Overdrive

Mercedes Benz is creating a lifestyle not just a car market Mercedes will open a “me” brandstore in Melbourne by the end of the year. Similar stores already exist in Hong Kong, Milan, Hamburg and Tokyo. They are not about a hard sell of Mercedes cars (or trucks) but rather a stylish place for coffee or food that creates a positive vibe for the company. Originally aired on 17 June2017. For past pro...

Managing Director of Subaru Australia comment on their latest launch and the small SUV market. In 2012Subaru launched the XV onto the Australian market, their smallest car in their current fleet. The latest XV is over 90% changed from the previous model with a few extra off road features but a host of comfort improvements. Subarus are car like in their on-road performance and competent in their of...

In this program, we take a look at the latest news stories including: 1. Richard Hammond’s Crash – tell me about the car! 2. Parking Space Goes for $664,000 in Hong Kong 3. Local pollution is a big issue for transport 4. 200th anniversary of the bicycle We chat to resident Overdrive artists Dean Oliver about the sad passing away of Nick Munting and the time we travelled to New Caledonia to watch a...

Forget surveys after the event. Measuring your response as it happens. And in our panel discussion with Errol Smith we take a carefree, look at how we might judge a car in the future. Originally aired on17 June 2017. For past programs and individual segments visit www.drivenmedia.com.au

Sad news that one time motoring journalists and photographer, Nick Munting, has passed away at the age of 66. Dean Oliver, Overdrive’s resident artist, and I knew Nick from many years ago when we travelled to New Caledonia to go into the rugged rural areas, stand by dusty roads and watch rally cars. Seemed like a good idea at the time and it was. Nick was an enthusiastic, ebullient, lad who always...

Can you have function and fashion in the one vehicle Honda strived to give its Odyssey people mover a sexy image. You may remember the television advertisement of parents kissing in the front seat only to have the camera pan back and you see the children looking on in disgust. The message is that you might have children and need a practical car but you can still have comfort and image that fits a...

In this program, we take a look at the latest news stories including: 1. BMW launches car data unit 2. Car Sales 3. New car purchases are more efficient on average but consumer preferences are changing according to a report released by the National Transport Commission. 4. UK's Venturer driverless car project publishes results of first 'handover/takeover' trials 5. Toyota expands safety research f...

Fiat Chrysler produces a car that reflects the 1960's muscle car period. Made for going very fast in a straight line. Alan Zurvas and David Brown take a merry look atFiat/Chryslers latest super car – the Dodge Demon. Less of a modern complete package and more of the old muscle car street dragster, Have a question or comment? Send it to overdrive@drivenmedia.com.au You can listen to longer segments...

Alan Zurvas and David Brown take a merry look at Toyota who is putting money into a company, Cartivator,to develop a flying car which will, among other things, be used to light the cauldron at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Have a question or comment? Send it to overdrive@drivenmedia.com.au You can listen to longer segments of the each of the features by going to our web site at drivenmedia.com.au or po...

Mercedes Benz in Australia reflects on their current state of development of electric vehicles and what the government should really do to help Fully electric cars have not taken off in Australia yet. We recently reported on the Federal Government giving a small amount for further research on electric vehicles while Transport for London is giving millions to actually build some more charging stati...

A pocket rocket with more power than most competitors. So far this year 52% of Ford’s total sales in Australia are Ranger utes Their next best selling car is the Ford Mustang Those two cars account for over 63% of all their sales. We’ve said it often in the last few years but Ford just doesn’t sell little cars well. And the Ford Focus is a good little car And the Ford Focus RS is a mind-blowing ha...

In our panel discussion with Errol Smith we take jovial look at stories including: 1. Northern Territory drivers show personality by pimping their plates 2. Singapore ‘car vending machine’ shape of things to come? 3. Stranded Amtrack train passengers order pizza to stuck train/Cops pulled over man who had made in-car toilet 4. Drunk driver crashes into cops new anti-DUI vehicle Have a question or...

