THESE are the 10 best Wheels videos from 2018. Want more? We will be on your TV from January 13, gatecrashing the party on ten’s WhichCar TV.
2018 Hot Hatch Megatest
A dozen of the best hot hatches you can buy today entered. Only one came away a winner.
The comments section had a field day with the verdict on this one.
2019 Mercedes-AMG E53 Coupe review: Car vs Road
We charge for the highest road in Australia from sea level in Mercedes-AMG’s new superboosted E53 Coupe.
We follow a HSV GTSR W1 down the production line
What does it take to bolt together the fastest, greatest ever Aussie super-sedan?
We supervise an HSV build process that’s never to be repeated.
2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk review
A car as unhinged as the Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk requires an equally unhinged video.
So we took the 522kW Hellcat-powered SUV to a rallycross track at Winton, naturally.
There were copious amounts of dirt, some big slides, and one very happy Andy Enright.
Maranello Motorsport’s hidden Ferrari gems
Hidden away in an unsuspecting warehouse is Maranello Motorsport, which houses some of the rarest prancing horses in the country.
The team let us inside to get up close and person with two of the maddest track-only Ferraris to ever be built, the FXX, and F40 GTE.
2018 Porsche 911 GT3 review: Car vs Road
Driving doesn’t get much better than this.
Sit back, crank the volume to 11, and enjoy the GT3’s glorious 9000rpm song.
2018 Mercedes-AMG GLC63 S review
We took Mercedes-AMG’s twin-turbo V8 to Tasmania in search of the state’s best roads.
The purpose? To find out whether performance SUVs are good enough to be appeal to hardcore enthusiasts.
Porsche 911 GT3 RS – Data Driven
If the Porsche GT3 from the previous video seems a bit soft for you, then we have just the solution – the GT3 RS.
It’s the closest thing to a full-blown Carrera Cup car for the road, and we spent a day at Queensland Raceway to see how much data helps you improve as a driver.
Volkswagen Arteon vs Kia Stinger vs Commodore SS-V Review
With V8 sedans no longer being produced in Australia, we took the VF Commodore SS-V for one final spin, with a Kia Stinger and Volkswagen Arteon in tow. Tyres may have been cremated.
2018 Wheels Car of the Year: Behind the Scenes
With Car of the Year 2019 just around the corner, now is the perfect time to catch up on what makes our COTY testing so unique.
I’ll let our judges do the talking…
The joy associated with fireworks ushering in the New Year isn’t shared by everyone… particularly dogs and their owners.
The excessive noise and weird vibrations given off by festive pyrotechnics cause high levels of fear and stress in dogs of all shapes and sizes, which can cause them to panic and run away. That’s not such a happy new year.
So Ford has designed a kennel that features noise-cancelling technology similar to that used in the Endura SUV, which has just launched in Australia.
Like noise-cancelling headphones, the system uses microphones that pick up high levels of noise from the Endura’s engine or transmission, which is counteracted using opposing sound waves from the car’s audio system.
The canine-loving boffins at Ford of Europe used the technology to build a prototype kennel that uses a microphone to detect the sound of the fireworks or thunder, while a built-in audio system emits opposing frequencies that, in effect, cancels out the noise completely – or at least reduces it significantly not to bother your pooch. The kennel is also lined with high-density cork sound proofing.
While it’s a concept for now, the noise-cancelling kennel is the first in a series of Ford initiatives – called Interventions – that applies the motoring giant’s automotive know-how to help solve everyday problems.
What else would you like to see Ford’s engineers develop? Self-watering plants? Kids that entertain themselves during the holidays? Let us know below!
Formula Drift champion Vaughn Gittin Jr and 2018 NASCAR Cup champion Joey Logano have taken introduced the 2019 Ford NASCAR Mustang to YouTube by tandem drifting around Charlotte Motor Speedway with Gittin Jr’s Mustang RTR.
Ford says it’s the “first running footage” of the 2019 NASCAR Mustang, and what a way to introduce it.
After filming the clip, Vaughn Gittin Jr said Logano was surprisingly quick to get comfortable with drifting, something many racers naturally avoid.
“Drifting door-to-door in the new Roval infield at Charlotte Motor Speedway with Joey behind wheel of the new 2019 NASCAR Mustang was a wild and fun experience,” he said.
“I have never seen a driver from another [racing] discipline take to drifting like Joey did.
“After a bit of instruction he was linking turns and I was comfortable to get super close.
