Convertible Reviews

It is being given a makeover for 2008, gaining revised looks, improved interior and more powerful engines. But the German carmaker is doing one of its now-expected tricks by achieving the power increase, along with a small gain in torque, with improved fuel economy and lower exhaust emissions.The SLK, a two-seater sports car, was introduced a decade ago as the smaller brother to the famed SL line of 'Benz sports cars whose price has slipped out of reach of most motorists.The SLK selling now is the second generation, with prices spanning $86,000-$164,000, while the 2008 model is a heavily revised version of that. Mercedes-Benz says it has 650 new parts over the existing model, so it's not just an engine do-up. The 2008 SLK has just been announced in Europe and will go on sale in right-hand-drive in the UK in April.Mercedes-Benz Australia tells Carsguide the new SLK is expected here soon after that, meaning it's only a few months away.The latest technology gets a look-in, too. A new audio and telematics system, NTG 2.5, will be in the SLK and is said to be easier to operate and offers a wider range of functions. The sound system will include a hands-free Bluetooth connection and a new media interface in the glovebox where mobile music devices, such as an iPod, can be connected and operated by the car's audio control system. A new three-spoke steering wheel will carry multifunction buttons. It is part of an interior revision that is aimed at being more driver oriented.It has a new instrument cluster, too.The 2008 SLK can be picked over the existing model by a new front bumper with modified air dam and a more pronounced arrow shape, picking up the feel of the more expensive, bigger SL series. The rear end has a diffuser-style lower section, suggesting more serious performance. And it has darkened tail-light lenses inspired by the Mercedes-Benz performance arm AMG. Larger exterior mirrors include LED turning indicators with a more pronounced arrow shape.The range will start with the SLK 200 Kompressor, a four-cylinder supercharged 1.8-litre where power goes up 15kW to 135kW and torque increases 10Nm to 250Nm — but gives 7.7 litres per 100km.SLK280 is the three-litre V6 good for 170kW but fuel consumption has been cut to 9.3 litres per 100km.Much work has gone into the 3.5-litre V6 engine of the SLK 350. It gains 24kW to 224kW of power at 6500rpm and 10Nm more torque for 360Nm at 4900rpm. The improvements come from changes including a new intake manifold, higher compression ratio and modified valve train.The SLK 350 has a six-speed manual gearbox as standard but the 7G-Tronic automatic transmission that is programmed to blip the throttle on downshifts is appealing.The six-speed manual is standard on SLK models, leaving a five-seed automatic optional on the 200 Kompressor and the seven-speed 7G-Tronic automatic on the 280 and 350 models. The hot-rod SLK 55 AMG retains its 5.5-litre V8 engine of 265kW and 510Nm and 7G-Tronic with paddle shift. SLK has what 'Benz calls a vario roof — a hardtop coupe that converts to open roadster in 22 seconds.Optional in the UK and Europe and to be confirmed for Australia is a direct steering package, which is standard on the 55 AMG.Once the steering angle is past five degrees, the steering ratio increases rapidly for more direct response.It reduces steering-wheel rotations, aimed at making city driving less cumbersome and enabling sweeping, faster roads to be negotiated with only small steering inputs.

