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The Safest Ute in Australia
By Stuart Livesey on Jun 16, 2010 in General News
Ford now makes the safest ute in Australia
Category: General News
Skelta – Another Great Aussie Sports Car
Some might think it’s a little ugly but this is a true Aussie sports car
Yet Another 4WD Dual-cab Ute Heading for Australia
By Stuart Livesey on Nov 02, 2009 in General News
A Volkswagen 4wd ute from Argentina is headed this way
Another Good Reason to Drive a Manual
By Stuart Livesey on Nov 02, 2009 in General News
One way to stop people from stealing your car … drive a manual.
Australian Car Sales Rise in September
By Stuart Livesey on Oct 06, 2009 in General News
Official VFACTS data released by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) shows that 78,131 passenger cars, SUVs and commercial vehicles were sold in September 2009.
“This was a good month with a stronger than expected result,” FCAI Chief Executive Andrew McKellar said.
This September result is down 3.5 per cent (2,807 vehicles) compared to September last [...]
Not the Best Start to Someone’s Monday Morning
By Stuart Livesey on Dec 08, 2008 in General News
This morning I woke up with my back locked solid at L4/5 but someone else down in Sydney had a much worse start to their week.
My thanks to Twitpic and docbaty for the use of the photo
A Sign of the Times
By Stuart Livesey on Nov 26, 2008 in General News
Here in Australia the 2009 Brisbane Motor Show has been cancelled and in America more and more manufacturers are withdrawing from the motor show circuit.
The Detroit show is considered to be THE motor show of the year in the United States but already Suzuki, Nissan, Land Rover, Rolls Royce and Mitsubishi have decided not to [...]
Finally Some Good News for the Aussie Car Industry
For Australia have announced that they have now changed their minds about closing the engine plant in Geelong.
Not only will the plant stay open but Ford will invest $21 million to upgrade the plant to the point where its products will meet tough European standards.
Bad Economic News Continues for the Car Industry
In America General Motors is expected to announce the suspension of development work on a range of future models. One of Ford’s biggest parts suppliers has announced the closure of five plants as demand for its products dries up.
The big three manufacturers in the US are reported to be planning on approaching the White House [...]
Porsche 993 Twin Turbo for Sale
By Stuart Livesey on Nov 01, 2008 in General News
Porsche 993 Twin Turbos like this one don’t come up for sale very often … and unless you live in the United States this one could be a bit far away. But if you’re in the United States then this 1997 Porsche 993 could definitely be your next classic sports car.
This Porsche 993 Turbo for [...]
New Car Sales – How Low Can It Go?
By Stuart Livesey on Oct 05, 2008 in General News
Here in Australia new car sales are down but then that’s only to be expected. Financial times are tough and people tend to put off major purchases at times like this. Even if they want to buy a new car credit is harder to come by and no one really knows where interest rates are [...]
The Ups and Downs of Car Sales in May
Earlier this month we reported on the latest car sale figures for the Australian market in May but not every country … nor every segment … was as bouyant as the Australian market was in May. In once instance the impact of falling sales has led to some serious re-thinking of future plans.
General Motors experienced [...]
Night Driving in Australia
By Stuart Livesey on Jun 18, 2008 in General News
Over the last year or so I’ve bumped into a number of people from Europe who are amazed at how little lighting there is on our major country roads at night so today I thought I’d share a couple of photos I took yesterday as we headed north to Rockhampton.
We left well before dawn and [...]
All the Information You Could Ever Want
Remember the early Mini’s? They came with a speedo, a fuel gauge and two or three warning lights and that was it! But not any more.
Since BMW took over the Mini you get all the information on your dashboard that you could ever want.Â
There’s the time, the temperature, the distance you’ve travelled and two other [...]
The Hottest Toyota Corolla Ever?
Well that’s the hype surrounding the latest fire-breathing Toyota Corolla and with specs that include a Dual VVT-i 1.8 litre engine that delivers 100Kw of power then it’s definitelly got the grunt to live up to the hype.
