Articles by Stuart Martin

Audi says the 2.0 TDI quattro coupe and roadster are the first production sports cars in the world to be powered by diesel engines. And it's quite a powerplant, if the numbers are any indication - the two-litre, four-cylinder offers 125kW of power and a decent 350Nm of torque. That's enough for a 0-100km/h sprint of 7.5 seconds and a 226km/h top speed for the 1370kg Coupe, or 7.7 seconds for the 1415kg Roadster, which claims a 223km/h top speed. The TDI engine comes into its own on thirst. A fuel consumption figure claimed by Audi is just 5.3 litres/100km. Both are built with what Audi calls “hybrid design.” It uses an aluminium forward structure and a steel rear end, which the company says aids weight distribution. The TDI version of the TT is on Audi Australia's wish list and was described as “likely” as the company wants to develop its turbodiesel presence in Australia. The TT range also will be expanded on the petrol engine front, with the introduction of a model with more performance than that provided by the 1.8-litre turbo four or the 3.2-litre V6. A TTS quattro will soon be added to the shopping list, with a two-litre TFSI direct-injection turbocharged engine producing 200kW and 350Nm, which will be available from 2500rpm through to 5000rpm. The two-litre powerplant has been strengthened and re-engineered to offer higher performance in the TTS quattro, with work done on the head, block, rods and pistons, with the turbocharger boost up to as much as 1.2 bar and an upgraded intercooler. The intake and exhaust systems have also been revamped to provide better breathing. Although the torque figure is identical to the new TDI model, having 200kW of power on tap helps get the TTS to 100km/h in a claimed 5.2 seconds when driving through the optional dual-clutch S tronic gearbox, on the way to a top speed of 250km/h. The TTS also is fitted with a magnetic ride adaptive damping system, which Audi says will provide a decent ride quality in standard mode. Opt for the “Sport” setting and the TTS drops its sports suspension ride height by 10mm and delivers dynamic handling, according to the German manufacturer. Aluminium is used extensively in the front suspension construction and high-performance brakes sit behind the 18in alloy wheels. The TTS models are expected in Australian Audi showrooms from next month; June 2008.  

The high-performance model, which has already attracted deposit-paid orders in Australia, will introduce the AWD system which will appear on the Aero model later this year.The Swedish carmaker says just 30 Turbo X vehicles (25 Sport Sedan and five SportCombi) will be released to customers in Australia and New Zealand from June, starting from $88,800 and rising to $93,800.The Turbo X is the first model to offer the XWD AWD system, which can put 206kW of power and 400Nm of torque (between 2150rpm and 4500rpm) from the 24-valve 2.8-litre turbocharged V6 engine to the bitumen.The Saab XWD system is an active AWD system that continuously distributes torque between the front and rear axles, and between the rear wheels.To optimise traction at take off, Saab XWD incorporates an innovative pre-emptive engagement of the rear wheels, instead of waiting for slip.Saab believes the system sets a new benchmark. It also allows the Turbo X to hit 100km/h in just 5.7 seconds.There's also an active rear limited-slip differential as standard on the Turbo X, set to appear on the Aero's options list. This can transfer up to 50 per cent of torque between the rear wheels, depending on grip. The ultimate Saab performance machine, the Turbo X will start at $88,800 for the 2.8-litre turbocharged V6 manual Sport Sedan or $91,300 for the auto.Stepping up to the SportCombi pumps the price to $91,300 for the manual and $93,800 for the auto.Offered only in metallic black with some details in a grey titanium-like finish, the Turbo X gets the full aero body kit, making it the meanest-looking Saab in living memory. It sits on standard 18-inch alloy wheels, while optional 19-inch rims will add $2250 to the bottom line.The cabin has black leather-trimmed sports seats (or there's an optional premium, natural leather interior for an extra $4000), as well as a carbon-fibre finish to the fascia, door trims, glovebox and gear shift console.The driver gets a thick-rimmed, soft-grip leather steering wheel and an eyeful of a boost gauge that's a replica from the original 900 Turbo.Owners can also have a personalised greeting when they get behind the wheel and switch on the ignition. As well as a “Ready for take-off” message flashed on the main instrument display, the owner's name and personalised greeting also can be programmed by the dealer. 

