Articles by Team

Ear-splitting rap and rock music played by teenage drivers increases their risk of crashing, researchers have found. Teenagers listening to their preferred music commit a greater number of errors and miscalculations on the road – and young men make more frequent and serious mistakes than young women, their report said.The study, which involved 85 drivers, sent the teenagers on six 40-minute journeys. Two of the trips were with music of their own choosing; two with background music designed to increase safety – easy listening, soft rock, light jazz – and two without music.When they listened to their preferred music, 98 per cent demonstrated an average of three ‘deficient driving behaviours’ – such as tailgating or careless lane switching – in at least one trip. Nearly a third had to be told to take action to avoid a crash.When no music was played, 92 per cent made errors. When the alternative music was played mistakes decreased by 20 per cent. Researcher Warren Brodsky, of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel, said: ‘Young drivers tend to play music very loudly – 120 to 130 decibels. Drivers are not aware that as they get drawn-in by a song, they move from an extra-personal space involving driving tasks, to a more personal space of active music listening.’

Afzal Kahn has spent hundreds of thousands of pounds building up one of Britain’s most impressive private plate collections.  And the most desirable of the registrations is his beloved 'F1', which currently sits on the front of his Bugatti Veyron supercar.The entrepreneur caused a stir when, in 2008, he paid a staggering £440,000 ($765,300) for the cherished plate -- a British record. But it’s proven to be a savvy investment with the plate’s value increasing by more than ten times after one ultra-rich individual offered £6million for it.Drivers in the United Arab Emirates are even more fanatical about personal registrations. The single digit ‘1’ sold in February 2008, for £7.25 million ($12.61m) , reportedly to Abu Dhabi businessman Saeed Khouri, then 25.Personal plates can be a good investment, if you make the right choice. VIP 1, which originally belonged to Pope John Paul II’s Popemobile, was bought for £62,000 ($107,840) in 2004 – two years later Roman Abramovich bought it for £285,000 ($495,730).However, Mr Kahn, who runs A Kahn Design in Bradford, rejected the offer believing it is worth considerably more. Indeed, he has no pressing need for new cars, with our pictures also showing him posing with the plate attached to his Mercedes SLR McLaren. Mr Khan's refusal to sell the plate means that he still likely holds the record for spending the most money on a UK registration plate.A spokesman for Mr Khan's company said: 'We have received a significant multi-million pound offer for the F1 plate which we rejected out of hand. Mr Kahn has no interest in selling F1, which is his favourite plate. Cherished number plates, unlike property or other investments tend not to fluctuate in value, they only go up. It really shouldn’t be a shock to people that the number plate is worth millions of pounds.'The 109-year-old registration was on a modest Volvo S80 when Kahn bought the plate in 2008. It was used by the chairman of Essex County Council with the local authority using the funds from the sale to raise money for a charity which aimed to raise the standards for young drivers. 'F1' now makes up part of Mr Kahn’s impressive plate collection which includes the registrations ‘4HRH’ and ‘NO1’.  

The Holden VE Ute, voted the best car by carsguide readers, is among 122 products shortlisted for this year's Australian International Design Awards.Other shortlisted products include the Saab 9-3 BioPower with a choice of ethanol, economical diesel or petrol powered engines.The new Volkswagen Eos CSC is on the list for its world-first, five-section hard top with an integrated sliding/tilting glass roof.The Freighter EziLiner trailer is listed for its semi-automatic system for vertically tensioning the side curtains.There are also listings for Volvo's C30 and the Renault Scenic and Grand Scenic family vehicles.A panel of industry professionals will spend a week judging each of them for their originality, design, safety and commercial viability.This year's judging panel includes design experts from Motorola, Frog Design and Smart Design in the US and top Australian designers.The winners of the 50th annual awards will be announced on 30, May 2008.This year the Australian Design Awards become the Australian International Design Awards as local products compete on the world stage.Awards manager Stephanie Watson said a win this year against global competition would mean even more for local designers.Entries cover a range of industry sectors other than automotive, including consumer, business and technology, medical and scientific, sport and leisure, housing and building, agriculture and heavy machinery and furniture and lighting.