You don't arrive at your destination. That's too abrupt. Too common.One is delivered. One materialises. One emanates.Indeed, one finds oneself saying “one'' and employing generally more polished diction than is perhaps one's norm. The car (in so far as “car'' is an adequate noun) has that effect. Among others.Carsguide can say this with not a little smugness, having made our Rolls-Royce debut last week in an act of what can only be described as the most extraordinary noblesse oblige by Trivett Classic to we inky-fingered proles.For a Rolls-Royce is an everyday reality to those for whom dropping around $1 million on a car is of no more (possibly less) significance than a Mazda6 for most of the rest of us. John Laws has recently acquired yet another as has Lindsay Fox.Bevin Clayton of Trivett, the man who counts both the retired broadcaster and the trucking tycoon as clients, seldom considers requests to access his precious objets of auto art. Having sold six Rolls this month to celebrate the delivery of his 50th Phantom in Australia and New Zealand in four years, he really doesn't need to.Even so, having smiled upon us, Clayton says that we were going to climb aboard his Phantom demonstrator, “then this became available.''This is a Phantom Tungsten, the third model from the marque's Bespoke Collection. With barely two figures on the odometer it is the only one in the country.Derived from the 101EX Coupe shown at Geneva last year, the Tungsten with its deep metallic hue and contrasting brushed aluminium bonnet has an immediate impact, as do the new 21-inch, seven-spoke alloys. Subtle twin chrome exhaust tips further acknowledge the show car.With a flourish Clayton opens the front- and classic rear suicide doors (carbon fibre umbrellas sheathed within).It's madly opulent. Lush black, pile carpet and smoke and navy leather contrasts with straight-grained East Indian Rosewood (Rolls still poach their woodworkers from Southampton yacht builders) and metal fascia.No modern vulgarities spoil a traditional ambience typified by the skinny steering wheel. The voice activated multi-media screen and phone remain discreetly behind the old world veneer unless summoned.Clayton says, contrary to the cliche, that almost all the Rolls he sells are driven by those who paid for them: “why pay $1 million to let chauffeur have the fun?'' There's rather a lot to be said, however, for sitting in the two higher-set rear thrones.Aside from the digital screens that fold from the back of the front seat and play with stadium volume, there's the wholly unique Starlight Headlining above them. “Stunning yet elegant'' the Rolls blurb aptly calls a fixture in which 600 fibre optic lights embedded in black leather roof lining make for a heavenly display that also provides reading light.But Clayton's clients like to wrap their manicured mitts around that skinny tiller, so it's up front for us as he guides the 2.5 tonne colossus from through the agonisingly narrow lanes of East Sydney onto William St.At least it looks like William St — only the sharpest sound penetrates the double-glazed glass. Nor does the engine intrude. If the Phantom was not answering the throttle with such mass-belying promptness (5.9 seconds is the claimed 0-100km/h time), one (you, everyone) would swear power had been lost. This 6.75-litre V12 is more softly spoken and refined than a hybrid.It's when Clayton bids you take the wheel in your slightly sweaty hands (nails cut with the wife's clippers only last night) you can grasp why Laws et al leave Jeeves at home.Once the crippling nervousness has passed, the Phantom is in its rarefied fashion a jolly fun drive. From an almost SUV driving position, the steering is so light and so direct you could be piloting something a good tonne lighter. To get off the mark with extra dispatch, depress the L button located steering wheel right and this land yacht surges away.As Clayton says, “waftablity'' won't be found in a dictionary but remains in the Roll-Royce lexicon. That floating element of the ride is very much present, though not to a seasick making extent, the benefits of an air suspension that ownership by BMW has bought. Indeed, it's so cossetting that you'd never know that another BMW hallmark, run flat tyres, are in place.Another less quantifiable but very real Roller effect comes home as I choose to take it home from the photo shoot at the old Redfern Carriage Works through streets that realtors would have us believe are in Surry Hills. Perhaps if The Phantom were done-out in blue and white checks with a light atop it might have excited less comment, but I doubt it.The Tungsten still had double figures on the clock when I — by now emboldened — squeezed it into Trivett's garage, but this spin was enough to grasp why Rolls-Royces are, for the few, seriously habit forming.My most significant feat was using 39.5-litres of premium unleaded per 100km, a realisation that was the only deflating aspect of the experience. Never mind the seven-figure price tag, I could only seldom afford to fill the Roller's tank.ROLLS ROYCE PHANTOMPrice: $915,000 (EWB $1.095 million)Engine: 6.75L/V12; 338kW/720NmEconomy: 15.9L/100km (claimed)0-100km/h: 5.9 seconds

Audi Australia corporate communications general manager Anna Burgdorf said it would arrive around July 2008, but there are no prices or no specifications yet."The engines are not yet agreed but we will look into a mix of petrol and TDI," she said.There are four engines to choose from, including two diesel.All are direct injection units with turbocharging. The performance range extends from 77kW to 147kW. The S tronic dual-clutch gearbox will be offered as an option.Audi has stayed with the classic fabric top for its light weight and tight fit.The hydraulically operated top will open in lightning fast time – nine seconds – and can also be opened and closed at speeds of up to 30km/h. It will fold away to take up little space and be flush with the body.Between the outer skin and the inner lining there is a synthetic fibre mat that improves thermal insulation and soundproofing – at a speed of 140 km/h it is only 1dB (A) louder inside the Audi A3 Cabriolet than in the A3.If only the front seats are occupied, a wind deflector can be erected above the rear bench seat in a few simple steps from one side of the vehicle.The hood is available in semi-automatic and fully automatic versions, in the latter instance as a specially soundproofed acoustic hood.The four-seater's body structure has a high proportion of high-strength, ultra-high-strength and hot-formed steels, as well as a large number of reinforcing measures to retain rigidity and crash safety.The rear seat backs can be folded down, increasing the luggage capacity from 260 to 674 litres whether the hood is up or down.It comes with responsive electromechanical power steering, four-link rear suspension and an optional sports suspension.

