Articles by Stephen Corby

Hidden out of sight beneath the absurdly aerodynamic shape of Ferrari’s new $7 million hypercar, the F80, are four “Made in Australia” stickers.

It's unusual for the cheapest and smallest member of a car company's line-up to be the most impressive. Indeed, it's like preferring the acting of the Hemsworth whose name no-one can remember, but there's just something surprisingly attractive about Cadillac's Optiq, which will be the entry point for Cadillac's all-EV offering when it arrives later this year. We went to Detroit for a drive.

It may be missing a couple of letters, and a lot of cylinders, but GM is effectively bringing back the HSV brand with the launch of its super fast, seriously sporty Cadillac Lyriq-V, which it describes as “turning all the knobs up to 11”.Sprinkled with blacked-out bits and covered in carbon fibre, the Lyriq-V is Cadillac’s first performance EV, and will be, by far, its fastest accelerating car with its whopping 600-plus horsepower (that’s how they say it, we’d call it 459KW) and 880Nm hurling it to 60mph in 3.3 seconds (let’s add a tenth for the 0 to 100km/h dash, it’s still fast).It’s also faster than the properly shouty Cadillac we can’t get in Australia, the CTV-5 Blackwing, which can hit 60mph in 3.4 seconds using a 6.2-litre supercharged V8. Sigh.The standard Cadillac Lyriq — and keep in mind, we’re talking about a two-tonne plus large SUV here — takes 5.5 seconds to reach 100km/h, despite sharing the dual-motor, all-wheel-drive set up of the racier V variant.CarsGuide spoke to the Program Engineer for this car in Detroit, Christopher Carino, who said this slightly ludicrous Lyriq represented the brand’s first chance to show Australian buyers what the V means to Cadillac.“So it’s got the same motors as the other Lyriq, but they're tuned a little bit differently in order to give that performance upgrade for the V series, and so we get that 3.3-second time, which really is phenomenal for this vehicle,” Carino enthused.“We really have turned all the knobs up to 11 on this car, we wanted to give the customer just everything we could throw at it, from a performance standpoint, and we’re super excited about it being our first electric vehicle for the V series, which has got a long brand history with General Motors, and with Cadillac.“This vehicle lives up to all of that, and more.”Carino said no other car company has a variant that can compete directly with the Lyriq-V (Tesla’s Model 3 Performance can hit 60mph in 2.9 seconds, but it’s a mid-sized sedan, while the Model Y Performance claims 3.5 seconds). What sets the Cadillac apart is its ability “to live in both the luxury and the sport simultaneously.”Carino puts this down to the fact the V offers so much customisation. He said most drivers will use its My Mode to set up the suspension, steering, brake feel, motor sound and so on for the way they want to use the car 90 per cent of the time.“Then you press the V button and you get V Mode, which allows you to exercise all the bells and whistles from a performance side, and then you can go even one step further with a hard press of the V button, which gives you Velocity Max mode, and then that gives you this top-level acceleration on top of everything else you've already set for the vehicle,” he explained.“And the from there, you can use Launch Control, say if there’s someone next to you at the stop light, and you really want to get ahead of them, and that will give you that 3.3 seconds. Boom!”We resisted the urge to ask Carino whether he could have come up with a more American name than “Velocity Max”, and asked him, as someone who’s been driving a Lyriq V every day for months in the US, how often he engaged that mad mode.“So I have a family with three kids, and when I put it in Velocity Max, they're like, ‘Dad! It's too much! Too much. Too much,” he guffawed. “So I enjoy it when I’m by myself.“You guys are going to love it when you get it down there.”The Lyriq-V boasts a 102kWh battery pack, and if you drive it as it’s clearly intended its unlikely you’ll get anywhere near its claimed range of 459km (according to US EPA testing numbers).The standard Cadillac Lyriq is already on sale in Australia, priced from $117,000, and the brand’s local arm won’t say yet just how much the vicious V will be when it arrives early in 2026.“Pricing and specification for ANZ will be announced later this year and customer deliveries will commence from early 2026,” a spokesman from GM ANZ said.

What offences can cameras catch you committing when driving?

A luxury, three-row, six-seat SUV that packs more punch than a Porsche 911? It must be an EV, and one with quite the battery and aggressive dual motors - meet the very large, very impressive-looking Cadillac Vistiq, coming to Australia in early 2026. We flew to Detroit for a preview drive.

