Ferrari News

An eccentric Swiss company has created a car with a periscope-style camera to scan the road ahead and a steering wheel that can be stowed – so you can browse the web on the way to work.The Rinspeed Budii (pronounced "buddy") is the star concept car at this week's Geneva motor show, due to open Wednesday March 4, Australian time.The Swiss firm based its latest flight of fancy on the BMW i3 electric car, which has been pulled apart and rebuilt so it is unrecognisable – and loaded with advanced equipment from more than two-dozen technology suppliers.The periscope uses laser and camera technology to read traffic and detect obstacles, while the steering wheel can be used as a makeshift table to rest a lap-top while the car finds its way through traffic.The steering wheel can also be swivelled from the left to the right side of the cabin depending on where the vehicle is sold – or can be slid across at a moment's notice if the driver is too tired.A dedicated app for smart phones (and smart watches) enables owners to set the air-conditioning temperature of the car minutes before they are due to start driving, and activate the electric car's recharging cycle.Although the Rinspeed Budii concept car is not equipped with autonomous driving technology, it does provide an insight into what the inside of self-driving cars could look like.There are large iPad screens in the sun visors, with road information for the driver, and a TV or DVD player for the passenger.The central cabin control screen is as large as a TV, and the display automatically reduces the amount of information shown based on what the driver uses most."The vision of autonomous driving will soon become reality and will fundamentally change the interaction of man and automobiles," says Rinspeed boss Frank Rinderknecht.The car industry is gradually increasing the level of automation in modern vehicles, starting with radar cruise control with "stop-start", which keeps a safe distance from the car ahead, automatically comes to a stop and restarts once the traffic is moving again – without the driver having to touch the brake or accelerator pedals. This technology is available in luxury cars today.The next step is "on-ramp to off-ramp" automation on freeways. Experts believe it will be 10 to 15 years before the technology is good enough to handle the complexity of city and suburban driving."The autonomously driving car will require more than solving technical problems and legal issues in the next two decades," said Mr Rinderknecht. "We not only have to redefine the interaction of man and machine, but must also raise questions about responsibility, tolerances and expectations."Police and insurance companies have already made it clear drivers will still be responsible for obeying the law while behind the wheel of autonomous cars, just as a pilot must stay alert and in control when a plane is on auto-pilot."Even the best technology will not be perfect, albeit less prone to error than humans. That is something we will have to accept," said Mr Rinderknecht. "In the future, cars will do just as we do: they will keep learning every day, and as a result will get better and better at mastering the complex challenges of modern-day private transport."Rinspeed has a long history of creating unusual concept cars. Last year it showed a Tesla electric car with the seats facing backwards – towards a large screen TV – to illustrate how quickly autonomous technology was developing.In 2013 Rinspeed showed a tiny city car in which drivers and passengers stood while strapped to a seat rest; the idea was to create a super-small vehicle that can carry five or more people in comfort.Although the latest Rinspeed concept car does debut a number of world firsts, it wasn't the first company in the world to dream of a bird's eye view of the traffic ahead. Last year Renault unveiled a concept car called the KWID which had a camera drone beam live images back to a screen in the dashboard.It is fitting that so many supercars and racing machines for the super-rich are due to bow at the 2015 Geneva motor show. You need a tax haven to be able to afford to buy – or bend – any one of these.Clearly a recession is around the corner. History shows when super cars become common as muck the global economy collapses, the car industry contracts, and we start all over again.In the meantime, here's a taste of how Europe's filthy rich are living it up as we race towards a fiscal cliff.We don't know what the name means either, but what we do know is that this is the new two-seater sports car concept from the German-owned British brand Bentley. The 'EXP-10 Speed 6', to give its full name, is a pointer to a new model to sell alongside the Bentley coupe and sedan that are already on sale and the SUV that is a few years away from showrooms. The press blurb waxes lyrical about the design and the "expression of muscular, athletic surfaces inspired by the aerodynamic shapes of aircraft fuselages and wings". But nowhere does Bentley mention what type of engine it has. Perhaps 'six' is a clue.For some people, even Lamborghini supercars aren't fast enough. That's why cars like this are born. Lamborghini has extracted 50 extra horsepower and trimmed 50kg of bodyweight from the regular V12 Aventador to produce this limited edition lightweight model. It's called (deep breath) the Lamborghini Aventador LP 750-4 Superveloce. All you really need to know is that with 750 horsepower (or 560kW in modern parlance) it can reach the speed limit in just 2.8 seconds and will likely cost more than $800,000 when it goes on sale in Australia late this year.Only 24 of these will be made and, as the saying goes, if you have to ask the price, you probably can't afford it. You will need especially deep pockets given this is a