Articles by Stuart Martin

The A6 was akin to being Audi's middle child, lost between the A4 and the A8 and not quite fitting in with the other kiddies. That should change with this car, which is a solid step in the right direction and should go a long way to turning its lack-lustre resale performance around. VALUEIt's not cheap at a $93,900 list price (or $101,940 as tested) and those user-choosers looking to lease are going to double-take at the retained value figures - Glass's says its 36 per cent and Audi says it's in the mid-40s - but for a vehicle aimed at the exec fleet it's food for thought. That said, the new A6 has no shortage of gear, but you'd expect a fair bit when the price hovers around six figures. The entry-level quattro model gets an electric parking brake, cruise control, 18in alloys, anti-dazzle mirrors, a sunroof, rain-sensing wipers, xenon headlights with dusk and rain sensing function, keyless entry and start, sports steering wheel with myriad buttons for the trip computer, dual-zone climate control, sound system, satnav (all of which is displayed on the slide `n' pop screen in the centre of the dash), leather-trimmed electrically-adjustable front pews and a Bluetooth link for the phone. The Bluetooth also sometimes even connects up to the excellent sound system - if you're using an iPhone for sound as well, don't always expect an easy time connecting it - download your entire iPod into the hard drive, it'll be easier. Sound buffs have the option of going for Bose surround sound with 14 speakers (for $1950) or the Bang & Olufsen 15-speaker surround sound system for $12,340. There's no shortage of other options on offer - the test car had the adaptive headlight system (which costs $1400), rear parking sensors and a camera adds $960 and the grey-pearl paint (through some quirk in the way the options are configured) adds $5680 - stick with the standard colours.TECHNOLOGY The A6 is powered by a 2.8-litre alloy naturally-aspirated V6 that has direct injection and a variable valve timing and lift system to make the most of the premium 95RON unleaded. The result is 150kW (a 12kW loss over the old 2.8) and 280Nm, which doesn't sound like much for a 1680kg sedan. But it's enough and thanks to a start-stop fuel saving system it claims 8 litres of fuel per 100km - a litre better than the (lighter-weight) old model; our stint resulted in 10.2. The A6 drives via a seven-speed twin-clutch automated manual and all-wheel drive, which can vary the torque-split but normally sends 60 per cent to the rear and 40 per cent forward. The A6 also gets Audi's drive select dynamic handling system - which tweaks steering, throttle and automatic transmission's behaviour to suit different desires, or there are the options of adaptive air suspension and dynamic steering.DESIGNThis is a big German sedan but it's lighting package and sharp lines make it a handsome machine that is close in looks to the A8. Audi says its got aluminium a-plenty within the new sedan's construction, which 4915mm in length (a little shorter than the outgoing car), with a 2912mm wheelbase (69mm longer), 1874mm wide and 1455mm tall - a few millimetres shorter and lower. The cabin is functional and comfortable, with the broad, sweeping dashboard a busy but decipherable for the driver. The luggage space is 530 litres, which also has the benefit of folding rear seat back rests to boost space to 995 litres.SAFETYFive stars is fast becoming the norm for many brands and Audi is up there - dual front, front and rear side airbags and a full-length curtain airbag come into play if the anti-lock brakes (with electronic brake force distribution and emergency brake assist), stability and traction control fail to help you avoid the impact in the first place.DRIVINGReading through the specs, there's not much that's jumps out and bodes well for the A6, but the car is better than the final equation suggests. The 2.8 is flexible - if no fireball - and while it sounds like it's working hard when demands are made, overall the V6 is a quiet and frugal powerplant, particularly given the size of car it is conveying. Enough room front and back for four normal-sized adults, a good-sized boot and most of the de riguer mod-cons, mean this is no bare-bones econobox. The ride is, as with most Audis, firm but not harsh, although the target audience might find day-to-day commuting a bit of a chore on what can only be described as third-rate Aussie roads - tick the option for the $4160 adaptive air suspension if you require something closer to a boulevarde ride. Point to point running through the hills can be swift, quiet and unfussed, with the back-up of all-wheel drive if conditions deteriorate, but the small V6 is not going to give the quattro system any cause for concern in terms of breaking traction under power. The electromechanical steering is light and accurate but dead for feel, something that probably doesn't bother those shelling out for the 2.8. The twin-clutch gearbox is smooth and quick most of the time, although it had moments of indecision and responded with a big thump when a quick departure from standstill was asked for (even without the start-stop delay, which at the time was disabled).That fuel-saver system is , which was quick in its speed of re-ignition - the brake pedal pressure didn't need full release and it was running again. The multi-media system has good quality sound is for the most part easy to navigate using Audi's knob-twirl controller, but the touch-pad is only worth using if you're left-handed and the arguments between the Bluetooth, the sound system and the iPhone 4's iPod function were annoying.VERDICT A quiet cruiser for the execu-set looking for Germanically frugal, regal motoring in something other than a Beemer or a Merc. Time will tell if the new model makes resale retention inroads but the A6 deserves to be seriously considered.Audi A6 2.8 FSIPrice:from $93,900Warranty: 3 years, unlimited kmResale: 36% Source: Glass's GuideService Interval: 25,000km or 12-monthsEconomy: 8 l/100km, on test 10.2, tank 75 litres; 187g/km CO2Safety: Equipment 8 airbags, ABS, EBD, stability and traction control. Crash rating 5 starEngine: 150kW/280Nm 2.8-litre direct-injection petrol V6 with variable valve systemTransmission: seven-speed auto, all-wheel driveBody: 4-door, 5 seatsDimensions: 4927mm (L); 1874mm (W); 1465mm (H); 2921mm (WB)Weight: 1680kgTyre: Size 245/45 R18. Space saver

