Lexus Reviews

It hasn't found the mother lode yet and there are people who believe that Lexus will never produce a serious threat to the stonking BMW M5, but there are signs of change in planning and design at the company.Typically, the Lexus people have had to wrap their ideas in a philosophy – one they are calling L-Finesse – but the bottom line is simple.They know they must produce cars which look good, drive well, and go well beyond badge-engineered Toyotas if they are to finally translate the promise of the original Lexus LS400 in 1989 into a successful, aspirational brand in the 21st century.Lexus showed the new direction at the Tokyo Motor Show two years ago with a pair of great-looking concept cars, then set up stand-alone engineering operations and has now delivered the first showroom contender.The all-new Lexus GS is much better looking than the bland model which first drove into action against rivals led by the luxury Mercedes E-Class and the BMW 5-Series.The mechanical package also promises a lot more excitement and involvement for the driver.It is a four-passenger sporty sedan with a choice of six-cylinder and V8 engines, with the sort of all-round refinement you expect from Lexus.The six-cylinder is new, a direct-injection 3.0-litre V6 which replaces the previous in-line six.It is good for 183kW of power and 310Nm of torque.This is the engine that powers the GS300, which hits showrooms with a ticket price of $95,000.It comes with plenty of standard gear plus luxuries such as heated leather seats, a rear-mounted camera, adaptive headlights and Blue Tooth phone capability.A Sports Luxury version of the GS300 adds a beefier sound system, adaptive cruise control, touch-screen satellite navigation and a sunroof for $112,100.Both these cars come with 10 airbags, stability control and traction control as standard, but miss out on the more advanced stability control system called Vehicle Dynamics Integration Management (VDIM), which can alter the steering in an emergency. That's standard with the GS430.It is powered by a smooth 4.3-litre V8 that pumps out 208kW and 417Nm.The GS430 has all the gear of the GS300 Sports Luxury, but adds 18-inch wheels, adjustable suspension, variable-assistance power steering and VDIM.THE GS430 is almost exactly opposite to the MG ZT we drove last week. The British car was all thump and grumble, promising far more than it delivered and costing far more than it deserved, while the Lexus is so smooth you can easily overlook its real powers.It can get up and really go, but you have to ask the questions – and then listen really hard for the answer.Even the grunty V8 engine in the GS430 test car was so quiet that the tachometer had to be twisting beyond 5000 revs before you heard the signature roar from the tailpipes.Yes, it is really getting along, but nobody knows – not even the passengers – that the GS is a car which can stand up and sprint from the traffic lights.It's the same with the chassis. It had good grip and a huge safety margin going around most corners, but the driver always feels remote from the action.You turn the wheel and it does the job, mostly, but the steering is luxury vague and there is no real feedback on the road surface or what the tyres are doing at either end. Lexus says that is good, because the car does all the worrying and it has electronics to avoid any nasty stuff.But few people will be won over to a GS if they are already driving one of the sportier BMWs or Benzes.Even the cabin quality, which used to be an easy win for Lexus against any rivals, now comes up short against the latest Audis.It has all the right gear and is beautifully finished, but it just doesn't have enough personality to communicate anything beyond super-Toyota luxury.The four seats in the GS are nicely supportive and there is plenty of space inside, with a good boot and nice stuff including bright headlights and sensible wipers.But we wonder about the rear-view camera on the test car. Some people say they are essential on four-wheel drives, to stop people backing over their children in the driveway. But a gimmick is still a gimmick. And will people actually rely on the camera for reversing and bump-free parking once they have shown it off to their friends?At the end of our time with the Lexus we still weren't believers.The GS is quick, sporty and nicely built and priced, but it is not the breakthrough car for a brand which wants to put some taste and colour into its vanilla cars.Perhaps the compact Lexus IS, coming later in the year, will do the job.THE latest Lexus looks good and the numbers are great, but it still doesn't add up to a serious sports sedan. Despite all the promises and commitment to the new L-Finesse plan at Lexus headquarters in Japan, the company still has not produced a car which is going to rock the world.

