Convertible Reviews

And another few grand that you’ve just remembered you left in those ski pants you wore to St Moritz.  And, because you’re a bit bored and you’ve already got too many plasma screens, you feel like buying a BMW. Should be simple, right? Sadly not.These poor rich bastards are faced with a plethora of choices that must make it an almost painful process, the latest of which is the newly upgraded and tweaked 6 Series, a $212,000 executive coupe (or a $228,800 convertible) that leaves this scribbler utterly baffled (those prices are up $6000 on the model they replace, in case that worries you).Buyers in this rarefied air can, after all, scrape just a bit more money out of the change bowl on top of the fridge and buy an M5, for $231,500.The M5 is perhaps the most practical supercar on earth, because it has four doors, a boot and genuine seating for four adults, as well as a ground-wobbling, mind-boggling V10 engine under the bonnet which can send all of those four adults into paroxysms of delight, effortlessly. Alternatively, they could spend $157,700 and buy what is arguably an even better, or at least more purely enjoyable, BMW – the M3.Again, they can thrill their friends and themselves at the same time, because it’s a genuine car as well as a genuine sports car. And with the change they could buy a 1 Series for the wife, or another week’s skiing.So why would anyone choose the 6 Series? Well, after driving it, that’s a question I still can’t answer.In isolation, it’s a fine vehicle indeed, powered by a delicious, creamy 4.8-litre V8 that’s good for 270 cultured kilowatts and 490Nm.It can dash from a standing start to 100km/h in 5.2 seconds, which is down from 5.5 seconds on the model it replaces (5.6 seconds for the convertible, down from 5.8).It’s also quite phenomenal to drive, for a vehicle that looks, and feels, as hefty as James Packer.At 1650kg, it’s no lightweight, yet it changes direction and deals with difficult road surfaces with almost arrogant aplomb.Only when zig-zagging sharply are you aware of all that weight shifting from side to side, but the car is so damned clever, and so perfectly balanced, that it never feels like it’s going to get out of control.Push it, as hard as you dare, and it will merely stifle a yawn and take everything you throw at it, leaving you with very little sensation of severity in your cloistered cabin.It also has the kind of steering that BMW is justifiably famous for, with plenty of weight and just the right kind of feedback to keep you involved. And yet… it’s not that fast, or, to be fair, it just doesn’t feel that fast, because everything it does is slightly reserved.The engine probably could sound fabulous, like the V8 in the M3, but it seems like it’s been swaddled in sound-deadening materials.There’s also a constant sense that you are in a very big, very wide car – an impression intensified when you get out and look at its slightly disturbing shape.Impressive and regal from front and side-on, the 6 falls down rather badly at the back, where it looks either like a mastodon with a broken nose or someone with an awful hair lip.But it certainly has presence, and that seems to be what the 175 buyers who shell out for a 6 Series each year in Australia are after – something different, something that sets them apart from the BMW-buying herds.It’s fair to say this car is also more of a cruiser than a bruiser, so perhaps it’s aimed at slightly older motorists, who want class and quality and power, but not too much excitement, thanks very much.It’s certainly easy to see why they might enjoy the convertible, which is a boulevard stroller par excellence.The windscreen is just the right height that the wind lightly tousles your hair, like an affectionate uncle, rather than ruffling it and the heated seats are so good that we enjoyed top-down motoring, even on a 13-degree day.It’s also one of those new breed of convertibles that makes you wonder whether scuttle shake is just an old blokes’ tale.The changes to this 6 Series are quite difficult to see, unless you’re a complete trainspotter, but they include new “sportive” side skirts, new headlights and blinkers, new materials for the uber posh interior and – the admittedly very cool and Buck Rogers-looking – new gearknob. There’s a new gearbox of tricks attached to that, of course, which allows the vehicle to change cogs almost imperceptibly, and apparently faster than ever before.Push the sport button and the changes get even faster, and the gearbox won’t even touch sixth gear, just to keep you charging hard.The interior also gets the new iDrive “favourite” buttons, which aren’t, we’re told, and admission that iDrive is too difficult to use. Just as the “fairness test” wasn’t an admission that WorkChoices was too onerous.There are also plenty of groovy options, like Heads-Up Display, which works brilliantly, and night-vision, which doesn’t.For $1200 you can even have a “lane departure warning” system, which vibrates the steering wheel to wake you up if you dozily drift.This is effectively paying $1200 to admit to people that you’re a crap, inattentive driver. But if you are one, please do get the system, it might save the rest of us.Another $4500 will get you the Active Cruise Control system, which is a way of saying that you’re such a lazy, dozy driver, you’d prefer the car to do everything for you. It could be, in fact, the first nail in the death-of-driving coffin.Of course, if you option it up with all these things your 6 Series will now cost as much as an M5, which you should have bought in the first place. 

