Articles by CarsGuide team

"Direct feedback makes me more quickly understand what the customer expects from Honda," the Honda Australia managing director says. Matsuzawa started the call-up program in February and says it will continue this year as the company looks to resurrect sales in the wake of the Thai floods. Honda Australia sold just on 30,000 cars last year, or 10,000 fewer cars than in 2010, and sales are down another 13 per cent to date this year. Matsuzawa still expects to sell 40,000 Hondas in 2012 -- now he finally has cars to put in showrooms. "I think we can sell 40,000," he says. "Demand is there but we haven't had product. Now we will." The CR-V soft-roader -- both the current model and the new version due in December -- will be a key piece of the rebuilding puzzle. "Dealers have a big expectation for that," Matsuzawa says. "It is a growth area (medium SUV sales are up 20 per cent this year) and we have not been able to provide enough cars for that market." Sales of the Accord Euro and Odyssey people-mover haven't been affected as both cars are made in Japan.  

But it will take a little longer to reach Australia even though it's made just up in Thailand. Prices in the UK are pretty sharp starting at $22,296 ranging up to $33,059. They will be more than that here. The UK range will be available in four spec levels and three body configurations  with a highly efficient Euro5-compliant diesel engine delivers around 121kW and 400Nm. The entry-level UK spec' D-Max offers a generous complement of standard equipment, including air conditioning, daytime running lights, electric windows and front, side and curtain airbags. The double cab adds projector headlamps, Bluetooth and iPod connectivity, 16-inch alloy wheels and body-coloured bumpers, while further up the range you get  a leather steering wheel with cruise and audio controls, and a six-speaker sound system, chrome exterior detailing and 17 - inch alloys. The top of the range model offers luxurious creature comforts inside including leather upholstery, heated front seats and automatic climate control. The exterior is enhanced with roof bars and rear parking sensors.The all-new Isuzu D-Max is powered by a 2.5-litre twin-turbo common rail diesel engine, available with newly-developed six-speed manual or five-speed automatic transmissions.This advanced Euro5-compliant unit generates around 121kW and peak torque output of 400 Nm at 1400 rpm.The Isuzu D-Max also introduces a new `shift-on-the-fly' system, allowing the driver to adjust between two- and four-wheel drive modes while travelling at speeds of up to 100kmh. As well as being the most comprehensively developed, most efficient and most refined Isuzu pick-up ever produced, the all-new Isuzu D-Max is also built to be a highly capable load-lugging workhorse: it has a three-tonne (braked) towing capacity and a payload capacity of 1,000 kg.

For the first time since 1956, works-supported C- and D-types will race again at venues including Goodwood and the Nurburgring. Other events in which it will participate include the Mille Miglia, Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, and each round of the E-type challenge in the UK  a series which in 2011 demonstrated the depth of global interest in historic motorsport, and in Jaguar's participation specifically. The first cab off the rank for is the 2012 Mille Miglia retrospective in May. This year's running of the Mille Miglia has particular significance for Jaguar as it marks 60 years since Sir Stirling Moss and Norman Dewis (then Jaguar's chief development driver) took the start in the first disc-brake equipped C-type. Later that same year Sir Stirling Moss recorded the first win for a disc-braked car when he drove another C-type to victory at Reims, paving the way for the wide-scale use of the technology that we all take for granted today. In August, the Jaguar Heritage Racing team will then be in competitive action at the AVD Nurburgring Oldtimer Grand Prix. Often referred to as the 'green hell', the Nurburgring Nordschleife is regarded as one of the toughest tracks in the world, which is why Jaguar has a dedicated test facility located there running a rigorous durability and performance programme for its modern range. From Germany, the team will then head back to British shores for the Goodwood Revival in September. The undisputed jewel in the crown of the historic motor racing calendar, the Revival provides a dazzling backdrop of nostalgia for an equally dazzling array of competitive action in which the Jaguar Heritage Racing C- and D-type will play their part.

