Weather dictates what type of car we can get along to our meetings. Wet weather rules out soft tops and convertibles, so our Car of the Month for June was a hard top 2016 BMW M2 series.
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BMW is renowned for its unique and easily recognizable front grill. The 2016 BMW M2 (F87 generation) is a rear-wheel-drive, high-performance compact coupe powered by a 3.0 litre turbo charged engine capable of 0-100kmh in 4.7 seconds, which is very quick and a top speed of 270 km/h.
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When counting how many M cars exist on the road, it is important to separate true M cars from daily drivers carrying the badge: -

Full M Cars (High-Performance): These feature 1-digit numbers (e.g., M2, M3, M5) or clear SUV branding (X5 M). They get completely unique engines, heavily stiffened chassis, wide bodywork, and track-ready suspension.

M Performance Sub-Models: Introduced in 2012 to bridge the gap for daily driving, these use 3-digit numbers or letters (e.g., M340i, M550i, i4 M50). They feature upgraded sporty parts but share standard factory assembly lines.

The topic of car names and badges was then discussed with the obvious question of what BMW stood for. (Bavarian Motor Works.)

The names behind mainstream car badges usually reflect the company's geographic origins, their founding pioneers, or a specific engineering mission.

We discussed are some meanings and histories behind mainstream car      badge names.

• BMW: Bavarian Motor Works (Bayerische Motoren Werke). Founded in Munich, Germany, reflecting its home state of Bavaria.
• FIAT: Italian Automobile Factory of Turin (Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino). Founded in 1899 to establish Italian car manufacturing.
• ALFA ROMEO: Anonymous Lombard Automobile Factory (Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili). "Romeo" was added later when investor Nicola Romeo bought the company.
• FORD: Named after Henry Ford. He revolutionized global manufacturing by introducing the moving assembly line in 1913.
• CHEVROLET: Named after Louis Chevrolet. He was a Swiss race car driver and automotive engineer who co-founded the brand.
• TOYOTA: Named after founder Kiichiro Toyoda. The spelling was changed from "Toyoda" to "Toyota" because it takes eight brush strokes to write in Japanese, which is a lucky number.
• HONDA: Named after Soichiro Honda. He started the company as a wooden shack manufacturing auxiliary engines for bicycles.

Also discussed were the secret meanings behind visual logos

• Hyundai: The stylized "H" logo doubles as a silhouette of two people—a company representative and a satisfied customer—shaking hands in mutual trust.
• Mercedes-Benz: The iconic Three-Pointed Star represents the brand's original ambition for universal motorisation: dominating transport on land, on water, and in the air.
• Audi: The Four Interlocking Rings represent the 1932 merger of four previously independent German vehicle manufacturers: Audi, DKW, Horch, and Wanderer.
• BMW: While often mistaken for a spinning propeller, the blue and white quadrants actually depict the official state colors of the Bavarian National Flag, reversed to comply with local trademark laws.
• Toyota: The Three Overlapping Ovals represent the heart of the customer

Members also viewed several engaging YouTube videos of the M2 BMW and participated in a BMW themed Q&A multiple choice quiz.

Keep your hands on the steering wheel.


Doug Smith

We had a good roll up of members at our May meeting, not that that is unusual but it might also be because we had a very nice Car of The Month in a 1962 Chrysler SV1 Valiant, commonly known as the S series.

The Valiant was a true competitor to the Fords and Holdens in the late 60’s and 70’s. They were fast, big, comfortable and affordable. Geoff Fuller’s beautiful blue Valiant has been carefully restored by him, and is immaculate both inside and out and one would say a real “head turner”. Of course, the real head turner of the day was the model preceding Geoff’s which was the R series Valiant. It was very distinctive because of the spare wheel impression on the rear of the boot lid, often called the toilet seat. So popular, that it sold out very quickly forcing Chrysler to rush into production the S series presented above.
 
Geoff spoke about his experience restoring the car and its many unique features for car of that era.

