Motorsport’s greatest championship battles all have one simple thing in common. And despite what organisers might want you to believe, it has nothing to do with what is contained in the rulebook. No amount of performance parity, restricted development, or affordable competition will ever make up for a good old fashioned battle between a hero and a villain.

While a hero and villain storyline doesn’t always improve the racing, the inclusion invariably results in more intrigue, greater drama, and an electrified fan base. So you can understand why promotors and pundits are eager to generate them from the meekest of pit-lane barbs. The US$18 billion Disney has made from superhero films should be explanation enough for the benefit even the simplest of antagonist v protagonist battles can generate. But, a perceived lack of compelling villains is hurting motorsport in an insidious and dangerous way.

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You see, most motorsport fans are all too quick to bemoan the sanitised PR-friendly personalities of modern drivers. While, yes, commercial realities do dictate a certain public image needs to be maintained, for most racers this can be down to one easy to overlook fact – they aren’t arseholes. Thing is, for a good hero and villain narrative they don’t need to be either. Two drivers can easily retain strong sportsmanship and a staunch rivalry – Shane van Gisbergen and Scott McLaughlin being prime examples.

The reality is that in most motorsport hero and villain story lines, there are simply two heroes facing off against each other, with the good and evil delineation determined by the colour on your sleeve. Think Ford v Ferrari, Senna v Prost, Brock v Moffat, V8s v SuperTouring – the ‘bad guy’ in each is a subjective call. For Supercars this year the showdown looks set to be between Cameron Waters and van Gisbergen, with the two sharing some good natured verbal barbs during the course of the championship so far – likewise Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen in F1.

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Few are willing to play the villain from the outset, but there are those who aren’t afraid to be outspoken. In the newly formed Hypercar class this role is being filled by millionaire Jim Glickenhaus’s pet project; Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus. SCG is making itself out to be the plucky underdog taking on powerhouse factory efforts. Following SCG’s first successful test day that coincided with Ferrari announcing its return to Le Mans, the privately-funded outfit threw shade on Porsche, Toyota, Peugeot, and Audi’s corporate platitudes with a tweet that stated “Bring it Bitches”. Gordon Murray’s T.50s Niki Lauda also drew the account’s ire. While it’s all very ‘Louis Vuitton handbags at dawn’, you can’t deny it isn’t entertaining to watch, and sets the tone for a compelling storyline when all the players eventually meet at La Sarthe.

What motorsport doesn’t need is a villain like Nikita Mazepin – the son of a Russian billionaire who’s primed to be the ‘bad boy’ of F1 in ’21. When he wasn’t busy pushing drivers off track, and punching them in pit lane during his years in junior categories, Mazepin was filmed groping a clearly intoxicated female and posting the video to social media. But despite impassioned and justified outrage at the footage, and all the bluff and bluster of F1’s ‘We Race As One’ message, the man who posted himself sexually assaulting someone to the internet retained his seat at Haas.

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Unfortunately, this isn’t a new problem. Historically, drivers have been relatively immune from consequences for off-track actions. Former F1 driver Jos Verstappen spent three more years on the grid after being found guilty in 2000 of fracturing a man’s skull at a karting event two years prior. He remains in the paddock as part of his son’s entourage, despite being found guilty of breaking a restraining order.

The fact that both Verstappen Snr and Mazepin continued their careers without any great consequence isn’t surprising, but it is disappointing. That won’t change the fact they are a blight on the sport, and exemplify racing’s continued willingness to turn a blind eye where expedient. If motorsport wants a moral base of any merit to go alongside its environmental ambitions, it’s time to rid our orchard of the bad apples – not by creating a meaningless slogan, but by excising the cancer permanently. Racing may need villains, but it doesn’t need blokes like those two.

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Whether you’re preparing for a track day, shopping for a gift – or just yourself – these are the coolest car products we’ve recently come across on our travels.

1984 Bathurst Nissan Bluebird – $230 – metrohobbies.com.au

Upcoming limited edition model from Authentic Collectables channels George Fury’s record-breaking Group C Bluebird from Bathurst 1984.

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Rothmans Porsche 956 T-shirt – $52 – periodcorrect.com

Screenprinted T-shirt by Californian automotive streetwear atelier forms part of a larger collection full of Rothmans motorsport-themed apparel.

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Timex Q Reissue – $265 – SurfStitch.com

A faithful reinterpretation of Timex’s prolific and popular early Quartz model from the ’70s. Available in a range of colours, it’s one of the most stylish Quartz pieces around.

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BMW Art Cars book – $89 – booktopia.com.au

A must-have for the coffee table book collectors: this hardcover profiles 19 artists and their works, from Andy Warhol to Ernst Fuchs, who have created BMW’s famous line of Art Cars.

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Lego Porsche 911 – $230 – lego.com

You too can claim air-cooled Porsche ownership with Lego’s latest Creator Series kit. The 911 kit comprises 1458 pieces and can be built to 930 Turbo or 911 Targa configurations.

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Track Pack

OMP GP 8 Evo Helmet – $780 – autosport.com.au

A full-face helmet from OMP that won’t break the bank. Composite construction, breathable flame retardant lining, and included HANS posts make this a great option for those new to motorsport.

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RPM XTech 2 Gloves – $189 – revolutionracegear.com.au

Whether it’s for the track, the forest or even the sim rig at home, gloves will improve grip, feel and prevent sweaty hands. These RPM units come in a range of colours.

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Advan Neova AD08 R – $299 – bobjane.com.au

Yokohama’s classic Advan AD08 R tyre remains, to many, the ultimate street and track day tyre. Yokohama Australia occasionally holds a ‘three for four deal’, so you may get lucky!

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Sparco Tow Strap – $40 – racedeal.com.au

Left your tow hook in after your last track day? It may look cool, but even a low speed impact will channel all that force right into your crash structures, turning an otherwise minor bingle into a potential write-off scenario. Get flexible!

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Martini x Sparco Top Race Boots – $225 – demon-tweeks.com

Martini stripes make everything a little bit more special, as it does on these suede Sparco Top Race boots. FIA 8856-2018 approved, with style in spades.

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Hyundai is on the electrification warpath. Internationally the South Korean brand is making impressive inroads in the quest to turn EVs mainstream, and even in Australia, where uptake of battery power is still lagging, it’s one of the main players. But if the cost of EVs is what’s turning some people off the idea of battery-powered runabouts, perhaps the 2021 Hyundai Kona Electric Highlander isn’t the place to start…

At $66,000 before on-road costs and at least $71,000 drive-away, the top-spec Kona Electric is awfully expensive for a small SUV. But, and it’s a big ‘but’, it also boasts an impressive range and is incredibly highly specified as standard.

While the MG ZS EV is more than $20k cheaper at $40,990, it lacks the sophistication of the Kona Highlander and has a much lower range at just 263km. The recently updated Nissan Leaf is considerably cheaper too but can only travel 270km on a single charge.

Yet the Kona, thanks to a 64kWh battery pack, has a claimed range of 484km. So while it might be tempting to view it as an expensive alternative to its mainstream competitors, the Kona EV is actually going head-to-head with rivals like the Tesla Model 3, which carries a near-identical driveaway price and range.

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There’s value to be found when it comes to ongoing costs, too. Hyundai’s five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty covers the Kona Electric, though Hyundai places an eight-year/160,000km warranty on its EV batteries. Hyundai also offers a free first service at 1500km or one month, though also gives buyers the $825 option of covering five years of scheduled servicing, up to 75,000km.

At $4000 more than the entry-level Elite, the top-spec Kona Electric Highlander comes standard with heated and cooled seats, a heated steering wheel, a retractable HUD panel, Hyundai’s newest infotainment system, which has a 10.25-inch display, and an eight-speaker Harman/Kardon audio system.

