Mark March 6 in your diary as it’s when Australia’s rich history of automotive design will be showcased in the exhibition Shifting Gear: Design, Innovation and the Australian Car at the National Gallery of Victoria.

Hot on the heels of three show-stopping concepts by Aussie designers at the 2015 Detroit motor show, the NGV exhibition will proudly exhibit Australia’s vibrant contribution to the automotive world with cars that have been plastered on bedroom walls offered in the flesh.

From Lewis Bandt’s 1934 Ford ute that kick-started an industry, the space-age 1969 Holden Hurricane concept car through to the stunning retro Holden Efijy of 2005, a stellar line-up of 23 of our most famous and ground-breaking automobiles will be on display, accompanied by sketches, proposals and wild ideas that never made it beyond the sketchpad.

‘Shifting Gear will be the first major exhibition of Australian car design and is exclusive to the NGV,” said Tony Ellwood, Director of the NGV. “This exhibition will uncover how the modern automobile is far more than simply a means of transport; it is a sophisticated design object that reflects contemporary aesthetics and values.”

It will also be chance to drool over some indigenous classics: the E49 Valiant Charger, the HK Holden Monaro and its Bathurst-winning LJ GTR XU-1 Torana.

The timely celebration pays homage to the talented locals who have shaped the cars we’ve loved over the past century, and is particularly pertinent given the closure of local manufacturing.

“With the Australian car manufacturing industry facing the serious challenges of globalisation and the planned closure of plants, the importance of innovation and design in the creative jobs of the future has never been more important,” says Martin Foley MP and member for Albert Park. “The lessons from car design are too important to lose.”

Shifting Gear: Design, Innovation and the Australian Car will be on display at the Ian Potter Centre: NGV at Federation Square from 6 March 2015 to 12 July 2015. Open 10am-5pm, closed Mondays.

Tickets are on sale now from ngv.vic.gov.au Adults $15, Concession $12. Children $7, Family (2 adults, 3 children) $41

LEXUS will decide on its involvement in V8 Supercars for the 2017 season by the end of this year.

And the luxury brand ranks it’s chances of being on the heavily revised 2017 grid – complete with turbocharged engines, four-cylinders and V6s – as 50-50, according to Lexus Australia chief Sean Hanley, who spoke exclusively to Wheels.

“We’ll make a call over the next 12 months,” said Hanley, saying it would depend on eligibility for the yet-to-be-set Supercar rules that are proposed to come into effect in 2017.

“We’re very much in an evaluation year in relation to our ongoing involvement in terms of ever putting a car on the track. But it’s not something we’ll discount.”

Hanley was speaking at the announcement that Lexus will supply three cars to V8 Supercars organisers for the 2015 and 2016 seasons as part of a sponsorship deal for course cars.

“I won’t say that we’re going into V8 Supercar racing or entering a team, but I certainly won’t say we’re not either.”

Hanley said the chances of Lexus joining what was once a Ford versus Holden battle were “50-50”.

“Clearly we’ll use the next 12 months to evaluate the opportunities.

“I will look to motorsport to enhance our brand credentials, to enhance our brand consideration, particularly in the area of sports performance and sports luxury performance.”

Despite disappointing sales for the four manufacturers pumping money into V8 Supercars – in 2014 Ford sales dropped 8.6 percent, Holden slid 5.3 percent, Volvo dropped 9.3 percent and Nissan 14.3 percent – V8 Supercars CEO James Warburton said the investment for a manufacturer was small in considering broader advertising spends.

“All the participating brands have all made public statements about the power of the platform for them,” Warburton told Wheels. “What you’ve got to remember is you’re talking about corporations that might have marketing budgets of close to $70 or $80 million … so the way it’s worked in terms of team sponsors and everything else, this is not a ridiculous investment for a manufacturer.

“This is about a third of buying an exclusively big [media] property such as The Voice.” Lexus’s Hanley appears to be evaluating the professionalism and reach of V8 Supercars as much as the possibilities – and costs – of fielding a factory-backed team.

“This partnership … gives us a wonderful opportunity to be involved with V8 Supercars, to get a good understanding of the business of motorsport in Australia, particularly V8 Supercars and to understand the benefits that it could present to our brand in future,” he said.

