Sports cars

The mid-engined Chevrolet Corvette has received its largest update yet, though it’s unclear when it will arrive in Australia.

In another very clear sign the end of the world is nigh, Mazda has filed a patent for an electric Mazda MX-5 it appears. It's devastating news for anybody who appreciates the perfection that is the MX-5 or indeed anybody who appreciates life at all. 

Toyota's MR2 revival appears to have taken a step closer to reality, with the Japanese giant recently lodging a trademark application in Australia, and in Japan, that only fuels the navy rumours the iconic sports car is about to make a comeback.

According to the internet, Great Wall Motors Chairman Wei Jianjun is a bone fide petrolhead, with an ever-changing line-up of high-end marques from Ferrari to Rolls-Royce rolling through his collection, affectionately referred to as ‘the car museum’.

Ferrari has continued its two-decade long line of ‘special’ versions of its smaller mid-rear engined supercars with the arrival of the 296 Speciale, a fire-breathing 647kW version of the twin-turbo, V6 plug-in hybrid.

MG has launched a new entry-grade variant of its electric Cyberster, sneaking the car’s entry price below the $100,000 mark.

BYD’s premium sub-brand Denza has pulled the covers off of its Z electric sports car concept at the Shanghai auto show.

Genesis is finally ready to join the big names in the luxury car market, confirming plans to launch its first-ever sports coupe.

Lamborghini has dismissed the potential sales threats posed by the likes of BYD and its Yangwang U9 electric supercar, despite the Chinese car industry shaking up the global established order.Speaking to Australian media at the local unveiling of the V8-hybrid Temerario supercar, Lamborghini CEO Stephan Winkelmann said he doesn’t see all-electric supercars as a serious challenge as they offer too many compromises.Which is why the Temerario and its bigger sibling, the V12 plug-in hybrid Revuelto, are both hybridised rather than opting for potentially more powerful electric motors. Winkelmann believes buyers are attracted to more than just pure power figures.“ No, we always said that the pure electric supercar are not here to be successful,” Winkelmann said. “Some already admitted it, and they're putting them out of the market, they're still trying to sell some, but it's not going to fly because of a lot of issues.“It's the brand, it's the residual value, it's the missing sound, a lot of things. But at the end of the day, what you want is something which is real.”Winkelmann is also confident that Lamborghini’s brand image and reputation crosses over boundaries and through generations, giving a truly global appeal and an especially strong one in the lucrative Chinese market. He made it clear this is no accident, and the Raging Bull brand is carefully curating its image and the next generation of buyers using all the latest technology and apps.“Yes, I hope it's like this because we are also very into social media now,” he said. “We have Instagram, TikTok, we are in the best position. So we have a lot of kids now which are loving us, and not only people which are having a driving license, but also the majority will never have the opportunity to own a Lamborghini."It's also important for us not only to have a, let's say, a good base for the next buyers, but also to have always thumbs up when a Lamborghini passes by now, which is easy to say, but you have to always be ahead of the wave.“You never know what is going to happen. So to have a large crowd of fan community is important and this is a huge difference of our type of luxury business. If you compare it with watches or with accessories or fashion. No, there is not this emotion. Sometimes yes, but mostly not.”However, how Lamborghini integrates this level of emotional appeal into its already-announced first electric car, a 2+2 GT car to join the Revuelto, Temerario and Urus, remains to be seen. When quizzed about the possibility of artificial engine noises for the electric Lamborghini, Winkelmann admitted he wasn’t a fan of this concept, but said there is a lot of research going on behind-the-scenes.“For sure,  we will have the sound of silence,” he said. “So one of the things which are also important when you have an electric car is - I don't know if a GT 2+2 car is a different car than Revuelto - so it's important that you have at least the opportunity when you're on the phone or when you are speaking to somebody who is next to you, that you can also enjoy this part.“For sure, on the sound level, we have to make a clear decision. I am personally against a fake internal combustion engine sound. But I don't know today what it is going to be. We heard a lot of things… So amplifying what is there as a sound but it has to be done in the right way. This is pretty complex.”On the topic of an artificial transmission, Winkelmann was more receptive, indicating that if done the right way, such a system could be way to make its EV exciting and emotional to owners.“We are evaluating a lot of things, but this could be an opportunity to make a car very emotional now,” he said. “Because at the same time it’s recuperating energy and also slowing down, so this is like shifting down. You can explain it also in a different way. And this is the positive thing.”Lamborghini has pushed back plans to launch its electric GT by 2026 until at least 2027, as demand for EVs has not grown at the expected rate. Winkelmann also confirmed that plans to make the next-generation Urus all-electric have been shelved in favour of a plug-in hybrid future for the SUV.

It’s shiny, glamorous and exotic with the signature prancing horse badge proudly attached to its nose. But is this pre-owned Ferrari as good as it should be, or do unseen gremlins and a patchy ownership history make it less of an automotive dream and more a potential nightmare?Enter Ferrari Approved, as the name implies, an official certification program designed to ensure the car you’re looking to buy is in pristine, factory-fresh condition, aligned with its original specification and mechanically flawless.To achieve that, the factory has developed an extensive set of technical inspection and verification protocols supported by global Ferrari Academy training for technicians and streamlining of vehicle data research channels.Applied to vehicles from zero to 16 years old, a Ferrari Approved inspection consists of 201 checks covering everything from powertrain and electrical systems to the bodywork and interior.Any defects are rectified using original Ferrari parts “to ensure that the car fully complies with Maranello's extremely strict safety, performance and reliability standards”.As well as those checks, the car’s provenance is authenticated via the brand’s global dealer sales and service network data, before final exterior and interior preparation and a “test-drive by a professional driver”.And in the interests of transparency a list of the checks and repairs carried out is placed in the glove box.According to Ferrari, around 60 per cent of its cars from zero-30 years old are serviced within the brand’s authorised network, so the data set for research is solid. And even if a proposed vehicle has been serviced once, or even more times, outside the official network it can still be considered.Cars subsequently offered for sale are covered by a factory warranty and roadside assistance for up to 24 months (unlimited km). You’ll also receive a two-year subscription to Ferrari Magazine.Interesting to note the La Ferrari hybrid hypercar from 2013 is eligible for Ferrari Approved and even its hybrid battery will be replaceable with a smaller, more modern and energy-efficient unit, however its casing will be weighted to maintain the car’s original homologation.The Head of Ferrari Approved, Andrea Scioletti says more than 90 per cent of the more than 300,000 Ferraris ever produced are still on the road. He believes “a Ferrari is forever” and notes other factory programs designed to keep that impressive ratio intact include Ferrari Premium for vehicles 10 to 20 years old and Ferrari Classiche, the latter typically involving restoration and verification of high-end cars beyond two decades old.