Lexus business manager Lana Kamleh and I had just decided that the crystal gold RX330 was definitely a feminine vehicle and we'd named her Yana because she's a class act.She's got it all.She a hi-tech comfort creature with more airbags than you could poke a stick at.She purrs along the roads with the softest of engines and she talks you to your destination with gentle authority, using a very civilised English accent. One of my male passengers suggested he could marry that voice. Hmm. I think that's going a bit far.However, the Lexus navigation system is the most pleasing I've yet encountered. It is touchscreen simplicity. And even when you defy her instructions, she will patiently keep rerouting you to keep you on track.Her screen even tells you how many klicks to the destination and how many minutes it should take to get there.Yana seemed to like nothing more than a trip out on the open road. She feels big in the city, but in the country she is queen of the road. One feels utterly in command, perched at a good all-wheel-drive height, yet not too high. Good light-sensitive rear-view mirror. Windscreen wipers which don't need to be told when it is raining. And an engine which, well, perhaps I should have told her that Willunga was a hill. She didn't notice.When it comes to details, I think she is more interested in reversing. Not only do her wing mirrors automatically angle down to show the kerb lines when backing but also she has a wee camera tucked by the rear numberplate and it activates with reverse gear, revealing the world behind on the console screen in front. It's a highly parabolic view and I still checked behind for distances and idiot drivers when backing in the supermarket car park.And now we get to the boot – the big hatch. Aah. This is a girl's favourite trick. OK, so I only had half a kilo of fish, but I could not resist opening the back of the car while still in the fishmonger's just because I could – at the press of a power button. It works from amazing distances, so one can have the back door opening when one is halfway across the supermarket car park with the trolley. Hands-free, no lifting open, no hauling shut. It does it all for you.Yana pleased in all directions. The steering wheel, leather and wood, is a tactile delight. The airconditioning is absolutely brilliant. The sound system is ace. The seats adjust in all directions. Their leather comes from barbed-wire free fields, so it is flawless.The steering wheel automatically retracts to allow one ease of getting in and out. The suspension is creamy. There's heaps of storage. There's bluetooth for phones.Funnily enough, with all this perfection, the one thing I found awkward was the driver's cup holder, which was set a bit low so I had to look away from the road to find my water. But who needs water when one is driving champagne?

Then you open the boot of the Lexus IS300, still cursing that wretched screw that lodged itself in the tyre, and a ray of sunshine shines through: the Lexus valet pack.Gloves, a mat, a towel and even soap may seem a little extravagant but in these conditions are a godsend.With the tyre changed it was time to put the new (only 230km on the clock), up-specced IS300 sports luxury through its paces.The IS300 Sports and Sports Luxury come with a three-litre VVT-i engine that delivers 157kW@5800rpm of power and 288Nm@3800 rpm of torque.The two models are part of an overall specification upgrade of both the IS300 and IS200 ranges.The IS300 Sports, with a $65,000 tag is designed to appeal to younger buyers: the four IS models provide customers increased choice within the Lexus line-up.The three-litre engine is coupled with an electronically controlled five-speed auto box and gear changes are silky smooth.While the automatic is smooth there is no option to hold revs or utilise the large tacho.The E-shift option allows the fun factor to be increased and held a little longer.The IS300 suffers from an unusually high amount of tyre slipping in the dry (on take-off) which makes the car feel it does the 0-100km sprint a lot quicker than close to nine seconds.The traction control light also seemed unusually active, enough to make a precautionary stop to check another screw had not sought refuge in the rubber.The orange light also made its presence known over a few bumps.While you can turn the anti-fun button off, it never