race car, and spare parts won't exactly be "off the shelf". The entire body and chassis are handmade from lightweight carbon-fibre. And the U-shaped steering wheel looks like something from a fighter plane. The Aston Martin Vulcan is the company's latest track weapon, said to have a handy 800 horsepower from its 7.0-litre V12. This is Aston Martin's answer to a one-make racing series for the super-rich.Aston Martin's first sedan since 1976 was released as a limited edition for the Middle East in 2014; now the company has extended production of the aptly-named Taraf to other global markets – in both left- and right-hand-drive – but will cap the number built to 200. Price "remains confidential" but the British press report it will cost £400,000 (approximately $800,000 in Australian dollars, but closer to $1 million by the time Luxury Car Tax and GST are added). Each car will be powered by Aston Martin's 6.0-litre V12 as the engine deal with Mercedes-AMG is yet to start.Do not adjust your eyes: this is the new, second-generation Audi R8. You can tell because it has vertical slats in the lower section of the front bumper, a bigger bulge in the side vents, and squinty headlights. Despite the visual similarities with the original, every panel is new. And the 5.2-litre V10 has been given a tune-up: 449kW in its most powerful guise. On sale here early next year from an estimated $400,000.After 10 years and 450 sales (at €1 million plus taxes apiece) the last ever Bugatti Veyron will bow at the 2015 Geneva motor show. In the end, the world's fastest car had an epic 895kW of power and a mind-boggling 1500Nm of torque from its quad turbo W16 (yes, two V8s mounted back-to-back). Top speed: an average of 431km/h over 1km and a 0 to 100km/h time of 2.5 seconds, which is faster than a Formula One car. The good news: Bugatti is developing a successor.The 488 GTB is the first turbocharged mid-engined Ferrari since the epic F40 supercar made from 1987 to 1992, and is only the second turbo V8 in the company's modern era after last year's California T. As with almost every brand, Ferrari is moving to turbocharging because it can extract more power from smaller engines that burn less fuel. A sign of the times, the 488 GTB (reviving the 40-year-old badge from the 308 GTB) easily eclipses the F40's output (351kW/577Nm) with an impressive 492kW of power and 760Nm of torque to create a 0 to 100km/h time of 3.0 seconds.This may look like another bad-ass Mercedes AMG GT but the bigger news is under the bonnet. It's the last hurrah for the high-powered and highly-strung 6.3-litre V8 that has been at the heart of almost every Mercedes-Benz AMG V8 model for the past decade. And it's going out on a high as the engine to be used in Mercedes' GT3 racer next year.British F1 firm McLaren has joined the long list of supercar makers with a new racing program: the P1 GTR is powered by a 1000 horsepower twin-turbo 3.8-litre V8. The show car is finished in the same colour scheme as McLaren's LeMans winner from 20 years ago. McLaren's one-make racing series for the well-heeled kicks off later this year.German sports car maker Porsche has finally done what diehard fans have demanded for more than 10 years. It has fitted the bigger and more powerful 3.8-litre six-cylinder engine from its 911 flagship into the smaller, more affordable and mid-engined Cayman. The result is a car that promises to out-pace and out-manouvre the iconic 911, which is precisely the reason Porsche was so reluctant to build it in the first place. In local showrooms by the end of the year with a price we're guessing will top $200,000.Meet Mercedes-Benz's monster truck, and one of the most expensive four-wheel-drives in the world. The G500 is based on the legendary Mercedes G-Class body (originally developed for military use but has since been made for civilians) and uses AMG's new twin turbo 4.0-litre V8. But the big news is the desert-racer suspension and the massive 22-inch wheels and tyres – and a price tag likely to cost in excess of $500,000. Fortunately it rides so high there isn't much chance you'll scratch it.Not every car at the Geneva motor show is expensive, inaccessible and unlikely to ever hit the road. But nor is every new car actually a car. Between the regular passenger vehicles is an increasing array of small SUVs.The world's biggest selling car (and the top-seller in Australia for the past two years in a row) is due for a facelift mid-year. New headlights combine with a futuristic-looking grille and sleek front bumper to give it a freshen-up. It's also tipped to get a rear-view camera as standard on every model (bringing it up to speed with the Corolla sedan and the Yaris hatch). The photo is of a hybrid version sold in Europe but Toyota Australia still has no plans to introduce the petrol-electric Corolla.This car should erase any doubts about Hyundai's continued climb up the sales charts. The new Hyundai Tucson (the first European reveal for an all-new Hyundai) is due in Australia in August. Underneath its miniature Hyundai SantaFe looks is a choice of 2.0-litre petrol, 2.0-litre turbo diesel and 1.6-litre turbo petrol power.The initials "GT" are usually associated with iconic Falcon V8 sedans or Ford's US-made Ferrari-fighting sports car, but BMW has decided to add the badge to its first people mover. The 2 Series "Grand Tourer" is the seven-seat version of its 2 Series front-wheel-drive hatch. Note the longer body, taller roof and the bigger boot to fit the third-row seats. On sale later this year.With its bright red paintwork, dark grey alloy wheels and sleek lines you could be forgiven for thinking this could pass for Ferrari's first ever wagon. In fact, it's a Kia. This concept is a pointer to the new generation Optima sedan, which will also be available as