'Chooka' is one of the first to order Holden’s most expensive production car – and was offered his choice of build numbers 1 or 427.

While he is best known for paying $920,000 for one of only two HRT 427 Monaro coupes, the W427 is the priciest new Holden to come on the market.

Holden Special Vehicles confirmed the price of the W427 will be $150,000, plus on road costs, under the current Luxury Car Tax regime.

It will rise by $6000 if the Government’s proposed tax increase goes ahead on July 1.

Chooka, who prefers not to reveal his real name, said he was one of the first to order the W427, which will join his collection of rare and valuable Holdens.

“I’ve been offered build No. 1 or the last to be built (427) and I’ve opted for the last,” he said.

Chooka said he spoke to HSV chairman Tom Walkinshaw who told him they were planning something special for his car.

“It will be sting red like my other 427s (Monaros) and I’ve opted for everything including satellite navigation, a rear DVD player and a sunroof,” he said.

HSV will build a maximum of 427 W427s at its Clayton production facility.

The 64 Australian and New Zealand HSV dealers will be allocated one W427 each and the remainder will be allocated based on 2007 sales figures.

The project was designed to celebrate HSV’s 20th anniversary.

The W427 rides 20mm lower than the GTS on which it is based, the springs are 50 per cent stiffer and rear suspension bushes are stiffer.

Externally, it has a different nose, a three-piece carbon fibre rear spoiler, 20in alloy wheels and a choice of five colours.

Australian motorists could save almost $2billion a year — $200 for every car — in fuel by applying a couple of simple rules when they drive. Fuel economy guru John Taylor, who with his wife, Helen, holds 36 fuel economy world records, says the economy message is simplicity itself.

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“For the past two years we have been travelling the world educating governments, fleets and the general public on how to save fuel and how to save money, which in turn is great for saving greenhouse gas,” Taylor says.

“This is not rocket science, it doesn't require a new type of car — it doesn't even require big changes to your driving style. Around the world we averaged 10 to 30 per cent savings.”

Taylor's tips include driving smoothly, finding the highest suitable gear as soon as possible without stressing the car, making sure tyre pressures are correct and planning your trip. For Australian motorists Taylor says the savings could mean enough to take the family on holidayor drive one year in 10 for free.

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“There are 10 million registered cars in Australia driving an average 15,000km a year. That is 43km a day per car or 430 million kilometres driven every day. If you make that driving 10 per cent more efficientit equates to a saving of 3,225,000 litres of fuel a day. At $1.60 a litrethat is savings of $5,160,000 everyday of the year.”

To carry their fuel saving message to politicians, last week the Taylors set out from Melbourne in a Peugeot 308 diesel to drive to Canberra.

With the support of the shadow minister for climate change, environment and urban water, Greg Hunt, the Taylors presented their philosophy to both sides of the House and Senate before challenging them to drive for efficiency around Canberra.

On the drive to Canberra the Taylors used just 28.7L of fuel for the 773km journey, an average of 3.7L per 100km.

Most MPs were unable to match that figure, averaging 4.18L/100km.

The winner, Member for Barker Patrick Secker, returned 3.7 litres per 100km for 8km around Canberra.

“Greg has done a great job in setting up this event and getting other Members to participate,” Taylor says.

“We are telling them the whole country can be educated to save money and the environment at very little cost. It really just takes the willto want to make the changes.”

Mazda has started public road trials of its advanced safety vehicle, the Mazda ASV-4, as many of the world's major car manufacturers work towards eliminating life-threatening incidents on the roads. The new system uses vehicle-to-vehicle communications in a program to alert drivers of the presence of oncoming vehicles at blind intersections or being driven on twisting roads where visibility is limited.

By reducing driver error, the company hopes the new technology can lessen the severity of — or even eliminate — two-vehicle collisions at blind intersections, rear-end collisions and accidents when a vehicle is turning right.

Testing of the two-vehicle blind collision avoidance system has already started.

Also, road trials of the right-turn and rear-end collision avoidance systems will begin later this year. The trials, now into their fourth phase, are based on the Japanese Government's Advanced Safety Vehicle promotion plan, a program which has been designed to promote the development, practical application and wider use of ASV technologies to reduce the number of traffic accidents. The ASV project was launched by the Japanese government in 1991 as part of a drive to make the nation's roads safer.