A complete cross-section of the nation’s automotive fleet is placed under the microscope during the Australia’s Best Cars assessment process. Vehicle testers from Australia’s seven auto clubs devote countless hours to the task of finding the stand-out new cars from hundreds of possibilities.The nine expert judges boast almost two centuries of collective experience in the automotive industry. This year they were charged with the task of assessing and scoring more than 220 vehicles, involving an entire battery of tests.Consumer focus is the foundation of the Australia’s Best Cars program, so it examines ownership issues such as servicing, insurance and warranty - not just the car’s on-road ability.Australia’s Best Cars judges look at a range of things that can actually be measured. These include standard features, interior space, acceleration and braking, safety and security features, interior noise levels, pricing, depreciation, running and repair costs, and fuel consumption.It all comes down to a week-long showdown at the sprawling Australian Automotive Research Centre at Anglesea in southern Victoria, where the judges drive the finalists back-to-back over a variety of terrain and road surfaces.After initial road testing, 50 vehicles – more than ever before – were selected as finalists this year. The week was devoted to familiarisation with a car’s characteristics – including acceleration, braking and noise tests - before scores were pencilled in for driving and functionality.The Australia’s Best Cars judges climbed in, out-of and around the cars and spent time on road comparing each vehicle. The specific models assessed were those nominated by the manufacturer as being the volume sellers of the range.Additionally, each vehicle was assessed against at least 19 criteria (20 for Four Wheel Drives) and given a score ranging from ten to one for each. The Australia’s Best Cars custom software then applied weightings to produce the final scores. Weightings are based on research and feedback from car-buying consumers, emphasising the things they say are important for each class of vehicle.This year both petrol and diesel variants of eligible models were considered and evaluated individually, creating some interesting results.The rationale behind Australia’s Best Cars has always been to take the legwork out of the search for the best new cars and four wheel drives. Potential buyers can be assured that the process behind it is the most stringent and thorough in the country.

For now he is content to play with the new Audi RS4 at around half of that speed.We are on the Pirelli Test track at Vizzola, north of Milan in Italy.Half the track is soaked with sprinklers keeping the surface slippery to show off the benefits of the Audi all wheel drive system.Werner sets the car up by putting it into a deliberate oversteer - much like rally drivers do - to zip in and out of a series of witches hats."This is not the fastest way around here...but it's the most fun," said Werner, who with Tom Kristensen and JJ Lehto won the Le Mans 24 Hour race last year in an Audi R8.The diminutive Werner has the car singing like Pavarotti and dancing like Fred Astaire around the witches hats.It is artistry in motion, excessive oversteer in a car that has inherent understeer from the all wheel drive system.RS4 is the latest high-powered offering from quattro GmbH, Audi's performance division.It is top of the tree in Audi's A4 range and will hit our shores this year.The motorsport derived RS4's rev limiter says it all at 8250 rpm out of the 4.2 litre V8 with high-revving FSI technology.Peak torque of 430 Nm is reached at 5500 rpm.In real terms this means the car is a gem to drive around town with the ability to accelerate sweetly in second of third gear with no necessity for frequent gear changes.On the Pirelli track the car's high-revving ability pushes it to 100 kmh in just 4.8 seconds and from 0-200 kmh in just 16.6 seconds.The RS4 comes with a six speed manual.Auto is not even under discussion.Audi R8 race cars have won Le Mans four times and have not necessarily been the fastest cars.In endurance racing reliability is king.The RS4, while a performance heavyweight, is a light weight car.The front wings and bonnet are aluminium, as is most of the chassis.RS4 has the latest evolution of the quattro technology.Flatten the accelerator in first and all the power reaches the ground without breaking traction, even on the wet Pirelli circuit.Braking is also enhanced with perforated ventilated 365mm front brake discs and 324 mm discs at the rear.Audi has fitted the latest Electronic Stability Program to the RS4, that is able to be disabled in two stages, the first doing away with traction control, the second ESP, for more enthusiastic driving.While the RS4 may resemble the garden variety A4, the cars are markedly different.Audi's new-look new grille is more aggress- ive, the car sits 30mm lower, there's new wheels, addition air inlets, discreet rear spoiler and the rear has two purposeful, and large, chrome tailpipes screaming to all that this is a car that means business.The interior is sporty with wrap-around seats, leather, and splashes of aluminium and carbon.RS4 also features a flat bottom to the steering wheel and an engine start button...which is possibly one extra the car could do without.If you do happen to stall this beauty you then have to turn the key before using the starter button, two motions instead of one.It's a retroism the car could do without.There's also a sport button on the steering wheel that gives even more dynamic perform- ance.Audi says this makes it seem as if the engine is responding sooner to a hit on the accelerator...and a flap in the exhaust system opens to give the RS4 a more sportier sound....read into that an even bigger and better V8 note. 

