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FERRARI TESTAROSSA

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1985 Ferrari Testarossa

In 1956 Ferrari introduced the four-cylinder 500TR sportscar which was their first car to use the name Testa Rossa or Red Head because the cylinder head was painted a bright red. This was followed by the 250 Testarossa clothed in a body by Pininfarina. Not only was it a more powerful successor to the four-cylinder Testarossa but its 2953cc V12 engine was specially designed to enable it to compete in sportscar championships for cars up to 3.00-litres, which were expected to be introduced in 1958. These cars have been considered… Read more

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TOYOTA CELICA 1990 – 2006

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By EWAN KENNEDY CAPTIONS: A. B. C. 2002 Toyota Celica BODY COPY Toyota Celica was a big seller in the sporty coupe market for many years. It fell out of fashion, along with rivals which had never really come close to it in the sales race. Celica was quietly slipped from the new-car market in early in 2006. But is still popular on the used-car scene. Even more so since the release of the Toyota 86 and its near-identical twin the Subaru BRZ. The launch of the fourth generation Mazda… Read more

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NEW AUDI A4 HAS BEEN WORTH THE WAIT

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Audi’s A4 has just entered its fourth generation but if you poke around you’ll see that it’s known as the B9 – the ninth-generation of the four rings’ B-segment offering, stretching back to the early 1970s starting with the first Audi 80, sold here as the Fox. The old car, released way back in 2008 was still selling strongly right up to the death, owing much to its understated good looks and value proposition, helping Audi to a record year in 2015. But underneath it was getting on a bit… Read more

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FIAT 500X EXPANDS THE RANGE

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At the end of 2015 Fiat expanded its 500 range with the introduction of a crossover called the 500X. Significantly bigger than the standard Fiat 500 it has more interior space, utilised through the convenience of rear doors. The Fiat 500X was designed in conjunction with the new Jeep Renegade. Italian Fiat now controls Jeep after American company got into financial trouble during the GFC. There’s a nice combination of Italian style and American 4WD knowhow in this partnership. Fiat 500X as tested this week is an all-wheel-drive (AWD) Cross… Read more

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NEW PASSAT ALLTRACK IS CLASSY AND CAPABLE

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Volkswagen has added an All-Wheel Drive variant to its flagship Passat model range. Called the Passat Alltrack it joins the eighth-generation sedan and wagons that were launched here in October 2015. A wagon/SUV crossover Alltrack is based on the Passat wagon but is bolstered by 27.5 mm of extra ground clearance, plastic-cladded wheel arch mouldings, flared side sills and underbody protection. Other external cues include distinctive bumpers and 18-inch “Kalamata” alloy wheels. The interior of the Passat Alltrack is stylish and elegant with Vienna leather-trimmed upholstery, leather-wrapped multi-function steering wheel… Read more

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DKW

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J S Rasmussen, a Danish citizen and engineer, moved to Berlin in 1906 where he began the manufacture of weaponry and steam powered vehicles. His company, DKW, stood for Dampf Kraft Wagen (car propelled by steam). His factories were in Zschopau and later also Spandau, Berlin, where he had taken over the Slaby car works. Rasmussen wanted a small lightweight engine to power bicycles and set out developing a two-stroke engine. After three years of development he came up with a tiny, 40cc unit of a mere 187 watts. It… Read more

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SUBARU UPDATES ITS RANGE FOR 2016

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Taken in isolation the year 2015 is one where it’s easy to ponder that Subaru Australia was the mouse that roared. The facts are Subaru has been growling for 16 years out of the past 18 years – that’s how many years it has increased volume sales. The two years it failed to exceed the previous year were due to factors outside their control namely the GFC and the Japanese tsunami. In 2015 Subaru models Outback SUV and Liberty sedan roared up the sales charts after all-new models were released… Read more

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FORTUNER BRINGS HOME THE AUSSIE BACON

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Toyota may be parking its vehicle manufacturing in Australia but that does not mean Aussie input into the Japanese automotive industry is winding down. Take the new Fortuner seven-seat family SUV, for example. The wagon’s new body, wiring and key underpinnings were designed and developed by Australians, while the rugged frame, engine, all-coil suspension and strong upper body were proven Down Under in some of the world’s toughest testing. Toyota Australia executive director sales and marketing Tony Cramb says Foruner is the biggest single development program undertaken by the company’s… Read more

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BMW X4 35D ADDED TO THE HIGH-PERFORMANCE RANGE

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The days when diesel engines were dismissed as being slow, noisy and not particularly pleasant to sit behind have long since vanished. There’s no more proof than the introduction of what BMW Australia describes as its new X4 ‘halo’ car, the xDrive35d – the ‘d’ indicating its powered by a turbo-diesel engine – which uses variable vanes to minimise lag and increase overall power and fuel efficiency. BMW Australia’s product chief, Shawn Ticehurst, says the X4 xDrive35d will assume status as the flagship model in the X4 range, “Since its… Read more

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KOREANS DOMINATE 2015 AUSTRALIA’S BEST CAR AWARDS

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If there was any doubt about the impact of Korean cars on the Australian automotive scene it’s been removed with wins in six of the 15 categories in the 2015 Australia’s Best Car (ABC) awards. Now in their 15th year the ABC awards, regarded by many as the most comprehensive of the many annual awards, are judged by engineers and journalists from the seven Australian motoring associations (in alphabetical order: AANT, NRMA, RAASA, RACQ, RACT, RACV and RACWA). Importantly for potential car buyers the ABC awards differ from many of… Read more