Articles by Neil McDonald

The car, which can trace its design back to the 1930s, was withdrawn from sale in 2006 because of problems with airbag supply and subsequent homologation issues.However, it’s set for a new round of crash testing in the UK later this month. If it passes it will be back on sale within months because the test is the equivalent of the local Australian Design Rule 69 for full-frontal crash testing."I have orders sitting in the system," Morgan Cars Australia managing director Chris van Wyk says. He expects the car to be cheaper because of more favourable exchange rates and tariff reduction."The currency situation means we'll be able to bring in the 4/4 for around $80,000, the Plus 4 for $100,000 and the V6 for around $126,000," he says.The cars previously cost $97,000, $117,000 and $145,000. 

The nameplate has been a constant in Australian life since the first car, an XK, rolled down Ford's Campbellfield production line on June 28, 1960.  To help celebrate, Ford is planning a range of activities to celebrate the models' 50th anniversary as the country's longest running nameplate, from limited edition 50th anniversary cars to one-off factory tours. Despite being one of the country's favourite family sedans the birth of the locally built Ford was not easy.  Back in 1955 Ford had originally chosen to build a local version of the UK Zephyr, rather than build it from kits that arrived by ship from Dagenham in the UK. However, in 1958 during a trip to the United States to view the Zephyr being redesigned for Australia, the then Ford Australia managing director Charles Smith, saw the more modern Falcon.  He quickly made up his mind that the Zephyr was not right for the local market. The Falcon was being developed for the Canadian and American markets.  It was roomy, modern and better looking than the Zephyr, things Smith thought would make it more appealing locally. It was also cheaper to manufacture. Smith got his way. When the XK Falcon made its showroom debut to customers in September 1960 it made front-page news across the country's newspapers.  At the time it was described as a "compact", as it was smaller than the popular family cars of the period. In his book 75 Years of Ford in Australia, motoring journalist and author Bill Tuckey says the new Falcon had several advantages over the FB Holden.  Although the same length, it was far more modern than the Holden, which had "a wraparound windscreen with dogleg corners, vacuum operated non-parallel windscreen wipers and tail-fins that screamed 1950s". The Ford also had a bigger engine with the option of a three-speed column-shift manual. It cost just 30 pounds more than the Holden and had 90 per cent Australian content.  But the first Falcon was plagued with durability problems. Its body wasn't strong enough to cope with our harsh roads because the car was tested in the US and not here. The XK's successor, the XL, was tougher, had bigger engines and a new manual transmission.  It was marketed as "Trim, Taut, Terrific!"  With the launch of the XM in 1964, the Falcon had more serious claims to being a car designed and engineered by Australians for Australian conditions. Changes were made to the front and rear suspension, the braking system, clutch, rear axle, engine mounts and exhaust.  All the improvements were the result of extensive local testing.  Ford Australia management went one step further with the launch of the XP Falcon in 1965. In an attempt to convince local fleet buyers of the car's robustness and durability, the then deputy managing director Bill Bourke conceived the XP Durability Run.  The bold scheme involved driving five standard Falcons to the limit around Ford's demanding You Yangs proving ground driven by the country's top race and rally drivers. The plan was to do 70,000 miles at an average speed per car of 70 miles per hour. Some of the five cars rolled, but after eight days driven at the limit, the five cars averaged a speed of 71.3 miles per hour. The accolades followed. That same year, the Falcon was named Wheels Car of the Year.  The following year, the bigger, more powerful XR arrived with an entirely new shape.  It received more Australian design input than previous models and for the first time had a V8 engine. The XR also was the first model to carry the now legendary GT badge. The XT brought more powerful V8s, a synchromesh gearbox, dual circuit brakes and a choice of two automatic transmissions.  