Articles by Philip King

The new Golf-based Scirocco isn't actually very new. As a nameplate, Scirocco has been around since the 1970s and pre-dates even the Golf. But Australian buyers have spent decades lusting after the small coupe in vain.Until now. This model has been on sale in Europe since 2008 but arrives here, mid-lifecycle, for the first time. In the past, Volkswagen was concerned that the Scirocco would hit three-door Golf sales - or vice versa. The Scirocco is a Golf coupe, in effect, and the two models share engineering.So it has compromised. Only the top-spec Scirocco R is offered and the three-door Golf R has been deleted to make room. The Golf GTI still comes as a three-door or five.VALUEThe Scirocco R sits between those two go-fast Golfs on price and performance. It has the same 188kW turbocharged four-cylinder as the R but lacks its all-wheel drive, instead directing power to the front wheels only, like the GTI. It costs about $5000 more than a GTI but is $2500 more affordable than a Golf R.Aside from other Volkswagens, European performance three-doors under $50,000 are thin on the ground. Its closest rivals are a Mini Cooper S or a Renault Megane RS250. Both are desirable and slightly cheaper.DESIGNThere's less flamboyance about the Scirocco, although it's impossible to dislike its cultured Teutonic curves. Inside, it's as dark and sober a cabin as we've come to expect from Volkswagen, enlivened here and there by pleasing details, including a great wheel. The upholstery disdains the leather usually offered at this level for two-tone micro-fibre sports seats.The fronts tilt-slide for access to the back, where there's enough room for two adults although they sit a bit skewed because the rear seats are set inboard. The headrests need cut-outs to avoid obstructing rear vision. It's adequate, but forward sight is compromised through corners by extremely thick A-pillars.DRIVEThere were corners aplenty on the drive this week into the Victorian Alps, which turned on torrential rain and thick fog. It was an unwelcome test, but showed the car would be a podium chance at the winter Olympics. It lapped up the wet roads without missing a beat, holding its line through corners with unexpected levels of sureness. Against the odds, given the conditions, it was an enjoyable drive.The accurate steering makes it easy to place on the road and even though it isn't the most tactile relationship with the front wheels, you get a sense of what they're doing. I was left wondering whether the all-wheel drive in the Golf R was worth the extra cost. Removing the all-wheel-drive components mean the Scirocco is 125kg lighter than the Golf R and it felt lighter and more agile.This is partly thanks to a differential that works with the electronic stability control to selectively brake the inside wheel during hard cornering. The Scirocco also gets an adaptive suspension system as standard, with three modes from comfort to sport. Its wider track and larger 19-inch standard wheels also help, but I had doubts about what they would do for the ride quality. Even on the surprisingly good surfaces in Victoria's High Country, the ride could get fidgety. And noisy, with too much tyre roar.On pure straight line pace, the Golf R still has an edge. They share the same direct-injection turbocharged 2.0-litre with identical power and torque figures except for a slightly broader torque band in the hatchback. The Golf R's superior all-wheel drive traction allows it to overcome its weight disadvantage and sprint more quickly to 100km/h, by 0.3 seconds. In practice, they both feel respectably quick and the Scirocco DSG -- at 6.0s to the limit -- is almost a second quicker than the Golf GTI.This unit has an addictive mid-range that seems to go for ever and it's very flexible, so third gear is often low enough even for slow-speed corners. It pulls strongly uphill and doesn't even sound too bad for a turbocharged four, which can be a bit industrial on the ear.What it loses in pace, the Scirocco gains in efficiency with an idle-stop system making it easier on fuel. Unusually these days the manual, at 8.1 litres per 100km, slightly outperforms the six-speed double-clutch automatic. Since this engine requires 98RON, any margin is worthwhile and the gearbox has a neat action.VERDICTOf course, coupes mean compromise. You won't be able to load up at Ikea quite like you can in a Golf. It's a small price to pay. With the Scirocco, Volkswagen has a winner.