There's a guaranteed way of attracting attention in the land of oranges. Drop the top on BMW's new 1 Series convertible and head out on the highway ... Spaniards (at least those around Valencia) love it. Trucks honking on the motorway, truck drivers offering a friendly wave and motorcyclists giving the universal thumbs-up sign. It's all seems a natural reaction to the latest in BMW's ever-increasing stable.It might have been winter in Europe, but with the sun making an appearance on cue at the international launch for the 1 Series convertible, it was the perfect time to go topless for some real open-air driving.The little drop-top will arrive in Australia in June along with the other “emotional” model of the line-up, the coupe. Prices are expected to range from $60,000 to $85,000. As the first premium convertible for the compact segment, the 1 Series will be available in five different versions in Europe, including a diesel. But Australia will get just two — the 125i and 135i.Unfortunately, at the launch, the spanking 135i was not made available. However, it was only a momentary disappointment as on the fabulous winding roads of Spain, the 125i proved to be every bit impressive as its looks suggested.Powered by a 3.0-litre in-line six, the 125i is so much more than just a leisurely outing. It's a fun and engaging drive, delivering 160kW and 270Nm of torque. It feels best around 4000rpm to 4500rpm and it takes you just an instant to fall in love with the soundtrack that comes with the powertrain. The burble gets your heart racing every time, especially when amplified with the roof down. Work it around the corners and everything feels like it falls into place, moving in time to the melodic tune.The steering is direct, with good feedback, handling feels impressive (easily absorbing the few bumps found on the Spanish roads) and you don't have to worry about intruding rattles, wind or road noises — not even from the run-flat tyres.This leaves your ears free to anticipate the popping note. There was, however, some slight understeer noticeable on slippery roads.Fitted to a six-speed manual and with the added benefit of rear-wheel-drive, the 125i is a car for a keen driver looking for some enthusiastic motoring. A six-speed auto is also available at an extra cost. While the 125i is probably a bit like eating vanilla ice cream, there is a chocolate-flavoured 1 Series available — the ultimate, otherwise known as the 135i and featuring the same engine as the 335i.With an exciting straight-six twin-turbo complete with 225kW and 400Nm from as low as 1300rpm, BMW 1 series product manager Falko Radomski says it would be very hard to improve on this for the line-up, ruling out an M version anytime soon. The 1 Series is aimed at a younger demographic with an active lifestyle, but BMW believes there is interest among older buyers for the convertible, especially among fans of its famous 1960s and '70s 2002 model.While transformed into a modern convertible with its own 1 Series family traits, the convertible has the eye-catching and sporty looks of today, acting as a spiritual successor to the classic 2002. There's the powerful low shoulder line, muscular wheel arches, a long bonnet and an upright A-pillar, all contributing to the striking appearance. The front section of the convertible has the same characteristics as the coupe, but beyond that, changes have been made.Jump inside and its been designed with a boat deck in mind as the shoulder line runs all the way around the car, surrounding the entire passenger compartment. The interior possesses the expected BMW DNA with a quality setting, although the dash does seem simple and better storage spaces wouldn't go astray.There's more room than you'd expect for a convertible, although the rear would be a squashy setting for a tall passenger when the roof is on. And you must choose your back seat companion wisely as it does get cosy.Opting for a soft-top rather than the increasingly popular folding hardtops means customers are recognised as convertible drivers even with the roof on — a look-at-me trait many potential owners are after.It also means BMW was able to keep the weight increase to just 120kg over the coupe.Retracting the roof takes 22 seconds, a process that can be started while travelling up to 40km/h, with the ability to accelerate up to 50km/h. This means it's almost a Clark Kent switch as you can go about your normal city driving. When slipping the roof away, boot space is reduced from 305 litres to 260 litres — enough room, BMW trumpets, to fit “two snowboards, four pairs of skis, two golf bags or one large and one small suitcase.”The airconditioning adjusts to convertible mode — and the heated seats are a real blessing in any wintry conditions. 