“A true ‘Fun-Haver’ at heart, Joey’s smile from ear-to-ear said it all for me! He was bit by the drift bug and I look forward to some more fun with the champ in the future!”
Logano says he’s excited to be one of the first to race the Mustang NASCAR in the Cup series next year.
“This was a really fun way to be welcomed into the Mustang family. I’m looking forward to doing more Mustang burnouts and donuts on the way to victory lane next year!”
When the Mustang NASCAR takes to the track next year, it will be the first time in the Mustang’s 54-year history that the pony car will compete in NASCAR’s top tier, a series that has run since 1949.
The Mustang will first race in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series at the 2019 Daytona 500 on February 17.
The S5000 open-wheel race series is getting closer to its inauguration, but until then there are very few videos of the V8-powered racers in action.
However, the S5000 series’ official YouTube channel uploaded a quick hot lap video of an S5000 car at Winton Raceway, piloted by former Formula 3 ADC campion Tim Macrow.
While the current lap record at Winton is Christopher Anthony’s effort in a Merc-powered Dallara F311 at 1:14.340 – according to Winton’s data last updated this year – the video shows Macrow achieving a lap time of around 1:18. That will almost certainly become faster as the series goes on.
For context, the fastest tin-top lap listed is Fabian Coulthard’s Falcon Supercar lap of 1:19.709 in 2017, and MOTOR’s fastest lap at Winton during PCOTY 2018 was 1:30 flat in a GT-R Nismo, driven by David Reynolds.
Matt Braid, director of Australian Racing Group – the organisation managing the S5000 and local TCR series – says he expects lap records to be broken regularly by the S5000 racers as they take to tracks like Winton, The Bend, and Sydney Motorsport Park.
“For many years, we’ve been yearning for a local, cost-effective, premier open wheel motorsport category, and we have no doubt that the S5000 package is the car to deliver what is needed.
“They will be fast, loud and entertaining, and since revealing the car three months ago, we anticipate that the best drivers and teams from around Australia and abroad will be part of this history-making category.”
S5000 kicks off for its inaugural season in mid-May 2019.
The Ferrari Portofino takes over from the California as the Italian marque’s ‘everyday’ model, a car pitched as being friendlier and more easy to live with than its rapier-sharp lineup of mid-engined V8 supercars and front-engined V12 mega-coupes like the 488 and 812 Superfast.
More importantly, however, it’s also the new gateway into Ferrari ownership. Are you a person of means who has aspirations of owning hot Maranello metal like the F12 tdf? You’ll need to be a long-time Ferrari customer before the company even considers extending an invitation to you to buy its upper-echelon vehicles, and putting something like the Portofino in your garage is the first step towards putting your name on Ferrari’s radar.
VALUE
Is ‘value’ even a crucial criteria for a Ferrari? Retailing at $399,888, and with the next two years of supply already accounted for, one could argue that the near-$400K sticker is no impediment to the Portofino. After all, when it comes to putting one of the most coveted badges on the planet into your possession, many people would gladly pay even more than that.
STANDARD FEATURES
You’d expect plenty of gear for that spend, and the Portofino isn’t exactly stripper-spec. Standard inclusions comprise dusk-sensing LED headlamps and tail lamps, dual-zone climate control, keyless entry, a self-dimming rear view mirror, heated wing mirrors, power-adjustable seats, rain-sensing wipers, cruise control, front and rear parking sensors and gorgeous 20-inch alloys.
Carbon-ceramic brakes – often a megadollar option on cars of this calibre – are also standard, and so is a Portofino-specific car cover and battery maintainer.
The Portofino’s 10.25-inch colour mulitimedia touchscreen is a slick unit, with integrated satellite navigation and digital radio tuner, along with smartphone-like responsiveness to prods from your fingertips. It’s easy to use, if a little low-set in the dashboard.
However, as is the norm for a Ferrari, there’s ample scope to increase the price via the option list. The vehicle we drove was also equipped with, among other things, magnetic dampers ($8970), ventilated seats ($5900), a premium stereo ($10,451), front and rear parking cameras ($9981) and a small colour touchscreen for the passenger ($9501). All of those options pale in comparison to the cost of the luscious Bianco Italia paintjob on this car, though, which comes at an eye-watering premium of $43,450.
SIZE
The Portofino shares none of its underpinnings with the California that it replaces; however, its footprint on the road isn’t all that different. Marginally longer at 4.59m versus the California’s 4.57m, the Portofino is also 280mm wider. Fractional differences, and the 2.67m wheelbase is identical.
