Wheels August 2017의 목차

Here’s a clue to the sheer computational grunt needed for an autonomous vehicle to duplicate what a driver’s brain does… The chip is stamped ‘Intel Confidential’. It packs computing power equivalent to around 50 PCs, we’re told. Mounted on a board about 20cm square, this is what will eventually take the place of the electronic jumble that currently fills the boot of the autonomous 7 Series development prototype. “Teaching computers to solve problems,” is how BMW artificial intelligence expert Dr Reinhard Stolle describes what he does. “I like this definition because it fits driving.” And there are plenty of problems for a computer to solve. Plotting a route to the objective is the simple part. Awareness of the surrounding environment , and reacting appropriately, is the tough bit. So the…

What is it? Mazda’s interpretation of torque vectoring is a pure software-based function, albeit with very real physical effects, so given a box full of tools and a Mazda 3, you won’t find the G-Vectoring widget, no matter how many parts you remove. GVC is an advanced program fed into the vehicle’s various electronic systems including engine management and ESC controllers. Mazda’s approach does not rely on individual wheel braking to ‘vector’ torque, as do many other manufacturers’ systems, instead aiming for a more subtle and efficient method. Why does it matter? According to its maker, GVC is as much about comfort as it is about dynamics. Not only do occupants feel less of the effects of changes in direction for a more relaxing ride, but more precise steering allows…

Model Kia Stinger GT Engine 3342cc V6, dohc, 24v, twin-turbo Max power 272kW @ 6000rpm Max torque 510Nm @ 1300-4500rpm Transmission 8-speed automatic Weight 1750kg (estimated) 0-100km/h 4.9sec (claimed) Economy 9.0L/100km (estimated) Price $55,000 (estimated) On sale September WE PRIDE ourselves on being able to assess a car after the briefest of drives, but this is ridiculous. After being bundled out of a bus in the pitlane of the old Nurburgring Nordschleife, I’m hurried into a Kia Stinger GT, a car I’ve never sat in, let alone driven, and waved out on to the track in hot pursuit of Dirk Schoysman. He’s the bloke who broke the eight minute production car record here in a Nissan R33 Skyline 20 years ago. And judging by his pace on what is supposed…

Model Lamborghini Huracan LP580-2 Spyder Engine 5204cc V10, dohc, 40v Max Power 427kW @ 8000rpm Max Torque 540Nm @ 6500rpm Transmission 7-speed dual-clutch Weight 1509kg 0-100km/h 3.6sec (claimed) Economy 12.1L/100km Price $429,000 On sale Now VERSATILITY isn’t normally a quality one tends to associate with supercars yet it’s precisely this criterion that often defines the best. Single-minded focus is, by comparison, fairly easy. Creating something with a broad range of talents is a far trickier brief. It’s also one that the Lamborghini Huracan has nailed to rack up huge sales. In 2016 alone, the Huracan shifted more units than 16 years’ worth of Countach sales and is breezily outstripping its predecessor, the Gallardo. A car with the civility and build integrity to be used as a daily driver yet which…

Model Hyundai Ioniq Electric Motor Permanent magnet synchronous Max power 88kW Max torque 295Nm Transmission Fixed single speed Weight 1420kg 0-100km/h 9.9sec (claimed) Economy 11.5kWh/100km Price $37,500 (estimated) On sale Q1, 2018 IT’S NOT quite the Ludicrous mode of a Tesla Model S, but the Sport button in the centre console of the Hyundai Ioniq does make it quite a bit more lively. The five-door hatch accelerates with real eagerness, and near silence. On the broad and modern roads of Songdo, east of Seoul, the Ioniq usually leads the charge when traffic lights turn green. Slowing for reds I experiment with the Hyundai’s driver-variable regenerative braking. Even though it has a single-speed transmission, there are paddle shifters behind the Hyundai’s steering wheel. Tapping them toggles up or down through four…