I've never been to a bullfight and perhaps that's why something in the logic of Lamborghini's naming policy escapes me.The Aventador, its new supercar, follows previous Lambos by taking the name of a famous fighting bull.The original Aventador went “into battle in October 1993 at the Saragossa Arena, earning the Trofeo de la Pena La Madronera, for its outstanding courage''. Apparently.Courageous, no doubt, but of course, doomed. No amount of horned bravado is going to save it from the bloke in a Lady Gaga outfit with a long shiny blade. I'm pretty sure bulls are on the wrong side of the longest losing streak in history.Humans barracking for bulls have noticed these odds and protested. According to a survey last year, 60 per cent of Spaniards were opposed and as a result Barcelona held its last fight a little while ago after Catalonia implemented a ban.So the Aventador is named after a dead bovine from a spectacle increasingly out of tune with the times. You can't help wondering whether Lamborghini has its branding strategy quite right. Supercars already feel like a threatened species. Are we about to witness their heroic last stand?Thankfully, no. The Aventador doesn't feel like the last of the line; far from it. This is a supercar from the future that's just beamed in, Star Trek-style. It's been designed by Darth Vader and has the latest warp drive. It's boldly going where no supercar has gone before.VALUEThe Aventador has a price as stratospheric as its ability - and an increasing number of rivals, even at this level -- but Lamborghini is emphatically bullish about sales. It has 1500 orders already and no sign of flagging despite the economic storm on the horizon. There's already an 18-month waiting list.DESIGNWith its arrowhead styling the Aventador is a stealth fighter without the stealth; it could probably avoid radar detection but you'll never miss it on the road. The Aventador is the first series production car to employ this design language after it was used for two special editions: the Reventon, a version of the Murcielago, and the Sesto Elemento, a fully carbon fibre version of the Gallardo.Upward opening doors have been a signature of Lamborghini flagships since the Countach and they are reappear here. They swivel up and you limbo-dance in. Ahead are virtual dials from the deck of the Enterprise, a start button under a hinged red cover and lots more angular surfaces. Anyone familiar with top-shelf Audis will know the buttons are not bespoke, but there's nothing off-key.TECHNOLOGYLike almost everything else on the Aventador, the transmission is new and Lamborghini developed its own robotised seven-speed system rather than take existing technology from its Volkswagen parent. It came up with a system it calls Independent Shifting Rod, which is lighter and more compact than the double-clutch transmissions becoming ubiquitous on performance cars. It's also very quick, banging up or down through gears in 50 milliseconds in track mode. Even in strada, response feels instantaneous.The suspension, with double wishbones all round, employs the pushrod design favoured by racing cars. Positioned inboard, it's lighter and more compact than the Murcielago's while delivering better comfort and dynamics, Lamborghini says. Tyres are 19-inch at the front, 20 at the rear and house huge carbon ceramic brakes. At the front they measure 400mm and are gripped by six pistons.They can rein in the Aventador from 100km/h in just 30m, which means they are incredibly effective. It feels like it, too, with short braking zones for some corners and you're playing with fire if you don't brake in a straight line. Like the Murcielago, the Aventador has electronically controlled air intakes that adjust automatically, as well a rear spoiler that rises as speed requires then changes its angle of attack.DRIVINGI've travelled to Sepang racetrack, Malaysia, to sample the car for the first time. There are a lot more motoring journalists here than cars, so it's two laps of the track and heavily shepherded ones at that. A Gallardo, Lamborghini's junior supercar, acts as pace car with a pro driver at the wheel.Seeing an Aventador alongside a Gallardo brings home how extreme it is. Only in this context could a Gallardo look as tall as a people-mover and as intimidating as Play School. The Aventador is Commodore-long but a scant 1.1m high. If it wasn't more than 2m wide you could step over it. There's only time to acquaint myself with bits relevant to piloting the car around 15 corners and 5.5km. It's get in and get going.The acceleration is more linear and less dramatic than expected but utterly relentless. The naturally aspirated 6.5-litre unit behind the cabin is Lambo's first new V12 in decades. The Murcielago, its predecessor, wrung more and more out of the previous engine until there was nothing left to give. This starts beyond that level with 515kW at 8250rpm, which is high revving in anybody's language and spectacular for a V12.It likes to rev, too, and is good for a top speed of 350km/h. On the track, I'm well into triple figures before I realise because it takes just 2.9 seconds to reach 100km/h. Floor it and you're flying into the next corner quicker than you expect. Not that I'm looking at the speedo. There isn't time.Mid-corner grip, with its huge rubber, all-wheel-drive and differentials everywhere, feels off the scale although I'm testing it only when I get something not quite right, such as the line into a corner. As speed rises and falls, surfaces and intakes on the car are responding.Corners are quick too, although with fairly pronounced weight transfer from one side of the car to the other in rapid direction changes. This may be because I made the mistake of obeying instructions and leaving the suspension settings in strada, when sport or track would have been more appropriate. A colleague with a rebellious streak chose sport and said the car's weight evaporated. Not that it's all that heavy anyhow.The Aventador sheds 90kg compared with the Murcielago and it's certainly light for its size. Lamborghini has made the entire passenger cell from carbon fibre -- one of few cars to do so, along with the new McLaren -- and despite its city-block footprint weighs just 1575kg dry. Carbon fibre is stronger and stiffer than equivalent aluminium or steel structures and as a result the Aventador is 1 1/2 times more rigid than the Murcielago.Two laps go in blur of impressions. There's something otherworldly about the Aventador. It transports the driver to a place where ordinary sensations of speed and performance no longer apply. As intimidating as anything you can buy, it takes supercars to the next level and my senses and reflexes haven't had time to adjust. It feels less feral than the Murcielago but has the technology and performance to back its menacing looks.If there's a surprise, it's the relative lack of drama in the way it goes about its business. From pitlane, watching cars race down the straight, it was the Gallardo pace car that made a more appealing sound. I was expecting a bit more fury from the Aventador. A bit more snorting histrionics, a bit more scraping of hooves. What it declares loudly though, is that the supercar has a lot of life in it yet.VERDICTFlagship Lamborghinis come along about once every 10 years, so it will be some time before it needs to find a name for the next one. By then, bullfighting could be history and Lamborghini will be left with a dilemma. But as long as there are still supercars to name, they can call them what they like.LAMBORGHINI AVENTADOR LP700-4Price: $754,600 plus on-road costsEngine: 6.5-litre V12Outputs: 515kW at 8250rpm and 690Nm at 5500rpmTransmission: Seven-speed robotised manual, all-wheel driveLAMBORGHINI'S 12 ANGRY CYLINDERS350GT (1964-66), 3.5-litre V12. 160 builtMiura (1966-72), 3.9-litre V12. 764 builtCountach (1974-90), 3.9-litre (later 5.2) V12. 2042 builtDiablo (1991-2001), 5.7-litre V12. 2884 builtMurcielago (2001-10), 6.2-litre V12. 4099 built

The Range Rover Evoque is part of a response to the green backlash against SUVs, which saw parent company Land Rover singled out in Britain for direct eco-action.

