Articles by Staff Writers

We know electric cars aren't the most exciting cars in the world but take a look at the Nissan Leaf Nismo RC.

If scaring the living daylights our of your target audience is the way to make them buy your products, this Japanese tyre company has struck gold.Watch the desktop version of the scary Japanese tyre commercial hereAutoway Tires came up with the ad to show how the company's tyres can peform in treacherous and dangerous conditions, The Daily Mail reports. It even starts with a health warning which reads: "Not for the faint of heart."Also watch: funny or scary videoThe ad - which is reminiscent of the Japanese horror film The Ring - shows the view from a car windscreen as the driver heads down a lonely laneway. In the distance, the figure of a lone girl appears. As the car approaches, the girl's ghoulish face looms.Also watch: how to apply make-up while driving videoWhat happens next has left viewers jumpy, shaken and horrified, with one viewer taking to Twitter saying: "The most terrifying ad you will ever watch! Turn up the volume."Read the full story at news.com.au 

The new plan aims to stop commuters using Centennial Park as a rat run to get in and out of the city. The park's new master plan - released this week - has revealed officials would consider introducing a "small car levy for all cars entering the park". But Centennial Parklands CEO Kim Ellis told the Daily Telegraph on Sunday there were "no plans" to introduce access fees. He said residents flagged an entry fee as a way of stopping congestion in the park. "We don't have any plans to do that idea," he said. "I think that is a very long way off." Centennial Park will completely lose any government funding in the next financial year, prompting the NSW Labor opposition to say the state government is "debauching" the city's parklands by forcing them to raise revenue. Centennial Parklands has a 25 year master plan that includes a levy on motorists entering the park. If approved, the Centennial Park fee on cars entering the park would be phased in over the next five years and would be used to pay for road works and tree regeneration. But shadow Minister for the Environment Luke Foley said people should not be charged to enjoy the park. "For 125 years the people of Sydney have enjoyed Centennial Park without having to pay to get in," he said. "This is a park for all the people of Sydney, not simply for the residents of Woollahra and Waverley. The park was created for the centenary of European settlement of Australia as a park for the people. That is, a place for public recreation for the growing city of Sydney." Government funding of Centennial Park has dropped from 20 per cent to four per cent in the past decade. Only four per cent of the park's current operating budget comes from the state government. Ten years ago it was 20 per cent and in the next financial year there will be no government funding at all. Mr Foley said that a car levy would be one consequence of the complete cessation of recurrent state government funding for Centennial Park from next financial year. "The massive pressure that Treasury places on our public parklands and botanical gardens to raise more and more private funds ultimately debauches these public institutions," said Mr Foley. If approved, a levy on motorists entering Centennial Park would be phased in over the next five years. The levy would also aim to reduce the number of commuters who use the park to take shortcuts through the city during the morning and afternoon peaks. The 25-year master plan reports that the number of vehicles entering the park is frequently "unmanageable". Of the estimated eight million visits to the park each year, about 60 per cent of arrivals are by car meaning the plan could potentially reap millions. See full story at dailytelegraph.com.au

A new Saab has rolled off the production line for the first time since the former struggling GM brand went bankrupt.Under new owners, Hong Kong-based National Electric Vehicle Sweden (Nevs), Saab has restarted production at its Trollhatten plant in Sweden, with the first car a new 9-3 Aero.Saab ceased production in April 2011 when its previous Dutch owner, Spyker, was struggling with financing for the brand, which had been formerly under the General Motors umbrella. In December 2011, Saab filed for bankruptcy but has since been revived by Nevs with plans to build conventional petrol vehicles while ramping up plans for electric cars.The first 9-3 Aero is a revised version of the model last sold in 2011, and is powered by a turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine.Deliveries of the electric car based on the 9-3 will start in the first quarter of 2014, costing 279,000 kronor ($42,500) each, with Nevs saying its partner and part owner Qingdao Auto has ordered an initial pilot fleet of 200 electric cars.However the company has big aims, including becoming "a front runner in the automotive industry, with focus on electric vehicles" and while currently seeing China as the main market for those vehicles, is hoping the Saab brand to global sales.Though that will likely mean targeting European markets first, there is still a chance we could see Saabs return to Australian showrooms. 

