November 2022

Wheels

Australia’s original motoring magazine.

Wheels3 min read
Upfront
I’VE BEEN FUTZING about in a Haval this week and have noticed something interesting. Like the Nissan Z I drove last month, there’s no satellite navigation integrated into the central touch screen. It’s part of a burgeoning trend. Perhaps reasoning th
Wheels1 min read
30 Days
1. The Ferrari Purosangue has suicide rear doors. And as much as we try to be offended about a Ferrari SUV, it hasn’t exactly been clobbered with the ugly stick 2. The new BMW M2 is divisive. Its rear end features more bumps and welts than a seniors
Wheels5 min read
Wild Horses
FORD HAS PULLED the covers from its seventh-generation Mustang sports coupe and convertible, revealing an incremental evolution of the iconic Pony Car design rather than a daring ground-up overhaul. Full details for the 2023 Mustang are yet to be rel
Wheels2 min read
The Wrap
Barn finds don’t get much stranger or more intriguing than this C4 Corvette built in 1987. At some point in the early ’90s, the V8 was pulled and replaced with a 300kW electric powertrain developed by Motorola Automotive, with a load of technical det
Wheels1 min read
Shot In The Dark
MAKING ITS DEBUT alongside the standard Mustang GT is Ford’s Mustang Dark Horse, which turns up the performance potential even further. The new Gen IV V8 features higher outputs thanks in part to new camshafts, a six-speed Tremec transmission with a
Wheels6 min read
AMG Unleashes 500kW/1020Nm Plug-in Monster
HERE IT IS: the biggest personality shift the Mercedes-AMG C63 has undergone in, well, ever. Finally revealed after years of rumours, teasers and spy shots, our first official look at the all-new C63 S E Performance confirms what we all knew was comi
Wheels1 min read
Incoming
The car Ferrari said it would never build stands to be one of the most thrilling and anticipated releases of 2023. This four-door, four-seater will be the only crossover in the ultra-premium segment powered by an atmo V12, with the 6.5-litre unit cra
Wheels1 min read
The Market
As the worst of winter passes, it seems the national car market is warming up, with this past August reaching a five-year high for new-vehicle registrations in one month. The August tally of 95,256 new car registrations is up 17.3 percent, or 14,057
Wheels1 min read
Rising: Tesla
Active on the Australian market since late-2014, it was only this past March that the American automaker decided to publicly share its sales data with the FCAI. After months of dwindling supply, recent shipments of Model Y and Model 3 have seen sales
Wheels1 min read
Falling: Skoda
Skoda’s YTD tally (4167) of new vehicle registrations is 41.6 percent down on the same period in 2021 (7133). In fact, all models but the Skoda Superb (up 17 percent) are dramatically worse off than last year. The Skoda Scala (based on Mk6 Polo) is d
Wheels4 min read
Inbox
Keep it tight (no more than 200 words) and do include your suburb if via email: wheels@wheelsmag.com.au You can also have your say on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter (search for Wheels Australia) I APPRECIATED the details and explanations in Andy Enri
Wheels3 min read
Squeaky Wheel
IN 2019, a terrible set of circumstances led to the death of a 15-year-old pedestrian when a South Australian driver lost control of their supercar and mounted the footpath. Horrible road traffic accidents are, unfortunately, not uncommon in Australi
Wheels1 min read
The Question
Why else are you buying one? It’s not the last word in handling delicacy, so you’re buying it for its engine. It’s been that way for years. Hybridise it maybe, but keep eight cylinders and that sound! Gareth Jones I’m all for moving with the times. I
Wheels3 min read
Backmarker
IF YOU’VE NEVER dropped out of the sky tail-first in a light plane with a stalled engine, I can highly recommend it. Seriously. Okay, it helps if it’s an aerobatics aircraft with a handy pilot at the controls, and you’ve a vague faith that once he po
Wheels3 min readChemistry
Influit Flow Battery
WE ALL KNOW THE issues with EV batteries by now. You demand more range and as a result, you end up lugging a battery about that weighs about as much as bulk freight carrier. As a result you need bigger brakes, heftier tyres, beefier suspension and so
Wheels1 min read
Air Apparently…
We know. Flying cars are pie-in-the-sky nonsense, right? It’s been over a century since Glenn Curtiss built his Autoplane and there still isn’t a flying car that has been commercially viable. The next generation of flow batteries could change that th
Wheels1 min read
The Low Down On Flow
Influit has already conducted safety tests. A simple puncture test shows that when the anolyte and catholyte mix, the temperature elevates slightly and then returns to ambient. There are no exhaustive gases, explosions or flames. Rapid refueling pods
Wheels7 min read
Toyota’s Ban On Boring Cars? Uh, Yeah, It’s Working…
Model Toyota GR Corolla Engine 1598cc 3cyl, dohc, 12v, turbo Max power 220kW @3000-5500rpm Max torque 370Nm @6500rpm Transmission Six-speed manual Weight 1475kg (estimated) 0-100km/h 5.1sec (claimed) Economy 9.8L/100km (estimated) Price $62,000 (esti
Wheels5 min read
Dimensions Expanded; What About Talent?
