Holden http://www.holden.com.au
Astra RS Aug 17 $26,240 (6m) $27,240 (6a) I4/1.6T 147/5500 (300)/1650 front 1325 111 7.37 15.29 5.8 3.5^ Muscular performance and capable dynamics for the price. Not super sporty, despite the RS badge
Commodore RS $40,790 (9a) V6/3.6 235/6800 381/5200 all 1672 141 –––4.0^ Base V6 Commodore is the lightest and therefore quickest. It makes a fine SV6 replacement
Commodore RS-V $46,990 (9a) V6/3.6 235/6800 381/5200 all 1672 141 –––4.0^ Extra kit makes RS-V the sweet spot of the ZB Commodore range
Commodore RS-V Sportwagon $49,190 (9a) V6/3.6 235/6800 381/5200 all 1737 135 –––4.0^ Stylish family hauler is an impressive package despite the high $49K entry point
Calais-V $51,990 (9a) V6/3.6 235/6800 381/5200 all –––––3.5 Cheaper and better equipped than a Stinger GT, but then it’s nowhere near as quick
Commodore VXR Mar 18 $55,990(9a) V6/3.6 235/6800 381/5200 all 1737 138 –––3.5^ Has everything it needs except a proper engine. More performance expected at this price pointHonda http://www.honda.com.au
Civic Type R Oct 18 $51,990 (6m) I4/2.0T 228/6500 400/2500 front 1380 165 5.68 13.66 7.7 4.5 Get past the challenging looks and you’ll experience possibly the best front-driver there’s ever been
NSX Sep 18 $420,000(9dc) V6/3.5TT 427/6500 646/2000 all 1698 251 ––9.7 4.5 Amazing speed and technology but fighting in a fiercely competitive supercar segmentHyundai http://www.hyundai.com.au
i30 N Line $26,490 (6m) $29,490 (7dc) I4/1.6T 150/6000 265/1500 front 1315 114 ––7.5 3.5^ Manual SR is now N Line, but is still a terrific warm hatch with a punchy engine, good dynamics
i30 SR Premium $34,490 (7dc) I4/1.6T 150/6000 265/1500 front 1344 112 7.7 – 7.5 3.5^ Leather-trimmed range-topper loses its value equation and lacks a manual option
(▲$500) i30 N Feb 19 $40,490 (6m) I4/2.0T 202/6000 378/1750 front 1429 141 6.24 14.26 8.0 4.5 Finessed, flavoursome, but not wickedly fast. A sweet blend of virtues for the price
i30 Fastback N Apr 19 $41,990 (6m) I4/2.0T 202/6000 378/1750 front 1441 141 6.1 – 8.0 4.0 Broadens the i30 N tasting, which is great, but adds weight to a hot hatch that needs to lose some
ElantraSport $28,990(6m)$31,490(7dc) I4/1.6T 150/6000 265/1500 front 1360 110 7.7 – – 3.5^ Polishedchassis,useablegruntanddecentvalue,howeverit’snota trueperformancecarInfiniti http://www.inifiticars.com.au
Q50 Pure (^) $58,900 (7a) V6/3.0TT 224/6400 400/5200 rear 1784 126 – – 9.2 3.0^ 400Nm twin-turbo V6 is a clear de-tune of a great engine, but it’s now priced like Stinger GT
Q50 Sport $64,900 (7a) V6/3.0TT 224/6400 400/5200 rear 1784 126 – – 9.2 3.0^ Now loaded with all the gear, but Q50 should get the Red Sport tune at this price point
Q50 Red Sport $74,900 (7a) V6/3.0TT 298/6400 475/5200 rear 1784 167 4.89 13.0 9.3 3.0^ Price cut only highlights the level of mumbo for the money, but it needs a chassis to harness it
Q60 Red Sport Jul 17 $84,900 (7a) V6/3.0TT 298/6400 475/5200 rear 1784 167 – – 8.9 3.5^ Sexier than the sedan with fun dynamics in certain conditions, but it’s costly and cramped
Q70 GT $68,900 (7a) V6/3.7 235/7000 360/5200 rear 1702 138 6.2 – 10.2 2.5^ A value proposition with unique styling tied to a chassis that feels old and dynamically unresolved