But for many of those whose scones are swivelling in its direction, the only sight that'll really register is the tristar emblem embedded within the nose. Indeed, for people of certain means and disposition there's something automatic about the decision to buy a Benz.Or rather, the 'non-decision.' Carsguide's lost count of the times we've heard something like; “Brand X was very good, but we just had to have a Mercedes.”Whether C-Class or E-Class, SUV or AMG, it's the same story. As someone once said; “A BMW is for the man making his money, a Mercedes is for the man who's made it.”Indeed, the average age of the tristar brand's buyer is post-midlife. In the past decade the company has sought to lure a less-mature punter with soccer-mum mobiles such as the B-Class, the new and groovier looking C-Class Avantgarde and, of course, the SLK roadster.As to the rival cars we've selected at page right, well, the Boxster's the critic's choice, the BMW's the collector's and the Nissan is stunning bang for the buck. But a Mercedes is, after all, a Mercedes.Apart from the folding metal roof (rivals make do with ragtops) that fold up or down in 22 seconds, the version in which we spent the week had its value equation enhanced enormously by it being a Designo edition.For a premium of $8000 over the standard 350, the Designo adds what would otherwise be about $22,000 in additional kit. There's a choice of metallic paint and two-tone leather upholstery combinations. Ours was 'platinum black' with red/black Designo two-tone leather.There's also Alcantara roof lining, wood/leather shift lever, individual wood trim and leather-covered roll-over bars. You won't find another roadster with such cockpit ambience.It also cops 17-inch, five-spoke alloys, lowered sports suspension,Bi-Xenon lamps, Harman/Kardon surround-sound system, and climate-control airconditioning including a neck-level heating system.Merc's seamless 7-speed automatic is the standard transmission, its facility enhanced by steering-wheel gearshift paddles and response by push button settings; comfort, manual or sport. There's a parking assistance system, electric seats with memory settings, sat-nav and UHI mobile phone pre-installation system.Apart from the roadster, Designo appointments are available on the Mercedes Benz CL-Class, CLK, CLS, E, M, S and SL.In most respects, the SLK's performance just about matches its sinuous shape. The 200kW/350Nm V6 punches it from standing to 100km/h in a claimed 5.5 seconds, so it hardly lacks for straight ahead go.Where Merc besotted buyers might get a rude shock is by a ride that, while reasonably cosseting by class standards, is a good way from soft.A broken surface is not its friend when pushing on and mid-corner bumps are fully felt through the steering wheel. It's impossible, however, not to be impressed by the strength and rigidity of the body.That rack and pinion steering isn't quite so direct as its rivals, slightly lacking precision around the centre, though it's loaded up meatily by the point when the hands have moved 12-to-6. If it's not so razor-sharp a tool as its ostensible competitors, that's not really the Merc's remit. While the SLK will satisfy most buyers in the dynamics department most of the time, rapid open top cruising is what it's all about.And in this the SLK excels.You may not really need seven forward gears but the Merc's auto is way more sophisticated than anything else on offer in the segment, providing a welcome manual override of drive via the shift paddles. The transmission is a good metaphor for the whole car: a smooth unit that's accessible and a pleasure to live with.It's a bit of a flop aurally, though. While the 3.5 V6 has all the potency you could wish for with a wide easily tapped torque band, it sounds ... well, kind of dull (to be fair, I should add that no one seems to agree with me on this point).Like the 3.0-litre V6 of the C280 we drove recently, it has to be held manually at high revs (at redline it upchanges automatically) to make much noise. It's no good ripping through tunnels with the roof down, the engine note is muted when you'd like something crisp and declamatory.Pity, because the SLK is an open roadster that satisfies other senses. The bottom lineAn automatic choice in more ways than one. SnapshotMercedes Benz SLK 350 Designo Price: $123,500Engine: 3.5L/V6; 200kW/350NmEconomy: 10.3L/100km (tested)0-100KM/H: 5.5 seconds The rivals BMW Z4 M RoadsterPrice: $130,800Engine: 3.2L/6-cylinder; 252kW/365NmEconomy: 12.8L/100km0-100KM/H: 5.5 seconds  Porsche Boxster SPrice: $135,100Engine: 3.4L/6-cylinder; 217kW/340NmEconomy: 14.6L/100km0-100KM/H: 6.3 seconds Nissan 350Z Roadster Touring Price: $73,990Engine: 3.5L/V6; 230kW/358NmEconomy: 12L/100km0-100KM/H: 6.0 seconds (estimate) 

