Articles by Peter Barnwell

It's Volvo's stated aim to reduce the capacity of its engines to cut fuel use and emissions while at the same time improve performance.

Alfa is up against it in the performance tiddler class with its Mito TCT squaring up against the Volkswagen Polo GTi. Apart from selling for thousands of dollars less, the Polo GTi comprehensively out muscles the Alfa Mito while offering a similar level of equipment. Mito Sport TCT retails for $34,990 while the Polo GTi is $27,790.TECHNOLOGYThe Polo has 132kW versus the Mito at 99kW. It has 250Nm versus the Mito at 230Nm. It has a seven speed double clutch transmission versus the Mito's six speed double clutch unit. It would be a struggle for an Alfa dealer against this level of competition. But perhaps Mito buyers are what are called "Alfisti" — enthusiasts for the brand who have eyes only for an Alfa. They will probably go for the Mito TCT regardless.DESIGNIt's a cute looker that's for sure with a face that looks a bit like artist Edvard Munch's painting "The Scream." The pert rear end shares no styling cues with any other car and is topped off by dual exhaust tips and a pair of LED tail lights. Mito TCT gains auto stop/start which switches off the engine at the lights or when you come to a stop then starts it as soon as you lift off the foot brake. It's designed to save fuel and contributes to Mito TCT's 5.5-litres/100km — slightly better than the Polo GTi at 6.1. It comes with what Alfa calls DNA — multi drive modes for Dynamic, Normal or All weather responses.DRIVINGHandling is OK to a point spoiled by steering backlash on bumpy corners. The interior is stylish and functional but the driving position is strange unless you have short legs and long arms. The stop/start system has too much lag before re-igniting the engine at times leaving you high and dry and we came to grief with the hill holder function a couple of times on a steep hill — it didn't work.We can't understand why anyone would want this car in any mode other than Dynamic because the other modes feel like there is a sock in the intake. The engine is unusual in that it doesn't have an inlet camshaft, instead, it uses oil-activated solenoids to open and close the valves with wide variability. The thing is, Mito TCT has the lowest power output of all the Mito models. Others get 114kW up to 125kW. We'd go the standard manual Mito thanks.ALFA MITO TCTPrice: from $32,990Engine: 1.4-litre direct injection Outputs 99kW/230NmTransmission:seven speed double clutch transmissionBody: Three-door hatchEconomy: 5.5-litres/100kmWarranty: Three-years/100,000km

When it comes to a work truck, you don't want one with the two-tone paint, leather seats, 18-inch alloys and deluxe canopy, you want something like the new Mitsubishi Triton Club Cab. Wally the worker on wheels. It's a workhorse with the advantage of fold down (flip up) rear seats when you need to take a couple more bods to a job.Club Cab is based on the Triton GLX single cab but with more room behind the seats and the trademark upward curving floor line of the longer wheelbase Tritons. You get steel dish wheels with chunky rubber, a full size spare under the load tray.TECHNOLOGYThere's selectable 4WD with low and high range by dash dial, a five-speed manual `box and Triton's impressive 2.5-litre, turbodiesel four cylinder with a whopping 131kW/400Nm output. It's a corker of an engine with more than decent acceleration and incredible pulling power while sipping an average of 8.1 litres/100km on the combined driving cycle. We achieved much better cruising on the highway at the speed limit.DESIGNSeating for four is provided by individual front buckets and the aforementioned flip-up rears which have a vertical backrest - for a short hop only.It's easy to get into the back because the front seats fold and slide out of the way. A console is provided between the front seats containing a lidded storage box and two cup holders.The handbrake is a lever pull from the console replacing the unloved under dash umbrella handle sometimes used. Plenty of storage compartments dot the cabin - in the doors and in the dash.Club Cab scores plenty of kit too for the $38,990 asking price including a surprisingly good audio system, power windows, doorlocks with remote locking/unlocking, power mirrors and air conditioning. There's even a decent trip computer and enough seat adjustment to find a comfortable driving position.PAYLOADBut the real attraction of this ute apart from its style, 4WD system and terrific engine is the long tray measuring 1805mm that's capable of taking up to 1057kg in pickup form or 1192kg in cab/chassis form. Safety is well covered with dual front air bags but stability control is optional.The heavy duty suspension is up for any task and isn't so hard as to be uncomfortable unladen. We would like to see a six-speed `box but the five provided is pretty good apart from a big jump between 4th-5th cogs. And that 5 year/130,000km warranty is hard to overlook.Mitsubishi Triton GLX Club CabPrice: $38,990Warranty: 5 year/130,000kmSafety equipment: Dual front airbags, ABS, ASC, ATC, Smart brakeCrash rating: 4 stars ANCAPEngine:  2.5L 4 cylinder intercooled-turbo diesel engineBody: Pick up and cab chassis.Dimensions: Length 5040mm, width 1750mm, height 1775mmWeight: 2750Tyres: 16” x 7” steel wheels (245/70R16 tyres

BMW's X1 isn't going to have the compact, premium SUV segment all to itself with the imminent arrival of Audi's striking new Q3, a stablemate to Q5 and Q7.