It also has a wide digital dash binnacle, that can be customised for layout, as well as wireless phone charging and a shift-by-wire button-controlled transmission instead of a traditional shifter, though whether this is a benefit is down to preference. Having to double-check which button is reverse can be unnecessarily stressful during a three-point turn.

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While it might be tempting to view it as an expensive alternative to its mainstream competitors, the Kona EV is actually going head-to-head with rivals like the Tesla Model 3

The seating position itself is comfortable, electrically adjustable (though there’s no memory setting) and allows the driver to reach everything easily, with simple HVAC controls under the infotainment touchscreen. Buttons down on the centre console are also laid out to avoid drinks in the cupholders getting in the way.

Especially compared to the pre-facelift Kona and even the current petrol Kona, the Highlander cockpit feels a pleasant, premium place from which to command 1743kg of South Korean EV.

Further back in the Kona, the second-row seating feels a little upright but is otherwise easy enough to settle into. There’s enough space for adults in terms of headroom and kneeroom but foot space under the front seats is tight, leaving a small area for feet to rest. It’s far from uncomfortable for an adult, however, and the light leather interior on our test car makes the second row feel perhaps more spacious than it is.

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Speaker placement makes door storage tight but there’s a centre armrest with cupholders and a small storage space, and the outboard seats are even heated. There’s also a USB port, but no HVAC vents or control.

The Kona Electric’s boot isn’t exactly massive, inheriting only 332 litres of its petrol-powered sibling’s 361-litre boot. It’s below-average for its class, most small SUVs having between 350 and 500 litres but at a pinch, the space under the Kona’s boot floor can be used. It houses the cables and tyre puncture kit in a foam ‘bento box’ that holds the floor up.

Otherwise, the rear seats fold down and then you get 1114 litres. The boot opening is almost as wide and tall as the space inside, so loading and unloading is easy.

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But you want to know what the Kona is like to drive, right? Well, in most aspects, the Kona Electric isn’t radically different from driving a petrol-powered car. Aside from two important distinctions. The first you’ll notice almost immediately, and that’s the way it accelerates. Most small SUV drivers won’t be used to the immediate surge of torque the Kona provides, all 395Nm being available pretty much immediately, with the ability to easily overpower the driven tyres (the fronts only) if you aren’t gentle enough on the go pedal.

Through bends and out of corners or roundabouts, the Kona’s drivetrain is powerful enough even in its Normal drive mode that Sport is essentially useless unless taking off in a straight line or onto a highway to impress your passengers. For most city driving, Eco is probably the better bet, giving the driver a much more gradual feed of torque.

The second main difference is regenerative braking. It can be quite intense if you’re not ready for the sudden slowing the first time you take your foot off the accelerator. But there’s a way to quickly make regen braking your best friend in the Kona EV.

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The excellent paddle adjustment system, behind the wheel where gear-shift paddles would normally be, means you can alter intensity on the go and even use the regen to avoid the brake pedal almost altogether. If you do need to use them, however, the front 305mm ventilated discs feel sturdy under hard braking.

Its three-stage regenerative braking system means you can minimise interruption to the Kona’s momentum or allow the car to retard its motion quite intensely – useful if you’re on a steep downhill and want to take the opportunity to charge the battery.

In fact, heavy use of the regenerative brakes during our testing resulted in an economy of 14.1 kWh/100km, which meant if we were to run the Kona from full to empty, we’d net about 454km of driving. This isn’t too short of the 484km claim made by Hyundai and more than enough to accommodate daily driving.

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For the day-to-day, the Kona’s ride is overall comfortable, erring a little on the firm side. However, it’s able to soak up bumps (in part thanks to 17-inch wheels) enough to not unsettle its grip or upset passengers. Even a slightly rough road surface won’t send vibrations into the cabin to an annoying degree, even if they are sometimes noticeable.

In faster driving, the Kona handles well thanks to a low centre of gravity (courtesy of its battery layout) but it’s no focused corner-carver. Its eco-oriented Michelin Primacy 4 tyres grip well in regular, and even spirited country road driving, but won’t let you treat the Kona like a race car.

Keeping the Kona in check is made easier by its accurate steering. While not the most communicative, the steering provides feedback to the driver and isn’t unnecessarily weighty. Its rack speed is also easy to gel with.

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As something to ready a family for the shift to electric transport, the Kona Electric Highlander is a superb choice for early adopters who can afford it. Yet question marks around its value equation linger. Consider Mercedes is soon to launch the EQA at $76,800 and the Tesla Model 3 offers more range, interior space and load-lugging ability for $68,000 drive-away, and the Hyundai is facing off against some stern and arguably more desirable competition.

Yet its impressive list of standard equipment, strong real-world range and decent dynamics mean it remains a compelling addition to Australia’s burgeoning EV segment. We expect those who can justify the cost of the Highlander will have few complaints.

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Hyundai Kona Electric Highlander specifications

Lexus’s most popular model is entering its next generation, with the new Lexus NX medium SUV now revealed to the world.

In a presentation to local media, Lexus confirmed three models of the new SUV will initially come to Australia, with a fourth plug-in hybrid models – the brand’s first – unconfirmed but likely to follow afterwards.

The new NX, based on Lexus’ version of the TNGA-K platform (referred to as GA-K by Lexus) underpinning the Toyota RAV4, a model not only frequenting the top of the sales charts, but one we’ve consistently reviewed favourably.

This is good news for the NX, which will arrive in Australia in NX 350h, NX 350 and NX 250 guises to rival the Mercedes-Benz GLC, BMW X3, Audi Q5 and Volvo XC60.

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As NX 350h, which will be the top-spec until the PHEV arrives, Lexus’s new SUV will be powered by a 2.5-litre four with a hybrid drivetrain with options for AWD and FWD versions.

Lexus hasn’t confirmed outputs for Australia, but the RAV4’s version of the hybrid FWD produces 160kW, and the AWD 163kW. Expect Lexus to top these numbers.

Additionally, the AWD version will be able to put on a strong rear bias, with the petrol engine working the front wheels until the rears are needed for drive and traction, with up to 80 per cent of drive headed to the rear e-motor.

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The mid-level Lexus NX 350 will run with a 2.4-litre turbo four, using a new full-time AWD system which can alter drive between 75:25 and 50:50 front/rear.

The engine, newly developed and not yet present in any other Toyota or Lexus models, features Lexus’s first centre-injection direct-injection system and was designed to meet “increasingly stringent exhaust and fuel economy regulations.”

Finally, the Lexus NX 250 will feature a 2.5-litre petrol engine in FWD only, but will be the lightest NX with, Lexus claims, “instant response.” Toyota’s version of this engine makes 152kW and 243Nm in the top-spec RAV4 Edge, but in AWD guise.

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All versions will use a similar version of Lexus’s Direct Shift eight-speed automatic transmission, though each will be tuned to suit the drivetrain it’s mated to.

While the Lexus NX bears some similarities to the RAV4 in its underpinnings, the chassis has been altered in a couple of ways by the engineers at Lexus.

For example, the rear battery packs were moved further to the centre of the chassis. This will concentrate the NX’s centre of gravity, while also allowing designers to create a more rounded lower-rear shape.

Lexus also says it had to adjust the platform to be more suited to the 20-inch wheels some versions of the NX will use.

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Its design has taken a leap further into ‘premium’ too, in much the same way the RAV4 became a more purposeful-looking car in its current iteration.

The large spindle grille seems more fluently integrated with the car’s front, and the rear badging has even followed the lettering trend other brands have taken to, spelling out ‘Lexus’ in capitals.

Inside, there are more hints of Toyota, though Lexus has done a stellar job of improving the high-end visual appeal of the cockpit.