Remove the roof, feel the breeze in your hair and gear up for some open-road cruising, sunscreen and hat close by.And while other manufacturers have had their versions of the under-$50k convertibles for some time, it's now Ford's turn to come to the coupe-cabriolet party and it's better late than never.Ford's offering in this segment is in the form of a Focus Coupe-Cabriolet with an Italian twist.The stylish new addition to the Focus range is based on the Vignale concept car first shown at the 2004 Paris Motor Show. The production version was built in partnership with Pininfarina, the name that has been associated with many marques over the years, including Ferrari.And the car's origins are cemented even further in Italy, having been built in Turin.The new Focus wears its heritage with pride, with a Pininfarina badge adorning its side.At $45,490, the hard-top convertible comes with a competitive price tag, up against the Holden Astra and Volkswagen Eos. It's fitted with a 2.0-litre Duratec four-cylinder engine, which is quiet inside the cabin in both modes.A total of 107kW is delivered at 6000rpm, with 185Nm at 5400rpm, but 90per cent of peak torque is available from just over 2000rpm.Ford believes it will sell around 100 models a month, with 75per cent of sales being automatics, adding $2000 to the price.But out on the winding roads, the four-speed automatic gearbox felt sluggish. Apply some hard acceleration and you're left watching and waiting for the tacho needle to rise as it does so very slowly, anticipating the final delivery of power.While slipping into the sport sequential shift mode helped and allows the driver to control the gears, it still felt too slow.The five-speed manual that comes standard is the better way to go. When driving uphill and working your way up to speed, it still felt a little restrained, but once hitting faster cruising speeds, the Coupe-Cabriolet was fun to drive.It's not a sporty drive in terms of travelling fast and the way the performance is delivered, but that's not really the nature of this convertible.Rather, it's pleasant cruising and a classy car, one you can enjoy around town or on open roads. Throw it around corners and bends and you'll soon see its fun nature. It handled well as it stuck to the corners — with the roof up or down.By gaining the ability to drop its top, the Coupe-Cabriolet also packs on the kilos, weighing 140kg to 150kg more than the rest of the Focus range.Removing the roof requires the car to be stationary, and it's a simple press of the button on the centre console before the two-piece roof retracts in 29 seconds. Boot space is best in the class: 534 litres with the roof up, 248-litres when the roof is stored away.Once you remove the roof, the Focus still feels strong and steady on the road, the wind beingno hindrance at all. The dual-zone airconditioning also adapts with the roof off, and still manages to cool you down despite the outside heat.The Coupe-Cabriolet also comes with a good equipment list, including heated seats, six-disc CD system, rain-sensing wipers, leather interior and a glovebox cooling feature all standard. Metallic paint is no extra charge. Safety features are also impressive, with ABS and Dynamic Stability Control standard, as well as front and side airbags and a Roll-over Protection Device.Inside, it feels comfortable and even the back two seats offer adequate space. Nevertheless, it would still get a bit cramped for back passengers on long trips. The Focus drop-top is a stylish design and stands out from the rest of the Focus range, although it still does maintain its DNA.The flowing lines and unique rear tail lights particularly make it a more unique design.In terms of economy, the Focus' claimed