Articles by CarsGuide team

   

The launch of the new Quattroporte -- the world's fastest four-door saloon -- which replaces the best-selling Maserati in the company's 100-year history, heralds the start of an onslaught of new models over the next 18 months that may drive global Maserati sales to 50,000 worldwide.In additional to the new Quattroporte, Maserati will also launch a second sedan, the Ghibli, and its first SUV, the Levante, both of which take Maserati into new market sectors for the first time. These new models will be complimented by the fastest selling Maserati of all time, the GranTurismo, and its four seat open-top sibling, the GranCabrio.The new Maserati flagship, the Quattroporte, is larger, lighter, more luxurious and more practical than the car it replaces. With a three dollar top speed and a 0-100kmh time of 4.7 seconds, it's also as fast as most two-door supercars.The sixth-generation Quattroporte delivers a leap forward but also remains faithful to Maserati's long history in luxury sports saloons. The powerful engine and the large cabin at the core of the Quattroporte's design, dominated by a long, powerful nose and a concave Trident grille, provide a clear link to both the outgoing Quattroporte and the GranTurismo.Even with all of its new technology, the new Quattroporte remains true to Maserati's roots. Its V8 twin turbo makes it not only the fastest four-door Maserati ever built, but also the most powerful and the most fuel efficient.The Maserati direct-injection engine family boasts a twin turbo, 390kW/710Nm 3.8-litre V8 and a 301kW/550Nm 3.0-litre V6, both of which are new, twin turbo charged, designed by Maserati Powertrain and assembled by Ferrari at Maranello. The V6 twin turbo doesn't lack in performance.The V8 Maserati Quattroporte has lowered both its fuel consumption and emissions by 20 per cent over the outgoing Quattroporte. The all-new architecture retains the Quattroporte's handling thanks to its 50:50 weight distribution, a double-wishbone front suspension and a state-of-the-art five-link rear suspension.It also delivers new standards in quality in every area from design, development, fabrication and process controls. It is produced in a new plant that combines Maserati's traditions of craftsmanship with cutting-edge technologies that are able to guarantee outstanding quality by controlling even the tiniest details.Traditional hand crafted detailing continues in the Quattroporte's cabin, now more spacious and featuring both four and five-seat layouts. Cabin luxury leaps forward technically too, with features like the Maserati Touch Control screen, adjustable pedals (left hand drive only), reversing camera and the optional 15-speaker Bowers & Wilkins audio system, as well as WLAN-based WiFi and compatibility with most modern mobile phone systems.It lobs here in the fourth quarter of 2013. 

  

The ad depicts the Kardashians bound and gagged in the boot of a car, with Paris Hilton in the driver's seat.The tongue-in-cheek cartoon, which features the known reality TV rivals, was created by an Indian ad agency, JWT India, who produces the campaigns for the Ford Figo.The tagline of the ad reads 'Leave your worries behind with Figo's extra-large boot' and shows heiress Paris Hilton winking from the driver's seat while her famous archenemies are stuffed in the back.Ford cartoon character resembling former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.Read full story at News.com.au   

Been caught by a speed camera lately? Chances are that camera belongs to Redflex, a company that owns and operates most of the speed cameras in NSW. It's a revenue stream that generates millions of dollars each year for the State Government and is soon to be expanded with the addition of another 39 mobile camera wagons. Redflex is also the company at the centre of a scandal in the United States where it is accused of bribing city officials. The allegations centre on the city of Chicago where it has operated the speed camera program for the last 10 years, with some 384 cameras under its control. The allegations follow an investigation by the Chicago Tribune newspaper. Revenue from the Chicago contract accounts for about 13 per cent of the company's revenue. It remains to be seen however how much if any of the scandal rubs off on Redflex in Australia, where the company is up for another contract with the O'Farrell government. The Tribune reports the growing scandal threatens to engulf the company. The chairman of Redflex in Australia and top execs of its Phoenix-based subsidiary have all left, revenue is down and the company's stock price has fallen. Despite the growing scandal Roads Minister Duncan Gay said the Government is satisfied with the performance of Redflex.  

The world record for drifting is currently 11.18km, set by Red Bull athlete Abdo Feghali at Abu Dhabi's Yas Marina circuit on February 15.Feghali was helped by using an Easy Drift system -- a ring mount that slides over the rear tyres to reduce grip and replicate skid conditions. Once the Easy Drift wears away, the driver continues on the car's tyres.However BMW is already eyeing his record, and plans to male a bid to break it on May 11 -- claiming BMW Performance Driving Instructor Johan Schwartz will drift a BMW M5 for 65km or more. The teaser video shows him in practice and we'll be keen to see the official bid. 

A New Zealand mother left her infant in a car while she went shopping, after putting a note on the child’s blanket asking people to call her if there were any problems.Some other shoppers believed that was a problem in itself, and took action, according to a report in the NZ Herald.A man whose family parked next to the vehicle at the Pak'nSave Porirua carpark about 9am on Saturday saw the baby and said they were shocked."It was written from the baby's perspective, and it said, 'My mum's in doing the shopping, call her if I need anything', and it had the cellphone number,” he told the Herald."We waited there for a little bit, wondering if the mum was just going to be two seconds and come back. And my wife said, 'I'm not going in without someone being here with the baby'."Other shoppers joined in, waiting with the car and phoning the mother to return to it.In New Zealand it is illegal to leave children under the age of 14 alone for an unreasonable time or in unreasonable conditions, and can result in fines up of to NZ$2000. Similar laws apply in Australia for children aged up to 12, but can result in fines of up to $22,000.Parenting expert site Kidspot.com.au advises it’s never a good idea to leave children in the car.Leaving your child in a car unsupervised at any time is unsafe – and depending on the circumstances may be illegal. Every state and territory has laws around this, so the best option is to never leave young children in a car unsupervised.The reasons are sensible. In summer the temperature in a car is much hotter than outside and your child can quickly suffer heat exhaustion and become seriously ill.Children also get bored and will explore the car’s knobs and buttons, which can be dangerous; or they might become distressed, or injure themselves trying to struggle free from their seatbelts. There is also the “stranger danger” aspect.Wellington police are making inquiries about the incident, but have said that they had little to go on as the incident was not reported to police at the time it happened.

The world record for drifting is currently 11.18km, set by Red Bull athlete Abdo Feghali at Abu Dhabi's Yas Marina circuit on February 15 -- breaking the previous record of 5.8km. Feghali managed the long drift without shredding his tyres by using an Easy Drift system -- a ring mount that slides over the rear tyres to reduce grip and replicate skid conditions. Once the Easy Drift wears away, the driver continues on the car's tyres.