Someone in the executive corridors of BMW rejoices in the deliciously James Bondesque title of head of M. That's the loose English translation, of course; in German it's a long word with at least 20 consonants.But it would have to be one of the most coveted jobs in the company because they get to sign off on cars that have become synonymous with desirability and performance. M is BMW's tuner division, responsible for hotted-up versions of its mainstream models. It has been around for 40 years and began life as the company's motorsport specialist. But it cut its retail teeth on the M3 and M5, fast versions of the 3 Series and 5 Series. The original M3, from 1986, is still hailed as a landmark and each new version eagerly awaited.But the 3 Series has grown through the years and today's M3 is as big as the first M5. So a few years ago BMW introduced a 1 Series, which by 2007 included a Coupe. It's the least-odd looking of the 1 Series variants and has been crying out for the M treatment.VALUEHappily, that car has now arrived. BMW says the 1 Series M Coupe revives the recipe that made the original M3 so successful: light weight, two doors, just the right amount of power and a focus on dynamic ability. There's a fair bit of spin in that picture, of course. In reality, even the 1 Series M Coupe is bigger and heavier than the 1986 car. But it does two things remarkably well.First, it delivers on the promise of performance and handling. And, second, it lowers the price of entry for this level of performance. Nothing else with a sub-$100,000 price offers four seats, luxury fittings and a 0-100km/h time below five seconds or 4.9 to be exact. That puts it in Porsche territory, but it's substantially cheaper than a Cayman. And although the Audi TT RS is quicker, it's another $37,000.DESIGNIn other respects, it's a sports car you could live with. There are rear seats and a 370-litre boot. The front seats are comfortable and supportive, the steering wheel meaty and BMW dials are among the best. There's no evidence of BMW's previous cabin missteps and the Alcantara trim with contrast stitching could come from something more expensive. BMW has even cut its usually punitive options list and fitted a decent level of kit, including sat nav, alarm, and Harman Kardon sound.If you can live with the restricted colour palette - white, black or orange - the 1 M may stop some buyers looking for a used M3. A new M3 is another $55,000.TECHNOLOGYThe 1 M engine is already familiar from the Z4 35is roadster: This direct-injection twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre straight-six revs to 7000rpm and has an overboost function that helps achieve its impressive acceleration. It also delivers maximum torque from just 1500rpm so it's driveable around town.There's little turbo lag to speak of, but sometimes between 2000-3000rpm the turbos give a little shove to an otherwise linear power delivery. The only transmission is a six-speed manual with a sweet action and a third gear that copes with everything from 40km/h dawdling through to a 150km/h blatt.DRIVEWhere conditions allow, of course - which in this case was the Broadford circuit in Victoria, BMW was shrewd enough to line up a 135i for laps as well. The 135i starts about $25,000 below the 1 M and, with the right options, has almost as much power. It's a terrific car on the road, but driven back-to-back against the new car shows just what the M division can do.The 1 M is a delight on the track and immediately inspires confidence with its composure. The front just grips and follows the steering line, then it stays impressively flat and balanced. By comparison, the 135i felt too willing to understeer and a little rattled by Broadford's off-camber corners. It had the power -- it was boosted to 240kW, just 10kW shy of the 1 M - but couldn't exploit it with the same authority.The suspension on the 1 M comes from the M3 and the wheel arches have been widened to fit the wider track. There's a differential lock on the rear axle and within 19-inch alloys the brakes are bigger too. On most cars, the brakes are one of the first things to pack up on a track. Here, their stopping power held up well even though they eventually shuddered and got noisy.But the 1 M was fine for the return road trip and showed no signs of wear. Its taut nature is obvious the minute you get behind the wheel and usually this goes hand-in-hand with an unbearably firm ride. The ride is firm in the 1 M but wouldn't be a deal-breaker for me. The M division disdains the runflat tyres BMW fits to regular cars, and this has undoubtedly helped.But BMW has a knack of tuning suspensions so they take the sharp edges off road irregularities, making them tolerable even when they jolt the car. And it has done it again here.VERDICTIt's a busy drive, with lots of little movements through the steering wheel, seat and chassis, but not raw. In fact, it's part of what makes it an entertaining car. One drawback day-to-day may be the engine noise, which is more appealing than most turbocharged units but can drone at a constant highway speed.But why the convoluted name and not just M1? Because that monicker belongs to the first M model from 1978 - a revered supercar. The modern incarnation of that will be worth waiting for.BMW 1 SERIES M COUPEPrice: $99,900 plus on-road costsEngine: 3.0-litre turbocharged six-cylinder petrolOutputs: 250kW at 5900rpm and 450Nm at 1500rpmTransmission: Six-speed manual, rear-wheel drive