A 14-inch touchscreen, some will note, has replaced the need for the somewhat maligned (by press, at least) trackpad infotainment controls.

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The interior is focused on Lexus’s new ‘Tazuna Concept’, essentially the description is has given to the manner in which it hopes to create a “better communication between driver and vehicle.”

Two F-Sport specifications will be available, under the 350h and 350 variants, with 20-inch alloy wheels, a lip spoiler on the lower bumper, and small body additions for a generally more aggressive look.

Finally, the NX 450h+ PHEV (plug-in hybrid electric vehicle) version, which is still not confirmed for Australia, will be the first in Lexus’s model range, utilising the history its parent brand has with electrification tech.

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Journalists were told the company plans to have half of its range electrified by 2025, on the path to net-zero emissions by 2050, but Lexus will continue to sell hybrid vehicles well into the future as a way to lower emissions.

The Lexus NX 450+ PHEV will feature a 2.5-litre petrol engine, front and rear motors, and a Lithium-ion battery with 18.1kWh.

A prototype for the PHEV returns an approximate 75km EV range, Lexus representatives told media, though that figure may change when homologation is finalised.

When will the 2022 Lexus NX come to Australia?

The new 2022 Lexus NX will come to Australia in November 2021, with pricing and local specifications to be confirmed closer to launch.

• Introduction: Genesis (take two)
• Update Two: The Burning Question
• Update Three: Matte Point
• Update Four: Stop! Hammer Time
• Update Five: Unidentified Rolling Object
• Farewell: Return of Service

Introduction: Genesis (take two)

Price as tested: $120,600 This month: 582km @ 11.0L/100km

Spoiler alert: the images accompanying this review were taken during 2021 Car of the Year testing. This means two things: 1) COTY is a goer after months of COVID-inflicted uncertainty; and 2) The Genesis was deemed worthy enough to be included in this year’s shortlist of contenders.

That second point is no small achievement. We’ll publish our full COTY coverage in the March 2021 issue, though I can disclose this year’s field was limited to the 10 best cars of 2020. So simply making the starting grid is a big vote of confidence. And for Genesis, it’s crucial that the GV80 receives a warm reception.

There’s a lot riding on this car. After years of trying (and largely failing) to crack the Aussie market with big sedans, Genesis finally has an SUV to tackle our SUV-mad market. And with a smaller GV70 set to join the local ranks soon, there’s a sense that this is a fresh start for Genesis and a chance to gain some much-needed sales traction in its quest to become a genuine alternative to the established luxury players.

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On the luxury front, it’s clear Genesis has gone all-in. Every GV80 is richly specced, though my car is fitted with every possible bell and whistle from the Genesis parts bin. I’m driving the flagship 3.5T AWD, which starts at $108,600 and uses a new twin-turbo V6 with 279kW/530Nm paired to an eight-speed torque converter automatic. A 2.5T four-cylinder petrol is also available (from $90,600), as is a silky-smooth 3.0-litre turbo-diesel ($103,600).

On initial impressions, I have a sneaking suspicion that the diesel could be the pick of the drivetrains, though I’m keen to spend more time with the V6 petrol before making that call.

Inside, ‘my’ GV80 screams luxury. Diamond-stitched seats are made from soft Nappa leather, the carpets are thick and lush, and all of the materials and touch-points feel of a quality to rival Audi. The interior colour combination of blue over tan might not be to everyone’s taste (personally, I like it), but the list of standard equipment is enormous: 14.5-inch central touchscreen, a full safety suite, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, a powerful 21-speaker sound system from Lexicon and a head-up display.

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This GV80 also has $2000 worth of matte paint and the optional ‘luxury pack’, which for a whopping $10K adds the aforementioned Nappa leather, fully digital dials with a ‘3D function’, 18-way adjustable driver’s seat with massage function, soft-close doors, heated/cooled seats in the front two rows, active noise-cancelling for a quieter cabin, and active high-beam that ‘paints out’ oncoming vehicles so as not to dazzle other drivers.

Those lights quickly prove to be useful. Perhaps drawn to its size and overt luxury, the Genesis became the go-to vehicle for the COTY photo and video crews to lug about their gear and drive back to our nightly digs.

“Man, it’s so comfortable,” was the initial feedback. “And those headlights! The best I’ve ever experienced!” The only negative concerned the way it handles bumps. “It’s not quite as plush or as controlled as I was expecting,” said a fellow COTY judge.

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The comment about the ride is interesting. I’ll dig further into how the GV80 drives next month, though it’s worth noting at the outset that top-spec GV80s are fitted with ‘adaptive control suspension’ that uses a front-facing camera to read the road and prime the adjustable dampers for bumps.

Without giving away too much about how the GV80 performed at COTY, I’m happy to report the GV80 feels like a ‘coming of age’ vehicle for the brand. It’s distinctive to look at, is richly equipped and delivers a sense of ‘business class’ travel on the highway. Whether it’s a match for the established players is something we’ll discover in the coming months.

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Fancy going on a date?

This year’s COTY judging panel includes Richard Ferlazzo, the long-time Holden designer and the man who gave us the Efijy concept car. His verdict on the GV80? “The cabin is nice but the exterior feels dated to me. It reminds me of the Chrysler Portofino concept from the 80s.”

Update Two: The Burning Question

Getting to the crux of the Genesis identity crisis

Price as tested: $120,600 This month: 2321km @ 11.7L/100km Overall: 2902km @ 11.6L/100km

Things you hear when collecting friends in a Genesis GV80: “Ohhh, is this a Bentley!? I’ve never been in a Bentley! Isn’t this fancy! Actually, is it an Aston? The grille is more Aston Martin… Oh I don’t know! What is it!?”

The giddy sense of expectation is so high as they scramble into the back seats and start cooing over the diamond-stitch leather that it feels a tremendous anticlimax to say, “Well it’s actually a… Genesis.”

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Mostly this is met with perplexed looks, but they’re preferable to what happened when one group of friends included someone who knew their cars. “No, guys, cool your jets,” he proclaimed. “It’s just a Hyundai.”

I’ll admit to feeling slightly stung by that one (I shudder to think how I’d feel if I’d bought a GV80), although these interactions have taught me three things: that badge snobbery is alive and well in Australia, that the GV80’s perceived luxury and quality is the equal of more expensive rivals, and that Genesis still has a long way to go to achieve meaningful brand recognition in our market. Aside from that one know-it-all mate, everyone who has asked about the GV80 has led with, “So what’s a Genesis?”

But while the opinion of others might dip slightly on learning that the GV80 is a fancy Hyundai, my respect for this enormous SUV continues to grow. Driven straight onto my driveway after being poked, prodded and pulled during COTY testing, I barely had enough time to give it a quick wash before it was back on the road heading 1000km north to visit family.

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This annual trek home for Christmas is a brilliant litmus test of a car’s cabin space and comfort, highway refinement and backroad handling. And, in the GV80’s case, it’s also a trip with a clear benchmark given I’ve completed this exact route in many of its direct rivals, including the Audi Q7, Mercedes GLE and BMW X5. And against that competitor set, the Genesis holds its own… with a few exceptions.

Cabin comfort and refinement are key strengths, helped by excellent NVH suppression and an active noise cancelling system (developed by Harmon) that further reduces unwanted tyre and road roar. Combine the hushed cabin with supportive seats and an airy and well-appointed second row with its own heated/cooled seats, multiple USB ports and climate control, and the GV80 really is a serene thing for a family to cover big distances.

No complaints about the boot space either. With the third row folded, the GV80 offers a sizeable 727L and is easy to pack thanks to a wide and low loading bay.

