Articles by Stuart Scott

Only 550 of the Brooklands model Bentleys are available worldwide."They are tailor-made to the exact specifications of each customer,” said Sue Young, the spokeswoman for Queensland Bentley.Ms Young said the Brisbane buyer wanted to remain anonymous, as did two other Queenslanders who have expressed an interest in getting one of the luxury coupes.She said all three currently own a Bentley Arnage T, worth about $545,000.Maserati's latest GranTurismo will be seen in Australia for the first time at the show, which opens at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre at noon on 1, February 2008.The sports car's appeal seems to have outweighed its $293,000 price tag, because 150 Australian orders have already been taken for the new model, including 20 from Queensland, according the company's Australian general manager, Edward Butler.No other Maserati has sold as quickly and the waiting list for the 2008 GranTurismo is greater than the firm's Australian and New Zealand sales last year, Mr Butler said.Luxury-car sellers say their models have become increasingly popular with younger professionals."The 20 to 35-year age group is taking a much bigger slice of the market share,” said Audi Centre Brisbane dealer principal Greg Willims. “There is no doubt the prosperity in Queensland is growing.”Adam O'Brien, of Brisbane Prestige Cars in Fortitude Valley, said manufacturers were working harder to attract young customers in a bid to keep them for life.Danny Singh, 31, of Brendale in Brisbane's northwest, recently bought a luxury H3 Hummer from Brisbane Prestige Cars for $70,000 then spent a further $15,000 on modifications.Also making their Australian debuts at the show will be new-look versions of cult street machines the Subaru WRX STi, the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution — known as the Evo X to fans because it is the 10th in the series.Both are expected to be in the $60,000 bracket.Australia will be represented in the go-fast stakes by a Ford Performance Vehicles version of the Territory SUV, the yet-to-be-released F6 X all-wheel-drive wagon.Brisbane International Motor Show, Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, South Bank, runs from Friday to February 10; Monday to Saturday, 10am-10pm; Sunday, 10am-6pm. Adults $17.50, children $10.

For example, the elusive hope of having a car with small thirst but big performance.Trust Volkswagen — after all, the name means “people's car” — to come up with something that manages this conjuring trick.It has done it by fitting a Golf hatchback with a small petrol engine which, by itself, would be pretty feeble, but at least wouldn't drink much.Then it added a supercharger to boost its off-the-mark pulling power to a decent level. And on top of that, added a turbocharger for even more muscle in places the supercharger can't reach.This “twincharger” setup is, of course, devilishly complicated. It's twice the price of a regular car with such a small engine, but then it feels twice as good.VW these days seems to love technical challenges, and it has built in enough electronic brainpower to make sure all the gizmos work happily together.Once into its stride, the result is a seamless delivery of power, along with the painless habit of driving past petrol stations. You don't need to fill up very often.According to VW's sums, this 1.4-litre-engined Golf has the torque of a 2.3 litre car, but with 20 per cent less thirst.Trouble is, when you do visit the pumps, its hi-tech powerplant requires premium-priced, high-octane petrol. Here we have a small car approaching $40,000, that demands the most expensive fuel. There goes the budget.The “twincharger” machinery first appeared early last year in the TSi Golf. When it proved popular, VW announced it had been a limited-edition offering, and was being replaced by the GT Sport TSi.It has also added a GT Sport TDi, which uses a more conventional turbo-diesel setup. It's fantastic to drive, but $2500 dearer.Back to the petrol side of the family: the GT Sport TSi (1.4 litre engine with its two 'chargers, adding up to 125kW of power) is not as zesty as the GTi (147kW from a 2.0 litre engine with a single turbocharger), not as sports-focused, not as costly.Rather, the GT is a handy stepping stone between “normal” Golf hatchbacks and the GTi. Think of it as a junior hottie: though not a slowcoach, it doesn't have anything like the athleticism of its bigger-engined GTi brother. Instead, it strikes a balance between sportiness and fuel economy.Whatever lurks beneath the bonnet, a VW Golf is an impressive piece of work, feeling sturdy and surefooted, comfortable and roomy. Even the boot is a good size.One catch with the TSi's power-boosting hardware is that there can be times when you put your foot down and find both the turbocharger and supercharger are asleep for a moment when the engine revs are low. That's when it responds with all the energy you'd expect in a substantial, five-door hatchback powered by a mere 1.4 litres of engine — nothing much happens.The solution is to keep the engine speed up, and then reactions are very sharp.The TSi is a clever technical achievement and is impressive to drive. If it cost less and was less expensive to run, it would be a five-star proposition. KEY POINTSVW GOLF GT SPORT TSiDETAILS: Compact five-door hatchback with 1.4 litre four-cylinder engine, turbocharger and supercharger. Power 125kW. Torque 240Nm.FEATURES: Stability control system, anti-lock brakes, six airbags (front, side and curtain), dual-zone airconditioning, cruise control, sports suspension, alloy wheels, sports seats.COST: $34,990 with six-speed manual, $37,290 with six-speed automatic “dynamic shift” gearbox.FOR: Performance with modest thirst.AGAINST: Needs super-premium fuel. 

