Overdrive

Audi has entered the compact SUV market with their Q2.

A busy design but looks good without going over the top with creases and features. 34 polygon shapes used on the outside design but you have to look hard.

Turbo petrol and diesel engines. I preferred the petrol although it is the cheaper option. Seven speed S-Tronic gearbox.

Tours nicely with a feeling of prestige although not super luxury.

Can "personalise" such as full paint or contrasting pumpers

Pricey. Starting at $41,100 plus on roads but if you can afford it without stretching too hard it certainly had the rewards.

Originally aired on 25 February 2017. For past programs and individual segments visit www.drivenmedia.com.au

Hello and welcome to Overdrive, a program that looks at the fantasises and fallacies of anything to do with motoring and transport.

And in this program we look at news stories including:

1. Apple gets vocal on self-driving cars/ Congress revs up debate over self-driving cars

2. Samoa transport minister defends rules on old cars

3. This Roller Guardrail Seems Brilliant, Except For One Major Problem

4. Oslo Offers Citizens $1,200 to Buy an E-Bike

5. Government 'nudge unit' to take on complex problems (like nudging people to travel outside of peak times)

We have a chat with the new CEO of the Australian road research board. Sounds like it could be a very academic organisation but Michael Caltabiano has a clear vision of making as helpful as possible to you and to me.

We road test the Mercedes GLC - as an SUV wagon and as a coupe

And in our panel discussion with Brian Smith and Errol Smith we take a light-hearted look at stories including:

1. Sweden trains midwives in car births after maternity ward to be closed

2. Canada homeless charity uses car as pop-up for homeless campaign

3. London’s annual No Trousers day on the Tube

4. Canadian police ride the bus to catch cellphone-using car drivers

Have a question or comment? Send it to [email protected]

You can listen to longer segments of the each of the features by going to our web site at drivenmedia.com.au or podcast the whole program on iTunes or your favourite podcast service.

Originally aired on 18 February 2017. For past programs and individual segments visit http://drivenmedia.com.au/wp/

In our panel discussion with Brian Smith and Errol Smith we take a light-hearted look at stories including:

1. Sweden trains midwives in car births after maternity ward to be closed (BS)

2. Canada homeless charity uses car as pop-up for homeless campaign (ES)

3. London’s annual No Trousers day on the Tube (BS)

4. Canadian police ride the bus to catch cellphone-using car drivers (ES)

Have a question or comment? Send it to [email protected]

You can listen to longer segments of the each of the features by going to our web site at drivenmedia.com.au or podcast the whole program on iTunes or your favourite podcast service.

Originally aired on 18 February 2017. For past programs and individual segments visit www.drivenmedia.com.au

Many SUVs are getting so that they ride and handle like a passenger car.

But can they look like a passenger car wagon or even a sporty sedan.

Mercedes have released their new version of the GLC medium sized SUV which also comes in a coupe version.

The basic SUV has some looks of a growth up station wagon rather than a boxy SUV but it is the coupe with its fastback rear design that really tries to be sporty in looks not just performance.

It’s not alone in the market.

BMW has the X3 in standard SUV form and the swooping tail of the X4 coupe SUV.

I took a few pictures of the Mercedes GLC beside other SUVs on the school. We have come a considerable way.

But the plunging line of the fastback does it work?

vehicle.

Originally aired on 18 February 2017. For past programs and individual segments visit www.drivenmedia.com.au

Research can be a wonderful thing. It can be revealing, rewarding for the people who do it, and it can be helpful in what it has discovered.

But to get the most out of it and to keep the funds flowing in today's world requires leadership and management.

The Australian Road Research Board generally known as ARRB was formed in 1960. It began operations out of an annex of the Country Roads Board (Now Vic Roads) in Kew in Melbourne. In 1972 staff moved to a specialist facility in Vermont South in Melbourne.

