- Connected-car privacy – 00:03:30
- Europe’s all-electric shortlist – 00:14:28
- Who benefits from driverless cars? – 00:27:39
- Rox Motor’s emergency toilet – 00:34:59
- A boot full of chocolate – 00:41:39
- Nissan Australia at 60 – 00:47:50
- Alfa Romeo Tonale road test – 00:57:58
Short Summary
David Brown and Paul Murrell ask what Leapmotor’s European privacy certification means for Australian drivers, what an all-electric Car of the Year shortlist tells us about Europe, and who stands to gain most from driverless transport. There’s also a boot full of Halloween chocolate and a Chinese SUV with an emergency toilet. Nissan Australia’s 60th anniversary brings back memories of the Patrol, the Z and the rally-going Datsun 1600, before David and Paul take the Alfa Romeo Tonale Veloce Ibrida from city parking to country bends.
Fuller Summary
What your car knows about you
Leapmotor International’s Europrivacy certification prompts a closer look at data used for connected services, maintenance and marketing. The connected-services certificate lists Europe and the UK. David and Paul ask what protections Australian owners have and whether opting out of data collection could affect services they rely on.
Seven electric finalists and two kinds of car
Five compact cars and two premium SUVs make up the all-electric shortlist for the 2027 European Car of the Year. David and Paul ask how much a judging panel’s verdict tells buyers about the car that will suit them, then look at how servicing and depreciation change the cost of ownership.
Where driverless transport could do the most good
Britain’s Institute for Driverless Transport poses 65 research questions. David asks whether regional communities with few transport options might gain the most independence. The pair also consider how a car slowing to catch a green light could hold up someone trying to reach a right-turn lane.
An emergency toilet in the centre console
An overseas Rox Motor SUV can turn its centre console into an emergency toilet. Australian availability was unconfirmed at the time of the discussion. David and Paul wonder how you’d actually sit on it, then consider how once-novel features such as cup holders became everyday conveniences.
Halloween chocolate and boot space
MG’s Halloween competition asked people to guess how many chocolate bars were in a car’s boot. That gets David and Paul talking about how luggage space is measured. Tiny foam balls can fill every nook, but the shape of the boot determines whether your suitcases will fit.
Sixty years of Nissan Australia
A gathering of more than 170 vehicles at Mulgrave marks 60 years of Nissan’s Australian company. Paul recalls owning a Z, and the pair revisit the Patrol, local manufacturing and the Skyline GT-R at Bathurst. They remember how a Datsun 1600 could take a privateer rallying on Sunday and to work on Monday.
Alfa Romeo Tonale Veloce Ibrida road test
David enjoys the Tonale’s styling and the way it feels turning into a country bend. Around town, the dual-clutch transmission can feel jerky at parking speeds, particularly from cold. The big aluminium shift paddles invite you to get involved, while the ventilated seats win over both presenters.
Credits
- David Brown, presenter and road tester
- Paul Murrell, motoring contributor and road tester from SeniorDriver.au
- Evan Jones, programme contributor
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