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2012 Volkswagen Jetta 118TSI Review |
Car of the Year Awards are always contentious but we were pleased to see the Volkswagen 118TSI Jetta take out the award for best sedan under $50,000 in the awards as judged by Australia’s peak motoring organisations. Pleased because at the same time the car was being judged we were enjoying the 1.4 litre 118TSI Jetta as our weekly road test/review vehicle.
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Car Review By MURRAY HUBBARD
11/12/2011, 17:12
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2012 Ford Focus Titanium Review |
Lately some car companies have come to characterise top-of-the range models with metallic monikers. Kia, for example, uses ‘Platinum’ for its Optima and Sorento prestige picks. Now Ford has done likewise, giving the top Territory wagon and Focus five-door hatchback and four-door sedan the Titanium tag.
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Car Review by DEREK OGDEN
08/12/2011, 20:18
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2012 Ford Ranger XLT 3.2 Review |
Every now and then you witness a pivotal vehicle in the motor industry ... one that lifts the bar forcing all rivals to elevate their game. Right now that is the new Ford Ranger 3.2 litre turbo-diesel. After a few days in this Australian-designed and engineered dual cab Ranger XLT 3.2 we have nothing but praise ... with one exception: the six-speed manual transmission. It’s not the sharpest tool in the box. The six-speed auto on the other hand is refined.
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Car Review By MURRAY HUBBARD
28/11/2011, 16:05
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2011 Volkswagen Amarok Ultimate Review |
The task of Volkswagen’s new Amarok TDI 400 dual cab ute in Australia is a bit like that of the boy with the wheelbarrow: It has the job in front of it. Australia is one of the world’s largest markets for this type of vehicle. Hence the presence of Toyota HiLux, Nissan Navara, Mitsubishi Triton, Ford Ranger, Mazda BT-50, Isuzu D-Max, Holden Colorado, Land Rover Defender and cheaper offerings from Great Wall, SsangYong and Mahindra. Choice is rampant with prices starting with tradies specials from $25,990.
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Car Review By MURRAY HUBBARD
12/07/2011, 18:35
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2011 Alfa Romeo 159 Review |
With the replacement for the Alfa Romeo 159 mid-size sedan still somewhere over the horizon, Alfa late last year adopted for a change of heart - literally. The current 159 was given an engine replacement replacing the 2.2-litre JTS in favour of a smaller, more efficient and powerful 1750cc turbo charged four cylinder. While this engine adds zest to the 159 it cannot camouflage the 159's shortcomings: it is starting to age.
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Car Review By MURRAY HUBBARD
03/07/2011
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1904 Dufaux Racer |
There’s an old adage that goes something like, ‘if you want to make a small fortune in motor sport, you must first start with a large fortune.’ That wisdom might well have been written by, or about, brothers Charles and Frederic Dufaux.
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Story And Images By MURRAY HUBBARD
23/06/2011, 19:26
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2011 Mercedes-Benz S500 LWB |
Driving a Mercedes-Benz S 500 Long Wheelbase luxury sedan recently, took me back to my student days in London. If that seems a bit far fetched, let me explain. A mate, like many undergraduate production engineers of the day, had a penchant for exotic machinery and was the proud owner of a Humber Pullman limousine of a certain age in which he ferried a group of us around in return for donations of petrol and pints.
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Car Review by DEREK OGDEN
23/06/2011
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2011 Kia Cerato Hatch Review |
Cerato: it sounds more like the troubled Latin male lead of one of those doublet-and-dagger dramas written by William Shakespeare than a Korean-made car. While the link may appear tenuous, they do have one thing in common – both are the most popular ‘products’ in their fields, Kias and English literature respectively.
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Car Review by DEREK OGDEN
16/06/2011, 18:42
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2011 VW Amarok 2WD Review |
While Volkswagen has been placing the focus on the 4WD variants of the new Amarok - ala support vehicles for the Dakar Rally - there’s another less glamorous Amarok, one that is aimed at tradies. It’s the 2WD variant that has slipped quietly under the dual cab radar.