Recently they appointed a new CEO, Michael Caltabiano, who background is that he studied and worked in engineering and moved on to politics, public administration and private company management. Most recently he was the CEO of Australian Asphalt Pavement Association. Michael has a very clear vision for ARRB. We are honoured to be able to speak to him now.

Hello this is Overdrive a program that tries to spread the word about trains, planes and automobiles.

And in this program we look at news stories including:

1. VW a surprise winner in sales race

2. Tesla crash rate fell 40% after Autopilot's Autosteer feature was installed

3. Tesla, BMW electrics fail to earn top safety awards

4. GM and Honda to Establish Industry-First Joint Fuel Cell System Manufacturing Operation in Michigan

5. Renault Trezor Voted Most Beautiful Concept Car Of 2016

6. Range Rover Reborn Set For World Debut At Salon Rétromobile 2017

We talk to Victorian MP Fiona Patten about concerns over the privatisation of public transport services. Apparently Victoria has let a number of organisations owned by overseas governments run their public transport systems.

We talk to the editor of the International publication Jaguar Magazine about some clasic Jaguars I have been driving.

And we road test the Jaguar F-Pace SUV a finalist in the world car of the year awards.

Originally aired on 11 February 2017. For past programs and individual segments visit http://drivenmedia.com.au/wp/

As is traditional at this time of year we have the Super Bowl in America and we at Overdrive critically review the car ads that played during this "football" game. At $5.5 million dollars they charge to run a 30 second ad let alone the cost to produce them, you would think they would be good.

We think the ads show truisms, lifestyle values, social values, pulling the heart strings, technology and humour. It is much more grand image than specific features.

Errol Smith and Brian Smith join us to cast acerbic eyes at the latest creations.

Originally aired on 11 February 2017. For past programs and individual segments visit www.drivenmedia.com.au

Overdrive's Errol Smith recently spent some time in Jakarta.

He describes the daily congestion as like a perfect storm of transport problems in Sydney. Wall-to-wall congestion.

Along with Brian Smith and David Brown, the nature and impact of severe congestion in a city is discussed.

Originally aired on 11 February 2017. For past programs and individual segments visit www.drivenmedia.com.au

A colleague of mine thinks the expression "Maserati SUV" is an Oxymoron

I don't blame him. I think of Maserati as being exotic and certainly sporty.

Their tagline is "Luxury, sports and style cast in exclusive cars".

But cars are not enough now. Most luxury brands are building SUVs.

Maserati has just launched their Levante SUV onto the Australia market.

Glen Sealey the chief operating officer for Maserati Australia, New Zealand and South Africa anticipates that 50% of Australian sales will be SUVs which means among other things that 50% of new Maseratis will be diesel powered.

Maserati says the Levante is “The ultimate combination of leading on-road performance and off-road capabilities

Combination is right. At the launch of the Audi SQ7 the other day and they didn't even bother to mention off-road capability whereas Range Rover will regale you with details of their clever technology to handle most things off the beaten track.

The Masterati is somewhere in between.

Originally aired on 11 February 2017. For past programs and individual segments visit www.drivenmedia.com.au

And in this program we look at news stories including:

1. VW a surprise winner in sales race

2. Tesla crash rate fell 40% after Autopilot's Autosteer feature was installed

3. Tesla, BMW electrics fail to earn top safety awards

4. GM and Honda to Establish Industry-First Joint Fuel Cell System Manufacturing Operation in Michigan

5. Renault Trezor Voted Most Beautiful Concept Car Of 2016

6. Range Rover Reborn Set For World Debut At Salon Rétromobile 2017

We talk to Victorian MP Fiona Patten about concerns over the privatisation of public transport services. Apparently Victoria has let a number of organisations owned by overseas governments run their public transport systems.

We talk to the editor of the International publication Jaguar Magazine about some clasic Jaguars I have been driving.

And we road test the Jaguar F-Pace SUV a finalist in the world car of the year awards.

Originally aired on 4 February 2017. For past programs and individual segments visit http://drivenmedia.com.au/wp/