The Drive Five: The week's most interesting stories

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As you might be aware, 2021 marks the year CarAdvice and Drive become one – bringing together both sites' top-shelf automotive content under one banner. For you, dear reader, not much will change. We're still the same team, with the same familiar faces and high standards for our new-car content and love of all things automotive. The only difference is you'll eventually be able to meet all your new-car needs in one place, Drive.

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JLR: Consumer confidence on the rise post-election

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Jaguar Land Rover Australia believes consumer confidence has returned to the luxury car market following the recent Federal election, where the sitting LNP government was returned to power. Speaking to local media at this week’s launch of the new Range Rover Evoque, JLR Australia managing director Mark Cameron said the conservative coalition victory has already been felt in the company’s showrooms.
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Teacher accused of using rented Toyota Supra for land-speed record attempt

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A high-school teacher in the US could be more than $6000 out of pocket if he is found to have violated the terms of use of a rented Toyota Supra driven to a top speed record. A US high school teacher is facing legal action – and $US4000 ($AU6000) in costs – after being accused of renting a turbocharged Toyota Supra performance coupe from a car-sharing service and used the vehicle in a racing competition without the owner’s knowledge. The high-school teacher from Indiana – and his team of female mechanic students – were on their way to compete in the 2023 U.S. Mile land-speed trials in Texas last month. The girls and their teacher had built a high-performance Chevrolet S10 pick-up for the ‘Texas Mile’ – a competition which sees vehicles try to achieve the highest possible speed from a standing start within one-mile (1.6km) on a runway. However, the 1997 Chevrolet S-10 ute suffered a mechanical failure on the way to the event. Due to the hard work put in to make the 1800km j...
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Donald Trump’s Lamborghini Diablo sets new auction price record

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The 1997 Diablo VT Roadster – custom-ordered by the now-former US president – has smashed records after selling for more than a million dollars at auction. UPDATE, 1 February 2024: A 1997 Lamborghini Diablo VT Roadster previously owned by former President Donald Trump has set a new record for the Italian supercar. Bidding pushed up the hammer price for President Trump’s Lamborghini to $US1.1 million ($AU1.67 million), far exceeding the average auction price paid for Diablo models at $US277,000 ($AU407,000). According to auctioneers Barrett-Jackson, bidding exceeded the $US1 million mark in just 90 seconds. According to Classic.com , the average value of the Lamborghini Diablo has risen almost 80 per cent in just three years. The original stories continues unchanged below. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Barrett-Jackson (@barrett_jackson) 13 January 2024: A 1997 Lamborghini Diablo VT Roadster reportedly on...
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Honda confirms NSX successor in the works

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Honda boss has again confirmed the car maker is working on an electric sports car which may see the hallowed NSX badge return to showrooms. A successor to the Honda NSX supercar is coming, after Honda CEO Toshihiro Mibe once again confirmed the car maker is working on a new halo electric sports car. Mibe told UK publication Autocar that work was ‘progressing’ with a ‘good analysis’ on an electric sports car being carried out by the Japanese brand’s research and development department. “We have not decided on mass production or timing but, personally, I would like to make it happen.” Honda – which began in September 1948 – has hinted that it would have a halo sports car in showrooms to celebrate its 75th anniversary year. Honda teased two electric sports car concepts in 2022 , seen as successors to the S2000 and the NSX, as it announced a $AU53.7 billion (five trillion Japanese yen) investment in electric technology. Honda also said it would introduce 30 electric cars by...
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Most anticipated new cars of 2018

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2022 Nissan Qashqai and Pathfinder delayed, Juke and X-Trail production cut

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Nissan dealers are urging customers to get their orders in, so they can be at the front of the queue when delayed stock arrives next year. Nissan’s biggest model refresh in more than a decade is off to a stalled start after being struck by a fresh round of delays affecting the global automotive industry. The highly-anticipated, new-generation versions of the Nissan Qashqai small SUV and Nissan Pathfinder large family SUV were due in Australian showrooms at the start of 2022. However, a well-placed Nissan Australia insider says these two key models are now not due to arrive until closer to the middle of next year. The setback has prompted Nissan dealers to urge customers to order now so they can be at the front of the queue when the first shipments of the in-demand models begin to arrive in local showrooms. While the global semiconductor shortage has also impacted Toyota , Hyundai and Kia – among other automotive giants – Nissan also faces delays...
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How many cupholders are too many? | Drive Flashback

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Drive pondered the vexing question of cupholders on 30 January, 2009 and along the way learned a few things about the humble little in-car convenience. Story by Tony Davis originally published in Drive on 30 January, 2009 What is it with cupholders? Indeed. To some they are the most moronic thing ever fitted to cars. To others – many of them Americans – cupholders are an essential and important part of the driving experience. Otherwise, like, where would you put your 1.3-litre Super Big Gulp soft drink? As with nuclear weapons, cupholders are here and are not going to be uninvented any time soon. Wikipedia claims the first was created by James Guillow in 1943. This may be the same James Guillow who was a titan of the balsa wood toy airplane industry but I can find no other reference. In more general terms – and perhaps more accurate terms – the cupholder emerged from the US tradition of the drive-in diner, which gave people the pleasure of being served in their ca...
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2018 Ford Mustang pricing and specs

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Tesla cars to be banned from Chinese government buildings amid security fears — report

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Restrictions on where Tesla electric cars can be driven are reportedly increasing across China as concerns over the data the vehicles can collect grow. Tesla drivers in China are reportedly facing entry bans in government-affiliated buildings as security concerns with the US increase.  According to a report published by  Nikkei Asia , an increasing number of meeting halls and exhibition centres across the country are refusing entry to Tesla vehicles. The report states previous restrictions for the vehicles were generally limited just to military bases, but now a growing number of highway operators, local authority agencies, and cultural centres are reportedly enforcing them.  In an interview with  Nikkei Asia , a local claimed the Grand Halls conference centre in Shanghai has banned Tesla vehicles on its grounds completely, whether it be to park, or just passing through. “If you have a meeting there, the meeting organizer will actually give you noti...
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Bear Grylls’ SAS Gulf War buggy for sale, with optional machine gun

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Here’s your chance to own Grylls’ SAS buggy equipped with a roof-mounted machine gun built for the Gulf War. Image credit: Classic Motor Hub An off-road buggy used by the British Army’s Special Air Service (SAS) and previously owned by celebrity adventurer and former SAS member Bear Grylls is up for sale, and includes a roof-mounted machine gun – with provisions to mount a rocket launcher and anti-tank missile systems, too. Offered by The Classic Motor Hub in Gloucestershire, UK, the 1990 Ricardo Light Strike Vehicle (LSV) is one of 20 built by the British Ministry of Defence (MoD) for use by the elite special forces unit in the 1990-1991 Gulf War. With an asking price of £35,000 ($AU66,400), the open-air LSV is shorter than a Volkswagen Golf hatchback at 4.08m but slightly wider at 2.11m and considerably taller at just over two metres. Classified by the MoD as a ‘Ground Mobile Weapon Platform’, it also includes a deactivated .50-calibre Browning machine gun on top of its ...
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