What differs is the weight and structure. Under-the skin improvements make the Portofino’s body stiffer by 35 per cent, while overall mass falls by 80kg thanks to increased use of aluminium and magnesium components.
With the roof raised and its partition stowed (which prevents the closure of the folding hardtop), the Portofino’s boot offers up 292 litres of luggage capacity. Not bad for a two-door convertible sports car.
Pininfarina reborn: the new carrozzeria
SAFETY
The Portofino is equipped with dual front and side/head airbags for the front seats; however, there’s no head-level airbag protection for those in the back. There are, however, ISOFIX child seat anchorages in the rear seats. Electronic safety aids include ABS, EBD, brake assist, switchable stability and traction control.
COMFORT
Remember Maxell’s iconic advert from the 1980s? The one with the bloke sat low-slung in a Le Corbusier armchair, having the sheer sonic clarity of Maxell cassette tapes literally blow him away? A modern analogue would surely feature the Ferrari Portofino, with the car’s fantastically supportive and magnesium-framed driver’s seat standing in for the armchair, and a 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8 taking the place of a JBL floor speaker and Ride of the Valkyries.
There’d be one crucial difference however – a surprising absence of tie-flicking, hair-rustling wind. Roof folded away and with windows down, the cabin is serene enough for easy conversation at speed.
It’s probably a different story for those in the back seats, but wind turbulence is the least of their troubles back there. A near total absence of legroom when the front seats are placed into what we feel is a normal position really curbs rear seat comfort, and the vertical backrests compound the issue even further. If a human being really must sit behind the front seats, we’d hope they’re in a child seat.
Otherwise, the Portofino is a very nice place to be. The interior is lovely to look at and touch, with soft leather, contrast hand-stitching and an infotainment system that’s surprisingly slick and intuitive – we just wish it wasn’t mounted so low in the dash.
ON THE ROAD
It might be the entry point to the Ferrari family, but there’s nothing entry-level about a 441kW, 760Nm twin-turbo 3.9-litre V8. Shared with the GTC4 Lusso T but detuned slightly, the Portofino’s engine provides masses of low-down torque that seamlessly transitions into screaming top-end power.
With a redline of ‘only’ 7500rpm it feels like the party ends a little earlier than it should for a Ferrari, but grab another gear from the rapid-shifting seven-speed dual clutch and thrust resumes smartly – with a flamboyant thunderclap from the exhaust as you do so.
It sounds excellent when you work it hard, too, perhaps even more so than the 488 GTB that uses a derivative of the same engine. Above 4000rpm with the accelerator flattened it emits a proper Maranello howl. Unfortunately at lower engine speeds and in Sport mode, the exhaust note doesn’t have quite the same appeal, instead sounding flat and obnoxiously loud when the muffler bypass valves abruptly snap open.
The steering is light, which may turn off handling purists but is actually ideal for threading the Portofino’s long snout through traffic. However it’s the ride that really makes a strong impression. The optional magnetic dampers that were fitted to our tester were magic in their ability to iron out rough roads, and even with the Manettino twisted to ‘Sport’ all it took was a prod of the ‘Bumpy Road’ button on the other side of the steering wheel to restore compliance. The fact the Portofino has such a supple ride despite rolling on 20-inch alloys is properly remarkable, even more so considering its bodyshell has no roof structure to help out.
The Manettino switch has fewer modes than other Ferraris, but winding down lap times isn’t the Portofino’s ethos. ‘Comfort’, ‘Sport’ and ‘ESC off’ should suffice, then. After all, with the flexibility of its power delivery, easy steering and impressive ride comfort, the Portofino delivers on Ferrari’s claim of it being a truly daily-driveable proposition.
VERDICT
“Baby Ferrari”? How dare you. The Portofino doesn’t just feel, drive and sound like a Ferrari, should, but its highly-finished cabin also has a mature feel that makes it feel properly high-end. Ferrari Australia’s supply of the model is sold out until mid-2020, but if you ever dreamed of ticking the ‘Ferrari ownership’ box off your bucket list, the Portofino is an excellent way to do it.
An incredibly rare Ford RS200 has appeared for sale in Australia, currently advertised on MOTOR’s sister publication for classic cars and classifieds Trade Unique Cars.
Listed at a not-insignificant $399,500, the immaculate Group B-era beast boasts a low-kay reading of just over 1700km (or 1058 miles as is actually shown).