Italian scooter icon Vespa has launched a model named after the most famous street sign in the fashion district of Milan -- the Vie della Moda, the main artery of Milanese design and couture. Vespa has long highlighted -- and successfully marketed -- its design focus, taking advantage of the retro street cred halo afforded by years of being the hipster scooter of choice.  And it looks set to continue that trend in the future, despite facing the same challenges as similarly iconic brands like Mini in trying to develop new models. Special models such as the GTV Vie della Moda are one answer to that problem, although only trainspotters will be able to tell it apart from the rest of the range.  The GTV Vie della Moda is powered by a modern 300cc liquid cooled four-stroke engine mounted in a traditionally styled frame with a headlight mounted on the front mudguard and exposed metal handlebars. Pricing will be announced closer to the bike's August launch.  

The white X200 diesel, manual SUV was bought by Gaye and Scot Foley of Saratoga in NSW from Booth's Great Wall of Gosford. The newly married Foleys are second time Great Wall buyers having purchased an X240 SUV back in 2010. Gaye Foley says that the X240 suited their lifestyle; camping, fishing and some light off road work, and that it was fun and easy to drive. It also filled the bill in terms of good luggage space, proper four wheel drive capabilities and leather seats in a car that didn't cost $50,000. The X240 was something of a test car for the Foley's who did a lot of market research before their original purchase. After weeding out all the vehicles that look like four wheel drives but weren't, the Foley's began to focus on the value for money offered by the X240. The X240 had been a welcome addition to the Foley's lifestyle but they had been eagerly waiting for the diesel version, cutting short a weekend camping trip to get back for a test drive when a friend told them they had seen the new diesel X200 advertised. A deal was quickly done for what turned out the be the 20,000th Great Wall sold in Australia, and Gaye Foley says she is enjoying the additional power and fuel economy of the diesel engine, and the extra gear in the six speed manual box. She says that the fuel economy of the new car is noticeably better and seems to be still improving as the engine runs-in. Great Wall launched in Australia in June 2009.  

Think the modern steering wheel is getting complex? Take a look at the wheel in an F1 car.This is about much more than just steering, it's the link between the driver and a host of functions, adjustments and communications.McLaren has just unveiled this hi-tech wonder in their 2011 racers, and while the teams are notoriously secretive about their car. However Mercedes AMG Petronas has unleashed pet race driver Michael Schumacher to explain the workings of their F1 steering wheel.And this is more than ‘just a steering wheel’ to the team. It’s “the driver's primary interface with his car” Mercedes AMG Petronas says. “Apart from the obvious use of steering the car around the circuit, the wheel is a complex and highly technical piece of equipment which gives the driver the information that he needs to drive the car, and the facility to tune the car for various situations as they arise out on track.”

Japan’s Gazoo Racing website has published a cut-and-glue Toyota GT-86 in pdf form.Okay, it’s not exactly 3D printing, and it’s certainly nowhere near having the real thing. But it might keep you happy while you’re waiting for the cars to arrive in Australia.And judging by Toyota president Akio Toyoda’s laps in the car Fuji race track in Japan, the Toyota 86 could be worth waiting for. The 86 features the world's first horizontally opposed D-4S engine, combining "boxer" engine technology with Toyota's cutting-edge D-4S direct injection technology.The engine is installed front mid-ship to create an ultra-low centre of gravity and low inertia. It is the world's only horizontally opposed engine and rear-wheel-drive package.Paul Gover gave it four stars in his first test drive of the Toyota 86, which has been built as a joint project with Subaru to produce the Subaru BRZ.However, there has now been some argument about who was the main source of the car, and who contributed the most DNA – Toyota or Subaru. Perhaps you can print two copies of the PDF of the paper Toyota GT 86 and paint one in Subaru colours. 

