More than eight years after the German people’s car was reborn with a beetle body bolted over a Golf mechanical package, work is being finalised on a 21st century take on the classic shape.

The new-new Beetle should be in showrooms within 18 months, following the latest Golf 6 and the Polo which will be revealed by Volkswagen next year.

“We have a fun plan to renew the Beetle. And we don’t just have a plan, we have done it,” says the executive vice-president of Volkswagen, Detlef Wittig.

There is an outside chance the Beetle will be shown as a concept next week at the Paris Motor Show, as Volkswagen says it will have three show cars in the French capital. One is confirmed as the Golf GTi, which goes into production next year, but the other two are being kept a closely-guarded secret.

But Wittig hints that the car is even closer, at least to production.

“This will take a couple more months,” he says.

Although the timing for the Beetle’s renewal is uncertain, all the work has been done — including the styling.

“We in design are ready,” says Frank Bruese of the Volkswagen design department.

He says VW has a tough job with the Beetle because, like the Porsche 911, its basic design is a classic form. Still, he says there have been significant changes which will not affect the appeal of the car.

“It’s is more of a man’s car. A bit stronger, a bit tougher,” Bruese says.

“The current one is more architectural, this one is more emotional and sporty. It’s sharpened.”

The born-again Beetle was one of the earliest retro cars from the 1990s, although it has since been followed by — and overtaken by — everything from the Mini to the upcoming Chevrolet Camaro.

The Mini was updated well ahead of the Beetle — and is also being stretched with the Clubman, a second-generation Cabrio and the upcoming 4x4 wagon—but VW has taken its time with the Beetle.

Bruese says the timing has allowed the design team to do more work on the car, not just in detailing but even in the way the classic beetle body is updated.

“This circle is something to play with,” he says.

Volkswagen has done a makeover on its Golf to create a car which is more of the same, and much the same, for 2009 and beyond in Australia.

The sixth-generation Golf looks much the same as the car it replaces, also drives much the same and should be priced much the same. That's no surprise as some significant components - from the roof to the suspension - have been carried over from Golf 5.

But there are big improvements to cabin quality, a new refinement, incredible quietness, and engines which promise more go for less fuel with both petrol and diesel power.

And Volkswagen has killed the automatic gearbox in the Golf, only fitting five and six-speed manuals and either six or seven-speed DSG robotised manual transmissions in the 6.

The main visual change is a new family 'face', which will be carried through to other Volkswagen models starting with the baby Polo later in 2009, as the car has almost identical dimensions to the outgoing Golf 5. The lines are drawn a little tighter, but there is no sign of the raunchy work that has gone into the latest Ford Focus or the adventuring design in newcomers from Peugeot and Renault.

Detail work on Golf 6 includes a much classier cabin with Audi-style quality, new dial designs and upgraded infotainment, a seven-airbag package with knee protection, and the availability of everything from active suspension and automatic parking to radar cruise control.

Volkswagen predicts an easy five-star NCAP safety rating and improved pedestrian protection without the giant noses sprouting on some of its rivals.

But nothing is certain for Australia, even the choices from VW's four petrol and two diesel engines.

"It's too early to be announcing anything. We haven't even locked in the launch timing," says VW Group Australia spokesman, Karl Gehling.

Volkswagen began the roll-out of the new Golf with the five-door hatches in Iceland and promises to follow with the three-door price leaders and the sportier GTi. The hot hatch will be previewed at the Paris Motor Show as a concept car in a little over a week, with the likelihood of a 155 kiloWatt engine as well as the predictable bumper, spoiler and wheel upgrade for the GTi.

Driving two Golfs yesterday in Iceland, a 90 kiloWatt turbo petrol car and a 103 kiloWatt diesel, showed there is nothing special in Golf 6.

But that, in many ways, is what makes it special.

The engineering team has taken plenty of the existing good stuff from Golf 5 and brought it into the 6 package to create a car which is incredibly quiet, very refined and still drives nice and tight.

It's a more human and humane car, with more feedback at every level from cabin materials to the steering and performance from both engines.

And it is incredibly quiet. As well as greener, with improved economy and reduced emissions.

Still, Golf 6 is likely to be a slow burn and we will need to drive it in Australia - and make the crucial price and specification comparisons with its rivals - before giving it a tick.

And there will not be an automatic — at least until a new price leader car is introduced.

Each of the petrol and diesel engines set for the new Golf, from the basic 1.4 petrol to the 2-litre diesel, have turbocharged forced induction and even the starter car from late 2009 is likely to have a new 1.2-litre turbo in place of the current 1.6-litre petrol motor.