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By MURRAY HUBBARD
25/05/2011
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Arzens Cabriolet And Bubble Car |
The French National Automobile Museum in Mulhouse, France houses two of the more unusual cars that can be called works of art - indeed their maker was an artist in the classic style who earned a living designing locomotives. Paul Arzens had an imagination without boundaries and this is reflected in both his designs for these two cars and his work as an industrial designer. That he continued to drive these cars almost until his death in 1990, at age 87 also tells us he was eccentric in a Parisian way. There appears to be little of a biography on this remarkable designer.
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Story And Images By MURRAY HUBBARD
25/05/2011
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2011 Kia Rio Sedan Review |
Kia chose the New York Auto Show to give us an advanced look at its new Rio small sedan. An impressive looking four-door that doesn’t look as though it has been built down to a price with a minimum of effort by the styling department.
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29/04/2011
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| 2011 Volvo V60 Wagon Arrives In Australia |
Volvo has added a third station wagon variant to its range with the release of its all-new V60 model. Built on the same platform as the S60 sedan that was launched here late last year, the V60 sits between the Swedish company’s V50 and V70 models.
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By ALISTAIR KENNEDY
01/04/2011
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2011 Skoda Superb Wagon |
THE person brave enough to give a car the name ‘Superb’ would have to have rocks in his head or undying confidence in the product. Someone at Skoda did just this in the 1930s. The latest wagon was named Luxury Car of the Year in 2009 by BBC Top Gear magazine.
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By Derek Ogden
17/02/2011, 20:58
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Auburn Boat-Tail Speedster |
The New Zealand art deco city of Napier is an unusual, but logical , location to find one of the world’s great sculptures on wheels - the 1936 Auburn Boat-tail Speedster. In reality our featured car is not a 1936 model at all. It’s a replica. But, it’s an unusual replica in that it was built by Auburn enthusiast Glenn Pray, who bought the original Auburn Cord Duesenberg Company in 1960.
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Story And Images By MURRAY HUBBARD
13/02/2011, 18:11
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2011 Citroen C5 Review |
Take four adult passengers, a pile of luggage, a Citroen C5 and two weeks travelling New Zealand’s North Island and you have a recipe designed to test the limits of the French makers premier touring sedan. The key elements were the basics of motoring: luggage space, passenger comfort, economy and performance for passing vehicles and tackling NZ’s hilly terrain.
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By MURRAY HUBBARD
11/02/2011
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2011 Nissan Pathfinder Review |
An interesting new number has been added to the description of the Nissan Pathfinder range, the number 550. It indicates that a new engine has been introduced, a super-grunty 550 Newton metre turbo-diesel.
Full Story
By EWAN KENNEDY
08/01/2011, 18:45
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Audi Q7 3.0 TDi quattro Review |
In September 2010 Audi put a broom through the under-bonnet region of the monolithic Q7 SUV. It was a mid-life makeover aimed at more power and greater economy. One of those changes was the introduction of the second-generation 3.0 TDi diesel V6, with the inclusion of stop/start technology. In addition the Q7 gained an 8-speed tiptronic transmission.
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By MURRAY HUBBARD
02/01/2011
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A Tale Of Two Fords |
Ford Australia has released two shots of vehicles it wants you to know nothing about. Well, almost nothing about, or it wouldn't have put out the publicity shots in the first place… The first pics are rough sketches of the upcoming new Territory
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27/12/2010
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2011 Alfa Romeo Mito QV Review |
The front of Alfa Romeo’s MiTo hot hatch reminds us of the cartoon vehicles in the movie `Cars’ that look like kids’ toys. After a week in the top-of-the-line MiTo QV we found there is nothing toy-like about the MiTo QV in real life. It is all car - a bloody good one at that. And quick.
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By MURRAY HUBBARD
22/12/2010
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2010 Volkswagen Golf 77TSI Review |
It would be easy to pigeon-hole Volkswagen’s 77TSI Golf as a dumbed-down version of the one of the world’s all-time best selling cars. Sales of almost 27 million speaks for itself on Golf’s above-par popularity. The 77TSI is not so much dumbed-down as bling-free. The important bits are still there like front, side, knee and front and rear curtain airbags, stability control and classic VW build quality.
