Motoring
Volvo’s Three-Point Safety Belt
Posted on August 24, 2009 | COMMENTS (0)
August marked the 50th anniversary of the life-saving V-shaped three-point seat belt. Invented by Volvo Engineer Nils Bohlin in 1959, Volvos visionary open patent granted free use of the design to all other car manufacturers. The design is as obvious as it is intelligent. Easily fastened with one hand, it secures the seat’s occupant in place with a belt across the chest and another across…
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Ford Unveils Intelligent System
Posted on August 24, 2009 | COMMENTS (0)
Ford Motor Co in the USA announced recently that it has developed an intelligent vehicle-to-grid communications and control system for its plug-in hybrid electric vehicles that talks directly with the nations electric grid. Ford and its utility partners are testing one of the industry’s first vehicle-to-electric grid communications and control systems, that enables electric vehicles to interface with the grid for optimal recharging.…
Club helps senior motorists stay safe on the roads
Posted on August 24, 2009 | COMMENT (1)
The Older Driver Self-Assessment Questionnaire (ODSAQ), developed by RACQs road safety experts, poses more than 30 questions about health, driving and related issues and automatically generates information on safety issues that participants might need to address. RACQ traffic and safety manager John Wikman said helping drivers in the 60-plus group to cope with the problems of ageing had been a focus of the club for the…
New Powertrains For Mazda CX-7
Posted on August 24, 2009 | COMMENTS (0)
Mazda Australia will later this year add two new engines to its updated
CX-7 crossover range, both delivering better fuel economy. On sale in November, the refreshed CX-7 range will adopt the proven 2.5 litre naturally-aspirated and 2.2 litre turbo-diesel engines already used in the award-winning Mazda6. By doing so, Mazda…
Club helps Queenslanders drive green
Posted on August 24, 2009 | COMMENTS (0)
Business and community groups can learn about the benefits of greener motoring through a new presentation developed by Queenslands peak motoring body. Buying and driving a more sustainable car is a one-hour workshop that looks at practical steps designed to help cut vehicle pollution and lower motoring costs.
Workshop creator, RACQ Vehicle…
Hyundai to reveal new SUV
Posted on August 24, 2009 | COMMENTS (0)
Hyundai will present an all-new addition to its SUV line-up at the Frankfurt Motor Show next month. The ix35 SUV (ultimately to replace the Tucson) will make its world debut at the Show on the 15th September. Alongside will be a significantly revamped Santa Fe, benefiting from…
ESP
Posted on August 7, 2009 | COMMENTS (0)
It was 15 years ago that Mercedes-Benz presented what has turned out to be one the automotive worlds most important active safety developments: the Electronic Stability Programme, or ESP. The German car-maker presented its dynamic handling control FDR, a system jointly developed with Bosch in Arjeplog in Sweden in mid-March 1994. It had its market launch a year later…
Barbie and Fiat celebrate
Posted on July 22, 2009 | COMMENTS (0)
Barbie, the most famous fashion doll ever, celebrated her 50th
birthday in Milan on 9 March 2009 and Fiat, in partnership between Fiat
Centro Stile and Mattel, presented her with a special Fiat 500 to mark
the occasion. It’s a fashionista car but quite tongue-in-cheek and with lots of charm. The gleaming paintwork resembles nail polish and definitely makes for a shock effect, achieved with deep lacquered colour…
Proton
Posted on July 17, 2009 | COMMENT (1)
Proton Cars is planning next year to launch Australias lowest priced sedan. Managing director of Proton Cars Australia, John Startari, admits that
the Malaysian make has not performed to expectations, however the
resources and backing have now been committed by parent…
Prius solar plant
Posted on July 17, 2009 | COMMENT (1)
The Prius production plant in Japan has grass growing on the roof, and uses solar panels to generate power. Known as Tsutsumi, the factory in Aichi has been designated a model plant by Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) for promoting sustainability initiatives. By continuously implementing new measures, the plant’s…
SE Qld motorists miss cheap fuel days
Posted on March 9, 2012 | COMMENTS (0)
South-east Queensland motorists were cheated of two ‘cheap fuel days’ in February when a 15-day price cycle – the longest on record – and a 12-day cycle kept unleaded petrol prices higher for longer, RACQ’s latest fuel price report reveals. RACQ spokesperson Lynda Schekoske said motorists were also impacted by four-year record high oil prices, which forced up the price of unleaded fuel at the bowsers.
“The Tapis crude oil…
Australia’s Best Cars – the name says it all
Posted on November 18, 2011 | COMMENTS (0)
By Barry Green (an Australia’s Best Cars awards judge) It’s nearly that time of the year again when we name Australia’s best cars, all 15 of them.
This long-running national annual new car awards program is much more than…
Australias Best Cars winners
Posted on December 10, 2009 | COMMENT (1)
Hyundais i30 and iMax, BMWs 135i Coupe (pictured), Audis TT-S and
Land Rovers Discovery all made it two wins in a row in the prestigious
2009 Australias Best Cars annual awards.By Barry Green Each saw off some stiff competition from a host of newcomers and incumbent challengers in their respective categories to take the crown.
Now in its 10th year, Australia’s Best Cars…
The wrong fuel could be costly
Posted on February 23, 2012 | COMMENT (1)
Motorists who fill their vehicles with the wrong fuel risk damage bills of up to $10,000, the RACQ has warned. RACQ Executive Manager Technical and Safety Policy Steve Spalding said the state’s peak independent motoring body was hearing of more ‘mis-fuelling’ incidents affecting mainly diesel-engine vehicles.
“It’s too easy to…
Three Doors Down
Posted on February 23, 2012 | COMMENT (1)
By Russell Manning Hyundai’s new Veloster offers an elegant, albeit quirky, solution to the perennial problem of accessing the rear seats of a coupe – it has one door on the right and…
Climbing Jacob’s Ladder
Posted on February 23, 2012 | COMMENTS (0)
By Barry Green Viewers of the Top Gear television series would be well acquainted with the Stelvio Pass, a stunning switchback of a road high in the Italian Alps. It’s regarded as one…
VW Powers On
Posted on February 23, 2012 | COMMENTS (0)
By John Ewing It’s a first for VW, with global sales in 2011 exceeding eight million vehicles (8,160,154) making them, numbers-wise, the planet’s number two auto maker behind General Motors. It’s been full…
DB7 headlines classic car auction
Posted on February 23, 2012 | COMMENT (1)
An Australian-delivered Aston Martin DB7 is going under the hammer with no reserve at Shannons upcoming Melbourne Autumn Classic Auction on March 5. Regarded as one of the world’s most beautiful cars when it debuted at the 1993 Geneva Salon, the Ian Callum-designed DB7 with its supercharged 3.2-litre, DOHC in-line, six-cylinder engine was…
LPG fuel tax to hit Qld motorists
Posted on December 12, 2011 | COMMENTS (11)
Rural, regional and outer metropolitan drivers who use LPG fuel will suffer a blow from the start of December with the introduction of a new Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) tax, Queensland’s peak independent motoring body has warned. RACQ Executive Manager Technical and Safety Policy, Steve Spalding, said the implementation of the new tax came just days after the first win for an LPG – powered car –…
XV joins Subaru line-up
Posted on December 22, 2011 | COMMENTS (0)
Another Subaru new for 2012 is the XV crossover model which has morphed from the current Impreza variant to a standalone model which slots into the range beneath Forester. It’s largely Impreza based but has higher, 220 mm, ground clearance and off- road ability that its parent doesn’t.
The XV line-up will include three variants. The entry 2.0i with…
