European

Carsguide will next week head to South Australia to drive BMW's new 3 Series Touring. OK, the wagon is a marginal seller in this part of the world, but it’s been 13 months since the sedan lobbed and that’s quite a wait for a family friendly car that promises to be a good thing.Carsguide has just driven BMW's new 3 Series Gran Turismo, a car that redefines marginal. And mongrelised. Not a sedan, not a wagon, not a hatch, not a coupe, not an SUV - though it has elements of all - the so-called GT is coming our way in late June.    VALUESeldom has this question been so much in the eye of the beholder. You might consider that you're getting three cars for the price of one. Equally you could see it as too much money for not enough of anything.BMW is yet to finalise GT prices beyond saying it will come at premium on the wagon, which in turn is priced above the sedan. That means a price range of $70,000 to $76,000.Aside from Audi's A5 Sportback (a reinvention of the elongated lift back style which was also popular on the last Mazda6) there are no direct rivals, which says something in itself.While the GT ought, at that premium, to provide more, it provides only difference. Four cylinder engines and trim choices mirror the rest of the 3 Series range. The Sport line package - a monochrome interior partially enlivened by silver accents - is most popular. An M-Sport kit comes in late in the year with big wheels and sports suspension.Likewise the 320i with its fast but frugal turbo petrol engine. Yet that was not available to drive in Palermo. The X3 SUV, which has the GT's elevated driving position and storage uncompromised by a whimsical shape, starts at $59,200.The 320i and the diesel 320d open the local batting with the fully tuned 328i lobbing later.Our 3 Series sedans, with the exception of the hybrid, are made in South Africa. The interior quality of these has not impressed. The GT comes from Germany. Would that the proportion were inverse.TECHNOLOGYAs per the 3 Series sedan it’s a tech tour de force with class leading turbo engines and eight speed automatic transmission. The 320i is a case in point, smaller in size than the six cylinder engines for which BMW is famous, but as rapid and more efficient - so much so you wouldn't bother with diesel.Riding on a longer wheelbase version of the wagon platform, the GT requires the same optional enhancements to make it ride decently. It strikes a discordant note that the "sheer driving pleasure" brand no longer comes with an acceptable default setting.DESIGNWe’ve suggested Walter da Silva, the designer of the A5 Coupe was backed over by an outgoing 3 Series Coupe. Certainly its rear end made an impression on him.In designing its belated riposte to the A5 Sportback BMW can't be accused of knocking off anyone else’s work. They've  considered the Audi's appeal and taken the polar opposite approach. It isn't as overwhelmingly ungainly as the 5 Series GT, but that's only because it's a bit smaller.The Gran Turismo is slightly longer and taller than the 3 Series wagon. The front and rear passengers sit higher than those in the sedan but the swooping coupe roof compresses head room. Yet the backseaters can stretch their leg. So again, no real advantage, just a point (and not a very good one) of difference.The tailgate is another of the new wave that responds to a sensor in the proximity key fob. You open it by waving a foot under back end. Great if you're hands are full of shopping or a mountain bike. It's cleverly laid out too with extra under floor storage and space to stow the cargo covers.If only there was more space. Constricted as it is by the funky or fugly shape (take your pick) most self-respecting wagons or SUVs match its load capacity.  You can drop the rear seats, but that's so of any hatchback and doing so means you also drop three passengers. Again, the point is elusive.Are we making too much of this? I don’t think so. The GT demands to be judged on its design. Just as BMW has diluted the driverly virtues that distinguished the 3 Series, the GT suggests they've forgotten what one should look like.The shudder felt on seeing the malformed X6 quasi-SUV now seems premonitory. Far from being a elaborate practical joke that eluded only the Americans who build them and largely buy them, its malign influence has spread. Presumably the 3 Series GT is also aimed at them.Why then build it in right hand drive? Because more models means more sales? Good luck - the Yanks are ignoring the 5 Series GT in the same proportion as Australians. Releasing a new niche variant every five minutes works for Audi because although its entry models aren't much to drive, they look pretty good. At any rate they don’t look like this. The GT falls short on form and function.       SAFETYThe five safety stars earned by the sedan extend to this, although it’s customary to test crash cars by the front end not the back as seems to have occurred here. Indeed, such unfortunate serendipity might explain its shape.Standard is a reversing camera, optional is the full surround camera and head up display.  As ever with BMW there is no spare wheel, only run flat tyres, because driving conditions in Australia apparently mirror those of Germany.DRIVINGOf the available test cars only the diesel 320d is of interest to us. The same engine and transmission runs the 520d, to which we've awarded two stars from five.The 3 Series GT is by no means as poor as the marginally bigger, far heavier and more expensive model, but then it couldn't possibly be. On rutted Sicilian roads, all too like those at home, the GT was no more comfortable than any 3 Series without the expensive addition of M Sports suspension. Eight centimetres might not sound much, but that extra height over the sedan is felt when cornering.Still, it does get closer to behaving as a buyer has very right to expect from a car with this badge. Sending all the drive forces to the rear wheels leaves the front free to steer and this simple formula, of which