Were you looking for the place the Autozam AZ-1 – a kei car that would only ever be sold in Japan – was born, Basildon in Essex probably wouldn’t be the first place you’d hit upon. Yet tucked away in a nondescript trading estate in the south-east of England stood the industrial unit of Hawtal Whiting, and if you peered inside in early 1991, you’d have seen a tiny mid-engined coupe being subjected to all manner of torture tests.

Bodies-in-white were subjected to bending and torsion tests. Cars were pounded on a four-post road simulator and running prototypes were sneaked into covered trucks for shakedowns at Millbrook Proving Ground. Datasets were pored over, improvements to the suspension implemented and trim choices finalised. The production car might have been born in Essex, but the prototype story goes back a whole lot further.

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How much further? 1948 is a good start. That’s when the kei car rule set was initially devised. Designed to stimulate both car post-war car ownership and kick-start Japan’s car industry, the rules specified physical size and engine displacement. For four-stroke engines, that displacement was a maximum of 150cc between 1949 and 1950, 300cc from 1950 to 1951, 360cc from 1951 to 1955 and 550cc from 1976 to 1990, when the Autozam AZ-1 was born.

Mazda began working on a kei-car concept in early 1985, creating a one-fifth scale clay model of a design it called the W140. The sharply raked nose left no space even for a tiny 550cc powerplant, which was instead slated to fit behind the driver. Mazda toyed with the idea of a doorless open roadster version but computer simulations showed that body rigidity would be shocking and the baby barchetta plan was dropped. A 1:1 clay model appeared in 1986, and by April of the following year, a running prototype using the engine from a Daihatsu Mira was built. This project was then approved for production feasibility testing, wearing the name AZ-550 Type A.

It probably hasn’t escaped your attention that another compact, mid-engined Japanese sports car with a similar shape had popped up in 1983 as the Toyota SV-3 concept at the Tokyo Auto Show. The very next year, this car would become the production MR2. There’s little doubt that the design of the MR2 influenced the engineering of the smaller W140/AZ-550/AZ-1.

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Many web sources state that the Autozam drew its design inspiration from the Suzuki RS/x concepts, but the dates really don’t support this. Suzuki knew nothing of Mazda’s plans for the project until they were approached in 1988 to provide the engine for the vehicle. They agreed, but Mazda was similarly taken by surprise when the Autozam AZ-550 was revealed to the public at the 1989 Tokyo Show, only for Suzuki to be showing their kei car, the Cappuccino. These two models joined the Honda Beat, known as the ABC (Autozam, Beat, Cappuccino) by Japanese journalists.

Three versions of the AZ-550 Concept were revealed. The Type A would eventually morph into the production AZ-1. The type B had a bluffer front end, a less steeply raked windscreen and large, bulbous headlamps. The doors opened conventionally and it featured large rear light clusters. The Type C was the most extreme, drawing its influence from Mazda’s Le Mans-winning 787B. It was shown in blue and white with a bubble canopy, fender mirrors and a wing at the back, wearing the same number 201 on its flanks as the race car.

The purpose of the exercise was to gauge public interest, and more column inches went to the radical miniature race car than the other two combined. Despite this. Mazda came to realise that productionising and selling such a car would present its own unique suite of issues and decided that the Type A concept ought to get the green light. That’s where Basildon came in.

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It was inevitable that the AZ-550 would undergo many changes before it became the production AZ-1. Two project leaders came and went before Toshihiko Hirai arrived as Head of Development. The man who oversaw the development of the Mazda MX-5 arrived with a steadier hand on the tiller.

In case you were wondering why the car wore Autozam badges rather than Mazda ones, it was explained by Mazda’s multi-channel sales strategy at the time, where there would be an Autozam kei car line (including the Carol and the Scrum van), the next tier up would be the sporty Eunos cars such as the MX-5 and then the more aspirational Anfini models.

On his first day on the project, Hirai ditched the AZ-550 show car’s pop-up lights, feeling that they were too heavy, costly, gimmicky and out of character for a kei car. He also claimed that the complexity of the motor system would be easily damaged if the front bumper was nudged. “I can’t put that burden on the customer,” said Hirai at the time.

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Hirai’s job was made more difficult by the fact that the kei car legislation changed in 1990. Suddenly the maximum engine size had gone up to 660cc and another 10cm of body length was permitted. While it was possible to incorporate the bored-out engine from the Suzuki Alto, Hirai resisted pressure to retain the show car’s vestigial rear seats.

Every centimetre of space was precious and hotly argued over. The spare tyre was originally housed up front, but early in the process it became clear that in the event of an accident it could compromise the firewall and potentially injure passengers. Hirai slotted it behind the seats instead while still finding a way to deliver a little element of recline for the driver’s–seat. While he was undoubtedly a decisive – some might say dictatorial – character, part of Hirai’s genius was being able to lock down the big picture items while allowing specific teams the freedom to tweak the details.

It took three years to bring the AZ-1 to production readiness. The biggest job was changing the show car’s expensive aluminium chassis and replacing it with steel, a move Hirai claimed was necessary on the balance sheet but which he regrets on the basis of weight. The frame was still draped with plastic panels, but the sill width was now a good deal less, making entry and egress easier.

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Mazda didn’t build the AZ-1 in-house either. Instead it contracted the services of Kurata Co Ltd. (latterly known as KeyLex), also based in Hiroshima. With a peak theoretical production rate of 1000 vehicles per month, Kurata ticked a lot of boxes. The very first AZ-1 rolled out of the plant on August 8, 1992, the official press launch was September 24 and the very first customer received their car on October 5. Buyers got to choose between two colourways: Siberia Blue paint with two-tone black and blue interior or Classic Red with red and black trim, both being fitted with Venetian Grey lower panels.

The AZ-1 had a major issue though. Mazda couldn’t sell them. The gestation process was so long in productionising the vehicle that by the time it arrived in dealers, the Japanese bubble economy had burst. Two-seat sports coupes with gullwing doors didn’t seem to be at the top of too many shopping lists. A little more expensive than both the Suzuki Cappuccino and the Honda Beat, the AZ-1’s asking price was almost that of an MX-5 and sales came nowhere near Mazda’s target of 800 units per month. Given that this car had been in development, in one stage or another, since 1984, it seems bizarre that it was in production for a little over 12 months. In that period Mazda sold 4392 units, plus 531 being accounted for by the badge-engineered Suzuki Cara sister car. By contrast, Suzuki sold 28,010 Cappuccinos and Honda found customers for 33,600 Beats, easily the weakest product of that particular trio.

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In case you were wondering why production ended in June 1993 and you still see 1994 and 1995 model year cars being advertised, that’s because production easily outstripped demand. Unregistered cars were sitting about the dealer network for the following couple of years. In that period Mazda got a little creative, with special edition “optic” models such as the 1993 Mazdaspeed versions which added a raft of dealer-installed options. These featured solid body colours, with a revised bonnet, front air dam and rear spoiler. Firmer suspension was available, strut bars front and rear, a mechanical LSD, and an exotic ceramic and stainless steel exhaust. Perhaps the most sought-after item are the 13-inch alloy wheels that looked a bit ritzier than the standard car’s steelies. Mazda also launched the TYPE L, which was an audiophile version with a subwoofer in the rear.

M2 Incorporated, a Mazda subsidiary car atelier that existed between 1991 and 1995, produced some interesting variations on the AZ-1 theme.The M2 1014 of 1993 was a Safari-style off-road concept, while the 1015A was a rally-inspired concept and the 1015B was another concept with detachable plastic roof panels. The M2 1015 was sold to the public from July 1994, with a revised front end with faired-in fog lamps and the choice of black, white and silver paintwork. A mere 50 units were sold, with M2 being given the option for 50 more. All remaining stock was sold by 1995.

