Sydney Show scuttlebutt

Diesel do nicely

With petrol prices still hovering around $1.30 per litre, the overriding topic of discussion at this week's Sydney motor show preview was diesel. With new fuel quality standards set to come into place next January, and high tech latest generation diesel engines from Europe starting to turn from a trickle to a steady stream, the message is that diesel passenger cars can be both efficient and fun.

BMW, Peugeot, Volkswagen, Alfa Romeo, Mercedes-Benz and Mazda all used the show to either launch new diesel models or preview them -- 5 Series, 407 Coupe, Polo/Beetle, 147, E-Class and Mazda6 respectively -- but many more makers were quietly letting slip plans for their own diesel strategies.

After deciding last year that the market wasn't right, Jaguar has now reconsidered and is set to launch the S-Type diesel -- with the same excellent 2.7-litre twin turbo V6 found in the Peugeot 407 -- next March.

With Mazda becoming the first mainstream maker to confirm diesel plans with its 2.0-litre turbo four Mazda6 due next September, fellow Japanese rival Honda will have a 2.2-litre diesel Accord Euro in the country before Christmas to undergo evaluation.

It's no secret that Holden has a diesel Commodore running around as well although it is unlikely it will be ready for launch with the new VE mid next year. Meantime, Australia's biggest selling brand Toyota, has no plans for any diesel passenger cars Down Under before at least 2009.

Caddy closer

Cadillac continues to edge closer to a launch in Australia with Holden expected to announce plans for its reintroduction about March next year. Holden is presently running a CTS sedan around Melbourne and boss Denny Mooney said the brand could be back on sale here inside two years.

No FPV hot fours

HSV may have put its stamp -- and little else -- on the new 176kW turbo hot hatch Astra VXR but don’t expect FPV to be adding anything to Ford's new 166kW XR5 Focus. FPV says as an imported product, it doesn’t make sense to bring it in, pull it apart, modify it and put it back together and anything that just adds cosmetics and minor tuning is not in the spirit of the brand.

What FPV is likely to do in the not too distant future however, is unveil its expected six-cylinder turbo version of the Territory.

When quizzed on what product would be next in the company's sights, a senior FPV figure made the point that it only makes sense to develop niche products on successful mainstream products. "So you don't have to be a rocket scientist to work that one out."