Smart Roadster News

An updated BMW Z4 roadster will reach us Down Under at about the time the new financial year ticks over. Which may be good news for those who have done all right in the 2012/13 year, because a new entry-level model, the BMW Z4 sDrive18i, will be one of the most eagerly awaited models in the shipment.VALUEBMW Australia won’t reveal the price until closer to the launch, but can we speculate that it will be somewhere in the high $60s? That’s going to be a significant drop from the current $77,500 entry price for the BMW Z4 sDrive20i -- putting the BMW Z4 into closer reach for a lot of buyers.ENGINESThe new BMW Z4 sDrive18i (why does BMW insist on these extraordinarily complex model names?) is powered by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine with BMW’s highly efficient TwinPower turbo technology. It produces maximum power output of 115 kW. Peak torque of 240 Nm is brilliant, spread from just 1250 rpm and is there all the way up to 4400 revs.As befits a pure sports model, the Z4 sDrive18i is fitted as standard with a six-speed manual gearbox. An eight-speed sports automatic is an option.The 18i accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in a sporty 7.9 seconds with the six-speed manual box, (the automatic is a little slower at 8.1 seconds).The BMW TwinPower Turbo technology package for the new BMW Z4 sDrive18i includes twin-scroll turbocharging, High Precision Direct Petrol Injection, VALVETRONIC fully variable valve control and Double-Vanos continuously variable camshaft control.TECHNOLOGYThe optional BMW Individual hardtop, available in Black non-metallic and Glacier Silver metallic, adds to the appearance for the person wanting to stand out in the styling crowd. The hardtop can be opened while the Z4 is moving at up to 40 km/h, further adding to its practicality. If rain is looming you can keep the car topless knowing you only have to slow down, push the button and be secure again.The standard bi-xenon headlights of the revised BMW Z4 have a very slim design and extend well back into the front guards. There are LED daytime running lights. The integrated turn signal indicators now have chrome-coloured surrounds.Changes to the standard interior include high-gloss black surrounds for the central air vents and the iDrive control system’s folding Control Display (where fitted).The BMW Z4 sDrive28i, BMW Z4 sDrive35i and BMW Z4 sDrive35is are offered with Kansas leather trim, which is available as an option for the two other models.STYLINGWith a facelift of the body style, interior refinements and what BMW calls its new Design Pure Traction equipment package all variants of the Z4s are interesting sports machines.BMW Z4 is a true roadster thanks to its long bonnet, stubby tail and a low seating position that’s right back at the rear axle. This is strictly a two-seater, and we admire it for that.BMW’s ‘Design Pure Traction’ option is a vivid new equipment package that will please those who are bored with the unvarying black-on-black of too many new cars.Such-equipped Z4's will feature bespoke Alcantara door trim and orange-coloured lower section of the instrument panel. The black leather seats have contrast stitching in Valencia Orange and an accent stripe running down the central section of the backrests and seat cushions. This stripe is likewise orange and is flanked by two thin white lines.Another exclusive element of the Design Pure Traction package is the metal weave trim strip, which can be combined with further decorative elements in high-gloss black for the door openers and the gearshift or selector lever. 

In some people’s eyes, Honda may have already lost its sporty car manufacturer mantle but that could change with the appearance of a cracking little roadster at the Paris motor show this week. Called EV-STER - dumb name, it’s an all-electric effort shying away from Honda’s strength as a petrol engine specialist. Honda describes the EV-STER as a next-generation electric small sports concept model. It is nothing like the underwhelming CR-Z, the screaming S2000 or even the NSX. EV-STER is new and exciting - elements missing from Honda’s line up for years. It features extensive use of carbon fibre to cut weight and a lightweight 10kWh lithium ion battery rechargeable in as little as three hours. The styling is dramatic, dynamic and innovative cloaking a car with excellent environmental credentials and if it makes it into production, presumably finely-honed performance and handling. As a true convertible sports car should, two seater EV-STER drives the rear wheels... via an electric motor which Honda says propels EV-STER from 0-100kmh in 5.0 seconds. Because it’s so light (no figure available), the car has a range of up to 160km on one charge. One of its stand out features is an “easy-to-operate” twin-lever steering system that was adopted “in the pursuit of the joy of driving.” We wonder how it works and how it actually feels. Looks incredible though. Drivers who like to calibrate their car will love the EV-STERS dial up systems for engine performance, steering, suspension and other dynamics. The instrument panel of the EV-STER features a vehicle information display which provides the driver with an interface that accesses a network display used for the audio and navigation systems and also for using the internet. Hopefully this car or something like it will become a reality sooner rather than later.  

