Articles by Philip King

"It's going to be an icon in five years,'' he says. Segler is in charge of an explosion of the Mini brand that will eventually see the number of models double to reach 10. As well as the Coupe and its Roadster twin, there's something called the Paceman, which is a go-fast version of the Countryman SUV.BMW plans to expand the number of front-wheel-drive cars it makes to one million a year by 2020.Controversially, it will begin making small front-wheel-drive BMWs on the Mini platform as well, to help amortise the costs and broaden its range. However, a lot of the extra volume has to come from more Minis.The plan is already under way, with pound stg. 500 million ($785m) committed to its British factories to expand and modernise. In the meantime, some Minis are being made under contract in Austria.One measure of intent comes from the unusually short development time for the Coupe, just 17 months. Although for Syring, it must have seemed a lot longer.

If there's one certainty in a vehicle market that doesn't know whether to laugh or cry, it's that SUV sales are going up.

The SUV figures helped to push vehicle sales to the highest monthly total in almost two years, with more than 97,000 buyers. The figure, driven by demand for SUVs of all sizes, was 3.9 per cent higher than the same month last year and the best result since June 2010. It capped a positive first quarter for the industry with sales up nearly 5 per cent for the year, representing almost 1000 additional vehicles leaving showrooms every week. Releasing the figures yesterday, the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries said small cars were the other factor in the strong result. "SUVs continue to dominate Australian car sales,'' FCAI chief executive Ian Chalmers said. "Combined with small passenger cars and light passenger cars, these three segments make up 64.6 per cent of new cars sold this year.'' The SUV boom compensated for a decline in demand for light commercial vehicles despite a rebound for Toyota's Hilux best-seller, which was hit by supply problems in the wake of last year's Japanese earthquake and tsunami. It helped Toyota lead the sales race along with its Camry, which found 43 per cent more buyers than last March on the strength of the new locally built model. Other local makers Ford and Holden had a more mixed result, with large car sales down 30 per cent for the month affecting both the Falcon and Commodore.  The Holden sedan found 1000 fewer buyers than in March last year while a poor result for the Falcon, with 1275 sales, was one factor in Ford slipping down the sales charts to fifth, behind Mazda and Hyundai. Imports captured 87 per cent of sales, with the Japanese-made Mazda 3, a small hatchback, again the nation's favourite vehicle with 3818 buyers. Strong sales of its new compact SUV, the CX-5, and BT-50 pick-up helped Mazda to record its best month ever.  

Large cars need large engines, is the traditional wisdom. Capacity is king and you need at least a six, preferably an eight. Without one, it's a case of all mouth and no trousers. Ask any Holden or Ford owner.But times are changing. Soon, there will be mandatory emissions standards for all cars sold in Australia that mirror the sorts of schemes in place in Europe and elsewhere. They will be especially challenging for local makers, which specialise in large cars.Every year the large sedan slips further down the buyers wish lists, with nothing seemingly able to arrest the fall. To Ford and Holden, part of the solution is better fuel economy. Hence the 3.0-litre V6 Commodore with direct fuel injection launched two years ago, a smaller engine but still a six.Then there's the Falcon EcoLPi (see this page) using another version of the 4.0-litre straight six unit that's in the vast majority of Falcons still on the road. But next year Ford will introduce a four-cylinder Falcon for the first time in its 50-year existence.Even without emissions standards, these are essential moves. The large car market has always been dominated by fleets, which account for 70 per cent of the market. Increasingly, governments and businesses must bow to internal green agendas.If Commodores and Falcons cannot comply, then your next work vehicle may be something else entirely. The idea of a large sedan with a four-cylinder engine is less alien in Europe and, in technological terms, they have a head start. Their engines already achieve standards still to be implemented here.At least as important, prices have moved decisively in favour of imports, with vehicle tariffs as low as they can go and a high Australian dollar making them