Articles by CarsGuide team

The day before the car went on sale to the public, it was personally delivered to BHP boss Essington Lewis on February 24, 1949. The 48-215 otherwise known as the FX Holden preceded the iconic FJ. Lewis, managing director of the BHP mining company and wartime director of munitions, had given crucial help to the Australian car project from its inception during the Second World War. The Lewis family used the vehicle for a number of years before selling it to the manager of their property near Tallarook. The manager later sold the car to a local rabbiter and, after his death, the car fell into disuse. In 1986, Mary Munckton, daughter of Essington Lewis, salvaged the car. The following year Lewis grand-nephew, Ian Metherall, arranged for students at the Wangaratta College of TAFE to begin restoring the vehicle. Mary presented the car to Drage Airworld Museum in Wangaratta for display alongside BHPs aircraft, Silver City. The vehicle was returned to the Munckton family following the closure of Airworld in 2002. The plates are stamped with Lewis initials and the number 797. According to Carolyn Munckton, a family member removed the plates from the salvaged car in the mid-1980s and transferred them to another family car. The plates were subsequently used on a number of family vehicles until about 2004. The car was acquired by the National Museum in 2004.

The Besbi is the newest scooter to the Daelim range and runs a powerful 125cc engine driving through a fully automatic CVT Twist and Go transmission with electric start. The Besbi could be ideal for the daily commute with a 6.4kW  four stroke, air-cooled engine as well as front disc/ rear drum brakes. The Besbi is a retro styled scooter supported by modern features and technology. It has a chrome plated front grille and honeycomb patterned upholstery to help make it a style sensation on the roads. With a classic analogue instrumental gauge, a powerful chrome plated headlight and sleek integrated LED taillight assembly the Besbi holds the traditional looks from an old Hollywood movie with the technical confidence of the 21st century. Chinese manufactured Daelim scooters are of the highest quality, with the Besbi being quality controlled in the home of Daelim, Korea. The Besbi is environmentally friendly, exceeding the Euro III emission standards. Supported by a 12 months parts and labour warranty, a sharp price point and an extensive nationwide dealer network, the Besbi could win quite a few hearts. It's available in black, white, cream, and red priced at $2,190.

But there is scant detail of the car, which was revealed at the SEMA accessories show in Las Vegas. The turbo version of forthcoming 1.6-litre petrol Veloster would join the already confirmed naturally aspirated 1.6-litre petrol engine in the Veloster coupe line-up. Hyundai Australia plans to launch the naturally aspirated Veloster in early 2012, while timing of the turbo model is yet to be confirmed. The Performance Veloster three door coupe has been devised with the assistance of aftermarket performance company, ARK Performance which transformed Veloster into something similar to a rally car. The ARK Performance Veloster features a custom twin-scroll turbocharger increasing power to 157kW. It remains front wheel drive.  The Veloster showcases mechanical, interior and exterior modifications including an open wheel concept with aggressive fenders and Nitto tires. ARK will also develop Veloster specific parts to showcase the tunability of the engine and vehicle exterior.

Especially when you need to dish out a bit of road rage. And don’t pretend you wouldn’t have felt the same way.

MV Agusta Imports manager Kevin Beale says orders are now being taken for the F3 Series Oro at $33,800 ride-away, but buyers should be quick as only 200 are being produced. The new 675cc three-cylinder F3 portsbike will arrive in March 2012. Pricing is yet to be announced, but it is expected to be under $20,000 ride away. Oro means gold in Italian, so the F3 Series Oro features an abundance of gold finish in the frame plates, single-sided swingarm, forged aluminium wheels, air intakes and cooling vents plus a DID Gold chain. There is even a gold individually numbered plate mounted on the upper triple clamp. The Series Oro also has an abundance of lightweight carbonfibre in the mudguards, dashboard cover, airbox and intake covers, fairing inserts, chain guards, swingarm protector, sprocket cover, fairing lower, and exhaust outlets. It comes in silver and red paint in the traditional livery of the Italian motorcycle manufacturer. Attention to detail includes machine-polished clutch cover and frame plates, and solid-billet alternator cover and footpeg mounting brackets allowing full adjustability, while the seat covers are hand-made from leather and suede-effect alcantara. The Oro comes with Brembo brakes, adjustable Ohlins upside-down forks, and TTX shock and steering damper. Since the new Australian importers took over early this year, the prices of most MV Agustas have come down. "One thing we have been able to do is negotiate a better price than the previous importer," says Beale. "MV Agusta is very keen to get back into Australia having lost the previous distributor. "We told them what would need to be done to get a worthwhile market share and they made the decision to go ahead with our proposal. "The bikes will be cheaper, but we have promised them more volume as a trade-off." Beale says they will honour warranties on existing models after the previous importer the Paul Feeney Group relinquished MV Agusta and Cagiva last July.

In 1952, with Alfa Romeo having withdrawn from Grand Prix racing, fans faced the prospect of a dull F1 season with outdated cars. Track promoters persuaded the Grand Prix to make the more exciting Formula 2 car races championship events. It was perfect for the Ferrari Tipo 500 -- a Formula 2 car designed by Aurelio Lampredi, which monopolised the racing and the podium over the next two seasons. The car was powered by a simple in-line four-cylinder 2.0-litre engine which was mounted behind the front axle, improving weight distribution. Driver Alberto Ascari piloted the Ferrari 500 to his first World Championship in 1952. He won every race except one – because he was driving the 4.5 litre Ferrari at the Indianapolis 500 – but Ferrari still won the race in his absence. In 1953, Ascari again won the World Championship, with Ferrari taking all but the final race. Ascari’s record of nine straight World Championship wins in the 500 has not yet been broken. In 1954, the World Championship returned to Formula 1 engine regulations, so the Ferrari 500 chassis was modified with the 2.5 litre 625 engine and won two just more races, one each in 1954 and 1955, being largely outclassed by the Mercedes-Benz W196 and Maserati 250F.  Two model revisions were released over that time, but the 625 was used until 1956 when it was replaced by the D50 chassis bought in as part of Ferrari’s purchase of the Lancia Formula One team

