Infiniti adds to its volume-chasing Q30 range, with a high-riding, all-wheel drive variant that brings off-road potential.

WHAT IS IT? A higher-riding, all-wheel-drive variant of Infiniti’s recently launched Q30 premium compact front-drive crossover. Like that car, it shares its platform, drivetrain and some interior architecture with the Mercedes-Benz GLA.

WHY WE’RE DRIVING IT Infiniti is desperate to build a brand presence in Australia, and a model in this segment is the company’s best hope of improving sales, even if they are likely to remain tiny against the likes of Mercedes and Audi.

RIVALS Mercedes-Benz GLA, Audi Q3, Audi Q2, BMW X1

PLUS: Rides with more compliance than Q30; can theoretically better handle unmade roads MINUS: Higher ride height and SUV tyres means slightly mushier handling; commands a premium of around $4K over regular Q30

THE WHEELS REVIEW THERE are plenty of things capable of causing sleepless nights to executives of Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi, but it’s unlikely Infiniti’s presence in Australia is one of them. Nissan’s luxury arm is a sales minnow in this country, selling just 574 cars last year. Mercedes moves a similar number every week.

But optimism runs deep at Infiniti, and the company is confident that this QX30 model, combined with its Q30 sibling, will bolster local sales to the tune of 30 percent.

There are two spec levels to choose from: the entry-level GT, at $48,900, or the top-spec GT Premium at $56,900. Both are powered by the gutsiest (sub-AMG) petrol engine Merc offers in the GLA; the 2.0-litre turbo punching out 155kW/350Nm. Both are capable of sending 50 percent of torque rearward on that blue-moon occasion where the fronts are incapable of finding traction. In terms of value, that pricing puts both models around $4k more expensive that the lower-riding, front-drive equivalents in the three-tier Q30 range. So far, so predictable.

But enough of the sideways glances at the GLA; more relevant is what the QX30 gains over the Q30, and whether that extra $4k is money well spent. We drove the QX30 on sealed roads and fire trails in Victoria and found torque steer was still evident when belting it on dirt despite some drive being sent the rears. Secure and predictable, yes, but it was hard to imagine the regular Q30 being troubled in these conditions.

So there’s no doubting the QX30’s core competency, but is that enough? Even in this more affordable end of the premium market, a car purchase is still an emotive buying decision; one influenced by a complex matrix involving perceptions of quality, implied status, brand association and intangible feel-good factors. Which is where the QX30 starts to drift off course. It’s well engineered, well equipped, and, against Benz’s GLA, appears reasonable value. The question is whether that’s enough to tug at the heart strings, which, in this business, tend to be connected to the pen that signs the purchase agreement.

In stark contrast to Mercedes-Benz and the other premium Euros, Infiniti limits options for the QX30 to just one: metallic paint for $1200.The most notable lifts in equipment for Premium over GT are the Nappa leather, electric seats, dual-zone climate, intelligent cruise, lane departure and blindspot warning, park assist and rear camera, and fixed glass roof.

SPECS Model: Infiniti QX30 GT Premium 2.0t Engine: 1991cc 4cyl, dohc, 16v, turbo Max power: 155kW @ 5500rpm Max torque: 350Nm @ 1200rpm-4000rpm Transmission: 7-speed dual-clutch Weight: 1566kg 0-100km/h: 7.8sec (estimated) Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km Price: $50,990 On sale: now

TODAY hurts. Ford has officially signed off the last two engines to come off its Geelong production line, turning off the key on more than 90 years of history that has passed through the site.

The engines, an imported 5.0-litre V8 that’s modified here and fitted with a Harrop supercharger, and a 4.0-litre in-line six-cylinder – the most Aussie engine the carmaker builds – were commemorated in a line-off ceremony at the Geelong Powertrain Operations today.

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A single image posted to Twitter shows the two engines mounted on the end of the Geelong assembly line, bearing a placard reading “Proudly built in Geelong 26 September 2016 Geelong Powertrain Operations”. Both engines are signed off with “A job well done!”