consumption of 7.5litres per 100km for the manual and 8.3litres per 100km for the auto beats others in the segment.In real-world driving, we averaged around8.4 litres in the automatic version.The convertible rides on 17-inch alloy wheels, with 18-inch wheels an optional extra.A diesel model is available in Europe but Ford Australia has no plans to bring it here. Mainly the result of the different demand in transmissions, the diesel only comes with a manual.And while a petrol-powered turbo model, like that in the Eos, would give it that extra edge to push it into a more exciting and engaging drive, Ford says there are no plans to expand the range anytime in the near future.Ford believe its new convertible will be taken up by both males and females, the young and stylish and older empty-nesters looking for a treat after their children have left home. SNAPSHOT FORD FOCUS COUPE-CABRIOLETPRICE: $45,490 (manual) $47,490 (auto)ENGINE: 2.0L/4-cyl, 107kW/185NmTRANSMISSION: 5-speed manual, 4-speed autoECONOMY: 7.5L/100km (man), 8.3L/100km (auto) ALTERNATIVES Holden Astra Convertible $45,490Volkswagen Eos from $47,990Renault Megane Coupe-Cabriolet $44,490 

That's the myth, anyway. Buyers seldom need inducement to blow their new car's sticker price out by four figures — plus dealer delivery and government charges, of course.With prestige marques, it takes only the ticking of a few boxes to get north of$10,000 in extras.Take BMW's 335i sedan, which has made the finals of Carsguide's Car of the Year (go to www.carsguide.com.au).With add-ons and enhancements, the 335i's already eye-watering $104,500 sticker price can end up closer to $120,000.Some of these items may be desirable, but none are necessary. One of them is actually detrimental.Although, as P. T. Barnum pointed out, while there's one born every minute, at least safety is becoming a not-for-sale item.In the small-to-medium segment, Australia's most fervently contested, Subaru and Mitsubishi have embarrassed the pack with the standard airbag and ESP packages on lesser Impreza and Lancer variants.You can bet that the days of optional so-called “safety packs” are numbered. That leaves bling enhancements such as sunroofs.If you want to fork out thousands for a hole in the roof that's pointless in winter and aircon-negating in summer, you deserve to be grist for the Barnums of this auto life.Then there are those additions — supposedly performance-enhancing but primarily superficial — that have the effect of ruining the ride and, in certain salient cases, seriously sapping your will to live.Manufacturers spend millions testing ride and compliance. We then spend thousands destroying them with phat rims the engineers never envisaged and dropped ride height that guarantees painful impact with every speed bump encountered.It helps not one bit that NSW roads are among the world's worst, but some cars are disadvantaged by having been designed for the first world.Which is why Alfa Romeo's 159 Ti V6 is a pleasant surprise. Lowered, tautened and shod in low-profile rubber though it is, the Alfa's enhanced handling doesn't come at the cost of liveability.As we found in our recent road test, an entirely reasonable $2000 premium over the already excellently equipped standard 159 brings both sharper turn-in and sharper looks.You may want to approach steep driveways with caution, but hitting a pothole won't send you to the other side of the road.Which brings us back to that 335i.The model tested in January brought forth from us the gushing that has accompanied any Bimmer equipped with that superb bi-turbo in-line six.And this example was fairly basically equipped — unlike our C-COTY car, which had the $4500 M Sport kit.With special alloys, beefy steering wheel, aerodynamic go-fast bits, sports seats, sports suspension and those coveted M badges, this is quite the extras package.And, in daily driving, it comes close to rendering this circa $120,000 sports sedan a weeping misery.Although the M bits enhance its on-track performance and look the goods, they make the simple act of driving rapidly along a straight B-road a camber-chasing, traction-control-activating nightmare.In fact, open-road motoring in a 335i with sport suspension feels like you're driving up the garden path.