a wagon for the first time. Due on sale in Australia late this year.This cool-looking concept comes from Mitsubishi, which has a habit of making its production cars look nowhere near as exciting as the motor show tease. Here's hoping we're wrong. This is the preview to the all-new ASX compact SUV due in showrooms next year. The concept has plug-in hybrid technology but we're not certain that'll make the production version. Petrol and diesel engines will likely be standard fare.Nissan's luxury brand Infiniti (which doesn't know how to spell "infinity") is about to join the baby SUV boom with the oddly-named QX30. Car makers are switching to letters and numbers because apparently we're running out of car names that don't offend someone somewhere in various languages. Expect a showroom version of this to appear next year.It's difficult to know whether this is a tall hatchback or a squashed SUV. The Lexus LF-SA (be careful how you say that) concept is said to be a pointer to the brand's first pint-sized SUV for the city. As is the case with previous Lexus concepts, the showroom version won't look anything like this unfortunately. Imagine this car with normal doors, much smaller wheels and tyres, regular headlights, and then squint a bit, and you have an idea how the real thing will look when it arrives next year.This is a concept intended to warm us to the look of the new generation Audi A4 and A6 wagons due in the next two years. The concept also previews "production ready" plug-in hybrid technology, joining the long list of European brands embracing electrical cords to reduce the emissions ratings for their petrol-powered cars.We're not sure if this looks like a Kia, or if the latest Kia cars look like Citroens. But just to be clear this is the facelift for the Citroen DS5, with a slightly cleaner front-end look while the rest of the car is unchanged. That said, it still turns heads, three years on. The update should be in Australian showrooms by the end of the year.The photos of the new Ford Focus RS hot hatch were released last month, but the vital signs and "tech specs" will finally be made available during the car's first public outing. Powered by the same 2.3-litre turbo four-cylinder engine used in the Mustang, and matched to an all-wheel-drive system, it promises to become Ford's fastest and most powerful hot hatch.The Honda Civic Type R has been in the making for almost as long as the Nissan GT-R. Here's hoping good things come to those who wait. We've seen the concept before, and we know it'll be powered by a turbocharged 2.0-litre engine, but the production version of the Civic Type R finally bows at Geneva. There is just one catch: Honda says we might not see the car in Australia until 2017 because the priority is to get the Honda NSX supercar in local showrooms next year.Is your idea of sleeping under stars simply a hotel with a five-star rating? This could be the camper trailer kit for you. Jeep has created a trailer in the same shape as the tail-end of its new city-sized SUV, the Renegade. It comes with a wide screen TV and a massive sound system to annoy other campers. But fear not: it's only a motor show tease. You will not be able to buy this source of public disturbance at a Jeep dealer any time soon.

The festival, an initiative of the Victorian Automotive Chamber of Commerce and the Royal Auto Club of Victoria, is set for the Melbourne Showgrounds on March 26-29.Rival event Motorworld, organised by event specialist Definitive Events, is at Sandown Raceway in November. With the luxury of time on its side, it is expected to name its first exhibitors in May.Australia hasn't had a new-car show since the final Australian International Motor Show in Sydney in 2012, which folded because of a lack of manufacturer support.The industry consensus is that only one of the two new shows can survive long-term.Mercedes-Benz spokesman Jerry Stamoulis won't be drawn on whether the brand has signed up for the November show: "At this stage we are yet to come a conclusion regarding other upcoming opportunities such as Motorworld."The festival will offer them the opportunity to connect with the Australian driving public in a new and dynamic wayThe Australian Motoring Festival release says: "It will differ from a traditional display-style motor show by providing visitors with multiple opportunities to interact with vehicles and vehicle technology through test drives and simulation."VACC executive director Geoff Gwilym says the involvement of Ferrari, Mercedes-Benz and Toyota will give car enthusiasts a diverse mix of vehicles and experiences."These three global brands are among the largest in the industry across the luxury sports, prestige and everyday categories," he says."We are confident the festival will offer them the opportunity to connect with the Australian driving public in a new and dynamic way."Mercedes-Benz Australia CEO Horst von Sanden says the interactivity is part of the appeal, enabling the maker to show the latest safety technology and performance vehicles.Ferrari Experience display area will feature 30 years of Ferrari supercar historyHe tips the brand will have "a few surprise vehicles".Ferrari Australasia CEO Herbert Appleroth echoes the view. "This is a unique opportunity for lovers of cars to get close and personal with our brand and our beautiful vehicles," he says."Our Ferrari Experience display area will feature 30 years of Ferrari supercar history and a stunning showroom with the latest range of Ferrari road cars."Toyota Australia southern regional manager Stephen Slater says that enthusiasts can "look, feel and touch all the the technology in an interesting, interactive environment".Festival tickets start from $30 for adults and $20 for children, with discounts for RACV and VACC members.