Wheels caught up with the AZ-1 back in April of that year, when the Zega automotive group in Melbourne offered us a group test of one alongside the Honda Beat and Suzuki Cappuccino. Writer Bob Hall was impressed by the drama of the Autozam.

“While the engine is the same as the Cappuccino’s and the statistics for power and torque read the same for both cars, they feel poles apart. Handling of the AZ-1 is somewhat sharper than that of the Cappuccino and in general it’s surprisingly even-tempered. In some situations there’s noticeable low-speed understeer but it goes pretty neutral as you press along,” Hall noted.

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“The 720kg AZ-1 was coaxed by Car Graphic to a 0-100km/h time of 9.2s, with 16.6s required to cover the standing-start 400m run. Both times were slightly quicker than those of the lighter Cappuccino,” said Hall.

His verdict went to the Suzuki, as it offered superior accommodation, Hall finding the headroom of the Autozam compromised by the gullwing doors and its raucous character and dynamic focus rendered it more of a specialist proposition than the somewhat friendlier Cappuccino. Yet it’s exactly that focus and sense of specialness that has built the AZ-1’s contemporary status.

Suspension is struts all round with a 25mm stabiliser bar up front and a 20mm item aft. With very low unsprung weight, dampers are right-sized, with 70mm of wheel stroke in bump and 80mm in rebound. The brakes are tiny, discs all round, of radius 91mm up front and 96.5mm at the back. Steering is a quickish 2.2 turns lock-to lock. Weight distribution is claimed to be 44:56 front to rear, which sounds about right.

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Hirai knew exactly what he was after in terms of dynamics. “The joy of driving is not just about going fast,” he claimed. “Even when going slowly we wanted to create a car that the driver can feel in complete control of. To keep the idea undiluted, it was important to stay simple and clear. Obviously it would be possible to add more equipment. However, lightness is the basis of athletic performance, and those creature comforts come with a weight penalty. It would just not do. We instead poured all of our energy into the fun of driving,” he said in 1993. Those words rang true back then and make even more sense now.

On Australian roads today, where family sedans can tip the scales at two and a half tonnes, an AZ-1 looks hilariously tiny. It’s the width as much as anything – just 1395mm – which looks so alien, this low-slung car fully 90mm narrower than a behemoth such as a Kia Picanto. Getting into one requires a certain amount of suppleness, and you’ll spot the owner because they’ll be able to slide in quickly and then grab the gullwing door’s pull tag before the door’s action has reached the end of its damped travel. It’s a very slick move. Certainly slicker than flailing for it and having to half-climb out in order to shut yourself in or worse, asking for help.

Being so rare, values are notably punchier than those of a Beat or a Cappuccino. A well-looked after car will typically nudge around $40,000, whereas the equivalent Hondas and Suzukis hover at around half that sum. It’s nothing much to do with provenance or ability, more the fact that gullwing doors have always been cool.

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Running an AZ-1 can be a little more involved than you’d think given its fairly proletarian mechanicals. Oil leaks are an issue, especially around the cam housing gaskets and the tiny Hitachi turbo’s oil feed. The gear shifter should feel tight and positive. If it has a flabby action, you’re looking at a new set of shifter bushings. Suspension parts aren’t too hard to get hold of and sway bar bushings can wear. Pattern plastic panels are available, but the exterior parts that are tricky to obtain are windscreens and the finishes around the glass. Getting your hands on decent 155/65/R13 rubber can also be a challenge. For what its worth, Chevy/Daewoo Matiz, Fiat Seicento, Rover 100 and Suzuki Alto/Wagon R all rode on this size tyre.

Rust can be an issue and the plastic body panels can hide a few nasty surprises. Lift carpets, poke around beneath the wheel arches and check door frames. Also check for a cracked dash, as the cluster hood is no longer in stock. Desirable features include the ABS option (check for the module in the front boot) and the foglight/defrost button. Dealer-fit options also included a Momo leather steering wheel, a CD autochanger, CIBIE fog lights and 13-inch aluminium wheels.

There’s a small but very knowledgeable cadre of AZ-1 owners online and they’re an enterprising bunch. They have to be as this is a very specialist car that lacks widespread parts support. As a result,a whole series of home hacks have been developed for it which, for many owners, is exactly part of the appeal. They’re the ones dedicated to keeping this intriguing part of Mazda’s history on the road and we salute them.

Toshihiko Hirai looks back on the AZ-1 project with affection. He’s most proud of the MX-5, as you might expect, referring to it as his eldest son. If the iconic MX-5 is the peak of his life’s work as an engineer, then the Autozam might be thought of as an enjoyable wildcard. “The AZ-1 is my second son: a jerky horse who can’t be trained.”

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There’s something about live motorsport that keeps us coming back… despite its best efforts.

On the face of it, seeing cars race right in front of you, wheel-to-wheel, at speeds up to 350km/h couldn’t sound sexier – especially if it’s for the first time. Television, you could tell any uninitiated, doesn’t do it justice. Zooming in and out on the cars, and other unknown technical things, seems to visually slow down a spectacle that’s kind of all about, well, speed.

It’s not until you’re standing at Eau Rouge, or even the outside of Turn Nine at Albert Park, and see a racing car come past – especially the ground-hugging fighter jets that are F1 – that you can know for yourself just how surreally fast some motorsport disciplines are.

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It’s not just circuit racing, either. Top fuel dragsters are bucket-list worthy – despite the earplugs and earmuffs, and still the lifetime of low-level tinnitus. And you can’t beat the smell of a night at the speedway, being violently peppered with ball bearings of clay.

Of course, for any Drive To Survive watchers in your circles who you’ve managed to rope in for a first-time trip to the track, you might have to explain away a few more endearing things.

Firstly, racetracks are normally hours away from a capital city, that’s correct; and yes, often in a dusty paddock. The food is normally that yellow, and that expensive, and that is indeed the queue for the portaloos.

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You’ll need a small loan to buy a team-branded jacket, there’s often a grandstand in the way, and then there’s general confusion of not really knowing what’s going on – which is all totally normal.

Unlike any stadium-based sport where it’s all right there – the live action with a scoreboard and big screen – when you go to a live motorsport event you accept that for much of the experience, it can be tricky to know who’s actually winning. Look confused at a car race and you’ll blend right in.

At this year’s Australian Grand Prix, I approached a packed spectator mound to see hundreds of people with their backs to the track, turned instead to watch a big-screen TV, during the most exciting stage of the race.

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Then there’s the other way to enjoy live car racing, which is to go and barely be aware that there’s a car race going on at all.

We’re all familiar with the type of motorsport fan who spurns the lap-by-lap specifics and instead remains steadfastly focused on consuming alcohol beside a tent – in such quantities their eyes slowly start pointing in different directions. There’s nothing quite like going to a car race and being able to look forward to watching it on TV. As if you hadn’t seen it at all.

This practice seems popular from Bathurst to the Nürburgring 24 Hour which, when I went, felt like a Berlin rave which just happened to have an endurance motor race going through its middle. Watching people shoot fireworks at the cars, in the middle of the night, is also pretty exciting.

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I’m not saying I partook in any such activities, but things are a bit more sensible these days, and for some of my mates, the glamorous sheen has all but worn through.

“I’ll go on Saturday but don’t think I’ll go on Sunday,” read the limp message from one of my buddies as we approached the Australian Grand Prix weekend. “It’s just too much hassle, will watch it from home”.

I totally get it – but the deep-fried mystery meat on a stick doesn’t quite taste the same in your living room.

As design director for MG’s Advanced Design Studio in London, Carl Gotham has a lot on his plate.

It won’t have escaped your attention that the Chinese manufacturer is operating at a frenetic pace, upending the industry’s standard product lifecycles with a rapid and iterative product launch schedule.

