The incredible amount of choice the Aussie car market offers buyers comes to the fore in our update on the best new models that are due to go on sale in the remainder of the year…

Audi RS5

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Yes, it weighs almost 2500kg, but it also features the RS badge’s first high-performance PHEV system. The 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6 mill makes about 374kW, with another 130kW hit from the electric motor. Combined, that’s a power increase of 50 per cent over its predecessor. Should sell for around $180,000 before year’s end. 

Bentley Bentayga Speed

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The 2027 version of the uber-quick, uber-luxurious SUV is set to appear in the third quarter with a blown V8 instead of the former twin-turbo 6.0-litre W12. Thanks to some weight-saving measures, it does the 0-100km/h sprint in a claimed 3.6 seconds, a third of a second quicker than the W12 version.

BMW 7 Series

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Due in the fourth quarter, with pricing starting at $277,900 plus on roads for the mild-hybrid 740, or $306,900 plus on roads for the electric i7 60. For that you’ll get heavily updated and facelifted models with changes including a new dashboard layout, and an increased range of up to 727km for the i7.

Cadillac Lyriq-V

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The quickest Caddy ever was supposed to be available earlier this year, but that has now been set back to late 2026… or possibly 2027. The Lyriq-V shares its 102kWh battery with the regular Lyriq, but makes higher outputs of 459kW and 880Nm, although that does mean the range suffers.

Chery Stockman

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Also known as the KP31, it’s the world’s first dual-cab ute with a diesel PHEV system. The concept made its international debut in February, and it’s due in Australia late this year. Features an interior that looks more modern than those of the Ranger and HiLux, and the Stockman looks to have those competitors covered for rear-seat space, too.

Denza Z9GT

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BYD’s hi-po shooting brake will shoot from 0-100km/h in a claimed 2.7 seconds thanks to its 850kW of grunt, and the manufacturer boasts that charging from 10-97 per cent can take as little as approximately nine minutes. Should be one of the most expensive Chinese cars on the Aussie market when it arrives in the third quarter. 

Ferrari 296 Speciale

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We called it “perhaps the Prancing Horse’s finest road car yet” in a review last October. Ferrari’s most powerful RWD performance car thanks to its 648kW, 755Nm PHEV drivetrain, the Speciale is listed to arrive before year’s end. Plenty of time to save up enough moolah for the $865,569 – and that’s before on-roads and necessary options, which will take the hit past the $1 million mark.

GWM Wey

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Last month, GWM execs said the marque’s luxury brand will consist of three models: the G9, and two others that are slated to arrive early next year. Reading between the lines, that means the luxury MPV should land down under in the next four months. The flagship seven-seat people mover with a PHEV drivetrain – and even a double-door refrigerator – was going for about $103,000 when it went on sale in Thailand last year.

Honda Super-ONE

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Deliveries of the new kei-sized hatchback are starting on October 1. Honda’s first all-electric vehicle down under starts from $36,900, weighs just 1093kg, packs a 29.6kWh battery powering a 47KW motor on the front axle, comes with a powerful boost mode, and has been getting very good reviews for its road manners and ability to mimic a seven-speed dual-clutch tranny.

Isuzu D-Max Electric

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Isuzu’s first electric vehicle for our market doesn’t have a confirmed release date, but has been touted for a 2026 release. The new D-Max has a 43kW front motor with a 97kW counterpart at the rear, combining to produce 140kW, and a claimed WLTP range of 263km. While it outweighs the heaviest diesel D-Max, the EV version has a 3500kg tow rating and can lug a one-tonne payload. 

Kia Seltos

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Due late in 2026, a pre-production version of the new Seltos arrived down under back in May. It’s a big update for the nameplate as Kia moves to adopt hybrid-only powertrains across the Aussie range. Specs that surfaced earlier this month show the new SUV will offer FWD and more powerful AWD versions, the latter getting a hot hatch-like 169kW. Built on Kia’s K3 platform, the new Seltos also gets an updated, more efficient regenerative braking system.

KGM Musso

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No official prices or specs for this one, but KGM has confirmed it’s due in October. It gets a fresh exterior with two body lengths listed in certification documents: a short wheelbase in Advance and Ultimate trim, and a longer wheelbase in Ultimate, Advance and base variants. Power comes from a 2.2-litre turbo diesel four that feeds 133kW through a six-speed auto.

Mazda CX-6e

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Mazda’s first electric mid-size SUV is aimed straight at competitors like the Tesla Model Y and BYD’s Sealion 7. It’s powered by a single 190kW, 290Nm electric motor driving the rear wheels and consuming juice at a claimed 18.9kWh/100km for a claimed range of up to 484km. Priced from $53,990 plus on-roads to undercut the BYD and Tesla, the 6e’s launch is just weeks away and deliveries are due to begin in September.   

McLaren W1

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Every single one of the 399 units has been sold and there won’t be any more on the way. When WhichCar by Wheels spoke to McLaren back in 2024, we were told Australia would be getting a “handful” of the marque’s successor to the P1. You’ll never see one in a dealership because they’ll be delivered straight to customers off the boat – but if you’re lucky, you’ll see one of the 938kW pieces of art on the road.

Mercedes-Benz GLC EQ

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Properly known as the (deep breath) Mercedes-Benz GLC with EQ Technology, it isn’t replacing the popular petrol GLC range. Output from the dual-motor powertrain is impressive at 360kW and 800Nm, and WhichCar by Wheels gave it 8.2/10 in our review, hailing its 700km-plus driving range, road manners and handling, but noting that its electric platform is currently too good for Oz’s charging infrastructure. Should arrive in October.

Mercedes-Benz GLB

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A Merc spokesperson said the all-new GLB is expected in Q3, in both hybrid and electric form. Pricing and specs haven’t been released, but the second generation of the medium SUV will get both the mild hybrid and fully battery electric treatment, and be available as a five- or seven-seater. PHEV versions get a 1.5-litre turbo four with a 48-volt mild hybrid system.

Mitsubishi ASX VR-e

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Due in Q4, the ASX VR-e (that’s ASX as in Active Sports Crossover, if you’re wondering) is a bit of a mystery, with no official word on price, range, charging or exactly what the powertrain will consist of. It’s closely tied to Taiwan’s Foxtron Bria, with Mitsubishi making design tweaks. The base Bria features a 170kW motor powering the rear wheels, but that rises to 298kW for the dual-motor AWD version. 

