The fourth-generation Ford Mondeo seemed to sneak into New Zealand under the radar last year. One minute it was still on its way, the next it was here and had been for a few months. There was no fanfare, no Ford town crier hailing its arrival. Ford NZ said it couldn’t get every Mondeo model together at once, hence the low-key launch. But it clearly didn’t want to … [Read more...] about Ford Mondeo wagon an allrounder with good road manners
Car reviews
At the wheel: Lexus gives mid-sized IS sedan a powertrain to shout about
Buy a Lexus and ‘thank you’ gifts start arriving in the mail. There might be a special edition book, a collection of music CDs, perhaps a gift from cutting edge NZ furniture and lighting design company, Resident. Customers at Lexus Auckland get VIP parking at the domestic and international terminals. There is always a gift. The customer care programme began with the first LS … [Read more...] about At the wheel: Lexus gives mid-sized IS sedan a powertrain to shout about
Mitsubishi Triton: Fifth-generation offers a new route for the ute
I went to Japan in late 2005 to drive the fourth-generation Triton. I expected the usual route for a ute: a beat over mix of good and bad roads and some 4WD work. Instead, Mitsubishi confined the drive to its high-speed banked test circuit. Why? Because it said it wanted to show the double-cab test ute was underpinned by a chassis that showed car-like characteristics. It … [Read more...] about Mitsubishi Triton: Fifth-generation offers a new route for the ute
Mercedes-AMG wagon is race car and sneaky sleeper all in one
I was having a beer with a couple of Mercedes-Benz engineers in Berlin in the early 1990s. The digital revolution was gaining momentum and talk turned to safety advances. Benz had not long equipped its premium S-Class with anti-lock braking and, like its competitors, was working on further safety devices. One of the engineers painted a light-hearted picture of ‘his’ safest car: … [Read more...] about Mercedes-AMG wagon is race car and sneaky sleeper all in one
Lexus RC F: optional is the ‘Michael Schumacher mode’
Lexus’ first attempt at a sports model to get up the noses of go-fast German rivals was the IS F Sport, a small sedan that arrived in NZ in October 2008 priced at $137,000 and running a revvy 5.0-litre V8 engine driving the rear wheels via an eight-speed gearbox. Ride/handling was poised and accurate on smooth surfaces but not so good on broken ones, where even patchwork … [Read more...] about Lexus RC F: optional is the ‘Michael Schumacher mode’