This is the first time a six cylinder Hilux 2WD has been offered and the new 4.0-litre petrol V6 ( from Prado) is an absolute cracker.It's offered in a variety of models in five speed manual or five speed auto and puts down startling performance for what is essentially a tough-as-teak workhorse.The 2WD, single cab, SR manual is, for want of a better term, the performance front runner offering incredible acceleration for a Hilux backed up with super strong torque. Though not in the same league as something from HSV or FPV, this long bed tonne-toter won't be found lacking in the legs department.That's because there's a hearty 175kW of power and about 350Nm of torque percolating out of the high tech engine. It's a noisy beast but what's that matter when you're hauling a big load.The manual stick shift is long but the mechanism is typically Toyota "rifle bolt" in action. Gearing is bang on for the weight and size of the truck, its intended purpose and how the engine delivers power. But getting all that grunt to the ground is at times problematic, especially in wet weather.Fuel consumption is commendably low given what's provided and the tank holds a handy 76 litres.As you'd expect the ride is firm even with coils at the front and the brakes are strong.That's because this little worker can carry a whopping 1320kg payload.We never came close to that (despite trying) and 500kg in the long tray barely dents performance, smooths the ride though.At this level, there are the necessities inside the cabin but aircon is extra and the middle seat has a lap only seat belt.The cab is comfy and driving the beast is not onerous.Just a last word about the styling: big head, slab sided, enough said.

The switchbacks are tighter than the sharpest turns of the Great Ocean Rd, the tarmac can be rough and low, and the often-dilapidated brick walls and flimsy steel barriers don't provide much reassurance.That's where the all-wheel-drive Porsche 911 Carrera 4 and 4S come in.The Carrera 4 AWD system uses a viscous coupling that feeds 95 per cent of power to the rear wheels in normal driving conditions. When needed, up to 40 per cent can be sent to the front wheels.Both models have the Porsche Stability Management stability and traction control system, which can be switched off.With windows down we tear up to a tight corner. The flat six engine hits the sweet spot from 5500 revs and the exhaust note is amplified by the rock walls.Just before the engine hits the cut-out of 7300 revs it is time to brake and change down into first gear.The road is so steep there is an unpleasant scraping from the nose as we turn, which we are relieved to find is only a plastic guard on the front wheel arches.It's time to feed on the power and the 911 shoots out of the corner so fast the next corner is suddenly upon us. With the AWD system, the 911 pulls itself out with power shifted to the front wheels. But there is still enough grunt being fed through the rear wheels for the back to step sideways slightly under acceleration – a nice feeling.The traction is impressive, even on the dry tarmac and at corners where road workers have left loose gravel. We can only imagine it would also work well in the wet.The Porsche is not prone to push its nose on through corners, as do some AWD cars, and is incredibly well balanced.Both C4 cars come standard with a six-speed manual. The five-speed Tiptronic automatic, with gear change buttons on the steering wheel, is optional.The brakes have a new brake-assist for when you need to stop suddenly, even if you don't push the pedal to the floor.Porsche's hefty anchors use cross-drilled vented discs with four-pot calipers. They are also available with ceramic composite discs that are lighter and have superior stopping power.The Carrera 4S comes standard with active suspension, which allows the driver to select between "comfort" and the firmer "sports". This system is an optional extra on the Carrera 4.The bodies of the AWD cars are slightly different. The rear guards are out an extra 44mm to house 305mm tyres.The interior of the 911 C4 picks up all the improvements of the new 997 series, including a mix of metal and leather that matches the expectations of the pricetag.Some Porsche drivers may prefer to stick to the regular two-wheel-drive 911 and save about $23,000.For former World Rally champion Walter Rohrl (above) there is no question which 911 he prefers."It is more difficult to drive a two-wheel-drive car but, for me, without four-wheel drive it is not a perfect car," Rohrl says. "This feeling of maximum traction is something that makes me crazy."