Its 1.8-litre turbocharged four cylinder Cosworth-built engine is capable of producing approximately 177kW and 280Nm, though the rally-spec cars were far wilder.
At the 1180kg mark, the RS200 was said to be capable of a 0-60mph (0-97km/h) sprint of 5.0 seconds flat.
The seller, Oldtimer Australia, has documented a detailed history of the car listed, with its origins in the UK being rather short-lived.
“This particular example was sold new by Ford Motorsport in Boreham, Essex in the UK in late 1988 and immediately exported to the USA,” the ad reads.
“There is documentation on file confirming the car arrived by aeroplane into the USA on the 3rd January 1989.
“The first owner lived in Colorado Springs in Colorado. In April 2002 the car was sold by Autosport Designs Inc in New York to its new owner in Tigard, Oregon in the USA. The car then found its way to the owner of a Ford dealership in Pahiatua, New Zealand where it was displayed.
“The current owner acquired the car from Pahiatua in New Zealand and imported it into Brisbane, Australia. There is an import approval on file dated the 9th March 2011.
“This car has remained a static display piece all of its life and most likely never used in anger.”
Maybe it’s time for someone to change that. Let us know if you do.
TAKE a look back at the most popular news stories published by Wheels online this year. Interesting to see that Holden and Ford monopolised the top five stories you clicked on.
‘Holden halts production of Commodore and Equinox’ by Toby Hagon
No other story captured our readers’ imaginations like this bombshell from Toby Hagon, revealing Holden’s shock decision to cease production of the ZB Commodore and Equinox mid-size SUV.
Almost as shocking as the news, was then-newly appointed Holden Boss Dave Buttner’s honesty during the interview.
The taps will remain turned off for the new Commodore into the New Year, and 2018 will be one to forget for Holden, July in particular marking an all-time nadir with just 3927 new registrations.
‘Lone ranger: Holden Commodore cops Texas’s fastest speeding ticket’ by Barry Park
Despite ceasing production last year, the Holden Commodore broke records in the US, with a Chevrolet SS earning the title of the highest velocity speeding ticket issued to a car in Texas
The Seppo Commo was clocked hooking along a road in the Lone Star State at 250km/h, just 15km/h slower than its estimated top speed.
Texas Highway Patrol caught the driver on a road marked at 130km/h, but despite being 120km/h over the limit, the driver was fined just A$380.
Second fastest on the list? A BMW i8 Roadster in 2014, which was 20km/h slower than the V8 sedan.
Both were outdone by the fastest two-wheeled speeder, with a Honda CBR1000 nabbed doing 290km/h.
‘Aussie turns Ford Falcon into Mustang sedan’ by Cameron Kirby
We didn’t really know what to say about this monstrosity when we first saw it, and we still don’t.
This, ah, unique creation entered our radar when it came up for sale (again) this year. It proved a popular story with our readers, perhaps due to morbid curiosity.
‘Six things Holden would prefer you didn’t know about the ZB Commodore’ by Byron Mathioudakis
Interest around the imported Holden ZB Commodore was high earlier in the year.
This special report from Byron Mathioudakis dug into the development of the imported Commodore, and revealed some nuggets that Holden would have really preferred stayed buried.
‘The 525kW one-off V8 Supercar wagon is for sale’ by Tom Fraser
Wagons are for families right? Wrong! They are for shoving a great big V8 under the bonnet, and going racing with.
That’s exactly what Triple Eight Race Engineering did, kinda. This epic creation started life as a legitimate race-winning Supercar, before being transformed into a wild ride day demonstration vehicle.
The unique car’s sale had our readers searching under all their couch cushions trying to scrounge up some extra cash.
‘Mazda’s Apple CarPlay retrofit coming soon’ by Cameron Kirby
Mazda Australia’s decision to provide customers with the chance to get Apple CarPlay and Android Auto retrofitted to their cars was incredibly popular.
Readers flocked to our story detailing the tech upgrade, eager to find out more.
A follow-up story in November revealed demand has been so high for the retrofit that Mazda has been forced to put parts on backorder.
‘Monster Yank utes a slow burn in Australia’ by Cameron Kirby
This story investigating the proliferation of monstrous Yank utes that are beginning to invade Australia prompted a passionate response from readers.
Vehicles like the Dodge Ram 1500 and Chevrolet Silverado are now entering the market, both of which are being converted in Australia at Walkinshaw’s facility in Clayton, but are yet to set the sales charts alight.
