Let’s pray that a Cinque does not end up on wreckedexotics.com, as only five of these very special cars will ever progress from drawing board to daylight.

Originally built as a special request from a Hong Kong-based buyer, the Cinque, which means ‘five’ in Italian, is a limited production run (of five cars) based on the already hipo Zonda R roadgoing super-racer.The street-legal Cinque introduces several firsts for the Zonda: a sequential dual-clutch F1 transmission makes its debut, and features wheel-mounted or stick-shift manual ovverides as well as a sports auto mode.Pagani is also introducing a new carbon-fibre weave which is strengthened with titanium, and saves 20kg of weight when measured with the already super-light 1230kg Zonda F. As the F is reaching the end of its production run, we can expect these technologies to feature on the next generation.Titanuim and magnesium is also used in the wheels, nuts, and suspension components, while the carbonfibre-coated rollcage has a core of molybdenum (or ‘molibden’ in the translated press release).The suspension is a fully-adjustable Ohlins setup with four 10-way adjustable settings, and is matched to specific Pirelli PZero tyres measuring 255/35ZR19 on the front, and a whopping 335/30ZR20 on the rear.The 7.3L 12-cylinder engine, borrowed from AMG, produces 506kw and 780Nm – 56kw and 20Nm more than the F version. A bespoke aero kit and interior complete the outfit, and not surprisingly, the price is POA. But don’t bother asking, as all five are sold.Pagani also claims a 100 percent return on the investment on a Zonda. Times that by five for the Cinque.

Technical Specifications:

– Mercedes Benz AMG engine – ECU, Traction control , ABS by Bosch – Inconel/titanium exhaust system coated with ceramic – Suspensions in magnesium and titanium – Cima sequential gearbox (6 speed), robotized by Automac enginnering – APP monolitic wheels forged in aluminium and magnesium. Size: front 9×19 – rear 12,5×20 – Pirelli PZero tyres. Size: front 255/35/19 – rear 335/30/20 – Toora Racing Seats in carbon fiber, with leather cover – Carbon Fiber steering wheel – Brembo brakes in carbo-ceramic self ventilated with hydraulic servo brake, Size: front 380×34 mm, monolitic 6 piston caliper; rear 380×34 mm, monolitic 4 piston caliper. – Dry weight 1210 Kg – Weight distribution in driving condition – 47% front, 53% rear – Acceleration: 0-100 Km in 3.4 sec.; 0-200 in 9.6 sec. – Braking: 100-0 km in 2.1 sec.,200-0 km 4.3 sec. – Maximum side acceleration: 1,45 G (with road tyres, NO CUP) – Top speed over 350km/h.OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE AND SPECIFICATION The great success achieved by the Zonda in the different proposed versions is recognized all over the world. This car has already become an icon and allowed such a small company to prove its qualities. The Pagani is not just a supercar manufacturer but rather a place where artistic objects take form following the renowned car tradition of Modena and the Renaissance concepts of art and science combined together by Leonardo Da Vinci over 500 years ago. In Pagani the carbon fiber is the specific know how and a perfect combination of technology and beauty. No compromises are accepted in the use of innovative materials, always the state of art, to express the passion and skill of who designed and built them. Back in 1999, launch year of the first Zonda, the Pagani has been focusing its strategies on the research of light weight. The chassis, completely made of composite and other light and innovative materials, contained the weight to 1250 kilos, when all the other cars of the same segment would weight from 30 to 50% more. Despite of the light weight, the Zonda offered excellent comfort and safety standards. By chance, the impact on environment, as for example the fuel consumption, proved to be considerably lower than the traditional supercars and coupes of the same range, with weight from 1.800 kilos to 2.200 kilos. The Zonda was the first example of a car manufacturer to reach such a high level in the employment of advanced composite materials, which compose the structure of the car and guarantee a stronger resistance than any traditional chassis. In order to understand the difference given by a chassis completely built in carbon fiber, just look at modern F1 cars which use this solution and the F1 cars built in the ’80s. The refinement of both internal and external aerodynamics enabled to obtain a low CX and the highest CZ in its sector, improving safety and stability. This accuracy granted the Zonda outstanding performances such as the reduced braking times (100-0 km in 2.2 sec. and 200-0 in 4.4 sec.) and to set the new fastest lap for homologated cars at the Nürburgring, the most difficult and tricky circuit in the world. Further to these technical qualities, the Zonda also represents a profitable investment. For example the first C12 has increased its value of a 100%. The Zonda F Coupés and Roadsters have reached the 1 ML Euro on the second hand market. Thanks to this the brand value has consequently gone up. After the great success of the Geneva Car Show ’08 for Zonda F and the Zonda R, a limited series which is already sold out before being produced yet, it seems like the customer cannot accept that the production of the Zonda F has almost come to conclusion. There is never been before such a strong request, it actually seemed like it had been newly launched this year. Besides, recently the crazy news of a number plate, purposely bought for a Zonda F, have echoed around and strengthened the interest in the brand. In fact at a charity auction in the Middle East, a plate number “1” was purchased by a famous car collector Sheik for the price of 14 ML Euros.Zonda Cinque A project born to satisfy the request of the Pagani dealer for Hong Kong “SPS”, an incredibile car which will be produced only in 5 (five) limited pieces, already all sold and will be street legal. It will be the first Pagani car to be equipped with sequential gearbox manageable both with paddles behind the steering and with the traditional gear stick on central tunnel. Besides, it will be the first Zonda to use the new Pagani invention, the carbon-titanium, a special fiber purposely created for the Zonda Cinque, which will be eventually used on the new generation models. This monster has 678 hp, 780 Nm torque, forged monolock titanium wheels, bolts and nuts will fully be done in titanium and boast the Pagani logo. The interiors are refined and at the same time reveal the sporting attitude of this car. Racing leather seats developed by Toora, 4-points seatbelts and molibden steel roll-bars with carbon fiber coating. The Zonda Cinque total weight will be 20 Kg lighter then the F model, will have new Pirelli tyres, with special compounds for the car. Suspensions and springs will be in ergal and titanium developed with the latest technology from Öhlins, in accordance with the Pagani specifications. Four different settings, 10 adjustments each, to separate high and low frequencies, both in compression and extention. The body is equipped with a longer front spoiler, new designed rear wing, central air intake on monocock, extra air intakes for rear brakes. Flat bottom and new rear air extractors will improve the downforce up to 750 Kg at 300km. The Zonda Cinque will be a piece of art able to speed over 350 Km/h. A special colour combination/livery will distinguish this unique and exclusive model. Only five pieces for five wealthy Pagani lovers.