Jag's new F-Type all-new aluminium two-seater sports car will make its global debut in production form at the Paris Motor Show on 27th September. The F-Type will be launched as a convertible with a choice of three petrol engines: two versions of Jaguar's new 3.0-litre supercharged V6, and a new derivative of its existing supercharged 5.0-litre V8. All will drive the rear wheels through an eight-speed transmission and will be equipped with Stop/Start technology. Following the F-Type's `camouflaged' public drive at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in June this year, testing of the final verification prototypes has continued in some of the harshest environments in the world.  

Based on the BMW Z4 sDrive35is, the Roadster has been created by Italian design house Zagato – and carries as one of its cues their signature 'doppio gobba' double-bubble in the soft-top roof cover. Unveiled at the prestigious Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance on the weekend, the Roadster echoes the Zagato Coupe's aggressive nose, long bonnet and the sharp cut-off of an aerodynamic Kamm tail, but with subtly smoother lines towards the rear to suggest style rather than hardcore sportiness. “The tail end as a whole places a greater emphasis on elegance than that of the Coupé, which shows a sharper sporting edge. The Roadster’s lines are smoother here and the rear is lower-slung,” BMW says. For the prominent roll-bars, the designers were inspired by the shape of an aircraft wing and experimented with the mass of the components before deciding in the forward-leaning final design. There's also an intentional hint of propeller to the five-spoke 19-in light-alloy wheels, making reference to the aircraft production in both BMW and Zagato history. BMW says the positive response to the Zagato Coupe prompted a swift decision to produce the Roadster – with just six weeks of build time after the design was finalised. “We set ourselves the challenge of preparing the car in time for the renowned Pebble Beach Concours,” BMW design chief Adrian van Hooydonk says. “It was only with the expertise of both companies in the manufacture of high-end one-off cars and another display of outstanding teamwork that we were able to finish the car on schedule.” The BMW Zagato Roadster has been finished in a special grey that changes from dark charcoal to light silver depending on how the light hits it. BMW has not given any detailed technical, weight or performance figures, but in the standard Z4 sDrive35is is powered by a 250kW/450Nm turbocharged 3.0-litre straight-six engine that gets to 100km/h in 4.8 seconds and to a top speed of 250km/h (electronically-limited).  

  The roadster will be based on the rear-wheel drive MX-5 platform and built at Mazda’s plant in Hiroshima, Japan. However the two cars will be given individual styling treatment – and carry different engines – for each of the badges. A statement from Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne said the joint project highlighted Fiat’s commitment to building Alfa Romeo into “a truly global brand”. “By partnering with Mazda, we will be co-operating with the recognised leader in compact rear-drive vehicle architectures in order to deliver an exciting and stylish roadster in the Alfa Romeo tradition. We are appreciative of this collaboration with Mazda and look forward to maintaining a fruitful and continuous relationship,” the statement said. Mazda hinted that the collaboration would be followed by others. “Establishing technology and product development alliances is one of Mazda’s corporate objectives and this announcement with Fiat is an important first step in that direction,” the Japanese carmaker’s CEO Takashi Yamanouchi said. The announcement said the Alfa-Romeo version of the car would start rolling off the production line in 2015, which means the new MX-5 could arrive in showrooms ahead of its Italian relation –possibly by early 2014 at the latest -- although Mazda is not ready to confirm dates yet. “We haven’t made any announcement of a production start date for the next MX-5,” was all Mazda Australia spokesman Steve Maciver would share on the subject. However he was clear on which side of the partnership would be responsible for development of the project – and why. “Rear-wheel drive has been the basis of the MX-5’s success over the years,” he pointed out. “We will lead the development, with the project based on the next generation MX-5 platform with Skyactiv technology and the benefit of Mazda suspension tune and dynamics. However my understanding is that Alfa will use a Fiat powertrain.” Both companies have been seeking partnerships in the crusade to trim costs and expand markets. Marchionne has said previously Fiat’s brands (including Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge) need to expand to annual global sales of 6 million – a 60 per cent rise on the 2010 total of 3.6 million. Meantime Mazda, despite its success in the Australian market, had global sales of 1.3 million and is looking to head of a fourth year of losses by activating more volume at its factories.