BMW remains one of the few remaining practitioners, works in the form of fluency on back roads and a tight turning circle in town.The eight speed auto isn't easily caught out. It's almost always in the right gear, plucking the optimum from a great, grunty engine that is exceptionally refined and at its best doing highway cruising speed If you associate diesels with coarse agricultural devices, think again. You really ought to drive the 320d next to a 320i.But in another model line perhaps, because if you associate 3 Series with great driving and graceful design, this is not the 3 Series for you.VERDICTBuy the 3 Series wagon or X3 SUV. Or an Audi A5 Sportback.BMW 320D GTPrice: From $70,000Warranty: 3 years/100,00kmCapped servicing: NoResale: N/AService interval: 12 months/15,000kmSafety: 5 starsEngine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo diesel; 135kW/380NmTransmission: Eight-speed auto; RWDThirst: 5.8L/100kmDimensions: 4.8m (L); 1.48m (h); 1.8m (w)Weight: 1540kgSpare: none

Yes, it comes in yellow. It might be called the Black Series, but the Gullwing Benz with all the belter bits looks absolutely stunning in hi-viz yellow.Not just that, but the SLS 63 AMG looks even better when you're hotdogging around Phillip Island -- in a car that would normally cost $639,000 to park in the driveway.This is a very special day in a very special car. Only 10 copies of the latest Black Series hero car from the AMG hothouse in Germany are allocated to Australia. Eight are already sold, with two available for the cashed-up contenders jockeying for the final slots. But this car is not a customer car, it's the AMG demonstrator that's been air-freighted in to star at the Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park. Because Australia has the largest per-capita appetite for AMG cars in the world, the SLS is on a whistle-stop tour that includes a handful of laps with the Carsguide crew in the relative safety of the Island circuit that's home to MotoGP and also hosts the V8 Supercar crowd.Measured against that standard, the SLS Black comes up surprisingly well. In fact, it's the only road car where I've backed out before the car gave up. Unless you count the Bugatti Veyron at Sandown Park a few years ago, but the Veyron is more of a science experiment than any sort of road car.The SLS Black looks like a racer, sounds like a real racer, and also has racer responses, but you can register it. It's not a car I would like to dribble through the traffic to the office, and I'm certain it is way too harsh for on-road enjoyment, but it's just the sort of weapon you need to carve out some special time at Phillip Island.AMG has a history with Black Series cars that runs back to a hotrod SLK and now includes the fantastic C63 Coupe and the silly-fast twin-turbo V12 SL65. This time, though, it's different. The SLS is the first complete car developed by AMG and not modified from a Benz original.The Black Series package obviously includes a giant rear wing, aero 'flicks' ahead of the front wheels, and bigger forged alloy rims, but the development work goes a lot deeper. The car is 70 kilos lighter than a cooking gullwing and the engine makes 464 kiloWatts and 635 Newton-metres, so more power but less torque. And it revs all the way to 8000, with a seven-speed gearbox that's been tweaked for much quicker shifts.Digging into the detail, the engine sits lower, there is carbon fibre strengthening and a carbon fibre torque tube to the transaxle gearbox, an electronic limited-slip differential, and the front end has different steering knuckles and far less rubber.What does that all mean?Well, apart from the stratospheric price and Mick Doohan's demonstration laps on Sunday at the AGP meeting, it's a damn fast car. As I slide into the driver's seat - on the left-hand side, since the car is not staying in Australia - I can sense that it's a special occasion.The seat is a hip-hugger race bucket with no electric adjustment and there is a race driver - Dave Russell - already installed on the passenger side as my ‘coach’. Normally these blokes are a handbrake but he is a ripper guy who just wants me to go fast and enjoy the car.Then I turn the key. And I do. A regular SLS gullwing sounds chubby, but this one has the harsh brassy edge of greatness. It's a V8 that's born to run. As I roll down the pit lane, I can feel that the suspension is much more taut than a regular SLS - or something as humble as an HSV Holden - with all the bumps feeding straight back through the steering.Then I stomp on the gas and …. whoa, this thing is seriously seriously fast. Phillip Island is a fast track that demands respect, and so does the Black in yellow, but I'm rapidly approaching the sort of speeds and grip levels that are normally reserved for race cars.Compared with a ‘cooking’ SLS, this stove-hot rocket has much better ceramic brakes, turns like a soldier on parade, and has more power than I can use. I need to stop and think and download Dangerous Dave's eager coaching. While I wait, I soak up the details of a car that takes AMG and Benz into a world that's normally reserved for Ferrari and Lamborghini. Yes, it's that fast. For my second sprint, I quickly lift the pace and relax to enjoy the ride. Except...Except the car is so, so good that I'm struggling to stay ahead of the action. The back is a little unsettled in a couple of places, particularly into the left-hander at Siberia Corner, and the brakes are grabbing me down from more than 200km/h at three places on the track. I'm enjoying, but I am working hard. The car? I'm sure it has plenty in reserve.So I park and smile and laugh and hit the rewind button in my head to enjoy a very, very rare treat in a very rare car. The Black Series SLS is as focussed as anything I've driven at Phillip Island, and that includes a V8 Supercar and a Nissan GT-R, and as brutally fast as you could want or hope. It's silly money, and it would be stupid as a commuter car, but for one special day I'm living a dream.