It comes with either a 6 speed manual transmission or a 4 speed auto and the list of [...]
Car Sales Continue to Grow Despite Rising Fuel Costs and Interest Rates
By Stuart Livesey on Jun 09, 2008 in General News
Australian new motor vehicle sales remained strong last month, despite higher interest rates and fuel prices.
Official VFACTS figures released today by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) show that 88,640 cars, trucks and buses were sold in May – an increase of 43 vehicles on the same month last year.
“This is a good result [...]
General Motors’ Plant Closures Come to Australia
Earlier this week General Motors announced that it would be closing four plants in the United States and Canada in a cost-cutting exercise that see a reduction in GM’s production of trucks and SUV’s. That was probably to be expected as the cost of fuel rose and the demand for big vehicles diminished.
What was not [...]
Five Star Safety Rating for Mitsubishi and Hyundai
Two more small vehicles available in Australia have been given a five-star crash test rating by the Australian New Car Assessment Programme – ANCAP
The top of the range Lancer ated highly for occupant protection following a series of crash tests – a frontal offset, a side offset and a pole test. The model tested was [...]
Cheap Hybrid Cars in Australia?
By Stuart Livesey on Jun 02, 2008 in General News
I’m sure that most of us would be environmentally friendly when it comes to the cars we drive if only we could afford it. Sadly though cheap environmentally friendly cars come with a price tag that put them right out of the reach of many motorists.
That could be about to change though and as [...]
Rolls Royce 2010
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has revealed the first design sketches of its next new model. Known as RR4, the car is due to be launched in 2010 and will sit alongside the Phantom model line-up. RR4 will be smaller than Phantom and powered by a new engine, unique to Rolls-Royce.
The design was signed off in 2007 [...]
I Can’t Make Up My Mind …
By Stuart Livesey on May 26, 2008 in General News
… whether I want one or it’s just a pile of ugly American metal
http://twitxr.com/image/50838/
Fuel Rationing – It’s Coming
That’s the message from the Queensland Minister for Sustainability and it’s likely to be coming some time in the next 10 years.
According to the Minister we shouldn’t be getting our hopes up about hybrid fuels and electric power either because the infrastructure needed to cope with a switch to alternate fuels just isn’t there. It’s [...]
Unique Car Suspension Advertising
By Stuart Livesey on May 15, 2008 in General News
As Duncan – an Aussie who runs an interesting tech blog – says, “I’m not sure … if they’re legitimate …” but they sure would make you think if you ran over them. The perfect advertising for a car suspension system.
But let’s face it, if you’re going to hit a hole like the these represent [...]
Australian Car Market Continues to Boom
By Stuart Livesey on May 10, 2008 in General News
You could be forgiven for thinking that the Australian new car market was existing on some other planet besides this one. I mean we’re sliding into a recession and money is becoming tight … but the new car market continues to boom month after month and April was no exception.
Australian motor vehicle sales achieved an [...]
The Latest BMW Concept
Based on a design that was first displayed 30 years ago the BMW M1 Homage is enough to make any car enthusiast drool.
More photos and details are here on the BMW M1 page at Aussie Motoring.
Hybrid Toyota Camry …
By Stuart Livesey on May 03, 2008 in General News
… to be built in Australia?
A report in today’s Melbourne Age suggests that the prospect of Toyota’s Altona plant becoming the regional production base for the slightly green Toyota Camry are looking good.
You can read the full report here
BMW Sets a New Sales Record
Between January and March of this year BMW have delivered 4,174 vehicles here in Australia and that’s a 12 percent increase on sales for the same time last year.
Despite rising interest rates and some very black days on the share market there’s still a big market for what BMW describe as their “premium brand”
BMW [...]
Backseat Drivers
By Stuart Livesey on Apr 05, 2008 in General News
It’s been a long time since I had to put up with a backseat driver and that’s just as well because I tend to arc up fairly quickly when someone tries to tell me how to drive.
