No comments

ZETA

  By

The unorthodox-looking Zeta saloon was a multipurpose Australian family car using a mixture of locally made and imported parts. Produced in Adelaide by Lightburn & Company Ltd from 1963, it was made in small numbers until 1966. The Zeta was claimed to be the first vehicle sold in Australia which combined the attributes of a sedan, wagon and light delivery truck. Its two-door fibreglass body was an ungainly but ingenious design with seats which could be folded flat or quickly removed to provide a large cargo area. The seats could… Read more

No comments

BMW M5 COMPETITION

  By ,

The new BMW M5 Competition high-performance sedan is coming to Australia in October. Featuring a more powerful engine, upgraded suspension, wheels and tyres and even engine mounts and is aimed at giving a driving experience for those very serious about their high-performance motoring. The 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 engine has a 25 horsepower increase in engine output over the standard BMW M5 – lifting it from 600 to 625 hp at 6000 rpm. (In Australian numbers that’s a 441 kilowatts.) Peak torque is 750 Newton metres and is on tap over… Read more

No comments

2019 HYUNDAI TUCSON RELEASED

  By ,

Hyundai’s popular Tucson SUV has been given upgraded powertrains, a solid facelift, new design wheels and a revised interior. There’s a strong emphasis on infotainment and safety technology. Every 2019 Tucson has more standard equipment than the preceding model. A new entry level model has been released and features the interesting tag of Tucson Go. The tablet-style multimedia system is standard across the Tucson range including access to both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Tucson Active X has additional features including leather interior trim, an 8-inch satellite navigation system with… Read more

No comments

ADVICE ON REAR BRAKES FROM BENDIX

  By

Bendix, Australia’s leading brake manufacturer, has put out the following press release regarding vehicles fitted with stability control: “The rule of thumb when servicing brakes and brake pads, used to be that since the rear brakes do less work than the front brakes, the pads will last twice as long. Bendix advise however that in modern cars and vehicles, this is no longer the case. With the advent of traction control, stability programs and electronic brake force distribution systems found in today’s modern cars, the rear brakes are given a… Read more

No comments

WHERE TO SEE THE MELBOURNE CUP?

  By ,

Want to see the Melbourne Cup? Not just the race but the famous Cup itself? Now you can, Lexus Australia and the Victoria Racing Club have organised a “people’s tour of the Lexus Melbourne Cup” to 39 locations in Australia The $200,000 gold trophy that is the Melbourne Cup has just returned from a tour of the UK and Ireland to mark the 25th anniversary of the first foreign-trained horse to win the Melbourne Cup, Irish galloper Vintage Crop in 1993. The Lexus Melbourne Cup took pride of place at… Read more

No comments

ARE YOUR AIRBAGS SAFE?

  By

Vehicle owners throughout Australia are being urged by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) to check if their vehicles are fitted with a faulty Takata airbag inflator. www.IsMyAirbagSafe.com.au/ will be publicised by a national advertising campaign to get vehicle owners to the site to check their number plate against the database of affected vehicles. They can also text the word “Takata” to 0487 AIRBAG (0487 247 224) for further advice. The campaign’s powerful message “Don’t Die Wondering” is deliberately confronting to gain the attention of more than 1.6 million… Read more

No comments

2018 HONDA ODYSSEY REVIEW

  By ,

Honda Odyssey has been on sale in Australia since 1995 when the people mover was the vehicle of choice for those needing to transport more than five. For most of that period it’s been a three-way tussle between Odyssey, Toyota Tarago and Kia Carnival although the SUV phenomenon has taken many sales away from the segment. Honda made a bit of a gamble in its third and fourth generation model by lowering Odyssey’s height to make it look and perform more like a station wagon but with the arrival of… Read more

No comments

HYUNDAI i45 AND SONATA 2010 – 2017

  By ,
2015 Hyundai Sonata

Hyundai Sonata has been sold in Australia since 1993. It was temporarily renamed the Hyundai i45 from May 2010 till mid 2013. The name change was due to an upmarket sales push created by its almost futuristic shape and significantly improved build quality. Another factor was probably the rapidly growing movement from cars to SUVs Australian-wide. Anyhow, after a hiatus of two years the Sonata title was brought back to Australia in February 2015. By this time the Hyundai importers had become very serious about the needs and desires of… Read more

No comments

MERCEDES-BENZ: NEW S COUPE AND CABRIOLET

  By ,

The new Mercedes-Benz S-Class Coupe and Cabriolet are now on sale in Australia. Both feature a long list of standard equipment as seen not only in the Mercedes-Benz S-Class saloon, but also from the flagship of the German prestige range, the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class. Mercedes S 560 Coupe and Cabriolet have front Active Multi-contour Seats that use inflatable chambers to provide adjustable lateral and lumbar support, including a lumbar massage function. Active lateral bolsters adjust to support occupants during cornering. High quaintly Nappa leather trim is used in both vehicles. Energising… Read more

No comments

FORD EVEREST GETS MAJOR UPGRADE

  By ,

Ford has announced major upgrades for its big 2019 Everest SUV, with a stylish facelift, added levels of equipment, new fuel-efficient powertrains and optional Driver Assist Technology (DAT), the latter including Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB). Just as important in today’s hotly contested SUV market the Everest has a warranty of five years with no distance limit. Ford Everest is sold in five- and seven-seat variants and offers the choice of two- or four-wheel drive. The 4WD models have higher ground clearance for those who like to get serious in mild… Read more