cheap. With premium prices, they have struggled to get mainstream traction. Now it's going to get easier.The first European to be listed in the mainstream large category was a Skoda sedan called the Superb. It arrived two years ago with a 2.0-litre diesel and 1.8-litre petrol, both turbocharged four-cylinders. It has been no more than a nick in the side of the locals, with sales in the hundreds.VALUEBut now there's another. The Peugeot 508, which has just gone on sale, pushes the price and economy argument even further. It arrives with two diesels and will soon be available with a 115kW turbo 1.6-litre petrol from $36,990, undercutting the cheapest Falcon or Commodore by thousands.TECHNOLOGYThe 1.6-litre petrol, which many Australians would view as on the small side for a hatchback, uses 7.1 litres per 100km while both the diesels achieve just 5.7. The best a Commodore can do is 9.1l/100km and the Falcon 9.9l/100km. The 508 will soon be able to offer so-called “micro-hybrid'' features such as stop-start at idle to return fuel economy of 4.4. These systems are common at the luxury level of the market but still making there way into the mainstream. However, Ford and Holden are years behind.Running costs are a huge issue for fleets but fuel is only one factor. To dispel concerns about the price of servicing imports, Peugeot has tailored a three-year capped deal that offers three scheduled pit stops for no more than $330 each. It's the same deal for private buyers and fleets. Perhaps Peugeot will save a six-cylinder for a two-door because there's no V6 in this line-up. The smallest diesel, a 2.0-litre, starts at $42,990 and a wagon adds $3000. All engines comply with the latest Euro V toxic emission standards and come in well under the expected Australian CO2 emissions target for 2015 of 190g per kilometre.The GT model with more power gets the same economy but is quicker to 100km/h, at 8.2 seconds. It gains wishbones at the front suspension instead of struts, and larger alloys.DESIGNThe 508 replaces two cars in the Peugeot line-up: the 407, which started in the low-$40,000 and came as a sedan, wagon or coupe; and the 607, a $70,000-plus car that whittled out a lonely career as an unloved sedan.The 508 falls between the two on size, with a shorter front overhang and less obvious grille than the ugly 407. It's the first Peugeot to use some of the new design language explored in the SR1 concept from last year. The SR1 itself suggests a coupe may join the sedan and wagon later.The list of features available is impressive and includes a head-up display for the driver, clever directional headlamps and electronic park brake. It presents well, with the wagon more pleasing visually and a well put together interior that's two notches above the locals for quality and appeal.There's leather and soft plastics, a bit of chrome bling and enough comfort features. The chairs are as accommodatingly wide as any in a Falcon or Commodore.Who says the French don't get fat? The cabin itself isn't as roomy, of course. None of the European aspirants are, unless you go up a badge or two.DRIVEAnd the 508 is unlikely to change the minds of Commodore and Falcon buyers about what constitutes a desirable set of wheels. The two diesels were available at the launch drive in Victoria and they do the job well enough, although you'd miss the Falcon's six up a hill. Or for overtaking.Less so in with the 150kW 2.2-litre, which might test the 3.0-litre Commodore at some speeds. Certainly, Peugeot believes it can outperform its previous V6. The two 508s have different dynamic personalities.The 2.0-litre is pillowy and rolly, with an eagerness to run wide in corners. The bespoke front suspension and larger wheels on the GT lift the thresholds substantially but don't change the character of the car. It's not as precise as one of the local rear-wheel drives.When it comes to the ride quality, the large wheels in the GT are noisier and fussier about road imperfections and the 2.0, but at least both are more comfortable than Peugeots have been recently, with a less troubling ride.Drivers may not have changed what they want, but fleets have changed their buying patterns already. Steeper petrol prices have shifted some to smaller cars. Others have been swept up by the trend to SUVs, which with diesel engines can be relatively cheap to run. Demand for large cars won't rebound on the strength of imports, with Peugeot expecting to ship in about 1000 a yearVERDICTIt badly needs to hit that target if it's going to reach its goal of 8500 buyers next year. That would be its second best result in a decade or about 3000 more than last year.