Gotham’s the man behind the look of MG’s most striking product to date, the Cyberster roadster, so we jumped at the chance to have a chat with one of the most forward looking designers in the business.

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AE: Thanks for joining us today, Carl. Can you walk us through what the initial design brief was for the Cyberster?

CG: It was a project that, as designers, we’ve been wanting to do for a long time for the brand, just waiting for the right time. And when I took over as the director for the UK team in 2017, we had projects ongoing, but also we created some space to do some advanced projects where we were looking at things where there was no request or brief. The idea of doing a roadster was absolutely top of the list from our perspective.

So we created a little bit of resource in the team and worked outside of the normal working hours to get the project kick-started. We were just exploring what we thought a roadster could be for MG in light of bringing the first all-new car to the public since effectively the TF or the F. And I think very quickly we realised that actually SAIC was very invested in new energy vehicle technology. So actually, that was going to probably be quite a USP for us.

So we started live fairly early on. We knew that this car probably should be electric in some form, either fully electric or hybrid or something. So, yeah, there wasn’t a snappy brief. When the time was right, we put it in front of the right people. That’s how it started.

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AE: Was there ever a consideration for an overtly retro design for the roadster?

CG: It’s funny. I have this question quite a lot, particularly recently, because I think we’re seeing a lot of that trend in more recent years. And, yeah, I think it’s fair to say we’ve explored all sorts of things. If we went through the archives of all the sketches we’ve done, there’s obviously lots and lots of iterations. So we have explored all sorts of things.

It’s a brand that’s 100 years old. It’s got a great history and a great back catalogue. And that’s really important. But equally, the brand is re-establishing itself in markets around the world, again, having had a bit of a hiatus.

So we wanted to make sure that it was respecting the past, but very much modern and looking forward in its execution. So it’s a balance of everything. I wouldn’t say it’s overtly retro, but it’s definitely a more classical proportioned sports car.

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AE: Given the platform that you’ve got, you’ve done well to create that classic shape of the car.

CG: We still wanted it to speak in an emotive sense to the customer that wants that open-top sports car. And actually still making it feel romantic in that sense.

OK, it hasn’t got an engine, and we explored the different versions of having the windscreen further forward, but it just felt right to keep to that more classic proportioned sports car.

Obviously, it’s bigger because we’ve got an EV platform and safety and also the environment in which we’re living in the roads; lots of SUVs on the road today. So the car needs to be bigger than the old MGAs, MGBs, 50s and 60s. But it wears the proportion well.

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AE: How did the car morph from what was a show car to a series production model?

CG: The concept car began to get more serious as we’re moving towards Shanghai Auto Show in 2021. So essentially, the business was looking for a show car in that period [but it] was obviously quite difficult with the pandemic and so forth happening. So we needed something. And we had an answer.

We had this project which we’ve been working on for some time. Once we started to develop it, look at it further, then we obviously had a show car, it was something dramatic.

But it’s a Chinese business and it’s the art of the possible, and anything’s possible there at the moment. That’s the attitude. And they did.

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It was pretty much then that the show car was put together and launched. And at that time, they were taking pre-orders for the car when it was shown to gauge reaction. I think essentially the same day as it was unveiled, the chairman gave the green light to the production program.

It’s quite an unusual project in today’s world that we do this skunkworks project in a small studio and then we show it and it gets green-lit because people want it.

But this was really a project borne through a desire and a want and a passion to bring a car like this back to the brand.

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AE: The timing couldn’t have been better.

CG: Exactly. It was nice that we managed to do that in time for the 100 years anniversary and just at the time when MG is becoming significant around the globe in several markets. It’s just landed at almost the perfect sweet spot.

And yes, there’s a little combination of foresight, good luck and a bit of judgment. But it’s quite a nice story, I think, in terms of the automotive landscape at the moment. It is.

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AE: Which design elements of the car are you proudest of?

CG: Proportion is always really important for designers to have the best canvas, if you like, to  paint the picture and the detail. So if the proportion is good, then generally, the car is going to look good.

I think the proportion of the car is very well handled, given that it’s an EV convertible. It’s very well balanced. When you see these things in the flesh, they always take on a different characteristic.

And I think the Cyberster is definitely a great example of a car that in the flesh, it’s just good. There’s very little proportionally that you would say is not correct. It disguises the platform well, with the height. We’ve got this dropping black belt line, which helps to slim the body of the car to make it feel lower and sleeker.

So we’ve managed to achieve that with a black trim running all the way around the cabin from the windscreen through the back of the roof. Yeah, things like that are important. They’re important for the overall effect of the car. They might feel like they’re a bit superfluous, but actually they are a visual aid to the overall effect and proportion of the car.

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AE: Which, if any, design elements on the car caused the most arguments among the team?

CG: A project like this is going to draw a lot of attention within the team in terms of opinions. I think we’ve got a few elements that are, obviously… aerodynamics has played a big part in this car.

So the drag coefficient, it’s 0.268, I think. I’d have to double check that! [It’s 0.269 – so close!] But it’s certainly very, very good for the type of vehicle that it is. That’s all thanks to that low nose and the active aero we’ve got on the front end of the car.

We’ve got the air curtains that run through the front bumper to let the air flow out through the front wheels and the active cooling on the front grille, the sweeping bonnet and everything.

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And then the rear Kamm tail, which is more square with the  upright corners and the flat deck lid and, obviously, the light graphics.

So I think just handling those elements together and making it feel holistic where you’ve got this soft fluid form, and then you get to the rear and it’s a little bit more technically developed to meet the requirements of the aerodynamics.

Then again, just getting the most out of the platform to make sure that it doesn’t get too tall and too big, and it wears the platform of being an EV well. But, obviously, that’s more of a discussion with the engineers than it is with designers.

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AE: Okay. Zooming out a little bit, how would you describe the evolution of MG’s design language?

CG: I’d say it’s quick. If you look back of where we’ve come in quite a short space of time, I think it’s doing a remarkable job. Obviously, we’re going through a period at the moment, quite intensive new model replacement and an introduction and refresh.

So there’s quite a lot happening in these past 12 months and the next 12 months as well. And I think it’s becoming a little bit more organised in terms of language and look and feel of the brand.  

We’re in this phase where, let’s say, it’s maturing and it’s becoming a more serious and comprehensive brand with a more consistent look and feel to it. Having things like Cyberster at the halo position on the brand helps to set the tone and agenda for the language of a certain period.

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AE: Is it hard to keep up with MG’s pace of change?

CG:  I’ve worked for SAIC, let’s say, officially for 15 years so I’m familiar with the pace and the pace of the China market as well. Obviously, that’s such a huge market and growing and maturing all the time and advancing all the time. I have some familiarity with that process and we’ve become very good at being flexible and agile – taking on a challenge and using our experience and judgment to provide an answer relatively quickly.

Having more time is always nice but I think the pace is necessary at the moment to build the brand and be competitive, because obviously the competition is getting more and more fierce, there are more brands coming.

The next few years will tell on that front. We’re still working very hard, there’s still lots to do with the brand, which is one of the reasons why I’ve stayed with it for so long, because the job never feels complete.  As a designer, there’s always something else to explore, something creative to think about.

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AE: How important is a British design facility for MG?

CG: I’m obviously going to be biased on this, but I think it’s definitely important. Moving as a project, clearly the production end of the projects, that final feasibility phase is done in Shanghai, but I think having a studio in London is not just about the brand.

You talk about where we are at the moment, where we’re going. It’s embracing a little bit more of the heritage. We need to build the brand and build the story of the brand and obviously that’s what we’ve been doing a little bit this year with the 100 years. It’s the perspective that we have from there, from being in a place like London because the culture is obviously so diverse and there’s so much influence from a global perspective. We were able to take a view on lots of cross culture and things are happening: design, art, fashion and technology and whatever that’s so vibrant in a city like London.