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It wafts along the highway with aplomb, but while the soft, long-stroke suspension is a key strength, fast and winding B-roads did expose some body control issues.

Pitching the GV80 into a tight turn brings more roll than you get in rivals, and if you hit a big mid-corner bump the dampers require two or even three strokes to regain composure. That’s not to say it feels wayward or uncontrolled, and once you learn to account for the body movement and weight transfer it’s actually quite fun to hustle 2.5 tonnes of SUV through a challenging sequence of turns (like watching a sumo wrestler deftly navigate a football agility drill), but it wasn’t long before my passengers started to complain.

Happily, there is a fix. Configuring the ‘Custom’ drive mode to set the dampers into Sport while keeping everything else is Comfort or Auto brings some much-needed control to the damping without introducing any unwanted harshness.

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A bigger annoyance, though, fell to the cruise control. While the adaptive system was fine on the freeway, it was hopeless on undulating roads and would regularly drop into the low 90km/h bracket when heading up hills and speed beyond 110km/h on downhill sections. It became so frustrating that I eventually stopped using the system altogether.

So was the GV80 a match for its more expensive German rivals? On this particular route, yes it was. Body control and cruise control issues aside, we emerged from a 14-hour day in the saddle free of any aches or pains and with enough mental capacity to happily answer the inevitable questions: “Wow, this is nice! What’s a Genesis?”

Update Three: Matte Point

It’s a pernickety paint finish, but is it enough to take the gloss off?

Price as tested: $120,600 This month: 1187km @ 11.3L/100km Overall: 4090km @ 11.5L/100km

BANG! The unidentified object slams onto the bonnet with such a resounding thud that it makes everyone in the Genesis jump.

Cruising as we are down a typical suburban street, it takes me a moment to realise that the fleeting flash of brown and green that I caught just prior to impact was actually that of a medium-sized branch. Blown free of its perch in the gumtree canopy that skirted the edge of the road, the branch collided with such fury that it felt as though it came screaming in from low orbit rather than a few metres above us.

“What the…” I thought, before: “THE PAINT!”

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Now there are all sorts of special paranoia that comes with car ownership. At the extreme end live a unique breed of enthusiasts who refuse to drive their cars at all (“Clouds look grey, it might rain” and “Lots of loose stones about, might get a stone chip” is the default logic here), but most of us tend to operate in a zone a few steps back from that.

The degree of paranoia varies on the individual but will typically involve: happily parking further away to snag an isolated spot (or better yet, one between two cement poles), habitually scanning the sides of the car for door dings/trolley bumps, drifting to the left of your lane to avoid stone chips from oncoming trucks, and happily practising the ‘two bucket method’ when giving your car a tub.

I’ll admit to all of the above, though the special grey paint on this Genesis has sent my paranoia into overdrive. Hyundai calls it ‘Melbourne Grey’ and its matte finish is a $2000 option. I’m a big fan. Unlike other matte finishes, this one seems to include a fleck of metallic and the way it catches the light (especially in the golden hours of sunrise and sunset) is really something. You need to see it.

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Less endearing are the care instructions. Hyundai has a special document specifically for this paint finish and they initially sound innocuous enough – don’t use any polishing agents or waxes, must hand wash with a soft cloth, and clean off any blemishes or bird dirt immediately, etc. However, then you reach this very ominous line: “Do NOT rub the finish vigorously, as this will burnish the paint finish causing a permanent shiny spot. These cannot be removed”.

Then it drives home the kicker: “Any problem that may arise from neglecting the instructions will not be covered by warranty. Any defects cannot be repaired as polishing, buffing, and small paint repairs are not possible… the vehicle will need to be repainted”.

Needing to keep it clean, but not too clean (easy with the sponge, Alex!) has seen me resort to carrying a bucket and cloth in the boot so I can spring into action whenever I see a dirty spot or well-aimed bird dropping. This has not made me popular with the missus who cringes with embarrassment whenever I pull out the bucket in a public space.

Seriously, though, the level of anxiety the paint has caused hasn’t been worth it (definitely go for the gloss if buying your own GV80), so you can appreciate my wide eyes when the branch hit.

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Mercifully the paint was unbroken but the piece of wood had hit hard enough to cause a dent about the size of a five-cent piece. Hopefully a visit from a paintless dent removal specialist will rectify the ding.

Cursing my rotten luck and shaking my fist at the sky, I try to take solace in the knowledge that the rest of the GV80 experience has been smooth sailing. Three months and 4000km into our loan, the Genesis is fulfilling the role of sumptuous super-sized SUV admirably.

The cabin feels as tightly screwed together as it did on day one, there are no rattles or squeaks, and despite its initially confusing-looking infotainment interface (“It looks like a Lexus system” remarked a friend) I have encountered exactly zero ergonomic frustrations or moments of hesitation while looking for a function. All of this makes it an easy car, ahem, SUV to like. Or in my case, to inevitably worry about while washing and parking.

Update Four: Stop! Hammer Time

The twin-turbo GV80 has more than enough go. And, it turns out, plenty of Woah

Price as tested: $120,600 This month: 1005km @ 13.0L/100km Overall: 5095km @ 11.8L/100km

Two things have become apparent this month. The first is that the Genesis is quicker and lighter on its feet that its size suggests. Watch a GV80 roll by and you could be forgiven for thinking it has the dynamic panache of a Sherman tank, but the numbers don’t lie; this heavyweight wears ballet shoes.

Well, in a straight line anyway…

With some spare time up our sleeves after filming our latest Drag Race video for our sister title, MOTOR magazine (look us up on YouTube!), we decided to run the GV80 down the strip. And the figures were illuminating.

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Our GV80 is the 3.5-litre petrol twin-turbo V6 with 279kW/530Nm on tap, which is the quickest variant in the three-strong GV80 range, and it knocked over the 0-100km/h sprint in 5.9sec, while the quarter took 14.1sec at 162km/h. That level of performance puts it on par with more expensive rivals from BMW, Audi and Mercedes, but there’s one discipline where the GV80 smashes its competition – braking.

Despite weighing 2.5 tonnes, NBY26G pulled up from 100km/h in 33.4 metres. To give that number context, that’s a full 3.5 metres shorter than what we’ve recorded at the same dragstrip in the Audi Q5 and Volvo XC90, and 2.5 metres better than the BMW X5. In an emergency scenario, that amount of distance can make all the difference.

And it’s not just the petrol V6 GV80 that displays strong braking performance. All three GV80 variants showed impressive stopping power at Car of the Year and actually pulled up from 80km/h to zero in a shorter distance than a Yaris ZR hybrid on both tarmac and dirt.

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The brakes themselves are big but not extraordinarily so, yet the way the GV80 washes off speed is dramatic. As is the sensation from inside the cabin as the big SUV dives heavily onto its nose and bobs for a few damper strokes once it comes to a complete stop.

My second discovery this month is that I’m coming to appreciate the little tech touches inside the cabin. The first is the blind-spot cameras, which show a live video feed of beside the car when you switch on an indicator. It’s the same trick Honda pulled almost a decade ago, except that the Honda only showed vision on the left side of the car while the Genesis shows both flanks. And the vision is shown inside the instrument cluster, not the centre screen, which allows you to retain Google Maps instructions while turning.

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Some of the Wheels team dismissed this blind-spot function (the same tech is available on the Kia Sorento) as a gimmick, but I find it useful every time I drive. It’s an excellent tool to gauge how close your wheels are to the gutter while parking.

And then there’s the crisp 21-speaker Lexicon stereo. It’s part of the feature-heavy $10,000 Luxury pack (which is an option that I first thought too expensive but am now starting to see value in), and its rich sound and clarity are seriously impressive, especially when playing MC Hammer – which, given the braking performance, seems strangely appropriate. “Stop, hammer time!”