The initiative was then expanded to include all domestic motor vehicles.

Test results from phase one to phase three have already resulted in the successful development by Mazda of various advanced safety technologies.

These include a rear vehicle monitoring system which can detect vehicles approaching from behind at highway speeds, and Mazda's Pre-crash Safety System.

This system uses milliwave radar to monitor the presence of oncoming obstacles.

It then alerts the driver and automatically applies the brakes if necessary.

The project's fourth phase started in 2006 and is due to finish in 2010.

It will carry the economy-sized burden of gathering a new generation of Alfisti. Developed off the Fiat Punto platform, the MiTo is a compact three-door coupe with a sports-orientated sexy fun factor ... just ask Alfa.

However, what it definitely is not is a spiritual successor to the Alfa Sud of the 1970s.

“The MiTo is a very strategically important vehicle for Alfa Romeo, but it is not the new Alfa Sud, despite all the talk about that,” says Alfa Romeo Australia's Edward Rowe.

“Firstly, the Alfa Sud was a Golf-sized car that was launched to compete against the Golf and the Sud has a straight-through lineage to today's 147 — a Golf-sized car.

“The other significant thing is the Alfa Sud was designed to compete with the Golf directly.

“It was a five-door hatch, there was a wagon version — it was a family five-door, five-seat hatchback that just happened to look cute and go around corners well.

“It was a thoroughly mainstream model built under instructions from the Italian government (which owned Alfa Romeo at that time) to be Italy's answer to the Golf. Obviously the 147 has strayed away from the Golf competitor role a little but essentially that is still where it sits.”

The MiTo, Rowe says, will compete in the hottest sector of the European market; the super-mini sector that sits directly below the Golf, Audi A3, Astra or 1 Series BMW style cars.

“That segment is rapidly becoming Europe's number one market sector,” Rowe says. “It is very important for Alfa Romeo to have a model in that sector, but that doesn't mean going after the mass-market buyers in the sector.

“The part of the sector that is growing isn't the mass-market section, the Polos, C3s and so on, it is the premium end of that market where people are coming down from the sectors above and want something cute, sexy and performance-oriented with all the fruit and gear. A smaller version of the cars they have been driving in the past.”

Alfa Romeo importers Ateco Automotive hope to have the MiTo on sale in Australia by the middle of next year with an entry price around $30,000 moving up to the $35,000 range for the higher-end models.

“The details are still being worked out but I would imagine we would take the top petrol engine, a 115kW turbocharged 1.4-litre petrol unit, the 90kW [320Nm] 1.6-litre JTDM diesel and possibly a smaller petrol engine as an entry-level car,” Rowe says. “The gearbox choices will be a six-speed manual and a Selespeed and the specification levels will be high.”

Rowe stresses the MiTo is not a family car and will target a youth-oriented audience.

“It is targetting a much younger market than the traditional Alfa Romeo market. It is firmly aimed at the 20-30 age bracket. Even the naming is aimed at the younger buyers. It is almost `X-speak' ... a contraction of two longer words, Milan and Turin [Torino].”

Alfa has already hinted at a rush of further technological additions for the MiTo after its initial launch.

Fiat has shown a hot version of the little turbo petrol engine that has been re-fettled to produce a storming 150kWs.

There are also suggestions that a convertible version of the car could be available within a year while the Multiair electronically controlled valve lift system and the Fiat's version of the double-clutch automatic, the DDCT, are reportedly already slated for the MiTo.

As with many small cars now, the MiTo was engineered to obtain maximum Euro NCAP safety rating and has a full suite of electronic driving aids including non-switchable dynamic stability control, MSR to prevent wheels locking during over-run and dynamic steering torque (DST).

The MiTo comes standard with seven airbags, three-point seatbelts with pretensioners and load limit limiters and active head restraints.

In-cabin comfort and refinement includes premium MP3 sound and the multi-functionality of the Blue&Me device. That is a system developed in conjunction with Microsoft that offers hands-free operation with a Bluetooth interface and advanced voice recognition, USB port, MP3 player and SMS interpreter.