You could buy 142 Subaru WRXs, 25 Porsche 911s, or seven average-priced houses, and one apartment, in Melbourne, for $7 million, or you could have just one Ferrari F80.Believe me when I say this is not the kind of math you want to be doing when you are driving one of the very few existing examples of this absurdly astonishing supercar on a public road. Every other driver starts to look like a potentially expensive threat, particularly in Italy, where people drive as if their lives depend on their next coffee.There are other potentially even more alarmingly large numbers to worry over when you are invited to take Ferrari’s freakish F80 for a blast around the Misano race circuit in Italy. Foremost is the fact that this car has 1200 horsepower, which is 20 per cent more power than a Formula 1 car is allowed to deploy. Just think about that. I thought about it a lot as I lay awake the night before trying it.The F80 can also allegedly destroy the 100km/h mark faster than an F1 rocket, in just 2.1 seconds, and can smash its way from zero to 200km/h in 5.75 seconds. My favourite factoid, however, was intoned by an impossibly calm-sounding Ferrari driving instructor who told us there was one corner of the Misano track where we’d be able to feel the full whack of the F80’s active aerodynamic package, which provides more than one tonne of downforce… at 250km/h.Making all of these speeds possible is an implausibly engineered version of the turbocharged 3.0-litre V6 hybrid found in the already hugely impressive Ferrari 296 GTB (which was, until now, the greatest car I’ve ever driven), where it makes 614kW. In the F80 it’s delivering 883kW, which quite simply makes every other car I’ve ever driven seem a bit limp.My first drive was in the passenger seat, which is uncomfortably tiny and shoved towards the passenger door, and slightly behind the driver’s elbow, because Ferrari decided to give this car a “one-plus-one” seating position, thus making the far more pleasant driver’s seat the centre of attention (serious consideration was given to making it a single seater but apparently Ferrari owners like to frighten hell out of their friends).With a racing driver at the wheel I felt the downforce very keenly indeed, as well as the full force of the car’s incredible carbon ceramic brakes, which haul the F80 from 100km/h to zero in 28m, or from 200km/h in 98m. As for the acceleration, it was so unfeasible, so violently virile, that I wondered whether it was too late to change careers, or fake a heart attack. Actually that wouldn’t have required much acting.Obviously an enormous amount of development work has been done on the engine, but it also benefits from new e-turbos - turbochargers with electric motors that can help spin them up to 160,000rpm when there’s not enough exhaust gas to work with, basically eliminating lag - borrowed, among many other things, from Ferrari’s F1 team.   As we pulled into the pits I thanked my Italian friend and pointed out that I would not be driving the F80 like that. He looked like I had told him the car was ugly (and dear goodness it is not, it’s stunning, with a real Formula 1 aesthetic and butterfly doors) and slow. “But… why NOT?!!?” He knew, of course, what I was about to discover, which is that this F80 performs miracles. Not only does it somehow get almost double the power that a V10-engined Lamborghini Huracan produces to the ground without digging holes in the surface or causing the tyres to explode, it’s actually encouraging to drive.     On my outlap, I was wondering what kind of lunatic would want a car with this much hairy-handed gorilla grunt and treating the throttle as if it was covered in scorpions. A few short and furiously fun minutes later, I was madly in love with the F80 shove. A few hours later I was pushing the car to the point where I was sweating for fun rather than from fear.Much like Lamborghini, Ferrari has come to accept that there is a point where a car has too much power to drive the rear wheels alone (the engineers tell me this is around 1000 horsepower), and has developed a new all-wheel-drive system for the F80, using an electric motor in each front wheel and extremely clever torque vectoring.Then there are the various Side Slip Control and traction systems, which are constantly analysing just how much power can go to any wheel without throwing you sideways, systems which are working in milliseconds.All of this works so well that the F80 never felt snappy, even with a real driver at the wheels, just entirely confidence building, encouraging; it makes you feel like a better driver. Like a super human one, even.   I have never enjoyed driving anything this much, nor have I ever driven anything so fast, while still feeling comfortable. The steering, though the very F1-style wheel, is perfect, the gut-squeezing feel of the downforce keeping you nailed to the ground through corners just adds more confidence, widening the envelope of what you can achieve.And the next day, they let us drive it on a public road, where my insane co-driver hurled it quickly and easily past the 300km/h mark, as Italians cheered.Here, too, the F80 surprised and delighted, because it was nowhere near as brutally hard as I had feared. It’s not comfortable, nor as blessed with ride/handling balance as a 296 GTB, but it’s pretty damn good. And I have a new favourite vehicle.This is a hugely significant car for Ferrari, which only applies the term “supercar” to its most elevated and exhilarating vehicles, those which come along roughly once a decade. The first Ferrari supercar was the legendary GTO, followed by the F40, then the F50 and the Ferrari Enzo. The last entrant into that rarefied club was the La Ferrari, a properly wild V12-powered machine launched back in 2013. The F80 recently destroyed the lap record set by La Ferrari at the company’s famed Fiorano track, beating it by 4.4 seconds.Sure, the price is absolutely absurd, but they could charge twice as much and people would still buy one, and I’d still want one. Around 20 Australians have already done so. 