The Focus Coupe-Cabriolet is a breath of fresh air in the Ford camp. Motorists have shown great interest in convertibles. Not just the traditional little two-seat sports cars but the four-seat versions.And especially with the advent of the hard top that folds away - a two-door hard-top coupe one minute and an open-top convertible the next.Or the next 29 seconds, in the case of this convertible version of the Focus, derived from the Focus hatch and sedan already familiar to Australian motorists.It was a bit remiss of Ford not to have a convertible in its range for more than four years.Ford Australia used to make a soft-top convertible, the two-seat Capri in the early 1990s.This new Focus Coupe-Cabriolet brings open-air motoring back into affordable reach - $45,490 for the five-speed manual and $47,490 for the four-speed auto. These are the same prices of rival Holden Astra Twin-Top.Considering the extra expense in building the car and in the roof mechanism, these prices aren't bad when also looking at the equipment list. It has dual-zone climate control, leather-trimmed interior, variable front seat heating, six-stack CD with eight-speaker system and 17in alloys.Safety is addressed with ABS brakes, stability control with traction control, front and front side airbags and, should things start going upside down, twin rollover protection hoops that spring from behind the back seats.The front windscreen sweeps back so far that drivers who need or prefer to sit closer to the wheel have the windscreen just about covering their heads.The two rear passengers cop a lot of breeze with the roof off and do not get the heated seats of the front occupants. However, we tried a country drive one chilly night with the roof off and found that with the four side windows up and the heater blowing through floor vents under the front seats towards the rear, it was tolerable. And fun.Fun is what this car is about, not performance. The Focus two-litre, four-cylinder petrol engine drags a lot more weight, the result of cross-bracing and the roof mechanism. At 1465kg, it's about 160kg more than the Focus hatch.It means that come to a hill and this car struggles. At least in the automatic version we drove. It has a manual sequential mode but the transmission control unit takes an age to think about changes. Maybe the manual is the go for people who want some zip.There's only a trace of scuttle shake when the roof is off. It's no Audi when it comes to body control, but Audi doesn't sell such cars for $45,000. Rear-seat leg room is tight, but boot space is good for this type of car.The two-litre Duratec engine delivers 107kW of power at 6000rpm, 185Nm torque at 4500rpm and uses petrol at a rate of 8.6 litres/100km. 

Take “collision”. It used to be a car couldn't collide with a tree — it hit it — because “collide” means an impact between two moving objects — unless the tree was falling at the time, of course. Nowadays “collide” is widely used for any impact.Then there's “unique”. My dictionary says it means “only one of”; now it's widely used to mean “unusual”.Which brings us to “icon”.No, it doesn't mean a superstar or the best thing out, but a painting of a sacred person. So unless the Pope sings very well, you cannot have a pop icon, if you get my drift.So while we may all think of cars like Porsche's stunning 911 Carrera as a motoring icon, it can't be. Supercar, maybe; awesome, definitely; expensive, well, that's a given. Inspirational and desirable are probably the best descriptions.Mind you, the desirability factor was wearing a bit thin as this week's road tester, a black 911 Carrera S cabriolet, was forced to crawl to a snail's pace in peak-hour city traffic. While the 911 is happy to walk this slowly, it is like a leashed dog that has spotted a rabbit.Lowering the soft-top roof sounded like a good idea at the time. We were at risk of severe sunburn at this pace and the exhaust fumes from other road users, not to mention the bugs and insects, were becoming increasingly annoying.But you can't possibly be seen in one of the world's classiest convertibles with the roof down, especially driving through some of the seriously snobby neighbourhoods of Melbourne where cars with $250,000-plus price tags are common in the driveways of plush mega-mansions. Oh no.It's not until you get out of suburbia and into rolling back country roads that the 911, with its stunning exhaust howl, shows its real mettle.Sans roof and with the rear wind-deflector in place (once you master its origami foldaway design), you can mash the right foot and start tackling the twisty stuff just as Porsche intended. At last, the 911 was in its element.Yep, I'll have one of these — just as soon as I win Tatts. The base price is $247,800 plus on-road costs, but Porsche had thrown in a few optional extras on the test car, like a $2000 phone kit, two grand's worth of sporty alloy wheels, another two for the electronic park assist and a multi-function steering wheel, and even Porsche crests ($490) on the headrests, just in case you had forgotten what you were driving. That lifted the total price to just under $256,000. Say it quickly enough and it doesn't hurt.Now I suppose it is easy to be a little tongue-in-cheek about a car the majority can't afford. But you cannot deny the degree of engineering precision and those sometimes old-fashioned seat-of-the-pants driving dynamics that the 911 represents. Few cars on the road today deliver it as Porsche does. That's why it's iconic — sorry, masterful.The S version is not the most powerful, or the dearest, in the 911 open-top line-up. That's reserved for the potent Turbo (a mere $357,500) which can do zero to 100km/h in a flat four seconds, thanks to its twin turbos punching out 353kW.My humble (but still charismatic) naturally aspirated flat six 3.8-litre had to make do with just 261kW and 4.9 seconds for the sprint. Oh, I can live with that extra point nine of a second and the fact the S is $109,700 cheaper to buy.Performance, as expected, is stunning, but I'm not going to discuss top speeds. Yes, it will easily exceed the highway limit without even breathing hard.And the performance is all quite controlled, even well mannered. If you wind on the revs and dump the clutch, you don't get a lot of smoke-producing wheel spin as the car fights for traction. The 911 is clever enough — it has enough computer aids — to override your right foot. It simply squats, squirms and then provides the kick in the pants of acceleration that only Porsche can develop.The car's dynamics are sweet. The chassis is more rigid than earlier versions so there's no scuttle shake, as found in some open-tops. The engine sits over the rear axle, which means the car be a bit tail-happy, but that's quickly tamed by the stability control systems.So is the drop-dead gorgeous 911 with its 19-inch wheels an easy car to live with? No.On the plus side, the car has a well-sorted but firm active suspension, eye-popping brakes and an impressive array of safety features including six airbags plus a rollover bar. There's loads of leather, the audio is sublime, the seats are snugly comfortable and even the once-oh-so-heavy clutch, the bugbear of previous models, has been tamed. You can even raise and lower the 42kg roof at speeds up to 50km/h, which is quite a party trick, but it takes a slow 20 seconds.On the downside, the back seat is ridiculously tiny, there's a lack of storage and the Carrera's wide hips reduce rearwards vision.But you don't buy the 911 for its practicality, do you? 