Audi was really the first to bring all-wheel drive quattro systems to their cars, wagons and SUVs, with others following suit, particularly Subaru. The first quattros soon dominated world rallying and the all-paw systems were quickly adopted by other manufacturers.Today Audi and Subaru are among the few offering a wide range of all-wheel drive vehicles in their ranges from small cars through to large SUVs. While the A4 is also offered in front drive, it is a better car with the quattro.VALUESales of the A4 are up 30 per cent this year but still behind the Mercedes-Benz C-Class and BMW's 3-Series. It's a good start to 2013 after sales fell 11.6 per cent last year.The A4 was updated last year with the review car, the 2.0 TFSI quattro coming with satellite-navigation, Xenon headlights with LED daytime running lights, keyless entry and push start button, electric front seats and 18-inch alloy wheels.Other goodies are front and rear parking sensors, 10-speaker sound system, automatic lights and wipers, cruise control, electric front seats, power windows, mirrors and steering, leather upholstery and steering wheel, Bluetooth and climate airconditioning.Options on the car included very expensive metallic paint ($1650) and a $5800 S-Line sports package with sports suspension and front seats, special alcantara fabric and five-spoke alloy wheels. On the road it is $78,973 as tested.TECHNOLOGYThe 2.0 TFSI quattro is the pick of the range. Audi lopped a nice $8000 off this variant and, while the engine is unchanged, its 155kW/350Nm outputs were hardly an issue.For the extra outlay over the base model you get the rear-biased quattro all-wheel-drive system and, as good as Audi's front-drive system is, the four-wheel-drive set-up feels safer, with tenacious levels of grip when the going gets trickier.The turbocharged engine is a gem and the double clutch gearbox is a delight except at low speeds. The quattro should return 8.8L per 100km. I saw 10.3 in a mix of spirited driving, highway cruising and around town.All A4s are now fitted with an electro-mechanical steering system that cuts fuel use by a claimed 0.3 litres per 100km. While the improvements to economy are great, the steering is still too light at lower speeds around town.Also on board is is the good S tronic dual-clutch automatic, which is much better than the "multitronic'' CVT, always revving to the redline in sport mode and changing down when braking hard into a corner.But there are still moments of hesitation at low speeds, particularly when reversing out of angle parks and the fear the car will slide into the kerb until the transmission engages.DESIGNThe A4 is a handsome and contemporary sedan with subtle changes inside, including new headlights with LED daytime running lamps incorporated in the design.Up front, the A4 is roomy and the driving position comfortable, but it's tighter in the rear seats for tall people, although about standard for the segment. Boot space is voluminous.SAFETYOn the safety front it's packed with passive and active systems, including eight airbags, stability, traction and various braking electronic devices, ABS brakes, an electronic parking brake and tilt and reach adjusting steering wheels.DRIVINGOn the open road it's better, with more weight and artificial feedback dialled in, while levels of grip from the surefooted quattro drivetrains proving confidence-inspiring on twisting and soaked roads such as the Kuranda and Rex ranges. It sits flat on the road.On my favourite piece of tarmac between Walkamin and Oaky Creek Farms the Audi quattro was fantastic and I was able to string together a series of the bends well, with plenty of grip and grin. In fact, the chassis could do with more power. Bring on the S4.The suspension is pliant, and road noise is subdued on most surfaces except coarse bitumen. Engine noise is low as is wind roar.VERDICTThe Audi 2.0 TFSI quattro is a nice all-round package offering sportiness, luxury and practicality. It can be driven hard and be a lot of fun or a pleasant cruiser. At just under $80K as tested it's a competent and quality package.Audi A4 2.0 TFSI quattroPrice: from $64,500Warranty:  3 years/unlimited kmService interval: 12 months/15,000kmEngine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo, 155kW/350NmTransmission:  7 speed double clutch auto, AWDThirst: 7.0L/100km, 159g/km CO2Dimensions: 4.70m (L), 1.82m (W), 1.42m (H)

  

The classy new Volkswagen Golf has taken another big step towards a Carsguide Car of the Year crown in 2013.It has just claimed the European COTY title for 2013, scoring double the points of the runner-up Toyota 86-Subaru BRZ twins that claimed last year's Carsguide title. The Volvo V40 is third.The seventh-generation Golf is the most impressive car I drove in 2012, but it does not hit local showrooms for more than a month and that means it is the early favourite for this year's Australian awards season.The European award has been running since the 1960s and is decided by a panel of motoring journalists drawn from across the continent.Every Golf has finished on the podium since the original was runner-up in the European COTY contest in 1975, but you have to go back to 1992 - and the third-generation car - to find the last Golf that claimed the award.The Golf beat out seven other finalists for the 2013 award: Ford B-Max, Hyundai i30, Mercedes-Benz A-Class, Peugeot 208, Renault Clio, the Japanese sports car twins and the Volvo.This reporter is on Twitter @paulwardgover