Time will tell if Aussies warm to the oversized pick-ups.
‘That’s it: Holden Ute sells out ahead of 2018 Commodore’s launch’ by Barry Park
We all knew it was coming, but that didn’t make it any easier. The last of the iconic Aussie-built Holden Ute left showrooms this year.
Some dealers were so desperate to get their hands on the few remaining cars in stock in February that pleas were posted to social media.
The timing of the news, just before the ZB went on sale locally, made it all the more poignant.
‘VFACTS May 2018: Ford Mustang outselling Holden’s ZB Commodore’ by Barry Park
Another month, another dismal sales result from Holden.
VFACTS in May was a bitter pill for Holden to swallow, with the Commodore falling out of the top 20 list as the market turned away from passenger cars.
That didn’t stop Ford’s Mustang from continuing to dominate sports car sales though, as well as outselling the Commodore.
‘Wheels special investigation: Australia’s own Dieselgate’ by Phil Scott
Phil Scott’s Dirty Diesel investigation is a must-read for any Australian with a diesel-powered car in the garage.
With one in five new vehicles sold in Australia being diesel-powered, his story of how the oil-burners can be a financial ticking time bomb had readers’ interest.
If you have a diesel car in your drive way, make sure to give it a read.
The sports and performance car segment has long been a barometer of the health of an economy. If sporty new cars are selling well, then there’s a few shekels still washing around in the ether. Conversely, it’s also the first segment to feel the wrath of a product planner’s delete key if retail sentiment is off the pace.
It’s six of one and half a dozen of the other at the moment, it seems; retail sentiment is softening, but it’s a buyer’s market for special cars. 2019 is lining up as a banner year, too, with a host of hot metal coming our way. Let’s have a look at the pick of the bunch.
Aston Martin DBX
Price: $240,000 and up
Rivals: Maserati Levante, Porsche Cayenne
Due: October 2019
There are few details available yet on Aston Martin’s entry into the world of high-performance crossovers, but early imagery suggests that the British brand isn’t being shy about giving the high-riding DBX some off-road chops.
Based on the same platform that underpins the new DB11, the DBX will be a petrol-only proposition, with powerplants likely to be sourced from Mercedes-Benz. These could include Merc’s excellent 3.0-litre straight six at the entry level, while a flame-spitting twin turbo V8 could potentially power a range-topper.
Aston Martin Valkyrie
Price: $4 million
Rivals: McLaren Senna, Aston Martin Valkyrie, McLaren Senna, Ferrari La Ferrari, Koenigsegg Agera RS, Pagani Huayra BC
Due: December 2019
This is one outrageous rig, featuring arguably the most powerful naturally aspirated road-going engine ever built. The Valkyrie is being built in conjunction with Red Bull Technologies – legendary F1 designer Adrian Newey penned its sensuous form – while its monster 6.5-litre V12 motor is being built in conjunction with legendary British engine builders Cosworth. Early mail suggests it’ll boot out north of 820kW. Ulp.
With its gullwing doors, carbon fibre everything, and a hybrid power system to go along with that engine, the $4 million price tag should be no surprise. And if you’re thinking of snapping a couple up, too late – all 150 road and 25 track version slated for production have been claimed.
Audi RS5 Sportback
Price: $157,700
Rivals: Mercedes-AMG C63, BMW M4
Due: January 2019
Audi’s hotrod RS5 Sportback joins its wagon twin early in 2019, sharing the same 331kW/600Nm twin-turbo V6 powerplant that flings the grunt at all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic.
It’s a coupe bodystyle but equipped with four doors and a quasi-hatchback rear entrance. And because it’s an MY19 version of the RS 5 pairing, it’ll be graced with Audi’s digital dash, a heads-up display, wireless phone charger and rear USB ports. It’s also available with this exclusive green paint, too, called Sonoma Green.
Audi TT/TTS
Price: $80,000-$95,000
Rivals: BMW M240i
Due: June 2019
Audi’s agreeable little two-seat coupe is in line for a mid-life facelift, having been on the scene since 2016. Don’t expect much in the way of dynamic fireworks or mechanical makeovers; the TT’s relative lack of sales will dictate a commensurately modest spend on updates by the company.