It also means we can attract good global talent to come and work for us and work for the brand. It’s fantastic.

Most of the cars we cover in Wheels’ Modern Classic section reach that status through sheer durability. Years of continuous improvement hone something that was rough and ready into a polished gem. Of course, the opposite can happen too.

Cars that burst onto the scene in a blaze of youthful verve often mellow into comfortable middle-aged spread. Once in a while, we get that rarest of things: a hero car that appears and then vanishes almost as quickly as it arrived. For a magnificent case in point, look no further than the Lotus Exige S1.

Its production run lasted but a year. From its introduction at the Brands Hatch round of the Lotus Motorsport Elise race series in April 2000 to the last car coming out of the Hethel plant in mid-2001, 604 cars were assembled, 177 in left-hand drive.

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They’re a good deal rarer today. The car you see here is one of only eight that were officially sold to Australian customers from new, of which this is the only matching numbers original left on these shores, so it’s a bit of a unicorn.

To the uninitiated, the Lotus Exige S1 looks like an early Elise with a hardtop and a set of spoilers, and some Elise owners have converted their cars to look like an Exige with replacement glass-fibre body parts. The real thing was a far harder and angrier thing than any Elise extant in 2000.

While the Elise launched with a modest 88kW Rover K-Series lump behind the driver’s head, power crept up amongst the roadgoing cars almost annually. The 108kW Sport 135 special edition came in November 1998, with the series production 107kW variable-valve 111S not long later, in January 1999. The 112kW Sport 160 special debuted just ahead of the Exige, in February 2000.

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The madcap Elise Sport 190 foreshadowed what we were to see from the Exige. Launched in February 1998 and on sale through to early 2000, this was a factory conversion aimed at hardcore track fiends and delivered 143kW in a package that also featured uprated suspension, brakes, safety equipment, gearbox parts, and more focused wheels and tyres.

It was also eye-wateringly expensive, which goes some way to justifying why only seven were ever sold, but as a proof-of-concept, it was something very special.

At the heart of the Sport 190 was the Very High Performance Derivative (VHPD) of the venerable K-Series 1.8-litre lump. Rattly and truculent at idle, with that great sound of piston slap, it was far from the most melodic powerplant, but it thrived on revs and sounded as if it was trying to tear a hole in spacetime as it approached its redline.

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In the Exige, peak power arrived at 7800rpm, and you needed to be quick with the pedals and stick, because it would run into its 8000rpm rev limiter almost immediately thereafter.

As standard, the Exige made 133kW, or 143kW if you opted for the $1800 Track Pack (decat) version. The peak torque is a modest 171Nm at 5000rpm, but that hardly matters when you’re trying to haul a mere 724kg up the road. Of course, some wanted more.

More pace, more refinement, more tuneability and so on, and a surprising proportion of Exiges have been converted to run the Honda K20 engine with some also using Ford or Audi units. Of course, there’s the fact that those early VHPD engines weren’t the very last word in durability.

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It seems almost a cliché to start talking about head gasket failures in relation to the K Series engine, but, yes, the Exige S1 was occasionally prone to a bit of mayonnaise under the oil filler cap.

The engines for the Exige S1 were assembled by PTP. For the S2 Sport 190, work was brought in-house to Lotus, with better results. Nevertheless, it was an involved job to get that sort of power from the decade-old atmo K-Series, with the VHPD engine featuring a revised head design, a nirtrided crank, a lighter flywheel, modified throttle bodies, forged pistons and a lot of other detail changes. Many Exige S1 owners will recommend vernier timing pulleys and an Emerald ECU with a decent map for a torque curve with fewer holes.

Levering yourself into an Exige S1 to take advantage of the VHPD’s charms isn’t the easiest process. With wide sills and a low roofline, it’s more of an undignified slump into the driver’s seat, especially if you’re fairly tall.

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Once you’ve manoeuvred your legs in, accustomed yourself to the faintly acrid smell of GRP and realised that the rear-view mirror is purely ornamental, the baby Lotus is surprisingly comfortable.

Key the car on, watch the period Stack digital displays flicker into life and select first from the long wand and it all feels a bit underwhelming. The unassisted steering is heavy, the brake pedal feels wooden and the throw of the gear lever ends with a crunchy slot into gear. Then it all begins to make sense.

As the gearbox oil warms, the shift effort reduces. The steering that seemed so obstreperous mere moments ago comes to life, sniffing out cambers and tipping its own way into corners. It’s magical. The brakes – cross-drilled and vented 282mm discs with AP Racing opposed-piston front calipers and floating Brembo single-pot rear calipers aft – deliver more than enough feel and response.

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Really punish them and the front pads can warp, which you’ll feel as an indistinct brake pedal that makes heel-and-toeing vague, but there are fixes available for this.

Drive an Exige on a challenging road or circuit and it’s a genuinely thought-provoking experience. Yes, it’s hot and cramped and noisy, but the payoff is massive. The question that coalesces over and over is ‘have we got the whole progress thing wrong?’

Bigger, heavier, more complex and more expensive cars might well be safer and more efficient but, for some of us at least, driving doesn’t get a lot better than the recipe delivered by an Exige S1. It’s mesmerising.

Maybe there’s something to be said for focusing on one thing and doing it really well.

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The Exige certainly did that. I learned the Spa race circuit in Belgium by following Lotus chassis engineer Matt Becker for lap after lap as he pedalled the Exige around and I swapped into ostensibly faster vehicles that, one by one, wilted as the little Lotus kept on clipping apexes. It was an object lesson in working smarter rather than harder.

At its core, the bones of the Exige were good. Becker would occasionally chunter about the shift quality or the Koni dampers, but there was a fundamental rightness to the Exige from day one. For its era, the aluminium chassis was incredibly stiff, and the double A-arm suspension had little to go wrong unless, that is, you tinkered unsuccessfully with the spring preload and front anti-roll bar. The advice in that case was always the same. “Put it back to factory setting.”

As was so often the case at Lotus, developing the Exige was an exercise in minutely finessing a bunch of bought-in and often fairly prosaic parts to work in harmony with one another.

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Both Becker and his colleague Gavan Kershaw, would spend hours beating round the lumpy old track at Hethel in order to develop that cohesion. You’d hear them muttering about tyre sidewall hysteresis, moments of yaw gain or front to rear phasing response and realise why these guys were held in such esteem by every other chassis engineer in the car industry.

Wheels’ first experience with the Exige came in October 2001 when Nathan Ponchard grabbed the keys to a Chrome Orange 133kW car and strapped on the timing gear. It’s fair to say he was impressed.

“Despite boasting top-notch power-to-weight potential (183kW per tonne), the Exige feels like it could easily handle another 30kW,” he claimed. “Purely because it’s blessed with exceptional poise and astonishing grip – the Yokohama A039s, specially developed for lightweights like the Exige and mounted on glossy black Rimstock alloys, play a big part here.

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The rear end is amazingly secure and full-throttle, first-gear exits from 15km/h hairpins betray little more than a mild scamper for traction. No smoking wheelspin, show-pony powerslides or scaredy-cat skid control interference. The Exige doesn’t have it, doesn’t want it and doesn’t need it.”

That example lived up to a Lotus stereotype by developing a slight miss at about 5800rpm, which meant that the Correvit data logger wasn’t showing figures that got particularly close to Hethel’s 4.9 second 0-100km/h claim, the tape churning out a 6.8 second showing.

No wonder Ponch felt it could handle another 30kW. Exiges can be tricky to get off the line and the 0-400m time of 14.8 seconds that the crew achieved at Sydney Motorsport Park is about what you might expect from a modern MX-5. In optimum conditions, shave a couple of seconds off that before the Exige’s aerodynamics start conspiring against it.