It was followed by the XW and XY, which became even more remarkable for the now highly prized and collectable GTHO Phase II and III.  In 1971, the Falcon took another styling turn with the new XA sedan, with its "coke bottle" side profile.  The XA was specifically designed for the local market and no longer a "borrowed" design from the US.  Three years earlier, local Ford designers travelled to the US and spent most of the summer of 1968 working on the Falcon clay model.  The design impressed Detroit executives and they soon gave the go-ahead for a design centre at Broadmeadows. With the XB and XC came four-wheel disc brakes, four-barrel carburettors and an all-time classic Falcon, the Cobra.  The XC also brought a famous 1-2 victory for Allan Moffat and Colin Bond at Bathurst in 1977.  After the XA experience, the XD was to be the first Falcon designed in Australia from a clean piece of paper. Efficiency, interior space and weight reduction were the key elements of the new design.  It also have several innovations now common today, including a plastic fuel tank and plastic bumpers. The following model, the XE, marked the introduction of electronic fuel injection and a Watts link coil-sprung rear-end. The car took Ford to number one in the market in 1982.  The XF was notable for a new engine computer management system, which managed the spark timing and air-fuel mix more efficiently. A new shape for Falcon came with the EA, which also gained an all-new stronger front suspension and geometry.  The EB and subsequent EB II gained better handling, the return of the V8 and anti-skid brakes.  The final facelift for the EA came with the ED, with better side-impact crash protection and under-the-bonnet changes. In August 1994 came a new shape and an Australian Design Award for the EF Falcon for its engineering advances.  The modified engine ran smoother and had improved power and torque and a new engine management system developed through Formula One racing. A standard airbag, better ride and handling and significant safety advances completed the upgrade. The car also had the world's first airbag-compatible bull-bar.  The $40 million EL program brought further ride and handling improvements, anti-skid brakes and better steering feel. The $700 million AU Falcon saw the introduction of Computer Aided Design and engineering, allowing for significant advances in chassis stiffness, aerodynamics and directional stability.  The car also gained a sophisticated double wishbone independent rear suspension and variable cam timing on prestige models. The AU II and AU III continued an innovation and value-for-money mantra. They came with a standard passenger airbag, CD player, 16-inch wheels and scheduled servicing to 60,000km included in the cost of the car. In 2002 the all-new BA arrived with a new 4.0-litre six cylinder engine, sequential automatic and "control blade" independent rear suspension.  A potent turbocharged version and double overhead camshaft V8 version also earned the BA critical acclaim. It spearheaded a sales revival and won many motoring awards including the Australia's Best Cars "Best Family Car" title and the highly coveted Wheels Car of The Year. It success carried over the the BF. In 2008 the FG arrived and was the star at the Melbourne Motor Show.  It has since earned its stripes among buyers for its style, economical engines, performance and five-star crash safety. Ford Falcon timeline XY (1970-72) Australian troops ordered home from Vietnam. Neville Bonner becomes first Aboriginal MP. Qantas launches 747.XA (1972-73) Gough Whitlam elected. Shane Gould wins three gold medals in Munich. Cleo magazine launched with male nude centrefold.XB (1973-76) Women secure equal pay. Voting age drops from 21 to 18. Sydney Opera House opens.Cyclone Tracey hits Darwin. Whitlam sacked. XC (1976-79) Cigarette ads banned. ABBA arrives. Democrat Party launched. World Series Cricket begins. Queensland bans public protests. Melbourne's West Gate Bridge opens.XD (1979-82) First uranium mine opened. First test-tube Australian born. Azaria Chamberlain goes missing.XE (1982-84) Random breath-testing introduced in NSW. Chamberlains found guilty of murdering Azaria. Ash Wednesday bushfires.XF (1984-88)  Unleaded petrol launched. BLF deregistered. Crocodile Dundee released. Stock market crashes.EA (1988-91) Darling Harbour opens. Chamberlains acquitted. Pilots' dispute. Earthquake hits Newcastle. Australian troops to Iraq.EB (1991-1993) Labor drops Hawke for