Love cars? Well here is something to get you thinking.
How many car models in Australia can you recall that start, or have started, with the letter D?
We can think of at least 40!
Struggling to come up with many? Well here are 6 you might not have thought about.
Land Rover Discovery
When the Land Rover Discovery Sport was launched in Australia in 2014, it was designed to steer the price of the British marque to levels that were attainable to more consumers.
The Discovery Sport is based on the monocoque-bodied Range Rover Evoque and comes in a five-seater and seven-seater configuration. The model has essentially replaced the older Freelander 2.
Its engine runs from a four-cylinder petrol to a diesel turbo. It also has an all-wheel drive for those who like to off-road in comfort. All of which is aided by Land Rover’s highly acclaimed terrain response system.
The initiation of a facelift that was considerably re-engineered in 2019 brought expanded electrification. It also brought less choice in models. For those who are interested in buying one, the lower-priced grade starts at $80,900 and rises to around $85,500 for the most lavish version.
Isuzu D-Max
While its official arrival in Australia may have been in 2008 for the Isuzu D-Max, it has actually been around a lot longer here than you may realise.
The Holden Jackaroo and Rodeo were actually rebadged Isuzu’s, which means that the Isuzu utes have been driving around on Australian roads as far back as 1980.
Indeed the Chevy LUV was the Rodeo’s predecessor and this was sold initially in 1972. So it is fair to say that Isuzu is no newcomer to the Aussie public or market.
Holden’s parent company scaled back its ties with Isuzu and the latter decided to launch its hugely successful Rodeo with an upfront Isuzu badge and D-Max stencilled across the rear. From worksite runabout to the weekend warrior, this 3.0-litre diesel engine with a range of body styles boasts the same ruggedness that made Rodeo a cult Australian favourite.
These days, the latest model is a leader in class safety, equipment levels and refinement. Its base model starts from $32,000 and rises to $ 67,500 for the most optioned version.
This model has also been known as the Holden Colorado, Isuzu Rodeo, GMC Canyon and Chevrolet T Series in various other parts of the world.
Iveco Daily
Iveco is well known for its Light, Medium and Heavy Commercial Trucks, more than its workhorse Daily van range. But the Italian brand is a worthy rival to the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, VW Crafter and Ford Transit and offers a great deal of heavy-duty know-how.
The Iveco Daily is available in a range of multiple body styles, these include single cab, dual cab and van – the latter of which can be specified in countless sizes, engine/transmission choices and roof heights. It also provides the market-leading volume in its largest spin-off model – with a jaw-dropping 19.6 cubic metres of capacity.
The Iveco Daily range starts off at $ 56,000 and continues through the models to around $131.000.
This vehicle model is also sold as the Iveco EcoDaily (only first generation) and Alfa Romeo AR8. In some countries, it is known as the OM Grinta.
Nissan Dualis
The mid-sized SUV Nissan Dualis first arrived down under in 2008.
The Dualis name is used to reference its intended ability to straddle between the traditional hatchback and a boxy SUV.
The Nissan Qashqai (which is the European model name used) replaced the Dualis in 2014.
The most popular variants of this model were equipped with a CVT auto 2.0-litre petrol engine. They were also two-wheel drives and available in diesel and all-wheel drive alternatives. A seven-seater version known as the Dualis +2 was also brought out too.
Prices for the Dualis ranged from a starting point of $15,500 for the Dualis ST +2 to around $24,800 for the DualisTi-L +2.
During the length of its production run, it competed directly with Subaru Forester and Mitsubishi ASX. It also shared some of its foundations with Renault Koleos (first generation).
This vehicle is also known as Nissan Dualis (Australia and Japan 1st gen) and Nissan Rogue Sport (United States 2nd gen).
Land Rover Defender
The Land Rover Defender is arguably the most British of icons. Having been around almost as long as the previous monarch, it was first introduced in Series designation as far back as 1948.
The Defender has evolved over the years into its most recent iteration. What started as an
Army-derived utility vehicle has moved into a retro-futuristic, high-tech off-road SUV. This has divided the opinions of the brand’s loyalists, who saw it move upmarket in leaps and bounds.
The Land Rover Defender’s current line-up starts at $81,900 for the Defender 90 P300 Standard and continues through to the top-of-the-range Defender 110 P525 V8 model at $226,500.
This vehicle is also branded elsewhere as the Land Rover 90, 110, 127 and 130.
Aston Martin DBS
The DBS has always sat at the peak of the Aston Martin model range and is one of the most iconic and recognisable models in Aston Martin’s line-up.
The DBS has been in production in various forms since 1967 and was first introduced to replace the DB6. It received a significant upgrade in 1969 to incorporate a V8 5.3 litre engine. It also received a number of well-received cosmetic upgrades.
This model was discontinued. However, it made a strong comeback in 2007. Sporting a new V12 6.0-litre engine and a carbon-fibre and aluminium body. This model was also used by Daniel Craig in the James Bond film “Quantum of Solace”.
In 2019 the latest, most advanced version came out. It features a V12 5.2-litre engine that produces a whopping 715 horsepower and 664lb-ft torque which has a top speed of 340km/h. This gives it the ability to accelerate from 0-100 km/h in just 3.4 seconds!
It is a genuine high-performance luxury sports car and has well and truly cemented its place as a car of iconic status.
The price range for the Aston Martin DBS series varies based on the options you choose. It starts at $536,900 for the coupe and tops out at $570,200 for the convertible.
For many people in Australia, it represents their ultimate dream car.