Audi's RS4 Avant is a good car, but is it much better than its predecessor? Every year I drive about 100 cars, but the actual number is much larger than that. Or much lower. It depends how you count.Most models come in a variety of body styles. If I drive the sedan, does the coupe count as a different car? How about the wagon? Or convertible?The problem multiplies when you factor in engines and transmissions. Both can change the character of a vehicle completely. By the time you get to the differences between the bottom and top of a well-populated range, say the span from a BMW 320i to an M3, there's an awful lot that separates them. But where do you draw the line?VALUEWhen I play the motoring parlour game of, “If I had to buy one of (brand), which would it be?”, the RS4 Avant is usually the Audi answer. Compared with a standard A4 Avant, it has been lowered, has aluminium-rich suspension, a wider track and a sports rear differential.It's a practical wagon that's not too big, not too showy, has all-wheel drive and a big, high-revving naturally aspirated 4.2-litre V8. Just the thing for a trip to Ikea. And since Audi has given up its former ban on producing more than one RS variant at a time, it's also very like the RS5, the RS5 Cabrio and probably some other RSs I haven't encountered yet.Which leaves you wondering why there has been a five-year gap since the last RS4. There is one way, though, that you'll know the difference between the 2013 car and the one from 2008: price. At $149,400 plus on-roads, this one is about $20,000 cheaper. On that basis, I'm prepared to say it's absolutely all new.DESIGNWhen is a new car really “new”? When every last nut and bolt has been redesigned from scratch is one answer. But that rarely happens, if ever. A proportion of the same bits carry over from one generation to the next.Car companies like to gloss over this. Regardless how minor an upgrade, every car is “new”. The term has become so devalued that “all-new” is now the default. And that means “Mostly stuff we've used before” as well.Often, large swathes of engineering are carried over and only the pressed metal is different. If that's indistinguishable, then you're really in trouble. This problem is starting to creep up on Audi. Any Audi you see on the road is unmistakeably from the Ingolstadt maker, so distinctive are its designs.But which one? Is that the new A3 or the old?Inside it's a similar story. The Audi cabin was lauded as best-in-class a few years back. Then Audi set the backrest to a comfortable angle and put its feet up. The materials and layout have barely changed and the novelty of having to press a button umpteen times to change the fan speed has long worn off. Now when I enter an Audi cabin I'm craving innovation.TECHNOLOGYThe newcomers include two of the fastest diesels you can buy in the A6/A7 3.0 TDI, which develop 230kW thanks to clever turbocharging. They leverage Audi's race success with diesels at the Le Mans 24-hour race, which it has dominated since 2006, and employ some of that know-how to hit 100km/h in a whisker over five seconds.They feed an increasing fondness for diesel engines in Australia, with 43 per cent of Audis now sold with one. At 4.7 seconds to 100km/h it's quicker than the previous RS4, too, by 0.2s. A seven-speed double-clutch automatic transmission replaces the previous six-speed unit and the engine has been reworked to deliver 21 per cent better fuel economy.DRIVINGAn A7 example driven to Sydney from Canberra left me cold. The engine sounds good when you're giving it an absolute hiding, but most of the time it doesn't sound like much at all. There's a distinct lack of drama or excitement.The suspension was unsettled by country roads and the ride was poor even in comfort mode. There's the performance of a V8 but the diesel lacks the fizz of an old-fashioned petrol donk and I looked forward to the next day, when the latest RS4 Avant was available.It's terrific to be driving a non-turbo engine for a change and this one revs freely, delivering sound and power in equal measure all the way to 8250rpm. Now I'm sure if I drove old and new back to back the differences would be glaring. I'd probably notice the extra couple of hundred kilos for a start.This one feels like a heavy car. It would certainly be more than simply, “It's been a long time since I've filled up -- 21 per cent longer than I thought it would be.'' But it wasn't possible to do that, so the way I feel about the RS4 is unchanged.On one hand, it has the sort of performance any enthusiast would like in any vehicle, regardless of function. It's a wagon, but it goes like stink. If you must go shopping, then it might as well be in one of these. It's a prize fighter in civvies who knows he can whip anyone in the room. Because of that, it's the sort of car you end thinking can be exploited fully only on a track.Then you go to a track and it's confusing because it doesn't seem quite right there either. The all-wheel drive system is amazing and you can feel it shuffling torque from front to rear as grip levels change. In some fast corners this can also be a bit disconcerting. It's not the simple equation delivered by a rear or front-drive car, where you get a sense of its limits.In an RS4, it's difficult to work out where they are. The all-drive system always seems to have tricks up its sleeve. The result is invariably that you go steaming into corners a bit too quickly and get understeer -- going straight on when you want to turn. You're going faster in the first place because it's possible, and because it's difficult to tell how fast is too fast.I remember this from other performance Audis and perhaps it's a question of familiarisation. A few laps wasn't enough last time and isn't enough this time.VERDICTIs it new? Well, some of it is. The bits that deliver an extra 18kW and burn less fuel. In approach and much else, it's the same.Audi RS4 AvantPrice: from $149,400Vehicle: Performance wagonEngine: 4.2-litre 8-cylinder petrol, 331kW/430NmTransmission: 7-speed dual-clutch automatic, AWDThirst: 10.7L/100km 

