right down to being able to seamlessly hook up your iPad or iPhone to the in-car info/control system.It will be a smart phone on wheels offering a smooth transition from a digital lifestyle to a digital driving style. And get this, there's a virtual co-driver you can question or instruct to operate in-car functions.LOOKSThe stunning looker, which bears a remarkable similarity to the A Concept of 2011, will be made in Germany, Hungary and tellingly, China. And we can expect a few other variants built on the same front wheel drive platform (moving to all wheel drive when AMG gets its hands on A-Class).UNDER THE BONNETIt will be powered by a range of existing and a couple of new Benz turbo direct injection petrol and turbodiesel engines rated from 80kW through to 155kW with capacities ranging from 1.6 through to 2.1-litres. Benz hasn't confirmed it but a three door hatch variant should become available a little further down the track and possibly a drop top cabriolet.Benz's performance partner AMG has been enlisted to develop certain A-Class parts so they have intimate knowledge of the car already. The A250 Sport enjoys significant AMG input. New A-Class will be offered with six-speed manual and seven-speed dual clutch manumatic transmissions and all models will have auto stop/start to optimise fuel economy.Camtronic that alters valve lift in the petrol engines for peak efficiency will also make an appearance. An 'Eco' mode will be available to squeeze out the last kilometre in fuel economy if you drive carefully.ACRONYMS R USBenz won't hold back on the acronym features list either that will see the new baby Benz fitted with a speed limiter (Distronic), radar-based Collision Prevention Assist (CPA), Pre-Safe collision preparation and Lane Keeping Assist as well as Fatigue Alert and numerous other electronic driver and safety aids. They have filtered down from larger models as has the luxury inventory.STYLEIt has an assertive stance on the road with a masculine frontal appearance and deeply sculpted panels. The ride height is low and a striking "pointillist" style grille is available on some models. It looks ready to pounce from all angles and inside, the assertive, quality theme carries through with seats for four and a reasonable boot space.The dash is from funky town featuring an electroplated look to many surfaces and impressive audio and lighting spex. It rates a strong five stars in crash testing and boasts newly developed pedestrian safety technology. The multi-faceted headlights feature a bank of LEDs for daytime running, indicators and parking lights. It rates a low 0.26Cd for aerodynamic efficiency.VERDICTIf it goes as good as it looks the new A-Class could be a world beater. It has the potential to lift Mercedes-Benz to a new level with a wider audience and still maintain that prestige aura associated with the 110 year old automotive brand. We find out soon enough.

And the new Outlander will be bringing plenty of excitement when it arrives later this year with new engines, a totally new look, premium interior treatment and features and the availability later on of a plug-in hybrid 4WD version that uses a back up internal combustion engine.The new, lighter Outlander has a much smoother look something like a scaled down version of Ford's Territory mixed with the Mitsubishi Challenger.It's handsome from all angles and practical too with seven seat capacity and fold flat seats for improved load carrying capacity. The tailgate is one piece and is available with electric assistance.Rake and reach steering wheel adjustment makes an appearance as does dual zone climate control and optional xenon headlights. A rear vision monitor is likely in all Aussie spec' models while noise, vibration and harshness has been reduced for improved interior comfort levels.Safety equipment is more comprehensive and Mitsu' will offer new Outlander with sophisticated equipment such as adaptive cruise control, collision prevention that automatically applies the brakes and lane departure warning. It will be available with 2WD and 4WD with a choice of a 2.0-litre petrol engine or a 2.2-litre turbodiesel. The petrol has a five speed manual or CVT and is good for 110kW/195Nm output. It replaces the previous 2.4-litre four cylinder petrol (and the 3.0-litre V6 petrol).The turbodiesel is good for 110kW and 360Nm in six-speed auto form and 110kW/380Nm in six-speed manual. All Outlanders have auto stop and go to optimise city fuel economy.The big news is the Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) model which uses an electric drive engine for each axle and an internal combustion engine as a generator or EV motor assist through three drive modes."Pure" uses the electric motors alone for propulsion. "Series" uses the twin electric motors for 4WD and the internal combustion engine as support while "Parallel"? uses the internal combustion engine for front wheel drive and the two electrics for 4WD.It's said to be super fuel efficient and offers strong performance over a wide operating range. No price details are yet available.