Just in case you thought BMW had something against even numbers, the German carmaker has slipped another SUV into its line-up, the X4. The announcement was made in the midst of a declaration to spend AU$ 875,000 upgrading the US plant that makes many of the X models.The Spartanburg plant - which has just cranked out its two-millionth Beemer since it opened in 1994 - will also employ an extra 300 people as part of the expansion in production to include the new X4. BMW Australia's Piers Scott says there's not a lot of detail on the X4 but it would certainly come to Australia given the company's SUV success here. "It's coming, it's a vehicle that we have very little information on other than it's a car that we would certainly introduce to Australia, particularly in light of what is rapidly growing demand for our X-range of cars," he says. Mr Scott says the brand's passenger car sales were down last year but SUV sales were up as a proportion of the brand's total. The smallest BMW crossover wagon, the X1, finished the year up 8.5 per cent with just over 2200 sales, while the slightly larger X3 was well ahead of its predecessor. The X5 remains the top-selling SUV (and second only to the 3 Series for the brand overall) but was down 10 per cent, while the X6 sales were down 8.3 per cent and remain small. It is expected the X4 offer a similar alternative to the X3 as the X6 does for the X5 - the X4 is likely to run similar petrol and diesel all-wheel drivetrains to the X3, with overseas reports suggesting an M version is also likely. Mr Scott says the X4 timing for Australia was yet to be determined and overseas reports suggest an appearance in its home market is unlikely before 2013. BMW has already invested AU$729 million in the expansion of the plant for production of the new BMW X3 between 2008 and 2010. The BMW plant produced 276,065 vehicles last year, more than 70 per cent for export to more than 130 markets, a 73 percent increase over 2010, led largely by the new X3, which was up 156 per cent last year to 117,944 vehicles. Since opening in 1994, the plant has produced six different BMW models - including Z3 and Z4 models, as well as the X3 and X5.

Just because I'm thinning of follicles and on the other side of 40, doesn't mean I have to start driving Volvos - but the new V60 is one you actually don't mind driving.Having grown up driving the shovel-nosed Swedish Valiants (bless Dick Johnson and his mid-race Bathurst comments), I'm familiar with the boxy, safety conscious history of the brand.Once it would have been almost obligatory to trade in something that drivers would enjoy steering for the safe, secure Swedish family transport, but this new-generation Volvo wagon bears little resemblance to its forebears, thankfully.VALUEThe V60 model range kicks off in the car on test, the T5, which starts on the yard with a $54,950 pricetag. That gets a two-litre direct-injection turbo four that produces 177kW and 320Nm under the more sculpted snout - more than enough to see off its direct price competitors.Features on offer in the entry-level V60 include a good-quality eight-speaker sound system with wheel-mounted controls and USB/MP3 connectivity, Bluetooth phone link, power-adjustable driver's seat, leather seat trim and gearshifter, rain-sensing wipers, auto-dipping centre rear vision mirror, rear parking sensors, trip computer and cruise control (also with wheel controls).The absence of automatic headlights is odd (given the availability on lesser models) but the headlights have an auto-off function, allowing the lights to be left on - yet another safety tick that harks back to the old-style Volvo running lights.TECHNOLOGYThe heart of the V60 is an all-alloy two-litre 16-variable-valve turbo engine with direct injection - not uncommon now - but the company is claiming a world-first turbocharger housing and manifold made of sheet steel (the material also used for the exhaust manifold) rather than cast iron. The powerplant is teamed with a double-clutch "Powershift" six-speed automatic that slips cleanly between cogs although sometimes it's not as quick as you'd expect from this type of transmission.DESIGNThe new-look Volvos offer a striking exterior for the right reasons - a far cry from the flying bricks of the 1970s and 1980s, with stumpy overhangs, a strong shoulder line and a slightly aggressive road presence. The cabin is functional and flexible, with 430 litres of loadspace (to a maximum of 1241 litres when the 40/20/40 split-fold rear seat is folded flat) and clever features including one-touch child door and window locks and the in-built boosters for the outboard rear seats.SAFETYThe Swedish brand (now Chinese-owned) has become synonymous with safety and it's no different with the V60. The company has put the active safety systems within the central infotainment screen, which makes switching off the stability control a more involved