Articles by Staff Writers

But if it is half as good the new, second generation SLK I regret missing out.In the course of a year we get our hands on a lot of flash sports cars here at CARSguide but the baby Benz impresses as easily the best example of the genre that we have driven so far.Even the entry level SLK 200 Kompressor with a relatively conservative 120kW of power is stunningly good.The small two-seat SLK sports car with its removable metal "vario" roof joined the Benz lineup in 1996.The current model which made its debut in September is available in two forms at the moment, the Kompressor with a supercharged four cylinder engine and the hard-hitting SLK 350 with a 3.5-litre V6 – an AMG V8 is still to come.Our test vehicle was the SLK 200 Kompressor, although we will be bringing you more on the V6 in the weeks to come.The Kompressor is a ball to drive, with snappy performance, an urgent note to the exhaust and pin sharp, point and shoot handling.The supercharged 1.8-litre in-line four cylinder engine is a lift from the larger C-Class range.It provides the same output but is claimed to use eight per cent less fuel than the previous power plant.The car lacks some punch off the line, but delivers strong mid- to high-range acceleration which is where you want it.Maximum power of 120kW is delivered at 5500rpm, while peak torque of 240Nm is available between 3000 and 4000rpm.Revs build quickly and the engine peaks easily in the lower gears, so short sharp changes are the order of the day.Our test vehicle was fitted with the optional six- speed manual transmission which actually reduces the price of the car by $3100 – a win-win situation for the enthusiast.The stubby shift lever falls easily to hand and is ergonomically sculpted to sit snugly in the palm, with a quick precise feel to the change.Reverse gear moves from left rear to left front in the revised transmission.A five-speed auto with F1 style change buttons is standard.The Kompressor returns a respectable 7.9 seconds for the 0-100km/h dash in manual form while the auto is a little slower at 8.3 seconds.But sports cars are more about style and twisting mountain roads than flat out, straight line performance.Point this car at a corner and revel in the experience as it rotates neatly about its own axis before sling- shotting out the other side, with almost perfect road manners.Equally impressive is the light way the car sips fuel, with the on board computer reporting average consumption at just 9.5L/100km from the 70-litre tank – we might add, without a hint of being driven sedately.The SLK is a striking car, much bolder and more visually impressive than the model it replaces, with its long swooping bonnet and large swept back headlights.Twin exhaust and chunky rubber herald the car's credentials from the rear.With its huge three pointed star dominating the front radiator grille, there is certainly no mistaking this car for anything else.Of course, there is only room for two inside, so it cannot be judged in terms of practicality.However, the electrically operated metal roof offers all the joys of open air motoring with none of the drawbacks.The SLK is just over four metres long and stands a shade under 1.3 metres tall, weighing in at 1390kg with a body that is 72mm longer and 65mm wider than the previous model, providing occupants with more space and greater comfort.Boot space is reasonable, with a hard plastic cover that must be in place before the roof has sufficient space to open.Opening and closing the roof takes just 22 seconds.About the only thing we disliked about the SLK is that long descent to the driver's seat and the large, wide opening doors which do not augur well for narrow driveways.The seats are also a little firm and the steering wheel a tad upright for our taste.Standard equipment includes climate controlled airconditioning and leather upholstery, driver and front passenger airbags, side airbags, cruise control, stability control with anti-lock braking system, acceleration skid control and brake assist.The Mercedes-Benz SLK Kompressor is priced from $86,900.

