Articles by Philip King

It has been a long time since I've driven a Saab and even longer since I've driven one I liked. So long, in fact, that I can't really remember if there was one at all.Under the stewardship of GM, the cars became bad, dull or hopelessly outdated. The previous 9-5 was a symptom of that regime. It lacked the upgrades needed to keep it relevant and fell behind the competition.DESIGNThis car has at least as much GM involvement and, in gestation terms, has been ready for 12 months or more. But it does have a couple of advantages. It's much larger than its predecessor; the previous 9-5 was too close in size to the smaller 9-3. This car has generous rear seat room and a capacious, if shallow, boot.Besides turbocharging, other Saab signatures are realised through the car's sheet metal, which has a distinctive cabin shape with visor-like glass. It looks like a Saab even without the liftback rear that used to be part of the formula.Inside, the asymetrical speedo, grid-pattern vents, shapely seats and cockpit-style centre console also echo brand strengths. It's a pleasant place to be.Trainspotters will notice the absence of a central ignition key slot and funky flip-out cupholders. Those will be a deal breaker for no one.TECHNOLOGYThe underpinnings are good. Although they're shared with lesser brands such as Opel, the car's composure and chassis tuning feel up to segment standards. It feels solid and substantial.VALUEIt's packed full of gear. There's not a lot missing from the spec sheet and an entry level car comes almost fully loaded. The list includes stuff that's now de rigueur, such as Bluetooth, as well as premium kit such as an informative head-up display. Active cruise control seems to be the main omission.DRIVEThe range has been rationalised. Previously, there were almost as many Saab variants as buyers. This time it boils down to three engines: the petrol four-cylinder, driven here, a four-cylinder 2.0-litre diesel and 2.8-litre V6. All have turbocharging, a Saab signature, and the petrol four delivers surprisingly adequate, if unspectacular, performance.Driving the front wheels via a six-speed transmission, it reaches 100km/h in 8.5 seconds. The V6 offers all-wheel drive but is a lot heavier.Some will question the ride quality, though, which rumbles and thumps over road details, and the tyre roar generated by unfavourable tarmac. But on a first taste the 9-5 exceeded expectations. In a very real sense, the only way was up.VERDICTThe 9-5 must redefine the brand for a new generation of buyers and it is at least in with a chance.Read more about prestige motoring at The Australian.

The history of the car is filled with footnotes about failed garage projects. In 1994, at 22, Christian von Koenigsegg was one of those dreamers. But the difference is that his car, the Koenigsegg CC, became the basis for a business that 17 years later is one of a mere handful of successful boutique makers. It helped that Christian's cars were extremely fast and kept breaking records. In 2005 one version, the CCR, toppled the nine-year-old top-speed record held by the McLaren F1. That sort of thing gets you noticed. Based at a former jet squadron base in Sweden, 50 workers hand-build small quantities of Koenigseggs to order and do a surprising amount of development work themselves. They even design their own engines. Koenigsegg's newest car is the Agera R, revealed at the recent Geneva motor show. Agera means to take action in Swedish but that seems an inadequate moniker for something this extreme. With an in-house-developed turbocharged V8 running on E85, a blend of 85 per cent ethanol and 15 per cent petrol, it produces extraordinary power and torque figures unmatched by other supercars. From just 5.0-litre displacement the unit pumps out 830kW and 1200Nm. Since the car itself is small (4.3m long) and weighs only a tad over 1.4 tonnes, the Agera R can rival a fighter jet for performance. It reaches 100km/h in 2.9 seconds and 200km/h in a blindingly quick 7.5. Top speed is limited to 375km/h but can be unlocked for those special times when nothing but 400km/h-plus will do. It took the might of Volkswagen behind Bugatti to get those sorts of numbers out of a Veyron. The rest of the Agera R is equally uncompromising. It's built from carbon fibre, kevlar and aluminium and is so low to the ground it's scarcely more than 1m high but a Lamborghini-like 2m wide. Unusually, it has wider track at the front to compensate for the narrower 19-inch diameter front tyres compared with the fat 20-inchers on the rear. These are unique Michelins rated for warp speed, while the wheels themselves feature turbine-pattern spokes that increase downforce, helping grip. Suspension is race-car style double-wishbones, with an additional damper and spring arrangement connecting the rear wheels that prevents squatting under hard acceleration, which is probably essential. There's a flat underbody, of course, and an active rear wing that automatically adjusts without the help of hydraulics. Inside, the cabin continues the theme of Swedish minimalism, but the materials are gorgeous aniline leather, carbon fibre and alcantara. The instruments can be configured to your liking while the 120-litre cargo space is big enough to stash the detachable roof or hold a set of golf clubs. Koenigsegg has even factored in the typical supercar owner's driving patterns and fitted an intelligent lithium iron battery - that's iron, not ion - that doesn't get drained when it's parked. Instead, it shuts down but stores just enough charge to restart the car when needed. You can leave it for months and restart the car straight away. Why you'd want to leave it for that long, though, is something any supercar dreamer would simply fail to understand. KOENIGSEGG AGERA R Engine: 5.0-litre turbochargedV8Outputs: 830kW at 6900rpm and1200Nm at 4100rpmTransmission: Seven-speed double-clutch, rear-wheel drive

