A dynamic step up from its predecessor, the new A3 is built on a new platform meaning less weight, better handling and improved ride comfort.

Ford’s new mid-sized SUV upholds the Blue Oval’s reputation for handling and steering prowess with impressive room and value to boot.

An instant sales success, Merc’s new A Class might seem conventional but it’s a car you’ll actually want to drive and own. New A45 hot hatch is a hoot.

Porsche calls the 918 Spyder its blueprint for the future. This exclusive two-seater carbonfibre supercar is the automotive fulfilment of everything Porsche has learned over the last fifty years since the 904, and a signpost pointing boldly down the road of the next fifty.

It is the most convincing and mind-blowing exponent yet of a driving future that values both the enthusiast and the environment.

Now that Wheels has driven the 750,000 euro 918 Spyder – that’s LHD only and therefore not registrable in Australia – we know how awesomely capable it is. But that doesn’t come as a surprise.

After all we’ve been reading about the Spyder since the concept debuted at the Geneva Auto Salon in 2010. Forty months later, the production car differs slightly from that concept – top-exiting exhausts instead of side-pipes, for one – but it is faithful to the concept’s promise, both in its stunning looks and stratospheric ability.

What is most surprising is how easy it is to tap into and exploit the performance that makes the 918 Spyder the fastest production car ever to lap the Nurburgring. This is an easy supercar to drive hard.

There are no histrionics often associated with such highly-focused, overly-sensitive and insanely quick machines – the Carrera GT, for example, did not suffer fools. Push beyond the limits of the Spyder’s spiritual predecessor and you’d get hurt. As we were reminded this very week with the death of Hollywood star Paul Walker.

In the 918 Spyder, the limits are higher but the talent required to explore those limits is much, much lower. Slide over the wide carbon fibre sill into the Spyder’s uncompromising race buckets and you’re confronted not by a minimalist race-car cockpit, but a lavish and luxurious abode.

The Spyder has satnav, it has Bluetooth, it also has an advanced touchscreen infotainment system that will be adapted to next-generation 911s, Boxsters, Cayennes and all other Porsche production models. The compact steering wheel, too, has been developed primarily for the 918 Spyder, but will permeate the rest of Porsche’s range, though the diameter will change to meet the differing needs of sports coupes and SUVs.

As for the drivetrain, the Spyder’s combination of high-revving 4.6-litre V8 petrol engine and two electric motors will most likely remain unique to this rampant mid-engined supercar. But the concept of marrying combustion engines with electric motors and fast-charging batteries will also flow through all future Porsche model lines. Likewise, the ability to harvest brake energy and drive on nothing but recuperated electricity for kilometres at a time.

These are the reasons — as much as drawing a line in the sand ahead of McLaren’s P1 and the Ferrari LaFerrari – that Porsche undertook the 918 Spyder project. That is why it’s okay for Porsche to lose hundreds of thousands of Euros on every one of the nine hundred and eighteen 918s it will build (though nobody we spoke to at Porsche would say how much each one costs to build).

The 918 Spyder is a classroom for Porsche. It’s also a vanguard for the future. An exploration of technologies and systems Porsche must utilise in order to stay ahead of the pack.

But, getting back to what it’s like to actually drive the 918 Spyder: would you be shocked if I said it didn’t feel fast? We’re talking about a 1674kg car capable of accelerating from rest to 100km/h in 2.6 seconds, just one second slower than an F1 car. A low-slung roadster capable of doubling that hundred in another 4.7 seconds. Of hitting 300km/h from standstill in less time than it takes for you to read this paragraph.

The 918 Spyder sounds fast, ridiculously so, because the powerful V8 sitting right behind the driver’s head is far from quiet or contained. It screams, it pops, it burbles, it howls, and it sounds so bloody good doing so.

To the driver’s left, behind the door’s trailing edge, is a huge air intake which unleashes a demonic, throaty howl under load. Behind you, those emotive top-pipes turn that howl into a full blooded roar at anything above 3,000rpm. And make no mistake, the 918 Spyder does feel fast when it accelerates. Maybe not as violent initially as a 911 Turbo, but it sustains that violence longer, much longer.

