The Power of M

Porsche launches hardcore limousine
Porsche pulled the only surprise rabbit out of the hat at the Los Angelese Auto Show with the announcement of its hardcore Panamera GTS.

Porsche 911 991 Carrera S blog from Los Angeles
Despite this confidence, and a very positive review from our own Ash Westerman in the current issue of Wheels (on sale now), I am nervous about driving the new 991 911 (isn’t that a recipe for dyslexic meltdown).

Porsche 911 Cabriolet
The international launch of the new Porsche 991 Carrera coupe finished on Sunday and Porsche has already released first images and information on the new Cabriolet models.

Webber wins Brazilian GP
It took him all year, but Mark Webber has finally notched his first win of the Formula One season, sealing third spot in the championship race with victory in Brazil.

183kW Jazz ready to race
The world’s fastest Honda Jazz is being readied to rally in Australia next year. Dubbed ‘G2’, the tuned-up small hatchback will be raced in the 2012 Bosch Australian Rally Championship (ARC) by a second Honda team.

Webber looks for Brazil boost in 2012
Mark Webber believes his win in the season-ending Brazilian Grand Prix will be a “good tonic” for him to return stronger in the 2012 Formula One world championship.

Car prices going down
Smart shoppers know that the best deals on new cars emerge before and after January 1. In less than a month’s time, anything built in 2011 will be immediately deemed, like, so last year. Literally.

Frosty excited about V8 conclusion
For a boy from the western suburbs of Sydney, Mark Winterbottom’s victory in the season-ending V8 Supercar race on the Olympic Park street circuit was a great way to bow out in 2011.

Whincup back on top of V8 pile
All year Jamie Whincup has been desperately trying to regain the No.1 sticker he had to relinquish at the end of last year’s V8 Supercar championship.

Expensive pile-up: Eight Ferraris in Japanese car crash
A Ferrari driver lost control on a wet road in Japan, causing a chain reaction that wrecked 14 vehicles, including seven other Ferraris, two Mercedes-Benz and a Lamborghini.

We drive the four-cylinder Falcon
In next month’s Wheels we answer the year’s worst-kept secret and deliver the verdict on the first-ever four-cylinder Falcon.

Webber confident of building on Brazil win
Mark Webber is confident he can take the momentum of his Brazilian Grand Prix victory into 2012 when he tries again to knock team-mate Sebastian Vettel from his perch.

Territory outsells Falcon for the first time
For the first time ever, the Ford Territory SUV outsold its Falcon sedan sibling. The difference between the pair was almost 300 units – 1776 sales versus 1483.

Mercedes unveils ultra-luxe roadster
Mercedes-Benz has unveiled the fifth generation of its oldest continuously-running model, the SL-Class.

V8 star Jason Richards remembered
Jason Richards never won Bathurst, nor a V8 Supercar championship. But those closest to the New Zealand motor racing driver, who died in Melbourne on Thursday night after a 14-month battle with cancer, say the record books didn’t do him justice.

Subaru BRZ confirmed for Oz
It’s been fifteen years since Subaru last sold a two-wheel-drive product in Australia, but the rear-drive BRZ coupe has now been officially confirmed for our local market next year.

Pensioner turns mobility scooter into Thunderbirds’ Rolls-Royce
74-year-old grandfather, Barry Vann, has turned his mobility aid into Lady Penelope’s Roller from the hit 1960s TV series, Thunderbirds.

WHEELS MAGAZINE: Christmas (car) hampers
As Christmas draws near, it’s pens down in the Wheels office, and time to grab the keys to our favourite festive-season rides. (At least for a few days. We haven’t finished our Car of the Year Finals issue yet!)

Ford Australia announces new investment plan
Ford Australia has announced that Falcon and Territory will receive an investment package of $103 million to keep the cars alive until at least the end of 2016.

Loeb aiming for ninth world rally title
Sebastien Loeb will be aiming for an unprecedented ninth World Rally Championship title when the 2012 season begins with the return of the Monte Carlo event.

Peterhansel, Despres win Dakar Rally
Frenchmen Stephane Peterhansel and Cyril Despres won the Dakar Rally on Sunday, completing the final stage two weeks after the race began in Argentina.

Wheels magazine: Honda Civic
Your 40th birthday is often a time of deep self-examination and significant change, but obviously the Honda Civic sedan is pretty satisfied with itself.

Volvo releases pedestrian air bags
Bless Volvo. Beyond bubble-wrapping passengers, they’re now cushioning pedestrians too.

2012 Volkswagen Golf GTI Cabriolet
Volkswagen has unveiled the world’s first-ever Golf GTI Cabriolet. The new model produces 154kW, making it the most powerful Golf Cabriolet ever. It will be revealed in full at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show next week.