Shakespeare reckoned there are seven ages of man but as far as carmakers are concerned there's one that really counts: the reward-yourself age around 50 when men, and an increasing number of women, have the money and the motivation to buy something that reflects what they have achieved in the world.No more family cars, SUVs or people-movers. This time it's all about you. You could go for a convertible, but only a few are as good as an equivalent hardtop and they do suggest you're more interested in showing off than driving.At your age, you should know better. On the other hand, if you go for something too hardcore, you might spend more time at the chiropractor than behind the wheel. It's nice to know you can outrun the cap-backwards mob if you must. But you're above all that now.What you need is a grand tourer. These are large coupes with ample power and plenty of luxury. Of course they're capable, but unlike full-strength sportscars they don't demand to be driven everywhere Schumacher-style.VALUEA budget up to $400,000 puts most of the desirable brands within reach, including Aston Martin (the DB9), Maserati (Granturismo) and Mercedes-Benz (CL). With $300,000 or under the choice narrows, although you'll still get an Aston (V8 Vantage), Jaguar (XK) and the car driven here, a BMW 6 Series Coupe. BMW re-entered this segment eight years ago, reviving a model number it discontinued in the 1980s.It's one of the most expensive Beemers you can buy at $232,300 for the 650i, and there's sure to be an M6 version soon that costs more.You can get into it for less - the six-cylinder 640i begins at $178,300 - but a coin-counting approach works poorly at this level. That's because whatever number you first think of, you'll end up with something higher thanks to options.DESIGNThey're big, but careful attention to detail by the designers means the rear seats and boot are far too small to be practical. This is ideal. You don't want a car to run errands. Some strike me as a bit cheeky - the smartphone music interface for $220 should be in there already - but car makers know you'll want you’re Reward-mobile to be just as you like it. They've seen you coming.Large luxury coupes are not BMW's natural territory and the previous 6 Series began life with a few disadvantages. Chief among them was its looks. It emerged at the peak of the Chris Bangle period, when BMW's evangelical chief designer could seemingly get the board to sign off on anything. The 6 Series he drew was so misshapen I'm surprised anybody bought one at all.The new car has dodged the ugly stick despite a few reminders of the former era, in particular the strong crease running along the flanks and high rear ``deck''. It doesn't offend but it's not drop-dead gorgeous, either. Brands with a long track record here - Aston and Maserati, in particular - have a better understanding of how to press the lust buttons. What they cannot do as well is match the fit and finish of seriously rigorous German quality control. The 650i interior is beautifully finished with, in this case, lovely black leather with white stitching.For contrast, the B&O system has metal speaker grilles and for drama the central speaker rises from the centre of the dash. The seats and steering wheel are excellent, and there's little evidence of skimping with, for example, metallic gearshift paddles where others use plastic. An exception is the headliner fabric, which felt down-market.The rear seats are small, as they should be to discourage more than one fellow traveller, although you can admire the perfect-if-pointless upholstery. As if to reinforce this point, the front seats power-slide forward at such a glacial rate that any prospective child passenger might be oversize by the time they can get in.In ergonomic terms, this cabin is light years ahead of the dreadful previous effort, but it still has a couple of issues. Thanks to its steep angle, reflections off the dash-top disrupt the view forward, while the huge control screen is not always easy to read.TECHNOLOGYEffortless performance is essential for a car like this and the turbocharged 4.4-litre V8 has the goods. It's a relaxed drive thanks to plenty of low-rev torque, with 600Nm available from 1750rpm. But it also piles on speed deceptively, without any histrionics. It can reach 100km/h in 4.9 seconds and has a top speed electronically limited to 250km/h.The turbochargers, now almost ubiquitous on new engines, mean it lacks a traditional V8 soundtrack. Most of the time it's quiet until you demand maximum thrust, then it emits a pleasing if fairly high-pitched growl. Its companion transmission is an eight-speed automatic that is the benchmark for gearshift smoothness and intelligence among traditional torque converters.DRIVEThe car I sampled had more than $30,000 worth of options, including an M Sport package, which brings light alloys and lots of performance badging, plus a Bang & Olufsen stereo, digital radio tuner, smart leather dash and more. BMW makes redress with its head-up display, which projects speed and other vital information on to the windscreen just below the driver's line of sight. Every car should have one.BMW manages the neat trick of engineering a sort of dynamic DNA into its cars that makes them feel similar from behind the wheel. As the cars get larger and more luxurious, however, the drive experience becomes increasingly remote. That's true here. The 650i feels like a Beemer but isn't as engaging as some of its smaller, more focused cars.It is capable, though, with excellent body control even on the softest of four suspension settings. The engine is set well back in the bay, with some of it positioned behind the front axle, so it doesn't feel nose-heavy. Nevertheless, it is a long, heavy car and electronics cannot dial out everything physics can throw at it.That's where the shrink-wrapped 20-inch alloys come in with lots of grip. On the downside, they also mean too much tyre roar, rumble-thump and shudders through the car. The result is a somewhat edgy ride, even though overall composure is fine. The 650i feels like a Beemer but isn't as engaging as some of its smaller, more focused cars. It is capable, though, with excellent body control even on the softest of four suspension settings.VERDICTBut if there's something wrong with the 650i it isn't a lack of comfort. It would be easy to live with on lots of levels. There is something else missing, something indefinable. For all its six appeal, it didn't move me at all.BMW 650I COUPEPrice: From $232,300 plus on-road costsEngine: 4.4-litre turbocharged V8 petrolOutputs: 300kW at 5500rpm and 600Nm at 1750rpmTransmission: Eight-speed automatic, rear-wheel driveEconomy: 10.6 litres per 100km