“Our clear direction is to evaluate the motorsport landscape in Australia and to see first-hand the opportunities that motorsport may present to our brand, the opportunities it may present to our existing customers in terms of a great customer experience and the opportunities that it presents to our brands to get on the consideration list to those that are stepping up to luxury.”

Hanley said any involvement in motorsport would not be about “win on Sunday, sell on Monday”.

“I will look to motorsport to enhance our brand credentials, to enhance our brand consideration, particularly in the area of sports performance and sports luxury performance,” he said.

“We need to understand the benefits that this type of partnership in relation to a Lexus V8 Supercar entering the race, what sort of benefits that could deliver to our brand, in terms of enhancing our credentials.”

HOLDEN is expected to confirm the name of its new managing director in a press conference at 4:30pm today, Friday 6 February.

UPDATE: Holden has named Australian Mark Bernhard to the vacant position of Holden CEO.

The company has been without a permanent official figurehead since the unexpected departure of Gerry Dorizas on 28 October, 2014.

Regardless of who is named, it will be the local car maker’s sixth boss in as many years.

Dorizas had been in the job a mere seven months, and had made bold claims including that Holden will return to the Number One sales position – an achievement it hasn’t managed since 2002 – by 2020. In 2014, Holden finished second to Toyota, but its 106,092 sales were almost half (52.1 percent) that of sales leader, Toyota, with 203,501 – a record low for Holden.

General Motors Vice President of International Operations, Stefan Jacoby, is currently in Sydney where the press conference will be held, indicating that this afternoon’s announcement is of primary significance.

Upon Dorizas’ departure, Jacoby released a statement saying that “General Motors is 100 percent committed to the Holden brand and its long-term success in Australia … “We thank Gerry for his contribution to GM Holden and wish him well in his future endeavours,” Jacoby said.

Jacoby appointed Holden chief financial officer Jeff Rolfs as interim managing director.

The new boss will be at the reigns as Holden’s manufacturing closes and it becomes a full importer and sales company. It’s been confirmed that the Commodore will be replaced by an imported large car, but the Commodore name will remain, and that GM’s rear-drive performance V8 line will be tapped for Australian showrooms.

Holden’s staple model line will include Opel models, with the high-performance Astra VXR as a Ford Focus ST rival, and the Insignia VXR locked in for a mid-2015 launch. The Opel Cascada – an Astra-based convertible – has also been confirmed.

Stay tuned to wheelsmag.com.au and Wheels Australia on Facebook and Twitter for updates.

LEXUS will be hoping its involvement in V8 Supercars won’t lead to a dramatic sales decline – as it has with other brands that have headlined the sport.

Despite claims from V8 Supercars management there would be “a new major brand” joining “the grid in 2015” the involvement of Lexus is to help clear crashes and resurface the track.

Lexus will supply three cars – including the flagship RC F with a 5.0-litre, 351kW V8 – for the 2015 and 2016 seasons, where they will lead the field at a reduced pace when racing is halted and provide medical assistance.

“This is a wonderful opportunity for the Lexus brand to showcase its new RC F V8 to motorsport fans around Australia and also a wonderful opportunity to present the Lexus brand with its new [F Sport] performance credentials,” said Lexus Australia chief executive Sean Hanley.

Hanley shrugged off suggestions the V8 Supercar audience wasn’t in line with the luxury positioning of Lexus.

“Our brand’s available to everybody,” said Hanley. “We have an absolute respect for V8 Supercars and their audience and their history. We think Lexus is a perfectly suited brand…”

But brands that have been part of the real V8 Supercars grid have experienced less than stellar off-track results.

In 2014 Ford sales dropped 8.6 percent, Holden slid 5.3 percent, Volvo dropped 9.3 percent and Nissan 14.3 percent.

On top of that Ford and Holden sales have been in freefall for more than a decade – the most successful period ever for V8 Supercar racing.

Mercedes-Benz was the only one of the five cars represented on the grid to experience sales growth – up 15.8 percent in 2014 – yet the brand tried not to be involved in V8 Supercars (a customer wanted to race the cars) and doesn’t inject a cent.

