Battle begins for 2010 Drive Car of the Year award

Final judging for the prestigious 2010 Drive Car of the Year awards is taking place this week, under the watchful eyes of an expert panel of judges from the motoring industry.

The awards provide a comprehensive consumer guide to the best cars on the Australian market, with thorough criteria followed for testing each vehicle to find the 2010 Drive Car of the Year. Judges test each car in a range of driving conditions, from speed humps to country roads and torturous dynamic exercises conducted in a controlled environment. More than $3 million worth of new cars will be rated for real-world performance, safety, value, running costs, practicality, re-sale and driving dynamics.

Motoring experts with a combined 100 years of road testing and motoring knowledge have scrutinised 47 nominees in 14 categories across 20,000km of testing in the most extensive trials of their kind in Australia.

One winner is chosen in each category spanning the entire new-car market, and the vehicle that offers the best overall package will be named the Drive Car of the Year 2010. The winners will be announced at an awards breakfast in Albert Park on November 25.

"This is the biggest and most comprehensive test of its kind in Australia," Judge and Drive National Editor Toby Hagon said.

"We look at every facet of the most impressive new cars on sale today and put them through an arduous testing process that looks at everything from how good the cup holders are and whether you really can fit seven people inside to its driving manners and environmental friendliness."

Testers spend six days putting each of the 47 cars through their paces on a specially chosen road loop that takes in smooth freeways, lumpy back roads, stop-start suburban driving and country cruising, as well as dynamic assessment in an approved testing facility.

Drive Car of the Year 2010 contenders:

·         Best City Car: Ford Fiesta LX defends its title against Hyundai's i20 Active, Nissan's Micra and Volkswagen's Polo 77TSI.

·         Best Small Car: 2009 Car of the Year, Volkswagen Golf 118TSI, takes on Mazda3 Neo and Renault Megane.

·         Best Medium Car: Mazda6 Classic tries to repeat its 2009 success against previous champion Ford Mondeo Diesel and Suzuki Kisashi XL, Toyota Camry Hybrid and VW Jetta 118TSI.

·         Best Large Car: Holden Commodore Omega Sportwagon is trying to unseat 2009 category winner Nissan Maxima ST-L.

·         Best Luxury Car Under $60,000: Germany vs Sweden as Volvo S60 takes on Volkswagen Passat CC and Mercedes-Benz C200 CGI.

·         Best Luxury Car Over $60,000: 2009 champion, Jaguar XF 3.0d, is joined by stablemate Jaguar XJ 3.0d to fight off the German challenge from BMW 535i and Audi A8 4.2 FSI.

·         Best Performance Car Under $60,000: Volkswagen Golf GTI defends a perfect record against Renault Megane RS250, Subaru Impreza WRX, Ford Focus RS and the V8-powered Holden Series II Commodore SS-V.

·         Best Performance Car Over $60,000: Can the potent Porsche 911 Turbo unseat the FPV GT, Audi RS5 or the double category champion, BMW 135i Coupe.

·         Best Convertible: The top is down and the gloves are off as Porsche Boxster takes on Nissan's 370Z Roadster and Mercedes-Benz' E250 CGI.

·         Best Ute: Australia invented the ute and this is an-all Australian affair: Holden Commodore SS Ute vs FPV Falcon GS Ute.

·         Best SUV Under $40,000: Unanimous 2009 choice, Subaru Outback, is challenged by Honda CR-V Sport, Kia Sportage SLi and Nissan X-Trail ST-L.

·         Best SUV Over $40,000: The Swedish incumbent, Volvo XC60 D5, takes on the German challengers, Porsche Cayenne Diesel and BMW X5 xDrive 30d.

·         Best People Mover: Honda Odyssey takes on Nissan Dualis Ti Plus 2 2WD and Volkswagen Caravelle.

·         Best 4WD: A two-horse race as the rugged new Toyota Prado GXL diesel takes on 2009 champion, Land Rover Discovery 4 TDV6 SE.

·         Green Innovation: Mitsubishi i-MiEV, Toyota Hybrid Camry, E-85 Holden Commodore

·         Safety Innovation: Volvo Pedestrian Avoidance Technology, Ford Mondeo Titanium, BMW 7 Series

·         People's Choice: Open to all category nominations

·         Car of The Year: Overall automotive excellence for 2010


For more information, go to www.drive.com.au/Drive-Car-Of-The-Year.

BARNFIND BUGATTI MAKES OVER SEVEN TIMES LOW ESTIMATE AT BONHAMS AUSTRALIA AUCTION

AND BEST OF BRITISH: 1925 BENTLEY 3-LITRE SELLS FOR AUS$329,500 AND 1949 JAGUAR XK120 ALLOY ROADSTER ACHIEVES AUS$249,200
 
On Saturday (13.11.10) a packed saleroom in Sydney witnessed spirited bidding on a number of motor cars at Bonhams Collectors' Motor Cars, Motorcycles and Automobilia auction which made a total of AUS$1,180,583.   The highlight of the sale was the 1926 Bugatti Type 38 restoration project – completely dismantled, incomplete and lacking engine and body – which realised $110,400 (£68,000), some seven times it's pre-sale auction estimate. Seven telephone bidders fought against six absentee bids and five people in the room with a northern hemisphere telephone bidder victorious. When Robert Glover, Bonhams Head of Motor Cars Australia, informed the lady owner how much the car sold for there was a stunned silence followed by a tearful thanks.
 