Update Five: Unidentified Rolling Object

Confused looks and ‘What is it?’ Dylan gets his turn at questioning Genesis GV80 ownership

Price as tested: $120,600 This month: 1288km @ 11.2L/100km Overall: 6383km @ 11.7L/100km

The man stood on the corner of the intersection, eyes pointed my way for a solid 10 seconds, head locked on as the lights went green and I petered past in my giant, satin grey, Unidentified Rolling Object. Like so many other bystanders, he was no doubt thinking, ‘What the hell is that thing?’ Welcome to a curious and often humorous daily facet of Genesis GV80 ownership.

Having pinched this car off Inwood for a few weeks, the only real criticism I can fling at the GV80 is – and it’s not even its own fault – that nobody knows what a Genesis is.

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Plainly, for the Genesis nameplate to succeed in a segment where brand snobbery is inescapably a thing (have you seen how large Mercedes grille badges are these days?), Genesis will need marketing even better than its excellent engineering.

That’s not just to assist new owners with things like resale values, but also this car deserves to succeed; it’s a really impressive thing.

Beyond its general anonymity with almost all members of the public – which might actually appeal to a great many people – the criticisms for the GV80 are flatteringly minor. For starters, while getting in and out of the car is a general delight owing to the soft-close doors and electric rear tailgate (with foot opening sensor), for some reason only the front doors are keyless entry.

Even weirder for a car with so many automated features, the electric park brake isn’t automatic (not that you really need it when the car is in Park, but still).

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The 21-speaker 1050w Lexicon sound system, part of the $10K optional Luxury Pack, didn’t blow my mind like I hoped it would.

A full tank of fuel gives, in our testing so far, ‘just’ 564km of range (the tank is 80L; Genesis claims a possible maximum range of 879km). The headlights are smart enough to switch off LEDs as to not dazzle cars ahead with the high beam, but they are not self-levelling or articulating. (Otherwise, they are pretty excellent.) And, lastly, if this was my car I’d be taking it to a dealer to have checked what almost sounds like an on-the-way-out rear wheel bearing.

There are other very minor yet slightly unbecoming mechanical noises during regular operation, too, although in fairness they’re only noticeable because the rest of the car is so quiet. And maybe this particular car has had a hard life… otherwise build quality is more than good.

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But the praise very much outweighs the nit-picking criticisms. Aside from the general lovely, effortless, luxurious motoring it offers, the two things I like most about this car are its power and eagerness; in a big, heavy, soft way, it’s more fun to drive than it has any right to be. And secondly the interior leather quality – buttery, ‘waxy’, smooth, and used extensively through the cabin – is unbelievable for a $120K car. No other cars at this price smell or feel as sumptuously leathery inside as the GV80.

Would I buy one? If the badge on the front was no bother and I cared more for interesting design and engineering, then yes, I’d give the GV80 a look. If only all cars were purchased on such grounds.

Farewell: Return of Service

Spanners come out; Inwood’s wallet stays put

Price as tested: $120,600 This month: 1075km @ 11.0L/100km Overall: 7458km @ 10.9L/100km

We ticked over 10,000km in the GV80 this month which threw two things into sharp focus.

Firstly, it was a pleasant reminder that buying a Genesis brings certain ownership advantages. The biggest is you don’t have to pay any servicing fees, with the first five years of dealer visits included for no charge. That’s a decent saving, with BMW and Mercedes charging $2250 and $5200 respectively to service their large SUVs through capped-priced servicing programmes.

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Another bonus is you don’t actually need to visit a dealer at service time. If you live within 70km of Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane, Genesis will collect your car from your house or whatever location you choose.

Fit, finish and overall quality is the other thing that clocking over 10,000km has thrown under the microscope. The good news is that NBY26G has excelled in this area, albeit with two minor mechanical niggles. Inside the cabin feels as tightly screwed together as it did on day one, with nary a squeak or rattle to report.

Thick carpets and floor mats also do a decent job of absorbing dirt and grime, and the lack of piano plastic and the clever use of hot keys and brushed aluminium mean the centre console is largely free of grubby fingerprints and scuffs.

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The only area that requires the occasional wipe down is the silver material that surrounds the gear selector. Mechanically, what sounds like a worn rear wheel bearing and a vibration through the centre console at low rpm are issues that need checking.

Heading in for its first major service also marked the end of our time this particular GV80. Next month we’re swapping it for a diesel variant to verify our suspicion that the silky smooth oiler might just be the GV80 to buy. Stay tuned.

Fast doesn’t come much faster than this, at least not real-world fast. If you’re after the accelerative best of any Stuttgart crest or three-pointed star product on sale in Australia today, you’re looking at ’em: Porsche 911 GT2 and Mercedes-Benz CLK63 AMG Black Series.

Entry-level is about as far from these two bad boys as Sydney is from having a conscience. And if you can afford the entry ticket, you probably don’t have one either, though anyone who couldn’t would say that.

This article was first published in the June, 2008 issue of MOTOR

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Take the CLK Black. It’s an already ballistic CLK63 AMG only 93mm wider, 48mm lower, 19kW more powerful and $100,000 more expensive. It has an oil cooler for the power steering, a transmission oil cooler, an engine oil cooler and a visible oil cooler for the limited-slip rear diff, as well as carbonfibre front air ducts, plastic front guards, a carbonfibre rear diffuser and a carbonfibre boot spoiler.

The final-drive ratio has been shortened by six percent and its suspension can be manually adjusted for ride height, camber, compression and rebound damping, and front and rear axle track. You can forget the CLK63’s two-person rear bench, too – it has vanished, along with the door armrests and any semblance of pampered luxury. Make no mistake, the Black Series means serious business, in much the same way Don Corleone did. Or Hitler. Or Jeffrey Dahmer, for that matter.

Porsche’s 911 GT2 is no less focused in its efforts to make itself fitter, faster, stronger, more productive. It takes the supersonic 911 Turbo and magnifies it beyond comprehensible belief, shedding 145kg in weight and gaining 37kW/60Nm in thrust. It gets ceramic brakes, a titanium exhaust system, an aluminium bonnet and doors, super-light race seats and debuts Porsche’s new ‘Launch Assistant’ feature. But it’s the GT2’s improvement in power-to-weight – from the Turbo’s 223kW/tonne to a staggering 271kW/tonne – that makes your hands quiver.

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“The GT2 charges to its 6750rpm rev limit with such insane ferocity”

Think about that for a minute – the 911 Turbo is one hellishly fast machine, capable of seeing 100 in under four seconds and 310km/h at full stretch, but the GT2 can hit 329km/h and has noticeably more shove, without suffering any of the expected side affects. With its new expansion-type intake manifold, enlarged compressor wheel and flow-optimised turbine for its two turbos and 40-percent more boost pressure (now a serious 1.4bar), the GT2 is unbelievably free-revving and inertia-free.

Indeed, the GT2 has all the lag-free throttle crispness of the naturally aspirated GT3, plus absolutely phenomenal wallop when you ask for it. It’s so tractable that it will pull any gear comfortably from 1200 revs, and even when it isn’t thumping in its massive 2200-4500rpm maximum torque band, it has more grunt than virtually anything on the road.

At small throttle openings, you can hear its wastegate huffing and a sweet, swaying whistling as one of its turbos comes in and out of play. But if there’s 3000rpm showing on its centre-mounted tacho, you better hold on. The GT2 charges to its 6750rpm rev limit with such insane ferocity that you’d think it was sprint-geared, but second will do 130km/h and third runs to nearly 180!

