CAR ADVICE

A lightly revised  2018 Nissan 370Z has been revealed this week for overseas markets, bringing minor styling changes and a new clutch for manual versions. Changes to the coupe’s exterior include black door handles and a new rear bumper fascia, while the head and tail-lights get a new dark tint – previously exclusive to the Nismo variant . Other upgrades include new 19-inch alloy wheels, and a new Red Metallic exterior paint option (pictured). Meanwhile, manual versions of the 370Z get a new high-performance clutch from performance brand Exedy, which the company says perfects the downshift, thus reducing driver pedal effort. The 370Z’s powertrain remains the same – a 3.7-litre naturally-aspirated V6 lives under the bonnet, producing 245kW of power and 363Nm of torque. Drive is sent to the rear wheels via a six-speed manual or seven-speed automatic with paddle shifters. However, the flagship 370Z Nismo goes without the 2018 model-year upgrades. Australia CarAdvice has co...

While Mandy heads to the Birdsville Races, Paul Maric   is joined this week is   Mike Costello , bringing you the latest car news from the past week. This includes the all-new Bentley Continental GT , details on Kia Stinger specifications , the awesome looking Suzuki Jimny , the all-new Porsche Cayenne , plus the BMW i3 revision and Volvo XC60 . We take time out to chat with Jaguar Land Rover managing director Matthew Wiesner about plans to roll out EV infrastructure in Australia and we also find out what Maven is and how it works. Matt Campbell reviews the Toyota Prius C and Paul explains why he was disappointed with the Tesla Model X . You also have the chance to win a PowerLift MyQ garage door opener! This space-age garage door opener will send your dad into a spin. For your last chance to enter,  fill out this form ! PLUS:  Want to phone in and leave a question to be played on the show and answered by our team? Now you can!  Dial 0434 690 099 ...

The  2018 Audi RS5 coupe has been confirmed for an Australian launch in December, priced to kick off from  $156,600 plus on-road costs . Weighing 60 kilograms less than the previous model, thanks to its new MLB ‘evo’ architecture, the RS5 is also faster and more efficient than the car it replaces. Under the bonnet is a new 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6 that replaces the old version’s 4.2-litre naturally-aspirated V8, pumping out 331kW of power and 600Nm of torque – 170Nm up on its predecessor and available between 1900 and 5000rpm. REVIEW: 2017 Audi RS5 (international launch) Combined with an eight-speed Tiptronic auto transmission, optimised for quicker shift times and Audi’s quattro all-wheel drive system, the RS5 is capable of sprinting from 0-100km/h in just 3.9 seconds. Despite its performance potential, the German marque claims its super coupe uses fuel at a rate of 8.8L/100km. Standard equipment include nappa leather RS sports seats with diamond stitching, a flat-b...

The  Mercedes-Benz G-Class Professional range has been bolstered by the introduction of a new wagon variant, making Australia the only market in the world to have the utilitarian off-roaders available to the public. Starting at $109,900 plus on-road costs, the G300 CDI Professional wagon strips out the luxury interior and exterior appointments in favour of tougher trimmings inside and out for commercial or private off-road use – like its recently-launched  cab-chassis counterpart . Under the bonnet is a 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo-diesel engine, developing 135kW of power and 400Nm of torque. Drive is sent to a permanent all-wheel drive system (50:50 split) via a five-speed automatic transmission. Standard equipment includes three 100 per cent differential locks that can be selected on the move, a bull bar, snorkel, 16-inch black alloy wheels, a water drain plug on the cabin floor, a 96-litre fuel tank, two 12-volt batteries, tyre pressure monitoring, headlight and indic...

Although we’re in the US this week to drive the maniacal new 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk , the company has yet to reveal Australian pricing. By our calculations, though, the big beast will likely start with a price tag in the neighbourhood of $140,000. What we do know for sure is that the Trackhawk will go on sale in Australia in two variant forms.  First up, there will be a Launch Edition – an increasingly popular way to kick off a new line-up – limited in this case to just 62 units. “The 62 units pays homage to the 6.2-litre V8 engine,” Lucy McLellan, Director Corporate Communications for FCA told CarAdvice at the international drive program in Portland, Maine. “That Launch Edition will suit fans wanting something a little bit special, something different to the regular Trackhawk, and most importantly, something customised.” Australia will be the biggest market for the Trackhawk outside the United States, an endorsement for the popularity of the brand locally, and t...