However if I was a member of the United Kingdom’s armed forces otherwise I might have to keep a [...]
Good News for Holden
At last there’s some good news for Holden and the motor industry in South Australia. Holden has announced that it will soon be exporting two new cars for the American market from their plant in Adelaide.
Both vehicles will be marketed in America under the Pontiac brand and one of the two will be an Americanised [...]
Car Sales in Australia Increase Despite Rising Interest Rates
By Stuart Livesey on Mar 06, 2008 in General News
Sales in both January and February have set records for those months, building on a record annual total of more than one million new cars in 2007.
“The February sales result is very pleasing for the automotive industry and shows that underlying demand from private buyers and business remains very robust, reflecting continued outstanding levels of [...]
Holden and Ford – the Message is …
… not happy Jan!
The JD Power Group are well-known in the United States for their annual surveys of car buyer satisfaction. Big brand-names like Mercedes have not faired well when consumers are asked to comment on how satisfied they might, or might not be, with the car they’ve purchased and the service they have received.
Now [...]
A True Underwater Car?
By Stuart Livesey on Feb 15, 2008 in General News
Yes there is one and there could be another if you happen to have just over $A1.62 million and an urge to own a truly unique car. An urge to travel up to 10 metres below the surface in a car that swims like a fish is optional.
And the Axe Does Fall
Mitsubishi has announced that they will close their South Australian plant in March with the lost of 930 employees.
In a statement released a short time ago Mitsubishi stated that the ” … decision has been made because Australian consumers are moving towards smaller, more economic, and environmentally friendlier cars like those in the rest [...]
Will Mitsubishi Close Its Adelaide Plant?
The ABC is reporting that Mitsubishi will make a decision later today on whether or not to close their assembly line in South Australia. The money is on the plant closing and production moving to plants in either Russia or China.
You can read the full report here
Is This Really a Smart Move?
If you happen to live in America then there’s a Smart car coming to a dealer near you. But you just have to wonder about a company that can’t cope with the concept of using capital letters for the names of its products.
The smart fortwo is manufactured by the Mercedes Car Group. This technologically [...]
New Models This Year
By Stuart Livesey on Jan 30, 2008 in General News
There are plenty of new models due out in Australia this year. Perhaps the one that will arouse the most interest is the new Ford Falcon model scheduled for release in May. Of course there are some photos of the new model already out there on the Net thanks to Ford who decided to release [...]
New Seven Speed Transmission from BMW
With the release of the BMW V8 M3 convertible also came the release of BMW’s new M double-clutch transmission with Drivelogic.
BMW claims that the new transmission providces faster and smoother shifting and even more fuel economy and when you see the figures released for the V8 M3 then it’s hard not to believe those claims. [...]
The BMW V8 M3 Convertible
BMW have unveiled the new M3 convertible and it’s definitely one very hot looking machine. Powered by a 4 litre 309 kW V8 and fitted with BMW’s new seven speed double-clutch tranmission the M3 will acccelerate from zero to 100km/h in 5.1 seconds. And despite all that grunt it will still return 12.3 litres per [...]
What Will $2,800 By You?
By Stuart Livesey on Jan 13, 2008 in General News
If you were in India it would buy you the standard version of the Tata Nano when it is released for sale later this year. For that price you would get a four-door, five-seat sedan powered by a 623cc rear-mounted engine.
The Nano will also be available in a luxury version … and Tata are looking [...]
Holden Recalls the VE Commodore
A frayed fuel hose that could result in a fuel leak that could then lead to a fire has encouraged Holden to issue a recall notice for VE and WM model Holden Commodores.
This recall involves an extensive number of vehicles across a range of Vehicle Identification Numbers. Those involved fall within the following ranges:
VE [...]
Bushfires – Surviving in Your Car
By Stuart Livesey on Jan 09, 2008 in General News
Is it possible to survive in your car if you’re caught in a bushfire?