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Want proof? Look at the GT2’s rolling-start acceleration – 80 to 120km/h in 1.8sec in third, 2.8sec in fourth, 3.8sec in fifth, and 5.7sec in sixth. It simply beggars belief. No production car on sale in Australia can beat it, or even come close. And it sounds fast as it sucks in the horizon with mind-altering intensity, the turbo’s crazed whooshing overlayed by a distant but angry wail from its titanium rear pipes.

Not that the CLK Black Series is wanting for noise. In fact, its freshly tweaked 6.2-litre AMG V8 bellows one of the best bent-eight soundtracks you and those in the next suburb have ever heard. It’s the very heart and soul of the CLK Black and sounds magnificent from the moment you turn the ignition key – resonating a deep, bassy rumble and enveloping the whole car in song. A revised intake, reprogrammed engine management and new low-back-pressure sports exhaust system have finally managed to bridge the aural gap between AMG’s atmo 6.2 V8 and the old blown 5.4, though the new engine still isn’t quite as thunderous when really being hammered.

It makes up for this, though, with the most delicious exhaust crackle on overrun in any gear at any time, and you can drop its pillarless side windows to magnify the effect. The CLK Black is also nut-job fast – achingly, addictively so.

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From the moment you brush its aluminium accelerator pedal, the CLK Black is primed. It has razor-sharp throttle response (that necessitates a deft touch during slow-speed take-offs over scarred urban roads) and uses its shortened final drive and tightly-spaced ratios to brilliant effect. It hasn’t a hope in hell of staying with the GT2 in a straight-line stoush, but 4.7sec to 100 and a 12.7 quarter aren’t what you’d call wasting time.

Gearshifts are smooth yet snappy, and the Speedshift 7G-Tronic’s manual mode will hold your chosen ratio regardless of tacho or throttle position, but it’s a pity it doesn’t match revs on downshifts and it still takes too long to register a manual upshift when the 7200rpm redline is looming mega-large.

The GT2’s traditional six-speed manual is a completely different experience, and not just because it features three pedals and a suede-covered stick. It has a very mechanical shift – cranky and disagreeable when the oil’s cold, but short-throw and rifle-sharp when it’s warmed up and being shunted hard. In fact, the more serious the driving, the better the GT2’s gearbox is. In theory, all that torque should make gearshifting merely incidental, but the Porsche devours each ratio so quickly that your left arm’s seriously busy during an all-out assault.

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And, if given the chance, it’s during one of these moments that the GT2 experience becomes alarmingly real. Not because it’s borderline-scary like the slightly ragged 996, but because it’s so wonderfully composed, even in the wet on semi-slick Cup tyres, would you believe. The faster you go, and the faster the corner, the more balanced the GT2 feels, though it’s an incisive weapon in tight stuff, too. It relies heavily on its fat rear stance and enormous rear rubber to channel all 390kW and 680Nm effortlessly to the road, but it’s stunningly effective when doing so.

Only brutal provocation when exiting tight corners in low gears manages to unsettle the tail, though even then the oversteer is fluid and progressive before the GT2 straightens and catapaults itself to the next bend. But what ultimately cements the GT2’s brilliance is its involvement. You’re fed bucketloads of information through both your fingertips and the seat of you pants, and its this synergy between its flawless steering and superb handling adjustability that hammers home why the 997 GT2 is possibly the ultimate race car for the road.

The CLK Black wants to be that, too, but it can’t quite escape the fact it’s a pumped-up version of a relatively flawed regular coupe, despite its new quick-rack steering (with just 2.4 turns) and wider tracks (by 75mm and 66mm, front and rear). The Black feels better balanced and much more planted than the slightly wayward regular CLK63, and its steering has definitely improved in accuracy and feel, but it’s still miles behind the brilliant GT2.

The Black Series CLK still feels a little taily under hard braking or when downchanging into a corner, and you need to be gentle when applying its power out of low-speed bends or hairpins – unless you intend to put its excellent LSD to good use and powerslide your way out.

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The bad-boy Benz’s natural tendency is to lean on its nose in steady-state cornering, though subtle power application can easily dial this out. You can fluidly play with the CLK’s balance simply by tweaking its right pedal, but as always, big power applications with ESP off equal big oversteer. Punting the Benz sideways is surprisingly controllable and enormous fun, but even in Black Series guise, that’s still what the CLK is about – arse-out show-ponying and straight-line hot-rodding.

It might be nicely adjustable with the throttle, but it simply can’t match the intimacy of the Porsche. And it’s dinner-plate brakes, powerful and fade-resistant as they may be, aren’t quite up to the exceptional standard of the GT2’s ceramic numbers under pressure. Where the CLK’s brakes feel best is in normal driving conditions, where the Porsche’s ceramics tend to feel a little wooden and unresponsive when cold or at light loads.

The CLK Black’s ride quality is really hard in town, jostling its passengers around thanks to very firm damping, but it smooths out nicely at speed. While it is undoubtedly disciplined, there’s never any crash-through, and while its Pirelli Corsas make a fair noise, they’re much less vocal than the Porsche’s consistently loud Michelin Pilot Sport Cups. But true to 911 form, the GT2 manages to do a terrific job at pretending to be an everyday car ride-wise.

Cossetting it isn’t, but it smooths off bumps that jolt the Mercedes and manages to jiggle noticeably less, although it isn’t immune to the phenomenon. The main issue with the GT2 in town is the lack of ground clearance under its plastic front splitter – particularly over Sydney’s vast array of speed humps.

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Climb down into the racing buckets of each car and you’ll be suitably impressed with your surroundings, if not your chances of getting out again with dignity. But it’s the stripped-down CLK Black that isn’t quite up to the GT2’s race-car-for-the-road standards. It has a lovely, chubby steering wheel, a great set of metal paddles and big, metal-plated pedals, but its wheel is mounted well to the left of the seat, as with so many right-hand-drive Benzes (C-class, E-class, CLS).

Like the GT2, the CLK’s body-hugging AMG seats have no lumbar or backrest-angle adjustment, but they don’t have the Porsche’s inherent lumbar support and the race-style cloth trim could wear quickly from the driver sliding in over the tall side bolsters (which Porsche treats with leather).

The CLK Black isn’t as comfortable over long distances as the Porsche, either – not just because of the lack of lumbar, but because of the trick carbonfibre AMG door trims with real aluminium handles. They might look shit-hot and weigh less, but that’s at the expense of proper door armrests, which sounds pedantic until you try plying the Hume without them. Considering the hardcore GT2 has lovely stitched-suede numbers with the 911’s excellent door bins underneath, and considering the CLK’s more grand-touring focus, it’s a bizarre omission.

Likewise removing the CLK’s rear seats. AMG would’ve been better off keeping them because it leaves a massive expanse of scooped-out space in what is normally an excellent four-seater coupe. It couldn’t have saved more than 30kg, though that’s purely speculative.

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It’s the GT2 that delivers the better interior. Sure, you’ll never escape the tyre roar, even with the Porsche’s superior and great-sounding Bose stereo cranked to 11, but it has a perfect driving position, better seats, better finish, and more convenience features … as it bloody well should for 426 grand. And its race-style seats have neat leather straps hanging from their backs that you can pull to flip the backrests forward and access what was once a very poor excuse for rear seats. In the GT2, it’s simply a carpeted shelf prepped for posh luggage. In the CLK Black, you need to slide its fixed front seats right forward to get to its two fluff-lined slippery-dips.

Ultimately, that leaves us with two totally different cars from quite divergent manufacturers. There are dearer Benzes than the $299,000 CLK63 AMG Black Series, but with just 50 crossing the high seas, few as rare. As the first of AMG’s premium ‘Black Series’ models to make it here, following in the footsteps of 2007’s fixed-roof SL55 Black, it makes its mark as Australia’s ultimate performance Benz – a car that’s both suave and savage, like Anthony Mundine dressed in a shoulder-padded suit.