Model Mercedes-Benz E400 Coupe Engine 2996cc V6 (60°) dohc, 24v, twin-turbo Max power 245kW @ 5250-6000rpm Max torque 480Nm @ 1600-4000rpm Transmission 9-speed automatic Weight 1770kg 0-100km/h 5.3sec (claimed) Economy 8.5L/100km Price $145,900 On sale Now THE WORD coupe is synonymous with compromise, but in an age when car makers keep proving it’s possible to create a car that’s all things to almost all people, practicality certainly needn’t be the preserve of four- and five-doors. Try and squeeze four people into an Audi TT, Subaru BRZ or Ford Mustang and you’ll receive complaints from the second row before you reach the end of the street, yet the latest two-door from Mercedes-Benz is a refreshing antithesis to coupe compromise. We’re not talking about a jacked-up SUV with a chamfered roofline. Rather,…

MORE THAN 250 CUSTOMERS ORDERED THE NEW TYPE R EVEN BEFORE THE OFFICIAL PRICE – $50,990 – WAS ANNOUNCED THE further you are from the Honda Civic Type R, the better it looks. It’s hard to say exactly how far is far enough. Just keep walking until the details of its designer-frenzy exterior begin to blur… It’s hard to believe this hot hatch comes from the same company whose studios once turned out the calm and cleanly elegant shape of the 2003 Accord Euro. The new Civic Type R is instead a visually shouty assembly of aesthetic offences. Honda’s design language may be incoherent gibberish lately, but this hasn’t entirely extinguished the brand’s appeal. More than 250 customers ordered the new Type R even before the official price – $50,990…

In the 47 years since I drove my first Ferrari – I’m counting the Dino 246 GT as a true Ferrari – my hands have been laid on most of Maranello’s production cars, at least until the most recent crop of turbocharged V8 models. A large part of me is happy that I’m left with memories of the gloriously evocative, normally aspirated engines, 9000rpm redlines and power that builds as the revs climb ever higher. Yes, I appreciate that the 488 is faster than the 458, but I simply don’t want a Ferrari that develops peak torque from just 3000rpm. Here, then, are my favourites; a list that includes one turbocharged car and one model I’ve never driven. 250 GT SWB In the 16 years I was a regular visitor…

I DON’T ride motorbikes, and if you ever meet me there’s a very simple way to tell – if you look really closely, you’ll notice that I still have all my arms and legs attached and I am not eating my lunch through a straw. But if you assume I dislike bikes, you would be mistaken. I respect the engineering marvel that they are, fawn over their heat-coloured exhausts and dizzying power-to-weight ratios, and the opportunity to wear head-to-toe leather without being reborn as a cow is genuinely appealing. But every time I consider putting something in the garage that has more power than my first car but with only half the wheels, the idea is immediately dismissed by one of my greatest character traits – cowardice. Why? The 20…

Sharing zip with the FA4, the front-drive BD-series 323 catapulted Mazda into the big league, setting class standards for driveability, quality and packaging. Its 1980 Wheels Car of theYear victory (the company’s first) even prompted a limited run with ‘The Winner’ emblazoned on the side. These were simpler times… Ours is a 55kW 1.5 swathed with the sort of mouse fur-like velour cabin trim endemic of the era. Refreshingly deep glass, thin pillars, low cowls – vision out is superb. The (unassisted) steering is numb and the manual notchy, but the performance is strong and the handling surprisingly surefooted. The rebodied BF third-gen (and its Ford Laser ‘bubble-back’ cousin) saw out the ’80s with improved refinement, space and solidity, and spawned the much sought-after turbo all-wheel-drive hotshots developed for international…

The fraternal twin to the second-gen Ford Focus out of Germany, the newly christened 3 took the Mazda small car on a different path again – a fact underlined by ‘Axela’ replacing the venerable Familia name in Japan. Dearborn was killing the sacred cows. But what a Year Zero. The BK’s handsome design, stylish cabin and sophisticated engineering (ushering in a multi-link rear end) helped the 323 replacement become a smash hit, hitting record sales in Australia. It and the rebodied BL-series from 2009 were on the ball and right on the money, just as soaring fuel prices and the emergent SUV saw seismic moves away from the traditional large sedan. The early Neo manual hatch we sampled still passes muster today, particularly in terms of poise and control. Somehow…

