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MERCEDES CARS BEING TAUGHT TO DRIVE THE AUSSIE WAY

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Just about everyone I speak to wants to discuss self driving cars. Mercedes-Benz is one of the leaders in this field and its engineers and a special S-Class have just been flown Downunder from Stuttgart to look at some problems unique to our country. To start with there are the infamous Melbourne hook-turns that mystify interstate drivers. I know of some who simply refuse to drive in that city as the hooks scare them. Turning right from the left of the left-hand lane is something the autonomous Mercs will need… Read more

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VOLKSWAGEN GOLF 110TSI COMFORTLINE

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Turmeric is all the rage now, isn’t it? Chips and lattes, creams, salads and soaps. Even cars, it seems. That was the colour of the Golf Comfortline we picked up for the week. Or so the brochure said. Having a mother with Indian heritage, turmeric played a starring role in our household long before celebrities started adding it to their chai. We had it mixed in water to settle upset tummies, sprinkled on cuts to help healing and combined with a touch of coconut oil for a paste for skin… Read more

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MITSUBISHI SUV ADDS MIDDLE-OF-THE-ROAD SAFETY-FIRST

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Mitsubishi has promised a happier new year for ASX buyers with the addition of a new variant to its top-selling small SUV range. The LS ADAS (Advanced Drive Assist Systems) is also standard fitment to the top-line XLS. Drivers of the new mid-level 2018 LS ADAS gain the advantage of forward collision mitigation, lane departure warning and automatic high beam features as well as design upgrades and the latest is smartphone connectivity. The LS 2.0-litre petrol 2WD manual remains the entry level model, coming to the market at $25,000, plus… Read more

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2017 NISSAN 370Z NISMO REVIEW

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Nissan’s 370Z sportscar is getting on in years but still looks the part and is bargain priced. Indeed it recommended retail price has been coming down to compensate for the years going up. For a little over $50,000 on the road it gives you a blast into the past that’s most enjoyable. Now another, pretty special version of the 370Z is on sale, one from the Nissan Motorsports and tuning division Nismo. The 370Z Nismo features added power, sports suspension, wider tyres, bigger brakes, a hot body kit and a… Read more

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OPEL KADETT

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1938 Opel Kadett

Opel cars were first made in Germany by Adam Opel GmbH, a German automobile company founded by Adam Opel in 1863. It became a subsidiary of General Motors (USA) in 1929 with GM holding an 80 per cent interest. General Motors was very impressed by Opel’s modern production facilities and in 1931 GM increased its ownership to 100 per cent. In 1935, Opel became the first German manufacturer to produce over 100,000 vehicles in a year. This was based on the popular Opel P4 model. Opel also produced he first… Read more

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STUTTERING START TO UPGRADED NISSAN SUV

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In one way or another, the Nissan Qashqai has been involved in ringing more changes than a crew of cathedral campanologists. Since its launch in 2007 the small sports utility vehicle has gone through a name change and a raft of iterations. It landed in Australia a year later under the name of Dualis as an all-wheel drive, added a seven-seat variant in 2010 and two years later had become this country’s most popular small SUV. The second generation Dualis reverted to the Qashqai moniker in 2014, at the same… Read more

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2018 RENAULT KOLEOS INTENS TURBO-DIESEL

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New Renault Koleos is significantly larger than the model it superseded in August 2016. Increases to cabin space make it well suited to families with children well into their teenage years. Luggage room has also benefited. The topline Renault Koleos Intens diesel 4WD we road tested had genuine leather trim, heated and ventilated front seats (Yippee! seat ventilation always saves the day in Queensland); ambient cabin lighting; an electric panoramic sunroof and a hands-free power tailgate. The Intens also has added safety features (more about this in the Safety segment… Read more

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HOLDEN’S FAMILY FRIENDLY EQUINOX

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Extremely keen to take an all-new direction following the closure of its factory Holden has introduced an all-new vehicle, tagged Equinox, into the hotly contested SUV field in Australia. The timing couldn’t have been better as buyers are almost queueing up to get into these practical vehicles. Though the Equinox isn’t a direct successor to Holden Captiva, with continues in some variants for a yet-to-be-announced period, it comes pretty close. Equinox is a far more modern vehicle than Captiva in every way. Modern styling, larger interior, high-tech drivetrains and, possibly… Read more

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NEW MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE CROSS

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Determined to stay in tune with Australians love for SUVs Mitsubishi has added a third model to its range. Called Eclipse Cross it sits between the compact ASX and the medium-large Outlander. The Eclipse name does have some history for Mitsubishi having been used in a mid-sized sports coupe sold in overseas markets between 1990 and 2012. During much of that period a closely related model called Mitsubishi Galant was built at the company’s Tonsley Park plant in Adelaide. The timing of Mitsubishi’s early preview of the Eclipse Cross is… Read more

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COOL, MAZDA CX-5 SO EASY TO TAKE

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From pollies to TV celebs to eating-out spots, popularity polls are, well, as popular as ever. The same could be said for automobiles, with cars of the year of all hues coming out of the woodwork at this time. Mazda’s CX-5 SUV is sitting high in the sales race. Launched in 2012 as Mazda’s first new-generation model featuring Kodo design – the Soul of Motion – and Skyactiv Technology, the Next-Gen CX-5, the second generation, Mazda says, refines every aspect of the company’s current technology and design. Australia’s most popular… Read more