But there’s something confused about the CLK Black. Without manual tuning of its underpinnings, it’s a flawed track car, unable to get anywhere near the Porsche’s focus or composure. But at the same time, AMG has introduced compromises – like the missing armrests and seats, the fixed buckets and the tough ride – that impinge on its outright ability. Much as you can’t help swooning for the CLK Black’s gloriously symphonic engine and its larrikan character, it isn’t quite the racer for the road that its look and image imply.

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Unlike the exclusive Mercedes, the GT2 is a regular production model, but seeing its basic sticker reads $425,700, exclusivity is guaranteed to be part of this car’s deal. Porsche Oz has already pre-sold 31 new GT2s and there’s a chance of a few more heading south, but this bahnstorming baby will be treading the gravel of very few U-drives.

When there’s so much excitement packed into one compact little coupe, who could leave it parked anyway?

The GT2 is simply the finest example there is of an everyday race car. It can do boring and ballistic in equal measures, though virtually nothing can match its explosive firepower.

Where the standard 911 Carrera is everything you could ever want in a sports car, it manages to be the same in a truly magnificent supercar. Fast, you are GT2.

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Mercedes-AMG CLK63 Black Series specs

Body: 2-door, 2-seat coupe Drive: rear wheels Engine: V8, DOHC, 32v Material: alloy head/alloy block Bore/Stroke: 102.2 x 94.6mm Capacity: 6208cc Compression: 11.3:1 Power: 373kW @ 6800rpm Torque: 630Nm @ 5250rpm Redline/cut: 7200/7400rpm Fuel/tank: 98 octane/62 litres Test consumption: 16.9L/100km Kerb Weight: 1685kg Power-to-weight: 221kW/tonne Transmission: 7-speed automatic Ratios: 4.38/2.86/1.92/1.37/1.00/0.82/0.73 Final drive: 2.82 Suspension: struts, A-arms, anti-roll bar (f); multi-links, coil springs, anti-roll bar (r) Length/width/height: 4657/1833/1365mm Wheelbase: 2715mm Tracks (f/r): 1568/1540mm Steering: power rack and pinion Turning circle: 11.75m Lock-to-lock: 2.4 turns Brakes: 360mm ventilated/drilled discs, six-piston calipers (f); 330mm ventilated/drilled discs, four-piston calipers (r); ABS, ESP Wheel: 19 x 9.0-inch (f), 19 x 19.5-inch (r), forged alloy Tyres: Pirelli P Zero Corsa Size: 265/30ZR19 93Y (f), 285/30ZR19 98Y (r) Price: $299,000 (as tested)

Porsche 911 GT2 specs

Body: 2-door, 2-seat coupe Drive: rear wheels Engine: flat 6, DOHC, 24v, twin turbo Material: alloy head/alloy block Bore/Stroke: 100.0 x 76.4mm Capacity: 3600cc Compression: 9.0:1 Power: 390kW @ 6500rpm Torque: 680Nm @ 2200-4500rpm Redline/cut: 6800/6750rpm Fuel/tank: 98 octane/90 litres Test consumption: 14.4L/100km Kerb weight: 1440kg Power-to-weight: 271kW/tonne Transmission: 6-speed manual Ratios: 3.15/1.89/1.40/1.09/0.89/0.73 Final drive: 3.44 Suspension: struts, A-arms, adaptive dampers, anti-roll bar (f); multi-links, coil springs, adaptive dampers, anti-roll bar (r) Length/Width/Height: 4469/1852/1285mm Wheelbase: 2350mm Tracks (f/r): 1515/1550mm Steering: power rack and pinion Turning circle: 11.0m Lock-to-lock: 2.6 turns Brakes: 380mm ventilated/drilled ceramic discs, six-piston calipers (f); 350mm ventilated/drilled ceramic discs, four-piston calipers (r); ABS, EBD, PSM, TC Wheels: 19 x 8.5-inch (f), 19 x 12.0-inch (r), alloy Tyres: Michelin Pilot Sport Cup Size: 235/35ZR19 87Y (f), 325/30ZR19 101Y (r) Price: $437,560 (as tested)

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Market research is a such a joyful and insightful guide to consumer behaviour, so we should try a little of it here. Let’s begin.

Raise your hand if you have over a quarter of a million burning a hole in your trousers and, hi-po SUVs be buggered, you’re ready to drop it on a full-size sports sedan.

Hold that hand high and steady if you’ve test-driven the likes of BMW’s M5, Mercedes-AMG’s E63 S and maybe Audi’s RS7 and rejected them on the basis of, I dunno, being too clever, too polished, too tech-heavy.

Now keep your hand up if you have a hankering for an Italian brand with a rich 106-year history, delivering a car with a twin-turbo V8 developed by Ferrari, driving the rear wheels only, and with a penchant for getting a little lurid and sideways when scruffed.

We’re tipping there aren’t many of you left with an arm extended, but maybe – just maybe – a select few to justify the effort Maserati has gone to so it can deliver this: the first V8-powered Ghibli since the original Tipo AM115 two-door built between 1967 and 1973.

This range-topping Trofeo variant at $265,000 is the pinnacle of a six-model line-up, starting at $145K for the 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6, and all recently refreshed with exterior updates, safety and assistance improvements, and extensive equipment upgrades.

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None of which can alter the fact that this third-gen car debuted back in 2013, so accept that plenty of wrinkles can’t be ironed out with a shot of automotive Botox. Like a cabin that’s a world away from the tech-rich, screen-heavy future-fests of its German competitors.

The analogue main gauges are quaintly chrome-rimmed; there’s no head-up display, and as, we’ll get to, very limited tailoring of specific combinations of drive-mode parameters like engine mapping, steering weight and damper stiffness.

But the aromatic leather and glossy carbonfibre trim are lovely, and the hi-res 10.1-inch multimedia touchscreen is intuitive and responsive, with wireless Apple CarPlay that works seamlessly.

Just don’t look too hard at the HVAC controls and general switchgear and you may not notice they’re lifted from the Jeep/Chrysler parts bin, thanks to Stellantis’s ownership of the Italian brand.

Before firing up the Ferrari-built V8, it’s worth popping the bonnet for a little drool moment, because it really does look delicious. The intake plenums sit there proudly like scarlet, crackle-finished dog’s bollocks, neatly crowned with a slim carbonfibre shroud carrying the famed trident logo.

It makes the presentation of the M5’s 4.4-litre V8 seem like a bit of a shrinking violet by comparison, even if the BMW, in 460kW/750Nm Competition spec and priced at $246,900, does make use of its extra capacity to shade the 433kW/730Nm outputs of the Ghibli Trofeo.

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“There’s no crazy aural fireworks under wide-open throttle, no metaphoric grenades lobbing out the back as you lift off”

Fire up the Maser, though, and those visual under-bonnet pops don’t translate to overt theatrics. This engine is a shorter stroke, cross-plane-crank, wet-sump version of the 3.9-litre V8 used by Ferrari in the Portofino and Roma models but with a far more neutered character.

Its idle is a distant, almost apologetic heartbeat, although hitting the sport button does open the exhaust valves for a slightly richer, more baritone woofle.

Throttle tip-in is nicely calibrated (unlike the over-servoed brake pedal), and the ubiquitous eight-speed ZF transmission is glitch-free and intuitive as it always is.

The V8 isn’t entirely lag-free – although what IC engine is, in this era of instant, pulverising EV torque – but gets properly percolating as the tacho swings toward 3000rpm, and has no trouble dealing with the Ghibli’s near-two-tonne mass when allowed to really work in the combat zone between 4000 and the 7200 limiter.

