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GTI THE ALL-ROUND GOOD GUY OF GOLF CLUB

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Over seven generations, the Volkswagen Golf GTI has led a highly competitive cohort of hot hatches on the way to attaining the status of an icon. The MY19 model is tasked with holding the line. Following production hiccups, the lone variant of the five-door Golf GTI range has finally made it Down Under. The newbie calls on the drivetrain of the 2017 three-door Performance Edition 1, including the same 180kW / 370Nm tune of the 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four, seven-speed wet-clutch DSG transmission, electro-mechanical front differential lock and ventilated front and… Read more

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AUSTRALIAN VEHICLE SALES REPORT: APRIL 2019

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The Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI), the peak body for the Australian automotive industry, has provided the new vehicle sales figures for the month of April 2019. Total sales for the month were 75,550 units, an 8.9 per cent decrease on April 2018 when 82,930 sales were recorded. Year to date sales figures for April 2019 totalled 344,088 units, an 8.1 per cent decrease on the same period in 2018. Tony Weber, chief executive of the FCAI, commented on the April sales figures: “The results for April are in… Read more

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PORSCHE REPRINTS MANUALS ON CLASSIC MODELS

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Porsche Classic has reprinted more than 700 original driver’s manuals, provided first-hand documentation for virtually all its early models, starting with the 356 from model year 1952 to the 911 type 996. Each reprint matches the original version in terms of the printing, look and quality. The documents are now available from all Porsche dealerships worldwide. Detailed information on the technical literature is available on the Porsche Classic website and the Porsche Classic online shop at www.porsche.de/classic-shop/ . The documents for older classic Porsches include not only the driver’s manual,… Read more

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2019 SKODA KAROQ 110TSI

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Skoda Karoq is a midsize SUV from the Czech Republic that shares much of its underpinnings with the Volkswagen Tiguan. Its biggest attraction to many potential buyers is that it, like other Skoda models, sells for significantly less than approximately equivalent VWs. The Karoq we tested was the 110TSI, with a recommended retail price of $29,990, compared to slightly higher price of the Tiguan 110TSI. This comparison isn’t apples-with-apples as there are differences in equipment, but it does give you something to work on depending on your preferences. Some of… Read more

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CELEBRATION OF FOUR-WHEEL DRIVING

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This 1958 Land Rover Series I will be on display at the upcoming Celebration of Four Wheel Driving at Birdwood

Over 100 used and bruised 4×4 vehicles in full camp mode will be on display at Australia’s National Motor Museum’s grounds in Birdwood, South Australia. The one day event will be held on Sunday 19 May from 11am till 3pm. It’s part of the inaugural ARB and Battery World Celebration of Four-Wheel Driving. “There will be so many people, vehicles and campsites – it will be like a major expedition is about to commence,” said Museum Director, Paul Rees. “Most of South Australia’s 4WD clubs will be represented and they’ll… Read more

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SNEAK PEAK: NEW LAND ROVER DEFENDER

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New Land Rover Defender was revealed in lightly-disguised prototype form on April 30th, exactly 71 years to the day since the original Land Rover was shown at the Amsterdam Motor Show in 1948. It probably won’t go on sale until the final quarter of 2019 but development testing is well under way, with the prototype fleet having just passed the 1.2 million kilometre mark. A camouflaged prototype model is preparing to embark on field-testing with global Land Rover conservation partner, Tusk Trust, a non-profit organisation. It will be put to… Read more

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ADDED VITALITY FOR LONG-RUNNING VITARA

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A little over 30 years ago Australia was showing off to the world with Expo 88 in Brisbane, around the same time Suzuki had the first Vitara small sports utility vehicle breaking cover. Now it is the turn of the Vitara Series II to carry the banner. Since, the Vitara, with a grandiose detour to the name of Grand Vitara, has been a mainstay of the Japanese company’s offerings to the automotive world. Now it is the turn of the Vitara Series II to carry the banner. With diesel fast… Read more

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PORSCHE 944

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1989 Porsche 944

In 1985 Porsche introduced a four-cylinder model, the company’s first Porsche’s front-engined family and one that finally matched up with the high-performance 911s: the 944 Turbo. The 944’s four-stroke in-line all-alloy four-cylinder engine, rated at 165kW gave at a maximum speed of over 245 km/h. With a bore and stroke of 100 x 78.9 mm the 2479 cc engine had a lower compression ratio than in a normally aspirated unit, so that it could comfortably accept the forced induction from the intercooled KKK turbocharger. A sophisticated Bosch ‘black box’ took… Read more

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MAKE MONEY WHILE DRIVING

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The future is getting closer all the time, usually for the better, though there are those who prefer to keep things the way they have always been. As a clever example: drivers of Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) vehicles will soon be able to earn cryptocurrency and make payments on the move using innovative connected car services currently being tested. Using ‘Smart Wallet’ technology, they will earn credits by enabling their cars to automatically report useful road condition data such as traffic congestion or potholes to navigation providers or local authorities…. Read more

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NISSAN INTRODUCES QASHQAI ST+

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Nissan has introduced an additional model to its Qashqai range. Qashqai ST+ sits between the entry grade Nissan Qashqai ST and the higher-spec Qashqai ST-L. At the top of the four-model range is the Ti. Qashqai ST+ has all of the features of the ST but adds privacy glass; a 7-inch touchscreen with digital radio, satellite navigation with traffic alert; a 360 degree Intelligent Around-View monitor with moving object detection; and power-folding and heated door mirrors. Qashqai has 430 litres of rear cargo volume, increasing to 1598 litres with the… Read more