Articles by Stuart Innes

For tradies wanting bragging rights of king of the utes at the building site, or campers or fishers who want a quick, powerful 4WD ute to get along the dirt tracks and the highway blacktop, this thing is the answer.It looks like a dressed-up Toyota HiLux crew-cab ute.Which is what it is. But much more: it has the extra muscle to go with the hot-rod looks. Yet it remains a dinkum 4WD, complete with low-range transfer 'box. It's called the TRD HiLux, the initials meaning Toyota Racing Development, an arm of Toyota Australia that takes a popular vehicle and enhances it with engineering and aesthetic improvements.Now, there's not much wrong with the HiLux 4WD to start with when it comes to a dual-cab ute. The TRD version is for people who want to do it faster — and they get some extra equipment and nicer interior thrown in as well as the stronger brakes you'd expect of a high performance model of a 2810kg vehicle.The V6 four-litre petrol engine has twin camshafts per cylinder bank and an Eaton supercharger bolted on, with intercooler. Power rises 28 per cent to a V8-like 225kW at 5400rpm and torque is up 20 per cent to a meaty 453Nm at 3400rpm.But there's so much torque available from low down in the rev range that, left in two (rear) wheel drive, a prod of the throttle on a loose-surface corner will easily break traction of the 265/65 tyres (on 17in alloy wheels) and have the back sliding out.This means dirt roads, offroad or even wet bitumen. It can be fun but also it needs to be treated with care. There's no ESP nor traction control.Official fuel consumption rating is 12.9 litres/100km. Put the foot down and it hoses through premium unleaded. Yet, take it easy, drive quietly and you can easily return better than that figure. TRD HiLux comes with a five-speed automatic that has paddleshifts — out of character in a 4WD ute but great all the same.A separate floor lever is used for on-the-fly changes between 2WD and 4WD in the 4000SL version and for low range.TRD HiLux comes with twin front airbags, ABS brakes, airconditioning, cruise control, power windows, remote central locking, Bilstein shock absorbers, 17in alloy wheels, bigger brakes and calipers, body kit of over-fender flares, sidesteps, front bumper and mesh radiator grille, plus sports bars and leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift lever. The 4000S is $59,990.THE 4000SL at $64,990 adds automatic disconnecting front differential (to allow changes between 2WD and 4WD up to 100km/h), leather seats, six-stack CD, smooth-sided rear deck and TRD carpet mats.DRIVINGWe drove the TRD 4000SL HiLux and noted it cruised at 1900rpm at 110km/h. Keep speeds low and use the throttle gently and it can return 8.7 litres/100km.We thought the steering ratio was too light for a sporty. The wheel is adjustable for height but not for reach.Some of the original HiLux plastic trim is out of place in a $65k vehicle. The seats offer good support.Remember this though: it is a 2.9-tonne high-performance vehicle — with leaf springs and drum brakes at the rear. Yet it works well. It's no Lotus on twisting bitumen but can be hussled better than other 4WD dual-cab utes and has good grunt for overtaking.

It might look like a cross between hot-rod dragster and sports race car but it's claimed to be packed with luxury and designed primarily as a road car - despite a 0-100km/h sprint time of just 2.8 seconds.The Aspid is a two-door, fixed-top sports car from Spanish automotive design and technology firm IFR Automotive, making its world debut at the British Motor Show this weekend.Its feature is its light weight, just 700kg. Combine that with a two-litre, supercharged engine claimed to generate 300kW of power and that makes a stunning power-to-weight ratio, which accounts for its startling acceleration.Although its performance might suggest it's a track-day special - 0-160km/h in 5.9 seconds, for example - it is “a premium sports car designed for the road”. It has a wheelbase shorter than a Yaris and the latest weight-saving technology - technology that could pass on to mass-produced cars.Although perhaps those headlights that stick up like old movie cameras look like an afterthought.“The whole point of the Aspid is that it is a small and lightning fast,” says IFR founder Igancio Rodriguez. He says it's a genuine attempt at producing an unusually compact luxury sports car.It has an ultra-lightweight aluminium extrusion composite panelled chassis, lightweight aluminium double wishbone suspension and a lightweight stainless steel brake system which weighs 70 per cent less than conventional brake systems. There's even weight savings in the electrical circuits.Conventional instruments in the dashboard are replaced by interactive touch screens. Through these, the driver can alter the rev limit, power output, steering assistance, noise valve, brake balance, ride height, traction and stability controls and suspension damping. No price has been released, but the car will be built in right-hand-drive versions and sold worldwide.

BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo , Alfa Romeo and Audi are among the marques with quality, small cars. Audi offers its A3 in an extensive range: $33,950 for an A3 1.6-litre manual to $65,900 for the S3 turbocharged hot rod. It's the latter car at the top of the Audi small-car range in Australia that soon will have an almost identical twin. The S3, currently available as a three-door hatchback, will also be imported as a five-door hatch from late this year, giving it more practicality as a family sporty. Both versions will share the 1984cc turbocharged four-cylinder engine, which generates 188kW of power, catering for Australian conditions. Its 330Nm of torque streams from 2500rpm to 5000rpm. Audi says the extra weight of the rear doors adds just 0.1 seconds to the 0-100km/h sprint time (5.8 seconds) and its official fuel use rating is 8.5 litres per 100km. The S3 three-door is listed at $65,900 and the price for the five-door will be released closer to its on-sale date. The five-door will also have a six-speed manual transmission and Audi's quattro all-wheel-drive system and 18-inch wheels. The S3 gets more sports and performance components over the A3 on which it is based. Its suspension brings a 25mm-lower ride height and includes aluminium components. The brake discs are larger. The S3 will come with aluminium-look exterior mirrors, leather-clad sports seats, xenon-plus headlights with LED daytime-running lights and aluminium pedals. Meanwhile, Audi has unveiled a show-car version of the Audi TT two-seat sports car called the Clubsport quattro. The Clubsport has a low, raked, small windscreen. That means the A-pillars are short, so there is a pair of generous rollover hoops behind the seats, aft of which are aero humps.  

The big Caddy is due for release in Australia within months and now there's the possibility of a two-door Coupe stablemate to join it on the showroom floor. Right-hand-drive production of the CTS saloon has started. It is making its world debut at the British Motor Show next week and will go on sale in Britain in September. The big American should be in Australian showrooms in October. But Cadillac also has unveiled a Coupe version, below, of that car, officially listed as a concept at this stage, but one that management of the U. S. iconic car brand says “is a strong indication of Cadillac's future design language”. Given that the Coupe is based on the production sedan, sharing its wheelbase, underpinnings and components such as engines and dashboard, it would help contain the cost of tooling and production for such a car and so make it more feasible. “The dramatic design of the saloon begged the question of what it would look like in the unbridled form of a Coupe,” says Cadillac boss Jim Taylor. The Coupe is 50mm lower and 50mm shorter than the CTS saloon. It even shares the same windscreen, but it is laid at a steeper angle. It's a classic hard-top style with no B-pillar, has slim-profile exterior mirror and roof-mounted antenna for radio and navigation signals. The concept car has 20in front wheels and 21in rear wheels behind which are massive brakes with six-piston front calipers and four-piston rear units. The Coupe is a 2+2, with special Recaro seats. It has a premium Bose sound system with a 40GB hard drive. The navigation system, like that on the CTS saloon, has a screen that rises from the centre of the hand-finished instrument panel. It has been designed to accept the range of Cadillac CTS engines, including the 3.6-litre V6 that will power the CTS saloon in Australia through a six-speed automatic transmission and rear-wheel drive. That engine is essentially the same unit as the power plant used by GM Holden in its range of VE Commodores. But the Cadillac version runs high-pressure fuel injection to lift power output to 227kW and torque to 370Nm. GM expects the Cadillac CTS saloon will carry a $75,000 price tag when it hits Australian showroom floors.  