A quoted 0-100km/h acceleration time of 4.3 seconds is a bit off the pace of the all-wheel drive German rivals mentioned earlier, but it still feels lively in the extreme once on the move.

The lovely aluminium paddle shifters give fine control over the auto, and in manual mode, deny upshifts on the soft limiter. It’s a supremely slick, high-gloss drivetrain, with, to my mind at least, one crucial shortcoming: it’s too damn polite.

Even in the most extreme Corsa mode, which, by default, moves the dampers to their stiffest setting, there’s no crazy aural fireworks under wide-open throttle, no metaphoric grenades lobbing out the back as you lift off.

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It leaves the Ghibli’s character a bit confused, as if it’s not quite sure what it’s trying to be.

Yes, it steers with a healthy degree of precision and conviction, and its pliant ride and noise suppression make it a fine, polished tourer. But surely if you forgo the technical sophistication of its German rivals, you want an Italian super sedan that, when prodded, becomes a bit of unhinged nut job.

Instead, the Trofeo seems oddly fixated on snuffing out extroverted brio with clinical efficiency. Yes, you can turn the ESC off and get it to reveal a sideways alter-ego, but it’s never a completely natural duality.

And given the Ghibli is in the twilight of its model cycle, time has run out to engineer in some of the sorely missing Latin mongrel.

It seems like a bit of a missed opportunity, we think, although we’ll concede Maserati’s market research into what customers really want may be more extensive than ours. Hands down.

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2021 Maserati Ghibli Trofeo specs

• Engine: 3.8-litre V8, DOHC, 32v, twin-turbo
• Power: 433kW @ 6750rpm
• Torque: 730Nm @ 2250-5250rpm
• 0-100km/h: 4.3sec (claimed)
• Weight: 1969kg
• Price: $265,000 (before on-roads)

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The updated Audi RS3 is well and truly waiting in the wings, with our first glimpse of the highly-anticipated production version appearing amongst a full family portrait of RS models.

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Although both cars are disguised in RS-branded camouflage, we can see they carry the same signature design language prevalent throughout the rest of the RennSport range.

The front end is hallmarked by the large singular hexagonal grille, hipped by jutting corner vents; while blistered wheel arches, front fender vents and flared sideskirts adorn the sides. The rear valance, of the sedan, now houses a full-width fake vent, new taillights, signature dual oval exhausts, with a small and subtle lip spoiler atop an integrated duckbill. Both cars are also cornered by new Y-spoke wheels.

JULY 20, 2021: The new RS3 has finally been revealed. See our RS3 page here.

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The white ‘1-2-4-5-3’ numbering on the cars’ flanks denotes the cylinder firing order for Audi’s signature five-cylinder engine, with many expecting some form of Audi’s 2.5-litre turbocharged five-cylinder to appear under the bonnet of the refreshed RS 3.

The ultimate power output remains to be seen; however, a mild power bump is expected from the 294kW configuration alloy-block five-pot currently doing service in the RS 3 and RS Q3.

CarScoops reports US deliveries are expected from 2022, with no word yet on a local release. Australia’s car market is notoriously performance focused however, and with the RS 3 halo making up around 25 per cent of all A3 models locally, Australian interest is undoubtedly high for Audi’s compact street fighter.

Motor has approached Audi Australia for comment.

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Three carmakers are facing charges in connection with the Dieselgate scandal.

Peugeot, Renault and now Citroen have all been charged with an offence relating to the 2015 emissions testing misconduct over the past few days.

Citroen and Peugeot have both been charged with consumer fraud.

As a result, Citroen will have to make a deposit of €8million (AU$12.6m) and a bank guarantee of €25million (AU$39.3m) for potential compensation and losses.

Meanwhile Peugeot will need to pay bail to the tune of €10million (AU$15.7m) of which €8m (AU$12.6m) will be for the potential payment of damages and fines, and the other €2m (AU$3.1m) to ensure the company’s representation in court.

In addition, Peugeot must also pay a bank guarantee of €30m (AU$47.1m) to cover any possible compensation.

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Parent company Stellantis issued a statement specifying the charges related to the sale of Euro 5 diesel vehicles in France between 2009 and 2015.

The companies are said to be “in the process of assessing defence options”.

According to an official Stellantis statement, FCA Italy had also been summoned to appear before the Judicial Court of Paris as part of the same investigation.

“This formal step in the judicial investigation will allow the investigated parties to have full access to the case file and give them the opportunity to defend against allegations that have not yet been evaluated in adversarial proceedings,” the statement said.

“The companies firmly believe emission control systems met all applicable requirements at the relevant times and continue to do so and look forward to the opportunity to demonstrate that.”

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Another French carmaker, Renault, was also this week charged with deceit in France relating to older generations of diesel vehicles and as such will have to pay bail of €20m (AU$31.4m), €18m (AU$28.3m) towards potential damages and fines, with a €60m (AU$94.3m) bank guarantee dedicated towards potential compensation and losses.

A statement made by Renault said: “The company is presumed innocent. Renault denies having committed any offence and reminds that its vehicles are not equipped with any rigging software for pollution control devices.

“Renault has always complied with French and European regulations. Renault vehicles have all and always been type-approved in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.”

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The news of the latest charges against automakers comes in the same week as Volkswagen announced it had agreed to settle claims against four former executives, including long-time CEO Martin Winterkorn, which will see the carmaker receive almost €288m (AU$452.7m) in compensation related to the emissions scandal.

The settlement came on the same day Mr Winterkorn was charged in Germany with giving false testimony to the country’s parliament when he said he was unaware of the carmaker rigging diesel engine tests before the news became public, according to Reuters.

Winterkorn stepped down as CEO in September 2015, a week after the news of the scandal emerged.

A statement made by Volkswagen added: “The former member of Audi’s Board of Management, Prof. Ulrich Hackenberg, was not prepared to reach an agreement. The Supervisory Board of Audi AG has instructed that preparations be made for legal action to be taken against Prof. Hackenberg.”

Lotus has revealed an image showing off the steering wheel and digital dash of its all-new, yet-to-be-unveiled sportscar, the Emira.

Representing only the second novel performance car from the Hethel marque in nearly 10 years, the Emira will also be the first new product with an internal combustion engine Lotus has released since it was taken over by Chinese juggernaut, Geely.

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The squared-off steering wheel looks very sporty, finished in black Alcantara with a dead-centre stripe and stitching in contrasting yellow.

Unsurprisingly, the touch-buttons located on the steering wheel used to control various functions such as cruise control and the digital dash (more on that in a second) are quite obviously sourced from Volvo’s parts department.

Given Geely also owns Volvo, many speculated the new Lotus could feature some of the Swedish marque’s equipment, and it now appears that is the case.

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And that’s no bad thing, in fact, considering Volvo products under Geely’s management have gone from strength to strength, with the Gothenburg firm’s XC60 and XC40 winning Wheels’ Car of the Year (COTY) in 2018 and 2019, respectively.

The size of the digital dash isn’t yet known, but it looks quite diminutive. It also appears configurable according to the driver’s preferences, showing different information such as speed, gear-indicator, rev-counter, and even a g-force meter.

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As previously reported by Motor, the Emira will be built on an all-new aluminium platform and powered by the familiar, Toyota-derived 2GR-FE supercharged 3.5-litre V6, and, if the rumours are to be believed, Mercedes-AMG’s M139 turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder motor.

Lotus has also teased veiled images of its new sportscar’s front end, and judging from the photos, it would appear the Emira will share a great deal of its exterior aesthetics with its electrified hypercar sibling, the Evija.

The 2022 Lotus Emira will make its international debut on July 6 at Lotus’s headquarters in Hethel, before being shown off days later at the 2021 running of the Goodwood Festival of Speed.