Full Story
By MURRAY HUBBARD
18/12/2010
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1929 Studebaker FD Commander Brougham |
The question that inevitably comes up in conversation is why Studebaker? Well the best answer I can come up with is that it probably seemed like a good idea back when I was a 15 year old school student buying my first project car. But as I quickly found, once you have one Studebaker you just seem to get hooked and more follow. I’ve had five of them since then.
Full Story
By Studebaker Owner, RUSSELL MANNING
13/12/2010
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1974 Citroen D Special Review |
I distinctly recall my first ride in a Citroen DS `Goddess’. I was hitch-hiking from Brisbane home to Melbourne in an era when it was safe to do so.. The trip took five rides. I had just been dropped off the pillion seat of a motor bike after a 50 kilometre ride out of Newcastle. After that butt-crunching stint the Citroen looked like heaven on wheels. It was, apart from the driver.
Full Story
By MURRAY HUBBARD
06/12/2010, 16:37
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2011 Citroen DS3 Review |
The big talking point of the all-new Citroen's DS3 is its styling. As with many previous Citroens, especially the famed DS series of 1955 that was decades ahead of its time, the 2010 Citroen DS3 defies convention and takes its own path.
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By EWAN KENNEDY
03/12/2010
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Datsun Fairlady 1600 Sport Review |
If you look at the history of Nissan sports cars not a lot has changed from the 1960s when the Datsun Fairlady roadster was a cheaper alternative to MG and Triumph, the British sports cars of the day. Fast forward to 2010 and the descendant of the Fairlady, the stunning 2010 Nissan 370Z is a cheaper alternative to the likes of Porsche.
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Story And Images By MURRAY HUBBARD
02/12/2010, 16:35
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2011 Subaru Impreza WRX Review |
We know many Subaru WRX fans believe the company should have simply frozen the first model and left it the way it was in all apects, for all time. That was never going to happen. Every time the Impreza WRX is facelifted those caught in the WRX timewarp shudder at the thought their beloved shape may again be altered, and not for the better.
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By MURRAY HUBBARD
15/11/2010
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1961 Rover P4 100 Review |
Rover's P4 series started with the '75' in 1949, a model perhaps better known as the 'cyclops' due to a third headlamp placed in the centre of the grille and indeed centred over a broad cross-hair, ala Dodge. In culinary terms it was like having scrambled eggs crossed by two stips of bacon with a sunnyside up atop it all. Pretty it wasn't. Or perhaps a pointy end hybrid of a Studebaker Champion, Dodge and a pretentious pommy mid-size car.
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By MURRAY HUBBARD
13/11/2010
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| 2010 Citroen C3 Review |
As the weak, dappled autumn sunshine penetrated the large panoramic glass roof it brought a light and airy feel to the cabin, making it seem much larger than it actually was. In performance too, the car had a few more conjuring tricks up its sleeve.
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By JOHN CRAWFORD
11/11/2010
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| BMW 535i Review |
FORMER British champion jockey Lester Piggott was once described as having an expression like a well-kept grave. The poker-faced pony pilot rarely gave anything away – a bit like the BMW 535i, really.
Full Story
11/11/2010, 17:40
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New Nissan Patrol V8 Review |
Current Nissan Patrol owners looking to upgrade to the new Y62 Patrol due in 2012 may have to think again: the new vehicle is all luxury and seems certain to come with a price tag to match, somewhere north of $100,000.
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By MURRAY HUBBARD
01/11/2010, 19:23
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Hot Laps With Bathurst Legend Jim Richards |
We joke in the industry that motoring writers are underpaid and over-privileged. From personal experience be assured it is not only a truism, but true. At the launch this week of four new Renault models that saying was never more apt. I am sitting next to seven-times Bathurst winner Jim Richards, strapped into a Renault Megane Trophy in the passenger seat, about to complete three hot laps of the Broadford State Motorcyling sports complex.