Just West of Cooma, gateway to the Snowy Mountains on the NSW-Victoria border, there lies a spectacular monument. Literally thousands of terracotta-coloured statues stand silent, in ordered rows, recalling in their own way the 100,000 men who spent a quarter of a century constructing Australia’s engineering wonder, the Snowy Mountains Scheme.

Okay, so it’s not exactly the entombed warriors of Xi’an. But with more than 3500 cars, around two-thirds of them from 40 to 70 years old, lined up on a rolling hillside of eight hectares, Flynn’s Wrecking Yard was once named by an American classic-car magazine as one of the 10 best automotive junkyards in the world.By freakish dint of its age, history, location and climate, this rustic rust-o-rama is more like an open-air museum of oxidising automobilia.The collection of crippled – very rarely crumpled – cars is largely comprised of American, British, European and Australian models from the 1930s through to the ’60s. Many are rare to see in any condition. But to see DeSotos, Dodges, Vanguards and Simcas so remarkably whole, frozen in the geologically slow process of merging back into earth and fungus and sunshine, borders on a poetic experience.It’s presided over by a junkyard dog straight from central casting; a heavily-chained German Shepherd named Sheba that lives behind a bricked-up Ford F-Series ambulance.“Sheba, she’s a good dog,” drawls Wayne Flynn, 51, who took over the yard some years ago from his father, Jim. “She’s gettin’ a bit old, but she keeps people at bay. Occasionally we find a few sandshoes near the fence, so she’s doin’ a good job!”Flynn is the one-man band who also does mechanical servicing and flogs the odd, cheap used car from the dirt lot in front of the office. And very occasionally, someone will buy one of the “oldies” from the cemetery-like rows down the back. “The ’37 DeSoto down there, a bloke’s just put a deposit on it,” he says.These days, few customers come in looking for Mercury manifolds or Studebaker steering gear. But in the past eight or so years, more and more have been coming just to look.“What I do is, I charge ’em ten bucks to wander through, and then they get the selection of a [greeting] card when they come up,” Wayne grins. “Some people go, ‘I’m not paying ten bucks to look at heaps of shit!’ But there are other people who walk down two rows and yell out, ‘I’ve already got me ten bucks’ worth!'”The extraordinary birth and growth of the yard founded by Jim Flynn in 1955 is entwined with that of the Snowy Mountains Scheme, and of Australia herself. Initiated in 1949, the hydro-electricity and irrigation scheme was one of the world’s (and remains as Australia’s) largest civil-engineering projects.In its 25 years of construction, it employed more than 100,000 people – around 7000 at any one time – of whom some 70 percent were migrants from war-ravaged countries across Europe. They would be instrumental in changing Australia’s cultural and automotive complexion.Jim Flynn delivered their mail. Fitting chains in winter, he drove the Postmaster General’s split-window VW Kombi all over the treacherous Snowy Mountains slopes, and in his spare time played saxophone in a jazz band.One night in the early 1950s, Flynn was driving home from a country dance with fellow band-members in a 1950 Dodge. He’d agreed to sell the car earlier that day. Entering the historic, 1889 iron-lattice bridge at Dalgety, the Dodge slithered on the ice-covered timber roadway. It toppled into the shallow Snowy River some three metres below.Flynn found himself with a broken collarbone, and others in the car with various breaks and bruises. And a destroyed Dodge. He set about dismantling the Dodge to recoup money from parts. Soon someone offered him another wreck, and another. Eventually he bought this land four kilometres west of Cooma and opened the wrecking yard.In the automotive context, the Snowy Mountains Scheme is best remembered for the introduction of Land Rover to Australia – well over 200 were sold in the project’s first four years – and later (in 1959), of Toyota, with the LandCruiser.But the majority of Snowy workers lived a very different motoring reality. A 10- or 15-year-old used car meant one from the 1940s or ’30s. The scarcity of cars during WW2 ensured that most of that vintage had been kept running. The ones favoured by workers for the long, rough roads were the big, simple, plush-riding Americans.Usually, there’d be four owners. Snowy workers typically lived in two-bed tents or cabins; day-shift and night-shift workers would literally take shifts to sleep. And they’d likewise take two-up turns in the car, shuttling to their shifts.“What happened a lot was that the cars wouldn’t have had any road damage, but the gearbox might have chucked it in,” Wayne says. “They couldn’t afford to wait a week or two for repairs, so they’d ring dad and say there’s a car here for ya, come and grab it and give us some money. Then they’d just get another car from one of the garages around here to keep ’em going for the next 12 months.”Father Jim, now in his 80s, had quite the nose for business. Around 1962, he opened a new dealership for Nissan, whose Patrol had been introduced seven years earlier. In 1968, he added Toyota, whose reputation was being built among the Snowy workers but was much slower to spread elsewhere.“They used to give [dad] a hard time – the Japs weren’t real popular in those days,” Wayne smiles. “They were good vehicles, but he used to get a lot of flak from people who had uncles they’d lost during the war, that sort of stuff.”The new-car business was wound up in the early 1980s. The fact that it also handled Honda could explain the tiny Zots among the three- to four-dozen ’60s-’70s Crowns, Corona MkIIs, and Tiaras in the front yard. It also explains Jim’s apparently long run of Datsun 180B bush-speedway cars.But it’s the back two-thirds of the yard that draws the odd overseas phone call and a steady trickle of sightseers. The cars are arranged back-to-back in rows, surprisingly well ordered by marque and nationality.Gaps in some of the rows reinforce the yard’s graveyard feel. Often, the location of these vacant plots suggests ‘runs’ on particular cars, like XW-XY Falcons or hatchback Toranas, two examples notable by their absence. The grass is kept pretty well in check by a local mower man named Lou. This I learn when I ask Wayne, “Where’s the loo?” and he replies, “There, on the mower”.Most of the cars aren’t on their wheels, nor are many crashed. A few are slowly collapsing. A Cortina Mk1 is being reclaimed by the earth, slumping over its wheels as it rusts from the sills up. It’s interesting to note how badly it is decomposing compared with many of the 1930s Hudson, Buick, Chevrolet and Oldsmobile ‘gangster cars’ a couple of rows away.Still, the Cortina’s chromed bumpers shine optimistically. The same is true of the chromework on a lot of the old cars, including a proud, picket-fence row of 48-215 Holdens. “The climate has kept it that way, and the chrome was well-made in those days,” Wayne tells me. I’ve watched cars being born, seen others end violently. But strolling through the yard among these shapes that were so familiar, yet so hugely transformed – like a digitally-modified image of Marilyn Monroe at age 82 – got me very much in touch with my appreciation of cars as art.Prejudices against certain cars as going concerns melted away when I regarded them in repose.I was transfixed by the C-pillar treatment and impossibly elegant rear door handle of a PA Vauxhall Velox, a car easily dismissed as just another Pommy shitter. Ford Mainline utes show off their almost art deco swage lines. I was arrested by the Noddy-car cuteness of the Lloyd-Hartnett.A rust-over-green Ford Anglia 100E with terrified eyes and grimacing grille is a motoring mockery of Edvard Munch’s painting, The Scream. Likewise, a smashed and semi-slumped Simca Aronde – my father used to race one of these – wears the murderer’s mask from the Scream horror-film franchise.A couple of Land Rovers camouflage their naked panels among the misty ghost gums. And nature is applying herself in artistic ways: the perfect starburst rust-pattern that radiates from the roof of a Renault Dauphine; a tree that has literally grown through the chassis of a pick-up truck; moss and mildew embracing and embellishing badgework and bonnet contours.This literally had been Wayne Flynn’s playground as a child. If I got this emotional about these wrecks, whose lives ended not with a bang but with a century-long whimper, how must it be for him? Were there cars that he remembered being towed-in, cars in which he played, and into which he might still sneak away for a deep, contemplative moment?“Nah,” he shrugs. “What I mostly remember is that me and the other kids used to jump across the roofs and dent them in! Dad didn’t enjoy it much.“But it’s more the car going out the door,” he says. When you sell something, you realise, that’s it – she’s not coming back. Hopefully it’ll drive back at some stage. That gives you a real kick.“I’d love to see that DeSoto come back.”

