Sports cars

Everybody remembers the Mazda RX-7. With its sexy looks and turbine-smooth rotary engine, it (and the rotary Mazdas that went before it) has a cult following.But what about the RX-8? With its somewhat odd looks and layout (including small, reverse-opening rear doors) even a newer version of the rotary engine couldn’t really save it from obscurity. Relative to the RX-7, anyway.It’s hard to know, therefore, whether to categorise the RX-8 as a two or four-door and that’s a pretty good metaphor for the whole thing; people didn’t understand it then and have largely forgotten about it now.As a used-car, what the RX-8 mostly has to offer is a point of difference. That little rotary engine will spin happily from one end of the tachometer to the other and it’s an engaging car to drive provided you can live with a manual gearbox. In automatic form, the car lost power and was overall a bit dull.Beyond that, it’s another Japanese coupe that is now definitely middle-aged and potentially well past its best. Which means the purchase of a used one requires much skill and judgment.The RX-8 is known internally as the FE model.The RX-8’s biggest selling point (then and now) is its rotary engine. Unlike conventional engines with pistons moving up and down, the rotary uses rotating segments that make for supremely smooth operation and brilliant power relative to its capacity.If that floats your boat, the Mazda will appeal. But if you’re looking for the sort of style for which Japanese coupes are famous, then the odd looks of the RX-8 might be a disappointment.And even though the turbocharged rotary engine has earned a reputation as a giant-killer in performance terms, in the heavier RX-8 with its non-turbocharged engine, it’s not a remarkable performer at all. Entertaining, sure, but fast? No.Like all rotary-powered Mazdas, there’s a huge question mark over the long-term reliability, particularly under the bonnet. The rest of the package is less problematic, but a trashed engine in an RX-8 could easily cost more than the car is actually worth.While technically interesting and great fun to thrash along, the Mazda’s rotary engine can be a bit fragile. It requires very specific oil (some of which will be consumed in normal operation) and can wear very quickly, especially if it’s been driven hard or suffered maintenance neglect.Wear will show up as a loss of engine compression, so a compression test should be part of any pre-purchase inspection. Internal seals can wear and fail at which point the engine can be very difficult to start.Owners have also found out the hard way that the rotary engine (even in good condition) doesn’t like to be switched off until it has warmed up. If it has been switched off before attaining operating temperature, raw fuel can flood the engine, breaking the seal between the metal parts and causing a loss of compression and hard starting. It’s important to determine what’s causing any loss of compression, but in reality, every RX-8 engine needs to be approached with caution.The RX-8 also attracted a type of buyer who was keen to extract every ounce of performance out of the car. As such, crash damage is a real possibility. Check for any mis-match between panel colours and make sure all the panel gaps are straight and uniform. Take a close look underneath for evidence of damage and be very wary of any modified example. Many owners extracted huge power by modifying these engines, but the end result was often a hand grenade missing its pin.The RX-8 can also be hard on clutches, so make sure there’s no shuddering or slipping from the clutch when taking off.A full and up to date service record is an absolute must with a Mazda RX-8 and any modifications to the driveline must be checked closely.Beyond that, be sure to check that all the electrical gear works properly, including the air-conditioning as these units were a bit problematic back in the day and won’t be any better two decades on.Early build (2003 to 2005) RX-8s were recalled to check for a flawed front control arm that could crack, leading to a loss of steering and control. Apparently, a manufacturing flaw was to blame, but it definitely needs to have been examined back in the day. A Mazda dealer should be able to identify affected cars and whether they’ve been checked.Other recalls included potential fuel leaks, electrical problems, and, of course, the dreaded Takata airbag fiasco which saw the RX-8 recalled no less than three times.For more details on these recalls, you can check out: https://www.vehiclerecalls.gov.au/.The RX-8 to avoid is not determined by a production date, but rather by the transmission fitted. To make the revvy rotary engine work with an automatic transmission, Mazda detuned the engine for that version to make slightly more torque but a lot less horsepower.So, instead of 177kW, the automatic RX-8 delivered just 141kW, and the transmission itself is an old-fashioned four-speed unit.Aside from anything else, the idea of an automatic transmission behind such a rorty, zingy little engine is missing the point entirely.This is a real crap-shoot because, depending on how a particular car has been serviced and driven, the rotary engine can last 200,000km, or it could be dead inside 80,000km. The problem there is that you can’t always be sure of a car’s history when it’s a 20-year-old used car.Many RX-8s still getting around are on their second or even third engine, so a car’s history is absolutely vital in this case.You can safely ignore trim levels, because with this car, it all comes down to performance levels. If you’re buying a manual RX-8, then the first generation cars between 2003 and 2008 are the ones to look for. That’s because the facelift in 2008 brought with it a reduction in performance to 170kW in the six-speed manual variant.But, if it’s an automatic you need, then the post-facelift car is the way to go. That replaced the original RX-8’s 141kW with 158kW and the tired old four-speed auto with a much more suitable six-speed unit.We’d still always buy the manual RX-8, however.Prices for relatively high-mileage RX-8s start in the very low teens or even a bit less. The best standard cars can cost closer to $30,000 or even $40,000 depending on mileage and condition. It’s worth noting that, unlike most cars, a modified RX-8 is not always a cheaper alternative to a stock standard example. But be aware that engine mods are fraught with danger and will only be as good as the mechanic who did them.Although the rotary engine in the RX-8 was not identical to rotaries that went before it, it still falls within the scope of the enormous aftermarket this engine has spawned. There’s a universe of replacement and go-fast bits and pieces for the Mazda rotary.On the other hand, the RX-8’s body panels were unique to what was effectively a pretty niche model. So, some trim items and body panels might be getting a bit harder to find. A local race series for the RX-8 probably consumed its share of spare body panels, too.Mazda Australia sold about 6500 RX-8s across the model’s lifespan here. That means there aren’t exactly hundreds of them for sale at any given time and you may have to be patient to find the right one.Again, that local race series for RX-8 will have thinned the ranks of survivors.