A IS FOR Awesome Concrete, carnage and four drivers vying for the V8 Supercars championship; it doesn't get much better. In fact this year's grand finale could prove better than Bathurst with the tightest championship in the sport's history to be decided on the sport's tightest track. Holden's Craig Lowndes and Jamie Whincup will square off against Ford duo Mark Winterbottom and Will Davison in a bare knuckle fight on the streets of Sydney. The concrete walls will claim at least one of the four. B is for Betty It is also for Billionare, Bogan and Bloody good chick. You will see a lot of Betty Klimenko this weekend, whether you are at the track or at home watching TV. She isn't hard to miss with her purple hair and tattoos. You could mistake her for a V8 fan, but she is the owner of the new Mercedes team Erebus V8 and the heiress to the Westfield's empire. C is for Champion After 11 months and 34 races, the championship, which began in Adelaide before stopping off in every state in Australia plus a trip to Texas and another over the ditch, will be decided on the streets of Sydney. There have been a staggering 17 different winners in a season that saw all new cars and two new manufacturers level the field. But there can only be one champion. Will it be Lowndes, Whincup, Winterbottom or Davison? Go on… be brave. Make a prediction. Teammates Craig Lowndes and Jamie Whincup will go head-to-head for the championship. D is for Distance They call it the Sydney 500 for a reason. Yep the drivers will race 500km this weekend. There are two 250km races, one on Saturday and one on Sunday. Both races are worth 150 points each with, 300 points on the offering if you are good enough to win both races. But you have more chance of picking up a grid girl than seeing a driver win them both. It has never happened and probably won't because of this tracks brutality. E is for Engine Shoppers at Paddy Markets, Rhodes IKEA, and DFO would be smart to wear earmuffs this weekend because the cracking thunder made by the 28 V8 Supercars will shake Sydney's West. These 5.0, 485kw beast produce up to 650 brake horse power and boy do they make a noise. They are worth $100,000 alone and send pieces of carbon fibre, steel and plastic, flying down the road - and sometimes into walls - at speeds of up to 300kph. F is for Ford You can thank a bloke called Henry for giving you your Ford. They used to only come in black, but you can get them in whatever colour you like these days. Unfortunately you can't get yourself a Ford V8 Supercar, and soon you won't even be able to get yourself a Ford Falcon. But you can watch a bloke called Frosty do his bit to keep the legend alive when he tries to rope in bull's Lowndes and Whincup. V8 Supercars grid girl Stella Badenoch poses before the Gold Coast 600. G is for Grid Girls This is the only place in Sydney that it is OK to stare at a glamour's bum. You can even take pictures and talk to them without being arrested. H is for Holden Fancy a pie, a beer… maybe a snag or a steak? Well if you don't know it already, you are Holden fan. Get yourself a Commodore, for heaven sake not a Barina, and drive it down to Homebush this weekend to worship Lowndsey with your army of friends. I is for Idiots That is the word drivers have been using to describe other drivers over the past couple of rounds with the championship contenders driving like mad men in a bid to snatch the crown. They have been bumping, barging and biffing in this bare-knuckle championship fight. Jamie Whincup reclaimed the championship lead at Phillip Island. J is for Jamie Jamie Whincup is the greatest driver of his generation. He is aiming to land a record equalling 5th title this weekend and become a legend just like Dick Johnson and Mark Skaife. K is for Kerb Those red and white bumps that line the track are called Kerbs. They are designed to be driven around, but these V8 boys like to hit them as hard as they can and turn their cars into planes. Get your camera out. L is for Lowndsey He is kind of a big deal. Worshipped like Peter Brock was, Lowndsey is looking to fend of his teammate and protect his legacy by winning his first title in 14 years. Nissan drivers Michael Caruso and James Moffat in action at the Gold Coast 600. M is for Mercedes There are four of them on the grid. They look good but don't expect much from them this weekend. They will be all the better for it next year. N is for Nissan Don't be surprised to see a Sushi Train or two at Homebush this weekend. Several high flying Japanese Nissan executives will be in Sydney to see the four Altima's make their Homebush debut. Will Godzilla roar? O is for Ouch Spare a thought for the drivers. The concrete might hurt, but the heat is the real killer. Sydney is the hottest race on the calendar with the December heat, concrete walls and homebush humidity sending temperatures near 70 degrees inside the cars. These guys are tough. Pit stops will be vital to the championship contenders hopes of victory. P is for Pitstop A race can be won or lost in the pits. Don't be surprised if a threaded wheel nut costs someone a championship. Q is for Queuing This is a horror scenario but one that is part of the sport. With only one pit bay, a teammate will be forced to queue behind the other in the pits if they both elect to come in for a stop during a safety car. They both need to come in because the 30 seconds or so they lose queuing is less than they will loss if they stay out. The car with track position gets priority so expect to see teammates going at in qualifying. This scenario will ruin it for either Lowndes or Whincup. R is for Risky Go to soft and get passed, go to hard and crash into a wall. One slip up on this concrete lined track will finish you. Drivers must find the fine balance between risk and reward. S is for Sydney This is our town and our race. Get out and enjoy an event that brings in more people than the NRL grand final. T is for Tyres Those bits of black rubber could decide the race. Driver must nurse them at all times. Ask too much from them and the road will tear them apart. U is for Underdog Will Davison would have no hope of winning the title from 4th at any other track. But because all three above him are a chance of crashing out, the other Ford driver could just do Steve Bradbury proud. V is for V8 This is what it is all about. Big engines, big noise and big fun. W is for Winterbottom He is Sydney's man. Bred in Doonside, "Frosty" is looking to upset the Bulls and steak his first championship. The Bathurst winner is also the newest ladies man after pulling off his shirt for a photo and revealing his (V) 6 pack. X is for X-Factor If you are being dragged along by your husband this could mean the singer that is belting out the anthem. For everyone else it is the rain. We know the weather can change in and instant and all bets are off if it belts down. Y is for "Yes" This is what you will here if you ask a driver for a photo or a signature. Not like blokes from other sporting codes. Z is for Zebra Crossing Stay away from them this weekend if you happen to be anywhere near Sydney Olympic Park.

