British marque AC Cars will produce nine examples of its aluminium-bodied 1962 AC Cobra, using original tooling, techniques and materials in a bid to create exact reproductions of the firm’s very first Cobra.
And you can’t really blame the firm, which has been operating in some form since 1901, since just three weeks ago the very first 1962 AC Cobra sold at auction for a whopping US$13.75 million (A$17.9m) to become the highest-ever sale price of a production car at a US-based auction.
Dubbed the AC Cobra Mk1 260 Legacy Edition, the nine new examples will carry a price tag of £500,000 ($870,170).
They’ll be available in two colours; the original factory blue of the recent record-setting example, as well as a yellow variant. The story behind the latter option is when the first example was shipped to America for marketing purposes, after a time it was repainted yellow to trick journos and potential customers into thinking more than one example had been produced.
Now, if you think about it, if you purchased one of the nine modern examples and left it sitting in a paddock through a few Australian summers to fast-track the patina of a 54-year-old car, you could essentially save yourself $17 million.
Any gasps didn’t come from the most heroic version of Porsche’s last air-cooled model when a London auction hammer this week fell at AU $3.1 million for a mint 911 GT2.
The exact figure was £1.848m which purchased the 993-generation homologation special, a one owner 1995 Riviera Blue example claimed to be one of about 57 road-going examples and with just 12,730km on its odometer.
When international GT racing banned all-wheel-drive in the mid-1990s, a road block formed in front of the 964 Turbo and Porsche turned to the fattened and lightened rear-drive 911 GT2 that looks almost impossible to be road registerable – but it is.
Porker prices continue to be beefed up beyond belief but clearly the demand is there…
The Audi that merges the four-door A4 and two-door A5 is back in second-generation form – the new A5 Sportback has arrived, seven years after the original ‘five-door coupe’.
There’s no radical departure from the styling of the original, though surfaces are tauter and creases sharpened. Detail changes include a revision to the single-frame grille, which is now flatter and wider.
The A5 Sportback also pares up to 85kg from its predecessor, with the leanest model registering 1470kg on the scales. This should help it match the dynamic improvement made by the A4 sedan released earlier in 2016 and on which the Audi A5 family is based.
A stretched wheelbase contributes to the Sportback’s 17mm growth in overall length and helps extend rear knee-room by 24mm.
There are no surprises in the cabin – again, it’s derived from the A4 and that’s no bad thing. It means a superbly executed interior in terms of materials and technology, and brilliant options such as the Virtual Cockpit switchable digital driver display, Audi Tablet rear entertainment, and wireless smartphone charging.
Active safety tech includes the availability of low-speed active cruise control to make commuting more relaxing, traffic-sign recognition, Turn Assist that helps avoid crossing into the path of an oncoming vehicle, and Exit Warning that helps prevent doors being opened when a cyclist is approaching.
It’s powered by the same 260kW turbo 3.0-litre V6 used in the S4 sedan and S5 coupe, and stakes the same 4.7sec 0-100km/h claim.
The regular Audi A5 Sportback range also shares engines with the rest of its family, including 1.4 and 2.0-litre turbo petrol engines and a 2.0-litre turbo diesel. Similarly, they either power the front wheels only or all four on quattro variants.
Audi Australia says the A5 Sportback is due here in mid-2017. It’s currently priced from $67,810.
That dream of owning a used air-cooled Porsche 911 just turned into a fiscal nightmare, with a 1995 993 GT2 selling for £1,848,000 ($3.2 million) at a London auction this week.
RM Sotheby’s auction room resembled a ping-pong tournament with auction paddles getting a vigorous workout when the flared Riviera Blue coupe, one of the last of the great air-cooled 911s, hit the stand.
A rare unmodified car, one of only 57 road-worthy versions and sporting a measly 12,730km on the clock, fetched more than $1.75 million above its reserve. This was no barn find.
