Articles by David Morley

David Morley

Contributing Journalist

Morley’s attentions turned to cars and motoring fairly early on in his life. The realisation that the most complex motor vehicle was easier to both understand and control than the simplest human-being, set his career in motion. Growing up in the country gave the young Morley a form of motoring freedom unmatched these days, as well as many trees to dodge. With a background in newspapers, the move to motoring journalism was no less logical than Clive Palmer’s move into politics, and at times, at least as funny.

What is double clutching and how do you do it?

By David Morley · 25 Jul 2023

It's a technique that was once necessary in order to drive vehicles smoothly and without damaging them. These days, however, it's pretty much a lost art.

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Top 6 most reliable car brands

By David Morley · 24 Jul 2023

Q: What are the most reliable car brands you can buy in Australia? A: It’s a heck of a question – but a popular barbecue discussion point - and there’s no definitive answer, mainly because there are so many variables (not to mention the sheer number of available car makes and models).

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BMW XM 2023 review

By David Morley · 24 Jul 2023

BMW was one of the first premium automotive brands to venture into the SUV pond. And now it's pushing the boat out even further with the large, luxurious XM, a five-seat (only) hybrid that's all about the well being of those located in the rear seats. Do the efficiency benefits of it's V8 petrol-electric powertrain offset the impact of its substantial footprint?

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BMW M's future isn't all SUV

By David Morley · 22 Jul 2023

Forty-five years is a long time between drinks, so what does the arrival of only the second dedicated M bodyshell – in the form of the BMW XM - suggest about the future direction of M division cars?

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A porky SUV can still be a BMW M car

By David Morley · 21 Jul 2023

Building a 2.7-tonne plug-in hybrid SUV is one thing, but when it carries a BMW M Division badge, it needs to drive like an M car.

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How to check if you've been caught by a speed camera

By David Morley · 11 Jul 2023

We’ve all done it; you drive past a white or silver SUV parked by the side of the road and think, was that a speed camera? By the time you’ve looked down to check your speed, you’re past the parked vehicle and you discover, to your horror, that you were a handful of kilometres over the posted limit.

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How long do car tyres last?

By David Morley · 29 Jun 2023

This is actually not a simple question, because there are several metrics by which tyres can be deemed ready for replacement. Which means there are also many factors that determine how long do tyres last.

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Supercharger vs Turbocharger: What's the difference?

By David Morley · 14 Jun 2023

A couple of decades or so ago, any petrol-engined car with a supercharger or turbocharger was considered a performance car. Which it almost certainly was, because that was the way to squeeze more power out of a given engine.

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Are flagship utes actually an upgrade?

By David Morley · 10 Jun 2023

I won’t bore you with the now very familiar numbers, but take it as read that for every 100 people that walk into a new-car showroom in Australia and sign on the dotted line, around 15 of them will drive out in a dual-cab ute.

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What is RPM?

By David Morley · 06 Jun 2023

The abbreviation RPM stands for Revolutions Per Minute. In a motoring sense, the revolutions in question relate to a car’s engine. So, RPM in car speak becomes a measure of how fast an engine is spinning.

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