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Story And Images By MURRAY HUBBARD
30/10/2010, 18:46
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2011 Renault Megane RS 250 Sport Review |
Renault has launched four new models it hopes will revive the brand's status and sales in Australia. Renault sales slipped more than 30 per cent last year on a rising market and a new management team has been put in place to rejuvenate the French maker's market share. New vehicles include a Megane hatch, Fluence sedan, Megane coupe-cabriolet and the performance-based Megane Sport RS 250.
Full Story
By MURRAY HUBBARD
28/10/2010, 21:16
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2011 Lexus IS 350 Review |
Lexus has launched it's long-awaited high-performance IS 350 sedan and took the opportunity to give the boot to it's ultra-conservative image. Leading the charge on-road is the IS 350 F Sport - while the Lexus Australia boardroom is preparing to take on the big three of the sport luxury segment: BMW, Mercedes and Audi.
Full Story
By MURRAY HUBBARD
26/10/2010
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Volvos Care For Pedestrians |
Volvo has demonstrated what it calls Pedestrian Avoidance Technology (PAT). This is a world first system that can reduce the fatality risk of a pedestrian collision by up to 85 per cent. The Volvo PAT system can detect pedestrians in the path of an oncoming car and within half a second assess if the pedestrian is in danger. It then warns the car’s driver and automatically applies full braking power if the driver does not respond in time.
Full Story
By EWAN KENNEDY
04/10/2010
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Frightening Car Trip |
I had a truly frightening journey in a car this morning. It was down the big Brisbane to Gold Coast M1 motorway beside a driver I had never travelled with before. A pleasant lady in her forties who has been driving for many years so has had plenty of experience behind the wheel in a variety of cars.
Full Story
10/02/2010
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Mercedes-Benz AMG E 63 First Drive |
The Adelaide Hills play a key role in the Classic Adelaide event – thanks to a road system that mirrors the flowing contours of the rugged terrain. A classic, Monaco-like location to launch the latest Mercedes-Benz AMG E 63. On our road test the E 63 ensured the hills were alive with the sound of raucous music that rivals – if not surpasses – the note emitted from a V8 Supercar .
Full Story
By MURRAY HUBBARD
15/12/2009
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Toyota Prado 2010 |
In an age of `pretend' or soft-roader four wheel drives, this week sees the Australian launch of a rarity – a genuine off-roader - Toyota's LandCruiser Prado. And for off-road enthusiasts Toyota are also releasing a short wheel base, three door variant, a first for this vehicle in the Australian market.
Full Story
17/11/2009
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2010 Hyundai Santa Fe |
Hyundai is running red hot in the Australian sales race, increasing sales by 36 per cent year to date in a market where others are struggling to even reach last year’s numbers let alone beat them. That's partly because the South Korean company has had a free kick by way of currency fluctuations – but its ever improving model lineup has also been a major factor.
Full Story
By EWAN KENNEDY
09/11/2009
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Subaru Liberty Exiga 2009 |
In a fascinating move, Subaru has decided to import a people mover version of its Liberty. Called the Liberty Exiga, it sits on a similar platform to the Liberty but is taller and uses squarer body lines to maximise occupant and luggage space. In the manner of the popular Subaru Forester, the Exiga is a tall station wagon rather than an SUV.
Full Story
By EWAN KENNEDY
08/11/2009
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Mazda CX-7 2009 First Drive |
Mazda Australia has greatly widened the choice of CX-7 models and at the same time trimmed prices and added an economical turbo-diesel variant. There's also the option of a 2WD version for the first time. Whereas the Mazda CX-7 used to open its price list at $41,965, the CX-7 can now be bought for just $33,990, plus on-road costs.
Full Story
By EWAN KENNEDY
15/10/2009
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HSV Upgrades Its Range To Create The New E2 |
Performance car owners are a restless and demanding mob; always on the lookout for more power, sharper vehicle response and the very latest in hot automotive styling. Fortunately, engineers and designers in this field are just as enthusiastic about their machinery. So it comes as no surprise that almost as soon as the new E Series HSV models had been launched in August 2006 these guys started work on improved models.