Lexus sales have been stable but disappointing – trailing major German luxury rivals and failing to capitalise on the growth at the premium end of the market.

V8 Supercars is doing all it can to talk up the popularity of the sport amid expectations that the grid currently made up of four manufacturers – Holden, Ford, Nissan and Volvo, as well as Mercedes-Benz that doesn’t fund the team but was dragged kicking by a customer keen to race its wares – likely to shrink to three within years.

Ford has already announced it is leaving the sport and Volvo’s Swedish management has flagged its intention to exit motorsport globally, leading to speculation the 2016 contract end would see the end of the Volvo program.

It’s a tough period for V8 Supercars with some predicting a new TV deal will reduce eyeballs on the sport. In recent years it’s also had a failed international race program.

Touring car racing in Australia has typically been about grass roots brands – predominantly Ford and Holden.

Toyota is making a big push into motorsport globally, giving rise to a re-entry into the World Rally Championship using a heavily modified Corolla, and using its Lexus badge to re-enter GT500 racing in Japan and announcing extended plans to also field a GT3 contender.

TEN Lamborghinis huddled meekly in a Melbourne workshop – but these weren’t a bunch of old Gallardos sitting as their headlights yellowed and values plummeted. Some were Sant’Agata’s most important-ever cars.

And it says something that the most vanilla, plain cars of the lot were two Aventadors, one matte black, another silver. In the middle of the room there was a Countach, behind it an orange Murcielago SV. A red Gallardo Super Trofeo, with its towering rear wing, nestled inside a hoist. There was a Gallardo Spyder Performante looking menacing. And, parked modestly in the corner, looking utterly stunning, a Miura.

All were crowded, unassumingly, out the back of Lamborghini Melbourne – presumably to make way on the main showroom floor for the Huracan, which was ‘launching’ in Australia late last year, the day MOTOR happened to stumble on one incredible supercar stash.

MAZDA could break into new price territory with its much anticipated 6 MPS, which could be a more upmarket, luxury-infused model that sells in excess of $60,000.

The flagship model of its 6 mid-sized car would be designed to boost the breadth of the range and could be priced 20 percent higher – or more – than the current $50,920 range-topper. It would be the most expensive Mazda sedan sold in Australia since the 929, which reached $84K in 1995.

A turbocharged MPS performance version is understood to be the favoured option, but Mazda has flagged the idea of a diesel MPS that would be unique in the medium segment.

Speaking at the launch of the updated 6, program manager Hideki Matsuoka confirmed the company was actively discussing a 6 MPS – but that work had not begun.

“We are just thinking,” said Matsuoka. “It’s difficult to define what is an MPS for this vehicle … if customer expects more power or more luxury or more sporty.

Mazda has begun working on a 3 MPS, with the model likely to make a motor show appearance before the end of the year.

It’s expected to share a 2.5-litre four-cylinder turbo engine with the upcoming Mazda CX-9, which could also break cover this year and be powered by a four-cylinder turbo instead of a V6.

However, it’s unclear whether a 6 MPS would power all four wheels – as it has done in its only previous iteration – or whether it would follow the expected front-drive path of the Mazda 3 MPS.

Matsuoka also flagged the idea of focusing more on luxury than performance for the Mazda flagship.

“Normally a gasoline turbocharger is the ordinary process to improve MPS power – I’m not sure that is the correct way for new Mazda 6,” he said.

“Other options are to add some luxury … for this vehicle. We need a more sophisticated feel for this vehicle. Not only more torque or more power, but also make sure the feeling [is more sporty and refined].”

He also hinted that a higher performance diesel – improving on the 129kW and 420Nm from the current 2.2-litre turbo-diesel – was an option for a top-shelf 6: “That is one alternative.”

Matsuoka agreed that Mazda could do a rare second mid-life update for the third-generation 6, given the traditional facelift that’s just gone on sale was brought forward to usher in new technology and design themes.

“Yes, of course, we have to consider that,” he said when asked if the current 6 could get another model update.

“It depends on the segment circumstances for the competitors. On this vehicle you have much improved because this is the flagship. We have to introduce the latest technologies.”

The new Cayenne Turbo S, hey? What’s actually new?