Ford Australia said the last engines were part of a staged shutdown of its Australian carmaking operations, which included the last Falcon ute rolling off its Broadmeadows production line on July 29.

“We’re obviously working towards the end of production and to support that there will be different milestones that happen along the way including the end of engine production. But all our employees will be with us until October 7, that’s when we’ll pay tribute to them on that day.”

Sherwood wouldn’t be drawn on Ford’s intentions for the engines, refusing to say whether they’re destined for use in the last Falcons to roll down the production line, or to be preserved as museum pieces.

“I’m not going to comment on that, our focus is on October and the end of local manufacturing on October 7. As I said there will be milestones along the way, and there have been already, but we really want to pay tribute to our employees and our manufacturing history on October 7.”

In November 1982, Ford announced it would halt V8 production, saying it would be replaced with an electronic fuel injection version of the in-line six. According to Ford, the EFI engine “offered virtually the same performance as the 4.9-litre V8 but with substantial savings in fuel consumption”. It was to prove a big mistake, handing rival carmaker Holden a big marketing advantage.

FALCON ENGINES THROUGH TIME 1960: 144 cubic inch, 6cyl, ohv 1962: Pursuit 170c.i. introduced 1964: 200 Super Pursuit engine introduced 1966: 289c.i. V8 introduced as an option; 144c.i. deleted 1968: 302c.i. 4.9-litre V8 introduced; 289c.i. V8 deleted; 3.1/3.6-litre sixes introduced 1969: 351c.i. 5.8-litre V8 introduced 1970: 200/250c.i. 3.3/4.1-litre sixes introduced 1976: Crossflow heads introduced on sixes 1980: Alloy head introduced 1982: Alloy head II introduced; V8 deleted 1984: Electronic engine control IV introduced 1988: Inline sixes re-engineered for ohc 1991: 5.0-litre V8 returns 1992: 4.0-litre six introduced; XR6 joins range with Tickford-modified 4.0-litre in-line six 1994: 4.0-in-line six uprated to 157kW 1999: Ford Tickford Experience-tuned sixes, Windsor V8 2000: Engine service intervals increased from 10,000km to 15,000km 2001: Windsor 5.0-litre V8 deleted 2002: Turbo 4.0-litre in-line six introduced; “Boss 260” 5.4-litre dohc V8 introduced 2004: FPV F6 Typhoon features 270kW turbo in-line six 2005: Major changes to the in-line six for BF Falcon 2006: Six-cyl engine’s thermal management overhauled for faster warm-up and better fuel use 2008: XR6 Turbo gains more torque; 310kW turbo in-line six FPV F6 introduced 2010: XR8 discontinued due to emissions controls; FPV introduces 315kW Miami supercharged 5.0-litre V8 2014: 2.0-litre four-cyl introduced for Falcon; 5.0-litre V8 returns; XR6 Sprint gains 325kW turbo six

MERCEDES-AMG has taken advantage of the fog of publicity ahead of the Paris Motor Show to cheekily troll its fans and the motoring press with teaser pictures of a toy.

The company showed pictures of the partially revealed rear and grille of what appeared to be a new high-performance SUV on its Instagram site at the weekend with the words “A little big something is about to be revealed – soon.”

This fooled a few followers and a couple of high-profile UK motoring sites, who speculated that “Mercedes-AMG is preparing an electric surprise for the 2016 Paris motor show” in a story which has since been deleted.

This was confirmed when AMG released a follow-up pic showing a silhouette of the little Noddy Car for the kid with everything, complete with LED running lights.

Best thing about this gag is that the toy, as well as being the most affordable AMG you can buy, is a more attractive prospect than AMG actually making an electric soft roader coupe.

The GT and GT C Roadster lose the roof, to be replaced with a retractable soft-top.

The GT roadster’s twin-turbo V8 engine will push you from 0-100km/h in 4.0-seconds, while the GT C, which gets a 60kW boost of power over the standard 350kW version, does the sprint in 3.7-seconds.

Chevrolet’s Equinox mid-size SUV will be on sale with a Holden badge late in 2017.