It's when you find yourself saying things like: “Beauty — a roundabout!” that you know the initial numbing awe of piloting the Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe is passing. Even something so mundane as a circle of concrete assumes landmark significance when its being negotiated in 2.6 tonnes of lovingly handcrafted land yacht — one that just happens to have been sold already for a not altogether negligible $1.25 million.Bevin Clayton of Trivett Classic gave Carsguide an Australian first last week, allowing us access to the only Drophead in the country not already in private hands — although it soon will be.This pristine example with low double figures on the clock is being shipped to Adelaide where a gentleman will become the first in that quaint town to own this model Roller.If membership of the Australian Rolls-Royce owner's club is gradually expanding — Clayton expects to sell eight Phantom sedans, eight Dropheads and three of the new hard-top coupes due in September — it's hardly in danger of becoming less than exclusive. Certainly the sense of occasion on simply approaching the Drophead is unlikely to diminish in a hurry.The sheer blackness of this example, set off by the distinctive burnished silver bonnet, to some extent disguises the Roller's imposing lines. The fabric roof is the longest of any modern auto, a bespoke, five-layered lid that insulates the interior from noise of the madding crowd almost as effectively as the sedan's hard top. Indeed, as Clayton says, it's clear that the Drophead remains “in the Phantom family”.Notwithstanding one client who bought a sedan to complement his new Drophead — as one does — the Drophead's DNA is immediately evident on opening the rear-hinged door.It's a sea of Indian rosewood and the creamiest leather set off with polished, to the point of reflectiveness, stainless steel fittings. A singular ambience almost seduces you as you take hold of the skinny, old-world steering wheel.The Drophead is, of course, hand-crafted using top-drawer materials to Rolls's exacting standards and is modelled on the J-class racing yachts of the 1930s. Indeed, the rear deck is teak.The bonnet is machine-brushed before being hand-finished to ensure a uniform grain.A picnic boot has a split tail compartment that opens in two parts, giving easy access to 315 litres of space. The lower tailgate provides a comfortable seating platform for two adults when folded, revealing a luggage compartment that's more lushly upholstered than the cabins of certain luxury sedans Carsguide has tried.Unlike almost all of them, but very much like its sibling sedan, the Drophead contrasts the immense power of a 6.75-litre V12 with an aural note that's entirely in keeping with the Phantom moniker. Indeed, attempting to start the thing after pausing near Clovelly for pictures proved to be superfluous. The engine was, in fact, running.Roof down in a tunnel, you might be driving a hybrid, so subdued and refined is the note, for all its 338kW and 720Nm. Almost no Dropheads are chauffeur driven, but sitting in the rear pews is easily the most civilised such experience that can be had in a convertible.As we've said of the sedan, the Roller is simply too enjoyable to be left to Jeeves.Such is the alacrity with which it leaves the mark and immediacy of response to steering inputs that it's impossible to believe the thing outweighs all but the heaviest SUVs.Where a lesser luxury car — that would be all of them — might float seasickeningly, the Phantom “wafts” in that legendary, almost patented Rolls-Royce fashion.If the Drophead costs more than a million, driving it is a one in a million experience. 