Thanks to former US presidential candidate Al Gore, global warming is dinner party conversation these days.Diminishing oil reserves have also focused attention on fuel economy and emissions, leading to Swedish carmaker Saab expanding its bioethanol engines across its local range.The new 9-3 range now includes a bioethanol model, which joins the TiD diesel or turbocharged petrol four and V6 engines. The 9-3 BioPower E85 joins the 9-5 BioPower, which has also just gone on sale.Saab has brought 50 9-5 E85 cars here and Saab spokeswoman Emily Perry, says it is difficult to forecast possible take-up of the 9-3 BioPower, given the fuel's limited availability.Typically made from crops such as corn, bioethanol is an alcohol-based fuel mixed with regular petrol with up to 85 per cent ethanol and 15 per cent petrol, giving an E85 rating.But as bioethanol is more corrosive than petrol, fuel lines and engine parts must be made of more durable components.The 9-3 BioPower is available in sedan, wagon and the convertible. It costs $1000 more than the equivalent petrol models. Its engine delivers 147kW and 300Nm of maximum torque on E85. Running on E85, the BioPower 2.0-litre engine produces 18kW more (147kW versus 129kW) and 35Nm of extra torque (300Nm versus 265Nm) than the 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine.Saab estimates driving on E85 can reduce fossil fuel-based CO2 emissions up to 80 per cent.The most efficient small capacity diesel engines deliver in the region of 120g to 130g of CO2 a kilometre and the new 9-3 BioPower emits only 40g of CO2 a kilometre.Apart from the E85 cars, Saab has added an all-wheel-drive model, the Turbo X, and a performance turbodiesel to the line-up.The petrol models include an entry-level 129kW/265Nm 2.0-litre Linear, 129kW/265Nm 2.0-litre Vector and high-output 154kW/300Nm 2.0-litre and range-topping 188kW/350Nm Aero 2.8-litre V6.From February, the two-stage turbocharged 132kW/400Nm 1.9-litre TTiD arrives, joining the 110kW/320Nm TiD models.The TTiD will be available in Aero sedan or wagon models with either a six-speed manual or automatic transmission. Next June it will be joined by the limited-edition Turbo XWD all-wheel drive.The new 9-3 gains a new aggressive front end design, clamshell bonnet and new headlights, similar to the Aero X concept car.At the back, the sedan and convertible have smoked white light clusters and deeper bumpers.The entry-level Vector sedan is $43,400 and the range-topping Aero 2.8TS $70,600.

More recently, BMWs have come in the form of fat SUVs, wedge-shaped roadsters and pimp coupes with bulbous bums, most of which are made in the US mainly for Americans.Now comes another such device, derived from a misbegotten 2+2 whimsically presented in hatchback form made mainly for the European market.We take a backseat to no one when it comes to deriding the 1 Series; not least because no one can fit in the backseat. Now, a derivation of the 1 Series; conceived ironically enough for the hatch-allergic Yanks; which is upon us.Due to reach our shores in June alongside a cabrio cousin, BMW's 135i has got to have an early shot at being one of the cars of 2008.Yep, the 1 Series is an excellent compact performance coupe, the sort of thing Bimmer have not done for for too long amid that plethora of profitable, but not so pure, products.Indeed, the range-topping pocket rocket evokes the 1972 2002 Tii, an iconic turbo-charged compact two-door. It is the sort of car that has been among BMW's core competencies.Packing the same 225kW/400Nm 3.0 litre, bi-turbo inline six introduced last year on the 3 Series Coupe, the more petite 135i transcends the merely competent by the width of its torque band.The 135i's planes and creases succeed in the metal to a far greater extent than the printed image implies. The traditional BMW style cues work with a high, muscular shoulder line, flared wheel arches and the standard-fit M Sports kit including lightweight 18-inch alloys.Markedly shorter in the wheelbase and smaller in overall dimensions than the 3 Series, it is, at 1485kg, only 50kg lighter than its big brother.Within, it is a legitimate four-seater. A burly type can survive the rear pews comfortably with just a little consideration from those up front as they sit among one of almost 200 posited trim combinations.The work station is generic BMW, with the perfect driving position readily obtainable, the short shifting gearstick falling readily to hand. There is 370 litres of boot, more than 800 with the split fold rear seats folded flat. Bluetooth and the now slightly less enigmatic version of the i-Drive multi-media system are among the options, as will be a six-speed Steptronic auto transmission.When the 135i comes our way it will be launched with its drop-top equivalent and the 125i, a circa $60K model using BMW's 2.5 normally-aspirated six. But the impressive-sounding diesels are not for us.With a claimed 0-100km/h capability of 5.3 seconds, the 135i outdoes the 3 Series in a straight line by a good few tenths. It is not the relatively affordable shrink-wrapped version of the 335i we half-expected, but a hugely gratifying car that provides rewards of its own.Completely devoid of lag, the twin turbo unit accesses all of its towering 400Nm from an exceptionally low 1300rpm. Beautiful match with a paddle-shifted ZF auto that it is, it will pull so emphatically in sixth when open roading in the manual that you almost believe you are in fourth. Linear effortless performance is a given.What the 135i brings to BMW's rich table that is uniquely its own is handling that befits a compact performance coupe, a species of which this is the only extant example.The DTSC system bites hard when it judges too rash a deviation from the correct cornering line, but it can be disabled at a button's push. This locks the electronic limited slip differential, which allows a good deal more latitude and a great deal of grin-inducing adjustability. The runflat tyre/M-sports suspension set-up makes for an adroit concerning stance and a ride that might be bearable even on our roads.Electric power steering provides feel to complement the trademark combo of rear-wheel-drive and almost 50:50 weight distribution. This coupe is decidedly more at home on a winding B-road than the track, where its still-hefty weight and tall gearing can hinder progress.That said, where the 135i succeeds brilliantly is in its performance and handling capabilities being so readily accessible while its demeanor remains extraordinarily forgiving.Purists might sniff that the new Bimmer is not all it could be; not as lithe nor quite so focused. That misses the point, which is that it is absolutely what BMW customers want.And if their motor show stand reminded us that there is a BMW for most shapes and circumstances, here is one that will win both hearts and minds.

