So it is no surprise, with the explosive growth in Chinese sales, that Audi chose the Beijing Motor Show revealing the newest addition to its line-up.

The Q5 all-wheel drive is baby brother to the Q7 and will go up against a growing range of mid-sized prestige wagons including the BMW X3, Mercedes-Benz GLK and forthcoming Volvo XC60.

The Q5 will cost about $75,000, making it a premium contender, when it reaches Audi showrooms next year.

By then it will already be available in China, which has quickly become one of Audi's biggest and most important markets outside the US. It is already ranked second to America in total sales, even if most are sub-standard local vans, and will soon overtake it for global leadership.

Audi lifted its Chinese sales 25 per cent in the first quarter this year by delivering 30,000 cars, a result that already makes it No.1 outside Europe. It expects to sell 110,000 cars this year, to top BMW and Mercedes-Benz.

Two Q5 models were unveiled in Beijing, a 176kW/500Nm 3.0-litre TDI and 125kW/350Nm 2.0-litre TDI four cylinder.

A 188kW/330Nm 3.2-litre petrol V6 is destined for the US market.

The 2.0-litre TDI four-cylinder turbodiesel engine is shared with the A4 and Audi hopes to build a hybrid model too.

The 2.0 TDI is available with a six-speed manual transmission or six-speed automatic, but the petrol and V6 TDI engines are mated to Audi's new seven-speed double clutch gearbox, called S-Tronic.

The 3.0-litre turbodiesel is expected to be the biggest seller and has a claimed 0-100km/h sprint time of 6.5 seconds, a top speed of 225km/h, and 7.7 litres for 100km combined fuel economy.

Like the A5 coupe, the Q5 will have a quattro drive system with a 40:60 torque split for optimum handling, and a five-link front aluminium suspension and trapezoidal-link rear setup.

The Q5 is slightly longer and lower than a BMW X3 and is aimed at the Lexus RX350, Land Rover Freelander and Volvo XC60. But it will be at a premium price because the X3 and Freelander both cost more than $60,000.

Unlike the Q7, which shares some structure with the Porsche Cayenne, the Q5 has mechanics from the A5 coupe and A4 sedan and shares the same wheelbase with the A4.

The $2.5 billion sale of the two British icons to the Indian manufacturer was to be finalised at the start of the new financial year, but Jaguar Land Rover Australia managing director David Blackhall said it would now be June 1.

“I was in the UK two weeks ago and everything is on track for the sale,” he said this week at the Melbourne launch of the new XF Jaguar.

Blackhall said Tata would set broad parameters for business performance.

He pointed out that although Jaguar sales in Australia last year dropped 18.9 per cent from 1011 in 2006 to 820, profit was up 15 per cent. Land Rover increased 9.3 per cent from 3392 to 3708.

“I'd be bitterly disappointed if we worked our way to the top of (Tata's) 'to do' list. We have been going pretty well. We don't see the change of ownership as a big immediate issue for us,” Blackhall said.

“Tata has a reputation for being non-interventionist.”

His comments were backed by Jaguar Land Rover UK chief financial officer David Smith; who was in Melbourne for the funeral of Australian Geoff Polites, the company's British chief executive.

“Tata has been quite explicit that they want us to run the business,” he said.

However, he did not rule out some Indian ingredients in future Jaguars or Land Rovers.

“One-fifth of our parts are made in other countries and we have sourced from India before and have had components from Tata."

“We have agreements for components for the next three years.”

He said customers were unlikely to be affected.

“I don't think they are as concerned who owns the company as about the product itself.”

Jaguar and Land Rover are part of the Premier Auto Group (PAG) in Sydney with Volvo, which remains owned by Ford.

Could the new ownership effect Jaguars' status?

Male aggressiveness is a legacy from caveman days, according to professor Geoffrey Beattie of Manchester University in England.

“Stone-Age man did not drive, but the legacy of his hunting, aggressive and risk-taking past are still evident in the way in which a man typically drives his car,” he said.

In a report for the British Commons transport committee, Beattie said caveman skills were not suited to driving, as the males surveyed showed significantly higher levels of rule-breaking.

However, he said women had a greater frequency of accidents at bends because they were more prone to errors of judgment and perception.

The good news is that the older male drivers get, the more they mellow, according to research released by NRMA Insurance.

A survey of 1000 Australian households by Woolcott Research found 18 per cent of males said they never felt stressed or frustrated at the wheel, compared with 15 per cent of females.

The least stressed drivers were aged above 55 and the most stressed were in their mid-30s to mid-50s.

NRMA Insurance spokesman Frank Adler said those on the road should heed the example of older, wiser drivers. “The over-55s could be less stressed because of their experience, maturity or simply because they have reached a more relaxing stage of life.