Even better, if you find yourself attempting to avoid a crash, try to be in the new Subaru Impreza.Subaru, which has steadily climbed the desirability scale thanks to its blend of quality and dynamics and safety-mindedness, has really rewritten the rules with the recently-released Impreza hatchback.It manages to combine top-class safety credentials — an enviable crash-test score, along with engineering to keep it out of an accident in the first place — with a fresh new look.Independent tests have given the Impreza a five-star rating for occupant safety and four stars for pedestrian safety, the top level in both cases. It is the first car tested in Australia to score the maximum stars, and only the second car worldwide, following the $102,000 Citroen C6. Quite an accolade for a car priced from $24,490, so expect it to be mighty popular.While the crash stars indicate, in theory, your chances when things come to the crunch, the Impreza is well equipped to improve the driver's chances of avoiding a crash: all versions come with all-wheel-drive, stability control and anti-lock brakes. And there are dual front, side and curtain airbagsThere's no doubting the new model's efficiency: it is shorter, but roomier; lighter, but stronger.Despite all its wholesome qualities, the Impreza is not at all stodgy to drive. The 2.0 litre, four-cylinder engine which is found in all the non-turbocharged variants is a smooth, capable performer.It's also less thirsty than its predecessors, but just as well, since costlier premium unleaded is now required.The steering, handily, is adjustable up-down and in-out, and we're told the new model's doors open wider for easy access, but, strangely, I found getting in and out of the driver's seat of the Impreza slightly awkward, with nothing like the easy access found in the similar-sized VW Golf and Hyundai i30 I drove about the same time.Then there's the bulky key with its tiny buttons for lock and unlock. You could go blind trying to read the markings on them.For the first time, there is no sedan version. Not until next year, that is.Breaking from Subaru tradition, the windows have normal frames like, well, normal cars. But some things don't change: still all-wheel-drive, still a flat-four “boxer” engine.Petrolheads have been whingeing for years about Impreza after Impreza looking oddball. Now that Subaru has produced one with mainstream styling — think a whiff of Corolla, a dash of Peugeot, a bit of Daewoo — there are enthusiasts moaning about how something more distinctive would be better.Some people are never happy.