process and as a result you're less likely to do it - score one for safety there.The V60 has City Safety (the low-speed accident avoidance system), as well as anti-lock brakes (with the emergency brake assistance and brakeforce distribution systems), stability control, dual front and front-side airbags, full-length curtain airbags among the safety features. There are also pyrotechnic seatbelt pretensioners front and rear and the driver is alerted to which seatblets are in use.Optional safety features abound when skimming through the pricelist - adaptive cruise control and a collision warning system with automatic emergency braking and pedestrian sensing ability adds $4175. The lane departure alert pushes the pricetag up to $2075 and the blind spot warning system - fitted to the test car - adds a further $1275.DRIVINGThe switch from S60 to V60 was a pleasant change - in many ways the wagon is preferable to the sedan and some of the more expensive V60 variants. The new turbo powerplant is almost spirited - revving freely and showing a willingness to work with the six-speed auto to good effect.Lined up against similarly priced rivals, the fuel use is a little higher but the performance in areas like open-road overtaking is better. Press-ahead driving is not beyond the T5 (the T6 is quicker in a straight-line) and its suprisingly capable of punching out of corners without masses of squirming torque-steer coming through the steering.It's not going to poach people from the T6 R-Design sport wagon but swifter progress is achievable. There is a manual shift option on offer to the driver but given it's able to be over-ridden by the car you're better off in D. Completing general duties, the V60 T5 doesn't lay claim to acres of space but parents and a couple of offpsring are comfortably encased within the Volvo, although the ride is on the firm side and not quite what you'd call supple. It is well-set-up for children in the back seat with built-in boosters and one-touch window and door locks. The climate control system is clever - the test car had the optional "Clean Zone" air quality system that vents the stale cabin air on unlock. The rain-sensing wipers (on this and other Volvos recently driven) were prone to false-wipes of a dry windscreen; something it seems was due to sunlight at odd angles tripping the sensors.VERDICTThe Swedish brand has well and truly put itself back in the hunt for more sales volume in this prestige wagon segment. The V60 T5 wagon has the looks, safety gear and cabin flexibility to give its (predominantly more-expensive German) rivals a hard time, as well as some heartburn in the performance stakes. The staid and stodgy image of its forebears is fading and this newest addition to the Volvo line-up will only accelerate that "hat-wearing Volvo driver" concept's passage into automotive history.VOLVO V60 T5 Price: from $54,950 (as tested $60,295)Warranty: 3 years, unlimited kmResale: 68%Service Interval: 15,000km or 12-monthsEconomy: 8.7l/100km, on test 12.3l/100km, tank 68 l; 205g/km CO2Safety: six airbags, ABS, stability control.Crash rating: 5 star Euro NCAPEngine: 177kW/320Nm 2-litre 16-valve DOHC direct-injection turbocharged four-cylinderTransmission: six-speed auto, front-wheel driveBody: 5-door, 5 seats Dimensions: 4628mm (L); 1865mm (W); 1484mm (H); 2776mm (WB)Weight: 1568kgTyre size: 215/50 R17Spare tyre: mobility kit

It's around the price of a top-end AMG Mercedes-Benz S-Class, a well-funded leadfoot could go much, much faster. The Aussie Invader III is up for sale for around $350,000 and comes with accessories, including a display trailer, but the headline act is the 36,000 horsepower/18,000 pounds thrust from the jet engine from a Mirage fighter-bomber military aircraft. Current Australian land speed record holder Rosco McGlashan is looking for a buyer with a sense of history, patriotism and charity. "We're trying to sell number 3, this car set the Australian land speed record, what we're hoping to do is sell it to a company or an individual, put their name on it and then onto a museum as part of the Cultural Gift Scheme to get the tax write-off. McGlashan says at 60 he is running out of time to get his next project, Aussie Invader 5R, up and running, hence the sale. "I've got to get a wriggle on as I'm getting a bit long in the tooth, I'm 60 now, we need the funds to get further down the road with a new one," he says. The Australian Land Speed record of 802km/h held by this car was set in 1994 - the body is made of kevlar and uses fuel at an astonishing 10 litres per second. The rocket car sits on hand-forged solid aluminium wheels designed to spin at 8000rpm and has a potential top speed somewhere around 1300km/h - the Aussie Invader Team has seen as high as 1028km/h at Lake Gairdner but didn't manage a second run to make it official. McGlashan has been on the land speed record chase since aged 12 and is keen to finish the job. "I quit school and been on the land speed job ever since, the big goal is 1000mph and that's what we're trying to achieve," he says. Collectable Classic Cars Ben Finniss has been charged with finding a new home for Rosco McGlashan's former car, as the speedfreak and his team prepare for a world land speed record with Aussie Invader 5R. "You've got find someone with a spare $350,000 who wants a rocket-car in their living room, it's the ultimate toy. Who knows where it will go, it would make a good museum piece," he says. Finniss says the car would cost well over a million dollars to another build and it represents a unique opportunity. "It's not every day you get asked to sell a $350,000 rocket, so I said we'd have a crack at that," he says.