When children grow too big for the sandpit, they move up to the swings; when a car outgrows ordinary roads, it goes to the track. Not just any track, but the Nurburgring.This is a playground in the satanic sense, a 21km "green hell'' according to former racer Jackie Stewart, that winds through the Eifel mountains in Germany. Just about any carmaker with a performance model goes there to wring the vehicle's neck. Then, when it goes on sale, they can say that it has been tuned at the most demanding place on earth. It's virtually a back yard for German makers and it comes up quickly when you start learning about BMW's new M5. For the fifth version of its performance luxury sedan, that's where it went.It needed to bed down stiffer double-wishbone suspension at the front and a rear axle mounted more rigidly, apparently.Then there's a trick rear differential that uses an electric motor and sensor input from the electronic stability system. But you get the feeling any excuse would have done. A production car that can rip around the Nurburgring in less than nine minutes is doing exceptionally well. BMW claims its M5 can do a sub-eight minute lap, without saying exactly how sub.That puts it among supercars, thinly disguised track specials, the most insane Porsches and the best Japan can offer, such as Nissan's GT-R. For a car weighing near-as-makes-no-difference two tonnes, that's a moon-shot. Thanks to the 'Ring, the M5 inhabits a realm between real world driving and Apollo 11. You won't get any idea of what it can do going from A to B on speed-limited roads. You need a road that only goes from A to A, and puts limits only on your daring. The closest we have to a green hell is the aquamarine purgatory of Phillip Island. You can see the ocean from much of this world-class track. But don't look. You're flirting with the devil and the deep blue sea.BMW's chassis engineers must have realised they had a job on their hands after they saw what the engine department had done. This car ditches the naturally aspirated 5.0-litre V10 from the previous model in favour of a smaller 4.4-litre V8, but adds turbocharging.It's the way everyone is going for just about every type of car because it reduces fuel consumption... by 30 per cent in this case. That isn't what you'll remember about the M5. You'll remember a little yellow light in the dash telling you the traction control is working overtime.Demand acceleration and it has no choice but to blink a reprimand. Turbocharging changes the nature of this car completely. The previous V10, motivated by BMW's less-than-stellar spell in Formula 1, revved stratospherically to 8250rpm - and needed to soar to deliver.This car has more power, up 39kW to a supercar-like 412kW, and it arrives sooner, at 6000rpm. But the big difference is in its torque, brought on by the twin-scroll turbo nestled in the engine V.This rises by 160Nm to 680Nm. Where 6100rpm was needed to access maximum torque previously, it now arrives at just 1500rpm. From virtually no revs, this engine wants to twist the rear axle.The result is ludicrously easy wheelspin, constantly reined in by the electronics. If you get traction, 100km/h arrives in 4.4 seconds. You can power through the overtaking zone from 100km/h to 200km/h in just 8.6 seconds. In a car this size and weight, that's extraordinary. Overseas, where the speed limiter can be removed, it will keep going to a Bentley-like 305km/h. Turbo-lag, that delay between right foot and forward motion, has been banished here. The engine also sounds glorious - unlike most turbos - even if the rev ceiling drops to a (relatively) modest 7200rpm and unless you're belting around a track, it's pretty quiet inside. The double-clutch transmission flicks through gears willingly, without the jarring of the previous automated manual system, and the enormous brakes (thankfully) hold up well. Except under the most extreme deceleration, the M5 is amazingly stable and predictable.A turbocharged 4.4-litre V8 was offered in a non-M version of the previous 5 Series, but this is the first time BMW's tuners have employed air pumps and in this respect, they follow a path already taken by Audi and Mercedes. The handling precision, though, is all BMW. For purists, it retains hydraulic steering rather than switching to electric, which is good. When it comes to the suspension tuning BMW has applied all the dynamic software it can find.As before, you can set the car up for different degrees of aggression but it's easier now and the dampers can be on max while the steering is on comfort if you want.For Phillip Island, I dial the throttle back from sport plus to sport, because that makes it less of a grenade, but leave the transmission and dampers on the shortest fuse. Of course the light still blinks.So I'm not game to entirely disengage the electronic stability control, which is on BMW's fence-sitting middle setting. A bit of wayward throttle on corner one and I'd be ocean-bound. You're aware of its weight and thanks to the head-up display, which projects information on to the windscreen, you're also aware of your speed when normally you wouldn't be game to glance down. Without that evidence, the two figures would not compute. But they do because the Phillip Island track feels ludicrously easy in this car. The front tyres have brilliant grip so you can have confidence they will stick where you point them. Ease off the throttle and the car instantly tightens its line.The M5 was nurtured in green hell but I'm in blue heaven.

