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CITROEN C4 LOOKS BACK IN MAJOR MOVES FORWARD

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On August 4, 1925, Nevill Westwood, a Seventh Day Adventist missionary, set out from Perth to spread the word of his beliefs to other Australians. Driving a Citroen 5CV Tourer, known affectionately as ‘Bubsie’, after 148 days and 17,220 kilometres, he returned home having become the first person to drive around Australia. Ninety years after Westwood’s marathon, Citroen has given us an upgraded C4 hatchback. In two models, Seduction and Exclusive, the range features an all-new drivetrain, fresh styling and improved comfort and convenience over the previous model. It has… Read more

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ALL-NEW MAZDA MX-5

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Mazda MX-5 significantly changed the direction of automotive history when it was introduced to a surprised world way back in 1989. Until then every tightening safety regulations had caused car companies to pull out of designing open-top cars. Mazda, ever the innovator, disagreed with this and the MX-5 was the result. Not only is it now by far the biggest selling roadster of all time, the MX-5 made other marques reconsider their strategies and now you won’t find a company of any significance that doesn’t have at least one convertible… Read more

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2015 FERRARI FF REVIEW

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The Ferrari FF is not the first car from Maranello to pop into the minds of a person with an average to middling interest in cars. When you tell people Ferrari are giving you an FF for the weekend, they screw up their nose and look at you a bit funny. When you explain it’s a four-seat, all-wheel drive V12 coupe, there’s a flicker of recognition before the light comes on. “Oh, you mean the one that looks a bit like a two-door wagon?” Yep, that’s the one. VALUE One… Read more

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FERRARI 308 GTB

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1975 Ferrari 308 GTB

The Ferrari 308 GTB is an obvious descendent of the brilliant 246 Dino and its square-rigged replacement, the 308 GT4, adopting the same nomenclature for the engine: 3.0-litre, eight-cylinder, initially with a dry-sump. Bertone was used as a stylist for the four-seater but, for the GTB, Ferrari went back to Pininfarina, which devised a clever update of the Dino theme on a GT4 floorpan, shortened by 210 mm to give the same 2340 mm wheelbase as the Dino, and retaining the transverse alloy four-cam V8. The first 200 cars were… Read more

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SUZUKI SWIFT 2005 – 2015

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2006 Suzuki Swift Sport

Suzuki Swift was a big seller in Australia in the 1980s and ‘90s. Many were rebadged as Holdens and carried Barina badges. For some strange reason imports were stopped in 2000. Thankfully an all-new Swift was imported downunder beginning in February 2005 and is the subject of this week’s used-car report. The chunky lines of the body pleased many and the new Swift was a hit from day one. Note that there are no Holden versions of these later models. The Suzuki Swift is a tough little machine that’s well… Read more

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HELP ON ITS WAY WITH BIG AUDI WAGON

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It has been nine years since the Audi Q7 was introduced in Australia. In what has become legendary in local car launch history because several of the large luxury sports utility vehicles traversed the country from east to west with assorted media members behind the wheel. I was lucky enough to cover the 1600 km from Birdsville to Uluru. After conquering Big Red, the iconic super sand dune outside town, we struck out south on the Birdsville Track, rounded the southern end of Lake Eyre; took the Oodnadatta Track north;… Read more

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BMW’S 220i IS THE REAL DEAL

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BMW 2 Series in convertible format is a pure BMW in the eyes of those who love the upmarket German marque. That’s because it has rear-wheel drive and is offered with a straight-six engine (though the test car reviewed here was a four-cylinder). Though it shares its ‘2 Series’ numbering system with some new BMW models that have a transverse engine and front-wheel-drive we can assure keen drivers the 220i convertible and its coupe brothers have a differential just where you want it – between the rear wheels. STYLING The… Read more

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FERRARI’S STUNNING 488 GTB SETS NEW PERFORMANCE BENCHMARK

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With the type of fanfare that only the Italians can muster Ferrari Australia has launched its 488 GTB supercar. As a tribute to Ferrari’s iconic prancing horse logo the venue chosen for the launch was the historic Inglis Newmarket Stables near Randwick racecourse. There was even a real-live horse that, while it didn’t exactly prance, it did kick its front legs up a couple of times. The 488 GTB is a direct descendant of Ferrari’s first ever mid-mounted V8 the 308 GTB which was launched in 1975. Its immediate predecessor,… Read more

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NISSAN PATROL 1996 – 2015

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2006 Nissan Patrol

Nissan Patrol is the real deal. It’s a 4WD not an SUV, with truck-type body-on-chassis construction for maximum strength in harsh driving conditions, particularly in real off-road conditions. The drawback of a ladder-frame is a lack of refinement and comfort compared to the typical SUVs of the modern era. Though Patrol has been improved over the years, it’s still on the crude side and may not suit those who are looking for a macho people mover rather than a genuine bush-going wagon. Patrol has been a solid seller in the… Read more

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HYUNDAI TUCSON MAKES A WELCOME RETURN

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Hyundai Tucson is back in Australia, albeit in a totally new format to the older model sold here till 2010. It replaces the Hyundai ix35 which did reasonably well in the sales race and the Australian importer is confident Tucson will do at least as well. Sleek styling, a suspension system with considerable Australian engineering input, and the latest infotainment technology lift the all-new Hyundai Tucson into an altogether new class. And its growth in size has seen it lifted into a different category, now being classed as a medium… Read more