Porsche Cayenne Electric

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The price of $167,800 before on-roads makes the electric Cayenne around $23,000 more expensive than the most affordable petrol version. For that, you’ll get an entry model making around 298kW from its dual motors, with the Turbo Electric generating a claimed output of up to 850kW and 1500Nm. Regenerative braking is claimed to be at “Formula E levels”. Orders are open, and reports in late 2025 said deliveries are expected to start by September.

Skoda Elroq RS

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The hot version of the Elroq does the 0-100km/h dash in a claimed 5.4 seconds. It was originally flagged as arriving in the first quarter of the year with electric motors front and rear, making 250kW. Skoda says the RS is the quickest-accelerating car it’s ever made, and it comes with a larger battery than other Elroqs at a usable 79kWh.

Smart #5

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Expect the family SUV from October to December as Smart hopes it will kickstart its sales in Australia, with Smart’s Michael Low telling customers to expect “big things” in the next few years. The #5 is Smart’s largest and most powerful model, and six variants have been approved for Aussies. 

Volvo EX60

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Deliveries are expected in November/December and orders are open for the ‘game changer’ that’s been billed as one of the brand’s most important new cars in decades. The electric sibling of the XC60 will come with three battery options and up to 810km of range. There are three variants, with the top P12 AWD getting a huge 117kWh battery and 500kW/790Nm, enabling it to go from 0-100km/h in just 3.9 seconds.

Zeekr 9X

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The brand’s first hybrid for Australia is a six-seat large SUV that comes in at more than 5.2 metres in length and is powered by a plug-in hybrid drivetrain making up to 1030kW and 1410Nm. Very popular in China, the flagship 9X focusses on luxury and features a 900-volt electrical architecture, a claimed electric-only range of up to 380km (CLTC) and a 10-80 per cent charge in approximately 10 minutes.

Some cars are survivors, others fall victim to not being worth the time and effort to keep on the road.

It seems like the more popular some cars were, the more disposable they became. Flash back a decade or two (or maybe a little longer in some cases) and the cars you couldn’t miss are now rare finds on Aussie roads.

Hyundai Excel

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Hyundai grabbed the attention of Aussie small car buyers with $13,990 driveaway deals on its compact Excel. As a result, the damn things were absolutely everywhere – brightly coloured beacons of a brand on the rise.

In the late 1990s, three out of every four Hyundais sold was an Excel. In just one month of 1998, the Excel even outsold the Commodore in its best year on record.

In the years since, the humble Excel has succumbed to a high strike rate at the hands of P-plate drivers, years of neglect and underinvestment in repairs, and finally, a one-make race series with a healthy appetite for replacement vehicles.

Holden Camira

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The Holden Camira was GM’s Down Under adaptation of a ‘world car’ that served as the basis for mid-size cars for every brand from Daewoo to Cadillac. 

When it debuted in 1982, the Camira was seen as a sharply modern medium car, light-years ahead of the Torana it replaced. The Camira benefited from global engineering expertise with local design and tuning to cater to Australian tastes.

While its sales success waned with each successive update, the Holden badge of honour meant the Camira was enlisted as a second car for families, a downsizer for empty-nesters, and a first car for new drivers.

Any Daewoo

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Take your pick. From the Matiz to the Leganza (above), the Cielo to the Lanos, if it wore a Daewoo badge you’ll struggle to find it today.

Daewoo arrived in Australia with hopes of emulating Hyundai’s success, and riding the coattails of goodwill that Hyundai and Kia had built towards cheaply priced South Korean cars. Daewoo’s cheapest models, like the Lanos and Matiz, quickly proved popular.

From 1994 until the brand withdrew in 2004, Daewoo sold over 140,000 vehicles in Australia. Struggles with quality and reliability thinned the herd quickly, but Holden’s adoption of Daewoo’s orphaned range as the Barina and Viva extended a temporary lifeline.

Mazda 626

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From the boxy simplicity of the 1980s models, to the teardrop profile adopted in the ‘90s, culminating in the angular resurgence of the final 626 that petered out in the early ‘00s. The 626 was Mazda’s best foot forward for family motoring.

Both it and its Ford Telstar twin embraced the move to smartly packaged front-wheel drive underpinnings at the start of the ‘80s. Excellent build quality and robust mechanicals helped the 626 earn a reputation for long-running reliability.

Eventually though, the 626 couldn’t survive the high cost of replacement parts. Lumped in with cheaper mid-size stalwarts, like the Camry, and treated like an appliance, Mazda’s medium car quickly vanished on Aussie roads.

Holden Nova and Apollo

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The Motor Industry Development Plan of the 1980s, better known as the Button Plan, had sound reasoning behind it. Rather than have local carmakers struggle with low volumes and rising costs, model-sharing programs and joint ventures could use shared development to amortise costly engineering.

Instead of cloaking common building blocks in unique bodies, Australia’s car builders took the easiest option and rebadged each other’s existing models, sabotaging the very survival plan they depended on in the process.

You might remember seeing a healthy smattering of Corolla-based Holden Novas, and rebadged Camrys as Holden Apollos, so where did they all go? Once the model sharing plan collapsed, so did the supply of replacement parts. Holden dealers would send you to Toyota, where your Nova would be re-issued with Corolla bits for things like bumpers and tail lights.

Blended cars with a mix-and-match of Holden and Toyota spares weren’t an uncommon sight, and as uncaring owners looked for cheap and easy repairs, Toyota-sourced Holdens reverted back to their brand of origin, or were simply deemed too hard to persevere with.

Mitsubishi Mirage

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The Mirage came in two waves, launched in mid-1996 as an Excel-baiting three-door version of the Lancer, before meeting its end in 2003. A revival in 2013 and a longer life until 2021 as a dedicated stand-alone model put the cheap and cheerful Mirage back on the map.

In the five years since the Mirage wrapped up in Australia, the little city hatch enjoyed a brief resale apex, with secondhand cars changing hands for more than their new price. Then, as quickly as they came, they went.

From commonplace to rarely spotted in a five-year window is a massive fall from grace, and at an almost record-setting pace.