Weighing in at under 1000kg, fine-tuned for a sporting drive and with individual style, the smart forfour is no average small car.And for a cute, five-door European machine, to be bought and serviced alongside the local Mercedes-Benz dealer, the $23,990 starting price is a fair deal.That money buys the 1.3-litre, five-speed manual version. The 1.5-litre machine starts at $25,990. The six-speed auto option costs $1035.The price here is leaner than in Europe, to give this "premium" light car a better chance in a hot market of compact Japanese and European rivals.Yet Australian targets are small with 300 forfours expected to be sold in the next 12 months. An expected 600 smarts – forfours, cabrios, coupes and roadsters will be sold in 2005; the two-door smart fortwo now starts at $19,990.There are a couple of questions over this fresh smart. The ride can be sharpish over small road lumps – like cat's eyes – and the "soft touch" automatic transmission can be occasionally be a tad hesitant on changes.But there is much to like, not the least its high-spirited engine, chassis balance and excellent fuel economy.This front-wheel drive smart forfour arrives with a raft of safety, comfort and convenience features.Standard gear for Australian cars includes 15-inch alloy wheels, airconditioning, CD player and electric front windows. Options include the six-speed automated gearbox, the choice of two sun-roofs, a six-stack CD player and a navigation system.Clever inside touches include the 21st century trim and style, fresh and natty dashboard and instruments, plus a rear seat which can be slid forward and back for extra rear luggage or back seat space.There are driver and passenger airbags, electronic stability program, ABS with brake force assist and disc brakes all around.Much of the electric and electronic systems are borrowed from its big brother, Mercedes-Benz.And some components, such as the rear axle, five-speed gearbox and petrol engines, are shared with Mitsubishi's new Colt, also built under the DaimlerChrysler umbrella.But the smart forfour sets its own agenda.The engines have higher compression ratios for more power over the Colt, there is a different chassis and there is that 'tridion' safety cell, highlighted by the choice of three different colours on this exposed body frame.Combine that with 10 different body colours and there are 30 combinations – from classic styles to bright and breezy combinations – to choose from.The forfour has a road presence that breaks the current mould for small cars.On the road there is good accommodation for four adults and maybe a slab of beer in the boot. Head and leg-room are good front and back, although taller occupants need to bend their head a little below the curved roof line.The alternative is to shift the back seat forward to accommodate two adults, two kids and a weekend's gear.The driving position is good. Sitting a little high, there is good visibility and the instruments, including trip computer, are all easily read.Both motors fire with enthusiasm and do not mind running hard to the 6000rpm redline.The "soft-touch", six-speed auto option works best with the floor-mounted stick shift. The optional paddles on the steering wheel column appear to take a little longer to find the next ratio.Wound up and running, the smart forfour is an entertaining drive.The turn-in to corners is positive, even if the electric steering can sometimes feel a touch soft on straight sections of road.There is little hint of under-steer, perhaps that arrives with higher velocities. The 1.3-litre is claimed to jump from 0 to 100km/h in 10.8 seconds and run to 180km/h; the 1.5-litre car takes 9.8 seconds to hit 100km/h and tops out at 190km/h.At all legal speeds, the 2500mm wheelbase smart is well-balanced, with decent grip all around from 15-inch rubber.Ride quality is good for a small, light car with limited suspension travel. Even the sharpness over small edges and bumps does not upset the car's balance or body, although it can be heard and felt on rougher patches.For the most part, the smart's suspension and balance are smooth, supple and encouraging. This may not be a Lotus Elise but the smart forfour has that type of exuberant road manner.And pushing along through town and over the hills in a 1.5-litre, six-speed auto smart forfour saw average fuel consumption just over seven litres per 100km.The 1.5-litre pushes out 80kW, the 1.3-litre engine has 70kW. Both are more than adequate with two adults aboard.And for an extra $2620, there is a sports suspension package with 16-inch wheels.The smart forfour is a somewhat rare, good-looking compact with style, substance and soul.

