Sports cars

Nissan has previewed an update to its Z sports car at this year’s Tokyo Auto Salon ahead of its launch in Japan around the middle of 2026.A lot of the stylistic cues of this updated Nissan Z have been inspired by the original S30-generation of the Nissan Fairlady Z, known as the Datsun 240Z and 260Z in Australia.This includes the new Unryu Green exterior paint colour which is inspired by the original Grand Prix Green paint from the Fairlady Z, plus the machine-finished alloy wheel design.Highlighting this update is a revised front bumper which now features a body-colour bar across the grille and a ‘Z’ front badge replacing the standard Nissan badge.Other subtle changes to the front bumper add 30mm to the overall vehicle length, while they are also claimed to reduce front lift by 3.3 per cent and drag by 1.0 per cent.Under the skin there are larger pistons for the shock absorbers which are claimed to improve comfort and stability.It’s worth noting no changes have been made to the 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 engine which continues to produce 298kW and 475Nm, and is mated to either a six-speed manual or nine-speed automatic transmission.Inside the changes are minimal. Nissan has introduced a new tan upholstery colourway on the seats, as well as the lower portion of the dash and door cards.In addition to this updated Nissan Z, the Japanese carmaker revealed a manual version of the Z Nismo at this year’s Tokyo Auto Salon. To date it has only been offered with the nine-speed automatic transmission.The Z Nismo manual gets a unique engine torque profile aimed to improve the throttle response, as well as a short-throw six-speed manual gear shifter.At this stage it’s unclear if or when this updated Nissan Z or the Z Nismo manual will be coming to Australia. We’ve reached out to Nissan and will update this story once we hear back.

Have you ever wondered what the most expensive car in Australia is?Would it break the $1m mark?As we get towards the end of the year, here is a look at the five most expensive cars on sale in Australia with no added options.Price: $846,888, before on-road costsStarting off the list is one of two offerings from Ferrari. The SF90 Stradale features 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 and three electric motors, which have a total output of 746kW and 800Nm.It has the trademark Ferrari speed, shifting from 0-100km/h in 2.5 seconds and boasts a top speed of 340km/h.Its interior has a standout 16-inch curved digital screen, which is designed to give the driver a Formula 1 feel.Price $886,800, before on-road costsFerrari also claims second spot with a convertible on this list.This convertible is more than $80,000 more expensive than the hard top 12Cilinidri. The 12Cilinidri has a 6.5-litre V12 petrol engine producing 610kW and 678Nm, with a 0-100km/h time of 2.9 seconds. On the interior, the car has three different digital screen, which are a 15.6-inch digital driver display, 10.25-inch touch screen and a passenger display.Price: $895,000, before on-road costsThe Cullinan is the only SUV on this list, and the last car before the $900,000 barrier is breached. Amazingly, the Black Badge edition is a $118,000 upgrade on the standard Cullinan. It has a 6.7-litre V12 engine, which produces 441kW and 900Nm. The car also features the optional iconic 'shooting star' headliner, with a multitude of other customisable specifications. Price $933,000, before on-road costsThe Black Badge Spectre is Rolls Royce’s most expensive and first-ever all-electric offering on the market.The luxury coupe is one of the few cars on this list not famous for its speed, but it still manages to offer plenty of power. Its dual electric motors produce 485kW and 1075Nm, shifting from 0-100km/h in 3.5 seconds.It has a range of more than 500km, according to the WLTP testing cycle from its 102kWh battery.As with all cars featuring the Spirit of Ecstasy, it comes with the outrageous luxury add ons one would expect for a car approaching the $1m mark.Price: $987,000, before on-road costsThe most expensive car on sale in Australia is the only Lamborghini to make this list. As Lamborghini's flagship supercar, it has one of the most advanced hybrid systems.Its 6.5-litre V12 engine and three electric motors pump out 747kW and 807Nm, with a 0-100km/h time of 2.5 seconds.It has a 3.8 kWh lithium-ion battery, which if you really wanted to, can make the car run on electric-only power for 10km. The Revuelto is a near $400,000 jump from the next most expensive Lamborghini in the Huracan STO. 

The attention of supercar fans have been caught by the first electric monster to be released by Chinese vacuum cleaner maker Dreame — the 1400kW Kosmera Nebula 1 — at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.Dreame makes electric appliances such as vacuum cleaners and lawn mowers, and Kosmera is its supercar brand. And while looking much like a Ferrari F8 Tributo from the front, the similarities to the exotic Italian end there with the Nebula 1 having four doors and a side profile that scoops into a C-shape rear pillar much like Bugatti’s famed styling on the Chiron. It’s one thing to have beautiful supercar looks, but backing it up with horsepower and handling can be where new carmakers with everything to prove have come unstuck. For now we know the Nebula 1 has the grunt to go with the fast styling, with the Nebula 1’s four electric motors claimed to produce a mind-boggling 1399kW.In comparison Ferrari’s most powerful model the F80 V6 hybrid produces 882kW, and Bugatti’s big hitter the Chiron Super Sport 300+ packs 1193kW.According to Kosmera the Nebula 1 can fling itself from 0-100km/h in 1.8 seconds, which sees it join the ultra quick podium alongside the YangWang U9 and Xiaomi SU7 Ultra.If anything the Nebula 1 could be a cut price alternative to Porsche's fully electric Taycan, which in its Turbo GT top grade produces 760kW with 0-100km/h coming in 2.2 seconds. There's no price yet and the Nebula 1’s numbers are all just numbers right now and, with this being a concept model, lacks an interior and any real world testing that we’ve seen so far.Still the company’s CEO claims the Nebula 1 will go into production this year, possibly in Germany.Teased along with the Nebula 1 were two other supercars from Kosmera, one with two fuel flaps suggesting it’s a plug-in hybrid.Dreame is not the first vacuum cleaner maker to wade into the shallows of the auto industry. In 2014 Dyson set out to produce an electric car but abandoned the plan in 2019 after the company's billionaire British inventor James Dyson admitted the business “ was no longer commercially viable”.   

