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HARD TO GO PAST THIS MAZDA SUV CHAMPION

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When it comes to handing out accolades in the automotive industry, not surprisingly, vehicle sales earn the most kudos. With that in mind, one undisputed market champion is the Mazda CX-5 sports utility vehicle. The latest version, the Next-Gen CX-5, is helping keep Australia’s most popular SUV for the past four years, in that coveted position. Launched in 2012 as Mazda’s first new-generation model featuring Kodo design – the Soul of Motion – and Skyactiv technology, the new CX-5, the second generation, Mazda says, refines every aspect of the company’s… Read more

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2019 MAZDA CX-8 REVEALED

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Mazda Australia has announced the company’s brand new model, the CX-8 is coming Downunder, though not till the second half of the year. A seven-seat SUV powered at this stage only by a 2.2-litre turbo-diesel engine, it sits between Mazda’s CX-5 and CX-9 There’s currently no Mazda CX-7 as it was aimed at the sporty SUV buyer and not at the family car folks, however there’s still room for the 7 to slot in at sometime in the future. Mazda tells us the CX-8 is narrower and shorter than the… Read more

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SKODA FABIA 2011 – 2016

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2011 Skoda Fabia

Skoda has been back on the Australian market for 10 years now. While new car sales are gradually rising they are still lower than most experts feel they should be. Why? It’s hard to say as it’s a respected European brand and backed by the Volkswagen Group. Interestingly, the Czech car company is one of the world’s oldest, dating back to 1895. Using manyof the same out-of-sight components as the Audi A1 and Volkswagen Polo means Skoda Fabia has a lot going for it. Slow sales may be bad news… Read more

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TENNIS SPECIALS FROM KIA

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Kia has sponsored the Australian Open tennis for many years and it comes as no surprise that it has just announced some special editions to tie with the event. Indeed, the only surprise is that the South Korean giant hasn’t done it every year. The most popular is sure to be the Kia Rafa Stinger Signature Edition. Just 75 are being built – that number to mark Rafael Nadal’s 75 singles titles to date. Each will have body decals that feature a Rafa signature, and a unique title number on… Read more

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STUNNING TEST DRIVES OF FORD MUSTANG

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Like to spend a couple of hours at the wheel of a Ford Mustang on Australia Day? Ford Australia has introduced ‘The Ultimate Mustang Road Trip’ over the Australia Day long weekend, January 25 to 28. And not just on any roads, but on some of Australia’s most beautiful driving roads, including the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria, the Northern Beaches in Sydney and Coolangatta in Queensland. Pop-up locations for these spectacular two-hour test drives are: New South Wales: St Ives Showground, 450 Mona Vale Rd, St. Ives, NSW, 2075. Victoria:… Read more

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2018 HOLDEN EQUINOX LTZ REVIEW

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Holden has added an all-new vehicle to the already crowded family SUV Australian sales race. Though it’s similar in size to the ageing Captiva Holden tells us the Equinox isn’t a direct successor. In fact, some Captiva models will be sharing showrooms with the Equinox. We don’t anticipate that situation to last, but Holden is keeping its plans to itself. Equinox is certainly a far more modern vehicle than the Captiva in style, technology and safety. A five-seat vehicle, the Equinox will be complemented by a larger SUV, the Holden… Read more

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DRIVER TRAINING IS DANGEROUS?

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Had an interesting chat to a lucky young fellow the other day. He came from a wealthy family in the bush and his dad piloted a Cessna plane to let them cover the huge distances in the great Australian outback. It came as no surprise that the youngster had learned to fly from the age of just six. Sitting on dad’s knee and taking hold of the controls and being a junior pilot. He couldn’t reach the pedals at that stage, but learned how to help with the steering and… Read more

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STUTZ BEARCAT

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1932 Stutz DV-32 Super Bearcat

Harry C Stutz built his first gas buggy in 1899 and later went into the manufacture of transmissions and axles. His first involvement with automobile manufacture was in 1907 when he designed the American Underslung. Stutz created the Underslung by inverting an orthodox chassis so that it hung from its axles instead of riding above them. With front and rear leafsprings anchored outboard and above the frame, added stability was obtained. This placed the centre of gravity much closer to the ground and these basic principles are still common to… Read more

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60TH ANNIVERSARY FIAT 500 CABRIOLET

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Fiat Australia is importing a special edition 60th Anniversary Fiat 500 as a tribute to the original cute-as-a-button, and very Italian, Fiat 500. Soon given the pet name of Cinquecento, the tiny four-seater (yes, four!) first went onto the road in 1957. The 60th Anniversary Fiat 500 is only sold as a cabriolet, it features classic styling cues, with a vinyl dashboard, the vintage logo on the front and a chrome finish on the bonnet. Its dual-colour body paintwork has a three-layer white for the lower sections of the body,… Read more

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SUZUKI SWIFT SPORT TURBO

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Small car master, Suzuki knows a thing or two about building hot machines at modest prices. We won’t get into talking about Suzuki motorcycles here, we’ll leave that for our bike guys Peter Thoeming and Stuart Woodbury. What we are reporting on is the latest version of a car that first delighted hot-car lovers on a limited budget – the Suzuki Swift GTi – over thirty years back. In recent generations it has been given the title of Swift Sport Turbo. The term ‘pocket rocket’ has been used many times… Read more