Ford Laser

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The early Ford Laser was praised for its Japanese quality and efficiency. Traits that had otherwise escaped Australian-built small cars of the era.

Highlights like the sporty turbocharged TX3 models made the Laser desirable beyond its economy-car origins. Its volume lived in the more sensible, well-equipped but ultimately staid, versions.

By the time Ford pulled the pin on the Laser in 2002, and with over half a million sales to its name in its 21-year history, Ford’s small car was a common sight on Aussie roads. Tack another 20-odd years on from that point – a lifetime in automotive terms – and the Laser ranks with the Tasmanian Tiger for sightings in the wild.

Mitsubishi Magna

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The Ford Falcon and Holden Commodore may have been the leaders of the sales charts in Australia, but the Mitsubishi Magna refused to give them an easy run.

From fully-loaded wagons put to work for company reps, to the Lexus-challenging luxury of the upscale Verada models, there was a Magna for everyone. While that didn’t mean everyone bought a Magna, it did mean you didn’t have to go far to find one.

Depending on the model, flimsy automatic transmissions, engine oil leaks, valve stem seal issues, and crack-prone cooling systems have taken the humble Magna from commonplace to surprisingly scarce.

Nissan Pulsar

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In the early 2000s there was only one way to buy a small car in Australia, and that was with a $19,990 driveaway deal. In Nissan’s case, that promotion added aspirational extras like a CD player, air-con, and a rear spoiler, marketed as the Pulsar Plus.

The result was Pulsars everywhere you looked. Nissan had built a lot of brand awareness around the Pulsar name. Australians trusted it, and in an era when a Toyota Corolla would slug you extra for air conditioning and on-road costs, the Pulsar was smart buying.

Look around today and any Pulsar – be it from the ‘90s, ‘00s or the model’s 2013 re-introduction after the unsuccessful Tiida blunder – feels like a rare and special sighting for what was a largely unspectacular but persistently popular car.

HQ Holden

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The HQ Holden holds the honour of being GM’s best-selling single-generation model in Australia, helped slightly by an extended run from 1971 until 1974, and a span of models that included long and short-wheelbase sedans, wagons, coupes, utes, vans, and one-tonners.

With a legacy like that, it’s no surprise that HQ Holdens could be seen everywhere you looked. They didn’t disappear quickly either. Through the ‘80s and into the ‘90s, it wasn’t unusual to spot multiple HQs in a single day on the road.

Of course, that popularity sparked a one-make race series, built around the low-cost and ease of access to the once plentiful HQ sedan. The formula proved popular, and before long the HQ found itself on the critically endangered list on Aussie roads – although you can still see them in action on track around Australia, as the racing series lives on.

Turbocharging. Normal today, but once black magic. You’d be hard-pressed to find a traditional internal combustion car without turbocharging in 2026. Lauded for performance gains while also increasing fuel efficiency, the modern turbo is a technological masterpiece.

Turbocharges have refined over the decades to deliver more power, more smoothly, and from smaller engines that use less fuel than their non-turbo counterparts. But it wasn’t always this way, with early turbochargers difficult to manage. Unpredictable power delivery resulted in turbo lag which, combined with a lack of low-end torque, made cars difficult to drive smoothly. And early iterations were plagued by reliability issues, most notably around heat management (or a lack thereof).

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But that didn’t deter some car makers who pushed on with advancing turbo technology, despite their many drawbacks, and in the process pioneered the combustion engine for a new millennium. Here are 10 of the best (and three absolute dogs) from those early days of turbocharging.

First published in the January 2003 issue of Wheels magazine, Australia’s best car mag since 1953. Subscribe here and gain access to 12 issues for $109 plus online access to every Wheels issue since 1953.

Chevrolet Corvair Monza

First turbo-car honours go to the Oldsmobile Jet Fire Sports Coupe with the Turbo Rocket engine option. But it sold in minuscule numbers, and dealers – perplexed by the technology that included a water bottle with ‘Rocket Fluid’, a water/metho mix dribbled into the intake to help control detonation – often removed the turbo hardware at the car’s first service.

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More successful was the Chevrolet Corvair’s optional turbo, with 180bhp (130kW) from its air-cooled, rear-mounted, 2.7-litre flat six. But with 62 per cent rear weight bias over the US’s first all-independent coil suspension, its handling came under fire from US product-watchdog Ralph Nader – as did the VW Beetle’s.

BMW 2002 Turbo

It had ‘obrut’ written across its deep-chin front spoiler in relief letters within lurid ’70s orange, black, and blue strips that continued down the sides of the car. Made sense both ways…

Launched in 1973, this special-edition 2002, complete with guard flares, allowed BMW to chase Porsches on the racetrack.

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The KKK turbo fed a modest amount of boost – no intercooling – to the 2-litre engine with mechanical fuel injection. Sub-7s for the 0-100km/h and a top speed around 210km/h was seriously quick in the early ’70s. Unfortunately, it was left-hand drive only because the turbo was mounted where the RHD steering box would have been.

Ford Sierra Cosworth

The Cosworth Turbo was a formidable street and Group A race weapon right from its launch in 1986.
Based on Ford’s base-model three-door Sierra shell, it used a Ford/Cosworth-developed, Garrett T03-blown, injected, intercooled, DOHC 2-litre four with a claimed 200bhp (150kW).

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Five hundred of the 5500-ish were Tickford-tweaked RS500s with more durable engine bits. Sophisticated four-door Sapphire sedan with all-wheel drive was sold from 1990-93. Hatch created a stir when Brock, Johnson, Longhurst, et al, ran them in local racing, despite the car not being sold here. The infamous 1-2 Sierra disqualification at Bathurst handed third-place man Peter Brock his last victory at the Mountain.

Mitsubishi Cordia Turbo

The Cordia GSR was a stretched Colt/Mirage platform, but its 1.8-litre Sirius balance-shaft turbo engine, with technology borrowed from its pioneering big-brother Starion, made it a potent and peerless package, and quick through the quarter – high 15s – for not a whole lot of money.

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Cops liked ’em. So did everybody else, thanks to overall value, usability, and toughness. First leaded-fuel models were the pick; like many cars at the time of unleaded petrol and catalytic exhaust introduction in 1986, power went west.