Full Story
By EWAN KENNEDY
24/09/2009
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2010 Land Rover Discovery |
We have to admit that the Land Rover Discovery 3 is one of our all-time favourite designs. Its ‘carved-from-a-billet’ looks appealed to us like no other 4WD and summed up the no-nonsense nature of the off-road vehicle to perfection.
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By EWAN KENNEDY in Scotland
17/09/2009
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2009 Kia Cerato Koup |
Compact, sporty coupes – that are affordable - are thin on the ground. But that's all set to change. In the coming days Kia is set to roll it's impressive Cerato Koup to dealerships around Australia. And if the response we got during a brief test drive around Sydney are anything to go by, Cerato Koup could pull off a coup of its own.
Full Story
By MURRAY HUBBARD
16/09/2009
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2009 Nissan Dualis 2WD |
Nissan has sprung a surprise on the Australian market by importing the two-wheel drive version of its Dualis at a price considerably lower than anticipated. Prices start at just $24,990 for the Dualis Hatch ST, about $2000 less than most had forecast, thus putting this Japanese vehicle down into Korean territory.
Full Story
By EWAN KENNEDY
11/08/2009
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2009 smart fortwo mhd |
We have just spent a fun week in a new 2009 smart fortwo mhd. That latter three-letter acronym stands for ‘micro hybrid drive’ and is the latest fuel-saving feature in a car already renowned for its economy and low emissions.
Full Story
By EWAN KENNEDY
31/07/2009
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| Ferrari 458 Italia |
Ferrari has released the first details of its newest supercar, the Ferrari 458 Italia, which represents one of the largest leaps forward in technology, performance and emissions ever seen from the legendary Italian car maker.
Full Story
28/07/2009
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Dodge Viper SRT10 Safe |
Chrysler Group LLC announced that production will continue for the legendary Dodge Viper SRT10.
Full Story
14/07/2009, 01:25
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2009 Jaguar XJ Saloon - First Look |
Jaguar has launched the all-new XJ four door saloon overnight in London's swank Saatchi Gallery.
Jaguar describe the car as `Sleek, sporting and sophisticated, the all-new Jaguar XJ brings a daring new spirit to automotive luxury'.
Full Story
09/07/2009
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2009 Renault Laguna |
While cruising along beautiful country roads nears Daylesford in Victoria it struck me that the car I was driving would sell like State of Origin tickets if it had another badge on the bonnet.
It's that good.
As it is Renault Australia expect to sell just 200 Laguna estates and hatches in 2009.
Full Story
By MURRAY HUBBARD
26/05/2009
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Limited Edition Mercedes-Benz C-Class |
The class-leading and award-winning Mercedes-Benz C-Class has been enhanced with the addition of a limited edition model to its popular ranks.
The Mercedes-Benz C-Class Sports Package is now on sale and offers customers even greater value, and is available in both four-cylinder C-Class models: the supercharged 135kW C 200 KOMPRESSOR and torque-rich but fuel-efficient 400Nm C 220 CDI turbo-diesel.
Full Story
News Sources
23/04/2009
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Fiat 500: A Vision Splendid |
The Fiat 500 is not only one of the most attractive looking automotive designs to come from Italy in the 21st century, it's also the easiest car to look out of. Claiming it's the attractive car of them all may seem like a big statement, yet we can more than back up that claim. Because the Fiat 500 has been elected 2009 ‘Design Car of the Year’ by 59 journalists from around the world .
Full Story
By EWAN KENNEDY
20/04/2009
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VW Golf Is The 2009 World Car Of The Year |
Volkswagen Golf has been voted the 2009 World Car of the Year by a jury comprised of 59 international automotive journalists from 25 countries around the world. These include Paul Gover, Bill McKinnon and Samantha Stevens, three of Australia's most respected motor noters. The announcement was made during the New York International Auto Show which is currently in progress.