After the collapse of a plan for a national show alternating between Sydney and Melbourne, two groups are hoping to revive the interest in car shows in 2015.The first one is just around the corner and has already received support from three key brands for an event at the Melbourne Showgrounds from March 26-29.The Australian Motoring Festival will include test drives, simulators and other interactive eventsThe Showgrounds layout allows creation of a test track and four-wheel-drive course, as well as a family fun zone, a design centre and a location billed as "History that Moves".Ferrari, Mercedes-Benz and Toyota have committed to the car show.Its organisers — the RACV and Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce — promise a new approach.Instead of just a glitzy indoor showroom, the Australian Motoring Festival will include test drives, simulators and other interactive events to put the cars into context and show more than the quality of their paintwork and cabins.Ferrari is bringing cars to reflect its 30 years as a supercar headliner.More car makers are expected to join as the event gets closerMercedes-Benz is emphasising its AMG performers and its Driving Academy and Toyota promises an interactive look at a range of models.Ferrari is using the event as its major focus for this year, after lasy tear's successful Ferrari Racing Days in Sydney.Mercedes-Benz hopes to lure newcomers to the brand — with a twist."We will be featuring Mercedes-AMG models and the Mercedes-Benz Driving Academy during the festival, along with a few surprise vehicles," says CEO Horst von Sanden.More car makers are expected to join as the event gets closer.

Salmon is a Sydney hotelier and online entrepreneur, while Baumgartner is best known as the crazy Austrian who parachuted from the edge of space.But both of them fit right in at the Bathurst 12-Hour, a race that takes Mount Panorama back to its showroom roots.It's not your everyday showroom, as exotics brands such as Mercedes-Benz, Lamborghini, Ferrari, Aston Martin, Bentley and McLaren dominate the entry list, but these are still cars that are far closer to the real world than any V8Supercar.Best of all, they all look and sound different. And, since they have different strengths and weaknesses, there is constant track action as they swap places around Mount Panorama. And that's without worrying about the tail-end tiddlers in cars such as the 1-Series BMWs who contribute to the healthiest starting grid since the 1980s."Why do I race? I caught the bug and I cannot get it out of my system," Salmon tells CarsGuide."I'm a gentleman driver, not a professional, but I can still compete here with some of the best blokes in the world.The 12-hour includes some of the world's best long-distance racers"I'm 55 next week, so I have a few things to tick off the Bucket List. This is one."Salmon owns his Audi R8 racer but Baumgartner, a world- class and world-renowned thrill seeker, is at Bathurst as a guest of Audi. He's in an R8 to satisfy his need for speed."This is fun. Just great," he says.The driver lineup for the 12-hour includes some of the world's best long-distance racers, and former V8Supercar runners John Bowe, Warren Luff and Greg Crick, but the current stars have been banned from the action by a clashing touring car test at Sydney Motorsport Park.No-one is remotely surprised that Craig Lowndes and Rick Kelly would prefer to be spending the weekend at Bathurst, or that the 12-Hour telecast comprehensively trumps the broadcast numbers for the rival event in Sydney.The 12-Hour is a wacky race, from the drivers to the cars, and the Mercedes-Benz pacecar is called out a record 20 times after some sort of on-track incident.But the cars are fast and spectacular and it's easy to tell them apart. Especially when you see a brutal Benz SLS going head-to-head with an exotic Ferrari 458 and a giant-but-gentlemanly Bentley Continental.There is a respectable crowd at the 12-Hour and the carpark is full of old Bristols and MG sports cars, shiny new McLarens and even a 50-car cavalcade of Mercedes-Benzes, dominated by the brand's hot AMG models.As always, Mount Panorama stars — from the spectacle of a start in darkness through to the final fight to the flag.The 12-Hour is more than just a race and it is growing fastIn the end, it's a Nissan GT-R that gets home first — as Godzilla conquers the Mountain for the first time since Mark Skaife and Jim Richards — with a blanket finish for the minor places.But the 12-Hour is more than just a race and it is growing fast. There are seven factory-backed teams in 2015 and this will grow again for 2016, with Audi, Bentley and Mercedes-Benz already committed to next year's race."This race and this place is something special. It's not only the track, it's the atmosphere and the racing and all the rest," says Romolo Liebchen, head of Audi's giant Customer Racing Division.GT sports car racing is more than a passing fad"Australia has a relatively small car market, but it is very important for performance cars and also as a place to compete with our customers. It is clear this race will continue to grow."A Bentley at Bathurst is so wrong that it’s right.I feel as if I’ve been invited into the sitting room of Le Mans winner Guy Smith’s