There are many who believe Australia needs to come thundering back on all cylinders. The loss of our car manufacturing sector has left people scratching their heads, considering it thrived for decades and amassed a cult following. Countries as diverse as Vietnam, Ghana and Turkey are ramping up their auto-manufacturing […]
Editorial
Editorial: How the Coalition ended car manufacturing in Australia
Well, here we are at the end of almost a century of car making in Australia, following Ford closing down its local factory in October last year, and Toyota shutting its doors this week, and Holden just around the corner. How did we get here? Our beleaguered automotive industry has […]
Editorial: Could autonomous cars spell the end of SUVs?
The SUV’s success story is still in full swing and probably isn’t quite near reaching its peak. SUV sales in Australia repeatedly set new benchmarks, especially in the mid-size class. Previously, ‘four wheel drives’ were off-road-capable wagons, with live axles all round, generally a ladder frame construction underneath, and less […]
Editorial: Australia needs Ford Transit EcoBoost V6 ambulance
When it comes to emergency response, valuable seconds can literally be the difference between life and death. From the time you call 000 to the time of arrival, there is a battle against time, against traffic and against the odds for paramedics to get to the scene as quickly as […]
Editorial: How Donald Trump’s latest orders could shake the auto world
President Donald J Trump. While the controversial and divisive topic is almost too easy to mock, the reality is that the Trump administration is making some genuinely questionable, if not downright irresponsible attempts at policy making that could send the U.S. automotive industry, and indeed the world, backwards. At a […]
Editorial: A look at North Korea’s automotive industry
With tensions escalating between North Korea and the West, including various nuclear threats, what better time to have a look at North Korea’s automotive industry, which is a very unusual and fascinating one. North Korea, for those who don’t know, is shut off from most of the world with limited […]
Editorial: Would you buy a $5000 new car?
Australia is an advanced western nation, with high expectations of what a modern new car is. Even the most basic cars in Australia are available with six airbags, stability control, at least a four-star ANCAP rating, Bluetooth, power windows, power steering and keyless entry, carpets and full instrumentation. Some even […]
Editorial: Can the manual transmission be saved?
To the most unwavering of automotive purists, the clean-revving aural symphony of a atmospherically-fed engine and the level of involvement required for a H-pattern manual gearbox is the only way to enjoy a car. And both of these things are in terminal decline. Can anything be done from a consumer […]