"Make it all the way into Palm Valley?" he asks.After years of pumping diesel into heavyweight Outback workhorses such as Toyota LandCruisers and Nissan Patrols, he doesn't want to believe the Subaru Outback has done the same job as the bush battlewagons in getting to Palm Valley in the Northern Territory.He's not convinced, even after we assure him we've made it right to the end of the rocky 21km track into the beautiful valley.Palm Valley is an oasis, the sort of attraction that lures tourists from all over the world. They come to marvel at the escarpments, the ghost gums that mark the dry riverbed, and the lushness of the palms themselves.It is also a destination for "grey nomads" – cashed-up baby boomers making a once-in-a-lifetime trip around Australia.It's estimated as many as 15,000 Australians are touring their wide brown land at any one time.These days, doing a lap of the country isn't a testing task if you stick to the bitumen. And there is a lot of bitumen in the Outback.But if you want to tow a caravan or camper trailer and explore the most beautiful sites, you need a vehicle capable of negotiating rough tracks.Buying a brawny 4WD such as a LandCruiser or Patrol is one option. The biggest are capable of hauling a caravan and getting to the most out-of-the-way destinations with minimal fuss and no fear of getting stranded.But they're not the most comfortable for highway cruising. They guzzle fuel – and that's painful at Outback prices – and when the trip is over, you're stuck with a leviathan unsuitable for city use.The alternative is one of the newer softroaders or crossovers such as the Subaru Outback 3.0R.We are in the tougher jacked-up version of the AWD Liberty wagon as we bounce along to Palm Valley.Subaru Australia has done a lot of work to boost the Outback's reputation in the bush, including lifting its towing capacity progressively from a miserable 1200kg to 1800kg.This was more involved than just bolting in a bigger motor, though going to the six-cylinder "boxer" engine and enlarging it to 3.0 litres were the final steps to 1800kg. It now has 16 per cent more power but, just as importantly, 297Nm of torque at 4200 revs.Subaru engineers have also improved the engine's cooling passages to increase coolant flow and upgraded the radiator and suspension. As well, they have developed a factory-approved towing pack.When you add the pack to the Outback you get a towbar developed by Hayman-Reese, a wiring loom to power the trailer's electrics and, on automatic versions, an oil cooler.The towing increase moves the Outback up the scale of contenders when it comes to choosing a 4WD for the big trip, but there's nothing like getting a feel for it first-hand.That's why we are leaving Alice Springs in a convoy of Outback 3.0R wagons hitched to various Jayco camper trailers.Jayco is Australia's top-selling brand when it comes to poptop caravans and camper trailers.They're simple to erect at the end of a day's driving, and with practice they can be set up in less than five minutes and taken down just as quickly.With Jayco's optional Outback pack, poptops such as the Flamingo can go with you when you leave the beaten track.Still, we drop the trailers at Hermannsburg before we leave for Palm Valley. The valley is 21km from Hermannsburg, an old Lutheran mission famous for once being home to artist Albert Namatjira.The bitumen ends soon after we leave Arapinta Drive, the main road from Alice Springs 133km away to the east, and it's replaced by the red dirt road so common in the Outback.A few kilometres later we drop down to the dry bed of the Finke River and continue along a rocky track. Negotiating a few deep, sandy stretches is no problem, and neither is the odd waterhole. Not until the last 6km is the Outback put to a more serious test over rocky ground with deep washaways and drop-offs. Its 200mm clearance, up 50mm from the Liberty wagon, allows it to get over every obstacle.With Subaru's AWD system, the Outback goes much farther than its urban looks suggest.But the news isn't as good on the camping front, and it's no surprise that towing in the Outback has a price.The Outback's fuel consumption, normally about 12 litres/100km, climbs to 16 when towing a 3m, 960kg Finch camper trailer.When it has to haul the larger Expanda poptop, which weighs about 1260kg, fuel consumption jumps to 20 litres/100 km.Our trek to Palm Valley proves the Outback can get to out-of-the-way destinations, but back on the highway it is as comfortable and as cultured as any in the latest Liberty lineup.

But if you drive the Kangoo, the extra dosh will become less important.Kangoo is a good thing. Performance belies 1.6-litre engine capacity. Has heaps of go, great torque and impressive fuel economy. Engine is 70kW unit lifted from Renault Clio.Ride quality is good unladen, better with a load on board. Kangoo will carry up to 560kg with minimal fuss and negligible impact on fuel economy.Only compact van available with optional four speed automatic transmission but five speed manual is a treat to use.Small exterior hides large load bay – it's big back there and has two side sliders (only one is standard) and rear opening doors. Access all areas.Plenty of safety equipment including ABS with EBD, pretensioning seat belts and a driver's air bag. There's even a protection bar behind the driver's seat.Standard equipment includes power steering, CD, aircon, remote central locking and electric mirrors and windows.Handy floor anchorage points for loads.Tight turning circle, direct steering.Major service intervals are 30,000km apart.Will return up to 7.5l/100km in mixed driving. Tank holds 50 litres.Easy to park because of compact dimensions.Looks good in a funny sort of way – more personality than Combo or Berlingo.Body feels tight as a drum but plenty of engine and road noise bounces around inside cabin.Passenger area is light and airy, easy to use controls. Plastics look tacky.Access into the cabin is helped by large doors, high mounted, comfy seats.Only weighs a bit over 1 tonne.Had strong headlights and a decent horn.