Q70 Hybrid Premium Aug 12 $82,900 (7a) V6/3.5E 268/6800 520/5000 rear 1785 150 5.5 – 6.9 2.5^ Strong petrol-electric performance and economy let down by steering that feels artificial
QX70 S Premium $104,400(7a) V8/5.0 297/6500 500/4400 all 1992 149 5.8 – 13.1 3.0^ Cracking V8 means this SUV shifts, but it likes a drink and the styling is love or hate
Jaguar http://www.jaguar.com.au
XE30tR-Sport $73,970(8a) I4/2.0T 221/5500 400/1500 rear 1565 141 5.7 – 7.5 3.5^ Scores 221kW four-pot with lovely steering and ride quality, but it’s not as fast as the figures suggest
XF35tS Apr 16 $129,065(8a) V6/3.0S 280/6500 450/4500 rear 1710 164 5.3 – 8.3 3.5 F-Type S engine tune and sharper styling. Look to the smaller, lighter XE for a more sporting steer
BMW – JAGUAR
Research your next new car at whichcar.com.au
Careful buying takes its toll on 2019’ssales
CAR MARKET COOLS
MARCH HAS PROVIDED Australia with its best month of salessofarthis
year, almost reaching six-figures over 31 days. But the marketisstillbehind
where it was last year, thanks to what the FCAI calls a ‘cautiousconsumer
approach’. The sports car market, unsurprisingly, mimics themarket’sslow
start to the year, but there are a few cars exceeding whereothersfail.
For a start, the entire category of ‘sports cars between $80Kand$200K’
has managed to remain close to its year-to-date (YTD) figurefromlastyear,
but is down 5.6 per cent. The under $80K segment copped a 35 percent
drop, while sales north of $200K finds a mid-point with a 15.3percentdrop.
The best seller in the ‘$80K-$200K’ market is the one that’salsoseen
a large uptick in sales, the Mercedes C-Class Coupe and Cabriolet.While
Bimmer’s 4 Series is down 8 per cent for its YDT total, and theAudiA5coupe
saw a massive 61 per cent dip in sales (why? See ‘Too Cool’ breakouttoyour
right), the two-door C-Class sold 610 units across its rangein 2019 sofar,
marking a 79.5 per cent uptick.
Interestingly, after only two sales in Feb, the Infiniti Q60 coupesold 26
units in March. This makes it the fifth-most popular model initscategory,
just ahead of Jaguar’s F-Type and the Lexus RC.
In the sub-$80K category, the Ford Mustang remains a dominantforcefor
sports cars affordable to mere mortals, even after a 38.4 percentdropin
sales from February’s strong 705 units, down to 434 ‘StangsinMarch.
In a broader context, it’s not surprising that SUVs actuallydidmostofthe
heavy lifting for March’s increase in sales over February. In totalanextra
8368 SUVs were sold month-on-month versus an increase of just 1848
passenger cars. – Chris Thompson
CHART AT TACK
PER CENT
PER CENT
PIPING HOT
MERCEDES C-CLASS
The updated C-Class two-
door saw a strong increase in
March’s figures, but its more
popular four-door plateaued
with only a 3.9 per cent
increase month-on-month.
Still, it sold 634 units, twice
that of the two-door versions.
TOO COOL
AUDI A5 COUPE
Where the Audi A5 coupe slumps,
the Audi A5 Sportback rises. The
four-door, mid-sized sibling to the
two-door model seems to have
pinched a few sales, finishing with
101 sold and a near inverse sales
increase of 50.7 per cent.
LAST MONTH IN PERFORMANCE CAR SALES
- 80
- 61
MODELTESTED PRICE ENGINE KW/RPM NM/RPMDRIVEKERB KGKW/TONNE0-100 KM/H0-400MFUELCONS
RATING