This is the latest supercar from Lambo, and we have a name – the Gallardo LP 550-2 Valentino Balboni.

Yesterday, images of this model were leaked (accidentally?We think not) with the only real clue to its setup in the number 2, suggesting the V10’s 550 horsepower is running through only two wheels.And what better name for a limited edition rear-drive Lambo than Valentino Balboni, Lamborghini’s infamous test driver for the last 25 years.A true driver’s car, the VB model “was conceived in line with [Balboni’s] own thinking, and it meets many customers’ requests for a model with a unique character, which offers a very special kind of active driving fun.”The edition gets a revised suspension to match the drivetrain, new wheels, standard reversing camera, Bluetooth GPS, and the racing stripe colour scheme which can be optioned in eight different colour combinations. E-Gear clutchless manual and ceramic brakes are also an option, along with a choice of coloured callipers. And Balboni’s signature adorns a plaque near the gearbox and the driver’s side window.The 5.2-litre, 550hp V10 clocks 0-60 mph in 3.9 seconds thanks to the single driven axle lightening the load.Only 250 cars will be made, starting at EU€162,000 (AU$282,200).OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE Lamborghini Gallardo LP 550-2 Valentino Balboni – Driving fun with absolute precisionHe has long been revered as one of the many legends surrounding the world’s most uncompromising sports car brand – Valentino Balboni, a remarkable test driver with his own personal cult status. Automobili Lamborghini now presents a model in his honour and bearing his name – the Gallardo LP 550-2 Valentino Balboni.The latest version of the Gallardo, Lamborghini’s most successful model of all time – overall, more than 9,000 units of the model range have already been produced – boasts not only its own distinctive design and exclusive equipment, but its technology is unique too, as indicated by the model badge: the 550 stands for the power output in hp and the 2 is for rear wheel drive.For several decades, Valentino Balboni has had a distinct influence on the character of the super sports car bearing the sign of the bull. With his fine-tuning and testing work, he has helped to shape many automotive legends, from the Lamborghini Miura of the 60s through to the current Gallardo and Murciélago models. Balboni was hired in 1967 by company founder Ferruccio Lamborghini himself. From early on, it was evident that the young Balboni had a special feel for cars, that most sensitive of all instincts that connects to the ‘life blood’ of an automobile and defines the soul of a test driver.“A Lamborghini must always combine the precision of a race car with the reliability of a good friend,” says Balboni. Since 1973, he has sat at the wheel of every prototype built by the brand, and even most production cars have passed through his hands before being delivered to their customers. This has turned Balboni into one of the most important representatives of the brand, with an outstanding reputation and status among the brand’s fans and customers worldwide.Limited to 250 unitsAfter over 40 years with Lamborghini, Balboni is now officially retired. Yet, Valentino Balboni continues to travel to many countries around the world as an ambassador of the brand. The special exclusivity of the Gallardo LP 550-2 Valentino Balboni is guaranteed – it is limited to 250 units.Light-footed yet extremely safeWith this latest version of the Gallardo, Lamborghini is honouring its long-standing test driver in a very special way. The LP 550-2 Valentino Balboni was conceived in line with his own thinking, and it meets many customers’ requests for a model with a unique character, which offers a very special kind of active driving fun. The Balboni model is the only current Lamborghini that delivers its power to the road via its rear wheels alone.Rear wheel drive has a special appeal to those sports car drivers who enjoy a particular driving style. Thanks to the eminently powerful V10 driveline, controlled oversteer is no problem – naturally always to the extent defined by the driver – because refined road manners and perfectly tuned assistance systems mean that the Gallardo LP 550-2 Valentino Balboni is an exceptionally safe sports car to drive.Driving fun with unique characterIn order to shape this unique character that combines driving fun and safety, the engineers at Sant’Agata Bolognese have incorporated extensive modifications into the LP 550-2 Valentino Balboni. It was not simply a question of moving the transmission to the rear axle, the vehicle had to be adjusted and tuned in every element of its driving dynamics. This includes springs, dampers, stabilisers and even the tyres. The aerodynamics were also adjusted to take account of the change to the power flow.The rear axle differential, with a 45 percent limited slip, was also redeveloped, as was the calibration of the e-gear transmission. One significant point was the adjustments made to the ESP system. While the standard program is focused on high stability, the CORSA program permits greater drift angles, thus enabling drivers to enjoy the dynamics of the LP 550-2 to their full extent.Outstanding performance is guaranteedAdjustments have also been made to the very heart of the Gallardo, the 5.2 litre ten-cylinder: the perfect synthesis of hi-revving pleasure, pulling power, a constantly exuberant temperament and a powerful symphony played in all keys. In the Valentino Balboni, the compact and lightweight power unit generates 405 kW (550 hp). At a dry weight of only 1,380 kilograms, this guarantees outstanding performance: the LP 550-2 is catapulted from 0 to 100 km/h (0-62mph) in a breathtaking 3.9 seconds, while the top speed of 320 km/h (199 mph) guarantees its place among the ultimate in super sports cars.Powerful elegance in its distinctive designThe Valentino Balboni is not only unique in terms of its technology: its design and equipment reinforce its exclusivity. Its classic sporting character is emphasised by a colour strip in white and gold running from the front panel over the roof and parts of the engine cover all the way to the rear spoiler, with inspiration from the classic sports cars from the ’70s. This colour treatment underscores the powerful elegance of the Gallardo and emphasises the unique Lamborghini design DNA. The Special Edition is available in eight colours, from Bianco Monocerus through to Verde Ithaca, or Arancio Borealis to Nero Noctis. The Scorpius wheels retain their dark grey finish, while the brake callipers come in black, orange or yellow, depending on the exterior paint finish.Classic sporting look for the interior, tooThe characteristic colour combination is repeated in the interior. The basic colour of the full leather upholstery is black. Both seats, however, feature the colour strip in white. The centre console is completely upholstered in Polar white leather to create a powerful accent. A badge below the left side window bears the signature of Valentino Balboni and the production number of the car.The exclusivity of the Valentino Balboni is augmented further by its extensive equipment. Alongside several new leather features in the interior, there is also the transparent engine cover, the rear view camera, the navigation system with Bluetooth and the lifting system for the front axle that makes it easier to drive over obstacles. In addition to the extensive standard equipment, a list of further options is available including e-gear transmission and carbon ceramic brakes.Suggested retail price – without taxes Europe: 162.000 € UK: 137.900 £ USA: 219.800 $