Keating. Sydney Harbour Tunnel opens. Compass Airlines collapses.ED (1993-1994) Sydney wins bid to host 2000 Olympic Games. Bushfires wreak havoc in Sydney. Fred Hollows dies.EF (1994-1996) Backpacker murderer Ivan Milat on trial. Spanish Court refuses to deport Christopher Skase. Allan Border retires.EL (1996-1998) Port Arthur Massacre. Pat Rafter wins US Open. One Nation outpolls Liberal Party in Qld. AU (1998-2002) INXS lead singer Michael Hutchence dies. Australia votes "No" to a Republic. GST introduced. Cathy Freeman opens Sydney Olympics.BA (2002-2005) John Howard becomes second longest serving PM. Australian troops in Iraqi War. Governor General Peter Hollingsworth resigns. Adelaide-Darwin rail link completed. Lleyton Hewitt wins Wimbledon.BF (2005-2008)  Pope John Paul II dies. London transport terrorist attack kills 56. European Space Agency's Venus Express spaceprobe enters Venus' orbit.FG  (2008-) Quentin Bryce sworn in as first female Governor General of Australia. Black Saturday Victorian bushfires claim 173 lives.Long runsFord and Holden dominate the list of longest-running locally made cars:Ford Falcon sedan 50 years(1960-)Ford Fairlane sedan 40 years(1967-2007)Ford Cortina sedan 20 years(1962-1982)Holden Statesman sedan 39 years(1971-)Holden Commodore sedan 32 years(1978-)Holden Kingswood sedan 12 years(1968-1980)

All up there are now 26 various Audi models on Australian roads.  The newest variant is a potent supercharged S5 version of the A5 Sportback quattro.  Not only does it get a supercharged V6 but the versatility of a liftback turns the versatile four-door into road rocket with a roomy rear. Anyone familiar with the venerable Saab 900 Combi will appreciate the A5 Sportback. However, Saab never had a meaty supercharged 3.0-litre V6 under the bonnet. Like the rest of the Sportback range, the S5 gets a coupe-like silhouette and four frameless doors.  LED headlights help it stand out on the road, along with the usual S markings like the alloy exterior mirrors and discrete S5 badging. The potent 3.0 TFSI engine packs 245kW/440Nm and is mated to a seven-speed DSG gearbox.  It will hit 100km/h in 5.4 seconds and has an electronically governed top speed of 250km/h. The V6 consumes 9.4 litres per 100 km and emits 219g/km of CO2.  Not surprisingly, Audi Australia managing director, Uwe Hagen, reckons the S5 Sportback is a great addition to the range. "It is not only practical enough for daily use, it is also sporty and fun to drive,'' he says.   "We intend to continue to develop our excellent range of products available for the Australian market as we head towards our goal of offering 42 models globally by 2015.'' Hagen says Audi customers are always looking for a benchmark experience "and we intend to fulfil this with emotional, technologically-advanced products''.  The S5 quattro all-wheel drive helps put the power to the ground but drivers can also opt for a sports differential for an even more responsive drive. Tick the sports differential box for $6900 and you also get adaptive dampers and dynamic steering.  Audi expects the S5 Sportback to account for 10 sales a month. At $129,300, the meaty hatch has the Mercedes-Benz CLS and BMW 5-Series GT in its sights.  Stay tuned for carsGuide's first driving impressions.

It is the fourth year in a row that the $13,990 Korean hatch has edged out the competition in the RACV's annual ownership survey.  A Getz costs $118.44 a week to run, just $3.79 more than last year.  At the other end of the scale, three rugged Toyota LandCruiser models are again the most expensive.  The popular off-roader costs a mighty $385.79 a week to run for the V8 diesel and $369.88 for the V8 petrol.  The LandCruiser ute costs $328.48 a week. The RACV's general manager public policy, Brian Negus, said overall costs had risen 4.5 per cent over the past 12 months.  But Mr Negus said of the 78 cars surveyed many running costs were still below or at a similar level to where they were two years ago. "Costs haven't gone up astronomically but they've risen pretty much in line with CPI," Negus said.  Negus said that excellent fuel economy was no guarantee of a car gaining top spot in its category. "Australia's most fuel efficient car, the Ford Fiesta Econetic was the cheapest in the entire survey to run at 10.23 cents a kilometre," he says.  "Bit its larger purchase price made it more expensive to own at $149.29 a week, than other light cars." However, the Econetic diesel is significantly cheaper to run than a hybrid Toyota Prius of Honda Civic, which cost $222.22 and $191.44 a week.  