Articles by Staff Writers

All because I'd spent some time getting dirty on construction sites.I admit that was years ago. I know that because it suddenly dawned on me that the type of person who is driving a ute today is definitely not the same type of person, and in some cases, not remotely of the same species, as in the 1970s.A ute was driven by a toughie. Now, it could be a petite mother, a grandad on his way to the hardware store, a student travelling to school or, on the odd occasions, a clean-cut tradesman.Utes have also gone the way of their owners.No longer rough and ready, they're smooth, car-like and, well, a bit soft.Toyota has made utes since 1967 and has certainly gone from the tough to the functional look.The inside of the latest Hilux is all Camry. It is a car with a tray in the back. But it's not quite soft.I'm not 100 per cent sold on the look of the new Hilux, and the ute has had a price rise that appears out of step with its hungry rivals.Externally, the styling is subjectively brash. It boasts high side sheet metal which dwarfs the wheels, and a front borrowed from a monstrous Dodge Ram 4WD out of a Midwest US town.But all that hides a more sophisticated chassis than its predecessor.A new front suspension has done wonders for the car's, er, that should read ute's, handling and straight-line stability.My error came from driving the latest Hilux SR5 4WD dual-cab out of town. Forget what you're driving and you'd swear this was a car.It holds its line smoothly through the corners, brakes solidly and sits on the road with very little need for the driver to constantly correct the steering.It is just as responsive in the dirt. The 4WD system is a Plain Jane part-time arrangement, though it has manual freewheeling hubs.Engagement is from a second floor-mounted lever, which isbecoming passe compared with some other companies that use a dashboard-mounted switch to electronically engage 4WD Low.However, it could be argued that the Hilux's manual system is more reliable and just as quick.The four-litre V6 is an awfully strong mill with heaps of power.Combined with a leaf-sprung rear suspension and live axle, the off-road ability is excellent.Toyota is renowned for quality engineering at a premium price. By comparison with its rivals, it doesn't offer the same level of features, so you pay more for less, but get it back again when you sell.The dual-cab is versatile and perfect for the weekly worker and weekend family man.Heavens, this could almost be good as a tradie's car. All you need is a dog and a can of Passiona.

Actually, they will need to be better than just good to keep faith with the people who have bought the latest European-made small cars from GM Holden.The Barina, Astra and Vectra have done a lot to prove Holden has morphed into more than just a Commodore car company.But Holden has done a deal with Daewoo to boost the value of its baby Barina and the Astra-sized Viva, so it will shift emphasis from next month as the first rebadged compacts roll off the boat from South Korea.Where does that leave the latest Astra line-up? Sitting pretty, judging from a week with the new Astra wagon.We were captivated by the styling of the new Astra coupe. The all-round strengths of the wagon, and the practical back end on the pint-sized family friend, show how much the European newcomer has been improved.It's not the cheapest car in its class, but $23,490 is a good deal for a wagon clearly better than any of its direct rivals.It gives young couples with kids a realistic alternative to a city-style four-wheel-drive.The wagon and coupe stretch an Astra line-up that was revitalised last year with a full body swap and will eventually grow to include a turbo coupe early next year, then a convertible with folding metal roof.Holden says it maintains its commitment to the Astra, now its second-best-selling vehicle after the Commodore.It has allowed Holden to boost volume while waiting for the crucial compact 4WDs -- also coming from South Korea -- from the middle of next year.The Astra wagon has the same basic mechanical package as the rest of the family, though it has a wheelbase 89mm longer.Height is increased by 40mm and Holden says the carrying capacity is 454 litres, or 1549 with the rear seats folded.There is a touch-pad release for the rear door, a cargo cover, side storage compartments, a 12-volt socket and roof rails.There are two models, CD and CDX, but both come with front and side airbags, anti-skid brakes, front electric windows, CD sound and airconditioning.The CDX, from $25,990, picks up alloy wheels, cruise control, six-stack CD, trip computer and four electric windows.ON THE ROAD The best thing about the Astra wagon is obvious. It does not feel as if you are driving a wagon. The car rides tight and light, is quiet and comfy, gets along well enough, and is barely affected by weight in the tail -- unless you shop big and fill it.It is pretty much the way we remember the Astra hatch, though it does not turn heads like the coupe.We found plenty to like, from the engine response to the touch-pad release for the tailgate.And we even enjoyed the central controller for the CDX's trip computer and sound system, which was much more intuitive and straightforward than the BMW iDrive system that led us all into the world of computer-mouse-style electronics in cars.The problem for the Astra is that Australians have deserted the station wagon end of showrooms.They much prefer 4WDs, which means the new Holden is just as likely to be shopped against a Honda CR-V or Toyota RAV4 as the Mitsubishi Lancer and Toyota Corolla wagons that shape as its direct rivals.Holden is confident it can get plenty of customers for the car and it is definitely the new class leader, but we are not totally convinced.But there is no need to wonder when you're driving, because the Astra wagon is a very nice device. It is easy to park, has classy headlights, stops well and performs with plenty of perk.The CDX test car was loaded with everything you really need for enjoyable driving, particularly cruise control, effective air-con and punchy CD sound.We also liked the steering-wheel buttons for the sound system.The wagon tail is good, with a low loading lip and a fully flat floor.We threw in some bikes and also loaded the Astra for a trip to the tip, appreciating the fold-flat rear seats and the tie-down hooks.People on picnics will like the power socket and storage bins in the back and we can see some families using the roof racks.We took a while to adjust to the firm seats, and never really liked the austere look inside the cabin, but that was about it on the negative side of the balance sheet.

