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PEUGEOT 508 2011 – 2015

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Peugeot 508 arrived in Australia in July 2011 and replaced two cars, the Peugeot 407 and 607. Clever engineering means the 508 has less mass than the significantly smaller Peugeot 407 and is well under the weight of the 607. Not all 508 models arrived simultaneously, rather they dribbled in over the next 12 months or so. Sitting between 407 and 607, with a leaning to the 607 in size, the Peugeot 508 was sold a a four-door sedan and five-door station wagon. The sedan’s boot is one of the… Read more

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TOUGH TRITON BUILT TO BEAT OFF PRISSY PRETENDERS

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As we speak, waves of SUVs are breaking on shores around the globe, swamping passenger car segments. These sports utility vehicles play in the long shadows of the traditional four-wheel drive vehicle, borrowing bits and pieces from them here and there. But what of the genuine off-roader, used on the land and by tradesmen and women around town? Look no further than the Mitsubishi Triton ute, which has been significantly upgraded for 2017. GLX and GLX+ fit the workhorse bill, while GLS and Exceed add the perfect playground. Two new… Read more

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MAJOR REVISIONS FOR MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER PHEV

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Mitsubishi has been at the forefront of pure electric and hybrid vehicles for many years, both in Australia and globally. The Mitsubishi i-MiEV took its place in Australian automotive history as it was the first ever pure electric production car to go on sale in this country. The Japanese giant is now starting to push hard in Australia on the PHEV (Plug in Hybrid Electric Vehicle) front. The Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV was launched downunder in 2014 and has just received a series of major revisions. These are far reaching, not… Read more

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SAAB 99

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  The Saab 99 became available to the public at the beginning of the European autumn in 1968, being introduced as the 1969 model. By then front-wheel drive was no longer as unique as it had been on the 92 in the late 1940s. Whereas only about 5 per cent of all cars in the world boasted the feature at that time, the figure had reached 20 per cent in 1969 and was rising steadily. Although compelled to abandon the two-stroke engine, Saab had never entertained any thought of forsaking… Read more

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AUDI A3 2.0 TFSI QUATTRO

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The thing about being at the front of the pack is that you are always looking over your shoulder. It is a far easier ride for those competitors in your slipstream, biding their time, waiting for the slightest stumble so they can make their move. To stop that crick in the neck, it makes sense to step up the pace and try to widen the gap. Not so much that you run out of puff mind you, but enough so that you give yourself a chance to breathe. That’s what… Read more

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2017 NISSAN PATHFINDER

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Nissan Pathfinder has received engine, styling and technology changes for 2017. This full-sized SUV has been on sale here in several generations for almost 30 years. Nissan Australia is determined to keep at the forefront of buyers’ minds and has introduced a raft of worthwhile changes. Nissan’s signature grille has been revised, and there are new boomerang-shaped LED daytime running lights. The mirror housings have also been redone. Alloy wheels are in new designs; sizes are 18-inch of the ST and ST-L, with 20-inch units on the Ti. However, the… Read more

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TOYOTA CELEBRATES HILUX SUCCESS WITH A TONKA TRUCK

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We’re all familiar by now with the ‘Mad Monday’ phenomenon where boofy blokes dress up in outrageous costumes and make pests of themselves to celebrate their sporting victories. Having just taken out the motoring equivalent of a grand final win with its HiLux ute – outselling all its rivals in the 2016 sales race – Toyota has decided to celebrate in ‘Mad Monday style by teaming up with toy truck maker Tonka to built an outrageously styled concept ute. Both Tonka and Toyota are household names and celebrate significant anniversaries… Read more

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NEW MAZDA CX-5

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Mazda CX-5 has been a hit in Australia from day one when it arrived here just over five years ago in February 2012. Now the second generation has been introduced. And the relentless series of improvements that drive the Japanese marque mean it exceeds the original in just about every area. Mazda Australia is very highly regarded by head office in Hiroshima so the chief engineer of the CX-5 program, Masaya Kodama came to Australia to introduced his new baby. First let’s talk style as that was one of the… Read more

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ASTON MARTIN ZAGATO

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The Aston Martin company has had a truly chequered career. Over the years there have been a number of times when it looked certain to be going to the wall but on each occasion it was saved by fortunate circumstances ¬– like a major win of a title or at an important event. In 1960 Aston Martin introduced their DB4GT Zagato, a great performing road-legal semi-competition car but one that proved difficult for the average driver to manage on the road and was outperformed by the Ferrari 250GTO on the… Read more

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HOLDEN COMMODORE 2006 – 2015

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2006 Holden Commodore SV6

The end is nigh for the Australian built Holden Commodore, with the factory closing down in October. The nameplate will continue, albeit on a slightly smaller imported model made by Opel in Europe. What does this mean for the Aussie Commodore, and should you rush in and buy one now? Our crystal ball is pretty murky looking, but the light that is showing through suggests that V8s, particularly special editions, may become a little more valuable, or at least depreciate at a lower rate. Manuals may do better than autos…. Read more