LPG vehicles are also cheaper to run than petrol cars. An LPG Commodore cost $3.22 less to run than a normal Commodore while an LPG Falcon was $13.27 less.  Negus said depreciation was one of the biggest hidden costs, accounting for 37 per cent of ownership costs for any given vehicle. "It is the ticking time bomb," he said.  "It's not an out-of-pocket expense each week.  It's a hidden cost.  But in five years time when many are looking to trade in their vehicle, that's when depreciation kicks in significantly."  The survey factors in depreciation, fuel costs, servicing, stamp duty, spare parts, tyres, insurance and registration.What your car costs (per week) LightHyundai Getz $118.44Suzuki Swift $119.36Kia Rio $126.25Ford Fiesta $128.55Toyota Yaris $129.98 SmallNissan Tiida $153.79Hyundai i30 petrol $154.01Hyundai i30 diesel $159.22Ford Focus $161.73Holden Cruze $164.69 MediumMazda6 $204.29Ford Mondeo $204.35Toyota Camry $205.16Toyota Camry hybrid $220.16Honda Accord Euro $222.82 LargeHolden Commodore dual fuel $227.57Holden Commodore petrol $230.79Ford Falcon LPG $238.99Toyota Aurion $240.68Ford Falcon petrol $252.26 People MoverKia Carnival $224.53Hyundai iMax $231.32Honda Odyssey $247.09Toyota Tarago $284.86Compact off-roadersHyundai ix35 $182.19Subaru Forester $213.03Mitsubishi Outlander $215.12Mazda CX7 $218.81Nissan X-Trail $220.01Medium off-roadersHolden Captiva $207.70Holden Captiva diesel $226.12Ford Territory $228.27Toyota Kluger $235.91Toyota Kluger 4x4 $249.16 Large off-roadersNissan Patrol diesel $291.91Nissan Patrol petrol $325.89Toyota LandCruiser petrol V8 $369.88Toyota LandCruiser diesel V8 $385.79 UtesMitsubishi Triton diesel $192.46Ford Falcon LPG $203.50Holden Commodore dual fuel $210.96Holden Commodore V6 petrol $211.91Toyota HiLux V6 $212.74  

The 2011 Range Rover gets a new V8 diesel engine, eight-speed transmission, two new additions to the terrain response system, subtle external styling changes and new alloys.  The updated range goes on sale here early next year, according to Land Rover Australia spokesman, James Scrimshaw. A sequentially turbocharged 4.4-litre TDV8 replaces the existing 3.6-litre TDV8 in the Vogue and now gets the eight-speed ZF automatic.  Despite the extra performance, the V8 is cleaner, delivering lower fuel consumption and CO2 emissions than its predecessor. The engine also meets Euro 4 emissions standards.  The 4.4-litre has a combined fuel economy figure of 9.4 litres/100km, making this the first Range Rover Vogue ever to dip below 10 litres/100km. With 230kW and 700Nm torque, the new engine and automatic delivers 14 per cent less CO2 emissions, from 294g/km to 253 g/km.  The engine will hit 100km/h in 7.8 seconds and has a top speed of 210km/h. Land Rover has fitted the 4.4-litre cars with the same high performance Brembo-based braking system fitted to the 5.0-litre V8 supercharged model.  For 2011, the Vogue retains the same class-leading supercharged engine married to a six-speed ZF automatic. Developing 375kW/625Nm torque the supercharged V8 hits 100km/h in 6.2 seconds.  For 2011 improvements have also been made to the to the terrain response system with Hill Start Assist and Gradient Acceleration Control. The eight-speed diesel also gets a rotary gear selector, shared with the Jaguar XF sedan.  The selector knob is flush with the centre console when the ignition is switched off, rising up when it is switched on. To avoid confusion, the previous terrain response rotary switch has been replaced by a new terrain response switch behind the gearlever.  Inside the cabin there are optional illuminated treadplates for the front doors and improved entertainment system.Exterior changes include new grilles and side vents for the diesel models.  Meanwhile, the newest small Land Rover has been spotted with four doors. The latest spy shots reveal a heavily camouflaged four-door on European roads last week. Land Rover has confirmed that the LRX, which is due to be unveiled at the Paris Motor Show in September, will be available in two-wheel drive as well as four-wheel drive.  With both two and four-door models in the range, as well as two and four-wheel drive, the company is aiming to lure new buyers into the Land Rover family. The LRX, which is due here late next year, will wear a Range Rover badge and be slotted above the Freelander and below the Range Rover Sport when it arrives.

