March

The Jaguar F-Type was meant to be Jaguar’s spiritual successor to the E-Type, one of the greatest looking cars in history. And I think it’s fair to say they succeeded in creating the best looking Jag since the E-Type. But this car, like the E-Type, is more than just a pretty face, and at this sort of money ($34500-$35500) it’s a very tempting proposition. Read on...

Honda may have a reputation for middle of the road cars for retirees but they also have a fast side and some of these fast models are destined for greatness. There’s the NSX, the S2000 and, of course, the Civic and Integra Type Rs. This Civic Type R FN2 was a bit unloved in its day, but it was the last normally aspirated Type R and it’s still the cheapest to buy today. Read on...

Is it a Jaguar or is it a Daimler, and would it matter if a get-away driver turned up to a bank job in the Daimler instead of the bank robbers’ favourite, the lookalike Jag Mk2? After all, to the untrained eye the Daimler 250 V8 looks the same as a Jaguar Mk2. However, while the visual differences are subtle, it’s what’s under the bonnet that really sets them apart. Read on...

In its day this generation of BMW X3 was criticized for having a harsh ride, poor offroad ability, cheap interior materials and lacking in the looks department. However, in the intervening 25+ years the SUV has become an unbelievably popular class of car. Maybe the X3 was misunderstood at the time. Did reviewers focus too much on mudplugging credentials and drive quality? Probably. And the original X3 looks quite handsome today compared to many of its modern counterparts. So is the old X3 worth buying today, and is it a future classic? Read on...

The photos might make this Honda N-WGN look like a fairly normal sized hatchback. But it’s anything but. You see the N-WGN is a Kei car - a Japanese class of car that must fit a tight set of dimensions – which makes a Suzuki Swift seem like a Hummer in comparison. These cars are very rare on our roads but are hugely popular in Japan. In fact the N-WGN’s sibling, the N-Box, is the best selling car in Japan. It’s tiny, cheap to run and can fit 4 passengers in comfort. So why don’t they sell in NZ? Is it because it’s not a Ute or an SUV? Read on...

It’s tiny, you can park it anywhere, it’s easy on petrol and you’d think grid-locked Auckland or Wellington would be awash with them, but they’re not. However, a walk around the inner city streets of somewhere like Rome suggests the Smart car has its place. Maybe this one has a place in your life. Read on...

It has been said that driving a small car fast is more fun than driving a fast car slowly, and when it comes to driving on public roads this is basically true. If you’re driving a supercar you can hit the open road speed limit before you’re out of first gear. On the other hand, the Honda Beat can hit the speed limit, eventually. That may not sound like fun, but in a tiny car with an 8500rpm red-line, it sure does feel it. It’s an antidote to big, boring modern cars, and you can own this one. Read on...

Is it a boat or a car? or a boat-car? or a car-boat? Well, it’s registered as an Amphijeep, so maybe car-boat, primarily a car that can moonlight as a boat. But this is no shed-built experiment by your mad inventor uncle. No, this was a kit made by someone else’s mad uncle in England, specifically Tim Dutton, the kit car king. So this is a properly working, actual all terrain vehicle. And it could be yours. Read on...

Low kilometres, peak 90s new car upholstery fabric, no air conditioning and a Honda. All this adds up to your grandmother’s car that she used for short trips to the shops and the bowls club. This 1996 Honda Civic LXI is an incredibly original survivor, and one that could make a great daily today. By today’s standards, this model Civic is simple, reliable and decent to drive, especially with the manual gearbox. And you can own it now from Turners Tauranga. Read on...