January 1, stamp duty on cars in Queensland will leap from 2 per cent of the price to 3 per cent for four-cylinder cars, 3.5 per cent for six cylinders and 4 per cent for eight or more cylinders.Only hybrid vehicles, with petrol-electric power plants, will stay at 2 per cent.The higher tax will range from $100 more for the buyer of a $10,000 second-hand four-cylinder car up to thousands of dollars for big-engine, top-dollar cars.The increase will add $220 to the price of a $22,000 four-cylinder car like a Toyota Corolla, $600 to a $40,000 six-cylinder car like a Holden Commodore, and $800 to a V8 Commodore.Mercedes-Benz dealers say an E280 Elegance sedan, currently costing $107,344 on the road, will be $108,864 from January 1.On a $200,000 V8-powered car, the duty will increase from the present $4000 to $8000.It will end Queensland's reign as the low-tax state for car buyers, which has attracted many buyers from interstate, especially Western Australia.Dealerships are starting 'beat the taxman' sales to encourage customers to buy cars sooner rather than later.Most upmarket brands have arranged extra stock to meet the last-minute buying rush.Brisbane executive Andre Faiva had planned to get a new car next year, but took delivery of his $50,000-plus BMW 320i sedan last week. Mr Faiva, a property recruitment consultant living in Brisbane, says he saved about $2500 due to the lower duty and other deals.“I'd heard about the duty change, but sort of forgot about it until I went in to have a look at cars,” he said.“Then I started to talk more seriously. It was well worth bringing things forward to save that sort of money.”The State Government announced the change in May, estimating it would bring in an extra $200 million.The RACQ, the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries and the Motor Trades Association of Queensland have criticised the move.The FCAI, representing carmakers and importers, said; “This is a clear and patent grab for a bit of extra tax revenue by the Queensland Government.”Brisbane BMW dealer principal Martin Roller said; “The amount to be saved on stamp duty at the moment is definitely a buying motivation for a lot of people.“We've just had our strongest six-week period ever."“We're telling people that if they want to do something about getting a car, they probably want to do it now."“It's going to bring forward to December a lot of cars that otherwise would have been bought in January.” 

As siblings go, the middle member of the Holden Commodore Ute family looks to be in a tough spot; much dearer than its entry-level brother, much less charismatic than its other brother, the alpha male of the dynasty.This six-cylinder version shares the sporty look of the top-dog, V8-powered SS, but costs less, drinks less and can carry a heavier load.The SV6 also can move along very briskly, and like everything in Holden's newly released Ute range; rides and handles with car-like good manners.Yet it is the SS which all the petrolheads covet. Just shows that in matters of the heart, common sense comes second.In the real world, if you could leave emotion aside; easier said than done when it comes to shopping for a car; the SV6 would be a more logical choice.Holden has arranged the pecking order in this year's new Ute series to mirror last year's new Commodore sedans, so the SV6 is a step up in style, performance and price; from the entry-level Omega version, which is $5000-$6000 less; but a rung below the more powerful V8-engined SS, costing $4000 more. The SV6 is available with a five-speed automatic or six-speed manual gearbox, and its high-output six-cylinder engine is more potent than the basic unit powering the Omega automatic.You'd almost call the SV6 sensible. 'Almost' because none of the Ute family can handle real heavy-duty work as well as a less-fancy one-tonner utility does, nor does the Ute have the people-carrying convenience of a normal sedan.But in its way, you can see the appeal. Part work vehicle, part flash car. Wholly comfortable and well-behaved, with just a couple of annoying traits.From the Commodore sedan, the Ute has inherited windscreen pillars wide enough to hide a pedestrian or oncoming car at an intersection. Plus it has added another blind spot of its own, the steeply raked rear pillars, obstructing vision over the driver's right shoulder. You learn to take a long, careful look in the outside mirror and hope for the best.Trouble is, the SV6 name gives the impression they're proud of the powerplant but; whether in Commodore sedan or Ute; it sounds and feels slightly less refined that you rightly expect of a modern-design engine.Fortunately, you soon become attuned to its raspiness.No spine-tingling burble comes from the SV6's twin tailpipes, but then again, it doesn't have the V8's thirst.So it comes across as the sensible middle ground of the Ute bunch.

And this time, it is determined not to be a laughing stock.