They relegating Neal Bates, who'd won all three national rounds so far this year to the bottom step of the podium.Bates and co-driver Coral Taylor in their TRD Corolla still lead the Australian Rally Championship on 283 points but Eli Evans-Chris Murphy have closed the gap to be on 226 points and defending champions Simon Evans with wife Sue as co-driver have jumped into third place on 187 points.It was not only a 1-2 in the SA round for Simon and Eli respectively - Simon's much needed first-round win of the year after crashing out of the Queensland round last month - but also 1-2 in yesterday's Heat 2 led by Eli over Simon.Conditions on the dirt tracks in the Barossa Valley and Hills yesterday were even more tricky than in Saturday's Heat 1. At one stage dust was coming from wheels on the dirt then it rained a number of times and eventually hail came.Eli Evans as a privateer in a Subaru Impreza WRX took a stangehold on heat 2 with a blitzing Stage 18, called Floodways. The 23.3km stage was the longest of the rally with fast flowing roads, dips, crests and crossing many floodways. He was a full 15sec quicker that his brother on the stage alone.“It was tough today,” Simon Evans said of the conditions. “Eli did a fantastic job. He's nuts!”Heat 1 on Saturday was won by Simon Evans by 40.9 sec from TRD team-mate Bates with Eli Evans third another 40.2sec back and Spencer Lowndes-Chris Randell fourth in a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX. "The weather nade it extremely tricky,” Simon Evans said. “All I could do was drive smart.”Michael Guest - David Green (Subaru) had a heavy crash into a tree on stage 5 on Saturday but were uninjured. 

THE Mini brand makes no bones about it: its new cars will be `a pair of red-hot racers for the road'.Cashing in on the interest of the Mini Challenge race car series around Australia, the new John Cooper Works Mini and Clubman (station wagon) will run high-performance versions of the 1.6-litre engines used to power the familiar Cooper S along with other hot-up bits. Light alloy 17in diameter wheels, red caliper performance brakes and a new exhaust system are part of the go-faster kit on the John Cooper Works versions.“These cars will bring the thrill of the race track to the road,” says Mini national manager Justin Hocevar. “We are excited that these red-hot models will be coming to Australia at the same time as our Mini Challenge race series will be showcasing Mini handling and performance prowess at race tracks around Australia.”The engine has been uprated to generate 155kW of power at 6000rpm - not bad from a 1.6-litre motor. Torque is a good 260Nm on tap from 1850rpm to 5600rpm. But there's an over-boost system in the turbocharging, allowing a temporary 280Nm between 2000rpm and 5300rpm.The engines use aluminium cylinder blocks and bearing housings, twin camshafts and exhaust valves filled with sodium to better handle the cooling requirements.The John Cooper Works cars have reinforced and specially-ground pistons and special material for intake valves and valve seat rings to make them more resilient. The two-door and Clubman wagon have aero packages and sports chassis of springs finished in red, as well as rear spoilers and perforated brake discs.Mini says the cars are the first front-wheel drives to have the Dynamic Stability Control from parent company BMW.It allows the threshold at which these systems intervene to be raised, so allowing an amount of slip on the driving wheels. Stability control can be switched off, too.The standard Mini Cooper is no slug, especially if the road has some tighter twists and turns. It will accelerate to 100km/h in 9.1 seconds and run to 203km/h. The Cooper S does the sprint in 7.1 seconds on the way to 225km/h. The John Cooper version clocks 6.5 seconds and 238km/h or in the Clubman wagon 6.8 seconds and 238km/h. The Clubman weighs 75kg more than the two-door.The John Cooper Works versions get a six-speed manual gearbox (no auto option) that has been beefed up to take the high torque loads.They are performance cars but are still gentle on petrol use and emissions. The two-door Works car averages 6.9 litres/100km and the Clubman 7 litres/100km. Emissions are 165g/km and 167g/km. 