The spy scandal at Renault shows it's capable of some classic Inspector Clouseau behaviour. Three former executives are now destined for huge compensation payouts after being falsely accused of flogging secrets to the Chinese. They were fired on the word of a paid informant.But Renault had been the victim of a scam. It's all going to get very messy and has tarnished the do-no-wrong reputation of chief executive Carlos Ghosn, who has sacrificed his bonus and issued a humiliating apology. Hindsight is easy, but I could have told them they were revving up the wrong engine. I offered to spill the beans on the Renault RS250 down at Emperor's Garden and didn't come away with so much as a dim sim.The RS250 is a feisty hatchback along the lines of the Volkswagen Golf GTI but a little bit pricier and French. Things get better from there. It's about the same weight but extracts more power from its 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine. With another 29kW, it's quicker to 100km/h by what is, in hatchback terms, a chasm: 0.8 seconds.At a shade over 6 seconds to the limit, the RS250 is right at the pointy end of hatchback performance. Apart from outright oomph, it has a limited slip differential to help traction and that bane of powerful front-wheel drive cars, torque steer, is largely absent.DESIGNLike the GTI, the RS250 is based on a bread-and-butter hatchback, in this case the Megane. The trick with these cars is to make them look hot and drive well without destroying the hatchback's inherently practical formula.The RS250 looks great, much better than the standard car, although there are some compromises from the two-door layout. The doors themselves are long, the rear is occasional-fit for full-size adults and the hatchback loading lip is high and narrow.The Trophee variant driven here gets 19-inch wheels and snug Recaro seats up front with a squab that lacks tilt adjustment. It took a while to find the right position. Ahead are dials, set at a difficult angle to read. I wouldn't want to rely on them to keep me legal.INTERIORMaterials are a mix of soft-textured plastic on top of the dash and hard, featureless plastics elsewhere. There are some vestiges of the left to right-hand drive conversion, including a start button and handbrake that are closer to the passenger than the driver.There's also that perennial French specialty, the multi-function wand. In its familiar place at 4 o'clock behind the wheel, it now has nine controls that allow audio and other functions to be accessed without taking your hands off the wheel. Unless you want to turn cruise control on. Then you'll spend ages looking for a switch located - absurdly - behind the gear shifter.DRIVINGAs soon as the turbo is on boost - and it doesn't need many revs - the low-down torque is there to make around-town driving less of a constant gear change. That said, it's still possible to stall it because below a certain point nothing happens and the clutch take-up is a bit high. I wasn't a huge fan of the gearshift action either, but that's being picky.The brake and throttle are nicely positioned and the steering wheel is a beauty. The car steers sweetly and with four-piston Brembos at the front, pulls up with authority. Best of all, I liked the car's overall composure, which is first rate and would not disgrace something much more expensive.It's set up with some firmness, as you would expect, and plenty of discipline so it retains contact with the tarmac over bumps. Despite this, there's enough initial cushioning to make it comfortable. This translates into tidy and accomplished dynamics, which make it quick then quicker along a windy road until you reach the - fairly distant - point where it wants to run wide.Quirks aside, the main drawback of the RS250 was a bit too much tyre noise from skinny 35 ratio tyres. On their own they can be a bit loud. Combined with the noise of the turbocharged engine, which occasionally sounds good but mostly sounds industrial, the cabin ambience alternates between a thrum and a drone.VERDICTIf I had younger ears and was after something small and feisty, the RS250 would be on a short list next to the Golf GTI.Read more about prestige motoring at The Australian.

THE large luxury sedan has slipped off shopping lists and everyone is climbing straight into pretend off-roaders.Everyone, that is, except for a few hold-outs who buy pseudo-coupes instead. This is a segment that used to be called Jaguar. But about the time Jaguar stopped producing low-slung, four-doors cars and began making Mercedes S-Classes, Mercedes came up with the CLS.The CLS is an E-Class in designer gear with a swing in its step. Less roomy than a real E-Class, it relied on its racy looks to sell. From the rear, it looked like a Ford AU Falcon, but no one told the rest of the world so it was a success.The CLS effectively gave Mercedes two bites at the large sedan market for the price of one. Unsurprisingly, it liked the idea so much it will launch another one later this year.Everyone else has been racing to catch up with what carmakers like to refer to as four-door coupes. That's a contradiction in terms - coupes have two doors - but it's nothing a marketing department can't live with.Two years ago, Porsche joined in with the Panamera. Last year, it was the turn of Aston Martin with the Rapide and BMW with the 5 Series GT. Even Jaguar realised it had taken a wrong turn and made its new XJ more like the 1960s original in spirit.For cars that rely so heavily on replicating the curvy appeal of a coupe but with more doors, it's astonishing that good looks are in such short supply. The Panamera is simply too big to be a pretend 911. The 5 Series GT looks good from the front but frumpy from every other angle, while the Rapide, although the slinkiest of the lot, cannot match the lovely proportions of an Aston two-door.Jaguar's solution for the XJ was radical, but it has taken a bunch of Italians to show it what could have been done. Audi, with the A7, is the