The dark clouds loom ominous over Detroit as a struggling car industry prepares for the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS).

This staple international auto show, established way back in 1907, has been ripped through by the winds of change.

The 2008 show saw 58 vehicle debuts (44 international and 14 American). It also raised US$6 million for children’s charities at the annual black-tie Charity Preview. Charity donations this year should perhaps go to the car companies themselves…The Big Three, whose offices cast their own shadows over the exhibition centre, are hanging by a thread in the red. Big brands Nissan, Jaguar and Land Rover are spending their money elsewhere – the Chinese taking their stand space with multiple new models of disturbingly similar appearance. And V8 is a dirty word, swept out the door by electric mini-movers, fuel cells and Hybrid hype.Dramatic enough for you? We certainly hope so. Never before has Detroit been wrenched with such tension and desperation as this year’s show promises. In the wheelsmag camp, the tension is in our typing fingers as we bring you up to the minute news and info…

Ensconced in a meeting room on the second floor of Holden’s glittering glass and steel HQ in Port Melbourne, I’m primed to meet the Cruze sedan – a small-car contender that’s vitally important not just to Holden’s future, but also more broadly to that of GM itself.

Despite Commodore retaining its place as the country’s number-one seller, large-car sales continue to slide, and, perhaps ironically, the small-car segment is Australia’s largest, claiming 23 percent of the market last year. It’s a crucial segment in which Holden is under-performing; its current stable of Korean-sourced products nipping at the edges while the voracious Toyota Corolla and Mazda 3 bite off huge chunks.The Cruze is also the one-size-fits-all sedan that GM is pinning its small-car hopes on in the massive markets of Europe and North America (where it’s badged a Chevrolet), so it’s a critical roll of the dice. And sitting here, surrounded by marketeers, engineers, designers and PR people, expectation hanging heavily in the air, I’m feeling decidedly outnumbered.The tension breaks when Holden boss Mark Reuss strides into the room. A firm handshake and a few moments of small talk later and we’re down to business. Suit jacket off, the forthright and friendly American exec waves away the offer of a scripted presentation and walks me around a Cruze CDX, which is conveniently parked in a corner of the room. After a split second spent wondering how Holden managed to get the car in here, I’m snapped back to attention as Reuss starts downloading the sort of micro-level detail usually reserved for the most earnest of car company boffins. He rattles off this encyclopaedic knowledge the way other blokes reel off the weekend’s footy scores. “See these engine mounts?” he asks. “We swung the power cube [he means engine] from a chain to find its moment of inertia, then mounted the engine along that torque axis to optimise NVH reduction.” Walking around and pointing to the body side, Reuss adds, “I challenge you to find a seam weld on this side; we used copper plating on the weld tips…”The bloke obviously knows his stuff; as well he should. Before taking the reins at Holden, the former Detroit-based engineer was in charge of ‘vehicle integration’ for Cruze on a global scale. All the design, engineering and development teams ultimately reported to him. Reuss knows every nut, bolt and torque axis of the Cruze. His attachment to the car is obvious, and personal. Like others at Holden, he’s at pains to point out that it’s something other than just another cheap Korean import. This, despite evidence to the contrary in that it’s being sourced from a plant in South Korea.But the Global Delta architecture that underpins Cruze (as well as the Volt hybrid and next-generation Astra) was a global effort, born in Germany and designed to give GM a range of new models capable of achieving sales of 500,000 units per year worldwide. The architecture’s importance to a failing GM cannot be overstated, a fact attested to by the $5.5 billion of rapidly evaporating cash reserves that the project consumed. By way of contrast, Holden’s VE Commodore/Zeta program ran up a $1 billion tab.Cruze is the very first car line to be built off the architecture, with GM DAT in Korea handed responsibility for the car’s exterior and interior design, along with calibration work on its Australian engines and transmissions.After Reuss’s introduction, I slide down into the passenger seat of the top-spec CDX model on display. It’s a clean, classy effort and the attention to detail is obvious: double-stitching on the leather seats, soft-touch plastics, and buttons and dials that push and rotate with a decidedly un-Korean feel. The only ‘cheap’ inclusions are the hard, grey inserts framing the gearlever and air vents. No complaints regarding build quality, either, with tight panel gaps and a generally robust feel.The instrument cluster is clean and legible (it always amazes me how many manufacturers manage to get this most basic of design functions wrong) and the neatly integrated centre stack houses the infotainment display, audio and HVAC controls. Factor in the fantastic driving position (helped by the inclusion of a steering wheel adjustable for height and reach) and well-bolstered sports-style seats that are comfortable and supportive in equal measure and it’s clear the folks at GM DAT have upped the ante.The rear seating, however, doesn’t match the space or comfort level enjoyed by front-seat passengers. Both base and backrest are a bit too flat and hard and foot-room is tight, but overall space and comfort are still competitive.The designers obviously thought long and hard about making the Cruze user-friendly, with plenty of cubbies and storage spaces. The rear seat incorporates a fold-down armrest with twin