Holden has confirmed the Honda CR-V, Kia Sportage, Mazda CX-5, Mitsubishi ASX and Nissan X-Trail fighter unveiled in the US last week will form part of its more premium showroom push.

The announcement follows closely on the news that the Holden Acadia, a large SUV that will arrive here in 2018 to take the fight up to the likes of the Mazda CX-9, Nissan Pathfinder, Hyundai Santa Fe and Kia Sorento will arrive in 2018.

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Holden is flagging that it is preparing to give its showrooms a more premium feel once local Commodore manufacturing ends late next year, shaking off a long legacy of stumping up cheaper Korean fare as its volume models.

As well as the two SUVs, Holden will soon add an Opel-sourced, Euro-styled Astra hatchback to its range, replacing the lacklustre locally made Cruze hatch with a product wearing a more refined and premium aura.

The Equinox and Acadia will join the Holden Trailblazer – a seven-seat version of the Colorado trade ute – and a facelifted version of the Holden Trax in the carmaker’s post-Commodore SUV line-up.

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The Chevrolet Cruze-based Equinox was revealed in the US last week featuring three turbocharged engines. The smallest engine is a 1.5-litre petrol unit producing 127kW, and returning fuel use figures of about 8.0L/100km.

There’s also a turbocharged 2.0-litre petrol engine producing about 188kW and using around 8.4L/100km, and a 1.6-litre diesel producing about 101kW. There’s no fuel use estimate for the diesel, but it does have a stop-start system that will switch off and automatically restart the engine if you’re stopped in traffic.

The 2.0-litre version will be paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission.

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The Holden Equinox features similar styling to that of the US-market Chevrolet Cruze, and the US-styled but Korean-made Holden Malibu.

Halogen headlamps are standard across all trim levels, while more expensive models will feature LED taillamps.

The Equinox’s dashboard is similar to that of the Peugeot 208 in that it is well below the driver’s line of vision – what Chevrolet calls “down and away”. It potentially means a head-up display will be standard across the range so that the driver doesn’t need to look too far from the road to check the speed.

The entertainment unit will feature either a seven- or eight-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay or Android Auto compatibility.

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For paranoid parents, the Equinox will even have a system GM calls “Teen Driver” that allows a parent to “set controls and review an in-vehicle report card in order to encourage safer driving habits, even when they are not in the vehicle”.

The version of the Equinox sold in the US will even include low-speed emergency braking that will help to either prevent or minimise a rear-end crash with the car in front.

The Equinox is Chevrolet’s second-best selling product globally, outsold only by the Silverado pick-up truck.

First published in the November 2005 issue of Wheels magazine, Australia’s best car mag since 1953.

The 2005 Ford Falcon XR6 is the benchmark in a three-way comparison with Mitsubishi’s new do-or-die model and Holden’s dated sporty six.

If Mitsubishi’s great white hope really expects to make an impact in the hearts and minds of Aussie punters, the challenge starts here.

In a market that values sportiness, prestige and driving fun more than ever – attitudes backed by

Mitsubishi’s own research through AustraliaScan – the all new 380 needs to make headway beyond the traditional weathershields and mudflaps brigade.

Automotive sex sells, and the outfit formerly known as the Cardigan Car Company wants a slice.

Judging by the 6’s predominantly high-end model mix, combined with the fact that more than 30 percent of Ford Falcons sold this year have worn an XR badge, the 380 needs to flex its muscles the most at its sports-focused VRX spec level.

And the success of Holden Commodore SV6 vindicates this: Sales of Holden’s sporty six have jumped 40 percent this year, despite the shrinking market for big, six-cylinder sedans.

So, let the latest local battle begin: Mitsubishi’s 380 VRX (now without hyphen) squaring up to the updated (BF) Falcon XR6 and Holden’s evergreen VZ Commodore SV6 – behind the changing sheds, fists raised, allegiances laid bare.

Last time Mitsubishi released an all-new contender in this category (the COTY-winning TE Magna, in 1996), the triple-diamond brand was on a high and sales were booming. Not any more. Today, 380 must do or die.