Audi R8
Price: $395,000 (est)
Rivals: McLaren 570S, Lamborghini Huracan LP610-4, Mercedes-Benz AMG GT-R
Due: October 2019
Even though the Audi to beat them all has already gone through a mid-life tweak, Audi says its mid-engined V10 high-performance coupe will score another light update later in 2019. It’s unlikely to score any substantial updates, given how late in its lifecycle it is, but expect perhaps a little tickle-up on the already potent 456kW headline figure, as well as a further tidying of its dynamics. Perhaps a more track-inspired version of its RWS rear-driver, too? Never say never…
BMW 1 Series
Price: $42,000-$72,000
Rivals: Mercedes Benz A-Class, Audi A3/S3
Due: November 2019
BMW is being pretty cagey on this one, but let’s have a swing anyway… Swapping to front wheel drive for the first time, the BMW 1 Series will still yield a performance variant – only this time it’s likely to mimic the M5 by offering all-wheel-drive in conjunction with a turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine. This will pitch it up against Mercedes-AMG’s inbound A-Class hotties.
Given the potential change to a front wheel drive layout, it does put questions marks around the fate of cars like the M140i – it may well even be given a stay of execution until BMW’s first real FWD hot hatch is, err, hatched.
BMW 3 series
Price: $60,000-$120,000
Rivals: Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Audi A4
Due: September 2019
The all-new 3 Series will be built on top of a brand new platform, and will yield a new version of both the M3 and the M4, which may just sneak in before Santa comes at the end of next year. Expect them both to retain a six-cylinder layout.
First up, though, will be the 330i which will have M Sport kit as standard with an M Sport brake system, and the option of a limited slip rear diff.
BMW 8 Series Gran Coupe
Price: $200,000 plus
Rivals: Audi S8, Mercedes-Benz S-Class
Due: March 2019
While an M8 version of this sexy four-door coupe won’t hit the market until after 2019, the ‘entry level’ models will not be slow.
Available from early 2019 will be an 840d xDrive Coupe, powered by a 3.0-litre inline six-cylinder diesel, making 235kW and 650Nm.
The M850i xDrive Coupe M Performance that will arrive alongside it will offer a 4.4-litre V8 petrol engine with 390kW and 750Nm of torque, so that should be pretty darn handy.
BMW Z4
Price: $75,000-$130,000 (est)
Rivals: Audi TT, Ford Mustang convertible
Due: March 2019
At long, long last, the new BMW Z4 will land in 2019. Lighter and simpler than the outgoing version thanks to a fabric roof, the Z4 is designed to chase cars like the Porsche Boxster and Alpine A110. Of course, it also shares its architecture with the forthcoming Toyota Supra.
No specifics on pricing yet, but it looks like there will be three models on offer; an sDrive20i, sDrive30i (just rolls off the tongue, doesn’t it?) and the most potent, the M40i.
Power will be sent to the rear wheels, and the two sDrive cars will get a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo engine. The M40i, meanwhile, will score a 3.0-litre turbocharged six-potter making a healthy 250kW and 500Nm.
Ferrari 488 Pista
Price: $645,000+
Rivals: McLaren 720S, Porsche 911 GT2 RS
Due: December 2019
Should be called the Pista de resistance… for this is the defining light of Ferrari’s V8 prowess. Packing 530kW and 770Nm in a lighter, more aerodynamic form, the Ferrari 488 Pista is a trackday toy like few others – though we’d love to see how it fares against Porsche’s 911 GT2 RS…
Ferrari 488 Pista lands in Australia
Pricing falls under the ‘if you have to ask…’ category, but since you asked, it’ll cost near enough to $650,000… And that’s before the average $65,000 that Ferrari owners add to their new cars.
Hyundai i30N fastback
Price: $45,000
Rivals: Volkswagen Golf GTI, Ford Focus ST, Renault Megane GT
Due: March 2019
Simply a longer and lower version of the already well-regarded Hyundai i30N hatch, the fastback is expected to arrive in the first quarter of 2019, in similar specs and at a similar price to its hatchback brethren. Hyundai likes to call it a performance coupe… and in this body form, it really has few, if any, rivals.
Expect the i30N fastback to arrive in a virtually identical mechanical form to that of its i30N hatch stablemate, which means a 202kW 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo engine sending drive to the front wheels, adaptive dampers and a comprehensive options menu that allow you to tweak the car to your liking.