And Britain had success on Australian soil – perhaps an omen for the upcoming Ashes cricket series – with a 1925 Bentley 3-litre Speed Model VdP Tourer and an ultra rare right hand drive 1949 Jaguar XK120 Alloy roadster selling very well at $329,500 (£203,000) and $249,200 (£154,000) respectively.
 
Over 75% of the lots offered in the Automobilia and Motor Car sale found new homes with buyers from the USA, UK, France bidding against the home market.
 
Robert Glover said, "Given the strength of the Australian dollar against other world currencies we were pleasantly surprised by the level of overseas bidding at the sale. Whilst the Australians often won out, it clearly demonstrates the reach and importance of Bonhams global motoring network."
 

Elephant To Hollywood : Michael Caine

It's been a long journey for Maurice Micklewhite - born with rickets in London's poverty-stricken Elephant & Castle - to the bright lights of Hollywood.

With a glittering career spanning more than five decades and starring roles which have earned him two Oscars, a knighthood, and an iconic place in the Hollywood pantheon, the man now known to us as Michael Caine looks back over it all.

Funny, warm, honest, Caine brings his insider's view of Hollywood (where there's neither holly nor woods). He recalls the films, the legendary stars, the off-screen moments with a gift for story-telling only equalled by David Niven.

Hollywood has been his home and his playground. But England is where his heart lies. And where he blames the French for the abundance of snails in his garden. A plaque now celebrates him at the Elephant in London. His handprint is one of only 200 since 1927 to decorate Hollywood Boulevard. The man who has played everyone, yet always remained himself, THE ELEPHANT TO HOLLYWOOD is the remarkable full circle of Michael Caine's life.

Sir Michael Caine CBE has been Oscar-nominated six times, winning his first Academy Award for the 1986 film Hannah and Her Sisters and his second in 1999 for The Cider House Rules. He has starred in over one hundred films, becoming well-known for several critically acclaimed performances including his first major film role in Zulu in 1964, followed by films including The Ipcress Files, Get Carter, Alfie, The Italian Job, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and Educating Rita, and more recently The Dark Knight, Is Anybody There? and Harry Brown. He was appointed a CBE in 1992 and knighted in 2000 in recognition of his contribution to cinema. Married for more than 30 years, with two daughters and three grandchildren, he and his wife Shakira divide their time between England and the United States.

* H&S Non Fiction
* 9781444700022
* $35.00
* Paperback - C Format
* October 2010
* 416 pages
* Biography: General

Announcing the new Navig8r P Series GPS - P50 PRO

LASER Corporation, makers of Navig8r GPS devices, today announced the new Navig8r P Series GPS – P50 PRO which comes packed with features ideal for consumers and commercial users.

The Navig8r P50 PRO is a deft device that combines sleek style with sophisticated software from leading global map, traffic and location data provider, NAVTEQ. With its 5-inch display and full NAVTEQ Australian and New Zealand maps on board, the P50 PRO incorporates features such as junction view and green routing. The device runs iGO primo with the full 3D suite to present supreme 3D views of landmarks in capital cities, city models showing buildings, terrain topography illustrating hills and valleys and virtual junction views.

Created to suit a variety of users, the P50 PRO comes with a complete suite of safety alerts that makes it a licence saving device. On board the P50 PRO, warnings for fixed speed, red light and combo cameras, school zones with 24 hour proximity warnings, town entry points, rail crossings, black spots, and speed warnings accurate to road signs are included. Additionally, the Advanced Lane Guidance feature encompasses virtual signposts to firmly forewarn drivers especially when entering and exiting foreign freeways.

The P50 PRO is purpose-designed for conventional, recreational and commercial drivers. Typically the P50 PRO can be used as a traditional personal navigation device fit for all types of drivers. Quintessentially, commercial drivers can benefit from the P50 PRO with the professional driver and truck profile feature which includes input vehicle parameters, warnings for bridges, high wind and weight limits, and reminders for driving hours and rest breaks.

Chris Lau, managing director of LASER Corporation, said, "The Navig8r P50 PRO GPS device caters to all road users, particularly commercial drivers and casual, truck rental drivers. It is an affordable GPS solution that enables drivers to get around conveniently and ecologically. With full 3D features and green routing, the P50 PRO provides users practical maps that are simple to follow, as well as more fuel-efficient routes to conserve money and fuel. For commercial drivers the P50 PRO is especially useful to maintain trip data logs including average speed, rest breaks, distance covered, fuel consumption and GPS tracks. LASER Corporation will be distributing the P50 PRO to auto retailers, in addition to its current dealer network."