Mercedes-Benz Australia is hoping to show off the 1971 racing 300 SEL 6.8 AMG and its 2010 twin, the S63 AMG during grand prix week. Spokesman, David McCarthy, says the pair could also be used for other AMG events in Australia. "I have always wanted to bring the 6.8 here but the two as a package would be great," he says. However, schedules and cost would have to be considered. "It's a matter of money," he says. The other issue is whether AMG's schedule will allow both cars to come here as they are booked for events in Europe. "They would probably have to be air-freighted but given a choice I'd bring in the 6.8," he says. Australia is one of AMG's top five global markets and McCarthy believes there will be a lot of interest in the show cars. "We are on track to do 1000 AMGs this year," he says. Both the 1971 and 2010 cars are decades apart in performance and specification but share the same livery and bright red colour scheme. The 6.8 was based on the luxury 300 SEL 6.3 V8, which was Germany's fastest production car in its day. The road-going car had an output of of 184kW/500Nm and a top speed of 220 km/h. However, for the track the V8 was tweaked, expanding capacity to 6.8-litres and increasing power and torque. The racecar developed 315kW/608Nm and gave the car a top speed of 265km/h. To cope with the extra performance the big sedan was heavily modified. The wings were flared to make room for the lightweight magnesium wheels from a C111 test car. Aluminium doors helped trim weight from the original 1830kg to 1635kg and the air suspension was beefed up to cope with racetrack speeds. However, luxury touches like the wood-lined interior, panelled doors and carpets remained. The 6.8 made AMG famous by coming second in its debut race in a long-distance 24-hour race at Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium. Like its historic predecessor, the 420kW/900Nm 5.5-litre twin-turbo V8 S 63 AMG sedan is an eye-catching high performance machine that boasts an electronically limited top speed of 300km/h. The big S-Class has larger tyres, flared mudguards and AMG Le Mans red metallic paint, a colour that is available only on the new SLS AMG. Inside the cabin has black carbon-fibre trim, rollcage, sport seats with four-point seatbelts and sports steering wheel.

However, there's a small catch. They will only be open to 50 lucky winners of Ford's "ultimate Ford experience" competition. The competition is being held to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the country's much-loved Falcon. "It's an opportunity money can't buy," Ford spokesperson, Sinead McAlary says. "We never allow the public into the proving ground and security is always strictly controlled." The winners will not only get a tour of the multi-million dollar You Yangs facility but also the chance to be driven around the high-speed testing track by Ford's own test drivers. Apart from a behind-the-scenes look at the proving ground, winners will also have VIP access to Ford's Campbellfield styling studio, a tour of the Campbellfield and Geelong assembly plants and lunch with Ford racing legends Dick Johnson and Alan Moffat and Ford President Marin Burela. To get the chance to see one of the country's top-secret proving grounds, simply head to Facebook and "like" the "Falcon turns 50 fan page" and follow the instructions. The competition closes on July 9 at 4pm, and winners will be announced on July 14.

The early global success of the company's Polo hatch is not convincing enough for Volkswagen Australia to add a just-launched Russian-built sedan to the line-up.  VW Australia spokesman, Karl Gehling, says a just-launched Polo sedan is not destined for Australia.  "We have no plans at this stage to bring it in," he says. The German carmaker will soon start building Polo sedans at a new Russian assembly plant in Kaluga. The car will also be built in India, where it will be called the Vento. From the front, the sedan adopts the hatch's styling but gets a 50mm longer wheelbase, which frees up more rear legroom and a large conventional boot.  VW Australia's decision not to add a sedan goes against some Japanese brands who are carving out respectable sales with sedan versions of their light hatches. Mazda has just introduced a sedan version of its 2 and Honda sells the Jazz-based City sedan locally.  Ford is also considering plans to expand its Fiesta hatch range with a sedan when it starts sourcing the car from Thailand later this year. For Russia, the Polo sedan gets a 77kW 1.6-litre engine with either a five-speed manual or six-speed automatic, missing out on the DSG gearbox.  Like the hatch, it has similar safety levels.  Volkswagen has also engineered it to cope with harsher Russian conditions, including widely varying petrol quality. The company conducted long-term tests in different Russian climate zones as well as its poor roads.  The suspension, exterior chrome trim and paint quality are particularly robust. VW briefly sold a Polo sedan here back in 2004 and 2005.  The company was the first carmaker to source cars from China to test the waters for global sourcing from the emerging Communist country. It brought in a few hundred Chinese-built sedans to test buyer reaction.  However its $23,990 entry price, lack of an automatic and lacklustre build quality ended its hopes to become a mainstream player.

