Convertible Reviews

It's hard not to like the new BMW M6 twins. I know I shouldn't be attracted to the go-fast German coupe and convertible because they are big and heavy and thirsty and expensive and - let's be honest - selfish.But then I turn catch sight of the cars and crack the first smile, and when I hit the starter button and the twin-turbo V8 comes to life I'm forgetting all the rational stuff. And that's what moves people to park an M6 or a Porsche 911 or a Benz SL in the driveway.They don't really care that it will crack around the Ascari racetrack in southern Spain at ridiculous speeds, or that it will cruise for hours at 160-plus on the German autobahns, or that it is beautifully built and takes the mechanical package from the latest M5 in a totally different direction.They just want one - and they don't care that the bottom line is going to be around $290,000. "You have at least two cars in one," Siegried Friedmann, head of M6 development, tells Carsguide. You have a very comfortable car on one hand and you can run it like a real sports car on a racetrack. "It's three cars if you have the convertible, which is my favourite."The new Msters are very very expensive and that means owners can - and will - expect a lot. It's almost a given that the cabins are wrapped in leather, studded with a giant colour display, fitted with chilluscious aircon and a punchy sound system, with all the luxury that Chinese-car buyers can only dream about.But the M6 coupe also comes with a lightweight carbon fibre-reinforced plastic roof and the convertible - old-school, with a folding canvas top - has space for four adults in the cabin.BMW has a history of hiding lots of nice stuff on the list of extra-cost optional equipment but about the only thing that's worth adding to an M6 - apart, perhaps, from special paint and a custom fit-out in the cabin - is the M division's first carbon-ceramic brakes.The special stoppers will migrate rapidly across the M-car range but they will never be cheap, adding around $18,000 - my Carsguide guesstimate - the showroom sticker.The M6 twins are really an M5 sedan after a - long and expensive - trip to the plastic surgeon. They're longer and lighter - 20 kilos in the case of the coupe - but with a shorter wheelbase to sharpen the handling.The mechanical package is taken directly from the M5, which means a 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 engine that makes 412 kiloWatts and 680 Newton-metres - so 0-100 in 4.2 seconds, top speed 305km/h, thirst 9.5 litres/100km - the M division's signature seven-speed double-clutch manumatic transmission, rear-wheel drive with an active differential, giant brakes and driver adjustable steering, transmission, engine and suspension settings.The attention to detail includes huge work to get enough cooling air into the engine bay, and even a tiny lip spoiler on the boot of the M6 coupe. "It's a totally new car and we have developed a good package. We have achieved everything. Actually, it even over-fills the requirements that we had at the beginning," says Friedmann.The M division has taken the basics of the 6 Series coupe and convertible and then added the usual muscle. That means bigger wheels, more aggressive noses, the rocket-launcher exhaust pipes, and M tweaking of the seats and wheel and transmission controller.The end result is just what you expect - a car that already turns heads now snaps them around. The review cars in Spain are bright blue for the convertibles and the coupes are a metallic goldy-red, topped by the black of the carbon fibre roof.The M6 twins should definitely be five-star NCAP machines, based on their airbags and enough safety acronyms - from the usual ABS and ESP to infinity - covering active and passive assistance for all the systems that can get you out of trouble. The most obvious one is the traction control, as any car as powerful as these Msters can be difficult to control if the road gets oily or you're struck by a sudden downpour.Strapping into anything from the M division guarantees a memorable drive, and my time with the M6s in Spain runs from a leisurely country loop in the convertible - mostly with the top up to combat blistering 40-degree heat - and a full-on Ascari thrash in the coupe.The most impressive thing is the cars' ability to cover long distances with almost zero fuss, whether that's cruising on a freeway at 120km/h, hustling up and down mountain passes, or just battling stop-star city traffic. The twins - ok, they're non-identical - have the rare ability to compact space into time and make life easier.But that's not what M cars are about. BMW's motorsport division made its reputation with rapier-sharp driving cars and the M6s are more like meat cleavers. Effective, without doubt, but not particularly subtle and very heavy and - yes - a little imposing.And that's what has happened to M in recent years, as the twin-turbo engine originally developed for the hulking X6 and X5 SUVs has spread through the M5 and into the M6. It's also meant more weight, more complication and less of the track-focussed intensity which made the original M3s - and even the V10-powered M5 - so special.Big, heavy, fast cars make a lot of sense in Europe and these Msters are brutally fast any time you can get the power to the ground. They are motorcycle-quick for overtaking, yet somehow manage fuel economy that is good for a mid-sized commuter car.They also have lots of X-box type things to fiddle and tweak, supposedly tailoring the car to the driver, but I find it's best to leave the engine-transmission-suspension in the baseline setup for everything but the track. The gearbox doesn't need any help, the suspension provides great grip while masking the cars' weight, and the engine is force-fed extravagance.By the numbers, the M6 should be impressive and it's easy to have fun. But I'm still wondering if M has lost the way, confusing fast for focussed. At the end of 36 hours of M6 immersion, topped by Ken Block-style fun at the track and then an economy-run dawdle home that's as relaxing as a non-M BMW, I'm impressed by the cars. They have usable 2+2 cabins that put them up against a string of impressive rivals, and I rate them ahead of some big names.But I'm not in love. The feelings are strong, and that's important for such emotional cars, but the M6 twins don't tug nearly as hard as the Mercedes SL63 AMG I drove last month, or the latest Porsche 911 and Boxster.The sun shone and we had a good speed. But the M6 is like a heavy steak and a beer when what you really want is a satisfying chicken salad with a mineral water.