When there's a Nissan X Trail on offer, you just have to take the bumpy road. You know, the bumper-deep-in-water, climbing 45-degree hills type of roughing it.This compact 4WD, with his admiringly robust shape and similar rugged looks to his bigger brother, the Patrol, was urging me to take him off road.Yorke Peninsula was our destination and this was my chance to test out his capabilities. We got off to a good start. His 2.5-litre engine seemed more than generous and the five speed manual, with cruise control, let me know he was a low-maintenance kind of guy. Just my type, smooth and easy to handle.My sister and I had never been to the peninsula before, so when our male navigator refused to take a road map "because he knows the way", it wasn¿t a surprise when we found ourselves lost on a gravel road. Now was our chance to 4WD. A quick flick of the All Mode 4x4 system dial put us into four-wheeldrive and off we went. Whether it gave us extra traction control I'm not sure, but perhaps that was just because my lad's suspension was so good the ride still seemed silky, even on gravel. Unfortunately, there was no way to properly test the X-Trail¿s skills since the road was as flat as a pancake without a hill in sight. Never mind, the X-Trail still got dirty enough to look as if we had being roughing it.The downside of that was I had to wash him before this picture was taken, and for future reference girls, the roof on a 4WD isn¿t the easiest to DIY clean. I recommend opting for the automatic car wash. And although he¿s quite tall, the X-Trail is easy to step in and out of, so there¿s no need to worry about twisting your ankle as you hop out. My six-year-old jack russell got in the back seat in one easy move and considering she¿s been having trouble jumping on the bed lately, that impressed me. Easier to clean is the interior. Luckily, the seats are covered in a durable, dog-hair repelling fabric, and the doors, dash and luggage space have dirt and water resistant surfaces. The X-Trail comes with little luxuries too, the leather steering wheel, keyless entry, power windows, air-con and CD player, all of which make you feel special. There¿s also loads of storage, including hidden compartments on top of the dash in front of both the driver and passenger. But an unusual feature is having the speedo, tachometer and fuel gauge located above the CD/stereo. If there's one thing I could change about my new boy it is this. I couldn't read my speed accurately without leaning over to the left, and that meant having to take my eyes off the road.Now some will say women aren't always the best drivers, but that makes it a bit rough on all of us.

It is the key to a top-secret two-year development that has revitalised the HSV range and moved it away from Holden's SS Commodore and the SV8 Monaro.It has been a parallel program to the VZ switch at Holden, but the 6.0-litre V8 has a bigger kick than the Alloytec V6.The $5 million HSV model change includes suspension improvements, new wheels, body alterations and cabin changes, but everyone is talking about the engine.It is not the biggest or most powerful to be fitted to a HSV machine, but the figures look good. It has 297kW and 530Nm and there is potential for more. It means the Z Series HSV Clubsport is good for a 5.1-second sprint to 100km/h.The engine is the LS2 and is the same 366cu in fitted to the Chevrolet Corvette in the US.The LS2 will also be fitted to the SS and the Monaro in coming years and is already in the export-only Pontiac GTO.The Z Series is expected to lead to a big increase in HSV sales, just as HSV cashed in when Holden moved from the locally made 5.0-litre V8 to a 5.7-litre import."This is the biggest change since we moved to the Gen III (LS1) V8 engine in 1997," HSV managing director John Crennan says."The LS2 is fitted to everything except the all-wheel-drive models, the Coupe 4 and the Avalanche. So you get it on Clubsport, Grange, Senator and Maloo."Crennan knows his customers and he knows the LS2-powered Z cars will be a hit."Our customers have an unquenchable desire for performance." he says.The 6.0-litre V8 is an American engine and produces its best figures on premium unleaded, but there has been minimal tweaking.The highlights are an alloy block, a redline at 6500 revs and a new driveline package that includes a Tremec six-speed manual gearbox, a higher stall speed on the automatic, a fatter tailshaft, a new differential ratio and strengthened axles.The Z-cars also come with the latest Bosch anti-skid brakes and all models, including the Maloo ute, roll on 19-inch