Instead, the 380 appears fussy in parts (such as the uncomfortable intersection of lines around the A-pillar) and blandly conservative in general – not helped by Mitsubishi’s laughable inclusion of mudflaps on our test VRX. So much for discarding the ‘pensioner’ stigma.

Holden’s VZ Commodore might be old, but it remains a well-proportioned, handsome design.

And while the Plum-purple paintwork of our test BF Falcon definitely won’t appeal to all tastes, its muscular form and masculine stance remain universally attractive and unisexually appealing.

Slide into the 380 driver’s seat and initial disappointment prevails again. The steering wheel is unattractive and – like Magna – has a coarsely grained centre boss.

The speaker grilles at the base of the A-pillars and in the front doors look especially cheap, and there’s a distinct lack of surprise-and-delight features.

Instead, the Mitsubishi startles with air vents that can’t be closed off (simply re-directed), a steering wheel that adjusts for tilt but not reach, power-window buttons and column stalks shared with the lesser Lancer, and oddments storage that lacks the rubberised anti-slip mats of both its rivals.

The Commodore’s controls are actually more tactile, clunky ventilation dials apart, while the Falcon interior is in another league again.

The Ford’s classy ambience and impressive attention to detail make the Holden’s cabin look dated and flair free, and the Mitsubishi’s relatively over-styled, even juvenile.

Turn the VRX’s ignition key, however, and the 380’s positive aspects kick into life. While its tiller sits a little too close to the driver, and the wheel-spokes themselves are too intrusive, the thin leather rim is a vast improvement on the Magna’s over-chubby item.

Significantly, it connects to a (hydraulic) power-steering system that impresses for both its accuracy and well-weighted progressiveness when turning away from straight-ahead.

For such a big front-driver, the 380 displays excellent poise and even feels noticeably more wieldy than the decent-handling Magna. It feels neutrally balanced and has a satisfying amount of rear-end adjustment – particularly in tight, downhill corners- that dissolves understeer and makes the 1670kg VRX feel surprisingly agile.

The benefit of its substantial kerb weight is an extremely taut, solid-feeling body that seems perfectly suited to the punishment that Aussie roads dish out.

Best of all, though, are the Mitsubishi’s ride quality and refinement. Despite the VRX’s sports suspension, its ride is supple yet disciplined. For a sporty sedan, the VRX is wonderfully comfortable and relaxing – a feeling heightened by its excellent, deeply bolstered seats and generally hushed road noise.

There is some coarse-surface road rumble, as well as some wind rustle from the trailing edge of the front doorframes, but the 380 remains competitive with the class-best BF Falcon, and definitely ahead of the noisy Commodore. It should serve as a textbook lesson for Toyota in how to tune next year’s all-new Camry and Avalon.

For truly sporty dynamics, Ford’s BF Falcon remains the pick, just like its BA predecessor.

Suspension has remained virtually unchanged in the model update, meaning the XR6 still delivers the best compromise between control and comfort, but the BF’s extensive NVH improvements and structural upgrades mean it’s noticeably quieter than before, and roughly on par with the 380 – including the wind rustle from A-pillars and wing mirrors.

The XR6 turns into corners with a zeal bordering on aggression, and with great balance, but the Ford’s steering – while offering good feel through its perforated-leather wheel – is too sensitive-in its off-centre response.

If that last comment puts a smile on the face of Holden fans, the next few may not.

In the company of the newborn 380 and still· fresh-faced Falcon, the VZ Commodore SV6 is showing its wrinkles. While it continues to be a rapid and still surprisingly sharp-handling device, its lack of finesse is evident in almost every department.

The SV6 turns in quickly and with very little body roll, but the steering exhibits a curious combination of vagueness and sharpness – delivering minimal feel when initially applying lock, before suddenly darting in the intended direction, without necessarily signalling its intentions.

It certainly grips well and can be very quick on a twisty road, but its general balance leans towards mild yet persistent understeer, with its back end feeling inert in corners unless judiciously provoked into breaking traction (which is only possible at low speeds).

Compared with its rivals, the SV6 feels two-dimensional, a feeling not helped by a ride quality that, while never harsh, is always busy. It’s not quiet, either, particularly on coarse surfaces.