Land Rover's Journey of Discovery expedition is one of the first western groups to enter Chernobyl since the nuclear disaster in 1986. Thousands died in the world's worst nuclear disaster when reactor number 4 exploded on April 26, 1986 dousing the nearby town of Pripyat with deadly radiation. Before the disaster Pripyat was a bustling city of 50,000 people, just three kilometres from reactor number four. Today it's a ghost town. The Journey of Discovery expedition aims to raise 1 million  for Land Rover's Global Humanitarian Partner, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). The money will be used to support a much needed water sanitation project in Uganda. The team from Land Rover's Journey of Discovery was able to enter the exclusion zone that surrounds the reactor which is still leaking radiation today. Before the disaster living standards in Pripyat were among the best in the Soviet Union. It was, for example, the only place in the country where Chanel perfume was available. Wages were double the national average and life was good. Work was plentiful and with plans to ultimately build 12 reactors, it stood as a glittering testament to Soviet technological expertise. The explosion changed everything. Today Pripyat is deserted. A desolate, crumbling place where the people left in a hurry, people who thought they were leaving only for a few days. Ascending the hotel's steps to the top floor is like entering the set of a horror movie, except the horror is very real. It's a fact that this place is deeply contaminated, but it's hard to believe because this radioactive contamination is invisible. The team's final stop is next to the reactor itself, which now sits under a makeshift cover of concrete, steel, lead and metal sheeting. A guide explains there are plans for a better cover, or sarcophagus to be built over the remains in a bid to bring this dreadful chapter in history to a close. The trouble is authorities have been telling the same story for more than 10 years -- it never seems to get any closer.  

But a special edition commemorating the partnership of Ducati and the Diesel clothing company which sponsors Ducati's MotoGP team.The customised model is an `urban military chic' interpretation of Ducati's iconic naked motorcycle.The collaboration is celebrated with a Capsule Collection reflecting the brands' DNA and common roots of creativity and innovation, the key elements that enabled the two companies to become renowned icons of the "Made in Italy" tradition.With Ducati's flagship Monster 1100EVO providing the canvas for the new motorcycle creation, Diesel's founder Renzo Rosso and the Ducati Design Centre guided stylists to a military inspired theme.Set against the black treatment of Ducati's Trellis frame, wheels, engine covers, exhaust system and forks, the exclusive `Diesel Brave Green matte' livery delivers a rugged military vehicle feel, while front brake callipers are finished in shocking yellow to make a strong reminder of the model's performance heritage.The dual-branded collection is dedicated to addicts of life in the fast lane and devoted enthusiasts of these two great Italian brands.Composed of 11 different styles, the range includes essential slim-fitting biker jackets, sweats, tees, a unique five pocket in raw denim and a set of accessories.All pieces are characterised by pure biker attitude, clean technical details and bold Diesel graphics, such as the treated rubber prints recalling the burnt rubber of the motorcycle's tyres.Colours for the collection are black, grey, white with pop up red inspired by logos from both brands, while the range of fabrics goes from treated nylon and cotton to denim and overdyed jersey mix with leather and metal applications.The Monster Diesel will be available from Ducati dealers around the world from late July onwards. 

But the release date for the long-awaited next version of the smash-hit game may have been leaked by an employee working on the project. Alex O'Dwyer, a character animator at Scotland-based Rockstar North - who are developing the game for parent company Take-Two Interactive - added the Grand Theft Auto V project and an October 2012 release date to his online CV on networking site LinkedIn.com this week.The CV was quickly pulled, but not before word slipped out on gaming site Joystiq. O’Dwyer and Rockstar have declined to comment on the incident - or to confirm whether the October schedule is accurate.O’Dwyer’s LinkedIn profile shows he’s previously worked on other auto games, including NASCAR, Pimp My Ride, and Big Mutha Truckers, but all mention of GTA V has been removed.However the profile shows he’s still working at Rockstar, which he joined three months ago. Rockstar is reportedly just sticking to saying that GTA V will be on the market in a few months.