Much like one of those tricky mathematical equations that always comes up with the same result, or Pi, no matter which numbers you enter, all personalised number plates somehow dissolve and dissemble into the same sentiment: 'LKATME'.The fact so many people are so willing to spend money on allegedly funny license plates that they will sell their vehicles separately to their hilarious number plates is an enduring mystery.And yet, for a great many people putting 'MYWRX' on their Subaru WRX, which is clearly, their WRX, somehow increases the value, to them personally, of the ownership experience.There are, of course funny number plates in Australia, and indeed the world is full of funny number plate ideas. Where can you find funny custom plate ideas? Right here, of course, or splattered all over the internet.And what justifies the description of funny custom number plates is very much a personal thing.'D3FEKT' is a weird clever number plate, because it reminds us that some of these funny personalised plates feel like they are crying out for police attention, along with 'BOOKME'.On the other hand 'OVAWRK' is a simple, effective creative number plate idea, particularly on an adventure vehicle, like the large SUV that was seen carrying this plate in Queensland.Someone just wants to get away from it all, and thought it would be worth investing in a funny custom number plate to tell other people.Funny personalised plates obviously amuse a lot of people, however, with special Facebook pages set up to recognise their comic genius, including Stupid Australian Number Plates, which has more than 46,000 followers. One particular favourite from that site is “I (heart emoji) Self”, which is simply a more colourful way of saying w****r.I also enjoyed 'FAH Q' on a classic Ferrari, 'NOB' on a Bentley and 'SEXSUS' on a Lexus. Just wow.There are, of course, general or mainstream funny number plates for sale, all over the internet, but then there are many more specific examples as well.Funny Tesla number plates, for one, take a particular approach, in line with Tesla values and tropes, like 'BYBYGAS' (clearly an American example), 'CHARGEME', which could be a cry for help, 'CO2FREE' and 'IMGRNRU'.'POWERUP' is another funny Tesla number plate that’s quite appropriate on a Tesla Model 3 Performance or similarly wild example.I do also like the 'look at me, I’m saving the world' vibes of 'R3VOLT', which is at least a bit clever.The winner for funny private number plates, however, goes to the self-aware Tesla owner in WA who went with 'TOSLA'.Another rich vein of specific private number plates is funny 4WD number plates, which include simple offerings like 'MUDDY1' and '4WDRIV', along with my favourite, 'BAABAA' on a black Jeep.Remarkably, this love of funny customer number plates is not uniquely Australian, or even western.For example, there are plenty of funny Punjabi number plates out there, some of which might not make a lot of sense if you don’t get the context.Many Punjabi number plates incorporate words or phrases from Punjabi culture, like 'Jatt' (which is a term for a Punjabi man) or 'Dhillon' (which is a common Punjabi surname). Punjabi plates also quite often use numbers to stand in for letters, so for instance '12' might take the place of the latter 'R'. Watch out for examples like 'JATTMOOD' and 'FRESHYDILLON'.You might be wondering how much does a custom number plate cost?The answer varies greatly depending on where you live, and if you’ve ever been to Queensland, where personalised number plates seem colossally common, you’re not be surprised to learn that personalised plates are cheaper there than in some states, at a costs of $165.In South Australia, personalised plates have a one-off fee of $212.In Victoria, prices for your personal plate start from $395, which is a lot more than Queensland.In Tasmania, a custom number plate will set you back from $299. Western Australia is another place that loves a personalised plate, at least partly thanks to the fact that you can get from from just $104.60.In NSW, you see customised number plates a lot less often, because getting one will cost you as much as $499. Ouch.And in the ACT, you can be paying even more for variations of a personalised number plate, with non-standard plates ranging from $573.30 to $797.40.So, very few LKATMEs in Canberra, then, clearly.

American giant GM, which is in the midst of launching Cadillac as an EV-only brand in Australia, is determined to take on China, and win, when it comes to battery technology, announcing a new way of “layering” its batteries, which can reduce the number of cells by as much as 75 per cent, reducing both weight and cost.

