Wheels Magazine: Suzuki Swift Sport

There are five main corners at Broadford raceway, north of Melbourne, and the new Suzuki Swift Sport will do lift-off oversteer at every one of them.

Holden Volt

WHERE to start with the Holden Volt? I’ll assume you know this is GM’s plug-in electric car with a range-extender petrol engine. So let’s kick off with a few disparate facts…

BMW Z4 20i/28i

IT MAY be overstating the local arrival of BMW’s turbocharged, four-cylinder N20 engine as a ‘new dawn’ for the Munich brand, but its debut in the Z4 roadster took place at Mt Warning in north-eastern NSW.

2012 Citroen C4 Review

We sampled the turbo-diesel and the turbo petrol. The oiler won us over with its refinement, easy driveability and worthy fuel efficiency.

Wheels review: BMW M5

At 250km/h the big BMW is covering 67.5 metres every second. The 200 metre braking marker flashes by in my peripheral vision as the speed limiter finally softens the mighty twin turbo V8 at an indicated 267km/h.

BMW M5 - track review

Curiously for a drive program conducted exclusively on a race circuit, three BMW staff make asides that the M5 isn’t really a track car. But despite the veiled concern, it’s little wonder the M5 feels at home on a fast circuit.

Toyota 86 drive

An all-too-brief drive in the new Toyota 86 today at Fuji speedway revealed a sweet-handling, beautifully balanced little front-engined, rear drive coupe which will no doubt be a huge success for Toyota.

Wheels: Jesse Taylor reviews Porsche's new 911

Two days ago I asked myself whether Porsche’s new 991 911 would crack my all-time top 10. After a day of hard driving in the mountains around Santa Barbara, California, the answer is yes and no.

Subaru Impreza

IT’S ALMOST an expectation that controversy will follow the tail (or nose) of a new Subaru Impreza.

Audi A6 TDI/TFSI

It’s never been a big seller in Australia, outdone by rivals from Mercedes-Benz and BMW, but that’s likely to change with the introduction of the fourth-generation C7 A6 – especially in four-cylinder, front-wheel-drive form tested here.

2011 Volkswagen Jetta Review

THE Chum Creek Road is one of Victoria’s driving delights, curling its way upward from Healesville into the Toolangi State Forest. The corners can be rough or smooth, changes of direction rapid-fire or constant.

Opel Zafira Tourer

Though it doesn’t quite feel like it’s running on rails, the Zafira Tourer is smooth and stable at a 180km/h cruise on the unrestricted autobahn outside Munich.

DRIVEN: Hyundai i40 Tourer

Maybe the i40 Tourer suggests Hyundai also realises the clock is ticking, because this mid-size wagon is just about the most interesting mainstream car the big Korean has launched in Australia.

Beep beep, new Barina is $15,990

After five years masquerading as an early-noughties Daewoo, the Holden Barina is out to restore its reputation with this Aussie-styled, Korean-built, and, crucially, Opel Corsa-platformed new model.

BMW M3 Pure Edition

OF ALL the marketing-bullshit-soaked labels BMW hurls around ‘Pure’ is by far the most meaningful for drivers

Skoda Fabia RS

Skoda’s Fabia RS may look like a Suzuki Swift Sport gone wrong, but it drives like a VW Polo GTI done just right

Mercedes C-Class

AT FIRST glance the 2011 Mercedes C-Class looks much the same

2011 Audi A7 Review

Audi joins four-door coupe party. Mind your head

Nissan GT-R MY11

Now the monster is even angrier. Everyone’s happy, then

2011 BMW X1 28i Review

New turbo four delivers a hit like a six

Driven: Audi A8 4.2 TDI

EIGHT-hundred Newton-Metres. It takes a lot longer to say it than to feel its full-bore rush when you stomp on the turbo-diesel version of Audi’s A8 limo

Citroen DS3

Wannabe Goddess good but no deity

Suzuki Kizashi AWD

All-wheel drive signals tilt at Subaru

Audi A7 Sportback

Think of it as the next-gen A6 with slinkier looks and a slickback