Author: automoti
Website:
Bio: Alastair Sloane has been a newspaper journalist for 50 years this year. He has had all sorts of newspaper roles along the way, including editing two dailies. He was the motoring editor of the New Zealand Herald for 16 years from 1996 until 2012. He owns a 1968 VW Beetle. Best days at the wheel include doing part of the Land Rover Camel Trophy route in Papua New Guinea, driving a Nissan Patrol over earthquake-hit roads in Guatemala, and a Ferrari Italia 458 on Enzo’s old hill-climb road in Italy.
-
May 16, 2013 |
in Car reviews, Latest news, Mini Clubman |
Alastair Sloane |
Comments Off
The Cooper S Paceman is the seventh Mini variant to go on sale in New Zealand. It’s a compact, SUV-type three-door based on the platform of the Countryman but restyled to give it a...
-
May 16, 2013 |
in Car reviews, Jaguar XF, Latest news |
Alastair Sloane |
Comments Off
This is one of two cars Jaguar bought into New Zealand to set a sub-$100k price point against the Germans in the most popular segment of the luxury market. The XF is...
-
May 16, 2013 |
in Car reviews, Latest news, Volvo V40 |
Alastair Sloane |
Comments Off
The T5-R is the go-fast variant in Volvo’s V40 hatchback range. The V40 scored the highest ever result in the Euro NCAP crash testing regime with a near-perfect five-star rating,...
-
May 11, 2013 |
in Car reviews, Toyota Corolla |
Alastair Sloane |
Comments Off
The 11th generation Corolla might be racier looking but it comes with the same core values as its predecessors: it‘s well built, good value, easy to drive, and is bound to be as reliable...
-
May 10, 2013 |
in Car reviews, Nissan Maxima |
Alastair Sloane |
Comments Off
The Pulsar badge replaces the Tiida and returns to New Zealand after an absence of seven years. The sedan enters a segment of the market dominated by hatchbacks and their luggage-carrying...
-
May 10, 2013 |
in Car reviews, Mazda6 |
Alastair Sloane |
Comments Off
Park an old Mazda6 alongside the new one and the design DNA is obvious. But get behind the wheel and the differences quickly become clear. Purists might argue that steering response on...
-
May 10, 2013 |
in Tips & advice |
Alastair Sloane |
Comments Off
There could be a number of factors that are causing problems with your tyres. Below is a list of important things to check before you head away. Look for things embedded in each tyre....
-
May 9, 2013 |
in Car reviews, Mercedes-Benz B-Class |
Alastair Sloane |
Comments Off
The original A-Class of the late 1990s broke with convention as Mercedes-Benz set to plot a new front-drive/small-car path. The new model follows it, with a footprint typical of today’s...
-
May 4, 2013 |
in Car reviews, Mitsubishi Outlander |
Alastair Sloane |
Comments Off
The previous Outlander was a best-seller in NZ. The new one can expect to fly fairly high too, although the medium SUV sector offers stiff competition. It’s a capable vehicle with...
-
May 4, 2013 |
in Car reviews |
Alastair Sloane |
Comments Off
If Volkswagen continues to make cars like the latest Golf it will almost certainly achieve its 2018 goal of becoming the number one carmaker in the world. The...