Playing it safe has always been a Mercedes-Benz hallmark but the German carmaker is breaking with tradition by installing its updated mid-sized E-Class as the occupant-protection pioneer. It is part-acknowledgement that technology evolves too quickly to delay innovations for the new flagship S-Class due late this year and partly a reflection of the fact the E is now a more important vehicle for Benz as sales of large limousines continue to decline. Either way, it’s a win for E-Class buyers when the car goes on sale in Australia in August.Pricing for Australia hasn’t been confirmed but company spokesman David McCarthy says an “assertive” strategy will mean minimal changes to the existing numbers, which start at $80,000 for the petrol-powered E200 four-cylinder car.  “We’re still finalising specifications for the range,” McCarthy says. “Expect the E-Class to lead the way on pricing and features.” Holding the prices in check will be a big achievement for a car that has had 2000 new components.There will be a choice of three petrol and three diesel engines in the sedan. The highlights are a bi-turbo V6 petrol E400 that will give Mercedes a vehicle to rival BMW’s 535i and a diesel hybrid that uses just 4.1 litres over 100km. Wagon buyers will have the option of a four-cylinder diesel or the bi-turbo V6.There are 11 new or updated safety systems in the E-Class, headed by automatic braking to prevent rear-end crashes and a system that detects pedestrians or crossing traffic at an intersection and hits the stoppers to avoid them. A single windscreen-mounted camera has been replaced by dual cameras linked to radar sensors to provide a virtual 3D field of vision that constantly monitors a 50m space around the car for potential hazards.Unlike the new Volvo V40, Australian E-Classes won’t read speed signs. Put that down to rural signs often being used for target practice by gun and 4WD owners and the fact many of our major cities have such a gaggle of signs that it is almost pointless to try and monitor them. “Like all our safety features, until it works perfectly every time, we won’t implement it,” McCarthy says.The basic structure of the E-Class hasn’t changed but just about everything else has. The headlamps are now a single unit with a pair of daytime running lights in a tick layout. The lamps are housed in a new front end that still comes in two guises - the traditional “Elegance” design with a bonnet-mounted three-pointed star and three-strake grille and the sportier-looking “Avantgarde” style that uses a larger Mercedes roundel mounted in a two-band grille.The interior updates are more subtle but reflect the move to improve refinement. It’s a sum-of-the-parts equation: touches like a new “split view” seven-inch screen that can project one display for the driver and another for the passenger and an analogue clock nestled between the redesigned vents aren’t instantly obvious but in combination make a big difference to the cabin ambience.Mercedes is still assessing which features will go into which cars, but the range-topping regular model, the bi-turbo V6 E400 will pick up everything. That includes adaptive cruise control with “steering assist”, which uses the dual cameras to keep the E-Class in the centre of the lane. A lane-keeping assist function also scans the road for solid and broken lines.It automatically brakes a wheel to avoid crossing solid lines and alerts the driver with a vibration in the steering wheel if they are veering over a broken line. If the system detects oncoming traffic in that situation, it also brakes a corner to bring the Mercedes back into its lane. A five-star rating from ANCAP is pretty much guaranteed.The four-cylinder models are expected to account for the vast majority of E-Class sales and the performance from the lightweight engines is more than acceptable. The pair of 250 engines - the entry level E200petrol wasn’t available at the international launch in Spain - pull the 0-100km/h sprint in around 7.5 seconds.The E220 CDI is the diesel price-leader to take on BMW's 520d, which heads 5 Series sales. The E250 diesel is the pick, courtesy of an expected $95,000 price backed by 500Nm that gives a decent shove in the seat at any speed.Step up to the hybrid and the reward comes in even less fuel use. The diesel-electric system adds around 100kg but still uses just 4.1 litres over 100km. That weight can be felt in the wagon over badly broken roads, where there’s a muted bang over seriously big bumps. We’re reserving judgment on that until we can try the car on local roads but around town the behaviour is impeccable.The E400 is a weapon and it’s only the sound from the bi-turbo V6 that gives away you’re not in a V8. The electric steering now has more weight at speed without sacrificing feel and makes the mid-sized car a lively vehicle when the road starts to wind.