Lexus LC-F
Price: $280,000
Rivals: Audi RS7
Due: November 2019
Could this finally be the sports car that defines the Lexus brand? The LFA was awesome but expensive and a bit oddball, but the RC F potentially powered by a brand new twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8 – could be right on the money. Packing an expected 350kW or more, along with flared wheelarches, bigger tyres and a whole lot of attitude, it’ll surface late in 2019.
Mercedes-AMG A35
Price: $55-60,000 (est)
Rivals: Volkswagen Golf R, Audi S3
Due: late 2019
Merc will bring a mid-grade version of the barmy A45 to market in the back half of 2019, with the A35 being in the same vein as cars like its C43 sports sedan. The A35 is expected to offer around 225kW of performance from a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo engine, and it’ll retain an all-wheel drivetrain as well.
Mercedes-AMG A45
Price: $80,000 (est)
Rivals: Audi RS3
Due: late 2019
The high performance version of the new A-Class may well be the first hot hatch to push through the mythical 300kW mark for a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol powerplant. It’ll also bring adaptive dampers, all-wheel-drive, and much anger and rortiness to the up-to-now conservative new A-Class line up.
Lamborghini Urus
Price: $390,00
Rivals: Porsche Cayenne Turbo S
Due: January 2019
What do you get when you blend the best elements from some of the world’s most premium brands and whack it underneath a body that a Hot Wheels designer couldn’t have dreamed up? The Lamborghini Urus.
The five-door, five-seat Urus uses a Porsche-sourced twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8 petrol engine that produces 478kW and 850Nm, powering an all-wheel-drive system with the ability to send up to 87 per cent of drive to the rear end.
It’s backed by a traditional eight-speed automatic transmission, which forms part of a multiple drive mode system that includes Strada, Sport and Corsa road modes as well as Terra (land), Neve (snow) and Sabbia (sand) settings. There’s also an Ego mode that allows for a mix of personalised settings.
The Urus uses components and tech found in cars like the Bentayga, Cayenne and Q7. It’ll do 0-100km/h in about 2.5 seconds, and its ten-piston brakes are the biggest ever fitted to any production car ever. Wow.
Porsche 911 992
Price: $240,000 (estimated)
Rivals: Aston Martin DB11
Due: April 2019
The 992 burst onto the world stage at the LA motor show late in 2018, and should make Australian shores in 2019. While it’s built around the same architecture as the 991, the 992 has been pulled, poked, prodded and massaged to make more power, have better handling, feature more safety tech and generally be better and faster than any 911 that’s gone before.
The 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged drivetrain stays the same, but will now make more power and torque than before in fact, the acceleration times of the Carrera 4 could better those posted by the track focused 911 991 GT3.
As well, expect to see the Macan S and Panamera GTS land locally in the month prior.
Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupe
Price: $300,000 (est)
Rivals: Aston Martin Rapide, BMW M6 Gran Coupe, Porsche Panamera, Audi RS7
Due: mid 2019
It’s an AMG GT but not as we know it. The oddly named GT 4-Door Coupe is the first hot sedan built entirely by AMG, and it shares underpinnings with the E-Class. Due in Australia mid-way through 2019, it’s expected to arrive in two guises; a 320kW GT53 six-cylinder and a 470kW GT63 twin-turbo V8.
Even though it’s pretty closely related to the E63 sedan, the GT 4-Door brings with it some of the pomp and glitz of the AMG GT line-up, particularly in the cabin. Equally, though, you’ll get similar levels of performance from the excellent E63…
Mercedes-AMG Project One
Price: $4m (estimated)
Rivals: Aston Martin Rapide, BMW M6 Gran Coupe, Porsche Panamera, Audi RS7
Due: 2019
When a car company says it’s built a race car for the road, it’s probably stretching the truth. In the case of Mercedes-AMG, however, it pretty much is the truth. Under the outlandish carbon skin of the Project One lies the complex, cutting edge heart of the same car that took Brit Lewis Hamilton to the 2017 and 2018 F1 World Championships.
It’s got a projected 0-100km/h time of just 2.5 seconds, courtesy of a 1.6-litre turbocharged V6 engine teamed with four electric motors, and it’s making a neat one thousand horsepower (745kW). And its limited top speed is a measly 350km/h. Pricing is expected to be in the A$4 million bracket – though it’s rumoured that all 275 are already sold out. We’d bet that ardent Merc collector Lindsey Fox might be near the front of the queue.