Full Story
By EWAN KENNEDY
20/04/2009
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News Briefs 6 April 2009 |
Mercedes In the Mail / New Generation Mazda3 / Spotlight On Hyundai
Full Story
Murray Hubbard / News Sources
04/06/2008
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2011 Renault Megane Sport 250 Trophee |
The new Megane Renault Sport 250 comes in two versions – the Cup and the Cup Trophee – both powered by a new generation 2.0-litre 16-valve turbocharged petrol engine pumping out 184 kW of power at 5000 rpm and top torque of 340 Nm from upwards of 3000 revs.
Full Story
REVIEW By DEREK OGDEN
27/11/2011
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Cleaner, Greener BMWs Thanks To Efficient Dynamics |
BMW has given its cleanest, most economical models the title of BMW EfficientDynamics with many of these being introduced to Australia later this month. Ours is the first market outside of the European Union to offer such a comprehensive array of BMW EfficientDynamics technologies, indicating just how seriously our market is being treated by the upmarket German marque.
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By EWAN KENNEDY
05/05/2009
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All New City In Australia |
Honda is introducing the all-new third-generation City to Australia. This latest model introduces new levels of styling, performance, driving dynamics and ride quality combined with outstanding packaging, functionality and versatility.
Full Story
By MURRAY HUBBARD
02/05/2009
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Camry Hybrid Leads The Field |
And now for something right out of left track. A hybrid vehicle will act as a pace car at upcoming NASCAR oval track races. The petrol-electric Camry will pace a 600 mile (960 km) race around a one and a half mile (2.4 km) oval in North Carolina on May 24.
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By EWAN KENNEDY
01/05/2009
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Dress Up Packages For Audi's New Q5 |
Pleased with the success of its new Q5 compact SUV Audi has introduced exterior styling packages to allow owners to personalise their vehicles. The ‘Off-road Styling Package’ is aimed at giving the Q5 a more ‘outdoor’ look, or a sportier appearance with an ‘S line’ package.
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By EWAN KENNEDY
01/05/2009
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Focus On Quietness In New Focus |
Ford Australia is about to introduce a heavily reworked version of its mid-sized Focus series. Officially it's not on display at dealers until May 1, but a little bird tells us you may be able to see one, perhaps even test drive it, before then. Styling changes are relatively small, but under that steeply sloping bonnet there are some serious mechanical changes.
Full Story
By EWAN KENNEDY
24/04/2009
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Honda's Odyssey Into Greater Refinement |
Honda has never followed convention. Nowhere is this more obvious than in its Odyssey range of people movers. Whilst other makers come up with tall boxy vehicles, with, perhaps a sloping front, Honda has always gone for a low, sleek look. Coming up with a vehicle car lovers don’t mind being seen in.
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By EWAN KENNEDY
13/04/2009
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Soul, Man - And Woman |
And now for something completely different. Kia's Soul isn't aimed so much at those looking for transport, but at people wanting to set trends and to be seen as making their own distinctive way in life. Launched to lifestyle and motoring journalists alike at a spectacular event in Sydney, the new Soul apparently caused the skies to open.
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By EWAN KENNEDY
04/04/2009
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Volkswagen Eos Practical Open Air Motoring |
Volkswagen's Eos convertible has a fascinating new design of folding hardtop that's unlike any other on the market. Fascinating because it has a conventional glass sunroof built into the folding roof. The sunroof can be operated while the car is moving, so the moment the impulse for extra fresh air strikes it's there for the asking without having to find somewhere to stop.
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By EWAN KENNEDY
04/04/2009
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Maximum Celebrations For Mini’s Birthday |
The Morris Mini is one of the most influential automotive designs since the end of the Second World War. Now the little car that change the world is about to celebrate its 50th birthday, and will do so in a huge way over an action packed weekend at the Silverstone race track in the UK from 22 - 24 May 2009.