The NSX will be sold in the US under Honda's luxury Acura brand and the company is officially saying that the roadster was made specifically for the film. That may be the case but it has been built off the regular NSX underpinnings and there's already talk of it following the hardtop down the production line. Acura is expected to gauge moviegoers' reactions to the car before committing to build the roadster. The car was photographed late last year during filming of the movie, with suggestions the convertible would be the default NSX. That was quashed when the company revealed its NSX Concept with a roof at the Detroit Motor Show in January. Acura vice-president Mike Accavitti said at this month's New York Motor Show the NSX roadster was a "design exercise". "The appearance of an Acura model in The Avengers'_ even one that won't be on sale, further leverages Acura's ongoing association with the Marvel superhero franchise, which has seen Acura vehicles in both the second 'Iron Man' instalment and in last year's Captain America and Thor," he says. The NSX is driven in the movie by Tony Stark (a.k.a Iron Man), played by Robert Downey Jr and continues the superhero's association with supercars. Iron Man drove an Audi R8 in the original movie and backed it up with an R8 Spyder in the second film.  The NSX roadster is thought to be powered by the same Super Handling All-Wheel Drive hybrid set-up seen in the hard-top. The system uses a V6 petrol engine and three electric motors. Two of the motors power the front wheels with the third used to boost the engine's output to the rear wheels. As a result, the NSX can theoretically operate in full electric, full petrol or hybrid modes using front, rear or all-wheel drive IRON MAN'S WHEELS When he's not flying around as Iron Man, Tony Stark has an enviable collection of cars in the garage. Here's what Robert Downey Jr  has already driven in the first two movies based on the Marvel Comics superhero. Iron Man: Audi R8, Tesla Roadster, 1932 Ford Flathead Roadster, Saleen S7, Shelby Cobra Iron Man 2: Audi R8 Spyder, '32 Ford Flathead, Rolls-Royce Phantom

It's clever and quirky, but the Smart car concept is largely lost on many Australians. The diminutive 2.7m-long Smart Fortwo may have taken Europe by storm, but it has struggled to find its footing in Australia. Despite the Smart Forfour and Roadster now discontinued, DaimlerChrysler president and CEO Wolfgang Schrempp says the one-make brand still has a future here. DaimlerChrysler acknowledges it may have been too clever for its own good and not addressed key marketing issues with the car. As fuel prices skyrocket and commuters turn to motorcycles for their second vehicles, Schrempp is convinced there is enormous scope for the new Smart Fortwo. “I am convinced ... we can do 2000 to 3000. Seven hundred units for Smart is ... just not enough,” Schrempp says. Last year DaimlerChrysler sold 773 Smarts in Australia, a 20percent lift on 2005 sales figures. The Fortwo, with 533 sales, was the dominant model sold. Schrempp acknowledges the Fortwo's pricing has been a key sticking point. At $19,900 for the coupe and $22,900 for the cabrio, the Fortwo must compete in the small-hatch segment. Some four-door cars with bigger engines and more room are positioned right in the Fortwo's price range. “Yes, that is a problem,” Schrempp says. He is aware that Australia's wide open spaces and clearly marked public parking spaces diminishes the argument for an ultra-mini like the Fortwo. But his message is clear; get ready for some smart marketing for the Smart. The new Fortwo is expected to go on sale next year. It is slightly bigger than the current car and Australia will probably get a more powerful 45kW three-cylinder petrol engine, and possibly the new ultra-frugal 62kW turbodiesel.  