He was just 17 years old and was thrilled to discover the warehouse next to his workplace was owned by a fellow who was a car fan, a car collector, and someone who didn't have a problem with handing the keys over to a teenager.“The guy had a whole heap of cars in his warehouse and one day he asked if I wanted to drive it,” he recalls. “It was so exhilarating and fun, just a good little sports car.”And from that day on he was hooked and wanted to buy his own. Eight years ago, that finally became a reality for Holden.“I had been looking for a long time to buy one and this one turned up two minutes down the road in a car yard,” he says.After spotting it, Holden resisted the urge, but later went past to point it out to his wife.“I drove past and my wife said, `Why don't you have a look?'. I said, `If I look, I won't be able to walk away', but ... my wife said, `Have a look and see what happens'.”And when she encouraged him to sit in the car, Holden warned her: “There's no going back when I put my bum in it.”“Ever since I was a young bloke I've been into cars, motorbikes, tractors, anything mechanical,” he says.And while he couldn't quite afford “these sorts of toys” while he was starting a family, Holden says when the finances allowed it, he jumped at the chance and would now also like to buy another Bugeye, this time one to race.“They actually made this as a nice sports car, but looked at it and said `no, we can't afford to do this' because they wanted an entry level sports car. So they took bits off other cars to make it cheaper, more economical,” he says.The Bugeye has also been called the first unisex sports car to be introduced. Unlike its predecessors, it was built as a simple, yet stylish and affordable sports car, one that would not only attract males, but also tap into the other slowly emerging market of the time: women.To keep the cost down, it drew on as many BMC components as it could. It features Morris Minor-derived steering and brakes, an Austin A35 engine and a four-speed gearbox. It was initially supposed to have pop-up headlights, but to keep the costs down, they instead stuck the headlamps right on top of the bonnet. A move that quickly earned it the nickname Bugeye.And continuing with that unique character, the Sprite also doesn't have any door handles or a boot lid. The Bugeyes came into Australia as a completely knockdown kit (CKD) and were assembled here. Holden says while it's important to continually maintain a 50-year-old car, it is relatively cheap to look after, as he does most of the work himself. The 45-year-old tries to drive it at least every two or three weeks.“If you can get one on a winding road or country road, it's beautiful fun to drive,” he says.“Corners are really nice. Throw it into a corner in third gear, that's a lot of fun.”Its handling ability and engine capacity is similar to the Mini with a 1.0-litre motor.Holden has even done some motor racing in his Sprite and says although the top speed of 82mph (131km/h) may not sound that fast, it feels it in a car that's so close to the ground and weighs just 600kg. And the Bugeye has had a lot of tender love and care over the years, the previous owner pumping $15,000 into it.“I believe it's the earliest Bugeye Sprite to be done up in Australia,” Holden says.And while he came close to selling it last year, Holden says he talked a prospective owner out of buying it by rattling off all the “bad things” about owning car which is half a century old.But while he was exaggerating the problems with old cars, such as drum brakes, no radio, having to tune the carburettors regularly, he talked himself into keeping it at the same time.“Really, the car drives perfectly, the brakes are wonderful, I couldn't ... tell you anything I don't like about it,” he says.Holden realised, it really wasn't the time just yet to say goodbye to his Bugeye.“I said to my wife, I think we'll keep it.”Today, Sprites in the same condition as Holden's sell for between $22,000 and $30,000.But his won't be going anywhere anytime soon. SNAPSHOT 1958 AUSTIN HEALEY SPRITEValue when new: about pound stg. 900 (`Bugeye')Value now: about $25,000 to $30,000Verdict: With its insect-like character, the Bugeye Sprite is a cool little sports car. 

With only two models on offer, the Swedish brand sold just 1862 cars last year. A small slice of the market, but not for lack of choice within the range.Within the two model range — 9-3 and 9-5 — there are diesel, petrol and ethanol BioPower options, as well as the choice of a sedan, wagon or convertible body styles.Without a definite all-new model on the horizon, the ageing 9-3 recently had a late-life nip and tuck. After years of continuity — it was last refreshed in 2002, the 9-3 has been dressed with some bolder styling cues. Inspired by the brand's Aero X concept car, the 9-3 is now a little more sporty.The front end is practically new, with a more prominent grille, new bumper mouldings and lights and the return of a “clamshell” bonnet.Elsewhere there's been some extra tweaking to give a freshened look, although the changes aren't dramatically different and the Swede is still left looking a little plain.At $50,900, the 9-3 falls into the luxury market, yet it doesn't quite deliver on expectations of price and performance. The 9-3 experience is like watching a movie that doesn't quite satisfy. You're initial impression is “will people notice if I walk out?”