September 2009 was also Frankfurt motor show time. One of the star attractions was a wild-looking concept called the BMW Vision Efficient Dynamics, a sleek supercar with a hybrid powertrain. At the time, BMW characterised it as a "glimpse into the future".
By the time the Vision Efficient Dynamics came to New Zealand and went on display at the Auckland Museum in 2011 it was well-known that it was going into production. And now it's here ... almost. The finished version is called i8 and was launched in Europe this year, with New Zealand to follow in early 2015.
Five years ago we had the first look at BMW's Vision Efficient Dynamics.
Crazy shoe and rally dude Ken Block had also just released his second Gymkhana video, called GK2, following the huge success of the first edition.
Filmed at Los Angeles Harbour with Block's Subaru WRX STI, it was considered pretty outrageous at the time and got 400,000 views on YouTube in 24 hours. By year's end it was the fourth most-watched video in the world.
Five years ago this month, crazy shoe and rally dude Ken Block released his second Gymkhana video, called GK2.
But there was plenty more to come: Block is now up to GK6.
TEN YEARS AGO
Right about now, motoring writers all over the world - including us lot at Driven - are preparing to depart for the Paris motor show. It was the same story this time in 2004.
What was on show? Something for everybody. Ferrari unveiled its groundbreaking F430, while Suzuki launched an all-new Swift - the car that was to take the Kiwi sales charts by storm.
The Suzuki Swift was revealed in 2005 and is now NZ's top-selling hatchback.
Volkswagen showed the fifth-generation Golf GTI, the model that finally returned enthusiast credentials to the badge. Volvo also unveiled a new version of its XC90 crossover (first launched in 2002) with a Yamaha-developed V8 engine.
Closer to home, we were hungry for news of Australia's latest "big six" family car from Mitsubishi. Scoop photographs were appearing, and in September the Aussie media reported that the car would have a five-speed automatic gearbox. Five was a lot in those days, by the way.
The Mitsubishi 380 was launched in 2005 and stayed in production for three years.
Anyway, the Mitsubishi 380 was launched in 2005 as a make-or-break model. It was based on the American-market Galant but about 60 per cent revised for Australian production. It was rather a good car, but failed to meet sales expectations and Mitsubishi Motors Australia shut down its local assembly operations in 2008.
TWENTY YEARS AGO
In 1994 the Falcon EF launched Ford's hot-six concept into the public consciousness.
The big news in September 1994 was the launch of the Ford Falcon EF - the new model designed to haul back the creeping lead Holden was gaining over its Aussie rival with the Commodore VR. Otherwise known as Project EA77, the new Falcon had exterior styling that was virtually all-new (the windscreen and doors were carried over), but even more money had been spent on the interior, with the cabin getting a $10 million makeover.
Much praise was lavished on the XR6 model, the third iteration of the car since its 1992 introduction and arguably the one that really thrust the hot-six Falcon into the public consciousness. By today's standards, the EF XR6's 164kW/366Nm might not sound impressive, but at the time it was faster than the XR8.
To Europe: in shock news, BMW announced that the M3 was to be available as a four-door sedan. The E36 series was launched back in 1992, but it took two years for the four-door to appear - partly to fill a gap in M5 production.
The four-door M3 did not return in the E46 series (2000-06) but joined the range again as part of the E90 line-up. Now that the F80 model is here, the only kind of M3 you can buy is a sedan; the coupe has adopted BMW's new naming strategy and has an even number on its bootlid, being known as the M4. Doesn't quite have the same ring to it.
FORTY YEARS AGO
Forty years ago, almost to the week, Volkswagen produced its 18 millionth Beetle.
Forty years ago, almost to the week, Volkswagen produced its 18 millionth Beetle.
Perhaps not generally regarded as a milestone figure, but after surpassing the Ford Model T as the world's biggest-selling single model in 1972, the Wolfsburg factory was counting every million thereafter. Ironically, 1972 was the year that Beetle assembly ceased in Otahuhu, Auckland.
In 1974, the Beetle was being built at the rate of 4000 per day globally. But these were the twilight years for the Beetle as a volume model, as the much more modern Golf ushered in a new generation of cars. The Beetle became less and less popular, until production finished in Germany in 1978. It did carry on in Mexico and Brazil until 2003.
This time 40 years ago, the cinematic world was preparing for the release of a movie by new director Peter Weir: The Cars That Ate Paris. The Australian comedy-horror flick centred on a small town called Paris where the locals arranged accidents for passing motorists, looting the cars and keeping the lobotomised occupants for medical experiments.
The film become a cult classic and Weir went on to international success, directing Picnic At Hanging Rock, Dead Poets Society and The Truman Show.