SNAPSHOT

ALFA ROMEO MiTo

Price: from $30,000 (estimate)

Engine: 1.4L/4-cylinder turbo; 1.6L/4-cylinder turbo diesel

Transmission: 6-speed manual, Selespeed auto

Rivals: Mini, Fiat 500, Peugeot 207 GTi

On sale: July 2009

This means motorists may have long delays to convert their car to running on LPG which costs less than 70 a litre. LPG Australia industry development manager Phil Westlake said the waiting lists for conversions had blown out from two months to about four.

“High fuel prices and speculation that the Government would axe the grants scheme drove demand up through April and May,” he said.

The LPG scheme provides a $2000 rebate for private motorists who convert a petrol-powered vehicle to run on LPG Autogas and $1000 for a new LPG vehicle.

“One of the complicating factors is a slight shortage of cylinders brought on by speculation about the grant,” Westlake said.

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“The cylinder manufacturer decided not to increase production while they waited to see what the Government would do.”

The Government reaffirmed its support for the grants scheme, allocating a further $19.1 million in funding in the federal Budget.

“The Victorian tank manufacturers have now stepped up production,” Westlake said.

Since the LPG scheme was introduced in August 2006, more than 125,000 private motorists have converted their vehicles or bought new LPG-powered vehicles.

Westlake said Autogas cost about 90 a litre less than unleaded fuel, representing a 50 per cent weekly saving on the fuel bill.

“While LPG is not immune from price fluctuations caused by world oil markets, Autogas typically sells for less than half the price per litre of ULP petrol,” he said.

LPG conversions cost between $3000 and $4000, but Westlake said that with the $2000 federal grant, motorists would recover a $3000 conversion cost in about seven months, if they travelled 25,000km a year.

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Fuel economy for an LPG car is not as high as unleaded fuel, but it produces up to 10 per cent less carbon dioxide emissions, as well as lower emissions of other poisonous gases such as hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide and oxides of nitrogen.

Westlake said Autogas was sold at more than 3200 national outlets and there were 2500 businesses across the country registered to perform LPG conversions.

“So there are no issues of availability and there are plenty of qualified people to fit conversion kits,” he said.

“Fuel volumes of LPG have picked up as well.”

Chrysler Australia has announced LPG engine conversions were now available on its six and eight-cylinder 300C and Jeep Grand Cherokee models through all Chrysler dealers.

...but while many are high-rollers, few would roll as fast as the guest currently posing in its main foyer.

The facelifted version of the insane Koenigsegg CCX – worth around $2 million – is spending a few days at the casino as its introduction to Sydney, and as a warm-up to its appearance at the Australian International Motor Show in October. 

Its predecessor was the fastest street legal car in the world with a 388.87km/h notch until the title was snatched by the Bugatti Veyron in 2005 with 407.5km/h – although some critics say that differences in the tracks used by Bugatti and Koenigsegg raise questions about the gap.

Koenigsegg says the CCX reaches a top speed of more than 395km/h – although this has not been officially clocked – and hits 100km/h in 3.2 seconds.

Bristling with carbon fibre and with "no gadgets or unnecessary features on the car, only what is absolutely vital in the name of efficiency and purity’’ according to the Swedish maker, it has an enviable weight-to-power ratio of 1.59kg/hp.

Australian distributor Carl Trad, who brought the previous model to Sydney’s motor fest in 2004, says the CCX breathes better than the CCR.

"The engine now has a twin supercharger rather than a single, and is better vented,’’ he says.

He says there are also subtle cosmetic changes, most noticeably around the light clusters, wheels and some trim.

And Trad he couldn’t resist getting the new model here.

"After I’d driven a Koenigsegg at the factory in Sweden, I just had to get them,’’ Trad says.
"It’s taken me four years, but here it is: road registered and ready to go.’’

Trad says his earlier attempt to import the Koenigseggs met with regulation hurdles.
"The first one that came in, we had a bit of drama with homologation and compliance issues with emissions,’’ he says.

"This new one has been built to the American emission standards and complies with the Australian regulations.

"We did the inspection on it a couple of weeks ago and it was perfect.

"Basically, every one that comes into the country now will be built specifically for Australia.

"There are not many supercars that are right-hand drive with this kind of power.

"Words can’t describe what it’s like to drive. The lateral G-forces are unbelievable.’’