TOM Walkinshaw might best be known in Australia for being the bloke from Britain who is behind the hot Holdens. But he also has a business in England that has turned out a hot, special edition of the Mitsubishi L200 ute.We know the Mitsi here as the Triton ute but the Brits call it the L200 pick-up. The Walkinshaw Performance Special Edition comes with sports suspension, big wheels, power upgrade and sports exhaust system.Walkinshaw, from Scotland, began his motorsport career in 1968. He formed Tom Walkinshaw Racing in 1975, developing and running a variety of touring cars.He became a familiar figure in Australian racing, especially in touring cars that became V8 Supercars. Several Walkinshaw Commodores were the result of his performance engineering.He now has interests in HSV, the enhanced-performance versions of Holden Commodores, and in Elfin, the Adelaide-founded sport and racing car specialist builder.The Special Edition Mitsubishi ute in Britain sits on 20in alloy wheels, has special leather-trimmed seats, a power upgrade for its 2.5-litre turbocharged diesel engine to 125kW, a DVD sat-nav with 7in screen, cruise control, a 420W CD-sound system, bluetooth connectivity and stainless-steel trim for tailgate cover, door-handle areas and fuel filler cap.Brits buying the Walkinshaw Performance version of the Mitsubishi L200 can opt for enhanced ride, handling and performance by way of a Walkinshaw sports suspension and exhaust upgrade kit. It includes polyurethane suspension bushes for the five-link rear suspension.Koni performance dampers are fitted front and rear, and there's an anti-corrosion protection system. Pricing starts about $45,000 for the double-cab to about $47,500 when fitted with the power upgrade package. It's claimed the suspension upgrade does not affect the ute's off-road capabilities or payload status.In Australia, Mitsubishi has the Triton ute with a sporty look via the GLX-R. This is a dual-cab with sports bar in four-wheel-drive configuration. It costs from $42,240 when fitted with the 3.5-litre V6 petrol engine of 135kW power and $45,490 if the 3.2-litre turbodiesel has been fitted. The prices are for Triton using the five-speed manual gearbox. A four-speed automatic is available with either engine at $2000 extra. 

Yes, Subaru does have cars in the luxury car sector complete with leather interior and high performance. Its top car is the Liberty GT tuned by STI.The “tuned by STI” is the suffix that makes the difference. The GT Spec.B sedan and station wagon are pretty good things already, but the STI extras take them one step higher.STI is to Subaru what AMG is to Mercedes-Benz - giving a bit more hard-edge engine performance, some chassis (therefore handling and steering) improvements and some aerodynamic and aesthetic touches to the bodywork.STI stands for Subaru Tecnica International and enthusiasts already know that the STI version is the one to have if you're serious about performance in the Impreza WRX small sports hatchback.Let's take a quick look at the Liberty GT Spec.B and then see what STI version adds.The GT Spec.B uses Subaru's four-cylinder boxer engine of 2.5 litres, double overhead camshafts and turbocharged to give 184kW power and 339Nm torque.It's $55,990 for the sedan, in either the six-speed manual or five-speed sequential automatic, and $57,990 for the wagon.It comes with black leather interior, dual-zone climate control, eight-way power adjustment for the front seats (driver's with memory), 18in alloy wheels, satellite navigation, all-wheel-drive, airbags for front, front side and curtain, Momo sports steering wheel, ventilated ABS brakes front and rear plus Bilstein sports suspension. Sound system is a six-stack CD with six speakers. And it has the Subaru Intelligent Drive for programmed car settings. The new Subaru Liberty GT tuned by STI gets a series of enhancements (see Small Torque, right) to the above - starting with power raised to 194kW at 6000rm and torque to 350Nm at 2800rpm.The STI Liberty sedan is listed at $65,990 and the wagon $67,990, again regardless of being the six-speed manual or five-speed sequential automatic. SMALL TORQUESTI good stuffAs well as the lift in power and torque, the Subaru Liberty GT tuned by STI gets suspension upgrades and interior treatments.The Bilstein shock absorbers have damping ratios unique to STI, aimed at giving a flatter ride. The rear suspension kit has partial ball-bearing jointed bushes. This is said to reduce friction and improve road holding. STI springs lower the car by 5mm.Brembo brakes - four-piston at the front and two-pot on the rear - are painted black. A stainless-steel, mesh-type brake hose is fitted.The 12-spoke Enkei wheels with STI badging are 2.5kg lighter than the standard Liberty GT wheels and come in what's called luminosity silver.The front lip and rear boot spoilers are said to suppress lift, give better aerodynamics and stability at speed. The front grille is unique to this STI model.Inside, the leather and alcantara front seats get a cherry-coloured STI logo. There are further STI logos on instruments and door sills.Body colours for the STI versions are black, silver, grey and white. The cars carry “tuned by STI” badging. 