Is the Porsche Boxster’s shape headed down the same path as the 911 in longevity?It looks that way, Porsche purists are extremely vocal if they feel the styling of new 911s doesn’t follow traditional paths, resulting in striking similarities between the recently launched 911 and the 1963 original. We love this continuation of tradition that’s so welcome in these ever-changing times.VALUEWith a recommended retail price list that begins at just $107,500 (plus on roads), the new-generation Porsche Boxster provides a pure bred machine for a modest outlay.TECHNOLOGYAs before, you can buy a standard Boxster or a high-performance Boxster S. The standard car now runs a new-design 2.7-litre flat-six powerplant with direct fuel injection in place of the manifold injection 2.9-litre of the previous model. Despite its smaller capacity the new unit has 15 per cent more power (now 195 kW), yet uses 13 to 15 per cent less petrol.Opting of the Porsche Boxster S puts a revised version of the existing 3.4-litre flat-six just behind your seats. With 232 kW of power and 2360 Nm of torque it too uses less fuel than in its superseded incarnation.Transmission options are six-speed manual and seven-speed double-clutch PDK. We sampled both; while the automatic is faster and more economical our preference is for the extra driving pleasure provided by the manual. Your call...The two powerplants have switchable stop-start in the interests of emission reduction. The engine starts almost imperceptibly so we hope most drivers don’t feel the need to disable the system.DESIGNThe third generation Porsche Boxster, tagged the 981, is taking the same styling route as the just superseded one. Look at the air intakes in front of the rear wheels and the shape of the bonnet and headlights to see what we mean. At the tail there’s more change in the design, with a strong style line that runs the full width, with the taillights even following the near-horizontal shape of the metal.Talking of metal, more aluminium has been used than ever before with the bonnet, rear deck and door skins all benefitting from the lightweight material. The new Boxster is bigger than before and would have weighed substantially more, but the aluminium, combined with other weight saving measures has trimmed the weight by around 25 to 35 kg depending on model.DRIVINGOn the road the latest Boxster is even better than previous models in its balance and nimble handling. The use of a mid-rear engine, rather than the full-rear unit as in the 911, gives it close to perfect weight distribution.Using a test route behind Brisbane that involved more than its fair share of demanding hills and curves (excellent!) Porsche Australia demonstrated the extreme competence of its new baby. The Boxster simply hung on to the surfaces at speeds well in excess of those achievable by anything other than an ultra-expensive pure supercar.The electrically assisted power steering (used to trim fuel use and emissions) provides better feedback than any similar units we have tested in other cars and really does feel as though your hands are in direct touch with the road.Depending on the model and options chosen there are various adjustments for the suspension and steering setups (as well as for the engine and transmission). So Boxster can be tuned to provide a comfortable ride, a firm one or a full on racetrack hardness. Some sharp potholes and bumps did send a shudder through the car at times when on Sport setting, but we have felt a lot worse in other convertibles.Both engines have excellent response and noise levels that are sure to bring a smile to your face. The way the Porsche engines sound during gearchanges and on throttle liftoff is just superb. Even in speed regulated Australia you can get a lot of pleasure from dropping the roof (it only takes nine seconds and is fully automatic) and just listening to your progress.VERDICTInterestingly, the 2.7 doesn’t lag all that far behind the 3.4 in its feel due to acceleration with a nicely continuous feel. So if you’re on a tight budget and not interested in fanging everywhere you may find it more than meets your needs.If you’re halfway interested in buying a new Boxster may we suggest you contact your favourite Porsche dealer asap? The Boxster is selling its socks off in other countries and there’s a likelihood supply could be constrained for much of the remainder of 2012.