cupholders, while the centre console up front offers an auxiliary power outlet and dual cupholders. Stump up for the CDX model and you even get heated seats. The standard six-speaker stereo is also more than adequate; just don’t expect it to transport you straight into the moshpit at a Metallica concert.Cruze will be sold in CD and CDX spec-levels, with a 104kW/176Nm 1.8-litre petrol or 110kW/320Nm 2.0-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder on offer. Those engines can be hooked up to either a five-speed manual or first-in-class six-speed automatic transmission (which makes the four-speed auto still offered in the Commodore look decidedly ordinary). The turbo-oiler is the same VM Motori-developed, common-rail unit under the bonnet of Holden’s Captiva SUV, while the 1.8-litre petrol is a development of the powerplant that is available in Astra.Having left Reuss and his minders behind, I’m soon slotted into a Cruze CD 1.8 automatic, dodging trams and ducking down the cramped laneways of inner Melbourne. In this intensely urban application, with its stop-start conditions and traffic light grand prixs, the petrol-fed four is quickly exposed as a potential weak link.Despite being overhauled with continuously variable intake and exhaust camshafts, this engine (a Family I-derived donk) dates back to 1996, and feels every day of its 13 years. It’s sluggish at low revs, belying the claim that 90 percent of its 176Nm is available from 2200rpm through to 6200rpm. Flex the right foot and response improves, accompanied by adequate pace, but also by a coarse, gravelly top end.Calibration of the 6T40 six-speed auto also leaves something to be desired. Perhaps GM’s Korean engineers are still on a learning curve, perhaps they’re under instructions to maximise fuel economy. Whatever the reasons, this state-of-the art transmission doesn’t feel quite right. The auto constantly reaches for the highest possible ratio, then flares and hunts between cogs at even moderate throttle applications, with the result that it often seems unsure of which ratio best suits your intentions. Fortunately, the slightly different gearbox hitched to the diesel donk (codenamed 6T45) offers a more sophisticated experience, sliding between gears mostly at the right time and exploiting the little oiler’s broad slug of turbocharged torque. Below 1500rpm there’s pronounced turbo lag, but once the gates open a smooth, muscular surge of torque rolls through.Engine and transmission gripes aside, the Cruze is an effortless urban and highway runabout and keeps a tight lid on NVH intrusions. In freeway driving, mechanical refinement is outstanding, with barely a whimper or vibration transferred from engine to cabin, although road noise is dependent on surface. On smooth mix, it’s whisper quiet, but on the coarse-chip bitumen so common in Australia, a dull monotone thrum is a constant companion. Ride quality is also somewhat of a mixed bag, the chassis soaking up urban corrugations like blotting paper, but jarring a bit over larger impacts.And what of dynamics? Threading along a ribbon of tarmac, flanked by the blackened remnants of trees burned in the Black Saturday bushfires, Cruze’s basic chassis balance is neutral and benign, the long wheelbase and broad tracks aiding stability, with both front and rear suspension working in harmony to deftly string corners together.The CD’s turn-in, on 16-inch wheels, lacks the crispness of the CDX thanks to its 17-inch rubber, although neither is razor-sharp. The steering, which feels slightly inert at centre, is accurate and weights up nicely; with a natural, linear response as lock is applied and just the faintest shimmy of kickback, even on cracked and ridged blacktop. Brake feel is also surprisingly good, although just a handful of strong stops sent the front discs out for smoko. The torsion-beam rear suspension can’t match the finesse of the segment’s dynamic front-runners (3, Focus and Golf). But despite the fact Cruze lacks involvement compared with these competitors, its well-judged chassis does exhibit a taste for the twisties.What’s more, its safety credentials are outstanding, with six airbags for all models, a reliable (if unsubtle) ESP system and a five-star ANCAP crash rating.Yet, for all its winning attributes, Cruze ultimately lacks a bit of flair. Despite representing great value for money and being more than capable in key areas, as a driving experience it lacks the polish and refinement of VW’s Golf, and the zest and dynamic sharpness of Mazda’s new 3.For pragmatic buyers Holden’s new small car offers compelling showroom appeal, undercutting Corolla and 3 on price. But for the rest of us, Cruze ultimately lacks the spark that separates a good car from a great one.Holden Cruze CD diesel Body steel, 4 doors, 5 seats Drivetrain front-engine (east-west), front-drive Engine 1991cc in-line four, dohc, 16v, turbo-diesel Power 110kW @ 5500rpm Torque 320Nm @ 2000rpm Transmission 6-speed automatic Size l/w/h 4597/1788/1477mm Wheelbase 2685mm Weight 1506kg 0-100km/h 10.4sec (claimed) Fuel cons. 6.8L/100km (claimed) 0-100km/h 10.4sec (claimed) Price $25,990 On sale June

New President of Toyota (and company founder Kiichiro Toyoda’s grandson) Akio Toyoda hasn’t had much time to adjust to the demands of his new role: nor to the remuneration package that ought to make it worthwhile…

In his first official press conference yesterday, Toyoda announced that he would slice a third off his salary in light of the company’s first operating loss in half a century.He said that the next two years would also be tough for Toyota, with the company not expected to turn a profit again until 2012.“The new Toyota sets sail in very stormy waters,” he said.“But right now we’re working at full speed to cut costs and jump-start sales with the support of various government incentives being rolled out.”“We want to do everything possible to avoid a third consecutive year of losses.”