THERE are more Mercedes coupes than descendants of the Romanovs and working out their lineage is almost as difficult.That's because Mercedes has been very un-Germanic about its two-doors and failed to line them up in a nice orderly fashion.So where its sedans come in three easy-to-understand sizes, C, E and S, the coupes have been all over the place. For example, there was the CLK, which can still be seen double-parked outside any establishment popular with ladies who lunch.It fitted somewhere between the C and the E. If you preferred gravy to jus there was the CLC, which is smaller than a C and, in any case, really a hatchback. Or the CLS, which stretches the definition even further because it has four doors.It's an E in running shoes. Then there's the retro SLS, which has wings instead of doors, and the CL, which is the rich uncle of an S.Obviously, even Germans were confused and for some time they've been trying to sort it out. First, Mercedes replaced the CLK with the E Coupe. It has mixed parentage, but at least you know where it stands.Now, in a sign it's getting the hang of the whole model family idea, Mercedes has ditched the old-tech CLC and brought out something unambiguously related to the C. It has even called it the C Coupe. It has two doors, different panels and grille, plus a unique rear diffuser. But it clearly carries the same genes as the C sedan and wagon.VALUEIt squares off against the Audi A5 and BMW 3 Series coupe but, unusually for a Merc, starts under them on price. The C180 BE, at $58,900, is designed to lure the price-conscious shoppers who would previously have gone for a CLC, which began just above $52,000.The C250 BE feels like the coupe sweet spot at this end of the market. It starts at $69,900, which would also buy a BMW 320d Coupe, with a four-cylinder diesel, or the Audi A5 2.0TFSI, which is the only front-wheel drive of the trio. With the C250 BE in the mix, the choice just got more difficult.DESIGNAll the coupes get the upgraded interior recently fitted to the sedans and wagons, which means it feels suitably premium for the money. The seats, with integrated headrests, are first rate and there's enough room in the back as long as you're no more than average height and your feet aren't too big. With the sunroof fitted, headroom is a bit cramped and, before you order one, make sure you can live with the mesh screen, which cannot keep out Australian sun.Access to the rear is fine, although that's partly because the doors are 30cm longer than the ones in the sedan. So you won't be able to get out in a car park.But the boot is as large as the one in the E Coupe and the two are closer than you may expect on some dimensions, such as wheelbase and width. If you don't need the extra presence, equipment and bling of the longer car, then the C Coupe may be enough.TECHNOLOGYI didn't sample the 180 BE on the drive program in Victoria this week, so I can't say whether it's any good. However, from the spec sheet it's clearly much slower and, amazingly, thirstier than the C250 BE, which uses a more powerful version of the same 1.8-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine.Mercedes believes the C250 BE will be the most popular variant and if you can live without a V8's ability to break traction on demand, or the better torque and soundtrack of the 225kW 3.5-litre V6 in the C350 BE, then it's worth a look. It certainly seems like value against the C350 BE, which is another $30,000.The BE stands for Blue Efficiency, which is Mercedes' suite of fuel-saving tricks. So it's also frugal, consuming 7.0 litres of premium for every 100km, even though it misses out on stop-at-idle, which is fitted to the diesel. The diesel four-cylinder C250 CDI is the same price as the petrol and with stop-start delivers impressive economy of 5.1l/100km and a slightly faster sprint time to 100km/h. But it didn't feel as quick and makes noises that verge on loud and coarse. With another 110kg of weight, it's not as pleasant on the road either.DRIVEIts acceleration won't impress HSV owners, but for a small four-cylinder it feels adequately feisty. Its 150kW mean a 0-100km/h time of 7.2 and it builds speed with conviction. And while the engine does emit a few odd noises, for a turbo four it doesn't sound too bad.On a twisty road you can have fun in this car. The steering is light but accurate and gets better when the sport button is pressed. You can turn quickly into corners confident it will hold its line and grip, even when the tarmac deteriorates. Its smallish engine helps it feel balanced and planted; it doesn't have the heavy nose feel of some bigger-engined cars.MERCEDES-BENZ C-CLASS COUPEPrice: From $69,900Engines: 1.8-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol or 2.1-litre turbocharged four-cylinder dieselOutputs: 150kW at 5500rpm and 310Nm at 2300rpm (C250 BE); 150kW at 4200rpm and 500Nm at 1600rpm (C250 CDI)Transmission: Seven-speed automatic, rear-wheel drive