It is the first time Toyota has achieved the quinella by having the two best-selling vehicles in the country in one month.Toyota's HiLux two and four-wheel-drive ute range sold 3814 units last month, just beating its Corolla stablemate, which sold 3722 units, and the Adelaide-built Holden Commodore, which finished the month with 3324 sales.New vehicle sales remain ahead of 2007's record pace, but the large car market continues to suffer in favour of small cars and sports utility vehicles.The automotive industry's VFACTS sales figures, released recently, showed passenger car sales slipped slightly behind the 2007 year-to-date tally, while SUV sales continued to improve across the board.Light, small and medium car sales continued to grow compared to 2007, but the larger end of the passenger car market continued to decline.Toyota's Aurion has also come close to beating the superseded BF Ford Falcon, falling just 32 sales short - but Ford's new FG Falcon goes on sale this month. TOP 10 BRANDSToyota....20,838Holden...10,187Ford......8246Mazda.....6749Mitsubishi....5007Nissan.....4935Honda.....4289Hyundai....3683Subaru....3158Volkswagen..2440 

Grave concerns were held for the safety of this car once the keys were laid in my outstretched palm - would it be returned at all? The new BMW M3 - dressed in Melbourne red paint with the carbon-fibre roof intact - sat coiled in the driveway, with subtle bulges in the bonnet and haunches.The new 3 Series coupe has been run through the carsguide garage and in twin-turbo six-cylinder form it has the same torque as the M3, but there's something about the tri-colour M badge that just makes a difference.Or it could be the 309kW of power that joins forces with the 400Nm of torque to get things under way.With keyless start function, the keys go into my pocket, the start button is quickly pressed and the remote arm offers the seat belt - otherwise it is a stretch to reach the belt.Close-set pedals greet my feet, the clutch is easily depressed and the sweet, purposeful, beautifully-weighted and quick six-speed manual gearbox is used to engage first.Why you'd want to spend nearly $7000 on a double-clutch, seven-speed “auto” paddleshift transmission - which lowers the 0-100km/h sprint time slightly - boggles the mind.When you're getting to the state limit in about five seconds, happily shifting the cogs yourself, you're better off spending the extra cash elsewhere.Burbling with a gruff, slightly wheezy menace, the four-litre V8 is flexible and unfazed by banal duties of metro traffic.The drivetrain feels tightly wound but takes on a whole new persona once the M button on the steering wheel is hit - razor-sharp throttle and steering response is best left for the imminent back road blast and not for commuting.Quad tailpipes and a heady induction noise harmonise to provide a powerplant soundtrack that may well erase any lingering nostalgia over the outgoing six-cylinder version.The straight-six still has a place in my heart but the lighter, more powerful four-litre V8 spins easily all the way to the variable redline just over 8000rpm, once the engine is sufficiently warmed.The six sang; this V8 bellows - brutally, quickly and all the way to the redline.With the M Button engaged, stability control can be maintained in M Dynamic mode, which is reassuring when flinging the M3 at a corner. Light, accurate and meaty steering, tenacious grip and ample outputs mean the M3 is nowhere near running out of ability when my desire to retain my licence kicks in.Braking power is more than ample and the amount of electronic aids working under the bonnet to make the driver look good is considerable.Naturally it has anti-lock brakes and stability control, but there's also Dynamic Brake Control, Cornering Brake Control (CBC), Electronic Damper Control and the variable M differential lock, all of which allow the driver to point the hydraulic power-assisted steering and carry on with confidence. This car has stacks of ability reserved only for the racetrack and those that make their living there, but for a mere mortal the experience is considerable.But not all is perfect in the world of M3. Partway through my run in the super-coupe, the climate control system decided I'd been too well looked after and made unchilled air the order of the day. A visit to the BMW workshop did little to alleviate the fever, the cause of which was blamed on a wiring fault and minor leak.What the lack of climate control did show is how warm the M3 is when up and running, something that you don't feel until you're outside after parking it.But temperatures aside, the M3's cabin is comfortable and well equipped, if a little bit low-key for such a super-coupe.The sports seats have ample adjustment - most of it electrically controlled - the steering wheel is thick of rim and there's even half-decent room for three other occupants.The boot is a good size, it has six airbags, bi-xenon adaptive headlights (with high-beam assist), automatic wipers, a topnotch sound system and it's a remarkably practical day-to-day, especially given its performance potential.Despite the 40-profile tyres, the ride quality is within reason for the type of machinery we're talking about.Thanks to the electronic damping, it has an unexpectedly subtle ride. It's still not a big fan of some bumpy back roads but the bumps don't distract it from the chosen line, even before everything is tightened up with the push of a button.Its two main competitors - Audi and Mercedes-Benz - are spoiling for a fight more than ever before and it's a close call, but (until we try the C63 AMG on local roads) the M3 has its snout just in front. 