home in Britain as I slide into his Continental GT3-R for a relatively quiet lap of Mount Panorama.This is the roadgoing version of the car Smith is racing in the 12-hour, with everything I expect from an ultra-luxury Bentley coupe. There are sumptuous leather seats and all the luxury fruit. Then Smith opens the taps on Mountain Straight and we’re aa-www-aaaay.It’s not remotely what I expect from a car that weighs nearly two tonnes and costs more than $600,000.Bentley has done a serious job on this car. It has 427kW and 700Nm in the engine room, which — with special gearing and a bunch of other changes — means it can slingshot to 100km/h in just 3.8 secs. That’s exactly what Smith does, calmly giving his first impression of the circuit. “It’s a tricky place, isn’t it? It takes a bit of learning,” he says.On Sunday afternoon, long after this memorable run down the mountain, he and his team should have been podium finishers. A cruel punt on the final corner drops them to fourth at the flag. Bentley is committed to come back in 2016 and I’m looking forward to another visit to Smith’s sitting room.GT sports car racing is more than a passing fad. A total of 13 car brands now have official programs in the global category, following a decision by Cadillac this year to join the track action with its CTS-V coupe, and they are spending big as bait for buyers.Cadillac will be joining everyone from Aston Martin and Audi to Lamborghini, Ferrari, and even Mercedes-Benz at the sharp end of GT racing.It's a crazy category because the cars look so outrageous. The purchase price, from about $600,000, makes them relatively affordable.In comparison, a homegrown V8Supercar can easily top $500,000 as a turnkey racer.The big difference between Australia and the rest of the world is the scale, with carmakers doing big numbers and making serious dollars from their motorsport divisions.Mercedes-Benz still has 20 cars to build before it switches from its current SLS to the GT3 version of the new coupe. Bentley has built 18 Continental GTs for racing.Audi tops the pile, having built 136 track versions of its R8, with 126 currently still in action including the car that took pole position for the Bathurst 12-Hour.

Australia's priciest car space is on the market for a cool $330,000.

In a year when the overall car market shrank, all but a handful of prestige brands increased sales. Buyers don't just want a good car; they want others to see they have one, helping everyone from Maserati to Mercedes-Benz post gains.The trend is accelerating and a steady stream of new models in 2015 only adds to the impetus. CarsGuide looks at what's in store for the premium players this year.It isn't hard to foresee the popularity of the 4C two-seat coupe when it hits showrooms next month. This baby supercar uses a carbon-fibre tub, mid-engine layout and minimalist interior to present a modern incarnation of a stripped-down racer. Pricing will be $80,000-$100,000. The soft-top Spider is due in October. The Alfa Giulietta also gets an update.A steady new model rollout starts in February with the arrival of the TT coupe for just under $80,000. It will be joined by the soft-top roadster midyear and the TT S performance model in August or September. The plug-in petrol-electric A3 e-tron five-door hatch is due in May with an expected price of $60,000, with the Q7 large SUV due late in the year. Updates or variants include the A6/A7, RS6/RS7, A1, RS3 and Q3/RSQ3.New metal is in short supply at the British brand but two models will join the line-up, starting with the Vantage S Roadster at a shade under $420,000. If that isn't exclusive enough, consider the $500,000 Vanquish Carbon using the same V12 but with eight forward ratios in place of the Vantage's seven.BENTLEYChauffeurs will going cap-in-hand to buyers of the Mulsanne Speed for the chance to steer the best Bentley ever. A twin-turbo V8 cranks out 1100Nm - only the Bugatti Veyron can torque itself up as a more powerful production model - to push the 2.7-tonne limo into triple figures in 4.9 seconds. Pricing has yet to be set but if you have to ask, you can't afford it.There's a lot of product in the pipeline this year but only one all-new car. The X1 will switch to front-wheel drive when the second-generation model arrives in the third quarter. The X1 will look more mini-SUV than compact wagon, aligning it with the X3 and X5. Top-end versions will be all-wheel drive. Updates and new variants include the 2 Series convertible, X5M/X6M, 6 Series/X6, 3 Series, X4 M40i and X5 e-Drive.The 458 range has a Speciale A due next month. The 499 examples of the alloy hardtop model are already sold, meaning the $635,000 two-seater is likely to be a smart investment. Keep an eye on the classifieds.The struggle to be a serious prestige player continues for Infiniti with a major model overhaul due in 2016. A refreshed Q70 flagship is due midyear with a nip-and-tuck for the bumpers, updated interior trim and more safety software.The transition from niche player to prestige powerhouse is predicated on the XE sedan being a genuine rival for the BMW 3 Series, Audi A4 and BMW C-Class. Specs indicate the engines are up to the job, so it comes down to how well it can be priced in Australia. There will be