Honda's new zero-emission, hydrogen fuel cell car rolled off the production line this week to a star-studded greeting. The FCX Clarity, which runs on hydrogen and electricity, emits only water and none of the noxious fumes believed to induce global warming.

It is also two times more energy efficient than a gas-electric hybrid and three times that of a standard gasoline-powered car.

Honda expects to lease about 70 units, principally in Hollywood, this year and about 200 units within three years. The car is available on a three-year lease costing about $600 a month, including maintenance and accident insurance.

Among the first customers are actress Jamie Lee Curtis and filmmaker husband Christopher Guest, actress Laura Harris, film producer Ron Yerxa, as well as businessmen Jon Spallino and Jim Salomon.

“It's so smooth,” says Harris, who played villainess Marie Warner on the hit TV drama 24. “It's like a future machine ... but it's not.”

Yerxa says he's excited to show off the garnet-coloured, four-door sedan and says there is plenty of interest in the car.

The FCX Clarity has a range of about 435km per tank with hydrogen consumption equivalent to 3.1 litres per 100km, according to the carmaker. The 1630kg vehicle can reach speeds up to 160km/h. It is powered by a fuel-cell stack that uses an electrochemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen to convert chemical energy into electricity to power the motor.

It is an improvement of its previous-generation fuel cell vehicle, the FCX, from 2005. A breakthrough in the design of the fuel cell stack, the unit that powers the car's motor, allowed engineers to lighten the body, expand the interior and increase efficiency, Honda says. The fuel cell draws on energy synthesised through a chemical reaction between hydrogen gas and oxygen in the air, and a lithium-ion battery pack provides extra power.

Honda has been working on fuel cell systems since 1989.

It was the first manufacturer to receive commercial certification for a fuel cell car and has 10 previous-generation fuel cell vehicles in experimental use around the world.

However, the company's short-term focus is continued development of its petrol-electric hybrid vehicles.

Honda Australia senior director Lindsay Smalley has called on governments to offer incentives for hybrids.

“As with any new technology, it will take time for hybrids to be widely accepted,” he said.

“Honda believes abolishing federal import tariffs and cutting stamp duty and registration on hybrid vehicles would greatly assist their presence on our roads and give consumers a wider choice of hybrid motoring options.”

Honda was the first to sell hybrids here with the Insight in 2000. It now sells the Civic Hybrid, but another hybrid vehicle is expected next year.

This new car is smaller and is expected to cost about two-thirds of the Civic price, making it the cheapest hybrid on offer in Australia.

Despite rocketing fuel prices, there always seems to be a market for muscle cars.

Holden and HSV last year sold a record number of V8s and 1970s muscle cars continue to sell for record prices.

And GM Holden — which this year is reintroducing another of its American brands, the Cadillac — is doing nothing to hose down rampant industry rumours that it is going to import the fastest Corvette yet.

They keep sending details of the ZR1, yet claim we should “not read anything into it”.

Yeah, right.

The latest details on the new 'Vette American muscle car show just how fast the car goes.

It accelerates from rest to 100km/h in 3.4 seconds, which is 0.3 seconds faster than the previous Z06 model and the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano which was released here recently at $595,600.

The ZR1 also has recorded a quarter-mile elapsed time of 11.3 seconds at 210km/h and has a top speed of 330km/h, making it the fastest Corvette produced.

It's not only faster than some half-million-dollar supercars but also more economical.

According to fueleconomy.gov, the ZR1's official economy ratings of 16.8 litres per 100km on the city cycle and 11.7 litres per 100km on the highway beat 2008 competitors such as the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano (21.3 city/15.6 highway); the Lamborghini Murcielago (29.4 city/18 highway) and the Aston Martin V8 Vantage (19.6 city/12.3 highway).

They're competitive with the Dodge Viper (18 city/10.6 highway) and the Porsche 911 GT3 (15.6 city/10.6 highway).

Under the carbon-fibre bonnet is the new LS9 6.2-litre supercharged small-block engine.

It belts out 476kW of power and 819Nm of torque, making it the most powerful automotive production engine manufactured by General Motors.

The ZR1 also features a six-speed manual transmission with race-hardened gears and dual-disc clutch technology that delivers exceptional clamping power and lower inertia, as well as strengthened axle components.