The new compact sports utility vehicle was among the FG Falcon and FPV models in four-cylinder-only guise. Whereas the Mazda side of this particular product-sharing arrangement had the V6 and the four-cylinder on offer from 2001, the Escape series only had the V6 for its first two years on sale, with the four-cylinder arriving in 2004.Now the only drivetrain on offer is a 109kW/199Nm 2.3-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with the four-speed automatic transmission, which leaves the Territory as the only six-cylinder SUV in the local Ford range.Marketing and sales vice-president Mark Winslow says the changes were made to better differentiate between the two SUV model lines.“There is now a clear-cut, discernible difference between what Escape and Territory represent and what they offer our customers,” he says. “The two models now complement each other in the showroom better than ever.”The Escape exterior has been given the once-over, as has the interior and safety equipment.But the best news for potential buyers of the smaller Ford SUV is the drop in price.The nose and tail get new lights, new 16-inch alloys fill the arches and there are some minor cosmetic changes to the trim inside and out.Safety features added to the new-look car include front side/head thorax airbags as standard. The refreshed Escape goes on sale this month at $31,990, which is nicely down from the $33,490 of the comparable 2.3-litre four-cylinder XLT that it replaces.“With on-demand all-wheel-drive, automatic transmission and front seat, side head/thorax airbags as standard, the changes announced today have further strengthened Escape's overall appeal,” says Winslow.“It makes it one of the best-value proposition SUV packages available.“The ZD Escape is the perfect introduction to the Ford Sport Utility Vehicle range, delivering on attributes expected of a recreational SUV in a compact yet extremely functional package.”Fuel economy for the four-cylinder model — perhaps a likely reason the V6 was dropped from the range — is 10.5 litres per 100km.But towing capacity is unchanged at 750kg unbraked and 1000kg for braked loads.

The entry-level Falcon XT is $36,490, just $500 more than the equivalent model in the outgoing BF range. The FG features many enhancements and revisions, including improved fuel economy and new front suspension.The Falcon's main rival, the Holden Commodore Omega, which has just been reprofiled with airconditioning as standard equipment as well as six airbags and alloy wheels, is $36,790.The new FG Falcon range goes on sale next month. For the FG Falcon, Ford has a new G series as well as the sporty XR series.The G6, which will have a five-speed (instead of standard four-speed) automatic transmission and other luxury touches, will be $39,990.The G6E will be $46,990 and gets the ZF six-speed automatic, leather trim seats and rear-view camera. The G6E Turbo, at $54,990, adds the powerful, turbo-charged six-cylinder petrol engine. The sporty XR6, which has a choice of six-speed manual or two automatic transmissions, starts at $39,990. The XR6 Turbo will come in at $45,490, the same price as the V8-engined XR8, with its 290kW powerhouse.The new Falcon ute range will run from $27,795 for a cab chassis with new six-speed manual transmission to $39,490 for the XR6 Turbo or XR8 sports utes, which have a six-speed automatic as an option.The BF Falcon wagon continues as a Mk III, and even though it gets stability control on the petrol model, stays at $37,720.For those looking to save on fuel costs, the E-gas dedicated LPG engine is $1400 more. 

A price premium of $10,000 stands between the petrol and turbodiesel models of the new 200-Series LandCruiser range. While other companies charge the same for equivalent petrol and diesel models, in some cases even less for the diesel, it makes a decision between the two big Toyotas more complex. I've driven the

Proton managing director Datuk Syed Zainal says the company is planning to enter more export markets, as well as looking to maintain a competitive edge in its home market.