The carmaker blamed the strong Australian dollar and shrinking export volumes. The redundancies at its Altona plant may have some effect on Adelaide component suppliers. Toyota Australia president and CEO Max Yasuda said it was unfortunate the company - which has just over 4683 Australian employees in total - had to take this action. "The reality is that our volumes are down, what we assumed was a temporary circumstance has turned into a permanent situation. This drop of 36 per cent in just four years shows the scale of our challenges," he said. Mr Yasuda said the company was facing severe operating conditions due to the strong Australian currency and export volume reductions. The company's production levels have dropped from 149,000 in 2007, to 94,000 in 2011 and an expected 95,000 cars in 2012, which is likely to minimise any impact on component suppliers already geared to the 2011 production rate. Shrinking Middle East export markets have also eaten into Holden's Australian manufacturing base. The company lost much of its Middle East export volume, which at its peak was just over 60,000 Chevrolet-badged vehicles in 2005 and was expected to be about 10 per cent of that this year. The strengthening of the Australian currency - at parity with the US dollar - has been cited by both Holden and Toyota as a factor in the reduced export volumes. The Japanese-owned car maker spends between $140 and $200 million a year in SA. Tenneco - which supplies Walker exhausts and Monroe dampers - spokesman Phil McMahon said the company was not aware of any changes. "We'll have to look into it and see what impact it may have," he said. Multi Slide Industries at Edwardstown - which produces the torsion bars for Camry and Aurion bootlids - has increased production for Toyota; general manager Al Kalvaitis said the changes were unlikely to have an impact. "It's increased our business - but we'll have it to play it by ear and wait and see what happens, with our operations wouldn't see any job losses," he said.

Sales figures can tell an interesting story - in Australia, it says the BMW X5 is king of the German brand's SUV brigade. It outsells the smaller and cheaper X3 models and comprehensively pulverises the X6. The X5 this year is second only to the 3 Series for the company's sales. The reason? It's the most versatile and talented of the BMW crossovers. VALUEAt $113,300 it's not likely to shade the Mazda3 for value and volume - in fact the Mazda3 sold more in a month than the X5 has so far this year - but it's versatility and features list are not out of proportion to the price. The 40d  (fitted with a no-cost-option M Sport package) gets sports-tuned suspension, electrically-adjustable front sport seats, 20in light-alloy wheels, a sports leather steering wheel. There's also cruise control with braking function, front and rear parking sensors, a rear view camera with top view, power-adjustable, heated, folding and auto-dimming rearvision mirrors (inside and out) that will also dip to show the rear wheel when parallele parking. There are also puddle lights on the door handles, automatic headlights, dual-zone  climate control with rear air vents, 60/40 splitfold rear seats, keyless start/stop button, power windows, an infotainment system that includes hi-res 3D satnav, an 80gb hard-drive for music and map storage, Bluetooth link for phone and audio, and a USB and 3.5mm audio jack. The test car also had the optional (for $8000) Innovations Package fitted, which adds an automatic tailgate, rear and side camera "Top View" system, bi-xenon headlights with washer-jets and auto-dipping high-beam, head-up display and a whopper glass sunroof. Internet access is also on the options list for $200, but you'll need a co-operative phone to get it - as tested it's a $122,900 machine. TECHNOLOGYThe heart of this big wagon is the three-litre all-aluminium straight-six cylinder turbodiesel, fed by common-rail high-pressure direct-injection and two - one small, the other large - turbochargers. The pair work together - the smaller one starts proceedings and the larger one kicks in later on - to produce 225kW and 600Nm, the former arriving at 4400rpm and the latter on offer between 1500 and 2500rpm, while 450Nm is being generated at 1000rpm. The acceleration provided for the 2.5 tonne wagon is 6.6 seconds to 100km/h, yet it also claims 7.5 litres per 100km; the particle-filtered diesel is hooked up to an eight-speed automatic and delivers drive to all four wheels as required. BMW's all-wheel drive system runs 60 per cent rear and 40 per cent front, although it varies according to the conditions. The big Beemer also boasts brake energy regeneration and a cruise control system with braking function, which holds a speed better than some radar-controlled cruise control systems. The test car also had the optional lane departure warning system, which operates above 70km/h and sends a vibration through the wheel if wandering is detected. DESIGN