Whenever I see a Porsche 911 Cabriolet, it's like visiting a stunning house and finding the carpet is purple shag pile. You can't help thinking, “Why did you do that? You were making all the right moves then veered off into weirdness.'' Perhaps it's about communing with nature, wind in your hair?VALUEPorsche's new 911 Carrera Coupes and Cabriolets have been on sale since late last year, although the cars available to sample so far have all been Carrera S Coupes with a 294kW 3.8-litre engine. The Cabriolet starts at $255,100 for the manual version and $294,250 for the S automatic plus on-road costs. The price premium is considerable too, at $25,000.Strange, that convertible makers go to so much trouble, with wind-deflectors and other devices, to keep the flurries out. Most convertibles have heated seats, for a price, and some even offer neck-level warm-air blowers. Without them, you couldn't drive with the roof down in cold weather, and so you wouldn't do it all, because it's impossible when the Australian sun's shining.TECHNOLOGYThis time the entire range was lined up, including a Coupe and Cabriolet with the new 3.4-litre entry-level engine. This is a version of the previous 3.6-litre unit with a shorter stroke. Like the 3.8, it adopts a suite of fuel-saving strategies, such as clever thermal management and an idle-stop system. As a result, fuel consumption is down by at least 12 per cent, with every car in the range below 10 litres per 100km.As with the 3.8, maximum outputs in the 3.4 are reached higher in the rev range compared with the engine it replaces. Peak power arrives 900rpm higher, at 7400rpm, while peak torque is achieved with an extra 1200rpm, at 5600rpm. However, neither engine has lost its driveability, with the same low-rev torque available from just off idle. In the 3.4, that means around 300Nm from get-go. It's a flexible as ever.The Coupe and Cabriolet share engineering, with the same transmission options of Porsche's seven-speed manual or dual-clutch automatic, increased wheelbase and focus on shedding weight through greater use of aluminium.DESIGNThe Cabriolet is on average more than 50kg lighter than its predecessor and 18 per cent more rigid, with a redesigned rollover protection system behind the cabin helping to add stiffness to the body. Nevertheless, the Cabriolet is unavoidably heavier than the equivalent Coupe by a substantial 85kg.Its key advance this time is a redesigned folding roof. It uses magnesium panels to smooth its contours and the result is a cabin silhouette that can match the coupe to the millimetre, Porsche says. The flush-fitting glass window helps to make it impressively smooth, without the obvious framework that usually spoils the outline of a fabric roof. Invaluably, it can be operated on the move up to 50km/h, opening or closing in just 13 seconds.The Cabrio also feels tightly put together and very solid for an open-roof car. The roof stashes neatly behind the cabin and over the rear axle, and there's no sense of panels shifting slightly that you get with some solid folding tops. So if you are going to buy a convertible, here's one that sits at the top of the class.But there's no avoiding the compromises. The Cabrio cannot be as rigid as the Coupe and the extra weight cannot be wished away. The killer compromise for me, though, is that despite its cleverness the roof needs a raised “hump'' behind the cabin to fold into. This spoils the shape. Your bum really does look big in this.DRIVINGThe convertible is two-tenths slower than the hard-top for any given engine-transmission combination. All of which makes the Coupe a no-brainer for two-thirds of Australian buyers, while the rest will find the lure of the Cabriolet harder to resist than ever. As usual, Porsche has tried to minimise the disadvantages of the Cabrio and make it as close to the Coupe as possible.The 3.4 isn't as quick as the 3.8, but you don't feel short-changed. The slowest Cabriolet 3.4 manual can reach 100km/h in 5.0 seconds and the quickest, the Cabriolet S automatic with launch control, in 4.3s. Sounds terrific, too.From the inside, roof up, the magnesium shell makes it seem almost as solid as a normal roof. It represents an effective compromise between traditional fabric and the folding hardtops favoured by some premium makers. It works with a single button-press and an adjacent switch raises the new wind deflector. On the track, roof down, it proved remarkably effective at keeping the wind out even on the straight, with speeds well in excess of 200km/h.Why get the convertible when there's a perfectly good version with a roof? The coupe is quicker, handles better and has the classic shape. The Cabriolet spoils everything. It's heavier, shakier and needs a humpback to pack the roof, spoiling the coupe's beautiful lines. So if it was my garage, there's no way I'd be tempted from the hardtop. But some will. They've already measured up the den for 1970s retro rugs.VERDICTIt's a classy convertible, but a puzzling choice if you're after a 911.

This is only the third totally new 911 platform since the model started decades ago. The S gets a higher level of standard kit that includes six pot brakes and other goodies.We got to drive the manual Carrera Cabrio and the S with PDK and frankly, prefer the PDK because it's a more engaging drive and has much quicker gear changes. You can also hold onto the wheel with both hands all the time - a distinct benefit at 200kmh plus on the racetrack. Purists will probably like the manual.TECHNOLOGYIt's a rear drive naturally aspirated sports car with the latest technology and thinking Porsche has to offer. That includes a downsized 3.4-litre flat six in the Carrera (with more power and torque rated at 257kW/390Nm) and a power enhanced 3.8-litre flat six in the S model rated at 294kW/440Nm. Redline in both engines is up by 300rpm to 7800.The direct injection engines are a development of the previous 997 model with revised gas flow, reduced friction, ignition upgrade, integrated stop/start, quicker throttle action and earlier torque peak. And like the coupe, there's a choice of seven-speed manual (the first of its kind) and a seven-speed dual clutch PDK manumatic.DESIGNAs you'd expect, the new 911's dynamics are finely honed making it a better thing to drive in all environments - including at the limit on a race track. The body is a hybrid of aluminium and steel and helps make the new model some 45-60kg lighter than the previous 911 Cabrio.It sits 5mm lower has, a 100mm longer wheelbase, wider track, is stiffer and more aerodynamically efficient. The soft top can be deployed at speeds up to 50kmh and it takes around 13 seconds.DRIVEHowling down the long, sloping straight at Sydney Motorsport Park (formerly Eastern Creek) sees 220 - 230kmh click over on the Porsche Carrera Cabriolet speedo. It's seriously fast when you have to peel off left into the big sweeper at the end.But the straight also served to demonstrate just how far soft top "cabriolets" have come in terms of roof integrity. With the roof up, you simply can't tell this is a soft top sports car, even at extremely high speed. There's no bulging, flapping or whooshing as you might expect from lesser brands.No, the 911 Cabrio is tight as a drum at any speed and that applies to water too. It has a clever magnesium frame with three support panels guaranteeing a smooth, tight roofline that mimics the lines of the Carrera coupe almost exactly.Then of course, you can take down the roof and enjoy the climate "au naturale" bat the same speeds but with a degree of buffeting. This is the 991 version of the Porsche 911 Carrera Cabriolet and it arrives not long after the tin top coupe models in the same Carrera and Carrera S variants -- for the time being.The PDK is faster in both models by a couple of tenths over a 0-100kmh sprint and uses only slightly more fuel. That number is an incredible 9.2-litres combined in the Carrera Cabriolet -- in a vehicle with near supercar performance. It will knock off a 0-100kmh sprint in 4.8 seconds with the PDK. The S with PDK does it in 4.5, quicker with the Sports Chrono pack that includes launch control.VERDICTAs expected, the Cabrio is a superb driver's vehicle, engaging, flattering and with that superb flat six howl _ all the better with the roof down.  We love the evolved styling, the luxury interior, the exhaust pop on gear changes -- pretty much everything about this car.