HAVE you ever had one of those ‘vindicated’ moments where you’ve pumped your arms in a V, and screamed, “I told you so!” into the face of the nearest person, regardless of whether they had any idea what you were suddenly so triumphant about? No, me neither. But I did come close recently. See, this relates to the X1’s urban ride; specifically, how it deals with ruts, expansion joints and sharp edges on its 19-inch run-flat Dunlop rubber. I’d rate it as okay – much better than the Renault Koleos I ran prior to this car – but not great. There’s a bit too much hollow-sounding thunking and thudding, which can intrude on the serenity provided by the slick, quiet powertrain. I suspect the stiff, highly reinforced sidewalls of the…

MONTH three of my relationship with AMG’s E-Class gateway-drug has included time in the embrace of others. It wasn’t the car’s fault; it was mine. I spent several days overseas in two spells. And while I wasn’t thinking it at the time, I missed the big grey blunderbuss. The second of my two trips ended with a redeye flight from Korea to Melbourne, landing me back in the airport carpark midmorning, midweek, trying my best to make amends with the faithful E43. I slumped into the driver’s seat, feeling a bit weary after enduring a sleep-deprived night on an aircraft, and let out an involuntary sigh of relief. Sitting inside the peace and quiet of its thickly glazed cocoon, it was just so nice to be home. That same wave…

McLAREN praising Aston Martin? It’s not likely today, especially given the latter’s supercar ambitions with the Valkyrie. But go back to Bruce McLaren’s 1964 autobiography, From the Cockpit, and there it is from the man himself: “I took out the Aston on a drying circuit and found it one of the best-handling cars I have ever driven.” McLaren was referring to his 1963 Le Mans test in the Aston Martin DB4 GT, the production-class racing variant of Aston’s already five-year-old DB4 road car. If the GT had been a revelation to this three-time grand prix winner, the DB4 itself had been the same among grand touring coupes. Aston Martin’s pre-war cars had been worthy enough for their time, but the company’s limited resources – even under new owner, David Brown…

THERE’S praise everywhere for the Giulia QV, the sports sedan that suggests that Alfa Romeo has finally found its mojo. And the Milanese brand has mucho mojo: it’s been around for 117 years, Enzo Ferrari managed his first racing team there, Alfa drivers won the first two F1 world championships … on it went. Up to a point. In 1986, Alfa Romeo was taken over by Fiat; in 1987, it ceased production of the exotic, affordable and rear-drive Alfetta GT/GTV6; and in 1988 it quit Formula 1. Aside from brief blips like the recent 4C and the (even briefer) 8C and SZ, Alfa Romeo did bugger-all to arouse enthusiast interest for 30 years. So how does one explain Nathan Khoury, a 29-year-old Sydney lawyer who has owned 20 Alfa Romeos…

A WAVE of tempting new metal is primed to hit the hot-hatch segment, promising Aussies new levels of track-honed keenness with everyday usability. This quartet of contenders give good reason to spend $50K on a performance car that really can do it all. Spearheading the charge is the Hyundai i30 N, pictured here in production-ready guise. Hyundai will launch two variants before the year is out. A base i30 N, with outputs of 184kW and 353Nm, will directly target the Golf GTI, and must be priced to undercut or match the VW’s $41,340 point of entry if Hyundai is to successfully break into the segment. The i30 N Performance Pack version shown here will turn the wick up to 202kW and, we understand, a minimum of 353Nm with more torque…