really goes away and will add its input even when not wanted.The IS300 has all the engineering, and more, you would expect in a $75,000 car but even with its advanced electronic stability control, 17-inch alloys and limited slip differential it falls a little short of the "sports car" feel.The steering feels solid at first but is a little on the vague side, has a bit of play and requires more turn than one would be expecting.While the IS300 handles quite well it's handling capabilities are compromised by the softer suspension that gives it such a luxurious rideThe IS300 is just like its LS430 stablemate. When you get out you don't even feel like you have driven anywhere.Anyone who leaves the city and heads north after 5pm knows peak period traffic.Nestled in the IS300's beautiful Alcantra leather seats as the double wishbone suspensions soaks up the bumps, and comfortably cocooned by the cabin's superior noise dampening, you feel more like you are sitting in your lounge room.Combine this with the crystal clear sound of the eight-speaker, six-disc, in-dash CD player that pumps out the base of the Black-Eyed Peas without distortion and you have an extremely pleasurable driving experience.The IS300 Sports features numerous air bags, snow mode, climate control airconditioning, power windows and mirrors and an alarm with immobiliser.Driver and passenger have electrically-operated and heated seats (no, they did not forget the passenger) with leather seat trim. Also provided are drilled sports pedals and scuff plates, an anti-glare electrochromatic interior mirror and a smooth, leather-bound gear-shift.The self-levelling headlights work a treat, making night feel more like day.The Sports Luxury adds satellite navigation, polished alloys, full leather interior and a moon roof.The IS300 Sports Luxury is not a "sports" car in the true sense of the term, but it is a luxury sedan that has plenty of go, handles good and offers a lot for the price tag.

It's a little disappointing then when they think you are driving a Camry.Not that there's anything wrong with a Camry.The Lexus ES300 has some good credentials. A lot of its technology and features come from the highly evolved LS430 luxury saloon.Under the bonnet is the ubiquitous Toyota VVT-i 3-litre engine developing 158kW of power and almost 300Nm of torque.And inside there is sumptuous soft leather, highly polished real wood trim, dual-zone climate control airconditioning, trip computer, power rear sunshade and an electric moonroof.Yet, on the outside, it looks like a Camry. At least to my neighbours.Actually it looks more like a combination of a Camry and a Nissan 200SX, but perhaps to the untrained eye, it's a Camry.Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and some people may love its incongruous lines, outdated bonnet shape and bulbous-eyed headlights.I don't. But if I did and I had just spent more than $80,000 I would be a bit disappointed if it were mistaken for a Camry. I would protest wildly and tell those misguided fools how sophisticated it is to drive and how stunningly quiet it is.So quiet that you forget there is a potent Toyota quad cam V6 in there, shunting 1500kg of car through to illegal speeds at a surprisingly rapid rate. I would tell them that the five-speed automatic transmission is the smoothest shifter around. I would even challenge them to drive it and see if they could detect when it changed gears. While they were driving, I would point out how smoothly the long wheelbase and sophisticated long-travel suspension rode the lumps and bumps of southeast Queensland's horror roads.If they were still unimpressed, I would point out all the safety features such as vehicle stability control, traction control, ABS with electronic brake force distribution, Lexus brake assist, dual-stage driver and passenger side SRS airbag, curtain shield airbags and whiplash injury reducing front seats.And if that failed to impress them, I would show them the rain-sensing wipers. Well, that used to impress me, but not since they are standard on most European cars.The Lexus ES300 isn't the biggest in the Lexus fleet. That's the LS430. It isn't the fastest or sportiest. That's the IS300.It's kind of a mid-ranged car that doesn't excel in anything but oozes quality and refinement.If it didn't cost so much and still be mistaken for a Camry, I would have one.