Would that on Porsche's encyclopaedic option list there was a box for "weekly track day" - preferably at Sydney Motorsport Park.The renamed, extended and curvingly enhanced Eastern Creek track is one of the decreasing stretches of hardtop on this continent where Porsche's 911 can be enjoyed to anything approaching the extent that its nature demands.VALUEWhile one car presented by Porsche at this showcase for the entry level 911 Carrera and Cabriolet variants is optioned from its $235,850 starting point to a few bottles of Grange under $300K, the item that most impresses is the one least embellished. Yet even in basic form - if anything priced from 230 grand can be so called - the 911 subverts Carsguide's dearly held tenet that less is more.TECHNOLOGYThe - ahem - base Carerra's 3.4 flat six now realises 350 horse power in older and perhaps more meaningful terms, or 257kW and 390Nm. With 400cc more, the S makes 294kW/440Nm.Both achieve 100km/h from standing in less than five seconds, blazingly fast for roads cars and seemingly all the quicker from this cockpit on such wide open straights and a tightly sinuous series of corners where the truly prodigious levels of mechanical grip have to be felt to be believed.Much - much too much - has been made of the move to 100 per cent electric steering. 911 acolytes deplore this as a desecration and will bore about it till plants wither and birds drop stunned from the skies. As one whose life hasn't been spent in a 911 and whose driving life is spent in the real world, I say it's here, it's staying and it's brilliant - fulsome, alive, life enhancing.DESIGNThe real world motif is worth recalling when putting the Cabrio between the Park's new set of plunging and rising apexes. Altogether softer and less sled like than the Coupe, you're in danger of regarding it as less than an unalloyed joy until you remember the invocation of former foreign minister Gareth Evans when addressing the Greens - "in the real world ..."  Still it'll be keenly interesting to see how the new and reportedly much advanced Boxster - released next week - stands in Porsche's open top order of things.As a showcase for enhanced sophistication the Cabrio is hard to fault - be it an innovation as simple as the wind deflector that can be automatically raised and lowered as opposed to being hauled out of the nose and manually erected, or intelligent engine mounts that respond via magnetic fluid to the car's movement for optimum weight distribution.DRIVINGWhat will surely be Porsche's conventional manual transmission is the first to come with a seventh gear. Why? Well, on the daily 250km/h autobahn commute (I've met people who do this), this tall override ratio allows the flying German executive to achieve what would in this country be terminal velocity. Moreover it does it at an engine speed not much greater than that required by a less exotic car at this country's soporific speed limit.To access seventh, and to avoid ham fisted upshifts, it's necessary to travel via fifth or sixth. Suffice, that while none come within three cogs at this track day presentation, the manual now matches the incredibly adroit twin clutch auto PDK for gears, if not outright speed off the mark or - if you happen to care - fuel consumption. Then of, course, there's the ongoing matter of Porsche Doppelkupplung, the PDK twin clutch auto that changes gear and adapts so rapidly there's barely cause to trouble its shifting paddles.Indeed, when my opponent in a launch control activated drag along the main strait thought to change up of his own volition rather than allow PDK to work its own magic, Carsguide's ability shy pilot took an unlikely chequered flag. Yes, it's special alright, especially in Sport where it's quite amazingly anticoatory, tastefully blipping the throttle on downshifts, enhancing the 911's ability to make us amateurs feel like champions. But is it more fun? That's between you and your left foot. While fewer than one in five will opt for the conventional manual, a slickly short throwing model of the species, it's hard not to agree with the head of another German maker of fine driverly car who laments the dying art of nailing a gear  shift for yourself. "We've lost something, haven't we?" No you can't stop progress, it's just that unlike the 911, you might like to slow it up a bit.VERDICTOur abiding principle is that less - less stuff, less expense -  can be more. The purest Porsche proves it.

