Retro RidesFor The Classic Car Enthusiast
Retro Rides Originals
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Top Tips for Buying a Used Ford Falcon/Fairmont XA-XC (1972-79)
Ford Falcon XA-XC values have improved significantly, but these cars still don’t match the popularity of earlier XW-XY versions. Basic cars still don't generate enough money to justify high-value restorations and can often be stripped for any usable parts.
Rear View: Aston Martin DB5
The Aston Martin DB5 was built in tiny numbers compared to its contemporary British rival the Jaguar E-Type, but its enduring association with one of the most successful film franchises in history helped propel the luxury grand tourer coupe to cinematic and automotive immortality.
Celebrating 90 years of the Škoda Superb
The Škoda Superb may only be a relatively recent addition to the Australian automotive landscape, having first launched here in 2010, but 2025 marks 90 years since its debut in its homeland, then-Czechoslovakia.
BMW vs. Japan: The late ’80s showdown that reshaped the luxury car market
The 1980s saw a number of Japanese carmakers foray into the luxury sedan market, particularly in America where Honda launched Acura and Nissan launched Infiniti, but it was when Toyota launched Lexus in 1989 that it gave the likes of BMW a real run for their money, rewriting the luxury car rulebook in the process.
News
History in the making: Ford Australia celebrates 100 years
To mark Ford Australia’s centenary year, a special “History in the Making” event will be held in Melbourne on Friday April 4, 2025.
March 2025 Auction Report: Plenty to Like, But Some Prices Decline
Retro Rides’ Market Analyst Cliff Chambers has plucked the best from roughly 300 car and motorbike lots during March 2025, finding that while there was plenty to like, the value of some models has declined quite noticeably.
A restomod ute? Isuzu has unveiled a surprising Holden Rodeo throwback
Unveiled at the 2025 Bangkok International Motor Show, the one-off Isuzu Dragon Max shows there may well be a market for turning even the most humble of utes into a flashy restomod.
This is how the Nissan Patrol has left its mark on Australia after 64 years and 250,000 sales
From the first motorised crossing of the Simpson Desert in 1962 to posting record sales figures today, the Nissan Patrol has left its mark on Australia, and Australia has left its mark on it in turn.
Entertainment
Alpine celebrates its 70-year history with new video series
Almost 70 years ago in July 1955, Renault dealer and rally driver Jean Rédélé created Alpine. Originally a standalone brand, the mission was simple: to create a French sports car brand based on Renault powertrains.
Classic TV: Honda City (feat. Madness)
Advertising from the 1980s doesn't get much quirkier than when Honda teamed up with English ska band Madness to promote its latest hatchback of the day, the City
Classic TV: Mitsubishi Magna AWD
In 2002, Mitsubishi made history by releasing the first all-wheel drive series production car built in Australia, the Magna AWD. Soon after, it also changed history with the same car's advertising campaign.
The Retro Rides Podcast Episode 6: Sam's glorious HQ Monaro and an All Aussie Auto Show preview
This week, Cam and Rich are joined by Sam Princi for a 'Walk & Talk' on his 1973 V8 HQ Monaro. They also preview the upcoming All Aussie Auto Show in Sydney.
Buyers Guides
Top Tips for Buying a Used Ford Falcon/Fairmont XA-XC (1972-79)
Ford Falcon XA-XC values have improved significantly, but these cars still don’t match the popularity of earlier XW-XY versions. Basic cars still don't generate enough money to justify high-value restorations and can often be stripped for any usable parts.
Top Tips for Buying a Used Holden HD-HR (1965-68)
Prices for Special and Standard versions of the HD and HR begin below $20,000, with utes costing around the same as sedans, but panel vans are scarce and 30 percent more expensive than passenger versions.
Top Tips for Buying a Used Datsun 1600 (1968-72)
When it arrived in the late ’60s, the Datsun 1600 boasted strong levels of standard equipment, a grunty four-pot engine, front disc brakes and independent rear suspension, positioning it closer to a BMW on paper than any of its Japanese contemporaries.
Top Tips for Buying a Used Dodge Challenger (1970-73)
When Chrysler in the US belatedly got around to building a proper Pony Car, it came in two sizes, with different length wheelbases and some of the most powerful production engines ever made. Collectively, they were the Dodge Challenger and Plymouth Barracuda, a feisty duo which offered too little and arrived too late to take full advantage of the relatively short-lived Muscle Car era.
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