updates for the F-Type coupe and convertible and XF sedan.Styling that echoes the Evoque and a premium interior mark the Discovery Sport, debuting in May. Essentially a replacement for the Freelander, the Sport is a serious off-roader with 600mm wading depth and four-wheel drive. Also expect a Range Rover Sport SVR, Range Rover hybrid and updated Evoque.A compact performance sedan, the RC F will cost $133,500, making it a 'budget' alternative to the Germans. The naturally aspirated 5.0-litre V8 isn't quite on par with the Euro competition but neither is the price. The GS F mid-sized sedan will use the same engine and is due later in the year, price undisclosed. The NX200 will get a new turbo engine.No new news is still good news for Lotus aspirants. An automatic Exige - the brand's first self-shifter - is due in the second quarter. Expect to pay around $9000 for the clutch-less version, putting the price above $135,000. An updated Evora should land late with less weight and improved interior.An 'affordable' McLaren is due late in the year with an entry level Sport model priced at more than $300,000. That puts it in the higher echelons of Porsche 911 territory - but still well below typical McLaren prices.Australia's top-selling prestige brand rolls out a range of new toys this year to expand its appeal. The action starts with the AMG GT and C63 AMG in the second quarter, both using a twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8. Skip ahead to Q3 and there's the new GLE (formerly known as the ML) and GLE coupe SUVs, followed by the CLA Shooting Brake and the much-needed GLC compact SUV. Other updates or variants include the S63 coupe, CLS, B-Class and S500 coupe.The action starts with an entry-level five-door Mini Cooper One at $25,600 in February. It is powered by a three-cylinder engine with 75kW/180Nm. At the opposite end of the spectrum is the John Cooper Works three-door hatch, which will be the Mini with the most mumbo ever when it arrives midyear at an estimated $48,000.There's plenty to whet the appetite for performance enthusiasts, even if it is all clad in existing bodywork. The base V6 and performance GTS Cayenne SUV models are due next month, followed by the Turbo S midyear. An update of the 911 should make it before Christmas and Santa may deliver the new GT4 Cayman at the same time.The XC90 large SUV is due midyear with prices starting from about $90,000. A more affordable alternative will be the V60 Cross Country due late in the year from $65,000. The elevated version of the V60 wagon will be sold in FWD and AWD guise.

Martin Roller has set ambitious sales goals for Ferrari Brisbane.When he was a boy, Martin Roller used to dream about Ferrari.Now he has more than he ever dreamed, after landing the Brisbane agency for the famed Italian sports car brand.It's taken more than two years of negotiations, but the man who built a $100 million empire with 180 employees based on BMW has now got the Italian stallions in his stable.Roller has already opened a 'pop-up' showroom with a difference inside the upscale Space furniture showroom in Fortitude Valley while he waits for the completion of a purpose-built Ferrari showroom in the new Energex building in Newstead. The total spend on the Ferrari business is more than $7 million."I owned a Ferrari 430 Spider and I loved it. I've got my eye on a California convertible," said Roller.But his Ferrari stable is much bigger, as there are three cars in the pop-up and the dealership layout calls for six cars on the floor at any time."Our volume plan for 2015 is 16 new cars. And the Ferrari recommendation is we should sell 1:1 new and secondhand cars."But Roller, as always, is thinking big after investing in a Brisbane rebuilding program that's already included a monster welcoming party for 350 Ferrari owners and insiders."My personal objective is 40 cars, new and used. That's starting from ground zero."It's a similar approach to the one that has worked so well on the BMW front, now including Mini and the BMW i range of electric cars.Roller is originally from Melbourne and, at 55, is a new father to Isabella with his partner Renee. His career began with a degree in transport economics and a graduate diplomas in marketing before time at Mazda, in the advertising industry and then 13 years at BMW Australia."I moved to Brisbane in 1999 when Lindsay Fox concluded negotiations with the Trivett family for Brisbane BMW. I came with Marvin Burke and we had a 45 per cent stake in the business," Roller said."We've grown the BMW business from the seventh or eighth-biggest in Australia through to, in 2013, the biggest. In year one, 1999, we did 700 new and used BMWs, last year we did 2800."We have the biggest BMW new and used cars business, with Mini, operating from Ann Street in Fortitude Valley and Westside BMW in Darra."But there is more to the business than BMW and, in 2011, Roller and his crew took on the Lamborghini franchise for Queensland."In the first full year we did 25 new and used cars. The year before it had been three," he said.But Ferrari was always on his radar, even during a massive buyout of the BMW business by the global Sime Darby Motor Group."The timing was a coincidence but Sime Darby is one of the longest standing Ferrari