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The asking price back in 2001 certainly wasn’t lightweight, with Lotus wanting $130,171 for Aussie cars. Predictably, these were about as stuffed with extras as an Exige could get, with air conditioning, an alarm, Alcantara trim, leather seats and a radio installation kit. On the options list were an Alpine stereo that fought a losing battle against the sound of the K-Series and metallic paint at a hefty $2450.

Now? That’s a tough question because they’re so rare in Australia that they almost fall into the realm of being worth whatever someone’s willing to pay.

The later Toyota-engined Exige variants are more comfortable and more reliable than the S1, and represent a viable alternative as a trackday special to something like a Porsche 911 GT3. They don’t possess the rawness nor that 5/8ths scale Group C emigré look of the original. That’s part of the appeal that keeps fans of the Exige coming back.

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You need to be committed in order to run one in its UK home market where there’s a grassroots network of engineering backup when things inevitably go wrong.

Over here it’s another level of complexity again. The Exige suffers from many of the tedious, snagging issues that the Elise was known for such as failing clam release cables, misting headlights, broken alternators, crazing and cracking glass-fibre, radiator leaks, various clips failing, worn suspension parts, glued trims falling off and such like.

These things tend to define your Lotus ownership experience. Some will dabble, get frustrated by the constant demands of the cars and then return to something like a Porsche, whereas others will actively enjoy overcoming this series of challenges and find a certain camaraderie among those that do likewise.

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The parts that were prone to fail, such as the cheap plastic radiator end caps, will have long since been replaced with superior items.

What’s more, even if the worst comes to the worst and a head gasket fails or the cylinder liners wear, the fix is relatively cheap in relation to the total cost of the car. That’s because rarity has made these cars ever more desirable. Couple that with the fact that the Exige S1 is just about to cross the 25-year threshold making it eligible for personal import to the US and you can see why most owners are wearing that “No lowballs, I know what I’ve got” face.

When buying the big things to check for are accident damage and corrosion, the two issues often linked. Punt an Exige into a tyre wall on a track day and it can be very hard indeed to get the tub straight, as the front wheel tends to push the wishbones into the suspension pickups on the chassis, bending or breaking them.

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Where the tub is bonded aluminium, the rear subframe and the rear suspension uprights were steel and, as anyone with a passing knowledge of chemistry knows, these two metals don’t really rub along that well, setting up an galvanic reaction which leads to corrosion of the anode, which in this case is the aluminium part. The electrolyte to help the process along is water from the road surface.

Inspecting the tub for accident damage and the suspension pickups for corrosion is absolutely key because, unlike most other cars, you can’t just break out the welder and fix any problems, because aluminium and glue.

Again the prices of Exiges comes into play. A few years ago, this would have represented a vehicle write-off, whereas now, it’s financially viable to procure a $25k replacement chassis and have the rest of the car bolted to it.

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The Exige’s payoff always justifies any expense outlaid in maintenance. Cars just aren’t built to feel like this any longer. Even the last of the Series 3 Exiges that ran out in 2021 don’t have the immediacy and the sheer lightweight authenticity of the S1.

Julian Thompson’s original Elise design may have lost a degree of its aesthetic delicacy in this guise, but gained a curious melange of prettiness and menace that really shouldn’t work but somehow does. It’s a stunning looking car and one that looks ever more alien in a carscape of huge and overweight bloaters.

How can a car this brilliant ever have been so rare? Original cars like the one you see here are rarer again. It’ll be remembered as one of the greatest cars Lotus ever built, and that’s a high bar in and of itself. It may have enjoyed a mayfly-like production run but its legacy endures.

The new and bigger 2026 Mercedes-Benz CLA sedan has been unveiled, following its initial debut as a concept back in September 2023.

In its new, third-generation form, the CLA will be offered in petrol-electric mild hybrid and full-electric forms.

Unlike the brand’s current EV range – such as the EQA, EQB, EQE and so on – the electric CLA models will be known by the mouthful moniker CLA+ with EQ Technology, although ‘CLA EQ’ will likely serve as a nickname of sorts.

Merc’s new-generation EVs are expected to follow suit, with – for example – the EQA likely to be replaced by a new ‘GLA with EQ Technology’.

The new CLA will also be the first model to the company’s new in-house developed Mercedes-Benz Operating System (MB.OS). This system integrates artificial intelligence from both Microsoft and Google in a chatbot-like form for vehicle control and general queries.

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Powertrains, batteries, driving range, and charging speeds

In its all-electric form, the new CLA is built on an 800V electrical system, with ultra-rapid DC charging at up to 320kW. Benz claims its new EV will take enough charge in 10 minutes for a 325km range boost.

These figures make the new CLA competitive with the current best-in-class EVs on paper, although real-world results – especially when it comes to charging systems – can always vary.

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The line-up opens with the CLA 250+ with EQ Technology (or ‘CLA250+ EQ’) in a single-motor configuration with real-wheel drive and an 85kWh Lithium-ion battery pack.

Outputs for the CLA 250+ EQ are listed at 200kW and 335Nm, with a huge claimed (and WLTP-tested) driving range of up to 792 kilometres.

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Moving up to the CLA 350+ EQ introduces a dual-motor setup for all-wheel drive, bumping outputs to 260kW and 515Nm.

The 350+ EQ’s driving range is listed at between 672-771km off the same 85kWh battery system.

Efficiency is listed at a remarkably low 14.1-12.2kWh/100 km for the CLA 250+ EQ, and 14.7-12.5 kWh/100 km for the CLA 350+ EQ.

Helping achieve that claim, if it proves realistic, will be the fact that the electric CLA is the first Mercedes-Benz vehicle to incorporate an air-to-air heat pump, utilising waste heat from the vehicle’s systems and ambient air to enhance efficiency.

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Hybrid

Later in the year, a mild-hybrid version with petrol power and 48V tech with an integrated electric motor will join the range.

The hybrid will be available in three power outputs, with a choice between front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive.

As with the new Audi A5 mild-hybrid range, Mercedes says its hybrid models can operate solely on electric power in urban environments and at speeds up to approximately 100 km/h when power demand is below 20kW.

The combustion engine in the hybrid system can recuperate up to 25kW of energy across all eight gears – but, for now, that’s all the details Mercedes is giving out for the mild-hybrid CLA.

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Interior features and infotainment

As always with Mercedes, the interior of the CLA prioritises a minimalist look dominated by an optional floating MBUX Superscreen that spans the entire dashboard.

This screen incorporates a 10.25-inch driver display and a 14-inch main display. Mercedes says another 14-inch display, for the front passenger, will become available after the initial market introduction.

The MBUX Virtual Assistant, represented by a “living” avatar, uses AI from Microsoft (ChatGPT and Bing) and Google (Gemini) for enhanced interaction, internet knowledge, and navigation.

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When will the new CLA reach Australia?

Full details on the new CLA’s Australian launch are still to come, but Mercedes has confirmed we can expect an early 2026 debut.

Likewise, pricing won’t be revealed until closer to launch, but we can very likely expect it to sit well above the current line-up, which already starts at just under $75,000.

As a point of reference, the small and now considerably less advanced EQA electric SUV started from around $85K to $90,000 when it was updated in mid 2024.

The MG ZS has been Australia’s best-selling small SUV since 2021 courtesy of its value pricing and – during the pandemic when many makers struggled to build cars – plentiful supply.

Fast forward to late 2024 and the brand launched the second-generation ZS, which is larger, better equipped and – predictably – more expensive than the model it succeeds. The brand launched the hybrid version of the ZS first, and now the cheaper petrol variants have arrived.