And when they call it the Picasso, there's even less chance it will be conventional. After all, in his paintings, eyes and noses and everything else were rarely where they're usually found.So you step into the Picasso, seven seats, just slightly longer than a Toyota Corolla sedan, loaf-shaped but stylish, prepared for something unusual.And yes, Citroen delivers. The Picasso is definitely quirky, but in a refreshing way; it's easy to adapt to, pleasant to live with, a clever design which works efficiently.For example, the steering wheel rotates around a fixed hub, so the driver's airbag is always positioned perfectly. Now that's a bright idea, taken straight from Citroen's smaller C4 hatchback, which is also the source for the Picasso's mechanical underpinnings.No normal T-bar gear lever here. Instead, the auto selector is a thin chrome wand high on the right-hand side of the steering column. Two curved levers behind the wheel allow you to flick up or down through the gears.Air conditioning controls are on the right-hand side of the dashboard, so your co-driver can't fiddle with them, but the front passenger does get his or her own digital temperature read-out situated on the far left; along with up and down buttons to make that side of the car hotter or colder.The handbrake is . . .  well, actually the Picasso doesn't have one. Instead, the 'parking brake' sets itself when you park, and disengages automatically when you drive away. As back-up, there is a little chrome lever mounted on top of the dashboard, right in the centre.In front of that is a perfume diffuser, so the Picasso always smells sweet. This is a French car, remember.There are picnic tables for the middle row of seats, a drinks cooler up front, a rechargeable torch down the back.The windscreen is so large, and sweeps back so far, there are pull-down sunshades at the top of the glass.So it's certainly different, but not in a negative way. Instead of seeming gimmicky and confusing, its unusual features are handy, and fit its can-do nature perfectly.It's the same story on the road. At first the Picasso can feel bulky and somewhat daunting, the driver has no idea where that sloping snout ends, and the tail seems a long way away but after a while you become used to it.Anyway, there are parking sensors which beep a warning before you get too close to obstacles.The Picasso comes with either petrol or diesel engine, and surely the smarter of the pair is the diesel, sharing its engine with Citroen's larger (and dearer) C5 sedan plus various Peugeots. What a sweet machine; strong on pulling power, big on refinement, excellent when it comes to fuel economy.With six forward gears on hand, it can quickly select the right ratio and summon up a healthy dose of torque for spirited acceleration.The petrol version gets just a four-speed automatic.What the Picasso doesn't like is to be driven fast on a twisty, rough road. The suspension just isn't happy with that sort of silliness. Snapshot Citroen Picasso HDiDetails: Seven-seat people-mover with 2.0 litre, four-cylinder, turbo-diesel engine. Power 100kW. Torque 270Nm. Six-speed automatic.Features: Stability control system, anti-lock brakes, seven airbags, alloy wheels, airconditioning, cruise control.Cost: $44,990. (Petrol version $39,990)Rivals: Renault Grand Scenic, Honda Odyssey, Toyota Tarago, Kia Carnival, Chrysler Voyager.For: Refreshing, efficient design. Excellent diesel engine.Against: Perhaps too unusual for some.Summing up: French flair on wheels.Overall: 4 stars 

They are like ballet dancers, Toyota and Hyundai, so perfectly in step, dancing to the same tune. One puts a bigger V6 engine in its mid-range SUV, with optional seven-seat capacity, plus two-wheel-drive in place of all-wheel-drive to reduce the cost, weight and thirst. So does the other.That's the story of this month's changes to the Hyundai Santa Fe and Toyota Kluger ranges. However, it is not really a case of one copying the other. Rather both are trying to find the magic formula that has made the Ford Territory such a success.They have noticed that most Territory buyers opt for the cheaper two-wheel-drive versions. And where Hyundai offers 2WD and AWD versions of the smaller Santa Fe wagon, four in five buyers take 2WD.No wonder both companies have introduced 2WD versions of their mid-sized wagons while increasing engine power. The Hyundai's largest petrol engine was 2.7 litres, so is joined by a 3.3 litre stablemate, while the Toyota's engine, previously 3.3 litres, goes up to 3.5 litres.So maybe it's leapfrog they're doing, not ballet.In the Kluger's case, an entirely new vehicle is being introduced, considerably bigger and roomier than its predecessor, so seven-seat versions become available. There is only one engine choice, but three trim levels, and 2WD or AWD. In both Kluger and Santa Fe, most drivers in most conditions are going to feel at ease with the new two-wheel-drive versions. They're stable and surefooted, refined and well-balanced.When it comes to all-wheel-drive, Hyundai and Toyota take different paths. The Santa Fe AWD continues to be available with a smaller petrol engine, or a diesel, while the Kluger AWD uses the same petrol engine as the 2WD model, but costs $4500 extra.The much more distinctive new Kluger has stability control, reversing camera, seven airbags and alloy wheels as standard.The all-wheel-drive version, with a host of super-smart aids, proves very competent off road, even when the going gets muddy and slippery and steep and rutted.First impression of the Kluger is that the steering is now excellent.At Hyundai, the Santa Fe's new engine (borrowed from the Sonata sedan) and 2WD system team well.  Key pointsToyota Kluger Details: V6 engine, 3.5litre capacity, power 201kW, torque 337Nm, five-speed automatic, economy 11litres/100km.Price: From $39,990.For: Well equipped, powerful, economical, roomier.Against: Ride can get bouncy.Summing Up: Another Toyota success.Rate: 4 starsHyundai Santa Fe 3.3 Details: V6 engine, 3.3litre capacity, power 180kW, torque 309Nm, five-speed automatic, economy 10.7litres/100km.Price: From $37,990.For: Convenient, capable, affordable.Against: Previous cut-price image.Summing up:  Impressive package.Rate: 4 stars 