The 1962 Chrysler Valiant SV1 (also known as the S-series) was a significant step for Chrysler Australia, offering a more refined and locally adapted version of the initial RV1 model. Produced between March 1962 and April 1963, it was known for its powerful "Slant-6" engine and the removal of the simulated spare wheel on the boot. The SV1 was powered by a single engine option that significantly outperformed its contemporary rivals from Holden and Ford at the time.
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• Engine Type: 225 cu in (3.7 L) Inline 6-cylinder "Slant-6".
• Automatic: 3-speed "Torque Flite" automatic with iconic push-button controls.
• Electrical: One of the first Australian cars to use an alternator instead of a generator

The S series was exclusively released as a 4-door sedan in the Australian market. The 1962 Chrysler Valiant SV1 (also known as the S-series) was a significant step for Chrysler Australia, offering a more refined and locally adapted version of the initial RV1 model. Produced between March 1962 and April 1963, it was known for its powerful "Slant-6" engine and the removal of the simulated spare wheel on the boot.

Key features and changes included redesigned front grille and revised taillights compared to the R series. Chassis featured torsion bar front suspension and leaf spring rear suspension.

A recently introduced and popular segment of our Car Torque sessions is a multiple-choice Q&A quiz, generally focused around the Car of the Month.

The session ended with some funny Jeremy Clarkson YouTube videos that brought some laughter from the group.

Keep your hands on the steering wheel.


Doug Smith

​At Car Torque I try to source our Car of the Month from local owners that have interesting and often unique cars garaged out of public sight that rarely see the light of day. 
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However, in April that was not quite the case. Local Rob Evans brought along his beautiful looking restored 1949 Morris 8/40 Z utility. Rob bought the car in 1997 as a promo for his then new Benalla Car Wash business. After a respray and some mechanical work Rob was ready to see if the sign on wheels was a success.  ​It certainly was and still is. Rob is regularly seen driving to and from his Car Wash in his head turner “look at me car” with its sign “Hot Car Wash”.

Rob spoke about his car’s specifications.

• The utility version is much rarer, since it was a regional adaptation.
• Today survivors are fairly uncommon
• Engine: ~918 cc side-valve inline-4 (from Morris Eight)
• Power: ~23–26 hp
• Gearbox: 3-speed manual
• Suspension: Leaf springs (rear), simple beam/independent front depending on version
• Brakes: hydraulic (depending on build)
• 2-door steel cab with open tray
• Very basic interior (minimal instrumentation)
• Narrow track and small size compared to later utes
• Designed for Tradespeople, Rural/light farm work

 
Our group also were engaged and enjoyed a 21 question multiple choice answers car trivia quiz base around Australian Cars.

The session ended with some hilarious Jeremy Clarkson YouTube videos (Most watched pranks - Jeremy Clarkson) that brought quite a bit of laughter from the group.

Keep your hands on the steering wheel.


Doug Smith

​Our program for March was an interesting mix of Car of the Month, YouTube videos including the entertaining Jeremy Clarkson from the UK TV series Top Gear, and an interesting discussion on the current situation of limited fuel supply due to the Middle East War.

Convenor for Car Torque Doug Smith brought along his immaculate Mazda MX5 sports car he has owned since 2016.

​​A demonstration of the retractable hard top opening/closing at our meeting confirmed the quoted 12 second claim.

In summary 90% of our fuel is imported, we only have two refineries, our reserves are below minimum requirements and we have a heavy reliance on shipping.

Keep your hands on the steering wheel.
 
Doug Smith
Convenor
 
 
 

​Our first meeting for 2026 saw 10 members attending and our guest speaker David McKinnon.

The theme for Car Torque centres around special cars and their owners being invited along for our members to share the owner’s story of their journey owning the car. We call this segment Car of the Month.

Our February meeting recapped with a Power Point presentation of the unique and beautifully presented cars we saw in 2025; noting all these cars are locally owned by very enthusiastic owners. ​

It was a revolutionary vehicle that became a symbol of affordable mobility in France after World War II. Its design was inspired by the need for a simple, low-cost car that could be easily maintained and operated by farmers and rural communities. The 2CV was introduced in 1948 and quickly became popular for its low cost of ownership, simplicity of maintenance, and minimal fuel consumption. It featured a unique air-cooled engine mounted in the front and a long-travel suspension system that allowed it to traverse unpaved roads comfortably. The car's design was based on the idea of an "umbrella with wheels," and it was designed to carry a basket of eggs across a ploughed field without breaking them. The 2CV's success was due to its ability to provide transportation for millions during the post-war recovery period in France.

David McKinnon had faithfully restored the car with a complete rebuild to its original specifications and appearance over a period of 2 years. The final result is stunning.

David’s presentation showed photos of the work as it progressed including unique aspects of its suspension, engine and bodywork.

The Group also watched a number of YouTube videos including Jeremy Clarkson (Top Gear) racing a Citroen 2CV in the 1990’s.

