Category: News

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NEW MERCEDES-BENZ X-CLASS PICKUP

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Mercedes-Benz has entered the pickup-truck market in Australia with a range of X-Class four-door models featuring two- or four-wheel drive and a variety of equipment levels. Though we tend to associate Mercedes with upmarket passenger cars the German company has long had a strong presence in commercial vehicles, with vans, buses of various sizes and large trucks. All X-Class models are powered by a 2.3-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine that comes in in two formats; the Mercedes X 220 d has a single turbocharger with 120 kW and 403 Nm, the… Read more

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2019 FORD FOCUS: FIRST DETAILS

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Ford Australia has provided us with detailed information on the German-made Focus that’s due here at a date yet to be announced, but probably late this year. New Ford Focus will be the first vehicle built on company’s C2 global platform, making for greater body strength with less weight. Styling gives it a low and sleek look, with a huge front grille and a slick tail obviously aimed at low aero drag. It certainly moves away from the somewhat bland shape of previous Focuses. Body types are sedan, five-door hatchback… Read more

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ALL-NEW LEXUS LS

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How time flies, 28 years ago the first Lexus LS sedan (or should that be saloon?) arrived in Australia to be greeted with a fair bit of scepticism. Many felt that Toyota was taking a huge risk by introducing an upmarket sub-brand called Lexus to tackle the likes of Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar, BMW and Audi. Yet the Japanese giant succeeded and has not only survived, but also shown the big name Europeans a thing or two about highly impressive quality control and near-silent running. The Euros were shocked into making big… Read more

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KIA PICANTO GT-LINE ANNOUNCED

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Kia Australia introduced the Picanto Australian Open special edition in January to celebrate the Korean company’s continued sponsorship of major tennis event – the first Grand Slam of the global tennis year. The edition was a big success and so is now offered as a continuing member of the Picanto range, this time tagged as the Picanto GT-Line. In Kia-speak ‘GT-Line’ means a car has added visual elements, usually sporting ones, but is not a high-performance ‘GT’. External changes are comprehensive, with16-inch alloy wheels, GT-Line badging, LED position lamps and… Read more

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HYUNDAI i30 MODEL RANGE EXPANDED

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Hyundai is running hard in Australia following the introduction of the i30 N hot-hatch, but the standard models are also receiving the treatment with an expanded model line-up and upgraded features. Engine options for Elite and Premium models now include the 120 kW 2.0-litre petrol engine, which is paired exclusively with a six-speed automatic. A seven-speaker Infinity Premium Audio System is installed in the i30 SR Premium Premium. New to the i30 range it utilises an external amplifier aimed to deliver a fuller frequency response, accurate bass reproduction, and distortion-free… Read more

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NEW 2018 BMW M5

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New BMW M5 has arrived Downunder and is fascinating in that it has the M xDrive all-wheel-drive system to give it full-on track day potential. Yet, if you push some different buttons it gives you the comfort expected of a luxurious high-speed sports sedan. Power from new M5 comes from the latest version of BMW’s 4.4-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine which generates 600 horsepower (441kW). Torque of a big 750 Nm is there from just 1800rpm and remains on tap the way to 5600rpm. Performance is rated to go from zero… Read more

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JAGUAR F-PACE SVR IS COMING

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Jaguar is running hot right now, not only with victories in major awards, but also new models seemingly by the week. The Jaguar F-Pace SUV has taken out the World Car of the Year and World Car Design of the Year, now an ultra-hot SVR has just been announced. Engineered by Jaguar LandRover’s Special Vehicle Operations (SVO), the Jaguar F-Pace SVR has a 5.0-litre V8 supercharged engine producing 540 horsepower (404kW) and 680Nm of torque. The big SUV can now leap from zero to 100km/h in 4.3 seconds, and proceed… Read more

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MAZDA FINE TUNES ITS ICONIC MX-5

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Ever restless in their search for perfection, the engineers at Mazda have given their ND series MX-5 roadster’s rear suspension some minor tweaks. Using information from the development of the Retractable Fastback (RF) version of the MX-5, the soft-top’s rear suspension’s upper link bushings have been lowered and the rear bump stops lengthened. The aim of the latter was to bring the stops into play a little earlier. It’s also there to give a slightly more comfortable ride, but obviously without in any way interfering with the MX-5’s exceptional road… Read more

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MERCEDES-AMG G 63: AN UNLIKELY DRAG RACER

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Way back in the mid 1980s I ran hundreds of acceleration tests on a big variety of vehicles at the sadly now defunct Oran Park racetrack. I did the straight-line stuff while Modern Motor’s editor Barry Lake did hot laps. It seemed a bit silly to be photographed sitting in a huge 4WD with the aerodynamics of a house brick – the just launched Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen – but it was our policy to wear skid lids, so we did. I can’t remember what the zero to 100 km/h time was… Read more

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HOT HYUNDAI i30 N: FIRST DRIVE

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In our recent introductory article on the all-new Hyundai i30 N we discussed it in detail, but were asked to respect an embargo on drive impressions until March 29. We carried out extensive road and track tests from Albury, through , Eskdale, Anglers Rest and returned to Albury via the Omeo Highway and Great Alpine Road. The following day we spent at Winton Raceway for no holds barred driving for the part of five hours. Great days, though some of us were green around the gills after about the first… Read more