Articles by Joshua Dowling

It can take a hit from a runaway shopping trolley travelling at 40km/h. Meet the car that can’t be dented.The car that can’t be dented by shopping trolleys goes on sale in Australia today.In a world first, the French-made Citroen Cactus has large rubber panels on the doors, with air bubbles that can absorb the impact of a runaway shopping trolley travelling at 40km/h -- with 40kg of groceries on board.Shopping trolley dents and other dings cost car owners and the insurance industry millions of dollars in minor repairs each year.But dent removal experts say they don’t believe the Citroen Cactus will damage their business, because the car is sold in relatively small numbers -- and the full size protection strips with built-in air bubbles are unlikely to be fitted to other models.There is just one catch with the dent-free car.You need to be able to drive a “stick shift” manual transmission to buy the cheapest version of the Citroen Cactus.The $26,990 petrol model is available with manual transmission only.An automatic is available for $29,990, but it has a diesel engine.The Cactus is part of the growing trend towards SUVs that are more like high-riding hatchbacks than genuine bush bashers.Executives from the French car maker admitted when they came up with the name ‘Cactus’ it was meant to inspire images of a great weekend escape.They were not aware the word ‘Cactus’ in Australia can also mean something doesn’t work anymore or has conked out, as in “she’s cactus”.“The naming was a prickly issue and a thorn in the side of our marketing team, but it’s fundamental to the design philosophy of the vehicle,” said Citroen Australia spokesman Tyson Bowen. “It’s a fun name for a fun car.”Buyers clearly don’t mind being seen in the oddly-designed Cactus.One in three Citroen Cactus SUVs ordered in Australia so far are bright yellow -- even though there are 23,184 configurations from which to choose once you take into account all colour and trim combinations.Do you find the trolley-proof Cactus appealing? Tell us what you think in the comments below.

Hidden radar warns that a bicycle is approaching as the driver opens the door.Could this car finally bridge the gap between cyclists and motorists?The new Audi A4 is the first car in the world with technology that warns drivers a cyclist is approaching -- before getting out of the vehicle.It is designed to prevent “dooring”, which can have fatal consequences -- two reported deaths in the past five years in Victoria alone.Despite the recent overhauls of bicycle-related fines, only Victoria, NSW and Queensland have a specific offence for “dooring” a cyclist.In Victoria, it carries a minimum $379 on-the-spot ticket, or a fine of up to $1476 if imposed by a court.In NSW the fine for “causing a hazard to a person or vehicle while opening a car door” is $319.In Queensland, the penalty for the same offence is $117.

VW plans to drop the Beetle from local showrooms after sales hit reverse for three years in a row.Will you miss the new Beetle when it disappears from showrooms, or are you more of a fan of the earlier models? Tell us what you think in the comments below.

Want proof Australians can't spend enough on their utes?

The cost of top-down motoring in a Mercedes-Benz is about to get $20,000 cheaper.

Supercars stole the limelight this year but the surge of small SUVs was the news behind the hype.

Why aren’t more cars like this? A plastic interior that can hose out the sand in the middle of the Aussie summer.Sacre-bleu! The French have created their own version of a modern-day Mini Moke.Like the original beach-loving car invented by the British in 1960s -- and adopted by Australians for two decades -- the Citroen e-Mehari has no doors and a removable fabric top to make the most of summer.

The rumours are true. Our next Holden Commodore will be a rebadged Opel Insignia medium-size sedan.

Bugatti Chiron, the world's fastest and most expensive car, unveiled at Geneva motor show.

Opel GT concept: from Geneva motor show to a Holden showroom near you