Richard Bosselman

CRV holds high ground

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 21:16:01 -0800

Street-wise sports utility vehicles are everywhere these days, yet one car that helped kick off the trend continues to stand tall ..... metaphorically if not in actual stance.

The Honda CRV has consistently been one of the most popular offerings in a sector where the best cars are those that put off-road image over actual ability. Sounds snippy? I don't mean it to. ...

Nothing like Italian auto opera

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 21:17:15 -0800

When I first went to Manfeild, it was as a pre-teen and I went with my sister's then boyfriend to witness some mad Scandinavian by the brilliantly unbelievable name of Keke Rosberg take on the best Kiwi talent. The day out in the rain left me hooked on motorsport.

It was the start of the Formula Atlantic era, ushering in smaller, more delicate machinery than the brutish F5000 cars that had reigned until then. ...

Skoda Yeti: Only the price frightens

Sun, 07 Feb 2010 20:44:44 -0800

Holding out hope that Skoda's first soft-roader, the hardly abominable Yeti, will cash in as a cheap Czech?

Indicative pricing of $52,490 makes it the cheapest of Europe's current range of mild mud offerings, though bearing in mind that almost all of these are aimed at the premium sector, perhaps that's not surprising.

Meanwhile, anyone expecting to monster the Japanese and Korean opposition is in for a reality check. ...

Recalls: Right moves lead to wrong turn

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 20:53:11 -0800

Two major car brands. Two major recalls. How much worse can it get?

Not much, if you think about it. Gosh, imagine: The Toyota you're driving suddenly won't slow. Yikes! Your baby Honda bursts into flames simply because you've happened to lower a window. Help!

You can only imagine how bad that would be.

And that's the thing. ...

Depressed market, upbeat makes

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 22:15:06 -0800

A weakened new car market resulting from the global economic downturn hasn't kept mainstream players from delivering fresh metal to the showroom.

Styling tweaks, extra technology are with an updated Nissan X-Trail that has already landed and should also show on a facelifted Mazda6 that will be here in March or April, depending on current shipping schedules. ...

Brawn to run

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 20:43:31 -0800

Huge appetite, massive power, utterly ferocious roar and so mean-looking it could make youngsters wet their smalls.

Seems ironic to add, then, that the Commodore GTS also rates as the greenest Holden Special Vehicles' car I've ever driven.

Alright, that's a reference to the colour of the car, not HSV's environmental concerns. ...

Reborn Saab is still a Kiwi chance

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 21:41:16 -0800

The lifeline thrown Saab will reach New Zealand, the brand's current distributor here believes.

And that means three cars that would have been destined for the dump had General Motors not allowed Saab's sale are also potentially set for sale here within the year.

The most important is the all-new 9-5 sedan that was revealed to the world in full production form in late 2009 but has yet to reach any market. ...

Sportback joins A5 family

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 02:16:19 -0800

Is the A5 Sportback driven by designer whim or actual want? Does it answer a question that may never have been asked?

So many questions crop up when considering this car. Here's another: Is it, in fact, even as 'unique' and unrivalled as maker Audi suggests?

That one, alone, will raise rich debate among the Ingolstadt Appreciation Society. ...

Disco now truly dancing

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 21:08:59 -0800

Too few vehicles, rather than too few customers, explains why half as many new Land Rovers were sold here last year as in 2008.

While, the overall downturn in car sales here definitely bit the luxury sports utility sector - and hard, with a 38 percent drop - Land Rover's issues were also caused by a stock shortage, acting chief executive Russell Reynolds claims.

Huh? No, really. ...

Nissan's new Thai-up

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 20:45:03 -0800

Two just-landed additions to Nissan's Navara D40 utility model range signal the New Zealand's distributor's increasing reliance on the parent brand's operation in Thailand - and the switch away from traditional sourcing points will continue.

Nissan New Zealand marketing spokesman Peter Merrie has confirmed the replacement for the Micra small car, set to arrive either at the end of this year or early in 2011, will also come out of Thailand. ...