Articles by Andrew Chesterton

Andrew Chesterton
Contributing Journalist

Andrew Chesterton should probably hate cars. From his hail-damaged Camira that looked like it had spent a hard life parked at the end of Tiger Woods' personal driving range, to the Nissan Pulsar Reebok that shook like it was possessed by a particularly mean-spirited demon every time he dared push past 40km/h, his personal car history isn't exactly littered with gold.

But that seemingly endless procession of rust-savaged hate machines taught him something even more important; that cars are more than a collection of nuts, bolts and petrol. They're your ticket to freedom, a way to unlock incredible experiences, rolling invitations to incredible adventures. They have soul.

And so, somehow, the car bug still bit. And it bit hard.

When "Chesto" started his journalism career with News Ltd's Sunday and Daily Telegraph newspapers, he covered just about everything, from business to real estate, courts to crime, before settling into state political reporting at NSW Parliament House.

But the automotive world's siren song soon sounded again, and he begged anyone who would listen for the opportunity to write about cars. Eventually they listened, and his career since has seen him filing car news, reviews and features for TopGear, Wheels, Motor and, of course, CarsGuide, as well as many, many others.

More than a decade later, and the car bug is yet to relinquish its toothy grip. And if you ask Chesto, he thinks it never will.

Note: The author, Andrew Chesterton, is a co-owner of Smart As Media, a content agency and media distribution service with a number automotive brands among its clients. When producing content for CarsGuide, he does so in accordance with the CarsGuide Editorial Guidelines and Code of Ethics, and the views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author.

2022 Toyota 86 a bargain in Oz?
By Andrew Chesterton · 13 Sep 2021
The incoming 2022 Toyota 86 is shaping as one of Australia's true performance-car bargains, with the Japanese giant's rear-wheel sports car offered in a bargain-basement trim level that won't appear with its Subaru BRZ twin.While Toyota in Japan has confi
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Your new Toyota wait time set to worsen
By Andrew Chesterton · 12 Sep 2021
Toyota's production nightmare has just worsened, with the brand set to reduce its output by another 400,000 vehicles through October, with everything from the LandCruiser Prado to the Toyota Corolla impacted.The news follows Toyota's previous stoppage ann
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The question every LC300 buyer is asking
By Andrew Chesterton · 12 Sep 2021
The popularity of Toyota's LC300 is no longer a question.
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Has the new 2022 Subaru WRX done enough?
By Andrew Chesterton · 11 Sep 2021
The 2022 Subaru WRX has at last been revealed, with the Japanese brand's new performance hero packing a turbocharged 2.4-litre engine that pumps out 202kW and 350Nm.Those aren't huge increases over the current-gen vehicle, which makes 197kW and 350Nm from
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2022 Ford Ranger "torture tested" in Oz!
By Andrew Chesterton · 09 Sep 2021
We knew that the incoming 2022 Ford Ranger was to engineered and designed in Australia, but a new video has revealed just how much torture the Toyota HiLux rival was subjected to Down Under, and in New Zealand.
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2022 Ford Ranger details drop
By Andrew Chesterton · 09 Sep 2021
Ford Australia has finally confirmed its 2022 Ford Ranger will at least appear later this year, but you'll have to wait just a little while longer to actually get behind the wheel of one.
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Hardcore Subaru BRZ STI on the cards
By Andrew Chesterton · 08 Sep 2021
A hardcore Subaru BRZ STI is on Australia's wish list, with the brand in "constant discussion" with Subaru's Japanese HQ on future variant possibilities.Toyota launched a limited-run GRMN version of the outgoing 86, with its Gazoo Racing engineers reducin
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Bad news for LC300 buyers
By Andrew Chesterton · 08 Sep 2021
The bad news just keeps coming for LC300 Series buyers, with reports out of Japan suggesting wait times for the long-awaited LandCruiser 200 Series replacement could blow out to four years.
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The cut-price Chinese EV ute coming soon
By Andrew Chesterton · 07 Sep 2021
Chinese car-maker BYD could win the race to Australia's first all-electric dual-cab ute, with an EV tough truck to rival to the Toyota HiLux and Ford Ranger to launch Down Under in 2023.The brand, through its Australian partner Nexport, has outlined a bol
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Subaru BRZ price and spec confirmed for Oz
By Andrew Chesterton · 07 Sep 2021
The 2022 Subaru BRZ will arrive in Australia with two trim level options, with the Toyota GR 86 to beat its rival to the country when it arrives late this year and early next.We know plenty about the BRZ already, and we'll recap it in just a moment, but t
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