For more than 70 years the Chevrolet Corvette has been a sports car icon and the current eighth-generation version comes to Australia in factory right-hand drive form. The petrol-electric hybrid Corvette E-Ray is arguably the most interesting version and we spent a week behind the wheel to see how 'America's sports car' fares in local conditions.

Lamborghini is in the business of selling dreams, and those dreams don't include an electric car, according to Chief Executive Officer Stephan WinkelmannThe Italian brand won’t follow in the footsteps of Ferrari and release a fully-electric model any time soon, having walked back its plans for a fully-electric car earlier this year.Winkelmann told CarsGuide Lamborghini wanted to have an all-electric model by the end of this decade.This was likely to be inspired by the Lanzador concept revealed in 2023, but lacklustre demand has pushed back any EV plans.“We saw that our customers, they are not stepping into this idea , so they are saying we need a car with a combustion engine,” Winkelmann told CarsGuide. “It is also important to underline when you buy a Lamborghini, you don’t buy a Lamborghini because you’re moving from A to B on a daily basis.“We are not selling mobility, but we’re selling dreams.”Lamborghini has chosen to introduce another plug-in hybrid model instead, the Revuelto SV. It will be Lamborghini’s third PHEV model following the launch of the standard Revuelto and the Urus SUV.  Lamborghini hasn’t ruled out producing a fully-electric car in the future, but it has recalibrated its immediate focus to stay on petrol engines.Winkelman said the brand will pivot towards EVs when there is clear demand for them.“We were also ready to do so, but we constantly check the response of our actual and future customers and comparing them with the assumptions we had at the beginning of this decade,” Winkelman told CarsGuide. “We will be ready to do so, but the market is not, and we have to face the reality.” Ferrari and Lamborghini face the same EV conundrum.Both are synonymous with raw internal combustion power and iconic engine noise, but must now contend with an increasingly electrified car industry.Winkelmann said Lamborghini is taking its own approach to the future.“We have a different history, but we have a lot of the same customers, and everybody has to find his own way to succeed in the future,” Winkelmann told CarsGuide. “We look into the future and I think we have a consistent approach.”