Hardly a work of art, the big, bold SUV is a handsome machine, much better looking to the author's eyes than the rest of the SUVs in BMW's range and a couple of the passenger cars as well. Bulges around the wheelarches, big front air intakes and the headlights that give you the evil-eye, it all adds up to a brutish exterior. The cabin has typically-German functionality, with illuminated storage, a big infotainment screen and the flight-controller style joystick standing in for a conventional gearshifter. There's plenty of room, with the rear passengers benefiting from the deeply scalloped seatbacks to get every millimetre of available knee room. The 620-litre boot (which expands to 1750 litres with the seats folded) has clever tie-down rings and some sub-floor storage (around the temporary spare). SAFETY Wearing a five-star crash test rating, the X5 gets dual front, side and curtain airbags, active front headrests, four-wheel ventilated discs brakes with anti-lock function, stability control (including corner-braking, hill-descent and roll-over systems), with the subtle and clever all-wheel drive system operating quietly in the background. There are five lap-sash seat belts, a tyre run-flat indicator and an emergency spare wheel, which is replaced by a "mobility kit" if the third row of seats are selected from the options list.DRIVINGGiven that these things rarely get muddy, sandy or dusty, it's no surprise the Beemer crossover doesn't have much of a leaning towards off-road ability. In fact, it doesn't lean at all - the body control for such a tall pieceof equipment is exceptional. The M Sport package sport suspension endows this German wagon with handling prowess that belies its height. Sharp turn-in from the steering and precious little complaint from the low-profile runflats means a brisk pace can be maintained in the bends, and the solid shove from the twin-turbo diesel means exits are rapid. The clever all-wheel drive system apportions the considerable amounts of drive as required - although the clever rear diff from the X6 to fire drive left and right across the rear axle would be nice as well. Turning off all the electronic nursemaids (on sealed or unsealed roads) doesn't unmask any chassis issues, as the AWD keeps it tidy - it's a remarkably capable for an SUV, as long as you steer clear of "off-roading." The payoff comes in ride quality and BMW says there's no scope to drop the M Sport no-cost option. While bumps in bends are adeptly dealt with, cruising or commuting can be hard yakka if the road crews have been absent. The twin-turbodiesel is quiet and its outputs - 225kW and 600Nm - and fuel economy (a claimed 7.5l/100km) are all outstanding. Gentle throttle pressure is all that's required for solid forward progress, but push a bit harder and the delivery between 2500 to 4500 is considerable - flat to the firewall and it will hit 100 in 6.6 seconds - nearly hot-hatch territory. The ZF eight-speed automatic is another clever transmission from that company - its shifts are almost imperceptible, which is a good thing as it seems to want to swap cogs too often, a legacy of too many choices? There's plenty to like about the infotainment system, with USB and Bluetooth link, satnav and phone access, but the system decided at least four times to shut down and re-start while driving - which isn't really up to scratch for a car in this price bracket. Boot space of 620 litres - with adjustable tie-down points - is useful, with more on offer by folding the back seats (which have a 40:60 splitfold function); maximum storage space is listed as 1750 litres. VERDICT There is much to like about this SUV - space, features, frugality, drivetrain brute force, handling and presence - but the brittle ride and its spare tyre would make it tough to live with on a daily basis. Dropping back to an 18in or 19in wheel with more sidewall profile and losing the sports tuned suspension wouldn't hurt (the dynamics are still good on the cooking models). But in this guise a solid package is let down by the ride.BMW X5 40dPrice: from $113,300Warranty: 3 years, unlimited kmResale: 60% Source: Glass's GuideService Interval: condition-basedEconomy: 7.5l/100km, on test , tank 85 l; 198g/km CO2Safety: Equipment six airbags, ABS, EBD, stability and traction control. Crash rating 5 starEngine: 225kW/600Nm 3-litre DOHC 24-valve twin-turbodiesel six-cylinderTransmission: 8-speed autoBody: 5-door, 5 seats Dimensions: 4857mm (L); 1933mm (W); 1776mm (H); 2933mm (WB), ground clearance 170mm, towing 750kg unbraked, 2700kg braked (270kg ball download)Weight: 2110kgTyre size: 255/50 fr, 285/45 rr R19. Spare tyre: Space save

