Articles by Stephen Ottley

Stephen Ottley

Contributing Journalist

Steve has been obsessed with all things automotive for as long as he can remember. Literally, his earliest memory is of a car. Having amassed an enviable Hot Wheels and Matchbox collection as a kid he moved into the world of real cars with an Alfa Romeo Alfasud.

Despite that questionable history he carved a successful career for himself, firstly covering motorsport for Auto Action magazine before eventually moving into the automotive publishing world with CarsGuide in 2008. Since then he's worked for every major outlet, having work published in The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, Drive.com.au, Street Machine, V8X and F1 Racing.

These days he still loves cars as much as he did as a kid and has an Alfa Romeo Alfasud in the garage (but not the same one as before... that's a long story).

Ford teases Ranger Raptor R V8 super ute

By Stephen Ottley · 02 Jan 2022

Ford has given its strongest hint yet that it wants to squeeze a V8 under the bonnet of the recently revealed next-generation Ranger ute.

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Hyundai's Ioniq 5 N electric super SUV!

By Stephen Ottley · 30 Dec 2021

The recent arrival of the Hyundai i30 Sedan N has completed the brand’s line-up of N Performance models… at least for now.

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Why new multimedia systems suck

By Stephen Ottley · 27 Dec 2021

Let me be clear right from the beginning - I’m not a Luddite. I enjoy and embrace technology, and believe it has played a significant role in the advancement of both humankind in general, but the automobile in particular.

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Great car investments you should’ve made

By Stephen Ottley · 26 Dec 2021

Predicting the future with complete accuracy has so far proven elusive, which is why it can be difficult to predict exactly which cars will be great investments - and which will cost you money.

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The biggest brand’s biggest 2022 models

By Stephen Ottley · 26 Dec 2021

It's been a rollercoaster ride for the car industry the last two years, with the global pandemic causing a variety of issues that have dented sales.The ongoing semi-conductor shortage coupled with the global supply chain bottlenecks makes it hard to predi

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Why car dealers could soon be in the past

By Stephen Ottley · 25 Dec 2021

“Dealers will be gone eventually; it’s just whether it’s five, 10 or 15 years from now.”

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Hyundai N Festival: Could this be the world's cheapest track day (with your warranty intact)?

By Stephen Ottley · 21 Dec 2021

Car companies talk a lot about creating an emotional connection with customers these days. While it’s easy to think that’s just a marketing gimmick, Hyundai demonstrates what it really means with the 2021 N Festival.

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Why now isn't the best time to buy a car

By Stephen Ottley · 19 Dec 2021

During a typical year, we motoring journalists are fortunate enough to drive between 50 to 100 cars. But, sadly, we don’t get paid enough to buy so many. Which is why I enjoy helping friends buy cars, because it allows me to get some first-hand experience to inform my understanding of the current market.

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VW Crafter to get California camper treatment

By Stephen Ottley · 16 Dec 2021

Volkswagen Australia is preparing to launch its own locally designed and engineered addition to its California range of campers based on its biggest model, the long-wheelbase Crafter.

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Volkswagen’s Amarok W580 ute to head abroad?

By Stephen Ottley · 14 Dec 2021

Volkswagen Australia is happy to share its locally developed Amarok W580 performance-focused ute with the rest of the world - if they want it.

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