The Cordia was one of the worst ‘rotten egg gas’ nose offenders with Australia’s high-sulphur-content juice.

Buick Grand National

Is this the only turbo car the Yanks got right? From 1978 to 1987, Buick had a turbo blowing hot air into its Turbo Regal’s 3.8-litre iron V6, culminating in the special-build ’87 Buick Grand National X.

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This blown, black beast had a lightweight ceramic Garrett turbo with a heady 1.04 bar and intercooler for a Corvette-killing 276bhp (205kW). Came with a four-speed auto, big 16-inch wheels under integrated fender flares, and muscle-car front-guard vents, and was assembled in an off-line SV/Tickford-style arrangement by ASC.

The GNX’s low 13s for the quarter-mile would have been stunning in the 1988 VN Commodore if Holden had adopted the GNX-specification V6 engine.

Holden Commodore VL Turbo

Australia’s first affordable turbo had an engine made in Japan wrapped in a body modelled on Europe, but local engineering delivered an astonishing package in 1986.

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Off-the-clock performance from the Nissan-built, injected, and blown 3.0-litre 150kW six (top speed was beyond 220km/h) was an option across the range of sedans and wagons – from the humble base Executive (a favourite with police) to the top line Calais.

Just months after the demise of the ‘real’ Holden six and the introduction of unleaded petrol, the launch of the VL Turbo left many pointy-heads, raised on a diet of pushrod carby V8s, lost for words. So, too, Ford.

Porsche 911 (930) Turbo

After learning lots about turbos in US Can-Am competition, Porsche cut its 911 Turbo road car loose at the Paris motor show in 1974.

Like the BMW 2002 a year earlier, it used a KKK turbo and fuel injection on its 3.0-litre flat six, for a then-formidable output of 260bhp (195kW). In one boost-assisted movement, it took Porsche from sportscar constructor to a creator of supercars, but with a refreshing lack of cranky temperament.

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Like an axe in a forehead, a large wing hit the 911’s svelte shape to pump more atmosphere to the uprated air-cooled engine and keep the rear gripping the ground. Mostly.

Sculpted wheel arches covered a broader track. Established the DNA of ‘daily driver’ supercars.

Saab 99 Turbo

With turbo-diesel-truck manufacturer Scania part of its portfolio, Saab had the know-how to develop a sophisticated turbo car.

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There are lots of ‘firsts’ in the world of turbos, and Saab’s 99 Turbo of 1978 is often considered the first to take turbo technology to the mainstream (Saab? Mainstream?) in a sensible state of tune. The small, low-pressure Garrett turbo endowed the longitudinally-mounted, 2-litre injected four of the front-driver with a refined and driveable 105kW.

There were no go-fast stripes on this one, although Saab did allow Itsell a couple of ‘turbo’ badges. Today, the words Saab and turbo are still synonymous.

Nissan Skyline GT-R

Godzilla. The R32 Skyline GT-R for 1989 was equipped with a new iteration of Nissan’s RB-series in-line OHC six-cylinder engine. This one had two cams, 24 valves, six throttles, two turbos, and an intercooler for an output of (nudge, nudge) 206kW.

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In contrast to many flashy-dash, pseudo-tech Japanese cars of the late ’80s, this one had its acronym ATTESA and Super HICAS all-wheel-drive torque-split and rear-steer technology hidden where only the driver could feel them.

Reverential special cars built and ADR’d for Nissan Australia – with unique rear lights and a speedo that read to 260km/h – retain collector status despite a gaggle of recent, cheap, second-hand imports with ‘P’ plates.

Subaru WRX

In the early ’90s, Subaru earned worldwide respect in rallying with the Liberty/Legacy RS Turbo. But with similar AWD fundamentals in a smaller, lighter package, the Impreza GT/Turbo/WRX was handed the baton as Subaru’s forest sprinter.

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It set the Australian car scene on fire from its launch in ’94 with match-strike performance, torching just about everything – local and imported – with hot heritage.

It also made the front-page news on a regular basis thanks to abysmal security and its ability to make kiddies think they could outrun cops.

The STi is the gun despite detuning for local kero, but too many special ‘limited editions’ dampens desirability in some eyes.

And three stinkers…

Mitsubishi Sigma Turbo

Give a bunch of grunt-hungry Chrysler Australia engineers too many long lunches and the Sigma Turbo is what you end up with. Built on the top-line Sigma SE with Peter Wherrett-developed handling pack, the Turbo was only available as a five-speed.

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The Aussie-made Astron balance-shafted 2-litre four was fed by a Zenith-Stromberg carb and a Garrett T3 turbo. Add a pair of bonnet vents and the usual ’80s black-out treatment below the red, blue, or silver paint, and voila, a Commodore killer.

Often forgotten when it should be remembered as Australia’s first turbo.

Ford Laser Turbo

In Japan in the mid-’80s, everything with four wheels had a turbo option – from microminis to Crowns. But rather than sourcing a well-developed turbo engine off-the-rack from its Japanese-market Mazda 323 twin (like Nissan Australia did with its local Exa-engined Pulsar ET hatch), Ford Australia thought it would reinvent the wheel with a locally-rehashed version of the Laser’s carby-fed 1.5-litre four.

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The Laser Turbo was a limited-edition build of two- and four-doors with flashy Recaro seats and trim.

Holden Piazza

The Isuzu Piazza was a reasonably good-looking concept car when it lobbed, with ‘Ace Of Spades’ name (or something similar) at some motor show somewhere in the early ’80s. But an antique T-car (Gemini) base with soggy Japanese suspension spec endowed it with the ability to lift rear wheels from the ground under brakes – never mind a corner.

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Holden imported it, but it was so bad The General had to chop thousands from the price – and refund money to those unfortunate enough to have already taken delivery.

One of the biggest shockers ever sold in Australia – Ladas and Niki 650s included.

“This was a car to decide whether or not Porsche had a future.”

It’s a stark quote, and the man who uttered those words should probably know because he was Porsche’s former CEO, Wendelin Wiedeking. It’s tempting to look back at certain points in a car manufacturer’s history and point to those make or break moments, but it’s hard to underestimate exactly how much trouble Porsche was in when the 993 version of the iconic 911 was launched in October 1993.