t’s on the Chevrolet stand in Dubai as the Chevrolet Trailblazer, but will arrive here as the all-new Holden Colorado 7 in the first quarter of 2013. Holden says the production SUV will “bear a close resemblance to the show car” and shares the Brazil-designed Trailblazer’s  body-on-frame architecture and underpinnings. The seven-seater is powered by a new-generation 2.8-litre turbodiesel, with the bonnet bulge covering a variable-geometry turbocharger aimed at delivering the best combination of performance and fuel economy. But Holden promises the SUV will also have enough muscle to attract the recreational market. “It will have the towing ability of a working vehicle and the off-road capability of a true 4X4,” a spokesman says, citing the potential of good approach and departure angles in the “body in-wheels out” design. Holden has confirmed confirmed the towing capacity for Australia will be 3000kg for the wagon, and 3500kg for the Colorado Ute. The SUV is the latest in GM’s ‘global model’ approach, which includes the Cruze , new Barina hatch and mid-sized Malibu sedan -- which is getting a regional debut at the Dubai show. The announcement of this latest addition to Holden's increasingly cosmopolitan showroom comes exactly a week after GM Holden chief Mike Devereaux was forced to deny claims that future Commodores will be designed and engineered off shore. Meanwhile at Broadmeadows, Ford is engineering an SUV based on the Ranger's global T6 platform and it is expected to earn a business case study for local sales. Ford Australia was responsible for developing the one-tonne Ranger, which will be sold in 180 countries as part of the One Ford global product strategy. Mazda's BT-50 workhorse is based on the same platform but has its own sheet metal and drivetrains. Now Ford is looking to leverage that development with a high-riding wagon. The Australian arm won't officially confirm the plan but a spokeswomen has previously said Ford Australia would create more than one model based on the platform. Rival ute-based SUVs also have been spotted recently near Ford's proving ground in Victoria as engineers evaluate the competition. The Ford and Holden products would compete against the likes of Nissan's Navara-based Pathfinder and the Mitsubishi Challenger, which is spun off the Triton platform. the Colorado-based SUV. ranks," Elsworth says. So far this year, Holden is fourth overall in the medium SUV ranks with the Captiva 7. Captiva 5 sales appear well down the compact SUV table dominated by Subaru, Toyota, Nissan, Hyundai, Mitsubishi and Mazda. More than 98,000 compact SUVs have found homes in Australia in 2011, the largest volume of any SUV segment and third overall to small and light passenger car sales.

Brand new for 2012 is the Tiger Explorer, a flagship model for Triumph's Adventure range. The Tiger Explorer is powered by a new, shaft-driven, three-cylinder engine over 1200cc in capacity. Featuring a high-specification as standard, the Tiger Explorer introduces Triumph's new 'ride-by-wire' throttle system and includes cruise control, switchable ABS and traction control as standard. The high specification continues in the chassis department with a strong steel chassis and cast alloy wheels, 19 inch front and 17 rear, the latter showcased thanks to the stylish single-sided swingarm. Next Trumpy off the rank is a premium version of its Speed Triple called the Speed Triple R. The R sports the latest specification Ohlins NIX30 43mm forks at the front, with a  TTX36 unit at the rear. To minimise unsprung weight as much as possible, the lightweight five-spoke forged aluminium wheels are more than 1.7kg lighter than those on the standard machine, delivering even more precise and agile handling. Four-piston radial monoblock Brembo calipers are fitted  and there's a switchable version of Triumph's electronic anti-lock system available as an option. Finally, there's a real throwback model called the Steve McQueen Edition Triumph has joined forces with the estate of Hollywood icon Steve McQueen to create a limited edition motorcycle that pays tribute to the late actor's love of the British brand's products. It's based on the classic Bonneville T100 and only 1100 of the Steve McQueen Edition will be sold worldwide.

The Kia concept was one of four outrageous models hown at the Las Vegas 2011 SEMA show. The vehicles were conceived and built in-partnership with the popular lifestyle magazine, Antenna. It's outfitted with everything the modern-day surfer needs for a perfect day and night at the beach, including an authentic Grain wood surfboard mounted on the roof. The Rio 5-door has been lowered with a modified suspension for more aggressive handling, and the aggressive exterior design is accentuated by eye-grabbing 17-inch three-piece gold wheels, a stunning sunset-metallic golden-brown paint scheme, a custom body kit with a front splitter made of wood to match the surfboard on the roof and a redesigned rear fascia with center-mount dual exhaust.

This limited edition Mitsubishi ASX builds on the popular 2WD variant with a number of interior and exterior upgrades. Like most vehicles in the MY12 update, the Anniversary ASX has a rear-view camera. The monitor automatically appears in the electro-chromatic rear-view mirror when reverse gear is engaged. It is available with a 2.0-litre, four cylinder DOHC 16 valve MIVEC engine coupled with either five-speed manual transmission or CVT with INVECS III. The special edition ASX's interior receives a number of luxury upgrades including leather seat trim, heated front seats and power driver's seat while cabin convenience is enhanced through the inclusion of steering wheel audio controls and Bluetooth. The addition of 17-inch alloy wheels, chrome muffler tip, privacy glass and special edition 30th Anniversary badges updates the exterior while the striking ROAR body-kit, which includes front air dam, front bumper cover, rear air dam and single rear muffler, enhances the sporty lines of the ASX. Prices start at $28,990 for the manual.