As Australians get ready to line up the sausages on the BBQ for Australia Day, we're looking back at the hey-day of Australian cars - when the Kingswood spawned a TV series and Hey Charger produced a two-finger salute that wasn't going to start a fight.Ford, Holden and Toyota are the remaining car makers in Australia but Mitsubishi and Chrysler before them also built cars in Australia, with the Adelaide-built R-Series Valiant seen by some as a pivotal car for the Australian industry.While it only sold just over 1000 cars before it was replaced the S-Series, it boasted a larger, more powerful engine, with comparable fuel consumption and a bigger boot.Celebrating its 50th anniversary this week, the R-Series was built in Keswick and Mile End before Chrysler opened its Tonsley Park plant in 1964.Geoff Chase has "sheds full'' of Valiants and has an R-Series six-cylinder as his daily drive car - the 74-year-old from the inner-southern suburbs of Adelaide bought them in the 1960s and has never felt the need to buy anything else."I knew the day I bought it new that I wouldn't need another car, the looks caught my eye but it will do anything, go anywhere in Australia, it tows a caravan, I've never needed anything different," he said.Carsguide chief reporter Paul Gover has put Holden's first Australian car - the 48-215 - in top spot, ahead of Ford's XT Falcon and the 1969 Holden Monaro and the Falcon GT-HO Phase III.Chrysler's Valiant, the Leyland P76 - "a great car that was badly built" according to Mr Gover - and the Mitsubishi Magna also make his list. The VB, Holden's first Commodore, as well as the Cruze and Ford's ground-breaking Territory SUV round out his top ten.Adelaide-based author Gavin Farmer has spent much of his life in the automotive industry and has written books on some of the key cars - the Monaro, the Charger and even the ill-fated Leyland P76. Mr Farmer puts the two current six-cylinder cars from Holden and Ford firmly in the top 10."The current VE Commodore and FG Falcon are, to my way of thinking, world class cars - unfortunately politics is getting in the way where they are concerned, but as pieces of engineering and value-for-money, they are world-class," he says."The R-Series Valiant should also be up there, it changed the landscape in Australia and pushed Holden and Ford," he said.Mr Farmer also nominated the Holden Monaro, AU-Series XR and 1960s Falcons as worthy vehicles and gave an honourable mention to two French cars. Politics has changed the automotive industry for the worse, according to the motoring author."I have never known Australia to be so bereft of leadership, our tradition has been the Holden/Falcon sized motor car, I personally think we need to put barriers up again to rekindle the Australian industry," he says."We're going the same way as the British industry, we're letting the world tell us what to do. I'm disappointed that a fully-imported foreign car is king of the hill," he said.National Motor Museum senior curator Matthew Lombard suggested the FJ Holden might hold more significance than the 48-215 for Australian car buyers."The FJ is in some ways probably more important to Australian motoring than the 48-215 - although that started it but the FJ is the car a lot of people would have had new or second-hand,'' he said.Mr Lombard also said one car that was forgotten by many was the 1936 Chevrolet Sloper, which was sold here with a Holden body. Chrysler and later Mitsubishi claim a place in motoring history, with the R and Series Valiant shaking up the Holden and Ford dominated marketplace.The Sigma and Magna range should also be recognised as being significant Australian cars - "it started the whole change toward a smaller family car," Mr Lombard said. PAUL GOVER'S TOP 10: 1.    Holden FX 48-2152.    XT Falcon3.    '69 Monaro4.    Falcon GT-HO Phase III5.    Chrysler Valiant Charger (all of them)6.    Leyland P76 (great car that was badly built)7.    Mitsubishi Magna8.    VB Commodore9.    Holden Cruze (because it changes the game)10.  Ford TerritoryGAVIN FARMER'S TOP 10 AUSTRALIAN-MADE CARS:1.    E38/E49 Charger (powered by a brilliantly engineered locally-made 6-cylinder engine)2.    R Series Valiant (changed the face of Australian motoring forever)3.    EH 179 Holden (a watershed car for Holden and Australia)4.    XR6/XR8 Falcon (a brilliant combination of power, performance, handling and all-round ease of use)5.    HQ Holden (best styling from Holden, still looks good today 40 years later)6.    FG Falcon (a world-class car in every way, should be exported)7.    VE Commodore (also a world-class car)8.    XR Falcon GT (like the Valiant, changed the landscape forever)9.    Austin 1800 (a much misunderstood car, brilliant concept, superb ride, very roomy, comfortable)10.  Mitsubishi Magna V6 (best Japanese car made here by a mile)NATIONAL MOTOR MUSEUM SENIOR CURATOR MATTHEW LOMBARD1.  The Great Aussie Ute (in all its variations be it Holden, Ford or Chrysler)2.   Ford Falcon GTHO III3.   Holden FJ4.   Holden HK Monaro5.   Valiant Charger6.   Mitsubishi Magna7.   Leyland P768.   1989 Ford Capri9.   The Panel Van in all its customized and shag pile glory10. The GoggomobilSTUART MARTIN'S TOP 101.   Holden FX/48-2152.   Holden VE Commodore3.   Mitsubishi Magna4.   Ford XT GT Falcon5.   Valiant Charger6.   Holden Torana GTR XU17.   Valiant R-Series8.   Ford Territory9.   1934 Ford Coupe Ute10. Leyland P76 Targa Florio

