LAST YEAR, 2008, especially the third and fourth quarters following the pivotal failure of the Lehman Brothers Bank in the US, was a difficult time for the global car industry. Frozen financial markets, the European, Japanese and US economies in recession and collapsing consumer confidence everywhere, put a stake through the industry.

Nothing new in that [...]

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The final tally is in, and for the year of 2008 a total of 1464 people died on Australian roads.

Given the lives lost and the countless others that have been profoundly affected by the loss of their loved ones, it’s certainly not a figure to be proud of. The community can take some comfort however in [...]

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Ford Australia has issued a recall for Territory wagons built between February 1 2004 and December 31 2008 after a potentially serious brake hose issue was discovered.

Territory Turbo, Territory Ghia Turbo and FPV F6X models are not affected by the recall.

The problem centers around the front brake hoses, which may develop a fluid leak if [...]

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Thanks to a smokin’ hot lineup of cars and soaring sales of its M Sports packages, BMW’s hardcore M division notched up a huge 50 percent increase in sales during 2008.

24,186 M cars were delivered last year with nearly 18,000 of those being BMW M3s, vindicating the company’s decision to replace their much loved inline-six [...]

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Toyota Australia has announced its sales figures for the year just gone, and while the global auto market endures shrinking demand and huge financial uncertainty, the local arm of Toyota Motor Co enjoyed unprecedented success in 2008.

This year of course - 2009 - will be more of a challenge.

Toyota Australia managed to achieve an all-time [...]

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German automaker Audi has announced that sales for October reached 82,400 vehicles, a 7.2 percent increase over last year. Audi also sold 16.5 percent more cars in Australia in October, while total sales for 2008 thus far have now reached 844,700 cars - a 3.3 percent rise over the same period in 2007.

Much of Audi’s [...]

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While most cars at the SEMA Show can be characterised as chrome-dipped, gold-plated and diamante-encrusted examples of styling gone amok, it’s easy to forget that there are still a few show cars hidden in those giant Las Vegas halls that don’t provoke strong bouts of nausea.

Islands of common sense and tasteful restraint in a [...]

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