Ford has launched its first high-performance Mustang convertible in more than a decade and the most powerful convertible Mustang ever with the introduction of the Dark Horse SC Convertible.Developed by Ford Racing, the new drop-top is powered by the same 593kW (795hp)/895Nm 5.2-litre supercharged ‘Predator’ V8 as its coupe stablemate.It sends its substantial grunt to the rear wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission and is good for 0-100km/h in 3.3 seconds. Now that’s wind in your hair.Introducing the car Ford Racing Global Director Mark Rushbrook confirmed a subtle shift in the newcomer’s personality.“If the coupe is the race-bred side of our DNA, this convertible is the pure street cred part of the formula.“It’s just pure fun, fast, freedom,” he said.To that end, the convertible adds ‘Precision Purple Metallic’ to the Mustang Dark Horse SC colour palette as well as unique brake caliper color options and interior details in Black Onyx and Space Gray.On the perennial question of body rigidity in a high-performance convertible, Ford Racing believes it has the issue covered.Mustang Dark Horse SC Chief Program Engineer Arie Groeneveld said, “Both the Dark Horse SC coupe and convertible have been developed by our Ford Racing engineers.“But instead of prioritizing the convertible for setting lap times, we’ve engineered it to be the ultimate top-down grand touring machine,” he said.The result is what Ford Racing positions as “a set-up tuned for a smooth, comfortable cruise that still stays planted when you lean into the accelerator”.With orders opening in the US before the end of the year, the Dark Horse SC Convertible’s scheduled to hit North American showrooms late in the first half of 2027.Ford Australia has previously stated it has "no news to share on any plans" to bring the Dark Horse SC to the local market, with the left-hand drive-only coupe and now convertible set to remain off limits for Aussie muscle car enthusiasts.

Lamborghini’s new ballistic hybrid sports car is here. The Lamborghini Revuelto SV is a track-focused plug-in hybrid two-door coupe, expected to claim a place at the top of the brand’s lineup.The car is a juiced up version of the standard Revuelto that fetches a price tag of $987,000, before on-road costs in Australia.Its upgraded sibling will likely break the $1 million mark, with deliveries beginning in early 2027.  There will be less than 2000 Revuelto SV examples available.SV stands for ‘Super Veloce’ (or super fast), and Lamborghini has significant history with the badge on its iconic Diablo, Murcielago and Aventador sportscars. SV models have increased power and less weight, with the Revuelto SV Lamborghini’s most powerful SV model yet. The Revuelto SV uses the same 6.5-litre naturally-aspirated V12 and three electric motor set-up, but output has been boosted to 783kW and 1425Nm. This is 50kW more power and around 400Nm more torque than the standard car.The bulk of this power comes from the V12, but the electric motor set-up contributes 190kW. It can accelerate from 0-100km/h in 2.4 seconds, and 0-200km/h in 6.7 seconds, going on to a top speed of more than 345km/h.The Revuelto SV will directly compete with the Ferrari SF90 Stradale ($846,888) that packs a 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 plug-in hybrid set-up, making 574kW and 800Nm. Lamborghini’s new sports car has two front-mounted electric motors, with the other one fitted above an eight-speed automatic double-clutch gearbox. The car boasts a 7.3kWh lithium-ion battery, which is nearly twice as big as the unit in the standard Revuelto.There is a new adjustable dampers suspension system that has been race-tuned, designed to improve agility and grip. There are huge carbon-ceramic brakes capable of a 200-0km/h stop in just 116 metres. The Revuelto SV delivers 80 per cent more total downforce than the Revuelto, aiding the car's increased track focus.

McLaren has produced a new supercar, the McL 6GT, inspired by the brand’s founder and his vision for a road-going supercar bearing his name.In 1969, Kiwi race ace and budding car manufacturer Bruce McLaren made a bold expand from track to road car production with the McLaren M6GT, a brutal 5.7-litre Chevrolet V8-powered coupe based on the M6A Can-Am competition machine.Sadly, McLaren was killed in a testing crash before his road car vision could be realised and only three prototypes were produced.But of course McLaren has since matched its stellar on-track success with a series of stunning super sports cars, starting with the iconic, Gordon Murray and Peter Stevens developed F1 in 1992 through to the current W1 hypercar.Introducing a concept version of the car at the 2026 Monterey Car Week in California, McLaren said the McL 6GT “celebrates purity in design and driver connection”, the main headline being the fact it’s the first McLaren to employ a manual gearbox since the F1.Positioned as “a contemporary interpretation of the M6GT” the ultra-lightweight supercar features a full carbon-fibre monocoque and V8 internal-combustion power (with no spec details at this stage) sending drive to the rear wheels through the manual ‘box. Another old school touch is hydraulic steering assistance, pretty much a thing of the past in this type of car for at least 15 years. The car’s sleek, low and muscular design is a 21st century interpretation of 1960s sports prototype racing cars and McLaren aficionados should look out for details like the ‘Speedy Kiwi’ logo etched into the fuel filler cap.On the inside there’s tactile switchgear and “visible engineering details” including knurled machined aluminium controls and boxed-quilt trim.Even the digital instrumentation has been developed to “retain the clarity and emotional appeal of the original M6GT.“In an enticing final statement McLaren said the McL 6GT concept precedes a production model coming in 2028 and “creates the space for a new type of exclusive McLaren supercar beyond the core portfolio.”