The final piece in the A6 jigsaw puzzle was dropped from the local line-up late last year after being on sale in Australia since 2001 in both petrol and diesel guises. The former was dropped in 2006 and it stayed diesel-only until last its disappearance last year.  Audi says the A6 allroad comes with a claim of fuel use reductions by as much as 20 per cent, depending on which of the four engines is chosen - although Audi Australia is tightlipped on what's coming here. The sole petrol engine for the new model is the supercharged three-litre V6 already seen in the current line-up, but offering 228kW and 440 Nm, kicking the crossover wagon from zero to 100km/h in 5.9 seconds and claiming 8.9 litres per 100km, although not when you're flat-out testing the acceleration claim. The diesel offering is three output variations - 150kW and 450Nm, 180kW and 580Nm or the twin-turbo powerplant's 230kW and 650 Nm, with thirsts starting at 6.1l/100km. Audi says it will soon offer a low-emissions "clean diesel" 180kW engine variant, although it's not likely in Australia in the short term. The twin-turbo 230kW/650Nm three-litre gets the eight-speed automatic (the rest are seven-speed twin-clutch autos) and drops the time to 100km/h to 5.6 seconds. The new A6 gets the company's staple all-wheel drive system, albeit with the addition of the torque vectoring system, which brakes the wheels on the inside of the curve to help the car turn more easily. The new car has the sedan's electro-mechanical power steering, as well as the option of variable-ratio "dynamic" steering and the clever differential that sends power left and right across the rear axle during "enthusiastic" driving. Among the fuel-saving systems is "drive select," which allows the driver to alter the car's functions to run in an economy mode. The new A6 allroad carries over the adaptive air suspension, which was standard on the outgoing car and can drop the normal ride height by 15mm at cruising speeds and can raise between 35 and 45mm for rougher roads, with variable-speed hill descent control for the more adventurous. Standard fare in the A6 allroad quattro also includes 18in and 235/55 tyres, but optional wheels up to 20in are on offer. The new Audi A6 allroad quattro will be available in Germany from spring 2012, starting from 54,600 Euros - it will be launched in Australia in the third quarter of 2012. Audi Australia says it's too early to talk specifics on engine options, specifics on equipment and pricing - the outgoing car was priced at about $104,000 but when the model first arrived it started just under $100,000, but Audi won't say if it will sneak into the five-figure price bracket. The new A6 allroad quattro is 4940mm long, 1900mm wide and 1470mm tall, only slightly longer but 38mm wider and nearly 50mm shorter in overall height over the outgoing model. Audi says the use of aluminium has shaved about 70kg from the weight of the outgoing model. The Audi A6 allroad quattro will have available LED and xenon lighting technology, as well as getting extra trim bits on the door sills, wheelarches, a different grille and underbody protection. The infotainment system - MMI in Audi-speak - has the added function of showing the vehicle pitch as a nod to its all-terrain aims. The luggage compartment boasts 565 litres of cargo space (with folding rear seats upping it the storage space to 1680 litres) and a load-restraint rail system. Also on the features list is a head-up display, ambient LED cabin lighting, four-zone climate control, a panoramic glass roof, automatic parking assist system which steers for the driver,and the keyless entry and ignition and a 15-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system. There's also optional Bluetooth car phone (standard on the outgoing car) but the new model gets internet connectivity and an in-car wireless hotspot. The allroad will also have radar-based adaptive cruise control with stop and go function that applies maximum braking (below 30km/h) if it senses an impending impact, the pre-sense accident prep system (in a number of guises), lane assist, side assist blindspot warning and the night vision system