After a six-month delay, Skoda has finally launched its 4.8-metre long flagship, the Superb. With three drivetrains and a price range between $42,990 and $56,990, the big Skoda will compete with everything from the Nissan Maxima to the Holden Statesman.

The range opens with the 1.8 TSI Ambition, which features the 118kW/250Nm turbocharged 1.8-litre four and seven-speed DSG also found in the Octavia, for $42,990. It’s a big car with a small engine, a similar philosophy to Nissan’s base-level Maxima with its 2.5-litre V6.But despite its 1647kg kerb weight, the Skoda’s clever technology more than compensates – not only does it have seven ratios to play with, but peak torque is consistent from 1500-4500rpm, and peak power from 4500-6200rpm. Skoda quote an 8.5-second 0-100km/h sprint, which feels about right and squares up nicely against the 8.4-seconds we’ve recorded for a Commodore Berlina. Except the Superb’s ADR sticker reads 8.4L/100km compared with the Berlina’s 10.6L.Step up to the $45,990 2.0 TDI Ambition, and you’ll score a 125kW/350Nm oiler linked to a six-speed DSG. Despite being 0.3-seconds slower to 100km/h than the 1.8 TSI, it is more frugal at 6.9L/100km. And what a sweetly smooth, surprisingly quiet, and pleasingly torquey little diesel it is. There’s little of the doughy throttle response or jerky low-speed shift issues often experienced with some diesel DSG applications, either.Add an extra $3000 to the list price of both the 1.8 TSI and 2.0 TDI Ambition, and you’ll score the Elegance trim level. Ambition includes nine airbags (dual front, front-side, rear-side, full-length curtain and driver’s knee), ESP, 16″ alloys, fogs, reversing sensors, leather-clad steering wheel, 8-speaker 6-CD audio, dual-zone climate and cruise control, and auto headlights and wipers.Elegance adds bigger 17s, Bi-Xenons, an alarm, auto dimming rear view mirror, electrically-adjustable front seats, and heated rear seats. Curiously, leather trim is still optional on both Ambition and Elegance, so the ‘heated seats’ are actually ‘heated cloth seats’. Bizarre.Oh, and the Elegance also adds a seriously cranking premium sound system. With 400 watts, a 10-channel amplifier and 10 speakers, it sounds fantastic and remains crisp and clear even at max volume.Flagship of the range is the $56,990 3.6 V6 4×4 Elegance, which in terms of both engine size and interior space comes across a bit like a Czech Statesman. It adds 18s, and full leather trim (finally!), though sat-nav is surprisingly still an option. As featured in the Passat R36, the VW Group 3.6-litre direct-injection V6 remains as brilliantly responsive and aurally delightful as ever – Holden should be taking notes.We’ll be taking the Superb for a more definitive test in the coming weeks, which will include a comparison test between the Superb and its nearest rival in the August issue, on sale July 22. But, on first impressions, it appears the Skoda’s combination of space, drivetrain tech, and value is convincing. Stay tuned.

The 6.2-litre V8 gently rocks the HSV Clubsport on its springs, ready to kick big-bore sand in the new face of the lightweight Nissan 370Z. To outsiders, it looks like the Nissan has shown up on the wrong test day. But the Zed is here, facing off against an archetypical Aussie muscle car, because it has in fact outgrown its own sandpit.

Its predecessor, the 350Z, had recorded a best to 100km/h of 5.8 seconds and 13.8 for the standing 400 metres. While avoiding specifics, Nissan’s Japanese boffins suggest their new charge is easily quicker, capable of 0-100km/h in sub-5.0sec. Our initial seat-of-the-pants impressions heap scorn on that claim, but, even with just 2000km on the odo, the new 370 certainly feels more urgent.Like Nissan, HSV optimistically claims a sub-5.0-second 0-100km/h time – 4.96sec to be precise – for its E-Series range of sedans (Clubsport, Senator and GTS). In reality, we’ve seen everything from 5.2sec in a GTS to 5.7sec in Clubsport.Though we’re expecting this mismatched pair to deliver similar times, it’s impossible to ignore their spec differences. The HSV’s 317kW represents 23 percent more power than the Zed’s 245kW, but at 1812kg, the Clubbie is 19 percent heavier. Bottom line is similar power-to-weight ratios – 175kW per tonne for the HSV and 167kW/tonne for the Zed (just 4.5 percent in favour of the HSV).Despite fat and grippy 275/35/ZR19 Bridgestone Potenzas tucked under the rear guards, the HSV really needs to be babied off the line. Pop the clutch with anything more than 2500rpm showing on the tacho and it will slew sideways in a howling haze of wheelspin. Best technique is to walk the Clubbie off the line with a stuttering of slip before gently feeding in full throttle.But the biggest challenge in this HSV is finding the elusive third gear. Several fast runs to 100km/h had to be aborted amid much graunching and profanity.Getting the Zed off the line is fraught with the same traction difficulties; its rear tyres (245/45R18 Yokohama Advan Sport) are reluctant to take more than 2200rpm off the line. Use lots of revs and the Japanese coupe will mimic the big Aussie with its own smoke show. While more accurate than the recalcitrant Tremec in the R8, the Nissan’s gearbox requires huge pressure for a fast shift into second.Further, the Zed feels a little reluctant to charge past 5500rpm to its 7500rpm redline – perhaps the engine is still tight.To 30km/h the Zed and R8 are line ball – 1.38sec and 1.39 respectively. However, the HSV’s torque quickly proves telling. By 60km/h the big sedan has pulled a one-metre advantage (2.70sec to the Zed’s 2.77sec) and by 100km/h the Clubbie (5.19sec) is a full eight metres (nearly the length of two Zeds) in front of the Nissan (5.62).The Clubsport expands its advantage to 400 metres, running a 13.19 pass at a blistering 176km/h; the Zed posts 13.84 at 169km/h. Those six-tenths of one second represent a narrow five percent advantage in favour of the R8, but that’s only half the story. Examine the time-to-distance line of the Vbox printout (rather than the time-to-speed) and as the Clubbie crosses the 400-metre mark, the Zed is lagging a full 30 metres – seven car lengths – behind.In the opening salvo, it’s Clubsport 1, daylight second…

The term ‘modest underdog’ may have been forged through war and toil to somehow encapsulate the Aussie spirit, but it’s a fairly dull way to roll, isn’t it? Far more compelling and colourful are those who strut, swagger and talk up a big game.