But the Spyder is so composed on-track that there’s absolutely none of that fear one usually associates with pushing supercars towards their – or more likely our own – limits. It communicates everything so quickly and so crisply that you feel one with the tyres, with the drivetrain, with the steering, the brakes. It’s as close to a symbiotic relationship as any production car has ever offered.

It’s not until the 991-series 911 Turbo S that’s acting as my pacecar at the Ricardo Tormo circuit outside of Valencia, Spain, falls off the racetrack trying to keep ahead of me that the 918 Spyder’s true prowess finally hits home.

I’m a motoring journalist. There’s a reason I earn my living writing articles, not racing cars. The bloke in the 911 Turbo S who’s just messed up under brakes and sent Porsche’s ultimate all-wheel drive 911 into the weeds is a professional driver. More than that, he’s the Porsche 918 Spyder driving instructor.

And the 918 Spyder is so good it allows me to outdrive a professional in a 412kW 911 Turbo S. He gathers the Turbo S up and brings it back onto the track, continuing to lead my Spyder around the circuit. But from that moment on, my attention is subverted.

I find myself drawn to the body language of the Turbo in front, watching it squirrel under brakes, the front wheels constantly adjusting through the corners, watching the rears squirm and slide as he searches for every last ounce of grip to keep ahead of the 918 Spyder.

The Porsche 918 Spyder is so good it makes a well-driven 911 Turbo S look slow.

You only need to start the Chevrolet SS to realise this is not just a Commodore with a bow-tie badge on the nose.

I’m in Palm Springs, in the desert country of California for the US launch of the new Chevrolet SS, the first of its kind in 16 years.

You might recognise it as Commodore SS, but you would be wrong. The SS sold as a Chevrolet in the US is a cross between an Australian VF SS-V Redline and an HSV Clubsport. It also has a few extras that aren’t available in Australia, so you best not read on if you own an Australian SS because it could just make you angry.

You notice one big difference when you press the Start button. It fires up with a roar that instantly gives away that this even louder than its HSV engine donor. This is a result of more lenient drive-by noise test levels used the US.

Then there is the price. The American Chev SS costs a smidge under $50,000 in Aussie money at the current exchange rate. That is about $4000 less than the SS-V Redline it is based on, even though it has the gruntier LS3 engine under the bonnet.

But before you start squealing, remember the SS sells in a market where a V8 Camaro costs the equivalent of $40,000 and a BMW M3 is just $66,000. So, it will be have to be very good.

The American journos certainly seem impressed, with Car and Driver giving the SS a clear win in a scrap with its nearest competitor, the Dodge Charger SRT. Motor Week journalist Benjamin Davis agreed the SS is a brilliant car, but points out that the price could limit its appeal.

But no-one thinks Chevrolet will have any problem selling all the cars it plans to source from Holden in Adelaide, although that number is unlikely to exceed 5000 cars.

The biggest problem with higher numbers is the CAFE fleet averaging rules, which set an average fuel economy target for a brand to hit in order to avoid fines. The SS is V8-only and hurts Chevrolet’s CAFE average more than the Camaro, which is V6 and V8. So Chevrolet may actually throttle back on SS orders if it needs to. American consumers are a fickle bunch, but it is impossible to imagine Chevrolet will have trouble selling 5000 SS cars every year. I say this with authority after a three-hour blast in the mountains outside of Palm Springs.

The SS retains the brilliant agility, stability and road-holding of its Australian cousin. Chevrolet has resisted the American trait of fitting spongy springs to big sedans and the result is a big rear-drive car with cornering capability right up there with Camaro and even the Corvette.

If anything, the ride is a little harsh on some of the terribly maintained roads in some parts of Palm Springs, especially at lower speeds, but the SS is happy on the better surfaced roads up in the hills.

The 310kW LS3 V8 under the bonnet means the SS can rocket between corners. This is a little less powerful than the 317kW Clubsport because it runs a different induction and exhaust system.

Unlike Aussie SS cars, the Chevrolet is only available with an automatic; there is no manual. But before you get too smug, let me mention that American SS models get flappy gear change paddles on the steering wheels. These aren’t available on any Holdens or HSVs; not even the range-topping GTS. There are some other thing the Yanks get that we don’t, including a shark fin antenna and a knee airbag, but that latter is only there because some Americans are too stupid to wear a seatbelt.