Aside from some slimmer, easier-on-the-eyes headlights and tail-lights, and some other minor restyling, power is up 15kW and torque 50Nm, with fuel economy unchanged at 11.5 litres/100km. Importantly, with its 4.8-litre twin-turbo V8 now belting 419kW and, from a silly 2500rpm, 800Nm, the Cayenne Turbo S is the most powerful Porsche you can buy today. Of course, having to shift 2235kg means it’s not the fastest, but it’s not hanging about with a 0-100 time of 4.1 seconds. On bitumen, not snow, of course.

Wait, so why are you driving it on snow, then?

Good question. Volkswagen Audi Group seems to have developed a fetish for launching new cars in arctic conditions where it’s all-but impossible to tell what the car is truly like to drive. But after a day throwing the new Cayenne Turbo S around on snow, we can confirm it’ll happily turn all that power into laugh-out-loud, football-field-sized drifts – all, day, long.

Really? But isn’t it four-wheel drive?

Yep, but in the snow, turn ESP off and you’ll look like a drift god. Load up the big, heavy Cayenne Turbo S on its outside tyre and boot it, the thing will slew sideways gently, and slowly enough that you have all day to wind on the oppy-lock, at which point you can trim the angle with the throttle for as long as your talent will permit. Or you get bored. Generally the former happens before the latter.

Isn’t this the car that did some crazy lap time around the Nordschleife?

Yep, 7:59. If you cast your eye over the Nordschleife lap records you’ll see the Cayenne Turbo S blasts into the weeds all manner of fast cars. It’s as quick as a 996 911 Carrera S, five seconds quicker than a Cayman S, and utterly destroys things like the Lotus Exige S, Audi R8 V8 and Alfa Romeo 4C. Remember, this is a car that would handle an IKEA trip without fuss. Importantly, the Cayenne Turbo S crushes the new Range Rover Sport SVR which, with its paltry 8:14 lap, could claim only for a short while to be the fastest-ever SUV around the ‘Ring.

I read this thing has 10-piston front brake calipers. Is that right?

Yep, tucked inside monster monobloc calipers clamping 420mm front ceramic discs. Four-potters bite 370mm discs at the rear. Clearly you enjoy nerding out on spec sheets so you won’t mind us pointing out, interestingly, the Cayenne Turbo S’s 10-inch wide wheels at each corner wrapped in 295 rubber. Not that it matters much in snow.

So what else can you say about it, then?

It’s impossible to deliver a verdict on a car driving it solely on snow, but during our icy blat we noticed something important: a feeling of solid engineering. Here’s a car that weighs 2.2 tonnes you can throw about like a Toyota 86. It takes time to calibrate your brain to the extra weight, particularly so high in the car, but once there, you can powerslide the thing all day. It’s terrific fun. But understeer and oversteer balance? Ride? Road noise? We’ll have to wait for a bitumen blast, unfortunately.

Does it sound any good?

There’s a mean V8 burble at idle but we were disappointed, and bewildered to notice it just doesn’t translate to a high rpm, menacing roar. We wish as you wound the tacho needle clockwise, it was louder. Its newly-V6 sibling, the GTS, gets an active exhaust button. The Turbo S could use one too, perhaps, to angry it up a bit.

Anything else you didn’t fancy?

There’s bugger all steering feel which can affect your confidence driving fast, particularly on snow. When the thing starts understeering you notice primarily because your steering input no longer matches the car’s trajectory. Derr, you’re probably thinking, but many cars you’ll feel the understeer through the wheel first. Not the Cayenne, unfortunately. We wished, too, the PDK down-changed with a crisp, swift throttle blip, like its sports car siblings, but is instead a little too leisurely for our liking. But, look, we’re picking knits. The thing feels solid as a rock and while we’ll reserve our final verdict until we actually get to drive it on a real road, early signs are good. Very good.

What was the GTS like? Please tell me they haven’t ruined THAT noise.

It’s not good news – Porsche has tried hard but the new, twin-turbo V6 in the GTS sounds fairly vanilla compared to the old, antisocial nat-atmo V8. On the plus side, the GTS, while with 324kW and 600Nm packs less punch than the Turbo S, you definitely notice it’s 100kg lighter. Weight transfer is less aggro in the GTS, traction is better, and the whole shebang, on snow, is generally friendler and more manoeuvrable. Impressive particularly when you consider the GTS is $130,100 cheaper than the Turbo S.