“By this age, they have usually been driving for a number of years, meaning the driving processes have become automatic and are less likely to lead to frustration,” he said.

“Our Queensland data shows that younger drivers compared with over-55s are less likely to have lodged car collision claims."

Audi already has adiesel A8, Mercedes-Benz is about to introduce an S-Class diesel and BMW is committed to a Seven Series diesel by the first half of 2010.

All three are chasing the holy grail ofreduced emissions, improved fuel economy and better performance in cars that are usually painted as lardy,inefficient and overpriced.

They're also cashing in on the growing demand for diesel in Australia, as well as countering the hybrid push from Lexus with its impressive LS 600h.

Audi set the engine pace with its A8, but the S-Class and Seven Series will raise the showroom pace with cars that sell in far greater numbers.

The Benz S320 TDI will deliver 174kW and 540Nm, up from 165kW and 510Nm in the 350 V6 diesel motor.

“This is a good way to maintain our place in the luxury class. We have almost 50 per cent share with the S-Class already,” Mercedes-Benz spokesman Peter Fedayev says.

“We have customer demand, and we've been able to get the car for Australia with this new engine.

“The car will be in showrooms later this month. It's the same engine as in the ML and GL 320, but upgraded with a bit more power and torque.”

Fedayev says Benz is doing well with its diesels, although its growth isn't as dramatic as that of Volkswagen or BMW.

“At the end of last year, it was 21.8per cent overall, and it's still growing,” he says.

“This is very much a function of thegrowing demand for high-tech diesels. People are waking up to it inpassenger cars.”

BMW's Seven Series diesel is expected early in 2010. It will take BMW that long to gear up for the new engine because of the likely demand for top-end petrol powerplants.

“It will be a green flagship, and high-performance,” BMW Australia chief Guenther Seemann says.

“Having a diesel doesn't mean wecreate a cheap entry model.

“We'll bring in only the high-performance diesel, because even in this target group it's not a matter of the price of petrol — it's a matter of showing social responsibility on environmental issues.”

Seemann says the Seven Series will have a development of the twin-turbo diesel six already used in the X5 off-roader, giving BMW a greater share ofthe upper-luxury class.

“The segment in Australia is about 1000 cars, so if I sell 450 cars I'm the world champion. Today, we are selling about 200,” he says.

Seemann believes Australians will continue to demand more diesels, andnot just in compact economy cars.

“Last year, 21 per cent of our cars were diesel. But since we introduced efficient dynamics this year, in January we had 40 per cent diesel sales,” he says.

“If that trend continues, and the discussion continues in regard to petrol prices, then it will be very big. It's about 35 per cent for the quarter.

“Our most popular diesel is the 520d, not just because of consumption but also value for money. And, of the diesel buyers, 60 per cent were non-BMW owners joining us.”

An independent Newspoll for leading national tyre retailer Beaurepaires asked Queensland drivers about their knowledge of recommended tyre tread, inflation and safety inspection intervals, with the results suggesting drivers are apathetic about the condition of their tyres.

Among the research findings:

* Almost nine in 10 Queensland drivers (87 per cent) cannot say what a tyre's minimum roadworthiness tread depth is.

* Just over one in 10 Queensland drivers (13 per cent) know a tyre's minimum roadworthiness tread depth is 1.6mm.

* A third of Queensland drivers (34 per cent) check their tyre pressure, at best, once every two to three months.

* Four in 10 Queensland drivers (42 per cent) cannot say, or think the suggested interval for checking their tyre pressure is monthly or less often.

“Tyres are the only thing keeping a car safely on the road so it is somewhat concerning to learn most drivers don't know about the basic easy steps they can take to keep their tyres safe and roadworthy,” said Beaurepaires general manager Andrew Jose.

The total area of a tyre tread in contact with the road at speed is around 115cm, which is about the size of a CD case which underscores the importance of regular physical and visual inspection to ensure tyres are inflated correctly, and that they have uniform tread depth of at least 2mm and are wearing evenly.

Jose said the survey results were even more worrying when compared with the results of a random assessment of tyres on customers' cars at Mitre 10 stores.

Qualified Beaurepaires tyre fitters checked the tyres for inflation and tread depth.

An alarming number were unroadworthy and unsafe due to a combination of insufficient tread and incorrect inflation. The assessment found:

* 68 per cent of tyres were incorrectly inflated (over or under).

* 32 per cent of tyres did not have sufficient tread to be considered safe or roadworthy.

“A tyre is required by law to have at least 1.6mm of tread measured at varying points for it to be considered roadworthy, but we recommend if the tread is less than the 2mm mark then it's time to get new tyres,” Jose said.

