What's the difference?
Obviously the headline item of the new McLaren Artura Spider is the ability to drop the top and feel the wind in your hair, or, should you live in Melbourne, at least the damp mist on your face.
But this new plug-in powerhouse has plenty more to offer than just its folding hardtop.
The coupe and convertible are more powerful, there’s a new and louder exhaust, faster gear shifts, a richer rev range, better suspension and better braking.
Oh, and there's a new feature designed to unlock your inner hooligan, but we’ll come back to that one in just a moment...
But at its core, the Artura Spider is a plug-in hybrid monster that goes someway to previewing the future of the supercar species.
Does electrification enhance the excitement? We strapped in to find out.
Zeekr is making waves in Australia at the moment but it's not because of the car you see before you.
Nope, it’s the 7X mid-size SUV that’s captured a heap of attention and a whole lot of sales. In fact, of the 1832 sales the brand has managed over the first three months of 2026, just 54 were for the X.
But that was the old X and this is the new one. With more power, more performance, faster charging and a whole heap of pretty special equipment, especially for the small SUV segment.
So, is that enough to finally put the X on the map?
McLaren’s most liveable offering proves hybrid heroes have a place in the supercar stable of tomorrow. Angry and affable in near-equal measure, it is utterly docile during the week and completely bonkers on the weekend.
Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, accommodation and meals provided.
It's a good thing in a small package, this Zeekr X, and there are a lot of things I like about it. In fact, the only sticking point for me is the price. But that's all about perspective. If you see this as a newcomer Chinese brand, then yes, there are a lot of more affordable options out there. But if you see it as a premium player, it's really a more affordable version of a Volvo.
Note: The author, Andrew Chesterton, is a co-owner of Smart As Media, a content agency and media distribution service with a number of automotive brands among its clients. When producing content for CarsGuide, he does so in accordance with the CarsGuide Editorial Guidelines and Code of Ethics, and the views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author.