latest to join this stampede.DESIGNLike the others, the A7 has top-drawer fittings and technology in an elongated shape with a hatchback instead of a boot. It sits beneath the flagship A8 in Audi's range and above the A6. Audi says it combines ''the sporty elegance of a coupe, the comfort of a sedan and the practicality of a station wagon''. So, like the others, it's trying to be a jack-of-all-trades. Give or take a millimetre, it's as long as a Panamera and the same height, although not as wide.Without seeing them side by side, it doesn't appear as bulky as the Porsche and sits towards the Aston end of the attractiveness scale. It's like a scaled-up A5 with more presence. As usual, the face is the easiest bit to get right and Audi has slightly varied its fallback headlight and grille shapes to good effect. But the designers were so committed to drawing the cabin in a single line that the tail ends up looking too long and fat. A curious single ''brow'' runs over the rear lights and defines the trailing edge.Also at the rear is a speed detector, otherwise known as an automatically deploying spoiler that's set to rise at 130km/h. Try talking your way out of that one.One benefit of the shape is an extremely long cargo area. You can even extend it by folding the rear seats. Audi says it can swallow 535 litres of luggage or 1390 litres with the seats down.It's shallow at the loading lip, though, so not as flexible and accommodating as the numbers suggest. The hatchback itself is heavy, despite being aluminium, so power is standard and the hinges are huge.INTERIORPotentially, the cabin shape could make rear headroom tight, although Audi has solved this with deep recesses in the roof. It's cosy and seating is strictly for four.The cabin follows the recent A8 by having a bit more flair than we're used to seeing in an Audi. There's a thin veneer strip that curves around the base of the windscreen, just like in an XJ. The A7 gets the A8's toys, including a touchpad control that shows Audi isn't scared of gimmicks.Debut technology includes a head-up display, unfortunately not on the cars I drove but already sampled in numerous BMWs. Despite its motto and hi-tech image, Audi is generally the last of the three Germans to adopt the latest safety or convenience systems. The A7 gets it up to speed on equipment such as night vision and the latest active cruise control, which can resume cruising from standstill.TECHNOLOGYThe car's underpinnings are shared with the new A6, which arrives in July, although many of the other mechanicals are familiar. The Quattro system debuted on the RS5 and features a rear-drive bias and the dynamic trick du jour for performance brands: torque vectoring. This redistributes power across a single axle for improved cornering. If you pay extra, there's a sports differential and adaptive air springs instead of steel. The transmission is a seven-speed double-clutch unit with stop-at-idle technology and both the engines are direct injection with forced induction: turbocharging for the diesel, supercharging for the petrol.The diesel unit is the older of the two but has been usefully upgraded and can still cut it with excellent torque and lively high-revving character. It doesn't sound as good as its BMW or Mercedes equivalents, but it's not unpleasant and largely muted here anyhow. Fuel consumption is an impressive 6.0 litres per 100km. The supercharged petrol is an alert engine with hair-trigger throttle response, making the car feel more alive and a little less weighty in the nose. It's nearly a second quicker to 100km/h, at 5.6 seconds, and not as thirsty as you may think at 8.2 litres per 100km.DRIVINGLarge Audis can be a let-down on the road and initially, at least, this one feels heavy and uncertain in its suspension movements, with the front and rear so far apart that it seems as though they're reacting to turn in at different times.However, it improves with a little more familiarity, sport mode, and a lot more speed.Before long, it has shed some of its 1.8 tonnes and is coming alive in the long-flowing corners that dominated the test route in Tasmania.This is thanks in no small part to the steering. It's a new electric system and the best I've sampled on an Audi outside of its most focused sports cars.Judging ride quality on unfamiliar roads is a trap for the unwary. Audi claims to have employed a unique ''comfort test bench'' in the A7's development to finesse this aspect of the car. I couldn't help but wonder, gratuitously of course, whether this was a euphemism on a par with ''Hollywood casting couch''. Suffice to say the ride was better on the smaller alloys and a bit suspect on the large 20-inchers.Twenty-inch wheels are the platform heels of the motoring world and cars such as the A7 are designer clothing made XXL.Despite this, it's a classy and sharply priced pitch at the executive barge market. It's also more interesting to look at and to drive than I was expecting. It would tempt me away from any SUV and, dollar for dollar, most of its rivals.AUDI A7Body: Large luxury hatchbackEngine: 3.0-litre turbocharged V6 diesel; 3.0-litre supercharged V6 petrolPower/torque: 180kW at 4000rpm and 500Nm at 1400rpm (3.0 TDI); 220kW at 5250rpm and 440Nm at 2900rpm (3.0 TFSI)Transmission: Seven-speed double-clutch automatic, all-wheel drivePrice: From $142,750 (3.0 TDI) to $147,800 (3.0 TFSI) plus on-road costs