“As road-going GT2s seldom come to market, of which many were used competitively, the opportunity to acquire an unmolested low-mileage and single-owner example is one not to be missed by the discerning Porsche collector,” the Sotheby’s brochure stated.
According to Classic Driver, the proud new owner was a European bidder who took advantage of the weak pound to snare the whale-tailed wonder after going toe to toe with another bidder in the room.
Here’s hoping they actually make use of its GT2-class racing performance – its 3.6-litre, twin turbocharged, straight-six engine produces 331kW and 587Nm, and is capable of 0-100km/h in 3.9 seconds, which was a pretty big deal in 1995.
While this is not your average Porsche 911, other results at the auction suggest that prices for all models sans radiators are heading north. These included a 1993 Porsche 911 Turbo S Lightweight that sold for $1.7 million (four times the reserve) and a 1993 911 Carrera RS which fetched $1.25 million.
The see-sawing sedan speed battle between Alfa Romeo and Porsche at the Nürburgring has just swung back in the Italian’s favour with a coccyx-jarring thud.
In June, Porsche announced that its new Panamera Turbo had set a Nürburgring lap record for production sedans with a 7m 38s lap that beat the previous record holder, the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio, by one second.
Alfa Romeo has responded by shattering Porsche’s mark by an incredible six seconds, lapping the iconic circuit in 7m and 32s. In a world where numbers after the decimal point matter, that’s a staggering result.
To put that time into perspective, the Guilia is an appropriate daily driver yet its Nürburgring time is equal to the 2010 Porsche 911 Turbo S and a second faster than the 2010 Porsche 911 GT3 RS.
So what did Alfa do to the Giulia to smash its previous record?
The original 7:39 time was set with a manual Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio, so the Torinesi decided to tackle the track with a new eight-speed automatic-equipped Giulia QV.
But far from letting the automatic transmission do all the work, Alfa Romeo and Maserati test driver Fabio Francia showed what a demon he is on flappy paddles during his fearless record-breaking run.
The Italian driver must now be a hero for anyone who’s ordered a 2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio. The model packs a 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6 that punches out 376.5kW, while the optional eight-speed ZF gearbox used in the record-breaking run can shift in 150 milliseconds.
Porsche’s most advanced Panamera sports sedan yet can deliver either a high speed of 278km/h or low consumption of just 2.5L/100km.
The German brand has released details of its Panamera 4 E-Hybrid ahead of its 2016 Paris motor show debut at the end of September, and its local arrival in mid 2017.
The $242,600 Panamera plug-in hybrid not only reduces fuel use by 0.6L/100km compared with its predecessor, it extends its electric-only range by 15km to a maximum 50km.
It’s also nearly a second quicker to reach 100km/h from standstill, with a quoted time of 4.6 seconds.
The V6 produces 243kW and 450Nm; the electric motor delivers 100kW and 400Nm.
They produce combined system outputs of 340kW and 700Nm – 34kW and 210Nm higher than the old model. Gearchanges are via the same eight-speed PDK auto used in other Panameras.
Previously, the throttle had to be depressed four-fifths through its travel before the electric motor would be engaged. The electric motor, powered by a liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery that has greater energy density without increasing in weight, is now available at all times.
There’s also Sport and Sport Plus modes that use the V6 continuously, with the latter mode delivering maximum performance.
Charging takes 5.8 hours using the standard 3.6kW charger, according to Porsche. That can be cut to 3.6 hours using an optional 7.2kW charger.
Peugeot has whipped the covers off its first-ever seven-seat SUV ahead of the world premiere slated for the Paris Motor Show at the end of this month.
The 5008 SUV will replace the firm’s ageing people mover of the same name and, if suggestions made by Peugeot Australia’s general manager are anything to go by, the all-new 5008 SUV could be one of three Peugeot-branded SUVs Australian buyers will be able to choose come 2017.
“While final specifications and model line-up are yet to be confirmed, we are confident of securing the seven-seat 5008 SUV for local sale,” the firm’s Kai Bruesewitz said. “With the updated 2008, all-new 3008 and, pending negotiations, all-new 5008, Peugeot will round out its full range of passenger and SUV vehicles in Australia.”