THE arrival of the original Lexus in 1989 changed the world of cars. Now, with the latest LS430 heading rapidly into middle age, the world has changed again.The latest Lexus is still good, but nowhere near as good as it was when it caught Mercedes, BMW and Jaguar dozing at the top of the luxury car tree.The Lexus brand has also been run down on quality and customer service, without building enough of the golf-club credibility essential to unseat the image winners from the three-pointed star.The latest LS flagship has some significant new features for 2003, as well as a bolder nose that helps remove its cloak of invisibility, but it also has to battle a hugely impressive new Audi A8 and an old-look Jaguar XJ that's hi-tech under the skin.As well as the benchmark S-Class and the controversial 7-Series from BMW. Lexus has done its revamp work with the best bottom line of all – no change to the $176,174 price.The changes for 2003 reflect a new look at the front, with much bigger and bolder headlamps, and at the rear there are freshened tail lamps and exposed exhaust pipes intended to trumpet the car's hi-tech V8 engine. It also has bigger 18-inch wheels, which look a bit different and help with grip.Mechanically, the engine is unchanged – not that anything was needed with a silky smooth 207kW on tap – but the six-speed automatic has picked up a sequential touch-change shift to make the gearbox more user-friendly.The latest electronic tweaks start in the nose, with the sensor for the latest laser cruise control, and run to the back where there is a new rear-view camera for parking.The car also has a low-pressure warning system on the tyres and Lexus is trumpeting headlamps that follow the steering.Inside, a Mark Levinson sound system is standard – like everything in the Lexus luxury pack – and so are (wait for it) vibrating seats in the back bench.Lexus sales people say the value advantage is more than $5000 over the superseded model. Important, because its rivals are tough, and getting tougher, and the LS430 still looks too much like a Japanese twist on a German original.On the roadFirst-timers who tried the latest LS were impressed. Very impressed.They liked the comfort and quietness, as well as the surprisingly sporty suspension and an engine that's one of the best in the world.And they were captivated by the novelty of the parking-aid camera, which flashes its tail-end view on to the television screen set front-and-centre in the dash, as well as the potential for lower-stress freeway travel with the laser cruise control.All the test team liked the car's improvements, including the punchier sound system and the bolder nose, but people who had come recently from the Audi A8 weren't as happy about the finishing in the cabin or the driving enjoyment.The Lexus is good, but Audi has made huge gains on the touchy-feely stuff in car cabins and the all-new A8 is a BMW-style good drive.It retains its value advantage, undercutting the direct engine-and-equipment rivals, although the opposition has managed to make its flagships more affordable with clever work on powerplants and specifications.The LS430 is an effortless car, around the city and out in the country, thanks to the silky-smooth engine, insulated cabin and suspension which copes easily with Australia's worst roads.We also liked the latest touch-change auto, which gives the driver more control and feedback, as well as instant access to a power push that's more like a jet turbine than a petrol V8.It is gentle on fuel, returning 12.3 litres/100km on a relatively rugged trial run, and makes any long-distance trip into an effortless cruise.Corners? It copes easily with those, too, although you still feel that it's a big car that's not intended for honking through the twisties.Niggles? We still think the seats are too wide and flat, we couldn't see any change to the steering-fed lamps, and the styling has become Japanese bland in a field of surprisingly stylish flagships.But it's impossible to fault the boot space, or the quality, or the quietness, or the all-round comfort for five adults.Yet. The Lexus LS hasn't come as far as its rivals and that's becoming more and more important as they get better and their customer care rises to rival the incredible standard set through the original owner-first mantra set by the Lexus leaders.There is nothing really wrong with the LS430. The latest changes have made a good car better, and it's worth getting your friends into the passenger seat just to have them gawking at the video picture from the rear-view parking camera.But it has become a me-too car in a day when its rivals are genuine flagships with real firepower.