Most tyres have tread depth indicators that appear when a tyre is wearing out.

Over and under inflation can cause a vehicle to over or under steer, and when a vehicle is travelling at speed this can have implications on a driver's ability to keep a vehicle safely on the road.

“Notwithstanding the safety benefits of correctly inflated tyres, drivers can also save money as fuel economy can be better for cars fitted with correctly inflated tyres,” Jose said.

Jose said if drivers had any concerns about the condition of the tyres they should consult a qualified expert.

Its latest bonny baby, the compact four-wheel drive GLK is heading our way. But when the pre-shrunk version of the M-Class it gets here, probably late in 2010, it will be missing one vital ingredient _ all-wheel drive.

Benz has confirmed the Daimler-developed GLK compact will initially be sold here as a rear-wheel drive. An all-wheel drive won't hit our market until the second generation model, now under development, is released. It is also tipped to feature a hybrid diesel/electric power train.

By then Benz will have sorted out an oversight in the GLK's design. The right-hand drive versions can't be fitted with all-wheel traction because there is no room for the system without making costly engineering changes.

The GLK wasn't on the radar for Australia because it was designed for left-hand drive markets. For the rest of the world that left Benz without a contender in the booming SUV market to fight BMW's X3, Audi's Q5, VW's Tiguan and the Volvo XC60.

Now it appears Benz has had a change of heart after reviewing a business case study put up by Britain and Australia. When it does arrive there will be a choice of 3.5-litre V6 petrol or a 2.2-litre diesel with 400Nm on tap.

Meanwhile, Australians are being denied one of the more potent models in the Benz coupe line-up — the 4Matic version of the stunning C-Class CL500.

It's the first time the all-wheel drive system has been fitted to a luxury coupe and would have fitted the Australian market well, but it is also not made in right-hand drive.

The lightweight 4MATIC system splits drive between front and rear wheels through a planetary gear centre differential which also has a twin plate clutch to allow some variance in torque between axles.

The carmaker shut its southern manufacturing operations on March 28, leaving 530 workers unemployed.

A further 400 workers stayed on to decommission the plant but will be out of a job soon. Yesterday, the State Government confirmed there were 300 positions assigned for former Mitsubishi employees through the Skills in Demand program.

Transport company CavPower has guaranteed another 70 retrenched employees accelerated apprenticeships and 30 workers had already found employment by their last day at Tonsley Park.

A further 64 people have been referred to jobs through the Federal Job Network program.

The release of the figures coincides with the appointment of former Australian Manufacturing Workers' Union senior shop steward Ray Sara; as the project officer who will monitor the progress of retrenched workers over the next two years.

AMWU secretary John Camillo said Mr Sara's first priority would be to collate a detailed list of Mitsubishi workers and their situations.

Employment, Training and Further Education Minister Paul Caica said one-on-one interviews and planning sessions were completed last week with 670 workers who registered with the Transition Advisory Service.

The State Government says a revised estimate of capital costs has jumped because of inflation and the associated costs of materials and labour.

It is estimated that the cost of establishing permanent facilities for a precinct to host a round of the V8 championship has risen by up to $3 million.

Flooding and cyclones in the north have also contributed to the cost hikes.

State Sport Minister Judy Spence confirmed last week there had been a rise in costs because of strains on the building market and that vital products needed for construction such as asphalt and cement were in short supply.

“We're aware of it as we've been part of it,” Cochrane said.

“It's not really a blow-out as the costings were finalised in May, 2006, and it's just inflation."

“And the Government has already agreed to the extra funding.”

The State and Federal Governments have each agreed to provide $10 million to set up the V8 race along with a few million from Townsville City Council.

The only loose end is that organisers are awaiting changes to the Act of Parliament regarding noise abatements and what is said to be a small reduction in railway land.

“It will give us a whole heap of carte blanche Acts and we expect it to go through in the next three to four weeks,” Cochrane said.

Construction work on permanent facilities, which can be used year round for purposes outside motor racing, is scheduled to start in June.

Townsville mayor Les Tyrell attended the first Hamilton street race in New Zealand last weekend and covered a range of logistical topics with that city's mayor, Bob Simcock.

There is the possibility of opening up a direct airlink between Townsville and Hamilton, which Tyrell says could offer more economic scope for the region.

A firm date for the Townsville race is expected to be announced by the end of next month, according to Cochrane, who says it is locked into running in July next year.

Hamilton event partners praised the first event although there were concerns over fans at the back of the six-storey grandstand opposite pit straight who could not see the track.

And there have been unsubstantiated claims that scores of fans illegally accessed the circuit at the commercial end of the precinct through local businesses.