The week immediately preceding a test in the C4 VTS was spent clocking up some swift kilometres in Volkswagen's brilliant Golf GTi.The Golf is a dazzling, brawny little four-door which delivers performance in spades.It is a giant among hot fours and the latest model is destined for greatness.The VTS is not a direct competitor in that it is not as hinged on pure performance.It is a warmed-over version of the smart and tidy C4.The Golf and Citroen are wildly different cars which attract different customers.From a standstill the VTS is not likely to get you into any kind of trouble.There are not a lot of horses low-down but that is offset to a degree by the engine's willingness to gather pace quickly.Its agility from take-off is rather innocuous through lack of immediate punch.The engine note sings with purpose and it is a more than credible performer once it's working.One of three petrol engines offered in the C4 range, this naturally aspirated 2-litre four cylinder cranks out 130kW of power.You need to maintain a reasonable amount of revs before releasing the clutch, letting first gear drive the car cleanly off the line.Chassis feel is confident as one would expect from a model which shares some of its underpinnings with PSA stablemate Peugeot's 307. Try to belt into a corner too hard and the VTS will develop a fair degree of understeer.Otherwise steering and handling remain predictable while the package retains a sweet rideability balance.The VTS is quite a frugal proposition, finishing this week-long test which covered about 700km with the attractive figures of 7.7litres/100km.Cabin ergonomics is where the C4 excels — everything is explicitly laid out and the multi-function steering wheel is a snap to decipher first-up and fun to navigate.While this is not a WRX or even in the same league of the extraordinary turbo assisted four-potters, there is much to like about the VTS if you're not into a rip-snorting ride.The fluency of the architecture, the readability of the large LCD instrument panel mounted centrally on top of the dash, the build quality and the high levels of standard kit make the VTS a compelling option at around the $37,000 mark (think similar price to Holden's Astra Turbo and the Toyota Corolla Sportivo).There is a uniqueness with the creamy, smooth elegant lines offering a genuine point of difference in a tasteful exterior form.Some similarities can be drawn from models long gone.The large rear glass which is divided and squared off gives some hint to Ford's special Laser Lynx model of the mid-1990s.But as far as borrowing any design from any previous or existing model, the C4 is pleasingly not guilty.While the VTS is not the volume player of the range, the C4 family is expected to account for about one third of Citroen's total Australian sales next year.So it belongs to a very important nameplate.

People movers long ago replaced anything motorised and modern in this household, so the chance to show off Euro styling was not to be missed. I could pretend those admiring glances at the lights, the second look in the supermarket car park were for me ... but it's all about the car.Honda has drawn a faithful market among the over-30s with the Euro. Not surprising, really, when the car comes with an impressive range of options, easy-on-the-wallet prices and sophisticated styling. The on-the-road bells and whistles include cruise control as standard, a six-stacker CD and a list of extras that would put much more expensive models to shame.With the family on board, safety is paramount and a quick flick through the book shows the car's front and side airbags create an inbuilt cushion of safety.For the technical-minded, standard safety features include ABS brakes (with electronic brake-force distribution) and stability assist.But for a mum more used to footy boots and schoolbags piled in the back of the family wagon, the real attraction is the driving manners and the special features. The dash is easy to read, courtesy of a decent-sized display. Interior lights go on and off automatically so there's no scramble in the handbag in the dark – and as for the front seat warmers – yes, please.Living in a temperate climate doesn't mean that a warm driver's seat wasn't appreciated on a frosty Clare morning. And marriage doesn't mean sharing everything, like his passion for an almost icy travelling temperature. The Euro comes with dual temperature zones for the driver and passenger.You might think that all those little luxuries add up to a hefty hit on the family budget but the Euro has another pleasant surprise. Priced at $42,500 the Accord Euro Luxury falls within the affordable imported range.On the open road, the Euro shows the benefit of Honda's years in motorsport. You can't throw F1 cars around a track without learning something about handling and Honda has put all that knowledge into cars which love the open road.All that and still room in the back for the three juniors. We didn't try a whole weekend away, which might have strained the boot space. But it did accommodate a weekly shop and, after all, there has to be some sacrifice for something that's family friendly and has sex appeal to boot.LOVE IT LEAVE ITHonda Accord Euro Luxury five-speed automaticPrice $42,500LOVE ITSUPERB handling.Separate temperature zones for the driver and passenger – he can chill while I stay toasty warm.LEAVE ITSPACE, space, space – just a bit more in the boot would be great.