We turn the spotlight on the car world's newest and brightest stars as we ask the questions to which you want the answers. But there's only one question that really needs answering  would you buy one?What is it?This is the drop-top version of Renault's Megane small car complete with retractable hard top (glass) and seats for four. Decent boot too.How much?The price is $45,990 but the Summer Edition adds 18-inch alloys and charcoal leather upholstery, normally $3300 extraWhat are competitors? VW Golf convertible though it's a soft top, VW Eos at more money, perhaps the BMW 1-series convertible, Mini Cabrio, Peugeot 308CC.What's under the bonnet?It gets a 2.0-litre, petrol twin cam four pot with 103kW/195Nm output driving the front wheels via a CVT auto. The engine passes Euro 5 emissions regs and prefers to drink 98 octane fuel.How does it go?OK as long as you are prepared to exercise the right foot and ignore the slurring CVT transmission. Performance would best be described as adequate, not sporty by any stretch of the imagination.Is it economical?Renault claims around 8.1-litres/100km but we couldn't get that because it has to be driven harder than expected.Is it green?Gets a Euro 5 endorsement so top of the tree. Can't comment about other aspects of Megane's "green-ness" but undoubtedly nearly totally recyclable.Is it safe?Gets a five star Euro NCAP crash rating _ top of the tree again.Is it comfortable?In the two front seats yes, in the driver's seat more so thanks to electric adjustment and heating. The leather is a welcome addition as are the Arkamys premium audio, Bluetooth and audio streaming, electric parking brake, dual zone aircon, audio connection box, wind deflector and hands free entry/ignition systems. There's plenty of kit to keep you comfy and entertained.What's it like to drive?Not too bad actually, with a supple ride, well controlled, quiet and when booted along, pretty responsive. The turbo engine out of RS coupe would be excellent.Is it value for money?Against current competition yes, plenty of equipment, the 22 second retractable glass roof, daytime running lights, 18-inch alloys and plenty more.Would we buy one?Possibly if we wanted a tan (we don't). But if we were in the drop-top market, and didn't want a rip snorting performance model, a more relaxed drive, we's definitely have a look at the Megane CC.Price: from $45,990

Peugeot's RCZ 2+2 coupe is a striking car in the Audi TT idiom but with its own French flavour. The double-bubble rear screen is a stroke of styling genius as are the sweeping aluminium roof spars.PRICEAnd then there's the price advantage - all three RCZ variants are $54,990 with a generous amount of goodies. A diesel Audi TT will set you back nearly $70k albeit with all wheel drive.ENGINE AND MECHANICALSWe have been driving the 2.0-litre HDi turbo diesel six-speed manual - an interesting specification for a sports coupe but it works, delivering sporty performance and sharp handling. There's no cackling, popping exhaust as you get in the turbo petrol models but the car has other strengths - such as frugal 5.3-litres/100km fuel consumption. It means you can drive your diesel RCZ for a thousand kays without refuelling. Strong roll-on acceleration is also an endearing feature of the 2.0-litre diesel which runs a variable geometry turbo and high pressure injection on the way to delivering some 120kW/340Nm output. That's pretty lazy by latest gen' diesel standards but you really don't need any more poke than what is available. It's aided and abetted by the close-ratio six- speed manual box which works sweetly apart from the 5-6 upchange which is slightly offset. You can maximise fuel efficiency by paying attention to the car's gear change indicator but we achieved 5.3 without really trying. Emissions are reduced by an exhaust particle filter and safety is boosted by four air bags and sports calibrated stability control. It has decidedly sporty handling thanks to the wide track and well damped suspension which is an ideal compromise between sports firm and comfort soft.DESIGN AND EQUIPMENTIt's a beautifully built thing coming out of a factory in Austria complete with leather interior and a stylish yet functional dash.The test vehicle was equipped with optional JBL audio which rocks your world but generous standard equipment includes Bluetooth, premium, fully connected audio, chrome dash trim, alloy pedals, dual climate control and a heap of other goodies. Brakes and steering responses are of a high order. The test car's Directional bi-xenon headlights were among the best we have sampled and the hill start assist and park assist are handy to have.VERDICTWe liked driving this car. It's stylish, engaging, economical, goes great, is well equipped - and the right price.

It ran a close second in the 2011 Carsguide Car Of The Year contest which shouldn't have surprised anyone in the know. Volvo's S60 T4, the base model S60 (from $48,990), is a quality medium size sedan with strong performance and plenty of kit - oh, an it looks pretty hot too."Only" a 1.6-litre, turbo four cylinder  -- with variable cam timing and direct fuel injection which makes it good for 132Kw/240Nm. This translates into a highly satisfactory drive feel with plenty of poke underfoot and excellent roll on acceleration from speed. It also means the T4 sips fuel at around 7.2-litres/100km. The engine is smooth and quiet offering near silent highway cruising. It prefers premium unleaded but will run without protest on the low grade stuff. The thing that really makes the T4 is its six-speed dual-clutch "manumatic" transmission offering rapid fire gear changes that are barely perceptible. Plenty but also plenty of options if you want to exercise your writing hand. As it stands you get leather upholstery, excellent audio, Bluetooth, pollen filter, heated seats, multi function trip computer, cruise, wheel controls and push button start/stop (which we could do without - unnecessary).Gets a five star rating but goes well and truly above and beyond the call of duty with clever stuff like City Safety. And if you have a sneezy disposition, the entire car is made with hypoallergenic materials.This is the final T4 instalment as it goes home soon but the experience has been illuminating convincing us that you don't need a large or even medium capacity engine to get strong performance. The 1.6 in the T4 is a crackerjack offering performance that won't disappoint even enthusiastic drivers and then rewards backs up with light fuel consumption.The audio in this car is not intuitive and some might find it a challenge to use. Simple dials are a better bet we reckon. The boot is large, the cabin is roomy and it looks great.Volkswagen's impressive Passat 118TSi is a direct competitor - at a lower price but it doesn't quite have the same "cache" as the S40.