This company is a world leader in camera-based sensor tech. The most advanced assistance systems available today, like those in BMW’s latest 5 and 7 Series, are classified Level 2 in the five-step autonomous driving scale (see p16). The steps to Level 3 and beyond means adding more cameras, for safety. Multiple redundancies will be built into sensor systems. The idea is that should a single sensor be taken out, others will be able to cover for it. Lidars or, as BMW’s engineers prefer, laser scanners, are the other key autonomous car-sensor tech. There’s progress here, too. BMW’s prototype Level 5 car, a 3 Series GT, has four compact laser scanners built into its bodywork instead of a large single scanner goofily mounted on its roof. BMW engineers plan to…

THE DAYS of a charismatic car company boss ordering a new model on a whim, or a vendetta, are behind us, but it’s still natural to contextualise a company’s efforts and direction through the character of the person in charge. In the case of the road cars developed by Porsche’s GT Division – the ones that get to wear the GT and RS badges – that bloke is Andreas Preuninger. While he’s predictably keen to argue we should see GT Division’s work as a team effort by the 200 engineers handling its racing and road car activities, it’s also hard to see past Preuninger as the perfect encapsulation of the brand he works for. Preuninger is a hugely talented engineer, but also an enthusiast with an obvious love for his…

Drive through any Aussie country town, and you will see Commodores and Falcons in people’s driveways, mixed in with the odd Colorado, Hilux or 75 Series (‘Holden to shed 30 dealers as shutdown looms’, Wheelsmag.com.au). While latte-sipping inner-city types might have long ago abandoned the Aussie large car for hybrids and small-capacity turbo Euros, and the ‘suburban family’ has ditched large sedans in favour of SUVs, nothing is more comfy and at home on a rural Aussie road than a Commodore or Falcon. That’s where those cars will be missed the most. James Canning, via Facebook…

Model Porsche 911 Carrera 4 GTS Engine 2981cc flat 6, dohc, 24v, twin-turbo Max Power 331kW @ 6500rpm Max Torque 550Nm @ 2150-5000rpm Transmission 7-speed dual-clutch Weight 1515kg 0-100km/h 3.6sec (claimed) Economy 8.5L/100km Price $306,290 On sale Now IF YOU look at the proliferation of variants in the average premium Euro model line-up, it seems choice has become key to establishing a firm foothold in the segment. And Porsche is certainly adhering to that mantra by adding five fresh GTS versions that blow the 911 range out to 22 variants. Finding the room was tricky: Carrera versions already look after the entry point, the GT3 has track fanatics covered and the Turbo keeps well-heeled speed junkies happy. What the GTS offers is something in between thanks to a power hike…

Model Holden Astra LTZ sedan Engine 1399cc 4cyl, dohc, 16v, turbo Max power 110kW @ 6500rpm Max torque 240Nm @ 2000-4000rpm Transmission 6-speed automatic Weight 1318kg 0-100km/h 8.0sec (estimated) Economy 6.1L/100km Price $29,790 On sale Now WHAT you’re looking at is an Astra in name only. Sourced from Korea, rather than Europe where our Astra hatch comes from, the Astra sedan is in essence a rebadged new-gen Chevy Cruze. Sheetmetal, interior plastics and critical dimensions all differ greatly from the hatch, and the Astra sedan boasts its own character and flavour. There is, however, some commonality. The 1.4-litre turbo four that serves in the Astra R and R+ hatch powers all three variants in the sedan range, and though its 110kW and 240Nm outputs are modest compared with the firecracker…

Model Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk Engine 2987cc V6 (60°), dohc, 24v, TD Max power 184kW @ 4000rpm Max torque 570Nm @ 2000rpm Transmission 8-speed automatic Weight 2340kg 0-100km/h 8.2sec (claimed) Economy 7.5L/100km Price $74,000 On sale Now THERE’S nothing like playing to your strengths to reap results. For proof, take a look at AC/DC, McDonald’s, or even Ikea. For Jeep, that strength is SUVs of the type with true off-road ability. And the Grand Cherokee is at the heart of the brand, a heart that has been torn recently courtesy of a dramatic local sales tumble. Enter the MY17 Grand Cherokee, a facelift aimed at reinvigorating a brand with some crucial newcomers around the corner (Compass, Wrangler and Wagoneer to name but a few). The DNA – most of the…