dealers in the world, through Continental Car Sales in New Zealand."It's actually taken more than two years since we started talking. Lamborghini gave us a taste of the super-exotic car business but we were always after Ferrari. It's only gathered steam since Ferrari took over direct control from a distributor in 2013, with Herbert Appleroth in charge for Australia."Roller said he has a clear objective for Ferrari, and for his final two-and-a-half years before the total handover of the BMW business to Sime Darby."We've always positioned our BMW business as the best. We want to look after customers, and we've also been very profitable," he said."We've worked hard and we've got a great result. We've already got six orders for new Ferraris."Roller said he is now rooted in Brisbane and, even though he can see a stop date at BMW Brisbane, has no plans for an early retirement at 55."I love what I do. I came to Brisbane because that's where the opportunity is. My position has changed somewhat, because we've got an agreement to sell out the balance of our equity."But I'm not going to retire. Retirement is not on the radar for me. There is far too much still to do."

Goodwood. There is nothing remotely like it, anywhere in the world.It's a combination of a British summer garden party, the world's most upmarket motor show, a classic car event and a high-speed hill climb. Then there is the air show, a rally stage and so, so, much more.Officially it's called the Festival of Speed and it's held each June on the driveway and front lawn — yes, really — at the stately home of the Earl of March, about 90 minutes into the green British countryside from London.The difference is that Charles March has a driveway that is ferocious fun at 250km/h in a retired Formula One car. His front lawn hosts more than 120,000 people over four days.He also knows some very special people, from F1 heroes Lewis Hamilton and Kimi Raikkonen to rock gods and movie stars. And they like to show their collectable cars and cut loose in the speed trials."This is just amazing. It is unique," Bentley Motors chairman Wolfgang Durheim tells me. He's prowling like a regular punter, taking a close look at the new Jaguar F-Type Project 7 as thousands check the new arrivals in giant temporary showrooms and the Moving Motor Show.And that's what has changed at Goodwood. The event began as a fun run for classic cars and old-timer drivers but the collapse of the last surviving British motor show means the car companies now put all their effort into "The Festival".If you added the investment from all the brands, you would quickly run beyond $50 million. But even that doesn't sound like much when there are classic Ferraris on display that would cost more than $5 million each to put in your garage.The Festival now runs for a full four days and there are regular demonstration runs up The Hill by the most desirable cars on the planet, including the latest LaFerrari, Porsche 919 hybrid and McLaren P1. If you want to see how a Mercedes SLS AMG Black Series looks in action, this is the place, and it's the same for Aston Martin, Lamborghini, Maserati, Lotus and Bentley and more.There's an everyday side, too. Peugeot and Citroen and Toyota and Nissan have giant displays and Ford shows the new Mustang that's coming to Australia in 2015.Ford also uses the Festival to reveal its new Focus ST hot hatch, as Land Rover teases a hot rod Range Rover from its new Special Vehicles division, and Aston Martin and Nissan display concept cars created to debut digitally in theVisiting the show is an automotive overload. It takes a full day just to appreciate the size of The Festival. My weekend passes in a blur because Goodwood blurs dreams with reality, the past with the future, and unspeakably exotic cars with road-going runabouts. Goodwood is much more immersive than a regular motor show. And the cars move, which brings the whole thing to life.It helps immensely that the classic race cars, which truly provide something for everyone from the Dakar to Le Mans, fire up all the senses. How can you not smile as a Blitzen Benz from the dawn of motoring chugs up the same piece of bitumen that Kimi Raikkonen tears apart with a near-new F1 Ferrari?This is passion, and excitement, and a smile-a-second reflection of everything that is good about cars. "Why am I here? Where else would I be?" laughs Martine Walkinshaw, widow of Tom and now the driving force behind Holden Special Vehicles and the Holden Racing Team. She has driven to the event in an HSV Commodore and is watching son Sean driving classic Jaguar racers.It should come as no surprise that the death of the Australian International Motor Show has sparked a lot of interest in Goodwood, and how it can be copied and adapted down under. A couple of attempts are already under way and we'll see in 2015 whether the headline act in Melbourne, combining the resources of the VACC and RACV, can get somewhere close to The Festival.But that's still in the future and, despite all the glorious cars from the past and the sight of so many of the motorsport heroes even from my childhood, I'm still deeply immersed in Goodwood 2014.If you have a Bucket List, and you're remotely interested in cars, add the Festival of Speed. At the top.