TWO poor wretches have just emerged from the car behind and the scene is dreadful: completely soaked and exhausted, they stumble into the bright light and find comfort in 35C heat.The unfortunate fellows have spent a couple of hours driving through the Adelaide Hills in the new Audi A6 and it's much hotter inside the car than outside in the sun. The A6 has airconditioning, of course. They've turned it off.Their shirts dry more quickly than I can stop laughing. But behind the smile is concern, and not for their personal hygiene: What did you get?ECONOMY PRESSUREWe're on an efficiency challenge, dreamed up by Audi to demonstrate the frugality of its new four-cylinder A6s. These have just joined the six-cylinders launched in June and a handful of cars, petrol and diesel, have been split between two teams.Lowest total wins. As fellow members of team green, my co-driver and I need the sweaty ones to do well. Even if we don't want to sit next to them. Their number is 5.0 litres per 100km, bang on the official fuel consumption figure for the diesel 2.0 TDI. Anyone who has tried to replicate these numbers knows they don't relate very well to the real world. In the A6, help is at hand. An energy meter for auxiliaries shows how much you save. For our perspiring team-mates, turning off the aircon gave them an edge. It's a good result and shows off the driveline, at least, to best advantage. Crucially, too, it's better than the diesels of the opposing team.TECHNOLOGYBut even those more concerned about personal comfort are doing fairly well. With this generation, A6 four-cylinders go to the top of the efficiency class. The 5.0l/100km figure for the 2.0 TDI means it matches or betters the BMW 520d, Jaguar XF 2.2D and Mercedes E220 CDI.It's a similar story with the petrol 2.0 TFSI, which improves 17 per cent for a figure of 6.4. The 2.0 TFSI matches the newest (and yet undriven) BMW 520i and is substantially more economical than the Mercedes E250 CGI, with its turbo 1.8.At this level, the 2.0 TFSI also benefits from a higher luxury car tax threshold and so a couple of thousand comes off the starting price. Both diesel and petrol have more power and torque than before and both are quicker. As well as being neck-and-neck with each other -- at 8.2 or 8.3 seconds to 100km/h -- they lose just one-tenth in acceleration to the naturally aspirated 2.8-litre V6.As well as the latest engine technology, including direct injection, the fours have stop-start systems and drive the front wheels through a continuously variable transmission with eight manually selectable ratios. Helping the efficiency claims are aluminium panels, including the bonnet and doors, which reduce weight by 65kg.DRIVINGHappily, you don't have to take an in-car sauna to benefit and in the petrol we're leaving it on for long spells and still getting 6.3. That's slightly better than the official figure and I'm not entirely clear how we've done it.Certainly, there's no point thinking you can drive as you usually do. At least, not for most drivers. We've been accelerating and braking as smoothly as possible and trying to even out speed by looking a long way ahead, anticipating every move. We're also going much slower than the law allows. At times, 20km/h below the limit as we try to keep revs low. For a while, there are a half-dozen cars backed up behind, and who can be patient in heat like this?Well, Adelaide can. In most parts of Australia, we'd have been thoroughly abused by now -- a concern in a city better known for its murders than its churches. But if there's a bright spot for road tolerance in Australia, we're in it. This, it seems, is business as usual for South Australian drivers. At least on last week's baking Wednesday.Across a 170km route through the Adelaide Hills our 6.3 in the petrol combines with two excellent scores from team green diesels to take out the win. But it's with some relief that the next day's drive does not involve a competition; this sort of thing can become obsessive.With the normal amount of lead in my right foot, different aspects of the engines stand out. Both the petrol and diesel have enough low-rev torque for an easygoing drive and either four-cylinder would make a relaxed touring machine. It's quiet and civilised in here.This is true even though both employ a continuously variable transmission. CVTs can be unpleasant because of the way they exploit an engine's power band. They tend to locate one narrow part of the rev range and adjust their internal ratios, rather than rev the engine out as you would normally. They can be shrill and will never be a driver's first pick. Although here they are better than expected.Nor is front-wheel drive the enthusiast's choice, especially for a large car. If performance and handling is your priority, then the V6s come with all-wheel drive. If I was left with doubts about these cars, it concerned their ride quality, which felt busy even on roads that looked smooth.I wasn't convinced they could cope with the worst of Aussie tarmac. But I do know, for sure, that the airconditioning can cope with the worst of Aussie heat.AUDI A6 2.0 TFSI, 2.0 TDIPrice: From $77,900 (2.0 TFSI) to $78,900 (2.0 TDI) plus on-road costsEngines: 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol or dieselOutputs: 132kW at 4000kW and 320Nm at 1500rpm (2.0 TFSI); 130kW at 4200kW and 380Nm at 1750rpm (2.0 TDI)Transmission: Eight-speed continuously variable transmission, front-wheel driveFuel Consumption: 6.4l/100km (2.0 TFSI) 5.0l/100km (2.0 TDI)