Model BMW 530e iPerformance Engine 1998cc 4cyl, dohc, 16v, turbo + electric Max power 185kW @ 5000-5600rpm Max torque 420Nm @ 1350-4250rpm Transmission 8-speed automatic Weight 1770kg 0-100km/h 6.2sec (claimed) Economy 2.3L/100km Price $108,900 On sale Now A FIFTH member of BMW’s growing suite of iPerformance – read ‘plug-in hybrid’ – models has joined the Bavarian car maker’s showroom. This time, though, it wears the clothes of the G30-based 5 Series. The 530e iPerformance is priced the same as the 530i and carries the same spec level, meaning buyers who want to take the plug-in plunge but don’t want to pay extra for it can do so without any of the hip-pocket hits the technology normally attracts. And per kilo, the plug-in 5er is good value. That’s because by the…

In the best possible way, the Lexus is an old-fashioned, hushed grand touring car WHAT were the Lexus product planners thinking when they conceived the 2012 LF-LC concept car? Was it a luxury coupe, or a sports car successor to the mighty V10 LFA, or entirely something else? Created as a styling concept with no production ambitions, so positive was the Detroit show reception to the dramatically styled LF-LC that at the time Wheels’ position was, “Just build it.” Four years later, looking virtually unchanged from the concept car (though we’re told no panels are common) the now plain ‘LC’ is a production reality and at $190,000, priced well below the competition. With classic proportions, a forcefully wide stance and a relatively simple shape decorated with lashings of Nike-like swooshes,…

Five Australians have scored Formula 1 points. Six men have driven on the moon. Of the Aussies to have succeeded in motorsport’s top echelon, Ricciardo and Webber spring easily to mind, and world champs Jones and Brabham need nothing in the way of introduction. The fifth usually foxes people. It’s Tim Schenken. Even more intriguingly, he’s the only Aussie to have ever scored a factory Ferrari drive, albeit in sports cars not Formula 1. So how did a kid who used to secretly borrow his mum’s Simca for races at Calder end up catching the eye of Enzo Ferrari? “Because I was good enough,” he deadpans, before breaking into an impish grin. Ferrari went all-in for the 1972 sports car racing season with its 3.0-litre flat-12 312PB, building an impressive…

40 YEARS ago Mazda was teetering on the brink of oblivion, and not for the first or last time. Having boldly put all its eggs in the eccentric rotary engine basket, the Hiroshima-based firm that survived nuclear annihilation in 1945 was by 1975 reeling from buyer backlash against the thirsty and problematic Wankel. Sales ebbed away like oil from a seized RX2. What the nearly bankrupt Mazda needed was a saviour – a car as populist as a Toyota Corolla yet as progressive as the Volkswagen Golf. Carrying an old name in Japan (Familia) and a silly one in America (GLC for Great Little Car), that was, of course, the 323. This is its story.…

It was all-change with the fourth/fifth-gen BG/BH 323, thanks to dramatic coupe-like silhouette styling (including pop-up headlights for the first Astina) and twin-cam technology that elevated the series upmarket. Desirable, fun and fast, the BG proved a hit in Australia, riding out the early ’90s recession as a better alternative to the expensive yet poorly equipped Euro alternatives of the time. We drove a cracking 92kW Astina SP and its cammy oomph, quick steering and nimble handling make it a blast even today. This is the pick of all the non-turbo 323s. The restyled BH 323 of 1994, however, was Mazda reaching too far again, stretching resources and budgets with over-complication, including two costly coupe-like pillarless hardtops in sedan and hatch guises, as well as a sweet-revving but pointless 2.0-lite…

As the brand’s first non-Ford-era small car in a decade, the box-fresh BM boasts technical synergies with the rest of the so-called SkyActiv-era range, including the CX-5, 2 supermini and CX-3. Efficiency executed in a way smarter manner. Nowadays the 3 nips at the heels of the evergreen Golf, though it lags in refinement (too much road noise – that old Mazda bugbear) and real-world fuel economy. Still, the flagship SP25 Astina is a commanding, sporty GT hatch. What it lacks is the visual boldness and playful rortiness of the unforgettable Astina SP of 1989 that remains the sweet spot over nine generations. And time for another 3 MPS, please Hiroshima (see Fast Fact below left). In 40 years, then, the Mazda small car has had anything but a quiet…