"Obviously, if a hybrid was available in right-hand drive we would look at it," BMW Australia spokesman, Piers Scott says. The company currently builds 'active hybrid' versions of the X6 and 7 Series but they are only available in left-hand drive. Eventually an X3 hybrid is tipped to join the petrol and turbo-diesel models in some markets. Other details are emerging about BMW's newest X-factor car. The company is drip-feeding photos and some specifications of the new X3 ahead of its launch at the Paris Motor Show in September. Although wearing psychedelic black and white camouflage, the distinctive styling of the current car has mellowed into a smoother shape that is slightly bigger than the current car. The second-generation X3 is slightly bigger in every respect than the current car, which translates into more interior and luggage room. BMW has listened to customers too and lifted the quality of interior materials around the cabin. Scott says the lifestyle off-roader is expected to hit local BMW showrooms around next February. "Certainly in the first quarter of next year," he says. Although specifications are yet to be confirmed for Australia, it is likely to be available initially with a range of turbo-diesel and high-powered petrol six cylinder engines. Unlike the X1, the X3 will have standard four-wheel drive mated to a new ZF eight-speed automatic transmission. All X3s get BMW's Xdrive all-wheel drive system, which directs torque variably to the front wheels through an electronically controlled multiplate clutch. BMW also plans to shift production from the Magna-Steyr plant in Graz, Austria, to its Spartanburg plant in South Carolina, which also builds the X5 as well as X6 petrol and hybrid models.

Carmaker Luxgen, a combination of 'luxury' and 'genius', has unveiled its second Taiwan-designed and built car in less than 12 months. The Luxgen7 is a low-cost Toyota Prado sized off-roader aimed at emerging markets in the Middle East, Central America, Vietnam, Russia and China. It will sell in its home market for between $26,000 and $38,000. The off-roader will join a Luxgen7 seven-seater people mover that goes on sale in Taiwan later this year. The company is also working on an electric people mover powered by a lithium ion battery pack and electric motor that delivers 180kW/265Nm. Measuring 4800mm long, 1930mm wide and 1760mm high, the Luxgen7 four-wheel drive is slightly low and shorter than a Prado but 45mm wider. The car is powered by a turbocharged 130kW 2.2-litre four cylinder mated to a sequential five-speed Aisin automatic and intelligent three-mode 4WD system that has front, all-wheel drive and low-range modes. Equipment includes a standard automatic tailgate, leather interior, premium CD stereo, massaging seats and "anti-theft sport seat" - a driver's seat that slides forward to lock against the steering wheel and prevent access. Safety gear runs to dual front airbags, anti-skid brakes and brake assist. Side and curtain airbags, electronic stability control and traction control are optional. A high-tech on-board computer package called "Think Plus" takes care of communication and navigation needs as well as video and audio entertainment. It is complemented by four visual safety systems, a 360-degree camera system, blind spot warning, lane departure warning and night vision. Taiwan company High Tech Computer Corp developed the technology for Luxgen. HTC chief executive officer, Peter Chou, says the company is aiming to help create a new generation of intelligent vehicles. "We have worked with Luxgen to develop a sophisticated onboard program designed to think ahead for drivers, creating a new level of road safety," he says. The Luxgen brand was established in 2008 by the Yulon Group, which is involved in automotive research and development, textile manufacturing, IT and the financial services industry. Company: Luxgen Owner: Yulong Group Country: Taiwan Models: Luxgen7 MPV, Luxgen7 SUV Operating: Since 1953 Production: More than 2 million Associations: Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Mitsubishi, General Motors, Chrysler.