The Czech Republic's Skoda brand will return to Australia in October.But you can forget those clunky yet sturdy Eastern European Skodas of the Cold War period.The new Skoda is owned by Volkswagen and with the disciplined German parent comes Teutonic know-how, engineering and quality standards.In Australia, the new-look brand will be distributed by Volkswagen Group Australia, after its debut at the Sydney Motor Show.Sales will kick off with the mid-size front-wheel-drive Octavia sedan and wagon and a funky-looking five-door wagon-cum-people mover called the Roomster, both built at a modern plant at Mlada Boleslav near Prague.Topping the range will be the high-performance 147kW, 2-litre FSI turbocharged Octavia RS.The line-up will be fleshed out next year with the VW Polo-sized Fabia, which has just been revealed at the Geneva Motor Show.By early 2009, the next-generation version of its long-wheelbase Superb sedan should be available.Skoda's key selling point will be prices, expected to start from about $16,000 for the Fabia, up to the mid-$40,000s for the Superb.Though it uses VW engines and components, being built in low-cost Eastern Europe means Skodas are 5 to 8 per cent cheaper, yet bigger, than their equivalent Volkswagen models.Volkswagen Group Australia executives believe this makes them particularly appealing for cost-conscious Australian buyers who hanker for a European car.Originally, Skoda chairman and chief executive officer Detlef Wittig had hoped to get the brand into Australia last year, but pricing and local identity issues delayed the plans.Now these hurdles have been cleared, the company is moving ahead quickly.Volkswagen Group Australia general manager, press and public relations, Matthew Wiesner has been appointed head of Skoda Australia and it's his job to relaunch the brand.At first the Octavia and Roomster will be sold through 15 existing VW dealerships.Wiesner emphasised that Skoda and VW would be distinct, even more so than BMW, which sells its Mini brand through associated dealers."You won't see shared Volkswagen-Skoda showrooms. We've got to give them more separation," he says."Obviously we need to protect what we've done with Volkswagen, but at the same time grow the Skoda branding."Eventually up to half of VW's 56 dealers nationally could sell Skodas."By the end of 2008 we'd like to have about 25 dealers," he says."The regional-rural side of the business will be very important, particularly with Skoda's turbo-diesel line-up."With VW's well-developed network and highly trained technicians, servicing and logistics should not be a problem.Wiesner is mindful that the company's lack of profile will need to be addressed. Skodas have not been sold here for almost 25 years."We've got to be creative about how we sell the Skoda message. We need to reasonably clever in how we go about it," he says."It's a pretty congested market, so we have to come up with a reasonable answer to the question of why you would consider a Skoda."He is not about to spill the beans about just what he has in mind, at least until the cars go on sale in October.He is also aware of other brands such as Renault, which has struggled to regain ground in our market when re-launching in 2001 after being popular here in the 1970s.The French company has poured millions into Australia over the past six years trying to get traction for its products.Australia is one of the most congested new car markets in the world, a fact that Wiesner is acutely aware of.He describes himself as "cautious but optimistic" about Skoda.Today there are 41 different passenger car brands seeking a slice of the sales pie and Skoda must find its place in an ultra-competitive market.Ultimately, too, if the Czech is a success it could cannibalise VW sales.`Yes, we have to be mindful of that," Wiesner says. "That's why it has taken such a long time to put this together."We need to be very careful how we approach both marques, because there's no point robbing Peter to pay Paul."You get one opportunity to do it properly."Wiesner conceded that positioning Skoda and not sacrificing VW sales was one of the hardest aspects of developing the new business.Ultimately, the spin doctors, through print and television advertising, will be working overtime to tell consumers that each brand is distinct."We're hoping the Skoda buyer will be an aspirational European buyer who might not have been able to stretch themselves before," Wiesner says."They might always have been Japanese buyers who have aspired to Europe and hopefully we'll give them that opportunity."Last year VW