alloy wheels.The Clubsport and the Maloo look more aggressive than the Senator and Grange, with side skirts, new front facias, a bigger air dam, new-look lamps and five-spoke alloys.The luxury cars get a Euro-style chrome grille and the Senator has had a major makeover with a Nappa leather cabin, luxury suspension, rear parking radar and electric seats. HSV's GTO coupe gets the bonnet scoops already in the Monaro.Price rises have been kept to less than $1000 on the starter cars; the Clubsport R8 is up by $550 and the Senator down $4000.ON THE ROADIT WAS not a long test at Sydney's Oran Park, but it offered a chance to see if the figures translated to the road.And from early observations, it appears HSV has done the job.From the moment the key is turned, the new V8 burble – deeper than the Gen III – hints that the Z Series is special. The new engine is not so raw.On the speed run, the new HSVs show their improved launch ability and the manual gearbox is smooth, despite high revs and quick changes.The automatic aids the high-speed run with its quick and smooth changes, showing why it is quicker than the manual in a straight-line sprint.The meatier and flatter torque curve means that even the tightest corners can be easily negotiated in third with plenty of pulling power.The Clubsports and the Maloos make light work of the track, and the Senator and the Grange also hold their own.Even without the impressive optional AP racing brakes of the R8s they still pull up well.The 19-inch wheels give a better road feel and more grip, a point of difference from previous models.The Z Series steering is also an improvement and, though a little lighter, it points in well and always maintains a solid feel.HSV claims the Z cars' LS2 motor has so much torque, they could take off in fourth gear from idle. It can be done and gives something new to brag about.

Even Renault admits sales of the turbocharged Megane 225 and its Renault Sport stablemate, the Clio 182 (numbers represent horsepower), won't be high in Australia. It predicts monthly figures of only 25 of each.But it's supposed to be an important step towards giving the Renault brand a shot of sex appeal."We are trying to avoid setting concrete targets," managing director Rudi Koenig says."Obviously, with this type of car, initial demand is going to be high. Then, like most sports vehicles, expectation dies down."But we want to use Renault Sport to enhance our brand awareness in this country."The Megane Sport 225 has a turbocharged version of Renault's 2.0-litre engine, boosting power to 165kW and torque to 300Nm, compared with the standard Megane's 98kW and 191Nm.The twin-scroll, watercooled turbocharger has what's called a "double-incident flow" that is supposed to reduce the amount of exhaust coming back into the cylinders. Basically, it reduces turbo lag and that means the engine doesn't have to be wound up to high revs to get the most from the turbo.Apart from the turbo, the Megane Sport has 17-inch wheels, a wider track, stiffer suspension, lower ride, and four-wheel Brembo disc brakes and calipers with electronic braking distribution. The Luxury pack includes full leather trim, a sunroof and six-CD audio.The more familiar Renault Sport Clio has also had a mild boost in power (up 7kW to 131kW), along with new standard features such as leather/anthracite trim, twin tailpipes and cruise control.It also has a wider track (12mm front and 16mm rear) and wider Michelin tyres.The biggest news is the arrival of the Cup variant, a track model with stiffer suspension (20 per cent stiffer in front and 16 per cent at back).Apart from grey metallic alloys, rather than the silver of the regular Clio Sport, and a (barely noticeable) 3mm lower ride height, there's little visual difference between the Cup and regular versions.ON THE ROADIF THE Renault Sport Clio is the genuine article hot hatch, the Renault Sport Megane 225 comes across as a bit "not quite".It's not quite edgy enough to be a hot hatch in the same sense as its stablemate, the Renault Sport Clio 182, which makes it hard to work out exactly what kind of buyer would go for it.While it's undoubtedly sporty, in the sense of having a reasonably stiff suspension, the Megane loses the edge with its steering.The best description is it feels "woolly". It's not sharp as you'd expect from a car with a sporty attitude, whether it be a genuine sports car or only a hot hatch.The ride itself is a bit "midway" as well, though in this case that's not necessarily a bad thing. Grip and control is good without the choppiness you can get in cars that