We found the hybrid to be quite a compelling offering when it launched, so do the petrol ZS models add to – or subtract from – the ZS package?

The petrol ZS range is available in three models: entry-level Excite ($26,990 drive away), mid-spec Essence ($29,990) and top-spec Essence Turbo ($31,990). The Excite and Essence hybrids sit above them, priced from $33,990.

That is notably more expensive than the old ZST, which is in run-out priced from $22,888. But we think that extra spend is justified.

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Standard kit on the Excite includes 16-inch alloy wheels, dusk-sensing auto lights, keyless entry and start, a 10.25-inch touchscreen with nav and smartphone mirroring, six airbags and a lot of active safety kit, including AEB, lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control and blind-spot monitoring.

The mid-spec Essence adds 17s, larger displays, heated front seats with electric driver’s adjustment, auto wipers and a 360-degree camera, with the Essence Turbo further adding climate control, driving modes and larger 18s.

The ZS range is available with two 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engines: one naturally aspirated making 81kW and 140Nm, and one turbocharged, making a much stronger 125kW and 275Nm. Both engines use a CVT automatic with power sent to the front wheels.

MG claims combined fuel consumption of between 6.7L/100km (NA) and 6.9L/100km (turbo) with CO2 emissions of between 157g/km (NA) and 161g/km (turbo). The ZS turbo’s 55-litre fuel tank must be filled with 95RON premium unleaded – the NA engine uses regular unleaded.

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We failed to match MG’s economy claims, though our test cars were quite new. The Essence used 8.7L/100km and the turbo slightly more at 8.9L/100km – or almost double that of the more powerful hybrid.

The interior of the ZS is now one of the best in the segment with plenty of soft materials on the dashboard, though the synthetic leather seats are a bit soft. The fake stitching on the top of the doors in their hard plastic trimmings is naff, but the leather steering wheel feels great in hand.

MG’s latest infotainment system is standard through either a 10.25-inch (Excite) or 12.3-inch (Essence and above) touchscreen. It’s well equipped with features like sat-nav, digital radio and wired smartphone mirroring but it could be easier to use. There is a row of physical buttons below the screen for shortcuts like the home screen and volume, but even more would be great.

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The cabin is practical with ample storage space, including an open tray on the dashboard fascia, two trays on the centre console and a small box underneath the centre armrest. The two cupholders are a bit small, however.

The rear cabin is one of the roomiest in the segment, with ample room for two six-footers. There are also door pockets, map pockets and a USB-A charging port and air vent on the Essence and above – though no central armrest with cupholders on any spec.

The ZS’ 443-litre boot expands to a large 1,457L with the seats folded, which is massive in comparison with the CX-3’s tiny 264L space. There are also a few features like a dual-level floor, bag hooks and a space-saver spare, though the seats don’t lie flat when folded.

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The new ZS is overall far more mature to drive compared with the old one. While it’s still not a sports car, it’s more enjoyable with more weighting of the steering and firmer suspension giving better cornering ability. The ride is much improved as it no longer rides like a pogo stick – it’s more controlled with lesser motion over a variety of bumps.

The non-hybrid drivetrains are a step forward compared with the last ZS, but to a lesser degree. The main problem is the CVT gearbox, which saps a lot of power off the line. You also can’t shift it manually, which won’t bother most buyers but we’d like to add more engine braking.

The turbocharged engine feels reasonably quick at higher speeds, while the naturally aspirated engine is slow all the time. The petrol engines will be adequate for most buyers as their refinement is better than most in the segment, but the hybrid is the drivetrain to choose. MG’s active safety features are better tuned than before, but deactivating them in the touchscreen is cumbersome.

There’s overall no doubt that the new-generation MG ZS is a big upgrade to the model it replaces. It’s more mature, more richly equipped, larger and superior value because it’s a much better-rounded product.

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However, the gearbox zaps power and the petrol engines are expensive to service at $2,637 for five years’ worth. Because of that, we think the hybrid ZS is worth the extra coin – it’s more expensive but its five-year service cost saves $1,400 alone, plus it’s also a better drivetrain.

Overall, however, there’s no doubt that the new ZS is a big improvement over the old one and now sits at the pointy end of the segment that it will undoubtedly continue to dominate.

MG ZS Essence Turbo Specifications

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Mercedes-Benz Australia has revealed local pricing and specifications for the new electric ‘G 580 with EQ Technology’, which will be priced from $249,900 plus on-road costs.

Under the body of the G 580 is a 116kWh lithium-ion battery for a claimed 567km of range (NEDC). That feeds four electric motors – one on each wheel – for a combined 432kW of power and 1,164Nm of torque, which is enough grunt for a 4.7-second 0-100km/h sprint time.

The G 580 can be charged at up to 200kW on a DC charger for a 10 to 80 per cent charge time of as little as 32 minutes and it can be AC-charged at up to 11kW.

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The G 580 introduces new features to the G-Glass range such as the ‘G-TURN’ function, which enables the wheels on the left and right to spin in opposite directions, allowing the vehicle to perform a full 360-degree turn on the spot when encountering loose or unpaved surfaces off-road.

Similarly, ‘G-STEERING’ adds more manoeuvrability in tight spots as the wheels turn at different speeds and invoke slight oversteer depending on the situation, allowing a significantly smaller turning circle.

The G 580 uses torque vectoring to generate virtual differential locks, which makes it possible to precisely meter torque to each individual wheel. This, according to Mercedes-Benz, allows the G 580 to hold a confident line up and downhill, even on the toughest terrain.

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Underneath, the G 580’s battery is protected by a special 26mm-thick casing made from a unique mix of materials, including carbon fibre. The G580 can forge through water 850mm deep – 150mm more than regular G-Class models.

A number of drive modes are available for drivers to select, including ‘trail’ and ‘rock’ off-road settings and a low range off-road gear reduction for difficult terrain.

Inside, the G580 uses the latest generation of the company’s ‘MBUX’ infotainment system, which includes the ‘OFFROAD COCKPIT’ that shows off the gradient, lateral inclination, compass, tyre pressure and selected G-Mode. The navigation recommends routes based on charging locations, and there’s also a new transparent camera mode for off-road driving.

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The G 580 will also be available in a limited Edition One, which adds blue brake callipers at the front and rear, and inserts in the exterior protective strips in blue. Exterior elements include black

20-inch wheels in as well as black door handles and a new design box on the rear door.

The interior of the Edition One is upholstered in nappa leather in silver pearl/black and includes trim elements in carbon with blue accents along with blue stitching. Another unique highlight of the interior is the combination of the Superior Line elements with the sporty ‘Loop design’ of the Exclusive Line upholstery.

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The G 580 Edition One is available in five different paint colours: MANUFAKTUR South Sea Blue Magno, Classic Grey Uni, Opalite White Magno, Opalite White Bright or the classic Obsidian Black Metallic.

Options for the regular G 580 include the Night Package with exterior design elements in black, including the exterior mirror housings, aero wheels and darkened lamp units. This package also includes black running boards.

Optional with the Night Package is the Black Panel radiator grille with darkened lamp units.

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Also available is the MANUFAKTUR Exterior Package, which allows owners to choose black accents like the roof, bumpers and flared wheel arches painted in obsidian black. When choosing any MANUFAKTUR magno paint, the package includes roof painted in night black magno, and bumpers and flared wheel arches in night black magno.

The Interior Comfort Package adds two 11.6-inch touch displays for passengers in the rear to enjoy during longer journeys. This package also includes the Warmth Comfort Package, which quickly heats additional interior elements such as the steering wheel heater and the windscreen.

Finally, choosing the Superior Line Interior Plus Package adds full nappa leather upholstery with diamond design elements, Active Multicontour Seat Package Plus, as well as grab handles in leather.