Commodore’s highly effective, but rarely subdued, 190kW/340Nm 3.6 exacerbates the noise issues. While it has all the desired traits of strong torque, impressive response, superb top-end grunt (right to 6800rpm), admirable fuel efficiency, and a love for revs, the Commodore’s ageing structure and inadequate noise suppression means you can hear the Aussie-built V6 thrashing away.

At least under full-throttle acceleration, the SV6’s combination of punchy engine and slick, fast-shifting five-speed automatic make for effortless overtaking and quick urban progress.

The SV6’s French-built GM five-speed auto is generally smooth and intuitive, but it can be caught out. For instance, spend a few minutes caning the SV6 hard, and the transmission dithers if you get out of the throttle quickly. It responds by holding the lower gear seconds longer than you’re really comfortable with, before lurching uncouthly into a taller ratio.

The BF Falcon’s updated 190kW/383Nm 4.0-litre straight-six sounds far more sophisticated than the HFV6, no doubt helped by the excellent new ZF six-speed auto and extensive NVH improvements. There’s still a hint of drone to the BF’s engine note, but the roar of the BA’s donk from 4000-

6000rpm has disappeared. Instead, the BF six feels smoother, sounds sweeter and mates superbly with the virtually flawless (optional) transmission.

Both performance and fuel economy show worthwhile improvement over the four-speed 182kW/380Nm BA XR6 auto, but the real pleasure here is how the new Falcon operates – swiftly yet suavely.

With just 700km under its belt when we collected it, the Mitsubishi’s 175kW/343Nm 3.8-litre V6 felt quite tight, and posted significantly slower performance times than last month’s launch cars. But after another 800km, the 380’s V6 freed up nicely, proving smooth and strong across most of its rev range, with fuel economy steadily improving to match the SV6 over this test’s final leg.

There’s a distinct similarity to Magna’s 3.5-litre V6 in terms of aural quality, but the new 3.8 adds a spicy exhaust crackle on overrun that a manual ‘box should only accentuate.

Inside, the V6 sounds mildly edgy, though it now hits cutout at 6200rpm, not 6800rpm as did Magna’s equally likeable, and similarly effective, 3.5.

The 380 makes its most substantial gains on Magna in cabin space, however. It’s now almost as roomy as a Falcon, with superior rear-seat comfort to Commodore. All up, rear seat accommodation falls just shy of Falcon’s excellent fare.

With optional sunroof, 380’s rear headroom is borderline tight for six-footers, but its fine up front, and both sports bucket seats are enveloping yet roomy enough for larger bods.

Curiously, both front doors feature proper grabs, but no overhead handles, while the situation is reversed in the rear. The driving position is very good, and even more so with the seats’ optional electric adjustment.

Falcon appears to offer the largest amount of useable interior space, but the effect is soured somewhat by its electric height/tilt adjustable driver’s seat being mounted too high. The rest of its classy interior is difficult to fault, though, particularly BF’s new door pulls, slick console and sporty metal pedals.

Commodore’s cabin can’t meet the challenge, with door trims, rear seat, lower dash, and front seatbacks that are all carry-over items from 1997’s VT. Thankfully, the SV6’s front seats deliver impressive support for both corners and big distances, and its driving position suits the widest range of body shapes.

If sticking things into your boot is almost as important as sticking your boot into the throttle, Falcon claims a big win for practicality with its 504-litre capacity.

Commodore is second, with 465 litres, 380 last with 437. Tellingly, that last statistic is a full 33 litres shy of the old Magna.

What this test exposes the most, however, is just how dated Holden’s VZ Commodore SV6 now feels. With the BF XR6’s many and varied improvements, the SV6 simply can’t compete.

It still looks good, goes hard, and remains likeable in a brash kind of way, but the Holden feels at least a generation behind. Which it is.

The 380 is impressive in all the areas we expected – seating, space, refinement, body strength, dynamics, and drivetrain smoothness.