While it might be Peugeot’s first large SUV, the firm has used its people-mover experience to pull off what appears to be a well-executed rival to the likes of the segment’s best sellers in Mazda’s CX-9 and Toyota’s Kluger. As well as a panoramic and opening glass roof, Peugeot is boasting a class-leading luggage capacity at 1060 litres (maximum) thanks to the removable third-row and separately folding second-row seats, with all three of the latter adjustable in both length and inclination.
The new-for-2017 5008 will employ the firm’s i-Cockpit system which includes not only an eight-inch touchscreen infotainment system but also a 12.3-inch heads-up display.
Speaking of tech, the large SUV is equipped with a bevy of electronic driver aids including automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, automatic high beam, speed sign recognition and park assist which includes a 360-degree camera.
Sharing the same chassis and engine platforms as its 3008 sibling, the 5008 will be offered with a choice of two turbo petrol engines as well as two variants of a turbo diesel engine, though it’s yet to be confirmed if all versions will be available in Australia. Likewise, we’ll have to wait and see if the entire five-tiered overseas range (Access, Active, Allure, GT Line and GT) will be available Down Under.
Jaguar has launched its bid to enter the third season of the FIA Formula E racing championship later this year after it revealed a new I-Type racecar said to help the British brand forge a leading path with production electric sports cars in the future.
The slinky I-Type was developed by the newly formed Panasonic Jaguar Racing Team, and will be driven by 22-year-old Mitch Evans from New Zealand, 33-year-old Adam Carroll from Northern Ireland and 33-year-old Ho Pin-Tung from China in the all-electric championship that kicks off in Hong Kong in October.
Drivers have completed 21 days of testing the i-Type, concluding at the UK’s Donnington circuit this week.
Perhaps surprisingly for a brand most renowned for supercharged petrol soundtracks, Jaguar’s racing bid openly reflects its desire to push a greater number of electric cars into production more quickly.
“The real exciting hope is transforming people’s beliefs in electric cars and really promoting that revolution of the electric vehicle is really, really coming incredibly fast,” Jaguar Land Rover executive director of product engineering Nick Rogers said at the UK launch event.
It could mean the letter ‘i’ might replace ‘f’ at some point in Jaguar’s production car range.
“Electric cars are going to be part of our future and it [I-Type] is the lead into that,” Jaguar Australia’s senior public affairs executive James Scrimshaw told MOTOR.
Jaguar Australia also hopes the I-Type could make it Down Under in the 2017 or 2018 season of Formula-E, with the company campaigning to have a racetrack added to the event calendar.
“There’s no Australian track yet but I know they’re hoping to get something here and that would be great for us.”
New name and a new face signal a fresh start for the Colorado 7, re-engineered as the Holden Trailblazer.
WHAT IS IT? A major mid-life facelift for Holden’s separate-chassis, seven-seat SUV, twinned with similar changes wrought on the Colorado ute. Three years in the making and now badged Trailblazer, Holden’s Thai-built, Aussie-developed wagon wants to make amends for its rough-and-ready past with newfound comfort and refinement.
WHY WE’RE TESTING IT? Hot on the heels of the facelifted Colorado ute, the Trailblazer needs to be more than just a workhorse in drag. But its quest for banishing rough edges can’t be at the expense of its three-tonne braked towing capacity or its off-road ability.
MAIN RIVALS In concept, it’s the closely related Isuzu MU-X, as well as Ford Everest, Toyota Fortuner, Mitsubishi Pajero Sport and Nissan’s ancient Y61 Patrol, though at just $52,490 for the range-topping LTZ, Trailblazer undercuts some of its rivals by a massive margin.
