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BMW M850i COUPE – A RARE BEAST

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BMW has allocated just eight for the M850i First Edition Coupes for Australia. That’s eight out of 400 being sold globally. All will be painted in BMW Individual Frozen Barcelona Blue metallic paint and rides on Jet Black 20-inch BMW M light alloy wheels in a Y-spoke design. Exterior accents include the extended BMW Individual High Gloss Shadow Line package with high-gloss black treatment to the BMW kidney grille and side air breathers. The M Carbon Exterior Package, usually a cost option on the regular M850i, is fitted as standard… Read more

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RENAULT KOLEOS ZEN REVIEW

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Unlike many of its rivals that have up to five different SUVs in their range Renault has settled on just two models, the compact Captur and, the subject of this test, the mid-sized Koleos. A relatively late arrival on the SUV market Koleos went on sale in Australia in 2008. After facelifts in 2011 and 2013 the current, second-generation, model was released here in 2016. Built at the Renault Samsung Motors plant in Busan, South Korea it shares the same platform, engine and transmission as the Nissan X-Trail. Three variants… Read more

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NEW BMW 7 SERIES ON ITS WAY

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BMW has announced specifications and pricing for the latest version of the 7 Series due for release here in June. In days gone by it would have been called an ‘upgrade’ or a ‘facelift’ but BMW uses the acronym LCI, for ‘Life Cycle Impulse’. The current, sixth generation, 7 Series has been in production since 2015 and the most noticeable change for the MY2019 model is at the front with a 40 per cent larger version of the traditional BMW kidney grille with an aggressive kink at the top; slimmer… Read more

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GT A FINELY BALANCED CERATO FRONT RUNNER

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Kia continues its love affair unabated with ‘G’ and ‘T’ (No, not the alcoholic beverage, the sporty suffix). Hot on the heels of the Picanto GT and various GT-Line models, the Cerato came up with a ‘GT’ variant. Does it earn it? Added to this is a multi-link independent rear suspension, the work of a local ride-and-handling team of engineers tasked with matching the car with Australia’s wide-ranging road surfaces. Sport mapping added steering sharpness and weighting, as well as more precise shift points in Sport Mode, combine with a… Read more

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NEW VENUE WILL BE HYUNDAI’S MOST AFFORDABLE SUV

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Hyundai has added a new entry-level model to its SUV range. Launched at the New York International Auto Show the Hyundai Venue sits below the Kona, Tucson and Santa Fe in size and price. Pricing is yet to be announced but, given that it’s described as “Hyundai’s most affordable SUV”, it will come in below the $23,500 tag on the Kona Go. There’s even speculation that it could start sub-$20,000 for a stripped down basic model. We’ve yet to see Venue in the metal but photos show a squarish, functional… Read more

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HONDA ODYSSEY 2009 – 2017

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2016 Honda Odyssey

Honda Odyssey is a practical vehicle that makes a lot more sense than the large seven-seat SUVs. While the Odyssey doesn’t give its owner the feeling they can conquer the Simpson Desert, it does offer a smooth, quiet ride and excellent interior space. In the fourth generation, where we pick up the long history of the Honda Odyssey, is actually lower than some station wagons. Inside it’s positively futuristic, with a sweeping-wave dash and instruments that sit in no fewer than four layers. Access to the rearmost seats is easier… Read more

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VOLVO XC40 T4 INSCRIPTION

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The very Swedish Volvo XC40 midsize SUV has an excellent blend of style, performance and practicality. And it goes without saying it’s one of the safety vehicles on our roads. Volvo has just revised its XC40 range and added a new model called Inscription. Sitting midway between the existing Momentum and the sporty R-Design the Inscription features a powered front passenger seat, leather-trim, ambient interior lighting and a powered tailgate. It is the subject of this review. The XC40 is slightly larger than others in its class, at 4425mm long,… Read more

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BMW Z4 2009 – 2018

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BMW Z4 and its predecessor the Z3 are genuine sportscars not simply convertibles, meaning they have a long bonnet and the occupants sit close to the rear wheels. The Z4 first reached us Downunder in 2004, but in this used car checkout we will begin with the introduction of the second generation from September 2009. While it continued the same theme as the original the 2009 model was tamed slightly. Certainly not to the point of being subdued, but to be easier to live with on a daily basis. Previously… Read more

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NEW FORD ESCAPE WILL BE OFFERED AS A HYBRID

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In an interesting move, Ford Australia has announced that its all-new Ford Escape SUV will be offered as a plug-in hybrid when it arrives Downunder in 2020. It will be the first Ford PHEV (Plug-in Hybrid Electric) model offered in this country and indicates Ford is serious about meeting future owners’ needs. Escape hybrid will be powered by 2.5-litre, four-cylinder Atkinson-cycle petrol engine, electric motor and generator, and 14.4kWh lithium-ion battery to produce up to 165kW of power. Ford says it will have a fully-electric driving range in excess of… Read more

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VOLKSWAGEN MULTIVAN BLACK EDITION

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Volkswagen Australia realises that many people are buying seven-seat SUVs because they are tough and trendy but often then come to realise that the back seats can be difficult to get into and squeezy once you’re there. So VW also sells a Multivan seven-seater that offers spacious accommodation for seven. It hasn’t sold as well as anticipated and so it has introduced a stylish Multivan Black Edition. Some 230 examples of the Multivan Black Edition are coming Downunder. The launch of the Black Edition took place at the Manly (Sydney)… Read more