And these are all, not coincidentally, key areas focused on by Mitsubishi Australia’s engineers in transforming the US Galant. Unfortunately, though, the 380’s sense of engineering quality is dragged down by its downmarket cabin plastics, a lack of attention to interior detail, and the exterior’s visual blandness. In the areas that count, it’s a great car for Australia, but where’s the flair?

Ford’s BF Falcon XR6 is a significantly more polished example of the car that won our 2002 Car of the Year. As such, the fact it wins this comparison should be no great surprise. What did surprise us, though, was the margin of its victory.

The Broadmeadows-built sedan offers unbelievable sophistication for the money – particularly in its interior comfort, fabulous auto transmission and world-class suspension.

In fact, so good is the Ford Falcon BF XR6, it warrants genuine comparison with European sedans worth double, even triple, its price.

This 2018 Toyota Camry is our first glimpse of the future family sedan once Australian local manufacturing ceases forever.

Life will go on after the final Australian-made car ever rolls off the assembly line later next year, as these spy pictures of the 2018 Toyota Camry reveal.

Ending six generations of the Melbourne-made Toyota Camry when production ceases there in the final quarter of 2017, the venerable Toyota midsizer might debut as soon in January at the Detroit Auto Show, before arriving reinvented and reinvigorated with a much more contemporary design than before against the all-new fully imported Holden Commodore later next year.

In an unprecedented move, Toyota was forced to expensively redesign the facelift for the 2014 model year, in order to rekindle public interest. The move worked, but the Japanese juggernaut won’t be making that mistake again.

To kick some rival butt dynamically, the Mk8 Camry will be adopting the all-new modular TNGA (Toyota New Generation Architecture) first seen in the latest Toyota Prius hybrid.

On the engine front, expect a development of the not-so-old 2.5-litre twin-cam four-cylinder petrol engine to power the vast majority of variants on offer, while a hybrid version is also a dead-cert.

Finally, while it is clear that the Camry is evolving into a better midsized family sedan than what is currently on offer, the question of where it will come from lingers; will Toyota switch to Thailand sourcing like Honda does with Accord, or will it follow in the related Kluger SUV’s steps and sire from North America?

Government contracts and incentives have long kept existing and previous iterations cheaper, but next time around, Toyota won’t have the burden of keeping its Australian factory ticking over. So we’re expecting the equivalent of today’s base Altise to eschew the $26,490 pricing for something closer to the Subaru Liberty’s $29,990 ask.

If that’s the case, it will be interesting to see if the Camry can retain its position as Australia’s bestselling midsizer by far – this year it commands 47 percent of the segment, followed by the Mazda 6 with just 9.7 percent.

Have spy pics of your own? We’d love to see them. Just email them to [email protected]

The Goodwood Revival in the UK is the way motor racing used to be, and perhaps should still be.

SOME say – and it’s hard to disagree – that modern four-wheeled motorsport, particularly at the highest levels, has become dull. Sterile cars, sterile drivers, sterile tracks. Even hardened F1 fans are tiring of this year’s Mercedes-Hamilton-Rosberg walk in the park.

It all began in 1998 when the honourable Lord March invited all and sundry to his ancestral estate for a weekend of historic racing.

It was a hit, and now it’s the most sought-after event for owners, drivers and spectators.

The mood is contagious. Every song the band plays is a 2000-strong singalong and dance party. A bloke who has no right to even be vertical shimmies up a tent pole and swings from the roof doing gymnastic manoeuvres 10 metres above the crowd. They go wild. Two identically clad and very attractive ’60s ‘airline hosties’ do the same on the other two poles, crimpalene skirts hitched up over their hips. The crowd goes wild again.

This is a motorsport event, though, and the cars and the racing are still the highlights: Four D-Type Jaguars drifting through Magwicks nose to tail in a noisy ballet; Tom Kristensen’s masterful charge through the field in the beautiful silver Ferrari 250 SWB, headlights blazing at dusk on Friday night; the race-long battle between a Cobra and an E-Type at the head of the RAC TT on Sunday afternoon. That last battle culminated in the Jag tapping the Cobra off track on the penultimate lap and after the race the winner smoked a cigar while the vanquished explained there was no grip. They embraced after the interview.

