Up for grabs at Australian auction house Collecting Cars is a rare Volvo built for the Swedish military. It’s the four-wheel-drive TP21 Sugga, one of 700-odd examples produced between 1953-1958. Sugga in Swedish is ‘sow’, a reference to the vehicle’s pig-like looks. This particular 1954 example has been in Aussie hands since the 1980s. It is … [Read more...] about Rare military ‘pig’ of a Volvo for sale
Car reviews
Tax or no tax, VW Amarok muscles into ute market
Popularity of the one-tonne ute in New Zealand isn’t going to decline anytime soon, despite Government attempts to erode its base with punitive tax levies on exhaust emissions. For one thing, the ute is pretty much essential kit for farmers and tradies, in a nation largely focused on farmers and tradies. More to the point, to expect, for many years at least, a … [Read more...] about Tax or no tax, VW Amarok muscles into ute market
Atto 3: Confucius and the Tinder trap
We bumped into each other at a BP station, both befuddled in front of two electric car chargers. He wanted to charge a top-up to an app on his smartphone. “Been trying for a while,” he said. “Keeps telling me there’s a problem with charging as a guest.” He said he was in Auckland for the day on business from Tauranga. The stitching on his shirt pocket had … [Read more...] about Atto 3: Confucius and the Tinder trap
Ultimate boys’ toy – submarine about as big as two jet skis
The jet ski might indeed be one of the best watersport toys going round, but it has nothing on the lightweight Nemo submersible from U-Boat Worx, a specialist company in The Netherlands. Both craft do have one thing in common, however – they can be towed by the family station wagon or SUV, although Nemo would need a vehicle rated to tow at least 2500kg. That’s how … [Read more...] about Ultimate boys’ toy – submarine about as big as two jet skis
Car of the year? Has to be the Toyota ZR Hybrid Corolla
The new Toyota Corolla didn’t make the cut in mainstream 2018 car of the year awards in New Zealand, mainly because it arrived late in the year and didn’t meet judging deadlines. But I spent enough time behind the wheel of both the 2.0-litre petrol and 1.8-litre petrol-electric Corollas to choose the ZR Hybrid Corolla as my 2018 Car of the Year (COTY). But more on the ZR … [Read more...] about Car of the year? Has to be the Toyota ZR Hybrid Corolla