We have been testing a few powerful cars recently which is fine for the rev head but what about the practical runabout. The Honda Jazz is classified in the Light car class which is the second smallest in the sedan category. Only the Micros are smaller. In this class there are 14 competitors and in year-to-date terms the Hyundai Accent is the top seller followed by Mazda2, Toyota Yaris, Honda Jazz,...

The concept of designing places is not only creating infrastructure for carrying out functions but fashioning locations which create positive emotions and a sense of wellbeing. This might be seen as an evolving art form, but maybe not just an art form. It is not just creative people producing things that they think are aesthetically pleasing. I can have an opinion but what is really impacting the...

News including luxury car makers vying for the most powerful cars, bad directions from satnavs, WA trials stop and text spots, and better bicycle bells. Our feature interview with Jonathan Daily on the best urban design for transport. We road test the Honda Jazz, a popular car in the light car class. And quirky news including why people spend so much money for the right license plate, a vending ma...

170527 - Quirky News by David Brown

Hello and welcome to Overdrive, a program that dabbles in the mystical world of cars and transport. I’m David Brown And in this program, we take a look at the latest news stories including: 1. Electric vehicle schemes 2. Autonomous vehicle’s impact on line marking 3. London mayor Sadiq Khan wants to introduce an Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) in April 2019. 4. Cycling - The Great Leveler 5. V2V ca...

I have just been to a conference on Shaping Canberra’s Transport Future, Autonomous vehicles were a major issue. Now planners have a series of theories and ideas about how AVs will impact the way we travel. But what do the car companies think? Automobile companies have a clear image of pleasing the customer with the new technology which is quite understandable but they also have some ideas about j...

170527 - Alexa Delbosc - Ego by David Brown

An international consortium including the Institute of Transport and Logistics Studies at the University of Sydney is to continue its ground breaking efforts to improve bus rapid transit systems with renewed backing from the Volvo Research and Education Foundation. Prof Corinne Mulley from the Institute describes their approach. We been looking at all sorts of things as a consortium about how bus...

The Subaru BRZ rear wheel drive sports car and its twin brother the Toyota 86 first came onto our market five years ago. Subaru has recently upgraded their model a bit and lowered the price by about $1,200 dollars on the manual and about $1700 on the automatic They don’t sell many but they are selling more. National Corporate Affairs Manager has I believe a smile on his face and he joins us on the...

in our panel discussion with Brian Smith and Errol Smith we take an amusinglook at stories including: 1. French nano-cars have a molecular grand prix 2. Road rage cases with guns double in 3 years in US 3. Woman Blames Car Crash On Bigfoot 4. Wellington tyre-slasher sentenced to 22 months in prison Have a question or comment? Send it to overdrive@drivenmedia.com.au You can listen to longer segment...

Hello and welcome to Overdrive, a program that take an expansive look at the world of cars and transport. I’m David Brown And in this program, we take a look at the latest news stories including: 1. India's Revolutionary Plan to Make All Its Cars Electric 2. Trump road plan would rely largely on private funding 3. University research shows a few self-driving cars can improve traffic flow 4. £14bn...

The new Suzuki Ignis is officially categorised as a small SUV but that suggests it has come down from the four wheel drive style of car. That’s not it. It is clearly an urban car that can fit into tight spaces and it site high not to get over rough terrain but to have head room and be easy to get into. It is tall and narrow but it is not Gorky. It is inherently box like yet it comes together as a...

In our panel discussion with Brian Smith and Errol Smith we take a light-hearted look at stories including: 1. Engineer who pointed out traffic signal flaw fined for unlicensed engineering 2. Parody “commuter barbie” doll listens to NPR, hates manspreaders 3. Naked statue of Archimedes could distract drivers 4. People Locked In A 50-Hour Kissing Contest For A Free Car Have a question or comment? S...