have a very hard suspension.The Megane 225's biggest plus is the turbo engine, which is a delight from low in the rev range to the top. No noticeable turbo lag means it's also easy to live with.Through the windy stuff the engine gives the driver plenty in reserve to fire out of corners and dart up hills.The six-speed manual, however, isn't quite slick enough to take advantage of the motor. The shift from second to third, in particular, is fairly hit-and-miss. The Clio's five-speed is much more usable.But the car's biggest letdown is its drab and not especially sporty interior. The plastics are a dull dark grey and do little to excite. The orange seatbelts only partially compensate.The instruments are sparse for a car that will sell for $42,990 and the orange-lit display might be functional and easy enough to read, but look industrial rather than sexy.In contrast, the Renault Sport Clio, even the relatively "standard" one pushes all the right buttons.After driving the turbo Megane, power and torque feel a little bit light on, but everything else screams fun.Through the Tasmanian backroads, the Clio feels like a go-kart, the grip so impressive you can maintain speed to the point that the lack of brute power is hardly relevant.The steering and transmission are much more enticing for the driver than the larger car, as is the interior with its black and brushed aluminium highlights. The personality of the car shines through, whereas the Megane feels pale.For an extra $1500 you get the Club spec version with stiffer racetrack suspension and grey-coloured wheels. The wheels certainly look the part, but, except for those who intend to use the car on the track, the Cup has a noticeably bumpier ride without any noticeable improvement in grip.Now if we could just squeeze that turbocharged engine into the Clio . . . But I guess that's just being silly.

The diesel ST-R accounts for three quarters of Navara sales and ranks number three in the wider 4WD world behind the market leading Toyota Hilux and Holden's new Rodeo.The five-seat dual cab utility comes with all the trimmings including alloys, fender flares, side steps and a chunky rollover bar.It's priced from $43,490 – more than double the cost of the entry level model. The ST-R is a big sucker at just over five metres long, 1.8 metres wide and stands 1.7 metres tall, with a turning circle of 12 metres.Engine is a 3.0-litre turbo diesel that produces 110kW of power at 3400rpm and 314Nm of torque at 2000rpm. It's a less powerful version of the 3.0-litre diesel in the Patrol, minus the intercooler.Fuel tank capacity is 75 litres and while economy is generally good don't expect the fantastic range of the larger 4WD wagons with their huge fuel tanks.Transmission is five-speed manual only, with a low range set of gears and limited slip rear diff. Lack of an auto could be an issue – you only get an auto with the 2.4-litre petrol model.Brakes are a combination of front discs and rear drums, with no ABS option. They are adequate in a vehicle that is not generally driven quickly but certainly not as good as a full set of discs.Suspension is double wishbones up front and leaf spring down the back. The rear setup is good for load but not so good for handling.ST-R gets 16x7 inch alloys with big 265/70 series rubber.Navara is a traditional style 4WD with lots of jiggle and body roll from a suspension designed to cope with the rigours of off road driving. Try before you buy because the ride will not be to everyone's taste, especially if you are used to a car.The diesel engine is generally smooth and relatively quiet, providing plenty of low to mid range oomph, with easy gear changes – but it is no sports car.Ground clearance is 215mm, but in utilities it is the longer tail that becomes more of an issue. Because the distance between the rear wheels and end of the vehicle is rather long, it is not difficult to put the tail to ground in step down manoeuvres.Load space is an almost square 1395mm and the Navara can carry a full tonne, with a load capacity rated at 1025kg.Towing capacity is a maximum of three tonnes with trailer brakes fitted.The interior looks a little dated, especially the 70s style air conditioning controls – but they work well enough.In a top of the range vehicle such as this we would like to see keyless entry instead of the driver's door operated central locking.Black mark for the lack of a three-point seat belt for the centre rear passenger. A driver's airbag is standard but protecting your passenger will cost extra.Airconditioning is standard as is a CD player with two speakers.