The benefits of tighter emissions regulations are obvious enough: less time wasted at the coffee-and-muffin shops that pass for service stations and more time on the road.Cheaper running costs and few compromises, if any, on performance. If you feel the need, you can even convince yourself you're saving the planet.The downsides are less tangible. You don't become an immediate social outcast if you only pack four-cylinders, but you don't get the warm inner glow that a six or eight gives.It helps if a turbocharger is fitted, because that suggests you're still a petrol-head at heart. But light-switch acceleration isn't the goal of turbos any more. Without an air pump, even modern engines must sacrifice economy or driveability; it's virtually impossible to deliver both.Of course, carmakers employ marketing departments that are attuned to the social implications of all this. So while engines get smaller and shed cylinders, model designations stay the same. Mercedes’ AMG-tuned cars badged “63'' used to be naturally aspirated V8s of 6.2-litres capacity rather than 6.3. Depending on the model, outputs were different, and as carmakers go, that's a relatively innocent sleight of hand.Now it's a full-on illusion. Some AMGs keep that engine, some move to a new 5.5-litre V8 with two turbos. But the badge stays. So you can't tell.So I was left wondering what was under the bonnet of the SL500. When the fifth generation was launched 11 years ago, it stood for 5.0-litre V8, naturally fed. Now?This V8 is never very loud, though, and of course the badge gives no clue to the fact that it's now 4.7-litres displacement, not 5.0, with twin turbochargers. All the fuel-saving tricks available have been fitted and the result is impressive average consumption of 9.1 litres per 100km. Helping achieve that figure is an extremely low drag coefficient of just 0.27 and electronic steering.The SLS sits above the SL in Mercedes-Benz sportscar hierarchy and the six-cylinder SL350 will start around half the price. Even the SL500 driven at launch will be about $130,000 cheaper than an SLS.It's easier to start with the letters. “SL'' stands for "super-light'' and this car traces its lineage back to the original 300SL Gullwing from 1954, which was based on a race-car. As the SL evolved, Mercedes forgot what the “L'' stood for and by the time it replaced its fabric roof with a folding hard-top in 2001, the SL500 weighed a whopping 1845kg.No one would describe the new one as lithe, but it has switched to aluminium construction with a soupcon of magnesium and only used steel for the bits that really need it, such as the windscreen pillars. The result is a car 60kg lighter than the 2001 model despite being longer and wider.The SL500  aims to be a luxury convertible with a turn of speed and a degree of style. On those goals, I'd score it two out of three. Its downfall is its design which, like most recent Mercedes, falls well short of its best work. Traditional roadster proportions are retained, with a long bonnet and cabin set well back.There are modern echoes of the original, such as side air vents. But next to earlier SL models, thoughtfully lined up by Mercedes for comparison, the new one lacks grace. It looks best on the move but even then the nose can seem bulbous and headlights too large.On the other counts, it's a significant step forward. It's not easy to make a folding roof convertible seem solid. Mercedes has achieved a more rigid body than before and it's noticeably tighter, with few creaks or groans. It's the first hard-top convertible I've driven that doesn't feel as though you've loaded the boot with flat-pack furniture.The seats are good (with a fast power-forward button for access to storage behind) and the interior feels top-notch premium, with one blemish: black metal arms that support the roof are visible when it would be better if they were not. Round air vents and a miniature gearshifter come from the SLS and at last there's an electronic park brake.This will be one of the first Mercedes with full iPhone integration and it also fits the industry's favourite new trick: a boot that opens or closes with a wave of your foot under the rear bumper.The roof takes 20 seconds to open or close, which is about par for a folding hard-top but slower than most fabrics. This is relevant only because the car has to be virtually stationary for the roof to operate, a disadvantage fabric roofs can avoid.Harsh Aussie roads will prove a tougher test than the tarmac of southern Spain, which has been smooth-paved with Euro-dollars. Even so, the SL's ride and refinement levels stood out. Roof down, a wind deflector keeps the cabin bluster free and conversations are possible at speed. Roof up, you could be in a conventional coupe it's so quiet.One strange result of this is that you hear more of the engine with the roof up than with it down. Usually it's the other way around. The SL500 is effortlessly quick, reaching 100km/h in 4.6 seconds. It never feels remotely like a supercar, thanks to an absence of aural drama and (still substantial) mass.But of course it's not meant to. The suspension copes well but gives priority to comfort over the ability to make rapid directional changes. With light steering and touring priorities, this is a swift cruiser that even in sport mode isn't primed for the starter's gun.