SMARTPHONE mirroring is a godsend in a car that has a touchscreen display but no built-in sat-nav capability, but there are two minor issues with this in the Astra. Holden (well Opel, really), provides a handy receptacle at the base of the centre stack to hold your phone. Unless you’re a phablettoting type, you’ll find it to be a thoughtful touch ... until you decide to charge the thing or take advantage of Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. The only USB port in the car is buried in the centre console bin, so if you want to connect your phone and use that nifty slot at the same time, you’ll need a cable long enough to stretch the 60cm gap between port and holder. Which puts a cable right over…

FUEL bills can be a sore point with anyone who’s stepped up to a seven-seat SUV. The prospect of lugging around upwards of two tonnes – especially in a spirited way – can easily lead to fuel use well into the teens of litres per 100km travelled. Not ideal if you’ve also got some human food processors on board churning through your weekly salary concurrently. Which is why we’ve been keeping an eye on the CX-9’s trip computer pretty closely, moreso over the past month. For the first time in 3500km the 2.5-litre four-pot turbo has taken a gulp of regular unleaded. The cheaper fuel still achieves the 170kW claimed in the brochure, but it does without the additional 16kW kick delivered from a 98-octane brew. And the engine loses…

WE GAVE you a glimpse last month, but now we have every detail of Porsche’s fastest-ever 911. The big numbers first. Porsche is asking $645,400 for the GT2 RS. Yes, that’s almost double the price of a 911 GT3, and even more than the $610K Ferrari Australia charges for its 812 Superfast, replete with 588kW V12. But you can’t buy one of those, so let’s move on. Packing a monstrous 515kW and 750Nm from its twin-turbocharged 3.8-litre flat six, the GT2 RS tips the scales at 1470kg and will accelerate from 0-100km/h in 2.8 seconds before sailing on to a top whack of 340km/h. You know it gets a seven-speed dual-clutch as mandatory; no manual. Rear-wheel steering, carbon-ceramic brake discs and a suitably lairy PSM stability control tune are also…

AUGUST MERCEDES-BENZ E-Class All Terrain and GLA facelift; MINI Countryman JCW; PEUGEOT 3008; SUBARU WRX and STI facelift; VOLKSWAGEN Golf Mk7.5 GTI and R SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER AUDI A5 and S5 cabriolet; BMW 5 Series Touring; CITROEN C4 Picasso and Grand Picasso update; HONDA Civic Type R; HYUNDAI Sonata facelift; KIA Stinger; MERCEDES-AMG GT/GT C roadster and coupe, and GT-R coupe; PEUGEOT 5008; SKODA Octavia, Octavia RS and Scout facelifts VOLKSWAGEN Arteon DUE AUGUST Peugeot 3008 Forget the quirky old 3008 crossover; its all-new replacement is a more conventional medium-sized S SUV, likely to be offered with a choice of 1.2-litre turbo-triple, a 1.6-litre turbo-petrol or a 2.0-litre turbo-diesel, all FWD only. DUE SEPTEMBER Audi A5 Cabriolet Stiffer yet lighter: that’s the key sell attached to Audi’s imminent drop-top. The A5 Cabrio…

Model Audi RS5 Coupe Engine 2894cc V6 (90°), dohc, 24v, twin-turbo Max Power 331kW @ 5700-6700rpm Max Torque 600Nm @ 1900-5000rpm Transmission 8-speed automatic Weight 1665kg 0-100km/h 3.9sec (claimed) Fuel economy 8.7L/100km Price $157,900 (estimated) On sale November IT’S THE power figure that first grabs your attention. Not because the RS5’s number is huge; more because it brings a curious sense of deja vu. Let me explain. The previous-gen 4.2-litre atmo V8 that powered the original RS5 (introduced in 2010) delivered a soaring, super-sonorous 331kW. In the interests of reducing consumption, Audi binned that engine, co-developed (with Porsche) this new 2.9-litre V6 with a pair of turbochargers nestling between its banks, and tuned it specifically for the RS5 application, and managed to extract – yes – exactly 331kW. What are…

