Stand back ? the Melbourne Motor Show?s star sports cars are about to blaze.
It tips in at $2.7million Australian dollars, tops out at 407km/h, and is guaranteed to draw a huge crowd of gawping motor show admirers three whole years after its international launch.
The world’s quickest (and dearest) production car, the Bugatti Veyron, will drop in for a long weekend at the Melbourne Motor Show from February 29.
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Fresh from its show duties at this weekend’s Clipsal 500, the 736kW/1000Nm 16-cylinder, 8-litre-engined supercar will whisk up from Adelaide for the first three days at the show.
Were you to drive from Adelaide to Melbourne at top speed, it would take less than two hours…
But the Veyron has some mean competition, and will be challenged for the show spotlight despite its hefty price tag and subsequent exclusivity.
One performance car which is cleaning its AWD paws is Nissan’s fourth generation R35 Skyline GT-R. The 353kW 3.8-litre twin turbo supercar will be on show in Oz for the first time, but in Japanese domestic spec only –Nissan Australia is saving the Australian specifics for its 2009 launch.
Another Australian debut is the locally designed and built E-Vade. The two-seat, open-top sports car is almost ready for production, and already boasts around 300kW in road-going guise, or a massive 500kW in stripped-out, chipped-up track form. It offers two-thirds of the Veyron’s power, but is less than half the weight and probably one-eighth of the price.
Bespoke carmaker Bolwell has brought the Nagari back after a 30-year hiatus. Though the company is keeping its new supercar under wraps, some carefully leaked preview images reveals that while patronage is paid to the past, it will bring the old-school brand well into the future of performance cars.
The Nagari has been under development for the past three years, and claims to be designed and tuned for Australian road and track conditions.
Fortunately (or unfortunately as the case may be), the kids don’t miss out on all the two-seat, twin-turbo amusement rides.
Mums and dads need only present a large wad of cash to break from the boundaries of the family wagon and nestle into Audi’s banging 426kW twin-turbo V10-engined RS6 Avant.
The top-spec A6 wagon’s debut threatens to upstage Audi’s local launch of its A4 sedan; the debut of its sporty TTS Coupe and Convertible preview; even its wild Cross Coupé quattro concept.
Standing for Renn Sport, or racing, the last RS6 Avant (Audi speak for Estate or wagon) was quicker than a Porsche Carrera when it was launched in 2002. Offered in limited numbers across the globe, the RS6 was seconded by both Schumacher brothers – despite their contractual Formula 1 arrangements with Ferrari and BMW.
They both had new families at the time. Well, whatever excuse works…
2008 Melbourne International Motor Show
Melbourne Exhibition Centre, Clarendon Street, Southbank Friday
29 February (from 5PM) - 9 March
Adults $18.00; Children (5-15) $10.00; Children under 5 Free; Concession $14; Family (2 adults, up to 3 children) $44.00