Model BMW X1 xDrive20i Engine 1998cc 4cyl, dohc, 16v, turbo + mild hybrid Max power 150kW @5000-6250rpm Max torque 300Nm @1500-4500rpm Transmission 7-speed dual-clutch Weight 1625kg 0-100km/h 7.1sec (claimed)) Economy 7.4L/100km Price $65,900 On sale
Wheels5 min read
Familiarity Is Only Skin Deep
Model Mercedes-Benz GLC300 Engine 1994cc 4cyl, dohc, 16, turbo + mild hybrid Max power 190kW @5800rpm Max torque 400Nm @2000-3200rpm Transmission 9-speed automatic Weight 1820kg (estimated) 0-100km/h 6.2sec (claimed) Economy 7.2L/100km (estimated) Pr
Wheels7 min read
Finally Uncovers The Meaning Of (sporting) Life
Model Lexus RX 500h F-Sport Performance Engine 2393cc 4cyl, dohc, 16v, turbo, mild hybrid Max power 273kW @6000rpm Max torque 551Nm @2000-3000rpm Transmission 6-speed automatic Weight 2155kg 0-100km/h 5.9sec (claimed) Economy 8.2L/100km (estimated) P
Wheels6 min read
Peak Performance
Model Ford Everest Sport Engine 2993 V6, dohc, 24v, turbo-diesel Max power 184kW @ 3250rpm Max torque 600Nm @ 1750-2250rpm Transmission 10-speed automatic Weight 2492kg 0-100km/h 8.2sec (estimated) Economy 8.5L/100km Price $69,090 (+ORC) On sale No
Wheels6 min read
Clear Vision
AT FIRST GLANCE, the Hyundai N Vision 74 is pure motorshow whimsy; a design exercise that celebrates a Hyundai that was never built, the 1974 Hyundai Pony Coupe concept designed by the legendary Giorgetto Giugiaro. But it’s much more than that. The d
Wheels1 min read
3 Things You To Need Know
Exterior design is homage of sorts to the Hyundai Pony Coupe concept from 1974 by Giugiaro. Except Vision 74 is BIG. Overall length is 4952mm on a 2905mm wheelbase. Vast side ducts are a clear indicator of the thermal management required. The hydroge
Wheels9 min read
Socket to ’em!
THE NEWS story highlighting ‘The problem with new cars’ caused the expected stir on Facebook. ‘New cars’? EVs, presumably. But the car pictured wasn’t new, nor an EV. It was a several-year-old first-gen Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV. Its owner had run a
Wheels1 min read
Carry That Load
Escape’s decent boot holds 556L behind the seatbacks with an underfloor space saver spare but no dedicated charging cable space. Flippers at each side drop the 60/40 seatbacks for 1478L. Four tie-downs, curry hooks, a 12V outlet, a subwoofer and a fa
Wheels1 min read
Ford Escape
Cabin feels more built down to a price compared to the Mitsu, and rotary gear selector can be fiddly. In the second row, large humans get plenty of head, leg and toe room, a supportive adjustable cushion, and a fold-down armrest with twin cupholders.
Wheels1 min read
Mitsubishi Outlander
Mitsu’s cabin feels both fresher and constructed using higher quality materials than that of the Ford. Front seats offer decent support, but manual adjustment in this ES spec. In the back, relatively low base is a bit short on under-thigh support lea
Wheels8 min read
High Fidelity
THE FIRST TIME I ever drove this road, there was no traffic coming the other way and it was fantastic. Apex right across the road, skim your right-hand guard up against the Armco and the car hunkers into the camber. Feel everything unweight as you la
Wheels1 min read
Uprate Everything
It would have been so easy for Porsche just to jack the boost up a bit and publish a sexy headline power figure. Unfortunately, the engineers got a bit carried away. To that end, the Cayenne Turbo GT’s engine does indeed have more boost, to the tune
Wheels1 min read
Over And Out?