Mr Dennis, in Sydney to open McLaren's first Australian dealership before heading to Melbourne for last weekend's Formula One race, was responding to critics who found the 12C lacked emotion. He said the McLaren is a sophisticated design and "a great car'' that is appreciated by motoring aficionados. The MP4-12C, which squares off against the Ferrari 458 in the $500,000-plus bracket, was styled with longevity in mind and was better than its rival on every measure, he said. On TV program Top Gear Jeremy Clarkson said the 12C lacked "zing'' and was "a pair of tights'' while the Ferrari was "a pair of stockings''. Mr Dennis dismissed the comments as part of the "cabaret'' of the program. "He's far more focused on the humour of the line than its technical justification. There's a necessity within the program to be critical - no car goes unscathed.'' The Sydney dealership, part of the Trivett group, expands McLaren's network to 35 outlets in 19 countries. Potential Australian buyers came to look at two demonstrators. The first batch of 16 customer cars is due at the end of next month. Many have had to wait longer than expected for their cars after a software glitch last year delayed shipments. McLaren fixed the problem and Mr Dennis said the company's motor-racing experience meant it could respond quickly to issues. When someone complained about the stiffness of the gearshift paddles, for example, McLaren tested it and agreed. "If we can measure and understand and - in that instance - agree with the observation, we can quickly develop it and change it,'' he said. But he denied McLaren had turned up the engine sound in response to claims it lacked drama and said day-to-day performance at speeds below 160km/h was ignored by supercar brands at their peril. "I don't want someone to drive our car for 100km and have a headache. There are lots of cars that sit in our segment that carry that fundamental negative.'' Too many were also "fashion statements'' while the 12C aimed to outlive trends. "It's more E-type Jaguar in its design sense. It will have more longevity, it will be less fashionable, it will last longer. And ultimately that will reflect in higher residual value.'' Customers also liked what the car said about them, he said, with its understatedness an asset. He admitted there were things he would do differently, but ``there's no such thing as a perfect car'' and many critics had not actually experienced the 12C. "This is a car that needs to driven to be understood. The aficionados of the car world know this is a great car.''  Mr Dennis said the 12C would beat the F1, McLaren's landmark supercar from the 1990s, around any circuit, but the company would unveil another car with even more performance in May. A junior sportscar below the 12C would eventually complete a three model line-up. The factory expected to make 4000 cars a year when all three are on sale, with production reaching 2000 this year.

