Articles by James Cleary

James Cleary
Deputy Editor

James Cleary is CarsGuide's Deputy Editor, with over four decades’ experience across automotive editorial, marketing, product planning and creative advertising.

He has written for national and international titles including Wheels, Drive, Carsales, Motor and Top Gear Australia providing everything from new product assessment and feature writing to industry analysis, news content and expert advice.

He’s spent time as an advanced driving instructor, and had the opportunity to experience rare and valuable classics here and overseas.

James worked in the PR and advertising/sales promotion teams at Mercedes-Benz Australia and has managed the Marketing Communications and Product Planning functions for Peugeot Australia. He also directed advertising client service for Hyundai Motor Company Australia and Volvo Australia.

James has a Bachelors Degree in Communications from Macquarie University and driving qualifications from multiple advanced schools, including Ian Luff Motivation.

He has been a member of the CarsGuide team for 10 years and as Deputy Editor manages everything from sub-editing to back-end platforms while creating written and visual content.

Expertise

  • New product assessment
  • Industry analysis
  • News content
  • Expert advice
  • Feature writing

Experience

  • BMW Performance Driving School
  • Lamborghini Winter Accademia
  • Master Maserati Driving School
  • Mercedes-AMG Snow Performance School
  • Porsche Level 4 Master training
  • Volkswagen Driving Experience program

Education

  • Bachelor of Arts (MassComm) | Macquarie University | 1981-1984

Featured publications

Audi RS 5 2018 review
By James Cleary · 14 Dec 2017
This car has big shoes to fill. It’s Audi’s second-gen RS 5 Coupe, the Bavarian maker’s mid-size performance flagship, sitting above the S5, and on paper it’s a clear step ahead of the old model.
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Countach, Testarossa, CTR Yellowbird, and V8 Vantage flat-chat in '80s flashback
By James Cleary · 13 Dec 2017
It's an '80's dream made real for the small screen.
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Merc X-Class ute scores five star safety.
By James Cleary · 30 Nov 2017
Mercedes-Benz's much-anticipated X-Class dual-cab ute has scored a maximum five stars in Euro NCAP safety testing.
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Alfa Romeo's back in Formula One
By James Cleary · 30 Nov 2017
One of the most celebrated names in motorsport, Alfa Romeo, is returning to the Formula One World Championship in 2018.
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Where's Aston Martin headed? We ask the boss.
By James Cleary · 22 Nov 2017
Aston Martin's Australia and New Zealand boss, Kevin Wall, sat down with CarsGuide at a sneak peek of the new Vantage in Sydney, five weeks before last night's global reveal.
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What is the new Aston Martin Vantage hiding?
By James Cleary · 21 Nov 2017
Aston Martin has revealed its new Vantage, a stunning two-seat coupe, powered by a 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 engine supplied by, and developed in collaboration with Mercedes-AMG.
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Ford Focus RS Limited Edition 2018 review
By James Cleary · 21 Nov 2017
The Ford Focus RS Limited Edition is underpinned by hardware upgrades designed to appeal to track day devotees, so it’s no surprise Sydney Motorsport Park was the venue for our local launch drive.
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Alfa Romeo Giulia 2018 review: Veloce
By James Cleary · 17 Nov 2017
The Giulia sedan is the car Alfa believes will catapult it into the luxury performance mainstream, and the Veloce is the perfect filler between the powerhouse V6 Quadrifoglio, and more everyday Super.
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Mercedes-AMG GT S 2018 review
By James Cleary · 08 Nov 2017
The Mercedes-AMG GT is a proper, hand-built supercar, rolling in the wheel tracks of the epic SLS, adding a serious, high-performance sheen to the three-pointed star’s global image.
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Five things about the Lexus LC500 assembly plant that'll tickle your OCD
By James Cleary · 02 Nov 2017
The relentless pursuit of perfection is actually a thing in the Lexus LC500 final assembly shop.
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