On a weekday morning, even the fastest accelerating production convertible in Australia can take an hour to get from the Harbour Bridge's southern approaches to the F3 turn off.“Toupee-ripping” is how a colleague described the acceleration figure claimed by Porsche for its stunning 911 Turbo Cabriolet.“Hair-tearing” is usually the reality; in a city where noted stand-up comedian and part-time roads minister Eric Roozendaal reckons traffic is no heavier than 10 years ago.Although I long ago bid my follicles farewell; partly as result of enduring endless scenarios like this, it's a measure of this Porsche that it remained capable of shaking us to the roots.You won't often have the chance, but even so you'd need to have lapsed into a fairly deep coma not to be affected by the reality-blurring manner in which the 911 Turbo achieves 100km/h from standing.Flatten the go pedal of the five-speed automatic, surge forward, receive a turbo-charged kick in the pants and within half the time it takes you to get cognisant of what's occurred, a third numeral has flashed up on the digital speedo and the rear wing rises triumphantly.At a claimed 3.8 seconds, the hundred occurs 0.3 seconds quicker than in a Ferrari F430 Spyder. At least, it does in the version that teams the Tiptronic auto with the 3.6-litre twin-turbo six, good for 353kW and 620Nm.Although the $8000 cheaper six-speed manual is quicker over the 400 metre mark, the longer-geared auto dispatches the first benchmark 0.2 faster. But with either transmission, the topline all-wheel-drive 911s outsprint not only the Ferrari, but the nearest open top Lamborghini and Mercedes-Benz; these get there on the other side of four ticks.And at $357,500 for the manual and $365,500 for the auto, an example of which we drove, the Porsches are also much less expensive, even at a $22K premium over the 911 Turbo coupes. The cabrios do what they do whether the wind's whistling over the fabric roof that folds in 20 seconds or searing your scalp.But then the flow of air is, well, elemental with the 911 Turbo.A purpose-sculptured front bumper and aerodynamic planes directs air into the gaping intakes, which at 300km/h would channel 6400 litres a second of the breathing stuff. Most is rushed into the front vents to provide downforce and cooling, the rest into the intercoolers by way of those that open unmissably at the side.The rear-mounted powerplant features two fan-shaped turbochargers that alter the angle of their vanes to force-feed the engine.The last public frontier on this continent for fully exploring such a car closed when the Northern Territory government decided that excessive speed caused its constant road toll.Thus track days (and advanced driving lessons) are of the essence in 911 ownership; as would be optional $19,000 ceramic brakes.Yet even on our lamentably surfaced and ineptly governed roads the blown open topper cannot but convey its outlandish nature.Drive defaults predominantly to the rear wheels in Porsche's all-paw fashion, though with an electronic multi-plate clutch that will in extremis feed up to 100 per cent to front within 100 milliseconds, which is faster than any mere human could react.It could be argued that the human element is missing from a car that grips, corners and corrects with such an authoritarian poise and control. I'm among the 95 per cent who would be simply awed by the thing's ability to carve through tight corners at a rate we could not hope to approach in any lesser vehicle. This thing is clinically brilliant.Steering? It's a Porsche, so it's about as close to perfect as makes no odds.You could reasonably carp about the old, button-activated Tiptronic, though, which is not the sharpest of such things. Dominating the Volkswagen Group as it does, Porsche plans to move to a DSG set-up soon and a version such as the R-Tronic of Audi's new R8 would fit the 911 Turbo like lycra.All this power comes with PASM (Porsche Active Stability Management), which can