You can’t get any rarer or more exclusive than one of one.

The HSV GTS-R made its debut at the 2004 Sydney Motor Show, a race-prepared Monaro that was (supposedly) going to be available to members of the public as an Aussie alternative to the likes of a Porsche 911 Cup car.

The GTS-R may have been a concept but it’s a working one and the level of modification over a regular Monaro makes it an extremely special car.

Under the bonnet is a tweaked LS2 good for 335kW/605Nm thanks to forged pistons, billet conrods, hotter camshaft, new exhaust system and recalibrated ECU. There’s also a double-row timing chain and massive aluminium radiator to keep reliability under control.

Inside it’s full motorsport spec, with an FIA-compliant chrome-moly roll cage, onboard fire extinguisher system, dry-break fuel cell and proper AP Racing pedal box with adjustable brake bias.

With HSV reviving the famous badge for its final hero model, its appearance on the market could not have been more perfectly timed.

The Ford Mustang Ecoboost is having a bit of trouble. Australia is going slightly Mustang mad, but virtually all the adulation is centred on the big, bad V8.

If the GT is the full forward on the high school footy team, the Ecoboost is the geeky younger brother in chess club; with only half the number of cylinders to offer, it’s lacking a little street cred among the enthusiast crowd, one particularly witty friend on Facebook even dubbing it ‘Mustang Silly’.

The scepticism is easy to understand. Ford first introduced a four-cylinder Mustang in 1974 in response to the oil crisis – with a 66kW 2.3-litre four-pot lifted from the Pinto, it had about as much muscle as Arnold Schwarzenegger’s little finger.

Certainly the mechanical specification is a bit healthier this time around. As with its 1974 predecessor, the engine is a 2.3-litre four-cylinder, but thanks to a turbocharger and plenty of 21st century technology it produces almost four times the power: 233kW at 5600rpm and 432Nm at 3000rpm. Combined with a $45,990 price tag (auto adds $2500) the four-pot Mustang offers an impressive amount of bang for your buck.

So impressive, in fact, that finding a suitable rival for context is difficult. Nissan 370Z? Too old and, at $56,930, too expensive. Volkswagen Scirocco R? Too front-drive. Peugeot RCZ?

Our test car is the $37,990 Blackline Edition, released to celebrate the arrival of the one-make 86 Racing Series. Limited to 450 units – 250 manuals and 200 automatics – it scores a TRD bodykit, black exterior stripes and an interior that looks like the set of a Quentin Tarantino film, with a Kill Bill-style splash of red to the seats, steering wheel, gear knob, handbrake and door grips.

The overall effect is a bit garish, but it does lift the ambience without detracting from the 86’s perfect driving position. Sadly, it doesn’t improve its outdated infotainment system, which is set to be upgraded as part of the Toybaru’s MY2017 update. The cabin is a functional affair, but feels almost plush in comparison to the Mustang. The Ford’s interior design is a strange mix of retro muscle car cues (the chrome toggle switches, aircraft-inspired dials) and shared Ford technology (SYNC2 infotainment), but the quality of the materials leaves a lot to be desired.

But you know what? It doesn’t really matter. Yes, the interior feels cheap, but relatively speaking, this is a cheap car. Certainly no other car at this price point attracts this amount of attention. Despite its popularity, it seems the novelty of seeing a Mustang on Aussie roads hasn’t abated.

In contrast, the 86 might as well be invisible. The Blackline’s monochrome colour scheme does add some manga-style cool, but it would need to be covered in $100 notes to attract a crowd like the Mustang. Even non-enthusiasts stop, stare and comment, and are much less likely to notice the missing ‘5.0’ badge on the front guards, evidence you’re only packing half the expected number of cylinders.

Soundtrack aside, however, the Ecoboost acquits itself pretty well. A broad swell of strong mid-range torque delivers ample acceleration, the 0-100km/h sprint completed in 6.08sec and the quarter mile in 14.24sec at 159.07km/h, similar numbers to a Golf GTI. Extracting the final tenth or two is hard work, but the six-speed manual is a good match, with reasonably short ratios and a shift action that’s like a notchier version of a Mazda MX-5.