They do not, however, apply to the road manners of the bigger-engined IS300, even though the latter shares its body with the former.In a peculiar -- and, I'm told, strongly resisted -- switch of Lexus planning, Australia ended up with both the European IS version (the IS200) and the American model (IS300).For this, I'm immensely happy. The sweet 2-litre IS200 has the sugary on-screen temperament of Britney Spears while the 3-litre IS300 is the body and soul of Shakira. Your choice.Ostensibly, the move to satisfy Australian demands for power was completed by slotting the Lexus GS300 engine beneath the IS200's bonnet.There was a tad more to the act than that, but you get the drift.The result is sufficient engine performance to match the baby Lexus's remarkable handling.After 600km in the IS300, it's clear that this could seriously embarrass some European sports sedans.The sedan -- which is sold in Japan as the Toyota Altezza with engine choices including a 157kW 2-litre four-cylinder -- doesn't compromise performance for cabin roominess.In an age when carmakers are absorbed in maximising interior space while minimising the exterior, the Lexus puts performance above packaging.The car is rear-drive (like BMW), with its long engine slotted low and hard up against the firewall. The suspension is double wishbones front and back with coils and gas shocks. And the steering is powered rack-and-pinion with the directness of a go-kart.All the right ingredients are here. On the road the package is practically unbeatable, though the $73,534 price tag is pretty steep.This is a car that enjoys brisk driving and especially rewards the driver through the sweeping and undulating country roads around Chittering and Bindoon.The five-speed auto comes with a semi-manual mode so you can lure more horses out of the paddock -- in fact, there's 157kW (210 horses) under the bonnet to test the car's roadholding.And I think the driving position is the best of any car. A tiny leather-rimmed steering wheel, supportive leather seats and excellent pedal location make it exceptionally comfortable both on long cruises and fanging through the hillsides.But there are a few niggles. The rear-drive layout and the small dimensions of the IS series make it a bit cramped in the rear for adults.The instrument panel is a dog's breakfast -- with overlapping gauges inset with unreadable smaller dials -- and the centre console is efficient but messy. Considering the enthusiasm shown to the accelerator pedal on test, fuel economy wasn't bad at 11 litres/100km. Lexus claims 8 litres/100km for the highway average.Features include climatic airconditioning, electric windows, mirrors and sunroof, four airbags, heated front seats, eight-speaker CD sound, ABS vented brakes and 17-inch alloys.VALUESLexus IS3002001 (new $73,960) Now $65,500 with 20,000km2002 (new $73,534) Now $67,500 with 15,000km* Retained value: 3-year -- 88.5 per cent; 5-year -- n/a

America’s need for speed has given us the baby Lexus as it should have been.  Toyota's luxury division tried to take on the mighty band of the BMW 3-Series range with a one-man show, the IS 200. But critics said the tight chassis needed a more-powerful engine than the 2.0-litre six cylinder that arrived first.So, with such high demand in the US, Lexus rushed back to the drawing board to slot the 3.0-litre six from its 5-Series' rival, the GS300, into the nose of the IS and created the IS300.  At the same time, it created a 3.0-litre-powered sports wagon IS to broaden the car's appeal in Japan and America, though the cargo-carrying wagon is off the cards for Australia at the moment.With the entry-level prestige segment in Australia in the middle of a boom, thanks to new arrivals such as the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Audi A4 and recently updated Volkswagen Passat, Lexus is hoping the IS300 will be competitive.Available only as an automatic, the IS 300 comes with a 3.0-litre straight six with variable valve timing, which Lexus claims helps the engine deliver 80 per cent of its torque from as low as 1400 revs.The motor, which is a normally aspirated version of the engine from the Supra sports car, actually produces 157kW of power at 5800 revs and its maximum pulling power of 288Nm comes in at 3800 revs.  It has a ``fly-by-wire'' throttle to maximise engine efficiency and reduce harmful exhaust emissions, which Lexus claims are 25 times lower than the rate required to meet Australian Design Rule regulations.Like the BMW and Benz, the Lexus is a rear-drive sports car with the power delivered through the same five-speed automatic transmission from the GS 300 and LS 400 luxury sedan. But the IS gearbox has a manual-shift option which is controlled by F1-style steering-wheel buttons.To change up a gear, the driver pushes the buttons on the back side of the wheel, and to change down uses the buttons on the front.  