With Holden set to end production in Australia in a couple of years time, the company has spruced up its existing lineup with a number of special edition models.
The Commodore SS ute is one to get this treatment.
The SS has long been a favourite of younger tradies, who like the versatility of the powerful ute.... workhorse by day and exhilarating sports car at every other time.
Holden has slapped a STORM badge on the flanks of the car to identify it as something a bit more than standard.
SS still appears on the tailgate however and the hugely powerful 6 litre V8 remains as in the standard SS.
The main changes are in the interior, where you'll find very comfy seats with suede-like inserts... a new dashboard treatment with red stitching in front of the passenger, different spec alloy wheels, unique paint, ( this one is called Perfect Blue,) reversing camera and electric handbrake are as per the sedan version of the Commodore.
You get just a vinyl tonneau cover for the cargo tray, but a hard hinged cover is an option.
There's plenty of legroom in the cabin and it was easy to find a good driving position.
Niceties include the Mylink information system, and blind spot indicators in the wing mirrors.
That engine is a cracker...260 kw, and 517 nm means you'll rarely use all of the six speed manual gearbox cogs in the city. Such is the giant torque, I usually dispensed with second and fourth, going straight from first to third and then fifth gear, at which the engine is turning over at around 1200 rpm. You can use sixth at 60 kmh, (about 1000 rpm, just off idle revs,) but avoid heavy throttle in that gear.. all you'll get is violent driveline snatch.
On the highway there's a good deal of tyre roar, at 110 kmh but it's not too annoying considering the performance rubber. Wind noise is minimal. At 110 in sixth the engine is spinning over at just 1500 rpm.
I averaged 14.5 litres per 100 kilometres in mostly city driving.The official combined city /highway fuel cycle average is 11.5 litres per 100 ks.
Acceleration is phenomenal. (Don't forget they race these things!) First gear takes you. to around 70 kilometres an hour and second will hit 110, with four more ratios to go! Howling through tight corners at full noise is sensational. The STORM sits flat and unflustered no matter what you throw at it. The steering is excellent....pin sharp, easily complementing the STORM's sporting nature. Blasting along winding hills roads, only second or third gear is necessary.The engine is redlined around 6,000rpm. Ride comfort is good, similar to the sedan versions...
It's a truly thrilling drive.
The price won't break the bank either. The SS/ STORM ute sells for just under 40K.
It's easy to see why cars like this are so popular.
My only real gripe.... despite the quad pipe exhaust system, it's not loud enough!
Peter Sellen
Holden's dinky SUV the TRAX, has plenty of competition in the Australian marketplace, but is holding its own with a certain stylish appeal.
First though, how does it look. The TRAX presents well with perky upright styling and large glass areas that enable easy manoeuvreing in tight spots. The turning circle is tight, ideal for city wheel twirling. The steering is very sensitive off centre, but still light and responsive.
Doors open wide and if normal sized people are up front, the leg room is not too bad for rear seat passengers.
The TRAX is based on the tried and true Holden Barina floor pan.Instruments, including the motorcycle style speedo binnacle are clear, well placed and easy to read, especially the large digital speedometer. You don't get auto climate control, but that's not really necessary. The manual setting knobs work just fine.
Either side of the central information screen are two cavities....style only, they don't store anything. There are plenty of storage spaces in the TRAX, no fewer than three in the dashboard One on top and a double affair ahead of the front seat passenger. Only the driver's window has an auto up/down function, The rear glass lowers into the doors completely, unlike some others which don't sit flush in the window opening.
Seat height is manually done with a pump lever at the side of the driver's seat, and there's also a dead pedal for the driver's left foot
The front seats are heated, but the heat is not adjustable. They are either full on or off. Cold winter mornings they warm quickly though and heat the seat squab and lower back as well.
The seats are narrow and firm and lack some lateral support, but this is not a car you will be flinging at speed through tight corners too often. It will handle benignly if you do however, but it's tall stance doesn't encourage it.
The ride is similar to the Barina, but the TRAX is a tad heavier.. The suspension soaks up most regular urban ruts and bumps but becomes unsettled over anything rougher.
The 1.8 litre engine is the same as in the Barina hatch.