We of the 4WD fraternity thought the divorce papers might be a burned-out engine away, but on the hot tar and gravel of the Red Centre, we were to be proved wrong.The Outback 3.0R behaved with a faithful husband's controlled enthusiasm while hitched – but does the dirty with pleasure once the wedding band is off, and indulges in van-free, off-road fun.For three days, the Outbacks were pushed, ploughed and pummelled – with and without vans – in various conditions, by its unrelenting drivers.The red earth was slung sideways from six wheels as flies swapped shifts with mosquitoes and the temperature raged at 40 degrees. This car would be working hard to perform.It's no easy task for a sport-type vehicle to haul a 1600kg caravan loaded with a score of heavy swags and air-con blasting full bore.Climbing over the tarred switchbacks, the Outback's engine didn't complain. It carried the burden with unsettling ease.Unsettling, because there's no guttural diesel grumble nor any high-riding, ground-crawling 4WD weight (and matching high-riding fuel bill).For big trips, the big 4WDs still win. There's no room in the Outback for spare batteries or long-range fuel tanks, and a low-range crawling gear would be useful to curb the eager sports-shift automatic transmission.But the Outback proved a perfectly capable and versatile vehicle for shorter trips and a medium-sized van in harsh Australian conditions.The Outback 3.0R was designed for this purpose: to look good in the city, where most of its road use will be, but still housing the capabilities of a light, off-road bush-basher.Its three-litre, six-cylinder, horizontally opposed engine is shared with Subaru's popular Liberty.Even with a towing burden, the 180kW (accessed at a high 6600rpm) try their best to respond in sports-car fashion to a toe on the throttle.Over time, the Outback's towing capacity has increased from 1200kg in 1990 up to 1800kg in the current model.Self-levelling suspension adds stability. If it senses the ride is lower on therear wheels from the van, it automatically pumps oil from the suspension reservoir to the main chamber within a few kilometres of travel.The towing pack – a Hayman Reese heavy-duty towbar, a slightly clunky Tekonsha brake controller and the vital transmission cooler – is a $1034 factory-fitted extra.Clearance of 200mm is maintained because the towbar runs inside the chassis rails instead of being bolted to the undercarriage.On the first day, we clocked more than 200 klicks with the 1200kg Jayco Finch pop-top, averaging 17l/100km – about the same as a frugal 4WD in city traffic.Stepping up to the 1600kg Freedom model, the automatic box's gear of choice was third, lag was noticeable and the Outback drank 21.8l/100km.The 1500kg Flamingo, however, ran head-to-head with the 1200kg Finch. Over the 140km with this trailer, the gearing proved ideal, without bouncing back and forth between lower gears.Size still does matter. The Flamingo's longer wheelbase and its Outback Pack, with higher, off-road-rated suspension, nudged the Subaru's nose forward on heavy downhill slopes. Although it never felt out of control, the side-to-side bounce resulting from a too-sharp re-adjustment of direction was noticeable.Vehicle Dynamics Control, available in the Premium-Pack Outlander, is said to have been tested for Australian towing conditions to help curb impertinent nudges from behind.The 3.0R model has shed some pounds, weighing in at 1540kg. Although this is less weight to carry around in everyday driving, the vehicle feels light with a near-capacity weight on the towball.The track has been widened by 20mm at the front and 30mm at the rear, splaying the symmetrical AWD system in a more sturdy position, helped by 50/50 weight distribution hitches (about $600).Making use of the roof rails with a rooftop box to carry spare tyres and heavy, messy equipment may marginally add to stability and decrease any aerodynamic drag at speed. But the effect would probably be minimal and would decrease off-road ability – an area where the Outback is surprisingly capable.Tell-tale scrapes of metal on red rock on "4WD only" roads were only occasionally wince-worthy. Even with pumped-up tyres, the Outback slithered through deep tracks of slippery sand.With a full load of four passengers and luggage, it tackled the jutting rock formations with apparent ease.With 297Nm of torque at our disposal for the tricky situations, we returned to tar, boasting only a superficial scrape or two and having knocked the top cover off the trailer pin plug.Among the lifted 4WD rock-crawlers, the Subarus held up well, bouncing