The change comes as Volkswagen chases maximum fuel economy with minimal emissions, a combination which is achieved best with forced induction of a small-capacity motor. It already works well in the current Golf with the GTi’s performance turbomotor and the 1.4-litre twin-charge system — with a supercharger and a turbocharger — in the GT model.

The move away from traditional automatics is part of a shift to twin-clutch manuals, which can be set to perform like an auto but have the response and efficiency of a manual.

More photos

Parade at Speed on Tweed 2008

Laps at Speed on Tweed 2008

Close to 30,000 attended this year’s event in Murwillumbah, to watch the historic cars race against the clock, get close to them in the pits and join the round of parties and social functions on the program.

Full story...

More photos

Paddock at Speed on Tweed 2008

Laps at Speed on Tweed 2008

Close to 30,000 attended this year’s event in Murwillumbah, to watch the historic cars race against the clock, get close to them in the pits and join the round of parties and social functions on the program.

Full story...

More photos

Parade at Speed on Tweed 2008

Paddock at Speed on Tweed 2008

Close to 30,000 attended this year’s event in Murwillumbah, to watch the historic cars race against the clock, get close to them in the pits and join the round of parties and social functions on the program.

Race director Roger Ealand, who was part of the founding group for Speed on Tweed in 2002, said the intention had always been to develop a great event, but that it had grown beyond the capabilities of the volunteer organisers.

``We wanted to make it a Goodwood with an Australian flavour ... a festival rather than just a race,’’ Ealand said.

``But we’ve sort of created a monster.

``It’s a $450,000 business now. It’s one of the biggest historic meetings in the country.
 
``We know we can do with the tickets and we know we can get a fantastic crowd.

``We’ve taken it from nothing to that as a charity as a group of volunteers, and it’s more than we can do now.

``We never intended it to be our life mission. We’ve proved it can be done ... the group of volunteers have done a brilliant, brilliant, brilliant job.

``But now it’s a bigger job.  It’s a struggle to get sponsorship. What it needs is a group of professional people to come and take it up to the next level.’’

Ealand said a large part of Speed on Tweed’s success was due to the close proximity it allowed the crowd.

``This is a spectator event, where the fans can get close to the cars and talk to the drivers, and see people like Frank Gardner, John Bowe and Jim Richards mingling with the crowd,’’ he said.

``We had an autograph session with those guys and some of our other notable attendees like Ron Tauranac, and we thought the session would go for 10 minutes. After more than an hour, we had to break it off and get the guys off to lunch!’’

Ealand is adamant this year’s event was a `last hurrah’, but certainly no funeral.

``There was no sadness whatsoever. Somebody will pick it up… I’m certain of that.’’

Elfin Sports Cars will complete the full circle, of sorts, with a new addition to its modernised range at the Australian International Motor Show dubbed the Type 5.

For over 40 years, Elfin has been known for producing its pure and simple four-cylinder Clubman. However since being bought by Holden subsidiaries in 1998, Walkinshaw Performance has seen a modern iteration, the MS8, encompass a Holden V8 and two new body styles in Clubman and Streamliner guises. Now with a few years of fettling and fine tuning, the chassis is set to swallow a lightweight four-cylinder turbo charged engine.

Drawing on its parental access to global engines, the new Elfin Type 5 will run a 2.0-litre twin-cam engine with a turbocharger, as seen in the convertible US-market Pontiac Solstice.

With some minor tweaks and tuning, power output is expected to be 194kW with 351Nm. Though this is around a quarter down on the 5.7-litre V8 which sports 245kW and 465Nm, it’s hardly slow with the significantly lighter engine offering substantially improved balance and handling.

The new four-cylinder spiritually replaces the ten-year old Type III Clubman which was sold in either an owner-assembled kit or turn-key ready to drive.

The new Type 5 four-cylinder addresses a few key areas that Elfin was keen to improve, featuring advanced electronics that pair with the GM ECU such as traction control, power steering, six-speed manual and anti-lock brakes.

Elfin suggests the target weight of 700kg will offer equal lap times to the V8, the place where it also expects many Elfin owners will realise the full potential of their sports cars.

Pricing too is also expected to be a strong point. Whereas the MS8 V8 Clubman start around $85,000, the four-cylinder Elfin, whose name will be announced at the Motor Show, will start from $60,000 putting it in the middle ground between the most expensive performance Holden (Commodore SS-V, $53k) and HSV’s cheapest (Maloo $61k), but with far superior performance to both.