Various sections of the demanding track had been turned into chicanes with witches hats that played to the strengths of the Evo– unbeliev- able get up and go, eye popping brakes and almost peerless drive out of corners.This is the latest incarnation of a world championship winning rally car and it's better than ever. Almost forgot, the price has come down nearly $8000 on the earlier Evo 8.Cleverly priced at $56,789, Evo 9 represents the pinnacle of Mitsubishi's road going automotive aspirations – the show piece, the hero car in Mitsu's range.But you won't need to be a hero to have fun safely in this potent four-door sedan, it makes mug drivers look good and has high levels of primary and secondary safety.Big changes this time around include the adoption of variable valve timing on the inlet side for more power and better response. A clever hydraulic system advances or retards the inlet camshaft to optimize output at any given engine speed.There's also a six speed manual transmission replacing the previous five speeder and weight is down by about 60kg thanks to the wider use of aluminium for the roof, door intrusion beams, bonnet and front guards. The roof is fixed using similar techniques to an aircraft fuselage with rivets and crimping to deliver a stronger roof, kilograms lighter.The 2.0-litre, turbo, four cylinder engine is now good for 206kW/355Nm most of which is accessible across a wide spread of engine speeds to about 7500rpm.It's been revised for improved reliability and passes Euro 4 emissions regulations.Handling and stability is enhanced through the use of an active yaw control system that monitors and changes various functions of the vehicle to maintain stability. It's controlled by one computer.The differentials also contribute to Evo 9's prodigious grip and drive.Braking and suspension is carried over from the previous model but the front struts are upside down units to reduce unsprung weight.Minor external and internal changes make the Evo 9 better looking and more functional. Climate control air, cruise control and an excellent audio system are now included in the package. The previously tacky looking interior is spruced up through the use of carbon fibre and titanium look fascia. Sports seats have large side bolsters and are a blend of suede and leather. The wheel, gear knob and hand brake all leather-clad.An excellent new anti theft feature is Diamond Trac based on GPS satellite position monitoring and remote control of the vehicle if needed. If someone steals the Evo9, it can be disabled remotely and the owner knows its precise location. The Evo 9 also features Datadot protection.Plenty of dress-up and performance accessories are available to customise the Evo9 including a sports pack with BBS wheels and Bilstein dampers.Mitsubishi says the Evo 9 will sprint from 0-100kmh in 5.7 seconds but it feels quicker than that. Well have to test that one on home turf.It is a beautifully balanced car to drive and is extremely difficult to get out of shape.The full time all wheel drive is electronically controlled and the 17in tyres offer plenty of traction.A dash operated three mode centre diff optimizes the drive system for tarmac, gravel or snow driving conditions.Evo 9's direct competitor is Subaru WRX STi which is a little more unruly and is dogged by turbo lag in the lower revs. The Evo suffers no such problems. It is highly specified rocketship that will satisfy the most discerning driving enthusiast and will be freely available through Ralliart Mitsubishi dealers.

Three or five-door, the compact Italian has a style all its own and always an encouraging nature.

Back in the early 1980s, public relations and event management was just starting to become the billion-dollar juggernaut it is now.