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By EWAN KENNEDY
05/01/2009
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Ride with Jim Richards! |
Jim Richards is arguably the most popular racing car driver of all time in Australia. The fascinating thing about this guy is that he appeals to everyone, not just the revheads. Bored wives and girlfriends watching car racing on TV with their partners support Jim
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By EWAN KENNEDY
05/01/2009
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Co-Operation, Not Competition |
Though it would be nice if it was otherwise, driving in traffic is a fact of life to the nine out of ten Australians who live in metropolitan areas. So driving should be a co-operative activity, not a competitive one. Invariably in life things work best when everyone works together to reach a common goal.
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By EWAN KENNEDY
05/07/2010
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Airbags Save Lives |
Airbags, which began to be fitted to upmarket cars during the early 1990s, and which are common in everything on the market these days, are intended to work in conjunction with seat belts to further improve safety in crashes.
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By EWAN KENNEDY
26/06/2010
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Misleading Advertising |
The people striving to sell cars, particularly those in the creative centres putting together major marketing campaigns, sometimes get so far away from reality that they begin to twist people’s perceptions. One of their favourite tricks is to make consumers believe that ordinary things are really something very different, special and highly desirable.
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By EWAN KENNEDY
04/02/2010
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Traffic Lights At Rail Crossings? |
I received an interesting email from a regular reader this morning, let's call him Tony. He was saddened by the memories of the Kerang level-crossing crash in 2007 which killed 11 people and seriously injured eight more. Memories that were brought back by the recent trial and acquittal of truck driver involved in the crash.
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By EWAN KENNEDY
19/06/2009
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Soft And Fluffy Things |
I would like to talk about soft and fluffy things this week. Soft and fluffy toys are wonderful things in their correct place, kids of all ages love to play with them. They can make great displays in bedrooms, sunrooms and suchlike locations. I love them there and admire the displays that are put together at times. But the soft and fluffy things have to be in the right location and that's not in the potentially dangerous environment of the motor car.
Full Story
By EWAN KENNEDY
14/06/2009
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Cooperation Enhances Road Safety |
Had an interesting talk with a high level policeman the other day. No, I hadn't done anything wrong, at least nothing that he knew about! It was during a break from talks at a road safety function and the policeman was more willing than usual to talk to a journalist. Because he realised I wasn’t out for a sensational story, but that I was genuinely interested in making our roads safer.
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By EWAN KENNEDY
06/04/2009
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Changing Lanes |
Since penning a piece on the failure of too many drivers to ‘Keep Left Unless Overtaking’, particularly on motorways, I've received quite a few emails. The great majority are in complete agreement with my words. With many replies saying that if the police spent more time enforcing this law instead of simply sitting behind speed cameras life would be safer and more relaxed on the road.
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By EWAN KENNEDY
23/02/2009
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Keep Left Unless Overtaking |
“Keep Left Unless Overtaking” say the signs. It’s a simple instruction that should be easy to obey. So why do so many drivers struggle with the concept?
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By EWAN KENNEDY
02/02/2009
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Lost Souls |
Short of a car crash there can be few things more terrifying to a driver than getting lost in a strange city. Feeling trapped in a crowded traffic situation with vehicles everywhere, street signs that often make sense only to locals, or streets without any signs at all. Then there's the frustration of not being unable to turn in the direction you want because there's no-right-turn.
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By EWAN KENNEDY
14/01/2009
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Slow And Dirty |
I walked from a hotel to the domestic terminal at Sydney airport the other day. I could have caught the hotel shuttle bus but I reasoned that 15 minutes of early morning exercise would do me good and tie in with my new-year’s resolution to look after myself better.
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By EWAN KENNEDY
13/01/2009
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Take The Sting Out Of Roundabouts |
Roundabouts are one of the most sensible pieces of traffic engineering every devised. Yet they seem to create huge amounts of confusion in the minds of many drivers. Perhaps because the concept of a roundabout is so simple they feel there must be hidden traps. The really good thing about roundabouts is that they eliminate complex turns.
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By EWAN KENNEDY
05/01/2009
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Excessive Speed Is Not Particularly Dangerous |
Yet another unbiased and scientifically correct study has come out on the subject of causes of car crashes. And yet again excessive speed has been shown as being the reason for only a small percentage of crashes.