As the mist parted to reveal the road snaking away along the side of the cliffs in Spain, it was easy to believe I had died and gone to heaven. Classic roads such as these near the famous Montserrat Abbey perched in the mountains above Barcelona are tailor-made for drivers and our V8-powered AMG super car was certainly up to the task- rarely do the two intersect.The roar of the big high revving V8 cannoned off the rock face that towered above us as the car powered from corner to corner. Thank you God!Australians love their fast cars and it doesn't get much better than this. You get more power and torque than before, but unfortunately we miss out on the new all-wheel drive system. Like Benz's small GLK soft roader, the 4MATIC system was never designed for right hand drive which is kind of silly really. In this model the previous AMG Performance Pack has morphed into a fully-blown 'S' model with even more power and torque, as well as plenty of other goodies.No word on pricing yet, but these cars aren't cheap and, when you see the engineering that goes into them - you can understand why (the current model starts at $240,000). But that still leaves plenty of room for options like the amazing 1200 watt, 14 speaker Bang and Olufsen sound system.AMG is to Benz as HSV is to Holden, with AMG accounting for almost 8 per cent of Benz sales in Australia - one of the highest proportions in the world. Based on the new, facelifted E-Class, the AMG model features a single front facia design, unlike the donor car which offers two, along with the new single headlight cluster that employs LEDs to create the effect of twin lights - a hallmark of the car for three generations.It features a 48mm wider track at he front for improved handling, the front and rear bumpers have also been redesigned, with further cosmetic changes to distinguish the more powerful S model from its sibling, including larger wheels and red brake calipers.Inside there's plenty of logos and the S features contrast stitching on the leather plus contrasting silver coloured seatbelt webbing. Although the cars are limited to 250km/h the speedometer reads all the way to 320.Benz is renowned for safety and this car maintains that reputation, with a host of safety systems amalgamated under the heading of Intelligent Drive. Automatic braking is standard, to prevent rear enders as well as avoiding pedestrians and cameras/sensors provide a 360 degree view around the car looking up to 50 metres ahead, and even warning of traffic approaching from either side.Benz claims the 5.5-litre bi-turbo V8 is the most efficient series production V8 in the world. There's two models, both with the same size engine, but one with 410kW/720Nm and the other with 430kW/800Nm.In left hand drive form, it is also offered with all-wheel drive, split 33:67 front to back, potentially giving the car more grip and faster acceleration. To wit the all-wheel drive, 4MATIC S is able to dispatch the dash from 0-100km/h in a Ferrari-like 3.6 seconds.The rear-wheel drive S version that we are getting is good for 3.8-3.9 seconds - it hasn't been tested yet. While the rear-drive 410kW version is good for 4.2 seconds. Top speed of both cars is limited to 250km/h.18 inch wheels with 255/285 rubber are standard, while the S adds 19s with the same size tyres but with lower profiles, along with a rear diff lock - further aiding in putting all that power to ground.Both models are hooked up to an automatic, AMG Speedshift MCT 7-speed sports transmission, with paddle shifters, that blips the throttle on down changes, together with electro-mechanical variable speed sensitive steering.Start/stop is standard (but can be turned off) and the driver can select from a number of drive modes and the suspension is also adjustable, with air dampers holding up the rear.Despite the increase in power, the 410kW model consumes the same 9.8 litres/100km as its 386kW predecessor, while the 430kW model is expected to consume a fraction more - it too hasn't been tested.Basically, the car could still do with more grip. When you're pushing out this much power, the difference between 410 or 430kW is difficult to quantify, certainly well beyond our knowing.Suffice to say the E63 is mighty quick in either configuration, either off the line, in a straight line or through the twisty bits, as we discovered - although the latter requires some finesse. The sound and feel of the big V8 is almost tangible, especially in sport mode with the exhaust baffles fully open. The throaty roar from the quad pipes sounds like the hounds of hell themselves are approaching.We got to drive both the rear wheel drive 410kW model and top of the line all-wheel drive 430kW S model - both of them sedans. Just like previous E63 that we drove the back has a tendency to step out unless you're careful - traction control or no traction control. And the smaller 18 inch wheels on the standard car don't help matters.After a bit of trial and error we found the best way to drive the car, in fact the only way - is fast in and slow out of corners, braking deep and letting the car complete its turn and straighten up before hitting the throttle again. The beefy AMG brakes are superb but can be upgraded to ceramic discs if desired, at considerable cost however.Even with all-wheel drive to keep the car in check you need to remain watchful. At one point we pulled out to overtake, which can be accomplished in a nanosecond, and the car almost snapped sideways into the car we were trying to pass as we tromped the throttle.