In case you've been hibernating, there's a wave of fuel saving and emissions reduction technology coming through in new cars.

... some buyers are actually taking advantage of their "softroader's" off-road capability by venturing - well, off road. Plenty are suburban tractors all their lives but some actually get dirty. And there's a growing trend for women to get into the bush and go four wheel driving. Plenty of women are taking the big, stump jumping, mud plugging, bush bashing family 4WD "truck"  but a growing number are departing the bitumen in "sensible off roaders" like the Nissan X-Trail, a dual purpose vehicle that is eminently capable off the beaten track (not the 2WD model). X-Trail is hovering around the top of the segment in sales and has been here for a decade and through four re-vamps. Some 113,000 have been sold. There is a bewildering range of them available with front wheel drive 2.0-litre petrol power and 4x4 in 2.5 petrol and 2.0-litre turbo diesel. Add in four or five specification grades and auto (CVT and six speed) and six-speed manual transmission and you get the picture. There's an X-Trail for just about everybody. Compact SUVs and the X-Trail in particular lend themselves to occasional off road driving in moderate conditions because they are simple to drive and feature locking 4x4 mode as well as on-demand 4x4. On demand uses sensors that detect wheel slip on the driven front wheels to channel drive to the rear wheels as well. It is an OK system but does have some drawbacks which is why the locking 4x4 mode is so handy off road. The X-Trail uses an electronic system to switch from front wheel to all wheel drive and it's quite adept. But better still on the new models is hill descent control, hill start assist and other features to make off road driving easy. The new autos are great for the dirt because they are adaptive - meaning they change the way they operate to suit driving conditions, and a driver can keep both hands on the wheel all the time with an auto. Definitely an advantage off road. X-Trail has 212mm of ground clearance and a comfortable and supple suspension that capably isolates rough roads. The 11.0 metre turning circle is acceptable but the steep approach and departure angles are impressive. Some state governments foster off road driving courses tailored for various groups including women. The focus is put on a range of skills and knowledge needed to successfully and safety drive off road. Things like: 4WD characteristics and handling. Pre-departure checks. Steep ascents and descents. Side slopes. Basic navigation. Water crossings. Negotiating all types of terrain. Recovery equipment. It's all good clean fun and has been designed to have as light a footprint on the environment as possible. Get going.

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 ultimate Ford Performance Vehicle currently available in Australia, soon to be supplanted by the HO version allegedly with 375kW (500hp).How much?Gulp! $81,540 plus on roads.What are the competitors?HSV GTS and Chrysler 300C SRT8, the latter soon to get more cubes and power.What's under the bonnet?A supercharged, 5.0-litre, DOHC, V8 petrol engine cranking out a claimed 335kW/570Nm through a choice (no additional cost) of six-speed manual or six- speed auto to the rear wheels.How does it go?Whooshdah - quick and fast though the hugely overgeared top cogs in the manual drive car were useless for anything other than lazy cruising.Is it economical?Not really, driven carefully you might see 12s, driven with verve you'll see 30s.Is it green?Not really, especially consuming that much juice. There's gonna be plenty of gas coming out the quad exhaust pipes.Is it safe?Gets a five star crash rating in line with garden variety Falcon - a distant relative.Is it comfortable?Surprisingly so, infact, possibly too comfortable at the expense of sporty dynamics. The softish suspension lets the big, weighty GT-P porpoise about on undulating roads when driven moderately quickly. Needs two modes - comfort and sport. Adjustable seats are great and there's oodles of kit inside to make you happy.What's it like to drive?Disappointing because of the soft suspension and weight. It's a big porker and the boundaries are clearly established as soon as you press a tad too hard. Though "bi-modal" the exhaust note isn't stirring like, say, a Benz C63AMG but the whirring supercharger is pretty cool. Brakes and steering are OK, needs wider tyres to cope with the weight and engine output. We'd go for the auto because the top two cogs wouldn't be as useless as they are on the manual.Is it value for money?Not really, none of this type of car is. FPV crams it full of luxury goodies to try and cover the price but it needs to be a sharper scalpel, not a big axe with a dumb ignition key AND push button starter.Would we buy one?We'd go for the FPV F6 turbo, something sporty from Europe or a turbo rice burner.Ford FPV GT-POVERALL RATING