Even after this first brief experience, it’s clear the Chevrolet SS is a damn impressive car that shows how good Aussie engineering can be.

It’s from the 60s, used to ferry Le Mans winning racing cars all over Europe and is worth $3.2 million – meet the ex-Ecurie Ecosse Commer transporter.

Yep, a US buyer has just dropped $3.2 mil on this retro cool transporter at a Bonhams’ auction in London, with the entire Ecurie Ecosse collection, which boasted an additional seven racing cars, fetching $15.8 million.

Ecurie Ecosse was a private Scottish racing team that rose to prominence in the 50s and 60s, the highlights being two Le Mans 24 hours victories in 1956/57.

Interestingly, despite the collection including iconic 1952 C-Type and 1956 ‘Shortnose’ D-Type racers, it was the transporter that grabbed the headlines, with the bidding battle for the Commer lasting 20 minutes.

Described by Bonhams as ‘perhaps the motor racing world’s best known and most instantly recognisable team transporter’, the fully restored 1960 Commer TS3 three-car transporter comes with its own workshop was reportedly offered for sale for just 15 pounds after the Ecurie Ecosse team disbanded in 1971.

It’s the first day of summer, and Corio Bay is sparkling as early morning market-goers meander along Geelong’s rejuvenated esplanade. Excessively stylish boats gently rise and fall in rhythm with the tide, a loan fisherman sharing pier space with a flock of sea gulls looking for a cut of his catch.

This seascape of glistening solitude is suddenly, rudely interrupted with the reverberation of a race motor. But it’s not a stock-block V8 or an Italian V12 — it’s a two-stroke Saab. With a rotary-like pulse the three-cylinder Savannah Brown 96 burps and blats its way along the esplanade, drawing sniggers and the inevitable lawnmower comparisons. “A lawnmower that won multiple Monte Carlo rallies,” I stop short of saying out loud.

We’re pacing the makeshift pits of the rejuvenated Geelong Revival. First held in 1956, the 370 metre course, which arcs to the right as it contours Corio Bay, ‘The Geelong Speed Trials’ was a regular haunt for motorsport enthusiasts before financial issues derailed the event in 2002.

Reborn as the Geelong Revival in 2012 with Formula One World Champion Alan Jones — whose motorsport career commenced at the Speed Trials in 1964 — as guest of honour, the swelling crowd in attendance at the 2013 edition is evidence that the organising committee is onto a good thing.

The eye candy begins the moment you park, with car clubs out in force in the shimmering sun. The flavour is largely Australian and American muscle, spiced with occasional temptations from Europe. A Barbados Green Holden Torana L34 mingles with a super-rare 427 Yenko Chevrolet Nova, with early 3.8-litre Jaguar E-Types and even a Fiat Dino Coupe 2.4 vying for attention.

So far, so delectable, but what’s really compelling is that the crowd is as diverse as the gleaming colours of the club displays. Children marvel at Ferraris as fathers try to steer them towards more attainable machinery; ladies dress up in true Goodwood Revival fashion as they take in the nearby market stalls. Above the ‘strip’, grassy hillside provides perfect picnic fodder while kids splash in the seaside outdoor pool, an old-school Ferris wheel providing additional entertainment. The scene’s new-found vibrancy is a credit to the city of Geelong.

Grabbing a hot dog and coke (I recommend waiting for a snag in bread instead), our focus turns to the on-track action. It’s immediately frenetic as 100 cars and 50 bikes take turns biting chunks out of the tarmac. Some showboat, dropping 100 metre burnouts, but others are clearly focused on coordinating shift-point with steering angle as they stream along the course.

Among the V8Supercars and open-wheelers, one time stands out:Wheels mag’s James Stanford manages to launch a brand new Porsche 991 Turbo S to the fastest time on Saturday — an astounding 9.7sec. And this was sans launch control!