Fuel economy testing has not been completed, but engineers are confident the ZR1 will be the most fuel-efficient 600-plus-horsepower car on the market.

The LS9 engine is hand-built by technicians at GM's Performance Build Centre in Wixom, Michigan, a small-volume engine production facility that also builds the Corvette Z06's LS7 engine and other high-performance GM production engines.

The LS9 also features the industry's first production application of a new, positive-displacement Roots-type supercharger with a four-lobe rotor design, promoting quieter and more efficient performance.

The large 2.3-litre displacement provides adequate air volume at high rpm. Maximum boost pressure is .72 bar (10.2psi).

It is teamed with an integrated charge cooling system that reduces inlet air temperature for maximum performance.

A raised bonnet provides adequate clearance for the LS9, while a polycarbonate window in the bonnet provides a view of the engine beneath it.

If Holden doesn't import the ZR1, Queensland company Performax International could bring in left-hand-drive models and convert them to right-hand-drive.

The Gympie company, formerly Corvette Queensland, already converts Corvettes to right-hand-drive, along with the Hummer H2 and several American pick-ups.

General manager Nick Vandenberg says they would be keen to import the Corvette.

If you believe the legend, all red-blooded Italian men will immediately stop what they are doing when two things pass them by. One is a pretty woman; the other is a pretty fast Ferrari. They say it's in their blood.

Driving through a tiny village nestled in the foothills of the Apennines, overlooking what is commonly known as the Supercar Valley, I saw first hand that the legend was in danger of becoming a myth.

Oh, there were plenty of beautiful woman enjoying the early summer sun, but they didn't even rate a glance from a road gang of big burly blokes, although a waitress from across the street gave a two-finger salute to a bloke on a bike in front of me; he appeared to be the local postman. Perhaps they knew each other.

As for the stunning 559 GTB Fiorano Ferrari I was driving. It too didn't raise any interest from the gangers busy fixing potholes, not even when I blipped the throttle — the 599's exhaust bark is nothing short of magical as it echoed off the centuries-old stone and brick walls.

This was serious. What's wrong with these Italian blokes — or perhaps they were itinerant workers from Eastern Europe. Were they blind, were they deaf, were they dumb? How could they not be impressed?

Negotiating their wheelbarrows and traffic cones was the fastest V12 coupe Ferrari has built; the fastest naturally aspirated two-seat production car in the world and probably the most technically advanced car Ferrari has crafted. How could they ignore it?

This is a $650,000 bespoked supercar with buyers lucky enough to get into the queue being forced to wait for at least 18 months to take delivery.

Perhaps it was the that Ferrari was painted in a less than spectacular metallic grey/silver, not one of the several shades of traditional Ferrari red, or even their bold yellow.

My faith in the legend was partially restored in the next village where two old men sharing a fag and a morning coffee on the footpath, stood and waved in appreciation as the Ferrari, the replacement for the 575 Maranello, squeezed through the narrow streets. They were old enough to know the true history of Ferrari and the value of this, a Pininfarina-penned supercar, which has helped to further define Ferrari's fiery spirit.

Perhaps up here in the hills overlooking the home of exotic brands like Ferrari, Maserati, Lamborghini and Pagani such cars are commonplace. Oh, surely not.

Earlier that day I had been asked the question most car enthusiasts only dream about: would you care to take the 599 for a couple of hours for a run in the countryside?

And there it was parked in the forecourt of the Ferrari factory, a resplendent brooding beast with a cockpit displaying a plush mix of tan leather, carbon fibre and alloy. A massive bright yellow tacho between the spokes of the steering wheel dominates the dashboard. The carbon fibre race seats look thin and hard but turn out to be wonderfully supportive.

But this is a big car and hard to get a clear view of its surroundings. With nerves on edge, not helped by so many people looking on, it was time to go; remember which buttons to push first in the starting sequence and fire up the V12.

Ferrari is the life blood of Modena; the factory dominates the otherwise lack lustre town. It's important enough to rate its own set of traffic lights so one of the town's busiest streets comes to a halt as you drive out of the famed gates. About 100 metres down the street there's speed radar with a huge display mounted on a lamp post just to remind you to keep the throttle under control until you get out on to the open road.

The guard at the gate had already warned me the local police were getting a litte tired of the street being used as a supercar pit lane, but 50km/h in the 599 is torture.