.Stick around and there are aspects that might try to win you over, but overall its a B-grade movie.Our car version of that experience was powered by a 1.9-litre turbo diesel engine, which accounts for 31percent of total 9-3 sales. While mid-range performance was good, it was getting there that was the problem.The first thing you notice is the massive turbo lag. Put your foot down and you're left waiting for what seems an age for any meaningful reaction.It finally comes on around 2000rpm, hanging around through to about 2750rpm — and you had best be ready.With the foot planted the arrival of all 320Nm of torque can come as a surprise, as can the torque steer along with it. Peak power of 110kW comes through at 4000rpm.The automatic transmission was comfortable and effective in drive mode, but venturing into user-chooser territory was disappointing.When shifting to the manual function, the gear changes are at your fingertips with paddles located on the steering wheel, but you're often left disputing your gear choice with the transmission nanny.Any attempt to get into fifth gear about the 80km/h mark resulted in a heated argument and a mechanical dummyspit with the driver definitely not coming out on top.Auntie Saab knows best and while you may want a toodle along in a fuel-saving gear the transmission continues to flick back down a cog.The same is the case in the lower gears and slower speeds as well.Try the Sport Drive mode and there's too much of a strain, simply holding the lower gears for too long.And it's not a sporty revving sound, but more of a moaning for the anticipated but non-present shift.On the upside, the ride quality is comfortable around town with soft suspension and it's quite an easy car to manoeuvre, with steady steering and a fairly tight turning circle.Overcome the starting obstacles and the 9-3 is a comfortable cruising car. The interior design feels a little boring and outdated — but still so functional in that very Swedish way — but uplifted by the comfortable black leather seats.The inside is also a quiet location, with minimal intrusion from road noise or the engine.Although the diesel engine is recognisable with the windows down.In trademark Saab tradition the ignition sits on the console between driver and passenger, while there is an ample supply of interior storage.You also get the reassurance of safety thanks to ESP, traction control, driver and passenger adaptive dual stage front airbags, front seat mounted head/thorax side airbags as well as active head restraints.It also comes with some decent equipment, including a electrically adjustable drivers seat, 17-inch alloy wheels, heated front seats, cruise control, a “cooling” feature in the glovebox, a full-size spare wheel and automatic climate control.But you will have to pay extra for parking assistance, a sunroof and a centre headrest in the rear.The 9-3 claims 7.0 litresper100km fuel consumption, but our test showed it to be a little higher for urban driving, averaging 7.7litresper100km.Saab has been a scrapper for some time. It doesn't sit at the top of the European luxury tree but there is enough about them to keep those who do love them enamoured.We are not one of them. Time spent in the 9-3 was just that little bit empty, as if there was something more, something better, just out of reach.But there is hope. A new twin-turbo diesel powertrain expected here next month. The TTiD, 1.9-litre four-cylinder two-stage turbocharging engine will join the range and should give a better low-down performance.The two turbochargers are different sizes and provide instant torque at low speeds as well as stronger top end power at higher rpm. THE BOTTOM LINESaabs 9-3 comes with a decent equipment list, but the performance hurdles of this diesel are hard to conquer. SNAPSHOTSAAB 9-3 LINEAR SPORT TIDPRICE: $50,900ENGINE: 1.9L/4-cyl turbo diesel, 110kW/320NmTRANSMISSION: 6-speed autoECONOMY: 7.0L/100km claimed, 7.7L/100km tested THE RIVALSAUDI A4 TDIPRICE: $57,700ENGINE: 2.0L/4-cyl turbo diesel, 103kW/320NmTRANSMISSION: multitronicECONOMY: 6.4L/100km VOLVO S40 D5PRICE: $44,950ENGINE: 2.4L/5-cyl, turbo diesel, 132kW/350NmTRANSMISSION: 5-speed autoECONOMY: 7.0L/100km BMW 320DPRICE: $56,700ENGINE: 2.0L/4-cyl, turbo diesel, 115kW/330NmTRANSMISSION: 6-speed autoECONOMY: 6.7L/100km 

Step into a 3 Series BMW and it's easy to see why many people around the world aspire to do so daily. The door quietly goes “thunk” and then there's the lovely aroma of the leather trim. And the thought of the motoring pleasures to come. Yes, you can feel a bit smug in a 3 Series.It's a range of German cars that deliver motoring behind a badge of distinction without being in the extravagant band.BMW starts its 3 Series in Australia at $51,000, for the 320i sedan with its four-cylinder engine capable of 110kW power. Modest going but comfortable.Then comes the 323i, a 2.5-litre, six-cylinder with 140kW of power, from $65,000.The subject of our drive is the 325i. It generates 160kW of power from its 2.5-litre six and carries a starting price of $73,800.Top performer is the 335i, which has everyone raving about its superb engine - a three-litre turbocharged six-cylinder unit with a V8-like 225kW of power, from $104,500.In the mix, too, is a highly fuel-efficient 115kW turbodiesel 320d, costing from $56,700.There are sedan, coupe, convertible and touring (station wagon) versions. The choice is further expanded by varieties with names such as Luminance, Executive and there's even an Executive Luminance.Not counting the M3 super-performer, the 3 Series goes to $124,300 for the 335i convertible. Plus options. Yes, BMW and its options. Requiring a few extras on a chosen model comes at a cost - metallic paint is popular at $1600. Power sunroof? That's $2750. Top-level sound system $2400. And you can spend from $300 to $5400 upgrading the wheel and tyre package.The BMW 325i sedan we drove is the second from top in the pecking order, so it comes with standard equipment that might be listed as options on