After all, who would watch a boxing match where, in the pre-fight interview, the challenger offers something like: “Well, Mike, my opponent is much faster, fitter, and hits harder … so I’ll just be thankful if I’m not in a coma when I get carried out tomorrow night.”No, the more a contender big-notes their chances, the more eagerly we gather to witness the glory … or wince at failure.Introducing Nissan, the current kings of Talking It Up In A Big Way. Or maybe just a company with a massive, Nürburgring-sized axe to grind with Porsche. Either way, when word came through from Japan that Nissan’s engineers claimed to have benchmarked their new 370Z against Porsche’s Cayman S – surely the greatest pound-for-pound two-seater sports car on the planet – the Wheels team was just about up on their desks, throwing air uppercuts and baying for comparo blood to be spilt.Now, it should be noted that at no stage did Nissan chief product specialist John Yukawa say anything to the effect of, “And not only can our car roll with Cayman S, but it can also outsprint an HSV R8 on the strip, and smack down an Evo X on a race track.”No, we cooked up this bit ourselves, because we thought it sounded like a challenge to which the Zed could rise. The Clubsport R8 is the muscled-up bully boy of straight-line stomp, with enough grunt to shut down just about anything this side of, well, a $155K Porsche Cayman S. We reckoned the newly lightened, more powerful Zed, while falling slightly short in terms of power-to-weight ratio, would surely run the R8 close in a dragstrip showdown.Then there’s the Evo – a podium finisher in every Wheels handling test it has contested. If the Zed could chew a chunk out of the all-wheel-drive tarmac terror, it could hoist a highly-prized scalp.All that would remain would be for it to prove that the talk of benchmarking against the Cayman S really did come from Nissan’s engineering department, not the marketing guys, and the point would be made. The new Zed could be categorically declared ‘apex predator’ of the automotive world spanning $65K-$160K – and our work of highlighting its talents would be complete.Time to get it on.

In a provocative move certain to not have been missed by its Bavarian rivals, Porsche staged the launch of its all-new four-door, four-passenger Panamera Gran Turismo right in the heart of Munich airport’s busy business precinct, close to the corporate nerve centre of that other German performance powerhouse, BMW.