Roomster sounds more like some character from a teen TV show than an innovative compact runabout. The twee title does not do justice to this well thought out Skoda.However, on closer scrutiny, the name is pretty much on the mark, for the car ‘makes room’; room for almost anything anyone could want from a vehicle of this size.VALUEThe Roomster comes onto the market at $22,490, plus on-roads, for the five-speed manual, while the seven-speed DSG auto costs $24,790. The test vehicle, a five-speed manual with pearl effect paint and contrasting roof, sells for $23,370. Standard equipment includes an auxiliary socket allowing MP3 connection, a 12V socket in the boot, black roof rails, four-spoke multi-function leather steering wheel and Bluetooth phone connectivity. Extremely quiet at idle, the engine of the test Roomster made itself known only when accelerating with urgency.TECHNOLOGYThe Roomster first hit Aussie shores in 2007 and has been extensively upgraded with a new, more economical engine and the option of a DSG automatic transmission. The new Roomster enjoys the benefit of a new 1.2-litre 77 kW turbocharged petrol engine producing 175 Nm, 22 Nm more torque than the outgoing 1.6-litre engine. It showcases a 1.1 litre per 100 kilometre improvement in combined fuel consumption and a 34 grams/km reduction in CO2 emissions.The motor can be mated with a five-speed manual gearbox or seven-speed DSG double-clutch automatic transmission, the latter operating in two modes – fully automatic or manual Tiptronic.DESIGNWith one of the most flexible interiors in the segment, Roomster offers as much interior space as a conventional multipurpose vehicle, all within the space of a mere 214 mm more than a Skoda Fabia hatch.It has a modern new look on the outside and top quality interior trim. The Roomster’s cabin has come in for material and equipment upgrades with more soft-touch plastics and higher specification entertainment systems, while maintaining its passenger and load carrying versatility through clever seating.   Again the Roomster has the innovative Varioflex rear seating arrangement. Revisiting the Varioflex rear seating system, it’s easy to see the appeal of such versatility. The theatre-style rear seating, positioned higher than the front seats for a better all-round view, takes three occupants with the centre seat raised. Folded down it becomes an armrest, a drink holder or for storage.This middle section, which weighs just 11 kilograms, can be easily removed giving more shoulder space for the two remaining occupants. Alternatively, they can cosy up by shifting both seats inboard. Leg room is impressive thanks to seat rails offering 150 mm of movement forward and back and an adjustable seat back that reclines by 13.5 degrees.Cargo gets its own characteristic storage features. With five passengers on board, the load area allows up 450 litres of space. Fold the rear seats down and volume increases to 1555 litres on a surface of up to 1022 millimetres. In addition to the removable centre seat, the two outer chairs, each weighing a middleweight 16 kg, can also be removed completely by pulling on the clearly-marked levers.The Roomster thus becomes a two-seater van with a volume of 1780 litres. The almost vertical side walls and low loading edge make it easy to take goods, even up to the roofline. Tie-down points on the floor can secure large and heavy items.All this is packaged in a vehicle measuring only 4214 mm long, yet with a wheelbase of 2608 mm - small car, big help. The extra millimetres also help to give the vehicle a stable ride. By having a slightly wider track at the rear, corners can be taken with confidence, while a low kerb weight also enhances handling.On the outside, the Roomster has taken on a more assertive road presence. With a new, wider radiator grille and headlamp design, plus the wraparound windscreen, the vehicle looks wider and lower than the previous model. Large windows open up the rear of the cabin, while hidden rear door handles emphasise the vehicle’s clean, uncluttered profile which leads to a rear featuring high positioned slim tail lights incorporating Skoda’s typical C-shape when lit.SAFETYThe Roomster has gained a five-star Euro NCAP safety rating, having three-point seat belts on all seats, including the centre rear, and height-adjustable belts in front fitted with pre-tensioners. Additionally, there are six airbags – driver and passenger, side and curtain.DRIVINGWith only 77 kW on tap maximum revs needed to be maintained to shift the five-speed manual smoothly through the gears. Anything less had the motor gasping for air. Expect to get fuel consumption of 5.9 litres per 100 kilometres on the combined urban / highway cycle, while putting out 138g of carbon dioxide every kilometre.Skoda RoomsterPrice: from $22,490 (plus driveaway costs)Warranty: three years/unlimited kmCrash rating: 5-star ANCAPEngine: 1.2-litre 4-cylinder, 77kW/175NmTransmission: 5-speed manual, FWDBody: 4214mm (L); 1684mm (w); 1607mm (h)Weight: 1217kgThirst: 5.9L/100km 138g/km CO2    

