Articles by CarsGuide team

Prices start from $43,990 and Master comes with a three-year 200,000km warranty, with roadside assistance for three years.The front-wheel drive Master is the largest of Renault's vans sold here and sits above the Kangoo and Trafic in terms of load capacity. The 4.3-metre long wheelbase version can carry up 12.5 cu m with a maximum payload of more than 1600kg.Three standard pallets fit in the back, with the ability to load a pallet through the side sliding door. New Master's cabin offers the comfort and the practicality of a mobile office for customers who need to be able to work on the move.Innovations include a folding seat-back table that forms an ideal swivelling desktop and an optional lidded dash top cubby big enough for a laptop computer with the convenience pack. Many of the changes and improvements have come about through customer feedback.The 2012 Renault Master range comprises four models. They're all powered by the same 2.3 dCi turbo diesel engine that has been engineered to meet the specific requirements of commercial vehicle operators.Power is up 19kW to 107kW and maximum torque has increased to 350Nm between 1550 and 2750 revs (up 50Nm). There's a choice of six-speed manual or the Quickshift automated gear change.Quickshift models deliver 8.5 litres/100km and the manual transmission a competitive 9.0 litres/100km. With a 105 litre tank it means the van can travel up 1230km on a single fill.New Master has the latest-generation ABS with EBD (Emergency Brake force Distribution), ESP stability programme and ASR traction control to ensure enhanced stability when braking or cornering when fully loaded.Two airbags are standard and side airbags are optional. Drivers will notice a 'snowflake' and 'kg' button on the dash of Quickshift models. The snowflake will automatically select second gear for take-off in slippery conditions while kg changes the clutch mapping when carting heavy loads.Renault has adopted more longer-life and maintenance-free components. There is a fitted-for-life timing chain, longer lasting coolant (now 60,000km/48 months), longer life brake pads (20 per cent longer) and clutch, and a no-maintenance particulate filter for the exhaust system.

Holden engineers clocked up some 1.3 million development kilometres in the LPG Commodore and produced 78 testing and evaluation prototypes. Holden developed a `raft of local engineering solutions' for the LPG Commodore to improve driveability and to cut running costs. Holden claims the LPG car costs roughly the same to run as a small or medium-sized petrol car. They evaluated liquid and vapour-injection LPG systems opting for vapour injection. According to Holden, vapour injection provides lower fuel consumption and lower CO2 emissions compared to liquid, while vapour also uses fuel more efficiently with fewer pumping and parasitic losses. Holden says vapour systems are less mechanically demanding and therefore better suited to the varying grades of LPG fuel found across Australia. Ford, which uses Liquid LPG injection on its LPi Falcon, has a different view. The heart of the LPG Commodore is the 3.6-litre, double overhead cam V6 engine, with four valves per cylinder. This engine has been re-designed to run solely on LPG and therefore has allowed for design optimisation in several key areas. As LPG contains a higher octane rating than petrol, new pistons of an optimised design have been used to raise the compression ratio to 12.2:1 to take full advantage of LPG fuel. A particular highlight of the dedicated LPG Commodore is the new six-speed automatic transmission. Lighter, smarter and more refined, this new transmission boasts sophisticated control software that optimises shift patterns to provide outstanding driveability. It produces 180kW of power and 320Nm of torque. In Omega spec, it records 11.8L/100km on the ADR combined cycle and the LPG range scores 4.5 stars from the Green Vehicle Guide, and exceeds projected Euro 6 exhaust emissions standards. Touring range is around 700km from the 84-litre aluminium tank that resides behind the rear axle to optimise boot space. Dedicated LPG is available across a range of current Commodore sedans, Sportwagons utes and long wheelbase Caprice. The additional cost is $2500 with a Federal Government rebate of $2000 available.

The DS4 is a  new class of car that combines the style of coupe, the space and convenience of a tall body car, ease of access of a five door car and the premium style, equipment and features of Citroen DS range of cars. Citroen now has four different models in a market area in which it previously had just one body with a choice of three or five doors. The DS4 satisfies a broad range of customer needs and engages the driver at an emotional level, enhancing the appeal and `joie de vivre' of the motoring experience. DS4 is powered by a range of three Euro 5 compliant engines, delivering refined performance with optimised fuel and CO2 efficiency.  There are two petrol engines with a choice of 115 or 147 kW and the 82 kW e-HDI is fitted as standard with Citroen's micro hybrid system. One of the safest vehicles in its class, DS4 has been awarded a maximum five star Euro NCAP safety rating with a 97 per cent score in the Safety Assist' category. The DS4 is launched in Australia in three different versions, the Citroen DS4 DStyle 115 kW Turbo Petrol with a six speed EGS gearbox as standard is priced at a  $35,990. The DStyle e-HDI Turbo Diesel, also with an EGS gearbox as standard, is $1000 more. Topping the range, is the DSport, with a six-speed manual gearbox mated to its 147 kW Turbo petrol engine, priced at $39,990.

Xperia Studio, Pixelbite and Dr. James Brighton have taken the game "Reckless Racing" to a new level, controlling a real-world rally car with just a smartphone.

