Like most young German engineering students, Burkard Bovensiepen was into cars and while he was working for his family’s typewriter business, Alpina, all he could think about was making his car go faster...
Enthusiasts may obsess over them, but for the average motorist the black rubber rings under each corner of their car probably don’t occupy much thought until it comes time to replace them, and then it’s just another out-of-pocket inconvenience. Bridgestone is aware of this...
There isn’t another country on the planet as obsessed with 4WDing as Australia. We’re buying more 4WDs, in the shape of both utes and SUVs, than small cars these days and that trend doesn’t look like slowing down. Sure, a good chunk of those SUVs (and even some of those 'lifestyle' utes, even the ones with all-wheel drive capability, are unlikely to ever see a patch of dirt let alone hardcore off-road tracks...
If you've ever wondered where all the world's tyre manufacturers get together to promote their wares, it's the wheel and tyre hall of SEMA. Here you'll find brands that you've heard of, like Nitto, Mickey Thompson and Michelin, but you'll also come across brands you've never heard of, trying to break into the US market...
Trent tours the Performance car hall of the 2018 SEMA show.
SEMA. It's seen as the mecca of all things performance, but many punters might not know it's also a showcase for the off-road industry – sometimes in all its overstated glory. It is the United States of America after all. For me, it's the greatest car show on the planet such is the scale, variety and scope of the products and vehicles on display...
There's no doubt SEMA is the go-to place if you're an aspiring company wanting to show what you can do and drum up business. It's trade-only, too, so it's not a general public event. It's all about business and promotion. While the focus might be on muscle cars and SEMA's hotrod roots, the 4x4 world is starting to take over in a big way...
If you’re a car nut that also doesn’t mind dabbling in a bit of gaming here and there, chances are you’ve got a copy of Forza or Gran Turismo floating around somewhere. I know I do. But, what if you’re a bit more about mud bogs than McLaren Senna? More gnarly rocks than the Nurburgring? Often, the only taste of off-roading you can get is something like Dirt Rally or an arcade-style racer...
There’s enough rich and varied history in the marriage of video gaming and motoring to placate the most discerning fans of either genre in the quest for virtual escapism. And the fourth instalment of Microsoft’s titanic open-world racing franchise, Forza Horizon 4 for xBox One and PC, is an indulgent, grandiose, intense and at times overloaded quest to set new benchmarks in virtual escapism for gameheads and petrolheads alike...
Remember 1992? To be more accurate, do you remember a certain special edition Holden released in 1992? See if this rings a bell. The Holden Barina Sportsgirl. That’s right, this was Holden's attempt at taking its player in the popular small hatch back segment and trying to convince consumers that this particular Barina was more special than a standard Barina...
There’s gifts, and then there’s Father's day gifts. And, if your dad is a hardcore petrol head, or even just a casual auto enthusiast, these specially handpicked gifts as highlighted by the dads in the CarAdvice office ought to bring a smile to your old man’s dial come father day morning...
Christmas has come around fast this year, leaving many of us with lots of last-minute gifts to buy. If you have a car-loving family member or friend - or if you need to drop a few hints for yourself - I've canvassed the CarAdvice team for a list of affordable auto gifts to help you complete your last-minute Christmas shopping! For the kids Remember Operation? This is essentially the same game with a twist – the human body has been replaced with a car needing repair...
The National Motor Museum in South Australia last week opened its latest exhibition titled Alice Anderson’s Motor Service. Alice was Australia’s first female garage proprietor when she opened her all-female business in Kew, Victoria, in 1919. We spoke to the museum curator, Michelle Toft, on the CarAdvice podcast, to learn more about Alice’s pioneering history...
Short of perhaps Outrun or Need for Speed, few racing titles have the pedigree of Gran Turismo. Now into its seventh iteration, the 'real driving simulator' has been turning living rooms into racetracks since 1997. Every generation of PlayStation has been accompanied by a version of Polyphony Digital's headline title, making it a fixture in an ever-changing industry...
This time last year we were celebrating the launch of Forza Horizon 3, an arcade video game which was set in our very own wide brown land, Australia. As good a game as that is however, Forza Motorsport is the series which really matters. Turn 10 Studios is back again this year with its latest iteration of the simulation-based series, Forza Motorsport 7...
In the world of vehicle mapping technologies, aftermarket suppliers such as Navman are operating in a very competitive market, not only competing against GPS units fitted as standard in many new vehicles, but also now against smartphone GPS applications. Finding a unique position in the competitive marketplace is key, and the Navman Drive Duo SUV does that by combining a navigation tool and in-car dash-cam in one...
Finding something special for your mum on Mother's Day, year after year, can get tricky. Forget foot spas, socks, pyjamas, flowers or chocolate - if your mum is into cars then we have a few suggestions that might help score you 'favourite child' status. For the day, at least. This year, Mother's Day is on Sunday May 14, so there's still time to get your hands on something special...
With the year drawing to a close and the excitement and anticipation building ahead of Christmas, we found ourselves getting a bit nostalgic and reminiscing about the best presents we at CarAdvice ever received. Of course, and no surprise, they're all car-related! We thought we'd invite you to take a trip down memory lane with us, so here are some of our favourites...
The tree is up, Jingle Bells has been stuck in your head for weeks, prawns have been ordered and the backyard cricket set has been dusted off – it's nearly Christmas! Everything may be ready to go, but maybe you haven't bought all your presents yet? If not, we're here to help. Here's a few suggestions to complete that pile of presents for the car lover in your life...
CarAdvice.com's Tom Fraser explores the scenes and visuals of Forza Horizon 3, a new XBOX title by Playground Games. For the first time, the popular Horizon series is set in Australia, putting popular driving roads and iconic scenes in your hands. Catch Tom's views, along with his own photography, below...