"FUEL, sir?" Not unless you have a plug, a 30m lead and eight hours to spare.  Force of habit has taken me into a petrol station to pause, stretch the legs and put the roof up. It's a blistering Sydney day and top-down this Tesla Roadster is too hot for comfort.But of course I could have pulled in anywhere, because this Roadster, one of just a handful in Australia, is an electric sportscar. It no more drinks petrol when it's parched than you or me. If its batteries needed replenishing, then there would be no point stopping here.Besides, the Roadster is charged to the brim. Awaiting my arrival, it was connected to a special box on the wall of Tesla's nascent Sydney HQ by a cable as thick as a baby's arm. Most owners are expected to invest in one of these fast chargers, which lower the time on life-support to 3 1/2 hours. They're not cheap at $4500, but then you're not buying a hatchback.Plugged into the mains with a three-pin, you'll need to leave it overnight to juice it up for its 360km range. The rewards for your patience are running costs well below anything with an engine. At $10 a fill, the Roadster does the equivalent of about 2 litres per 100km. No sportscar - or hybrid, for that matter - can come close.Nothing comes out of the tailpipe either, because there isn't one.  Previously, my exposure to electric vehicles has been limited to a few kilometres in city runabouts, a couple of laps in experimental prototypes, and fun fair dodgems.This is the first time I've been free to explore the limits of one without a minder looking over my shoulder.  And its limits are one of the first things on my mind. The car's theoretical 360km range constantly changes in line with my right foot. Hit the throttle hard for a minute or two and the range display drops precipitously. If I switch it into Sport mode, it drops even more.My intended route covers about 200km, so it should be doable. But getting it wrong would be an embarrassing, not to say time-wasting, disaster. I realise I'm already suffering from range concern and I fear it's a precursor to full-blown range anxiety.Carmakers vary in their assessment of this ailment. Depending on the degree of their commitment to the battery car, it's either a debilitating disease that can leave you totally reliant on public transport, or it's a completely irrational fear and you just need to get a grip.Reason prevails and I press on. Putting the roof up - a manual procedure on a par with pitching a swag - has made the heat more bearable and served as a reminder of how the Roadster started life.DESIGNIt's based on a Lotus Elise, the tiny British sportscar, but with the aluminium chassis widened a bit and all the panels, in carbon fibre, bespoke to the Tesla. The Californians then fit 6831 lithium-ion batteries, an electric motor, a single-speed gearbox and a box of electronic gubbins behind the cabin. Tesla says just 7 per cent of the final car is actually a Lotus Elise.From the driver's seat it feels like more, because the cabin is extremely similar. The main difference is a small centre console where the gearstick would normally be, which houses a touchscreen to access the Roadster's brain.The thick sills that make getting in and out of an Elise so difficult are the same, as are the dash and the steering wheel. There's the same dreadful Alpine audio and satnav system used by Lotus, and the same airconditioning system with two settings: loud and louder.TECHNOLOGYPerhaps it's 7 per cent by weight, because the batteries and other stuff behind me weigh 450kg. All told, two-thirds of the Roadster's 1450kg sit over the rear axle. And that's before you've squeezed luggage into the 170-litre boot, which sits right in the tail.Uneven weight distribution is obviously not ideal and initially I'm acutely aware of it. But it's not unique in the car world. Floor the throttle and the Tesla's nose bobs up, a bit like a Porsche 911's. Also like a 911, the rear tyres have no problem getting traction down and have a mountain of grip.DRIVINGOnce you get used to it, the car feels tied down and through corners it stays remarkably flat. The suspension has to be firm to get that result, but that's what you expect anyway in a sportscar.  Usually, the price would be an unbearable ride quality, but it isn't. There's less jolting than in an Elise.Which isn't to say it's a serene place to be. Wind and road noise thunder through an Elise, with its lack of insulation and roll-your-own roof, and it's no different here. There's less engine noise to smoother the racket - and pedestrians might be oblivious - but inside the motor is louder than expected.When we're all driving electric cars because V8s have been banned, the Tesla might be remembered as one of the songbirds of the flock.  While we can still enjoy the glorious tunes that petrol can make, though, it's never going to make the charts. It sounds like a tram that's entered Formula One.The question of how much sound plays in the magic of a sportscar comes to the fore with the Tesla. Because it doesn't lack handling and it certainly doesn't lack acceleration. The first time I experienced an electric car at maximum volts will stay with me for some time.The Sport version, driven here, goes like a cat that's stuck its claws in the mains. It will hit 100km/h in under 4 seconds. That's a supercar, whatever it's got in the tank. Even if it doesn't have tank. Uphill, when the instantaneous torque comes into its own, it's fantastic. Downhill you can exploit the dramatic engine braking.With only a single gear, revs and speed move in tandem and one dial serves to measure both. The Roadster maxes out at 14,000 revs, which is F1-like, and that equates to just over 200km/h. Which isn't enough for F1, but just about enough for Sydney.The range proves sufficient as well, although there's not a lot to spare when I get back. The car's electronics step in to curb lead-foot tendencies as the range dwindles, or to prevent the batteries overheating.VERDICTThe Roadster is an extremely unusual sportscar and the company thinks as many as 40 Australians a year will be curious enough to buy one.  It has many of the drawbacks of the donor Lotus but, for the moment at least, offers something unique in the way it delivers supercar performance. Something with eco-credentials.And I find consolation in the paradox of this. Nobody, after all, needs a sportscar. It would be greener not to buy one at all. Tesla sees itself as allied to the environmental movement. I prefer to think of it as working undercover for the other side.