Whether it’s better than the Toyota’s six-speed manual is likely to be a matter of personal preference. The 86’s ’box is notchy and obstinate when cold, but the shift action improves markedly once warm, which is just as well as it needs frequent use to keep the high-revving but torque-lite atmo 2.0-litre on the boil. There’s enough urge down low around 2000rpm to make day-to-day use painless, but then there’s a massive hole in the power delivery until it picks up again at around 5500rpm.

It may lack outright grunt, but the 86 can still be a handful, particularly in the wet. In slippery conditions, the Michelin Primacy low-rolling resistance tyres have about as much grip as a bar of soap with even moderate throttle openings slewing the rear end sideways. With VSC activated, this results in a loud graunch as the electronics clumsily step in, while it requires a quick armful of opposite lock with the stability control off.

This might sound like a lot of fun, and it is to a degree, especially as it can occur at hilariously low speeds, but the way the eco-spec tyres relinquish grip can be quite sudden, even in the dry. What the 86 really needs is rubber with the outright grip of an eco-tyre, but the smoother breakaway characteristics of a performance tyre. The lack of grip costs it under brakes, the firm pedal feel undermined by early ABS intervention, which pushes its 100-0km/h stopping distance out to 39.1m – 2.3m more than the much heavier Mustang.

At this point you’re probably expecting the fat American to cop a pasting, its soft suspension and near-400kg weight disadvantage making it about as talented in the corners as a three-wheeled shopping trolley. Nothing could be further from the truth. It’ll surprise no-one to hear that the Mustang’s size and weight make it less agile than the lithe 86, but there is a seriously talented chassis underneath that Hollywood styling.

It doesn’t provide the same level of feedback as the Toyota, but counters with incredibly benign handling, making the Mustang an extremely friendly car when driven hard. It’s not playful as such, but it is engaging and much better than you’d expect it to be. Its soft setup makes the limit a slope rather than an edge and in the dry you can use the throttle like a switch, nailing it once the front has bitten, safe in the knowledge there is more traction than torque.

Its Ecoboost engine might not be particularly inspiring, but the amount of grunt available feels like a perfect match for the chassis. In fact, the whole car feels very balanced. Each part feels nicely in tune with every other part – until you get out and look at it.

It’s a difficult thing to explain, but the Ecoboost doesn’t feel like you expect a Mustang to feel. You drive it, it’s enjoyable, but then can’t help feeling vaguely disappointed that the experience doesn’t quite match up to the looks.

If you want a four-cylinder sports coupe, buy a Toyota 86. However, maybe wait for the new one that’s due later in 2016 which chief engineer Tetsuya Tada promises is an enormous improvement over the current car (which we’ve driven this issue, p20). If that’s the case, we should be in for a treat. While the current model is beginning to show a few cracks, it’s still about the best fun you can have on four wheels.

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DRAG BATTLE

As tested by MOTOR: Heathcote Dragway, 1:23pm, 19 degrees, dry, driver Scott Newman

SPECS

The original premise of this feature was to celebrate the resurgence of the manual gearbox by gathering five extremely different cars linked by one common factor – three pedals in the footwell.

What became clear as we drove each in turn, however, is that adding a manual isn’t some free pass to instant enthusiast enjoyment. Some cars, like the Polo GTI, benefit hugely from forcing the driver to select their own gears. Others, like the F-Type, don’t.

Jaguar should definitely be commended for giving buyers a choice of transmission, but the current manual’s rubbery shift quality and odd clutch take-up makes the excellent eight-speed automatic the more involving, enjoyable drive.

Despite its recent uplift in popularity, the manual gearbox has its work cut out in the long term. Self-shifting gearboxes are generally faster, more economical (in a laboratory, at least) and easier to use for the vast majority of motorists who view driving as a necessity, rather than a pleasure.

Thankfully, there’s a key group of enthusiasts that still have the desire, skill and coordination required to operate three pedals with two feet, and as long as these folk keep voting with their wallets, car companies will be forced to listen.

May the days of manual labour continue for many years to come.