Porsche Taycan
Price: $240,000 (estimated)
Rivals: Tesla Model S
Due: Dec 2019
Long shot for 2019, this one, but Porsche is pushing hard with the development of its Taycan electric sedan. It runs on an all-wheel drive system driven by a twin-motor setup. The motors are permanent magnet synchronous, and the system is based on the one developed for the 918 Hybrid.
A 160kW/300Nm motor drives the massive 21-inch front wheels, while either a 240kW/340Nm or 320kW/550Nm motor will drive the even bigger 22-inch rears, depending on your spec.
Porsche is already claiming a 0-100km/h sprint of 3.4 seconds, with a top speed limited to 250km/h… and what it says is usually true. Add to that a 500km claimed range on the larger 95kWh battery, and 800-volt charging that can give you 400km of range in 20 minutes (or 100km in four)… where do we sign up?
Toyota Supra
Price: $70,000 (estimated)
Rivals: BMW Z4, Nissan 370Z NISMO, Kia Stinger
Due: Late 2019
Seven years… that’s how long it’s been since Toyota first hinted that it might revisit the notion of a medium-sized sports coupe. Now, after a long and fruitful collaboration with BMW, the Supra is finally on the horizon (and maybe as soon as the Detroit Motor Show in January).
Stats are virtually non-existent on the internally coded A90 Supra, but figure on outputs of around 250kW and 450Nm, as well as an estimate weight of around 1500kg, a short wheelbase and wide front and rear track widths.
It’ll stay true to the notion of a rear-wheel-driven, six-cylinder petrol-powered two-door, though it may well forgo a manual gearbox (which really isn’t a drama these days; autos are generally quicker, and the Supra will get a ZF/BMW eight-speeder and a BMW limited slip diff). It’ll sit above the 86 in both size and price; we guess (hope?) that Toyota won’t make the Supra too premium at the base.
The Porsche iRacing World Championship Series is set to get underway in 2019 with backing from Porsche, and a six-figure prize pool.
Using iRacing’s software and digital Porsche 911 GT3 racers, 40 participants will take place in the 10-race series for which qualifying begins in January 2019.
“Putting together a world championship like this one is important evidence of our increasing commitment to the sport.”
Porsche says it has coordinated with iRacing to run the series, with 10 years of experience behind the digital racing brand’s international championships.
More than USD$100,000 (AUD$139K) in total will be up for grabs as the prize pool.
“The initiative represents the high point so far in the partnership between the two companies, which have been working together since 2017, focusing on the realistic implementation of Porsche motorsport vehicles and online racing,” Porsche says in a statement.
It’s not the first time Porsche and iRacing have joined forces, with the Porsche SimRacing Trophy having been held for 40 participants at the Nürburgring in September.
Porsche’s SimRacing Summit, also took place very recently, where 32 drivers competed at the Porsche factory in Leipzig on 15 and 16 December.
iRacing also runs several other sim racing competitions under different international racing series, with V8 Supercars and Aussie Driver Search representing the Australian brands.
An online IMSA championship and single-make races such as the Global MX-5 Cup also take place in the virtual world thanks to iRacing.
Toyota’s British arm has announced an A90 Supra-themed Christmas wrapping paper, available to buy online.
It’s designed to mimic the red, white, and grey patter (with ‘A90’ repeated within it) that has adorned public-facing versions of the upcoming ‘2020’ Toyota A90 Supra.
But, for some reason, Toyota has decided to release it as a crowd-funded project on UK website CrowdFunder.
A £5 contribution (despite the site’s default amounts set from £10 upwards) to the page will score UK-based folk a 695mm x 1000mm roll of wrapping paper, with 500 rolls to be sold.
Profit from the sales becomes a donation to homeless charity Crisis UK, though Toyota stresses that only those in the UK can receive the wrapping paper.
“The paper, produced in a limited run of just 500 rolls, has the same camouflage body wrap design that has adorned the Supra prototype since its first appearance at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in the summer.
“The dazzle pattern features the red, white and black colours of Toyota Gazoo Racing and a subtle “A90” reference that enthusiasts will recognise as the new car’s chassis code.”
It seems a strange move for Toyota to draw attention to how synonymous the camo design has become with the Supra, given the increasing impatience of those keen for the car’s release.
The good news for the aforementioned (but not for Toyota) is that the A90 Supra has leaked online within the last week, even if just a front-on shot from a forum.
Here’s hoping the frustration directed at Toyota’s secrecy doesn’t result in a lack of donations for the cause. At time of writing, just over 160 of the 500 rolls have been claimed.