happily and drinking 22l/100km.Rocks should not be taken on with reckless abandon, as some major organs run unprotected under the vehicle.On the could-be-better list: the abrupt lock of the wheel in the turning circle is another reminder that this car is not solely built for hauling, and more feeling in the vague steering would be useful.On downhill gravel, the ABS kicks in with a sickening thump, but to its credit pulls the Outback up short.And though it's a useful city safety feature, the warning beeps when front-seat passengers are slow to buckle up are crying out for a pair of wire-cutters.A vacant space at the top of the console also begs for a GPS system, and Subaru will be testing several platforms over the next few weeks.It's also testing deeper towing waters for the next generation of Outbacks, attempting to overcome engine temperature issues so it can move further into the field of caravans, horse floats and trailers.We can expect to see a two-tonne tow rating with the release of the next Outback model late next year.So the Subaru-and-dirt-road relationship has been strengthened by yet another vehicle, with renewed vows less than a year away.Losing my silent bet that this Outback/caravan combination would fall in an unromantic heap has left me with no choice but to eat my Akubra.

Make no mistake, the topless Crossfire is as eye-catching as anything with four wheels and a bucketful of fun to drive.A short stint with the car was welcome but by the end of the week there were few tears being shed when it was time to take the Crossfire home.From the outset, the Roadster – and to a slightly lesser degree its coupe stablemate – was designed to draw attention to Chrysler.To do that, the American brand's new masters, DaimlerChrysler, turned the designers loose in the leftovers bin at Mercedes. Conservatively, 40-odd per cent of the Crossfire is made from bits Mercedes was not using any more, predominantly from the previous-generation SLK.Switchgear, seats, trim and automatic gear-shifter – renamed Autostick for the Crossfire – are instant clues to where the car is coming from.Less obvious but more central to the Crossfire's character is the Mercedes rear-wheel-drive platform with double-wishbone front suspension, multi-link rear, recirculating ball steering and a 160kW/310Nm 3.2-litre V6. All this technology, most of which has been superseded, for $75,990 -- and for that Chrysler will throw in a semi-automatic folding cloth roof. While that is substantially below the price tag for a new SLK Roadster or BMW Z4, it still gives a small start to Nissan's 350Z drop-top and almost $30,000 to Mazda's turbo MX-5.The most obvious compromise the designers have had to make to utilise the Mercedes donor parts, yet give the Crossfire its eye-catching and unique style, is in space.There is precious little room in the cabin with limited adjustment available via the reach-only steering wheel and electric height/tilt/slide driver's seat.If you want the roof down – and why else would you buy a convertible? – don't expect to be loading up the boot. The roof will do that for you. An annoying aspect of the test car was the solid perspex wind diffuser strapped between the individual roll hoops behind the seats.At night the reflection from the perspex shield is so bad that looking in the rear-vision mirror shows only what is in front of the car.Yes, it can be removed and stored but it shouldn't have to be.On the plus side, the Roadster's performance and manners are well ahead of what might be expected from the sum of its parts. In a relatively light body – just over 1400kg – the Merc 3.2 is a happy little unit.In manual or auto the engine winds out freely accompanied by a very pleasant crackling exhaust note.Ride is good, particularly given the low-profile tyres, and the chassis works to a level that would satisfy most owners.Body roll is not an issue and while the steering is generally adequate, there is a vagueness at the upper end of performance.Standard equipment is good – as could be expected for the price tag – with dual front and side airbags, ABS with brake assist, a stability program and switchable traction control.There are heated electric leather seats, power windows, cruise control and dual-zone climate control.The trim is well done with a polished metal-look dash treatment going some way to compensate for the white leather interior of the manual test vehicle.Is that enough to be able to live with it? Personally, no, but there are plenty of a more extroverted nature who would forgive its shortcomings for the guaranteed attention – at least in the short term.