Financing a used car in Australia often comes with more strings attached than financing a new one and usually a higher interest rate to match. That’s not to say you can’t get a good deal on a used car loan, just that you need to be prepared for lenders to reduce their exposure by tacking on an extra premium to cover their risks.And really, you’re all in this together. You might well be buying used rather than new to save some money, but in doing that you’re obviously accepting a level of risk yourself.Used car loans usually run anywhere from one to seven years, so you can stretch your repayments well past the point where the car still smells like someone else’s dog. A longer loan term does mean smaller monthly repayments, but it also means paying a lot more in interest over time (you up the back, prepare for a math lesson).For instance, borrowing $10,000 at 6.5 per cent over three years will set you back about $306 a month, with $1003 in total interest. Stretch it to seven years and your monthly repayment will drop to $148, but you'll pay more than double the interest ($2398).That’s because interest has more time to accumulate the longer the loan drags on, even if the rate stays the same. The devil is in the retail detail with insurance companies.Current used car loan interest rates average between six per cent and 10 per cent, depending largely on your credit history and the age and condition of the vehicle you’re buying.Unsecured personal loans tend to have even higher rates (around 10 per cent), while financing through a credit card can attract rates as high as 20 per cent (I’ll let you do the interest math yourself there, but here’s a tip, it hurts).As tempting as it might be, it's important to remember the lowest advertised interest rate might not be the best deal overall, as it could involve hidden fees or restrictive conditions, like balloon payments (unlike real balloons, these are not fun and hit with a more physical bang).The best way to cover yourself is to refer to the comparison rate, which includes most fees and charges, for an accurate cost assessment.Here’s a breakdown of popular used car financing options.Secured car loans from banks or credit unions usually have the most favourable terms for used car financing. Because these loans use the vehicle as collateral, lenders feel more secure and usually provide better interest rates.However, there are often age and condition restrictions for eligible vehicles. Most lenders want a car that will still be less than 12 to 15 years old by the loan's end, and many cap it at seven years old. That’s partly because many vehicles are out of warranty by then, which increases the risk of major repairs during the loan term.While many loans allow early repayments to reduce interest costs, some fixed-rate options come with exit fees. And finally, if the car is written off or stolen, you’re still liable for any remaining loan balance, even if insurance doesn’t fully cover it.Just let that sink in for a moment - paying interest on a loan for a car you don’t even drive any more.Dealer finance can seem like a no-brainer due to the convenience and quicker approval times. However, that convenience can come with a markup. Dealer-arranged loans can have variable interest rates, which are sometimes competitive with bank loans but often higher, due to dealer margins or hidden fees.Always compare dealer finance carefully against independent lending options and check the comparison rate to avoid unexpected costs. This is why we have an internet.Unsecured personal loans can be a real lifesaver when your dream car is too old, too cheap, or listed as a private sale. These loans don’t use the car as collateral, which means you duck all the age and value limits, and you can also spend the money however you like.But the cost of that extra freedom is that interest rates for unsecured loans typically sit between seven per cent and 12 per cent, and can climb much higher for lower-credit borrowers.Lenders will also scrutinise your credit history and income more closely, since they can’t fall back on selling the car if things go pear-shaped. Make sure you compare comparison rates, not just advertised interest, to get the full picture of what you’ll owe.Using a credit card for vehicle financing is usually a terrible idea unless you have extraordinary financial discipline, but under very specific conditions, it can work.Most credit cards carry interest rates of 18–22 per cent, but some offer zero per cent introductory rates for a short period. If you close the balance before that window closes and avoid any credit card surcharges on repayments, you’re in the clear.But if you have any leftover balance once the introductory period ends, it’ll incur interest backdated to day one, and you’ll be paying through the nose.Leasing – usually via a novated lease with your employer – can be a tax-savvy way to finance a used car. Payments are deducted pre-tax, which can reduce your taxable income, cut GST on running costs, and even exempt you from FBT if you're leasing a qualifying electric vehicle (EV).That said, most providers won’t touch a car older than seven to 10 years at lease start (or 12–15 years by lease end). And while bundled servicing, rego and insurance can simplify budgeting, you’re often locked into approved providers and may face higher costs for maintaining older cars. Plus, if you leave your job, you’ll need to take over the lease, transfer it or sell the car.Ultimately, your best second-hand car finance option and repayment plan will come down to several factors, starting with your credit score. Stronger credit opens the door to better rates, particularly with secured loans.It’s also important to consider your budget and cash flow realistically. Shorter loan terms cost less overall but require higher monthly payments, while longer terms are easier monthly but costlier in total. The vehicle’s age could also limit your options to unsecured personal loans or dealer finance.If you want to improve your chance of approval, start by checking your credit report and fixing any errors before applying. A saved deposit is another great tool to have in your negotiation arsenal, and can lead to lower interest rates.You can also shop around and get pre-approvals from multiple lenders, so you’ve got some bargaining power. Finally, if your credit score is a bit shaky, bringing a co-signer or guarantor could strengthen your application.This material has been prepared for information purposes only. It should not be taken as constituting professional advice and you should consider seeking independent legal, financial, taxation or other advice to check how the information relates to your unique circumstances.

Before I talk about how Super Cruise — the hands-off self-driving system that’s being used by hundreds of thousands of Americans every day in GM and Cadillac vehicles — almost killed me, I’d like to say how impressed I was by its work.