No doubt BMW and its German premium rivals, Mercedes Benz and Audi, will be watching with interest to see if there is enough oxygen in the current, beleaguered market to sustain a prestige performance vehicle that blends attributes of performance sedan, luxury limousine and sports car.Classifying this, the fourth model range from the small but influential Stuttgart manufacturer is not easy, a fact acknowledged by Porsche Australia PR chief Paul Ellis, who helped coin the phrase “four doors, four seats, four-inches off the ground” when communicating the concept to potential customers.A less generous description was offered by a British journalist, who described it as “big, ugly, but good to drive”.At the car’s international launch in Germany last week, Porsche chief chassis engineer Andreas Probstle told Wheels; “We have no one main competitor, because the concept (of a four door, four seat luxury performance coupe) is still really new.”This much is certainly true, though claims that the Panamera is a genuinely unique concept might well be challenged by Mazda, which gave the world its four-door four-seat RX-8 sports car as far back as 2003.Regardless, Porsche clearly hopes that the difficulty people have in placing its new GT on a positioning map will translate to an ability to cut across various sales segments. The company specifically mentions such super-sedan rivals as the BMW M5, Mercedes E63 and Audi RS6. But the Panamera also targets Benz’s CLS 63 AMG, Maserati’s Quattroporte, and the high performance variants of luxury limousines such as the Audi A8, BMW 7 Series, and Benz S-Class.The Panamera arrives at a delicate time for Porsche; still embroiled in damaging fallout from its ill-fated Volkswagen takeover bid. Porsche board member for sales and marketing Klaus Berning pointedly refused to discuss details of that situation at the Panamera press conference, preferring instead to deflect attention back onto the new car.Fortunately, regardless of how the political machinations of the VW/Porsche ‘cooperation’ play out, what is abundantly clear is that Porsche has delivered yet another brilliant sports car.Two days spent hammering the potent new GT over the alpine roads that criss-cross the German and Austrian borders outside Munich confirm the Panamera as, quite clearly, one of the planet’s finest GT cars.It won’t necessarily be the most attractive car in its segment though, and debate had begun long before the car’s launch as to whether it is beautiful, handsome, or plain plain. A straw poll of Aussie journos at the launch seemed to indicate some consensus that the packaging and interior presentation of the Panamera are both first rate, but that the overall design may not be as successful.It’s the rear end that draws the most criticism, with not everyone agreeing on the merits of the bulbous lift back. The car is undeniably a Porsche, however, and design chief Michael Mauer spent his presentation outlining how the design team had attempted to incorporate such classic 911 elements as the pinched waistline, powerfully flared haunches, tapered glasshouse, and flared fenders.Mauer’s design brief called for, among other things, coupe-like styling with sports-style accommodation for four, Porsche driving dynamics, best in class performance, and good fuel efficiency. Individuals will be the ultimate judge of how successful the team have been in a pure design sense, but there’s little doubt they’ve delivered on the rest of the brief and, in the process, created a car that is both interesting to look at and, unequivocally, a Porsche.Low, wide and sitting on a 2920mm wheelbase to optimise high speed handling and weight distribution, the Panamera has a classic sportscar profile, yet delivers handsomely on its goal of providing a generous rear seat package with excellent head and leg room, and a good boot space.Ingress and egress to the rear seat though not as easy as it is in, say, a 7 Series or S-Class is very good. Once in position in the low slung individual sports buckets there is ample legroom even for tall passengers sitting behind a similarly lofty driver. Scalloping of the headlining ensures better than adequate headroom and visibility, too, and there’s no sense of the rear glass being too close for comfort.there is a lack of foot space beneath the front seats and this, combined with a high sill, requires a bit of manoeuvring to get your feet in and out cleanly.The rear seats are mounted well inboard and styled to create the sense of a second cockpit. In higher specced models rear seat passengers have access to individual climate controls, security blinds on the rear and side windows, seat heating and cooling, and individual bucket seat adjustment.The seats are firm and quite heavily bolstered, with a prominent headrest and centre console that, for my money, creates an environment that’s a bit too firm for the car’s luxury positioning. But there is no doubt that you’re held snugly in position, should your driver decide to show you the Panamera’s wares.Those wares are impressive, whether in one of the two atmo-V8 powered models, or in the range-topping turbo. The 4.8-litre V8 is essentially the same engine in the Cayenne SUV, but has come in for revisions aimed at reducing weight and improving responsiveness. In both the RWD Panamera S and the all-wheel-drive Panamera 4S, the engine pumps out a healthy 294kW at 6500 rpm and 500Nm from 3500 to 5000 rpm. The Turbo ups the ante substantially to 368kW at 6000rpm and 700Nm form 2250rpm 4500rpm.Weights for the S and 4S are 1800kg and 1860kg respectively, with the Turbo the beefiest of the three at 1970kg. Of course, it’s the turbo that smashes the acceleration times of its atmo stablemates, with a devastating 4.2sec 0-100km/h sprint, thundering on to 200km/h in 13.9 secs. But back down the league tables the extra grip of the 4S sees it pip the S by four-tenths, with its 5.0sec 0-100km/h sprint. And, if you’d been a traditionalist and ticked the no-cost six-speed manual option on the S, instead of the PDK, you’d have given away another two tenths to the 4S. In the 0-200km/h sprint, the PDK-equipped S and 4S are line ball at 18.5secs each.Top speeds for the trio are 285, 282 and 303km/h respectively, which ought to be about enough for most folk.Porsche’s brilliant PDK double clutch gearbox, the same as that recently unveiled on the updated 911 and Boxster, is the standard gearbox across the range. The absence of a conventional manual altogether would be anathema to Porsche purists so the option is there – on the base model. Porsche Australia expects take-up to be “virtually zero” and no manuals were available to drive at the launch.Much has already been written about the quality of the PDK gearbox and its application in the Panamera only builds on this glowing reputation. The automated twin clutch system is little short of brilliant, slamming home shifts with lightning speed and brutal efficiency when in full attack mode, or ambling effortlessly up through the cogs in near seamless fashion at lower speeds. Given the ‘box’s ability to have its shift speed altered at the touch of a button there’s little real need to select the ratios yourself, although this is an option both via the stick shift or the steering wheel mounted paddles (still the wrong way ’round, we regret to report).The system is not flawless, and there are occasions where you detect a slightly awkward up or down shift, mostly when ambling along at low speeds. But this is the exception rather than the norm.Porsche Active Suspension management (PASM) is standard on all versions, offering a wide range of adjustment via three manually selectable damper settings that each have a distinctive character ranging from comfort to sporting. Adaptive air suspension, capable of lowering the car by 25mm and firming spring rates, is standard on the Turbo and an option on the S and 4S.The car is impressive enough when left to its own devices, but for drivers who like to get involved with vehicle setup there are plenty of buttons to punch. These include a standard Sports button which changes engine mapping, PDK shift speed and drive distribution in AWD models. There’s also a Sports Plus button if you’ve ticked the Sports Chrono option, which takes things up another notch again, and in the case of the Turbo activates an overboost function that bumps up torque by 10 percent. The Sports Chrono package also brings with it a launch control function which, we can confirm, works with brutal efficiency in shaving two tenths off the relevant models’ 0-100km/h time.Significantly, Porsche has avoided the trend to have vehicle set-ups buried in selectable computer menus, and all performance enhancing controls for the Panamera are arranged in an array of buttons either side of the shift selector. The idea works well and, after only a short time at the wheel I found myself comfortably flicking between the car’s different suspension settings as road conditions changed.Of course, given the Panamera’s size, cost and V8 powertrains, it’s likely to come into the gun sights of environmentalists pushing for reductions to fuel consumption and C02 emissions. Porsche claims to have done its bit in this regard via the introduction of PDK across the range (a saving of 0.8 litres/100km in the New European Driving Cycle), efforts to keep weight down, and the fitment of stop-start technology across the range. There are also more fuel-efficient hybrid and V6 models in the pipeline. The combined cycle figures for the S and 4S with PDK are a respectable 10.8 and 11.1L/100km, with the Turbo getting through 12.2L/100km.The stop start tech works as seamlessly as any we’ve driven, turning the ignition off when the car rolls to a halt, and restarting the moment the driver’s foot comes off the brake pedal. The system can be deactivated at the push of a button and will not operate if you’ve selected Sports Plus, or if hot weather demands constant air-conditioning effort to maintain cabin temperature. Sensors also detect if the battery has been subjected to too much cranking effort and will circumvent the stop-start system where necessary to maintain battery charge.Pricing for the new Panamera starts at $270,200 for the S, rising to $282,400 for the 4S, and topping out at $364,900 for the Turbo. However, even after paying the better part of $400k for the Turbo, there are plenty of optional extras not included in the price. These include such features as carbon-ceramic brakes, sports exhaust, the Sports Chrono pack, 20inch wheels (18s are standard on the lower models, 19s on the Turbo), and a thunderously impressive 16-speaker, 16-amp channel Burmester audio system that’ll set you back a neat $8590.Of the 20,000 Panamera’s Porsche expects to shift in the first 12-months on-sale, Australian hopes to sell around 150 to 200 of these, with sales starting in October. Estimated sales split is 50 percent Panamera S, 15 percent 4S and 35 percent Turbo.Anyone expecting to get in the Panamera and experience a 911-like driving experience is in for a disappointment. The car simply doesn’t behave like a 911, and it especially doesn’t steer like one. This should come as no surprise given its weight, dimensions and front-engined layout . At 4970mm long by 2114mm wide, the Panamera is a genuinely big machine and it follows that it doesn’t have the agility of its smaller sibling.However, it is an undeniably exhilarating car and one that’s capable of delivering truly impressive levels of performance, with a high degree of comfort and safety. The car steers, stops and handles like a Porsche should, and there is little about the driving experience to be overly critical of. It’s fast, well built, with a beautifully finished interior, and comes loaded with impressive technology. The Panamera is a fascinating new contender in the sports luxury segment, one that quite possibly will become the new benchmark by which rivals are measured. It deserves the attention of buyers in this segment and promises to give incumbents such as the BMW M5 plenty of headaches in the years to come.