Subaru Liberty
The mid-size Subaru Liberty, known as the Legacy in most other parts of the world, has been completely redesigned for 2010, and it’s grown larger inside and out, including a refreshed power train lineup, with upgraded engines in the turbocharged 2.5GT and six-cylinder 3.6R models. While the outgoing Liberty could trace a few of its components all the way back to 1989, the new version is built on a new platform, based somewhat on the Impreza and WRX, and shares nothing with the 2009 model. (more…)
OUT On The Road: Honda
Honda Civic Type-R
Type-R Hondas are not among the fastest or the most powerful cars in the world, but they are between those that provide some of the most exciting driving experience and racing car feel. The ‘hot hatch’ sector is about to be shaken up by a new Japanese member with Type-R philosophy, the new Honda Civic Type-R. (more…)
Prius Power - Driving To A Greener Future
The 3rd Generation Prius is here and given the two current global issues, economic recovery and climate change, Toyota’s new hybrid model is run by a technology seen as the way forward by many, in both economical and global environmental terms.
The Prius includes many recyclable materials in its construction including bumpers made from recycled plastic bottles. In keeping with Toyota’s life cycle approach to vehicle production, use and disposal, over 95% of the new Prius is recyclable. (more…)
Reviving The Marvellous Mini
The original Mini was born in the late ’50’s in the wake of the Suez crisis. It was a brilliant little car, very economical and due to its funky modern design, it gained cult status and became popular with a hip generation of the swingin’ sixties.
Staying in production until the late ’90’s, by which time BMW owned Mini-makers, Rover Group, the last old Mini rolled out of the British Longbridge plant in 1999. When BMW famously sold Rover back to the British for ten quid in 2000, they saw the potential of retaining the Mini brand, so kept it out of the deal. The new MINI that BMW had on the drawing board offered leading edge 21st Century technology, while holding onto the best bits of the old Mini DNA. (more…)
Stalled At The Crossroads
Andrew Koch looks into the future of the motoring industry at the Frankfurt Motorshow
Walk into the Frankfurt Motorshow for the first time and it is almost sensory overload – there is just so such to take in and absorb and so few words to tell you about it. The environment and fuel saving took centre stage at the Frankfurt Motor Show 2009, so that will be my main focus. But even in a recession-hit world, it’s difficult to put the supercars away. (more…)
Golf VI
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The latest Golf is an evolution in design over the outgoing models. There are significant improvements in overall driving refinement, a much higher quality for the interior and the addition of a wider range of high-tech options. One example of the spec tech being Park Assist, where you pull up past a parallel parking spot and the car reserves into it without you touching a thing, except popping it in reverse (a little spooky the first time!). All as VW aims is to continue to please current Golf owners and to capture those downsizing. (more…)
Driving New Markets: Hyundai’s i30 Crossover Wagon
Over twenty years ago Alan Bond first started importing Hyundai’s in Australia. If you’d said then that by 2009, Korean manufacturer Hyundai would be a genuine global automotive force, with tentacles deep into the European, North American, Asian and Australian markets, someone would have said, ‘…you’re dreamin’ mate.’ (more…)
Racing Through The Century- Audi Hits 100
The automobile has been around now for over 120 years. Karl Freidrich Benz was the man who created the first true automobile back in 1886. Henry Ford visualized and created the first assembly line for mass production of large numbers of automobiles with the Model T Ford, which you could have in any colour as long it was black. Both men played a crucial part in auto making history, but we cannot talk about auto making history without mentioning Audi, who have just celebrated 100 years of manufacturing. (more…)
City Slicker
It has been a while since Honda has used the City name in Australia – the 1980’s if my memory serves me correctly – on a boxy looking beast with round headlights goggling at you. That has all changed with the new-for-2009 Honda City, fully redesigned from the ground up and all the better for it.
The exterior has a chiselled appearance, with decent proportions for a tall sub-compact. While quite tall, some of this impact is reduced by the long sloping windshield and swooping roofline. Our top-of-the-range City had, attractive 16-inch alloy rims and bits of extra chrome all over – all adding to its somewhat premium look. (more…)
Mercedes Benz- From Small To Large, It’s What They Do That Counts
From A to S, Mercedes Benz now has a diesel variant in Australia for any Merc letter of the alphabet available with the introduction of the both the A180 CDI and S320 CDI, though in Europe this has always been the case.
The baby of the Merc range, the A-Class, has had a make over. Taller and wider as well as shorter in length, Mercedes’s smallest car scores in every direction ranked against its rivals. The A-class packs enough space for five big adults to travel in comfort. (more…)
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