The recall notice cites a problem with the lights not being in conformance and therefore not functioning properly. The failure of the rear lights to operate may pose a crash hazard, the recall says. The notice applies to a total of 132 Maserati Granturismos and a single GranCabrio sold in Australia. "The light cluster will be completely replaced by Maserati, as our LED light clusters come as a complete unit," says Edward Rowe, spokesman for Maserati importer Ateco Automotive. "The replacement parts have been imported from Italy and are here awaiting the owners." However he emphasised that the Maseratis are not suffering having the lights completely out of action. "One side stops working, but you won't get both sides failing simultaneously, and the high level brake light will continue functioning," Rowe says, declining to comment on whether anybody unlucky enough to rear-end a Maser in the next few days would be able to blame the light defect.

It was ironic that we got stuck in Sydney traffic jams a couple of kilometres away from Kia headquarters this week - only to be told on arrival that three of their models are set to get satnav systems with SUNA live traffic updates. Starting next week, the satnavs will be standard on the top-spec versions of the Sportage and Sorento, with the Optima due to get its system by July. The new equipment brings a $990 price rise for the Platinum versions.This lifts the Sportage to $37,710 for the petrol and $40,710 for the diesel, and takes the Sorento to $50,180. The satnav equipped Optima will be $37,980.The system will also be available as a $1500 option in the Sportage and Sorento SLi models. The systems - with a 6.5-in screen for Sorento and 7-in for Sportage and Optima - with live traffic updates to let drivers avoid the kind of snarl our VW got caught in.Maps will be updated free after the first 12 months and again a year later - a service Kia says is the first for any brand in Australia.

She hasn’t given it a name yet, but the winner of the Nova Carsguide Car of the Year gave her prize a big hug when she came to collect it.  The Avalon-based teacher was over the moon when she was presented with her prize at Kia’s Sydney headquarters this week. “I just love my new Rio,” Ms McGee said. “When you’re sitting in it, it feels fantastic and you can see all the mod cons are there. It’s wonderful and I can’t wait to get it home and read through the owner’s manual to find out about all the things it has. I was excited…it was such a buzz. Adrenaline took over to the stage that my children said there was an embarrassment factor involved in me being that excited. But I figure you don’t win a great new car like this every day. “I haven’t named it yet, but I will … I might have to drive it a little and get to know it first. “I’m going to take it to school tomorrow – all the kids I teach at Avalon Public School can’t wait to see it. Each day since I won the competition, they ask me if I’ve picked it up yet.” Kia Motors Australia President and CEO, Chongwoo (Charlie) Kim, said he was delighted to personally hand the car over to Ms McGee. “It is very satisfying for us to see this type of excitement being generated by our new Rio, the Carsguide Car Of The Year,” Mr Kim said. “We are very proud of the Rio and very pleased to be a part of helping a new owner become part of the Kia family.”

But this is the star of our own new animated campaign. The Carsguide computer car was created by the CumminsRoss agency and Plaza Films from a series of Carsguide pages, some imagination and a few long hours in the parallel universe of digital wizardy.  Initially the thought was to build a real vehicle, but using CGI meant freedom from the shackles of mechanical design - and time.  “We were excited about the creative opportunity to build the car from computers, but time was against us,” Plaza Films producer Josh Jenkins says.  “We further developed the concept and decided to build the car in 3D animation. That gave us fantastic creative control.” Jenkins says that after developing the shape of the car and the movement of the ‘camera’, the 30-second commercial was plotted out in detail.  “We deliberately designed the entire spot to be done in a continuous shot in order to streamline the 3D and compositing into a single process,” he says. “We then moved into an intricate design phase as all the screens, mesh, textures, reflections, background environment and lighting were created using the powerful Mirage VFX render farm to process the bulk of the complex geometry.” The final stage brought all the elements together with music, sound design and voice-over to deliver the final car for ‘launch’. “It allowed us to bring it to life as a real object, and an engaging and fun campaign,” CumminsRoss executive creative director Jason Ross says.

Watch the star British Formula One driver hitting the track in a go-cart at Eastern Creek.

Before you start picturing a pint-sized demolition derby piling up a collection of $236,000 sports cars, we should reassure you the vehicles are Porsche 911 pedal cars, not the full-sized version. Replacing the screech of tortured tyres will be the ‘brum-brum’ noises as youngsters pilot the pedal cars through some early traffic training at Albert Park. Conducted in conjunction with Michelin, the classes will see kids aged from five to 10 years old given a brief lesson in the rules of the road - and reasons behind them - and some safe driving tips from qualified Porsche Sport Driving School instructors. They then get to practice the lessons with the 911 pedal cars on a specially designed track. At the completion of the 40 minute session each child is presented with a Certificate of Participation and Porsche Kids Driving School Licence. “Basic road rules and safe driving can be taught at an early age when children’s minds are receptive to the concept of right and wrong,” says Porsche Cars Australia Director of Marketing and Motorsport, Kevin Nicholls.  This is the second year the Porsche Kids Driving School has been presented at the Australian Grand Prix.  Parents may register their child in one of the six free-of-charge sessions conducted each day at the Driving School in The Kids Zone at the Queens Rd end of Albert Park, with each session allowing for up to 16 participants, with a total of close to 400 graduating over the weekend.