Kirk Mitchell, vice president, NAVTEQ Sales, said, "NAVTEQ Transport™ incorporates over 20 truck-specific map attributes from across the region's extensive road network. This includes the physical and legal restrictions that can often cause frustrations and inefficiencies for Australia's commercial drivers. In a NAVTEQ global survey of professional drivers, Australian respondents expressed interest in using a device that can provide timely driver warnings, such as bridge heights and school zone alerts, while en-route. By incorporating our transport product into the Navig8r P50 PRO personal navigation device, NAVTEQ and LASER Corporation are delivering to Australia's professional drivers the GPS functionality they demand."

Furthermore, the P50 PRO is equipped with iGO primo that presents stunning 3D visualisation and smart routes, Loquendo text-to-speech (TTS) for natural sounding voices reading from data as well as multiple language support, and it even includes an FM transmitter, plus a calculator, unit converter, clothing size chart and picture viewer.

The Navig8r P Series P50 PRO GPS will be available in October 2010 through leading auto and consumer electronics retailers in Australia. RRP AU$249 inc GST.

Also available will be the P Series P43 – 4.3-inch version. RRP AU$179 inc GST.

THE RED AFFAIR: INTRIGUE, PASSION AND IRRESISTABLE STAR QUALITY UNVEILED IN CAMPARI CALENDAR 2011

The Campari Calendar 2011 starring Oscar winning actor Benicio Del Toro has been unveiled in Milan, Italy, today. Puerto Rican born Del Toro is the first ever man to star in the iconic series of Campari Calendars, in this 12th edition. Entitled The Red Affair, the Calendar tells the intriguing story of a charismatic art connoisseur, Del Toro, who receives a mysterious message setting him on a fascinating adventure to discover its meaning, crack a ring of illegal art dealers and rescue a beautiful woman.

For the 12th edition Campari has taken a unique approach to the Calendar, taking inspiration from the power of cinema. The Red Affair seeks to capture the audience through an engaging and intriguing cinematic story told through a series of photographs. In order to achieve this through still images alone Campari wanted a lead actor to star alongside the Red Drink who could bring as much passion and authenticity to an image as they do to film, and found this in Benicio Del Toro.

Internationally acclaimed photographer Michel Comte has shot the Calendar in classic, direct, Comte style. He has created a cinematic feel by capturing the action – moments of both drama and intimacy – as it unfolds.

In its 150th anniversary year Campari has chosen to make a break with more than a decade of tradition by choosing to introduce a male lead to the Campari Calendar for the first time. Del Toro becomes the first ever Campari Man, taking on the lead role previously held by some of the world's most beautiful women, including the 2010 star, 'Quantum of Solace' Bond girl, Olga Kurylenko, Salma Hayek, Eva Mendes and Jessica Alba.

A CAMPARI MAN IS BORN

Campari has broken with tradition today as it announces that Campari Calendar 2011, The Red Affair,
is to feature a male star for the first time in its 12 year history.


Campari, renowned for its innovative and evolving approach to art and communication, has chosen to mark its 150th anniversary with a move certain to provoke debate by giving the star role to a man. The leading man, who is set be shot by internationally acclaimed fashion photographer Michel Comte for the 2011 Campari Calendar, will follow in the footsteps of some of the world's most beautiful women including Salma Hayek, Eva Mendes  and Jessica Alba, and the 2010 Campari Calendar star, Olga Kurylenko.

Fans will be kept guessing over the identity of the male lead until his name is revealed ahead of the full unveiling of the 2011 Campari Calendar, The Red Affair,  which will be held in Milan in October on October 21st.

Follow the intriguing story of  The Red Affair 2011 Campari Calendar on  www.facebook.com/campari.

AUSTIN REED LAUNCHES THE Q CLUB

AUSTIN REED LAUNCHES THE Q CLUB; A PRIVATE MEMBERS CLUB WITH CLUBHOUSE, PERSONAL SHOPPING, CONCIERGE, BESPOKE TAILORING HIREWEAR AND MUCH MORE.

AUSTIN REED SIGNS LEWIS MOODY, ANDREW STRAUSS, ALASTAIR COOK AND COURTNEY LAWES TO LAUNCH AUSTIN REED Q CLUB

Austin Reed will celebrate 110 years of 'Dressing for Success' later this year. To mark this historic landmark, it will officially launch the Austin Reed Q Club; a private members club with a clubhouse in the Regent Street flagship store.

The Q Club will be open to customers throughout the country with a dedicated clubhouse within the Austin Reed Flagship on Regent Street. A club like no other, it will be designed specifically towards dressing the modern man in a unique and relaxed environment focused on contemporary style.

Four celebrity ambassadors will be the face of the Austin Reed Q Club. As the best of British in their respective fields; Andrew Strauss, England Cricket Captain, Alastair Cook, England Cricket Vice Captain, Lewis Moody, Bath's England Rugby Captain and Courtney Lawes, British Rugby's newest star, will launch the Austin Reed Q Club.

Launching in October 2010, depicting quintessential British design and heritage, the Q Club offering will extend beyond private membership to Q Bespoke, Austin Reed's new made to measure service, Q Hirewear, which will provide a premium formal hire service and Q Corporate, Austin Reed's corporate arm.

See the Q Club Behind the Scenes shoot:
Q club Behind the Scenes Film
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgyGRY0OT9Q