Ferrari and California: fast cars and fat wallets. The link between the Italian luxury sports car maker and the film-star state goes back a long way - to the 1950s, in fact.Taking inspiration from the 250 Testa Rossa, particularly in profile, the latest in a long line of Ferraris, the California T, made its Down Under debut this week in Melbourne. Introducing the GT destined to become a classic, Herbert Appleroth, President and CEO of Ferrari Australasia, said: "With its retractable hard top and 2+2 seating set-up, the Grand Tourer is supremely versatile – an everyday GT."Heart and, some would say soul of the California T, is its 3855 cc turbocharged V8 engine which calls on technology fine tuned by Ferrari in iconic models such as the 1984 GTO and the F40 of 1987, and now the latest F1 flyer.Four years of development have resulted in maximum power output of 412 kW at 7500 rpm and top torque of 755 Nm at 4750 revs. Hitting 100 km/h from rest in 3.6 seconds, the surge from zero to 200 km/h takes just 11.2 seconds. Top speed is 316 km/h.At the same time, engineers have pared the car's fuel consumption to 10.5 litres per 100 kilometres and carbon dioxide emissions to 255 grams per kilometre in the combined urban / highway cycle thanks in part to extensive use of lightweight aluminium alloy in the bodyshell and chassis.The mid-front-mounted engine and all main components are confined within the car's wheelbase, making for an ideal weight distribution of 47 per cent front and 53 per cent rear. The engine is 40 mm lower in the chassis than in the previous California to further bring down the centre of gravity.Within 14 seconds the restrained yet sporty coupe converts to an extroverted convertible, secreting its metal hardtop in the boot, which is far from cramped even with the top stored.Luggage space can be further increased by folding the rear seat backs down giving storage access for bulky items such as golf bags or skis. Seating is strictly 2+2 with rear seat comfort restricted to children or smaller than average adults for short trips.The cabin is a combination of handcrafted surroundings such as semi-aniline leather trim housing the latest automotive technology accessed by ergonomic controls and well positioned instruments.Typical of this is the Human-Machine Interface which has been made more driver friendly than before.There are now steering wheel-mounted controls and paddles set closer, giving faster access.Also on hand is the Turbo Performance Engineer, a sophisticated instrument on the central dashboard that consists of a digital display with touch surround scrolling providing pointers, such as response and torque on tap, to the most effective way of using engine performance.Infotainment, including satellite navigation with 3D mapping, is via a 6.5-inch touch screen, or alternatively by using buttons. USB ports in a compartment under the armrest ensure occupants' devices are at hand.Penned by the Ferrari Styling Centre in conjunction with Pininfarina, the California T has retained the dimensions of the previous model with additions to the styling bringing it in line with the latest design aspects of the GT format.The car rides on 19-inch Starburst design alloy wheels, while 20-inch optional wheels are available with the addition of further weight savings. Improved aerodynamics means the drag co-efficient is down to Cd 0.33.Under the skin the car is replete with kit to ensure ride and handling match the potential of the V8 turbo power plant. Particular detail was paid to there being less steering wheel activity for swifter steering; reduced body roll; improved handling and better control on the limit; and heightened chassis dynamics without reduction in ride comfort.Brembo carbon-ceramic brakes feature new pad material producing constant performance in all conditions and less prone to wear. This, plus the latest ABS anti-skid system, has the car stopping from 100 km/h in just 34 metres.An upgrade to the traction control system enables the car to accelerate out of corners more than 8 per cent faster Customers who are happy to shell out $409,888, plus on-road costs, can be flown to Italy to watch their California T being put together at the factory and make sure some of the million or so custom design features they have chosen are being attended to.The first year's offerings are already spoken for but once delivered their California T can be covered by a seven-year maintenance programme which involves an exclusive service every 20,000 km or once a year without distance restrictions.     The California T is a prime example of Ferrari's sporting DNA, calling on all the Italian car maker has to offer in leading-edge automotive technology, while at the same time penning a Grand Tourer with the best design attributes of a luxury sports car. Now for a drive.

Ferrari gives an overview of the first turbocharged California, arriving in showrooms later this year.