ALFA Romeo is one of those brands that seems to promise a lot but deliver little.  It has pedigree and tradition; it's been around 100 years and has racing written into its DNA. It used to make cars of sensual beauty, full of fizzy exuberance. Like Berlusconi parties on wheels.The 156 was like that. I still check the classifieds for a pre-loved sedan or wagon when the urge to buy is overwhelming.  I know it would put me on first-name terms with the local mechanic, but the gorgeous leather seats alone are worth the price of entry.My irrational longing has struggled with more recent cars. Flawed is one thing, but the 156 replacement, the 159, was simply flabby and that was unforgivable, even though it was a looker.The Mito, a tiny hatchback based on the Fiat Punto, doesn't do enough to disguise its origins in the cheaper car. It looks like a hasty attempt to get something out there, rather than a proper Alfa.There's worse, because as often as not Alfas have simply failed to appear at all. There's been no replacement for the 166, the patrician flagship that passed on a few years ago, neglected and alone. An on-again, off-again SUV has never been on-again for long enough to materialise.The GT went and left a gap. The 159, Brera and Spider have either gone, or are about to.  A sign of how long we might be waiting for their successors comes in the shape of the Giulietta, which replaces the 147. It has only just arrived, although the 147 has been on sale for a decade. That's a lifetime in the small car market.The GM tie-up ended happily for Alfa's parent Fiat, which got $US2 billion from the divorce settlement. Then there was a brief spell when Fiat was single. Even the GM money wasn't enough to keep its entire stable of brands pumping while simultaneously mending its balance sheet.Discount the Mito, and I do, and the Giulietta is the only real Alfa developed for ages.Now Fiat is back in a relationship, this time with Chrysler. So it's also back to shared platforms that must work for all sorts of different cars.  The next Alfa off the drawing board should be the Giulia, the replacement for the 159, although no one's entirely sure when that will appear. Or how much Chrysler baggage it will be carrying.DESIGNThe Giulietta revives a favourite nameplate for the brand that will stir memories among those too doddery to drive if they still have any memory left. For most potential buyers, it will mean nothing at all. But the return of a Giulietta should, by rights, be worth waiting for.It starts in an unpromising fashion by adopting a similar design to the smaller Mito, which looks like a startled lemur. The Giulietta is better, because it's only mildly surprised, but there's still an absence of aggression. Luckily, its rear end is fabulous, especially with the distinctive LEDs switched on.VALUEThe Giulietta enters premium small car territory around the level of the more expensive Volkswagen Golfs, or the cheaper Audi A3s and BMW 1 Series. When the 147 appeared this was a much less competitive segment than it is now.Happily, the Giulietta has been equipped for the task. It has new underpinnings with proper independent rear suspension, hi-tech turbocharged four-cylinder engines and a decent amount of kit.Inside, there's some Italian flair to separate it from the sombre Germans. There are big fat aircon controls, deep-set dials and the retro detail de jour: toggle switches. There's just enough shiny bits to make it feel premium. And unlike in previous Alfas, you don't need to sit with knees crunched to your chest to reach the wheel.There's evidence of engineering care also in the thinness of the A-pillars, which allow vision through corners. The B-pillars, however, are so wide they can hide three lanes of traffic when turning right.It's also a shame that the seats are covered mainly with something called microfibre, even when they're supposedly "leather". They're nowhere near as inviting as they used to be and the average Italian must have put on weight, because they're too wide.DRIVINGAt least, at about 1300kg, the car itself isn't obese. It goes around corners with an eagerness that I don't recall in an Alfa since the 147. The chassis feels keen and alert and refuses to be fazed by mid-corner bumps. Alfa has also remembered to make the steering quick, the gearbox pleasing and the clutch vague, so it feels exactly like it should.At least it does in the 1.8 turbo, or QV as Alfa likes to style its "cloverleaf" editions. It gets the flashier wheels and is better tied down. The 1.4 gets along respectably enough, but the 1.8 has more character and lots more torque. That's reflected in a decent 6.8 second time to reach 100km/h. Which may be only a smidge quicker than a Golf GTI, but it's faster than any Audi or Beemer this sort of money will buy.VERDICTSo against the 1.4, it would be worth finding that extra five grand. That's if you haven't already bought a Golf GTI, which you probably have.If you haven't, you still won't be swayed by the 350 litres of cargo space, which can match a Golf, or Alfa Romeo graphs showing how many more large people can fit in the back.  And if you want a dual-clutch transmission, rather than a six-speed manual, you'll have to wait until the end of the year. And then it's only on the 1.4.But if, in a fit of irrationality, you buy the Giulietta 1.8, you'll be getting something that the world hasn't seen for a while: a convincing Alfa.  More's the point, we may not see its like again. The reason the 159 was too heavy was because it was a compromise, engineered to please both Alfa and General Motors. The engine bay needed to be strong enough to carry a Detroit V8.ALFA ROMEO GIULIETTAVEHICLE: Premium hatchbackENGINES: Turbocharged four-cylinders, 1.4-litre or 1.8-litreOUTPUTS: 125kW at 5500rpm and 250Nm at 2500rpm (1.4 TB); 173kW at 5500rpm and 340Nm at 1900rpm (QV)TRANSMISSION: Six-speed manual, front-wheel drivePRICE: From $36,990 (1.4 TB) to $41,990 (QV) plus on-road costsONSALE: Now

WHEN Volkswagen wanted to reinvent the Beetle, it designed something that evoked the bug but looked modern: the New Beetle. It was the same story when BMW made over the Mini and Fiat updated the 500.In each case, it's all about the look. You don't get 1950s engineering or comfort, and they're not chasing mass market appeal. Yesterday's poverty pack is today's fashion statement.Retro design has been a boon for those carmakers lucky enough to have a suitable model in their back catalogue because it solves two problems at once.First, it attracts young buyers who reject everyday wheels but who lack the petrol-head gene; people for whom every purchase is a lifestyle decision, who agonise over a party outfit, or the accessories for a Mini.Second, retro allows car companies to charge premium prices for small cars, which to the industry is akin to alchemy. In the past, small cars meant small margins. Large cars were where money was.But led by Europe, everybody is downsizing madly to avoid fuel bills, congestion headaches and punitive taxation. Pretty soon, if you can't make money out of small cars you won't be in business.If you don't have a candidate for rebirth you're going to have to do it the hard way. Before long, there will be a wave of new small cars from the German luxury brands aiming to stretch their appeal, and price resilience, lower in the market than ever. Next year's Audi A1 will lead the charge.Meanwhile, Citroen has got there first. The DS3, Citroen says without the hint of a smile, is anti-retro. It looks like nothing that has gone before. European TV adverts for the DS3 use clips of John Lennon and Marilyn Monroe wondering why people "live in the past''. Retro is sooo yesterday.It's a bold stance for a bold car and it has been well received in Europe. It's a verdict I'd echo after a test drive via the scenic route from Sydney to the Hunter Valley last week.The DS3 is entertaining from behind the wheel. It feels solid and secure on the road, tips eagerly into corners and can carry a fair bit of speed before running wide. For a short car with standard hatchback underpinnings, it also rides fairly well, certainly better than a Mini. Although with quite a lot of wind and tyre noise entering the cabin, it doesn't set a new benchmark for small car refinement.The steering, brakes and gearshift all get pass marks or better.  