No comments

ALL-NEW KIA RIO

  By ,

Kia’s fourth-generation Rio has arrived and it’s significantly better than the already good gen-three model. It features improved ride and handling, safety and has full connectivity for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Kia is very much a global player and was styled in the company’s design centres in Germany and California, overseen by the design Namyang, Korea. Naturally the company’s famed design chief, Peter Schreyer, kept a close eye on the work. The design is neat and tidy and already looks to be timeless rather than ground breaking. It has… Read more

No comments

INFINITI Q50: AN AFFORDABLE PREMIUM SEDAN

  By ,

They say that imitation is the sincerest format of flattery so when Infiniti launched the first batch of its ‘Q’ cars in early 2014 and named them Q50 (for its mid-sized sedan), Q60 (coupe and convertible) and Q70 (large sedan) it was fairly obvious that the Japanese car maker was setting its sights high by imitating the BMW and Audi numbering format. More realistically Infiniti’s main rival is likely to be its Japanese compatriot Lexus. This week’s review car is the Infiniti Q50 and its chances of becoming a realistic… Read more

No comments

PORSCHE 911 GTS MODELS ANNOUNCED

  By ,

Porsche Australia has added five new 911 GTS models to its range. Carrera GTS with rear-wheel drive, 911 Carrera 4 GTS with all-wheel drive, both in coupe and cabriolet bodies, and the 911 Targa 4 GTS with all-wheel drive. A newly developed turbocharger for the 3.0-litre six-cylinder engine increases power to 331 kW (450 hp), up by 22 kW (30 hp) from the 911 Carrera S. Maximum torque of 550 Nm is 50 Nm above that of the Carrera S. It comes in at 2150 rpm and runs all the… Read more

No comments

BALENO IS BACK – WITH MUCH MORE

  By ,

Something old, something new, something borrowed and, if you wish, something (Premium Ray) Blue. That’s what’s on offer with the new Suzuki Baleno – the name, the design, the engine and the colour. Sounding more like an exotic dance, the Baleno took its first steps in the 1990s as a ‘light’ passenger car. Now it has jumped the fence into the ‘small’ passenger segment, having the exterior dimensions of the former with interior space of the latter. The new Baleno comes in two specification levels – GL with a 1.4-litre… Read more

No comments

MERCEDES-BENZ M-CLASS 2006 – 2015

  By ,
2005 Mercedes-Benz M-Class

  B. C. 2012 Mercedes-Benz M-Class BODY COPY Most Mercedes-Benz M-Class SUVs are bought as prestigious station wagons rather than a 4WD, though some are use in off-road conditions and there’s a package for those who want to get really serious – more about it in a moment. The first M-Class model had true 4WD body-on-chassis construction, all others have a monocoque body with some underbody strengthening to make it more suited to off-road running. Mercedes-Benz M-Class first arrived in Australia in September 1998 and has sold well in the… Read more

No comments

KIA STINGER AIMED DOWNUNDER

  By ,

South Korean marque Kia is running red hot at the moment. It’s showing the rest of the world its quality credentials according to JD Power research, sales are soaring in Australia, and new models are coming out almost by the month. Now comes the biggest news of all, especially if you’re a keen driver who’s a bit light on in cash. The new Kia Stinger high-performance hatch has just been confirmed for Australia. Kia Stinger was unveiled at the Detroit Motor Show and is certainly a long way from being… Read more

No comments

FORD FALCON XR GT

  By ,

In August 1966, the new Mustang bred XR Falcon was released. A major feature of this model was the famous US small block 4.7-litre V8. This new Yankee-built engine was one of three engine options, the others being two versions of the faithful straight six. The 4.7-litre V8 was not new to Australia but its use in a locally-made body now made it the cheapest V8 in the country and a favourite with buyers and the press alike. It was felt that Ford had made an effort to get it… Read more

No comments

TRUMP TRUCKS COMING TO AUSTRALIA?

  By ,
Picture a single- or dual-cab at rear of the cabin on these Jeep Wranglers.

Car makers in the USA are running scared of Donald Trump, pulling a lot of production out of Mexico back into the United States. Oddly, this may be really good news for Australian buyers. The latest announcement is from Jeep’s parent company FCA (Fiat Chrysler Automobiles) which is going to expand its assembly plants in the USA and, move some work to them from its current Mexican factory. FCA says it will spend one billion USD in new investments that will create 2000 new jobs in the US of A…. Read more

No comments

THE OVER-EMPHASIS ON SPEEDING IS KILLING US

  By
Watching the road is far more important than glueing your attention to the speedometer

This is the full press release just published by the National Motorists Association of Australia (NMAA). I feel it backs up the Opinion piece I wrote last week: The recent study from the University of Western Australia has highlighted the danger of excessive speed enforcement by showing that drivers are less likely to identify hazards if they are complying too closely with the speed limits, and demonstrated the contradiction between official road safety campaigns and real life. The study used a driving simulator to test the effects on concentration and… Read more

No comments

VERSATILE Q30 IS INFINITI’S MARKET-LEADER

  By ,

Our test car is the latest, and most affordable, model in the upmarket Japanese the Infiniti Q30 five-door hatchback crossover SUV. It’s also the company’s most important model, sitting as it does in Australia’s most popular, and most competitive, segment. Interestingly, because Infiniti’s parent company Renault-Nissan has a technical partnership with Daimler, the Infiniti Q30 shares a number of components, including its engines and transmission, with the Mercedes-Benz GLA. Infiniti Q30 comes in three variants (GT, Sport and Sport Premium) with the choice of three turbocharged engines, two petrol and… Read more