The Ford XR6-Turbo gives you the Falcon muscle car image of Supercar race champion Marcos Ambrose, complete with V8-style power, but with the running costs of a six-cylinder.Falcon-racing Ambrose and his success in winning the past two Supercar championships as well as leading this year's series is very relevant to this report.Sales of the Falcon XR range have gone through the roof since his XR-based machine started winning on the track.Ford makes the sporty XR Falcon in XR6, XR6-Turbo and XR8 versions. The first uses the standard Falcon six-cylinder four-litre motor, albeit a pretty fair 182kW of power. The XR8 has the big 5.4-litre V8 giving 260kW power.The XR6-Turbo is an excellent compromise. It's the six-cylinder engine with a Garrett turbocharger bolted on. It's helped by an intercooler, resulting in 240kW of power at 5250rpm and 450Nm of torque.While this torque is just 10 per cent shy of the V8 engine's, the V8 peaks at 4250rpm while the XR6-Turbo torque maxes at a usable 2000rpm.Yet on the road, subjectively the performance gets more scintillating as the revs build up and the turbocharger is spinning hard, force-feeding that air into the engine.A major upgrade for the Falcon BA Series II is the XR6-Turbo and XR8 getting a six-speed manual transmission (the XR6 retains the five-speed). Ford has calibrated the six ratios sensibly.It didn't want just another extremely tall gear on top of the five-speed, which would be a waste with Australian speed limits.So it set desirable first and sixth ratios and crammed in all the others so they can be used with effect. The XR6-Turbo needs 2200rpm at 110km/h in sixth gear, with good response if the driver does not want to change down and really get charging.Fifth gear can be used to cruise main suburban roads at 60km/h.The clutch is medium-firm but tolerable for everyday use. The chunky gearshift, as usual, baulks a bit when the gearbox is cold, but flows OK although a little notchy when warmer. The gearshift is purposeful rather than light. A four-speed sequential shift automatic is optional.The XR6 five-speed manual is $38,655, the XR6-Turbo six-speed is $46,360 and the XR8 six-speed is $51,275. Only the XR6 charges $1000 more for an automatic.Other than the turbocharger and intercooler (with its metres of large-diameter pipes around the engine bay), the XR6-Turbo has little that the standard XR6 does not, and is obvious only by a small TURBO badge on the boot lid.They have 17in-diameter wheels and 45-series tyres, body dressup kit and rear wing, alloy pedal covers, airconditioning, limited slip differential, a driver's seat with some adjustments powered and a traction control that can be switched out (we will desist from calling this the Hoon Button).Fuel economy is important in this examination. The factory figures say the XR6 averages 11.5 litres/100km, the XR8 a thirsty 14.1 litres/100km and this XR6-Turbo in between at 12.9 litres/100km. But our week's drive in the XR6-Turbo returned a pleasing 11.6 litres/100km. Pleasing because although it did include a cruise to the Fleurieu, it also did a lot of stop-start city work and had its open-road strong acceleration exploited a few times.Ride is supple enough, with the slap of the tyres on small surface irregularities heard rather than felt. Steering is not go-kart sharp but the 1751kg sedan corners better than standard Falcons.And there's the advantage of it being based on a Falcon sedan: a spacious interior and a large and deep boot, even with a full-size spare wheel. The middle rear passenger has leg space compromised by a large transmission tunnel.Some performance-car buyers might want a bit more safety. The car has strong ABS and traction control but only twin front airbags. Side airbags are an optional extra. The rear outboard passengers get only low, fixed head restraints.But out on the road when the right foot is planted and later at the servo when the wallet is opened, all is forgiven.SMALL TORQUEFord Falcon XR6-TurboPrice: $46,360 manualEngine: Six-cylinder in-line, dohc, 3984cc, turbochargedPower: 240kW @ 5250rpmTorque: 450Nm @ 2000rpmTransmission: Six-speed manual, rear-wheel-driveWheels/tyres: 17in x 8in alloys; 235/45 Dunlop SP Sport 3000

Drawing alongside as we cruised down the motorway, he wound down his window to find out exactly what kind of car it was that we were driving?Of course he could see that it was a Chrysler Crossfire, the soft-topped roadster to be exact – but that's all he knew."It's the SRT," I shouted back, struggling to be heard above the roar of two high perform- ance engines."What's that mean?" he asked."246kW," I shouted back."Oh . . ."The SRT (Street and Racing Technology) is the supercharged, high performance of the car. Chrysler's equivalent of HSV.It's good for 250km/h and will tear from standstill to 100km/h in an amazing 5 seconds flat.That's very quick.It's faster than any HSV and, in fact, faster than a Porsche Boxster S which at $132,500 is considerably more expensive and doesn't perform anywhere near as well.The Porsche at 206kW is good for 5.5 seconds but is not speed limited to 250km/h the way the Chrysler is.The Coupe is a bit slower again.Did I mention the Crossfire Roadster SRT costs $91,990 ($85,990 for the coupe)?SRT is the mob that brought us the scintillating Dodge Viper a couple of years back.It was created to boost the performance image of Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep vehicles and it has done a pretty good job of doing that.To go with the Crossfire, there will be SRT versions of the Grand Cherokee and soon to be released Chrysler 300C.The supercharged SRT engine produces 53 per cent more power than a standard Crossfire.The cars are built in Germany and the hand- built 3.2-litre Benz engine is paired with a five- speed sequential auto.There's no manual and after driving the car, we can say truthfully there's no real need for one either.With 420Nm of torque to play with, the quick changing auto does a superb job of getting the car mobile, with a nudge sideways for quick change downs.If the original car didn't turn heads (we've never been able to work out why), this one is certainly going to make performance hungry Aussies sit up and take notice.Of course there's a stiffer ride and less understeer to go with all this extra power, plus some huge 19 inch rubber and a neck-snapping set of dual piston brakes front and rear.Keeping it all glued to the road is electronic stability control.All we can say is thank God someone is producing cars with character.Car watchers be warned, however, there's not much to distinguish the car from the standard one, apart from a small SRT badge and large fixed rear spoiler. 