The appeal goes across both genders and a broad range of ages - from those who were old enough to vaguely remember the paint scheme on Falcon coupes at Bathurst to those who only know Mount Panorama from PS2 or 3.Unfortunately for those who look, like and lay down hard-earned dollars, there aren't any left to buy direct from the manufacturer. Just 400 sedans and 100 ute versions of the Cobra were made so head for eBay or carsguide classifieds.To use its full title, I'm piloting an FPV GT Cobra R-Spec - the six-speed auto sedan with an upgraded brake package, and it causes public mischief even before the start button is pushed.Once it fires, the 5.4-litre quad-cam, 32-valve “Boss 302” power plant settles into a burbly idle that still has the odd lump in it, although nothing like the chassis-shaking attitude of some previous Ford muscle-cars.The clever, smooth and driver-friendly six-speed auto works well with the eight, allowing unruffled progress through traffic on a useful amount of torque, although its down a little on pulling power when compared to its HSV competition. The ride quality is better than expected for 35-profile tyres on 19in alloys, although big road ruts do hit home.Firing away from the lights at full throttle is not recommended unless you want to challenge new hoon laws, as the rears can offer a noisy and smoky departure.Save that sort of throttle application for windy backroads, where the chassis shows off poise and grip that belies its size.That's not to say there's no shortage of action, as the Cobra fires out of corners with enthusiasm, thanks in part to its limited slip differential and (switchable) traction control, although there's no stability control on offer.Bumps and lumps mid-corner don't bother the Cobra too much, with decent compliance helping to maintain the chosen line.The R Spec handling package is standard on the Cobra, with sticky Dunlop SP Sport Maxx 245/35ZR tyres on 19in five-spoke alloys.The rims even get white-painted sections to the spokes, which are an interesting highlight and probably also a magnet for brake-pad dust.This is going to be built up on a regular basis, as the Cobra is a fun drive.The soundtrack provided by the big V8 in its upper rev reaches borders on indecent and there is ample ability from the chassis to keep the pace going.Of course, you're going to have to pay the piper sometime for all that amusement.The 68-litre tank supplies PULP to the engine at a claimed rate of around 15 litres/100km in the standard GT, but the extra performance isn't likely to have reduced that thirst.The trip computer quickly shot up to an average of well over 20 litres/100km, but as the driving became more sedate, the number tumbled back to 18 litres/100km.That's the price you pay for a great soundtrack.The chunky, grippy leather-wrapped steering wheel is a nice unit and the big Falcon responds to corners with vigour, with well-controlled body roll and plenty of grip.The Cobra features list includes dual-zone climate control, which was tested to its limits by the recent 40C heat, but it managed to keep the interior cool.The seating is comfortable and has half-decent lateral support, but the bug-bear that has haunted the Falcon for more than a few years is the high-seating position, something that seems to have been fixed in the FG.It is a shame the current Ford Falcon could well be remembered mainly for its falling sales volume.It is a well-mannered, capable and decent family sedan, which when tweaked to near its limits can become a desirable, rapid and entertaining machine.The Cobra looks will see them quickly snapped up on the used market and given it has more go faster bits than some of the previous Cobra “specials” there's good reason to grab one. Snapshot FPV GT COBRA R-SpecPrice: $65,110Engine: 5.4-litre 32-valve V8.Transmission: Six-speed manual or automatic.Power: 302kW at 6000rpm.Torque: 540Nm at 4750rpm.Fuel consumption: 15 litres/100km (claimed), on test 20 litres/100km, tank capacity 68 litres.Emissions: 357g/km.Suspension: Independent double wishbone, coil spring/damper units, jointed mount anti-roll bar (front). Performance Control Blade, independent coil springs, jointed mount anti-roll bar (rear).Brakes: 355x32mm cross-drilled and slotted discs, Brembo six-piston calipers (front). 330x28mm cross-drilled discs with Brembo four-piston calipers (rear).Dimensions: Length 4944mm, width 1864mm, height 1435mm, wheelbase 2829mm, track fr/rr 1553/1586mm, cargo volume 504 litres, weight 1855kg.Wheels: 19in alloys. 

This is the modern incarnation of the Land Rover.It boasts 50 per cent better ventilation and a new integrated dash with an upgraded sound system and new, more comfortable seating. Ergonomics is not a strong point - the Defender's cabin design has little that falls into the category, with an average driving position, oddly placed switchgear - the horn is on the end of the indicator stalk - and the door is too close. But much of that matters little if you're looking to head way off the beaten track, as this machine has all the skills without resorting to electronics.Low-range, wheel travel and a centre diff lock allows it to climb just about any terrain at which you point its bumpy, square nose.It all but stops on steep, tricky descents, allowing the driver to pick a perfect path downhill with ample grip from the off-road tyres.The Defender is powered by a 2.4-litre 16-valve turbodiesel four-cylinder engine that works well with the low gearing off-road, but offers leisurely sealed-road performance. Filling the tank is also something of a low-speed thrill - the near-horizontal filler neck makes pump blow back a regular occurrence - don't even bother with a high-speed “trucker” diesel pump.You have to admire the courage of convictions in sticking with the Defender in a form that flies in the face of modern design. While it works beautifully in serious off-road environs, many will never experience its rough-terrain abilities; they've been spoiled with modern SUVs and won't put up with the idiosyncrasies. SnapshotLand Rover Defender 130 cab-chassisPrice: $50,990.Engine: 2.4-litre 16-valve common-rail turbodiesel four-cylinder.Transmission: Six-speed manual.Power: 90kW at 3500rpm.Torque: 360Nm at 2000rpm.Performance: 0-100km/h 15.8 seconds. Top speed 132km/h.Fuel consumption: 11.1 litres/100km, tank capacity 75 litres.Emissions: 295g/km.Suspension: Live beam axle, coil springs, dampers, Panhard rod (front). Live beam axle, coil springs, dampers, A-frame, co-axial helper springs (rear).Brakes: Front and rear discs.Dimensions: Length 5170mm, width 1790mm, height 2021mm, wheelbase 3225mm, track fr/rr 1486/1511mm, approach/departure angles 49/35deg, ground clearance 314mm, weight 2120kg.Wheels: 16in steel. In its class:Toyota HiLux SR 4x4 dual-cab chassis, from $40,890.Mitsubishi Triton 4x4 GLS cab-chassis, from $51,990.Nissan Navara D40 dual-cab ST-X, from $45,990.Ford Ranger 4x4 XL turbodiesel crew-cab chassis, from $36,990.Holden Rodeo 4x4 LX crew-cab chassis turbodiesel, $41,290.