Other than the engine and transmission, there are few differences from the IS200. The 300 comes with all the luxury gear from the top-of-the line IS200, including leather trim, high-intensity headlamps, 17-inch alloy wheels, sun roof and a rear spoiler.A Lexus hi-tech DVD-based satellite navigation system is now an option on all IS models. And as part of a mid-model upgrade, all IS cars now have curtain-style airbags, brake-assist function and a larger brake booster.  There is also a range of new exterior and interior colours, a revised grille, chrome exhaust tip, upgraded dash layout, a new centre arm rest and a pollen/dust filter in the automatic airconditioning system.The minor improvements add to an already comprehensive list of standard safety and luxury features, which include anti-skid brakes, traction control, dual front and side airbags, CD sound, cruise control and full electrics.DrivingThe latest Lexus is a hit-and-miss car. The 3.0-litre engine hits the bullseye, but the auto-only transmission misses the target.  The suspension upgrade is another win, and so is the value upgrade over the IS200, but the timing is all wrong despite the recent tune-up of the whole Lexus line-up.The IS300 first showed up at the Detroit Motor Show nearly two years ago, and even that was well after the debut of the IS200 in Australia.  What that means is that the IS was built to compete with the old BMW 3-Series, which makes it cramped and a bit outdated when you line it up against the latest Three and other recent arrivals, including Mercedes' great-value C-Class Coupe and even the new mid-sized Volvo.The step up to the IS300 package answers most of the shortcomings in the original IS200, which was -- and is -- a really sharp sports sedan with an engine that's not strong enough for the job. It's a baby six, but held back to just 2.0-litres, at least partly to hold down the cost.The IS300 comes, naturally enough, with a 3.0-litre six that has a five-speed gearbox to take drive to the back wheels the old-fashioned way, but it's only an automatic.  There are touch-change buttons on the wheel, but the powertrain was set for the US -- where manual is not a priority -- and the limited number of cars which will be sold in Australia meant there wasn't enough in the fighting fun to engineer a manual choice. Lexus Australia said it was the complaints of local journalists who triggered the arrival of the IS300, but that's not true. Even if it is a big ego boost.  The real story is that the father of the IS family, Nobuaki Katayama, always wanted to build a car which was bigger and quicker. He's even played with a full-house V8-powered IS400, to rival the BMW M5, but it has been delayed because of difficulty fitting the bent-eight engine on the production line.The bigger new engine has more than enough go for most people, with a grunty bottom end and a solid top-end thrust. It can take a while to hook up from a standing start, and you must work the auto for the best overtaking, though it's a sweet motor with excellent response.  But the touch-change buttons on the wheel are too small and fiddly.The 157kW output drops it into the mid-ground between BMW's 325 and the super-classy 330. Economy is good, especially at a cruise, when it can do a lot better than the 12.1-litres/100km average on test.  Lexus has done a lot of suspension work for the engine upgrade. The back end has been reworked and strengthened for the job.The result is a car which rides much more smoothly than the IS200, as well as transferring added power to the ground more effectively.  We had originally expected the IS300 -- with a manual box -- to be a four-star contender. As it is, and as it comes, it only deserves three, but it is still a car that proves Lexus is on the right track with the IS.LEXUS IS300Price as tested: $79,990Engine: 3.0-litre six cylinder with overhead camshafts and fuel injectionPower: 157kW at 5800revsTorque: 288Nm at 3800revsTransmission: Five-speed automatic, rear-wheel driveBody: Four-door sedanDimensions: Length: 4400mm, width: 1720mm, height: 1420mm, wheelbase: 2670mm, tracks: 1495mm/1485mm front/rearWeight: 1505kgFuel Tank: 70 litresFuel Consumption: Average on test 12.1 litres/100kmSteering: Power-assisted rack and pinionSuspension: Fully independent with front double wishbone and multi-link rear with anti-roll bars.Brakes: Four-wheel anti-skid discsWheels: 7.0x517 alloysTyres: 215/45 ZR17Warranty: Three years/100,000kmRivalsBMW **** (from $90,7000),Mercedes-Benz C320 **** (from $99,990),Alfa Romero 156 V6 *** (from $56,900),Jaguar X-type 3.0**** (from $77,950)  