PLUS: Off-the-line punch; newfound smoothness and quietness; country-road handling; cohesive new dash design; value MINUS: Dynamically inferior to a monocoque design; flawed driving position; bland rear-end styling; large turning circle; weight
THE WHEELS REVIEW AUSSIES have always appreciated ruggedness. Whether it’s a bloke who knows how to stump a fence or a car that never quits, there’s something about having the ability to tackle any challenge that rallies our troops. How else do you explain the rise of the separate-chassis, seven-seat SUV?
It’s amazing what three years of intensive re-engineering can achieve, however. Colorado 7 is out and Trailblazer is in, sporting handsome new styling from the windscreen forwards (front guards apart), new 18-inch alloys on the flagship LTZ and a heap of refinement-focused upgrades designed to introduce some decorum to the Trailblazer experience.
Co-developed with GM Brazil and Thailand (where Trailblazer and Colorado are built), but driven by our market’s more sophisticated demands, with final suspension sign-off completed in Australia, the Trailblazer is a substantially different vehicle right where it counts.
Despite the limitations of its body-on-frame design, live rear axle (admittedly with five links and coil springs) and three-tonne towing demands, the Trailblazer does its best to overcome those obstacles on rough surfaces. You can still sense a fair amount of unsprung mass, but the Trailblazer’s damping finesse means it remains nicely controlled and relatively level, without the jiggly pitter-patter that so often undermines this type of vehicle.
Hell, it’s even a bit of fun when the red mist descends. While Trailblazer’s steering remains far from sharp, it’s consistently weighted and firms up naturally in corners, guided by a carry-over steering wheel that feels less putrid than it looks. And there’s an innate balance to the Trailblazer’s chassis that transfers load onto its rear end in faster corners for confidence-inspiring, effortless country-road motoring.
Gone is the engine grumble of yore, replaced by a drivetrain that delivers determined, lag-free punch off the line, bags of mid-range torque and a slickness of response to the 2.8-litre turbo-diesel’s manner that is unexpectedly polished. Upshifting seamlessly at peak power (3600rpm) gear after gear, the Trailblazer’s six-speed auto will also deliver manual downshifts as early (and smoothly) as it possible can, meaning proper engine braking in challenging conditions.
But the cherry garnishing Trailblazer’s newfound refinement is its interior. A brand new dashboard banishes the Colorado 7’s horrid cabin ambience to the rubbish heap, replaced by a neatly symmetrical, nicely constructed and quite classy arrangement that looks and feels first-world GM, rather than a third-world cast-off. Only the lack of steering-wheel reach adjustment, and the corresponding compromise this demands of your driving position (even with six-way electric seat adjustment in LTZ) undermines Trailblazer’s cabin cred.
This time, however, lots of kit for the price isn’t the only attraction of Holden’s seven-seat, separate-chassis SUV. Bland rear styling aside, the Trailblazer is a handsome, comfortable, capable and eminently driveable family truck with a level of refinement that belies its rudimentary architecture. It’s a more relaxed (and far cheaper) SUV than Ford’s Everest, and that’s what makes it good.
SPECS Model: Holden Trailblazer LTZ Engine: 2776cc 4cyl, dohc, 16v, TD Max power: 147kW @ 3600rpm Max torque: 500Nm @ 2000-2200rpm Transmission: 6-speed automatic Weight: 2203kg 0-100km/h: 10.5sec (estimated) Fuel economy: 8.6L/100km Price: $52,990 On sale: October 1
The thing about records is, they’re made to be broken.
Just two months after Porsche claiming bragging rights with its new Panamera Turbo, Alfa Romeo has captured the title of fastest four-door around the Nurburgring with its new Giulia QV recording an incredible 7min 32sec lap.
Its initial 7min 39sec claim was a ‘virtual’ lap based on best sectors, however Italian racer Fabio Francia has impressively managed to shave seven seconds off that.
Just as with Marco Mapelli’s incredible 6min 59sec effort last year in the Aventador SV, though, Francia uses every inch of the track to achieve the time. Must be a red-blooded Italian thing.
For context, the Giulia’s time matches the likes of the Porsche 997 GT2.
