Vw Keeps A Happy Face On New Line

The designers call them the New Small Family. VW, seeking coverage in the city-car market, is trying out the concept first.

Exotix Turn For Trax

AUSTRALIAN model maker Trax has branched out, moving from its traditional Australian car base for its models into something very different and with a new name as well.

Babe Magnet

Dream a little. Speed off in a fast car with an attractive passenger for company, writes Jason Hill. Outrun 2006: Coast 2 Coast Tetris DS

Something Old, Something Novel

David Morley finds a car with a fair chunk of personality

Age Overtakes Alfa Sprinter

Styling and internal revisions, a lively engine, sharp handling and a cool disposition make for a fun car but, asks Brent Davison, is Alfa Romeo's 147 hatchback starting to get a little long in the tooth?

Opening The Door On Next-generation Lancer

WHILE Mitsubishi has just released its updated version of the Lancer and performance sibling the EVO IX, the company's Concept Sportback show car seen here closely previews the look of the all-new Lancer range, expected in 2007.

Digital Car Radios Get Warm Reception

Love that tune on your radio and want to know who is singing it - without having to wait for the radio announcer to broadcast the details at the end of the song? Or want to see up-to-date stock reports or sports results? It will all be possible in the not-too-distant future, thanks to digital radio.

Add A Dash Of Personality

The latest dashboard technology could allow car owners to customiseeverything from the speedo to the clock. Toby Hagon reports.

Park Assist Gives It A Whirl

Coming soon to a kerb near you - the car that parks itself. And we've driven it. Despite all the fancy drivetrain electronics in the second-generation Prius, its most impressive feature is its ability to park itself.

`beautiful Angel' Wins Battle Against Tac

Jamie Ward-Twaites was five years old when he fell from a kerb into the path of a car. He suffered horrifying head injuries, and was left intellectually impaired.

Race In For New Formula One

Car racing is a topic to which more games have been devoted than I've had cooked breakfasts.

Strategy To End Tyranny Of Distance

We've all heard of "e-commerce", but stand by for the new buzz word "e-engineering". It heralds a revolution that is unfolding in manufacturing as designers, graphics experts, illustrators, engineers and IT specialists collaborate in developing new products, courtesy of the co

Simulated Scenes To Drive You Wild

The Australian release of Sony's PlayStation 2 has been as eagerly awaited as a new Ford or Holden. Kevin Cheung tests the latest car-racer games - and says the best is yet to come. The lucky few who've survived the hype and the shopping centre crush to shell out $749 for a Sony PlayStation 2 r

Take A Mouse ... And Reconfigure The Rat Race

Feeling frustrated by Sydney's traffic? Think you could do better at managing peak-hour congestion? It's time to test your planning skills. The simulator game Mobility, a City in Motion lets you do just that. Running from a CD-ROM on your PC, it puts you in charge of planning and building your

Rally Round At The Bay

Around 100 cars will be stirring up the dust on forest roads around Batemans Bay today as the 1999 Copy Press Bay Stages Rally gets underway. The event has attracted the cream of NSW rallying, all vying for crucial championship points. Promoted by the North Shore Sporting Car Club, the event i

Take To The Streets

DRIVER Runs on: PlayStation Category: Driving action Developer: Reflections Distributor: GT Interactive Players: 1 Price: $79.95 Classification: G8+ Rating: **** They just don't do car chases like they used to. Apart from the recent flick Ronin, we haven't really seen a gr

Searles Win Support

NEWCASTLE 2-litre Super Touring Car team Roadchill Racing has landed a major sponsorship deal with music and multimedia educator SAE College and its Studio 301 subsidiary. The announcement was made earlier this week, just in time for the team's BMW 320i to get a new coat of paint and some slinky

Namco Tightens Grip On Gamers

Title: RIDGE RACER TYPE 4 Format: Play Station Category: Racing Players: 1 to 4 Developers: Namco Price: $89.95 Rating: 85% IF it is arcade-style car racing you are after, look no further than Namco's latest release, Ridge Racer Type 4 (R4 for short). As far as this style o

Oh, Wheely?

If you're ready for elite sports racing, these titles will test your abilities. SPORTS CAR GT Runs On: PC/PSX Category: Racing Developer: EA Distributor: EA Players: 1-6 Price: $89.95 Classification: G Rating: WE don't get to see much GT racing on TV in Australia, so it may be an unfamil

Beaut Ute Luxury Touch

WHEN Ford's designers came up with the coupe utility back in the financially depressed 1930s they probably had no idea they were laying the groundwork for a whole new car culture. How the coupe utility (later shortened to `utility' and later still to `ute') came into being is a short but interes