WHEN every vehicle on the road is a sports utility one of the reasons we bought them in the first place will have gone: you will no longer be able to see over the car in front. We'll all be high and mighty.That could prompt an arms race to even greater heights but all the signs are things are going the other way. SUVs are reversing out of their origins to become less and less like real off-roaders and more and more like, well, cars.They have got lower so they handle better and are less ruggedly practical in design. And they are ditching all-wheel drive in droves. It turns out most of us never really wanted to go off-road. We just wanted our neighbours to think we did.VALUEVolkswagen was one of the last to join the stampede to compact SUVs with the Tiguan, launched three years ago. It has been luring about one in every 20 compact SUV buyers with all-wheel drive and a starting price of $34,000.For its mid-life facelift, it adds a front-drive version with greatly improved efficiency and the range kicks off $5500 lower. Compared with other European SUVs, such as the BMW X1 or the closely related Audi Q3, due next year, the Tiguan was already affordable. Now made-in-Germany encroaches on Japanese and Korean territory.The 118TSI uses the 1.4-litre supercharged and turbocharged four-cylinder already offered in the Golf, among others. The $28,490 price buys a six-speed manual transmission; two-pedal drivers will have to wait until the auto arrives next year.TECHNOLOGYRestricting power to two wheels has several benefits. It reduces weight -- typically, at least 100kg -- by removing a lot of driveline components. So, better handling and, even more important these days, an immediate reduction in fuel use. And with fewer bits, a two-wheel drive SUV is cheaper but you still get practical space and an elevated ride height. Even large SUVs such as the Ford Territory include a don't-go-anywhere version and at the compact level they are rife. A carmaker without one risks being undercut by rivals and can miss a lot of sales. Two-wheel drive SUVs can be half the volume for some models.The 118TSI, as it's badged, has substantial running cost advantages over other petrol models with 6.9 litres consumed per 100km, against 8.7 for the next best. It's not a whole lot more thirsty than the 2.0-litre diesel.However, it's much quicker to 100km/h than the diesel, achieving it in a respectable 8.9 seconds. That's only 0.6 slower than the 132kW 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol.DRIVEIt feels like that on the road, too, with a likably feisty quality to the way it goes down the road. The main reason is lower weight: it sheds about 130kg. It has the same suspension but lacks a driveshaft to the rear wheels. That makes it noticeably lighter on its feet than its siblings and it drives much like a large, tall hatchback.Which, in effect, it is. The 2.0-litre petrols both feel more like traditional off-roaders by comparison, with less of their mass concentrated in the nose. Both get a bit more power in this upgrade and emit a pleasing snarl under load. The 132TSI pulls with conviction while the 155TSI is the desirable unit of the three.VERDICTBut if you don't go off-road, and don't pretend to, then the 118TSI is worth a look. And not everybody has one. Yet.VOLKSWAGEN TIGUANPrice: From $28,490 (118TSI) to $42,990 (155TSI) plus on-roadsEngines: 1.4-litre super and turbocharged four-cylinder petrol; 2.0-litre turbo four-cylinder petrol or dieselOutputs: 118kW at 5800rpm and 240Nm at 1500rpm (118TSI); 132kW at 4300rpm and 280Nm at 1700rpm (132TSI); 155kW at 5300rpm and 280Nm at 1700rpm (155TSI); 103kW at 4200rpm and 320Nm at 1750rpm (103TDI)Transmissions: Six-speed manual or seven-speed double-clutch automatic, front-wheel drive (118TSI) or all-wheel drive

The days when European cars automatically commanded a hefty premium in Australia are long gone and almost every week one brand or another announces what sales people love to call a "repositioning". It's not just that the dollar is making imports cheaper. Competition for buyers is fierce.The French brands are perennial underperformers in the sales charts and reposition a lot. The latest to face up to reality is Citroen and some of its price cuts are fairly dramatic. A top-spec C5, for example, drops $14,000. That's not repositioning. That's moving interstate. Bad luck if you bought one last week.The move is timed to coincide with the arrival of the second-generation C4, Citroen's mainstay small car. It shifts a couple of suburbs to begin $4000 lower, at $22,990. Like its predecessor, the new C4 borrows the underpinnings from the equivalent Peugeot model, in this case the 308. So it's a bit longer and has a bigger boot than a Volkswagen Golf, although still far from the largest in its class.Thanks to Citroen's two-tier model strategy, this time the C4 comes only as a five-door hatchback. The three-door "coupe" is dropped to leave room for a premium DS4 model that arrives early next year. As before, the C4 is a competent design with a strong road stance and pleasing headlight shapes, but a bit generic apart from details such as the grille.The cabin has some of the sculptural flourishes that are overdone in the C5, and a long dash combined with the world's smallest glovebox. The unique fixed-hub steering wheel has gone but its orthodox replacement still has an awful lot of buttons.For enough cash, the C4 can be filled with equipment that's only just trickled down from luxury cars, such as massage seats and cornering lights. There are also a few gimmicks including dials that change colour. However, it's less intriguing at entry level, where Bluetooth is missing and rear passengers must wind their own windows.Then there's the base 1.6-litre petrol engine, which produces noise without much corresponding forward motion. It's even slower -- almost 14 seconds to 100km/h -- with an automatic gearbox that, incredibly, has only four speeds. The automatic comes later, as does Citroen's version of a double-clutch transmission and fuel-saving tricks, such as idle-stop. Later there will also be a turbo petrol. A manual diesel 1.6 is the other variant available from launch and it's better than the petrol, gets six speeds instead of five and has an electric parking brake. It also has the best fuel economy, of 5.8 litres per 100km.Neither will delight the driver in you, with doughy handling that lacks any zest. There's no alacrity to the steering, which is dull, and plenty of body roll. The ride quality is OK until it rolls over something it doesn't like, when it gets jarring.