If you’re even a sliver interested in cars, you’ll know the name Nurburgring. It’s a 20.8km circuit cut into a forest in Germany, and it’s considered by many to be motoring Mecca.

Lexus has given its performance electric SUV a serious boost. The brand has unveiled a special edition RZ600e F Sport Performance variant, with a series of changes to increase the car's sport and race potential.Lexus has not revealed local pricing for the RZ600e F Sport Performance yet, but if it does end up coming to Australia it's expected to sit far above the $121,059 (before on-road costs) price tag on the pre-update RZ450e.It has a dual-electric motor set-up, which has received some tweaking to improve performance. Its front and rear motors produce 167kW and 268kW each to offer a total system output of 313kW.This means the car can shift from 0-100km/h in a sharp 4.4 seconds.It has a 77kWh battery, with a driving range of 525km, according to WLTC testing.The car has undergone some performance-based changes elsewhere, such as its overall height being 20mm lower than the RZ550e F Sport. It has also been fitted with bigger 20-inch brake discs, along with blue aluminium six-piston callipers. To accommodate these brakes, the car rides on 21-inch matte black Enkei aluminium wheels, which is among one of many special edition features on the 600e.There is a suite of new carbon gear, such as front lower, side and rear lower spoilers, a hood bulge, headlamp bezels, roof and rear wings and turning vanes. Additionally, it gets special edition lower door mouldings and large arch mouldings. The exclusives continue on the interior with special edition branding for the shift selector, instrument panel, front cup holders and driver’s seat, among other things.The updated RZ line-up is set to come Down Under in the first half of 2026.The entry-level RZ500e replaces the current RZ450e and will be offered in Luxury and Sports Luxury trim levels. There's also the RZ550e F Sport.All 2026 Lexus RZ trims come with all-wheel drive and offer bigger batteries, more range and faster charging.Other new features include simulated gear shifts, steer-by-wire technology with a yoke steering wheel, as well as more sound-deadening materials and trims, among others.

Nissan is giving petrol-heads what they want.

There’s good news for fans of Porsche’s iconic two-door sports cars.

A legendary sports car’s rebirth is in full swing. A federal government intellectual property filing has revealed Toyota’s legendary MR2 could make a return to Australia, after the Japanese company trademarked the name ‘MR2’ Down Under. The news comes after the brand filed the trademark ‘GR MR2’ in the Japan Patent Office’s information platform last week. The Aussie filing fuels speculation of the return of a coupe sports car from Toyota bearing one of its iconic nameplates, with rumours of it being either the Celica or the MR2. Last year, Toyota Australia lodged a trademark for the Celica name down under, which brought about expectations of it being the revived Toyota coupe rumoured. This recent trademark request pushes the MR2 name to the front of the line as the feisty coupe to make its return to Australia, not Celica. The MR2’s previous existence spanned more than three decades, with production ending in 2007. It was famed for its sports car pedigree, with a sleek two-door design. Being mid-engined and rear-wheel drive, it offered potential for some performance and racing capabilities on a budget, compared to the big hitters of the sports car industry.While Toyota has not revealed any technical details, it looks like the MR2 will receive a modern upgrade upon its return, with some of the brand’s finest hybrid tech. It could be powered by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine and electric motor set-up, producing 370kW and 550Nm, with an all-wheel drive system. Another federal government IP filing shows an application for ‘GR MR-S’ to be trademarked by the brand in Australia. This opens the door to a second option. The future sports car could wear the GR MR-S badge, as the old MR2 was called MR-S in Japan.Or it could be a more potent version of the MR2 and fall under a potential new Gazoo Racing (GR) sub brand. Toyota's recently revealed V8-powered GR GT hinted at the formation of a new high-performance brand to rival Hyundai's N, and the MR2 could be a potent new weapon in its arsenal.It could also be Toyota is merely cornering off potential claims to its iconic nameplates as its revived sports car develops. It is unknown when we could expect the return of this two-door sports car from Toyota, but it is still in its infancy, with a rumoured launch in 2028. 

Lexus has revealed it’s bringing the LFA name back but this time it won’t have a V10 at its heart.

Toyota has globally unveiled its latest flagship sports car model, the GR GT, ahead of an estimated launch “around 2027”.