The test fleet were all Dsport models, which run a similiar turbocharged 1.6-litre to the Mini - it was a co-development between Peugeot-Citroen and BMW - and it's a fiesty unit with enough low-down torque to propel the car with conviction.With this engine, the DS3 is a similar weight to a Mini Cooper S and about as fast. The automatic, with just 88kW and four speeds, may not be as convincing but does have a similar equipment level.The DS3 is slightly bigger all around than a Mini and makes use of the extra space to offer better accommodation in the rear and a much larger boot.  But it has borrowed some of the successful bits of the Mini design, despite its disdain for retro.The four-square stance of the Mini, with the wheels at the extremity of each corner, is echoed here, and so is the "floating roof". As with the Mini, the roof can be specified in a contrasting colour to the body, and the DS3 offers similarly high levels of personalisation and options.Citroen will be only too aware they are a boon to the financial bottom line.  The DS3 does have some original moves, though. The B-pillar is an unusual shark's fin shape that works well with the wraparound look of the rear glass.It's a less upright shape than a Mini and the DS3 face, with a vertical cascade of LED lights and distinctively kinked Citroen chrome, is appealing.  The cabin continues the theme, with seats, vents and dials that are unique to this car and at least as funky as the exterior.Only the audio controls and wands are off-the-shelf Citroen. On price, it's line ball with a Mini so you're paying Commodore money for something less than 4m long. Citroen has modest targets of 35 buyers a month, about one-fifth of Mini's.Citroen sales have been in the doldrums here and the DS3 should help. This car also heralds a new strategy for the brand, with a premium line-up badged DS that will parallel its mainstream offerings and share engineering.A new C3, the poor relation of the DS3, arrives soon and late next year the next generation C4 arrives with its rich cousin, the DS4, alongside. The DS moniker will be familiar to Citroen aficionados as the badge on its groundbreaking car from 1950s.Read more about prestige motoring at The Australian.

WANDERING past the Peugeot stand at the Frankfurt motor show three years ago I was hit with an overwhelming sense of deja vu.  The centrepiece was a coupe concept exceedingly reminiscent of the Audi TT, which first appeared more than a decade before.Closer inspection revealed they were indeed very similar.  The Peugeot had nearly identical dimensions, rounded lines and a central cabin defined by a geometric curve. It could have been a direct steal.Of course, Audi doesn't own the coupe idea and for Peugeot executives the two designs stand apart. Any similarities with an Audi vehicle, living or dead, are purely coincidental.The Peugeot RCZ, as it's called, has arrived in Australia and on the drive program in Queensland last week it was impossible not to tick off a list of comparisons with the TT. Turbo engine? Check. Front-wheel drive? Check. Two-plus-two seats? Check. Natty design details? And so on.But it was also impossible not to welcome the arrival of a stylish new coupe when the market isn't exactly awash with them; at least, not at sub-six-figure prices. Apart from the Audi, what else is there? Very little, and there's room for at least one more.  Peugeot believes the RCZ will inject a bit of excitement into its line-up and there are few brands that need it more.In an Australian vehicle market running 15 per cent ahead of last year, Peugeot sales are 4 per cent down. It has had little new to offer for some time and it's starting to show in the numbers.To combat this, Peugeot is working on a new design direction and a recent concept called the SR1 reveals its thinking. The over-sized grille and headlights, which have been a brand feature since the 407 six years ago, will eventually be replaced with something more subtle, starting with the 508 next year.In the meantime, the RCZ will be one of the last models to employ the current design language. Even those who struggle with the big-mouth look will find more to like here. Clever use of structural features, such as the double-bubble roof or conspicuous aluminium roof arches, targets the same visually aware professionals who devoured the Audi. In the RCZ, it's a lot less Bauhaus and a bit more baroque. But it's appealing nonetheless.PRICING AND DRIVETRAINThose comparing the two will find the RCZ has some advantages. Chief among them is price, with all three RCZ variants starting at the same spot: $54,990, or nearly $9000 less than the most affordable Audi TT, the turbocharged 1.8-litre.In the Peugeot you can have a 2.0-litre turbo-diesel or 1.6-litre turbo petrol in two specifications, depending on transmission. An automatic is available only on the low-output petrol. Unlike the TT, no all-wheel drive is available at any price. All RCZs are front-wheel drive.DRIVINGI stuck with the 147kW petrol, which is expected to attract 70 per cent of buyers, at least initially.  It delivers 29kW more power than the 1.8 TT and 25Nm more torque. Despite this, it's marginally slower than the Audi, at 7.5 seconds to 100km/h.Extra weight may be one reason because the top-spec RCZ engine is a hi-tech unit with direct injection, twin-scroll turbocharger and variable valves. And it's a beauty, with plenty of low-rev suppleness, sturdy power delivery and a lovely soundtrack.If you don't need an automatic, the manual can be pleasing to use while the steering and brakes are vice-free.  That suggests driver appeal, and up to a point it's there.DESIGNThe RCZ is based, like the new 3008 (see below) on basic hatchback underpinnings borrowed from the 308. Here it has been lowered, widened and stiffened to good effect.However, an enthusiastic driver will fairly quickly find its dynamic limits and exhaust its potential to engage. Front-wheel drive and a torsion bar rear suspension are never going to deliver the last word in handling enjoyment. Those sorts of buyers will be looking at rear-wheel drive options such as the BMW 1 Series, Nissan 370Z or Mazda MX-5.All those, of course, are compromised in other ways. Both the Nissan and Mazda have only two seats, and the MX-5 comes only as a convertible.  You will need to spend much more on the BMW to get equivalent power. In the RCZ, you get a blend of attributes that will please more mainstream buyers.Driveability is just one strand of that, along with practicality and design appeal.  On practicality, having rear seats - even when they are too tight for adults - will rule the RCZ into contention when two-seaters are strictly off-limits. Against the Audi, the RCZ has a larger boot.  The exterior emphasis on design is carried into the cabin to good effect, making it a pleasing place to be.The materials are well chosen, with Peugeot's usual hard plastics relegated to below-eye-level, and the natty details referred to above make a persuasive case, taken together.  These include appealing dials that show evidence of the attentions of a typographer, with their style attractively echoed in a central clock.In effect, the RCZ strives to repeat the Audi TT formula in a more affordable format. Imitation may be flattery by another name, but the RCZ is worth a look in its own right.