Model Suzuki Swift GLX Turbo Engine 998cc 3cyl, dohc, 12v, turbo Max power 82kW @ 5500rpm Max torque 160Nm @ 1500-4000rpm Transmission 6-speed auto Weight 915kg 0-100km/h 10.0sec (claimed) Economy 5.1L/100km Price $22,990 (drive-away) On sale Now CORPORATE amnesia. It struck Peugeot in the 2000s (when it forgot how to make beautiful and dynamic cars) and the fear in the lead-up to the latest Swift, was that Suzuki might be next, after two generations of stylishness and sass. It turns out we had no reason to be worried. Chief engineer Maso Kobori revealed that honing ‘fun and sporty’ was his team’s aim when work commenced on the new AZ series in 2013, ahead even of the usual noble pursuits of improved efficiency, refinement, safety and driveability. Longer and wider than…

Model Nissan X-Trail ST-L 2WD Engine 2488cc 4cyl, dohc, 16v Max power 126kW @ 6000rpm Max torque 226Nm @ 4400rpm Transmission CVT automatic Weight 1458kg 0-100km/h 10.3sec (claimed) Economy 7.9L/100km Price $36,590 On sale Now MEMORY can be a funny thing. Midway through driving Nissan’s largely cosmetic X-Trail nip ’n’ tuck, the penny dropped as to why sales remain so solid. This is a good old-fashioned wagon on stilts, and many of us would make the connection with the Skylines, Bluebirds, 180Bs or 1600s we clambered into as kids. Perhaps the angular silhouette subconsciously reassures us of good times past. Employing the 2.5-litre petrol engine from the original T30 of 2001 is a throwback too, especially against more muscular direct-injection and/or turbo competitors like VW’s Tiguan. Sure, there’s enough low-down…

Model Subaru XV 2.0-L Engine 1995cc 4cyl, dohc, 16v Max power 115kW @ 6000rpm Max torque 196Nm @ 4000rpm Transmission CVT automatic Weight 1474kg 0-100km/h 11.2sec (estimated) Economy 7.0/100km Price $30,340 On sale Now THE WAKE of the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake wasn’t a good time for Subaru to launch its long-awaited compact crossover. Hit with supply problems that limited sales early on, the original XV stood on shaky ground. It’s good to see, then, that a second generation of the Imprezabased XV is built on a rock-solid footing; the all-new Subaru Global Platform. There’s a lot that’s familiar from Impreza, particularly its roomy interior, but outside XV is a handsome mix of metal, chrome and black cladding. Weight has increased over the previous generation, though all variants receive…

JERRARI’S devotion to the dozen has never deviated. The company was founded on V12 power, and has been faithful to the format now for 70 years. And the V12 engine remains as exotic today as it ever was. Seven decades ago it was a path to power few dared or cared to follow. This remained the case through most of Ferrari’s long road car history. Today there are more straightforward highways to hell-raising performance than 12 cylinders and high, high revs. But, at least for its elite models, Ferrari spurns them. Hope that this remains so. Pray to your preferred God if you think it will help. For there are few other engines on this earth quite so worthy of veneration as the latest Ferrari V12. At the end of…

THE KIA AND SUZUKI NEWBIES ARE HERE TO BATTLE THE KOREAN-BUILT, AUSSIE-ENHANCED HOLDEN SPARK MY MAMMA Maria says the best way to judge a pizza place is by its Margherita. Get that humble classic’s tomato, mozzarella, basil, olive oil and salt recipe right and the rest of the menu invariably follows. Experience suggests that the same rule applies to car makers. If the base model delivers then the ones with extra toppings should too. Kia is driving proof. Back in 2004 the original Picanto actually did have the power – as well as the packaging and dynamics – to surprise finicky European city-car buyers, being the brand’s first genuinely class-competitive offering and its entree to international respectability. Eventually most other models followed suit, and the forthcoming Stinger GT heralds an…