Everybody loves a hero, whether it's a sporting legend or a movie star.  It's the same in the motoring world, where almost all car makers hang their hats on tricked-up "hero'' versions of their bread-and-butter models.But, just like human heroes, some hot cars beg to be seen and others disguise themselves Clark Kent style.  Volkswagen's Bora V6 4Motion is the latest to join the unassuming hero-car clan.The German car maker claims this four-wheel-drive version of its mid-sized Golf-based sedan is the fastest model in its Australian line-up.  It hopes the new car will not only grab a slice of the sports-oriented, entry-level prestige pie, but will finally put the Bora range on Australians' shopping lists after a rather lacklustre first two years here.The Bora has been the forgotten link in Volkswagen's Australian line-up. Most of its attention has been devoted to the trendy New Beetle and all-new Passat range.  But the V6 4Motion's arrival has spurred the now company-owned subsidiary in Australia to really push the Bora range, with greater emphasis on advertising and marketing.The arrival of the V6 4Motion model also coincides with a slight upgrade of the unique 2.3-litre five-cylinder model. Slightly more power comes from a revised cylinder head, and the basic 2.0-litre four-cylinder version gets a minor price adjustment.The range-topping model comes only, and uniquely, with a six-speed manual gearbox and permanent four-wheel-drive transmission. It is powered by a 2.8-litre V6 engine, which produces 150kW of power and 270Nm of torque.  Apart from performance, the flagship Bora also comes packed with a long list of luxury and safety features.The cabin has leather trim and the dash gets walnut wood inserts. There is also an eight-speaker stereo system with a six-stack CD player in the boot.  The Bora V6 4Motion comes with front and side airbags, anti-lock brakes and an electronic stability program.DrivingTHIS car is a pretty fast piece of machinery, but you wouldn't know just by looking at it.  Its boxy, bland body hides one of the best engine and transmission combinations in its class.Apart from its classy 16-inch alloy wheels, it just doesn't scream "sports car'' either in the car park or cruising down the road.  But perceptions change as soon as you slip into the well-supported leather seats and turn the key.The V6 engine has a meaty growl and a surprising amount of low-down pulling power. At one stage I even had to check out the hardware underthe bonnet to make sure it didn't have a low-pressure turbo charger strapped on its side.With its close-ratio six-speed gearbox, the Bora V6 4Motion sprints away from the lights while the four-wheel drive transmission allows for maximum traction.  The gearbox is quick and easy to shift, though the clutch can be tricky to get right at low revs.In the twisty stuff, the Bora really comes alive, with only a hint of front-end push when things get serious.  While the handling is tight, the ride quality doesn't suffer much. Bumps and tram tracks are soaked up with ease.  The stereo system is top notch and the groovy blue lights in the dash are unique.The all-black trim in the test car makes it feel small, but there's plenty of room for four adults and generous boot space for luggage.  The Bora V6 4Motion is a well-built and well-sorted sports saloon. But it looks bland and, with its high price, will struggle to lure buyers from entry-level BMWs and Benzes.Volkswagen will have a special body kit -- 17-inch alloys, a boot lid spoiler and wire-mesh grille inserts -- developed by German aftermarket companies Oettinger and Votex, but has yet to confirm the final price and availability.The bottom line3/5Plus: Engine; handling. Good-quality sports sedan, lacks carpark cred.Minus: Bland body; price.VOLKSWAGEN BORA V6 4MotionPrice as tested: $54,400Engine: 2.8-litre V6 with overhead camshafts and fuel injectionPower: 150kW at 6200 revsTorque: 270Nm at 3200 revsTransmission: Six-speed manual, four-wheel driveBody: Four-door sedanDimensions: Length: 4376mm, width: 1735mm, height: 1444mm, wheelbase: 2513mm, tracks: 1513mm/1487mm front/rearWeight: 1457kgFuel Tank: 62 litresFuel consumption: 10.7 litres/100kmSteering: Power-assisted rack-and-pinionSuspension: Fully independent with front MacPherson struts and torsion-beam rear with coil springs and anti-roll bars.Brakes:  Four-wheel anti-skid ventilated discsWheels: 6.5x16 alloysTyres: 205/55 R16Warranty: Three years/60,000kmRivalsAlfa 156 V6 - (from $56,900)Volvo S40 T4 - (from $56,950)Lexus IS200 - (from $53,340)Peugeot 406 V6 - (from $53,990)