General Motors (GM) , parent of Holden, has this week launched its car-sharing sub-brand Maven in Australia. Dubbed ‘Maven Gig’, the service allows drivers to get on the road quickly and join the rising gig economy – which includes various ride-sharing and food delivery services such as UberX and UberEats Speaking with  CarAdvice , Matthew Rattray-Wood, general manager of Maven Australia, said: “Maven Gig is our service for people who want to drive in the ride-share [industry]”. “What it allows drivers to do is rent a car for an all-inclusive weekly rate. They can drive an unlimited number of kilometres, they have their insurance covered, and all their service and maintenance paid for. There’s also 24-hour roadside assistance, and they get access to new or very near-new Holden vehicles.” The introduction of Maven Gig follows the trial of Maven Campus, which has been running since 2016 at GM Holden’s headquarters in Port Melbourne to test car-sharing technology along wit...

Nissan Australia has today confirmed the departure of managing director and CEO, Richard Emery , and announced his successor, Stephen Lester . No explanation for Emery’s exit has been offered, although it is known he is not moving to another position within the global Renault Nissan alliance. A spokesperson for the company declined to comment on the change in management. An outspoken leader, Emery was openly critical of government inaction on electric vehicle infrastructure and never short of a colourful quote. Likewise, he kept no secrets about his frustration with the brand’s market share and product spread in Australia. He was also a driving force behind Nissan’s motorsport activities in Australia. Emery previously held senior management positions with Land Rover, Audi, Mitsubishi and Mercedes-Benz, before joining Nissan Australia as CEO in early 2014. His successor, Stephen Lester (below), comes to the Australian arm from Canada, where he led the region’s Infiniti opera...

Honda  has teased two electrified vehicles bound for the Frankfurt motor show next month, one being an all-new electric vehicle (EV) concept , and the other a hybrid prototype of the new-generation CR-V crossover. Pitched as the next steps towards its ‘Electric Vision’, the Urban EV concept will preview a future production model for the European market, while the CR-V Hybrid previews the European version of the popular SUV. It’s unknown whether the CR-V Hybrid prototype is the same as the CR-V Sport Hybrid that broke cover at the Shanghai motor show earlier this year, which teamed a 2.0-litre Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder petrol engine with two electric motors and lithium-ion batteries – similar to the set-up used by the Accord Sport Hybrid . The electrified pair will debut alongside the facelifted Honda Jazz light hatch and the new diesel-powered version of the Civic hatchback . Honda’s CEO, Takahiro Hachigo, will unveil the Urban EV Concept at the Honda Press Conference...

The facelifted  Suzuki Vitara has been spied again during development testing, this time with slightly less camouflage. Despite the heavy black and white disguise concealing the front grille and bumper, we can see the facelifted crossover should get revised treatments at the front and rear. Meanwhile, the large sensor at the centre of the lower intake suggests the new model will get radar-based technology like autonomous-emergency braking (AEB) and adaptive cruise control. Pictured: 2018 Suzuki Vitara prototype – August 2017 (top), March 2017 (bottom) Compared to the vehicle spied in March , this latest prototype is sporting darker tail-light clusters and new camouflage on the tailgate – suggesting there will be design changes at the rear too, possibly in the form of LED rear lighting. Further details are yet to be uncovered, though it’s expected the updated Vitara will get revisions to its interior, and possibly revised engines. Currently, the Vitara has three powertra...