Pedalled enthusiastically it lets you know about it, becoming quite busy in the upper rev ranges. The motor develops 103 kw and 175nm of torque. It's no slouch but needs a good prod of throttle to get up and go. Highway cruising, there's little road or wind noise, and the engine is hovering at just over 2,000rpm.
Average fuel consumption is under 7 litres per 100 kilometres..
The six speed gearbox changes unobtrusively, and while there are no steering column mounted paddles, you can hold the car in gear or change gear manually via a switch on the side of the console lever. It's quite awkward to use, but ownership should breed familiarity.
Part of the top of the range TRAX LTZ kit is satellite navigation, cruise control, and bluetooth connection, auto headlights and auto door locking. There's no keyless entry and start.. just a regular key.The audio system produces reasonable sound. The headlights however are barely adequate on either low or high beam
You are however provided with a full sized spare wheel and reasonable tool kit. The rear cargo area isn't huge as you'd expect, but with the rear seats folded flat it's a useful carrier for a couple or small family.
The TRAX LTZ costs just over 28K.
It's well worth a look.
Peter sellen
When the first Nissan X-Trail appeared on the Australian market over a decade ago, it sold like hotcakes. Somewhat utilitarian and square of style, it had several features that endeared it to the motoring public. Perhaps the best was the special rear cargo area which could be converted from a soft carpeted load bed to its flip side of hard plastic .. great for throwing in muddy footy gear or mountain bikes. It was easily removable and washable.
The first models were snapped up by more than140 thousand buyers.
But as is always the case, car manufacturers can't rest on their laurels and Nissan has updated the X-Trail into a larger, more shapely vehicle, which still retains the spirit of the first.
It's hard to make an SUV stand out among the avalanche of similar vehicles but the X-Trail hits all the right styling cues.
No longer at all boxy, the smooth shape is good to look at from all angles.
Entering the cabin, you'll be confronted with a pleasing and clear instrument display and easily operated knobs and buttons.
The X-Trail's heated ,leather trimmed power front seats are of the firm and flat variety, that don't really encourage enthusiastic cornering...you slide about a bit when doing so. But that's not the normal role of the X-Trail and the seats are fine otherwise for everyday driving.
The steering is light, and operates with minimal effort and reasonable driver feedback
The larger, new and improved X-Trail has more room inside than before.
The much more up market interior has plenty of soft touch surfaces including the top of the dashboard and generously padded door armrests with more than a centimetre of give, unlike some rivals which scrimp in this area. The central console lid is likewise pleasant to rest your arm on.
Visibility is good all round, and the reversing camera also has an " overhead" view similar to that on the BMW X 5 tested elsewhere on this blog, that show the vehicle's surroundings via downward facing cameras below the wing mirrors. A great idea.
Among the nice features on the X-Trail ST-L, keyless entry and start, cruise control, Bluetooth connectivity and a powerful digital audio system. The park brake is of the foot operated variety (loved by mostly the American market.) Push once to engage it and again to release.
As in the original X -Trail, the rear cargo floor has removable panels for carrying all sorts of kit.
Finding the bonnet stay was an interesting exercise. I hunted around for it for a minute or two,then finally looked up and realised it was attached to the bonnet itself and swung down to its slot in the engine bay. Usually the rod is attached near the fender and opens upwards to fit into the bonnet. A tad confusing for the uninitiated.
The X-Trail's 2.5 litre four cylinder engine has plenty of grunt,developing 126 kw and 226nm. Floor the throttle and it leaps down the road with surprising speed.
The CVT gearbox is a smooth operator and doesn't " flare" under hard acceleration as some others do. The suspension is on the firm side, but not distressingly so.
Most owners will be quite content with the ride of their X-Trail.
There are no bi xenon headlights, and illumination on low and high beam is only average.
In July 2014 the X-Trail sat in fourth spot in Australian sales, behind the segment leader, Mazda'sCX5, Toyota's RAV 4 and the Subaru Forester.
So....there's a lot to like here and it's "game on" for Nissan.
And at a competitive 36K,for this ST-L, I predict the new X-Trail will be just as popular as the first.
Peter Sellen
Long, lean, low, luxurious, slinky, sexy, svelte...all apt descriptions of the elegant new BMW 4 Series Cabriolet.
It's a stunning looker, styled to appeal to people wanting to make a unique statement.