The answer to that question is ‘it depends who you ask’. There are two commissioning bodies overseeing tarmac rallying. Motorsport Australia has, for the time being, suspended the Targa events. The Australian Auto-sport Alliance administers events li
Wheels8 min read
Edged Weapons
FOR A TIME, this comparison test looked impossible: a new, modern Nissan Z facing down a reborn Toyota Supra. But here I am, standing in front of both cars, resplendent in their respective yellow hues, turbocharged six-cylinder engines humming at idl
Wheels1 min read
Cabin Fever
Wireless phone charging pad has a clever plastic cover that acts like a sort of holster, stopping your phone from being launched out during spirited driving. BMW-sourced infotainment system comes with the rotary dial to navigate menus. It’s a quick w
Wheels3 min read
Don’t Call It Levorg
FINALLY, THEY fixed it. You know the bit I mean. The chrome window trim of the previous Subaru Levorg, the way it ran along the window sills and stopped abruptly at the rear quarter windows? Ridiculous. Okay, yes, this is probably the last factor any
Wheels4 min read
Not In Public
ONE OF the most interesting things about having a plug-in hybrid is that you spend a lot of time explaining to people what that actually means. That’s fine – I’m absolutely not complaining – but it has got me thinking about what exactly is the point
Wheels4 min read
One He Made Earlier
WAKING UP with the Jaguar F-Type P450 R-Dynamic in the driveway is liberating. Not for the themes of freedom and luxury exuded by its captivating coupe form. But for the fact that every time I slip into its cabin I can tweak and change its personalit
Wheels4 min read
The Mains Event
IS THERE A powertrain that generates more furrowed brows and curious expressions than a plug-in hybrid? I’ve been in possession of this white Outlander PHEV for a few weeks now and the questions have been coming thick and fast. “What’s the range like
Wheels3 min read
Top Gunma
IT’S BEEN A bit of a love-in with the Subaru BRZ of late, so I thought I’d redress the balance somewhat and iterate what irks me about living with EQL89C. On balance, I reckon this is the best affordable sport car I’ve ever driven. It’s not perfect –
Wheels1 min read
1800+ VEHICLE PRICES, SPECS & REVIEWS EVERY MONTH
PRICE Recommended retail figure at time of publication (asterisk indicates driveaway price) ENGINE TYPE L, in-line; V, vee; F, flat. Number of cylinders. T, turbo; S, supercharged; D, diesel; H, hybrid; E, electric SIZE Litres or kWh POWER kW TORQUE
Wheels1 min read
Wheels
EDITOR Andy Enright ART DIRECTOR Damien Pelletier SENIOR EDITOR Ash Westerman NEWS EDITOR Kathryn Fisk NEWS DESK Jordan Hickey ONLINE EDITOR Alex Inwood COMPARISONS EDITOR Cameron Kirby SENIOR JOURNALIST Daniel Gardner JOURNALISTS Alex Affat, John L
Wheels2 min read
I Will Be Your Father Figure
FROM JUNE 1948 to March 1951, in a former sawmill in Gmünd, Austria, about 300 employees produced 46 examples of Ferry Porsche’s seminal 356 sports car. Each effectively hand-built, these aluminium-bodied coupes and cabriolets relied heavily on VW ru
Wheels1 min read
In Detail
10 DUTCH POLICE CARS MADE 356 SPEEDSTER PRODUCTION 4145 259 GLÄSER-BODIED CABRIOLETS 7000 RPM REDLINE OF FOUR-CAM 356 CARRERA 1948 PORSCHE 356-1 DEBUTS The 1964 production year was the 356’s biggest, the C being refined and quirkily comfortable for d
Wheels2 min read
Grand Vitara
SUZUKI’S VITARA AND Grand Vitara nameplates have, at various times in history, been two names for the same car – introduced initially in the late-’80s and positioned above the Jimny compact 4x4. Like many of its ilk, the original Vitara was a low-pow

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