Deep in Siberia earlier this year a group of scientists gathered to study the yeti, the legendary humanoid creature also known as bigfoot or abominable snowman.The region around Tashtagol, more than 3000km east of Moscow, has had a spate of sightings. After finding tracks and other evidence, the scientists declared themselves 95 per cent certain it existed. Cynics, of course, say it was all a publicity stunt for the tourism-starved region and the yeti is as real as the Loch Ness monster. A few weeks later, deep in the Northern Territory, a little off-roader called the Skoda Yeti is making tracks of its own. Witnesses say a dozen Yetis meandered along the Finke River, leaving deep ruts in the sand, before settling into a makeshift camp where lots of beer was drunk.Cynics, of course, say it was all a publicity stunt to prove to Australians that Skoda exists. Now, I'm not a scientist, but I can see the problem. There have been increasing reports of sightings during the past three years, but the evidence for Skoda's existence here is thin.Some motorists are only 95 per cent certain. The beast may or may not be imaginary, but the Yeti SUV should be the car that confirms the Czech brand means business. Executives say it will be Skoda's most important model and, with sales expectations of up to 300 a month, we'll soon notice them.  Truth is, the Yeti car has nothing to do with the shaggy troglodyte and seems to be another victim of Skoda's random naming strategy. This has given us the Octavia, Roomster and Superb.Anyone detect a theme here? Skoda's other SUV is the Scout, really an Octavia in desert boots with half a foot in the traditional station wagon segment. In engineering terms, the Yeti is related to that car, but where the Scout straddles, the Yeti jumps feet-first into the bunfight for compact SUV buyers.In the minds of marketers, these are tanned 20-something couples setting off on life's journey with mountain bikes and smiles. In reality, everyone must be buying them because they are the only type of vehicle with a sales graph pointing north.Most brands already have at least one, and the Yeti joins two dozen rivals to compete for about 110,000 buyers this year.VALUEOnly the two smallest categories of car sell more. That suggests the Yeti is in the right place. At 4.2m long, it's one of the smallest SUVs you can buy: shorter than a Mitsubishi ASX or Nissan Dualis and shorter than the upcoming Subaru XV.With a tiny 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol engine, the 77TSI is the other bookend of the Yeti range. From $26,290, it goes against the entry-level Japanese on price, and if it goes to form, four out of 10 Yeti buyers will save money and forget their offroad ambitions. Despite what the scientists in Siberia found, there's nothing to see out in them thar woods.DESIGNIts upright shape means interior space doesn't suffer, with plenty of headroom, while the rear has taken the marketing cliché and gone nuts, with seats that fold, flip, slide or can be removed so that even the most awkward snowboard or baby seat can fit. If the centre section is taken out, the outboard seats can be relocated more centrally. There's probably a good use for that, but I'm struggling to imagine what it is.The cabin turns plain into a virtue, lightened here and there by shiny details and soft materials. For the cargo space, the tailgate opens high enough to stand under unless you're indecently tall, and they are hooks and tie-downs to secure at least 310 litres of stuff with all the rear seats in place.It could be deeper, and probably is in some markets, but for Australia, Skoda has fitted a false floor with a space-saver spare below. Like many new small cars, the design cribs from Mini. In this case it's the Mini's colour-contrasting flat roof.The cabin glass appears to wrap around the rear thanks to blacked-out pillars and, although that's a visual trick, it contributes to a successful design. It's pleasing to see a car that bucks the trend towards high beltlines and shallow glass relative to the body sides for some old-fashioned SUV proportions. At the same time, the Yeti looks nothing like a normal offroader.SAFETYSkoda was keen to demonstrate that it's not all hat and no cattle either, hence the excursion to Finke River. A check of the spec sheet suggests the Yeti has some bush credentials, with underbody protection and a Haldex all-wheel-drive system that heavily prioritises the fronts until they slip, when up to 90 per cent can be directed to the rears.The rear axle has its own limited slip differential and individual wheels can be braked to stop them spinning. Specialised offroad software, such as hill descent control, is available in an optioned bundle. Not many compact SUVs come with all this.TECHNOLOGYBefore we get to the national park there's 120km of tarmac, very little traffic and Territory speed limits to exploit. The diesel engine in this 103TDI has been shared by many brands in the Volkswagen group and holds no surprises.It is easily powerful enough to get this 1.3-tonner to 130km/h and keep it there in a relaxed manner. It isn't quick, of course, at 9.9 seconds to 100km/h, but economy of 6.2 litres is some compensation. Those figures are for the manual, and the double-clutch DSG auto isn't as good on either count.DRIVINGOn the highway, the ride and refinement are acceptable, although with quite a lot of tyre noise on a coarse surface. The steering feels vague and handling has all the vices you would expect of a tall, boxy device.But at least it's not pretending to be a sportscar, like most SUVs seem to do. There's honesty to the way it goes about its business. It's the same offroad. The Finke River trail to Boggy Hole runs along the riverbed much of the way.There are large stones, water crossings and long stretches of soft sand. LandCruisers have trouble here. Too slow in the sandy sections and you'll get bogged. The double-clutch automatic isn't the first choice of outback adventurers and, left to its own devices, it doesn't work well.The manual felt more assured. It wasn't long before a tricky section caught out a Yeti, and if the one in front gets stuck, it slows everyone, bogging them too. Once they are grounded underneath, they are like upside-down turtles. The Yeti's relatively low clearance is a drawback here.With a little help from the offroad toolkit carried by a Volkswagen Amarok support vehicle, though, everyone got through. There was little damage except to tyres. Skoda says the car is robust, and it stood up to the test. If its limits were explored as an offroader, it wasn't just about the car. Since the Yeti is not ideally equipped for bush-bashing, the margins for driver error are smaller than they would be in a full-strength four-wheel drive.The return journey was less problematic, at least partly because everyone was more aware of the car's limits. With sufficient skill, and only a small fleet of support vehicles, you could go quite a long way in a Yeti.VERDICTIt could take Skoda a long way too, on to many shopping lists for the first time. The diesel all-wheel-drive version is only half the story. Like most compact SUVs, the Yeti also comes with front-wheel-drive only, as yet undriven.