It’s been more than a year since Jaguar’s rebrand and the reveal of its Type 00 Concept, and now the brand has revealed the first glimpse of the production version’s interior.The 2027 Jaguar Type 01, to give it the recently confirmed production name, will be revealed properly in New York on 6 October 2026, but the EV’s design still remains a mystery in terms of many details.Now, Jaguar has revealed a few images of its interior, which looks to be closely related to the interior shown in the controversial Type 00 concept.A blend of minimalism and unfamiliar design philosophy, the interior certainly confirms the words of Jaguar Managing Director Rawdon Glover in that it’s “an interior like no other”.Inspired by the travertine limestone and brass of the concept, the colour palette and materials in the Type 01 also follow the ‘copy nothing’ philosophy set out upon the brand’s relaunch.With its name revealed in May this year not long after a preview drive afforded to select media - including CarsGuide - the Type 01 will be the brand’s first car to debut in its new era.The large electric four-door GT has a long bonnet, a total length of 5200mm over a 3200mm wheelbase, and space inside for four separated by a central ‘spine’ - the one made of limestone in the Type 00 concept.Under the cabin, a 120kWh battery should mean a range around 700km, though its brisk performance provided by three motors (two at the rear for 706kW, one at the front with 206kW) might tempt some to use up that power rather inefficiently.On our preview drive, we estimated a 0-100km/h sprint of under 4.0 seconds.Thomas Holden, Chief Interior Designer for Jaguar, said the “unmistakable drama” of the Type 01’s interior aims to “define the modern luxury automotive interior of the future”.“Our holistic design philosophy translates the vehicle’s exterior presence into a distinctive interior architecture,” he said. “In contrast to the horizontal interior design norm, we emphasise its dramatic longitudinal nature through the central spine - an architectural statement that creates four individual spaces.“With authentic materials, technology on demand and reductive flowing surfaces, Type 01 presents unmistakable drama and theatre that will define the modern luxury automotive interior of the future.”