Buying a new convertible is very much a lifestyle choice that should not be made after a big night out. The fashionable body style brings plenty of compromises, after all, but there are also plenty of highlights. With the 2017 Audi A3 Cabriolet , it’s hard to decide whether the pros outweigh the cons. With a starting price of $55,000 plus about roughly $5000 of on-road costs depending on which state you live in, the 2.0-litre Audi A3 convertible sits one up from the 1.4-litre ($49,000) base model. The larger engine still powers the front-wheels (as opposed to the $58,600 quattro version of the convertible, which gains Audi’s all-wheel-drive system) with 140kW of power and 320Nm of torque. It’s a bit of a price jump when compared to the regular sedan or hatch A3, but it competes with the likes of the BMW 2 Series convertible and – if you’re willing to cross shop an Audi with a Ford – the Mustang convertible. The difference between the Audi and the other two brands is its front-w...

If you thought Kia was going to drop the Stinger on us and declare itself finished with sporting design, now there’s this. The concept teased here is yet to be named, but one could easily consider it a first look a powerful new mid-sized shooting brake, shouldering up to the Optima Sportswagon – just as the Stinger’s done with the comparatively dull Optima sedan. Well, you’d be wrong. That is, while the concept itself might be a rear-wheel drive powerhouse wagon-of-a-sort, Kia says it’s actually intended to hint at what the next-generation Cee’d “could” look like. Looks nothing like  a Cee’d , you say? Fair. The current model, while an attractive unit, wears a far more conventional and volume-selling look than this concept – although few concepts are designed to look conventional. Above: the only Cee’d we ever saw in Australia, the three-door Pro_Cee’d.  That said, you’d be right – it looks nothing like the current model, and if recent spy photos are any indication, ...

The Renault/Dacia Duster has been a smash hit with Europeans after a budget SUV, and buyers in developing nations, since 2010. More than two million units have been sold in 100-plus countries. Now a new (or perhaps just reworked) version has been revealed, ahead of its world premiere in the metal at the Frankfurt motor show on September 12. Details for now are a little scarce, but the Renault budget sub-brand is boasting about the fettled (but still rugged) design, and greater levels of cabin equipment and higher-end materials. Design-wise there’s that bolder new grille with headlights pushed out to the corners to add the illusion of width, new LED daytime running lights, new crease lines on the bonnet and a chrome-finish skid plate. There’s also a higher belt line that adds design flair but also strengthens the body, a more steeply raked windscreen that’s 100mm further forward, aluminium roof rails, optional 17-inch wheels under more prominent and flared arches, bigger rear hau...

UK tech giant Delphi  believes it has the technology to wean Europe (and China) off its diesel addiction, in light of ever-tightening global CO2 standards. Actually, it’s two technologies: a 48-volt mild hybrid system, and a new type of cylinder deactivation that Delphi is calling Dynamic Skip Fire. Combined, they can provide up to a 19 per cent boost in fuel economy with a traditional petrol engine. Better still, Delphi officials say the systems can not only make the engines hit similar mileage numbers as comparable diesels, but will also deliver the kind of low-end torque that diesel drivers are so accustomed to. That said, either system can be adopted independently, although Delphi says the two complement each other through powertrain efficiency across a broader rev range. Industry journal Autonews.com reports that General Motors is likely to offer Dynamic Skip Fire with its next-generation Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra when they launch late in 2018. The system woul...

Car reviewers usually determine which cars to compared based on the vehicle ‘segment’ they occupy. Medium SUVs take on medium SUVs, small hatches take on small hatches, and so on… Yet we know based on buyer data, and personal experience alike, car buyers don’t always think in these terms. There are a load of other factors beyond mere market segmentation that determine which vehicles may be cross-shopped. And so while the two cars being tested here may not immediately strike you as obvious rivals, there’s a method. The brand new Honda CR-V arrived in Australia a few months ago to significantly more acclaim than its lukewarm predecessor. The consensus is clear: a fantastic Mazda CX-5  and Hyundai Tucson alternative, within a fast-growing corner of the market. Another obvious rival is the Volkswagen Tiguan . Yet, we’ve opted for something a little different from the same brand, in the newly facelifted MY17 Golf Alltrack high-riding crossover wagon, which promises to be a ‘th...