lesser models. It has, for example, 17in alloy wheels, six-stack CD and BMW's Business Navigation system with 6.4in screen.It costs $73,800 for a six-speed manual and $76,500 for a six-speed auto with steptronic shift. As with other 3 Series models, it has ABS and cornering brake control, stability control, front as well as front side and head airbags front and rear, cruise control, rear park sensors, climate control and trip computer. Rear-seat leg room is good for outboard positions but the transmission hump - it is rear-wheel drive - robs foot room for the middle passenger. Rear headroom is not great either but this is a compact (4520mm) sedan.It has no spare wheel, giving the space under the 460-litre boot's floor for storage compartments and the battery.The smallish, in-line six-cylinder is fairly tame in the 1430kg car under 2500rpm but above 3500rpm it sings wonderfully. It delivers 160kW of power at 6500rpm and 250Nm of torque at 2750rpm. This six-speed manual has a lovely gearshift and there's plenty of adjustment in the driver's seat position and steering wheel.The Bridgestone Potenza 225/45 tyres tramlined a little and the challenge remains to provide the perfect run-flat tyre.We used petrol at a rate of 8.5 litres/100km.And, back to BMW's options list, a way to get better bang for the buck is in options packages. This car had the Innovations Pack. For $3300, it includes bi-xenon headlights with washers (normally $1820), adaptive headlights (normally $860), high-beam assist, a USB audio interface (normally $600) and upgrading to the 8.8in screen Professional Navigation system (usually a $3300 extra). Class competitionAudi A4 2.0 Quattro: $67,850Mercedes-Benz C280: $85,000Saab 9-3 Vector 2.0T: $53,400 

Nissan's 350Z roadster is the Porsche for those who can't afford a Porsche.The Japanese two-seater may not match a Boxster at the top end of driving dynamics.Any Porsche has a certain amount of breeding, a continuous sports car heritage hard to ignore. A Porsche, belted hard, retains an amazing amount of mechanical finesse from engine response to road balance.And, as with most German road machines, a Porsche has a certain amount of polished fit and finish. The Nissan Roadster, a little more raw in essence, is a very decent and desirable substitute for quite a few dollars less.At $73,990 for the six-speed manual, this is a sports machine of some substance and value.From the start, Nissan's 350Z Roadster looks the part, a rare soft-top machine that manages to look mean, menacing even, with roof in place. Both 21st century coupe and roadster Zeds have grace and muscle to body style, the soft-top's lower roofline adds further character to the low-slung stance.Yet snug down in a decent driver's seat this low roof and narrow rear window do not hamper good visibility in most directions. (Anyway, with the agility and performance of this Nissan Roadster there is little need to keep too much of a weather eye on rear view mirrors.)The cabin is comfortable, just enough room for two adults with electric adjustments on both seats, a couple of cubby holes and the usual array of comfort and convenience features.These include the push-to-drop button for the roof, decent stereo system that pounds the bass notes into your back and a neat set of three binnacle dials for oil, battery and digital read-out for road speed. This last is of some use for the 350Z's tachometer dominates the instruments ahead of the driver, there's a smaller speedometer off to the right, a little hard to read quickly. Speeds do need to be monitored around here.From the get-go the 350Z does not feel super, super fast, there is the hint of muscle but 1.5 tonne of car to get away. Maximum torque doesn't arrive until 4800rpm and maximum power until 6800rpm, which may help explain the Roadster's road speed becoming more linear as it rises.But as road speeds rise, as the driver flicks up though those six manual ratios and that V6 spins into its stride, things began to pass by at a fair clip. It is a grand machine to hustle along.The 350Z Roadster may not run through its paces with quite the finesse of the aforementioned Boxster, there is a little gruffness to the mechanicals at the high end of the revs, but it does the job with joy and accomplishment. (The coupe is a shade lighter which may help start-line jumps.)These 2007 model Zeds score a reworked V6 with almost 80 per cent new bits, from dual intake system to a wider range for the variable valve timing, bigger crank journals plus a little more compression.The VQ35HR weighs in the same as before but the centre of gravity is down a bit and the Nissan's bonnets now have a power bulge to better fit the powerplant. Power is up from 221kW to 230kW, torque lifts from 353Nm to 358Nm and maximum engine speed has increased by 500rpm to 7500rpm.So there is plenty to work with here as the Roadster crouches, sprints and bellows down the bitumen.The car feels rock solid, rides better than the first generation of this latest line of Zeds, turns in with feeling and hunkers down.Here and there on this Track version the stability control system (yes, it's switchable) kicked in to correct some over exuberance but (on a dry road at least) it takes a bit for the Roadster to lose its manners.Track versions also score four-piston calliper Brembo brakes for extra confidence.It is a car for belting down the bitumen, top up or down, with sweet responses to steering wheel and throttle inputs. It remains eager and involves a driver, rewards driver input with excellent point-to-point times across the back country.Conversely, this Roadster can be an easy shopping trolley (although two cartons of XXXX will fill the boot) and, apart from scraping low over some obnoxious speed humps, is easy to potter and park.And, whether out for a tour or out for a shop, the Nissan 350Z Roadster always looks right; those 18-inch wheels filling those flared guards, that simple crouch and that uncomplicated rear style. It always looks right, it always looks like it's ready to do the business.But a week with this car is long enough. It began to cost too many Lotto tickets, looking for those extra elusive dollars to add a 350Z to the garage. Snapshot Nissan 350Z Roadster Track Price: $73,990Body: Two-seat convertibleEngine: 3 litre V6Power: 230KW @ 6800rpmTorque: 358NM @ 4800rpmTransmission: Six-speed manualDimensions (MM): 4315 (l), 1815 (w) 1323 (h) 