When Mercedes-Benz launched the Vito in the late 1990s, they made the mistake of getting on the wrong side of taxi drivers.A group of taxivan cabbies had troubles with the automatic transmission, and this put them off the road and out of pocket. The bad word about the Vito spread and it still lingers despite Mercedes-Benz having sorted out the problem straight away.The Vitos may not have endeared themselves to cab drivers but it seems everyone else is warming to the German-designed van.Mercedes-Benz has boosted the Vito van range by adding the new Vito Wagon, which works during the week and plays on weekends.The buzz phrase the car marketing people have come up with for this van is a MPV — or a multi-purpose vehicle.It allows a tradesmen or courier to add seats to his weekday work vehicle and use it on weekends to shuffle the kids around to sports or the shops, however, it takes two people to lift the bench seat in and out if the wagon.There are eight seats as standard with a nine-seat option. There's also a luggage space at the back.I tested the new rear-wheeled-drive Vito wagon taking it through the hills of country Victoria and it handled well. It even handled better on open freeways, where it sat comfortably on 100km/h and could overtake without a whimper.Comfort in the back also measured up. A colleague claimed the ride in third row back, above the rear axle, was comfortable without any rocking or bumping, thanks to the independent suspension on all wheels with coil springs and shock absorbers doing the work at the back.Power steering was responsive and the turning circle was a sharp 11.8 metres for the short-wheel-based model.Safety involves ABS and ESP (electronic stability program). This ESP combined four braking technologies to improve direction and traction when forced into an emergency braking situation. Passenger airbags also are standard.The Vito Wagon comes in two engine variants, the 115 CDI is powered by a 2.2-litre diesel engine used in the C-Class and Vito Panel Van (110kW at 3800rpm and 330Nm at 1800-2400rpm). The 119P has the 3.2-litre V6 petrol engine used in the Vito Panel Van and recently superseded Mercedes-Benz E320 (140kW at 5600rpm and 270Nm at 2750-4750rpm).Mercedes estimates most of the 200 sales in the new wagon will be in the diesel range and already 30 Wagons have been ordered in the past few weeks.The Vito is having another strong year with 900 sales in the first six months. It's sitting in fifth position behind the Toyota HiAce (2751), Kia Pregio (2359), Mitsubishi Express (1585) and Ford Transit (1080), according to industry statistician Vfacts.Mercedes-Benz boss Horst van Sanden says the Vito is also an introduction vehicle for many people to the Mercedes-Benz brand.A tradesman may use a Benz commercial van and somewhere down the track upgrade his passenger car to a Merc."The latest additions increase the variability and variety of our products and will enable us to reach more target groups in the future," he said.Prices start from $54,900 for the diesel-powered 2.2-litre and $58,500 for the petrol-powered 3.2-litre engine.However, you can tick all the option boxes and the price can go to $90,000.When Mercedes entered the light commercial market in 1998, it sold 1000 vans, made up of the discontinued MB, the bigger Sprinter and the Vito. Last year this figure was more than 4000, representing a major growth in the commercial range.It seems the three-pointed star's prestige pulling power is drawing tradesman and couriers.It also seems that nobody is listening to cabbies.