As we’ve seen from its newest models like the new ZS Hybrid+ and the MG3, MG continues to build well-rounded products that improve with every update.

The HS mid-size SUV is one of the brand’s most recent updates and is now in its second generation. Is the new HS worthy of consideration in the crowded mid-size SUV segment?

Pricing for the HS range starts at $33,990 plus on-road costs for the entry-level Vibe, with even the top-spec Essence asking only $40,990 drive away.

The HS range is well equipped with even the Vibe including features such as 18-inch alloy wheels, dusk-sensing automatic LED lighting, rain-sensing automatic wipers, a six-way electric driver’s seat, a 12.3-inch touchscreen with wired smartphone mirroring and DAB+ digital radio.

There’s also a full suite of active safety features including a front centre airbag, AEB, adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert.

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The mid-range Excite adds larger 19-inch wheels, synthetic leather upholstery, a 360-degree camera, satellite navigation and access to MG’s ‘iSmart’ online services, while the top-spec Essence further adds a panoramic sunroof, a wireless phone charger, heated front seats with driver’s memory functionality, dual-zone automatic climate control, front parking sensors and auto-folding mirrors.

We think it’s very well equipped across the range, though it would be nice to see automatic climate control and a wireless charger in the Excite and wireless smartphone mirroring across the range.

For now, the HS range uses a 125kW/275Nm 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine that sends its power to the front wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

Fuel consumption is rated at 6.9L/100km on a combined cycle, with claimed CO2 emissions of 156g/km. It uses premium unleaded fuel, and has a 55-litre fuel tank.

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Those wanting more powerful and more efficient options will be happy to learn that hybrid options – including a plug-in version – are set to arrive later in 2025.

While sportier options exist in the mid-size SUV segment, the driving experience of the HS is refined and comfortable. Even on the larger 19-inch wheels of the Excite and Essence, the ride quality is compliant and while the handling is not the most engaging, it’s still satisfying to drive.

The refinement is excellent, even on coarse chip roads. MG’s active safety suite – called ‘MG Pilot’ – is well calibrated and an improvement on the previous-generation system, though its driver monitoring and lane keeping assistance can still be a bit sensitive.

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The cabin of the HS has received a more contemporary design, higher quality materials and easier tech integration that makes its interior one of the more pleasant options in the segment, regardless of price.

It’s practical too with big door bins, deep cupholders, a big box underneath the central armrest and even a wireless charger on the top-spec Essence.

Centre of the cabin is a new 12.3-inch touchscreen that uses the same software as the new ZS and MG3a. It’s night-and-day compared with the previous HS’ system: there’s more functionality, it’s much quicker and the screen quality is better as well. The menu system is far easier to use, though some functionality is still buried in the system and could be easier to find.

The rear seat is spacious for the segment, with ample legroom that’s enhanced by the almost-flat floor. Features include a central armrest, door pockets, air vents and two charging ports.

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The boot of the new HS measures 507 litres with the seats up, and 1,484L with them folded – larger rivals in the segment offer more space, but the HS features more cargo space than the very popular Mazda CX-5. Under the floor is a space saver spare wheel.

MG’s industry-leading 10-year/250,000km warranty covers the HS and five years/75,000km of servicing costs $2,354 or $470 annually.

Overall, the new MG HS feels like a multi-generational change compared with the model it replaces. It has gained a handsome look inside and out with better quality and tech. Its growth spurt has gifted it more interior space as well, while revamped dynamics mean that it’s also more satisfying to drive than the previous model.

Add in the value that MG is famous for, plus its 10-year warranty, and it’s clear that the new HS should be under serious consideration for mid-size SUV buyers.

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Hyundai Australia has expanded the N Australia customer activities with the announcement of N Club Track Days in 2025, with seven track day events across Australia available to N owners with N vehicles.

N Club Track Days will allow N owners to experience the capability of their cars in a safe and controlled environment on the track, as well as honing their driving skills with personal tuition from expert instructors.

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Hyundai’s race and rally N Ambassadors will also be on hand to provide passenger rides with two-time TCR Australia Champion Josh Buchan, rally ace Brendan Reeves and former Hyundai WRC driver Chris Atkinson all available.

According to Hyundai, participants will be provided with N Tech support from Hyundai technicians, and a discount on their next genuine service.

The N Club Track Days will take place at some iconic Australian racetracks, including Morgan Park Raceway in Queensland, Sydney Motorsport Park in New South Wales, Baskerville Raceway in Tasmania and The Bend Motorsport Park in South Australia.

Hyundai has also organised other N Club events such as N Drive Meets and the seventh annual N Festival, which will be a three-day event at Winton Motor Raceway in Victoria on November 21-23.

“We are extremely proud of the engaged and enthusiastic performance car community we have fostered since launching the N brand in Australia,” said Ted Lee, outgoing Hyundai Motor Company Australia Chief Executive Officer. “It was a natural next step for our N Australia program – dedicated track days for dedicated N-thusiasts.”

Check Hyundai’s N Australia Facebook page for more details.

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N Club Track Days 2025:

Oscar Piastri looks like a kid. In pictures with his girlfriend Lily Zneimer, they could be heading to their Year 10 formal.

Yet there is incredible maturity in Australia’s grand prix youngster. He has speed and commitment, with intelligence and inner steel to match. Piastri will be a genuine contender through the 24 stops on the 2025 Formula 1 World Championship tour, right from the get-go when the field for the Australian Grand Prix lines up just a couple of suburbs across from the Piastri family home in Brighton East.

“Fighting it out at the front. Winning. Another step up in level from last year,” Piastri tells Wheels in a pre-season chat about the year ahead.

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The 23-year-old proved his potential last year when he won his first Formula 1 races with the resurgent McLaren team and, for a time in the mid-season, out-scored everyone at the top end of grand prix racing.

Those second-season successes could have triggered wild, childish celebrations, but Piastri stayed calm and composed. He appeared more like French five-time world champion Alain Prost, who was nicknamed ‘The Professor’, than his emotional and mercurial countryman Daniel ‘The Shoey’ Ricciardo.

He is joined for the 2025 season by Jack Doohan, son of the legendary MotoGP champion Mick, as Australia maintains its two-driver contribution to the starting grid. New Zealander Liam Lawson will also be part of the pack, facing the giant challenge of racing as team-mate to the super-focused four-time champion ‘Mighty’ Max Verstappen at Red Bull.

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Doohan’s future at Alpine is not clear, with rumours swirling around the team’s Machiavellian boss Flavio Briatore, who guided both Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso to world titles but was punted out of F1 after a cheating scandal. Doohan has a multi-year contract but Briatore is impatient and ruthless.

Things are different for Piastri, who is rock-solid at McLaren alongside Lando Norris and would be a hot property if there was any chance of him defecting before the conclusion of his current contract at the end of 2026.

For anyone who has followed Piastri’s fledgling career, season 2024 was just the next step on an inexorable drive to the pinnacle of world motorsport.

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After early victories over adults in remote-controlled miniature race cars, it really began when 14-year-old Piastri moved to an elite boarding school in Britain – where he later met Lily – to pursue his grand prix dream.

He was a winner from the get-go in junior single-seater racing and, almost from the start, was tipped for greatness.

“He is one of the future champions of Formula One,” the then-head of Alpine F1, Laurent Rossi, told me after he signed Piastri as the French team’s reserve driver at the start of 2022.

Piastri proved Rossi was right as he rocketed through back-to-back title wins on the final two steps to grand prix grids, the FIA Formula 3 and Formula 2 championships. Anyone who can do that – including seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton – is very, very talented. But Piastri proved he was something special when he lifted both the F3 and F2 crowns in his rookie seasons.

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Now it’s 2025 and Piastri is a challenger for the Formula 1 world championship with McLaren.