We turn the spotlight on automotive's newest and brightest stars. But ultimately, would we buy it with our own hard earned?What is it?This is Volvo's mainstream ultra economy car, not hybrid, not electric, not fuel cell or anything whacky - just smart engineering and technology designed to cut fuel use without compromising feel and performance. It's based on the cute three-door C30.How much?Priced at $36,990, DRIVe was upgraded recently with an extra cog in the gearbox - now six manual, park assist, quality audio and Bluetooth audio and phone among other goodies.What are the competitors? Lexus CT200h, Golf Bluemotion though it's larger, Honda Insight, Ford Fiesta ECOnetic perhapsWhat's under the bonnet?Runs a 1.6-litre, twin cam, turbodiesel delivering a useful 84kW/270Nm output. Has six-speed manual transmission driving the front wheels complete with auto stop/start for city driving fuel savings.How does it go?Really well, much better than expected though off the line seems torque restricted. Slip it into second and away she goes. That 270Nm is good to surf out on the freeway where the DRIVe can show a clean pair of rear tyres to plenty of other vehicles. Ride and handling have a sporty edge.Is it economical?Incredible. We saw better than the claimed 3.9-litres/100km on a steady highway run. Our average turned out to be 4.1-litres/100km which means a potential range of 1260km on one 52-litre tank.Is it `Green?'Yes, gets a 3.5 star ratingIs it safe?Yes gets a five star rating.Is it comfortable?Very, offers well shaped seats and relatively quiet interior with plenty of kit for the money though there are numerous options. What you get standard is all you really need as it includes a decent audio, climate control, remote lock, auto dim rear view mirror, good trip computer and steering wheel controls.What's it like to drive?Enjoyed the experience because we weren't expecting it to be as competent, even the stop/start is easy to use once you get used to it. That little engine has plenty of kick despite being optimised for economy which usually dulls an engine right down.Is it value for money?Shapes up pretty well against a wide range of cars built around a similar philosophy if not engineering. The Ford Fiesta Ecoetic is a clear winner on price but the C30 is a better drive and has more prestige value. Would you really want a Prius or Insight...Would we buy one?Absolutely. We hate going to the servo and the DRIVe offers more than just fuel efficiency even if it does have naff alloys.Volvo C30 DRIVeEngine: Diesel, 1.6-litre, 4-cylinder turbocharged, dohc; with stop-startPower: 80kW @ 4000rpm.Torque: 250Nm @ 1750rpm.Transmission: Five-speed manual; front-wheel-drive.Fuel consumption: 3.8 litres/100km.CO2 emissions: 99g/km.Dimensions: 4266mm long, 1782mm wide.

Don't you love the way Holden's PR machine handles bad news - namely the possible end of a locally designed Commodore - by preceding it with good news the day before. In this case it was a feel good yarn about the restoration of the first 48-215 Holden, built in 1948 and owned by legendary BHP boss Essington Lewis. Clever, but we saw straight through it. Cynics might suggest Holden is simply kite flying to see how much heat a possible end of local large car production might bring. And there's been plenty already from all quarters, including government and unions. Is it pure chance that Ford is hinting at something similar in a similar time frame - canning local production of Aussie designed (and built) six cylinder rear wheel drive sedans to be replaced by rejigged front wheel drive American imports. In Holden's case the donor country could even be Korea. After Mitsubishi's "death by a thousand cuts'' withdrawal from local production, could we be seeing the start of a protracted strategic withdrawal from Ford and Holden - a PR campaign aimed at letting us down slowly (but surely). Or is it a case of sabre rattling to scare up more subsidies. Neither Holden nor Ford would be happy with the Federal Government when the Green Car Fund was boned. It was essentially a bribe paid to the Australian car industry to maintain car production in this country. The Green Car sweetener cost tax payers tens of millions of dollars for which they get Aussie jobs. Naturally, all profits are repatriated to parent companies in the US and Japan.

It took them long enough — decades infact before Mercedes-Benz decided to produce a C-Class Coupe to fit in under CLK and compete with the hugely popular BMW 3-Series CoupeUNDERPINNINGSThe Benz Coupe builds on C-Class sedan sharing the same powertrains and underpinnings, sometimes slightly changed or modified to suit the two door's sportier nature. In its quest to deliver a sporty coupe, Benz didn't take its eye off safety or environmental concerns.EQUIPMENTIt has equipped the svelte newcomer with no fewer than eleven air bags backing a veritable arsenal of primary and secondary safety equipment. Helping the planet is auto stop/start and Bluefficiency technology across the entire range to cut emissions and fuel consumption.All but the entry level C180 score a glass roof with integrated sunroof, numerous driver assist aids and a rear view camera. Option packages will boost Lane Tracking or Driver Assist but neither is really necessary such is the level of standard equipment.STYLEThe car cuts a fine profile and looks handsome from every angle sharing the assertive nose from the new CLS and an arcing roofline together with a wedge-shaped side profile and big doors. Is it as good looking as the BMW? Unequivocally yes it is.DRIVINGWe drove the C250CDi — turbodiesel with a 2.1-litre four cylinder engine good for 150kW/500Nm — seen on numerous other Benz models. In this guise, it's good for 5.1-litres/100km fuel economy and sporty performance capable of clocking a 0-100kmh sprint in 7.0 seconds. But roll-on acceleration is the real story — read strong — V8 strong.This engine is a gem, a little noisy at times but with all that grunt and such a frugal thirst who's not going to love it. The seven-speed auto transmission capably harnesses engine output, adds its own flavour and a paddle shift function to go with auto stop/start.HOW MUCHThe price is $69,990 but the good thing is you don't have to pay Luxury Car Tax because the 250CDi comes in under the 7.0-litres/100km tax plimsol line. Sweet.VERDICTIt's a superb thing to drive, sporty, punchy, stable, safe, controlled and luxurious. Safety is of the highest order and there's room inside for four plus a large boot.