Price cuts always go down well with buyers and the new Honda Civic sedan benefits from a fairly hefty price cut while gaining more kit into the bargain. How does Honda do it? The previous entry level Civic VTi started at $22,490 while the new ``entry level’’ VTi-L Civic, a much better equipped car, starts at $20,490. It must be the result of productivity improvements and we like it -- a lot.But new Civic is hardly a technology tour-de-force rather, it is a repository for fairly old-school stuff that includes a single overhead camshaft engine, a five-speed fluid automatic (no DSGs here thank you), port instead of direct fuel injection and nothing sexy like keyless entry/ignition or even satnav at this point in time. Diesel engines? Wot?Engine stop/start is only fitted to the Hybrid Civic which is perhaps the most advanced model in the new line-up, now with a lithium ion battery and a more electric-only drive bias.Civic sedan comes out of Japan for the time being with Thai production expected to resume about June this year. We get three grades starting with the well specified VTi-L, rising to the Sport in five-speed auto only for $32,990 and then up to Hybrid at $35,990 with CVT only. It is sharp pricing by anyone’s measure. And Honda has been generous with equipment with the all models scoring intelligent multi-information display, automatic climate control, cruise control, Honda’s clever ECON driving mode with drive coaching instruction, integrated Bluetooth phone and audio streaming, multi media connectivity and steering wheel mounted controls. Civic Sport adds leather upholstery, an electric sunroof, 17-inch alloys and auto wipers. The UK five door hatch arrives later this year to complete the new Civic line-up.It’s an evolution of the previous model in what Honda calls a monoform design using  a MIM (Man Maximum, Machine Minimum) philosophy. By that we deduce it’s been space-optimised inside with a compact underbonnet area and a large boot.The arcing roofline remains and the front has a distinct Honda Odyssey look . The rear looks to have been influenced by Subaru’s Impreza sedan. But it’s not offensive even though ``over conservative’’ springs to mind.The interior is in a similar vein – nothing too avant-garde here. It’s a rework of the previous model with a crescent-shaped instrument pod capped with a digital speedo. The tones are grey on grey or brown on brown, and the switches are generic Japanese.Though it’s not up with its competitor’s powertrain technology Civic sedan does have some decent stuff on board notably the audio and trip computer. It’s fully wired for connectivity and uses some sophisticated interventionist safety systems to maintain stability and a chosen line.We were surprised by the ECON drive system that was barely detectable even though it changes throttle response, auto gear changes and the airconditioning.Technology changes are more extensive on the Hybrid model which now uses the engine as a generator some of the time. Friction has been reduced in key areas including the lighter electric drive motor and there’s better harvesting of regenerative electricity. The second generation lithium ion battery has three times the capacity of the previous Hybrid Civic. Hybrid Civic also scores extensive aerodynamic enhancements to aid fuel economyThere are two petrol engines, both single cam units in 1.8-litre for VTi-L that’s good for 104kW and 174 Nm, a 2.0-litre for the Sport good for 114kW and 190Nm and the Hybrid which gets a 1.5-litre petrol four and a electric boost motor. We haven’t got our head around how hybrids are rated  but Honda says the Civic Hybrid has 82kW and 172Nm.If you want a manual it’s got to be the six-speed VTi-L – only. A five-speeed auto is offered on VTi-L and is the only choice in Sport. Hybrid has a CVT which was surprisingly good to drive.Civic sedan scores a five star ANCAP rating thanks to its six air bags, stability control, strong body/chassis construction much of which is in hi-tensile steel and neck injury mitigating seats.Pedestrian safety rates highly thanks to an energy absorbing bonnet, break away wipers, steeply raked windscreen and other devices.We got a steer of all three new Civics in mostly city and urban areas though there was a short country road stretch of a few kilometres. The Hybrid is a good drive offering smooth and strong engine response and minimal fuel consumption expected to be in the 4.5-litres/100km area. It’s not really an engaging drive but fulfils its task as a general runabout well. There’s plenty of kit inside, it has a decent boot and comfy seats though none of the new Civics has lumbar adjustment.The VTi-l is a good thing offering decent performance that’s accessible and smoothly delivered. Like other Hondas, it likes to rev and goes better when it is. Handling is best described as ``mainstream’’ – definitely not sporty but a good for mixed driving.It’s surprisingly refined inside with minimal noise intrusion or engine noise. Throttle response is good from most engine revs and the five speed auto is accurately geared for the engine’s power and torque.But we preferred the Sport because it has more of everything, leather, bigger 17-inch alloys and a sharper rasp to the exhaust. Still the same ride/handling feel though and same (electric) steering.All autos get paddle gearshift which works a treat. We really like the multi function wheel which offers controls for cruise, audio, trip computer, phone and the paddles.There’s adequate rar seat legroom for adults and even with the sunroof, plenty of head room inside the Sport. We like the ECON mode but the hard dash is disappointing though it looks OK. In the Sport we ticked over 6.4-litres/100km – impressive.