The Japanese car-maker has undertaken a revamp of the flat-four "Boxer" turbodiesels in its Forester and Outback model line-ups that has improved fuel economy, emissions and broadened the engine range of peak torque. The 108kW (110kW in the Outback) and 350Nm outputs remain unchanged but is now available a little earlier in the rev range - 1600rpm instead of 1800rpm. Subaru says the fuel use has improved by up to 6.2 per cent, which puts the Forester and Outback diesel models at a combined-cycle figure of six litres per 100km . The flat-four turbodiesel has been given a new exhaust camshaft profile, more efficient exhaust-gas recirculation and some lightened engine internals to reduce fuel consumption. Multiple transmission changes - low-friction bearings and gearshift system among them - have produced lower friction and greater efficiency, says Subaru, but there's no sign of an auto. Subaru Australia's David Rowley says there are no immediate plans for an automtic transmission to accompany the diesel powerplant. "There are no immediate plans for an automatic, we would certainly love an auto and we will be at the head of the queue when one becomes available, but that's not an option presently," he says. "We're very pleased with the response to the diesels in both the cars since we launched them, so we're keen to build on that when an auto becomes available, but there's no timeframe." Mr Rowley says the natural disasters and engineering and development focus on the new XV and Impreza models would have taken priority over development of an automatic. Pricing has been left untouched despite the extra development - the Forester diesel starts from $36,490, rising to $40,990 for the Premium model. Subaru Australia managing director Nick Senior says diesels represent up to 20 per cent of respective Forester and Outback range sales. "These significant refinements to engine and transmission make an even more compelling case. The smoother gear change helps more efficient driving and better fuel economy, which is a major focus for Subaru diesel customers," he says. The Outback diesel is priced from $40,990 for the manual an d $46,990 for the Premium model.

But if you liked the old ones, don't despair - the LandCruiser has not changed much.The updated 200 Series was revealed in Europe and the US and we're likely to see it March or April, says Toyota Australia - but they're not saying much else about pricing or specification. The 200 Series falls into the ain't-broke, don't fix category in some respects - the Landcruiser wagon sold 9119 units last year, which is on par with 2010 and nearly three-quarters of the large SUV market, with only the veteran Patrol as opposition.The Japanese giant has unveiled a blink-and-miss facelift of its LandCruiser flagship, which has a stranglehold on the large SUV segment in Australia. The changes are few, with a very minor styling change at the front - involving mild tweaks for the headlights and bumper - and an even more subtle tweak at the rear.The Toyota stylists have also added the must-have fashion accessory of LED daytime running lights, as well as bi-xenon headlights, but Toyota is tight-lipped on which Australia-bound models will get the lighting package.The big wagon's flanks are also altered, with new side protection mouldings, with the aesthetics also altered by new-look 20in alloy wheels and LED-equipped door mirrors. The mirrors also carry two of the four cameras used for the terrain monitoring system.The updated LandCruiser is claiming a world-first Turn Assist system, which brakes an inside rear wheel to improve manoeuvrability and reduce the vehicle turning radius on tight corners (as part of Crawl Control system) for steep incline climbs and descents.Also on the list of changes is the company's Multi-Terrain Select system, which seems to be inspired by Land Rover's Terrain Response set-up.The Toyota system has five driving modes for different off-road conditions (Mud and Sand; Loose Rock; Mogul; Rock; and Dirt and Rock), with changes made to throttle, brakes and traction control to suit off-road conditions.The driver also gets a good view of the driving conditions by means of the "Multi-Terrain Monitor," which automatically displays the surroundings on the screen, as well as being able to show steering wheel angle - again, similar to the Land Rover system.Cabin changes to the updated 200 Series are aimed at raising perceptions of quality, with a new dash layout and infotainment set-up that includes a touchscreen control panel; there's also voice-control and Bluetooth within that system, as well as a heated steering wheel, heated and cooled front seats, a power-operated upper tailgate and an energy-efficient 14-speaker JBL sound system among the features likely to be offered.The satnav system - Toyota Touch Pro - is controlled via a high-res eight-inch screen and when teamed with an appropriate mobile phone via Bluetooth, Touch Pro can connect to Google and Google Maps, allowing destinations to be entered remotely.The instrument display is now the backlit white dials with blue illumination (again, something seen on existing Lexus and Sahara models).The 4.5-litre V8 common-rail twin-turbodiesel engine will offer a little more power - up from 195kW to 213kW - and an unchanged torque figure of 650Nm (between 1600 and 2800rpm) and is now EuroV emission-compliant with the introduction of a particulate filter and piezo injectors.The LandCruiser's steering remains a hydraulic system, but with what Toyota is calling Variable Flow Control to vary assistance according to the driving speed, with a dedicated off-road setting.