But what are hats and sunscreen for?Besides most of today's roadsters can get their fabric or folding metal lids up at the push of a button within half a minute. These are Carsguide's favourites: Affordable fun Mazda MX-5 Price: from $42,870Engine: 2L/4-cylinder; 118kW/188NmEconomy: 8.5L/100kmTransmission: 6-speed manual or autoIf there was an annual award in this category it would reside perpetually in Mazda's trophy cabinet. The original MX-5 reinvented the classic Brit roadster adding such novel notions as performance and reliability.The third generation retains the 1989 model's exhilarating dynamics and sheer fluidity. If you don't find pleasure in the way an MX-5 drives you've probably ceased breathing.Purists might decry such modern innovations as air-con, power steering, ESP, a folding composite roof and (egad!) an auto transmission, but it hasn't been 1957 for some time now. Still others would rather it went quicker, but they're missing the point.The MX-5 is the affordable roadster. Track marqueLotus Elise SPrice: $69,990Engine: 1.8L/4-cylinder; 100kW/172NmEconomy: 8.3L/100kmTransmission: 5-speed manualThe salient figure here is 860 that's the number of kgs the entry-level Lotus weighs, or about 500 less than a Toyota Corolla whose engine this spartan roadster uses to get from standing to 100km/h in 6.1 seconds.While it's absolutely one for the enthusiast - or the fanatic - even if you've not the least wish to drive something so uncompromised (though a good deal more civilised than the Exige) you should at least be driven in a Lotus once. It'll open your eyes. Wide.At its best at track speeds, where the Lotus's wonderfully unassisted steering comes into its own and where it doesn't matter that it takes ages to assemble to roof, you can smilingly drive one every day. But beware barging SUVs. Zed's not dead Nissan 350Z RoadsterPrice: $73,990Engine: 3.5L/V6; 230kW/358NmEconomy: 12L/100kmTransmission: 6-speed manual or 5-speed autoThe Roadster version of the still outstanding 350Z gives very little away to the coupe model and while the same-priced auto is a cog short of the manual's six, it's easy to live with in city traffic.Though we've yet to try the Roadster with the substantially new the faster V6 that causes the bonnet to bulge so priapically, our recent week in the revised Coupe suggests that it too will be more of an already good thing.It's almost impossible to believe that same company is responsible for the Tiida ... Gay tidingsAudi TT Roadster V6 quattroPrice: $92,900Engine: 3.2L/v6; 184kW/320NmEconomy: 9.6L/100kmTransmission: 6-speed DSGLike the coupe, the lighter front-wheel-drive with the GTI's turbo four pot is a better bet most of the time than the heftier all-wheel-drive, though it's not really a sports car there'll be moments when you'll love yourself for the latter's extra go and grip.Dispensing with the coupe's comedy back seat, there's ample room behind when with the fabric roof's folded. Some find the ride a bit terse; I don't but would still take the optional magnetic suspension.With performance and handling that are both entertaining and accessible while wrapped in such an aesthetically bell-ringing package, the TT is fairly loveable. If only ...Porsche Boxster SPrice: from $135,100Engine: 3.4L/6-cylinder; 217kW/340NmEconomy: 10.4 or 11L/100kmTransmission: 6-speed manual or 5-speed autoIn our rare idle moments hereabouts, certain of us scan the classifieds trying rather pathetically to convince ourselves that a used Boxster is almost within our reach. Almost. Well, maybe one day ...That's the problem with spending any amount of time in a Boxster, particularly, the top whack S. There's nothing wrong with it, you see. Well, maybe the ride on bigger tyres is just a bit savage, but so what when all else is perfect. It even sounds wonderful.At it's worst, the Boxster will make you hate yourself for not being a better driver. So sublimely intuitive is the handling, so poised and balanced does it feel even in extremis, it almost always feels capable of more. Even if you're not. Two plus twosAffordability aside, floating the open top proposition can founder on the fatal shores of practicality. Society frowns upon selling one's children, though surely financing a Boxster should be cause for sympathy.Still, Volkswagen's Eos (from $49,990) cabriolet/coupe comes is a practical, stylish and - with the drivetrain of the Golf GTI - tolerably rapid 2+2. It retains adequate bootage with the sophisticated folding metal lid, which can be configured five different way, folded down. Uniquely there's also a diesel option (from $48K), so you needn't use much juice.And there are further options afoot.With BMW's glorious twin-turbo 3-litre petrol six, the 135i cabriolet (due in June) will be by far the sharpest 2+2. Audi's A3 cabrio, likely to feature the 1.8-litre TFSI, follows in July.And if fortune smiles upon you to the tune of $1.19 there's the sensuous land yacht that is Rolls-Royce's Drophead coupe. Plenty of room in the back for the kids in this baby.