The 1992/93 financial year yielded some figures that were manifestly unsustainable. Porsche had sold a mere 12,500 cars worldwide, recording losses of $228m. Put another way, every car it sold that year realised, on average, an $18,285 loss. What’s more, it had wasted four years between 1988 and 1992 and a hefty $170m on the stillborn four-door 989 – a car that Porsche belatedly realised would never repay its anticipated $1bn full development cost.

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Porsche was in a pickle. The outgoing 964 version of the 911 was viewed by senior management as the worst iteration of the 911 yet built, heavier and more costly to build than its predecessor and indicative of an idea that seemed to have run its natural course. There were influential voices inside Porsche who actively campaigned against the 993, feeling that Porsche needed an entirely new direction.

This chaos greeted Ulrich Bez when he returned to Porsche in 1988 as technical board director. The bluff and uncompromising Bez, a native Stuttgarter, was never a man to do things by halves and his response was to commission the controversial Panamericana concept car, in effect to wipe the slate clean of the old ways of thinking. This started out as designer Steve Murkett’s dune-buggy concept and was butchered and interfered with until nothing remained of that vision. When presented with the Kermit green 1989 Frankfurt Show car styled by Harm Lagaaij, Ferry Porsche took one look at it and said: “It’s grotesque.”

Nevertheless, there were elements of the Panamericana that bled into the 993 development program, and it’s also possible to spot influences from both the 959 supercar and the cancelled 965 venture. Tony Hatter was the designer responsible for the 993’s shape, and the 35-year-old ex-Opel man worked under the supervision of Lagaaij, a man who had a clear brief.

“In the early 1990s, sales figures showed that customers were becoming bored with the shape of the 911 – certainly in the form of the then-current 964 model. It was okay for the real enthusiasts, of course, but overall sales showed that it just wasn’t exciting enough,“ said Lagaaij. “That was why we went in the direction of the 993. It had more of a high-performance look about it. It was more muscular with its big fenders, and everybody loved it.”

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Bez played a clever game with the 993. He knew exactly how much was riding on the car, and also that his boss Heinz Branitzki tended to err on the conservative side. Indeed, Branitzki had said in 1998: “We have only one shot because such a new car will cost a billion marks.” The first job was to go back to basics and identify the ingredients that made a Porsche, a vision that had become blurred in the years prior.

Fortunately, Bez had a trusted voice within the company. Peter Falk had been running many of its production car development and racing programs, and thought along similar lines. He produced an analysis paper on Porscheness that, while hugely detailed, could be boiled down to one word – agility.

This he then split into two concepts. Direct agility was the speed and fidelity of reaction of the vehicle. Indirect agility was the driver’s perception of haptics, optics, acoustics and a sense of space, all combining to give an impression of lightness, speed and control. He identified the Porsche 964 Carrera 2, the Honda NSX and the BMW Z1 as exemplars of the former, and nominated slab-like dashboards, thick steering wheels, high belt lines and chunky window frames as the antithesis of the latter.

Bez took these concepts to heart and went to the supervisory board of Porsche with the idea that rather than build something new and different, that Porsche should instead build a comprehensively better 911; a 911 that rode better, was quieter on long journeys, that was more agile and brought an elevated emotional content to the owner experience. This was clearly going to play well with the risk-averse Branitzki, and allowed Bez to flex his engineering muscle in reimagining fundamental aspects of the Porsche 911.

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The first was the rear suspension, the key structure that Bez had identified as the limiting factor in the capability of the 964. That car’s trailing arm rear end was notable for its lift-off oversteer characteristics and Bez wanted the parallel-wishbone structure that had been sketched for the ill-fated 965 project. This was initially vetoed on cost grounds by the board, but Bez pushed back, shuffling some numbers and prioritising this element of the new car over budget for a new cabin.

Porsche had looked on in envy at the four-wheel steering systems developed by the likes of Nissan, Honda and BMW. A mechanical system like theirs would never have worked with the engine positioning of the 911, so Porsche worked with Bosch to develop a hydraulic system. This showed promise but was nixed by new German legislation that required a physical component in rear steering systems. Confounded by the cost, weight and complexity of a proposed work-around, Porsche instead opted for a version of the Porsche 928’s Weissach axle, in effect a conformable pivot bushing that delivered an element of passive rear steer.

The 993’s rear suspension was a formidable piece of work, with a huge but light Vacural alloy subframe with high aluminium content. Dubbed LSA (Light, Stable, Agile), the rear suspension was attached to the body with rubber mounts which greatly reduced noise pathways into the cabin, although the near-vertical coil/damper units still butted up against the body. It was a massive step forward from the 964 in virtually every dynamic regard, reducing roll angles while still increasing rear end grip. Meanwhile, the MacPherson strut front suspension design was tweaked, with negative offset steering geometry and greater use of aluminium.

The brakes received a 49 percent larger pad area and bigger discs, the 17-inch Cup Design ‘93 alloy wheels realised a 6kg saving in unsprung weight while offering superior brake cooling, and a clever Automatic Brake Differential system was developed for the rear end, which was to all intents and purposes an early iteration of torque vectoring by braking.

The steering was also overhauled, combining a 12 percent quicker rack with an increase in caster, the effort of the latter offset by boosted hydraulic assistance. An element of flexibility in the rack mounts reduced the driver perception of kickback.

The one thing Porsche didn’t want in the 993 was an air-cooled flat six. Despite Branitzki’s initial estimate that the 993 would cost a billion marks to develop, the total budget allocated for it was half that which explains why a new roof, cabin design and a water-cooled V8 were ditched on cost grounds, even after the latter impressed as an Audi-powered prototype. Even the move to make the flat-six water-cooled proved cost-prohibitive.

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“We wanted to stop the air-cooled engine. Nobody in the world had air-cooled engines except us,” explained Horst Marchart, Porsche’s R&D boss. “We could only have two valves, not four. We needed a special cooling and heating system, different from everybody in the world. It took a lot of money to make special systems since we could not share technology with anybody else.”