The rampaging Benz SLK 55 AMG roadster has no competition in the compact Euro' sports car class - it's the only V8 and out-powers the six and five cylinder competition - by a long shot.But the price is competitive at $155,000, so as far as we are concerned, it's a no-brainer. We'd go the V8 Benz every time, for a whole raft of reasons.EXHAUSTINGNot the least of these is how it sounds. There's a dual mode exhaust down the back with flaps that progressively open or close according to throttle position - with the obvious effect.When you drive a V8 you want to know about it, especially one like this that revs to 7200rpm and sounds like World War III at full noise.ENGINEThe direct injection, 5.5-litre, V8 engine is similar to the new twin-turbo V8 used in other AMG cars _ without the turbos and with a different cylinder head and other changes.It has auto stop/start and cylinder deactivation in `eco' mode and is good for a healthy 310kW/540Nm output. Fuel economy is the best of any petrol V8 currently available rated at 8.4-litres/100km _ yes, amazing. The change from four cylinder to eight cylinder running is almost imperceptible.Drive to the rear wheels is by a slick-shifting seven-speed auto with paddle shift and three change modes. It will blip the throttle on down changes and utters a neat exhaust pop at full throttle up changes.CREDENTIALS"Green" influences see low friction engine internals and demand-related alternator and oil pump along with other technologies to reduce enviro impact.THE DRIVEIt's a fabulous car to drive with incredible handling and brutal performance, or it can be a smooth groove depending on your mood. The ride/handling package is brilliant - not rock hard but totally controlled.Handling, is nothing short of sensational thanks in part to the torque vectoring brakes that selectively apply to keep the SLK tracking true. The large wheels/tyres and brakes also help a tad as does direct steering that changes gearing to provide optimum feel and response.THE LOOKIt looks like a scaled down Benz SL with SLS influences and is strictly a two seater. The cabin is luxurious and the hard roof deploys quickly. Our drive car had the Magic Sky roof with variable blue tint _ magic.SAFETYSafety is top notch with all manner of active and passive systems including attention assist and radar cruise control as well as active headlights with auto dip and see round corner function.VERDICTYes please.Mercedes-Benz SLK 55 AMGPrice: from $155,000Warranty: 3 years/unlimited kmResale: 53 per cent (Source: Glass's Guide)Service interval: 25,000km/24 monthsSafety: rating five NCAP starsSpare: mobility kitEngine: 5.4-litre 32-valve V8, 310kW/540NmTransmission: 7-speed automatic; RWDBody: 4.1m (L); 1.8m (w); 1.3m (h)Weight: 1610kgThirst: 8.51/100km, on test 16l/100km,  tank 70 litres; 197g/km CO2

Goldilocks is a great name for a car with a rare combination of grace and pace that means she is 'just right' despite a price tag that could soar beyond $450,000 in Australia.The new high-class Benzmobile would make an ideal Bond girl, thanks to great DNA and some hardcore bootcamp training at AMG. What a pity, then, that the boring blokes from Mercedes have played it staid and settled on a predictable combination of numbers and letters that spells out SL63 AMG. We've even seen that line before, but not like this.Goldilocks can make an elegant entrance or run with the guns, and the choice is down to you. She has the latest two-seater roadster body, and all the luxury gear you expect from an SL, with the addition of a twin-turbo 5.5-litre V8 engine that makes with up to 900 Newton-metres of torque and serves up 0-100km/h sprints in 4.2 seconds with a top speed as outrageous as 280km/h.It will take series money to put the new SL AMG in the driveway, but this is a very, very serious car that you could buy and keep for a long time. So, why Goldilocks? For a start, the SL is more feminine than blokey-bloke despite its muscles. And, for me, the hottie SL is the 'just-right' choice among the AMG roadsters.The baby-bear SLK55 AMG is raw and flawed, with too much engine for the chassis and suspension, while the big daddy SLS AMG is too big and too hot, from its look-at-me styling to an engine that's wasted for anything but frying the rear tyres. Without worrying about the $487,500 pricetage.So the SL sits sweetly in the middle with potential appeal to Bentley convertible buyers on one side and even Porsche Boxster enthusiasts on the other. But let's get on with the story, as we go exploring in the forests in the south of France.VALUEPeople who can afford cars like this one don't have the usual worries about mortgages and pump prices, but everyone wants a bargain in 2012. So there is a lot of good new stuff in the SL, from the basic aluminium body through to the value-added key with the silver AMG crest.Buyers can always ask for more, and the obvious choice is the Performance Pack that brings more power and torque - up to 415kW and 900Nm - as well as red paint on the brake callipers. The SL63 currently sells for $418,670 and that's the target for the newcomer later this year, even though the total changeover has cost plenty."The price is going to follow the existing car fairly closely. We're doing what we can to hold the price line," says David McCarthy, spokesman for Mercedes-Benz Australia. He says the importance of the car cannot be over-rated. "It's pretty small numbers in Australia but it sets a benchmark. We sell a couple of dozen a year."For people who want even more, and not a Gullwing, McCarthy confirmed there will also be an SL65 AMG - with twin-turbo V12 - engine. "That car will only be to customer order. We have V12 owners who come back time and again, because for them there is nothing else."TECHNOLOGYIt starts with the alloy body and ends with the giant 19-inch alloy wheels, but the highlights include the 5.5-litre twin-turbo V8, a tweaked seven-speed automatic gearbox, electric power steering and even a carbon fibre frame for the folding convertible roof. And there is an analogue clock in the centre of the grille, thanks to AMG's tie-up with the top-end watch maker, IWC."The car in total has a lot of AMG parts. We changed the major parts," says Thomas Rappel, head of product strategy at AMG-Mercedes. Even the remaining Benz basics, like the suspension and safety systems, are tweaked to give a more sporty feel. "All the parts you see, touch and feel - and the IWC clock on the dash - are AMG. This one is more the enthusiast. He's not taking it on a track every day, but he wants the noise and the agility," Rappel says.DESIGNGoldilocks is the first car with a new twin-spar grille that will become an AMG signature. It's applied to a car where the AMG tweaking works well with the chunkier new look at Mercedes-Benz.Some of the latest Benzes look too heavy, or a bit cartoonish, but the SL works and fits into a range where the latest A-Class also reflects the successful change of direction under design chief Gordon Wagener. Inside, there is restrained strength about the look and feel of the SL. The finishing, as you would expect, is flagship material with everything you want and need.SAFETYFive stars is a given for this car. ANCAP will never test one, and even Euro NCAP is unlikely to have a budget that runs to killing an SL, but Benz has a long history of setting the standard for safety. In the case of the SL AMG, that means ABS and ESP tweaked for performance use, as well as the sort of big brakes and giant tyres - the Performance Pack cars get 255x35 and 285x30 - that improve grip and safety.DRIVINGMy time with the SL starts in the passenger seat, where I am happy to find plenty of legroom, brilliant aircon, cushy leather seats and a very quiet cabin. The car seems to dribble along happily, the ride is not too soft and not too firm, and - despite the erratic efforts of my Brazilian driver - the SL can obviously go hard, with the overtaking power you usually only get on a big-bore motorcycle.Sliding into the driver's seats, on roads close to the course for the Porsche Boxster preview drive last month, I'm not expecting too much. The SL has always been a cruiser car and I'm worried that recent experience of the SLK55 - which bucked and bounced on Victorian country roads - would be repeated.The SL has a restrained rumble as I idle onto the French backroads but it turns to thunder when I floor the throttle. The car positively erupts and devours any stretches of straight roads. But it also crushes bumps and undulations and the nose happily follows my commands to turn, giving great grip and balance through corners before more thunder on the next straight.I had expected a lazy loping beast with added stoplight speed, but the AMG hero is a well rounded package that can easily waft before switching to warp speed. I even believe it would defeat the Boxster on these roads, not because of better response or balance, but because it gets briskly through corners and has so much torque on tap.The SL63 is also quiet with the roof up, surprisingly unruffled with it down, is easy to park and has acceptable boot space. There is an annoying rattle in the dash of one car, and the price is outrageous, but Goldilocks is a car to like a lot, and potentially love.VERDICT:The midstream model of the AMG-Mercedes roadster family is just right.Mercedes-Benz SL63 AMGPrice: estimate $450,000+Warranty: 3 years/100,00kmResale: 49 per cent, $205,100 (Glass's Guide)Service interval: 15,000km/12 monthsSafety rating: Five star (estimated)Spare: Space-saverEngine: 5.5-litre twin turbocharged V8 395kW/800NmTransmission: 7-speed auto; RWDBody: 4.63m (L); 1.87m (w); 1.3m (h)Weight: 1845kgThirst: 9.9/100km; 231g/km Co2

When BMW entered the small car market with the 1 Series eight years ago some thought a car using rear-wheel drive wouldn't work in a machine of this size. They pointed out that tight interior space would tell against it when all its competitors had space-saving front drive.Over a million sales later BMW has proven it was right in sticking to rear-drive. Indeed the unique selling proposition (USP) and the upmarket air inherent in a rear-drive car has no doubt been a factor in the success. There are plenty of keen drivers more than happy to trade the mundanity of interior room for the joy of excellent chassis balance and superb handling.Now we have the second-generation BMW 1 Series with more space in the back seat, more about that in a moment. ValuePricing starts from $43,500 for the manual and $46,577 for the automatic.Better still, the 1 Series has been trimmed in price, partly due to the value of our dollar, but also because the continuing weakness in the European market means the Australian branch can push a tougher deal through head office. To sweeten the deal, higher equipment levels than in the outgoing 1 Series add to the value equation.DesignVisually, the new BMW ‘1 Series is a solid evolution of the first model, but clever shaping has given it more style. You wouldn't exactly say it competes with the Italians in its body shape, but it’s certainly less severely German in its lines than in the past.Though there is 21 mm more rear legroom, the back seat is still not a comfortable place to accommodate adults travellers any more than short distances.Try the kids for size during your own test drive if they are likely to grow into the hulking teenage years before the end of your ownership period. The height of the little Bimmer is unchanged because there was already good headroom in all seats.Boot space has benefited from the longer body, up 10 per cent to 360 litres, which is pretty handy in a car in this class.The first models to be released are in Australia are five-door hatches with the choice of two 1.6-litre petrol and one 2.0-litre diesel engines, all turbocharged. Larger engines, three-door hatches, coupes and convertibles will follow over the next few years.DrivingThe BMW 118d we have lived with for the past week uses an upgraded version of the 2.0-litre diesel from the first generation 1 Series.It now produces 105 kW and 320Nm (up 20Nm). The official fuel consumption number is 4.5 litres per hundred kilometres. During our review period it sat in the five to six litre range on the open road and rose to six to eight litres around town in some quite heavy traffic conditions.Though this wouldn't be our engine of choice in a BMW, the turbo-diesel can do the 0-100km/h acceleration test in a reasonable 8.9 seconds so has a semi-sporty feel to it. In gear acceleration is more important than pure sprinting in real life driving and the solid torque from the revised powerplant gives the little BMW a strong feel once the turbo lag has been passed. Slide down a gear in anticipation of overtaking so you get the torque up and running, and you spend a minimum of time on the wrong side of the road when overtaking. We will try to get ourselves into the more powerful of the two