Powerflaw: Outlander PHEV
Technology is a wonderful thing, especially when it goes hand in hand with common sense. It’s when something simple is overlooked, not designed well or just plain forgotten that technology bites. Hybrid cars are a great example; use a battery pack and electric engine or two to power the car along, use a petrol engine to back it up and charge the battery when required. Plug it in overnight….except, with the Outlander 
PHEV (Plug in Hybrid Electric Vehicle), it’s potentially impossible for over 90% of Australian homes. You see, Mitsubishi provides the PHEV with a charging cable suitable for 15 amp power sockets; however, where the car is expected to reside, Aussie homes, this idea immediately hits a bump as virtually all homes have 10 amp sockets… 
This immediately reduces the potential this car is expected to have by a massive factor, as the idea of a hybrid drivetrain is to try and reduce fuel consumption. But if you can’t charge 
the car overnight by a cable then you’re solely reliant on the 2.0L petrol engine fitted to be the battery’s generator, which uses fuel. The Outlander PHEV gives you the option of running the petrol engine as a charge unit or allowing it to kick in and out, almost seamlessly, when required. Given that there’s little charge in the battery without the plug in bit,
guess which other option uses more fuel? Mitsubishi’s official ADR figures quote 1.9L per 100 kilometres, from a reduced in size 45L tank. In the space of four days, including pickup from the dealership to home (say 70km) and including a return run to Canberra and back, over a tank and a half of fuel was used, with a worst figure seen of over 12L/100km. The expected range from a full charge is said to be 50 to 60 kilometres, so you can see the lack of a suitable for most Australian homes charging cable really hurt.
A Wheel Thing was handed the key to the Outlander Aspire PHEV, complete with satnav, electric seats and sunroof. Like all Outlanders of the current design, there’s plenty of room for the front seat passengers and easily two on the back seat, it’s mostly ergonomically well thought out, 
with dials and buttons pretty much where you’d expect to find them. Of note, at least in this household, was the placement of the interior door handles to open the door. Almost every instinctive reach would result in a look to see where it was, feeling as if it’s an inch too low. There’s adjustable height seatbelts, with the plastic shroud on the test car provided vibrating and rattling. Plastics are of good quality although the shade of grey on the doors is unusual. The dash 
display is modified to show the drives in operation, fuel usage and expected range from battery and petrol, accessed via a button on the dash just above the driver’s right knee. Instead of a tacho or rev counter, there’s a dial that gives an idea of being in economical or charge mode. The petrol engine itself is barely noticeable when on charge mode but becomes quite buzzy when utilised for acceleration. It’s no rocket engine, with maximum power and torque, 87kW and 187Nm, both coming at 4500 rpm, whilst generator power is 70kW. Ride quality is decent although there’s a definite sensation of mass at 1800 kilos (kerb weight), with the the suspension (McPherson strut front, multilink rear) absorbing most bumps well, although the short throw travel of the front is noticeable at low speeds over bigger speed bumps. 
Rubber is 225/18/55s wrapping some very tidy looking alloys. Of some concern is the electric tailgate; there’s a button on the keyfob to raise the tailgate but it failed to activate in around 80% of attempts. Of more concern is the fact that the ‘gate also failed top open at the press of the normal rubber pad in half of the attempts, requiring a lock and unlock of the doors to reset.
Brazil Scores A Gol – Possibly
I might not be the world’s biggest soccer/football fan, but I’m still vaguely interested in the latest FIFA world cup held in São Paulo, Brazil. Now, if you’re at all interested in cars, Brazil means two things: biofuel (honestly, these guys are keen on their their ethanol!) and Volkswagens. Brazil has their very own VW factory, which explains why Beetles and Kombis are some of the most commonly seen vehicles on the roads throughout South America. There’s also a car that the Brazilian VW factory produces that doesn’t make it over here but has a name that reflects the Brazilian love of “the beautiful game”: the Gol. You’ve heard those Latino sports commentators? If you have, you know exactly what “gol” means, although it usually comes out “goooooooooooooooool!”
Gran Turismo Falcon: Ford Unleashes the 351kW GT-F.
Ford Australia stayed with its tried and true “drip feed” teaser campaign in the lead up to today’s (June 10, 2014) release of the GT-F from Ford Performance Vehicles. Looking remarkably like anything from the V8 range in the FPV stables, it’s the thing filling the gap between front wheels and bonnet that has followers of the blue oval all excited. The supercharged 5.0L beast is said to have 351 kilowatts, in reference and homage to the iconic 5.8L V8 found in Falcons of the 1970s. Rumours already fly in regards to the true output, with some sources quoting over 400kW with what Ford calls an overboost function. Torque is sizable with 569 Newton metres available, allowing a sub five second zero to 100 kmh time.
Externally, Ford offers this: in what’s claimed to be a direct salute to the Falcon GTs of old, the GT F features bonnet, roof and rear deck black-outs that FPV says are “unique” to the model. The GT F is also gifted a “distinctive ‘stealth’ exterior striping package” as well as gloss-black accents on the ‘raccoon eyes’, grille, applique, rear diffuser, door handles and mirrors. This, says Ford, ensures “the GT F is unlike anything that has come before it”. The interior has also had a bit of a wand wave, with an enhanced infotainment system featuring a G sensor, uprated seats with the logo embroidered in and GT Orange highlights on the dials, seat stitching and badging.
Pink Parks for the Ladies?
Who finds parking an easy task? I don’t mean the parking one does on a secluded country lane or in a quiet town. I mean parking in busy city streets; the parallel parking manoeuvre that, perhaps, is on a slope. Even some of the shopping mall car parks are quite tight to get in and out of. It’s one of the facets of driving that often is the least liked. Parking can be many drivers’ worst nightmare. Are women better drivers than men? Can men park better than women? I really don’t know the answer to that. I do know some very capable drivers from either gender, so I sit on the fence on this one. South Korea appears to have not-so-subtly suggested that some car parking spaces be left for the men and other parks be women-only!
Level 2, 9 Help Street