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VOLKSWAGEN NEW BEETLE 2000 – 2016

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  From the late 1950s and well into the ’70s the original “dak-dak” VW Beetle was a much-loved car that sold in large numbers. But it eventually become hopelessly out of date when compared with competitors and sales plummeted and it was taken off the market. When the Volkswagen New Beetle arrived in Australia in 2000 many past owners of the original model VW looked at it with loving eyes and fond memories. Then they learned that it had a water-cooled front engine that drove the front wheels and stayed… Read more

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ALFA ROMEO GIULIETTA 2011 – 2020

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Say “Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili Romeo Giulietta” with an Italian accent and you will understand why lovers of all things Italian like driving cars with a plenty of verve. (In case you haven’t worked it you for yourself Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili is what Alfa stands for!) The Giulietta five-door hatchback has been styled to look like a sports coupe thanks to cleverly ‘hidden’ rear door handles. The rear seat armrest has fold out cup holders gives a feeling of luxury sedan. The rear seats have a 60/40 split fold,… Read more

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MAZDA CX-90 G50E M HYBRID AWD AZAMI ROAD TEST

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I must be seeing double. Apart from the difference in size, the Mazda CX-60 and CX-90 could be twins. They look the same. They share the same chassis, the same engines and transmissions and their performance is very much the same. Everything is the same, same, same – or is it? STYLING At 5120mm and 2220kg CX-90 is the largest Mazda to date and is available in six- and seven-seat configuration, with a choice of petrol or diesel engines – both of them hybrids. That’s 38mm longer than the CX-60… Read more

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KONA N REFLECTS THE HYUNDAI FUTURE

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There’s nothing new about ‘influencers’, that cohort of ‘pretty’ girls and boys who lead youngsters by their credit cards to so-called desirable dressing. For years automobile manufacturers have used ‘futurists’ to try to predict what the car buyer will want in four years’ time – the average development period for a new vehicle. With EVs and hybrids rapidly accelerating up the sales charts the new Hyundai Kona, including petrol powered-only models, has been designed to look like an electric vehicle – no radiator grille – the maker claiming this is… Read more

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NEW KIA SORENTO

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Kia Australia has announced details of the MY2024 Sorento large SUV with refreshed the exterior and interior design, upgraded comfort and convenience technology, and additional safety features. As before there is a large range of options including petrol and diesel engines, with hybrid, plug-in hybrid, front and all-wheel drive, and four equipment levels. The petrol and diesel variants will be launched later this month in this initial Sorento upgrade release. HEV and PHEV variants will be arriving later in the first half of 2024, with specification details and pricing announced… Read more

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IT’S THE HOLY GRAIL OF NUMBER PLATES!

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  Coming up for auction by Lloyds on January 27 is the ‘unicorn’ of NSW number plates. It’s NSW 1, described by Lloyds as the nation’s most sought-after heritage plate. It already has a bid for more than $10 million – and that’s not a typo. “After being tightly held for decades by the current custodians and never been offered for public auction before, this heritage “NSW 1” number plate is a unicorn, the holy grail must- have for any blue-chip passion investor or number one gift for that person… Read more

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PEUGEOT e-2008 REVIEW

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Launched here in September 2023, the e-2008 is Peugeot’s first fully electric passenger. A compact SUV, it joins the e-Partner compact electric van as well as the Plug-In Hybrid (PHEV) versions of the 3008 SUV and 508 sedan. Future electrified models will follow in 2024 with the launch of E-208 hatchback, E-3008 mid-sized SUV, e-Expert medium van and 408 PHEV. The petrol-powered Peugeot 2008 has been on sale here since 2020. It comes in two variants, Allure and GT each with a PureTech 130 engine that generates 96 kilowatts of… Read more

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END OF THE ROAD FOR ICONIC AUDI TT

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Audi Australia will mark the end of production of its iconic TT sportscar with a special limited edition model. The TT was launched in 1998 and arrived here the following year, initially in coupe form and shortly afterwards as a convertible. Almost all loved its bold shape that combines modern design with 1930’s roadster images. That design proved to be timeless making it instantly recognisable throughout its 25-year lifetime. The aptly named TT Final Edition is based on the Audi TT 45 TFSI quattro but with its own distinctive styling… Read more

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NEW CAR SALES HIT A RECORD HIGH IN 2023

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The Australian automotive market has achieved an unprecedented milestone, breaking all- time records for new vehicle sales in 2023. A total of 1,216,780 vehicles were delivered during the year, the previous highest sales result of 1,189,116 was achieved in 2017. Toyota was the top selling car brand with 17.7 per cent of the market while the top selling vehicle was the Ford Ranger (63,356). SUVs and light commercials accounted for 78.4 per cent of sales and comprise all the top 10 vehicles sold in 2023. Battery electric vehicles accounted for… Read more

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LEXUS LX600 ULTRA LUXURY LIVES UP TO ITS NAME

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Effectively an upmarket version of the Toyota LandCruiser, the Lexus LX large premium SUV has been around since the mid-1990s. The latest (fourth generation) LX arrived here at the end of 2021 shortly after the new LC300. It comes with petrol or diesel power, four equipment variants, three seating options and a host of new safety and tech features. The four variants are base LX, Sports Luxury, F Sport, and Ultra Luxury. The first three are available with either petrol or diesel engines, the Ultra Luxury is petrol only. Prices… Read more