Fast and Furious' star Paul Walker died in a Porsche crash in Valencia, north of Los Angeles on Saturday.The 40-year-old actor's death was confirmed on his official Twitter account and Facebook page.Watch the desktop version of the Paul Walker Fast and Furious supercut video here. He played Brian O'Conner in the 2001 original Fast and The Furious film and at the time of his death was working on Fast & Furious 7. Also watch: Fast and Furious 6 final trailerWalker was a keen motoring enthusiast performing many of his own stunts.Also watch: Fast and Furious 6 extended trailerHe is survived by his 15-year-old daughter Meadow Walker.Also watch: Fast and Furious 6 trailer 

The little Ford Fiesta EcoBoost proved to be winner with women judges, and Ford of Europe's chief operating officer Barb Samardizch was handed the trophy for 2013 Women's World Car of the Year in a ceremony in Cologne, Germany.The panel of judges from around the world cited the 1.0-litre EcoBoost Fiesta's fuel efficiency, plus its premium look and feel, as key factors in selecting it from a tough 2013 field that included vehicles as diverse as the Porsche Boxster S, Audi Allroad and Range Rover."It was clear from the outset that the new Fiesta 1.0-litre EcoBoost had struck a chord with our panel of female motoring experts from around the world," Myhre said. "Women play a significant but often overlooked role in buying a car and the new Fiesta's high-end look and feel, remarkable fuel economy and surprising performance are just some of the features which clearly chime with the needs of many female drivers."The award is judged on a range of factors women focus on when shopping for cars, including safety, value-for-money, appearance, storage, child-friendliness, ease-of-driving, colour, sex appeal and environmental impact."The success of the new Fiesta, both in terms of this award and impressive sales, has been achieved with a car which is sharp looking, better connected and even more fuel efficient and fun-to-drive," said Barb Samardzich, chief operating officer, Ford of Europe, accepting the WWCOTY trophy. 

No, it's not all about power and torque, it's about ... schoolday nicknames and what to put on a tattoo. Hyundai UK and BAFTA award winning comedian Darren Boyd expose what really goes on in a man's brain when he's shopping for a car. Watch the desktop version of the fun ad probes a man's mind shopping for cars here. Also watch the desktop version of the fun ad probes a woman's mind shopping for cars here.  

It's not really 'all about the kids' when women go car shopping, according to a new campaign by Hyundai in the UK. With famed funnywoman Anna Crilly, we get a look at what really goes on in a woman's mind while a salesman runs her through the usual showroom spiel. Watch the desktop version of the fun ad probes a woman's mind shopping for cars here.  Also watch the desktop version of the fun ad probes a man's mind shopping for cars here.