Out of town it was time to head for the hills with its narrow twists and turns, its off-camber corners, farmers on slow-moving tractors and hordes of fit looking blokes in brightly coloured Lycra suits on pushbikes. It was a couple of days before a major bike tour wheeled through the district. Just my luck.

On these narrow roads you quickly appreciate just how wide the 599 GTB is. Blind corners, the lack of guard rails and buildings set right on the roadside call for absolute concentration. But the 599 is, surprisingly, an easy car to live with, once you master its Formula One style controls.

Shifting is done by flappy paddles either side of the steering wheel; the wheel itself has various buttons to vary the 599's traction and control settings including sport and race modes — and one which switches them all off, if you dare.

By now the villages have been left behind and the road twists and turns into open mountain country. We have set, for me anyway, a cracking pace, although the sky is darkening by the minute. The car beckons to be pushed a little harder, to go a little quicker. Power comes on fast and furious, the car swallows up the corners with consummate ease.

Then came reality. Around a tight left hander was my undoing — a stream of runoff water covered the road. Too late to select the rain mode setting on the steering wheel as the 599 gracefully aquaplaned sideways before finding grip again, neatly parking itself almost sideways in a driveway leading to a farm.

Time to stop, pry my fingers from the wheel, catch my breath, restore the heart rate. Plenty of mud but not a scratch on the car.

I pretended to be admiring the view as one of those orange and green suited cyclists caught up and peddled past. I'm sure he was smirking.

The next problem, how to get the 599 back on track. Apart from some advice on don't bend it, the factory had been a bit light on showing me how the gear selectors worked, or perhaps I wasn't listening.

Finding reverse was simple enough, there's a big R on the centre console just ahead of the full automatic switch and the launch mode button. But how to find neutral? Ah, try pulling both gear leavers backwards at the time. OK call me stupid.

Perfect timing, the phone rang. It was the Ferrari PR bloke asking where I was and how long before I bought their precious car back. After all they were waiting for me so they could go to lunch and next to high performance motoring, eating is the next best Italian past-time.

Time to wind down to the valley below and to explore the 599's power on a blast along the valley floor back to Modena. The mountain roads had shown off the 599's handling strengths - pin point accuracy, wonderful flexible delivery of power, superb quick change six-speed gearbox and eye popping brakes. It also gave hint to its weaknesses, not that the 599 has many. The steering is too light for my liking and a perhaps a little vague and in full auto mode, gearshifting is not as smooth as manual changing.

On the straight valley roads the 599 is equally at home as a long distance grand tourer.

Get it right and, according to Ferrari, the 599's launch control can get this front-engined two-seater with its all alloy body and frame from a standstill to 100km/h in a mere 3.7 seconds. The 6-litre V12, a development of the famed Enzo motor but made more compact for its front end installation in the 599, develops a thumping 456kW at 7600 revs, matched by peak torque of 608Nm at 5600rpm. Top speed, three times the Australian legal limit at 330km/h.

The heart of the 599 is its F1-inspired gearbox, with manual shifting taking a mere 100 milliseconds — that's the time it takes for the car's electronics to lift off the power, declutch, select the next gear, re-engage and apply the throttle. It's not the quickest system on the market but it is impressive.

It almost feels seamless, only the slight movement in your body reacting to changes in acceleration forces. It is the same system Ferrari uses in its F1 cars, but tamed for standard road use.

The switches on the steering wheel to control the car's dynamics are also liked to the 599's adaptive stability control system, called F1-Trac which is smart enough to predict the maximum grip available in advance and tailor the amount of power delivery for best possible traction. In the real world that equates to almost slingshot acceleration out of corners without wheelspin. This is one smart car.

The other smart device on the 599 is its adaptive suspension wait for it, it’s called the magnetorheological fluid suspension system. In simple terms it can change the viscousity of the fluid in the dampers by applying an electrical charge to it. The result is a suspension which quickly reacts to different road surfaces far quicker than a conventional oil-filled damper, with its single viscosity. On the road that equates to a car which sits wonderfully flat whilst cornering.

On the high speed autostrade the 599 happily cruises at speeds I don't dare discuss. Take my word it is quick.