Wait, what?

Yep, there’s a fair price gap. Porsche says the GTS is more the volume seller. And on Turbo S, when it comes time to tick a few options, you might just struggle, given how plump with goodies it really is. Given the dent it’ll put in your bank balance, you’d bloody well want it to be.

Hit me with it. I’m sitting down.

The Cayenne Turbo S will cost $284,700 in Australia so yes, you’ll need to drain the piggybank. But good news is, it doesn’t arrive until Q2 so you’ve got some time to get saving and pick one up before the Aussie winter. You’ll want to head to the alps and find a patch of snow to play in. Trust us.

SPECS 4806cc twin-turbo V8, DOHV, 32v, compression 10.5:1, redline 6700rpm 419kW @ 6000rpm 800Nm @ 2500-4000rpm 11.5L/100km combined 2235kg 0-100km/h in 4.1sec 0-400m in 12.4sec 284km/h top speed

$284,700

PORSCHE has invited us to try out the most powerful SUV in its line-up in a place where its performance potential will go largely untapped.

WHAT IS IT? It’s an anomaly, that’s what it is. A collection of numbers and brute force that shouldn’t exist, yet somehow does. Here’s proof: the Cayenne Turbo S weighs 2235kg, yet thanks to a colossal 419kW/800Nm 4.8-litre twin-turbo V8, hits 0-100km/h in 4.1sec, does a 12.4 quarter mile and laps the Nurburgring in 7m59s – that’s a number that’d make a 996 GT3 blush. Put simply, now that the 918 hypercar is officially sold out, the Cayenne Turbo S is the biggest, baddest and brawniest Porsche you can buy.

WHY WE’RE TESTING IT Like it or lump it, today Porsche is an SUV company. Last year Porsche Australia sold three times as many Cayennes at it did 911s, and twice as many of the smaller Macan as the Boxster and Cayman combined. Porsche SUVs, then, are kind of important and this Cayenne Turbo S is the pinnacle of the range. Plus, Porsche flew us all the way to a frozen lake in Sweden so we could test its, erm…balance.

MAIN RIVALS Mercedes-Benz ML63, BMW X5 M50d, Range Rover Sport SVR

THE WHEELS VERDICT If extremely powerful, hardcore SUVs are your thing, the Cayenne Turbo S is the ultimate example.

Plus: Physics bending performance; interior quality; immense brakes Minus: Minor visual change; expensive

THE WHEELS REVIEW OF ALL the places to launch the Porsche Cayenne Turbo S, this is a noodle scratcher. A bloody cold and slippery noodle scratcher. I’m standing in the snow at a former air force base in Skelleftea, Sweden, a silver Cayenne Turbo S idling in front of me and all I can think, as the mercury slips to -15 and another evil finger of wind pricks my neck, is “why aren’t we at a racetrack in Spain? Or a section of Germany’s autobahn?”

Surely both of these places would better showcase the Turbo S’s prodigious performance.

Porsche says we’re in Sweden to assess the Cayenne’s balance on low-grip surfaces; the fact sliding a 2.0-tonne SUV on ice is incredible fun, is just a bonus.

What’s new on the facelifted Cayenne Turbo S? The eagle-eyed among you will notice the new LED fog lights, slimmer rear tail lights and the 918-style steering wheel. The biggest changes, though, have been made to the oily bits.

Power from the 4.8-litre twin-turbo V8 is up 15kW/50Nm, the turbochargers have moved into the exhaust manifold to improve efficiency and response times, and see those yellow brake callipers? They’re enormous carbon ceramics, with 10-piston stoppers at the front and four-piston ones at the rear.

Turn the key and the Cayenne oozes menace. The V8 has a rumble you feel more than hear and the performance, even on ice, is supercar-esque

We don’t doubt that in the right conditions this could be a sub-4.0sec car, particularly given Porsche’s performance figures always err on the side of caution.