Buy a vintage Ferrari.

Classic examples of the desirable marquee have been hitting the headlines, with James Coburn’s 1961 250 GT California Spyder fetching the equivalent of more than $11 million in May this year.

Now we’re hearing rumours that a Ferrari 250 GTO has sold for a whopping $28.5US – topping over the $37 million mark in Aussie dollars.

We can’t find any proof of the story, there’s no mention just yet of which particular car it was, who bought it and who previously owned it. But the Ferrari sources who are talking about it are generally reasonable authorities.

On other sites, one writer has mentioned Jay Leno – in which case the car would be joining marque stablemates like his 250 P5 Berlinetta Speciale and 1959 250 GT California Spyder. But Leno is not shy about broadcasting his purchases.

Only 36 of the 250 GTO were built in the early 1960s, selling for about $20,000 at the time, although buyers had to be personally approved by Enzo Ferrari.

The build featured a hand-welded tube frame, wire wheels, live-axle rear and A-arm front suspension.

It was powered by the 3.0-litre V12 engine from the 250 Testa Rossa, with each of the cylinders having the cubic centimetre displacement that gave the car part of its name. The GTO is an acronym for Gran Turismo Omologato, which is Italian for Grand Touring Homologated.

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Record sale for Coburn Ferrari

Your're looking at the new face of a revamped SsangYong car line-up.

The South Korean carmaker, in the past best known for its unorthodox and quirky designs, will unveil the stylish C200 off-roader at next month's Paris Motor Show.

The wagon is a significant departure from SsangYong's previous designs and will form an important part of the company's mid to long-term future.

In Australia that future has just been secured, with Sime Darby assuming distribution rights for SsangYong from the end of next month.

Sime Darby also distributes Peugoet throughout Australia. At present SsangYong is distributed by SsangYong Motors Australasia and its principals, Russell Burling and Vince Barbagallo. Burling is SsangYong distributor in New Zealand, and Barbagallo is the SsangYong dealer in Perth.

“We see Sime Darby as the best candidate in the market to take the SsangYong business to the next level and look forward to working with them,” Burling says.

Burling will continue to distribute and retail SsangYongs in New Zealand.

Sime Darby Motors division executive vice-president Lawrence Lee says the group has been looking to expand its local operations and move into new segments.

“In SsangYong we see a strong pickup and SUV product offering that has significant opportunity for growth,” he says. “Its established credentials for making solid products in these segments, and the extent to which it does so as its specialty, is something we intend to capitalise on.”

The C200 concept, described by the company as an urban compact wagon, is the first SsangYong model in Europe to have a front-wheel drive platform and monocoque body construction.

Apart from Peugeot, the Malaysia-based multinational has distribution rights in the Asia-Pacific region for BMW, Hyundai, Land Rover and Ford. SsangYong has about 50 outlets in Australia but the brand is not strong, having sold only 1137 vehicles so far this year, 25 per cent down on the same period last year.

After an absence of 12 months, Subaru has added a new sedan to its Impreza line-up.

The sedan is initially available only in naturally aspirated models. The WRX is due to arrive in December, but a hotter STi sedan is not on the cards, Subaru spokesman David Rowley says.

Despite being out of the market for 12 months, Rowley says Subaru lost few customers.

“If you look at the combined sales of the old sedan and hatch we have been selling 200 more a month of just the new hatch,” he says.

“We hope the sedan will take sales to another level.

“Even though the market has shifted a bit towards hatches we still think there is room for growth.”

Prices of the R, RX and RS sedans are identical to the hatches, which means prices start at $24,490 for the R sedan, rising to $31,490 for the RS sedan.

About 20 per cent of buyers are expected to opt for the new sedan, Rowley says.

Like the hatch, the sedan has a five-star crash rating and electronic stability control is standard.

So far this year Impreza sales are up 12.5 per cent, averaging more than 1000 a month, despite the lack of a sedan option until now.

Subaru managing director Nick Senior says the Impreza is one of the country's fastest-growing models.

“It is hugely encouraging that the sales mix of Impreza hatch has been fairly equal across the three variants, compared with the previous generation's bias towards the entry-level cars,” he says.

Subaru expects the sedan to add about 200 Impreza sales a month.

The Impreza sedan is 35mm higher and the wheelbase 95mm longer than the superseded version.

For the first time, the sedan gets a split/fold rear seat to increase cargo-carrying capacity.