In 1977 this was only the second five-door hatch of its size in Oz after the Golf, with styling as fashionable as Farah Fawcett’s flip on Charlie’s Angels. But beneath the rad tartan seats was a trad rear-drive 1300 dating back a decade. Yep, the old new-clothes-over-old-bones trick. Still, Wheels was impressed enough for Steve Cropley to call it “…the outstanding small-car buy in Australia right now” in the August ’77 issue. Value, reliability and economy were the tonics that buyers craved and the brand finally delivered. The original 323 was no Mk1 Golf though, as this late-build orange 48kW 1.4 cutie demonstrated. A total throwback, with scattered switchgear, cramped packaging, crude suspension and noisy powertrain, it was but a stepping stone forward to the modern era of FWD. 1980s…

Innovation was to take a back seat again for the newly sober Mazda. Like the ’77 original, the ’98 323 was about back-to-basics survival. Its scaled-down 626 underpinnings brought space, but blandness too, prioritising value and practically over style and sass. The millennial Astina was the Corolla of 323s. Nothing exciting behind the wheel to report, but at least the BJ drove better than just about any corresponding mainstream rival of the day. And has since proved utterly reliable second-hand. A FAMILIA STORY Launched in 1963, the Giugiaro-penned Familia/800/1000 in sedan, wagon and sexy coupe drove Mazda’s exports, but it was the 1967 Mk2 that really stepped up globally. In two words: rotary engine. The searing R100 was the flagship selling alongside the conventional 1200 (later becoming 1300). Subsequent rotaries…

SOMETIMES the writing is on the wall, at other times it’s right there on the dash in front of you. The beginning of the end for our longterm Audi Q7 came via a message displayed in its handsomely rendered virtual cockpit: “Add at least 6L of Adblue.” The prompt to add a drum of the urea-based liquid to the turbo-diesel’s auxiliary tank was a sure sign that the end was nigh; the Q7’s 15000km service mark was fast-approaching and, with that, retirement from the Bulmer household. The kids took the news hard, grumpily collecting the crayons, dolls heads and other detritus of a half-year’s ownership, and grumbling about whether they’d ever again find a Wi-Fi-enabled car with internet connectivity that can stream their favourite shows to rear seat smart tablets.…

PIOUS. Enviro-wanker. Greenprius. Okay, I made the last one up, but the first two are actual insults levelled at me, and even occasionally in relation to my Prius. Well, you can add hoon too, to such not entirely unwarranted barbs. I am, after all, a cyclist and a vegetarian. This month, in the middle of nowhere early one cold and dreary Sunday, the Prius and I bonded. Truly bonded. The very ribbon-like stretch of rural road was invitingly damp, bumpy and completely desolate for as far as the eye could see, so I went for it. Hard, fast and furious, with the Sport Mode activated (oh, how comically horrible are the graphics!), the chassis’ response proved revelatory. At speed (and there’s plenty of it instantly if you’re willing to prod…

1 TESLA MODEL S P100D 400km Supercar accelerative ability meets limo-like accomodation in the American EV maker’s quickest model variant. A huge 100kWh battery gives the P100D a touring range of more than 400km. 2 NISSAN LEAF 250km At the other end of the spectrum, Nissan’s little EV offers small hatch practicality and likeable looks with a charging regime as convenient as your iPhone and a range of about 250km. 3 BMW i3 240km Opt for the pure electric version and the 94Ah battery holds enough energy for 240km of driving, leaving the REx version and its range-extending twin-cylinder petrol engine for those prone to falling off the wagon. 4 MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER PHEV 54km Need to run a medium SUV but don’t want to sell your soul to Shell? The…