Ferrari says there is more stick-to-the-road suction created under the car because of its design than lift generated by the bodywork and the flying buttresses either side of the rear window are designed to channel the air flow, producing up to 190kg of downforce at maximum speed.

The surprising thing about driving the 599 at speed is just how eerily quiet it is. It is a car you can easily drive all day — providing you can afford the fuel.

Three hours in the 599 seems like a lifetime. All I need now is $645,000 for the car plus $7000 for the Daytona trim, $13,000 for the extra carbon fibre in the cabin, another $13750 for the special paint job and $12,750 for the ball-polished 20-inch wheels. That lifts the price to $691,500. Add on on-road costs and it’s a million dollar car. That’s a mere $333,000 for each hour I had it. Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano

How much: $645,000; $691,500 as tested

Power: Naturally aspirated 6-litre 65 degree V12; 456kW at 7600rpm; 608Nm at 5600rpm

How quick: 0-100km/h 3.7 seconds; 0- 200km/h 11 seconds

Co2 emission: 490g/km

Fuel consumption: 21.3l/100km combined

Transmission: 6-speed F1 paddle shift

Suspension: adaptive magnetorheological dampers

F1 Trac stability and traction control system

Tyres: 245/40 19-inch front; 305/35 20-inch rear with tyre pressure and temperature monitoring

Brakes: 355x32mm front; 330x28mm rear

Weight distribution: 47% front, 53% rear

Kerb weight: 1690kg

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GINA, THE SHIFTING SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME

The future of styling is now public at BMW.

The company has just revealed the Gina Light Visionary vehicle it created in 2001 to drive design forward.

It looks like a tweaked Z4 roadster, but has a fabric body that can be stretched in various directions to give a different take on the same basic shape.

Gina will be reflected in all sorts of forthcoming models, including the baby X1 four-wheel drive expected to break cover at the Paris Motor Show in September.

The concept car is about to enter a museum but the company's design boss, Chris Bangle, says it has played an important role.

“It's a reaction to the norms of car manufacture, in which everything is fixed,” he says.

“We're convinced the principles it sheds light on have an important future. It helped make the point about emotional design.”

THINK TANK

Researchers are trying to predict the future at a top-secret think-tank in Munich, Germany.

The team with the toughest task in the car world was set up by BMW, which is desperate to unlock the secrets of a successful motor company in the time beyond petrol.

More than 100 of its best and brightest brains have been transferred to the task, called Operation I.

No one from the German luxury brand will talk about the details beyond the basics. It is newly set up and reports directly to the BMW board.

“They are looking at everything,” BMW global head of sales Ian Robertson says.

“They are looking at different ways to produce cars, different ways to build cars. The whole future of the car.”

BMW chose one of its brightest stars, Uli Kranz, to head the think-tank. He is the man who brought the Mini back from the dead and turned it into a global success and a big money-maker for BMW Group, as well as showing it was still possible to turn a profit on cars made in Britain.

His team includes planners, designers and engineers at a new research base outside BMW's regular technical centre, the FIZ in Munich, which has more than 4000 engineers and has been operating since the 1990s.

“They are outside the group. They are not held back by anything. They are totally different,” Robertson says. “What that tells you is that the BMW Group is already on a road to maintain its technical leadership and its approach to cars of the future.”

Robertson, also the chairman of Rolls-Royce and leading the launch of its latest $1 million-and-more Phantom Coupe, refuses to be drawn on the amount BMW is spending on the project.

“It's a big budget. That's all I will say,” he says.

But he reports it is already generating its first ideas, though no one has any news on when, or if, any of the stuff will go into production. Robertson says they are already doing sketches and plans and the first models.

This approach to the future of motoring is not new — General Motors set up a similar think-tank in the 1980s.

It was the brainchild of the disgraced former head of the company, Roger B. Smith, at a time when GM was also looking to combat the invasion of affordable Japanese cars in the US.

Its response was the creation of the Saturn division, which has still not delivered much more than minimal returns on a plan to draw younger buyers into GM's new-car net. Smith promised his think-tank was even looking at the most basic decisions on personal transport, and said it could recommend a future car

could be a hovering “egg” instead of a conventional-wheeled vehicle.

But Smith, who famously told Australian journalists “What have the Japanese ever invented, except for the coin-holder?” never presented any concrete ideas, despite spending many millions.