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THE $1.5 MILLION NISSAN GT-R50

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Nissan has confirmed the production design of the Nissan GT-R50 by Italdesign and has opened the order books for the 50-vehicle limited run. The car’s exterior is virtually unchanged from the prototype first shown in July at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in England. Nissan collaborated with Italdesign to create the model, based on the latest Nissan GT-R Nismo, in commemoration of the 50th anniversaries of the GT-R in 2019 and Italdesign in 2018. While the prototype vehicle was finished in a special grey with gold accents, customers will be… Read more

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KIA RIO 2011 – 2017

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2012 Kia Rio hatch

Kia Rio is a small South Korean car that has improved significantly in the generations being reviewed here. In fact it’s up with the best in its class from the 2011 third-generation car onwards. This is not only due to constantly improving build quality, but also to the fact that significant handling and suspension changes were made to the Rio following extensive work by Australian and South Korean engineers in this important field. Australians really do enjoy driving and pre-purchase test drives often swing them to Kias against others in… Read more

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JEEP COMPASS HEADS IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION

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Jeep Compass has been on sale on-and-off in Australia since 2007 and was the iconic American company’s first foray into the compact SUV field. The subject of this week’s test, Gen 3 Compass, was launched at the start of 2018.There are five models in the Compass comes range with a choice of petrol and diesel engines, two- or four-wheel drive and four specification levels: Sport, Longitude, Limited and Trailhawk. Prices range from $28,850 for the 2WD petrol manual Sport through to $44,750 for the AWD diesel automatic Trailhawk. ENGINES /… Read more

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ASX PACKS MORE INTO ‘COMPACT’ THAN STRIKING DESIGN

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Mitsubishi has given its compact sports utility vehicle, the ASX, a thorough spring clean, with upgrades across the range and the addition of a new entry-level variant, the ES. This brings the 2019 range to three specification levels – ES, LS and Exceed – or four with a $1000 optional safety package for the ES, which includes blind spot warning, lane change assist, lane departure warning, rear cross traffic alert and forward collision mitigation, along with reversing sensors, dusk sensing headlamps and rain sensing wipers. All variants are powered by… Read more

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NEW PORSCHE 911: WORLD REVEAL

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The eighth generation Porsche 911 (type 992) had its world premiere on the eve of the Los Angeles Auto Show. The next generation of flat-six turbocharged engines has been further developed and is more powerful than ever before, with 331 kW (450 hp) in the Carrera S models. This corresponds to an increase of 22 kW (30 hp) over the previous model. The engine sits behind a new eight-speed dual-clutch transmission PDK as standard. As a result, the new 911s get from zero to 100 km/h in significantly under four… Read more

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LIMITED-EDITION LEXUS LC COUPE

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My dislike of what I call the “500 shades of grey” in car colours is well known to regular readers, so I’m delight to announce that Lexus has revealed a dazzling yellow theme in a limited-edition versions of its LC flagship coupe. Zinnia Yellow exterior paint matched and Mikado Alcantara door inserts are major features. There is also the same yellow shade for contrast stitching on the white semi-aniline leather-accented seats, instrument panel, steering wheel and centre console armrest. The limited-edition variants are based on the Lexus LC coupe with… Read more

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2019 MERCEDES A 250 4MATIC

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Mercedes-Benz has added an extra variant to its A-Class range. The new A 250 4MATIC joins the A 200 but with significantly more power as well as the extra traction from all-wheel drive. The A 250 4MATIC develops 165 kW of power and 350 Nm of torque, well up on the 120 kW and 250 Nm from the A 200. Transmission is through a 7G-DCT dual-clutch automatic to all four wheels. The 4MATIC system has been upgraded for increased efficiency as well as to allow extra driver input through the… Read more

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AUDI A7 2011 – 2017

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2014 Audi RS7 Sportback

Tthe A7 Sportback in Australia in March 2011. A niche model, it’s based on the Audi A6 sedan but is a five-door hatchback with a sporty look and plenty of styling flair. The Audi A7 Sportback has a coupe-like shape and competes with Mercedes CLS and BMW 5 Series GT. Some feel the Porsche Panamera, a distant cousin of the Audi, can also be taken into consideration. This is purely a four-seat coupe, with the two rear units being individual seats. A smart move to our way of thinking because… Read more

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JEEP CHEROKEE TRAILHAWK

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Looks may be subjective but when they prevent sales, car manufacturers have little choice but to take notice. The Cherokee, Jeep’s mid-sized SUV, has been at the centre of this kind of talk for a couple of years with its polarising nose finding little favour with buyers. Now, however, Jeep has taken steps to put the Cherokee back in the race with smart new exterior styling and a better all-round value-for-money offering. We put the range-topping Trailhawk through its paces. STYLING This new Jeep Cherokee debuts a more conventional look,… Read more

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INFINITI REVAMPS Q30 AND QX30

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Infiniti has introduced new standard features on its Q30 and QX30 ranges. It has also reduced the number of variants and given them different model names. Just as importantly there are reduced prices to help increase sales – which have been disappointedly low to date. The Infiniti Q30 hatch comes in two just two variants, down from five: an entry-grade Q30 Pure and an upper mid-spec Q30 Sport. The previous QX30 range has been trimmed to just a single model, the QX30 Sport. The QX30 2.0 litre Turbo GT Premium… Read more