That's because it's bucketing down and the roads have taken on an oily sheen that reflects the erratic antics of motorists clambering to get to work on time.Into this I drive, with sweating teeth and bloodless knuckles. Don't look for the whites of my eyes, the pupils have dilated to unblinking pools of doom,urgently envisaging potential accident scenarios.Yet barely moments later there is clarity in my vision, perspiration no longer pours from my pores, and the Ferrari 612 Scaglietti takes on a serene ambience.Though it has the price of a very comfortable family house, the biggest surprise is that it also is just as domesticated.It wears its oxymoron — a user-friendly Italian sports car — very well, especially considering it comes from Ferrari, which used to be the master of making cars solely for fanatical performance seekers.Coachwork played second fiddle. Ergonomics might as well be the science of arranging three dots on paper in the shape of a pyramid.So there it is. A beautifully crafted cabin, stitched with leather, with an indicator on the left, lights on the right. Press-button radio/CD. Electric window switches on the door panel. Simplistic rotary ventilation switches with easy-to-read directions.And just as you become familiar, the Scaglietti bites.The accelerator pedal is firm and the timing to make smooth changes by clicking alloy plates mounted behind the steering wheel rim is initially awkward.The brake pedal — a huge drilled aluminium plate once used to flop pancakes in a San Francisco harbourside grill — becomes the brake pedal. OK, so maybe it wasn't San Francisco.The steering is firm, yet communicative. At low speeds you feel every undulation in the bitumen. Raise the speed and the steering retains its dialogue, telling the driver via barely perceptible movements exactly what the front wheels are doing.At this point the Ferrari starts to make sense.This is a passion play, a car with heart and soul. The exhaust warms the blood and chills the spine.In comparison with some older Ferraris, there's not much engine noise — no clatter of the valve train, no brutal sucking of air through the Webers and no distinct perfume of super-grade petrol on start-up.But this is a car that breathes life. Lexus has a TV advertisement exclaiming how its GS430 model is "alive".No, Lexus. Compared with the 612, the GS430 is barely gasping. Welcome to the essence of motoring.It starts with the engine — an aluminium V12 of 5.75 litres — that sits behind the front axles for near-perfect weight distribution.At idle it rumbles like a small earthquake.Press hard on the alloy accelerator pedal and it rises to encompass some hurried mechanical noise, then, near full belt up close to 7500rpm, it's screaming like a low-altitude jet fighter.The clicks of the paddle shifters on the steering wheel have their own tactile experience, slamming in the next gear on the way up and then coaxing the next cog — with an automatic engine blip at mid-change — on the way down.Then there's the huge Brembo brakes with alloy calipers and four fat pistons that grasp ventilated discs as wide as a mobile phone.Technically, this is Ferrari's biggest all-aluminium bodied car. In fact, there's very little steel in this vehicle.The V12 is near the middle of the car, just alongside the driver's left foot, while the six-speed mechanical gearbox — with its electro-hydraulic clutch that is controlled by the paddles — and limited-slip differential live at the back.The 612 Scaglietti — pronounced "scally-etty" and named after Italian coachbuilder to Ferrari Sergio Scaglietti — will run to 320km/h. I'll take that as read because I didn't get there.It did, however, show a hint of its blistering acceleration.Despite anti-dive and anti-squat suspension, the nose will lift on hard acceleration and stay poised as the scream becomes deafening and you pull hard on the right-hand paddle to pick up second cog.The whole process to 100km/h is fearfully quick, primarily because you have to ready yourself for the next upchange while scrutinising the tacho needle's wild rotation.Ferrari quotes the 0-100km/h sprint in 4.2sec. I won't disagree, but note that during the process the engine seems to take on second wind at what I guess is about 5500rpm — I apologise, my eyes were blurring — and races even faster towards its 7600rpm cutout.The boot isn't especially huge, though it should carry luggage for two — for a weekender somewhere nice.It doesn't have to be close because the Ferrari will get you there with plenty of time to spare and the 108-litre fuel tank has some promise of a decent range.Keep the revs down to a decent level and you should be capable of 540km before refuelling. Yeah, right!