A frozen airfield isn’t ideal for assessing the Turbo S’s ride and handling, although Cayennes are renowned for hiding their enormous size and weight exceptionally well. Given this new car comes standard with all of Porsche’s chassis control systems (Sport Chrono, torque vectoring, active all-wheel drive) we expect it’ll be more of the same.

What we do know is that despite being all-paw, the Turbo S will power oversteer on ice the moment you so much as breath on the accelerator and will even hold graceful drifts, which makes for oodles of slide-happy fun.

What was lacking on the velvety-smooth ice was any sense of feel through the steering. And as rumbly as that big V8 is at idle, rev it hard and it can’t reach the aural heights of Range Rover’s 5.0-litre supercharged V8 or Merc’s ML63, soon to become the GLC63.

Then there’s the question of price, which at $284,700, is hardly good value. Especially given the new V6-powered Cayenne GTS, launched simultaneously in Sweden, is a whopping $130,100 cheaper, 125kg lighter, has better throttle response and is considerably more agile.

Yet if sheer numbers and brutal performance are you’re thing, there’s no doubt the Turbo S is the definitive super-SUV.

SPECS Model: Porsche Cayenne Turbo S Engine: 4806cc V8 (90°), dohc, 32v, twin turbo Max power: 419kW @ 6000rpm Max torque: 800Nm @ 2500-4000rpm Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch Kerb weight: 2235kg 0-100km/h: 4.1sec (claimed) Economy: 11.5L/100km Price: $284,700 On sale: July 2015

Renault’s foray into the booming world of front-drive light SUVs brings real style and efficiency to a patchy competitor set, while also appealing to those who like low prices and high specs. No wonder it’s going gangbusters globally.

WHAT IS IT? Built in Spain, the current Clio-based Captur follows the class norm in being front-drive and petrol-powered only (for now), slotting beneath the ageing Koleos in the Holden Trax/Mazda CX-3 market segment. Remarkably, Renault really got the spec right, with the Captur ticking all the necessary boxes, then adding a few extras.

WHY WE’RE TESTING IT Since the current rash started arriving a couple of years ago, the B-segment SUV brigade has hardly consisted of overachievers, but suddenly three hopefuls are here to change things for the better. The Renault Captur has been selling up a storm abroad; will it do the same against the promising new Mazda CX-3 and Honda HR-V?

MAIN RIVALS Ford EcoSport, Holden Trax, Honda HR-V, Mazda CX-3, Nissan Juke, Peugeot 2008, Skoda Yeti, Suzuki S-Cross

THE WHEELS VERDICT After the chunky little Clio, Renault’s gets it right again with the Captur. No other light SUV in Australia quite hits the same high notes, particularly in terms of design, packaging, driver enjoyment, efficient drivetrains and features for the money.

PLUS: Design; packaging; value; comfort; connectivity; efficiency; warranty MINUS: Sluggish acceleration; rear drum brakes; no diesel or 0.9L turbo auto

THE WHEELS REVIEW IS IT May 2014 yet? That’s when we expected to see the Captur here, but massive demand and production constraints delayed the compact SUV by nine months.

Renault denies it delayed the local launch because the lack of rear-seat airbags would have resulted in only a four-star ANCAP crash rating. It now scores five stars due to changes in the scoring system introduced on January 1.

The Spanish-built Renault Clio-based crossover still feels fresh in the face of its rivals.

A runaway Euro bestseller, the front-drive-only Captur has a few aces up its sleeve. For starters, the design from ex-Mazda doodler Laurens van den Acker is appealing. Neat, well proportioned and with just a hint of individuality in the two-tone roof treatment and lower-sill trim kink, the Renault ought to sell on styling alone.

Perched some 100mm higher than the Clio that spawned it, the Captur’s solidly presented interior is both roomier and more versatile than most, with an unusually agreeable layout for a French car.

Top marks for a comfy driving position on plump cushions, ample ventilation, excellent instrumentation, plentiful storage and one of the simplest touchscreen multimedia systems around.

There’s just nothing confronting here – unless in the always dubious pursuit of ‘personalisation’, buyers take up the option of staining the handsome cabin with streaks of dayglo-like colour that appear to be applied with a paintball blunderbuss. At least the accompanying seat covers can be unzipped and washed… or swapped for something less garish.