“He got his first grand prix wins last year which are massive milestones and he’s ready to fight it out at the sharp end again,” says Mark Webber, the carbon fibre-tough Aussie who is using his own experience in F1 to guide the youngster. He will be at 18 or 19 races, taking care of business as “Oscar’s eyes and ears and representing his interests”.

Webber raced nose-to-nose with Fernando Alonso and four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel as he got within one race of the world title in 2010, so he is ideally placed to help guide Piastri’s career and avoid the mistakes and mis-steps of his own time in F1.

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He proved his multi-million-dollar management expertise when he led Piastri away from Alpine to McLaren, after the papaya team had sacked the under-performing Ricciardo, in one of the smartest switches in recent F1 history. McLaren was the top-rated team in 2024, Alpine only sixth.

Webber would make an excellent poker player and some of his emotionally-controlled approach to F1 is reflected in Piastri, who often seems – apart from his baby face – much older than those 23 years.

“We’re very proud of how phenomenally well Oscar has performed in his first two years in F1. He’s shown fantastic progression, he’s proving himself in great fashion and he’s incredibly hungry for more,” says Webber.

“We know there’s still even more room for him to improve and that is very exciting.”

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Clearly, Webber is talking about a world title and says he saw the potential in the youngster when he was in Formula 3.

“His F2 year was extremely impressive. Many drivers do the last two races of the previous season to help their first year in F2 but Oscar did not have this luxury due to budget, and so went straight into round one as a genuine rookie in what proved to be a championship-winning season for him.”

Piastri is already more than just another F1 driver and showed he has become Australia’s newest sporting superstar when he was escorted onto the Melbourne Cricket Ground for a guest appearance during the Australia-versus-India test match series. He and Lily also got a special welcome at the Australian Open tennis.

Star treatment might be fun, but Piastri is not letting it blunt his laser-sharp focus on success. His goal is clear – to improve on his stellar 2024 season.

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Comparing Piastri with Australia’s two F1 champions, Sir Jack Brabham and Alan Jones, highlights the similarities and the differences.

Brabham was a gritty tradesman who ground out his three world titles with an engineer’s brain and the instincts of a speedway brawler who learned his craft on Sydney dirt tracks after World War II.

Jones showed flashes of brilliance on the track to Formula 1, then cashed-in his commitment – he rented rooms in his London home to make money for racing – when he got the ground-breaking Williams FW07 to punish his rivals.

Piastri can be as aggressive as Jones and as unflappable as Brabham, something he proved when he stole the lead from Charles Leclerc at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in 2024, before successfully defending first place to the chequered flag despite relentless attacks by the Ferrari star. He rates it as his favourite moment of the season.

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“It was a high-commitment move but it’s what won me that race,” he recalls. “After the pitstop, I knew I had one chance and had to take it. I wouldn’t really classify myself as the ‘just send it’ type, but I think my racecraft is pretty good. I’d say I’m pretty calculated, weighting up the risk-versus-reward and being consistent in all aspects of my racing.

“Thankfully, I pulled it off. It was a stressful afternoon from then onwards, but that moment stands out. It was certainly a very special victory for me.”

There were many other landmark moves as he polished his craft and learned to fight with the F1 pace-setters, including his team-mate Norris.

“I think my racecraft developed another level in 2024, especially in the middle part of the season. I was very happy with my performances and consistency,” he says.

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“I’ve still got learning and improving to do, but I feel like I developed a lot of important tools to compete at the top. Also, of course, strategically both the team and I had some sensational learnings which we’ll be deploying in 2025.”

His learning and improving coincided – was it a coincidence, or did Webber already know? – with McLaren racing back to the front of F1, scoring its first manufacturers’ world title since 1998.

“At the last race of 2024, the two McLarens locked out the front row of the grid in Abu Dhabi. With the same regulations going into 2025, we remain optimistic but never over-confident as we know in Formula 1 the margins are extremely tight, and we respect our opposition,” says Piastri.

“We need consistency at every circuit, exceptional reliability and be strong in all conditions.”

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McLaren says it has not gone conservative with its new car, the MCL39, instead pushing for the tiniest gains in every area. It’s the same for Piastri, as it has been since he left home and Australia nearly 10 years ago.

“Obviously, going into boarding school was a bit of a shock. Maybe not a shock, but not what I was used to. But I actually found it very positive away from the track as it gave me something to focus on.”

It also helped that Piastri was not just an ordinary student, just as Zneimer achieved super-high grades and a qualification in engineering.

“For me it was all pretty positive. I was pretty bright at school and I did maths, physics and science as my A-level (school leaving) subjects.

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“If I wasn’t a driver, I’d probably want to follow something along the engineering pathway. It’s always interested me and, even being a racing driver, knowing what set-up changes you can make is good.”

The common thread through the Piastri story is his dedication to the job, and the ability to deliver on promises. Even as a teenager.

“It mostly comes from me. I set the standard. You’ve got to be doing it for yourself more than anyone else,” he says.

But he also has McLaren and Webber, as well as another key member of Team Piastri, Ann Neal. She was Webber’s manager from his early days in Formula Ford and was alongside for his nine grand prix wins, then into his Le Mans sports car career with Porsche, eventually becoming his wife.

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Now her job is making life easier for Piastri.

“It’s full time. I’m extremely involved on a daily basis, co-ordinating and managing the support team and service providers around Oscar,” she says.

“It’s very different to when Mark was competing as the sport has become so huge. It’s a very rewarding project being involved in Oscar’s career.”

She believes Piastri has one great strength.

“His composure. Unflappability,” she says.

With so much at stake, and so much ahead, Piastri tells Wheels he has a bunch of learnings to roll into season 2025.

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“There are so many facets I’m continuing to build on,” he begins. “Generally, I think I showed pretty clear progress from my rookie year so it was a good improvement but there is still room to go. I think I made big strides forward with race tyre management last season which was pleasing. Of course, finishing every single racing lap was a pretty good bonus along the way as it’s not always easy to achieve.”

Taking a break from Formula 1, there is more to discover about Piastri. For a start, there is his taste in music.

“I’m actually into house music, which surprises most people. I like artists like Sammy Virji and Fisher and tend to have them on in the car or when I’m training.”

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And what makes him laugh?

“Alex Albon’s padel technique,” he says of a mini-tennis sport which has become popular with many of the drivers, including the Williams racer. But it doesn’t take long and we’re back to racing, and the start of the season at Albert Park.

“Being a Melbourne boy, it’s always a special race for me. But it’s even more special being the season opener this year. The support I receive there is incredible and it’s a great feeling to see all the Aussie fans in the grandstands. I’m really looking forward to it and hopefully I can start the first race of the season with a strong result on home soil.”

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He cannot hide the prime emotion leading into the AGP.

“Excitement,” Piastri says.

“After a few months away from racing, having a break and spending time with friends and family, I’m really looking forward to getting going again and seeing what I can achieve. Every year in Formula 1 is massive. I’m looking forward to my third year and, of course, I’ve never had more experience than now which gives me confidence.”

That confidence is reflected in his driving, but also the way he has coped with competing in a British team alongside Norris, who is a new British hero together with George Russell at Mercedes-AMG. While Norris can be moody and petulant, and complained over the McLaren radio when he thought Piastri was getting an advantage at times last year, the Australian has stayed calm and focused.

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Still, the inner steel is obvious when Piastri talks about his drive and ultimate ambition in Formula 1.

“I love the competition and enjoy being at the business end of the grid,” he says. “Being the pinnacle of motorsport, naturally this comes with plenty of responsibility which, of course, I’m aware of so it’s always a balance between enjoyment and the critical role I have with the team.

“Fighting for wins and championships has been my dream since I was a little kid and I’m determined to give it everything.”