You will not go unnoticed behind the wheel!
BMW now has all the numbers covered in its model lineup..from the 1series, right up to the 7 series limo.
The 4 Series cars are wider and a little longer than the 3 Series and it shows. There's plenty of room in the cabin of this two door, four seater. Once inside, you are faced with an easily recognisable BMW dashboard layout. The information screen is not as intrusive as some, sitting just above the central panel, but low enough not to intrude in the drivers overall line of sight ahead.
Sliding in to the driver's seat for the first time makes an instant good impression. Snug, well bolstered and supremely comfortable, the seats are very inviting. Three heat settings in the front seats warm not only your backside, but lower back as well. They reach the selected temperature in seconds, and were very welcome on cold mornings.
You'll need the key fob to enter and lock the car, but ignition is keyless via a dashboard button.
Bright bi xenon headlights and a reversing camera are among numerous standard features.
The model on test did not have a digital sound system(it's optional) but the standard six speaker setup is more than adequate.
The 420 D has a default idle stop fuel saving feature. Despite slightly minimising fuel consumption, I left it off for my week with the car...the constant engine stop/start in traffic can get a little annoying.
What's not annoying and most impressive is the quiet efficiency of the 420D Cabrio on the highway. At 110 kph, the engine is ticking over at a lazy 1700 rpm. To further emphasise the 420D's sporting heritage, it's redlined at just under 5,500rpm.. an unusually high rev range for a diesel. Around town and at highway speeds, roof up, there's no trace of wind or road noise.
Engaging cruise control on the highway on a long downhill run, in a lower gear, the 420D held the selected speed with superb precision.(Unlike some cars I've driven that can't seem to hold the set speed on similar hills.)
It take just 20 seconds to raise or lower the three piece metal roof. It's always a treat to watch the complicated mechanical wizardry do its stuff. The roof is automatically latched to the windscreen header rail.
Roof down, wind buffeting, even on the open road is kept to a minimum. There's no separate glass sunroof. (As in VW's EOS.) A removable wind blocking screen that fits over the rear seats, further enhances the serene top down experience. The Cabrio's body structure is extremely stiff and that's a very desirable trait in a convertible.There's no creaking, rattles or scuttle shake to be found here.
Room in the boot with the roof down is minimal as you'd expect, but there is a slot that could take some soft luggage...Roof up reveals more boot space. It's narrow but deep.. more than enough for several small items.
The 420D is powered by a turbocharged 2 litre diesel producing 135kw and 380nm, with an average fuel consumption of under 5 litres per 100 kilometres. It drives through an eight speed automatic gearbox.
It's a brilliant engine, quiet and responsive. In normal/comfort settings the 420 D is a sparkling performer, but engaging sport mode gives you even more grunt...triggering a rewarding smooth surge of power and a thump in the back as you press the loud pedal.
(Selecting "Sport Plus" turns off the stability control, if you feel like playing boy racer. )
What you won't get however in the latest BMWs are jolting thumps in the back from a harsh, jittery ride. The current crop of Beemers seem to have finally overcome the brittle ride issues that bedevilled all BMWs from the 7 Series down, when "run flat" tyres with their stiff unforgiving sidewalls, were introduced years ago on all the company's cars.
Thankfully I can report the ride on the 420 D is very good. Engineers have given it just the right amount of compliance to waft over almost any irregular road surface. The Cabrio is fitted with 18 inch wheels.
Cornering is a breeze, and the well weighted steering ensures you are always in control.
I rate it a 9 out of 10 for the fun factor alone.
Access underbonnet is a snap. Pull the interior release lever twice and the bonnet lifts past the secondary safety latch without any fiddling about searching for a manual catch under the bonnet lip itself. A neat idea and one I've not encountered on any other car I've tested.
As is usual practice with BMWs, the list of options is long and expensive. Almost 40 extras/upgrades are available over the standard car. Choosing most of them will push the 420D Cabriolet's 89K price to well over 100K. But that's your decision.
The 420 D Cabriolet is both a supreme highway tourer, and snazzy urban cruiser.
I enjoyed my week with it and I have a feeling you will too after a test drive,as it offers the best of both worlds. The fun of a convertible and the hardtop security of that metal roof.
....... and did I mention it looks sensational?
Peter Sellen