​The presentation was followed by an active Q&A session.

Keep your hands on the wheel.
 
Doug Smith
Convenor

Its outstanding performance (0-100 in 5.3 secs) is due to the high powered V8 engine and a relatively light body kerb weight (1450kg), made entirely from fibre glass.

Geoff, who has owned the car for around 4 years, said it is quite fast and not too difficult to drive, but the responsiveness of the power steering is one of its faults.

Geoff also entertained our group with his experiences in motor sport as a non-professional racing car driver. In his racing days he interacted on the track with young up and coming drivers who we now regard as household names in the V8 Supercar world, like drivers Jamie Whincup, Will Davidson and Mark Winterbottom.

Geoff’s racing days focused on Formula Fords that were opened wheeled cars powered by1600cc engines. Formula 1 race cars of today are the top tier of open wheel Formula racing.

Geoff said his continued love of old classic cars was because they were easy to work on and parts generally accessible. Modern cars require expensive diagnostic equipment tools and a knowledge of electronics to “even change a light globe”.

Keep your hands on the wheel.

​Doug Smith

While we invite visitors along to show their cars it is always a surprise what our own members of Car Torque have hidden in the local garages of Benalla.

Rick Anderson, one of our members, presented the 'Car of the Month' at our October meeting.

​Rick’s car is a Super Red 2 colored 1997 Toyota MR2 W20 Bathurst Edition. The “Bathurst” edition was a special Australian model, introduced to celebrate the MR2’s motorsport success at Mount Panorama. It received special badging, trim features, and handling / braking upgrades for a more improved racing performance.

It has a 5 speed manual transmission and a 2.0 litre DOHC 16 valve engine. An unusual feature of the car is it’s engine is in the rear driving the rear wheels. It is commonly referred to as mid engine rear wheel drive.

The MR2 is a partly open roof sports car with a removable roof (Targa type) and has a casual resemblance to a Ferrari.

Thank you to Graeme Greed for filling in for me in October and for the photos and this YouTube video: 

​The Car Torque program sets out to offer a forum for those that like cars.

​A feature of our monthly meetings is having an owner come along with a unique car we call Car of the Month. We have had some great cars along at our meetings but this month we had something very unique in the iconic E Type Jaguar sports car owned by local Benalla man David Lidgerwood.

David’s E Type is a 1969 model which he has owned for over 15 years. It has a unique aerodynamic body shape that is very eye catching since it looks like no other car.

The E Type was designed by a British Aircraft engineer called Malcolm Sayer who transposed his aeronautical skills into the E type with its aerodynamic streamlining features.

The 1969 Series 2 E Type is a two seater Coupe, has a 4.2 litre engine and 5 speed manual gearbox with a top speed of 150 MPH. Still one of the most beautiful cars ever made — Enzo Ferrari famously called the E-Type “the most beautiful car in the world.”
In 1961, it could hit 150 mph while costing half the price of comparable Ferraris or Aston Martins.

The E Type had many features:

• Timeless styling: Still turns heads 60+ years later.
• Strong performance (especially Series 1 & 1.5): 0–60 in ~7 sec, 150 mph top speed.
• Engineering sophistication: Suspension and handling were well ahead of rivals.

However the E Type had it draw backs and problems:

• Reliability issues: Known for electrical gremlins (Lucas electrics), overheating (especially early cars), and oil leaks.
• Comfort: Small cabin, awkward driving position (long-legged drivers struggled).
• Maintenance costs: Parts can be pricey, and expert servicing is often required.
• Rust: Like many cars of its era, prone to corrosion if not well-kept.
• Later models lost some of the purity of design and sharpness in performance due to U.S. safety/emission regulations.

Unfortunately attendance at this meeting was lower than expected due to school holiday so we may rerun this  Car of the Month session at a future date.

Keep your hand on the wheel.

Doug Smith

Tim gave a comprehensive presentation on his journey of salvaging the discarded and rusted body found in a paddock at Jamieson in 1974, to his long journey to rebuild and restore the car to its former glory over a period of 40 years.

• The Windsor was built by the Windsor Corporation, a subsidiary of Moon Motor Company, in St Louis USA between 1929 to 1930. It folded in 1930.
• The Roadster version had a limited production run. Tim’s is the only one in Australia with only 12 registered worldwide, making it particularly rare and collectable.
• The car was unique for its time, having a 4speed transmission and hydraulic brakes.
• All Windsor models carried the name “1929 Windsor White Prince” initially featuring the Prince of Wales coat of arms on radiator emblems and hubcaps. This led to legal pressure from Buckingham Palace, forcing the company to remove the royal imagery. 

