Latest from 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.
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.
Rear View: Honda NSX
Benchmarked against the Ferrari 328 and with development input from the great Ayrton Senna himself, the Honda NSX introduced a feast of firsts, its stunning performance, innovative design and outstanding quality impacting every supercar since.
Top Tips for Buying a Toyota LandCruiser FJ40 (1976-83)
Early LandCruisers are fair dinkum commercial vehicles, with little in the way of creature comforts. However, for those brave and hardy souls prepared to endure such privations, a well-preserved FJ40 has a style and presence that is utterly unique.
Top Tips for Buying a Used Subaru Brumby (1984-94)
Subaru began selling its versatile 4WD Brumby utility on the Australian market in 1977, but it took until 1982 for a more powerful and comfortable second-generation version to arrive.
Top Tips for Buying a Used Datsun 240-260Z (1970-78)
Buying a Datsun 240Z or 260Z for the long-term means staying ahead of returning rust and not skimping on repairs. Those cautions aside, these are a car with inbuilt longevity, that are relatively easy to maintain and very enjoyable to drive.
A Brief History of the Nissan Z
More than half a century ago, a dramatic new car emerged from Japan billed as a “luxuriously appointed high-performance sports car with a Gran Turismo feel”, aimed at establishing itself as a direct rival to the European brands. That car was, of course, the 240Z.
Design: How the new Nissan Z pays homage to its predecessors
In mid-2022, Nissan launched the seventh-generation Z car in Australia, with the new model paying homage to its illustrious past, while celebrating its exciting future.
Rear View: Datsun 1600
How the stub-tailed Datsun 1600 brought a new level of style and mechanical specification within reach of the masses, and kick-started more rally driving careers than perhaps any other vehicle.
Top Tips for Buying a Used Honda Prelude VTI-R (1994-2000)
The third-generation Honda Prelude launched in Australia in 1992 as an unassuming but effective sports coupe. Early Si versions had a 118kW four-cylinder which was deemed ‘adequate’ by people who were buying the Prelude as much for its stylish good looks as its performance. But there was a more performance-oriented element that thought the sweetly-balanced Prelude chassis could deal with more pow…
Rear View: Nissan Skyline 2000 GT-R 1969
Decades before the R32 famously won the 1991 Bathurst 1000, it’s grandaddy the 1969 Nissan Skyline 2000 GT-R stalked the expressways of Japan. Japan has produced some individual and impressive performance cars over the past six decades, machines as varied as the Mazda RX-7, Honda NS-X, Subaru and Mitsubishi turbo AWD rally rockets and more recently, the Nissan R35 GT-R.