Group Australia had a stellar year, selling more than 20,000 vehicles, so the arrival of Skoda presents a real threat to VW's continuing local growth.Apart from Skoda, Fiat and Dodge are recent returns and the prospect of China-sourced cars arriving soon courtesy of Ateco Automotive will add further sales congestion.Nor is the Skoda boss prepared to predict sales forecasts, saying only that the Skodas would be good value."Volume is important, of course, but we're here for the long haul, so that's something we see as a long-term challenge," he says."We don't want to place any unwarranted expectations on the brand."But we do have to make sure it is accepted in the market place."Skoda's rise in Europe is a result of the crumbling of the old Eastern bloc countries.I N 1991 it came in from the cold when Volkswagen AG bought 30 per cent of shares in a newly established joint-venture company.Later, it increased its holding to 70 per cent and in 2000, bought the remaining shares to assume 100 per cent ownership.Today Skoda sells cars in more than 90 countries, has plants in seven countries and employs more than 27,000 people.Last year it sold 549,667 vehicles, an increase of more than 11 per cent over the previous year, a sales record for the brand.The Octavia was the highest-selling model worldwide at 270,274, outselling the Fabia's 243,982.From its humble origins, the Czech carmaker has embraced the capitalist West and will soon embrace Australia. HERE IS THE COMING LINE-UPFABIATHIS VW Polo-sized light car borrows visual cues from the Mini Cooper and Suzuki Swift.Launched at last year's Paris Motor Show, it offers ultra-frugal, three-cylinder, High Torque Performance (HTP) petrol and TDI engines, as well as a 16-valve, 63kW, 1.4-litre and 77kW, 1.6-litre petrol models. The 1.6-litre is offered with a six-speed tiptronic automatic. The 1.4 and 1.6 petrol units are likely to come to Australia.At 3992mm long and with a wheelbase of 2462mm, the Fabia is just 76mm longer overall and sits on a 3mm longer wheelbase than the Polo. It also has 300 litres of luggage space.Among the car's features in Europe are six airbags, climate control airconditioning and active headlights. But Australia is unlikely to see this level of equipment.PRICE: From about $16,000 OCTAVIAPEOPLE familiar with the VW Passat recognise the Octavia.Like the Passat, this mid-size offering is available as a front-wheel-drive sedan and wagon and will be aimed squarely at the premium-priced Japanese models such as the Mazda6, Honda Accord Euro, Subaru Liberty and soon-to-be Ford Mondeo.In Europe, an all-wheel-drive wagon using a Haldex system is also available.The three-model line-up consists of the entry Classic, mid-range Ambiente and luxury Elegance. A high-performance RS model is also sold.The Octavia is powered by a range of petrol and turbo-diesel engines ranging in size from a 110kW, 2-litre FSI up to a 125kW, 2-litre TDI and a 147kW, 2-litre FSI four-cylinder in the RS. In Europe a 1.9-litre TDi is also sold, alongside a 55kW, 1.4-litre and 75kW, 1.6-litre four-cylinder.There is even a 1.4-litre model available.Five and six-speed manual transmissions are available along with a six-speed VW-sourced DSG manual.PRICE: From about $30,000 SUPERBTHE Superb is essentially a long-wheelbase version of the Octavia pitched into the higher end of the market.Offering extra legroom in the back and plenty of leather and luxury, the Superb uses the Passat's older 142kW, 2.8-litre V6 petrol and 120kW, 2.5-litre six-cylinder TDI engines, both available with a tiptronic five-speed automatic.Apart from the sixes, the long-wheelbase sedan is also available in Europe with a 110kW, turbocharged 1.8-litre and a naturally aspirated 85kW, 2-litre four.Apart from the petrol engines, European models also offer 1.2 to 1.6-litre petrol and 1.4 and 1.9-litre diesels, though these are unlikely for Australia.PRICE: About $45,000 ROOMSTERTHE Roomster started out as a funky concept car at the 2003 Frankfurt Motor Show and a production version was unveiled last year.Distinguished by its high-set, van-like styling, it is a versatile, five-door mini people mover similar in concept to the VW Caddy that can easily be converted from a five-seater into a load-lugging two-seater.The Roomster Scout adds plastic-cladding around the body to give it an off-road look, though the car remains front-wheel drive.As with the Fabia, there is a choice of petrol and turbo-diesel engines from 1.2-litre, 1.4-litre and 1.6-litre petrol engines, as well as frugal 1.4 and 1.9 TDI engines.PRICE: From about $27,000