Fat A-pillars can hinder forward vision, but otherwise the Captur’s cabin continues to score with enough rear-seat space for adults, on split/fold rear seats that slide to boost either legroom or luggage capacity. Cargo space is 377-455 litres with backrests erect, increases to 1235 litres with them folded, and benefits from a clever multi-configurable floor with wet/dry area compartmentalisation.

A pair of modern drivetrain offerings brings lively and efficient if not scintillating performance to the Captur’s long list of attributes.

About 20 percent of buyers are expected to choose the base Expression TCe 90 manual powered by what is a lusty little three-cylinder turbo in the Clio equivalent. It’s burdened by the extra 100kg of the Captur, but still accelerates with more vigour than the 0.9-litre capacity suggests, and pulls away strongly once the engine revs hit their stride.

The manual is a rather long-throw five-speed and, sadly, no auto option is available with the triple, necessitating a step up to the Expression or range-topping Dynamique fitted with a 1.2-litre four-pot turbo (dubbed TCe 120) and six-speed dual-clutch transmission.

While the larger-engined Captur is quiet, smooth and surprisingly punchy once the revs are up, momentary off-the-line lag, accompanied by a strange graunchy sound, undermine its low-speed driveability, as is the case with most dual-clutch arrangements.

The extra mass and increased ride height (163mm ground clearance) also blunt steering responses compared to the Clio, but relative to its rivals the Captur remains an eager and poised handler, with taut levels of body control over all manner of bumpy terrain. The base 16-inch wheels soak up bumps better than the firm-ish 17-inch set-up, though overall the Renault remains a civilised and quiet ride.

From $22,990, the Expression TCe 90 manual is sharply priced, yet throws in sat-nav with touchscreen, auto headlights and wipers, climate control, keyless entry, reversing camera, rear sensors, alloys, capped-price servicing and a five-year warranty with roadside assist.

The auto and TCe 120 engine adds $3K more, which still puts it $200 under the popular Trax auto.

Keen to clean up in the compact SUV class, the Captur is Renault’s most important release in years. We reckon the wait’s been worthwhile.

SPECS Model: Renault Captur TCe 120 Dynamique Engine: 1197cc 4cyl, dohc, 16v, turbo Max power: 88kW @ 4900rpm Max torque: 190Nm @ 2000rpm Transmission: 6-speed dual-clutch Weight: 1215kg 0-100km/h: 10.9sec (claimed) Economy: 5.4L/100km Price: $27,990 On sale: Now

ANOTHER brand is poised to join the V8 Supercars grid and one day potentially swap paint with Ford, Holden, Nissan, Mercedes-Benz and Volvo – Lexus.

Organisers for the championship have called a press conference for noon tomorrow at Sydney Motorsport Park, the venue for the first official tests for the cars competing in the 2015 championship series.

The subject? To make an announcement that an “on track partner” will join the series, a glimmer of hope in a watershed year where diehard fans will need to subscribe to pay television to watch every race live and over its full distance.

Lexus is believed to be replacing Chrylser as official supplier of safety cars in 2015, having expressed interest in joining the series potentially after rule changes come in for 2017, leaving the door open for a fully-fledged entry in the series.

The luxury arm of Toyota announced at Detroit that it was rolling out a war chest to compete in more motorsport events worldwide, using its RC F coupe as the performance hero of the brand.

V8 Supercars announced late last year that it would change its format from 2017, shifting away from its traditional V8-engined four-door sedan format to allow four-seat, two-door coupes and even cars powered by turbocharged four-and six-cylinder engines to swap paint on the circuit.

Lexus announced last month a race-honed version of the four-seat RC F would campaign in the Japan-based GT500 series. It will use a turbocharged engine closely related to the 2.0-litre four-cylinder unit used in the Lexus NX200t SUV, due to launch in Australia this month – the first turbocharged engine for the brand.

A GT3 version will use a V8 engine producing about 397kW, Lexus announced. A typical V8 Supercar produces up to 480kW.

Sources confirmed to Wheels that Melbourne-based Lexus Australia representatives would be in Sydney tomorrow, coinciding with the announcement.