petrol powerplants and report on them. Somehow economy engines and BMW don’t make a good combination in our minds. Even better will be the high-performance 1 Series models that are further down the track.The ride is relatively firm at times, but the excellent balance, wonderfully responsive steering and excellent cornering grip the little Bimmer provides will appeal to those who see cars as more than mundane transport.Stylish in a way that was missing in the original manner, the all-new BMW 1 Series will attract many new customers to the marque. The reduced prices and the choice of several comprehensive options packages will do it no harm at all in the upperclass end of the small car market.VerdictIf you’re moving down from a larger car or getting out of one of these boring compact SUVs then be sure to put one of these small BMWs on your short list.BMW 1 Series 118dPrice: $43,500 (manual), $46,577 (automatic)Warranty: Three years/unlimited kmService interval: Variable (condition-based servicing)Thirst: 4.5 L/100kmSafety: Not assessed (previous model five-stars)Equipment: Six airbags, ABS, ESPEngine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbodiesel, (105kW/320Nm)Transmission: Six-speed manual, eight-speed automatic; rear-wheel driveSuspension: Aluminium double link hinged tie bar front, multi-link rearDimensions: 4324mm (L), 1765mm (W), 1421mm (H), 2690mm (WB) 

To understand a car — especially one that’s far from our own fiscal reality — it helps to peer into the buyers’ mindset for a stint, and to go where they might go.And when the place happens to be the French Riviera, and the car is the 2013 Mercedes-Benz SL63 AMG, we’re willing to subscribe to such hardship and masquerade.For everyday driving, or cruising along the beach strip, the SL63 AMG won’t force you or your passenger to sacrifice any comfort; top-down motoring just doesn’t get more luxurious than this, and the standard Comfort settings that this car’s many active controls default to a nice, gentle calibration for the throttle and transmission that’s more in line with traditional Mercedes-Benz powertrains.Factor in the excellent Airscarf system and heated-and-ventilated seats — plus top-notch wind buffeting — and this is a car that we could especially enjoy with the combination of bright sun and somewhat chilly spring air.DrivingCompared to the SL models of more than a decade ago, the current SL feels more sports-car-like, with its brawny 395kW/800Nm, twin-turbo AMG-built V-8 and reworked seven-speed automatic transmission — with AMG replacing the torque converter with a wet clutch pack and capable of smacking from one gear to another in as little as a tenth of a second.But in a nod to the types of people who will gravitate to the SL, the SL63 AMG defaults to Comfort (C) modes. On the powertrain side (the dial), that smoothes the engine controls, makes the throttle response nice and seemingly linear, and gives upshifts a creamy smoothness. Click that powertrain controller on the center console one notch over to the Sport (S) mode, and it feels much more eager, with quicker, sharper (DSG-like) shifts and a more progressive throttle.Sport plus (S+) makes it sharper yet — like a racing box — and taps into the full potential of the transmission, including a different regimen for the stability control. Many AMG customers like to run their vehicles in the more aggressive Sport powertrain mode, but with a Comfort chassis setting. We also ran much of our test route this way, as Sport mode brought out more surface irregularities, while offering fairly satisfying dynamics on sweeping country roads — except perhaps for the steering.Even in Sport, the steering tended to be on the light side. It trades off the heft and long ratio of former M-B units for a rather quick (constant) ratio, but there isn't much feedback. On the other hand, on some of the narrowest roads in Europe we appreciated the precision the steering allowed in lane placement.Only when we got to some tight switchbacks did we truly recognise the need for Sport mode. M-B's Active Body Control (ABC) system, which is optional in the SL550, is included here in the SL63 AMG. Most of the time, it expertly soaks up uneven road surfaces and saves occupants from the pitchiness, also keeping the cabin flat in gentle to moderate driving on curvy country roads and making the SL in general feel lighter and more tossable than it is.But push those limits a bit on some of the tightest corners and ABC sometimes adjusts the attitude of the car too overtly. Mid-corner; for instance on very low-speed hairpins in Comfort mode, we noticed that just before apex ABC would suddenly increase the roll moment at the rear (pushing the car closer to understeer) — with the effect from the steering wheel feeling as if the ratio suddenly tightened. It’s a bit disconcerting, and we rapidly learned to switch to Sport (or Sport+) — where this effect isn’t as pronounced — when the roads turn very curvy.Rear axle geometry has been tweaked to accommodate the AMG models’ sharper, higher torque delivery.  With the systems set in Sport mode and using the paddle-shifters, it's great fun to dab into the power for as long as you dare, listening to the thunderous, howling-and-pulsating engine note — which seems to bark a little bit extra at each shift — before you need to brake down to sanity once again.The SL63 AMG will feel lighter than any previous-generation SL owner might expect; it includes an all-new aluminium body that saves about 275 pounds altogether next to the previous version; the design also includes an aluminium frame as well as aluminium body panels.Included in all SL AMG models is a Race Start feature that allows the most quick, aggressive launch possible, with some wheel slip. There's a pretty involved routine you'll have to go through to tap into the system, and for good reason. Also on offer in the SL63 is an AMG Performance Media system that includes a screen with extra gauges, lap timer and other performance info.And if you're of that mindset, you'll want to go for the Performance Package, which increases peak turbo boost from 14.2psi to 18.5 psi — boosting power to 410kW and torque to 900Nm, although the torque peak is a slightly higher 2250 rpm (versus 2000 rpm). Top speed for the SL63 is 250km/h, but the Performance Package gives a boost to 300km/h. In both cases it's electronically limited.A Torque Vectoring Brake system comes with the SL63 and functions essentially