The water-cooling can was therefore kicked down the road for the next generation of 911, the 996, which appeared in 1998. The board was acutely aware that a lot of cash had been sunk into the M64 3.6-litre engine of the 964, a model which was in market for just over four years. Although it shared the same swept capacity as the 964, virtually every element of the 993’s engine was incrementally improved. Lighter reciprocating parts, better cooling, hydraulic valve adjustment, an exhaust which complied with new drive-by noise legislation, aluminium alloy heads and a stronger bottom end contributed to a 203kW engine that made 19kW more power and 19Nm more torque, yet was lighter, more responsive, quieter at low revs and more evocative at higher demand while being less costly to build.

The manual gearbox sprouted a sixth cog for the first time in 911 history, with the gear ratios spread further, to sharpen initial acceleration while offering a leggy overdrive for cruising. Meanwhile the four-speed Tiptronic gained a whole suite of logic improvements to make it smarter.

Launched alongside the coupe was the cabriolet, which was 10 percent more torsionally rigid than its predecessor and a whole lot prettier. Unlike the 964, it incorporated rear seat belts so could be sold as a 2+2 in the US market. Other markets had specific demands. Switzerland, Sweden and Austria lobbied hard for the continuation of all-wheel drive, as introduced on the 964. The problem was, that system was heavy, costly and not conducive to deft handling. Porsche wasn’t in favour of carrying it over.

Bernd Kahnau was the 993 program manager, reporting to Horst Marchart, and made his feelings very clear. “We made the 993 so that we really didn’t need four-wheel drive,” he said. “With the new suspension, new platform and rear engine, you really don’t need four-wheel drive.”

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Aware that budgets were tight, Porsche moved the goalposts somewhat, prioritising handling over outright traction. It ditched the old PDAS system, with its complicated planetary gears and computerised diffs, and replaced it with a simple GKN-designed viscous coupling on the front of the transaxle that would decide when it sent torque up the central torque tube to a rudimentary open differential up front. This system worked in parallel on the Carrera 4 with a subtle rear limited-slip diff and the ABD system. It added only 50kg to the weight of the Carrera 2 – less than half the weight penalty of the old PDAS set-up – delivered a reduction of 50 percent in frictional losses by comparison and was quicker to react. Some

Porsche insiders saw it as a bought-in cheat and therefore not the Porsche way, but there was no denying its effectiveness. If there was one thing the 993 was very good at, it was upsetting the old Porsche ways.

Chief Engineer Ulrich Bez got the boot at the end of 1991, just as the first 993 prototypes were built. His aggressive timelines and brusque interpersonal style creating a few too many enemies within the halls of Weissach. Nevertheless, he was able to deliver the better 911 that he promised, bringing it in on time, on budget. What’s more, Porsche could sell the 993 for less than the 964 and still garner a better margin on it.

The car was presented at the 1993 Frankfurt Show, with 25 units delivered to Cap Ferrat in France for its press launch. The preceding two years had been a whirlwind for Porsche. Bez has gone and Wendelin Wiedeking had returned to revolutionise Porsche’s production efficiency. He used Toyota’s kaizen system of continuous improvement, instigated just-in-time stock control and slashed jobs. That’s probably a different story for a different time, but Porsche had been put back on its feet. Just in time too. In 1996, after the cancellation of the 968 and 928, and prior to the introduction of the Boxster line, the 993 was the only car that Porsche sold, achieving a record production figure of 124 cars per day through the Zuffenhausen plant. It needed to be good. It was better than that. It’ll be remembered as the high point of the air-cooled line, and used prices today reflect that desirability, manual coupes being particularly sought after.

The final cars were built in 1998, drawing a curtain on Porsche’s air-cooled era. The last narrow-bodied coupe was a special order black Carrera 4 that Wiedeking, in a gesture of inordinate elegance, presented to Uli Bez. The very final 993 was a Mexico Blue Carrera 4S that was consigned to Jerry Seinfeld’s collection.

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Horst Marchart oversaw the development of its successor, the radically different, water-cooled 996. That car helped move Porsche into a new era of profitability, paving the way to become a business that builds over 300,000 cars a year. Porsche as a company is almost unrecognisable from the business that was building 12,500 cars a year when the 993 was introduced. That success story owes a great deal to the 993, a car that was built from almost nothing, with almost nothing, but which, for Porsche, helped change almost everything. Small wonder it’s held in such high esteem.

While the Carrera versions of the 993 – coupe, Cabrio and the Targa (which arrived in 1996) – made up the lion’s share of sales, the more focused 993s provoke a feeding frenzy in the market today. The 221kW Carrera RS lightweight, available in normal and Club Sport trims, is a hot ticket. Only 1203 were made between 1994 and 1996 and these fetch around $700K today. The all-wheel drive 300kW Turbo (1995-1998) and 316kW Turbo S models (1997-1998) were like junior 959s, but the fire-breathing rear-drive GT2, launched in 1995 and packing 316kW in single-ignition and 331kW in 1998’s dual-ignition guise is the hairiest of the lot. Concours condition examples are now changing hands at around $3m.

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Specs

Precious Metal – A Love Story, a new five-part Australian docuseries about the relationship between people and their cars is set to air on SBS from September 2.

Hosted by lawyer-turned-rockstar, Danny Estrin (below), the series shines a spotlight on people and their cars and what makes those cars so special to them.

Estrin’s collection of quirky and charming cars form the backdrop to a series that covers a broad spectrum of obsessed ‘car people’ and their ‘precious metal’.

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In SBS’s own words, “Precious Metal is a love story like no other. Different, passionate people – and the cars that have become their obsession

“But this is not just about beauty, speed, aspiration and affluence. In a world of insatiable consumerism, this is a story about individuality and the joy that comes from seeing something beyond the sum of its parts.”

Estrin, a lawyer by day, rose to prominence as the lead singer of Voyager, Australia’s representative at the 2023 Eurovision song contest, finishing ninth in the final. Voyager’s performances were notable for the on-stage presence of a white Toyota MR2, the first car ever owned by Estrin. He still owns it.

Having watched the first three episodes, it’s clear that Estrin is a genuine ‘car guy’, with a depth of knowledge and understanding of what makes cars, and the people who own them, tick.

The charm of Precious Metal – A Love Story lies not in the cars themselves, but the many people Estrin meets along the way, drawing out their stories and what their car means to them.

