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2017 RENAULT CLIO REVIEW

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The facelifted Renault Clio not only has a stronger look but also added features and – best of all – it’s prices have been trimmed by $2000. The range now starts at $15,990 for the Clio Life manual, and stretches up to a still pretty reasonable $22,990 for the Clio GT-Line and the Clio Intens, the latter two come only with automatic transmission. Note that on-road charges have to be factored in, but you still get a lot of French flair for a pretty modest outlay. As a sweetener to… Read more

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NEW LAND ROVER DISCOVERY IS HERE

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Land Rover chose one of Australia’s most iconic and recognisable locations, Uluru, to launch the latest version of its Discovery SUV. You will need to take our word for this because, in respect to the wishes of the traditional owners of the land, no photographs will be published showing the new bigger Disco in front of the old, and much, much bigger, red rock. When the first Land Rover Discovery was produced in 1989 it was a cross between the capable, but rather crude Defender and the luxurious Range Rover…. Read more

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TOYOTA KLUGER 2003 – 2015

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Toyota has dominated 4WD and SUV markets in Australia for many decades. In October 2003 it introduced yet another vehicle to its range, the Toyota Kluger. It sits neatly in the gap between the smallish RAV4 and the relatively serious chassis-mounted Prado. Kluger is based on a car platform, similar to that of the Camry at the time. It was toughened up to let it take part in mild to medium off-road driving. Initially it was driven by all four wheels, but a 2WD (the front wheels) was added to… Read more

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2017 AUDI Q2 1.4TFSI REVIEW

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The new Q2 is the fourth Audi SUV added to the Australian market in the last few years joining the Q7, Q5 and Q3 in formidable line-up that is capturing the interest of those SUV buyers who are a tad partial to a touch of luxury. The Q2 is designed, priced and equipped to appeal to the younger, edgier crowd who want elegance and performance and some head-turning too wrapped into one. STYLING Polygonal shaping differentiates the Q2 from the rest of the Q family at present with that design… Read more

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FORD P6 LTD

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Bearing absolutely no family resemblance to the then current XC Falcon, the P6 LTD caused something of a sensation. It was first introduced in September 1976 and all up 5896 vehicles were built. It was eventually replaced by the FC LTD in June 1979. The P6 was big and looked big. Styling was clean and crisp in the American manner. The wheelbase was 3074mm, the longest of any modern passenger car in Australia. The engine continued to be the well proven 5.8-litre V8, designed to meet newly introduced emission controls…. Read more

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2017 PORSCHE MACAN GTS REVIEW

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Porsche is introducing new members to its Macan midsize SUV at a rate that’s hard to keep up with. Late in 2016 it came up with a low-cost 185 kW four-cylinder model retailing for just $80,410. Earlier in the year Porsche had added a Performance Package to the already hot Macan Turbo. With a tag of $133,800 it wasn’t exactly cheap, but having 324 kW under your right foot made it a proposal for those who are cash rich. So, it seemed like a good time to get behind the… Read more

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MAZDA’S LONG AUSTRALIAN HISTORY

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Mazda Australia is proud of the fact that its Mazda3 is chosen by more Australians than any other car. Pointing out that while Toyota Corolla sometimes outsells the Mazda3 overall, many Corollas are bought by company fleets. But when buyers make their own choices more go for the Mazda3. Splitting hairs? Perhaps, but it is certainly a valid point that given a choice, the ‘3 is number 1. Mazda3 began its life as Mazda 323 just on 40 years ago and to celebrate its 40th anniversary Mazda invited a select… Read more

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TOYOTA STYLE PARIS FASHION

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Safety and style: it appears Toyota is covering all bases with its revised light passenger vehicle, the Yaris hatchback. It has class-leading safety systems available across the range and is clothed in an interesting shape from the Toyota ED2 design studio in the south of France. The result is premium safety that’s standard on the top-of-the-range Yaris ZR we drove, and a $650 option on the Ascent and mid-range SX variants. Yaris hatches are well equipped, featuring cruise control, a display audio system with controls on the steering wheel spokes,… Read more

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LEXUS LC: A LOVELY COUPE

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You may remember the Lexus LFA supercar of a few years back? It was an ultra-expense, limited-edition model and production ceased in 2012. However, many of the skilled engineers and designers who crafted the LFA were then transferred to the Lexus LC project. That lovely coupe is about to go on sale in Australia and at a considerably lower price than the $750,000 Lexus LFA… Sensibly, Lexus doesn’t charge extra for the hybrid as it has done in the past. Both LC models share a recommended price of $190,000, to… Read more

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NEW AUDI S4 HAS CLASS AND FLAIR

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The new Audi A4 has made a lasting impression in the past 12 months, its understated manner unable to cloak the brilliance beneath the surface. Now, the S4, the first sport variant in the line-up and the first S4 to dip beneath $100,000 is also starting to make its presence felt. STYLING As with the A4, critics more comfortable with sporty cars that scream their worth loud enough to raise a dead man from his slumber, have turned their attention to the S4’s considered demure appearance. Slippery ground that. I,… Read more