Switzerland is car-making neutral ground and has little vehicle industry of its own. But its annual showcase has a reputation as the "designer" show, where the elite brands put their best ideas on display and the minor players can share the limelight.VOLVO V40Vehicle: Small premium hatch.Volvo has been treading water on vehicle development and a clear strategic direction has yet to emerge after its takeover by China's Geely two years ago. Its first new product since then still owes a lot to previous parent Ford, with parts of the V40 traceable to the Focus.But like the Mercedes A-Class, it tackles the booming segment of premium compact hatchbacks and is expected to add 100,000 sales a year. Volvo chief Stefan Jacoby says it sets new standards in the segment, with features trickling down from its larger cars. These include City Safety, a collision avoidance system that can prevent a rear-ender at up to 50km/h, and the headline feature, the world's first pedestrian airbag, which deploys from the rear edge of the bonnet.PORSCHE BOXSTERVehicle: Convertible sportscar."The car that rescued Porsche'' is not over-stating the significance of the Boxster, its little mid-engined roadster, which troubled brand purists when it appeared in the 1990s but undoubtedly brought the brand back from the financial precipice.Pictures of the heavily restyled new car have been around for a while but Porsche saved the real thing for Geneva. It shares many of its innovations with the 911, and Porsche will be rolling out variants of these two models for years to come. Lighter than before despite a longer wheelbase and wider track, two flat-six engines are offered from the outset: a 195kW 2.7-litre or 232kW 3.4-litre in the Boxster S. Its bound to better than the last one, and that's still the benchmark in this category.MERCEDES-BENZ A-CLASSVehicle: Luxury hatchback.Mercedes-Benz has had mixed fortunes with small cars. Its previous A and B-Class were the Tweedledum and Tweedledee of a segment that contained cars such as the Audi A3 and BMW 1 Series.Expensive to build and mumsie in their appeal, Mercedes has torn up that approach and started from scratch. The A will be the smallest and least expensive of what will eventually be a five-car line-up in which only the practical mini-bus B is recognisable from before. The premium small car market is running hot and the A will aim to lure anyone shopping with Golf money and above. It's more macho, more premium and ready-fitted with top-shelf equipment such as collision prevention systems. It's also Mercedes biggest roll of the dice since the new M-Class SUV.FERRARI F12 BERLINETTAVehicle: Supercar.Most Ferraris sold are V8s, particularly since it added the entry-level California convertible to its range. Thanks in part to that car, last year production reached a record of 7200, and its margins are the envy of the industry.But true believers know it's the 12-cylinder cars that are really at the heart of the badge. Last year it replaced its flagship four-seater 12-cylinder and this year it rolls out its two-seater V12 coupe, the F12 Berlinetta. This replaces the six-year old 599 GTB and lifts the bar on performance even further. The F12 is the most powerful road car Ferrari has built, with a new 6.3-litre engine that develops 544kW and can rev to 8700rpm. It propels the F12 to 100km/h in 3.1 seconds and 200km/h in 8.5. Ferrari has been fast-tracking technology recently and the F12 comes with every dynamic trick Ferrari can muster.INFINITI EMERG-EVehicle: Concept supercar.Nissan's luxury division Infiniti has global ambitions after years establishing a foothold in the US. For its fifth appearance at the Geneva show it rolled out the third in a trio of concepts that demonstrate the evolution of its design thinking. The clunkily named Emerg-e pushes the boundaries on technology and performance.Its striking silver carbon-fibre body houses lithium ion batteries that power two mid-mounted electric motors. Together they pump out 300kW and can power the car to 100km/h in four seconds. Emerg-e can travel 50km on electricity before a three-cylinder petrol engine fires up and extends its range to almost 500km. Infiniti launches in Australia later this year.BENTLEY EXP 9 FVehicle: Luxury SUV.There's long been a gap in the SUV market above the most expensive Range Rovers and Porsche Cayennes that elite makers have been slow to fill. Not any more. In a few weeks, Lamborghini will unveil its extreme offroader, but Bentley has got in first with the EXP 9 F.Its first experimental, or EXP, car in a decade, the F stands for Falcon, the fastest animal on the planet. Huge and in many people's eyes not the prettiest, it's recognisably a Bentley thanks to its matrix grille, strong haunches and interior heavy with wood and leather.The showcar boasts 23-inch "turbine'' wheels, while under the bonnet is the same 6.0-litre turbo W12 engine that powers Bentley's GT line. Its goal is to set a new pinnacle for the segment, it says, and, despite any production schedule, Bentley left little doubt it was committed to the idea.BERTONE NUCCIOVehicle: Concept sportscar.Geneva is where the European tuners, aftermarket specialists and styling houses turn up to impress the industry with their skills. It's where names such as Pininfarina and Giugiaro, Ruf and EDAG strut their stuff alongside the majors.One of them, Italian design specialist Bertone, has survived to celebrate 100 years against the odds. Its showcar, named after the "master of Italian style'' Nuccio Bertone, honours that milestone and the determination of his widow to keep the company going.The car, a dramatic orange-and-grey wedge with a mid-mounted 4.3-litre V8, references famous concepts from Bertone's past, such as the Lancia Stratos Zero of 1970. You can't see out the back, so a camera feeds the view on to an LED-screen-virtual-rear-window. It's unlikely to go into production, but shows there's life in Bertone yet.LAMBORGHINI AVENTADOR JVehicle: One-off supercar.What does it feel like to have the wind in your hair at 300km/h? If you're the one with more than E2 million ($2.5m) to spend on the Aventador J, then you'll find out. Only one will be built, and even by Lamborghini's extreme standards this is an uncompromising set of wheels.It starts life as the Aventador, Lamborghini's new carbon-fibre mid-engined V12 supercar, and then doubles down. It removes the roof and windscreen and you can forget about satnav or a radio. It's unlikely you'll be able to hear much, anyway, apart from the engine because the cover has gone, replaced by a carbon-fibre lattice. Underneath is the same 6.5-litre 515kW V12 that propels the Aventador, but with less weight to shift. Lamborghini doesn't say how fast it is, but it does refer to the driver as a "pilot''.LAND ROVER EVOQUE CONVERTIBLEVehicle: Convertible SUV concept car.Almost four years since it was taken over by Indian giant Tata, Jaguar Land Rover really is hitting its straps. Profits exceeded pound stg. 1 billion ($1.48bn) last year for the first time, it's pumping money into R&D and creating 4000 jobs. Plans are also afoot to expand production into India, China and Brazil.One reason: in the Evoque luxury SUV it has a phenomenal hit on its hands. Evoque's success hinges on its striking design and Land Rover takes the idea further in its Geneva showcar, which is a study for an open-top version. Officially designed to "gauge reaction'', it will certainly get made if JLR has an assembly line spare

THE race to be Australia's leading luxury brand is going down to the wire again this year after a nail-biter last year.Mercedes came from behind last December to overtake BMW for its first win since 2003. With a month to go, the two are just as close this time, with Mercedes fewer than 150 sales behind.The key battleground is the junior executive range. BMW's 3 Series, the definitive car in the segment, is up against the Mercedes C-Class, with each accounting for a third of brand sales or more.One reason why Mercedes could do the double is because its C-Class is outselling the 3. The Merc starter pack exec benefited from a mid-life refresh this year that focused on upgrading the dash and improving fuel economy. Both had lagged the competition.It has worked. Remarkably, among mid-size cars regardless of price the C-Class is the third most popular, behind only the Ford Mondeo and Toyota Camry - despite costing almost twice as much. Or more.The makeover also brought a two-door to the C-Class for the first time and that changes the dynamics of the segment. It means Mercedes now has a rival for BMW's 3 Coupe and, more significantly, a direct competitor for the halo model among 3s: the M3 Coupe. This casts such a bright light over the 3 Series it can even make the humblest four-cylinder owner glow with pride. It's a potent marketing tool and a superbly polished dynamic performer.The C63 AMG Coupe arrived in October and is already scoring goals, knocking off the M3 for top sportscar in the motoring clubs' Best Car awards last month and boasting a healthy order book. It has a window of opportunity now, because the 3 Series is about to be replaced. That means everyone knows the old M3 is on the way out.Although they compete, these are very different cars. The M3 gives its best when you're going hell for leather. That's when the engine's on song and its precision can be appreciated. It's a scalpel. However, most of us don't need surgical steel every day. By comparison, the Merc is a breadknife even though this version, and the Coupe in particular, is less of a blunt instrument than before. Badge notwithstanding, this is a muscle car with a gold Amex that's all about the engine.That means you don't have to risk a jail term to enjoy. The driver looks out over a ridged bonnet as shapely as Venice Beach biceps and the engine fires up explosively when you press the oversize metal button. That's just the prelude to a soundtrack that never stops entertaining.The C63 retains the 6.2-litre V8, which AMG has been fitting for years but is being replaced by a turbocharged 5.5-litre V8 in next-generation cars. Because the C Coupe arrives halfway through the model cycle, it sticks with the old unit. This