Let’s get a couple of things out of the way here.First, we know electric cars are fast, Tesla fans haven’t stopped talking about this since the mid-2010s and there have been countless videos with evidence of the Model S leaving supercharged V8s in the dust at drag strips.Even ‘slow’ EVs feel quick due to their instant application of torque from stand-still. An electric car with a 0-100km/h time of 6 seconds can feel fast because of it.And since I’ve mentioned 0-100km/h, that’s the method we’ll be using to rank which of the electric cars available in Australia is fastest - not their top speed, given you’ll almost never be able to do anything with that.Finally, we are talking about production cars currently available through manufacturers in Australia, so hypercars like the YangWang U9 or anything Rimac is cooking up are off the list.Some of you will be happy to know this means you’re not seeing a photo of the Ferrari Luce here.Conveniently, this means we have five electric cars with a claimed 0-100km/h acceleration figure in under three seconds. Porsche’s frontiering Taycan might soon be on the chopping block according to rumours of an incoming VW model cull, but for now you can still get to 100km/h in a couple of smidgeons over two seconds. That’s if you have almost $300K to spare, given you’ll probably tick one or two boxes on the options list over its $419,000 before on-roads asking price.The Taycan draws power from a 93kWh battery, making 815kW and 1340Nm for all four of its wheels, and even without the Weissach pack removing some weight it’ll manage the run to the tonne in 2.3 seconds.Only second on this list because of alphabetisation, the top-spec Audi e-tron (the Audi RS e-tron GT Performance to give it the proper name) hits 100km/h in a claimed 2.5 seconds, on par with another Porsche.You won’t be surprised to know the e-tron shares a platform with the Taycan, though its most powerful version isn’t quite as vicious - 680kW and 1027Nm draw from a larger 105kWh battery, and it’s not quite as pricey either. A relative bargain at  $309,900 before on-roads, in fact.Tied for second place is this absolute unit, two-and-a-half tonnes of Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen (built in Bratislava, Slovakia, though) capable of hitting 100km/h in 2.5sec thanks to some frankly silly numbers.Its 850kW and 1500Nm outputs are available from even less than the two cars preceding it on this list, $272,100 before on-roads, and the 113kWh battery means the family SUV can travel up to 623km on a single charge, Porsche says.An oil-cooled rear motor, active aero, a drag coefficient of 0.25 and even the ability to tow 3500kg make the Cayenne Turbo a one-of-a-kind family car.England’s Lotus has ruffled feathers by ‘going electric’, likely something that would indeed upset founder Colin Chapman, but staying relevant in the 2020s probably required moving on from popping superchargers on Toyota engines and using them to power (extremely dynamic) cars about the size of shopping trolleys.Lotus claims the top-spec version of the Emeya, a $259,990 four-door grand-tourer with 675kW and 985Nm up its sleeve, can hit 100km/h in a very specific 2.75 seconds. It does weigh around 2.5 tonnes, so imagine how quick it would be if you took the classic quote often attributed to Chapman “simplify and add lightness” to the Emeya.Apologies to anyone hoping for variety in this list - we’ve got three Volkswagen Group cars and two Lotuses with essentially the same specifications.The Lotus Eletre R is two tenths slower to 100km/h according to the manufacturer, but the SUV uses the same 675kW/985Nm dual-motor drivetrain and 112kWh battery, it’s just a little heavier thanks to its SUV shape.It’s also a little more expensive, asking $20,000 more at $279,990 before on-roads.

Porsche Cars Australia has produced a unique version of the 911 Turbo S to mark 75 years of the iconic German brand’s presence in Australia.Dubbed the Porsche 911 Turbo S Land Down Under, the one-of-a-kind supercar's specification and presentation are the result of a collaboration with Porsche Sonderwunsch (Special Request), the Style Porsche design team and Sydney-based contemporary artist, Werner Bronkhorst.The car features dual Chromaflair colour gradient paintwork and elements inspired by the country’s landscapes and “the distinct character of the Southern Hemisphere sky”.Applied by hand, the exterior finish transitions from “the warm amber tones (Terra Australis Red) of an outback sunset to pale blue (Southern Cross Blue) as day fades into night”.Porsche said, “Chromaflair pigments use ultra-thin flakes to create a dynamic colour-shifting effect that changes with light and viewing angle.“Each flake features an opaque, reflective aluminium core encased in a glass-like transparent layer, whose varying thickness produces different perceived colours.“Applied across seven layers by hand, the finish required over 300 hours of craftsmanship,” the company said.For anyone following this special 911, the script ‘See ya later mate’ has been applied to the rear of the car in a typeface developed by Werner Bronkhorst, the message only revealed when the rear wing extends either via engagement of Sport Plus driving mode or auto-deployment at speeds above 80km/h.The exterior theme continues inside with a combination of Dark Night Blue, Kalahari and Coolibah Brown leather trims, the latter conceived specifically for this project.The centres of the Adaptive Sports Seats Plus feature Bronkhorst ’s distinctive brushstroke style with each of 14,417 perforations arranged to form a “coherent visual pattern.”The roof lining features an embroidered Southern Hemisphere constellation map showing the night sky as it appeared over Uluru in 1951, the year Porsche first arrived in Australia.After its world premiere today in Sydney, the 911 Turbo S Land Down Under will embark on a “curated journey” to select locations across the country.

Ferrari has a proud history of front engine, rear-wheel-drive GTs, many with a V12 engine, but while the twin-turbo V8 Amalfi is down four cylinders it produces 'ample' power in a beautiful, refined 2+2 coupe.