The competitive mix is strikingly similar to that you’d find at any one of our country’s great historic circuit events. Vintage home-builts introduce a new generation to the scent of Castrol R, increasingly valuable Lotus Cortinas snarl through Weber carburettors, Mustangs shake, rattle and (body) roll. As ever, the historic Group C, Group A and 5 litre Touring Cars hold most resonance for the masses, Terry Wyhoon’s ex-Peter Brock/Jason Plato HRT Commodore a fitting tribute to the late Aussie legend.

For purists, the ground-shaking 1966 McLaren M1B Can-Am car of Laurie Bennett offers a unique insight into 1960s sports car racing. This all-alloy blue beast is one of four hand built by McLaren and has been raced extensively overseas, powered by a Chevy small-block. It’s a personal highlight.

As the afternoon light sneaks in, attention turns to the stage for ‘fashions on the field’. It’s another string to the bow, and simply adds to the atmosphere. But my mind is firmly on the circuit, and what I’d want to run down the strip myself. Would it be a crowd-pleaser, with a jumpy, lumpy V8? A two-stroke rally legend? Or a sophisticated drop-top, to better experience the atmosphere? A Maserati GranCabrio would offer the best of both. Excuse me; I have a phone call to make.

Sunshine, sea air and scorched tarmac. The 2013 Geelong Revival had it all.

From vintage racers through Australian muscle car to exotics, the Geelong waterfront played host to a wide array of hot metal.

Forget portraits or ‘impressionism’ – this is art we can like.

The brain child of Swiss photographer Fabien Oefner, this new series of images captures classic cars like the 1961 Jaguar E-Type, 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO and Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR ‘exploding’ or ‘disintegrating’.

And if you think the images look complicated – they are.

Oefner has blended hundreds of shots of completely dismantled model cars, with pieces positioned in perfect detail by fine needles and string.

Apparently it took almost two months to create each image but we’re glad he went to the effort.

Oefner’s work is currently on display at the MB&F MAD Gallery in Geneva until May 2014.

Are you a little sick of hearing the German national anthem after a Formula One Grand Prix? You have good reason.

It’s hard to believe Germany didn’t produce a single driver’s world champion until a fresh-faced, square-jawed Michael Schumacher took the title in 1994. It was the first of seven for the Schumeister, who subsequently handed the baton of German domination cum lack of sportsmanship to Sebastien Vettel.

Now, collectors can grab a chequered piece of German motorsport history. Classic car auctioneers Bonhams has announced the sale of Benetton-Ford B194-05, a car used by Schumacher during his first championship season.

Entering 1994, Schumacher was the coming man, already a two-time race winner. Aboard his neatly-designed but underpowered Benetton-Ford, he was expected to be a frontrunner — but not the champion. That honour would go to Ayrton Senna, finally aboard an all-conquering Williams-Renault. No-one could foresee the tragedy that lay pregnant on the horizon.

In Brazil’s first round, Senna promptly took pole position, but was harassed — and ultimately overhauled — by the German’s Benetton. Senna, under pressure at home, spun out of second place, leaving Schumacher unchallenged.

For the second round at Aida in Japan, Senna was eliminated in a first corner incident, handing another win to the upstart German.

Then it was Imola. Senna duly took pole, but he was deeply concerned at the injuries his countryman Rubens Barrichello sustained in practice, and dismayed by the terrible accident which claimed the life of Simtek driver Roland Ratzenberger — the first fatality in a Formula One car since Elio De Angelis passed in a 1986 testing accident.

From second on the grid it was Schumacher — in his first race with chassis B194-05 — who led the field away. After an early incident brought out the safety car, Senna resumed his chase. But it was through Tamburello — an innocuous looking but ultra-fast left which had taken many scalps over the years — that Senna left the road, with fatal consequences.

Schumacher went on to win the restarted event, but it was a hollow victory for the German, who later dedicated his championship to Senna.

B194-05 would take three more victories in 1994 (Monaco, Canada and France), as well as two second places, so it was a significant part of Schumacher’s inaugural championship.

Due to be auctioned on 1 December in London, B194-05 has recently been demonstrated at the Goodwood Festival of Speed and has a freshly rebuilt Ford Zetec race motor with an updated paddleshift gearbox. The cost? Bonhams expects this ready-to-race Benetton to exceed $1 million.