as an electronic limited-slip differential, but the Performance Package — identified from afar by its bright red brake calipers — includes a real one.Acceleration is scorching — even compared to the SL550. While the SL 550 gets to 100km/h in just 4.5 seconds (from 5.4 seconds in the previous generation), the SL63 AMG can do it in just 3.9 seconds with the Performance Package — and those are AMG's somewhat conservative numbers.InteriorCruising and making the scene is the majority of AMG SL ownership to some. And inside, the current SL sheds some of the tackier details of the previous SL for a mix of classy curvaceousness. While the trims and upholsteries are up to the standards of any of other high-end Mercedes-Benz and AMG models, the round vents and hooded instrument cluster echo the SL models of the 1970s and ‘80s. And the analog IWC clock top and center on the dash remains one of the most distinctive in any vehicle.EquipmentYou'd be hard-pressed to find a typical luxury feature that isn't standard here — Harman/kardon surround sound, HD satnav with live traffic updates, heated windshield, power folding side mirrors.Mercedes-Benz’s Attention Assist, which studies steering inputs and detects driver fatigue, is also included. As is Pre-Safe, a pop-up roll-bar system, and bi-xenon headlamps — in addition to eight airbags. Other active-safety options include adaptive cruise control, Active Blind Spot Assist, and Active Lane Keeping Assist. Active curve illumination is also included, allowing the headlights to swivel 15 degrees to either side, helping to see around tight, dark corners.The SL63 comes with Eco Stop/Start, which smartly shuts off the engine at stoplights and restarts it the moment you lift off the brake. We found it to be one of the least obtrusive stop/start systems yet, with very little shudder noticeable from the cabin, although setting the powertrain controls to S or S+ disables the feature.From the inside, the SL63 AMG really does have all the comfort of the S Class, with long, nicely contoured seats with extendable thigh bolsters plus massage and ventilation functions, and in Coupe mode, with the tight-fitting insulated hardtop top up and in place, it's hard to believe that this is a convertible. Just as with the other new SL models, there’s a fully retracting, electrically operated hardtop that can be opened or closed in about 20 seconds, and a power-operated windscreen that greatly reduces turbulence at city-cruising speeds.We didn’t have to drive long at all before one of the SL63 AMG’s almost-direct rivals — a late-model 997-era Porsche 911 Turbo — came barreling along, beside us for a short time on a wider section of road. With the top down, we arguably had the better-sounding engine from outside the car — and far superior comfort — while being nearly as quick. But between these two models, it served as a reminder that while the 911 remains closer to a pure sports-car (or supercar) formula, the SL63 is a high-powered grand-touring ultra-luxury roadster — with more of a priority placed on comfort and cabin appointments.VerdictWhile these two vehicles both vie for the rich and influential who summer on the Riviera — along with the likes of the Jaguar XKR, Maserati GranTurismo, and base Aston Martin DB9 — they appeal in very different ways. In its proper context, the SL63 AMG makes about as much sense as a rather large $418,670 luxury two-seat roadster can.And that's what might best sum up the appeal: it won't always turn the heads of testosterone-fueled motorheads, but it's a high-priced luxury good in all the right ways that those who can afford it want: versatile and comfortable enough for daily driving (it does speed bumps; it parks easily), yet providing a more exclusive experience that discerning drivers — and those who want to go faster — appreciate.MotorAuthority

It's been over 20 years since Mazda released the first MX-5 and it's still going strong. Now in its 4th generation, the designers have remained true to the car's original DNA.Sadly though it has suffered from price creep over the years, with the entry level model now $44,265 before on-roads. Our test vehicle, the hard topped sports coupe, is $49,805 putting it perilously close to the $50K mark.Of course Mazda would argue and we would agree that you get a lot more for your dollar these days. But it's still a heck of a long, long way from the $29,550 that the car kicked off at in 1989.These days you get a high revving 2.0-litre DOHC petrol engine that produces 118kW of power and 188Nm of torque, together with a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic with paddle shifts. That's not much power you might say and you'd be right, but it's not all about power  it's the power to weight ratio and tidy dynamics of the car that are most important.The manual is rated at 8.1 litres/100km, same as the auto.MX-5 gets four out of five stars in crash tests. That's not bad considering its size but it could be better (suffice to say we feel a lot safer in one these days). The roadster is fitted with driver and passenger front and side airbags, dynamic stability and traction control systems, as well as anti-lock brakes. The manual also scores a limited slip rear diff.The coupe allows you to enjoy the best of both worlds, with an electric folding hardtop that opens or closes at the touch of a button in just 12 seconds. The hard shell makes it more secure and also a lot quieter inside the cabin.The current model dates back to 2009, but you may still find a few special editions kicking around with Bilstein suspension (200 were released priced from $47,200). The sports coupe adds Recaro seats and a set of great looking 17 inch BBS alloys over the standard model. Quality 200 watt Bose audio system is fitted, with an AUX input for iPods  but the six-stacker CD is overkill these days.Bluetooth for one thing and there's no trip computer to help you keep track of fuel consumption.Great fun. The drive is engaging and will have you searching for winding roads where the car can stretch its legs. The steering is direct, the clutch action light and the short shifting close ratio box is child's play to use.Keep it revving to get the best out of it. Unfortunately the Recaros are a bit narrow for mature backsides (we're working on that) because the side bolsters press into your thighs and tend to become uncomfortable after a while. Not a great range of seat or wheel adjustment either (tilt only).