A recent study has found that temperatures inside a car can reach anything up to 300C as a bushfire passes over and survival in those temperatures is just about impossible. And when you realise that the interior of the car can also [...]
Toyota Now Number Two in the USA
For the first time Ford has dropped behind Toyota in sales of motor vehicles in the United States.
Now let’s see how long it takes Toyota to overtake General Motors.
Meanwhile Toyota has now opened a production facility in Russia.
Bumper Year for Car Sales in Australia
By Stuart Livesey on Jan 07, 2008 in General News
Australians have for the first time bought more than one million motor vehicles in a single calendar year.
VFACTS sales figures released today by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries show that 1,049,982 cars, trucks and buses were sold in 2007 – an increase of 87,316 or 9.1 percent over 2006.
The previous record total of 988,269 [...]
Vegie Cars
By Stuart Livesey on Dec 24, 2007 in General News
Back in June 2006 Aussie Motoring ran an article on Grease Cars – diesels that had been modified to run on used vegetable oil from fast food outlets. You can read the article by following the link.
Back when Russ Egan wrote that article Grease Cars were confined to the United States but now they’ve arrived [...]
So You Think Your Roads Are Bad?
By Stuart Livesey on Dec 23, 2007 in General News
by Stuart Livesey
I’ve been driving now for a few months shy of 40 years and in that time I’ve travelled over some pretty crappy bush roads and tracks. I’ve even had to drive over some fire-trails that simply take your breath away – imagine what it’s like to to not be able to see anything [...]
Dashboards
By Stuart Livesey on Dec 21, 2007 in General News
by Stuart Livesey
I don’t know about you but I’m one of those guys who likes to have lots of buttons and switches, gauges, dials, flashing lights and whirly bits on the dashboard of my car. There may be a bunch of computers driving my car for me but I want to at least pretend that [...]
Fuel Prices Around Australia
By Stuart Livesey on Dec 20, 2007 in General News
Well the enquiry into fuel pricing here in Australia has returned its predictable result and we’ll go on facing fuel prices that seem to exploit the Australian motorist. You would think that with three different brands there would be at least some competition but it doesn’t seem to work that way and no one in [...]
The Greenest Car Makers
By Stuart Livesey on Dec 12, 2007 in General News
by Stuart Livesey
I’m not sure who is the greenest car maker here in Australia … if fact you would have to wonder if anyone has actually compiled such a list … but in Europe Peugeot tops the list as the greenest car maker followed by Fiat, Renault, Toyota and Honda.
BMW and Daimler were at [...]
A Wake-up Call for Australian Car Manufacturers
By Stuart Livesey on Dec 10, 2007 in General News
Queensland issued a wake-up call to Australian car manufacturers today when the Premier, Anna Bligh, announced that the state government fleet was about to undergo a major overhaul and public servants would be driving greener, cleaner vehicles.
She said the number of diesel, hybrid, micro, light and small vehicles in the passenger fleet would be increased [...]
Car Insurance – Pay-as-you Drive Rates
By Stuart Livesey on Nov 28, 2007 in General News
Car insurance is something most drivers never want to talk about. It’s not exciting, it’s not sexy but it certainlyis expensive and necessary. One UK insurer has found a way to charge drivers a premium based on a number of factors measured by a little black box fitted to your car.
Norwich Union has been [...]
Chrysler to Cut Two Models in Australia
Earlier this month Chrysler in America announced that it would be stopping production of the Chrysler Crossfire and the PT Cruiser convertible. Of course by extension that means they’ll disappear from Australia too.
The Crossfire was supposed to represent the “synergies” between Daimler and Chrysler for many Crossfire components were shared with the Mercedes SLK but [...]
Environmentally Friendly Trucks …
… still hard to sell.
While hybrid cars are beginning to appear in every greater numbers on our roads environmentally friendly hybrid trucks are an absolute rarity, even in the United States. In fact they are so rare that the world’s biggest fleet of hybrid trucks – owned by Fedex – only numbers around 95.
Urban environments [...]