Our group, having watched a YouTube video of the Windsor then inspected Tim’s vehicle.
It was quite extraordinary how Tim was able to rebuild and restore the car to mint condition from a starting point of a depleted rusted hulk lacking most panels and other fitments, and the time it took to achieve this. Tim’s skills as a panel beater, his ability to source rare parts, and when these weren’t available to have then manufactured, down to the royal insignias on the hubcaps, together with his passion and perseverance has won much admiration from his audience and peers for his craftsmanship.

SES Presentation
Graham Milner, Deputy Controller of the SES Hume Support Unit and a volunteer member with Benalla Unit, gave a very interesting and educational presentation on his 18 years’ experience attending serious road trauma incidents: -

• SES volunteers undertake significant training to deal with releasing trapped people from crashed vehicles.
• The main role of the SES is to release and recover trapped occupants from a crashed vehicle.
• Much of the trauma occurring to victims at the crash site also has a “ripple effect” on the attending emergency personnel.
• At a crash site there are many emergency services personnel present and generally include Police, Fire Brigade, Ambulance, SES.
• The SES are equipped with many life-saving tools including the unique “jaws of life”

Graham was thanked for his dedicated and service as a volunteer to our local community.

Both Tim and Graham were presented with U3A Benalla pens.

Keep your hand on the wheel.
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Doug Smith

​How many people in Australia own an electric car? Not many but as battery technology improves and the price becomes more attractive primarily due to Chinese imports flooding the market, the take up of electric cars and their various combinations of battery and petrol power continues to rise.

Car of the Month
Graeme Greed, a U3A member of our Car Torque group, was our guest speaker at our July meeting. Graeme gave a very comprehensive run down about electric cars as the owner of an EV Kona.

Terminology

• EV (Electric Vehicle): Any vehicle powered by electricity, including BEVs, HEVs, and PHEVs.
• BEV (Battery Electric Vehicle): Fully electric, zero-emission vehicles powered only by batteries (e.g. Tesla Model 3, Nissan Leaf).
• HEV (Hybrid Electric Vehicle): Combines a petrol engine with an electric motor; no external charging needed (e.g. Toyota Prius).
• PHEV (Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle): Can be charged via a plug and run on electric power for short distances before switching to petrol.
• KWh (Kilowatt-hour): Unit of energy used to measure battery capacity and charging rates.

• Regenerative Braking: Captures energy during braking to recharge the battery.
• Charging Levels:
  • Level 1: Slow charging via standard household outlet.
  • Level 2: Faster charging via dedicated home or public charger.
  • Level 3: DC fast charging at public stations.
• Range Anxiety: Fear of running out of battery before reaching a charger.
• V2G (Vehicle-to-Grid): EVs supplying power back to the grid.

Pros and Cons
✅ Pros

• Zero Tailpipe Emissions: Great for reducing urban air pollution and fighting climate change.
• Lower Running Costs: Electricity is cheaper than petrol; maintenance is minimal due to fewer moving parts.
• Government Incentives: Rebates, tax credits, and discounts on registration in some states.
• Energy Security: Less reliance on imported oil; EVs use domestically generated electricity.
• Smooth Driving Experience: Instant torque, quiet operation, and better handling due to low centre of gravity.

 
❌ Cons

• Higher Upfront Costs: EVs are still more expensive than petrol cars, though prices are slowly dropping.
• Limited Charging Infrastructure: Especially in regional and remote areas, though it's improving.
• Range Limitations: Some models still struggle with long-distance travel without careful planning.
• Longer Charging Times: Even fast chargers take longer than filling a petrol tank.
• Battery Degradation & Recycling: Over time, batteries lose capacity and pose environmental challenges.

Following the presentation the group inspected Graeme’s vehicle.

Chat Session

The Group watched recent dash cam footage from one of our group that captured a near head on miss south of Winton on the old Hume Highway. The oncoming vehicle veered across the double line in the cutting just north of the old Winton road house .Luckily the errant driver pulled back into his lane. The camera footage was tendered to police who later detected the same vehicle on a police speed camera near Myrttleford. The moral of the story was dash cam cameras can be useful in helping to identify law braking motorists, but you need to keep them on all the time.

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Doug Smith