THERE have been some mad, bad BMWs in the past that had more in common with American muscle cars than sober ``ultimate driving machines''. Exhibit A: the M Coupes and Roadsters offered during the previous decade. Rather than the balance of attributes in an M3, the performance version of BMW's junior executive, the M Coupes and their relatives prioritised ballistic power.I never spent much time in any of them and when I did, their reputation for handling like greasy eels made me very wary.I was expecting this Z4, the fastest and most expensive variant of the roadster range launched last year, to lay down rubber in the same direction. It comes from the same model line as M Coupes and Roadsters, which were the heady pinnacle of previous Z ranges. Like them, the 35is has a straight-six cylinder engine and with 250kW, almost identical power.The new car is even quicker to 100km/h, with a quoted time of 4.8 seconds, than the last of the crazy Coupes. It's as quick, in fact, as BMW's current M3 with a manual gearbox. And that's pretty quick for something that lacks the imprimatur of the brand's M tuning division.BMW says there are no plans to make an M version of this Z, although, like most car companies, BMW denies everything right up to the moment when it confirms what everyone suspected all along. There's scope to do it here because, compared with previous top-shelf Zs, this one is completely sane. The name should have been enough of a giveaway.Over the years, BMW's naming strategy has become increasingly convoluted to the point where it's now a crime against nomenclature. ``Z4 sDrive35is'' has all the legibility of a DNA sequence and you'll need a centrifuge and a microscope to spot that the only difference between this and its nearest neighbour is the ``s'' tacked on the end.That's how it feels from behind the wheel, too. For another $13,000 it's quicker than the Not-s model by 0.3 seconds to 100km/h, thanks to reprogramming of its twin-turbo engine for more boost. It needs a few more revs to deliver, but on tap is 25kW more power and 50Nm more torque. There's even an overboost function that briefly delivers 500Nm, which is enough to pull a plough. It's a fabulous unit that remains unflappable however hard you work it and emits a tuneful deep, throaty sound.But it doesn't feel like a leap into supercar territory. I'm not even convinced that I'd be able to pick this car from the Not-s unless I drove them back to back. Perhaps expectations are playing tricks on me here. This version is respectably fast, but given the numbers I thought it would have a scary turn of speed that takes your breath away.It's a little unclear, too, why BMW has retained this engine in this model. Elsewhere it's being replaced by one with a single, twin-scroll turbocharger that's better for fuel economy (see below). It's still early in this Z's model cycle, so perhaps that will come.There are other remnants of earlier thinking, too. The seven-speed double-clutch gearbox, optional in the Not-s but standard here, is a good example of the type but BMW has stuck with its idiosyncratic shift paddles on the wheel, which need to be pushed for down, pulled for up. Virtually everyone else has abandoned brand-specific solutions for the industry standard of left paddle for down, right for up. There's a reason why: it's better.Aside from the engine, the other main engineering upgrade is adaptive suspension. This lowers the car and adjusts to road surfaces on the move. Apparently, when the front wheels hit a bump the system is quick enough to alter the rear suspension set-up in time for the back wheels to be prepared. It copes well with rolling dips and crests but less well with sharp bumps and potholes, where it lacks the brilliant initial compliance of most BMWs. The ride quality can be abrupt.At the same time, even on the firmest setting there's a fair bit of body roll and the suspension seems to exhaust its range of movement quickly. It can be caught out.On a twisty road, this Z4 is capable but, unfortunately, not engaging, and nowhere near the best that BMW can offer. The electric steering has been tweaked for better tactility but still felt remote, an impression magnified by the long bonnet that ends who-knows-where. From the driver's seat, the steering wheel is offset slightly to the left and that doesn't help matters either.Read more about prestige motoring at The Australian.

