Sport Advice

Car companies talk a lot about creating an emotional connection with customers these days. While it’s easy to think that’s just a marketing gimmick, Hyundai demonstrates what it really means with the 2021 N Festival. 

Defining what constitutes a ‘sports car’ is a reliably easy way of starting an argument. Some, slightly simplistic folk will insist that it means anything with wheels that’s painted red. Others that having a roof that’s convertible makes the grade. But the simplest definition is that it’s any car that values performance and the thrill of driving over whether or not you have ample space to fit your

Craig Lowndes is one of Australia’s favourite racing drivers. He’s been retired from full-time driving for more than two seasons but remains one of most recognizable and beloved V8 Supercar stars.

Peter Brock was the first superstar of Australian motor racing.

He came, he saw and he conquered Supercars racing - and now Scott McLaughlin is trying to do the same in IndyCar racing in America.

Depending on who you ask, the second-generation Tesla Roadster might just be the quickest series-production car of all time – or maybe it’s the stuff of dreams, literally.Since its reveal all the way back in November 2017, the new Roadster has been the subject of much debate, with Tesla founder Elon Musk claiming at the time it would sprint from zero to 60mph (0-97km/h) in a record 1.9 seconds while on the way to 100mph (161km/h) in 4.2s.Yep, that was an insane set of claims, which was complemented by two others: a quarter-mile (0-402m) time of 8.8 seconds and a “provisional” top speed of more than 402km/h.Fast forward to June 2018 and Mr Musk announced at Tesla’s annual shareholder meeting that those performance claims were for the Roadster’s entry-level variant, rightfully describing it as “crazy”.So, just how quick and fast can the Roadster get? Well, we still don’t know for sure, as the flagship version with the SpaceX-inspired ‘rocket thruster’ option is yet to have its acceleration and max-speed claims issued – well, clearly.To make matters a little more confusing, Mr Musk took to Twitter in July 2019 to claim the Roadster would complete the zero-to-60mph (0-97km/h) dash in 2.1s.When asked which variant of the Roadster he was referring to, Mr Musk clarified it was the entry-level version without the ‘rocket thruster’ option. Confused? We are, too.For what it’s worth, Tesla’s website still lists the entry-level Roadster’s zero-to-60mph (0-97km/h) time as 1.9s, so maybe that’s with the ‘rocket thruster’ option? And if so, how quick is the flagship with it? As always, time will tell.What is seemingly for sure, though, is the Roadster will be up there with the quickest and fastest cars money can buy when it’s officially released as early as late 2021. And in case you were wondering, yes, it’s been delayed, having originally been scheduled for deliveries from 2020.Either way, the Roadster will face stiff competition from the very best from this millennium, including from within the Tesla model line-up, with the eagerly anticipated Model S Plaid large sedan revealed in September 2020 with zero-to-60mph (0-97km/h) and -100km/h claims of less than 2.0s and 2.1s respectively.It remains to be seen exactly how the Roadster and Model S Plaid measure up, but you’d be wise to put your money on the former to come out on top in a straight line… and around corners.Other official Roadster challengers include the Ariel Atom 500 (0-100km/h in less than 2.3s), Dodge Challenger SRT Demon (2.3s), Bugatti Chiron (2.4s) and Bugatti Veyron Super Sport (2.5s), among others.For reference, the Roadster’s tri-motor powertrain features one electric motor up front and two at the rear, combining to deliver a ridiculous 10,000Nm of maximum torque to the wheels, all four of which are driven. Its peak power hasn’t been claimed yet.Despite its epic performance claims, the Roadster can still travel 1014 kilometres (620 miles) between full charges thanks to its 200kWh battery, according to Tesla. And yep, that’s yet another unprecedented claim.Assuming the Roadster comes to reality, it will be very interesting to see what its official acceleration and top-speed claims are, along with its other data. That said, the inevitable tests that look to confirm them will be even more so. Bring on the unofficial videos already!

One of the biggest cinematic franchises of the last two decades, the Fast and Furious movies loosely follow the wacky japes of a crew of former street racers as they have slowly transition into international anti-terrorist action heroes. Where once it was all about punk kids not liking the tuna and closing off roads for pizza boys to find another way home, these days it is all secret agency tac-op

The Porsche 911 GT3 is among the most hardcore of the 911 sports car range, doing away with comfort and luxury in favour of on-track performance. 

The Shelby Cobra of the 1960s spectacularly blends a small British roadster with a gutsy American heart, but there’s another reason why this open-top muscle car is remembered so fondly, and is so very desired by collectors.

The Viperidae, or Viper for short, is among the most aggressive and lethal family of snakes in the world, making it a fairly apt description for what is often described as the “most dangerous” sports car ever made: the Dodge Viper.