Race promoter Dean Calvert was unaware of fans getting in free and said he had spoken with fans angered by the positioning and angle of the grandstand and promised organisers will get it right next year.

There was also heavy criticism from television viewers, saying the track lacked appeal and the racing was dull.

Cochrane responded to some of the criticism by asking fans to be patient.

“It's not the first track in the world to get the rake of the grandstand wrong,” he said.

“I recall vividly Indy (Surfers Paradise) having it grossly wrong in every single grandstand one year.”

_{* Formula One strugglers Super Aguri look likely to stave off collapse — in the short term at least — after confirming their cars were on the way to Spain for this weekend's race.}

Plans for a powerhouse Legend in 2010 with an eight-pot engine and all-wheel drive are well advanced at HQ in Japan, but the driving force for the newcomer is actually in the US.

More US drivers are pushing for V8 engines, a shift Hyundai has also identified, and answered, with its Genesis sedan and coupe.

Now Honda is looking for more go in a move that could have implications for Australia . . . only if the maker decides to bring its second-string brand, Acura.

An Acura plan is being developed at Honda Australia's headquarters and it could easily include the V8-powered Acura RL that is now an open secret around the world.

“We understand that a V8 engine will be launched in the new flagship Acura model in America. That is the car called the RL,” Honda Australia managing director Yasuhide Mizuno says.

“We believe the V8 is being introduced to create a bigger differential between the RL and the Accord. Whether it comes to Australia depends on our strategy for introducing Acura."

“It won't be until the next decade, at the earliest, before we decide on whether we launch that brand. That depends on us reaching a number of other targets with the Honda brand,” he says.

Mizuno confirms the V8 will have the same eco-focused cylinder de-activation system already seen on the latest V6 Accord — which can run as a six, four or three-cylinder motor — but is giving away nothing else.

Honda gave the first hint on its V8 plan with the ugly Acura Advanced Sports Concept it displayed at the 2006 Los Angeles motor show.

There is no prize for guessing it was a design study for the coming RL, though Japanese artists believe Honda has listened to criticisms of the original design and made significant changes as it works towards production.

Honda of America has been listening carefully to the word on the street, as it wants the V8 RL to go up against BMW, Audi and Lexus.

One source says Honda plans to extract 315kW from the V8, but — thanks to the cylinder de-activation system — also believes it can generate class-leading fuel economy figures.

The other big change for the RL and Legend, which currently share a front-wheel-drive mechanical package, is the switch to on-demand rear-wheel drive with four-wheel steering.

Honda of America believes rear-drive is essential for the RL, but the company is developing a revised version of the SH-AWD system used now to provide rear-drive balance at all times with an on-demand power feed to the front wheels when rear traction is compromised.

So it's good news on the technology and design fronts, but there will be bad news on price. The RL is aimed at a $70,000 bottom line in the US and that would probably put it close to $100,000 in Australia.

A delegation of Singapore motor racing officials will visit Sandown's V8 race in June.

Speaking after the successful debut of the Hamilton street race in New Zealand at the weekend, V8 Supercars Australia chairman Tony Cochrane said the series was investigating three options for a Singapore event.

The first option is to race as the daytime support race for the night Singapore Grand Prix.

Cochrane said he was confident that if V8 Supercars Australia secured that deal, it could be in place for next year's championship series.

The second offer on the table is a stand-alone race at the permanent circuit that is under construction in Changi. The track is expected to be ready in time for 2010.

The third idea is to run at the Singapore Grand Prix for two years before moving to the Changi circuit.

The Changi track is being built near Singapore's main airport alongside the beach.

“The government is right behind using motor sport as a major economic and tourism platform. It just a matter of determining if V8 Supercars is a part of that,” Cochrane said.

While he said there was still “a lot of water to go under the bridge” before a deal was signed, Cochrane was adamant Singapore was the ideal venue for the series' third international race.

He cited Singapore's strong expatriate Australian community, time zone and proximity to Australia as its key strengths.

After the Sandown visit Cochrane will travel to Singapore in July to continue talks. With New Zealand and Bahrain on the schedule, he has admitted Singapore would be the last international addition for a while.

“Long-term we're always talked about four,” Cochrane said. “But I think long-term a third event would be the last until 2015.”

Should the Singapore deal be signed, it would most likely mean the end of V8 Supercar racing in Sydney.

Cochrane said Eastern Creek would have to make way for the new race after years of disappointing crowd numbers.

But he has vowed to keep fighting for a street race in Sydney.

Cochrane has also revealed V8 Supercars is pursuing a July date for next year's new Townsville street race. He said that was the preferred time but is waiting on government approval before making it official.