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By EWAN KENNEDY
29/12/2008
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Beware The Missing Motor Show |
Those of you who attended the 2008 Sydney motor show – these days known somewhat grandly as the Australian International Motor Show – would have noticed the event was somewhat less grand than usual.
Though it is the biggest motor show in Australia, the Sydney event wasn’t attended by many of the major marques. Companies such as Alfa Romeo, Audi, BMW, Citroen, Mercedes-Benz and quite a few others chose not to make an appearance this year.
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By EWAN KENNEDY
01/12/2008
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Hands-On Driving |
Keeping two hands on the steering wheel seems like the most basic of requirements for safe driving. Yet it’s becoming appallingly apparent that people driving with both hands on the steering is increasingly unusual. To make matters worse, having two hands on a steering in something remotely resembling the correct position is an even less common sight.
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By EWAN KENNEDY
24/11/2008
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Measure Competency, Not Speed? |
I recently commented that a good driver in an excellent car exceeding the speed limit was far more likely to get booked than a sloppy driver in a bad car travelling within the speed limit. I’ve yet to find anyone who disagrees with my statement, indeed some people to whom I have spoken are becoming increasingly heated on the subject of their speeding tickets, with hidden cameras being universally hated. But what can be done to make things fairer?
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By EWAN KENNEDY
17/11/2008
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Aurion Racer Backs V8 Supercars |
For years there has been speculation that Toyota Australia might enter V8 Supercar racing. There are two schools of thought on this, the more broadminded feel that having a third marque join Ford and Holden would further liven up what's already a very popular racing series. The more traditional racegoer likes things just the way they are.
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By EWAN KENNEDY
27/10/2008
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Too Close To Home |
You would think that drivers would take extra care as they entered their home area. After all, their neighbours are close by, as are kids, dogs and all sorts of assorted items like footballs, cricket bats, skateboards and the like. Sadly, my observations show exactly the opposite takes place. The closer people are to their home the more likely they are to drive dangerously.
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By EWAN KENNEDY
22/09/2008, 01:53
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Brake Light Or Breaks? |
There don't seem to be as many brake lights on cars these days as there used to. Sure the lenses are still attached to the rears of cars, but not all of them light up. Indeed it’s not unusual to see a car that should have three brake lights, but only one of them goes on when the pedal is pushed. And I’ve seen a fair few cars with no brake lights at all…
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By EWAN KENNEDY
30/06/2008
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Lighting Up |
Do we need to drive with our vehicles’ headlights on all the time in Australia? It’s becoming quite a common requirement in some European countries, with drivers being told to have the lights on, and some countries are telling makers to design all new models with headlights that come on automatically with the ignition.
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By EWAN KENNEDY
09/06/2008
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Backwards Or Upside Down? |
“Way Free” said the traffic sign on the road in front of my car. Having grown up in an era where hippies and beatniks were a colourful part of the social scene, my mind wondered what was so free. The “Way Free” presumably fell into line with phrases like “way out”, “way cool”, perhaps even “way to go, man”.
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By EWAN KENNEDY
12/01/2008
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1.5 Seconds Early – Or Dead On Time? |
I saved a man a lot of money, time and trouble earlier this week, though I’m not sure he is aware of the fact. Let me explain: his BMW 3 Series was a mere car length behind the Volkswagen Golf I was road testing and we were running in a line of traffic, doing around 80 km/h in an 80 zone. He was far too close and tailgating for no reason other than a sense of urgency, an urgency that was possibly real, but much more likely was purely imaginary.
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By EWAN KENNEDY
06/01/2008
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Eat-Driving |
The National Motorists Association of Australia (NMAA) has expressed concern about the dangerous practice of 'eat-driving'. Jim Wright, the secretary of the NMAA, says that American findings appear to prove that eating behind the wheel is potentially even more dangerous than using a mobile phone. I don’t know if that research can be directly translated to Australia as our habits usually aren't as bad as the American's.
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By EWAN KENNEDY
09/01/2006
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