is not a bad thing. The 6.2 is more tuneful than the new engine and, despite a torque peak high in the rev range, never feels wanting.This is especially true if you fit the Performance Pack, as here. For another $14,990 it boosts power by 22kW to 358kW, adds better front brakes with look-at-me red calipers and a steering wheel with Alcantara in the grip sections. Six out of 10 buyers reckon bragging rights are worth the extra.Engine mods include forged pistons and a lightweight crankshaft, which dock 3kg off the weight. This unit spins to 7200rpm, which is not bad for a large V8 not made by Ferrari, and every millimetre of throttle application feels like you are unleashing some tempestuous, elemental force. It growls and roars on the way up then coughs and crackles on the way down. It's so entertaining at any speed you'll never forget why you bought it.Of course, most of those kilowatts simply apply a rubber veneer to the road. But that's not the point. You have the power. If you do get some traction, it's quick. The Performance Pack lowers the 0-100km/h sprint time by 0.1 seconds to 4.3 seconds, which only a few years ago was in the supercar class.The C63 Coupe disdains a torque converter automatic transmission in favour of the multi-plate clutch fitted to the SLS Gullwing. It has four levels of shift aggression, brings launch control and revs the engine on downshifts for extra drama. Quick, but not the quickest gearbox around, it can be hesitant and indecisive in slow-speed manoeuvres, a bit like the double-clutch transmissions now used by many brands.The upgrade brings more direct steering to all C63s and it makes the front wheels your friends. It's one of the car's highlights. The AMG suspension is stiffer and sets the wheels further apart than in a standard C. It's a rigid set-up so the body doesn't move around much through corners.That means on suburban roads the ride is joltingly firm. For me, there's just enough sophistication about the compromise to make it liveable. Great seats help and they're also one of the key AMG interior upgrades. Unlike before, this cabin feels the money even though tyre noise intrudes a bit too often and there are vestiges of former technology, such as the foot-operated park brake. The AMG cosmetics are restrained, in typical German fashion.The C63 saves its extrovert traits for the road. That's unlikely to change, but all brands are being forced to succumb to emission regulations that mean large capacity, naturally aspirated V8s will soon be a thing of the past. Both Merc and BMW have taken to turbocharging and the M3 will return to six cylinders for its next generation.

With this 3 Series we're quietly witnessing the demise of a BMW signature: its naturally aspirated inline six-cylinder petrol engine.TECHNOLOGYIt's been offered since 1977 but, hemmed in by emissions regulations, you cannot get one any more. The sole six-cylinder now is the turbocharged 3.0-litre unit in the 335i, which carries over from the previous model. It's the hero of the line-up and every bit as responsive and powerful as I remember. More economical now too, with BMW's excellent eight-speed transmission. The non-turbo sixes have been replaced by a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder in two levels of output.The 320i arrives later but the 328i is here now and it was the car I was most eager to sample on the test drive in Victoria's Yarra Ranges this week. This 180kW unit will eventually become the mid-spec engine across all BMWs. So it shoulders quite a responsibility and the potential to disappoint. It doesn't.DRIVEWith more accessible torque from low revs than the engines it replaces, and a punchy and responsive mid-range, it propels the 328i with conviction. Zero to 100km/h takes 6.1 seconds, quicker than its rivals from Mercedes or Audi and enough to deliver on BMW's promise of driving pleasure. Most of the time it even sounds pleasing, especially when asked to deliver.Better than that, it feels like the sweet spot in the line-up. Dynamically it was the standout, lighter on its feet and better balanced than the heavier 335i. And while BMW makes good diesels, I'd pick the 328i ahead of the 320d every time.Despite being bigger all round, the 3 is still a handling champion among mid-size sedans. There's impressive agility while the level of directness between steering or throttle inputs and how it behaves on the road inspires confidence.But it would be folly to deny the differences. With electric steering instead of hydraulic, the wheel is more remote while the regular suspension seems softer than I remember, with scope for a bit more body roll and rebound over bumps. Perhaps this is to smooth out the ride. But I'd option-up to the sports or adaptive suspension.On other counts, BMW has made sure there are more reasons to buy. Few will find the cabin too cramped now, and the interior finishes are more varied and interesting. The driving position, as you would expect, is excellent.VERDICTThe new 3 Series loses a little but gains a lot, enough to move it into pole position in a segment it helped define.