Calling it a critical battle is an understatement, the survival of locally-sourced automotive manufacturing in Australia largely hinges on the success of these two vehicles.The Holden VE Commodore range debuted with considerable fanfare in 2006. Holden's billion-dollar baby needed to make an impact on the marketplace ... and it has.Ford's fortunes hadn't been favouring the brave, with the last of the BA incarnations falling to sales levels never seen for Falcons. The arrival of the vastly revamped FG Falcon has started the turnaround for the historic name plate.To compare the new Falcon with Commodore, we've chosen the two mainstream models popular with private buyers, each costing about $40,000: the G6 Falcon and VE Berlina.Both cars sit on 17-inch alloy wheels (with the $250 optional full-size spare) and have leather-wrapped steering wheels with audio controls, but Ford puts cruise there as well.They each have front fog lamps, trip computer, climate control (the Berlina has dual-zone), ABS brakes, stability control, rear parking sensors, power windows and mirrors, power-adjustable driver's seat, but G6 has a 60/40 split-fold rear seat (the Berlina has only a ski hatch).Both cars have headlights that are dusk-sensing automatic. The Berlina doesn't get the friendlier flip key.The Ford's standard audio system is a single CD system (MP3 compatible with auxiliary input) with monochrome display and four speakers.Our test car (a pre-production model) also had the iPod integration and Bluetooth option fitted, for an extra $450, but the Bluetooth option failed to team up with our phones (a crook module was blamed).The Berlina ups the ante with a seven-speaker six-CD system with MP3 compatibility and auxiliary input. Where Ford asks for an extra $300, Holden includes dual front, side and curtain airbags in the purchase price. For those looking to lengthen the Ford's legs, the FG G6 can be had (as our test car was) with the optional $1500 ZF six-speed automatic.To get a six-speed in the VE you'd have to go for the $45,290 V8.We drove the Berlina and the G6 back-to-back over the same sections of roads with drivers swapping cars to make an instant comparison.Over twisting roads, it was soon clear the Ford's balance and body control was better than the Berlina's, although the Holden's ride was a little more comfortable. A particular standout was the Ford's six-speed automatic transmission with a `performance' manual-shift mode. The Commodore's steering felt a little less direct, less meaty; mid-corner bumps are also more noticeable in the Holden, as is the engine and transmission noise when accelerating from low speeds.The Berlina is let down by its elderly four-speed auto. Put it in third gear on a twisty hill road and sometimes it will leap back to second gear with a flare of engine revs.On the open road, the G6 in sixth gear needs a whisker under 1750rpm at 110km/h while the Berlina is ticking over 2000rpm.Also, for overtaking or on a slight rise, the Ford has a subtle shift back to fifth or fourth, but the ratio gap in the Berlina is wider. A one gear kickdown at 110km/h goes from 2000rpm to almost 3000rpm. This is reflected in the fuel consumption on our back-to-back twin test of 10 litres per 100km for the Ford G6 and 11 litres per 100km for the Holden Berlina, despite the Ford's bigger and more powerful engine.Further driving of the cars separately ended with averages of 10.6 litres/100km for the Ford and 11.3 litres per 100km for the Berlina.The Holden and its Bridgestone Turanza tyres transmit more road noise than does the Ford wearing Goodyear Excellence rubber.Overall, the Ford G6 is the more refined car, albeit with a firmer feel for the road.Boot space is big in both cars as is the other hallmark of the big Aussie family six-cylinder — rear seat width.The middle rear passenger has to deal with a large transmission hump on the floor of each car but other rear passengers get plenty of foot room. Rear-seat passengers in the Commodore get a little more leg room thanks to the cut-out front seat backrest. Each car has a generous glove box but we preferred the dashboard layout of the Ford, which also has more intuitive cruise control switches on the steering wheel than the stalk controls on the Holden.However, while both cars have height and telescopic adjustment of the steering wheel, both of us (one short, the other tall) preferred the Ford wheel to sit higher.On dirt roads, the stability control and ABS works well in each car, certainly better calibrated for loose dirt and gravel than many fancy European models.Both locally-made large cars are worthy contenders for a family's cash, but the new kid on the block has learned from its main foe.FORD FG FALCON G6Price: from $39,990Engine: 4L/6-cylinder 195kW/391NmTransmission: 5-speed automatic (optional 6-speed automatic)Economy: 10.5L/100km (6-speed 10.2L/100km), on test 10L/100km HOLDEN VE BERLINAPrice: from $40,290Engine: 3.6L/V6 180kW/330NmTransmission: 4-speed automaticEconomy: 10.8L/100km claimed, 11L/100km test 

Here’s a party trick: Name Subaru's biggest-selling model in Australia. Impreza? No. Liberty? Nope. It's the trusty and worthy Forester