be button-switched from normal to sport and is attached to the its latest traction control technology. These measures combine to ensure that, bar certifiable madness, the Porsche won't overwhelm you.As to kit, there's not much wanting with six airbags, Bose surround sound, bi-xenon lamps, 19-inch alloys and sat-nav. Like all 911s, there's rear seat room for two people aged less than 24 months. Not much to be done about this, but given the massive premium over a mere Carrera, a bit of differentiating trim would be in order.Which brings us back to where we started, stationary in the slow lane, far from anything like the Turbo Cabrio's natural habitat.Yes, either of the Italians, and certainly the Merc, might be more comfortable cabins at such times, but there's the consolation of knowing you can get away from here quicker than any of them. Even if only by a hair's breadth. SnapshotPorsche 911 Turbo CabrioletPrice: $365,500 (auto)Engine: 3.6L/6-cylinder twin tubro, 353kW/620NmEconomy: 13.7L/100km0-100km/h: 3.8 secondsQuote: “Steering? It's a Porsche, so it's about as close to perfect as makes no odds”  Rivals Ferrari F430 Spider   Price: $425,000Engine: 4.3L/V8, 360kW/465NmEconomy: 18.3L/100km0-00km/h: 4.1 seconds  Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder  Price: $439,999Engine: 5.0L/V10, 382kW/510NmEconomy: 17L per 100km0-100km/h: 4.3 seconds  Mercedes-Benz SL55 AMG   Price: $374,900Engine: 5.4L/V8 supercharged, 380kW/720NmEconomy: 13.5L/100km0-100km/h: 4.5 seconds 

Chrysler will be adding the Sebring Cabrio to its range just in time for it to be wrapped as a potential Christmas gift.The new convertible will offer seating for four and will be available in traditional soft or a folding metal hard tops.The rag top will be on the lower-spec models and the hard top is destined for the range-topper.The Cabrio follows the sedan's model line-up and will be available in Touring and Limited guises when it goes on sale next month, with just 500 likely to be on offer for 2008.The Sebring Cabrio gets either a black or beige cloth top on Touring models, which are set to appear with a price around $45,000. The range-topping Limited model, which is likely to carry a price tag near $50,000 - gets the folding metal hard top, which adds just 45kg to the Cabrio's weight. Both tops drop at the touch of a button. The soft top takes 27 seconds and the hard top 30 seconds.The Cabrio also brings with it a 2.7-litre V6 engine and a six-speed automatic transmission, which also will make their way into the sedan line-up next year, with a low $40,000 price tag.The 2.7-litre V6 petrol engine produces 137kW of power and 256Nm of torque, and Chrysler claims a 9.7 litres/100km thirst. The Cabrio mimics the sedan with ABS brakes and stability control as standard.Prices suggest Chrysler is gunning for Holden Astra Twin Top, Renault's Megane CC, Peugeot's 307 CC, the Saab 9-3 and Volkswagen's EOS, but Chrysler says the Sebring is larger inside.Chrysler Australia managing director Gerry Jenkins believes the Sebring Cabrio is a great American full four-seater made from the same DNA as the 300C.“The Chrysler Sebring Cabrio has long held the honour of America's favourite cabrio, solidly leading the segment in North America for the past decade. Available in soft and hard top, the Sebring Cabrio is also the first Chrysler to land in Australia with our new six-speed automatic and V6 powertrain, both of which will make their way into the Sebring sedan,” he says. Snapshot Chrysler Sebring CabrioFrom around: $45,000Engine: 2.7-litre V6.Transmission: Six-speed automatic, front-wheel drive.Power: 137kW at 5500rpm.Torque: 256Nm at 4000rpm.Fuel consumption: 13 litres/100km (city), 9 litres/100km (highway), tank 64 litres.Dimensions: Length 4922mm, width 1816mm, height 1485mm, wheelbase 2765mm, track fr/rr 1570mm.  Rivals   Holden Astra Twin Top: $47,490.Renault Megane CC: $46,990.Peugeot 307 CC: $48,990.Saab 9-3 Convertible: $68,000.Volkswagen EOS: $50,290.