Heads up because the new Mercedes-Benz E-Class touches down in Australia in six months. And, while it does not look or feel radically different from the current model, you get the feeling there has been a changing of the guard.The V8 powered E500, previously the top of the E-Class tree, has been unceremoniously dumped - consigned to an earlier time when fuel consumption and/or its detrimental effects on the environment were not the priority they are these days. To hammer home the point, the E-Class line up will also include a hybrid for the first time - and not just any old hybrid . . . but a diesel one.Benz hasn't revealed any prices yet. That won't happen until closer to the Australian launch in August. But expect prices to be "assertive'' to use their words, which in some cases might mean cheaper than the model it replaces.Benz is keen to deliver more E-Class sales and the way to do this is to kit out the car with better engines, more tech and a longer list of standard equipment. Prices for the current range start at just under $80,000 - expect the new E-Class to be close if not slightly less than this figure.Safety features are something the company is loathe to skimp on and automatic braking, to prevent costly rear-enders in traffic - is sure to be standard.One of the biggest changes has been the consolidation of the twin front lights into a single headlight cluster. It has been a hallmark of the car for three generations and was the subject of much discussion prior to its introduction.Suffice to say Benz has managed to create a twin light effect, using LED technology to separate the one light into two distinct groups instead. You wait until you see it.The other big change is the adoption of two front facias, just like Benz has done with the smaller C-Class - Elegance and Avantgarde. There's no prizes for guessing which style will be most popular with Aussies, where Avantgarde outsells the more conservative Elegance look with its raised Benz three-pointed star at a rate of almost 10 to 1.Five stars for sure. Benz wrote the safety book when it comes to technology. It doesn't get any safer than this, with the usual fare, including multiple airbags and electronic traction and stability control - plus a long list of standard/optional safety features.They include the aforementioned steering assist, high beam assist and rear ender prevention. The latter detects the presence of pedestrians up to a speed of 50km/h, at which point it will stop the car automatically and quicker than you could ever hope to do so yourself.The chance of injury continues to be lessened up to a speed of 72km/h - after which you're on your own. The high-beam assist system is so new Benz it hasn't even been seen in the S-Class yet, and the company is faced with the daunting task of having to talk the Government into it - there's just no rules to accommodate it.The system is able to dip the all-LED head lights, but only in a narrow gap around an on-coming car - not completely (maintaing the driver's view of the road ahead). Also a combination of radar/cameras and ultra-sonic sensors create a 360 degree safety envelope, 50 metres around the car which can even warn of traffic entering the path of the car from either side.We'll be getting three petrol, two diesel and one hybrid model. There's the E200 four cylinder petrol model, the entry to the range with 135kW of power, 300Nm of torque and fuel consumption of 6.0 litres/100km, the E250 four cylinder petrol with 155kW/350Nm/6.1 litres/100km, and the new E400 Bi-Turbo 3.0-litre petrol V6 with 245kW/480Nm/7.7 litres/100km.The entry level diesel is the four cylinder 250CDI, with 150kW/500Nm/5.2 litres/100km, the V6 E350 Bluetec with 185kW/620Nm/5.7 litres/100km and the four cylinder E300 Bluetec Hybrid, with 170kW/750Nm/4.4 litres/100km.The latter is basically the same engine as the E250 CDI with the addition of an electric motor to give it some extra oomph and to reduce fuel consumption. The wagon will be available withe the E250 CDI diesel, as well as the E400 Bi-Turbo V6 - but the jury is still out on whether there will be an AMG version of the wagon - Benz only sold five last year.Details of the coupe and cabriolet will not be revealed until closer to launch later in the year. All are hooked up to a 7-speed automatic in Australia and all are fitted with fuel-saving stop/start technology.We got to drive three of the models at the international launch of the E-Class this week in Spain. The E250 CDI diesel is expected to be the biggest seller in the range again and deservedly so with 500Nm of torque, for most people all you'll need.The Hybrid with its extra power and lower fuel consumption figures could be a sleeper, providing the same kind of performance, if a little smoother - depending of course on the price. The E400 Bi-Turbo petrol V6 while not quite as quick off the line as the V8, at 5.3 versus 4.9 seconds for the 0-100km/h dash is pretty damn good and will go head-to-head with BMW's twin turbo six - something that has been lacking until now.It won't be anywhere near as expensive either - but it's still a big hop, step and a jump up to an AMG for a V8. Benz says the percentage of diesels it sells is now close to 50 percent in E-Class, but drive the Bi-Turbo V6, with its satisfying snarl and rapid throttle response and you won't want to give it back - trust me.