A gripe about the recent Z series HSV range was that the cars were let down by their interior, which still felt a little like a Commodore with frills. However the release of the limited edition SV6000 HSV has hit the nail on the head.The SV6000 is based on the Clubsport R8 but it is the SV6000's extra details, which make it the best of the rest in the two-wheel-drive HSV range.Subtle but stylish SV6000 logos on the door trim inserts enhance the car's street cred, along with yellow stitching on the seats, gear shift and handbrake. Even the centre console gets the yellow stitch treatment and the black Anthracite leather seats feature a yellow embroided HSV logo.The yellow exterior screams "look at me" and the wide colour-coded stripe along the lower part of the doors further enhances the profile. The brake calipers have been painted yellow, as is the little HSV insert on the wheel.The 6.0-litre engine cover is yellow with a yellow HSV logo and the LS2 6.0-litre badging also in yellow.On the road the SV6000 drives pretty much like the other HSVs. This lively beast growls and cheekily tempts the driver to give it a real go. The torque is on tap, so much so that if the driver does not actually have to stop for a red light he or she can comfortably cruise around in fourth gear.The upgraded brakes were not worked to their maximum (not being taken on a track) but pedal pressure was firm and responsive.While there appears to be no changes to the clutch the SV6000 did not feel as heavy to drive as some of the other manual HSVs.The test car, however, suffered two issues during the week. On the last day a problem (which was thought to be a loose spark plug) caused the car to run on four cylinders with safety warning alarms and lights flashing on the dashboard.The same morning the cold weather and loss of just one psi in a tyre caused havoc with the tyre pressure monitoring system, which continued to flash its red warning signs and let out an annoying beeping sound until the system was finally silenced.The yellow exterior is the preferred colour choice here but the SV6000 is also available to buy in black.The SV6000 is limited to 50 vehicles (unfortunately), however, this may be extended to 100 if there is a demand.The SV6000 also introduces a driver aid called Driver Dynamic Interface (DDI), which combines the attributes of a modern PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) with the convenience of satellite navigation, as well as a direct line of communication between the driver and the car. When functioning as a PDA, the DDI is portable and offers features including a Microsoft operating system, Bluetooth download capabilities, address book and appointments notification.This creates a mobile office for the driver on the move. By plugging the PDA into the car's GPS system it operates as a satellite navigation system.When plugged into the centre console HSV drivers get an almost V8 Supercar-like treat.The system can be used to monitor coolant and oil temperatures when towing, or the new DDI feature can record track times and the car's performance for later analysis. The data stream mode can monitor up to four vehicle operating parameters at one time and they can be recorded and later played back in various forms. The system cannot be used when driving because of safety reasons.The individual highlights give the SV6000 character, credibility and charisma that its other HSV stablemates just can't match.

Mum, dad and five kids (yes, I'm crazy) ... and the dog, going away for the weekend.Bags and bags of "stuff" five boys just can't do without.And, we're going fishing. So add wet-weather gear, rods, the mother of all tackle boxes and its matching bucket for the big catch.Now food ... for teenage boys, remember, so double what you think you might need. And drinks ... bring on the gigantic Esky.Two cars are called for ... or are they? Not when Volkswagen comes to the rescue with its Caravelle."Oh, my God, it's huge," is the first reaction. Bus proportions, even. But don't let the size put you off.This big beast is like putty in your hands, easy to steer with loads of grunt and, believe it or not, a breeze to park.As a people mover, Volkswagen has it all figured out in a 2 x 2 x 3 seating setup in the Caravelle. This is a real seven-seater.Two people sit up front, two directly behind (facing forward or back) and three more on a bench seat in the rear.On the road, despite the fact we're loaded to the brim, everyone has plenty of room – and individual lights mean the kids can do what they want: read, snooze, play or send text messages to girlfriends back home. And each seat has its own storage tray underneath.There are no fights; all are happy in their own "space". In fact, they're raving about the comfort and how "cool" and "awesome" it is – especially when I turn our multivan into a little cocktail lounge.Remove the luggage, push the bench seat all the way back, flip the second row of seats around, push a button and pull a lever to transform the centre console into a table.Voila!But wait, there's more ... those in front also sit high and mighty 'cause this is a pretty flash dash we're fronting, with instrumentation and "extras" to rival most sedans. It's got:A six-CD stacker with a sound that matches the size of this beast; dual air controls front and rear; auto-transmission with Tiptronic option plus a sports mode which lets the gears rev out a little longer between each shift; cup holders (seven) and compartments galore; butt warmers (gotta love those after a few hours on the jetty); airbags, ABS and ESP for safety; cruise control; and rain-sensing windscreen wipers.... and this is just the entry-level.LOVE IT LEAVE ITVolkswagen Caravelle (T5 Multivan) 3.2-Litre V6 Petrol Six-Speed TiptronicPrice: $69,698 (on road)LOVE ITEasy to drive. Loads of room.Adaptable – converts into mobile party room or the back seat folds out to a bed. Tiny turning circle. Parking assist. Easy on petrol.LEAVE ITThe dash lights look pretty but red is really hard to read.Doors can be hard to close.