Another week, another diesel. Nothing wrong with that, because they all deliver great fuel economy, most with excellent refinement. Some even manage the trifecta: strong performance as well.This has been a European-led invasion because they were the first to face high petrol prices and focused on diesel as the antidote. They have made great strides in driver-friendly technology.While Mercedes-Benz and Peugeot have been the long-term believers in diesel for Australian motorists, brands like VW, Citroen, Audi, BMW, Alfa Romeo, Saab and Fiat have joined in.Even Holden and Ford, Mazda, Dodge and Chrysler have jumped on the diesel-car bandwagon lately.So when Renault brings in a diesel version of its small car, the impressive Megane, the major surprise is that it has taken five years to get around to it. They were waiting for Australia's diesel fuel to improve, they say, then had to wait for an automatic transmission to be ready.Like the best of the breed, it is so quiet and refined you soon forget there is a diesel engine humming away up front. No rattle, no clatter, no chugging. It just trots along smoothly.Renault has 'repositioned' the Megane sedan (a polite way of saying they cut up to $4500 off the price), so petrol versions start from $24,990.That's bargain territory for a European-designed car, it is built in Turkey, packed with safety equipment and creature comforts.The diesel option adds $3000 to the entry-level Megane Expression sedan (including alloy wheels, which otherwise would be a $1000 option), $3500 to the upmarket-trim Privilege model. Coming in a couple of months will be a diesel version of the roomier and dearer Scenic, a five-seat 'people-mover' based on the Megane.Compared with the petrol Megane, power is down marginally, but torque is far greater, so no worries about the heartiness with which it pulls away once rolling. Just don't expect lightning acceleration from a standing start.Fuel economy is the strong point: 5.8 litres per 100km for the diesel manual versus 8.2 litres for the petrol equivalent.The Megane's four-speed automatic transmission is teamed with a less-hearty engine. Torque is 260Nm, a strong dose of pulling power though well short of the 300Nm which comes with the manual gearbox.Overall, the Megane arrives at a comparatively bargain price for a European car with a diesel of this size, this output, with an impressive list of standard features, especially its safety gear.It is very comfortable, with a huge boot and genuinely roomy and packed with clever touches. Key pointsRenault Megane dCiDetails: Compact sedan with 1.9 litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine. Power 96kW. Torque 300Nm manual, 260Nm automatic. Six-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission.Features: Stability control, anti-lock brakes, airbags, airconditioning, automatic wipers and headlights.Cost: Expression $27,990 manual, $30,490 auto; Privilege auto $35,990.Rivals: VW Jetta, Peugeot 307, Citroen C3, Holden Astra, Ford Focus, Alfa Romeo 147.For: Refinement, fuel economy.Against: Renault's low profile here. 

From the start, things went well for the new Holden Epica.