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He brings a warmth to the hosting role rarely seen in TV shows about cars, blending humour with a depth of knowledge bringing the viewer ‘along for the ride’.

The show is never about the unashamedly flamboyant Estrin, although his collection of quirky and unusual cars – like his Soviet era 1968 Zaporozhets 965A – make the occasional cameo. Instead, his ability to connect with his guests is the underlying highlight of every episode.

Each episode typically focuses on three people who quickly warm to Estrin’s humour and charm. From the LandCruiser-owning former soap star, or a daily-driven record-breaking Jaguar E-Type, to the apprentice jeweller who bought a Lamborghini for $10,000 in the early 1980s, their stories are as diverse as the featured cars.

Precious Metal – A Love Story is not Top Gear or The Grand Tour, and nor does it try to be. It’s a series about people, and their love of cars. It’s well worth a watch.

Precious Metal – A Love Story, airs on SBS2 and SBS On Demand from 8.30pm, September 2, 2026. 

Hot on the heels of the unique Australian edition Porsche 911 Turbo S, Porsche has created an ultra-exclusive version of the 911 GT3 Touring specifically for New Zealand, with just five examples commissioned to celebrate the marque’s 50-year presence in the country.

Developed with Porsche’s Sonderwunsch personalisation division, the 911 GT3 50 Years Porsche New Zealand is claimed to be the first commemorative Porsche created by the factory specifically for the New Zealand market. Each of the five cars represents a decade of Porsche’s official presence in the country.

All are finished in Paint to Sample Yachting Blue Metallic, a colour chosen to acknowledge New Zealand’s strong sailing heritage while also referencing the colour of the first Porsche imported into the country.

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The New Zealand connection continues inside. Each car carries the etched signature of the late Sir Colin Giltrap on the passenger-side dashboard inlay, recognising the businessman who played a pivotal role in establishing Porsche locally.

Further Sonderwunsch touches include woven blue Pepita fabric for the seat inserts and “50 Years Porsche New Zealand” embossing on the headrests. Body-coloured wheels, unique sill plates and personalised vehicle keys provide additional distinction.

Porsche has deliberately based the special edition on the more discreet GT3 Touring rather than the fixed-wing version. All five also feature the enthusiast-focused six-speed manual transmission.

Behind the rear axle sits Porsche’s naturally aspirated 4.0-litre flat-six, producing 375kW and 450Nm – giving the NZ specials the same formidable performance credentials as the regular GT3 Touring.

Porsche New Zealand general manager Greg Clarke said the project was intended to create something intrinsically connected with the country.

“Fifty years is a long time in any market, and it means even more in one as small and as far from Stuttgart as ours,” Clarke said.

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The five cars will be priced from NZ$584,000 ($A485,242) before on-road costs, making them considerably more exclusive than a regular GT3 Touring – even before their tiny production run is considered.

The anniversary model will make its public debut as part of Porsche New Zealand’s 50th anniversary celebrations in Auckland in September, with customer deliveries expected to begin afterwards.

Specs for Denza’s 2026 N8 luxury SUV are headlined by a massive 1003km driving range, which has been confirmed in details of the BYD luxury brand’s new N8 and long-wheelbase N8L electric SUVs published by China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.

Two different battery packs will be offered for the N8 and N8L, starting with a ‘standard range’ 105.8kWh unit, then a 130.2kWh unit for the ‘long range’ version. As a result, the longest-range N8 has a claimed driving range of 1003km under CLTC test conditions, equivalent to over 820km under the WLTP testing used in Australia. The longer, heavier N8L drops that to 960km CLTC, or around 785km WLTP.

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Car News China reports that powertrains will include a choice of 320kW or 370kW single-motor RWD or a three-motor AWD option that combines a 270kW motor on the front axle and two 310kW motors on the rear for a combined 890kW output.

Compatibility with BYD’s Flash Charging network means the 800-volt batteries share the same 10 to 70 per cent fast-charge capabilities as other compatible BYD and Denza vehicles. In this case, that’s an additional 600km of range from a five-minute recharge, with a nine-minute stop taking the battery from 10 to 97 per cent, leaving a small buffer to allow for regenerative charging.

The new N8 range replaces the first generation, which was introduced in 2023 and took over from the 2019 Denza X. The Denza N8 EV and N8L EV join plug-in hybrid versions of the N8L that debuted earlier this year, with a 430km EV-only CLTC range and a combined range of 1550km. While similar externally, the N8 EV features different headlights and taillights compared to the PHEV version.

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Unlike Denza Australia’s current off-road-oriented SUV line-up, which includes body-on-frame SUVs like the B5 and B8, the N8 uses a more car-like monocoque platform. In N8L guise, its length of 5200mm makes it 5mm longer than the B8, including its rear-mounted spare wheel.

To help mitigate its size, the N8 range features four-wheel steering and adaptive suspension. The interior is available with 2+2+2 three-row seating, zero-gravity seating, massaging seats with heating and ventilation for the first and second rows, and even heated seats in the third row.

Denza’s Australian line-up expanded with the recent addition of the D9 EV people mover, soon to be joined by the Z9GT EV liftback later this year. 

Ford has a new dual-cab ute coming to its global line-up, with an emphasis on affordability. The Fathom electric dual-cab is designed to slot into the Blue Oval’s showrooms as a smaller companion to the Ranger (pictured below), similar in size to the hybrid and internal combustion Maverick ute sold in North America.

While the final production form of the new Fathom ute is yet to be revealed, early signs suggest that Ford Australia could be laying the groundwork to introduce the new model down under by filing a trademark application to protect the Fathom name for automotive use. While that doesn’t automatically mean the Fathom ute will make its way to us, it blocks rivals from trying to circumvent the brand’s efforts to secure the name.

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Ford has previously confirmed that the UEV Platform has been designed with right-hand drive compatibility in mind, opening up opportunities in markets like South Africa, Thailand and Australia. Ford Australia has very carefully crafted its official response in local media, saying that the Fathom is “confirmed for the North American market at this stage”, which doesn’t rule out a local presence. With the priority given to North American distribution, the earliest the Fathom could arrive in Australia would be 2028 or 2029.

Ford’s official channels have confirmed that, for North America at least, pre-orders for the Fathom are set to open in early 2027, with deliveries expected later that year and. The price, with a ‘standard range’ battery, is set to start from US$28,350 – the equivalent of A$40,135.