THEY say Aston Martins all look the same, and they have a point. When you spy one you immediately know it's an Aston -- they're that distinctive -- but was it DB9 or a DBS? A V8 or a V12? You seldom see two together, so it's hard to tell.However, I'm at Phillip Island race circuit surrounded by more than 40 examples representing every facet of the line-up. It's the first track day organised by the company in Australia and could be the largest gathering of Astons down under.Many owners have driven their cars interstate to be here, and some have flown in from New Zealand. When they're all together like this -- the cars, that is, not the owners -- it's surprising how the differences leap out at you. They're at least as different from each other as, say, Porsches.The Aston range has just been expanded by one and it's the most different of the lot. The Rapide is Aston's first four-door sportscar after it joined the rush to design slinky sedans. This segment, pioneered by the Mercedes-Benz CLS and Maserati Quattroporte, is growing rapidly. The Porsche Panamera is another newcomer while Audi and BMW both intend to make ``four-door coupes''.DESIGNSo far, the Rapide is the one that has made the transition from two doors to four with the fewest compromises on shape. A Panamera is more commodious in the rear but looks ugly from behind and bulky all over. Aston struck a different balance.The Rapide sticks to the concept that surprised the Detroit motor show in 2006, which looked like a stretched DB9. Side by side, it's obvious there was a bit more involved than that.It's bigger in all dimensions to the brand's pin-up 2+2, but most obviously longer, by 30cm. The Rapide retains all the brand signatures, including ``swan'' doors that swing upwards slightly to lift them clear of kerbs. But every panel is different while ingredients such as the headlights and side strakes are longer. It also gets a unique face with a grille on the lower air intake and main-beams garnished with a string of LEDs.Aston says it's the most beautiful four-door sportscar, and it's hard to disagree. Some of the effect relies on visual tricks. The rear doors are much larger than the actual openings; some of what they conceal is structural. It's a squeeze to get in and, once there, it's tight but bearable for full-sizers, better for children. The rear seats fold for carrying long stuff, which is just as well because cargo space is a relatively miserly 317 litres.One question mark concerns the car's assembly, which is being done away from the English Midlands at a special facility in Austria. Transplanting the brand's craft traditions appears to have worked; the car I drove was beautifully hand-finished to a high standard. As usual, what appears to be metal is metal, including the Bang & Olufsen speaker grilles and magnesium gearshift paddles behind the wheel. The Rapide just seems a little more lavish.TECHNOLOGYThere are no dud notes here, although the centre console, which is borrowed from the DB9, has fiddly buttons and the control system is rudimentary compared with the best of the Germans.In technical terms the Rapide follows the DB9, with the same engine and six-speed automatic transmission located at the rear axle. As with the two-door, most of the Rapide is aluminium and Aston claims the bonded chassis has been stretched without compromising rigidity. Weight increases are the penalty, with the Rapide 230kg heavier than a DB9 at a whisker under two tonnes.The Rapide chalks up a few firsts for the brand, including an electronic park brake and dual-cast brake discs in cast iron and aluminium. It also installs adaptive dampers from the DBS to its double wishbone suspension.DRIVINGAs well as being the largest and heaviest Aston, the Rapide is also the slowest. At 5.2 seconds to reach 100km/h, it's 0.4 seconds slower than a DB9. It gives up sooner, too, with a maximum speed of 296km/h, 10km/h less than a DB9. However, among four-doors these figures are no disgrace.With a starting price just $13,000 more than the DB9 Coupe automatic, Aston executive Marcel Fabris expects to sell 30 Rapides by the end of the year. Globally, the company will deliver 2000 a year.My first drive is a delivery run of sorts. The night before the track day, the Rapide needs to be relocated from the brand's Melbourne showroom to Phillip Island so that it can be shown off to owners and a score of invited prospects. I've driven these 140km before and they are not very exciting. It's already dark and raining, so I focus on negotiating Melbourne's home-bound crawl and getting there without drama.It's easy to get comfortable and the steering makes a favourable impression immediately. It's direct, precise and terrifically weighted. It makes shuffling this 5m-long, highly visible piece of exotica through tetchy traffic a breeze.Cabin quietness and ride quality are better than expected, too, and the days when Astons came without cruise control have long gone. All the comforts and conveniences are here, including heated seats. If there's an irritation it's the control system and its small buttons, which make finding a suitable radio station a chore.That's not an issue at the circuit the next day, when the weather has cleared and Aston owners are patiently sitting through driver briefings. More than just a chance to experience their cars at speed, this event is modelled on ones in Britain, Europe and the US in which professional race drivers ride shotgun with owners to coach them on getting the best from their car. Three instructors have come out from Britain, where the brand has been offering performance driving courses for a decade. The rest are locals with years of motorsport experience.Under the expert guidance of Brit Paul Beddow, I take the Rapide out first. I've never driven an Aston on a circuit before and the experience is something of a revelation. The Rapide doesn't feel like a sedan but something smaller and more agile -- you could almost be in one of the coupes. The steering I liked on the road is even better here, while the brakes are excellent and gearshifts quicker than expected. This V12 engine is a lovely unit that doesn't mind working hard. It may not be the quickest Aston, but the Rapide doesn't feel slow.During the course of the day there's a chance to sample the rest of the Aston range, and when you drive them back-to-back, as when you see them side-by-side, it's the differences that stand out. The Rapide is the refined and civilised member of the range, surprisingly relaxing to drive even on the track, yet strong and capable. Grip levels and cornering speeds are high.VERDICTThe Rapide bookends the renewal that began with DB9. That car helped Aston break its habit of borrowing parts from previous owner Ford, and trading on a reputation that was part racing history, part Hollywood action hero.After expanding its line-up with the less expensive Vantage V8, Aston's ownership base has increased enormously. It's now large enough in Australia to make events such as the one at Phillip Island possible. Most of the owners were experiencing their car on a track for the first time. And most I spoke to would do it again in a flash.The Rapide should help expand the reach of Aston even further. The least likely circuit warrior in the line-up will make future track days more likely, not less. And when the owners turn up to put a Rapide through its paces, they will be pleasantly surprised.While for Aston trainspotters, at last there's an easy one to pick.ASTON MARTIN RAPIDE - $366,280 plus on-road costsVEHICLE: Luxury sedanENGINE: 5.9-litre V12OUTPUTS: 350kW at 6000rpm and 600Nm at 5000rpmTRANSMISSION: Six-speed automatic, rear-wheel driveRead more about prestige motoring at The Australian.