The cheapest Ford EV currently in Australia is the Mustang Mach-E Select, priced from $56,990 before on-road costs, while the cheapest version of its Ranger dual-cab ute starts from $39,630 plus on-roads with two-wheel drive.

Ford has so far revealed that the Fathom will have more passenger space than a Toyota RAV4, seating for five adults, a large, high-resolution touchscreen, and bi-directional charging. All Fathom models in North America will be compatible with BlueCruise, Ford’s automated highway driving assist, similar to Tesla’s Full Self-Driving tech.

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The Fathom is the first in a series of low-cost EVs Ford is basing on what it calls its Universal Electric Vehicle (UEV) Platform. It features a new manufacturing method (pictured, top) that constructs vehicles in three subassemblies that are merged towards the end of production, with large single-piece aluminium castings claimed to reduce weight by 27 per cent.

Ford has also taken a holistic approach to drivetrain and electrical control systems, with in-house control software designed to maximise efficiency, resulting in the use of a smaller, cheaper 400-volt battery pack. The Fathom will use a 48-volt low-voltage electrical system for ancillaries, mirroring the 48-volt electrics used by Tesla’s Cybertruck.

The Genesis GV80 large SUV is set to become the first hybrid-powered model from the luxury arm of Hyundai. While Hyundai is no stranger to hybrid powertrains, Genesis has fallen behind, pivoting from its original plans to become an all-electric brand and instead moving towards electrification in various forms.

The electrified GV80 features a hybrid system developed specifically for the brand, rather than adopting an existing Hyundai powertrain. With Hyundai’s other hybrid models featuring transverse engines and front-wheel or front-biased drivetrains, the longitudinal layout of the GV80 required a slightly different solution.

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Based around a 2.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine, the Genesis hybrid uses a two-motor hybrid powertrain with a separate starter-generator and drive motor. Combined power is rated at 259kW and 530Nm, up from 224kW and 422Nm in the regular 2.5-litre GV80. The move to hybridisation has, at least in its first appearance, stripped the GV80 of all-wheel drive, making the new powertrain rear-wheel drive only at this stage.

Genesis hasn’t quoted fuel consumption, but claims the hybrid is 25 per cent more efficient than its 2.5T equivalent. While Australia doesn’t offer a version of the GV80 with rear-wheel drive, five seats and 19-inch wheels like the example used for benchmark testing, our 2.5T AWD with seven seats and 22-inch wheels is rated at 10.4L/100km – suggesting a ballpark of 7.8L/100km or less with the new powertrain and similar specifications.

To ensure smooth and quiet operation, Genesis has configured the GV80 to remain in EV mode from start-up to 30km/h. A lower final drive ratio has been adopted to reduce drivetrain noise, and a vibration-absorbing crankshaft pulley and transmission damper have been fitted for a more EV-like driving experience.

In place of the petrol GV80’s eight-speed automatic transmission, the GV80 uses a seven-speed automatic without a mechanical reverse gear, using the electric drive motor, running backwards, to fill the gap. 

Features like Hierarchical Predictive Control and Smart Regenerative Braking can use info from the driving route, road conditions, and navigation data to predict which driving mode (EV, Hybrid, or Regen) will contribute to the greatest efficiency. Other hybrid-specific changes include a unique grille and wheels, alongside interior changes that include four new two-tone colour schemes.

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A Genesis spokesperson told WhichCar by Wheels, “Genesis will introduce its first hybrid model next month in Korea, with Australia to follow in 2027. At this time, we can’t confirm which Australian models will receive hybrid powertrains or when.”

Those new powertrains are set to be joined by extended-range electric vehicles (EREV) that feature a larger battery and an engine that functions as a generator – as something of a midway move between plug-in hybrids and full EVs.

“In parallel (with our HEVs), we are also developing EREV technology as part of our ongoing efforts to broaden our electrification portfolio – however we cannot confirm a timeline for introduction at this stage,” Genesis said.

“These new electrified powertrains are being developed not only to deliver greater efficiency, but also to provide the refinement, performance, and driving experience that customers expect from a Genesis.”

McLaren is preparing for a major transformation under its new ownership, with a broader vehicle portfolio, increased investment in design and a faster cadence of new-model launches. CEO Nick Collins (below) says the changes will build on the British marque’s supercar heritage while taking the brand into new territory and attracting a wider customer base.

Speaking to AutoExpress, Collins said he was “super-energised and excited” by McLaren’s future product plans, describing the coming period as one of the most exciting chapters he has encountered during 33 years in the automotive industry. He added that the company’s upcoming models would arrive with a regularity that could surprise observers.

Collins took a central role in McLaren following its acquisition by Abu Dhabi-based CYVN Holdings in April 2025. Since then, management has undertaken an extensive planning program aimed at strengthening the company’s foundations and positioning it for sustainable growth.

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Part of that strategy has involved reducing annual production to about 2000 vehicles, helping align supply with demand and support residual values. McLaren is also targeting improved quality while investing “double-digit millions” in its design operations.

New chief design officer Kemal Curic, formerly of Ford and Lincoln, will help shape the next generation of McLarens. Collins says Curic is already influencing vehicles at several stages of development, as well as the technology and processes used by the design team.

While the future range is expected to expand beyond McLaren’s traditional offering, Collins insists every new model will retain the characteristics expected of the brand.

An electric McLaren, however, does not appear imminent. Collins said the company would introduce a battery-electric model only when customers demand one. For now, petrol and hybrid powertrains remain central to its plans, with electrification primarily being used to enhance performance.

Recent arrivals offer an early indication of the company’s renewed momentum. The W1 represents McLaren’s latest Ultimate Series flagship, while the limited-production 788 HS provides a final, more extreme evolution of the Super Series lineage. McLaren Special Operations has also completed its first M6GT continuation car (below).

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Collins describes these vehicles as merely the “prologue” to what comes next.

The ambition, he says, is to recapture the bold thinking embodied by the original McLaren F1 while moving the company into fresh segments and reaching new customers. With greater financial backing, expanded design resources and multiple products progressing through development, McLaren is signalling that its next chapter could unfold quickly.